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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (June 30, 1899)
THE BED CLOUD CHIEF. r r - l - M - - M - - t - - - M PHANTOM -OR The Flying H I -H"H"H"H"t-H"Hf-f M--M--H CHAPTER XXXI. (Continued.) "Holy Vlrglnl" exclaimed tho ca",i taln, breathless; "I liavo known ships to go down, but never to come up be fore." "Tho Phantom Ship tho 'Plying Dutchman,'" shrieked Schrlftcn; "I told you so, Philip Vanderdecken: thero Is your father He, hoi" Philip's eyes had remained fixed on tho vessel; ho perceived that they wore lowering down a boat from her quar ter. ' "It Is possible," thought ho. "I ehnll now bo permitted!" and Philip put his hand into his bosom and grasped tho relic. Shortly afterward the splash of oars was heard alongside, and a volco call ing out: "I sny, my good people, glvo us a1ropo from forward." No ono answered or compiled with tho request. Schrlftcn only went up ' to the captain and told him that if they offered to send letters they must not bo received or tho vessel would bo doomed nnd all would perish. A man now mado his appearance from over tho gunwale, at tho gang way. "You might m well havo let me had a side rope, my hearties," said he, as he stepped on deck; "where Is tho captain?" "Here." replied tho captain, trem bling from head to foot. Tho man who t accosted him appeared a weather-beaten seaman, dressed In a fur cap and canvas petticoats. "What do you want?" at last scream ed tho captain. "Yes what do you want?" continued Schrlftcn. "He! he!" "What, you here, pilot?" observed tho man; "well, I thought you had gone to Davy's locker long enough ago." "He, he," replied Schrlften, turning away. "Why, tho fact is, captain, wo have had very foul weather, and wo wish to send letters home; I do bellovo that we shall never get round this Cape." "I can't take them!" cried tho captain. "Can't tako them! Well, It's very odd; but every ship refuses to tako our letters. It's very unkind; seamen should have a feeling for brother sea men, especially In distress. God knows we wish to seo our wives and families again; and It would bo a matter of com fort to them If they only could hear from us." "I can not tako your letters the aalnts preservo us!" replied tho cap tain. "Wo have been a long whllo out," aid tho seaman, shaking his head. "How long?" Inquired tho captain. "Wo can't tell; our almanac was blown overboard, and wo havo lost our reckoning. Wo never bad our latitude exact now, for we cannot toll tho sun'a declination for the right day. "Let mo see your lottera," said Phil ip, advancing and taking them out of tho seaman's hands. "They must not be touched!" scream ed Schrlftcn. "Out, monster!" replied Philip; "who dare Interfere with me?" "Doomed! doomed! doomed!" shriek ed Schrlftcn, running up and down tho deck, and then breaking Into a wild fit of laughter. "Touch not tho letters," said tho captain, trembling as It In an ague fit. Philip mado no reply, but held his hand out for tho letters. "Hero Is ono from our second mato to his wife at Amsterdam, who lives on Waser Quay." "Waser Quay has long been gone, my good friend; thero is now a largo dock for ships whero It once was," re plied Philip. "Impossible!" replied tho man; "here is another from the boatswain to his father, who lives in tho old market 4 place." "The old market place has long been pulled down, and thero now stands a church upon tho spot." "Impossible!" replied tho seaman; "hero Is another from inysolf to my sweetheart, Vrow Ketser with monoy to buy her a now brooch." Philip shook his head. "I remember seeing an old lady of that namo buried somo thirty years "ago." "Impossible! I left her young and blooming. Herc'B one for tho house of Slutz & Co., to whom tho ship bo ? longs." "There's no such hoiiso now," re plied Philip;, "but I havo heard that many years ago there was a firm of that name." "Imposslblo! you mu3t bo laughing at me. Hero la a letter from our cap talnjto his son " "Glvo It mo," cried Philip, seizing tho letter. Ho was about to break tho seal, whon Schrlftcn snatched It oii of his hand, and threw It over tho lea, gunwalp, - m "That's a scurvy trick for an old ehlpmate," observed tho seaman, flcbrlften made no reply, but catching up tho othor letters which Phillip had laid down on tho capstan, ho hurled them after tho flrst.v Tho straugo seaman shed tears, and walked again to the side. "It is very taard very unkind," observed ho, as ' 'he descended; "tho time may come when you may wish that your family should know your situation." So say ping, he disappeared. In a fow seconds was heard the sound of the oars ro treating from tho ship. "Holy St Antonio!" exclaimed toe - f lfr-frM--?-------- SHIP Dutchman. -BY CArTAN MARXYAT. captain. "I am lost In wonder and fright. Steward, bring me up tho nr rack." Tho steward ran down for the bot tle; being ns much alarmed as his cap tain, he hclpod himself beforo he brought It up to his commander. "Now," Bald tho captain, after keeping his mouth for two minutes to tho bot tle, nnd draining It to tho bottom, "what Is to bo done next?" "I'll tell you," said Schrlften, going up to him; "that man thero has n charm hung round his neck; tako It from him and throw it overboard, and your ship will bo saved; If not, It will bo lost, with every soul on board." "Yes, yes, It's nil right, depend up on It," cried tho sailors. "Fools," ropllcd Philip; "do you be- llevo that wretch? Did you not hear tho man who camo on board recognize him and call him shipmnto? Ho Is tho party whoso prcsenco on board will prove so unfortunate." "Yes, jes," cried tho sailors; "it's all right; the man did call blm ship mate." "I tell rou It's all wrong!" cried Schrlftcn; "that Is tho man; let him glvo up the charm." "Yes, yc3; let him glvo up tho charm," cried tho sailors, and they rushed upon Philip. Philip started back to whero tho cap tain stood. "Madmen, know yo what you nro about? It Is tho holy cross that I wear round my neck. Throw It overboard U you dare, nnd your souls aro lost forever," and Philip took the relic from his bosom and showed It to the captain. "No, no, men!" exclaimed tho cap tain, who was now moro settled In his nerves: "that won't do tho saints pro tect us." The seamen, however, became clnm orous; ono portion wero for throwing Schrlftcn overboard, tho other for throwing Philip; at last tho point was decided by the captain, who directed tho small skiff hanging astern to be lowered down, and ordered both Philip and Schrlften to get Into it. Tho sea men approved of tho arrangement, as It satisfied both parties. Philip made no objection; Schrlftcn screamed and fought, but ho was tossed Into the boat There he remained trembling in tho stcrn-shcots, whllo Philip, who had seized tho sculls, pulled away from the I vessel In the direction of tho Phantom Ship. CHAPTER XXXII. fn n few minutes tho vessel which Philip and Schrlftcn had left was no longer to bo discerned through the thick hazo; tho Phantom Ship was still in sight, but at a much greater dis tance from them than sho was bofore. Philip pulled hard toward her, but, al though hovc-to, sho appeared to In crease her distance from tho boat. For a short tlmo ho paused on his oars to regain his breath, when Schrlften rose up and took his seat In tho stern-sheets of tho boat. "You may pull nnd pull, Philip Vanderdecken," observed Schrlf tcn, "but you will not gain that ship no, no, that cannot be wo may havo a long cruise together, but you will bo as far away from your object at the end of It as you are now at tho commence ment Why don't you throw mo over board again? You would bo all the lighter. He! he!" "I threw you overboard in a stato of frenzy," replied Philip, "when you at tempted to force from mo my relic." "Aud havo I not endeavored to mako others take It from you this very day? Havo I not? He! he!" "You have," rejoined Philip; "but I am now convinced that you aro as un happy as myself, and that In what you aro doing you nro only following your destiny, as I am mine. Why and where foro I cannot tell, but wo are'hoth en gaged In tho enmo mystery; If the suc cess of my endeavors depend! upon guarding tho relic, the success of yours deponds upon your obtaining It, and de feating ray purpose by so doing. In this matter wo nro both agents, and you havo been, as far as my mission Is concerned, my most active enemy. But, Schrlften, I havo not forgotten, and never will, that you kindly did advlso my poor Amine; that you prophesied to her what would bo her fate If sho 'aid not listen to your counsel; that you were no enemy of hers, although my enemy; for her sako I forglvo you, and will not attempt to harm you." "You do then forglvo your enemy, Philip Vanderdecken," replied Schrlf ten, mournfully, "for such I acknowl edge myself to he." "I do, with all my heart, with all my soul," replied Philip. "Then you havo conquered me, Phil ,lp Vanderdecken; you havo made me your friend, and your wishes aro about to bo accomplished. You would know who I am. Listen. When your father, defying tho Almighty's will, In his rage, took my life, ho was vouchsafed u choice of his doom being canceled through tho merits of his son. I had also my appeal, which wns for venge ance; It was granted that I should remain on earth and thwart your will. That as long ns we wero enemies you should not succeed, but thnt when you had conformed to thoiilghest attribute of Christianity, proved on tho holy cross, that of forgiving your enemy, your task should be fulfilled. Philip, Vanderdecken, you havo forgiven your enemy, and both our destinies aro now accomplished." As Schrlftcn spoko Philip's eyes wora fixed upon him. Ho extended tits hand to Philip It was takon; and as It was pressed, tho form of tho pilot wasted as It wero Into tho air, and Philip found'-hlhisclf atone. Philip then pulled toward the Phan tom Ship, and found that sho no long er appeared to leave; on tho contrary, every nilnuto ho was nenrcr and nenr- cr, nnd at last ho throw In his oars and climbed up hor sides, and gainod her decks." Tho crew of tho vessel crowded around him. "Your cnptaln," said Philip; "I must speak with your captain." "Who shall I sny, sir?" domanded one, who appeared to be tho first matt. "Who?" replied Philip. "Tell him his son would spoAk to him his son, Phil ip Vnndcrdccken." Shouts of laughter from tho crew fol lowed this answer of Philip, nnd tho mate, as soon as they had ceased, ob served, with n smllo: "You forget, sir; perhaps you would say his father." "Tell him his son, If you please," re plied Philip; "take no noto of gray hairs." "Well, sir, hero ho Is coming for ward," replied tho mate, stepping aside, and pointing to tho captain. "What Is all this?" Inquired tho cap tain. "Aro you Philip Vnndordeckcn, tho captain of this vessel?" "I am, sir," replied tho other. "You nppear not to know me! But how can you? You saw mo when I was only throe years old; yet may you remember a letter which you gavo to your wife." "Ha!" replied tho captain. "And who, then, aro you?" "Tlmo has stopped with you, bul with thoso who llvo In tho world ho stops not; and for those who pass a llfo of misery ho hurries on still faster. In mo behold your son, Philip Vandor- decken, who has obeyed your wishes; and, nftcr a llfo of such peril and mis cry as few havo passed, has at last fulfilled his vow, and now offers to his father tho precious relic that ho re quired to kiss." "My son, my son!" exclaimed ho, ris ing and throwing himself into Philip's arms; "my eyes aro opened the Al mighty knows how long they have bocn obscured." Embracing each other, thoy walked aft, awayfrom the men, who wero still crowded at tho gang way. Tho elder Vanderdecken knelt down; Philip did the same, still embracing each other with ono arm, whllo they raised on high the other and prayed. For the last tlmo the relic was takon from tho bosom of Philip and handed to his father and his father ralsod his eyes to heaven and kissed it. And, as ho kissed It, tho long, tapering upper spars of tho phantom vessel, tho yards and satis that were set, fell Into dust, fluttered in tho wind, and sank upon tho wave. Tho mainmast, foremast, bowsprit, everything abovo tho deck crumbled into atoms and disappeared. Onco more did ho put tho sacred em blem to his lips, and tho beams and timbers separated, tho deckj of tho vessel slowly sank, and tho remnants of the hull iloatod upon tho water; and as tho father and son tho ono young and vigorous, tho other old and de crepit still kneeling, still embracing with their hnnds raised to heaven, sank slowly under tho deep bluo wavo, tho lurid sky was for a moment Illuminated by a lightning cross. Then did tho clouds which obscured the heavens roll away swift as thought tho sun again burst out In all Its splendor the rippling waves appeared to dance with Joy. Tho scroamlng sea gull ngaln whirled In the air, and tho ecared albatross onco moro slumbered on tho wing; tho porpolso tumbled and tossed In their sportive play, tho albl corc and dolphin leaped from tho sparkling sea. All nature smiled as It It rejoiced that tho charm was dis solved forover, and that tho Phantom Ship was no more. THE END. "Karthijunke Krliors." Mr. John Milne gives this namo to certain vibrations, which his delicate Instruments havo revealed, running through the crust of the earth after the occurrence of dlstnnt earthquakes. Tho apparent symmetry of theso puls ations, resembling tho rhythm of mu sical sounds, leads him to suggest that an earthquako may bo "a blow or blows, which come to an ond with musical vibrations Inside the world." Tho blows probably come from tho slipping or falling of rock within tho earth. Mr. Milne, at his observatory on tho Isle of Wight, photographo vibrations of his selsmographlc pendu lums, Induced by earthquakes many thousands of miles away, and In a re cont letter he speaks of "a magnificent set of waves which arrived from Mex ico on the night of Jan. 4th." Hot Much of the Augel, After All. Prison chaplain Ah, you have a pot, I ECO. Convict Yes, this rat. I feods him every day. I think more o that 'ore rat than any other llvln' creature. Prison chaplain Ah, In every man there's something of tho angel left, it ono can only find it. How camo you to tako ouch a fancy to that rat? Convict Ho bit th' warder. Tld Bits. Mot Iluppy. "It's a very happy little family, Isn't It?" "Oh, dear, no! Her husband Is jeal ous of her poodle, and her poodto la Jealous ot her baby, and the baby cries for its father nil th? time." Tit-Blta. HTnBi"? if in naffer Wirll - mvAm wfK&fxtI s CHAPTER I. "Hand8omo? Yes. Ho has (ho most Innocent blue eyes fn tho world, nnd tho smllo of nn nngol; but ha broke his mother's henrt, spent hor fortuno nnd his own, nnd committed every wickedness under tho nun beforo ho wna ono-nud-twonty. Yob, It Is very and very! And now poor old Col onel Brnnscomb la dying tho ac counts this morning wcio qulto hope less nnd Charllo Ih his next holr. An other fortuno for him to squander, us ho hnB nlrendy squandered everything ho could lay his hands on." "But I thought tho estntu was not entnllcd," remarked the lady to whom, tho foregoing was addressed. "No, It Is not entnlled. but tho Col onel has very strong Ideas on the subject of hereditary right. Ho nov or would mako u will; ho has nlwnyo believed that Charllo ultimately would pull himself together poor old man; ho must dlo In that belief. Char llo will nmko ducks nnd il rakes of beautiful Forest tan In no time. Oh, It Is n sorrowful pity!" Tho speaker, n linudsomo well pre served woman of fifty or thereabouts, with tho cxcluslvo stamp of tho "county" about hor, Btghcd profound ly n-j sho concluded. "But there Ib tho niece tho Colonel was dovotcd to her. I understood," ro tnarked tho second voice. "Yes, absolutely dovotcd. Poor dear child sho will mlsB him terribly In every way! I bollovo tho Colonel pleased himself nt ono tlmo with tho Idea of a nuirrlngo between Nona and Charllo, and throw them very much togothor too much, when you consid er what a fascinating uenpogrnco ho is. Shu la n very sweet gill." "I hopo her uncle haa provided for hor. Sho was qulto dependont on him, was sho not?" "Yes. It Is Imposslblo to sny what ho haB done something, I hope. But without n will which ho cortnlnly has not made I should bo afraid " Hero I, Sidney Fort, tho Involuntary listener to n conversation which, con sidering tho plnco and clrcumstnnccfl, wna certainly Indiscreet, Btlrrcd, coughed, nnd othorwlso mado tho fact of my waking prcsenco known. Tho voices, which had been somewhat raised, dropped at onco to a lower tono. I was tho third pasBongcr In n first- WW "OH! IT IS A SORROWFUL PITY." class railway carriage traveling from London towards a country station In tho midland counties. I had at start ing withdrawn into tho fartherest cor ner of tho carrlago, and, bolng sleepy from the previous night's burning of I tho midnight oil, had disposed myself to utilize the enforced idleness ot tho journoy In recouping exhausted na ture. I bollovo that tho two ladles, in thp interest ot their subject, had quite forgotten that thoy wero not alono. With my newspaper spread ov er my face I looked, as to all Intents and purposes I was, up to a certain point, a dummy. Tho soft murmur of the feminine voices had had at first a soporific effect; but tho Journoy was somewhat long, and, tho demands of nature satisfied, I awoko to hear tho fag-end of a conversation which, strange to say, had a particular inter est for mo. I was tho Junior partner, lately ad mitted, ot a firm ot London solicitors. Ono of my seniors was on tho Conti nent, tho othor was laid up with ono of tho serious bouts .of bronchitis which had been tho primary cnuso ot my initiation Into tho secrets of a large and Important clientele, An Im perative BUmmons had como early that morning for our Mr. Rowton to tako instructions for tho will of a country client Tho terms of tho telegram mltted of no delay, and within an hour of Its rdcclpt I was on my way to Euston Station, wheuco I wired to "Colonel Branscombo, Forest Lea, Midshlro," that "Sldnoy Fort, of Messrs. Rawton & Fort," had "left by tho 11:45 train," and would- "bo with him not later than 0 p. m." In tho absonco of my principal and tho pressuro at starting, I had no fur ther knowlodgo of my client than the fow data furnished by tho head clerk WffiNfk IJV&I& nt tho olllce "Old family; cstato worth fifteen thousand n year; biml ncsa In tho hnnds of thn firm slnro 1825. Mr. ltowton thoiiKht u great deal of tho Colonel; rather cccontrln and arbitrary, but a gentleman down to tho ground; qulto or tlio old sciiooy novor married; had nophowH and nieces;" he Fisher had Been n young gentloman nt tho ollke, a neph ew of the Colonel's. Tho ndltlonnl information ronvpyod by my fellow-passengers Imparted to my expedition tho Inloicat It hnd hith erto lackml. 1 wna nn doubt about to Havo Forest Lea from tho hands of tho spundhrlft Charlie, nnd possibly to en dow n young and lovoly girl with tho fortuno ho hnd forfeited. Tho mutter wn lifted nil nt onco from n dry do tall of business Into n chapter of io mnnce. I am, notwithstanding my profession, somowhnt Imaginative, nnd by tho tlmo tho train Rtoppod nt Wcstford, tho stntlon for which I wns hound, I had drawn a BUllleluntly fun ellful sketch of tho position. Llttlo, however, did I guoss how tho events nnd experiences of the ensuing week wero to color nnd Influcnco my own futuro llfo. My truvollng companions nlao alighted nt Westford. 1 buw them, nt tcndcdby a mnld nnd a footmnn, nnd obsequiously escorted by tho station miiBter nnd porters, drlvo off In n wngonetto with a pair of woll-groomod roans, nnd then I was nccostod by an oldorly groom with n cockndo In his hat. "Mr. Fort, for Colonel BranBcombo'B, Forest Lea. Blr?" "Yes," 1 ropllcd. "How Is tho Col onol?" "Very bad, air," nnswored tho man, shnklng lilt head, nnd with tho man ner of n good Borvnnt who fools tho Ions of n good innBtor. My luggage, which consisted of n small portmanteau aud n black bag, wna put Into tho dog-cart In waiting nnd In n fow minutou I was being driv en nt an oxhllarntlng paco through something llko six miles of n country which, in Its summer beauty of rich foliage nnd delicious green pnsturo was "A good maBtcr served by faithful servants," I aollloqulzcd. "Thoy nro dreading tho chnngo which spendthrift Charlie's rolgn will bring. It romnlns to bo seen wlicthor thut rclgu Is to bo, ' or whether a fair young chutelalno Is like tho good St. Elizabeth of gra cious memory to dlspenso hor smiles and hor charities In tho placo of tho bolovcd Colonol. CHAPTER II. Tho great oak 'doors opened noise lessly as I mounted tho wldo shallow steps. Evidently somo ono was on tho watch to savo tho clangor of tho loud boll through tho silent olek-houso. I stepped from tho portico Into n largo wldo hall hung with untlcrod heads and other trophies, telling of tho Colo nel's lovo for sport, nnd carpeted with tlgor and othor skins spread on tho polished oak floor. It was altogether an Imposing nnd appropriate ontranco to tho fluo old mansion. Hero, amongst tho distinctly mascu line elements, was not long In de tecting tho subtle signs of tho prea enco which hail Just pervaded my wnklng dreams ot Forest Lea. Sot on tho amplo old-fashioned window-lodge wero old china bowls heaped with rich crimson and golden roses, and tho wldo flrcplaco was filled with grace fully grouped ferns. A shady hat wreathed with green loaves lay on a Utlo splral-lcggod table, cIobq to a largo old-fashioned screen which shut off the staircase; and near tho hat had ad-Juccu lhrw a Pal,r ot "? snuntlot glovcB, which could novor havo fitted poor Colony's hands. A llttlo black- and-tnn terrier, nestled In ono of tho fur rugs, roused Itself nnd camo up to me, nestling Its cold noso in my of fered palm, and looking up luto my faco with the wistful nppoal of Its so clablo nature Evidently It was a lady's pot, neglected or forgotten In tho prcsonco ot sad and overwhelming caros. A gravo mlddlo-nged man-servant Interrupted my observations with rrspeotftul greeting. "Dinner will " Korvod at 7 o'clock, air," ho Bald. "Will you tako nny re freshments now brandy or soda, or sherry nnd bltterfl, Blr? Thero Is tea In tho drawing-room still." Then, ns 1 declined nil his luspltahlo sugges tions, ho ndded, "I will show you to,, your room, then, It you please, sir. Tho Colonel Is sleeping; tho doctors nro mosl anxious ho should not bo disturbed. We. had Sir Alfred Cox down from London this morning. I was to say that tho Colonel might not ho nbio to see you for soma lltlio'ttmo, Ho has had no sleep boforo this for clght-nnd-foriy houis ho haa had such violent pains nnd now that tho sleeping-draught has taken effect tho medical gentlemen mako n great point of " "Oh, certainly I qulle understand! Wo iniiHt hopo thnt this sleep will bn n turning point In tho Illness." 1 said cheerfully- "Of courso It Is of vital tmportnnro thnt thn Colonel should not bo aroused. Sleep is ofton tho best modiclno.'' "Tho Colonel has been counting tho hours until you could bo hero, Blr," tho man went on, ns hu unpacked my portmanteau nnd laid out my apparoi. Ho sent for tho BrndBhnw ns Boon ns your telegram camo, nnd ordered tho dog-curt himself. Ho only dropped off ns you turned Into tho avenue. Is that all I can do for you, slr7 You will find tho morning pairars lit tho library," There wan a suppressed Intgrest and excitement In tho manner of tlio man, who was evidently nn old and confi dential retainer. My arrival and mis sion were, as I could sec, matters ot supremo Importance nnd curiosity to thnt anxious household. Tho butler was waiting for mo again In tho hall ns I descended tho stairs. Ho throw open tho door ot tho room on tho right, and ushered mo In with tho announcement: "Mr. Fort." It was with n momentary nnd un comfortablo thought of my morning dross that I found myself In tho prcs enco of a lady n fair Bllm girl whoso white gown made her nt onco a con spicuous point In tho Bombrc, heavily furnished room. Sho was seated In o lurgo leather chair at tho tnhlo In th center of the apartment, her handj folded over tho closed volumo In hoi lap, nnd her eyes llxcd upon tho door, Lnrgo limpid bluo-gray eyes thoy wore, I Haw as I camo nearer, searching mlno with an anxious questioning gazo. This then wns tho "Nona" 'of whom my fellow passengers had spoken the Idenl about which I had woven bo many Imaginings. A very fair maiden, tin fairest, Bweotcst I decided on tho In stant whom it had over been my M to meet, altnougli tho lovely eyes wor ringed with dark shadows as from watching and weeping, and tho whlt gown had been put on without tho ad dition of a single (lower or ornament She rose as I advanced towards hot and bowed gruvely. Once, I thought her hand stole out with n hesitating gesture as If slj would havo offorcd It to me. But 15. was withdrawn almost Instnntly, and rested on tho table be side her, as she stood, a graceful droop ing figure, with that ludescrlbablo and exquisite graco of dellcato refinement which is inherited novor ncqulrcd. A very gracious chatolalnc, I thought, II tho sleeping colonel upstairs should so will. Aud with tho thought thero cam a EtUngo dumb thrill of pain, as II tho fair vision wero floating away from mo Into tho dim shndowy dis tance. Somo conventional rcmnrk as to th weather was tho only thing which oc curred to me, nnd searacd for its com monplaccneas torrlbC out of harmony with tho spirit of tho occasion, es pecially" as It was met by another long, troubled, almost trembling look lnta tnnrt wj mv-v. Ui-'l (To bo continued.) I MARRIED TO ORDER. How Atoxnniler tho firoat Celebrated HU Vlftorjr (Iver Uurliu. Tho newspaper reporters of tho tlmo cf Alexander tho Great, had thero been any, would havo had the heaviest day's work of thlr Uvc3 in covering tho Interesting events that marked the day Alexander was married. On that day, ays the Now York Journal, au thenticated nccounta tell us, no loss than 20,202 men and women woro mado husbands and wives. Alexander had conquered Darius of Persia, anil folt thnt this great achievement was im portant enough to bo signalized In a conspicuous manner. Imaglno tho prldo of a conqueror who decides that It can bo mcasurod proporly only by a wholesale giving and taking In mar riage the Mko ot v...ch tho world has novor 6cen. Alexander hlmsolf mar ried Statlra, tho daughter of tho con quered k'i3, nnd decreed that one hundred of -his chief officers should bo united to ono hundred ladles from tho noblest Persian and Mcdean families. In addition to this, ho stipulated that 10,000 of his Crook so.u.era should marry 10,000 Asiatic women. When everything was settled a vast pavilion was erected, tho pillars of which wora six feet high. Ono hundred gorgeous chambers adjoined 'this for tho hun dred noble bridegrooms, whllo for tho 10,000 nn outer court was lnclosed.out ddo of which tables wero spread for tno multitude. Each pair had seats and ranged themselves in semi-circles around tho royal throno. Of course f tho y'iests could not marry this vast number c couples in tho ordinary way, so Alexander the Oreat devised a very simple ceromony. Ho gavo his hand to Statlra and kissed hor an ox ample that all tho bridegrooms fol lowed. This ended tho ceromony. Then followed the festival, which lit ed flro days, tho grandeur of which has novor been equaled since. V?V