% ilimn * i T * ' c * * m a'm . * * tJ5 fc
% 2
% A STORY OF THE ! / C
% "At.w ! t BOER _ _ CAMPAIGN ; <
% \ ON THE. . . . w > K %
KJ S ' S ii
% > / ] < . .
% I By H , B. Mackenzie & .
% t
CHAl'ii'Jll II. ( Continued. )
"I rcmomburcd this was tlio tiny
npoko of riding over , " said Dr. Adalr
Rothcs for it waa lie in a low voice ;
"but , I hardly , , cxpcctcd''you , wfyuld
como today , with these terrible rumors
about. "
Bluebell's eyes grow larger than
their wont * ' " >
"Rumors ? . ! I haven't hcard.any. ' she
said. "What are they , Doctor Rothes ? '
"You haven't heard ? " Ho had not
released her , hand , nnd was holding it
very "closely'now. "T/lmy / ( suy/that the
Doors are marching into Natal. "
"Oh ! " Bluebell uttered a little cry ,
and tho' rday color faded out of her
face. "Is Itnvari then1 , '
"I suppose so , " Rothea answered
gravoly. "It seems Krtigor has as gbod
aa , declared war by sending a message
to England 'demanding that our troops
should bo Immediately iccallcd from
South Africa. "
Bluebell sat yct.y still on her horse ,
her hands clasped ; Rothcfl had at last
withdrawn his.
"Will they come to Ladysm'Hh ? " she
whispered at last.
Uothes nodded. "That Is what is
expected. Wo shall be besieged. The
Inhabitants are beginning to fly already -
ready , and I expect in a few' days
Ladysmlth will bo deserted 'except by
the garrison. "
" "And you , what will you do ? " Blue
bell asked. There was a llttlo quiver
In her voice , which scorned to sbnd a
swift thrill of mingled joy and pain to
Rallies' very soul.
"I shall remain hero , of course , " ho
answered , trying to apeak In his usual
Idnc. "Unless" thord Is fighting out
side. If there Is I shall go with the
army. " ,
Bluebell was silent for .a moment ,
and then she said :
"You will bo on our side , of course ? "
"I will bo with the British army , "
Rothcs answered quietly , "but , thank
heaven , a doctor's business Is not to
fight on any. . particular sldp , or toslay
his brother , bik { o dq'Wlrat Ho/jrfn for
these who arc wounded and dying on
elllfor slflo. B'nl you arc'going Into
the town , Miss Leslie ? I must not
keep youv' , ' , ( u * \ \t ' \
"I have messages , " said Bluebell ;
"but I will not wait long , ns I am go
ing ba'c'k afonc.1'
"May I go a bit of the way with
you ? " Rothcs asked eagerly. "I do
not like the1ildbaltof'you riding these
twelve miles alone with the Country In
this unsettled state , " , ' \
Her soft eyes foil suddenlyv Bluebell
would hardly acknowledge to herself
how her heart beat and her veins
thrilled at the proposal. ,
"Thank you , " she said the next
moment. "It Is kindof you , I shall
leave the town about throe , I think. "
"Then I shall bo hcrovat that time , "
Ito answered. "Good-bye , just now. "
And ho moved away. '
Bluebell rode on Into the town.
'The terrlbio tidings had shocked and
horrified her , , but she was. not fright
ened. There was llttlo fear In Bluelioh
Leslie's nature , small nnd childish , and
fragile as she lookdd.I'Aml Hhe was a
woman ; and1 the look In Adalr Roches'
eyes , the close , warm , clasp-of' his
hand , occupied her thoughts' Almost
more than this terrible' picture of
war. > . , i . ,
, She found Ladysmltli'Jt ; ) nutate of
confusion. Many of the shops were
"shut. But Bhieboll manhgcd to got
her business done , and then went to
ECO one of her acquaintances.
She found her busy pioparlng for
_ dopnrjure. ; _ * '
"I suppose it's safer , to , go " ( said
Mrs.rLloyd , n pretty llttlo English * woman -
man , whoso husband was ah ( ? hglncor.
"Ted jnslsts on my going ; but I don't
foci as if I could leave him' hero
nlcjne. "
J'Y ou arc going and Mr.'Lloyd ' Is
remaining ? " exclaimed Bluebell , with
.startled eyes , and then : "Oh. Nellie ,
how can you ? "
"I would not , of course , If I had only
myself to consider , " said Mrs. Lloyd ,
the tears springing to her eyes ; "but
there Is my poor little baby. Bluebell. "
"What of that ? " said Bluebell. "A
wife's place Is besldo 'her husband ,
surely ? Bettor you should both dlo
together , If the worst comes , than that
j you should bo separated. Nellie , how
j would you feel If anything happened
j to your husband and you so far
? " !
- away -
1 Nelljo burst Into tears. I
"Ycsj you Are quite right , Bluebell , 'I
hold out against Ted over so long , and ,
now that you. speak like that , I fcol
that I have been very cowardly to give
in to him. No , I won't go ! "
Bluebell left her friend , whose mind
was thoroughly made up , after a
llttlo , and the two friends kissed each
other , with the fooling that they might
never meet again on earth. Bluebell
Itcpt back her own tears , and answer
ed the llttlo woman ns bravely as she
could , but as she rode out of the town
her path was all binned by the blind
ing tears that came to her eyes now.
Doctor Rothcs was waiting for her ,
mounted en a fine chesnut horse of his
own , ana together they rode on In
fcllenco until they wore out of sight
of the town.
"You saw ono of your friends ? "
Rothes said at last.
"Yes. I saw Mrs. Lloyd. She is go
ing to stay at Ladysmith oven if it is
besieged. "
"Bravo little woman ! " said Rothcs ,
a tone of emotion In his voice. "I al-
vays thought her rather a butterfly ,
and I beg her pardon mentally for
hat. "
"In fact , you thought she and I were
very much alike ? " said Bluebell , with
a llttlo tone of coquetry. "Confess now
you think mo that , too , don't you ,
Doctor Rothes ? "
"I never thought you anything
nit " Ho was speaking with n sud-
lon passion , but he suddenly checked
ilmself and paused. "You know you
ire not justified In speaking like that , "
10 said nt last gravoly. "Did I over
give you reason to do BO ? "
Bluebell laughed a little.
"Do you remember the ball at Mar-
tzburg last spring , Doctor Rothes ?
Ah , you didn't approve of me at all
hen I"
Ho remembered It quite well. It
vas the first tlmo ho had mot the Los-
lea , for ho had been practicing In
Marltzburg himself then. Bluebell's
vlld , childishly high spirits had car
ried her away that night , and she had
llrted Indiscriminately with all the of-
Icors then stationed at Marltzburg.
Bluebell remembered It , too.
"Who Is that gravo-looklng young
man gazing so strangely at mo ? " she
asked her partner , a gay young lloii-
: enant. "Do you think he wants an
ntioduction , or is ho only trying to
wither mo with a glance of his eye ? '
"Tho latter , I think , " the lieutenant
md answered , more truthfully than
gallantly. "He's Doctor Rothes , and
they say ho Is ono of the awfully seri
ous kind , you know. Takes life like
a funeral , and believes one should go
lo church twice on Sundays. That
kind of thing , don't you know. " '
Rothcs' sunburned face had deepen
ed Just a little In tint.
"It is too bad to bring back those
old foolishnesses to one's memory , "
lie said. "I did not know you then ,
Miss Leslie. I had not seen you In
your home. I did not know you earn
ed the love nnd devotion of the poor
natives on your father's place. I did
not know you taught them , as far as
was possible , not the more profession
of Christianity , but Us practice. "
Bluebell bent n little over her
hot BO'S head.
"I am afraid I ought to teach my
self that first , Doctor Rothcs. Charity
begins nt home. But lot us not speak
of this. We can't be anything but
friends , can wo , with this terrible dan
ger facing us ? Surely It will draw all
European people out hero closer to
gether If anything could ? "
"Yes , " said Rothes quietly , " we
can't be anything but friends. "
Bluebell felt vaguely hurt at the
cold words. They rode on , the horses'
necks quite close together , and Rothes
: alkcd of the coming ordeal. Bluebell
felt somehow strangely disappointed.
The last tlmo she had mot Adalr
Rothes ho had hold her hand long ,
and looked Into her eyes with a look
: hat had made every vein In her body
Lhrlll ; and now ho was so cool and
indifferent a friend , as ho had said ,
and nothing more.
It was not that Bluebell was In
love with him. She told herself about
a dozen times a day that she liked
Adalr Rothes very much , but could
never Imagine him as a lover ; yet
now , why this sinking of her heart ?
It was drawing towards sunset a
glorious sunset. The whole of the
sky died In crimson and gold , the very
veldt reflected the crihison , so that it
looked as If it were bathed In blood.
Bluebell shuddered as she thought that
very soon it might bo.
A kopje was before them , one of
these llttlo hills rising steeply from
the one side , sloping from the other ,
so common on the Natal veldt. Sud
denly , as Bluebell looked towards It ,
a figure on horseback emerged from
behind It , and came riding straight
towards them.
Bluebell felt n thrill of annoyance
and aversion run through her , for she
recognized the rider at once. It was
the mllllonalte , Gerald Moore.
CHAPTER III.
Ho rode forward and lifted his hat ,
putting his horse in Bluebell's way so
that she could not pass. Bluebell fan
cied his face was paler than usual ;
but his deep. slowly-movliiK eves did
not move from hdr face.
"Your father hasfsont mo to moot
you , Miss Leslie , " ho said In his rich ,
deep tone. "Wo have heard tiat the
Boer army has crossed Into Natal , and
Is marching straight on Ladysmlth.
It Is not safe for you to be alone on
the veldt. " * ;
"I am not alone , thank you , Mr.
Moore , " said the. glrl n "touch"of dtll-
ancojn her tones. "Doctor Rothes"
she turned towards Atialr "has kind
ly been seeing me 'lio'me. : Ho had
hoard the news you refer to.1
She was struck by the loolf on Ger
ald Moore's face as ho tfirned to
Rothes , There was an almost diaboli
cal expression upon it ; 'biU H passed
away so qulckfy-that elie could not
have sworn to It.
"I presume that Dr. Rothes1 will not
object to handing you over'to my
charge now that you are within three
njlles pf New Kelso ? " herald. It
seemed to Bluebell there waa nn un-
lorcurr'ont 'of cither menace or defi
ance In his voice.
She glanced Into Rothcs' face. No
sat very stiff and very erect 6n his
horse , his face turned towards the
other man. Bluebell had never not
oven that night of the Marltzburjs ball
aeon so stern and cold a look upon
his face as that which froze It at this
moment.
The expression startled her still
moie now. Was It possible those two
men knew each other ? "
"I leave the matter entirely In Miss
Leslie's hands , ' he said gravoly. "If
she thinks I have come far enough , I
am quite prepared to return to Lady-
smith.
Moore looked at Bluebell.
"You had better come with mo , Mlsa
Leslie , ami allow Dr. Rothea to re
turn home , " ho said ; then added in a
lower tone. "Your father is not quite
himself today. Perhaps you would not
cnro to have a stranger at Now Kelso
under the circumstances. "
Not quite himself ! That decided
Bluebsll. Not for worlds would she
have Adalr Rothcs , whoso good opin
ion she felt so strangely reluctant to
lose , see her own father In a half-
Intoxicated condition , and that was
evidently what Mooie's words Implied.
Adam Leslie had always been n lit
tle apt to exceed , but It was only of
late within the last six months that
his daughter had noticed It. And It
Bcemod to her , since the coming of
Gerald Moore that her father had
yielded still more to his unforlunat"
weakness.
"Perhaps you had better not como
any further , Doctor Rothes , " she said
In a low voice. "If Mr. Moore Is going
to Now Kelso , of course ho may as
well ride with mo ; but I would just a ?
soon go by myself. I am not a bit
afraid. "
Rothcs took off his hat and hold ou
his hand. For one minute , only out"
their horses wore close together , an
Moore's was so far apart as to rondej
him out of earshot at least of a whis
per.
"Good-by , " said Rothes , hurriedly
and a llttlo hoarsely. "I don't know
when I may sec you again. God only
knows I pray that He may guard and
keep you from danger ! " Ho bent a
llttlo nearer , and added In a whisper :
"As you value your safety and happi
ness , beware of that man. I entreat
of you to do so. Ho Is a dangerous
man. I cannot say more. Good-by
good-by. "
The clasp of his fingers on her hand
was to remain there for many days.
He rode off , raising his hat , and a
strange sense of desolation and lone
liness fell upon Bluebell.
She turned Rover's head and rode
on , not glancing at Moore. Adalr's
words still rang In her cars.
"So that Is Doctor Rothes ? " said
Mcore , giving his horse a little cut of
the whip that sent him springing on
besldo Bluebell.
"Yes , " she said , looking straight Into
his face. "Do you know him ? "
"I had the pleasure of meeting him
once In Marltzburg , " said the mllllon-
aho diyly ; "but , Miss Leslie , I wish to
talk of something else just now. Your
father bus given me leave to do so.
What do you think has kept mo all this
time lingering about this district ? "
B.luebell shook her ruddy brown
head. A feeling of vague discomfort
and uneasiness shot through her at the
question ; but not In her wildest guess
es could she have arrived within a mile
of the truth.
Gerald Moore went on slowly :
"Tho country will soon bo In a fer
ment ; existence In It will be danger
ous , unsafe. For men this does not
matter so much ; for women , especially
those" ho paused and added Impres
sively "whom wo love , It Is terrible
not to be thought of. Your father
wishes you to go out of the country
while yet there Is time. "
( To bo continued. )
CITY OF HONG KONG.
It In One of tlio Most UnliOHltUful Spot !
on the ( Jlnlo.
In splto of all the precautions that
have been taken , the perfect sanita
tion of the city , the fine natural drain
age , the cleanliness of the streets ,
Hong Kong , says the Boston Tran
script , Is ono o'f the most unhcalthful
spols on the globe. With Us tropical
heat , the lofty peaks that half encircle
It catch the clouds that the rapid evap
oration create , the floods of rain pourIng -
Ing down In streaming torrents. The
houses lack light , although they are
built ns well as they could bo , with
perforated colllnga , through which the
air circulates , admitted from openings
pierced in the outer walls ; the floors
are brilliantly waxed , carpets , owing
( o the great dampness being dispensed
with. The croat dtfficultv Is tn
light and proper ventilation ; the
sticots arc very narrow , and the tow
ering walls of buildings opposite ob
struct the light In front , while at the
rear the courts or terraces crowded
with follago cast a heavy shade from
that direction. In the gardens , while
plants flourish luxuriantly , there is
no grass , but the ground Is green with
moss , Just as It grows In damp , shady
places in cooler climates. The heat
and the great humidity are destruc
tive to health , and It is doubtful If
there Is a single normal liver In the
whole of Hong Kong. English women
who como out with complexions of
cream and roses grow thin and sal
low ; the Hong Kong complexion IB a
startling grayish green , and the old
resident has , with his pallor , dark
bluish circles under the eyes. The
least exertion Includes exhausting per
spiration , and people booomo gaunt
and thin. '
Shut not thy purse strings always
against painted distress. Lamb.
P011TO BIOAN SUGAE.
SPANISH , ENGLISH AND GER
MAN LAND OWNERS.
Unpnrtmont of Agriculture Official gaj-
1 hey Would Ito tlin Only Bullion lij-
An AlMoluto I'roe Trndu Tariff \\lth
llio United State * .
Mr. C. F. Baylor , of the Department
of Agriculture , has recently been on
an official trip to Porto Hlco. Ho
Hhows clearly that those who would
benefit by absolute frco trade are the
Spanish , English and other Emopean
owners of the plantations , and not the
native islanders. Ho says :
"Lot us look into -the factories
themselves , and I do not fear chal
lenge In this respect because I have
been in every factory in Porto Rico.
Whatever capital is Invested In thoss
factories emanating at all from Island
sources Is purely Spanish. It docs not
belong to Porto Rico. The peculiar
system maintained by Spain through
all of the business concerns , and so
far as their own capital was employed ,
threw everything Into the hands of
the Spaniards , who were simply In
Porto Rico doing business. They do
not belong to that element of Porto
Rlcans that wo feel so tender about ,
and would not become citizens of Porto
to Rico or this country , whatever be
comes of the constitutional question.
Other factories are owned and con-
trolod by English capital ; others by
Gorman , and the entire factory sys
tem by Spanish , English and German.
"These factories mainly through
their cheap labor , can , wllh absolute
free trade , put sugar on the market
of New York , at cost to themselves ,
for 2 cents a pound. This would be
$40 for a short ton of sugaf. Sugar
has been soiling this year for $70 per
ton. With free trade this would bo
a profit of ? 30 on an outlay of $40 ,
which I figure is 75 per cent. Who
gets this profit ? There Is only one
way for handling Imported sugar In
this country and that Is through the
two or three sugar combinations ,
mainly through the sugar trust. They
agree with the planters or manufac
turers to take this sugar , refine it , and
place it on the market , dividing the
profit on a certain basis , as Is now
being done and as has been done be
tween the Hawaiian planters and the
sugar trust for years. How will they
divide the profits ? 'Even ? Each get
ting 37Ms per cent ? We do not know.
Only the parties Interested know. This
point is clear , however , and that Is
that the Porto Rlcans are not bene-
fltted. Simply the sugar combinations
of this country and the foreign plant
ers or manufacturers of Porto Rico.
"Isn't It a great deal thai we should
have freed the Porto Rlcans from a
condition as bad as slavery , making
what concession we of right ought to
make , In justice to the people of this
country , assuring them that after they
had attained the standard that ono
ought to have to enjoy the rights and
privileges of the constitution of the
country , that then they might be ad
mitted with equal privileges with the
rest ; Do you think this ought to be
before wages aie paid In that country
somewhere near in comparison with
wages in this countiy , or before the
average citizen of that country shall
at least be able to understand the pri
mary principles of our government
and institutions ? We say no. We
should especially not bring In this
great hoi do of cheap laborers who re
ceive less per day than one person
could live on In this country , and yet
they are supposed to support families
on this. Wo believe the laboiers of
this country will en masse icscat this
proposition.
' 'Of course we don't undertake to
say that Porto Rico In Itself Is afford
ing nil this great hazard , but in the
Porto Rlcan bill we have the princi
ple at stake. Only 15 per cent of the
present McKlnley tariff Is exacted , and
this only to maintain the principle
that wo have the constitutional right
to place a tariff against the Philip
pines and Cuba when the time arrives.
"Porto Rico has been able , at her
maximum , to export about CO.OOO tons
of sugar. She would bo able If all
her resources were brought into play ,
to send us about 3 per cent of our
consumption. But when the Philip
pines and Cuba ask for the same priv
ilege , then It will be an entirely dif
ferent question. And yet the same
principles are Involved that I have
discussed In Porto Rico. Isn't It
enough that we have expended so
much blood and tieasuro In wresting
these Islands from the condition they
were in , at the same tlmo offering
every help in the future that is con
sistent with fair nnd honest dealing
with our own Interests and people ?
"I am a thorough believer in ex
pansion. I believe that expansion Is
fraught with Incalculable benefit both
to the Inhabitants of the Island nnd to
the people of this country , when congress -
gross shall have framed such fair
hone&t , just and equitable regulations
as ate consistent with the right of
our own labor and Industries. "
SOME TRADE FAILURES.
lleoor.t of Yvnr of I'roMiorlly i < > 1Iu' '
iiem Doprrmlnii.
Business failures during the firs
three months of this year were even
less In number and liabilities than Ii
the early months of 1890 , notwlth
standing the fact that there are a
larger number of business concerns In
the country. Less than 000 buslnes
failures In each of the three month
of this year is a fact that stands ou
prominently as a record of 'buslnes
prosperity. Rut- the value of thl
year's record can bo bettor approclatoi
A CONSPICUOUS SIGN OF THE TIMES ,
ar f-A\ \ * * . # * * > L/v.
by the following tabulated compari
son :
FAILURES JANUARY TO MARCH.
( From Bradstreets. )
Year. Number. Liabilities.
1891 . . . .3,400 $41,318,783. . Harrison
1S92 . . . .3,207 35,801,749..Harrison
1893 . . . .3,009 39,424,144..Harrison
Average 3,226 $39,878,225..Harrison
1891 . . . .3,969 $19,085,088. . Cleveland
1895 3,812 46,910,443..Cleveland
1896 . . . .4,512 62,513,926..Cleveland
1897 . . . .4,042 51,994,482..Cleveland
Average 4.084 § 52,623,985..Cleveland
1S9S . . . .3i515 $30,198,500. . McKlnley
1899 . . . .2,779 31,221,658..McKlnley
1900 . . . .2,697 29,157,101..McKlnloy
Average 2,997 $32,192,442..McKlnloy
During the Republican administra
tion of President Harrison , with the
McKlnley protective tariff In opera
tion , there were on an average 3,226
failures In the United States In the
first three months of 1891-93 , with lia
bilities averaging loss than $40,000-
000 a month.
But the Democratic president , the
Democratic administration , the Dem
ocratic congress and the Democrtlc
free trade tariff of "perfidy and dis
honor , " changed this moderate record.
They made a new record for the coun
try , a Democratic record of failures ,
and brought the monthly average
number up to 1,084 an increase of 858
a month and the average liabilities
up to $52,623,985 a month , an Increase
of $12,717,760. This was a great Dem
ocratic record of failures. It was un
paralleled. Nearly everything went
smash.
But a Republican president , William
McKlnley , a Republican administra
tion , a Republican congress and a Re
publican protective tariff began to
build up the country again , and the
three months' recoids of 1898-1900
show only an average of 2,997 failures
1,087 a month less than the Demo
cratic average , and only $32,192,442 of
liabilities , or AN AVERAGE OF $20-
500,000 LESS OF LIABILITIES EACH
MONTH THAN THE DEMOCRATIC
RECORD OF BUSINESS BREAKING.
The figures are from Bradstreets.
MILITARY NOT GUILTY.
Idaho's State OfllcluU Alone Itojjionslblu
In IMInliiK Illot Acts. I
Bartlett Sinclair , who was the actlvq
representative of Governor Steuenen-
bcrg in the Idaho mining riots , has1
been giving his testimony before the
committee on military affairs of the
house of representatives. He declared
that the military authorities , who had
been called Into that district by tup
labor troubles , . never went beyond
their bounds in a single Instance. As
It Is the acts of the military which
are made the subject of this Investiga
tion It matters not , so far as congress
is concerned , what may have beeji
done by the state authorities of Idaho
in suppressing the riots and maintain
ing order. If theie was any miscon
duct on the part of those officials they
must answer to the people , or the
authorities of the state.
In reply to the questions of Mr.
Robertson as to why the sheriff and
county commissioners of Shoshone
county had been suspended from of
fice and martial law declared witness
Sinclair said that his actions were in
accordance with the instructions of
Governor Stouenoborg , and wore In the
Interest of law and order. He sus
pended the county commissioners bc-
c.iussd he believed they were in col
lusion with the lawless clement , and
because ho feared they might wrong
fully expend the county's money and
do other things antagonistic to the
btate. He assumed from the attitude
of these county officials , who , Instead
of assisting in the apprehension and
prosecution of these who had been
guilty of conspiracy icsultlng In the
destruction of the Bunker Hill and
Sullivan Mills and the murder of two
men , that they favored the miners ,
and obstructed the process of Justice.
Ho believed that the Interest of the
community demanded that they should
be prevented from Interfering with
the execution of the Jaw , and from
comforting the lawless clement , and
he accordingly placed them under ar-
icst. For that , he said , ho was
answerable to the people of Idaho ,
and that the military officers were not
to bo hold responsible in any degree.
\VcHturn I'riMporlty.
One of the oldest transportation of
ficials In Indianapolis snld the other
day that during the last six months
every car and locomotive had been
kept In constant sorvteo there.
'
"Usuaify , " "bo "added"there Is , , In
winter months cspcelally , a week and
sometimes a month when there are
empty cars In considerable numbers
standing on sidetracks and dead en-
glnes In the houses , but in the last
six months yes , twelve months our
business has been limited to cars and
the power to haul them , and there is
as yet no sign of a decrease. "
Shipments of grain and provisions
for export have considerably increased ,
and the east-bound movement of llvo
btock and dressed meats was the heav
iest over known In April. West-bound
the tonnage of both high and low-
class freights continued heavy. Agri
cultural and harvest Implements are
being carried by train loads , and in
heavy groceries , hardware , glass ,
paints , oils , etc. , the shipments are
also unusually largo.
ELI PERKINS DOWN SOUTH.
Gets Strange Atlnil slona from n Dyetl-
in-tlio-VTool Democrat.
The other day , says the Louisville
Commercial , Ell Perkins was intro
duced to Judge Scott , an old dycd-ln-
the-wool Kentucky Democrat. The
judge Is well known In the Blue Grass
legion and the grand old Kentucklan
has always boon looked up to as a
High Priest of "befo'-thc-wah Democ
racy. "
Perkins was introduced by an old
Democrat and Judge Scott supposed
that Ell was a Democrat too and he
became confidential with him at once.
"How are wo Democrats getting
along , Judge ? " asked Ell in a confi
dential tone.
The Judge looked at EH a moment
to see If he really wanted Information
about the party , and slowly remarked :
"Well , sir , we are getting on very
well financially , butpolitically we are
running behind. Yes , I'm afraid we
me running behind. "
"What causes this ? " asked Ell.
"Well , sir , " said the Judge , sadly ,
"I am afraid our party has not been
altogether right. Wo have erred In
some things. "
"Where have we erred , Judge ? "
"Well , sir , I hate to admit It , but our
Grover Cleveland policy hurt us Ken-
tucklans. I wouldn't say It to a black
Republican , but we Democrats all ad
mit It among ourselves. You see , "
said the Judge , "we used to get 35
cents for wool , and a big price for
hemp and tobapco before Grover came
In. but that Wilson bill hurt us. It
knocked wool down to 12 cents. Free
jute , put In to help the cotton fellows ,
ruined our hemp and It .rotted In the
ground. Then 'we ' lowered the tariff
on tobacco and our .tobacco went down
on us. We didn't complain , but wo
Democrats did a good deal of think
ing. Cattle and hogs got lower and
lower and when Grover went out wo
were pretty poor yes , dog-on hard"up ,
sir ! "
"Are they still bad the times ? "
asked Eli. - -
"No , honestly the times are good.
Wool and hemp and tobacco have dou
bled In price and are still going up.
Cattle nnd hogs are high and our blue
grass farmers are getting ilch. "
"Well , what fs the matter then ? "
"Why these good times hava
knocked out our dear old Democratic
party. Our Democratic farmers say
they will never vote for free trade or
low tariff again. "
"Well , what can we Democrats do ? "
asked Ell.
"I hate to admit It. " said the Judge ,
sadly , "but If we Democrats want to
win In Kentucky again we've got to
keep the tariff right where It Is. That
old Wilson bill and Bryan's free silver
will be a scarecrow to every farmer
in Kentucky and Tennessee. We've
tried low tariff and we know I'm
ashamed to say so but wo know It
hurt us ! No , sir , the people are pros
perous , but our Democratic party Is
doing poorly. I wouldn't say It to a
black Republican : nit that Is the way
we Democrats talk among ourselves. "
As the Judge got off the train at
Lexington , ho remarked : "Yes , and
there was another mistake we Dem
ocrats made. Grover Cleveland want
ed to sink the Republic of Hawaii and
put Q nigger on tl\e throne. We Dem
ocrats didn't complain , but It made us
sick , for , between you and me , wo
Democrats ain't puttln' niggers on
thrones. McKlnley's while governor
over a republic suits old Kentucky aud
the South. "
*
Led Into Teniptutloii ,
Mr. Cleveland .could not resist the
temptation to wrllX thai'tetter to Mr.
Burchard. There Is a pleasing remln-