* I . THE FATAL STAE. I A Fourth of ) nlr Story. ! / ///s Zt ) T is Fourth o July Wfflm\in \ Sfm Francisco. PWi/ The clear , Triue sky , * ll like a mammoth I ! l = Sr / 53tl Dowi cu * from one I % ij lsc Sreat turquois and I /M1 ! ' ! turyned over he I wAl JMiltown' is a back- ' I W11Wround for thou- I SfflllSfflP sands of flags float- WW08JK < 1 . ns rom the roofs of public buildings I . All patriots. and windows qf private the flags are big. Everything is on a I , large scale in California , the fruit that I the great roses that Is exposed for sale , I enamored youths are buying for their I adored ones. The children are playing I in the streets with mighty torpedoes , I that make an explosion calculated to I deafen one. Large men , with ample ladies on their arms , may be seen in I every direction. Immense baskets are H being borne to the doors of their cus- H tomers by grocers , butchers and con- Hj fectioners. Immense suppers are to be H given tonight , and many happy returns H of the glorious Fourth will be drunk H in rivers of champagne. Everything H is on a large scale but the Chinese , B whose small figures and alert move- H ments are in marked contrast to the H bulk and size of everything else on H which the eye falls. B Yet little Washy-Washy balances on H his head a clothes-basket that would H . serve him for a cradle , or In his kitchen H for he is a favorite cook with Cali- H fornia housewives stirs a pot in which H he might easily be boiled himself. " H In the arms of San Francisco sleeps H Chinatown , the curious offspring of old China , of which Americans think that H they know all that is to be known be- H cause they can visit the shops and go H into all the strange places , and , if they I are in the humor , make themselves I sick with an opium-pipe among opium B smoking Chinamen. I Lin Ham is an ordinary dealer. He I keeps no shop. He executes orders for I the favored few. In each he puts a surprise an invention for the day. His H are the curious boats , all made of col- I ored fire , moving on the water , apparently - ently by means of a stream of fire at the stern , manned by little men in blue I and gold and crimson , and all going I off in a wonderful flash and whiz and I sputter at last. His are those cylinders I which , , rising into the air , discharge H „ wonderful sprays and stars and jewels skyward , while at the same time fiery B little acrobats let themselves earth- B ward by golden ropes and only vanish as they touch the ground. His was the great green dragon that coiled and darted mconward , and wrote "July" I " BLINKS UP AT THE FACE OF A TALL MAN. I across the sky before it changed into H the flag of our nation , which every one I so admired last Independence Day. I At present something that smells I very curiously is smoking and steaming - ing in queer fashion , in what looks like a little furnace , and Lin Ham , while _ still busy with his hands , twists his head about and blinks up into the face , B- 0i a tall man in a curious , theatrical B 1 costume , who stands with Ills bare arms B J folded on his chest , and looks down up- B I on him. The man wants Lin Ham to Mr J- invent a fatal trick. B , I "Such things are costly , " he says. " 1 I I do not say that I have anything of , the. sort , but if I had , you would not buy them , Min Toko. " They are speaking in Chinese , for Mln Toke , though not a child of Chin ese parents , has been brought up by them. You can believe the story that hi3 father was a Russian and his mother a Tartar when you look at him. him.A A little Chinese boatwoman took him from his dying mother's arms and nursed him with her own , somewhere near those quarters where there are English warehouses and the barbarian comes to traffic in tea and porcelain , and he starved and played and swam about with her own , and early in his boyhood came to San Francisco. There he dwelt in Chinatown , and became re nowned amongst the showmen of San Franciso for his acrobatic feats. To night he is engaged to assist in a per formance on the lawn before the man sion of Benson Blashfield , Esq. Mr. Blashfield will have fireworks and a great supper , the crowning fea ture of which will be the feats of Min Toke , who , amongst other things , \i" fffl * W f / l If , tl/mJ 4 "COME TO ME ALL YE BUTTER FLIES. " throws a rope into the air , where it U caught by some unseen power , sends a kitten up its length until it vanishes from sight , sends a monkey to find it. follows himself and draws the rope up after him , and ten minutes after Is heard calling from the inside of a great * lacquered box to be let out , and there he is , indeed , coiled up like a great serpent. Oh , there is nothing Min Toke cannot do , and no one evci discovers how he does anything. Now he laughs. "I know you have what I want , or can make it in a twinkling , Lin Ham , ' he answers. "As for money , 1 am rich er than you think. Name your price I have told you what I want to kill a mail without a knife or a blow or poison to kill him so that it seems to be done by the hand of Fate ; so that no one can suspect me. " "Is he a Chinaman ? " asks Lin Ham "He is an American , " said Min Toke "He has taken the woman I love from me. This rich man , to whose house 1 go to-night , has a daughter. I love her You grin ! Why not ? I am hand some ; I am no Chinaman ; I am famous , I am a favorite with the ladies , and she smiled on me. You grin again1 Of course , the rich man would say no. I did not mean to ask the rich man. If she loved me , that was enough. 1 could spirit her away where they would never find us. That is what I mean to do. " "You are mad ! " says Lin Ham. "No , " says the acrobat. "She could be won. She can be still , if I can kill this man. " "Do you mean her father ? " cries Lin Ham. "No. To-night they celebrate her marriage , " said the acrobat. "To-mor row the bridegroom will take her away. To-night I must kill him. She will be a widow for awhile ; afterward , mine. " "It is the dream of a madman , " says Lin Ham. "Does it matter to you ? " asks the acrobat "I know that it was you who made the toy the rich tea merchant gave to his wife when he found she was false to him. The little bird that perched on her wrist and sang and bit her fingers like a real bird , and of the bite she died. I know it was you who " "No more reminiscences ! " cries Lin Ham. "I admit that I have another toy that , with a slight addition , I could BRBBPH make in ten minutes w uld wipe your rival out of existence. But of what avail would it be ? Rich American ladies do not marry such as you. Her relatives would kill you if you touched her hand. " "I have kissed it thrice when we were alone , " says Min Toko. "Yes , I have kissed her hands three times. The next time it should have been her mouth. Let me kill this bride groom so that she cannot suspect me , and it shall be yet. Look ! " He thrusts his hand into the bosom of his tunic and draws forth a pouch. "See ! " he whispers , piling bank notes before Lin Ham. "How much for that toy ? " The eyes of the old man glitter. He gathers up the heap in his claw-like hands , and says , slowly : "This sum makes me have enough with which to return to China and live there happy for the rest of my life. After all , what does one more dead bar barian matter ? But I will tell you this : Unless you can make your rival take the toy in his own hands , it is use less. " "I can manage that , " Min Toke re plies. The old Chinese goes to a little -ecess in the room , before which hangs a headed screen , and conies back , ncld- ing in bis hand a curious kite. "You fly it like any other kite , " he ex plains. "When at its full length , you begin to call : 'Come down , butterfly ! * A butterfly descends the cord and flies away. 'Follow rose ! ' you say. A rose glides down the string and drops to ashes. 'Come down , pretty mouse ! ' you call next. 'The mouse descends and -uns up your shoulder and is gone , . 'hen you call for a blue bird , for a vhite bird , for a red bird , for a yellow lird , a green biid. Thus it might end nth the applause of the people. But et me work upon this kite ten minutes longer and add one trifle moie , and • hen theie will be something else to see. Then you may call aloud : 'Come to me out of the sky , bright star. ' And far lbove you you may see a star .nine , aright as any in the heavens. At this aioment , he whom you wish to kill .mist hold the cord , for that star brings Jeath As it touches the man's breast life departs from him. Mark me well , the other things that come down the oord are innocent as drops of iew. The star is fatal. " "I understand , " replies Min Toko. "Hasten with your work , Lin Ham. " A little later the old Chinese puts in to the hands of the younger man a pa per box covered with shining roses , but terflies and birds , and says to him : "Min Toke , the great performer , you have bought of me a pretty kite , which brings down from heaven the birds of the air , and the flowers the spirits ; luck. For all I know , you may coax the stars down its cord also. It is well "I DIE FOR YOU. " made. If any accident happens , that is the fault of others , not mine. I am not responsible. " "I absolve you from all responsibility , Lin Ham , " replies Min Toko. He throws about him a cloak that covers his theatrical costume , and carries the box downstairs , where a carriage containing the parapher nalia used in his exhibition awaits him , and is driven to Mr. Blashfieid's lesidence. There they celebrate not only the glorious Fourth but a wed ding. Early in the evening , the rich man's daughter , Rosabel Blashfield , had been married to Mr. Arthur Ware , the son of another California magnate. There Im3 been the usual reception , th ' usual display of gorgeous presents , fine band has been playing , prdfessionn dancers have done their part ; now the are ready for Min Toke and his per formancea. The whole lawn In flooded with elec trie light , and , in mighty tents , al decorated with roses , they are settin ; forth a feast. The bride and bridegroon sit upon a sort of throne that seem made of orange blossoms. Tiers o seats , occupied by people in evenin ; dress , surround the lawn , leaving ai irchway through which the performer enter. It is opposite the bridal-throne and , as Min Toke passes through , bow ing and smiling , his eyes meet thos < of the bride , and he seems to give he special greeting. Standing in tne midst of the circle he begins to gather , from heavei knows where , white roses , of which h makes a mighty ball , how , no one cai guess. This he throws toward tin throne. As it floats in the air it open and forth flies a little pink Cupid , whi flings kisses abroad and flies skywan and is gone. Thunders of applause fol low this compliment to the bride , am then the lUtle boy-in-waiting on Mil Toke brings in the chairs , the tables the fans , the wands , the boxes , and thi show begins. It is sufficient to sa : that the man seems to be able to over come the laws of gravitation , to stani upon nothing , to fold himself up like ; foot-rule , to put himself away in space : that seem impossible ; and to do all thi : gracefully , with beautiful accessories. The bride's eyes never leave him Min Toke did not boast falsely. Thougl his position and residence m China town seem to her to place him as fai beneath her as though she were ai empress and he a serf , she has alwayi admired him intensely , and she know ; that he is in love with her. She has often wished that he were of her rac < and kind. He has been made a ser of pet amongst the Californians be fore whom he has performed , and he ha ; had opportunities to speak a few words to her and , as he said , to kiss her hanc thrice. To-night she feels that she bids him adieu and to-night he fascin ates her strangely. When at last , as usual , ho inquires if any two of the audience will assist him in some closing performances , she whispers to her bridegroom : "Come , Arthur , let us go. " And the young man replies. "Awfully bad form ; but if you wish it , of course. " It is a look that Min Toke has given her that makes her do this thing , and the bridegroom hands her down into the center of the lawn , and they three stand together there. "Will you be pleased to help me fly this kite , sir ? " says Min Toke to the bridegroom , as he flings into the air the thing wp. know of. "See , this is how ! " The kite darts upward swiftly in a moment. Its brilliant brf-ast is no longer visible. Only a long copper- colored cord shimmers in the air from Min Toko's hand moonward. "Come to me all ye butterflies ! " he iries. "Come ! Come ! " And down the : ord sweep a myriad butterflies and : over the performer's bosom and van ish. "Little mouse ! " he cries. "Come , ittle mouse ! " and whistles exquisitely. knd. the little gray mouse creeps down , ; its on his shoulder and is gone. "And low , sir , " Min Toke says , with a bow : o the groom and a smile to the bride , 'if you like you may call a blue bird md a white bird , a red bird , a yellow ) ird , a green bird , and after that one of ; he stars from heaven. " And he puts : he cord into the bridegroom's hand , vho calls loudly : "Here , you blue bird , come if you : an ! " And there is a blue bird and tmidst shouts of merriment , and while he bride claps her little palms and ihowers smiles about her , the birds of l11 colors come down. The green bird has arrived and dis appeared , when suddenly the bride puts orth her hand playfully and snatches he cord from the bridegroom's hand. "You shan 't have all the fun , " she ays , with a pretty pout. "I intend to all the star down myseli. Ah , how the ord pulls ! No , you shan't touch it. 1 fill do it alone. What do you say , Min I'oko ? 'Brightest star of heaven come o me ! ' Is that right ? " She beams on him and lifts her sweet , hnli voice and calls aloud , and tar up n the sky appears a great diamond tar , that shimmers and glows as it omes earthward. And , with one wild pring , Min .Toko snatches the cord ro ' m the bride's hand , saymg some- Mag that she only hears as he does so , nd pushing her fiercely trom him so hat she falls into her bridegroom's rms. Then the star is upon Min Toko's reast and he lies upon the ground , and he gaudy kite flutters down and lies eside him ; and those who gather about im see that he is dead , with the fear- iil burn of electricity upon his bosom. The kite must have attracted it , they ay. Plainly , when he snatched it from lie bride's hand , he saw that there was anger. Poor fellow ! How brave ! How oble ! There are no more festivities that ight , of course no feast , no fireworks. All night the bride weeps bitterly , nd when , in the morning , her bride- room bears her away , she is still roken-fiearted. The words that Min Toke whispered s he snatched the'fatal cord from her re still ringing in her ears. She will ever repeat them to any one , but she an never forget them. They were : Adieu , my love ! I die for you ! " X.oolc Out for Your Boys. Giant firecrackers this year are four- sen inches long , and contain powder nough to break a plate-glass window rhen exploded on the curb. Small boys • , 'ill not only have to look for their ngers on the Fourth , but parents will ave to look for their boys. Kansas lity Journal. . _ _ _ v , Vt . _ i EEPUBLICAN PARTY. t * t f FOUR OF THE TARIFF PLAT FORMS OF 1892. The Knpubliean I'lutform ns Adopted by tlio National Convention at Min neapolis , Jane O. 1893 Domotratit and PopnlI * for Frco Tr.ulc. Republican : We reaffirm the Ameri can doctrine of Protection. Wc call at tention to its growth abroad. We maintain that the 'prosperous condi tion of our country is largely due to the wise revenue legislation of the Re publican Congress. We believe that all articles which cannot be produced in the United States , except lnxuries , should be ad mitted free of duty , and that on all im ports coming into competition with the products of American labor there should be levied duties equal to the difference between wages abroad and at home. We assert that the prices of manu factured articles of general competi tion have been reduced under the operations of the Tariff act of 1S90. We denounce the efforts of the Democratic majority of the House of Representatives to destroy our Tariff laws piecemeal , as is manifested by their attacks upon wool , lead and lead ores , the chief products of a number of States , and we ask the people for their judgment thereon. We point to the success of the Re publican policy of reciprocity , under which our export trade has vastly in creased , and new and enlarged mar kets have been opened for the pro ducts of our farms and workshops. We remind the people of the bitter opposition of the Democratic party to this practical business measure , and claim that , executed by a Republican Administration , our present laws will eventually give us control of the trade of the world. The Democratic FI.itform. Section 3. We denounce the Re publican policy of protection as a fraud on the labor of the great ma jority of the American people for the benefit of the tew. We declare it to be a fundamental principle of the Demo cratic party that the Federal Govern ment has no constitutional power to impose and collect Tariff duties except for the purposes of revenue only , and we demand that the collection of such taxes shall be limited to the necessities of the Government when honestly and economically administered. We denounce the McKinley Tariff law enacted by the Fifty-first congress as the culminating atrocity of class legislation ; we indorse the efforts made by the Democrats of the present Con gress to modify its most oppressive features in the direction of free raw materials and cheaper manufactured goods that enter into general con sumption , and we promise its repeal as one of the beneficent results that will follow the action of the people in in trusting power to the Democratic party. Since the McKinley Tariff went into operation , there have been ten re- luctions of the wages of laboring men to one increase. We deny that there has been any increase of prosperity to the country since that Tariff went into operation , and we point to the dullness and distress , the wages re ductions and strikes in the iron trade is the best possible evidence that no such prosperity has resulted from the McKinley act. We call the attention 3f thoughtful Americans to the fact that after thirty years of restrictive .axes against the importation of for eign wealth , in exchange for our ag ricultural surplus , the homes and 'arms of the country have become bur- lened with a real estate mortgage debt jf over $2,300,000,000 , exclusive of all ) ther forms of indebtedness ; that in me of the chief agricultural states of : he West there appears a real estate nortgage debt averaging $155 per : apita of the total population , and hat similar conditions and tendencies ire shown to exist in the other agri- : ultural exporting states. We de- lounce a policy which festers no in- lustry so much as it does that of the Sheriff. This is a sam ple of a cam paign button , that we respect fully submit to j the Democratic party , fittingly expressive o f their Free-Trade ideas. Siamese Tivins. The Tariff became a tiresome sub ject a few years ago , but the blighting effects of the Wilson law have fresh ened the country's interest in it. The people have learned through sore ex perience that Protection and prosperity are indissolubly connected. Journal , Kansas City , Mo. "E.ick Number" in Demand. . Major McKinley's favorite subject is a back number. N. Y. Sun , September 20 , 1S92. Is that so ? There seems to be a pop ular and universal demand for this "back number" subject all the saaie , even four years later. t ' ' - t Senator 3I. ntlo'fl rrntllcttonT ' There arc those who affect to bo- \ licvo that the Industrial situation In f ' Japan Involves no serious menace to * the labor and industries of this nation. These who take this position are fool ishly and fatuously blind to the rc&l nation nun * - ' * | ' > conditions. The Japanese - hers 40,000,000 of people , who , in point of skill and ingenuity , and In the pow er of adaptability and imitation , have * no superiors among any of the natlonB. It is stated on good authority that a Japanese workman can make anything he has ever seen , and that his ingenuity - , ity is such that he can reproduce and put in operation without Instruction the most difficult and complicated mod ern machinery of every character. It is this astonishing faculty which en ables the Japanese to avail themselves of all the latest inventions of this and other countries , and it is this marvel ous power of imitation and adaptation , which has not only enabled them In a few short years to become a dangerous rival of our own at this moment , but is destined in a very short time to place Japan among the great manu facturing nations of the world. Hon. Lee Mantle , U. S. Senator , of Montana. IIo Didn't Knnrr It All. President Galloway of the Mer chants' bank , said : "I guess this / coun try is big enough to stand all that comes along. I cannot undertake to > define the policy of the Democratic party upon the tariff , but I do not think that it will be changed so as \ to affect the business interests of the t ' country. " N. Y. Sun , November 11 , \ 1892. ' As bank presidents have again , quite recently , been called upon by Democratic - ; cratic papers to sustain their antl- j American arguments , \l would ask j President Galloway wft. * " a de crease of $3,874,305,178 In bauK clear ings during the first four months of this year , as compared with the cor responding months of 1892. has not affected "the business interests of the country" also whether a decrease of $200,000,000 in the amount of money , loaned within the four years has not | affected the business interests of the J national banks ? ' Trade for FaTmers PQT/iTOES /an.ljl892 / dpr. I , ! 69b\ • S f at Network m : | La j j 3 } - , - - j 8&A' ' 25 lbs &A'Z . 2 - 1- \ % - Suqar M 75TC * VS . 15 lis ! jl \ i 5u3STl W. \ . ' . HJ \ Q Cents _ _ fo _ $ . < M _ 25 Cents 'ffl " M v iMfnlgjj Gorman J \ IneBanel oj Potoloes.Q/suld / Buy Hoiu Dluch SagaT ? i Senator Mitchell's Sentiment. H In its general characteristics the m Vilson bill reminds one of the lines of 9 Vordsworth : 9 The swan on still St. Mary's Lake , 'J Float double swan and shadow. The bill is sectional in the extreme J U n its general make-up , giving protec- * fl ion to the products and industries of I ne section and denying that protec- H ion to another. In a word , the Wilson H ill is a legislative monstrosity , with I he head of a man , the arms of a I ragon , the tail of a fish and the claws H f a bear. It is un-American , un- H emocratic , un-republican. It is a I angerous menace to the prosperity I nd general welfare of the people of fl he United States. Hon. John H. B litchell , U. S. Senator , of Oregon. B Labor in 1'otterics. B The price paid to labor is 100 per H ent more than is paid in the English H otteries , and 90 per cent of the cost H f the product is labor. With labor S qual , or made equivalent by the duty. 9 bey can successfully compete with the H est potteries of the world. We have Seed oed raw material , skilled labor , new jH nd valuable improvements. Our deco- | ated ware is not excelled anywhere. H ill that is needed is a just and fair H rotection. and we will fail in our duty fl I it is not accorded. Forty per cent ad | alorem is wholly insufficient. Hon. | Vm. McKinley. H Sprung : on Springer. H It is evidently not intended to build | p a bona fide tin plate industry in this | ountry. Hon. Wm. M. Springer , in thc | T. Y. Times , Sept. 21,1892. Yet its production amounted to 193 , - | 01,073 pounds during the fiscal year | nding June 30. 1893 , and there are 172 M lills completed to engage in the in- * IS ustry. It seems a pity that so much H loney should have been wasted in wha * | ras not "intended to build up a bona , M de tin plate industry. " 4 | Wool Enough For Knzland. | There is a shortage in the Austral- M m wool clip. But this can be offset | y the surplus in the United State- | rhich can be shipped to Europe tc | upply their deficiency. M