The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, January 26, 1900, Image 6

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    yHIS WORD OF HONOR ,
A Tale of the Blue and the Gray
BYE. WERNER.
'if Copyright. 1KH , by Robert Honuor'h Sons.
CHAPTER VII. ( Continued. )
His tone was the courteous yet de
cided one of a man accustomed to see
his medical authority recognized with
out opposition. Edward had not in
tended to cuter the sick chamber ,
wlfere he would be obliged to meet
Florence , but the plainly intimated re
quest that he should remain outside
nettled him. He glanced haughtily at
the doctor and replied with evident
coldness.
" .The physician alwaj's has the right
to command in such cases. I will
submit , but shall expect speedy news
of my uncle's health. "
He gave the necessary orders to the
servant , who was still in the room ,
and then turned to Thompson again.
The doctor was ushered through sev
eral apartments no less richly fur
nished than the drawing-room , then
the man opened a door veiled by a
heavy portiere and permitted the phy-
siolan to enter , while he himself re
mained behind.
CHAPTER VIII.
Here , too , a subdued twilight reign
ed , and In the dusk the newcomer at
first perceived only the white figure
kneeling beside the bed , with her face
burled in the pillows. The sick man
himself appeared to be in a sort of
stupor , and , at the end of the room ,
Ralph was busied with some medi
cine. After convincing himself by a
hurried glance , that the door had again
closed behind him. Doctor Blackwood
approached the kneeling girl , bent
down to her and said , in a low tone ,
with marked emphasis :
"M'iss "
Harrison !
She slowly raised her pale , tearstained -
stained face. The voice seemed to
arouse some memory , her eyes rested
inquiringly upon the stranger's fea
tures for a few seconds , then a start
led cry escaped her lips.
Maxwell listened silently .without in
terrupting her. Not until she had
finished her story did he ask a few
brief , direct questions.
"Is Captain Wilson still in Spring
field ? "
"No. I heard from Ralph that he
rode away half an hour ago. "
"And when do you expect your fam
ily physician and the real Doctor
Blackwood ? "
"Toward evening. They will not
arrive before seven o'clock. "
"Well , then , we shall have a few
hours at our disposal. Can you rely
upon this old man ? Implicitly ? "
"Ralph was the friend and confi
dant of my childhood. He is devoted
to me with all his soul , and will do
anything to save William. Won't you ,
Ralph ? "
She had summoned the old servant
by a gesture. He laid his hand upon
his heart.
"Yes , Miss Florence anything. "
Maxwell looked keenly at him a few
minutes , and seemed satisfied.
"Miss Harrison's lover is to be res
cued , " he said. "Will you help us ? "
"Yes , master , as much as I can. "
"Then first Inform Mr. Harrison
that I must remain here for the pres
ent , as his uncle's death may take
place at any moment" But I must re
quest him not to enter the sick cham
ber. Miss Florence does not wish it.
Then find out for me in what part of
house Lieutenant Roland is imprison
ed and whether it is possible to reach
him unseen. This can easily be learn
ed from the servants ; but be careful
to rouse no suspicion. "
Ralph's face showed that he clearly
understood the importance of the com
mission. He promised in a whisper
to obey exactly , and then glided noise
lessly out of the room. Maxwell again
turned to Florence , who seemed some-
wnat sustained by his presence.
KNEELING BESIDE THE BED.
"Doctor Maxwell ! Is it you ? "
"Hush ! Don't mention my name ! "
said Maxwell in a low , impressive
tone. "I pass here as Doctor Black
y/cod , and we are not alone. "
He glanced significantly at the ne
gro , whose attention had been attract
ed ; but Florence made an eager ges
ture of dissent.
"Ralph is faithful and discreet. You
need fear no treachery from him. I
will answer for that. " '
"So much the better. But. first :
What has happened here ? I am look
ing for William. Isn't he in Spring
field ? "
"Yes , he is here , but a prisoner , be
trayed by Edward , and just at the mo
ment they dragged him away from me
this severe , perhaps fatal attack , came
on. Doctor Maxwell , will my father
John Maxwell did not answer the de
spairing question at once. The first
.glance at Harrison had told him that
at must be in the affirmative , but he
bent over the patient , felt of his
pulse and placed his hand upon his
heart It was a short but careful ex
amination.
"Yes , Miss Harrison , " he said at
last. "It is useless to withhold the
truth ; you must face it ; but the
struggle is over , and the end will be
painless. He will probably not re
cover his consciousness. "
Florence , sobbing aloud , covered her
face with both hands ; but Maxwell
allowed her no time to give way to
her grief.
"And now for the living , " he con
tinued. "Calm yourself. Another life
is at stake , as dear to you as the one
now vanishing. "
"William ? " cried the young girl , in
terror. ; "Is his life threatened ? They
concealed it from me. They spoke
only of 'imprisonment. For heaven's
sake , tel me the .truth ! "
"First of all , you must tell nie what
has happened. I have just arrived , and
know none of the particulars. "
Taking her hand , he led her to the
window , where Florence , in hurried ,
breathless whispers , informed him of
what had occurred.
"Do you really mean to try to reach
William ? " she asked. "Suppose that
you should be discovered and recog
nized as his friend ? "
John shrugged his shoulders.
"Then we shall probably be shot to
gether. Yes , Miss Harrison , a faint
ing fit will be quite superfluous here
and cannot serve us in the least. If
you are not resolute , the game will be
lost ; and I tell you frankly that it
is a matter of life and death. We
shall undoubtedly be considered spies ,
and your cousin will certainly do
nothing to clear up the error. This
is the exact state of the case. Will
you lie here , fainting , while it is de
cided , or will you do what you can to
help ? "
These blunt words fulfilled their pur
pose : What William , with all his con
sideration and tenderness , had failed
to do , his friend's sharpness accom
plished. Florence , who was really on
the verge of fainting , rallied her
strength. Her voice still trembled yet
thrilled with kindling energy as she
replied :
"I am not so weak as you imagine.
I have courage for anything where
William is concerned. Tell me what
I am to do. "
"For the present you must remain
quietly here , but be ready to respond
at any moment if I call you. This
room has another door , I see ; so I
can leave it , unobserved , while I am
supposed to be engaged in my profes
sional duties. After the message I
sent to Mr. Harrison , he will probably
remain near , expecting further news. "
"But if he doesn't if he discovers
and surprises you if the doctors
should arrive a few hours earlier "
"Yes , but one must not take the
'ifs' into account in such enterprises , "
said Maxwell , carelessly. "Several
hundred 'ifs' menaced me when I rode
after that obstinate William , yet here
I am , and my identity is wholly un
suspected , which is enough for the
beginning. "
He again approached the sick bed ,
where his prediction was being ful
filled. Death was approaching slowly
but calmly and without suffering , and
he silently beckoned to the daughter
ta resume her place.
CHAPTER IX.-
Edward Harrison had , of course ,
taken _ every precaution to prevent any
attempt at escape or rescue. He had
been forced to yield to Captain Wil
son's demand for suitable accommoda
tions for his prisoner and his refusal
to adopt other measures Indeed , the
latter would have been superfluous.
William was in the charge of his most
bitter enemy , and he guarded him bet
ter than any jailer.
In a side-wing of the building , at
the end of a long passage , was a room
where many valuable articles were
kept during the absence of the own
ers. The only entrance was through
a strong door with a double lock , and
the one window , which also opened
upon the passage , was protected by an
iron grating , which , though not heavy ,
was remarkably strong. In addition ,
the corridor was closed by a second
door , and Edward kept the keys of
both in his pocket. No assistance
could come from outside , and her
cousin knew only too well that Flor
ence had not the energy to attempt to
free the prisoner , at least in ii r
father's dying hour.
William paced up and down the
close , gloomy room in the most in
tense excitement. So this was the end
of the foolhardy ride which he had
undertaken in defiance of every warn
ing. True , he had thought of two al
ternatives only success or death in
honorable conflict ; and Colonel Bur-
ney , too , had had no other idea when
he uttered the fateful words : "Dead or
dishonored. " There was a third :
"Captured ! "
True , this captivity meant death.
The young officer did not deceive him
self concerning his fate ; but little
as he feared death , his blood boiled
in fierce rebellion at the thought of
being sentenced as a spy. Anything
save this shameful doom. There was
one bright ray of hope for him : He
trusted in the honor of the Confed
erates. Unless Edward Harrison
could hoodwink them into believing
him a spy , he seemed reasonably safe.
Then came the thought of Florence ,
who would now be left wholly without
protection. How would she endure
the terrible event , and what would be
fall her after her father's death ? Ed
ward , as the sole male relative , would
also be the guardian and protector of
the young girl , who would be abso
lutely in this scoundrel's power. Wil
liam clenched his hands in helpless
fury , and a low groan escaped his lips.
Suddenly he started. He fancied
that he heard his name spoken by
some one close at hand. Of course it
must be a delusion , yet he stood still
and involuntarily glanced toward the
window. The voice reached him again.
This time more distinctly.
"William ! Don't you hear ? "
With a su.kien spring , the young
man reached the somewhat high win
dow , behind whose gratings the out
lines of a human figure were now vis
ible.
"John you ? Impossible ! It can't
be ! "
"I have the honor , however , to be
myself , " was the reply. "Good even
ing , Will ! "
"But how did you get to Spring
field ? How did you hear of my fate ?
How did you succeed in making your
way here ? "
"Don't be in such a hurry. Put
your questions slowly , in regular or
der , and I'll answer in the same * 'ay.
We shall have plenty of leisure for it ;
it will be some time before I can saw
through this confounded iron grat
ing. "
The faint sound of a file showed that
the rescuer was really at work , and
at the noise fresh hope and courage
filled the young officer's soul. Freedom
"
dom ! Rescue ! He could have shout
ed for joy at the bare thought , as if
the rescue had already been accom
plished.
( To be continued. )
FOOD FOR THE BRAIN WORKERS
Those IVho Are Subject to Mental Strain
Should Reculato Their Dior.
From the Sanitary Record : It is all
right for the man who labors all day
in the open air to eat freely , but the
man of sedentary habits , the brainworker -
worker , must adapt his way of living
to his needs. He must be well nour
ished , for the brain is incapable of
good work unless well supplied with
pure blood , but such a man cannot pos
sibly furnish vital force to digest three
large meals daily. If he tries it nature
will protest at every step. The chem
ical changes of digestion will be im
perfectly performed. The stomach will
neither secrete freely nor churn the
food with cheerful alacnuy ; the pyloric
orifice contracts and allows such
chyme to pass with grudging reluct
ance ; the intestinal lacteals are
ashamed to absorb such miserable pa
bulum , which chokes , irritates and
congests them , so the large meal re
mains in the digestive organs to fer
ment , putrefy and steep the individual
in foul gases and depraved secretions.
But the system can furnish enough vi
tal force to convert a small meal Into
pabulum of high standard , which will
be absorbed without difficulty. Three
such small meals are not enough to
keep the individual properly nourished ,
however ; four to six will be required.
Each should consist of but one or at
most two articles of food , the diet to
be varied by changes at meals. The
portion of food served must be small ;
the patient must stop as soon as the
appetite is satisfied and gaseous disten
sion is proof positive that the meals
are still too large or too close to
gether.
The direction of the mind is more
Important than Its progress.
THE LOGIC OF EVENTS.
FREE-TRADE SOPHISTRY COM
PLETELY DISCREDITED.
Impressive ! Lcasons Taught by Our Na
tional KxpurlonccH In the Past ICIghl
Years Under Different Economic
Systems.
Statesmen in forecasting the indus
trial outlook for several years prior
to the enactment of the Wilson tariff
predicted the defeat of protection to
American industries.
For decades the country has been
filling up with people from foreign
shores who , without any reflection up
on their general intelligence and mo
tives in seeking a new place for in
dustrious pursuits , were ignorant of
the government and institutions of this
republic. In this condition they easily
became the victims of the political
shyster and demagogue. The cry of
"tariff reform" was raised and per
sistently exploited until a sufficient
number of people were deceived into
voting against the interests of the
laboring classes to carry the election.
During the campaigns leading up to
the catastrophes of 1890 and 1892 no
sophism , falsehood or misrepresenta
tion was unappealed to for the purpose
of misleading the workingmen and
laborers. Peddlers with tinware on
their backs were started out over the
rural districts with instructions to ask
double the usual price for such goods.
Upon being inquired of for the cause
of such advanced prices , they credited
them to the McKinley bill. Democratic
campaigners vehemently asserted that
the dinner bucket would double in
price. An ex-governor of this state
held aloft a tin cup while he berated
the tariff on tin. Another ex-governor
charged the Republicans with admit
ting diamonds free for the benefit of
the plutocrats. Both were false , and
only intended to mislead and deceive
the ignorant Newspaper and maga
zine writers quoted decisions of the
Supreme court of the United States
against the principle of protection to
Industries , which had no more to do
with the tariff for protection than
Pike's peak with the Gulf stream.
The flood tide went on , and Cleve
land was landed in the presidency.
Then the storm began , and for four
long years the whole people suffered
as never before. Every prediction of
Republicans In the press and on the
stump was more than verified in the
daily experience of every business man.
Laborers were idle , factories were
closed , the consumptive capacity of
the people declined more and more ,
foreign inportations grew less , com
merce languished , the national bonded
debt largely increased , insolvencies
and receiverships were more numerous
than ever , individual indebtedness
grew as the years rolled by all the di
rect result of Democratic "tariff re
form. " The aggregate losses to the na
tion have been conservatively esti
mated at four or five billions of dollars.
The foreign contingent could not be
schooled in the economy of protection ,
except by paying this enormous tui
tion in the school of experience. The
greatest prosperity hitherto attained
was in Harrison's administration after
the passage of the McKinley bill. If
that was great , the people clamored for
still greater figures in trade and com
merce , and were led to believe that
"tariff reform" under Democratic ad
ministration would bring it. In vain
history was adduced to prove disaster
and ruin always had followed low
tariffs , or tariffs squinting toward free
trade. "Tariff for revenue , " a sweet
political morsel under Democratic
tongues , always increased the public
debt.
The lesson , though a long and hard
one , was learned at last for this gen
eration , and the majority of voters
wanted no more of that kind of ex
perience. That trinity of administra
tions Harrison's , Clevelands' and Mc-
Kinley's prosperity sandwiching dire
adversity , should be treasured as a
warning precedent by every workingman -
man and be handed down to his latest
posterity.
The lesson of this recent national
experience is that men who so recently
have been reversed in their prognosti
cations by the trend of political events
cannot in any sense be trusted with the
solution and determination of the profounder -
founder problems of the present nor
those which will arise in the future.
Topeka Capital.
TRUTH AS TO TRUSTS.
An Economic Evolution In No Manner
Duo to Tariff Laws.
The purpose of the Democracy next
year to veil their attack upon the
tarfff , as they did in 1S92 , under the
guise of an anti-trust cry , is daily be
coming more apparent. The fact that
the tariff has little to do with the
trusts is a matter of no consequence to
the Democracy , for that party is never
hampered by facts when it is given a
shibboleth which it believes will en
able it to score a victory. The truth
that trusts are independent of tariff is
shown by the fact that in free trade
England they have had a growth and
assumed proportions unknown in this
country , thus evidencing that they are
an economic evolution in no manner
due to tariff laws. A recent cable dis
patch to the New York Tribune , dis
cussing the trusts in England , says :
"Free trade offers no safeguard
against them. English law is power
less to regulate them , for it is ob
viously impracticable to prevent man
ufacturers from carrying out arrange
ments for selling their own properties
to themselves and managing their busi
ness more economically by reducing
their expense account and the pressure
of competition. There is no outcry
trusts and combinations in
A PLEASANT NEW YEAR'S CALL.
England , since the general effect of
these industrial amalgamations Is to
reduce the cost of manufactured arti
cles for the benefit of consumers.
There is , however , a growing feeling
of public indignation over the ex
cesses and irregularities of stock promoting
meting and the lack of efficient safe
guards for the protection of share
owners. "
If England , with a strong central
government , finds it difficult to draft
legislation which will prevent trusts , it
is easy to comprehend the greater-diffi
culty in the United States , where it is
possible to incorporate them under the
laws of any one state , which may legis
late in their favor 5nd with whose
power to do so the federal government
cannot interefere and against whose
action the other states cannot effec
tively legislate. Cincinnati Times-
Star.
FACT VS. THEORY.
British Free Traders St-ifrfferod by the
\Vorkinji of the Protective Policy.
The trend of thought in England re
garding the advantages of the policy
of protection is indicated by the fol
lowing editorial paragraph in a recent
issue of the Sheffield Telegraph :
"President McKinley's message to
congress will be read with great In
terest. At the very outset it contains a
statement calculated to stagger our free
traders. One of their favorite theories
is that protective duties kill a. coun
try's export trade. Well , the United
States are indulging at present in
about as stiff a protective tariff as
anybody need want to live under ; yet
President McKinley was able to inform
congress that the commerce of the
country was in a state of unexampled
prosperity. In fact , the imports anil
exports were the largest ever known
in the history of the United States ,
while the exports alone for 1899 ex
ceeded by more than a billion dollars
the exports and imports combined for
the year 1870. If the protective tariffs
strangle trade , we could do with a lit
tle of the same kind of strangling on
this side of the "herring pond , " even
though our own trade statistics just at
present are not of the kind to grum
ble at. "
Much has occurred in the past two
and a half years , since the Dingley
tariff went into effect , that is "calcu
lated to stagger" free traders every
where. The Sheffield editor is among
those who have begun to think PC-
ricusly and deeply about the question
of the potency of free trade to promote
and the tendency of protection to de
stroy a country's export trade. It is a
case where an ounce of actual fact is
put in the scale opposite a ton of
theory , and the ounce outweighs the
ton.
Republicans and Trust * .
The Supreme Court has decided in
every case in which unlawful combina
tions are attempted in violation o" in
terstate commerce that congress has
power to legislate. It has , therefore ,
sustained the views of Harrison , Sher
man and leading Republicans which
are embodied in the Sherman law and
has rejected the doubts of Mr. Cleve
land and his associates , which seemed
to prevent the two entirely Democratic
congresses .which followed the con
gress enacting the Sherman law from
taking any action hostile to trusts. In
this latest decision ( the Addystone
case ) the court has declared without
reservation that congress has power to
legislate against all combinations of
manufacturers which are in restraint
of commerce between the states. And
now President McKinley urges ccn-
gress , which has the highest assurance
of its right to legislate against trusts
prejudicial to interstate commerce , to
enact further anti-trust laws. In
dianapolis Journal.
Status of Protection.
Those little Democratic papers which
are worrying about the fancied incon
sistency of a protective tariff in Amer
ica with the demand by our govern
ment for an "open door" in China ,
and which are predicting a Republican
change of front to free trade , have but
an imperfect grasp of the status of the
tariff question in the United States.
As a matter of fact , no party does
question the policy of protection.
The Democrats were forced to aban
don that issue in 1896 , because they
say that they could not carry ten states
on it Protection is stronger than ever
before in this country. The Dingley
bill was passed in 1897 by a senate not
Republican , and the results are an In
dorsement of that policy. The "open
door" in China does not mean free
trade. England , Germany and Russia
are perfectly welcome to lay tariffs on
imports In the territory they have
takea from China so that they do not
interfere with the treaties we have
made with the Chinese government.
These newspapers might learn from
Mr. Bryan that there is no hope of
votes in fighting protection in the
United States. See how careful he Is
not to antagonize that policy. He will
not even recognize free trade as a rem
edy for trusts. Mr. Bryan is a pretty
good practical politician and he does
not intend to put himself in a position
to be run over by the protection bant !
wagon. There is no longer an anti-
protection party in this country ,
though these dreamy free-trade theo
rists seem unable to grasp the fact
Superior ( Wis. ) Leader.
How a monopoly "Win IJroken.
The free trade papers which are find
ing so much consolation In Mr. Grif
fith's testimony regarding the pYollts
of tin plate manufacture under the re-
centcombination.lose sight of that part
of his statement in which he said that
at the time of the passage of the Mc
Kinley tariff bill and for some time
previous the price of plate was ? 5.G5 a
box. At that time all the plate used
in this country was made in Wales ,
and the duty was the same as it was on
sheet iron. In other words , the low
duty gave the British manufacturers a
monopoly which enabled them to ob
tain ? 5.G5 , against the present price of
? 4.65. Probably much of the advance
in plates is due to the advance in steel ,
which is from 75 to 100 per cent The
probability is that if there were no
more duty on tin plates now than there
is on the steel of which the plates are
made , outsiders could not regain the
American markets , because our manu
facturers have learned the business ,
and , moreover , have introduced ma
chinery which cheapens the cost It
would , however , be well for congress
to consider this matter , and if there is
a combination to prevent the purchase
of machinery by outside parties , put
that machinery on the free list for a
time. After all , the public may rest
assured that if there is a profit of even
25 per cent in the manufacture of tin
plates , it will not be long until inde
pendent competitors will find ways to
operate mills and put their goods upon
the market When they do , the com
bination , which must pay interest and r
dividends on bonds and stock repre
senting four times the amount for
which new factories can be built , will
be the loser in the competition. In
dianapolis ( Ind. ) Journal.
Rapid Tranftlt.
It is conceded that there has never
been known in the world anything
quite so fast as the modern railway
train , but fast as that is , prosperity ,
with the protective tariff as the pro
pelling power , has quite outstripped it
None of our railroads can keep pace
with it , and from all over the country
come reports of scarcity of cars , of
freight receipts too great to be han
dled with the desired promptness , of
overtaxed capacity , of crowding every
where. The railroads will need to look
out for their laurels.
Jt Has AInayft Worked That Way.
All parties in this country believe in
tariff taxation for certain purposes.
The Democratic party is for tariff for
revenue , and the Republican party for
tariff for protection. But Mr. McKin
ley's imperial policy , if permanently
adopted , will destroy both. Columbus
Press-Post
But you have probably noticed that
when Democracy had an opportunity
to show what It could do for a "tariff
for revenue" it only succeeded in pro
ducing a deficit in revenue. Mans
field ( O. ) News.