A Fascinating
Romance
by
Alan Adair , ,
CHAPTER VII.
Veronica's face was as haggard as
Alan's. The blow had been so crush
ing , so unexpected that he had not
seemed glad to see her , that his heart
had not leapt out to her , as hers did
to him , that his eyes did not rest for
one moment upon the boy , was bad
.enough ; but that there should be an
other woman in her place ! Oh , that
was anguish intolerable ! At last she
spoke. "You love her , Alan ? " she
asked.
"Better than my life ! " he answered
passionately.
"Oh ! " She gave a little shudder.
"Then I will go and leave you to your
happiness , " she said quietly. "It's the
only way the only way. I will take
our boy and go ! "
"But you cannot go ! " he g'roaned.
"I made you my wife , Veronica , and
as long as you live you will be my
wife , although my heart and hers may
break. "
"I breai your heart ? " cried Ver
onica. "Why , I would give my life
for you. I would not have you un
happy for a moment if I could help it.
I love you as much as in the old
days , Alan , before the shipwreck. Oh ,
why was I saved ? "
He looked at her , and poor Veron
ica's heart failed her. There was no
love in that look. All the love of
Alan's heart was given to Joyce.
There was pity and despair , but no
love. When a woman loves a man
she can soon see the difference. He
could not say that he praised God that
she was saved , and he did not. "Tell
me about it , " he said mechanically.
If she talked he would be able to
think what it would be best to do for
her. But as for him , the despair of
his heart almost choked him when he
thought that in about half an hour
he must pull down that beautiful fab
ric of their lives , must ruin Joyce for
ever ! He could scarcely think of Ver
onica in his overwhelming agony ;
but she spoke , glad to see his inter
est
"I was washed in shore , into a
sandy bay , Alan. I had gone through
the anguish of dying ; but when the
people found me they brought me to ,
but the shock had been too much for
me ; I could not remember anything.
And then in about five months baby
was born , and then it all came to me
slowly. I was ill and weak and could
do nothing ; I could scarcely think.
Then at last when I wrote the letters
were sent back to me , and I heard a
rumor that you had gone back to Eng
land. I was penniless. I did not
know if you wanted our marriage ac
knowledged , so I did not write to Mr.
Dempster ; but as my strength re
turned my courage did also. I began
giving singing and guitar lessons.
People were good to me. I worked
hard , and at last scraped together
enough money to take me in a sailing
boat to England. I hate the sea. I
was afraid of it ; but you were there ,
and I came. But it was a year before
I could find anything of you , and I
should not have found you at all but
Hutchinson told me he had seen you
and had spoken to you. "
"When did he tell you that ? "
"Two days ago. But he told me
that he had seen you two months ago ,
and you had spoken of me. You had
told him wo were married , Alan ,
which he had not known. He tracked
me home from a music shop , where
they get me music lessons ; but I can
not tell why he delayed. "
But Alan could. Hutchinson , in his
cruelty , knew that it would be the
ruin of Joyce's life as well as his own
if this marriage with her could be
consummated first. He knew Hutch
inson hated him , so this was his re
venge !
He tried to think of Veronica , but
it was of no use. Joyce's image came
before him whenever he tried to think
of the poor girl who was his wife.
The little boy , also , was looking at
him with his , Alan's , own blue eyes ,
which were so great a contrast to his
curly dark hair. That these poor
creatures , dependent upon him for
love which he could not give , troubled
him.
"Veronica , " he said at length , "will
you go back to where you live and I
will write to you when I have seen
her ? "
"The wife you love ? " asked poor
Veronica.
"Yes , " said Alan. "Will you do
that ? You know that you can trust
me. "
"Of course , " said Veronica , simply.
"I will'do what you say always. It
is misery to me to think that I have
made you so unhappy , when I thought
only to make you happy. "
"My poor girl , " he said , deeply
touched by the contrition in her tone
and by her sadness , "you would have
done very wrong if you had not
come. "
She gave him her address and left
him. When she had gone a little way
from him she took her boy in her
arms and hugged him fiercely. "He
never looked at you , my own. " she
said "never once ! But you are
mother's joy ! Oh , Alan , Alan , " she
wailed , "why was I saved ! "
But Alan was standing where she
"had left him. He told himself that
he was no coward , but that his heart
failed him for this. There was no
way out of It. He and Joyce , his wife
of six weeks , must part !
At last he roused himself ; It was
getting late. Joyce already would be
uneasy about him. The thought of
her pretty wifely solicitude , and how
after today it might never be put to
the test , overcame him altogether. To
feel that Joyce was living , and that
ho must give her up , that they wore
both young and loving , and must go
on living apart forever , was too much
for him. "My God , help us to bear it ! "
Afterwards it came back to him with
profound regret that he had never
thought of Veronica at all ; but he
could be thankful that he had seen her
and had not hated her.
He crept home slowly , like a wound
ed animal going to its lair. Home !
The very word hurt him. And he ana
Joyce had only this morning talked
of buying the pretty house for their
summer residence. This morning was
it , or years ago Could it be only an
hour or so since he left the station ,
all unsuspicious of what was to befall
him ?
For he had been unsuspicious. He
had entirely forgotten the woman who
he now easily identified as Veronica.
He had been happy as it is given to
few mortals to be happy. He groaned
aloud as he opened the door which led
into the pretty hall. His throat was
dry ; he could not call Joyce.
But she had evidently heard the
opening door , for she came out of the
morning-room , which they furnished
with the hangings they had bought
on the day he had seen Veronica. She
called gaily to him and a little re
proachfully. "Oh , Alan , how late you
are , you naughty boy ! And our ride
will you have tea first ? "
He simply could not answer. It was
impossible ; his tongue clove to thereof
roof of his mouth , and his dry throat
could not articulate a sound.
"Alan , " she called again , "come
along , darling. "
"I am coming. " His voice was , how
ever , so muffled , in a moment she was
alarmed. She came running out to
him.
"Alan , Alan , what is itAre you
ill , dearest ? "
Her unconsciousness almost killed
him , together with the thought that he
would have to tell her. Then she
came up to him and saw his face. In
an instant she knew that something
awful had occurred. Her jaw fell , and
she staggered up to him , putting out
her hand and feeling as if she were
blind. She was unconscious no longer ,
for she remembered vividly the day
when he had turned so white , and had
told her the reason afterwards as they
sat together at the hotel. Her quick
mind told her that his ashy greyness
and the misery on his face had some
thing to do with his dead wife. Hand
in hand they went together into the
pretty morning-room , into which the
sun was shining , and they sat down
speechless. A bird in a bush close by
set up its joyous song. Nature was
full of gladness.
Then suddenly he wrenched his
hand out of hers and threw himself
headlong upon the couch. Sobs broke
from him and his shoulders heaved.
For a moment she let him weep , and
then she knelt down beside him and
flung her pretty , soft arms round his
neck , and pressed her cheek , down
which the tears were running , against
his , so that their tears mingled to
gether.
"Tell me like this , " she said. But
he could not speak , his grief was un
controllable. And so in whispers she
began : "It is something about your
wife , Alan your first wife , I mean ,
poor Veronica ? "
He groaned , and an awful knowl
edge came to Joyce a knowledge that
clutched her heart and made her very
being stand still. For a moment she
saw nothing distinctly * , heard nothing
distinctly , only felt Alan's tears upon
her cheek. Then , when the mist
cleared away : "Is she alive ? " she
whispered.
"Yes ! " he cried.
"Alive ? Oh , my poor heart ! Alive !
Your wife ? And I I "
He sat up then and grasped her
hands in his. "You , you ! " he cried.
And the agony of his voice came back
to Joyce for years after. "You ! I've
got to give you up , Joyce ! You , the
wife of my heart , my own , my soul !
You've got to be as nothing to me !
How can I do it"
"I don't know , " she said feebly.
"And yet , Alan , we must ! "
"Do you think I don't know it ? " he
cried. "Do you think I would have you
live with me while my wife was liv
ing ? Do you think I should let one
person in this world point a finger of
scorn at you ? Do you think I should
let you soil your beautiful white soul
for me ? Oh , Joyce , I love you too per
fectly for that , you are too dear to me
for that ! I will say good-by to you ,
my own , and never look at your face
again ; but I will not let you live dis
graced. But the parting the part-
ins ! "
Joyce's white face uplifted to his ,
Joyce's hands grasping his , Joyce's
whole being suffused by love for him ,
and he had to give her up ! No more
exquisite agony had to be imagined
than this moment's , and yet , when it
came to the actual doing of it , it so
far transcended the imaginings of it
that this interview , almost seemed
sweet in comparison.
"The parting ? " she re-echoed. "The
parting ? You mean that we must
ccaso living In the same house , In the
same place , together ? Alnn , can we
do It ? Will strength be given us ? Oh ,
what shall we do ? "
( To be continued. )
ENGLISH TIPTOPPERS' PAY.
\Vliut the Leading Men of All Profes
sions Kuril lit KnRlnnd.
It pays to be at the top of things.
Money is always attendant upon repu
tation , for nowadays the successful
man is well rewarded for his ability.
Diplomacy seems to be one of the moat
paying professions to follow. "The
salary of an ambassador , " Is a well-
known saying when any one wishes to
indicate that such and such a person is
possessed of great wealth. Sir E. J.
Monon , our ambassador at Paris , is
the most highly paid of all those vigi
lant gentlemen who guard our inter
ests abroad. He receives for his ser
vices the princely income of 9,000 a
year. After him comes Sir H. Rumbold
at Vienna , with 8,000 ; Sir F. C. Las-
celles , at Berlin , with the same yearly
sum , and Sir Charles Stewart Scott ,
who draws 7,800 from the public
purse to represent us in St. Peters
burg. All the English diplomats are
well paid. Here is a list of some of
them , giving the place at which they
reside and the income that comes to
them for it : Washington , 6,500 ;
Rome , 7,000 ; Turkey , 8,000 ; Tokio ,
4,000 ; Egypt , 6,000 ; Teheran ,
5,000 a list taken at random , which
serves to show the large earnings of
our representatives. The English
church is still a paying profession for
the men at the head of it. The arch
bishop of Canterbury , Dr. Temple , en
joys , and indeed earns , the nice little
sum of 15,000 a year , while his col
league of York is , like the bishop of
London , paid 10,000 for his arduous
and never-ending labors. The earl of
Minto , the governor of Canada , heads
the list of governors with 10,000 , and
after him comes Sir Alfred Milner of
Cape Town with 8,000. Lord Beau-
champ of New South Wales gets 7-
000 , as also does Gen. Grenfell , who
looks after that island fort , Malta.
Sums of 6,000 , 5,000 , and 4,000
are common salaries. Consul-generals
are munificently paid. Two of them
Viscount Cromer of Cairo and Sir H.
M. Durand of Teheran each receive
5,000 a year. For being first lord of
the admiralty Mr. Goschen draws 4-
500 , while Sir Richard Webster , until
the last few days , enjoyed as attorney-
general 7,000. ' Mr. Chamberlain has ,
besides his own large private fortune ,
5,000 as his official salary , while for
commanding the army Lord Wolseley
gets 4,500. The home secretary , Sir
Matthew White Ridley , has 5,000 in
salary. Despite the large figures given
above , no one , not even the archbishop
himself , can compare in his earnings
with those of a successful barrister.
Of all "tip-top" men , your leading
counsel is the most fortunate. Lord
Russell of Killowen as a barrister
made something like 20,000 a year.
London Mail.
SUPPLY OF IRON.
World Consumes About 9oOOOOOO Tons
n Year.
A good deal of anxiety has been felt
during the last two years as to the
available supplies of iron ore and fuel.
The total world's consumption of iron
ores in 1S99 was probably more than
90,000,000 tons. Of this quantity the
United States contributed more than
22,000,000. But in all countries alike
exceptional efforts were made to in
crease the output so as to overtake the
greatly stimulated demand. These ef
forts are still being continued , says the
Engineering Magazine. Spain has
been ransacked from one end to the
other , in order to increase the avail
able supplies. France is opening up
new sources of supply in Greece , North
Africa and elsewhere. The Germans
have sought to acquire almost a mon
opoly of the supply of Swedish Lap
land within the Arctic circle for a
number of years to come , and have
concluded arrangements which point
to their belief that iron ores are likely
to become increasingly scarce. This is
a general apprehension , and if it is
justified by the facts , then it seems to
be probable that this condition may
mainly determine future supremacy.
Mme. de Stael once observed that
"Providence fights on the side of the
biggest battalions. " In the war of com
merce and industry it is conceivable
that Providence may in future seem to
interpose on behalf of the nation that
has the largest available supplies of
cheap iron ores. Chicago Record.
President Receives About SOO.OOO.
The president receives a salary of
$50,000 a year , his house free , and this
includes the heating and lighting. The
grounds are cared for , his conserva
tory is filled with flowers , and the
gardener who cares for it is paid by
the government. The only servants
whose wages the president is called
upon to pay are his own personal ones ,
for the doormen , messengers , clerks ,
and , in fact , every one connected di
rectly or indirectly with the executive
department are , of course , government
employes. He receives , also , as the
head of the army , fodder for his hors
es and his stable is the property of
the government. There are other al
lowances and , taken all in all , it is
estimated that the president receives
in various ways between $80,000 and
§ 90,000 a year , or its equivalent
Something of an Heir.
Marshall Owen Roberts , who became
a naturalized British subject a few
days ago , is a son of the late Marshall
Owen Roberts of New York , a mining :
Icing , who died in 1880 , leaving an es
tate valued -$8,000,000. .
An Entire "Weekly and Job Printing Plant
in a Public Building at Peru ,
PRIVATE CONCERN MULCTS STATE
Serious diaries Attend JufjRliry of Text
HookH JJeulers and StudentH Alike
Cunipliiin Honlcs Arc Changed AVlthout
Cnu.se , Presumably for Money In It.
PERU , Neb. , Aug. 13. The State
Normal School at Peru furnishes an
other example of fusion spoliation , ni-
competency and discord. This institu
tion maintained by the stute for the
purpose of affording those with mod
erate means an oportunity of obtain
ing an education , has been no more for
tunate than any of the rest in escap
ing the vile effects of fusion misman
agement.
Not alone has this school been sub
jected to the evil effects of fusion in-
competency , but it has ben made tli-3
prey of political adventurers whose
only purpose seems to be to exact un
lawful tribute from the tax payers of
the state.
To illustrate the true situation , it is
only necessary to point out that in one
of the buildings owned by the state ,
a private business enterprise is estab
lished and conducted , no rent being
paid the state , while on the other hand ,
the state pays for its lighting , heating ,
pays excessive prices for material sup
plied , and , in addition , is mulcted to
the extent of $20 per mouth. This is
the way the state of Nebraska is be
ing plucked at Peru , and that , too , by
fusionists.
AN OUTRAGE ON TAXPAYERS.
The business enterprise herein re
ferred to , is the printing establishment
owned and conducted by J. D.
Bishop & Co. Right in the building
owned by the state this printing com
pany monopolizes three large rooms ,
has its press and type , publishes a
weekly newspaper , the Peru Pointer ,
keeps books and stationery for sale ,
does the job printing for the business
houses of the village and for the insti
tution , and transacts all its private
business. It pays no rent , but what
is still worse , it has its rooms heated
and lighted at the state's expense.
And what is worse still than that , it
has the boldness to charge excessive
rates for printing stationery , cata
logues and the like for the institution ,
the expenses of which are borne by
the tax payers of the state. That this
is being done is attested by J. D. Bish
op , head of the concern , and conspic
uous in the councils of the fusion par
ts * in Nemaha county.
In a conversation with Mr. Bishop ,
among other things , he said :
"We have a pretty good thing of it
here , we have the use of three rooms
with light and heat , and all free. Then
we have the state printing for the in
stitution , that is a pretty good thing. "
'Do you have to compete with other
printing houses ? "
"No , we fix the prices to suit our
selves , we have no competition. Here
for example , is a catalogue. We charge
the state § 250 for printing it , and we
are getting it printed at the Morton
Printing company at Nebraska City ,
for $200. You see we make a clean
? 50 there , without having to do a
thing. We would make more than that
if we printed it ourselves , but this
year they were slow about geting us
the copy , and , to get it out on time ,
we had to send it to Nebraska City ,
but we will still make $50 and tfiat
is not so bad.
"We also print the paper called
"The Messenger , " which is gotten out
monthly by President Beattie of the
school. "
"Who paya for that ? "
"The state. Every month we get
$20 from the state for getting it out.
We also get all the money accruing
from advertisements in it. "
"Have you a contract with the state
for printing stationery for the insti
tution ? "
"No , we regulate that ourselves. "
"Does it amount to much ? "
"Considerable. You see we do all
the printing for the institution or
school and besides this we have many
special orders from various teachers. "
"And the teachers have private sta
tioner y for which the state pays ? "
"Yes , the state pays for it all. "
"How much does it all amount to in
a year ? "
"I don't know exactly. Well , the
fact is that we are not making much
of an effort for other business and we
are clearing at least $150 per month.
"Do you publish the Pointer here ? "
"Yes , this is where we publish it.
We get it out every week. "
"How long have you been doing busi
ness here ? "
"The plant has been in this buildIng -
Ing about two years. Prof. Spelbring ,
when he came here to teach , bought
the Pointer outfit and brought it from
down town up here and consolidated
it with the college plant. We got the
outfit from him when he left. "
"How long has the $20 arrangement
existed ? "
"About one year. We have been' '
getting $20 every month from the state '
for the last year , and we are still get
ting it. "
And this is the spectacle , a regular
weekly newspaper , not a college paper
at all , being printed in the state insti
tution ! Can anything like it be found
anywhere else in the world ?
A private printing office in a pub
lic building growing fat on the tax
payers and getting a bonus for doing
it !
Being interrogated conceiuing the'
matter Prof. Beattie , who is supposed
to exercise supervisory control over
the school and its affairs , evinced a
disposition to evade discussion. He
endeavored to excuse the payment of
the $20 monthly to Bishop Co. , on
the grounds that they received it as
part pay for printing the monthly col
lege paper. But when asked what serv
ices Bishop & Co. rendered for the use
of three rooms with light and heat ,
for the commission they received on
the sale of second hand books , for the
money they received for advertise
ments in the college paper , and for the
snap they had in printing supplies for
the institution with the 250 students
at prices far in excess of standard
prices , Prof. Beattie expressed a de
sire not to be quoted. (
That this Is the fruition of fusion-
ism goes undisputed. Not until the
fusionists got into the saddle .was
there a private printing olfice in a pub
lic building at Peru.
MENACED BY PARTISANSHIP.
It Is indeed a sad theme for contem
plation tjiat the patronage of .so im
portant an institution a"s n. normal
school should be treated by persons
high In authority In the state fiovern-
meat as fit plunder to divide among
the heelers and henchmen of the par
ty. Yet this is true. Among the
members of the board of trustees are
some men utterly incompetent to act
In this capacity , and the only reason
they are there is because they have won
recognition through political achlnve-
ments. The resident trustee of the Peru
school Is a drummer for a cigar and
tobacco house in Council Bluffs. Nor
is his devotion to the cause of fusion
without its object. In the short time
he has been on the board ho has suc
ceeded in ousting James F. Ilosic , pro
fessor of English Language and Liter
ature , and installing in his place Grace
Culbertson , his sister-in-law. Prof.
Hosic has distinguished himself in the
faculty of the school , and is a man
rich in learning. His successor is in
experienced , is simply an alumnus of
this school , and those who are familiar
with the merits of both and who are
competent to judge are authority for
the statement that the change is a-
great loss to the Institution. Neverthe
less , Prof. Hosic has got to go and
Miss Culbertson's name goes on the
pay roll at $800 per year.
It is a significant fact that Miss Cul
bertson , herself , does not feel fully
equal to the duties of her new posi
tion , as she is to go to Chicago this
summer and study in the Mrs. Emmons
Elaine school. However , her name is
listed for the pay roll , and that , in
the fusion way of looking at it , is the
mam achievement.
MAD SCRAMBLE FOR SPOILS.
Perhaps the most fiagrant attempt to
profit at the expense of the state , in
the way of placing the names of rela
tives on the pay roll of the institution ,
was recently made by Major Dailey ,
a fusion wheel-horse of Nemaha coun
ty. It was while Major Dailey was
meditating over the pay roll of the in
stitute that he concluded that his son-
in-law , ex-State Superintendent Goudy ,
was especially devised , adapted and
designed for the presidency of it.
The salary attached to the presidency
is $2,500 per year , and the chivalrous
sachem proceeded at once to shake the
persimmon tree. He laid his plans
with the strategy of a Von Moltke ,
having for his aid-de-camp , it is said ,
no less a personage than Governor
Poynter. Dailey labored in darkness
and daylight , massing his guns at ev
ery vantage point , and finally after a
season of strategic and subtle cam
paigning , got so far as to have the
board called together. The board met.
It was a meeting distinguished for
courage on one side and subtlety on
the other. Dailey cracked the whip
around the recreant members of the
board , who courageously stood out
against his decree , but without effect.
It was urged by his opponents that
Goudy was rusty in the art of peda
gogy , and that it would be a fatal step
to elevate him to the presidency. This
was scouted and disputed by his cham
pions. But he failed to receive the
necessary support , and though his sup
porters succeeded in creating a vacuum
for him by forcing the resignation of
President Beattie , the plum fell to
Prof. Clarke and Promoter-General
Dailey suddenly discovered that "The
best laid plans of mice and men gang
aft aglee. " As might have been ex
pected , the removal of the president
precipitated no little amount of dis
cord and disarranged things generally
at the school.
The board wound up its meeting by
removing the janitor , a man of many
years of faithful service , and appoint
ed in his stead a man named Ed
Wright , distinguished from the rest
of the fusion lieutenants of Peru by
his dexterity in handling the paste
boards , and alleged brilliant feats at
the gaming tables.
OTHER CAUSES.
The only excuse offered by the
Dailey faction for the removal of Prof.
Beattie and the appointment of Prof.
Goudy was that Dailey had to have
the concession as a reward for polit
ical services rendered. But , entirely
free from the Dailey proposition ,
there seems to be good cause for sum
moning Prof. Beattie to public judg
ment. These objections the board
overlooked , but they nevertheless are
apparently well founded.
CHARGES OF FRAUD.
Considerable complaint is being
made by students , parents and local
book dealers about the manner in
which changes in text books are being
made and the p-rices charged the stu
dents for books. If half the circum
stantial and parol testimony is to be
believed , and on its face it is sub
stantially true , gross outrages are be
ing perpetrated by individuals promi
nent in the faculty of the school. It
is openly charged that certain mem
bers of the faculty are manipulating
the text books used to the great dis
advantage qf the students and to their
own private gain. The local dealers
claim , and in this they are corrobor
ated by the students , that the teachers
are charging as much for books which
they receive direct from the publishers
as the local dealers charge , and in
some instances more. Having it with
in their power to change the text
books at their pleasure ( and they have
done this very thing on numerous oc
casions , thus requiring the students to
purchase new books ) , a way for mak
ing considerable money is left open to
them. Certain it is that many changes
have been made , and that too , with
out the slightest justification. Even
in mathematics , whose principles have
remained unchanged since the days of
"
Archimedes , frequent changes "have
been made. Manipulations in this re
spect extend to Latin Grammar , Botany
any , Geography , Moral Philosophy ,
German , English Grammar. Geometry ,
Modern History. Civil Government ,
Orthography , Etomology , Literature ,
and , in fact , all the branches. So far
has this practice been carried that the
students have in many instances been
distressed by the frequent raids on
their small capital. As a rule the stu
dents are possessed of but moderate
means , their parents being of that
class of citizens who often go without
things at home in order to educate
their sons and daughters. To subject
these people to downright pilfering. Is ,
to say the least , a monstrous outrage.
Nor can It bo denied that this very
thing has been done.
BOOKS COST MORE THAN BOARD.
One of the students In the Hchonl.
who. by the way , Is a ftielonlat , I * J.
V. Van Pelt of Archer , Neb. IIo was re
luctant to complain of his grievance * ;
publicly , but In the course of a con
versation , Bald :
"Yes , there Is something suspicious ?
about the text book problem. I ruivo
tried to find out. but have not been
able to do so. The fact IH , and I re
gret to say It , that my books , if I
should buy all they 1mvo asked me to ,
would cost me more than my board ,
and I am boarding at thu hlghe.st pricu
hotel In the town. Indeed , In 'the
nearly two months I have been here ,
though neglecting in several instances
to buy books as requested , I believe
my book bill has been nearly as much
as my board bill. I know something IK
wrong , but I cannot say just what.
Two things are certain , we are hav
ing too many changes In text honks ,
and we are paying entirely too much
for the books purchased. I have dealt
in school books myself and I know
whereof I speak. "
TEARS IN THEIR EYES.
Inquiry among the dealers dis
closed the fact that there has been a
great deal of jugglery practiced at the
school in connection with the text
books. II. M. Schumann , with 0. D.
Sears , a local dealer , said :
"I have seen poor girls come in here
with tears In their eyes Inquiring
about text books. Most of them who
come here have plans laid ahead , and
the manner in which every penny of
their small means shall be spent is pro
vided for. Any extra expense on them
means the disarrangement of their
plans , and , if the expense be material ,
it compels them to leave the school and
return to work. As for changes In
books , It has become notorious. The
way the teachers do Is to ask at the
opening of the clasH how many stu
dents need books. After ascertaining
this they send direct to the publish
ers for the number required and get
them. They buy just as cheap as we
do , and possibly cheaper , but they
charge just as much and in some in
stances more than we do. We make
from 25 to 30 per cent profit and they
make the same. I don't know who
gets the profit , but I do know that
the students are being shamefully
preyed upon. What makes nia terci
worse , is that there are a few students
late at the opening of school in every
class , and , as the teachers order only
a sufficient number of books to fill
the demand at the time and have no
stock on hand , those who are late are
sent to us and are required to wait
until we set-tire the books. The teach
ers have succeeded in one tiling , and
It speaks anjtning but praise for them ,
and that is , in changing the books so
often they have practically driven the
local dealers out of the book business ,
thus removing all competition against
them. We have over $300 worth of
school books now on hand , not worth
25 cents on the dollar , because of
changes. As we cannot return them to
the publishers , and as the bulk of the
business is now done at the school ,
we are simply compelled to go out
of the business , except on a limited
scale. I don't know who is getting
the rake off at the school , but some
one is getting it.
W. D. Abbott , who is of the fusion
faith and who has boon in business
in Peru for many years , said :
"There is no doubt in my mind but
that there is a great deal of crooked
ness about this book business. I have
been in the book business myself , and
I know something about it. Nor is
the outrage upon the students confined
to selling them books alone. There is
scarcely a term of school that does
not open with a delay of two or three
weeks in getting books. The teach
ers wait until the students are here
before they order books , and I have
known whole classes to wait fully two
weeks for the books to arrive.
"Some of them have , on various oc
casions , become discouraged and left
the school. This is one of the evils of
teachers being book dealers. If they
would keep their hands off. and let
the local merchants handle the books ,
they would keep a stock on hand , and
the students would not have to wait
one hour for books , whereas now they
wait weeks. It is by these change *
that the profits are made by the teach
ers , for they charge as much , and , in
some instances , more , for books than
the regular dealers. I defy Prof. Beat-
tie or any one of his teachers to pro
duce a book that has been sold a stu
dent by him or them in the last two
years at cost price. On the other
hand , except in a few instances per
haps , not a book has been handled by
them out of which they have not got
ten the retailer's profit. I am not in
the book business now , so you can see
I am not prejudiced through personal
motives. What I say , I say for the
purpose of putting a stop to this out
rage. "
PRESIDENT BEATTIE INTER
VIEWED.
When questioned concerning the
matter. Prof. Beattie affected to know
but very little about the book busi
ness. He admitted that there had
been some changes , but he thought
those were necessary. Questions bear
ing upon the cost of books , the fre
quency of changes and the manner in
which these changes were made ,
seemed to cause Prof. Beattie some
uneasiness. The complaints of the stu
dents he attributed to lack of knowledge -
edge , and those of the local dealers
to personal aggrandizement. But his
statements were both indefinite and
evasive , and he acted the part of one
who fully estimated the distinction be
tween silence and incriminating
speech. He denied that books were
sold at a profit , but when he was asked
to produce his invoices or bills ren
dered for books bought from the pub
lishers and sold to the students in
proof of his assertion he flatly refused.
He admitted that he had the'bills , but
no amount of persuasion could induce
him to produce them. With a view
to ascertaining just who was profiting
by the deal , he was asked who author
ized changes in text books and who or
dered the books , but his answer was
that "sometimes I do and sometimes
somebody else. " thus leaving the arena
of research for facts as wide as ever.
Certain it is , however , although the
board of trustees made no inquiry into
these complaints , that gross abuses
are being perpetrated on the students
and the public in connection with text
books , and if something is not done
to stop it , incalculable injury will be
visited upon this Institution.