to TUIW
RiNifi'-r
1
CIIAl'TKIl XVIII. Continued.
It may have been n humble object les
son , but I can give you my word that many
a tlmo In my llfo I hnvo braced myself to a
hard task by the remembrance of that morn
ing upon Crawlcy Downs , asking myself If
my mnnhood were so weak that I could not
do for my country or for those 1 loved ns
much ns these two would do for a paltry
stake , anil for their own credit among their
fellows. Such n spectacle mny brutalize
those who are brutal , but I Kay there Is a
spiritual side to It also , and that the sight
of the utmost human limit of endurance nnd
courage la one which bears a lesson of Its
own.
own.Hut
Hut If the ring can breed bright virtues It
Is but a partisan who can deny that It can
be the mother of black vices also , and we
weru destined that morning to have n sight
of each. It so chanced that as the battle
went against his man1 my eyes stole round
very often to note the expression upon Sir
Lothian Hume's face , for I knew how fear
lessly he hud laid the odds , and I under
stood that his fortunes as well as his
champion were going down before the
swashing blows of the old bruiser.
The confident smile with which ho had
watched the opening rounds had long
vanished from his lips , and his checks hail
turned of n sallow pallor , v.hilo his small
bead-like black eyes looked furtively from
under his craggy brows , nnd more than
once lie burst Into savngc Imprecations when
Wilson was beaten to the ground. Hut es
pecially I noticed that his chin was always
coming round to his shoulder , nnd that at
the end of every round ho sent keen little
glancea flying backward Into the crowd.
Kor some time amid the Immense hillside
of fnees which banked themselves up on the
slope behind us , I was unable to pick out
the exact point at which his gaze wus di
rected. IJut nt last 1 succeeded In follow
ing It.
A very toll man , who showed a pair of
broad bottle-green shoulders high above his
neighbors , was looking very hard In our
direction , and I assured myself that a quick
exchange of almost Imperceptible signals
was going on between him and the
Corinthian baronet. I became conscious
also as I watched this stranger that thu
cluster of men around him were the rough
est elements of the whole assembly , fierce ,
vicious-looking fellows , with cruel , de
bauched faces' ' , who howled like n pack of
wolves at every blow , and yelled execrations
at Harrison whenever ho walked across to
his corner. So turbulent were they that I
saw the rlngkecpers' whisper together and
glance up In their direction , as If preparing
for trouble In store , but none of them had
realized how near It wns to breaking out , or
how dangerous It might prove.
Thirty rounds had been fought In an hour
nnd twenty-five minutes , and the rain was
pelting down birder than ever. A thick
steam rose from the two fighters , and the
ring was a pool of mud. Repeated falls
had turned the men brown , with a horrible
mottling of crimson blotches. Hound after
round had ended by Crab Wilson going
down , and It was evident , even to my In
experienced eye , that he was weakening
rapidly. lie leaned heuvlly upon the two
Jews when they led him to his corner , and
ho reeled when their support was with
drawn. Yet his science had through long
practice become an automatic thing with
'him , so that he stopped and lilt with less
power , hut with ns great accuracy as ever ,
liven now a casual observer might have
thought that he had the best of the battle ,
for the smith was far the more horribly
marked , but there wns a wild stare In the
west countryman's eyes and a strange catch
In his breathing which told us that It Is
not the most dangerous blow which shows
upon the surface. A heavy cross-buttock
at the end of the thirty-first round shook
the breath from his body , and he came up
for the thirty-second with the same Jaunty
gallantry as ever , but with the dazed ex
pression of a man whoso wind has been ut
terly smashed , , ,
"fle'H got the roly-polies , " cried Helcher.
"You have It your own way now. "
"I'll vlght for a week yet , " gasped Wil
son.
son."Damme.
"Damme. I like his style , " cried Sir John
Lade. "No shifting , nothing shy , no hug
ging nor hauling. It's a shame to let him
fight. Take the bravo fellow awayt"
"Take him away ! Take him nway ! "
echoed a hundred voices.
"I won't bo taken away ! Who dares say
so ? " cried Wilson , who was bach after an
other fall upon his second's knee.
"His heart won't suffer him to cry
enough , " said General Fltzpntrlck. "As his
patron. Sip Lothian , you should direct the
sponge to be thrown up. "
"You think ho can't win It ? "
"He Is hopelessly bent , Kir. "
"You don't know him. He's a glutton of
the first water. "
"A gamer man naver pulled his shirt off ,
but the other Is too strong for him , "
"Well , sir , I believe ho can fight another
A WOMAN STOOD RESIDE HIM. ETC.
ton rounds. " He half turned n ho spoko.
nnd I saw him throw up his left arm with a
slngulur gesture into thu nlr.
"Cut the ropes ! 1'olr play I Walt till
the rnln stops ! " roared a stentorian voice
behind mo , nnd I saw that It came from the
bis .man with a bottle green coat. His
cry waa a signal , for like a thunderclap
( hero came a hundred voices thoutlns to
gether , "Fair play for Gloucester ! llreuk
the ring ! llrcak the rlngV'
Jackson had called "Time ! " and the two
iiiul-pluKtercd ) men were already upon their
feet , hut the Interest had suddenly changed
from the fight to the audience. A suc
cession of heaves from the back of the
crowd had bent a aerlca of long ripples run-
olnK through It , all the huadu swaying
rhythmically In the ono direction llko a
wheat llelil In a squall. With \vry Impul
sion the oscillation Increased , thoxi in front
trying vainly to steady tlmum-hc * against
thu rushes from behind , until suddenly
tlioro cuiiio a Gharn snap , two white stakes ,
with earth clinging to their points. Hew
into the outer rhiK , and a tpray of people
daubed from the solid wave behind \rcro
thrown against the line of beatcrs-imt
Down came tha long horiewhlp * , vwayod by
thw most vlgoroun urm in England but
the wiucliii : and uboutlni ; victims had no
sooner scrambled back n few yards from the
merciless cuts before a fresh charge from
the rear hurled them once more Into Ihe
arms of the prize fighters ,
Mnny threw themselves down upon the
turf nnd allowed sueresslve waves to p.ua
over their bodies , while others , driven wild
by the blows , returned them with their
hunting crops and walking canes. And
thi'ii , ni half the crowd strnlnd to.tho left
and half to the right to avoid the pressure
from behind , Ihe vast mass wns suddenly
rift In twain , and through the Rnp surged
the rough fellows f.om brhlnd. all armed
with loaded sticks nnd jelling for "Pair
piny nnd Gloucester ! " Their dctcrmlni'd
rush carried the prize fighters before them ,
the Innrr ropes snapped llko threads , nnd
In an Instant the ring wns n swirling , seeth
ing mass of figures , whips and sticks fallIng -
Ing and clattering , while , fnco to face. In
the middle of all , so wedged that they
could neither advance nor retreat , the smith
and the west countryman continued their
long-drawn battle , as oblivious ot the chaos
raging around them as two bulldogs would
have been who had got each olher by Ihe
lliroat. The driving rain , the cursing and
screams of pain , the swish of the blows ,
the yollliiK of orders and advice , the heavy
smell of the damp cloth every Incident of
that sccnn of my early youth comes back
to mo now , In my old ago , ns clearly as If
It had been but yesterday.
It was not easy for us to observe anything
at the time , however , for we were ourselves
In the midst of the frantic crowd , swaying
about nnd carried occasionally quite oft our
feet , but endeavoring to keep our places be
hind Jackson and Herkeley Craven , who ,
with sticks and whips meeting over their
bonds , were .still calling the rounds and su
perintending the fight.
"The ring's broken ! " shouted Sir Lothlnn
Hume. "I appeal to the referee ! The fight
Is null and void. "
"You villain 1" cried my undo , hotly.
"WE BECAME AWAUK THAT TWO PEOPLE HAD ENTERED THE ROOM. "
"This Is your doing. "
"You have already an account to answer
for with me , " said Hume with his sinister
sneer , and as ho spoke he was swept by the
rush of the crowd Into my uncle's very
arms. The two men's faces were not more
than a few Inches apart , and Sir Lothian's
bold oycs had to sink before the Imperious
scorn which gleamed coldly In those of my
uncle.
"Wo will settle our accounts , never fear ,
though I degrade myself by meeting such a
blackleg. What Is It , Craven ? "
"Wo will have to declare a draw , Trcgel-
lls. "
"My man has the fight in hand. "
"I cannot help It. I cannot attend to my
duties when every moment I am cut over
with a whip or a stick. "
Jackson suddenly made a wild dash Into
the crowd , but returned with empty hands
and n rueful face.
"They've stolen my timekeeper's watch , "
he cried. "A little cove snatched It out of
my hand. "
My uncle clapped his hand to his fob.
" .Mine has gone also , " he cried.
"Draw It at once or your man will got
hurt , " said Jackson. And we saw that as
the undaunted smith stood up to Wilson for
another round a dozen rough fellows were
clustering round him with bludgeons.
"Do you consent to a draw , Sir Lothian
Hume ? "
"I do. "
"And you , Sir CliarlcsT"
"Certainly not. "
"Tho ring Is gone. "
"That Is no fault ot mine. "
"Well , I see no help for It. As referee I
order that the men be withdrawn and that
the stakes be returned to their owners. "
"A draw ! A draw ! " shrieked every one ,
and the crowd t an Instant dispersed In
every direction , the pedestrians running to
gut a good lead upon the London road , and
the Corinthians In search of their horses and
carriages. Harrison ran over to Wilson's
corner and shook him by the hand.
"I hope I have not hurt you much. "
"I'm hard put to It to stand. How arc
you ? " .
"My head's slngln' Ilko a kettlu. It was
the rain that helped me , "
"Yes , I thought I had you beaten one
tlmo. I never wish a better battle. "
"Nor me , either. Goodby. "
And so these two brave-hearted fellows
made their way amid a pack of wolves and
Jackals. I say again that If the ring hns
fallen low , It Is not In the main thu fault of
the men who have done the fighting , but It
Men at the door of ringside parasites and
ruffians , who are as far below the honest
pugilist as the welaher and the blackleg are
below tha noble race horse which serves
them a.t a pretext for their villainies.
CHAPTER XIX.
CLIPI'E ROYAL.
My uncle was humanely anxious to get
Harrison to bed ns soon as possible , for the
imlth , although ho laughed at his own in
juries , had none the leas been severely
punished.
"Don't you dare ever to nsk my leave to
fight again , Jack Harrison , " said his wife , as
she looked ruefully at his battered face.
"Why. It's worse than whim you beat Ulack
Ilarulf , and If It weren't for your top coat I
'
couldn't swear you were the man who led
mo to the altar. If the king of England
Jibk you. I'll never let you do It more. "
"Well , old lass. I give my davy that I
never will. It's best that I leave flghtln'
before flghtln' leaves me. " Ho screwed up
his face as ho look a sup from air Charles'
brandy flpsk. "it's fine liquor , sir. but It
Kfts Into my cut lips most cruel. Why ,
hero's John Cummlngs of the Krlar'a Oak
Inn , as I'm a aluncr , and seokln' for a mod
doctor , to Judge by the look of him. "
It was certainly a most singular figure who
wns approaching us over the moor. With
the ( limbed , dazed face of a man who Is
Just recovering from recent intoxication , the
landlord wan tearing madly about , his hat
gone , anil IUs hair nnd beard flying In the
wind. He ran In llttlo zigzags from one
Knot of people to another , while his peculiar
appearance drew a running lire of witticisms
as he went , so that ha reminded mo irre
sistibly of a snipe skimming along through
a line of guns. Wu saw him stop for an
Instant by the yellow barouche and hand
somelhtiiK to Sir Lothian Hume. Then on he
came again , until at last catching sight of
us lie gave a cry ot Joy and ran for us full
speed , with a note held out nt arm's length.
" '
"You're a nice rove , too. John Cummlngs , "
said Harrison , reproachfully. "Didn't J tell
ypu not to let a drop pas * your lips until
you had given your message to Sir Charles ? "
"I ought to be polo-axed. I ought. " he
cried. In bitter repentance. "I asked for
you Sir Charles , as I'm a Hvln' man I did ,
but you weren't there , and what with beln1
EO pleased At ycttln' such odds when I knew
Harrison was Koln' to fight , an' what with
the landlord at the Qeorga wantln * mo to
try hla own specials , I let my senses go
clear away from mo. And now It's only
nfter the fight Is over that I sco you , Sir
Charles , an' If you lay whip over my back
It's only what I deserve. "
Hut my uncle wns paying no .attention
whatever to the voluble self-reproaches of
the landlord. He had opened the note nnd
was reading It with a slight raising of the
eyebrows , which was almost the highest
note In his limited emotional gamut.
"What make you of this , nephew ? " he
nskcd , handing It to me.
This Is what 1 rend :
"Sir Charles Tregcllls : Per God's sake
coino at once when this reaches you to Cllffo
Royal , and tarry as llltto as possible upon
the way. You will see me there , nnd you
will hear much which concerns you deeply.
I pray you to come as soon as may be , and
until then I remain him whom you knew as
"JAMBS HARRISON. "
"Well , nephew ? " asked my uncle.
"Why , sir , 1 cannot tell what It may
mean. "
"Who gave It to you , sirrah ? "
"It wns young Jim Harrison himself , sir , "
said the landlord , "though Indeed I scarce
knew him nt first , for ho looked like his own
ghost. He wns so eager that It should
reach you that ho would not leave mo until
the horse was harnessed nnd I started upon
my way. There wns one note for you nnd
one for Sir Lothian Hume , nnd I wish to
God he had chosen a belter messenger. "
"This Is a mystery Indeed , " said my unole ,
bending his brows over the note. "What
should ho bo doing at thnt house of 111 omen ?
And why does ho sign himself 'him whom
you knew ns Jim Harrison ? ' ly what
other style should I know him ? Harrison ,
you can throw n light upon this. You ,
Mrs. Harrison , I see by your face that you
understand It. "
"Maybe wo do , Sir Charles , but wo are
plain folk , my Jack nnd I , and we go ns far
as we see our way , and when wo don't see
our way any longer , we Just stop. We've
been goln' this twenty year , hut now we'll
draw aside and let our betters get to the
front , so If you wish to find what that note
means , I can only advise you to do what you
are asked , nnd to drive over to Cllffo Royal ,
where you will nnd out. "
My undo put the note Into his pocket.
"I don't move until I hnvo seen you safely
In the hands of the surgeon , Harrison. "
"Never mind for me , sir. The missus and
mo can drive down to Crawlcy In the gig ,
and a yard of stlckln' plaster and a raw
sleak will soon set me to rights.
Hut my uncle was by no means to bo per
suaded , and he drove the pair Into Crawlcy
his wife In the very best quarters which
money could procure. Then , after a hasty
luncheon , wo turned the marcs' heads for
the south.
"This ends my connection with the ring ,
nephew , " said my uncle. "I perceive that
there Is no possible means by which It can
bo kept pure from roguery. I have been
cheated and befooled , but' a man learns wis
dom at last , nnd never again do I glvo coun
tenance to a prize fight. "
Had I been older or less formidable I
might have said what was In my heart an < J
begged him to glvo up other things also , to
como out from those shallow circles In which
ho lived , and to find some work that was
worthy of his strong brain and his good
heart. Hut the thought had hardly formed
Itself in my mind before ho had dropped his
serious vein and was dialling' away about
some new silver-mounted harness which he
Intended to spring upon the Mall , and about
the match for 1,000 guineas which ho meant
to make between his filly , Ethelberta , and
Lord Doncaster's famous 3-year-old Aurellua.
Wo had got as far as Whlloman's Green ,
which Is ralhcr more than midway bolween
Crnwley Down and Friar's Oak , when , lookIng -
Ing backward , I saw far down the road the
gleam of the sun upon a high , yellow car
riage. Sir Lothian Hume was following us.
"Ho has had the oamo summons as we ,
nnd Is bound for the same destination , "
said my undo , glancing over his shoulder at
the distant barouche. "Wo are both wanted
at CllfTo Royal we , the two survivors of that
black business. And It Is Jim Harrison of
all people who calls us there , Nephew , 1
hnvo had nn eventful life , but I feel as If
the very strangest scene of it were waiting
for mo among those trees. "
He whipped up the marca , and now from
the curve of the road wo could see the high ,
dark pinnacles of the old Manor House
shooting up above the ancient oaks which
ring it round. The sight of It with Its
blood-stained nnd ghost-blasted reputation
would In Itself have been enough to send a
thrill through my nerves , but when the
words ot my uncle made mo suddenly realize
that this strange summons was Indeed for
tha two men who were concerned In that
old world tragedy , and that It was the play
mate of my youth who had sent It , I caught
my breath as I seemed vaguely , to catch a
glimpse of some portentlons thing forming
Itself In front of us. The rusted gates be
tween the crumbling heraldic pillars wore
folded back , and my undo flickered the
mares impatlenlly as we flew up the weed-
grown avcnu ( > 7 until ho pulled them on their
haunches before the tlmo-blotched steps.
The front door was open nnd I3oy Jim was
waiting there to meet us.
Hut It was a different Hey Jim from him
whom I bad known and loved. There was a
clnuiKC- him somewhere , a change so
marked that It was the first thing that I
noticed , and yet so subtle that I could not
put words to It. Ho wns not better dressed
than of old , for I well kuew the old brown
suit thai ho wore. Ha was not loss comely ,
for his training had left him the very model
of what a man should bo , And yet there
was a. change , a touch of dignity In the ex
pression , a suggestion of confidence In the
bearing which seemed now that It was sup
plied to bo the one thing which had been
needed to give him harmony arm finish.
Somehow , In spite of his prowess , his old
school name of "Hoy" had clung very natu
rally lo him , until that instant when I saw
him standing In his self-contained and mag
nificent manhood In tha doorway of the
undent house. A woman stood beside him ,
her hand resting upon his shoulder , and 1
saw that It was Miss Hlnton of Ansley Cross.
"You remember me , Sir Charles Tregel-
lls ? " eald she , coining forward , as wo sprang
down from the curricle.
My undo looked bard at her with a puzzled
face.
"I do not think that I have the privilege ,
madam. And yet "
"Polly Hlnton of the Haymarket. You
surely cannot have forgotten Polly Illnton. "
"Forgotten ! Why , wo have mourned for
you li | Fop'a alloy for more years than I
care to think of. Hut what In the name of
wonder ! "
"I was privately married and I retired
from the stage. I want you to forgive me
for taking Jim away from you last night. "
"It wus you , then ? "
"I had a stronger dalm oven than you
could have. You were his patron. I was his
mother. " She drew his head down to hers
as she spoke , and there , with their cheeks
together , were the two faces , the ono
stamped with the waning beauty of woman
hood , the other with the waxing strength
of mnn , and yet , so nllko In the dark eyes ,
thu blue-black hair and the broad white
brow that I marvelled that I bad never
read her secret on the first days that I
had seen them together. "Yes , " she cried ,
"he U my own boy , and ho saved mo from
what la worse than death , as your nephew
llodney could tell you , Yet my lips were
scaled , and It was only last night that I
could tell him that U was his mother whom
ho had brought back by his gentleness and
his patience Into ; the sweetness of llfo. "
"Hush , mbthor1 , " said Jim , turning his
lips to her chec } ? . "There are some things
which nro between ourselves. Hut tell me ,
Sir Charles , how wcn < the fight ? "
"Your unclb Would have won It , but ho
roughs broke1 Iho'rlng. "
"He Is no untie ot mine. Sir Charles , but
he has been the best and truest friend both
to me and my father that ever the world
could afford. ' ' I only know ono as true , " ho
continued. taUlntf mo by the hand , "and
dear old Rodney iStono Is his name. Hut I
trust ho was not much hurt ? "
"A week or two will sot him right. Hut
I cannot pretend to understand how this
matlcr stands , and you must allow mo to
say that I have ! not hoard you advance
anything yet which seems lo justify you In
abandoning your engagements at n moment's
notion. "
"Como In. Sir Charles , and I am con-
vlnred thnt yon will acknowledge that I
could not have done otherwise. Hut hero ,
If I mistake not , Is Sir Lothian Hume. "
The yellow barouche had swung Into the
nvpiiuo , and a few moments later the weary ,
panting horsrs had pulled up behind our
curricle. Sir Lnthlaii sprang out ! looking ns
black ns n thundercloud.
"Stay where you are , Corcoran , " said he ,
and I caught a glimpse of n bottlo-groen
coal which told mo who wns his traveling
companion. "Well , " ho continued , looking
round him with an Insolent stare , "I should
vastly like to know who has the Insolence to
give me so pressing an Invitation to visit
my own house , and what In the devil you
mean by daring to trespass upon iny
grounds. " *
"I promise you that you will understand
thla nnd n good deal
more before wo part ,
Sir Lothlnn , " snld Jim. with n curious
smllo playing over his face. "If you will
" 1'1Wl" CIldlavor ; to nlako " a11
With his mother's hand still In his own
lie led us Into Hint Ill-omened room where
the cards were sllll heaped upon Iho side
board , and the dark shadow lurked In the
corner of the celling.
"Now , sirrah , your explanation ! " cried Sir
Lothian , standing , with his arms folded , by
the door ,
Charles " fl.Fst exl'lnnntlon r owe to you , Sir
, said Jim , nnd as I listened to hla
voice and noted his manner I could not but
admire the effect which the company of
her whom he now know to be his mother
had had upon a rude country lad. "I wish
to tell you wlial occurred last night "
"r will tell It for Jim "
you , , said his
mother , ' "ion must know. Sir Charles , thai
Ihongli my son know nothing of his parents
wo were both nllvu nnd had never lost sight
of him. For my part , I lot him hnvo his
own way In going to London 'and taking up
this challenge. It was only yesterday thai
it came lo Ihe ears of his falher , who would
have none of It. Ho was In the weakest
health , nnd his wishes were not to be
gainsaid. Ho ordered mo to go at once and
to brlns his son to his side. I was at my
'
wit's end , for I was sure Jim would never
como unless a substllulo were provided for
him. r went to the kind , good couple who
had brought him up , nnd I. told them how
matters stood.
"Mrs. Harrison loved Jim as If ho had
been her own son , and her husband loved
mine , so they came to my help , and may God
bless them for Ihelr kindness to a distracted
wlfo and mother. Harrison would take Jim's
place If Jim would go to his father. Then I
drove to Crawley- found out which was
Jim s room , aud Ispokc ; lo him llirough Ihe
window , for 3/waS sure lhat those who had
backed him 'would not let him go. I told
him that I wiis his mother. I told him who
was his falUe'r. I said that I had my
phaeton rcadjanjl ; that he might , for all I
knew , bo only In time tO' receive the dying
blessing of that parent whom ho had never
known. Stlir-'thcj : boy would not go until
ho had my assurance that Harrison would
take his place. " . -J
"Why did lie not leave a message with
Helchcr ? " J
v '
"My head -was , 'in a whirl. Sir Charles.
To find a fatncr and a mother , a now name
and a new rank In a few minutes , might
turn a stronger bjatn than ever mine was.
My mother begged mo lo come with her.
and I went. .Tile-phaeton was waiting , but
we had scarcely .started when some fellow
seized the .KWso's
Mend nnd a couple of
ruffians attacked us. Ono of them r beat
over the head with Iho butt of the whip
so that lie dropped the cudgel with which
he was about to strike me ; then , lashing
the horse , I shook off the others nnd got
safely away. I cannot Imagine who they
were or why they phoiild raolcsl us. "
"Perhaps Sir Lothian Hume could toll
you , " said my uncle.
Our enemy said nothing , but his little
gray eyes slid round with a most murderous
glance In our direction.
"After I had come here and seen mv
father I went down - "
My uncle stopped him with a cry ot aston
ishment.
"What did you say. young man ? You
came hero and you saw your father ? Here
at Cllffo Royal ? "
"Yes , sir. "
My uncle had turned very pale.
"In God's name then tell us who your
Jim made no answer , save to point over
our shoulders , and glancing round wo be
came aware that two people had entered the
room through the door which led to the
bedroom stair. The ono I recognized In an
Instant. That Impassive , mask-like face
and demure manner could only bclonir fn
Ambrose , the former valet of my uncle
The other was a very different and oven
more singular figure. He
was a tail man ,
clad In a dark dressing gown , leaning heavily
upon a Htlck. His long , bloodless counte
nance was so thin and so white that It gave
the strangest Illusion of transparency. Onlv
wnt hln the folds of a shroud have I over
seen so wan n face. The brindled hair
and the rounded back gave the Impression
of advanced age , , nnd It was only the dark
brows and the bright , alert eyes glancing
out from beneath them which made ml
doubt whether It was really an old man
who stood before us.
There was an Instant of silence , broken
by a deep oath from Sir Lothian Hume.
"Lord Avon , by - ! " he cried.
Very much at your service , gentlemen. "
answered the strange figure In the dressing
( To be Continued. )
Cook's Imperial Extra Dry Champagne has
a delicious aroma. It Is perfectly pure and
naturally fermented.
I'HATTI.K OP TUB YOIT.VfJ.STRHS.
"Girls nln't no good. " "What's the mat
ter , Tommy ? " "Why , slater graduated last
week an' I asked the score of yesterday's
game an1 she didn't know it. "
"When I'm a man " began Hobble ,
"What will you do ? " asked his mother ,
"I'll name my boy after popper nnd my !
how I'll spank him !
Edith and jfaWf had Just put their del
lies In their Jittljf crib. Snld Ehtol. with
n sigh of relief , ; " here , I'm thankful we've
got the children tf > bed. Wo shall have a
lltllo peace now. " )
Teacher Whu "Whs " the wisest man ? Tommy -
my Noah. "N.p.ah ? " "Yes'm. Ho was the
only man who knew enough to como In
when It rnlnoij. " , !
It wua the. lltijoJyraroICs first view
of a dotj with.a muzzle on. "Oh , auntie , "
she said , "isn't jlo a cute llttlo dogglo ?
He's going to play base ball. "
"I'm sure ijdoi'i'l ' know , " cried old Severo-
j-oj ) "I rc&llrl ; 6n't know what to do wfUi
you , Hrnry.Ua ' 'there Anything good In
yuii ? " "I think BO , dad , " replied Henry.
"I've just cuteivii Piece of uiinco pio. "
1'riond of tlip fumUy Johnnie , I suppose'
you are delahU | l with the now llttlr
brother at your. jouso ? Johnnie Now ntiih-
in' . Ifo'a * ccond-hand , Th6 doctor brought
him , and thero'u no tellln' how many fam
ilies has had him before.
"Pop , " said Willie , "what's n goldbug ? "
"That , my son , Is what they cell the men
who want gold money. " "And I auppoce a
sliver bug is a man who wants silver
money ? " "That's it exactly. " "Well , say ,
pop I'm only a llttlo feller , and I'm title-
fled with being a nickel bug. Qlnimo ono ,
will yer ? "
_
Guru for llondiifhi * .
As a remedy for all forms of headache
Electric Hitters has proved to be the very
best. It effects a permanent cure and the
most dreaded habitual sick headaches yield
to Us Influence. We urge all who are mulct
ed to procure a bottle und glvo this remedy a
fair trial. In cases of habitual constipation
Electric Hitters cures by giving the needed
tone to the bowels , and few cases long reslet
the use of this medicine , Try it onco. Only
fifty cents at Kuhu & Co.'s drug store.
$ The House That Jack Built. |
A AIUL1J FOR A PARTNI-R AND WHAT CAME OK IT. TT
&
IIY IDA M. TARI1BLL. p *
( The house that Jack built Is still standing ,
for tills Is a true story , ns nny one will tlnil
who will read tlio records of the county of
Uclinont In the stnto of Ohio , where It la
written almost ns I have told It. )
Jnko Hoathorlngton was an Kngllsh
minor's boy. tiutccd he mlcht have been
culled a miner himself , for from the day he
was 7 years old lie had spent sixteen hours
out of every twenty-four deep down In a
conl mine , never going to school , rarely sec-
Ing the. sunshine. JnUc did not mind. Ills
father did the same , so did nil the. men and
hoys he know , nnd probably he would have
KOIIO on to the end of his life thinking and
carliiK very little about a life nhovo ground
If , when he was about 14 years old , his
father had not decided to move to America.
As this was nearly seventy years ago the
Journey across the Atlantic was very long.
For Uio first time ulnce a little ihlld Jake
knew what a beautiful thing It Is to bo nil
day In the aim nnd air , to watch the birds
nnd the sea. When ho reached America
there came a long trip by wagon and Hat-
boat to his new home on the Ohio river ,
where Jake's father had been told there was
conl lying almost on top of the ground , and
where , Instead of hnving to delve down thou
sands of feet as they did In England , the
miners simply dug straight Into a hlllsldo
and brought out the mineral on wheelbar
rows. To Jake this kind of work wns play ,
and for six or seven years ho labored hap
pily with his father. Hut while Jnko worked
ho wns thinking. Ho wns earning good
wages , but why co on all his llfo simply
earning wages , why not have a ntlno of his
own ? As soon as this Idea came Into his
head he began to save. When ho was about
i3 ! years old ho had enough money to innko ,
a first payment on eight acres of coal land , |
Then he went to work for himself wheeling I
better. This was Jack's way of showing hla
affection , ho said.
JAKK'S OHATITUnM.
Jake and Jack had not'been In business
together long before It was evident that
thuy were making a great deal of money.
In an amazingly short time Jnko paid the
last dollar on his eight acres and was able
to buy n much larger piece of coal land.
"It's all because of you , Jnrh. " he said to the
mule , putting his nrms around his neck , "I
never could 'a done It without you. " Ills
business grew so fast now that he began to
hire men , nnd to buy other mules , nnd even
to send coal down the river on his own flat-
boats. Men looked on In nstonlshment at
the way ho grew rich , and when they suoki
to him about It ho would Fay modestly
"Yes , Jack and me's doing pretty good. "
About live years nfter the partnership was
formed Jake and Jack concluded they'd buj
a third piece of Intnl. It was a big piece
which had never been opened , but they fell
sure- there was coal there , and so It provei' '
thousands upon thousands of tons of tin
richest , blackest coal that nny one liar
ever seen on the Ohio river. The firm hai
made Its fortune , hut It never slack *
cned Its speed. To bo sure Jnko dropped
his pick , for now ho had to superintend
men and build houses and wharfs and
steamers. Jack , too , no longer drew loads
of coal , his one ami only load was Jake.
They had bought the finest little cart that
had over boon seen In the valley , and to
gether trotted from mine to mine and from
wharf to wharf , looking nfter their busi
ness , and as they rode Jake counted ill ) In n
loud volco to Jack their earnings. This ho
found very convenient , for ho could no more
read and write and cipher than the mule
It helped him greatly to ndd up nloud to
Jack , lie said.
As the firm grew richer nnd richer Jake
v\
KICKED UP HIS HEELS AT THE MIRRORS AND CANTERED AROUND THE
GREAT DRAWING .ROOM.
and to buy his own wheelbarrow and tools ,
out his coal alone and taking It down to
the river bank , where he sold it by the bar
rel to the steamers which went up and down.
Thi.j went on for some time , Jake regularly
making his payments on his land and every
week pulling by a bit extra. He was saving
now for another purpose , Ihough nobody
know Just what until ho returned one day
from a short trip with n partner.
THE PARTNER.
He introduced his companion as Jack , nnd
when the next day after his return he drove
his coal down to the wharf In a new cart
to which Jack was hitched , ha was the
proudest man on the river. Ho had a right
to bo proud of his new partner. Jack was
the sturdiest little mule ii ] the Ohio valley.
Ho was only three and a half feet high , but
he wns as stout as oak , and Jake himself
hadn't moro pluck. There was no load so
heavy thnt Jack wouldn't do his best to
drnvv It ; there was never a hill ho wouldn't
pull up It ; and , aa for being afraid of whis
tles and nolso and crowds , Jack simply
gloried In them , nnd always pushed Into
the thickest of every din. Jake had been
nil his life a lonely fellow , and every day
that ho worked with Jack ho became Imp-
"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OP YOU , JACK. "
pier. Ho fell Into the habit of talking aloud
to him as they went about , telling him how
much coal they had taken out today and
what they had sold it for , and ho confided
to him all hla future plaua. At night when
the work was done , Jake always smoked hla
pipe near Jack ami planned the next day.
As for the mule , his affection for the man
was eomethlng unheard of. It was only nec
essary to watdi Jack's eora when Jake waa
near to know that his whole soul waa
wrapped up In hla master. So devoted waa
ho that ho brayed with grief If Jack at
tempted to ilrlvo another animal , and If
any one on the prcinUen dared to attempt
to harness or ilrlvo him ho kicked and balked
until the Intruder waa glad to glvu up thu
task , livery time that Jake eaw bis partner
kick over a man who attempted to ueo him ,
ho confessed that It made him love Jack
found that the people trealed him with a
respect which sometimes wns very trouble
some. From New Orleans and Pltlsburg and
Clnclnnall , and even from New York came
bankers and steamboat builders and capital
ists who tried to persuade him to invest his
money in Ihelr cnlerprlso. "I'll have lo
talk It over with Jack" ho always said , aud
though the men did not always know who
Jack was , they had to wait until the partners
had had a ride together and thought the
mattnr over. It was wonderful how few
mistakes they made in splto of all the flat
tery and persuasion of the fine genllomen
from the cities. Tbo truth wns Jaka and
Jack both had a great deal of good sense
and when they made up their minds nothing
could budge them. Of. course as he was erich
rich Jako's neighbors thought he ought to
marry and so he did at last. Ho waa very
fond of his wlfo and bought her gowns and
JeweU , but Jack had his heart. Everybody
said thai , even Mrs. Jake herself. _
After the two had been In partnership
about twenty-five years Jake concluded to
build a house. As ho was the richest man
In the valley ho decided he must have the
finest house , but before ho had said any
thing to hla wife about his project ho told
his partner , "It's you as has done U , Jack , "
ho said , lears of grallludo In his eyes. "Il's
you as has done U. It'll ho the house that
Jack built an * nothln' else. "
The house was begun and during the
months It was building Jack went every day
to sco It. Often his friends and rich visit
ors went with him and always ho said , "Yes ,
sir. It's a fine 'tin , but Iho credit's to Jack.
Ho'a built It , sir. " ami eo all up and down
the river the new homo came to bo known ,
greatly to Jako's joy , as the "House that
Jack built. " Hut Jake was not satisfied
with having his partner's name attached to
his home ; hn wanted his dear face and tender -
dor eyes and great sympathetic oars In it ,
and BO ho had a Nplendld head ot the mule
carved in stone and put up as a. keystone
to the tine arched portal. Than ha was con
tent.
tent.SHOWINO
SHOWINO THE HOUSE TO JACK.
When at last the house was done Jake
refused to take any ono through It until
after hla partner had seen It. He made
n great fete on the lawn nnd Invited all
his neighbors. Then In the presence of
them all ho led Jack from his stable
across the lawn up the Ht i > Into the
now house. Prom room to room went
the two old friends , Jake leading the
way and explaining lovingly all the con
veniences and luxuries which henceforth
ho and hla family were to enjoy. lie al
ways declared that Jack understood and
enjoyed It all and long after he told how
the mule rubbed hs ) nose against the fine
woodwork and peered Into all the closets
and kicked up his heels at the mirrors
and cantered around tha great drawing
room and actually bounded up the broad
staircase three ntcpa at a tlmo. "No
ono over appreciated this house like
Jack , " declared JalC. (
When Ihe house was built Jade was al
ready old for a mule. Ho waa 30 , In
fact , but happily ho still had a long term
of years before him. No jirlnco ever re
ceived more homage and lived In greater
comfort than did ho In hla last days. Jaku
himself cared for him ; the whole com
munity potted him ; and often vltltora from
far away came to look on hU white halra.
At last when ho waa 40 yoara and 10 duyu
old , Jack died. Hla death wua the ono
great sorrow of Jake's llfo. Tha man burlml
hlH old friend under a favorite tree , und
often ho went thuro to nit by hla grave ,
Every visitor was taken out to Bee tbo
spot and to hear the tale of Jack's honor
able life.
'IVrrliln llatllc * Unit Are WUKUI ! llt-
twtuiii Oi-eaii Mounter * ,
The Inhabitant ! of the sea havu their com
bats aa well an those upon land , and sea
furors often witness desperate struggle * be
tween largo fUliuB. The writer oncu naw a
battle between a man-eater nbark and a buKe
loggerhead turtle. The shark had atol u
quclly ! upon the turtle when U wan
floating on the surface , find with ono bltft
had undoubtedly revered a flipper , literally
tearing It In threads. Tha turtle turned mt
r > tter the manner of Us kind breathed hcav >
tly. then rs.tnycd to dive ; but the shark held
It at the surface , tearing at the flesh.
Suddenly the turtle disappeared ; It evi
dently tore nwny from the shark nnd
bounded off ; but thnl ferocious brute , the
bull dog ot the sen. followed closely nnd
soon had caught It again , the two appar
ently rolling over and ovnr on the water.
When the boat wns pulled alongside the
combatants It wns evident that the shark'
had cnught n tnrtnr. The man-eator had
seized the turtle , which wns of the largest
slie , by the other nipper , nnd the turtle hnd
nipped his enemy by Us side fin nnd a. fero
cious struggle ensued.
1 have known one of these turtles
to hold on to-an oar all day , hence ex
pected thiil the batlle would bo ft long one.
The shark slolldly held fast to his prey
and evidently not nble to bite the flipper
vainly attempted to cnrry the big niumnl
below the surface. Occasionally It would
make a desperate effort nnd plunge down , "
exposing Its huge grey body for n moment ,
reaching three or four feet when thu tur-
llo would bring It to tbo surface ngaln.
where the two would loss about , bcnttng
the nter Info foam.
Klnally. the shark tore Itself awny and
the turllo disappeared. Wo saw U comn
up a long distance nwny and a violent' "
splashing told that 11s eliemy or nnolhcr
of Its kind hnd continued the attack.
When wo reached It again the pursuer
hnd disappeared nnd the turtle Iny on
the surface.
Wo put a peg Into Us shell nnd towed
It In , finding Us four flippers cut evenly
away so that the poor creature wns per
fectly helpless.
In this locality the sharks came Into
thnt water at night to feed , In alt proba
bility , upon craw fish , sea cucumbers and
other dainties , nnd nt such times they
waged war upon the big rays thnt also nf-
fcclcd the shallow lagoons. On still nights
when thu wind hnd entirely gene down , <
a sudden nnd violent rush of wnter
would bo heard , then a resounding crash ,
following by a fluttering along the surface -
face , ns though soma great bird was beat
ing the water with Its wings.
The roar of sounds mcnnt n conflict be
tween n shark nnd the great ray or devil
fish , thnt hns n spread of fifteen or eighteen
feet. The my Is black , with the curious
clnspers at Its bend and long projcillng ( Ida
fins which move up nnd dawn llko wings.
These the sharks atlnck , nnd fins Imvo been
seen with enormous pieces lorn out , whllo *
Iho ginnl-flsh oftens succumbs to the on-
Hlnught of the man-enter.
Sharks themselves occasionally engage In
vigorous and sanguinary encounters , whllo
turtles , especially the big bull logserhoadsi ,
wage warfare against their kind.
Among tbo fishes the sword-fish Is un
doubtedly the most pugnacious , riiiiitrlubloT
duels occurring between these swordsmen
of Ihe sea. In ono observed by an acquaint
ance of the writer , the fish wore Ural po
liced leaping Into Ihe air , undoubtedly the
result of a false aim , or ono had avoided
the lunge and shot out of the water. They
then appeared to swim around In circle ) and
suddenly charged. The shock must have
been terrific , ns ono ot the flshcn vns al
most thrown out of the water , nnd aftor-
wnrd the blow wns found to have Leon de
livered Just below Iho eye ami to have
glanced off. The thrust undoubtedly de
moralized the swordsman , as It wns seen
to swim nwny ; then came n terrific rush
along the surface ns the enemy came en
again , nnd In n few moments the ! Uh wus
struggling nt the surface nnd n short llmo
after was picked up dead , having .1 wound
upon the head a glancing shot , whllo two
other stabs were made by the sword of Its
opponent , which had gouo through It aa
easily as through paper.
Of all the combats ot Iho sea Ihoao be
tween rival whales are most awe-inspiring
and the spectacle of these monsters of the
deep crashing Into each other Is ono to bo
remembered. That terrific battles are wngid
between whales and sword fish there U but
llttlo doubt , and It Is n prevalent belief
unions whalers and follo'vers of the sea that
the swivel-tall shark Is also a party lo Uicsa v
conlests , but which Is denied , as a rule , by
naturalists. Tlio story Is that tlio sword
fish and long-tailed shark hnvo nn enmity
of long standing against thu whale and that
they attack It together , the awonlflsh plere-
liut It from below , and na the whale leaps
from the water the sharks follow It , be
laboring the big cetacean ' with powerful
blows of the kulfe-llko tall. This tale U
repeatedly told , but the shark part of It la
received by many with reservation.
That there la often a fighl to the death
between whales and sword flsh there Is no
doubt. The writer hns heard of ono In
stance in which , despite the whale's rushes
and blows nt the agllo enemy with Us tall ,
the swordfish lunged Us keen weapon Into
It time and again , until finally the whnlo wns
killed and was blown ashore , whcru It con
stituted an attraction that brought pcoplo ,
from the country for miles around , The )
sword fish were seen by close observers dart
ing at It and leaping out of the water and
In the body of Ihe huge animal were scores ,
of gashes made by Iho long slender blade
of the swordsman of the sea.
NO-TO-BAG MENDS NERVES
Lost Life Force Restored and
Shattered Howe-Power
Quickly Repaired.
Tin * Tiiliiit'CO-Vlc'c UiiiU'rniliittfl VIjo
ami Vlliillty. AiVrvoiin primra
tion , Clcncral Dflillllx .tli-iiii
Tolinc'ro .Vc-rve 1'ol.ioiilntf.
Tobacco-using Is n reckless wnsto of Ufa
force , money and manhood.
It l.s a dirty , nasty , men-wrecking dlscnso
and every tobucco-usur knows It ,
The tobacco user's nerves are shattered
.yd broken , hla llfo la going out of. him.
bo's losing his ) grip , but No-To-Huc , the
Htrongest , quickest nerva tonic In the world ,
brncea hl brain , nourishes his news , kills
nlcotlno , makes nmnhooil. Summer mnok-
liifr shortens llfo.
If you want to quit tobacco , gain
Bti'ungth , welijht. vitality
If you witnt ull the tlmo to look , fool and
act llko n man
Tnko No-To-Hnc ! Get n euro or your
money buck. Over 400,000 havu been eurud ,
md millions UHO No-To-Hao to roKUlute to-
liacco UHlng , or purely for ItH wonderful
nowcra as a nerve tonlo and Htlmulunt ,
If your nurvo and heart action la wnak , no
matter what the cauao tuku No-To-Hucl
Sold and guaranteed by drufjKlstH overy-
where. Our fnmoiiH booklet. "Don't To-
mcco Spit and Bmoko Your Llfo Away"
written guarantee and free Knmplo mnllrd
for the asking. Address The Hlerlln
ItBmcdy Co. . Chicago , Montreal or Now
York ,
ir roa are tuflorlnK from the elT clior
youthful ( oily or thu txitmiei of ruaturvr
lean , resulting In nurruumeu , ulumlr
lotifs , wnitoil uirli , lack of memory and
genural Oiibllllatcil condition , wfllo , iuu
und I will bo hnppr lo mall you , lu plain
enrmope , tuo ruolpo tuut eumploidr curoa
1110 of a CUKO nt nifinr rt > iiiV itandltiir. I
want NO t'AV bnlnu uluJ lo liclp infel -
low-raaa lu lili affliction. Corf n > ondenoo
concaontlul.
O. L. NEWLAND ,
HozE6t. Kalamazoo , Mich.
" ' uWGAQP , IU *