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THE OMAHA DAILY BEEs SATUHDAY , JANUARY 28 , 181)0. ) \J \
THE ADVENTURE OF THE VACANT HOUSE.
Hy KAHL ASHLEY WALCOTT ,
( CopyrlKht , 1SW. by Enrl A. Wolcott. ) .
Ah Kim was a coward with the curiosity '
of a magpie. Hoth thcso things ho know ,
for he had been told them often by the
mouth of his friend , the shrewd \Vons dice , ,
and his Inner consciousness assured him that
Wong Chce spoke the truth. It was due to
both that ho had the adventure of devil's
night.
It happened thus : On the night of the
ndvcnturo bo stood In the dark doorway ,
two houites from the corner of Pacific Direct , i
on the odRe of Chinatown In the city of San j I
Francisco , and It was here that ho saw n ' (
Chinese pass across the way with a sack
upon his shoulder. Now there was nothing
about this to attract his Idle attention had
not the bearer of the sack stopped , looked
cautiously about him , and then as cautiously
opened the door of the third house from the
corner that bore the "To Let" sign of the
white agents. This was remarkable enough ,
for no man takes the fourth hour of the
night to examine a house that he would rent.
So Ah Kim speculated Idly on the matter ,
and had but reached the conclusion that It
woe none of his business when he observed
ack upon hla shoulder , and after the same
precaution to sec If he were watched , open
another Chinese saunter along , also with a
the same .door end disappear In the dark
ness.
ness.Now
Now Ah Kim , not being bright of mind ,
was unable to think what this might mean ,
and after a study decided that It was a cnso
to lay before his friend , the shrewd Wong
Chce. Ho was therefore about to move from
the doorway to put this Idea Into execution
when ho observed a third Chinese to como
along , also with a Back upon his shoulder ,
nnd after the same precautions to enter the
eamo house.
Ah Kim , at this waa partly 'In fear , for II
the three sack-bearers thought It so Im
portant that they ebould not bo observed
they might think It of enough Importance to
attend to the silencing of ono who had
observed them ; and for all his slowness of
mind It was in his thought that before ho
nought the shrewd Wong Cheo It would bo
well to know how many men with sacks went
through that door. So he waited and
watched with care and kept himself within ,
the shadow that none might see him. There
tt-ero now and then men passing along , but
none of them bore sacks upon the shoulder
end none of ihom passed through the door
with the "To Let" sign upon It. Yet as ho
watched ho was startled on a sudden to eco
the "To Let" sign Itself disappear like the
handkerchief that the juggler throws Into
the air. And Ah Klin , having watched vainly
for further signs of the men who had gone
through the door , joined a party of thrco
who passed , and becoming ono of the crowd ,
went on his way to find his friend , the
shrewd Wong Chce.
' "It Is well , " eald Wong dice , when the
cabo was explained. "Thero are many
things In life that we do not understand.
We should therefore endeavor to learn them
from those who perchance may know more
than wo. Said you that these men were of
a size ? "
"Illustrious WongChce , I had not said.
Hut , as I remember thorn , ono was tall and
thin , and one was of middle elze and stout ,
and the third was small and spare. "
"Did the tall man have a scar from his
eye to his chin ; and did the stout man have
a wart on his cheek ; and was the email man
lame In the right leg ? "
"Indeed , 'my ' wise Wong Choc , I could not
eco the scar nor the wort for the darkness ,
but , as.I.rcinembcr..the.small man. did have
the trace' of ra limp. " ' " " "
"You have done well , my Inquisitive Klin.
And If you go to the Joss tonight pray to
Mm for your friends , for there Is mischief
afoot. "
"Do they threaten my friends ? " naked Ah
Kim In an awestruck voice.
Tray that It bo none of your friends , "
said Wong Choo , with n mysterious shako
of his head , "for when those thrco men
went through that door It meant no good to
the man who passes through It after them. "
"Thou I shall not pass It , " nald Ah Kim
with a shiver ; "and I shall stop at the house
of the Joss as I go homo and pray that none
of iny friends seek the place. " Then , after
a moment's silence , In which his curiosity
voso superior to his fears , ho continued :
"Does your most profound wisdom Inform
you of the names of 'tho ' three men who went
through the door ? "
Wong Chco considered , and answered with
half-closed eyes :
"Is there ono among the tongs who has
not heard of the Thrco Drothers of the
Hatchet , who are a tong by themselves ? Wo
do not speak their names. "
"Yes , I have heard , " said Ah Kim with a
Bhuddor. "But were they ever known in
our long ? "
"If you had been present at the meeting
you would have remembered , my good Kim ,
eald Wong Cheo. "It was In the tenth year
of Kwong Suey , not three years since , whcu
Mow Yip Ting refused to pay his dues to
the tong , and fats case was brought before
the meeting of the association. Then we
eat In the dark , and the Volco of the Tong
road the charge against Mow Yip Ting. Ant
we listened 1n silence , and when It was
aiked If wo would forgtvo 'tho debt there
was no voice raided for the merchant , foi
ho bad made his riches through the favor
nnd protection of the long , and he woulc
ovada the dues that even the poorest mus
' '
pay' So , when the Voice of the Tong spoke
through the darkness , nnd said that wo had
choice to forgive the debt or to Inlllct the
punishment , there was a mutter as of the
thunder that sounds In the distance , and 1
was Iho sentence of death to Mow Yip Ting
Then It was spoken In the darkness that 1
was not flt that ono of the tong should do
the deed , and a whisper ran through the
that this was work for the Brothers of the
Hatchet. So it was sold , and the reward
was fixed , and I was made the voice of the
tong to speak to the Three Brothers. Yes ,
I know the Three , nnd have scon them , but
I do not speak their names , nor turn my eyes
to their faces when I moot them on the
street. You know the fate of Mow Yip
Tint ? ? "
"Who does not I" said Ah Kim.
"Who , Indeed , " echoed Wong Ghee ,
placidly. "For many men have given up
their liven In Chinatown , yet but three have
suffered death In the manner of Mow Yip
Ting. "
"And Sam Suey was hanged for It by
Iho pollco of the white devils , " said Ah
Kim.
"Tho art of the Thrco Brothers Is past
the power of the pollco lo search out. For
though the white devils are clever with
machines , they are but children In the subtle
workings of the mind , and know not false
hood from truth. "
"Your wisdom Is great , Wong Ctice ; yet
Is It great enough to soy who goes through
the door of the house that the Thrco
Brothers have taken tonight ? "
"It Is great enough to say to you not to
concern yourself with such thoughts. Think
not of who the man may be. Pray
that he bo none of your friends. Make sure
that ho bo not yourself. "
"Wlsj Wong Ghee , your counsel Is of the
beit. I will go to Iho house of the Joss
to pray for my friends and dismiss the
Three Brothers from my thoughts. "
And so saying he left Wong Ghee , and
turned his steps toward the shrine of the
JOBS that la In the long house In Commer
cial street. Yet on the way his thoughts
worn only of the Three Brothers of the
JIttchet ; and In the darkness ho could see
with the eye of tlie mind the face of the
Tall Brother with the scar running from eye
to chin , and the Stout Brother wllh Iho
wart co his cheek , and the Small Brother
who limped with his right leg. And tbo
three glowered as they floated before him
through ' the atmosphere of thought , and
threatened him with silent words as he
walked. So It was with alarm that came
almost to consternation that Ah Kim found
that hla feel had brought him once more to
tlio . . doorway from which ho had seen the
thrco brothers go with such mystery Into
tbo vacant house ; and ho halted as a man
ulruck to stone. To his cxclled vision the
hree facca peered menacingly * t him from
very dark window , and told him that even
n the obscurlly of the doorway to which his
ect had brought him ho was observed ; yet
10 could not fly from the danger , and
watched the house as the bird watches Iho
nake.
Ho looked Intently for a sign of life , yet
none was to be seen. No light glimmered
rom the windows. Men came by In ones
and twos , nnd ho shrank back Into the
shadow. Then , on a sudden , ho saw a
Iguro glldo along the walk , across the
street , nnd disappear In the fatal doorway.
N'ow Ah Kim shook as with an ague , and
was alert for what might happen.
Was this the man for whom the Thrco
) rothors had laid their suaro ? No victim
would go so unsuspectingly to such n bouse ,
nnd alone. Yet curiosity was strong upon
lira , and he wished that ho dared venture
o the < leer and listen , and perchance learn
something of the dreadful deeds of the
Three Brothers of the Hatchet.
As ho looked and listened and trembled
two men came along the walk. He was
relieved to ice that they were white devils ,
and listened to their talk.
"I was sure that was the number , " said
one.
one."Now
"Now , that's quare , " said the other ; and
Ah Kim was stricken with fear to sea
that this was ono of the white devils' police
men for ho had been arrested for the awful
crlmo of holding a lottery ticket , and bad
been kept thirty days In jail. Yet ho was
not too much In fear to hear the policeman
as ho said : "That house has been to rlnt
Ivor elnco I came on this bate. "
"It Is not so strange , " said the other
with a laugh , "for houses are sometimes
rented. "
Now Ah Kim trembled ngain , for at thcs
words ho knew the voice ; and It was the
voice of the good doctor for whom ho
worked , who had stood by him when ho
was In trouble , and had given him back hla
place after ho had come from the jail.
"I would keep out of there If I was you , "
eald the policeman.
"It's an old servant who Is hurt to death
and has .sent for me , " said the doctor , "and
I couldn't refuse. A doctor , you know , must
go when he's called. "
"Well , that's the first Chinaman I iver
heard of asktn' for a white doctor , " said the
policeman ; and he bade the doctor good
night and went his way.
Now , Ah Kim wished to cry out , for he had
found the man who was to pace the door that
hid the Three Brothers ot th Hatch * . Yet
his voice refuted to come , for h was In fear
of the white policeman. And shaken with
the double apprehension for his employer
and himself ho did not recover power of
voice or movement until the doctor had
crossed the street and was swallowed up In
the dark doorway. Then ho hastened after
him with a cry in hla throat , that was stilled
when ho saw the door opened and a tall
Chinese usher the doctor within. He halted
as the face of the tall Chinese stamped It
self on his mind , for It was a face of much
evil , and it bore a scar that reached from
eye to chin ; and there was a malignant
pleasure under its pollto air as Iho lall man
received the doctor and closed the door be
hind him.
Ah Kim leaned against the post without
tbo door , faint and shivering , and put forth
all his strenglh lo keep his teeth from chat
tering. Ho was in mortal terror lest the
sharp eye of the tall brother had spied him
nd the shadow of
death was even now upon
him. Two or throe minutes passed and his
heart steadied its fluttering beats. Yet In
stead of following hla Impulse to fly he crept
closer to the door and crouched In the corner
that ho might listen and think and be out
of the observation of any ono who should
come along the street. It was near the mid
dle hour of the night , yet belated wayfarers
passed now and then.
What Idea was in his mind he could not
have said. Gratitude ho did not know , and
friends one does not have among the white
devils. Yet it was before him that ho
ought to save the white doctor from bis
dcom. for ho was a kind master , and It Is
not flt that ono should see a man go thus
to his death when one cats his bread. And
then there was curiosity the eager wish
to know the work of the Three Brothers.
Thus Ah Kim crouched against the door
post and strained his ears to catch a sound
from the mysterious house. Yet listen as
he might , the only sounds that came to
him besides the smooth purring of the dis
tant cable that draws the white devils'
street cars wore the loud beats of his heart
and the breathing that he tried to repress.
As he lay straining his ears at the door
It came to his mind that this was a case
for the shrewd Wong Ghee , and he darted
lo rUe and go and leek him. Then he sank
b ck , for he feared what might happen
while he should b ( away , and that Wong
Chee might come too late- . Whatever waste
to bo done must be done by him alone ,
The hcnrtslckcnlng fear lhat followed this
thought seemtxl to give him ttrenglh lhat
was not from himself. HP rose , laid off
the Chlncso shoes that ho wore , listened
Intently again , and then put his hand
cautiously on the door knob. No found had
come from the house while ho bad lalu there
ami ho felt assured that the Three Brolhers
were elsewhere than In Iho hall. It was
his fear that the door was locked , but to
hlfl surprise nnd relief It yielded as ho
turned the knob and no sound followed as
Inch by Inch ho opened it. He drew his
knife from bin blouse nnd lletcned again ;
then ho slipped through the narrow openIng -
Ing and closed the door without sound.
The darkness of the street was as the
light of day to the darkness of the hall
when the door was closed ; yet It gave
htm courage , for If he could not see neither
could ho be seen , unless the Brothers had
the gift of the devils to see In the dark.
He stood for a minute. Then a murmuring
j sound that came from overhead confirmed
j him Inthe opinion that the Three Brothers
and their victim w r * up the stair. A
crepuscular flow , the very fhoat of llpjit ,
came to his eyes from above , and he divined
that there lay the ascent.
Ills fears asked htm If one of the Broth
ers did not He between him and the source
of that light. But reasoning that the grip
of death would by then have been at his
heart if ono of the Brothers had been on
the watch , he staked his life on the des
perate trust that the crime for which they
had come had taken the attention of tbo
Three , nnd that none wis left on guard.
So Cio moved forward step by step , and
almost Inch by Inch , the fingers of the
left hand touching the wall as his guide ,
his right hand gripping the knife , and eye
and ear strained to catch the faintest hint
that his presence was suspected. Thus noise
lessly he come to the head ot Iho stair , and
saw that a middle room was alight , nnd
' "I tell jou before. The heart of Wong
Chce , " answered the Small Brother ,
"I cannot take It , The man Is still alive. "
"Ho nil same dead , " replied the Small
Brolhcr. "White devil doctor mnn he like
cut up dead mnn ; why he not like cut up
llvo mnn ? "
"Why do you wnit mo to cut up a llvo
man ? " asked the doslor.
"Wo like sec. Sometime maybe we
like do. "
"I cannot kill him. He has done no
harm. "
" 0 , you tllnk him good man ? " exclaimed
the Small Brother , contemptuously. "You
tllnk him all llto ? Ho all same come to
night to say we got ono tlousand doll a' kill
Wing Lee. You tllnk him good man , eh ?
Ho no sabby ono tong say we get two
tlousand ft" bund * dolla' nil same kill him. "
And at this humorous situation the Small
Brother went off into diabolic laughter.
"Then did 'one long' tell you to kill mo ? "
n ked the doctor. "I do not know the tongs ,
and never harmed them. "
The Small Brother's face took on a look
of preternatural cunning , nnd he appeared
to consider what excuse to give.
"Never ono tltno kill white dov-Il , " he said
at last. And his eyes snapped eagerly , as
though this had been the long desire of his
life ; and the bodies of the Tall Brother and
the Stout Brother bent toward the doctor
as though they wcro eager to have his
blood. "Wo kill whlto devil doctor now if
he not do what wo say. dlvo us the heart
of Wong Chee , "
The Small Brother's tone at this became
so menacing that the doctor gave himself
up for a lost mnn. ACi Kirn marveled at
his coolness in the face of death , for though
ho was but a whlto devil , hla voice changed
not a whit.
"I cannot take It with bound hands , " ho
said.
said.Tho
The Three Brothers consulted In Chinese ,
for they were unwilling to loose the hands
of the doctor. It was true that ho could
THE STOUT BROTHER FLUNO BACK HIS ARMS WITH A SCREAM.
that no ono stood outside. The door was
but an Inch or two ajar , and Ah Kim crept
to It with noiseless progress , though the
murmur of voices , of which ho could catch
a word now and then , would have covered
his steps had he proceeded boldly.
When he looked within the room he
shook wllh astonishment as well as terror , j
for not only did he see the whlto doctor '
with arms nnd feet bound standing between I
the Tall Brother and the Stout Brother , but ,
on the floor , lied wilh ropes and bleeding !
from tlao head , lay a Chinese , and the face
of that Chinese was the face of the shrewd I
Wong Chee. llelween wonder lhat so wlso
a man ehould have been taken by the
Brothers , fear lest his friend was dead , and
the lack of a plan by which to rescue the
two from the hands ot the Dreadful Three ,
H was not until Wong Cheo stirred and
groaned that the words that were spoken
came to his understanding. Then ho ob
served that the Small Brother with the
lame leg stood before thu doctor , grinned
evilly and spoke In English , while tbo Stout
Brother with the Hatchet and the Tall
Brother with a running noose , held to the
captive , made silent threats of death.
"You will be hanged , " ho heard the doc
tor aay.
"If they catch us , " said the Small Brother ,
showing his teeth.
"That Is easy , " said the doctor. "Tho
police have only to find out the man who
rented this house and they will lay hands
on you at once. "
"The house not rented , " returned the
Small Brother , with his evil grin more pro
nounced tban btfore.
"Why , how are you here then ? " Asked the
doctor.
"One man he go ono time , he get key , "
said the Small Brother with a silent laugh
that was terrible to see. "We make key all
same this key. Then same man bo take key
back. 1 He not like house. That long time
ago. We have key. We come here In dark
tonight. No man see us come. No man see
us go. You not do all same we tell you , wo
leave you heah. " And the Small Brother
pointed to the floor and made suggestive
gestures as though the body of the doctor
lay there d ad.
"But the police will find me , nnd they
will know that It Is murder , " argued the
doctor.
"Police no catch us , " replied the Small
Brother , with pride and scorn mingled In
his voice. "Some day catch you this place ;
catch Wong Cheo that place , " pointing to
the floor. "All '
same say , 'Chinaman fight ;
white man fight ; both get kill. ' "
"That will not be the end of It , " said the
doctor , In a tone of menace and warning ,
"I was in Los Angeles when your high
binders killed two of the white police. Then
the white men came wllh guns and knives
and fire , and they shot and stabbed and
hanged every Chinaman they could find , end
they burned their Chinatown off the face of
the earth. Many were killed , and many
hundreds wore hurt , and all ran for their
lives. Do you remember that ? "
Now at these words the face of the Small
Brother lost something of Its look of diabolic
pleasure. For even the Three Brothers
must tremble at the name of that awful
night In the southern city , where the Tall
Brother had got his scar and the Small
Brother bad acquired his limp , and the
Three had barely escaped with their lives.
"We not want to kill you , " said the Small
Brother , with a amllo thit was meant to be
conciliatory , but succeeded only In being
ghastly. "You do all same we say , you go
homo all lite. "
Now the doclor knew that his fate was
sealed ; for the Three Brothers had let him
know too much , and must kill him for their
own safety. Ho saw that they but played
with him to make their pleasure ; yet he
bore himself aa though the Brothers but
Jested with him.
"What would you have ? " asked the doctor.
not cut the heart from Wong Cheo If his
hands were tied , yet if his hands were free
and the surgeon's knife was put in them
they had to fear the rashness of despair.
Then the Small Brother advised that the
doctor bo made to kneel before his bonds
were loosed. And thereupon Ah Kim saw
him forced to his knees by the body of
Wong Chee , and the Tall Brolhcr flung the
noose about the neck of the kneeling man ,
nnd the Stout Brother lifted the hatchet ,
while the Small Brother slipped the cords
that ' bound his arms.
Now Ah Kim breathed bard and gripped
his ' knlfo fast , for ho feared that the life
of the shrewd Wong Cheo was lost. Ho had
a wild wish to cry out to the doctor that
there was a friend at hand , nnd that ho
should make an effort for life and freedom.
Yet he know that to cry out was folly , and
would bo death to him along with the
shrewd Wong Cheo and the good doctor , nnd
ho had to use all his strength to keep his
teelh from challerlng.
"What was that ? " suddenly asked the
Small Brother , pricking up his ears.
"I hear nothing , " said the Stout Brother.
"A step on the stair , I thoughl , " said the
Small Brother.
"I locked the door , " said the Tall Brother ,
with an evil smile. "It is Wong Ghee's
devil como for his soul. "
Now nt Ihls Ah Kim could scarce keep
himself from slt.ktng , for It is evil Indeed
to bo between Ibo Three Brothers of the
Hatchet and the devils that como for the
dying. And the Three Brothers themselves
loot a Uttlo of their confident air ; for even
the Brothers , who feared not the Jos * , liked
not to think of the devils. But Ah Kim
smiled In the midst of his fears at the
mistake ot the Tall Brother In thinking that
uo had locked the door ,
"Well , let us make haste , " said the Small
Brother , "that the devils may finish their
work. " And with a raovo he shook thei
bonds from the doctor's arms and put in the
doctor's right hand -the surgeon's knife. "
"Now , cut , " he said.
At this word tbo doctor flung his arms
about the Small Brother and dashed him to
the floor , and at 'the eamo time made a
mighty effort to rise.
"Strike , brother , " cried the Small
Brother to tbo one with the batchet.
The hatchet was In the air. and the doc
tor's brains .would have been scattered over
the floor , but that Ah Kim , nerved by the | '
danger of the men before him and bythe j ,
nolso of the devils on the stair behind him.
had flung open the door , and with one ieap
burled his knife 'in the throat of the Stout
Brother with the hatchet.
The Stout Brother flung up his arms with
a scream , hla blood spurted over tfie bald 1 I
head of Ihe doctor , his hatchet fell to the '
floor and his knees giving way , ho fell I I. j
heav'Iy ' against the Tall Brother , and Ihey
went down together. The noose tightened
In the hanfia of the tall brother , the doctor -
tor was brought over with a Jerk and
assassins nnd victims lay In a heap , Ah Kim
alone standing , with bloody knlfo and shak
ing knees , crying out In the extremlly of
terror. Kor Iho brolhers struggled before
him , and the noise of devils was behind
him , and ho stood still for want of way
to fly.
Then the devils hurst Into tbo room , seized
upon Ah Kim with an oath , and In Ihe maze
of confused Imprefelons ho ihought he saw
them strike the Small Brother and the
Tall Brother with clubs till they lay still ,
bring Iho doctor to his feet and wipe the
blood from hU head ; and his cars told him
that they all talked at once. And at last
he saw that the devils were not of the air ,
but of the white devils' police , and ha
learned that he and the Tall Brother and
the Small Brother were under arrest , and
that the Stout Brother had gonp , where the
Joss and the devils deal with his kind.
And dimly came to hla mind the words of
one of the policemen :
"I was that unalsy about you that I got
these men and came back , for I found lhat
the hnupo wan vitrant up to rundown , We t
WAS Afraid ot mischief afoot , nnd lnM.nl
we've found It. "
Thfti Ihe terror-stricken Ah Kim , when
ho found that he > was arrested as one of Ihe ,
Three Hrothcrs , fell upon the floor and
howleJ , and 'calleJ out his nnrao to the
doctor. And the doctor , having now re
covered his shaken wits , knew Ah Klin.
"See hero , ofllcer , " he said. "You've
made n mlslnke. Thlj fellow Is my cook ,
and If It hadn't been for him I'm afraid you
would have been a minute late. "
And Ihe doclor explained as much as ho
knew of the affair In which he had played
co great a part , and Ah Kim pieced out
the tule of the Three Brothers with n sail
disarray of the English language. So Ah
Kim was released on Iho doctor's promise
to bring him bcforo the court , and Wong
Chco was brought to consciousness , and the
surviving Brothers wcro taken to Ihe prison
and loaded with many crimes on the book
of the police. And the policemen praised the
courage of Ah Kim and marveled at It as the
strangest thing they had known.
"O , " said Ah Kim nonchalantly , ns in ex
planation ; "Won * Oheo , he may flcn , '
doc to' , ho bf p good man. No wan' 'cm
kill. "
"I think , " said Wong Chce , as he nursed
his broken head , "that It was just as well
that you did not stop lu the house of the
Joss to pray. You are not so much ot a fool
as you Icok. "
And -Ah Kim took this for much praise ,
for ho had ever known him as the shrewd
Wong Chee.
THIXCJS TOMJ 1IY ALMANACS.
AMtruiiomlcnl mill Other K
Trneeil with Mncli IH'tnll.
Ono of the things that every now year
brings with it 1s a crop of almanacs.
Millions are made and sold to those who
wish a calendar upon 'Which they can depend
for the coming twelvemonth ; millions more
are given to every comer In the Interests
of the great manufacturers of patent
medicines. Most of them contain some paged
of useful and olher Information. Tbo
regular frontispiece nearly every ono la
familiar with , slnco It represents a gentle
man In a state of deshabille BO complete
that he needs something more than clothes
to keep him from taking a severe cold.
About this denuded person are the signs of
the zodiac , representing all manner of
museum and other curiosities , from
scorpions to twins. And then follows that
most rcmarkablo series of statements about
solar and lunar eclipses which nro visible
anywhere on earth except that ono particular
spot where the reader of that particular
almanac happens to be.
For txamplu , there has already been a
partial ccllpeo ot the nun in 1899 , on
January 11. But It was only visible In the
extreme northwestern part of Alaska and tea
a large part of the northern Pacific ocean
neither of them spots likely to appeal lo Iho
most confirmed lover of these obscuration )
or even to persons cc-mmltled to the
almanac habit. Six months later , Juno 8 ,
there Is to bo anolhcr partial eclipse partial
to nearly every one on earth except the
inhabitants of the United States. For it can
be seen in Great 'Britain , France , Germany ,
Denmark , Norway , Sweden , Nova Zembla ,
Spltzborgen , Greenland , Iceland , Kamchatka
r.nd other spots where frozen food Is no
luxury ; but not here. There is no European
almanac in the collection that la hero be
ing laid under contrlbullon , but It would
not seem unlikely that this particular
eclipse Is omitted from all the calendars
published In the countries mentioned , or , If
not omitted , Its isceno laid almost anywhere
else.
else.Juno
Juno 22-23 , or Juno 23-24 It makes llttlo
difference which , the almanacs disagreeing ,
slnco It can bo seen almost every other
where the moon will bo toltally eclipsed.
But this to not the American moon , but
the sort of moon they see In Asia Australia ,
eastern Africa , the Philippines and San
Francisco. Later , on December 2-3 , the
sun Buffers an annular eclipse , brought off
for the especial benefit of dwellers In the
most foreign parts , slnco the central line
of it" passes through that useful thing , the
south pole , nnd its suburbs get no farther
than Now Zealand , Van DIemen's Land nnd
the southwestern tip of Australia ,
But on the Saturday which will bo December -
comber 16 the almanac blacksmith lost his
hold for a minute , and n partial eclipse of
the moon leaked through , which can be
seen In Chicago , beginning at 4:43 : In the
afternoon according to one , at 4:33 : according
to another and nt 4:49 : according to a third
authority. But the exception Is only an ap
parent one , for every ono knows what sort
of weather wo have when the Christmas
shopping Is fairly under way. It Is going
to be muddy , oloppy , rainy , cold , below
zero , misty , snowy , or any other old kind
of weather except the kind you see the lunar
eclipses In.
This ends the eclipse business for the
year. There follows some Interesllng In
formation about the planets. There who
are anxious to see Mercury and few are
will have to get up early In the morning on
either January 11 , May 9 , September 6 , or
Christmas day , or look to 'tho east after
sunset on March 24 , July 22 or November
10. 1 Venus , Mars , Jupiter and Saturn all
began 1 the year as morning stars ; Mar
took 1i 1t t the evening shift on January 18 , and
will slay there through the rest of 1899 ;
Venus changes on September 16 nnd will bo
nn evening star thereafter ; Jupiter will
play j a scries of ono night stands as even
ing 1 star from April 2B to November 13 , returning
1t
1I turning 1l t to his original stamping grounds as
morning l t4r on th latter date and stay
ing I there U real of the year ; while Saturn
fairly nobody at all knows him , even by
sight , In any event changes to evening work
on June 11 and back to morning Decem
ber 18.
Spring begins March 20 , in the afternoon ,
a day which Is set forth as "variable" by
ono of the guessora ; summer starts a little
before noon Juno 21 ; fall sets In early on the
morning of September 23. end winter takes
hold at 8 o'clock In the evening of Decem
ber 21. Lent has an early beginning this
year , Septuageslma Sunday falling on Janu
ary 29 , Mardl Gras on February 14 , and Ash
Wednesday on February 15. This brings
Good Friday on March 31 and Easter April
2. A number of ancient prayer books are
only calculated to the year 1899 , so this Is
the | last of their usefulness in the matter of
movable j feasts. Holy Thursday , Ascension
day i , Is May 11 ; Whitsuntide May 21 , and
Trinity Sunday May 28. Advent Sunday
falls I on December 3.
So far as other days are concerned , Lln-
coin's birthday , February 12 , falls on Sun-
day ( , and Washington's on Wednesday. Feb-
ruary i 24 Is tlio feast of Purlm among the
Jews. St. Patrick's day comes on Friday ,
and i the 2Cth of February U the first day ot
Passover I , April 2 , Easter , being the last
day. < Decoration day , May 30 , Is a Tuesday ,
and i Iho Fourth of July as well. Monday ,
September 4 , Is Labor day , nnd the next day
the Jewish Now . Year , September 11 being
Yom Klppur , the day of Alonemcnt. Hallo
ween cornea on Tuesday , and election day a
week later , November 7. Thanksgiving falls
La Grippe
kept at bay by
LIEBIG
COMPANY'S
EXTRACT
OF BEEF
A Perfect Tonic
Bracoo up the Cyatom.
na Into ns It ran , on the last ilny of November
bri ChrUitinitfi comes on Moml.ty.
The nuion will be full on Thtimilny , Jnnti-
nry ifi ; , SatuMny , February 25j Momlny ,
March 27 ; Tuesday , A | > rll 25 ; Thursday ,
May 15 ; Friday , Juno 23 ; Saturday , July 22 ;
Monday , AURtl.il 21 ; Tuesday , September 10 ;
Wednesday , October 13 ; Friday , November
17 , and Saturday , December 10. Contrary
to the Kcucral ruli > , ihcro will I'c bill twolvr
moon * , consiHUcnlly ] 110110 of ( tin months of
IS'JD ' cnu have two within ll llmlla.
"IIlK Mil ) " UIICK Iliit-U fur Trliil.
DKNYKIt , Jan. 27. Oovernor Thomas lint ,
granted the requisition of Oovernor Hotwe-
vclt of New York for Nellie Dnltim , ollar
"UlR May" Murray , who In under Indlel-
tnt-nt for ftrmid lureuiy in New York City.
The vtoinnii KOCH rnst tixiay In ctlr'ody ot
Sismut HcnJy of the New York police
fcrce.
Contrite ! fur > Vk'ntcr iVorkii.
ST. jnSKI'H. Ma , Jiin. ST. An ordinance
has bcon pHsod by HIP city eounrll grant-
IIIR to the Sacklii-r Contrnctlnp company of
Chicago fraucltho lo roiiftruri n new nys-
loin of wa'.rrorkn In HU Joseph , lo bo
completed by October 1 , this ycvir. Thi
i ; rnn I In K of thta contract Is Mio result of
a < UsaKrr < 'raeiT' l > fUMven Ibo elly aiiLhnrl-
tle nnd the present water company ovnr
renewal of a twenty years contract , which
wl'l expire January lt 1000.
THE BEST NATURAL APERIENT WATER.
PREVENTS HEMORRHOIDS
and CURES CONSTIPATION
GET THE GENUINE.
WORLD-WIDE REPUTATION.
What One Bottle Did.
MADISON , IND. , June ar.
On account of bad health , I
did not have my menses for
fonr years until I took Wine of
IL Cordui. I spent hundreds of
dollars doctoring without re
lief , but the first bottle of the
Wine brought me around all
right.
NANNIE U. DUNCAN.
A woman cannot be healthy if trie monthly flow is abienL
Pains will appear in the back , hips and lower stomach , and ex
treme nervousness will make life almost unbearable. The usual
causes are draughts of cold air , imprudent bathing , wet feet or
violent excitement. Such a condition should never be neglected
a moment. The longer the delay , the more alarming the dan-
gcr. Wine of Cardui will , as Mrs. Duncan says , "bring women
around all right" . If the patient be enciente , no haim can
befall , for Wine of Cardni will improve the general health of a
woman In that condition , and
strengthen her so that she may
go through the ordeal of
childbirth with the least possible LADIES' ADVISORY DEPARTMENT.
For nJrlce In MM * requiring ip-
sible distress and pain. It elal direction * , addren , giving rnJP-
. , ' ,
totoi. XatMit' Aitviton Dfpnrtntnt
relieves every sort of "female The Chattanooga Ch tlnnooB , Tonn. Me.lrcUeC .
trouble" .
Sold in Urge $1.00 Bottles by Druggists.
OF CARDUIX
nilMQAUTCCn Tfl OIIDC every kind of Cough , Cold , La-Urlupe.
I'UAnAll I tLU IU UUItt Hoarseness. Inniicnza , Catnrrli , nnif nil
lungiimlilirnat trouble * , bend lur proof of It. It does not elcL.cn or disagree
with the stomach. Safe for all ages.
m T " * * Dr. Kay's Lung Balm.
Write ii . Riving nil cymptoms vlalnly and our Physician will ( ? lvo
I'Itii : ; ADVICI : , u { iS-piiKC bonkot Sold hyDniRglatft or cunt liy mall ,
recipes unit u VllKK H.AMl'1.1 . ft 1'rice , JO ct-ntit anil 5 cent * .
Address Dr. B. J. KAY MEDICAL CO. , ( Western Office ) Omaha , Nob.
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