THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : THURSDAY , NOVEMBER L % 1800.
eo o o oo oao o oo oo o
eo o of o o o oao o o o o o9
THE HEART Of fORT TSCHED
By IIASKETH PRICIIARD.
o o o p o o oo o o o oeo
( Copyright , 18 6 , by llnskcth 1'rllchard ) .
Overlooking thq blue waters of the China
sea , in < l , In lUf'lurn , overlooked by a tropi
cal Bun , elands an nnclcnt tortincatlon , from
the Bummlt of which the Drltlah flag Ings
lazily In the still air. Away to the rim of
sight the shallow swells \\aah among many
sprinkled Islands , \\hcro the illm llfo of thu
Vt far cast still dreams on untouched by the
*
J ccnturlca. It Is a water Junk haunted , and
where It slips up Into the mainland througli
long and tortuous Inlets pirates arc said
to dwell In sun-smitten lagoons. Yellow
pirates , blue amethyst seas , black and un
handy sailing craft , and occasionally the
long smoke-trail of a big steamer nearlng
the end of her run toward the rising sun.
The slto of the fort had been cbo-jcn by
some long-forgotten strategist. Its natural
powers of defense were .remarkable , and a
good deal of modern masonry engrafted
upon those old-w'orld beginnings still lifted
an uneven yet solid front seawards.
Such Is Fort Tchou viewed close ut hand.
From the home standpoint things look
different. It Is no more than an outlying
post of the empire , about which wo worry
very little , although feverish Canton cor
respondents Invariably mention It In con
nection with French Interests , Yet wo refuse -
fuse to bellcvo that the French have coveted
Fort Tcheu for at leaat a decade. Their
gunboats and cruisers nose stealthily In and
about the little bay under the fort to ro-
connolter , their officers are entertained by
El11 Tcheu's small garrison , and afterward long
reports as to the strength of the batteries
and outworks somehow ttnd their way to
Paris for the edification of tbu war office
there. For It happens that a inlle or note
to the southwest , and almost out of sight
behind the sheltering'ridge , an Island , roofed
In with houses , Its shores frcttod with ship
ping , llvoa out lies hot , busy lite under Brit
ish rule. The loot of that Island hive serves
na a dream to the navies of the world.
During a certain war scare , not yet grown
gray , a French gunboat of 1,000 tons , more
or less , drew slowly up out of the bay , and
the rattle of her anchor chains etrucU clear
across the lonely morning water.
The French captain waa on , the bridge with
his flrst lieutenant , gazing at the twin hills ,
at the right of one of which the old fort sat
llko a broken crown.
"My friend , " eald the captain , a short-
legged Gaul , wltb a pointed beard , "wo must
not fall. Presently wo go ashore , -when you
will carry the llttlo camera. Sir Ronald
Drusll has given mo a letter of Introduction
to Colonel Lennard. They say M. lo Com
mandant has a daughter. " He grinned
olgnlflcautly at the slender , handsome young
fellow beside him. "You , Francois , will en
gage the attentions of this youn'g lady and
by some llttlo ruse of a tender nature procure
for mo photographs of the defenses we have
so long desired. To linger with mademoiselle
on the root after dinner how natural ! how
delightful ! "You comprehend ? "
Lieutenant Francois Intimated that he en
tirely understood. He ; only deprecated the
fact that ademolsello must inevitably poa-
soEB the teeth of Albion so large , so In
evidence.
M. le Captalne shrugged his shoulders. It
was not a question of teeth , but of photo
graphs of the defenses , the strength and
position of the batteries. For his part ho
had met several beautiful English women-
hero he laughed in a suggestively reminis
cent manner. For the- sake of hU lieuten
ant ho hoped ths girl was beautiful , but , If
not , ho urged upon "Francois that the ugly
ones appreciate flattery all the more. However -
ever , one would see. To begin with , Colonel
Lennardwould -.Invited to Inspect the
.Loun-carou.
I Francois remained on deck while * the dawn
changed Into orange morning , and he ro-
hected that after all In China eveu an
English , miss would help to pass the time ,
besides keeping his hand In for future suc
cesses amongst the most desirable of his own
countrywomen. As ho thought over these
things the chink of picks from the direction
of the ifort traveled to his cars and the
watch of the Loup-garou came aft with
eandstono , buckets and brooms to clean the
decks In anticipation of an exchange of In
ternational courtesies.
* * * * * * *
Meantime the Fort Tcheu garrison awak
ened to the fact that a gunboat bad come up
from the Tonquln station. They had heard
of the Loup-garou and of its commander ,
Captain Merovlnge , before. He had been re
cently appointed and was proportionately
full of zeal and curiosity.
"I know exactly -what we shall all be
expected to do , " Miss Lonnafd said to her
father over 'the breakfast table , whllo the
breeze from the sea fanned the pretty
chestnut curls upon her forehead. "Go
through the 'samo ' stupid program. Two
formal visits our dinner to them and their
invitation to us to visit tbo ship , and all
the while bowing and compliments for you
and Mr. Cannon. "
"None for you , Cardella ? That does not
accord with my experience , " Colonel Len
nard laughed ,
" 0 , of course , a share fop mo too. But
I don't llko the French. They are too
too what shall I call It ? too French In
fact. Still , there may bo Bomo amusement
to bo got out of It who can tell ? " uho
ended thoughtfully.
Colonel Lennard put down bis coffee cup
and wrinkled his forehead.
"No amusement for me , nt any rate. The
fact IB , Cordelia , the French want some
thing. They never come hero without
reason , This time they have brought a let
ter from Sir Robert , and are to have a run
of the bay for a week while they are waitIng -
Ing to fill their bunkers from the next col
lier that contra along. And that means In
cessant botller. I must send for Cannon , "
Now , It happened that at this period Fort
Tcheu was credited with possessing a heart
for probably the flrst ttmo during the va
riously calculated number of centuries It
had frowned from the btiro desolation uf
the AVans-Tcheu-Fung rldgo. % The ex
planation IB simple. Miss Lennard had ap
peared nt a few of the rare festivities given
along the ccast , and some British subaltern
In an amorous moment had spoken of her
as "tho heart of Fort Tcheu. " Tbo epithet
clung as epithets will , especially since , for
many reasons , It was considered a peculiarly
happy Inspiration ,
Miss Lennard helped herself to fruit while
nho listened to the echo of rapid feet as
cending the long night of steps behind the
veranda. "I hear some ono coming , " she
bald , as a young man In u white uniform ap
peared between the whitewashed pillars at
the further fttd of the voranda. Ho gave
her a quick look from his brown eyes as ho
came up to the table before be shook
hands.
"Aro the French officers coming ashore
nt once ? " asked Cordelia with quite unnec
essary Interest. "How delightful ! You
know I like the French. "
Colonel Lannard stared ait this , but ho bad
not born the father of a pretty grown-up
daughter for the last ten months without
learning that there are things In heaven and
earth not dreamed of In main philosophies.
"l/ok at this , Cannon. " Colonel Lennard
handed a letter across the table. "Brasll
wye the French are at us again and > hat
no must humor them tit one way or another.
There IB , It appears , a IH'tlu ' soreness among
them at present , and ho thinks If no could
give 'cm a show in hero and soctho 'em
down a bit It might servo our Interests at
a moment when tome blamed Idiot has been
saying that Fort Tcheu is being placed on
a war footing. ( How anything baa leaked
nut 1 can't ImaRlne , hut It's Infernally awk
ward. I really don't see how wt > are to
plcaao "thorn. "
Cannon raised his alert red head after a
moment's thought.
"Fallh , I'd show them around , sir. That
would gratify them anyway. "
The commandant rose abruptly from the
tablo.
"Don't bo a fool , Pal , " he Bald testily.
"I rather relied upon you for n suggestion.
I tell you It seems to mo Just ono of those
stupid dilemmas that a llttlo itact should
help ono out of. Yet I can't sec my way
to It. "
"Just so , sir. I wouldn't show 'cm round
all at once. I'd let them BCD things by de
grees round the northeast batteries , for
Instance. "
"You don't mean. Why , they will sec "
" 1 can arrange nil they will bo Interested
In seeing in forty-eight hours , sir. They'll
be off in a week after that "
Lonnard suddenly burst Into a great laugh ,
ns his subaltern's meaning grew clear to
him.
" < Jnd ! yes , Pat show 'era round. "
Many things fell out as Cordelia Lennard
had foreseen , also some other things , which
sJio had not openly at least predicted.
The formal visits were exchanged , the
formal Invitations to the customary dinner
wore sent out to the Loup-gnrou by n yellow
messenger In a llttlo white boat. And mean
time Pat Cannon sweated and slavoj nml
swore , and hardly gave himself time to
sleep while ho worked continuous gangs of
men along the galleries of the old northeast
front. The mound for three da > s was as
busy as an anthill , although frctn the outside
It appeared empty and placid enough , and
Captain Morovinge remarked to Francois
that nothing was tmoro offensive about tbo
Bngllnh than their arrogant folly , which
allowed them lo take matters with eo eaiy
an Indlffercnco that they were absolutely
doing nothing to strengthen an Important
atatlon such aa Fort Tcheu , whllo the mob
In Paris were shouting "A bas Albion ! "
"Conspuez Alblont" and the papers teemed
"with hatred and menace. He confessed the
British tloot to bo a sufficiently formidable ,
organization , but the army what of that ?
Contemptibly small , broken and fragmentary ,
already dispersed to the four winds of the
empire could not the gallant soldiers of
Franco pick them off the face of the earth
as a fowl swallows insects on a rainy day ?
In these and many more telling similes did
Captain Merovlngo Indulge. In fact , had
Britain 'been ' preparing herself at all points
for war she would but have given another
evidence of her ancient and Inalienable per-
fldy ; yet , since eho seemed to bo merely
going about her own business as usual and
with serenity , the Imaginary Insult flung in
the face of France appeared doubly bitter
and unforgivable In the eyes cf the officers
of the Loup-garou.
But that U tbo way of Frenchmen.
Ignorance is the mother of a numerous
family ofwrongs , thus Pat Cannon's encr-
gelto days and nights went toy entirely un
appreciated by those who watched and
waited In the bay under the very mouths of
the guns which claimed so much of his
boauty-sleep.
Bui whatever It might bo to the others ,
there waa one person to whom the week waa
a tlmo of feverish pleasure and excitement ,
Francois went ashore with Mcrovlnge and
was 'agreeably disappointed In the daughter
of the commandant of Fort Tcheu. She
waa blonde , and her teeth were not In evl-
'denco'except' ' when ehe smiled "and * then
Francois pressed , one hand to his heart and
blew away a kiss with the other wnon ne
recalled It. She wna dlstractlngly pretty ,
and possessed of a soft frankness of manner
which Is not to bo met with on the southern
side of the English channel. He found that
his Inclinations and bis duty to France led
for once In the same direction. He paid
Cordelia tbo mast adprable compliments
and admit cd himself prodigiously In the
process. In ft no , he did everything to In
gratiate * himself with Mile Lennard that
could bo expected even from ono of his gal
lant nation.
The dinner party ashore was a grand affair
for the place and clime. Old wines came
up from -too bowels of the fort. Captain
Merovlnge spoke wittily of the arts of Paris ,
wlth'an airy polntedness of Cairo , and then
passed on with a line enthusiasm to dwell
on tbo twin services and their affection for
each other. While Francois , speaking Into
a small , aboll-llke oar , dwelt at length upon
the sad beauty of the night , on music , on
. His original
song , on well amatory problems.
inal "desire to Ingratiate himself into the
good graces of tbo English girl for a tlmo
had by tbo conclusion of the evening merged
Into a rceolvo to win her favor for always.
It matters not at all that a Frenchman's
"alwayu" IB oftep. bounded by "the " day after
tomorrow.
Lot it bo owned , and at once , that Cor
delia behaved outrageously. Colonel Len
nard did not appear to notice Pat Cannon ,
who had spent the whole night and part of
tbo day In his ehlrt slcovcs working llko a
navvy with successive gangs of men behind
the northeast face of the fortification. It
ho disapproved he did no unobtrusively , and
the French commander beamed propitiously
around him. As for Francois , cold English
cannot convey hla sentiments.
After dinner they went up to the roof ,
and the young Frenchman murmured in the
moonlight of lonellnets.
"Yes , I am very lonely sometimes , " ad
mitted Cordelia with a llttlo air of sadness
which seemed from the heart.
"Speak to me tell me of your lonely
hours , mademoiselle ; I can feel for you. I
also have been lonely , "
Mademoiselle merely smiled divinely. Ehe
know better than to Inflict her thoughts on
Francois , With a woman's art she put the
next question.
"HoTir can you know ? You have compan
ions , friends "
"Companions ? What ore they ? " he replied.
"Tho soul Is lonely and fall of longing until
the happy hour arrives when all the solitude
is made up for by the touch cf that one
adorable sympathy a roan has to dream of ! "
Cordelia gazed out across the ahlnlug
water to where the spars of the Loup-garou
trembled In shadow on the tide.
"La recompense , " the said , In a low tone ,
then , shaking her heed slowly , she added :
"But euch meetings are rare , "
"Hare , yes , " ho ventured to bond toward
her , "but not unknown. Say to me , I Im
plore you , not unknown. "
Cordelia allowed him io meet a flying
Blanco from under her long lashes. "The
delight cf such n rencounter U enhanced by
Its rarity , " he continued. "Mademoiselle ,
have you never met with ono who could
understand you ? "
Cordelia's fair face looked preternaturally
rad and wistful under the moon as the said
lij n low volc-o :
"Havo you ? "
Francois afterward declared that he could
have died of that charming whltper.
"Tonight , mademoiselle ! " be answered
rnpturoutly.
And then , ah , evil fate ! it was time to toy
goodnight and depart in the captain's gig.
But oven separation had Its alleviations. He
paced tbo desk of the Loup-garou during
bla watch and saw the daylight grow Into a
pallid circle through-the porthole of his cabin
while he still dwelt ecstatically cot only
upon Mlw Leonard's claims to admiration
her eyes , her hair , her figure , even her
pretty , hesitating French although It wn
the French cf Montrtux and Ilrussele but
also upon the flattering response his atten
tions had drnwn from her ,
In the morning Merovlnge look occasion
to congratulate him on his Miccess. "That
appeared to go" ( here Merovlngo winked In
a highly complimentary manner ) , "as the
Americans say on veelsl"
Francois replied with huppy self-ap
preciation , adding a nnrm comment upon
Miss Lennard'e attractions.
"Sho Is beautiful ? Ah. y ! Have I not
said that there are English women ah , the
most bewitching ? " the captain fclghod retro
spectively. " 17 Yea , jes , I know HI"
But Francois bad little Interest to squander
upon Mcrovlnge'a past triumphs.
"Tho 'back ' of mademoiselle's ueck , " ho
went on , "white , Innocent , exquisite ono
nccs Its counterpart only In a llttlo child erIn
In the picture of an angel I"
Merovlnge came back from his own tender
recollections with some dissatisfaction.
"Indeed ? " ho said rather coldly , he had
not observed the back of mademoiselle's
neck , but ho was prepared to take Its chatms
on trust. Meantime , Francois could bavo all
the leave ho found necessary to fulfill the
duty France required of him.
The party frccn the fort that came
aboard the Loup-garou for dejeuner In
cluded Colonel Lennard , his daughter , and
a pink-faced young subaltern of marines.
Cordelia was handed up the gangway by
the Incomparable lieutenant. He paiaded
her about the deck , he apoko to her ct bis
hopes and his struggles , of his past , of his
future , of hla ambitions. He was plainly
making rapid headway In the girl's heart ,
Judging from the absorbed attention with
which she listened to his rhapsodies. She
plied him with such apt anil tntolllgout ques
tions , she. realized , with a fullness thu affec
tions alone can teach , how great were the
dangers ho must face In his career , the
storms , the fevers and the climate ? !
Ho perceived himself to be thu envy of
his comrades In arms and glowed with a
racial exaltation of spirit When Pat Can
non came aboard later , smart , straight , alert
as usual , with many apologies for the delay
duty bad forced upon him , Francois received
him with effusion. This kindly feeling waa
yet further Increased when bo observed Can
non go up to Miss Lonnard and say a few
words , to which the young lady gave a short
answer and promptly turned her back upon
him.
"You can fetch your adorer and his monkey
gang along any time tomorrow , " Pat Cannon
had said , rather sourly , It must be admitted ,
for Cordelia's behavior toward the dapper
French lieutenant pleased him little. She
was playing a part , perhaps , but It appeared
to him that she entered Into the fun If fun
It wo * with a qulto uncalled-for amount of
zest and enjoyment. Cordelia only replied :
"Very well , " In her coldest tones , and took
up the running with Francois Immediately.
Now , Francois had had his own prepara-
tlono to make for the reception of his fair
guest. Early In the morning , after shaving ,
ho had occupied himself In his cabin by
taking down the photographs of the girls ctf
yesterday , his former conquests , and hiding
them in a book. It was not desirable that
the present and the paot should meet. So
Coralle of the opera comlquo and handsome
Marie Glrrol of Marseilles , tbo girl -who Hvea
beyond the market , were deposed.
Now , it must bo understood that Francola
in the depth of his consciousness recognized
the fleeting character of his own regard for
the English girl , yet he desired above all
things on earth to leave upon her memory n
tender recollection of himself that should
never bo effaced. In the future he would
dwell with a delicate pleasure upon the
knowledge that far away Cordelia Lennard
still sighed for hla loss , still treasured his
words and looks In her heart. Even when
married to some dull , coarse-grained British
husband she 'would turn back through the
years 'with appreciation ct the superb young
lover of long ago !
Filled with these pralsewortny intennons
he. fluttered about her endeavoring to deepen
the Impression he believed himself to have
already made. The wind had blown the soft
chestnut curls about her brow , her ears , her
neck , and she seemed more than ever ador
able. He took her below to show her where
her lieutenant lived. He fancied she would
always picture him there , his hair wet with
the spindrift of the stormy seas and other
heroic concomitants. Sbo would make that
cabin tbo homo of her romance ! As a matter
of fact , she didn't. She merely thought it
stuffy , but "was too civil ( and Interested ) to
say so.
By an unfortunate mistake she put her
hand upon a book that lay upon the table- ,
tbo book into which Francois had put the
yesterdays. A yccterday fell out. It was n
striking photograph of Coralle of the opera.
Francois picked It up skillfully.
"My beloved mother , " ho said , "before
her marrlago to the hero , my father. "
"Which ? " asked Cordelia Innocently.
She had caught sight of more than ono.
"Tha others are ray Bisters , " he hastened
to add.
"You have a great many sisters , " she re
marked with Interest. "How many ? "
Now , Francois had no means of knowIng -
Ing the exact number of yesterdays which
Miss Lcnnard's sweet blue eyes had aeon , so
he left an easy margin and answered
"Fourteen ! "
"Really ? Fourteen ? Do let mo sec
them. "
"Spare me your eyes , your "
"Whoro are you , Cordelia. Time's up ! "
tbo colonel's big voice rolled through the
open door from the mess room.
"You are coming ashore tomorrow ? "
asked Cordelia timidly. "We wo could go
over the fort. Your friends might like to
como also ? "
Francois was transported with bis luck.
"Alas ! dear mademoiselle , " ho replied ,
"with what Joy and dispatch would I come !
To eeo the fort naturally affords me precisely
the excuse I need to bring some of my com
rades with me , but that favor Is denied to
us by your Jealous country. "
Cordelia Blood for a second , thoughtful.
"Should you really care to come ? " she
asked demurely at length.
The ardor of his reply left nothing to bo
dcalred.
"Then I think I can manage It , My
father always allows mo to do as I like.
Why should wo not go over the fort ? " She
looked Inquiringly at him.
"But Captain Cannon ? What of him ? "
Some Instinct told Francois that Cannon's
red head held the acutest material avail
able at Fort Tchou.
Cordelia opened her eyes with a certain
dlgnined astonishment.
"Are you not aware that my father Is the
commandant ? "
Had Francois belonged to any other race ,
he must have betrayed his real meaning by
some useless denial. As It was , ho tried
to touch the fingers that somehow eluded
his , while he replied with a flno theatrical
earnestness ,
"I comprehend that , dear mademoiselle ,
but were I M , le Cnptalno Cannon I should
use every artifice to keep other men from
worshiping at the shrine of my own devo
tion. "
Cordelia colored.
"My father Is calling roe , " she answered
coldly.
He followed her on deck "trying " to soften
her evident annoyance , but it was only at
the last moment , when eho was already on
the gangway , that lie ventured to whisper ,
"A demaln ? " but Cordelia gave no sign.
Thus another day pasied. The Rebecca
arrived with coal , and the llttlo gunboat
was filling up her bunkers , when Fran coin
In desperation aent a note to Mlw Lennard ,
bogging her to leo him again. That It It fa
cilitated matters , the whole ship's company
were ready to go ashore with him. For in
the Interval ho bad begun to imagine that
Cordelia' * Invitation to others besides htm- j
eelf meats , a natural desire on her part to
veil her real motive , which wns no doubt to
eecuro a tcte-n-tote ,
A couple of hours later an Invitation to '
luncheon arrived from Colonel Lonnnrd for
Captain Morovlnge and tnc officers of the j
Loup'Rarou. Francois wna naturally of the
party that went ashore In response. Ho had
no manner of doubt that the festivity had i
been worked by Cordelia , and was In eomo
shape an answer to Ms Impassioned appeal ,
At luncheon he surpassed himself. Kvcn
Merovlngo gave place to him. The others
had also their orders , and were as compara
tively silent ns It Is given to Frenchmen to
bo. They allowed Francois to take the floor ,
R3 to speak , and ho availed himself of the
chance In a manner that thrilled hla compa
triots. Ho was magnificent. Ho sunned
himself In the smiles of the fair , he told
stories of the duels he had fought nnd the
dangers he had braved , he dwelt on his npI I
preaching departure with a point and a
quiver of feeling that won him many com- ,
' pllments Inter on round the mess table
on board. And all the time Cordelia's atten-
i tlon never flagged , oho sympathized and
I looked terrified In the right places , In fact
she satisfied even the exigent \nnlty of her
admirer. ,
Francois , however , directed most of his
conversation to Pat Cannon , whoso labored
politeness delighted Cardella. For , In spKc
of all , Cannon was us jealous ns a red-haired
man has a right do bo. Ho was a young fellow
of parts and sagacity , but ho was very human
and Cordelia , llko mnuy other women , dealt ,
hardly with an affecllon of which the felt' '
secure. Colonel Lcnnnrd understood the
various elements of the scene wonderfully , '
anl smiled from tlmo to time grimly enough
under his heavy moustache.
At length lunch and Francois1 talcs of his
own prowess came to nn end. It was still
too early In the day to go upon the rocf , anil J
(
Cordelia proposed nn expedition by some j
sheltered passages to the fort , wlieio In n (
cool gallery with embrasures open to the (
sea the men might smoke and saunter for a /
while. j
There was a pause , then Colonel Lennard /
slowly agreed to the proposal. Cannon da- (
murred a little , but his objection was o\or- ,
ruled , and Francois led the way with Cor- '
delta , his heart beating In his throat , as in
imagination he saw himself being decorated '
for his achievement. |
Cordelia had put on a big white hat that I
only made a frame to enhance the beauty of
her face. [ |
What Francois said during that memorai i
bio hour , his eloquence , his pathos , can never |
bo written down , but bo cunningly led the
fascinated girl hither nnd thither , past endless - I
less sentries , who , however , stcod only r.g- |
Idly stupid as the couple paced the length of ,
the fortification. It may be added that Cor- ,
delta herself was astonished at the extraor
dinary number of men on guard , tbo fact
being that Cannon had no Idea of allowing
her to bo for ono moment out of earshot i
alone with her enamored companion. '
Aher a time a favorable opportunity offered
'
fered , and Francois made the request be haJ
been working toward since he arrived In
Tcheu bay. j
"Dear mademolrelle , you will permit me a
recollection ? " he said with eagerness , as he |
produced his camera. "I scarcely dare to
ask eo much , but In the lonely moments at
sea , when , perchance , the last stcnm that I
am destined to hear is blowing , I will take
one last look at that exquisite face. You
cannot refuse me ? "
Cordelia's eyes were alight. Never had
she looked so beautiful.
"To place with your mother and slstera ? "
she demanded with 'what Francois doemol
to be a shy delight ? That was as It should
be. She had clearly' no suspicion of his real
design.
They were on one of the bastions. Two
old sun-warmed gtms frowned Innocently out
over the , gleamlng' ater. Francola begged
Miss Lennard to place herself by one of
theeo , turning an apt compliment out of the
contrast. Ho was Inclined to bo a little
contemptuous of the girl's bllndneos nnd her
facile responses to his flattery nnd advances.
Moreover , ho largely despised the British ,
who could look with complacency upon these
obsolete pieces of artillery or remain Igno
rant of the very patent fact that the whole
fortification would be about their ears In ten
minutes under the shells of a man-of-war ,
against which they must bo entirely helpless ,
as none of the ancient specimens of cast-
iron ho saw about him could throw any
projectile more than 100 yards and that
crooked. And then ho turned with zcnt to
take a look at the opulent island to the
eouth , ono small corner of which could just
be descried from thei epot where ho stood.
Ah , the future !
He placed Miss Lennard , and , retiring , got
his focuo. In many places and In divers
pcaltlons ho photographed her and with her
the fortifications coveted by the war office
at Paris.
As bis professional outlook brightened the
more -warmly glowed the words of the Inflammable -
flammable Gaul. At the first picture she
was "chcro mademoiselle , " before the last
she waa but never mind. Miss Lonnard
might read this story and then whore should
I bo If I told ?
* * * * * * *
That ovenln'g ' Merovlnge said :
"My friend , Jet me embrace you ! You
have achieved a success ! You have achieved
an Immense service to France and to me !
Be tranquil ! You will have your reward ! "
Francois responded as waa expected of him ,
but his heart waa unreasonably heavy , nnd
though he tried to persundu himself that
the great dealro he felt to develop his platca
was only the outcome of professional zeal ,
that It had nothing whatever to do with the
human Interest contained In the photographs ,
bo was ohllged before long to own that Ulfl
motive * ) were not purely patriotic were In
fact a llltlo mixed.
So the Loup-garou put out to sea , and
Francois , gazing back at tbo receding fort-
crowned ridge , acknowledged to hlmpclf that
ho had Indeed conquered , but the conquest
bad left a sting In his memory. As the
shores 6f China were growing -with every
moment more Indistinct there came acrosn
the amethyst water a dull , reverberating
nolae , and then again , and yet again. It was
almost us If blasting wore golnR on. Cap
tain Merovlnge opined that the English were
probably trying to flro n salute from "thOEo
guns ! "
On the Tonquln ntntlon It Is very difficult ,
almost Impassible , to get leave of absence ,
and to a weary month wore on whllo Fran-
cols yearned to return to ( JUlnn. Tlio pno-
tographs nnd Information bad been duly sent
to the proper authorities in Paris , nnd upon
their answer Francois built hopes of secur
ing tlrao to return to Fort Tcheu , for that
cU'solatn spot bo now know bad an irru-
ir.edlablo bold upon bis heart , Judge then of
his fcollnes when a letter arrived for him
bearing upon It the unforgotten handwriting
of mademoiselle , He clasped It to his heart
niul retired to his cabin to read Its contents.
Goodness only known what he expected them
to be. What they actually were Is given here ,
together with the comments of tbo gentle
man to whom they wore addressed ;
"Dear M , Francois I hope you have not
quite forgotten Fort Trheu and ourselves ,
( Nevaire , mademoiselle ! ) Do you remem
ber thote photographs which you took whllo
you were heie ? ( Francois cast hla eyes
upon ono of them which hung over the
lock or. ) I am going 4o ask you a favor. ( It
In already granted , ma belle ! ) I waa very
fond rf the oU fortifications , but our stupid
government had condemned thorn as etfcto
( Mon Dle-u ) ! I don't know whether I
mentioned that to you when you vteie here ?
( What perfidy ! ) They were destroyed the
day you left ! There are new ones on the
rldga looking toward the Island , but though
they may be much more useful they are not
nearly EO picturesque as the old , and I
A special war history of
F | - y o A
The First r
\
By the famous war correspondent , Douglas
White who was on the fighting line with
the boys , , profusely illustrated from photo
graphs taken at the time , together with
ninety-one other illustrations of the islands ,
soldiers , etc. , etc.
An
up-to-date
true and
\
concise
r
History
of the
Philippine
Campaign.
A
book
for future
reference.
Iiletitcntant Brumby of Admiral Dcwey'a Staff and his
Party on the Battlements of Old Hanila.
Rc-drawu from an illustration iu "Ou to Mauila. "
Only a limited number of these books were
printed and orders should be in early to in
sure getting one. Sent by mail to any ad
dress or delivered at The Bee office upon
payment of 50 cents.
History Department ,
ohould feel very grateful to you If you
would let mo have a copy of one. or two
of the views you took that day. My hus
band sends his compliments to all on board
the Loup-gnrou. And , thanking you before
hand , I remain yours sincerely.
"CORDELIA CANNON. "
SCIENCE AND 1-AHOIl.
New CnllliiBH for Mrit DlHiiIuccil by
Modern Mnclilnury.
It certainly seems at first night to bo an
economic danger tbla educating of the laborIng -
Ing man and woman lo bo far too good for
laborcr'a work , eaya a writer In the Nine
teenth Century , Let us cast our thoughts ,
however , over a wider horizon and sea bow
the decades that bring 'tho peril are also
bringing the remedy. Science Iu steadily
sleeping uway all thceo humblest claescH of
employment. Hardly any man has now to
toll up ladders with thu bed of bricks upon
his Ehotildcr. The donkey engine does the
purely animal part of the work. The reaper
in replaced by the machine and the plow
man Is fast receding as the stuam plow
makes Its appearance. Wo rarely seu long
lines of men , laden with coal bags , running
up planks an In tbo olden ciayj. The need
of men to do the work of horses is uteadlly
dlmlnlBblng.
It Is true that science has by no meant )
conquered the whole domain , There Is still
much scrubbing of floors to be dnno by men
and women on bended kncce , and coal la
still hewn out with pick and axe and the U o
of muscle , with but little UEO of brains , And
yet , even In our fertile country , science
never works by revolution , but only by
progrees. One daman after another has gone ,
Where are now the army of water carriers ,
and chair porters , and night men and saw
yers whom our grandfathers ueed to require ?
Imagine , If ships had still to bo moved by
galley rowers , v.bat millions \\ould bo
doomed to a beast-like ( oil , Some parts of
tbo big domains of unreflected labor will long
bo left untouched , but the process Is going
forward , and It la clear that whllo educa
tion la rendering the loner classes unfit ( or
the humblest eorts of occupations , uclenco
Is steadily sweeping away these occupations.
It would be too much to hope that tlieso pro-
CCSBO-J should be at all times strictly pro
portioned to ono another , but In the general
drift of things they are compentatory , and
If wo only give to science a reasonable time
It will leave us none of that labor to be done
which requires nn uneducated laborer.
Then comes the uneasy question ao to what
In to betoma of the classes thus deprived of
occupation. The working clasjoa thcmoalves
often curse ths progress of Invention , nml
are tempted to look upcn It as no friend to
their welfare. Thwe are now , It la true , no
longer any machine-breaking frenzies ; but
the difficulty often urines In ar. acut * . ' , though
client , suffering. Unfortunately society has
nl\nyB to travel to permanent good through
transitory Ills. When an army cf compost-
torj Is dismissed bpcnutio son'e ono hao In
vented a uiachlno there Is rxcuio for some
blttonieEo of feslliiR. And yet thcio was , i
time when a whole aiiny of manuscript book
copiers Imd to glvo way before the advent
of the ccnpcsUor. :
nut the dlitlculty Is always evanescent , for
hero , too , there aio compensating Inllucncea
at work. For If tntcnro la abolishing occu
pations at the lower end of the scale , she lit
creating ne v ones at the top. Think if the
hundreds of thousand. , of men who In Eng
land are now enplo > uJ In culllnzs that had
no oxlstcnto sixty yoaia mjo , the telegraphers
and phonogiaphurs , land inachlnlsto uf a
hundred kinds. In the Itit : decade or two
what an army of skilled v.un have been de
by the lncition : ; of the bicycle , the
telephone and the electric light. As com
pared \\llh the b& lnniiig of the or.ntury. \
think of the ling array of rnailno and loco
motive enslncrrB , the chemUU1 , the Journal
ists , the iliaufjhtf.iueii , tbo teachers , the peat
men , railway portora nni tram conductors.
What a tuultltuJa of callings arc tbcro which
mo either new or oUo nt ly ttoclied , EOthai ,
whllo the population IHXB quadrupled , their
ranks have boi.ii muUIpllCit a hundredfold ,
nut It U the entirely nov employments that
strike the mlr.sl meet forcibly , and any ono
who runs his ejo down u census cf the oc
cupations of the ptople will f.itlsjy himself
that In England of the present day one.nfth
part of the adult male population find their
livelihood In callings that had no existence
when the century began.
Tims while sclcmco takes away with one
hand It liberally bcstov.o with the other , but
what It takes away are the lav/.class occu
pations and what It Klvw are the high-clous
ones , demanding Intelligence and cultivating
It. The general tendency la , therefore ,
humanizing.
Iut , of course , it never happens that the
coal-heaver , when thrown out of work by
the Introduction of a steam crane , can go
away and get a place in ono of the nowly-
cruated superior callings. He Is not such a
fool aa to v/nito his tlipo in applying for an
opening as nn electrical engineer. But there
Is a gradual creeping up that U always tak
ing place. And yet the transfer Is much leas
effected by the promotion of Individuals than
j by prcmotlon of generations. No doubt It
j eometlmra happens that the Intelligent
j plumber steps Into the new opening for an
I electrical engineer , and leavra a gap which
'
some ono of an Inferior calling steps Into ,
i the gaps being filled In succession until , por-
| hups , the riveter , thrown out of work by the
! Introduction of hydraulic machinery , finds a
\ vacancy at last nnd steps Into It. Hut It
more frequently happens that the plumber
educate hla non to bo an electrical cn-
j glneer , nnd the carter apprentices his boy
to tl'.o plumber , and the dock laborer aeon
his young folks aspiring to bo carters.
Thus the general drift of the whole social
ocalo Is etaadlly upward In proportion as
rclenco provides Intelligent occupations at
the upper end and abolishes these that are
more or less bruto-llko at the lower , and BO
humanity as u whole Is the gainer , There
is , therefore , no reason to feel uneasy at a
prospect of over-education.
You never know -what form ot Dlood poison '
will follow conntlpatlon , Keep the liver <
clean by ubing IJeWltt's Little Early Risers ,
and you will avoid troublo. They are
famous little pills for constipation and liver '
and bowel troubles.
A ( i * < irilii I'lillunntilirr.
Atlanta Constitution ; "How'H all the
family ? " I
'Ulght peart. "
'An' how'd yor crap turn out ? " f
' ' " /
'Jcat mlddlln' .
'An * how's the lame mule a-doln ? " >
Only toll'nble , "
'Dank much 'taters ? "
'Illghl small. "
'An' ycr rheumatism how's hit ? " '
'Well , hit's done left one J'lnt an' crepe
Into .mother , but ef I ken jest rub bit down '
Into nty left leg I won't keer much , kaie
half that leg Is v.oj < I. "
deo. NoUml , Rocklaml , 0 , , sayn : " .My wife
had piles forty years. UoWltt'i Witch Hazel
Salvo cured her. It Is the , bctt Halve In '
America. " It heals everything and curei ' ,
all skin diseases ,