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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1903)
May 10. 1003. THE ILLUSTRATED BEE. 11 cf boyhood was gone from his cheeks. Even bis eye no longer sought with Its old frank ness the faces of the people over whom he had ruled with an authority almost royal. Yet the Camisards .of the Larrac found nothing unusual In. this changed aspect. The heat of the spirit within, the divine conflicts, the all-night wrestling were bound (so they thought) to make their mark upon any man, especially upon one po young. Hush he Is beginning. Tulses beat faster. There are wet eyes, tear-furrowed cheeks aye, though there are no women only men of age, arm-bearing, good soldiers of JeBtis Chrl3l and the church of the reform. Only in the shadow of the great Samson pillar, with the Templar arms upon It, Andrias Maurel, did Catinat, tho old saldier, set his lips more grimly, thinking that now at last his day was come. And in the yet deeper shade, like a tigress robbed of her tub, Martin Foy narrowed his eyelids and gritted his teoth. His hand was on his dagger and he moved It to and fio in the sheath. Jean Cavalier lifted his hand and drew It wearily across his brow. He dropped It again t-nd began to speak. "People of the Way." he said, slowly and with a visible effort, "there are dark t hi tigs in my heart this day. (At this dubious preface Martin Toy looked sig nificantly across at Catinat.) The cup which God hath given us to drink has been mingled of honey and gall. The honey ye have eaten. It hath been sweet under your tcngue. That which remains Is gall " ("Aye," murmured Catinat under his breath, so that only Martin Foy heard htm. "ho says true the gall of bitterness and the bond of Iniquity!") The landlord of the Bon Chretien did not answer. He did not once remove his ryes from the young man's face. - Onlv he con tinued to draw his dagger out of its sheath, letting it slip back with the ominous elkk of perfectly fitting steel. Jean Cavalier went on, with a certain heavy and determined conscientiousness. "I will speak to you clearly, the thing which (Jod hath given me the power to eee. And the truth is this God hath for gotten to be gracious. He hath withdrawn His hand from us, in that we have striven against the man whom He has made king, , the Lord's annointed " There was a moment of stupefied as Btonlshment. Could th's be indeed the , divine oracle for which they had been wait- . Ing. An ominoua murmur arose. "Not against the king but the priests we have fought the persecutors the mur- . ierers of the elect!" "Yes, against the king and none other!' cried Cavalier, raising his voice. "I have Bald it. So it is. Long we have shut our yes. Long we have striven against those Bet in authority over us and have not repented. So God hath departed from us. From me I know that he has set himself far off." ("That may well he!" muttered Catinat, ery grimly. "He will set himself yet farther from the sinner.") "Hearken," Cavalier went on. while kind of stupefied silence filled the hall, and for very fear no man communed with his neighbor. "I did not come hither to tell you thle alone. I have bad a message from the king. You declare with the lips that you are loyal well, let us prove whether this be so or no. His Majesty King Louis." "God send both your souls to deepest Gehenna!" the deep voice of Catinat boomed through the hall of the Templars like the bittern over the marshes. And from Its sheath the click of Martin Foy's daggpr said a steady "Amen!" "Nay," said Cavalier, "his Is not the fault, but that of his evil councilors. Today the king offers us terms the ending of the Public Libraries (Continued from Page Four.) take at one time. Originally the book bor rower was limited to a single book, which must be returned within a given icteivi.l cf time and exchanged for another book. The value of the borrowing privilege has Id recent years heen doubled by allowing each patron to draw two books at a time instead of oue. Tho usual means by which this result is brought about is either through the issue of two cards to each book borrower, one to be charged with fiction and the other with nonaction, or through the issue of two books charged up on one card subject to the condition that both must not be works of fiction. Doubling the number of books given out has been accompanied by limitation of the time for which they may bo drawn. The standard period, which formerly covered two weeks and frequently permi'ted re newal for a second two weeks Ls been curtailed, at least for new books and popu lar works of fiction to seven days and the renewal privilege cut off. In this way the same book will circulate twice through the library clearing bouse in the same time instead of geiting out of the library but once, as previously, and passed about from friend to friend by the book borrower with out permitting any record at the library of the vagaries of this clandestine circula tion. Ct ill another device that has been largely war, the ceasing of the persecution, the free exercise of our religion that is, in private." "And In return?" cried Catinat, the bitterness of bis opposition masked for the moment by a smiling countenance. Cavalier blushed a vivid crimson. "In return," he said, slowly, as a child says a lesson it has Imperfectly learned, "we of the Cevennes are to do as other portions of his dominions have done. Wo are to raise one or more regiments of young men In order to fight the king's battles in foreign parte. This is the message 1 have from Louis, King of France. This is the word that hath lain heavy on my heart, which I have now declared to you. rtrethren of the Way, what answer shull I give?" With cne fierce leap forward. Catinat was on the platform. Martin Foy made a slight movement as if to follow him, but finally withdrew himself deeper into the shadow of the great pillar, watching out of the gloom with eyes In which the red firelight gleamed and danced. "And this," he cried, "is the end! This is the sword that was sharpened, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon! Lo! it is whetted, not to defend the faith, but to fight the battles of the son of perdition, the huFband of Soarron's widow. Against our own brethren the Cevennes must draw the sword, and at tbc bidding of a traitor, a renegade, an officer of tho king whose ramuiirnion is In his pocket at Ibis moment!" At tho challenge direct Jean Cavalier came forward. He was more calm than he had been when he began. There was almost a smile on his face tho fighting smile with which (his men said) he was wont to enter battle. He undid the belt and sword with which the leaders of (he Camisards had solemnly invested him and filing the weight of iron and clasped leather on the la bio with a clang. "There!" he cried, "freely I give up that command which I did not ask. I am only one of yourselves. I have faithfully de livered my message. I see that there is no help save in yielding ourselves to the arm of flesh even as Jeremiah advised when the Assyrian came down from the north, a strong nation and a cruel, pressing upon Israel on every side. After all. arc we not Frenchmen, and no rebels? We rose to defend our lights. These will now be granted (o us for the king has been misled concerning us. Wicked men bad been ab:ut him, blinding him. Evil women have spoken to our hurt. Who will go out with me this day to fight tho battles of the king of France?" There was a dead silence. Even Catinat did not answer. He stood back, like one who gives bis enemy a long rope and every advantage. Truly. Catinat knew that the angel of Jean Cavalier had departed from him. Yet in one thing he had underrated the influence of his adversary. There were of tho younger men not a few to wbora Jean Cavalier was as a god, men who had grown weary of the long confinement among their own bleak hills, especially since the raids and forays had been given up. They had not the elder men's religious enthusiasms. They loved not preachings or long prayings, and their hearts leaped up at the mere thought of the long t-r-r-r-r of the kettle drum and the stirring notes of the trumpet. So, all shame-faced and sullen, but in the main determinedly, one here and an other there stood up and gave in their un popular adteslon, "I will come with you, Jean Cavalier!" or, "I will stand by -you, Jean Cavalier!" But at the most they were few. The Camisards were mostly not young men. The young lay under green mounds here and there on both sides of the bare wind swept Cevennes. Cavalier's recruits num- lntroduccd, which goes to stimulate circu lation, is that of reservation by which calls for books in the hands of borrowers may bo registered and the book held on its return subject lo the demand of the new borrower. An extra fee is usually charged for this accommodation and sometimes tho registration privilege is restricted to dupli cate volumes of current publications, which are later put upon the regular shelves after these fees have reimbursed .the library for their original cost. The open shelf system is chiefly a matter of arrangement and its effect upon circu lation is still problematic. Books on the open bhclf may serve as alluring bait for people who do not know what tbey want to read, but it is doubtful whether it stimu lates reading, while It certainly destroys all opportunity to regulate the channels of reading. Tho enlargement of library clientage in various directions also marks a develop ment of the modern library. Our first free circulating libraries welcomed only adull readers, who proved up proper qualifica tions as to age, responsibility and so forth. The present day library has for tho most part abolished the age limit altogether, while where It Is still maintained It Is enforced entirely at the discretion of the librarian. Cards are issued to every one who .gives any promise of profit by the Uhe of the library's possession. The child is allowed to draw books as soon as it is able to read and understand end the chil dren and young people not only constitute bered perhaps a doxen In all, and .Catinat waited. He would take no advantage. Jean Cavalier had ousted him fairly at the first. So not unfairly would he right for tho mastery now that the day of his tri umph was so near. "And now, Brethren of the Way!" cried Catinat after a pause during which every man looked askance at his neighbor, "ye have heard this man pervert judgement with words, what say ye? Ye have heard thejo also young men without wisdom, in whom the weight of the Word is not. Will ye enrol your names with (helm and go fight the battles of King Louis against our brethren the men of one faith with us, whose ministers have spoken the gosel In our ears, whore messengers have broupht munitions of wars into this very place?" Cavalier came forward as If he would have interrupted, but Catinat waved him aside. "My turn!" he said. "Ye have spoken and may again. But now the word is with me! Yet demand of hlrn. Brethren of the Way, wherfore he has done this. The holy revelation is the promise c the king (hit Jean Cavalier should have the command of as many men as he ran rains among us. The blessed sign is the commission given him by our enemy and persecutor, the Mar quis de Monlrevel, which he rorrles In his pocket." Aud through the hall unci up from the crovvdtd mass of Camisards which surged beneath, came the hoarse, threatening murmur, "lie Is not of us In- is n:.t of us!" "One day you shall knew I have paK n truth!" cried Cavalier, above the tumult, "when your valleys are swept with fire and the sword in that any you will acknowledge that I have spoken this day among you the word of truth and sober ness." "Go po!" they cried hoarsely; "go and take your Iraftori with you! Perhaps you yourself will come back In the king's uniform to burn our houses and drag us to the rack!" "You do me wrong," cried Cavalier. "If any have a quarrel against me. let him stand forth and declare it, faca to face." Then the man with the matted mass of hair, falling badger gray and damp over his eyes. tossed it aside, that be might see the better, as ho leaped cn tlu plat form, with the muttering growl of a wild beast. "I am here!" he shouted. A dagger Dashed a moment in the smoky glare. There was a great crying, a frightened surge of men. Catinat stepped forward and received in his arms the body of Jean Cavalier. The dagger was deep sunk li his shoulder. He plucked it out again by main force. "He hath stolen my daughter sunk her soul Into tho lowest hell!" cried Martin Foy, holding the knife aloft. "It was for her sake that he betrayed the Lord." CHAPTER XXXVI. f;a(hrlnr I the KraKiiienls. There was (for (he time being) an end to the marshal's well-laid plans for the pacification of tho Cevennes. Cavalier was laid by the heels and the Camisard regi ments, for the king's foreign service, which were to drain off the rebellion elements, always doubtful, seemed now farther off than ever. In his own hired house, Catinat tended his sometime rival, with the same care with which a prison surgeon might nurse and cosset a wounded malefactor for the gal lows. His wound, if not dangerous, was undoubtedly severe. Time was needed, a long time and Catinat saw to it (hat re covery was not hastened. Catinat had gone many limes to the house of Martin Foy, but his seeking for his ancient "friend was in vain. With the scene In the old hall of the Templars, and the approbation of his blood vengeance by his Brethren of (he Way, he had vanished. the larger part of the clientage but are also objects of the most courteous solici tude. The obstructive guaranty require ments bavo been brushed aside. Instead of being compelled first to hunt up some friend who owns real estate within the jurisdiction of the library authorities, will ing to sign an indemnifying bond to mako good the cost of books lost or mutilated, cr to enforce fine penalties, the applicant for a card is speedily accommodated and vouchers required only for Identification of strangers not known lo th! library au thorities. Instead cf frightenltr uway bock borrowers with a menace of burden fsomo penalties imposed for keeping books overtime, fines have been reduced so that now one or two rents pays the forfeit tint formerly called for 5 cents, at the loat. The movement for tho reduction of fines for violating the time limit has been gen eral, although opinion is still at variance on the subject, depending upon the view point from which the fine is regarded. If regarded as a punishment for an infraction of the rules, it should rightly be guaved according to the grievousness of the of fense. The disposition, however, is to i. w it as a preventive measure to slop the re tention of books overtime and thus keeping other Look borrowers out of their equal rights. If the fine Is too low It will tend to operate merely as a charge of so mu'h per day for the nae of the volume, and Instead of bringing, t he book back promptly would tend to entourage its retention. The most satisfactory plan seuis to be to fix But now anions the Ci mi sards of La Cavalerie there was no leader but Catinat. Tin1 accepted policy was the one of re sistance to the utteinust a counsel of de. spalr, indeed. But in the hitter disap pointment of their mood at the failure of their heaven-born loader, nothing else had any chance of being listened to. The Camisard country became Irreclaimable. Humbly and determlnatcly it lay awailing its fate (he charger's (ramping hoofs, the blaring roof tree, the falling rafter. Even on his sick bod, and In spite of all tho care of Catinat, Cavalier received tokens that there were in (he ramp of (hv CaoilsardH othirs who had been Impressed wilh (he truth of his words. Young men clambered (o the edge of the balcony at dead of night (o signify (heir adhesion In (he chief who had. In (heir Idea, sacrificed his life to speak (ho truth iu (he ears of an unwilling people. All wero not true Camisards of the For lorn Hope even in La Cavalerie. CHAPTER XXXXVII. ! I'rn ldnce durrfdrd. Yvette had apparently recovered from h.T attack of jealousy. And the veteran was gralrful. For it chanced thai tho dis patches he was daily receiving from his monarch were by no means calculated lo soothe ?. troubled soul. Specially was his net ion with regard to the I'.rilish spy, declaring himself lo be nn officer of tho army and staff of l bo duke of Marlborough, in; st severely blamed. lb was required to place the young man upon his (rial Immediately, and (his touched (he Inmost marquis no little "so constitute the, court that a verdi-.t satisfactory to his majesty, tho king, mlnht bo returned." "A thousand curses on (he king's majesty!" he growltd first of all, some what undutlfully, crumpling up the royal lot tor in his hand. "How did they learn?" ho muttered, stamping his foot angrily. "There Is a traitor somewhere surely not among my officers. They are all devoted to me. Te Banville? Well, It might be but I can not Imagine how he got his Information. At this mumi nt Ms wife came In. to find him moving restlessly hither and Ihlther Yvette wont up to him and, linking her arm with his, besought him to tell her bis (rouble. "There," he Raid, laconically, indicating the document wlh his foot, "there is a good fellow's death warrant. 1 thought (o bold him safe till this matter had horn arrange! and (lien set him over the frontier. But there has been a spy amongst us. The king hits born (old, cr what Is the sime thing Scarron's widow!" Yvette smiled with a sudden fiash of pretty teeth, behind the marshal's back. "Eugene bath done her work quickly." sho thought. "It was most fortunate that she chanced to bo In waiting this month Uon (ho duchess." Then she sat down by the table nnrl knitted her brows over tho manuscript with the prettiest affectation of porturbi tion, so that the marquis unbent, and said as to a child: "Run away, beloved. It Is net worth while troubling your head about. Luckily it does not touch your friend or her faiher, and nt the worst, I daresay there Is a way out. At least I can put off the court-martial hh long as may be!" But Yvette did not run away. She sat and mused. She, Yvette de Baume, nee Foy, Marechale do Montrevel, would at once please the king, satisfy her husband's honor and incidentally, save tho young man's life. On the third night after her husband had shown hrr the king's loiter sho was to be found I had thero bo"" any to find her) wrapped in a hooded cloak, and in a peasant woman's dress, making her way In the direction of La Cavalerie. (To be Coutiuutd) the fine up:in a sliding scale with a small penalty for the first two or three days and a larger one for subsequent withholding. This cursory survey should show that '.he erection of library buildings and tho propagation of new libraries does not con stitute all of the modern library movement. Tho strength of the public library arises from Its contact with mid service to the people, and the progressive library must seek constantly to come closer and closer to the popular current. That these charged wilh the management, of our great Ameri can libraries realize this necessity is evi denced by the policies which they have been pursuing and which are producing such marvelous results. How mueh farther tho library of tho future will go to enlist patrons and encourage them to read be longs to the realm of speculation. VICTOR ROSE WATER. Reflections of a Itacliclor Tho devil never mislays his calling list. Pietty lips don't need ungating lo taste their sweetest. A gift horse always i-oes lame tho second time around the same course. When a man marries a rich wife he Is pretty smart if he can collect all he earns by it. U takes a girl in a thin, gauzy shirtwaist to look as ccol as an iced lemonade when the feels like boibd lobster -New Yoik Press.