'7
X
1
OTP MM3 TKDSLDD
HEADON HILL
1
ISM
wi n! y lull
hid money
brow..) Hutch.
I'mbr
IIR unwonted emotion of excitement had cum
to Putter lh tropic laziness thsit I the normal
atmosphere of St. Helena. The flabby iif grt--cs
who sold fruit on the lieach believed thit
the mcli.nnium had arrived, bo brisk was their
trade with the relays of ragg.-d prisoner", who.
after lielng 1 1 rulr-fl on thr transports, tarried
too !! i fl v i fore being formed to climb thi
I'l tin- ' a np. The soldiers, loo. who guarded them
to spe nel, though not a ruueh aw the beetle
aptivos. the elmny ladies wi re quick to notice
Iff r- d eon. ill ions which the ec ho of war had
wrought In their nirrow clrele. the white renIent! affected
calmness, hut the efforts to preserve it we-re only ni.irked
hy Indifferent su. .-,.. On the plantation In the Interim' the
he:iit of many a dreaming maiden had been set throbbing
hy the influx of nnVi ts on guard rimy, mid even the planters
would shake off their sun linked languor and ride down Into
sleepy Jamestown when a transport was signaled
So It was that on a certain cloudless day in June S. nhnr
Antonio Ahui'Z found himself one of a crowd of gaping
spectators lined up on either side of tin- steep street to see
,Nthc latest bat' h of prisone -s pass. Ib dnl not look partic
ularly int. tested in the new arrivals, nor. Indeed, was he.
iiuii the fad of his having so disturbed lilmi If may lie taken
ns a tribute to the preveh-nt ennui n! tin- Island. It would
be uncharitable to nttribu'e his pres. n. to a desire to gloat
over the misery of Kruger i victims, though sucli a senti
ment would not have Is-on helled hv a lurking shade of
cruelty in his sondier, sallow face. Tor. as his nnme be
tokened. Antonio Alvarez had not the xcuse of patriotic
fervor like the planters of PritMi blood, who had also been
attract! d by the signal gun. and fnuii whom he k pt himself
most adroitly aloof. g-s hue k. somewhere atiout the dis
covery of the island his ntn i slot s had come from Portugal,
and by always going to tne unit her land for their wives
their successors had eon''iiil to preserve a true sequence
of Portuguese ilmii nl It promised, however, to cense with
the present holder of Hie n;nii, slice Antonio was the last
of his race on the island, and he had shown no disposition
to visit Poring il
Thi' procession of pn-oiir marshaled Into some sort of
order hy a ph tl oiic In igad .- major, slatted at last, and the
spectators craned Unir m . ks. As usual. Hie Poers were a
scratch lot graybcarrts and striping, with a leaven of
sterner m.inh I. mostly eo:nptlsid of foreign adventurers
Kach man seemed to have brought as much rubbish as he
could carry, and at the jvoint where the bench ended and
the hill began oaths In every Kuropenn language told of
the cosmopolitanism of Finland's enemies.
Senhor Alvarez had taken up a position under the lee
of the court house-fust wheic the steep slope first dragged
at the Knees of the heavily laden prisoner, and the narrow
vlstn of the main street towering upwards gave prospect
of worse to come. The head of the tag-rag column had long
passed, and. nln ady bored. Alvarez was beginning to yawn,
when he started, i tiliiw d his eyes, and fixed them In n
searching glance at one of i lie Hoers trudging by.
The object of his scrutiny was a man whose age it was
Impossible to rend under the tangled mass of hair that
shrouded the unshaven face, though there was a hint of
youth tn the lithe figure nd springy step. The eyes those
unfailing witnesses to the fight of years were kept stead
ily downcast as If, In strange contrast to his comrades, their
owner felt degraded by his osltlon. Not even when Alvarez
coughed significantly in an attempt to gain his attention did
the prisoner relax Ms close study of the dusty road.
"And yet I will swear by all the saints that It Is Bert
Kennedy," the senlior muttered under his carefully waxed
muslache. A line' finish to the young scapegrace's career.
I wonder what my proud n iglibor and his prouder daughter
will have to say when they hear, as hear they shall, that
their son and brother has returned to his native Island as the
captive foe of his own countrymen."
Alvarez did not wall to sec the rest of the column go hy,
but. slipping out of the crowd, made ids way to the toot of
Ladder hill, ho named from the tlight of wooden steps
which runs up the sharp ascent, giving a short cut to the
uplands of the Interior from the ravine girt town. As he
plodded up the steps his brows were knit In thought, and
mice when in ai ly eat the summit he indulged In soliloquy
again
" There should lie more In this than mere empty triumph.
It should lie use-d to reestablish me with my heart's queen, and
for the overthrow ef Capt. Angus Hidden. Yes, I see mjr
way. With cnuisge and adroitness I may yet snap my fin
gers at my bee f fed rival."
Arrived at the summit, Alvarez stood for a minute look
ing down to win re the string of closely guarded Boers was
winding slowly upwards by the longer route of the rock
hewn "side tenth " Then, smiling darkly, he turned and
struck inland aims the plateau towards a country of lush
pastures, of luxuriant orchards, and of houses deep lwered
In limner shaded gardens. It was to one of the largest of
the latter that the senhor bent his steps, striding as a man
with a purpose- that will brook no denial.
In the gurden of Die house which Alvarez was approach
ing a girl lay In a hainiiioe-K slung between two Scotch firs,
against one of which leiin.il a man with a bronzed yet sin
gularly boyish face. The one was Miss I.ulu Kennedy, only
daughter of the we-althiest la titer on the Island: the other
Iran Oipt. Angus llolden of the Fife-shire rifles, who had
come from Smith Africa with the first batch nf prisoners.
Having been shot in the leg he had been attached temporarily
to the battalion on guard duly at St. Helena, so that his
tendons might have a Is ! ler chance of healing than If he
had returned to the campaign.
Angus llolden had grumbled at the enforced Inaction at
first, but that was lie-fore he had seen I.ulu Kennedy. Now,
afler six wee ks of the lavish colnnlul hospitality at " White
ladies," and of fathoming the depths of Lulu's blue eyes, he
was more than resigned, and blessed the bullet which had
given him rest In a paradise where the only serpent was a
scotched one Senhor Antonio Alvarez by name. From the
trifle of Insular gossip that had reached him llolden had the
best of reason for regarding the Portuguese planter as an
"outpaced and beaten rival.
He had further strengthened his position by endeavor
ing to render I.ulu a service In obtaining news of her
brother, who had been In South Africa at the outbreak of
war. Mr. Htrhcit Kcnn.-dy, It seemed, had made the island
too hot to hold him by hi youthful escapades, and had de
parted to try his luck at Johannesburg. Bt. Helena having
proved too small a place for his prodigious spirits, especial
ly after his father had stopped supplies. Despite his faults.
I trl ) I VV. w uli.il it is,' tlie young oflnvr said to himself as he sum)
jy77ar o
BYAtiffr0T377 "
"This Is Tuesday: I will promise to have Mr. Pert Ken
nedy out of Pcadwood camp and safe nt Whlte-ladcs at mid
night tomorrow." replied Alvarez with a br.ivc shew of con
fidence. "I only stipulate that In fairness to nivsclf you
keep my name out of It in the Improbable cv. nt of awkward
discoveries."
The stipulation n.is cirtainlv a fair .tie and I.ulu. w hn
had expected It to be of more vital import, assinie.! readily
and even grati fullv Alvar. 7. ho..r stcpi'id h r thanks,
rn.l proceeded to infold tin I '.m 1 wh.ch he pi 'i'osed to
secure her brother's ese ap- H' own pln:tii'on wis close
to le.ldwied camp, and h- .'''ti.ip.it. ' no lol'ciilt I'l com
municating W illi young Ki nne.lv tin- ' f the fruit
s.lais. who had a permit to tt atlic Willi tin- pi .son. rs.
That don. . the ret should b. eas As a n ighhnrlng
landed oroi.ri. i t it won ,! be mill, n.iini.il I n- ll'm to Hirer
prop it.
Some It.tii i 1 r. ft. slum
and then the thing v
would h.n . In i n all
his help, but tin y w
r- tul he. A 1 v ri ?. was
i v.-r t he i'USi!
con in ct his ho
Having tin
Itt to the . lit .
o'llld tie- as e;onl
much s:ni"l. i if
u ! llav. to .1
tli- cnl;' on w h
i m ar his
as done.
Capt. II
I !n b. ft
own. grounds.
Of course. It
1,1. r had lent
with it him,
il,l get In:
s If the aulhoritn s wire sin art i no
itality to thi siiilri, s nilh his escnt e.
sketched his program. Alvar. x m ide
t rouble
ugh to
to tak. his li .ii i . f
at that day. That
of things, w In n tl"
bottles of whiskv
rendered For the
was that li. rt K
l"-ipt. Angus II .1.1. ti was in c.
therefore I . pot:sil.l. f. r I'u
He had ma le hims, If f nnili
.Ulcers and km w that llo'.l.
lowing n'ght
" And the In an'v of it is." he t
homewards, "that tin gallant . i t
to Is1 suspected by the . mnian.lini
hand ill It after dangling al
six weeks. The only witness
haste
hinted
luenee
a few
r his reward was not i v. n In N
w uld come later. In the in t lira, se
e set vie., which was to . . t lull
.'..I his rival h's . .mtnis-.' m. had been
essence of the amiable seiihoi's sche'ine
nm li s escape should take pi ice wh'le
mm an of the camp guard and
safe oiisto, of the prisoners,
r with the dutv roster of the
it's turn was ilae on tile fol-
.1.1 hims. If
lilt Will he
u otlici r of
il hit. la. II. s
the other si 1,
lu-r lips are sealed, i . cs. as the hnglish say,
n he walked
the tlrst man
having had a
for the last
- Is I.ulu. and
I w in, I win "
A iti sccnl moon hung over the s.-ai d dome e-if the
"barn." bar, ly rellev'ng tin darkn.ss that enshrouded the
si. . ping prison camp. It w ant. d an hour of midnight when
loiing Kennedy raised his long hums fi m among the snoring
It.-ers who shared his tent and stole through the lines to the
hulled wire fence that stood between the sons (,f the veldt '
and a limited liberty. 5
Arrived at a certain point Indicated 111 a note duly re- j
i elvcil from Alvarez, he crouch. ! low and r, connoltered the
situation a function which six months s -i vice In the Poer J
ranks enabled him to perform with 1 1 i - skill of a practiced j
scout. He had not been at the bound try fence two minutes j
Ik fore he had Informed hims.If that fifty yards away to the
eight the sentry who should have liei n patrolling the beat .
was lying on the ground cuddling his I ,. e -.Met ford In a 4
maudlin embrace, while to un i-ipial distance to the left an- f;
. ther sentry w as In a similar at uncle. '
At the moment of this discovery a shadow glided from J
the trees that clustered down the hillside, flitting towards j
the fence. A whiff of cool sea bree-z-3 parb d the prisoner's j
unkempt beard and disclosed a grin on his mobile lips. ,
" Pv (icoige, but the beggar Is keen." he muttered, and i
lit cautiously to the section or fence which tne shan- v
ehing. The shadow, growing rapidly by the 1 many
ggllng moonbeams into th Ih sh and blond The)
f ll. Sli.nlnii- Alvjii-e Ktretehed no eifTnsive lOSWeS
W
was appi-i
of the sir
Selltlllellt
' to loss of
n,,,.cing me
which by all accounts were numerous and gluring. the young
ne'er d well still occupied a tilling place in his sister's af
fections. A letter from him. dated a few days before Kru
ger s ultimatum, had reached her, announcing that he had
a prospee-t of being drawn Into the war, which was on the
point of breaking out, but not mentioning the corps which
he proposed to join. No word had come from him since, and
his people could only suppose that he was fighting for the
old flag in one of the coloalally recruited troops of irregular
horse.
It so liappeneel that Angus H olden is present call was to
Inform Miss Kennedy of his failure to obtain tidings of t lie
wanderer. He had been reading aloud the letter from an
official friend nt Cape Town to whom lie haul addressed his
inquiries.
" So 1 am afraid it is no go," he was saying. " If M. Hiss
cannot trace your brother no one can, for he has access to
all the recruiting recurds. One tiling is certain if your
Lrother is serving undor his own name you may rest satis
fied that he Is h II light. Had he been wounded or missing
I. is name would have figured In the returns."
I.ulu was an Imperious little person, prone to petty
tyrannies, and it was a 1 1 lief to Holdcn that she took
ti had news, or. rather, lack of news, better than he had
expected. Put that she was bitterly disappointed the droop
of he r pretty mouth show I plainly.
" Vou will try ngaln. won't you?" she pleaded. " You
see. Pert and I we re everything to each oth-r. bad boy i hough
he was He was so brave and re kless that I am fearful that
something has happened to him."
" I have never ceased trying, for I have written to Melllss
by every msil urging him to pursue the senre-h," llolden
replied. And tlin. prompted by the rush of grateful tears
to her eyes, he added: " I only wish I could do more than
sit down and write letters for you. Miss Kennedy. It seems
such a tame way of helping, when I would make any sac
rifice to prove my to achieve your objec t "
I.ulu glanced eip quick!? at him. wondering why he hud
substituted such a tame ending to th s. nti nce which had
promised a wanner culmination. The same glance showed
her the sufficient reason In the person of Senhor Alvarez, who
was advancing from u jungle of giant cann-lias. his dark
ling face shown up by the waxen blooms. The Portuguese
doffed his bios , I straw nat and made a deprecating gesture
which Holden didn't like. It was too servile to tie genuine
"The beggar has got some card up his sleeve, I wonder
vih.il it is," the young officer said tn
turned the other's salute.
" I have to apologize most humbly for this Intrusion."
Alvarez began In the perfect Kngllsh of which a lifelomt
resilience In a British colony had made him master. "Only
an event of the highest importance would have led me to
such a breach of good manners. Miss Kennedy. I regret to
he the beater of ill tidings which I would rather die than
have to tell you. Yet It is imperative that you should be
inform jJ."
I.ulu lesi-ed lightly from the hammock and stood facing
him eagerly. " It must be about Port nlxiut my brother!"
she e xclaimed. " There Is no one else about whom bad news
could come to me."
The senlior bent his head. " It is of your brother Hint I
would speak." he replied with u solemnity that made Holden
long to kick him. " I was at Jamestown when the Poer
prisoners were landed today. I regret to say that among
them I re-cognlzed Mr. Bert Kennedy. lie Is now being
marched with, the rest to the camp at Peadwood."
" Mv brother a Poer prisoner!" cried the girl, shrinking.
"There must be some mistake. If you saw him at all he
must have) la en among the escort not among the prisoners."
" I am sorry, but there Is no mistake; this is not such a
pleasant errand that I should have undertaken it unless I
was quite sure," said Alvarez sadly. " Your brother was
unarmed in the ranks of the Boers, carrying his own kit,
and dressed In plain clothes. Doubtless he fought with Jhem
under compulsion."
I.ulu gave h.r Informant a grateful look fur that last
sop to her pride though she was by no means sure that It
would prove w.ll founded. Pert Kennedy had gone away
smarting under many fancied grievances and he was wild
enough for anything. That mattered little now. since he
was h.n in his nat;v.- Island, taken In arms against the flag
The disgrace would hi just the same. They, the Kenne.lvs
of " Whiteladles." who had always held the-ir heads -m high,
would l- a laughing stock among neighbors of lower birth
but of unsmirchid loyalty. There might yet be time to stop
the scandal if only had not Angus Holden Jisst spoken of
' any sarrifloe."
She glanced apu allngly at Inr Kngllsh admirer the one
whom she admired so much more than the other 111 omened
on. . w ho had sprung this bolt on her.
"("apt. Holden. " she lnan nervously, the tremor in Inr
voice proving that she was aware of the magnitude of her
I ecpiest. " Vnu w.re wishing just now to distinguish nur
"ei If In my service, and the eh, nice has come. It would be
easy for yon to allow mv brother to escape on on.- nf the
days when It Is your turn to command the guard at Head
wood. He could come straight here and r.o one would sus-
runaway-
t ns of harboring
ogniz.-d 1 1 i ill. senlior?"
Alvarez, who had beer
oi sympathy to the nnpeal
latloti. " I am certain that I only
Port's face, recognized him." he said
alone
through tin wins, taking care not to scratch himself
spiteful barbs.
' M v ileur Ic.-rt In- murmured. tills Is no
s. nlitn.nt. but il is a real pleasure to be of use to you. I ouuaing
you looked to the sentries? Two hours ago I gave them'' Judge
e nough to put them In a state of nil right " k
"They are." replied the prisoner, shaking the proffer7a?Jv' )
listening with every appearance
was quick to answer the interpo-
lielng so familiar with
" Your brother showed
is
good
cv. ry desire to conceal his Identity, and his beard
disguise. Miss Lulu's plan seems feasible, sir?"
The question, coming from this quarter, cli aj-ed the air
and lightened Angus Holden's task. It was easier to re
mind this sallow faced Portuguese that British officers have
a code of honor than to fling back Lulu's request direct in
her own face.
"On the contrary. I regret that It is quite Impossible,"
he replied firmly, looking nt Alvarez rather than nt The girl
who was hanging on his words with dawning indignation.
" It is my duty to keep the prisoners corralled. ' without
lavor or affection.' as the red book says, and I am sorry
but private considerations cannot weigh in .1 matter of mili
tary discipline."
" In that case," said Lulu deliberately. " the only thing
for me to do Is to put an end to what you are good enough
to call ' private considerations." Phase understand that
nothing of the kind is required of you for for the Kennedy
family in future and O, go away, please, with your private
c.iuslderatlcns that nre of no use to one."
Her voice shook with anger now not only because her
request had been rejected, but because it had been iijected
in the presence of a third person, who might have private
enjoyment in her defeat. The demeanor of Alvarez was irri
tating!' correct he walked a few paces and affected to ad
mir. a camelia bloom but In her then mood she would have
preferred that he should have openly espoused her cause by
r. busing Holden.
Whin that unhappy young officer had taken the only
course op. n to him and had made as dignified an exit ns was
possible, the Portugal se was prompt to apiiease her rising
wrath with himself by explaining his quiescence.
" Pray do not think ;!! of me for not speaking up boldly
to him. my dear Miss Kennedy." he said. "My tongue
biiin.il in my mouth to accuse him of false friendship, but
1 had gui .1 reason for pn serving a neutral attitude To
have quarreled with 'apt. Holden on your behalf wciuH
have been to mc the hlgln si honor, hut It would also have
put him on his guard. It would have warned him that my
active cooperation was nt your disposal for obtaining the
result which his churlish Inhumanity would prevent."
" You will aid my brother to escape?" said Lulu, eyeing
him a little doubtfully. She had been rude to this man In
her lime and she was afraid that he was going tn make con
ditions. He was much too clever to attempt anything of
th,
nil.
l and none too warmly. " They are as drunk as muck.
" Hood, Indeed." exclaimed Alvarez, producing a pair of
i.lppers, " then I will have you out of this in no time." He
began to cut the wires, but young Kennedy stopped him.
" I shouldn't do that If 1 were you." he said. ' It's waste,
ei time and energy, and. b. sides, you'll give yourself away.
I only came down to the boundary fence to thank you for
your trouble and to say that I am not coming."
" Not coming!" gasped the astonished Portuguese.
"' No, It isn't good enough because, you see, I am in a
fair ay to get my release respectively and above board,"
replied Kennedy. "A good chap, llolden. one of the offlcrra
tn charge uf this show, sought me out yesterday and offered
tr do anything In reason for me. He knows I.ulu, It seems.
After he had heard mv story of how I had been forced to
hht for these dirty l)utchm.n un.br pain of death, and
when I had put hltn In the way of obtaining proofs of my
statement, he said he had no doubt that I should be set
free as soon as he could cable to a friend of his on the staff
al CaK-town. I never could get any one to listen to me
In Africa."
From the other side of the fence Alvarez heard him to
the end with bated breatli. his dark eyes blazing.
" I know all alHiut t'apt. Holden," hissed the senlior. " He
has told you this because he. wants to curry favor with your
sister. He refused to help in your direct escape, and this is
meant to sniooih her over. You will find yourself sold if
ou decline the chance- I have made for you."
" Also to curry favor with I.ulu. eh. Alvarez?" returned
the prisoni r with a suggestion of kinghter in his whlsier.
"No, no, my friend; I know you of old, you see, and I can
guess what line you'd take as soon as you had the whip hand
ci us. To pin my faith to an Kngllsh gentleman's wnri will
he better than skulking In hiding at Whiteladles. with the
risk of bringing a real disgrace mi my people. have no
doubt that I.ulu will reward my hem factor in the way that
he most desires when she hears how good lie has been to
me. Good night. Alvarez."
He spun on his heel to return to his tent, followed by a
Ion I oath wrung from the Portuguese at the dashing of his
hopes. In the calm quiet of the tropl: night the bitter curse
struck other ears than thus, of its object and quickly it came
home to roost.
"Halt! Who goes there?" challenged the soberest of the
sentries.
Losing his presence of mind. Alvarez turned and scuttled
Ike a rabbit for the friendly slu-lti r of the trees on his own
plantation. Five seconds later he lay stone dead among the
wild fuchsias on the slope. A chance shot from the sentry,
who concluded tbat he was an escaping prisoner, had brought
him down.
i
T
OR OTHER EYES.
How Two Burglar Miffifd Their Opportunity.
WO burglars are the heroes, or the rascais. of this
romance. Detective headquarters knew them as
Hilly Shaves and Jack Dobhs; but that has nothing
to do with the story.
A short while ago these two determined to pay
a tiinrht visit to the baggage room ot a well known
railway company.
Accordingly Shaves laid his plans and one dark, moon
less night he and his companion sallied out. Scarcely a soul
was aluoad. A tharp walk brought them to the door of the
baggage office.
ijiilckly and silently Shaves tried several keys, until the
do.ir yielded to his efforts.
Once Inside, with the white light of their lanterns Illumi
nating the rixim, they found themselves surrounded by all
manner of baggage. There wire big traveling trunks, small
and large valises, and a w hole host of baskets and tin boxes.
Put what most took their fancy was a smart looking trunk.
Here, evidently, was something worth looking into. 8haves
drew out a large bunch of keys and la a surprisingly short
time threw back the lid.
The usual tray met their eyes, covered with flimsy lace
and a host of ruffly things. Lifting this out they discovered a
number of new and beautiful dresses.
Then one of the burglars drew out a bulky package.
Visions of greenbacks floated before their eyes Filled with
this delightful hie they untied the package and (lanced
carefully through the contents.
The light of lanterns fell on one of the letters, for thus
I he package proved to be. Shaves scanned the contents. Then
he hurst Into a roar of laughter.
What was this he saw? Why. good gracious, It was a
love letter' Not to be left out of the joke his companion
sen, d hold of the next letter. Then he, ton, shook with
laughter.
Suddenly. In the in.dst of reading aloud one exception
ally sentimental passage, a clock chimed out the hour.
An exclamation of surprise burst from both burglars' lips.
In another half hour the office would 1m- opened!
Flinging aside the letters the two men sllpjied quietly out
and beat a hasty retreat.
Five minutes later the door of the office was ope mil by
the baggage master Startled at the sight of an unpacked
box he at once realized what had happened.
Something iromptrd hint to look Inside the open trunk.
He noticed the space from which the letters, soattcied around,
had been abstracted A dark leather box attracted his at
tention. Hastily opening It he discovered that the contents had
not been touched. Inside a magnificent diamond necklace lay
sparkling, brooches with clusters of precious stones at
tached, rings, and bracelets. 1
$M. Famous Horses of Fiction.
R E A L
M I VF
E
the
v. is. I"
VKN since the time when horses of Are whirled
the prophet away into sjiace. tin hmse has
been a favorite theme with poets and story
tillers. Kven the Olympian deities were not
without tin ir equine messenger the wing.d
stud Pegasus: and the combination f m.in
.and horse In those mythical creatt
Centaurs, . was the mbodiincnt of all
and strength.
Whether that famous Intention of I'lyss.s. the wno.n n
horse, which brought about ti e fall of Troy, can be d. scrib. d
;. a creature of fiction is still a disputed point. Nat only
is tile authorship of Homer's "Iliad" In doubt according
t some wag. who declared that It was not written by Homer,
I ut by another fe llow of t lie same name; but i yen the great
poem itself has been voted an allegorical representation cu
solar and atmospheric phenomena.
And
" I've stood upon Achilles' tomb
heard Troy doubted: time will doubt of Rome."
Thus the poet sings. Let the reader decide for himself,
lerhaps the enchanted horse of the "Arabian Nights" has
a pritty close relationship to the wooden monster of I'lvcses.
Th:s curious Invention performed aerial flights at an Im
mense speed, and was regulated hy the moving of two pegs,
a la modern locomotive, in the " Suuire's Tale " of Chaucer
ihe Sleeel nf prass seems tn have been a ripe-titinn of the
"Arabian Ninhis' creation.
It is perhaps unfortunate that the exigencies of tl.e stag
in Sh -iksp an s day gm th- hmse no chance in tin drama.
The path, lie little int.rviiw b.-twven the imprison, d King
Hichar.l II. and a former sn-m. who tells him of his hors
larbary. seems alemit the only Instance in which Shaks
leare throws any interest around a horse unless it lie that
f i a rf nl compound of dise i s.-s be strode by Pi truchio on his
wedding day. Almost contemporaneous with S.'.a kspeare.
Cervantes wrote his great r .manci. the fame of which In
mime degree rests cm the bony steed Rosinante.
Hut it is in the- present day mm inn s and poetry tha.
the horse really appears In its beauty and Inte lllg. nee anil
sffecllon. How far the story of PU. k P.-ss Is f abb and tirnr
much real history wouhl be difficult to decide; but that some
tt the halo of romance rests upon this wundcifui creature
that bore Hick Turpin on his gnat ride from London to York
is ct Haiti, and if Harrison Ainsworlh 1ms draw n oil his Im
agination In his romance " Hookwood " in telling of this great
feat Ihe human lute-rot is in no way diminished.
The novels of Sir Walter Scott provide as little of the
"horsey" element as Sh.ikspc are. The black charger of
the Black Knight is too vague and misty a creation, ana
probably the "gallant grey" which dies through overriding
it, the " Lady of the Lake " Is the nearest sppeal to the read
er s sympathy supplied by the " Wizard of the North."
In Sir Fdwiti Arnold's "Light of Asia" the snow white
si . I K mi ik a matchless in speed an.) beauty, who bore
I i-ini-e Sid darilia away from his palace home whin he set
bo 1 1, i w anderer, homeless and alone, to find the remedy for
i. ana n seir row and pain, lias certainly a distinct inte rest tn
llli ooem.
mmig modern p.n ts. howe ver. Hrowrdng probably stands
wall ahead with tin famous " Hide from ilhent to Alx." How
i';e word limiting of the poet brings it all up before us tn
j succession of striking pa-tuns The action of the poem
is eanteied around thusi thr e slei ds who galloped so pi lick -lly
to save Alx from ils fate. We see the three riders Issu
ing from the' gates nf ilh.nt riding Into the midnight; the
sinking lights of the city; the coming of dawn until trees
and cattle stand out dunlv; and finally the resolute shoulders
o." Roland hulling away the mist. Then one hmse goes down,
and Just as the white suite of Aix springs Into sight the seo
ond horse falls, and lb laud and his ride r are left alone. And
to on. until they gallop Into Aix and the people press around
and praise the gallant steed.
Put it Is in novels more particularly Ihst we find the fin
est studies of the horse. Who can forget Rainbow In that
famous tale of Australian bush life. " R ,bii. ry I'nder Arms."
'ihe nanus of the lawless gang may fade fmrn the memory,
but Rainbow the swift, the docile- the Intelligent, never.
Anmrg the many striking et.ara,-:. i s in that panoramic tale
ef rtuida " I'nder Two Flags " Cigarette. Rake, Cecil. Ser
aph, ti lie his sitter stands nut In fine relief that hern of many
a military race, the met t h some, affectionate Arab steed,
Forest King.
That rcmarkab'a story. "Pen liur." by law Wallace,
throws a strong Interest around the three mste-hless steeds,
ol the Arab ehiek. winners of the grest race in the circus
at Antloch, and fiv. rites with the whole tribe. M my fas
cinating horse stories spp-ar In the tales of adventure of
Capt. Mayne R. !d. The r'eed Moro, the w hite horse of the
" War Trail "; the spoiled mustang of tha "Headless Horse
man." will readily occur to the pilnrt.
Nor must we omit the- hero of that famous autobiography.
" Black Beauty." a story w hich has had a huge circulation,
emd has probably helped to inculcate kindness to animals
more than any llttraturs n published.
:;ttv.cv
.Jt V;
F" R I E IN D S
How a Dog Saved a Cat's Life.
OME of their friends called them Robin Hood
Little John, others I 'avid and Jonathan, .'n
there would be nothing out of the ordinary
Pi lino not in en a big New foundland dog,
Pompty a nig-p r Persian cat, with pink nose
white front.
When Pruno first met Pom lay. Pompey snarled, but Pruno
was such a good n.-itund little chap tin y soon made friends
From tlnn their friendship Increased pompey, as befitted
the dignity of such a cat. took particular care to show Priinu
wnlch was master
So the days went on. Pruno grew into a great big. hand
some fellow, and Pompey became quite proud of him.
On October day. after a whole week of heavy rain.
Pruno ami Pmnpey were rambling about on the lawn, pe
h i ml the tr.es. at the farther end of the garden, Ihe river
(lowed past In a muddy, swirling torrent, long rains had
changid il into a vast lake, and for miles around the fields
lay feet below the 4Wd.
On the hank, hanging over the- river, grew an old willow
tn e. 1'p this pompey loved to climb; and today, ufter being
kept Indoors so long by the rain, puss could not resist the
temptation.
Away he hounded from tha surprised Pruno, scaling the
tree in a twinkling. At that moment a sparrow alighted quite
close to him.
Pompey could never resist a sparrow, and with one twit
tering noi four feet away on a slender branch well, Pom
pey made a pounce.
To give pomiiey'his due. It was nut entirely his own fault
that he toppled over. What can any cat do when the twigs
to which he Is clinging break off? But Pompey did the only
possible thing he fell.
lown he went. and. turning many somersaults, dropped
with a splash right into the muddy water
Cold and bedraggled the terrified cat did his best to reach
th.- shore; but he couhl make net headway against the cur
rent that was fast rurr.ung him toward Hip water mill.
Just then something happened. A great, brown head
peiked its way through the bushes; its troubled eyes anxiously
scanned the stream; then, with a quirk hark and a bound,
ihe shaggy body plunged Into the river
Panting hard, it moved swiftly toward the struggling rat.
The gn at n d mouth npe-ned. and gently but firmly Pruno had
seized the half drowned Pompey.
And now commenced a battle royal the great Newfi ,
land dog against the swift current Slowly pruno fergeu i
ward the shore. Sometimes It seemed that the water must
succeed and sweep both friends to death.
At lat the dog triumphed, and springing to the shore
gently laid his drench. d comrade on the bank, little the
worse fur the adventure. '
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