Newspaper Page Text
l mm
y SERIAL V
I story j
EXCUSE
ME!
(him riw
Noveliied from
the Comedy of
I he Same Name
By
Rupert
Hughes
ILLUSTRATED
Iht Pier f'rdM(4
Dy Her W. Saefa
ulr;rulil, ifll, fa li-
SYNOPSIS.
tt
I.t-ut. ititrv Million- l "r.l. t.'.l to the
III' .nil Miri.'in' Newton
Ill ' t.i rlnp". hut v n k of la !ciih prv-v.-nts
it'.'ir m. icr- minister on tin' way to
triln I t ;iim .i;t ivt i 1 1 11 1 train Is lak
fnir on p uM'i';''r I'itht has a lli.'ly
fin o v-tn un rli'Kil.Hlini iii and Ir.-i l.ath
rup a YnnUi" n isim-si man. Tin dnpcrs
f'.n.' an t ItitiK title Ki'ttil.K I" I''"
li. i. il. "1.1'tli- .lennit.-" i;il:ii''iin. tvind
i r U.-no to ir-t h livnr.-'. 1'1'nul tr-i.n
in nctu.ilin cnri'llriiin. Later Mrs Jllnrtile
nw.f fj;,,. s ;ili bound f-T Hen" wltli
li" oMitI 1 .Ikrw iso Mrs Sammy N't hit.
in ! i-ittir Wanes Mm. .1 .111 ml" f'T
tar mirr.rtl trnulilos ("um mutt -si nf Mai
l.irv decertte tirt.iul hrth. K-'v ami Mr
T.'iitiilo start nn 14 vacation. Th'-y dii-idc
to cut lae.f and Tempi rnio "S i-vldcm
if his ..iilliiK Marjorle decides to N't
M!l.irv proceed alniii', li'it ir.iln start
while ih urn liMt In fun-well. I'nw-i-ers
ji.m M.illory's classmates In savin;
rumple wedding 1ib7.iiib; .Marjorie I dis
tracted. Ira Ijuhmp. W'ltii.in-hatina;
frs' lii'iir. discov it an nll sweetheart.
Annie ;a1ll'. a fellow p.tsenter. Mai
lory vair.ly hunts f'-r a pp ai-L-r amena:
the pasi.'ntrrn. Mrs Welllt-.irten hears
T.ittle .Ili-amie's voi. e. Later she mwlH
a"rs Whin-omn. M illnry reports to Mar
Jon his failure tn unit a preacher. They
Ai I. J. tn nri t.-n.J a quarrel amt Mnllury
find a vnrrnit berth. Mrs. Jinimle discov
ers Wellington on tin train. M.'illnry
M:in makes an unsuccessful hunt fur a
preacher I r. Tempie poses as a physl
fun. Mrs. Temple la Induced hy Mrs
WoiilnirTon to amiikf a clear. SikIiI of
firai-hr on a utailon platform rale's
Mailury'p hopti, hut hf xakf another
tram MSlnK hanil hapirac rompula the
oiipl to borrow from pa?a-nitfrs. .Ilm
Bili' ir a rlnitT In l.la eye and Mr.
Jimmle tnv" firat aid. 1'oolnesa la thn
reaumd. Still no rlpreyman. Mora bor
rowing Tr. Temple puxrli-il by bfhavlor
of dirnt niiipifa. MarJoHe's Jealouay
aroua-d by Mallory'a baseball iarejon.
Marjorie auftaiiia wrer-ktnir the train In
hop That a.'rldent will produce a prfach
er. AIo trlai to lndui-e tha condurtor to
hoM the tr.iln ao h ran ariop. Marjorle'a
tog ta miasma;. 8he pulla the cord, atop
plnir the train. Oondurtor restorea doR
and lovers quarrel. Lathrop wlrea for a
preacher to marry him and Miss Oattle
Mallory tells Iathrop of his predicament
and arranges to tnirrow the preacher.
Kitty leweilyn. former aweet heart of Mal
Vir a. appeara and arouses Marjorie s
Jealousy.
CHAPTER XXX.
A Wedding on Wheel.
Tbe commotion of the matrimony
mad wotrien brought the men troop
ing in from the smoking room and
there aa much circumstance of dec
orating the rcene with white Ratio
rlbton., a trifle crumpled and dim or
luster. Mrs. Whitcomb waved them
at Mallory with a laugh:
"Recognize these?"
lie nodded dismally. His own fu
Deral baked meats were coldly fur
nlRhing forth a wedding breakfast for
Ira Latbrop. Mrs. Wellington was
moving about distributing kazoos and
Mrs. Temple bad an armload of old
shoes, some of which had thumped
Mallory on an occasion which
eemed fo ancient as to be almost
prehistoric.
Fodick was howling to the porter
to get some rice, quick!
"How many portions does you ap
proximate?" "All you've got."
-liolled or tried?"
"Any old way." Tbe porter ran
-forward to the dlnlr.g-car tor the am
munition.
Mrs. Temple whlnpered to her hus
band: "Too bad you're not officiating.
Walter." But be cautioned silence
"Jlush! I'm on my vacation."
The train was already coming into
Ogden. Noises were multiplying and
from the increase of passing objects,
the speed teemed to be taking on a
spurt. The bell was clamoring like
weddmK chime In a fctteple.
Mrs. Wellington was on a chair fast
ening a ribbon roui:d one ol the
lamps, and Mrs. Whitcomb was on an
other chair braiding tbe bell rope with
withered orange branches, when Af.d
iton, with karoo ail ready, called out:
"What tune shall we play?"
"I prefer the Mendelssohn Wedding
March," said Mrs. Whitcomb, but Mrs.
Wellington glared acroEg at ber.
"I've always used the Lohengrin."
-We'll play 'em both," said Dr. Tem
ple, to make peace.
Mrs. Fosdick murmured to her
epouse: "The old Justice of the Peace
didn't give us any muHlc at all," and
received in reward one of bis most
luscious eyed looks, and a whisper:
""Hut he gave us each other."
"Now and then," the pouted.
"Hut where are the bride and
ISTOOI'l?"
"Here they come all ready," cried
Ashion, und he beat time while some
of the guests kazooed at Meudels
uolin's and Fouie Wagner's bridal mel
odies, ar.d orbers junt made a noise.
Ira Latlirop and Aunu Gattle, look
InR very Fheepisb, crowded through
the narrow corridor and stood shame
facedly blushing like two school chil
dren about to ting a duet.
The tram Jolted to a dead stop. The
.conductor called luto the car; "Og--den!
All out for Clgdeu!" and every
.body stood watching and waiting.
Ira, seeing Mallory, edged close and
whispered: "Stand by to catch the
minister on the rebound. '
, Hut Mallory turned away. Wbat
I use rind be now for ministers HI'
pinna were shattered ruins
The porter tame flyitm In with two
Iiitko bowls of rice, and shouting,
"Hero cnnies the 'possum cT pos
son" Seelnn Marlorle, he said:
'Shall 1 pi'i'ainlnilate Mistn. Sihmv.Io-
UlllS? '
She liniuleil the porter her only
friend and he hurried out, as a lean
and professionally sad nsrrtlc hur
tled In He did not riMORnlze his
bojl.-h enemy In the fray haired, red
f.Kcd giant that greeted him, but he
1 new lh.it voice and Its gloating
Irony :
Hello, Charlie.-'
He bail always lound that when Ira
gi limed and was cordial, some trouble
was In stole tor him. He wondered
what rock Ira hold behind his bsek
now, but he forced all uneasy ror
!lalit: "And is this you. Ira? Well,
well' II Is yeah" Mnre Inst wp met.
And you're J'ist getting married. Is
this the first time. Ira?"
' First iff rise. Charlie ."
The levity shocked y, but a
sTcater shock was In store, for when
he Inquired: "Ami who Is the er
happy bride?" ttm triumphant lith
rop snlcketed: " believe ytm used to
Know l.er. Anne Ca'tlit."
1 his was the rock behind Ira's hack,
and Selhy took it with a wince: "Not
my old''
"The same. Anne, you remember.
Charlie "
"Oil. yes." said Anne, "How do you
do, ( harllo?" And she put out a shy
hand, which he took with one still
shyer. He was so unsettled that he
stammered: "Well, well, I had always
hoped lo marry you, Anne, but not
Just this way."
Lflthrop cut him short with a sharp:
"Hotter get busy before tbe train
starts. And I'll pay you In advance
before you set off the fireworks."
The flippancy pained Kev. Charles,
but he was resuscitated by one
glance at the bill that Ira thrust Into
bis palm. It a man's gratitude for
his wife Is measured by tbe size of
the fee he hands the enabling par
son, Ira was madly In love with Anne.
Kev. Charles had a reminiscent sus
picion that it was probably a counter
feit, but for once ho did Ira an In
justice.
The minister was In such a flutter
from losing his boyhood love, and
gaining so much money all at once
and from performing the marriage on
a train, that he made numerous er
rors In the ceremony, but nobody no
ticed them, and the spirit. If not the
letter of the occasion, was there and
the contract was doubtless legal
enough.
The ritual began with the pleasant
murmur of the preacher's voice, and
the passengers crowded round In a
solemn calm, which was suddenly vio
lated by a loud yelp of laughter from
Wedgewood, who omitted guffaw after
guffaw and bent double and opened
out again, like an agitated umbrella.
The wedding-guests turned on blm
Tlsages of horror, and hissed silence
at him. Ashton seized him, shook
him, and muttered:
"Wbat the what's the matter with
you?"
Tbe Englishman shook like a boy
having a spasm of giggles at a fu
neral, and blurted out the explana
tion: "That story about the bridegroom
I Just saw the point!"
Ash'on closed bis jaw by brute
force and watched over him through
the rest of tbe festivity.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Foiled Yet Again.
Mallory had fled from the scene at
the first hum of the minister's words.
His fate was like alkali on bis palate.
For twelve hundred miles be had ran
sacked the world for a minister. When
one dropped on the train like manna
through the roof, even this miracle
had to be checkmated by a perverse
miracle that sent to the train an early
Infatuation, a silly affair that be him
self called puppy-love. And now Mar
Jorie would never marry him. He did
not blame ber. He blamed fate.
He was in solitude In tbe smoking
room. The place reeked with drifting
tobacco smoke and tbe malodor of
cigar stubs and cigarette ends. His
plans were as useless and odious as
cigarette ends. He dropped into a
chair, bis elbows on bis knees and
his bead In his hands Napoleon on
St. Helena.
And then, suddenly he heard Mar
jories voice. He turned and saw her
hesitating in the doprway. He rose
to welcome her, but tbe smile died
on bis lips at her chilly speech:
"May I have a word with you, sir?"
"Of course. The air's rather thick
In here," he apologized.
"Just wait'." she said, nminou'sly,
and stalked In like a young Zenohla.
He put out an appealing hand: ".Now,
Marjorle, listen to reason. Of course
I know you won't marry me now."
"Oh, you know that, do you?" she
said, with a squared Jaw.
"Hut, really, you ought to marry
me not merely because I love you
and you're tbe only girl I ever " He
stopped short and she almost smiled
as the taunted him: "(lo on I dare
you to say it."
He swallowed bard and waived the
point: "Well, anyway, you ought to
marry me for your own sake."
Then she took his breath away by
answering: "Oh, I'm going to marry
you. never fear."
"You are," he cried, with a rush of
returning hope. "Oh, I knew you
loved me."
She pushed his euctrcllng arms
aside: "I don't Jove you, and that's
why I'm going to marry you."
"Hut I don't understand."
"Of course not," sbe sneered, as If
she were a thousand years old, "you're
only a man and a rery young man."
"You've ceased to love me," be pro
tested. "Just because of a little aftaf
I had before I met yodT"
Marjotle answered with world-old
wisdom: "A woman Rn forgive
man nnythn.g except what ho did be
fore he tint her."
lie stared at her with masculine dis
may st feminine logic: "If you can't
forgive me, then why do you marry
Hie""
"For revenge!" she cried. "You
brought me on this train all this dis
tance to introduce me to a girl you
used to spoon with. And I don't like
her. She's awful!"
"Yes. she Is awful," Mallory assent
ed. "I don't know how I ever "
"Oh, you admit It!"
"No."
"Well, I'm going to marry you
now this minute with that preach
er, then I'm going to get off at Heno
and divorce you."
"Divorce me! Good Lord! On what
grounds?"
"On the grounds of Miss Kitty
Kntty I.lewelllngton or whatever
her name Is."
Mallory was groggy with punish
ment, and the vain effort to roresoe
her next blow. "Hut you can't name
a woman that way," he pleaded, "for
Just being nice to mo before I ever
met you."
"That's the wosnt kind of unfaith
fulness," she reiterated. "You should
havo known that some day you would
meet me You should have saved
your first love for me."
"Hut last love Is best," Mallory In
terposed, weakly.
"Oh, no, It isn't, and ir it Is, bow do
I know I'm to be your last love? No,
sir, when I've divorced you, you can
go back to your first love and go
round the world with her till you get
dizzy."
"Hut I don't want her for a wife,"
Mallory urged, "I want you."
"You'll got me but not for long.
And one other thing, I want you to
get that bracelet away from that
creature. Do you promise?"
"How can I get It away?"
"Take It away! Do you promise?"
Mallory surrendered completely.
Anything to get Marjorle safely Into
his arms: "I promise anything, ' If
you'll really marry me."
"Oh. I'll marry you, sir, but not
really."
And wblle he stared In helpless awe
at the rynlc and termagant that
jealousy bad metamorphosed this tim
id, clinging creature Into, they beard
the conductor's voice at the rear door
of the cur: "Hurry up we've got to
start."
They heard I.athrop's protest:
"Hold on there, conductor," and Sel
by's plea: "Oh, I say, my good man,
wait a moment, can't you?"
The conductor answered with the
gruffness of a despot: "Not a minute.
I've my orders to make up lost time.
All aboard!"
Wblle tbe minister was tying tbe
last loose ends of the matrimonial
knot, Mallory and Marjorle were
struggling through the crowd to get
at him. JiiBt as they were near, they
were swept aside by the rush of the
bride and groom, for the parson's "1
pronounce you man and wife," pro
nounced as be backed toward the
door, was tbe signal for another wed
ding riot.
Once more Ira and Anne were show
ered with rice. This time It was their
own. Ira darted out Into the corridor,
haling bis brand-new wife by tbe
wrist, and the wedding guests pur
sued them across the vestibule,
through the next car, and on, and on.
Nobody remained to notice what
happened to the parson. Having per
formed his function, he was without
further interest or use. Hut to Mal
lory and Marjorle he was vitally
necessary.
ITO HE CONTINUED.)
No More Fox Hunts for Him.
Arthur B. Suit, sheriff of Prince
Georges county, Md., says he never
again will indulge In a fox chase. He
always was fond of the sport, but on
tbe occasion ot his last cbase he bad
such an unpleasant and exciting ex
perience that be concluded to go after
smaller game In the future.
"We bad been out but a short
while," he related to friends, "before
we were on a trail, but It took us
some time to dig tbe fox from his
bole. A skunk was tbe fox's compan
ion and both came out together."
Hoth animals were killed and taken
to Forestville,
"With our party was a dare-devil
sort of a fellow," the sheriff said, "and
he rode bis horse through the village
store, tbe skunk banging to the ani
mal's side.
"The store was quickly deserted,"
he added, "and I resolved to partici
pate lo no more such hunts."
School Land Ship.
One of the features of their public
school training which the boys of Ber
lin, Germany, enjoy moBt Is the "land
ship," on which young sailors go
through a regular dally training. The
litis la the name of the land ship
which bas been built and which has a
crew of 120 boys. Tbe larger boys act
as officers. When they are at work
on the land ship the boys dress In mid
dy blouses and caps. There Is gun
practice on the land ship every day,
and a naval drill, and all the usual
work of a ship Is done by tbe boys.
They have the greatest fun In climb
ing the spars and hoisting the sallB,
and life on the litis Is so popular that
there are always more applicants for
the crew than there are places to be
Blled.
Mental Distraction.
"Do you think young women ought
to Join tbe suffragettes?" asked the
young woman.
"I do," replied Mr. Growcber; "I
am In favor or anything that will
take their minds off the fact that this
la lao year."
NOTES c"'
MEADOWBROOK
S a FAPM
a '.
Sheep deserve good care.
Asparagus is a hardy plant.
Onions stand considerable cold.
A kerosene bath for roosts Is urged.
The dairy cow should essentially bo
largo and rich milker.
There Is moro or less risk In feeding
irdinary silage to lambs or sheep.
It is a well-known fact that alfalfa
.1oes not do well upon an Impervious
subsoil.
In feeding dairy cows give them all
they will clean up at each feed but
no more.
Rangebred lambs are far superior
to native-bred lambs for breeding
purposes.
Goslings must be kept out of damp
ness and fed only grass, water and
coarse sand.
Pon t fail to divide the buttermilk
between biddy and the pigs. She rel
ishes It as much as they.
The grape root worm lias commit
ted extensive depredations among the
vineyards of Pennsylvania.
A tpothbrush and a little naphtha
will clean your velvet coat collars and
make them look new again.
Select one dairy breed and stick to
It. Don't mix up the breeds or you
will spoil the sale of your stock.
All fowls, chicks, ducks and duck
lings that are kept In yards should
huve plenty of green feed every day.
If the frost kills the vines of the
eweet poatoes cut them off as soon as
possible or tbe potatoes may turn
black.
The anrlrifl' rnlt ahmild hp nrpttv
well broken by this time: If not, this
Is a good month to. get acquainted
with him.
Clean the stock tank, and keep It
free from moss. Then fill It with
fresh cool water. Tbe stock will ap
preciate It.
The manager of the dairy farm
must supply the brain. The success
of the undertaking will depend large
ly upon him.
Early Six Weeks Is a good potato
for a short time, but it soon loses
quality. A few rows In the garden
come In bandy.
Let the cows sleep out In the
pastures until the very chilly nights
come on. Better for them than to
lie In a stuffy barn.
If pastures are failing feed a little
fodder each day to the stock. It
makes them more contented and less
'ncllned to try the fences.
Farmers and feeders will' this year
welcome full corn cribs. It Is risky
business at best making meat on 75
cent corn and we will all welcome
cheaper grain.
Farm orchards seem smaller and
worse npglected than they were ten
years ago. Perhaps the reason lies
In the fact that small lots of fruit
hardly ever sell profitably.
If the sheep are compelled to dig In
short pastures for their living they
will eat the roots of the grass. Het-
ter divide the pasture and feed one
part while the other Is catching up.
The number of silos In Kansas has
nearly If not quite doubled In tbe last
year. If they were not profitable do
you think they would be built? We
are not working for the fun of It any
longer.
After the pigs have been put Into
the fattening pen In the fall they
should be fed all that they will eat
with a relish, for, as a rule, the
shorter the fattening period the
larger the profits.
A duckling does not know how to
get out of danger. Instead It will
become panic stricken and remain
easy prey for the enemy. On the
contrary a chicken Is always on the
alert, scampering off to some hiding
place the moment It hears some
strange noise.
Never fasten fencing wire directly
to growing trees. If you do. In a few
years the wire will have become Im
bedded in the tree and do It permanent
Injury. Whn you wish to use a tree
for this purpose, spike a strip ot sound
board securely to the tree and fasten
tbe wire to that. In this way very
Uttls Injury will be dona to the tree.
I ... .
flogs return quick profits'.
Freshen up the poultry runs.
The separator Is a helpful factor.
Agricultural fairs are of much value.
Tlio first Rnd greatest lav of breed
ing Is "like begets like."
A sheep that Is tn good condition In
the fall Is half wintered.
Tankage Is one of the very best
commercial feeds In fattening hogs.
Silage and alfalfa combined make
tho foundation of the best dairy ra
tion. Ducks are very fond of dandelions
chopped and mixed with ground
grain.
Cattle should have access to water
at all times when prairie pasture Is
getting dry.
'Too little phosporous" Is the
cause of many of tho low yields on
corn belt soils.
Have thn rones and straps good
and stout when you begin to halter
break the colt.
There seems tn he a arnnd deal of
prejudice against millet because It
exhausts the soil.
Skimp your sheep on good pasture
and they will skimp you on mutton.
Wortts both ways.
The value of corn silage to the beef
producer Is not limited to Its use In
winter feeding alone.
Keep the laying hens working. To
do this feed them at daybreak and
Just before sundown.
Wait until cool weather has abso
lutely put the last fly out of business
before dehorning the cattle.
Instead of using an old wooden
watering tank make one of cement
that will never decay or leak.
The longer the calf Is allowed to
suck the cow the harder It will be to
make It drink from a bucket.
After a day's work clean the work
horses thoroughly, wash their legs
from the knees down aud rub dry.
Raise horses for big money, csttle
for sure money and hogs for quick
money. Is an old saying, and a good
one.
A year ago there was more stock
than there was feed. Now there Is
feed for more stock than can be
found.
In building a wire fence for hogs
put one barbed wire at the bottom,
and tbe worst rooter In the pasture
won't root out.
Don't be afraid to apply air-slaked
lime to the cabbages with a blow gun.
It will destroy the worms on the head
of tbe cabbage.
Young fruit trees that were planted
In the autumn of last year, or In the
spring of this year, should be ex
amined carefully.
The garden acre should be the best
on the farm. Hest prepared, best fer
tilized and best cared for. Then It
will give tho best returns.
While the orchard Is coming Into
bearing try vegetable growing as a
side line. This makes one of the sur
est and beBt sources of Income.
Chopped roots, fed along with the
grain, will make a valuable addition
to the ration, especially If winter
grazing or silage is not at hand.
Keeping any machine well oiled
and In proper repair not only In.
crear.es efficiency, but decreases the
amount of power required to run the
machine.
Do not allow tbe cows to dry up
during the latter part of the summer,
as this necessitates keeping them
through the winter, giving a smaller
flow of milk than they should.
Land plaster has a very small per
centage of lime; lump lime has the
largest percentage, and hydrated lime
next. Marl la usually a little richer
In lime than ground lime stone.
For the last six months the hog
feeder has but lilUe more than brok
en even. If we are to Judge the fu
ture by the past there Is a time com
ing soon when the hog feeder will
make good money. j
The peanut 1b becoming more Im
portant as a feed for stock, especial
ly In the southern states. The vines
with he nuts attached are often
cured, and they make a palatable
hay for all kinds of farm stock.
The fruit farmer can always find
something to do, either In the orchard
or around the buildings. This busi
ness, like any other, is ruined by too
much loafing. Keep the loose ends
well In band for the best results.
The great bulk of the oat crop of
the world Is produced within the
north temperate zone Including tbe
countries ot RubsIb, Germany, Norway
and Sweden, Canada, and the north
ern part ot the United States. Russia
produces more oata than any other
country.
era
qnbct
HE great wall of China never
fails to Impress the traveler,
no matter bow many times be
has seen it. At Munkow pass,
where tho magnificent scenery
glveej it an appropriate setting, It Is
particularly Impressive. It Is not so
much Its height, nor solidity, nor even
its seeming endlessness that causes
the observer to marvel. It is rather
the bold, theatrical way in which the
whole panorama of the wall has been
staged. Tho dauntless builders, who
erected It over 2,000 years ago, seem
to have selected the highest mountain
ranges and the most precipitous
peaks for the foundations of their
wonderful wall. They probably took
a delight In placing the wall where It
would make tho best showing on the
topmost ridges and overlooking the
highest precipices, writes Luther An
derson in tho Chicago News.
As tbo eye follows the wall over the
mountains to where it loses Itself In
the hazy horizon .one cannot help
thinking of tho tremendous length of
the wall. From its western end In
the sandswept desert of Inner Mon
golia to the Gulf of Llantung, where
It comes down to the sea, Is a dis
tance of over 1,600 miles. And yet
this distance does not represent the
entire length of the wall. It has many
branches and Is In many places dou
bled and even trebled. At Koupelkou
there is a perfect network of walls
stretching off in every direction as far
as the eye can see. At Nankou the
same prodigality of walls shows that
tbe ancient Chinese felt that one wall
was not a sufficient protection against
the wild hordes of Tartary.
In Days of Old.
One cannot look upon the great wall
without picturing in one's mind the
days of old, when these ramparts were
thronged with soldiers, who guarded
the frontiers of the empire against
the warlike tribes of the north. The
roadway on the top of the wall served
as a military highway for the various
contingents garrlBoued In the fort
resses, which stud the wall at Inter
vals ot from 200" to COO yards. Where
the wall climbs the steep slopes of tbe
mountains this roadway is provided
with long flights of stairs. Tho bricks
of these stairs are well worn, showing
that thousands of soldiers must have
passed to and fro from one fortress
to another. One can picture the re
inforcements rushing along the wall
and climbing the lofty stairs and
hastening to assist their comrades,
hard pressed by somo hostile army.
One can see the fires lighting up the
signal towers built far to the south of
the wall. One can almost hear the
shouts of defiance from the defenders
answering the taunts of the besiegers.
Those ancient soldiers of China did
tholr work well. For over 1,000 years
they held the wall against the Tartar
hordes. When tho Mongols finally did
break through the barrier In the thir
teenth century they were able to do
so only because an effete dynasty neg.
lected to send proper reinforcements
to the defenBe of the wall.
The great wall Is remarkably well
preserved. Though weatherbeaten by
the storms, the frosts and the suns of
two mllennlums, it shows signs of de
cay only In a few places. The greet
body of it Is Intact and in as good
condition as when it was built. Tbe
ages have hardened the mortar and
bound the brick work together so
that the wall Is probahly stronger to
day than It has ever been before. It
seems to be as eternal as the moun
tains upon which It rests.
As a bulwark of defense tbe wall
has long since become obsolete, but
its usefulness is by no means at an
end. It has become a monument to
toil, perseverance, will power and to
Imagination. It Berves to inspire all
who see it with a new faith In human
effort.
At ten o'clock we passed the last of
the great ramparts and were "outside
the barrier," to quote a Chinese
phrase. The region to the north of
the wall has always been regarded by
tbe Chinese as a wild and lawless
country. Hanlshment beyond the
great wall has always been considered
a severe punishment. The Chinese
living there have always had the feel
ing that they were outside of tbelr
own country and almost at the edge of
the world.
- At noon of July 12 we stopped at an
Inn in a little hamlet called Pangshl
hylng, where we rested and had tiffin.
The proprietor of the inn evidently
bad a mind to the moral improvement
of his guests, for he had ornamented
the wails of the guests' rooms with
'js .-'., yrrf.,- -
fi r - .. I . i . . i. : : '' V-
t, AIf ;'A V "6Y'-,
S jJxW&?&.'Jr a fu v
: . .. : : k-
it:
numerous mottoes such as
righteousness as your prolll ,;
riches will never be lacking." a i ,
blllty attracts riches a thousand''
with Justice you will enter Into a
region of wealth," "In your casual ,:
versation do not speak of peeps .1
failings."
Music Attracts Children.
That evening we stayed at a ran
vansary in a little mountain viil..,;
Here we astonished the natives, i.i
especially the little boys, by plavi;,,;
a mouth organ. The strains of "I'i . r
Nelly Gray" and "Hot Time in t!
Old Town" soon drew a small cnv,il
of half naked urchins, who surveyed
us with wondering eyes. Having got
ten together our little audience, ah
proceeded to question them as to
what they had bad to eat during th
day, how old thsy were and whether
they went to school or not. They had
all eaten millet porridge, melons a:nl
various kinds ot vegetables. Mi nt
was evidently a luxury and eaten only
once in a great while.
They all said they had gone to
school, upon which Mr. Peck exam
lned them like a schoolmaster and
made them repeat the san zu chlng or
trlmetrlcal classic, which Is the tin'
book studied by Chinese children, or
twelve boys between the ages of flv
and twelve only one was unable to r
peat tbe san tu chins, and he was .-.
dent mute. We were astonished :o
And that so many of these children ir
tbe mountains had been to school A
similar examination tn a nioui.ta i
district in America would not li.ii
given better results. These mm::;
tatneers were so poor that their ch :
dren had to run naked in the suuinn r.
but they were, nevertheless, able in
send them to school. When the v
amlnatlon was over we awarded tho
boys a few pennies each an.l uri;"i!
them to continue to go to school.
llefore nightfall the report I', 1
spread throughout tbe ' whole tuv. n
that some foreigners bad come
made wonderful music and who w r
so learned that they could conduct :.
amlnatlons In Chinese. Many pcopln
came to us asking for foreign uiciii
cine. Mothers brought little sick
babies and crippled children to us ask
ing us to cure them. They seemed to
have the Idea that all foreigners with
skilled In the art of healing. Win a
we told them that we could not cii'o
their diseases they did not believe n..
It was only when we told them tb.it
we bad not brought any medicines
that they went away. It made i;i
sad to think of nil the misery tl::'.
must be endured unullevlatcd In Cl".:: i
It brought .homo to u the fact that
literature alono cannot make, a peopin
enlightened and that without scii m "
they must eudure all the Inconveni
ence and misery of barbarism.
One sees many strange things in
China. At Wangchalyinr!. where
stopped for tho night on the ll'th. I
saw a piece of brick tied to u dunk' s
tail to keep It from bruying. n
muleteer told me that it was a pliv '
cal Impossibility for a donkey to brav
with a weight tied to its tail. 1 l'V
awake a long time thut night war
ing for tho donkey to bray, hut
brickbat seemed to do tho work. Ti:u
donkey never brayed once.
Tho next day wus tho si:li -from
Peking. We traveled tliri-jch
many beautiful mountain pusses ,i. !
were constantly climbing over rocKv
ridges or descending into narrow val
leys. At several places we saw C!:e
nese placer miners washing the samM
of the mountain streams for gold
They were using a wooden cnoli '
very much like that used by the gold
seekers of our western states.
Launplnghsien, where we Flopped I"'
tiffin, we saw a largo monument ere i
ed by imperial order to the memory of
a French Catholic mis.-.ionury who !;: d
been killed by the boxers In I 'i' '
About four in the afternoon "
came to Kuat-Jen pass, vb cli is .
In the solid rock, and ovcrit !.' 1
hoi. We stopped them fi r a wi.ib- '
enjoy the beautiful i'n; ra a.a . i
lay stretched before us. In the vai: v
only a few miles away lay ih" .; r
Jehol. and heyend it the pal : '- '
Manchu emperor- After a
rest wc pressed en ani i t:'. p i!
ctty. We foufd a lare r::i ' : "
Poo Yuan Tien, v.'.iero we to ::! ' '
fortable quarters.
Evervnfl U'p.
Mistress W hut would i k-1-1
Annette, to look as nice us I do'
Maid As much as yen !
ma'am, to be as young as I ::i. Fir
gende Blaetter.
