IN EXTREMIS.
V.'hei -he face of the dylnx turn-gray,
Arc the ttme has come
AVh- r. ih ■ml mu-t wend Its way
To it;- >t long home,
Viho h bends over the dying
Of that ar>* human—
Last r. by ih sufferer helpless lying?
’Ti- the form of a woman.
Motif r. t.p sister, or wife,
Or - me sw a t daughter.
Nurs- s the ebbing 111 1 ,
We:? the parched lips with water.
Piles i v. i y loving art
To comfort the one that Is going,
From 1 r ~v.n half-brukin. achli g heart
A la.-t sad smile bestowing.
O women of all the lands.
In tfuture as in the past,
To your pitying hearts and Under hands
We all m come at Inst;
We nr, tr.lle. m gleet, disdain.
But to y u and to none other
We tu:;; in our sort cistns and pain—
Wit . si.-ter, daughter, mother.
—The I.ati Thomas DrllKll. In N. Y. In
dtpendi nl.
wwmi r- ■> 9 r- r w
| THE LANDLORD’S
| STORY ese set
| SwWILL S. GIDLKY.
Jit
Giiirtriz'Cr&'irtr&'ir'trirt.ijrti'ti'&'iftrirtt&'tr'trit
(Copyrlrflited bj Daily Story Pub. Oo.)
IT HAD fairly poured for two days,
ami 1 hud waded through all the
newspapers and other reading mat
ter lo be had at tlie little .Adirondack
hotel at which I was staying.
The landlord, Mr. Carpenter, was a
jolly old fellow whd was noted for
his sprightly stories, and he did his
best to entertain his guests and keep
up the’r spirits as they sat on the
broad piazza of the Wayside house and
watched the steady downpour.
I did not join the group on the
veranda. If there is anything I par
ticularly dislike it is to listen to the
chatter of a lot of people who are
trying to delude themselves into the
belief that they are enjoying life
when the face of Nature is ankle
deep with mud and water, and it is
still raining as if if never intended to
stop. So 1 stuck to my room and
burrowed my way through books,
week-old newspapers, patent medi
cine almanacs anything that would
help me in a measure to forget the
abominable weather.
But on the evening of the second
day. when if grew suddenly colder
and a roaring wood fire had been
kindled in the open fireplace in the
big sitting-room, I was one oC. the
first to gather around its cheerful
blaze.
Now. if ever, was the time for
story-telling, but the landlord’s reper
tory seemed to be about exhausted.
“No n?c asking for any more funny
stories,” he drawled out with a depre
catory shake of the head. “These
two wet days have pumped me dry,
so to speak. I can only think of one
more story, but a- there isn’t any
thing comical about Hi. t one, I don’t
suppose you’ll care to hear it."
“Give us a story, by all means.”
urged one of tin Indies. *T can al
ways sleep better if I have a ghost
story or some exciting adventure to
go to bed on.”
“Well,” began the landlord, re
flectively. "I don’t think this comes
under the head of a ghost story nor
oven a story of adventure. I’ll have
to tell it. and let you classify it for
yourselves. The climax of my story
came ten years ago when I was keep
ing a hotel in my native village,
which i will call Eden Center; but the
beginning dated hack many years be
fore that, to the time when the Peeks
were the nabobs of the place.
“Squire Peek, with his wife and
only laughter, li\ -d in a big white
house on a hill in the outskirts of the
village, 'in! a haughty, high-stepping
old chap he was when I first knew
him. He always seemed to consider
himself and his family a little above
Hie rest of the ‘oiks in Eden Center,
and when Lu .fida Peek grew up, al
though she was by long odds the best
looking young lady in the place, and
while the young fellows were all
I alf daft over her, none of them real
ly had the courage to make love to
I • r for fear of arousing the wrath of
tlie stifl'-neeked old squire,
“The first one who tried it was an
outsider, and the ruthless way in
which his aspirations were nipped in
Hie bud by Lucinda's father held
forth very little encouragement to
the others. He was a young collegi
student, named Henry Handel), who
had come to Eden Center to spend his
summer vacation in earning some
needed money. Though dependent
wholly on his own earnings, he was
bravely working his way through
college, it seems, and he got a job
keeping the books and making up ac
counts at the village store daytimes,
and at night he pave lessons on the
violin and other musical instruments.
He was a first-class singer, too. and
soon after coming to the place lie
started a singing school, hiring the
scboolhonse and charging a regular
fee for the lessons, which he gave
every Thursday evening.
“It was at the singing school that
he made the acquaintance of Lucinda
Peek, and it was a clear ease of love
at first sight. He was a manly young
fellow, and when the rest of the boys
saw how matte were shaping, there
wasn’t one of them but wished him
well.
“But the course of true love runs
uncommonly rough sometimes as the
poet fells about, and when young
Landed wall and boldly up to the big
1 ouse on th< hill with Lucinda one
■ veiling, and skit] her father for her
1 and in ma 1 riage. it was said that
t ic haughty old squire drove him
1 oni the lii-use with the direst
t ir-als end curses that one man
< < pound upon the head of anoth
<r. It was thin near the close of
.nation, u;.-l Uandell was coin
pelled to return to his college with
out again seeing l Lucinda.
•‘lt was said that letters addressed
to Lucinda in young IJandell’* hand
writing came after he went away, but
the postmaster, who was a friend and
sort ol dependent of the squire, saw
to it that none of them ever reached
her. Finally one of the letters re
ceived after Uai.iiell had lej i the
place, was returned to him, so Ive
heard, with the notation across the
face of it that the person to whom
it was addressed, was dead.
“It was a cruel and wicaed thing
to do. but such things will happen
when a penniless student lulls in love
with a nabob's daughter.
“Years passed, .'quire Peek finally
died, and then it was discovered that
the most of his fortune had been
wasted in unwise speculations, The
big house on the l.ill was sold, and
mother and daughter moved into a
small cottage at the other end of flu
village. A year later Mrs. Peek died
(of a broken heart, it was saidj. and
Lucinda was left alone in the w rid.
.She was now 30 years of age, and
though there was a look of st .‘led
sadness on her countenance, s'tc was
still the handsomest woman in the
place, and it was rumored that slu
liad refused many 11 a I ter oil - rs ol
marriage.
“Well, ten years rolled around, and
tliosi of us who had 1> m young once
were growing old. Lucinda among the
reet. I'he : aviug hank hail failed
hat sprit r, !.u i was almost at a
s.am till and Ec. it Peril v v as in a
bud way g a rally. IF ht in the
mills of the stagnation a stranger
oiiddenly appeared in town. He was
a middle-aged gentleman, with iron
gray hair and heard, and had the air
of a prosperous business man. He
engaged board at the hotel, saying
he was; from California, and was look
ing around for some quiet eastern
village in which to spend the summer.
I told him 1 thought he would find
Eden Center quiet enough, just then,
itnd he said, in-a sort of absent-mind
ed way:
“ ‘Yes, it does seem quieter than it
used to.’
“ ‘Why, when were you here be
fore?' 1 asked, giving him a quick
look, and vainly trying to place him.
“He colored up and said he had
been thinking of something else
when he spoke, and the matter was
dropped.
“Well, the first night he was there
he sat around, listening to every
word that was said by the villagers
who dropped in. but taking no part
in the conversation. After awhile the
crowd began to discuss the hank
trouble, and one of the party said:
“ ‘Too bad about Lucinda Peek,
isn’t it? They say she lost every
■cut she had by the savings bank
failure, and it is only a question of
time when she will have to give up
her cottage and go out to work for
i living.’
“I!, fore the sentence was fairly
•tided, the stranger was standing at
the desk before me, with face white
is a sheet.
“‘For Hod’s sake, tell me quick!’
he gasped- Lucinda Peek alive?’
“ ’Why, of e;a:rs she’s alive,’ said I
“‘And her father and mother?’ he
iskecl next.
“ ‘They're both dead,’ 1 replied.
“ ‘And she no longer lives in the big
'muse on the hill in her old home?'
e questioned eagerly.
“‘No,’ said I; ‘she is now living in
i small cottage out near the— ’
“ ‘Excuse me tor interrupting,’ he
broke in. impatiently. ‘My name is
dandell. 1 used lo know Miss Peek.
must -ee her at oner. Have you
orae one you can send with me to
'how me the way to her house?’
"I called in Joe, my man of al!
work; and, by the way, Joe is still in
my employ, and i think I’d better
let him tell the r ■ t of the story."
Stepping to the door opening into
the hotel storeroom, the landlord
- ung out:
“Here, Joe; come in and tell the
ladit sand gentlemen what happened
the night you showed the stranger
from California the way to Miss
Peek’s cottage.”
“Well,” began Joe, apologetically,
as he stepped into the room, “1 reck
on ye’ll all be disapp’inted. because
there didn’t anything happen wuth
mentionin’ scarcely. In the first
place, the gentleman didn’t say a
word all the way to the cottage—jest
walked; that’s all; an’ I had to run
purty nigh aU the way to keep up
with him.
“An" when we got to the gate, an’
I told him that was the place, he
went flyin* up the walk an’ began
knock in at the door as if he was
there on some mighty urgent busi
ness. In a minute or so. Mis- peek
opened the door, an’ I heard him say:
‘Lucinda, don’t yon know me?’ an’
she held out both hands an’ said:
‘Why, it's Henry!’ an’ the next min
ute they were hangin’ onto each oth
er, laughin’ an’ cryin’ both at onct,
like a pair of softies, an’ I seen I had
no further bi/ness there, so I come
away an’ left ’em; an’ that’s all there
was to it.”
“You have forgotten one important
item in your story, Joe, and that is
the present that Mr. Handel! gave
you for showing him the way to the
cottage," suggested the landlord,
smilingly.
“Oh, yes," said Joe, “the gentleman
handed me a (en-dollar gold piece the
next day, an’ when I told him it was
too much, he said: ‘No, sine, you
earned every cent of it, an’ more be
sides.* My conscience troubled me
considerably for taking it, though,
for a day or so, but when I heard
that he gave the village dominie s3o
for marryin’ him an’ Lucinda, that
same night I showed him the way to
hi-r cottage—an’ only a five-minutes’
job at that —I made up my mind that
Mr. Handell must be a millionaire an’
quit worrying over it.”
'' '
k X INTEHE VMlLY,quarrel between
two hotisis up on Lynn stree',
with the consequent estrangement oi
twecii Conductors Grimes and O'Con
nor. fathers and husbands of the war
ring groups, respectively, were power
ful factors in the last chapter, but
Casey’s sweetheart with the sunlit
hair was the cause of the trouble. She
was innocent of all evil intent, but be
tween her comeliness and Casey’s feel
ings; the most seriour consequences
nearly resulted to both parties, not to
mention two train load;, of Italian la
borers am! a bunch of the company's
i ;oiu y. And it it had not been for that
Lynn street feud and lie fact that
l-o h train crews took sides therein —
w< 11, Casey and the girl would not have
gone picnicking the next day.
How the feud originated no one
seemed to know, not even Casey, and
afterward he was too glad to accept
the bare tact to inquire. But after the
“kids” the mothers took it up, and the
fathers had to follow suit to keep
peace in their own families. It was
serious by this time. Each of those
two men had said things which had
been passed along by mutual friends
till neither could speak to the other.
Oh, they were sore hearted. They met
face to face that morning in the little
booth next to the office where Casey,
the train dispatcher, held the chaiv.
One glared into space and the other
-cowled, and they passed. Casey saw
them and laughed, and later in the day
was thankful that it was so.
Casey’s division ran from Janesville
up to Baraboo, or thereabouts, and
Grimes and O’Connor were in charge of
he two gravel trains working the cut
north of Janesville. Their trainsload
?'
A ***
TIE CAT r.li . : HE LAST HA \T)UAILOF THE CABOOSE.
and and sln vi It ,V alternately at the
•ut and Hie ti!.. as Hie case might be,
ind small were the civilities that
Kissed between Crews.
Cu-ey was rather a young man for so
■tspon. ibie a calling, but there was
me line besides train dispatching at
hiih he was even less experienced,:
inH he was finding constantly that his
latluvay was beset with ndw perplexi
ties and wonderments. Thi- morning
ic was absent-minded, subject to un
wonted start- and other symptoms,
asey hardly knew what was wrong,
mt he suspected strongly, and so did
Annie. 11 \va - hard to confine hi - brain
0 the work in hand. Instead of train
.lumbers and switch sand sidings and
stations his mind was filled with such
irrelevant matters as the shape of a
■ertain young woman’s non and the
vay the sun shone in her hair. But he
pulled himself together and got the
hang of the day’s work before things
began to snarl up.
The alternating gravel trains were
attended to early. Conductor Grimes
and his AO Italian laborers were sent
back to the cut to finish loading their
train with gravel. WConnor and his
gang were put to work for awhile at
the fill, unloading the tiat cars that had
beet filled the night before by ihe
lean -l.v- All this was cioy. The
passenger trains and the through and
way freights wore reported O. K., and
Casey allowed hi? min dto wandi r just
1 little, prospecting on the quality of
den ic win t her he ami Annie would get
to-morrow for their Dip up the river.
Then he was called back to tartli by a
message from the operator at the cut
five miles above. Grimes wanted to
run iiji to the water tank, three miles
fnrth-r on, to fill the tender. Ca.-ey
gave the right of way.
About this time O’Connoi had fin
'hed his unloading at the ti' .and hi>
Dtiii train of empty thus pulled up at
ihe station for orders. The AO “da
goes" sat complacently in the sun,
■molting their black pipes and saying
nothing, like so many graven images.
Casey m ut .them along the line to the
-ut for another load. Casey laughed
igain at the stolidity of Hit Italians,
and wondered if they ever felt as he
did. .They did not seem to care wheth
er school kept or not, but thi-n. they
didn't know the condition of the train
dispatcher’s mind, although this
ought to have been of viial interest to
them. Still. Hie passengers and the
through and the way freights were do
ing nicely, and it was already ten
o’clock.
Just then Annie came by. She ought
not to have done in in business hours,
hut she wanted to a?k Casey what
lunch to put up for to-morrow’s pic
nic. Tin dispatcher couldn’t resist. lie
stepped out for just a little “spiel,” a
very short one. Annie was such a good
hand to "Josh" with.
Casey returned to his desK at last.
Nothing had happen, d.and everything
was all right, the operator at the tank
wanted instructions. (.rim.'’ en
gineer was ready to go back, out re
quested additional orders to take on
his train at the cut. and then go rolling
down the line to Janesville, without
waiting for further telegraphic in
structions.
If Casey had been thoroughly him
self he would not have granted it. be
cause sgch a thing is irrt gnlar in rail
road practice, and two trains nearly
always get into trouble when they try
to pass on the same track. But for ten,
seconds it -slipped his mind that he had
given O’Connor the right of way Ami
in that ten seconds, having Annie's
smile before his eyes and being be
nevolently inclined to all, he told
Grimes’ engineer to go ahead.
Then he looked out and saw Annie
waving at him front across the track.
She, too, had forgotten something.
Did he prefer beef tongue nr ham in hi
sandwiches? That was all, or marly
all, and it vva- quickly settled. lie pre
ferred ham.
Rut when Casey got back and looked
at his order book he turned white. A
cording to the stories in the magazines
he should have drawn n gun on him.-. 1!
or died of heart disease. This i- a true
story, however, and Casey did melting
of the sort, lie shut hi- lips tight and
all the sunshine of the day turned
black, and all the pretty thing.- In ha i
been thinking about the girl turned
black with it. He jumped to the tiek-
ii 1 and tried to r< use the operator at
the cut.
The brute w;is slow, and when lie did
answer he said that Grimes' train had
gone. Gone! Casey was almost reach
ing tor the gun in the top drawer. But
he didn’t. He worked the instrument
again.
“Chase it!" rattled Casey, and the
operator chased.
In the next ten minutes Casey got
his first gray hair.
Now, from the cut to Janesville it is
down grade all the way. The gravel
train had stood on a siding, and the
brakeniau had to Jump to catch the
caboose after he had locked the switch.
The track was had and good sprinting
out of the question. The operator was
a long-legged chap, however, and he
had a chance.
Meanwhile Casey sat still and wait
ed. Jie saw the wreck—vividly—the
steaming ruin of the engines, the
heaped-up train and the bodies lying
side by side under blankets. Then the
inquest and all the rest of the night
mare. There was murder on his hands
unless that train was t’opped. And if
it was stoppt d—well, there would lie
words of comment by trainmen, mes
sages over the wire to the division su
perintendent and others not by (ascy,
and it would be till over with Casey's
railroad career*, to say nothing of An
nie and t he picnic.
O’Connor had left Janesville long ago
ami was now plugging along up the
grade, with numerous curves ahead
and 50 dagoes' In hind. Grimes train
was rapidly gaining headway, string
ing out of the siding an and rat 11' ng on to
I he main t rack, going fasti r witli every
yard.
.The long-legged operator ran rapid
ly. Just us the train .straightened out
for the down grade of the main line
he caught the lasi hand rail of theca
boose and was Hung off his feet, but
hung on and climbed aboard.
And there they stood, the engine
puffing and blowing off and Grimes
talking very earnestly with his en
gineer when thi O'Connor train pulled
in. It was the long-legged operator
who saved the trains- -but it was the
backyard quarrel that saved Casey.
Grime.- scowled. O'Connor glowered,
conversation was out of the question
and official joint reports not to be
thought of. In the feud that had dis
rupted the neighborhood up on Lynn
street the poor train dispatcher who
had nearly sent two trains over the
Great Divide was forgotten.
So (iaaey and the little lady with the
sunlit hair went on their picnic up the
river according to schedule.- Paul It.
Wright, in Chicago Record-Herald.
Timely 55 if tke Tlirifty.
" ~ ~i
Though a number of weeks still lie between us and Christmas the preparations on
every hanl indicate its coming, and preparations as regards the household necessities and
wearing apparel are quite in order. Now. replenished stocks give you a range for selection
which you will not enjoy later and our prices especially make it an object to you to purchase
the necessary articles for wear and home comfort now.
Blankets.
You have never seen
such fine blankets be
fore they are this years
product better both in
weight and material.
In softness they excel
an ything an yth in geve r
shown.
Extra large and heavy cot
ton blankets, made of line
material and answers the
demand for an ex C ( 1Z
tra tine blanket.. pi. L o
Extra large all wool blank
ets. finest wool, full size, a
blanket worth J /n
50 now only • U /
Avery fine all wool blank
et, good weight, the best
blanket ever Qi Cl
shown for the price
Flannels.
Flannels, both * in
woolen and cotton are
used to a very great ex
tent in the winter, and
the sale.v of those goods
this year far outdis
tanced any previous
vears. Wo anticipated
this and had our re-or
ders in early. The m w
flannels are here, pat
terns new in designs,
goods soft and durable.
3 per yd. for regular 5c
w cotton flannels.
to , per yd. for extra
iUL quality shrunk c >tbm
dannels.
| i . per yd. for all wool
ir'lC shirt’irg flannel.
THE PEOPLES SAVINGS BANK.
R. Ci. OLP, Prop.
rianilowoc, V V Wisconsin.
REUABLE. PEERLESS SMOKING
OT MADE BY ATRISt' -.^/
SUBSCRIBE FOR THE PILOT.
Clothing Department.
New Clothing' for the Holidays. In the
preparation for the holidays our clothing
department has been very active. In fact
it has taken the lead by securing the new
est the clothing manufacturers had tooffer.
For dash and style our clothing cannot be
surpassed and for wearing qualities it has
no equal. If you are fitted out with a suit
like these for the holidays you will have the
double assurance of being well dressed and
of not paying more than is generally asked
for a poorer quality of clothing.
I 1 CA for men's nobby all wool suits. Up to
date in fashion, correctly tailored.
$4.50 for vomit; men s heavy winter suits.
CO “IA i" 1- men s all "00l suits A verj drossy
V.tHf and durable suit for winter wear
Oj. for men's winter suit- A good wearing
suit fashionably made
Overcoats
(hercoats and ul
sters for men and
boys. There is a
touch of styletothem
-the quality of yoods
and tlio manner in
which they are made
makes them out of
the ordinary-dressy
ga rmcnts witha no w
ness that every care
ful dresser appreci
ates.
C for men's 1,: v\
overcoats ami
ulsters. Exceptionally
(.:oo*‘ j/ii! merits both in
quality of material and
make.
C | f for men's . x
olia'U trn line over
coats, made of extra
quality material, taste
fully lined. Avers
dressy, dnrnb'e and cma
fortal.il ■ garment.
Q/ an for nn a lim
Ml iM* over -Us. made
of Kood quality >;< 1
well lined.
Underwear
i^hovii^i
<>f all garments
you wear the kind of
underwear is most
important, for on it
depends your health
and comfort. The
underwear we sell
is made of the best
material under most
sanitary conditions
and though you have
the ad' antages of a
superior quality of
underwear you pay
no more than for the
common kind.
a" , for fine fleece lin
i liH. id underwear for
men. women and chil
dren, As good a grade
of underwear lias never
been o'u red at ihi price.
Vf AA f"” ' 'tra fine
v' UU qualil v men -
all wool underwear.
This a heavy garment
for winter wear and u
g. oil v. b: .. . the piice.
ZA . for flue quality
o'vFL. men's wool fie* ,and
underwear A garment
ot fairly good weight.
V* for regular s(lc
i)eC men's theced un
derwear.
Capes= Furs.
' ?
Best in quality, price t
and style. In speak- i
ing of these garments \
we cannot fail to men- f
lion quality and stvle \
because every one of V
these garments pos- b
susses these virtues— f
a sharj) contrast to the i
many poor garments a
you so often see at '
prices even higher than \
ours for good gar- (
ments. Kvery lady (
should heprovided with I
one of these garments .
in readiness for the
holidays. '
CO "j| for handsome long |
,n t best both in
quality and style i
O . ”0 * l,r Sliiv ‘ made
' la") from selected fur |
trimmed with six tails.
or for Astrakhan cape 1
.Oil extra long, b. 20
inch sweep, trimmed with
line Thibet fur.
on o “ for extra long silk
.Oil seal plush cape,
100 inch sweep, fancily em
broidered and trimmed with
fur.
J 7" for sil!; seal plush
O I i4t) cape, med iu m
length. 100 inch sweep,
trimmed with Tliiliet fur.
Yarns.
A pair of mittens,
stockings or fascinator,
knitted by your own
hands and given as a
t hristm.is g ft to some
one will be u long and
much value<l rememb
eranee ot the giver to
the receiver.
Our yarn pri - w ill
interest thosv who will
do knitting this winter,
Fleiwher'.s 1; 11 U
worst* ■'
per slu ii ~ Is /