Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel], March 18, 1906, Image 39

About Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
GEORGE HYDE PRESTON
T" HE west-bound Overland was standing
still on the plains. The sun beat down
SSSSSj and the hot wind gifted the dust
iarf«!B through every crevice. »
The girl, who was the sole occupant
of the private car at the end of tho train, looked
forlornly out of the window and drummed on the
pane with impatient fingers. f
■J "What are wo stopping for?" she exclaimed.
"There is not a house in sight nor a thing stir
ring except this nasty dust." And she looked dis
approvingly nt a grimy littlo hand. "It'a one of
those everlasting hot boxes, of course," sha added,
and her eyes strayed listlessly across the barren
country and then became intent on a cloud of
dust that was moving towards the train.
She took up a pair of field-glasses, put them to
her eyes, and gave an eager cry. "They are cow
boys! It's, a race! One is way ahead! How
splendidly he rides! He's coming this wayl Oh,
I could lovj a man who rides like that!"
And she dropped the glasses and clapped he
hands.
The foremost man was rapidly nearing Ihe
train, and ths girl watched him breathlessly.
.1 hen came, n sharp whistle from the engine and
the train began moving.
The girl ran to the end of the car and out en
the platform !n her eagerness to see the finish.
, An the train gathered headway the foremost
horseman swerved in his course nnd made
straight for her car, and when the rear platform
came abreast his racing horse he made a sudden
daring Bpring from tho saddle to the step.
The crowd of horsemen behind shouted and
waved at the tiain.
The man lay on the step for n moment, pant
ing heavily, then ho looked up at the girl with
triumphing eyes.
"I made it, didn't I?"
"Yes," she answered, her face pink with ex
citement. "It was splendid— the way you rode.
I thought it was a race. I didn't know you were
trying to catch the train. Your friends got left,
didn't they?"
'"Yes, they did," he replied, looking back at
the waving group with a grim smile under his
mustache.
"The train is slowing down!" exclaimed the
girl. "I believe it is going to wait for them."
The man started and swore under his breath.
"Are there many passeugers in. this car?" "no
demanded.
"I am the only one at present. It is a private
car."
"Please come in here," said he, drawing her
through the door and closing it. Then he faced
her and looked straight into her eyes.
"Those men arc not my friends," he said short
ly. "They didn't want to catch the train. Thpy
wanted to catch mo. They are a sheriff's posse.
If I'm caught, it's all day with me."
The girl breathed quickly. The train had al
most stopped.
"I've been wild enough, God knows, but I
didn't do this thing. I can"t prove it, though,
and I'll swing if they catch me. I must make a
fight for it. Go into the next car, please. Quick!
I don't waut you killed too."
The girl looked at him.
"I'd like to help you," she said. "I— believe
you."
THE FIDELITY OF A DOG
BY CV WARMAN
T" IHE Baltynes came to Canada with plenty
of money, but, as plenty is not enough
r--ij!r --ij!- for the average white man, Baltyne
M^j mndc more in the lumber lands and
, more in the wheat fields and flour milU
of Manitoba, and still more in the mines of tho
far Northwest. Ho was a big, wholesome, happy
natured man, but, as the years went by and his
fortune grew with the growing country, there
would come to him, in the logging camp, in the
wide wheat fields, and in the miner's cabin,
moments of utter loneliness.
Mrs. Baltyne had her moments of loneliness,
1 too. She longed and yearned for the sound of
a baby's voice cnlling her mother, iho was
childless, and if she had married the commander
of a submarine boat she would not have been
■ much more alone, for. bo vast had her husband's
fortune jr>-own that they could scarcely see each
other over the top of the heap.
At length, when she had bighed away six or
seven summers, God blessed her and busied her
with a beautiful baby boy. When tho boy was
two years old a friend of Baltyno's sent a pointer
i pup to play with him, and as no other heirs enroe
v to them the boy. and the pup grow up together.
i' Young Baltyne was a bright boy, and lie. taught
- the dog more tricks than most dogs ever learn.
In summer they swam together, and in winter
the dog, harnessed to a little red sled, gave tho
boy many a wild ride over the hard, snow-covered
Queer Work for Soldiers
T* IHK French Minister of War has just
granted leave to certain of the best
r-TT*£j'l Bno ts in the garrisons nt Calais imd
agjjawl jfoulogrK! to put themselves nt the
disposition of the local authorities for
the purpose of destroying the many seals that
frequent the sandbanks between these two towns
and are a serious menace to the fishing industry.
Before now Bolditrs have been similarly cm-
ployed.
A few winters since the province of Luxemburg
was so infested with wolves as to give rife to
serious alarm among the inhabitants, who, by
themselves, were quite unable to cope with the
scourge. They therefore consulted the Minister
of Agriculture, who, thinking maybe that the
army would be better employed than idle, organ
ized hunting parties composed of soldiers, with
a most satisfactory result.
Four years ago a vast horde of rats crossed the
German frontier into East Belgium. Their depre
dations were wholesale and so audacious iv
many instances did the animals become as, to at
tack and sevcr6ly wound young children. People
were even compelled to nbandon their homes. At
last the government wns applied to for assistance
' S and from the garrisons of the neighboring townß
W soldiers were dispatched to the assistance of the
inhabitants, who wero with their aid enabled at
length to stem the rodent invasion.
Sparrows were the pest that the French troops
In the Private Car
• "Thank you for thnt. But it's no use," hs
added, a humorous light coming into his eyes
as he looked at her. "Women can't serve on
juries in Montana."
The car was standing dead still now and they
could hear the beat of hoofs.
"Quick! Go!" he cried, pushing her forward.
"No!" she exclaimed. "Step into that state
room and lock the door! I have a plan. Let the
fight come last, if it must come. If it does, I'll
get out of harm's way. Oh, please go! The men
are hero!"
He seized her hands and his eyes blazed into
hers, "Whether you save me or not, Cfod bless
your pluck! Good-by!" and ho impulsively
stooped and kissed her, and was gone into tlm
state-room.
And when, a moment later, the Sheriff and
his posse entered' the car they were faced by n
young woman with pink cheeks but compossd
manner.
"Gentlemen, this is a private car. The passen
ger cars arc forward." , '/■?
"Sorry to disturb you, Mn'am," said the Sher
iff, glancing quickly around, "but we want the
man who jumped nboard this cnr. Where is he?''
"I told him this wns a private car and ho Went
on through," snwered tho girl coolly.
"Jim, you stay here," snapped the Sheriff. "Tha
rest of you como on. Sorry to disturb you, Mam,
but I have to leave a man in charge hero while
we search the train. This is mighty particular
business I'm on, and I can't risk no slip up.'
The train was a long one and it was some tinvj
before the Sheriff came back. When he did ha
looked the girl straight in the eye. "We didn't
find the man," snid Tie.
"He must hnve stepped off the train, then,"
she answered.
"No, Ma'am' This train is surrounded," he re
torted. "What's in them rooms? AV'c'll have to
search this car."
The girl laughed easily. "This is absurd.
What interest could I have in concealing your
man?"
"Beg pardon, Ma'am. I don't suspicion you,
but he must havo stepped into one of them
rooms without your seeing him."
"Impossible!" £he answered.
"Well, we'll have to search them, anyway.' 1
"This is insolen.ee, sir!" cried the girl. "This
car does not belong to the train. It is the pri
vate car of tho vice president of this road. Thusa
are his .private rooms. I am his daughter. I
forbid you to sc-arch them!"
The Sheriff's jaw squ'arcd.
"I don't care nothing about your vice presi
dents. I respect a lady, Ma'am, but you are in
terfering with an officer of the law. StanS aside.
Ma'am. Jim, open that door!"
As Jim stepped forward the door was opened
a crack, and n smooth, drawling voice inquired—
"Helen, what is all this noise about?"
"Who is that man?" demanded the Sheriff.
"That man? That man is— my husband," said
the girl in a clear, cool voice. "I thought you
were asleep, Jack," the culled.
"I'm not, though, but T am only about half
dressed," drawled the voice. "Now, what is
this row about?" And the door opened part
way, and just within the jcom stood a young
man clad in faultless shirt nnd trousers, his up
per lip cleiin ohaven, and the rest (jf his face
thickly covered with lather, He peered out near
siglitedly at the group through his gold rimmed
eye-glasses nnd repented languidly, "Now, what's
is all this row about?"
Canadian' highways. Always they played to
gether, and when tho boy ate they ate together,
for he would have nothing that he could not
share with the dog, even to apples and oranges;
and tho dog, no matter how hungry he might
be, if you gnve him something blocks away, he
would carry it and lay it at his master's feet.
When he was twelve' years old the boy could
say truthfully thnt there had not been a day
in ten years that they had not seen earh other
some time between tho rising and setting of the
sun. If the boy traveled by land or sea, the dog
went hy the same conveyance, and, if the boy
could havo his way, in the same carriage, car
or stateroom. The dog's whole life, from pup
hood to old age, had been spent in tho boy'n
company, and never a cuff or a kick had he re
ceived. Is it any wonder, then, that the dog
loved the lad?
One day— the first in all his life — he missed his
little master. All day he hunted, searched, and
waited for him, nnd all night those watching in
the sick room could hear hint whining, which is
only a dog's way of weeping, and when they pass
ed out near the garden porch they could hear
him walking, walking up and down, up and
down, precisely as a humnn being would walk,
nnd, I make no doubt, he suffered the same. Suro
ly never was Borrow seen plainer in human eyes
than in the anxious eyes of this devoted old
dog.
The servants -.vent tiptoe and conversed in stage
whisperings., When , they had outgrown the fear
were called upon to exterminate Rome time ago
in Algiers.
During the maneuvers recently held at Char
tres a lion escaped from a traveling menftgerie
and went oft' at a brisk pace through the town.
Great was the consternation of the inhabitants,
who callfd upon the soldiers for protertion. For
answer the latter bade the timid citizens keep
within doors and scoured the streets until the
savage beast was Ciipturfd.
In August of 1000, during the journey of a
company of French engineers from the capital of
Marseilles, the driver, by some unfortunate acci
dent, fell from t*e engine on to the line, while
the stoker, overcome with emotion, fainted. A
couple of soldiers, however, at once stepped into
tho breach and volunteered to drive the train,
which they did with such skill and nerve that it
arrived at Dijon three minutes before the adver
tised time.
In February of lilOii a terrible blizzard swept
over southern Russia. Hundreds of peasants'
huts, were buried beneath the snowdrifts, while
outside Odessa three trains were completely
blocked. Word was at once sent to the neigh
boring barracks and over <iOOO soldiers, mined
with shovels, promptly appeared upon the scene.
In a very short while tho lines were cleared.
A more curious role, however, than any cf the
foregoing is that of acting as a living object les
son to the anatomy students at Heidelberg Uni
versity, which, it seems, is expected of any sol
dier who may chance to be quartered in that
German town.
LOS ANGELES HERALD SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT
The girl flashed a look at him.
'"Oh Jack!" she began excitedly, "this U the
Sheriff. Ho is after n man, and he says he is
hiding in this car — in papa's car— and he wants
to search papa's rooms and I won't let him.
That's nil."
"That's all right, Helen," drawled the young
man. "Let him sco tho rooms. Ho is perfectly
right, and, besides, he is the Sheriff and ycu
can't stop him, anyway."
"I think it is n shame, Jack, but, if you say
so, Johnson can show . him through,", she an-
•'I MADE IT. DIDN'T I?"
swered, turning to a porter who had come in and
stood looking on in open-eyed astonishment.
'Yes, let — Johnßon show him through. And
if you are satisfied, gentlemen, that your man.
•isn't in here with me, I'll close the door nnd fin
ish dressing."
/'All right, sir," laughed the Sheriff, glancing
into the room. "Very sorry to have to disturb
you and your wife."
The young man glanced at the girl as he closed
the door.
and dread of death that seemed to hover about
"Browmvood," they spent long hours discussing
the dog. They fed him regularly twice a day,
and though no one of them had seen him eat,
they believed he did eat, for all the solid food
disappeared— all the bones were buried some
where.
Tho pointer wasted day by day. The coach
man said flippantly that the dog had spring
fever. The gardener railed it distemper, but^old
Auntie, the colored cook, said it was "totin' of
his trouble" that made the old dog look "so po'
an' mis'able like."
At the end of a fortnight he. had lost all in
terest in his surroundings. If he lay in tho
shade of a shrub nnd the shadow shifted, he
would not stir, but would lie for hours in tho
broiling sun rather than move. Sometimes, hear
ing a strange footstep, he would start up, look,
listen, and then fall down iignin. Then he would
take a long, deep breath, blow it out suddenly
with a sigh, and lie perfectly still.
The robins rioted in the tulip trees, the blue
birds built in the maples, and the woodpecker
hammered away at the dead limb on the big syca
more down by the river, while the old dog lny
under the lilac bush; listless, listening for his
little master's footsteps. So the pointer passed
the spring days, but of his nights nnd how he
got through them no <me knew. They knew he
slept, if he slept at all, in his favorite corner
in the garden porch, but they knew not how
often through the long, lonely night, when tired
of his bed he got up and walked, and when weary
of walking lay down again.
Mists
™3^\ALL of fog on lowland,
JfJ» Pall of mist on high,
rogAW Scarce ;> sirm to show land,
feffijfl - N '° l a s'i'npse oi sky!
Winter* grace all hidden,
With the fiend fog here.
Dread as thing forbidden.
Ghostly, grim and drear.
• North wind and bold wind,
Wind that brings the fuller day,
Fierce wind and cold wind,
Cheer us as of old, wind,
Roll the mists away!
Very Coo l
P* PERHAPS there never was a win who
so thoroughly believed in taking
ERXffRJ things coolly as Mr. 1 Suiter!. The
itU-lUr disadvantages of worry, and the fooi
ishness of rush, no matter what cir
cumstance might arise, was the never failing
text upon which he hung many and many an
improving discourse.
But as so often happens, Mr. Bulteel's oppor
tunities for puttine his favorite theory into prac
tice had been few, until ono fateful night when
he aud his wife were aroused from their mid
night slumber by the dread cry, "Fire!"
He was coolness itself.
' "My dear," he said calmly to his wife, "the
time has come when we will find in practice the
i She gasped and turned pink.
Ha did not open tho door again until the search
was over and tho train under way. Then he
came out. "I've finished dressing," he an
nounced calmly.
The girl looked at him, her cheeks flushing and
her eyes demanding his excuse.
"Please forgive me," he stammered. "I thought
it was all up with me. I never expected to mm
you again. I thought it was good-by forever — and
you wero so plucky. And besides," he added,
with a flash of rccklew fun in his eyes, "it isn't
unusual for a husband to kiss his wife."
Her face turned scarlet.
"Oh! why couldn't I think of some other lie
than that!" shu stammered helplessly. "I might
have Baid brother, or cousin, or anything but
thnt," and she covered her burning face with
her hands.
Ha took .a quick step to her side,
"You did it because you knew it was the surest
way to fool them. You did it because you hay«
the quickest wit and the pluckiest heart in the
One day Baltyno faced the doctor in the hall.
"Is he going?" he asked, almost demanded.
"Yes," was the answer, and it entered Baltyne's
heart like a sword thrust.
It was very still all about the big house that
night, save for tho smothered sobbing of a wom
an away off somewhere among the cushions
where the lights burned low. But if any of tho
watchers passed out back, they heard the steady
click, click, click, click of the old dog's nails
on the floor of the garden porch, like the measur
ed ticking of the great clock in the hall, as he
walked the hours away: up and down, up and
down in the darkness, all alone.
At last the time was come. Hope had died
with yesterday. The medicine bottles had been
put aside. The nurse sat down, like the doctor,
to wait.
Often nt intervals, during that dny, the dying
boy asked after his dog. Along in the after
noon he raised his head, and in his delirium
called the dog, and instantly the pointer was
at the window. For hours he had been walking,
unobserved by the nnxious watchers inside, up
and down the narrow veranda that ran along the
side of the boy's hedroom. At the sound of his
master's voice he Rtood up and beat the window
with his front feet. At the sight of him the
boy seemed to forget his suffering, nnd, smiling,
begged them to let the dog in. Bnltyne — big,
bra'ye Baltyne, with tears washing down his
wind-browned face— looked at the door nnd the
doctor nodded. Then Bnltyne opened the door
that led to the little vernada nnd the dog glided
in. His whole frame quivered as he entered the
room, nnd as he caught sight of the boy he ut
Where two fared a-singing,
Two that were but one,
Doubt's chill mists and clinging
Hide love's glowing sun,
Through tbo cold mists groping,
Blindly twain trudge on,
Finding past all hoping
All life's beauty gone,
Strong love and true love,
Love that brings the fuller day,
What are doubts to you, love?
Gather strength anew, love,
Roll the mists away!
value of what I bitve always preached. Drcsa
yourself quickly, but keep cool."
In tense silence they, busied themselves in the
operation of quick but unhurried dressing. Then
Mr. Bulteel slipped his watch into his waistcoat
pocket, and they walked safely out of the bur
ning building.
"There, my denr," he Baid to his wife, when
the danger was aver, "you see the great value of
my philosophy of coolness. Now, if we had lost
our head* * '
His wife glanced at mm mr me inn, nine SM'.-e
the alarm had been given.
"Yes, William," Bhe said sweetly, "your phil
osophy is both charming nnd useful; but really,
dear, "if I had been you 1 would have put ou v
pair of trousersl"
COPYRIGHT BY <J. B. LIPPINCOTT CO
whole world! Your father, the vice president,
might not approve of your helping a cowboy ouc
of a scrape, but he "
"The vice president is not my father," she in
terrupted.
"But you told the Sheriff you were the vice
president's daughter."
•'I know I did, but that was another— lie. I
thought if I said so they would not dare to search
the rooms."
"Has he a daughter?"
"No, only a son."
"Then you " he began.
"I am his wife's companion. They arc to meet
the car at Billings to-night."
"Are these the son's clothes that I have on?"
"No. They belong to the secretary. The son
livos away out here somewhere." And she waved
vaguely across the country. "He had some trouble
■with his father and left home, saying he would
never come back till his father asked him to —
and they are both obstinate.".
The man started and clinched his hands nery
oußly. "'Yes, I have beard of such cases," said
he quietly.
"I wish ho would come home, though," wont
on the girl wistfuly. "His mother is a dear old
lady, nnd she misses him and wants him. Ha
ought to be ashamed of himself!" she added hot
ly. Then she laughed. "She is such a dear old
lady. lam a distant relative— did I tell you?—
and she is very fond of mo nnd often talks to
me about her son, nnd tells me, if he would only
come back, what a good wife I would make tor
him, because I om so quiet and domestic. If
phe could only see me to-day!" And her eyes
dnncsd.
"Have you ever met the son?"
"No, it all happened several years ago, before
I went to live with her."
'Hut— cr — perhaps you would not love him."
"His mother says I could not help it. But I
don't know about that," smiled the girl, looking
at lier watch. "Why, it is two o'clock!" she ex
claimed. "I hope you will stay to lunch," she
laughed.
"Thank you, T will. I haven't had anything to
eat since yesterday morning."
"Oh. I ought to have thought! Why didn't
you tell me? I'm bo wry! Will you please
touch the button?" And when the porter came
in she said, "Johnson, have lunch right away.
Have lots of lunch, . Johnson! I'm awfully
hungry! And— er— Johnson— my— husband got
on at that station away back there, you knov.-,
early this morning. You remember, don't you?
Someone on the train— some Sheriff— might ask
you. you know."
"Yes, Miss, yes, Miss, I sure remembers what
ever you say," replied the porter, nodding grave
ly.
"And now, Johnson, hurry lunch as fast as ever
you can."
"Yes, Miss."
As they were finishing lunch the young man
looked across the table at the girl with troubled
eyes.
"I'm afraid T have got yon into an awful
scrape," he paid.
"Oh, no!" f>he answered lightly. "Johnson is
devoted to me, r.nd he will say nothing. You'll
get off somewhere this side of Billings, and I'll
invent come story about the loss of the secre
tary's clothes— you'll have to wear them, you
know— and them you are! Oh, what a lot of
fibs I've told to-day!" She sighed contritely. B
"I shall always remember this day— and you,
said he unsteadily "How can I ever repay you,
tercd a little, teetering whine that grew until he
reached the bed. As the boy wound his arm 3
around tho dog's neck the whine swelled into
a cry— not a bark nor a growl, nor yet a melan
choly howl that a dog will do away in the dark
—a sobbing cry, not unlike that which came from
the other side of the bed where the boy's mother
was kneeling. Almost immediately the boy be
came calm and sank into a sort of stupor that
wns like sleep. When he had closed his eyes,
Baltyne lifted the old dog tenderly and put him
outside the room. At the door the dog turned his
head, looked back At the bed, and uttered a
low, quivering cry — thnt wns all. „
When the door was closed he resumed his walk,
up and down, up and down along the narrow
veranda.
That night the hoy slept as he had not slept
for weeks. The doctor was surprised to find him
fresher and stronger the next morning. He
got out his bottles nnd began to help the boy,
who continued to show some signs of improve
ment. He slept again in the afternoon, and on
waking nsked for the dog. The meeting between
the little master and his mute friend was mark
ed by the same mutual happiness, though neither
wns nffected as on the previous day. The dog
went out quietly this time. Like the boy, he
had grown stronger.
The doctor gave the family a httle hope, and
that night Mrs. Baltyne slept.
After a night's rest she rose somewhat re
freshed and went out while tho house was yet
quiet. As she passed out under the great trees
she saw the old dog dragging himself up the hill.
When he saw her ho picked up a nest that had
King's Oldest Subject
T" IHE unique claim of Mr. James Mc-
Nally, King Edward's oldest subject,
L»^gJ who recently entered upon his 110 th
afcaaHJ yenrj j s that ho has lived in three cen-
turies and during the reign of five
Kn^lish sovereigns. For the last fourteen years
Mr. McNally has been an inmate of the Home
of tho Little Sisters of the Poor in South I.am
berth, where some twenty-six devoted women
Spend their lives in caring for the aged poor.
For the maintenance of their helpless charges
they depend on the alms of the charitable, beg
ged from door to door, and it is one of the rules
of the establishment that only when all the in
mates havo been properly fed must the good
sisters think of their own needs.
"The charitable public is very good to us, and
we have never been in want." said a sister, vrho
introduced a reporter to Mr. McNally one night
recently.
It was past 6 o'clock and McNally was com
forttbly tucked up in bed, but he was not asleep,
and his withered features puckered into a cheer
ful smile when he realized the object of the
visit. He has a good memory for* the events of
his early life, innging back over a period of more
than a century, and including the battles of
Trafalgar and Waterloo. He was bom in Kings
county, Ireland, on February 15, 1707, the day
after the battle of St. Vincent, and four years
previous to the union of Kngland and Ireland.
George 111. wns on the throne, William l'itt was
Prime Minister, while Napoleon and Wellington
wcro young men of 27. In his lifetime there
or even begin to thank you? I ihall probably
never see you ngnin, but before I go you'll tell mo
your name, won't you?"
"Yes, I'm Marian Lee. And yours? It must
be something wild and daring," she laughed.
ire hesitated. "Please let me be 'Jack,' as you
christened me. I can't tell you my name. Not
because I am ashamed of it or have dishonored it,
but because you — because I can't."
In their eager talk they did not notice that
the train had stopped at a station, and did not
hear tho car door open.
"Well, Miss Lee," called a cheery voice, "I
found we had time to come this far on the east
bound to meet the car, and— what!"
"Oh Mr. Blaker!" gasped Miss Lee. "I— l "
"Oh Will! Oh my son, jay son I" cried an
other voice, and his mother was clinging to Miss
Lee's cowboy with trembling arms. "You have
come back to us. Say you have!"
The young man held his mother to hi* breast
for a long moment. Then he looked at his fath
er and his face hardened.
"I didn't expect, sir, to meet " he began.
Then he felt M<ss Lee's hand on his arm.
"You asked roe a minute ago "how you could
repay me," she said in a low voice. "Pay me
now — I demand it. Oh, please do, Mr. — Mackl' '*
"Will— my son — don't break my heart," whis
pered his mother.
He faced around. "Father, I have come borne.
I have been a fool."
"So have I, my boy, so we'll say no more
about it," and he walked down to the end of the
car and looked out of the door, for a moment.
Then he came back.
"Look here, you two," he demanded, with hand
on his son's shoulder, "where did you meet?
What have you been up to? What's this I hear
about your repaying Miss Lee, Will?"
'"I'll tell you, dir," and he did.
" Ton my soul!" sputtered the old gentleman.
"You've got me into a pretty mess between you.
This story will go all over the road. Everybody
knows I have no daughter, to say nothing of a
married one. And the Sheriff will find out he
has been fooled, and begin sending telegrams
down the line to arrest you, young man. It's a
pretty kettle of fish. Now, what are you going
to do about it?" he demanded in puzzled despair.
"It's all my fault," stammered Miss Lee. "I
didn't know how to— to lie— properly."
'•Your fault, indeed!" cried Mrs. Blaker, with
her arms around her. "You're the bravest, sweet
est girl in all the world!"
"I'll do anything I can to straighten things out.
air." sighed Miss Lee. "
"You will?" cried the cowboy. And again the
reckless fun came into his eyes— and something
more. "So you shall! And I'll tell you how!
And all the lies will come true besides! You
said I was your husband— and lin going to be.
You said you -were the vice president's daughter
—nnd you will be — in law. And I love you—
"Oh!" gasped Miss Lee, "I— you— l can't— lYe
only known you one day. and "
"Yes. only one day, Marian, but a big, long
day. Long enough for you to save my life and
bring me home ?nd make me love you."
"Oh Marian! then my wish would come true!
rried Mrs. Blaker.
"You might as well give in, young woman,
put in Mr. Ttlaker. "My son is the most obsti
nate boy alive."
"If you reftn?, T'll go back and give myself up
to the sheriff!" declared the cowboy.
"Oh! don't do that— 'Jack'," faltered Miss I<ea.
been torn from a tulip tree by the night wind,
brought it and put it down at her feet, and then
fell down to rest. In the nest, rain-drenched,
were two half-naked robins. "So like you, poor,
poor old dog." said his mistress, laying a hand
lightly on the pointer's head.
From where she sat resting on ft rustic seat
she could see, away down by the swimming pool,
a little mound, where the wet leaves had been
lately disturbed.
The next morning they missed the old dog,
and Mrs. Baltyne, remembering her early moraine
experience of the day before, went down to the
pool, and there she found the old dog hiding *nd
hoarding like a miser to the last.
At the end of a month the boy was able to be
.vheeled down to the pool. The old dog romped
out ahead, and when tho nurse arrived with the
invalid, followed by the parents, the old dog
tore into the leaves, barking. "Here, Master,
he was trying to say, "see, I have eaten nothing.
Here, where we have feasted so often together,
have I carried all the bones, waiting, -waiting for
you. It was hard — I was hungry sometimes, but
I knew you'd come." And then, ns if to set
example, he began gnawing a fiesh bone, for ha
was hungry.
Presently the doctor joined them.
"What was it, doctor," asked Mrs. Baltyne,
"that came so near killing our boy?"
"The fever."
"And what was it that saved him to us when
hope had gone?"
"The dog," snid the honest old doctor.
Copright by J. B. Lippineott Company.
have been thirty-five administrations, while
twenty-two Prime Ministers have held office.
McNally's trade was that of a scaffolder, and ha
was employed in the erection of Colney Hatch
Asylum in 1831; then for over twenty years he
lived in America, nnd took part as a non-com
batant in the American war of secession, re
turning to England in 1878.
Of his many experiences he delights to talk,
and he is especially proud of the fact that ho
prepared a foundation ttooe which was "well
and truly" laid by the late Prince Consort. Of
the late Queen Victoria in her youth he has
vivid recollections. "I well remember the open
ing of the first railway in England," ho remark
ed. "It was between Manchester and Liverpool,
and it was opened by my countryman, the Duke
of Wellington, ono of the greatest men who ever
lived. Yes, lam a very old man, and have seen
many Urines. I hope to see the bright. King
dom of Heaven before long. For one thing I
thauk God most heartily — that He has given me
this haven of rest in my old age."
With the exception of his eyesight McNally re
tains all his faculties, and enjoys his pipe as
much as ever. He has never learned to read or
write. On fine days ho is wheeled round the
garden in a chair, and is well cared for in every
way. When each of his birthdays comes round,
•it is celebrated by a fete, in which all the in
mates, some 300 in number, as well as the staff,
participate. He is proud of the fact that on his
hundredth birthday the present Archbishop of
Westminster (Dr. Bourne) was among these who
assisted in the festivities.