The Ekalaka eagle. [volume], May 14, 1909, Image 6

About The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
THE IRON
LANTERN
E t H. BEDFORD-JONES
{Copyright, by Dally Story Pub. Co.)
Trie note read:
"To the Hon. Sir Gladwin, savior
■of the unworthy life of his slave, Ka
i ®a -?chi, greeting.
"I return to-day to the Land of a
■Thousand Delights; and returning I
«end the thanks of one saved from de
•truc tion, and also the gift of his
grateful spirit. May your ancestors
preserve! KAGA-ICHI."
Then I remembered. Some months
before I had saved a Japanese from
the fury of a gang of roughs during
one of the periodic anti-Japanese out
breaks which took place along the Pa
cific coast. The man had thanked me,
In perfect English, and disappeared;
iiere was the testimonial of his grati
Hude. I turned to the box which had
come with the letter, when my serv
ant announced Harold Varnim, 1 hailed
him with delight, for he was an au
thority on things oriental, having but
recently returned from many years
•spent in the east.
He entered, a big, handsome, full
ilooded man. and 1 showed him the
letter. His ruddy face paled a trifle,
I thought, as he read; but he merely
remarked:
"Let us see what the box contains,
have heard the name of Kaga-Ichi be
ere and any gift from him will be of
some value."
Opening the box. 1 found, wrapped
•i:i many layers of thin paper and rice
• raw, a queer iron object and a small
box. Then 1 saw that the former was
a. lantern, but unlike any that I had ;
wer seen. It was a square of wrought
iron, with overhanging roof, and sides (
of delicate openwork. The body of the
lantern was covered with very thin
•traceries of copper; and inside were
;i
11
w.
im
.ill-Li^
VC
s
Éaâlèl
. iB&mr vu
SK
S!
• V
Sr-srt:
WS
«
S7//A.
'Hast Thou Come for Expiation,
Brother?"
hung curtains of fine crimson silk,
jroidered lightly with gold.
:iut I had barely glanced at it when
Varnim seized the lantern and cried
.ii amazement:
"Why, man, you have a treasure!
This is one of the sacred temple lan
terns, hundreds of years old; and I
'.i&ve rarely seen so beautiful a one.
J.ook at these copper characters, and
this silk! It is a jewel—you have
something here that no money could
~3uy. Look at this!" and he took up
■the chain attached to the peak of the
iron roof, showing me a series of
marvelous cloisonne characters inlaid
:c silver, and seemingly embedded in
the solid iron links. Varnim was in
-ecstasies, and even I could appreciate
the wonderful workmanship. For half
an hour we raved over the lantern be
fore I thought of the smaller box.
«Mien it was opened Varnim's amaze
•aient was complete.
"Sacred candles!" he exclaimed;
look at the shape of them!"
There were three candles, oval at
top, and about two inches in
v.idth, narrowing down to a small
remind base. Their color was a dark
jgreen.
Varnim was very excited. He seized
:i candle, throwing open the door of
the lantern, and inserted it in the high
socket, large end up; then he drew
"back and gazed at it.
Gladwin," he said, "you are the
•only man who ever owned one of these
lanterns. I tried for three years once
to get a candle, and I only got a stub
then." He seemed so unlike his usual
fe'r.nial self that 1 tried to get the
thought of days oriental from his
T^iind.
"If you will stay for dinner," I said,
"'■We can while away the evening be
fore a coal fire and try the lantern."
He accepted eagerly enough, yet
:th an air that I could not recall in
saiy acquaintance with him. Together
-we suspended the lantern in a corner
of the study and I promptly forgot it.
After dining we returned to a com
fortable grate fire, and as Varnim lit
a cigarette I asked:
"Shall we try the lantern now?"
Ii« nodded; and I thought his haul
«hook * little
I .«truck a match and lit the candle
wick, than switched off the electric
lights. Varnim sank back Into a big
chair before the fire, while I occupied
my desk chair; the lantern hung in
the opposite corner.
A warm crimson glow emanated
from the silken side curtains; a radi
ance of shimmering, mysterious
flames seemed to wrap the lantern in
its folds. I was fascinated by the
transformation of the cold metal to
this wonderful mass of color; in the
semi darkness the copper traceries
seemed almost to phosphoresce, and
then—
Varnim and I were mounting the
st eps of a great temple approach. All
about us were giant trees, of that pe
culiar growth one finds only in the
ages-cultivated gardens of old Japan.
Through the trees we could glimpse a
trickling silver cascade, leaping down
the hillside, from terrace to terrace.
Suddenly Varnim gripped my arm; he
seemed all atremble. Descending to
ward us was a priest, and as he drew
near I saw that his face was the face
of Kaga-Ichi.
Greeting me with a slight smile, he
then addressed Varnim in the most
fluent English.
"Hast thou come for expiation,
brother?"
"For expiation, brother," echoed
Varnim, dully. His face was drawn
and gray.
Turning, the priest led the way. We
mounted the foot-worn stone steps in
silence, and at the top found a long
avenue. This terminated in one of
those ridiculously small shrines which
are the central point of miles of ap
proach. terrace, and wonderful scen
ery. Behind the shrine was a low
stone building, and this, it seemed,
was our goal.
We entered in silence unbroken.
The place was shrouded in heavy cur
tains, and the small room was filled
with a clear, bright lantern light. The
priest led Varnim just beneath an
image of bronze, facing the door. 1
was unable to recognize the god, but
it was one of great antiquity, and held
a bronze knife in its outstretched
right hand. The priest addressed the
image, still speaking in perfect Eng
lish.
"Most Holy One, thou hast com
mauded that thy servants shed no
blood. It is well. Ten years ago thy
servant Kaga-Ichi had a sister. When
a foreigner one day would have pro
faned thy temple, thy servant's sister
saved his life from the fuVy of many
men. But this stranger lived in the
land, and he acquired our customs and
became thy servant; also he married
thy servant's sister. When he had
served in thy house for the space of
three years and thy servant's sister
had borne him a manchild one day
there came a letter and he disap
peared.
"Most Holy One, it was well if it
pleased thee that thy servant's sister
should die of grief, and her babe with
her; but it was not well that thy
mysteries should be profaned and thy
servant forget them in other lands.
We may shed no blood nor life; so
here Most Holy One, thy penitent
yields him to thy justice."
The priest ceased and knelt on the
floor, his head bovred. Varnim seemed
as one stupefied, but his eyes filled
with an awful horror. I followed his
gaze—and then I saw.
The hand of the bronze image had
risen! It poised in air an instant,
then fell swiftly. The knife struck
Varnim, but he remained standing,
only giving a low moan. I was par
alyzed with horror.
Then the aim was raised again,
slowly, remorselessly. But as it was
about to fall, 1 came to my senses.
Seizing a dish of rice from the offer
ing table 1 hurled it into the bronze
eyes: there was a crash—
And with a cry I switched on the
electricity.
My brass cigar ligTiter had crashed
into the lantern and extinguished the
candle. Varnim lay by the fire, his
coat dabbled with blood, and by his
side a queer bronze knife.
He was only slightly hurt. Over a
oip of coffee he laughed at the whole
matter, although I saw that his voice
was not natural.
"We were both rather nervous," he
marked: "you were hypnotized into
seeing that vision, and I was playing
with m> knife when it slipped and
cut rue and 1 fainted. I would not use
that lantern much, if 1 were you; you
seem rather susceptible to its influ
enee."
He was so evidently shaken that I
I did not say that the knife in his hand
! and that held by the image were the
same.
Next morning I took one of the
candles to a chemist for immediate
analysis; he could give me none.
Opium, and some other drugs, he
found; but there were substances that
could not be named. As I was return
ing home a paper was thrust into my
I hand. Glancing at it, I saw headlines
' of the strange suicide of Harold Var
I nim the night before at. his apart
; mcnts. No cause for the act was
I known.
I am still wondering whether Ka~a
! lchi's gift was one of gratitude, or—
! purpose. Some day 1 am going to
burn another candle.
!
I
:
NOW COLLEGE GIRL
MISS HELEN TAFT STILL PURSU.
ING HER STUDIES.
Will Have Little Time for the Frivoli
ties of Washington Society—
College Customs to Rule
at White House.
rent mu
miTTiiTini
When Miss Helen Taft, Bryn Mawr
college for women, 1912, watched the
inauguration o f
her father as pres
ident of the United
States, the college
girl came into her
own indeed, into
the highest social
position in Amer
ica. For the next
four years, at
least, the college
girl will be fea
tured in White
House life.
The college girl
of to-day is distinctive. And certainly
Miss Helen Taft is just a little differ
ent from any other president's daugh
ter who has gathered young friends
around her in the capital's first, man
sion.
The college girl is bookish yet not
a bookworm or blue-stocking. The col
lege girl is grammatical in speech, but
she has the jolliest, chummist jargon
of slang that ever rolled from under
a pink tongue. The college girl is a
tremendous reader, keeping right in
touch with all the movements of the
day, yet she never neglects outdoor
sports. The college girl is a social
creature, but she uses society and
does not allow society to use her. And
above all things she dresses simply
and does not marcel her hair.
All these things is Miss Helen Taft
—and more, and there is no doubt
that she means to establish college
customs and entertain at the White
House.
Just IS is the new daughter of the
! White House, and she will spend com
paratively little time in Washington,
I for she is now in her sophomore year
at Bryn Mawr and will have only such
holidays as fall to the lot of other stu
dents. Incidentally, Bryn Mawr is not
the sort of college where a girl can
shirk work or skip classes or lectures,
so Miss Helen Taft's iri.)s to Washing
ton will be infrequent and brief.
This daughter of the new president
is five feet, eight inches in height,
: with her mother's slenderness of fig
ure and her father's dimpled chin. She
has clear, rather deep blue eyes and a
trick of looking right through you
with them. Blue is her favorite color,
dark blue for street wear, dainty pale
colorings for house and evening frocks,
and just a touch of blue somewhere i'
her gown be white.
If Miss Taft has her own way, thq
tennis court;-, will not depart fror.: the
White House grounds with the passina
of the Roosevelt regime, for she is ar
ardent tennis player. She also swims
and rides horseback, nnd keeps up s
good pare when walking with brotht i
•>r father.
Sne inherits her father's keen sense,
of humor, and his philosophic disposi
tion, which is extremely for'rnate in e
young woman who. as the president's
daughter, must face many trying situ:;
tion- and, perhaps, some ui'tv e, s;; — %
and unjust criticisms. From h"i
mother she inherit ; extremely gco-1
taste in di" ss, and the fastidious w!!l
never be offended by see ing l er ap
pear in garish color combinations,
wearing jewelry and ornately drossln';
her hair, as many girls of the day <!
Despite the far' Hat the Tafts 1 ::r c
ilways be< n well to do. Miss Ht Jen was
ta V:gilt by her mother to cook ■ nd to
sew. Her domestic accomplishments
;ire no' limited to making fudge and
Welsh rabbit in a college study, nut
she could s'ep into her mother's sh-'es
in an em••rgencv and run the Taff
menage without, a hitch.
Unquestionably Washington 's young
er set. will gnin much by the acquisi
I tion of Miss Taft.
Congressicna! Committeemen Strsnç«
Illustrating the magnitude of the
house of representatives, and the
i ever-Increasing whirl of business in
which its 391 members are engaged.
Congressman Rodenberg of Illinois
tells how, on a recent journey, he in
troduced two gentlemen, who on be
coming acquainted, were surprised to
discover that they were members of
the same congress. In the course of
conversation, one asked the other:
"On what committee do you serve?"
"Railways and canals."
"The deuce you do!—why, I'm a
meuiber of that committee, and 1 tic
not remember you."
Now, congressmen are proposing tr,
have come kind of social function at
whicli members of the several com
j mittees may meet each other before
the regular work of the session be
gins. All agree that it is surprising
j how few men they become acquainted
; with during a session.— Joe Mitchell
j Chappie, "Affairs at Washington," Na
; tional Magazine.
Castles in Spain would be delightful
i If one only could keep them from Up
pling over.—Sunday Magazine.
DOLLAR WHEAT HAS
COME TO STAY
IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS CEN
TRAL CANADA WILL BE CALLED
UPON TO SUPPLY THE
UNITED STATES.
A couple or years ago, when the an
nouncement was made in these col
umns that "dollar wheat" had come to
stay, and that the time was not far
distant when the central provinces of
Canada—Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Alberta—would be called upon to sup
ply a large part of the wheat con
sumption in the United States, there
were many who laughed at the predic
tions and ridiculed the idea of wheat
reaching the dollar point and staying
there. Both of these predictions have
come to pass. Dollar wheat is here—
and it is not only here, but is here to
stay; and at the same time, whatever
unpleasant sensations it may arouse
in the super-sensitive American. Cen
tral Canada is already being (tailed
upon to help keep up the bread sup
ply, and within the next five years
will, as James J. Hill says, literally
' become the bread-basket of our in
creasing millions "
There are few men in the United
States better acquainted with the
wheat situation than Mr. Hill, and
there are lew men, if any, who are in
clined to be more conservative in
their expressed views. Yet it was this
greatest ot the world's railroad men
who said a few days ago that "the
price of wheat will never be substan
tially lower than it Is today —and
when it is taken into consideration
that at that time wheat had soared to'
$1.20, well abave the dollar mark, the
statement is jeculiariy significant,
and doubly significant is tlie tact that
in this country the population is in
creased at the ratio ot 6"> per cent.,
while the yield of wheat and other
products is increasing at the rate of
only 25 per cent. For several years
past the cost of living has been stead
ily increasing in the United States,';
and this wide difference in production 1
and consumption is the reason
This difference must be supplied by
the vast and fertile grain regions of
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
There is now absolutely no doubt of
this. Even the press of the country
concedes the fact. Results have shown
that no other country in the world can
ever hope to equal those provinces as
wheat producers, r ind r hat no other
country can produce as hard or as
good wheat. Said a great grain man
recently, "If United States wheat main
tains the dollar mark, Canada wheat
will be well above a dollar a bushel,
for in every way it is superior to our
home-grown grain. '
With these facts steadily Impinging
their truth upon our rapidly growing
population, it is interesting to note
just what possibilities as a "wheat
grower" our Northern neighbor pos
sesses. While the United States will
never surrender her prestige in any
manufacturing or commercial line, she
must very soon acknowledge, and with
as much grace as she can, that she i3
bound to be beaten as a grain pro
ducer. It must be conceded that a
great deal of the actual truth about
the richness of Canada's grain produc
ing area has been "kept out of sight,"
as Mr. Hill says, by the strenuous ef
forts of our newspapers and maga
zines to stem the exodus of our best
American farmers into those regions.
It is a fact that up to the present
time, although Canada has already
achieved the front rank in the world's
grain producers, the fertile prairies
of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Al
berta have as yet scarcely been
scratched. Millions of acres, free for
the taking, still await our American
farmers; and when these millions are
gone there are other millions in re
gions not yet opened up to immigra
tion. A few years ago the writer, who
has been through those wheat prov
inces several times, laughed with oth
ers of our people at the broad
statement that Canada was bound to
become "John Bull's Bread Basket."
Now, after a last trip (and though he
is a stanch American) he frankly be
lieves that not only will Canada be
come John Bull's bread-basket, but it
will within the next decade at least
BECOME THE BREAD-BASKET OF
THE UNITED STATES. Perhaps this
may be a hard truth for Aemricans to
swallow, but it Is a truth, neverthe
less. And It is at least a partial com
pensation to know that hundreds of
thousands of our farmers are profit
ing by the fact by becoming producers'
In this new country. 1
The papers of this country have nat
urally made the most of the brief pe
riod of depression which swept over
Canada, but now there is not a sign of
it left from Winnipeg to the coast.
Never have the three groat wheat rais
mg provinces been more prosperous.
Capital is coming into the country
from all quarter.?, taking the form of
cash for investment, industrial con
cerns seeking locations, and, best of
all, substantial and sturdy immig.anfs
come to help populate the prairies
Towns are booi"'^" «eo-es- ->• ><e
elevators are springing up; railroad.'
are sending out their branch lines in
all directions; thousands of prosper
ous farmers are leaving their prairie
shelters for new and modern homes—
"built by wheat:" everywhere Is a
growing happiness and contentment—
happiness and contentment built by
wheat—the "dollar wheat," which has
come to stay. Notwithstanding this,
the Canadian Government is still giv
ing away its homesteads and selling
pre-emptions at $3.00 an acre, and the
Railway and Land Companies are dis
posing of their lands at what may be
considered nominal figures.
A Definition.
"Father, what are wrinkles?"
"Fretwork, my boy, fretwork.'
RASH ALL OVER BOY'S BODY.
Awful, Crusted, Weeping Eczema or
Little Sufferer—A Score of Treat
ments Prove Dismal Failures.
Cure Achieved by Cuticura.
"My little boy had an awful rash all
over his body and the doctor said il
was eczema. It was terrible, and used
to water awfully. Any place the water
went it would form another sore and it
would become crusted. A score oi
more physicians failed utterly and dis
: tally in their efforts to remove tht 3
trouble. Then I was told to use the
Cuticura Remedies. I got a cake ol
Cuticura Soap, a box of Cuticura Oint
ment and a bottle of Cuticura Re
solvent, and before we had used hall
the Resolvent I could see a change in
him. In about two months lie was en
tirely well. George F. Lambert, 13£
West Centre St., Mahanoy City, Pa,
Sept. 20 and Nov. 4, 1007."
Potter Dru j !<. t'he:u, Corp., Solo Props., Huston
Mitigating Feature.
Kathryn—Don't you hate the smell
of a < igar?
Phyllis—Ye-es, of course—but it al
ways makes me think of Harry.
Eyes Are Relieved By Murine
when 1 iritall it by Chalk Iv.ist ami Kyi
•Strain, iueident to the average School
liouni. A ri/' i-nt Census ol' .Sew \ oi'K
City reveals the fact that in that Ciiv
alone- U.üis H iiool Children nev.i-.l Ky«
Care. Why nut try .Murine Eye Uemeily
for liivl, WeaK, \V< >ry, Watery Eyes.
Granulation, 1'ink Eye and Kyi? Strain?
Murin«' l>oesii't Smart: Snoth<\< Eye Pain.
Is Compounded by Experienced Physi
cians: ( ontains no Injurious or Prohibit
ed Iirugj. Try Murine l'or Your Eve
Troubles ; You Will I.ike Murine. Try It
in Haby's Eves for Se.ily Evellds. Drui:
îîîs's S' 1! Murine at ".He The Murine Evo
ItemedV Co , Chiea'.'O, Will Send You III
t cresting Eye Books Free.
As It Appears.
"A little nonsense now and then
Is relished by the best of men."
So from these lines it woud appear
That those who at all nonsense sneer
And curl the lip. no matter when.
Are plainly not the liest of men.
Important to Mothers.
Examine carefully every bottle of
CASTOK1A a safe and stire remedy for
infauis aud children, and see that it
Bears the
Signature of(
In Use For Over .'JO Years.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Matter of Shape.
Mrs. Youngwi d — I want three
pounds of ste-al*. please.
Butcher—Yes, ma'am. Round steak?
Mrs Youngwed—Oil, I don't care
whether it is round or square, just
so it's nice and tender.
Deafness Cannot Be Cured
by loral application*, as they cannot reach the dis
eased portion ot tlic car. I here is only one way to
cure deafness, ami that is by constitutional remedies.
Ifeafness is caused by :;n inflamed condition of tiio
mucous lininer of the Mustachim Tube. When this
lube Is Inflamed you have a rumblln; sound or im
perfect heaivis, and v.-hen it Is entirely closed, Deaf
ness is the reselt. and unless the inflnnimatlon can hi
taken out and this tube restored to Its normal condi
tion. hearing will !)<• d 'siroyed forever: nine cases
out of t.-n are caused by Catarrh, which is nothing
but an inflimed condition of liie mucous surfaces.
We will five ejrie Hundred Dollars for any case of
iDeafness fcauiPd bv catarrh) that cannot be cured
by Hall's Catarrh Cure. Sei 1 for circulars, free.
r. J. CHK.NEY & CO., 1 Oludo, O.
Sold bv Dru'.'eists, 75c.
'lake Hail's Family l'ills for constipation.
One way to convince a woman is to
let her think that she is convincing
you.
A Rare Good Thing.
"Am using A KEEN'S E« JOT-EASE, and
can truly say 1 would not have been with
out it so long, had 1 known the relief it
would give my aehing feet. 1 think it a
rare good thine; for anyone having sora
or tired feet.—Mrs. Matilda Holtwert,
Providence, K. 1." Sold by ull Druggists,
25c. Aslt to-day.
When a mother says her boy is full
of mischief the neighbors realize that
it means trouble for them.
Kill the Flies Now
before they multiply. A DAISY FLY
K11.1. KU kills thousands. Lasts I lie sea
son. Ask your dealer, or *end 20c to II.
Soniers, 14!) De Ivalb Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Self-love keeps the life tramping
around in a circle.
DR. J. H. RINDLAUB (Specialist),
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat.
Fargo, N. D.
No man comes to himself until he
knows that he belongs to his world.
Take Garfield Tei ! Made of Herbs, it is
pure, potent, health-giving—the most ra
tional rem.'dy for eoiistinntiou, liver and
kidney diseases. At ail drug stored.
In ?our ve sicn of the story the
other f'll o.v mikes a po .ir showing.
Hot b.a ^uiis jr.,1 Canada Sa» s .tut»