The Mercur miner. [volume], October 18, 1905, Image 4

About The Mercur miner. [volume] (Mercur, Utah) 1895-1913

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m
I THE FATAL REQUEST I
OR FOUND OUT
c ' i i , ' . i
By A. L. Harrle Aulhor of "Mlno Own familiar Friend." etc.
oTpHTTfjrr, lilt, by 0 ail ill iiMIiAU Company.
Copyright, t 0 1, y J I r i .f J m ( A.
fl CHAPTER IV. Continued.
H "My dear James," Interrupted Mr.
H lJurrltt, nastily, "ou must know very
M wall that it Isn't tlint. Hut tho truth
H of tho matter Is, I've a groat avoralon
H to flroarms. Still, It you will ansuro
H me that the weapon Isn't loaded,
H i'ii "
H "I'll assure you of that or anything
R ! that will add to your peace of
K mind' was tho somewhat equivocal
V reply. "At any rate, It Isn't loaded
H bow; and, what Is moro, I will also
H (tvo you my word thnt 1 will not at-
H tempt to blow out my brains during
H tho journey or," ho added, as a sort
H of afterthought, "anyone else's."
H When Mr. Burrltt and his friend ar-
H rired at the station, the latter took
1 a considerable amount of trouble to
H lasure a separate compartment to
H thomBelves In fact, Mr. Burrltt rather
H fancied he saw him give something to
M the guard, who thoreupon locked the
H floor upon thorn, and conslgnod thorn
H to solitude.
H The carrlago In question, It may bo
1 worth remembering, was tho fourth
H from the engine.
H "I wonder," thought Mr. Durrltt to
B himself as tho train steamed out of
H the station, "which Is tho pocket ho
H carries the revolver In?" Thon his
B thoughts wandored away from the
H actual present "I suppose I shall And
M them all right at homo. Dear, dear,
H anyono would think I had been away
H a month. What an old fogoy I'm got-
H ting, lly-tho-by, I wonder what James
H Is thinking about? ho looks uneom-
H tnonly gloomy. I wish he'd say some-
H thing Instead of staring out of tho
H, window In stony sllcnco. Somehow,
H ono doesn't like tho notion of riding
H' alono with a man who haa shed
H tnothor man's blood, especially when
m' he carries a rovolvor. I wonder
H- whether ho's thinking of that, or
, what?"
H' If Mr. Burrltt could lmvo read what
H was passing In his companion's mind,
" e would bavo boon amaied to And
H ttat, tastcad of dwelling upon tho
B post, he was merely repeating over
B aad over to himself tho words which
Hl the former had spoken only a few
H bona before "Tho secret Ilea bo-
K twcoa ds two! Tho sccrot Hen be-
tweon us two!"
M CHAPTER V.
HM The 4:30 Train.
H Dinner at Magnolia I-odgo had boon
H ordered for a quartor to eight, In or-
H er to suit tho convenience of tho trav-
H1 tiers, who were oxpoctcd to arrive at
V. about that hour.
H As the tlmo drew on, Mrs. Burrltt
H i aaddenly becamo troubled again In her
B"4 Hind concerning tho soap dish.
H "I do wish, after all, I had ordorod
H the best Bparo bedroom to bo got
H ready, though I've generally consld-
H ared the sooond best good onough for
H a single gentleman, and I suppose ha
HHi I Us a single gentleman. But for all
that "
H "Hero they are!" suddenly cried her
H daughter May, who was watching from
V "the window,
A' "Well, it's too late to mako any
H 4bango bow," sighed her paront, half
H relieved at having the matter sum-
H aaarlly settled; "and porhapa he won't
H aetlce tho crack. I do hopo my cap Is
M mi straight I"
H The said cap was, as usual, consld-
H crably out of the porpendlcular; but
H m It happened. Us lack of rectitude
H I was, In this Instance, of no particular
B aeasequonce, for tho alarm provod
V false, and the cab, which had at first
H appeared as though about to draw up
1 before the house, resumed Its snail-
H tike crawl and gradually disappeared.
H I Then camo another spell of waiting.
H "They must havo missed their train
H at London Bridge," said Ted Burrltt
H i "Perhaps the other ono , wi lato. I'vo
H looked In 'Bradshaw,' and see that It's
H 4e In town at sovon o'clock. If so,
H , they ought to be hero by this time."
H , The next half-hour slowly ticked
& Itself away without bringing any
V" change In the position of affairs.
j They were all vacantly conscious of an
H increasing sense of anxiety and do-
H , agression within. Why did they not
B' come? Surely, If they had mlssod
1 obs train, there bad boen plenty of
H i Usse to catch, the next? Then tho
B iio-' chimed tho half-hour, and, at tho
9bB mbh moment, an Interruption took
JK, le. Tho message ran;
B "It you please, 'ro, cook wanta to
M- saow what she Is to do about dinner!"
HK M1- Burrltt started nervously. "I'm
Hj ? 1 don't know, Jane." Then, ap-
& '
I)inllng to licr huu ' 1 suppose there 'm
no niUtnkc about the dn n Your dear
father didn't mean to-morrow'"
Her son produced the telegram,
which he had about Mm, and repeated
the contents aloud'
"Am returning to-day by the 4:30
trnln. Shall be homo to dinner.
Friend aocompanlos me."
"Well, I'm sure I don't know what to
do about It," exclaimed tho poor lady,
almost wringing her hands.
"Hadn't you better go and speak to
cook yourself?" said her son, making
tho proposal without tho slightest
comprehension of what It Involved.
"I suppose I had," murmured his
mother; "very well, Jane, you can say
I'm coming" And sho left the room,
loavlng the young people togother.
"Aren't you tired of standing, May?"
asked her brother, addressing the girl,
who had scarcely vurled her attitude
an Inch In tho last half hour.
"Tired!" she exclaimed, halt turn
ing round. "What has that got to do
with It? I want to bo tho first to seo
thorn." Then sho added, "Tell mo
what you meant to say, a llttlo while
ago, when you began 'I wish,' and
stopped."
"Why." ho answored gloomily, "I
was going to say I wish the governor
had novcr started on this Journey;
though," ho added, In a hurry, "of
course ho's all right missed the train
or else there's a block on tho line, or
something only " Ho broke off
without bringing his sontenco to n
conclusion, and asked, "Was that
whnt you wished, too?"
"II" sho oxclalmod, "I wIbIi that
and more. I wish ho had novcr had
that letter. I wish his friend, who
ever he is had never como back from
whero ho was."
"Oh. come, now," was tho would-be
comforting response, "now you're go
ing ahead too far. Of courso, It's vex
ing and all that; but, after all, tho
only thing that will really suffer will
bo tho dinner, and that won't bo fit
Hj Startsd to his feet with a cry.
to oat, if thoy don't come directly."
As If in answer to this remark, Mrs.
Burrltt at that momont ro-entorod tho
room. She was flushed and agitated,
and, as was apporont to tho most ob
tuso obsorvor, on tho vergo of toars.
"Iteally, cook haa boon most trying,"
she sighed, as sho sank Into tho near
est chair. "Sho almost Intlmatod that
I had dono It on purpose. She says,
sho has novcr been used to such ways,
nnd that flesh and blood won't stand
it, lot alone legs of mutton. Sho says
sho can glvo us another ton min
utes, but no moro."
Tho ten minutes passed, as tho pre
vious thirty had dono, and at tho end
of that ttmo three very dlsplrltod pco
plo sat down to their spoilt dinner.
May soon noticed that hor brother,
whose attention had boon obviously
wandering for somo tlmo past, appear
od to bo listening to sometnlng from
without. At first her heart bounded.
Could It bo that thoy had arrived at
last? Was It tho click of the goto that
ho was straining bis car to catch?
or tho sound of footsteps upon tho
gravel drlvo without? 8o she, too,
listened In her turn, hoping to bo ablo
to distinguish ono or tho othor of
thoso welcomo but long delayed sig
nals. Hut tho only thing Bho could hear
was the faint sound of a voice which
seemod to be shouting something
In the distance May also porcolved
that the olco was drawing gradually
nowor, and resolving ttsolf Into that
a porlpatotlc nowsboy, who was
vending his wares and Bhoutlng out
tho most sensational headings at the
top of his volco. Woh that all? Still,
ho was not yet near cnoush for hor
to distinguish the sense of tho sounds
which caught her car from time to
tlmo, as she absently crumbled her
bread, and thought to herself over and
ovor again, "If only father would como
homo!"
Mrs. Burrltt, aa though tho thought
had set In motion somo electric cur
rent which connected tho two brains,
romarkod at this Juncture, "I sup
pose they are quite cortaln to bo hero
somo time to-night?"
Almost boforo tho words were out
of her lips, her 'ion, who was sitting
on her right, started to his feet with
n cry.
"What Is It? Ob, what Is It?" ask
ed his sister, as a sense of something
terrible about to happen fell upon htr.
Ho made no reply, but, with dilat
ing oyea, stood there with overy facul
ty absorbed In the one effort.
Then be raised cu- hand tho other
I ' I
clulcheet tho edge of the tablo. "lia
ten I" he gasped.
And tho volco without, now close
to their very gates, mado Itself plainly
heard, as It shouted out the latest bul-Ictln-
"Fpcclujl hcdlshunl Hevenln' Stand
ard! 'Orrlhle railway haccldent! Over
twenty killed and hlnjured. Tho four
' thirty from Dover wr ?ked by a down
I trnln carrjln' potrolou. barrels! The
I lino on fire. Horful sc nesl 'Artrcnd
In' details!"
CH..PTER VI.
,The &' ireh for a Father.
What hap, ono'd after this no ono
ever know exactly. Ucfora Mrs. Bur
rltt had begun to grasp tbo Idea thnt
something was wrong, her son had
rushed from tho room.
After whnt seemed an age of wait
ing, but was really a very short time,
ho returned. In his band bo he!4 a
copy of tho newspaper which ho "Sad
Just bought "Mother," ho said, hit
ting a strong restraint upon himself,
"I am afraid thcro has been an acci
dent on tho line. You mustn't be
alarmed, for though some people
have been Injured, there Is no reason
why my father should not have es
caped, and very likely the affair has
boon greatly oxaggeratod."
"Ted," said his slstor, In a volco
almost as calm as his own, though
her faco had lost every particlo of
color, and Hecmod to havo suddenly
become years older, "I.et us know
tho worst!" And she held out her
hand for the paper.
'Tho worst!" he answered, with a
sound like a strangled sob In his
volco, "Why should there bo any
worst? And as for tho paper," crump
ling It up In his hand, "you can't place
tho slightest dependenco upon that.
I'm I'm going up to town by tho noxt
train, so as to bo on tho spot, and
"Ho may bo hurt In somo way, you
know," lie added, slowly, by way of
preparing their minds for whatever
might be tho result. "Ho may have
como off with a broken leg, or some
thing of thnt sort. You can hardly
expect him to havo got off scot freo.
But whatever It Is, 'Im going to find
him out and bring him back home.
Tako caro of mother" this to 'his sis
ter and bo was gone.
But boforo he could leave tho house,
while his hand was yot upon tho latch,
he found himself confronted by tho
girl. "Good-bye," sho said, slowly and
sadly. "You will do your best but
I havo no hope none!"
Ho caught a train which was on the
very point of starting, and leaped
into tho first carrlago ho camo to.
Then ho took out tho paper which ho
had kopt bo carefully from the sight of
thoso others at homo, and began to
study moro earnestly tho brief but
terrtblo announcement which It con
tained. (To bo continued.)
As She Understood It
Ho was tolling a poker story, but
sho only caught this sontenco: "And
thon, of course, I called, nnd
Sho Interrupted him reproachfully
and also with somo asperity.
"I've caught you, John Henry," sho
cxclnlmcd. "Hero I'vo boon trying tc
get you to call on tho Joneses for tho
last threo months, and you wouldn't
do It said you didn't llko to mako
calls, thon ou go out and mako ono
by yoursolf, or olso you go calling
with someone vise. Yes; that must
bo It? What Ib sho, John Henry!
Who Is this porson who can get yon
to mako calls when you won't make
thorn with your wlfo?"
John Henry lookod at his masculine
friends and winked slyly.
"Shall I toll her?" he nskod.
"Might as well," they said.
"In this caso," ho then told hor,
"threo ladlos Induced mo to call."
"Threo?"
"Yes; but," he hastened to add. "It
you camo across thorn In tho pack
you would probably call thom queens."
It was a great Joko his masculine
frionda assurod him of that but he
hasn't succeeded In oxplalnlng thi
matter to bin wife's satisfaction yet
Chicago Post.
St. Peter Remembered.
A poor son ot Erin died and wot
lauded as a very good man by all hb
neighbors. Arriving at Tho (lato hi
found his way barred by 8alnt Peter
"Boforo yo can cntor," says Saint
Peter, "will yo tell mo yo nro no
guilty of any great sin?"
"I um not," Bald Paddy.
"Think again," said Saint Petor.
"Well," says Paddy, thinking hard
"I remombur onco using bad languagi
ovor an ould rooster wo had,"
"That was a groat sin," said 8aln
Peter, "and yo can't como In." ,
Paddy turned sorrowfully away, but
boforo ho had gune for Saint Petei
recalled him.
"I'vo been thinking." said Salnl
Petor, "and I think ye must havo hac
groat provocation, and that your lsn
guago was parlmps excusable. Yocan
como In. I remember, I onco bad
trouble with tho samo sort or bird
myself"
The Kitchen Range.
A nno housokeoper Bas since paint
lug her kitchen ranjo sho has novcr
blackened It with stovo polish, livery
spring when cleaning hotiso she buys
a ran ot enamol from a druggist and
paints her stove with It. Tho stovo
looks like new, does not rust and
needs no cleaning except dusting and
wiping oft,
French People In Britain.
There aro JG.600 French In Great
Britain and Iroland, more than three
fourtha of tho number balng In Lon
don. The business most followed
among these Is cookery. As English
laundresses are prized in France,
French cooks are valued In Kngland.
1 BY WHOSE HAND P
By EDITH SESSIONS TUPPBR,
Author o "Br m lltlr'M Drttdth," ' Tbo Blmtk Diamond,' Etc
Cop-flrht. im, br Wlll.fd Fr.cktr ft Co Copjtlfhu 1W0, t- bitMi & Smith.
CHAPTER XII. Continued.
She never finished tho sentence,
for, with a dexterous movement, I
caught her freed hand nnd In a trice
uer wrists werp onco moro firmly
confined. Then with tho long trail
ing end of tho scarf, I proceeded to
bind her to a chair,
Sho did not resist. Sho seemed
dazed and bewildered nt this pro
ceeding, and did not speak until I
was leaving tlio room,
"Why why do you leave mo
so?" sho stammered, "whero aro
you gqlng?"
"I am going for tho police, to
whom I shall hand you a prisoner,
accused of murdering Reginald Dai
ry niple."
As I closed the door behind mo I
saw her wrlthLg llko somo netted
animal, and the awful faco turned
toward me was llko one that might
havo peered from tho portals of hell.
CHAPTER XIII.
A hurried walk brought mo to the
drug store, where Fortune and tho
dotectlve were awaiting me.
A tew words explained tho situa
tion. Tho detective took from his
pocket a pair ot hand-cuffs, and crit
ically examined them.
"I hope theso aro small enough,"
bo said, with tbo air of a connois
seur. "From what you tell mo of the
lady.'I Judge I shall neod them."
In sllcnco wo hastened to Bojanta's
apartment. Tho detective led tho
way, and Inserting the key I had
brought with me, flung wide the
door. As he did so, an exclamation
c horror burst from his lips.
.lust Heaven! What a sight met
our gaze!
There, prone upon her fnce on the
floor, In tho midst of her tangled
black draperies, on which tho golden
serpents gleamed with horrid sym
bolism, her bands still bound with
the yellow scarf, writhing In convul
sions, lay Bojanta. Colled nnd twist
ed about her distorted form was In-
Took unerring aim and fired.
forna, tho cobra, Its frightful hooded
head erect and hissing defiance.
Tho dotcctlvo gave one glance,
drow his revolver, took unerring aim
and fired. When tho smoko cleared
away tho serpent was doad.
Ho disentangled the struggling
form from Its colls, released tho
hands nnd laid Bojanta on tho couch.
Her torrlble death throes wero soon
over. Tho murder of Reginald Dai
ry rn pi o was avenged.
It seoms that I had not secured
my prizo as firmly as I thought.
Sho had struggled desperately at
her bonds and succeeded In freeing
her body from tho chair. Then, go
ing to tho serpent's cago and turning
her back to It sho had, with her fet
tered bands, contrived to shovo up Uio
sliding door, and thus invited ber
awfu) destruction.
There is only a stop between sor
row and Joy, horror and happiness,
heaven and hell.
When, ten da'n later, I prusentod
myself nt tho Dalrymplc place and
looked about at tho (lowers, tho ex
quisite sky, tho purple sea, I could
scarcely bnllcvn that I had really
passed through those fearful scenes
of which I havo written. Thoy seemed
llko a hideous nlghtmnro, from which
some kindly hand had roused me.
Angolo camo Into the room and sud
denly paused, wondering, sho told mo
afterwards, nt tho Joy upon my face.
"Angolo dnrllng," I cried, "you nro
Innocent, neod that," and I held out
Bojanta's confession. She read It,
and thon swiftly, silently camo to
my outstretched arms.
I slowly, reverently, laid my lips
on hors In tho first, long, bewilder
ing kiss of lovo. Only a step from
boll to heaven!
Aftor a tow moments of such hap
piness as seldom cornea to morbus,
wo sent for tho Professor and Satano.
When they came, I told my sloe,
keeping back nothing; not oven my
suspicions of tholr complicity,
Satano flushed, thon turned very
white, but camo to mo and with un
speakable grace, held out her hand,
saying:
"I forgive you. I do not blame
you In tho least It was but Just
Uat I. who bat) luspected this
wronged, innocent woman of such an
infamous deed, should be myself sus
pected. Let us bo friends."
I took her hand In both of mlno
nnd pressed It warmly. Then, turn
ing to Angele, she said:
"My little Angele, onco before, with
hatred In my heart, I falsely said, 'I
hopo you will bo very happy.' Now,
my slstor, with only lovo and tender
ness and regret, I say It sincerely and
honestly. You bellovo me, do you
not?"
For reply, Angele threw her arms
about tho stately Miss Capcl and
kissed her with tears and smiles.
Then, without one word or look for
tho Professor, Satano quietly left tho
room.
After ho had congratulated us, ho
followed her.
Turning to me, Angele said:
"I hope they will bo as hnppy as we
are."
This I echoed with all my heart,
though I added, as I drew her to my
breast:
"My llttlo love, can any two human
belngH bo so supremely happy as
wo nro? Think of tho black night
through which wo have como to tho
morning of peace and Joy and lovo."
CHAPTER XIV.
Miss Capel Resumes Her Story.
I. havo left my sister to enjoy tho
now-found happiness, which, by
right, belongs to hor. By rlgnt, I
say. Yes, for every human being has
a right to a certain share of happi
ness. Angclo has long been defraud
ed of her portion. Now it bos como
rushing upon her llko a torrent from
tno mountain heights, sweeping away
overy evil and baleful memory, and
bringing the pure, limpid waters pf
a noblo lovo. God bless her and glvo
her peace after all ber cruel trials.
For myself, what is there? Nothing,
nothing.
And yet I am still young and beau-
tiful. I am a woman capablo ot In-
tenso lovo. Though on tho altar of
my heart the ashos llo thick, undor
neath smouldora tho flro. Whoso
hand will Btlr thoso ashes and fan
tho flro to a glowing blaze Henri's?
I love hlra. Yos, why not confess It
to myself? It Is with shnmS that I
am forced to acknowledge that I
again lovo a man who does not love
mo.
Reginald Dalrymplo novcr loved
mo. What ho loved was the passion
of love and thq satisfaction of con
quest. Thcro lurks In the nature of
many men a vestlgo of barbarism.
Women nro their lawful prey, and
had they lived in tbo Orient thoy
would havo bought and sold them, or
seized them as booty, to bocomo tho
sport and toy of their lolsuro slaves
of their fancy and dcslro. But bo
Ing, by chance, of the Western world,
thoy aro forcod to confine tholr love
of conquest to tho subjugation of
woman's will nnd nature.
To seo her ylold her personality
Inch by Inch, until It Is absorbed In
his; to mako hor tho cnptlvo of his
whims tho slave of his caprlco; to
causo hor to bow hor head and kiss
tho hand of her master, as ho locks
on her flowery fetters this Is tho
attitude of men llko Itcx toward
women. When ho hud succooded in
cnt'iralllng ono woman's hoart,
straightway he sighed, llko Alexan
der, for now realms to conquer.
But Honrl! ab, ho Is qulto differ
ent. Not that ho Is not strong and
masterful In nnother sense. Ho Is
by no means weak of, will, but ono to
respect and look toward with a do
greo of awe. One would oboy him
as a soldier an adored commander,
not as a slave her despot.
I bad written thus far when a band
stolo over my shoulder and qulotly
took possession of my manuscript.
It was Henri's!
I sprang to my feet and confronted
blm.
"Henri!" I cried in genuine agony,
"do not read It I beg, Implore, com
mand you you shall not"
"Did I hear you nrlght?" ho said
with a mocking bow, "command
Miss Capcl, did you say command?"
"Yes," I answered, "I should wot
have used such a word. I beg your
pardon."
"Cajnmand Is a bad word at all '
times,"' ho gravely said, "It shouM be
carefully used. I am not going to i
read your manuscript, child. I only
wished to tcaso you. Hero It Is, my
fair accomplice," and he returned It
to me.
Then sitting down by mo ho con- ,
tinned, "How do you enjoy knowing
you havo been Buspcctcd of murder?"
I confess It was to mo dnow sensa
tion." "Mr. Scvcrancn Is-not the only ono
who has suspected mo," I roturaod
proudly, t
"Satano,' ho cried earnestly, thdt
Is what I wish to talk to you about
My dear cousin, can you ovor for
give me. I was blinded to your noblo
qualities. I Raw only tho woods In
your heart's garden. You havo root
ed them out. I have watched the
process. Day by day havo you gar
dened there, and In placo ot all thoaa a
noxious growths there aro only fair, - " ,
sweet flowers. Satano, dearest, I love
you. Will you bo my wlfo?"
I do not qulto recall what hap
pened next He had his arms about
mo and was looking down at me with
those wonderful eyes. Ho was so
gentle and kind. There was no trace
of tho authoritative air ho had as
sumed toward mo that evening In his " I
room. Ho was only a sweet, court o- A
ous lover. sj
"You will let me read what you
wore writing, will you not?" ho ten
derly asked, "I feel suro It Is some
thing about mo, Satano."
I hesitated one moment thon I
gave It to blm and ho read 'It through.
Turning, he claBped mo again In his
arms.
"Dearest, you arc right I do not , . , -
wish a slave, but rather a soldier; a )
soldier who has bravely fought and
vanquished her worst enemy; a sol
dier who will bear and enduro all
tho fatigues, tho hardships, tho
forced marches of llfo, for tho lovo
sho bears her shall I say comman
der darling? Is this a case whore
ono may bo pardoned tho uso ot that
obnoxious word?"
And as be lifted my faco to his I
know that for his kiss, his pralso, hts
love, I would follow him through ev
ery changing fortune, overy forlorn
hopo, on to victory or to death.
THE END.
EDITOR WHO IS USEFUL
Versatile Journalist a Power In the
Community.
As proof that the editor Is some
body In his community wo point to
Prof. John Bcckloy of tho editorial
staff of tho Connecticut Wostom
News at Canaan, a Jo""allst whom
his fellow citizens deli to honor.
Ho Is n veritable syndic jf public
offlcos, his titles run tho gamut from
registrar of voters up to JtiBtlco ot
the peace; ho has attqndod various
political conventions ns dclogatn; he
Is an actor, a poet, a musician and
dancing master, and thcro Is no ovl
donco that ho Is not sklltiill and suc
cessful In each and every avonuo of f
his varied avocations, notwitlistand- I
tng Uio seeming Incongruity of tho 1
dancing professor reporting a dog I
fight for his paper, tho editor holding
court and weighing out Justlco to as
sault and battery culprits and tho
Judgo teaching tho fancy steps of Uio
latest dances.
A further proof of Brother Beck
ley's versatility Is rccordod in tho lat
est lssuo of his own paper. In his
capacity as Judgo, ho presldoil ovor
tho trial ot Julia McCarty Alton's
husband for assaulting his wlfo. Tho
Judge's printed report statoa that "as
nolthcr side was represented by coun
sel, Justlco Beckloy conducted the
enso for both." Happily, too, ho won '
It During tho trial Julia "appcalod
to Justlco Becklcy to glvo her a legal
separation from her husband," never
dreaming that thero woh a limit to '
tho powers vested In tho editor, and
she refused to bo comforted wbonlho
sadly informed her that divorces wore
out of his line. New Haven Palladium.
QUNS OF ANCIENT TIMES.
Cannon Used by British In France In
1847.
In 1427, whon the English In Nor
mandy mado their last assault on
Mont St. Michel undor Lord Scales, v
thoy attacked It with "sovoral power- O
tul engines nnd certntn machines of
wnr." Says an old. writer: "Thoy
tralnod a battory so furiously against
tho walls that they mado a breach."
Among thoso formidable woapona
wero two enormous wrought-lron guuB,
which they were compelled to leave j
behind on bolng obliged to raise the
Blcgo. They aro still on exhibition
with somo of their projectiles In a
railed Inclosuro Just Insldo tho main
ontranco to tho town. Tho guns are
of tho kind formerly cnllod "bom
bards" and are of different sizos. The
larger ono ha a caliber of nlnoteou
Inches, 30U Inches being tho greatest
external diameter and 12 foot the
total longth, of which about 3 feet 4
Inches belongs to tho smallor pow
der chamber In tho roar. It weighs
very nearly six tons. Tho othor gun
weighs about a coupVo of tons loss, Is j
ot IS Inches caliber and 11 feet 9
Inches long. Theso weapons are not
cast, but "built up" guns, bolng form
od of longitudinal bars about throe '
Inches wide, arranged llko tho stavea
of a cask and bound round closely " 4
with wrought-oron hoops. The "Mlche
lots," as they are called, aro most j
likely ot Flemish workmanship. Their
projoctlles aro made ot hown granite j
and these for the larger gun have j
boen estimated to weigh 300 pounds I
apiece. Tho powder chamber Is cap- 2
able of holding about forty pounds of
explosive.
I