The Elbert County tribune. [volume], July 05, 1906, Image 2

About The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920

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JOAN of the SWORD HAND
BY S.R.CROCKETT Author of “The Ralders.“Ec
CHAPTER XXVl.—Conti
Conrad stood a moment araler?
wrestling with himself. A largeTHelf
soeraed to flamt; and dilate within the
young man.
“One thing I ran do “ ho said —
“like you, I can obey. She bade me
go back and do my duty. I cannot
bind my thought; I cannot change my
heart; I cannot cast my love out. I
have heard that which I have heard,
and I cannot forget; but at least with
the body I can obey. I will perform
my vow; I will keep my charge to the
letter, every Jot and tittle. And if
Ood condemn me for a hypocrite—
well, let him! He, and not I, put this
love into my heart. My body may be
my priesthood's—l will strive to keep
it clean—but my soul Is my lady’s.
For that let him cast both soul and
body into hell lire If he will!”
Theresa von Lynar did not smile
any more. She held out her hand to
Conrad of Courtland, priest and
prince.
“Yes,” she sold, “you do know what
love is. In so far as I can I will help
you to your heart's desire.”
CHAPTER XXVII.
r
To the Rescue.
It was the hour of the evening meal
at Isle Rugen. At the table head sat
Thqresa von Lynar. her largely mold
ed and beautiful face showing no sign
of emotion. On either side of her
were Joan and Prince Conrad —not
sad, neither avoiding nor seeking the
contingence of eye and eye, but yet,
in uplte of all, so strange a thing is
love once declared, happy within their
heart of hearts.
Hhad been growing wilder and wild
er without, and the shrill lament of
the wind was distinctly heard In the
wide chimney top. Now and then In
a lull, broad splnshes of rain fell sol
idly Into the red embers with a sound
Ilka musket balls “spatting” on n
wall.
Then Theresa von Lynar looked up.
“Where Is Max Ulrich?” she said;
“why does he delay?”
“My lady,” one of the men of Kerns
berg answered, saluting, “he is gone
across the Haff In the boat, and has
not yet returned.”
“I will go and look for him —nay. do
not rise, my lord. I would go forth
alone!”
Theresa stood upon the Inner curve
of the Haff at the place where Max
Ulrich was wont to pull his boat
ashore. She looked long southward
under her hand, but for the moment
could see nothing.
And though Theresa von Lynar was
yet In the prime of her glorious
beauty, one could see what she must
have been In the days of her girlhood.
And as memory caused her eyes to
grow misty and the smile of love and
trust eternal came upon her lips,
twenty years were shorn away, anti
the woman’s face which had looked
anxiously across the darkening Haff
changed to thnt of the girl who from
the gate of Cnstle von Lynar had
watched for the coming of Duke
Henry.
She turned and walked back facing
the storm. Her hood had been blown
from her head by the furious gusts
of wind. But she heeded not. She
had forgotten poor Max Ulrich and
Joan, and even herself. She had for
gotten her son. Her hand was out in
the storm now. She did not draw it
back, though the water ran from her
finger tips. For it was clasped in an
unseen grasp and In an ear that
surely heard she was whispering her
heart’s troth. "God give it to me to
do one deed—only one before I die —
that, worthy and unashamed, I may
meet my king.”
When Theresa re-entered the hall
of the grange the company still sat as
&he had left them. “There is no sign
For the moment she could see nothing
of Max,” she said, “perhaps he has
waited at the landing plaoe on the
mainland till the storm should abate —
though that were scarce like him,
either.”
Joan and Conrad spoke they scarce
knew what, all for the pleasure of
eye answering eye, and the subtle
flattery of voices that altered by the
millionth of a tone each time they ad
dressed one another. Theresa an
swered vaguely but sufficiently and
allowed herself to dream, till to her
yearning gaze honest sturdy Werner
grew misty and his bluff figure re
solved itself into tlmt nobler and
more kingly which for years bad
•ronted her at the table's end where
now the chief captain sat.
Thus they were sitting when there
came a clamor at the outer door, the
noise of voices, then a soldier’s chal
lenge and Max Ulrich’s weird answer
—a sound almost like the howl of a
wolf cut off short in hio throat by
the hand that strangles him.
"There he is at last!” cried all in
the dining hall or grange.
They waited the long moment of sus
pense till the door behind Werner
was thrust open and the dumb man
came In, drenched and dripping. He
was holding one by the arm, a man as
tall as himself, grey and gaunt, who
fronted the company with eyes ban
daged and hands tied behind his back.
Max Ulrich had a sharp knife in his
hand with a thin and slightly curved
blade, and as he thrust the pinioned
man before him into the full light of
the candles, he made signs that, If
his lady wished It, he was prepared
to dispatch the prisoner on the spot.
His lips moved rapidly and he seemed
to be forming words and sentences.
His mistress followed these move
meats with the closest attention.
He says,” she began to translate.
“that he met this man on the further
side. He said that he had a message
for Isle Rugen, and refused to turn
back on any condition. So Max blind
folded, bound and gagged him, he be
ing willing to be bound. And now he
waits our pleasure.”
"Let him be unloosed,” said John
gazing eagerly at the prisoner, and
Theresa made the sign.
Stolidly Ulrich unbound the broad
bandage from the man's eyes, and a
grey badger's brush of upright stub
ble rose slowly above a high narrow
brow, like laid corn that dries In the
sun.
“Alt Pikker!” said Joan of the
Sword Hand, starting to her feet.
And Alt Pikker It surely was.
But the late prisoner did not speak
at once, though his captors stood back
as though to permit him to explain
himself. He was still bound and gag
ged. Discovering which, Max in a
very philosophical and leisurely man
ner assisted him to relieve himself of
a rolled kerchief which had been plac
ed In his mouth.
Even then his throat refused Its
office till Werner von Orseln handed
him a great cup of wine from which
he drank deeply.
“Speak!” said Joan. “What disas
ter has brought you here? Is Kerns
berg taken?”
“The Eagles’ Nest Is harried, my
lady, but that is not what hath
brought me hither!”
“Have they found out this my—
prison? Are they coming to capture
me?”
“Neither,” returned Alt Pikker.
“Maurice von Lynar is in the hand of
his cruel enemies, and on the day
after to-morrow at sunrise, he is to be
torn to pieces by wild horses.”
“Why? Wherefore? In what place?
Who would dare?” came from all
about the table; but the mother of
the young man sat silent as if she
had not heard.
“To save Kernsberg from sack by
the Muscovites, Maurice von Lynar
went to Courtland in the guise of the
Lady Joan. At the fords of the Alla
we delivered him up!”
“He went for my sake!” moaned
Joan. “He is to die for me!”
"Nay,” corrected Alt Pikker. “he is
to die for wedding the Princess Mar
garet of Courtland!”
Again they cried out s upon him in
utmost astonishment —that is, all the
men.
"Maurice von Lynar has married
the Princess Margaret of Courtland.
Impossible!”
“And why should he not?" his moth
er cried out.
“I expected it from the first!" quoth
Joan of the Sword Hand, disdainful
of their masculine ignorance.
“Well,” put in Alt Pikker. “at all
events, he hath married the Princess.
Or she has married him, which Is the
same thing!”
“But why? We knew nothing of
this! He told us nothing. We thought
he went for our lady’s sake to Court
land! Why did he marry her?” cried
severally von Orseln and the Plassen
burg captains.
"Why?” said Theresa, the mother,
with assurance. “Because he loved
her doubtless. How? Because he was
his father’s son!”
And Theresa being calm and still
ing the others, Alt Pikker got time to
tell his tale. There was silence in
the grange of Isle Rugen while it was
being told, and even when It was
ended for a space none spoke. But
Theresa smiled w’ell pleased and said
in her heart, "I thank God! My son
also shall meet Henry the Lion face
to face and not be ashamed."
After that they made their plans.
“I will go,” said Conrad, "for I have
inflrvnce with my brother—or, if not
with him, at least with the folk of
Courtland. We will stop this heathen
ish abomination.”
“I will go,” said Theresa, “because
he is my son. God will show* me a
way to help him.”
“We will all go!” chorused the cap
tains; “that Is—all save Werner—”
"All except Boris—!"
“All except Jorlan—!”
“Who will remain here on Isle
Rugen with the Duchess Joan?” They
looked at each other as they spoke.
“You need not trouble yourselves!
I will not remain on Isle Rugen—not
an hour,” said Joan. “Whoever stays,
Igo Think you that I will permit
this man to die in my stead? We
will g 6 to Courtland. We will fipil
Prince Louis that I am no duchtfu.
but only the sister of a duke. We
will prove to him that my fathWs
bond of heritage-brotherhood Is nsJl
and void. And then we will a»e
whether he is willing to turn tie
prlrcedom upside down for such a
dowerless wife as I!”
“For such a wife.” thought Conr»L
“I would tarn the universe upside
down, though she stood in a beggars
klrtle!”
But being loyally bound by his
promise he said nothing.
It was Theresa von Lynar who pt.i
the matter practically.
“At a farm on the mainland, hidden
among the salt marshes, there are
horses —those you brought with you
and others. They are In waiting t>r
such an emergency. Max will bring
them to the landing place. Three or
four of your guard must accompany
him. The rest will make ready, and
at the first dawn we will set out
Thera Is yet time to save my son' 1
She added in her heart, “Or if not,
then to avenge him.”
Strangely enough, Theresa was the
least downcast of the party.
Her heart was proud within her
with a great pride.
“He is Henry the Lion’s son. Jl«>
“Alt Pikker!”
was born a duke. He has married
a princess. He has tasted love and
known sacrifice. If he dies It will be
for the sake of his sister's honor.
'Tis no bad record for twenty years.
These things he will count high above
fame and length of days!”
• • • • •
The little company which set eut
from Isle Rugen to ride to Courtland
had no thought or intention of rescu
ing Maurice von Lynar by force of
arms. They knew their own impot
ence far too exactly.
If her renunciation of her dignities
were laughed at, as she feared, there
was nothing for Joan but to deliver
herself to Prince Louis. She had re
solved to promise to be his wife and'
princess in qll that it concerned the
outer world to see. Their province*
would be united. Kernsberg and Hs
henstcin delivered into his hand.
On his part, Werner von Orseln was
prepared to point out to the Prince
of Courtland that with Joan as his
wife, and the armies and levies cf
Hohenstein added to his own under
the Sparhaw’k’s leadership, he would
be in a position to do without the
aid of the Prince of Muscovy alto
gether. Further, that in case of at
tack from the north, not or.ly Plassen
burg and the Mark, but all the Teu
tonic Bond must rally to his side.
Conrad, who was iutimately ac
quainted with the character of his
brother, and who knew how entirely
he was under the dominion of Prince
Ivan, had resolved to use all powers,
ecclesiastical and secular, which his
position as titular Prince of the
Church put within his reach.
(To be continued.)
HIS BUCKET-SHOP EXPERIENCE.
Uncle Reuben Got Left No Matter
How the Market Went.
“I’ve alius had a curiosity to know
what a bucket shop was.” said Uncle
Reuben as he got back from the city
and was waiting for his mail at tlm
postoffice, “and when I got up town to
day I asked a policeman to direct me
to one.
“ ‘Mister,’ says T to a feller when I
got inside, 'is this what you enll a
bucket shop?’
“ ‘lt is,’ he replied. ‘We keep all
kinds of buckets here.’
“‘How much for a dozen?’
“ ‘Want to buy 'em on spec?’
“ ‘I reckon.’
" ‘AH right. You put up $2 am
come in half an hour later.’
“I give up my $2 and took a stroll,”
said Uncle Reuben, “and 1 was back
there within an hour.
“ ‘Buckets went down after you left,’
says the feller, ‘and you’ve lost your
$2. Better put in two more and see If
you can’t hit the market.’
"I handed over two more and took
another stroll. When I got back the
feller says to me:
" ‘Buckets went up after you left
and you have lost your s2.’
“ 'Buckets went down and I lost, and
buckets went up and I loßt. How does
a feller ever make anything?’
“‘Oh, you buy a well to go with
your bucket,’ says he. ‘Gimme |4 and
take another walk.’ ”
“But you didn’t?’ was asked.
“Not much! I hunted around and
found a place where they was holdin*
a markdown sale on hot-water bags
and got a dozen for 50 cents apiece.
They beat buckets all to smash for
carryin' hot water around the house!*’
—Baltimore American.
FARM, ORCHARD & GARDEN
MONEY IN THE GARDEN.
The family garden usually pay a a
greater profit on the labor bestowed
on it than any other portion of the
farm, even when managed by the old
fashioned method of small plats and
beds and hand cultivation. This be
ing the case, it surely can be 4nad$ to
pay a much greater ratio of profit by
planning to plant every thing possi
ble in long rows far enough a.iart
so as to work them with a horse and
cultivator, thus greatly relieving
your own muscles. And the saving in
cost of cultivations is only a small
part of the benefit of the long row
arrangement. It will naturally lead
to a much more frequent and thorough
cultivation of our garden crops.
Many farmers are prone to neglect the
garden on account of their field crops,
and as under their management the
manual labor In the former is much
greater, they are more inclined to give
their time and attention to the lat
ter which might not be the case were
it so arranged that the labor was no
greater. The important advantage of
a frequent stirring of the surface soil
among all our growing crops, we are
convinced it is too often greatly un
derestimated. It is said that it pays
to hoe the cabbage every morning dur
ing the early part of the season, and
although this may be carrying it to
the extreme, we are convinced that a
more frequent cultivation than is
orlinarily given might prove profita
ble. The frequent breaking of the
crust admits of a freer circulation of
the air to the roots, and aids them to
make the most of all the dews and
rains which fall. The manufacture
and assimilation of plant food gets on
more rapidly and to a certain extent,
cultivation is found to be a substitute
for manure. Next to actual arrigation,
frequent and continual surface culti
vation aids in securing and retaining
moisture and supplying it the grow
ing plants. More moisture is lost by
evaporation through hard, compact,
soil, than is used by the whole crop.
Another benefit derived from the long
row system is the almost certain en
largement of the fruit and vegetable
garden.
SUMMER SHADE FOR POULTRY
When poultry are confined during
the summer to ygrds of varying di
mensions, there must be a certain
amount of shade provided in order to
keep them in the best condition. The
lhade of a building for a portion of
Ihe day is all right, although the
lhade of bushes or trees is more de
sirable. If the poultry yard is located
where it is not possible to obtain
shade in the manner indicated, it is
a good plan to either train vines over
a portion of the poultry fence on the
sunny side. In a few weeks this will
be high enough to provide consider
able shade and as it grows, of course,
will furnish more shade.
If it is possible to locate the poul
try yard where there are bushes or
trees of no particular value it will be
a good plan to arrange it in this way,
so that the fowls may have the bene
fit not only of the shade, but of dust
ing in the soil under the trees or
plants.
If a fair amount of shade is provid
ed during the summer with an abund
ance of fresh, cool water during the
day, and the fowls allowed to run for
an hour or two just before roosting
time, most of the breeds will bear
confinement very well. It will be a
little hard on the smaller and more
active fowls like the Leghorns, but
the Wyandottes and Plymouth Rocks
will stand the confinement and keep
In good condition.
GARDEN NOTES.
It is a question with gardeners
whether it pays to stake tomatoes or
(let them grow their natural way
upon the ground. I have tried near
ly all ways, and unless I am growing
only a few plants for home use, I pre
fer simply to trim the vines of some
of the leaves and let them alone, but
if one wishes to grow some fancy fruit
it is best to trellis or stage.
My method of staking is simple,
easy and not expensive. I set a post
at each end of every row of plants,
and then stretch a No. 12. I then trim
off all the lower leaves of the plants
and tie it to the lath.
I cut the back ends of the vines
and arrange them so that the fruit
will be exposed to the light as much
as possible. By this method I have
been able to secure ripe, choice fruit
ten days earlier than on those which
were allowed their “own sweet will.”
It is a good plan to have a box of
salt and ashes —half and half —placed
where the hogs can run to it and eat
what they want. This mixture acts
as a tonic, avoids constipation, and
Is all the medicine a hog will need,
if he haB good pure water to drink,
all the feed he will need, and a clean
dry place in which to sleep. There is
no more reason why a hog should be
everlastingly drugged with medicine
than there is for a person to be tak
ing medicine all the time. Sanita
tion is better than drugs for hogs.
A writer Rays do not change breeds
every time you hear of a new one.
There is no perfect breed, for they
all have good points and bad points
If you look close enough. When you
get a breed that moat suits you, breed
fit until it comes up to your ide&L
SPROUTS.
In setting arbor vitae for a hedge,
let them be small, and set them about
two or three feet apart. Keep them
well headed and trimmed low until
the bottom is well filled, or they will
never look well afterward. If kept
free from grass nd occasionally ma
nured there is no reason why they
should not last lifetime.
If you can get your strawberry
plants now, taking them up from the
old beds with a ball of earth, you can
i have a good crop next June, for they
will make almost as good a start as
pot-grown ones. Of course, after
they are started much depends upon
the care and nourishment you give
them.
To prevent the evils of excessive
pruning, commence when the trees
are young to rub off superflous buds
and to cut off the small twigs. Con
stantly keep the form and growth un
der control. There will then be no
check to either vigor or fruitfulness.
In setting grape vines, dig large
holes and cover the bottom with old
bones, cast-off boots and shoes and
leaf mold. These make a Btore of
plant food for the vine to draw upon
for a long time.
If the rot Is among the tomatoes,
pick every one that shows signs of
the disease and throw them away.
This often arrests the course of the
disease.
So long as the weather Is dry,
leave potatoes in the ground, but dig
them as soon as rains come, to prevent
second growth.
Mulch the young orchard with straw
after having the soil in good condi
tion. This will protect the roots dur
ing the winter.
If fruit is given special care from
the planting to the gathering and
marketing it always brings the best
price.
Where trees do not make a satis
factory growth it denotes lack of
plant food, or too much water in the
soil.
Don’t neglect the young trees this
month. Keep the soil stirred on the
surface.
THIRSTY BEES.
Just at this time when every bee
counts in keeping up the heat of the
hive and in caring for the young brood
it is Important that a suitable watering
place should be provided in order that
no more of the hold-over workers shall
1)0 lost in drinking at ditches and
troughs than can be helped. A simple
watering arrangement and one that
will serve the purpose of providing the
bees a permanent place which they
will patronize quite regularly in a
short time is made with a box or table.
Tack on a piece of burlap or coarse
canvas with a barrel or keg located at
the upper edge. The barre' should be
kept filled with fresh water and cov
ered while the water trickles out of a
small gimlet hole near the bottom and
spreads slowly across the table
through the meshes of the goods. This
forms an Ideal foothold for the bees
while they sip the water without dan
ger of drowning or being disturbed.
The raspberry, blackberry and dew
berry will need careful thinning out
and short pruning of the bearing
canes, and then, after the fruit is well
set, take off one-half or two-thirds of
the berries, and keep down the young
sprouts and canes so that the strength
will go to the berries. Fertilize with
four pounds muriate of potash and
two pounds of nitrate of soda per
square rod.
. For next year’s fruiting, grow the
canes for this especial purpose, re
taining about one-fourth as many
canes as usual and then treat the
same as above; picking. handling,
wrapping and packing the same as
for the strawberry. Fine clusters and
branches where they can be retained
should be shipped as clusters after
wrapping.
Twisting the canes often causes
them to produce large fruit, and
water is often used with one pound
muriate of potash and one-half ni
trate of soda to 20 gallons of water
to help increase the size, especially if
the weather is dry. Mulching is nec
essary and watering can be done
safely.
Bees do not swarm every year, but
only such years as give a bountiful
supply of honey. It seems by natural
instinct they can, at least to some ex
tent, foretell the season. It requires
a good honey flow to induce them to
swarm, and in this they seldom make
a mistake. We have very frequently
noticed that when little or no attempt
is made to swarm, and also at a time
of a very good honey flow, that it fol
lowed a poor honey season. On the
other hand, when it seemed that all
energy was bent in the direction of
swarming, a large crop of honey was
the result. Bees often make all prep
arations for swarming, and the swarm
is due to come off, but they failed to
come, and swarming was given up for
the time being, the surplus queens or
queen cells being destroyed.
When the hot summer days come
be sure to provide shade for your
yarded chicks. They will sicken and
die If exposed all day to the hot sun.
Also see that they have plenty of
free!* drinking water.
Keep the hens quiet and comfora
ble. and do not allow them to be wor
ried or frightened.
DAIRY DOINGS.
Exquisite cleanliness is absolutely
necessary in every part of the dairy;
and not on “the outside of the cuff*
only.
The dairyman has just as maiy
perplexing problems to solve as the
man of affairs in the city. Brains
ind brawn are absolutely necessary,
to make dairying a success.
Many farmers regard dairying a side
Issue and are unwilling to provide
modern machinery to lessen the la
bors of the housemother, who strug
gles with the time honored but tire
some ways of long ago.
A “dairy” dream of the future is
one that shows a United States
"gauger” stationed at each large
dairy (by the time they all will be
large), whose business it will be to
test the output, saddle it with a cer
tificate, put a price upon it and send
it to market.
It is claimed for St. Lawrence
county, New York, that more milk is
produced in the county than any oth
er in the United States. The cheese
output in 1904 was 13,777,899 pounds,
and butter output 8,029,206 pounds.
Together with what milk and cream
was shipped out this would mean a
total production of 322.696.977 pounds
of milk. In round numbers the dairy
income of the county in 1903 was $3,-
250,000.
In speaking of the wealth of Hol
land, Prof. H. H. Dean said: “It is
one of the wealthiest countries accord
ing to population of any in the world.
Now how have they made this money?
How have they been able to produce
the marvelous wealth which has ac
crued to that very small country?
They have made it out of agriculture
and the particular branch of agricul
ture which they have given spbWal
attention to is that of keeping cows
and the production of dairy goods.
HORTICULTURAL NOTES.
Prune the orchard now and cut out
useless branches. Leave more limbs
that will give symmetry to the tree.
How is your woodpile, is it low
down? The old dead apple trees cut
up will replenish it, and now is the
time.
The tree that blew over is not
worth pushing up, for it will blow
over again. Make firewood of it and
plant a new one in its place.
Sweden has a law requiring the
planting of two trees for every one
cut down. Why wouldn’t that be a
good idea in this country?
If the cellar is warm, look out for
rotting apples. Do not keep the cel
lar shut up tight, open it at night
and let in the air, and close it on
warm days in the morning.
Plant memorial trees on the birth
days of your children and they will
always have a monument. Of course
if the birthday comes in midwinter,
better wait until spring to plant.
It Is interesting to note how well
trees remember good care that they
have received the previous season.
Really a large share of the thrift of
a tree depends upon the store of
nourishment and vitality laid up the
year before.
Wrap long stemmed rose bushes
with rye straw or gunny sacking.
The object is not to prevent freezing,
but to guard against alternate thaw
ing and freezing out and to moder
ate sudden changes in weather.
FEED HOGS ON A PLATFORM.
Large quantities of corn annually
are wasted on many farms in the
.corn belt where hogs are fed, simply
because they are fed on the ground
instead of on a low platform. Econ
omy is of great importance in any
kind of feeding, and it will be par
ticularly advisable this year in feed
ing corn to hog 3 to so dispense it as
to prevent unnecessary loss. Much of
the corn given hog 3 is tramped into
the ground and thus escapes. Wher
ever they are fed considerable root
ing will be done, and w’hen rains
come places are formed into which
hundreds of kernels find their way.
Every farmer knows this well enough.
We have suggested a low platform as
a means of checking the loss indicat
ed. It should be of cement or coarse
oak lumber, and be large enough to
accommodate the number of hogs fed
up to a large herd. It would not, of
course, be practicable to construct a
platform large enough for very large
numbers of swine. The platform
should.be almost three or four inches
from the ground. Hogs fed on this
platform will get every grain of co.-n
given them, and It will more than pay
for itself in a short time.
NOVICES AND INCUBATORS.
Recently a gentleman said that he
had a mortgage on a farm and was
Inclined to buy a number of Incuba
tors and put them on the farm in
charge of his brother. He thought
he could thus build up a good poul
try business. His idea seemed to be
that all he had to do was So put the
money into the work and it would run
Itself. On inquiry, it was found that
he knew nothing at all about poultry
culture. The writer advised him to go
slow, as there is no branch of farm
ing that does not have to be learned.
It is not for the benefit of poultry sci
ence to have men rush into poultry
raising in this way. They must ap
proach the business from a proper
standpoint to make a success of it.
Unless the breeder is accustomed to
look for lice on hogs, he may fail to
find them. Under the ears in the
wrinkles about the head, under the
flank, or legs is a good place for them
to work. Dip the hogs and prevent the
lice from getting a foothold.
Pigs intended for breeding purpose*
should be separated from those tnten4~ *
ed for market and given a ration wfr*
taining more protein.