The pioneer press., July 24, 1902, Image 6

About The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?

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HA
Jhe Crimson
£tf fred M. White |
CHAPTER, XXV. (C«n(lia«d.)
Instantly the girl'* manner changed.
Bhe glartced at the Rembrandt with a
shrewd smile that meant *omethlng be
yond a mere act of prudence well done.
Then *he went down to the library and
began an eager search for 4 certain
book. Bhe found It at length in the
•'David Copperfleld” In the "Charles
Dickens' ” edition of the great novel
ist’s work*. For the next hour or so
she was flitting over the pages with
the cipher telegram spread out before
her. A little later, and the fsw Jum
bled, meaningless words were coded
out Info a lengthy message. Chrlsta
tel read them over a few times, and
then, with the aid of a vesta, she re
duced the whole thing, telegram and
all, to tinder, which she carefully
crushed and flung out of the window.
She looked away down the terrace,
•he glanced at the dappled deer, knee
deep in the bracken, aha caught a
glimpse of the smiling sea, and her
face saddened for a moment.
"How lovely It all Is." she mur
mured. “How exquisitely beautiful
and how utterly sad! And to think
that If I possessed the magician’s
wand for a moment I could make ev
erything smile again. He Is a good
nan—a better man than anybody takes
him to be. Under hi* placid, cynical
surface he conceals a deal of suffering.
§Well, we shall see.”
She replaced the “Copperfleld" on the
shelf and turned to go again. In the
hall she met I/ird Llttlmer, dressed for
riding. He smiled ns she passed.
"Au vevalr till dinner-time.” he said.
**rve got to go and see a tenant. Oh,
yes, I shall certainly expect the pleas
ure of your company to dinner. And
now that the Rembrandt—”
•*rt is safe for the afternoon.” Chris
tsbel laughed. “It 1* generally when
the family Is dining that the burglar
has his busy time. A pleasant ride to
' you.”
I CHAPTER XXVI.
An Vitespected finest.
Lord Llttlmer returned, as he de
clared, w-Ith the spirit* snd appetite of
• schoolboy. All the same, he did not
for one moment abandon his usual
critical analysis. He rattled on gaily,
but he was studying his guest all t>f!
same. Bhe might have been the typi
cal Ameblcao lady student: but he
was not blind to the fact that the plain
muctin and lae* frock ahe wore was
made in Paris, or that her manners and
style must have been picked up In the
best society. Bhe sat there under the
shaded lights and behind the bank of«
flowers like as to the manner born, and
her accent was only sufficiently Ameri
can to render her conversation piquant.
“You have always been used to this
Blass of life?" Lit timer asked.
"There you are quite mistaken.”
Chrisbel said, coolly. “For the last
few years my existence has been any
thing but a bed of roses. And your re
mark. my lord, savors slightly of Im
pertinent curiosity. I might as well
*sk you why your family Is not here.”
“We agreed to differ,” Llttlmer re
sponded. “I recollect it caused me a
great deal of annoyance at the time.
lAnd my son chose to take his mother's
part. You knew- I had a son?”
••Yes,” said Phrlatabel, without look
ing up from the peach she was peeling.
*T have met him.”
“Indeed! And v.hat opinion did you
form of my son, may I ask?"
”1 rather liked him. He seen\ed to
me to be suffering from some great
trouble, and trouble I am sure that was
* not of hla own creating.”
“Which means to say you feel rather
rorry for Frank. But when you say
the trouble was not of his own creating
you are entirely mistaken. It is pot a
pice thing to say. Miss Lee. but my son
xta* an utter and most unmitigated
young coun-lrel. If he came here, he
■would be ordered out of rhe house. So
far as I am concerned, I have no son
at all. He sides with hla mother, and
tils mother has a, considerable private
v*' fortune of her own. Where she la at
I present I have no Idea. Nor do I care.
Seems odd, does it not, that I should
have been very fond of that woman at
one time. Just as It seems odd to think
j that I should have once been fond of
I treacle tart?”
Llttlmer spoke evenly and quietly,
with hi* eyes full upon the girl. He
I was dece’vlng himself, but he was not
deceiving her for a moment. His cal
lousness seeahed to be all the more
marked because the servants were in
the room. But Chrlstabel could seg
clearly what an effort It was.
"You love your wife still,” she said,
•o low that only Llttlmer heard. His
eye# flashed, and his face flamed with
A sudden Spasm of passion.
•'Are we to quarrel so early as this?"
fce whispered.
"I never quarrel.” OhiiPtahel said,
coolly; ”1 leave my antagonist to do
that. But I have met your son. and I
Ilk# him. He mi»y be weak, hut he la a
gentleman. You have mad# a mistake,
and some day you will be sorry for It.
Do you grow those orchids yourself?''
Llttlmer laughed, with no sign of
anger remaining. All the same. Chlst
abel could sc# that his thin brown hand
tninty. Somebody was climbing up
the Ivy to the window.
L Leaning eagerly forward, Chrlstabel
could hear the sound of labored breath
i Ing. She seemed to see the outline of
[ an arm outside, she could catch the
Wrick rattle of the sash, sh# could al
jjat most see a bent wire crooked through
j beaded edges of the casement. Tes,
| she was right. The window swung
noiselessly back, and a figure stood
I poised on the ledge outside. •
With a quick breath and fluttering
I « hrr Christabel felt for the
1 switch.
1 "" hs all right,** aha murmured',
“the other one win fancy that the light
%
I
In necessary. Courage, my dear, cour
age, and the game la yours. Ah!"
The Intruder dropped Inside and
pulled the window behind him. Evi
dently he waa on familiar ground,
waa shaking. Phe noticed the lines that
pain had given under thoae shrewd
black eyes.
"You must see my orchids.” he said.
"Most of these specimens I obtained
myself. They tell me I have at least
three unique kinds. And now. If you
will permit me, I am going to smoke.
The drawing room Is at your disposal,
though I rarely enter It myself. I al
vays retire at It. but that need not
bind you In any way. It has been alto
gether a most delightful evening.”
But Ohfistabel did not dally long In
the drawing room. As she went up
stairs and along the corridor she heard
the snapping of the electric lights all
over the house as the servants were
preparing to retire. She paused Just a
moment In the alcove where the pre
cious Rembrandt was, and located
carefully the position of the switch
there. Then she retired to her own
room, where she changed her dress to a
simple black gown. A big clock some
where was striking 12 as she finished.
£he looked at the door. The whole
house was In darkness, the silence
seemed to cling like a curtain.
She paused for a moment, as If afraid
to take the next step. If it was fear,
she shook It aside resolutely and crept
Into the corridor. She carried some
thing shining In her hands,'something
that gleamed In the dim, uncertain
light from the big window. She stood.
Just for an Instant with a feeling that
somebody was climbing up the Ivy out
side the house. She felt her way along
until she came to the alcove containing
the Rembrandt, and then she stopped.
Her fingers slid along the wall till her
fngers touched the switch of the elec
tric light.
She stood for a long time there per
fectly motionless. It was a still night
outside, and there was nothing to ac
count for the rustling of the Ivy leaves.
The rattling came In Jerks, spasmod
ically. stopping, every now and then
and resuming again. It wcs no longer
a matter of Imagination. It was a cer
though he seemed to be seeking an un
familiar object. Chrlstabel’s hand stole
along to the switch: there was a dick,
and the alcove w-as clothed In brilliant
light. The Intruder shrank hack with
a startled cry. He rubbed hla dazed
eyes.
"Why not come In through the
front door. Mr. Littlmer?” Christabel
drawled, coolly.
Frank Littlmer had no words for a
nion>ent. He was w’onderlng who this
woman was. and what aha was doing
here. American, evidently, by her ac
cent, and also by the revolver that she
handled so assuredly.
“That Is th# way you used to enter,”
Chrlstabel proceeded, "when you had
been out contrary to parental Instruc
tions and the keepers expected to have
a f-ncas with the poachers. Your bed
room being exactly opposite, detection
was no easy matter. Your bed room has
never been touched since you left, he
key Is still outside the lock. Will you
kindly enter It?”
"But—" Frank stammered. “But I
assure you that I cannot—"
"Take the Rembrandt away. You
cannot. The frame Is of Iron, and It Is
fastened to the wall. It would take an
experienced carpenter quite a long time
to remove It. Therefore, your mission
has failed. It Is very annoying, because
It puts the other man In a very awk
ward position. The position Is going to
be still more awkward presently. Please
go to your room.”
"My dear lady. If my father knows
that I am In the house—”
"He is not going to know that you are
In the house, at least not for some little
time. An 4 when you see him It will be
better not to say more than Is neces
s» ry. Later on you will recognize what
a friend I am to you."
"You are not showing It at present,”
Llttlmer said, desperately.
"The patient rarely sees any virtue In
his medicine. Now, please go to your
ro> m. I can hear the other man mut
tering and getting anxious down below.
Now. If you approach that window
again, I am pretty certain that my Re
volver will go off. You see, I am an
American, and we are so careless with
such weapons. Please go to your room
at once."
"And If I refuse your ridiculous re
quest?"
"You will not And my request In the
least ridiculous. If you refuse I shall
hold you up with my weapon and alarm
the whole house. But I don't want, to
do that, for the sake of the other man.
He ts so very respectable, you know,
and anything unconventional may be
so awkward for bira. Yes. It is Just as
I expected. He Is com<ng up the Ivy to
Investigate himself. Go!”
The revolver covered Llttlmer quite
steadily. He could see Into the blue
rim, and he was conscious of strange,
cold sensations down hla spine. A re
volver Is not a pretty thing at the best
of times: It is doubly hazardous in the
hunds of a woman.
"What do you want with me?" he
t #ked.
"My dear man, I want to do nothing
with you. Only do as you are told and
there! The other mnn Is coming up
the Ivy. He can't understand the light,
end you not returning. He Imagines
that you are looking in the wrong place.
Please go."
Llttlmer backed before the weapon,
backed until he was In the doorway.
Suddenly the girl gave him a push, shut
the door to and turned the key 1n the
lock. Almost at the same moment an
other figure loomed large In the window
frame.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Slightly Fsrrlesl.
Something bulky was struggling to
get through the window. Half-hidden
WjUtHc'' V•• V ’S'
■i
Henson advanced, angrily. His pru
dence had gone for the time. As he
came down upon Chrlstabel she raised
her revolver and fired two shots In
quick succession over Henson's shoul
der. The noise went echoing and re
verberating along the corridor like a
crackling of thunder. A door came
open with a click, and then a voice de
manded to know what was wrong.
1 -V;
In the shadow, Christabel watched with
the deepest Interest. If she had been
afraid at first, that sensation had en
tirely departed by this time. From the
expression of her face, she might have
been enjoying th* novel situation. It
was certainly not without a suggestion
of the farcical.
The burly figure contrived to squeeze
through the narrow casement at length,
and stood breathing loudly In the cor
ridor. It was not a pleasant sight
that met Chritabel's gaze—a big man.
with a white, set face and rolling eyrs
and a stiff bandage about his throat.
Evidently the Intruder was utterly ex
hausted. for he dropped Into a chair and
nursed hla head between his hands.
"Now. what has become of that fool?"
he muttered. "Ah!”
He looked around him uneasily, but
his expression changed as his eyes fell
on the Rembrandt. He had the furtive
look of a starving man who picks up a
purse while the owner is still | n sight.
He tt&ggerjd toward the picture anl
endeavored to take It gently from it*
support. He tried again and again, and
then, iii a paroxysm, of rage tore at
the frame work.
”1 guess that can’t be done,” Christa
bel said, drawlingly. "See, stranger?"
Reginald Henson fairly gasped. At
he turned round the ludicrous mlxturt
of cunning and confusion, anger anl
vexatious alarm on his face, caused thi
girl to smile.
“I—l beg your pardon,” he stam
mered. •
"I said It can’t be done,” the girl
drawled, coolly. "Sandow couldn't d<
It. The frame Is made of Iron, and it
fixed to the wall with four long stays.
It’s a neat Job. though I say It myself.
I persuaded Lord Littlmer to *t
Tone. And when I heard you two prowl
lug about down there I was glad. I’ve
got the other one safe.”
"Oh. you’ve got the other one safe?”
Henson said, blankly.
He would like to have burst Into a
torrent of passion, only he recognized
his position. The thing was shamefully
funny. It was anything but nice for a
man of his distinguished position to bej
detected In an act suspiciously like
vulgar burglary. Still, there must be
some plausible way out of the difficulty.
If he could only think of It. Only this
girl, with the quaint, pretty face and
spectacl?s did not look In the least like
a fool. He would have to try what
blandishments would do.
"Are you aware who I am?” he asked,
blandly.
"What does It matter? I’ve got the
other one. and no doubt he will be
identified by the police. If he doesn’t
say too much he may get off with a
light sentence. It is quite easy to see
that you are the greater scoundrel of
the two.”
"My dear young lady, do you actually
take me for a burglar?"
There was a note of deep pain In Hen
son’s voice. He had dropped into a
chair again, with a feeling of utter
weakness upon him. The girl’s resolute
mien and the familiar way In which she
handled her revolver filled him with the
deepest apprehension.
"I am a very old friend and relative
of Lord Llttlmer’s,” he said.
"Oh, lnd jed! And Is the other man a
relative of Lord Llttlmer’s, also?”
"Oh, why. confound it, yes. The other
man, as you call him. Is Lord Ltttt
mer’s only non.”
“Chrlstab>»l glanced at Henson, not
without admiration.
"Well, you are certainly a cool
hand,” she said. "You are two clever
thieves who have come here for the ex
press purpose of robbing Lord Littlmer
of one of his art treasures. I happen to
catch one, and he Immediately becomes
the son of the owner of the place. I
am so fortunate as to bag the other
bird, and he resolves himself Into a rel
ative of my host’s. And you really ex
pect me to believe a Hana Andersen
fairy story like this?”
"I admit that appearances are against
me,” Henson said, humbly. “But lam
speaking the truth.”
”Oh, Indeed. Then why didn’t you
come In through the front door? The
violent exercise you were taking Just
now must be dangerous to a man of
your build.”
"I am afraid I shall have to make a
clean breast of It,” Henson said, with
a hat he fondly imagined to be an En
gaging smile. "You may. perhaps, be
aware that yonder Rembrandt has a
history. It waa stolen from Its present
owner once, and I have always said
that It would be stolen again. Many a
time I nave urged Lord Littlmer to
make It secure.”
"How grateful you should be to me
for having done so!”
"Ah. you are cynical, still, which Is a
bad thing for one so young and—er—
charming. I came down here to see my
very noble relative, and his son accom
panied me. I came to try and make
peace between father and son. But
that Is a fa.-nlly matter which, forgive
me. I cannot dlsmss with a stranger.
Our train was late, or we should have
beer, here long ago. On reaching the
castle It struck me as a good idea to
give Lord Littlmer a lesson on his care
lßeness. My Idea was to climb through
the window, abstract the Rembrandt
and slip qulstly Into my usual bed room
here. Then, In the morning, after the
picture hal been missed, I was going to
tell the whole story. That Is why Mr.
Llttimer entered this way. and why I
followed when I found that he had
failed to return. It was a foolish thing
to do, and the denouement has been
most humiliating. 1 assure you that Is
all.”
"Not quite." Chrlstabel drawled.
"There Is something else.”
"And what may that be, my dear
young lady?"
“To tell your story to Lord Llttlmer
before you sleep. That kind of romance
may do for Great Britain, but it would
not make good family reading In the
States."
"But, my dear young lady, I beg of
you. ? ‘.mplorj you—”
"Come off the grass! I’m to let you
go quietly to bed. and retire myself, so
that when morning arrives you will be
missing together with aa much plunder
as you can carry away. No, sir!"
■
“Now. I guess the fat Is In tfle Are.”
Chrlstabel said.
Hanson dropped Into a chair and
groaned. Lord Llttlmer, elegantly at
tired In a suit of silk pyjamas and car
rying a revolver In his hand, came cool
ly down the corridor, a. curious ser
vant or two would have followed, but
he waved them back, crisply.
“Miss Lee," he said, with a faint, sar
castic emphasis. “and my dear friend
and relative, Reginald Hti son—Regi
nald, the future owner of Llitlmer
Castle'!’
• “So he told me. but I wouldn't bellev*
him,” said Chrlstabel. •
“It Is a cynical age,” Llttlmer re
marked. “Reginald, what does this
mean?”
Henson shook his head m easily.
"The young lady Insisted on taking
me for a burglar,” he groaned.
“And why iiot?” Chrlstabel demand
«d. “I was Just going to bed when I
heard volc?s In the fore court below
and footsteps creeping along. I came
into the corridor with my revolver.
Presently, one of the rnen climbed up
the Ivy and got Into the corridor. I
covered him with my revolver and falr
•y drove him Into a bed room and
locked him In.'*
“So you killed with both barrels?”
Llttlmer cried, with Infinite enjoyment.
"Then the other one came. He came
to steal the Rembrandt."
“Nothing of the kind.” the wretched
Henson cried. "I came to give you a
lesson, Lord Llttlmer. My Idea was to
get In through the window, steal the
Rembrandt, and when you had missed
ti, confess the whole story. My charac
ter Is safe.”
"Giddy," Llttlmer said, reproachful
ly. “You are so young, so boyish, SO
buoyant, Reginald. What would your
ruture constituents have said had they
seen you creeping up the Ivy? They
Hre a grave people, who take themselves
s* rlously. Egad, this would be a love
ly story for one of those prying society
papers. ‘The Philanthropist aqd the
Picture.’ I’ve a good mind to send It
to the press myself.'*
Littlmer sat down and laughed with
pure enjoyment.
“And where Is the other partridge?"
he asked, presently.
Christabel seemed to hesitate for a
moment. Her sense of humor of the
situation had departed. Her hand shook
as she turned the key in the door.
"I am afraid you are going to have
an unplaisant surprise,” Henson said.
Littlmer glanced keenly at the speak
er. All the laughter died out of his
eyes; his face grew set and stern as
Frank Littlmer emerged Into the light.
“And wnat are you doing here?” he
erked. hoarsely. ‘"What do you expect
to gain by taking part in a fool’s trick
Uke this? Did I not tell you never to
show your face here again?"
The young man said nothing. He
stood there looking down, dogged, qui
et, like one tongue-tied. Littlmer thun
dered out his question again. He
crossed ovjr, laying his hands on his
•on’s shoulders and shaking him as a
terrier might shake a rat.
"Did you come for anything?” he de
manded. ’Did you expect any mercy
from —”
“Frank Littlmer shook off his grasp
tently. He looked up for the first time.
”1 expected nothing.” he said. “I —I
did not come of my own free will. lam
silent now. for the sake of myself and
others. But the time may come—God
knows It has been long delayed. For
the present, I am bound in honor to
hold my tongue.”
He flash id one little glance at Hen
sen, a long, angry glance. Littlmer
.coked from one to the other in hesita
tion for a moment. The hard lines be
tween his brows softened.
“Perhaps I am wrong,” he muttered.
“Perhaps there has been a mistake
somewhere. And if I ever find out I
have—pshaw ! I am talking like a sent
imental schoolgirl. Have I not had
etidence strong as proof of Holy Writ?
Get out of my sight! Your presence an
gers me! Go, and never let me see you
egaln! Reginald, you were a fool to
bring that boy here to-night! See him
oft the premises and fasten the door
again.’’
"Surely,” Chrlstabel Interfered, “sure
ly, at this time of night—”
"You should be in bed,” Littlmer said,
tartly. “My dear young lady, if yo>
and I are to remain friends, I must ask
you to mind your own business. It is a
dreadfully difficult thing for a woman
to do. but you must try. You under
stand?"
Chrlstabel was evidently putting a
strong constraint upon her tongue, but
sfce merely bowed and said nothing.
She had her own good reasons for the
diplomacy of slltnce. Henson and Frank
Littlmer were disappearing In the di
rection of the staircase.
“I sav nothing,” Chrlstabel said.
“But, at the same time, don’t fancy I
shall care very much for your distin
guished friend, Reginald Henson.”
Littlmer smiled. All his good-humor
seemed to have returned to him. Only
the dark lines under his eyes were ac
centuated.
“A slimy, fawning hound." he whis
pered. *‘A mean fellow. And the best
of it is that he Imagines that I hold the
highest regard for him. Good-night."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
A Squire of Dames.
A little later, and Chrlstabel sat be
fore her looking glass with her lovely
hilr about her shoulders. The glasses
were gone and her magnificent eyes
gleamed and sparkled.
I'Good night’s work.’’ she said, to her
stalling reflection. "Now the danger is
paused, and now that I am away from
that dreadful house I feel a different
being. Strange what a difference a
feV hours has made! I hardly need
mj disguise—even at this moment
I believe that Enid would not recog
nise me. She will be pleased to know
that her telegram carne in so usefully.
Well, here I am, and I don’t fancy that
anybody will recognise Chrlstabel Lee
and Chris Henson for one and the same
person.”
She sat there brushing her hair and
letting her thoughts drift along Idly
over the events of the evening. Regi
nald Henson would have felt less easy
In his mind had he known what those
thoughts were. Up to now that oily
scoundrel hugged himself with the de
lusion that nobody beside* Frank Lltti
mer and himself knew that the second
copy of "The Crimson Blind" had
passed Into Roll’s possession.
But Chris was quite aware of the
fact. And Chris, as Chris was sup
posed by Henson to be dead and burled,
unJ was. therefore, to play her cards as
she pleased. Up to now’ It seemed to
her that she had played them very well,
Indeed. A cipher telegram from Long
dean had warned her that Henson was
coining there, had given her more than
a passing hint what Henson required,
and her native wit had told her why
Henson was after the Rembrandt.
Precisely why he wanted the picture,
she had not discovered yet. But she
knew that she would before long. And
she knew. also, that Henson would try
and obtain the print without making
his presence at Llttlmer castle obvi
ous. He was bringing Prank Llttlmer
along, and was, therefore, going to
upe the young man in some cunning
way. *
That Henson would try and get Into
the castle surreptitiously Chris had felt
from the first. Once he did so. the rest
woul 1 be easy, as he knew exactly
where to lay his hands on the picture.
Therefore, he would have no better Jlme
than the dead of night. If his presence
weie betrayed, he could turn the mat
ter aside ns a Joke, and trust to his na
tive wit later on. If he had obtained
the picture by stealth, he would have
discreetly disappeared, covering his
tracks as he retreated.
Stlfl. It had all fallen out very fortun
ately. Henson had been made to look
ridiculous; he had been forced to ad
mit that he was giving Llttlmer a les
son over the Rembrandt, and though
the thing appeared Innocent enough on
the aurface. Chris was sanguine,
on. that she could bring this up as evi
dence against him. “
“So far so good.” she told herself.
• Watch, watch, watch, and act when
the time comes. But It was hard to
meet Frank to-night and he able to say
nothing. Anil how abjectly miserable
he looked! Well, let us hope that the
good time Is coming.”
Chris was up betimes In the morning
and out on the terrace. She felt no fur
ther uneasiness oh the score of the dis
guise now. Henson was certain to be
Inquisitive. It was a part of his nature,
hut he was not going to learn anything.
Chris smiled as she saw Henson lum
bering towards her. He seemed all the
better for his night's rest.
“The roses bloom eurly," he said, gnl
lantly. "Let me express the nope that
you have quite forgiven me the fright I
gave you last night.”
tTo be t'ontlnnrd.)
Odd or Kven f
An Incident which casts a very clear
light on one side of the characteristics
of the Western steel "magnates” and
their bravado carelessness over money,
occurred In an up-town hotel the other
night. It occurred In the cafe, of
course.
“John,” said one. throwing a bill down
—they are always Tohn and Tom to one
another—“ John, what Is It, odd or
even?”
"Odd.” was the nonchalant reply. The
bill was picked up. It was a note for
SSOO.
"I don’t believe I have the cosh with
me, Frank, said the loser. He dr»w a
roll of bills from ils pocket, and. find
ing he had more <han he expected, ex
tracted one for SSOO and handed It over
to him. No more was said on the mat
ter, and the Interrupted thread of con
versation was picked up.—New Yo-k
Post.
Ken Yark’s Hesl Hitlers.
Count Ma.sukata, the formeg premier
of Japan, during his trip through the
flrar.clal distrl-t on Tuesday, expressed
amamimnt at the physical greatness
of the city; but when the Japanese
cot sul general. Yaanoske Chkl, took
the statesman of the Flowery Kingdom
to the city hall to present him to May
or Low, the t-ouot was perplexed.
"Is this where the great city Is gov
erned?- ’ he inquired.
Told that It was. he looked at the big
buildings which dwarf the city hall, and
inquired:
"How does a government so humbly
housed command obe'dlenoe? In Wash
ington your eapitol embodies the majes
ty of the nation. But here your gov
ernment sits at the feet of giants. Ar-»
not the lords of these great palares,
pointing to the sky-scrapei s. the real
ruler.* here?"- New York Times.
Mrs. Unit’ Gifts to Charity.
Few people In England or elsewhere
do as much in the cause of charity as
Mra. “Sam" Lewis, upon whom the sul
tan of Turkey, not long ago, conferred
a decoration, in recognition of he r re
markable liberality to the destitute of
all faiths who are living in his* capital.
There Is scarcely a field of charitable
endeavor in which Mrs. Lewis does not
figure, either as a giver or as a worker,
or as both. When the organising com
mittee of the King Edward hospital
fund published its last report, the list
of announced contributors contained
Mrs. Lewis’ name conspicuously pub
lished opposite a quarterly subscription
of £2.,->OO. F lfty thousand dollars a
year to one charity is liberal giving. In
deed.—Brooklyn Eagle.
Superstition Hard to Kill.
For more than -a. mlllenlum Eng1»~1
has been a Christian nation, yet in the
museum at Oxford we see images brist
ling with rusty nails and needles, which
demonstrate the late survival of a be
lief in sympathetic magic In the rural
communities whence these objects come.
Within the university Itself T secured a
desslcated specimen of a familiar veg~.
table which an officer of one of the col
leges had carried for years as a pre
ventive of rheumatism. Neither centu
ries of enlightenment nor the revolu
tionary changes of this progressive age
have exterminated such beliefs. They
even adapt themselves to the new con
ditions, as in the case of the lady living
within the shadow- of the walls of Har
vard university, who maintains that
carbons from arc Iv.fips are a sure T , rp .
venttve of neuralgia!—Journal of Amer
ican Folk-Lore.
In one of the Philadelphia colleges, a
professor of chemistry asked a student
the other day:
“Now, suppose you were called to a
patient who had swallowed a heavy
done of oxalic acid, what would you
administer?”
“I would administer the sacrament”
replied the atudent. who. by the way
Is said to be studying for the ministry'
and taking chemistry because it U
««« » -
South Dakota
General ***** N«w»
Paragraphed
The Elks of Dead wood are expectin,
from 300 to 400 visitors from Omaha at
the Elks’ carnival, July 2$ to Aug i
First C. Lyngbye, uged seventy-*!,
committed suicide at DeSmet by hang
Ing. She had been In ill-health for *
year. *
Charles Thomas has sold his farm
140 acres at White Lake, to W. Ferrr
son for $2,400. Eight months ago hi
paid $750 for this land.
The Western Union Telegraph com.
pony has completed the extension of | U
Kite from Deadwood to Lead, along th«
new Elkhorn railroad.
The rye harvest has commenced la
Kingsbury county, and the yield prom
ises to be heavy. The weather is f».
vorable for corn and the crop is doing
nicely.
As ths result of a meeting of buslnea
men at Parser, It was decided to hoM
a street fair and carnival this fall, ami
a committee of arrangements was ap
pointed.
The carnival which the Sioux City
Elks Intended holding for a week dur
ing August has been abandoned, owing
to ths failure to secure desired attrac
tions.
The Butte county fair will be held at
Belle Fourche In October. A committee
recently visited the business men and
secured $1,400 In a few hours as a nu
cleus fund.
The city council of Lead has granted
a franchise to the Dickinson-A met
company for the operation of a gas
plant, to furnish gas for lighting and
cooking purposes.
Several members of the Huron bar,
with their wives, together with other
friends, helped Attorney Oeneral Burtt
and wife celebrate their forty-fifth
wedding anniversary recently.
Sol Starr, clerk of courts of Lawrence
county. Informs his friends in Dead
wood that he has undergone a surgical
operation. He Is recovering, and ex
pects to return home In two weeks.
Information has been received of the
death. In a hospital at Milwaukee, of
Mrs. J. B. Young, who was for many
years a resident of Sioux Falls. She
had been suffering for some time with
kidney trouble.
Charles W. Caton. mining and civil
engineer, who has been located at Hl!l
City for fifteen years. Is preparing ♦«>
remove to Rapid City. He Is past grand
chancellor of the Knights of Pythias
for South Dakota.
The Deadwood council is endeavoring,
to decide upon a suitable site for the
Carnegie library. Mr. Carnegie has do
nated SIO,OOO for the building, requiring
the city to provide the site and guaran
tee SI,OOO per year for maintenance.
The Lake Preston mills are running,
after being shut down for over two
months for repairs. The company has
erected a new power house and Installed
a fine 100-horse power engine. It has
expended In new Improvements about
$5,000.
Smallpox has Anally been stamp’d
out In Lead, and the yellow flag ha»
been lowered by City Physician Wade.
There are still two or three patients in
the county pest house, near Deadwood.
but they are expected to be discharged
In a few days.
Tha plans for the new Carnegie build
ing at Yankton have been accepts*!.
Mayor Fanslow has appointed s bulg
ing committee as follows: F. L. Van
Tassel. Joseph Pier. Hughes East. Bart
lett Tripp. Fred Sehnauber. W. S. Good
win and P. J. Nyburg.
J. W. Hlgble of Dead wood has lately
returned from a trip through Oregon
and Washington, where he purchased
several thousand head of sheep. Hl*
range. In the Slim Buttes region. I*
crowded, and he has located a ranch
on the Cannon Ball river, in North Da
kota.
F. L. Rowley sold his farm of l**
acres In Perry township, near Mitchell,
for J4O per acre. He bought the pine*
three years ago for $1,250. J. P. 'ool
sold his farm of I#o acres to an low*
man for $42 per acre. These are the
highest prices ever paid In this county
for farm lands.
Aberdeen’s new Alexander Mitchell
library has been opened to the public*
Andrew Carnegie gave $15,000 for the
structure, which Is of a pure classic
style of architecture, built of cut stone
and pressed brick. It is finished inside
In paneled quarter-sawed oak. In both
Interior and exterior finish the building
is the finest in the state*. Besides am
ple book stock room there are pubi c
reading rooms for adults and children,
and a lecture room of good size. Th®
furnishings are rich and substantial*
With the new books Just added to the
list, the library contains about
volumes. The quarter-block site for
the library was to the city by
C. H. Prior of Minneapolis.
The annual encampment of the AR®
division of the G. A. R. of South Dako
ta, ended at Aberdeen with a sham bat
tle between Company L., S. D. N*
and a band of Slsscton Sioux Indians*
The Indiana were under the commas
of Chun-ka, an aged chief, but hH
warriors were all old men, who partlrl
pated as young braves In fights wit
whites and Chlppewas. Large crowd*
witnessed the contest. The next en
campment will be held at Slmson Pats*
Big Stone Lake, at the time of the state
encampment. The officers elected f,,r
the ensuing year were: Commander. ,
N. I. Lowthlan of Milbank: senior vice ,
commander. J. W. Abbott, Webster:
Junior vice commander. Isaac Rlt ,, ' r *
Groton; surgeon, C. L. Chip man. wau
bay.
A defect In the election at Woonsock
et, covering the Issuance of saloon li
cense*. was argued before Judge Smith
at Mitchell. The saloonkeepers held
that the elecction was not legal because
license was voted for on the same ba -
lot that the city officials were voted for
judge Smith held that the election. *•
far as license was concerned, ws?s vo 1 •
and that the council must accept or
rejeet license. It Is understood that 1 *
city council, as now constituted, wnu
refuse to grant license, so that th>* sa
loonkee;«ar share gained aothin* •
their proceedings t» court.