The Mystery of
NO. XIV.
JOHN JASPER
IN the quiet town ol Clolsterham, In
England, not far from London, In a
boarding school, once lived a beautiful
girl named Rosa Bud an amiable, willful,
winning, whimsical little creature whom
everyone called "Rosebud." She was an
orphan. Her mother had been acciden
tally drowned when she was only 7 years
old and her father had died of grief on
the first anniversary of that day. Her
father's friend and college mate, a Mr.
Drood. had comforted his last hours, and
they had agreed between that when Rose
bud was old enough she should marry
Mr. Drood's son Elwin. then a little boy.
Her father put this wiBh In his will, and so
did Mr. Drood, who died also soon after
his friend, and Rosebud and Edwin Drood
grew up knowing that, though not bound
in any way, each was intended for the
other. So it came about that while. If
they had been left alone they might
have fallen in love naturally, yet as It
was they were always shy and ill at easa
with each other. Tet they liked each
other, too.
Rosebud's guardian was a Mr. Grew
glous, an arid, pandy man, who looked
as if ho might be put In a grinding mill
and turned out first-class snuff. He had
scanty hair like a yellow fur tippet and
deep notches in his forehead, and was
very near-sighted. He seemed to have
been born old, so that when he came
from London to call on Rosebud amid all
the schoolgirls he uead to say he felt like
a bear with tho cramp. But Mr. Grew
gious under his oddity had a very tender
heart, particularly to Rosebud, whose
mother he had been secretly In love with
before she married. But he had grown
up a dry old bachelor, living In gloomy
rooms in London, and no one would
have, guessed him ever to havo been a bit
romantic.
The school Rosebud attended was called
"Nun's House." "Miss Twinklcton. the
prim old maid wbVjnanaged it termed It
a ' 'Seminary- !or:TdungHatc&tsIt had
a worn front, with a big. shining brass
door-plate that made It look at a distance
like a battered -old beau with a big" new
eyeglass stuck In hl blind eye. Here
Rosebud lived a happy llfo till she was
quite a young lady, and "was the pet of
the whole school.
Clolsterham was a dull, gray town with
an ancient cathedral which was so cold
and dark and damp that looking into its
door was like looking down the throat of
old Father Time. Tho cathedral had a
fine choir, which sang at all the pervices
and was taught and led by a music mas
ter named John Jasper. This Jasper, as
It happened, was the uncle and guardian
of Edwin Drood. tho young man "who
expected to marry Rosebud, and as Drood
was very fond of his uncle and used to
come often to Clolsterham to see him,
Rosebud saw a creat deal of her Intended
husband. He used to call on her at the i
school and take her walking and buy !
her candy at a Turkish shop, called
"Lumps of Delight." and did his best to
get on well with her even though he felt
awkward.
Drood and Jasper were much more like
two friends than like uncle and nephew,
for the choirmaster was very little older
than Drood himself.
Jasper seemed to be extraordinarily fond j
ol .urooa. ana every one wno Knew mm
thought him a most honorable and up
right man: but In reality he wasVar dif
ferent. At heart he hated the cathedral
and the singing, and wished often that
he could find relief, like some old monk.J
in carvinjj acmons out ot tne aesKs ana
seats, lie had a soul that was without
fear or conscience.
One vile and wicked practice he had
which he had hidden from all who knew
him. He wag an opium smoker. He would
steal away to London to a garret kent hv '
a mumbling old woman who knew the se- i
cret of mining the drug, and there, i
stretched on a dirty pallet, sometimes I
with a drunkon Chinaman or a Lascar I
beside htm. would smoke- pipe after pipe
of the dreadful mixture that stole away
his senses and left him worse than be
fore. Hours after ho would awake, give
the woman money and hurry back to
Clolsterham just in time to resume his
church robes and lead the cathedral
choir-
But though no one knew of this, and
though Edwin Drood thought" his uncle
was1 well-nigh perfect, Rosebud after she
grew up had no liking for Jasper. He
gave her music lessons and every time
they met he terrified her. She felt some
times that he haunted her thoughts like
a dreadful ghost He seemed almost to
make a slave of her with his looks, and 1
she felt that In overy glance ho told her 1
tnat ne. jasper, loved her. and yet com
pelled her to keep silence. But, disliking
him so, and ehivering whenever he came
near her. she did not know how to tell
Edwin, who she knew loved and believed
ui Jasper.
THE COMING OP NEVILLE
LANDLESS
ONE of the ministers in charge of the
cathedral was the Rev. Mr. Cris
parklc, a ruddy, young, active, honest
fellow, who was perpetually practicing
boxing "before the looking-glass or pitch
ing htmeeif headforemost Into all the
streams about the town for a swim, even
when it was- Winter and he had to break
the ice with his head. -s,
Mr. Crteparkle sometimes took young
men into his home to lire while he tu
tored them to prepare them for college.
One 4 ay he received word from a Mr.
Luke Honeythunfler in London telling him
he was about to bring to Clolsterham a
twin brother and sister, Neville and
Helena Landless, the young man to be
taught by Mr. Crlsparkle and his sister.
Hclew. to be put in Miss Twlnklcton's
school.
This Luke Honeythunder called him
self a "philanthropist, but he was a
Queer sort of -one Indeed. He was al-
Tales t.from
Edwin Drood
ways getting up -public meetings and
talking loudly, insisting on every
body's thinking exactly as he did. and
saying dreadful things of them if
they did not. Helena and Neville Land
less had been born in Ceylon, where as
little children they had been cruelly
treated by their stepfather. But they
had brave spirits, and four times In
sir years they had run away, only to
be brought back each time And pun
ished. On each of these occasions (the
first luid been -when they, were but 7
years old) Helena had -dressed as a
boy and had even tried to cut off her
long hair with Neville's pocketknlfe.
At length their cruel stepfather died,
and they were sent to England, where,
for no other reason than that his name
was continually appearing In the newspa
pers, Mr, Honeythunder had been ap
pointed their guardian.
No wonder the brother and sister had
grown up thinking everybody their enemy.
They -were quite prepared to hate Mr.
Crisparklc -when their guardian brought
them. But by the time Mr. Honeythun
der had gone (and Mr. Crlsparkle was as
glad as they wcro when he went home)
they liked the young minister and felt
that they -would 'be happy there. They
were a handsome pair, and Mr. Crlsparkle
was attracted to them both. Neville was
lithe, and dark and rich In color; Helena
almost like a gypsy, slender, supple and
quick. Both seemed half shy. half defi
ant, as though their blood were untamed.
To make them welcome that first even
ing Mr. Crisparklc invited to his house
Jasper, the choirmaster, with Edwin
Drood, who wan visiting him, and Rose
bud from the school. Before they parted
Rosebud was asked to sing.
Jasper played her accompaniment, and
-while she sang he watched her lips In
tently. All at once, to their great aston
ishment. Rosebud covered her face with
her hand?, and. crying out "I can't bear
this! I am frightened! Take me away!"
burnt Into tears.
Helena, the newcomer, who had liked
Rosebud at first sight, seemed to un
derstand her better than any one else.
She laid her on a .sofa, soothed her. and
in a few moments Rosehud seemed again
as usual. Mr. Crisparklc and Edwin
Drood thought It only a fit of nervous-
laitij!.. .JX.O hex -relief.-they .nade- light rot
the matter, and so the evening endeo.
But later, at Nun's House, where she
and' Helena were to be roommates. Rose
bud told her new friend how much sho
disliked Jasper and how his eyes terri
fied her. and how. as she sang, -with his
eyes watching her lips, she felt as if lie
had kissed her.
While the two girls were exchanging
confidences Neville and Edwin Drood.
who had gone -with them to the door of
the seminar-, were walking back to
gether. Mr. Crisparklc had told Neville
of tire other's betrothal to Rosebud, and
Ncvillo now spoke of it. Drood, who had
felt all along that he and Rosebud did
not get along well together and who was
sensitive on the subject, was unjustly
angry mat the other should so soon
know what he considered his own private
affair He answered in a surly way. and.
a oth were hot-blooded and qulck-tem- j
Perea. tney soon came to nign words,
As It happened. Jasper was walking near !
and, overhearing, came between them, j
Ho chlded them good-naturedly and took j
them to his rooms, where he insisted
they should drink a glass of wine with
him to their good fellowship. There he
did a dastardly thing. He mixed with
the wine a drug which, once drunk,
aroused their angry passions. Their
speech grew thick and the quarrel began
again. Safe now from any spectator,
Jasper did not attempt to soothe them.
He let them go-on until they were about
to come to blows. - Then, pretending
great indignation, he threw himself upon
Neville and forced him, batless, from
the house.
In the cool night air Neville's strange
dizziness, and with It his rage, cleared
away. He realized that the blame for the
quarrel had been Jasper's, but he did not
guess the drugging of the wine and could
not explain the "Incident even to him
self. He wenf however, manfully and
sorrowfuly to Mr. Crlsparkle and told
him what had occurred, and naturally
Mr. Crlsparkle. who had always found
Drood peaceable enough, thought It the
fault of a passionate and revengeful
characters.
He was the more convinced of this when
Jasper came to him, bringing Neville's
hat and told him his own story of the
meeting. Jasper told hint falsely that
Neville had made a murderous attack on
Drood. ad but for him would have laid
his nephew dead at his feet He warned
the other that Neville had a tigerish
blood and would yet be guilty of ter
rible crime. Mr. Crisparkle iiked Seville,
HE WAS AN OnUH SMOKER. ' j
i - ' I
Tira srnmoc
HALLIE EKMIHIL
and all this saddened him, for he had not
the least suspicion that Jasper was lying
for a cruel purpose of. his own.
The affair was an unhappy one for
Neville, for Jasper took care that the
story spread abroad, and as It went it
grew, so that almost everybody In Clols
terham thought Helena's brother a pas
elonate fellow of a furious temper. And
they believed It the more because he had
made no secret of the fact that he had
fallen In love with Rosebud, and In this
they saw a reason for his hatred of
Drood.
Mr. Crlsparkle was a faithful friend. lift
concluded soon that the fault was not all
on Neville's side. But he was anxious
to have the two young men friends, and
he begged his pupil for his own part to
lay aside the ill feeling. He went to the
choirmaster also on the same errand, and
Jasper assured him that his nephew
should do the same. He even promised,
hypocritically, that to bring this bout he
would Invite both Edwin Drood and Nev
ille to dine with him on Christmas eve.
in his own rooms, where they might meet
and hake hands.
Both young men promised to come to
the dinner, and Mr. Crlsparkle was high
ly pleased at his management, little
dreaming what the outcome would be.
THE CHOIRMASTER'S
DINNER
THERE was a quaint character In
Clolsterham named Durdlcs. He was
a stone mason whose specialty was the
chiseling of tombstones. He was an old
bachelor, and was both a very skillful
workman and a great sot He had keys
to all the vaults and was fond of prowl
ing about the old cathedral and its dis
mal crypt, forever tap-tapping with a
little hammer he carried on its stones
nnd walls, hunting for forgotten cart
ties. In which, perhaps, centuries before,
bodies had been burled. He wore a
coarse flannel suit with horn buttons and
a yellow handkerchief with draggled ends,
and it was a daily sight to see him
perched on a tombstone eating his din
ner out of a bundle. "When he was not
feeling well he used to say ha had a
touch of "tomb-atlsm," Instead of rheu
matism. He wax drunk so much that he, was
never certain about getting home at
night so he had hired at a penny, a day
a. hideoQssmall boy..-aa,kqwrt as
the "Deputy" to thrw. stones .at- hire,
whenever he found him" out of doors after
30 o'clock, and drive him home to his
llttlo hele of an unfurnished stone house.
The Deputy used to watch for him after
this hour, and when he saw Durdlex he
would dance up and down like a dirty
little savage and sing:
"Widdy, wlddy. wn!
1 ketcbet him out after ten!
AViddy. wlddy, wy!
When he don't go then I hyl
TVIddy. widdy, Wake-Cock Warning;!
It was part of the bargain that he must
give this warning before he began to
tnrow " the stones, and when Durdlcs
heard this yell he knew what was coming.
Shortly before the Christmas eve din
ner Jasper picked a friendship with Dur
dlcs, and, pretending he wanted to make
a trip by moonlight with him among the
vaults, he persuaded him to be his guide
one night While they were In the crypt
of the cathedral Jasper plied Durdles
with liquor which he had brought to
such purpose that ic went fast asleep
and the key of the crypt fell from his
hands. He had a dim idea that Jasper
picked up the key and went away with
It -and was a long time gone, hut when
he awoke he could not tell whether this
had really happened or not And this,
when the Deputy stoned him home that
night was all he could remember of the
expedition.
But what Jasper had really done while
the other was asleep whether h had
taken away the key to make a copy ot It
'so as to make one like it for some evil
purpose of his own, or whether he wanted
to be able to unlock that dark "Under
ground place and hide something in it
some time when no one would be with
him this only Jasper himself knew.
The Christmas season came, and Edwin
Drood, -according to his promise, came
to Clolsterham to his uncle's dinner, at
which he was to meet Neville.- Before
leaving, however, he called upon Mr.
Grewgious, Rosebud's guardian, who had
sent for him with a particular o eject
This object was to give Into hte hands
a ring set with diamonds and rubies that
had belonged to Rosebud's mother. It
had been left In trust t Mr. Grewgfous
to give to the man who married her, that
he might hlmseir jut it on her llger.
Andln accordance with the tru-st the
Jawycr charged him if anytkisg sJts-uld
be amiss or if aBythinc .happened between
him aad Roe"w4. to bring -hack the- ring.
Mr. Grewgious gave a-ha this keepsake
pke&onian pobt&and,
Author of
"The Castaway"
Jlearis Lonxneeous ,
, ere. , if
tl. KIRKTS FE5KRVF.D
with such wise and friendly counsel on
the seriousness of marriage that all the
way to Clolsterham with the' ring In his
pocket Edwin Drood was very thought
ful: He asked himself whether he Teally
loved Rosebud as a man should love his
wife, whether he had not drifted Into
this betrothal rather as a result of their
parents' wish and wills than from any
deeper feeling. And he began to wonder
if by marrying her thus he would not be.
doing her a vast Injustice. He decided,
therefore, to tell her all that was in his
mind and be guided by her judgment
Rosebud meanwhile. In the silence of the
Christmas vacation, with only Helena for
her companion, had been thinking of the
same matter, and her wise little head had
reached almost the same conclusion. He
came to her at once, and they walked
out together under the trees by the ca
thedral. Their talk was not so difficult
as either had feared It would be, and
both felt relieved when they decided they
could be far happier to remain as
brother and sister, and not become hus
band and wife. So they agreed without
pain on either side.
Drood's only anxiety was for Jasper.
He thought his uncle had looked for
ward to his marriage to Rosebud so long
that he would be pained and disappointed
to learn it was not to be. So he con
cluded he would not tell him as yet
Poor Rosebud! She was greatly agitated.
She felt the falseness of Jasper, and
knew that he loved her himself, but she
realised the impossibility of telling this
to the nephew Who so believed in him.
So she was silent Drood, for his part,
since the betrothal was over, said noth
ing to her of the ring Mr. Grewgious had
given to him, intending to return It to
the lawyer.
The' kissed each other when they part
ed. The wicked choirmaster saw the
embracfc from where he walked, and
thought It the kiss of lovers soon to be
wed. Drood left Rosebud then, to pass
the time till the hour of meeting in Jas
par's rooms.
Neville that day had determined, the
dinner over, to start at dawn next morn
ing on a walking tour, to be absent a
fortnight He brought a knapsack and
a heavy steel-sbod stick in preparation
for this expedition, and bade his sister
Helena and Mr. Crlsparkle goodby before
he went to the appointed dinner at Jas
per's. The choirmaster himself, if was re
marked, had never seemed in better
spirjts than. jn that day, nor had. he ever
sung more sweeny man in wc ancrnoon
service before the dinner which he gave
to the two young men. If he was con
templating a terrible crime, no one would
have guessed it from his serene face or
his agreeable manner.
Edwin Drood had one warning just
before ho went up the postern stair that
led to his Uncle Jasper's. The old hag
who mixed the opium in the garret
where the choirmaster smoked the drug
had more than once tried to find out who
her strange, gentlemanly visitor was.
She had listened to his muttcrings in his
drunken slumber, and at length that day
had followed him from London to Clols
terham, only to lose track of him there
As Drood strolled, waiting for the dinner
hour to strike, from the cathedral chimes,
he passed her and she begged money from
him.
He gave it to her and she asked
him his name and whether he had a
sweetheart He answered Edwin, and
that he had none: "Be thankful your
name not Ned," she said, "for it's a
bad name and a threatened name."
"Ned," was the name Jasper always
called him by, but Drood did not think
seriously of the old woman's words. He
could not have guessed that the threats
she spoke of against the Ned who had a
sweetheart were' murmured la his drugged
slumber by his own uncle against himself.
And yet something that moment made
him shudder.
So the chimes struck, and Edwin Drood
went on to Jasper's rooms to meet his
uncle and Neville Landless went to his
deom! For from that time no one who
loved him ever saw him again In this
world.
JASPER SHOWS HIS
TEETH
THAT night a fearful, storm howled
over Clolsterham. Tn the morning,
as it was breaking, Jasper, the choirmas
ter, came pale, panting and half dressed,
to Mr- Criaparkle's, asking for Edwin
Drood. He said his nephew had left his
rooms the' evening before with' Neville,
to go to the river to look at the storm,
and had nof returned.
Strange, rumors sprang up at once. Ne
ville kad left for his walking tour and an
ugly suspicion flew from house te houe.
He had got only a few miles from the
tewn when -he was overtaken fey party
of men, who sftrron4e4 Wm. . Thinking
mat 21, 1900.
Dickensx
R1VLS . B
at first that- they were thieves he fought
them, but was soon rendered helpless and
bleeding, and la" the midst of them was
taken back toward Clolsterham. Mr.
Crlsparkle and Jasper met them on the
way, and from the former Neville first
learned of what he was suspected.
The blood from his encounter with his f
captors was on his clothes and stick.
Jasper pointed It out. and even those who
saw it fall there looked darkly at the
stains. He was taken back to the town
and taken to Mr. Crisparkle's house, who
promised that he should remain In his
own custody.
Neville's story was simple. He said they
had gone to the river, as Jasper had told
and returned together, he to Mr. Cris
parkle's, Drood to his uncle's. He had
not seen the other tslnce. The river was
dragged and its banks searched-, but to
no purpose, till Mr. Crlsparkle himself
found Drood's watch caught among some
timbers In a weir.
The whole neighborhood believed Ne
ville guilty of Drood's murder. But as
the body could not be found. It could not
be definitely proven that he was dead,
or that any murder had been committed,
so at last he was released. But no one
spoke to him and he was obliged to quit
tho place.
Besides his 6lstor Helena and Rosebud,
who, of course, believed in bis Innocence,
he had but one friend there Mr. Crlspar
kle. The latter stoutly refused to believe
the accusations, and when Neville left
for London, through Mr. Grewgious,
Rosebud's guardian, the minister found
him a cheap lodging and made frequent
trips to tho city to help and counsel him
In his studies.
Mr. Grewgious had his own opinion. One
day he went to Clolsterham to see Jasper
and there he told him a thing the other
did not know that before that last night
Edwin Drood and Rosebud had agreed
not to marry. When he heard this the
choirmaster's face turned the color of
lead. He shrieked and fell senseless at
the lawyer's feet Mr. Grewgious went
back to London more thoughtful than
ever, and it was not long before a detec
tive came from the city to Clolsterham
and began to interest himself in all the
doings of John Jasper.
The detective, to bo sure, was not
known as such. He called himself Dick
Datchery. and gave It out that he was
an Idle dog who lived on his money and
had nothing to do. He wan a curious-looking
man, with a great shock of white hair,
black eyebrows and a military air. He
PECK'S BAD BOY HOME FROM ABROAD
He and Dad Arc Surprised to Hear Abont Cassic Chadwick and the Chicago Strike.
(By lion. George W. Peck, ex-Governor of
Wisconsin, Formerly Editor of "Peck's
Sun," Author of "Peck's Bad Boy," Etc)
NEW YORK CITY, Dear Old Pard
ner in Crime: I have more
trouble trying: to do the right
thing than any boy you ever saw.
When I lie to keep dad from being
pulled by the police of a foreign coun
try, I seem to be all right, and then
dad will tell me to always be truthful:
and when I tell the truth, and dad. gets,
in trouble by my doing so, then he
wants to kick me. Every boy ought to
have a conscience that will prevent
him from doing wronj?, not one of
these vacillating consciences that
have to have an alarm clock to tell It
when to work properly, but a con
science that to like a detective, which
never sleeps, or like pills, that work
while you sleep, and regulate your
conscience so it will keep time wheth
er it is wound up or not.
On the way over from Havana, dad
had several talks .with me about turn
ins over new leaves, and he said now
that we arc about to land In our own
country, let us be horicst and tell the
truth. I aaid I would try it, but maybe
it would kill me. and then dad con
cealed about his person all the thlnga
"ne intended to smuggle without pay
ing duty, and then he put on a pious
look, just like a minister who is on his
return from a vacation, and we stood
on deck as wo came up from Sandy
Hook, looked at the statue of Liberty
and swelled up; looked at the Stars and
Stripes .flying and wept and acted like
foois. Dad was pussier than ever, with
over -0 yards of lace wound around his
stummick under his shirt and a lot of
kid gloves tied under his arms, and
mere things than you could count, anu
when the revenue officers boarded the
ship dad broke out in a perspiration,
which was so noticeable that tho in
spectors piped him off at once, and
.when he saw that they suspected him,
pointed to the statue of Liberty and
said:
"My son, look at that female with
the torch. That torch says all' are
welcome to come to this country who
are hone3t and willing to help bear
the burdens ot our Government, but
to the dishonest man that torch means
that he is not welcome. Be honest, my
boy, if you don't lay up a cent An
honest man is the noblest work of
God," and dad rolled up his eyes like
Dowie, and said: ''Peace be unto jou,"
and then the Inspector asked me if dad
had any goods on him that he hadn't
paid duty on. and I told him he could
search me. and that all I knew was
' that dad had used extra precaution in
making his toilet and that he nad to
-wind about 40 yards ot lace around
hte stomach, which had been troubling
him since "he had a touch of cholera at
Havana: and dad looked at me as
though he would like to electrocute me
foretelling- the truth.
The man told dad to peel oft his out
side garments, and when he come to
the lace and began to unravel it from
dad, dad was more comfortable, cause
his clothes didn't fit so quick. When
they had got the lace off, and the
gloves, dad looked hurt and said: "The
Lord glveth and the Lord taketh
away." and the man said it would cost
U0 fine, and. dad paid it and they
kept the lace. And when the inspec
tors left dad and began to search a
fat woman, be took me to one eide
and said: "You show the poorest Judg
ment In telling the truth of any boy
I ever met TDon't you Temember the
verse in the Bible which says: "The
truth should not he spoken at all
time " and then he was golsg te give
me- a swift kick, when- I told hirer to
fee careful or the diamond, ring he had
rented lodgings next door to the choir- j
master, and before long had made friends
with Durdles, the tombstone-maker, and ;
even with Deputy of the "wake-cock
warning."
Meanwhile Jasper, haggard and red
eyed, took again his place in the cathe
dral cholrf while Neville worked sadly and
alone In his London garret Neville made
but one friend at this time a lodger
whose window adjoined his own. This
lodger was Lieutenant Tartar, a retired
young naval officer. Tartar might have
lived In fine apartments, for he was rich,
but he had been so long on shipboard
that he felt m6re at home where he could
knock his head on the ceiling. He used
to climb across to Neville's room by the
window ledges, .and they became friendly
the warmer friends when Mr. Crlsparkle
discovered in the Lieutenant a schoolmate
who had once saved his life. Later, too,
Helena left Miss Twlnkleton'e school and
came to be with her brother. And so a
year went by.
Vacation time came, and one day when
Rosebud wasalone at Nun's House, Jas
per, for the first time since Edwin Drood's
disappearance, came to see her.
He found her in the garden and she felt
again the repulsion and fear she always
felt at sight of him. He told her that he
had always loved her hopelessly and
madly, though while she was betrothed
to his nephew he had hidden the fact.
She answered indignantly that by look If
not by word he had always been false
to Drood; that he had made her life un-,
happy by his pursuit of her, and that,
though she had shrunk from opening his
nephew's eyes, she had always known he
was a wicked man.
Then, maddened by her dislike, he swore
that no one else should ever marry her
that he would pursue her to the death,
and that if she repulsed him he would
bring dreadful ruin upon Neville. He
said this, no doubt, knowing that Neville
loved Rosebud, and thinking, perhaps,
she loved him In return.
When Jasper left her, Rosebud was faint
from fear of his wicked eyes. She made
up her mind to go at once foi protection
to Mr. Grewgious to London, and. leaving
a note for Miss Twlnkleton. she left by
the next omnibus. She told the lawyer
her story and he told It to Mr. Crlsparkle.
who came to London next morning, and
between them they told Lieutenant Tar
tar. While Rosebud visited with Helena
the three men took counsel together,
agreeing that Jasper was a villain and
planning how best to deal with him.
in the toe of his shoe would cut a .
hole in the leather and "be lost, and he
let up on kicking me, and finally we j
got oft the boat and went to a hotel I
and dad lectured me on the subject of j
Common sense. nc saia a uuy mav
hadn't common sense enough to pre
vent him from talking when he ought
to keep still, and giving away family
secrets, would b'lng his father's gray
hairs In sorrow to the grave. I am go--ing;
to try to lead a different life from
this out.
Well, sir, you don't realize the
changes that have taken place in our
beloved country since we left, almost
a year ago. We have been reading the
back numbers of the newspapers to
find out what has happened since we
left cause you never hear anything in
Europe about what happens In Ameri
ca, unless a President is assassinated
or an Indian goes on the war path in
Mexico. That is all they think of in
Europe, that we are Indians that are
confined on our reservations and not
allowed to carry arms, and that it is
no crime for Englishmen to come over
here and scalp us.
"What do you think of this?" said
dad, as he read an account of Mrs.
Chadwick forgins the name of Andrew
Carnegie to notes for $5,000,000, and
getting: the feeble-minded bankers to
lend her money on the notes, unslght,
unseen. "Gee. my boy. when we went
away Cassle was the richest grass
widow In the country, buying every
thing in sight and creating a sensation
wherever she went And npw she Is
In jail, her house and furniture gone
and a horsedoctor has taken her horses
for medical attendance when they had
spavinr and epizootic, and she . looks
20 years older because the jailers won't
let her have, any face cream to dis
guise herself with. Let this be a les
son to you. Hennery, never to forge the
name of any man, poor or rich, to notes
for ?3.000,000."
I told him I would never forge any
body's name to more than a reasonable
amount, cause T was no hog. "What
you crying about," said I, as dad broke
down and wept. "Oh. I was thinking
of poor Andrew Carnegie: the "dear old
case of Scotch Whisky and Quaker
oats." said dJ, as he wined his eyes
and read more about the Chadwick
case. "Here, this woman charges that
Carnegie was her father, and sve up
the notes to square himself with his
accidental daughter so she wouldn't
squeal on him. and queer him with the
library beggar?, who might refuse to
take his tainted money."
"It Is too bad about Andrew." says I
to dad, "but don't you remember what
a wink he had to his left eye that time
we saw him, even in his old age?"
"Well, that woman is no gentleman, or
she never would have told on Andrew."
said dad, and he dried his eyes and
looked at another paper, and told me to
hush, and he kept tfti reading, and finally
he said:
"Well, If that wouldn't skin you." and
he put his hand to his head and sighed
as though his heart would break.
What is It. dad: out with it 'cause
we might as well know the worst Has
Chauncey Depew attended another ban
quet and told that old chestnut about'
"Oh. Hennery", it is worse than that, if
possible," said dad. "Lookahere. a
church organization has refused to take
a $100,600 gift from Rockefeller, for use
in the missionary business, because they
believe John came by his money dishon
estly, robbing Independent refineries of
kerosene, and John is heartbroken for
fear all the religious and educational
grafters will boycott him, and refuse to
take hte money, and it will accumulate
en his handfl nntil it ruins him. By gin
ger, .that is hard en John," continued dad.
as he kept on reading.
"Oh. don't yea. worry afeotat Rockefel
ler." said' I tn dad. "He- ha only accu
mulated a fctilfen dtfktrs, And hj son has
4&
The next time the choirmaster. visited
the opium garret the old woman followed
him back to Clolsterham, with more suc
cesswith such success, indeed, that she
heard him sing in the cathedral and found
out his name from a stranger whom she
encountered. This stranger was Dick
Datchery. the detective, who discovered
eo much before he left her of Jasper'js
habits that he went home In high good
humor.
Datchery had a trick whenever he was
following a particular search of marking
each step of his progress by a chalkmark
on a wall or door. Today he must have
been highly pleased, for he drew a thick
line from the very top of the cupboard
door to the mottom!
WHEN CHARLES DICKENS. THE
MASTER STORY-TELLER. HAD TOLD
THIS TALE THUS FAR, HE FELL ILL
AND DIED, AND IT WAS NEVER FIN
ISHED. THE MYSTERY OF THE DIS
APPEARANCE OF EDWIN DROOD,
WHAT BECAME OF ROSEBUD AND OF
MR. CRISPARKLE, HOW NEVILLE
AND HELENA FARED AND WHAT
WAS THE END OF JASPER, ARE MAT
TERS FOR EACH ONE TO GUES9.
MANY HAVE TRIED TO FINISH THIS
STORY AND HAVE ENDED IT IN
VARIOUS WAYS. BUT BEFORE HE
DIED DICKENS TOLD TO A FRIEND
THE UNWRITTEN PART, AND THAT.
THE FRIEND HAS RECORDED, WAS
TO BE A3 FOLLOWS:
By means of the old woman of the
opium den, Durdles, the tombstone-maker,
and Deputy, the ragged stone-thrower,
Dick Datchery unraveled the threads
which finally, made into a net, caught
Jaeper, the murderer, In its meshes. Lit
tle by little, word by word, he was-made
at last to betray himself.
He had covered the body of Edjrkt
Drood with lime, but there had beui sm
thing in the dead man's pocket which thi
lime could not destroy; this t as the geld
ring that had been glf-3 him by Mr.
Grewgious, and by this the murder waa
proven. Mr. Crlsparkle and Mr. Grew
gious worked hard to establish the inno
cence of Neville, of whose guilt Mr.
Honeythunder was always sure. But
poor Neville himself perished In aiding
Tartar to seiine the murderer.
Finding all hope of escape gone, Jasper
confessed his crime In the cell in which
he waited "for death.
But after all, the story closed happily,
with "the marriage of Mr. Crisparklc to
Neville's sister Helena, and that of Lieu
tenant Tartar to pretty little Rosebud..
not got gay yet A rich man can always
get rid of his money, in one of three
ways: by paying taxes, starting a news
paper or letting his son get gay. Rocke
feller's young man has been kept in Sun
day school until he is full of texts and
parables, and hymns, and he Is about due
to get a skin full of the water of joy,
at $15 a bottle, and give a dinner to the
chorus ot an opera, and when that time
comes, and the .youngster's back teeth
are afloat, and fie sees double, and be
gins to realize that he is the greatest
case ot 'it in the English language, and
the chlct chorus girl comes and sits on
the arm of his chair and leans over so
she is almost all in his arms, and her two
blue eyes look to him like the showcase
in a glass-eye store, and her breath
comes in short pants, close to his car,
and she puts her soft, manicured, veal
sweetbread hand on his fevered brow,
and strokes his hair away from the fore
head that is beginning to ache from mix
ing the canvasback and budge, terrapin
and charopagany water, and tells him ha
Is too good a thing to be bossing a Sunday
school. he will look cross-eyed from
trouble in his stomach, and tell her ho
will meet her at the stage door the next
night with an automobile with her own
monogram on the side entrance yes
when it comes to that, old John will
never find any trouble in putting the
tainted billion Into circulation. Eh. dad.
don't you think so?" says I, and dad.
said . he guessed that would be the only
salvation for poor old, bald-headed John,
with the odor of kerosene on his bank -1
account.
"But here's something that will make
you stand without hitching, and I want
to get to Chicago by the first train,"
said dad., as he turne'd over the paper and,
looked .at the headlines.
"What's the matter in Chicago, dad?
I says. "Has Carter Harrison been elect
ed again when he was not looking?"
"Oh, more fun than that," said dad
"What do you think, tho Chicago team
sters are on a strike, and they hav
blocked traffic and there is a fair chance,
that the neonle who are not killed with
bricks, will be starved to death, causo
they are going to put a stop to delivering
meat groceries and milk. Gee, wouldn't.
I like to be there with a window looking1
out on State street?" and dad fairly
beamed with joy at the thought ot
bloodshed.
"Well, when was there a time when
the Chicago teamsters were not on a
strike?" said I to dad. "They are the
most sympathetic people on earth. What
are they striking for now?"
"Oh, some girls that sew overalls aro
on a strike, and they can't seem to win, .
so the teamsters have struck in sympa
thy with them, and the business of 4,
000.000 people Is knocked gaily west" said
dad.
"Here's something you wouldn't be
lieve," says dad. picking up another pa
per. "Roosevelt is elected again, and is.
oft in the mountains for two months,
shooting jack rabbits and hears, and let
ting public business go to the dogs, but
he has heard ot the Chicago strike and a
banquet in that town, and he Is going
to the banquet and see JC his presence
will not make the strikers forget to fight
and you want to plug berths for the train
tonight 'cause I have got to see Boose
velt and report to him about what wa
did for him in Turkey and Egypt," and
dad begun to pack up the things, the
custom-house officers didn't find n him.
And so, old man. it won't be long before
you will see me in your old grocery and
I will tell you things that will make tho
Asablan Nights, seem like an account of
a church sociable. If I were in your place
I would get a detective to protect you,
for I have got so I am liable to shoot' a,
man on sight, and rob him of all he holds
dean Scrub out and open the windows,
and put on that eiean shirt yfrtf hava
been holding for such an occasion, for
"heboid, th prodigal sen Is on. your trail"
with a real appetite. Teurs,
- " HBNNKRYif