THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, AUGUST 13, 1905.
41
. . . . . UCCn
NEW YORK. Aug. 7. (Special corre
respondence of The Sunday Ore
gonlan.) Out at Sandy Hook the
other day a squad of soldiers marched up
to the new 16-inch rifle the biggest gun
In the world and then halted before it,
waiting for the command to start in and
give the monster Its usual morning clean
ing. But the Sergeant In charge of thorn,
much to thoir surprise, did not Issue the
customary order. Instead, he strode for
ward and patted the gun several times
on the muzzle, Just at the spot "where
projectiles weighing 24K pounds have left
It and sped to sea some 18 or 20 miles. A
look of curiosity overspread the usually
expressionless features of the soldiers.
The man nearest the Sergeant, however,
soon understood why the strange caresses
were bestowed, for be heard the non
commissioned officer talking softly, and
wpat he said sent a sympathetic thrill
through the sturdy regular.
'Buster, old boy," murmured tho
Sergeant, as he fondly stroked tho
huge thing of steel, "they've gone and
given you tho 'double cross at Wash
ington. You're too big for us, pal, so
they're going to lay you aside, and they
won't build no more like you. We'll
clean you up. Just the same, but you're
a 'dead one,' 'Buster, and you won't
never have nothing to say -about any
little arguments your Unci Sam may
happen to have with outsldors who try
to imtt In around these here parts."
Strangest of Military "Vetnurcs.
Thus spoke the Sergeant. In his own
quaint way he was commenting on one
of the strangest military ventures ever
entered Into by the United States Gov
ernment. This venture was the con
struction of the biggest gun in the
world at a cost aggregating half a
million dollars. Seven years ago the
Government's war experts, who had
planned the terrific machine, bubbled
over in their enthusiastic predictions
as to its future. They declared that a
few of these monstrous guns scattered
along the important points of the At
lantic and Pacific Coasts would render
the United States impregnable -to any
foreign naval Invasion.
So the gun was built under almost
indescribable difficulties. When mount
ed at Sandy Hook two years ago it
was a thing of appalling proportions.
In length it would reach over the top
of a four-story building.
After the huge rifle had been com
pleted, however, experts began to lose
their enthusiasm, for they foresaw that
Uncle Sam had erected unto himself a
sort of Frankenstein. It had been
planned originally to construct 11 of
Copyright 'by the S. S. McCluro Company.
'I
IT WAS an evening of April, pale
and sweet with primroses.
The wood pigeons were falling to
sleep in the tops of tho oaks, and the
woods rang with the braggart "I m a
comln' comln comln ' of cock phea
sants strutting home to roost.
Out of the hazel-coppice, black against
the golden Yvest, a path ran to the stile:
here stood a notice-board warning tres
passers; beyond the stile, the path ran
among gray-limbed oaks, their feet amid
the primroses, and heads standing out in
the pale evening.
Out of the shadow of the hazel-coppice
a lady came swiftly. She wore a hat like
a cavalier's, with sweeping plume and
one side caught up, and beneath the brim
a posy of white roses against the swarthy
glory of her hair. And she walked, swift
ly and smote sharply upon her skirt with
the glove -in her ungloved hand; and be
hind followed a man with a boy's smile.
So they come toward the stile, and the
lady 'led swiftly, and tho man followed,
and neither spoke.
And at the stile the man led, and the
lady followed; and Again in the clear
wood, whero beneath tho branches the
path lay dappled with sun, the lady led
again swlftlr, and the man followed, and
neither spoke and the man smiled.
Thirty yards beyond the stile the lady
stopped and looked behind and about
her.
The man with the boy's smiled watched
her.
"Gone again?" he asked.
The lady looked through him, and be
yond him,and back along the path, and
answered nothing.
"Last time you lost It" he began.
"I haven't lost It before." she retorted,
and searched.
"Oh, but surely!" he said, and began to
count upon his fingers. 'There was when
I hammered you at ping-pong that was
the first. The second was"
She looked up into his eyes.
"And this makes the third," he aald.
"That's your shortest way home," she
said, and pointed back along the path.
He looked at her, lifted his hat and re
turned toward the stile. She dropped her
eyea to her quest.
A minute later bis fet sounded leisur-
"""ar1" THE LADY'S GLOVE By Alfred Ollivant
Sa r ( 1
the big guns, and distribute them at
Boston, New York, Hampton Roads and
San Francisco. For months and months
the military men debated as to tho
advisability of constructing the re
maining ten cannon. A short time ago
tho question was settled for all time
by the announcement from Washington
that no more of the giants would be
built. Furthermore, it was stated that
the Sandy Hook cannon would be prac
tically abandoned.
News of this decision had boen given
out at Sandy Hook on the day that the
Sergeant and his squad marched to tho
spot where the big gun lay amid all
the forlorn surroundings of a thing
abandoned. And this was why the Ser
geant stepped forward and murmured
his tribute to the monster, for every
man-Jack at Sandy Hook worships the
lC-Inch rifle with that characteristic
adoration which a soldier bestows on
anything possessing power, whother
that thing bo a great general, a plucky
horse, a powerful gun or an ordinary
cur dog that keeps its weather eye
open for a fight.
Built to Be a World-Beatcr;
When i the Sergeant had finished
mourning over "Buster" for such the
enlisted men have dubbed the giant he
wheeled brusquely about and ordered
the squad to go ahoafl with the clean
ing. While they were at work he com
mented on Uncle Sam's reason for turn
ing a oold shoulder on the cannon.
"This here old fellow," be said, "was
built by the Government to be a world
beater. When the- thing was planned
they had beon kicking up high Jinks
over in Europe about the power of big
guns. England had a gun that had a
caliber of 16.25 inohes, and the Italian
government had one measuring 17.26
Inches at the muzzle. Well, your Uncle
Samuel didn't like to have it said that
any such thing as a monarchy was out
doing him. So his army men they got
together and flxod it to rig up a rifle
that would knock 'the tar out of any
thing. "They planned to have the gun meas
ure 16 inches at the muzzle, but at the
same time it was o have ,a power of
shooting that would leave the Euro
pean orators way back In the shade.
'Buster' was to turn that trick for 'cm.
They started in to making him back in
1S97, up at the Watervliet arsenal you
know all about that; and It's better
cqulppod than the Krupp. Armstrong
or Creusot works over In Europe. Well,
up at the Watervliet arsenal they
bought a lot of machinery costing
something like J 4 00, 000, and It was all
to be used in creating 'Buster and his
ten big brothers.
"But, say, when they got done with
'Buster' they found they had an ele
phant on their hands. It took them six
years to finish him np six long years.
ly climbing the stile then silence; and
she glanced up to see If he was gone.
He was sitting on the stile.
"I thought I was tired," he said; "I
thought I'd sit a bit. I thought you
wouldn't mind." He added, "It's my
stile, you know."
She turned her head and searched.
"I can't help, can I?" ho asked: and as
she made no reply "I'm so glad you
won't let me: I like sitting so much bet
ter." She turned round.
"I thought I left my glove on the stile,"
she said, cold as a star.
"I thought you did. too,' ho said.
She came toward him.
"It's not here now," ho said, "that I
can see."
She stopped.
"I thought you said"
"No," he said, "I said I thought."
"I know' I had it not a minute ago,"
she said.
"I know you had," he said. "I saw you
drop it."
She looked at him.
"Then why didn't you plok It upT"
"I daren't, he said. "Last time I
picked It up"
"That's different."
"You said in such a pointed "way,
'That's my hand.' "
"So it was."
"Is a glove not a glove when there's
a hand in it?" ho asked.
She turned her back.
"Oh," he saidv "you never told me."
She walked away, searching: and he
sat and looked Into the hollow of his
right hand.
"It can't be far," ho said. "I know It
can't be far. Though I doubt if you'll
find it. 1 know It can't bo far."
"I'm not going till I have found It,"
she said, and searched.
"Right." he said. 'To In no hurry,"
and he settled himself on the slile.
Sho looked up.
"I think I'd go home." she said.
"I must rest a little first," he replied.
"Shan't you tire yourself watching me?"
she asked.
"Not as long as I sit to It,' he replied.
So she searched, and he sat: and when
her back was turned he lost his lips In tho
hollow of his right hand, and repeated,
"It can't be far: I know It can't be far,"
until she turned upon him with:
"I wish you d shut up your parroton-a-perch
cry."
"I thought it would encourage you," ho
said.
"Well, it dcwa'V' cJys eiid.
16 men RIFiE
c3T miFA
They had to build a special railroad to
haul him over to the Hudson River
from the arsenal, and then they towed
him here to the Hook on a barge.
Effect or Flrlfjn Big Gun.
"After a whole lot of puttering
around he was set up and made ready
for business. But when he first lifted up
his voice holy smoke! Say. that was the
most expensive speechmaklng ever per- ;
formed by a public official. You see. the I
first they done was to ram 643 pounus
of smokeless powder down "Buster's
throat. Next they shoved in that pro
jectile 2400 pounds of nice, pure steel.
Just think how many pocketknlvcs
that would have made. Well, anyhow,
in it went, and then the officers they
hid behind othr guns and give a sig
nal, and out It come. I was there, and
when them C40 pounds of smokeless
"Very well." he said, and sat upon his
hands and watched her search. t
"Any nearer finding It?" he asked at
length.
''Nearer than you, at all events," she
said.
"Oh. I, don't know." he said, and
rocked on his hands and sniggered.
She looked up sharply.
"What are you giggling at?"
"You," ho said.
"Is it so funny seeing me hunt while
you sit and grin?" she asked.
"It does amuse me," ho. allowed.
"It doesn't amuse mo at all," sho said.
"You don't see it quito as I do," ho
said, meekly.
"No," she retorted; "I haven't your
sense of humor," and she began to
move away.
"Going to give it up?" he asked.
"Yes." she said.
"Oh, I wouldn't," he said. "It can't
be far; I Tcnow It can't be far."
"I've heard that before," sho said,
trailing away.
"Wall, it stands to reason it must bo
here." he said, "if no one has taken it."
"No one" has been by," she said,
trailing away.
"Then it must be here," ho said.'
She swept round.
"Then perhaps you'll get "down from
your perch and find It."
"I should get no further toward find
ing It if I did." he said, and rocked on'
his hands.
"Anyway," she said, "I would like to
see vou look."
I M lnnlrtnn" ' n. ..to-. .1A A
"I think if you got down," she sug
gested. He slid down to his feet.
Tf It helps you in your trouble," he
salJ. "I can stand $or a bit."
So ho stood, leaning against the stile,
and she moved away. v
"JD'you give It up?" ho asked;
"Yes,' sho said.
"So do I." ho said, and climbed back
to his seat.
Sho stalked away.
"Don't be cross with me," ho begged.
"I am cross," sho said, marching on.
"I know " he said.
She flared round.
"You know," she cried.
"How annoying it must be." he addeJ.
"It is." she said, marching on.
"Was It so precious?" he asked.
'To me," she replied, marching on.
H. look? up curjocslj-t tfcea.
MILLION
powder went
earth reached
the face.
off It seemed like the
up and smashed me in
"After it all was over the big human
guns got together and commenced do
ing some figuring. I was standing near
'cm, and J heard every word they said.
One of 'cm I won't mention his name
became you'd know him one of.' 'om
said: "This ahot cost the United States
Government exactly JS64.'
" AJ1 right! chimed In another off!
cer who was. somewhat younger, 'All
right,' he says, let's shoot it off again.
Then c third officer he says: 'Well,
even If It did cost the United States
Government ff864i look what It could
have done. Suppose thore'd been a bat
tleship a few miles off shore. If It had
been hit by that projectile It would
have gone down In no time.'
"With that all tho big human guns
glanced into the hollow of his hand.
"Yet it was old." he said, "If I may
say so.
She turned, and he shut his right
hand and sat upon it.
""What are you Judging by?"
Thi of it," he jad.
"The look," she said.
"Yes,' he said, "when I last saw-It."
She turned again coldly.
"It was not old," she said.
"I don't know," ho said. "What about
the hole?"
"What hole?"
"Tho hole In the thumb."
"I never said there was a hole In
the thumb."
"There was, though," he said, "if I
may say so."
She turned.
"May I ask-how you came to know?"
she said deliberately.
Leisurely ho glanced up.
"If there wasn't," he said, "may I
ask how you got your thumb Jn?"
She scorned him with her eyes.
"Funny!" she said and swung away.
He Jumped down from the stile and
began to follow.
"I thought you were getting- a bit
low." he said. .
"Did your she said.
"I thought you wanted cheering," he
said.
"Indeed!" she' said.
"And it's my day out," he said, "fol
lowing. "Then Fd go in," sho said.
"Funny!" he said.
Sho swept round on him, and he
stopped dead.
"Whatr '
"We don't ,flr.d It," he said.
She looked at him, and he looked
back with Innocent eyes.
"Going in?" he asked.
"Yes."
"May I come?"
"No." t
Ho stood in tho path andylookcd after
her.
"I wonder you care to leave your
glove out at night alone," he said, "and
in a "wood."
'Til leave you to look for It," she
said.
"If I find It may I keep it?" he asked.
"No .you mayn't,"
"Nor'
"Certainly not," with coldest era-
1:
went away, talking and whispering and
arguing a whole lot. Then they fixed up
their roports and sent 'em on to Wash
ington. From that time It seemed like
'Buster was all right. We let him speak
up once in a while, Jusl so his voice
wouldn't get husky, and the boys
thought he had become a regular mem
ber of tho family.
The Blow That Killed "Buster."
"But a tew days ago 'Buster's' finish
came. The experts at Washington de
cided he was a back number. The way
they figured It out was that the 12-Inch
guns wero plenty strong enough to pro
tect the coast, because a heap of Im
provements were made In them while
'Buster was being built. So they de
cided not to make his ten brothers, which
they had "figured on. and also to quit
letting 'Buster himself do any speech
making around the Hook. So that's what
the biggest gun in the world has come to.
However. 'Buster won't suffer none.
We'll keep his pipe clean for him. even If
he has got to quit smoking.
"I said a while ago that 'Buster' cost
the United States Government half a
million dollars. Well, the way that ex
pense was divided was that the gun it
self footed up a cool hundred thousand
dollars and the machinery came to $400.
00. Of course, that all goes In on 'Bus
ter because they ain't going to build any
more, and the machinery was fixed up es
pecially for making big guns of that type.
"Oh. I know all about this here chap,
even If I am a 'non-com.' Don't ever fool
yourself about the men Uncle Sam's got
In his ranks. Of course. I'm not blowing
my own bugle, you know, but anyhow
I'm onto tricks. I know'rlght now that
If one of the commissioned officers hap
pened along and heard what I was saying
I might be court-martialed. But there
alnt' nenc In sight, and a man likes to
talk, no matter whether he's a soldier or
a preacher.
"I like specially to talk about old
'Buster.' I was up at Watervliet a while
when they were putting on his clothes.
I seen him when he was as naked as a
baby. Maybe you think I'm romancin'
about that. Well, I ain't.
Now in Scrap-IIcap Class.
"All that there was to 'Buster when
he didn't have no clothes on was a long
piece of pipe looking Ju3t like a sewer
main. That was 'Buster In his undressed
state. The long pipe was the purest kind
of steel, and It measured 49 feet six inches
In length. Over one-third of the length
of this pipe they took another steel tube
and fitted it and shrunk It on. That made
two big thicknesses for one-third of the
gun. Then from that third to the middle
of 'Buster they fitted on a Jacket of
Etcel. That made three thicknesses. Three
more big steel hunks were fitted over the
rear half.
"After this they fixed on the breech
mechanism, fitted up the sight, rifled the
barrel, and there was 'Buster all dressed
and ready for parade. Now he's Just as
good as gone to the scrap-heap. No more
test shots will be fired from him. He's
like the giants of the fairy tales too big
and ferocious to be any good to modern
civilization."
"Not if I replace It," he said, "with
another twlc as good?"
"You can't," rhe said.
"Why notr he asked.
"You'vo nothing to match It with."
"I must do my best with what I
have." he said.
"You've nothing," she said."
"Oh. yes. I have," he said.
"What?" she asked, and came to a sud
den halt.
"The evidence before my eyes," ho
said.
"Where?" she asked.
"On your hand," he said.
"I didn't say I was wearing a pair," she
replied.
"Weren't you?" ho said. "How odd of
you."
She swept away in scorn.
'Tm afraid you're put out," he said.
She replied nothing, walking on.
"Did you like It so much?" he asked,
following.
"Yes."
"For Jts own sake?"
"No."
Then he looked up quickly.
"It wasn't given you?"
"Yes, it was."
A sudden shadow crossed his face.
"Oh." .he said.
"What's tho- matter?", she asked, look
ing around.
"I didn't know it was given you," he
said, all gloom.
"What difference does it make," she
asked.
He stood and looked at his boot toes.
"It is different," he said, "from buy
ing It."
"In what way?" sho asked sharply.
"In this way." he said, all gloom; "It
costs less."
Sho turned with a little snort of scorn
and went on her way, and he stood and
looked at his right hand dolefully.
"I didn't know it was given you," ho
said. "I might have tried to find it if I'd
known In time."
"You know now," she said, still walk
ing away.
"It's a bit late now," he said gloomily.
"But I'm sorry about It. I feel I might
have done more."
She walked away without a word.
"Are you angry?" he asked. looking up.
She slackened a little.
"Not angry," sho said; "of course, I'm
sorry." e
"So am I," he said contritely.
"Well." sho said, relenting, "never
mind. It's not your fault."
Ha grunted,. .
She paused suddenly and' half turned
toward him.
"You see," she said, suddenly- shy, "It
wouldn't matter, only It was given me by
a by a
He looked up quickly.
"By a," he said, "by a I didn't catch
the- name."
"By a friend," she said.
He looked at her, half smiling.
"How sweet of her!" he said.
She poked among the leaves with her
parasol.
"Wasn't It?" she said; "but she wasn't
that sort."
"I dare say he was Just as nice if he
wasn't," he said.
She poked among the leaves.
"It's hardly fair to ask mo." she said.
"You're a little prejudiced?" he asked.
"I suppose I am," she said, "naturally."
"And I suppose he Is," he said, "natu
rally?" "Well, I hope so." she said. 4ind laughed
a little.
He folded his arms and she drew pic
tures in the dust.
"Known him long?" he asked.
"As long' as I can remember," she re
plied. "Oh," he said.
"We used .to play together as tinlos,"
sho added.
"And quarrel.' he said. "I hope."
"Yes. quarrel." she said, "and kiss."
There crept back into the man's race
a shadow of the boy's smile.
"We've been quarreling, haven't wc?"
he asked.
She began to move away.
"Because If we haven't." he continued,
"we will now," and the smile left his
face. "Don't you think you might have
told me this before. Miss Brudenell?" he
asked, suddenly cold.
"I thought you knew," she said, almost
sullenly.
"How should I know?" ha asked.
"I thought everybody knew." she said.
"Nobddy that I know knew," he said.
"I don't think even your mother knew."
"Mother!" Bhe cried, looking up. "Moth
er was the first to know."
"Well," ho said, "funny thing she never
told me."
"I am telling you now." she sakl tartly.
"Yes," ho said, "but Isn't It a bit lata
in the- day?" and he looked her In the
eyes. Beautifully sullen, she turned.
"Then there's nothing: left for me to
do." he said coldly, "but to offer my con
gratulations." He marked the shrug of her shoulders
as sho walked away.
"Don't you consider it a matter for con
gratulations?" he asleed following, and
the coldness was out of his face.
"Oh. I don't know," she said.
"You don't seem to take it quite as one
would have expected." he said.
Vune takes things as they come In
these days," she replied, walking on
slowly.
"I see," he said; "you're a philosopher.'
"No." she said, "I can't help mysolf,
that's all."
He -drew close quickly.
"Can't I help you?" he asked.
"Thanks." she said, "but lts done now.'
Ho followed, frowning. v
"Toll mo." he said at last, "speaking
generally, do you like a man who glve3
you gloves and things?"
"It depends." she said, all low.
"On tho man?" he asked.
"And the glove." she said, and wa3
walking slowly and more slow.
Again he came closer. His hands were
behind him. and his eyes steady on the
glory of her hair as she walked.
"May I give you a glovo?" he asked
"a nice glove?"
She stopped, swung slowly round, and
held out her hand. "Thanks." she. said,
"you might have given It me before."
and sho looked him In the eyes. .
He folded his arms.
"I'd have given you a shopful," ho
said, "but I thought"
She stood with her hand out.
"My glove, please.'
"What glove?"
"The glove my friend gave me."
He unfolded his arms, half angry,
half amused.
"Take your bally friend's glove!" ho
said, and slashed It softly across her hand.
She took It.
"You mustn't call my brother names,"
she said.
"Bill!" he cried.
"Yes," she said, coldly surprised, "Bill,
of course. What about him?"
"Only hang him!" he said.
She looked at him.
"I think you're quite yourself this
evening. Lord Montalan." she said and
turned. .
"I don't think I can be." he sakl, and
snatched the glove, from her hand.
Then he held it before his Hps. as a
man may hold a bunch of grapes, and
kissed the finger-tips.
II.
She walked away rapidly.
The woods were falling to sleep now and
to silence, and the last rays of tho sun
dappled her through tho branches as
she went.
Then his feet sounded beside her. and
he was offering her the glove.
"I've quite done with It." he said;
"thanks."
"So've I." she said; "thanks."
"Oh. thanks!" he said, and began to
thrust it away in hla breast pocket.
She stopped abruptly-- aad hold out 'a
silent hand.
"Yes?" he asked.
"My glove," she aald.
"I thought" '
"My glove." she said.
He gave It to her. "You Just said you
had done with it." he remarked.
"So I have," she said, and flung It
away.
It sped through shadow and sun dap
pllngs and fell upon tho lower branches
of an oak, and thero hung.
She walked on her way, and behind
her was suspicious silence.
She turned to see. He was oft tho
path and making toward the oak.
"Where are you going?" she called.
"To my .tree." he replied.
"I forbid you!" she said.
Ho turned, aggrieved.
"To go to my tree?" he asked.
"To touch my glove," she said.
"I don't see why I should have your
messes left about my trees," he said
sourly.
"It's not a mess," she said.
"Anyway," ho said, "I'm afraid It
must be removed."
"I .forbid you to touch it," sho said,
and turned away.
For a moment he stood considering.
Then ho took, from his pocket a llttlo
knife, very elegant, opened It, and cut
a chip out of the trunk of the tree;
then he took off his coat, and rolled
up his sleeves, and set to work and
cut another.
"What are you doing?" she cried,
coming back to him.
Ho looked up.
"Cutting down my tree," ho said.
"Any objection?"
Rustling; sho came down the path
toward him.
"I want my glove," she said.
"And I want my tree," ho said. T
want It for my drawing-room," and set
to work, with his knife.
She left the path and came toward"
him swiftly
I forbid you!" she cried.
He turned from his work and saw
her coming.
"And r forbid you!" he said, and
placed himself between her and the
tree.
She stopped.
"I don't understand," she said.
"I must refer you to that board," he
said, ever courteous.
She looked, and It read a warning to
trespassers.
"Fiddle!" she said, and came on.
He barred the way.
"I mean It," he said.
"Then you must prosecute me." she
said, "or assault me." and she came on.
T shall do neither," he said, and
reached for the glove overhead.
"You mayn't!" she cried. "Tve for
bidden you."
"I must," he said. "I've forbidden you."
"That's rubbish." she said, and came on.
"As you like," he said, and reached up.
She stopped i and ho ceased to strain.
and stood In his shirt sleeves waiting
"Give me my glove!" she ordered, and
added "please" reluctantly.
"I'd love to," he said, "but you see Fve
promised not to touch It."
"I'll forgive you your promise,"' she
said.
"Thanks," he said, "but I could never
forgive myself."
"Then you must let me come and tako
It." she said.
"I'd love to." he said, "but you see Ivo
forbidden you, and I can't go back on my
self." "A month ago you gave me leave to go
anywhere anywhere I liked." she cried
"I know," he admitted, "but Ive seen
reason to withdraw that."
"I thought you wouldn't go back on
yourself." she scoffed.
"Nor can I," he said, "without good
reason."
"What's your good reason?" she asked.
"I'd rather not give It." he said, tact
fully. "I insist!" she cried.
"Oh. very well," he said. "You may ga
anywhere you like except "
"Except '-"
"Except at this season."
"What season?"
"The egg-stealing season." he sold, and
looked at her.
"D'you think " she began.
"No." he said. "I don't thlak I'm golrg
to give you the chance."
"I can wait," she said.
"I'm afraid I'll be some time." he sa'i
and set to work with his knife manful! .
"It doesn't matter." she said, and sat cr.
the stile. "I can stay all night,"
"That's nice of you," he sakl. Tt r
company where one's not, especially nt
night, don't you think?"
She got down and began to move awaj
again.
"I can come tomorrow," she sold
"Do," he said. "You'll he sure to fie 1
mo here."
She halted opposite him.
"I want my glove," she said.
He ceased from his chipping and turned
to her.
"So do I." he said.
Then Bhe went on her way.
He" stood in his shirt sleeves under the
oak. looking after her.
"There is a way." he said, "by which
you could have It without trespassing
Miss Brudenell."
She began to quicken her pace, and h
began to follow.
"Of course there is." she said tartly, "if
I choose to buy that land."
"Youi couldn't do that." he said, 'be
cause I'm not selling."
"Then there's no more to be said.' sb
replied, walking ever faster.
"Oh, yes. there Is." he sakl. following
"Oh, no, there Isn't." she said, fleeing,
"The land belongs to you."
"It might belong to you." he said. "t:?.
If you'd have It."
She was walking ever swifter.
"I don't accept presents of land." she
said, "except In a flower-pot."
"It's a bit big for a nower-pot." he sali,
following.
"The tree, you moan?" fleeing.
"And the earth that would go with the
tree."
"Ah." she panted, "a big tree like that
goes with the earth round It because cf
the roots, doesn't It?"
"Yes." he said. "Juat as it stands."
She fled swiftly.
"It takes a good deal of earth, a tr
like that. I darg say," she went on, "roots
and all?"
"Fairish." he said; "about 40,000 acres.
"As much as that?" she said.
"And fixtures." he added.
"Fixtures?" she asked.
"Comprising." ho pattered, "a nob!"
man's scat salubriously situated In a
commodious and favorite home countrj
fine old associations recently restored t
present owner; furnished regardless r
cost: climate to order. Er this deslrab
freehold residence, containing on th"1
ground floor 20 bed and dressing-rooms,
fishpond, creamery, er "
"Dear, dear!" sho said.
"And I forgot the rest.' he said.
"Never mind." she said.
"All to bo given away " he continued
"With one tree?" she asked.
"With me," he said.
He ceased to follow her, and stood in the
path in his shirt sleeves, and his tjaco was
grave.
"Now you can come and take your
glove." he said, "or not. as you like. Miss
Brudenell."
She walked on. slackening her pace. At
the top of a rise in the path she paused
and half-turned; and the dying sun was
like a glory In her hair.
"Good night," she sold sadly, and turned
again.
In tho wood was silence and the scent
of evening primroses.
Then behind her was the sound of h!a
feet, and then his voice quietly.
"One moment. Miss Brudenell."
Sho wnlked on. not swiftly now
"You've forgotten this. I think." ho
said, and handed her the glove.
She turned and looked at him with quick
eyes.
"You may keep It." she said. "It you,
care."
He folded it with strong and tender fin
gers. "Thanks." he said, and thrust it away la
r his breast pocket. "Good night, again c
Good night, she said, "and thanks."
A MAN A WOStAN.
Neither a fool nor a vanr-lr.
(Without apologies to Itudjard Kipliay.)
A man thero woa and he made hts prajer
Even as you and I
To a maid as good as ahe woa fair;
"We call her a comrade, her Jys wo har.
But ha called her his queen beyond comparer
Even as you and I.
Oh. the joya we had and the hearts made sal.
And the days that have passed like a dream
For they were shared by one whose heart waa
& tune.
Whoso emllo was more rare than a. day ta
June,
Whoso love flowed on like & stream.
A man there wae and his Ue he spent
Even as you and I
He thousht It & Joy from heaven sent.
To erve his queen, for her presence meant
Happiness to him. and eweet content
Even as you and L.
Oh, the Joy he felt when he Impulalvely knelt.
For she srave him her love and her band.
A love sincere as his own, we know.
For whenever there chanced lit winds to blow,,
By his side she took her stand.
The man continued to love her well
Even as you and I
Which well dhd knew and ckws'to htm clcag.
All - thought but for him alde she nuns.
And both their hearts to full blossom sprunx
Even as you and I.
And it isn't a name and It isn't fame.
That causes the heart to stow;
It's the coming to feel, through woe or wesJ,
That a woman's love Is true as steel
As all who love will know.
DANIEL TJ. COCHRANE.
The Dalles. Or.. August, 1803.
Contentment.
Toronto Mall and Empire.
Give me & lawn that cools my feet.
Close grown and fresh and soft and clean.
A clump of trees to check tho heat,
A flush of roses on the green;
An ancient stream that flows thereby.
WltH all Its thousand smiles displayed;
A hammock swinging not too hlsh.
Well hung within a magic shade;
Three little maids with hair of gold.
Whose laughter scarce disturbs my dream
A Jug of cider Icy cold,
A dish of strawberries and cream;
And for a guardian of our ground.
Well tried through many changing years
A fond and faithful little bound.
With bandy legs and spreading ears
And let the world go ringing past;
Let others range from shore to shore;
These simple pleasures bind me fast.
Give mo but these, I ask no more.