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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1889)
r ALLEN GRAY; -on,- Boing a Few Rotnantlo Chapter Froii the Life of a Country Editor. it mm a. vtock. jUrrnnn or ' Wanna Bnowimui. " "BUM i Ki.M-. mMe usnroiin," and Omni Htosiia Do vuu mm you UV u ral r'lr.n.ka' bio novel, Misi Hopkinsf" ue asked " I know it, I know it! Jiul let BM rend few pajrc U you." Hpmcbonr, MUM patronliinif MM newspaper always lusist " reading their on paBfJfMBM to to editor. Like the lirst born infant, they art too dein-ate tn entrust to other loan uan ulaJ band. Mia Hopkins Ik'K!i : " Tlli; HVS1KUY OK THE HOCK IIOUBK UN TDK HILL; OR, tiii ciosts lt wan o Ti itorr. A I 0' y "a """'' ' " "You see, I urn omeiluii' like Hawthorne, !. W,x into, the supernatural," "! Mm Bopldsa, with ainilo which displayed ber false twill. "Hf, I observe; please priss"d," said the editor, trying rerjf hard to la- interested. '-'It wuamllamull.rdurkiillt The win. la ifhiil it Manful reoulem through tho tree lOPB, und it wua at that bewitching hour when Kruvevunla yuwn and Kinmln talk forth-' The reader iucd to Iliurk I he effect on her hearer He aut un BOted hy the atirtlliilf la'KinniiiK. und alio aaked Ml BOW ho likial it. Very well, he thought, und said "goon." Hhe went on. It waa u crude story, full of Improbable in cidents, und (fuah UK over with tear stained love N ines The heroine wua aueb u lender heurtisl i n ulure, und hud aueh a tendency to hural Into leara. that the reader aoon be ruiiic dijruiil "h ""eh Imbecility, and wua ill eolialant dread of another cxp'smn Tie' funny limn wua u strained character ill beat, lie waa eoualaully ul Ina wlt'a end to bo Willy III Ul, the story waa Hut and in aipid, und while the editor knew he could not uae It, ho huil u irri ul delicacy in ex preaaiiiK hi' real opinion of II. "Whut do you think ol it, Mr. Gruy!" alio fluiiliy uakiil. Allen waa at critical point. Then1 aut the lulhureaa before hitu, holding the dear ly i. i .1 creature of her iinairinulioii in her build. He would B aiam Hunk of tell-In- u doting mother thut her child wua ugly aa to express his real opinion .f this atory to MM Hopkins Hho had Influential frli ml i. K'i sons of great depth und acumen, who ii.nl long dleoovared u wonderful (MOtTOM geiiiua In Ml Utttkf To re Jivl her alory wua In Insult their Intelli gence and Influence, while to puhliah it waa to MM hliuaelf the liult of ruin ule by ull liniil.iiiK people. It would roipiirc skillful IIUBBtlllBllll lo nicer cleur of hla mini V colllplicllliiilis, but Alleu wus(.iiul to the eiiiiieiicy. " Wi oil lil it t publish a acrlul atory in the MBbM Hi BbNb) now, Mi Bopklait" he Mid. " Wouldn't it la' belter In aeuil it til HarDer1!!" The reader inu.v uk what harm the Bar Bar! bad done blni that heahniiiil wiah In Inflict Ihll punishment on I In 'in Hut we mutt remember Hint Allen wua only a hu man i" in'? in Bffeel strait DriwaluBMB will cuteli ul straw, uml Allin, like ull other men, wua anxious lo aluft the loud ho bore u.u the ahuiildera of aoiuu one elae. alnVIIlK uneasily ill her scat, Miss Hopkins replied: I don't lliiiik it worth while to I Una lo the Hurin r'a, Sir lirat. Ihev urc loo old fogyiali to even dlaisiver true geulua, VOV know I. ike nil the esluhhsheil puliliahera, they have gut to goliig In lines und ruta, Which new gi ulua alrugglea to break away from t hie can't do II with those pulilishei-s None of the large lliaminuea ever dewlop any Hung; they urc simply utile to buy the Jewels which MM poor miner haa dug up All of our successful miliums make their Hurl on obscure publication " "I believe you ure miatukeu, Misa p kins lura'r' Would leail your inuuilscripl ami decide fairly iimu H " "I am aiire they would not," alio a-r Islisl "If they duu'l tlml this nut of then rut, tin y huve aomc IBMBtl fdVnnle whose MBBICflpt is just I held of mine, ami they'll end it li.n l, With u pnnled BBtjggJ thut ita rejection ia not uiH'essui il a lack of literary merit, but lavnuae Ihej have BMltBlllg like II on hand. Those New York publishers are not in symiuthy with new author." Miss Hnpaiua wua a woman nf lileruryex 'i iein c. tuitl was mil u bf unlin c,l lo give llurs i s the iulliiite pleuaureof rcjis ting her imiuuacript. "1 am lorry ; but I I really huve not MM f 'I roar atory at pNeMt, Misn Hop klu," aaid Allen llelng able to put but one Inl. i pn lain. n on hla refusal, aheaskisl: " An you going to eouimeuee one of Mr Bums' MoimI " N... we can not ilily u' a aerial at present." he unawcicl "Why!" "lUs'.niaeour as.pe think that in order io iiuii.i up Mils lowu all iuce poaaiblo aoaktbe aiTOteJ (o kV Mdaat, Um faD elect ion is is.iuiugon, uml the cauvaaa will in . eaauril) demand u gn-al deal of ipatM " Misa Hopkins Inokisl very much uM poinlcl but after a few mo its she said: " Can yon use a (ssmii is'oasionullyf" " I llnnU I can " Tin only sirtiallv n'uilnsl her dlaut MMeBi She devlunsl the MopBI of Till' ley' hunt intisl la- very Lriiorunl to refuse aueh u novel a ' Tin Mistei v ,.f the It , k House on the Hill," mi. I blWa&ed Hie fate of an uggliug gimiua, held down by the iron bund of pivpi.licc Mie l.s.k her MBtMriBt ami left the ofllce wiih a liaikof dl'iuppoitiliueui and heavy heart We console ourselves thut Mis Bopklni I not the only author who lui met u illi iliaapiKiiiilmcnla Her visit hatl teuirarilv hsl Allen llruy BdjaJ from the aubj.s-t winch ha.1 brnxime so lnfiil, but when she was gone iWrottmied with double force, and ull hi effort to forget Jlertha. by plunging lute lei-i s,, were unavailing That keauUfti) bulng who bail grown o dear to In heart wa ulwuy - prvaeut. oh. hWtta, Mrtbal wnithi emhiug Weight uevoi bs-rvmovisl I" ho a.kiM him aelf. Hi is'vcne wer,' interrupt.,1 by the alirupl BMataf of hi BMW d.s.r Mr Tom Hiinnn.u., wnh faeo mttam.sl with auger, boldh emered "8,vh. iv:" he cried, with the air of an eurugod MM ll ' what thl lM'urf" Allen lol l bun that he il k,,a vvlu, be hail h, , d ' I heai ym guui' to play BM fouli" "Wliat do you meau by playing (oull" Allen asked " You'r,' BM' lan k OB ma." " In what wayt" " You ain't agoiu' to up.rt me." " Who told you 1 waa note " I herr'd it h . the finoral rumor," "' ' ' f...s. , ., the flrm ails w , r " I want n uiul-rat.,l, Mr Allen ttrav," rnurcn the , nrugwl Htuimona, bringing hla flalduWIi Will, .llipaas lhe,l, , ,al If yougnlaa koii m.-- dou'i ,i,,.,M )ep.ou.is,,i ,e wo,.i.l. . I kin in roar way. I mud. what j,4l he bowed Ihrougb hi. u,sh , . sir ' I tukyou Irom uulbiu uft.sd Vl. n ,llt 10'u, 0' the dirt, and jit a fcWrIlllU' ifcli' out o e, by ttH U w'rerom' back on BM. I w.ai t ta-id it Why. if it hudu t a been for me what would you t.U -nulhiu' ll is not pleasant to ho rcmui,b that we are under obb ration t.,.u,e (,!, n (ul our rxisleuee and pr- rny Al: , waa ao tticeueri'Ua as .. tsv-om. offrndinl Ua Icaiasil to bis fiset, hi eye I, .hiug Itir l4l"Tr; eil aHUUKMM iij ,a had the pcovwi'i'i .'. I- nv i '..'oi .' anv of hi ieWTi well" i proapcrily to him, and waaaoutii, Titvii i a , tothnaU'ii to kirk In In 'Ill-fin to. Ut of Hie ofllce if he did not becnim i civil. "I nald I wiiuld I'ive ynu my aupiwrt," he roneliubsl, "und ao I will when the proper time conn' i. mile: you exua'rato me into breaking my promise; but I urn dctermiued lint to Ixt driven into uiukuig a fool of my aelf.'' Why don't ye .how yer hand.tbou.ef ycr fur mef" ashed the imiiat n ut Simmon It's noi time to how my baud yut, It'a entin ly tii early, and you are making a donkey of yourself by m-os'ing ull it " Well," growled bimiuon, pulling on hla soft felt hat, preparatory to going. " when the time cornea you've got to ahow yer baud." CTIAITKK VHI. aOMmilNO HH'iMIUL "Howd'you do to-day, Mr. Orayl" saked Toney Uarnea, enti-rlng the editor'! aiu'tum a few dayi after tho eeota in the lat chapter. "Itather tirisj; be SMBBB," Allen an awered, caatinga upu iou look at a pou deroua roll under Toney arm. " I thought I would bring you s atory," he aaid, with a triumphant MM "I beard you waa going to ue one of Mm Hopkins novela, ao 1 thought I'd bring you aotne thing worth piiblmhmg, if you mut bate aerial." Allen MVBj him thut he was in no need of any thing of the kind. und hud never for moment i uterluiiu d u lb rnght nf publishing Mis Hopkins' alory. "Not ugniu' to puhliah it!" cried the amiui d Toney; " whv, it'a ull over the town and country, too, that you iuteud runuin her novel a u aerial in the WttUrn top- Ut." ' It ia ii mistake." "I thought ao. Nolhlu' ahe wntea la fit to bo in print," aaid Toney, somewhat acrl Inouiou'ly. "Hay she used to contribute to Harper, but I guess twua to their waale basket." "The number of waste baket contrib utor la much greater than those whoso paiHT are published." " Y'oi, 1 supposoao: but no one likes b write for the editor's waste basket: it don Uiually pay," returned Toney. "Hut let me read you u few chapters of 'The lllisslr Knife, or tho Wild Witch of the riaute Horde r.' " " It would not be worth while. Toner, for all our - pa- la engagisl. Kvery inch that can lie spared Irom news will be devoted to advertlaeineul "Who wants to read advert inements I aaid Toney, with u li.k of diagust. "Thev ure luvuluable to u country news paper They bring in considerable money and without them we could hardly exist "I auppise it's money and nut talent you Want, sarcastically returned the author Allen i smiled, und then in u very culm milliner pris issbsl to explain that this is very practical world, and one could not conduct business without doing soon bus! lies principles His alory might bo very gisal. und just what some other publisher wanted, who waa willing to ty u good price for it, but it wus vuluclesa lo him. " A dealer in dry g.Ni wants to buy dry giaals, und cun not la' induced to purchase itutocs, no mutter how g.ssj the ijualily or how cheap thev may Is' offered bun. No matter how gissl your serial may la', 1 can not use it." Toney's dlsup.iilmeut was considerably alleviated by Hie kiiowljdge that Misa lloe kins atory hud lvn roje.'cd also After the iMililical ciimiHiigu wus over, the editor thought he might ssibly bo ublc to list seriul. uml if lie fotiud himself lis such position, would la- pleused to haik ut Toney s uiauuscript liulheruig up thai ponderous roll, the disiipnuleil author left the ofllce withu sigh. He wus not the Hi st, nor will be be the last, author to heave sighs of disapKiiut menl. Uh, ye liunl heurlisl publishers, whut u .lark BSOOBBl will yours Ih, when all the sighs and lours of disuppoiuUsi authors are arrayed against you on that final day ! A nay or two later, while Allen was struggling between mi article for the up building of Turlo 's hunt und the mystery of the grout atone house on the hill, he heard u heavy step ut Ins side und, look lug up, saw Mr Strong " I'm not ugwuie to stand it," cried Htroug. : ;i , As mildly us he could, the country editor askiil for an explanation. " Y'er playiu' me foul." "You aru laboring under a grave mis take," Alleu returned, mukiug a great ef fort to keep Ins tcui'r. "No, I'm lint, fur I know yo ar'. Unlii't ye ptoNiise mo far an' s.piar' yu'd aupiurl me fur sheriffl" " Yos," " An' yer gwlno V go back on mo I" "No, I'm not; unless you provoke me Into breaking my promise, you will receive tho supirl of the MbMB iVoutdc." " Hut they've got the yam 'gwlno all over the country that yer pledged to Tom Hnu uioua." Kor sheriff. I iitn plislged to no one but yourself, Mr Strong. and al the proper tiuie you shall tweet ve my hearty supsirl," said Allen, rising to In feet, his face Hushed with excitement. "Now. paj no atli'iitioti to the stories you hear, und kiH-p your in tent Ions to yourself, until the time has come for you to make your announcement. " "1 understand. Well, ef ycr gwiuo to stand true lo me. It's all right, bul ef ye do go back on me, I'm ugwiue to knock the props right out from under ye, an' let ye fall hard enough to break yer own Bill 1 1 now we understand one another, dou I wop " I think we do." "Very well, g.ssl day " "tiissj uiot'tiiug, sir." Although pledges hud leou renewed, and the amlntiou candidate for sheriff lutd In , u reassunsl, it wua evident thut he was not fully latistW. Hoth himself uud Tom Sim jMMWMt susph lous, iinconscioiislv Judt! lug Ull ineu by their own standard, they Wer suspicion ,1 e' ry body Ka. h fear, il that some uowei-V iutlueuce. that itn-at unknown prMW whkfc is.liheians early ixwne to dread, would la' brought to bear upon the editor lo alieuaU him. They watcluHl ewh other with haw k like eyes, uud one never went to the printing office that the other did not notice him. und at 1MB surmise that be had come to buy off the editor I'.ach had a vague belief that the other was to la- an opponent for the nftioo lo which he himself aspired Thai they should be candidate for different offices never entered mto the mind of cither Alleu llray was not one to give up a mvs tery uusnlvcd Having fa In in love w'nli the young ludy ul the my sterious house, he waa fully determined on a solution to the mytery which ns'imsl clouding her life and crushing ul. her hos Notwithstand ing she hail urged mm for his sake and her own to kivp away from the stone man sion, on the evening after hi interview with Mr Strong he fouud himself on hi way toward the bouse on the lull It was dusk before he started, and the moon, which hud grown so old it would not shine until late in the night, would give bun no aid The front mrt of the house was dark and alleut n If it had brvn dcscrt.sl for years This time he ventured up to the !ral stone atepa and gaod through the iivii wickel gate He isuild sis the broad Mth leaalmg up to the houv, which wua composed of Ual, drvestsl stones. A fountain waa on each sale of the asth, but both were idle now. No sign of a living creature could be dis covered, nor from any of Uve great, J.srp window waa there to be aeea a single rav of light " 1 wul go completnly around the house," thought Allen, and more criUceily exam tue it than I hare ever duna." On the east, west and aorta aides of the house the walla wan of oak boards stand lug upright Ua his tour around the ground, Alleu fnuaailiy hatted to peep through . crai k In the wall, but could make no new discovery. Hugh! cloud alinoat ei'Miplelrlyubnnring the starlight, the night bail already grown very dark. In place win-re tue lau oaks grew close to the wall It had already MM so dark thut Allen was forced to grope his way. At luat be reached the rear gate, which was made of thick oak boards, MSMS to gether aa to be more of a diair than a gate He tried it and found it locked. There was a crack ut one sido of it, through which he had u good view of the gardeu and rear of the building. It looked like some gniuntic fortress rising up in the dirkneaa before bun, with only a solitary light dimly shilling from one of the windows. Wus It a spirit of reckleai adventure or some unknown impulse which prompted bini to scale the wail! He wa active, Strong und bold, sod the feat required buls moment's time. When he touched the ground he half be. Ui'visl that he wua on enchanted around. He ui ,er slopped lo think that he was an Intruder who was endangering his life by eom ng here, though a feeling of supersti- in om or THr. nisrarT wimmiws. tiotis i.we. which he fought manfully to ro sisl. kept creeping over hnu. For a moment he pu iscd under the very trc w here he hud soon the object of his uf- MM bulbed ui tear. To him it wua hul lowisl ground. (Hi, llerthu. Bertha, are you atUI miser able!" he asked himself, fixing In eyes on the gha mv old castle lite house He was inside the wall almost la-fore he knew it. and did not Uud it verv difficult to induce himself to go iuite up to tbo house and try to leurn something of its inmates. He fol- owe.l u path leading through u gardeu, un ler some leafy bowers, until ho came to the car of tltat immense structure, where be halted In one of the busement window-she now saw u second light. It was a very dun ghl, and could not la' seen a few vards from the building. Alien supposed it was u light used by some of the servants engaged in their household duties. TlKiugh he list 00 ed 1 nig und carefully, no sound, not even l he licking of u cliak, could lie heard. Kong stood guiin;; through the basement wm .IV doWfl Into the dimly lighted room His perse yiriuos raoeiTod it reward ut lust. A pile, glinstlilio form in long white rot' glided across the room. It made i.o in ii'.' noise than a feuther being wafted across the floor by the breath of a playful lu'd Despite his skepticism on stipertuitunil itiestioB, Allen I, It cold chills running up Ins sp, ne. while his hair seemed to ulmost stand upon end. Thut light became uler uml more ghost like, und he could hurdly bo UtM In' Was not ju;iti! Uhiii beings of uu other world. Ks?ll bound he aliaal gazing at thut mystic Bgure gliding as noiselessly uboul Ibe nXMB ua if it floule.l BBM uir. He lit his hand ujii the window which was half ubOTO and half Is ... the surface of the ground, uml found it protected by iron burs, ffcctuiilly preventing ingress or egress. " Tli' Aoiw Ii u arisen11 thought Allen. Hi ,1 bust lie could not have hsilosl more grim uud terrible than thut house ou tins lurk night. II ' went to uuolher window which he also ouud barred, but it was so intensely dark within thai he could ul llrst see nothing As his eves became more accustomed to the gkXHB, lie made out uu object, thut seemed moving about within. Wus it man or Ih-usI ! Slowly it drew nearer uud nearer to the window, until a laiir of great hollow ey es seemc I gazing into his face. Was it mini or monster! Never had he seen such u face, never beheld such bluiiig eyes, us now glared ul him from the darkness of thai mysterious OMAIBBr, Kroeu with u strange, unknown horror, the adventurer sUhhI en in tiT mto thut face. Suddenly a wild, demoiinical luiigh seem, I o sliuku the old building to its fouu.lution stones, lhe sis'll which chained All. n .o. iroken, uml he itartad buck wnh u half uppressed excluiiialion of terror. OBAPTn IX. ('it AHIiKIl WITH TIIKAftlBRT. pile ull Ins OOttrisTO Bad ull his sk.'l. Do tletafl in ghosis.Allentiray was soovercomi' uh terror that he shrank Irnui the win IW, That horrible creature that glared at mil through the iron bars could not be liu uiuii He hud run across lhe lawn in the garden f IM he could collect his wits sufficient to member where he wu Ho was hasten lug through the gurden when he discovered llgure ui white entering u summer house Allen came to un ubrupt halt. Ou that llgure glided until il had disupis' ired inside the summer house. Then issued thoroiroin liiw.uiusie.il voice, sweeter by far I bun fairy's shell in a plaintive song lake cnco.umsi isuitman. be ilrew nearer to isten I be air was new to him, uml. lhe Ordi being in French, he could uol under stum! llicni. The singer scuroo spoke ihfJIQ a whktpar, leucuuoicwusOistuicluiulcleur His fear i gone iu u moment, and he stissl thrilled nh pleasure ut sound ef that fuiinliui voice I he fan- singer ho hud reisiifrmsl u rt ha, and lie deiermined not togouvvav Ithoal unn! her attempt, at least, to have oil utterriew with her oh. Bertha, Berths I if ooold onlv lata you from this prison ami m iko you happy. I sh uld feel that my work iu BIB was ac miplishcd !" He reached the summer house, ami fear lug thai an abrupt BBMBM ill gill frightei he went to the rear and hatted within . ew f.vt oi whore the la'autiful singer sut She ,s':is, iiigui , uu a sik escaping he ups unn me tninnior that sb was a, How was Ik1 to make himself known Kvcu while h' w.is p .'idcrtug on thuina' ter she POBI from her MB) and cam.' out a the rear ,1 . .r The clouds which had oh scire! the faint starlight at this uioineu rolled away, and the feature of both lb litrud.Tund astonish.sl girl tas'ame quit, distinct. She stoppvd and guzisl at him for a m. menl iu silent amazement Any other gir Would have shr.ekisl. swiaiaed q tl.sl at th sudden upiurition, but Bertha was uo ord nur arsoiMg' "Why did you .sooe here '" she askisj, ii .x sail, n-pru. hful muuuer. "I warne. you never uuder BBS circumstances toon ler those grounds, under penalty of death why do you i isist iu diibs'yiug met" Allen aa, for several moment unable to answer, Isxauso he had no reasonable rt . BBf lo make At lost In' said : "laj not reprove me. Miss t'ollin. tor I a sure you tlwt it was no morbid curiosity that brought me " "foukl you underatund the dan or m whWbyou place yiHirseif by coming here." aoi the pretty girl, taki'ug a few steps nearer to him. "you wsnild not do so. It hi 'UuBenai to you and U. me It would he dou'.h U. u. both to be diarorrrrd here " AtksaQray MB only deeper pluaged into luiauars uyslen He vr ' ' i 1 ' - "' U) I ': wa. hie of thinking He stood dumb, uuaied uo BUhwi a Kal as the riH before him Sbe resszB mM M to Alien, aoalsprak ' lug in s cautious uddortone that ixTUld uol U' heunl u doscn paces away, aaiu "Oo awar, Mr. Orsy; t at once, and never cuiue near me ai-uiu if you value your life." "Will you go with me to the gate!" be asked. "Will you leave then!" "1 give you my sacred promise that I will," n:iM A'leu, o-jmcatlr. He tooa tue arm of Hie trembling girl wi'hiii Ins own. and in sln mi- (hey walked to the gate Her,' they hailed, both casting suxious glum-es ut the great old house which rose up s i ga.unily la-lore mem. lo too relief of both all waa uuict, and thero Was no one in the yard. "Oo, go," aid lk rtha, eagerly. Tlie'Jgh is'aking in a whis'r. In r voice trembled with passion uud fear. "It would be futul for you to la. dwoverisl here; it would be vour ruin -death " She las.-ume ihokcd with sobs, uud for s moment was silcnL " liortha." said Allen. Ins voice truugely culm, "you are iu great distress what is Itf" "Oh, do not ask." she answered, continu ing to sob. "Leave me to my misery und eternal d.sun I am (he in t wn tched of humans, my fate is tealci'l. uud it is useless for others to ulteuipl to aid mo. Uo awuy go uway." "Hut I will not leuve you alone in this distress What is it f Tell me thut 1 may help you." " I can not. dare not tell." " Bertha, you ure miserable here I" A sob was the only answer. " Lot me take J uu uway from this terrible place." "No, do. no; not for the world. I)o not think of that lean not leave 1 am held nere by band stronger than iron." " How long huve you lived here!" " Not more than i Ight mouths-though it seems so m.iny afM." Another momeut's awful silence followed, und then Alleu. becoming desaTale, said: " Bertha. I would aid you if 1 could 1 i Would give my life if r.ccssury " "Hush-hush " she quickly interrupted, seizing his unn " You kui.w not what you say. tlh, why don't you guf Uo, iu Heav en's uame, und let us forget that we ever met. Ill am doomed, uud why should you wish to drug both yourself uud myself down to ruin!" and, completely overcome, she buried ber bcutltiful face iu her bunds. Daaed. bewildered uud confused, Alleu Gray staggered and caught ut the wull for supiort What was lie to do, how could be remove the burden from this object of his Motions! He seemed to realize that sho Waa lost, lost to him forever. A voice at this moment m the direction of the gn at old house cuused both to start, and the la'autiful girl again seizing his arm m u grasp tual trembled, iu u terrified whis per, said: " Oo. go at oniv, before it is too late. Oo, go, or we will both Ik' uudoue." Nimbly as un BCTObatj, Altai leuped tho wall, and with his bruin iu a whirl, uud a thousand conllictmg thuughts swaying hia heart, returni-d lo the villugo. The mystery surrounding Ibe old stone house und its imnulcs seemed every mo ment crowing mure complicated. Alleu tiruy had a. way s prided himself ou having u greul deul of insight into human cliarac tor, ami fancied thut he could read is'ople as open iiugos, uud here wus one who hauled ull his skill. Who wus this Horthii! Her face uud her name were Anglo BBJKML but her education und man nor French. Thut she spoke tho languug fluently uml might he mistaken for a native Frenchwoman he did not doubt, yet win conversing in Knglwh there was not even the slightest foreign accent ou her tongu She wus un enigma, uud the more he strove to solve the problem. Die more difficult it be cume of solution. Another sleepless night, another light breakfast, and again ul his ofllce with a heavy heart and aching head. He struggling muutuliy to tlx his mind ujaju the business, before him. w hen the door soft ly opened ami u farmer entered. " Y'er the editor, uin't ye!" he asked. " Yes, sir." " Well. I fotchod yo u little BBM about our neighborhood fur ye to print in your paper. El ye use It I thmk 1 kin git yo some signers out our wuy. " Where do you live!" " Down 00 Billy's t rick," unswered tho farmer. He was an unpretentious author, wearing his pants ui Ins thick cowhide boots, was in Ills shirt sleeves, uml wore u soft broad on mined hat oo bis bead. His "galusos were home made, and he had all the peculiar characteristics of a denizen of Billy's Creek Alien look the roll of MS , und after much "rr.H tnc totTOB, aix't vk!" irouoie unroii.M and sunsilhed it out so it ci njd be read. ,n amatear ntanusoripl may MOffib la' recognized by la-iug raUod so vuynuy inas the enter s patience is ex uausieo uoiori uu get it in shins' to read, (rrequiintly Ibemaausoript is rejected without being read for tins very reason in,- io,iu,.s, , ,p, loniaineii only u few news items, us follow s "Mil. Kin ini: Not hSTla'sSSI any thing truin ll.lly a Crick lately I tht that 1 would rite a fu UBOs lur yu. Tune, are i;iad her,', t'rop 1 tuenuni, uu fanner uinost dun plow n' corn. Vara liri;;.' fell and broke his arm last sunda jiui join tuk mal Stiver to income last look, we nave nii'otin' again at the schi! BOBBB, Sam hcrrin was bSBtd cusiiu the otbe i day, bekasi seme teller had hi ox yoke. San hail battel bring lack the ears knife !. Ixir i, ion Die in viai, auru I nu-in't al nouie ua I a dance la,t week at Hart DeMai huue. sol Smith wu tuerr, wa so t.,11 h bumped les heail u-in the Ji.i. Si h. d o mm '. curs jui. e ne made thr floor cra-k Si u . "hliter. u L ." "Wlai BrrtM this!" asked Allen. " 1 did-won't ll dof" " 1 guess so. if it is not so personal as ta give offense to any one." ' I Mi no, no, its iut all s loke. thafa all." ' Are yon a subscriber for the paper!" No, how much Is It! If Vou'll nut that piece in, 1 BStaVB I'll sign fur it." " l! is one dollar and fifty MM per an num " " But how much i it fur a yearl" "One dollar and lifty ivnts." The citizen from Billy's Creek had only fifty ivnt. but he pnunised to bring in the balance next time he came, and a ivuutry tslilor verv seldom refum's credit, es pecially when he got one-third rush. The country man was gone, and Allen was striving, by tml. Ui drive away the tweet, sad Image of that twautiful fac, which hod made such a wonderful impression on him, when the d.s.r opened, and thl time it was the ambition puliUciau. Tom Hlmmou. who ruti ns! No thunder cloud was eror darker than Simmons' countenance "lie seated. Mr Simmons,' editor, eaimly and politely . saal the -so, sir; 1 duo t erunt to set down." growled ths- alitk-tan, nervously Angering s. u,o strnvtvpwl adveniaing piatea thit aBfJBB a table itesv Very well Iraowing that a storm was comma. Allen determined to meet it boldly, and continued writing away al his daak. " Tv ., ,,. w.u 1 1 r Ul V." J JJJ tuA the poiilaisri, io a voice sotnowlmi ""i'vVbst is it.Mr 8imBwoa!" He did not look up. but spoke iu a manner as imperturbublo aa if he were discussing some ordinary mut ters and knew nothing of the swelling vol csno st his back. He was coolness itself; there was not the .lightest quiver lo bis voice. The total ludifference of the editor was somewhat embarrassing to the angry politician. XI SlimilioliS cleans! his throat, ami bracing his nerves for the terrible ordeal, in a voice still more huskv, said : "I'm satnlled uow that you are playiu me t readier)''" Thou you don't believe what I say ou tho matter!" "No, I don't." Allen retained his temper, and as coolly as if he was merely taking down items of . , . I. ....... , ... , new, OOBHaDSa to wrne. lie wua io; busy. After a few moments he said : "So you accuse me of treachery t" "'es, I do. You promised me to stand by me for the Lcgislutur, und the railiuit I'm awuy from here, there comes that luferuul Mining, aud you are a counivin' an' eon nivin', an' uo one kooM whut iu the work; yer up to, only I know yer settio' up some kind o' u job in me. Ycr playiu' off ou me an' I know it." The (tlitor made no answer, but wrote steadily ou until he had lluislied, und thi n ,sllv pressed 1 1 1 blotter upon his pu.T I'uk.ug up ibe document he hud just written, hi reod : ' 1, Thomas Simmons, hereby BJIMtO be come u candidate for the ofdee of Kopre seututive of this county iu the next Oenerul Assembly for the KtutiMif M ssouri ut the coming election, uud hereby declare that I will bo u candidate for no other ofllce ut said election, at which time the editor of tbc Ifejfkfa It i do-, by aid of Ids paper, snail support me us u cuudidutu for said effi.-e. And should zUlou Only, the suid editor, sup)ort BM uud I fuil or refuse to run, 1 hereby agree to forfeit and pay to paid llray the sum of one thousand dollars, und iu considerution of this agreement should tbo suid Oruy fuil uud refuse to give BM his ixi, 1 uml supsirt, ut the lime and in the muuuer aforesaid, be forfeits und is to paj to myself. Thomas Simmons, the just und true sum of one thousand dollars. Iu case of either forfeiture abjve stated It is agreed by tho signers hereto that the amount so forfeited may Is- sued Uhiii und collected out of our g.xids und chattels in uny court of law iu this State huvfug juris diction over the same. Iu witness of which we have hercuuto set our nanus unit scuis. This was u very legul-lookiu;? document to Tom Simmons uud tilled his soul with do light, Once have it . x.vuted uud he would huve Ins enemy. Strong, ou the hip. He was verv anxious lo ..ign it at once, but Al len insisted on it being executed in dupli cate, and when this was dime, und he had u copy iu his pocket he was considerably re lieved "Are you sutisiled now, Mr. Simmons!" " Yos." " Well, lam very busy. Oood Stoning, n bauuious left the oftlce. CBAPTEB X. a RUNI vistr. " Be you the islitorf" It was u weazen faced little old mun with a frosty beard on his chin, und weak, watery ey es, who looked In ut the door of 111 i sum -turn. His dress was tho home spun of u farmer, and bis hal-bi uu was tucked up on ouo side. " Yes, sir, I lira," Allen luiswercd. " My gal scratched off this little piece, und thought us may be ye'd hko it.'' Tbo little old mun timidly entered the of fice and handed the editor a neatly-folded bit of paper, Allen was astounded to uol Und it rolled. Unfolding thfl paper he found written iu u plum, legible hand some news items nf the uoighborhiaKl. "Tho urtiiilo is very good, sir. I will use It" "D'ye think thu" gul kin write!" the old luuu usked, somewhat anxiously. " Yes, .sir; she lucks cultivation, but sho will acipiire thut." Th, ..id man smiled, and suid: " She uiut got uo lumin' to 'mount to uny lung, but she likes wri-.in' mnnstruus well, an' studies hard 1 1 git ler pieces right, Kf ye think she'd ever make u writer, I'd send that BT1 gal to skule." " She has good, strong common sense ; her article shows it. How old is shot" " Only fou teen." " So young, ami yet do her work so well I If she has proper cultlvutinn und persever nice she may make her mark in the world Do you take the paper I " "Oh, yes; I subscribed when ye firs! commenced it." "Tell your dumrhler thut I will always he glad to have any thing from her pen. uml us soon us I urn able to do so, will pay her for her contributions." Much obleeged to ve, Mr Kdittir. I'll tell her, und Suruh ll bo right down glad to know it, fur she's mightily sot on wntiu'. " said the old man, as he left the ottos. "Thero is true genius in a log cabin,' said Allen, gazing at the lnantisciipt " Thero is modesty associated with it What ,i contrast between too aodest little ,-ouu- rv girl, uud the ambitious Miss Hopkins or l'oney Barnes. Kor her thero is u bright luturo, for them nothing but envy, jeulousy ml grumbling at hard-hearted editors. But ..'ho would huve thought that so many ikk- ile were turning their attention tn lileru- ireuud journalism. 1 supposed tbeaa. to a uvocutious which wen- ilemundmg follow re, but instead, the professions are over . owded. It seems us if the whole world cas going into literuturo. People living in he most reiuole urts of the eurth seem to uve caught the inspiration to write " l'oney Barnes at this moment entered itli the freedom of I K.pular author whose rvices were imlispensable to Ins publisher, ud throwing himself carelessly on uohiit. "Well, MY (irny,l'ye got sasethkl griuid this lime It Is'uts IV.e's Haven.'"1 'Fame and fortune ure within your grusn. then!" r Well, I've got it. The great success of Poo's Haven was that nolaxlv could ever on. lot-stand it. Now I've got something hero that can't be half so well understood us tho Haven." Alleu hud read several of his Bssstaeiheu that were superior to the Haven on ,h. rn.iinds. In fact, ull of Mr Uarnea ,..i. (fusions were difficult of solution. "Just let me road this to you." said Toney. "lain very busy leave it " "No. uo. uo; its uol long, and I u-ni nJ fast." "tin ahead, then." Toney reod : Once in a deep, dark, lonely swamp, swslt- ln, s.l ulcus While the In of rrn damp lay upon thl Hone " " Hid the dew lav only uiam the ossmM I lie editor asked "Oh. n. -wait and you will see how it all uue..ut,' und heeoutiued: " The night , d rlt, the .un wu down. And all around me row Ten thousand fsnc MjjobjBJ n U Id- T. n thousand mortal ties. Alone 1 trarchrd the forest ur. Ml I sranhed the foirt wild, When ,dd nly I hesrd s crj roeeiilin,! from oae waodenig rhlld. " For hour I searched vainly on, i. r t ,,ar I .earched the forrl round. When sud ten y a horr d ghost Arose WeeOmg from the ground It head was eyeless, hair on Ure, U.ood dnppinz Irom the socket down, da thi horr d Ihm j I rail s glance, A ' 1 ,. r. :, ll i,, u, tT, , ,! "Now. air." cried Toney, triumphantly, can pan tell me what's in that puemf" "Ko, sir I give it un. nor iL, I iki.i. there's a man living that cau." Alleu un- suauugiy answered That spnxks well for It," oaidTuneT.wllh wild erstatM- laugh Tills. exaxsn mm girr me wealth and fame How murh a,,u jougiTrmeforltr' At present I Oo not ftasl able to buy It Oh. you night moke big profit ob A WILO-CAT FIGHT. Dori llslween Two Toms In lhe I'irsene of an Applauding Female. Levi 'SnialliniJ. a Spring Hrook hunter, recently wil noised a remark able light between two iniili) wild-cuti In the woods of that section. "I wui till bUAtlOf forsijiiirfelHiiiid rulibits.'' suid Mr. Siiiullliiif. "when I heard u torrllic JTOiriiog und snarling: down in the ruvlno from where I was tnimpin". through the woods. I knew at oner that the noise wus made by wild-cats, for I had heard them scieiim lit nigh! many I time, and my Ural thought wa thta wild-cat hud been caught in a trap and was yelling from pftlo. 1 listened for minute, anil then I heart! two distinct voices. I hurried to the brink of a ledge to look down in the ravine, and on my way it seomnd ak though I could bear three wild-oats screaming, add 1 wus not mistaken In this, as 1 soon found out "When I got where I could look down I saw what all the fuss wile about. It. an open space two male wild cuts were making the hair fly from one another's bodies, yelling, scnilching uml biting, and every now and then tumbling over each other and tearing up the leaves. On a limb olosfl by to them sat a femalo with her back humped up. and she was spitting and sissing and urging the others on. 1 made up ii iv mind right awny that the two torn were lighting over her, and I enjoyed the row more than BtTjf thing I had ever seen in the woods. When the turns got tired of clawing one Mother they crouched on the ground a few feet upurt and lashed their luils and howled, while the one on the limb kept up a continual noise and lashed her tuil, too. "After each resting spell ' the toms ruslied at one another again, and while they were ripping, and tearing, and making the blood fly 1 clambered down tho bilge, stopping every time they stopped for fear they might hear me and either run away or make for me. It seeiped V i be nip and tuck between them, for they were both big and strong, and each appeared bent on killing the Other before he would give up. 1 wanted to kill them both and get their hides und lhe bounty money, and so I waited for a good shot ut them. I had a charge Of buckshot in my right bar rel and a bu let in the left, and my in tention was to send the buckshot at thorn when mixed up in the next bout. "lbtvi they llcw at one aniiltier again, but before I could reach the spot thai I wanted to get before 1 blazed away the toms separated once more. By this time they were pretty well fought out, and for a few minutes all they did was to glare at one another, swing their tails back, and howl. The she cat then sprang from her limb to another branch, giving a scream as she leaped, and in less than ten seconds the toms dashed at each other and fought more furiously than ever, fill ing the woods with their yowls. "Then I banged away at the heap with theoharge of buckshot. One of the wild cats leaped into the air and It'll down dead, and the other went howling into the bushes out of my sight. I saw that there was no use of trying tu get another allot at him, and I sent the bullet at tho female and knocked her olT lhe limb. I didn't stir from the spot until I had chucked a charge into each barrel, and then I hurried down to see if I had killed the she one. She was dead enough, I was glad to find out. and then 1 thought 1 would search for the live torn, think ing that he might have been wounded by one of the buokihot I found him after a little, and I guess he would have given me a pretty lively time of it if two of his legs hadn't been broken. As it was he ihowed tight and tried to tear my bootleg off. but 1 had the ad vantage of him and 1 shot him through the head." Sorunton (l'a.) for. X. V Sun. Editor "Mr. Funnyman, your humorous department is not half so bright and fresh as it used to bo. Are you in poor health?" Mr. Funnyman "X-o. sir, my health is all right, but I'm afraid I'll have to give up lhe humorous work." "What's the matter?' "-Veil, sir. 1 got married some months ago, and now when 1 print a joke about wives my wife thinks it means her. and if I mention a mother-in-law her mother comes around and raises the roof: and, be sides, one of my wife's brothers in a plumber, another is an ice-man, and the other is a coal-dealer, and she has a half-brother who is a book-agent, and they're all big men with ugly tempers. If you don't mind, I'd like to retire from the humorous depart ment and toko n position as obituary editor."- Philadelphia Record. "And bo your mother doei inn object to our engagement?" Sho "Mother hai not formally given bei consent, but I think she will. She is merely waiting until assured that you are a man of high character, and', of course, you are. my love." He "Yes. myiocordis without a stain, but we musl hurry mailers along as fast as possible and get safely married before me local campaign opens. I've Dominated for an oflna." been He Disappointed His Friends. There were a dozen men on the who saw Mr. Hiunit Wlljijnj on crossiug ahead, and one of "them marked; car tho re- "Sow you seo if ho don't lend right off by saying what an open wiu.r U la lllank stepped aboard. MMM and gawrted half a dozen ,.,,;, while all were holding their breaths, no n id: "(."i.tlemen. what a coo! MM we had last yea !" Detroit Free Press. In dome. tic life then. nr.. fiii.r..i and intel IgeM MM who diserimi. nnte brtw,v;, the la-nefieent purposes ,,f the home n, it, mere triyialities. and woir livoa to thefo mor. and on jr MM .aid BMMMtfJ to the , . , " " "n'T o wrapped up J2 '"mishiugi. injoHant mi ! rounding, Md Bunor .p,waran, hat t h.-y ,H ,ifht of lfte truth the bom ,.u fr the MJMM nni napptn.-.a of the inm.l.-. I IMII ' t ....... .... . V.a " THE GUESSINQ .... " '"""tan, . MWTWWM ll. . , ' A few week r. ..osL-rjl iW, lull -'ins 11" . . "Til, Sir SB al St.. Ml I ' 1 " . v . r l'""ifh bbi7 i u.1. l" "O C l ,.l . . "UK d al.,u. i llO'lll.wl ll ,. nl.. - - , I DUtlL' . over to tho care of th i i .i,..u.. I .u ... v 'mo.,,.. ..... XIIVJ p,'0H,.J . the nieht. one of ii ' "lie awful careful of ti,.' . a daisy a now b, i i . pls Rv, land. We've sold hlm ,o . hero for lifty dollars, and , want any thing to hupp,.,, '" The landlord look,',' , then began to think, and cW, suspect. When the strangeThs?' lobed he called in some of tl, fl and said: v "1 have twigged the rnel,., turn ffillnvi u kmm uk.. ffUeSHitilT Dil?. Tn-nwia. . W L'lVe VOll ll ahaUIAA l ' " " ""'IIUW it,.... rs i iiiBaajaj iu weight, at ten cents . As the fellows al , -J2H ,.. no w Nobody slept until tho nk, taken over In tho u,.,.i , He pulled down one hund!! seventy pounds to a h.,i ...1 villagers went home and hunw their nlnbvala .1 , . I scales and sharpers throughout S J mainder of the night The ,.,','.':"'" ing the pig was led around uni? fore starting on his journey, one ofti fWIMM ftHIlll i-L-iwI te sML owners remarked to crowd: "(ientlemen, I ..... uoillir in .;, this pig directly. May be a you would like to guess on ble2 I'll take all guesses at ten cent, . and whoever bits it gels fifty isJ This little ipeeob provoked s 2 and selected stock of winks andtnZ but no one walked up until tbepj. man said that anyone person Z guess as many times as he cared,, provided a dime accompanied J guess. Then a rush set in. Thre.. four merchants put up fifty guess, each; u justice of the ponce look tab a lawyer said that about twenty wo uo lor mm. noiore there naiiao in thi, i,,i..in. .1 , t " s"'"'i"K auoui H hundred hnd been registered und tan for. Every soul of them guenwd t one hundred and seventy pounds. wis curious what unanimity there i in the guessing; but the pig-men U not seem to notice it. When all lui been given a chance, tho pig will to the scales, and, lo, his Blight n exactly one hundred and sevenn-i, ... pounds! "You seo, gentlemen," explained tin spokesman, "while this animal ijjtj only one hundred and seventy poea Hlnnir nh.oil oli.e.m n'ot....!. .., ... ....... .. . ... i, ,,, , we feed him about live pounds of i meal in the morning before weight You forgo' 1 s tuke this matter hi consideration." j nun - .""ii aiuaau iuu Hon IB! und he kicked tho justice, and illstici' kick'oil n mor. 'limit iin.l uh.. rri... ..... i i.. i:..i , . the pig-men looked baokfromaduts 1.11 I . I C I . ii i no ,c ill iio linen it-.) ion L-i.... . Itself and throwing empty wallets ink the river. N. Y. Ledger. FIRING AWaT" MONEY. What It Costs In I no i' i , dlaarjr HaBofWar War is an expensive underlakic: and even playing at it costs a grwi deal of money. After paying out ti' or threo million dollars for a shin that is only a beginning. To keep u ordinary man-of-war "in commissim' that is, to furnish tho neeeurynf lilies, and pay the officers and ma costs about a thousand dollars a da; The armament of a man-of-war a very costly -much more so than M people imagine. A flfteen-lnch bajj gun weighs eighty tons, and Mai $185,000; the cirriago weighs hrjj tons, and costs I0,(HHI. Kverv tinieem of these monsters is tired, it (M 2.000. The great dynamite gun on board ill new gunboat Vesuvius is fifty-live li long, has u bore of fifteen inches, ui the profectiles are eleven feet long ami weii'h nine hundred nounds each. The cost of tho gun and Oartiafl $40,000,'and every time it is tired P goes up in smoke. It is true Unit all enns are not m"!' sters, but all gun-firing is very cost:; i ne ronincationi uommittee on un cross has made nn iiniii'iinriatiou W test eight, ten and twelve inch gutii from which some idea may be gain of how money is tired away durinj naval or army contest. Two hundred and fifty rounds to one ten-inch gun costs, for powder. 17.000; projectiles, 111,0001 tots, of -'s nun Tl,,, unm., nnmlier i rounds from a twelve-inch gun Ml 39.50t). Each shot weighs half a t which costs 300 if made of steel. f 7S If made of cast Iron. The eif?bi inch guns fire a shot weighing three hundred pounds, and every dischartt costs about $100, In old-time warfare, when a sii'J' pounder was a monster and a thirty- two-pounder considered large, f1 were worked very rapidly; but no" days, with increase of length weight, comes slowness of execution But even supposing the Krupp mentioned above to be fired six tim an hour during a six-hours' MOT ment, tliat would represent fHM tired away. And that is only one ft1 M you see war is expensive, even ' pastime. Uolden Days. On rtnir,. r... .i,., hotter 11,1,113 1 1 1 1 ' " " made at home, no second grade J quality can be pardoned. The coaM lion is now so keen that only v prices remunerate the dairv farfflf therefore th., f,.,tl.. .K,,,i hM M - ........ j -un ...I .. " best butter made in the laiul. What II Drserlbr. A new allegorical poem called "Alon lhe DfMP is often quoted at the "urns ""irauuMisun , dascribM the MW buckleoerry in a hotel BBV Baseball I n.-raturc Old Gentleman (to boy in book standr-' wnr.taeopy of "Jack, the Giant Kil.er ' T-Ves, sir; I ,'rwL, v mi,,- un to I taia attrnoon.,w York World. Cnsqaentl7 ComM N4 Glr Asses Btryke-Wijj jondomsa favor, olJ Bmyki trapiiUj)-! har. njt (Ot a osBfc . Town Topica.