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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1902)
SI MISS MILNE AND I. CiiAl'lLli IX Continued. With the morning came the purchas er oi my practice a tali, gaunt, cadaverous looking youug xuaa, a veiy mild specimen o the floe coat anu white tie order of doctors. A private letter from Mrs. Needs told me that he was not just the kind of man sue would have liked to Introduce, but he was a willing purchaser, aud had given two hundred pounds more than my mluluiuni price, so that he was not to he despised. On the evening of that day I saw Miss Milne for the first time after my parting with Edith. She came about 10 o'clock, and as she had been -without money for some time, I expected her, but with feelings very different to those that had possessed me pre vious to our last interview. I no long er feared her. She had done her veiy worst, and there appeared very little deviltry left for her to accomplish, so that I walked In with a firm step to meet her. "I have called to ask you for some money, Dr. Rigby. I have had during the last few days, and am likely to have for a day or two to come, some extra expense, otherwise I would not trouble you." I felt confident that the extra ex- penses were connected with the illness of her child, but said nothing, simply taking out my cneck book and asking her how much she required. "Ten pounds will be sufficient, I think." I wrote a check for that amount and handed it to her. As she crossed the rcom to receive it she dropped on the floor a card. As I stooped to pick It up and restore it to her, I noticed It was that of an undertaker, and then, still thinking of her child's illness, I became intensely curious. Unable long er to resist the temptation, I remark ed: "I am very sorry to hear that your child has been 111. With a bold, defiant look she turned to me, and replied: "Yes, hut he Is Better now." , "Better?" "Yes, he's dead." "Dead ! And you call that better?" "Far better, don't you think so? 'Twould be better for all of us to be dead." "For some of us, perhaps." "There's no perhaps about It, Dr. Kigby. Life for men even is a mis take; for women It's the greatest curse Cod (if there is such a being) can In flict upon one." "But, Miss Milne, you purely feel the loss of your child? You always appeared to be very fond of him." "My feelings are .my own business; I don't wear my heart upon my sleeve lor daws to peck at. This was snid with a sneer, and was evidently intended to have some personal allusion. "You certainly do not," I replied emphatically; and had I not seen he under very different circumstances I should have believed she hud no heart to deck her sleeve with. She evident ly knew my thoughts, for she added. "You think, of course, that I have no heart." "You had once, I know, hut now . However, if you are not sorry for yourself, I am very sorry for your loss." "Thank you," she replied, with a dow, and left me. CHAPTER X. Nothing worth recording happened during the next fortnight, and I was within a week of my departure from my old, horrorful home without any fixed i'lea as to my destination, when one evening Miss Milne was announced. In those days, and later, I always dreaded her appearance. I dreaded lf more than ever now, necause, although as far as Edith was concerned, she had done her worst, yet she might have heard of my going and rontinuo her persecution of me by preventing it; he might even, when I bad gone, put the police on my track; she might do anything, for, as I think I have shown, ehe was capable of anything. I had half made up my mind to tell herself of all that had hapened the infinite trouble she had brought into my life and so perhaps reawaken the good side of her. It was therefore with very mixed feelings that I entered the room, making her a alight bow as I took my seat. "I hear," she began, "that you are thinking of leaving this neighborhood." "Yes, ' I replied, filled with horri-. ble susponse, bet speaking carelessly enough, "I was going to see you tomor row and tell you of my arrangements." "Indeed! Well, I came down thin evening to tell you that I object to your going." "Mis Milne, what on earth are yon aiming at? What can possibly be your luotive?" (She gave an unnatural laugh, end replied: "Do you think I am fool enough to lo-e the whole of my occupa tion without a struggle, to give up calmly the only thing I care to lire lor?" " There is one road of escape where even your veiig-eaiice will not follow me." "Why, my dear sir, I have ten times the pluck you have, ami I can't do it. I have tried, dozens of times; I have had the prossic acid in a wineglass at luy Udside; I have written the usual 0 last letter, and walked to the Regent's park canal. No, no, Doctor Rigby, suicide is the luxury of the madman and the genuine philosopher, 'tis not for us." The mere reading of these words will convey to the reader no idea of their maddening irony ; each word and speer i-tung me to the quick, and before ehe had finished I had jumped to my feet. A bottle of the strong solution of mor phia, used for subcutaneuos injection, was on the ta bio near me; in a frenzy of rage and despair I rushed to it, drew the cork, and holding it close to my lips, hissed out: "Look, you thrice, damned curse of your own sex and mine, see if I have not the pluck!" and in a moment I should have swal lowed the whole of it had she not, with one bound at roes the room, dashed the bottle from my hand. For a mom ent we fctood face to face, motionless and irresolute, and with our eyes down cast. She was the first to speak. Tak ing a lapel of my coat, in each of her hands, Bhe said in a voice deliberate but now soft and gentle: "You are not the coward 1 took you for." The miraculous alteration in her voice rather than her words, arrested my attention; I looked up aud no longer saw the Miss Milne of ten minutes since, no longer the demon in woman's clothing, but, as though by magic, the whole charatctr of her had changed; the bad was dead, the good again living and active. The seven devils nad been cast out. Of the why and wherefore of the marvelous metamorphus, of the sci ence of this sudden death and sudden birth, I know nothing. I only know it happened. "No, no," she continued, as I looked straight in the face, no longer afraid, and saw her emile as I had not saw her smile for many a month, "you are not the coward I took you for, Doctor Rig by. I have been an enigma to you, I have been a puzzle to myself; I think I have been mad this many a month. I have admired you one month and de spised you the next ; one day I have hated and the next loved you. "Loved me!" l es, loved you as I think I alone among women can love." "You have adopted a ctrange method of showing your love." "Ugh!" she exclaimed with a glim mer of her other solf. "You know nothing of women ; we love and we hate in the same degree, and our lives and our hates lie side by side, separat ed by the thinnest of walls, which one drop of jealousy will dissolve. But." and she laid a firm hand on my should er, "I have loved you madly and hated myself for it. 1 love you madly now." And bowing her head, she added in slow, almost inaudible tones: 'Give me one real kiss and you have seen the last of me, I will never trouble you again will you?" she aksed, trembling at my delay, and looking up with the lace of a child. "1 am not wicked, I am not mad now." I took the girl in my arms, I let the memory of her past float away in her tears, I let her arms entwine them pelves about my neck, I let her passion ate lips touch mine, I let her nestle her head upon my shoulder, and foryet in this strange present all the terrible past. When she had released me, her hands fell powerless by her side, s and with drooping head she stood motion less. Then a thiver ran through her from head to foot. That shiver was the last volcanic display that had just shaken her. She looked up, and hei face wan now calm and impenetrable; evidence of neither love not anger was visible, but a fixity of determination had entire possession of her. "I am, as yon know, a woman of my word, Doctor Kigby, and I have prom ised to cea-e troubling you, so that now there U nothing left but to with yon good-by." She put out her hand a she spoke, and. taking it in mine and holding it, I uxked her what she intended doing. "Of my future movement I know nothing; I hue not had time to think. All I know is that I will not trouble you any more " " You will, of course, allow me to help you with some money; I am iu funds and can well aoffrd it." "Thank you, no; I am not one of the pinners that suffer paroxysmal fits of repentance and then reient of their re pentance. I would seriously like to undo some of the injury I have done you, but that I fear is nut of the ques tion; at any rate. I will not make mat ters worse by taking any of your money. " "Rut may I net give it to voa as a free gifi?" "No; don't tempt me. I have no child to live for now. You wonder. I see. at my smiling." "You are a pni.le." "Do yon wonder, after finding the world to fur from being a psradise, that I do not regret that my child has said good-by to it?" "Hut your til baa been a terribly hard battle." "Is any maVs, much Jess woman's, life worth living? No, no," ehe con tinued, half to herself and half aloud. " wisu there were some painless road I "ihen, with a sadden reawakening, ; she extended her hand again, and tak I ing mine in hers, gave it one silent pr ensure, and was gone gone forever from the scene of her triumphs and my humiliation. CHAPTER XI. Sydney, New South Wales I'm at the back of God's speed, at the tail end of His earth, amid a strange people who are Americans without the Ameri can's "go," and Englishmen without the ballast of the Englishman's conser vatism; in a land in which have flock ed the venturesome and the visionary, the restless and the discontented. I am in JSydnev, the capital of New South Wales. Since the close of the last chapter I have literally "rushed across the astonished earth," and am now sitting in "the doctoi'a quarters" at the quarantine station, which are situated immediately on your right as you enter this most glorious of glorious harbors. When I reached Sydney I found the whole city in a ferment of excitement over a case of smallpox that had been discovered the day before in the Chi nese quarters. Twelve hours after my arrival a note was brought to me at my hotel from the government medical officer, re ntipiirimr nn ImmeHistA Interview, f found him at his club. "You are lately from London, I be lieve, Dr. Rigby?" "Iam." "Do you know anything of small pox?" "I venture to lay claim to a consid erable experience of the disease." "Will you undertake the stamping out of what in thi uuvaccinated com munity might become a very frightful edipeniic?" I gladly undertook the task and on the lollowing morning was installed in my new otfice. Under the name of Mr. Johnson I took lodgingsx in a quiet street; 'twas necessaiy to hide my identity under a nom de guerre, as my opinions, my every movement, and almost every word I uttered, were re ported in the morning and evening papers, and there were the most faith ful porti aits of me in the illustrated weeklies. I was shunned as one hav ing leprosy. I don't know what my landlady niUBt have thought, for almost every hour of the day and night saw a policeman rush up in a state of wild excitement to report "anothor suspici ous case," and then from every corner and rete.48 in the neigh borhod there would emerge one of the army of re porters sot to watch me, with his terri ble notobook. And so 1 awoke each morning to find myself more and more famous, with the salary of a prime minister, with work that had been a daily matter of course in Loudon, and looked upon as any thing but heroic, with a popularity that a politician might have envied, amid new scenes and new surroundings. I might have been aud should have been really happy but for the ever present memory of Edith aud the haunting Nemesis of my other eelf. In the dizzy whirl of intense excite ment Edith was not lorgotten. The taint possibility of still being near her, and the picture of the old colonel read ing my came in the papers any morn ing, were ci ntantly belore me. "As a slight return for your kindness and forbearance," said a reporter to me one aiternoon, "I have run down from the tre isury to tell you a piece of news that 1 have just learned that may be of great importance to you." "That' very good of you ; and what is the news?" "There has been a meeting of the cabinet, and it ha been decided to send you into quarantine." "Me to quarantine. On what grounds?" "Well, they have an idea that if you go firbt to see a genuine case, then only a suspicious one, you infect the latter by taking terms of the disease with you." lias it not occurred to them that this new syrteiia will involve finding new medical man for each suspicious case, and if the suspicious case should turn out to be a genuine one, locking him up (the medical man), as well at the putient in quarantine?" "I don't suppose It has; they are too utterly lunatic to think of anything properly. At any rate, doctor, you will have to go; but allow me to give you one word of advice and that is, (lout' go voluntarily, make the police man take you. If he only puts hit band upon his shoulder that will be sufficient. 1 don't think ' they have the legal right to arrest you." 1 thanked him for his advice as he rose to go. And if this book should fall into hit bandt he must allow me through the medium of its puget to thank him again; hit caution wat worth many hundreds of pounds to m and, more than mere money, it was a practical evidence of kind-heartedness that was very acceptable just then. (To b eonuonxl) Certainly a Clever Men. "It he a good lawyer?" "A irond laarvurt U'h .art T'. B 4 J , - - ' known him to prove the truth of what isu't to, aud not balf try." BIHTH OF NATIONAL AIRS. lritlnK of "Yankee Doodle" and 'John Brown's Body." In one sense national music Is any music which Is beloved by a nation. Under this head would come "Home, Sweet Home," and "Suwnnee River;" a more tender lyric of home and of Its memories than Stephen C. Fos ter's "Old Folks at Homo." of which alwiit 500,000 copies were sold, would be hard to find. It was often under interdict during the civil war because It made soldiers down-hearted. An other klud Is of a patriotic nature. Ofteu a national song is at first of local fame and Interest, and by merit becomes national, and may even be spread the world over. Thus, as the voice of friendship and loyalty, "Auld Lang Syne" is known the world over, aud the "Marseillaise," which began as a marching song for a corps of the army of the Lower Rhine, became the universal cry of liberty In patri otic struggles everywhere. The whole composition came to llougct de l isle In one night, 1702. Two French songs sung during the reign of terror were In some degree Induced by American events, and these form a preliminary to our American music. In revolutionary times and pre viously there waa but little music In America, During the revolution there was no American composer of note. No Amer ican tune during the revolution took root as the one which began and end ed the war, and existed In England In 1775 or 1770 "Yankee Doodle." The words were written during the French and.Indlnn war by Dr. Richard Shuck burg, a British surgeon. In a sort of pnrody way on seeing some of the New England troops marching Into Albany, and set to an English dancing tune. In Europe "Hall. Columbia," Is con sidered our chief national anthem, and has certain rights to be so considered, as It was composed on American soli, only they put the cart before the horse, and the tune was composed and played nine years before the words were fit ted to it The tune was known and Immensely popular as "Washington's March," and played till It was thread bare. Nine years after It was written Gil bert Fox, on actor, was to hnve a ben efit. He was announced to sing a new patriotic song, and got Joseph Hop kins to write words for him to the tune of "Washington's March." A new patriotic tune meant everything In those times. The theater was crowded. Fox sang the song, and had to sing It over eight times, and then the audience sang the chorus. This was In 171)8, and It was called the "The New Federal Song." The oldest of our national tunes Is the English national nnthem, "God Save the King," nnd even during the revolution people snug the tune with patriotic words. Several songs were sung to the tune with varying success, and In 1832 the melody was given In good earnest by the Rev. S. F. Sm'th at a ch'ldren's temperance celebration at the Pnrk Street Church In Boston, and It has taken such root that "My Country. Tls of Thee" became our national melody. Now a word abotit what we call our chief tune, "The Star-Spangled Ban ner." The words were formed here, the music abroad, and there Is much fnlse history about It It legan ns a drinking song In 17(56, of an English club which met at the Crown and Anchor Inn, on the Strand. Later. In 1S02, It was nsed ns a Masonic tune, nnd In 1708 Thomas Pa'ne. nt Boston, put words to It called It "Adams anil Liberty." and It wns sung everywhere In the darkest part of the wnr of 1811. Francis F-eott Key, watching the Brit ish bombard Fort McIIeiiry, wrote. In a moment of Inspiration, this national song. "The Stnr-SpansrliMl Banner." "John Brown's Body" was flrvt sung In a purely local way at Fort Warren, hut It lecanie the c hief march ing song of our army In the rebellion, nnd Julia Ward Howe set to the Inspiring tune the great hymn, "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Coming of the Lord." and thus was n song of war transformed to a song of pence.- Boston Herald. Trouble f the HUtortnn. "Your husband must he very busy :hese days." said the neighbors to the wife of the historical novelist. "I linven't seen hlui In the yard for a week." "Oh. the poor man Is nlmost distract il." said the wife. "Ills publisher hove ordered a story for Immediate publica tion Introducing the characters of Maye Yohe, rn t Crowe, Outlaw Tracy and Peter Tower, and he doesn't knw whether to have Put Crowe kidnap Pe ter Power or have him marry Mary MncVatie In the Inst chapter. Balti more American. It Didn't Matter Anyway. i The following explanatory note ac-1 coin pan led a young man's wedding gift to a friend: "My Dear Girl You will find In the box a thlngnmajlg, which has something to b with eating. It's a cross between a harpoon and a bay- fork. It may be for spenrlng pickle or stacking chopped cabbage. Any-1 way, you will be to happy that you won't care." ! M"H"t"M-M"M"H OLD I FAVORITES i! e t I' r l 1 1 1 I I I I ! t-n , j ,,t, n, X The Red, White and Bine. O Columbia, the gem of the ocean. The home of the brave and the free, The shrine of each patriot's devotion,. A world offers homiim tr tliuo Thy mandate makes heroes assemble, nen liberty g form stands in view, Thy banners make tyranny tremble, When borne by the Red, White aud Blue. Chorus: When borne by the Red, White and Bine, When borne by the Red, White and Blue, Thy banners make tyranny tremble. When borne by the Red, White and Blue, When wnr waged its wide desolation. And threatened our land to deform, The ark then of freedom's foundation, Columbia, rode safe through the storm. With her garland of victory o'er her, "Vhen so proudly she bore her bold crew, With her Hag proudly floating before her, The boast of the Red, White and Blue. The wine-cup, the wine-cup, bring hither, And fill you It up to the brim; May the wreaths they have won never wither, iNor the star of their glory grow dtml May the service united ne'er sever, And hold to their colors so true! The Army and the Navy forever! Three cheers for the Red, White nnd Blue. Hocked in the Cradle of the Deep. Rocked in the cradle of the deep, I lay me down lu peace to sleep; Secure I rest upon the wave. For thou, O Lord, hast power to save," I know thou wilt not slight my call, For thou dost mark the sparrow's fall; And calm and peaceful Is my sleep, Rocked In the cradle of the deep. And such Hie trust thnt still were mine, Though stormy winds swept o'er the brine. Or though the tempest's fiery breath Roused me from sleep to wreck and death. In ocean's caves still safe with thee, The germ of Immortality; And calm and peaceful is my sleep, Rocked In the cradle of the deep. Emma Wlllard. CAUSE AND CURE OF COLDS, Exposure of Rome Popular Fallacies on This Perennial ttuhject. Considering the amount of Ink which has been used In discussing the subject of colds, discouraging small results fol lowed. A physician says regarding the mutter: "The truth Is that a cold Is due to an almost Infinite variety of causes, some locul, some practically Inevitable, and no one method will prove effective In all cases. Very few are the fortu nate Individuals who never have colds, and most of those living In our northern climate must be resigned to having one or two In the course of the winter, but one who takes cold readily and often Is not In a healthy condition and hIiouM seek medical advice. The cause In such a case may be local, consisting In some malformation In the Interior of the nose which keeiw the mucous membra mi In uu Irritable state. This fault In una toinlcnl construction can usually be remedied by on oiierut Ion which i net. ilom severe,- But before resorting to this the general system should be ques tioned In order to determine whether or not the fault lies with that Often this Is the case, even when a nasal deform. lty also exists. "One of the chief predlsiioslnir cniis-a of a cold Is a disordered digestion, es pecially Intestinal digestion as a result of overeating or the use of alcohol. It has been said that ail underfed man cannot catch cold, while an overfed on can scarcely avoid It. Whether tills Is trlctly true or not. there Is certnlnlv some close relation between the diges tive organs nnd the nose, and Inaction of the bowels Is a fremicnt forerunner of a cold. The adoge that one 'must stuff a eolil and starve a fever' Is pern Id jus a cold Is a fever, and one of the surest menus of cutting It short Is to take a laxative, abstain almost entirely from food for twenty-four hours and drink two or three quarts of cool water. Another 'popular remedy.' which Is renllv nn nir. gnivator. Is a 'hot toddy' at bedtime. A hot drink, hot' lemonade, for exam, pie, Is gisid. If the sleeper does not throw off the bedclothes the minute ha drops off; but the alcoholic addition Is not merely superfluous, hut Injurious. Alcohol In any form predisposes to a cold and retards the cure of one al ready present. Cool bathing, deep breathing, dully exercise In the open air, fresh air In the house at all timet and especlnlly In the bedroom at night, abstemious living and not letting waste materials accumulate In the Issly these are the best means of re moving one's 'tendency to catch cold. " Chllil Insurance Forbidden. The Insurance of the lives of children It forbidden lu Montreal. If ever we Join a lodge, It will be to find out what the lettera put behind officers' oa met ttand for.