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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (June 17, 1904)
The Planter's Daughter 25 FATE'S REVENGE By MRS. ALICE P. CARRISTON Author of "A Waif from the Sea," "Her Brightest Hope," "Wayward Winnefred," etc. CHAPTER XVIII. The shade of evening that succeeded that eventful day, foutfd the Inmates of the Newport villa quiescent. Not that they fancied that they had seen the end of their troubles, not that they dreamed that the raging Nemesis who pursued them would relent and hide her diminish ed head, but they had arrived at an un derstanding and were at peace among themselves. Whatever might happen, Claire had found her way to her husband's heart, and Lucian was ait rest, having declared tils love. Side by side they sat upon the wide veranda, watching the lurid sunset that presaged storm. Suddenly Claire shuddered and nestled closer to her com panion, while his protecting arm encir cled her yet more tightly. "What is It, darling? Are you cold?" fee asked gently. "Shall we go In?" "Not yet," came the whispered re sponse; "I could not bear the stifling at iuiiIcre of the rooms. Let us rmsln here as long as we can until the rain comes." "Ae you will, only do not tremble so." "I cannot help it, Lucian. Do not think vne ungrateful, but but I have doubted your love so long that I I " "Oh, Claire!" he interposed, reproach fully, "thnt you doubt it still?" "No, no! Not quite that, but I think of '!ih at terrible woman!" "I do not wish to think of her," he replied, gloomily. "But she boldly boasted that she came here armed with three years of passion ate love. Lucian, is It true?" "Yes, it is true, but my love has chang ed; need I tell you eo again? Do you compel me to swear it before you can be lieve?" "No, I m satisfied, but do not blame me if I am over jealous of you; I love you so, and I feel my inferiority to that splendid, wicked creature." He drew her into his embrace, and, bending his head, pressed a burning kiss upon her brow. "Foolish little heart!" he murmured, Indulgently. "You are as far superior to her as the sun is superior to the moon, as an angel to a sinful mortal!" "No, no!" she said, with surprising firmnesa, "let there be no comparison be tween us. I believe that unhappy woman to be more sinned against than sinning. 'She has been the victim of Fate, as we have all been; eo let us not blame her, .since we know not how we should have lacted had we been similarly placed." ' "I shall never see her,", he replied letoutly. " "Not even if e,he sent for yoo and be ougbt you to come to her?" "Not even then." As though envious fate sought to test Ills firmness, Dr. Gresham at that mo ment appeared upon the piazza with a letter in bis hand. Though the gloaming "had fallen thickly upon the earth, they both noted the ghastly presence of the missive, and a minatory thrill of 'alarm hot through their hearts. "A letter for you, Lucian," observed the doctor, affecting an unconcern which be was far from feeling; "the messen ger wlio brought it said that it "was im perative, so perhaps you bad better step inside to the light and read it while .1 bave a chat with my patient." Cleverly planned, doctor, but not quite cleverly enough to hoodwink -a 'woman's Instinct Lucian Courtlandt had risen as Gresham ceased to speak, but ere be could take a step, Claire laid fast bold f his hand. "Lucianl" she cried, warnlngly. He turned and assisted her to rise. "Come with me," he said; "in future I bave no necrets from you." And in spite of the admonishing glance dealt him by the doctor, he led his wife Into the library, where a shaded lamp burned. There he broke the seal, with Olnlre beside him. The missive proved to be a passionate appeal from Sylphide Couranvont to come to her, for the Inst time If It must be, but to come to her for justice's sake. "I shall not go," Courtlandt said, with measured firmness. "However, there Is bo reason why Gresham should not go in my plnre, If he considera it expedient." The doctor's cunning eyebrows knitted darkly for a moment; then he exclaimed, iwith sudden decision: "Yes, I will go and see her; but I warn you both that if I go I shall not bandle her with gloves. I shall state the case so plainly to her that I think fbe will not occupy a false position In the future." His words Implied so dark a threat that Claire glided to his side and laid ber hand upon his arm as he was about to leave the room. "Doctor," she said, the purity of ber oul within shining In her eyes, "what ever you may deem It best to do or my, bear In mlud that she Is a woman, that bowever we may regard the case, she bas been wronged, and be as lenient as you an." "Depend upon me to be as lenient as (the case requires," was the quiet reply; ;"I bare managed affairs thus far to my satisfaction; I do not think I shall clip :p In the eleventh hour." And with these words be took bis bat and left the villa, while a lurid flash of lightning Illumined his slender figure, as It vanished amidst the shrubbery. la a retired street of old Newport, where dense, interlacing trees shrouded In deep shadow the unpretentious houses, Sylphldo Oouramont had secured lodgings upon the first floor the windows of which opened upon a wide, dark piazza, that almost overhung the sidewalk. As the night settled upon fhe city, she bad ordered a lamp, had closed the blinds, and thrown herself upon the lounge to wait. Still attired in the Inky draperies that she had worn dur ing the day, the utter ghastliness of her countenance fbown out with yet more startling effect by contrast with her sur roundings. She had dispatched her appeal to Lu cian Courtlandt, and was awaiting its results with such patience as she could command; but as the dreary minutes grew to hours she rose impatiently and, taking a silver-mounted revolver from a satchel, laid it beside a roll of papers up on the table that supported the lighted lamp. "I cuti hnr ovPryHitng In rendlnosn, at least," she murmured. "Lucian shall have no reason to doubt my resolution. If his heart preserves no flutter of the past, if all memory of our love is ef faced, still the lines I have sent him con tain sufficient grief and despair, effi cient threats of scandal to force him to come to me; fear will Impose the power which love has lost If I cannot recon quer your heart,- Lucian Courtlandt, you shall at least give me back my child. Then we shall see whether you will .not follow hhn. Hark! Some one is mount ing the steps.! It is be!" She sprang to the window and threw open the blinds; but recoiling as sudden ly, she gave vent to one stifled word. "You!" "Yes, I," replied Gresham, coolly, en tering, and carefully closing the blinds behind him. "We decided that I should do as well." "He refuses to see me? Why?" she gasped, feebly. "Why? You know perfectly well." "It Is because he loves that other woman, now, is It not?" she cried, (bit terly. "Is that keeping his oath with me? Was that what you promised me, 'Gresh am? You, swore Do me that she bad scarcely three months to live." With maddening deliberation, Gresh am drew up a chair and seated himself opposite his agonized subject "Madam," he began, calmly, "we doc tors have neither friends nor enemies; we deal impartially with the whole world. It la our business ta, ave our patients. Let us look at it seriously. In a moment of ambition you cherished the hope of becoming Mrs. Lucian Courtlandt; to day, you understand, this, hope is for ever crushed. Now, your wisest course is to leave the interests of your child in the hands of ber to whom you bave confided them, and let them rest In peace." "And what remains to me In this bar gain?" "First, the satisfaction of having done your duty." . "And then?" "Then the conditions that you may be pleased to impose,- which I can promise will be accepted In ' advance by Mr. Courtlandt." "The only condition that I shall see fit o make," she hissed through her set teeth, "is the unconditional surrender of my child!" "It seems to me that your maternal love smacks of selfishness." "You have no right to judge me, hay ing played the traitor! Oh, you may pare me the Infliction of any moral stric tures," she sneered; "if you have been sent to me as an ambassador, be content to fulfill your mission." "Very well, then. What do you de mand?" "Has Lucian Courtlandt determined never to eee me again?" "I have already answered that ques tion. The reproaches contained in your letter, your menace that you would kill yourself, have only served to make me smile. Oh, I'm a horrible fellow! I even went so far, In order to reassure those who might be startled by your threats, as to say that your religious scruples would prevent your doing violence to so nweet a life. Ah, but I'm a sorry ras cal!" Goaded by his merciless raillery, Syl phide was upon her feet In an Instant, and bending threateningly above his smil ing face. "Have a care!" she panted. "Your people had better not exasperate me be yond, endurance!" "On the contrary, they seek to per suade you to depart In peace, that's all. Now, what do you demand, to go abroad and settle down quietly? Please name the amount" "What are you paid for your Inso lence?" "Much less than the trouble of coming here has cost me." She accepted the Insult in silence, and began to pace up and down the room to calm ber agitation. Suddenly she paused behind her tormentor, and said In a voice low with Intensity: "You may return to Lnclan Courtlandt and tell him that unless he comes to me within an hour I shall be dead! There lies my will. You are at liberty to ex amine It" Gresham rose, and leisurely opened the roll of paper on the table. "Humph!" bt sneered after a cursory glance, "women are adepts at letter writ ing, but they require a lawyer to draw up their wills. I would advise you to burn mat" I "To-morrow my death will be public gossip," She said, stonilv. "I'll stake a hundred on the chances." The last straw had been applied. Syl phide Couramont was livid with rage. In voluntarily she asunied the attitude of a tigress about to spring. "Gresham!" she panted. "Do you dare to take my life?" she cried. - "Mort certainly I do." "Why should I. not kill myself?" "Because that would afford three or four persons of my acquaintance too much satisfaction," came the imperturba ble reply; "once more let us return to reason; will you accept two hundred nd fifty thousand dollars to go abroad, never to return?" "I have answered that question once." "Very well. I bave fulfilled my mis sion, and now have the honor to wish you good evening." He bowed profoundly, took his hat, flung open the blinds and vanished Into the night Sylphide stood where he had left her until his footsteps ceased to echo upon the distance; then she sprang to some draperies, tore them apart and discovered Camilla sunken in a sodden sleep upon a chair. "Awake, awake!" she panted hoarsely, dragging him bodily to his feet; "away with you and do as you agreed! Ah, now they shall feel my power!" T be continued ! "PRETTY SPECKLEDY." The Thrash Refnsed to Sing; for the Lady Who Had Rought Htm. Two ladies who were walking along an English country road were attract ed toward a effva!l, poor-looking cot tage by the exquisite singing of a thrush. The cottage contained but one room. It was occupied by an aged couple, so poor that their most valua ble possession was the thrush which hung outside the door in a wicker cage, and sent forth a perfect stream of melody. In "Mary Boyle, Her Book," the story of this bird Is touchlngly told: . We listened for some moment, and then my mother entered the cottage, made acquaintance with the old cou ple, and asked if they would be will ing to sell the tb'rush to her. At first rather a blank look came over the old man's countenance, but he was poor and ailing, and was persuaded by the arguments of the "missus," who was doubtless thinking that the price of their fuvorlte would enable her to get some little dainty for her good man. So the bargain began; a sum was named, the double of which was paid by my mother, who sent a servant the next morning to claim her purchase. Then resulted a disappointment. The cage was placed in. a large and cheer ful window In our drawing-room, but not a sound, not a note, came from the molancholy bird, who drooped and hung its head-as if molting. We fed, we coaxed, . we whistled; but It re mained silent, motionless and moping. My mother felt as much Indignation as was consistent with her gentle dis position. It was not In her nature to be suspicious, but it looked as If an other bird had been palmed off upon her In place of the magnificent song ster. She gave the thrush several days' trial, but at length her patience was exhausted, and she sent for the late owner of the bird. The door opened and in he came. My mother advanced to, meet him; but neither of them was allowed to speak, for no sooner did the old man make his appearance in the room than the bird leaped down from its perch, spread its wings, and broke out into bo triumphant a song of Joy that it seemed as if the whole room vibrated with that burst of melody. .."What, Pretty Speckledy!" said the man, approaching the .cage. "You know me then, do you?" And the thrush' Vept flapping Its wings and moving from Bide to side, one might almost say, dancing with Joy. There was no doubt about it; it was the same bird that, had charmed our ears' lu the lane at Molesey; but, like the Hebrew captives, it could not sing its "songs In a strafoge landr "Take it back.'-.jr mother said. "I would not part such friends for all the world!" And off together went that loving pair, "Pretty Speckledy" In full song. i Sea Serpents Breathe Air. Like all other (serpents, the sea ser pents, though permanently Inhabiting the sea, are air breathers. The lateral flattening of their tails greatly helps them to swim in any direction, and tt specially enables them to rise rapidly to the surface of the water to breathe. That they may do this the more easily and securely, their nostrils are placed at the very end of the muzzle and are furnished with valves, which secure them from being entered by the water In which they live. Unlike other snakes, they cast their skins In small pieces. Their eyes are not adapted to see well out of water, and thus they cannot when In the air take a good aim to bite. They feed on small fishes, which they paralyze by means of their poison, and thus they have nothing to fear from the spines of the fishes they eat Aa Others Bas Us. Biggs They say that . fellow Sim son Is half-witted. Dlggs Indeed! A much as that) 1 me m3mf Stock Docks. In selecting stock ducks from which to breed your market ducklings, It is less essential to look for clearness of bill and perfection of tint than gen eral suitable conformation. The drake In the accompanying illustration is a perfect type of breeder for market birds. The body is large, but not cumbersome, the carriage of the small head, alert, out not apprehensive, the feathers white and plentiful, but tight and compact, as though cut from a piece of ivory, the deep full keel and short, strong legs are all points that go to form an ideal breeder, either for TRIO OP MODEL PF.KI.NS. a duck or drake. In choosing breed ers, it Is also Important that the ducks are fully as large as the drakes. The duck In the sketch is in reality somewhat larger than the drake, and won first prize when she wus but five months old. Large birds like these Peklns are very heavy feeders, but the ducklings are soon on the market, and the 'old birds with iong, rangey bodies, such as these here shown, will hunt their entire living when allowed to roam at will. Montreal Star. Four-Horse Tandem Equalizer. The accompanying illustration rep resents a very simple form of equalizer for two teams one before the other. Attached to the load is a pulley through which the chain works, a team of two horses being attached to each end of the chain. The front double tree Is provided with a ring in the center, to which the chain is attached. On the end of the chain is a grab hook, by means of which the front team may be hitched long or short as de sired. Corn Flour. The high price of wheat and of wheat flour in Bulgaria has led the Minister of Agriculture to suggest the use of corn flour, mixed with wheat flour. A Sofia Journal says that a com mittee was nominated by the Mayor of Sofia with a view to alleviating the distress among the poorer classes. Two kinds of bread were submitted one made with three-quarters wheat flour and one-quarter corn flour, and the other with half wheat flour and half corn flour. Those who tasted the first named bread declared It to be very good, and the Mayor hopes by the extended use of corn flour to furnish the necessitous population of Sofia with Its dally bread at a cheap price. Cincinnati Price Current The Packers' Power. The only rational cause for the great falling off in prices paid by the packers for bogs and beef cattle Is the determination of the packers not to give more. They are not in the pack ing business for either health or recre ation, but for the money they can ac cumulate. Of course the less they pay for the animals and the more they get for the animal products the more mon ey they make. This accounts for the high price to consumers of beef, pork, etc., as well as the lot price of hogs and cattle. Farm and Ranch. F0UB-H-RSB TANDEM EQUALIZER. 1 A Bettin' Hen When a hen is bound to set Seems as though 'tain't etiket Dowsin' her in water till She's connected with a chill. Seems as though 'twas skursely right Givin' her a dreadful fright, Tyin' rags around her tail, Poundin' on an old tin pail, Chasin' her around the yard. Seems as though 'twas kind of hard Bein' kicked and slammed and shooed 'Cause she wants to raise a brood. I sh'd say it's gettiu' gay Jest 'cause natur wants its way. While ago my neighbor, Penn, Started bustin' up a hen; Went to yank her off the nest. Hen, though, made a peck and jest 1 Grabbed his thumb nail good and stout Like to yank the darned thing out Penu he twitched away and then Tried agin to grab that hen, But by ginger, she had spunk 'Cause she took and nipped a chunk Big's a bean right out his palm, Swallered It, and cool and calm, Histed up and yelled "Cah-dah!" Sounded like she said "Hoorah! Wal, sir, when that hen done that Penn, he bowed, took off his hat Spunk jest suits him, you can bet "Set," says he, "gol darn ye, setl" Anonymous. r What la Success? Many men who have died poor and who have ever been poor have been great successes. Our Savior was a poor man, the poorest of the poor and yet no life was ever such a success as His. The mistake of this age is in Judging success by wealth. A man may be worth $100,000,000 and yet be an absolute failure. That is, he may be rich and yet be a hog. He is suc cessful who goes through the world doing the most good, brightening the lives of his fellow creatures not only, but making life more comfortable for the lower animals, the horses, the cows, and chickens and wild bird. Stable Ventilator. This plan of ventilating a stable can be put in without interfering with the window proper. About two inclios from the top of the window three holes are made two inches or more in diameter. A frame Is built over these holes in which to run a slide or slips of sheet iron may be placed in Dosltlon. as shown at the lower part of the picture, between which the slldluar board may be run. , Strawberries. I know of nothing that brings In money quicker or faster than the strawberry, providing the land la adapted to strawberry growing. The strawberry gave me my start when I was a poor man. , The longer I grew fruits the more the people around me bought them. I never had a surplus. Boys will easily become greatly Inter ested not only In strawberry growing but black raspberry, blackberry and grapes.' My plan was to "have an as sortment of the various kinds of fruit so if one class of fruits failed for a year the others would bring me in money. Stiff clay soil that bakes is not adapted to the strawberry or black berry. Exchange. Cutting; Trees by Electricity. It is reported in the German press that successful experiments have been made in various forests of France la cutting trees by means of electricity. A platinum wire Is heated to a white heat by an electric current and used like a saw. In this manner the tree Is felled much more easily and quickly than in the old way; no sawdust is produced and the slight carbonization caused by the hot wire acts as a pre servative of the wood. The new moth. od is said to require only one-eighth of tne time consumed by the old sawing process. Wood Ashes. Unleached wood ashes are rich In potash, varying In value according to the hardness of the wood burned. Hickory ashes are more valuable than basswood. Besides, potash ashes con tain lltne and a little phosphoric acid. Most clay soils have sufficient potash. Sandy soils need potash more than oth er soils. Do not mix wood ashes with any kind of manure before applying to the soil. Grafting Grapes. Common cleft grafting is best f. young grape rootings. It is simple, easy and nearly always successful If properly performed. Remove the soli from the rooting and cut It low enoueh to allow the soil to be mounded around the point Split with a chisel, then in sert a scion of equal diameter so that both sides will knit Cut the scion bevels equal. Be careful to have both sides coincide outside so that bark of both stock and scion la practically of same uucituess.