4
Strong and Steady
By. HORATIO
CHAPTER II. (Continued.)
At five o'clock on tb afternoon of the
day after Mr. Conrad' death, Mr. Dru al
mond entered the .house, which wu on
the opposite side of the street from the
tore. This was the supper hour, and
supper was ready upon the table.
A single glance was sufficient to show
that Mr. Drummond was not a man to
indulge in luxurious living. There was a
plate of white bread, cut in thin slices,
a small plate of butter, half a pie, and
a plate of cake. A small pitcher of milk,
a bowl of coarse brown sugar, and a pot
of the cheapest kind of tea completed the
preparations for the evening meal. Cer
tainly there was nothing extravagant
about these preparations; but Mr. Drum
mond thought otherwise. His attention
was at once drawn to the cake, and in
stantly a frown gathered upon his face.
"Are you going to have company to
night, Mrs. Drummond?" be asked.
"Not that I know of," answered his
wife, in some surprise.
"Then why is it that you have put both
pie and cake on the table?"
"The cake is a cheap kind."
"No cake is cheap, Mrs. Drummond. I
' take it you used eggs, butter and sugar
in making it. lou are probaoiy not
aware that all these articles are very dear
ac present. Until they get lower we need
not have cake, except when company is
present. Take away the cake, if you
please. You can save It for Sunday even-
ng.:
"I am afraid it will be dried up by that
time."
"If it is dry, you can steam It. I have
continually to check you In your extrava
gant tastes. Cake and pie, indeed! If
you bad your way, you would double my
household expenses."
Mrs. Drummond rose from the table,
and meekly removed the offending cake.
Just then the third and only other mem
ber of the family entered.
This was Joshua Drummond, the, only
son, now eighteen years of age, though he
looked scarcely more than sixteen. He in
herited his father's meanness, but not bis
frugality. He was more self-indulgent,
and, though he grudged spending money
for others, was perfectly ready to spend
as much as he could get hold of for him
self. CHAPTER III.
Over Joshua, Mr. Drummond had less
control than over his wife. The latter
gave way meekly to his unreasonable re
luisitions ; but Joshua did not hesitate to
make opposition, being as selfish and self
willed as his father, for whom he enter
tained'neither respect nor affection. -
In silence be helped himself to bread
and butter, and in due time accepted a
piece of pie, which Mrs. Drummond made
larger at the expense of her own share,
finally Mr. Drummond remarked:
"I've had a telegram to-day from Wil
oughby." "From Willoughby?" repeated his wife.
"Is"t that where your cousin, William
Conrad, lives?"
"He doesn't live there any longer. He's
dead. The funeral is to be day after to
morrow." "Shall you go?"
"Tea. It will cost me considerable ; as
much as five dollars or more ; but he waa
my cousin, and it is my duty to go," said
Mr. Drummond, with the air of a man
who was making a great sacrifice.
"He was rich, wasn't he?" asked
Joshua, becoming interested.
"Probably worth a hundred thousand
dollars," said his father, complacently.
"I should think he 'might have left me
something," said Joshua.
"He never saw you, Joshua," said his
mother.
"Joshua stands a better chance of get
ting a legacy from one who doesn't know
him than from one who does,", said Mr.
Drummond, with grim pleasantry.
"He leaves children, doesn't he?"
"One child a boy. Let me see, he must
be fifteen by this time. It's likely I will
be appointed bis guardian. I'm the near
est relative."
"Will he come here, then?" ' asked
Joshua.
"Very probably."
"Then I hope you'll live better, or ha
won't stand It." , ,
"When I require any advice from you,
Joshua, I will apply for it," said his
father. .
Joshua inwardly hoped that his father
would be appointed guardian, for he hop
ed that in this event it would make a dif
ference in the family living; and, besides
if his cousin were rich, he meant to whee
dle himself into his confidence, in the hope
of future advantage.
Jacob put off going to Willoughby till
the morning train on the day of the fu
neral. The next day, therefore, be start
ed, taking with him in his valise a lunch
of bread and meat tied up in a piece of
brown paper. Shortly after his arrival,
he called at the house of mourning. .
"I am Jacob Drummond of Stapleton,
. the cousin of the deceased," he explained
to Nancy, who opened the door to admit
him. "Is my young relative, Mr. Con
rad's son, at home?"
"Yes, sir,' said Nancy, taking an in
ventory of his features, and deciding that
he was a very disagreeable looking man.
Mr Drummond waa ushered into the
parlor, where he had a little chance to
look around him before Walter appeared.
Mr. Drummond rose at his entrance.
"I suppose you don't know me," ha
u aaid; "but I wu your father's nearest
living relation."
ALGER. JR.
"Mr. Drummond, I believe."
"Yes, Jacob Drummond of Stapleton.
You have probably heard your father
speak of me?"
"Yes, sir," said Waltei.
"I came as soon as I could after get
ting the telegram. I left my business to
take care of Itself. I wanted to offer you
my sympathy on your sad loss."
Mr. Drummond's words were kind.
though the reference to his sacrifice in
leaving his business might have been as
well left out. Still Walter could not feel
as grateful as he wanted to do. Somehow
he didn't fancy Mr. Drummond.
"You are very kind," he said.
"1 mean to be. You know I'm your
nearest relation now. 1 truly feel for you
in your desolate condition, and though it
may not be the right time to say it, I
must tell you I hope, when the funeral is
over, you will accompany me home and
share our humble hospitality. Mrs. Drum
mond joins me in the invitation."
"I have not had time to think of future
arrangements," said Walter; "but I thank
you for your invitation
"My son Joshua, too," said Mr. Drum
mond, "is longing to make your acquaint
ance. He is older than you, but not much
larger. Joshua is eighteen, but he wiil
make a very pleasant companion for you.
Lef me hope that you will accept my in
vitation." "Thank you, Mr. Drummond; I will
consult my friends about it."
"I wonder how much I could venture
to ask for board," thought Mr. Drum
mond. , "If I am his guardian I can fix
that i suit myself. '- A hundred thousand
dollars would make me a rich man. That
is, I could m ake money from it without
injuring the boy."
Mr. Drummond asked a few more ques
tions ' about Mr. Conrad's sickness and
death. Walter answered them, but did
not think it necessary to speak of his
losses by the mining company. Mr. Drum
mond was a stranger, and not a man to
inspire confidence. So Walter told aa lit
tle as he could. At length the visitor,
having exhausted inquiries, rose.
"I shall be here to-morrow," be said.
"I shall return to Stapleton after the
ceremony. I hope you will make up your
mind to go back with me."
"I could not be ready so soon' an
swered Walter, doubtfully.
"I can wait till next day."
"That will not be necessary, Mr. Drum
mond. I shall have no difficulty in mak
ing the journey alone, if I conclude 'to ac
cept your kind invitation."
Mr. Drummond shook our hero's hand
sympathetically, and at length withdrew.'
A he went down the avenue, he took a
backward glance at the handsome man
sion in which his cousin "had lived.
"That boy owns all that property," he
said, half enviously, "and never worked
a day for it. I've had to work- for all
my money. But it was foolish to spend
so much money on a bouse. A third the
sum would have built a comfortable house,
and the rest might have been put at in
terest. If it turns out that I am the
boy's guardian, I think I shall sell it
That'll be the best course."
CHAPTER IV.
The funeral was over. Mr. Drummond,
as indeed his relationship permitted, was
one of the principal mourners. Consider
ing that he had not seen Mr. Conrad for
fiv years preceding his death, nor during
that time communicated with him in any
way, he appeared to be very much over
come by grief. He kept his eyes covered
with a large white -handkerchief, and his
movements Indicated suppressed agitation.
Hi felt that this was a tribute due to a
cousin who had left over one hundred
thousand dollars. When they had return
ed from the grave he managed to have a
word with Walter. ,
"Have you decided to accept my offer,
and make your home beneath my humble
roof?" he asked.
"There has been no time to consult with
my friends here, Mr. Drummond. I will
let you know next week. I thank you at
any rate for your kindness."
"Do come, Walter," said his cousin,
twisting his mean features Into an affec
tionate smile. "'With you beneath my
humble roof, I shall want nothing to com
plete my happiness."
Jacob Drummond went back to Staple
ton Ignorant of the state of Mr. Conrad's
affairs and regarding Walter as a boy of
great wealth.
When the will waa opened it was found
to bear date two years back, before Mr.
Conrad had plunged Into the speculation
which had proved so disastrous to him.
He bequeathed all the property which he
did possess to Walter, with the exception
of five hundred dollars, which were left
ai a legacy to his faithful housekeeper,
Nancy Forbes. At the time the will was
made, its provisions made Walter heir to
a large fortune. Now It was quite uncer
tain how things would turn out Clement
Shaw, the village lawyer, an honest and
upright man, was made executor, being an
old and tried friend of the deceased.
With his Walter had a long and confi
dential conversation, imparting to him
what he knew of hia father's mining spec
ulation and Its disastrous result, with its
probable effect In accelerating his death.
"I knew something of this before, Wal
ter," said Mr. Shaw. "Your father spoke
to me of being largely interested In the
Great Metropolitan Mining Company;
but of the company itself and the extent
to which he was Involved I knew nothing."
"I chink iny father must have neea
very seriously involved," said Walter. "It
may, perhaps, swallow up the whole prop
erty." .
"Let us hope not. Indeed, I can hardly
believe that your father would have ven
tured in so deep as that
, "He had every confidence in the com
pany ; he thought he was going to double
bis money. If only a part of his prdpeity
was threatened, I don t think it would
have bad such an effect upon him."
"I will thoroughly examine into the at
fair," said Mr. Shaw. "Meanwhile, Wal
ter, hope for the best ! It can hardly be
that the whole property is lost. ' Do not
be- too anxious."
"Do not fear for me on that account,"
said Walter. "I always looked forward
to being rich, it is true, but for all that I
can bear poverty. If the worst comes,
and I am penniless. I am strong, and can
work. I can get along as well as thou
sands of other boys, who have to support
themselves."
Walter did not Hpeak boastfully by any
means, but in a culm, confident way, that
argued a consciousness of power.
"Yes," said the lawyer, regarding him
attentively, "I think you are right there.
You are just the boy who ran make his
own way ; but I hope you will not be'
obliged to do so."
"I am young and strong. Nancy has
spent her best years in my father's ser
vice, and she is no longer young. It is
right that she should have some provision.
Besides, my father meant her to have it,
and I want to carry out his wishes."
"This is all very generous, Walter; but
I am afraid it is inconsiderate. It would
not be your father's wish to provide even
for Nancy, however faithful she may have
been, at the expense of his son."
"It is right," said Walter. "Besides,
Mr. Shaw, I find that Nnnoy had laid up
six hundred dollars, which she had depos
ited in my father's hands. That also must
be paid, if there is enough to pay it; if
not, I will take it upon myself to pay
whenever I am able."
"You're an excellent boy, Walter," said
Mr. Shaw. "I always had a good opinion
of you, and I find it is more than deserv
ed. I honor you for the resolution you
have expressed, though I cannot' quite
agree with you about the five hundred dol
lars. As to the debt, that must be paid,
if there is money enough to pay it. But
e can leave the further discussion of this
question for the present. Now let us
consider what is to become of you in the
meantime. You were at the Essex Classi
cal Institute. I believe?"
"Yes, sir."
"You would like to go back again, I
suppose."
"No, Mr. Shaw. It is an expensive
school, and while it is uncertain how my
father's affairs will come out, I should
not feel justified in going there."
"Perhaps you are right. Of course,
you cannot stay here, and keep house by
yourself. I would invite you to my own
house, but my wife is an invalid, and 7
have to consider her in the matter."
"Thank you, Mr. Shaw; but I think
perhaps I had better accept the offer of
Mr. Drummond of Stapleton. He invites
me to make my home at his house, and for
the present, perhaps, that will be the beat
arrangement."
Nancy was much troubled at the
thought of parting from Walter, whom
she had known from his infancy; but a
situation was immediately offered her in
the village, and Waller promised to take
her as his housekeeper whenever he had a
home of bis own, and this comforted her,
although it was likely to be a long time
until then, since our hero was at present
but fifteen.
He wrote a brief letter to Stapleton as
fellows :
"Mr. Drummond:
"Dear Sir I will accept the invitation
you were kind enough to extend to me, for
the present, at least, and will come to
Stapleton about the middle of next week.
You are the only relation of my father
that I know of, and I think it would be
his wish that I should go to you. If it.
should be inconvenient for you to receivs
me at that time, please write me at once.
Yours respectfully,
"WALTER CONRAD."
In return, Walter received a letter
couched in the most cordial terms, in
which Mr. Drummond signed himself,
"Your affectionate cousin." He was de
lighted, he said, to think that he was
about to receive, under bis humble roof,
the son of his revered and lamented
cousin. He himself met Walter at the
depot.
"I am delighted to welcome you to Sta
pleton, my young friend," he said, shak
ing bis hand cordially. "In the affliction
which has come upon you, let me hope
that you will 'find a haven of rest beneath
my humble roof."
Walter made suitable acknowledgments,
and proceeded to walk beside Mr. Drum
mond to the house which he termed hum
ble. It did not deserve that name, being a
substantial two-story bouse, rather ugly,
architecturally, but comfortable enough in
appearance.
"That is my humble dwelling," said Mr.
Drummond, pointing it out. "It is not
equal to the splendid mansion in which
you have been accustomed to live, but my
worldly circumstances differ widely from
those of your late lamented parent. That
Is my son, Joshua, who Is looking out of
the front window. I hope you may become
good friends, considering how nearly you
are related."
(To bcontlnued.)
Cruel.
Gunner So th celebrated poet mar
ried Mrs. Penner, the short-story
writer?
Guyer Yes, and some of their wed
ding' presents were cruel insinuations,
Gunner What did they receive?
Guyer Sixteen waste baskets embt
llshed with ribbons.
Yorkshire Pudding.
The recipes usually seen produce a
soggy moss, very different from the
"broad-acred" shire's product. Try this
from a genuine Yorkshire woman:
Beat thoroughly, two eggs, yolks and
whites together, six tablespoonfuls
flour, salt to season and milk, until the
whole is the consistency of thick crenin.
Pour Into a roasting pan and bake In
the drippings from the roast, or hent
to the boiling point one tablespoonful
of Inrd or drippings, and bake in this
twenty minutes. It is truly delicious
with, the nccompanlment of roast beef
and brown gravy.
Rice and Tomato Soap,
Put one tablespoonful of butter into
A snucepan, add two small onions, chop
ped fine, and cook without browning.
Add one enn of tomatoes (or three
pints of ripe ones), 2 cupfuls of water,
1 tenspoonful of salt, 6 peppercorns and
2 sprigs of pnrsley. Coolt until tomn
toes are soft, then rub through a sieve.
Return to the snucepnn with two table
spoons of well-washed rice nml simmer
slowly for one hour. Press again
through n sieve nml add more season
ing it desired.
J-'lfll Puff.
Soften a tablespoonful of butter to
a creamy consistency by working it
with a fork ; beat three eggs to a froth
and add them to the butter; add a lev
el tenspoonful of. suit and six table
spoonfuls of flour. Bent nil these In
gredients together until they foam,
then put them Into buttered enrthen
cups or smnll tin pans, nnd bake In a
hot oven for half an hour, or until
they are cooked through nnd nicely
browned.
Bacon Fritters.
Cut fresh pork Into nieces about hn'.f
an Inch square nnd fry until done, but
not brown. Take one cup flour, one
cup Southern corn meal, one tenspoon-
rm or suieratus, a pinch of salt and
enough sour milk to make a stiff bat
ter. Bent one egg up stiff and light,
mix up batter well and add the cooked
pork, stirring Just enouch to mix well.
Fry in a skillet and eat with good
southern molasses.
Filling- a Limn.
Reservoirs of oil lamps should never
be filled to the brim, us oil expands
when heated, and the overflow is apt
to exude, causing a smell of paraffin,
while to prevent the oil from flowing
over the edge of the burner after the
lamp has been filled the wick, after
cleaning, should be turned down be
low the level of the burner until It Is
required to light It.
Home-Made Sanutsre.
Six pounds of lean fresh pork and
three of fat ground together In a meat
chopper. To this add twelve teaspoons
of powdered sage, six each of black
pepper and salt, two teaspoons each of
ground cloves and mnce and a grated
nutmeg. Mix well, pnek all In stone
jars nnd pour melted fut on top to ex
clude nlr.
German Cake.
Fourteen ounces flour, 0 ounces but
ter, 9 ounces sugar, 2 eggs, one-half
lemon peel. Stir butter, sugar, eggs
nnd lemon peel until light, add flour,
knead until smooth, put dough on Ice
for a few hours, roll out, cut strips,
and roll into figures, S or krlngle;
bnke In moderate oven until brown.
Popcorn Candy. ,
Make an old-fashioned molasses ran
dy nnd Just before taking It from the
fire (when a little dropped Into cold
water Is brittle) stir In enough popcorn
to thicken It. Put the mixture Into but
tered pnns and press flat with the back
of a spoou, and as it stiffens cut Into
squares.
Good IlreaUfnut Dlah.
Tut into the double boiler one large
cup yellow cornmeal ' ond four thin
slices of bacon cut into dice. Add a lit
tle salt and fill the cooker with cold
water. Let it cook about an hour and
a half, turn out Into a pan to cool, slice
cold and fry. A good breakfast dlah.
A Fine Almond Torte.
Nine eggs, whites ben ten separately;
one and one-half cups sugar ; two cups
bread crumbs, one-half pound almonds
chopped fine; one lemon rind, two tea
spoons baking powder. Before sending
to table cover top with whipped creum.
Baked Klh In Ramlklns.
Cream the bits of left-over fish and
bent them up with an equal aunntitv
of hot mashed potato. Put the two In
the ramukin8 and bnke brown. Gnr
nlsh on top with a small bit of pars
ley. Bean BlalBna.
One pint bran, otie-hnlf pint flour,
one pint' sweet milk, six tablespoons
molasses, one-half teaspoon salt, on
teaspoon saleratus; bake a good half
hour
SOMETHING FOB EVERYBODY
Andrew Carnegie's library gifts
amount almost to $30,000,000.
The total number of persons in re
ceipt of State relief In India exceeds
1,250,000.
Louisiana has seven million acres of
swamp land, which are at present total.
tj useless.
The irrigated districts of Egypt corn-
arise 5,340,000 acres and support 10,.
000,000 persons.
It is computed that the dew falling
In England Is equal to five inches of
rain each year.
Government experts are Investigat
ing seaweed with the object of deter
mining its economic value.
The Chinese have undertaken to
urse their forests, and the officials of
the Celestial government have engaged
a Japanese expert from Tokio to act
as head master for the proposed school
of forests at Mukden for a term of four
years, with two Chinese as bis assist
anta Prof. D. C. Jackson of the Massachu
setts Institute of Technology, has been
retained by the Massachusetts highway
commission to make a report regarding
the telephone sltuntlon with speclnl
reference to the practicability of a re
duction in rates and a higher efficiency
of service.
''Neutuesis is essentiul on the links."
said II. J. Whlgham, the golfer, at a
dinner in Chicago. "At Shlnnecock
Hills one dny I played behind two
young nnd pretty girls. Overtaking
them, I heard the younger say : 'How
many holes on this course, Alleen?'
'Nineteen, denr, said Alleen, 'Including
the one In your stocking.' "
Simultaneously with the organization
nf a pigeon postal service In the French
Kongo, where the climate makes both
ordlnnry and wireless telegraphy im
possible, it Is announced that the Brit
ish government has replaced the pigeon
post by wireless telegraphy in both the
naval ond the colonial service, and that
this year's budget contains no appro
priation for pigeons.
O'Connell had got a man off at one
time for highway robbery and at an
other for burglary; but on the third
occasion, for stealing a coasting brig,
the task of hoodwinking the Jury seem
ed too grent for even his powers of
cajolery. However, he made out that
Qte crime was committed on the high
sens and obtained an acquittal. The
prisoner lifted up his hand and eyes to
benven and exclaimed: "May the
Lord long spare you, Mr. O'Connell
to me!"
The reason why the stomach and in
testines do not digest themselves was
once thought by Welnland, a German
experimenter, to be that they defend!
themselves by anti-enzymes, or anti
ferments. Dr. Nandor King of Budu
Pesth now reports these ahtl-ferments
not to be found, but that the mucin
present in the inner half of the gastric
mucous membrane resists the digestive
nctlon of the trysln and the gastric
Juice. The digestive organs, therefore,
protect themselves by the mucin they .
secrete.
The population of Japan to-day is
Just about 00,000,000. The exact fig
urea for 1!H)7 are not yet available, but
the estimates Just published are based
on the average growth of the last thirty
years nnd may lie taken ns fulrly ac
curate. In each of the five-year periods
for which figures are bIiowii, over tho
past tweuty-flve years, the population
has increased, roughly speaking, by
2,000,000. To-dny the estimate is
that there ore 40,207,744 native-born
Japanese In the territory ruled over by
tho Mikado. Pall Mall Gazette.
When the memler8 of the British In
stitution of Electrical Engineers paid a
visit of Inspection to northern Italy
lately, they were Interested In a device
used to protect the overhead transmis
sion lines of an electric traction sys
tem from lightning discharges. The
device consists of Jets of water, which
form a permanent "earth" at the Mon
beguo generating station on the Vultel
llna line. The electric resistance of the
Jets was said to be sufficient to pre
vent a serious loss of current, while not
too great to enable them to serve for
protection against lightning.
It Is sold that "moon blindness" in a
horse is cnused by "wolf teeth" two
small surplus teeth Just In front of the
flrst upper pre-molors, one on each side
of tho upper Jaw. An authority says:
"The 'wolf teeth' do not cause eye dis
ease or any other harm, and usually
are not discovered until the eye disease
appears. The eye trouble Is 'periodic
ophthalmia' (moon blindness), which Is
hereditary and incurable. Thousands
upon thousands of horses Buffer from
this eye disease, jet have not a 'wolf
tooth' in their hends. The important
matter to remember in connection with,
periodic ophthalmia is not the signifi
cance of the 'wolf tooth,' but the ne
cessity and Importance of rejecting
from breeding operations all afflicted
with periodic ophthalmic, or cataract,
which results from repeated attacks.