Lincoln County leader., October 30, 1914, Image 2

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IN THE LOFT
Power Greater Than Gread
Lends Itself to the Weak and
Downs the Mighty.
By JENNIE HARRIS OLIVER.
The man lu the loft was suddenly
wide awake.
He lay where be had dropped after
tie cautious climb up the logs and
through the hole that had beckoned
him, a ruddy patch, from his fastness
among the huddled boulders.
Here on the Ioobo, scattered boards,
forming a rude gallery to the one room
of the little mountain cabin, he lay
face to the wall, his narrow, close-set
yes glued to a chink, peering out Into
the fitful moonlight.
Men of the law tireless, grim and
determined would And his dead
cayuse back there on the trail, and
would press steadily on. Sometimes,
when the wind grumbled In the chim
ney, or a wild creature called to the
night, or the occupants of the room
below replenished the fire, cold sweat
broke out on his body, while his nails
bit his palms and his brcuth stopped
for fear.
But sleep had finally overtaken him
while he wntched, holding him for a
time in horrid dreams, and then sud
denly and unaccouutably he bad
sprung awake.
Over his head he could see bands of
crimson light beckoning and wavering
among the cobwebs, and he knew that
If he could but roll over Boftly, Btcalth
lly. as a snake moves In the grasB, he
could see what had Intruded Itself into
fals exhausted slumbers.
A moment of breathless, reptile-like
wriggling and he was staring, with
blazing eyes, through a wide crack In
the boards staring at gold glinting
dully In the red glow from the fire
place; flakes of gold, crumbs of it,
chunks as big almost as big as his
Ost!
At first he saw only the metul pour
ing from a leathern sack on the rickety
tablo, and he knew the voice that had
called him with lustful, softly clink
ing: challenge. It wns the only voice
he really understood, or tliut under
stood him.
After a whllo ho was conscious of
the heavy sough of the rising wind,
and of other voices.
A muii seemingly a giant with
gaunt framo and hollow eyes, sat limp
ly propped on a rudo couch, the gold
upon oo side, und on the other, top
ping a stool, were the remnants of a
meager supper. Before the man knelt
a thin, white-faced little woman, with
clouds of tawny hulr, that glinted dully
like the gold.
The man's long, heavy arms were
bare to the shoulder, and over them
the woman hovered, bonding her frail
strength In rhythmical sweeps up aud
down their dead surface, pausing often
at the pnlins to press and pinch them,
and sometimes to beat and slap them
smartly.
As her body swayed In almost fran
tic endeavor, she pleaded as with a
child.
"Try to move now? honey, JuA try
one linger this one. Are you trying
Tour best, Herman? It doesn't seem
to me you are. Look at mo. Is It still
dead dead?"
"It seems," said the man hoarsely,
"that when you strike your best on the
11 m there Is an answering tingle In
the shoulder. I guiws it only seems
that way. Try the other, Hannah."
The woman held the big dark hand
-to her cheek a moment, and then laid
It gently down thut she might begin
her patlont work upon Its mate.
Always she talked hopefully, or with
tender pleading and motherly scold
Unc. and the bulging eyes above, when
VJjey could tear themselves from the
lure upon the table, saw all the rebel
lion, misery and terrible despair In the
dark face of the stricken giant.
So muni his face have looked back
there In the silent cell, when bis
hands had strained and bled upon the
Iron bars. It had been of some use fur
him to try, and he was glad, lor all, to
be himself, and not the man below,
The kind of Imprisonment that held
the latter was so hopeless, so mad
dening.
The fugitive's eyes came back with
greedy Interest to the gold. A fortune
guarded by a meager scrap of a worn
an and a paralytic man! The occasion
had almost grotesque possibilities. A
heavy revolver lay by the leathern
sack, but the man couldn't use It
me woman, small as she wss,
looked as If she would dare anything.
If be could but catch her oil her
.guard.
He began to study her, and to con
ter his Interest upon her movements
If she made ss If to rise, and go away
be watchers breath came pantlnsly
in hope, and his cot me lips drew back
Into a sardonic, twisted smile; but
'her every movement was to ease her
.cramped body, or smooth a fold of her
skirt under her aching knees. Her
work wont on with fresh bursts of res
sonlng, of chiding, tender talk.
"It can be nothing but a terrible
shock from the e plosion, Herman,'
aba would ctplaln convincingly. "You
know there Is no bruise upon you,
while poor, poor Emll was crushed to
destb by the falling rocks.
"I thought you were dead, too, for
long time, and when I dragged and
dragged to got you home I thought It
would be only to drag you back to
lonely grave In the mountains. Hut
look at you now, Herman. You are
much better than a dead man.
"So now, desr" reaching up for
coaxing kiss upon his wasted dark
face "try, try with all your might
Imagine some one about to kill me
to rob us of the gold. Just Imagine It,
inn't you? Now, hero Is this middle
finger the biggest and the best. Move
it! Move it! Move it! Oh, honey,
you don't seem to try!"
She held up the big hand, and
shook It. Then she fell to rubbing and
talking harder than ever.
"It you could move Just one part of
your body a finger or a toe JuBt one,
the dunger would be over, and life
would come back to you, and strength
and power. You could take little Han
uah, and hoist her above your head
aud set her in the loft
"But we wouldn't spend our time In
foolish play. We would hurry away
from these dreadful mountains, with a
fortune for poor Emll's wife and
babies, and enough left to buy back
the old home. See how much you
have to try for. See!"
The woman sprang up and, sweep
ing all the glowing mass Into the sack,
brought It, and using her strength,
held It above him.
"Try to lift your hands to It, Her
man. Try, try. Heaven help you to
try!"
Only the man's eyes lifted, and they
were eager, burning and passionate.
Then he groaned, and two tears rolled
down his sunken face and fell upon
his helpless hands. The woman
dropped the sack and, falling with her
face upon the bunk, sobbed and cried.
The man In the loft saw bis oppor
tunity. With the gold and the gun to nerve
him, be might yet elude the long arm
of the law. Hiding In the fastnesses,
he would dodge north, till the law
drew back from Its limit aud left him
to go In peace.
As he exulted he wormed his way
along the wall to a break In the boards,
pushed himself through and began
dropping softly down the logs. There
was a dark niche at the side of the
fireplace, and be followed the dark
ness until he felt his feet touch the
floor, then he whirled for a spring at
the table, where the revolver lay on
the outer edge.
Hut, as he swung arouud, the crip
pled giant's eyes, like those of a dread
ful, dangerous monster, met his own.
Iletween the two there passed a light
ning glare of complete understanding,
and the robber cursed under his
brcuth and moved but hultingly toward
the table.
He was In deadly fear of those ter
rible eyes. Moreover, as he crept up,
he fancied that the giant's face and
hands fell a quivering, and his body
shook und crouched as If about to
prlng upon him. So confusing was
the delusion, so terrible the mastery
of the eyes, that the desperado felt be
must scream If he wont another step.
An Instant more and his hands bad
touched the gun, but his fingers did
not close upon It, for suddenly it
seemed that the roof fell crashing up
on him, the fireplace circled In waver
ing sparkles about his head, and he
went down with a big human knee on
his chest. Then there were giant hands
upon his wrists, aud a woman's soft
panting over him ere things were en
tirely out.
The next the hunted mnn knew he
was sitting propped against the wall.
ound about by yards and yards of
torn blanket. The table was over
turned and broken. On the floor, near
the fireplace, lay the scattered gold
and the revolver, forgotten by the two
figures clinging together In the middle
of the room, it was very still save for
broken murmur, a trembling sob.
"Oh, Herman," cried the woman at
last, lifting her white, radiant face, "Is
It true? Will It last? Let us be sure.
There, grip my wrist; shake me; walk
walk to your bed. I I won't let you
fall!"
The man staggered blindly, but trl
mphantly forward, and sank down
his great body quivering with the re
turning forces that had sprung up at
the fierce demand of his will. The
woman sank to her knees beside him
and cried In ecstasy.
She burled her bead on his breast,
and so bis arm encircled her and final
ly drew her tear-wet face up to hie.
Near them stiffly sat the baffled
fugitive, his greedy eyes upon the
scattered gold.
The wind growled Id the chimney
and the flumes crackled noisily, but
away and beyond was a sound that
made him shrink and cower In bis
winding bonds.
It was the unmistakable ring In the
mountain pass of mounted men, draw
Ing nearer and nearer.
Fog 8lgnals Hssrd Afar,
Alt the up-to-date light stations pos
sess fog signals for warning the marl
ner of the presence of rocks and other
dangers la foggy weather. The larger
ones are so powerful that their blasts
ran be heard 26 to SO miles out at sea,
Most of them are worked by com
pressed air, a gas engine of perhaps
20 or 25 horsepower being brought Into
requisition for this purpose. The
siren Is blown periodically every 70, 80
or 90 seconds or so, the actual blast
lasting perhaps about two or three
seconds. It means that while the siren
Is running, In the case of the larger
apparatus, something like 600 horse
power Is being expended In the pro
duction of sound. Bcleutlfle American,
So Happily Married.
"You know, George, this Is my birth
day," said his wire.
"Oh, Is It, dearr
"Yes; and, do you know, I sever
can remember bow old I am."
"Well, dear, when we were married
you know you were Just twenty-eight.
"Oh, yet, to I was, George; that
near enough."
"Precisely, dear; It doesn't really
seem any time at all since we were
married.
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Ml til
S
TRATEGIC points In the Impor
tance of Liege, the Belgian city
before which the Qerman ad
vance was checked and where,
according to European dis
patches, the first great battle of the
war was fought, are numerous. Prin
cipally it was the most strongly forti
fied obstacle to the supposed plan of
the Germans to cut across the lower
half of Belgium Into French territory,
but In addition to this the city is of it
self a prize In many ways.
In its surroundings It is the Pitts
burg of Belgium. For miles to the
southwest of the city, along the banks
of the river Meuse, there are scores
blast furnaces, puddling furnaces,
rolling mills and forges. It Is the Bite
of the famouB Cockerlll works, said
to be the largest manufactory of ma
chinery in the world. The Lion, erect
ed as a monument on the field of Wa
terloo, some GO miles distant, was
mude here.
Liege proper, with a population of
08.000, lies at the Junction of the
Meuso and the Ourthe, In a basin
margined by hills. Many handsome
buildings and gardens strive to keep
themselves handsome against the
tremendous odds of coal dust.
Surrounded by Mineral Wealth.
All around the city is a wealth of
coal and lion ore. The mines extend
even under the city und river. These
natural riches. In connection with the
favorable situation of the city at the
Junction of two navigable rivers, have
given rise to the extensive manufac-
urlng Industry In the city itself.
The products are varied, but the
principal one, and that which would
uiuke Liege a valuable prize of war.
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' awiii n.,ikut
STREET SCtNC, LltGE?
Is that of firearms. More than 20.
000 persons In and around the city
are employed In the manufacture of
guns, ranging from small Arms to
the largest of modern weapons.
There Is a royal cannon factory and
a small arm factory also In the suburb
of St Leonard.
In the wars of tbe last century
Liege has plsyed only a small part,
but the city Itself, Is defended with
modern fortifications. Its strength, It
Is said, Is far greater than has gener
ally been appreciated by military strat
egists.
In 1888 the Belgium authorities
decided to adequately fortify both
Liege and Namur, tbe two Important
points on the Meuse. At each place
a number of detached forts were con
structed along a perimeter drawn a
distance varying from within four to
six miles of the city. At Liege 12 ot
these forts were constructed, six on
the tight bank and six on tbe left
side of the river.
All ot the forts hsve been kept
fairly well up to date. Tbe heavy
guns, In their concrete casements,
are raised and lowered automatically.
The names of the fjrts on the
right bank of the river are Harchon,
Evegnee, Fleron, Chaudfontalne.
Embourg and Iloncellee. The
average distance between tbe forts Is
four miles, but Fleron and Chaud
fontalne are separated by little over
a mile In a direct line, as they defend
the main line of the railway from
Germany.
The six forts on tbe left bank, also
commencing at the north, around a
western curve, are Pontlsse, Liers
Lantln, Loncln, Hollogne and Fle
tnalle. It has been estimated by
military authorities that 26,000 men
would be necessary for an adequate
defense of these fortifications today.
Liege was made to figure largely In
Blr Walter Scott's novel "Quentln Dur-
ward," in which Scott made a nota
ble blunder by speaking of the people
of Liege as talking Flemish. The city
Is, In fact, the center ot lbs Walloon
country.
The Walloons are Romanised Gauls,
la a much truer sense than tholr Flem
FAMOT
JDIL
c
1TY
tsh neighbors, and speak the French
language.
The city first appears in history In
the sixth century, at which time a
town grew up around the original
chapel founded there by St Monulph,
bUhop of Tongres. In the tenth
century the episcopate of Notger,
which had succeeded the early line,
was marked by large territorial ac
quisitions, and the see became rec
ognized as an Independent principal
ity of the French empire. There were
many popular risings for freedom
from the exactions of the episcopal
sovereigns, who were also occupied In
preservlnj neutrality In the varlouB
wars and preserving their territory
from being raided by Invading armies.
Taken by Marlborough.
They were only In part successful.
Liege was taken by Marlborough In
1702, and the fortress was garrisoned
by the Dutch until 1718.
The French revolutionary armies
overran the principality In 17'J2, and
from 1794 to the fall of Napoleon It
was annexed to France, and was
known an the department of the
Ourthe. The congress of Vienna In
ISI'j decreed thut Liege, with the oth
er provinces of southern Netherlands,
should form a part of the new king
dom of the Netherlands under the rule
of William I, of the House of Orange.
The city of Liege took an active part
in the Helglnn revolt of 18:10, and
since that date the anclont principal
Itv lias been Incorporated luto the
kingdom of Belgium.
The principul point of Interest to
the tourists In Liege has been the
great cathedral, or church of St.
Paul, founded In the tenth century
'a f w A
and rebuilt In the thirteenth century.
The University, founded In 1817, Is one
of tbe largest In the country and en.
joys a high reputation for education
In the art of mining and manufactur
ing.
There are many beautiful gardens
and tbe rivers are spanned by splen
did bridges, but the larger portions
of the city beve a crowded aspect ot
narrow, crooked streets.
The railway lines through Liege
are the direct routes from Cologne
to Paris and from Luxembourg to
Brussels, the possession of either of
which would be valuable prizes to
the German army. Waterloo, the
place which everybody knows as the
scene of tbe downfall of Napoleon at
the bands of the allies on the 18th of
June, 1816, Is not on a direct line
from Liege, but lies some sixty miles
from It In an air line, south of Brus
sels.
Pity the Poor Rats.
Burgeon General Blue has ordered a
corps of 12 rat catahers to start from
San Francisco for New Orleans. These
experts will carry on a campaign of rat
extermination to stamp out tbe con
taaion. In six months, at a cost of
1100.000, the danger of the bubonic
plague will be removed.
But at the cost of the lives of mil
Hons of ratsl Is not thst enough to
stir tbe wrath of all the mushy-hearted
people? If It Is a crime to use guinea
Dies to save human life, how much
more wanton Is It to slay helpless,
defenseless ratson the suspicion that
they may be carrying the fleas that
propagate a plague! Here Is work for
the antl-vlvlsectknlstst Save tbe rats
Let mere men and women die! Puck
Australian State Bakery.
The New South Wales government
has decided to supplement Its enter
prises by the creation of a state bakery
at Sydney. Tbe government will ac
quire a bakery and bake bread for Its
own Institutions. It Is expected that
tbe government will be able to deliver
bread to the public Institutions at one
penny a pound. It Is not Intended to
supply the genersl public from the
government bakery.
HABIT TRACED TO AZTECS
Americana Not the Original Gum
Chewers, ss the World seems to
Have Believed.
The Aztecs of Mexico are sold to
have been the first gum chewers
known in this, or, for that matter, any
other, continent. The followers of
Cortes reported that the Indians
chewed a gum to quench thirst and
relieve exhaustion. They obtained
It from the sapote tree by tapping,
and today the manner of gathering
the eap is In close analogy to the
process of gathering maple sugar in
New England. The tree is Indigenous
to the northern countries of South
America, Central America and espe
cially in Mexico, the last named fur
nishing about six-sevenths of the en
tire supply consumed annually in the
Unite States.
The sapote tree is usually found in
groups, frequently grows to a heJnt
of 40 to 60 feet, is generally very
straight, and has a long, clear length
which makes it most desirable for tim
ber. The wood is of a reddlBh ma
hogany color, Is quite hard, heavy,
compact In texture and fine grained.
Door Bills and frames of this remark
able wood have been unearthed In
the prehistorio ruins of Uxmal and
found to be In an excellent state of
preservation. The wood Is in de
mand today by cabinet makers, who
employ it in the manufacture of high
grade furniture and household fittings.
The fruit, the sapodllla pear, was once
very popular in Latin-American mar
kets, but the constant demand for the
gum and the consequent tapping so
reduced the size and quality of the
fruit that It has become almoBt a
negligible product. Throughout the
rainy season, while the sap Is up,
the tapping Is done by the "chlcleroB,"
whose only implements are a machete
and a piece of rope.
The rope Is fastened about the
waist and slipped arouud a tree, leav
ing the chiclero's hands free to make
the V-shaped incisions spirally all
around the tree. The sap runs along
the Incisions and Is collected in cups
at the base. It looks like milk at
first, but soon turns to a yellowish
color and thickens to the consistency
of treacle. It Is collected and boiled
In a rather primitive manner in large
kettles, and when it has reached
the proper consistency It is kneaded
and the surplus moisture expressed
It is then molded into largo loaves
and is ready for shipment. Argonaut
Tampered With Town Clock.
Marcellus McGowan, the keeper, has
solved the town clock mystery at Kins-
ton, N. C. McGowen alleges malice,
but whatever the motive, it is certain
that when he clambered into tbe tower
of the court house to learn what was
causing bis big, bright pet with tho
gilded hands to strike the hours on
the halt hours and sometimes strlko
several hours at once, he found part
of tho mechanism apparently purpose
ly clogged. Certain roosters in tho
hearing of the bell's melodious tones
bad the habit ot giving tbeir reveille
with its chimes in the early hours, but
It is said the perplexed chantlclers bo
came oa erratic as the clock. At the
time McGowen was away at a militia
camp, where he didn't have to bother
about tbe time of day at all.
Marcellus McGowen made the fol
lowing public statement, rather brief,
but to the point:
"To whom it may concern: Some
one climbed over the partition and
put some timber under one of tho
weights, snd stopped It. M. L. Mc
Cowan, court bouse clock."
By the finale ot the proclamation It
would seem that McGowen and the
clock are one In person, as they really
are in spirit Now he would like to
know what possessed the malefactor
to put the timber under the weight to
stop the clock.
Turkish Women Study Medicine.
Medicine has been practiced by
Turkish women for some time, be
cause It is only recently that men
doctors have been allowed within the
harem. Curiously enough, It Is one
of the oldest superstitions of the Mo
hammedan world that has given the
greatest Impetus to medical studies
for women. It Is thought among the
Moslems that the last wish of an old
woman is sacred and must be carried
out at all costs. Not long ago the
wife of a former grand vizier, Halhid-
dln pasha, died. On her death bed
she expressed as bcr last wish that
bcr twelve-year-old daughter might
take special courses in medicine, slml
lar to those given to men. There was
nothing for tbe government to do but
to hastily open certain of these
courses to women In order that they
might not be cursed by Ignoring the
dying wish of a respected old woman
Katharine Bucll, In Harper's
weekly.
Restocking Forest Btrsams.
The restocking of national forest
streams In all states where such for
ests are situated. Including those now
being acquired In the Whlta tn nun.
tains and the southern Appalachians,
will be given attention as ranliiw
supplies ot fish fry become available
for planting purposes. Tbe forest
service Is admirably orcaniud
carry on work of this kind, and does
so witn practically no Interference
with regular activities since the fish
must be bandied with tha, utn.
bast and frequently during the late
evening or early morning hours. Tbe
production of the exlstlns fednrnl n.t
state flth hatcheries Is hardlv art.
quale to meet all demands, however,
ana tnerefore the work has to
done In Installments.
be
Fundamental
Principles of
Healtif
By ALBERT S. GRAY, M. D.
(Copyright. 1914. br AS. Gray)
WALKING.
Walking is the least artificial and
therefore the moBt democratic and
healthful of all sports. Nature hat.
provided each of us with all the tools
required, and all that we need do is to
make the personal effort necessary to
acquire sufficient skill to use them
wisely to secure the great and lasting
benefits to be derived therefrom.
Man has been walking after a
fashion for about five hundred thou
sanfl years, but strange to say few
ever acquire the art of walking Intelli
gently, therefore easily and with pleas
ure and benefit. To be advised to
walk is to the great majority of man
kind equivalent to being condemned
to an unpleasant and most disagree
able taBk. We much prefer to roll
along on rubber tires and dream about
what we are going to do some day.
But walking takes front rank as an
exercise at all times available to tbe
fagged man of business w ho can easily
find In It the best possible corrective
to the drawbacks of a sedentary occu
pation, and a sport from which he
may gain new and keener powers ol
mind und body. His lungs draw in an
abundance of fresh air and his mus
cles, stretching and expanding under
active and normal use, burn out and
eliminate the stale accumulation of a
torpid period' Interspersed with too
many heavy dinners.
Walking is fatal to headaches and Is
a sovereign cure for tha "nerves" ot
jaded womankind; no exercise so im
proves the appearance of woman as
normal walking, because It gives a
graceful carriage, teaches her to hold
herself In balunco and helps build up
a strong constitution which, after all
Is raid and done. Is the solo founda
tion of all beauty and charm. All that
Is necessary to become a fairly expert
walker is to have a moderately sound
constitution end to know how.
Walking rests and stimulates the
mind and develops one's power of ob
servation, analysis and reflection
provided it is gone at In the right
spirit. The habit of walking cannol
be acquired by one Impressed solely
with the Idea that it Is beneficial; ta
such it will not be, for tbe reason that
perfunctory exercise of any descrip
tion is certain to be disappointing as
soon as the novelty wears off, snd
ultimately it Is sure to become deadly
tiresomo and a bore.
Those who walk only from a tense
of duty do not know bow to walk be
cause they do not catch the rhythm
that keys tbe entire muscular system
into a unit with a swing that pushes
the body tirelessly and buoyantly over
the earth for long stretches ot time at
from four to six or more miles per
hour.
Paradoxical as It may sound it li
really necessary to walk with one's
mind as well as with one's legs In
order to catch tha spirit and the
rhythm of the movements, and to do
this one must first of all be in fairly
good health, and then more than all
else one must be comfortably clothed;
for if one Is not comfortable It Is im
possible to bo in harmony with one's
self, snd If there Is discord inside it Is
Impossible to extract either pleasure
or profit from tbe outside. In this re
spect walking is like reading a book:
you cannot get anything out of a book
unless you put some of your own
thought Into It; you have got to be
In accord to get results.
It Is In overlooking these supposedly
Insignificant points that some physi
cians make grave mistakes. In the
mott perfunctory manner they will
Indiscriminately advise walking as a
means ot developing strength In Inva
lids without examination to dotermlne
whether there Is sufficient power be
ing developed to warrant the expendi
ture of the energy necessary to propel
the body, and without giving sufficient
thought to the subject or adequate ad
vice concerning the kind of clothing
tbe patient shall wear In order to In
sure the greatest benefit with tbe
least effort and to make certain ot a
net gain rather than a loss of energy
from the exertion. Walking Is not to
be engaged In as a sport by Invalids
or by semi-Invalids; neither Is It ad
visable for the well to enter Into it too
strenuously without proper thought
and preparation. There Is a mechani
cal side to the subject well worth the
careful consideration ot any thought
ful person desirous of a long, happy
and successful career.
The human machine, like any other
power plant, Is adjusted to develop a
definite amount ot power, and the net
power delivered In the form of work
i very largely Influenced by the
amount of energy consumed In Inter
nal friction and by maladjustments In
general. Therefore before expecting
to receive elthor benefit or pleasure
from walking It Is necessary for man
kind to sit down and very frankly
study Itself from a mechanical point
of view and figure out how each neces
sary move may be made so as to give
a maximum result with a minimum effort.