THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING,, DECEMBER' 22, 1907. mmti ifssm eAPOIUNATR Ism WWimwm w w .wl I 11 11V,V v I 0 fEBfliSourl HAT? i PblSONEP me PISH (Copyright, 1007, by W. R. Hearst ) NE morning I was sleeping. lost in beautiful dream, when a violent ring at my door, awakened me. I got up in much ill humor. I hastily put on my trousers and slippers and opened the door. A gentleman, well dressed, stood be fore me. He demanded to nee Monsieur Apollinalre. I bowed. The gentleman entered Into one room, which served me aa a workroom, dining room and drawing room. He took possession of the one ami only chair. 1 entered my bedroom to prepare a . temporary toilet. In looking ut my alarm clock I noted the hour of 11. I plunged my head In a basin of cold water, and while I rubbed my head to Ury the hair, the gentleman cried: "I am not a, wart:" "With my hair In disorder I thrust my head into the next room; he was bend ing over the remains of a patty which 1 had forgotten to hide. I apologised und r.sked permission to remove the plate. to my Bleeping room. On my reappearance, the gentleman Smilingly said, glancing at a newspaper which he licld in his hands: "I have read the "Passant de Prague ' and see there that you love me." I answered something without earing to deny It. because 1 imagined that I had to deal with an odd person who, se duced by my writings, had come to de mand money of me. "My name. Is Oabriel Fernisoun. Warn In Avignon," he continued. "You do not know me, but you love the Jews. Thu.t you love me because I am a Jew, sir." I laughed In saying as a conse'iiuence It was indeed true that I loved him. Hut Fernisoun interrupted me. spying:. "Stop, there! A man with your dissi pated habits aa shown by t!ii hour you teen, and vOU dare to speak of hue!" I answered back, protesting that habits were proper and ilmi I had gone to bed later than 1 o'clock in morning. I took a chair and lie continued. "I bob that you are not in b"ve thus I ee J'0", reasonable. am k a elucidate vour sympathy f"r .1 "What Jews do you prefer?" At this strange- question. 1 answered to flatter him: "Thn8 of Avignon, my diar amongst those. 1 prefer those -.-il 1 Vipiel thiose Whose names termi: el such aa the word.-- which arc dear to me a 'del' and 'mic),' words rnoan Ing heaven and honcv, Tieaven. which one anticipates, and honey, which one cats." Fernisoun laughd boisterously and triumphantly cried "There you are. lien. P.ondiou. s:iv ' bluntlv and without ambiguity. It is the Jew of the south of Kurope. Occidental, which you prefer. Hut it ir- not the Jew vou so much love as it is the Ital ian. I told , you that 1 as a Jew. sir, but T spoke In vi w or a confession which I will presently make: in all nrher resnects I am lt..iian. Yon love lnv not tin: filled his glass to the very brim and swallowed it in one gulp He toon very care f .lly emptied th" Ins drop on the floor, whiie 1 apolo gized, suggesting that doubtless lie would have preferred a bowl l'runisoun did not deign to answer me on this point. "And thus. In fact." he continued, "You have reason, you Latins, to oe us, we Latin Jews, "because we belong to the Latin race as well as to the Greeks and the Saracens of glclly. "Put we are not "Meitijiies and we are no more dissimilar to o'her In dividuals than the great Invasions made the Romans of the Roman em pire dissimilar to others. "Hesidcs. we are the most prolific of tne Latins." Furnisnun drark a fresh bumper of liquor, then hunting in bis pocket he drew out a package of cigarette paper. He asked me for tolw' ca. I banded It to him with matches lie rolled mil a cigarette, lit It end blowing the smoke, from his mouth and nostrils, went on talking. "After all. what Is the difference between the Jews and Christians? Is it that the .lews await a Messiah while the Christians remember theirs? "Nietzsche has appropriated the Jew ish idea. How maiiv Lathis have be come impregnated with the Nietzscloi philosophy and little expect this super human Messtanlque which proclaims the coming of Zarat houst ra as narrated in the Vendldad, where he celebrates the holy word, the heaven which has pro duced Itself, the everlasting time, the sir which stirs on IjIkIi, II. e good law of the Alasdeone, the law of Z.irathnus tra as against the work of the evil spirits. "Wo Latin Jews no longer have an.v thing to look forward to. The prophets have promised us material happiness. We have It. France, Italy aid Spain no longer treat us ns aliens. "Having nothing more to desire, we no longer anticipate. And I approve of this. The Messiah came for us as well as for you and I wish to a. ,u icle The Vtt frightened me. 1 looked ."round me ilh the hope of disc ov ern.g some arm with whhi. to defend myself ii. case f Kernisoiint became feriteiour 1 saw on the shelf near me a small re o.ver This doubtless saved my life, bfause r.'rtilsonh. profiting by the turn My 'head, had drawn a knif from the belt under his clothing. 1 let the books fall and armed invsi-lf with the revolver, which 1 pointed at Feini fcoun. 11" grew jale arid tremble. 1 viocn!ly, iinploilng "lihM'f, pardon, you do rot understand rue. ' Assassin! 1 cried, "go perpetuate cIm where tne crimes wheh you believe pa i donable. M y principles do nut per mit me to denounce you. bur I hope that before r.iglit your savag. rln will be punished." While I spoke Fernisnun plckc? up his books and getting up (mplnred my pardon for haying frightened nie With the revolver still held toward hirn. 1 ordered him to give me the knife, whhh In did. That night, from reasons of economy, 1 took dlnne- in my room. I ate what was left of the patty which Fernisoun had bent over I hud no idea that I was running any danger, but 1 soon found out the black ness of the soul of Fernisnun. I was taken with terrible pains. Fernisoun had poisoned the dish. Hy the prompt use of antidotes, I at length recovered. The following days the papers were filled with the reciial of sensational crimes committed in all the corners of Paris. Children and old people were found chokea to death. It w.na remarkable that these crimes were only committed on feeble persons. Passers-by in the crowds that moved alor.g the boulevard l.vle nl night had their legs and arms cut Tiy a razor, which wllh one stroke penetrated through their clothes and flesh. The CRUELTIES .CAUSED BY WITCHCRAFT Recent Slaughter of a Little Russian Girl Calls Attention to the Sway of Superstition in Czar $ Domain WARSAW - Superstition Is ram pant In Russia. n tho conn try districts belief In -wltch-- craft Is almost universal The mental atmosphere In which the Russian peasant ltv Is tint of L i lope In the middle ages. Instead of dispelling Ms faith It; Incantations, spills mid evil spirits, his religion strengthen It. He will rnir.mil r bar bail act of cruelly, or even actual mur der. In the full assurance this he Is per forming a most laudable deed of ph-lv. Just a fanatical priests used to .n demn hcieM.s to (lie stake and the lark convinced that thi rfby tbev were lay ing up treasures lor th mrelves In lie l V ll. if this striking Proof recently came from the village of fey-smow, A lew Him Mlatmt Hi a tragedy there wen. irp uriiphrd to other Huropesn untiles, sod wisslby to Alnei l" . fait not until this week, when the police rep u t on the nltalr IseCsine public propeily, was lt- full horror realised, even In Rns-ia At Hoiow there dwell it humble ph- alio were lo years mitrriej Lcf..tr a child was burn to them. From lt- blrci ll was sickly. H cause the mite had been ro lerj In arriving, and was such a feeble mile, I he inmor spread anion.-: the village folk -that It had been brought Into tho world by "nan - Itrhi rutl. told by Ihu frantic mother what was happening, arrived on the scene. Nat Isl.a was dosd. Kolectwskl hnritiot the. :lrlitet notion that lie had really com mit led H horrible crime. And how fsr the pesK.tut were from renllilng that th.-v IihiI aided and abetted In an tro cl .us murder Is shown by this Incident. I, lie the police report was bring drawn up an old women called at the station an. I said that she wanted lo be "wrlttoii down" too. Hut did vou help kill the child?" asked the off'lclul "No." was the reply, "but I held tho lighted can. lb- while the good Koc rsk stamped upon her, snil for that I think I he government ought to give mi foniett.lng, too." It Is not among the fieasantry alons that superstition Is decp-rnotod. In many households of the better rlass (hers Is fur niore faith In the heallti c!'flenr "f some magic ooncoctlon than in lha drugs of a doctor. If soma ser vant chsneos to be. smitten .with soma ailment recourse- is flrs bad to the neatest wlx.ird or wise womnn, who Sup plies some supposedly mvsterlous pow der, which, mixed with salt Is placed In a sau. er This Is sprinkled over the pal l.-ni to the accompaniment of a hodge podge or an Incantation. Fuieh treatment Is i opposed to be a sure specific for nil th.- common Ills. Ordinarily, It Is only when the witch or wizard tails that the doctor Is culled In If It bo not then too late tack In a few days and Is then led In th crossroads that contain what ha Wants. What the wliiM does remains a so rrel: hut It Is to be presumed that so Intttnritn knowledge of graveyards and the possession of a shovel and a knlfo "Jo the trliik." The strange part about It Is 'hat every peasant will tell you thet this remedy bus never been known to fall Ah suicides ars burled at crossroads there Is a Urrlblo amount of competi tion In order lo get possession of th heads of these uiihsppy people. Peas ants wilt walk for miles, linger round a suicide s grave for hours and finally fight over the corpse In order to gel the head for their sheep sheds. The wlssrd Is not only the sheens' doctor, he rures die shepherd too. When a esa iint has rheumatism he 'goes to the wls urd who gives him a hare's foot, dried In the August sun any other sun won't do- to wear around Ills flock. Buch charms arc soil hy auction after their possessor's death and fetch various price from a b-an hen to a plump h'eken. The nil) or a Iltard, when dried and "spelled" bv a wlsnrd. Is a preventive against cholera. A rst'a bend, prepared In the same say, keeps off fever. and stone hr. till blood flow freely from her wounds and has washed the evil away The companion of her fault generally beats harder than anybody. There le a spirit In the mud of early spring, which appears when the snow are melting. It Is favorable to the sowings, therefor nothing on earth will prevent the commune from sowing In this slush, which often washes half the seed away. "The seed that the spirit iook away nc nneoeij tne pheas ants argus and go on cheerfully lnslnr half their sowings year after year. Blame on Others. The evil spirit that lurk In Jealous people are supposed to be harmful to little children. If a baby dies In any thing like an unexplained way, th peasants ant) their neighbor rack their brains to remember who spoke envl oualy of It so aa to have the sails fsetlon of healing the person gullly of Its death. As a rulo th verdict falls upon aorne passing pedlar, .or link er a plun which works very well, ou sederlng how high the rat of infunt mortality I In Russian villages. on the child -was smaller tl Its nr.r" an! Th-se thi- belief t.: "it Mil It Remains Delicate. As the years went remained delicate. It the average child of duller understanding strengthened the popular was a witch rhlld. Hut the pu-i cherished It fondly, perhaps all tlo ni. because lt was so weak ant punv. was a girl and they cilIM ll Natlsha In the nam vlll-irn lived a man ha I his lot been thrown anitmg benrgnr d heathens, would have l.feu termed a vvRch doctor. Kolervkl was h'- name, llu wus poss. ,-e. of--for Uuss'a -a fair education, and taught the vil !no children. Also he was n man of fervid piety according to his lights, and much respected. The village e b-rx often disbursed with him the ipiestl-.n whether or no A' relish a was n witch child, and what ougnt to la- done to h. r If she were. He told them that he was keeping her under tdiserv a( ion and mak ing her the subject of piaycrttil on ilderHtlon, and In due time be oiild an nounce to them his decision. Natlsha had reached her sixth yc-tr when Kolecswskl rendered his vrdlv't He snld that it hud been revealed t him that Antichrist was lodge J In Natlsha s body, and that, for the goo! of the world In general sml the Inhabi tants of Hysofcow In particular he would have to be expelled from his human abiding place. The whole commune summoned to witness the casting forth of Antichrist and, Incidentally, the sacrifice of Natlsha. First n grave was dug In the forest M the accompaniment of hymns aril prayers Then, at dusk, poor Natlshi was bioucht forth and laid on the grave The vlliugcrs formed a circle ariun.l her and there followed more pi a , ers fitr! hyson singing. Intersperse vvC.'i the reading of passages from the IIII I To the poor, Iguoraru peasantry It vv a i n solemn religious ceremony In wi they were participating, an art of vine vengeance which they had iss bled to witness. Witches in Villaf.es. A a Itch or wtxard Is to be found In i . iv vl lage or commune. These mys l ilous people roughly divide Into two , la the ordinary witch or "vlednio." -'y l lv fixated In the black cult with out having any special religious propen- tie" and tho prorog or seer sap id, .II- I osed to he inspired by (Jod, deeply re pglo is an i well versed In isles of the saints, their different llkrs. dislikes snd eustoii'.-- an Important asset In a coun ii. where the peasant arranges his seed time nnd harvest according to the saint s . .il. nd ir and believes that the seven -hi ping bro'heis can give blni a fair or foul corn-r.ittlng us surely as spring fol'ows th" winter. The "prorok " gen era ly has a smattering of learning, can i. id and add up. write his name and I :s neighbors. ' Prorokl" are rarer tlnn vl.dniv" ns they n'-ed the above men tl. rei qualifications; but they are sup posed to be much moro powerful and rule communes which tire happy .noich to possess them Their fields arc Ing.-r und their barn better filled thai their neighbors' thanks to the . re.lulitv of the latter, who would not of fend the "prorok" for anything In the win Id KoleczwskJ belonged to this lat t . r i ;.is P. it whether the wltard be religion or i-ot be Is applP-d to for advice on all o. ca- Ions and under every misfortune n l difficulty that lesets the peasnnt S'.'.ppoi ing n man is unlucky with hie- vests. sheep and tnev die ofr In large numbers. II.. believes that an evil spirit has got 'u'o his shed and must be bunted out b. f .re the misfortune can be got rid if. Tradition tella him that the head of i c. ad mnii. burled at the cronsroads, must lie hung up over the door of the she. n shed'. This alone wfll drive away h evil spirit. If the gruesome relic ),-.. once belonged to a shepherd, all the b. iter. Full of Spirits. To the peasant's mind his home and Immediate surroundings his fields, granaries and meagre forests are full of spirits, who have to be appeased at certain sensons of the year, and who, If neglected or offended, will wreak Ihelr vengeance upon him and Ms fam ily. Hero again, the wiiard acts as me dium. Tlies.i spirits are too numerous to mention, their names and hnblts varying with different localities Snd cli mates. In White Russia, for Instance, there Is a wster sprite, who must be appeared on the twenty-fourth of June (old stylo), a similar sprite has great attention paid to It a few weeRa earlier In the Caucasus and a few weeks later In Liberia If his "name-day" Is neglected he will spoil the harvest by pouYlng water In the form of rain upon the crops. On this dav. the wUard, a "vledmo."' If the village doea not possess a "prorok," but a "prorok" for choice, followed by he Inhabitants of the commune, goo In a solemn procession to the river. Falling a stream the largest pond la resot'ted to. Here they sing songs In honor of the water sprite, throw wreaths of flowers and grain Into him and dance tcutid him till daylight. In wet seasons, young girls, the prettiest In the village, are thrown, or. In the ecstasy of the moment. Jump Into the water. If the rlrls get safely back to the banks It proves that the water sprite does not want them, being satisfied with the other offerings If they sink to the bottom tho whole commune believes that only their sacrifice has saved the bar Cross rinlv Roads Secret. Police Notified. With knife In hand, while son . of the spectators muttered pravers aril others crooned lament a I ions, Koleczwski advanced Into the center of the circle. He stamped upon the helpless Natlsha and hac-k. d her poor little body with the knife When the police, who had been the ocnl witch or wizard knows wl.rc such tilings nre to be found, liriviixr knowledge of crossroads and the r.- r ts they contain. It goes to the witch or wiiard, who. on payment of a fee (which varies according to the peas ant's wealth and the number of sheep he Ins lost) promises to find out by In- corpse lies burial. en r ta The I ions, where a urassed peasant returns to the at- Wolf Spfrits. These are the spirits of the bad dead, who pass Into wolves' bodies. There are supposed to delight In suck ing pigs, or, when very wicked. In very young children. It Is not an uncommon thing to hear of some peasants, at tacked while sledging by wolves, saving themselves by throwing a child out of one of the sludges to them. When pls happen to be at band, they generally suffice; falling Ihem, a child Is sacri ficed. A peasant woman Is unfaithful to her husband. Why? Kecausc an evil spirit has taken possession of her The whole village agrees that It must be driven out before doing further mischief. Ro the woman Is stripped bare, tied to the bark of a carl and driven round the village (Russian villages are long and straggling) while nil who will can beat Other Evil Doers. Amongst the Innumerable spirits to be appeased are the grain spiritsV who demand that an offering of corn be left outside the door when tho har vest Is gathered In and the spirit of the threshold. This spirit feels math offended If people shako hand over bis dwelling the tlu-eIiold or a room or cottage and Is slfre to bring mis fortune upon one or the other of i ho of fender; unless. Indeed, they atone for It by paying the local witch to beg hi pardoti. The same sort of super stition prevails amongst the Cosnacks--whose uustorns differ widely from those of other people In Russia - but who make a point of sitting down near the threshold before leaving home on a journey or expedition. If they rlid tiot pay the spirit Ibis little attention he would bo angry end not allow them to cross hi dwi'lllnR again. Russian peasants are about th dirtiest people In Kurope, except perhaps the Rulgir lans. but thoy will not j;lv food to dogs or other animals In the basins they ent out of for fear of offending tho household spirits who live In them and who would smash the crockery to get out of It, were such a slight put upon them. The spirits which the peasant fear most are those of the dead. Their re turn to the cottage, their owners live. In whilst alive Is the forewsrning of some cslanilty. Therefore, evervthi.iir thein In their coffins many candles as im- the funeral lo light the spirit world, but are placed on their graves at regular Intervals because, if they have plenty to eat and drink hun ger will not send them back to their old homes. On All Souls' eve the cem eteries and graveyards are scenes of solemn gatherings. The families of the ib-nd come to visit them lest they should fee lonely and want to return to their homes. Stories aie told round the graves and hymns sung by the "ptirlk." Fruit, milk and barley are left there and Innumerable lamps are lighted. Of course the peoples Imag ination g.'ts worked up to s-jc h an ex tent that evirvhoclv sees and talks "I'll some rplrlt. who t.lls the listen ers how it fnics with hl'n or her In the n-xt world. Iioubtbss from these "Iizlady." as such gatherings are called, ha sprung the belief that crows pick out the hearts of the wic-li'd (lead, who suffer endless thirst and agony, whilst the good ones walk In shady forests listening to beautiful music. is uone lo Keep Not only are as slide hurni-d at them sufeiy to food and drink rnz Ar foi t r: until guilty I w .-.Ullio Well 1 Kern 1 without pain and the irn !i.i not fall In their blood a few inomeniH and the i remained unknown. is oft. n tempted to denounce the - o! th'-se crimes, because 1 knew 1 could be Do other than 'Jabrl'i oun. v-.lio was very busy while "nt- r it.-s n. r I ''" l.. king forward to baptism Hut my eKoN-rii triumphed. I had escaped from this monster nral 1 allowed him to go on wi'liout denouncing lilrn. . t the end of a few months I found pi-, s.-lf lii c.rnp.Tiy with a number of o '.I a rsons who frequent the Latin quart, r. W" were gathered about a table at th" Lorraine. Ane'iu: them was one of r hose newspaper writers who easily coyer three page. with more or less unreliable chronicles, a chauffeur In a ionir sealskin coat, one of those Indi viduals easily found at different places on the Avenue Grando-A rmee, who In vites vou to taker on Interesting ride in 1,1s automobile and In spite of the nluah aski you for the loan of a hundred cent; the re were also, a student of the p'-aux Arts. 'and an ensign from a boat recently returned from Martinique. The ensign for the third time had re counted the e-untlon of Mount 1'ele, vvien Philip, oT.tibtful student, arrived with Nelia. NYIIh was a quite pretty brunette. Philip shook hands with us, took off his lint and coat, arranned Ms hair, his cravat ar-el seated liiins-lf facing Nella nt the text table. Having given his order .n th w'ilcr, he turned to us and saldt "i have a good one! N'clla has a de sire to be a nun." The chauffeur cried, "There nre no longer any convents." The Journalist said that 11 war; neces sary to have a fortune. Xella afflrmen that she wKhed to ho rcmic a "Little Sister of the I'oor." vVe lauthod and each demanded, "And why Is 111 is'."'' Philip also laughed and said, "Tell the story Nella. " " '. 'I, then." she began, "I had busi ness en the Rue Stain;Laiarre near the Place Saint August In and I was com-ins- from the Boulevard Males ITerbes with the Intention of taking the omni bus to the Madeline. All of ft sudden at the corner of the Rue Mathurius a man stood before me crying: "Madame' I am a Jowl I am going to die! J'.aptlze me!' "I became alarmed. I wanted to run, hut the man. who was out of breath, hung on to my arm. beseeching nie and crying" " i am a great criminal and T have nccl'lenta'l v poisoned myself. I now repent, M adana. and I beseech you, get water and baptize me. You have onlv to pour some on my head saving. "I baptize vou in the name of the Father and t he Ron and the Holy Ghost!" Hur ry! the poison begins to work nnd I feel mvself dying!" "Fassrnby stopped and looked at us curiously. "The man staggered. With eyes glar ing he ;"aned over toward the gutter, aearchlng for water there, but there was none. "At this moment, some officers came along. The man became delirious, cry ing. 'Oh, how I suffer." And Immedi ately died In convulsions." Peath had come upon Fernisoun like a thief In the nleht and with tho step of n wolf, and hJd, after all robbed him of tho means whereby he had believed that at the last moment he would be pardoned of bis many crimes. The devil no doubt laughed loudly as he bore him away to his reward. TJie Bad Boy Hotson, Still a H r Ily Anton Tschechow. ANOVIT3CH LAPKIN. a young man of very pleasant apscarance, and Anna Semenowna. a young girl with a pug nose, climbed down the steep cliff arid sat down on n bench. The bench stood dose to tho water's edge among a group of young willow trees. A dry spot! Sitting there one was hidden from all tha world, only the fishes and the water bugs running swiftly across the sur face of the water could see one. The young people had along with them fish ing rods, nets, brilt, and everything else useful on a fishing expedition, and tney immediately lagan to try their r J An alien who was allowed to settle at Athens on paying a tax, but who was allowed no civil sights. Mr. e,1 I in ti the Jews, the .Portueu . nnd ! Jews, for Instance; 11 . who we verted and took Iron ic -ir Spai Portuguese parents Heir Spa 11 1 Portuauese names. "You !'., th Ish 'U1- 1 or .Tews h as the -the ben who have Catholic names, sue Panta Crus. or Ht Paul. You love Italian Jews and the French Jews Comtadins. for Instance. '"I think I told yon. sir, that I was tvorn in Avignon, of n family wi tch has been established Ihere for centuries. Ton lovo names such as Muscat of 1-Ci -nlsoun. You love the Latins nnd thus we are of accord. You love us because as Portuguese or Oomtadins we are not accursed. No. we are not. We have pot partaken Of the Judicial crime. Therefore the maleelictlon does not wait for us." Fernisoun stood tip gesticulating, his face red. while T remained seated. I looked at him with mv mouth open. At length be became calm, and looking B boot him, with a pouting air. said. "Till are Tory badly installed here, rtoudiou, ! --"While- I remain here I will Close raf eyes to the surroundings. 'But after at!, yon certainly must nos es some sort of drink Your visitors would be . more appreciative of your thoughtfulness." I went to the chimney and took from there a small "flagon of liquor. Fernisoun uncorked It while I lookevd for a glsa , While, J vmn praising the onallty of tfce liquor which-I had got from- a distillery of Ourekhelm In the I'sJatluate, without listening to me, he - i.-. r . - ' "80 in my heart. I am a Catholic. "Why? you will ask. BecaUftV there Is no longer an He braic religion In France. The Russian .lew, the Polish Jew, the Oermtin Jew. have preserved at least the exterior re ligion. "Hut we with others, we eat thiriK cook'?d in Inrd, wo oat greedily oftla cochineal fig. without worrying about Moses and the prophets. "And as for me. I adore a dinner of crawfish, and I even have a failing for the snail. -Ho I Ignore the Jewish religion. It is abolished like paganism. Rut It sue vivos tn Catholicism, which above all attracts bv its theological character. "Alexandrian Judianism no longer uses its Mosiac t!teol"gy, It now ap pears false and vulgar. "Catholicism, however, has made of this theology divine dogmas. This mirecle renews Itself each dav nt the saTTTflce of the mass. Tire history of the sacred heart Inflames my ancient soul ,,f the Latin Jew. "I am a Catholic, oil but being bap tisrecl." "That is very simple," I said. Have yourself baptized. Baptism Is a sacra ment which anyone can administer to vou; man, woman, Jew. Protestant, F.uddhist or Mohammedan." "I know ll." said Furnlsoun, "but T do not wish to usejt until later. While waiting. I wish to amuse myself." "Ah! Ah!" said I. "The effect of bat. t Ism ace to efface all Bins. As we can onlv employ It once you wish to put ir off ft long PS possible." "Thai is ... I no longer anticipate a Messiah, but I look forward to bap tism This hope gives me all the Joy possible. 1 lovo completely. T assumo myself sunerhlv. I (Heal. I kill. I rob graves and 1 will go to heaven because 1 expect hap! ism." ' . "You exasperate," I replied, "I be lieve you to he too greatly Imbued with certain literature. Be careful, deatli comes like n thief In the night, with the step of a wn.lf. unexpectedly, and if I had the happiness that you have In believing as von rin: I would add that Vol) Is paved with good inten tions.' After all. w-t books do you rend?" "This will interest vou," he answered. "Here is my library. It Is very edify ing." i He look out of hi pocket two torn books, which I. took. The title of the first was "CjiTechlsm IN THE EMPIRE OF THE AIR-By Colonel Gaedke, Famous German Military Expert j:y G' Colonel Oacdke, Famous Military h xpert. KR MANY has lo-t the military championship of the world, and especially in regard to technical Inventions I-rsme- has repeatedly and distinctively parsed US. France constructed the first real rapid fire gun, while we- in elc-iniany spent an enormous amount of mom y to iritroduef in our army an anti.piat-.l system. In France the first submarines were btillt, in the French army the automobile was first used and mane pia.-ti.al, and In France they first mastered the problem of navigating the air wiih elirlglljle air ships. That Germany has also been loft behind on many other p-.i.,s which ur not necessary to mention lire is a. well known fact, and I shall only mention trie problem of adopting i( practical modern uniform. That we have gone- ahe ad at all Is not duo to any efforts made by the govern ment, but rather to tin- genius and the hard work of men of the pi-oplc. Also, In regard to airships, private Inventors have shown the way and ut last made it possible for ns to overtake Franco and probably outdi.-itancu that country. Encouraged only very little by the government and helped alone financially only by a lottery, Count. Zeppelin worked for years upon the great problem which he has after many attempts and many failures Kucceeiied in solving. Accord ing to all that is known at the present time, his gigantic airship is the best, the most reliable, most dirigible and fastest of all airships which have at tempted to navigate the air. In the meantime another syndicate for the manufacture of airships driven by motors had been formed, partly because of t lie success of the French and partly because the slowness of our government aeronauts worried the nation. In the Interest of this company Major von Par seval worked diligently, and he alto succeeded last fall in constructing an airship which Is at least practical, even if it Is doubtful whether his compara tively email ship may be compared to that owned by the French government. The airships mentioned here may be All have crtaln f d vanta tres. and cer tainly it Is at this lime impossible to say which syst-111 will make tlie t.es' showing. It Is more than li-o lv that -ill three Will e-ontinui- In evi:;t .-;ito some time, and to Improve tni-ir models ia varienis ways. In the balloons built after Count Zep pelin's system tne ba!t....n its. if con sists of an aluminum .'-k . i c t i 11 covered with silk. Inside this ii,-.-. are numer ous small balloons filled with ;;is. The loss of yas elurine; naviratini; lues thus been brought down to a minimum and the balloon proper will keep Its form and stability even vvh.-n the wind Is very s'rong. To different eorne-rs the bodv is coniifclecl with Hie I very solid and rigid inarmer Is possible to place in the strong motors. Against the slip e-om.-s the the balloon when nol fill, el transported, anil that it Is to have- special docks, some ascends as well as where it This evil is lessened someivb tit the Uioeese of Avignon"; that of the of three different systems and all three icicrrv H hv have solved the nroblem nf navic-nttn? Heeond "The Vampire of Hungary. Dora !almet. by have solved the problem of navigating the air theoretically and practically. lllonn In a so that It ship very fact that cannot be m e e'ssa ry where it d'-scends. at bv tho circumstance- that this balloon goes bet ter against the- wine) than any other, and that it can stay up very Innx. and carry a very laro quantity of gasoline. It thus gains a large radius of action and it will pearly always bn possible for it to return to the intend ed place. Count Zeppelin has maelP trial trips through the air lasline; eight hours considerably longer time than any other balloon -and hopes with certain improvements to uje able to navigate for 1 :.'t"i hours. In this way he would certi.inly win great Independence of ac tion as soon ns a number of neriil forts are constructed along the bound ary lines of the coiintiw, bordered oy strong fortresses. Hitherto he has not been uble to follow and- assist th? leaders of the army in their opera tions. Count Zeppelin's balloon lias a ca pacity of J,3utJ cubic metres, and thj length 12S metres is considerably greater than that of the largest Ger man man-of-war. The cost. of its construction is high er than that of any other airship about 200,000 marks which, of course, is only n-email amount when It is re membered that battleships at the pres ent time cost about 30,009,000 marks, and that their cost In the future will probably be more than 40,000,000. The airship constructed by Major von Parseval Is entirely different. It Is not rigid, and has the great advantage that it may descend easily arid without any risk at any place, and that it weighs considerably less. When tak en apart it can easily be transported !n a fdnglo railroad car. The basket is, in fact, the oifly part of it which is made from hard material, but It is small, being only 4!! metres long, and with a gas capacity of only 3,000 cubic metres. It will carry besides tho 00-horse-power motor, only four people, while Count Zeppelin's ship carries nine, and tho larger one he Is about to build will probably carry about 30. Tho disadvantages of the Parseval bal loon are that its mechanism is rather delicate and easily gets out of order, and that the ropes from the balloon easily get tangled In the propeller and stop it. The French airships, which are ad mittedly ahead of any others, are con strucled after the semi-rigid system. Tho bag containing the gas is shaped like a torpedo and carries underneath a platform made from aluminum pipes upon which it rests. The basket is suspended from this platform. This airship has been tested under varying conditions and has given absolute sat isfaction, so that the French govern ment has not hesitated in ordering five more. Airships of this kind are to be stationed at tho fortresses of Verdun", Toul, Kplnui, Relfort, Uesancon anu Lyons. All dirigible airships have so far been tried only in small altitudes not ex ceeding 500 metres although the Frenc.i military authorities state that they have navlgateel the air 1,200 metres above the ground, ft is believed that balloons flying that high will he out of the range of guns, but although this may be so at present, special guns are being constructed which may bo fired at an anglo of 60 degrees, nnd it is theoretically possible to reach them at any height. It appears from this that although there aro great possibilities in dirig ible airships when they shall have be come perreot, their present importance Is not Very great. It cannot even be said that a besieged fortress can bo cut off from all communications with the outside world; on the contrary, the enemy will be able to blockade It with luck. "How good it feels to be alone," Lap kln said looking around. "I have so much to tell you, Anna Semenowna, so much when I saw you tho first time you have 11 bite now I knew immedi ately why . I had been born, knew that I hael found my goddess to whom I must devote my whole life, an honest use ful life It must be a big one that's bit ing now when 1 saw you, I loved for the first time In my life, loved passion ately don't pull in yet, let It bite a little more tell me darling, I beseech you, may I hope that you also I Uara not say love mo for I am not worthy of that, but dare I hope that now pull in I' "Anna Semenowna pulled in the line and cried out with Joy as she saw a glit tering fish on the hook. "Oh, how lovely, what a big fellow! Quick, quick, he is off the hook now." The fish which had torn itself loose from the hook lumped Into the air to ward its proper element and disap peared once more in the water. While trying to catch the fish Lap kin quite acclduntly caught Anna Sem enovvna s hand, and pressed It also quite aeeldontly to his lips. She drew back her hand, but it was too late and th iips bad quite accidently already kissed it. Everything came thus accidently. The first kiss was followed by a sec onel, by many, and endearing words and promises. Those were happy moments, but alas there Is no perfect happiness to be had in this world. Elthor hap piness carries the poison in itself or it comes from the outside. Thus it hap pened here. As the two young people were kissing each other they heard sud denly somebody laugh aloud. They looked towards the river, were terrified to see standing in the water quite naked, but for a pair of bathing trunks, Kolja. Anna Semenrjwna's brother from tho high school. He stood In the water and looked at the young people and laughed as he had never laughed before. "Oh, so that is what you call fish ing." he said, "to me It looks very much like kissing, you may be quite sure Anna that I'm going to tell mam ma. "I really hope that you will behave like a gentleman," Lapkin said with a blush. "To listen Is bud enough, but to toll talcs Is mean, disgusting and com mon. 1 feel quite sure that you as a young gentleman and a young man of nonor '" "If you will give me a rouble I won't say anything," said the. young man of honor; "If you don't I'll toll." Lapkin took a rouble bill from hi. pocket and gavo it to Kolja, who took it with his wot hand, put It Into his mouth and swam away. But the two young people did not feel liko kissing any more at tho present time. The next day Lapkin brought Kolja a box or paints, and a iootnan, ana his sister gave him another rouble. ero From the New York Kvenlng Sun I'ST when everybody was thinging that Alabama's rising young statesman, Tth hmond p. llobson. had ele-flnilely committed himself to a future of interminable advo cacy of illimitable naval expansion, and had become quite resigned to the appar ently inevitable prospect, the situation suddenly changes. Mr. llobson Is go ing to congress to work for government pensions for the Confederate pensioners of the southern states. It is very evident that the windiest orator who has ever appeared In tho south has decided that it is far better to make himself solid with his con stituents than to become a figure of na tional Importance, which was under stood a while ngo to her the destiny ho had mapped out for himself. Certainly his latest scheme Indicates a radical change of plan, for long as It would take him to get his world-beating navy It will take him a good deal longer and call for the exclusive exercise nf his famous gift of gab to put his pension scheme through. In time, perhaps, he may persuade the country that the great Recession was really a movement for the preservation of tho Union, but it will take time. It Is a fine thing to have In public life a young man who Is not reluctant, who seems even anxious to make an ass of himself. Hobson Is still a hero. moment's peace. He threatened to tell on thent listened to everything they said, and demanded presents almost every day. ile could never get enough and at last he even began to hint thai he must have a gold watch. 'What was to be done? It was necessary to prom ise him the watch. One day at the dinner table when waffles were being served he suddenly burst out laughing, winking his eye nnd looked at Lapkin and snld: "Say, do you want me to tell somebody some thing?" Lapkin blushed and bit his napkin. Anna Semenowna got up from the tablo and ran Jnto tho next room. Thus the young people passed a mis erable tlmo until the end of August, until the elay when Lapkin at last found courage enough to ask Anna's father for his consent, oh. what a happy day that was! When Lapkin had spoken to the parents of his fiancee nnd received their consent he lost no time, but ran Into tho garden fo look for Kolja: when he found him he thought he hadn't felt so happy for a long time. He. caught him by the car and Anna Semenowna, who had also looked for her brother, got him by the other, and now it was Kolja. who passed some very disagree able moments, cried and begged: "Oh, dear, darling sister and brother-in-law. Oh, forgive me; I will never do it again." Later both of them acknowledged that never during all the long time that they had loved each other had thoy felt so supremely happy as during I he few minutes when they were pulling the cars of the had boy. next present was shirt studs shaped like little dogs' heads. The bad boy was immensely pleased and to get more presents he made up his mind to watch ills sister. Wherever Lapkin nnd Anna went he went to. Not a minute did ho leave them alone. "The rascal." Lapkin cried, "so young and still such a rascal. I am sure he will end in a bad place." Throughout the whole month of June. Kolja did not leave the two lovers one a fleet of airships, as effectively as lie can blockade a fort.- Military balloons, will as - far as I can ssee, only become- useful as scouts, and probably as a means of transport ing; small bodies of troops, but as a weapon Of 'attack they will probubly never amount to very much. Infallible. It was at the sportsmen's exhibition, and a sweet young country maiden at a stall In oiie of the balconies was expa tiating on the merits of a new stick ing plaster which she wa.? endeavoring to dispose of -by the package!. She had Tim .evidently been verbally primed asejo her utterances, which were delivered in a level monotone devoid of anything ap proaching spontaneity. "Thus," she concluded her harangue, "thus can I confidently, nay, even en thusiastically, recommend to those who tempt the wilds of the Adirondacks, or whose sportive tendencies lead thr-m further astray into the Inspiring forests of aMaino, where abrasions aro of fre quent occurrence, this invaluable plas ter, for you merely attach it to the sore place, and will discover that it will never come off." "'ihen," Inquired a wag; from tho background, "what do you do when the ore heals?" "Oh, yes," replied the Imperturbable yendor, having imperfectly heard the question, "we find it infallible for sore heels!" 1