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BILLY DORR’S
f LAST CHANCE
By
George
"Balder Hoyt
Copyright, 1MB, bjr American
A Mociallon
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.
But Dorr wanted to go right ahead
and do business. It appeared that be
already liad ills eye upon some offices
for the publication, and t'onfffit was
uuable to say why they wxre not the
most suitable and economical, that
could lie had. Moreover, Ikirr had all
tlie derails of typesetting. pa|>er and
{n-Mwork at his finger ends, nnd he
showed Conant very excellent reasons
w hy the contracts should be made at
♦
H1R1.EY and Conant were lunch
ing together, and Hammond
chanced upon them in the midst
of the meal. Conant pushed a
chair o it with his foot and said, "Sit
down.”
Hammond accepted the invitation,
•nd wlieu lie had given an order be re
marked that he had Just met Billy
Dorr.
“How’s he looking?” asked Conant
Wltliout the slightest interest.
“Mighty bad,” riqilied Hammond.
"He’s got consumption; that’B a fact
alsiut him. He’s Just found it out for
sure. Doesn’t seem to care a continen
tal.”
"Well, I shouldn’t think he would,
said Shirley, “lie’s got as little to lose
as any man thnt I know if he dies.”
Hammond pulled the ends of Ills long
light mustache in a somewhat nerv
ous fashion. Meanwhile he eyed Co
nant. who was the sort of man before
whom one does not care to exhibit
sentiment.
“Billy has liad a blasted hard life,”
said Hammond, ns ff ffiially compelled
She uos adjuttlng her hat.
to express his thought. “He’s never
had anything but sorrow and the dev once. As for going away, he laughed
il’s own tough luck. All his people are at the idea. “Other men may have
dead—parents, brothers and sisters the time to waste," said he. “I haven’t.”
whole tribe. He’s seen ’em mown
Conant began to perceive with great
down as if witli a scythe, by Jingo! clearness that at this puce *3,000 would
And lie’s Just had to stand and take not cover the loss; but. being In. he did
things redliot off the pitchfork as fate not know how to get out. Before the
handed them out to him. I’ve always week was over the .partnership hud
taken it for granted tliat that was been definitely formed, an account hud
what he waW made for. But some been opened at n bunk, the offices had
how while I was conversing with him been engaged, und Dorr was deep in ne
this morning it all came over me. gotiations with his printer,
What a thundering bard life it is that
"lie's carried us a little off our feet,”
lie is going to lay down! What a story said Conant to his fellow conspirators,
to read the end of. in the midst of tlie "but lie can't stand this gait, poor fel
hopeless pain that he must suffer!”
low! He'll break down, und then we
“He may get well,” said Shirley. “It can send him away and slow up a bit.”
would lie like Billy’s luck.”
The prediction proved true witlilu a
Conant took a long, slow drink of a month. Dorr had worked night and
wine
which
lie
always
order
thin, sour
day, deaf to remonstrances and the
ed. Tlien lie shut Ills lips in a straight, most direful word pictures of Ids ap-
hard line and opened them at last to preaching end, and bis strength had
speak ills mind. “You’re going to sug been sufficient to uphold liim. He was
gest that we make up a purse for Billy laid flat on Ids back.
The result was that the able editor of
Dorr,” said lie. “I won’t come in. The
one thing devilish that Billy Dorr has the new publication agreed to go to a
escaped in this world is debt. 1 won’t sanitarium up the state for a month,
load It on tp liim now that lie’s coming but meanwhile t?ie first number hud
been announced, and It had to be is-
to tlie end.”
"Besides,” added Shirley thought- sui'd. It was a foolish little paper, de
ly, “lie wouldn't take the money. I’ve sign d to interest women especially and
tried to lend liim some more than to deal with frocks and frills and the
once. No go. And if he wouldn’t ac gossip of pink teas. But there was a
cept it wlien there was a cliance of his really new idea in the manner of pres
paying It back you can bet your bat entation, and Dorr would have staked
that he won’t do it now, when there’s his life upon Its success If he hud had
a life to stake In any proper sense of
none."
“But he hasn't got a cent,” said Ham the language.
With the second number the assistant
mond, “anil lie’ll have to stop work
pretty soon. It seems sort of lull'd tluit editor had to struggle, assisted by the
a fellow shouldn't have liis living as triumvirate — Conant. Hammond and
Shirley. They endeavored to knock a
sured— while lie's dying.”
"What did Billy Dorr ever ask you little sense into It 111 the firm belief
that there hadn't been any in tlie first
demanded Conant
to do for liim
Nothing, so far as 1 cun remember," issue. They also put the brakes on to
answered Hammond, "except to put some of Dorr's circulation schemes,
up tlie money to start tliat crazy pub- which were eren sillier than the mat
Ilea tlon scheme of ills. As a business ter In the paper and threatened to cost
too much money.
man I couldn’t do that.”
One of the chief features of the en
"Nor I,” said Conant, "as a business
terprise was a unique and ingenious
man. And yet I can do it. Hammond,
plan for getting gratuitous contribu
you go and find out whether Dorr Is
tions of short articles for publication
really as sick as tie thinks be is; wheth
from a most extraordinary list of wom
er he’s checked clear through. If he
en prominent In various walks of life.
is, lie'll reach his final destination In
Tlie trouble with this plan. In the opiu
side of six months, and that's a cer-
ion of Dorr’s associates, had been two
talnty. Now, It will cost us about
fold—first, the people wouldn't write
$3,OlH) to start that scheme of ills and
the stuff, und, second, if they did write
run It until—until he's gone. Tliat will
it and send it in It wouldn't be good
be our maximum net loss, for of course for anything.
we’ll start very slowly and waste as
In tlie matter of contributions for
much time as we can. Besides, there's tile first number both these predictions
tlie chance tliat we can sell out after seemed to be fulfilled. Very little man
Billy's gone on a bluff thnt tlie tiling's uscrlpt was received, and Dorr himself
a success and thus get a good part of admitted that the quality was poor. A
our money back. I'll bet that the day or two after the first number's ap
whole game won’t cost us over $5oii pearance, however, there was a re
apiece. You may count me in for my markable increase in the quantity of
■hare anyway.”
these contributions, but the quality, in
Tlie other two men exchanged a the opinion of the assistant editor and
gla nee.
the triumvirate, was
“It's a go." they said.
worse. All but a scrap
went
After luncheon Hammond called up Into the wastebaskets,
on Dorr's doctor anil succeeded In get
When a copy of the second Issue
ting an opinion tliat would have satis reached the sanitarium where I >orr
fled the most impatient of Dorr's ene was staying, it was 1 o’clock in tlie
inies.
afternoon. The next train for the city
“lie's gone," said the doctor. "It’s left at 1:25, and Dorr took it. He ar
largely the fault of the life he’s been rived about 4 o’clock, weak, pale am'
lending poverty.discomfort.hard work excited. The triumvirate was in the
and worry. There’s no defective lien'll office, consulting with the assistant oil
lty; he had a fine pair of lungs to start Itor and one of Conant's clerks who
with. But disease is a fight lietween a had been transferred to the publication
man and a germ, nnd if the man's in ns business manager, when Dorr burst
bad condition he loses; that's all. in upon them with a copy of the papo'
Rpvnklng tn strict confidence and in I in his hand.
view of tlie peculiar circumstances. I’m
"This won't do!” he gasper). “Tbi»
willing to tell you that Mr. Dorr has won't do at all. Y’on don't get mo out
lost the bnttle."
of this office again until this thing is
In accordance with this opinion on its feet. Blast It all, do you think
Hammond made his report.
we're running the Congressional Rec
“Murdered by tough luck, combined ord? Why. you've made tills so heavy
With a little hall bedroom nnd a gas that I wonder it ever got through th»
*tove,” said lie. “That’s what I gath mall*. Lighten It up! Lighten It up
ered from the medical gentleman’s re And he fell Into a violent fit of coug!
marks. We want to put Billy in better Ing.
quarters right away.”
They tried ta get him out cf th»
The next morning Dorr received a place and to bed. but wild horses
note from Conant Inviting him to hfs eouldn't have moved him. His eyes
office. W!ien lie arrived, prompt to blazed witli eagerness. There was a
I
tlie minute. Conant pretended thnt lie waste- paper basket beside Ills chair, !
and it e ;(■ ¡nil. M mailer il'nit liad in-e'ii
bad hcarr)-ijlldsg of . hi" . ailment
wouldn't believe thnt It wns serious, sent In by would be contributors in re
scouted tlie idea that Dorr was going ■ponse to Dorr's circulars.
to die. And then he plunged Into busi
“Threw nil this away, did you?" he
ness and announced Ills readiness to demanded. "Well, watch me!”
back the new publication.
lie emptied the basket upon ills desk
Dorr had always had nn extravagant and plunged vigorously Into the mass
estimate of Conant's Judgment Co of pii|s>rs. He had Ills dinner sent In.
nant’s previous rejection of tlie publi mil it was midnight before Conant,
cation scheme bad been the only thing who had silt up with him, succeeded
thnt had over shaken Dorr's faith in its Li dragging him away to a hotel.
money making possibilities. He had
Comint called for him nt the hotel
endured Hitter hours of discouragement early next morning with dire appre
as a result of that first Interview. And hensions. He found Dorr weak In
that Rani Conant should have changed body, but strong In resolution. The
his tn I cd nt last wns like having the day was very line, with a crisp, dry
whole world set right after it had been air, and Dorr felt much better when
unaeixMintalily going wrong for a long tie got out upon the street. He wan
time. In the face of such a revolution full of his schemes for the paper and
Dorr began to believe thnt he was go talked incessantly as they walked to
ing to get well, since Conant said so.
ward the office. There was a flush In
It wax no part of Conant's plan to his cheeks; he lookisl young nnd hand
hurry matters. He had counted upon some. almost as Conant remembered
a considerable delay at the start He him in years gone by.
said to Dorr:
"I think the fellow's gone a little off
“You go away for a month or two his head." was Conant's mentnl com
nnd get Into condition. Meanwhile ment as he listened to the flood of bub
we'll engage ofllots and gradually get bling enthusiasm. "But it doesn't real
things together, so that when you come ly matter so long as he is happy.”
back we can push right ahead."
Suddenly Dorr stopped iui< sy
a mann
script, look at it with a sweet an I
i-oni(ia nion's arm.
• •
*
“There's IM W'Oan!'*«' *hl»IM*4 UU-uiilligleM smile, bwltiite a luouient
"There's the woman! I can’t let her g<K aiu*’then -tai It upos oih - pile ,,r the
I've Lein bunting for her O»er slue* other, according as it was accepted or
this, thing came i'ife my lietfl, What rej-s-ted. When it needed toLe changed
s'l* told the ex assiitant editor, now
shall I d..?"
lie whirled Otnaut around nnd her subordinate, Just what she wanted,
dragged him rapidly up the street, and the poor fellow {Hashed Ida teeth
l'hey paused at a corner, and l>orr said and did hw bidding as nearly as he
could. She was very kappy. She would
in tlie other's ear:
"It's the one with the yellow hair, harp little tits of weeping. Iio less hup
notebook and (M-ucil In her baud, flow py than her smiles apparently. At such
times she would say In response to a
can 1 reach her?”
“Don't you know her?” gasped Co question:
"1 was thinking of poor Mr. Dorr."
nant.
At the end of a uiosth Dorr made a
“Never saw her before In my life,"
repHisl Dorr. "But don't let that wor flying visit to the city. He bad gained
ry you. She can't look like that ami ten pounds and looked greatly im
proved, but he knew well enough that
not be the girl I want.”
the ultimate result was still very much
"Want ?’* echoed < 'onnnt.
"For the paper, of course,” said Dorr. in doubt, with the balance of chances
"She's a perfectly Ideal woman for us. Inclined toward the d»rk side. There
She's a mark. Don’t you understand— fore he bad made a will dlsisislng of
his Interest in the business. He gave
a mark, a yardstick, a thermometer!"
Conant was bewildered. He glanced this document, sealed In an envelope, to
nervously from bls excited companion Miss Haven to be de(X)Slted In her pri
to the gentle and placid young woman, vate drawer of the safe. She was the
who had paused before a shop win sole legatee, but of course she did not
dow anil was adjusting her hat by the know that. Such subjects were not
aid of the reflection in the glass. She upon her mind.
She was childishly glad to see Dorr,
was a sweet creature, with a beauti
fully tinted, serenely expressionless and she permitted him to take both her
face, wide blue gray eyes and the dain hands several times in the course of
tiest mass of wavy, light colored hair. their first conversation. These were
She moved on, entered a tall building, congratulatory handshakes over points
took the elevator to the ninth floor and scored by the paper. Some of these
went into a stenographic school. Dorr Iioiiits were so utterly Incomprehensi
ble to a rational man that Conant, who
and Conant following lier.
Dorr approached her with a quick, was present at the enumeration of
decisive manner, raising his hat as If them, went out nt last Into the business
office, where he said he felt like knock
In an ecstasy of proud homage.
“I beg your pardon again and again." Ing his head against the safe.
Meanwhile Dorr and Miss Haven be
said lie. "But—but am 1 right In sup
gun to discuss the number that was tin
posing that j'ou are a stenographer?”
The girl turned toward liim without der way, und the man deferred to the
the slightest trace of alarm. Iler eyes woman's Judgment every time.
“Oil, dear!” she cried. “This respon
were full of innocent curiosity, like
those of a child whose confidence has sibility lias almost killed me.” And she
laughed merrily.
never been abused.
Then they resumed their editorial la
"Yes,” said she. "Why?”
"If I can give you every possible as hors, Miss Haven singing softly a fool
surance In regard to a position, will ish little tune.
Late in the afternoon Conant dropped
you accept it?"
"I’m only a beginner,” replied the iuto tlie office again and invaded the
girl. "I've Just graduated from this editorial room, where, to Judge by their
school. Still, I'm quite expert. How faces. Dorr und Lucy Haven were
did you happen to ask me about it In playing some sort of amusing game,
while the assistant editor (an old news
this queer way?"
"We are very much in need,” replied paper copy reader) writhed in agony at
a desk in the corner. He was sprin
Dorr.
“Isn't it strange?” said the girl, smil kling punctuation through an article on
ing. "I always have such good luck! "Temptations to Excess In the Use of
It takes some of the graduates months Diamonds.”
Conant dragged Dorr out Into the
to get n position, and I really hadn’t
business office and laid before liim a
begun to look for one.”
“In addition to tlie stenography." statement that had Just been made up
said Dorr as he offered her bis card, from the books.
“We're on a paying basis.” said lie,
with a bow, “you will have certain ed
“and witli this new advertising that's
itorial duties."
She laughed in the sweetest fashion coming in we’ll”—
"Paying basis!” echoed Dorr. “We've
“Oh. goodness!” she exclaimed. "I
couldn't be un editor, I don’t know got our fortune here. I’ve been telling
you about it for tlie last five years."
enough.”
At the end of the week he went back
“Y’es, you do,” replied Ilorr, with de
clslon. “You know all that is neces- to the sanitarium nnd stayed another
sary. Can yon come to the oiliee month. When lie returned Ills cough
was quite gone, nnd be looked like a
now?”
"Yes, certainly. I can begin work new man. Miss Haven said that she
right away. Oh. I forgot to give you bud missed him dreadfully.
“We've got along beautifully. I
my card."
Presently Conant was presented to think,” she added. “It seems to me
Miss Lucy Haven, and the three walked that the paper improves all the time."
At this the assistant editor in th"
slowly down to the office. From the
conversation It appeared that Miss Ha corner laid his head against the wall
ven had been a year in the city, living and feebly closed his eyes.
Conant when he came In was over
in a boarding house and studying ste
nography. She was supported by a Joyed at Dorr’s altered looks.
“I don't believe you ever bad any
slender allowance friini home and pro
tected by lier own angelic purity of thing worse than the grip,” he said.*
"I don't know what I had,” replied
heart and the luck which she bad men
Dorr, “but I know what I’ve got. I've
tioned.
When they reached the office. Dorr got something to live on and somebody
had a great flat topped desk sent in. to live for. and I’ve naturally decided
He put Miss Haven nt one side of it to live.”
"Somebody to live for?” queried Co
and took his own place directly oppo
nant.
site.
"Now,” said he “I will edit this pa
“Yes.” said Dorr, taking him by the
per for you, as If nobody else In the arm and leading him into a far corner
World were ever going to read It.”
“She says she loves me, and we're go
Miss Haven could have had no very ing to get married—when she grows
accurate comprehension of this ns an up.” he added, with a laugh, “if ale*
Intellectual proposition, but she caught ever does.”
tlie finding, nnd her blue eyes lighted
“Well, I could almost hope
up with interest. It would be fine, she wouldn't,” responded Conant, "for
felt, to have a paper edited for her.
sake of the business. How old is
Comint took Dorr aside a little inter now?”
in the day and craved an explanation.
“Twenty-two-God bless her!” sai l
"You don't regard Miss Haven as a Dorr.
•ypienl woman, do you?" fie demanded.
An Inderirround Confexnlon.
"I'm sure I uever saw another like
Women are growing quite embar
tier.”
“You never will,” responded Dorr, rassingly frank about the basis anil the
with enthusiasm. "They are born only crown of their charm*. On Saturday
afternoon a pretty young married wom
once a century.”
“But why edit a paper for so unusual an. with her five-year-old son—so much
we could infer—Jumped into a first
a creature?”
"She Is unusual," said Dorr, “merely class carriage on the underground. Aft
because slio Is the sublimation of nil er her came three friends, two girls and
flint Is sweetest, best nnd most com a man. “Yes, I’d never be without my
tnonplace In nil good women. She is wig,” said the pretty woman, “It isn't
perfectly receptive nnd a fine Judge of as If I hadn't enough lialr of my own.
Impressions. She separates all things Celia can vouch for that” Celia
in this life Into good and bnd. That Is ded—we all looked for Celia's
good which she likes anil that is bad “Why, the other Sunday we were
which she doesn't like. Don't you ses lunching at Wimbledon, one of those
that millions of other women must like damp, muggy days. Margaret was
what she likes? Can't you catch the there—with tier fringe all over her eyes.
great idea that is surging through my Mine was all right, and yet Margaret
has a maid and I haven't. I've worn
brain?"
This was too much for Conant, who a wig for three years, and I don't care
walked away, rubbing Ills head. Dorr who knows IL” The rest of us-stran
went back to the big table nnd said to gers—held our breath till the tale was
told.—London Chronicle.
Miss Huven:
“We will now get out the third num
Peril In the llan«iker«-lil*-i.
ber of this paper. Mivst of it is already
It is in fact a grave sanitary ques
prepared for the press, of course, but
It will all hare to lie done over again— tion whether the handkerchief does not
do more harm than good as it is or
to suit you.”
“¥'■’) frighten me dreadfully,” said dinarily usi-d. When we assume that
Miss Haven, nnd she laughed very the Healthy nose does not need io by
wiped we face a reasonably broad
prettily.
They got out the third number of tin; pro|s>sltlon as to tlie danger of tlie
paper together nnd the fourth. By tlie handkerchief ns n disease propagator.
ttfiio Vr.r foiAtb XMS&ttt l»t a;-..i* v. I Most of nasal catarrhs are of an In
dent Hint the third hnd made a lilt, Co- fectious character, notably those of
nnnt, Shirley and Hnmmond read the grip origin.
Contrary to a general law of asepsis,
paper prayerfully; they read it for-
want, backward and crosswise, and the handkerchief saturated with dis
they couldn't sis- anything in it. They ease germs. Instead of being promptly
coulilh’t see a reason why n single hu washed. Is stowed for hours In the
man being should buy It, yet the circu pocket, with a result that can lie easily
lation of the fourth number Jumped in imagined. Is it any wonder then that
catarrhs are constantly fostered by a
a way that was quite startling.
Then Dorr was taken down again. system of auto-lnfection?—Medical Rec
When he didn't come to the office one ord.
morning Miss Haven sent for Conant
Webatrr Wai Willing.
and said to liim, with tears in her blue
When Daniel Webster's market man
eye*:
hnd suet! him for a long unpaid bill
"I'm really afraid that Mr. Dorr Is and got bls money he was so scared at
quite 111."
his temerity that lie stopped calling at
Conant went to see Dorr nnd packed the door for orders. The godlike Dan
him off to the sanitarium again.
iel asked him why one day. nnd the
"I'm willing to go this time," said he. man confessed that he supposed Mr
“We're all right. We've got down to Webster would never trade with him
my Idea. Just push my circulation again. “Oli," said Webster, “sue me ns
schemes and leave nil the rest to Miss often ns you like, but f<V heaven'» snk'
Haven. Her Judgment will lie final— I don’t starve me.” Thea* wns never a
absolutely Anal, you understand upon time when the great man wns not will
everything that's to go Into tlie paper.” ing to owe ns Biucb ns nnyl*1v wax
For dny< indeed for weeks, thereaft willing to let him owe.—Springfield He
er Conant's most interesting occupation publican.
iu life was to sit and watch l.isy Ila-
«
s
e e
e
•
•
WOMAN AND FASHION
A HenulHol Hat.
Thl» l>e»illy Fuuau» lUii-mlili » Sev
eral Kdlblr Muahrwiim».
This picturesque hat Is made of plain
Perliups the most deadly of tlie |>oi
black velvet with the brim bent In the
most artistic curves. The sole decora •oiious fungi of our woods nml fields
is the fairly well known death cup
(Amanita phalloldes). iiartieulnrl.v d in
gerous It'iiai Its resembliinei' to several
of tlie edible mushrooms, though gatli
ering fungi for the table should be
undertaken by none save tliose tlior
uughly ucqiiulnti'd witli the different
species, as It Is altogether too easy for
the ignorant enthusiast to make nn er
ror which may prove fatal to bl»
friends.
The death cup referred to bus a
round cap, white, yellowish or green
lsli in color, and tin* stem has a swollen
base, surrounded by an eiivelo(>e. or
veil, of a white filmy substance, whh I
parts as the stalk extends upward
This stalk Is pithy when young, but
hollow at maturity, and tin- gills of tlie
cap, which in tlie meadow mushroom^
are (link or brown, are white in Un
BLACK, WITH WHITE PLUME.
deadly variety, as are also the spores,
tien is a very long white ostrich plume which can be plainly seen if tlie cap
I
In the new lyre shape, which is ar-1 Is laid, gills downward, on a piece of
ranged so as to fall down over the colored paper for n few hours. The
swollen, or bullsius, base is a distill
shoulders In the buck.
guishing characteristic, and no fungus
of that appearance should is* gnthered
The SeuMou'H Sleeve».
The sleeves of tlie new dress waists for cooking. One of the liabilities is
deserve an article all to themselves. that these caps may be broken off
As one woman of fashion remarked: without due observance of its base,
"The only distinctive feature of most, which Is often covered with eartli or
of the new waists is the sleeves. Otli-; dead grasses, hence not distinguished
erwise they are all alike as two peas.” i from some of the lepiotas, which, how
In the main she is right The smart I ever, are never surrounded with the
woman must depend on sleeve arrange-! filmy veil of the death cup.
The poisonous property of this fungus
mints as an outlet for her taste and
originality. There are bell sleeves Is largely the same as tliat found in tlie
with under (Hiffs of lace or chiffon, venom of a rattlesnake and also in
sweeping angel sleeves and bouffant cholera nnd diphtheria, and so far sci
sleeves with long and slender cuffs. ence is unable to produce any satisfac
This latter style Is perhaps the more tory antidote, atropine, tlie stomach
feasible for daytime wear. The big pump ami oil purgatives being about
Iiuffs are far enough from the hand te the only resources.—Washington Post.
prevent unwieldiness, while the deep
cuffs accentuate the curves of a pret
ENGLISH AS SPOKEN.
ty arm. In most cases these bouffant
sleeves are tight fitting above the el it 1» In Scotland, Ray» a Critic, That
It la Heard at Ita Heat.
bow and thence widen suddenly to re
The query "Where is the prettiest
markable proportions. The tight fit
ting effect above the elbow is often English spoken?” Is answered by a
obtained by a deep sleeve call, which writer lit tlie London News, and,
may be a continuation of the trimming strange to say. It is not iu England, if
across the blouse front.—Washington the writer be accepted as an authorita
Star.
tive critic.
It was the opinion of Sir Morell Mac
Novel t'oalume».
kenzie that those who should speak
One of the novelties of the season is English most musically were the in
the tailored costume In heavy silk, habitants of Badenoch, Inverness shire,
stitched and pressed and treated like Scotland. They had the reputation for
cloth. One of these costumes' in plum centuries of being perfect speakers of
color is trimmed with plum colored English; but, the writer says, lie must
cloth straps running up and down the now go to tlie glens branching north
skirt between broad box plaits. There ward from the Caledonian canal to find
is a plaited bolero, with a collar and the language spoken In Its purity.
girdle trimmed with a cloth baud,
“In the beautiful glen of Moriston in
Which are stitched and ornamented particular one has noted the most ex
with fancy braid having a touch of quisite speech it seems possible to Im
gold. Another walking costume of agine. There Is an almost total nb
steel colored doth lias a skirt and short Bence of dialect and vocal disfiguri'
tunic trimmed with stitching. There ments, though a quaint, delicately
is a box plaited blouse somewhat like marked rise and fall of the viSce arc
a tunic, although the two pieces are very falntl*' noticeable. The language
separated by a broad belt of soft gray used is extraordinarily pure and ire.
leather. There is a deep shoulder col from alien words, which is attributable
lar embroidered in chenille, and the to tlie fact that the people acquire their
cuffs, trimmed to match, are both broad English direct from books and that so
and wide, witli hemstitched rutiles of far dialect contaminations have not
linen. This somber gray is very fash penetrated the glen.”
ionable, and some of the gray costumes
The writer has a good word to say
are made with double breasted fronts of Celtic pronunciation of English gen
to the long Jacket and trimmed with erally: “The charm of Irish English is
passementerie ornaments.
undeniable. It has a softness that ap
peals irresistibly to the ear, but un
Fauliiomible Foot Gear.
fortunately it is linked with a certain
Fashionable foot gear Indicates that element of dialect which Just (daces it
the toes are becoming narrower and below perfection.”
the heels higher and that with the de
cline of the vogue of the coat and skirt
Pocket Farnaeei.
the mannish looking shoe is passing out
Curious baud furnaces are used in
of favor.
China during the winter months, chief
Most shoes for smart wear have a ly in the north, when the fire, in place
glossy finish. There Is a decided liking of being in the bouse, as we have it, is
for those which are strapped, ami carried about the person beneath tlie
some of the prettiest foot gear of the thickly padded cotton garments or In
moment consists of little groups of the hand. At times it is placed be
straps fastened to soles, an arrange neath the chair on which one Is seated.
ment which sets off pretty and dainty This contrivance, resembling the char
stockings, but should be ou no account coal pans formerly used before the
adopted by women having clumsy days of the pit coal by the Hertford
looking feet
shire straw platters, was first Intro
A fad of the moment Is to have Ox duced to our notice when resting at a
ford shoes laced with ribbon. Soft village In the Fukien province, which,
ribbon will pass easily through the before we had investigated the cause,
eyelets, which are made a little larger we noted as a place remarkable for the
than usual. Large, rather flat buttons deformity of its Inhabitants, old men
are seen on some of the smartest glace and women with strange swellings pro
kid boots, and they look very smart.
jecting in the most unaccountable
places. Our speculations were, how
» Pretty Shirt Walat.
ever, speedily set nt rest nnd the mat
ter satisfactorily explained by an old
gentletnnn, who removed his greatcoat
and disclosed a small copper furnace
secured round his waist with a band
and neatly covered with basket work.
This artificial mode of heating the body
Is only resorted to it> time of extreme
cold, as on ordinary occasions the peo
ple deem their thick clothing a sulli
cient protection during winter.—Golden
Penny.
mn uwn MhnimpHpt.
MADE WITH LAID ON TUCKS
The Illustration shows a pretty shirt
wnlst of ring dotted vesting, having
laid on tucks of plain material and
Persian band trimming.
.
Tin- t'a.hew Wot.
The cashew nut serves a unique pur
pose as a cosmetic In the West Indies,
where women desiring to remove ex
cessive tan anoint the skin with an oil
from the outer surface of the raw nut
For two weeks the patient must retire
from society, for the fnce nnd hands so
treated turn tdack. At the end of a
fortnight's seclusion, however, the wo-
man who has undergone the cashew
treatment emerges, observers state,
“with skin and complexion ns fair as n
babe's.”
*
*
THE DEATH CUP.
George Ade, in the early days of Ids
career, before the “Fables In Slang”
had brought him fame, called one
morning In Chicago upon a Sunday edi
tor on a mission from a theatrical man
ager.
"I have brought you this mauu
script”— he began, but the editor, look
ing up nt the tall, timid you'th. Inter
rupted:
"Just throw the manuscript in the
wastebasket, please.” he said. "I'm
very busy Just now' and haven’t time
to do it myself,”
Mr. Ade obeyed calmly. He resumed:
"I ha vs « aim . from the — thci’ar,
and the manuscript I have Just thrown
' in the wastebasket Is your comic farce
of ‘The Erring Son,’ which the man
ager asks me to return to you with
thanks. He suggests that you sell it to
an undertaker, to be read at funerals."
Then Mr. Ade smiled gently and
withdrew.
A Jadsr off Homa* Nslure.
"Doctor, tell me honestly whether
my health is Improving or not.”
"My dear sir, you’re getting on fa
mously—famously.”
“You are not speaking the truth, doc
tor, but I can tell without your assist
ance whether I am getting better or
not”
"How can you Judge?”
"By the behavior of my
SIGNS ARE OLD.
In Ancient Greece TBo
oa IIUMtia*«*» lluuara.
The i ust< i of marking u l uiwi^i
liou-e l.j means of a sign fci of very
am i. i i . i ._.ii. In fa qyeat cities of the
east and .
i._ rj). puiieut Egypt«!*
such a pin. tue must have lieen unnec-
essiry, as all trades were classified
and loiilimsl to certain sections of the
city, nml tl • :i till wares were exitosed
to full view, as they were displayed in
open Issltlis.
The history of Crecían slgntsiards Is
meager, yet the allusions of Arts-
topini ties and Lucian to slgnlstards war
rant our liellcf in their use by the
Greeks Atl.cn i ns tells 11 a, “He bung
the well known sign In front of bls
l-'.'S"
Advamlng to Roman times, there la
abundant evidence of signs, as the dis
coveries of rompi li and Heraeulaneum
amply testili
in the Eternal City
s mie of tin- stri i ts derived their Haim'S
fuun.sun -, i :-t -is hundreds of Ixiudon
streets have been so named. The Ro
man street Vicus Ursi I’lleatl was
named from tlie sign, for, as the name
Indicates, It was tlie street of "The
Bear With the Hat On.” But It was
not until late In tlie fifteenth century
that tlie custom gained a footing In
Englund, first of all among tlie taverns
and alehouses. Enter came tlie neces
sity of distinguishing lietween certain
shops brought nbont by the fact that
tlie liouses were not numbered and the
people could not rend word signs.—
Julian King Calforil In St. Nicholas.
Slice J u in p 1 n K.
The great event of the skeelng clubs
of the western 'states Is the Jumping
contest. Only a skis' runner knows the
sensation.
Below, the endless hill
seems to stretch on forever Into the ex
panse of the valley, the steepness of tlie
Incline lost in Its whiteness. A long
breath and you start.
Faster and
faster you go. till suddenly a flash of
green In front, and tlie Jump off is com
ing. Crouching until your knees almost
touch your skees, with muscles strain
ed. out Into the air you sail!
A strange lightness and feebleness
take ( iossi xiion of your limbs, nnd your
spirit shares tlie intoxication of soaring
iuto space. After long seconds you are
called back to earth, first for half a
second softly, but then hard as Iron
that seems to give you an electric
shock.
You wabble helplessly from
right to left; each foot seems glued to
the ground and still in the air, but you
have kept your balance anil tire shoot
ing forward. At Inst you catch your
first breath, like n hiccough; then a
longer one. You are master of the
field, with a Jump of a hundred feet or
more, and finish the victorious course
in a neatly rounded curve.—Country
Life In America.
A Weird Incident.
Some years ago tlie following strange
Incident took place in a west end club:
There lay on the table iu one of the
rooms a list of members who had put
down their names for an approaching
house dinner. A workman on a ladder,
who was putting the finishing touches
to tlie decoration of the celling, let fall
a single tiny splash of red paint, which
dropped on tlie first name on the list
nnd obliterated It as if with the stroke
of a pen. Some of the members who
noticed this occurrence thought it a
very bad omen; others, like Hamlet, de
fied augury. But, curiously enough,
tlie member whose name had thus been
struck out was taken 111 the next day
and died in the club on the night before
the dinner was to have taken place.—
Golden Penny.
Valuable Share«.
The shares of tlie New River < arporn-
tlon are tlie most valuable in the world,
and only fractions of them usually
come upon the market. For many years
the shares were sold at £5 apiece, and
indeed Charles I. reassigned bls king's
shares io the company in return for a
perpetual annual payment of £5<M),
which sum, under the style of the
“king's clog," is still paid. How bad
a bargain that was Is shown by the
dividend for years pnst having aver
aged over £2.000 per share, while a few
years ago one of the shares was sold
for £122,000 by public auction. The ac
tual face value of the shares Is £100.—
London Standard.
A Quaint People.
The lieart of Brittany never changes,
but Its face is rapidly losing many of
Its promjnent characteristics with t|je
leveling intliienee of the French repub
lic. It is only far out of the beaten
track, now. or on special occasions, like
fetes, that you see universally the cos
tumes and customs of the old Armori
can peninsula. Only an hour's Journey
from Quimper, the modernized chief
town of Finlstere, nnd you are among
the Bigoudines, a people whose dress
•suggests tlie Eskimos anil Chinese,
whose faces nr - strongly Mongolian in
type nnd wlm In language, customs and
beliefs Reem to have no relation with
the rest of France. More nnd more the
picturesque problem they present Is
'coming to attract attention. Artists,
students and tourists alike are fasci
nated by it. Andre Sugllo in Century.
A Stickler For Rnnk.
It is not in tins country a ¡one that
the- notion of equality prevails. The
London I'igaro reports the following
instance:
As a magnificent steamer, the prop
erty of the Peninsular nnd Oriental
company, wns steamlng into Southamp
ton harbor a grimy coal lighter floated
immediately in front of it. An officer
on board the steamer, seeing thia,
shouted:
"Clear out of the way with that
barge!”
The lighter man, n native of the
Emerald Isle, shouted In reply. "Are
ye the captain of that vessel?”
“No,” answered the officer.
“Then spake to yer equals," said the
lighter man. “I'm the captain of this.”
It rfl ned.
Mrs. Nurltcli I think I'll tnke this
bracelet. Are you sure It's made of re
fined gold ?
Jeweler Oh. yes.
Mrs. Ntirltch Because I do detest
anything that Isn't refined. I'ldlndel-
plda Ledger.
•
Napoleon I., who was a great nd
tnfrer of female talent (when Its owner
did not, like Mme. de Staci. direct It
against himself), used to say. "There
Work la the emd*. fame the entree,
are wwmen who have only one fnul£- fortune the m ist ami oblivion the des
vlz, that they are not men."
I tert of most Ilves. There is no cordial.
4
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