' "i i' $ "J" 'J "i 'i1 "l "J 4" '
Tbe Special
CHAPTER XVIII.
The country is fertile and well culti
vated, growing wheat, maize, rice, bar
ley and flax, in its eastern districts. Ev
erywhere are great masses of trees, wil
lows, mulberries, poplars. As far as the
ye can reach are fields under cultivation,
Irrigated by numerous canals, also green
fields, in which are flocks of sheep, a
country half Normandy, half Provence,
were it not for the mountains of Pamir
on the horizon. But this portion of Kach
garia was terribly ravaged by war when
Its people were struggling for independ
ence. The land flowed with blood, and
along by the railroad the ground is dot
tde with tumuli beneath which are
buried the victims of their patriotism.
But I. did not come to Central Asia to
travel as if I were in France. Novelty!
Novelty! The unforeseen! The appall
ing! It was without the shadow of an ac
cident, and after a particularly fine run,
that we entered Yarkand Station at four
o'clock in the afternoon. ,
A few Chinese passengers alighted at
Yarkand, and gave place to others exact
ly like them among others a score of
coolies and we started again at 8
o'clock in the evening. During the night
we ran the three hundred and fifty kilo
meters which separate Yarkand from
Kothan.
A visit I paid to the front van showed
me that the box was still in the same
place. A certain snoring proved that
Kinko was inside as usual, and sleeping
peacefully. I did not care to wake him,
end I left him to dream of his adorable
Roumanian.
In the morning Popof told me that the
train, which was now traveling about as
fast as an omnibus, had passed Khar
galik, the junction for the Kilian and
Tong branches. The night had been
cold, for we are still at an altitude of
1,200 meters. Leaving Guma Station, the
line runs due east and west, following
the thirty-seventh parallel, the same
which traverses it in Europe, Seville,
Syracuse and Athens.
We sighted only one stream of impor
tance, the Karakash, on which appeared
a few drifting rafts, and files of horses
and asses at the fords between the pebbly
banks. The railroad crosses It about a
hundred kilometers from Khotan, where
we arrived at 8 o'clock in the morning.
Two hours to stop, and as the town
may give me a foretaste of the cities of
China, I resolve to take a run through it.
As we were about to board the car
again, I saw Popof running toward me,
houting:
"Monsieur Bombarnac!"
"What is the matter, Popof 7"
"A telegraph messenger asked me if
there was any one belonging to the
Twentieth Century on the train."
"A telegraph messenger V
"Yes, and on my replying In the af
firmative,' he gave me this telegram for
for you.
"Give it me! give it me!"
I seize the telegram, which has been
waiting for me some days. Is it a reply
to my wire sent from Merv, relative to
the mandarin Yen Lou?
I open it. I read it, and it falls from
my hand. This is what it said:
"Claudius Bombarnac, Correspondent
Twentieth Century, Khotan, Chinese
Turkestan:
"It is not the corpse of a mandarin
that the train is taking to" Pekin, but
the imperial treasure, value fifteen mill
Ions, sent from Persia to China, as an.
nounced in the Paris newspapers eight
flays ago; endeavor to be better informed
for the future." -
CHAPTER XIX.
"Millions there are millions in that
pretended mortuary van!"
In spite of myself, this imprudent
phrase had escaped me in such a way
that the secret of the imperial treasure
was instantly known to all, to the rail
way men as well as to the passengers.
And so, for the greater- security, the
Persian government, in agreement with
the Chinese government, has allowed it
to be believed that we were carrying
the corpse of a mandarin, when we were
really taking to Pekin a treasure worth
fifteen millions of francs.
Now the secret is divulged, and we
know that this treasure, composed of
gold and precious stones, formerly de
posited in the hands of the Shah of Per
sia, is being sent to its legitimate owner,
the Son of Heaven.
That is why my lord Farusklar, who
was aware of it in consequence of his
position as general manager of the com
pany, had joined the train at Douchak
o as to accompany the treasure to its
destination. That is why he and Ghangir
and the three other Mongols had so
carefully watched this precious van, and
why they had shown themselves so anx
ious when it had been left behind by the
breakage of the coupling, and why they
were so eager for its recovery. ' '
That is also why a detachment of Chi
nese soldiers has taken over the van at
Kachgar, in relief of the Persians. That
Is why Pan Chao never heard of Yen
Lou, nor of any exalted personage of that
name existing in the Celestial Empire!
We started to time, and, as may be
supposed, our traveling companions
could talk of nothing else but the mill.
Ions which were enough to enrich every
one in the train. -.
"This pretended mortuary van has al
ways been suspicious to me," said Major
Noltitz. "And that was why I ques
tioned Pan Chao .regarding the dead
mandarin.
"I remember," I said; and I could
not quite understand the motive of your
question. It is certain now that we have
got a treasure in tow."
"And I add," said the major, "that the
Chinese government has done wisely in
sending an escort of twenty well armed
men. From Kothan to Lan Tcheou the
trains will have two thousand kilometers
to traverse through the desert, and the
- safety of the line is not as great as it
might be across the Gobi."
"All the more so, major, as the re
' doubtable Ki-Tsang has been reported
In the northern provinces." '
. "Quite so, and a haul of fifteen mill
ions U worth having by a bandit chief.
"But how could the chief be informed
of the treasure being sent?"
"That sort of people always know
l.,tl.l.l..lMt. ..Hl,t..t..i.,i..t.l;,,i.,t,...1..tt.j,,t,li,ll .1. .1.1.1,1. .I..H..I..1,
orrespoDeit
what it Is their Interest to know."
Yes." thought I, "although they do
not read the Twentieth Century."
Meanwhile, different opinions were be
ing exchanged on the gangways. Some
would rather travel with the millions
than carry a corpse along with them,
even though it was that of a first-class
mandarin. Others considered the carry
ing of the treasure a danger to the pas
sengers. And that was the opinion of
Baron Weissschnitzerdorfer, in a furious
attack on Popof.
"You ought to have told us about it.
sir you ought to have told us about
it! Those millions are known to be in
the train, and they will tempt people to
attack us. And an attack, even if repuls
ed, will mean delay, and delay I will not
submit to. No, sir, I will not!"
No one will attack us," replied Popof.
"No one will dream of doing it."
'And how do you know that how do
you know that?" 1
Be calm, pray.
"I will not be calm; and if there is a
delay I will hold the company responsi
ble." That is understood; -a hundred thou
sand florins damages to Monsieur le Bar
on Tour de Monde.
Let us pass to the other passengers.
Ephrinell looked at the matter, of course,
from a very practical point of view.
"There can be no doubt that our risks
have been greatly Increased by this treas
ure, and in case of accident on account
of it the Life Travelers' Society, in
which I am insured, will, I expect, re
fuse to pay, so that the Grand Trans-
asiatic Company will have all the re
sponsibility.
"Of course," said Miss Bluett; "and
if they had not found the missing van
the company would have been in a seri
ous difficulty with China. Would it not,
Fulk?"
"Exactly, Hbratia."
Horatia and Fulk nothing less! The
Anglo-American couple were right, the
enormous Joss would have had to be
borne by the Grand Transasiatic, for the
company must have known they were
carrying a treasure and not a corpse,
and thereby they were responsible.
As to the Caternas, the millions roll
ing behind did not seem to trouble them.
The only reflection they inspired was.
Ah! Caroline, what a splendid theater
we might build with all that money!
But the best thing was said by the
Rev. Nathaniel Morse, who had joined
the train at Kachgar.
It is never comfortable to be drag
ging a powder magazine after oue.
Nothing could be truer, and this van,
with its imperial treasure, was a pow
der magazine that might blow np our
train.
CHAPTER XX.
The first railway was opened in China
about 1877, and ran from Shanghai to
Fou-Tcheou. The Grand Transasiatic
followed very closely the Russian road
proposed in 1874 by Tashkend, Kouldja,
Kami, Lan Tcheou, Singan, and Shang
hai. This railway did not run through
the populous central provinces, which
can be compared to vast and humming
hives of bees, and extraordinarily pro
lific bees. . As nearly as possible it forms
a straight line to Sou-Tcheou before
curving off to Lan Tcheou; it reaches
cities by the branches it gives out to the
south and southeast.
Since we left Kothan, we have covered
a hundred and fifty kilometers in four
hours. It is not a high rate of speed,
but we cannot expect on this part of the
Transasiatic the same rate of traveling
we experienced on the Transcaspian,
Either the Chinese engineers are not so
fast, or, thanks to their natural indo
lence, the engine drivers imagine that
from thirty to- forty miles an hour is the
maximum that can be obtained on the
railways of the Celestial Empire.
At - o clock in the afternoon we were
at another station, Nia, where General
Pevtsoff established a meteorological ob
servatory. Here we stopped only twenty
minutes. I had time to lay . in a few
provisions at the bar. For whom they
were mtended you can imagine.
The passengers we picked up were only
Chinese, men and women. There were
only a few for the first class and these I-
UU1J WtSUL BUUll JUUAlltSJ'B.
We had not started a quarter of an
hour, when Ephrinell, with the serious
manner of a merchant intent on some
business, came up to me on the gang
way.
Monsieur . Bombarnac." he said. "I
have to ask a favor of you.
Only too happy, I can assure you.'
said 1. "wnat is it about?"
I want you to be a witness. I am go
ing to marry Miss Bluett
"Marry her?" -
"Yes. A treasure of a woman, well ac
quainted with business matters, holding
a splendid commission-
My compliments, Mr. Ephrinell! You
can count on me.
And, probably, on Monsieur Cater-
nar " - .
He would like nothing better, and If
there is a .wedding breakfast he will
sing at your dessert "
"As much as he pleases, replied the
American.
"Then it Is to be "
"Here." -"In
the train?" -"In
the train."
"But to be married you require "
"An American minister, and we have
the Rev. Nathaniel Morse."
"Bravo,- Mr. Ephrinell I A wedding In
a train will be delightful."
It needs not be said that the commw
cials were of full age, and free to dis
pose of themselves to enter into mar
riage before a clergyman and without
any , of the fastidious preliminaries re
quired In France and other formallstio
countries. Is this an advantage or other
wise? The American thinks It is for the
best and, as Cooper says, -the best at
home is the best everywhere.'
It is too late for the ceremony to take
place to-day. - Ephrinell understood that
certain conventionalities must be com
plied with. The celebration could -take
place in the morning. The passengers
could all be invited, and Faruskair might
be prevailed on to honor the affair with
his presence.
During dinner we talked of nothing
too. After congratulating the ; happy
couple, who replied with true Anglo
Saxon grace, we all promised to sign the
marriago contract.
"And we will do honor to your signa
tures," said Ephrinell, in the tone of a
tradesman accepting a bilL .
The night came, and we retired, to
dream of the marriage festivities of the
morrow. I took my usual stroll Into the
car occupied by the Chinese soldiers, and
found the treasure of the Son of Heaven
faithfully guarded. Half the detach
ment were awake and half were asleep.
About 1 o'clock In the morning I visit
ed Kinko, and handed him over my pur
chase at Nia. He anticipated no further
obstacles; he would reach port safely,
after all.
I am getting quite fat -in this box,"
he told me.
I told him about the Ephrinell-Blnett
marriage, and how the union was to be
celebrated next morning with great
pomp. -
"Ah!" said he with a sigh. "They
are not obliged to wait until they reach
Pekin." - .
"Quite so, Kinko: but it seems to me
that a marriage under such conditions is
not likely to be lasting. But after all,
that is the couple's lookout"
At 3 o clock In the morning we stop
ped forty minutes at Tchertchen, almost
at the foot of the ramifications of the
Kuen Lun. None of us had seen this
miserable, desolate country, treeless and
verd tireless, which the railway was now
viubbiuh uu us ruau lu me uorxueaBU
Day came; our train ran the four hun
dred kilometers between Tchertchen and
Tcharkalyk while the sun caressed with
Its rays the immense plain glittering in
its saline efflorescence.
(To be continued.) .
RUG MADE OF HUMAN SCALPS.
Beventj -seven Uvea the Coat of One
Possessed by Iowa Indian.
A rug which took seventy-seven
lives In the making is owned by an
Iowa Indian living in Stroud, O. T
says the Dallas News. It is 150 years
old and - consists of seventy-seven
scalps torn from the heads of as many
human beings. -The rug, which is
barely five feet square, is of many
hues, for the scalps are red, gray,
black, white, brown and auburn.
They belonged to peaceful people, too,
and are said to have been taken by
special command of the Great Spirit
from the finest specimens of men, wo
men and children belonging to the
white, red and negro races.
As soon as the scalps-were secured
they were sewn together and the rug
was from that time regarded, as the
remedy for all trouble. When an In
dian was taken sick he was laid on
this rug and if be did not recover his
spirit was assured of a pleasant jour
ney to the happy bunting ground.
This remarkable creation can be
seen only once a year. . . .
At the annual wild-onion feast.
which comes on April 1, the Iowa In
dians make the rug play an Import
ant part. The onion is freely used,
the Indians saturating themselves
from head to foot with the juice. This
was their successful way of driving
awaythe evil spirits.
A prayer rug belonging to the shah
of Persia is another valuable mat
Though barely two feet square, its
design is most elaborate. It Is work
ed throughout in precious stones and
the effect Is dazzling. The ground is
formed of rose diamonds and in the
center is a large bird, whose neck is
made of amethysts and Its body of
rubles. The vines, which form a net
work, through which the bird may
be seen as through a cage, are made
of emeralds, while the bands which
connect the stones are of seed pearl.
The floral emblem of Persia is worked
out . in blue, yellow and pink stones,
this design being known as the Mina
Khanl design. .
It is difficult to determine even the
approximate value of this small rug,
but It has been estimated that if it
were sold the proceeds placed at 5 per
cent Interest would bring in an Income
of at least $250,000 per annum.
A STORY OF TWO PAINTERS,
Did Van Byok and Hals Really Paint
Each Other's Portrait ;
There Is a . story related by Hou
braken, which may or may not be true,
tnat Van Dyck, passing through Haar
lem, where Hals lived, sent a mes
senger to seek him out and tell him
that a stranger wished to see him,
and on Hals putting In an appearance
asked him to -paint his portrait add
ing, however, that he had only two
hours to spare for the sitting. Hals
finished the portrait in that . time,
whereupon his sitter, observing that
it seemed an easy matter to paint a
portrait requested that he be allowed
to try to paint the artist Hals soon
recognized that his vistpr was well
skilled in the materials he was using.
Great, however,- was his surprise
when he beheld the performance. He
immediately embraced the stranger, at
the same time.crying: "You are Van
Dyck! No one but he could do what
you have Just now done!"
Assuming the stjory to be true, bow
Interesting It would be if the two
portraits existed, that one might 'see
what Frans Hals, accustomed to the
heavier type of the Dutch burghers,
made of the delicately denned features
of Van Dyck, and how the latter, who
always gave an air of aristocratic ele
gance to his portraits, acquitted him
self with the bluff, jovial, Hans, who
was as 'much at home in a tavern as
in a studio. , For no two men could
be more different, both in their points
of view and in their methods,sthough
they were alike In this one particular
that each was a most facile and
skillful painter. St Nicholas.
Abont the Size of It.
"Say, paw," queried little Johnny
Bumpernickie, vnat aoes a paper
mean when It ' says that -further com
ment Is unnecessary?"
"It usually means," my son. that
the writer doesn't know what else to
ut." answered the old centlenun.
CASABIANCA'S CELEBRATION.
The boy stood on the burning pores
Whence all had mad a scoot;
A Roman caudle in his hand
Was jast about to shoot.
A frazzled plnwheel at his side
Was all that staid to tell -How
father, minus half his hide.
Had flea with grievous yen.
A basted bomb apon the floor.
Some remnants of a hat,
Sospender buttons three or four
Tint was where grandpa sat. .
An isle of safety on the lawn.
Where still the grass was green.
Harked where his sister dear had gone
To ruD on vaseline.
Anon the smoke rose from the yard.
And then, through one small rut.
We saw where mother, scorched
and
scarred,
A smelling bottle sniffed. .
Aad at the gats stood Uncle Bill
In fragments of his pants.
Demanding in his accents shrill:
aena as an amoniancej
The boy, as we remarked at first,
A Koman canaie neia.
He struck a match and lit the fnse;
This la the last!" be yelled.
The Soman candle flnled and flared
The balls flew far and wide.
His relatives, all badly scared.
Once more essay ea to niae.
Alas! Bra shelter they could find.
The airerul aeea was done;
He whirled the candle all about
And pinked them every one.
In pain they limped np to the porch
Thev creDt from hash and shruo.
And each Implored In husky tones:
' uet . me get at tnat cum
There came a Jtrarst of thunder sound.
The bor O. where was he?
By turns he was sent on a round
Tnat lea irom Knee to Knee.
Chicago Record-Herald.
M GRIDUY'S CELEBRATION
M'"Mti'i i uu i it-
ACK GRIDLEY crawled through
a hole in the fence back of his
home and cautiously tiptoed toward
the house. The sun was higher than
Jack had Intended it should be when he
returned; when he had slipped out of the
back door, just before midnight, with
two big cannon crackers and his pockets
full of smaller ones, and had joined Bill
Ainsley? to set the church bell wildly
ringing, on the stroke of 12, in joyous
time-honored salutation to the glorious
Fourth, he had planned to be back in
his room and in bed before the sun rose.
But the noisy hours had fled and now it
was broad day.'
A rooster crowed on a neighboring
farm, and from the henhouse back of
him the old Buff Cochin answered long
and clear. Buff was Miss Ann's alarm
clock, and beads of anxiety stood out on
Jack's face as he cautiously but hur
riedly lifted the latch of the back door.
Why didn't it open? He had left it un
locked when he stole out in the night
and now he gave a reckless, desperate
tug, but the door yielded not one whit
Could he have carelessly left the hook so
that it fell back in place with the Jar
of closing? He must have. Jack glanc
ed uneasily towards Miss Ann's bed
room, then slipped off his shoes, climbed
to the low shed at the back, ran swiftly
and noiselessly across the roof, and
reaching up to the window sill of his
room pulled himself up, and with a sigh
of relief dropped inside. Thank heaven.
he had left that window wide open.
He was none too soon, for even as he
slipped his jacket off preparatory to
jumping into bed, Miss Ann's thin,
cracked voice rang up the narrow stair
way: "Jack, you can get up now!"
"Yes'm,"- was the meek reply. Waiting
such length of time as would naturally
elapse during the" process of dressing,
Jack filled his pockets with the remain
der of his crackers and presented himself
in the kitchen. Jack Gridley was moth
erless, and his father,' a commercial trav
eler, had found a home for the boy with
Miss Ann Hobart -
"Good morning," said .Miss Ann, as
Jack entered the kitchen. "Good morn
ing," he replied as he hurried toward
the woodshed for an armful of wood.
Breakfast was ready when he returned.
and there had been no opportunity to fire
a cracker. "
"John," said Miss Ann, helping him
to a second dish of oatmeal, "if 1 were
you I would save those two largest
crackers for this evening, to close the
day with." "Yes'm," said Jack.
Now, suppose," continued Miss Ann,
"that you' give them to me for safe keep
ing; I am afraid the temptation to fire
them will be too great otherwise." Jack
grew red in the face, and hastily gulped
down a glass of milk. - "Can t they re
busted," he said.
"You mean they are broken. But you
haven't told me how you broke them.
continued Miss Ann, sweetly. "I I I
fired 'em!" Jack blurted the truth out
manfully. "John Gridley! what do you
mean? AH the sweetness - was gone
from Miss Ann now. "You haven't fired
a cracker since you rose this morning.
Now, when did you fire those big ones?
Tell me the truth instantly I" .
"Last night" said Jack, feebly. "At
what time last night?" "j don't know
jes' what time," was the weak reply.
"John Gridley, you look me In the face
and. tell me what time you left this
house." The jig was up and Jack knew
It "Well, if you must know, It was
a few minutes of 12," he 'said.
"Hand me those crackers, every one
you've got Now, John Gridley, don't
you stir foot outside of the yard this
day. Now go out to the woodpile and
saw until I tell you to stop.",
Poor Jack! He wouldn't give Miss
Ann the satisfaction of knowing how
bad he felt but when his stint of wood
was finished, he fled to the barn and up
in a dark corner of the hawmow he had
his cry out with "only the sympathetic
whinny of old Nell in the stall below,
for comfort All the morning he had
heard the pop, pop, pop of crackers, and
later the circus band, as the procession
paraded the streets; he had even caught
just a glimpse of the parade as It enter
ed The tent for the circus had pitched
not far from "Miss Ann's, house. This
was the first circus in Easthampton for
years, and Jack had set his heart on
going.' Miss Ann strongly disapproved
of circuses, but Jack had written to his
father and obtained consent -providing
he was a good boy, and now Jack wept
afresh. Most of all he wanted to see
1he elePhant (it was a small circus and
n DUt one 01 tne nue pacnyaermsj
About 8 o'clock Miss Ann relented to
ITAN OP '76 REAPPEARS
"Great Washington!" He said: "If we
have affrighted and beaten the British!"
the extent-of allowing him to have his
crackers, and in the noise of these he
tried to drown out the noise of the circus
band that floated out from the big dingy
canvas so near and yet so far. Sudden
ly it flashed into his head that he might
send up crackers on his kite. Why not?
He had read of a camera being sent up
to take photographs, and if a camera
could go, crackers could. Jack set to
work at once to put his idea into execu
tion. A long fuse was made and attach
ed to the crackers. Near the crackers a
string was tied to the fuse, and this in
turn was tied to a bit of wire on the
kite string near the kite, which had been
pulled in. The free end of the fuse was
lighted, the kite set free, and Jack watch
ed the tiny sputtering sparks sail up
Into the air. When the fire reached the
string it burned it off, setting free the
crackers which exploded a second later
in midair. '
Finally Jack took the bigest cracker
that he had, one he had been saving for
a grand climax, made an extra long fnse,
attached -It in the usual way and then
gave the kite all the string he had. Up,
np, up she sailed until she floated fairly
over the circus tents. Then Jack saw
the tiny speck of a .cracker drop. and.
watching it speed downward without ex
ploding, he muttered to himself in dis
appointment 'Why didn't I keep it and
fire it on the ground where I could make
it go anyhow?" But Jack had simply
miscalculated and had allowed too much
fuse between the cracker and string for
an explosion high in air. Just after the
tiny speck vanished behind one of the
smaller tents, Jack heard it explode, fol
lowed instantly by a scream that made
Jack's hair rise. Out from behind the
tent shot a huge black beast tearing
across the fields with awkward, lumber
ing strides, but wonderfully fast It
was the elephant! With trunk thrown
up and back of its head, and trumpeting
shrilly,- it made straight toward Jack,
smashing down the rail fences in its path
as If they were straws, his keeper in full
pursuit hopelessly distanced. From the
big tent began to pour out a strange
motley crowd of townspeople, painted
clowns and scantily dressed bareback
riders to see what had happened. For a
moment Jack, too frightened to move,
watched tie huge beast bearing down
upon him, then he fled for the hayloft
in the barn, and through a crack watch
ed the mad race. Straight on came the
elephant nor did he stop for an Instant
at Miss Ann's nice picket - fence; it
crashed down as had the rails before it
Then the runaawy caught sight of the
big, wide-open barn doors (Miss Ann had
told. Jack to close them that afternoon)
and Drobably seeing safety in the dark
recesses of the barn, rushed in, where he
stood trumpeting and trembling .with
fright A few minutes later Jack heard
the keeper close the doors and say to
the crowd coming up, that he would shut
the elephant In for awhile until he had
calmed down. Then the keeper told how
someone, he didn't know who, had
thrown a cracker In front of the big
beast just as the latter was drinking,
and the runaway had resulted.
Meantime Jack was In an. unhappy
predicament and retreated to a far cor
ner of the mow, the cold chills chasing
each other down his back as he heard
the heavy breathing of the elephant be
low. Gradually the elephant grew quiet
er and Jack's courage began to come
back. . He could hear old Nell whinnying
with fright and stamping uneasily in her
stall. Curiosity got the better of him
and he wanted to see what was going on
below. Cautiously, inch by inch, he
crept to the edge-of the mow." In the
dim light he could see the back of the
elephant not two feet below him. The
animal was quiet now. - Presently he
noticed the long trunk feeling along the
edge of the mow and examining the new
quarters, so he beat a retreat once more.
The new hay was not yet in, and the
small amount of old hay left was at the
back of the mow. A rustling on the
edge of It caught his attention and he
made out the elephant s. trunk stretch
ing - for the hay, which it could not
reach. Cautiously he held out a wisp.
It was taken and the trunk disappeared.
A minute later it was back again. So
Jack continued to feed the elephant
and growing bolder, crawled to the edge
again, having a bundle of hay In his
hands. This time the elephant saw him,
and before he could retreat the big
trunk had caught him and-deftly, but
gently, lifted him down. The hay he
still held,. and timidly offering it it was
promptly accepted. -, '
A few minutes later the keeper opened
the doors, to find to his astonishment his
big charge and a small boy on the best
of terms, and when the elephant was or
dered out he refused to move without
Jack. "Pick him np, Mike," ordered the
ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
had these toys in.our time how we could
keeper, so, gently, the elephant placed
Jack on his back and the procession
started for the circus tents once more.
Jack the envy of all the boys in the
village, and Miss Ann realizing her help
lessness in the situation.
The show management settled for the
broken fences, but Miss Ann still retains
her prejudice against clrcusses. As for
Jack, to this day no one knows who
dropped the cracker in front of Mike.
Jack looks back to that Fourth, when "
the circus came to him, because he could
not go to it as the greatest celebration
he ever had. Orange Judd Farmer.
BALLAST.
Uncle Sam's" Fourth of July ascension,
Old Glory's Birthday.
Hark I the boys arc coming!
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat !
The drummers are bravely drumming,
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat 1
While over their heads, go where they may.
wiu ever Ola (ilory go.
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat I
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tatl
And over their heads, go where they may.
- win ever uia uiory go.
Listen! the drams are nearlng,
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat I
And wilder the boys are cheering,
.-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat 1
So fill your .pockets with crackers.
Bring out a horn and a gun.
And Join In the shouting chorus;
Add to the noise and the fun!
A-rat-a-tat-tat,a-tat-tt!
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tatl
Come, join In the shouting chorus,
. Add to the noise and fun.
I "Tig the same, sweet old, old story.
A-m t-a-iui-iHL-a-iai-LULi
Of the birthday of Old Glory,
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat! , "
And a hundred years In passing, - .
Have made more precious the starry turn
That tyranny Is dead.
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tat!
A-rat-a-tat-tat-a-tat-tatl
Have made more precious the starry sign
Tit tyranny, la dead.
Bobby's Nightmare.
Pleases All.
The Fourth once more Is bringing Joy
To the firecracker maker;
It tickles the heart of the little boy,
The doctor and undertaker.
New York Sua.