The Firm of
irfelone
CHAPTER XXV. (Continued.)
By evening the gale was at its height.
The Black Eagle was running under
inaintopsail nml foretoptnast sta.vsail. The
ecu had risen very quickly, as it will
when the wind comes upon a swell. As
far as the eye could see frm the summit
of n wave there was a vista of dark tow
ring ridges with their threatening crests
of foam. When -the barque sank in the
hollow these gloaming summits rose ns
ltijdi as her mainyaril. and the two fugi
tives. cl'niriiiJ: to the weather-shrouds,
looked up in terror and amazement at the
masses of water which hung above them.
Once or twice waves actually broke over
the vessel, crashing and roaring down
the deck, and washing hither and thiiher
until gradually absorbed between the
plunks or drained away through the scup
per hides. On each of these occasions
the poor rotten vessel would lurch and
shiver in every plank, as if with a fore
knowledge of its fate.
The carpenter came aft, balancing him
self as ber-t he could, for the deck was
only a few degrees off the perpendicular.
"The leak is gainin' fast," he said.
"The hands are clean done up. There's
'and on the starboard bow."
"K'ep your heart up!" Miggs shouted,
and then crawled along to the Girdle
stones. "There's no hope for the ship,
but we may save ourselves." he said.
"You'll have to take your turn at the
pumps."
"He's not fit to command," said Ezra
to the mate. "What would you advise':"
"We'll bring her round and lower the
boats on the lee side. They may live or
no, but it's the only chance for us. Them
two boats will hold us a' easy."
The ship was s-itling down in the
water so fast that it was no difficult mat
ter to let the boats down. They only
Lung a few feet above the surface. The
majority of the crew got safely into the
long boat, and the two Girdlestones with
Miggs and four seamen, occupied the gig.
The sun was shining on the rugged preci
pices, showing out the green turf upon
their summit and a little dark group of
peasants, who were watching the scene
from above, but making no effort to as
sist the castaways. There was no alter
native but to row straight in for the near
est point of land, for the boats were fill
ing, and might go down at any moment.
"The ship's gone !" Ezra said, as they
rose on the summit of a wave. When
they came up again all looked round, but
there was no sign of the ill-fated Black
Eagle.
As he spoke a great wave hurled the
boat in upon its broad bosom, and flung it
down upon the cruel jagged rocks, which
bristled from the base of the cliff. There
was a horrible rending crash, and the
stout keel snapped asunder, while a sec
ond wave swept over it, tearing out the
struggling occupants, and bearing them
on, only to hurl them Uxn a second ridge
beyond. The peasants upon the cliff gave
piteous cries of grief and pity, which
blended with the agonized groans and
screams of drowning men and the thunder
of the pitiless surge. Looking down they
could see the black dots, which indicated
the heads of the poor wretches below, di
minishing one by one as they were hurled
upon the rocks or dragged down by the
undercurrent.
Ezra was a strong swimmer, but when
he had shaken himself free of the boat,
and kicked away a seaman who clung to
him, he made no attempt to strike out.
He knew that the waves would bear him
quickly enough on to the rocks, and he
reserved himself for the struggle with
thm. A great roller came surging over
the outlying reef. It carried him in like
B feather and hurled him up against the
face of the cliff. As he struggled upon its
crest, he mechanically put otit his hands
and seized a projecting portion of the
rock. The shock of the contact was tre
mendous, but he retaiucd his grasp and
found himself, when the wave receded,
standing battered and breathless- upon a
small niche in the front of the rock which
just gave him foothold. It was a marvel
ous escape, for looking on either side
he could not see any break in the sheer
declivity.
He was by r.o means safe as yet. If a
wave had landed him there, another might
come as high and drag him away. Look
ing down, he saw one or two smaller ones
break into spray far below him. and then
a second great green billow came rolling
majestically towards him. lie eyed it as
it came foaming in. and calculated that it
would come at least as high as his knees.
A"ould it drag him back with it. or could
lie hold bis nv.n'! He braced himself as
firmly as he couM pht'-i-ig his feet npart.
r nd diggii g
of the rick
th ri. T!
end i.e f '
WIS Ce
b'-av i
I.o. ! '
do
vt .
t hen
V. y :
f
lie ST-:-
E en
jour:'.' mi
fa; h-r's. A
and then tl.e
vrls iut : the ineijualit ies
! ',. !;'.. wl gushed from
I up upon him,
'rue munler
he lipid on
''creased,
s'nking
iv wave
; r.nd
i. -.raters
it up. and
t.'io.i which
;i;;"nred the
tl.-- bund was his
followed the first,
chant's face was up
,11 tie'
lift ed from the waves. He was cruelly
bruised and battered, and his clothes had
been partly torn away. lie recognized
his son, however, and looked up at him
beseechingly, while he belli on with all
bis strength to the ledge of rock. So
email was the space that his clinging fin
gers touched Ezra's toes.
"Tbere'i no room here," the young man
aid. brutally. "Hardly room for ona."
i
4 BY t
- t
3 A. CONAN DOYLE L
The merchant was hanging with the lower
portion of his body in the water. It was
but a few instants, but the old man had
time to think of many an incident in his
past life. He looked up appealing!)- at his
son. Ezra saw that the next wave would
lift him right up on to the ledge. In that
case he might be hustled off.
"Leave go!" he cried.
"Help me, Ezra!"
His son brought down his heavy heel
upon the bloodless hands. The old Afri
can trader gave a wild shriek and fell
back into the sea. Looking down, Ezra
saw his despairing face gazing at him
through the water. Slowly it sank until
it was but a flickering white patch far
down in the green depths. At the same
instant a thick rope came dangling down
the face of the cliff, and the young man
knew that he was saved.
CHATTER XXVI.
Great was the excitement of the worthy
couple at Phillimore Gardens when Kate
Harston was brought back to them. Good
.Mrs. Dimsdale pressed her to her boson)
and kissed her and scolded her and wept
over her, while the doctor was so moved
that it was only by assuming an expres
sion of portentous severity and by bellow
ing and stamping about that he was able
to keep himself in decent control.
"And you really thought we had forgot
ten you because we were insane enough to
stop writing at that villain's request':" he
said, patting Kate's pale cheeks tenderly,
and kissing her.
"I was very foolish," she said, blushing
prettily and rearranging her hair, which
hud been somewhat tumbled by her nu
merous caresses.
"Oh, that scoundrel that pair of
scoundrels!" roared the doctor, shaking
hia list and dancing about on the hearth
rug. "I'ray heaven they may catch 'em
before the trial comes off!"
The good physician's prayer was not
"answered in this case, for Hurt was the
only criminal who appeared in the dock.
Our friends all went down to the Win
chester Assizes to give evidence, and the
navvy was duly convicted of the death of
Rebecca Taylforth and condemned to
death. He was executed some three weeks
afterwards, dying as he had lived, stolid
and unrepentiug.
There is a little unpretending church
not far from Phillimore Gardens, in
which a little unpretending clergyman
preaches every Sunday out of a very
shabby pulpit. It lies in Castle lane,
which is a narrow by-way, and the great
crowd of church goers ebbs and flows
within a hundred yards of it, but none
know of its existence, for it has never
risen to the dignity of a spire, and the
bill is so very diminutive that the average-
muffin man produces quite as much
noise. Hence, with the exception of some
few families who have chanced to find
their way there, and have been so pleased
with their spiritual welcome that they
have returned, there is a poor and fluctu
ating congregation. So scanty is it that
the struggling incumbent could very well
weep when he has spent the week in pol
ishing and strengthening his sermon, and
then finds upon the Sunday how very
scanty is the audience to whom it is to be
addressed.
Imagine, then, this good man's surprise
when asked to publish the bands of mar
riage of two couples simultaneously, each
of whom he knew to be in the upper cir
cles of life, and when informed at the
same time that the said marriages were
actually to be celebrated under his own
auspices and in his own church. In the
fullness of his heart he at once bought
a most unwearable black bonnet with
lilac flowers and red berries, which he
brought in triumph to his wife, who, good
woman, affected extreme delight, and af
terwards cut away all the obnoxious fin
ery and replaced it to her own taste. The
sianty congregation was no less surprised
when they heard that Tobias Clutterbuck,
bachelor, was about to marry Lavinia
Siully. widow, and that Thomas Dims
dale was to do as much to Catherine
Harston, spinster. They communicated
the tidings to their friends, and the result
was a great advertisement to the little
church, so that the incumbent preached
his favorite sermon upon barren fig trees
to a crowded audience, and received such
an offertory as had never entered into his
wildest dreams.
And if this was an advertisement to the
Castle lane church, how much more so
was it when the very pompous carriages
came rolling up with their very pompous
drivers, all of whom, being, married men,
had a depreciatory and weary expression
upon their faces, to show that they had
done it all before and that it was noth
ing new to them. Out of one carriage
there jumped a very jaunty gentleman,
somewhat past the middle age and a little
inclined to stoutness, but looking very
healthy and rosy nevertheless. Beside
him there walked a tall, tawny-bearded
man, who glanced solicitously every now
and again at his companion, as though he
were the bottle-holder at a prize fight, and
feared that his man might collapse at a
moment's notice. From a second carriage
there emerged an athletic, brown-faced
young fellow accompanied by a small wiz
ened gentleman in spotless attire, who
was in such a state of nervousness that
he dropped his lavender glove twice on
his way up the aisle. These gentlemen
grouped themselves at the end of the
church conversing in low whispers and
looking exceedingly uncomfortable, as is
the prerogative of the sterner sex under
such circumstances. Mr. Gilray. who was
Tom's best man, was introduced to Herr
Von Baumser. and everyone was very af
fable and nervous.
Now there comes a rustling of drapery,
and every one turns their heads as the
brides sweep up to the altar. Here is
Mrs. Scully, looking quite as charming as
she did fifteen years ago on the last occa
sion when she performed the ceremony.
She was dressed in a French-grey gown
with bonnet to match, and the neatest
little bouquet in the world, for which
the major had ransacked Covent Garden.
Behind her came bonny Kate, a very vis
ion of loveliness in her fairy-like lace
and beautiful ivory satin. Her dark
lashes drooped over her violet eyes and a
slight flush tinged her cheeks, but she
glided steadily into her place and did her
share in the responses when the earnest
little clergyman appeared upon the scene.
There was Ir. Dimsdale, too, with the
biifjitest of smiles and snowiest of waist
coats, giving away the brides in the most
open-handed fashion. His wife, too, waa
by bis side in tears and purple velvet,
and many other friends and relations, in
cluding the two socialists, who cam at
the major's invitation, ana pcainea on ev
ery one out of a side pew.
Then there was the signing of the regis
ters, and such a kissing and a weeping
and a distributing of , fees ns never waa
seen in Castle-lane church before. And
Mrs. Pimsdale, as one of the witnesses,
would insist upon writing her name in
the space reserved for the bride, on which
there were many small jokes passed, and
much laughter. Thou the wheezy old or
gan struck up Mendelssohn's wedding
march, and the major puffed out his chest
and stumped down the aisle with his
bride, whilu Tom followed with his, look
ing round with proud and happy eyes.
The carriages rolled up, there was a slam
ming of doors and a cracking of whips,
and two more couples had started hand
in hand down the long road of life which
leads who shall say whither?
Hie breakfast was at Phillimore Gar
dens, and a very glorious breakfast it was.
Those who were present still talk of the
manner in which the health of the brides
was proposed by Dr. Dimsdale, and of
the enthusiasm with which the toast was
received by the company. Also of the
flowery address in which the major re
turned thanks for the said toast, and the
manly demeanor of the younger man as
he followed suit. They speak, too. of
many other pleasant things said and done
upon that occasion. How Von Baumser
proposed the health of the little incum
bent, and the little Incumbent that of Dr.
Dimsdale, and the doctor drank to the
unpronounceable Russian, who, being un
able to reply, sang a revolutionary song
which no one could understand. ery
happy and very hearty was everyone by
the time that the hour came at which the
carriages were ordered, when, amid a pat
tering of rice and a chorus of heartfelt
good wishes, the happy couples drove on
upon their travels.
The liabilities of the firm of Girdle
stone proved to be less serious than was
at first imagined. After the catastrophe
which had befallen the founder of the
business, there was almost a panic in
Fenehurch street, but on examination it
proved that though the books had been
deliberately falsified for some time, yet
trade had been so brisk of late that, with
a little help, the firm could continue to
exist. Dimsdale threw all his money and
his energy into the matter, and took Gil
ray into partnership, which proved to be
an excellent thing for both of them. The
firm of Dimsdale & Gilray is now among
the most successful and popular of all
the English firms connected with the Af
rican trade. Of their captains there is
none upon whom they place greater reli
ance than upon McPherson, whose boat
was providentially saved from the danger
which destroyed his former captain and
his employer.
What became of Ezra Girdlestone was
never known. Some years after Tom
heard from a commercial traveler of a
melancholy, broken man who haunted the
low betting houses of San Francisco, and
who met his death eventually in some
drunken fracas. There was much about
this desperado which tallied with the de
scriution of young Girdlestone, but noth
ing certain was ever known about the
matter.
And now I must bid adieu to the com-
pany with whom I have walked so long.
I see them going on down the vista or tne
t... ,nm n,1 hnnniness
lining, nniur....s ...v....
as thev go. There is the major, as siud-
l... . 1 riTn.hi.iiaGtfiit n u prpr hrOK-
3 . 1 s , . ... hnt
en from many of his Bohemian wajs. out (
still full of anecdote and of kindliness.
There is his henchman, Von Baumser, too, I
inere is nis uem.ii , nh.
who is a constant diner at his hospitable,
bf.nrd. nnd who convevs so many sweets I
to a young Clutterbuck who has made his
appearance, that one might suspect him
of receiving a commission trom tne iauui.v
doctor. Mrs. Clutterbuck, as buxom and
nleasant as ever, makes noble efforts at
stopping these contraband supplies, but
the wily Teuton still manages to smuggle
them" through in the face of every obsta
cle. I see Kate and her husband, chast
ened bv their many troubles, and making
,
the road to the grave pleasant to the good
oi l couple who are so proud of their son.
All mese I uicn i.s ii.e.v aa,
the dim coming time, and 1 know as Lj
shut the book that, whatever may be in
store
IOr US mere, ,,, irral, van
never in the eternal justice of thing
come to aught but good.
(The End. )
Prenmtore Obituaries.
One of the trnditions of the office of
the New York Herald has to do with an
editor who was a great upholder of the
infallibility of his paper. It simply
couldn't make a mistake.
A flustered citizen once burst into bis
oflice nnd bustled up to the editorial
desk. "See here !' he demanded. "This
obituary notice. It's all wrong!"
"What's wrong about it?' asked the
editor In calm confidence.
"Why, ifs about me. I'm not dead!'
'If the Hera hi says you're dead,"
sternly replied the editor, "you're dead.
But," he added magnanimously, "if you
don't like being dead, we'll print your
birth notice."
His attitude was rathr-r different
from thiit of another editor, who, on
being shown by t! man most interested
that the death of the complainant was
falsely reported, apologized profusely
and offered to lnnke it all right.
"We'll prUit a correction at once," he
said.
"Well." said the man who wnsn t
dead "perhaps It would be better to let i
it stand. I'll show it to ,y friends
when they want to borrow money.
Woman's Home Companion.
Alnny ;et!init Stark.
Stubb What is Coggwood doing
since he bought his new automobile?
I'enn Following the horses.
Stubb All. playing the races, eh?
I'enn No, following the farm horses
that tow his machine to town every
time It breaks down.
The Virtue of Brevity.
Kwoter Too many words, of course,
are wearisome. Brevity Is the soul of
wit
Wise (with a yawn) Not always,
bet in any event It Is always commend'
able Philadelphia Press.
Those who Jump at conclusions often
take a tumble.
1 il '
JES' PLAIN TORPEDOES.
rhe g00(J od Fourth., a-coniln' the best
aay m the year,
And little chap, get anxlous-ltk.
Tbey ulk of nreerackers and they dream
about the noise.
The dear old Fourth was certainly Je.
t m(
made fer little boys.
Blll'i
got a great big cannon,
with fuse
you have to light,
And lots of great hlg cracker, that", filled
w)th ,fvnamlte".
But I'm a little teller alnt' have as old
as he,
And I guess that plain torpedoes will have
.
Pa says that giant crackers ain't fit fer
ITft.g gore oVaiV'toy pistoi8 and hates these
paper caps.
, Ha don't Intend his children ghall ever cele-
in a I o
By blowing oil their nnger. he says they'll
nave to wait.
"You're nothln' hut a baby," my father
savs "as vet.
And your daddy can't quite spare you ; he
needs you hail, you net.
Bill's got some glamt crackers? Well, that
i ... .
1 hliuw is irnr,
But j BUess tnat pan torpedoes will have
to do ter you.
u.g hnrfJ tQ hav(, bg ,,rothprg gn,j watch
rhem at ti,lr ltiiyi
And jes' to he a little chap and sort o' in
. ,. -,,. ,,, vml v,ln .,. An
thus and so,
Because you're Jes, a little chap not old
enough, you know.
but ma, she sees I'm tearful, so she takes
me In hr lap
And says, "Why, what's the matter? You're
cryln , little chap.
Then, a. she bends to ktsa me, I'm brave
J eue8tVtaln torpedoes are good enough
for me !
Louis E. Thayer, In Woman'. Home Com
panlon.
OLD GLORY.
A Salem Skipper Credited with Giv
ing the Flair Thla Name.
HAT the American
flag was named Old
Glory in ISM bv a
Salem (Mass.) skip
per named William
Driver is asserted
by the Boston Globe.
He was at that time
captain of the brig
Charles Doggett.
Captain Driver, a
successful deep sea
sailor, was prepar
ing to shape the
brig's course to the southern Pacific.
Just before the brig left Salem a young
man at the head of a party of friends
saluted Captain Driver on the deck of
the Doggett and presented him with a
large and beautifully made American flag,
It ;as dune up in stops and when seat
up aiori nun oron-" wu iu uie air .aiuiu
Driver christened It Old Glory
He took it to the south Pacific, and
years after when old age forced him to
relinquish the sea be treasured the flag
v an old friend.
Captain Driver moved to Nashville,
Tenn.. in 1S57 and died there in 1S.SH.
Previous to the outbreak of hostilities
between the North and the South Old
Glory was flung to the breeze every day
from the window of Captain Driver's
Nashville house, but when the bullets be
gan to aip and the odor of gunpowder to
taint the air the old flag had to be se
creted. It was kept out of sight inside a great
bed comfortably until Feb. 27, 1812, when
Brig. Gen. Nelson's wing of the Union
army appeared in Nashville. Captain
Driver presented It to the general to be
hoisted on the capitol. It was run up by
Captain Driver himself. He watched it
through the night, and, a heavy wind
THE MUSE OF HISTORY ON THE GLORIOUS
coming up, he took It down and sent a
new flag up in its place.
The original Old Glory was preserved
and aftr the death of Captain Driver
it was presented by the compiler of the
Driver memoirs to the Essex institute at
Salem, Mass., where it may now be seen
KING CHRISTIAN KICKED HIM
Royal Bandmaster Foritot to Play
'The Star Spanieled Banner."
A short time after the Civil War
writes a corresiiondent of the New York
Times, a small fleet of our ships took the
then assistant Secretary of the Navy
Gustavus V. Fox, to Europe to cultivate
international friendship.
While in Copenhagen the late King
Christian invited Mr. Fox and the prin
cipal officers of his fleet to dine. Th
following incident of the visit was re
lated to me by the late Hear Admira
Alexander Murray, who was then in com
mand of the monitor Augusta:
"From my seat at dinner I looked out
on the pleasant lawn where the hand was
stationed. After the principal business of
the dinner was over, at the invitation of
King Christian the glasses were filled and
all the table being at attention, his ma
jesty arose and with due formality pro-
inised "The President of the I'nited
States.' Glasses were raised, but th
King paused, glared over his shoulder and
abruptly left the dining hall. The guests,
uiHin invitation of an aid, reseated them
selves.
"In a few minutes I saw the land-
master come hurriedly into sight, follow
ed by the King, who kicked him across
my field of view. Shortly after the Kin
returned to the dining hall, took his place
at the head of the table, and, the guests
having risen, again proposed The Presi
dent of the United States.' As he raised
his glass the band struck up 'The Star
Siwngled Banner.' WiCh a satisfied smile
his majesty emptied his glass.
"King Christian was democratic and
kind and beloved by his people, but all
things had to be done decently and in
order or he'd know the reason why."
Facta About Klrecrnckera.
The greater part of the almost $2,000,-
000 worth of firecrackers annually ex
ported by China comes to New York. And
the United States stands next to China
in its use of them.
Thousands of Chinese men, women and
children work at the making of fire
crackers, for there are no manufactories
there, the work being done by hand. They
receive only about $1.40 for making 10,-
000 firecrackers, laboring from six in the
morning until eleven at night seven days
a week.
So a Chinese woman or child works
like a slave for two days to earn what
is spent on a few bunches of firecrackers
by the urchin bent on doing justice to the
Glorious Fourth.
SnKKKtlnnn for Firework.
One of the latest quips is Tj paint a
small bomb in imitation of a golf ball
and let a friend take a whack at it.
One of the most propitious places for
firecracker Is a fluffy hat, or, better
still, the back hair.
One of the capital diversions of an
evening entertainment is to fasten a p'n-
wheel to a lace curtain, touch a match
to the fuse and see what the f remen do.
Some may prefer a plate glass win
dow for a skyrocket target, but the best
authorities agree that it is seen at ita
best In a crowded diniuj room. New
York Herald.
FOURTH.
LITTLE JOHNNY'S GLASS.
Mr Huiliks sold fireworks,
His trade was very bright;
People tKiiight them right and left
To set them off at night.
.car1
But Just then little Johnny psssed
Tlie owner's Iwck was turned
To see the whole display go off
Tho soul of Johnny yearned.
He quickly found a burning glass,
And held It to the sun ;
A little spark he soon espied
And then the deed was done.
A flush a bang ! a pop I a crack 1
Ah ! sad 'tis to relate !
Next day Smirks told his neighbors that
ill. stock hail gone off great.
Some Fonrth of July Provrrba.
A lit firecracker in the hand isn't
worth two in the pack.
There is no use pulling the trigger after
the gun has been fired.
Do not look a gift cannon in the mouth.
Never light your Roman candle at botk
ends.
It Is the plnwheel that hw by dolna- a
good turn.
One swallow doesn't make a snrin nor
one firecracker a Fourth.
No matter how warm and wearied a
man may be a firecracker droowd down
his shirt collar will stimulate him,
a