-Zelda Dameron
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright. 104. kT Tha BoMx-MatrlU Co.
Z)
ELDA DAMERON, an idyl of the Ohio
Valley, a natural but entrancing romance,
real as life. This is the truly charming serial
which is now presented.
When you read this sterling story you
will be delighted at its brisk, fresh tone of
modern town life. The" characters are gen
uine flesh and blood men and women. The
heroine is a girl who has seen travel abroad and society at
home. Zelda Dameron is the typical American girl of the
hour. She is something more a dutiful daughter who
sinks all her own individuality in protecting and elevating a
miserly, and later a speculating father, whom she wins to
the higher life of true manhood by her noble self-sacrifice
There is a war flavor to this charming story, a college
tinge, and Western-Southern characteristics that will fasci
nate the reader. The hero is a type of the ambitious young
man of the day, an aspiring lawyer, chivalrous and honor
able in his dealings with all mankind.
This story is a series of vivid life pictures. You will
find no unnatural coloring to its settings, no actors in the
rapid life drama that you will not recognize as strikingly
natural.
"Zelda Dameron" is sure to meet your approbation as
a bright, wholesome story of to-day, full of sparkling in
cident and a coherent progressive plot that will interest all
readers.
ne struck his horse with the reins ana
drove rapidly awny.
"Sorry I made a mistake," said
Leighton to Merriam, as they turned
toward the city.
"It was her father," said Merrlam,
CHAPTER II,
cost of living li
high, very
I know that things
CHAPTER I.
"She's like Margaret; she's really
one of us," remarked Mrs. Forrest to
her brother. "She carries herself as
Margaret did In her girlhood, and she's
dark, as we all are."
"I hope she's escaped the Dameron
traits; they're unattractive," said Rod
ney Merriam.
Mrs. Forrest and Zelda Dameron, her
piece, who were just home from a five
years' absence abroad, had, so to speak,
Stepped directly from the train Into
Mrs. Carr's drawing-room. The place
was full of women, old and young,
and their animated talk blended.
Mrs. Carr was forcing the season a
. trifle it was near the end of Septem
ber but the dean of a famous college
tor women had come to town unex
pectedly, and it was not Mrs. Carr's
way to let heat or cold interfere with
5ier social inclinations. Mrs. Forrest
And her brother had ceased talking to
-watch their niece. The girl's profile
was turned to them, and the old gen
'Eleman noted the good points of her
face and figure. She was talking to
several other girls, and it seemed to
him that they showed her a deference.
Zelda turned from her companions
suddenly. She crossed swiftly to her
uncle with a happy exclamation: .
"This Is indeed an occasion! Be
hold my long-lost uncle!" She seized
bis hands eagerly.
"And you are Zelda our little Zee!
"Quite that! We must be acquaint
ed! Perhaps we shall be friends, who
knows? Aunt Julia promised to ar
range it and I'm not used to being
disappointed."
Zelda was a name that had,' been
adopted in the Merriam family long
ago. A great many people had never
known that old Roger Merriam's
wife's name was Zelda, so generally
whh Zee annlied to her even in her
old age. Margaret Dameron's child
had been called Little Zee while her
Erandmother lived, and until her aunt
had taken her away; and now, on her
reappearance in Marlona, she was quite
naturally spoken of at Zee Damron.
There was a wlstfulness In the girl's
eyes that touched Rodney Merriam by
the suggestion of her dead mother, the
Bister that had been the pride of the
Merriams. Mrs. Forrest watched her
brother curiously. She had speculat
ed much about this meeting. Rodney
Merriam was away from home a great
deal. He had reached. Mariona at noon
from a trip Into Canada, and had gone
to Mrs. Carr's in pursuit of his sister.
Mrs. Forrest understood perfectly that
her brother had come to Mrs. Carr s
tea chiefly that he might casually, and
without apparent interest, inspect his
niece. Rodney Merriam was wary of
entanelements with his relatives. He
and Mrs. Forrest were, It was said In
Mariona, the only Merriams who could
safely be asked to the same table, or
who were not likely to cause embar
rassment if they met anywhere. Ha
had not spoken to Ezra Dameron, Zel
da's father, for ten years, and the name
Dameron was an offense in his nos
trils; but the girl was clearly a Mer
riam; she was the child of his favor
ite sister, and he hoped It would be
possible to like her.
"Yes, we shall be friends much
rnore than friends." he said, kindly.
"You must come and see me; Aunt
Julia has graduated me, and I'm back
on my native heath to stay."
"Come and tell me what, you have
learned In distant lands and I'll tell
you what to forget! Here's Morris
Leighton; I want you to know blm.
Zee," said Rodney Merriam.
Merriam moved away through the
crowd, followed by his sister.
"You know Uncle Rodney very well,
don't you V said Zelda to Leighton.
"He wai always my hero. When I was
a little girl I used to sit on a trunk
In his garret and watch him fence with
a German fencing mister. It was
great fun."
"I sometimes fence with Mr. Mer
riam myself. I assure you that his
hand and eye have not lost their cun
ning." Morris Leighton's social adventures
had not lacked variety. He knew a
good deal about girls, and while a
young man Is still under 30 the delu
sion serves all the purposes of actual
knowledge. Rodney Merriam had often
spoken to Leighton of Zelda Damer
on's home-coming.
Zelda Dameron's return to Mariona
was more of an event than she herself
understood. The Merriams were an
interesting family; they were, indeed.
one of the first families. There were
Merriams about whom people laughed
cynically; but Mrs. Forrest did not be
long to this faction, nor did Rodney
Merriam, of whom most people stood
in awe. There had been much specu
lation, In advance of Zelda's coming,
as to her probable course when she
should return to Mariona with her
aunt. Many had predicted that she
would not go to live with her father
that Mrs. Forrest and Rodney Mer
riam would save her from that; but
Zelda was already domiciled In her
father's house.
Mrs. Forrest led her brother to an
alcove of Mrs. Carr's library, and sent
him to bring a cup of tea to her there.
She was afraid to wait- for a better
opportunity; she must take advantage
of his first impression at once. He
brought what was offered at the buffet
in the dining-room, and gave her his
serious attention.
"This isn't quite the place I should
have chosen for, a reunion after three
years," he began. "Where was It I
saw , you .last?- Geneva? I believe It
was. The, girl Is very handsome. I
suppose you found your house in good
order. 'And Zee-went with you-without
any trouble. That's as it should
be."
"But, Rodney, she isn't with me!
She has gone to her father; she
wouldn't have it any other way."
"Oh! I'll, fix that, I'll get her away
from him. Now that you've given her
to him, I suppose I'll have to take a
hand," said Merriam, with frank dis
pleasure. "I'll have to renew my ac
quaintance with that blackguard. I
really suppose I'll have to call on him,
or I might meet him accidentally. In
the street, or at the bank. I might
make a study of his habits and then lie
in wait I should like to give an acci
dental air to the meeting, to save my
self-respect as far as possible."
, "I suppose I might give a reconcilia
tion dinner," she said. "We might as
well go into it deep while we are about
it."
Merriam shrugged his shoulders.
'Don't push too fast. I don't remember
Ezra as a good dinner man."
"I'll take you home If you're ready,
said Mrs. Forrest, when, after some
further talk, they returned to the
drawing-room. "Zelda's father is com
ing for her."
"Thanks; but I'm going to walk
down with Leighton, if I can find him."
It was nearly 6 o'clock, and a pro
cession of women was coming down
the stairs to Mrs. Carr's front door.
as Rodney Merriam and Morris Leigh
ton left the house with Mrs. Forrest
and Zelda. The waiting carriages made
a long line In the street.
How gay it looks! The old town
really has a matropolltan air at last.
A tea with men present Its almost
beyond belief!"
The town's not so bad, Julia; and
It's a nice comfortable place for one a
old age. You'd better get reconciled."
Mrs. Forrest's carriage had drawn
up to the curb and Leighton shut her
Into it
Be sure to come to my house to
morrow, Zee," she called to the girl.
"Miss Dameron's carriage!"
A shabby vehicle emerged from the
line and came forward. Zelda sin J
Leighton wers talking animatedly; and
Merriam watched the approaching
carriage with Interest, standing back
from the curb. It was a box-like.
closed carriage of an old pattern,
drawn by one horse, with the driver
mounted on a low seat In front Leigh
ton opened the door.
Shall I say home? Morris asked.
as the girl gathered up her skirts and
stepped In.
You needn't trouble yourself," said
the driver, sharply. He was muffled In
heavy coat though the air was
warn, and as the carriage door closed I
"The
high."
"Yes, father;
cost, of course.'
"I have lived on very little while you
were away, Zee. With one servant It'i
possible to keep down expenses. Ser
vants are ruinous. And I'm not rich,
Zee, like your Aunt Julia and Uncle
Rodney.
"I want to do Just what you would
have me do, in everything. It wa
kind and generous of you to let ma
stay away so long. I know my ex
penses abroad must have been a great
tax on you
Ezra Dameron looked quickly at hi
daughter.
"Yes, to be sure, Zee, to be sure.
Mariona is a simple place and you
sojourn abroad has hardly fitted yoi
for our homely ways. You'll find tha
things are done very differently here,
But of course you will accommodate
yourself to the conditions. And you'll
find the house quite comfortable. It's
a little old-fashioned, but it was you
grandfather's, and it rarely happens
nowadays that a girl lives In the same
house her mother was born In. Of
course any little changes that you
want to make will be all right; but
you must practice economy.
They were studying each other with
a shrewd sophistication on the fath
er's side; with anxious wonder on the
part of the girl. She knew little of her
father. Even the memory, of her moth
er had grown Indistinct The thing
that had always impressed her about
her father was his seeming age; she
remembered him from her childhood
as an old man, who came and went
on errands which had seemed unrelat
ed to her own life. The house had
stood In a large tract when Zelda went
away, but this had shrunk gradually
as Ezra Dameron divided the original
Merriam acres and sold off the lots.
The front of the homestead was now
only a few feet from the new cement
walk on what was called Merriam
street, In honor of Zelda's grandfath
er. Sun and wind had peeled the paint
from the brick walls and the green of
the blinds had faded to a dull nonde
script.
Your aunt probably told you some
thing of your business affairs of the
trusteeship," he said.
"Oh, no! Aunt Julia never discuss
ed it; but I remember that sne tola
me once I had some property. I knew
nothing more except that there is a
trusteeship whatever that is!" And
she laughed.
"Yes: it was a very wise Idea of
your mother's in providing for you.
She always maintained her separate
estate. She inherited some property
from her father. I never touched your
mother's property at all; never a cent,'
the old man went on. He did not know
what Mrs. Forrest might have told
Zelda. He was dropping down his
plummet to measure her Ignorance.
Zelda knew nothing; and she cared
very little. Her wants had always
been provided for without any trouble
on her part Mrs. Forrest Indulged
herself, and she had Indulged Zelda.
Ezra Dameron was wondering Just
what Rodney Merriam and Mrs. For
rest would expect him to do for the
girl. His position as her father had
been anomalous ever since Ms wife
died, ten years ago. The Merriams
had taken his daughter away from him
at once and then they had sent her
out of the country, and now that they
had brought her back he was not
without curiosity as to what their at
titude toward him would be.
"The trusteeship will not be termi
nated for a year on your 21st birth
day, unless you should marry before
the end of that time. This Is always
an emergency to look forward to; but
I trust you will be in no hurry to leave
me."
Zelda laughed abruptly.
"It's funny, isn't it? the gettln
married. I honestly hadn't thought of
it before. I don't know any young
men. We didn't meet any men abroad
except very old ones. Aunt Julia was
afraid the young men weren't respect
able!" "There's nothing like being careful
where young men are concerned. There
are many bad ones about these days.
The temptations of modern life are In
creasing fast. A young girl can have
no idea of them."
(To be continued.)
Hound Dairy Barns.
The Illinois Agricultural Experiment
Station has sent to press a bulletin In
which the economy of the round daffy
barn la discussed at considerable
length. Comparison of the cost of
round dairy barns Is discussed at con-
slderable length. Comparisons of the
tost of round barns with rectangular
ones, Including the amount and cost
of material, the cost of construction.
the amount of stock that can be shel
tered, the convenience In storing, han
dling, and distributing the feed, etc.,
are brought out very clearly.
The bulletins Include cuts and plans
of several round barns In actual use,
an Itemized statement of the cost of a
60-foot round barn, and cuts showing
how the round barn at the agricultural
college was built, etc. The conclusions
arrived at by the author of the bulletin
are that the round barn has a great
advantage over a rectangular barn in
convenience, strength and cheapness.
It Is found that the round barn is
more convenient because of the com
pactness wtih which It Is built and the
ease of getting the feed to the cows.
Investigations show that the round
barn costs from 34 to 58 per cent less
than the rectangular barn containing
the same amount of space and built
of the same grade of material.
Collapsible Chicken Coop.
The average chicken coop made nf
a soap box or some other small box Is
not always convenient for carrying
around, and use In different places. An
A-shapod coop Is little better than an
ordinary box. The accompanying
sketch, says a Georgia writer In Popu
lar Mechanics, shows a collapsible A-
shaped coop that can be folded ant'
stored away or carried set up for usi
anywhere.
The main frame Is made In foul
'HE WEEKLY
'ORIAJN
Paateurtalna; Milk at Home.
If milk Is not drawn under the most
sanitary conditions It Is not advisable
to feed It to children without being
43 ;
1
fTIIST
parts and joined together with hinges
as shown In Figure 1. The frame can
be covered with wire netting or boards 1781 The Virginia Assembly
on top part with netting on the ends,
The hinged frames provide a way to 1791 United States army under Gen,
162 The "Trial," the first ship built
in Boston, sailed for Bilboa with a
cargo of fish.
1672 Union between the colonies of
Massachusetts, Plymouth and Con
necticut. 1686- Sir Edmund Andros appoints!
Governor of all New England.
1775 Gov. John Murray of Virginia
took refuge on a British man-of-war.
elected
Thomas Nelson Governor.
open either end. A small hook and eye
sholud be provided at each end to hold
the parts In place.
Alfalfa Needs Pood.
Charles Scott exterminated the
Klckapoo villages on the Wabash
River.
1793 The first State Legislature of
Kentucky met
BEST TIME TO CUT HAY.
TH-ir, mrE.
To get the best quality of hay the timothy plants require to be cut
when In full bloom. In an experiment made by Prof. Waters of Missouri
racks were filled with hay cut In different, stages of ripeness. As shown In
the Illustration, all the early-cut hay was eaten before the late-cut was
touched. The largest yield of dry matter was obtained by cutting at the
dough stage.
pasteurized. It Is very easy to a
compllsh this wtlhout any special apparatus.
Put the milk in a milk bottle. Take
tin pie plate and punch the bottom
full of holes. Turn this upside down
In the bottom or the kettle and set the
bottle on It. This will prevent bump
ing when the water is heated.
Punch a hole through a piece of
cardboard and Insert in the top of the
bottle. Through this hole suspend a
thermometer. A good thermometer
Methodical Fishing:.
"Jim" McDermlt, the lawyer, has a
great fund of "darky" dialect stories.
The one he most delights to tell fol
lows: "A traveling salesman In a southern
town came to a small pond. An old
negrp was lolling contentedly In the
sun with fishing rod in hand. The
salesman paused and watched the fish
ing. After watching for half an hour
without seeing the least sign of a
bile he asked how the fish were bit
ing, he fisher looked surprised.
" 'Why, boss,' he exclaimed. Mere
ain't no fish in dis yere pond. Dere
never was a fish in it.'
" 'Well, what do you fish hore for?'
the salesman wanted to know.
"'So's my old woman can see dat
I ain't got no time to chop wood fer
de fire,' the negro answered." New
ark Star
Medical TTnderatndr.
Dr. Allwise, have you decided
whether or not Mr. Speckham has ap
pendicitis? You said you were going
to read up on the case.
Dr. Allwise-r-Glad you reminded me
of that Hand aie that last Brad
street's. Exchange.
llili5:!Sfi:i
It is Important to know that there Is 1800 First municipal court established
little difference between successful al- in Boston.
falfa growing and the successful grow- 1909 Christopher Gore Inaugurated
lng of other crops. Poor farming never Governor of Massachusetts.
brings big crops, nor will poor land ma The territory north of Louisiana
produce as big yields as the more fer- was given the name of Missouri.
tile. Failure to restore to the soil the 1819 Cnrn.r.nnA im rr th Penn-
necessary elements of which it has sylvanla State captitol at Harris-
been robbed means the same in New burg.
York, Kansas, Virginia or anywhere 1831 The Boston and Worcester Rail
else. Every farm plant, to prosper, road Incorporated.
must find in the soil, readily available 1838 A band of Canadian rebels land
ed on Amherst Island, near Kings
ton, and plundered the vicinity.
1845 The "True American" appeared
in Lexington, Ky., edited by Caa
sius M. Clay.
1846 A convention met at Albany to
revise the constitution of Nev
York.
1848 Whig convention at Philadelphia
nominated Gen. Zachary Taylor
for President of the United States.
.... First Sisters of Charity arrive J
In Buffalo.
1849 The first authentic case of Asiat
ic cholera appeared In Boston.
1850 The line of the Pennsylvania
Railroad was completed to Hunt
ington, Pa.
1854 Reciprocity treaty concluded be
tween the United States and Canada.
1861 Gen. Beauregard assumed com
mand of the Confederate forces at
Manassas Junction.
1862 The Confederates, commanded by
Gen. Johnson, attacked the left
wing of the Army of the Potomao
at Fair Oaks, Va. .. .Memphis sur
rendered to the Union forces.
the elements needed for its develop
ment If a farmer finds the soil lack
ing In elements needed for certain
crops he should either suddIv the de
ficiency or not attempt their raising. 1885 Galveston, Texas, surrendered to
This is true of corn or wheat, cotton w eaeral lroP-
or tobacco, no less than alfalfa. 1869 Tno Massachusetts State Senate
refused to grant the right of Buf
fo Control Gray Rot.
frage to women.
with the scale etched on the glass
should be used. Heat the water until
the thermometer registers 155 de
grees. The bottle should be then removed
and allowed to stand for twenty or
thirty minutes. Cover the bottles with
a towel to make them cool off slowly
After twenty or thirty minutes cool the
milk as quickly as possible by setting
it in cold water.
His Whole Bialam.
Tar water as a remedy many years
ago In England became the universal
nostrum. Horace Walpole tells that
a man went into a chemist's shop and
asked, "Do you sell tar water?" "Tar
water!" replied the apothecary. "Why,
I sell nothing else."
Good sense Is not a merely Intellec
tual attribute; it is rather the result
of Just equillbrlu ail our facul
ties. Bui wer Lytt
Tree Ventilation.
The people of the New England
States are proverbial for their venera
tlon of trees, and In these days of
ruthless destruction of woods it Is re
freshing in the extreme to hear of a
case like the resident of Kennebunk
port, Me., who, rather than to disturb
an old tree which grew on his farm
upon a site desired for the location of
a barn, built the structure around the
tree. The barn wall completely cir
cumscribes the tree, but lies at suffi
cient distance to give the tree plenty
of air. The age of this particular tree
Is not accurately known, but it is one
of a pair which is said to have been
full-grown trees at the Urns of the
American revolution.
For the prevention of gray rot of 1872 Construction of the St. Gothard
grapes one investigator recommends a unnel wougn me Alps begun.
treatment which he claims is very slm- 1876 Royal Military College opened In
pie and efficient This consists of thin- Kingston, Ontario.
ning the leaves on the north side of 1878 ne hundred houses destroyed oy
the vines and spraying with Bordeaux ornMO ftt Richmond, Va.
mixture, to which soap Is added to 1887 Edward Blake temporarily
make it more adherent. The treatment
should be made about July 25, or at the
stage when the grapes have Just about
reached their full size. If the fungi
cide is thoroughly applied at this time
no further trouble may be anticipated
from this disease.
Paper Milk Bottlea.
The new paper bottle for milk Is
tired from the leadership of the
Liberal party in Canada Fir3t
United States patent granted for
monotype machine.
1888 National Democratic convention
at St. Louis renominated Grover
Cleveland for President of the Uni
ted States.
1889 Flood at Johnstown. Pa., result
ing from the breaking of a dam.
destroyed 2,295 lives.
attracting some attention. It is shaped i890-The Duke and Duchess of Con-
something like a large Jelly glass and
made of stiff paper paraflned and
water proof, and folded in such a way
as to protect parts through which
leakage could occur. Cost is expected
naught welcomed at Ottawa....
Duke and Duchess of Connaught
welcomed to Montreal.
1892 The "High-Water Mark" monu
ment at Gettysburg dedicated.
to be small and the bottles are to be 1895 Statue of Sir John Macdonald
thrown away after once being used,
thus saving labor of cleaning and in
suring a fresh bottle each time.
Three Klada of Corae.
Three kinds of corns to which horses
are subject are generally recognised:
The dry, moist and suppurating. Ths
dry corn is recognized by the blood
stained horn and Is not attended with
excessive inflammation. Moist corns
are recognized by the large amount of
Inflammation, shown by ths fluid ac
cumulating in the region of ths corn.
Suppurating corns are the moist corns
which have become Infected wtih pus
germs.
Wide Waaron Tlrea.
As to the desirability of the use of
the wide tires there can be no ques
tion. The most casual observation
will suffice to convince any one of the
damage which a heavily laden wagon.
equipped with the ordinary sharp,
rounded, narrow tires, will produce on
any road. There is also another, and
perhaps even greater advantage to be
gained by the use of the wide tires
viz., the increased hauling capacity
attained.
Forecaata for Farmera.
The Weather Bureau has arranged
to give daily weather forecasts by tele
phone to farmers in Texas. At noon
each day rural subscribers are called
up, and the weather forecast is an'
nounced to all simultaneously. Sub
scribers In towns and cities can obtain
the weather forecast at any time of
the day after 11 a. m. by calling up
central.
Rural 'Phone In tho Sooth.
Merchants In the South have awak
ened to the value of rural telephone
lines, and are seeking to develop them,
with a view to increasing their trad
among the rural population. In cer
tain sections they have made large
contributions to aid the farmers la
building their lines.
Collecting Kltrovea Proa the Air.
Nitrogen is contained in great quan
tities In the air above us, but it can
not be purchased and used with profit
in farming, except under special con
ditions. Clover and other leguminous
plants can draw all they require from
the atmosphere by means of bacteria
that live on their roots
unveiled In Montreal bv the Earl
of Aberdeen. ,. .Judson Harmon of
Ohio appointed Attorney General
of the United States.
1899 P. A. Mclntyre became Lieuten
ant Governor of Prince Edward Isl
and. .. .French Court of Cassation
decided In favor of the revision of
the Dreyfuss verdict
1900 Gen. John B. Gordon elected
commander-in-chief of the United
Confederate Veterans.
1902 Peace of Pretoria, ending the
war In South Africa.
1905 President Roosevelt offered hla
services as a mediator to end the
war between Japan and Russia....
Norway wltrdrew from the union
with Sweden.
1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition
opened In Seattle.
LABOR NOTES.
The Income for the last year of In
ternational Cigar Makers' Union was
$828,498.87. Benefits paid out for the
year were $553,832.34.
Another attempt Is being made to
unionize the housemaids of Boston,
Mass., and vicinity, and It is said the
movement is meeting with success.
The school teachers of the State of
Colorado, with a membership of 7,000,
have decided to- apply for admission
to the American Federation of Labor.
The labor temple recently opened at
14th street and 2d avenue, Manhattan,
by the Presbyterian department of
church and labor, has proved Itself to
be one of the most successful thlnes
ever undertaken by the department
Benjamin Welnsteln, general organ
iser for the United Hebrew trades, ad
organization of 125 Jewish unions with
a membership of 70.0O0, In Manhattan,
nas issued an order to the subordi
nates to take a referendum vote on
proposition to levy a $1 per capita tax
on all the members to start a fund far
a Hebrew labor lyceum.