Bohemia nugget. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1899-1907, February 28, 1902, Image 6

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    CHAPTKU XII.
Griscliln. darting homeward through
the twlllghtcd garden, after another stol
en meeting with Tom Peyton on the gar
den wall, stops as she readies tke sum
mer bouse, a favorite resort of era s,
notwithstanding the father unpleasant
associations connected with It, and pokes
In her head to find Vera there.
"I've come back," she cries, breath
lessly, utilising into a scat and looking nt
Vera with despair In her eyes. "I hare
done as you desired me, I have satd good
Dy to him forever!"
"What did he say? Was he Tery much
npsetT" with burning Interest.
"He said he'd ma tin Re to sec me In
some way or other," says Grlscldn, with
a henvy sigh.
"Oh, well come now, that's not so
bad," says Vera, cheerfully, forgetful of
prudence nt sight of her sister's grief,
"lie seems from all I have heard from
you a a sort of a person who would be
difficult to baffle. I think 1 should put
faith In that declaration of his If I were
you."
"Oh, he said more than that," cries
Grlselda. 'Why, it appears that Tom
Mr. Peyton knows Seaton quite well,
and likes him, too. Sir. Peyton says
that he; Seaton. Is engaged to be married
to a Miss Butler, a friend of Lady Itlv
erdale's." For a moment there is a dead silence,
during which the pretty crimson on
Vcra's cheek dies out, leaving her singu
larly pale. No doubt the surprise is
great.
"Is that truer she says. "I should
not be surprised, though I confess I am;
it is only what I might have expected
from my first judgment of him. And
one should not condemn him, cither; it is
not his fanlt that he calls Uncle Gregory
father."
A footstep upon the gravel outside
makes them both turn their heads.
"What is it, Crunch?" Vera calmly
asks as the housekeeper appears on the
threshold.
"The master wishes to see you. Miss
Dysart, In the library." There Is an ex
pression, of malignant amusement in the
woman's eyes as she says this.
Vera bad gone into the library with a
pale face, but it was with one paler still
she came out of it half an hour later,
white as death, and with a strained look
of passion on every feature not to be sub
dued. She might perhaps have given way
to the blessed relief of tears If she had
had time to escape Grlselda; but as she
finds herself looking at Seaton Dysart,
who has at this moment entered the in
ner ball leading to the room she has just
left, all her being seems to stiffen into a
cold horror of contempt.
She stops short and fixes her heavy
eyes on his.
"So you betrayed me!" she says, in a
low tone that vibrates with scorn.
"Betrayed you?" echoes he, starting.
There is that in her face not to be mis
taken, and a presentiment of coming
evil sends a hot flush to his brow.
"You are a bad actor," says she, with
a palcsmile; "you change color, nt a
crisis; you have still a last grain of hon
esty left in you. You should see to that;
kill It quickly, It spoils your otherwise
perfect role."
"You are pleased to be enigmatical,"
says he, with a frown. "I am, however,
at a loss to know what you mean."
"Oh, are you ashamed to keep It up
the deception?" cries she with a sud
den outbreak of wrath. "Oh, how could
you do it?"
"Great heaven! how can I convince you
that I have done nothing?" exclaims he,
growing pale as herself.
"There was no one else awake, there
was no one to see me," says she, trying
to stifle her ngltation. "What, tben. must
I think but that you were the one to tell
your father of that unlucky night when
I was locked out In the garden?"
"He has heard that?" Seaton, as If
thunderstruck, looks blankly at her.
"Why do you compel me to tell you
what you already know?" says she, with
a little Irrepressible stamp of her foot.
"If you will listen to what Is already no
news to you, learn that your father sent
for me just now a long time ago, hours
ago, I think," putting her bund to her
head in a little, confused, miserable way,
"and accused me of having spent the
whole night alone with you, purposely, in
the garden."
"And you think that I "
"I don't ' think," with a condemnatory
glance. L "As I told you before, I know.
Your father has insolently accused me
of an impossible thing; but even if I bad
stayed In the garden with you that night,
of my own free will, I cannot see where
would lie the disgrace be connects with
It."
"You are right, no one could see dis
grace where you were," says Seaton,
calmly. "My father is an old man, he "
"Is old enough to know bow to insult
n woman," coldly, "when," with n terrl-.
ble glance at him, "shown the way. Oh,"
laying her band upon her breast in a
paroxysm of grief, "it was abominable of
you", and you said twlpe you said It,"
coming closer to him, and lifting accus
ing eyes to his, " 'Trust me,' I remember
It as' though you uttered it but now, und
I believed you. Trust me,' you said."
"I should say it again," says Dysart,
"a hundred times again. Come," he says,
and leads her back again to the library
she has just quitted.
Gregory Dysart still sits In his usual
chair, his arms on the elbows of It, his
face Is set, as though death had laid its
seal on it, save for the raarvelously,
horribly youthful eyes, so full of fire and
life.
"You will be so good as to explain to
Vera at once." begins Seaton, In a dan
gerous tone, "how It was you learned of
her being In the garden the other night."
""What night? She may have been out
every night, for aught. I know; she tells
me she Is fond of moonlight," replies the
Id man. Impassively,
"You understand perfectly the night of
which I speak," says Seaton, his face
now livid. "Who?" he repeats, In a low
but terrible voice.
"Grouch," replica Mr. Dysart. shortly:
something in his son's face warned him
not to go further.
"You hear?" says Seaton, turning to
Vera. "It was Gruuch who betrayed
you. You are satisfied now?"
"On that point, yes. I suppose I should
offer you an apology," says she, Icily.
"Hut," with a swift glance at his father,
"how can I be satisfied when "
Her voice breaks.
"Sir," cries Seaton, addressing his
father with sudden passion, "why did
you speak to her of this? Why have
you deliberately Insulted your brother's
child?"
"There was no Insult. I may have told
her that If she chooses to do such things
ns society disapproves of, she must only
submit to the consequences and consider
herself ostracised."
" 'Compromised,' you said."
"Well, it is as good a word; you arc
welcome to It."
"Pshaw!" says Seaton, with a quick
motion of the hand, ns if flinging the
idea far from him, "let us have no mord
of such petty scandal. You forget,"
sternly, "that when you seek to compro
mise Vera, you condemn me, your son."
Dysart shrugged his shoulders.
"The man is never In fault; so your
world rules," says he. lightly.
"You persist, then, in your insult,"
says Seaton, golug a step nearer to him,
the veins swelling in his forehead. "You
still say that she "
'I say that, and more, replied tne old
man, undaunted, a very demon of ob
stinacy hnving now taken possession of
his breast. "I feel even bold enough to
suggest to her the advisability of an Im
mediate marriage with you, as a means
of crushing in the bud the scandal that
Is sure to arise out of her imprudence."
"Go, Vera; leave the room, says bca-
ton, with great emotion.
"Why should she go? It seems to me
you give her bad advice," says Mr. Dy
sart, looking from one to the otuer wltn
a satirically friendly glance. "Let her
rather stay and discuss with us your
marriage with her."
It he had been so foolishly blind as to
hope by this bold move to force Vera
into an engagement, bis expectations arc
now on the instant destroyed by his son.
Understand me, once for all, that I shall
not marry Vera," says he, white with
anger, and some strong feeling that he Is
almost powerless to suppress. "Were
she to come to me this moment and lay
her hand In mine, and say she was will
ing so far to sacrifice herself, I should re
fuse to listen to her.
Vera, for the first time since her en
trance, lifts her head to look nt Mm.
Was he thinking of Miss Butler? Was
be true at last to her? A little bitter
smile curls ber lip.
I thank you, she says, with a slight
inclination of her head toward her cousin,
and witn a swift step leaves tne room.
CHAPTEK XIII.
Four long days hate crept languidly
Into the past, four of the dullest days
Grlselda Dysart has ever yet endured, as
she is compelled to acknowledge even to
herself. Slowly, with aimless steps, she
rises and flfngs aside the moldy volume
she had found in one of the rooms below,
and which she has been making a fruit
less effort to read, and looks out upon
the sunless pleasure-ground beneath her
window. She becomes suddenly aware
of an unfamiliar figure that, kneeling on
the grass before one of the beds, seems
to be. weeding away for its dear life.
It is certainly the new gardener. Poor
creature, whoever he is, what could have
induced him to come hen;? Uncle Greg
ory had evidently found no difficulty In
replacing his former employe. Had he
secured this new gardener on the old
poor terms? Unhappy creature! poverty
indeed must have been his guest before
he and his clothes came to such a sorry
pass! At this moment the "unhappy
creature" lifts his head, turns it deliber
ately toward her, and she finds herself
face to face with Tom Peyton!
A little sharp cry breaks from ber; she
stifles It, but turns very pale.
"You! you! she says.
"Don't look like that!" he says, In a
low tone, but sharply. "Would you be
tray me? Itcmember, It was my only
chance of getting near you. Don't faint,
I mean, or do uuythlng like that.
"Ob. how could you do such a thing?"
says she. In n trembling voice. "And
and bow strange you look, and what
dreadful clothes you have on!"
"Well, I gave a good deal for them,
says he, casting an eloquent glance at his
trousers: "more four times more than
I ever yet gave for a suit. I'm sorry you
don't approve of them; but for myself, 1
think them becoming, and positively
glory In them; I would rather have them
than any clothes I've ever yet had, and
I think them right down cheap. It's
rather a sell if you don't think they buH
my style of beauty."
He Is disgracefully unalivc to the hor
ror of his position. He Is even elated by
it, and is plainly on the point of bubbling
over with laughter. Given an opportu
nity Indeed, and It is certain ho will give
mirth awnyf Griselda, however, declines
to help him to this opportunity.
"It's horrid of you I don't know how
you can laugh," says she, beginning to
cry. "I can't bear to see you dressed
like that, just like a common man."
"Well-I think you're a little unkind,"
says he, regarding her reproachfully. "I
did think you would be giad to see me.
I thought, I fancied I suppose I was
wrong that when we parted on that last
day you were sorry that you would like
to see me again."
"Well, that was all true," says Grl
selda, sobbingly.
"Then what are you crying about?"
"I am unhappy that because of me you
must be made so uncomfortable."
"If that's all," says he, beaming afresh.
It's nothing. I'm not a scrap uncom
fortable. It strikes me as being n sort
of a lark h'm a Joke, 1 niennM 1 feel
as Jolly ns a sniu'.-.Miy. ami. ' with n ten
der, earnest glnnee, "far Jollier, because
I can now see you.
Hut how long Is It to lust?' says she,
nervously. "It can't go u like this for
ever, and Senton comes down here some
times, nml he knows you."
I dare say I shall manage to avoid
blm. Though I hnve often thought late
ly that It would be n good thing to take
him Into our confidence."
Oh. no. no. no indeed, cries she; "he
might tell his father, mid then all would
lie up with ns."
Well, there s my sister, Uraele she s
a very good-natured womim, nud clever.
too. If 1 were to tell her nil, she would
tell Seaton, nud between them they
might manage something. There's n step!
Go uwny, and try to see me to-morrow
If you can."
They have barely time to separate be
fore the gaunt figure of Grunch Is seen
nppmnchlug through the laurels.
CllAPTUK XIV.
To-day Is wet; a soaking, steady down
pour that commenced nt early dawn is
still rendering miserable the shrubbery
and gardens.
ern, depressed by the melancholy of
the day, has cast her book aside, and.
with a certainty of meeting nobody in
the empty rooms and corridors, wanders
aimlessly throughout their dreary length
and breadth. These rooms nre well
known to her, nnd presently wearying of
them she turns aside nnd rather timidly
pushes open a huge, fatted, bulie-covcred
door that lends she scarcely knows whith
er. She pushes It back aud looks eagerly
inward.
It Is not an apartment, after all. A
long, low, vaulted pnssage reveals Itself,
only dimly lighted by a painted window
at the lower end. It appears to be n
completely bare passage, leading no
where; but presently, ns she ruus her
eyes along the eastern wall, a door meets
them, an old oaken door, irou-clnsped
and literally hung with cobwebs.
Curiosity grows strong within her.
Catching the ancient handle of this door,
a mere brass riug sunk In the woodwork,
she pushes against it with all her might.
In vain. But not deterred, stie pushes
again and again; nnd nt the Inst trial of
her strength u bhnrp sound n ring of
something brazen falling on a stone floor
erashes with a quick, altogether as
tounding noise upon the tomblike silence
tbnt fills the mysterious pnssage.
At the same moment the door gives
way, nnd she, unexpectedly yielding with
It, steps hurriedly forwnrd into a dark
and grewsome bole.
The poverty of the light has perhaps
dimmed her sight, because after a little
while a shadow on the opposite wall,
that resolves itself Into an opening, be
comes known to her. It is not a door,
rather a heavy hempen curtain, and now,
resolutely determined to go through with
her adventure, she advances toward it.
pulls It aside, and finds herself face to
face with Gregory Dysart!
He Is on his knees, next that peculiar
cabinet described in an earlier chapter,
and as he lifts his bend upon her en
trance, a murderous glare, ns of one
hunted, desperate, comes into bis curious
eyes.
The side of the cabinet Is lying wide
open, nud, as he involuntnrily moves, the
chink of golden coins falling one upon
another alone breaks the loud silence that
oppresses the atmosphere. Iti his hand
he Is holding an old and yellow parch
ment. "I I am sorry," murmurs Vera, terri
fied; "I did not know; I "
"What brought you here, girl here
where I believed myself safe? Go, go
there is nothing nothing, I tell you
they lied to you if they told you any
thinggo, I say!"
He has entirely lost his self-possession,
and is still kneeling on the floor, now
hugging, now trying to hide beneath him
the paper he holds with his sinewy, ner
vous fingers. "Go, go, go!" he shrieks,
beside himself. He is In a perfect fren
zy; all dignity Is gone; to the girl stand
ing trembling mere it is a loainsorae
sight to see this old man on the brink of
the grave thus crouching, ubased. dishon
ored. "I nm going," she says, fahitly. She
Is ghastly pale; the sight of him in his
horrible fright, cringing thus upon the
ground, has so unnerved her that she ac
tually grasps at the curtain for support.
(To be continued.)
Mutually Bui prised.
There must have been nliout four
hutidred people nt Lake Bennett, writes
Mr. Secretnn, In his entertaining book,
"To Klondyko and Back," making four
hundred different varieties of death
dealing conveyances, for eaeh had to
construct Ills own boat for descending
to the Yukon Blver. Tlio owner of a
little, wheezy, portable sawmill, which
was pulling nway day aud night, tear
Ins spruce logs to pieces for one hun
dred dollars a thousand feet, was set
ting rich.
Anything that would Jlont was at a
premium. Once In a wlillo you would
seo something resembling a bout but
not often. As a general rule, the soap
box and coflln combination was tho
most populnr pattern.
Somo men coulil not wnlt to bo sup
plied by tbo wheezy sawmill, but went
in for wlilpsawlng on their own ac
count Ono man stands on top of the
loir, and the other below, and the saw
Is then pushed tip and down along a'
chalk mark.
A story Is told of two "pardners"
who commenced wlilpsawlng. After
working a while, till his tired muscles
almost refused duty, the lower ono ex
cused himself for a moment, nud bar
ing hired tho first man lie met to tako
his place In the pit, disappeared. Tho
sawing proceeded until tho uppermost
"pardner," nil unconscious thnt ho was
working with an entire stranger, be
thought him of a device to rest. Malt'
Ing somo ordinary explanation, ho got
down from the log nnd quickly hired
an Indian to take his plnca at the saw.
Tho "pardners" were mutually sur
prised to meet each other shortly after
ward in an adjacent saloon.
A CertBln War,
"How can you tell mushrooms from
toadstools, llttlo boy?"
"Knsy! If do guy dat eats 'em Is
allvo noxt day (leys mushrooms. If
ho's shifted off do mortal coll den (leys
toadstools."
THE BROOKLYN LOOP
rrrpltH much discussed loop of the
lliooklyn at the Imltlo of Nautili
go was ii minor mutter compared
with tho loops nml evolution of war
ships propelled I iv suits In tho days
prior tu steam navigation. Tho drawing
given herewith Is copied by the 'loieilo
llliulo from tho 'United States Military
Magaislne, for November, 1810 n peri
odical published for a few years In
Philadelphia. Mr. George A. Chnse, of
Toledo, has tho bound volumo for IMU
nnd 1S40 wn'eh ho kindly loaned for
the purposes of this nrilcle.
Tho diagram Is of the action between
tho United States frigate Constitution,
Commodore Balnbrldge, nud tbo Ilrlt
lull frlgato Jnvn. dipt. Lambert. This
tlereo sea tight occurred on Wednesday.
December HO, 181'-', In the Atlantic, otr
the coast of Brnstl. The wind was
from tho no.-thonst, nnd tho arrow In
tho diagram shows Its direction as to
the vessels. Tho nctlou began nt
:10 p. in. Tho position of tho two
frigates was broadside on, ns repre
sented In the lewer left-band comer of
the diagram. The courso of each ves
sel is shown, nnd their relative Ksl-
tiotis at tho varlouu critical points of
the engagement, until the surrender of
tho Jnvu nt 5 23 p. m., when their po
sitions were us given at the rlglit-hnnd
top of tho dhgrnm. Of course, In tho
various evolutions, tho wlud wns tho
only motlvo power.
This being tbo case, tho efforts of the
old-tlmo tlghters were largely directed
to destroying the masts and sails of
tho enemy h vessel which, If tho effort
were successful, put her nt tho mercy
of the other nnd to getting Into such
a position that all of tho guns on one
side could tu trained on tho enemy's
deck from ono end, thus rnklng It from
stem to stern with u hnll of missiles,
and disabling more men nt ono broad
side t tin ii could bo done In any other
way. Tbo diagram shows that Hutu-
bridge wns the better sailor, for ho
maneuvered the Constitution Into such
a position with regard to tho Java no
less than live times daring tho light,
while the British did not secure tbnt
ndvnntngo even once over tho intikee
ship.
The destructive effect of this raking
fire on thj Java's decks Is clearly
WIHD.N.E.
P TIME
X O'CLOCK
P.M.
8
DIAGRAM OF BATTLU OF
SHIELD FOR WOUND3.
Invention Which Wilt Likewise Pro
tect JtolU and Curbunclea.
Tho purpose of the Invention shown
In the Illustration Is to provide n shield
for attachment to a surgical splint or
to be used In connection with plaster
of pnrls or other form of Imndago for
the treatmentand protectlonof wounds,
nnd also for tho care of bolls, carbun
cles nnd tho like. In the case of a se
vere flesh wound It Is notdcslrnbloto re
move the splints at each treatment, nnd
It Is the olllce of this shield to facilitate
access to the wound direct With Its
aid It Is possible to prevent contact of
the sore part with anything liable to
Injure or brulso It In any manner, and
there Is no dnnger of dislocating a
small plaster or cloth laid over the
wound. The cut shows tho device at
tached to tho arm to protect a boll,
with straps to bind It on the arm. The
protecting cover Is thrown back to ex
poso the Interior for treatment A latch
Is provided to hold tho cover In a closed
position . after treatment In caso
of body wounds tbo straps may bo re
placed by strips of adhesive plaster,
which are laced through the eyelets
and fastened to tho skin. Edward
Shears, of Lakota, N. D ts tho In
ventor. SHE TOUCHED A CHINAMAN.
Had Instead of the Expected Good Luck
Reunited from the liiicounter.
It Is a very common superstition that
to rub tho hump of a cripple's back Is
sure to bring good luck. In some parts
of tho country women believe good for
tuno may he assured by touching a
Chinaman while passing him on tho
street, and the women of New Orleans
seem to have gone daft on tho subject
Of course they endeavor to create tho
Impression that they do It playfully,
but they never neglect an opportunity
to touch nu oriental as they pass blm.
A young girl at one of tho railroad sta
1
rnoTECTon von boils and CAnnnNCLKs.
WAS
NOT A MARIO FOR THIS.
shown by the losses on board Hit? I,rlt;
Isli frigate. Tliuro were 00 ltlllil. and
101 wounded out of a crew of 100.
while the Constitution lost bill 0 killed
nnd 25 wounded-among the lullor be
ing Coniuiotliio llnlnbrldgo himself,
who was shot twleo during tho engage
ment, but plucklly kept at Ills post mi
(II tho victory was won.
The effect of Ihe American lire upon
the rigging of the Java was no less re
nmrkablo When tho British com
mauiler struk ills ling, IiIh vessel hud
not a single spur standing, anil floated,
an unnmiiagjablo wreck, upon the sea.
The llrltish lira dnmngeil the Constitu
tion's sails very much, lint fortunately
none of her spars was cut. The pris
oners and their personal effects wero
removed to tbo Constitution aud the,
Java was blown up. f
CONSTITUTION AND JAVA.
tions a few evenings ago figured In a
ruther embarrassing Incident on ac
count of her ambition and her effort to
touch n Chlnntnan. The oriental hnd
drifted Into the station and was cvl
deiitly bent on an out-of-town trip, nnd
he was going at a rather rapid rate,
probably fearing that ho would mlsi
his train. As soon as the girl spied lilm
she Jumped up nud made n quick dart,
evidently for tho purpose of crossing
the Chinaman's path at a certain poln
and Just brushing him as he passed,
Here Is probably where sho made
mistake. At any rate either the girl or
tho Chinaman erred. Both were walk,
Ing rapidly and each seemed to be In
different to the course of the other. She
touched the Cliliinmiin nil right, nnd II
the good luck Incident to tho act ot
touching Is measured by tho vigor an
force of I ho touch good fortune ought
to shower on her whole family. It wns
a tlerco collision. Tho girl was embar
niKsed, and from the enpers cut by the
Chinaman he evidently thought
freight train had struck him. Yes, In
ilcr'iL ibis business of touching n nhliin
man Is a regular fad now, nnd If you
see a girl rushing wildly and aimless-
ly down the street, watch her and see
If sho doesn't brush tho clothes of a
Mongolian gently In passing.
Too Much Tor Him.
Tho other day n young man was pre
sented to Hcnutor Uuiinn who wanted
a subordinate place lu tho army. Tbo
Senator saw to It that his application
wus properly filed. Nothing wns heard
of the application or tho young Irish
man for several days, until ho sent his
card through tho doorkeeper of tho Hen
ate. Senator Hanna promptly respond
ed, and, with his customary democratic
frankness, Inquired:
"Well, how's everything with you,
Dugnn?"
"I'm In trouble," snld tho would-bo
soldier. "I got through tho physical
examination all right, but tbcy'vo
downed mo on tho catechism," Chi
cago Tribune.
Hulcldo in tho Kronen Army.
Tho French Mllltnlro publishes statls
tics showing that cases of suicide are
very frequent In tho French army,
more bo perhaps than In any other Eu
ropean force. Among overy 1.000 deaths
In the army from all causes, no less
thnn nn nverago of 50 (lu 180(1 exactly
50, nnd In 1807 151) aro caused by self
destruction; while In every 100.000 men
on tho rolls of the army no less than
nn average of 27 commit suicide every
year. Among tho colonial troops tho
number Is even higher.
Some pcoplo nro very Impressive;
they Impress you as great chumps.
..
. fl
ft )
i S I Uy
i
: i
i
M ...
HOW IT FEEL8 TO DIIOWN,
Aujttiliiu but "I'lcitsnnl." Ho Hnyx One.
Who Came Near It.
ni-mvniiiu Is a pleasant death" Is it
remark coiiMimitly miiilo by tlnwo wlu
uuver gulped down salt water Into tho
ili'llcalo tissues uf their lungs, I wuh
bathing In rough water on the beach ot
it watering place in Northern Franco.
Hwept out to sea. 1 struggled, smut, no-
auio Insensible, and was saveu iiy mo
ouiage anil skill of a gallant French-
. , I. .. 1 .1 .. M III
lllllll WHO wrilie HIS name iiiiii u "i
my niolher's New Testa nient as a mo
uiorlal of tho rescue. This was till. Tim
Ireumatunces wero ordinary. A tliou-
fiiml such may occur every year. Psy
chologically, however, there aro imiIiiIs
of Interest which arise principally irom
the tact that 1 remember ail that Hap
pened during a period of time which
may have been four or II vo minutes,
but which appeared to bo us many
hours.
Almost Immediately t entered tho
water, the much resounding roar of thu
wave struck mo as desolntlng and sorrowful-full
of forebodings und terror.
Ashamed of this fancy. I. instinctively,
but foolishly, fought my way seaward
and was promptly out of my depth; not
because I Intended to ruu any nsic, ror
1 could not swim, but becauso thu
strong current hail scooped out n hol
low In the sandy bottom, which had six
feet of water on the top of It. 'luuibled
over by tho waves, tho concentrated
agony of tho moment when the water
closed over my head for tho llrst tlmo
cannot bo described.
It was the bitterest point of tho strug
gle. Cruel nnd omnipotent force, with
out warning or reason, surrounded me,
and my frantic and determined elTorts
to escape only Incensed tho pent-up
passion to cease holding my breath and
lo Inhale once more. I felt Instinctively,
as I writhed In the cold, black water,
tbnt If once I succumbed to tho tempta
tion to expel my breath, which almost
burst tho ribs In my angry efforts to
rvtaln It, tho end would come; that I
should bo compelled to breathe Inward
while covered with the pressing salt
water. At this time I must have given
way and the dreaded stream of nlr
bubbles rose to thu surface.
A few weeks before I had wntcbed
the drowning of a cat In the clear water
of n running strenm. Tho animal was
tethered to n stone, and had fought
wltli upturned faco for liberty. When
tho bubbles rose lu a sliver fotintiUu
from the corners of Its mouth, It Mood
at tho bottom swaying In the gentle,
current turned over, nnd after ono final
struggle gave up the ghost. This sceno
csino vividly before mo. I thought of
this wretched cat. nnd wns half amused
to think that my cuso was the enso of
tho cat. There was no fear. The nctual
circumstance tilled my attention, and
tho piteous longliif to escape became
subordinated to the feeling of Intoler
able pain. Kyes, chest, limbs were nil
ono solid pain.
Just then I touched the sandy Itottotn
with my lingers and knees, and hastily
snatched a handful of sand and water
to thrust In my mouth to end this strug
gle for nlr. All I wanted was to end
the pain. No thought of death, except
as nu Interesting and Iminatcrlnl factor
In the situation, en mo over me. It is
truo that I remembered that I should
be missed when dinner time came, nud
I was found missing and thinking of
tho homo people. I thought of n blue
tie I hnd left on n chest of drawers In
my bedroom, which I had Intended to
put on, Then, suddenly, 1 found my
eyes nbove water for a second, and I
saw two blurred lingers near. On this (
sank ngaln, nnd was conscious -f relax
ing effort and sinking out of a con
scious state to one In which one dream
ed without knowledge what the dreams
were.
From this I nwoko in great pain In
the center of a crowd on the bench,
whither my rescuer had borne me. My
first thought was ono of Infinite nnd
unreasoning shame, but tho nausea
caused by swallowing so much salt
water quickly brought me back to earth
again.
A Very Illg Boy.
A lady from the country, who recent
ly had occasion to scud to town for a
suit of boy's clothes, took tho measure
ments herself. Shu received tho fol-
lowing reply:
"Uear Matla
in: Your favor received,
but wo regret to say that wo have no
clothes such as you want, and wo doubt
If they can bo found outside a museum
with a fat boy. Fifty-four Inches round
the chest, twenty-four round the neck,
and sixty round tho waist Is a little out
of our line. Possibly you might squeeze
tho boy down n little, but this would
hardly be ndvlsable, for, as you say,
ho Is only 12, and tho chances are that
ho would grow with all you might do.
We should advlso you to tako tho youth
to somo wholcsalo tailoring establish
ment. A boy with arms slxty-thrco
Inches long nnd legs Just six feet to an
Inch Is a llttlo beyond tho capabilities
of this establishment, though wo study
to please."
Tho lady has slnco learned that sho
used tho wrong side of tho tape meas
ure. Penrson's Weekly.
Modern Things In Old Manila.
There Is a central electric lighting
stntlon In Manila which supplies cur
rent for 1,200 Incandescent and 200 arc
lamps. There aro about 720 miles of tel
egraph In the Island nnd 70 tulles, of
steam railways. Manila hns also a tele
phono system. Tho conductors aro nil
overhead lines carried on poles with
porcelain Insulators.
Cause Air Congratulation.
Drummer Any mall for me John II.
Klawback?
Potty vlllo Postmaster Nope I
Drummer Good! Tho firm hasn't
fired me yet! Puck.
Tho nlmlghty dollar covers a multi
tude of queer transactions.
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