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About The Leader. (Cottage Grove, Lane County, Or.) 1895-1903 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 1902)
ment o f this!” Dallas says, and again they float along the polished floor. Alas! alas! it is over! the piano hns hanged the final chord; perforce they CHAPTER V. It hml l»i*m n rn u w d that Agiios, Madge and June were to go up to the Hall for tea and lawn tennis the next afternoon, and that her cousins were to call for June in the pony carriage. She came tripping out o f the door as they drove up. Arrived at the Hall, the cousins were requested to join the party in the garden, and found Mrs. Ellesmere and her guests sitting under the trees. Tom’s big form loomed in the distance; he was doing something to one of the nets. Dallas sat on a garden seat beside Mrs. Fetherston, a guest-from London, talking to her in an engrossed manner. The moment, how ever, that he became aware of the new arrivals, he left her and went forward to greet them. H e looked handsomer than ever to-day, in his white nanuels, with the pale-blue Eton sash and tie, straw hat and Brigade riblsm. “ I will start the first party,*’ whispered Tom to June. “ You will play with me, won’t you?” “ O f course I will,” answered June, who had recommenced her taeties of last night, and was speaking to and looking at her lover in her softest manner. So Tom flew off and paired the two young ladies staying in the house with the son of a neighboring rector and a man who was o f the Hall party, and returned in triumph. “ Now,” he said to June, “ you and I will play Dal and Madge; then we shall be about equal.” “ Cannot we do without Mr. Broke?” asked June. “ iW ause, he is so much en gaged, it would be a pity to disturb him.” “ Oh, he wants to play, and we must have him.” “ Does not Mrs. Fetherston play?” “ No; she says she hates romping. D al!” shouted Tom. Dallas looked up, but did not move for ® moment. It was evident his companion was urging him not to play. “ L et him off for half an hour, Mrs. Fetherston, won’ t you?” said Tom, going up to her, and she, raising her eyebrows, answered stiffly: 1 “ Certainly; altogether, if he likes.’ Law n tennis may be played gracefully •or ungracefully—nine times out o f ten it is certainly the latter. In the set now made up, the spectators had an opportu nity of seeing both styles o f performance. Dallas and June were graceful in the ex- tryme, moving with the utmost rapidity, yet never looking awkward; their eyes sparkled with excitement, there was a bright color in their face*. A man stand ing near Mrs. Ellesmere and watching the game whispered to her that he had rare ly seen so handsome or so well matched a couple. She assented to his remark with a smile. June was quite ready to depart when Agnes proposed it, in spite of Tom ’ s earn est entreaties. “ I ’m going to get up a bit of a dance to-morrow,” he whispered, as he was es corting her to the pony carriage. “ W e can make up about six couples.” June's eyes glistened. “ But you don’ t dance, T om !” she said. “ W ell,” he answered, his honest face illumined by a broad smile, “ I m not such a dog in the manger that, liecnusc I can’t do a thing myself, I won’ t let anybody else.” “ But,” said June, fearful of counting In vain upon such an immense pleasure, “ perilnps your mother won’ t invite me.” “ Won’t she?” said Tom, significantly. “ Look out for a note at ten sharp to morrow morning.” “ You really are an angel,” observed June, affectionately, and Tom was, hap pily for himself, unconscious that this sudden warmth on her part arose from joy at the anticipation o f a pleasure in which he could not take part. June could scarcely sleep that night for the delicious anticipation of the morrow. She woke early, and, unable to rest, rose, dressed herself, and went out into the garden. It was only seven o’clock then. June has been twice round the garden, has gathered a bunch o f roses and a dozen big strawberries in a cabbage leaf for her mother’ s breakfast, and, having car ried them indoors, has come out again and strolled a little away down the lane. And, behold! there is Tom on his big bay horse riding toward her. “ Why, June! you are ni# betimes!” he ■cried, in his cheery voice, all his face aglow with smiles. She went up to him, put her slim fingers in his, and stroked the glossy neck of King Charlie. “ I conld not sleep,” she said, with ra diant eyes. “ I could not sleep for thinking o f the dance to-night. Oh, Tom ! have you brought my invitation?” “ My mother is in bed and asleep as yet,” laughed Tom, “ but, my darling, what donbt can you have about it, when I got it up on purpose for you ?” “ Oh, Tom,” cried the girl, suddenly be thinking of Madge, “ is Madge to be in vited, too? Oh, do try to get her asked. It would he such a treat for her!” “ O f course she shall«” he answered, g**od naturedly. “ Ihank you, Tom. You are a dear, good Tom.” And June gave him such a smile that it sent ideas to his brain which she was far from intending it to do. He laid his big brown hand on her little white one that lay like a lily on King Charlie’ s neck. “ You arc beginning to care a little bit more for me, aren’t you?” he said, drop ping his voice. The color stole to June’s cheek, and an uneasy sensation to her heart. “ (Jood-by,” she said, “ I must lx» going in.” Tom rode away with a blithe heart; he would not have changed places with any other man on earth. She had not an swered him, but “ silence gives consent.” Evening came. Half-past nine saw June and Madge in the rector’s brougham driving up to the Hall, the gluddest, mer riest, most excited maidens possible to behold. “ Oh, you darling, darling June!” cried Madge, “ if it were not for spoiling your frock and your flowers and mine too, I would give you such a hug. Tom told me it was all your doing. Agnes did all she could to prevent my going, but Tom got hold o f mnmma on the quiet and made her promise.” Tom is waiting at the door to receive them. Dancing is to take place in the hall, which is lofty and spacious and has a polished oak floor of glnssy smoothness. Alrendy there is a squeak of a fiddle get ting into tune,'and the two girls’ hearts throb responsive. As June was standing beside Tom, flushed and lovely with excitement, Dal las Broke came up to her. “ You will give me a waltz, won’t you?” he said, persuasively; and June, who Was too happy to be cold or disdainful to any one to-night, replied that she would be very happy. “ The second?” And she assented. “ Ah, my dear old chap,” said Dallas, laying a friendly liund on Tom ’ s arm, " I have one pull over you. Miss Rivers. why don’t you make him learn to dance;” Happy as she was, June felt a slight sense of vexation at Mr. Broke’s manner. She wished he would not always look and spenk as though she were Tom ’s prop erty. The quadrille was over, the music of the first waltz had commenced. June’s partner this time was the son of a neigh boring rector. H e was a little rough in his paces, but June had an extraordinary facility for adapting herself to almost any step and any partner. When they made their first pause, Dallas and Mrs. Feth erston had the floor to themselves. E v eryone was wntching them. Their move ments were the perfection of euse and grace; such a lover of dancing as June could not look at them without admira tion, even though it occurred to her that there was rather more abandon in Mrs. Fetherston’ s style than was quite decor ous. They stopped. Dallas looked down into his partner’s eyes and whispered something; she answered him in kind. June felt a sudden spasm o f anger fiit through her heart; she told herself that it was due to a sense o f outraged propriety. Exquisitely as Dallas danced, she decid ed with a sudden impulse that she did not want to dance with him. H e was not nice; she would rather not dance, talk, or have anything else to do with him. Tom came to her when the waltz was over; the rector’ s son made way for him. “ Tom,” she whisjiered, “ take me^into the conservatory. I want to get another flower. These are crushed.” / “ A ll right, come along,” said Tom, g iv ing her his arm. H e gathered her a rich cluster of crim son geraniums, and she fastened it in her dress. “ How* are you enjoying yourself?’” he asked, and June replied: “ Immensely.” “ You are going to dance the next with Dal,” he said. “ I shall come and have a look at you. I hear the music beginning.” “ I don't particularly cart* about dancing with Mr. Broke,” uttered June, loitering. A t this moment he came to look for her. Seeing Tom, he half paused, and again that smile hovered in his eyes and mouth. “ Would you rather dance another one instead of this?” he said, and June an swered coldly, putting her hand on his arm: “ No; I think this Is ours.” “ W as I wrong to come for you?” he whispered as they passed out of the con servatory, and she replied, more coldly still: “ Certainly not.” A minute later his arm Is round her. Is It possible that erewhile she was angry with him? Now one soul seems to ani mate them; together they fulfill the per feet poetry of motion; never in her eigh teen summers has June been conscious of such ecstasy as this. When at last they pause, he looks down at her with a glance which she no longer resents. “ W as not that perfect?” he whispers. She answers him by a look. “ L et us go on. It is s sin to lose a mo- PRESIDENT COMING WEST. Secretary Now at Work on Itinerary—A Word to Entertainment Committees. 8t Mrs. vV’ . dar- j . . ! W ashington. Dec. 20.— President Bivers was sitting up for l her ® ling, anxious to hear all the events o f R oosevelt is already giv in g his atten the evening, as June made her ----- tion and, to the W estern trip re which he cital, a sudden consciousness came to tbs girl that, instead o f pouring all her heart plans to take in the 8pring. S ecre is at work on the out to her mother as was her wont, she tary Cortelyou itinerary, or, rather, the itinearies. was talking almost as as insincerely insincerely a* as fo •* in" ' “ ,8 ttiuiosv r he i 3 m aking several. A t least though she had been speaking to a straug- three trips w ill be laid out, and cir- er. It was a relief to her when her story cumstances miU ---- —*-*-*- w ill determ ine which was finished and she had kissed her moth er fondly and bidden her good-night. The bhall be chosen. I f state affairs are urgent it w ill be the shorter one, maid who acted as parlor maid, house maid and lady’s maid at the Bose Cottage while if affairs are goin g smoothiy, unfastened her dress and lingered a little the Presiden t w ill be aw ay six weeks or more. deeply interested in the doings at the Chicago w ill be visited early in the Hall. trip, as it is the plan to carry out the When at last she went, June stood im movable for a moment. Then she flung program me which was interrupted by the operation on the President's leg. herself down by her bedside and cried as Then he w ill go to M ilwaukee, through if her heart would break. W isconsin, to St. Paul and Minneapo C H A P T E R VI. lis and westward to the Yellow stone June, scarcely knowing how it happen Park, and on to the Coast, stopping ed, found herself in the boat in the garden at Puget Sound cities, Portland and lake, while Mr. Broke was leisurely dip- San Francisco. The Presiden t has in Riug the sculls into the water and rowing vitations from every state in the Un her away to the furthest point from the ion west o f the Mississippi R iver. house. And when he came to the big Local com m ittees m aking plans elm, whose branches overhung the water will do w ell to have regard to the and made a canopy above their heads, he President’s desire that S ecretary Cor quietly shipped his oars, and, bonding a telyou be included n al’, plans tor en little forward, said, quite simply and tertaining the President. T h is remin frankly: der mght seem superfluous, but exper- “ I am going to take the liberty o f ask ence has shown that it is not. There ing you a question. May I? ” are 19 reasons, any o f which is good “ Oh, certaiuly.” and sufficient why the President “ W hy won’t you, who are so charming wants his secretary to be at his elbow to everyone else, be a little bit kind to day and night, in carriages, at din me ?” ners, at private residences where he “ Ain I not kind to you?” she said, dip may be entertained, and at public ping her white fingers into the water and functions. A n y plans which are not apparently intent on watching them. to this effect w ill have to be altered. “ W hat have I done?” “ You have hardly looked at or spoken NATIONAL CALAMITY. to me since I came; indeed. I have fancied that you purposely avoided me.** .Santa Marla Still Active- Price of Neces T o utter a indite disclaimer was June’s sities So High Few Can Buy Them. first instinct; but a second coming swriftly on its heels, she followed that instead. Guatemala City, Guatemala, Dec. ’ You have takeu his mother’s love from 20.— It is probably due to some go v Tom,” she said. “ And, whenever you ernment instructions that the papera are together, you always stand in his light here have not said anything with re f erence to the eruption o f the Santa and make him seem—seem----” But June cannot find the words she M aria volcano, which can be consider ed, because o f its magnitude as a wants. “ A t all events, there is one brilliant ex national calam ity. T h e losses suffer are not less ception to the rule,” answered Dallas, in ed by German capital a piqued tone, losing for a moment his than $6.560.000, consisting o f houses destroyed, and the almost imperturbable good temper. Then, and m achinery with a flash in his blue eyes eminently be destruction o f the present coffee crop. If the total destruction o f many other coming to them, “ I assure you, you are completely mistaken about my aunt’ s feel properties belonging to other foreign ing for me. She likes me, and I amuse ers, as w ell as to natives, is added to her; but it is hardly probable that a wom this amount, the actual losses ascend an w’ould care more for her nephew than to a fantastic sum. The volcano is still in activity and her own son.” June is more attracted to Mr. Broke in a new eruption is feared at any time. this mood than in any in which she has Suffering Is indescribable, for, besides yet seen him. It is her turn to assume the loss o f coffee, which is estimated that charming tone and manner which she at about 300,000 quintals, the corn possesses in almost as great a degree as and wheat Helds are ruined. Owing to the unusually high rate Dallas himself. “ I did not mean to say anything un of exchange, business is entirely par kind.” And she looked at him so softly alyzed, for all imported articles have that his momentary wrath melted away. reached such prices that v ery few persons can aflord to buy them, and “ But it is a little hard on Tom.” merchants sell just “ Tom is the best fellow living,” cried most o f the Dallas, “ and no one kuows it better than euuugU to vtrrer m et! expenses. The w orst part o f the present bad Aunt Vi. She is a woman of the world, and would like him to have a little condition is that no one knows how or when It w ill change, and it Is al more---- ” most unenduable just now. A rticles “ Polish?” suggested June. “ That is hardly the w’ord: something of o f first necessity have reached inac that sort, I suppose. But she knows his cessible prices, and the poor class of people are suffering therefrom . sterling worth as well as anyone.” Sterling worth! yes, how appropriate those two words are! Y et they have a dull sound in June's ears this summer a f ternoon whilst young Apollo’s eyes are meeting hers. “ I imagine,” he said, “ that you will very soon have all the say here.” The sw ift blood flew to June’s cheeks. “ You are mistaken, then,” cried June, hotly. “ I am not going to marry him. I am not engaged to him. 1 love him as my dearest friend, as my brother, and noth ing. nothing more.” Then she sank back in her seat, and a cold, shamed feeling crept over her that she had betrayed Tom, ay, more cruelly than mother or any other living being had power to do. Dallas was so astonished at this confession that he let go the bank, and the boat drifted out into the sunshine. H e had to rise, take a scull and punt back to the shore. “ Had we not better be going in?” sug gested June, coldly. “ No, not just yet,” he answered. “ Do you know* you have positively taken my breath away?” “ H ave I? ” said June, with averted eyes, remorseful and ashamed, and yet feeling a sort of satisfaction thnt she had struck off her chains and declared her freedom. “ I do not know why you should have thought I was going to marry Tom. I do not suppose that he told you that I was.” “ Most certainly not.” “ Let us be friends!” he whispered, bending forward and stretching out his hand; and she let him take hers. There was a magnetism in his touch that was utterly wanting in Tom’s; involuntarily her eyes met his and stayed a moment longer than was wise, and straightway, June knew’ that imagination may forestall reality, and that the dreams she had cher ished in summer starlit nights with long ing eyes strained heavenward were not only dreams, but that this gross material earth holds raptures as great aa the prom ise o f the skies. Tom, all unauspicioua, was aw’aiting them at the landing place, and, aa he put both his hands ont to help June from the boat, he said, with a cheery laugh: “ W ell, have you two made up?” June could not answer, but Dallas re plied gayly: “ Yes, I think Miss Rivers has forgiven me.” Then he walked np the slope to join Mrs. Fetherston, who was coming to meet them, her face wearing anything hut a pleased expression. A pang o f jealousy shot through June’s heart. Tom was hurrying her towifrd a sequestered part of the garden, and she felt as though he were taking her sway from the flower« and the sunshine. (T o be continued j LEFT TO BOWEN Castro Gives United States Minis ter Full Power to A rbitrate. MAKES NO RESTRICTIONS WHATEVER Realizes That HI» Nation la Powerless — Venezuelan Kettels Active, and Ap parently Receiving Help. W ashington, Dec. 22.— T h e settle m ent o f the Venezuelan difficulty now rests with U n ited States M inister Bowen, to whom Presiden t Castro has entrusted full pow er to negotiate terms with the allies. Castro desires that the peace con feren ce be held in W ashington, and to that end has asked Bowen to go there. Castro has changed his attitude to ward the allies, allow ing the Ger man M inister to land and talk by tel ephone to his sick w ife, and allow ing the British ships to send men ashore for provisions. The rebels are becom ing m ore ac tiv e In the interior, and Castro is said to have evidence that they have co-operated w ith the allies, and that arms and ammunition h are been fur nished them. Caracas, Dec. 22.— L op ez Baralt, Venezuela M inister o f Foreign A f fairs, has transm itted to United States M inister Bowen a document signed by President Castro as constitutional President o f th e republic, and coun tersigned by h im self as M inister o f Foreign Affairs, in which Mr. Bowen is recognized as the only representa tiv e o f Venezuela in the matter o f ef fectin g a settlem ent o f the difficulty with the European powers. According to the term s of this document. Mr. Bowen may act with out restriction, and he is to use all means possible to protect the inter ests o f Venezuela. T h e State Depart ment at W ashington has been noti fied o f the transmission o f this instru m ent to Mr. Bowen. E vents here are dependent upon the receipt, through the State De partment, o f the answers o f the gov ernments o f G reat Britain, Germany and Italy to the proposal o f arbitra tion advanced by Venezuela. These answers are expected tom orrow . Should they be favorable, the Venezu elan governm ent strongly desires that a conference o f the Am bassadors o f Great Britain, Germany and Italy to the United States he held in W ash ington. and that Mr. Bowen leave La Ouayra Decem ber 23 for the United States on board the Steam er Caracas, which Is due to reach N ew Y o rk De cem ber 29. Mr. Bowen w ill .meet the Ambassa dors in W ashington. N o m eeting to discuss term s o f settlem ent is to be held on Venezuelan soil. REMODELED A CLUB FOOT. Surgeon Lorenz First Crushed It, Then Formed It as Nature Should. N ew York, Dec. 20.— Dr. Lorenz has for the first tim e since he arrived in N ew York operated on a club foot. T h e patient was a 4-yearg>ld girl. Dr Lorenz kneeded and twisted the crip pled foot until it was as soft and pli able as a piece o f putty. Then he d eftly molded it into its proper form, and announced that the operation was completed and a plaster cast was fit ted to the foot. T h e doctor said that the child should be allowed to use her foot as much as she could afte r four o r five days, and that it would be necessary to keep the east on fo r six or seven months, afte r which she could walk. Four operations for congenital dis locations were perform ed and at their close Dr. Lorenz showed that he was a tired man. THIS IS SANTA’S BUSIEST YEAR. Prosperity Has Enabled Him to Break All Previous Records In Liberality. N e w York, Dec. 20.— M all money order records have been broken In the Central postofflee, W ednesday’s trans actions amounting to $1,168.741. This included .money orders Issued, both dom estic and foreign, the certificates o f deposit issued to out-of-town post masters, money orders paid and money order drafts. European ad vices brought the Inform ation that the Incom ing Christmas mail would be much larger this year than ever before. T h e Cymric, bound for N ew York, is said to have on board 2600 bags o f mail. T h e Etruria Is also com ing with 1805, the K aiser W ilhelm der Orosse with 660 and the St. Louis with 300, a total o f 5365. Warning to Westerners. W ashington. Dec. 20.— T h e S ecre tary o f the Treasury went to the H ar lem dinner in a Tuxedo coat. That was a sin— a violation o f the law o f etiquette— alm ost Inexcusable. For the President o f the United States was there, and where the President o f the United 8tates la. it is a full- dress function. T h is m ight be a good thing to rem em ber when the P res i dent is on his visitation, o f the W est next Spring. I f you hare a long-tailed coat get it out. "E l M oeh o” H i»rn n m 1 o *, Ih o leased revolutionary leader, called at the Am erican Legation this morning fo r th e purpose o f paying his respects to M inister Bowen. T his afternoon Presid en t Castro, accompanied by his wife, also called at the Legation, where he stayed fo r three-quarters o f an honr. Lelutenant Van Duzen, o f the gun boat M arietta, has been sent here from T.a Ouayra to act as secretary to Mr. Bowen. M erchants o f all nationalities here hope that the arbitration proposal w ill be accepted, and that, as a result o f the present efforts to reach a pa cific settlem ent, the proposed block ade o f I-a Guayra. Puerto Cabello, Maracaibo. Coro, Carupano and Bar celona. announced fo r Decem ber 20, w ill not becom e effective. British and German ships o f war are paying dally visits to M argarita Island. P ea rl fishing boats from M ar garita report the presence o f three men-of-war near Juan Grlego. Allied Power« Helping Rebels. Caracas. Dec. 22.— Documents and letters which have been secured by the Venezuelan authorities are said to prove th e connection o f the Matos revolutionists with the recent demon stration o f the allies against Vene zuela. It Is reported that, since the cap ture o f th e Venezuelan fleet, muni tions o f w ar have been shipped open ly from W illem stad to ports on the Venezuelan coast, and steamers are said to have sailed from P o rt o f Spain Trinidad, with the knowledge, it Is alleged, o f the British authorities there, bearing arms and ammunition to the Venezuelan revolutionists at Ciudad B aliver, on the O rinoco R iver. St. Louis Exposition Stamp«. W ashington, Dec. 22.—T h e Post- office Departm ent is Just about to take up th e subject o f the special Is sue o f stamps to be designed for the St. Louis Exposition. Even so early It is understood that G eorge H. Dan iels that enterprising publicity ex pert o f the N ew York Central, Is to h ave on one stamp a picture o f hi* 24-hour flyer. L a s t tim e It was the E m pire State Express which served as a model for rapid railw ay transit, and Mr. Daniels again claims the dis tinction, o f furnishing the apeedlest model. _______ ____________ Earthquake in Costa Rka. San Jose, Costa Rica, Dec. 22.— T w o violen t earthquakes w ere ex perienced here at 4 o ’clock this morn ing. T h e people w ere greatly slsrm- ed. but there w ere no easualitlea. S everal other «hock* follow ed at In terval». Theae, however, were o f di m inishing severity.