HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Fordwich Record, 1901-10-24, Page 6:•••••••••••...•••••••••••••••••••••••••)0•40, •
the Or
The
Red We 1t h
goomg
Constantia.
w*********+•%**.ANKow******************
The Lover—Say, this Romeo busi ness is tough! I'm kotched on a
nail an' dere's a spider down me back!"
•
It
CHAPTER XIV.
4iShe fsound that has startled Var-
and'is MM. Dundee out of their
e-trande, had come from a source
tle dreamed of by them. As they
hPrried towards the houSe, the veil
of evergreens behind where they had
stood was lightly thrust aside, ..and
the moonbeams revealed the pale,
startled face of Constantia Mc-
Gillicuddy.'
:She looked so white, so horrified,
*drat Stronge, who was with her,
thought she was going to faint. She
had witnessed that last scene—the
wild embrace, the swift and guilty
separation. It had been a sudden
awakening, a first glimpse into the
hateful side of life, its lawlessness,
its vile treachery.
It had all happened in a moment,
and when Stronge had realized the
meaning of the picture before him,
it was too late to prevent Con-
stantia's relizing also. She' looked
straight at him now with a very
anguish of distress in her eyes, and
tried to say something, but could
not. There was a touch of Shaine
about her, that made him wretched.
hale could only have looked back at
her with a glance sufficiently Uncon-
scious as to convince her that he had
Essen nothing, and that she was alone
In her knowledge of the odious' dis-
covery she had just made, he felt
matters would be easier for her. but
-he could not do it. Her clear eyes
read him through and througn.
A sense of savage anger rose with-
in him, that she should have been
subjected to such an ordeal ; that
:has pure, strong, childish nature
should have been thus roughly rous-
ed to a knowledge better left un-
learned. It was a thoroughly un-
fortunate affair altogether, but there
was at least a little grain of com-
fort to him in the-thought, that if
she was to witness sulk a disgrace-
ful thing, he should have been her
• compassion.'
"Yes, I saw all," he said, invol-
untarily making answer to the un-
spoken question in her frightened
eyes.
"Oh, it is horrible !" said Con-
stantia with a violent shudder.
"Oh ! how can it be true ? And
Lady Varlet' —"
"Come and sit down here," said
Stronge, drawing her towards a gar-
den- chair. He could see that she was
trembling. "And do not think so
much of it. I am sorry from my
soul that you should have been
"What does it matter about me ?"
pried she impatiently. "Do hot
think of me at all. Think of Lady
Valley. Oh, poor thing I And her
little baby so 111. His baby, too,
And he-------"
"Is the child ill ?"
"It is always ailing, and new ft is
worse. It is dying, Y think, but she
will not believe it. But you will see
how unhappy she must be, and now
this. If it should come-to her ears,
if Oh !" cried she, clasping her
hands,: aif • I were a man I should
like to kill him."
Her face was deadly pale in the
moonlight ; her lips quivering.
Stronge felt the blood grow warm
about his heart. He asked himself
at this moment whether it were not
his duty, to obey even her vaguest
wish. Why not throw Lord Var-
ley's falseness in his teeth, and--
"As for her," said Constantia in a
low tone, between the teeth—she
was looking straight before her, she
had apparently forgotten_ Stronge—
"Iasheal Igt .hee know," she said ;
"I shall certainly speak to her.-
"To Lady Varley ?" asked he' in
dismay. -
s '`Lady Varley ! No I But to her,
Mrs. Dundas My—my cousin."
Site seethed to shrink from the word.
She shall know • at least what I
as think of her. I. shall compel her to
listen. She shall give up all thoughts
of Lord Varley. Oh. Mr. Strong. !"
cried she turning to him with flushed
cheeks, you do• not know, perhaps,
that she was onemengaged to him.
They, were lovers ; they quarreled ;
they both married a and yet now
h, it is terrible ! And she is my
C011Sin. r feel as if I, through her,
were injuring Lady Varley. Was
there - ever anything' so disgraceful,
ao wicked ?'' She paused nervously,
Sand then, suddenly burst into tears.
"Oh I" she sobbed miserably, "I
wish—I wall 1-had `not seen it."
"I am tired," she said wearily.
"Let us go back to the house."
They entered it by the armory
door ; the hall inside was brilliant-
ly lit by lamps with blood-red
shades, and a subdued crimson glow
was the consequence. It lit up the
faces round with a warm radiance.
Almost the first person Constantia
saw on entering was Donna Benda.,
the second was Featherston. Not
that they were together ; Donna was
molting with quite an ineffable
sweetness at the Italian, Coronis,
and Featherston was leaning
against the opposite wall. His eyes
were on her.
There were, however; so many
other people in the small stone hall,
that Constantia, bewildered at first
by the bright glow, did not see
where Featherston's gaze dwelt. A
moment later he had roused him-
self, and was coming towards her.
"Our dance, I think," he said,
coldly.
She started. Had so much time
flown ? Had she Indeed missed one
of the dances she most desired ?
"You had forgotten," went on
Featherston, quite stiffly now. It is
abominable to a man. to find him-
self forgotten even for an instant by
the woman who, he believes, loves
him. "It hardly matters now, he
said. "It is almost at-an end."
Constantia grew pale. That . first
glance at the gay, smiling Donna
had unnerved her ; and now his
coldness gave a finishing touch to
the suppressed agitation that was
troubling her,
"It was not that I forgot;" she
said, "only—" She hesitated.
How could she go on 1 How ex-
plain ?
" 'Only.' Quite so," responded
he, with a half-veiled sneer, and _a
glance at Stem-me, who was not
heeding him, but was rather regard-
ing Mrs. Dundas with an amazed
scrutiny. Had the woman no con-
science—no heart ? Here she was
laughing, glowing, in all the insol-
ence of her beauty, unmindful of
that late scene in the garden, that
had crushed Constantia. She was
making herself adorable to half a
dozen admirers ; aotably to Coronis.
She had even condescended to go
farther afield, and had drawn young
McGillicuddy into her net. The,
boy was leaning over her in an at-
titude of exaggerated devotion.
Barry, however, held aloof from
the siren of the hour. sills manner
did not exactly convey the idea that
he was against her, but he certainly
was not on her side. Constantin
noted this, and was in a manner
glad of it, though an instant later
even this comfort forsook her ;
Barry, seeing her, turned upon her a
scowling brow, and a glance full of
concentrated wrath and reproach.
It was a momentary gleam ; it dis-
appeared again as he went back to
his conversation with Mrs. Ronayne-
Power, a little woman with sharp,
refined features, and a reputation of
saying such nasty things of her
neighbors, that she was immensely
petted by them in consequence.,
Not a bit of it," she was saying
now, in her clear, staccato voice
that always made itself heard, a
propos of the latest married scandal
in the country. "There was no hurry
about it. She was never in a hurry,
if you remember. It appears ' that
as far back as last January, she
had all her arrangements made for
the elopement with the major, even
; to the giving away of her old things.
She had had an entirely new trous-
seau 'ordered for him, though the
'first was only three, years old. How-
ever, at the last moment, her lies-.
. band, as you know, got the small-
es
she had a trumpery sort of a cone
science. somewhere.. She was good-
natured, always, and she made up
her mind, to give him a final spell
'of nursing before deserting him for-
ever *: she therefore told Major Black-
' wood she could not possibly start on
her honeymoon with him, until she
had seen the old man safely through
his illness."
"And the major, of course, very
wisely declined to .go a-honeyomon-
ing with a young woman fresh from
a tainted atmosphere," put in Donna
l
ibppantly.
"So do Iaroin my heart, my poor "Olt, as for a taint more or less,"
the other coolly. "At all events, I
know this much that she left her
husband, net because of his years,
or the major, but because she had
been delicately reared and she
couldn't stand snuff. He took it by;
the spoonful, I'm told ; she is now
living—by herself, recollect—some-
where on the Riviera."
"I am glad she chose a nice quiet
spot, where. English tourists don't
intrude," said Donna, making a
faint grimace.
"Do you mean to say she hasn't
gone off at all ?" asked a pretty
woman, leaning forward out of the
background ; she seemed interested,
and in a degree disappointed._ She
was thinking of going off herself,
and was grieved in that she could
not count on some one who had -
given -her a lead.
"Be comforted. She has," said
Mrs. Ronayne-Power, with a sneer.
"If not in a coach and four with
the major, at least in her good
looks. I saw her just before she
started for that solitary trip to the
Riviera that good -Mr. Featherston
would persuade us about, and her
neck was a perfect picture—of bones.
It was at Lagly Vaughan's, and all
the men fought shy of her. One
couldn't wonder. She was so thin
that -I should think it would hurt
one to dance with her. Even Mas-
sereene—you know the sort of man
he is, and the sort of woman he
likes—even he imaer went near her
all the night."
"What luck for her I" said Strong°
in a peculiar tone.
"I saw her, too," cried Barry,
laughing ; "when you spoke of bones
I remembered. She was the woman
'mit nodings on' who danced all
night with Petersham, and who—"
- "Sn I No I Pet your head in a
bag," whispered the pretty won an,
netiging lam cautiously ; "that mss
Mrs. Burks, cousin of Featherston's.
You'll let yourself in for something
if s nu don't look cut."
"In spite of the bones, the maair
was faithful," went on Mrs. Re-
neyne-Power. with a view to crush-
the Featherston's view of the scan-
dal.
"There is nothing like constancy,"
said George McGillicuddy, with a
fond glance at 'Donna.
- "Nothing, indeed. It is the -rarest
virtue we have," agreed Featherston
directing a withering one at Con-
stantia, who met it' and replied to
it silently but eloquently. Her large
eyes filled with terms. /
'Well, I guess I must be going,"
said the pretty woman, rising to her
feet. She had a lovely figure, so she
rose slowly. "My old Dragon Is dis-
gracefully lively to-night, so I Must
be on the move. I had hoped the
lobster mayonnaise and the dry
Monopole would have been too much
for him, but he has survived all, and
is now considerably on the champ.
Good-night, good folks. Better luck
next time—for me, at all events."
"I say I Don't gu yet," said Mas.
Rc,nayne-Power persuasively. She
knew there would be a ow if the
pretty woman stayed, so she did her
best to keep her.
'Tisn't good enough !" said the
pretty 'woman, with a faint laugh.
"Last time I tried that on, the con-
sequences were gruesome. I dare
say," carelessly, "you all remember.
I flatly refused to move upon the
homeward track. whereupon' that
dear old thing whose name I bear,
hauled me off my scat before an
appreciative audience ! To risk it
again would mean murder."
"Oh, he wouldn't go so far as
that I" said Mrs. Ronayne-Power,
reassuringly.
"No, but I should. As it is,"
with a languid smile, "I expect he
has hauled me off my scat for' good
and all. I shan't resume it." She
nodded briskly all round, and, es-
corted by a man on her left, strolled
out
Donna
oY s i lgohotk.
ed after her with an
inscrutable smite upon here lips.
"What, a fool that woman was
Could she not manage her little af-
fairs with more decency than that
Cajolery I Had she no knowledge of
the .unlimited power of that groat
agent ?"
' She, too, rose.
"This dance is now almost at an
end," she said, "so I presume I may
in safety return to the ball-room. I
was engaged for it to some' half-
dozen or so,. so thought it wise to go
into retirement until it blew Over.
Mr- Berry, you will give me your
open I"
She smiled winningly upon hisis•
She, preferred Barry at this moment
,to any other man, because she could
see he did not prefer her in any
way.
Fee therston, as if • nettled, turned
aside. He had approached her by a
foot or so, as if to speak, but now
he drew back. He went up to Con-
stantia instead. 1'. seemed to lam
'on the instant that the innocent,
unsophisticated 'girl was infinitely
the more desirable of the two.
"As we missed that last dance,"
he said, with a friendly smile, "I
hope' you will give me this instead.
It is only a square dance, indeed ;
but still half a loaf, you know, is
better—aometimes—than no 'bread."
Constantia crimsoned and then
grew pale. She clasped her hands
nervously.
"I am so sorry," she stammered ;
"but—but I have promised it to—"
"I see," interrupted he coldly.
"You are determinecTS thenato deny
me ! No, do not trouble yourself to
explain who it is. 1 can understand.
But to be cast aside for him a seC-
and time to-night scenes
"You are wrong," she cried eager-
ly ; "quite wrong. This dance be-
longs to Mr. Dundas. He does; not
dance anything except the squares,
and his risking me -was such a special
sort of thing that--" -
Stronge, who was standing at a
distance, could see but not hear, and
he hoped honestly that those ap-
parently angry words would end in
a settled coldness. But, men as he
hoped, he knew it was in vain.
Featherston had met the girl's anx-
ious eyes, had seen the tears in diem
(raised lay him fOr the second thee),
and had been subdued thereby. There
more experienced beauties of his
world.
He bent over her now, and kis
voice sank to a whisper—a rather
loving One.
"You have been unkind," he said-;
"you --Must acknowledge that And
yet—I believe you I"
Constantia smiled at him through
her I- rs ; to speak was beyond heis
She knew that she was unutterably
happy ; she felt that he had for-
given her.And he looked so hand-
some, so aristocratic ; his eyes were
so full of feeling, his nose so ducal,
that she knew she was right in
being happy. And yet why Old he
haunt the footsteps of Mrs. Dun-
das ? Why did ho so often look at
her ? Garrett Barry. Mr. Stronge—
they did not show the reigning
beauty such open devotion. An yet
how superior he was to either of
them I He had seemed eager to
make up the small quarrel with her
(Constantia), and yet, did he love
her I Did—did she love him 1
She fell into a sound sleep that
night—without answering either
question.
(To Be COritinued).
THE BIBLE AS A WAR CODE.
r•••••••••••••••••••
About the
.... House
34341$3-#44-4~14.441,Winit
HOMEMADE. APPLE-BUTTER.,
Care should be taken ins the selec-
tion of apples for making the cider
which is to be used later in apple-
butter. When sweet apple-butter is
wanted, good sweet apples." well ma-
tured should be carefully selected
from which the eider is to be made.
The cider should-not be allowed tp
stand and work, but should be boiled
down as soon as possible after being
brought from theassill. A large cop-
per kettle can be used to best ad-
vaptage on the farm. It' should be
hung on a large pole in the usual
way and the- cider should be boiled
down as rapidly as possible. It
should be skimmed from time
to thne -as the residue ris-
es to the top. A barrel
should be- boiled down about one-
fourth. In other words, a barrel
containing 50 gallons, should be re-
duced by boiling to 12 gallons. Care
should. be taken so as not to allow
the blaze to run up the sides of the
kettle, es it is liable to make the
cider bitter. The cider should be
carefully stored in crocks or jars and
the kettle should be thoroughly
cleansed, if not used the same day.
Several bushels of good quality
sweet apples should be selected, 'par-
ed and quartered. Two bushels of
quartered apples are required for one
barrel of cider, that is about 12 gal-
lons when boiled down. About, one-
half ;el quartered apples
should be placed in a kettle, a lit-
tle cider poured over them and cook-
ed until they can be mashed through
a colander. Treat the others in the
same manner and place all together
with the cider in a large kettle, cook
slow y and stir constantly. With a
constant heat It Should be cooked
until the cider will not separate from
the apples. In this condition it is
jellylike. It can be tested from time
to time by taking a spoonful and al-
lowing it to drip, iss a saucer or oth-
er vessel. When in this jelly-like
condition remove the kettle from the
fire and stir in a/b ground cinnamon.
After mixing and stirring 5 to 10
minutes the apple-butter is ready for
jars, crocks or cans. It should be
dipped' out and placedski the 'mesas
and allowed to cool. Care should
.be taken not to break the crust that
forms on the top after cooling. If
it is not broken, apple-butter pro-
perly made, will keep for years in
this condition by simply tying a
cloth or paper over the top of the
jar or can.
Stirring apple-butter in large
quantities a special stirring device
is necessary. It consists of a piece
of well-seasoned wood through which -
several holes are bored at the bsee.
To this bottom is fastened a braid-
ed brush of clean corn husks. With
a handle .from 8 to 10 feet long the'
apple-butter can be stirred constant-
ly so that the ,bottom will not -burrs
or stick in thp least: It must be
borne in mind that a great deal de-
pends up-on the stirring, process. If
this is faithfully and properly done
and the other directions are followed
a good product will result.
' SOUR APPLE-BUTTER. '
Where sweet cider is not available
or where sour cider is preferred, one
barrel should be boiled . down' to one-
quarter. ' When about half boiled
down, a half-bushel of quartered
Rambo apples or other apples of
good quality should be added and
stirred constantly. This should be
boiled for an hour or so, when an-
other half-bushel should be added
and stirred in the same manner. As
'soon as this is reduced so as to -ad-.
e mit another bushel, they should be
:added, cooked and stirred until the
same jelly-like condition is obtained
as described above.
When done about 20 lbs. of granu-
lated sugar and alb ground -cinna-
mon should be added and thoroughly
stirred 10 to 15 minutes. The fire
should then be removed -and the but-
DOILY IN STRAWBERRY DESIGNS
ter put in jars at once. When cool,
cover as described "above. Tinder no
circumstances should apple-butter of
any kind be allowed to stand in
brass or copper kettles after it is
done. The kettle should be thor-
oughly cleansed and scalded. ' Made
according , to these directions apple-
butter will be smooth, jelly-like and
trill keep for years, if kept in a 1110-
derately cool cellar ar pantry. As a
tart, dessert, or spread for bread, no-
thing is niore palatable and delicious
than homemade apple-butter.
SEWING HINTS.
When sewing on buttons with holes-
through them lay a pin over the
button so that the thread with which
you are sewing will take in the pin.
After passing the thread through the
button as often as necessary; pull
out the pin and wrap the thread
round and round -between the button
and the cloth; this will- form a neck
for the button, making it at once
easier to fasten and stronger.
The French patch is a piece insert-
ed without turning the edges. The
hole M. cut out, the piece fitted in,
both basted smoothly on stiff paper,
and the edges are clamed together,
as closely as possible, with • the tin-
iest of stitches and fittest of silk.
It does not take any 'more time to
insert a new heel into a small boy's
stocking than it does to darn a big
hole and if the work is neatly done
it will look better and be more com-
fortable. Make them of Canton flan-
nel in two pieces like the heel of a
stocking or a doll's cap with crown
in shape of a U and a straight piece
sewed round it. .
In darning a rent place a piece un-
der the threads running the same
'way in both, draw the lips of the
tear closely together, and run back
and forth with fine even stitches,
taking care not' to pecker the darn.
The thread used should match the
material exactly; use the ravelling.
if they are strong enough: Ordi-
nany sewing silk split and waxed is
excellent, the idea being that thread
which ja hard twisted does not sink
into the goods and is therefore More
likely to show-
. USEFUL HINTS.
Where there are school children in
the family, good, rich soup should
often be made for supper.
Respect the wishes of the -little
folks in unimportant matters. It
will train their audg,ment for more
weighty ones. , „
If the home dressmaker would iron
out her paper. patterns just before
using, her cutting would be much -
easier and more exact.
A whisk-broom cut so it tapers to
a point at one- side is the handiest
thing for cleaning out the earners
when sweeping the stain*. One that
is past service for its original use is
as good as a new one for this pur-
pose.
Plaster of Paris will not set so
quickly and will mead things more
firmly if it is mixed with glue water,
Make it in the proportions of half a
teasel) of glue, soaked till soft in
lukewarm water, then enough cold
water added to moisten .a half-pound,
of the plaster.
A wholesome Way of stewing fruit
is to put it in a covered stone jar
set in cold water. Bridg to a slow
boil, then set on the back of range
for seven or eight hours, letting it
cook slowly all the while. Eaten
with sugar and cream this is a capi-
tal addition to the children's supper.
For mending rubbers procure a few
cents' worth of red rubber from a
dentist, cut in small pieces into a
bottle and cover it with chloroform.
In fifteen minutes it will be dissolv-
ed. Apply with a brush rapidly be-
fore it hardens, keeping the bottle
tightly corked to prevent evapora-
tion. if a large hole Is to be mend-
ed, sew a piece of rubber dam over
the place and give it several coats
of the fluid.
When a . change of seasons arrives
the careful housewife should be as
-thorough in oiling metal tools that
are to be put aside for months as
the wise farmer is about his tools.
The coal stove and its pipes, for in-
stance, need oiling in the spring, as
they will not be used till winter, and
in the fall the gasolene or oil stoves
and their oven need a coat of pro
teca ing oil or varnish,
REMOVING DANDRUFF.
Scalp massage wen. overcome dan-
druff by increasing the circulation
and elasticity of the scalp. Attar
Isrushing the scalp thoroughly every
Slight, massage with the fingers or
message roller. Once a week use the
following wash:
PoWdered borax, two ounces, pow-
dered camphor, one ounce; ` boiling
water, two quarts. When cold bot-
tle for use. Never use any prepara-
tion for face or scalp from the bottle
but always turn out enough for one
treatment 'in a small saucer ors dish.
Rai this well into the roots oi the
hail and follow by a vigorous
brushing • with a scrupulously clean
hair brush:
NOT IN ORDER.
In a certain Lanarkshire village a
meeting was called to consider the
advisability of erecting a bridge
over a burn which had been hereto-
fore crossed by means of stepping-
stones. •
The schoolmaster, who presided
over the meeting, warmly advocated
the erection of a bridge in an elo-
quent speech, when a local worthy,
who was something of a character
and noted for his outapokenness, got
up and interrupted
"Hoot, toot, schulemaister, you're
fair haiverina man ! Wha wad gang
an' put a brig ower siccan a wee
.bit hornie as'yon ? Losh, man, I.
cud cross it wi' a -stannin' jump I"
"Order, order," exclaimed the
chairman, angrily. "You are clearly
out of order."
al ken I'm sot o' order," rejoined
the interrupter, amid the laughter of
the audience. "If I was in order I
cud jump as fear again !"
A bachelor marries at an average .
age of 26 years and 4 months, a
spinster at 24 years and 8 months.
Only 73 in 1,000 letters deliveard
in the United Kingdom come from
abroad.
child," said' Strome, earnestly. He said Mrs. IthisayneePower, with a
drew her towards him impulsively, slutig of her shoulders, ''that could
- and she least her 'forehead against hardly harm her. She was well
his arm. and cried there Until her r enofigh off in that line. As for Ma-
agitation grew milder. It did - not! jor Blackwood, you wrong him. He
Spent strange to her that she should was so -infatuated by that little
thus lean- upon him ; her mind was wretch, that ha declared publicly he
entirely absorbed with her grievous envieti he "r 'husband his sniaillpox,
-, diasovery. But Andrew -Strange considering.she was going to nurse
comprehended the meaning of her in- him. And nurse him she did, night
difference to his presence, and the and day, got highly complimented
grasp of despair tightened on his by the physicians for her wifely de-
heart. Ivotion, was held up . to the entire
"You will be sensible,” he said 'Ps'ish by the rector as a sample of
presently ; "you Wilt not Speak to ,iiii_hrttawoman should be ; 'and the
Mrs. enihdas . to-night : ' you will [ ' morning
deownstairs for the first time as a
she got her husband
wait' to a good opportunity, and•,
then ho'what you can. • Promise me convalescent she made a clean bolt
this." - , of it with the major." , I"Bless my stars !" exclaimed '''‘,fell, yes, it shall, be as you 'Barry • "It is sae oddest -thing I
wish." She sighed heavily, but tier ever heard of; if it happened—so.
sobs ceased, 'and' she dried her eyes, ' She is a regular heroine."
and drew herself up to-her full I . "Of a rather irregular story," put
height, and' began to wish she hadn't in Stronge, who Was annoyed.
- beenso absurd. She rememaeredl "A Christian martyr in my estima-
that': Stasooge ,=had had' his arm don," said Donna, with a yawn.
round her. and -that she had cried Quite a little concert of 'praise and i
_upon his shoulder ; she blushed crib- , blame arose, that Featherstone, in a sonand a pang oafear shot through : his usual cynical way, brought to an
her. What would—she checked. this' sem
"Anything so considerate !" mur-
.
mused Donna.
"Ilmormiderate, she thought it,
thailailat and blushed even deeper in I "There isn't a sound. idea an the
doing so—vilat would anyone thinkwhole of that tale." he said languid-
of her, could they know of it ? I ly. "Not one, I assure you. I
, She felt unreasonably angry with should know."
'SfleAge/ffita the miser died as she I "Why should you know ?" derhand-
raiseila Ises eyes, nmst reluctantly, to eel Barry, with studied politeness
IISSOY'dould -'be angry with that but a truculent eye-- He was in the
grave, kindly; anxious face ? She mood just then that made- hint in- was always something about Lon-
turned _away, and let her gaze des- toleraht to 'any Man upon whom stantia that held him captive au
ceralmsoa the.gravel. at her feet, Constantia might hate chanced to fond: however his thoughts might
and 'slistfy, 'aoughtfully, drew her cast a favoring eye. wander occasionally and most un-
fan through her fingers. "For various reasonsaa returned worthily here and there amongst the
How Aptly Chosen Texts Have
Been Used in South Africa.
Mr. Kruger's cable to his -Pretoria
relatives who enquired *hat was to
be dyne with the ex-President's house
now it was no longer tenanted by the
late Mrs. Kruger, was; "Read Pro-
verbs, Vii, verses 19, 20":—"For the
goodmans is not at home, he has
gone a long journey.
"He bath taken a bag of money
with him, and will come home at the
day appointed.
Under Kruger rule, every South
African editor found the Bible an
indispensable book of reference, most
proclamations from Pretoria con-
taining Biblical allusions. The lat-
est cable sent -by Mr. Kruger has
now prompted a correspondent to a
Lemiwarhen (Holland) paper to enum-
erate a number of Scriptural mes-
sages exchanged by the Boer leaders
just before the surrender of Cronje.
On February 25, 1900, Mr. Kru-
ger telegraphed to General Christian
De Wet (who was to rescue Cronje):
—"Notify. Cronje that large rein-
forcements are on the road, and he
will be released. Psalm xxia, 21,"
which reads: "Save me from the
lion's mouth, for Thou .past heard
mes from the horns of-the unicorns."
De Wet heliographed .Cronje the
same day at 12:20 p. m.; "President
telegraphs, "Stand firm; large rein-
forcements are approaphing. As soon
as they arrive we shall attack at
dawn on the north. Psalm lxiv., 7."
Cronje 'replied with Psalm xic., 7,-
also mentioning incidentally that his
food supplies were getting short, to
which the ingenious De Wet' retorted;
"Psalm !ix., 15":—
"Let them wander up andedown
for meat, and grudge if they be not
satisfied."
But Cronje grew impatient; De
Wet's promised convoy' of food was
long in coming, and he again hello-
graphed, "Psalm xx., 7":—
"Some trek in chariots and some ,
in horses; but we will remember the
name of the Lord our God."
No. relief coming on the morning
of the 26th, General Cronje helio-1
graphed: 'The enemy has been enor-
mausly reinforced; I am bard premed
Psalm iii., 1":—
"Lead, how are they increased that
trouble me! Many are they that
rise up against .
Tho unhappy general's final neon-i
sage to De Wet was at 4:10 on the
afternoon of the 26th: "Bombard-
ment terrible' enormous losses. ma-
jority of the' burghers clamoring for
capitulatien. Pasha 1x.,'11":-
- "Lord give us help from trouble,
for vain is the help of man."
But this message was captured by:
Lord Roberts, who is generally cred-
ited on the Continent with having
heliographed to both De Wet and
Cronje: "Psalm Who 9, 10, 11":—
"But those that seek my soul to
destroy it shall go into lower parts
of the earth.
"They shall fall by the sword; they
shall be a portion for fuses. -
"But the king shall rejoice in God;
everyone that sweareth by,hint shall
glory but the mnouth of them that
speak lies shall be stopped."
Most of the verses have:been most
aptly chosen, and in many cases con-
vey the meaning. of the sender as
perfectly as a long message sent over
the wires in the' usual way.
• WHAT IT'S COMING TO.
Master (to journey-man 'joiner)—Do
you call yourself a workman, and
turn nut a job like that ? Have you
ever served any time at' the trade'?
I Man—Aye, I served a proper , ap-
prenticeship long afore you ever
started in business.
alaster—Well, what have you been
at since ?"
Man—Well, I've been out on strike
pretty well ever since.