HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1892-8-4, Page 6e.
Wrim IRON WILL now, don't he
be, six ttmes in the our. —Looks hungry
The man approaehes the kilu as he speaks
with a long pole in his hand. It looks to
ern mitoeette sm. Z. mike. me like a barge pole with iron hook and
CHAPTIell I. "Do yet: live here?" I ask him; for I am
'My boat la lying motionleas in a shady rerowing interested. in the man as well as the
ire.
nook, and tam lookieg down dreamily into "Why, yes; that's my home,' and he jerks
the stream. Seercely a cloud crosses the
blue depth of sky, and the reflected skintight his thumb over his shoulder towards a small
wooden hut beside the ktln. "At daybreak
flitch its way between the shadows of my mate relieves me, and I turn in. You'll
breaches and clusters of leaves. It is an not often catch me corning out of say kennel,
ideal landscape—a landscape trerabling rn s he calls it, till after dark."
liquid light and shade 1. am still looking "The life seems to agree with you," and
downwards into this sunlit, leafy scene, and I glance, while saying this, at his muscular
living more within it than in the material figure,
wor1d. around nie, when I become conscious "Agree with me ?" he repeats with an odd
of maiden eyes gazing up laughingly into laugh, “Ay;i suita my perposet guy'nor.
mine. Never was lovelier face mirrored in I don't complain."
Nature's looking -glass. The eyes are large And now he pulls open the iron door, and
and dark, with a liquid light et their own through the chinks between the bars the
beaming between the black quivering lashes ; fierce fire lights up his face. I have follow -
the full lips are half parted with inquisitive ea hint while talking; but the intense heat
surprise; and round ehe. oval face there is a forces me to step some paces back. He is
halo of reddish -brown hair resembling the in his shirt sleeves, which are rolled up al -
autumn foliage in its russet tint. most to his phoulders. He is certainly a
The face is gone. A slight movement of remarkably powerful -looking fellow, with
my boat has blurred my watery mirror, and the arms of a stalwart blaeksznith. His
there is nothing ntore to be seen down there. beard is thick, and intensely red ; and his
So I return to earth. 1 glenee up at the small eyes have a fierce expression—which
high bank under which nay boat is moored, he may have caught from the fire--glitter-
where the 'pendent branches almost meet ing under red bushy eyebrows; and as he
overhead. I look round me with a. vague hope presently lifts his cap aside, to wipe the
that the face is not a disembodied shadow— perspiration from his brow with the back of
xnere "(mention of a poetic fancy!' The Lis hand, 1 notice an ugly scar across his
landscape which I had seen repeated in the forehead,
river, is visible in all its actual beauty, with He appears disinclined for further talk ;
the sunlight breaking in between the leaves. so I bid, him " Good -night " and go on my
But no laughing eyes now meet mine. way
I sink down into my boat, but not with When I reach Wakering Hall, a few
any sense of despair. I am hopeful of meet- minutes hater, I am shown into
ing my- water -nymph again. Iloose my -boat luxurious smoking divan, The room
and let it glide of its own free will derva is lit with lamps, the green shades being
stream- I have no thought of hurrying of some semi -transparent texture which
away, I am still in the deep heart of the gives to every object a subdued ap-
wood, and this shady stream is its life, peerance. The walls are thickly ornament -
flowing gently through it. ed with spears and guns and a dozen other
1 woe out of this deep solitude at Inst. warlike implements. I have scarcely time
The river broadened ; and 1 palled Yip:moue- to glance about me, and get confused ideas
ly up stream in the hot dazzling sunlight, of hunting scenes and jungles, when a step
Presently a pretty river -side inn was reach- on the terrace attracts my attention, A
ed, and I was greeted by the landlady with gentleman comes in at the open casement.
a long pitiful face. Not that she suspected He looks at my card, which he holds in his
me of possessing a spark of romance. It fingers—looks at me—and then steps quiek-
was my dinner that troubled her. It had ly forward. "Sherwin ?" he exclaims, seize
been "put back," as she expressed it, a dozen ing my hand. Why, you're the surgeon
times, and was nearly spoilt. Nor did mat- who saved my life l This is a pleasure."
tem improve when she discovered that I had Reis a man of about sixty, not strikingly
lost my appetite, and waa even less tall, but with an appearance of unusual
inclined than tieual to be talkative, or breath and strength. Ten years ap,
more strictly speaking, to tolerate her pear to have wroughb little change
talk. She naturally concluded that in him, certainly no change for
her cooking was at fault. I hasteued the worse. It is the same handsome face,
to assure her that it was "the weather:" the same firm and fearless expression that I
her cooking had nothing to do with it. She now recall to mind as if it were only yester,
appeared pacified; and I now took the day. He waves rae towards an armchair
opportunity of putting a question which had near the window, brings me cigarettes, re -
been on the tip of my tongue all dinner- members my favorite ieea drink, and in a
titne, word, makes me as welcome as if I wore his
"Who lives"—and I tried to speak with own son.
as much indifference as possible— 'who lives He has been walking about the room,
In that fine park with a white house on the principally occupied in looking after my
slope? That little river down stream, eomforts, talking the while about matters of
whatet er it's called, runs through the prop- little, or at least no special importance. At
erty. Any one of inaportance ?" teethe lights a cigar and sinks down upon a
" WhY, that's et elterine Hall 1 Colonel tiger -skin cm an ottoman ftteine me. Ho
flethersett lives there." now, for the first time, speaks oehimself.
I allowed an exclamation of surprise to "Did I ever tell you, Sherwin, how I
escape me, of which I soon repented. Not came to receive that knook.down blow?"
that I wished to hide from the landlady, "Why, no. I thought the whole affair
for any deep reason, that the name of inscrutable."
Hothersett was familiar to me. But I quick- "So I suspect it is," eo answers "as far
ly realized that I had loosened her tongue. as the world in general is concerned. But I
I knew all, mare at least than she did, can make it clear to you in & few words.
aeseathout the owner of Wakering Hall; I was Will you listen?"
quite convinced of that. The question was; I express myself most willing; and Colonel
how to put an end to her loquacity? 1 dis- Hethersett begins. While statimied at
pensed with ceremony, if any was expected Cawnpore, some thirteen years ago, I had a
of me; so hastily left my seat at the table, very unruly man -servant. The fellow was
and broke up the "conference" by politely quite incorrigible. Most men would have
asking for a match. Scarcely pausing to sent him about his business within a week.
liglat my cigarette, I made an escape into In fact, every one had done so who had been
the open air, and turned my steps in the di- unlucky enough to have him in their service.
relation of Wakering Hall. But I had a fancy to tame him. I could see
Some ten years ago, while I was still, a that ha thought himself my master. I re -
student at St. Bartholomew's in London, a solved to prove to him the contrary, cost
serious affair hacl come under my notice. what it might."
A man was brought into the hospital, late He speaks in a low, distinct voice that is
one night, seriously injured. He had been very impressive. But his looa is more im.
found in one of the by -streets in the neigh- pressive still. The, intense gray eyes, the
bourbood of Smithfield in an unconscious stern mouth, and contracted brow indicate
state. It was apparently a case of attempt- the wilful, dauntless nature of the man.
ed murder; though wbat the would-be as. "Mast. of us," he resumes. "choose the
sassina actual motive had been for the at. wrong vocation m life. I was a born lion-
tack—whether revenge or robbery—was tamer. The fact is, Sherwin," he adds, as
. never clearly ascertained. No robbery had though it were hardly worth mentioning,
been committed; and when my patient re- "I don't know what fear means."
tovered, after some weeks of suffering, he He pauses for a while. I am on the point
threw no light upon the matter. I was of making some inconsequent remark, when
in constant attendance upon him and it my ear iltouched by the sound of music. It
was my unexpressed belief that he floats out airily upon the night, and seems
mild bare partially solved the mystery to mingle harmoniously with the reflection
if so disposed. But he volunteered no of light that falls across the terrace from
t,xplanation. The business was, so he de- the windows adjoining the divan.
tiered, in his lawyer's hands; and it did not "One day," Colonel Hethersett continues,
tppear to be any one else's right to interfere. "one day, Kehrick, as this man was called,
And yet I was deeply interested, not only refused ee obey me. It was the first time
In the case, but in the striking appearance in my life that I had ever met with serious
ef my patient, and many remarkable traits opposition. The look on the man's face
In his character. A word, often a mere look told me that he felt he had gone
from him, would instantly obtain obedience. too far. But repentance had come too late.
He never showed a sign of ill -temper; and Had he instantly gone down on his knees
yet he made one feel that he was naturally and begged my pardon, it would still have
passionate and that to attempt to provoke been too late. My passion had got the bet-
bim would be a dangerous experiment. His ter of me. I seized the first thing that came
very voice expressed his indomitable will. to hand. It was the most terrible weapon,
His name was Hethersett, as I now distinct- I am sorry to say, that could possibly fall
ly remembered ; Colonel Hethersett, ot within an angry man's reach. It was a
Wakering Hall; and on taking leave of thong of buffalo hide. I struck him across
me, he had extracted a promise that should the forehead" —and he indicates the spot
ever happen to be in the neighborhood of by quickly touching his own forehead while
Wakering, I would pay him a visit. His he speaks. "He dropped at my feet as
name, even the name of the village, had al- though he had been shot."
roost entirely escaped my memory. Ten I cannot utter a word. I hear no music
rears in the midst of a busy professionallife now; no sound but loud throbbings in my
in London will force a man to forget every- ears. Tho Colonel rises hastily, and paces
thing except his immediate surroundings. to and fro with a quick, firm step.
The twilight is nearly gone; the last rays I have risen too. I am standing at the
aie out as the clouds rise and cover the sky. window, and now glance eagerly out. The
e The day is over; and when I gain the high- light thrown upon the terrace from this
road, dark and. lonely with its steep hills on window and the windows of the adjacent
either side, it is night. At a turn in the room finds a limit against the terrace balus-
road., and only a few yards ahead of me, I trade. Beyond the darkness is intense;
observe a broad streak of light stretching but in the midst of this darkness, on the
across the highway. On the hill -side, at distant high -road, pale -blue flames are lap!
the point from which the light appears to ping at a space in the night. It appears
issue, bluish transparent flames rise like quite near—though it must be at least half
lambent tongues of fire towards the dark a mile away—so near, that the soft wind,
tky. As I eppreach nearer and come with- this sultry autumn evening, seems to don.
in the space of light, I find that it proceeds tain its warmth as it touches my cheek.
from a large limekiln standing back some The Colonel taps Inc gently on the shoul-
paces from the road, and built against the der and steps lightly out upon the -terrace.
hill. A man springs up suddenly from the. I lookequickly into his face. Every trace
ground. I accost him with a cheery "Good- of severity is gone "Come," says he, in a
evening." The 'watchman, as I conclude lively tone) "let us go teethe drawing -room
him to be, gruffly echoes my greeting. Sybil will be wondering who" --
"Why, my friend,' I venture to remark, 'Stay 1" I interrupt the Colonel—"one
"yoidre warm enough here to roas't an ox 1" moment. This must be the man who
"Is Is warm," replies the watchman. struck you down—the man who made the
"But it is worse, much worse, on a blazing attempt on your life in Smithfield—ten
• hot day, I can tell you. And that," he years ago."
adds, is one reason why I choose the "Of course ! How can you ask me ?" He
night." speaks with a slight impatience. But that
begin to feel that this great furnace by does not check my questions.
the roadside has a certain fascination for "Have you Seen him since ?"
me. Its huge iron doorway is red-hot, and ce" • '
the fire within rears lustily. I "Nor suspect his whereabouts ?"
"Does it need -much stoking ?" I ingairs No."
"It looks' ." "Colonel Hethersete," I resumed, "I can
"Ay; neve stoking," says the man, "the., tell you where he is. r have seen him,
,you meet gfappose. 1 seem always at it. apokert to him, only this everting."
Iteeever think o taking a wink of sleep all "Where ?"
night long. I lie down and smoke and 1 point across the terrace into the night,
wateh . That's what 1 clot smoke and watch "There 1 He es watchman at the limekiM
that Ara He needs feeding - file orn may fire."
. .
Not even now (lees olonel Ilethersett BY A SWORD STROKE.
evince the least shade of surprise; nor does
the weird light, that eeeins to me like a
threatening torch lifted up. in the black night
by some bevisible trembling wen, entice him
to take his eyes off rae, • One afternoon in the early part of the seao
You knew him. by the scar," he aldetlY Isanndiath:cYanirormrenitrtitoisfhIVIcaeZeur
s Meeroft e( Aa nee lwo
assumes. miles from Lahore, the capital of the Pun -
Yes ; I knew him when yon tottched jau ) were starred into no small excitement
your forehead a moment ago," Ireply. "It's by the news. that a Hinder) swordsman had
a, hideous mark." presented himself in the camp, and offered
The Colonel looks troubled. "Poor fel- to perform in their preseuce the feat of slio-
low ! But I must tame hint now," he says ing in two, with one slash of his tulwar
with a sudden change in his face, "or he'll (short sword) a lemon placed on the palm
spring at me again behind my back." of a man's bare hand, without drawing blood
"Do you really mean," I say, in a tone of or hurting the hand iu any way.
rheapnrdosa?c,h, "to take the law into your ow111 As many of my readers are doubtless
aware, this exploit is quite a cowmen one
"I mean to tante him," he replies in a firm ' among the native warriors of Northern
but it happened that one of these
Ilia manner is polite, but so decisive that , officers bed ever seen it, and the first men -
1 make no attempt to utter another word. tion of such a sensational experiment
I stand there, and his eye is still upon me. 1 ina.de them all as eager and excited as
I feel powerless in the presence of this !boys.
strong-willed man, He flings away the end I "Let's have the old chap in by all means,
of his cigar and eeckens me with a playful ' and. see what he can do," cried Percy Hels-
wave ot the hand. I follow. ham of the --th Shikh Infantry, s' and if he
" Sybil, my dear," I hear the Colonel wants a rupee (twenty-five cents) or two to
saying, "this is Philip Sherwin, the geutle- encourage him before starting, I'm game to
mart who saved my life." stand it."
I am standing in a brilliantly -lighted "But look here—who's going to bold the
drawing -room. A youugs girl in pale green lemon for him?" objected Frank Edwards,
attire Is rising from the piano and is coming of the Third Lahore Artillery. "I'm not
towards me. I cannot be mistaken. It is going to chance getting; my band chopped
the lovely face that I had seen only a few to please anybody—not if I know it!
y
h, we II order up one of the Reseal-
dar(native non-commiseioned officers),
said Helshatra coolly, "they know all about
such tricks an1 they won't care a straw."
How She Bought Then?. means to halve a lemon on a man's bare hand
"Why, do you really suppose the fellow
She was daintly crossing Sixth avenue before your very eyes ?" leughed Harry
23c1 street. Here attire was very smart, cavalry, of the —th Punjaub irregular
with one hand she held up the train of her eetdery„ vvery aptly named "Headlong
at
long gown. Having gained the oppos'te 't" y Ills brother officers, for be was
s headlong in
sidewalk, she hesitated a moment, then his judgments as in every -
made for the cheer of a swell bootinaker's. ltahing else, " ltly dear b it'
boys El nothing
more then. a mere juggling trick, all very
A suave salesman met her, and showed
her to a seat. She enquired for bluchers well f or anyoue who is green enough to be -
and presently the salesman Was on his kneel! lie„va in15
1"
%v nether by accident or design, these
before her, with a comprehensive stock of 1.
the articles at hand, [jeering words were spoken quite loud enough
; but s'ne pre,ito be heard by the Hindoo sword-player—a
He attempted to assist her
fine looking man in the prime of life, array -
/erred to go the thing alone. H eying divest -
ed her right foot of its covering, she took ea in the striking dress of a Etohills. warrior
up one of the new shoes and put it on. She !y‘aywslio bad come to the front of the broad
did not seize it by the sides, shove her toes ct veranda in which the young Eng-
liehmen were seated.
into it, and pull until she was red in the.
face and all out of breath as man do, She !e It is tpisth
plain that e sneer bad cut him
pulled it on earefully pert way, twitched it, Monce, i and
his I audsome face darkened at
told as a momentary quiver of his firm
off again instantly and looked inside to see
if she had the right one, then pulled it on 13 now much it pained him to be
laughed at by this inexperienced boy.
"Sahib," said he firmly, speaking in very
tolerable English, "I ask your pardon if I
venture to contradict yon • but when I
offered to do this thing I meant to do it
eel out a wrinkle aver the arched instep,
fairly and openly, by simple skill of heaid
twisted herself around and looked at the
and sword, withoutany juggling whatever 3
boot sideways.
" Morey: bow loose it is 1" she exclaimed.
The salesman thought it was a "beautiful
"it'll never do at all," she announced,
looking the shoe all over. "They're en-
tirely too large; let me see a size smaller,
/deem"
The salesmen procured a size smaller. She
put on one of them—as far as she could get! ":"e' placed the lemon upon it, and signed
to the Hindoo to strike. But the Helaine,
it—while her faoe assumed an expression of
instead of obeying, looked closely and
injury.
searchingly
What size are these ?" she inquired in- first at the lemon itself -incl
then at the hand on which it rested. Then
dignantly.
"Those are twos and a half, lady," re-
plied the salesman suavely.
"Oh, they can't be 1" she exclaimed. "I
never wore anything larger than twos in my
life' and these—why, you can see for year-
selfthey don't fit 1 They're—they're such a
peculiar shape 1"
"They're too tight, perhaps," suggested
the salesman. But tile disconcerting look
she gave him prompted him to add hastily,
something about the sizes of different
makers varying.
"I guess they must," she replied. "Please
let me try some other maker.
The shoe was pulled off, and not only one
but several other makes were tried, but
none proving satisfactory the salesman
stepped aside and got an en tirety fresh pair.
Now, these," he said engagingly, "these
are a pair of twos, but I think they'll fit
just such a slender foot as yours."
She tried them on ; evidently sho was
suited at last. She presently took them off,
however, and looked at the heels, the soles
and the lacing. Then she put them on
again.
"These are twos ?" she asked. "They
seem a very good fit, please lace them!'
When they had been laced she walked up
and down the strip of carpet two or three
times pulling back her skirt to get a good
view. Then she glided up to a a full-length
mirror and eyed the general effect. Then
she backed off, stepped up again, took
thirty or forty farewell looks, and an-
nounced: that she wouldn't 'have the shoes
at any price.
Then she paused again before the mirror.
undecided ; said they made her feet look
awful big; said everybody would thiek she
came from Chicago; said they'd 'never do
in the world, and it was useless to talk
about it. Finally she came back to her
seat and asked the salesman what he
thought about it. Without waiting to hear
his opinion, she went through the whole
operation over again and said she guessed
she'd take them, and that he could wrap
them up.
After she had received her parcel and
change, the salesman glanced at his reflec-
tion in tbe mirror and smiled selastuckly.
"That's the way to fetch them.," he soh-
loquieed. "Work off a pair of fours for a
pair of twos and everything's lovely. Now
I might have been bothered with her for a
full hour it I hadn't"---- •
He -was interrupted by the e'appearance
of the yhung lady in the doorwitee
"I've just come to the conclusion," she
said, "that I don't want these shoes after
all. Would you please exchange them for
a pair of patent -leather slippers ? Ann do
you think you could fit me?'
A Tale or Indlien Dextrrity avid British
itravery,
hours ago, mirrored in the midst of strnlight
and foliage by the river -side.
(ao an CONTINUED.)
for good and looked at it dreamily.
" It seems just right," she said.
The salesman smiled, and thought so too.
She stopped to take another look smooth -
and it you will find me a man to hold the
le:non for me I will do it here before your
eyes 1"
"Oh, will you'i" cried Parkhurst. "Well,
seeing's believing; if that's all that's want
ed, Pll hold it for you myself 1"
So saying he laid his strong brown hand
palm upward on the flat top of the bales -
he madexi negative sign, and turning around
to Harry Parkhurst said gravely :
"Sahib, it cannot be done like that; I
see by the shape of your hand, and by the
way in which the fruit lies, that if I try
the stroke thus I shall certainly cut your
thumb off. Will you show me the other
hand ?"
Parkhusb, who was now beginning to look
for the first time abundantly serious, held
out his left hand without a word. The
Rohilla eyed it even more keenly than be-
fore, laid the lemon upon it, surveyed them
both in silence for a few moments, and then
said suddenly:
" That will do better, Sahib. If you cau
be qiiite sure of keeping yourhandperfectly
steady while I strike, 1. am ready to do the
feat r
The reckless Englishman's blood ran cold
as he listened, for he now saw plainly enough
that the supposed juggling trick really was
matter of shill and sword, and that the
least unsteadiness on his own part would
doom him to certain mutilation, which he
feared infinitely more than death itself.
The senior officer saw the sudden change in
the young man's face, and said in a whisper
to his next neighbor ;
"1 say, Shaw,' we must put a stop to
this. Parkhurat's losing his nerve, and some
mischief will come of it."
But the other caught him by the wrist,
and answered sternly:
" Whatever comes of it, it's too late for
us to interfere now. For the honor of the
old flag, one of ours' must not show the
white feather before a nigger. He began
it himself, and he's got to go through with
it now, whatever happens.'
Harry Pazkhurst himself, inwardly dis-
mayed though he was, was very much of
the same opinion. Ile felt that after the
defiance which he had given, and the chat.
lenge which he had provoked, it was too
late to draw back, and with no visible sign
of hesitation he offered his hand to stroke.
More than one sun -browned cheek grew
pale in the circle of bystanders as the Ro-
hilla swordsman was seen to stride forward
and raise his weapon for the blow; and the
in -drawn breath of the lookers-on sounded
like a hiss amid the dead silence as the
blade flashed and fell.
The two halves of the severed fruit were
seen rolling on the ground. Harry's hand
was unhurt, but his face was as white as a
sheet.he
T
successful swordsman sheathed his
weapon, salamed quietly, and was about to
depart,
But
Harry Parkhurst, if he were a fool,
wets at least an honest and a manly one. Be-
fore anyone had time to utter a word he had
stepped forward, and, holding out his hand
to the victorioue Rohilla, said with a hearty
AN ENTIRE l'Al!ifILY DROWNED.frankness which became him very well:
"You were right and I was wrong, and
Terrible Effects or a Storm In West rm ,very
Virgin la. sorry to have affronted you.
A Wheeling, W. Va., despatch says :— "Will you shake hands ?"
Two or three of the younger officers nod -
During the severe storm which passed over ded, approvingly, so Much as to say that,
this part of the country lastnight art entire this was better than they had bargained for,
family of uine persons were drowned by the and the Hindoo swordsman ,acknowledged
sudden flood following a ciciudburst . The
family consisted of William Doly and wife the courtesy by a dignified inclination of
their three children, Doly's tether and his stately head, while he kepaidthe young
soldier's hand -grasp by a pressure such as
mother, Mrs. Doly's mother and a servant even Harry Parkhurst's strong muscles did
girl: The first known of the disaster
was not soon forget, saying simply:
the finding of the body of the servant girl
"Sahib, you are indeed a brave man."
this morning in the yard of a neighbor's Ten years had passed since that day when
some distance below where the fated house one glOrioes summer evening a small de -
stood.
tacbment of native irregular horse came rid -
There is one form of hope which is never iwiliggeshlofwolirmu,psoa tIOlasrpreawkri, atrealmotovnegstthsteephililns
unwise, and which' certainly does not the greet mountain stairway of the Rinse, -
diminish with the increase of knowledge. iayas, and at the head of it rode a stalwart
In that form 15 changes its name, and we figure in the uniform of an English major,
,,ail it,petionce.--ttBulwen in whose bronzed,,firre, thoughtful face few
The Welsle prefix " Aber " signifies "She men could havefound any trace of the
mouth Of a river "---Aberdoe-ey, for instance; "Headlong Harry" Of lVfeean Meer.
and" Van," 1'a church "—Llandudno! the It was indeed, he, however, and he was
church of St. Tudno ; Llaal:'#edr, the church bound on a very dangerous errand.
of St. Peter, &a, War, had lately broken out between the I n
Engr.-sh and a powerful mountain ellief of
that district, whose real name no one knew,
but Who had lately beeeme famous tinder
the nickname of "Kale- Dahl." 'After gilt-
ing the British troops a good deal of troitble,
he had at length been driven beck upon hie
chief fortress. (Which was believed to be
somewhere near the head of this pees) and
a scouting party of light horse had been sent
to find out, if possible, eXactly where he
as and what he intended to do.
On both these points they were soon en-
lightened. A flash and crackle of rifles
broke from theethickets in front of them;
and then came the wild yell of the mountain
war cry, mingled with a thunder of charging
hoofs They wereattacieed.
But the Major and his men were old
soldiers, and not to be scared by any as.
sante, howevet sudden and formidable.
While some of his So -wars (troopers) re-
turned the fire with cool aim and consider-
able effect, others kept the charge at bay,
stoutly contesting every step and skilfully
availing themselves of every inequality of
the ground and every band -breadth of
cover.
Xi ell was it then for Major Parkhurst
that he was no longer " Headloug Harry."
Amid, the maddening uproar and confusion
of this murderaus hurly-burly—horses
prancing, combatants shouting and yelling,
swords clashing, rifles cracking, bullets
whistling, men falling on every side—any
ordinary man would heve lost his head at
once. But the Major aeemed only to grow
cooler as the clanger deepened, and appeared
to
have watehful eyes everywhere at
e
As the pass began to widep, however,
giving the enemy's superior numbers more
room to act, the pressure of the assault be,
came harder and harder ; and the fierce
mountain warriors, furious at seeing their
prey about to escape them, came rushing on
blielerd.famished tigers, led by a tall, hand-
some man on a splendid black horse, whose
dark face was halt,buried in a huge black
" By jove 1' cried the major, catching
sight of him. "That must be Kale Dahi
himself, and if I can only knock him over
ten to one we'll lick 'em yet 1 Here goes 1"
And, spurring his horse, he clashed at
the Hindoo leader, sword in hand; but just
then his horse, struck by a belle% fell with
him and crushed bun beneath it, and he re-
membered no more.
When our bare reeovered his senses he
found himself lying upon a low couch on
what appeared to be the terrace of e native
hill fort, overlooking the valley that had.
been the scene of the fight, along which the
afitrrsatamrays of sunrise were just beginning to
It seemed that, his captors must be kind-
ly dispesed toward him for his wounded
head and rightarm had been carefully band-
aged, and food and water placed within his
reach, to which he applied himself eagerly.
But he had not made much progress with
his meal, when a, curtain that hung at the
far end of the terrace was suddenly thrown
back, and forth from behind it stepped the
renowned "Black Beard" himself, in the
full dress et a mountain warrior, helmet on
head and sword by side.
But before the major bad time to address
him, Rata Dahi, with a very carious smile
on his bold, swarthy face held out a lemon
in the palm of his extended loft hand, and
made a gesture with his right as if striking
at it with a sword.
Then the truth flashed upon Major Park -
hunt all in a moment.
" What 1" cried he, starting up. " Are
you the Rohilla swordsman of Meerut Meer?"
The Hindoo smiled gravely and answer-
ed with an affirmative sign.
" And so you've got to be a king, then,
since I saw you last—not such bad promo-
tion after all," said Parkhurst, eying with
soldier -like admiration the fine athletics
figure and gorgeous dress of his enemy.
"And you too, Sahib, seem to have ris-
en since we first met " rejoined the Black -
Beard chief; "and see that you know
how to make your men follow you. When
they saw you go down in the midst of us
last night, they turned back upon us like
tigers, to try and rescue you ; and if there
had been half a dozen more of them, 1 be-
lieve they'd have done it."
"
Aye, they would follow me anywhere,
the brave fellows 1" said the major with a
look of soldierly pride on his firm, sun -
browned features. "Well, chief, of course,
I know what I have to expect, and I don't
mean to make any fuss about it—it's all the
fortune of war. 111 just ask you to grant
Inc one favor t:^augh ; if it's all the same to
you, I should prefer being shot, for I don't
take to the idea of being strung up like a
dog."
The Hindoo leader looked doubtfully at
him for a moment, as if hardly under-
standing his meaning; and then a reproach-
ful frown darkened the mountain cluef's
fine'expressive countenance.
"Sahib," said he, with a look and tone of
manly indignation which suited him ex-
tremely well, "1 see that you English do
not quite understand us yet. We Paharris
(mountaineers) are soldiers, not murderers ;
and we never kill any man in cold blood un-
less be has betrayed us or done us grievous
wrong. But even were it otherwise you
are the last man living whom I would wish
to "And
m."
why thould you spare me more than
anyone else!' asked Parkhurst.
"Because," answered the other, looking
fixedly at him, "an that day at Meer you,
an English officer, apologized to me before
all your companions for having affronted me,
and offered me your hand as if I had been
your C011itadO. .1 have never forgotten it ;
and I never shall."
Indeed, it was quickly seen that he had
not; for, as soon as the Major's wound al-
lowed him to travel, Kale Dahl sent him
back unransomed to the nearest British out-
posts; and this appeared to the English
authorities such a handsome act on the
part of an enemy that it opened the way for
a negotiation which put an end to the war.
And now, a s I hear, Harry Parkhurst
never loses a chance of getting a fortnight's
leave to go shooting in the hills with his old
friend, Kale Dahl,
DAVIE KER.
Woman and Her Shoes.
The observant person knows very well
that the woman who wears a pretty dress
and bonnet with shabby gloves or untidy
shoes hisn't theaight gutintity of selferespec E.
If women would follow men's example in
the matter of shoes, instead of copying
their ties and waistcoats, it would really be
something to be thankful for. It is quite
She exception to see a well-dressed man
badly shod. But the mejority of women
are shockingly careless about their feet.
It is proverbial that they are, and you
have every opportunity of proving the truth
of this when you are in a street car or going
up tbe steps to the elevated trains. Women
who do a good deal of walking of course
find it more difficult to have neat feet then
those who don't. The best way of keeping
beets shapely 18 50 put them on lasts wheu
they are takenoff.
In Great?, a in 6,000 women work around
lines
INTERESTINGr ITEXS,
Glass originally earl*, !emu India.
Sales by auction Were C-ertneely held by
candle light.
Weaving was practised in China more
than 1,C00 years before it was known else.
where
Cuban barbers lather their patrons with
their hands, from a bowl. nade to fit under
the ohin. NO brush is used.
Parchment used for covering drams, ban-
jos, &ea is made from the skins of oases,
calves or wolves,' those of wolves being con-
sidere'd the best.
The hale dressing of ladies was an experts
sive affair in the sixteenth ceetury. Queen
Elizabeth at one time was posseseed of no
fewer than eighty attires of false hair.
The careful reader of a few good news-
papers can learn more in a year than most
scholars do in their great libraries.—[F. B.
Sanborn.
Organ Grinders are scarcely tolerated at
Pittsburg. A. local justice has just.
that it is not an assault to throw a pailful
of water upon an organ grinder when the
water is thrown by a householder who is on
his own premises and annoyed ley- the stroll -
mg artist.
Aton of coal yields nearly ;4,000 feet of
gas,
The Persians shave themselves as a sign
of mourning,
Four English iteblernan ere said to be en.
gaged to merry variety stage women -
The province of Bhopal, India, is cele-
brated for the unusually great administra-
tive powers of its female sovereigns
Grasshoppers ettain their greatest size in
South America, where they grow to a length
inches,
The
and their wings spread out 10
The total yearly income ot the Frenelt
elation has been estimated by M. Leroy
Beaulieu at et1,000,000,000, of winch, three-
fifths is the product of pet -soiled labor.
A certain. New York lady has a weakness
for murderers. She spends all her pocket -
money on bouquets, which she herself
carries to the condemned cell and presents
to the occupant,
Mr, T. A. Edison is 5 feat 19 inches in
Iheig.lhpl
Iitanders often skate a distance of 150
miles a day.
1 The Krupp Works at Essen contain 2,512
furnaces. These consume 1,666 tons of coal
and coke daily,
The quantity of blood in the human body
varies, but is generally about one-tenth the
total weight of the body.
Ono of the simplest and most efficient
means of funfigeting a room is by dropping
vinegar slowly upon a very hot iron shover
a cover from the kitchen range will analver
vory well.
Mrs. Harrison, wife of the American
President, has a passion for orchids, and
has them in profusion in the rooms of the
executive mansion. The White House con.
servatory contains over 150 varieties Of the
orchid—about 5,000 of the plants in all.
Japanese auctione are silent. Each bidder
writes his name and bid upon a slip of
paper, which he places in a box. The box
is opened by the auctioneer arid the goods
declared the property of the $ highest bid-
der.
The famous Khajah tunnel of India pierces
the Khwa'a Anneal mountains about sixty
miles north of Inetta at an elevation of 6,-
400 feet. It is 12,800 feet long, and was
constructed broad enough to carry a double
line of, rails.
Tho unique and well-nigh exhaustive col-
lection of postage stamps Aihieh fornied tbe
.subject of the late Mr. T. K. Tapling's be-
quest to the British Museum has now been
received at that institution, where it has
for the present been taken charge of by the
authorities of the department of printed
books.
Currents of water serve to a vast extent
the purpose of distributing seeds. Walnut,
butternut and pecan trees are found close to
streams, where they droptheir nuts into
the passing flood, to be carried far away and
start other groves perhaps hundreds of miles
distant. Tree seeds of many sorts are
carried by oceanic currents.
Seven handsome orange trees have been
conveyed from Hampton Court Palace to
Windsor Castle, and will be placed on the
East Terrace, opposite the Royal apart-
ments. The trees are very old, and, it is
said were brought to Hampton Cottrt in the
time of Prince William of Orange.
A monster bell, (me of the largest of its
kind, specially cast for the new Church of
the Sacred Heart, on the heights of Mont- .
martre, has been completed at Annecy in
Savoy. This immense instrument, which
when hung in its lofty position will.be audi-
ble all over Paris, weighs, with its clapper,
nearly 25 tons.
The growth of the United States Patent
Office has been very remarkable. In 1790
three patents were issued; 100 years later
the number was 26,292. The total number
of patents granted during the 100 years
was 453,944, or an average of nearly thir-
teen patents for every day.
When Queen Victoria's dogs die they are
laid to rest beneith turf whet) they gambol-
led as puppies and were exercised when
they grew up. Each little grave is mark-
ed by a stone tablet about a foot long and
eight inches across, whereupon a few words
are engraved, giving the name and date of
death.heTriloQueen's trip to Grasse last year cost
:El0,000, while this year the journeys
to Elyeres and Darmstadt are set down, as
costing nearly £15,000—the largest sum
that has so far been expended. on one of
these trips, except in 1888, when the Queen
went to Florence and theu visited Berlin on
her way home.
The modern Parisian wedding dress is
generally composed of thick cream en, made
very plainly with an immense train, and is
trimmed, if the season allows of it, with
bunches of real orange blossom, carelessly
sewn around the skirt. A simple tulle veil
is considered prettier than lace, and a8often
as not a wreath of orange blossom hes in a
coronal round the head under the veil. Jew-
elry is hardly ever worn by a bride, and a
Frenchwoman does not wear her wedding
dress out, as is the custom here, at dinner
parties and balls.
By the terms upon which the Imeerial
Treasury have agreed to advance Brit -
tali Columbia a loan of X150,000, the Col-
onial Government will undertake to trans-
fer from 1,000 to 1,250 families of crofter
fishermen and othees from the Western
Highlands and Islands of Scotland, locating
them on free lands on the sea eoast and
islands of British Columbia, and provide
them with dwellings and /Imams of liveli-
hood. The colonists will be transferred in
parties beginning with fifty families, the
whole number to be located when, aix notes
from the first settlement.,