HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1894-10-25, Page 7i
Woma sCrime.
I3Y AN EX-DR.TECTIVE.
aPublisbed by permission of the owners of the
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At last they are all gone, the doctor,,
the lawyer, everyone, and the tired, ex-
cited. servants are all asleep. In the
chamber destined for the bride, Clarence
Arteveldt lies, beside him a weary serv-
ant its nodding, Suddenly the madman
starts up.
"See !" ho cries, with eyes distended,
"she is coming, I knew she would finish
her revenge ! She wants to kill me now.
Drive her away, John, dent let her see
mo 1 Here ! come here ; see, I will lay
myself upon her pillow—that may move
her pity. Now lower the lights down,
down, lower yet, her eyes gleam so.
There now, lower the •curtains and lie
down close beside me ; pull the satin and
lace about you, There. Do it, I tell
you, and make the room darker yet !
Now, that is better ; give me some more
wine, John."
Obediently the tired servant moves
about, doing his bidding. The doctor has
said that he must be kept soothed and
quiet. He, the servant, presents the
weak wine, containing an opiate, and
-then lays himself down upon the bridal
bed. With his own hands the mad bride-
groom pulls the satin and lace coverings
about the shoulders and ears of the serv-
ant, then ho settles himself down, saying,
"There, I shall sleep, now."
He will sleep now ; yes, as weall must
sleep—once.
CHAPTER XVII. —A STARTLING ANNOUNCE-
MENT.
The two detectives had spent the night
in the gambling -house, as had been ap-
pointed bz Jocelyn in his cypher note to
Neil Bathurst. All night long they had
been vigilant, and just before the first
hint of dawn was visible they repaired to
the rooms occupied by Bathurst, having
first shadowed two of the suspected
counterfeiters to their respective lairs.
To do this of course they had found it
necessary to separate, and when Rob
Jocelyn same to the room where they
were to snatch a few hours sleep he found
his friend there before him.
Bathurst had thrown off a portion of
his clothing, and was already in a state
of semi -unconsciousness.
" Come in ahead, did you, old man?"
said cheery Jocelyn; "you look fagged
out, and I feel so. Lot's defer explana-
tions of any sort until we have slept a
little." They had been unable to hold
much intercourse during the night just
past; and each was in ignorance concern-
ing the doings of the other since that
.night, .weeks ago, which they had
passed together in the characters of Mr.
and Mrs. Robbins. "I must turn out
pretty early, however, Neil; and you
must do your sleeping accordingly.
With this he flung himself down be-
side his friend, and soon they were in the
land of Nod. Notwithstanding his in-
tention of rising with the lark, the sun
was high when Rob Jocelyn awoke that
morning. Muttering something rather
profane, he sprang up and awakened his
friend.
" Come, old man, this won't do ! get
up and shake yourself awake; I'm going
to smoke the first thing, and while I
smoke do you talk. We must cut it
short, too, for I can't lose much more of
this morning. Here goes then. First,
how's your burglary case?"
" Pretty well—for the burglar," replied
Neil, rubbing his eyes. "Deuceltake the
burglar. T believe he went away in
seven league boots."
" Not given him up, old man?"
"Never a bit. He's getting some rest,
however."
" And Bradwardine?"
"Have some memoranda of everything.
•concerning him. Got time to look at
ahem?"
"Not now. Give it to us condensed."
" All right. After all, a small nut
shell will hold the prime facts. As the
winow O'Neil I am still in favor with
Mr. J. B. I have done a great deal of
imaginary looking for , the woman who
stole those papers—she, by the by, is con-
valescing slowly in the hospital recom-
mended by Dr. Rice, while her would-be
assassin languishes in the jug. I have
had several conversations with her ; she
is a woman to be pitied. I shall see that
Mr. J. B. does nottlay his hands on. her.
Well ! I have satisfied myself on a few
points. First, that this man Brady, as
he calls himself, is Bradwardine beyond
.a doubt. Second, that the loss of those
'papers is a heavy blow to him. Third,
that he is an unscrupulous man, and in-
tent upon mischief of some sort. Fourth,
that he is playing this game, whatever
it is, to win a fortune • and fifth, that he
has visited that New York village before
you, and has at this present moment a
private inquirer searching for the hiding
place of the mother and child."
" Thanks," laughing lazily, "I found
'out that last for myself."
"Did you?" exclaimed. Neil.
" Yes; they have both been in Elm
Valley before me,, Brady and the 'track-
er.' Is that the end of your budget?"
Pretty much."
" Well, you have not done badly.; but
as ho may at any time get news from his
private inquirer, one or the other of us
must keep an eye upon Brady."
" Of course."
"Well, here goes for `Mistress Bourne';
the Elm Valleyites declare her a foreign-
er—we know that before, however • she
was very beautiful and very sad:: lived
!like a nun, at least as secluded, and seem-
ed to have plenty of money—but you
know a villager's idea of plenty of money
is not at all an extravagant one. Nobody
'knew where they came from:; nobody
knew where they went. Opinions in re-
gard to their nationality wore as varied
as they were absurd. The child was
then small, four or five years of age, say,.
and must, therefore, be now a young lady
•of twenty or thereabouts."
"Did you make use of the picture ?"
"No I thought it best to satisfy my-
self by inquiries. Making allowance for
the time that must have elapsed since
the taking of the woman"s picture and
the settlement of Mistress Bourne in Elm
Valley, the description of that lady tal-
lies exactly with the picture. I think
the original and the wanderer aro the
same."
It looks like it."
Jocelyn gave a terrifie yawn, and then
consulted his watch.
"It's time for me to move," he said.
"Where will I see you to -night, Neil?"
"H l
ore. 1 am quite at leisure to -night."
'
'All right. Will you look after Bradyr
.this afternoon?""
"Yes.. I have not, much else on hand..
By the by, Rob, you spoiled a wedding
for me last night."
"Did I? Sorry ! Row was it?"
"You remember Arteveldt ?"
"The handsome blood that you intro-
duced, my first day in Chicago?"
"The same, He was married last
nigh b.
"`Good Lord. T pity his wife."
"By the by, he married one of those
`pretty girls' he mentioned that day. I
was going out with him, you remember,
and throw over the engagement."
"1 remember.''
"Well, Arteveldt met • his fate that
night, and became of you, old man, I was
not present at that meetin He mar-
ried her last night, and because of you,
again, I have not yet seen the fair
bride."
"Upon my word, Neil, I'm sorry,"
Well, you need not be. I was not
over anxious about the matter. Arte-
veldt seems to have conceived a great
liking for me, the Lord only knows 'why.
He would have had me under his
mother's roof all the time, if he could. I
had to be fussed over by his lady mom-
ma, because of the 'little service I hap-
pened. to render him once. If you had
not turned up I should have been at the
wedding, if only to please Arteveldt. I
had a sort of lopsided liking for the fel,
low, although he was not just of : my
stripe."
"I should think not."
As Jocelyn said this, he arose to pre-
pare himself for departure.'
"And, by the way, Neil, don't look for
me very early to -night ; I may take an-
other spin after those 'shovers.' If any-
thing keeps ine later than, say midnight,
will manage to let you know, however."
"All right, Rob ; if you really won't
stay any longer,' I think I will take an-
other nap."
As soon as the door closed behind Joce-
lyn, the young detective threw himself
down with a yawn. "Now for another
snooze," ho murmured contentedly.
Scarcely were the 'words off his lips be-
fore there came to his ears the sound of
hurried steps outside, and in a moment a
hasty knock upon his door.
"Who's there?" called he, rising quick-
ly.
"Mrs. Arteveldt's coachman," replied
an agitated. voice ; "open, sir, for God's
sake!"
Hurriedly Bathurst unlocked and open-
ed the door, and the messenger, pale and
breathless, fairly reeled into the room.
"Come quick, sir," he gasped, without
waiting to recover his breath. "She
won't leave off screaming until you do !
Come quick !"
"Who won't, Peter?" asked Bathurst,
who instantly comprehended that some-
thing unusual had occurred. "Who
wants me ?"
"She,.sir !" panted the. man. "Misses
Arteveldt."
Bathurst seized the man by the arm
with a firm grip, and pushing him to-
ward a chair, said, with some sternness :
"Sit down, and take breath there," as
the man obeyed him. "Now then, talk
rationally ! What has happened 9"
"I will, sir; but you must come straight
—Missus moans for you every breath—
it's awful, sir. They came for us an
hour ago, And 'when she got there and
saw it—oh, but she did go mad. 'Send
for Neil Bathurst,' she cries, 'he will find
who did it !' To think of it at such a
time! And the first thing she thinks of
is revenge !"
"Revenge ! Man, what do you mean?"
"What I say. She will have the life
of that beautiful creature. She wants
YOU to find her."
Neil Bathurst sprang toward the man
and shook him fiercely. "There, you old
fool," he cried, angrily, and without let-
ting go his hold, `stop ranting, and tell
me the EXACT truth, WHAT HAS HAPPEN-
ED, and none of YOUR extras."
"Lord, I' thought you understood !"
howled the man, his teeth rattling like
castanets. "This has happened : MR.
CLARENCE HAS BEEN MURDERED ON HIS
WEDDING NIGHT, AND BIS WIFE HAS RUN
AWAY !"
CHAPTER XVIII.—A STRANGE DEATH
BLOW.
Neil Bathurst released his hold so sud-
denly that the man tumbled from his
chair to the floor.
"Good God !" he cried, "can this be
true?"
"Yes, yes; true as truth, sir," replied
the man, gathering himself up with sud-
den alacrity. "Don't fly at me again,
sir."
This request was quite unnecessary.
The detective was darting about the
room, completing his toilet, with the
rapidity that becomes second nature to
men trained to be prepared always for
emergencies.
"Start straight back, Peter," he said,
without pausing in his work; "it's use-
less for you to try to return with me,
your wind is too short; I shall be at the
house before you. Stay, where is it--
which
t—which house ?"
"The new one, sir."
"Good. Now, then, out with you,
Peter ; I am ready to go."
In another instant they were outside,
and the detective, without casting so
much as a glance at Peter, hurried away,
and in a trice was out of the old man's
sight. Some twenty minutes later and he
stood surveying the wreck of the bridal
feast, while Peter was still twenty min-
utes distant.
Almost at the moment of the detect-
ive's appearance on the scene, Mr. Hale
had arrived, and pausing below for just a
word, the two ascended the stairs and
entered the room of horror. It was guard-
ed by two policemen, and as Neil Bath-
urst appeared upon the threshold a pierc-
ing shriek rang through the room, and
the mother of the murdered man rushed
forward and flung herself upon him.
Find her !" she cried, wildly. "Find
her, and let us kill her as she killed him!
You can! He said sol He said you were
brave and wise !"
,Life a flash there came to the remem-
brance of Neil Bathurst some words
spoken by Clarence Arteveldt one day
when they sat together at his mother's
table. "Mother, if ever .the time comes
when you need the help of a detective,
remember, Bathurst is the man to trust.
What he, can't accomplish is impossible."
They had laughed at the words then.
But now the frenzied mother had con-
ceived the idea that Neil Bathurst could
somehow right this wrong; that nothing
must be done without him. The man
who had been deemed so wise and all
powerful by her son, became endowed
with superhuman capabilities, in the eyes
of the mother. Neil Bathurst was quick
to comprehend this, and to understand
that, because of it, he could have a strong
influence upon the frantic woman.
"I will find her, Mrs. Arteveldt," he
said. in a low, firm tone, and without in
the least comprehending herr, full mean
ing. "If you will aid me by doing as I
wish, I will be your helper,",
"I will—I will!"
As she spoke, her head fell back, and
Neil caught her in his arms. Por the
first time during that horrible hour she
had passed in the presence of her mur-
dered son, she had fainted,
"That's a mercy," said the little gray -
faced man, coming forward, "It xnay
be the saving of her reason ; let's remove
her to another room, quick."
They lifted her tenderly, and bore her
from the room, followed by Kate Seaton,
and a female servant who had stood
trembling in the background,.
"I will return shortly, gentlemen,"
said Doctor Worthing, the little gray
man; and then the lawyer and Neil were
left with the two policemen, and the
dead. Without addressing a word to
them, Neil Bathurst stepped softly to the
bedside and pulled back the silken cur-
tains. Clarence Arteveldt was lying
upon his side, with his face turned away
from the gazer; the eyes were closed, the
features calm, the attitude that of repose.
One hand was underneath the head, the
slender fingers thrust in among the rings.
of dark hair; it was his usual attitude
when sleeping. Thus he had slumbered
in boyhood, when his heart was free from
the guileful passions, the deceitful and
treacherous impulses that had woven for
him his doom. Thus he had slept, when,
in later years, his dreams had been of
fair ladies, of past carousals, of the mad-
ness of the gaming table, and his cheeks
had been flushed with wine. Thus, now,
he was sleeping the sleep of death. The
attitude was that of repose, but the face
was not the face of a sleeper. There was
that awful bluish tinge about the mouth
and just back of the temple a single clot
of blood. The detective bent down and
looked closely 'at this, and then recoiled
with a cry of horror. That clot of blood.
marked the smallest of wounds, where
some sharp, slender instrument had been
driven deep, penetrating to the brain.
The lawyer, in his turn, bent above
the body, and then the four men looked
at each other in silence. Mr. Halo had
been hastilysummoned and knew as little
as the detective concerning the tragedy.
At length one of the policemen spoke.
''You are Neil Bathurst, the detective ?"
he asked, turning toward that young
man, who nodded silently.
"Then you will be prime mover here ;
she, the old lady, has been taking on
fearfully about you ; she expects you to
find the party that did this.
Even there the detective Could feel an-
noyed ; he had held himself as much as
possible aloof from the members of the
police force, and few of them knew him
save by name. "Bathurst, the detect
ive," was often enough discussed at po-
lice headquarters, but he had scrupulously
avoided giving them a sight of his face.
The detective of fiction may stalk through
the streets known of all men. The skill-
ful and useful detective of reality con-
ceals his identity as much as may be,
knowing that to court publicity is to be-
come a marked man and to cripple his
chances of success among the people, with
whom he must necessarily deal "incog."
He foresaw for himself a little too much
publicity in this present case. But it was
too late to amend that now. So, after a
moment's pause, he asked :
"Is any one suspected?"
"Suspected ! I should think so ; why,
it's a clear case," replied the officer.
"Who is it then if the matter is cer-
tain ?"
"I reckon it's certain enough; she ran
away last night and can't be found."
"What!" turning upon the man quick-
ly ; "do you mean his wife?"
"That's what I mean."
At this moment the little doctor bus
fled in.
"I take it that you are the detective,
sir," he said, going straight up to Bath-
urst.
"Then I must tell you that much de-
pends on you. Whatever you think,
pray exert as soothing an influence as
possible upon Mrs. Arteveldt, she has un-
bounded faith in you, and her grief has
all turned into the not uncommon chan-
nel of revenge. If you do not assure her
that you will find the murderess, and
keep her assured of it, she may lose life
or reason. On. this subject she is already
a monomaniac."
The little doctor paused as abruptly as
he had begun, and then the detective,
who had listened soberly, turned toward
Mr. Hale.
"If I understand the servant aright.
you are Mrs. Arteveldt's lawyer, sir?
'Yes, sir, I am her lawyer; my name
is Hale," replied Mrs. Arteveldt's advi-
sor, gravely. '
"Then you are the one to take the lead
here ; all that comes within the scope of
my profession I will readily undertake,
both for his mother's sake," motioning
toward the bed, "and for his own. What
is known about this terrible affair ?"
turning again toward the officers.
"Not much," replied the spokesman,
"except that all the servants and the
rest agree that his wife killed him. There
was some sort .of a scene here last night
before all the wedding guests, and in the
excitement the bride disappeared. He,"
Jerking his thumb toward the bed
"drank heavily and went sort of wild.
He made one of the servants lie down be-
side him, and when the fellow awoke this
morning his master lay just as he does
now.,,
The detective pondered a moment and
then asked: "Has the coroner been sum-
moned ?"
"Yes," replied Doctor Worthing; "I
sent for him just before you two arrived."
"Has anything been moved ' or dis-
turbed in this room ?'v" turning to the po-
liceman.
"No, sir," replied the man ; "I have
looked out for that."
"Then, gentlemen, let us go into the
next room; rather do you go while I
make a minute examination here, taking
care to disturb nothing. Then we will
try and arrange our ideas concerning this
mystery, for it looks a mystery to me.
We can do little more than this until af-
ter the inquest."
Bathurst nodded and the four men filed
from the room. Left alone, the detect-
ive examined everything in the room
with the utmost Dare—but all to no pur-
pose. There was not the slightest trace
of anything that might be taken as a clue
upon which to work, no sign to indicate
how the destroyer entered that room or
departed from it. Standing beside the
bed, he again gazed down upon the
corpse,
"Arteveldt's wife was supposed to be
merely a beautiful village girl, he mused
half aloud. " If this is true, • she never
struck that blow. No inexperienced hand
could make its aim so unerring and
deadly." So saying he turned and went
softly out from the chamber of death,
On the threshold he met Kato: Seaton.
"Will you please Dome to Mrs, Arte -
veldt, sir," she said, with a half sob,
''We can do nothing with her, her nerves
are in a most unnatural state, Pray use
your will to quiet her."
CHAPTER XIX.—mmIE CORONER'S VERDICT.
That was a long, sad, wearisome day
for the young detective. For two long
hours he sat beside the eolith of Mrs.
Arteveldt, holding her hands, listening
to her moans of anguish, that were alter-
nated with fierce outcries for vengeance
upon her son's murderer, soothing, per-
suading, and finally, controlling. Atlast,
having obtained from her a promise that
she would remain quiet, and obey the
doctor's orders, he arose to leave. her.
"Remember," he said, as he stood be-
side the couch, "how necessary it is that
you recover perfect self-control. If I go
out upon this search you must be able to
receive and understand my reports; re-
member, I am serving under you. With hand; then I .sort of came to my senses
the assistance of your lawyer, you shout and dragged John out into the hall,
be able to help ma by yoursearch; adviceyoum a ., where I doused. him with water, and left
council. This is your him lying there, while I ran to arouse
not be wanting in strength to carr ,'.:o all the servants. I sent one for police
on." j men, and, when they came, put two in
It 'was wonderful the effect his wide this room; then I went for the doctor and
had upon her. Wonderful to see ;the Mr. Hale. If it hadn't been that I served
confidence she reposed in him, during in Mrs. Arteveldt's house. I should not
this terrible trial, No other voice could have known what to do or who to send.
calm her, no one else influence her in. the after. I sent the coachman for the
least. doctor and lawyer, and then I shook John
"Iwill be strong, I will note give up into his senses and sent him for Mrs.
until she is found, she said. Tell the
Arteveldt. You may say that was wrong,
doctor I will take what he pleases to but I knew that she would never forgive
give." any of us if we took a single step before
This was indeed a concession, and Kate sending for her. I made the women
hastily summoned Doctor Worthing. servants keep down stairs, and kept
The detective now joined the lawyer, and everybody out of the house except the
from his lips obtained a concise account police. When Mrs. Arteveldt came I
of the scene of the previous night. Ile obeyed her, and sent for Mr. Bathurst.
listened in silence, and at the end of the I sent her coachman, and the old fool
narration asked ran away on foot when he might have
"Will you tell me your exact impres- gone with the carriage in half the time."
sion at the time, Mr. Hale? When the After receiving all the testimony, the
bride was delivering her strange address, jury consulted for a short time, and then
how did you feel toward her?" returned the verdict, fully expected by
"To bo honest, I felt as though she Bathurst : Deceased had met his death
were speaking the truth, and I think this at the hands of his wife, Lenore Armyn
feeling was general; infect the counts- Arteveldt."
nance of the man now dead, told its own " There," he muttered, when at last
story. I don't think any one doubted the unpleasant ceremony was done, and
that he had dealt unfairly by her." the last juryman had vacated the prem -
Bathurst pondered in silence for a mo- ises. "Now I can begin."
went, and then said, "You are a lawyer. He began by dropping his head upon
You understand human nature. Do you his hands and sitting thus for nearly an
think this theory of murder is the right hour. Then he roused himself and drew
one?" forth a note -book, in which he made
"I don't see grounds for a different or several entries. This done, he went to
better one. The evidence is all against the library and summoned a servant.
her." Philip, the footman, answered the ring.
"The evidence ; yes, circumstantial " Come in, Philip," he said ,affably.
evidence:' "You are a shrewd fellow. I want to
"True. And yet—her own words would ask you a question or two."
convict her. You must consider, she had Philip bowed like a courtier and stood
matured her plans, weeks in advance, "at ease."
perhaps; see how suddenly and effectu- "I want you to describe to me this
ally she has disappeared. This thirst for runaway bride. Can you tell me how
revenge must have become a monomania she looked? I have:never seen. her."
with her." " She looked like a picture, sir," replied
"It is possible." Philip, with animation. "One wouldn't
"But—you think it improbable?" ever suspect her of killing any one—at
"No. It is the most probable of least not if they didn't see her as she
theories, and yet—I should be but a poor looked that night. Then her eyes blazed
detective, did I allow myself to jump at enough to stab you through and through,
once to the most probable conclusion, and she looked as if she could be afraid
While there is room for a doubt, there is of nothing. She was shortish, sir, and
room for a search in other directions. I walked sort of graceful and swinging,
have seen men pursued, whose guilt but awful proud.; stepped as if the ground
looked still more probable, and because was not quite good enough. The first
the easiest theory was adopted by all, the time I saw her she made me think of a
actual criminal escaped." story I read somewhere, about some great
"Upon my word, young man, you are a man spreading down his cloak for some
sound. reasoner. May I be allowed to ask, queen to walk over. -Well, she walked
what you intend to do?" as if she had been used to stepping on
"Assuredly. I shall do nothing until great men's cloaks all her life. She
the farce—beg pardon, I mean the idn't have much color, only in her lips,
inquest, is over. After that, you being and they were as red as could be, and
Mrs. Arteveldt's adviser, will of course, just like a bow. Her hair was full of
examine my reports, and be fully aware ripples, and was a kind of yellowish -red,
of my movements." and her oyes looked almost yellow too,
sometimes; clear, you iknow, like Mrs.
Arteveldt's old amber wine. I am afraid
I have not done her justice sir. She was
a regular beauty, and no mistake."
The detective could scarcely suppress
a smile as he listened to this unique de-
scription.
not untended lying down, and the door
was not locked, T didn't know any more
until some one shook me and spoke in my
ear. When I opened my eyes Philip,
the footman, was standing over me. He
had. promised to come in and relieve me
before daylight, but had gone to sleep.
and overslept too. I jumped up then and
drew back the curtains to take a look at
my master----- Gentlemen, he lay then
just asyou see him now, cold and dead,
I don't remember any more, gentlemen
—the thought that I had been lying
there beside a corpse carne over me like a
flash; I sickened, and fell down in a
faint."
The testimony of Philip, the footman,
corroborated that of John Riley. Philip
seemed to be a man of some nerve and
sense,
"I was so shocked," he said, "that for
a full five minutes I never stirred foot or
" THE THOUGHT THAT I HAD BEEN LYING
THERE BESIDE A CORPS CAME OVER ME
LIKE A FLASH."
The lawyer made no answer, and ap-
peared lost in thought. Presently the
detective walked across the room, and,
throwing himself down upon a couch, re-
viewed in his mind all that he had ever
heard of Lenore Arteveldt. After all, it
was very little. He had gathered from
the ravings of Mrs. Arteveldt some idea
of the first visit paid by that lady to Le-
nore, and of the effort made to induce the
girl to renounce Clarence. If he could
only get a fair, unprejudiced account of
that interview! But that was impossible,
at least for the present.
"It seems as if fate had been against
my meeting that girl," he mused. "If I
could have seen her, I should know how
to judge her. perhaps. It's a match for
Jocelyn's murder case; only I have not
the advantage of the painted eye. Well,
I must await the resuls of the inquest;
then, if the destroyer of Clarence Arte -
veldt is to be found, I will hunt her or
him, as the case may be."
The inquest was of short duration;
the evidence was unimpeachable and to
the point, the jury unanimous in their
decision. Mr. Hale and several others
testified as to the supper -table scene, and.
there was not the slightest variation in
their testimony. One after another they
repeated the criminating words of the
wronged bride : "This evening has wit-
nessed YOUR triumph ; TO -NIGHT and all
the future shall witness mine. WHEN
TO -MORROW DAWNS, LET THESE YOUR
FRIENDS AND GUESTS SAY WHETHER OR
NO YOUR WIFE HAS AVENGED HERSELF."
Sohn Riley, the body servant of the
Murdered man, described the scene
in the bridal chamber, told how the
victim had raved of his wife, now he had
declared that she wanted to murder him,
how lie had laid down upon the bride's
pillow, commanded the lights lowered
and the curtains drawn close, and then
compelled him (John) to lie down beside
him;how Clarence had covered him care-
fulland then laid himself down, say-
ing,. "I shall sleep now." ".A.ftor that,"
testified Sohn, "I fell asleep—I didn"t
mean to but a had been fidgety all, day,
had_ been unusuallyworked; bo-
and Is
sides, it was long after midnight. I had.
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
Interesting Lines.
Porcelain is to be substituted for gold
filling in teeth.
Phoenicians invented the first alphabet
about 1300 B.C.
Over -crowding of street cars is forbid-
den in England.
The majority of self-taught congress-
men are farmers.
Lettuce was deemed by the ancients
the food of the dead.
The Mississippi ;delta his settling six
inches per century.
Japanese bamboo has been profitably
grown in Louisiana.
Diamonds are sometimes smuggled in
hollow -heeled shoes.
In 1893 Parisians consumed 21,291
horses, 229 donkeys and 40 mules.
In Poland it is a penal offence to speak
Polish in any public resort.
`Are You Nervous?
There is no better preventive of nerv-
ous exhaustion than regular, unhurried
muscular exercise. If women would
moderate their hurry; lessen their worry
and increase their open-air exercise, a
large proportion of nervous diseases would
be abolished. For those who cannot take
a good holiday the best substitute is an
occasional day in bed. Many whose
nerves are constantly strained in their
daily avocatiuns have discovered this for
themselves. There is a physician in this
city who orders his patients to go to bed
for two or three days whenever they can
be spared from their business, and he
laughs at those who spend their holidays
toiling up mountains. It is said that one
of the hardest working women of Eng-
land, who has for years conducted a large
wholesale business, retains excellent
nerves at an advanced age, owing solely
to her habit of taking one slay a week in
bed. If women cannot avoid frequent
agitation, they ought, if possible, to
give the nervous system time to recover
itself between shocks. Even an hour's
seclusion after a good lunch will deprive
a hurried, anxious day of much of its in-
jury. The nerves can often bo overcome
by strategy, when they refuse to bo con-
trolled by strength or will.
On the night of April 28 Montgomery
Gibbs, a young lawyer, was found bleed-
ing and dying on Delaware avenue, Buf-
falo. The tragedy remained a mystery
until yesterday, when a woman named
Robinson, who was arrested for another
crime, confessed • that her husband shot
the man because he resisted when they
were attempting to rob him.
Elijah Bryan, of.Novada, 14to., who is
.now in his ninety-fifth year, as a youth.
helped to defend the homes of the Mis-
souri settlers against the raids of Black
Hawk's warriors. His family is related
to that of Daniel Boone, and he owns an
old flintlock which was a favorite with
the frontiorsinan.
WilEXR'E WO IA 'RAVE BTIF*'R400.
Taken Ail in All They Cut Quite w
Figure in the. Worl4's Politici.
The countries of the world where wo-
men already have some suffrage have an
area of over 18,000,000 square miles and
their
population is over 950,000,000.
Great Britain women vote for all
elective officers exeept members of par.
liament.
In France the women teachers elect
women members on all boards of educe, -
tion.
In Sweden 'women vote for all elective
officers except representatives; also, in-
directly, for members of the house of
lords.
In Norway they have school suffrage.
In Ireland the women vote for the har-
bor boards, poor law guardians, and in
Belfast fpr munioipal.oflicers,
In Russia women householders vote for
all elective officers and on all local mat-
ters.
In Finland they vote for all elective
officers.
In Austria-Hungary they vote by
proxy for ail elective officers,
In Croatia and Dalmatia they have the.
privilege of doing so in. local elections in.
person.
In Italy widows for members of parlia-
ment.
In the Madras presidency, and the Bom-
bay presidency (Hindoostan) the women
exercise the right of suffrage in all muni-
cipalities.
In all the countries of Russian Asia
they can do so wherever a Russian colony
settles. Tho Russians are colonizing the
whole of their vast Asian possessions,
and carrying with them everywhere the
"min" or self-governing village, where-
in women who are heads of households
are permitted td vote.
Women have municipal suffrage in
Cape Colony, which rules a million square
miles.
Municipal woman suffrage rules in
New Zealand, and, I think, at parlia-
mentary elections,
Iceland, in the North Atlantic, the Isle
of Man (between England and Ireland),
and Pitcairn Island, in the South Pacific,
have full woman suffrage.
In the Dominion of Canada women
have municipal suffrage in every Prov-
ince and also in the Northwest Territories.
In Ontario they vote for all elective of-
ficers, except in the election of members
of the legislature and parliament.
In the United States twenty-eight
states and territories have given women
some form of suffrage.
School suffrage in various degrees is
granted to women in Arizona, Colorado,
Oonneeticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana,
Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michi-
gan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hamp-
shire,;New Jersey, New York, North Da-
kota,:Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, 'Ver-
mont and Wisconsin.
In Arkansas and Missouri women vote,
by petition, on liquor licenses in many
cases.
In Delaware suffrage is exercised by
women in several municipalities.
In Kansas they have equal suffrage
with men at all municipal elections.
About 50,000 women voted in 1890. In
Montanathey vote on all local taxation.
In New York they can and do vote at
school elections. The question of the
constitutionality of the law is still unde-
cided. They vote also in many places
in this State on local improvements, such
as gas and electric street lighting, pav-
ing, sewerage and municipal bonds.
In Utah women voted until disfran-
chised ' by the "Edmunds law," when
they promptly organized to demand its
repeal.
In Pennsylvania a law was passed in
1889 under which women vote on local
improvements by signing or refusing to
sign petitions therefor.
In Wyoming women have voted on the
same terms with men since 1870. The
convention in 1859 to form a state consti-
tution unanimously inserted a provision
securing them full suffrage. This con-
stitution was ratified by the voters at a
special election by about three-fourths
majority. Congress refused to require
the disenfranchisement of women and
admitted the state July 10, 1890.
And let it not be forgotten that in the
Senate of the United States, February 7,
1889, a select committee reported in favor
of amending the federal constitution so
as to forbid States to make sex a cause of
disfranchisement. Congress adjourned,
however, on. March 4 following without
reaching the subject.
The Yankee Felt Insulted.
I heard a very good thing about an
American traveller in England. As you
all know, trunks are not checked there as
they are here. The baggageman pastes
a label on the thing, and you have to
watch it more or less till it arrives at its
destination. The Yankee felt very in-
secure, insomuch as he lacked the brass
check to which he was used. At every
stopping -place he got out and looked for
his trunk to see that it was on board.
The guard became very weary of the
persistent enquiries. At last he said,
" Do you know, I wish you was a hele-
phant instead of a hass." The American
enquired why. " Because, if you was a
helephant you would always have your
trunk in front of you."
A Sensible Woman,
Who dares to assert that the millennium
is far away? A mistress of a household
was listening to the plaintive wails of
some of her neighbors anent the troubles
that shadowed their lives in the shape of
wayward, exasperatinganduntrustworthy
"hired girls.
"My girl has beenwithme four years,"
said Mistress Lucky, "and I do think she
is just too lovely for anything—a very
jewel of a girl,"
All the listeners opened wide their eyes
and looked hugely incredulous.
"Yes, indeed," continued the happy wo-
man, "but you see, it is just this way: I
pay mo girl welt and I pay her regularly
and promptly. If she wants to send her
,money home she can do so at a given
date. She is no more uncertainty about
her salary than my husband is. Her
pleasant. It
room is
isn't elaborate, but
it is as comfortable and home -like as 1
can make it ; I tell her exactly what I
want done and let her do it in her own
way. The children are not allowed to
give her orders and they are obliged to
treat her respectfully. I myself am as
polite as I know how to be with her. 1
never reprimand her in public. 1 don't
mind lotting her see that I like her, and
even telling her so. I praise her when
she deserves praise. She has company a
couple of times a week, and she never
abuses her pivilege. in that respect. I
try to give her as much freedom as if she
were employed in some other capacity,
think my success; with her is an advertise-•
inept for my method."