HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1895-12-6, Page 2The jiotiSe,
at the Qotter
(CONT1N 11P
She etood like a . challenging augel be-
fore him: She towered up like a proph-
etess delivering an oracle of doom. Her
small nature became majestic, and, as
she looked hina through and through,
the Dutch Courage with which he had
fortified lihnself deserted him, and he
• quailed like a chidden cur.
•"Who says I mean wickedness? Who
says rve seen her, or know anything
about her? Mind your own business,
•my dear Laura, if you -please. Dolly
wrote me t' say confounded husband
coming home—I must keep clear.
Thought it was humbug—put me off
trying to see laer. You say it's true;
that's all right. That's all I wanted to
know."
.As Laura Kingdou watched the man's
half-closed eyes, and listened to his
shuffling pretences, suspicion of some
imminent danger to her sister through
him rose fiercely in her mind.
"I do not trust you, Ralph Kestrel,"
she toad scornfully ; it is my bitter
sorrow that I first made you acquainted
with Dorothy while her husband was at
sea. I have learnt some part of the dis-
graceful proposals you have made to her
in defiance of all the restraints of cour-
tesy, manhood, and honour. I know
that you have visited her again and
again; how often and with what success
you have urged your infamous suit I do
not know, for I fear that Dorothy has
not told me all. But this I believe—for
my sister is not bad; she is only weak,
lamentably weak and foolish—I believe
that she may yet meet her husband
without shame, and rest upon his heart
in the blessed consciousness that she has
not forfeited her right to his devoted
love. If I thought otherwise I would
not implore you, as I do now to abandon
the vile purpose which I Imew too well
you have entertained. If you have now
or ever had one spark of devotion for
Dorothy, be chivalrous, and blot your-
self entirely out of her life. Captain
Dundas is a true and faithful man. His
love for my sister admits no distrust of
her. He would stake his soul upon the
purity of hers. Cue little rift in the
StSPICION.—WHAT 15 THERE BETWEEN
YOU AND LAURA KLNODON?"
earthly canopy of his trust and &tempest
would. follow that would destroy not
only a happiness which has hitherto
been perfect but life itself—his life her
own, and that of the wretch whose
vanity and brutality came between
them."
• The girl's vehemence seemed to sober
Ralph Kestrel. He replied with indig-
nant protests and denials.
"Why, Laura." said he in a reproach-
ful tone and with great seriousness, "I
can't think what has put such fancies
Into your head. Dorothy's a very dragon
of virtue. 1 own I was a bit of an ass
with her, but she pretty quickly sent me
to the right -about; and. you know,
Laura, I'm sweet on Muriel, and. Muriel's
sweet on me. That's where the love hes.
We abedl be man and wife one of these
days, as soon as—as soon as—certain
things have happened. A fellow .can't
be sweet on two girls at once. 1 don't
care a rap for Dorothy, upon my honour
I don't. and in proof that all is over be-
tween us I've brought you her letters.
Silly letters they are. Don't read 'em.
Burn '01.11 up, burn 'em up."
He produced a little bundle of letters,
and dangled them tantalisingly above
her head. Laura sprang at them with a
• cry of joy.
"0, thanks! thanks! A thousand,
thousand thanks!" she exclainied ; .‘and
what has passed between us shall be
utterly forgotten."
Utterly"
"Give me the letters."
"There!" He dropped the packet into
her hands.
In her delight and emotion Laura
caught his hand as well, and pressed her
P0it lips to it, unaware that the library
door had opened, and that Muriel O'Con-
nor, Cecil Chester, and Donovan stood
watching her.
CHAPTER VI.
'WENS $1111 CONSCIA BEL:TV'
R was soarcely possible that a girl
caught in mo compromising a situation
mild avoid some show of embarrassment
a hot blush ssvept over Laura Kingdon's
filt.e fts H110 looked up and saw Muriel
O'Connor aud her guest gazing in a her
amazedly.
"She has sonic shame, at all events,,"
muttered Cheater to hirnself. "This is
the old love evidently, and she is 'off;
with hini for the sake of being 'on' with
poor Ernest."
Arid his deluded friend was hugging
himself with the fond imagination that
this siren, with the Madonna face and
calm gaze of purity itself, had been
hitherto a stranger to passion, and pos-
sessed no past avtbich she would wish to
conceal t His hronediate surprise gave
way to a cynical smile, andthen his face
hardened into anger as he reflected, and
realized the absurd position of his friend
thus duped.
Laura noted his thoughts with swift
instinct, and caught a dark impression
imon Muriel' face which she had never. ,
seen there before. And behincl tlaese two
leered the malevolent countenance of
Dennis Donovan, a Mall of whom she
had a poked dread and abhorrence, But
so strong wee she in her own innocence,
so stimulated by the loving triumph she
had achieved for her sister, that these
Sinister looks gave herself -possession in-
deed a increasing her ernharrasarrient,
She said calmly to Kestrel, "Here is
Miss O'Connor,' and, taming to Muriel,
made some quiet remark about Lord
Willxnore having gone to seek her and
his friend in the garden.
Nobody spoke. Clieeter, for elle, was
astoonded at what he took to be her cool
audacity, a conolusive sign to him of a
practieed intrigaute. The silence did
uot seem to effeot her in the slieslitest de-
gree. Announcing her intention of
• seeking Lord Willmore, she glided out
into the darkness tlarough the stephan-
otis branehes with perfect grace and dig-
nified composure,
ThenKestrel approached Muriel, and
began • some incoherent explanation,
which slag gat short by introduoing him
to Chester. The latter bowed somewhat
stilly, and Donovan drew Kestrel at once
into a distant corner of the room, where
Le seemed to subject him to a severe ex-
amination.
Muriel sank down at the piano, and
played some soft strains, conversing
through the music with the golden -
bearded Chester, who leaned over her
and watehed the white fingers straying
over the keys, Why did hedinger there?
Mere idle curiosity, he told himself, in-
duced him to do so. He could not deny
that there was a fascination about this
woman, • a magnetic witchery around
her, which made his very nerve tingle
• with an intogioated delight; but he
would not admit even to himself that he
was at the very mercy of her enchant-
raent. No, it was curiosity that held
him there, the interest of a study of hu-
, man nature, in which he might compare
the signs, which the science of physiog-
nomy declared infallible, with the aotnal
nature of the subject trader examination,
as he, in the self sufficiency of his judg-
ment, believed it to be.
Her eyes, those "windows of the soul,"
were undoubtedly irridescent; he saw
them clearly in the light of the candles
on the sconces of the piano. Yellow
eyes of a deep orange tint, strangely
flecked with blue. He tried in vain to
associate them with some evil character-
istic, to justify his prejudice against her.
There was nothing imaginable to be
coupled with th.ese eyes but a brave
honesty, tempered with the commanding
qualities of intellect. He could not. find
any trace of the coquette in those eyes—
they might belong to a gamester.
"Ali," thought he, "presently we shall
see these yellow eyes gleaming upon
green cloth."
He passed in review the red hair—un.-
mistakably, indisputably red, but lovely
hair—a wavy mass of it thrown boldly
off the forehead, broad and low, and
lightly confined by a golden fillet; the
long, finely-cluselled nose, gently satiri-
cal; the large mouth, with its firm yet
flexible lips, disclosing with every word
a row of beautiful teeth; the ruddy com-
plexion, genuine as the glow on a cam-
ellia. It was provoking that he could
not detect a single sinister indication to
accord with his conviction that, to use a
homely phrase, "she was no better than
she should be." And then, as she dis-
coursed, to the rippling accompaniment,
of melodies that flowed from beneath her
hands, nervous and well shaped—a
model for a sculptor—of an infinite
variety of subjects, hovering like a bee,
from flower to flower, and extracting
sweets from all, he began.to charge him-
self with lack of generosity, with un-
manliness, in. seeking with such cruel
persistence for a rift in. the lute that
sounded so purely, for poison in the
draught that appeared. so fragrant and
joy -giving.
She had almost converted him from
his antagonism, almost won hirn to be.
heve in her defiance of himself, when he
happened to cast his eyes towards her
other guests in the corner of the room.
• Ralph Kestrel, sitting astride a chair,
with ins elbows on the back, was smok-
ing a cigarette. His face was turned
towards Chester, who saw upon the
young man's handsome, dissolute fea-
tures an. expression of almost satanic
cunning. Over Kestrel's shoulder. like ;
the arch -enemy himself, lowered the
villainous countenance of Dennis Dono-
van, with a look of such ferocity and
determination that Chester shuddered.
At once his suspicions of Muriel O'-
Connor surged back.
Whatwere the words of La Bruyere?
"If men wished to be held in esteem,
they must associate with those who are
.
est
If Muriel O'Connor and Laura, King-
don were honourable women, why did
he encounter such men as these under
the same roof? They could not touch
pitch without being defiled, and that
these men were pitch was beyond. a I
doubt.
Then he thought of the spectacle of
Laura eagerly grasping at the bundle of
letters—love-letters—her love -letters, of
course; and the impulsive thanksgiving
of the kiss she had. bestowed upon Ralph ;
Kestrel's hand. There had been a pit- 1
eousness in that scene, as he understood
Could it be that these girls were in the
power of two knaves—innocently in
their power—and needed a deliverer?
All the chivalry of Cecil Chester's man-
hood rose in arms at this idea The re-
pressive training to which he had been
subjected had but held in abeyance the
romantic imaralses of his youth. His
imagination kindled at the thought of
beauty in distress, as it might have done
&teal years before. The house became
an enchanted castle, Dennis Donovan an
ogre, Ralph Kestrel a magician, and him-
self the champion knight whose spurs
were to be won in a valorous contention
with supernatural powers.
Muriel assisted. hish:everie with one of
Balfe's entrandng strains, and presently,
glancing up and perceiving that he was
in eloudland, she commenced to sing the
words of the melody in a rich low voice
that vibrated with unsuspected passion.
She sang and he listened. The song
swelled. into fullet, freer tones, like the
heavenward flight of a swift bird, draw-
ing at last to its close as such a bird
circles gently downward totits nest in
the waving corn,
The spell was broken by Kestrel.
"Brava, dear girl, brava!" he exclaim-
ed, approaching the piano. 'Weyer
heard you sing that better,"
And Donovan followed with:
"There's just one song you sing better,
darlint, and sure we'll have it now for
the sake of good luck. Miss Muriel, just
give us, plaze, 'The Wearing of the
Green,'"
Chester looked at Muriel keenly, ex-
peeting to see some confirxnation of his
latest view concerning her. She would
show loathing and fear of the evil -look-
ing Donovan, of course; she would
shudder at the approach of his eigarette.,
smoking, bIear-eyed puppet; she would
sing the patriotic song as bidden,.
But his calculations were all upset.
Muriel O'Connor rose from the pla,no,
and in tones as drileet as those sho had
reeently blended with the music—with a
face bright and smiling as the moori
tbat rose over the trees—no sign of re-
pulsion, 40 cairiblitilee of fear, laughing-
ly dedined to sing The Wearing of the
Green."
43 this jtincture Lord Williaore enter'
ed by the window alone, very pale, his
mannei. cold and constrained, IXe oross-
ed the drawing -room at owe to where
Muriel O'Connor stood, and cotirtemisly
but firmly tea; his leave, and passed out
into the hall without taking any notice
of the °thews,
Chester saw that soinethinghad hap-
pened to greatly change his friend's feel
-
lugs towards that house, and shrewdly
connected it with Laura Kingdom He
hastily excused himself to Muriel, who,
greatly to his discomfithre, showed no
isposition to detain him, and followed
Willmore into the hall.
The friends did not speak until they
were in a hansom -cab, speeding towards
chabland; then Chester inquired gently:
"What's up, old fellow?'r •
And the other replied:
"Don't ask me, Cecil. You, were per-
fectly right. We'll never enter that
house again 1"
It is always satisfactory tobe told that
your foresight has been, accurate, your
judgment correct ; but now Cecil 'Cheater
was not quite content with that satis-
faction. He said nothing, but—incon-
sistent man that he was—he made up his
mind to return to the house at the corner
before many days.
CHAPTER NTH.
TROUBLED VS'..N.TERS.
Dennis Donovan, with an obsequious-
ness that was coldly received, had in-
sisted upon accompanying Chester and
Willmore to the outer gate, and walk-
ing with them some hundred yards to a
cab -rank. Thus left alone with Kestrel,
Muriel tinned, upon hitu like a tigress:
"What is there between you and.
Laura Kingdon?"
Kestrel had availed himself of the
temporary distraction caused by the
leave-taking' to attack a decanter of
brand.y, and the suddenness
02 this ques-
tion made his surreptitious gulp go the
wrong way, causing him a violent chok-
ing fit
Muriel took him by the shoulder in a
strong grasp, and shook him back into
possession of his powers of speech, and
at the same time considerably clarified
his reasoning powers.
`"Tween me and Laura Rine:don?" he
hiccoughed. "Don't know what you
mean."
"I saw you give her some letters.
'What has passed between you?"
Kestrel was not in a condition to reason
clearly, but his drunkenness induced a
capacity for excessive cunning. He
flattered himself that nobody could get
the better of him. when he was drunk.
The less said. about Dorothy Dundas the
better, he now told himself. Muriel had
such a way of cross-questioning afellow.
Better put it upon Laura, since Muriel
was inclined to misconstrue what she
had. seen.
It was a good joke to compromise the
Diana-hke Laura, and make unachief
between her and her friend. It would
serve her out for meddling between him
and her sister.
"My precious girl, " said he, endeavour-
ing to take Muriel's hand, "don't be
cross. Silly little fool! tried. to make
love to me—wrote silly letters—made
an ass of herself. I threatened to tell
you; said I was going to give letters to
you. Devil of a stew! Cried her eyes
out. Begged me not to ruin her. Give
her back- letters—bundle o' nonsense. I
couldn't stand. tears, so gave 'em back.
There you have it."
"Swear to nie you do not love her—
that you never have loved her !"
Muriel's eyes blazed, and the harsh
ring of her voice told of a raging jeal-
ousy.
So seldom had Kestrel an opportunity
of swearing to the truththat herespond-
ed with such alacrity and. in such solemn
terms as carried con-viction. Muriel's
distrust of him was appeased, but her
anger against tetra Kingdon burst
through all restraint:
"How dare she! how dare shel how
dare she!" she exclaimed, crossing the
room as if she would go and seek the
traitress in the garden; "she has fed at
any table, slept under my rept gone with ,
me everywhere, been in alrthings as my I
second. self, and—she knows that 1 love ,
you!" 1
Ralph Kestrel caught her by the arm ;
as she was rushing out, and, drawing
her to his embrace, stemmed the tide of
her passion. Not out of any considera-
tion for Laura—they might come to
blows, for all he cared, and he could
have stood by and laughed at the humil- ,
lotion of both—but because he wanted to ;
utilise the precious moments at his ells- 1
posal before the return of Dennie Donn -
van.
"My own dearest Muriel," he cried,
"I know it too. No one knows it so well
as I do. And I'm true to you, Muriel;
true as the stars above us. Come away
from that window, dear. Minx not
worth malting a fuss about—not now, at
any rate. Come along over here, and sit
own.I've something to say to pm."
How amazing and how pitiful is the
infatuation of a nobleaniuded woman for
a worthless man!
The gracious Muriel O'Connor seemed
under a spell at the totiola of the maudlin
rake. Her anger melted away like a
tropical storm, and soft tears filled her
eyes as they gazed with tenderness -upon
the flushed face of la.er worthless lover.
Had Cecil Chester seen her at that
moment he would assuredly have blotted
her image from his heart for ever. His
refined sensibility could not have endured
.spectecle.which would. have seemed to
ham to 311 Ica e utter debasement.
But in truth there is no shame where
there is no vile or guilty thought; and a
love that exalts its obj eet into worthiness
is an enchantment, not degradation.
Let us not blame Muriel O'Connor that
her warm heart kindled under thetoagic
of sympathy, and that her imagination
created from such poet material an idol
fit to be adored. He had not tdavays ap-
peared before her in the lamentable
aspect of a drunken man. .At his best
he was but a, contemptible, soulless
fellow, and no generous act or noble
thought ever sprang frotu him; few
women could admire his claatacter, or,
knowing, could respect him; but many,
refusing their minds' testimony, yielded
to that weird influence which ma,kes one
huraan aeature the slave of another.
Ralph. Kestrel, soft and subtle, gay of
manner, elegant of bearing, handsome,
and witty, had a fascination which alt
women admitted and most found it diffi-
cult to withstand. Brought to the house
at the corner originelly by Donovan
(who had. introduced him for purposes of
his own), he had Straightway marked
Mnriel as a prey for his avariee. An un-
derling in a Government office, he found
his salary quite insufficient for his sula-
port tie a Man og fashion, and 'was seek-
..
•
ing to augment his income by. an alliance
with, some ledy of fortune, Muriel 0'‘
Connor. appeared to answer his require -
mute in this respect, but her resouroeS
were veiled in an iinceitainty which he
had succeeded in penetrating; and there-
fore, although he lost no time in paying
her "honourable" addresses, he held off
from an open engageinent until, as he
put it, "things should be a little more
settled," contenting Win self w ith botrow-
ing from her inoessantly to supply his
prodigal expenditure, And Muriel Was
generous to profnaion with the man
whom her heart had edected to be her
husband, although her reason told her
many a bitter truth to his prejudice.
ft was business of this kibd which now
made Kestrel eager to speak with her
before the return of Dennis Donovan,
from whom his pecuniary needs had so
far been concealed. •
Leading Muriel to the inner recess of
the drawing -room, he • began an on-
slaught of endearment ;so indiscreetly
coloured by his intoxication that no wo-
man however deeply in love, could .en-
dure Niithout protest. But there was
little resentment, oniy' a deep distress in
Muriers voice as she bade him good-
night, and begged him never to approach
her so unworthily again.
. "But, my lovely Muriel, you madden
ine with your coldness," Kestrel urged,
"Can you not understand what it is to
be loved—to love—as passionately as I
do? I have not seen you fot three days,
my darling, and you have not given me
one kiss yet, not one, and 1 want a thou-
sand—ye, a thousand!"
"Take this with you, them" She raised
her face to his, and rested a moment in
his embrace. Dennis Donovan, entering
with catlike softness from the conserva-
tory, saw them through the palms, and
stopped instantly in the shadow, as if
turned to stone, His eyes gleamed out
of the foliage like those of a panther
about to spring; his breath came 'short
and thick m,hea,vy pants that were al-
most audible; his whole frathe shook
with a transport of fury; for this man,
whose nature was savage, whose whole
aim in life was bloodthirsty. and venge-
ful, had in him that softnese which in
alt beings,, human and animal, marks
their distinction from the demons ot
fable and fancy: he could love. And
with an overwhelming, vehement pas-
sion he loved Muriel O'Connor. He had
not dared to utter his love. or to give the
smallest sign of it, knowing well that
a premature declaration would rob hini
of all his hopes, and destroy the moment-
ous projects in which she and those she
influenced were his tools and oatspaws.
But while slowly weaving his toils
around her he had not feared for the
ultimate result. She seemed so cold, so
reserved, so much outside, above, and
beyondall vulgar sentiment, that he had
not conceived the possibility of the pic-
ture which now met his view: Muriel
O'Connor surrendering herself to the
caress of this paltry libertine. Swiftly
and steathily he glided forward like a
cloud. of Fate, his eyes faxed upon the
lovers, until in the shadow of a great
bull cabinet he crouched, and his hand
came in contact with the Japanese
dagger that hung in its sheath upon the
wall. He drew it forth quickly, and the
light of the Moon gleamed upon its curv-
ed blade. Then, as they began to speak,
he cowered down, his limbs gathered to-
gether for a spring, a rush, his heart on
fire, his arm nerved to the utmost ten-
sion, his brain insane with hellish frenzy.
J. 1,11. Qv:Delia LULL,
Magnetized Taen-hammer.
An ingenious application of the horse-
shoe magnet is found in a tack hammer
recently invented. The head of the ham-
mer Is of the ordinary shape, but the
pointed end is divided into two prongs,
nearly touching each other and flattened
at the top. These prongs are magnetizat
like the pole of an &denary horse-shoe
magnet, and when the hammer Is intro-
duced into a box or paper of tacks it picks
ap one and bolds it with the head against
the flattened tip, the point of the tack
directed outward. A. light blow fixes the
tack In the wall, and it may then De
driven in with the other end of the ham-
mer This does away with holding the
tack, with the risk of hammering one's
tingors.—milwaykse SentineL
'The Watch Adjuster.
Perbaps the most highly skilled and best
paid men in the watch -making business
are the watch adjusters One adjuster in
a great factory used to receive $10,000 a
year.
The adjuster's werk is one of the im-
portant elements of cost in the making of
a fine wateli,and a $10,000 adjuster should
be competent to perfect any watch, what-
ever its delicacy and cost. It is the busi-
ness a the adjuster to take a new watch
and carefully go over all its parts, fitting
them together so that the watch may be
regulated to keep time accurately to the
fraction of a ntinute a month. Regttlating
Is a very different, process from adjusting,
and much simpler. A watch that can not
be regulated so as to keep accurate time
may need the hand of the adjuster, and 12 11
is valuable the owner will be well advised
to have it adiusted. There aro watch ad.-
justers In NOW York vverting on their
own account and earning very comfort-
able incornes.
To the adjuster every watch that comes
under his hands gets to have a character.,
of its own. He knows every wheel and
screw and spindle that help to constitute
the watch, He knows its constitution as
a physician knowe that of an old patient,
He can say what the watch needs after an
aooident, and can advise as to whether it
is worth adjusting.
No now watch can be depended upon
until it has passe through the hands of
the adjuster, for however admirable the
individual parts of the works, theta per-
fect balance is to be obtained only by simh
study and experiment as it is the business
of the adJuster to make. The adjustor is
a highly skilled mechanic, with wide
knowledge of his trade, and the utmost
deftness in its prosecution.—NY, Sun.
Alcohol Prom Lime and Coat Dust.
The recent discovery of Mr. Wilson
of acetylene gas from lime and coal
dust treated with electricity from car-
bon electrodes has Made it possible to
produce ethyl alcohol so cheap that alt
other lirocesses will be abandoned.
Should this cliseovery prove to be what
is expected alcohol will be made for Sc
dr 3c a gallon, or even less. Its ;uses in
the arts will be largely increased, and
as a beverage it could be cheapened
to an 'enormous extent. The °eel-ma-
th:In of distilling will be superseded,
and the manufaeture of whisky and
other alcoholic beverages will change,
and the great problems which center
around them coninairciallytscientifical-
ly, and socially will have new features*
—Popular Science Itevee.
'TIM..SNALLEST nErr.
MR, TOM YEN HOY IS A PROUD
AND HAPPY BRIDEGROOM.
Wedded Before the Oreat Joss--'t'he Wire
Was Drought rvoilk China and Mr. hey
pid Net See her Vatic Until After the
•Ceremour.
Mr. Tom Yen Hoy's wedding celebra-
tion lmas just coma to an end. Mr. Hoy
was married a week ago before the Great
Joss, at No. 16 Mott street* With a atingle
ceremony.
The bride had 4nst •001110 from China,
having been sent over by ,hir.11oy's agent.
She is a very beautiful bride, her Chinese
friends think, because she has very small
feet, even for a Chinese girl. There is no
white woman in New York who could
wear Mrs, Hoy's shoes.
Mr. Tom Yen Hoy has been a resident
of this city for the past ten years, and he
is now thirty-two years of age, On first ar-
riving in this country he clevoteet himself
to the vocation of a. laundry -man, but,
though he toiled hard and lived carefully,
he.save that he could never becomne rich by
washing people's collars and cuffs and
shirts, and it was Mr. Hoy's ambition to
become a rieh man.
He boasted whiia he left his native land
that he would make lots ,of chl'en (cash)
in the strange country of the white men
beyond the seas, and that some day he
would send for a bride who should have
the very smallest feet that the induce -
m entiof a comfortable home and a wealthy
husband eould purchase.
While Mr Hoy was engaged in the laun-
dering business he had ninth time for
philosophioal refieetion,and one day while
he was thinking, his eyes suddenly spark-
led and his face grew bright, for he
had thought of a plan for making
ch'ien fast. Be would have been
quite well off ion* ago, he argued
to hmself, bad he not been obliged to
pay out most of his Wien every day to
How Sow, the man with the hollow face
and the beady eyes who dealt in wines and.
bird's nests and green salads and groceries.
It would be much better, he thought, if
he should also engage in the grocery busi-
ness and receive the ch'ien of the other
laundry -men instead of toiling so hard
and handing over most of his earnings to
Sow.
So when How Sow heard that Hoy was
about to set up a rival establishment be
took him aside one day and pointed out
the advantages of a partnership, provided
Hoy would put his savings into the busi-
ness. To this .Hoy agreed, for truth to tell
he knew much more about washing shirts
than he did about keeping a grocery store.
So he gavel Sow his savings,and the name
over the door at No, 19 Mott street was
chaneed to How, Hong Sow & Co., which
is a ''deceptive name, for it does not 4011
you that Hung means corporation nor that
Mr. Hoy is a member of the firm.
Under the new arrangement business
prospered and Mr. Hoy felt his heart glow
and his breast swell out as he saw the
oh'ien fall steadily into the cash drawer.
So much ch'ion he had never seen before
in his life, and it tame so easily, so math
more easily than by washing and ironing
shirts all the day and far into the night.
.About this however, he said nothing to
the laundrymen for he did not wish to
encourage competition in the grocery but-
ness.
Toward the end of his third year as a
member of the concern of How Hong Sow
& Co., Mr. Hoy felt that he was rich,
quite rich enough to support a wife.
Every good Chinaman took a wife when
he could afford% ashl Hoy felt that in his
own dignified station he deserved a wife
with the smallest feet ever seen in China-
town.
Mr. Hoy Gould not of course demean
himself by taking a white woman as mis-
tress of his household. He must have a
bride of Chinese birth, and the ceremony
must be strictly according to the Chinese
custom. There was available, it is hardly
necessary to say, no native-born Chinese
girl in Chinatown, for he woll knew that
no respectable parent would permit an un-
married daughter to be seen away from
her home, much less take a trip across the
wide seas. There was but one thing to be
done then, and that was to send to China
'for a bride.
Having thus decided, Mr. Hoy had his
photograph taken, wrapped it up carefully
with some other credentials, and sent the
package to a cousin in' Chinag with in-
structions to act as his agent. ' Mr, Hoy
adomited this 'Course because if he had em-
ployed a professional go-between, as is
their custom, he would have been obliged
to pay money, whereas his cousin would
nature some degree of finaneial astute-
0085.acbfree of charge. Mt. Hoy possessed by
When Mr. Hoy's agent in China received
the package and the message be began to
cast about for a maiden of suitable feet,
fortune and mieestry. The selection was a
difficult, matter, but as itproved, time Qom -
mission was won performed. Mr. Hey's
cousin having interviewed numbers of
parents with marrlagenble daughters, at
length made up his mind, and one day be
called at the fiensc provided with a card
bearing the ancestral Milne of the aspiring
Mr. ly and eight sym bole denoting the
year, month, day and hour of birth of the
Milt; parents of the prospective bride,
however, did not ad• with undue haste.
Having the interests of their daughter
solely an heart, they consulted a fortune-
teller as to the probable outcome of the
union proposed. The oracle was favorable,'
and their consent was ' given. But Mr.
IIoy's cpusin, bound by the trust that had
been confided in him to act as carefully as
though he himself were to be the happy
one, also went to a fortune-teller of his
own, choosing, laid the entire matter be-
fore hint in an unbiased light, and anxi-
ously avvaitod the result..
The ornene as interpreted by the second
soothsayer were also propitious, and Mi.,
eloy's cousin delayed. no longer in prepar-
ing the bride ter her long joueney. If it
bad been an ordinary Chinese wedding,
the groom living itt the same town sfith
the bride, mattets would have been very
eimple. Under the eireurastances the
bride Would haver departed from her
father's house, heaaldly veiled, in a Medan
chair, Half Vray 10 the grootn's residence
they would have been neat on the road by
the groom and his retainers,and the entire
Party Would then have prticeeded to the
altar. Eor obvious reasons this form of
prooedure in the present ease would baYe
been impossible, or, at 1040, ineenVeni-
but.
It was about two Weeks ago when Mr.
Hoy's bride arrived in New York. The
arrangements, for the ceremony had been
completed, and Mr. Hoy, who had been
waiting for weeks in an ecstasy of ouriosi-
ty and impatience, sommoned up all his
friends, eonstituting the greater part of
the residents of Mott street, to the nuptials
and the subsequent rejoioings,
In view of the lack of convenieneee Mr.
Hoy'detormined that be would be joined
in wedlock under the simple ceremony.
The full ceremony would have involved
many things which, though very fine and
very *desirable, &mid not be had in the
limited space afforded by the joss house.
Among other matters he would be obliged
to sit down on the floor next his bride amid
engage with her in a friendly contest. Oh
see which oould first it on a portion of
the other's garment. This would be im-
portant as indicating, whioh should there -
atter have the upper hand in the manage -
'vent of the household, But there was no
reason for this, and Mr. Hoy had already -
decided which was to have the upper
hand.
It was late in the night when Hoy and
Itis bride and a crowd of a hundred guests
filed solemnly up the narrow unciarpoted
stairway that leads to the room of the
Great Joss, on the third fioor of No. 16
Mott street, The keeper of the joss had.
been warned, and everything had been
prepared. The lights shone dimly in their
red paper lanterns, throwing a soft, cheer-
ful gleam on the altar and the marvellous
wood carvings. .Toss stioks, fixed at the
base of the altar, burned slowly and gave
forth a fragrant odor.
The guests having ranged themselves
about the altar, the ceremony was soon
performed. The Mayor of Chinatown be-
ing absent,the knot was tied by a deputy.
Tom Yen Hoy and his bride worshipped
Heaven, earth and their ancestors; two
little oups of wine were drunk, and then
for tlaa first time Mr. Hoy saw the face of
his bride.
The exuberance displayed. by Mr. Hoy
at the subsequent feasts would seem to in-
dicate that he was pleased with the coun-
tenance of his wife. If not, there can be
no doubt he was delighted with her feet.
Thai' were the smallest that had been seen
in Chinatown, and they caused the eyes of
the guests to bulge in wonder and Mr.Hoy
to hold his head very high in his pride.
The feasts and receptions continued for
ten days, during which time Mr. Hoy
spent his ch'ien lavishly, perhaps too lav-
ishly for his reputation. But his joy was
great, and almost any Chinainan would
have done the same could he have become
possessed of a bride with atoll small feet.
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Yen Hoy are now
living on the top floor of the building at
No, 19 Mott street. If you should chance
to'eall in order'to see the bride you would
not be admitted. That pleasure is denied
to all at present, excepting Mr. Efoy him-
self and a few, a very few, chosen friends.
We and the Other Fellow.
• Public opinion doesn't amount to very
much as a moans of establishing the truth
or error of anything.
There was a time when everybody
thought the earth was flat. It was public)
opinion.
But the earth was just as round then as
Itis to -day. Public opinion didn't make
it the sixteenth a an inch flatter than it
naturally was.
Truth cannot be changed. Its ultimate
expression may be delayed for a"time by
the foolishness of mon but it will reamin
the unchanged and unchangeable truth
forever.
Public opinion once sanctioned punish-
ment for witchcraft in oertain localities.
It also said human slavery was right
and just and of divine origin,
Puglia opinion was wrong. It usually
is. In the intellectual growth of the
world, 11 stands to reason that the multi-
tude cannot keep up with the leaders of
thought, When the leaders find that mul-
titudes had caught up with them it means
that the leaders have not boon advancing.
The crank of to day will be an honored
man in history to-mnorrow. The one over-
whelming error of mankind is that it
thinks everyone•wrong who in any way
differs from its way of thinking. It is
narrow when it thinks it is wise. It mis-
takes selfishness for love
How is it with YOU reader?
Isn't your political party without fault
or blemish while the other fellow's is all
wrong?
Isn't your religious creed absolutely
correct and all others foolish and ungodly?
Isn't your patriotism of .that sort that
..telis you your country and your flag are
the only ones under heaven worthy of re-
spect and loyalty?
Isn't every thineyon are identified 'with
all "aria" and everything else "N.G. ?"
The story is told that two good-bearbee
sons of the Emerald 'shelled just finished
eating a Thanksgiving dinner, when one
of them remarked to the other: "Pat,
there's many a mon hasn't had a good
dinner like ours to -day, thank God!" ,
• Isn't selfish hutnanity thanking God for
what the other fellow hasn't?
Isn't it glad that the other fellow's
politics, religion and everything olse is
wrong? Dosign't it; thank God he is wrong,
and doesn't it half hope he always will.
be P
Wouldn't it ba a real personal loss to
many it ohe to have the blessed hope of a
hell and a punishment (for the other fel-
low) done away with?
It was Byron who wrote: "And ,yo
must love him ere to you he will see
worthy of your love."
If mankind would try to see good things
in the rest of tho world it could find much'
to love and admire.
It's the same with the bicycling. The
ones who are unfriendly to the wheel are
those who do not know what a good and
gracious health -bringer and joy -giver .11
" If I know you and you know me,
'Twain easy ferns to agree."
Old Siang,
A young man from the mission wag
showing his country cousin around the
city. He told him all the latest stories,
had sprung all the latest gege, had shown
him all the sights to interest the bucolic,
visiter,and in the ntettntime was dropping
all of the latest itlang phrases," Ile 0/11.•
phasized each and repeated it a time or
Iwo, in order to impress it upon his pro-
tege, "1 notioe that you city people Usti
a great many old slang phrases," fez/larked
the countryman. "Well, you're a good
thing, I don't think, We are---," "There
you go again. If that expression isn't an
old chestimt 1 &mit knoW what it is.
Why, Dickens Wore those out it half cen-
tusy ago. Neddy Baffin regarded himself
es a pc)(1 thing, and Tom Pinch, quoting
John Westleck, Raid : am a nice man, I
fon 1 tblnl It strikes me you are a few
• ats behind the times," The young man
tio mistgion (leaded to read Dickens'
o cntlothing rieWs