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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Advocate, 1906-6-14, Page 6SOF en- I(j'. 1 WANG; 00 tJ A TALE OF SOUTHERN CHiINA.. nt+n( + $)1+A+A+03: +A -fa+ 3Cfi 4. CHAPTER XVI, knew .full well the dreadhll power of the When Plympton.. glanced around the junk's luxurious cabin again, it was with entirely different motives from any that may have iniiuenced his previous hasty surveys. Then a means- of escape had been his only thought, whereas now he was in- clined to search the walls for a stock of weapons. Since the cabin had been occupied by Count Petoskey and his fellows from Neva, it would be only reasonable to suppose that some of their weapons might be left around. In an affair of this kind a spare revol- ver or perhaps a repeating sporting rifle would prove quite a God -send to the beleaguered ones. Larry guessed what motive influenced his comrade, and he, too, commenced to sweep his eyes around the interior, forgetting, such was his earnestness of purpose, to use the noble monocle that dangled unheeded by its cord, Evidently Larry was of the opinion that this was hardly the time for fool- ishness. Such follies might do for the gay promenade or the ballroom, but were utterly out of place when the tu- mult of war was in the air, and human lives paid toll to the passions of men. Again had the heavy thud in the direc- tion of the doors announced the deter- mined purpose of those on deck to force a passage. It would not be very long ere these tremendous blows accomplished the pur- pose for which they were intended, and the fight must be renewed. Such a conviction urged them to bet- ter their condition while there was yet time, if it lay within their power to ac- complish it. It was Larry this time who madea discovery that caused him to cry out— Larry, who staggered forward, and, throwing aside some hanging curtains, revealed an object that electrified the other :Larry, who bent down and be- gan to pull and haul as though seized with a sudden desire to become a pack- horse. Lord Hackett was by this time at his side, uttering little whoops of tre- mendous satisfaction, and when the enormous power in his muscular frame was brought tohear upon the object that riveted their attention, it was speed- ily dragged into the open. It was nothing more or less than a little brass darling of a modern breech - loading cannon, which the count possi- bly had aboard in the hope and expecta- tion of surprising some piratical junk by which he might incidentally be attacked while on one of his many cruises in Chinese waters. A very careful and prudent man was. this same Count Petoskey, and our friends were just now in a position to thoroughly appreciate the thoughtful. qualities by which he was distinguished. "Fine! fine t most excellent," gloated Plympton, caressing the little pet, if only there proves to be some ammuni- tion of the right sort:" Larry had been possessed of the same idea and was already making an ex- haustive search in such quarters as he deemed best adapted toward finding a. bonanza. Meanwhile those without were not idle by any means, but continued to force their attentions on the groaning doors that threatened to presently yield up the ghost, being unable to withstand such rude treatment. It was a period of suspense. After all, Avis was to be thanked for discovering a store of ammunition, and when his attention was called to the fact Larry shouted in glee. Quickly, then, one of the little brass- bound cartridges was placed in the Chamber and thebeauty brought to bear upon the doors. Then Lord Rackett placed Larry where he might be most valuable, and begged Avis to seek shelter at one side, where she might be out of range, and at the same time could keep an eye on that window, of which Plympton still remained suspicious, since it presented an opening for the advance of the -crafty foe, unless kept under surveil- lance. These little arrangements were car- ried out while the inexorable battering- ram kept up its steady pounding on the trembling doors. Another shot or two from this source would do the business, and open an avenue of communication between the cabin' and the deck. Then they could look out for squalls. Lord Beckett anticipated what the Climax would be.. He could appreciate the tremendous power that lay back of that swinging ecom, when once it was started plung- Ing forward. On this account he was not greatly astonished when, with a fearful, crash, the doors, torn from their moorings, were flung into the cabin, followed by a large portion of the boom itself, to- gether with several of the lusty yellow• Bailors who had wielded it. Larry found his opportunity to open tire, and while the light was not all he Might have wished, there was sufficient to show him the squirming figures. of the two evil rogues who had been born ncross the threshold by the impetus of their forward rush. From without arose a Babel of tori - fusion. Many voices sllrleked excitedly, and Amid all the darner Lord Rackett telt positive ha could detect the gruff tones of the Resettle, urging on an advance nn the part of his ganga N Cossack was not yet out of the game. little teaser under his control. "Uod help thein," he muttered, invol- untarily, as he waited for the opening to be filled with struggling forms, jostling each other first, in their eager- ness to get in anti immediately by a similar desire to get out. Of course, no sooner had the leaders pushed into the yawning cavity than they had an indistinct view of what .awaited them there. Naturally, they wore frozen with hor- ror. So might a roan feel upon dis- covering that he was in the apt of planting his upraised foot upon the coils of a monster rattlesnake or a cobra ready to strike.. Their wish was to back out as hastily as they had started in—no doubt a very laudable design, but not appreciated or understood by theircomrades without,. who, ignorant of the very warm recep- tion awaiting them beyond, strove 'with might and main to shove the others on. Lord Beckett waited no longer. To have done so would have been to invite disaster, since the crush was so great that it must have ended in pro- jecting the whole living mass into the cabin. He meant to Introduce a counter blast that would clear the atmosphere and bring somewhat of order out of chaos. So he let -go. The whale fabric of the junk trembled under the concussion. Avis gave a scream—for the life of her she could not help it, such was the fearful crash. Besides, it was a wonderful sight to see that struggling, writhing mass of human beings in the doorway one in- stant, tumbling over each other and the spar that partially blocked the way, and just as soon as the concussion came to discover the aperture as free from hu- man occupancy as though the whole blessed crew had been blown into the river, Plympton was satisfied. He would have been indeed hard to please had it been otherwise, for his highest ambition was more than at- tained. Indeed, so clean was the sweep that he found it hard to believe his eyes. "Huzza-1" he bellowed, filled with the excitement of battle, that caused every nerve to tingle, "we've got them on the run 1" "Let's follow it up and chase them overboard," suggested Larry, seized with an inspiration to follow the dread- ful execution with a charge. The big man approved the 'suggestion, since the idea presented some features worth trying. To strike while the iron was ]lot ap- plied in a case like this, and promised fair results. Lord Rackett lingered but a few se- conds to place another charge in the little beauty, so that in case they were holly pressed they might fall back upon the cabin and have the means to spread consternation among their assailants. Then he called to Avis and begged her to keep an eye on.that window so that she mightt bag any sly miscreant who attempted to utilize it during their temporary absence. After which he joined Larry in a dash upon deck, to carry further consterna- tion to the already sadly demoralized Crew. The way was clear, save for the boom. Just outside a number of men were picking themselves up, having been hulr d othteeYbalbd !noel' ghsot a xav impact. Others lay still, and it could be readily surmised that these were the unfortun- ate chaps who had been directly in the upward line of • flight taken by the pro- jectile after it quitted its snug retreat in the brass cylinder of the yacht enn- non. "The Russian, if you can locate him," was what Plympton had suggested in the ear of his companion as they rushed forward, and Larry was quick to see what advantages might accrue from fol- lowing out this advice. When a leader is -.placed hors de com- bat, the desire for further battle is often taken out of his men; this 'is perticular- ly true of the Chinese, who depend so greatly upon their generals that if a fight is lost, even with great gallantry shown, the defeated commander is sup- posed to thereupon commit hart kari. Having, therefore, this brilliant idea in view, to concentrate their fire upon the man from the Neva, Plympton and Larry's first act upon gaining the deck was to strain their ears in the endeavor to locate the fellow. • At sight of the two heroes emerging from the billowy cloud of white powder smoke that oozed from the junk's cabin, those in the immediate vicinity set up a great howl, doubtless believing, after the remarkable experiences of the last ton minutes, that the foreign devils meant to exterminate them; for the aw- ful explosion inside, together with its disastrous result, had knocked away the last props that sustained their wavering courage, and chilling fear now clutched at their hearts. Such was the Confusion at this nine - hire that the two bold friends listened in vain for the harsh voice of the Pus- sion; he had been barking lively enough just previous to the discharge of the cannon, so that his present silence was the more to be wondered at, and Larry had begun to indulge in a hope that he had jumped overboard, under ,a belief that the junk was blown up, when I something occurred 'to prove that the to lend an atmosphere of genuine battle to the scone. It, was the hope eb the two comrades in thus sallying forth to complete tyle. eleinoraiization commenced by the ex- plosion of the brass gun and, drive the wretched crow over the vessel's sides. Suoh a hope seemed to contain their Only hope of gaining control of the junk, so that they might put her ashore and escape, Perhaps the task might not have been so difficult had they only the ignorant Chinese to contend with, for the recent experience had gone far toward pro - Clueing a species of panic among these fellows, and one man's fears are speed - fly communicated to 0.vather in a case ' of this sort. But then there was the Russian. He had a deep interest in this game, and would demand a hearing ere the case was decided against his cause. Lord Raelcett had been endeavoring to locate the fellow from the start, and at the first sound of his tuneful voice he was ready to turn his batteries in that quarter. Suppose he killed the Count, person- ally lie would have no regrets in the matter, since the man wasengaged in a piece el business of which he should be ashamed -- persecuting a lady in order to reap pecuniary advantage from the dead. On the whole bluff Plympton believed he would be very well satisfied with having acconiplisehed such an act. The man who kidnaps respectable ladies does so in the full knowledge that his work places him outside the paleof humanity—he is to be treated as a ban- dit, a wolf preying upon society. Lord Hackett knew how that was himself, though it was love for a woman that had tempted him; and he . believed be had some excuse, while with the 'iner- cenaly Russian there could be none. When, therefore, the bass' voice of this same Petoskey penetrated the night air, and with a great variety of power- ful Russian expletives, coupled with the gibberish best understood by the desper- ate Chinese crew, urged the men to close in on the enemy and pulverize, destroy, annihilate them, Plympton was particularly pleased with the chance that now presented itself to carry his sterling -ideas into practice. Perhaps the doughty count might rue the impulse that led him to thus letloose with his leathern lungs. There are tunes in the affairs of most men when silence is golden. The lack of decent light hampered Plympton in his work of reaching the fountain head, but his was one of those peculiarly aggressive spirits which no difficulties can daunt. So far as he could judge, the rasping voice of.ihe Russian gamecock proceeded from a. natural little barricade formed by a 'hencoop and some water buckets piled up in a certain quarter.. Doubtless the doughty Russian war- rior was coiled up behind this barrier, keenly on .the watch, noting every point in the game, and keeping his precious body out of sight. It was really too bad that his valor had not thrust him in the van when the desperate charge was made through the broken • door of the cabin:: having ex- perienced the peculiarly elevating effect of that blast, when the discharge of the gun swept the whole mass through the choked opening, he would doubtless hardly feel able to urge his bullies an to another assault. Lord Rickett believed indeed, he was quite positive—his Russian rival had been armed in the beginning of the fra- cas, for bullets had cut by in close prox- imity to his head, and one Chinaman at least had gone down through a poor- ly directed shot in his rear. Whether Petoskey had exhausted his ammunition or not was a problem that could only be solved by actual observa- tion. During the respite that had occurred these fellowe seemed to have forgotlan the severe handling they received but n short time previous, for they carne leeward with a rush. Plynlpti'r2 was reedy—Plympton, who of the Chinese crew of the junk, served CHAPTER The odor of -burnt powder was in the air, end this, together with the shout +++++++++++++,:t+.+444:++ About the Farm HARVESTING THE TIMOTHY CROP The man who grows timothy produces it for the market, for it is not the best thing for stock, plover or mixed hay be - Mg preferred by the large majority of careful feeders of all kinds of stock, writesthMr. W. W. Stevens., If it should be grown for home consumption, thenen e harvesting should begin about, the time the heads are in full bloom, as you then have a nice green, sweet-smelling hay without much dust or lint. But when it is to' go to market, allow it to get quite ripe before the cutting begins. Engage ahead of the season a reliable hay baler to do your work just when you need him, if you do not own a baler yourself. With satisfactory arrange- ment made for the baling of hay you can start the mower, getting a few acres cut down ahead of the teams, . One man and team will be sufficient to operate the mower and tedder. The .tedder Should be started, an hour or so before you begin taking up the hay, which work must, of course, be, done in wea- ther suitable for hay making. The ted - der should be used in this way for the purpose of getting all the external moisture out of the hay. This is very necessary when it is to be baled. Two wagons and three men are usually sufficient to get the hay to the baler, as it is best to do the work in the hay field. If it is not convenient to se- cure teams to haul the baled hay to market, the bales may be ricked up and covered with some refuse hay or straw to protect them till time may be had to haul thein to the barn or to market It is best to sell and ship hay just as it is baled. It saves handling, which costs money, and I find no trouble in getting buyers for hay baled and shipped direct from the meadow. Care must be taken not to bale up any damp hay. It in- jures . your trade as well as reputation. This method is the cheapest and best when one comes to handling the tim- othy crop. Any sort of stacking, rick- ing or mowing away hay adds to its cost and thus reduces the farmer's pro- fits. If you can possibly engage a man to do your baling, just the day you need him, then put up your timothy in good, large hay cocks„ where it may stand some time without any serious damage. When thus put up, the cocks can be readily dragged to the baler without forking the hay in the wagon. This method does not take much more labor than to haul it to baler direct from the swathth. If ere is any ,considerable amount of hay to handle, a good loader' is an indispensable piece of machinery in the hay field. It does the hardest part of the work, and will put hay on the wa- gon faster than any two men will do the work under ordinary conditions. In this part of the country it is a very diM- cult matter to secure extra help in'hay time, and the average help is never as reliable as a machine that can be made. to take the place of hand week. I had always heard• that bay baled directly from the swath would sweat and mould, no matter how well cured it might be, but I know from recent exper- ience and observation that the very best of hay can be made as above noted, the only point 15 to observe carefully and see that their is no external moisture on the grass when it is baled. Nor was the Englishman averse to making the experiment. Ile had the Crimea in mind as hp dashed recklessly forward—true, that was before his time, but his sire had led one of the bloody charges in front of the iron -bound Sebastopol, and had yielded up his life on the field, so that the son cherished secret feelings of personal animosity against the people of the White Czar. 'Petoskey saw this towering figure heading in his 'direction—Petoskey, who realized that his Chinese minions were in no condition to come between in order to avert the crisis—Petoskey, whose ideas of valor and daring were of so peculiar a nature that thebrave sol- diers of the Czar, heroes of many a battlefield during the Turko-Russian war, must Have writhed in anguish to have been witnesses to his conduct. This same Petoskey now gave plain evidence the he was ready to cry quits and resort to every possible means to save his own precious skin. And, really,who can blame hint? lie knew just what the result would be in case he fell into the hands of the enraged Briton who plunged toward him with such zeal, and the same end must inevitably be reached should the other Obtain a faircrack at him. As a dead man he would be of no use either to himself or his country; and Petoskey, being something of a shrewd diplomat, had high hopes of becoming an official possessed of great power when the Chinese Empire had been torn asunder and the pieces allotted among the nations that had had a hand in the dismemberment. Besides, every human being has a right to continued existence -the desire to live is implanted in the heart of man to an extent that astonishes philoso- phers and students—the hope of the human race really depends upon this natural instinct that compels even the forlorn, aged and half-starved wretch to still hang on desperately in the hope of he knows not what. Petoskey had much to live for, . end really, he snw no reason why he should, tike the Chinese generals and the heroic leaders of old, throsv himself upon his sword because, forsooth, one battle out of many had gone against him. There were ether clays coming when the tables might be turned ---at least he was willing to believe so, When Plympton had located his enemy behind ilifs barricade, be merle a dnsh for If, intending to drop in nn the muni in n friendly way, and influence him to call the game Mb. (To he continued). ttemsmbei. `'sting mnn. it is tar riisier to find a wife than it is to lose her. The Wisest Thin, IS. TO A)•YSCA R1D, TUE ADUMBRATED JAPAN TEA AND US» DESTROYING CANADA THISTLES. Mowing twice each year, just after the flowers open, usually in June or Au- gust, will keep the plants in subjection. This will prevent the production of seeds, and thus serious injury to crops may be avoided, but it will rarely cause the death of the thistle roots except in good grass land or in wet seasons, and will therefore need to be repeated each year. It is generally as effective as pull- ing or grubbing twice a year. This plan is recommended for roadsides and waste land, and for meadows and pastures where the methods for complete eradi- cation seem to be too expensive for im- mediate appiieation. Canada thistle plants are often killed by mowing them just as a heavy rain sets in, late in June or early in July, when they are In bloom and the stalks are hollow. The rain,. keeping the cut surface moist and filling up the hollow stalks, favors the growth of fungi, inducing decay, which often extends down to the root system. A, more effective method, especially in dry seasons, is to go over the ground once during every two weeks after the mowing in June and cut off every thistle about two inches below the sur- face with a hoe or spud. A spud made of 'a strong, sharp chisel on the end of a pitchfork handle, will be found most convenient for this work. The second year, the spudding should begin as soon es the thistles show in the spring, and should be continued through the sea- son, although there will be few to cut after midsummer if the work has been well done. The land should be looked over occasionally each year afterward to detect and destroy plants that may spring from dormant seeds. Salting thistle plants every week or two during two successive growing seasons, in pastures where sheep have access to them, usually destroys them. HORSES NEED A VARIETY OF FEEDS. A common fault in feeding horses is the lack of variety of Seed. With the large number of different grains and feed stuffs available, It does seem that every team owner should provide for his animals a ration that would be per- eitenalleffilsealmeuelursearensissaauseasierweemeele Disease takes no summer vacation. If you need flesh and strength use Scotts tr l[ rr�t>i summer as in winter. send for tree sample, i SCOTT 1k ROWER. Chemietfi, Toronto. Oufario. Sot. and',t r.00 ; dr, 'isle. ontfOu:x?nti7Ete id CEYLON agEgyl TEA. UI AOS .UTELY PURE TEA . OF THE WIRIEST POSSIBLE QUALITY Lend Paoketa only. 40o, 600 and 000 per Ib. At an Crooere. IIIGUEST AWARD ST, LOUIS, 1904. COBALT -The orid's Richest Silver Mining THE COLUMBUS COBALT SILVER C.,' L'aeviat d. Authorized Capital Stock, $450,000. Shares 51 each: BOARD OF • DIRECTORS: BON. RICHARD UA:fi•OOURT, President, .TA&l1IS TUDfOPi, Esq" M.P.P., Head of Direotor of the Ontario Bank, and for- bhp firm of l'udhope Carrige Co., Limited, merry Treasurer of the Provinoe of Ontario Orilha. DANU$L Simpson, tsrl,, M.E„ Managing JOHN Pram, Esq., Vice -President, Read �a, t. of the firm of 1Tlott, Lowndea & Co., Dir- IOSIsDirLk{tor, CQOobaltLUM)3OuUS.. Esq„ Explorer, actor of Ontario tank,. Flaitoybary, Ont.. SOLICITORS—Clark, McPherson, Campbell d; Jarvis, Toronto. The company owns as a minliig claim, free from any onoumbranoee, the favorably and well-known Columbus Mine of 40 am.es, which has a 5 -foot vein one foot being high-grade cobalt, with good silver value at only four feet depth, located in Coleman Township, near Giroux Lake, in a most favorable location nearby many of the big paying mines, such as the Drummond, Jacobs and others, and only a few feet from the famous Gillies timber limit, which is so rieh in silver theea, the Government decided to develop it for tho benefit of the publio. Tho undersigned personally offerawior sale at par only a limited number of shares, as it is expected that in a abort time it will greatly advance. There is now a full forgo of miners developing the property. Send for full particulars. Mail your order, with marked cheque or express order, to the order of DANIEL SIMPSON, P. 0. Box 129, Cobalt, Ont. Stock sold on the instalment plan. A PF!TILE INVEST ENT Scientists agree that for the amount of power expended the bicycle above all other machines, or means of convey- ance, makes the greatest return's. IT PAYS T RIDE ABO cycLE BEGAU: 'E+ It saves time, It saves car fares, it is always ready for use, It will get you there in the quickest way. WHEN QUALITY Cour`t's OUR BICYCLES .RAND FIRST. SILVER RIBBON MASSEY CLEVELAND BRANTFORD PERFECT Made in Cushion or Rigid Frame Models. Up-to-date Equipment -- Sills Hygienic Handlebars, C. C. Me Mor row Coaster Brake. Backed up by the broad guarantee of CANADA CYCLE AND MOTOR COMPANY, Limited "Makers of the 'Worlds Best Bicycles." GENERAL OFFICE AND WORKS - - TORONTO JUNCTION. Write for catalogue. featly acceptable. It is a fact, however, that not more than 20 per cent, of the horsemen of the country feed a well- balanced e11balanced ration. The other 80 per cent. still cling to the old rations of corn and hay, or oats and hay; which practical experiments have long since proved to be expensive and wasteful. Think of your own appetite, when it comes to feeding horses and mules. Suppose you were performing hard, manual labor. How long would you be content to eat two articles of food, the same thing for every meal, day after day ? It is quite safe to say you world tire of.your ration in a very short time. It would be like eating a quail a day for 30 days, and your digestion would soon get out of order. A bad digestion and a poorly nourish- ed body is always the result of impro- perly balanced food. When such a con- dition exists in either man or horse, the best physical effort cannot be expected, It is impossible. No one or two articles of feed will give your horses all the elements of nutrition their systems need. If you want the best results, feed. a ra- tion that contains all the elements of nutrition in properly balanced propor- tions. Every stockman realizes that corn alone is not a well-balanced grain for feeding. Neither is oats, or barley. Of the three grains, oats is probably fed more extensively than corn or barley combined. The latter grain is rapidly gaining favor as feed, however, and when properly combined with the other grains, makes an ideal ration. The necessity for grinding a part of the ration cannot be too strongly em- phasized. The horse owner who fails to do this loses 25 to 30 per cent. of its nutritive value. The hard outer cover- ing of the grain makes it difficult to assimilate and a very largo proportion passes through the stomach of the ant - male in an undigested condition. An examination will show the whole grain and .prove the truth of this statement. A ground ration is ready for quick digestion , Youranimals utilize it more readily and there is practically no waste. It should be remembered that the horse digests Its food quickly and whatever ration you feed should be prepared with a view to supplying the nutrition the horse needs. Horses will work better' and neap In better condition on five or six quarts of ground mixed feed than they will on a considerably larger amount of whole grain. • Feed a variety of grains' property balanced and have them well grating and you will not only Have better horses, but It will cost you less money 10 obtain this much desired result. FARM NOTES. What is more pleasant than through the country in Stine? t Drive your work—don't 1 you. Scoti rubs , in anyf ,ree c ar - c perise account every time. a drive it drive the ex - Salt the cows, they need it while on, grass. Spraying potatoes every week with bordeaux mixture will amply pay the' producer. Are you getting ready for the fall' fairs? It is a far cry, but not too far to the wise man. Dairying is the most profitable farm work, but it can be made 50 per cent. more profitable by culling out the cows that don't pay. The Weekly Sun is preaching sound doctrine when it says : With the better- ing of the conditions existing en farms it ought to be impressed upon our youths, both boys and girls, that farm life, with all its outdoor joyousness and freedom, offers more in real living to the man and woman than does the city.; There is room in Old Ontario for the grandest of lives on our splendidly situ- ated farms, and we trust we will hear'.. of less numbers of our good young men.. leaving these choice fields for specula tive allurements of a. shut-in city officd life, or the blandishments of a newer{ civilization. FIRST WALL PAPER IN ENGLAND, The manor -house at Saltfleet (Lincoln. shire) has what is said to be the first r,vail-paper used in England. It is cream. colored and covered with a bold choco- late design, and has the appearance of blotting paper. The pieces, which meae sure about 20 inobos by 18 inches, are nailed on with small tacks. CHANCE TO GET EVEN. The Friend.."I can't understand you; method of dealing out. justice." The nudge --"Yon can't, eh?" The Friend—No. For instance, why did you give that woman 10 years a( hard labor, yesterday, for assaulting e nr" eighboThe Jud?ge—'"Because she once gay(my wife cooking lessons. That's Ulf answer. ENOUGH SAID. Baby Dorothy having finished het breakfast and taken her dish and spooe to the kitchen, was feeding the cats Presently her mother noticed her eat' tag from the spoon out of which thi kitten was breakfasting, "you baby," she said, mustfl'f eat from the spoon that kitty had." "Me had it first, she said, smiling and considering the matter settled. AMONG FLIES, First Fly—"Did you see that beautl ful paper on the wall at Goidrox's? Second Fly—"Yes f Tcarne very neat getting mashed on 11." • Seinond—You always pay as you g 'ou? 13esmenci--Nn, indeed; (tont y I,ayasolher . people come eller Me. p eo p