HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1898-5-5, Page 2SXHIT'ER
TIMBS•
'HE BEST ATC MAKER
crivipaRX,oonttixtue.
tat 'flat neomeut unforttmete bar -
Met ware far Drone thinking anything
• Tit all aboat the various incidents of
• the War a Settessioni, taloa waging in
. the United States. Bis oaltt thought
• Was that aledearoiselle Blexidareauwas
tbe Most beautllul woman> in ties woxId.
•/loiterer, he must give her father scPme
answer, or other, and so he embarked
O s Eenenraltiee for a fall quarter of an
hour,
That day. which bad begun so hap-
pily for Sim James eves. alas destined
to terminate most mournfully. In the
morang Aurelle 'had tacitly .confessed
bar love for 1iini, and in the evening'
he learned frenra AL Bla,naureen's own
Zips that She was alireteay engaged, and
would. he Rector's -wife before &month
•was over. The retired naerobaut men -
timed the fact in it casual way, and
noticing the ba'ronet's surprise, not to
say dismay, expresse,d: his wonder that
f. Malest,rat had not aequainted "his
lordship" with the eirourasteinces be-
fore.
, "Is it possitae?" groaced Sir Jornes.
"IS it. possible'?"
"Dear me 1" exeleimed, t. lalaindar-
eau. at a loss to explain: las guest -'a
suddenpaler and, emotion "aa'aluet is
the inatter, my lord?"
"Oh. I suffer," aeplied the baronet;
"I suffer dreadfully:
And rising from Ids seat he with-
drew without =tieing Mademoiselle
A,Urelie plainly share his eratitian,
Ue returned borne in a dreadful state
of mind. All his usual frigidity was
gone. and he tramped Op and. down
his woone gesticulating furiously and
talkicng to himself aloud.
"T am dectdedly cursed," he groaned,
"I have brakes* my ward as a. gentle-
man. I have forgotten Mademoiselle
desamblettay, and my pant:else to marry
her: end. I bave stolen the beart af the
gica who was to ena.rry the only friend
neve isi France. 1 shall appear a
traitor in his eyes; and. yes, 1 am a
vile.. cantenaptible being" ;set first he
thought nt writing to Hector and. con -
Tossing his involuntary creme, but on
reflection another idea occurred. to him.
What it was he did. not audibly explain;
Mt he repeatedly murmured,: "Yes,
tbat is my only course, my only cbance
teft."
•>Axel on the in,o,rrow he returned to
Ville d'Avaay, as if :nothing wbatever
had °marred. Thencefarward, howev-
er, he led. a frightfol existe,nee. In
the society of Mademoiselle A.uxelie he
was transported. to the seventh .Heav-
en; but as soon as he found himself
alone againhe was nlunged, as tt a ere
down into the bottomless pit.
•CELA.PTER, X.
Before long M. Blandurea.0 began to
motioe that sonaetiting was going on,
. Ilthhert.o he had aseribed Sir James'
daily visits to the disarms of his own
.
delightful -conversation. and. the
thought that the baronet might also
come for his daughte.r seriously- wound-
ed his self-esteem. Of coarse he would
leave, been delighted ix> be able to mar-
ry. AuTelie to the ,nephew at an Eng-
lish, peex, bet then there was his sac -
ret engagement with Hector, and. so
he thought it best to hasten. the pro-
• jeeted wedding and acquaint his chos-
en, son-in-law with las suspicicais.
Elector, however, had already- serial:Cs
suspicions of his own One day while
he was at Ville d' Avirey, where he
came 'less frequently than ever, he espi-
ed an English grammar and. a pock-
et dictionary lying m a table. Their
presence there had a veryasignificant
!meaning, and in examining them be as-
certabled that the leaves were cut and
they had evidently been used, for a
number of pencil naar'ks figured. on the
rae.rgine of the pages.
. "Oh 1 oh I" thought Hector, "Made-
• nueiselIe Auxelle is far too sensible to
• try, and learn Engliale without a mast-
er, so I suppose tihat ray friend. James
is acting in that capacity. Well I can
only !hope that she will soon be able
to talk as fluently as a Lancashire
laser And. he thereupon took his de-
parture far more joyful thee he had
been for many a long week pag. I
mustn't, disturb tihose young peolde,"
he said. "If AL 131andulreau wishes to
see, me he can come and find me."
It was tbis that happened. After
waitiaag several days for his chosen son-
in-law, Mr. 131andareau came one morn-
ing to Paris. He seemed very distress-
ed, and abruptly asked:
".Do you, love nay daughter ?"
"Certainly T do," replied Hector;
"like a sister," •
"Well," resumed "Mr. Bla.naureau, "I
must acquaint you with a very grave
• itirreamsta,nce. Your. friend 'Lord' Wel-
lesely is in bore with Aurelia"
latiotor couldscarcely coneai his der
light,.,3
Are you sure of iihat?" he asked.
• "Well -yes -I ani; and so I think it
would be best for you to hasten your
preparetions and. get the marriage ov-
er as soon as possible."
an.ust tbauk you for warning me,"
eaia• Heotor.
"I will see to the matter."
• And as M. Blandeereau insisted on
tale necessity of an early wedding. the
young- fellow imitated lion Jun.n's ex-
ample in reference to Monsieur Dine-
en -the. Ea that the ex -merchant eventue
• alla bad to retie without any deci-
• satin being arrived. at.
Fre was certainly surprised. be. Heat-
er's apparent indifference, bizt a yet
greater surprise awaited him at home;
• for Atatlemoiselle Amalie r.squestedbim
to 'Kraut her the favor of a few min-
utes' private conversation She was
new really in love with Sir James, and
was determialed to break tie the en-
gagement with Hector at any price.
Vie advantages of suolt a course were
eximistalcalae. By intsairying the bar-
• onet. :the woidd. become 'her ladyship,"
She would - leave France to reside hi
England. wbere no one wauld be aorta-
ainted with her plebeian origin Her
• Nisbet:La's poverty would be no obetaele
• whetever, for she was wealthy enough
kr both of them. And finally, as we
lege before Said, she redly loved Sir
jetties.Artordittgly she resolutely
'1'041 .13.sx' father that she would never
sensent to roarr;v Hector. J. titan&
rtreau's• •astoniatomerit and elver may
Le more easily imagined than deserib-
ed. •
"Do you know whet, you are *ag-
ing ?" ,he asked. "Dotre you knew that
1 •have giveh my wara?"
• "Well, you aattetwithdraw it, filth -
Otte T,hastans all,"
• 'Never, flevefl allandureittee word is
worth its{ weight in gold'!"
• "-Perhaps iso" %el alien 1 never gave
Zn y wordand so I ,htuve into promitie to
1,..., -"Way, you untortunaite gala, lti.
aittleatrat's preeence here alone implied,
acceptance on your part. No doubt 1
direw up the promissory natty but you
iiiidoesed it; and beeides, think of Hect-
• or's despair 1 Da you went to matte
i hiM miserable for life?"
' "-Do you 'really thiuk that he loxes
: nate, father ?"
I "If he loves you? Al 1 If you bail
lonly beard in what a tone he eadd to
ine an Jaounr ago, 'I tome Mad.eneoiselle
• Maeda, as if she were my sister.'"
1 The young lady could not, refrela
liamm. benelina.
I "Arm do you thinkthat sufficient?"
, she mired.
I "Wba r ' replied ber father, "I don't
;mina telling you that I didn't at all
'love your ratither rhen we marriedand
• yet you knew how happy we've been
together." \e„
"Perhaps eteafeeher," retorted Made-
raoiselle Auxeliei'vebut. I don't desire
suleh 'happiness et 'any prime' And
with an, air of deflanckshe added:
sides, l'in net one of abase girls who
are forced to marryirgainet their will."
"Ham dare you, ?" exelaimed t -he .ine
furiated merehant. "Weill- I swear
that the earth shall cease to turn and
the sun to shine before 1 retreat my
tvord."
And so saying. he left the room,
han,ging the doer behind him.
Mademoiselle Aurelia was. however,
by no means alarraed. She was nut go-
ing La abandon her hopes so easily,
and. an hour later Hector received a
note from her in which, without give
bag lam ally particulars, she appeal-
ed to him as a "raan of bowie' to
withdraw froan his suit.
Mace -couldnot do this without see-
ing her and. talking with her.; and so
M immediately hired a. vehicle and
drove to Ville d'Avrity. A fortnight
Md elapsed since he had last seen Aur -
e -lie, and in the meaner -bile love had sti
transfigured her that she could be
scercely recognized. No doubt she -eats
still statuesque, but the marble of her
nature was animate, as it were. l'Y
Cupid's electric spark. Witb, a mod-
est. ale she briefly told him. the truth,
saying that she had written to him
because site was suxe of Sir James'
love. Hector was quite touched. by the
expression of anguish which her fea-
tures assumed when. in conclusion, she
renewed her previous request.
"I will obey a= mademoiselle," he
said; "and I hobs that in. default of
winning your love my candela may
naake me worthy of your friendship."
Mad on the spot he asked for a priv-
ate interview with, ISE l3landureau.
Under any other circumstances, be
would base dreaded the retired mer-
chant's anger, but now he was so
ful that he did not give it a thought.
in point of feet, AL Blandureau rece-
ived bira fairly badly. • Although he
was inwardly quite as delighted as
Hector ate thought that honor re-
quired hira to assume an Indignant
rinien. lie expostulated, tittered never
to receive Sir James in his house again,
proposed an inorea.se of dowry, and
when he found. the young. fellow in-
flexible, he overwhelmed him with re-
proaches.
"Your wareby father," he said at
last, "would never have acted like this;
• but as you positively refuse to marry
my daughter. for the refusal comes from
you, mind, and without the least pal-
pable motive. you, must unite and sign
me a declaration to that effeet."
Heetor joyfally dicl as he WaS bid;
it.nil then. after taking- leave of M. Blau-
duxeau, be hurried to the nearest cafe
and wrote to Ferdinand Manuel as
follows a .
"Everything is arranged. Come to
Paris at once. I am waiting for you"
That sante evening M. •Blandureau
gave his consent to his daughter's max-
riage with Sir James 'Wellesley, and
profited of the change to take belt a
million trance off kerelie's dowry. It
was onli then th.a.t. the baronet learn-
ed that his future father-in-law had
made his fortune in commercial en-
terprises, and he had some little dif-
ficulty in silencing his aristocratic pre-
judices. .However, he consoled himself
by Tefleoting: .
"After all, who will know it in Eng-
land?" - .
One morning a few days later Hec-
tor was eugagecl at his toilet whet a
servant of the betted he was staying
at .in Paris announced the arrival of
a. visitor,
•
"Let him come in," said Hector, feel-
ing convinced that. it was Ferdinand,
atom be was hourly expeeting. -
Bunt. in lien of M. Aubenel, it was air
James wino messed the threshold, look-
ing extremely grave and pale, and. car-
rying in one han:1 e little mahogany
box, NNIhich be carefully laid an the
table.
"I (have to speak with you on serious
matters," he said to Hector. "Are you
sure no one can overhear' is
"Oh, quite sure," replied Metier,
whom this strange peramble greatly
surprised.
However, the Englishman went ton>
svard ahe door and made sure that it
was properly closed. Then returning to
this friend he said:
•" lhave come to tell you that I am
it guilty scoundrel, quite undeserving
of your friendship. I loathe myself,
and my own conscience reproaches me
quite as much as you couldedo. I was
engaged to a young girl, I have jilt-
• ed her, and yesterday I hadto write
and cottess to her mother that I was
it perjured villian. To -day 1 have Oonte
to tell you that I bave deeeived you
in the most infamous style, for f have
robbed you of tbe heart of the girl
you were going to marry. 1 love Au-
relia and she loves Me, and her father
• has, moreover, promised me her hand."
"Ob, you are the beet and worthiest
of men, interrupted • Hector, Pressing
the baronet to his heart, "If you: ever
need a safe friend, count, ot me. Whet
cam I do for you Do you want all
my fortune? Speak I"
Sir James' fancied that Hector was
losing his :mind and bis •remorse beestme
yet more acute,
" Return to yOureelf," he said 1
Mee not yet finished. What • I 'am.
•about to ptopose tli you is to doubt
iitit cuetomaxy in England, but it is
customary in France and in France one
must do ais the French do, 1 wishl to
offer yeu ail the satisfaction ti, French -
mail could cliam. I baves here &box
of pistols, arid only one of the vee,ap-
ortit is loaded: 'Youmay cbotate, aridway
a aVhat, you want to fight a (Mel
with me r evied Motor. " And why,
prey ? Dora.eiet yottreelf out like that,
, ..„
I wasn't in love wttb Mederaoissille
•
" Axt-
Wixether you loved heror not," Sir
JalaeS replied, " my cenduet, is none
the less perfidione anti odious. But
repent I have pistols here--"-
" You are mad." retorted Hector'
shruggliag his shoulders. " What I you
take Mademoiselle A urelie away frcnn
me, and now yoxx want to fight a duel
With me in A.merittan style, and per-
haps kill me into the bargain!"
Sir jables was waxing wrathful.
"It's too late to retreat," he said.
"After apologizing to you in the way
I've done, I could never support the
sight of you afterward'. You refuse .the
reparation I offered, Jet it be so; but
now 1 demand eatisfaetion."
The quarrel raight have ended in a
tragical manner, if at this very mo-
ment there had not come a knocleat
•the door. The new -comer was Ferdin-
and, who, on receiving. Heetwas note,
had hastened. to Paris with all possible
speed. As soon as the situation was
explained to him, be- turned and ex-
claimed:
"You know that I >speak English like
it cookney, so just retire and let me
arrange this matter •with Sir. James
Wellesley," •
He did knew how to arrange, matters.
The Best Matchmaker
and no raietake, for assoonas Hec-
tor had retreated into his bedroorn he
bluntly told Sir James the whole story
of his friend's passion fax Louisa d'Am-
blecay. The baronet's furyknew no
bounds,
"I have been tricked," he cried; and
he demanded satisfaction. in such • a,
baughty, imperious voice that Hector
precipitately returned.
Then there was a final explanation,
with the result that on the following
morning tbe two adversaries met in
the Bois de Vineennese, where Hector
gratified Sir James with it pretty lit-
tle sword thrust in the arm, which
postponed his marriage for six weeks.
The few drops of blood which the bar-
onet lost, served, however, to re-cetnent
their momentarily broken friendship.
CHAPTER, XI.
Ferdinand, was as proud as the hero
of a R.outan triumph on the evening,
when, after three weeks' abeence in
Paris, he arrived at La Fresnaie, ac-
companied by his friend, Hector. They
were e.xpected, and the house had quite
a festive appearance. Aladarae Aubitti-
el, who bad been apprised by her hus-
band of all that had occurred in Paris
had prepared for Hector the Most de-
lightful of all possible surprises. By
dint of eloquence she had. prevailed an
Madame d'Arablecay to come and dine
at La Fremaie with her daughter. The
baroness had leied to resist, bat what
reason was there to refuse? Sir James
had officially acquainted her -with the
breaking off of bis engagement, aria
she had written. to give him back his
promise. Thus when Hector entered
the drawing -room that evening the
first person he perceived was Louise,
and the long look which the two -lovers
exchanged was quite a. poem, express-
ing as it were all their past anguish
anct present felicity. Hector had not
expected -such happiness; he had fear-
ed some fresh. obstacle, and to avoid
falling he had to lean for a,moraent on
his friend's arm. Then bowing respect-
fully to the baroness, he exclaimed in
a voice trembling with emotion. •
"If I dare to reappear before yon,
madame, it is because the conditions
you specified. have been or are being
fulfiled."
And at the. same time he banded her
a folded paper. •
This was the circular letter by which
AL o,nd Madame Blandureau had " the
honor of informing their friends and
acquaintances of the approaching mar-
riage of their daughter, Madetamselle
Auntie Blandureau, with Sir James
Wellesley " Bart." Madam d'Amblecity
gave.. the document a careless glance,
for. it told her nothing new, ands then,
turning to her daughter, exclaimed,
with an air oC affected sadness:
" Well, nay poor Louise, here is Sir
James Wellesley jilting you for an-
other young lady."
Although for the last fortnigbt or
so, Madempiselle Louise had been real-
ly rejoicing over the baronet's tree,
son, she now did all she could to look
surprised, and, like an artful young
minx, she even tried. a, little pout of
vexation; but. she was not skilled in
the art of clissiraulation, and her beam-
ing eyes belied the motion of her lips.
'And when is Sir James to be mar -
Tied a- asked. the baroness.
"On the third of Alay," answered
Ferdiaand. " Thanks to my diplomacy,
whieh rather hastened the wedding
than otherwise.
" Well, then," resumed: Madame ta-
Ainblecay, "I think we can make our
preparations fax the same date."
And taking bold. of Louise's hand she
placed it in Hector's,
M. and Madame Hector Metestrat
nowadays reside in Touraine, in -a pret-
ty Muse they had built midway be-
tween La Fresuaie and the Chateita
d'Axublecay. Hector .never returned to
Bordeaux, hut sold his house there,
with all its furniture and appoint-
ments..Mademoiselle Aurelia, now Lady
Wellesley, reigns at Follinghitm
her husband's mat in. Lincolnshire,
which has been magnificently restored
since i heir anarria.ge. Her paternal name
havieg by thence beau mentioned am-
ong the landed gentry and aristoeracy
of tbe neighbourhood, she did not hes-
itate to convey the impression that
the Blandureaus were allied to the
greatest families in lorance. larorsbip-
ed 17 her husband, whose love she re-
turns Aurelia is so happy that she
has never even wished. for the death
of that Imola whose demise will make
her a peeress; and although both Hec-
tor and Sir ,Tames have ebildren you.
may be certain that they will never
seek wives or husbands for them until
they reach the proper age, for. Matra
many. As worthy M. .Rlandureau of-
ten remerks:
"Promise of marriage made by par -
elite in reference to their children are
hills of exchange drawn on the /atm,
which is the unsafest a all debtors,"
And he might add that ebance
and will alwaya remain the most sue-
cessful nattehmaker.
(The end.)
• A.NOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT.
Rich 13(tehelor-What a woriderCally
preeerved woxrtan yoa ere, Miss Elder-
ly,
Miss Elderly -Row dear of you Par-
don the blushes, but
lItielielor-I attale-er-speculat-
ing tie to. whether yon might bemi
youzger. Oster.
SEOOND DELUGE OF BLOOD,
THIS SUGGESTION PROMPTED IN
CASE OF A wordos
The Standing Amides of the armed Settees
-Minedoiais would 'Volatile aver: Vast
Cities Be Is Entine, nod bee World% Elnp
Ise Chauttett, ••
The war with Spain and the United
States may be short, and peaoe may
reign again in a few weeks, 11 may be
prolorigad, mud in the latter event tbe
nations that are at this time neutral.
%vitt find their interests more or less
interfered with. It will be to Great
Britain's interests to see the war
brought to a (sudden cloae, for war
means a stoppage of commercial rela-
tions with one of her best customers,
abould great Britain unclertake to in-
terfere in the fight between the Unit-
ed States and Spain it will require
slight ptovocation fax her wetcliful
enemy, Russia, to take advantage of
the fact' that the attention of English-
men is temporarily distracted. from the
E astern situation to commit Some act
that will 'set a match to the train of
gunpowder laid to the magazine in
the Orient:.
Under such cart:um-Asians:es it will be
in keepirag with the present indica-
tions for Japan to join farces with
Great Britain., and. for Germany, Aus-
tria and Italy to be forced into •
ONE GIGANTIC WAR
that will change the map and perbaiss
sweep away kingdoms.
Aimed Europe. Is a tremendous
sight at present, Germany's stupend-
ous army of 1,946380 men, officered by
22,672 men, with it cavalry of over 100,-
000 horsemen and en artillery compris-
ing 2,964 guns, would be a tremendous
aggregation of fighters,for Great Bri-
tain to famowith her -little force of
215,281 soldiers, 4,918 officers, 29,812 cav-
alrymen and 720 guns. All the. men
Great Britain would have to help her
through an alliance with Japan would
be 56,237 infantry and 5,750 cavalry-
men. The Jape are born fighters, and
have 'proved their prowess as have their
British' friends, but the odds would be
tremendous, and individual courage
does Mat count for much where men
are pitted at a distance of two miles
by a marksman with a magazine rifle:
Wbat frightful -scenes would: result
from, a general war sucti as that sug-
gested, should France joinforces with
G ermany's millions and swell her figbt-
ing strength by putting over 2,000,000
men into the field, with 112,000 caval-
ry and .3,400 guns! If the course of
events should ever bring it to pass
that France forgets her old gru.dge
against Germany, and. makes an offea-
ive alliance with -her, whax a tremen-
dous army would, be ready within mo-
bilization time after tbe declaration of
war I
Whatever the outcome of Great Bra
tain'a efforts to 'obtain an ally, it can-,
not be hoped that Russia will be any-
thing 'out an enemy ot hers. To the co-
alition against Great Britain, therefore,
would be added the array, of the Czar,
numbering. 0.16,824 men, with -.a cav-
alry force of 163,000, among whom
would be the fierce.
COSa.A.CES OF THE DON,
and an. artillery force with 2,672 guns
at its coramaud.
Austria would be a mighty. ally, for
her fighting strength is 862,300 men,
and ishe can supplement this with a
cavalry force numbering 163,000 horses,
and an artillery with 1,572 guns. If
Turkey came into the, general scrim-
mage she would add to the total of
fighting men an army of 180,000 coin-
batsuats, with a caviry form of 30,400
men, and 69a guns, Not by any means
a force to be despised, for most of
Turkey's soldiers are veterans of one
war.
These figures are appalling when it
is considered that they represent men
under arms, trained in the use if mod-
ern weapons, which are the deadliest
used in any war since the world began,
ands men who are thoroughly educated
in the art of war, with nothing left un-
done that thoughtful trainers can sug-
gest to harden their physique and make
perfect the fighting qualities of the
troops. But wbat becomes of the sug-
gestion of even these millions fight-
ing, wben it is remembered that they
comprise merely the active armies of
the countries referred to?
In war times the number of fight-
ers that each nation would put into
the field would multiply in some in-
stances by two the forces quoted above.
Thus, a million nten would bave to be
Added to Germany's army if
THE- FIRST RISSERVE41
be fielded to the number given above.
If the second reserve is to be includ-
ed, it will be necessary. to add. nearly
ti million more. If the grand total of
fighting men capable of being put in-
to the field when the entire resources
of Germany are drawn upon be added
together, it will swelrl he German ar-
my to 5,098,180 l'aen. All the other na-
tions would be able to send to battle
vastly augmented forces, should the
.reserves be called upon, so that utters
in past wars armies of 70,000, 80,000 or
100,000 men were considered a large
and powerful force, in a modern fight
between great nations such an army
would not be considered more than a
small (section of the force 'required to
do battle on a scale that emir:teed. sue -
cess.
With millions of men against her,
Great Britain has shown that she does
not consider her strength puny. She
boants of her " splendid Isolation" and
talks confidently of her ability to cope
with urinate numbering millions by the
simple process of bottling them up in
their own fortified harbors and com-
pelling them to stay there until they
tire of the imprisonment ana sue for
peace. With her vast navy Britain feele
(dissolutely confident that she can set-
tle Germany in ft vas, short time, Ger-
itenide lhnited latabOard would make
the illataantallieof her meet tatens, say
the Britisher% it matter of the greatest
me% imit then, says john Rull, what
would be the um of ber millions of
trained men n' There is truth in the ar-
gument when
Tit% CONIVABATIVE SIZE
of the German anti Britis,h ;levy is wa-
ndered, fax Britain's navy possesses no
less than 989 ships of war of all °lessee
and faze% while Germany posseses on-
ly 334 It would be aakifferent story
should France join Germany, for in
that event she would bring her navy
of 673 ebipe to join those °a (4ermany.
Italy has a fairly good navy, anti 133 -a-
te -in, should she find an ally in this
netion, would secure the help of 830
warships of all kinds, bat in Russia
She would hem another formidable en-
emy, with a navy of 467 ships. TarkeY
has 211 warships of one kind, and an-
other, but they are not very formid-
able craft, and would not inake a very
serious impression in a naval fight
with modern boats. Japan has a fine
little navy of 217 ships of all classes,
and would do effective work in the
Orient' but she would searcely bo an
ally upon whom England could count
to balance the force on her side with
that of a combination of continental
Powers. '
I3ut it is the awful carnage that
would result from such a combination
• of forces aa that suggested that makes
men stop appalled at the very thought
of general intereational war, like that
whieh has been so calmly discussed
many times recently. It would be a
world at war Not a few thousand
fighting men pitted against mob other
but the flower of the manhood of na-
tions taking opposing sides, every man
capable of bearing arms being impress-
ed hito the fight for bome and father-
land.; a deluge of blood as there was
once a deluge of water, thet would
threaten the same dire results of the
world. •The peace -at -any -price party'
may be excused for their utterahces
when such a result is contemplated as
that which would ensue from a gen-
eral conflict of the nations.
• •
THE DEADLY MAXIM GUN.
Recent Traproventents is, That Terrible
Engine or War.
Many important Improvements have
been made in tbe celebrated Maxim
rifle calibre gm, one of the most mur-
derous implements of modern tv-arfare,
Huge rifle cannon drive their massive
projectile's through plates b'f steel and
thick fortres.s walls, but the business
of this rapid. fire machine gun is to
mow down men in the ranks.
TO action of the Maxim grin is en-
tirely automatic whea once it isastart-
ed.. Tete cartridges are placed in a belt
and axe fed into the gun -with almost
incredible repidity by meolianisin adul-
ate:1 by the recoil of the successive dis-
charges. The gunner has but to press
a battan and the weapon itself does
• the rest, though ley releasing the bbut-
ton at the proper moment the action
can be limited to it. single discharge.
This terrible engine is capable of bel -
cling forth froni six to seven hundred
rounds per minute, sweeping the field
before it withan annihilating blast of
bullets before ' which nothing human
can stand. This barrel is ordinarily
encased in a water jacket to prevent
excessive heating, though this jacket is
in some cases omitted fax greater ease
of transportation.
• The only appreciable pauee in this
tempest of death is -when. one belt of
cartridges is exhausted and another
must be inserted. Even to accomplish
this it is only necessary to turn a
crank, push, in the end of the new belt
from the right and pull it throughto
the left as far as it, will go, and re-
lease the crank. Then another turn,
pull and release, and the gun is again
ready fax its dreadful work. To mese
an:trebly protect -the aunner (luring this
operation. a shield of steel plate is
sometimes provided.
MOUNTED ON TRICYCLES,
One 01 the most interesting; of the
new featuxes is the mounting of en-
gines of this description upon, a tri-
eyele. Of course such a device is avail-
able only where the roads are fairly
good. Two ,guas are used together
weighing fiCty-feur pounds. TM weight
of the tripod is seventeen aadi *WO
poundsand of the necessary spare parts
eight pounds more. The tricycle itself
weighs 121 pounds.
• ,To this must be added eighty-seven
and one half pounds for a thousand
rounds of ammunition carried in boxes,
making a total of 288 pounds --no trifl-
ing load, Nevertheless, two vigorous
riders vo,n drive the apparatus at a
very good pace over favorable ground.
When a steep hill iss encountered the
men dismount and. push the Machine up
the elope, using itas a band carriage.
In an open country this mode of
niounting a Maxim may prove of con-
siderable value,
Another form of th-e gun bas been el-
aborated, designed to be transported by
a mule o11 aepecially constructed pack
saddle, This is likely to be partioular-
ly serviceable in a mountainous dis-
trict. By the omission ofs the water
jacket- the weapon may be made so
light that it can lie carried bby a cav-
alryman in a bolster, or eVea by; a foot
soldier in a -knapsackin the latter
case the weight is reamed. to fifty-sev-
en and one-half pounds all told.
WISDOM BEYOND HIS YEARS.
His mother found him in the jam
and reprimanded him. A little later
she caught him teasing his baby sister
and reprimanded him again.
1 don't see what's got into you, Wil-
lie, she said. You're astiallY the good
little boy, but to -day you're up to all
kinds of raischief.
Dm tired of being good, he return-
ed with -juvenile frankness.
Tired of being good! she >foe:Jaime&
Whet do you mean by that?
Well, broiler Bob is naughty most 6f
the time, and you're always giving him
things to get lam to be good, and
guess I'll be naughty for awhile aad
see if I &wit 'get something too,
Sometimes u, youngster seems to
have wisdom beyond his years. '
.141...4.1.464.4.00.4100.1.0•1400....1.111.4•1•44
AND THE FASTEST, TOO.
I wonder how I can make my wort
ay go the farthest.
Have you, ever bought a converse:
tiOrt Over the longaliatence teleplatide
THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA,
SOffie• Meterleal tint ;t
Wrg,elsed Fleet
4. earreellOndent recalls the biatory
of the "havineible .ertneela" wiaich
Railed from Lisbon, Spain, against Eng-
land. in 1588, '
That fle,et was eauposed of 129 large
veseels, (tarrying 19,295 eolaiers, 8,460
sailors and, about 2,000 slaves as roWera.
11 Me a most formidable fleet one a
the mot formideble fleets a the
tame,
• A storm ‘in Spanish waters destroy-
ed several vessels of the "Invincible
Armada" and the rest Pal int° 1)"t 101
repairs When everything wee in
madiness again the fleet stertea and
entered. tae English Channel, sailing
along In the form of a hall moon, neat-
ly seven mile,s broad. They were raet
by the English fleet, consisting of 30
ships, which bed been. increased by the
addition a merchantmen and Kiva-
teees to • Telenet 189 vessels, under
Lord Howard, of Effiogham, Drake and
others.
They fought. And it soon appeared
that the, great Armada was anything
but "invineible," for Drake sent eight
blazing fireships into the midst of the
Spanish fleet. In terrible constants
-
tion the Spaniards tried to get out to
sea, and so became dispersed. The
English permed, a, storm came on and
drove the Spanish ve,ssels among the
rocks •and. shoals. The "invincible"
fleet, with a loss of 30.gmat ships and
10000 men, defeated and disgraced sail-
ed home again.
KING OF SIAM'S GIFT.
rrraelitg the Royal • Hospital for Clifldrea
at Edinburgh "Wbh u Dolrellout
The King of Siaxa has a passion for
children. It is not xestricted to the
little Siameast tots of his own land, but
is• universal. , ;During his globe trot-
ting tour lest yeag the children of the
venoms -nations interested him as much
as anything he saw. • The hospitals for
children never escaped his attention,
and It was in these places of suffering
that the Xing laid aside his royal dig-
nity and, showed that one touch of na-
Lure makes the whole 'world. kin.
' While in Edinburgh he visited the
Rival Hospital for Children. His heart
was towel:tea with a great pity for the
afflicted little ones, ane,recently the
hospital authorities xeceived a gift
from His Majesty in the form of a beau.-
tiful doll's house. It WaS made at a
cost of $259, and is probably the finest
doll'si house opens both hack and front,
• Nothing the Ring could have thought
of would have given so much joy to
the unfortunate little invalids. The
doll's house opens both baokaxid front,
COLOR IN DRESSING. -
French dressing is considered the
gayeet in the world, bat this statement:
requires & reservatidn. Gayety is mo-
dified, by a refined taste and. by a cur-
ious conservatism which gives French
women- so much of their charm.
For a long time after the Franco-
Prussian war it was the fashion for
Frenchwomen of position to wear black;
many of them do so still, long after the
prescribedperiod of mourning for fall-
en relatives. This may be subtly inter-
preted as 'a conventional badge of the
grief Parisian women still feel at the
loss of French primacy in Europe.
For the test Frenchwomen are Much
restricted in their use of colors in their
costumes. And use of yellow or of cer-
tain bright shades of red in her dress
would in the French capital subject a
respectable woman to annoying mis-
conceptions.
TM red handkerchief, the red petti-
coat coquettishly displayed at street
crossings, yellow. in the- costume are
all considered as badges of a certain
plane in the half-worldaShopgirls, mil-
liners- helpers, •and laundresses wear
always black. A, rmpectajile crowd in
Paris is a rather soberly dressed one.
There is an exception, On a bonnet ev-
erything goes, or Paris would not be
Paris,
BE Dm IT. •
• '1'he helpfulness of a good man, when
it mines to assistance in domestic af-
fairs, is apt to be very mu& like that
of the Mt. Barker whose exploit is
narrated below:
His wife bad asked. hiaa to hang a pic-
ture she had purchased for the parlor,
and ha had said that he would do it
" in a Atty."
" Yoa just get me the cord and a pic-
ture -hook," he said to his wife, " and
tell the servant -girl to run down cel-
lar and. bringup the step -ladder and
carry it into the parlor; and where's
those two little sorew thing -a -ma -jigs
that go -into tbe listek of the frarae at
the sides to put the cord. through?
Look them up for Inc, and 111 need the
• gimlet to bore a little hole for the
screws,. Somebody get the gimlet, or
restyle) I can drive thein in with a ham -
mar. ;Johnny, you run down cellar and
get the hammer.
" I don't •know but a chair will be
better than the step -ladder for me to
stand. on. Somebody go out into the
kitchen and get nee, e eheire I don't
want to stana--011.011e a the parler
chairs.
"Got that cord? Just measure off
-about, the right length and fasten i
in those little things at the side.
" There, now, there's your picture all
hung hp irt 'good shape, nina no fuse
about it. The difference between as
men and you women is that when we
have anything to do we go right ahead
and do it, aad no talk about it
WITTY SAYINGS.
• The time to work and the time ta
Ping are synonyinous with the organ,.
grinder,
- Justice is probably represe n t ed am 0,
weman because it is something a max
is always after: ,
• Ago and a little brother tall on e
girl.
The man who> abesn't advertise get
more (lust oh late goods than in We
ea sled rawer.
Mirrors teflmt without speaking,
and women often ispeak will:oat, re-
flecting. •
After a man has had oteasion to em-
ploy e firet-clese 'stayer 11 it Useiess
tO tel.) hira tbsit talk ie cheap,
"aa—al------"t
PHRASEOLOGY OF TRZ SEA.
.--,.
Some or die Most ranoitar Tities a11141
'MeltOrigin. '
In the early da ye ea 'Ex:40411h Itavel
exganization, yeesele a w&T hell amble
orgies, a military one for fightieg pax-
Poecs tool enother of mariners for nev-
igeting duties, In consequeace, e
large number oa English sea terms have
a, military origia.
eat that time the wank a aarnixo
was unkuown, and the ehiei officer of
the squadxon is celled gomistable ar ,
justive, The term a -Mama as now used --1
is derived from the Arable "emir" or
"enar," a commander, 'as in 'An:lir-el-
Beier' co/rune/under of the sea. The
early English on was "a,rairal" and:
is still preserved a -s suchby the Erenell
The tttle captain. is not a naval, but
a militaxy one. Originally,, the real
captain of a ship was a "master." A'
military officer was placed on Mar
though he knew nothing a nau
matters. Gradually his importa
oreasedt while that of the mast
iniehed. proportionately 411 a
sent (lay the raaster's affice
ly beaming obsolete.
comes front the Spanieh "e
• The title ot lieutepecat i
dixectla from the French a
as a, place holder, or one ieh
place of tlie captain> wher: a
foenter days there were no ead
volunteers, but with the gradu
trance of politeness, the term cede
appropriate1 from the Frenr.sh.
BOATSWAIN
L9 derived from the 80,N:ow "Swain." a,
seivant. The term quartermaster, ite
used in .both the sia:ray tied navy, ap-
pears to be confusimg and anainalouso
In the erray it is tih,e title of a come
stoned office.): who performs import).*
ant, and. resacaisible duties. In the
navy he is simply a warrant officer>.
I directing subordinate duties. • In old)
I ships anil in olden times ibis pesition
was a more important one; so muttli
so that he was consiaered to be the
. foarth part. of the rxixister-hence the
term quartermaster. 1
The ship's mak was oaee, a great!
Elan, and there ere instances onrecordi
of his beine promoted. for efficient pre-
paration of food. The slap's steward
was originally the caterer. .
Mho teams larboard and starboard
come from the Italian "tpuesta barilaa
an,(1. "quella borda," which by rapid de-
livei7 hecame starboard and larboard,'
but) owing to the strong similarity or
somi they were clangecl into star-
boa,rd and port, Latin part° to carry,
the use of the terms in the original:
form having been the cause at mewl
accidents. '
Gangway has bem handed. down from!
the days of the aneient galley ot thia
Phoenician% Carthaginians and Rom-
ans, it leasing been a board it-hicli ran'
along the whole length serving as a:
passage for the eattars to and. fir=
their seats. It NillS also used as ar est-
ing place for the !nest and sail ittatin
n.ot in use. •t
THE COCKPIT ,
is the lovvest park or the vessel. ielow-
water, used during an action, fo the
hretrtment a the wounded is derived'
from the old days of tle English sport
of cock fighting; but this Ita.s been mod-
ernized end is now known a as the
"flats"-arby, no one cart explain.
'gibber is from -tbe Dutoh, meaning
a lazy, cowardly fellow.
Anchor comes from tbe Latin "an- .
ehora" or "aware," which up to '600
B.C. consisted simply Ott a large stone
with a laole through it.
The peculiarity of so many • port -
of a slhip's rigging bearing name
rived from the trappings of a lior? .
only lie accotmated for froni the':
that the early warships were lea
bysoldiers as well as afalors, tb
ural consequences being that bht.
soldiers adapted some of their a e
to meet their fancy. Among th
ious ropes, etc., will M fou,ndelexaa
wbips, bits, stirrups, and tao like.
The old and well known sea tem:
grog was originated as a term. of deta
mica and disgust when Admiral Ver-
non in 1745 intinaucecl the wise innova-
tion of making his (new drink their
spirit ratiom dilated. with water instead
of neat, as they tad hitherto done: The
sailors did net like the watery business
awl, in revenge nicknamed the admiral
"Old Grog" and his diluted. mixture as
grogfrom the fact that he ge,nerally,
were am overcoat of a color then known
as grogram, gray.
CANADA'S MINERAL PRODUCTION.
The Geological Survey of Canada has
just issued a summary of the Mineral
production of Canada fax 1897, whiehi
without being final -some of the fig-
ures not being obtainable just at ()Mee
ent-is based on a general knowledge
of the progress made in the variousin-'
dustries, and is sufficiently. Metialte
for all practical purposes. 'the report
shows that the value of the gold. pro.>
duced amounted to $6,190,000; of cop-
per, 13,300,802 pounds were produced,
value, $1,501,060; of lead, 39,018,219
pounds, value, $1,396,853; (if nickel, 3-
997,047 pounds, value, $1,399,176;
silver, 5,558,416 (maces, value, $3,322;-
905; a iron are, 71,451'. tons of two
thousand pounds, value, 40.18,716; of
Mercarte 688 pounds, valtie, $a24, and
of platinum a value of $6,600.
ISLANDS.
Lake Huron contains 3,000 islet:els.
Loth Erne, in frelend, has 365. The
Lake of the Thousand %les is only ab
expansion of the at, Lau re,nce River,
and has 1,700.
l'OU'lltittle REASON I NG.
Tonony does a great deat of think-
ing on hie own responsibility and he
broke out the lathe rday -with: Pepe,
I gness Oat Father Times kind, of a'
back number, lethal: ho?
What rnalces you think So, ',fotorny
•'Oeuse if he ryas right up to date
heal have a mew in' ,inersheen 'steed of
that scythe he carries 'round,'
OUT OF THE QUESTION,
Yes, meditated the StRtan of Turkey,
it is quite otit of the question fax rile
to become a Chrinetia,a, I tinge been
reading of the obseawattee of Easter.
Just think of my lifting to proVhle
new Easter toggery for tt harem. tine
size a mine.
Asia les ordered another reakoore,