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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1911-8-24, Page 2OVER'2MiLLION PACKAGES SOLD WEEKLY *selleifieseNseitieetiaileseeleseleeetesetee Endingthe Strike lf .j iiieseeesieesitesitieetee3neeteeeleselieee:e Jabez Repton, coal king, belong- ed to the genus man who is usually alluded to as hard -fisted. The worker of the Mattockworth coal -fields called him by the harder yet, perhaps, more comprehensive title of miser. Foryears hehad been locally known as Miser Rep - ton; for years, too, he had fought au unsuccessful fight with the trade union which, holding the colliers' interest at heart, had different ideas on the subject of wages to x, --at possessed by Jabez Repton. In his luxurious drawing -room th'e coal king •had received the de- legation selected from the ranks of his workers. With a grim smile, contracting the corners of his straight -cut mouth, he listened to the arguments put forward by their spokesman for an augmentation of the colliers' wage. The knowledge that the request was backed by the union itself left him unmoved. In silence he waited for the man to finish speaking, then, allowing his smouldering rage sudden expres- sion, angrily and categorically re- fused to entertain the proposals advanced for his consideration. Hot words succeeded the coal -own- er's expression of his determination. The immediate result of his refusal proved a repetition of an old story. Leaving Repton's presence, the de- legation proclaimed a strike. At noon that clay the Mattock - worth coal -fields remained idle, the streets of the mining village be- coming peopled with bands of strik- ers which, as the days passed, grew hostile and ever more threatening towards Repton. Matters had reached their clim- ax when Hilary Bellingham, a local landowner, called on Repton. The coal king received him with a frig- id smile. That his visitor should he an overt sympathiser with the strik- ers was in no way likely to predis- pose Repton in his favor. "I received your letter, Belling- ham," said he, with calculated pol- iteness. "I appreciate the honor you have extended to Beatrice, ev- en if it is one I cannot accept. For some time past you and I have been at daggers drawn on certain eub- jects.' You have a right to your op- inions as much as 1. have to mine. England is a free country, but I have no desire to see a union be- tween our two families. I have other plans for my daughter. This being the case I see no reason for prolonging this interview." Bellingham shrugged his should- ers. Coolly ignoring the obvious hint which hail been conveyed to marry Bee in defiance of your wisher,. I am not the kind of fel- low to urge your men to go back to work against their own. interests. If T wanted to, I couldn't. They are right, their demands are just, and you know it! Jove, had you the heart of an ordinal." individual and not the nature of a•slave-driv- their u 1 have raised er ou we. d Y wages months ago, without waiting to be forced to do an obvious in- justice at the hands of their trade union 1" Bellingham paused abruptly. There was that in Repton's crimson face which demanded silence on his part. Ise silence the coal -owner turned sharply round on his heel and, pressing an electric bell at his side of the fireplace, indicated the man before him with a contemptu- ous gesture of the finger as bis but- ler entered the room, "Show this person out, Jaikes," said he, with studied insult. "Should he call again on either my- self or Miss Beatrice, you will kind- ly inform 'him we are not at home! Let there be no mistake on this point !" Smiliug, Bellingham accepted his dismissal. Following in the but- ler's wake, he allowed himself to be ushered out of the house into the roadway without; then, unaware that his exit had been observed by a. gang of grimy -visaged men, strode angrily down the drive till he reached its gates. Here, to his surprise, he found himself sur- rounded by a score of colliers, who, recognizing him as a friend, hailed him as such. "Us seed 'ee go in," remarlced their spokesman, a burly cageman, pushing his way to the front of his fellows. "Us knowed thee was go - in' to speak for us t' owd Miser Repton. 'As 'ee made 'im cave in Speak out, Iasi." 1 went to see him on a matter of -business. Beyond a passing re- mark on the trouble of Mattock - worth, I made no reference to the strike, Shrieve," sand Bellingham. "I'm afraid it will be some consid- erable time before Repton will see sense; meanwhile, the soup kitchen will remain open at my place till the strike ends." A hoarse mutter of anger 'greeted the young landowner's statement. Tempers were like gunpowder in Mattockworth; it needed but a spark to bring about the threaten- ed explosion. "Weeks !" muttered Shrieee. "It will take him weeks to come to bis senses, will it, maister 1 Us will bring 'im to 'em this night! Us 'ave 'ad enough of these 'ere weeks of starvation. It's time as Miser At that supreme moment Belling- terms, and I will run the risk." Repton tasted a bit of what we've ham held the mob in the hollow of "I can guess what the are," re - to go through! If it'adn't been for his hand, to sway as best suited his plied Repton, hoarsely. "They you, maister, our wives and child- inclination, To his excited mind shall be yours for the asking! This er would have 'ad a tighter bit of conquest appeared within his grasp is no time to split straws. You have 'anger to go through than -they've when the sudden appearance of the whip -hand in this affair, and I 'ad. You are a gent ! There ain't ! Repton and his daughter on the ley- know it. You will find the trap in a man in Mattockworth as wouldn't el of the mansion's roof changed the roof' the best way to reach my xn by uc t a< I give his right 'and to 'elp you." the mob's fickle mood. room' A quarter of a million! Save him in none too delicate a manner, Smiling, Bellingham nodded his Wreathed in billowing eddies of it for me, Bellingham! I— The he seated himself m an adjacent thanks for the statement, then step- curling smoke, Repton stood on the' engines at last." arm -chair. pod briskly out towards his home, narrow parapet of the blazing man- Darting forward, Bellingham •:,.y dear Repton;" said he, "you with the echo of a hearty cheer ! sion, shouting out frenzied appeals . fought his way through the k th 1 dd and on to woman he loved at the hands of ag,$ angry mobs feverishly rang up the pollee station at the neighboring town of .Havering. "It's no use sending a couple of dozen Mete" he stated aver the line, in sharp, nervous accents, "You want a couple of hundred, If you've not got thein available, 'phone up the military. The strik- ers aro out to a man, and they have murder in their mind." Ringing off, he grossed the hall hurriedly to the door. Leaping in- to the saddle of his waiting horse he gave the animal its head and galloped in the direction of Mat- tockworth, He had covered half the distance at a reckless pace, when a sudden glare burst into prominence above the crests of an intervening bolt of woodland. For a moment it illu- mined the firmament, died don, then anew sprang into prominenee. .A. groan escaped Bellingham';' lips as the sight met his startled eyes. There was no need for him to guess at its possible significance, realiz- ing as he did that the sinister glow had of a sudden reduced his worst a fears into the crystallization of ghastly fact. The strikers had fired Mattock - worth Manor. "Good heavens!" he cried in the anguish of his soul, "they have set fire to the place! The men are mad to -night; they are just in the mood to let Repton burn in his own house, and—Heaven help me, Beat- rice as well." ' Like a man possessed the urged his horse on by a lash of whip and prick of spur. To his dying day Bellingham nev- er forgot the wild scene which met his eyes when reining in his sweat- ing horse as he arrived on the out- skirts of the yelling, maddened crowd of strikers surrounding the blazing mansion. In the satiation of their ferocity, the shouting mob seemed to have forgotten their manhood. Hesitating a moment, as though uncertain how best to act in face of the situation that had been forced upon him, then, obey- ing a sudden impulse, he flung dis- cretion to the winds and, forcing his horse through the shrieking, gesticulating mob, came to a halt beyond their foremost ranks. Bind- ing a handkerchief across his am - mals eyes he swung it round on its haunches, till it faced the howling mob of strikers. "Men," he shouted, raising a hand above his head to command silence, "are you Englishman or blackguards? This act of yours has robbed you of .any claim to sym- pathy in your cause. I do not know who is responsible for urging you to commit this outrage, but I am positive that no Mattockworth collier did it off his own bat! The harm is done! Nothing can undo that, but you can do much to wipe out this stain on your honor. You know from past experience that I am your friend! Show yourselves to be mine. The girl I love is' in that building! Hustle round and get ladders and water also to put out this infernal blaze you have 'created !" Hushed into silence by the unex- pectedness of his appearance and his brief but energetic speech, the mob at first hesitated, then cheered the man who had so unhesitatingly defied their power to their faces. Gam, madeiened by, the oowardly act, let thrive straight from the shoulder, Tlie blow ()aught the oil- lier full on the point of his thin With a strength which, shattering the jaw bone, stretched the man in yelgiug• agony on the level of the ground. Rramatix es it woe, the' incident had been so rapidly enacted that the crowd failed to grip its detail before its termination "found Bell- ingham once again master of the situation, Following the latter'; authoritative gesture, a, dozen hands raised the ladder onceagain to the laver of the parapet. Springing forward, •Bollinghain climbed the rungs like a man. pos- sessed, till he gained a spot whore Repton stood supporting his laughs ter's fainting figure. Possessing. himself of Beatrice's senseless form he raised it in his arms, to swing her body over his shoulder. "Quick, man," he snapped, as, clambering over the edge of the parapet, Bellingham touched the topmost rung of the ladder with lis foot, "Follow me. The crowd will prove more merciful to you than the flames, and— Jove, here. come the police at last!" Rung by rung Bellingham de- scended earthwards. Tenderly car- rying his precious burden, the young land -owner fought his way downwards through the Swirling smoke till he gained the 'ground's level. Here he found the mob slow- ly recoiling on itself before the slow advance of the cordon of mounted police now •surrounding the build- ing. Nor had they arrived other than in the nick of time for the sal- vation of ]Repton at the collier's angry hands. Cowering against the ladder, the coal -owner watched the men's struggles with the con- stables in their efforts to reach him. Listening to the yell of their bawled -out curses, he •shuddered - "Bellingham, stand by me, for pity's sake!" he quavered. "They- 'll tear Bee and myself to pieces unless you are by. You're their friend, I their enemy. It's my life —Bee's—they want to have, but with your help I'll cheat them. They've brunt the house out 1 Let the Manor go; it's insured! I'll -make a deal, and— Oh, heavens! I forgot—the diamond! The Rep - ton diamond! There's not a mooed one in Europe like it. I only had it from the bank a week age! Bel- lingham, it's in my bedroom, on the tatable l I left it there when the alarm of fire was raised. I have thrown a quarter of a million into the flames !" Palsied in his miserly fear of loss, Repton, Syringing his hands, stared into bis companion's face. with bloodshot eyes. Wild appeal glar- ed from their depths, and in its light Bellingham realized it lay within his power to exact -terms from his interlocutor. Without a moment's hesitation, he gently laid the figure of the woman who held his heart a captive upon the grassy sward at his feet. "If I get you this gem," quoth be sharply, "I shall demand two things at your heads in payment for the risk I am running." "You'll be burnt to a cinder," muttered Repton, thickly. "Nobody but a. madman would risk it." Bellingham's face hardened. "I have a lot at stake," said he, drily. "Swear you will pay me my should know by now I am not the sort of man to take no for an ans- wer unless it suits my purpose. I am sorry you do not approveef the the right way. I only wish I had, rage almost equalling that of the t - ten . of "lepton's wealth; there would be mob. Leaping off his horse he tore horses and the jarring rattle of rake no question of strike whilst I was g ing wheels. The Havering engines the owner of the Mattockworth Col fid 1 b t had arrived, at a moment when a, manlieryis a man h h h k dull, reverberating crash within allt wort all, ,a de- the buildingannounced the flies world over, and as such d b d d col - serving of an honest wage." g g lapse of the first floor. There was tragedy lurking in the For a few momenta the sound, air, though Bellingham knew it f d sinister in its suggestion of growing not. Not for a moment did he sus- peril, held Bellingham chained to peat the far-reaching effects those the spot on wheh he stood. With a casually -uttered words of his were "A ladder he shouted Heav- growing fear he listened to the dis- destined to bring into being. tont roar of licking flames, then, The first intimation he received 1 seting on a sudden impulse, gained of the £act was brought to him by p the open trap-door, as the engines a groom at dinner -time. Puzzled i g with a vibrant roar commenced by the insistence of the man's re• pumping tons of water on the doom - quest to see him without delay, ed building from a neighboring Bellingham ]eft the table. Inter- beneath tl b th, th stream. viewing his visitor in the hall, he y p i Plunging through the fog of learned with a feeling al almost b 11 swiftly -ascending smoke Belling - consternation that the strikers had So y, ham, with smarting eyes and burst - decided to visit Repton in a body. 1 ing lungs, entered the building. and, failing an immediate comph them into act Y Here, dashing into a bedroom, he ance of ther demand, had resolved seized hold of a towel and, piling - to burn his house to the ground. d 1 ad W'th' ing it into a jug, wound the soaked The moment was one which dm d fabric round the lower part of his minded action at Bellingharn'; m ladder, h, 1 g face. Breathing easier now the hands. He coped with it by order. :eodden surface was pressed against ing an instant saddling of his swift• h f his mouth and nostrils, Bellingham est horse, proceeded on his way towards his There's a sovereign to be earn- d goal. With smarting eyes he sped ed, Jones, if you- bring the animal along the landing, descending to round to the door within five min- f 1 G I th cid Of the second story as the echo of a „"Quick, man ; l ladder the. man w" l gl t, reverberating crash rang with totes, said he, R , there's not a moment to be lost! If tie { '1 ' h Id t t startling distinctness in his ears. I. am to be of any use I must be at crashing downwa d, h rel The staircase had fallen in, aft ekworth Manor within the Che servants " None knew better than Belling I4I o next quarter of nn ]icor." blights b add ham the cause of that sudden rush Touching his forelock, the man ng a of hot air and blinding smoke which, 'i+weeping lip around him, um retrdorcd his posaliorr well-nigh tenable. e'His jaw set grimly lie staggering' forward' he, dogge4lji ringing in his ears. for help to a savage crowd making smo e, up e a er, "Poor beggars," said he." ! mocking capital of his helplessness. the roof: From below, -echoing up "Tractable as children if treated in': The sight stirred Bellingham to a from the gravel of the drive, came 1 littering thud of galloping match, but 1 hat•c nn giving Beatrice up. She has agreed and resolved to be any wife. In six months she will be of age, so 1 am afraid we shall marry in spite of your objection. if possible, how- ever, for her sake, 1 should like to have your consent to our engage- ment. I am evens prepared to go to some lengths to obtain the same. Come, Repton, what's the idea of persisting in looking on me as an enemy? Como off your high horse and tell. me what '1 can du to make you favor our suit." Smiling whintsiealiy, Belling- ham glanced upwards into the stern fate bent on his. 'there was no trace of yielding in the bard, grey eyes levelled at lis own. Bellling- ham had seen that look before, and on each occasion that: be bad done so knew the coal -owner to be in a fighting mood. There were few men of bis acquaintance who brook- ed opposition to their will worse than did Repton, This being the case, Bellingham braced himself to- gether to meet the anticipated outburst of wrath. To. his surprise none came. "End this strike! Make the men go back to work at my own terms and I will consent to withdraw my opposition," said he, savagely. "You have asked what you could dol I have,field you l" "I 'wonder you don't ask me to obtain for your possession the throne oaf Fnpiand replied pet, lin .haul shortly "Your terms aro theta of edeui venom., and I refuse diene. •:'I'll Wald mac' menthe, and the bandage off its eyes, then, al- lowing the terrified anima to urs its way through the serriedranks of the swayingcrow bearded the nearest collier. Haranguing the man in violent language, Belling - him made hint stand shamefaced amongst his fellows before the con- centrated venom ofhis tongue. 1" " ens above, are you men or curs that I should twice have to ask your hex 4" His words carried weight with the colliers in his immediate vicinity, Though. they muttered curses from heir ren a men nev- ertheless obeyed the s eaker's or- ders. Cowed y Be ing hams per- nalit awed byIsis dominating, authoritative speech which galvan- izedion the hasten- ed to act upon the bidding of their selfeconstitute leader. Within three minutes they had discovered whit on vein raised, proved sufficient to reach the level of the roof. It was at this juncture that b burly collier's advent .proved re- sponsible for the precipitation of s, fresh crisis. -ripping e r ithami by heave o hie 9 ou ers, sett i downwards to the earth. " is out,so letthe r burn!" he roared,ress- i the mob. "'L's meek its sweat in his time ; let 'im and is brat harried off 'in obedience to the corn - mend, wbilet Bellingham, hie heart!, •ill now. 'Is turn 'as come. numbed by a sadden fear of the The miyn,s hoarse• utterance end - fetes which might -1116 in stoic for the- ea in a shriek of -pain' en. Belling' fought the fumes, end doing se wolf his way to Repton'; roam. Pasezng'through the open door he roaolred the table in its centre, to And the jewel on its surface. es Rep - ton hind stated. Gnippiog jt, Bell- ingham thrust the ease in bis pock- et, then, with the floor's growing heat blistering his feet, reeled to- wards the window. A shout of re- cognition greeted his .appearance as, flinging open the sash; he eag- erly breathed the cool air now fan- ning his heated temples, Hastily a ilro-eseapo was dragged into position, 'Bellingham ; descend- ing its canvas shoot to safety only in the nick of time. Staggering to his feet he found, himself almost stunned by a thunderous roar mingled with a crash of breaking glass. Startled he glanced up- wards, to discover as he did so that the window he had so recently ap- peared at was now sharply outlined by gusts of bursting flame. The floor had collapsed 1 Rad his es- cape been delayed a moment longer he,oul w d have boon launched to a death too horrible to be thought of, Trembling, as a knowledge of the narrowness n ess of his escape 'was borne in on his mind, Bellingham turned to find at Repton if elbow. p his ew "I've got it—safe l" said Belling- ham, speaking in sharp, jerky ac- cents. "I've done my part of tixe contract! It's up to yon to do yours! Consent to the'enen's de- mands. Give them the increase they want, and agree to my mar- riage with Beatrice, and the jewel is yours!" "Give the diamond to me—I con- sent to both!" "When you've told that to the deputation, and given publicity to both my demands I'll hand it over to you," replied Bellingham, calmly. "I don't trust you far- BRITISH SMUGGLERS ABROAD then than I can see you, Mr. Rep- f;cu6gr Nrriiuiiia iwui,• YC THE STANDARD ARTICLE ' SOLO EVERYWHERE orimatungisoa. softening,! wader nlynl hPryupmu•1 sow 001III oV n aint eYn a .i h,alnq, lll!�IIf '•,,I � .n II' I:I IuIIP atsin`1 i ctiil I��IMh�lllr III III IRI IIIII!hlt Ihlb .i i I ' cc O ><nk c, o III lh I I IYI II II I� ratns� i 'lricllIor! Illllltll plglUll !III' � ell I1�1I1111111IPIUIaptl! any ot'terv�ar;�ose A 1 EN GILLETT COMPANY LIMITED TORONTO,ONT ton! I've risked my life to obtain ,How Tobacco and Whisky are Slip - possession of your property, and ,red Into Russia.s. L11 hand it over when 1 have re- ceived my payment:" Bellingham's words admitted of no argument. Repton, like a wise man, realizing such to be the case, bowed to the inevitable. In re- turn he received his property from his future son-in-law the next morning at the conclusion of an in- terview he had with a deputation of his colliers, in which he acceded to their demands. "You should go far, Hilary," said he, viciously, glancing at the gem 'glittering in lis hand° "You know how to make the most of an opportunity." "You told me you would consent to the marriage if I could end the strike," said he, placidly. "I have done so. What have you to growl at?" "I object to being done," replied Repton, drily. "I had hoped Beatrice could have married a title. As it is—I suppose I had better be orthodox and wish you all happi- ness." "Thanks," said Bellingham, with a happy laugh; "on that score I don't think there is the least doubt. Come, Repton, be a sportsman. Bury the hatchet and give me your fist." Still smiling, Bellingham out- stretched his hand in invitation, and Repton, suddenly abandoning his distant attitude, grasped it warmly. "Gad," said he, "yon are a bet- ter man than I am, Bellingham, and I admit it1 Friends let us be, and in proof of the same join Bee and myself at lunch to -day. Till then good-bye." AMUSING THE BRUTES. All animals not in the wild state suffer from lack of exertion, and for that reason the wise farmer takes care to provide amusemnt for his stock. Cows, for instance, love to have something to toss with their horns,• and a stout canvas sack, stuffed with straw, will make them happy. Or another bovine joy is a the Customs- An I rigishman heel her as to his means and they guar - post to rub against, and is as much. the narrowest of escapes recently. relied about her stoney imrnediate- a toy to them as a, hall is to a kit - The British colony at St. Peters- burg nuuxbers about 0,000 souls, comprising merchants, mill em- ployees, teachers, Corse trainers, and all sorts and conditions. Liv- ing is expensive; and although, generally speaking, the majority of Britishers there are d"ging well, still such luxuries as English cloth- ing, preserves, tobacco, and so 00 cost so much, owing to excessive duties, that the temptation to smug- gle is doubly strong, and, as are- sult, respectable fathers of families, MARRYING OH THE QU1E1 i3OVE ANI) .I)I1YO'l'I()N OE l`/IB 4iSli VANT" Wllfll,. Same Romances in Real Life Thal Hare Boon Revealed by Beath. A commonplace paragraph in Cha newspapers often lays bare a rm evince in real life • that is equal to anything to be found in fietion. The story of the Hertfordshire squire who has just died a recluse is by no means the first of its kind, says Pearson's Weekly. After his death his servants were surprised to learn that he was a widower, for they heel always look- ed upon him as a bachelor, and had no idea that he lead been mar- ' ried at Brighton in another name. Only a few months agothere was another such case. After an, old gentleman died at the advanced ago of eighty-one his will proved 1 that he had been secretly married to his servant for . thirty-seven years. Their love -story was indeed a a strange eine. He had long formed an honorable attachment for his servant, bet as he was unable to explain this to his family, he mar- ried her secretly, only her family and one or two of his intimate friends being aware of the fact. In the eyes of bis relatives and most of ' is acquaintances the gen- tleman was a bachelor, his wif2 still acting as his servant and r ceiv- ing wages as sucli. He could never prevail upon ben to take her proper place as his wife, and to the end she referred to him as "TlifE MASTER." The money she saved out of her wages she handed over to her hus- band without reservation and de- sired that she should have no claim on his estate as his wife excepb what he left her by will. He spent as much time as possible with her every year, lint the only present Ise could prevail upon her to ac- cept was a watch: As she lived in the country he' once engaged a servant for her, governesses, clerks, mediae-fedanbut she preferred to do the work others make a regular .practice of herself, and when they were to- procuring such and similar articles gether her only regret was that through friendly captain-, mates, other servants were necessary. She or stewards of the regular steam ors R'ith smart Customs officers as in England, this state of things could scarcely exist, but the Russian ,of- ficial, besides being easy to bribe, hasn't the energy to make trou- ble, and thereby cause himself ex- tra work (without overtime pay) whilst inquiries are being made. So it is that young ladies fre- quently run down to the, harbor, very scantily clad, returning home decidedly buxom iu figurp and suspiciously innocent of counten- ance. Did one.' know the truth, that elegant bust consists of a dose sibilties of any kind, and he was en Yarmouth kippers, a new silk looked upon as something of Meuse,- a length of cloth, besides several tins of salmon. Needless to say, the blouse retains a decided- ly East Coast aroma for some tante afterwards, Wbon a Tuan has a suit of clothes' brought out from his English tai- lor, he simply discards his coat and vest, 'goes on board the steamer arrayed in trousers and overcoat, and the rest is very easy work. The brands of tobacco most in request are those made up in flat packets. Square bottles of wlsisky are not in favor; they bulk too no- ticeebly in the pocket. Endless are the devices to evade died a year before her husband, and her tombstone testifies to the love and devotion of the "servant and wife." Another wealthy landowner -con- tracted a second marriage which was only revealed after his death, as he left a considerable portion of his property to two children by this union. Some years ago there died in London e well-to-do gentleman who was regarded as one of the most convivial of companions and a con- firmed bachelor. Re led people to understand that he- had no respon- A WOMAN HATER. Yet to everyone's astonishment hie will showed that he was a married man with several children, and his wife testified that he was the most devoted of husbands and fathers. The marriage romance of a rich old lady who died a recluse was re- vealed at an inquest some time ago. She' called herself by her maiden name, and was always regarded as being unmarried, for she never mentioned a husband. It transpired that when she was still a young girl she married the "man of her choice, but he deceived ten. Sheep and goats delight in. butting, and a pig finds content- ment in burrowing its nose in a cinder heap. But any animal will be healthier and happier it it'has some occupation to keep it employ- ed. And, just as children's games are often the survival of old, war- like sports, so animal's amusements should be derived from the things that they did when undomesticated. d . ILLTJSI'(ON SHATTERED. Little Tommy is a bright lad, se that his father was distinctly sur- prised to catch him the other day shaking his lop-eares rabbit vigor- ously, and shouting, "W'hat's four times nine?" "Tommy," said papa, 'what are you doing t" Tommy made no reply, but went on Shaking anti repeating "What's foter times nine?" "Tommy, why are you so cruel?" "Well, pa," sobbed Tommy, "he won't help me. You said rabbits multiplied so quickly 1" .1. Regular Customer --"Thorn used to he two or three little bald sp on the Brown of any head at the hack.. Are they still there?" Bar- ber—riNo, sir; it's not so bad as He had a whole Bans slum round ly after the ceremony and they his waist by a. string, and relying patted practically " at the church on a flowing mackintosh to avoid deer* detection, stood waiting at the They never set eyes upon one an - steamer pier for the ferry. Along- other again, and the lady became side was a Customs sentry, anti, as a recluw as site grew. oder; she ohave hed lived alone, and when rut entrance lithettle£aces dog wwas uld prowlinitg, a aboutwretcthat was forced into the house she was morning. discovered dead, a search revealing What the bole, bad smuggler snf- a considerable sunt of money and tercel when the animal scented the jewels. ham, and, ignoring sly kicks, :miff- The. faithful family retainer is eel round his legs, filled a whole usuany regarded as a person that letter written next day (with a re- is only to be found in fiction, but mittance) to the London provision the death of a merchant. Luckily for him, how- ever, fire sentry was admiring, the ONCE WEA Tillie!' BARONET scenery in rho opposite direction proved that she is to be -net with when the :ferry -boat caarne in,4. in real life. He succeeded to the title when SSTRI'CRINC1 TIMES, little more than a boy, but the The schoolmaster luta found his estates were heavily ,encumbered,. new class 'it very unruly one. Dur- and the agricultural depression of ing the first week he had caned a few years ago further reduced everybody in the class twice, and his income. Struggling against ad- there appeared to be every pros- emits, his health gave Way and the pect of striking times to. come, was reduced to a mere pittance. "AJs, boys," said tee master one Thinking that a short rest -night day, ''113' poor canc has a hard life do hire good, he went to stop for a of it 1 You give him no rest at all, short time tvitisan old servant. Bub and work him front morning till the abort stay soon became a long night," ono, as he was too feeble to do Yes, sir," piped fixe wit of the anything for himself, and ho poi - class ; "I shouldn't be surprised if sussed only a few shillings a week. iio were to conte out on s;kilce The kindly old servant ,zed her soon !" husband , kept hies with there fled Anel Stn els the ,cilli hair B,ie t ilk 'the' greatest care of him far, meek] Menthe until he died a coin- �,pataaleshe, eotteg math, n•• 1, r a: - that. Where those spote used to deciese t' si eerie cadre null *tad be, 'sir; temee'a only 'ono now." stru,:le. '