HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1895-8-9, Page 2FART TO A T
OR, LOVE'S [7�TEEIi/NG 01I0I0E,
AFTER
. ,4 tlooD SAMARITAN.
It wee tome weeke after Hilda had been
discovered lying half dead upon the steps
of the hospital before her naturally etrong
eonstitutien triumphed over the fever
Which had eo nearly ended her young life.
She opened ber blue eyes once more upon
the world she had so nearly quitted,
She gazed wearily around her open the
strange place in whioh she found herself.
A long room, with a row of tiny white
bade fatting the large unourtained windows
through whioh was to be obtained a glimpse
Of the pale blue of the Spring sky, flecked
here and there with tiny white clouds,
Bare, whitewaohed walls, a bare floor spot.
lesely clean, a small fire burning cheerfully
in the large fireplace, near winch Hilda'a
bed was planed. Near the fireplace' a table,
upon which stood a large bunch of sweet
white end purple violebe, whose exquisite
fragrance perfumed the air -bonnie Spring
fie were. From what lovely woodland dell
had your scented blossoms been Dulled, to
wither and die in the cheerless ward of a
London hospital ?
While Hilda was looking round ber try.
to recall her scattered memorytand vaguely:
wondering where she was,a pleasent•lookiog
woman approached the bed and in subdued
and kindly accents coked her if she wa
better,
"Have I been ill ?" asked the girl.
s'WheroamI?"
"You are in St. James's Hospital,"
replied the nurse, "but you must not exert
yourself by talking ; drink this," offering
the restorative that had been ordered by
the doctors, and Hilda obeyed and suffered
the attendant to rearrange her pillows and
lay her weary head down again to seek the
repose she so much needed.
But as the Spring days passed on Hilda
did notimprove so quickly es could be
• wished, for truth to tell, with returning ',timings 'into a email portfolio, and wrap.
health the girl's spirits sank and greatly ping herself into a thick coarseshawl, she
retarded the progress of her recovery. put on her hat and left the room, to walk
But at last there came a day when, being
dressed for the first time, she was able to
sitnp for a little while, and thea it was
cfrewnoloee to the window to catch the fast
dying rays of daylight, The room wae
smelt and meanly iurniahed. 110 ireo bed.
Mead Covernd with a patchwork quilt,
tiny wasbsbond, over whioh hung a glees
about afeet square, a oouple of obairo, the
deal table, and a tri of carpet upon the
floor eonotitued the whole of the furniture.
Bitterly cold ea it wee, and keenly though
the wind blew tlarougll the bally&tting
window iramee,there was nofire in the small
grate, and the door of it cupboard which
stood epee revealed a few common ortiolee of
crockery ware, together with a littlekettle,
but not a scrap of food wee to .be seen, and
the tired, shivering women who bent over
her drawing at the little table had not
broken her fast during the long November
day. Is it possible thio title can indeed he
Hilda Deloraine—this anxious'eyed, weary
woman, whose shabby black gown is a
"world too wide" for her shrunken frame?
It is a Sad Oath.'. The former heiress of
Marham Abbey, who is anxiously bending
over her drawing, ae with cramped fingers
and an aching head she sketches and colors
the exquisite liable pioturea of doge and
heroes, huntsmen and hounds, whioh she
disw,see of to a picture dealer in the west
end for about a tenth of their value, and
by the sale of which she just manages to
pay the rent of her shabby room and buy
herself a morsel of food.
"The Wolf" had been soared away from
Hilda's door by the exercise of her talent
for drawing, and she hadforbunotelyfonnd
purchaser for her glover sketches, though
she could barely live upon the 'starvation
prides paid to her by the fashionable pic-
ture dealer. She had been busy all day.
finishing the last of a series of hunting
sketches whioh had been ordered,and now,
as the daylight was fast fadingfrom the
gloomy sky, she put the finishing touches
to her picture and leaning back in her chair
contemplated it with bitter tears- welling
up in her cad, blue eyes. It was her father's
favorite horse Tarquin, his head held by a
tiny groom, while sitting on the steps,
with eager eyes turned on the great hall
door, wee Roy, the pet setter of dead Mark
Deloraine. "Ah, Roy, dear old. Roy 1"
cried the poor lonely girl ; " never any
more, Roy 1" and the fountains of her
grief were unsealed by the sight of the
matured likeness of her dead father's
favorites, But Hilda soon roused 'herself,,
and lighting a dip candle, which diffused a
oor light in the little room, ehe put her
that Dr. Bridgeworth came, and, Bitting
down by the lonely young girl, took ber
wasted hand in his and said kindly :
"And now, my dear, don't you think it
ie quite time that we wrote and told your
friends 01 your recovery ? I am afraid they
moat have suffered greatly on your no.
count."
Hilda looked at the good old man
through a mist of uuehed tears as she
replied:
' I have no friends, Dr. Bridgewortb, to
care' what becomes of me. I am quite alone
in the world."
Oh, that's all nonsense, my dear," re-
turned the kind-hearted physician, cheer-
fully. " You must put all those moody
thoughts on one side, or we shall never get
you well. Come ! give me theaddress of
some friend to whom I can write for you,
rind the letter shall be sent off to -night,"
" Indeed, doctor," said poor, Hilda in
rather a pained tone. "1 assure you I'
am speaking the truth. When this new
year dawned I was rich in all that makes a
,woman's life worth living. A loving fattier,
a happy home, friends and fortune. In
one short moment my father's sudden
death reft me of all, and in all this great
city' there is no mortal more friendless,
more lonely than I am."
" My poor child 1" exclaimed the lod
man, ae Hilda broke down and sobbed bit-
terly, "forgive nine for tearing open half.
healed wounds; but tell me what brough b
you to s0 sad a pass as you were the night
when you were brought into the hospital."
"I will tell you all f can recall distinctly
of that wretched night. I had left my old
home, and had arrived in London, and was
most unfortunately robbed of a bag con-
taining my money and jewels. I was dir.
ected to seine lodgings, but, bewildered by
the sr ow and unused 4, London, I lost my
way, and remember no more till I awoke
from what seemed to me like a succession
of dreadful dreams, to find myself here."
Dr. Bridgeworth looked keenly at Hiida
as, she; spoke ; in truth, the doctor did not
believe her explanation of the circumstances
which had brought her to such a wretched
plight. But as long as she remained in the
hospital he never abated hie kindness
toward her, offering her advice and
assistance in her plane for the future ;
but though Hildawas grateful to
the old physician for hie goodness, she
never reposed any confidence in him. She
told him that she intended to try and
obtain a situation as, governess; also that
should she fail in so,doing,ehe could obtain
from a distant relative a eum of money
sufficient for her support, She did not
say that, beadatrong andwilful as she was,
ehe would starve sooner than touch one
farthing of Reginald Deloraine'smoney.
With this half confidence Dr. Bridgeworbh
wae obliged to be satisfied. He scanned
the daily papers eagerly each day to,pee if
any advertisements appeared in the!'agony'_
column` that might refer to hie lovely,.
uneetiefaotory patient, but ell to no
purpose, and all he could do was to recom-
mend her to some quietiodginge,where ehe
would be safe and comfortable while looking
for a situation.
It was the middle 0f April when Hilda
Left the hospital and proceeded to Hack.
ney, where, in the neighborhood of Vic-
toria,Park, resided the kindly, motherly
woman to whose care her kind phy shefan
had confided her. But eo great wae, Hilda's
fear of being discovered and perhaps
ruining the future of her beloved
Roger, that in one short week she took`
her departure from the pleasant lodgioge,
and, after some trouble, succeeded in
finding a room which she thought might
quit her in one of the emall streets branch.
ing off from the crowded Harrow -road, not
very far from Paddington. Here in the
house of a tidy widow woman, Hilda
established herself, and prepared to try and
obtain the means of earning a respectable
livelihood.
a *
A bleak, dreary day in November was
drawing to a close. The fog was thick,
rendering the murky streets In the region
of the Harrowxoa
d murkier and gloomier
In the "t a. aA back"
ver, 1 w
than e r
h
p
Of a shabby house in one of the above•
named streets a young woman wae sitting
two miles through the foggy,muddy streets
to dispose of her sketches, which she must
do that night unless she wished to go cup
periest, to bed.
As she descended the stairs the door of
per landlady's little parlor stood ajar, and
from it Dame the pleasant glow of a bright
fire, accompanied by a most appetizing.
odor of tea and buttered toast. This.
recalled to our poor Hilda's mind the fact
that she, too, was very hungry, and, with
a. nigh, she was hurrying quickly past when
a voice within called out:
"Is that you, Mise O'Connor? Can't
you come in a minute?"
"Certainly, Mre. Davey," answered
Hilda, and .pushing open the door she
entered the cosy little room.
"Wherever are you off to now?" asked
the landlady, as Hilda drew near the fire.
"I never knew the like of girls for gadding
about, I declare 1 ehouldthink a night like
this you'd be a deal best at home.
"I have no coals, Mrs. Davey," replied
Hilda, meekly,, "and I am obliged to go to
the shop with my pictures tonight before
I can get any. I shall have your rent for
you tonight, and am very much obliged to
you for waiting for it," she added, nen.
vouely,
" Whoever said a word about the rentl"'
snapped the landlady, who had a short
temper, though she was a good-hearted
soul. ' I'm not afraid' to trust you with
a fortnight's rent, though that's more than
I would say to many girls. When did you
get your tea, pray, if you've no fire 1"
"I have not had any tea yet," faltered!
Hilda in reply.
"No, nor your dinner, neither, I'll be
boundr, just you draw up that chair and
drink this; 'ere cup of tea before you go
out tonight. or I shall have you laid up on
my hands. Here 1" pushing the plate of
toast to Hilda, " get your tea, you're
welcome, I'm sure."
And cheered by the landlady's rough
kindness, Hilda drank the hot tea and did
ample justice to Mrs. Davey's buttered
toast, and, refreshed and strengthened by
her meal, she quitted the house, and as
she threaded the busy streets her life did
not wear altogether so forlorn an aepeot as
it had done when she sat in her lonely.
room.
But an adventure was to befall Hilda
that night of which she little dreamed{ and
which was fated to alter the whole course
of ber future destiny.
CHAPTER X.
ewe nIOItaST BIDDER.
When Hilda left her lodgings on the
dreary November evening just referred to
she walked quickly through the miry streets
which were but dimly lighted by the street
(amps. It was araw, foggy night, and
Hilda shivered through the warts thatch,
whioh, purchased for five shillinge at a
pawnbroker's,replaced) the seelakine and
:labia of old times. But a brave heart
beet in the young girl's bosom, and she
plodded steadily on until the West End
mature dealer's was reached, and her
sketches disposed of for less than a tenth
of their value. Six o'clock was booming
from a neighboring church tower as Hilda
left the shop and prepared to retrace her
steps toward her lndginge,
At the corner of the greet a "baked
potato merchant" bad set tip his etond,and
Hilda paused, intending to purchase a few
potatoes, "all 'at" for her frugal' supper.
Upon what trifling senses hong our des.
Unice 1 As the young girl stood waiting.
her turn to be served the soft, drawling
tones of a voice that recalled the Berkshire
dialect to her mind fell upon her e'tr, and
she looked enviously at the respectable
looking country woman who stood on the
pavement by her aide. Surely she knew
that portly form, neatly dressed in mourn.
ing, and the, bright, dark eyes undimmed
and clear, the healthy old cheek, ruddy as
a Winter apple. These, too, ere familiar to
Hilda.
As the old woman moved aside to make
room for the waiting girl she glanced at
Hilda and exclaimed in the greatest sur-
prise
"Lewk'a mercy 1 if it bain't Mise Hilda
Deary me, Mies 1 whatever Mingo ' you
here at this time o night, and alone,
too n"
None hub those who have av an livingkr
months friendleee and clone can tell how
Hlidit'e heart leaped to hear the insigne 0
ata rickety, oak•stained table, which was of kindness from the lipe even Of'so humble
a friend as her old pensioner, Mrs. Grey,
audslte wassson rvermlyshaking kande with
the old lady, A few hasty words sou pet
Mre, Grey ay fait with all the end flb4ngee
whioh had happened to the fotrder heiress
of aliariiam Abby dewing the last twelve
months, end while the worthy .old dame is
accompanying Hilda to her lodgings and'
listening with sympathy and sorrow to the
tele of the sad elienges whioh had befallen
the °nee idolized girl, we oannob do better
than' briefly explain who. Mrs, Grey was,
and how elle chanced to meet Hilda so
opportunely,
When Hilda bad been taken from Lon.
den on her mother's death her health wee,
Very denote, and many weary, sleepless
nights and days of anxiety ehe oaueed to
the loving old nurse—Mrs. Grey,tbe widow
of a former eoeobmen of the Squire's—who
ruled over the heiress's nursery. Mrs,
Grey remained at the Abbey till her phare e
was turned nineteen,when ehe loft to shore
the home of a widowed daughter, who wee
a laundress in Leedon, With this daughter
she only remained a short time, nob liking
the seoend husband whom the young wo•
man talc to herself. A situation offered
itself to her as caretaker of es splend d
mansion in Park Gardena, belonging to the
Duke of Weymouth,' but whioh wee almost
entirely unfurnished, and used merely 05 it
receptacle for'bhe various treasures of art,
inoluding rare pictures and soulpture,whioh
the Duke weeeenstantlypurohasing,merely,
ae it seemed, to be shut from the light of
day in the empty mansion, whose greet
windows looked over the lofty trate and
lawns of Hyde Park, Here Mre,Grey lived
rent free, with a modest eum paid weekly
to her for her care of, the mansion and its
contents.
"And nowp my dear Miss Hilda," said
the old woman, "the beet thing you can do
ie to come and live with me till brighter
dayedawn for you ; there's plenty of room
in the old house, and Mr. Parker—that's
the Duke's lawyer—says as how I might
have some one:•to live along of me, if I
liked. I'll nob deny it's been lonesome
enough, bub I hate strangers, ee you'll
come, my pretty, and your old nursey she'll
see after you, and you can draw your pretty
pioters there as well ae here ; so now pedis
your things, and let's be off oub of this
plane, which never was fit for the likes of
you."
Hilda's packing was Boon done, and with
a kind farewell to ber landlady the young
girl turned her back forever upon the place
where she had known so much sorrow and
accompanied` the friend whom Providence
had surely raised up for her to her new
home.
Here Hilda passed her time peacefully
enough. The money ehe obtained for her
sketches -badly ae she was paid for them—
was sufficient for all her simple wants, and
?firs. Grey Betted and waited on her darling
with as much loving pride as ifshe were
still the heiress of Marham Abbey, instead
of being a homeless and friendlees wanderer
upon the world's highways.
But: while Hilda spent her tranquil days
in the empty old house, employing herself
with her pencil or in dusting the treasures
contained in the deserted apartments, and
while RogerMonbacnte,down in Berkshire,
hunted and shot with a more determined
energy than aver, striving in the pursuit of
foxes and inthe slaughter ofunoffending•
birds to put away from him the memory of.
the lovely face of the woman he had loot,
an hour wae fast approaching which was
fated to alter the whole course of events and
make the rough place smooth and throw a
gleans of light upon deeds which at present
were veiled in deepest obscurity.
(TO DE' CONTINUED).
GREATEST DIAMOND IN EXISTENCE.
The Excelsior Diamond Traveled tinder
a Military Escort.
When a diamond is foundweighing more
than a hundred carats the news is usually
heralded with much ado, . It is not to leg
wondered at, therefore, if the finding ob
the " Excelsior" created considerable.
excitement. - It weighed in the rough 971
carats, and was found near Iagerafountain,
n the Orange Free State. When examin.
ed it was found to bee white stone of the
firet water, but hada small flaw in the
center. The inspector of the mine, a
Swede named Jorgensen, was the lucky
finder. The proprietors of. the . mine,
Breitmayer & Bernheimer, had the stoue
tested' and valued by experts, who agreed
that the value was $5,000,000. It is a fact
that two offers of 't 1,000,000' and $.4,250,•
000 respectively, have been refused by the
proprietors. Upon its transfer to the
coast great precautions 1vere taken for its
protection. A equadronot cavalry'esoort-
ed it to the railway station. In Capetown
it was planed aboard the British gunboat
H. M. S. Antelope, which brought, the
precious gem to London, where it now
rests in the fire and burguiar proof vaults
of the Bank of England.
The next largesbdiamond in the world is
the one owned by. the Rajah of Matan on
the Island of Borneo ; this one weighs 367
carate. The handsomest of all the large
diamonds known is, however, the one in the
French collection of 'crown jewels, known
ae the " Regent," which weighs 1361. car.
ate. Louis :XV. ,paid ;3,000,000 francs, for
it, but now it is valued at 10,000,0110 frame,
or 52,000,000.
How moll the " Excelsior " will lose in
gutting can only be deoided by moat emin-
ent experts. As a rule, the largerdiamends
lose fully one-half of their weight in this
operation. Naturally the cutting, which
is done with a view to having as few
large pieces as possible outside of the main.
gam, must be carried on with the greatest
care. This business is carried on mainly
in Amsterdam and Antwerp.. In Amstar.
dam there are at present five large concerns
of diamond oaten, with 872 diamond
mills or cutting wheels, and 8,000 hands,
besides a large -number of less important.
concerns,
'Contrive to Cheat the Czar.
Hie imperial majesty, the Czar of Russia
has loot the services' of two sturdy eons of
his empire as soldiers in hie army. . The
awn' men are : Dimitri and Oonebantin'e
Keratoff, brothere, and the reason that they
will not have to aerve their country is be-
cause they have lost a number of teeth
They live in Pittsburg and have been called
to Burin to settle their fether'e estate.
Their impulse was to start ab once, but
they knew that if they ventured beyond
the Russian frontier they 'world be liable
to coneaription. They found, however,
that a man who had lost a limb, an eye or
seven teeth was not subject to' military
duty In Blade, so each had enough teeth
drawn to leave eightgaping ga in vaoanei 00 in
Ins 1'awg .
True wiedom, in general, oonsfets in en.
etgetlo determination,-, Napoleon,
AO ICULTU AL
A Summer or Winter Henhouse,
here is a device for.eoeverbing es eumnior
henl,euse into i, winter one, mid vie() versa,
which' le sloiple, cheap and etfeebive. The
house is built in the usual way, the walls
consisting largely of lx3 vertical strips 2
hobo apart. The device in for closing or
opening theee 2.inch creeks at pleasure. 10
is applied bo an end wall, ter example, as
follows; Go Weide the house, out other
�Y Ay1Mn;e» p, ng0. '.a�+ea'rwyl�m.ta• a
116 stripe of proper length, est them up
against andooinoiding with the correepond.
ing stripe of the wall, the top end of each
being out to correspond with elope of roof,
and lacking about 1 inch of reaching the
rafter to which the wall strips are nailed
Fasten S or 10 of these stripseeeurely into
a frame pr sash .(see out), by nailing the
batten b b along their ends at top and
bottom. Then nail on the cleats a a at top
and bottom to hold the sea in plane. The
stripe of the sash now coinoidingwith those
of the wall, the 2-iooh cranks between them
are open, but by slidingthe sea to the lett
21i inches the cranks are closed. The saah
q 10 ant is alid back or closed, d is open.
The eraoks may thug be closed or opened,
entirely or partially, at pleasure, by eliding
the sash bock or forth.
The Water Supply for Stock.
The question of the usual water supply is
a very serious one,exoept for diose who are
fortunate enough to have rivora or lakes in
their vicinity. Large private ponele are
also of great value in these times, as they
will often continue to give an unfailing
supply long after the public or village pond
has become a mere basin of dirty water,
and, a nuisance. How is it that these
places are oo abused, being used for every
available purpose until they become foul
pools quite unfit even for a pig to cool his
kin in ?
Even where the water supply is adequate
the labor of dealing with it is no light one.
Wateroarting all through the sunimer
menthe is scarcely the occupation one pre.
fere. ` It is the large dairy and grazing
farms whioh auger most in these times, and
the necessity of administering to live -stock
is certainly ,an imperative one. Some of
these farms are suited for the occasion, i. e„
supplied with a good-sized pond or two at
no great distance from the homestead, with
a large tank outside the farm buildings, and
a smaller one with Dump inside for daily
use. If these conditions are absent, or
even in any way defective, they should be
made good before any manventures on a
stock farm. A water cart or carts contain-
ing about as - many gallons as there are
acres on -the farm is indispensable ; one
holding 150 gallons can easily be managed
by a single horse. When the large tank
falls below certain point, it may easily and
rapidly replenish from the nearest pond.
Should the drought prove so severe as to
drain even this resource, the next nearest
supply may required. Instead of allow-
ing cattle, etc., to foul the reeervoirs, they
should befenced round and kepi; °lean and
sweet ; then if stored -in .the tanks they
will lest for a long time, free from all
decaying matter' and impurities of any
kind.
On really well-appointed ormodel farms,
large water troughs are constructed in the
fields for cattle.. Though somewhat costly
ab first,thoy will save a lot of labor carting.
The price of iron or galvanized troughs is
now less than formerly, end every large
breeder or cattle owner may find them a
profitable investment. They should be
made removable so that they may either be.
used or be put away during winter. With
care theymay be worth two-thirds of their
former value at the end of .ten years.
Dairy Expenses:
While 1 admire the plan of independence
in dairy, and ,have great respect for the
home dairy, it does appear that there must
be a closer imitation of the " trusts " and
working in larger bodies, and with greater
material then now, to reduce the cost of
manufacture, writes John Gould in Coun-
try Gentleman. The old German who
wondered"what his vife vonld do in the
voornoonif der milk ventto der gream.
ery," did not take into-a000unb what an
amount of wife•power it toot to melee 10
pounds of butter, and how insignificant it
would become, and to what a fraction of
cost it would amount to,if made with 2,000
pounds of other butter ; and this applies as
well to our creamery system and cheese
factories. All over the land there: are no
end of 160 to 300 sow factories and the oat
of making to excessive as compared with
the factory using 20,000 to 40,000 pounds
of milk daily ; and when it becomes a mat-
ter of competition, the reedit le either
°heap help, and cheap cheese and butter
tenet be made, or else it ie a matter of
lingering starvation with the maker. Often
the way is made clear that big yields will
tide the matter over, and soft, spongy
cheese and water.soaked butter is packed,
to keep up courage and show large produ0-
tion.
But lower prices and diseatiefaction
follow,and the industry at large and
commission.men in general are blamed,.
when the blame gbould be largely laid at
the door of a poorly supplied and poorly.
equipped faotory, or three factories where
there should have been but ono,
Farm douse Ventilation.
The cellar must be ventilated directly
into the base of theohimney. The kitchen
chimney is best for 1b always bite a draft
bath summer and winter. This is easily
arranged by making en opening eight
incbes square near the bottom] whfoh will
also serve as 10 means by arbioh sect end
Sebes maybe removed from the chimney.
When repairing my house some years ago
I arranged it in tine way, writes a owres•
pendent, with the result that the Cellar le
entirely purified from the close and um
wholesome air that seemed to pervade it
before, espeelally during the winter season.
In fa, of it apcompllahes, to some extent,
ventilation of the whole house, for by'thie
mean the Cellar air never asceede to the
rooms, but iustoad the air from the Mune
le drawn downward fnbo the miller .and
finally passed out through the ebimaey,
LEATHER IS VERY SCARCE;
memo Carious Faits Aieeloaed Ay unlit
tenter [o Fully the .Proust Arn,y
lyitl. Mmes..
Leather is so eoanty and high of price
just now in France that the Minister of
War is greatly perplexed over the question
of how to of oro the neoessary foot,weee
for the great number of men whioh that
nation' keeps continually in readiness for
its defense. Not,onlybhie, but a eufficienii
supply of leather for the saddles, harness
and other furnishings of the cavalry and
artillery is lathing,
When the Governtnenb invited bide
recently for the equipment of the troops
with ehoee and horse furniture, the only
contractors who dared make an offer de-
manded so high a figure that their proposi-
tions were rejected, and those who have
yob contracts to fill forthese artiolee' ar
Seeking every means possible to break
them, fearing that ruin will be the reoult if
they are compelled to parry out their agree.
manta.
Hides have doubled, in price since the
beginning of the preeentyear. This mummy,
elate of affairs in the leather trade was
thought at first to be the result of a corner
in the market, but it has sines become
evident that the remarkable scarcity in
that commodity is produced by a variety
SIMPLE AND NATURAL OAUSES.
Three of the principal reasons for this
dearth of feather are: The recent war
between China and Japan; the many
revolutions and bloody conflicts in the
South American republics, and the amity
of fodder and pasturage owing to the
unfavorable weather of last year and the
year before in the countries of the world
from which the principal supply of hides
somas.
As can readily be conceived, the poverty
of pasturage is a potent factor in the
decrease of the supply of cattle and of
hides. The number of cattle this year
which will furnish skins for the tanneries
of the world bas not reached anywhere
that of former years. Though the grazing
Linde are recovering from the effects of the
long and severe droughts, which, with the
consequent fires, have killed much of the
grass, it will .be another twelve months,
even under the most favorable conditions,
before they can supply cattle in euf$cienb
numbers to even partly meet the demand.
This disproportion between the demand
and the supplyis being felt not only in
France, but also in every other" manufac-
turing country which depends upon the
prairies and' pampas of the western hemis-
phere for the supply of leather.
In the countries of South America where
the cattle run wild in great herds the
unfavorable climatic conditione have'been
lees severe in their results, but nearly
every one of these countries has been the
theatre of a detesting civil war which has
left the people little chance to think of
anything else, and has left the scanty popu•
lotion still further reduced and crippled.
TOrE CATISTROrnxs
of the climate and of war in South America
although serious enough in themeelvee,
wouldnot alone have been sufficient to
bring about thepresentslobs of -affairs, Ib
is the war between China and Japan, which,
is more directly responsible for the dearth
which now prevails. When war was de-
clared Japan placed large contracts in the
United States for the equipment of its in
fantry and cavalry with footwear and other
furnishings. To fill these promptly the
contractors bought up nearly all the visible
supply of leather suitable for, that purpose.
Since the war closed Japan has sent new
ordero of equal importance to the mer-
chants for fresh sup'pliee,of ehoee end mtli
tory trappings, and the markets have been
swept bare to fill them. The price of"green"
hides has therefore risen so high that the
tannersare buyingas little as they can,
and a large precenbage of the tanneries
throughout bio world are closed.
In Franco eepecialiy the wholesale mann-
facture of shoes is in a deplorable state.
Generally the product of one season is made
up to sell the next, but owing to the high
prices prevailing this year for the 000050ary
raw material a great number of the shoe
factories are closing and throwing out of
employment a Targe number of workmen.
An immediaate and practical solution of
the: question seems impossible. The orieie
has not yet been reached,and the ultimate
outcome will be interesting to note.
THROUGH THE WORLD.
Subterranean Passage to the Antipodes
-The Labours or an Insane Iran 10
Paris. '- -
A despatch from Paris says1-Everyone
today has an idea that the Antipodes are
under our feet, but it has been reserved to
an enterprieing architect to start a journey
thither, with the aid of a wheelbarrow, a
spadeand a pickaxe. He started opera-
tions a few days ago at eleven o'elook in
the Place des Vosges, and, first having
adjusted his lantern, he sot to work' to dig
hie tunnel. First of all he removed the
paving stones, without meeting with any
objection from the police, the guardians of
the night regarding the delver as a work.
mai charged with the discovery of a faulty
gas pipe. For three hours the solitary
excavator tailed indefatigably, never
ceasing to ply both pick and epode in
his anxiety to reach Australia before
dawn. At lase the puzzled policemen be•
gen to suspoot that something wag not quite
right, and they addressed a few pertinent
questions to the lonely digger, but he re-
mained stolidly anent, devoting all his
energies to the throwing up of earth (rain
hie hole, new of a respectable depth. Fin.
ally the police took him to the police station
and there the strange being dis0lesed that
his projeob was to demonstrate that a mid.
terrestrial passage was quite practicable,.
ed
and that the eternal fires suPP os to be
o centre of the globe need no
raging in the t
i
g g
fere with the fan. �he nor follow
interfere p
ie now developing the scheme inthe infirm.
Cry of the depot.
TIE LIME -KILN OLUBS
BROTHER GARDNER ADVOCATES
THE USE Off' PLAIN WORDS.
Pier id l.nngun; 4 f s U!seb,arlttul0' t'ontlemn
ed --Tiro Present Ces,l5uen or the
itlo a lei llaoe 3405 Berth.-vaiD,into ia.
foa'Inatian .Uq;leolod ror 0554 GovorFi•
Meat,
" Gem'1en," began Brother Gardner as
the regular Saturday night meeting of the
Lirne.Kiln Olub was palled to order! with
213 members preeezjt, and Elder Toots
ready for a two hours+ nap, " let your con.
voreashun be plain au' to de pit, Say
what you mean, an' moan what yon' say. I
has notiood a Leudenoy on de part of ser-
tain memhere of dis club to afftd do Shakes.
psarsan style. I want it stopped. It dean
sound right in es man applyiu' whitewash
or stove bleekin'. How many members of
die club know de meanin' of de term
'Prognosticate towards de individuality?'
an' yit I h'ar ib uttered a dozen times a
day. What's de use of a oull'd man airnin'
ten ohillin'e a day remarkiu' dab he expects
to co;idesaend to the irresponsible endeavor
when he kin just as well observe dot black
berries am down to fifteen cents a quart?
11 any of you have an ideah dat do use of
eioh words as bombaetto, delirium tremens,
Cicero, or inoonsistenoy, elevates yes in de
mind of your naybar, you 18 greatly mine.
taken. When a man comet to me an'
wants to borry two tablespoonfuls'ofeighty.
cent green tea, kale de preacher am gwine
to be ab hie house to supper, let him spit ib
right out in plain English language,inetead
of beatin'round do woods an' luggin' in eioh
words as abdicate, reaction, Ceaseriem an'
cahoots, If 1 had a eon 20 y'are ole, an'
be should come hum wid his whitewash
brush on his shoulder an' inform mo dee de
gratificashnn ob .de incontestable eyntax
had withdrawn ite bombardment of de
planetary desderashun, I should viz up au'
put my No, 12 agin' hint wid slob auxiliary
reprehensibility dab be would feel lame fur
six weeks.
'I take die opportunity to say dot I hev
received a letter from Washington axin'
me to furnish de gguv'ment wid etch static•
ticks regerdin' de cull'd race ae we hev
thus fur bin able to gather since de organi-
zashun of de Lime -Kiln Club, De secretary
has prepared an' will ford de followin'
waluable slicesof informaehun :
"1. Gin a darkey a cooked hat an' a tin
sword an' de noise of a drum, an' you kin
lead nim anywhar' yon will.
"2. We can' tsee dal de color am bleach.
in' out any.
"8. We dean' know dat de black man
has groomed any wase doorin' de las' twenty gyp,
y'ars, an' we can't prove dab he has growed,
any better.
'4. Truth, honesty and industry am
three great jewels hidden in de groan'.
Looks like a heap of cull'd folks war' too
lazy to dig down an' find 'em.
"5, Our religun am about de same, an'
our pollyticks all mixed up,
"6. De inventive geniu-.of de rape hasn't
turned somuch to the mechanism an' art
as to plannin' how to make one day's work
bring in a libin' fur de rest of de week.
"In ease any of de members know of any
furder Packs baring' on de issue I should
like to h'ar from him."
Sir Isaac Walpole thought he could see a.
great improvement in social etiquette.
Uolored brothers who formerly Heaved
brimr•bate at him now rained their hate as
they passed, and women who once went
barefoot in their shoes now wore stockings
costing six -bits.
GiveadamJones had seen a great ohange
in his race in ten years. Whena black
manwho never owned a fowl in his life had
chicken pie three times a week the. year
'round there was a combination of genius
and progress which could not be kept down
nor drowned out,
Waydown Beebe thought the colored
man was more industrious than in former
years. He had known lots of them to work
Bard all day for insignificant wages to get'
money to patronize policy shops and pur-
chase lottery tickets.
Several other choice bits of information
were cheerfully tendered, and the secretary
was instructed to incorporate them and
write his report in red ink.
"To boil de matter down inter syrup,"
added the President, "de aul'd man hes
got hie liberty, but am hungry au' ragged
fo-fifths of the time. He bas got de ballot,
but,de white folks has got de offices, Be
has got civil rights, but he hain'b gob de
cash for a seat in de porkay circle or the
palace kyar. Let us purceed to de bizness
which has compounded us together."
A
TEMPERED IN LIVING FLESH -
Gory Tale of the Manufacture of Genulne
Damascus Blades.
It has baa"-' long believed that (tome, if
not all, high•grade ancient tools of steel
were tempered in human blood, and are
cent discovery in a ruin of Syria substanti.
atee the belief, says an exchange. In the
remains of an armorer'e smithy was found
a parchment, written in Syriac characters,
giving directions far .making the famous
" Damascus blades," The reoipe reads as
follows :
' Let the workman be furnished with a
slave of fair frame, and let the Ethiopian
be bound,shoulders upward, upon the
block with his arms fastened underneath
with thongs. * * 0 Hie head and neck
projecting over and beyond the edge of the
block.'- Then let the master workman cold.
hammer ;he blade to a thin, smooth edge.
Next let it be thrust into a fire of cedar
wood coals until the coir of the blade be.
red like the rising sun. Then, with a qutols
inotton, let him peas the blade six times
from the hilt to the point thereof through
the meet fleshy portions of the slave's book
and thighs, or a eufiiolont number of times
to pool it until the Dolor is purple. Then
wit, hone stroke it will never the nock of
the slave add not re0elve a tisk, where-
upon it may be cooled in the blood Hewing
from his body." Would high art be more
horribly disgraced?
Why He Did It.
Wife (snappishly)—Why do you amoke
those horrid [Agars ?
Husband—Because I Can't afford to buy
Paris bonnete and Havanna clgare, too.
AReasonable Theory.
Physician -=Yes, sir ; my o-,iniom is that
one-half edsgaee that afflict hum
anicy
are due to over - eating.
satin .
Friend (reiloative`y)--Tt may be—may
he, New, I think 01 14' it le menthe since
anyone wae Skit at fey hoarding•houee,,.