HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1893-11-10, Page 2IN THE MIDST OF ALARMS.
13Y ROBERT BARR, IN i0 t IPPINCOTT'S M,A-GAGINT,"
CHAPTER IV,—(CoxosenBO,)
Now, ib happened that Yates, who had
aeon nothing of this silent struggle of the
eyes,being exceedingly hungry, was making
every reparation for the energetic begin-
ning of the meal. He had spent moat of hie
life 'in hotels and New York boarding-
houses, so that a he ever knew the adage
"Graoe before meals" ho had forgotten it,
In bhe midst of his preparations name the
devout words, and they Dame upon him as
a stupefying surprise. Although naturally
a resourceful man, he was not quick enough ,
this time to cover his confusion. Mise
Bartlett's golden head was bowed, but out
of the oorner of her eye she saw Yates's look
of amazed bewilderment and Itis Budden
halt of surprise. When all heads were rais.
ed the youag girl's still remained where it
was, while her plump shoulders quivered.
Theo she oovered her face with her apron,
and the silvery ripple of a laugh came like
smothered musical chimp trickling through
her fingers.
" Why, Bitty 1" cried her mother, in as
toniehmenb, "what ever is the matter with
you?"
The girl could no longer restrain her
mirth,
"You'll have to pour out the tea, mother,"
she exclaimed, as she fled from the room.
"For the land's sake 1" Dried the astonish•
ed mother, rising to take her frivolous
daughter's place, "what ails the child ? I
don't see what there is to laugh at."
Hiram scowled down the table, and was
evidently also of the opinion that there was
no occasion for mirth, The professor was
equally in the dark.
"I am afraid, Mrs. Bartlett," said Yates,
" that I am the innocent cause of ellss
Kitty's mirth, You see, madam,—it's a
pathetic thing nosey, but really 'have had no
home life. Although I attend church reg-
ularly, of coarse," he added, with jaunty
mendacity, " I must confess that I haven't
heard grape at meals for years and years,
and—well, I wasn't just prepared for it, I
have no doubt I made an exhibition of my
self which your daughter was quick to
see."
"It wasn't very polite," said Mrs. Bart•
lett, with some asperity.
"I know that," pleaded Yates, with con-
trition, "But I assure you it was uninten•
tional on my part."
"Bless the man 1" Dried his hostess. "I
don't mean you. I mean Kitty,
But th t girl never could keep her Taus
straight. She always favored me more than
her fattier."
Thls etatement was not difficult to be-
lieve, for Hiram, at that moment, looked
as if he had never smiled in his life. He
sat silent throughout the meal, but klrs,
Bartlett talked quite enough for two.
" CVe11, for my part," she ;aid, " I don't
know whet farming's coming to, Henry
Howard and Margaret drove pest here this
afteruoanas proud as Punch fn their new
covered buggy. Things is very different
from what they was when I was a girl.
Then a farmer's daughter had to work.
Now Margaret's took her diploma at the
ladies' college, and Arthur he's begun at
the University, and Henry's sporting round
in a new buggy. They have a piano there,
with the organ moved out into the back
• room "
The whole Howard lot's a stuck-up set,"
muttered the farmer.
But Mrs. Bartlett wouldn't have that.
Any detraction thet was necessary she felt
competent to supply, without help from the
nominal head of the house.
"No, I don't go so far as to say that.
Neither would you, Hiram, if you hadn't
lost your law -suit about the line fence ; end
served you right, too, for it wouldn't have
been begun if I had .been at home at the
time. Not but what Margaret's a good house
keeper, for she wouldn't be her mother's
daughter if she wasn't that, but it does
seem to ane a queer way to bring up farmers'
ohsldren, and I only hope they can keep it
up. There were no pianos nor Frenoh and
German in my young days."
"You ought to hear her play! My lands:"
cried young Bartlett, who spoke for the
first time. His admiration for her ac.
cotnplishment evidently went beyond his
powers of expression.
Bartlett himself cid not relish the turn
the conversation had taken, and he looked
somewhat uneasily at the two young atran.
gere, the professor's countenance was open
and frank, and he was listening with re-
spectful interest to Mrs. Bartlett's talk.
Yates bent over his plate with flushed face,
Wand confined himself strictly to the bust.
nese in hand.
" I am glad," said the professor innocent.
ly to Yates, 'that you made the young
lady's acquaintance. I must ask you for an
introduction."
For once in his life Yates had nothing to
say, but he looked at his friend with an ex-
pression that was not kindly. The latter,
in answer to Mrs, Bartlett's inquiries, told
bow they had passed ivlies Howard on the
road, and how Yates, with his usual kind.
nese of heart, had offered the young woman
the hospitalities of the hayrack, Two
persons at the table were much relieved
when the talk turned to the tent, It was
young Hirano who brought about Ghia boon.
lie was interested in the tent, and he want•
ed to know. Two things seemed to bother
the boy. First, he was anxious to learn
What diabolical cause had been at work to
induce two apparently sane men to give up
the comforts of home end live in this ex•
poeed manner, if they were not Compelled
to do so, Second, he desired to Sod out
why people who had the privilege of living
in large cities came of their own accord into
the uninteresting country anyhow, Even
after explanations were offered the problem
seemed still beyond him.
Ater the meal they all. adjourned to the
veranda, where the air was cool and the
view extensive. Mrs. Bartlett would not
hear of the young men pitching the tent
that night,
Goodnees knows, you will have enough
of it, with the rake en rl the moequitoes. We
have plenty of room here, and you will
have one comfortable night on the Ridge,
at any rate. Then in the morning you oap
Med a plow in the woods to sett you, end
my boy will take an axe and out stakes for
you and help to put up your precious tent,
Only remember that when it rains you are
to come to the house, or you will eatoh your
deaths with cold and rheumatism. It will
be very nice till the novelty wears off; then
you are quite weloome to the front rooms
up -satire, and Hiram can take the tent back
to Erie the first time he goes to town,"
Mrs, Bertletb had a Way of teking thinge
for granted, It never seemed to ocour to
her that any of hor relinge might be quest. I
Toned. Hiram sat gazing silently et the road
as if all thhie'was no affair of his,
Yates had maned a chair, and sat on the
edge of the veranda, with his back against
erne of the pillars, in snoh a position that
he might, without turning his head, look
through the open doorway into the teem
where Mise Bartlett was busily but silently
clearing away the tea.things. The young
men caught fleeting glimpses of her ae she
moved airily about her work. He drew e
cigar from his case, out off the end with his
knife, and lit a match on the sole of his
boot, doing Gee with au easy automatic
familiarity thea required no attention on
his part, all of which aroused the respectful
envy of young 11Iram, who sab on a wooden
°heir leenlugg forward, eagerly watching the
man from New York,
have a cigar?" saki Yates, offering the
Daae to young Hiram.
" No, no ; thank you," gasped tine boy,
aghast at the reckless audacity of the pro.
real,
" What•'s that ?" cried Mrs, Bartlett,
Although site was talking vo ably to the
professor, her maternal vigilance never
even nodded, much less slept. " A cigar ?
Notlikely 1 I'll say this for myhusbaud aid
my boy, that, whatever else they may have
done, they have never smoked nor touched
a drop of liquor since I've known them,
and—please God—they never will."
"Oh, Igucss it wouldn't hurt them," said
Yates, with a lack of Mot that was not
habitual. He foil several degrees in the
estimation of his hostess,
" Hurt'em Y" cried Mrs, Bartlett, indsg•
tonne] y. "I guess it won't get a chance to.'
Site turned to the professor, who was a good
listener,—reepecbful and deferential, with
little to ray for himself. Sho rooked gently
to and fro as she talked.
Her husband sat unbendingly silent, in a
sphinx -like attitide that gave no outward
indication of his mental uneaeiness, He
was thinking gloomily that it would be
just his luck to meet Mrs. Bartlett unex-
pectedly on the streets of Fort Erie
on one of those rare occasions when
.he was enjoying the pleasures of cin
for a season. Ile had the most pessimistic
forebodings of what the future might nave
in store for him. Sometimes when neigh.
hors or customers treated often in the vin.
lage and he felt he had taken all the whiskey
that cloves would conceal, he took a five -
cent oigar instead of a drink. He did not
particularly, like the smoking of it, but there
was a certain deviemayonrerecklessness in
gems clown the street with a lighted cigar
in hos teeth, which had all the more fascina-
tion for 'nim because of its manifest danger.
He felt at these times that the was naing the
pace, and that it is well our women do not
know of all the wickedness there is in this
world. He did not fear that any neighbor
might tell his wife, far there were depths
to which no person oduld convince Mrs.
Bartlett he would descend. But he thought
with horror of some combination of circum•
stances that might bring his wife to town
unknown to 'him on a day when he indulged.
He pictured with a shudder meeting her
unexpectedly on the uncertain plank aide•
walk of Fort Erie, he smoking a oigar.
When this nightmare presented. itself to him
he resolved never to touoh a meal, again ;
but he well knew that the best resolutions
fade anew when a man is excited with two
or three glasses of liquor.
When Mrs. Bartlett resumed conversation
with the professor, Yates looked up at
young Hiram and winked. The boy flush-
ed with pleasure under the comprehensive-
ness of that wink. It included him in the
attractive halo of mane then enveloped the
fascinating personality of the man from New
York, It seemed to say,—
" That's all right, but we are men of the
world. We know."
The teeedishes having been cleared away,
Yates got no more glimpses of the girl
through the open door. He rose from his
lowly Beat and strolled towards the gate
with his hands in his pockets. He remem.
tiered that he had forgotten something, and
oudgelled his brains to make out what ib
was. He gazer' down the road at the
house of the Howards, which naturally
brought to his recollection his meeting
with the young girl on the road.
There was a pang of discomfiture in
this thought, when le remembered the an.
complishments attributed to her by Mrs.
Bartlett. He recalled his condescending
tone to her, and recollected his anxiety
about the jug. The jug ! That was what
he had forgotten, He fleshed a glance at
old Hiram, and noted that the farmer was
looking at lobo with something like reproach
in his eye,. Yates moved hut head almost
imperceptibly towards the hare, and the
farmer's eyes chopped to the floor of the
veranda. The young man nonchalantly
strolled past the end of the Manse.
" I guess I'll go to look after the horses,"
said the farmer, ruing,
" Here's looking at you," said Yates,
strolling into the barn, taking a telescopic
motel oap from his pocket and clinking it
into receptive shape by a jerk of the Mand.
He offered the now elongated cup to Hiram
who declined any such modern improvement
" Help yourself in that thing. The jug's
good enough for me."
" Three fingers" of the liquid gurgled out
into the patented vessel, and the farmer
took the jug, after a furtive look over his
shoulder.
' Well, here's luck," And the news-
paper -man tossed off the potion with the
facility of long experience, shutting up the
dish with his thumb and finger as if it were
a metallic opera -hat.
The farmer drank silently from the jug
itself. Then he smote in the cork with his
open palm. •
"Better bury it in the wheat -bin," he
said, morosely. "The boy might find it if
ynu put it among the oate,—feedin' the
Imrlee, ye know."
" Mighty good place," assented Yates, as
the golden grain flowed in a wave over the
submerged jar. "I say, old man, you know
the spot : you've been here betore."
Bartlett's lowering oountenataeeeelAieted
resentment at the imputation, but he
neither affirmednor honied. Yates strolled
out of the barn, while the farmer wenb
through a small door-way'that led to the
stable. A moment later he heard Hiram
galling loudly to his son to bring the pails
to water the horses.
" Evidently preparing an alibi," said
Yates, smiling to himself, as he eauntered
towards the gate.
CHAPTER V,
They were all at breakfast when Yates
next morning entered the apartment which
' Was at once diningroom and parlor.
i"Waiting for you," said young Hiram,
humorously, that being ono of a set of jokes
wnich suited various occasions. Yatee took
his place near Miss Kitty, who looked as
Menloand radiant es a spring flower.
"I hope I baven'b kept you waiting
long," he said,
"No fear," oried Mrs, Bartlett, "If
breakfast'e a mimeo later than seven
o'clock ova soon hear of it from the men -
folk's. They got /melons hungry by that
time,"
''By that tuner echoed Notes. "Then
do they gob up before seven ?"
"Laws 1 what a farmer you would make,
Mr. Yates !" oxolaioned Mrs. Bartlett,
laaglsiug. "Why, everything's done about
the house and baru,horsesfed, cows Hulked
—everything. There never was a better
motto made than the one you learnt when
you were a boy and like as not have for.
gotten all about it;
Early to bed and early 10 visa
Makes amen hoolthy, wealthy and wise.
I'm sorry you don't believe in it Mr,
Yates."
" Oh, that's all right," said Yates, with
some loftiness, " bu b Pd like to see a man
get out a morning paper on such a basis,
len healthy enough, quite 50 wealthy as
the professor here, and every one will
admit that I'm wiser than he is, yet I never
go to bed until after two o'clock, and rarely
wake before noon."
Kitty laughed at tlsie, and young Hiram
looked admiringly at the' New. Yorker wish.
Ing he was as clever.
"For the land's sake 1" cried Mrs. Bart-
lett, with true feminine profanity. " What
do you do up so late ae that 7"
" Writing, writing," said Yates, airily,—
"articles that tnakedynasties tremble next
morning, and which call forth apologies or
libel suits afterwards, as the case may
be,"
"Mr. Bartlett has been good enough,"
said the professor, changing the subject,
" to say we may camp in the woods at the
beak of the farm. S have been out there
this morning, and it certainly is a lovely
spot."
' We're awfully obliged, Mr. Bartlett,"
said Yates, "OF ceurso Renmark went out
there merely to show the difference between
the ant and the butterfly. You'll find out
what a humbug he is by and by, lvirs.
Bartlett. He looks honest ; but yon wait."
"1 knowust the spot far the tent,"
cried young Hliran,—" down in the hollow
by the creek, Then you won't need to haul
water,"
"Yes, and catch their deaths of fever
and ague," sped lairs. Bartlett. Malaria
had not then beet, invented, "Take my
advice, and put your tent—if you will put
it up at all—on the highest ground you
can and. Hauling water wos'b hurt you."
"I agree with you, Mrs, Bartlett. It
shall be se. My friend uses no water, --you
ought to have seen his bill at the Buffalo
hotel: I have it somewhere, and am going
to pin it up on the ossicle of the tent as a
warning to the youth of this neighborhood,
—and what, water I need I can easily carry
up from the crook,"
The professor did not defend himself, and
Mrs. Bartlett evidently took a large dis-
count from all that Yates said. She was a
shrewd woman.
After breakfast the men went out to the
barn. The horses were hitched to the
wagon, which still contained the tont and
fittings. Young Hiram threw au axe and
a spode among the canvas folds, mounted to
his place, and drove up the lane leading to
the forest, followed by Yates and Renmark
on foot, leaving the farmer in his barnyard
with a cheery good by which Ile did not see
fit to return,
Young Hiram knew the locality well, and
drove direct to an ideal place for camping,
Yates was enchanted.
When the tent was put up he gazed in
enthusiastic rapture around him and up-
braided Renmark because he took the syl-
van situation no cool/y.
" Where are your eyes, Benny ?" he
cried, " that you don't grow wild when you
look around you? Soo the dappled sun•
light filtering through the leaves ; listen to
the murmur of the wind in the branches;
hear the trickle of the brook down there ;
notice the smooth bark of the beech and
the rugged covering of the oak; smell the
wholesome woodland scants. Renmark,
you have no soul, or you would not be so
unmoved. It is like Paradise. It is --
Say, Renny, by Jove, I've forgotten that
jug at the barn 1"
' The jug will be left there,"
" Will it? Oh, well, if you say so. '
"I do say so. I looked around for it
this morning to smash it, but couldn't find
it,"
"Why didn't you aslr old Bartlett?"
" I did, but he didn't know where it
was,"
Yates threw- himself down on the moss
and laughed, flinging his arms and legs
about with tate joy of living.
"Say, Culture, have you gob any old dis-
reputable clothes with you ? Well then,go
into the tent and put them on, then thine
out and lie on your back andlook up at the
leaves. You're a good fellow, Renny, but
decent clothes spoil you. You won't know
yourself when you get ancient duds on your
bank. Old clothes mean freedom, liberty,
n11 that our ancestors fought for. When
you tomo out we'll settle who's to cook and
who to wash dishes. I've settled it already
n my own mind, but I ani not so selfish as
to refuse to discuss the matter with you."
When the professor came out of the tent
Yates roared. Renmark himself smiled :
he knew the effect would appeal to Yates.
" By Jove, old man, I ought to have in-
cluded a mirror in the outfit. The loop of
learned respectability set off with the gar.
menti of a disreputable tramp makes a com-
bination that is simply killing, Well, you
can't spoil that suit, anyhow. Now
sprawl."
"I'm very comfortable standing up, thank
you."
"Get clown on your back. You hear
me 7"
"Put me there."
"You mean it?" asked Yates, sitting
up.
"Certainly."
"Say, lemony, beware : I don't want to
hurt you,"
"I'll forgive you for onto,"
"On your head be It,"
"On my bask, you mean,"
"That's not bad, Renny," cried Yates,
springing to his feet, "Now, it will ]hurt:
you have fair warning. I have spoken."
The young men took sparring attitudes,
Yates tried to do it gently at first, but,
finding it could not touch his opponent,
etruok out more earnestly, again giving a
friendly warning. Titis went on ineffectual•
ly for some bime, when the professor, with
a quick movement, swung around his foot
with the airy grace of a dancing.masber,
and caught Yates just behind the knee, at
the same time giving him a slight tap on
the breast, Notes was instantly on his
bath,
"Oh, I say, Ronny, that wasn't fair,
That was a kick."
"No, ib wasn't, Ib is merely a little
Frenoh tooth. I learned 11 in Parte. They
do kink there, you know, and itis good to
know how to nee yotn' feeb as well as your
Waif you are set on by three, ae I was one
lit in the Lat'n Quarter."
Yatae sat up. •
"Look hero, Renmark : when were you
in Paris?"
"Several times."
Yates gazed at him for a few moments,
then salad,
"Ronny, you improve en acquaintance,
5 never saw a Bool-ver 10 my life. You
meet teeth me that little kiek. "
"With pleasure," soul Renmark, sitting
down', while the other sprawled at lull
length, "Toaohing is my buehtees, and I
shall be glad to annum any taleste
I may have in that line. In endeavor-
ing to isebruot a New York men,
the first atop is to convince him
he doesn't know everything. That le the
diflionit point, Afterwards everytlusg le
easy."
" Mr. Stilison Rentuartc, you ereploaeed
to be severe, Know that you are forgiven.
This delioions sylvan retreat does not lend
itself to sorimonioue dispute, or, in plain
English, quarreling. Let dogs delight if
they want to ; I refuse to be goaded by your
querulous nature into giving anything but
the soft answer. Now to bnsinese. Nothing
ie so oondncivo to friendship, when two
people are camping out, as a definition of
the dation of what the beginning. Dorm
follow me ?"
" Perfeobly, What do you propose?"
" 1 propose that you do the cooking and
I wash the dishes, We will forage for food
alternate days."
' Very well, I agree to that."
Richard Yates set suddenly upright, look.
log at This friend with reproach in This eyes,
See here, Remark. Aro you resolved to
force on au international complication
the very first nay ? That's no fair show to
give a man,"
"What ion't ?"
"Why, agreeing with him. There aro
depths of meanness in your character,
Benny, that I never suspected. You know
that people who rams out always object to
bre part assigned thorn by their fellow -
campers. I counted on that. I'll do any.
thing but wash dishes."
"Then why didn't you say so ?"
"Because any sane man would have said
'no' when I suggested cooking, merely be-
cause I suggested it. There's no diplomacy
about yon, Renmark, A man doesn't know
whore to find you, when you act like tlhat.
When you refused to do the cooking, I
would have said, 'gory well, then I'll do it,'
and everything would have been lovely;
but now--"
Yates lay down again eh disgust. There
are moments in life when language fails a
man.
"Then it's settled that you do the cook-
ing and I wash the dishes ?" said the pro.
fessor.
"Settled? Oh, yes, if you say so; but
all the pleasure of getting one's own way
by the use of one's brains is gone. I hate
to be agreed with in that objectionably
civil manner."
"Well that point being arranged, who
begins the foraging, you or I?"
Both, Herr Professor, both. I propose
to go to the house of the Rewards, and I
need au excuse for the first visit ; therefore
I shall forage to a limited extent. I go
ostensibly for bread. As I may not get
any, you perhaps should bring same from
whatever farm -house you choose as the
scene of your operations. Bread is always
handy in camp, fresh or stale. Whoa in
doubt, buy more bread. You can never go
wrong, and the bread won't."
" What else should I get? 11lilk I sup-
pose ?"
"Certainly, agge, butter,—anything.
Mrs. Bartlett will gbve you hints on what
to get that will be more valuable than
mine."
Have you all the cooking -utensils you
need?"
"I think so. The villain from whom I hir-
ed the outfit said it was complete. Doubt.
less he lied; but we'll manage, I think."
"Very well. If you wait until I change
my clothes, 1'11 go with you as far as the
road."
" My dear fellow, be advised and don't
change. You'll get everything twenty per
cent. cheaper in that rigout. Besides, you
are so much more picturesque. Your cos-
tume may save us from starvation if we run
short of cash. You can get enough for
both of us as a professional tramp. Oh,
well, if you Moist I'll wait. Good advice is
thrown away on a tnan like you."
(To BE CONTINUED.;
RANCHING IS NOT A FAILURE.
This Year's Cattle Trade Willi England
Urger Than Ever.
Where the buffalo roamed in millions in
the far Canadian wept there is room for a
mighty empire. That is the unfaltering
opinion of Mr. D. R. Browning, of Fort
'MacLeod, N.W.T. Mr. Browning believes
after years of experiences that where the
buffalo thrived countless herds of domestic
cattle, Herefords, Shorthorns and Polled
Angus, crossed, if need be, With the native
Texan breeds, can also thrive and make
millionaires of their owners, or in the
fubure make every cowboy rich. Mr,
Browning has just arrived at Montreal with
two hundred and forty head of cattle, bought
U Gordon es Ironside, of Manitou, Man.
This firm, Mr. Browning says, has shipped
to England this autumn upwards of seven
thousand beeves, the largest trade ever
done in a single season by any Canadian
firm. As to the allegations of the large
ranch owners that the Governmerb's notice
of cancellation of all leases in 1896, woald
rake Canadian ranching, Mr, Browning
esthete the very contrary. Small ranching
will, he contends, be the industry of the
North West and will do much to
D19VBLOP TIP: PRAMS GRAZING LANDS OF
CA\ADA.
The best of stooks iA being introduced; flrat,
Shorbhorns, then Herefords and Polled
Angus. These eastern breeds soon become
acclimatized and comp through the winbere
without serious loss. Ib was true there
was some loss of calves, but nature usually
enacted the proper mating Beason, and the
oalvee dropped late in April or May were
perfectly safe. Nob so, however, with
horses, for bhe colts, no matter when drop.
ped, wore liable to destruction by the
prairie wolves. He understood that the
Waldron Ranch Company suffered large
losses by rho depredations of the wolves.
But though Ise saw no immediate prospect
of profit in 'horse raising on the Canadian
prairies, Ile reaffirmed thab our North.
West was an almost infinite paebure•land
with which there was no other territory to
compare in the world.
As to social life on the prairie, Mr.
Browning averred that the great drew.
blob. was the scarcity, of feminine assoole.
tions. "get the girls of the leash to come
out to Fort MacLeod," said Mr. Browning,
"and they will be married quicker than
you Dan say knife, Servant girls are in
greab demand. We have had them eine
out from England, but we could nob keep
them a month till some gaod.looking, steady
cowboy came and carried them elf, not by a
lasso, of mom, nor a halter, but by the
altar. All we want now 18 n.ore seen and
women, particularly women, to found a
great empire in the North-West,"
Tourist (in Ireland)—" I should like a
room with an iron bedstead," Hotel l'ro-
prletor, Sor, Oi haven't en iron badsteed
in the plaoe- they re all soft wood, But
you'll foind the mattress natio and hard,
seer;"
+s
YOUNCa' FOLKS.
The Falling of the Nets -
11, 15, IMA810.
The spreadingb000hos stood
A wealth of living gold,
And showered, with prethee hand,
Hare leaven upon the land,
That, overlapping, lay
AI carpet,
sort
and i fore bold.
Along their glittering boughs
Brown burrs in pendants (sung,
Moulting thssqulrrol's tooth
1l'hfeh sought to pioroo their Truth.
And burst tlsoirleot'oe apart;
To gain thole money heart,
Of wldclthis giro had sung,
But eaok Orme came at nigiht
And burst the burrs in twain,
And, in the morn, was found.
',Vide scattered on the ground,
Brown nuts in cradled eaves,
Wetting the chattering thieves
Whose bite had proved in vain.
And 1 red,.ancl dark•syea Neu
Came from the hillside cot
W1t1s shining pelts, and gay,
Glad shout tospond 1110 day
10 golden temples Net
Now, squirrels, you must share,
Whether you will or not t
"October gives her yield
Of treasures, sane and wild,
To those who sock her grace
Who know bon times and place :
To tin=o who love hos golcol,
AS wolf as nuts unrolled
To squirrel and to child."
Riosoekoopor,
THt, 115AGI0 FIDDLE.
Once upon a time, when the world was
not as old as it now is, there lived in the
land of the vikings, so we read in ancient
story, a poor widower. Ho toiled early
and late, yet could earn bat a scanty liveli-
hood for himself and his only son. Many it
night father and child went to bed hungry
antlered, and their clothes were tattered
and torn. The boy's name was Frik, and
Ile was so puny and stunted in his growth
that lm was known far and wide as little
Frik.
Before little Frik had lived many years
be began to talk of going out into the
world to seek his own fortune, His father
thought it might be a good plan and so ono
day he set out himself with his boy to look
for a place.
They went from door to door, but no one
wanted the little lad until they came to the
Squire. He had just lost his errand boy,
and it was no easy matter for him to get
another ae ho had the name of being a mis-
erable miser.
The Squire consented at once to takelittie
Frits, Not a word was said about pay,
but Frik'e father thought it was better for
the boy to earn lois booed than nothing.
So he loft the little fellow with the Squire.
Little Frik served bhe old miser faith-
fully for three years, and then, as there
seemed to be no promise of reward, made
tip his mind to try his luck at some other
place. The Squire said he was sorry to part
with him, but if he must go 16 was only
fair to pay him what he had earned. So
the gave little Frik a silver penny for each
year he had served—three pennies in all.
This made little Frik quite happy, He
had never had so much money for his own
in his whole life. Still he thought ft wise
to ask if that was all.
. "I1 is more than you bargained for," said
the Squire. •
"Am I to have no new clothes' 1" asked
little Frik. "I have had noneaince I Dame
here, and mine are pretty ragged, as you
see.."
"You have had more than we agreed
on," sold the Squire. " I owe you uoth.
Wig"
But at last little Frik got leave to have
the- cook put up some lunch for his journey.
Then the started for town to see if he could
buy some clothes. He was very light of
heart, and as he stepped merrily along he
kept putting his hand in his pocket from
time to time to melte sure then his pennies
were safe.
After he had walked a long way he found
himself in a narrow valley that was com-
pletely shat in by high mountains. He fell
to wondering what lay beyond the lofty
heights, and how in the world he could
manage to cross them.
The path leading to the uplands was steep
and rugged, end little Frik had not follow-
ed it very long before he grew weary. So
he sat down by the wayside to rest, and in
order to while away the time he took his
pennies out of hie pocket to have a good
look at bloom. They were eo bright and
shining, he thought he had never seen any
thing quite so nice. All at once there stood
before him a beggar, who was so tall and so
gaunt and so forlorn -looking then little Frik
screamed aloud in fright.
" Don't be afraid of me, my little lad,
said the beggar. " I won't hart you. All
I want is a penny, for sweet charity's
sakeI."
have only three pennies," said little
Frik, "and Pm on my way to town to get
some olothes."
"My clothes are more ragged than yours,"
said the beggar, "and I haven't a penny to
my nano."
" Thorn I shall have to help yon," said
Miele Frik, handing the beggar one of his
pennies.
Quick as a flash the matt had disappeared,
and little Frik trudged 015 once more. His
petit was now even more steep and rugged
than before, and pretty soon he was folioed
to sitdown for another rest. Seemly had
he done so than a clarlr shadow fell upon
him, and raising his oyes, he beheld another
beggar, who looked he
and more
gaunt and more forlorn than the first one.
Little Frik was so frightened then he threw
back his head and shrieked With all his
might.
'Dontbe afraid of me, my boy," said the
beggar. "I won't hurt you. All I want its
o penny, for sweet charity's sante," And
he told the same story the first beggar had
told.
"Well, then, I shall have to give you a
penny," said little Frik.
So he put one of the pennies that were
left into the scrawny hand, and without
venturing to look back moved further up
the slopeand.
By by
be ant clown for another rest,
and once more a beggar appeared suddenly
before him. This one was so tall and so
gaunt and so hideous to behold that if you
had ever amen him it would eend cold stud.
dors through you just to think of him,
Little Frik s oyes seemed almost to meet
the clouds before they rested on the man'!
face. Throwing bank his head and opening
wide his month, the poor little chap sent
forth shriek after shriek,
"i)ot't be eased of me, my little fel-
low," said the Dogger, " I wouldn't hurt
you for the World. I'm only a poor beggar,
and ell 1 wast is a penny, for sweet charity's
'eke."
"Alas 1" cried little Frik. " A penny
is ell I hove in the world, and I'm on my
way to town to buy some teethes. 11 I'd
met you sootier, X"—
"I'm bigger than you are," used the beg.
gar, "and there's lose left of my clothes
than of yours,"
"Well, then there is no help for it ; you
will have to have the penny," libble lerik
said,
" What good•bearbed boy you aro,"
said the beggar. " You have shown your.
salt willing to give up everything you have
in the world to help u11oor follow-oroabure
is tlisttoez,and you shall have your reward.
For every penny you have given me I'll
grant you a wish,"
You see, 1t was the same myotorious
being that got all throe silver pennies. Ho
hail merely eiianged hie shape that little
Frik might not know him.
"May I wish for whatever I please 7'
asked little Frik.
" For whatever you please," said the
stranger,
Then I'll wish for a fiddle," said littio
Erik, " that can make everything that lives
dance to its music,"
" Bus shall have it," said the stranger.
" What next?"
" I should litre to have a gun," said little
Erik, " that can hit anything I may aim at,
u0 mai ter how far away it may be."
" You shall have it,' said the stranger.
" And now see what is the best you can do
for the third wish."
"I've always longed to be with people
who are kind and obliging," said little Frik.
So 115 may have whet T please, I'll wish
that no one can say' No' to me, whateverI
may ask for,"
" Now that is not such a poor wish,"
reed the stranger, and no ,sooner had the
words escaped his lips than ho had vanished
from sight.
Little Frik fell asleep by the wayside
that night, thinking of his strange adven-
ture. 1Vhen he woke next morning, after
many wild dreams, his wishes were all
granted, and he reached the other side of
the mountain, beating with him his fiddle
and his gun and his newly gained power of
winning the good -will of those about hire.
The last gift proved the best of all. It is
one that together with skill in reaching
what is aimed at, ie very apt to go with
the gift of .music, as you may learn some
(14.141e first thing little Fr;k did when be
got to town was t0 find a clothing shop.
]aero he was clad in the finest raiment.
Then he asked one man for a horse, an.
other for n sleigh, still another for a fur
that and oap, and wherever he went there
was n0 one, however stingy he might be,
who Could say "No" to little leek.
Look out for him, if you ever climb to
the uplands airy, far a will surely bewitch
you with his music. 11He always hits what
he aims at, and no one can say " no" to
such as ho. Neitherhe nor Isis magic will
hurt you, though, if your heart bo all
right.
SUEZ CANAL SHARES.
Success Attending the Late Lord Mentons
field's Divestment.
" Few acts of the late Lord Beaconsfield,'
says the Birmingham Daily Poet, " pro-
voked keener criticism at the time than his
investment, in 1875, of four millions of
British money in the pnrohase of Suez
Canal shares. Ib was is entirely new de-
parture in administrative methods iu this
country, and one obviously attended svith
considerable risk for British taxpayers and
British credit, There was an element
about it which, whatever its outomne,
lo prudent Government could ignore,
nd, furthermore, it was a precedent that
might prove clangorous in the future
and open the door to a good deal of
jobbery and corruption. Every one school-
ed in the traditions of constitutional usage
Mit bound, on principle, to protest against
this new alliance between Ministers and
the Stork Exchange and the employment
of British taxpayers' money for the punt
chase of shares in a foreign commercial
undertaking: and the fnot that the invest-
ment was expressly justified by the plea of
political ends was hardly calculated to
silence objections. Suaoess, however, sanc-
tifies a great many irregularities, and
there• Gan be no question either as to
the financial or elle political euoaess of the
Suez purchase. The shares which were
purchased in 1875 for four millions are
estimated by the Chancellor of the hxche•
quer to be now worth seventeen and three
quarters millions. Moreover, nearly the
whole of the four millions has already
been paid off by the sinking fund, so that
the next year we shall be iu possession of a
property worth probably not less than 18
millions, which will have omit the country
only about two and a half millions. In the
meantime we have been getting excellent
interest for the outlay, at the rate of five
per cone per annum, which, as the money
was raised at S. per oenb., shows a net an.
nual profit of l( par cent. All the net earn.
Ings that remain after they per that. inter -
eat has been maid on the subscribed
capital are divided in the following
proportions—viz.: 71 per cent. of the whole
goes as dividend to the ordinary share-
holders ; 15 per oent. representing Egypt's
royalty ;16 per cont, is assigned to the
founders' shares, of whloh there aro a hun-
dred thousand, value $100 each; 2 per Dent.
is payable to the directors ; and 9 per Dent.
by way of bonus to the company's ampler.
ees. 'lihe dlvideud paid during the last
throe year's, ranging from 17 so 21 per Dent.
doubtless seems Isigit for so solid a security
Mit it must be remembered that the nomin.
al capital of the oonoern by no sneaus
represents all the money sunk in it. The
total expenditure of money on rho
canal down to the time when the British
Government bought the Khedive's shares,
amounted to a little over 18 millions, but
this son did not by any meats repre-
sent the total cost. The Khedive's origincl
concession granted extraordinary privileges
to the°anal oompeny,iuoludinglatge grants
of land, water privslegeo, quarries, cttstome
dues, etc. One of the conditions ofthe eon-
°meion, also, was that the Khedive should
procure forced labor for the exeoution of
the work, and for a long period the number
of forced or unpaid laborers employed upon
the canal ranged from 25,000 to 50,000.
When Ishmail Paola succeeded to the Khe-
dive,' throne, and declined to ratify the
valuable concessions granted by his redo.
censer, he had to pay the Canal Company no
lase than 210,000,000, by way of " smart
money " for the withdrawal of forced labor
and other' privileges. None of this labor nr
indemnity appears in the oompany's capital
account, and that is one reason why the
company le able to pay such large dividends.
There can be no creation as to the eu5e°se
of Lord Boaconadald's financial coup.
Nevertheless, it is one of a kind which we
should be some to see repeated by a British
Minister, for we hold it to bo contrary to
all prudent precedent, if not also to cloned.
tutioned power, and a measure that ie feeugit
Stats,with great dangers to the public and the
A table showing the monetary eyetem of
the world has boeu prepared by .Director of
the 'dint Preston. -The statistiosshow that,
the aggregate stook of gold le 53,582,805,-
000 ; silver, 54,0.12, 700,000, and nnoovorod
paper, 59,656,876,000.
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