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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1912-10-10, Page 2NIA A MO 'TI -1; OR, A CURIOUS 7STERY EXPLAINED. CHAPTER XX, If any one had told Roy that hi fate was to be eeriotisly'affected by Mrs, Tames Horner, he would scarcely have credited the idea If tate life at Rowan Tree. House hac gone on without interruption, if Sigrid had been unable to find work and had been at perfect leisure to consider Roy's wooing, it is quits probable that in a few weeks their friendship might have ended in be- trothal, But Mrs. James Horner gave ' a children's party, and this feet changed the whole aspeot of affairs. "It is, as you say, rather soon after my poor uncle's death for us to give a dance," said Mrs. Horner, as she satin the drawing -room of Rowan Tree House discussing the various arrangements. "But you see it is dear Mamie's birthday, and I do not like to disappoint her; and Madame Leehertier has taken the idea up so warmly, and has promised to come as a spectator. It was at her suggestion that we made it a fancy-dress affair." "Who is Madame Leehertier?" asked Sigrid, who listened with all the interest of a foreigner to these details. first really gay scene which had met s Sigrid's eyes for nearly a year, and she enjoyed to the full the quaint little eavalier's, the tiny court ladies, with their powdered hair i _and their patches ; the Red Riding: boodle and Bo -peeps; the fairies and the peasants ; the Robin Hoods and Maid Mariana, The dancing was going on merrily when Mine. Lech- ertier }vas announced, and Sigrid ;looked up with interest to see what the lady who was pronounced to be "quite a. character" was like. She saw a tall and wonderfully graceful woman, with an expres- sive but plain face. In repose her expression was decidedly autocra- tic, but she had a most charming smile, and a perfect manner. The Norwegian girl took a great fancy to her, and the feeling was mutual, for the great Mme. Leehertier, who, it was rumored, was •of a keenly critical disposition instant- ly noticed her, and turned to the hostess with an eager question. "What a charming face that gol- • den -haired girl has!" she said, in her outspoken and yet courteous way. "With all her simplicity there is such a pretty little touch of dig- nity. See how perfect her bow is 1 What is her name? And y I not "She is a very celebrated dancin mistress," explained Cecil. " should like you to see her, for sb is quite a character." "Miss Fakir will, I hope, come t our little entertainment," said Mrs Horner, graciously, For, albhoug she detested Frithiof, she had been against her will, charmed by Sigrid "It is, you know, quite a small of fair—about fifty children, and on from seven to ten. I would not fo the world shock the congregation Loveday, so I mean to make it al as simple as possible. I do no know that I shall even have ices.' "My dear, I do not think is would shock them," said Mrs. Boni face, "though I should think per haps they might not be wholesome for little children who have go heated with dancing." "Oh, I don't really think they'] be shocked at all," said Mrs. Her ner, smiling. "James could do al- most anything before they'd b shocked. You see, he's such a. be- nefactor to the chapel and is so en- tirely the leading spirit, why, where ••,,would they be without him " Mrs. Boniface murmured some kindly reply. It was quite true, as she knew very well. James Hor- ner was so entirely the rich and generous head of the congregation that everything had to give way to him, and the minister was not a little }hampered in consequence. Whether Mr. Boniface entirely approved of this •children's fanny - dress dance, Sigrid could not feel sure. She fancied that in spite of all hie kindly tolerant spirit he had an innate love of 'the older forms of .Puritanism, and that his quiet, home -keeping nature could not un- derstand at ell the enjoyment of 'dancing or of character -dresses. At length the great day came, and Mr. Boniface and Roy on their return from town were greeted by a bewitching little figure on the stairs, with curly hair combed out to its full length and a dainty suit of crimson velvet trimmed with gold lace. "Why, who are you?" said Mr. Boniface, entering almost uncon- sciously into the fun of the mas- querade, "I'm Cinderella's prince," shout- ed Lance, gleefully, and in the high- est spirits the little fellow danced in to show Frithiof his get-up. Fri- thiof, who had been tired and de- pressed all day, brightened up at once when Lance, who was very fond of him, came to sit on his knee hi that ecstasy of happy impatience which one only sees in children. "What is rho time now?" he asked every two minutes, "Do you thin keit will soon be time to gel Don't you almost think you hear the carriage Doming?" "As for me," said Sigrid, "I feel like Cinderella before the fairy godmother came. • "You are sure Mrs, Horner will not mind this or- dinary black gown1" "Oh, dear, no," said Cecil. "You see, she herself is in mourning; and besides, you look charming, Sigrid." "I wish ;you could come too," said Cecil, gleaming at Frithiof, while she swathed the little prince in• as thick plaid. • "It will be very pretty to. see all the children in ,Costume." r "Yes," he replied; "but my head wotilcl never stand the noise and the heat. I am better here," "We shall take great care of him," said Mrs. Boniface; "and you -must tell us all about it after- ward. Dont keep Lance ep late if e tired, dearie oad- he s ems to got t c , . G eye, and mind you enjoy yourself.," A. children's party generally does call out whatever good there is In peeele. It wee, moreover, the ma g be introduced to her 1" I "She is a friend of my cousin's," e explained Mrs. Horner, "She is a Norwegian, and her name is o Feick." Sigrid liked the bright, clever, h majestic -looking French -woman bet- , ter than ever after she had talked • with her. • There was, indeed, in _ Mme, Leehertier something very re- ly freshing. ✓ The pianist, a pale, worn -looking lady, whose black silk dress had an 1 ominously shiny back, which told its tale of poverty, all at once broke ' down, and her white face touched es Sigrid's heart. Boni i "I think she is faint," sbe ex - .1 claimed, "Do you think I might offer to play for her ?" t "It is a kind thought," said Mme. Leehertier. She played extremely 1 well,. and being herself a born dan- _cer, entered into the spirit of the waltz in a way which her predeces- sore had wholly failed to do. Mme. Leehertier was delighted, and when by and by Sigrid was released she rejoined her, and refused to be borne off to the supper -room by Mr. Horner. "No, no," she said; "let the lit- tle people be attended to first. Miss Feick and I mean to have a quiet talk here." So Sigrid told her something of her life at Bergen, and of the na- tional love of music and dancing, and thoroughly interested her.. "And when do you return ?" ask- ed Mme. Leehertier, "That depends on whether I can find work in England," replied Sig- rid. "What I wish is to stay in London with my brother. He has. been very ill, and I do not think he ought to live alone." "What sort -of work' do you wish for ?" asked Mme, Leehertier, "I would do anything," said Sig- rid, "But the worst of it is every- thing is so crowded already, and I have no very special talent." "My dear," sail Mme. Lecher - AN AUTUMN FROCK. The little French trotting frock illustrated above shows the pannier overskirt, which is really only a section of drapery turned in and upward all round. The lavish use of buttons and the huge size of the big black velvet osprey -trimmed hat are also features of the season's fancy. Sigrid went home in high spirits, and the next day, when as usual she and Frithiof were alone in the morning --room after breakfast, she told him of Mme. Lechertier's pro• posal, and while they were. still discussing the matter the good lady was announced. Now, like many people, Mme. Leehertier was benevolent by im- pulse. Had Sigrid been less at- tractive, she would not have gone out of -her way to help her; but the Norwegian girl had somehow touch- ed her heart. "It will be a case of `Colors seen by candle -light will not look the same by day,' " she had reflected as she walked to Rowan Tree House. "I shall find my pretty Norse girl quite commonplace and uninteresting, and my castle in the air Will fall in ruins." But when she was shown into the room where Sigrid sat at work, all her fears vanished. "The girl has bewitched mel" she thought to herself, "And the brother, what a fine-looking fellow! There is a his- tory behind that face if I'm not mistaken." "We ,have just been talking ovei what you said to me last night, madame," said Sigrid, brightly. "The question is," said Mme, Lechertier, "whether you are really in earnest in seeking work, and whether you will not object to my proposal. The fact is, that the girl who for some time has played for me at my principal classes is going to• be married. I should only need tier, "it seems to me you have a you in the afternoon, and during very decided talent. You play the three terms of the year. Each term is of twelve weeks, and the salary I should offer you would be £24 a term—£2 a week, you see." "Oh, Frithiof 1" cried Sigrid, in great excitement, "we should be able to keep Swanhild, We could have her over from Norway. Surely your salary and mine together would keep us all?" "Who is Swanhild?" asked Mme. Leehertier, "She is our little sister, madame. She is much younger—only eleven years old, and as we are orphans, Frithiof and I are her guardians." Mme. Leehertier looked- at the two young faces, smiling to think that they should be already burd- ened with the cares of guardian- ship, It touched her and yet at the same time it was a{most comical to hear these two young things gravely talking about their ward. • "You see," said Frithiof, "there would be her education, one must not. forget that." "But at the high -schools it is "very cheap, is it not madame?" said Sigrid. "About ten pounds a year," said Mme. Leehertier, "What is your little sister like, because if she is at all like you—" • 'Mere is her photograph," said unfastening Si grid , her writing - ease and taking out Swanhild's picture. "'phis is taken in her pea- sant costume which she used to wear sometimes for fun wheal we were it the country. It suits her very well, I think." But she is charming, cried c �i d Mme. Leehertier, "Such e dainty little figure—etch well -shaped lege! My dear, I have a bright thought— an inspiration, ,Send for your lite dance music better than any one I ever heard, and that is saying a good deal. Why do you not turn this to account?" "Do you think I could?" asked Sigrid, her eyes lighting up eager- ly. "Do you really think I could earn nay living by it?" "I feel sure of it," said Mme. Leehertier, "And if you seriously think the idea is good I will come and discuss the matter with you. I hear you are a friend of my old pupil, Miss Boniface," "Yes, we are staying now at Ro- wan Tree House; they have been so good to us." "They are delightful people—the father is one of nature's true gen- tlemen. I shall come and see you, then, and talk this over. To -mor- row morning, if that will suit you," con ONE DYf Alt MINDSoraooss no ahaC LrA r a Wars/FAT, SIMPLEST, endo CST Roma nvr ono con h y WI y you dont oven ham t know whet xlMn o1 Cloth your Cowls aro Millitt of,..So 'hal r ken are impoaalbla Send for Pratt Color Cad Storyno kl t d booklet aiVlag ...eta of nydog over other Callon, 'rho JOHNSON-tttofAnnsolt CO., Limned Wormer.. Goulds... ble Swanhild, and when you come to me each afternoon bring her al- so in this fascinating costume, She shall be my little pupil -teacher, and though, oe course, her earnings would be but small, yet they would more than cover liar education at a high-school; and she wouki" be learning a useful profession into the bargain," (To be continued.) elleseeelerwresselleseseal On the Farm BHN►, WHEN TO SELL HOGS. I write only from my own experi- ence of over twenty years in rais- ing hogs for the market, writes Mr. W. C. Holstand. Different localities and different feeds make a great deal more or less profit in the keep of the hog. Some feed too long and consume part of the profit, while othens feed not long enough or liberally enough to make what they ought to make. I run all my hogs on alfalfa from birth until sold, either for breeders or for the packer, and as soon as they weigh 200 pounds each, or about that, I.sell or kill them. If you are feeding pure-blooded hogs (especially if the blood is red) they will weigh from 175 to 225 pounds each at six to eight months of age. I think seven months old is the best age, and the moat profit- able hog we can sell. The younger you sell, the less risk -of disease, the less trouble, time and feed it takes,' The sooner you sell, the more xoom and the better care for the next litter. The cheapest gain is made while th•e pig is small. - A pig weighs about three pounds at birth. With reasonable care it will gain on an average one-fourth pound a dao for the first ten to twenty days. So you eee it doubles its weight in twelve days, and at 65 cents per bushel for corn, and $i.50 for 100 pounds for shorts the first three pounds of gain cost about 3% cents per pound, allowing eight pigs to the litter for each sow. I figure on 'the rule that it takes only a small amount of fire to heat a baling wire, but it would take a lot of fire to hest e, 300 pound rod of iron. So I say it takes a little to make a pig gain a pound per day. Bub it takes about eight to ten ears of corn per day and some slop to make a pig hold its own, Some men say, if the market is low, feed longer (even though feed is high), prices may go up. Others will say, "Feed is high, I will sell (while they are not fat); prices xray go down." Don't try to get the market ready for your hogs, but.get your hogs ready for the market, Sell them when they are fat and not before. Keep the kind that top the market and you will make money if feed is high. Registered hogs gain faster, bring more money for the breeder, and make more pounds of meat out of the grain fed them than any other animal on earth', RECLEARING OLD FIELDS. There are many old fields that have been thrown out years agoand have so grown up with acrubtimber, green briars and other filth that it looks to be almost an impossible Each and Every 5 Package of Pound Extra Granulated Sugar contains 5 pounds full weight of Canada's finest sugar, at its best. Ask your grocer for the AstAtO 5—Pound Package. lare • f e.'?7,1,Tleef''clifsreeenieV ..44;;•e ice® CANADA SUGAR REFINING CO., Limited, Montreal. 11 Annelmmeeli undertaking to rocker them, says Mr. A. J. Legg. If it be undertaken to kill them by grubbing out the briers' and brush it is indeed a hard job, and the briers will sprout for years, but if the brush is hacked down and let dry, then burned over, the land can be effectually cleared by pasturing it with cattle and sheep. A few years ago I had a field overgrown with greenbriers and pine. Ther e were patches of green - briers so dense that it was impossi- ble to get through them, let alone ?rub them out. These thickest patches were burn- ed through. The fire killed other briers, then in a few months they too would burn, so I made it a rule that whenever I found a• patch of greenbrier dry enough to burn I would set fire to it, The pines were all cut down, and when they got dry, they too were burned. The briers were kept down by the stock grazing over them. Whenever a young brier appeared it was rip- ped up. ..By the end of the third year the brier roots were all rotted and the pine stumps were pretty well rotted, so that the land could be plowed. STRANGE CUSTOMS op' INDIA. Superstition Has a Good Hold on the Natives. Parrots are taught in India to spend a large portion of their time in repeating the names of gods, and such a spokesman brings a great price, especially among business men, who imagine that by owning such a parrot their spiritual trea- sures aro accumulating while they attend to their usual occupations. Many of the dancing girls in In- dia, belonging to the temples, are called the wives of the gods. At an early age they are united in wedlock to the images worshipped in the temples. This strange matri- monial connection is formed in com- pliance with,the wishes of the par- ents, who believe it to be a highly meritorious act to present a'beautt: ful daughter in marriage to a sense- less idol. The only foreigner who -ever saw the inside of the great Temple of Juggernaut was an English officer, who succeeded in gaining admis- sion'by.painting and dressing him- self like a native. When the Brahmins discovered that their holy place had been thus defiled they became so enraged that all the English residing at the station were obliged to flee for their lives. Suspecting their pursuers to be more desirous of gratifying their avarice than their revenge, they strewed silver money by the way, and. while the natives stopped to pick it up they gained time, and succeeded in reaching a place of safety. Getting pointers—Buying a pa- per of pins. NIM FARMERS : MILK ! WE are now contracting for fall and winter milk. If you are producing two or more cans of milk per day and have good stables, milkhouse, etc., and a train service to Toronto before 1 o'clock, write us. WE take all you produce—furnish sufficient cans, and pay on the 10th of each month. CITY DAIRY COMPANY, LIMITED, Ses TORONTO, ONT. Yee i?S4 Write for the Concrete Book " IN Canada, where the winters are long and cold, houses must be solid and substantial, No " gingerbread frills," such as distinguish California bungalows, can be permitted. Canadian homes should be built to defy wind. and cold, to keep warm inside when it's thirty below out -doors. IT is because' Concrete, of all materials, beet withstands wind, water and cold, that itis fast becoming popular with Canadian home -builders, Concrete houses are warm in winter, requiring lesscoal for heating ; they aro cool in summer. A Concrete house never needs repairs ; because, instead of .decaying, it actually growsstronger' with time and exposure to the elements. VERY attractive architectural effects may be obtained with Concrete, especially for houses in the country, where the rough concrete surface harmonizes with its surroundings, SINCE It carer ragouos repairs, the first used ie scores,of other ways eroued the farm, write new for our free hook, which toot of a concrete residence ie :te last home and on dm t im. i'cregeh pf tells all about the mixing and Placing of cost; end it is cheaper, For this costo., thee. purposes 0 is the best natant' Concrete, and describes hundred* of prat - than any other kind of home, known. tial eee for it Just eey 'Send me your bock" in a letter or on a poet aardl aqd 0T on1 , y n Concrete the bat materiel IF you haven'tproud the home the use a the book will be cent ytiu abet ufgb for howe•buildint 0 may sLo be Concrete pmund the home andenthe free, Publicity ►YfenaQer CANADA CEMENT COMPANY"LIMITED S0 MONTREAL When baying Cement, be sure to get "Canada Cement" See that every bag and barrel &care thlr 148e1. Then yen will be srrro of satisfaction, w0: We have a free Information bepartrnent that will answer all your questions relating to Cement •eu'thout cost or obligation, •`'0i7%Nal-` sy ' „%4 0,ri sig ,, o; Vii i%y�iiy • r THE JUKES OF SOME JURIES AMi?SING l'LEA.SANTRILS BY "xI001 MEN AND TRUE. French and English ,Tories Aro Not Without a Sense of Humor. A stag !hunted through the foreati of Fontainebleau took refuge in the garden of st certain Madame Bnouil- lot, The lady's son refused to give the animal up unless paid the sum of five pounds oompensation for the damage it hacl done ; but itis request was indignantly refused by M. Le- baudy, the master of the hounds, who declined to accept any reaposi- bility, "Very well," said 'the young man coolly; "then we will keep the stag," He did so, and they killed and ate the animal. The master of the hounds brought an action for heavy damages, Ma- dame Brouillot counterclaimed. The jury, with perfect gravity and due solemnity, ordered each side to pay the other four pounds dam- egesl So much for a French jury, The French are notoriously a lighter - hearted people than ourselves, but it need not he imagined that Bri- tish juries ars without a sense of humor, says London Anewers. "MANGLING DONE HERE." Three years ago a rather famous case was heard at the Old Bailey concerning a certain coupon com- petition, alleged to have been run in an unfair manner. While the defendant gave evidence, the jury long the following notice over the side of their box: "Have you no horns to go to?" Later, when a lady wee in the witness -box, this notice was die- -played : "Cheer up, pretty lady. Your time will. come." Another witness was greeted with: "Mangling done here," While the appearance of a fourth caused a change to: "House ft>ZL" Sometimes a verdict is returned so utterly at variance with the evi- dence that one can only suppose that the twelve good men and true were actuated by some subtle idea of humor by no means unconscious. A clerk who acted as accountant to a London firm was charged by the head of the firm with embezzle- ment. He admitted his guilt, and went home and CUT HIS THROAT. The wound was not immediately fatal, but caused an abscess, from which he died afterwards in hospi- tal. The jury summoned to the in- quest, returned the amazing ver- dict of "Death from natural causes." Great amusement is sometimes caused by the quaint excuses given by people who are summoned to sit on juries for not serving. An actor was among those called to serve on a grand jury at the Lon- don Sessions. "I am not qualified, my lord," he said. "Why not?" "Under an old Act of Parliament an actor is a rogue and a vaga- bond," was the startling reply. Amid loud laughter, ho was ex= eused. ' In out-of-the-way parts of the country the verdicts returned by men who have probably .never be- fore sat upon a jury are sometimes very amusing. "Death by small -pox, accelerated by neglect of vaccination," came from a West -country coroner's jury, and caused a grin all round. But it was not so funny as the rider to another vets -Het given by a Suf- folk jury in a.ease of acidental poi- soning by carbolic acid. The fore- men gravely remarked that "Tho jury, is of epinion that the public should be warned of the dangerous nature of this diabolic acid." GUILTY, OR NOT GUILTY? The foretnan of a Limerick jury, which was trying a prisoner for a murderous assault, came out and told the court that the jury was "unanimous—nine to three in finding the prisoner not guilty," He was deeply hurt when the unani- mous parity were ordered to retire again, At Cardigan a man was tried for tittering a forged note. The jury's • Verdict to this ease de•serves to be put on recent -I: "We finll the prisoner guilty of telling"stories about the note, and think he (eight to pay back the money, and: have three monthe Inc A.,' i 'WHO GOT PUNISHED. • A little girl} about threeY ears. old was sent ups airs and told to' sit on a certain (Alai wits in the cor- ner of her ore, as a punishmsn•t for soreethin she had done hub a few minutcri efore. Scorn the nonce was broken by the little outs question r •est on .Doo' q ,, thea mayI Dome own Writ r v? No you it right ft' y it gets 'whcs'o you are. "Alt rigt, 'cause I'm sittin' your best (at." on