HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1915-07-16, Page 2T1113 (IOLIEN KEY
Or "The Adventures of Ledg4rd."
By the Author of "What He Cost Her."
CHAPTER I.
'.`Filth," grunted. Trent -"ugh! I tell
ou what it is,,my venerable friend—
have seen some dirty cabins in the
West of Ireland, and."some vile holes
in East' London. I've been in some
• pieces which I can't think of even now
• without feeling sick. I'm not a par-
ticular ehap, wasn't brought up to it
—no, nor squearmish either, but this
is a bit thicker than anything I've
ever knocked up against, If Francis
' , !
doesn't hurry we'll have to chuck it.
We shall never stand it out. Monty!"
The older man, gaunt, blear -eyed,
ragged, turned on his side. His ap-
pearance was little short. of repulsive.
His voice when he spoke was, curious-
ly enough, the voice of a gentleman,
thick and a trifle rough though it
sounded.
"My young friend,' he said, "I agree
'with you in effect—most heartily.
The place is filthy, the surroundings
are repulsive, not to add degrading.
The society—er—not congenial—I al-
lude of course to our hosts—and the
attentions of these unwashed, and I
am afraid I must say unclothed, ladies
of dusky complexion.is to say the
least of it embarrassing."
"Dusky complexion!" Trent inter-,'
rupted� scornfully. "They're coal •
black!
Monty nodded his head with solemn
emphasis. !
"I will go so far as to admit. that
you are right,"he ae knowledged.'
• y are black as sin! • But, my
friend Trent, I want you to consider
this: If. the nature of our surround-
ings is offensive to you, think what
it must be to me. I may, I presume,
between ourselves, allude to you. as
as one of the people. Refinement and
luxury have never come in your way,
far less they have become indispen-
sable to you. You were, I believe, i
educated at a Board School, I was at
Eton. Afterwards you were appren-
ticed to a harness -maker, I but noI
matter! Let us summarize the situ-
ation."
"If that means cutting it short, for
Heaven's sake do so," Trent grumbled.
"You'll talk yourself into a fever if
you don't mind. Let's know what'
you're driving at."
"Talking," the elder man remarked
with a sight shrug of his shoulders,
"will never have a prejudicial effect
upon my health. To men of your—
pardon me — scanty education the ex-
pression of ideas in speech is doubt-
less a labor. To me, on the other
hand, it is at once a pleasure and a
relief. . What I was about to observe
is •this: I `belong by birth to what
are called, I believe,;the classes, you
'oto the masses. I have inherited in-
stincts which have been refind and
cultivated, perhaps over -cultivated by
breeding and associations—you are
troubled with nothing of the'' sort.
Therefore' if these surroundings, this
discomfort, not to mention the appal- , t
ing overtures of our lady friends, are rH
distressing to you, why, consider how b
much so they must be to me!" ux
Trent smiled' very, faintly, but he
said nothing.
He was sitting cross-legged with "
his back against one of the poles T
which supported the open hut, with 11
his eyes fixed upon the cloud of mist ,g
hanging over a distant swamp. A
great yellow moon had stolen over
the Iow range of stony hills -the mist
was curling away in little wreathe r
0
words indicated, as I understood them,
some doubt of our ability to see this
thing through.'
He paused, peered over to where
Trent was sitting, with grim, immov-
able face, listening with little show
of interest. He drew a long, deep
breath and moved over nearer to the
doorway. His manner was suddenly
changed.
"Scarlett Trent," he cried, "Scarlett
Trent, listen to me! You axe young
and I am. old! To you this may be one.
adventure. amongst many—it is any
last. I've craved for such a chance
as this ever since I set foot in this
cursed land. It's come late enough,
too late almost for me, but I'm going
through with it while there's breath
• in. my body. Swear to me now that
you will not back out! Do you hear,
Trent? SWEAR!"
Trent looked curiously at his com-
panion, vastly interested in this sud-
den outburst, in the firmness of his
tone and the tightening of the weak
mouth. After all, then, the old chap
had some grit in him.. To Trent, who
had known him for years as a broken-
down, hanger-on of the settlement at
Buckomari, a drunkard, gambler, a
creature to all appearance hopelessly
gone under, this look and this almost
passionate appeal were like a revela
tion. He stretched out his great
hand and patted his companion on the
back—a proceeding which obviously
causd him much discomfort.
"Bravo, old cockie!" he said. "Didn't
imagine you got the grit. You. know
I'ni not the chap to be let down easily.
We'll go through with it, then, and
take all chances! It's my game right
along. Every copper I've got went to
pay the bearers here and to buy the
kickshaws and rum for old What's -
his -name, and I'm not anxious to start
again as a pauper. We'll stay here
till we get our concessions, or till
they bury us, then! : It's a go!
Monty no one at Buckomari had
ever known of any other name for.
him—stretched out a long hand,_with
delicate tapering fingers, and let it
rest for a moment gingerly in the
thick, brown palm of his companion.
Then he glanced stealthily over his
shoulder and his. eyes gleamed.
"I think, if you will allow me, Trent,
I will just moisten my lips—no more
—with some of: that excellnt
randy."
Trent caught his aim and held it
firmly.
"No, you don't," he' said, shaking
his head. "That's the last bottle,.
and we've got the; journey back. We'll
keep that, in case of fever."
A struggle went on in the face of
the man whose hot breath fell on
Trent's cheek. It was the usual
thing—the disappointment of the baf-
fled drunkard—a little more terrible
in his case perhaps because of the
remnants . of refinement still to be
traced in. his well -shaped features.
is weak eyes for once were eloquent,
ut with the eloquence of cupidity and
nwholesome craving, his lean cheeks
twitched• and his hands chook.
"Just a drop Trent!" he pleaded.
I'm not feeling well, indeed I'm not!
he odours here are so foul. A
queur-glassful will do me all the
ood in the world."
"You won't get, it, Monty, so it's no
use whining," Trent said bluntly.
I've. given way to you too much al-
eady. Buck up, man! We're on the
threshold of fortune and we need all
ur wits about us.'
"Of fortune—fortune!" Monty's
head dropped upon his chest, his nos-
trils, dilated, he seemed to fall into a
state of stupor . Trent watched him
half curiously, half contemptuously.
"You're terribly keen on money-
making for an old'un," he remarked,
after a somewhat lengthy pause.
What do you want to do with°it?"
"To do with it!" The old man Teas
-
d his head. "To do with it!" The
eaof reawakened desire lit up his
face. He sat for a moment think
ing. Then 1"ie laughed softly.
"I will tell you, Master Scarlett
Trent," he said, "I will tell you why
I crave for wealth. You are a young
nd. 'an ignorant man. Amongst.
her things you do not know what
money will. buy. You have your.
coarse pleasures I do not doubt, which'
seem sweet to you! Beyond them—
what? A tasteless and barbaric
display, a vulgar generosity, an ig-
norant and purposeless prodigality.
Bah! How different. it is with those
who know! There are many things,
my young friend, which.I learned in,
my younger days, and amongst them
was the knowledge of how to spend
money. How to spent' it, you under
stand! It is an art, believe me! I
mastered it, and until the end come,
it was n►agnifieent. In London and to -day, to have wealth and to
know how to spend it is to be the
equal of princes! The salons of the
beautiful fly open before you,:'great
en will clamour for your friendship,
the sweetest triumphs which love
d sport can offer• are yours. You
alk amongst a world of pigmies ti
eritable giant, the adored of women
e, envied of men! You may be old
- -it matters not; ugly—you " will be
oled into reckoning yourself an Ad-
is. Nobility is great, art is great,
genius is great, but the key to the
pleasure storehouse of the world is a
key of gold—of gold!"
He broke off with a little gasp. He
Id his throat and looked imploring-
gly towards the bottle. Trent shook
of gold. Trent was watching it but
if you had asked him he would have
told you that he was wondering when
the alligators came out to feed, and
now near the village they ventured.
Looking at his hard, square face and
keen, black eyes rio one would surely
have credited him with any less ma-
terial thoughts.
"Furthermore," the man whom
Trent had addressed as Monty con-
tinued,"there arises the question of
"
danger and physical. suitibality to the e
situation. • Contrast our two eases, •glm
my dear young friend. I am twenty-
five years older than you, I have a
weak heart, a ridiculous muscle and
the stamina of a rabbit. My fighting
days are over. I can shoot straight,
but shooting would only, serve us here a
until our cartridges were gone—when ot
the rush came a child could knock
me over. You, on the contrary, have
the constitution of an ox, the muscles
of a bull, and the wind of an ostrich.
You are, if you will pardon my ;saying
so, a magnificent specimen of the ani-
mal man. In the event of trouble you
would not hesitate that your chances
of escape .would be at least double
mine."
Trent lit a match under pretence
of lighting his pipe—in reality be-
cause only a few feet away he had
seen a pair of bright eyes gleaming
at them through a low shrub. A. lit-
tle native boy scuttled away, as black
as night, woolly-headed, and shiny; he
had crept up unknown to look with
'fearful. eyes upon the wonderful white
strangers. Trent threw a lump of m
earth at him and laughed as he dodged' all
kf. an
"Well, go ahead, Monty,"he said. st
• "Let's hear what you're driving at ve a gab you've got to be sure!" th
Monty; waved his hand—a magni
Picchi and silencing gesture, fo
"I have alluded to these matters," on
he co vi;ertid, "merely in order to show
... a hat the greater share of danger
.. �' e neomf0rt in this expedition falls.
<, lot.. `Having reminded you
i t int, I refer to the conclud- he
t'.c:iae of your last speech. The in
his head stonily. There -wee some-
thing pitiful in the man's talk, in that
odd mixture of bitter :,cynicism and
passionate earnestness, but there was
also something fascinating. As re-
gards the brandy, -however, Trent
was adamant,
"Not a drop," he declared; "What
a fool' you are to want `It, Monty'
You're a wreck already, You want to
pull through, don't you? Leave the
filthy Stuff . alone. You'll not live a
Month to enjoy your coin if we get
it."
"Live!" Monty straightened himself
out. A tremor went through all .his
frame.
"Live!" he repeated, with fierce con-
tempt;'" you are making • the com-
mon mistake of the whole ignorant
herd. You 'aro measuring ° life by its
length, when its depth alone is of any
import. I want no more than a year
or two at the most, and.I promise you,
Mr. Scarlett Trent, my most estim-
able young companion, :that, during
that a year, I will. live more than in
your whole lifetime. I will drink
deep of the pleasures which you
know nothing of, I will be :Steeped in
joys which you will never reach more
nearly than the man who watches a
change in the skies or a sunset across
the ocean! To you, with boundless
wealth, there will be depths of hap-
piness which you will never probe,
joys which, if you have the wit to
see them at all, will be no more than
a mirage to you."
Trent laughed outright, easily and
with real mirth: Yet in his heart
were , sown already the seeds of a
secret dread. There was a ring of.
passionate truth in Monty's words. He
believed what he was saying. perhaps
he was right. The man's "inborn
hatred of a second or inferior place
in anything stung him. Were there
to be any: niches after all in the tem-
ple of happiness to which he could.
never climb? He looked back rapid-
ly, looked downthe avenue of a
squalid and unlovely life, saw himself
the child of drink -sodden and brutal
parents, remembered the Board School
with its unlovely surroundings, .his
struggles at a dreary trade, his run-
ning away and the fierce draughts of
delight which the joy and freedom of
the sea had brought to ,him on the
morning when he had crept on deck,
a stowaway, to be lashed with every
rope -end and to do the dirty work of
every ; one. Then the slavery at a
Belgian settlement, the job on a
steamer trading along the Congo, the
The Charm of Eastern Fragrance
Is'typified in every sealed' packet of
Fashion Hints
Selected leaves from khe fittest plantations
faous for teas of subtle deliciousness.
SALADA:.•is -fresh and free from dust.
BLACKS MIXED OR G! EN 13 77
life at Buokomari,and lastly this bold
enterprise in which •the savings of
years were invested. It was a life
which called aloud 'for fortune some
day or other to make a little atone-
Ment. The old man was dreaming.
Wealth would bring him, uneducated
though he was, happiness enough and
to spare, •
A foot step fell softly upon the
turf outside. Trent sprang at once
into an attitude of rigid attention.
His. revolver, which for four days had
been at full cock by his side, stole out
and covered the approaching' shadow
stealing gradually nearer and nearer.
The old man saw -nothing, for he
slept, worn, outwith excitement and
exhaustion.
(To be Continued.)
Longevity is most frequent in coun-
tries of low berth.
The reason there are so many fail -
ares is because so many then spend
all their time looking for the easy
ways to success.
German prisoners, of war in Eng-.
land are allowed daily 11b. bread, or
3-4 lb. biscuit; 3-4 lb. fresh meat, or
111a (nominal) preserved meat; 3 oz.
cheese; 5-8 oz. tea; 1-4 lb. jam; 3 oz.
sugar; 1-2 oz. salt; 1-20 oz. mustard;
1-36 oz. pepper; 1-2 lb. fresh vege-
tables, or, .instead, 2 oz. peas, or
beans,.or dried potatoes; with 2 oz. to-
bacco a week, for smokers.
bre' 4•VA'0341.4Yi.S•->,4140..,1,01
New Millinery Model From Paris.
An undyed satin toque trimmed with rabbit ear bows of black velvet.
Sorelli, of Paris, considers this one of the smartest creations of tha season,
The lower hat is a straw turban with broad band of blue, taffeta trimmed
with large silk poppy on either side,—Designed by Eliane.
Ou thcFar
117
The Randy "Barn.
Good barns cost money, but when
the, farmer once knows that by the
proper construction of his barn and
other outbuildings, he can save the
work of a man, it will readily become
clear to him that the investment will
pay big interest in the long run.
There are a few things that are
absolutely necessary in the farm barn;
It must be well lighted, well ventilate
ed, easy to keep clean, so arranged
as to .economize space, so as much
stock as possible can be housed. It
should be easy of access, and its loca f'
tion should be such as to insure a
well -drained• barnyard. With the
'above features incorporated into the
farm barn, the sort or style of the
building matters not.
A Well Braced Long Ladder.
Farmers who have occasion to use
long ladders often find them weak
and dangerous when set up at the
proper angle. This can be overcome
by a wire brace. Get a blacksmith
to make two V-shaped irons, and fas-
ten them to the side sills with small
bolt. Bore small holes through sills
at. each end. Take two pieces of No.
9 wire and fasten to the sills at one
end by passing through the holes and
forming a lock by turning the end'
back through the holes over small iron
pins, then pass the wire over the V -
irons, drawing them tight with a lev-
er and fasten at the othee ends in the
same way. This brace will more than
double the strength of the ladder and
add but little expense.
Making Good Butter.
The essentials in the making of
good butter can be securedby any-
one who will take a little pains. There
has been so much discussion of the
subject of caring for milk and cream
through the columns of the farm' pap-
ers that it really seems that a bet-
ter grade of butter could be made
now with modern equipment than at
any time in the past. And if a high-
grade article can be produced, and it
is sent to market packed in a dainty
manner that .willappeal to the eyes
as well as to the tastes of the buyers,
it will sell at a price that will assure
the producer a good margin of profit.
Ten Good Poultry Rules.
1 --Provide : fizie grit, charcoal, shell
and bone front the start.
2= -Give grass range or plenty of
green food.
3 --Have fresh, clean water always
available.
4 -Feed only sweet, wholesome
foods.
b—Avoid damp and soiled litter.
6—Disinfect'- brooders frequently:
7—Test all beef scrap before feed-
ing.
8-1{eep chickens active by allowing
them to become hungry once daily.
9—Feed moist mash sparingly.
10 -;Keep dry mash always before
the chicks.
The Rolling Waves.
A than was crossing the Atlantic
with an army officer who suffered
greatly from seasickness.
One entering the stateroom one
particularly rough, day, he found the
officer tossing in his berth, mutter-
ing in what at first appeared to be
a sort of delirium.
Stooping over to catch his words;.
the friend heard him say;, Sergeant
. Major 'Sergeant
Brigadier General , ugh,
Lieutenant General . . a -a -ah!'
"What are you saying?" asked the
friend in some alarm, as the sufferer
looked piteously up at him after his
last gasping "a -a -ah!„
"Assigning the waves their rank,"
said the military- mna'n, rollingtoward
tlie wall again. "There have been
eight LieutenantGeneralswithin the
last 20 minutes."
E.l'd.S. Warrior, launched in 1860,
was the first ironclad.
The expression "licked into shape"
arises out of the popular superstition
that a bear's cub is born an amorp-
hous mass, and is licked into shape by
its mother. •
What to Wear and How to 'Wear It.
We tolerate unbecoming clothes at
we tolerate tirecome acquaintances,
and we"enjoy' beautiful clothes as wit
enjoy the sweet companionshipo
charming - friends, writes IVlane. Qui
Vive. Why"riot, then, choose gowne
and comrades with wisdom and.'dis•
cretion ?
We have been accustomed to place
our precious ruchings about our
necks and --'tis very fine we feel, too,
with such softelegances framing out
alabaster chins. But it is not enough,
my hearties!
4, good thing h' g i s better
when there is more of it. Hence we
are now putting ruchings about the
hems of our skirts. A" ]avish ac:
surely and an extravagance of which
any ' woman should lie ashamed. But
it "must be did."
This native trimming appeared
first on a model designed by the fam-
ous Cheruit, the material of which
was black taffeta with moire in leaf
effect. The bodice was draped in
the back with crushed folds which
crossed in front, surplice fashion,
and were tied in a sasfi at the back
of the waist. Nothing very startling
about that¢ ,Perhaps the great de-
signer wasdisappointed and had to
give to the thing some strange new
touch.., So the hem of the skirt was
finished with a white ruching, the
very same that we stitch so tenderly
in our stocks and collars. Say not
there are no new ideas under the sun.
Study fashions and you will find that
some new cry is screeched each day.
And many answers the call.
Speaking of strange"newnesses" in
the shops, there are the new under-
muslins of figured and flowered or-
gandy, run with black velvet ribbons
instead of the old -tithe wash ones.
and chiffon, all generously flowered
Combination suits, of corset cover' and
bloomers, come in organdy and net
and ribboned. They are lovely and
only the strong of mind can resist
them. For nightgowns, petticoats
and negligees the flowered materials
are lovely, and they wash like fine
linen and look better after every
laundering. Get busy these sum-
mer days, little one, and make your-
self a brand new outfit' of underwear.
The sweater is giving awayfor.. the,.:
sports coat of knitted silk, which is
both warm and• light and a bit more
elegant than the old-time convenient
wool affairs. Unlike, sweaters, the.
silk coat is lined, and the color of the
lining appears in collar and cuffs.
Sometimes there is a belt, while again
there is a sash with the fringed ends.'
Semi-norfolk jackets come in the
same materials and are very fetching.
Fashions come and fashions go, but
nobody remembers a time when the
norfolk wasn't good. 'In the garden
of styles it is a perennial.
Pin tucks are used as decorations
for blouses, and white handkerchief
linen is very "voguey.' A beauti-
ful blouse, recently viewed, was' made
with pin tucks in groups, with one -
inch tucks between. It had long
sleeves and deep tightcuffs, which
were piped with blue and finished
with French knots in blue silk. The
collar also was piped with 'blue, and
both blue and white crochet buttons
were used as fastening. An under
bodice of light organdy was worn
with it. Very chic and "sassy."
The Ontario Agricultural College.
The fortieth annual report of the
Ort aria Agricultural College, ant
acdonald Institute, Guelph, has just,,
ecu issued. ' The President, Dr. G.
Creelman, gives an interesting ac- • .
ount of his trip` abroad, when he in- °
estigated agricultural conditions in,
awaii, New Zealand, Australia,
China, Japan,'and the Philippine Is-
nds, and came to the conclusion.
that Ontario is still the most attract-
e farming place that it is his pleas -
re to know. Considerable emphasis
placed upon the educational work
of the District Representatives in the
ublic and high schools, and the co.
peration of the Department of Edu-
ation in assisting to train rural pub-
c school teachers for agricultural .ef
rt. A synopsis of the reports of
e various heads of the departments
the President is also presented.
These deal chiefly with the army
orm, weeds, orchard"work, drainage,
ghtning rods, field crops, and ani-
al husbandry. This renders the re -
rt less bulky, but those who desire'
more complete informationregarding
e special work of the several de-
artments will find it issued in but
tin form from time to time. An an-
ysis of the College Roll is given,
gether with a list of graduates of
e year, and the names of those who
won diplomas and certificates in the
sser courses. A. financial statement
the institution is appended.
The British navy is the only. navy
at had praelised firing at subtler
es before the war.
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