Evening Star Newspaper, October 20, 1894, Page 16

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1894-TWENTY PAGES. LI HUNG CHANG AND HIS SONS. LI HUNG’S BANQUET Se eee YA Dinner With the Premier of China in the Admiralty Palace. LADIES PRESENT AMERICAN Native Food Served in Yankee China Ware. —__ + SOME VERY CURIOUS ——_——_+- -—— DISHES «© 1894, by Frank G. Carpenter.) Written for The Evening Star. I HUNG CHANG has been stripped of his yellow jacket. He has lost his three-eyed peacock feather, and the report has been disseminated that he righted, has been degraded from his high posi- tion. Few people in America realize how high his position was | and the wonderful pomp with which he has been entertaining fis friends at his vice-regal capital, Tien | Tsin. The crude ideas that we have con- cerning the Chinese make us think of them Xs ignorant, poverty-stricke d barbarou: and few people realize the luxuries with which some of them are surrounded. I cannot better show the state of the Ficher classes in China than in describing @ banquet which I attended a few months ago in one of Li Hung Chang’s palaces. The dining room was as large as that of ihe White House, and it was gorgeously dec- erated with golden scrolls, Chinese pic- tures and bunting. The menu comprised many courses and hundred of dishes w gtrved during the feast. The bird’ soup for each guest cost, I venture, $% a plate, with shark fins that were worth their weight in sflver, and the Chinese nobles who sat with us were dressed in silks and gatins as costly as those worn at our prest- Gential receptions, and we ate with ivory chopsticks tipped with silver. The dinner en in honor of Gen. n W. Foster, Secretary of State, who was then on | y round the ¢! and who was | “1 by the Chinese with the same hon- ors which they accorded to Secretary Sew- ard and nt. The most striking of these aved in this banquet. A Striking Novelty. Chinese custom keeps woman in the back- the wives of the 1 at bic Ginners Chinese ladies | invited and foreigners not | are ence. I was in evening dress, but I felt very shabby In comparison with the gor- geously clad men about me. Laisun, for instance, was clad in a silk gown of light blue, lined with the finest of ermine; he had on boots of black silk and his skirt was of the richeet yellow satin. A costly sable hat covered his head and valuablé rings sparkled upon his long thin fingers. Li Wore His Feather. He is now sixty-eight years of age, but he speaks the English as well as any Ameri- can, and, after presenting me to the viceroy, he took me with him into the banqueting table and gave me description? of every- thing concerning the feast. The other nobles in the rooms through which we passed were dressed fully as gorgeously, and the viceroy had on his court clothes. On Li Hung Chang’s head was a fur cap, the brim of which was rolled up, aud the famous three-eyed peacock feather which he has since lost stood out about a foot behind it. The losingsof this must be, by the way, a great disappointment to Li. He is the only one outside of the royal family who has been permitted to wear it, and it is the very highest of Chinese decorations. At the banquet he wore a gorgeous yellow gown, light pink pantaloons and heavy black satin boots, with white soles, at least two inches thick. His giant form towered above those of the French, English, German and other diplomats who surrounded him, and as he reached down and took my hand he made me think of a giant. In going out to the dinner he led the way, Secretary Foster and the new French minister follow- ing, and, in taking his place at the table, which reached through the center of a room almost long as the east room of the White House, he sat in the middle, with Mrs. Foster at his right and with the new French minister at his left. Just across the table sat Secretary Foster. A little far- ther down were the Misses Orr, each of the young ladies being sandwiched between Chinese nobles, and Miss Emily Orr at the left of Lord Li, the viceroy’s son, upon whora she evidently made a great imprés- sion. The Ladies’ Costumes. Just here let me give a word about the ladies’ dresses. They were nearly as gorg- ous as those of their Chinese neighbors. Mrs. Foster shone resplendent in a royal purple miroir velvet coat, white satin vest and red gown; this was decorated with Lou- ise Quinz buttons, and her diamonds were very fine. Miss Orr was dressed in an em- broidered cerise crepe du chine, with chan- tilli overdress and ruby and diamond orna- Miss Martha Orr wore a white silk embroidered with pink roses,a bedice of pink chiffon, and she carried a bouquet of pur- ple and green artificial flowers, which was given her by a son of the viceroy. Outside of these ladies the only two of their sex who were at the dinner were Mrs. Sheridan P. Read, the wife of the American consul at Tien ‘Tsin, who wore a heavily corded black silk, with white antique lace and dia- monds, and Mrs, C. D. Tenney, the wife of Prof. ‘Tenney, the head of ‘the famous school at Tien Tsin where the young Chi- nese nobles go to learn English. Took Their Conts Om. ‘The Chinese took off their coats as they sat down to the table. Nearly every one of them had a servant in gorgeous livery with him, and these took charge of his clothes and saw that h especially well waited on during the fe From time to time these servants would hand to their masters white cloths rung out of boiling st. CARPENT _— ER AND HIS RETINUE. expected to bring their wives. As soon as Becretary Foster arrived in Tien Tsin Li Hung Cheng called upon him. He was in- troduced during his visit to Mrs. Foster anfl to her niec the Misses Orr, who were with Secretary Foster during bis tour of the world. The great.viceroy was eharmed with the ladies, and when he tpoke of the banquet he said he would make @ great innovation in Chinese custom, and would ask them to honor him with ‘their Presence. ©f course they accepted, and the viceroy took Mrs. Foster to the table on his arm. The dinner was given at tke admiralty palace on the edge of ‘Tien Tsin, and this was decorated with thovsands of Chinese lanterns and the gardens about it were ablaze with light. All of the streets lead- ing to it shone with red paper lanterns, and upon the sidewalks were companies of Li Hung Chang's famous soldiers, who, with modern rifles, guarded the incoming guests. During the feast, which lasted for hours, some of the finest of the Chinese bands played American airs outside the palace, and the strains of Yankee Doodle, Hatl Columbia and The Star Spangled Banner floated in through the windows. Toasts were made and responded to by celebrated Chinamen Secretary Foster talked,through an interpreter, of the good relations which ought to obtain between China and America and Li Hung Chang responded in the same way in a speech full of compliments to the United States. I wish I could describe the dinner. Gorgeous Preparations, Tt was so different from anything that we have in America that I despair of giving to you an accurate picture. The invitations were on cards larger than one of the pages of our magazines. These cards were of crimson and the invitations were engraved upon them in letters of gold. The Chinese Gragon and what I suppose ts Li Hung Chang's coat-of-arms, were at their head, end under this the words stating that the Viceroy of China, Grand Secretary of State and President of the Imperial Admiralty requests the honor.of my company at din- ner in the naval secretariate on Tuesday at 6 pm. These golden words were bor- dered with an engra golden border, and accom ying them was the card of Li Hung Chang, which was as big as a sheet of note paper and as red as the pressed icks which make up the city of Washing- mn. In golng to the dinner 1 had to have y own Chinese card carried before me & servant in official Mvery, and I rode in @ blue silk chair borne upon the shoulders four servants, who were gorgeously up for the occasion and who charged me, by the way, just $2 in silver for the job. We passed through court after court of this admiralty palace, and my card was earried in — @ crowd of Chinese ofi- ¢lals and was motioned to follow. The Secretary of the navy met me at the door then Mr. Tseng Laisun, the old confi- tial secretary of the viceroy, took me in . and led me in to his excellency’s pres- hot water, and the nobles would wipe their lips with these and rub them about over their faces in order to refresh themselves between the courses. Li Hung Chang had two or three servants about him all the time, and these assisted him In eating and in keeping his dress straight. Both the viceroy and ail his Chinese guests had their pipes and cigarettes lit by their servants for them, and inasmuch as the food was served in little bits not larger than an ivory dice, in order to be easily grasped by the ivory chopsticks, they had little else to do but swallow. There were about fifty guests at the table and both Chinese and foreign dishes were vsed. By my plate were knives and forks as well as chop sticks, and quite a number of dishes on the bill of fare were foreign. The dinner consisted of twenty-one courses. The menu was engraved tn letters of gold on a red card a foot long and about six Inches wide. It was printed in both Chi- nese and English and was as follows: Pigeon Eggs Soup. Fried Fish, Champig- Sauce. Bird's Nest Soup. Meat Pie. Wild Duck. Bamboo Fillet and Vegetables. Stewed Leg Secretary Foster a Party. of Mutton. Fungus in Clear Sauce. Pates de Fois Gras. Corean Shrimp Dumplings. Truffied Turkey, Ham, Salad. Roast Duck. Aoperanes, Datter Bance. Fruit Custard. Ir ese es. Fruit Jelly. Cousee, &c. Fruit. Coffee. Chinese Food im American Dishes. The foreign dishes were served in Amert- can plates, and the Chinese in exquisite ttle bowls of the finest porcelain, each holding about @ pint of stew or soup. At each plate there were six of the finest cut color of amber, and was more stimulating than chartruese. The wines were the reg- ular ones which you find at any foreign dinner, ranging from sherry to champagne. I ate most of the Chinese dishes and found them not at all bad. The pigeon eggs soup had little yolks of pigeon eggs floating about in it, and the bird's nest soup. was served in bowls about the size of a large coffee cup, and needed salt to make it palatable. This is one of the greatest of Chinese delicacies, and the material from which it is made 1s perhaps the costliest eatable found in the markets of the world. It sells as high as thirty dollars a pound, and China spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for it. It is made from the birds’ nests of a swallow which {s found in caves and damp places of certain islands of the In- dian ocean. The nests are of the same shape as those of a chinmey swallow, and they are made of sea weed. The bird chews the seaweed and mixes {t with its saliva, end the soup is, in fact, made of this saliva. The nests are carefully cleaned, all the feathers and dirt being picked from them. They have to be soaked thoroughly and then boiled until they are tender. They come out the color of transparent white Jade stone. They make a sort of a white jelly when they are. mixed together. On the top of these shreds of boiled ham are placed and pigeon eggs be- low. The soup ts again boiled, and when served it looks more like angels’ food than swallows’ spittle. It is said to be very in- vigorating, and will give a_man of sixty the vigor of twenty-five. The shark fins are said to have the same strength-giving Properties. They are made of the splinters of the fin of a shark, and are cooked into a soup and are served with a bit of ham. Bamboo shoots are the roots of the bamboo. They taste like cooked nuts, and make you think of white carrots. These Chinese are very fond of all kinds of fungus, and that which was served at this meal was a sort of @ jelly-like mushroom. Eating With Chopsticks. All of the Chinese dishes were served in such shape that they could be easily taken up with chopsticks. In place of salt each man had a little bowl of Japanese soy into which he dipped his food before eating it. The Chinese consider it barbarous to bring food on the table as we do. They think that everything should be cooked in small pleces and they stew and boil almost ev- erything. Such meats and vegetables as are fried are first cut up into the shape of hash and the only pigs which are cooked whole are those which are intended for sacrifices. Even the priests cut these into Li Hang Chang's Card, Invitat Menu. hash and recook them before idea seems to prevail among foreign the Chinese live on rice and rats. no greater mistake in the whoie dictionary of errors which are current concerning t Chinese. In the northern part of China, where I now am, the common people ar ing. An s that too poor to afford rice and they live npon millet, wheat and corn. A gre bread ix consumed, but it is boi of baked, ha and as to the bet many dainties and as youd food i we have. The fish of ¢ a are among the finest of the world. have a shad which is fully equal to that of the Potoma: but which has not helf so many bo You can buy quail and snipe and ven | in the market here and I have never finer mutton than that furnishe! by th d sheep of north Chin country ia the w are eaten and t chicken farms, duck farme and goose farms here. There are duck villages in south China and goose boats which carry a thousand of these hiss- ing birds along the lowlands of the river and stop for them to get off upon the mud flats and fatten on the worms and snails which they find there. In every Chi city you will find stores which do r but sell smoked ducks and & have a way of dry ducks ef 8 them so they will keep keep m. 1 see many duck pede the cities carrying a ing throu so of these dried ducks in baske from the two ends of a pole whi across their shoulders, and I have ridd boats filled with live ducks and ¢: side of a river to the other. many other fowls are artificially ched and the experience of ag: shown in the skill with which they fowl. Foud of Old Eggs. Speaking of curious food, the Chinese are fond cf eggs about one hundred years old, and old eggs here are worth about as much as old wine is in America. They have a way of burying the eggs, and it takes about thirty days to render a pickled egg fit to eat. Some of the old eggs have become as black as ink, and one of the favorite dishes for the sick 1s made up of eggs which are preserved in jars of red clay and salt water. The Chinese seldom eat soft-boiled eggs, and It is the regular custom to serve hard- botied eggs at birthday celebrations. I have seen no dogs, rats or cats in Tien-Tsin, though I have no doubt that some of the very poor eat them, and I was told the other day that rat flesh is often eaten by old women as a hair restorative. 3 As to the cooking, this dinner of Li Hung Chang's was as well cooked and served as any dinner ever given at the White House. The Chinese chef, after a few lessons in foreign cooking, surpasses the French, and they have the best of taste in table dec- oration. It is much easter to give a big dinner here than in the United States. A high-priced cook might cost you perhaps twenty dollars in silver or ten dollars in gold a month, and he would board himself. For such a sum you would get a man who would take entire charge of a diplomatic dinner, and who would serve you the finest of everything. from soup to dessert. Your bills for the same would be about one-third what a similar dinner would cost you in America, and all you would have to say to the cook would be to mention the number of Buests, as, for instance, “John, my wan- chee number one dinner for thirty plecee men tomorrow night, you go makee all Proper.” You could then leave your house and come back at the hour sct for the din- ner in your dress suit, and you would find your table beautifully set, the wines prop- erly arranged, and a first-class menu for your guests. Truly these Chin wonerful people. Spgaastet Fok A, Carfenut > Rather Tardy. From Truth, A Friend—“What ails Mrs. Akehardt, doc- tor?" Physiclan—“Ieam unable to diagnose defi- nitely at this time.” z “Why, haven't the fall styles in diseases been announced yet?” ae A Goo@ Reason, From Puck. Brown—“Say, I'll give you a sure thing on the third race tomorrow. Play Mud- sticker to win.” Green—“Thanks! But why don’t tt_yourself?” saad a ead Brown—"I can't. I've all lost all the money I can spare this moni onthe FOR MENTAL EXHAUSTION here 1s | 6, | leaving | friend. | keep your {sack was flung cr | all HEIRESS (GOLDEN FALLS From Chambers}, The ramshackle “coach, whose only claim to dignity lay in tke fact that it carried the United States mails, pulled up with a jerk in front of the “hotel."" The place was wel- come as the figst Habitation we had passed for miles; otharwipe, it didn't amount to much. So farms I could see in the gray gloom of scarcpréken dawn, it consisted of a log cabla. with fin inverted hogshead set in the doorway g4.an al fresco bar, round which some hal(-dozen miners were cluster- ed for a mornitts dram, While 1 was Wondering whether a cup of decent coffee was within the capabilities of the hostelry, the guard cnme to the door and addresvod me; “If you're bound for Golden Falls, judge," he said, “there's two ways open for you, Some of the boys have come in from there with a load of dust for us to take to the hank at Parson's City. You can either go back with them in the mule-cart—a matter of fifteen mile—or you can go in the coach, and we'll drop you at Blackman’s Corner, From there it's a roughish tramp of ten mile to Golden Falls, Without a moment's hesitation I decided to go on in the coach, and walk the ten miles. I n.erely changed my position from the inside, where J had spent the night as sole passenger, to the box seat next the driver. This would be preferable, I thought, to a fifteen-mile drive in a jolting mule-cart, in the company of roughish strangers, who were showing an inclination to celebrate the dispatch of their precious earnings by fre- quent rounds of rye whisky. The boxes of gold dust were soon hoisted into the coach, and amld cheers from the assembled miners, we started on our lonely road again. The réute lay for a few miles through rugged, boulder-strewn country, thickly interspersed with pine trees. At a spot called Blackman's Corner it debouched into an open plain, and it was at-this junc- ture of the rocky ground with the prairie that I was to be set down. The one-eyed guard, with whom I was, by this time, pret- ty friendly, had just announced our ap- Proach to the corner, and I was rummaging for my valise, with a view to departure, when two masked men stepped quietly out of the rocks, one on either side of the road, and, with rifles leveled, shouted the dreaded cry of “ends 1p.” “Road agents, by thunder,” said the gvard, hoiding his arms high above his head. “It’s no go, Mike,” he called to the driver. “They've got the fair drop on us; better puil up and save our skins.” ‘The horses were pulled aimost on to their haunches. One of the men kept his rifle veled ai the driver s head, while the other dvanced to the side of the Couch and shout- ed: “Now, guard, look alive and hand out the dust—sixicen’ pac You see, I've got the office straight, so it’s no good your trying to come the blu . If L hadn't jaid down my gun to help the passenger with his baggage, you’ never have got the drop on us, 1 gies: aid the guard, ruefully, But ‘he did as he was bid, and ene the sixteen little oilskin packages v thrown on the ground in f of the robbe: He gathered them tn k, while the other yer kept hiss ‘There was no chance fer any of us to get to-our pistols, though 1 saw and the w flance turn all over the gpard’s fi tes of ‘his eye 1 downward t in no tim», glisten as > his belt. and the mn who had to the coach and mis- ied may ites! your dotlars, ble of « dish ter the saying. “Now, Don't put Ip there to ge Vt coming here Was nothing else for it but to eub- mit. 1 took outa rot of notes and handed them dowa, here was no vse in trying to Y of theme with that pa'r of sharp arching me, from th s in the But the p: had the effect of ine pra penniless in a e land, twer thousnud miles from a Wien n-dollar which Lr nag apiece, two to heads, “See here; n handy while 1 do Bill, the aid the m at the } shooting on ir ck." ment the two leaders and the other a bald- whed from. th the hack of or ro led away behind a out of >» had watched us tt backward in the taken. He, too, the first time one a dap- ed chest- team. ‘he of them, nut—w and the t bluff. They were nos other man, whe began t direction his ¢ appeared, in ten minutes without the se! ter thr: ion} a for wey tion ¢ ut harnes ; which done t a crawl t the wo leaving way ions were very he west and th ne guard simple: “Point your nos p right on ll you git th And while [am taking my it may be weil to explain how \rthur Salimars came go find my Slack Fills, wher ting trons” wer Just before the commencement of that long vacation I had seen an adver- tiscment in one of the news wh ely tramp it was that infozmed the next of kin of t ate Leon- ard Salumarshe of New York he would “hear of something to his advantage” by ying to Wilkins & Crowdy at-law, in that elty. To the best of my be- Mef { was that Individual, rd Sali- marshe having been my fi ly broth- ev. We had never heard of his marriage, 4, 10 the day of his death, my father had asserted that his brother Leonard would nave a pile to leave behind hin some d: All 1 knew of my uncle was that he was an eccentric young man, who had gone to America years before I was born. My fath- er_and he seldom communicated. I_ wrote at once to Wilkins & Crowdy, and by return mail received a civil reply to the effect that my uncle had died sud- attorneys- denly without a wiil, leaving property to the amount of $2,000,000 behind him. They were quite prepared to entertain my claim, in the absence of any other appl cant; all they wanted was to be furnished with the necessary proofs; and they hinted that considering the amount at stake, it would be worth my while to run across to New York in person. The idea of spending the vacation in this way pleased me. My father had left me well off; so, whether the inheritance proved to be mine or no, L could well afford the holiday jaunt. I took the next Cunard poat, and, on landing, went straight to the oflices of the attorneys. But here a surprise was in store for me. The very morning of my arrival in New York, Messrs. Wiikins & Crowdy had re- ceived a letter putling in a claim to the property from gnather applicant. The let- ter was dated Golden Falls, which the lawyers believ $a mushroom mining camp in the Blagk/Hills district, and tt pur- ported to come from one Luke Saltmarshe, who said he wus a son of Leonard Salt- marshe as the “ys of @ marriage con tracted by the ter when “out west” twenty-eight yt ‘fore. I chose my course at once. I ex- plained to thesgttorneys that I was well off, and only ed ‘that justice should be done. If this young man were really my Uncle Leonard's son, by all means let him have the pro Ve,But I had no relations living, and quit apart from the matter in hand, it would please me much to make my cousin's acquaintance. My time being my own, I therefore proposed myself to go to Golden Falls and see him, quite in a friend- ly way, and thoroughly prepared to recog- nize his claim. My legal training, 1 said, might even be of some use to him in help- ing him to procure the proofs which were necessary. Messrs. Wilkins & Crowdy confessed that they did not like my project. A trip to the Black Hills was no joke, they said; and if by chance Luke Saltmarshe was an im- poster, my life even might not be safe in that wild region. Better, at any rate, wait for his reply, These objections I overruled, and started for the west that same evenin; ‘Thus it was that on the day the Parson’ City mail coach was robbed I was approach- ing Golden Falls with poe but a change solitary note. At the to denote that Golden Falls was a thing of today, but not of yesterday. All down the course of the brook were the “cradles” for washing out the gold, and I could see the various claims with their heaps of dirt on either bank, but they seemed to be all de- serted. Spades and picks were lying here and there, as if cast aside in a hurry. It struck me as strange—this abandon- ment of work in the middle of the day— the more so as I could hear the hum of men’s voices raised, I thought, in angry discussion. Looking again, I saw that there was a crowd round the largest of the cabins, about the center of the row, above which a flag floated bearing the device, “Ben Baldwin's Saloon.” It flashed upon me in a moment. The miners had heard of the robbery of thelr gold dust. When I reached the saloon I found that I was right. Three of the miners whom I had seen at the wayside “hotel” had just ar- rived with the news of the coach's forlorn return. Round the doorway of the saloon an excited throng of slouch-hatted, red- shirted miners were lamenting and vowing vengeance. I elbowed my way into the galcon, and, having been posted in the cus- toms of the west, pulled out my $10 bill to “treat the crowd” inside. This method of self-introduction left me with only a dollar or two in my pocket. ‘The excitement was increased when it be- came known that I had been the solitary passenger in the mail coach. Many were the questions I had to answer as to the ap- pearance of the masked robbers; but I could throw but little light on that. Almost any of the men before me would have resembled them, given the addition of a crepe mask. It was not for full half an hour that I was able to think of my own affairs. Then I asked the landlord if he knew where Luke Saltmarshe was to be found. “I guess he's totin’ around somewheres jawing about the road agents,” he replied. “Any of the boys seen Luke this morning?” he added, turning to the throng before the bai “Luke started for Parson's City at sun- rise,” said one of the miners. “Expect he'll be back by suppertime.”” I explained to the landlord that I had come from New York to see Saltmarshe on a matter of business. “Well,” said Mr. Baldwin, “I reckon you'd best get along to his shanty; it’s fourth from here as you go down stream; maybe his sister will fix you up something to eat while you wait.” Here was a revelation! Luke Saltmarshe with a sister! I distinctly remember that he had described himself In the letter to the lawyers as an only child. Was there some- thing wrong about my unknown cousin, af- ter all? I thanked the landlord, and turned my steps toward the cabin he had indicated. It was larger than most of its neighbors, and there was an air of neatness about it which would have suggested woman's pres- ence, even if I had not heard of it. A dusky half-breed Indian boy of about fifteen was just entering the cabin with a bucket of water as I approached, and at the same moment a white arm appearing in the door- way relieved the boy of his load. I cannot describe Naomi as I saw her then for the first time; I only know that T looked upon the most beautiful woman my eyes have ever seen. Tall and fair, and with a stately dignity of her own, the pic- turesque simplicity of her frontier dress in no way clashed amid those surroundings with her natural grace. There was an air of refinement about Naom! which the rough- -tting could not negative. She invited ; and without going into the object of visit, { told her that I had reason to be- eve I was a relative. To my wonder, a look of harassed fear came into her eyes. ‘Tell me," she sak my father, Leonard Saltmarshe, living? it poss * T exclaimed, “that you do not know? Your brother Luke kno’ Tt is in consequence of a letter from him that I conard Saltmarshe died two ZO. “Ah!” she sald, as if to herself, shudder- ing the while, I thought; “that explains { then—that explains it. It is as I feared.” Then she went r. Saltmarshe—or may I call you cousin?—there 1s a story which I must tell you before—before Luke T am Leonard Saltmarshe's only returns. 4 child. Luke fs neither his son nor my brother. He is my dead mother's nephew. : evi his But I was brought up to believe myself sister, and it is only the other day that I learned the truth. He has known {t all a iepe how fs it T asked, “that you are out here in the wilds? Did not your father and er live together?” Peony tor two years after their marriage, which took place in Chicago. My mother always said that his temper was so violent “she could not stay with him. So she that s ran away, taking me with her, and sup- ported herself as best she could by her needle. Luke “was her sister's child, and mother took him when my aunt d Then my mother died when I was twelve years old; but first » gave me a little box, which I was not to open Ul I was twenty. I was twenty last May; and when I opened the packet, 1 found ‘a letter from my sther telling me that Luke was not my yther. 1 had no one to protect me, and she wanted me to think myself his sister. ‘That was the reason she gave, and she add- that when I was twenty, it would be t for me to know the truth. 0 Luke has always known that you > not h ter, but you have only lately yvered it?” I said. es,” she answered; yet that I know.” m 1 rig supposing that you are id of Leke sked. She hesitated, and tv “I haveenot told ned the question eing the absolute nece: ot idence, I told her ex: y and asked her what I h: | best do under the altered circumstance We both agreed t the only safe course uld be to treat Luke as if he were a genuine clainant for the present, and as if 1 and Naomi were still in ignorance of the truth: I was powerless to aid Naomi, or ove myself, Ull 1 had obtained a remit- from my bankers in New York. hout his knowing that we are of his designs, you will have to be careful,” said Neomi. “Luke is dangerous it thwarted, and this is a lawless place.” ‘There was a firm step outside, and a young man strode into the cabin. He was of inedium height, with sandy hair and complexion. He had a furtive look, and paused on the threshold to eye me askance. uke, here is a cousin from England,” Naomi said; “won't you bid him welcome?” For a moment he hesitated, as if making vp his mind. Then he came forward and gav e his hand. “Glad to see you,” he said. “Guess you've come over after the "3 dollars—-that so?" ;.“but as I find another claim with more right than mine, I shall go heme again quite contented.’ “That's all right, then,” said Luke; “stay as long as you like, and make yourself com- fortable. Naomi will fix you up.” After this, he became more and more hespitable. He listened with an air of in- terest to my story of the coach robbery and offered to lend me a few dollars till I heard from New York. But I said not a word to enlighten him as to my knowledge of his having claimed Leonard Saltmarshe’s money for himself alone, without mention- ing Naomi. 1 wished to try and fathom him without raising his suspicions. In the course of that evening's friendly conversa- tion Luke informed us that he had been to Parson's City that morning to buy a horse. ‘The next few days passed quickly enough. Naomi and I became fast friends. She told me much of hee early life. But Luke took care that we were seldom alone. He haunt- ed the cabin, under the pretense of enter- taining me, and pressed attentions which were almost servile. He avoided talking of his claim on the solicitors, but when obliged to speak of it always inferred that Naomi was to share his good fortune. It was understood that I was to remain, at any rate, until the remittance for which I had written to New York arrived. When I had been at Golden Falls three weeks an incident occurred which had its effect on after events. I came out of the cabin one morning and found Luke brutilly thrashing Indian Joe, the half-breed boy who fetched and carried for Naomi. In my horror at the cruel treatment I called Luke a blackguard To my surprise, he left the lad alone and apologized to me humbly, making some excuse about bis temper. When I told Naomt of this, she was much agitated. Luke's civility she felt sure was dangerous. ‘The next day I was sitting alone in tae cabin reading a week-old newspaper. Na- omi had gone up the ravine to aunt for some? herbs among the rocks, and Luke had started off after breakfast to his “cradle” to wash for gold. Suddenly the door of the cabin burst open and Luke dashed in. “For God's sake, cousin”—he aiways called me cousin—“get on my nag and ride for Dr. Bell at Parson’s City. Naomi has fallen over a crag up yonder. I'm afraid her back is broken. She can’t be moved, and I must get back to ber right away.” Horrified as I was, and anxious to go to her, there was no need for Luk: sides of the ravine. Once on the top, I duc my heels into his sides and made him «al- lop his best, The ground, though level, had @ broken surface; but with Naomi lying there injured, perhaps fetally, what cared I for the risk of a broken neck? We flew along regardless of stones and the frequent burrows of prairie dogs. I had reached a spot three miles from the coach road When I thought I heard a shout. Looking round, I saw some twenty or thirty mounted men following in my tracks, They were gallop- ing their hardest, and some of the best mounted were overhauling me. For a mo- ment I wondered what it meant; had Na- omt!’s peril started off the whole of Golden Falls in search cf a doctor? That had nothing to do with me; I had promised to go to Parson’s City, and whether I arrived there first or last, thither I would go. I sent my horse along with a will. But there were fleeter footed than the chestnut behind me. As we entered the coach road, three of my pursuers dashed alongside, and, before I could realize what they were doing, pointed their pistols at my head. “Halt! you durned hoss-thief, or we'll down you,” cried one of the miners. I pulled up to explain. Before I had open- ed my mouth they had me off the horse. Two of them held me fast, while the re- mainder of the party 4 “For heaven's sake, |, “whatever blunder you are making over me, let one of you ride on for ghe doctor. It may be too late else.” “Ics uncommon little good a doctor will do you in this job, my lad,” sald one of my captors. “Here, Luke.” he added, as Naomi’s sol-Gisant brother rode up on a borrowed steed, “we've took him, you see.” Luke came up to where I stood. “What does this mean?’ I asked. “You told me Naomi! was hurt and asked me to ride for the doctor.” “That be hanged for a yarn; you had bet- ter tell that to the court. You stole the horse, you dirty tenderfoot replied Luke, letting his pent-up hatred loose at last. I ee I was trapped, but I Reyes nel that aoml’s supposed fall was it of —s device. mee “Come, beys, form the court,” said one of the older men. “There's a hand ly tree on yonder bluff ready for the Britisher.”” Thus it was that I found myself on trial for my life—for horse stealing is a hanging business in Dakota—before the dreaded Judge Lynch. Luke’s perjured evidence was fatal. He swore that my story of hav- ing been sent for the doctor was false, that I had arrived at Golden Falls a mere pennt- less loafer, and that I had requited his char- ity by robbing him of his horse. I looked round on the rugged faces of my captors, and saw there was no hope for mercy. I == absolutely without proof of my inno- cence. it was all over in five minutes, The court pronounced me “guilty,” and I was told to say my prayers. But just as the sentence was uttered there was a@ cla ter and rattle of wheels, and round Black- man’s Corner came the Parson's City mail coach—the self-same vehicle in which I had been victimized by the “road agents.” The driver pulled up as he came abreast the crowd. 1 saw that my old acquaintance, the one-eyed guard, was in charge. He got down and strolled over to where the miners who had overtaken me were still holding the ‘tnut horse, “Going to hang him, y he asked, after a moment's scru- “That's so,” was the reply. “Where is the cuss?” asked the guard. “That's him,” said one of the men, point- ing to where I stood, with my hands bound befind me. The guard recognized me with a start “Pah!” he said, “you're foolin’, That Brit- isher was along with us, a passenger, when the.agents stuck us up; he couldn't have stole the horse, or the dust, either, for the matter of that.” “What do you mean?” asked the miner who had acted as judge. “No one’s talking about dust.” “I am, though,” said the guard, shortly. “I tell you that ts the horse the road agents lifted, and it stands to reason as the man that lifted the horse lifted your dust, don’t it?” There was a murmur of wrath among the miners. All eyes were turned on Luke. He began to move toward the edge of the crowd, but rough hands restrained him, and the leader said very quietly: “You will have to show where you got that hoss, Luke, before you make tracks.” “It ain’t a matter of showin’ where he got the hoss, I reckon,” said the gua Ways, not altogether. See! he’s a button shert in the center of his shirt. Guess 1 can find the missing shiner to match,” and he pulled out of his pocket a bright metal fancy button, engraved with a phoentx— the exact counterpart of the showy fasten- ings Luke wore in his hunting shirt. “Go on, What of that?” shouted thé crowd. “I picked up that button on the ground where we were robbed,” said the guard, “right here by the corner. It got hitched off as the galoot cut the trace of that bald- I saw it drop. I guess that faced chestnut. ought to be enough for you. It was. “What say you, boys, shall we hang bim?” asked the judge, and amid a storm of “ayes” Luke was dragged, pale nd trembling, to the tree. As the fatal spot was reached, he braced himself up with an effort and pointed to me. I was still bound between two of the men, “Boys,” he said, “if I tell you where the dust is hid, will you hang that cursed nglishman alongside of me ‘o, by gum, we wouldn't hang a dog on your evidence, you traltor, t sold your pals,” said the judge. “Up with him, lads.” it was not until a year later that, safe in the security of our English home, Na- omi toid me quite all there was to tell about Luke. She had reason to believe that in the interval between hearing of her father’s death and my arrival he had twice at- tempted her life—once by means of a re- puted “acciden' with his revolver, and again by persuading her to cross the moun- tain torrent at a dangerous spot. In all probability my rash trip out west was the means of preserving the life as well as the fortune of the heiress of Golden Falls, But I am more than repaid. My character was fully re-established among the miners on our return to camp. The boy, Indian Joe, had overheard Luke pressing me to take the horse to ride for the doctor. Needless to say, Naomi’s fall from the crag was a fiction designed to send me to a merciless death. — —-+0e The Comte de Paris’ An coln, From the Gentlewoman. Of wide culture and sympathy, he would talk well on most subjects, from recollec- tions of his own adventures to the latest discovery in science. A story which he used to tell of Lincoln bears repeating. Lincoin used often to come into the head- quarters staff to which the prince was at- tached when serving in America and chat for half an hour, telling anecdotes in his inimitable way. Once, when a war with England seemed imminent, owing to the strained relations existing, some one asked Lincoln for his opinion. “I remember,” replied the President, “when I was a lad, there were two fields behind our house separated by a fence. In each field there was a big bulldog, and these dogs spent the whole day racing up and down, snarling and yelping at each other through that fence. One day they both came at the same moment to a hole in it, big enough to let either of them through. Well, gentlemen, what do you think they did? They just turned tail and scampered away as fast as they could in opposite directions. Now, England and America are like those bulldogs.” Li Oval Bakin Pure Acream of tartar baking pow- der. Highest of all in leavening stre —Latest United States Governmen Food Report Royal Baking Powder Oo. 106 Wald, 5%. IS IT ANY WONDER? That Peop'e Often Die So Mys- teriously? AND ALSO SO NEEDLESSLY, A Lesson From the Microscope That Should Be a Solemn Warning to | The eubjoined picture shows sections of a mag- nifed drop taken from person suffering with Bright's disense of the kidneys. Imagine the Warring action of these organisms upon the dell« cate tinue of the gystem. Is tt any wonder that © many thousands of jraple die ao prematurely of Bright's disease of the kidneys—that 0 many, Femen become bollow-cheeked, sallow oom Aespordent and finally decline ané die, when mel elemerts are preying upon them day and nigh) Je it any wonder that some strong men grad- ually go dowa, becoming weaker, untt! uy they are brought low by the same cause? “All these things tend Yo cause careful, thoughtful pere sons to guard against that great modern evil Bright's disease, It is the most dangerour, the Mort treacherous disease of the present day. It is of more then oll ther attac these in the middie walks of life, and it threatens all classes, There is but one thi that can be done when it ‘approaches, and that to @y for relief at once to the only remedy kaown to’ the world (hat ‘con control it, and that ts Warner's Safe Cure. If on rel PTO, Mame July 1 _- ese oe oe GENTLEMEN: I made a pertial statement of my case to your agent. As you wish me to make & full statement, I will be to do so. Four- teen years last ry A -¥ sick. Gor was called in, and treated. me fo four Seeks, and I did not get any better. My feet were bloating badly, and I had gotten so bad that I could not walk, and war sbort-breathed. E changed yeicians, at got skillful from anot! town, who made amine the told me that 1 2 Bright's disease In tt stages. I was bloited up to my ue the —. 3 on»-fourth albumen, some casts le tried bis skill me for ‘bre Weeks od told my wife that 1 could bot live oo ‘mont! My sist, came to see me, and & poper_with a word -rful cure your’ medictoe made. She persuaded me to ry it. 1 told her T did not think « was any c 80, bu: she insisted, telling me sh thd wen a bottle. I told the doctor that Twas going t hice go, and try patent medicine, 1 conn taking ‘your remedy after taking one bott Medicine, and in four fy werk and work som year I was a well man. f au engineer in w oe a summer. I bay at the shop and take cure &nd night. I would advise —, to use Four reiwedie Which put me upon ~ of me." a and an + making a well tn You can use as much of this as you please. Yours, respectfully, ZIRA BR. GRUNDY. Present location to 1107 F STREET «next door to Mertz’s Drug Store). Here will be >> fitted up in the latest and most improved )) manner, and filled with a stock of Jew S lishment second te non the ) » (Everything Sacrificed FIXTURES, tocluding cases, shelving and two fire and burglar-proof safes for sale. Store for Rent. } Rollers, Lathe Forge, and a com Gt of manufacturing Jewelers’ i at sacrificed prices. To Simplify Moving } My splendid stock of Mamonds, Watches, )) Jewelry, Silver Ware, Statuary and Paint “ ings Wil! be offered at clearance prices to reduce to @ minimum the labor and tisk of moving. 4 SPLENDID CHANCE TO BUY YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS AT RE- MARKABLY LOW From this tie until November 15 the Diggest bargain opportunity of the year will be presented—not a single article in my store that has not got @ sterling, face value—and every one of them will be sold at prices that will be all out of proportion to their real worth. Here are a tew spect- men offerings: Solitdires. Two pairs Solitaire Diamond Earrings, beautiful stones would be hard to duplicate —have never been sold less that $1,000 pair —Removal wile price, $800. Ladies’ Solitaire Diamond Rings—Tiftany setting—splendid value, at $20—never sold for less—Kemoval sale price, $15. Our stock of Diamonds embraces only the best selected stones—pure gems that are al- Ways worth the price paid for them, Gold Watches. Ladies’ 14-karat Gold Watches—extra heavy hand-engraved case—our price bas al- Taye, Deve, $25, and was cheap at that-ite- Clocks. French Pure White x Clocks—fine French mogvement—beautifully fivisbed and Gecorated—a rare bargain, worth $25—le- moval sale price, $16. Fine American Pompey Bronze Clocks, With ‘magnificent bronze decorations, for" merly at $16—Kemoval wale price, $10.50. Solid Silver Tea $3.00 balf dozen. Solid Silver Side 0c. pair, Solid Silver Belt Pins, 45c. each. Italian Paintings. Ttalian. ge exquisite works of art, the handiwork the most famous Roman artists. These ificent pictures selected Mr. Desio during a recent trip 9 Tomes wil be sacrificed with the rest. Marble Statuary From the hands of the mpst_ noted seul) ny ao do the rest. Store 1223 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUB. 0c 16420-2¢ g