Evening Star Newspaper, February 23, 1895, Page 14

(Copsright by Bacheller, Johnson & Bacheller.) CHAPTER I Meryon awoke with the issue of an Inter- esting dream in doubt. Terah had admitted that she loved him; the prince had seemed Bisposed to hear reason; but just then the purple and gold heraldic heron which form- pd the central device of his highness’ state banner detached itself from the surrond- Ing embroidery and flew viciously at Mer- yon’s head. He heard Terah’s voice,raised in warning, and saw two black mountains at the verge of a desolate plain, sundered from each other by a rugged defile. The yun Was setting behind the mountains—and he awoke. He yawned and glanced at the long silver chain by which a lamp of pierced brass de- pended from the cefling. A ray of sunlight from the east window rested on 1t—by which token he knew it was about 9 o'clock. ‘The room in which he lay was beautiful and—as the bedchamber of a modern young American—singular. Lofty and of good size, it was rather nar- row for its length. Polished marbles of tender hues paved the floor, the central part of which was depressed several inches below the ends, and in a basin in this de- pression leaped and feil the slender jet of a fountain. A high dado glowed with ori- He met fnce to face the only d: of the Prince. ental tiles colored like fading sunsets, and the walls above were hung with tapestries stained as with crushed roses and violets. Higher still was a wide border of dark brown wood exquisitely carved,.and ai this the four windows, a foot high by four times that width. Silks of mellow tone draped the ceiling. Along three sides of the south end of the chamber extended a broad divan, part of which served Meryon as a bei. Here and there about this dim, lovely room stood vases of wrought bronze and fine porcelain. Within reach of his arm was a triple gong on a carved wood stand, with a hammer hanging by a silken cord. Meryon struck “thrice upon this graceful instrument, and three soft notes of an octave’s interval tingled on the ai As they subsided the pertiere was pushed open, and a graceful figure entered, bearing a tray with coffee, cakes 4 arettes. ure been fully draped, you en it for that of a girl, so utiful were the aquiline fea- supple body, naked from the wat: up, Was that of a boy of twelve or four- teen, tawny as fine bronze. Girt round his loins was a skirt of dark blue gossamer stuff, with silver lines running through it and a silver fringe, and about his neck a double necklace of delicate silver links hung half-way down his breast. Black as night were the great eyes which met Mer- yon’s blue ones, and radiant the smile of greeting which revealed his flashing teeth. The ensuing diaiogue, though on tm an oriental tongue, shall, for the sak: of uniformity, be here given in the English of the morning to you, Fbal, my said the American. “You’ a ! Did any one ever tell you that you look surprisirgly like the di- vine Prine ‘Terah—God bless her! May- be only an artist who has painted your por- trait as often as I have could see it in your present rig; but pat on one of her dresses end anyone would know it. The funny thing is that neither she nor you resemble the prince; but Terah’s mether, if she were asked * * * however, there's no fathom- ing the mysteries of oriental—diplomacy.” Honored lord!” murmured tke boy, in a tone of half-frig' but smiling still. He knelt and placed the tray upen the divan beside his master. Then taking a cigarette from the enameled box en the tray he put it daintily between his lips and lit :t at the silver spirit lamp. Hav- ing inhaled a single whiff of fragrant smoke, he handed it to Meryon with a charming obeisance, and he accepted it with the complacency of one who knows his east and likes It. “{ don’t know whether this is most like Aladdin's palace er a glorified Turkish bath,” said he to hi ¢;and then to Ebal: “What news have you bri cal? What of the : bages of all other ri the star that makes a@ brass kettle of the sun? Have you brought me nothing from her?” Now, thought Meryon a wonderful and worshipful being, but as a born orien- tal he was frightened by the audacity of his passion for the young princess. From the fold of his girdie he took a small rose- bud, such as grew on the gardens of Saadi or of Omar, and presented it to the other as if it wore a fragile explosive. “I know nothing myself, mighty lord— but s wh said I was to give this to you and to say that the lion must beware of the pitfall which the hunter digs in his path. ‘That means Hatipha, the head eunuch—how I hate the old bes he added, lowering his voice to a whisper. Meryon laughed. “That's all right. my lad," he said, taking the bud and kissing ft. Don't you be seared. I'm looking out for you; ard I'm wiser than a thousand such old mules 23 Hatipha. I talk op you because I love you, and Sen:tah is our confidante ase she’s your sister and the \i—and there's no one But I can hold my when I see fit. And when the time —here he bestowed upon the youth a wink of great significance—“I'll take you along with us to America and make your Well, now, be off. my beauty. and to drink my coffee and meditate!” jut I may help my lord to dress later asked Ebal, reluctantly retiring from the her place. ady I'll hit the gong. There h Bismillah! Clear out!" ished with a smile and a fell upon tk vith am- It fared ba s buds are apt to do in the cause o After smell- ing and kissing it til it looked as if ruin- ed by prematur ended by as if by € stance to mys the sou! of his t his coffee and took He was an Ameri atiful, by paintin, of his ho: of room in his exclusive be only at all time: hout ceremony, but could not get enough of his society. During his two sojourn he had made a lot of ¥ studies, in many of which Ebal, in cos- tumes, or with no c s own boyish beauty, was the center of interest. This was all very well. But alas for insatiable human nature and malicious fate! One day (owing to a concatenation of accidents which cannot here be detailed) he met face to face and unpremeditatedly the only daughter ef the prince, Terah, the beautiful. It wes all PN up with him in a moment; and her oriental fancy seems to have been no less captivat- ed by the fresh complexion, handsome features and red hair of the occidental stranger. They loved each other at the first intention, as surgeons say, just as young people used to do in the golden prime of the good Haroun Alraschid. Ah! Romance lingers in this old world yet,as we shall sce! = Meryon had the tact to cover his face with his hands, and the presence of mind to look through his fingers. The princess replaced her veil not so hastily as to prevent a quick, artist glance from catch- ing a rapturous impression of her dusky grace and glorious eyes. Fat old Hatipha, with pendent cheeks flapping, bustled up in vast perturbation and whipped the prin- cess out of the infidel’s sight as fast as he could. But Senuah, following, threw over her shoulder an arch glance, which in America would have for a wink of sympathetic intelligence. Mischief was afoot. Then followed intrigue. One afternoon the back part of the booth of Musreddin, the jewel merchant, contained a new ap- prentice, with huge turban and voluminous drapery, whose blue eyes wandefed from his work as Terah entered, and never left her face during the half hour she chaffer- ed with the jeweler over the price of a ring—which, on the other hand, she would never have looked at twice, had she not been stealing a thousand glances at the back part of the shop! “Again, from a meshrebie-screened window (chartered for the purpose), who glowered invisible and impassioned while Terah, her divine coun- tenance not ten inches from his, debated interminably with Senuah as to whether they should turn to the right and visit the confectioner, or to the left to the silk mercer’s; while Hatipha, the unsuspicious, stood in the shadow hardby, with mind at ease because, forsooth, the street was empty. Empty!—and all the while Terah’s soft finger tips were being kissed raven- ously through the lattice work, and, when at last the debate with Senuah came to an erd, folded themselves about a love note designed in the most gloriously extrava- gant termbs! No name was signed to that note, but perhaps the princess didn't know whom it came from, and didn’t thence- forth wear it in her bosom until—paradoxi- cal as it may seem—it got worn out, and means had to be devised to furnish her with another! Yes, here in the heart of the guarded orient, and under the shadow, as it were, of the bow-string, was this love affair car- ried on, until this very morning of the rose- bud. How was it to end? Ah, how, indeed! “No “doubt,” Meryon said to himself, “eloping with an oriental princess under the noses of her father and the head eunuch isn't the easiest thing in the worid—I never said it was! But a bonanza like that is worth a risk. The boldest way fs the best; bribe Musreddin again; watt with the horses at the back door in the alley; she comes in to buy a new ring; frightful row in the street at the front between two camel drivers; Hatipha mounts guard at the front door; Terah slips into a rear room and a suit of boy’s clothes and so out at the back, mounts, and we're off! Give us ten minutes’ start, and ‘they'll have fleet steeds that follow,’ quoth young Lochinvar! ‘That's the program. Sorry to play such a game on the poor old prince, but that is the fault of the orfental system—and oh, my soul! what an armful of heaven she ts.” He caught up a pillow and vicariously He swung him forcibly round. pressed Terah to his heart. Like other lovers, he was sometimes constrained to wreak himself on his imagination. “I quite pity Hatipha, too,” he said, when he came to himself, “but in the bright lex!- con of my youth there’s no such word as getting bested by any tumble-down, ear- ringed, dew-lapped, pot-bellied old nonde- script like that—I guess not! I'll go down and interview Musreddin as quick as I can get my clothes on.” He reached for the gong, but ere he could strike it the curtains parted and in sprang Ebal, evidently in a fright. CHAPTER It. “Hallo, my son! Just ready for you,” said Meryon. “Honored lerd, the prince commands your presence,” quavered the boy, agitatedly twisting together his slender fingers. Seeing something was wrong, Meryon recognized the need of restoring Ebal's confidence by preserving a bold front. “Commands it, docs he? Isn't the old man overstraining himself a little? But of course you meant to say that he begs to supplicate the privileze of my company. Weil, tell him to keep his craftan on and L'il be round in the course of a day or two. “Do not speak so, beloved lord! Hatipha has found us out and told his highness. Oh, if they kill you, I will kill myself!” cried the child, bursting into tears. Meryon, greatly touched, expressed it in his American way by a loud laugh. “Don’t you fret, Ebal, my jewel; neither of us is going to quit this sinful and hol- low life for sixty or seventy years to come, at least. You don’t half know me yet. 1 have but to clap my hands and say: ‘Galah! end the president of the United States would march into the palace at the head of the army, navy and New York po- lice department, and snatch up the whole court by the scruff of the neck and dump it down hard on Blackwell's Island—yes, they would! Hand me that stocking. And tall about palaces! wait till you see the White Ebal, you don’t know luxury, gor- ness, extravagance, intvigue and cor- ruption until you've been naturalized in the stafes as a Jeffersonian democrat or a Lin- coln republican. This is a poor, simple, in- nocent sort of place. Why, if Hatipha were to get among some ward politicians that I know, they'd mistake him for a new-born babe—yes, sir!” “I wish we were there, sighed Ebal, se black eyes had slowly expanded while he swallowed this informa- “How happy we should be!” al, pack your grip, for we shall be starting before long, all three of us. Hand me that necktie, will you?—no, the red one mighty lord.” i'm out for blood this morning! Now, I eem to be about don't 17 I'll be back in an hour, stay here till I come, and be a good boy, do you hear ‘Thus did the young American go forth to battle. In way the fight was an un- equal one, and no one knew jt better than it in the east (and perhaps in other plac to be gained by a timor- ous or apologetic attitude; and Meryon was over, of possessing certain f not immediately sub- stantial, might yet serve him in good stead. With wit, knowledge, insight and courage, even a single man may make headway against a multitude. He strolled with an insouciant air toward that part of the palace buildings in which the prince's apartments lay. As he passed through the various courts, halis and cor- rigors he was the object of a good deal of curious scrutiny from those who saw him, as if some hint had got abroad of his being im difficulties. He noticed, for his part, that there were signs of bustle and uneasiness about which could hardly have reference to himself. They had a military THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1895-TWENTY PAGES. smack to them. War was in the air ap- parently. But Meryon limited his interest for the moment to the war in which his concern was a personal one. In the prince's ante-room was a knot of courtiers and attendants, Hatipha among them. His unseemly visage wore a grim- ace of evil mockery es he caught Mery- on’s eye, and 2s the latter drew near he ostentatiously ignored his greeting and turned his amcrphous back upon him. Meryon, with a pleasant smile, put forth his right hand and caught the eunuch by the lobe of one of his huge ears, upon which as x pivot he swung him forcibly around. The creature squealed with pain, rage and astonishment. “Well, how is the old pudding this morn- ing?” the American inquired, sweetly. “It mustn't forget its superiors, or its man- ners. Waddle in and tell his highness I desire to see him at once on particular business.” The boldness of the rebuke startled all present, but all except Hatipha himself were manifestly pleased. The head eunuch is seldom a popular personage in any place, and he had in this instance fewer friends than the average. But Meryon’s blood was getting up, and he would have chastised the grand vizier himself had that function- ary bit his thumb at him. He entered the royal presence close upon Hatipha’s footsteps, thus depriving the lat- ter of the opportunity of relieving his heart of the venom which the ear incident had set boiling there. He salaamed with easy courtesy and quietly elbowed the eunuch aside as he wished his highness good morning. Meryon had, as has been intimated, been permitted great freedom in the palace, and was accustomed to observe little ceremony in approaching the prince; but the differ- ence at a court between a man in favor and out of it is as great as between a musk rose and a skunk cabbage. Meryon Meryon leisurely sat down. was well aware of this, even before he met the potentate’s haughty stare; but a des- perate g1me must be dauntlessly played, and dangers met half way. ~ The prince, a stout, autocratic, but self- indulgent-looking gentleman of fifty, sat cress-lezged amidst a pile of cushions on a low divan, with the snaky stem of a mar- gileh in his cight hand. He was alone, save for a couple of Nubian mutes, one of whom kept imaginary flies off him with a long-stemmed fan of ostrich feathers, while the other squatted at the bowl of the pipe, ready to refill it as occasion demanded. “Sir! exclaimed the prince, erecting him- self indignantly on his royal haunches, “do you venture into my presence before 1 have signified my pleasure to receive you? Your lack of respect and ceremony amazes me!” “Prince,” replied Meryon, with imper- turbable politenes: have a communica- tion for your private ear—your private ear, prince,” he repeated, with a slight gesture of the head toward Hatipha, who was fair- ly dancing up and down in the agony of his bloodthirsty impatience to recount his grievances. His highness hesitated a moment, bend- ing the full force of his glance upon the young artist, who encountered it with one full as steadfast and significant. “Retire!” he then said to the eunuch, waving iis hand in dismissal. © “But, most illustrious son of heaven.” be- gan the inflamed functionary, “you under- stand not.” “What! roared the prince, in a sudden fury; “am I told by the filth that oezas be- neath my feet that I understand not’ Re- tire instantly, or that foul hide of thine shall be stripped from thy carrion carcass and serve as a mat for dogs to sleep on!” This explosion fairly blew the unwieldy eunuch out of the room, turning green as he went with mingled terror and unglutted malignity. The American and the oriental were left face to face. “Now, sir,” the latter set out, with the Modified sterness of a monarch who has just enjoyed the satisfaction of scaring a subject half to death; but Meryon inter- pesed with cool suavity. ince your highness desires ceremony, let me remind you that I have not been asked to take a seat. May I inquire if you expect me to conduct this interview stand- ing?” ‘The prince’s breath temporarily forsook him. Meanwhile he and Meryon eyed each other intentiy. Meryon by this time was roused to the pitch of being capable of anything. But his’ anger had the useful effect of collecting instead of scattering his faculties, and he was outwardty cold as sherbet and calm as a June morning. He was very different from the genial, careless young fellow who during the past six or eight weeks had amused and interested the potentate. After a few pregnant seconds the prince, reflecting that they were alone (the mutes didn’t count) and inwardly sen- sible of the impress of a spirit he had not calculated on, intimated that a place beside bim was at the other's disposal. Meryon leisurely sat down and pursued his ad- vantage. “Let us clearly understand each other, prince.” he said. “I have hitherto met you with the informal confidence which a friend raturally observes toward his friend; but 1 must tell you that any attempt to impose on my good nature will be promptly check- ed. Is that plain, or shall I more fully ex- plain myself?” Some real curlosity blended with the out: raged dignity of his highness as he asi “What do you mean by talking to me like that? Don’t you know that by a nod of the head I can cause you to be bastinadoed, boiled in oil and bow-strung?” Meryon smiled; the smile broadened to a chuckle, and the chuckle expanded into a loud and hearty peal of laughter. The prince frowned, clutched his beard, kicked off a slipper, put his hand toward the gong and withdrew it, and then, abruptly overcome by the mysterious ab- surdity of the situation, burst into roars of merriment as resonant as his guest’s. Ha- tipha, hearing from without this combined uproar of mirth, uttered a scream of de- “And it’s your own faul spair and waddled frantically away to the harem, where he rent his robes and boxed the ears of whomsoever was not active enough to get out of his reach. Ceasing at length and wiping the tears from his cheeks with the gold-embroidered satin cuff of his caftan, his highness panted out: “And now, what have we been laughing at?” CHAPTER II. Meryon did not at once reply. He took his cigarette case from his pocket, selected a cigarette, and said to the Nubian of the nargileh: “Boy, a light.” After obtaining it he drew in a whiff or two with a thoughtful air and then turned gravely to his host. “Prince,” he sald, in a tone of icy dis- tinctness, “it is fortunate for you that I did not take your bravado in earnest. If I thought,” he continued, with a stern and keen look, “that you actually meditated violence to me and thereby to the all- pewerful nation which I represent—if I be- Heved that, within three months your kingdom would have been wiped from the map, and you and your subjects would be on your way to New York to become wait- ers in the public restaurants!” There was a silence. Both smoked, Meryon with long, serene inhalations, his highness with short, sharp puffs. At last he said: “Your statement, Meryon Pacha, seems improbable. I have indeed heard that your nation is great, and I know that the ways of Allah are unfathomable. In- justice dwells not in my heart. You will admit that you have been hospitably enter- tained—” Meryon Stiffly inclined his head, at the same time slightly lifting one eye- brow and shrugging the opposite shoulder —‘‘but it has come to my ears that you haye ventured to leok upon and even to a pm pean to the oS my daughter, rently presuming her capable of delantag* : Once more Meryop interrupted. “Prince, you employ w which I won't take from you. ‘Deigning!’ Does the tom-tit condescend to the eagle? It was my whim to lay aside the cares of sovereignty (which I must resume on my - turn home) and masquerade} this 0.-of-the-way little corner, for a while, as a mere travel- ing artist. But in birth, station and power you're simply not in sight, beside me, not to mention your Anteresting family.” The prince, bya ®ervous jerk of the el- bow, upset the nargileh, which the Nubian deftly caught ad replaced. e been studyii your little principal- ity,” resumed the other, ‘with a friendly disposition to do something to improve it. I heard you had a daughter, and it struck me she might be the means of my helping you. I’m unmarried, and though I could get a wife worth a dozen of her in New York or Chicago, to say nothing of Boston, yet I believe in occasionally crossing the higher strains with humbler blood, and I have had thoughts of honoring you and exalting her by a union with myself.” A dozen things rushing at the same in- stant to get uttered at his highness’ single mouth naturally got wedged, like people trying to escape from a burning theater, and the prince became crimson, but said nothing at all. Meryon went on: “But a serious objection has arisen, for which you are primarily to blame, and which you must remove if I am to go on with the scheme. Terah—though I'm con- fident she is a good little girl and person- ally incapable of evil—is, nevertheless, conventionally speaking, damaged goods. And it’s your fault.” The novelty of his sensations was hyp- notizing the prince. His eyes rolled out- wards, and his breathing was stentorious. But he no longer attempted to address the meeting. “Qui facit per alium, facit per se,” the American continued; ‘you are to blame for the crimes of your head eunuch, for you ought to have known better than to intrust such a clumsy beast with such delicate re- sponsibilities. Either from brute careless- ness or worse, this fellow, Hatipha, the other day, suddenly sprung Terah on me, with her countenance in a condition which I shudder to describe. It—she—I—in short, her veil was down!” Here Meryon bowed his head upon his knees, and tremors shook his frame. Inarticulate gurglings came from the prince's lips. Drops of sweat formed be- neath the rim of his turban and ran down into his beard. This was a great day for him, never to be forgotten! “Anyone less magnanimous and char- itable than I would have turned his back upon her and you forever,” the artist went on presently. “Such an outrage upon an unsuspecting guest can hardly be too se- verely resented. But compassion for Terah —who was really as much shocked as I was ~and friendship for you, led me to forbear. I caused word to be sent to her that, on certain conditions, I would try to overlook the matter. And I am now here, prince, to tell you what the conditions are.” His highness, with eyes goggling on va- cancy, stretched out his arms in front of him and rapidly closed and extended his fingers. It is uncertain whether this indi- cated that he wished to catch hold of an elusive word, or of something more sub- stantial, - Either way it was expressive. “What I require,” said Meryon, with stern impressiveness, “is your straightout apology; and to prove its sincerity, it must take the form of delivering up Hatipha into my hand3, to be annihilated as I see fit.” Having thus delivered himself, Meryon took another cigarette from his case, signed to the Nubian for a light, and added com- posedly: “I have spoker !"* The spell: upop his, highness was broken. A confused roar proceeded from him, which perhaps set out to be a sort of laugh, but went on like the ery of the tiger thirsting for meat. He clapped his hands against his thighs, kicked pff buth his slippers (which the Nubian of the fan impassively restored to him, receiving in acknowledgment a vio- lent kick in the stomach), and betrayed other sysmptoms of strong feeling. Grad- ually the waves pf emotion became less agi- tated, and allosved him to employ human methods of spegch. “Meryon Pacha,” he said, “I have been indignant. I héard reports of you which made me wish to kill you. You hav ken, and made things look different. I nore indignant than before, and somebogy must be killed, but I,am willing it should not b: you. You have spoken of Hatipha; it shall be! I will discipline him, I will draw off d. 3 an inch wide. I will burn out bjs eyes with hot needles, I will tear out his tongue, and qyt off his hands and feet. L will rub his carcass with red pep- per and sirup, impale him upon a stake ten feet long, and set him in the public square for the flies to eat. Yea, by the beard of the prophet, he shall be taught etique! Meryon mused and shook his head. ‘The punishment is too light,” he finally said. “Ordinarily I might be satisfied. with it, for Iam more forgiving and tender-hearted than a woman. But this dog’s offense de- mands some really adequate penalty. I think I must have him boxed up and sent to New York to be naturalized and run for mayor on his record. It is necessary, too, that my own countrymen should see that my honor is vindicated. I will think it over In the meantime let him be shad- owed.” Is the penalty you made a very terrible one?” asked the prince. Meryon smiled wearily. “Merely to read the account of it in the newspapers is pun- ishment enough for most crimes,” he re- plied. ‘I hate to inflict it; but mercy is one thing, weak indulgence to sin, such as your proposition would amount to, is another. And from the reputation of the woman IL eel every shadow of a stain must be re- moved.” ‘As to that,” said the prince, whose na- tural suavity was returning, “though 1 suppose what you say of yourself and your nation is true, still I could eusily—very easily—have your head cut eff, and say to your people (when they came to ask) that you had been killed by somebody else. But i, too, am tender-hearted, and what you say about the princess is certainly true, for Hatipha himself told me so—and other things! So I should like to have you for a son-in-law, especially if it would benefit my kingdom. But how would it benefit it?” “Well, looking at it strictly as a financial measure, 1 should say it would benefit you about a lac of rupees’ worth a year, very likely more—what with the summer visi- tors, the boom in trade and the new open- ings fer unmarried ladies.” After a pause he added: “But, mind you, I haven't yet promised e her. My system got a dead shock that day, and 1 may never get over it. The prince was silent for a long time, doing more thinking than was perhaps good either for him or Meryon. At last he said: “Allah is great. Man knows little, and sometimes lies., Your words, Meryon Pacha, may be truth or not. You wish to live; you also wish, I think, to marry my daugh- ter; but whether you desire the good of my kingdom is as yet, hidden from me. But there is a way, if you choose, to prove i “Yes?” returned Meryon, in an indifferent tone. “Yes. This morning I have news that the prince, my nearest neighbor, is going to make war on me. I am unprepared and need help. Beyond the country of my ene- my lies another kingdom, whose king is my ally. If a messenger from me could reach him in three days from now I should be safe. But if I send one of my own subjects, he would be stopped ard slain, for his speech and features would betray him. But you, Meryon Pacha,.could go in safety, for there is ro war with your country, and since you are a sovereign, as you say, and able to destroy all. who injure you, you have nothing to fear. I will give you a message to my ally which will tell him that you are my friend and are to be my son-i jaw, and that.my kingdom is in danger. Now, Meryon Pacha, will you do this thing to win the princess and save the kingdom?” ‘The American reflected a moment. The prince was ingeniously beating him with his own stick, so to say. The threat of war was probably a fact; but the secret embassy was devised as a means of getting rid of him without ‘seeming to do so. On the other hand, he could not, after his late magniloquence, deciine to do his future in-law so ostensibly facile a service. was but one weak point in his high- ’ argument. He put his finger on that. ‘The letter which I am to take to your ally will make me known also to your ene- my, if he searches me. He would treat me as a spy and I should have no ground of complaint.” The prince smiled an oriental smile. “you are prudent and far-seeing, Meryon Pacha,” said he. “But if I pretect you frcm this peril, will you accept the ad- venture?” “Oh, well, I don’t care if I do,’ replied the other, twisting his red mustachios. He already had a glimpse of an expedient for making the affair serve his own pur- poses. “It is well,” said his highness. ‘Return to me at sunset today and I will give you the final directions.” “All right,” returned Meryon, briefly, and the interview ended. (Lo be conciuded next Saturday.) nes STIRRING EPISODES In the Life of a Post Office Depart- ment Inspector. ON THE TRAIL OF OFFENDERS Shrewd Schemes to Get the Best ot Uncle Sam. —_+- GRAVE AND —_—_+—__—__ GAY Written Exclusively for The Evering Star. NE OF THE COM- monest abuses of the mails and the hard- est to detect Is the claiming to have sent or the claiming not to have received ar- ticles alleged to have been mailed. This is done not only by pro- fessional swindlers, but by and between friends and acquaint- ances. For instance, at C— _ complaint was received from the postmaster at D— that a small box, mailed shortly before from the former place, accompanied by a letter saying that the box contained a gold watch, was received empty at the latter town. The sender and addressee were cousins, ond presumably no fraud was intended. I telegraphed to D—— for the box, which I received the next day. I put my own watch, an ordinary gold one, in the box, and upon weighing the package then found it was deficient in postage, and upon weigh- ing the box empty found there was just postage enough to carry it. This was good evidence that the box was mailed empty, and especially so as the package was reg- istered, because postmasters must use ex- tra care to see that registered packages are fully prepaid. There would naturally be doubt about a man’s sending a gold watch by mail, either registered or unreg- istered, though it is too often done. When I visited the sender of the watch he strong- ly protested that he had inctosed the watch, and his wife declared she saw him do it, and wanted to call in several neigh- bors to corroborate her. They protested so much that I knew the watch was in- tentionally withheld. Then I told the man that the postage was just enough to cover the mailing of an empty box. He replied: Stuck to His Story. “That may be, but some of the stamps fell off or. the way. I remember very well of putting on more stamps.” I asked him what amount, and he an- swered, after figuring mentally a minute: ‘Seventeen cents.” : Yes,” added his wife. “I remember Charley put on seventeen cents, because he came home and told me that the post- master gave him eight cents change for a quarter. I got the quarter out of my bureau—see, in there—and I've got the eight cents, now, somewhere. If you want to see ‘em I'll get "em for you.” “But,” I suggested, “was your watch a very heavy, extra ick silver case watch like railroad men carry, or like mine?” “Oh, thinner than yours—light Swiss watch, “But the box and mine would only take fourteen cents, and yours would have taken no more postage “Oh, that’s all right, because, now I come to think of it, I had a long talk with the clerk and told him to put on three cents extra so it would go all right. That's the He held off awhile, but went down. None of the clerks was “the clerk.” While he was talking with the postmaster, I drew up a letter to the district attorney, pu porting to inclose the box and letter as evidence for him to prosecute the sender for fraudulent use of the mail, man held out deggedly. but the I was engaged on ing, but when I went to dinner was anxiously awaiting me, watch in hand. I had it sent forward duly to the owner at D-. On a Star Route. On a star route there had been many thefts of money from registered letters, and the department and the people there- abouts were alike impatient to catch the ; thief. There was much trouble in doing it. A number of the inspectors tried their hand at it, but it would invariably happen that, as soon as an officer came upon the ground, pilfering would cease. THe post- masters upon the route, about a dozen of them in all, bore excellent reputations, and all professed anxiety to have the guilty punished. I had been at work at the case once without success, and tried it again, taking every porsible precaution the sec- ond time to conceal my doings. With a good assistant I put up at a farm house entirely off from the route and where, at our leisure, we completed our plans for carefully testing the different offices. ‘The weather was very stormy; and thus we were able to get arourd without !et- ting the inquisitive discover that strangers were in their neighborhood, which was very thinly settled at best. It was difficult to decide which postmaster we should be- gin with, for generally the adjoining office has to co-operate and be in the officers’ confidence, and if the guilty one himself is one of the two so trusted, of course he is put on guard. Then, perhaps, the car- rier may have a key and be opening the pouches. But in this case the general reputation of all the postmasters was e: lent. They were all respectable, well- people. The last one to be thou: wouid naturally have been the po: e at C. She had been a school teacher, was of a good family, and had not only the respect, but the confidence and sympathy of the people, because her husband was 2 worthless fellow, who was serving a term in prison for larceny. She was a delicate- looking young woman, with a sad face. A Pretty Postmistress. On my first trip I rode over the route as a pretended book agent. I sat in the old stage, conspicuously holding in my hand a flashy bound book, when we reached her oihce, and she came to the door and look- ed out at me. I was watching her co- vertly, and did not fail to note that when she turned to go into the office she threw a quick look backward at me and spoke in a low yoier to the carrier, who was eom- ing out with the mail sacks. Halt an hour later I suid to the driver: “I believe I made a good impression on that pretty postmistress. Wish I had shown her my book.” “Yes,” he said, ‘‘and she asked me if you weren’t a post office inspector.” “What is that?” I asked. “Oh, one of them feliers that go around catchin’ up with the Jame ducks. There's been a lot o’ stealin’ on this road, and I wish they'd do somethin’ about it. I’m gettin’ blamed for it myself.” I decided at once that unless the driver was a good deal smarter than he looked and acted he was not to be suspected, and, from the quick suspicion of the postmis- tress that I was an officer, that she was to be looked out for. So when I related this fact to my friend, he agreed that we should first test the schooima’am’s office. The last theft reported had been about tena days before our visit, so that another was about due. We fixed our lines in the uanal way, sending our registered letters through the schoolma’am’s hands. The carrier made a very brief stop. Nobody else had touched the letters. ‘They came out to our hands so clean and neat that we thought it impossible that they could have been tampered with. We opened them at once and were astonished to find that all the four letters had been rifled. Returning to the office we found the stolen bills in the young woman's purse, and though her unusually sad face was lighted up a little with the success ef her day’s work, the thoughful expression returned to it when we explained our busi- ress. But she maintained perfect com-! posure. She was placed upon trial a few months later. Her health, meantime, had failed rapidly, and in spite of the damag- ing evidence against her, I secretly hoped | dana FOR At All sSeafeozeeze aint eppagrare ees Seeerer es ree rrr e THE EVENING STAR’S Almanae andl Is Now On Sale News Stands. 25e, A COPY. EVENING STAR NEWSPAPER CO. Book | 1895 SPSS E SEES SES SESE ESSE SS SESS SOCCSOOOOSESO OOS OOSEEREROSOOSOOD #5 ¥ § LOR ERD SDR, SECC SCOTS CESS CS ae: PPRPOACEDADS. eee eee ~ ‘+ aD ve see ge re és her husband was Imprisoned. Many of her friends believed that the inspectors had persecuted an innocent woman, and I re- ceived several letters saying that I was not smart enough to catch a real thief. The woman was undoubtedly insane. Friend of Abe Lincoln. Some of the inspector’s work is not of such a somber and saddening character. Much of fit has a ludicrous phase which seftens the hardships and relieves the strain which to constant mingling with the frail is apt to bring upon a man. Such an instance was the matter of a post office in one of the territories, a berth that paid the incumbent $1,000 a year, where the work was easy, and the social position fairly good, the rest of the citizens of the ph being mainly miners and gamblers. The postmaster was a pioneer in the territory, and knew every one there. He was recommended for postmaster by the governor and all the ex-governors, by ‘he railroad and mining authorities, as well as by all the ranchmen and army of- ficers; and, moreover, he had in his pos- session letters from Abraham Lincoln at- ing the writer's friendship and admir- ation. Naturally he was appointed. He made an excellent postmaster, so far as taking in money for stamps and money orders went, but he failed to make reporis of the fiscal operations of his office. A long life in an arid country and frequent re- course to the common cure for a dry cli- mate had made the postmaster less effi- ciont than formerly. So, in due time, an inspector was sent to make his acquaint- ag in the vicinity, the necessary pa- pers were sent me, and J went down to see if anything was due the government. I reached the place about 3 o’clock in the morning. It was cold, raw and gloomy in every way. At sight I pronounced the town the least picturesque mining settle- ment In the territory, if not in the world. The only visibie ight came from a small ‘frame building near the depot, to which I hastened to get warm. It was not hotel, but a bar room, with a dozen or more professional customers on hand, “more or jess awake and busy. He Took Things Easy. Three men were snoring on the bar, and the others were playing faro or watching the game. They were all very groggy, and all but the proprietor were hard-looking citizens. The most besotted was an old man. He was thick-set, wore a greasy slouch hat and blue flannel shirt, had a big pistol in his belt, and generally a very “bad” look. He was a clumsy, stupid gam- bier, and was losing money fast. About 4 o’ciock he got up, stretched himself, and said: “Good evenin’, boys; reckon I'll have to turn in a leetle early now, s’ long as I've got the post office to tend to.” When he said this I conjectured that this be the man with whom I had busi- ‘After a short nap in the “hotel” I walked up to the post office—the poorest frame building in town. A poorly-equipped drug store occupied a part of the room, and in a rear corner was a rough case, containing a half dozen boxes for holding letters. The postmaster sat on a packing lox near the front door, looking out at the beauties of nature, while the drug clerk was tying up the letters for him. He call- 1 out lazily: “Got her done yet, Jimmy >retty near, captain.” “wall, hurry her a leetle today; we miss- ed it yesterday, and I got to go on an in- quest this morning, too.’ I presented myself to the postmaster as he was going out of the office. “So you are a post office inspector. are ye? Wall, you'll find they ain’t nothing srong with this office—not since I had it. Can't say much for it before that.” I hinted that some of his reports were a little overdue and we might look into that. “Yes; that’s right. Say, Jimmy, how about them money order bills? They ben id yet?” “Oh, no, captain. You remember I've been trying a long time to get you to fix them up.” “Yes; tha’s so, Jimmy.” He added, turn- ing to me, ‘You see, I ben so busy."” “Now,’’ said I, “let’s count the funds and see your receipts for money deposited; then we will have the balance very soon.’ “Yes, I see. Tha’s the idea. Jimmy, you got a head for figures; you and the colonel go over the books, and I'll look in again the jury would be able to acquit her, as it did. She died wretchedly a short time afterward, and upon her deathbed confess- ed to having stolen the money for which pretty soon.” The Money Wasn’t There. “But how about the funds? The moncy you have taken in since you took charge, where is that?” “Let me see,” he said vacantly, “what did I do with it? Oh, yes; I see. Why, you see, I’ve paid out a good deal one way or another, but you'll find {t's all right.” “The books” referred to were a small pass book. It had a few straggling entries of stamps, money paid on a house the post- master was building, whisky accounts, paid and unpaid, and private memoranda of various Kinds. It took a week to ap- proximate his acocunts, and he owed the government over $2,000. A gambler was a surety on his bond, and he handed me the full amount on demand. I could get so little out of the postmaster that I thought he might be more cemmunicative to a com- missioner, and had him taken before one for hearing; but, instead of becoming more coherent, he broke down completely, and sobbed pitifully that so great a man should come to trouble. “Jedge,” he sobbed, “it’s too bad. I was the first friend Abe Lincoln had when he begun practicin’ lay, and if he was alive today I wouldn’t be slavin’ out my life in @ post office. Abe knew I was an honest man. He wouldn't wend no inspectors ‘round my office. He'd ast me once in a while if I was runnin’ my office O.K., and that would settle it.” He got a very short sentence, partly be- cause it was plain that no work could be got out of him in the “pen” or anywhere else. The people of his town were all sorry for him and I had great difficulty in find- ing any one who would make application for the post office. ———_-+0+—____ SURPRISED MOTHERS. The Babies of a Canadian Scttlement Were Interchanged. From Tid-Bits. Some time ago there was a dance in a Canadian settlement for the benefit of the seitlers and their wives. Most of the married ladies had babies with them, whose nois: perversity required too much attention to allow the ladies the full swing of their souls’ pleasure in the dance. So a number of young men present gallantly voluntcered to watch over the refractory infants, so that thelr mothers could indulge without let or hindrance in the sweets of the “light fantastic” exercise. The gallant offer was readily and con- fidingly accepted, but no sooner had the wornen left their dear charges to the care ef those mischievous young rascals than they commenced stutling the infants,chang- ing the clothing and giving one the appar- el of another, till all were transmogritied. The dance and the music continued into the “wee sma’ hours,” and then it was time to go home. The lights were lowered, and each mother hurriedly took a baby, én the dress of her own, and started for home, which, in many instances, w ten or fifteen miles away. ‘ne following mcrning there was a pro- digiocus row in the settlement. Mothers discovere? what had occurred, and then commenced some of the tuliest female pe- Gestrianism Gn record. Livips as_ the; did miles apart, it required two full 4: to unmix the babies end as many months to restore the mothers to their naturally sweet dispositici ‘Those young men never venture into that settleinent now. It wouldn’t be safé A Distinction. From the Clothier and Purnisher. “Mamma, what is the difference between @ divided skirt and bloomers?” The tender, thoughtful face of the proud mother lighted up with intense pride as she gazed lovingly into the e yes, of the preca had clous little daughter w! displayed such interest in a great subject, as she re- Ned: There is really no great difference, dar- ling, it among the really select the bloomer is generally considered to be more maniy. ——+0+ Ovjected to the Question. From the Atlanta Journal. Ainong the questions sent out by a school commissioner was the following example in arithmetic: “If one horse can run a mile In one min- ute and fifty seconds, and another a mile in two minutes, how far would the first horse be ahead in a match race of twe miles?” ‘A teacher returned the question with tht attached: “I will have nothing to do wit? the race problem.”