Evening Star Newspaper, September 28, 1895, Page 16

16 : THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 1895—TWENTY PAGES, ———— THE INDIFFERENCE OF THE MILLER OF HOFBAU, BY ANTHONY HOPE, Author of “The Prisoner of Zenda,” “The Dolly Dialogues,” etc. (Copyright, 1805, by A. H. Hawkins.) There is a swift little river running by the village of Hofbau, and on the river @ mill, kept, in the days of King Ru- due Uf, by a sturdy fellow who lived there all alone. Tne king knew him, hav- ing alighted at his house for a draught of beer as he rode hunting; and it was Of him the king spoke when ho said to the queen, “There 1s, I believe, but one man in the country whom Osra could not move, and that is the miller of Hofbau.” But, though he addressed the queen, it waa his sister at whom he aimed the speech. herself was rittihg by, and “In truth, I do not desire to move any man. What but troubles come of it? Yet who is this miller?” , The king told her where the miller might be found, and he added: “If you convert him to the love of women, you shall have the finest bracelet in Strelsau.” “There is nothing, sire, so remote from my thoughts or ‘lesire as to convert your miller,” said Osra, scornfully. And in this, at th momer truthfully; but being left alone for some- days at the Castle of Zenda, which fs but & few miles from Hofbau, she found time hang very heavy on her hands; indeed, she did not know what to do w herself for weariness; and so, for this reason and none other at all, one day sha ordered her horse and rode off with a single groom into the forest. Coming the morning went on, to a wide road, she asked the groom where it led. “To Hofbau, madame,” he answer- ed. “It is not mor: than a miie further on.” Osra waited for a few moments; then she said: “I will ride on and see the vil- lage, for I have been told that it is pretty. Wait here till I return,” and she rode on, smiling a little and with a delicate tint of cclor in her cheeks. Before long she saw the river and the mill on the river; and, coming to the mill, she saw tne mii! sitting before his door, smoking a long pipe, and she called out to him, asking him to sell her a xlass of she spoke milk. “You can have it for the asking,” said the miller. He was a good-ic fair fellow, end wore a scarlet cap. ere is 8 pall of it just inside the door behind me.” Yet he did not rise, but lay chere, tolling luxuriously In the sun. For he did not know Osra, never having been to Strelsau in hie life and to Zenii three or four times only, and thai wien the princess was fot there. Moreover—though this, as must be allowed, is not to the purpose--he had sworn never again to go so far afield. Being answered in this manner, and at the geme time desiring the milk, the princess had no cholce but to dismount. This she id, and passed by the miller, pausing a mo- ment to look at him with bright, curious eyes that flashed from under the brim of her wide-rimmed feathered hat; but the miller blinked lazily up at the sun, and took no heed of her. Osra passed on, found the pail, poured ovt a cup of milk and drank it. Then, refiljog the cup, she carried it to the miller. “Will you not have some?” said sie, with a smile. “I was too lazy to get it,” said the miller; and he held out his hand but did not other- wise change his position. Osra’s brow was puckered and her cheek flushed as she knelt down, holding the cup of milk so that the miller could reach it. He took and drained it, gave it back to her and put his pipe in his mouth again. Osra sat down by him and watched him. He uffed and blinked away, never so much as looking at her. “What have you for dinner?” asked she presently. “A plece of cold pie,” sald he. enough for two, if you’re hungry “Would you not like it better ho “Oh, aye; but I cannot weary myself with heating it. “T will heat it,” sald the princess; and, ris- ing, she went into the house and made up the fire, which was almost burnt out; then bhe heated the ple, and set the room in order, and laid the table, and drew a large jug of beer from the cask. Next she placed an armchair ready for the miller, and put the jug by it; then she filled a pipe from the bowl of tobacco, and set a cushion in the chair. And all this while she hummed a tune, and from time to time smiled gaily. Lastly she arranged a chair by the elbow of the miller’s chair; then she went out and told him that his dinner was ready; ard he stumbled to his feet with a sigh of 2 and walked before her into the house. “May I come?” cried she. “Aye, there is enough for two,” said the miller of Hofbau, without looking round. So she followed him in. He sank into the armchair and sat there for a moment sur- yeying the room, which was so neat, and the tabie so daintily laid, and the pie so Bteaming hot. And he sighed, saying: “Tt was like this before poor mother died;” and he fell to on a great portion of pie with which Osra_ plled his plate. When he had finished eating—vhich thing @id not happen for some time—she held the jug while he took a long draught; then she rought coal in the tongs and held {t while he lit his pipe from it; then she sat down by him. For several moments he puffed, and then at last he turned his head and looke: at Princess Osra, and she droopad her long lashes and cast down her eyes, and next she lifted her eyes and glanced for an instant at the miller, and finally she dropped her “There's pres geain and murmured shyly: “What is sir? Why do you look at me? “You seem to be a handy wench,” observed the miller. “The pie was steaming hot and et not burnt; the beer was well frothed, but ot shaken nor kened, and thi . @raws well. Where docs your fath> “He is dead, said the Prine very demurel: smail harm in that,” said the miller, thoughtfully, and Osra turned away her head to hide her smile. “Are you lonel living here by ‘you she asked a moment later. “Indeed, I have to do everything for my- self,” said the miller, sadly. ‘And there {is nobody to—to care for you? “No—nor to look after my comfort,” said the miller. ‘Have you any kindred?” “I have two brothers, sir, but they are Married now, «nd have no need of me.” The milles laid down his pi and, set- He Teok It and Dra fre his elbow en the table, sa. “Hm, d is it likely will rid . “I may * sal] Osra, and jow there of ious jumph in her eyes, and sie was thinking ready how the bracelet would look on er arm. “Ah!” said the miller, and after a pause e added, “If you do, come half an hour efore dinner, and you can lend a hand in aking it ready. Whore did you get those Ine clothe: “My mistress gave them to me,” an- eyered Osta. “She has cast them off.” ‘And that horse you rode? “It is my master’s; I have it to ride when I do my mistress” errands.” “And will your master and mistress do ey eae for you if you leave your serv- ice?” “I have been promised a present if—” said Osra; and she paused in apparent con- fusion, Ay,” said the miller, nodding sagacious- ly, and he rose slowly from the armchair. “Will you be this way again in a week or 80?” he asked. “I think it is very likely,” answered Prin- cess Osra. “Then look in,” said the miller; “about half an hour before dinner.” And he nod- ded his head again very significally at Osra, and, turning away, went to his work, as a man goes who would far rather sit still in the sun. But just as he reached the door he turned his head and asked, “Are you sturdy?” “I am: strong enough, I think,” said she. “A sack of flour is a heavy thing for a man to lift by himself,” remarked the mil- ler, ard With that he passed through the door and left her alone. Then she cleared the table, put the ple— or what little was left—in the larder, set the room in order, refilled the pipe, stood the jug handy by the cask, and witha look of great satisfaction on her face, tripped out to where her horse was, mounted, and rode away. ‘The next week—and the interval had seemed iong to her, and no less long to the miller of Hofbau—she came again, and so the week after; and in the week following that she came twice, and on the second of these two days, after dinner, the miller did not go off to his sacks, but he followed her out of the house, pipe in hand, when she went to mount her horse; and, as she was about to mount, he said Indeed you are a handy wench.” ‘You say much of my hands, but_noth- ing of my face,” remarked Princess Osra. “Of your face?” repeated the miller in surprise. “What should I say of your face?” “Well, is it not a comely face?” asked Osra, turning towards him that he might be better able to answer her question. The miller regarded her for some mo- raeeles then a slow smile spread on his nese “Oh, ay, it is well enough!” said ‘he. Then he laid a ft and he continued: ury finger on her arm, If you come next week and from that spot he could hear what passed inside the house, although he could not see. But Osra rode up to the front of the mill, as she had been accustomed to do, ard, getting down from her horse, walked up to the door. The miller’s cart stood in the yard of the mill, but the horse was not in the shafts, and neither the miller nor anybody else was to be seen about; and the door cf the house was shut. “He must be waiting at the church,” said she. “But I will look in and make sure. Indeed, I feel half afraid to meet him.” And her heart was beating rapidly, and her face was rather pale, as she walked up to the door, for she feared what the miller might do in the passion of his disappoint- ment on learaing who she was and that she could not be his wife. ‘I hope the six hun- dred crowns will comfort him,” she said, as she laid her hand on the latch of the door; and she sighed—her heart being heavy for the miiler, and maybe a little heavy also for the guilt that lay on her conscience for having deceived him. Now, when she lifted the latch and open- ed the door, the sight that met her eves was this: The table was strewn with the remains of a brave dinner; two burnt-out pipes lay beside the plates. A smaller table was in front of the fire; on It stood a very large jug, entirely empty, but bearing signs of having been full not so long ago; and on either side of it. each in an arm chair, sat the priest of the village and the miller of Hofbau, and both of them were sleeping very contentedly, and saoring somewhat as they slept. The princess, smitten by re- morse at this spectacle, said softly: “Poor fellow, he grew weary of waiting, and hungry, and was compelled to take his dinner; an4, like the man he is, he has en- tertained the priest and kept him here, so that no time should be lost when I arrived. Indeed, I am afraid the poor man loves me very much. Well, miiler, or lord, or prince —they are all the same. Heigh-ho! Why did I deceive him?” And she walked up to the miller's chair and leant over the back of it, and lightly touched his red cap with her fingers; and he put up his hand and brushed with it, as though he brushed away a fly, but gave no other sign of awakening. Then the king softly called from behind the water butt under the window: s “Is he there, Osra? Is he there?” “The poor man has fallen asleep in wear- iness,” she answered. “But the priest is here, ready to marry us. O Rudolf, I am “HAViZ YOU NO EYES?” —why, it is but half a mile to church! I'll have the cart ready and bid the priest be there. What fs your name?” For he had hitherto asked Osra’s name. Rosa Schwartz,” said she, and her Jace was all alight with trlumph and amuse- ment. “Yes, I shall be very comfortable with you,” said the filler. “We will be at the church an hour before noon, so that there may be time afterward for the prepari of dinner. a “That will be on Thursday in next week?” asked Osra. “Ay, on Thursday,” said the miller, and he turned on his heel. But in a minute he turned again, saying: “Give me a kiss, then, since we are to be man and wife;” and he came slowly toward her, holding his arms open. the kiss will wait till Thursday. Maybe ‘there will be less flour on your face then.” And with a laugh she dived under his outstretched arms and made her es- cape. And, the day being warm, the miller did not put himself out by pursuing her, but stood where he was, with a broad, comfortable smile on his lps; and so he watched her ride away. Now, as she rode, the princ2ss was much occupied in thinking of the miller of Hof- bau. Elated and triumphant as she was at having won from him a promise of mar- riage, she was yet somewhat vexed that he had not shcwn a more passionaie affection; and this thought clouded her brow for full half an hour. But then her face cleared. ‘Still waters run deep,” said she to herself. “He is not like these court gallants, who have learnt to make love as Soon as they learn to walk, and cannot talk to a woman without bowing and grimacing and sighing at every word. The miller has a deep na- ture, and surely I have won nis heart, or he would not take me for his wife. Poor milier! I pray that he may not Mtterly when I make the truth known to him.” And then, at the thought of the grief of the milier, her face oude but it n cleared ¥ she considered the great triumph that sh had won, and how she would enjoy a vie- tory over the k and woull have the finest bracelet in all Strelsau as a gift from him. ‘Thus she arrived at the castle in the height of merriment and exultation. It chanced that the kins also came to Zenda that night, to spend a week hunting the boar in the forest, and when Osra, all blufhing and laughing, told him of her suc- the miller of Hofbau, he was ed, and swore that no Fuch girl ever lived, and applaudd her, renewing his premise of the bracelet, nd he d elared that he would hirnseif ride with her to Hofbau on the wedding day, and see how the poor miller bore his di “Indeed, I do not see bh to excuse yourself to him,” »pointment. au soing ad. “A purse of five hundred st do that office for me,” said she. “What, will crowns patch a broken heart?’ “His broken heart must heal itself, as men’s broken hearts do, brother “In truth, sister, I have known them cure themselves. Let us hepe it may be so with the miller of Hofbau.” = “At the worst, I have revenged the wrongs of women on him. It is unendur- able that any man should scorn us, be he King or miller. “It is indeed very proper that he should suffer great pangs,” agreed the king, “in spite of his plaster of crowns. I shall love to see the stolid feiiow sighing and moan- ing like a loz i courtier.” So they agreed to ride together to the miller’s at Hofbau on the day appointed for the wedding, and both of them wai with impatience for it. But, with the b mortals (even though th poor world, it h e morning of the pst haste fr Strelsau, to take the king's commands on high matters of state, and, altho} was sorely put out of te y ward interruption, yet he had no alterna tive but to transaet the business before he rode to the miller’s at Hofbau. So he sat fretting and fuming while long papers were read to him, and the princess walked up nd down the length of the drawbridge, fretting also, for before the king could es- ape from his aff: the hour of the wed- already and doubtless the Hofbau waiting the nd, indeed, it was 1 d the king set out from Zenda, and they had then a ride of an hour and a half—and all this when Osra should have been at the mil- ler’s at 11 o’cleck. Poor man, he will be half mad with iting and with anxiety for me!” cried Osra. “I must give him another hundred crowrs on account of it” And she added, after a paus: too much to heart, Rudol “We must try to prevent him doing him- self any mischief in his despair,” smiled the oa “I pray he may not take it it is a serious matter,” pouted s, who thought the king’s smiles “It was not so when you began It,” sald her brother; and Osra was silent. Then, about ha t 2, they came in sight of the mill, th? king dismounted while they were still several hundred yards away, and tied his horse to a tree in a clump by the mill; he made a circuit and approached from the side, and, creeping along the house, hid himself behind a large water butt which stood just under the window, sorry for what I have done!” “Girls are always mighty sorry after it is done,” remarked the king. “Wake him up, Osra."’ At this moment the miller of Hofbau sat up in his chair and gave a great sneeze, and by this sound the priest also was awaken- ed. Osra came forward and stood between them. The miller looked at her, and tilted his red cap forward, in order that he might seratch his head. ‘Then he looked across to the priest, and Said: “It is she, father. She has come.” The priest rubbed his hands together, and smiled uncomfortably. “We waited two hours,” said he, glancing at the clock. “See, it is 3 o'clock now.” “I am sorry you waited so long,” said Orra, “but I could not come before. And— ard now that I am come, I cannot— But here she paused in great distress and cer fusion, not krowirg how to break her sad tidings to the miller of Hofbau. The miller drew his legs up under his chair and regarded Osra with a grave air. You should have been here at 11,” said “I went to the church at 11, and the priest was there, and my cousin Hans to act as my groom, and my cousin Gertrude to be your maid. ‘And there we waited hard on two hours, and you did not come.” “I am very sorry,” pleaded Princess Osra; and the king laughed low to himself behind the water butt, being much amused at her distress and her humility. “And now that you are come,” pursued the miller, scratching his head again, “I do not know what we are to do.” And he Icoked again at the priest, seeking counsel. At this the Princess Osra, thinking that an opportunity had come, took the purse of 600 crowns from under her cloak and laid it on the table. “What is this?” said the miller, for the first time showing some eagerness. “They are for you,” said Osra, and she watched him while he unfastened the purse. Then he poured the crowns out on the table and counted them one by one, till he had told all the G00. ‘Then he raised his hands above his head, let them fall again, sighed slightly, and looked across at the priest. “I warned you not to be in such a hurry, friend miller,” remarked the priest. “y aited two hours,” said the miller, rtively, ‘‘and you Know that she is a handy wench and very fond of me.” And he began to gather up the crowns and re- turn them to the purse. “I trust Iam a handy wench,” said Osra, smiling, yet still very nervou: ‘and indeed i have a great regard for the miller, bu’ i “Nay, he does not mean you,” interrupted the priest. hundred,” sighed the miller, “and Gertrude has but 200! Still she fs a’ handy wench and very sturdy. I doubt if you could lift a sack by yourself, as she can,” a d he looked doubtfully at Osra’s slender nre. I do not know why you talk of Ger- trude,” said the princess, petulantly. “What is Gertrude to me?” “Why, I take it that she fs nothing at all to you,” answered the priest, folding his bards on his lap and smiling placidiy. till, for my part, I bade him wait a little longer.” “I waited two hours,” said the miller. “Ard Gertude urged me, saying that you would not come, and that she would look after me better than you, being one of the family. And she said that it was hard that ve no husband, while her own in married a stranger. And since it was all the same to me, provided I got a handy and sturdy wench— “What!” cried the Princess Osra; and the king was so interesied, that he rose up from behind the w butt and, leaning his elbows on the windowsill, looked in and saw all that happened. “It being,” pursued the miller of Hofbau, “all the same to me, so that I got what I wanted, why, when you did not come—" ‘He married his cousin,” id the priest. A_ sudden, loud burst of laughter came frcm the window. All three turned round; but the king ducked his head and crouched again behind the water butt before they saw him. Who was that?” cried the priest. “A lad that came to hold my horse,” an- swered Osra hastily, and then she turned fiercely on the mille “And that,” she said, “was all you want- ed! I thought you loved me y, I liked you very well,’ ler. ou are a handy—” foot drowned the r h said the mil- ‘A stamp of her t. “But you should come in time,” he went on. ‘And this Gertide—is she pretty?” de- manded Osra. “Gertrude is well enough,” said the miller, “But she has only 200 crowns.” And he put the purse, now full again, on the table, with a resigned sigh. ‘And you shall have no more,” erled Osra, snatching up her purse in great rage. “And you and Gertrude may—” “What of Gertrude?” came at this mo- ment from the door of the room where the sacks were. The princess turned round swift as the wind, and saw In the doorway a short and very broad girl, with a very wide face and straggling hair; the girl's nose was very flat,and her eyes were small; but her great mouth smiled good-humored- ly, and, as the princess looked, she let slip to the ground a sack of flour that she had been carrying on her sturdy back. “Ay, Gertrude is well enough,” said the miller, looking at her contentediy. ‘She is very strong and willing.” while Gertrude stood wondering and staring with wide eyes in the doorway, the princess stepped to the miller and leant over him and cried: “Look at my face, look at my face! What manner of face is it?” “It is well enough,’ Gertrude is—” There was a crash upon the floor, and the 600 crowns rolled out of the purse, and scattered, spinning and rolling hither and thither, all over the floor, and into every coruer of the room. And Princess Osra cried: ~ “Have you no eyesY’® and then turned away, for her lip was) quivering, and she would not have the mijler see it. But she turned from the miller nly to face Ger- trude, his wife; and G@ertrude’s small eyes brightened with sudden intelligence. “Ah, you are the other girl!” said Ger- trude, with much amusement. “And was that your dowry? It is large. I am glad you did rot come in time. But see, I'll pick it up for you. Nay, don’t take on. I dare say you'll find another husband.” And she passed by Osra, patting her on the shoulder kindly as she went, and then fell on her knees and began to pick up the crowns, crawling after them all over the floor, and holding up her apron to receive the recover- ed treasure. And Princess Osra stood look- ing at her. “Ay, you'll tind another husband,” nod- ded the priest, encouragingly. “Ay, you'll find anotker husband,” as- sented the miller, placidly. “And just as one girl is pretty nearly as good as another, if she is handy and sturdy, so one husband is as good as ancther, if he can keep a house over you.” Princess Osra said nothing. But Ger- trude, having picked up the crowns, came to her with a full apron, and said: “Hold up your lap, and I'll pour them in. They'll get you a good husband. Then Princess Osra suddenly bent and kissed Gertrude’s cheek, and she said gently: “I hope you have got a good husband, my dear; but let him do some work for himself. And keep the 600 crowns as a present from me, for he will value you more with 800 than with two.” The eyes of all three were fixed on her in wonder and almost in fear; for her tone and manner now were different. Then she turned to the miller; and she bit her lip, and dashed her hand once across her eyes, and said: “And you, miller, are the only sensible man I have found in all the kingdom. ‘Therefore, good luck and a good wife to you.” And she gave a little, short laugh, and turned and walked out of the cottage, leaving them all spellbound in wonder. But the miller rose from his chair and ran to the door, and when he reached it the king was just lifting Osra om to her horse, and the miller knew the king, and stood there, with eyes wide and cheeks bulged in won- der and he could gasp out no more than “The King, the king!’ before Rudolf and Osra had ridden away. And they could none of them, neither the miller, nor Ger- trude, nor the priest, tell what the matter meant, until one day King Rudolf rode again to the miller at Hofbau, and, having sent for the priest, told the three enough of the truth, saying that the affair was the outcome of a jest at court, and he made each of them a handsome -present and vowed them to secrecy by their fealty and attachment to his person and his honor. “Then she would not have married me, anyhow?" asked the miller. “I think not, friend,” answered Rudolf, with a laugh. “Then we are but quits, and all is well. Gertrude, the jug, my lass!” And so, indeed, it seemed to the king that trey were but quits, and he said so to the Prircess Osra. But he declared that she had so far prevailed with the miller/as to make him desire marriage as a wholesome and useful thing in itself, although she had rot persuaded him that {t was of great mment whom a man married. Therefore he was very anxious to give her the brace- let which he had promised, and more than once prayed her to accept it. Bug Osra saw the laugh that lurked in the king's eve, and would rot consent to have;the bra@let, and for a long while she did pot love to speak of the miller of Hofjyau.: Yet once, when the king, on some occasion, cried out very iepatiently, that all men were fools, she said: “Sire, you forget the miller of Hofbau,” and she blushed and laughed and turned her eyes away. And one other thing she did which puzzled very greatly Queen Margaret, and ail the ladies of the court, and all the waiting wo- men, and all the sdjvept maids, and, in fine, every person, high or low, who saw or beard of it, except the king only. For in winter evenings she took her scissors and ker needle, and she cut strips of red rib- bon, each a foot long and a couple of inches broad, and she embroidered on each and every one of them a motto or legend, and she affixed the ribbons bearing the legend to each and every one of the mirrors in each of her chambers at Strelsau, at Zenda, and all the other royal residences. And her waiting women noticed that whenever she had looked in the mirror and smiled at her own image, or shown other signs of pleas- ure in it, she would then cast her eyes up to the legend, and seem to read it, and blush a little, and laugh a little, and sigh a little—the reason for which things they could by no means understand. For the legend was but this: “Remember the miller of Hofbau.”” ——— A Story of Mystery, Do you know what a “Story of Mystery” is? It is a continued story of which all but the last chapter is printed, and then guesses are made as to the solution, then the final installment is printed. Early in October a most interesting mystery story, “When the War Was Over,” will be started in The Sta, and five hundred dollars will be given for the first absolutely correct solution. In case no guess is abso- lutely correct the amount will be divided among those nearest to a correct solution. ‘The guesses will be confined to women read- ers. Fuller particulars later. —— Rest for Women. From Womankind. There is an old adage to the effect that “a woman's work is never done.” I be- Meve that the cynical husband of the comic paper type has construed this to mean that she doesn’t do her work, but, fortu- nately or unfortunately, that is not the case. The average housekeeper’s work {s never finished; there seldom comes a time in the day when everything is laid aside for a little relaxation, when hands and brains are free from care. There has been much talk of recreation and rest for the business man, for the business woman, even for the children. But how about the housekeeper? Doesn't the eight-hour rule —eight hours for work, eight hours for play, eight hours for, sleep—apply to her? Assuredly it does, and unless there is re- laxation every day, and absolute rest from household cares, the home maker -annot hope to accomplish the best work in her home life. It is a slovenly housekeeper who sits down to read a new novel while her breakfast dishes are yet unwashed; yet she is no more neglectful of her high- €st duty than is the woman who never rests. Then; said the miller. “But —— 9. Punishing’ Children, From Womankind. 1 Moral suasion may @o very well for older children, but I never could appreciate its powers during babyHood. I read the ex- perience recently of @ mother who was a strong believer in the, “Come away, baby; there’s a darling, now do,” theory, until her own little one began to creep about. Like other babies, he investigated every- thing within reach, ‘being especially at- tracted by the books which he could reach and pull to the floor.:i For awhile the mother patiently replaced the books and carried: baby away. Just as often he went back again, until patience ceased to be a virtue. Then the theory gave way to something more practical—the mischievous little hands were punished— and the books were left in peace. e+ Nervous Children, From Womankind. The mother says that this child is nervous. He ehould never hear this said of himself. He will soon learn to use the expression as an excuse for naughtiness. Train him to regular habits of life; secure for him simple, wholesome food; see that he gets plenty of sleep; that his nerves are rot disturbed by teasing by others, and in all probability he will cease to manifest nervovsress, especially 1f he never hears older people talk about being nervous. —_—_—_+e+—_____ The Trials of Friendship From Life. Wife (to husband in difficulties)—“Why don’t you ask help from Griggs? He once said you could rely on him as long as he had a crust in the house.” Husband (who knows Griggs)—‘Yes; he meant my house.” BROADSIDE VIEW. A POWERFUL FOE Official Trial of the Katahdin Soon to Take Place. UNIQUE SPECIMEN IN NAVAL WARFARE Something About This Remarkable Ram and Its Inventor. A BOW OF STEEL Written for The Evening Star. HE HARBOR DE- fense ram Katahdin, which was invented by Admiral Ammen, will haye her second official trial abont the middle of October. The ram is the pro- ij Gust of many years of research and care- ful investigation by Admiral Ammen of the United States navy, and is designed simply for ramming The Ammen ram was launched purposes. from the yard of her builders, 1893, when she was duly christened Ka- tahdin by the young daughter of Assistant Secretary Soley of the nav The launch was a most successful one, notwithstanding the weather, the thermometer standing at 20 degrees below z2ro that day. Since that time she has been fitted with and has had one official trial. The Katahdin is an experiment in naval architecture, and as such it is extremely doubtful how she will turn out. Her build- ers have kad to contend with several seri- ous drawbacks in getting her up to the contract speed of seventeen knots an hour. Her lines are not such as to allow of a free throw-off of the water as she goes along; in fact, as ore old salt said about her the other day, “she pushes the whole Atlantic ocean ahead of her.” ‘As an experiment and a totally new de- parture in the building of war vessels, the Katahdin will be watched with interest by the naval authorities of this and other countries. Her armament lies entirely with- in herself. The only guns she carries are four rapid-firing Driggs & Schroeder six- inch guns, to repel boat attacks, and her only offensive power lies in her ram, a solid mass of steel carried at her bow. Resembles a Whaleback. The length of the Katahdin is 251 feet, and her breadth is 43 feet 5 inches. She draws about fifteen feet of water, and her displacement is 2,155 tons. She is built en- tirely of steel plates, and her deck is con- vex, the curve keing very pronounced. Ly- ing in the water she resembles very strong- ly the whaleback boat of the merchant marine. Ske is pointed at both ends, and is of cigar-like shape. Her deck curves down to the water's edge, and her side drops down from the edge of the deck in a deeper curve. The first thing that strikes the casual ob- server on seeing her is the very small por- tion of the vessel that appears above the water. Her deck at the highest point rises only a very few feet from the level of the water, and on her deck the only things of any account that are visible are a conning tower, a forward and an after standing way, in which her four small guns are mounted, two or three ventilators and her funnel. The vessel can be run and man- aged entirely from below the deck, so that in going into action not a single man needs to be exposed. From the conning tower the captain of the ram can direct her course and speed, and all the steering may be done from telow the deck by signal from her engines End on View. the tower, or in the tower itself, where there is a small wheel. If it is considered necessary, the ram can be sunk deeper in the water by taking in 100 tons of water ballast, so that almost her whole deck will be under water. She will then strike a vessel considerably below the water line, and the effect of the blow would probably be much more disastrous. Economy of Space. The interior of the ram is necessarily somewhat crowded. The amount of room below is very small, and everything is cal- culated down as fine as may be, so as to occt:py as little space as possible. At the stern of the boat is the steering room. The steering apparatus is worked by steam, but in case of a breakdown the usual hand wheel is provided, and electric signaling ap- paratus and ordinary speaking tubes con- nect the steering room with the engine room and the conning tower. Forward of the steering room is the saloon and the officers’ quarters. The saloon can hardly be called palatial, but small though it be it is fitted up in the best style, and the tiny cabins off it on each side are arranged as finely as any in the larger war vessels, ecoromy of space be- ing the most noticeable feature through- ut. "Next to the saloon is the after companion way, where there are a number of lockers, and room for stretching hammocks for use in_case of need. Stil further forward are the engine rooms. The Katahdin is fitted with triple- expansion condensing engines, and has two separate and distinct engines, one to each screw. She has twin screws,either of which may be worked independently of the other. She is also provided with water distillers, by which the water from the se1 is render- ed fresh and devold of lime before being used in the boilers. This condensing en- gine is connected with the pumps that sup- ply the necessary water. There is also an engine for the windlass, and another for the dynamos, which provide the electric light for the ship and for the search lights. ‘The Coal Capacity. To provide steam for these engines the ram has three boilers, one sirgle-ended and two double-ended. The after and forward stoke-holes for these are forward of the engine rooms. The capacity of the coal bunkers is 200 tons. The fires can be run on natural or forced draught, and the stoke- holes and engine rooms are ventilated on the Bath | iron works of Bath, Me., on February 21, | | lieutenant in 1849, the exhaust principle by revolving fans. Just forward of the stoke-holes is the en- trance to the conning tower, which stands on the deck forward of the funnel. This tower ts placed at the forward edge of the forward standing way, and is made of 16- inch armor steel, covered in with the same material, and provided with loopholes all around, from which the officer in charge can observe the enemy. Just aft of the tower is the mast, the only useful purpose of which is to support the search lights To continue below, forward of the en- trance to the tower is the galley, and for- ward of-that again are the crew's quarters. Right in the bow are water tanks, and be- low the main deck are the after and fore holds, the magazine, ete. A long, narrow passageway runs along each side of the vessel, from the crew's quarters forward to the officers’ quarters aft. Outside of these passageways are lockers for stores, etc., and between them lie the engine rooms already described. On the upper deck, aft of the funnel, are iron frameworks supporting the davits, and on which the boats rest when hoi< Inboard. As at first constructed, the bow of the vessel consisted of the ram in its naked wickedness, but it was found on the first trial that the slope down to the wat- er's edge tended to throw a good deal of water up on the deck, and so a false how has been added, which covers the ram and trings the bow above the water. In the broadside picture illustrating t article the original construction of the bow is shown, while the false bow, heing darker than the rest of the boat, is clearly seen in the end-on view. The former view was taken wnile the ram was out on 2 preliminary spin on the Kennebec last spring, before the snow had disappeired, and the latter photograph was tak she lay at the wharf of her buil Bath, Just before leaving for Charlest navy yard last week. The Rate of Speed. Some idea of the difficulties exper in getting the required speed out of may be had from the fact that the engi of the Katahdin have already developed nearly 6,000 horse power. This is an cnor- mous horse power fer a vessel of her size, and had the lines of her hull been of even an ordinary nature, or conduced to speed in the least degreo, no difficulty would have been found in driving her ahead at a much higher speed than that required. It ‘is hoped that at her official tria! on the Min- reapolis course, off Cape Ann, Mass., next month, the full speed of seventeen knots an hour will be reached. It must be remembered, however, that while most of the faster cruisers could un- doubtedly walk away from the Katahdin in a straight-away run, it is very unlik that they could be maneuvered at close quarters so quickly as to avoid her if she attempted to ram. The terrific power of the blow she woull give may be easily imaginel when 6 thinks of a pointed hammer weighing ove 2.000 tons traveling at the rate of nearly twenty miles an hour, She would undoubi- edly sink the largest battle ships now afloat and come pretty near to cutting some of the smaller and lighter vessels clean in two. The possession of such a weapon of defense and offense puts the United States navy some distance ahead, in one respect, at least, of the other navies of the world, and should the occasion ever arise for her use there is little doubt that the Katahdin would render a good account of herse!f. Sketch of the Inventor. Daniel Ammen, her :nventor, was born in Ohio, in 1820, and entered the navy as 4 midsaipman in 1836. In 1842 he became a Fassed midshipman, and served in the Wilkes exploring expedition in the Mediter- ranean, in the East Indian squadron and in the coast survey. He was promoted and in that capacity was attached to the commission appointed to select a naval station on Yhe Pacific coast, accompanied the expedition to the Paraguay river in 1853-4, and was on the steam frigate Merrimac in 1859-60. In 1861, at the outbreak of the war, he was execu- tive officer of the North Atlantic block- ading squadron. At the surrender of Port Royal he commanded the Seneca, and on November 7, 1861, he hoisted the flag over the captured forts and held them until the army came up to occupy them. He was engaged in all the operations of Dupont's command off the coast of Georgia and Florida, and served with great distinction throughout the war. In 1863 he was pro- moted commander, and was assigned to the monitor Patapsco, and a few weeks after taking command participated in the attack on Fort Macallister. In 1866 he was given the rank of captain, and in 1872 that of commodore. In he was promoted to rear admiral, and was placed on the re- tired list, after fifty years of continuous sea and special service. — ABOUT DRESS FABRICS. Mohairs Arc in Favor—New Material for Trimming. The mohairs are filling the demand for fall wear that was catered to by crepons in the spring. Not that crepon has lost much in favor, though it has almost lost its identity in the charming new weaves that are being shown in the shops just row. Crepon in every one of the new shades will be worn just about as much as ever, the deep crinkie will be missing, and bou- cle effects will take its place. In fact, the newest crepons !ook a good deal like fine Turkish toweling, and over this ground work are brocade effects, the whole form- ing a charming combination to allure the reluctant dollar. Another crepon is worked in large pattera with fine cut jet. It is warranted to ruin every bit of hard wood polisia in the house, and to strew beads, like acts of kindness, in waste places. The mohairs come most remarkable number of styles, most of them very pretty, a few rath: outre, and some decidedly absurd and quite im- possible. To see them in all their best points, and bad as well, you must test the powers of endurance of the nimble-tingered clerks. You can’t mace much mistake cn mohair, though, for it is a lasting friend, if you are but careful in seleting tle color Bands of trimming are to be worn at th foot of dress skirts again, but not the oid plain band of ve'vet or braid, nor yet ot silk or satin, but a giddy, gaudy spangied band of nettirg, on which impossible birds and impraci le flowers are embroidered in glass beds, jet, or tinsel, as the case may be. These Will be adjusted over cre- pon and mohair, over silk and velvet, homespun and cheviot. You can readily see that the fad will die a natural deatn, for anything much vglier could scarcely be imagined. The real affinity of jet and spangles is smooth satin-or silk, and when you apply either to-any other fabric, you make both common. It is even tried to outline plaids with spangles of like colors! The effect ts tragical! You will see a good deal of tha. sort of thing on the stage, but not much off of it, and the woman with it on is probably answering some advertise- ment of “‘chaperonage for rent!” —+ Two Kisses. From Lite. HE. Below me in the garden there She treads the winding path And all the world Such wondrous ways Love h: I am not seen: were I to throw A kiss, "twould be no hari Since as the thing she'd never kuow She could not take alarm. SHE. There at the window high he works And with no thought nor care That kere amongst the towers lurks A maid who tl inks him fatr. Were I to throw a kiss to hin Unmaidenly *twould be But modesty no need to dim— If he should fail to see. noTH. Go, little kiss, to those dear lips ‘And nestle there a while And maybap at thy gentle’ sips They'll greet thee with a smile; ‘Then hasten back and bear with thee Some little echo for ms Fly, little kiss, fly specdiiy HE | Great Scott! The dence! She SHE | Ob, my! Ob, dear! He eons new! tair, saw me! A TALK ABOUT BEER! When Certain Effects Follow Beer Drinking, Then Look Out! WHAT IT MAY INDICATE. How Beer Affects Varions People—A Strapge Fact Familiar to Most Doc- tors, but Not to the Avernge Man Who Quaffs the Foaming Lager. Drink beer! Don't drink beer! This seems like very contradictory advice, but, nevertheless, it is the condensed opinions of two reat classes of people. There are some who be- eve that a glass of beor is a healthful, invigorat- ing beverage. There are others who regard beer as a sort of disguised poison. And the strangest Udng about it is that both opinions may be right under certain conditions. The fact of the matter is tbat a glass of beer may be eitler a benefit or a curse, acrording 10 the health of the person who drinks’ it. If a mab or Woman is in sound health it may do good. If, fn the other hand, there is a weak spot in the ver or kidneys, Will result from the drink- One of ‘the greatest proofs that liver com- t is more cominon than we suspect is the oft- mark of beer drinkers: “I wish I n't taken that glass.” n this Way, beer acts ws the state of the ss of beer and soon after something is wroug in the si have a dull, heavy fecling, a bad taste in ‘the mouth, and,’ perhaps, the first stages of a hea ache, You may be sure that your liver and kidn need prompt attention. Negiect the warning, and jwere serious results are bound to follow sooner oF These great vital organc are the first to indicate disvase, and when they are out of order the miser- able sensations above de: are sure to be felt. When this 1s the case, it is cheaper and wiser to remedy matters before more serious con: sequences follow. ‘Then it is time to tone up the body, purify the blood and restore healthy aetion to liver and kidueys. For this purpose there has ever boen but one remedy, and that is Warner's fe Cure, which for years has been recognized as test and best health restorer in the world. rs everywhere acknowledge it. Thousands of men and women gladly testify to its splendid effects. It is, and always has been, unsurpassed. a barometer which ith. if you drink a nmence to feel that 1 of your back, or = = IN A TIGHT PLACE. A Deputy Marshal Who Was Trying to Do His Duty. The deputy marshal had been telling The Star writer a few of his trials and tribu- lations in quest of the elusive moonshiner in the West Virginia mountains. What wis the tightest place you ever got into?” inquired the writer with a thirst for the thrilling. The marshal scratched his head a mo- ment. here have been several which it would e pretty hard to decide between,” he said, but one that happened to me about five years ago was the one that seems to sug- est itself strongest just now.” “That's the one I want.” commanded the writer, and the marshal obeyed. “I had gone out one night,” he pro- ceeded, ‘with six men after a still we had got onto the trail of, and which we knew was run by two fellows who made some pretense of being right decent citizens, though they had reputations of being bad men under sufficient prevocation. We worked along through the woods very slowly, for it was dark, and the darker it was the better the moonshiners liked it, and after a time w® fiushed our still, but irstead of two men being there there we a dozen, and they made it so hot for us that we had to cut and run for it. Nat- uraily we couldn't keep together, and it wasn't long till I was by myself, and it Te to me the whole gang was on my trail. “I knew what it meant for my health if they caught me and did my level best to prevent such a result. ‘They knew the woods, though, and I didn’t, and they gain- ed on me in a way that was not pleasant to my feelings. At last they were run- ning me so close that I concluded to go up a tree, and I went up it at forty miles an hour. I was so near them that they could hear me breaking through the thickets, as 1 could hear them, and when I stopped !reaking through, they concluded that I had either lain down flat in the bushes or Was up a tree, and they began going for the trees, aiding themselves by burning pine knots. “My tree was a thick one, though, and I felt that I had a fighting chance until I heard a noise above me, and looking up I saw a pair of glaring eyes that looked as big as saucers to me. __ What they belonged to I couldn’t teil, but it wasn’t long till 1 could make out the fig- ure of a wildcat or catamount that looked us big as a cow, with all her hair brushed the wrong way. In a minute more I expect- ed to have a fight in the tree even worse than the fight that was waiting for me be- low, but I beld my breath and waited for developments. As between a wildcat and a mad moonshiner there wasn’t much differ- ence, but just then I took chances on the cat, with a half-way notion that my posse might round up and come back to help me. Whatever I thought, the cat made up its mind for action and began growling and tting just as a monnshiner passed below. I think be must have jumped a dozen feet into the air as the cat screeched, and the yell he let off brought the others to him. There were only three instead of three hun- dred, as I fancied while they were chasing me, and they began at once to prospect up the tree, the cat in the’meantime keepin its eyes on me and getting ready to spring, I was sure. About this time one of the men below caught the shine of its eyes with his pine-knot blaze and the next instant he banged away at it. I guess it must have been luck; I don’t know what else it was, but just as it rose to light on me the bullet took it somewhere in the head, and it whirl- ed clean over me and hit the ground with a thud that was not at all sickening to me. “Then the moonshiners forgot all about me for the moment and were glorying over the dead cat, but it was only for a moment, for the shot had given my men a pointer, and ina few minutes they were banging away at the moonshiners, who went flying through the thickets, and I came down off of my perch so unnerved that I couldn't stand on my feet, and we didn’t catch a moonshiner, though I captured the skin of the deserted cat as my right.” ——__. LOVE AT A GREAT ALTITUDE. A Lady Who Climbs Mount Ranier Winds Up by Marrying Her Guide. From the Louis Globe-Democrat. Henry Carter, the famous Mount Ranier guide, has fallen in love under romaatie circumstances, and will be married by Rev. William M. Jeffries, the first preacher who delivered a sermon on top of thé moun- tain. There is a pessibility that Carter will be married on top of the mountain, the place where he fell in love last Tues- day night, with the thermometer register- ing 20 degrees below zero, He is to marry Cora Beachmen, a school teacher, and the belle of Lake Park, a superb of Tacoma. Miss Beachman, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Groe of Eatonville, set cut Tuescay with Carter, the most trusted of ali the mountain guides, to ascend Mount Ranier. At Gibraitar Rock, which cor- v onds to the “shoulder” of the Matter horn, 4,000 feet from the suminit, Mrs. Groe became exhausted. Miss Leachman ceclared her intention to reach the sum- mit at all hazards, Carter led the way, but soon lost his ice ax, and in scaling difficult. passes they were compelled to rely solely on their alpenstoc They did not reach the summit untii 6 p. too late to attempt the descent that night. They had left Paradise valley, below the snow line, without wraps, and only a lemon and one sandwich each in the way of provis- ions. Carter selected a sheltered ice eave formed by Jets of steam from the crater, end there they passed a sleepless night, discussing all sorts of topics, and before lett the summit, at 9 a.m. Wednes- Miss Beachman had promised to marry the guide. The instant they left the steam of the ice cave their clothes were frozen sti and they suffered great hardships in 4 scending. A rescue party organized @ur- ing the day came to their relief late in the afternoon, after they had been without food over twenty-four hour: coe Grim Faces. From the Louisville Western Recorder. To judge by their faces one would think some people have the idea that, because “a man may smile and smile and be a villain,” only villains sirile. FOR GENERAL DEBILITY Une Horsford’s Acid Phosphate. Dr. R. D. Fatrex, New Orleans, La., says: * have almost universally seen good effects produ by it in diseases of the male organs of generation general debility and pulmonary diseases.”