Evening Star Newspaper, November 9, 1895, Page 16

16 1895—TWENTY-FOUR PAGES, THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, THE DEADLY LEPTERS BY ROBERT CROMIE. by Bachelier, Jobnson & Bachell-r.) CHAPTER I. Surg. Col. John Hedford, late of the In- dian medical service, lived in the large provincial city of Salchester. During a long residence in India he had given much time and study to the action of poisons on organic life. His knowledge of the sub- ject became so exhaustive that had he lived in the time of the Borgias the lucrative ap- pointment of court poisoner would have been his. As it was, however, his spe- cialty enabled him to supplement his in- come by acting as an expert when called on. His book on toxicology, which he modestly entitled jome Remarks on the Nature and Effect of Indian Poisons,” had been favorably reviewed by the Lancet and the British Medical Journal and bade fair to become a text book in the schools. (Copyright, 18: One morning he was watching the death throes of a mouse to which he had admin- istered a new ptomaine, when a letter, marked “immediate,” was delivered by a commissionaire. It read as follows: “SHE ROYAL STANDARD LIFE ASSUR- ANC. CO.,, “24 Castle Lane, Salchester, 12th July, 18—. “Dear Sir: Can you favor us with a call at tiis office at 12 o'clock today? We wish to consult you on a matter of great im- portance. Kindly reply per messenger. “Yours very truly, °* “CHARLES B. MORTON, ~~ “Resident Secretary. “Surg. Col..J. Hedford, Queen’s Elms, Salchester.” The specialist read the note carefully through twice before sending an affirm- ative reply. By this time the mouse was dead, and as that was the only urgent business he had on hand,just then Hed- ford suspended his experiments for the day. His silver-mounted eane and immaculate Lincoln-and-Bennett were handed to him by his Hindoo servant,*Chundra-Dass, and Hedford left the house. He sauntered leis- urely to the county club. After skimming over a few of that morning’s London dailies, he went to the offices of the Royal Standard, where he arrived with military punctuality on the stroke of noon. Hedford was.recelyed by, the secretary, Mr. Morton, and introduced’ to Mr. Mont- agu Scott, the -Londom r, who had been in Salchester for the past two days. After paying a well-merited, compliment to the specialist _on his reputation as a toxicologist, "Mr, Scott.get.to business at once, and said abruptly: “Iam golig to put a‘ease into your hands which cost this and two other companies, the ‘Tresham’ and the “Mutwal,’ one hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling, and which may cost us half a mifiion unless the riddle can be read.” The specialist was reticent. “Before handing you these documents,” Mr. Scott went on, indicating a tightly- strapped bundle of papers on the table, “I must ask your earnest assurance that you will maintain absolute secrecy on the sub- ject until you yourself, or some other man, has solved the mystery.” ‘The assurance given, Mr. Scott stated briefly that for the past two years pur- chases of life policies had been made by or for Sir William Huntingdon, M. P., a Sal- chester magnate of high reputation who lived principally in London; that most of the Persons assured had died since the date of the transfer of the policies; that in only one case had there been an inquest, for the sutti- cient reason that the assured had all died from well-known diseases, and had been at- tended by physicians who were beyond sus- picion; and that the three companies had paid claims amounting in all to one hundred and fifty thousand pounds either William Huntingdon or to persons who w suspected of being in collusion with him. This coincidence of early death from “natu- ral causes” occurring to nearly all the un- fortunate transferrers of the policies was, at present, inexplicakle. Mr. Scott had no special hypothesis, but, on behalf of the three “Life” offices, he intrusted Surgeon Col. Hedford with the case, informing him that !f necessary he could call in the services of an experienced detective from Scotland Yard. This Hedford declined to do, preferr- ing to work for a time single-handed in the matter. Mr. Scott intimated that a sum of five hundred pounds would be placed to the credit of Col. Hedford’s account in the Great Northern Banking Company, and that he Was to spare neither pains nor money in the endeavor to clear up the mystery. As the specialist left the ‘Royal Stand- ard” office he buttoned his coat with deter- mination and strode hastily homeward. He was well aware of the intricate nature of the task before him, and fully realized the | difficulties in his path. On the other hand, the fact that the five hundred pounds would convert the small debit balance of his bank- ing account into a handsome credit one was @ matter for satisfaction. Anglo-Indian “You must maintai ree: habits off. are expensive and difficult to break 1 he work before him was pure- humanitarian. It is pleasant to be a philanthropist when one is well paid for it. On arriving at the ‘Elm: Hedford went straight to his study, and hting a str Indian cheroot he undid the straps which bound together the bundle of documents handed to him by the manager of the in- surance om pan: y were records of the and causes of death of the per- policies had been purchased by am Huntingdon. As the causes of ranged from “smallpox” to “old age,” and’ as the melancholy list included two railway accidents, very little was gain- ed from the study of the papers. However, the s st made a table of their con- tents, when carefully completed, seemed to suggest something more than the individual documents read consecutively. On the impression thus formed he reserved judgment. Surg.-Col. Hedford spent the next three weeks in journeying north, south, east and west to the different parts of the kingdom where the deceased policy-holders had re- sided. He, interviewed doctors and rela- tives with much tact and circumspection, without arousing the slightest suspicion as to his object, but failed to elicit anything material. caused by one or other of the ills to which the flesh is heir. The mystery was as far from solution as ever. One terrible fact, however, stood out in ghastly relief—sooner cr later after the purchase of their policies, people who lived hundreds of miles apart were struck down by some deadly disease, in several cases not only had the as- sured persons been cut off, but also other members of their families. Hedford had seen strange things in India, and had heard of stranger. He was the reverse of super- stitious, but he could not, at times, help feeling that there was more than coinci- dence in the matter, and that Sir William Huntingdon possessed powers of a dia- bolical and horrible nature. The specialist, however, was both sensible and scientific. To be both scientific and sensible is to or- thodox minds an impossibility. As Hedford possessed a happy combination of these qualities he dismissed his wild fancies. Had he been less determined he would nave given up the case in despair. He was on the point of returning to Salchester, when he received a telegram from Mr. Montagu Scott, as follows: “To Hedford, Mitre Hotel, Manchester: Policy purchased by Huntingdon _yester- day, £0,000, See advertisement Daily Tele- graph ‘15th instant. Hamilton staying Grand Hotel, Brighton. Letter awaits you there. SCOTT, London.” Reference to the columns of the Daily Telegraph showed that a policy on the li of a retired Indian officer had been sold auction the previous day. The specialist arrived from Brighton tired and worn out with continuous t found the letter from the “Royal Stanc | paper, Death in each case had been} ewalting him. The policy had been eff ten years previously in that office, and the assured was Maj. Gen. Hamilton, late po- Uitical agent at the court of the rajzh of Gcrakphur. He had been unfortunate in a recent gold mining speculation and had lest a large fortune. Hence the sale of the policy. Hedford was intensely interested. After removirg the traces of kis tiresome journey he sent his card to Gen. Hamilton. They were old friends, and over a cigar and a whisky-and-seltzer in the smoking room, Hamilton related the story of his misfor- tunes. He had still his pension and a small remnant of his capital left, but he bitterly regretted having had to let his life policy go. His daughters were to join him the next ay, and, in the course of a week or ten day they intended going to some cheap continental watering place. The girls did not know of their father’s financial difficul- ties, and Hedford was cautioned not to di- vulge anything to them. The Misses Hamilton arrived the next morning and renewed acauaintance with the specialist, who laughingly reminded them that when he hade them farewell ten years before at the Gorakphur residency they had shed tears at his departure and had. been lavish of their caresses. He told them that he hoped by “strict attention to business,” etc., to merit a continuance, or, rather, a renewal! of the fayors then bestowed. For a brief space he forgot his serious mission, and, In the charming society of Ethel and Mary Hamilton the evening was spent. But he did not long neglect his duty, and that evening the Hamiltons saw him off by the London express. He had arranged to ac- company the party to Dresden on his return from town. That night Hedford had a conversation with Mr. Montagu Scott, and subsequently a more lengthy interview with the cele- brated Inspector Trowbrigg of South Ameri- can fame, formerly of Scotland Yard, but now a “private inquiry agent.” The two left London together for Salchester by the night mail. ‘Two days afterward Hedford and Chundra- Dass, with several traveling trunks and portmanteaus, returned to Brighton. After @ week spent by the party in making prep- arations for departure, it was arranged that they should cross by Dover and Calais next lay. Hedford retired to bed after an enjoyable evening, feeling relief in the thought that his cld friend was fleeing from the myste- ricus fate which» might befall him at any momeut. He spent a troubled 5 tracted thoughts kept him awake, and he only fell into a sound sleep toward morn- ing. He was-awakened by Chundra-Dass, whose usually dusky countenance was lit. erally of an ashefr pallor. “Supplied Gen. Sahib his ‘Chotahazri,’” he stammered, with chattering teeth. “Sahib very bad. Him one dam rash all over.” Jumping out of bed, Hedford thfew on his dressing gown, and, followed by Chun- dra-Dass, rushed to ‘the general's bed room. The sword had fallen! “What do you think is the matter, Hed- the general asked, anxiously. “I half like the rash on my face and wrists. I feel as if I've been peppered by small shot. “EI don't like it either,” said Hedferd, gravely, after a careful examination of his patient. What have I got?” jJ. Gen. Hamilton died and was duly buried. The specialist might have made a “post- mortem” privately if he had wished. But the general had died of smallpox, and there was an end of it. Besides, he had abandoned the poison theory. He had en- tered a cul-de-sac. On the day after the funeral Hedford, at Ethel Hamilton’s request over the deceased’s paper He was struck by the number of gold and silver mine prospec- tuses which poor Hamilton had accumu- lated. As he tossed them one after an- other into the waste pap¢r basket he ob- served some pencil memoranda, in the gen- eral’s handwriting, 2n a prospectus from which the wrapper had been removed. The Dullwitch postmark caught his eye. This struck him as odd. Prospectuses are not usually posted in small country vil- lages a hundred miles from London. He turned over the contents of the basket on the floor, and found several torn wrappers, which he minutely examined. Then taking from his pocket book the reports of ex- Inspector Trowbrigg, which he had re- ceived from day to day, he perused them with concentrated attention. The specialist sat down to think. A dozen wild guesses passed through his mind, but none stood the test of “second thoughts.” One shad- owy idea then began to form, wilder and more horrible still than all the rest; so far- fetched, indeed, that he dismissed it. But it persistently returned again and again. He fought against it no further. He would go to Dullwitch. A short telegram ispatched to Trowbrigg. was CHAPTER II. Hedford explained to the two girls he was summoned away for a few da business of the most urgent nature fore leaving he handed to Ethel Hamilton a@ twenty-pound bank note which he found in the general’s writing desk. Owing to the fact that he had placed it there him- self no one had a better right to find it. ‘Phe specialist was a kindly man, although a vivisectionist. _The next evening Hedford arrived at Duliwitch. He was met at the station by Trowbrigg. Dullwitch small country village on the Great Northern line, some seven or eight miles from the large manu- facturing town of Starlington. The detective took much interest in the postal arrangements of the village. Sur- geon Colonel Hedford had apparently no other object in life than golfing, to which fascinating pursuit he devoted himself with great energy. He got to know many of the golfers. : On the third morning of his stay in Dull- witch he was met on the links by Trow- brigg, who took from his pocket a news- the Starlington News Letter, and pointed to a paragraph marked in blue pencil: “Dullwitch Hcspital.—Sir William Huntingdon, M. P. for Starlington, has for- warded a check for five hundred pounds to the treasurer of the Dullwitch Hospital. If the other life governors would follow his princely exam-le the institution’s debt would soon be cleared off. Sir William Huntingdon’s frequent visits to the wards testify—" Hedford read no more. The Aospital was situated at the outskirts of the village. He went there without delay. The house phy- sician, Dr. Grey, another ardent golfer, gratefully received his modest subscription of tive pounds. Dr. Grey was mucn pleased with the interest in the hospital shown by Col. ieiford—an interest natural erovgh in a brother medical man—and cordially in- vited him to inspect the wards. ‘After the tour of the hospital, Hedfora sald, careiessly: “What about your cases of infectious disease?’ “Splendidly isolatel—a separate build- ing,” Grey explained.“ Like to go through?” Yes, if I may.” “Most of our infectious cases are sent to us from Starlington,” Dr. Grey said as they crossed the quadrangle to a row of isolated huts. “We have several pad cases of ty- phus ani smallpox at present. Is it wise, though, on your part to run any risk? You on duty, you know.” said Hedford, with a quiet smile, “I am disease proof. I have seen too much of that sort of thing in India to have the least fear. You can disinfect me after- Nurse Hudson was on duty—a tall, ex- pressionless woman, who answered Dr. Grey’s questions tn a direct, business-like manner. Nurse Hudson waS reported to have private means. plendid woman, but too unsympathet- Dr. Grey whispered in Hedford’s ear. Nurse Hudson looked keenly at the vis- itor, who was, in a seemingly careless man- ner, inspecting a patient's clinical chart, ng cn the wall beside the bed. "s handwriting. interesting case this,” ing Hedford. “How is Johnson?” 'This to Nurse Hud- on said the have been bad, then,” Hedford put ‘The man is comatose now, or dead.” Dr. Grey drew down the bedclothes ard felt the patient's heart. Nurse Hudson turned very white. “He is dead,” said the doctor, rearrang- ing the bedclothes. The visitor’s keen eye noticed something lying beside the body. He placed his hand on the dead man’s heart and possessed him- self of the object unobserved by the nurse. The diabolical nature of Huntingdon’s crime flashed upon him. His surmise had become a certainty! Hedford took leave of Dr. Grey hastily. Five minutes afterwards Detective Trow- Nurse Hudson Turned Very White. brigg interviewed Nurse Hudson. The in- terview was short, sharp and decisive. She obtained leave of absence. A near rela- tive was dying, she said. For one hour exactly she was closeted with Col. Hedford in his private sitting room at the “Red Lion.” The specialist caught the first train to London. His brain was on fire. He could not sit still in his corner of the compart- ment. He couli not read. He could not even smoke, and he told a civil curate of the “Private Secretary” type, who said it was a “charming day,” to go to the devil. When the train drew into Euston he could hardly wait for it to stop. He dashed out of the carriage, jumped into a4 hansom, and drove rapidly to the head office of the Roy- al Standard, where he found Mr. Montagu Scott awaiting him. The manager had been warned by wire. “You have succeeded,” said Mr. Scott, strongly agitated, as Hedford entered the room. “I see it in your face.” Hedford produced an oblong-shaped paper which bore evident traces of having been submitted to the action of sume strong chemical agent. It was a prospectus of the “African Exploration, Trading and Mining Company, ‘imited.” It was ad- dressed to “HENRY HE\VSTEAD, Esq., “11 Granville Terrace, Belfast.” Hedford read out the name and addres “Ts he a policy holder in your company he asked. The manager touched an electric bell and spoke through a tube. The sharp r-r-ing of the bell broke the silence, and Mr. Mon- tagu Scott applied his ear to the tube. “In difficulties—life assured for two thou- sand pounds. Policy sold six months ago to Sir William Huntingdon,” said the man- ager, as he dropped the flexible tube. “Wonderful, marvelous, monstrous, fiend- ish!” he added, five minutes later. ‘“‘What will you do now?” “Pardon me,” answered the specialtst, “what will you do now 2" Mr. Scott pondered for fully five min- and then said slowly and impres- “I think, Col. Hedford, you had better finish this yourself. We have dropped an immense sum of money. It would suit us to get it back. This should be a bonus year, and I don’t see how we are going to ray it. We cannot compound with the scoundrel. Your circumstantial evidence is “Will your secretary go so far hang for you? still very weak. It might hang the wo- man, but that would not enable the ‘Royal Standard’ and the other two companies to recover their money. You may be certain the villain Huntingdon has his retreat se- cured.”” ‘To cut the matter short,”” said Hedford, deliberately, “you will leave the matter in my hans Mr. Montagu Scott looked straight into the other’s eyes, and said slowly: “That is the only way. I will leave it in your hands.” ‘Then you will pay your bonus,” said the special ‘Ard you have five thousand pounds,” said the managing directer. Sir William Huntingdon turned over thoughtfully a visiting card bearing this inscription: “Surgeon-Colonel J. Hedford (Late Indian Medical Service), “United Service Club, “Pall Mall.” “Show him up,” he said, and the special- ist in poisons entered the room. “Your business, sir?” said the baronet, shortly. Hedford had neither bowed nor accepted Sir William's outstretched hand. “To make you an offer.” “About what?” “Sceme ‘Royal policies you hold. “Si ‘our intrusion is most unwarrantable. My secretary transacts business of that na- ture for me. Good day!" Sir William moved toward the bell. The specialist interposed. “Will your secretary go so far as to hang for you should we prove our case?” “Your case—what case? Are you mad or drunk?” “Neither; I am here to tell you, firstly,” said the specialist, checking off his items ou the fingers of one hand, “that you have swindled three insurance companies out of £150,000; secondly, that, with one or two ex- ceptions, you have foully murdered all the policyholders who sold to you, and, thirdly, that you carried out this system of pro- digious crime by means of your accom- plice—” “That will do. Leave the house!” manded Sir William. The muscles of his face never moved, but it was death-like in its pallor. “But Nurse Hudson?” “Never heard of her.” Strange! She knows you well.” “How should that concern me “She is in custody. She has confessed. Sir William Huntingdon sank back in iis chair. Half an hour afterward Hedford, accom- panied by the baronet, drove to the Bank of England. Some mysterious operations took place there which resulted in the transfer of a large sum in consols to “John Hedford.” They drove back to Park lane. The spe- cialist remained about ten minutes. He then left the house, walked away a few paces down the street and stopped. This is what he was saying to himself: “One hundred and fifteen thousand pounds. A hundred thousand for the insurance peo- ple, ten for the Hamilton girls, and five for myself. No proceedings, no trouble, no chance of losing the pile, and all on condi- tion of allowing the beast to blow—” The bang of a pistol-shot rang out on the stillness of the aristocratic street. A small group of people began to gather round Sir William Huntingdon’s door. Surgeon Colonel John Hedford called a cab. Nurse Hudson’s body was found in the Thames a week afterward. No more typhus or smallpox-infected pros- péctuses were posted in Dullwitch, (The end.) ————— Perverse. tandard’ and other life com- From the Kansas City Star. I do not love you very much, Only your tuneful voice, Which, in a happy moment, takes ‘The music of my choic I do not love you, dear, at all, Ouly your merry ways, Which lnger in my mind, and set Me dreaming, through the days. In truth, I think it fs dislike You kindle in my heart, Because you come so joyously To steal so large a part. —DOLLIE RADFORD. IF A GOLD MAN Conditions Under WhichColorado Will Not Vote the Republican Ticket OUTSPOKEN VIEWS OF SENATOR FELLER He Thinks That. Asia Will Mon- opolize the World's Manufactures. DUE TO A GOLD STANDARD oe sht, 1895, by George Grantham Bain.) ENATOR TELLER of Colorado has just been east on a busi- ness trip. He went west before the re- port of his candidacy for the republican ‘nomination was sug- gested, and he did not discuss that mat- ter with any one—at least for publication. ’/, tie was quoted, how- ever, as advocating the nomination of Mr. Allison, and this expression 1s contra- dicted flatly in an. interview of more than an hour which I had with him. Mr. Teller is one of the most outspoken men in public, life. Whatever he thinks on any public question he is not afraid to say. And as the ex-Vice President, Gov. Mor- ton, said of him in conversation a few days ago, he is quite able to hold his own in debate. My conversation with Senator Teller was held for the purposes of newspaper publi- cation, and he authorized the use of it as it appears here. “What we need,” said Senator Teller, “is parity between the two metals, gold and silver. How that is to be brought about except through the adoption of the free coinage of silver, I do not know. Possibly some one can suggest a way. No one has. We have nothing to expect from this ad- ministration and nothing from the next Congress. The administration is under the influence of three or four men in New York—or possibly two would cover it. I could not undertake to name them, but I have no doubt you could do so. I fear neither party will name a man who will be satisfactory to the silver states. If neither of them does, the old parties are going to disintegrate in Colorado. “It looks as if the next President would be a republican. And it looks now as though he would be named by the east and as though he would be a gold man, If so, Colorado will not vote the republican ticket. As for myself, if the republican party names a gold candidate, I will not follow it in that folly. I will not stultify self by supporting a candidate whose inciples I believe to be opposed to the t interests of the country and to the riies of the American people. I should reter to resign from the Senate and re- lire fron: politics rather than to support a candidate whose principles I do not ap- The pe ple of Colorado will be any candidate representing the gold (Copyri interest. Colorade Gold Mines. T asked the Senator if the people of Colo- rado were taking a very lively interest in are interested chiefly in making money,” he said. “They are engaged large- ly in developing the gold fields of the state. The silver mines are still producing, but not to the extent, that they did before the decline in the value of silver. The well- developed mines with large reserves of ore are shipping; the smaller producers are closed down. But the gold mines of the state are developing we:iderfully, and I be- lieve that within a very short time Colo- rado will be producing $25,000,000 a year in gold. The Cripple Creek camp is the most remarkable mining camp in the world to- day. I was down there for several days this fall. They claim to be taking out now a million dollars a month.” “The cost of getting out ‘he gold is something unprecedented. What would you say if I told you that gold was being produced in Cclorado today cheaper than silver? I will have letters to lay before the Senate in December showing that .n the Portland mine they have got out gold at a cost of sixteen cents an ounce, and that they have got it out in quantity at twen- ty-five cents. Silver was never produced as low as twenty-five cents an ounce. They are getting out ore worth $2,400 a ton there right along. “I think they are taking out about eight millions a year. But the output is in- creasing all the time. And they are put- ting in machinery now whieh will increase the yield wonderfully. Stratton, who owns one ‘of the finest ‘properties in’ the camp, will not take out more than a certain amount a month, because he has no use for the money. In fact, he has more money now than he knows what to do with. So even in the next year or two the camp will not be producing probably to its full capacity. The gold yield of the entire world is goingsto increase, though. I chink that within five years the production of gold will be $250,000.400 a year.” Some Silver Views, “And what will be the result of that?” n increase in the price of silver. Per- haps enough advance to bring the price back to the point where the silver in a dollar will be worth 100 cents as buliion. All prices are bound to advance with the greater influx of gold, and the price of sil- ver will advance with the rest, since sil- ver is only a commodity now. That may remove from the minds of the people their prejudice against silver, which grows out of the fact that the silver dollar contains only 50 cents worth of silver bullion. You cannot make people understand somehow that when the mints of the United States are opened to the free coinage of silver, the United States will not be paying 100 cents for 50 cents werth of metal—that the value of the silver when it comes out of the ground then will be $1.29 an ounce.” “Do you believe that the establishment of another ratio than 16 to 1 would help solve the silver problem?” “No. There is too much silver in circu- lation at that ratio now to admit of a change. Indndia there are enormous quan- tities in circulation at 15 to 1. No; the ratio of coirage must be between 15 and § scmewhere. And I believe that if the United States, Germany and France would throw their mimts open to free coinage, or if either one of them would, the whole world would have to come to it in time. England could not hold out. What makes India’s wheat sellin England? The fact that India is on a silver basis, Protective ‘Tarif Contingency. “We are suffering now a great disad- vantage in our foreign commerce because of the rate of exchange. We will suffer still more from that in the near future. And I believe that. if we do not have the free coinage of silver within ten years we will have a competition which will not only drive«our,,mgnufactures out of ‘for- eign markets, but will bring in from Asia a class of cheap manufactured goods with which we cannot compete. The lov price of silver acts as a tariff on all imports into the silver-using countries from the gold standaré countries, and, on the other hand, it acts as a bounty on all the exports from the silver-using countries to the gold coun- tries. This stimulates manufactures in the silver-using countries as well as encourages exports from those countries to gold coun- tries. “In exchange for their exports they re- ceive gold, with which they purchase cheap silver, coin it and put it into the curren of their covrtry with the same purch.sing power that it had thirty years ago. Thus we not only destroy our markets in those countries, but we are putting them in ac- tive competition with our own manufac- turers. There will be only one refuge for us, then, if we wish to maintain our posi- tion as ‘a manufacturing nation—we will have to put up a prohibitive tariff_wall and keep out foreign-made goods. I be- lieve that if the present conditions con- tinue for another decade Asia will be doing most of the manufacturing for the world. “Both the Chinese and the Japanese are deft people. They are not inventive, but they are imitative, and the progress they have made in manufacturing is wonderful. They can live and thrive on wages that mean starvation and death to an American or European laborer. I was talking a few days ago with a missionary who had just returned after a six years’ stay in China— returned just in time to save his head, by the way. He told me that ft would not be possible for one who had not seen them to realize the progress that the Chinese had Bat in the last six years in manufactur- ing.” After Our Foreign Trade. “Will not their conservatism keep out foreign machinery?” I asked. “For a little time longer, perhaps,” said the Senator. “But the war with Japan is going to make a great awakening in China. This missionary tells me that the present Chinese dynasty is doomed. The people see that it has deceived them, and it is totter- ing to its fall. With the inauguration of a new rule changes will come. The Chinese are a people of fine business ability. Not the river Chinese whom we know, but the Chinese of the interior. This missionary, who had been to the interior, told me that they were a fine, well developed race, with splendid business talents. In fact, he says that the most successful business enter- prises in Japan have “hinese at their head. “Machine shops in Monterery and other places in Mexico have taken away from Denver the trade in mining machinery which we had with Mexico for so long a time. “There is where the rate of exchange hurt our business. The Mexican, when buying his machinery, could not believe, after the decline of silver, that he was pay- ing the same price as before for what he bought. The rate of exchange made him pay two Mexican dollars where he had paid one before. To his mind, it was as though we had doubled the price of the goods. He would not pay the advance, and now he is manufacturing his own machinery. Manu- facturing is being introduced into Mexico very rapidly. At present you will find noth- ing in the houses of the wealthier people that was not manufactured abroad—most of their trade is with Germany and Eng- land. But within a few years all this will be changed. “Mexico is now manufacturing all her own cotton goods, and she is manufactur- ing furniture and other things for home consumption. I was in one of her cotton mills. It is the most complete, if not the largest mill in Mexico. All of the work is done right there, beginning with the manu- facture of the patterns. Driven Out of the Market. “So it will be with the Asiatic, in time. Japan even now is manufacturing and ship- ping to this country a rug which could not be manufactured here for anything like the retail price, and the importers are making a very large profit on it. It is not a high- grade rug. It will not wear very well, per- haps, but it is a cheap rug, and it looks well. “Japanese silks are coming into this coun- try in large quantities. Just now they have to be sent to France and Germany to be finished. But how long will it be before the Japanese can put this finish on for themselvcs? There never was a thing which the Chinese or Japanese saw some one else do that they could not do for themselves. We will have the Japanese driving our silk product out of the market before long. “And the competition of the Asiatic people is something we are not prepared to meet. The burdens of civilization rest lightly on them. Their taxes are small. Why, the entire debt of China before the recent war was not more than the debi of the city of New York. As to Japan, the debt of that untry is not more than $7 per capita and $5.50 of that is held in Japan. The per cap- ita debt of the United States is not less than Both nations live more cheaply than s, and if they ever come into serious com- petition with us, I am really afraid for the future of American industries.” Moneyed People of the East. I asked the Senator to tell me who he thought would be the nominee of the repub- lican party next year. “T have an idea,” he said, “that it will be a man who has not been discussed—some outsider, on whom the moneyed people of the east will agree and for whom they will raise the necessary funds to get the nomi- nation and carry on the campaign. I sup- pose you know how Cleveland and Harrison were nominated I pleaded guil national conventions in 1892 as well as in 1s88. And I suggested that both of them were nominated by votes of the delegates. “They were both nominated by money raised in New York,” ‘sald the Senator. “The night before Harrison was nominated a supporter of Mr. Harrison was going around Minneapolis trying to cash a draft for $20,000 which some one had given him. I do not know what he wanted to do with the money at that time of night, but it was generally sugested that it was to hold some wavering supporters in line. Both Cleve- land and Harrison were nominated through the influence of the rich people of the east. The next candidate, I believe, will be nomi- nated in the same way. The populists cer- tainly cannot elect. With the showing they have made in this administration I think the democrats don’t stand any chance at all.’ “Would Senator Allison be acceptable to the silver people of Colorado?” “He would be more acceptable than some of the other candidates, but even he would not be acceptable. Colorado wants a can- didate who is in favor of silver squarely and openly. No other candidate will be accepta- Le to the people of Colorado. These gen- tlemen, who are keeping their own counsel on the subject, would better speak out, be- cause we will assume that the man who is not for us is against us. We went a silver candidate, and from present appearances I fear we will not get one from either party. t is certain the electoral vote of Colorado en to a gold man in 1896, even if it is certain that he is to be elected.” GEORGE GRANTHAM BAIN. —— ae Used to It. From the Chicago Tribune. A man who was out walking in the sub- urbs a day or two ago came across a chubby, well-fed boy and girl riding in a wagon pulled by a small-sized but sturdy goat. “That's a pretty strong animal, isn’t it?” he sai “Yes, replied the little girl, don’t mind it.” “but we “JT understand, sir, your only son is ad- dicted to the bottle habit, and you fear you cannot break him of it. I feel that I can convince him of his evil ways could I but have a half hour of prayer with him.” ‘All right, sir, he is in— ‘The adjoining room.”—Life. ————————————— | Highest of all in Leavening Power.— Latest U.S. Gov’t Report Royal Baking Powder ABSOLUTELY PURE A MUUNTAIN HERMIT. An Educated Man Living a Solitary Life—Knowledge of the Bible. From the Richmond Dispatch. “Can you show me a spot about the mountains where r.ctody lives?” was a question asked the other day by one of a party of hunters, who got off at Afton,Va., for a shooting jaunt. “Wall, I kin come mighty nigh it,” re- plied the man, who offered himself as pilot. “You say no one lives hereabovts?" I asked, as we got above the timber line, and I saw a small clearing on a knoll to the left. “Nobody but OI’ La’nclot; an’ he don’t ecunt—he’s bin here so long.” Tobe said “‘Ol’ La‘’nclot” was a kind of hermit, and in his time had “more larnin’ and knew more "bout the Bible than airy parson in ten states.” On the way I learned all Tobe knew of the solitary man with the aristocratic name of Launclot, who lives so far from the haunts of men, and especially desires, as it seems, to live far from the haunts of women. For the hermit is a cynic, and might belong to the Arrelie Rives’ monks of the Silent House. Sometimes women, in search of nuts.or berries on the mountain, get over his line fence, but Ol’ La‘nclot burns the raiis if he knows it and hews him a new panel from the pines. . ‘When we reached the clearing Tobe called out, “Hello!” A yellow dog sprang up with a savage growl, but-was quieted by a call from within, “He's contrary like sometimes,” warned Tobe, “‘an’ you mus’ speak to him easy.” I judge it was one of the hermit’s “‘con- trary” days when he appeared in the door- way and demanded ‘What we wanted.” It was not until Tobe spoke that he let us come inside the cabin and motioned us to a bench near the fireplace. Or La’nclot had been known as the Nim- rod of the mcuntain side. The walls of the cabin and over the mantel were lined with the skins of smaller game, and a big black bearskin covered the bed. Long rows of paws were sticking between the logs and over the joists, with burches of dried roots and red peppers were strings of fox tails, and what looked like wolf scalps. Over a shelf were the antlers of a large deer, and Piled below it the rattles of a dozen rattle- snakes. The hermit was a very tall man, seventy- five years old, with keen, blue eyes, and had, apparently, been a well-educated man. I asked if he “‘was not often very lonely.” He looked a little scornful, I thought, as he answered: “You show your ignorance by the question; no man is ever alone. What does St. Paul say, young man?—that ‘we are surrounded by a cloud of wit- nesseses’—and, again, hear the Psalmist, ‘Though I go to the uttermost ends of the earth Thou art with me.’ I was a little surprised at the suddenness with which “Ol La’nclot” dropped into the Bible, but was glad the “contrary” spell was passing. “You have books, I notice,” was the next remark I made to draw him out. “Yes,” he answered. “I read my ‘Jose- phus’ when I want to study the vanity and wickedness of this fleeting world, and the Bible whenever I can. Ycu can’t read the Bie too often, young man; remember that.” “I am told you have peculiar views of heaven, Mr. ~ Do you think it is a place?” “Does the Bible say hell is a place?” was the startling rejoinder. “Read St. John. Yes, heaven is a lécal- just as much so as that mouniain,” with a far-away look at the top of Hump- | back, as seen through the open door. “The fact that heaven is a place; that it has mansions, inhabited by actual, tangible but incorruptible bodies, and that they go lack and forth as angels of mercy, ought to be taught in the theological institutions of Christendom. “Have you studied the theologians, Far- rar and Keike and Doellirger?” . I was obliged to confess that I had not. “Then go and do it. Don’t ask about things you can read for ycurself.” By this time Tobe had examined the four or five guns scattered about, and had rat- tled the snake trophies impatiently, and was, I knew, growing restless. The her- mit took down a sun and walked with us a piece through the woods. After we part- ed from him I heard the sharp crack of his rifle, and Tobe remarked, “Ol’ La’nclot’s got a squirrel for his supper.” oe See coe WRITTEN IN THE SKY. A Monogram Signal Which May Be Used on Land or Water. From the Electrical Review. The virtues of an electric monogram sig- nal have always been referred to in these columns. The device is a sort of type- writer delivering its message, letter by letter, in midair, or at any distant point in gigantic characters of light. The ob- server may be miles away cnd yet read the message with ease. The keyboard is manipulated precisely as in an ordina ypewriter, and its func- tion is to switch in, or direct, the current through a series of distributing wires,which ure carried in a cable to the monogram or display frame. According to a predete: mined scheme the keys exercise a selective function, and cach e switches in the leading wires only, ich connect with the members of the monogram constituting the letter of the alphabet which that particu- Jar key represents. By reference to the monogram one may easily trace any letter of the alphabet in form so nearly conyentional as to be readi- ly understood. Thus if on the keyboard the A button is pressed, the lamps of all the members of the monogram entering into that letter shine out simultaneously, while all other lamps upon the display frame re- main dead. And sv on, for every letter. The observer has only to follow the let- ters as they flash out one after another to spell out the words of the message. it will be seen that this is a sort of visual tele- graph, and that it may be made to taik in almost any language spoken by man. It is also serviceable for cipher writing ac- cording to any prearranged code. The monogram frame is five feet high by three and one-half feet wide, equipped with 16- candle-power lamps. Signals flashed from this frame are visible to the naked eye for distances from one to three miles, depend- ing on the weather. With a glass the signals may be easily read up to ten miles. Some frames are made much larger and can be seen farther. ———_+e+-_. The Wheelwoman. From the American Wheelman. What if the merry maiden goes a-riding on the wheel, And wears’a graceful costume that is short above the heel? Can any one gainsay {t, that, though changed in mode of dress, She's of the gender feminine and not a whit the ess? And, if she dous the bloomer or the Knickerbocker clothes, Is not her person just as sweet as any blooming | Pose? What if the college maiden rows a shell or sculls with oars, Or takes a goal in foot bali field, or bowls upon the floors, Is she any lesi a woman if her skin is very brown, ‘Than when ‘she trailed her skirts in mud and wore a igh-necked gown? And, if she boxes out her foe or fenres like a man, Lacks she any fascination, whate’er her scheme or plon? So far as all experience of men with women zocs, For every ten of murriages nine are chuck full ‘of ‘woe! ‘The very Jatest woman, with ber muscle, brains, or pluck, ring new Joys to wedded life and give us better luck, May Of one thing I am certain from the widest range of view, Old-fashioned types must siand aside and make way for the new. Thank beayen for the change that’s come, acd fascinating fads; For me the mezry outdoor girl who emulates the lads! “How intense are the fires of love!” ejacu- lated the poet. “Yes,” answered the father of six marriageable daughters; “but they do take an awful lot o’ coal.""—Tid-Bits. IF THE CARB THE part of a lndy’s education we should many gray heads, und the use of Hall's Hair Ke- ewer would be onnecessary. POISONED BY A FLOWER. Peculiar Effect of the Night Blooming 3 Cereus. From the Independent. A singular case was that of the actor, Mr. Jcseph Wheelock, who some four or five years ago was said to have been bewitched by a flower. While traveling in the west in the pursuit of his profession he suddenly de- veloped peculiar symptoms. He could not sleep, except by taking occasional naps at irregular intervals. Toward midnight at the close of the performance, though usually a calm, phlegmatic man, he would,become unusually talkative, demonstrative and full of enthusiasm. He was usually a man of few words, but on these occasions he would snow very fluent and redundant dn expres- sion. He would relate to his friends. marvel- ousiy eloquent descriptions of seenes and in- cidents. In diagnosing his case some physi- cians said that the covering of the actor's brain was inflamed, others saidthat he had in some way absorhed into his system some deadiy poison. The last named explanation Proved to be the true one. It seems that two weeks previously, while the company was passing through Washington, D. C., the superintendent of the national botanical gardens invited Mr. Wheelock to be present at the unfolding of a night blooming cereu: The actor accepted the invitation. At t conclusion of the phenomenon the superin- tendent invited Mr.,Wheelock to take the flower. Taking a penknife from his pocket, the actor cut the flower fram its stem. In doing so he inflicted a slight cut upon his right thumb, and in:this way be became in- oculated with the juice of the flower, which is very powerful and is distilled for use as a homeopathic medicine.. The actor had also preserved the flower in alcohol, keeping it near his bed, thus inhaling the slight vapor and emphasizing the influence of the deadly drug. Homeopathists say that there are one or two cases where men have purposely placed themselves under the stimulus of this poison for its effect upon their brain, and while under its influence have dictated weird poetry and extravagant romance, ——-+e-+____ An Unsuccessful Fire Drill; How Chief Dickelsdorfer Tried the Newest Fire Escape. From Fliegende Blatter. ~*~" * Or, ees