Evening Star Newspaper, March 27, 1921, Page 59

superior officer in this respect, for| Col. Bevington-Ardsmore, while every | inch a soldier and a gentleman, had THE SULIDAY STAR. WASHINGTON, D. C. MARCH tanded Merciful One: there.” disguised | as one of our pilgrims, is Huk Shak.: he of the Black Tongue. He hath| o= dead or 10 i and then our own force here can scour the colony for the members of his| him, alive, amen 1921—PART 4. ignaled ue north, amer ailing st and, afte rnoon 2l CFTV\L T T g 'Y wolell, of course, our own men\3\"HEN the engineer of the consul's| . e much more effective, but| 4 e | , 3 3 A e i v Sydney (0 Partndge as it lies outside the international | Jaunth foundihatinam Sthing b0 : d boundary. I am afraid we shall have | §one wrong with the machinery he i S Lo rely upon the viceroy (o send down | very sensibly concluded to keep up : - = 2 oad of ‘braves ; : Hat e AJ.: ROBERT DARLINGTON < and earth and hurl this insult at our| “T will personally carry his excel. [HS team in the boiler so that cven of the 9th Hindustanee Lan- & & goddess lency’s request to Canton.” interrupt- if they couldn’t repair the damase cers was deservedly popular ‘ ":;f‘ ‘:"'",r" 2 hv' LA . ;d Wang Foo, “and e 1h.n] the | and rt the propeller up again, he me! Look! I will show vou.|proper men are sent. They will fly | y. caipraas dibio with all the colony. during | and rising and going to the window | the red flag of terror with the \words SR L sure enough t6 blow the year that his regiment was doing I “threw back the shutter and with ‘Death to any one who lands!’ D o ¢ b hoRimes Farrison duty at Hongkong. As a T Tu s Rl T R ,;\‘,"gl"“j“ jon the other islands. 1a which the ‘ cales is the Shrine of the Hundred-| 'Black Tongue' with orders to taki rning to the colony. he hired a never been able to shake off that pe-| culiar military stiffness and aloofness | which his family traditions had al- ways associated with his majesty's . uniform. So, while Mrs. Ardsmore afterncons “at home" were always graced by the attendance of the offi- cial circles and everything was done in a strictly proper manner—just as much so as if it had all been laid down in the “manual of arms” .of the T ent—her guests didn't hesitate to’, whisper among themselves that they went only because they couldn't help it, or, as the admiral's flag lieu- tenant’ was overheard to remark, “Deuced bore, this, but one has to go through it once in so often. don't y'know!" While the occasional gath-! erings at the officers’ mess (where the| major always asked Mrs. Hopkinson, the popular wife of the American con- sul, to preside) were characterized by that delightful atmosphere of co alky and informality which made every one feel perfectly at home and at ease. Now it was at one of these that the major, a bachelor fo be sure, but by no means an “old” or “impos-, gble”™ ome. turned to Miss Julia Un-: @frwood (a charming young American artist whom Mrs. Hopkinson was en- tertaining at the consulate) and ask ¥ ed: “Well, and how is that painting of the peak getting on? It surely| must be finished by this time, is it not?* . ‘Not uite yet. major.” she answer- “you see. the weather for the las few days has been very much agains me. ~Just as | get ready to do the summit and the signal station and all that, why some wretched cloud comes | along and just blots out all the view | and -so_1 have to wait for another| chance.” “I dare say you've seen those daubs that.old Ching Wing—the ‘marine ar- tist’ as he calls himself—has for sale in’ his -old shop down by the wharf, haven't you? Quite a royal gallery i its_way. that jWhy. yes, | went down there only a“day or two ago. I shouldn't cail them all ‘daubs,” though: some of them are really quitc tolerable works of art, especially the junks and the sam- | pans and the full-rigged ships gayl: sailing along under full canvas. He's a-génius in his way.” Yes. all but the perspective. The ships and the houses and the moun- tains are all flattened up against each other and half the junks look as if they were going to sail right up Queen’s road on shore. “Well, that's the Chinese of it 1 suppose.” replied-the youns lady ar- tigt. with a smile; “You see they have nderful .imitative faculties but no much initiative, as we say in Boston. The conversation on the relative merits of Ching Wing's art was sud- denly, cut short by the approach of Consul Hopkinson, who, coming in rather late, rushed up to Maj. Dar- lington and said: .“You mustn’'t fail us for that launch party on Friday. major; we're counting on You and Lisut. Chandler, you know.” ‘Delighted, I'm sure” replied the &enia] officer. “and I trust the weather will be most propitious—with only the clouds hanging over the peak, ‘Mizs Underwood.” . “But why do you wish any clouds at all major?” she asked in a most detightful tone of absolute innocence: “why not wish it all sunshine for the ~“Oh! .Yes. certainly,” stammered her companion. “plenty of sunshine every- where and always. to be sure—except Just a little cloud hovering over the al station. don’t you see?” why there #“Why.. just _to keep American ar- tists from painting it at that time, and give the minor attraction of the Izwneh party a chance “Oh! But_it's Friday, don't you Kknow, ‘and 'the rule in the Boston studios is to always leave the oil can- ‘vases to dry on. Fridays:" “Why, what clever idea! 1 sup- m“" because it's bad luck day, isn't . “B-a-r-h-a-p-s,” replied Miss Un. | derwood_ slowly, “but that remains te be seen” as she rose to bid her TA T % % k% «JNSPECTOR." said sir Evington | Beecham to Daniel Higgins, the office at Government house. have vited him to a chair in his private: office at government house, “I have <alled you up here to consult with me about a matter that gives me no I tle ;apxiety “Always at your service, sir.” re- plied the officer, giving a regular military salute as he approached the praffered chair.. “Well, let me begin by asking you if you've ' moticed anything queer about_the natives for the last week or so0™" -t “Nothing outside what's normal, sir. You know. as Jimmie Brownlow. my deputy. says. ‘what's queer with us is all right with them: and what's queer with, them is all right with us. iT'm not referring now to our na- tinal distinctions or peculiarities, continued the governor, “but to some- thing that seems to be affecting them \at this particular time. There seems to_be’a certain strangeness of man- ner—a.- suspicious uneasiness 1 might call it, for want of a better term— that rather indicates that something s brewing in the air, as the sailors > say. It was first called to my atten- tion_ by, some of the missionaries at the American college, and I think I have since noticed it among all my servants and attaches. You haven't heard of any anti-foreign placards sbeing posted up or anything of that kind. have you?" _ “¥ot a sign_of anything, your ex- Celibncy, but I will make immediate inquiries from the native force.” “You have no report of any trouble h tourists or anything in the sur- rounding country, have you? No sail- ors’ fights along the water front that might have stirred up the junkmen or cargo-coolies ™" “Not a report of anything at head- quarters, sir." * “Of course, it may be only a mat- fer -of their own religious supersti- tions and not anything that would in- volve the Europeans, but at the same time. one doesn't like these low mut- terings that seem to indicate an ap- proaching storm.” “May I ask if you have noticed any- thing special in their actions, sir, that we could take ahold of ™" “Well, just fo mention one factj which came to Lady Beecham's notice | vesterday, when she went out rather: unexpectedly to visit the servants'| nuarters, she found every one of them | had his trunk packed and his bedding rolled up in the matting ready for an instant departure JABI Tnats o most thing! You haven't anv reason think there's trouble right here Government House, have you. sir.” “Nome whatever. Our servants never. have seemed more harmonious mince we came to the east. Besides, I have word from no less than three| different establishments that the same | condition of things exist there; so it!| looks as if it was general.” Did_they offer any explanation to| | remarkable to in} + Lady Beecham. sir” headed for the distant point. ory o I8 c S “Why, only this: when she asked:| R i betars tneyiceanizealre) Y &8 tollts comingiagaliz s itieix “Doj¥ou all wish to leave me? they!and soon the house-boy and the cool-| “Niy! Le Sterliroa rephied: ‘No wantchee g0 just now.!ics had the tempting repast spread! (ho ancient words —tis eignt nor e S'pssee by'me-by Cloudee Man talkee, | out upon a delightful 1ittle shelving' — “kour hundred and eianinsyos must_walkee chop-chop.” Now. who | rock BT de » matt naturar et ] ounout hundeed g HElsh iy veirs, 4o you suppose this mysterious ‘Cloud | ble. “And even if it is drying day In!peated Wang Foo to himself, “Then | Map’ iz whose marching orders they | Boston, as our dear artist tells us.”| e have 1o wait o handred and taso | seem to be waiting for? . smiled the major. as he approached ddnd twen- “Never heard of him before in my|the ladies with a tray of sparkling| o v b T in e i e life, sir. Of course he could be most anything: a dragon, or a demon, or some anti-foreign priest, or some vil- 1ain right here in the colony. sir. But whoever he is, or whatever it is. we'll lase no time in looking it up before they get stirred up any further.” “And you'll be careful, please, to keep- it all out of the papers for the K - “Not a word will leak out from um, air, you can rely on that.”” answered the inmpector, as he bade the gov- .good morning and summoned his waiting jinrickshaw &gspector Higgins of the police had ! ne “WHY DID HE TREMBLE AS HE WHY WAS HE SO ANXIOUS THAT THEY READ THE CHARACTERS? a*hundred followers or more. ready; when the signal is given to rob and| plunder cast and west alike.” = “And the signal is—-2" “You know it well. ‘Tis the smoke ! that rises heavenward from the Cave! of the Clouds on the Sacred Isle.! They will watch for it and signal from the peak.” | “What makes you sure that he hath { hanged the to 'six’ and made | them all beli here?” “Two me have h engers sent by | sacred volume in | faithful m scen the | H [ | | ~ i ) i U 1v9me HOULD NOT COOK THEIR SUPPER THERE ™ one trusty adviser | eves were i - i i- i : cni s"‘gi“;‘o‘\‘l_:::k‘!:‘_ala‘;y;lmea‘d’)\1(5;:!;;\:‘;u\;p;;tu:;ria;;;]& turned in the di-| his hands and heard him speak the department, but whose name never “By Jove!" cried the major. “on closed the shutter and re- appeared upon the public pay roll ' your life, something has happened to|turning lo the table stood facing each That personage was none other than!her. Se She's tooting her whistle | other for a moment in perfect silence. his faithful and devoted better half. Mrs. Higgins, and so straight to his home he went first, instead of down to the office. “Martha,” he said, as he entered the door, “is anything wrong with the servants”” “Nothing that I know of; but why do_you ask “Have any of them threatened to leave?" Not a word has ever come to me. ‘Well. just let us slip out to th rooms at the back of the house and see what they're doing.” Suiting the action to the word, they both went down the back stairs and across the courtyard and there — to her utter surprise, though not to his— they found every trunk packed and every roll of bedding ready for the fligh No ‘less important to the depart- ment than Mrs. Higgins was ' the prince of detectives, Wang Foo, o the inspector’s-next objective was No. 5-5-5 in the Red Cloud alley. He was fortunate enough to find him at home and in a very few moments they were closeted together in the quiet upper room which bore the euphonious Chi- nese title of “The Glade of Quiet Re- fiection.” Here the officer reported to his host the entire conversation which he had had with the governor and also the discovery which he had made in_his own modest home on the hillside. “Now, what %o you think of it, Mr. Wang? Are we going to have any trouble with the natives?” 5 The Man of Mystery ried. He rose from his chair and paced the floor with his hands con- cealed in his sleeves. after the man- of the thoughtful Celestials. “It is possible.” he said after a mo- ment—*"yes, it is poss-i-ble. but it is not probable. There must be prompt action on our part to find the cause for all this agitation, and then very prompt and decided action to head it off! In the meantime. it is mast important that we remain perfectly quiet. Let us seem to ignore the whole thing and thus allay suspicion. Good night, sir, I will try to see you again within four and twenty hours.” When the inspector's jinrickshaw was safely out of sight and sound. he summoned old Chang, the gatekeeper. “Chek’ Yao Ching Sing _Nao n Wang Miao_Lao Fu Tze, Young Shin Nao Hwai Lai!” (“Take this impor- tant letter at once to the abbot at the Temple of the Queen of Heaven, and mind you wait for the answer'") “Tai Chu Jin Tze Hwali Jin Tso Liao!" (“The words of the venerable master have already been obeyed!") was the ever respectful answer as old Chang disappeared down the Red he sald to himself. as he stretched out on the bamboo couch and lighted his little silver pipe, “the Cloud Man is at it again. is he? He certainly has had a good long rest this time! * * ¥ % OL. HOPKINSON'S launch party proved a most delightful experi- ence to those who had the good for- tune to be included in the invitation. The day was perfect and the sea as smooth as a mirror. Having made a very early start, they were able to take quite a cruise among the islands in the direction of Macao and found themselves many miles away from the colony when the hour far lunch- eon arrived. “Now. shall we have it on board or ashore?” asked Mrs. Hop- Kinson. ‘Oh. on shore. by all means.” cried} Miss Underwood, “that is, if we can find a quiet spot where there won't be a rabble of native children around Quite right you are!” chimed in Mij. Darlingtan, who really didn't care a straw now whether the clouds settled on the peak or not, as long as he could bask in the sunshine of the artist's presence, which seemed to his bachelor soul more rad.ant every moment of theday. “You know, much as I love these dear little bar- barians. 1 can’t stand it to eat my food while they're all looking on.” “The pilot siys that that solitary peak rising out of the water over there,” remarked the consul, pointing to an apparent extinct volcano a few miles away, “hasn’t a living an being on What do .you say te that?” “Just the thing!" they all cried, as the pilot put the helm hard over and it ginger ale in his hands, “there is no reason in the world why it should be so here—a little refreshing moisture will do us all good, 50 I propose the health of our kind hosts, Col. and Mrs. Hopkinson " “Even if it is Friday'" replied the lady, who gracefully bowed and ac- knowledged the compliment. 'Why, what's the matter launc| derwood, . pointing out to where seemed to be drifting away them. *“I hope nothing has hap, » 1 and that he's ot going a Ve a8 on this désolate “islt ith the 7' suddenly exclaimed Miss Un- it from All looked wor- | now as a signal of distr “Whao's on board of her, boys?" ask- ed the consul of the servants, who ! were just as extited over the occur- rence ‘as their masters I “B’longeet engineer, man,” replied the boy. man’hab got." It became evident to all in an in- stant that something had happened b'longee fire- “two piecee absolutely without control and was I being carried by the tide back toward the other islands. “Thank goodness it isn't drifting out to the ocean!” said the major, in a tone of reassurance to the already thoroughly frightened ladies. “It will just go in to the shore over there, agd there they can beach her and get help. But, ladies, I think we shall have to make up our minds to the romantic fact that' we shall have to spend the night where we are:” “What a delightful Robinson Crusoe experience!” exclaimed Lieut. Chan- figure to look at, didn’t seem to have very much brain reserve of his own. “I'll be the faithful man Friday, and we'll go around and explore the is- How awfully jolly:™ ‘Major.,” whispered Miss Under- wood, who was trying to make every one cheerful and happy. “you don’t really think Lieut. Chandler is in a serious condition, do_you.” ‘Serious condition? Why, what do mean Why, I mean he isn't suffering from what we call ‘brain mutin: is he? He has just given utterance to two intelligent sentiments without your orders or assistance.” “By Jove! So he has,” laughed the we've all got to make the best of it and cheer each other up, I'm going to think up a bright conundrum_for you—wait a bit. Ah! I have it: Why is Lieut. Chandler's brain like the Island of Hongkong?' ‘Because it's in the charge of the 9th Himdustanees, possibly,” smiled the clever Amerjcan girl. “Thanks for the compliment; very Zood, that. Ha! Ha! I mnst keep that for the mess. No, that's not it; try again.” “I am afraid I shall have to give it up.”” she said in despalir. ““Why, it's because he so often has clouds on his peak:” Having carefully rationed out the remainder of the ‘lunch, so that at least food and drink for another day would be assured, the party gave themselves up to exploring the island and. following an old patch which led up to the summit, found themselves at last to the entrance to a little grotto, which they saw at once would provide an excellent night. There were a few old carved images standing about, showing that at some time devotees had worshiped there, and over the stone arch were carved the words “Yuin Tze Tung,” which the house-boy said at once meant “Cave of the cioud Why did_he tremble as he read the characters? Why was he 8o anxious that they should not cook their sup- per ‘there but down ‘on the lower level? What was it that seemed to affect- him so mysteriously?> Why was it-that he could only say in answer to the consul's questions: “B'longee velly bad joss, velly bad joss"? What strange superstition had seized upon him so suddenly? And why, last of all, did he seem to be intensely re- lieved when they discovered that the last match was gone and that it would be_impossible for them to light a fire? None of the party had the slightest idea. * x % (¢\7ENERABLE Father,” said Wang Foo io the abbot, as he came to the Red Cloud alley in answer to his urgent letter, and they sat to- gether in the upper room, “how many years is it since the great earfhquake shook our island of *Fragrant ters”? “Six times have the.sacred cycles revolved since then.” slowly repeat- ed the visitor, as he turned the well Jworn pages of a volume open before him. Three hundred and sixty years, |then. as we speak in -these modern i times."” n as the master says.” nd what saith the Book of Mys- time that we should fear it." How comes it then that the fear and rumor of this year has reached the ears of 80 many of the people?” “There is but one answe; said the gbh\xl slowly. leaning over and point- ing with his long slender finger to the characters on the page; ““tis a forgery and the sacred Book of Mys- tery has been changed!” ‘And who is he that would dare to tamper with the sacred words? ask. ed the detective as he watched every movement of the abbot's face. “There Jives but one who would bduic to dlfy (ué powers of heaven to the engine and that the launch was| dler, who, though a perfect military| major, “and now, Miss Underwood. as | shelter for the| Wa- | They uttered but two words as they took the sticks of burning incense {and waved them in the air, “The oath!" And _so Hongkong was saved from a disaster which_it little suspected. * ok ok % said 46 THINK," Wang Foo to In- promised visit to him on the day fol- lowing the interview in the Red Cloud alley, “that we had better go togeth- en his excellency as to the facts in the c; “Right you are! And, as time is precious, we will order the Jjinriki- shaws at once,” touching the bell for the office boy as he spoke. They 1 were fortunate enough to find the | governor disengaged und, after the jdoors of the private office had been i securely closed, the inspector began: “Your excellency, our . friend Mr. Wang here has some very important information on this native trouble and I thought we had better come up at once and see you together, so that | We can head it off before it goes any further.” “I am very glad to welcome you | both." was his courteous reply, “and jI want to say right here that I a | relieved to find that it 1s not as wige: ]spread as I feared. Just in a quiet way, 1 have had one or two of my friends look into their servants’ quar- lfers and while there are some that ave packed up thei i have pa p their belongings there Ihevn affected at al _ “Ah!" exclaimed Wang Foo. “that is as I suspected: it is confined en- tirely to one of ihe large ‘angs' or guilds, and they are very secretive among (hemselves and conceal their iplans from even thei plans 1 eir most intimate i “Well, let us have the It is just this: The | Tang® (or ‘Pure Truth Guild’) is a | Bemi-religious organization ~which | counts among its members a large number of the servants employed in the colony. They are all capable men, but while bright and intelligent in other matters, they are really glaves {to the grossest superstitions and are completely under the sway of a body ( f priests in a temple across the bay. Just at present a rascal, by the name {of ‘Huk Shak' ‘or ‘Blatk Tongue' — | who is really a renegade priest from one of the most respectable temples on our own island—has hypnotized them all by representing himself as a pilgrim from Thibet, and has promis. ed them untold riches it they will fol- low the revelation of the ‘Book of {Mysters” under his guldance. “And what, pray, may this I'Book of Myiter Be? inquired” the governor, deeping intere: |5 }la.]. ping 'sted in the “It is an old and very sacred vol- ume, sir, which pretends to g: ;:l‘o the secréts of astrology and to reveal the mysteries of heaven and earth. It containg an account of the earth- quake which destroyed Hongkong over three hundred years ago—" “Ah! ave heard fai o I nt rumors of “And then goes on to predi - currence of ‘the same, “when' ciahi cycles of sixty vears shall have rolied away, which makes it a hundred and tweniy years from the prement date. “But surely no human being can predict an earthquake—- “That is just the point, sir. and 1 know that, but these paor, ina jrant souls will believe anything and everything the Book may tell them. Now this rascal has skilifully erased the number ‘eight’ before the char. acter for ‘cycles’ and submitted the number ‘six,” bringing it, you see, ex. jectly at the present time. The jn- formation and warning has been se. cretly conveved to every member of the tang and they have been told 1o be ready to flee at a moment's notice. which explains at once the packing of the trunks and the rolling-up of the bedding.” - ‘And what is the signal o lnzsqunkke to be? fitheicora “Smoke issuing from the the clouds on the Sacred Islang, yomr excellency, for there was evidently a voleanic eruption there on the day be. fore the great earthquake occurred. h! T see, some confederates are to go there and start a fire, the smoke of which will be visible from ouy peak, and that is to indicate to the faithful that the earthquake will fol . low on the morrow——" “Exactly so." “And that same night th flee to pnrés unknown “Yes, and the¢gangs of thiev looters stationed it Convenient pointy will then swoop down and h selves to what is left Sipjthsms Well, well, gentlemen,” governor when Wang Foo h, 2 Fluded the expose, ~this is indecs s revelation. And now, let me ask what is our plan of action?" The first thing. your excellency, spoke up the inspector—‘and I may say that Mr. Wang and the depart. ment are working perfectly together on the case—the first thing that we have agreed upon is that a guard of soldiers must be sent to the Sacred Island to prevent the possibility of any one landing there and lighting a fire in the Cave of the Clouds.” “Quite Shall they be foreigners or ndtives S e ¢ i | ing Cheng hey will all said the the day of doom is! spector Higgins, as he made his| er to Government house and enlight- 8 that do not seem to have| san plendid! Splendid!” exclaimed the | zovernor: “I wish you every success| and you may rely on my co-operation and support in every way.” . When the midnight steamer for Canton left her wharf that night | Wanz Foo had cngaged the last re-| maining stateroom and so effective was his call upon the viceroy the fo lowing morning that the war-junk with its carzo of vellow-jacketed spe- cial troons actually started down the river in less than forty-eigit hours—; lightning rapidity for ancient China! We should like to say that the ras- cally “Black Tongue' was surround- ed and captured with comparative ease, but, alas, he slipped through the net that was set for him and van- ished into parts unknown—probably carrying the “Book of Mystery” with him to predict another earthquake in a more favorable locality. from Macao, and was fortunaie | enough to be taken on board. He went straight to the consulate and, giving the alarm. soon had two pow- crful tugs firing up to go fo the res- ¢+ siranded party a 1o tow Qisabied launch to Hong- 1o The little group of offic and friv < who went on b rd i ded Inspector Hizgins and. at his urgent T 1est, the one man who was more intere Sacred Island than 2oy one nd that oF course, Wang W dreamed of makinz this trip ourselves the last time we were at Government House, did we. Mr Wang? the « f 3 the 1 ire! cuers settled down i make the say wicker-work 5 ves comfortable for Deputy Brownlow man never knows in where he may be at night, never knows at nighi where trip By be in the morning” " The great de- tective smiled and said, “We have that same sentiment in one of the an- cient poems of China: “The morning’s dawn knows not the evening's ade, srcrets of the midnight glade Barrinz_ the absence of rugs and coverlets for the night. and of matches | to kindle a fire and boil the morning’s coffee. our stranded party had not suf- fered any serious discomfort—inde they were in a remarkably cheerful the tugboat vied with o the 5t e 1d man Pr thought when n. and to see and happy mood ally reached h other sidy handler muster remark, “As Crusoe’s L really dread tl back civil try making re s wers are, , Wi ¥ to ¢limb up the little ave and make care- ul rvations as to whether fucl M any kind had been laid there for a fire his great relief he found nothing whatever, and feel sure »f the near arrival of the ind_the soldiers. he knew smoke signal would not b The next time we Diay Crusoe,” said Mrs. Hopkinson, were steaming rapidly back the “we mus “Robinson s they remember colony toward | -s, answered Wang Foo, as he rose te address the company at the inspect tor's request. “with ail due respect to Mrs, Hopkinson's sentiment, T as sure you that the absence of matchet and the superstition of Ah Sam were the two most fortunate things that could have possibly happened—fof they saved the colony fre of most daring robberies “Expiain’ Explain:” arose in cho- rus from ail the passengers—and so he told the whole story from begin- ning to end. and ed them how they h been, unconsciousiy. playing their part a melodrama that would have delighted the gallery m a series all Underwood.” rked the licutenant, as over the stern to watch propelier churn up the dark blu have a most important Would vou seri- the rema way, Miss they the waters, question to axk vou ously consider a proposal of mar- o B She turned and looked up inta his face. "My best answer to that will be an equally important guesti which T want to ask yo “Ah' And what is that?" Lieut Chandler, have yvou ever felt an earthqu really felt one tha made you ° e all over' as you Eng- lishmen say of mat bring plenty Hittls spite that it “And e 0, never in my life ™ “Well, ou're going to feel one now -Listen and take a tight hold of that brass rail H b i3 1am engaged to Maj s all she said himself for the coming sh Darlington w GROWN O Baille Warden.in His Book, Spoke of thei Cotton, Corn andi Birds and the Island. ! When Athletic Clubl Leased the Land.| ] "Observatiops | From Bulletin ofi the Biological Soci-| ety of Washington. [ | i | OTTON was one of the crops; grown on Analostan Island, ! and it was an unusual varie- ty. It was of nankeen color. ankeen” is one English rendering and “nanking,’ word meaning “southern capital” city in China once the residence of the emperor and court. The cotton cloth called “nankeen” was first man- |ufactured there and came by its name that way. And you know that “nan- {keen” is vellow. An encyclopedia {says that “the peculiar color of this ifabric is natural to the cotton of which it is'made” and that “nankeen lis mow imitated in most other coun- itries where cotton goods are woven. When cotton was grown on Analos- {tan Island that island was the prince ily home of Gen. John Mason. Turn- ing to an old account, written at least four years more than a century ago. one finds that Gen. Mason cultivated for the use of his family a species of cotton of the color of nankeen “‘which is spun and woven with facility and wears well without losing its natural hue” Great pains were taken “to prevent its intercourse with other species of cotton, and yet its color is not uniform, for some pods have a {shade of yellow, while othets are ! whitish and must be separated from those of the natural nankeen color.” That olden chronicler continues that “if some shades remain it is no dis- advantage, as the color becomes uni- form by the operation of carding.” * * k7% Gen. Mason; not knowing how' he obtained this species of cotton, con- jectured that the seeds had been brought from China or India. further along in the old book the au- thor, Baillie Warden, clears up the mystery of the cotton. He says: “On my voyage to France on board the frigate Constitution I was one day perusing a small volume entitled ‘An Epitome of the History of Malta and Gozo, by Charles Wilkinson, lent to me by the purser, Mr. Garrettson, in Which it is stated that three kinds of cotton are there cultivated and that one imported from the Antilles is of a cinnamon color. Mr. Morris, first licutenant of the frigate, with whom I happened to converse on this sub- ject, informed me that he had carried some sceds of this species to Gen. .Mason, from his brother-in-law, then at Naples, and, not finding the former. at home when he called to deliver this present, he left the seed, without any indication concerning i(s origin. | The soil of Gen. Mason's island and the neighboring tracts of land is sood for cotton, but the summer is not long enough to bring the plant to matul ity, and it is liable to be injured by frost before it is ripe.” Mr. Warden tells also that on Ana- lostan Island Gen. Mason cuitivated a species of maize, the leaves of which, of a deep purple color, are employed as a dye. e gathered before the grain ripens, when they contain the greatest amount of sap. With mordants of alum and copperas wool is dyed differ- ent shades of purple. “I had honor,” wrote Mr. Warden, “of pre- senting some of the seeds to the Em- press Josephine, who sowed them with her own hands in the gardens of Malmaison, where they gave a lux- uriant produce. Here is an interesting, even though !slender, connection between Analos- {ton Island and that empress of the French, born in the Island of Marti- nique in 1763, daughter of Joseph |Tascher de la Pagerie, lieutenant of artillery, wife of Vicomte Beauhar- nais, who was a victim of the revolu- {tion, married in 1796 to Napoleon, lcrowned at Notre Dame December 1, 1804, divorced by Napoleon “for rea- sons of state” in 1809, and went into seclusion at La Malmaison, near Paris, where she died May 24, 1814. Jose- phine enriched the gardens of La Malmaison with plants that were beautiful, with plants that were rare and with plants that were both beau- tiful and rare. And among those plants was corn that had grown on Analostan Island! Mr. Warden said that the view from the Mason mansion yas delightful.! “It embraces the picturesque banks of the Potomac, a portion of the city, and an expanse of water of which the Great bridge over the Potomac termi- nates the view. Numerous vessels ply backward and forward to animate the scene. Directing an eve over a corner of the garden, we perceive the sails only, as if by enchantment, glid- | ing through the trees. A few feet below the summer house the rocks| afford seats, where those fond of fish- ing may indulge in thes amusement. From the portico on the other side of the house, Georgetown, Kalorama, the beautiful seat of Joel Barlow. esq.. | and the adjacent finely wooded hills | appear through a vista. To the left! there is @ prospect of the fields and woods on the opposite banks of the Potomac. Every part of the island is romantic. Hawthorn and cedar hedges and an improved cultivation indicate taste and agricultural knowl- edge. By means of an hydraulic ma- chine water may be easily raised from the river and conducted by pipes to every part of the surface. “This island has a great variety of i | another for a Chinese! = | A little | For this purpose they are | observations i those the | they must -interest you: OF JAMES M. MASO; ! brought by the stream from { mountainous regions—different spe- cies of oak, walnut, mulberry, poplar, locust, ash, willow, the pawpaw. the spindle tree and thé burning bush. At the summer house there is a Wwhite | walnut of about a foot in diameter perforated by a grape vine three inches in circumference, which has been squeezed to death by the growth of the tree. Near the causeway there is a species of eglantine thirty feet length and three inche ameter which is supported by a neigh- boring friendly tree. The poison oak or poison vine grows here and en- twines itself among the trees. but is easily distinguished by the mossy i appearance of its stem. Its creates an irruption over the body which is us accompanied by fever, and this disease is said to re- new itself yearly about the time of | i I as that which inhabit: woods. The Virginia jessami s in all parts of the island. entwining itself among the trees and bushes. “It flowers in June. and the flowers during sunshine are infested with red ants. Several species of asclepias (milkweeds) grow here, including that with purple flowers. One which blows in July contains in its seed capsules a kind of silk which, mixed | With cotton. forms a very durable {hread. The asclepia. with orange | flowers is here called ‘pleuriSy root. a name derived from this malady for Which it is supposed to | ereign remedy. A decoction of the is a powerful sudorific, which is root employed by the blacks as a cure for all diseases. The crimson flowers bud, or Judas of the American red tree, appear early in have a fine effact. The sassafras tree thrives well here. Its leaves are the first which change their color in the autumn. Mrs. Mason fnforms me that an infusion of them, affords a beverage of a pleasant matic taste, which may be empl as a substitute for tea.” * Kk k% The Biological Saciety ington. in a bulletin on the natural history of the District of Columbia, published in 1918, reprinted certain on Analostan Island made by Baillie Warden, and Rambler passes on to you some of observations, believing that Analostan Tsland is the resort of various reptiles, We found the est of the terrapin, or concent='c tortoise, or fresh-water turtle, in the garden at a distance of about thirty feet from the water. containing mnineteen eggs laid close to each other and the inter- “The grealer r inches and t or hole was of o the stices filled with_earth. ference of the egg was lexser thiree inches. The n an oval form and four inches in depth, eggs of U re deposited from first of June to the middle of otlier nest. from wl at the moment w in an almost erect posit which she always performs d and, it 1% said, never returns to t young ones are hutclied by the heat and are supposed to remain in the nest il spring. Several persons whom [ consulted on this subject assured me that they have turned them up the plow at this season. turtle when shaken before she lays exgs makes @ hollow noise, as if she contained water. One in this state weighed six pou which, it appears. is the common size. species known by the name of the terrapin is very shy, and ceases to walk as soon as it sees When endeavoring ring U > spot £ the s & person approach mear it. to egcape it rans nearly as fast as a duck. blacks make soup and eat eggs of I they are vers fond. - is also seen in the wa snapping turtls thix river, some of which weigh forts or fifty pounds and lay forty or fifty eggs. (Gen. Mason some years ago caught one of a canoe, and it therein that he was huge size, which he threw in attacked him so furionsly Sbliged to leap 1nto the water. The reptile fol Jowed and thus made its escape. 1t bite is x vere and dangerous. Two species of fresh-wat tortoise inhabit the Island, namely, the painte tortoise and the streaked tortoise. “Fie muskrat abounds in the swamp adjoin ing the Potomac bridge, and is killed by the blasks in a curious manner. A square board, bDearing @ considerable weight of mud or stones, is placed in an inclined position, and is supported by three sticks in a peculiar manner. Parsnips are put underneath, of which the rats are vers fond; while devouring them they necessarily move one of these sticks. I which the board suddenly falls and erush them to death. The skin sells at 25 cents. The deer, wild turkey, canvas-back duck and the wild goose. which inhabited this place about fifty years ago, have all disappeared This species of duck, so delicious to the tast was then sold for sixpence. Mr. Warden made numerous notes on the birds of Analostan Island. He tells that the humming bird which trequents the place. when the in_di- touch | the first attack The poison ash or fringe tree zrows at the tremity of the island near the c y. A | foreign plant of this spe sent i to Gen. Mason as curiosity, and it was recognized by a farme unac- quainted with botany, to be the same ! the American be a sov-| the spring and | of Wash- i the caught, | trees and shrubs owing to the seeds feins-death-like the opossum and by dirioz the list year has bee this means escapes from the hand. “We saw.” he writes, “one thus es- {cape from the pretty hand of Mrs. |B——e” He found a partridge nest { with eteen eggs in the garden n of the house. The Columbia Athletic Ci took |over Analostan Island in July, 1889, | the lessor being Reginald Fendall |trustee: under a deed of trust from | Powell M. Bradl Frederick W. Bradley and Maria G. Bradley. The date of that trust was January 9. 1889. ub The lease to the Athletic Club was for | lone vear, with the privilege of re- Inewal for two years. The monthly rental was $83.33. The lease on the part of the club was signed by James F. Hood, vice president, and Howard {Perry, secretary. By the Rambler are several docu- ments relating to the Columbia Ath- {letic Club. One is a “Plan for Reor-| nization of the Columbia Athletic] lg : Clut, which 6. 1887, April 16. after club shall be Adopted March Frecit “that on and 11887, at %:30 p.m.. th known as the Columbia Athletic Club of the District of Columbia. That the i Columbia Athletic Club shall be com- {posed of active, life, honorary and {non-resident members; that the prop- jerty of the Coiumbia Boat Club be | transferred to the Columbia Athletic { Club, which shall assume all the ob- |ligations of the Columbia Boat Club from the date of transfer.” The ath- {letic club was then at work with {plans for the clubhouse. which was built on G street, and which is now lownea by the Young Men's Christian { Association and used as the boys' de- partment. E In the plan for reorganization is | th the Columbia Athletic Club. not to exceed $15.000 are to be redeemable on or before April 1. 1897. That all | persons admitted to the Columbia i Athletic Club after April 6, 1887, shall i be required to sign the constitution {of that club. to purchase one second bond of the value of $25. land to one month's dues in ad Ivance. That from April. 1887, to the i first of the month in which the ath clubhouse is turned over to the the dues of an ! shall be two dollars a month and after the latter date $2.50 per month and they shall be paid monthly in advanc - | mortgage * K ¥ ¥ Another document under the Ram- bler's eve at this writing is the cer- tificate of the reincorporation of the Columbia Roat Club of the District of Columbia under the corporate name of the Columbia Athletic Club of the District of Columbia. the date of that reincorporation being April 11, 1887. Tt is set forth that “We. I < H. Bradbury, Howard Perry. John C. Pedrick. H. Baynton Zevely, William D. Rudy. Alexander Grant and Norman Bestor. trustees of said { ‘the Columbia Boat Club,’ pursuant to aid resolution, and by virtue of acts of Congress in such cases made and provided, we being citizens of the Tnited States, and a majority of us I citizens of the District of Columbia, I being desirous to change the name of | said " body corporate Boat Club of the District of Colum- bia® to that of ‘the Columbia Athletic Club of the District of Columbia’ and to form ourselves and those who may become associated with us, as a body corporate under the last mentioned name of ‘the Columbia Athletic Club ' and to i {of the District of Columbi amend the certificate of incorporation heretofore filed and recorded on Oc- tober 1886, do hereby certify as ifollows,” etc. Farther along in the certificate of reincorporation is' this: “The number of directors of this club for the first vear. under this, its amended charter is fifteen, and the directors_are: Charles H. Bradbury, Dorsey Brown. Howard Perry, H. Raynton Zevely, J. Carter Marbury. " Stellwazen, Walter S Ha . V. Charles G { Stoan, W. Stinemetz. William | A. Leeteh, George L. Scarborough, William T. Harban, Robert S. Chilton and James P. Hood. who shall hold » until their successors are elect- It is announced that “The ob- ban. el is for mutual improvement, for the promotion of the art of amateur row- ing, for the encouragement of manly sports and for the promotion of physical culture.” Another bit of matter bearing on the history of the club is the follow- ing clipping from a Washington newspaper of January 9, 189 ke zrowth of the Columbin Atalotic vhenomeyal ab The “The second mortgage bonds of | active member | ‘the Columbia | THE RAMBLER WRITES OF EARLY CROPS NORTH END OF THE HOUSE OF CLARENS, NEAR EPISCOPAL SEMINARY, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA. HOME : WAS BORN ON ANALOSTAN ISLAND, WAS A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM CDERATE ENVOY TO GREAT BRITAIN. active membership is now 529 and the nou resident membershp 122 The attendance n the annual meeting held at the Normandie Ia- night was unusually large, there being ful {130 members present. Vice President Jam | F. Hood presided i Howard Perry was =~ sliowed that the purchase of the G street p ty was completed in February last, and u this ground has been erecied o house. having a frontage of 80 feet on and extending southward the entire { the lot. The bullding is now under roof a rapidis_ approaching completion. It is beliey | that the house can e furnished for $30.000. { , The purchase mones for the ground is due « or before March 1, 1809: the loan of $25, from Mr. Mclean. to be used in finishing 1 house. ix also due March 1, 1909, and both secured by first morigagr bonds of the clul. aggregating $70.060 secured on its real estaic he second moitgage boads. redecmable at ti pleasure of the clab on three-months’ motles ve many of them heen taken and accep! for_admiss'on fees. As: soon g is finishied and cquipped it s proposed to pro de n yuking fand for the pasment of ti. new pal and iniciest of the several issues of before moaturitv. The elub ha- Mclean four othw- auare 169 front the intention to offer Tlub. The sale of fhe lot on o the Emergener Hospital realized $9.20250. a profit of £2.000 upon tim original investment. This amonut oy plied to the redemption of the oid second mortgage bonds, which were intended to be secured on that lot of ground. * % ¥ x The article is a long one and deals with the “securities” issued by the jclub. Debt was the undoing of the | organization. It is the story of many ‘Washington clubs. Out of that old ar- j ticle. the Rambler takes this as bear- ing on Analestan Island: In regard to Analostan Island. negotiation P are now in progress to engage for next season 2 competent and experienced trackmaster, skilled in the construction. repair and improve fmeit of the tracks, fields and courts, who can take charge of the island and maintain the grounds in good order. The boathouse, at the foot of 32d sirest 1in_ fair repair, thirty-five new lockers jbeen built for ‘the accommodation of members fand the demand for next season is likely to be greater than the supply. The new bouts pur- chased by the club during the vear were one four-oared gix and two pleasure boats, The {zreat flood. which washed awas the Analostan boathouse, ‘did little dgmage to the Columbia boathouse. 3% the boats were all removed ta places of safets prior o the great rise of i water. i At the meeting at the Hotel Nor- mandie oflicers were elected, and the list is before the Rambler. It follows: President, James F. Hood : vice presi- dent. H. B! Zevely: secretary, Howard Perry : treasurer. Fred Thompson: cap- tain, S W. Stinemetz: lieutenants. R. W. Ryan and W. A. Smith; board of governors, James F. Hood, H. B. Zevely, Howard Perry. Fred Thompson. Mills W. Stinemetz, S. F. Emmons. t Wagner, F. F. Fletcher, J. C. Marbury; W. B. Hibbs. Alexander Grant, i{John H. Haswell, J. A. Goldsborough. | Theodore J. Pickett and Dorsey Brown: { athletic committee, W. Stinemetz, {Howard Perry. R’ W. Rvan, W. A | Smith, L. L. Harban, £. A. Bowers, A. D. Kerr, R. M. Larner. Grant Burroughs. F. F. Fl her. Ralph W. Lee. J. West ‘Wagner ; dvisory committers to the athletic ~ committce: Boating, R. W. | Ryan. W. A. Smith, J. S Ziegler, H. M. | Woodward ; track and fie'd, L. L. Har- ban, S. J. King, F. V. Coville: tennis, !E. A Bowers, W. B. Hoggatt, Hugh Nelson : Gymnasium, A. D. Kerr, F. Fletcher, Edward A. Moseley : base ball, R. M. Larner, S. C. Simms, L_S. Wells, 1jr.; foot ball, Grant Burroughs, Ralph W. Lee, W. H. Welsh, jr.; rifie and trap {shooting, F. F. Fletcher, J. A. Golds- | borough, A. A. Snyder: iacrosse, Ralph W. Lee, Charles H. Boynton, H. M. Payne: bicyeling, J. West Wagner, Howell Stewart, E. B. Forney, delegates to Amateur Athletic Union, Howard Perry, W. B. Hibbs, C. E. Coon; dele- gate to National Association of Amateur | Oarsmen, W. Howard Gibson; delegate to Southern Lawn Tennis Association,’ E. A. Bowers. The Remedies. 44| OST of the remedics for the so- M cial unrest” said a naval ofi- !cer at a dinner in Washington—"and the social unrest is a very deep and menacing thing—most of the rem- edies for it remind me forcibly of ject for which this club is organized | Little Johnny Jones. “Johnny Jones, you know, was studying botany, and he declared that he had an infallible way to tell the difference between mushrooms and toadstools. - ““When you git vi'lent spasms. said little Johnny, ‘with crampy, swellin’ of the feet and partial loss of vision endin’ in insanity and death —then it ain't mushrooms.'™, | =~