Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, April 5, 1902, Page 2

Ce iP) Rickerby’s Folly 33 7 By TOM GALLON QHOKKRAM ALAA AKHRA AAD Q0-0-0-0-0-:0.000-000000:0000000000 CHS PTER XXHI. (Continued.) Even then he avoided her and ran again to the.wiadow; ran back from it, crying, fee‘ly, that he dared not jump. Even as Ursula Sewell stretched out her arms to him the floor beneath their feet gave way; he staggered towards her. and she caught him as he fell. They plunged together, locked in that fast embrace, down through the roar- {ng furnace, the whole depth of the house. Rickeby’s Folly burned high that night, and burned well. For, while the firemen were vainly endeavoring to beat down and beat out the flames in that long-deserted house, the fire had shot through the passage which con- nected the two and had roared up in- side the other one. This was discov- ered only when'it was too late; before enyone was fully aware of the fact the two houses were blazing side by side and lighting up the streets far around them. A huge crowd had gathered around the outer walls of the garden, and the wildest rumors spread about. First, that a mucder had been commit- ted in the house, and that the murderer had fired the place to cover his crime. Then, that he had perished in the flames; then, that two people had per- {shed; then, half-a-dozen; and, last- ly, one for every room in the two houses combined. But even rumor died away, and was silent at last, with the coming of the gray dawn in the sky. And by that time, Rickerby’s Folly— with rcofs fallen in and one or two walls céown—was merely a heap of smoking ruins, and was Rickerby’s Fol- ly no longer. Mr. Hubbard was the last to leave the place. Wh2n he turned, disconso- lately, away he was, perhaps, the sad- dest amateur detective in the whole of London town. “'m a-goin’ to give up this 'ere busi- ness, he muttered to himself, gloomily. “I was om the track of that bloke; I was a-goin’ to get me nameiin the pa- pers—p’r’aps me photo—an’ be patted on the back; might even ‘ave made mv fortune. An’ now, just at the last mo- ment, {t's all ended in smoke. The man who murdered the other fellow is burn't to death, and I ‘aven’t a bit of evidence to go on. Them p’lice is such blunderers that, ‘f I was set to diggin’ up the body, ten chances to one they'd go an’ swear blind I'd murdered ‘im an’ buried ’im meself! No, I'll ‘ave no more to do with it; the detective busi- ness ain’t in my line. For one thing, I know a bit too much about this ‘ere Rickerby’s Folly; an’ for another, T don't know quite enough; an’ between the two I might come to grief. So I'll tet it alone. CHART Jemima Explains Matters. It took Mr. Reeks a very long time, together with an expenditure of coax- ‘ngs, threatenings, and even a little shaking, to induce Mrs. Reeks to come. to a proper frame of mind to grasp fully the fact that their monetary trou- ‘bles—for a season, at least—were over, and that there wv actually in the fheuse the sum of For it must be remembered that Mr. Reeks, in the hurry of getting away from that dreadful house, had not thought for a moment of counting the notes, and was quite unaware of the fact that Nugent Leathwood had ap- prepriated a few of them to pay his own expenses. However, the bulk of the money was there, and Mr. Reeks was not likely to find that he had very much to complain of when he actually same to count -his strangely-obtained wealth. After a long interval Mrs. Reeks at last consented to sit up and to turn baggard eyes upon her hushand. The little man, for his part, was overjoyed to find the color returning to her face and the wonted stifffess to her figure. Rut her first words were curious, to say the least of it. “George Reeks,” she said, solemnity, “never mention again, in my hearing, anything about your £500, or about Rickerby’s Folly, or anybcdy connect- ed with it. I've had enough of it; IT never wart to hear another word about ft as long as I live. Heaven knows ac- eidents will happen.” Here Mrs. Reeks fanned” hers2lf vigorovsly with her handkerchief and seemed to turn pale again, “and I hope an innocent woman won't )be judged for them. But say ne more about it, George, if you love me.” “But, my love,” ventured Mr. Reeks, “surely, nothing serious has happened? ‘You alarm me, my dear.” “I am alarmed myself a_ little, George,” retorted Mrs. Reeks, faintly. “But theré, I'll say no more about it; wild horses wouldn't drag a word more eut of me. Now. as it's, goodness knows, what time of night, let’s go to bed. Have you got thcse notes put away safely?” “Buttoned up securely in my pocket,” replied Mr. Reeks, in a tone of satisfac- eion. “Well, stick to ’em.” said Mrs., R. “For, Heaven knows we've bz2en through enough to have eatned them three times over.” But they were not Gestined to sleep in peace that night, even after all the ' troubles they had gone through. Mr, Reeks, it is true, fell asleep in a few moments, and began to dream, bliss- fully, of big houses in aritsocratic neighborhoods, of ccachmen and horses and carriages. But he had one peculiar dream, in which he thought that an {mpertinent broker’s man had, for some unaccoutable reason, insisted on mak- ing friends with him; had foilowed him _ to the aristocratic house and thundered _ heavily at the aristocratic door-knock- er, and, having been admitted, had in- sisted on digging Mr. Reeks familiarly and facetiously in the ribs, He awoke out of this dream into wakefulness, to find that the knocking was going on at his own street door, and that it was . Mrs. Reeks who was punching him in the ribs, in a vain endeavor to wake tim up “George—George—wake up! There's a most awful knocking and banging going on-down below!” Mr. Reeks rubbed his eyes and sat uD in bed. There certainly culd be no doubt about the krecking; it was per- sistent enough and loud enough to have aroused the whole of Little Pond Street. The first thought in the mind of Mr. Reeks was that Gilbert Ricker- by had repented and had come after the £500; while the first thought in the mind of Mrs. Reeks was that someone had come after her. Indeed, that wor- thy lady, as the knocking continued, groaned aloud and dived under the bed clothes. “My love, don’t be alarmed,” mur- mured Mr. Reeks, sleepily but valiant- x, “I will protect you, whatever it ." “You can't, you can’t!” exclaimed Mrs. WReeks, in. a smothered voice. “George, uu won't let them take me!” “Never!” exclaimed Mr. Reeks, with- out in the least knowing what he meant. But he sprang out of bed and went to the window and threw it open. A voice came from the street below. “Reeks! Come down, come down quickly. Let me in!” Mr. Reeks swung round' against the wall, and regarded Mrs. Reeks with a face of dismay. “My love, it’s all over!” he said, in a hollow voice. Mrs. Reeks, who had ventured her head above the bed clothes, gave a suvoressed shriek. and dived down again. “It’s Gilbert Rickerby—he wants his money back!” As Mrs. Reeks still remained obstin- ately out of sight, and as the knocking still continued, Mr. Reeks felt there was nothing for it but to let in this most unwelcome visitor. So he thrust his head out of the window and cried, impatiently, that he would be down in a minute; and proceeded to dress him- self, bemoaning all the time the extra- ordinary fate which made him such a shuttlecock to forttne. He went down stairs, éarrying a light with him, and opened the door, but started back at the sight of the two strange figures who staggered in. First came Gilbert, hatless, panting for breath, with nis hair singed and his face blackened with fire and smoke,, and after him Olive Mallory, clinging to his arm, also hatless, and without even a cloak over her light dress to shield her fiom the nigh air. But, wonder of wonders! they came in laughing, as thcugh it was the greatest joke in, the werld, and as though they were doing all this for the sheer love of it. Gilbert closed the door, and caught the little men by the hand and almost wrung it oft. “Don't look so scared, my friend,” he said. ‘Take us somewhere where there is a fire, and where you can give us something warm and cheerful to drink— end I'll tell you all about it.” “You—you don’t happen to want—t: want any of that money—do you asked Mr. Reeks, the candle in his hand trembling in his anxiety. “Because I” “Lord bless the man—certainly no’ exclaimei Gilbert. “I didn’t come for that. But this lady and myself have just come out.of the most frightful per- il--out of the very shadow of death, as it were—and I'm too excited to think of anyihing else. But I knew you'd take us in and help us; I knew we could de- pend on you. You ghall have everything explained to you.” 3 Mr. George Recks began to breathe again; witn a great sigh of relief, he turned and led the way to the little sit-" ting room; and, in an excess cf hospi- tality, began to pile wood and coals in- @iscriminately into the gvate, and to throw in handfuls of matches—appar- ently with a frantic desire to set the chimney alight. While he was busily employed at this work the door was opened, and Mrs. Reeks, with a very white, scared face, looked in; assured herself, at that first glimpse, that no danger threatened her own person, and came in slowly. Mr. R2eks, in the great jov which possessed him at the thought that the money was still his, beamed around upon her and explained what had happened—so far, at least, as he knew it. “My love, a little unexpected party. A little early, perhaps, or late—I don’t quite know whica; but very welcome, my Gear, most welcome. I was just en- deavoring to—to warm up things a bit.” Mrs. Reeks, conveying as much dig- nity into the bow she directed toward the visitors as her dressing-gowned fig- ure could carry,gently thrust her hus- band aside, and began. with greater skill, to kindle the fire herself. Mr. R., quite oblivious of the fact that he was merely clad tn his shirt and trousers— bustled about to fetch a kettle and te get out sundry bottles and and glasses. “I'm afraid, Mrs. Reeks,’ "began Gil- bert, “that this must appear a most unwarrantable intrusion; but I'm sure you'll fergive me when you understand all that has happened—when you under- stand all that we have been through, and yet how happy we are’and how glad that it has happened in no other way.” ‘Thereupon, he began to tell them of Nugent's treachery after Reeks had left the house, of his great danger, of Olive’s recovery, and their escape together. After that they all begai: talking at once, Mrs. Reeks explaining how sht tad brought the git] out of the house and then lost her, and Mr. Reeks chim- ing in with his account of how ae had slipped away with the bank notes, fully persuaded that the business was ended. While Mrs. Peeks spoke she watched Olive Mallory closely, dreading every moment to hear the girl relate some- thing of the story of the death of Cor- nelius. But it happily appeared that Olive's mind was completely blank con- cerning all that happened after her ill- ness; she had awakened, in the best sense of the word, with that prayer of Gilbert’s to her to come back to life and to love; all the rest was forgotten. The moment that Mrs. Reeks fully realized this she suddenly covered her fact with her hands and burst into tears, “why, my love, what’s the matter?” asked Mr, Reeks, looking at her in as- tonishment., Then, ‘n a whisper to Gil- Lert and the girl: “You've no idee. what a sympathetic nature Mrs. R. has got. Feels a thing like this, I do assure you, as though it had 2appened to herself.” “Nothing the matter, George,” sobbed Mrs. Recks, half-laughing and half-cry- ing, “only I’m glad to think that it’s all ended properly, and that no one is killed—at least—there. I don’t know what I’m talking fbout. But it’s all right, isn’t it?” Mr. Reeks reassured her on this point, and they soon after began to make ar- rangements for the guests for the short remainder of the night. Worn cut with fatigue and excite- ment, the two guests slept late the next day; indeed, Mrs. Reeks, tapping soft- ly at their respective doors at intervals during the morning, failed to obtain any response. But they made their appear- ance at last—Gilbert first; and the morning had, indeed, brought a change so far as they were concerned. Olive Mallory looked something like the bright-faced, happy girl who had come to Rickerby’s Folly such a short time before, and who had been through such frightful experiences since; the face of Gilbert Rickerby bore an expression of greater happiness than anyone had probably ever seen on it before. Mr. George Reeks, for his part, could not dv enough to show his gratitude or his friendly feeling towards them both. He hovered about, getting in the way in the most ridiculous fashion, and put- ting on the table the most absurd and out-of-the-way things in the wildest manner. But he meant well, and they were only too ready to forgive him. At about 2 o’clock jn the afternoon came a fresh surprise; no other than the arpearance of Mr. Andrew Taggett and Mrs. Tagge‘t, in a frightful state of excitement. They burst into the hcuse the moment the door was opened, and Mr. Taggett literally hurled himself into the sitting room, where he stopped, started, slapped himself violently on the breast once or twice, and then rushed at Gilbert. “My friend—my dear friend—you are preserved! Medora, look upon him—he is preserved!” Mr. Taggett wrung the hand of the preserved one again; then settled himself into an attitude for easy speech, glanced around to be sure of his audience, and began: “Happening to purchase a news sheet this morning, and casting my eyes upon it (I had come to Lonéon on business, and the news sheet was one erroneously catied an evening paper)I saw, to my horror, that the ancestral home of my friend Rickerby had fallen a prey to what is ordinarily known as the devour- ing elemeat. Checking the hasty tears which yose to my eyes at the thought of the untimely fate of one so young, I dashed off to the scene of the disaster— perchance in the vain hope that I might find in the smoking ruins some trace cf him I had loved and lost in—as it were —boyhcod’s hour.” “And, not finding me there, you be- thought yourself of our mutual friend, Reeks, and came on to him?” broke in Gilbert. ‘ “You anticipate me—but I did. And T may add that, even while I raced, with trembling heart, chrough the streets in scareh of you, I entirely reconstructed the first act of my drama; the hero now descends by a lichtning conductor from the roof of the&” “For goodness’ sake, Anthony, give the drama a rest!” exclaimed Mrs, Tag- gett. “If you'll believe me, ladies and gentlemen, we've nearly been run in al- ready on account of Taggett’s behavior at the scene of the fire; from the way he talked, I’m not surprised that the po- licemen thought he had a hand in it. But, ch, I’m so pleased to see you, Mr. Rickerby end the young lady—and to know that you’re both safe and sound. Do let us know how it happened!” So*the story had to be told again, amid many exclamations. And then, in the silence which nad fallen upon the listeners, Gilbert Rickerby said what was on his mind. “No words of mine,” he said, “looking round upon them all, “can convey to you one tithe of my gratitude to you, or the gratitude of the dear girl who is to be my wife. God knows I never imag- ined when I came here but a few days ago, all that was to happen—all the bit- ter struggle, ending in death and disas- ter, that was to come, in my train. From the moment I stood outside the house where I was born, a very whirl- wind of woe sprang up about me and about the place; and we have all been sucked into that whirlwind against our wills. There is only one thing I would like to say, and it is a thing I have talked about already with Miss Mat- lory.” They all sat silent, looking at him cu- riously and waiting to hear what he had to say. “IT am a penniless man. The fortune which should have been mine I can:ney- ercliaim. True, it is very probable that the gercater part of it has been dissipai- ed long ago; but you must understand that, whatever the fortune was, it he- longed to Gilbert Rickergy, and Gilbert Rickerby is no mere. I dare not wake the whole miserable business again. I dare not drag from his grave this man, Probyn; I could scarcely prove even who I was or what has happened. Nu- gent Leathwood has gone; Cornelius Veevers has gone; I haven't a witness in the whole werlé to speak for me. Besides, even if I had, I dare not :all ‘pon them; for, by the greatest irony of all, the man who was murdered in my place lies {n *he grave in which I buried him, and I have nothing to prove who the murderer was or where he is. All this I have explained to my dear girl here. For my part, I am glad to leave behind a name that Fes caused me so much trouble and sorrow; let the name of Rickerby die with the unhappy aouse to which it belonged. We shall start again in another land of which T know, and begin another life.” Mr.‘Reeks had been fidgeting in his chair for the last few minutes, opening his mouth now and then, as though with the full intention of speaking, and then, evidently, thinking better of it. At last he spoke, with something of a gulp, it is true, but still bravely: “Mr. Rickerby, I have a sum of mon- ey which belongs—belongs to you. I may have thought, in a sort of dream of bliss, that I should see Mrs. Reeks be- having in that haughty manner which becomes her, to a footman in powder, or even to a parlor maid; but it is not to be. The money is yours, Mr. Ricker- by; will you kindly take it, before my feelings overcome me?” He held out, as hé spoke, the bundle of notes which he had taken from his pocket. * “Not on any account,” said Gilbert, with a smile. “I owe you more than that meney can ever repay; you've been loyal to me, Mr. Reeks, and have helped the ‘ouse, me when I was helpless myself. Don’t worry about the money; Miss Mallory and I will be able to make a brave fight of it—a braver fight than I have ever made alone. In that new world I shall be the better for being without riches— He better for having to make a fight of Aa Just at this moment the small servant maid thrust in her head at the door and anrounced that Mr. Rickerby was wanted. Gilbert started to his feet in some astonishment, when the door was pushed open, ahd there stood in the en- try, as calmly as ever, and with as lit- tle appearance of being disturbed or put out in any way, old Jemima Vee- vers. She dropped a sort of awkward curtsy to everyone in general, and fa- vored Gilbert with a sudden flash out of her dull old eyes. Before anyoue could speak or ask a question, she explained her errand. “I ‘av ’ad such a trouble to find you, Master Gilbert,” she said. “It’s lucky I’ve been in the ’abit of listenin’ Fo much; that's ’ow I got to ‘ear where Mr. Reeks lived, and I guessed yo might be ’ere. I've brought the papers.” She held out the brown paper parcel Which Mr. Reeks had taken away from the house the night before, the parcel which contained the writing case be- longing to Gilbert Rickerby. “Why, where did you find this?” asked Gilbert, taking it from her in astonishment. “I dropped it last night in the room where—” “In-the rcom where you were knocked down by that Leathwood,” she broke in, nodding slowly. “I s2w them carry you out, just as I'd seen them carry out the other man; but what could I do? I waited about in the dark, and then slip- ped back and found these papers lyin’ on the desk. I thought, if you was dead the papers might some’ow bring it ‘ome to ’em.” “Good, faithful old woman!” cried Gilbert. “Why, Jemima, you've brought back my fortune to me! These pavers relate to property I have in far Califor- nia—property under another nam». When my father turned me out of doors, and I had to fight the world for myself, fortune wes good to me, and 1 made my way in the New World. But I feared that all my deeds and share certificates and what not were gone— that I must start afresh. But now wé shall be able to go out with hope in our hearts—with something substantial to begin with.” So it was all settled that very day. They learned from Jemima of the dis- appearance into the burning house of Ursula Sewell and Nugent Leathwood; of how the old woman had stood in the erowd and seen the frantic, terrified face at the upper window; had seen the house collapse like a thing of cards, ‘king the man and the woman with it. They asked her, with some hesitation, about Cornelius, and Mrs. Reeks gripped her chair and held her breath, while they waited for the answer. “KE must ’ave stayed be’ind with Mr. Leathwood,” said the woman, in a low voice. “I know 'e never came out of I wish I could find it in my ‘eart to be sorry.” That was the only thing she ever said abeut him; she seemed as wi'ling to forget the dreadful old man as the oth- ers were. 5 On a certain bright morning in early summer a big liner was getting rerdy to sail out into the Mersey. Farewells were being said, and hands gripped and eyes looked into eyes. And on the deck of that liner stood a hapny man and wo- man—the woman clinging to the arm of the man; they had once called that m2n Gilbert Rickerby, but no one would ever call him that again. On the deck he- side him stood a big, portly man, with cne hand thrust in the breast of his waistcoat, whiie the other pointed, with a dramatic gesture, towards the river and the far-off sea. “You are going, my friends, to vent- ure your frail bark—if this excellent shipping company will permit me to re- fer in such terms to their vessel—upon the great ocean. There is a pathos and a tragedy in it, '£ we will but think of it —f we will—” “No, no; the tragedy and the pathos are left behind, Anthony Taggett,’ said Gilltert, hurriedly. “We have wai enough of both ; we set sail to-day, my wife and I, to find the joy and the beau- ty of life that have been denied us 50 long. We leave behind Rickerby’s Fol- ly, together with all other follies and mistakes; and we leave behind Giibert Rickerby, 200.’ ’ “You are determined, then, to start under that new name—the name we do not even know?” askeyd Taggett. “Quite determined,” replied Gilbert, with a smile. “Lor’ bless us, Anthony!” gried Mrs. Tegegett, “what does it matter about a name?” The good lady patted him quickly on the arm aad smiled. “I’m sure I’d have marricd you just as quic’s- ly if your name had been John Smith!” “I quite believe you would, my dear Medora,” said Mr. Taggett. “The bell is sounding to warn us to make our last farewells. After all, a name does not matter if our friends are happy.” “There is no fear of that,” replicd Gilbert. “Just as the bright sun is shin- ing over the sea, so the sun is shining over our lives and the clouds have gone. Other clouds may come and darken our sun a little, but not for long. If we re- member Gilbert Rickerby at all, if we think of strange happeriirgs and ad- ventures; if in our dreams sometimes there comes back to us the memory of days when we were parted, when dan- ger threatened, and when Gilbert Rick- erby, was a hunted man in hiding—well, it will only be like the memory of a thing that is done with and almost for. gotten—like a tale that is told.” The End. One Way to Obtain Release.. Senator Dolliver of Iowa tells a gon4 campaign story on himself. He was making speeches in his congressional district when a member of the house had arrived one afternoon at the littl town. When he reached the hotel he discovered that she proprietor, an old friend of his, had voluntarily gone tc jail rather than pay what he believed to be an unjust and illegal tax. The hotelkecper soon learned that Dolliver was in town, and thereupon sent this note to the sheriff: “Dear Mr. Sheriff—Please let me hi of jail for two hours to hear my frien Dolliver make a speech.” “The sheriff,” says Mr. Dolliver, “was not only an obliging soul, but he was not devoid of humor. He sent an order to the hotelkeeper releasing him from jail for two hours to hear me speek and then he added: ‘The remainder of your punishment {ts remitted,’ ”"— <i Re El RPS de RE Tas t-PA SPE 6 ch SEB 2 SecA al Ode ORME? Ei NOR» Pee” Sa RE CPLR aa GAGGING OF FINLAND. The Country Is First Fettered and Now It Is Gagged. “Finland, having been fettered, is now being gagged,” says the New York ribune. That is the purport of the re- cent action of the Russian satrap who now rules that betrayed and crushed country. A large part of the Finnish prevs has been entirely suppressed, and all that remains of it has been placed under a censorship more arbitrary and tyrranical than that of Russia itself. The object seems to be the complete extirpation of the Finnish press. That will mean not only the stifling of the voice of Firland to the outer worid, but the prevention of that community of information which has enabled the Fians to act as a nation, and degrada- tion of the standard of popular intelli- gence in Finland to something like the Russian level—briefly, to reduce the Finns to the status of a mujik. “How grave a blow to Finland this suppression of the native press is may be estimated from the fact that, until the time of the Russian conquest, three years ago, Finland had nearly 250 peri- odicals, and was one of the foremost nations of Europe in respect to famil- iarity with current ‘literature and the news of the world. The spl2ndid sys- tem of education, which is now being wrecked by Russia, made Finland a particularly enlightened nation. Al- most everybody was well-read in cur- rent matters, as well as in standard branches of education. To crush the schools and to suppress the newspapers and magazines is to stamp out a large part of the national life and to strike the deadliest blow at the integrity of the nation. “The wantonness of thts step is also to be remarked upon. The Finnjsh press has never been revolutionary. It has, on the contrary, been distinguished for its loyalty to the government of the grand duke. From 1867 to 1839 there was only one solitary case of offense and of government interference with the press. Since the conquest of 1899 has come the deluge of suppression, partly because the Finnish press would ont accept the abolition of the grand ducal office and the arbitrary forcing of the land beneath the rule of the Rus- sian emperor, and partly for the more general reason that the Finnish press was a force that made for enlighten- ment, and enlightenment is obnoxious to the conquerors of Finland.” SOME CENSUS FIGURES. Added to 0. N. Nelson’s History of Seandinavians in the Northwest. O. N. Nelson, author of the “History of Scandinavians in the Northwest,” has published an appendix to the work, in the form of a compilation of the 1900 census statistics relating to Scandina- vians. Until ten years ago no satisfactory reports were issued in regard to the number of persons born in this coun- try of Scandinavian parents, and the census of 1900 is certainly a masterly attempt in.that direction. This is very gratifying, because that class of people already outnumber the Scandinavian immigrants themselves, and although the majority of them are still children, yet they exercise a vast influence in the Scandinavian-American world, and will, in a few years, be the controlling element. Granting that the census enumerators have omitted some peovle, the total population of Danish birth and extraction may be put at about 450,000, the Norwegian at 1,000,000, and the Swedish at nearly 1,500,000. Excepting the Germans, Irish and English, the Scandinavians are to-day the most nu- merous of all the various elements of foreign extraction in this country, be- ing about 3,000 000. or one-twenty-fifth of the total population of the United States. 4 NORWAY WINS OVER SWEDEN. Long-Standing Quarrel Over Sepur- ate Consular Service Ended. The vexed question of whether Swe- den and Norway shall have separate consular service, which has been a cause of dispute between the two countries since 1837, and which, in the last ten years, has several times brought them almost to the verge of war, has, it is be’ieved, at last been settled ‘by a joint commission, which has decided to recommend the estab- lishment of separate consuls for Nor- way. This is a great victory for Norway, which for over half a century has heen fighting for independant consuls, on the ground that the joint consuls appointed by Sweden are prejudiced, and do not adequately protect the larger maritime interests of Norway. The result of the meeting is believed to be largely due to the influence of King Osear, whose policy toward his Norwegian subjects is one of concilia- tion, and who would have given Nor- way a separate consular service in 1892. when the Norwegian storthing passed a resolution for an independent system, had he not been prevented by the Swedish diet. ~ An Baitor's ‘Triumph. AN the Danes in the world rejoice ; with their kinsmen in North Schleswig, over the election of Editor Jessen to} the German reichstag. He secured 10,- 088 votes. a majority of 5,5244 over Rey. Mr. Jacobsen, the German candidate. The Prussian officials are reported to have been very threatening, but the Danes were not frightened. Mr. Jes- sen’s majority is as large as that se- cured by the late Gustave Johannsen, the able and fearless champion of the. Danes in Schleswig. Sweden Favors Married Voters. Married men will have a distinct ad- vantage in Sweden, if the government's proposition regarding reforms in the voting franchise is adopted by the riks- dag. They are to haye two votes, this privilege until he attains the age ; American. ¥ while a single man may not acquire | of forty years. The right of suffrage is limited to male citizens of twenty-five years and over, who do not owe for taxes and have completed their military service: | write a-baok--Ohlo State Journal, General Items. The Luren Singing society of Deco- rah, Iowa, has been presented with @ handsome silken banner by its fem- inine friends. Elvind Aakhus, the famous perform- er on the Hardanger violin, is on a con- cert tour in-the eastern part of South Dakota. Thorstein Jahr, now cataloguer in the congressional library in Washing- ton, has been appointed librarian of the public library at Throndhjem, Nor- way. Premier Steen, of the Norwegian ministry, has been greatly weakened by his recent rilress, and his speeches in public are reported to leave a painful impression. It is feared the determination of the management of the Danish college at Hutchinson, Minn., to establish a the- ological course will result in a split in the United Lutheran church. Jens Westenzaard, a Western boy, 19 rapidly winning his way to the front in the East. Though not yet thirty years of age, he is a member of the faculty of Harvard college, where he lectures on constitutional law. W. W. Thomas, United States minis- ter to Sweden and Norway, gave @ dinner on March 20 to Bishop von Scheele, special envoy of King Oscar to the Swedish Lutherans in America. Twenty guests were present. A gift of 6,000 kroner has been re- ceived by the management of the sana- torium for tuberculosis from an anony- mous person in Drammen. The mon- ey came in an old soap box, and con- sisted of many old bills, sitver and cop- per coins. A translation of the New Testament into Lappish is nearly completed. The translator’s work has been greatly in- creased by the fact that the language is lacking in idioms and words, with which to express the ideas found in the New Testament. A son of George Werrenrath, the famous Danish tenor of former days, will appear in his fiest Danish concert in New York city, April 12. He is a member of the choir of the Unity church in Brooklyn, and one of the so- loists of the University of New York Glee club. Charles R, Johansen and A. E. John- son, the steamship agents, are now the sole owners of Nordsjernan of New York, the leading Swedish newspaper east of Chicago. The paper is over thirty years old, and exerts a consider- able influence in Scandinavian circles. Carl August Sahlberg, the lawyer ar- rested at Paris for embezzlement, and also accused of offering his services to Russia as a spy, was landed in the jail at Christiania March 10. Not until he reached that place did he acknowledge his identity. Sahlberg is accused of having embezzled 5,291 kroner from five estates which he managed. Theodore W. Peterson, the wealthy brickmaker of California, died recently at San Francisco of heart diesase. He was a pioneer brickmaker in California. He located at San Jose, and introduccd pressed brick into the state, He had eight brickyards in various parts of the state, and they have supplied the brick for nearly every important building in California. A Unique Ski-Rend. The most unique ski tournament held in Scandinavia was the one held early last month on the palace grounds in Christiania. The entries were lim- ited to girls under eight years of age. A nice little hill, with a real jump, was arranged, and a considerable number of amused spectators witnessed the in- teresting contest. Four prizes were awarded. The longest jump without a fall was thirty-five centimeters (about A foot.) Norway’s Eubmarine Bonts. Norway wants a number of subma- rine torpedo boats of the Holland type. and the marine ministry is preparing a message on the subject. The boats can be constructed at th> Horten navat works and completed within a year. The cost per boat is estimated at 680,000 kroner, of which 180,000 kroner is for royalty on the patent. The latter sum will be divided im half on subsequent vessels of the same typ. Unique Business Firm. In so many fields of labor has woman usurped what mere man once consid- ered his werk that it is hardly consid- ered. surprising to find a firm name such as exists in York, Neb.—Ira Smith & Daughter—odd as the appelation seems at first sight. Miss Smith is a skilleq operative at the bench, as well es a buyer of jewelry for the firm of which she is a member.—Dry Goods Economist. " . Allon the Rill of Fare, Col. Sam Reed was breakfasting at Delmonico’s. After looking oyer the French menu, he said to the waiter: “You may bring me some eggs blush- ing like Aurora, with some breeches in the royal fashion, with velvet sauce: and for dessert, be sure you bring me a stew of good Christians, and a mouth- ful of ladies.” ‘The astonished waiter sald: “Sir, we don’t serve such dishes.” “es, you do.” said the guest, pointing to the bill of fare. ‘Oeufs a la Aurore-— cullottes la royale, sacque velout—-com - pote de bon cretients—bouchee de dames.’” \ “All right,” said the waiter, “ready fn two minutes, sir.”—What to Eat. And Crescendo. “L presume your wife makes life for you one gra sweet song?” said the old friend. ‘ @ “Mostly .recitative,” answered Mr. Herry Peck, with just a tinge of sad- ness, “mostly recitative.”—Baltimore Bee a2 SN Pubtic Infliction. Johnson—It seems to me that Scrib- bles ts not as kind toward humanity as he might be. 4 Jackson—No? : 4 Johnsan—No; he says he is going to