Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, January 13, 1895, Page 16

CLARENCE. By Bret Author of “The Luck of Sa (Copyright, PART JIL—CHAPTER 1 Tt was sunset of a hot day at Washington Even at that hour the broad which diverged from the capitol like rays of another sun were flerce and glitterin The sterile | distances between glowed more cruelly than ever, and pedestrians, keeping in the scant shade, hesitated on the curb before plunging Into the Sahara-like waste of cross ings. The city 1 deserted. Even that vast army of contractors, speculators, place hunters and lobbyists which hung on the | Jheels of the other arr and had turned this paci ap of the nation. into a battlefield of ignoble conflict more astrous than the one to the south—had slunk into their in hotel back rooms, in ghady barrooms or in the negro quarters of Georgetown, as if the majestic, robed goddess enthroned upon the of the capltol had at last descended among them | and was smiting to right and left with the flat and flash of her Insufferable sword Into this stifing atmosphere of greed and corruption ¢ ence Brant stepped from the shadow of th War department. FFor the last three wecks he had haunted jts ante rooms and audience chambers, in the v hope of righting himself before his superiors, who were content, without formulating charges against him, to keep him in this dis- grace of inaction and the anxiety of sus- pense. Unable to ascertain the detail% of the accusation, and conscious of hiz own secret, he was debarred the last resort of demanding a court martial, which he knew could only exonerate him by the exposure ,of the guilt of his wife, whom he still hoped had safely escaped. His division commander, in active operations in the field, had pe time 1 nelp | him at Washington. EMowed aside by greedy contractors, forostalled by selfish poli- tlelans, and, disdaining the ordinary methods of influence, he had no friend to turn to. In his few years of c paigning he had lost his instinct of diplomacy without acquiring a | soldier’s bluntne: The nearly level him at last to turn as| ings of a large building—a famous caravan sary of that hotel-haunted capital—and he presently found himself in the luxurious \l‘ll" room, fragrant with mint and cool with ice slabs, piled symmetrically on its marble counters, A few groups of men were seeking coolness at small tables, with glasses before them and palm leaf fans in their hands, but a larger and noisier assemblage collecte before the bar, where a man, collarless and in his shirt sleeves, with his back to the counter, was pretentiously addressing them. Brant, who had moodily dropped into a chair in the corner, after ordering a cooling drink as an excuse for his temporary refuge from the stifting street, half regretted his e forced participation in their conviviality. But a sudden lowering of the speaker's voice into a note of gloomy significance scemed familiar to him. He glanced at him quickly from the shadow of his corner. He was not mistaken —it was Jim Hooker! For the first time in his 1ife, Brant wished to evade him. In the da® of his own pro: perity his heart had always gone out toward this old companion of his boyhood; in his present_humiliation his presence jarred upon him. He would have slipped away, but to do 50 he would have had to pass before the counter again, and Hooker, with the self- consclousness of a story-tefler, had an eye on his audience. Brant, with a palm leaf fan before his face, was obliged to listen. “Yes, gentlemen,” said Hooker, examining his glass dramatically, “‘when a man’s been cooped up in a rebel prisun, with a death line before him that he's obliged to cross every time he wants a square drink, it seems sort of like a dream of his boyhood to be standin’ here comf’blo before his liquor, alongside o' white men once more. And when he knows ho's bin put to all that trouble fest to save the reputation of another man, and the crets of a few high and mighty ones, it's almost enough to make his liquor go agin’ him!" He stopped theatrically, seemed to choke emotionally over his brandy smash, but with a pause of dramatic determination, fin- ally dashed it down. ‘‘No gentlemen,” he continued gloomily, “I don't say what I'm back in Washington for—I don’t say what I've bin sayin’ to myself when I've bin picl ing the weevils outer my biscuits in Libby prison—but ef you don't sece some pretty big men in the War department obliged to climb down in the mext few days my name ain't Jim Hooker of Hooker, Meecham & Co., army beet contractors, and the man who saved the fight at Gray Oaks.” The smile of satisfac his audienc weakness 184, avenue nes and contention dis- holes w dome of the sun forced into one of the open- on that went around an audfenee quick to seize the of any performance—might have startled a vanity less oblivious than Hooker's, but it only aroused Brant's indignation and pity, and made his position still more intolerabie. But Hooker, scorn- fully expectorating a_thin stream of tobacco julce against the spitioon, remained for an instant gloomily silent. “Tell us about the smiling auditor. ; Hooker looked around the® room with a certain dark suspiciousness, and then in an affected lower voice, which his theatrical experience made perfectly audible, went on: “It an't much to speak of, and if it wasn't for the principle of the thing, I wouldn't be talkin’. A man who's seen Injin fightin® on't go much on this here West Point htin' by rule-of-three—but that an't here Jor there.” Well, I'd bin out a scoutin'—just to help the boys along, and 1 was sittin’ in my wagon about daybreak, when along comes a brigadier general, and he ooks Into the wagon flap. I ougiter tell you first, gentlemen, that every minit he was expectin® an attack-—but he didn’t let on a hint of it to me. ‘How are you, Jim? says he. ‘How are you, general? says I ‘Would you mind lending me your coat and hat? says he. ‘I'vo got a little game here with our pickets, and I don't want to be recognized.” ‘Any- thing to oblige, gencral,’ says I, and with that I strips off my coat and hat, and he peels and puts them on. ‘Nearly ihe same figure, Jini,' he says, lookin' at me you Just try on my things and see that ‘he hands me his coat—full unifarm with the little gold cords and laces and the epaulets with a star, and T puts it on—quite innocent like. And then he says, handin’ me his sword and belt, ‘Same inchies ‘round the walst, too, 1 reckon,’ and I puts on that | t00. ‘You may as well keep ‘em on (ill I come back,' says he, ‘for it's mighty damp and malarious at this time arcund the swamp.' And with that he lites out, Well, gentlemen, I hadn't sat shere fve minutes before bang! bang! rattl! rattle! kershiz and I hear a yell. I steps out of the wagon, everything'’s quite dark, but the rattle goes on. Then along trots an orderly leadin’ a horse. ‘Mount, general! he says. ‘We're atttacked—the rear guard's on et ' He paused, looked around his aucience, and then in a lower voice rald, darkly: i ain't a fool, gentlemen, and in that minute | & man's brain works at high pressure, and I saw it all! 1 saw the little game of the brigadier—to skunk away in m¥ clothes and | leave me to be capturad in lis But 1| aln't o dog, neither, and 1 mount=d that horse, gentlemen, and lit out to whero the men were formin'! 1 didn't dare ak lest they should know me, but I wavad my sword, and by G—! they followed me! And the next minute we was in the thizk of it. 1 bad my a8 full of holos ns that lee strainer; I had a dozen bullots through my cont, the fringe of my cpaulets was shot away, but Ikept the boys at their work—und we stopped ‘em! ~ Stopped 'em, gentlemen! | untll we heard the bugles of the fest of our division, that @il this ‘time had been rolling that Llusted rear guard over cn us. Aud it saved the fight! But the next minute the Johnny Rebs made a last dash and cut me oft —and there I was—a prisoner! Me that had saved the fight!” A ripple ‘of tronical applause went round as | Hooker glosmily drafned his glass and then held up his band in scornful deprecation “I sald T was a_ prisoner, gentlemen,” went on bitterly, “but that &in't all! to see Johustone, told him nd demanded (o be exchanged for a gene officer. He sald, ‘Not y. T then sent word to the dlyision commander-in-chief, and | 0ld bim how I had saved Greys Oxks when | his brigadier ran away, and he sald, ‘Not you! I've been rebuffed from the lowest | aon, to the co; in-chief, and | when I was at last exchanged—I was ex-| shauged, gentlemen, for two wules and a| fight again,” said a he 1 asked what I had dor al Roaring Camp,” dy Bar" E | matic | ure, | throng, | pointer's coachman. Harte, Two Men by the Author.) broken wagon. 1 was thar!” “Why don't it?" asked a eration Mr. SUgE dissent going t nis eabinet Boompoint “‘Boompointer's a auditor doubtfully “Know him?" ter sardenic the kind the in you by der president abou affected commis- Hooker n, and “Not th in stared at the scornful “But I'm him and nator contemptuously expectorated his much!” he said. man that carries his brecches pocket continued his 1 know him?" Mr. Hooker laughed a bit- laugh. “Well, gentlemen, I man_ to go in for family but added with gloomy eleva “‘considerin’ he's an Intimate relation ne by marrlags, I should say 1 did Brant heard no more; the facing around f his old companion toward the bar gave him that opportunity ef escaping he had bezn waiting for. The defection of Hooker and peculiar inventions were too character of him to excite surprise, no longer awakened his good-humored toler- ance, they were powerless to affect him in his greater trouble. Only dne thing he learned that Hooker knew nothing of his wife's being in camp as a spy; the incident would have been too tempting to escape his dra- embellishment. — And the allusion to enator Boompolnter—monstrous as it seemed In Hooker's mouth—gave him a grim tempta- tion. ~ He had heard of Boompolnter's won- derful power; he believed that Susy would and could help him, Clarence, whether she dideor did not help Hooker. But the next moment he dismissed the idea with flushing cheek. How low had he already sunk even to think of it! It had been once or twice in seek the president, a seckeey, re many anccdotes of 't and generous tolerance of all things— but with this was joined—so said contempor- ancous history—a flippancy of speech and bru- ity of directness from which Clarence's sensibility shrank. Would he see anything in his wife but a common &py on his army; would he see anything in him but the weak victim, like many others, of a scheming woman. Stories were current in camp and ngress of the way that this grim humorist had, with an apposite anecdote or a rugged big ma “Do y alr fluenc tion, of his mind to der a promise of He had his goodness of But I'm here, gentlemen, as | and, although they | Was she not happler than if she had been congistently true to Mrs. Peyton, to the con- vent, to the episode of her theatrical career, to Jim Hooker—even to himself? And did he conscientlously believe that Hooker or | himself had suffered for inconsistency? No! | From all that he had heard she was a sult- | able helpmeet to the enator, in her soclal attractiveness, her charming ostentations, her engaging vanity that disermed suspiclon, and her lack of responsibility even in her | partisanship. Nobody even dared to hold | the senator responsible for her promises, even while enjcying the fellowship of both, and it 18 said that the worthy man profited by it. Looking upon it a phase of Washington society, solved to go. The moon was high as the carriage whirled him out of the still stifiing avenues toward the Soldiers' home—a sylvan suburb fre- quented by cabinet ministers and the presi- dent—where the good senator had “‘decreed like Kubla Kahn, “a stately pleasure dome | to entertain his friends and partisans they approached the house the trembling light, 1like fireflies through the leaves, the warm silence broken only by a military band ying a drowsy waltz on the veranda, and the heavy odors of jessamine in thrilled Brant with a of sha thought of his old comrades in the fleld, But this was presently dissipated by the uniforms that met him in the haif, with the presence ot some of his distinguished superiors. At the head of the stairs, with a ecircling back- ground of the shining crosses and ribhons of the diplomatic corps, stood Susy, her bare arms and neck glitterfag with diamonds, her face radiant with childiike vivacity. A’ sig- nifisant pressure of her little glove as he made his bow seemed to be his only welcome, but a moment later she caught his arm. “You've yet to know him,” she said in a half whisper; “he thinks a good deal of him- self—just like Jim. But he makes others | believe it, and that's where poor Jim slipped | up.”" She paused before the man thus charac- teristically disposed of and presented Brant It was the man he had seen before—material, capable, dogmatic. A glance from his eyes, accustomed to the weighing weaknesses and ambitions, and a few hurried phrases, apparently satisfied him that Brant was not at the moment important or available, and the two men a moment later drifted easily apart. Brant sauntered listlessly through the crowded rooms, half remorse- fully conscious that he had taken some irrey- ocable step, and none the less assured by the presence of two or three reporters and correspondents, who were dogging his steps, or the glances of two or three pretty women whose curiosity had evidently been aroused by the singular abstraction of this handsome, distinguished, but sardonic-looking officer. But the next moment he was singularly in terested. A tall young woman had just moved into | merely as Brant re- sens “TALKING WITH MY OLD FRIEND.” illustration, brushed away the most delicate sentiment or the subtlest poetry, even as he exposed the sham of the Puritanic morality or of epicurean ecthics. Brant had even so- licited an audience, but had retired awk- wardly, and with his confidence unspoken be- fore the hark, humorous eyes, that seemed almost too tolerant of his grievance, He had been to levees, and his heart had sunk equally before the vulgar crowd who seemed to regard this man as their own buffoon, or the pompousness of position, learning, and dignity which he seemed to delight to shuke and distur, One afternoon, a few days later, in sheer listlessness of purpose, he found himself again at the white house. The president was glving audience to a deputation of fanatics who, with a pathetic simplicity almost equal to his own pathetic tolerance, was urging upon this ruler of millions the policy of an Insignificant score, and Brant listened to his patient, practical response of facts and logic, clothed in simple but sinewy English, up to the inevitable climax of humorous illustration, which the young brigadier could now see was necessary to relieve the grimness of his re- fusal. For the first time Brant felt the cour- age to address him, and resolved to wait until the deputation retired. As they left the gal- lery he lingered in the anteroom for the pres- ident to appear. But as he did not come, afraid of losing his chance, he returned to the gallery, Alone in his privacy and shadow the man he had just left was standing by a column in _motionless abstraction, looking over the distant garden. But the kindly, humorous face was almost tragic with an intensity of weariness, Every line of those strong, ‘rustic features were relaxed under a burden which even the long, lank, angular figure, overgrown and uniinished as his own west, seemed to be distorted in its efforts to adjust itself, while the dark, deep-set eyes were abstracted with the vague prescience of the prophet and the martyr. Shocked at that sudden change, Brant felt his cheek burn with shame. And he was about to break upon that wearied man's unbending; he was about to add his petty burden to the shoulders of this western Atlas. He drew back silently and descended the stairs, But Lefore he had left the house, while mingling with the crowd in one of the larger rooms, he saw the president reappear beside an important, prosperous-looking fig- on whom the kindly giant was now smiling with humorous toleration, He no- ticed the divided attention of the crowd, the name of Senator Boompointer was upon every lip; he was nearly face to face with that famous dispenser of place and prefer- ment—this second husband of Susy! An inde- scribable feeling, half cynfcal, half fateful, came over him. He would not have been surprised to have seen Jim Hooker join the which now seemed to him to even dwarf the lonely central figure that had so lately touched him! He wanted to escape it all! . But his fate brought Mm to the entrance at the same moment that Boompointer was leaving it, and that distinguished man brushed hastily by him, as a gorgeous car- riage, drawn by two spirited horses, and driven by a resplendent negro coachman, dashed up. It was the Boompointer carriage. A fashionably dressed, pretty woman, ‘who in style, bearing, opulent contentment, and {ugenuous self-consciousness was in perfect keeping with the slight ostentation of the equipage, was its only occupant. As Boom- pointer stepped into the vehicle her bluo eyes fell for an instant on Brant. A happy childlike pink flush came inte her cheeks, and a violet ray of recognition and mischief darted from her eyes to his. For it was Susy! PART III-CHAPTER II When Brant returned to his hotel there was an augmented respect in the voice of the clerk as he handed him a note with the re- mark that it had been left by Senator Boom- He had no difficulty in recognizing Susy’s pecullarly Brobdignagian school girl band, “Kla'uns, 1 call ou_ just hoped I wouldn't you're a bit like your old right off here—this very big party on-but we can {alk somewhere between ‘the acts! Haven't I growed! Tell me! And my! what a gloomy swell the young belgadier {s! The carriage will come for YOu—50 you have no excuse.” The effect of this simple note upon Brant was strangely out of proportion to its triy fality. But then it was Susy's very trivial- ity expressive of her characteristic ir- responsibility—that bad always affected him at such moments. Again, as at Robles, he felt it react against his own ethics. Was she not right in bLer delightful materlalism? mean! 1 believe know you. If self you'll come night! I've got a it real the center of the room with an indolent yet supple gracefulness that seemed familiar to him. A change in her position suddenly re- vealed her face. It was Miss Faulkner. Pr viously he had only known her in the riding habit of confederate gray, which she had at first affected, or in the light morning muslin dress she had worn at Gray Oaks. It seemed to him tonight that the careless elegance of her full dress became her still more; that the pretty wilfulness of her chin and shoulders was chastened and modified by the pearls round her fair throat. Suddenly their eyes met; her face paled visibly; he fancied that she "almost leaned against her companion for support; then she met his glance again with a face {nto which the color had as sud- denly rushed, but with eyes that seemed to be appealing to him even to the point of pain and fright. Brant was uot conceited. He could see that the girl's agitation was not the effect of any mere personal influence in his recognition, but of something else. He turned hastily away; when he looked again she was gone. Nevertheless he felt filled with a vague frritation. Did she think him such a fool as to imperil her safety by openly recogniz- ing her without her consent? Did she think that he would dare to presume vpon the service she had done him? Or, more outrageous thought!—had she heard of his disgrace, known its cause, and feared that he would drag her into a disclosure to save himselt? No, no—she could not think that! She had perhaps regretted what she had done in a freak of girlish chivalry; she had returned’to her old feelings and partisanship; she was only startled at meeting the single witness of her folly. Wéll, she need not fear! He would as studiously avoid her hereafter, and she should know it. And yet —yes, there was a “yet.” For he could not forget—indeed, in the past three weeks it had been more often before him than he cared to think—that she was the one human being who had been capabie of a Breat act of self-sacrifice for him—her enemy, her ac- cuser, the man who had scarcely treated her civilly. He was ashamed to remember now that this thought had occurred to him at the bedside of his wife—at the hour of her escape—even on the fatal slope on which he had been struck down. And now this fond illusion must go with the rest—the girl who had served him so loyally was ashamed of it! A bitter smile crossed his face, “Well, I don't wonder. Here are all the women asking me who is that good looking Mephistopheles, with the burning eyes, who is prowling around my rooms as if search- ing for a victim. Why, you're smiling for all the world like poor Jim, when he used to do the Red Avenger."” Susy's voice, an illustration, recalled him to himself. “Furious I may well be," he sald with a gentler smile, although his eyes still glittered, “furious that I have to walt until the one woman I came to see, the woman 1 have not seen for so long, while these puppets have been nightly dancing be- fore her—can glve me a few moments from them to talk of the old days.” In his reaction he was quite sincere, al- though he felt a slight sense of remorse as he saw the quick faint color rise, as in those old days, even through the tonight's powder on her cheek, ““That’s like the old Kla-uns," | she said, with a slight pressure of his arm, “‘but we will not have a chance to speak until late. When they are nearly all gone you'll take me to get a little refreshment, and we'll Lave a chat in the conservatory. But you must drop that awfully wicked look, and make yourself generally agreeable to those women until then." It was perhaps part of this reaction which enabled him to obey his hostess' commands with a certain recklessness that, howeye seemed to be in keepiog with the previous satanic reputation he had, all unconsciously, achieved, The woman listened to the cynical flippancy of the good looking soldier with an undisguised admiration, which, in turn, ex- cited curiosity and envy from his ewn sex. He saw the whispered questioning, the lifted cyebrows, the scornful shrugging of shoulders —and knew that the story of his disgrace was in the alr. But L fear this only excit him to further recklessness and triumph. Once he thought he recognized Miss Faulk- ner's figure at a distance, and even fancied that she had been watching him—but he only redoubled his attentions to the fair woman beside him and looked no more. But he was glad when the guests began to drop off; the great rooms thinned and Susy appearing on the arm of her husband coquet- tishly reminded him of his promise. “For 1 want to talk to you of old times. General Brant,” she went on, turning explanatorily to Boompointer, “married my adopted mother in California, at Robles, a dear old place where 1 spent my earliest years. So you see we are sort of relations by marriage,” singularly f {0t | when he dropped besides he As | | terror. | Couldn't #he added, with delightful naivete. Hooker's one vain-glorious allosien to his relations to the man before himi fikehed across Brant's mind, but i left now: only a_smile on his lips. ' He felt ho had abready become a part of the_irresponsibléicamedy of life around him. Why should he, gesist or examine its ethics too closely? Ha offered his arm to Susy; they descended the stairs, but instead of pausing in the swpger room, she simply passed through it with a significant pressure on his arm, and drawing aside a muslin cur- tain stepped into the moonlit conservatory Behind the curtaim there was a small rustic settee; without releas arm she. sat down, so that their hands met his and mutually clasped “Now, Kia'ui she sald with a slight comfortable shiver as she settled beside him, 1t's a little like old. Robles, fsn't it? Tell me. And to think it's five years ago. But, Kln'uns, what's the matter? You are changed,” she said, looking at his dark face ih the moonlight, “or ycu have something to tell me, “1 have. “And it's something dreadful, T know," e sald, wrinkling her brows with a pretty ‘ouldn’t you pretend you had told and let us go on just the same you, Kla'uns? Tell me.” am afraid 1 couldn't,” he sald, sad_smile. “Is it about yourself, Kla'uns? You know," she went on with cheerful rapidity, “I know everything about you—I always did, you know—and I don't care and never did care, and it don’t and never did make the siightest difference to me. So don't tell it and waste time, Kla'uns."” “It's not about me—but about my wife,” he sald slowly. Her expre: it to me with a sion changed slightly. ““Oh, her she sald, after a pau Then, half resign- edly, “Go on, Kla'uns, He began. He had a dozen times rehearsed to himself his miscrabie story, always feeling it keenly, and even fearing that he might be carried away by emotion or morbid senti- ment in telling it to another, but to his aston- ishment he found himself telling it practi- cally, calmly, almost cynically, to his old playmate, repressing the half devotion and even tenderness that had governed him from the time that his wife, disguised as a mulatto woman, had secretly watched him in his office, to the hour that he had passed her through the lines. He withheld only the incident of Miss Faulkner's complicity and sacrifice, “And she got you out of your p when he had ended. Clarence stiffencd beside her. But he felt he had gone too far to quarrel with his con- fidante. “'She went aw 1 honestly believe that we shall never meet again—or 1 should be telling you this! Kia'uns,” “she said lightly, taking has hand again, “don’t you believe it! She won't let you go. You're one of those men that a woman when she once has hooked on to won't let go of, even when she believes she no longer loves him—or meets bigger and better men. 1 reckon it's because you're so different from other men—maybe—there are £0 many different things about you to hook on to—and you don’t slip off so casily as the others. Now, If you were like old Peyton, her first husband, or like Jim, or even my Boompointer, you'd be all right! No, my boy, all we can 0 is to try to keep her from getting at you here. 1 reckon she won't trust hersell in Washington again in a hurry “But I cannot stay here—my career is in the field.” Your carcer is alongside o' me, honey— nd Boompointer. We'll fix all that. I heard something about your being in disgrace, but tho story was that you were soft on some rl down there, and neglected your businses, la’uns. But, Lordy! to think it only your own wife! Never mind, we'll straighten that out. We've had worse jobs than that on. Why, there was that commissary who was buying up dead horses at one end of the fleld and selling them to the government for mess beef at the other: and there was that general who wouldn't make an attack when it rained, and the other general—you know who I mean, Kla'uns—who wouldn’t invade the state where his sister lived—but we stralghtened” them ‘out somehow, and they were a heap worse than you.! We'll get you- a: position in the: War. department here, one of the. bureau offices, where you keep your rank and your uniform—you don’t look bad in it, Kla'uns—on better pay. And youw'll come and see me—and we'll talk over old times.” Drant felt his heart sick within him. But he was at her mercy now. He said, with an effort: “But I've told you that my carcer— nay, my life—now is in’the field.” “Don’t you be a fool, Kla'uns, and leave it there! You have done your work of fighting —mighty good fighting, too, and cverybody knows it. You've earned a change. Let others take your place.” He shuddered as he remembered that his wife had made the same appeal. Was he a fool, then, and these two women—so totally unlike in’everything—right in this? ““Come, Kla'uns,” said Susy, “now talk to me! You don’t say what you think of me, of my home, of my furniture—of my posi- tion—even of him. Tell me! “I find you well, prosperous, and happy,” he said, with a faint smiie, She turned her still youthful, mischievous face toward him in the moonilght. The vitchery of her blue eyes was still there as old, the same frank irresponsibility beamed from them; her parted lips seemed to_give him back the breath of youth, “'Susy, dear!” It was her husband’s voice. “I quite for- got,” it went on, as he drew the curtain aside, “that you are engaged with a friend, but Miss Faulkner is waiting to say ‘good night,” and I volunteered to find you.” “Tell her to wait a moment,” said Susy, with an impatience that was as undisguised as it was without embarrassment or confu- sion, But Miss Faulkner, unconsciously follow- ing Mr. Boompointer, was already upon them. For a moment the whole four were silent, although perfectly composed. Senator Boompointer, unconscious of any infelicity in his interruption, was calmly waiting, Clarence, opposed suddenly to the young girl, whom he believed was avolding his recognition, rose coldiy imperturbable. Miss Faulkner, looking taller and more erect in the long folds of her satin cloak, neither paled nor blushed, as she regarded Susy and Brant with a smile of well bred apology. “I expect to leave Washington tomorrow and may not be able to call again,” she sald, “‘or I would not have so particularly pressed a leave-taking upon you." “I was talking with my old friend, General Brant,” said Susy, more by way of introduc- tion than apolog Brant bowed. For an instant the clear eyes of Miss Faulkner slippel icily across his as she made him an old-fashioned colonial cour- tesy, and taking Susy's arm she left the room. Brant did not linger, but took leave of his host almost In the same breath. At the front door a well-appinted carriage of one of the legations had just rolled into waiting. He looked back and saw Miss Faulkner, erect and beautiful as a bride in her gauzy draperies, descendimg: the stairs before the waiting servants. He: felt his heart beat strangely. He hesitated, recalled himself with an effort, hurriedly’ stepped from the porch into the path as he heard the carriage door close behind him in the distance, and even felt the dust'from her horse's hoofs rise around him as she drove past him and away, after having kicked la'uns?” said Susy, awa e, —— APMRT, When we do part,sandi I have gone afar From thee, like o wandering star, No matter whepe; When at the quict evening hour, When sleep has closed: each flower, Thou'lt say fer me a pray So we Throug pray And sweet memorles keep, h softly falling tear Our hearts to each will more ende We cannot help but weep. ; 1 to go/my way devious puths, while for my heart thou hast the key— My love holds first a place for thee— How fondly art thou cherished there! May choicest blessings never cease To crown thee; to thy heart calm peace Will ever be my fondest pray: I bless thee blessing, Crowning e ssts a_ blessing on thy. | e I feel thy murmure ay for thee a prayer and thy memory from afar star ery care. There And whil 1 ow, VoW, KR Omaha, Neb., January, 189, Imperial excellent champag agreeable bouguel fair good delicious flavor. “highest efferves Cook's award, ence, — Garbage Is cremated in Ofiy-five Boglish towns, is (0-OPERATIVEHOME BUILDING Des Moines Scandal Directs Attention to Lax State Laws, EXAMINATION GENERAL IS ORDERED of the Usury wnd Local ns—Proposed Legisla- souri—Assoclation General, tion in M News The embarrassment of the Union Building and Savings association of Des Moines, Ia., as excited lively interest throughout the state and beyond its borders. It is not cenfined to shareholders alone. Members of other associations in the state are anxious its afaire satisfactorily straightencd and f crookedness is shown, that guilty be punished, Accurate Information concerning the affairs the union is not at hand. The receiver is now overhauling the books, and as soon as the work is completed the Des Mol representative of The Bee will furnish facts in detail In one respect at le of the Union is a fortur 1t has riveted public adequacy of lowa law and loan association The speculative evils which have been given a free field in the state are now returning to plague the pro- moters and their victims. With the possible exception of Minnesota, no state afforded a more inviting field of operation than lowa. The pull of the managers of national as- sociations has hitherto prevented legislation of any character, leaying them without restriction *or regulation” or a perfodical ex- amination by state inspectors. It was tc be expected that evils would spring up, and the reckless and dishonest take advantage of the freedom thus offered. The failure of the lawmakers to enact reasonable safeguards is the more amazing, when it is well known that the patrons of building and loan assoc tions are, almest entirely, the working peo- ple. Now, when groups of shareholders in Council Bluffs, Burlington, Keokuk, Des Moines, and in other cities are clamoring for their money and employing lawyers the laxity of the law is brought home with im- pressive, costly force. Ono need but to go back to the last legislature to secure evi- dence of the indifference of tie lawmakers The state auditor had collected a mass of cvidence, detailing*the swindling operations of bond investment companies, and submit- ted it to the legislature with an urgent recommendation for a law prohibiting such schemes. No action was taken. Fortunately the heavy hand of federal authority was laid on the bond promoters and they were ef- fectively squelched. A _COMMISSION to see out, of the the suspension te circumstanc attention on the concerning building OF EXAMINERS. The "appointment of a receiver for the Union has brought down upon the state audi- tor the wrath of a building and loan organ published in Chicago. The animus of the attack will be understood when it is stated that a man named Richmond is the power behind the organ, and was the chief manager of the collapsed ascociation. Mr. Riehmond was opposed to investigation, and sought to arrange matters without the assistance of the state. Auditor McCarthy did not ap- prove the plan, and took the responsibility of appointing a commission of two reputable citizens to examine the books of the collapsed concern, and also every building and loan sociation in the state. The action of the auditor i warmly endorsed by the pr “The examinations,” says the Cedar Rapids Gazette, “will hurt no sound institution. It ; will benefit such, because in every case it will give them an official certificate of good sianding. But if there are weak assoclations the people will be benefited by the publica- tion of the facts. McCarthy needs no judg- ment against Richmond or any cther indi- vidual to vindicate his action in the premises, He can afford to risk the sober judgment of the people, to whom a conviction for libel in this case would mean nothing except a state officer had become angry at an inconse- quential affair. Let the auditor saw wood and lots of it, and every time he brings up a fraudulent concern he will receive an en- core.”” NEED OF BETTER LAWS. The general laxity of Towa laws forms the basis of a vigorous editcrial in the Des Moines Leader. *The press of the state,” says the Leader, “ought to take the subject up and keep it’ before the public that the next legislature may feel compclled by fear of public opinion to pass laws correcting the present gross abuse. Not only should the inc rporation laws be made more strict in order that only legitimate enterprises may take advantage of them, under conditions which will clearly specify the nature of the business to be transacted and the responsi- bility of the incorporators, but these laws should be made a source of revenue to the state. Men combine to form corporations to lessen their individual responsibility and to increase their opportunities for profitable in- vestment, The state in assuming partial responsibility for these incorpcrations should share in their profits, either by the payment of a large initiatory fee or by the payment <f certain equitable annual dues into the state treasury.”’ THI; QUESTION OF USURY. Mississipl courts have decided that a mem- ber of a building and loan association who paid 32 per cent per annum for a loan and 6 per cent per annum on account thereof, and who voluntarily made a settlement, recciving credit for 72-100 of the premium’ paid and his share of the profits, cannot complain that the transaction is usurious, as he received his share of the interest paid by all the members Judge Wood, in delivering the opinion of the court, said: ' “‘As a matter of fact, the appel- leo paid less than 10 per cent per annum in- terest on the amount of money actually ad- vanced or loaned to him. His contract, most unfavorably constructed for appellant, —re- quired the payment of lawful interest on the amount of his bid; the record shows that he fnally paid less than lawful interest on the sum received by him. It is difficult to con- Jecture where any claim of usury can be ten- ably planted. But independent of this the appellee on repaying his loan and withdrawing from the assoclation voluntarily made the settlement plainly shown in the record, and this he did with full knowledge of all the facts. In this voluntary settlement he made no mistake of fact; he has received subse- quent enlightenment of law as he now sup- poses. In this voluntary settlement made with his eyes open he received 72-100 of the pre- mium bid by him, which was returned as unearned, and he received his share of all the profits made by the association during his membership and while enjoying the money loaned him; and these profits embraced his rateable part of all the Interest paid by all borrowing members, himself and others. In that settlement he took as his own his part of all interest now supposed to be usurious and still holds i REGULATION IN MISSOURL A pretty fight is brewing in Missouri be- tween the locals and the nationals in the matter of restrictive leglslation. Both sides will have bills introduced in the legislature providing for offictal supervision. The locals demand a law similar to that of Ohio, but the nationals are not in favor of a sweeping measure of reform. They claim that it will seriously cripple all associations doing a general business and will lay all associa- | tions liable to a system of state inspection which will be entircly arbitrary and very ruinous should inspeetors chance to be in- capable or corruptible, The nationals are pledged to state inspection, but they want [®tate inspection that will be conservative and strictly legitimate, They desire a fixed standard to bo presented, to which all as soclations must come, but they do not want that standard to be arbitrarily fixed by one m Numerous scandals, which have oc- curred among the associations in St. Louis especially, and in some other towns of the state, have created the impression that rigld legislation is necessary. The national sys- tem Is represented in only seven counties of the state and can only bring pressuro | to bear on the representatives in those | counties, On the other hand, the local as- soclations are represented in eyery county and have a direct connection with a big majority of the representatives, THE LOCAL BOARD PLAN Among national assoclations doing business at points distant from headquariers, the common plan is to appoint a local board in towns where sufficient patronage fs secured to warrant it. Thus If twenty or more shareholders are secured in a villag they are autborized lect a local board to manage the affairs of the group. The treasurer accepts and receipts for payments and forwards the amount to the tnain 0%y the | or clty | for. How foolish people are. for years, more econom | itseli in a short time with labor | ht for almost nothin, | thoughticssness; whil | getting accustomed to such ¢ { your f | | B you ought 10 make it, AND MAY, What fools wo mort at the expenditure of anywhere 1s be! Homes too much. tive of same and exchs how am [ to get Wealth, icncies?” mone which + 50 long very hest. We with i MA extend to you our s numerous advantage OUR TERMS Boiled down are as follows, and it is all the same to us which only one thing he su are sl warr ed, | and value, Our s our shipments i ud your DALEOIREE 18 Chorou g cintod, Either you pay cash or aceept our easy payment plan: FIRST—With Cash, SECOND—With part Cash and so mu THIRD—With h por month, part cash and so much por week, cracked dishes, when a whole and complete 1 and ask with us, and pay for your furnishings in one of three ways: Money is not Wealth Tt is only good for what Comforts and Necessities it will exchange They will drive an old knock-kneed horso He eats, and costs as much to keep, as a sound animal. Thoy get along with dilapidated furniture; faded and shabby carpets; bare windows: and quite likely an old stove which eats up more fuel in a year than a new and economical consumer would their wives and servants over a roaving fir olene Stove not only does better work without heating, but with far they serub or paint an old rough floor, when a beautiful coveriug of Lincolum would not only look better, but actually pay for cost them; broil ina July day, when a Gass saved: they eat off of nicked and ner set could be In a word, they deceive themselves by ug they are economical, when they are | their shiftlessness, or perhaps weought to be moro cl all the time the akoshift | untidy in dress, careloss in habits and generally actually extrovagant in ‘itable,and call it wing up and surroundivgs; grow thriftless. children habits and are gr Largely ult, friend, because you have not made your children's Home and its surroundings the methodical, systematic and attractive placo There is hardly an ordinary Home but, from $2¢ like a different habitation: your good wife's hopes ized, and your whole home atmosphere radically changed. Weo men, in our investments, spe “Mark my words, self will be a different tellow if you but follow our advice,™ Now, you say, “supposing money is not wealth, but only representa, igable for same, and T have not this money; you define as ‘Comforts and Conven- We answer, because Credit is a perfect substitute for the party granting same bolieves it to be good. We do believe that the Credit of our to 100, could be made to look and ambitions real- ¢t our your- ilations and toil, for saioth the writer, *you Wago Barners is good—the So much do we believe it, that we most carnestly invite you to test our faith in it by availing yourself St our proposition. CREDIT SYSTEM, to furnish your homes NIEFTC you CASH, Or 10 worth of goods, 81 por wee Or B4 por month 25 worth of goods, $1.50 per week Or 5600 0 month D worth of goods, &2 per werk! Or ®5 00w month; $75 worth of goods, 8250 per week; Or 810 por month; 100 worth of goods, 83 per w Or 81 ®126 worth of goods, 83.5 - S150 worth of goods, £1 poi w Or %16 H200 worth of goods, & Send I0c to cover postage on our big Furnitura Catalogue. Baby Carriagge Catalogue mailed free. If a member wants a loan the local board is expected to pass upon the value of the se- curity. The fact that the board is com- posed of residents tends to give the assocla- tion a “local habitation and a name.” But these local boards have no more to do with the practical workings of the assoclation than the Ahkoond of Swat. The question of their legality was submitted to the attorney general of Ohio recently, and brought forth an interesting opinion, from which the fol- lowing is taken: “A building and loan organization is or- ganized for the purpose of raising money to be loaned among its members. The business ¢f the company is conducted and_ controlled by a board of directors elected by all the members. The members who put their mondy in the association have a right to in- sist that the money shall not be loaned ex- cept to borrowers and upon securities ap- proved by the directors chosen by them. The directors who have assumed this trust can not delegate any part of their powers to subordinate local boards and shift to the shoulders of of approving of applications for loans, The local beard of directors provided for by this article is an irresponsible body not known to the law, and yet it is virtually intrusted with the most responsible duty to be discharged by the officers of a building and loan associa- :Ion, namely, the approval of application for oans. “But it may be said that the local board has no power, and acts simply in an advisory capacity, the business of the association being transacted by the real board of directors, at the central office; but, taking this view, I am disposed*to think the adoption of the article and the organization of the local branches and boards are beyond the power of the cor- poration and opposed to the policy of the law regulating building and loan assoclations, 1f the local board is to have no power its or- ganization operates to deceive the people of the locality in which it is instituted, inducing them to become members of an assoclation located elesewhere, and controlled and man- aged elsewhere, upon the representation that, through the local board of directors, elected by them, they shall have control of the share of the entire business of the corporation con- tributed by them. This, of course, ought not to be permitted.’ ASSOCIATION NOTES, The Gering (Neb.) assoclation series A, paying spot cash, There are 482 associations in the city of Philadelphia, with the names of 106,000 per- sons on the books. The combine amount to $42,076,431 and the incom fiscal year was $17,000,000, a 20,684, Twenty-two thousand hold shares valued at $10,000,000, At the annual meeting of the Citizens' as- soclation of Superior, Neb.,, John Reilly, A, C. Felt and W. L. McCullough were elected directors for three years. The new officers are: W, L. McCulloug president; C©. B McCornell, secretary and A. J. Briggs, treas- urer. , President Phelps of the Nebraska League announces the following comi legislation: T. J. Fitzmorris, Omaha; C, F, Bentley, Grand Island; G. M. Nattinger, Omaha; Arthur Truesdell, Fremont; H. 0. Paine, Ainsworth, he Equitable of Grand Island is one of the first to publish the annual statement required by the Nebraska law, The association is one of the strongest in the state, its assets gregating $160,1 The pald up stock dividends credited amount $160,662 closed out gain b families State ittee on and to of ing loans on real estate acquired in amounts to only $5, tion’s reserve fund, $4 guarantee against loss, There are seventy-two local assoc Michigan and four nationals assets amount to $9,500,000. ation is old enough to series very bullding and loan association in the United States,” remarks the Co-operative News, “points to a way to every able-bodied man to help himself. The normal instinets of every young man and woman reach out in longings for a home, a home of their own, 4 home they can call in its fullest signifl cance ‘our home. The rented tenement house can never be a home in this sense; no tendrils run out from the heart and cling fo a rented home. It is but a stopping place to shelter from the winds and storms, the sun of summer and the cold of winter. A man | Will be a better husband and father, the wife a better housekeeper and mother i the tru lome, the children will be better reared Two assoclations in New York City are com | posed of school teachers, Thelr receipts are | nearly $600,000 annually | Pennsylvania assoclations are the rey estate the id - stock. course of business while the assocla 69, I8 a reasonable Real ons in Thelr combined Only one asso have matured a 1 over bill | nue a provision in revised this sum $143,800 is represented by outstand- | uch agencies the responsibility | | DOCTOR £ SEARLES & SEARLES, _ Chronic, Nexvous, Private \ Diseases. TREATMENT BY MAIL, Consultation Free. We cure Catarrh, all diseases of the Nose, Throat, Chest, Slonu.zch, Liver, Blood, S8kin and Kidney Discases, Fe- male Weaknesses, Lost Manhood, and ALL PRIVATE DISEASES OF MEN. WEAK MEN ARE VICTIMS TO NERVOUS Debility or Exhaustion, Wasting Weakness, In prematurely in approaching old age. All yelld readily to our new treatment for loss of vital pow Call_on or address with stamp for cir culars, free book and Teelpta, o \ w ’ Q 416 Farnam. Dr. Searles and Searles, 455" wat, T H B { RANGISCAN DROPS . Yogotable, Prepared from the orlfi: nal fo mula pre erved in the Archiver of the Foly (and, hav ‘ng an suthentic history dating bae k 600 years & POSITIVE CURE for all Stomach, Kidney and Bowel troubles, especially HRONIC CONSTIPATION, Price 50 cents. 1d by all druggists. he Frauciscan Remedy Co,, 184 VA “UREN 87\, CHICAGO, ILL. * for Cireular s.nd Hiastrated Oslendar. For sale by Kubn & Co.,15th & Douglas on the value of The tax, If it goes $100,000 against the ‘posing a tax of one mill building association stock into effect, will cost the associations a year. An active campaign measure has already started, —_— A NERVY SHARK. an Who Objected ta 18 Ciate Byrne was standing It Attacked a Fisher Ity Devouring Fisherga Charles A in three Inches of sea water helping pull in a net of mullet when he shark trylng to get a meal out of the catch, says a dispatch from St Augustine, Fla, He Kicked the shark, but instead of making off it turned and circled about him, Baw | | and Then Byrne caught the fish by its tail threw It on its side toward the shore. it showed fight, It caught his left hip, let g0, caught the leg again near the knee, @ threw Byrne down, The shark tried to’ drag his victim to deeper water, but an incoming breaker rolled man and fish nearer the shore. Pisherm; cue The when he came Byrne's sldes suapped his jaws i Byrne has fourteen wounds on his They are not serious. A shark la lek of I nan Reynolds last Some fol; Fay ks neve beings. Herman Oelrichs years ago he offered $100 for ase of a shark biting a man him a bushel of argumentative lctters, but hie did ot have to pay the $100. Later he ia said increased bis ofter to $10.000, He 0 freely offered his life by swims fles in water #ald to be inhabited 1 vater, th Pomar camé was undg and in wri his fine Pomar and sw to the ress \eath Byrne gling out cut The fish 0 away, left leg. rated the, June. attack human fs one. Three any authentic “This brought Bdgar shark up. with ] for ha by the