The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 13, 1898, Page 26

26 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1898. EDITED BY DAVID H.WALKER GRANDPA'S ff ES,” said grandpa, “there is one valentine that I would like, and that would be a me; news of my Poor boy,” he mused. seen him since we nearly forty * asked Thornton boy of 16. “Have you him since, grand- a bright ard from cer heard from him and t he is dead long ago,” and sighed heavily. s your birthday, Saint Valen grandpa ne’s day. Thornton Graham said nothing more, but went out the room. Then he carefully studied the list of vessels to arrive. When he had done this he went Merchants’ Exchange on Cali- and asked many ques- tions. vers seemed to satisfy him, and the exchange, whist- ling m ¢ and so preoccupied that he did his father, who passed hi “Have buying a ship, Thornton Thornt up suddenly and con Please, papa, don’t ask any questions.” But from that time on for some days Thornton was ill at ease. He was the first Lo get the morning and evening all his leisure ask- men interested in scanning the bulletin > spent ions o; paper change arrivals by sea. he was in school a messenger inquired for him. He went to hfs teacher and asked to be excused at once. “On what account?”’ the teacher asked. He whispered earnestly to the teach-* er, who excused him. The other pupils in’ the school noticed that the teacher was pleased all the remainder of the day. Meanwhile Thornton walked rapidly to the water front and the messenger, who continued with him, spoke to a boatman, who at once invited Thornton to get into his boat. minutes later Thornton was by the side of a newly arrived ship, that had come in from Sydney, N. ‘W. Hardly was he over the side of v el when he saw an old gentleman talking with the master. He walked rapidly to them and said: “I am Thornton Graham.” “And I,” said the old gentleman in response am——"" “Hush,” said Thornton. Grandpa’s birthday arrived, and the family gathered to celebrate it. There were young and old, all of whom came to the sturdy and kind old California ploneer. “But grandpa. “He is here,” answered Thornton, who had Jjust entered, “and I have taken the liberty to bring a gentleman who resides in Australia, and who says that he knew you in the early days in California.” When the boy stopped speaking, he where s Thornton asked : THE VALENTINE DAY LARK VALENTINE. brought forward the old gentleman whom we have seen on the deck of the ship from Australia. e the Lord,” ejaculated grandpa, face was pale and red Bless while his by indeed Ned,” responded the stranger, “and I must say that your evesight remains good, for I am changed in appearance.” What a happy and merry party that was at dinner. Grandpa and Uncle Ned had to sit side by side and they fre- quently stopped to throw their arms around each other and to laugh and cty, and all the others were compelled to laugh or cry with them. Then Thornton told his story. He had seen an Australian paper containing an ud\'_onisement signed by Uncle Ned, asking for information concerning grandpa. He had entered into corre- spondence and had assured Uncle Ned that grandpa was alive. Then Uncle Ned made haste to visit San Francisco. Thornton demanded as his reward for bringing the two brothers together that Uncle Ned should not make himself known till grandpa’sbirthday. Grandpa had to hug Thornton repeatedly and so did Uncle Ned. “I'll answer you, now, papa,’” said Thornton, “about buying a ship.” “No need of an answer, Thornton. My blessing upon you.” Uncle Ned explained. He had come from Mary: le to San Francisco in the ly days and had been kidnaped to serve on a ship bound for Australia. Before he had time to return he heard that grandpa was dead, and for many yvears he thought him to be dead. But one day he advertised and from it came the reunion of the two brothers. “Thornton,” sald grandpa after din- ner, u have brought me the best valentine on earth. You could not have done better if you had been Saint Val- entine.” A DOG THAT HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR. The pet of the Potrero Police Station is a little wire-haired terrier dog named Keys. Where he came from nobody knows. Like Topsy, he “just come.” Ke first appearance at the station was five years ago, and a more ragged, half-starved, miserable beast could not havebeenfoundin seven counties. Lieu- tenant G. W. Bennett, then sergeant, took pity on the poor little fellow and fed him well, hoping that he would go away with the next man who spoke kindly to him. Not so. Keys stayed at the heels of his benefactor and would not be driven away. The first performance of the little tramp was a trick that gave him the name that has always clung to him. Bennett was out one nigh, and, when jumping over a mud puddle, lost a bunch of keys and his whistle, but he did not miss them until he reached the station. Then he was mad, for he knew where the keys had been dropped. In no good humor, he started for the £857 ) place where he had jumped the puddle, but as he arose from his chair he no- ticed that the canine tramp held some- thing bright in his mouth. It was the bunch of keys, and the stray was then given his name, Keys. This act of in- telligence made him the favorite of the men, and it was but a short time that he was found to be very fond of play- ing ball. For hours Keys would run and fetch the ball for anyone who would play with him. Keys loved to play ball so much that the boys of the Potrero would ask to have him for a mascot when they had a game to play with some other club, and more than once Keys was taken to Central Park when the Union Iron Works team had a game with the Pacific Rolling Mills or the Butchertown teams, and Keys was always on the winning side. s’ last performance with the ball turned out to be rather expensive to his friend Bennett, as well as the druggist who keeps the store on the corner of Kentucky and Twentieth streets. Lieutenant Bennett went to the store and bought the little dog a fine rubber ball, which he took to the station. The druggist thought to have a joke on the police officer, and one day he saw the dog lying on the side- walk and told him to go fetch the ball. Keys, ready for play, rushed into the station and in a moment was out with the ball, which he gave to the drug- gist. After a short play the druggist took the ball into the store and hid it. A little later Lieutenant Bennett had to buy a new ball, and the druggist sold him the same article he had taken from Keys. This fun was kept up for sev- eral days, every time selling the same ball to the officer. After the officer had bought that one ball eight times he found out the trick that the druggist had played on him and he resolved to get even. One day he took Keys into the store, when only the clerk was in, and showed the little dog where the balls were kept and made him jump up and get one. Then the tables were turned. Twice a day, when the druggist was out, Mr. Bennett would send Keys after a ball, and the dog always came back with a new one. He would bring back big ones and little ones, cheap balls and high-priced ones, until the shelf over the officer’'s locker was filled with enough to stock a toy shop. The drug- gist raved and swore that the children of the neighborhood were stealing from him. To save some innocent child from being unjustly accused Mr. Bennett at Jast told the druggist of the way he had turned the joke and how the dog had helped him in the fun. A r. Ben- nett had had all the fun he wished for in this direction he gave back to the druggist all the balls that Keys had stolen, except the eight that had been paid for. But poor Keys has to suffer for all the tun he made for the others. - ROYAL AND THE RAIN. By Reinhold Richter The clouds were dark and heavy, The rain came pattering down, And Royal by the window Gazed out with pout and frown. But, as he gazed out, quickly Tiis face grew bright with joy, «Mamma says smiles are sunbeams’— Mused thoughtful little Roy. “perhaps if I laugh softly The big drops will not stay— ¥or sunshine always frightens The naughty rain away.” I smiled to hear my baby, My baby man so wise. But oh, in that brief moment - A wonder filled my eyes. For, lo! a quivering sunbeam Stole through the window pane. “Oh, oh!” cried Royal gayly, “T've laughed away the rain.” FUN BY THE POOL. A Berkeley frog sat on a rock and talked to his wife, who was hiding among the bullrushes. Two little chil- dren, a boy and a girl, walked hand in hand toward the frog pond. “Do see those funny creatures—walk- ing on their hind legs,’ id Mr. Frog. “Funny? I should say so,” answered Mrs. Frog, “and hear what queer noises they make with their mouths. Now, I don’t believe that they could sing a frog serenade or love song to save them.” “No, Indeed; and they don’t know CRUISE OF THE CALIFORNIA. (Synopsis of preceding chapters.—The army of savages commanded by Binnie marched to the Marwise River and there walted for the skull-hunters to cross the river, under the command of Gkocr-Ghee-Tee, to attack them. Binnie led 10,000 savages to battle. They were driven back 'by the superior numbers of the skull-hunters, but returned to the attack, un- der Binnie's leadership, on the folllowing day. At an opportune moment, Kemona, who has Eeen the war canoes coming at a- distance on the river, hastens forward, tells Mr. Ostend (for he was In command of the war canoes, having taken boats at the place where ha could no longer sall the California) of the need of his presence on the battle-field. Soon after the roar of the machine-gun which had been taken from the California is heard, and the hosts of Ghoor-Ghee-Tee melt away be- fore its iron rain. With Mr. Ostend are Bin- nie's five boy friends, all Caiffornia boys, and also his father and some friendly savages wham Mr. Ostend has persuaded to row the ganoes up the river for him. Ghoor-Ghee-Tes as run away with the savages of his tribes and his power is broken, so much so that the Wwhite men will have no troble In marching 8cross his country to go to the land of the Afarkise, where the white captive, King, to rescue whom the white men came to New Guinea, will be found surrounded by his sub- Jects, who are also his captors.) WILL not take your time to read about how the white men crossed the land of the skull hunters, nor to relate the small skirmishes that took place with the Afarkise. Throughout that hard journey, filled with privations, the six California boys showed that they were worthy to have been selected to undertake the most daring of adventures. They grew hardier and braver constantly, and more competent to look out for them- selves. Binnie's army melted away in the land of Ghoor-Ghee-Tee, for the sav- ages were nearly all thieves, and the chance they had to steal the cattle and other wealth of the skull-hunters was more than they could resist. They de- serted and left Binnie with only Koti, of all their number, to remind him of his life among and his command over them. So there were only ten persons in the party who were now to try to carry away a King from his people. These were Mr. Ostend, Binnie's father, Binnie and the five other brave California boys, faithful Kemona and Koti, the savage chief who had been second in command of Binnie’s savage army. They were in a land filled with thousands of savages, any one of whom would have taken their lives for a much smaller cause than the secret one for which they had journeyed. Koti was the guide of the party. He was ordered to take them to the chief village of the King by the shortest way. He led them, after many days, to the top of a lofty table mountain. Their eves saw a great valley, sur- rounded on all sides by steep moun- tains. “How much further have we to go?" Little girl, sweet little gu;,f,/\my love growl prithee hear. Be thou my honeyediVaIp‘nng', Oh/Ag®my dearest dear! Unhandsome—yet /, v Il hunt for the /acc Lord of the Nifat: i Yeaves the arfistirost King N { wish alNige gi even as much as a tadpole, for they don’t know how to swim. I saw one of them fall into the pond, and it couldn’t get out, and a bigger animal that walked on its hind legs had to come and pull it out to keep it from drowning.” “‘See what funny rough skins they wear; not much like our party dresses of emerald green, with the white waists, that we wear common—every day.” By this time the little boy and girl had reached the edge of the pond and the little girl said: “What funny, awkward looking frogs. Such great big mouths and staring eyes. Their legs are so short that they cannot run about and play—just only hop—and they are muddy all the time. I'm glad we are not frogs.” “That is so,” answered little Toddle- kins. The boy and girl walked away, laughing, and the frogs laughed, too. OF THE BUMPKINS WITH THE { butithe woods: bu But1'd not eat them.WA 0//%" Such wpity in them all dot And then, what fun ‘twould be for mé4a > my-heartis bra ' S; =\ \ Valeitif2r i o be(ming/2, Ah! well 4H) asked Mr. Ostend. “The King's village is in that valley.” “Is there a trail down from here?” “No, we must travel four days’ march to reach the only place where the na- tive_can enter.” “Koti,” asked Mr. Ostend, “do you think that we are going to climb over these mountains many miles, when the king's village is just below us?"” “What else can we do?” asked Bin- nie. “Do you see these great leaves? They are tougher than the stoutest cloth, and yet you see that they are very thin. “Well?* “You spoke yesterday of the sticky gum of what you called glue trees.” “What has all that to do with us?” ‘“We are going down into the valley from here to-morrow, and in para- chutes. Of course they will be larger than any parachute you have ever seen, N 7~ l‘/rllv \ A, “/' N\ ) 7 but we shall surprise the natives, and, if I am not mistaken, we shall make a favorable impression upon them, for our descent will be sensational.’ 3 All day the party worked under the direction of Mr. Ostend, and the result was the production of four enormous sheets of cloth-like substance, of great strength. The next morning the party were early astir. Out of the grass they wove baskets, and to these attached ropes, which they also mad» When they rested for dinner, which consisted of mountain trout and wild strawber- ries, they had in prospect a great sail through the air. Three boys were to ride in each of the last two parachutes to go. The other two were to be occu- pled by Mr. Ostend and Kemona and Mr. Lane and Koti. A light wind was setting from the mountain top toward the valley, and on this the four parachutes were floated. It must be confessed that the boys and also Koti were a little alarmed as they found themselves adrift in the air so far above the val- ley. For glant trees in the valley were to their eyes not taller than small bushes, and thousands of savages, who were watching the strange objects that were coming through the air toward them, looked to be not larger than in- sects when the air carriages first left the level of the lofty table mountain. The wind, blowing without variation, carried all the parachutes in the same direction and to about a uniform distance from the summit. Below the summit the air was very still, and the four parachutes settled in a cluster, like a flock of four strange and huge birds. Such they appeared at first to the ignorant savages to be. But as they drew nearer a great shout ran around among the savage throng: “See the flying houses coming from the sky!” At a word from Mr. Ostend the ten men began to fire their revolvers in the air and kept up a steady fusillade, so that to the savages it wag as if from the flying houses fountahs of fire were shooting toward the sky and that the sky was thundering. From thousands of grass-thatched huts the savages were poured out, as from a huge ant hill—thousands and thousands of black savages. They climbed to the tops of a semi-circle of hills that rose above their village, and there awaited with curiosity and fear for the flying houses to touch the earth. Silent they were as statues until they saw in the flying houses white men. Then they wailed, for their great witch doctor had said that never, until white men should come from N et ?figA rhauatanKing am 1% My throne is the Shlg'g/rg‘\__. Hear my hetald_eaglesscry Y TN birough forest aisfessmy glanke oft fiercely shines— M@h@\be aQuee \am?)rfg the pines. t})ea{n}flgl aré they T Kis z\\(ejz.h brave and gay. ers\dulicet bell\s%o&))\/\\ch@? in odorous dells, l\\(fiiw for the .\tp%g et |Waxen cells hfi/ @m | filled with woe! ning/cy, say not no. they; /good enough'to-eat! g/fif/g I'd speak them fair and swest, fave me—tho’ a dunce. hug them all at oncel the sky, should their great white king be taken from them. And now the white men had come, surounded with the thunders and the lightning of the skles, and they saw their hour of doom, for the witch doctor had also said that with the departure of thae king would come about the ruin of the land and the people. But, among the throng was the white King, and he saw and knew that the letter that he had sent forth in a san- dal wood box had reached brave men and that before his eyes were those who had risked a horrible death in a strange and savage land to save him from captivity, and to restore him to his own people. He was so moved with gladness that he could hardly refrain from showing it. A shout from the savage multitudes was raised as the parachutes touched the hilltops. Forth came the Great Witch Doctor N\ v 3 4 SYR e and stood before the people. “The hour has come,” he said. “‘Prepare to lose your King and your land.” Then arose from all sides a cry of rage, such a cry as can ouly come from a great multitude—from a multitude of savages in extreme wrath. Dusky hands were placed on bow- strings and threatening looks were on the faces of the savages. One false move on the part of Harry Ostend would have ruined all. One moment and the white men would be annihi- lated. Only superstition kept the sav- ages in awe for an Instant. Never was Harry Ostend cooler and more completely master of his nerves than he was then, in the greatest dan- ger the party had so far met. He saw that he must win the day by a strata- gem—but by what? Slowly and coolly, while arrows and darts were leveled in the direction of his party, and thousands of eyes glared hostility at him, he poured from his liquor flask a quantity of spirits into a cup and dropped in the spirits a light- ed match. When the liquor blazed up he threw the liquid upon the grass. “The white men can burn water,” shrieked the affrighted savages, “and see, the water sets fire to the world.” Then the savages fled in all possible haste before these strange men who might burn up the world. Nor did they stop running until they were in their village nor until the witch doctor had told them that there they were safe. D. H. W. (To Be Continued.) i S GOODEST OLD DOCTOR. The goodest old doctor came when we were sick— That is, dolly was sick, and me. ‘When I ran out my tongue he sald, very quick, “You'll need lemonade, see.” And he sounded like fairies I've heard in my dreams, When he said, “Don’t forget to take chocolate creams. “Your pulse beats so fast that fresh caramels T that I can “Shall prescribe, also peppermint drops. “Take buttercups, ice cream and cocoa~ nut pie, “And cream soda, until the pain stops.” Then I ran out my tongue for my dolly. Said he: “Give her some of the same; same symptoms I see.” ‘Well, the dolly, you know, was sick only in play; And she really can’t talk, drink or eat. But I took enough medicine for dolly that day— And for me, too—ple, cakes, candies sweet. I was doctored for both, and the queerest thing still Is that dolly is well but her mamma is ill! THE WEDDING OF THE WILD FLOWERS. I was walking along a Californiahill- side and stopped to admire a young eucalyptus tree that was pranked out in all its beauty. I heard a voice that came from the eucalyptus. It said plainly, “There is going to be a wed- ding.” That seemed a queer thing for a tree to be talking about, but the birds talk so much about love in their nests that the trees have a chance to learn much. In a sunny hollow there were some buttercups in blossom, among the grass, and they were all aflutter with the news, which they were talking over. Just then the wind, which had never done anything the like before, so far as I knew, sald several times ‘“‘Amen, amen, amen.” “Ha, ha!” laughed the California quail, “the wind is going to be the par- gon to marry the California poppy and the blue chicory, and he is practicing.” So it was. Hidden behind the shel- tering screen of manzanita trees I was able to see all. The bride was the California poppy and her bridal dress ‘was as radiant as the most glorious sunset. The bridegroom was a tall, graceful chicory blossom. The wind was the first to kiss the bride after the wedding. Then the stately chicory bent over, at the sug- gestion of the wind, and touched his lips to the bride’s glowing face. This was some years ago. Since then the chicory and the poppy familles have lived closely together, and many, have been the weddings. GOLDILOCKS AND JACK. C. M. D., 2311 Jackson street, San Fran- cisco, writes: My little brother and I are very much interested in the new stories that are going to_be in The Call. My brother greters “Jack the Giant Killer” to anything else, and I prefer to hear what happened to Goldllocks after she ran away from the three bears. I am very anxious to hear how the bears got loose after Goldilocks nailed them to the bed post and if she had any more ad- ventures; and if she married a prince, and how many children she had. Did she always have the same curly, golden hair, like that she had when she was a little r1? And was the prince nice? And did e live in a golden palace, with diamonds and rubles and kinds of beautiful stones in it? And was all the furniture gold and silver? Did he own a lot of land? And was Goldilocks a good, kind ueen? I hope to know all this in a lit- ]tektlme, for I am very fond of Goldi ocks. the GRANGER WHO IS HAVING SPORT.