The Colonel's Friends.
Tlieir Successful Descent
OV. K. ROSE, in Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The girl took the letter from the
postmistress. A faint smile fluttered
across the latter's wrinkled face.
"It's the right postmark," she said.
"'I was beginnin' to think that mebby
he'd quit wriiin". But I guess he's
one of th faithful kind."
Elinor turned away. She had no
desire to make any comment on this
favorable estimate of her correspond
ent. She placed the letter carefully
in her shopping bag and went up the
main street until she came to the road
that branched off and ran beside the
creek and out among the green fields.
When she was in the shadow of the
willows she took out the letter and
xead it as she slowly paced along.
"My dearest girl," it , began, "I
have delayed writing for a very good
reason. Business has kept me on the
jump for the last two weeks. Not
ordinary business, understand. It's
,t?ie business to which I have been
oJOKing iorwara lor nve years. 1 am
settling up things here and coming
home coming home to you. Don't
think, dearest, that there is any
thing of great moment that holds me
tack. But every little detail must be
looked after, and I can't afford to
throwr away anything that would add
to our happiness. I've made a little
money cut here not much, you un
derstandbut enough to keep the
wolf at a distance, and perhaps have
a little over to invest in something
safe and reasonably remunerative.
Perhaps you may know of an opening
In Clintville. Get an option on it if
you can. But mind, I'm not going
into partnership with BIjah Grimes,
or Eb Stillman. And I draw the line
on taking an interest in the Hlggins
House. But there, I mustn't get away
from the main point. I'm coming
home for where you are is home
and I've begun to count the hours
that intervene. It will seem a long
journey this time, but it's to be the
last one. But there must be no delay
when I get to Clintville. I've waited
too long as it is. Be ready, dearest,
I mean to be with you just ten days
from the date of this letter. A caller
has come into my office. I can see
him in the outer room. He comes
"by appointment. When I am through
with him, the last tie that holds me
here will be cut. Goodby for the
short time that seems so long.
"Elmer."
There were tears in the girl's eyes
as she looked around. Then she
pressed the letter to her lips.
She glanced at the postmark on
the envelope. The letter had been on
its journey six days. In four days
more Elmer Morse would come.
She quickened her steps. There
was so much to do in those four short
days. No, she would not keep him
waiting.
A glow of triumph filled her heart.
She had not waited in vain. How
many times she had been told that
she was wasting her years by her
constancy. Even her aunt, with
whom she lived, had expressed doubts
of Elmer's faithfulness. At least, she
had told Elinor that she would do
well to think twice before she let any
good chance to marry slip away from
her. And there has been chances,
more especially that thrifty farmer,
John Torrington. It was this mid
dle aged wooer, sturdy and respected,
whom her aunt especially favored.
"Don't forget that you are twenty
seven, Elinor," said Aunt Martha, by
;way of well meant warning.
But Elinor's heart was not to be
shaken in its constancy to her first
lover, the lover who declared himself
when she was still a schoolgirl and
who had gone into the far western
wlldness to win the fdrtune that was
to bring them together. A chance
had been offered him by a distant
relative. He had eagerly accepted it.
He hoped to return in a year at the
latest. But fortune was elusive and
five years had passed.
"And is Elmer going to stay here?"
lier unt asked after she had heard
the ftomentous tidings.
"Why, yes," Elinor replied.
"Here In Clintville?"
' "Of course."
"It isn't much of a settling down
place for a man who has seen the
world," her aunt suggested in her
cxasperatingly slow way.
Elinor flushed.
"That is all understood," she said.
"Elmer knows that I would never
consent to leave my old home and
my friends and go away among those
wild strangers.
"Such things have been done," said
her aunt sententiously as she turned
away.
Elinor laughed a little scornfully,
but her heart was troubled.
So the days wore away, and the
tenth day from the mailing of the
momentous letter came.
A telegram from Chicago had
reached Elinor the morning of the
ninth day. Elmer was on his way
according to schedule.
And now she was dressed in her
daintiest summer gown and waiting
on the porch. She had considered
the idea of meeting him at the rail
way station, but the thought of greet
ing him in the presence cf the village
idlers was not a pleasant one. He
would understand.
It was a little early for the train,
but every detail in the simpis pro
gram of welcome had been arranged
Th3 pretty cottage was swept and
garnished; the appetizing luncheon
was prepared, and now the gentle
Elinor, her heart beating with antic!
ration, sat on the shaded porch with
Upon the Town cf Clintville
her expectant gaze on the road along
the willows.
And then she saw a group of meu
rhere were five of them standing
Dy the roadside as if not quite sure
cr their bearings. Presently they
came forward and disappeared be
hind the high hedge.
A moment later Elinor saw them
at the gate. One of them pointed to
ward the house. Then th6 gate was
opened and they came up the path
way in single file.
It was Quite evident they were
strangers. Elinor had time to in
spect them before they reached the
porch.
Four of them were rugged in ap
pearance, with weatherbeaten faces.
The fifth was youngar and more slen
der, and the sun had spared his white
skin. Elinor noted, too, that they
all wore soft hats, that their clothes
were unmistakably new, and then
they were clean shaven and one cf
them carried a box at his side.
For a moment she was alarmed.
Were these strangers the bearers of
bad tidings? She quickly arose and
stepped forward.
But, no, they were smiling' as they
halted and drew ud in line. And
then every hat came off as if at a con
certed signal.
It was the youngest man who
spoke.
"Are you Miss Elinor Barnes?" he
asked with a little bow. '
"Yes," the girl replied from the
top step.
The Btout man at the left of the
line looked around at his companions
and nodded. .
"Good," he said in a de?p voice
and with much satis 'action.
The man next to the stout man
nudged him sharply.
"Harvard's handlin' this, Scotty,"
he cautioned him.
The youngest man spoke again.
"We are friends of the colonel,
from Montana, Miss Barnes."
She was down the steps In an in
stant.
"From Montana!" she cried and
looked at him wildly.
"The colonel Is all right, Miss
Barnes," the youngest man hastily
answered her. "We managed to get
here a little ahead of him."
"The colonel?" Elinor repeated.
"Colonel Morse," the youngest man
explained.
"Everybody back younder calls him
colonel," said the stout man.
Elinor gave a little gasp.
"And j'ou you have come all the
way from Montana?" she cried and
put out both her hands.
"Harvard!" the stout man warn-
ingly cried.
"Excuse me, said the youngest
man. "'.Miss Barnes, let me present
Mr. Adams."
"Scotty Adams, miss, at your serv
ice," said the stout man as he put
out hl3 big hand.
"Mr. Baylor, Mr. Tawney, Mr. Tol-
liver. I am Mr. Winthrop."
Elinor shook hands with each of
these guests from afar.
"Come up on the porch, gentle
men," she said, and they followed her,
the third man carrying the box, and
took the chairs she pointed out. "And
you have come all the way from Mon
tana?" she said again with, growing
wonder.
"Jest to see you, miss," said the
stout man, with another smiling
glance at his companions.
"And we're glad we came, miss,"
put in the third man.
"Pikey!" said the second man in
a reproving wnisper.
A soft flush stole over Elinor's
pretty face.
"And where) did you leave the
the colonel?" she asked with a sud
den catch Id her voice.
"You'll get used to it, ma'am,'
laughed the stout man.
"We left Colonel Morse In Chica
go," the youngest man replied. "He
wasn't with us. He will be more sur.
prised to see U3 here, than you were.
Miss Barnes. The fact is, we meant
tc get here ahead of him. We, saw
him in a jewelry store in Chicago."
"Mebby you'll gues3 what he was
there for, ma'an.," said th stout
caller.
"We were in the jewelry store, too,
but the colonel didn't see us as we
slipped out," the youngest man went
tn. "We hurrisd to the railway sta
tion and found that a train had been
delayed in starting, caught it and
reached here just ahead of the colo
nel's train."
The stout man drew forth a huge
gold wTttch.
"We ain't more'n half an hour
ahead of him," h said. "Talk fast,
Harvard."
"Our train was delayed for three
hours at the junction," the youngest
man went on. "That explains Scot
ty s remark. He hesitated a mo
ment. "Miss Barnes," he said, "you
Glory to the Blackberry Pie.
Blackberry pie! It holds a place in the estimation of all
lovers of go:d things tc eat that no other product cf the
land or sea occupies. Blackberry pis bridges the chasm be
tween the millionaire and the pauper. It is found on the
mahogany table of the haughty society leader and on the oil
cloth covered pine table of the lowly washer-woman. It l
on the bill j fare of the grandest hotel and is fed to th-
inmates of the poorhouse. The rich man who rides in his
gasoline buggy and the poor tramp who rides the rods under
the freight cars or steps from cress-tie to cross-tie in the
blistering sun meet on a common level at the lunch counter
and both order blackberry pie. In a word, blarkberry pie la
the one article of diet which makes the whole world kin.
Blackberry time, good folks, is here. Monroe Enquirer.
sie here five of the colonel's warmest 1
friends. These friends wanted to see
and meet you.' They wanted to testi
fy to you their regard In a practical
way. That explains the stop at Chi
cago and our narrow escape from tne
colonel."
Scotty looked around with a por
tentous nod.
"Harvard's right, boys," he said.
"We must get this out cf the way
first. Pikey toted it; let Pikey open
it up."
The third man went down on his
knees before the mysterious box and
quickly drew eff the wrappings. As
the Morocco covered lid was raised a
great and dazzling display of small
silver came to view.
"It's called flat silver, ma'am,"
Scotty explained, "an it's th' biggest
box they had." '
Elinor was quite dazed.
"Oh, ah." she cried, "for me! How
lovely." And there were tears in her
eyes as she bent over the box.
Whereat the five men from Mon
tana smilingly shojrk hands all
around. '
Then Scotty pulled out the huge
watch again.
"Time!" he cried. "You'll have to
excuse us, miss, but there's a little
business to transact, and it must be
transacted here an' now."
"Scotty," remonstrated the second
man.
"Let me alone. Jim," said the stut
man. "It's th' first chance I've had
to talk. Harvard there is our spokes
man, miss, an' I'll tell you why. He's
a college man an' handy with his
tongue. An' in the second place he
stands near to th' colonel. He came
out there to Montana two years ago
to die. An' the colonel "got hold of
him an' braced him up an nursed him
an' watched over him like a mother
an' there he Is, miss, worth a hun
dred dead men ain't you Harvard?"
The youngest man smiled gravely.
"What Scotty says is all true, Miss
Barnes," he told the girl. "I can
never hope to have a better friend
than the colonel. And because cir
cumstances brought us close together
he has honored me with hi3 confi
dence. He has. told me about yo-u,
Miss Barnes. I know how very dear
your wishes are to him. I know how
willingly he .yields to your desire to
stay in the East. I know hew sacred
he holds a promise."
He paused a moment. The girl
was intently regarding him.
- "Go on," she murmured.
He glanced about at his ' compan
ions. "Having given you his promise,"
the youngest man resumed, "the colo
nel wasn't the man to tell you what
he was sacrificing. That wouldn't be
like him. He wouldn't tell you what
a foothold he had gained out there
and what a powar for good he had
become and how we all need him.
He wouldn't tell you that nature had
fitted him for a man of action, a
pioneer, a builder, a leader cf men.
He never hinted that the confines of
this little town would be to him like
prison bars. And, of course, he didn t
tell you that wt wanted him for our
governor, that our State needs him,
and that he's the only man the friends
of reform can elect!"
He paused and drew a quick
breath. The girl was softly crying.
Somehow the words of this earnest
young stranger hurt her, and yet they
filled her with pride.
The stout man looked at her and
then he quickly turned to the young
est man.
"Every word you say it true, Har
vard," he muttered, "but you don't
need to be so dern rough about it."
And after that he did not look at
the girl, but turned his gaze across
the sunny fields.
"It was because Elmer Morse
would not tell you these things," the
youngest man went on, "that we are
here. W6 wanted you to know the
truth. We love the colonel and we
need him, lady. We have come here
to ask you to give .him back to us.
And we want you, tjo."
He paused again. Th girl had
turned away and was looking toward
the roadway-.
And then without a word she flut
tered down the steps and the pathway
and disappeared behind the hedge at
the roadside.
"The colonel has come," said Scot
ty. "You should have talked faster,
Harvard," said the second man.
"You said it beautiful," added the
third man, but I dunno as 'twas right
t make the girl cry."
"If you'd said another blamed
word," put in the fourth man, "you'd
had me snifflin', too."
Scotty looked at the younger man
anxiously.
"What do you think? Harvard?"
The youngest man refused to ven
ture any opinicn.
"You can tell a3 "veil as I can," he
said.
"It looks pretty duberous to me,"
Scotty muttered.
"Here they come," said the second
man in a hoarss whisper. "Brace
up."
Up the pathway came the tall colo
nel and the girl.
His arm was- around her waist and
he was so absorbed by her presence
that he did not see the waiting group
on the steps.
When he looked up he gave a quick
start and rubbed hi3 hand across his
eyes.
"Where am I?" he cried. Then
he suddenly laughed and gripped the
hands that were thrust at him.
"Welcome to our fair village," said
the irrepressible Scotty.
The tall colonel drew back and
stared at the group in a puzzled way.
"This i3 very good of you, boys,"
he said.
Then he looked back at the girl.
Her face was pale, but her eyes
were shining.
"I am afarid I haven't made It
clear to our wedding guests how very
welcome they are," she said. "Per
haps I can make amends later on.
Because I think they are going to
know me much better." She laid her
hand on the colonelTram in a pretty
way. "Ycu see, Elmer, you and our
friends here are going back to Mon
tana together and I'm going with
you." Her voice shook a little. "And
because Montana needs us." she
added with a little laugh, "we are all
all going to stay there."
There was a moment's silence.
"Glory be!" shouted Scotty and he
tossed his hat high in the air.
EN JI PI Ci
il l - '
. Ill m - W M 1X1
The distinct compounds from cal
tar have increased from 454 in 1894
to 695, not less than 300 cf the pres
ent products being dyes.
While the seeds of the dorowa, an
East African leguminous tree, are ex
tensively used for food, the pods and
leaves form an excellent cement when
mixed with crushed stone.
Seaweed, dust, goat's hair and Irish
moss, compounded by a secret chemi
cal process, is claimed to be, by its in
ventor, John Campbell, a perfect sub
stitute fcr leather, vulcanite, wood
and marble. It makes serviceable
solos for shoes.
The sound-deadening arrangements
tried on the Berlin elevated railways
include felt under and at the sides of
the rails, wood filled car wheels, steel
and wood ties resting on sand and
cork lined floor planus. Low rails on
deep wooden stringers proved the
most effective.
In order to save passengers' time
on the London "tube" railways, states
Electrical Engineering, various new
devices are being tried. At Dover
street and Earl's Court stations, a
lift signaling system, electrically con
nected with the automatic signaling
system, has been adopted experiment
ally. A bell in the lift rings on the
approach of a train, and the interval
before its arrival is just sufficient to
enable the lift to descend and the pas
sengers to reach the platform. Illu
minaated indicators over the lift3,
which are lit up fiV6 seconds before
the lift rsaches the top, have also
been fitted in several stations.
About a dozen years ago M. Rich
ter showed tnat the mysterious fires
in benzine cleaning establishments
are due to electricity which produces
sparks as pieces cf wool are drawn
from the combustible fluid cn cool r
dry days, and he found that the
sparks could be prevented by adding
magnesium oleate even as little as
0.C2 per cent. to the benzine. The
reason of tnis remarkable effect of
the oleate has not been understood.
It has now been investigated by G.
Just at Karlsruhe, and he finds that
the conductivity of the beazine is
very slightly increased, this change
being sufficient to prevent the accu
mulation of dangerous electric
charges. In pure benzine an elec
trode kept its charge four minutes,
while in the deluted oleate solution it
refused to take any charge.
The Born Lunatic.
"Professor, you say you are an ex
pert at solving riddles, don't you?"
"I claim that I am, my boy."
"Well, than, can you tell me why
a man whD has seen London on a
foggy day and a man whe has not
seen London on a foggy day are like
a ham sandwich?"
Ths professor studied for a long
time. Finally at his wits' end, he
said: "I give it up."
"Why," was the reply, "one has
seen the mist and the other has
missed thb scene. Ha, ha! Catch
on?"
"Of ccurse I do, you luuatic! 3ut
what has the sandwich to do with
it?"
After the youngster has recovered
from a spell of laughter he chuckled:
"Oh, that's what ycu bite on." Tha
Circle.
No Great Loss.
"Now, Mr. Knox," said the pro
fessor of physiology, "can you tell me
with what faculty a man could most
easily dispense?"
"Yes, sir," answered the student.
"Good," said the professor. "Which
one?"
"The college faculty," replied
young Knox soberly. Chicago Newa
Talkative.
"I wouldn't objsck to de man dat
keeps talkin' all de time," said Uncle
Eben, "if he didn't insis on th'owin
In a question every ten minutes or
so dat you's got to answer to show
you's keepin' awake." Washington
Stir.
Torthe
Younger
Children.
A FORMAL CALL.
There came another little girl
To call on me one day;
An' there we eat, an' sat, an' sat,
Without a word to say
An' mother called in at the door
"Just see the darlings play!"
Little Folk3.
NOT SO POPULAR.
A little girl stanchly declared -ae
day, apropos of the subject of her
history lesson, that her adored papa
was "just as great and good a man
as George Washington." "To be
sure," she added, "he is not quite as
well known, and so he is not so pop
ular." Little Folks.
MOLLY'S FIRST CIRCUS.
It was Molly's first circus, and she
enjoyed it, but was very tired at bed
time. When she was almost asleep
her mother said, "What part of the
circus did you like the best, Molly?"
"Oh, I don't know hardly," she said.
"It was all the best, but the punkey
r.'dlng the mony was the cutest."
Youth's Companion.
A TRICK GAME.
This game, if carried out .properly,
will cause great amusement. One of
the party announces that he will
whisper to each person the name of
some animal, which, at a given slg-
THE HALF MOON.
Here from the Brooklyn Eagle is a drawing Illustrating the Half Moon,
the ship with which Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River. A du
plicate of this vessel is now being built in the navy yard at Amsterdam.
It will be sent to the United States to take part in the Fulton-Hudson cele
bration in September. The keel was laid on October 29 and the launch
ing took place on April 15. The vessel is to be rigged and fitted up in
exactly the same style as the original Halve Moon, according to the Dutch
Bpelling. The craft is being constructed of old oak. The dimensions are
sixty by fourteen feet and six inches. She is expected to be completed in
July, and will be sent to the United States on one of the steamers of the
Holland-American line as a gift from Holland to the United States. It was
intended at first to send the little ship under her own sail to New York,
several naval officers offering their services as navigators, but it was
deemed safer to transport her on board a big liner. ,
nal, must be imitated ' as loudly as
possible. Instead, however, of giv
ing the name of an animal to each, he
whispers to all the company, with the
exception of one, to keep perfectly
silent. To this one he whispers that
the animal he is to imitate is the
donkey.
After a short time, so that all may
be in readiness, the signal is given.
Instead of all the party making the
sounds of various animals, nothing is
heard but a loud bray from one un
fortunate member of the company.
Philadelphia Record.
A TRUE DOG STORY.
A family down town having a false
grate in one of the rooms of the
house placed some red paper behind
it to give it the effect of fire. One of
the coldest days the dog belonging to
the household came in from out of
doors, and seeing the paper in the
grate, deliberately walked up to it
and laid down before it, curled up in
the best way to receive the glowing
heat as it came from the fire. He re
mained motionless for a few mo
ments; feeling no warmth he raised
his head and looked over his shoulder
at the grate; still feeling no heat he
went across and carefully applied his
nose to the grate and smelt of it. It
was cold as ice. With a look of the
most supreme disgust, his tail curled
down between his legs, every hair on
his body saying, "I'm sold," the dog
trotted out of the room, not even
deigning to cast a look at the party
in the room who had watched his ac
tions and laughed so heartily at his
misfortunes. That dog had reason
as well as instinct. Troy Times.
FIRST GIRAFFE IN EUROPE.
Dr. Johnson, as is well known, re
fused lor many months to believe in
the Lisbon earthquake, and Parisians
formerly were just as sceptical as to
the existence of the giraffe, a new
specimen of which has just been
added to the Jardin des Plantes. The
earliest specimen of these gentle
creatures was seen in Paris In the
reign of Louis XVI. We learn from a
French contemporary that the giraffe
was first heard of in 17S7, when it
was described by a Frenchman named
Levaillant, who had journeyed in the
lands of the Hottentots and Kaffirs.
When the explorer referred to the
animals with the long necks, he was
looked upon as a Munchausen, and
told that he was such in not the po
litest language. It was only when
Borne living specimens arrived in the
Frenea capital that Leraillant'a rep-
1 (
over.
utation for veracity was n
lished, and then the an i in a .-'
long time formed the seniVI'
Parl3, not only among the l. j
but in all scientific circles
tian Register. trrt ".
. to th public.
CAT ANSWERED WAJgiDe anut
, , 'gioe, Gin, or
You know there are s '
. , . . ..ena attention. I
wno say that cats cannot,.
plain English. If that is su S"
please tell me how it hapk '
this one came to the fronfBROSE,
the Belden family in answer ntb, N. 0.
advertisement? asks Bertha Bur-
Bartlett, in an exchange. :
"The mice are eating us out
house and home! " said Mary, as
brought in the cream for breakfa.
. ' -'or
"I don't see what we will do If m toj
don't be getting a cat." 'ie
"We really do need one," said
mother, thoughtfully. "But I don't
know of a good mouser, anywhere."
"Why den't you advertise? " joked
father, as he drank his coffee. "An
'ad' in the Gazette or Post ought to
bring you one."
"Costs too much! " laughed mother.
"Well, then, stick up a sign!" said
father. .
Ted thought it over as he finished
his breakfast. He could "stick up a
sign" just as well as anybody. Whera
1
should he put it? He decided that a
good, big, handsome one, done in red
paint and pinned on the front door,
would be as good as anything; and
so, half an hour later, that was what
callers might have seen if they had
come so early. It stayed there all tha
forenoon, and this is what it said:!
"Wanted A Cat."
A few people saw it, and laughed,
for it was such a big piece of brown
wrapping paper, and the letters-were
so big, and red, and scraggly, that
you couldn't help seeing them, un
less you were very, very nearsighted.
Just before luncheon time, mother
had to go to the front door for some
thing, and there stood a lean, lanlc
gray cat, with one paw up, trying to
catch the fluttering corner of that
brown paper sign. It seemed as if it
were trying to say, "I've come! Why;
do you want that sign any more?"
"Ted, did you put that .thing up
there?" cried mother, taking the pina
out in a hurry and carrying thd
dreadful looking sign inside to usa
for kindling. "What will the neigh
bors think! Such a front door for
people to look at! "
"It brought the cat!" said Ted, in
triumph.
And, sure enough, there was tha
long, lean gray cat, following closa
at their heels everywhere they went
and meowing for inilk. He turned
out a splendid mouser, too, and to
this day Ted firmly believes in ad
vertlsing. Heme Herald.
Women's Food Expensive.
The question whether men eat less
than women do or whether they buy
more economically is suggested to a
writer in Health Culture by a com
parison of the grocery bills run up by
men students and bachelor girls who
have clubbed together for the pur
pose of cutting down expenses. In
every case in which tables for com
parison are given, the men's menu for
the week costs less than that of wom
en. Both seem to have reduced tha
food allowance to the lowest possi
ble terms, but in footing up tha
amount spent the women have run
into certain extravagances avoided by;
the men.
"Maybe," says the puzzled in
quirer, "women really don't know
how to shop after all, but the mora
likely supposition is that no matter
how strict the regimen the feminine
nature
requires certain luxuries that
aan can get along without."
mere man
The highest suicide rate of &nT,
nation is that of Denmark.