1 3
FRANKLIN PRESS
VOLUME XIX.
i ; FRAN KLIN; N., Ci WEDNESDAY. APRIL 6, 1904.
UMBER U.
H H
JJL JL li J
AN INSUPERABLE DIFFICULTY.
A Financier concluded onoo
A trust to organize
In hearts, in hopes that he'd oontr
The maket In this wise: -Bo
down he hied to Cupid' Bouse
One day In Lover's Block,
Decided that he'd offer him'
1'uulrol of all the stock.
ltll)t( eteBbftjd)
THE GRATITUDE
By W. R.
Tnere was a low rap at the outer
door of the dingy office. The old law
yer looked up from his littered desk
"Come in," he said and bent again
over hls.work.
The door was pushed open and t man
entered.;: He was a man of perhaps
thirty-five,, small, but well knit, and
with remarkably keen gray eyes, A
glance from those keen eyes settled
for a moment on the old lawyer, then
roamed swiftly about the room, taking
In with one comprehensive sweep the
venerable bookcase, the ancient steel
engravings, the discolored walls, and
then back to the old lawyer again.
"Good day,", the stranger said.
The lawyer looked up. with a Quick
nod. .'
"Take a chair, sir."
He looked hard at the newcomer.
Strangers were a rarity in Joyvllle.
And this was a somewhat Interesting
stranger,
"You have a moment's leisure?" the
younger man half Inquired.
"Several moments," the old lawyer
answered. "Time Is one of the cheap
est of commodities in Joyvllle. How
can 1 serve you t"
The stranger took off his hat and
pushing back his coat, thrust his hands
deep into his trousers pockets.
"I have come to you," he answered,
"for a little Information."
"Information is another of our cheap
est commodities," said the old lawyer
with a grim little smile. "Propound
your interrogations."
The stranger laughed.
"I am In the habit of paying for what
I want," he scld. "Does this Interfere
WHO joyvllle preceuemo;
"It does," the old lawyer replied.
"However, they are not Infallible pre
cedentsthough rarely set aside."
Tho stranger drew a little closer.
"How does tho world use you, Abel
Garner?" he asked.
The old lawyer stared at him.
"I make no complaint," he said. "The
world presumably uses me as well as I
deserve. It at least gives me bread."
"And butter?"
. "All th
ghat's good for me,
no doubJ
"And
times ?' ,
fitly smiled.
or legal
hex a handler of dough. Are
practice I
with the slang of the
Ily so to grasp your mean-
fcHrs eyes grew brighter,
er," he slowlv uiri -r
In your debt a good many
llawyer shook his head.
i possible." he said, "that
lstaking me for some one
Garner. Too are the man
i w uitmai lo pay you
j, but something always pre
I In the moan time the Interest
It on accumulating.
J naturally gratifying to feel the
Ilhimin. a i.. .t
old liawrer. "But I fnar r
playlng a part which I have no right
to All. Your indebtedness to me cer
tain! is not on my books."
"The debt was incurred many years
ago., No doubt you canceled it as
worthless."
"Perhaps I did," said the old man.
"Bvr the fact has escaped my memory
Can you recall the amount?"
- The stranger shook his head.
"There was no amount specified," he
answered.
'.This may account for the fact that
It is not on my books," said the old
man.-' "Am I to understand that It Is
a debt of sentiment?"
-Of gratitude," the stranger respond
ca, ; .tt..ff :
The old man stared hard at the stran-sorv-;
. . KA'-51?;i
"I cannot make yon ouV he said
"You are not only a stntnger to , but
to Joyvllle customs a well .. Suck long
memories, la suea a rsBarkaU ton
Now, Cupid listened to the
Without a word, until
ilia visitor had finished, when
He taid: "I fear you will
Not And it possible to form
Your trout around these parts
T Is cah upon dellv'ry, aud
There Ib no trust In heart.
William Wallace Whltelook; in Puok.
OF JACK ALIEN.
ROSE.
nectlon, are quite unknown to our lit
tle town." ,
"Is it as dull as It was in the earlier
days?" the stranger asked.
"The town? I think so."
"And as narrow and bigoted?"
"Well, yes."
"Pity you stayed here, Abel Garner."
"No doubt. At the same time you
should remnmber you are aspersing my
loyalty to the village of my choice." .
"Yes, But this does not worry me.
I Tboked about the town before I came
to you. It has changed very little In
the past 20 years."
"You lived here, then?"
"Not through choice."
"Lived hero 20 years ago?"
"Yes."
Again the old lawyer shook his head.
"You are a puzzle I cant make out,"
he said. "Twenty years ago you were
a mere boy."
"A boy of fifteen. You were a staid
member of the bar of 46. I remember
looking up to you in a double sense."
"No doubt," add the old lawyer, "you
have a story to tell. May I suggest
that you have aroused my curiosity?"
The stranger leaned back In his
chair.
"There Is a story," he said. "Are you
kept from some other engagement be
cause of my loquacity?"
"You have engaged my time, as I
take it," said the old man. "Go ahead.''
"On one condition," said the stranger
and he suddenly smiled; "you will
promptly let me know when tho re
tainer expires."
The lawyer laughed.
"Give me credit," he said, "for still
possessing a keen sense of humor. Ac
cording to Joyvllle precedents your re
tainer as ycu call it would hold me
for say ten years at teast"
"Very well," said the stranger. "And
now to business." The word seemed
to arouse him. His keen eyes snapped.
"1 am a business man," he added.
"And yet not quite dead to senti
ment," suggested the lawyer.
"I admit it is unbusinesslike. But I
indulge In it rariy. Now tell me. Is
there anything of unusual Interest to
engage the languid attention of
ville?"
Yes," said .'no old la'
Yp- '
"I admit it.
things happen In Jo
and looked earnestly
man. "And now mar I.
adviser, of course, ask why
done this generous thing
town."
"You will known in good time."
visitor replied. "There Is a storr tn
be told first" He paused and drew a
long breath. "Lot your memory go
dock twenty years, Abel Garner. Do
you remember a boy here In Joyvllle
who was called Jack Allen? Think
hard."
The old man's face grew troubled
"I recall him," he said.
"Tell me about Mm."
"He was an unhaonr lad -u i
member him, the stepson of a worthless
teiiow wno made him a vagabond. His
mother was dead: his home . .
novel.
'What more do you remember?"
"My attention was called tn him
a time when the village was greatly
Muium over me rrequency of incen
diary Area The boy was pointed out to
me as a suspicious and dangerous char
acter. , '
"No doubt he looked It"
"He was ragged and dirty, and I
fancied he looked hungry, too."
"Go on." .
The old man's gase grew still more
trtmbleo,.----ri,...M,,i,,
PH was arrested not lone alter that
and charged with setting fire 0 the
barn o villager. Th proof againfct
him was strong. Th teellng against
htm was intense. Even hi. -,,.b..
stepfather testified against blm." j
AM JOUT "W 'V.,.."."t '
it -weii, was younger then and
mora sympathetic perhaps, The boy
Tsjsjiiiii lr
V
for our
theS.
was down and every man's hand seem-1
ed raised against him. I offered my
self In his defense."
"Go on."
"I called on the boy and questioned
him. At first h was sullen and would
not answer". No doubt he took me for
a new enemy. ) had hard work to win
his confidence. Finally he told me hlc
story. It was pitiful.",
"Then you asked him IT be was guil
ty of this particular crime?"
"Yes." ; y ?
"And ..your eyes were fixed on his
as you waited for his answer?"
"Yes."
"And he met your gaze with a steady
look as he told you he was Innocent?"
"Yes.'"; -
"You laid your hand upon his shoul
der. What did you say to him, Abel
Garner?"
"I said, I believe you, John Al
len." "And what did tho boy do?"
"He burst into tears."
"Why should he do that?"
"I think It must have been because
so few persons had ever spoken kindly
to him." ' .
"No doubt And then, Abel Garner r
"I went Into court with him and did
my best to clear llm. I was younger
then and more enthusiastic. It was
the boy and I against the village. I
muddled tho witnesses, , I proved the
drunken father a liar, and I did
what I could to arouse sympathy for
my client. I thank God that I won the
court over. A long term in prison
would have crushed the lad body
and soul. He was freed but on one
condition. He was to leave Joyvllle at
once and never return. I did what i
could. I fount! clothe for hlra ' and a
few dollars asrd I saw him on the tmlt
bound for the great city. I remember
that he cried again as I bade him good
by. Poor lad."
The viBitor slowly nodded.
"Abel Garner," he said, "will you
say again, 'John Allen, I believe you.' "
Tho old man's troubled look deepen
ed, but he did as the stranger desired.
"'John Allon, I believe you.'"
The stranger faintly smiled.
'There Is still .something familiar
about your voice." He paused a mo
ment "Those were tho sweetest words
I bad over hoard, Abel Garner."
"The old man started.
"You!"
"Yes, old friend. I was that unhappy
boy. Do you understand now what
I meant when I spoke of a debt?"
The old man was quite dazed. He
stared at tho stranger dumbly.
"And you have prospered?" be final
ly asked.
"Yes."
"You are really Jack Allen?"
"I was. I added the name to which
I had a right my father's name. Give
ma your
meay
not In
them W'l
but this'
Abel Gar
Ho caughiv
ed It warmly!
Plain Dealerl
Re
The foUowin
cessful gen
being a brill
school. After
ho one day Da"
school. The m
make a good li
eral and put tb
lessons, so as to
advantage. Alt
said: -
"But which Is ti
one surely. 8hc
master called an
looked .the. stature
tun vuiv wwaruifc
visitor. - 1
ArTroth saai
p.. 1 1 . j
rssV-T',j'
f'Yes, sin" said m
I "Well, tnv,' wnrJt f
general, here Is ft A
keeping my place wa
. " ' - - I , . .
Prose an railway caft
b Improved hr nattf.
hanil A hoi Cnraur Vii.-
torn tstrat ftr tht
"BLACK HAND" SOCIETY.
A BRANCH OF THE MAFIA CRE
ATES REIGN OF TBHR.OR. :
8trlkes Fear Into Many Italian Resi
dents Death Is Threatened if
Blackmail Be Refused More Than
' Forty Letters Demanding Large
Sums.
There are now more than 40 letters
In the hands of tho police department
written by agents of the "Black Hand"
society, demanding blackmail from as
many Italian residents in the city. For
weeks the detective department has
been at work trying to uproot this new
est band of criminals, who are sup
posed to be closely allied with the
Mafia.
Emboldened by the success which
met their earlier efforts the members
of the "Black Hand" have become
more daring of late and have created
a reign of terror among those Italians
who are known to have money. It Is
owing to the similarity of its methods
that the police believe that La Mana
Negra" dr "Black Hand" Is an adjunct
of the Mafia, and It is upon this the
ory that they are working. They are
encountering the same difficulty in dis
covering evidence against this new or
ganization that they have always found
tn connection with the older one. , .
The first case the police were called
upon to handle was that of Gaetano
Rlgglo, a grocer, who was threatened
with death unless he complied with
the demands of the society. They
asked for $500. The best laid plans
of the department went for naught, for
the blackmailers were too adroit to be
caught In the nets prepared for them.
While the Mifla is said to owe its
origin to a political cause and Ib now
an Instrument of vengeance, the
"Black Hand" makes no such claims
and Is plainly and simply a blackmail
ing organization, using threats as the
lever to work Its victims.
The complaint of the police Is that
th victims of the band refuse to co
op ate with them in their efforts to
hunt down the persecutors. This re
luctance Is ascribed to fear. Several
Instances are known where the recip
ients of theso letters have submitted
to the demand rather than Invoke the
displeasure of the dreaded society and
place their lives In peril.
Although death Is always threatened
as a consequence of a refusal to pay
the levy, the police are skeptical as to
the readiness of the "Black Hand" to
go so far.
They admit the possibility of error,
howev r, for In several cases It has
been shown thnt supposed Mafia ivlo-
tlms have previous to their, dratlyjej
crivwu
again, for often these brigands make
mistakes and single out a man for
whom their threats have no terrors.
These men immediately come to us
and tell us of the threats made. There
after they are not annoyed by any
more threatening letters.
"What makes it hard for us la that
even the boldest sometimes fear to
turn over to us the letters they receive.
They have no fear of the threats, but
they do fear to turn over the letters.
"These Italian societies never select
an American for a victim. Forthe av
erage American the dread Mafia has
no terrors, but the mysterious secrecy
of these organizations is a terror In it
self to the timid Italian. If I could
only induce them to turn over to the
police department alt the information
they have I have no doubt that the
'Black Hand' would be stamped out in
short order." New York World.
PNEUMONIA AND OVERHEATING.
Ventilation and Moderate Warmth
Diminish Danger of Disease.
While science Is trying to determine
tho most probable cause or causes of
that dread disease pneumonia, It is not
for the layman dogmatically to assert
that this or that condition of thing
may be held responsible for making
the malady eptdemfc. Yet as science
generally attributes a marked Increase
In pneumonia to sudden and extreme
variations In temperature, perhaps the
layman may say that overheated hous
es, offices, factories, stores, theatres,
etc., produce a condition favorable to
the spread of th.s exceedingly danger
ous affection.
Nothing but a constitution of Iron
could stand without Injury the chang
es in temperature lo which the average
city dweller is subjected In this day of
steam heat, foul air and poor ventila
tion. To step from a house or office
heated to 80 degrees, or higher, Into
an outside temperature of from 20 de
grees all tho way down to zero, and
sometimes below, must Bubject the en
tire body, and especially the respira
tory organs, to a most severe and
menacing strain.
Tho same danger may come from
heating with stoves - when a single
room Is kept at a much higher temper
ature than other parts of the house, so
that even moving about inside Is favor
able to temperature changes which
may pave the way for pneumonia.
Thus It Is that the disease carries oil
the poor as well as the rich, but does
not number among its victims many
who either are careful not to get over
heated or who calf' "littarfljery high
temperatures In
Last' weel
monla In
Ihe
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE BY THE
REV. ROBERT MaoDONALQ.
utdecti "Chriitlan Ontsld the Chnreh"
Many a Man la Logins His Soul Be
mow M Cannot Balleve In Jonah and
th Whale Harmful Prejudice.
Bbookltb, N. Y.-In the Washington
Avenue Baptist Church Sunday morning,
the paitor, the Rev. Robert MacDonald,
delivered the last of the series of sermons
on "Christiana Outside the Church," the
special subject being, "Reasons Why Those
Outiide the Church Stay Outside." The
text was from I Corinthians, xi:22:
"What? despise ye the Church of Christ!"
Mr. MacDonald said: " . ,
No church has power to take a man' to
Heaven beyond toe power he has himself
to gain entrance there. And whether or
not he has the necessary ability depends
upon whether or not he is taking up tan
croaa and following in the steps of Jeaua
Christ. Heaven is a state of bleBsednean
rather than t locality beyond the stars, and
mutt come to us before we can go to it.
Whatever else is implied in following Jeaua
church membership is included. Jems
commanded baptism. To illustrate His
meaning He Himself was baptized in the
Jordan. His reason waa "for so it becom
eth us to fulfill all righteousness." If He,
the perfect man, thouaht it necessary to
fulfill all righteousness, think not for a mo
ment that any one of His imperfect follow
ers can be excused. Paul in Romans shows
baptism to be the likeness of Christ's death
and resurrection. If we have been united
with Him in the likeness of His death, we
shall stand in the likeness of His resurrec
tion. All denominations make baptism the
door of entrance to the church. At Pente
cost 3000 were added through baptism in a
single dar. Then there is "the Lord's Sup
per." "Thia is My body which was broken
for you," is the Redeemer's word. The
apostle to the Church of Corinth commends
its perpetuation as a memorial to their
Lord. Baptism and "the Lord's Supper"
are then very significant and belong to the
Christian Church. Not to join the church
is to despise these helps to the cultivation
of the spiritual life so full of sacred
meaning. All Christiana should embrace
both as precious memorials of the Saviour's
death. To embrace these is to join the
church. To neglect them i to despise the
church. Worse than that. To neglect
them is to disobey vour Lord, whom you
profess to serve. lven further, it ia to
show disregard for your Lord's dying re
quest, "This do in remembrance of Me."
You would submit to much inconvenience
to comply with the dying wish of an
earthly fnend. But your Lord's dying re
quest it ignored. How can you expect to
grow spiritually? How can you ever hope
to hear God say, "Thia is My beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased." Instead of
pleasing your Lord, you offend Him. You
never thought it wns so serious a matter
before, did you? Sleep not this night un
til you possess as well as profess the Lord
Jesus: Be an out and out Christian. Sym
pathise with and come into that organiza
tion that is perpetuating these sacred
rites. Keep not isolated from the one or
ganization that God hat set up for the re
demption of the world.
Now for these reasons you stay out and
leel justified in so doing.
object to the creed of the church.
snd you detest the tor-
one who needs
aise this pro-
slack, 'that
n-
-tajorms,
avm no
4
thus prejudicing the world before whom we
should stand in a good light that we may
do it good.
Your reason for remaining out of the
church may be that of Biblical or doctrinal
difficulty. Many a man it losing his soul,
not because he cannot believe in Christ,
but because he cannot believe in Jonah
and the whale. More than one man hat
said were It not for the "Garden of Eden"
and the "Deluge" he would accept Jesus at
Saviour. I know a man who has lost his
religious fervor because he could not rec
oncile the doctrine of election with the
freedom of the human will and the uni
versality of God't grace. And another
whose religious activities have been par
alyzed because he could not reconcile the
possibility of punishment of sin with the
all mercy, all love of God. Many tuch
assinine questions are killing men's enthu
siasm for the work of the Lord. If those
inside of the church are influenced thus,
we need not wonder that Christians out
tide of the church question so foolishly.
Those same men never think of question
ing what the- president and officers of the
club, or Masonic order, or Odd Fellowt
organization to which they beloi,' believe
about the world, whether it u- r und or
flat, or whether Jesus created in aix dayt
or in 6000 yeart, or whether the earth re
volves around the sun or the sun around
the earth, or whether heaven and hell are
states of existence or fixed bodies. The
reason you give for not demanding infor
mation about these questions of the sec
ular association, yet asking it of the
church, it that these are not builded on
these questions, while the church is. That
is where you are wrong. The church it
not builded on the integrity of the story
of Jonah and the whale, nor belief in the
Garden of Kden, nor even in the intauiDil
ity of the Scriptures, hut on Jesus Christ
aud Him crucified. But you ask, "Do
not your members believe in these ques
tions?" I do not know, I am sure. I
would not be surprised to find manv who
do not. Will we not expel them? Yes. if
we find them as indolent and good for
nothing religiously as you are who remain
out of the church because of these ques
tions. But if they love Jesus Christ with
all their hearts, mind and atrength, and if
that love inspires them towards righteous
ness in private life and ina' them eager
for the salvation of men, we would as
soon think of relinquishing our charter as
a Christian church as to expel such choice
tools as are they.
But a fourth reason yon ignore the
church of Christ is because of dislike of
certain members of the church. Else of
its minister. This last reason is more prev
alent than you have any idea of, and until
human nature is more sanctified than at
present people will separate themselves
from the church for this reason. But it
one church fails you here is there no other
church, no other minister where you can
worship at peace with God and man?
Your duty it to find tuch and go there;
if not of vour own denominational order,
then of some other, rather than despise
the church universal and refuse it your
support. There is a large difference be
tween being at odds with some especial
church and holding aloof from all churches
because not in harmony with that one.
If you cannot walk in sympathv with tome
one you are at fault if you do not walk
in avmpathy with tome other. In Brook
lyn no one it forced to keep isolated from
all churches because he cannot live in har
mony with tome one church. If you can
not conscientiously enter one, I repeat it,
you are at fault for not entering some
other. At for this church, if you wi'.l per
mit me to toy it, it has been (luring inese
last six years a veritable haven oi efuge
for those kinds of people. We have rented
more pewt to und baptized more Jeople
rom other aenominaiions uiau mc
own denominational taith ana wain-
re are two pictures, rou wji ln-
irt the more pleasing i ga
nerson SDsenting nimwu
nrifiuxuv-
AS DESCRIBED BY A VICTIM.
Jolting back nnd forward.
At ciirtb shambling stride, ,
Bmuidiirk hither, tbltlier,
In youfi rugged ride;
Jerk Inc. sliding, slipping.
Bobbing t and fro,
Ow illBting wildly,
Hasping as you go;
Teetering, duwortlng,
Bouuoltig up aud down,
Grunting, groaning, grinning '
Like a circus clowu,
Frantically jumping,
Lauding with a thump,
Wriggling twlnting, churning
On the horrid huiap:
Iiolliug, pitching uiSBlng,
Hiding, falling back,.,
Lurching, tumbling, humping,
Get ling blue nnil black!
Yet with desperation iy,
Clinging to the tought
Grim, uncomely, shapeless,
Raw-boned, ugly, rough, '
Awkward, clumsy, homely,
Sornggy, gawky, hulking'V
Huge, grotesque, fantastic,
Rugged, slouching, skulking,
111 proportioned, huggard, J
Gaunt, liugninly mammal JF"
Bless me, tills is frightful,
Riding ou a OBinel!
Chicago Tribunes
JUST FOR FUN
"He's a mercenary wretch." "What
makes you think so?" "He married
Miss Goldle Rox, and I was trying to
get her myself." Chicago Poet.
Fuddy 1 never consider it safe to
Judge by surface indications. Duddy
No; you can't tell by the skin what Is,
inside the sausage. Boston Transcript.
Charlie Mother, what does trans
parent mean? Mother That is some
thing you can look through. Charlie
Oh, I see, you moan a keyhole. Brook
lyn Life.
Softlelgh I've er-got a cold In ma
head, or something, doncher know.
Miss Cutting Well, if you have any
thing there It must be a cold. Chica
go Dally News.
"Phyllis Is the meanest kind of -gossip."
"What makes you think so?"
"Because she never tells you anything ,
herself, but gets you to tell all you
know." The King.
Long What, you owe $10,000?
Doesn't It worry you? Short Not In
the least It's another 110,000 I'd like
to owe, but I can't That's what wor
ries me. Chicago News.
"Grace, can you tell me what Is
meant by a cubic yard?" "I don't
know exactly, but I guess It's a yard
that the Cuban children play ln."-
Boston Christian Register.
Miss Passay F "lly, I don't believe
in a woman mart
marrying her first lore.