Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1910 — Page 3

FINDNG THE POLE

CHAPTER Xl.—(Continued.) Th« storm lasted for ten hours, and tbs weary travelers anxlqusly watched for the morning. About daybreak its fury seemed to have Spent Itself, and Hatteras, accompanied by Bell and Altamont, ventured to leave"* the tent. They climbed a hill about 800 feet hish, -which commanded a wide view. But what a metamorphosed region met their gazel All the ice had completely vanished, the storm had chased away the winter, and stripped the soft everywhere of its snow covering. But. Hatteras -scarcely bestowed a glance on surrounding objects; his eager gaze was bent on the northern horizon, which appeared Shrouded in black mist “That may very likely be caused Vy the ocean,” suggested Clawbonny. “You are right. The sea must be there," was the reply. “That tint is what we call the blink Of open water,” said Johpson. “Come on, then, to the sledge at once, and let us get to this unknown ocean,” exclaimed Hatteras. Their few preparations were soon made, and the march resumed. Three hours afterwards they arrived at the coast, and shouted simultaneously, “The sea! the sea!” “Ay, ,and open Bea! ” added Hatteras. And so it was. The storm had opened with the polar basin, and the loosened packs were drifting in all directions. The icebergs had weighed anchor, and were sailing out into the open sea. This new ocean stretched far away out of sight, and not a single island or continent was visible. After a careful survey of the coast, Hatteras determined to launch the sloop that very day, and to unpack the * sledge, and get everything on board. By 5 o'clock nothing more remained to be done. The sloop lay rocking gracefully in the little bay, and all the cargo was on board except the tqnt and what was required for the night’s encampment. '

CHAPTER XU The sight of the sloop suggested to Clawbonny the propriety of giving Altamont’s name to the little bay. His proposition to that effect met with unanimous approval, and the port was forthwith dignified by the title of Altamont harbor. According to 'the doctor’s calculations, the travelers were now only three degrees distant from thb pole. They had gone over 200 mUes from Victoria bay to Altamont harbor, and were In latitude 87 degrees 6 minutes and longitude 118 degrees 35 minutes. Next morning by 8 o’clock all the remaining effects were on board, and the preparations : for completed. A quarter of an hour afterward the little sloop sailed out of Altamont harbor, and commenced her voyage of discovery. The wind was favorable, but there was little of It, and the weather was positively warm. Toward evening Hatteras and his companions lost sight of the coast. Night came on, though the sun remained just aboVe the horizon. Since the departure from Altamont harbor, the sloop had made one degree farther north. The next day brought no signs of land; there was not even a speck on the hoyizon. At length, about < in the evening, a dim, hazy, shapeless sort of mist seemed to rise far away between sea and sky. It was not a cloud, for it was constantly vanishing, and then reap* pearing next minute. Hatteras was the first to notice this peculiar phenomenon; but after an hour’s scrutiny through his telescope, he could make nothing out of It. All Hit once, however, some sure Indication met his eye, and stretching out his arm to the horizon, he shouted, .In a clear, ringing voice: "Land! land!”

Hi* words produced an electrical effect on his companions, and every man rushed to his side. ■1 see it, I see it!” said Clawbonny. "Yes, yes, so do I!" exclaimed Johnson, ‘lf is * cloud,” said Altamont “Land! land!” repeated Hatteras, in • tones of absolute conviction. "Let us make right for it, then,” said Hatteras. It was impossible longer to doubt the proximltyof the boast In twen-ty-four hours, probably, the bold navigators might hope to set foot on its untrodddn soil. But strange as it was, now that they were‘So near the goal of their voyage, no one showed the jd!r which 'might have been expected. Bach man' sat silent absorbed in his own thoughts, Wondering what sort of place this pale l must be. At last sleep overcame the tired men, and on* after another off, leading Hatteras to keep Watch. While Hatteras dreamed of home and fame, an enormous cloud of an olive tlrig* had begun to darken sea and sky. A hurricane was at hand. The first blast of the tempest roused the captain and bis companions, and they were on their fAst in an instant ready to meet it The sea bad risen tremendously, and the ship was tossing violently up and down on the billows Hatteras took the helm again, and kept a firm hold of it, while Johnson and Bell bated out the water which was constantly dashing over the ship. This sudden tempest might well seem to such excited men, a stern prohibition against further approach to the pole; but it needed but a glance at their resolute faces to know that they would neither yield to winds nor Waves, but go right on to the end. for a whole day the struggle lasted, death threatening them each moment. The next evening. Just as the fury of the waves seemed at it* highest pitch, there came a sudden calm. The wind was stilled as If miraculously, and the ■ea became smootu as glass.

BY JULES VERNE.

Then came a most extraordinary Inexplicable phenomenon. The fog, wlthour dispersing, became strangely luminous, and the sloop sailed along in a zone of electric light. Mast, sail, and rigging appeared penciled in black against the prosphorescent sky with wondrous distinctness. The men were bathed in light, and their faces shone with a fiery glow. “It is a phenomenon,” replied the doctor, “seldom met hitherto. If we go on, we shall Soon get out of-this brilliant glow and be back in the darkneSband tethpest again." * “Well, let’s go on, come what may,” said Hatteras. * The doctor was right Gradually the fog began to lose its light and then its transparency, and the howling wind was heard not far off. A few minutes more, and the little vessel was caught in a violent squall, and swept back into the cyclone. But the hurricane had fortunately turned a point toward the south, and left the vessel free to run before the wind straight toward the pale. At last they began evidently to near the coast. Strange symptoms were manifest in the air; the fog suddenly rent like a curtain torn by the wind; and for an instant, like a flash of lightning, an immense column of flame was seen on the horizon. The wind suddenly -changed to southeast, and drove the ship back again from the land. As Hatteras stood with disheveled hair, grasping the helm as if welded to his hand, he seemed the animating soul of the ship. All at once a fearful sight met his gaze.

. Scarcely twenty yards in front was a great block of ice /coming right towards them, mounting and falling on the stormy billows, ready to overturn at any moment and crush them in l its descent But this was not the only danger that threatened the bold navigators. The iceberg was packed with white bears, huddling close together, and evidently beside themselves with terror. For a quarter of an hour, which seemed a whole century, the sloop sailed on in this formidable company, sometimes a few yards distant and sometimes near enough to touch. The storm now buret forth with redoubled fury. The little bark was lifted bodily out of the water, and whirled round aild round with the most frightful rapidity. 1 Mast and sail were torn off. A whirlpool began to form among the waves, drawing down the ship gradually by its irresistible suction. All five men stood erect, gazing at each other In speechless terror. But suddenly the ahlp rose perpendicularly. her prow went above the edge of the vortex, and getting out of the center of attraction by her own velocity, she escaped at a tangent from the circumference, and was thrown far beyond, swift as a ball from a cannon’s mouth.

It was* 2 o’clock in the morning. For a few seconds they seemed stupefied, and then a cry of “Hatteras!” broke from every lip. On all sides nothing was visible but the tempestuous ocean. "Take the helm, Altamont,” said the doctor, “and. let us try our jutmost to find our poor captain.” Johnson and Bell seized the oars, and rowed about for more than an hour; but their search was vain—Hatteras was lost! Lost! and so near the pole, Just as he had caught sight of the goal! At such a distance from the coast it was Impossible Hatteras could reach it alive, without an oar or even so much as a spar to help him; If ever he touched the haven of his desire,' It would be as a swollen, mutilated corpse. Longer search was useless, and nothing remained but to resume the route nofrth. The tempest was dying out, and about 5 in the morning, on the 11th of July, the wind fell, and the Bea gradually became calm. The sky recovered its polar clearness, and lest than three miles away the land appeared in all Its grandeur. The new continent was only an Island, or, rather, a volcano, fixed like a lighthouse on the north pole of the world. The mountain was in full activity, pouring out a mass of burning stones and glowing rock. This enormous rock In the middle of the sea was 6,000 feet high. Just about the altitude of Hecla. "Can we land?” said the doctor. “The wind Is carrying us right to It,” said Altamont. "Let us go, then," said Clawbonny, dejectedly. He had no heart now for anything. The north polo was indeed before his eyes, but not the man who had discovered it As they got'nearer the island, which was not more than, eight or ten miles in circumference, tne navigators noticed a tiny fiord, Just large enough to harbor their boat and made toward It Immediately. They feared their captain’s dead body would meet their eyes on the coast and yet it seemed difficult for a corpse to He on It for there was no shore, and the sea broke on steep rocks, which were covered with cinders above water mark. At last the little sloop glided gently Into the narrow opening between two sandbanks just visible above the water, where she would be safe from the violence of the breakers. Before she could be moored, Duke began howling and barking again in the most piteous manner. “Duke! Duke!” called Clawbonny. But Duke had already disappeared* Duke was barking vehemently some distance off, but his bark seemed full of grief rather than fury. He had found the body of Hatteras. Alt four rushed forward. In spite of the blinding cinder duet, and cdttoe to

the far end 1 of a fiord, where they discovered the dog barking round a corpse wrapped in the British Sag! “Ha tt ergs! Hatteras!" cried the doctor, throwing himself beßide the body of his friend. But next minute he started up with an indescribable cry, and shouted, “Alive! alive!” “Yes,” said a feeble voice, “yes, alive at the north pole, on Queen’s Island." For a few minutes the joy of recovery of their captain filled all 1 their hearts, and the poor fellows could nOt restrain their tears. ■, v > The doctor found, on examination, that Hatteras was not seriously hurt The wind had thrown htal' on the coast where landing was perilous Woric, but, after being driven back more than once into the sqs, the hardy sailor had managed to scramble on to a rock, and gradually to hoist himself above the waves. ' Then he must have become insensible, for .he remembered nothing more except rolling himself in his flag. He only awoke to consciousness with the loud barking and caresses of his faithful Duke. , After a little Hatteras was <• able to stand up, supported by the doctor, and tried to get back to the sloop. He kept exclaiming, “The pole! the north pole!” He had become quite delirious with excitement, and fever burned in hit 'frelns. His eyes shone with unnatural brilliancy, and his brain seemed oU fire. Perfect what- he most needed, for thU doctor found it impossible to quiet him. Altamont speedily discovered a grotto composed of rocks which had so fallen as to form a sort of cave. John* son and Bell carried in provisions and gave the dogs their liberty. But Hatteras would do nothing till the exact position of the island Was ascertained; so the doctor and Altamont set to work with their instruments, and found that the exact latitude of the grotto, was 89 degrees BO minutes 15 seonds. The 90 degrees of latitude was then only about three-quarters of a mile off, or Just about the summit of the volcano. When the result was given to Hatteras, he had a formal document drawn up to attest the fact, and two copies made, one of which should be deposited on a on the island. Clawbonny was. the scribe, and indited the following document, a copy of which is now among the archives of the Royal Geographical Society of London: “On this 11th day of July, 1861, in north latitude 89 degrees BO minutes 18 seconds, was discovered Queen's Island at the north pole, by Capt Hatteras, commander of the brig Forward oi Liverpool, who signs this, as also all his companions. “Whoever may find this document ts requested to forward it to the admiralty. , _ .... “(Signed.) “John Hatteras, Commander of the Forward. “Dr. Clawbonny. “Altamont, Commander of the Porpoise. "Johnson, Boatswain. "Bell, Carpenter.” After-the- party made themselves- as comfortable as they could, and Jay down to sleep. (To be continued.) -~

Obeying Orders.

Seamen are strict disciplinarians, and a ship’s crew seldom even dreams of interpreting a commander’s orders otherwise than literally. Of the recognized rigid type was a certain English captain. The way (the strict letter of his law was observed aboard his ship is described by a writer In the London Telegraph. One day, while the ship was In a certain port, the captam gave a dinner to some town acquaintances, and as the resources of ( the ship were not great, some of the sailors were deputed to wait on the table to re-enforce the insufficient number of stewards, As these men were not used to such work, each one was told exactly what service would fall to his snare. The hour came, and the dinner went merrily on. Presently, however, one of the ladles wanted a piece of bread. There was none near her, ana the finely disciplined stewards seemed to be quite blind to her. need. She turned her head and spoke softly to the man at her elbow. “Bread, please,” she said. He looked regretfully at the bread and then at her. it was evident that he would fain have helped her If it had been in his power. He saluted In flhe naval style. ‘«an’t do it, ma’am,” said he. "I’m told off for Haters.”

The Beat Proof.

Little Ted, 7 years old, was sent to the bathroom for a “good scrub” before dinner, but returned so quickly that his mother declared he couldn't possibly have washed himself. HerepHed, “Truly I did, mother, and If you don’t believe it you can just go to the bathroom and look at the towel!” —Judge.

New Definition.

Scot —A Bohemian is a chap who borrows a dollar from you and then invites you to lunch with him. Mott—Wrong. A Bohemian is a fellow who Invites himself to. lunch with you and borrows a dollar.—Boston Transcript

Well Defined.

‘•Dad, what sort of a bureau Is a matrimonial bureau?” “Oh, any bureau that has five drawere full of women’s fixings end one men's tio In It.”—Houston Post.

Best We'll Get.

"Well, the proofs are out" "Of the pole discovery?” "No; of the bookr—Kansa* City JouraalT A high British court hag followed the example of tns that bleaching Is hot 'deleterious to floor. |

BITS FOR BOOK WORMS

The Roosevelt hunting trip gives dis tlnct interest to a recent" book, “In Wildest Africa;” by Peter Mac Queen. This la the record of a hunting and exploration trip through Uganda, Victoria Nyanza, the KUlimanjaro region and British East Africa, with an account of the ascent of the snow fields pf. Mount Kibo in Central East Africa and a description of the various native tribes. Arnold Bennett, the English novellot, has the following to suggest about °fi* way of getting the best out of a book: “The only infallible way of getting full value and permanent Joy out of a good book is to read it twice. To read a book once is merely to savor It. Every good book will seem better at a second perusal than at the first, and the same statement applies to many volumes that Just miss being good.” Messrs. Eaton and Mains are /o pub: liah a series of short biographies oi the founders of Methodism, an effort to bring these worthies “out of bulky histories Into the light of the modern Church.” A begining has been made with the life of Francis Asbury, first bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The sketch Is written by Dr. George P. Mains, and Bishop Daniel A. Goodsell supplies an introduction. One poet, at least, has come to honor in his own country. A marble bust of the Manx poet, T. E. Brown, whose delicately beautiful verse is an inalienable part of English poetry, has Just been unveiled at Douglas, In the Isle of" Man, the Speaker of the House of Keys performing that duty. The Keys adjourned for the purpose of attending the ceremony in company with the Governor, Lord Ragiauv Tt took place in the Town Hall, and the Mayor and Corporation were amoqg those who listened to the panegyric on Brown, pronounced by the aforesaid Speaker of the House of Keys. Hilaire Belloc pointed out In a recent lecture in London that In fiction there are at present two schools *n France, Maurice Bartea being at the bead of one and Anatole France at the head of the other. Barres is the leader of the "reactionary,” or religious, school of thought; he defends Catholicism in religion, and nationality in politics: Afiatole FrSfrce, on the otherhand, is a conspicuous-example of the inen who are in revolt against the clerical education of their youth. In other words Barres Is the leader of the clericals and France of the moderns. Mr. Belloc regards the situation as critical and hie sympathies are naturally SffiriiC”'"'

WAS SHE A DEMON?

Difference* of Opinion Kegarilas Late Empress Dcmkcer of China. The late great Empress Dowager of China had luxurious tastes and was fond of pomp in all of her doings, writes Frank Q. Carpenter from Peking, China. She spent money like water, and used fabulous sums to keep up her palaces. During the last year of her life she had planned a new home at the Summer Palace, and had ordered the architects to draw the designs. The buildings were to cost 4,000,000 taels, or about $3,000,000, and the work was to have been begun in 1909. The plans were made, but, owing to the Dowager’s death, they will not be carried out. I am told that her majesty gave equally elaborate directions as to her mausoleum and that it is being constructed on a magnificent scale. One hears all sorte of stories about the Empress Dowager. All acknowledge her ability and say she will rank among the great queens of all time. There is no question as to her strength of character. Some exalt her to the skies as an angel of mercy add light, while others say she was a demon Incarnate, and they compare her private life to that of the Russian Empress, Catherine the Great. A* to her demoniac character, her detractors say she poisoned her husband, the Emperor Hsien Feng, and thereby became ruler In connection with another Empress, whom he married before her. They suspect that the death of that Empress was caused by the Dowager’s machinations and plots, who then reigned supreme during the minority of her son, the Emperor Tung Chleh, who was a baby when chosen. When Tung Shieh had reached the age of 15, at which time he might aspire to rule Independently, he died of small pox, and there are some'mallcloua enough to say that his mother, the Empress Dowager, assisted him on the fairy ride to a far country. They allege that be had begun to resist her domination, and that the snmll-pox was really an overdose of oplnm pttls. They say also that after his death the suicide of his wife, the Empress, who threw herself into a well, wa*-as-sisted by this same great woman, and that other crimes of a similar nature may be laid to her charge. There are many, people, however, who will tell you that all these charges of her being an assassin are false and malicious.

Life Is Cheap in Russia.

A letter from Chereon, Russia, in describing as execution, says that

military trials and -the speedy execw tlons which follow them have been of such common occurrence that the public mind has become blunted. "Sentenced to death and executed” has be-, come a stock phrase, and the oft-re- 1 peated gallows stories have Influenced! the minds of children to such an extent that they have a game called "trial,” In which the brutalities of which they have heard are enacted. The writer says that the playing of this game by a number of boys in that town, nearly resulted in the death of one little fellow, who had been selected to play the part of the prisoner. He was tried, found guilty and centenced to be executed. Only the timely interference of elders prevented the tragedy. What hope is there for a country whefa the rising generation shows this spirit? asks the correspondent, _ „

CLEVER CHEMISTS.

In Two Remarkable Cases Have Supplanted the Farmer and Field. There are two remarkable instances In which the chemist’s laboratory has supplanted the farmer and the field. There was a time when India produced large quantities of indigo every year on plantations. The planters were warned that over In Germany chemists were at work making Indigo, but they only laughed. Then the announcement came that the synthetic indigo, made in the laboratory, was a commercial success. It was absolutely the same as the natural Indigo, only, if anything, a little bit purer. Now. India no longer supplies the world with indigo. A German laboratory makes the whole supply, and even India buys in Germany. There was a time when large areas in France were devoted to the cultivation of madder root, from which the red dye alizarine was made. Again a German chemist Improved upon nature and made artificial alizarine at a cost of less than one-third that of the natural product. It wasn’t an inferior imitation; It was the real thing. Now Germany supplies the world with alizarine. The only red cloth you will see to-day that is dyed with the natural dye ’is in the trousers of the French gendarme. And this Is purely for sentimental reasons. The French government maintains a farm -and grows a few serfs of madder, that the French army may not be dependent upon its old enemy, Germany, for anything It uses.

Queer Stories

The folding envelope was first used In 1839. The period of deepest sleep varies from 8 o’clock to 5. . The first school for the blind wSlrfstabllshed In 1791 in Liverpool. A patent on a horseshoe designed to prevent the stumbling of hbrees was granted in Panama four years ago. Notwithstanding the duty of 40 per cent a barrel, large’ quantities of apples from Oregon, Washington and other states are consumed in western Canada. Recently published statistics show that during the last year the number of births In France has diminished by 12,692. The number of deaths has in creased by 25,019, and the population of France has decreased by 28,203. In Cuba they fatten* little pigs on cocoanuts, and bake them into Christmas turkeys, and fine they say they are. Pick out cocoanuts that are heavy with water and sound solid when

struck together. In Barbadoes and Trinidad they plaster pitch over the monkey eyes to keep the nut from spoiling.—-New York Press. Germany’s minister of the Interior has addressed to the heads of the various governments within the empire a circular recalling the Information that the kaiser from his private purse makes a grant amounting to about sls on the birth of an eighth son in any family, of the same father and mother., The kaiser also promisee to stand as godfather to the lucky eighth son. In an interview published In the Kleler Neueste Nachrichten, Groseadmlral von Koster says many Interesting things about his Visit to New York, amdhg them the following: “In the absence of President Taft, who was sway on a trip Vo the Mexican frontier, the place of honor was taken by the Vice-President of the United States, Secretary of State Sherman, of New York." Though “SnOffks" as a name is hardly beautiful. Its origin is respectable enough. Kindly people picked up a little toun Sling boy at Sevenoaks. reared nun, end started him In life, after baptising him “William Seven-, oaks.” He became lord mayor of London lr tne reign c lt Henry V., was knighted, and died In 1432. He left benefactions to his native place that were doubtless misused, as was his name, which degenerated to Snooks.

Thoughtless Reminders .

’’Some of our best friends manage to embarrass us by mistaken kindnesses.” "Yes,” answered Miss Cayenne. “I have e loving aunt who insists on getting up birthday parties for me.”— Washington Star.

Not Unamimous.

She—There’s Mrs. Toozie. She seems qnlta reconciled to the death of her first husband. He—Yes, but I’m afraid her second never will be. —Illustrated Bite,

FACTS IN TABLOID FORM.

The Erst horse railroad was built in 1826. Coal was first used as an Ulumfibant In 1826. The velocipede was invented bj Urals in 1817. The only self-supporting territory of the United State* Is Alaska. The Chilean government has under contract 698 miles of railroads at an estimated cost of $24,297,680. A chimney of concrete block wao recently built In Germany without the use of scaffolding, which represents a great economy in the ebst. Levantine newspapers . report that Turkey has granted a conditional concession to an American .syndicate for a 1,243-mile railroad through Asia Minor. Alaska has three times the placer arts California had. California has produced in fifty-nine years $1,400,000,000 in gold and Alaska will produce three timeß as much when properly developed. ' Herr Rosenthal, the pianist, Is noted for his quiet humor. An unsuccessful pianist said- to him one day: "I am losing a tremendous lot of money In connection with my recitals. What shall I do?” "Give fewer concerts,” replied Rosenthal quietly.—M. A. P. Thirteen grams of radium chloride have been produced at the imperial Austrian radium factory, located at St Joacbimsthal It is estimated that this mineral has a value of $45,000 to $50,000 a gram, or more than $500,000 for the entire amount Pure metallic radlnm is never seen, In Jewish houses of worshlpf* per-_ sons who are in mourning arise at a certain time during the service'and repeat the Kaddlsb. According to the Hebrew Standard, there are trades people for whom the mourners’ prayer Is no bar to business. In a recent Issue that paper says: “The trustees of Temple Israel of Harlem, J|ould suppress the individual who on Sabbath mornings distributes pamphlets to those saying Raddish, advertising the wards of a monument dealer,* Britons are ceasing to look to the United States for their beef and are turning more and more to Argentina for meats and cattle. Prominent English ship owners and Argentina cattle raisers have organized a company which will undertake to ship supplies of chilled meat regularly each week from the River La Plata to London and Manchester. Work already has been begun on nine new fifteen-knot refrigerator steamers, which wm he added to the fleet already at the company’s disposal. Many Japanese women gild their teeth. Women of Arabia stain their fingers and toes red. In Greenland women paint their faces blue and yellow. In India the %omen of high caste paint their teeth black. A Hindoo bride is anointed from, head to "foot with grease and saffron. Borneo women dye their hair In fantastic colors—pink, green, blue and scarlet. In New Holland scars, made carefully with shells, form elaborate patterns on the women’s faces. In some South American tribes the women draw the front teeth, esteeming as an ornament the black gap thus made.

The completion of rafting operations on the Penobscot River for the season shows that nearly 129,000,000 feet of logs have come down the boom from the east and west branches of the river and Its tributaries. When the few straggling rafts now in the river arrive at the boom it is likely thgt the total will reach about 134,900,000 feet for the season. This is a great increase over the number of logs handled at the booms last year, when only 13,000,000 feet were rafted down. The total this season, however, includes 9,000,000 feet which were cut last year.—Lewiston (Me.) Evening Journal. — r __- —^ “Pneumonia and consumption follow frequently In the wake of the often neglected ‘cold,’ when the resistive powers of the body are at their lowest ebb," declares Dr. Neff, Philadelphia's director of public health. In a bulletin. “One of the best preventives against tuberculosis,” Dr. Neff adds, “is robust health, which gives great resistive power to the disease; and one of the first signs of depreciation in health is fatlgne. Although this, with other minor aliments, may seem of slight Importance, yet It is frequently the forerunner of more serious conditions. If "colds' were less commonly neglected, many cases of consumption would \ be discovered end cures effected.- and pftumonla end many allied diseases would be prevented.” Many of the famous women in history loved children* though deprived of children’s love most of their Uvea. One wee Queen Adelaide, whose two little ones died In Infancy. She mourned her lose the rest of her life, end sought solaoe in bringing happiness to the children of others. It became her custom to give a great Christmas tree as a gift to the boys and girls wherever the court spent the festive season. The tree always stood under Chinese diygons suspended from the celling. The children walked In two by two, and* each one wee kissed In turn by the queen. Adelaide also distributed all of the Christmas presents. It Is said sha always enjoyed these gatherings until the Utile guests had gone, when she would be overcome of her own childless ’