Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1901 — Page 2

LADY MARY’S STRATAGEM

WHEN the engagement of Lady Mary Applegate to Sir Robert Black was announced, most of th© young lady’s friends asked one another how on earth she managed to catch him. For Sir Robert Black, Bart, of Rodcot, owner of a great fortune and man of good family, was not only amiable, agreeable and accomplished, but, at the age of 35, was looked upon as one of the lights of the Liberal party and likely to reach great position in the state if •nd when that hapless party came Into power again; whilst Lady Mary was th© almost penniless sister of the Earl of Potter Helglmm, whose poverty caused him to spend most of his time outside his native country. “How on earth did she manage to catch him?” they asked one another. “She’s 27, only passably good-looking, snd everyone knows that for years she Xias been unsuccessfully striving to Hud • desirable husband.,, “I wonder,” said her dear friend, I.ady Hickling, “whether poor Sir Rob-

THE FIRST LETTER WAS SHORT AND SIMPLE.

ert knows that dear Mary has had a •hot at half the in London; that she became Homan Catholic in the hope of catching Lord Thursle; that she turned Protestant again when pursuing Sir William Muudesley; that she golfed at poor Francis Slapton, fished at the Duke of Toreross, ‘slummed' at Lord Cantie, acted at Freddy Farlngdon, and, has been all things to nil ellglbles except wife.” Intoy H Inkling does not know—indeed, no one save Lady Mary Black and this chronicler knows -by what means Lady Mary caught her husband. Here is the plain and rather ugly true tale. I.ady Mary met Sir Robert In August at the Leehlades’, where there was a big house party. When she arrived she found that two girls, prettier and younger titan herself, and helped by mothers, were courting Sir Robert. The lookout seemed bad, and the poor orphan was In despair until she per eelved that she had mere bunglers to compete with—girls, one of whom thought that a pretty face and exaggerated demureness would win the day, while the other relied upon good looks and slangy liveliness of manner. The butler was surprised to find her at 0 o’clock one morning in the library gravely studying Hansard; the housemaid was amazed to discover political books in her bedroom; and whenever tlte Times was missing, the hostess •aid, “I expect dear Mary has it.” Sir Robert soon took an Interest In the intelligent, well-dressed, pleasant looking, if hardly handsome, girl who listened eagerly to his most serious conversation and surprised him with the range of her knowledge and soundness of her judgment in agreeing with all bis views after thoughtful discussion. Yet, after a fortnight, Irndy Mary felt that she was making no progress. She guessed, and guessed correctly, that the ether girls—or, at least, their motherswere at the bottom of the matter. Sir Robert was far too busy with politics to know much about society or its gossip, and Mary was right in her assump tion that he at first would be ignorant •f everything about her or her history; but the poor girl could not prevent her rivals and their allies from telling him tales concerning her and her search for a busband. Although, relying upon what be assumed to be his judgment of human character, Sir Robert disbelieved nearly all that was told to him, there remained in bls mind an unpleasant finding that Lady Mary Applegate might be a •harming. Intelligent young lady, but was also a dangerous flirt and a schemer. A week went by. Lady Mary was In despair. She recognised with pain the fact that not only was she unlikely to succeed, but also, that for the first time In her life she was trying to win a man. “To think,” she said to herself, “to think I am caught In my own trap, and that I would gladly marry him if he lost bls fortune and position! To think I am Id love at last, and have no hope! How am I to convince him that 1 am ■ot half so bad as those glrU pretend, •nd that I really care for him, and not for his money and |>osltlon?” Two sleepless nights aggravated the position since, as she grimly told herself, she had no margin of beauty to play with and hollow eyes and pale cheeks were n terrible discount to a girl never more than passably goodlooking. Suddenly Sir Robert was called to town on business, but made a promise to return In two days, and poor Nary added another to her collection of sleepless nights. Next morning Mary ate no iH-eakfast, •nd, on plea of headache, went up early to her room. At midday she Jumped off the sofa od which she bad been lying

with a look of excitement In her eyes. “I’ll do it,” she said to herself ; “l.t’s a desperate trick, it’s a wicked trick, It’s shameful, but they say ‘all’s fair in love or war,’ though I’m sure that's quite untrue.” She sat down and began to wHte. Iler first letter was addressed to Sir Robert. It was short and simple. She ventured to remind him that he had promised to bring from his town house two or three books on the Indian frontier question, in which he took a great interest. The next letter was addressed to her friend, Charlotte Clairvillo. The four pages of (lie first Sheet were mere gossip and friendly chatter, the rest of the letter must be set out verbatim: “And now I must tell you of a more serious matter, of one concerning which I can hardly speak, ami, indeed, could not unbosom myself except to you alone In tJils wide world. “The position in society of a poor girl of good family la very hard and diflicult, particularly when she has no relatives of influence to help her. The more fortunate, somehow, seem to band themselves against her, like wolves against a weakly member of the pack. I have never felt this till now, never knowingly suffered from It; and now, oh, it’s too cruel! “Since I have been here, all the Ideas of my life have changed. 1 have been a frivolous girl, very thoughtless of the real matters of life, and suddenly all fids has changed. I have found that life is very serious and very beautiful; very beautiful for those who are fortunate, very serious for those like myself. “I want to leave this place, where 1 am very, very unhappy, and come and help you in the noble work you are doing for your fellow creatures. You will have me, won’t you? You may wonder why, and I must tell you. For the first time in my life I have come to know the meaning of the word ‘love.’ “You have often accused me, not quite unjustly, of flirting. I feel so sad to think now that, perhaps, I have caused pain to some who may have taken seriously what was merely a pastime, for I am in love, and hopelessly. I thought there was some hope at one time. He seemed to take an Interest in me—the interest appeared to be growing Into friendship— and O! my dear, he is such a splendid man. He is full of great ideas, and yet sinople and unaffected, and his nature is as kindly and unself Ish as is possible. “But I don't suppose it Is that; there’s something else which I do not understand that causes him to fill my waking and sleeping thoughts; and it’s hopeless. I know it’s hopeless. Probably he never would have looked upon me under any circumstances as more than a mere friend, but even his friendship

LADY MARY BLACK MANAGED To CATCH HIM.

would have been very sweet as well as very bitter. “I feel that the other girls in the house and their mothers have been telling tak*s against me—exaggerated tales of little follies, and, although probably he iH'lievea little, I can tell that something has crept between us, and that, perhaps not knowingly, he believes 1 am merely a schemer. “1 can’t write any more, dear. The last few nights I haven’t slept, and I am becoming a wreck. I must get away. For a moment I feel more tranquil, since he’s away in Ix>ndon; but 1 have a sort of duty to myself, to prevent myself from suffering needlessly, so I’ll come, if I may, and help to tend your poor sick people, aud be thankful that In working for the happiness of others there is hope I may forget my own misery. Your unhappy old friend, , “Mary.”

Mary dropped one or two real tears over the letter—she was very sorry for herself aud far from confident about her plana; then she carefully put the first sheet of the long letter Into an envelope aud addressed it to “Miss Charlotte Clalrville. 3 William street, Bet final Green,” and she took the rest of the letter, and also the letter to Sir RolH*rt, and put them together luto an envelope, which she addressed to him at his club. On his return to the Leehlades’ Sir Robert Black found lauiy Mary sitting under a tree In the garden, looking very picturesque. Her cheeks flushed when he came toward her. He did not guess that this was in consequence of guilt. "Lady Mary,” lie said, speaking with difficulty, “you have done a clumsy a ml I an uugontft-manly thing.” “What It is?” dbe asked. "In your letter to me. by accident you inclosed part of • letter written to some one else.” She gave ■ little cry, a most artistic little cry, and guilt flushed her cheeks

•gain most becomingly; he did not ascribe the bldsb to guilt. "0, give it me—give it me!” she called out. “Give it back! You haven’t—?" She paused. His powerful, well-cut face changed rapidly from white to red and from red to white. “I must tell you the truth,” he said, “I read part of It Innocently. I was puzzled, but there was nothing’to tell me I was acting wrongly. When I discovered the secret I tried to but something, to Iny shame, forced me to go on reading. It was an unmanly thing to do; it was the meanest act of my life.” Lady Mary showed very violent emo-tion-real, honest emotion; she was at the great moment of her life and had not the least idea what was going to happen. “Give me my letter,” she said, In a broken voice. “I know I can trust In your honor. Sir Robert.” “In my honor, after I have acted so dishonorably?” “I am sure,” she replied, “you were so taken by surprise as to be acting half-unconsclously. Give me my letter.” The girl looked beautiful; the shadow of the tree softened the lines of her face, her eyes were flashing with excitement, her cheeks burned. “I will give you your letter only on one condition,” he answered. “A condition?” “Yes, that you give me the writer.” She uttered a little cry, then was dumb, and turned pale. “And if you give me the writer,” he continued, “I may as well keep tl.e letter, which will be my greatest treasure save one.” He put the letter to his lips and then stretched out his hands toward her. Lady Mary Black, no doubt, caught her husband by a trick, but he has an intelligent, loving woman as a wife, and she devotes her brains and her heart to the task of making the politician prosperous and the man happy.— Utica Globe.

ONE DOG’S DEVOTION.

\ Mongrel Prove 1 Faithful to the Memory of u Head Companion, As Illustrating the friendship that may exist between anima's is this incident which happened the other day at Lenox avenue and 114th street, say» the New York Times. A dog was accidentally killed by a rock thrown up by an explosion in the tunnel. While the body remained in the street awaltlng removal in a garlwige cart or dead wagon a dog companion stood guard over him and allowed no person to come near the dead body. Plainly the two dogs were mongrels. They had been familiar sights playing together In Ixmox avenue for some time. They seemed inseparable. When the accident happened that caused the death of one of the pair his companion at once set up a piteous howl which called attentlcn to his dead comrade. The body was them lying at the edge of the temporary crosswalk, and several people attempted to move it to one side. This the dog absolutely refused to permit. His vicious growls and the forbidding way he had of showing his teeth plainly told passersby that he intended to take care of that body himself. So he was allowed to have his own way, and mounted guard over the dead body. For a time he would sit perfectly motionless with eyes on the body of his dead “chum.” Then he would make an effort to get the dead dog to arise. Tempting bits of food were offered the watcher by people who had been attracted by his actions. One of these pieces he took and placed in front of the dead dog. When it showed no signs of caring to touch the food, he also declined to eat. He had not solved the mystery of death. It was in the early morning that the mongrel was killed, but from that time until long after dark his companion stood guard over the body. Late at night a wagon from the health department came to remove the body, lids was not accomplished without vigorous protests from the dog, who had stood guard all day. He even attempted to get into the wagon himself, and when be found he could not do so trotted on behind It as if determined never to part from his playmate.

Queer Frontier Experience.

In narrating the frontier experiences of “The First White Baby Born In the Northwest,” in the Ladles' Home Journal, W. 8. Harwood tells of a queer experience that befel tjie family In the first year after settling on a farm far removed from the settlements. “The winter had been uusually long and severe, and their store of provisions ran low. It was a long distance to the nearest base of supplies, and communication with the outside world had been cut off. Indians In the neighborhood one night broke Into the granary when* the wheat was stored and stole a quantity. In doing this a large amount of broken glass became mixed with the wheat which the Indians left, so for many days, amidst much merry story-telling and many a joke and laugh, In spite of the serious situation, the family gathered about a large table In their living-room and spent the short winter days picking over the wheat, kernel by kernel, In order to free it from the pieces of glass. For this wheat stood between them and starvation, and none of its precious kernels must be lost. Their stock of flour had long since wasted away, as had most of their food supplies, so they boiled and ate the wheat without grinding. Relief reached them Just in time to prevent n sad ending to the experience.”

We claim that If a cherry pie Is made just right, a man can forgot while eating It that bo has licen engaged as pallbearer at • funeral.

POLITICS OF THE DAY

In the discussion of possible Presidential candidates some are prone to segard the sectional question as of overshadowing importance. Those who live in what are known as the doubtful States are especially liable to this error, because they are naturally willing to furnish the candidates. It is not only customary to look to a few doubtful States to furnish the candidates, but it is not uncommon to have some portions of the country excluded from consideration entirely. For years it has been assumed that a Southern man was unavailable, and a Western man almost as much so. New York, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana have furnished to the two leading parties nearly all the candidates nominated since the Civil War. New York furnished the Democratic Presidential candidate in 18GS, 1872, 1876, 1880, 1884, 1888,-and 1892, and in those campaigns the candidate for Vice President came from Indiana three times, from Ohio once, and from Illinois once. From 1808 to 1900 the Republican party took its Presidential candidate from Ohio four times, from Illinois twice, from Indiana twice, and from Maine once. During that time New York has furnished the Republican candidate for Vice President in five campaigns, Indiana once, and New Jersey once. Thus it will be seen that a comparatively small section of the country lias enjoyed a practical monopoly on candidates. This is an unfortunate condition, and one that cannot be defended by reason. Candidates should be chosen because they represent principles and because they are dtemed fit to serve the people in the executive office. Each party should be at liberty to select its best man, no matter In what State or section he lives. The race should be free for all. and then public men everywhere would be stimulated to offer themselves. Neither the Atlantic coast nor the Pacific coast should be barred out; neither the extreme North, nor the extreme South should be forbidden to offer its favorite* son. The local influence of a nomination is generally overestimated. State pride is a nice thing to talk about, but it does not count for much in votes. If a man has qualities which make him popular at home, those same qualities will make him popular elsewhere, but very few men will vote for a political opponent merely because he lives in their State, and what little support he wins in that way is offset by the partisan fear that his success may strengthen his party locally. A candidate's strength comes from the principles and policies for which he stands—the only personal element being the confidence that the people have that he is honest and will faithfully curry out his platform. For a quarter of a century the Southern States have been Ignored In the selection of candidates. The Republicans have had but few white Republicans in the South to choose from, and the Democrats of the South have voluntarily renounced their claims out of fear that they might embarrass the ticket. Certainly we are far enough away from the Civil War—certainly the passions aroused by that conflict are sufficiently cooled, to permit a Southern man to aspire to either the Presidency or the Vice Presidency. Even before the Spanish war called into the volunteer army both Federal and Confederate, the South had earned its right to be considered a part of the Union, but surely the commingling of the sons of those v.ho wore the blue, and the sons of those who wore the gray, and their service side by side at Santiago and at Manila, ought to silence those who have thought it unwise to place a Southern man on the ticket. Slavery has gone never to be restored, and the Democracy now dominant both North and South eonr.es nearer to the Ideals of Jefferson and Lincoln than does the commercialism of Hanna or the Imperialism of Roosevelt. It is not time yet to select candidates for 1904, but when the time arrives, the Democratic voters should see to it that the platform represents their wishes and that the candidates fit the platform. If some one living south of the Ma-son-Dixon line is chosen for either the first or second position on the ticket, his place of residence will not weaken him—not though be be an ex-Confeder-ate soldier. )Ve are engaged In a mighty struggle against plutocracy, and we need the whole nation to pick from when we select our standard bearers. Merit, not section, should determine the nomination; fidelity to principle, not locality, should control.-Bryan’s Commoner. The Great Prosperity of “We.” There seems to be a certain uneasy feeling In some quarters that the McKinley prosperity of the present, which has come from the golden Klondyke and our own mines, should be regarded with chastened joy. It Is as if It was too good to be true, and rather puzzling at the same time. The prosperity proclalmers feel that there Is somebody singing flat in their chorus. They have not located the sound, but It is there, and Its discord, faint and muffled though It may be. Is so Insistent that It cannot be utterly disregarded. Not long since the New York Herald devoted considerable space to the 3.828 millionaires of the Vnlted Htates, and In doing so became Impressed with the power of these gentlemen: "One two-hundredth part of one per

cent of the population of the United Slates, or one person out of every 20,000,” says the Herald, “controls about one-fifth of the nation’s wealth; that is, 3,828 millionaires out of a population little in excess of 76,000,000 own 810,000,000,000 of the $81,750,000,000 at which our eaitire property Is fairly valued. In the first quarter of the century just closed there were not more than half a dozen millionaires ih the land, and two only—John Jacob Astor, in New York, and Stephen Girard, in Philadelphia, bad sufficient wealth to make them particularly conspicuous. Now we are nearing the 4,000 mark.” There is a certain subdued tone about this that is refreshing. The Herald actually seems to admit that millionaires at one end of the line imply paupers at the other; - that, given so much money in the world, the more some people have the less others must expect. If A and B start out in a game with $lO between them, an A has S2O bis pocket at the end. B is likely to go suppc-rless. The question arises, is this prosperity? There is more money in circulation than there was a few days ago, but labor’s chances for getting hold of it have not increased with anything like the rapidity of the opportunities of capital. J. D. Rockefeller is probably the first biHJonaire the earth has ever seen, but he has wrecked a good many other men in the billionaireing process. Such men make or lose, by a single fluctuation in stocks, more than most men can earn in a lifetime of unremitting toil. Money makes money; It buys the first little home and saves the rent, and accumulates a little at a time, until some investment comes along and gives the industrious man a chance to better himself. Many great fortunes have begun with a very small nucleus, but opportunities of that nature are decreasing. The wolf is never very far from the door of the workingman. Contrast the chances of the employer and employes in the following trades from tills table, compiled by Dr. Thomas, of Washington: In every SIOO worth of hardware, $24.70 goes for labor. In every SIOO worth of furniture, $28.77 goes for labor. In every SIOO worth of boots and shoes you buy, $20.71 goes for labor. In every SIOO worth of men’s furnishing goods $18.24 goes for labor. In every SIOO worth of clothing $17.42 goes for labor. In every SIOO worth of cotton goods, $16.91 goes for labor. In every SIOO worth of worsted goods, $13.65 goes for labor. Add the cost of raw material, shipping, etc., and the balance is still immensely out of proportion. When the Herald says, “We are becoming wealthy,” the “we” refers to the 4,000 gentlemen alluded to, not to the 75,000,000 who are controlled by the all-power-ful “we.”—Denver News.

Sampson's Culpability. It was he who sent all manner of contradictory orders to Admiral Schley, who suppressed one important dispatch from his reports, who then charged Schley with “reprehensible conduct,” and who, finally, assumed all the glory for the victory over the Spanish fleet at Santiago. One of the questions which Schley's counsel will undoubtedly desire to ask him Is: “Why were not the alleged shortcomings In Schley’s conduct reported at the time of their occurrence Instead of not being discovered until the 10th of July, a week after the battle, when Sampson learned from the newspapers that the whole American people were shouting Schley's praise?” The Man and the Dollar. The people of the North may be honestly at a loss for the real reason why the people of the South object to the negro as a voter. The voter is a sovereign. The tax returns of Fulton County show a total of $52,378,885. There should be some parity between the man and the dollar. The whites of Fulton own. .$51,424,810 The negroes of Fulton own. 949,075 A white preponderance of .$50,474,735 Is It any wonder that the $51,424,810 refuses to bow down to the $949,0757 Atlanta Constitution. I.avaon Rooyevelt la Learning. The lesson which Mr. Roosevelt Is learning now is severe. He has allowed himself to be'bunkoed in his own party. He sui rendered New York to his Republican enemies when he accepted the Vice Presidential nomination. He put himself out of the line of effective fighting for the Presidency and put Odell in the line Instead. Roosevelt Is a fine fellow, but a mighty poor politician. The politicians are liavlng fun with him right now.-St. Louis Republic.

The Conspiracy In the Navy. There is not a particle of doubt that there Is a scandalous conspiracy In the navy department to do injustice to a brave and efficient officer of the navy, and any Congressman who would dare to lend hhnself to sueb an Intrigue or fall to do all in his power to prob© the matter to the bottom that strict and impartial justice may be done will find that he has made a very serious mistake when he conies back before the people to solicit their suffrage.— Peoria Herald-Transcript.

RECORD OF THE WEEK

INDIANA INCIDENTS TERSELY Farmer Cats His Heart Off and Kills Himself— of Farmer’s Treasure Trove Discovered Mies C’llara Ajjaiu KiJnapeil.X Buck Wheeler, a farmer, killed his son-in-law, Elias Burns, cut his head off with an ax, tijed to kill his own wife, and after his brother-in-law had refused to send a bullet into his heart shot himself and may die. The tragedy was enacted near Folsomville. Wheeler recently got a divorce from his wife and the court gave her one-half of his farm and permitted him to keep the other half. The divorced wife has been making her homo with her son-in-law. Wheeler, it is said, has been insanely jealous of his son-in-law. The other morning about 9 o’clock Wheeler went to the tobacco patch where Burns was working, drew a revolver and fired four shots, all of which tool; effect. Wheeler then left his son-in-law in the field for dead and went to the house. He told Mrs. Burns her husband wanted her to bring him a glass of water and his tobacco knife. Mrs. Burns started for tlje field and Wheeler drew his revolver and tried to Lil! his di.-ore.cd wife. The weapon failed to go cff. He looked in the direction of the tobacco patch and saw Burns stagger into the lane and his wife trying to help him to the house. Wheeler picked up an ax, ran down the lane till he met Burns, when he knocked him down and then struck him again cn the neck with the ax, severing the head from the body. Wheeler then hastened to the home of his brother in law and earnestly besought him to kill him before the sheriff arrived. On being refused the murderere went to the barnyard and blew out his brains. H'ding Place of Gpl 1 Foun 1. When Ira Smith, a Terre Haute farmer, was killed by a bolt of lightning two months ago he carried to the grave with him the secret of the hiding place of not less than $5,000 in gold. He was a peculiar man, who did not ted even the members of bis family about his financial affairs, and was afraid of the banks. It had been known for years that he was hiding money on the farm. He often said that he would disclose the secret on his deathbed, but he di 1 not take into account the chance of sudden death. He was at work in a field when killed. For weeks after his death search was made for the money, but the search was finally abandoned. The other day a son-in law was loading corn from an old crib into a wagon when his shovel struck something hard. It was found to be an old wagon box with rags filling the opening. These were pulled out, and following them came a stream of the yellow coins. In all there was $1,600. The search for the remainder of the hidden wealth has been resumed.

Missing Girl Returns Home. Miss Riba O’Hara of Bushton, 111., who says she was abducted from the home of her grandfather in Kokomo, was found at Oakford and returned. She says she was riding her wheel when she was seized and thrust into a dosed carriage and gagged. She was driven to Goldsmith, then to Oakford, where she was rescued. When found her clothing, face and hands were covered with blood. She declares she was robbed of SSO. Tha abductors have not been found. Her father is a wealthy broomcorn dealer of Bushton. State New. in Brief. Washington has fifty cases of typheid fever. People seared. W. E. Cox, Jasper, district 3 chairman, has announced himself for Congress against W. T. Zenor. Henry Funk, aged 76, deaf and unable to hear an aproaching train, was kil!e 1 at a grade crossing at Kokomo. John J. Tesh of Battery N, who helped capture Aguinaldo, is telling his experiences at his home in Elwood. Sim Steers, night watchman at the Ideal stove foundry, and William Leonard of Yorktown were badly injured in a riot at Daleville. Richard Hewitt, a convict at the northern Indiana State prison, who was recently granted a parole and went to work on a farm, tired of farm life and was sent back to prison at his own request. Warden Shidcler of the Indiana prism north has tendered his resignation, business interests at Marion demanding his persons! attention. The Governor h:'.s requested him to continue in chirge nt the prison until Nov. 1. In a street duel at Shelbyville between Milton Evans and John Cunningham the latter received a fatal wound in tha groin. Five shots were exchanged. Evans is under arrest. There had been an old grudge between the men. Prescille Cox, a widow, tried to kill John Heizer, aged 81, with a revolver. Heizer lives with his wife on Chestnut street, Indianapolis, and Mrs. Cox rent-* the front room. The shooting took place in her room. Heiser, not seriously hu:t. run from the place and the police are unable to find him. James Chance of Starke County, who lost his life recently while fighting a fire that threatened the destruction of valuable property, was betrothed to Mlsa Gusta Gitea, aged 18 years. The day of his funeral she vowed that she would tuke herkwvn 'l* c - Miss Gites made nil plans foi*J r funeral and she took (wiscii, wh Nd caused her death. Claude McDowell, who has escape I from the military authorities three times after being arrested for dts rilng from the Philippine army service, | N hiding in the woods between Yorktown and Ullman, and a poa.se of farmers wiU try to run him down. With McDowell are said to be three other deserters, who escape 1 with him from Fort Thomas. Henry L. Harbin, 79, English, is dea l -rom injuries received at the hands of his grandson, Lewis Morgan. The young man will be tried for murder. J. W. Groves, a poor Mnncie carpenter, received a letter from a brother in Wyoming that he has been made heir to a fortune of SS,(MM) by Ichabod Lucas, a rich uncle, who died in New York recently. Fred Powell, a young married man, reached homo in Elkhart a couple of nights ago and found hia furniture all gone except a picture of himself, which was “turned toward the wall.” Mrs. Fourall left no other message.