Ligonier Banner., Volume 30, Number 31, Ligonier, Noble County, 7 November 1895 — Page 3

il - = L I“.'3‘“—'4 ey @N @r THE U 450 R s s S &8 FFFOUR,. J o : CHAPTER XIIL.—CONTINUED. - *“ ‘Then my comrade and I will swear that you shall have a quarterof the treasure, which shall be equally diyided among the four of us.’ . ***There are but three,’ said I. © “*No; Dost Akbar must have his share. We can tell -the tale to:you while we await them. Do you stand at the gate, Mahomet Singh, and give notice of their coming. The thing stands thus, Sahib, and T tell it to you because I know that an oath is binding upon a Feringhee, and that we may trust you. Had you been a lying Hindoo, though you had sworn by all'the gods in their false temples, your blood would have been upon the knife, and your body in the water. DBut the Sikh gnows the Englishman, and the Englishman knows the Sikh. Ilearken, then. to what I have to say. *‘There isa rajah in the northern provinces who has much wealth, though his lands are small. Much has come to him from his father, and more still he has set by himself, for he is of a low nature and hoards his gold rather than spend it. When the troubles broke out he would be friends both with the lion and the tiger—with the Sepoy and with the ¢ompany’s raj. Soon, however, it seemed to him that theiwhite men’s day was come, for through all the land he could hear of nothing but their death and their overthrow. Yet, being a careful man, he made such plansthat, come what might, half at least of his treasures would be left to him. That which was in gold and silver he kept by him in the vaults & his palace, but the most precious stones and the choicest pearls that he had he putin an iron box and sent it by a trusty servant who, under the guise of a merchant, should take it to the fort at Agra, there to lie until the land is at peace. Thus if the rebels won he would have his money, but if the company conquer his jewels would be saved to him. @ Having @ thus divided his hoard he threw himself into the cause of the Sepoys, since they were strong upon his borders. By doing this, marlk you, sahib, his property becomes the due of those, who have been true to their salt. : *‘This' pretended merczhant, who travels under the name of Achmet,is now in the city of Agra, and desires to gain his way into the fort. He has with him as traveling companion my foster-brother Dost-Akbar, who knows his secrct. Dost-Akbar has promised this night to lead him to a side-postern of the fort, and has chosen this one for his purpose. Here he will come presently and here he will find Mahomet Singh and myself awaiting him. The place is lonely, and none shall know of his coming. The world shall know of the merchant Achmet no more, but the great treasure of the rajah shall be divided among us. What say you to it, sahib?’ : *ln Worcestershire the life of a man seems a great and a sacred thing; but it is very different when there is fire and blood all round you and you have been used to meeting death at every turn. Whether Achmet the merchant lived or died was a thing as light as air to me, but at the tallk about the treasure my heart turned to it, and I thought of what I might do in the old country with it, and how my folks would stare when they saw their ne’er-do-well coming back with his pockets full of gold moidores. I had, thercfore, already made up my mind. Abdullah Khan, however, thinking that I hesitated, pressed the matter more closely. : *‘ ‘Consider, sahib,” said he, ‘that if this man is taken by the commandant he will be hung or shot, and his jewels talken by the govermment, so that no man will be a rupee the better for them. Now, since we do the taking of him, why should we not do the rest as as well? The jewels will be as well with us as in the company’s coffers. There will be enough to make every one of us rich men and great chiefs. No one can know about the matter. for here we are cut off from all men. What could be better for-the purpose? Say again, then, sahib, whether you are with us, or if we must look upon you as an enemy.’ “¢‘] am with you heart and soul,” sald 1. : |

‘lt is well,” he answered, handing me back my firelock. “You see that we trust you, for your word, like ours, is not to be broken. e have now only to. wait for my brother and the merchant.’ i ‘ ‘Does your brother know, then, of what you will do?’ I asked. . = ‘*“The plaa is his, Ile has devised it. We will go to the gate and share the watceh with Mahomet Singh.’ : “The rain was still falling steadily, for it was just thie beginning of the wet season. DBrown, heavy clouds 'were drifting across the sky, and it was hard to see more than a stone-cast. A deep moat lay in front of our door, but the water was in pla{zcs nearly dried up, and it could easily be crossed. It was strange to me to be standing there with those two wild Punjaubees-wait-ing for the man who was coming to his death. | \ *Suddenly my eye caught the glint of a. shaded lantern at the other side of the moat. It vanished among Ithe mound-heaps, and then appeared again coming slowly in our direction. ¢ ‘llere they arel’ I exclaimed. . ***You will challenge him, sahib, as usual,’” whispered Abdullah. ‘Give him no cause for fear. Scnd usin with him, and we 'shw#=l’do the rest while you stay here on guard. Ilave the lantern ready to uncover, that we may be sure that it is indced the man.’ ' “The light lm#ll Mlickered onwards, now stopping and now advancing, until I could see two dark figures upon the other side of the moat. I let them ecramble , down l the sloping bank, splash through the mirc, and climb MM*&& to the gate, before 1 .?;».ithére?wfd lina sub - Abnia ‘came the answor. 1 uncovered my lantern and threw a flood T T R e i o - Sogedont intigegcio gvgfgfifiglmu¥‘??gl i 5 o L oup a 8 shawl, . ile

twinkling eyes, like a mouse when he ventures out from his hole. It gave me the chills to think of killing him, but I thought of the treasure, and my heart set as hard as a flint within me. When he saw my white face he gave a little chirrup of joy and came running up towards me. . : ‘“ “Your protection, sahib,’ he panted —‘your protection for the unhappy merchant Achmet. . [ have traveled across Rajpootana that I might seek the shelter of the fort at Agra. I have been robbed and beaten and abused because I have beén the friend of the company. It is a blessed. night this when I am once more in safety—l and my poor possessions.’ ““‘What have you in the bundle? I asked. ‘“‘An iron box,’ he answered, ‘which contains one or two little family matters which are of no value to others, but which I should be sorry to lose. Yet I am not a beggar; and 1 shall reward you, young sahib, and your governor also, if he will give me the shelter I ask.’ | b *“ Take him to the main guard,’ said I. The two Sikhs closed in upon him on ecach side, and the giant walked behind, while they marched in through the dark gateway. Never was a man 8o compassed round with death. I remained at the gateway with- the lantern. “I could hear the measured tramp of their footsteps sounding through the lonely corridors. Suddenly it ceased, and I heard yoices, and a scuffle, with the sound of blows. A moment later there came, to my horror. a rush of footsteps coming in my direction, with the loud breathing of a runing man. I turned my lantern down the long, straight passage, and there was the fat man, running like the wind, with a smear of blood across his face, and close at his heels, bounding like a tiger, the great black-bearded Sikh, with a knife flashing in his hand. I have never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant. He was gaining on the Sikh, and I could see that if he once passed me and got to the open air he would save himself yet. My heart softened to him, but again the thought of his treasure turned me hard and bitter. I cast my firelock between his legs as he raced past, and he rolled twice over like a shot rabbit. Ere he could stagger to his feet the Sikh was upon him, and buried his knife twice in his side. The man never uttered moan nor moved muscle, but lay where he had fallen. I think myself that he may have broken his neck with the fall. You see, gentlemen, that I am keeping my promise. I am telling you every word of the business’just exactly as it happened, whether it is in my favor or not.? ;

%stopped and held out his manac¥d hands for the whisky and water which IHolmes had brewed for him. For mysclf, ' Iconfess that I had now conceived the utmost horror of the man, not only for this cold-blooded business in which he had been concerned, but even,more for the some-

k fix“// 9 o NP Al k\t \\Q\\:‘g@f;‘; m! v,"“/ 2| {l{, "g\ : ‘\‘ M}{J”'& M PR V/ i || %{h B ‘ [ /8 ’!'}l" ot Yt i': :' O" | VdmlTTd "oy “WIAT HAVE YOU IN THE BUNDLE? I ASKED. :

what flippant and carcless way in which he narrated it. Whatever punishment was in store for him, I felt thathe might expect no sympathy from me. Sherlock llolmes and Jones sat with their hands upon their knees, deeplyinterested in the story, but with the same disgust written upon their faces. He may have observed it, for there was a touch of defiance in his voice and manner as he proceeded. ‘lt was all very bad, no doubt,” said he. ‘I should like to know how many fellows in my shoes would have refused a share of this loot when they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains. Besides, it was my life or his when once he wasin the fort. If he had got out, the whole business would have come to light, and I should have been court-martialed and shot as likely as not; for people were not very léenient at a time like ! that.” : ' : | “‘Go on with yourstory,” szid Holmes, | shortly. - "~ “Well, we carried him in, Abdullah, | Akbar and I. A fine weight he was, too, for all that he was so short. Mahomet: Singh was left to guard the! door. We took him to a place which the Bikhs had already prepared. It was some distance off, where a winding pas- ; sage leads to a grecat empty hall, the briclk walls of which were all erumbling to pieces. The earth floor had sunk in at one place, making 3 natural grave, 80 we left Achmet the merchant there, having first covered him over with loose bricks. This done, we all went back to the treasure. b “It lay where he had dropped it when he was first attacked. The box was the same which now lies open upon your table. A key was hung by a sillicn cord to that carved handle upon the top. We opened it, and the light of the lantern gleamed upon a colleetion of gems such as I have read ofand thought about when I was a little lad at Pershore. It was blinding to look upon them. When we had feasted our eyes we took them all out and made a list of them. There were one hundred and forty-three diamonds of the ‘fi‘rst'] water, including onc which has been called, I believe, ‘the Great Mogul,’ and is said to be the second largest stone in cxistence. Then there were nincty-seven, very finc emeralds, and one hundred and seventy rubies, some of which, however, were small. There m%myifbnnghs two. h?né:ig Bud bei seppßires, sixty-onc agnbesand o greatquantity of beryls, onyxes, cats™ eyes, turquoises and other stoncs, the very namcs of which I did not know at familiars with them smcc. Desides Rl bl W%fi“‘““"‘? T R s et BT ki) ;‘3‘%@/ \' ‘*fl*“‘fh@a‘fi”?%mg% W

‘‘After we had counted our treasures we put them back into the chest and carried them to the gateway to show them to Mahomet Singh. Then we solemnly renewed our oath to stand by each other and be true to our secret. We agreed to conceal our loot in a safe place until the country should be at peace again, and then to divide it equally among ourselves. There was no use dividing it at 'present, for if gems of such value were tound upon us it would cause suspicion, and there was no privacy in the fort por any place where we could keep them. We carried the box, 'therefore, into the same hall where we had buried the body, and there, under certain bricks in the best-preserved wall, we made a hollow and put our treasure. We mace careful note of the place, and next day I drew four plans, one for each of us, and put the sign of the four of us =at the bottom, for we had sworn that we should each always act for all, so that none might take advantage. That is an oath that I can put my hand to my heart and swear that I have never broken.

*“Well, there’s no use my telling you, gentlemen, what came of the Indian mutiny. After Wilson took Delhi and Sir Colvin relieved Lucknow the baclk of the business was broken.. Fresh troops came pouring in, and Nana Sahib made himself scarcd over the frontier. A flying column under Col. Greathead came round to Agra and cleared the Pandies away from it. Peace seemed to be settling upon the country, and we four were beginning to hope that the time was at hand when we might safely go off with our shares of the plunder. In a moment, however, our hopes were shattered by our being arrested as the murderers of Achmet. ' .

‘lt came about in this way: When the rdjah put his jewels into the hands of Achmet he did it because he knew that he was a trusty man. They are suspicious folk in the east, however; so what does this rajah do but take a second even more trusty servant and set him to play the spy upon the first? This second man was ordered never to let Achmet out of his sight, and he followed him like his shadow. He went after him that night, and saw him pass throngh the doorway. Of course he thought he had taken refuge in the fort, and applied for admission there himself next day, but could find no trace of Achmet. This seemed to him so strange that ke spoke about it to a sergeant of guides, who brought it to the ecars of the commandant. A thorough search was quickly made, and the body was discovered. Thus at the very moment that we thought that all was safe we were all four seized and brought to trial on a charge of murder—“hree of us because we had held the gate that night, and the fourth because he was known to have been in company of the murdered man. Not a word about the jewels came outat the trial, for the rajah had been deposed and driven out of India; so no one had any particular interest in them. The murder, however, was clearly made out, and it was certain.that we must all have been concerned in it. The three Sikhs got penal servitude for life, and I was condemned to death, though my sentence was afterward commuted into the same as the others.

‘lt was rather a queer position that we found ourselves in then. There we were, all four tied by the leg and with precious little chance of cver getting out again, while we each held a secret which might have put each of us in a palace if we could only have made use of it. It was enough to make a man eat his heart out to have to stand the kick and the cuff of every petty jack 1n office, to have rice to eat and water to drink, when that gorgeous fortune was ready for him outside, just waiting to be picked up. It might have driven me mad; but I was always a pretty stubborn one, so I just held on and bided my time. + YAt last it seemed to me to have come. I was changed from Agra to Madras, and from there to Blair island in the Andamans. ' There are very few white convicts at this settlement, and, as I had behaved well from the first, I soon found myself a sort of privileged person. I'was given a hutin Hope town, which is a small place on the slopes of Mount Harriet, and I was left pretty much to myself. Itis a dreary, feverstricken place, and all beyond our little clearings was infested with wild cannibal natives, who were ready enough to blow a poisoned dart at us if they saw a chance. There was digging, and ditching, and yam-planting, and a dozen other things to be done, so we were busy enough all day; though in the evening we had a little time to ourselves. Among other things, I learned to dispense drugs for the surgeon, and picked up a smattering of his knowl- { edge. All the time I was on the look- ' out for a chance of escape; but itis hundreds of miles from any other land, and therc is little or no wind in those seas; so it was a terribly difficult job to } get away. **The surgeon, Dr. Somerton, was a fast, sporting young chap, and the other young officers would meet in his rooms of an evening and play cards. The surgery, where I used to make up my drugs, was next to hissitting-room, with a small window between us. Often, if T felt lonesome, I used to turn out the lamp in the surgery, and then, standing there, I could hear their talk and watch their play. 1 am fond of a hand at cards myself, and it was almost as good as having onc to watch the others. There ~was Maj. Sholto, Capt. Morstan and Lieut. Dromley | Brown, who were in command of the native troops. and there was the surgeon himself, and two or three prisonofficials, erafty old hands who played a nice sly sate game. A very snug little party they used to make. Ty ~ *“Well, there was one thing which very soon struck me, and that was that soldiers used always to lose and the civilians to win. Mind, I don't say - that there was anything unfair, but so it was. These prison chaps had done little else than play cards cver since they had been at the Andamans, and they knew cach other's game to a point, while the others just played to pass the time and threw their cards ‘down anyhow. Night after night the soldiers got up poorer men, and the poorer they got tho more b‘e‘%flmy wm re to plafif Mzg%hpm vas the éfih e used Wgflfifiz;“&;‘g goldat first, but soon it camo to notes of hand and for big sums. [le somewould sot. T agafpet hita Worse than 17/:fi»»f;§~eggg,‘y ‘gy;&’:f*w e \“‘i*‘}‘;{“f‘ 4 i}%;\.fié«}%’»&?j& ~,,\4

FOREIGN POLICY FIRM. ; : Democrats Have Fought All ‘the Tafl e with Foreigners. 4 The report that Mr. Cleveland will announce a frm foreign policy in‘hisv' forthcoming message is probably {rue [ut the implication that the fore}ign jcliecy of the administration has not hitherto been firm is not justi'ficq by the facts, ' 1t has happened that an unu%na-l number of international questions ha=z arisen within the last year, and?this would justify the giving of the magt'ter ; greater prominence than has hitherto been done. But that the pres:iden{ designs to depert from the old policy of “peace with honor,” and the avoidance of all needless complications withiforeign nations,whether strong or weak, will not be believed except upon direct evidence. : : It has been the custom of the republicans to assume that they ard the only people capable of a vigorous| foreign policy. When they have the %residency they insist that it is the fduty of all good citizens to uphold the pblicy of the administration whether jit is right or not. When a democratic president is in office the republicans invariably find fault with everything that is done, and everything that is not/done. They invent numerous stories of dfficial misconduct or neglect, commerfit on then: in a Pharisaic spirit, and;when théy are contradicted make ar‘i‘angements to put other falsehoods in/ cirenlation. ; f The republican pretension }to superior zeal or ability in protecting the national honor is purely fictitions. The Mora claim, which originated 25 years ago, slumbered under republi%;.n administrations, and was finally; settled this- year by a democratic s;éecretary of state. Numerous other righteous demands of our citizens against/ foreign countries came over from l'eé)ublican administrations after being left unsettled for years. Outrages oujour vessels by Spanish vessels were more numerous during the Cuban insurrection from 1868 to 1878 than during|the present one, and were less vigorouysly treated. On the other hand,. Secretary Gresham and Secretary ()lhey have gone on without any tableaux or red lights, quietly investigatingj‘und settling the troublesome questions that have arisen, and protecting 'fhe honor of the government. The hopor of the government and of the pepple have suffered only from the slanders that have diffused assertions that/the democratic party is incapable of a vigorous foreign policy. f What many of these peopl_)e mean by a firm foreign policy is one of brag and bluster, of the spoliation 01; weak nations, while truckling to the/strong, of support given to freebooters hnd adventurers that are willing to [divide the spoil they may procure with professional patriots in office who lend them countenance and support. 'fl’his is not the sort of policy which democrats approve. Yet all the territory jwhich this country has acquired has been obtained under democratic auspices, unless we except Alaska, and even th,dt was purchased after President Jollnson and Secretary Seward had broken with the republicans. The democratic " party fought the only wars we have had with foreign countries sinee the ddoption of the constitution, and won them.: Itis a grouss slander to say of such-a party that it is incompetent to protect the country’s honor. DBut these charges come mostly from men whose ancestors and political predecessors were against the government in the wars jof 1812 and 1846.—Louisville Courier-Jo}l' rnal. THE PRESIDENT'S COURAGE. Always Ready to Declare liis| Convictions and to Fight for 'L‘iu%m. We have seen in the marvelous career of a flrm and brave man how popular is politieal courage, and liow loyally the people follow resolute|leadership. More conspicuously than any of our generation has stood forth one who has had strong convictionfis, with the courage always to declare¢ them and everywhere to fight for them; who has achieved success by character and ability, not by offices or office-holders; who, in the midst of factional Sfliscord and partisan abuse, has confidently relied on an appeal from faction to the rank and file, and frgm the partisan to the people; who has stood for his principles without compromise, and for sound policies against heresy inside or outside of his own party; and who has impressed himself upon the people because they believe that hesstood steadfast for the public welfare, without regard to personal or political conseguences. . : One of two familiar incidents in his later life will illustrate my meaning. The campaign of 1888 was about to begin, in which he was about to be a candidate for reelection. He had given the country an honorable and success{ul administration; a demotratic vietory seemed certain. The one thing need{ul was not to raise new iquestions nor disturb existing conditions. So prudence and timidity suggested; so party leaders and associates advised. But, disregarding such advié:e, Cleveland issued his historic message in December, 1887—a bold’ challenge to wealthy, powerful and favored interests, but a trumpet call marshaling the intelligence and patriotism of the country to the consideration of the most important question of a generation, which politicians and patties had hitherto feared to touch. T}aés message was not the produet of political’ expediency, but of fpnscience convie-: tion and courage. 1t led to temporary defeat; but it gave his party mew life and vigor, made him its truste(l leader, immeasurably raised the stagdard of polities, and finally won the hedrty support of the country, giving to democracy its first opportunity since the war for important constructive leglislation. ~ Again, in 1891, when the free coinage of silver was imminent, and politicians —-especially would-be candidates for president — were reluctant to declare their position, Cleveland, with characteristic courage and directnpss, . denounced “the dangerous and reckless cxperiment.” His party was badly split upon the question. To many his uction gave great offense; by many more it was thought o be polifical suicide. But soon the party made him e sakiader B L ‘Ouav decree: ! “No more O ‘@‘% R

PROSFPECTS OF PROTECTION. - % Vfat ern, poing: e ¥ The Republican Congress Will Do Scme Tariff Tinkering, For some time past consultations, partly by correspondence and partly personal, have been going on between republican leaders about the course io be pursued by the majority party at the approaching session of congress with reference to the revenue and the cur--leney. In these consultations Senator Aldrich, the recognized republican chief in the senate in regard to all such questions, and Mr. Reed, the next speaker of the house, have been engaged, while prominent members of the republican national committee from the west,. northwest and New England, have been called in to report on the views of their constituents. It is reported that Messrs. Gorman and Brice have made overtures to Mr. Aldrich for an understanding by which the minority should support any currency measure that the republicans shall determine upon and the majority should bring up the revenue by taxes on beer and checks. The ‘journal that prints this report states that this suggestion was favorably regarded by Mr. Aldrich, but rejected by the western republicans, who will demand a tax on wool and on metallic ores, : |

. Whatever may be the truth regarding this specific proposition and its treatment, the story certainly presents very fairly the situation, especially as concerns the republicans. The democrats, having lost their majority in congress, are powerless to.enact positive legislation, and their responsibility is limited to the duty of the president to state the general situation of affairs and to make appropriate recommendations. The situation is simple enough. There will be, it is now pretty certain, a deficit in the revenues for the current fiscal year, but it will be so small a percentage of the available cash in the treasury that, so far as the ordinary expenditures of the government are concerned, it will be of no importance. But the regular expenditures of the government do not produce the only demands made on the treasury. Of far greater consequence is the requirement to maintain at par in gold the large volume of currency in jvarious forms issued by the government, and amounting to some $5800,000,000. For this purpose the gold reserve must be maintained, and that can only be done by taxes or loans. Fortunately the authority for the latter is ample, and the administration is bound by its plain duty as well as by its repeated pledges to use that authority to the fullest extent required for the protection of the country. Nor can that authority be withdrawn by a hostile congress so long as the exeeutive remains in the .present hands. ' The question of affirmative legislation as to either taxation or revenue is not, therefore, a pressing one, though it is very clearly an important one, which should be dealt with in an intelligent manner and without reference to mere partisan aims. Whether the majority will deal with it in that manner remains to be seen. If Senator Aldrich’s position be correctly reported, he at least must be credited with good sense and public spirit. If an agreement could be reached by which two such obviously fair, proper and economically collected taxes as those on beer and checks could be secured and currency legislation in accordance with Mr. Aldrvich’s sound views could also be obtained, it would be a most happy event. But if the republicans are going to insist on no addedrevenue except through the renewal of protective tariftf duties, they will simply show their folly, for they will waste their energy in the vain pursuit of a poliey wrong in itself and sure to encounter popular disapproval. 1t is to misread all the signs of the times to suppose that the American people wish or will tolerate a backward step toward protection and especially toward duties on raw materials. Even if they were not, as we are entirely convinced thate they are, disabused of the error they solong cherished as to the virtues of taxing the materials of industry, they would gtill be utterly averse to opening a new period of tariff tinkering. The country is gradually, but with great energy, moving toward renewed prosperity, and the prime condition of success is the greatest possible stability in legislation. Business men know what the. tariff is now and can make their plans accordingly. If it is to be changed, if the direction taken under the direct and imperative: mandate of the popular vote is to be reversed, they cannot know the immediate future. They will again bLe plunged in doubt and uncertainty. 'Their foresight will be baffled, their calculations confused, their energies hampered. This is why we are convineed that the policy attributed to the western republicans is to the last degree foolish.—N. Y. Times. -

PARAGRAPHIC POINTERS. ~—-—lowa republicans are now admitting that they are compounding felony. The on}va republicans are either very confident or very badly scared. — St. Louis Republic. ———The new cotton mill opened at I'all River is “the largest of its kind in the country, if not in the world.” And it is opened under the operations of the Wilson bill.—N. Y. World. ——The McKinley tariff was a cold step-mother to a tin plate industry. The Wilson tariff is a true parent, under the fostering care of which the tin plate industry is prosperous. — Louisville Courier-Journal. L ——DMr. McKinley is in trouble. 'lf he talks tariff there is the business revival under reduced duties. If he talks state affairs there is the astounding corruption of the late legislature. There seems to-be nothing for him to do but to shout for free Cuba.—St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Al | ——Ex-Gov. Beaver's nail mill at Bellefonte, which shut down under the benign operations of the MeKinley law five years ago, is to resume operations, giving work to one hundred and fifty men. They won’t have so much protection as McKinley gave them, but they will have more work, more wages and more bread and meat.—Pittsburgh ot 0 n g ~ ——Tlt is announced that Gov. MeKinley wants an early convention. Very naturaily. The strain on the governor in his efiort to keep the issue of MeKinleyism to the front and to keep his eyes and mouth shut as to the silver e R aE quririor Woull nANERARRY Taes T held about two years ago—N. Y.

FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. A TRULY HAPPY FAMILY. 1 know a happy family of cunning boys and girls, : Who have such round and rosy cheeks and pretty, golden curls. In all that they may have todo they pleasantly agree, And everyone of them is kind and good as goed can be. :

fd :“"‘"’}i‘. ) e S . el 31) el AR B\ S" W GRS ,‘, - ) \ Ml ‘1 V77> NEA] R TR e / AN &GN ) S : i // ' o s b > . ./ , Q . W ~ = .”:E F 2 § == =S U S kf———.‘:———————————‘* ST . e T A HAPPY FAMILY. ; \ They never call each other names nor pull each other’s hair, | Nor find the slightest bit of fault with what " they have to wear.’ ‘ They never cry at night because they have to go to bed, : Fo Nor ever frown at anyone, no matter what : is said. - Not one of them was ever known to.try to tease the cat, : Or even have a wish to do a naughty deed like that. ‘Whazn they are asked to do a thing they never say ‘‘l shan’t!” Because they're sawdust boys and girls, and so, you see, they can’t. : —L. A. W. Bulletin, AMONG QUEER PEOPLE. The Hairy Ainu Are the Most Peculiar Na< tion in the World. ’ Hokkaido is the name given by the Japuanese to the island of Yezo, with all . | . 2 the smaller islands near its coast, together with the Xurile group. Thus the Hokkaido extends, roughly spealking, from 41 to. 51 degrees. latitude north, and between 139 and 157 degrees longitude east of Greenwich. It is in Yezo particularly that the large nuinber of Ainu are found, while a few live in the islands of Kunashiri, Etorofu and Shikotan. : o

The Ainu are a race of people whose strange peculiarity is that they are covered with hair all over the body, almost as monkeys are. Their faces are not quite so hirsute, though the hair on the scalp begins to grow low on the forehead, and the beard of the men begins from right under the eyes. Their eyebrows are thick and shaggy, and q¢casionally they even have a few coarse hairs growing on the nose. The women, who are not supplied with such a luxuriant growth of hair on their faces, malke up for the lack of it by tattooing on their lips a long mustache, which, when completed, reaches from one ear to the other.

This, they think, gives them a manly appearance, and as manliness and hairiness are the only two things the Ainu are proud of, the women sometimes also tattoo lines on the forehead and rough geometrical patterns on their arms, all of which are supposed to add to the coveted air of virility. 0 The Ainu have no literature, .no ‘books, no writing, and hardly one individual out of a hundred can c¢ount up to five, even with the help of his fingers. Their language is extremely poor in words, and as for rules or a. grammar, the Ainu never even dreamed of having one. . | Like all barbarians, the Ainu are extremely superstitious, and it was with

' 1 - r ' T S\_\\»&\\“\ l ; o “i‘\"}&‘-%":““‘~*~» ¢ e Y z {;‘%\“’“‘}jfi"‘ - 4 ”“ \.\ \\\\ | AL " S T L\\\v Nl b l({ e 4//;/:.“L li‘\ ’ pe \\\g\\’\l\ NN \\\\ AINU WOMAN S e iy s ' it "i,. o ‘\\\i\‘\\. . !;;!I, i l\‘ BTSN S R ! *-“s. : .l‘\ -flv A, o ]'ll I il ey ~ 200 Ll W Riisassge == A fop SL T 4 A i e : —— = S — . THE HAIRY AINU. i the greatest difficulty that I was able to obtain sketches of them, or induce ’ them to sit for their likeness. Indeed, once I had a very unpleasant experience 1 as I was taking a sketch of a group of them cutting up a large fish. ' ~ They assaulted me and destroyed my picture, paint box and brushes, which they threw into the sea. In the strugy gle I was stabbed in my arm with { large knife, and they called me all sorts ot names; for, according to Ainu ideas, certain sickness, if not immediate death, comes of having one’s picture painted. s “Besides,” they yelled, brandishing ‘their hairy arms at me, “do you know, bad man, that once you make an image of an Ainu, all the fish will disappear from the séa?” o : An Ainu hut possesses a small storelhouse, raised above ground on four, six or eight piles. Upon each pile is placed a square piece of wood turned downward at the sides, so as not to be accessible to. mice and rats. Rafters are then placed over these pieces of wood, and the storehouse built on them." - It is generally so small that an adult cannot stand erect in it. The ladder by which these storehouses are agecessible is a mere round log, with a few cuts in it to serve as steps. One end of the ladder is pointed so as to be stuck in the ground when in use, but the whole arrangement is anything but a model of stability. JeE $ The Ainu go up and down these ladders with great facility without holding on with their hands, but to anyone that is not born an acrobat or a monkey the feat is somewhat more difficult. As I proceeded to inspect one of the storehouses one day, and was mounting the ladder Ainu fashion, it turned, and 1 came near breaking my neck, besides skinning both my knees on my precipituggWay down.—A. H, Savage-Lander, i Toullee Compenih, - ~ Good Joke on the Freshle, = ~ One of the smallest New England colleges has for janitor a colored man. ‘who has filled that position to the satyears. It is not often that the students get the I““%‘*%‘ Sam,” as they faiuil-larly-and affectionately call him. Onc sutupn day, just sffer the ooliege eristie Bl s el g ‘é»”éw*;w«%*w;%@ e L R HyYes. sah.” promptly r 1 " ““and

o BRAVE CHINESE: BOY., His Presence of Mind Rewarded by the % - Council 5f Mandarins. More than 1,000 years ago the great city of Peking was called Min; its inhabitants felt very proud of its many ornaments, but exhausted their speech in prai€ing the public gardens. These were really very beautiful, and great care was exercised that each shrubaad flowering plant should be displayed to the best advantage. ! . Often, in times of drought, the plants had suffered for water, so that the wisdom' of the mandarin . council was tried to find some way of averting this calamity. At last'a number.of large earthen jars were set in different parts of the gardens for }'he_" purpose of catching the rain as it fell. . 2 " The central one was a huge affair, ornamented on the sides with dragons and fishes in raised work. It was very costly, for it had taken both time and skill to produce so large a piece of potterye ol i One bright day a party of merry little boys entered the gardens and began to play games. Tiring at last of their sports, -they rested themselves in the shadow of this large jar. ' One, more adventurous than the others, proposed to climb to the top of ‘the jar, and.try to catch a glimpse of the water-god, who was said to live at the bottem of it. - But they were all afraid, so he commenced his ascent alone. . It was not hard work, because he -could easily step from one fish or drag-

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on tosanother. At last he reached tlle top, and, waving his hands, began to walk on the rim. Suddenly his foi)t slipped, and he disappeared inside the jar. : . ‘ A scream of terror broke from the boys below, for they believed the watergod was angry at being disturbed, and had dragged him in. sl Biut one of the number, whose name was Shiba Onko, cried boldly: ; - “Let us break the jar, for only last night I heard my father say it was nearly empty.” _ - Again they were afraid, for would no# the chief gardener be very angry, anal then, too; might not the dreaded watergod devour them? So Onko said: “Well, cowards, run away and I will break “the jar,” and he seized a large rock and hurled it with all his strength. | 1t broke in several pieces, and the wafier | cushing out, Onko saw his little friePd huddled together, greatly frightened, but not much hurt. 5 When the gardener heard the great crash he eame running and reached the spot - just ‘asOnko was trying to help his companion out. . When* he heard the story, he exclaimed: : S - “Ah, brave lad that you are! What aré a million such beautiful jars in comparison with the life of a human being ? I must at once report the matter to the council. Fear not, but come with me.” So, -leading the little fellow by the Thand, he went to the chief mandarin. and told him the whole story. L Then Onko was summoned before the council. When they heard of his bravery and presence of mind, they inquired about his family, and it was declared that his father was very p(fi)r, so that the little boy could not be educated. . % ; L Then the council addressed Olfim through the chief mandarin and decreed that he should be supported and educated by the government and prepared for some worthy station in life. Year by year Shiba Onko won the highest commendations from his téachers. When he arrived at a suitable age he was placed in the imperial army, where he was constantly honored for his biavery.' At last he held the highest place, and even now the name of Shiba Onko is reverenced,; for never i lived in China a braver or more famous general.—T.- A. Kuchiki, in Golden Days. - e S | | ; Tile Story of Annie Laurie. ) She.was not a creature of imagination, but an actual verity, of whose an.cestry honorable mention is made in ‘Scoteh history. Stephen Laurie was flourishing merchant of Dumfries before James VI. became king. Prior to 1611 he married Marion, daughter o Provost Coran, getting with her a hand some marriage portion. Being a mai -of many acres, he took the designatio -of Maxelton, leaving at his'death his Jands and titles to his eldest son John, The next head of the house was Robert, a baronet. He was twice married and had, by his second wife, three sons ant} four daughters. The birth of one of the latter is thus entered in the family register by the father: “At the pleasure of the Almighty God, my daughter, 'Annie Laurie, was born upon the 16th day of December, 1682, about six o’cloclk in the morning, and was baptized by Mr. George Hunter, the minister of| Glencarin.” ' The well-known lyric was composed by Douglas Finland, ardent admirer of “Bonnie Annie,” who did ‘not, however, return hid affections, but married his rival, Alexander Ferguson. ~Youths'Journal. -o« weanag * His Dog Conid Prewch, Too. | » “I have a dog,” said & minister who, Is very sagacious. One Sunday hé followed me to church and sat among | s Toome and watshed 7 Rarsente the pulpit.” That afternoon I heard a terrible howling in my backyard, and, B e i siding o hie Ikl bt s Nnéwub*w‘%‘{}@it Rk S 4 Rov Ty