Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1891 — Page 2

THE GOLDEN KEY.

AlMqrM*. High up on the side of the mountain was a great cavern, and everyone believed that h£ who entered it was sure to meet with some misfortune; so it was called the “Accursed Cavern." All the shepherds gazed at it from a distance with' terror and no one dared to approach it. However, Florine, a little sheperdess, felt a violent desire to know what there was in this cave, and day by day her curiosity increased. When she was sixteen years old she said to herself! “Now I have become a great girl, I ought to have no fear. ” So one day she. left the sheep in the care of a younger brother, telling him she was going to pick raspberries ; but she had quite another intention, and as soon as she was hidden by the trees she directed her steps toward the famous cavern. She entered it without the slightest hesitation, so great was her curiosity; but she had hardly advanced a few steps when she would very gladly have turned back. ’ Unfortunately this was no longer possible. The cavern closed behind her as she went on, but singularly enough there was still light enough for her to find her way. Away below her Florine saw another opening in the mountain, and she took courage and went on. She pursued her way tremblingly, for she thought that |this cavern might also close itself before her, and then she would be buried alive in the mountain. But nothing of the sort occurred. Florine. after walking a long, long time, still seeing far before her the opening which she thought she should never reach, finally arrived at the end, and was surprised, on coming out of this subterranean avenue, to find herself in a marvelous country, amid a thousand things which she had never dreamed of. The sky was rose-colored, the grass and the leaves were blue, the birds had four wings and the smallest butterflies were as large as palm leaves. The young girl walked on and new Kuprises greeted her at every step. Finally, behind some massive trees, the like of which she had never seen before,, she heard the sound of hu-

man voices. She turned her steps in that direction. At the turning of an avenue paved with gold she saw at a short distance a palace of wonderful beauty. As she approached it she heard .the sound of singing and laughter, the singular expression of which caused her more fright than joy. However she did not see a single person appear. She did not dare present herself at the grand entrance, and going around the building she approached a low window from which came the odor of coo king, the most appetizing odor you can imagine. She knocked timidly at the door. A groat cook appeared, who said to her hastily: “What do you want here?” “I have lost my way and beg you to tell me how I can return home. ” “Ah! it is you my beauty, who has passed through the mountain ! You are weloome Florine. We were only waiting for you. ' * THE GOLDEN KEY. As he uttered these words with a grim smile the great cook sharpened his knife upon a steel sharpener and cast upon the young girl a wicked look.

“Come in, miss," he said. “Come in; this is the way for yon toga” Florine, after passing through a long corridor, found herself in a vast kitchen, where twenty scullions and other servants were busily engaged in preparing a sumptuous repast. Thirty large iron pots were emKto cook the various meats, e shepherdess was surprised at seeing the largest standing open and emptv near the fire, ana, notwithstanding her terror, she said in a low voice: “Why is not this pot filled like the rest?” - “It is waiting tor its piece of meat," replied the cook, “and that has just arrived at this very moment. It4s you. Florine. that we are going to put into that, and when you are well I done the banquet will begin.” Florine began to weep, and entreated the cook to spare her life. ‘ ‘There is only one means of escape, miss," replied the terrible cook. ! “Here is a gold key; seek through 1 the palace for a door which it will yotiiu the pot. and we will take another person for his majesty’s'repast ” "‘ln heaven’s name. Mr. Cook, don't put anybody into that pot in my j place. Are there not sufficient viands already for his majesty?” “Florine. think of* yourself and j don’t attempt to establish new customs in our place. I have only one thing to sav to you; find the' lock which the key fits and you will be saved. You can then ask a favor, but only one, of our sacred majesty." Florine set to work at once; she tried the key in more than 300 locks. She had only the remainder of the day to complete her task, and the «un was already sinking Jn the west and -she had not yet found the lock which the key fitted. She trembled with poor fright, poor child. The cook and four scullions followed her, step by step, armed frith great knives, and in turn they said to the pretty sheperdess: “Hurry, Florine, the sun is setJting; the sun is setting, Florine, € hurry r* She had been through all the apartments, great and small, she had

mounted to the roof; she had gone down into the cellar; she had not left one lock untried, but the key was ai- j ways too large or too small. Finally I the cook said to her: “Florine, this is the last moment; the sun is almost down. The little sheperdess was standing before a large mirror fastened to the wall,'and as she cast her eyes upon it she saw her father and her mother seated in their little home: they were weeping, and doubtless they were grieving for their lost daughter. Ah! they little imagined the cruel position she was then m. ; At the sight of them the unfortunate girl, utterly beside herself, cried: “My poor parents! thank heaven I see you once more before dying!! 1 — As she spoke she threw herself so violently toward her parents to embrace them that the gold key, striking against the glass, broke it into a thousand pieces. Behind the mirror she saw a secret door; this door had a lock, and this lock the gold key fitted perfectly. As soon as the young girl tried it the door opened. She saw before her a magnificent room, at one end of which rose a golden throne,-and upon this throne sat a young and handsome monarch, surrounded by courtiers in most gorgeous costumes. The king advanced toward the young sheperdess and said: “We were only waiting for you. amiable Florine/' Florine cast her eyes upon herself and saw that she had become completely transformed.* However, there was nothing changed about her except her dress, which sparkled with diamonds. She had been born beautiful, and there was no need for anything else to make her an accomplished princess. FI.ORINE BECOMES A QUEEN. But in the midst of all this dazzling splendor the young monarch was sad and pensive; he seemed disturbed by some secret trouble, and, as he conducted the stranger to the banquet table, he said to her: “Charming Florine, you can ask one favor of me. What do you desire?'’ “Ah! sire,” she replied, “I should not'hesitate to ask you to return me to my poor parents, but your happiness and your glory interest me more than all else besides, and that is why I ask of you the pardon of

every unfortunate who may, as I have done, fall into the hands'of your cook.” She had hardly pronounced these unselfish words when a triumphant strain of music filled the banquet hall. All faces became radiant, the prince especially seemed perfectly delighted, and every shadow of pain and anxiety passed from his brow. “Oh, my liberator!” he cried, kissing Florine’s hand, “may heaven bless you for making this request. It is for me that you have done it. Happy prayer, which I have waited for for 500 years, and which delivers me from a frightful enchantment. You are the first, oh, Florine, who, having a favor to ask of me, have forgotten yourself for the sake of others. Henceforth I can lead an innocent life. My royal table will no longer be polluted with detestable meats, which, it is true, I never touched,but the sight of which filled me with horror. In gratitude for so great a benefit I wish, beautiful Florine, to do something more for you.” “Ah! sire, I understand. You will restore me to my father and my mother?” “That I cannot do.” ‘ ‘Then vou will bring them to their daughter?”

“Alas! what then can you do for me?” “I will send a red bird, my faithful messenger, to tell your parents that you are my wife, and that there is no queen on earth so dearly loved as you are.” So Florine became a queen. She was a wife, a happy mother; but her tearful eyes often turned toward the mountain, behind which remained half of her happiness. There is not, even in fairy land, perfect felicity here below.

The Electric Omnibus.

A curious incident was lately witnessed in the Palace Yard, Westminster, London. About 4 o’clock an electric omnibus started from the St. Stephen’s Club and carried some dozen members of Parliament round to the members’ entrance in Palace Yard. Admiral Mayne was in charge of the omnibus, and among the passengers wei*e Sir William Marriott, Sir Walter Foster, Major Warring, Mr. Majoribanks and Sir William Walrond. The arrival of the car atti*acted a large number of members, and subsequently a series of trips was made round the neighboring streets, some hundred members in all availing themselves of the opportunity of testing the practical utility of the omnibus.

Marriage Made Easy.

The following incident is reported to have occured in Berlin; A number of ladies and gentlemen were assembled at dinner to celebi-ate a friend’s wedding. After the banquet a Presidant was elected, who was pledged to eternal secrecy by a sol-1 emu oath. 'All unmarx-ied persons j of either sex wrote each on a piece of paper their own name and that of, the person whom they desired to marry. The papers were handed to the President, a man of mature age, j married, and grave, as became nis office, It was his duty to acquaint the two parties who had mutually selected each other. Result: Eleven couples thus had the opportunity of confessing their feelings to one another tor the first tiofe, qpd a month later tight wedding' came off.

ART OF PIANO-MAKING.

I Nearly Six Years Necessary for Perfect Construction. | Few people are aware of the amount of time and labor-required to produce |-a piano. From the time the first log is sawed in the forest until the fin(ishing touches and final overhauling are given to the completed piano i from four to six years must pass. /That is, every piano turned out from * the factory or store to-day was be- ; gun four or five years ago, and ever since that time has been going through the various stages of prep-' aration and construction. One of the large manufacturers when asked by a Brooklyn Eagle reporter as to the process of construction cheerfully gave the desired information, at the | same time leading the way through I the manufactory. “This is in reality the second facjtory,” said he, “for all the material , comes here in partially completed [state. In the first place, an experi- ! enced lumberman is to be employed by every manufacturer to select the logs ■ and see that the grains of the different woods are straight and true. After these have been sawed the Lumber is piled under weather proof shed, where it remains from three to five years, according to thickness, untill it has become thoroughly air dried. “When the case has been cut out in the Massachusetts factory it is shipped here and comes first into the varnishing department, where it remains from three to four months in order that the pores of the wood may be thoroughly filled. That is really the secret of the fine polish on a finished piano. While this work is progressing in the varnishing room, other and-important work is being done on the interior of the piano. The sounding board, which is also seasoned and tested in the first factory- is again thoroughly tested here. ■Every grain of wood and every joint is thoroughly investigated before it is put into the case. Here the skill of the piano maker begins and only the most careful and competent workmen are intrusted wjith the responsibility of this department. Numerous mechanical and scientific arrangements are neeessary to obtain satisfactory results with the sounding boards. “Then the actions, keys and levers

are attended to in another room. These portions of the piano are of the most vital importance, as it is upon the exact adjustment of the many levers and center points that the power and delicacy of the touch depends. Unless great care and attention is bestowed upon the details in this department the piano must prove a failure. The next stage reached is where the hammers, keys and actions are placed in their proper positions in the frame, when the piano fii-st gives forth sound as a musical instrument. The principal object sought here is a powei-ful blow of the hammer upon the strings, to be produced by a light touch of the perfoi’mer. The workmen in this depax’tment must-have skill and experience, for the delicate and costly materials and mechanisms they haridle and place in proper working positions make this branch one of great trust. “In still another department the carvers are at work, chiseling out legs and other oxmamental portions of the piano. These, too, have to go thi-ough a course of sprouts in tne varnish room. After the keys, levers, hammers, sounding board and case have been pi'operly put together the piano goes to tlie fly finishing department, where all those parts which have been finished separately are placed in their respective positions. This is, the top, lockboard, legs, pedals and music rack are here adjusted. “Now that the piano has been put together, it remains in the fly finishing department from three to five weeks and receives a preparatory course of tuning before going into the hands of the action and tone regulators. These first tunings are of great importance, and on them much of the future excellence of the piano depends.” “Then the instrument goes to the tone regulating department, probably the most important branch of all.' Failure here is fatal, and must result disastrously as far as the production of a true musical instrument is concerned.

“Ofcoui'se you think this is the finishing point, but it isn’t. Before it goes to the ware-rooms thfe piano goes into the hands of workmen of the very highest grade, who minutely examine every portion of the instrument. Every string and hammer, every center lever and spring, every screw and pin must undergo a l-igid inspection, and not until all these have been ascertained to be adjusted properly and the instrument is found to be in a perfect condition is it passed over to receive it final polish and be placed in the wai*eroom.”

Sizing ’Em Up.

Jeweler's Weekly. Student —“We want badges for our graduating class. We have adopted as a design a graduate surveying the universe. ” * Jeweler —“About how large would you like the figures?" Student —“I think the graduate should cover about three-fourths of the badge and the universe the remainder.”

Simpson’s Boy and the Dog.

Chio&fe Tribune. A youn’g man who isi not noted for his originality, but is liked tor his good nature was at the house of an intimate friend the other day for dinner. The young lady of the house

bantered him to tell a story and requested that he tell something new. She had a friend to dinner and wanted her entertained. “Did you hear the story about Simpson’s boy and the dog?” asked the young man with a drawl. They had not,but they knew it was the same as the other dog stories they had heard, where the boy fell in the water and the dog dragged him out. They were wrong. “111 tell you how it was,” he said. “The boy and the dog went down to the lake and were playing together. The dog got too near the water and /ell in; see? Simpson’s boy couldn’t swim a lick; see? And so what does he do?” “Who, the dog or Simpson's boy?” asked the girls. “Why, the boy,” replied the story teller, “what does he do?” “You mean what, did the dog do?” - “No, the boy—Simpson’s boy.” The girls looked at each other and then at the story teller as if they were not quite sure he was right in his head. <• “You say he couldn't swim?” asked one of the girls. “That's what.” 4i That is, the dog?” asked the other

girl- “ Right. The dog couldn't swim; see?’’ “I thought you said that Simpson’s boy couldn't swim,” said the girl with a memory for details. “Well, I did: neither could the dog.” “Well, this is the funniest story that I ever heard,” said the home girl. “Reminds me of a story a gentleman friend told me when he was at our house in New York,” said the risiting girl. “Tell us all about it. You say the dog fell into the water; that Simpson's boy couldn’t swim, and that the dog couldn’t swim,” “The dog drowned,” was the explanation. “Of course. But what became of the poor little boy?” asked the girl from New York.

“You mean Simpson’s boy?’’ “Yes, Mr. Simpson's little boy,” said the New York girl. “Say,” said the man, “howdid you get it into your head that Simpson’s boy was little?” “Why, you said he went down to the lake to play with the dog, and I do not suppose that any big boy would do that. ” “Well, he was no kid: he was a full-grown boy. He was the first boy in our class to plav hookey this season.” “But what became of him after his dog was drowned?” What did he do then?” she asked as she assumed a Grecian attitude. “He bought another dog.”

The Advance in Paper Making. In an interview with Col. A. G. Payne, of the New York and Pennsylvania Company, by a representative of the Paper Trade News relative to the prices for soda fiber, Mr. Payne, who was a pioneer in the business, said: “I remember when soda fiber brought 13 cents; that was about eighteen years ago, when it was first used for paper. It is now quoted at 3| cents. The Y ary an system revolutionized the cost of recovering soda ash by cheap evaporation. Until recently this system was used by Americans only, but now they have adopted it abi-oad and are using it at Glasgow. Everything is cheaper to-day in the manufacture of soda fiber than it was in the old times, except wood and labor, and it was natural for the decrease in the cost of the production to be accompanied by a falling off in the price of the product. The manufacture of chemical fiber has become a great industry, and the fiber itself is used more in the manufactux-e of good book paper than ever before. There were only two mills which manufactured chemical fiber at the start, and they produced twelve tons daily, whereas the total monthly product now foots up to fifteen million pounds. This increase does not seem so great, however, when we consider that a fiveton paper mill in the early days was a big thing, whereas to-day mills with an output of thirty or forty tons are common."

It Ought to Be Familiar.

Brroklvn Life. Gentleman (who has engaged colored hackman to drive him from the station to the hotel)—Say. uncle, what’s your name? Driver —My name, sah, is George Washington. Gentleman —George Washington! Why, that name seems familiar. Driver —Well, for de Lawd’s sake! I should think it ought to. Hex-e I been drivin’ to this station fo’ bout twenty yeai*s, sah.

Inferential.

Life. HeßDearest, this is our engagement ring. It has “Mizpah” iu it—that is, “God be with you till we meet • > ft again. She—l suppose that’s a delicate way of saying that whenever you're around you want to have me all tc youi’self. Oh, you jealous creature.’?

Eating All the Time.

New York Weekly. Mr. Hayseed (arriving at City hotel) —I s’pose J kin hear the gong hex*e when it ringsferdinner, can’t I; Clerk —We have no gong. We havt breakfast from 6 to fl, dinner frons 12 to 6, supper from 6 to 11. Mr. Haysedd—Jehosaphat! How am I.to get time to see the city? Floors of rubber claimed to be a?' durable as asphalt, and cheaper, ar. being tried in Goran any.

SERVIA’S UNHAPPY NATALIE.

Story of the Ki-Queen That Beads like a Chapter From the Middle Ages. — t New York World. ~~jZ The life of Natalie, ex-Queen of Servia, who has just been expelled from the kingdom over which she once ruled, and where her son is to sit on the throne when he comes of age, is crowded with romance, vicissitude and sorrow such as have fallen to the lot of but few women in the closing years of the century. The narrative reads like a chapter from the tragic records of the middle ages, when, as a rule, kings and queens moved in an atmosphere of intrigue, conspiracy, plot and counterplot, eventuating, as the fortunes of war or diplomacy ran, in dethronement, exile or death. Years ago Natalie was compelled to pass’through the bitter and humiliating tribulation of being forced frouj the throne by the hand of a brutal husband, on what are believed to be trumped-up charges of dishonor that have no foundation, or at the most, a flimsy one/in fact. Banishment, too, she has more than once suffered, so that in the chalice of affliction there is only very little left for her to drain.

Natalie is the daughter of Colonel Kechko, of the Russian Imperial Guard’ and one of the richest of the residents of the province of Bessarabia, in southwestern Russia. In 1875 there was considerable excitement over Bulgarian affairs in Servia and in Russia. The Turk were committing outrages and atrocities without number in Bulgaria, and the Servians were loudly clamoring for war in support of their suffering brothers. Milan was only twenty-one years old at the time. His reputation for courage was not of the most exalted character, and he hesitated about entering into a conflict with the Ottoman power, His people, however, were pressing him hard on the subject, and finally he so far yielded to their demands as to visit the Czar and ascertain if he would have the sympathy, if not the support, of Russia in the event of Servia declaring war against Turkey. On his way to the Russian capital Milan stopped at the fine old castle on the Pruth, of Colonel Kechko, whose wife was the well-known Princess Pulcherie Stourdza, a relative of the great Gortschakoff, who was the Czar’s Premier. Colonel Kechko re ceived the young ruler of Servia in royal style. Milan was then very popular with the Russians. A large number of Servians were engaged in the revolt in Bosnia and Herzegovina against the iron x-ule of the Sultan, and Milan was desirous of expelling the Turks from Bosnia and uniting that country to Servia, proclaiming himself King of the two lands.

THE COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE. , While Milan was the guest of Col. Kechko he devoted .himself exclusively to Natalie from the very moment of his introduction. She was then between sixteen and seventeen years of age, and was noted for her beauty over nearly the whole empire. The attentions of her royal suitor she received with marked coldness. She had, it is said, fixed her affections on a young Russian officer, and declined to listen to the overtures of the voung Servian King, however flattering they might be. But Milan was not to be discouy*.ged, and asked the Colonel for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Col. Kechko was far from insensible to the advantages of the alliance held out to his house, and promptly overruled all the objections that, were raised by Natalie. The betrothal took place and was celebrated at a series of festivities which were attended by all the nobles within a radius of many leagues. Prince Milan then continued his journey to St. Petersburg. The fame of his conquest of the beautiful Natalie had preceded him, and he was kindly received by the Czar, who, in addition, aided him in his political designs. The marriage,took place in the summer of 1875, and Natalie threw herself with the utmost enthusiasm into the cause of her new country when war was delared against Turkey the following spring. She made a personal appeal to tne Czar for assistance, interested herself in the. hospitals and the widows and orphans, for all of which Servia almost adored her. Then came the war between Russia and Turkey, in which the latter power was badly beaten. Sex-via was free and powerful and Natalie had become a mother, the child being christened Alexander. He was bora Aug. 14, 1876. All the inborn depravity in Milan’s nature began to develop itself. He neglected the beautiful and accomplished woman who had done so much for him and his people, and plunged into debaucheries too gross even to be named. Natalie centered all her affection on her child, and on the Servians, who reverenced her, while they pitied her for the sorrows she was compelled to endure. When young Alexander became of that age when it was necessary to determine on the method of his education, the breach between Milan and his wife became wider and deeper. Natalie desired that he should be educated by Russian teachere. The King decided that Austrian tutors should have tjhe care of the young Pi-ince. In the bitter quarrel that followed she reproached her husband with the scandalous life he was leading. This, according to one set of chroniclerß, led him to set a trap for his wife, the result of which should leave her reputation very little better than his own. One day, the story goes, she reoeived a visit from the Metropolitan Bishop Michael, who said he

' i. j .. ..... came in answer to a note she had sent to him. She was indignant, and declared that a conspiracy whs on foot to destroy her. The King’s minions were close at hand, and the Bishop was arrested for alleged intimacy with the Queen. At the same time the King applied to the synod. Natalie, while protesting against the insult, decided, for the sake of her child, to prove her innocence, but after this she never lived with him. She never went near him until one day in 1884, when she besought clemency for some soldiers who had revolted. He returned her the brutal answer that they should be pardoned if she would come and live at the palace and be chambermaid to one of the women he was then maintaining around him. HER ENEMIES AT WORK. ■ The enemies of Natalie, on the other hand, assert that she has been engaged in numerous liaisons, thq most notable of which was one with a former Austrian envoy at Belgrade, Count Rudolph Khevehuller. She denies each and all of them. Finally, in the spring of 1887, after hearing that the king had openly accused her of improper relations with M. Ristics, a Servian diplomate devoted to Russian interests, she took the boy Alexander and fled from Belgrade to Russia, where King Milan’s agents tried to kidnap the child. The Kina managed to obtain a divorce, which Natalie has never ceased to declare was wrongfully obtained. Bismarck, anxious to please Austria, finally compelled her to surrender the child, after which Milan abdicated and had the boy crowned, providing at the same time a regency until he should beeome of age. In September, 1889, when the Servian Premier proposed to her an arrangement, by the terms of which she and the ex-King Milan were only to visit Belgrade in the future for three weeks twice a year, she replied in these terms: “I have already given you my answer. I refuse to sign any compact as a condition for securing to myself what you yourself concede to be the inalienable right of all Servians—l mean the right to reside in their own country. As to my maternal rights, if you arbitrarily withhold them by force, others must judge between us. But I will never sacrifice one thing for the other—my rights as a mother to secure my rights as a Servian. I ask no honors. I ask only my civil rights. If you knew how firm is my resolution you would not waste words, Now that I have happily returned, there exists no power or authority to compel me to depart again. I am not on the same footing as King Milan, who would not live in Servia on any consideration; who has no friends or interests here; who, in fact, has sacrificed the crown in order to amuse himself in his own fashion elsewhere. I, on the contrary, feel as an exile when abroad, and find it a relief and pleasure to find myself again here. While it is inexpressibly painful to me not to see

my son, yet-at least I feel that I am near at hand and at home. Ido not know how long you care to keep us apart. If you expect to find any cause of offense in my conduct you will be disappointed. I shall live quietly here in my own house among people who love me. Do you imagine that I, young, rich and free, have saci'ificed nothing in order to E reserve the dignity of a Qxieen of ervia and mother of the King? Yet you wish me to sign away the few rights left me, that I may enjoy on an equality with King Milan honors I have never demanded. If you can bring any reason why I am unfit to associate with my son, or that I should contaminate him, mention it.”

Barbarity in Siberia,

United Press. The Czarewitch having recovered from the injuries inflicted by the Japanese assassin, is to go through the course mapped out when he started from Russia. The Ui’suli railway, the easternmost section of the proposed transsiberian line has already been completed three hundred miles from Vladivostock and the Czarwitch will ride over it for that distance in a train specially equipped for his use and will formally inaugurate it. The railway is chiefly tne product of convict labor and largely that of women who ai-e pushed on to work by brutal seveiity on the part of the guards. A letter from Tokio, Japan, giving the story of a prisoner recently escaped from Siberia, says the women employed to dig and remove the dirt on this line are perishing by scores. They are selected for the work without reghrd to manual experience, and political prisoners, some of them of refinement and delicate, are made to * use the pick and shovel. If they show weakness they are mercilessly whipped. Women arriving in eastern Siberia in the convict trains are at the mercy of guards, and those who refuse to submit to anything required of them are detailed to work on the railway. It is likely that these matters will be carefully covered during the journey of the Czarewitch, although to make a pretense of official liberality a fewspecially favored convicts will be permitted to present addresses and petitions for pardon. The Czarewitch will also go through the form of investigating the condition of prisoners and exiles, and the mines and prisons have for several months been undergoing preparations for his inspection. One reason for this is that ne may be able to make a favorable report to his mother, who is said to be very much touched by the stories of Siberian cruelty and suffering. An odd title for a fair held in England in aid of a convalescent home is “A Dream of Health for Sick Chil drea.”