Abilene Daily Chronicle from Abilene, Kansas • Page 2

ABILENE CHRONICLE. THE FATAL OR MARCH 13. if.r.t th" dint v.hlch If contained -tint havo beon gold dust at the very least. At any rate, he had his way, and hurried off with the articles as though he were half afraid that sho might chance her mind. But.

when he arrived at the basement, thero was nothing but dust and flue left In the del pan. Tile pieces of paper Had disappeared That same night, In the seclusion of his own room, he occupied himself In the seemingly vain and tn'lsa task of separating, sorting and pasting together some morsels of writing paper, which had been torn Into the minutest fragmentM. "I was right when 1 guessed it to be no ordinary letter he was writing." lii' muttered. "This is only the heading of the document that he had been engaged in drawing up; but it Is sufficient to enable me to arrive at the purport of Its contents." "The true narrative and confession of me. James Ferrers, of the strange tragedy of the 25th of Alt "Ah, James Ferrers, you wore guilty of worse than a crime a blunder-when you contented yourself with tearing up that, sheet of paper Into particles, which you thought wero too minute ever to be deciphered, instead of burning them on the spot! "Hut why has he made this confession? Is It merely to relievo his REQUEST OUT Own Familiar Friend I l' I i a i Company, bystreet Smith.

deal, when they're In love" and she directed what ought to havo been a killing glance at. the good looking young man opposite her and breathed sigh on her own account. It apparently missed its aim, but something In this last remark seemed excite great derision in the breast Perkins, the housemaid. "In love!" she exclaimed. ha! like that," and she, too, sent a glance, which might, In a sense have been described as killing If looks could kill across the table'.

"In love, Indeed!" with wliherlng contempt "Who with, I should like to know? You forget there's never been sich a thing as a young man as she'd look at. touch Willi the tips of her fingers" (there was a strong malicious emphasis on this) "Inside the door once since they've been living here." "Ah!" said the parlor maid, rtill showing an inclination to hold her own, "p'r'aps not. Hut how about before that?" "Well," replied the housemaid, suddenly showing an Inclinnl ion to go ov-r to the enemy and side with her rival and invariable opponent, to the hitter's vast astonishment, "I don't say as you mayn't be right. Anyhow, whether she's in love or whether she isn't, it's no good If he ain't her equal. For you may be sure her a'll never bear of her marrying beneath her." "And quite right, too," put In the cook, who thought It was high time sho Introduced another of her experiences.

"Unekal marriages is most nl-ways a failure, as 'as bin proved over and over again. But for all that" wllh a startling and Instantaneous, change of the subject "I should like know why that there will, as I 'elped to drore up, should be called a Testament which I thought there was but two, lie; Hold and the "f.or', cook!" cried tho housemaid, with a sniff, "how your mind do run that will! Anyone would think as was the only one as ever was. and nobody never signed their names to nothing before." "Wills thero may 'ave bin," answered majestically, "but seldom C3e the cook were sent for, all ot a of those 'urry, with 'ardly time to rinse tho Hour huff 'or 'anils, to put 'or name to, which It's all very well for some people to try and run down wills," she added darkly and defiantly, "and portends lo think small beor of witnesses, but Time's a pleesman as is halways a-movin' of us on. and we should make our hariangements haccordin'." Just at this point tho parlor maid pushed back her chair and said, "Well, she mustn't sit there gossiping any longer, as she'd got her work to do, which was to dust tho master's room, where ho kept his papers and books, which you dare to lay a finger on. though, for tho matter of thai, everything's always put under lock and key before anyone's allowed to take dust pan and broom to it." At this ordinary enough remark, the young man who had been sitting there very quietly while the discussion just recorded was raging round him, seemed galvanized Into sudden action and extraordinary civility.

"Could ho might he he allowed to be of any assistance In lifting anything to heavy for her such as er emptying the waste paper basket, or anything?" Tho parlor maid looked at him In surprise mingled with gratification. "Well, I never did," she giggled. "If you aren't Just polite all of a sudden! But master, he's that partlc'ler about thnt old room of his, and I nevor know but what he's got his eye on me, p'r'aps he wouldn't like It." The young man seemed Inclined to press his request, but noticing Per- Kins regarding him In evident perplexity, as though not knowing what to make of this movo, he checked himself and said no more on the subject. Hut when the parlor maid's work was nearly completed and she camo out of tho room with tho dustpan and brush in her hand, sho found him waiting patiently outside the door. "Let me let me relieve you of those things," he said, with an eager ness which, notwithstanding her com plete confidence In her own charms, she found as punzliug as it was delightful.

You would have thought by the eager expression on the young man's face and the haste with which he relieved ber of her very slight burden, gull i i it jtir-T'l ii'n ATULEXE. KAN 8. Spain might telegraph Its trnpi- thy. Chamhoriain's would Hay, wheu is sot i iiK- son rises, as some Chamberlain's buu Tho Russian admiral 1 1 i entiled homo: "Wo havo met Iho enemy and they urn peaches." Ttadhini punch and indium eick-tailH have arrived. Now for the radium cent cigar! Russia- wants to borrow Must of UK would tin satisfied with loau of half that Hum.

"Henry Solon Morrlmnn" left a fortune of Another of those poverty-stricken literary fe llers! The now Baltimore doubtless will have nn additional monument, to mark tho spot when; the (ire started. Tho Imports of foreign Into tills country said creasing by a very largo Whew! perfumes to ho cent. This would seem to ho ahout tho 1 i mi; for Kipling to tune up with a few polyglot stanzas of choice Atilo-Japauose. When a man'H only salvation In a woman, ho in generally pretly far gone on tho road to destruction. Town Topics.

Sail, in '( it, to refect that, tho trni slaters of the St. James version of tho Bible wei'o ho lamentably thy on "literary form." llertillm lias discovered a for mailing tho dead lifelike, bo honored for inventing a wake up soino of tho living. method lit) wll' plan to A writer In Harper's Weekly asks: "Does civilization shorten lile?" What can wo do about it, even If It does? We all want to ho civiil.ud, don't we? Nobody dares say "hook pleasant" to royal personages when they havo their photographs taken; at Hast, nobody couhl havo said It to the mikado. What worrlea Homo of tho other powers now is tho question wholher if lbs Japs win this war thero will ho any living with them on that side of tho globe. "After prolonged cheering tho banqueters the was taken up by nearly all prosonL" Attentive waiters had been around ami filled up all tho slogans.

A gastronomic, eport says "then nro those who eat pour pas.a-r lo temps." Odd, isn't it. that sonic of tho hlgh-tonel restaui ants have overlooked this dish? The St. Jxiuls doctor who says whis ky is Rood for might make more of a hit with his towns' men if ho could say a good word for beer and plug tobacco. As another sign of stablo financial conditions pleuso noto the enthusiasm with which each insurance company slnco tho Baltimore 11 ro lias risen to shout, "Never touched me!" A Connecticut man has lost a for tuno on a technicality. The only way In which ho can get even Is to go Into tho bribing and grafiing business nml then get off on another technicality.

of tho District of Columbia are accused of loving dogs bettor than man, woman or child. Perhaps they can set up tho claim that they do not lovo man. woman and child less, but dogs more. Young John D. Rockefeller rays no man can fool his conscience.

This no doubt is tho truth, but tho trouble is that somo men have consciences which wouldn't be worth fooling even If it could be dono. Tho author of "Mrs. Wiggs" has bought herself a $10,000 home In Ixiutsville. That's rather modest. But perhaps tho report that tho lady'a roy alties havo amounted to $100,000 are slightly exaggerated.

When Itoso, tho Cleveland defaulter, found ho was $20,000 short, ho rea soned that he couhl make it up by go ing on speculating. So ho speculated and speculated until ho was $187,000 short. Why say more? Professional osculatlonists should bear in mind that attempted kissing without the consent of the kissee means $100 or thirty days In jail. Tho choicest things In life naturally como high Des Mclnes Capital. The way to euro pneumonia Is to havo cough and rel'rnlu from hath ing, according to Dr.

J. Dili Robertson, whosu Indian name would bo "The-Man-Afraid of-Water." Somo may fancy that the euro is worso th tho disease. A British schoolboy is held respon- for the following comment his school examination pape7s upon one of our national Institutions: "In the United States people are put to death by elocution." Indeed, the boy auoke truer than be knew. By A. Ilarrin Author ol "Mine i I 1 1 1 i CHAPTER XX Continued.

"To day Is Tuesday. Theru is a little shabby prayer hook somewhere my belongings. I will put it onco and for all out of my power to procrastlrate further by fixing Ukjii a certain date and swearing to carry out. on that, and no other, tho purpose which lias been In my mind so long. "To-day, as I have said, is Tuesday, on Friday, then, without further delay, I will Insert my duplicate key in the lock of that door first of all ascertaining that it.

will tit and make, what Dr. Jeremiah would describe as a felonious entry. I have to consider Perkins. has not shown mo so much open aninioslly since my return; but it will not do lo count upon this. She may ho only as she would, no doubt herself express It.

'biding her 'You don't deceive she said, when I crept down stairs like a thief in tho night and was nearly discovered through her Instrumentality. What was the threat she employed toward rue on that memorable oeca- 'I'll find out what you are up to, as sure as name's Maria Ann Per And she Is a woman who looks na though sho would not mind to hat. pains she put herself, or what time elapsed, so that she could herself for her fancied wrongs. "Since writing the above lines some hours ago. I have made another discovery.

My master has remained shut up In his private room for tho greater part of this time and In accordance wiih my position as spy ave hung about the door on the chance of bearing some sound, how- slight, or catching sight of his faco as he lefl tl.e room. I havo often wondered as to the manner in which lie employs himself on those occasions, when he remains eked In this chamber lor hours. "To-day thoro has been no room for doubt. lie has been writing on and on, ceaselessly. Kvidently ho uses a rpiill and writes a heavy hand, or I could plainly hear the sound tho en in tiaveling over the paper.

'Let me relieve Here Is another subject for consid eration. Ho hns mado his will, and now ho is -writing. Writing what? Apparently something of impirt- ance. "Once, too, I heard (ho unmistak able sound of tho tennng of paper. Was ho dissatisfied with what ho had written and tearing It up? Did he find the composition of tho document difficult, ami.

if so, for whose eye was It intended, that so much time and trouble wero lavished upon it? If ho is now occupied in writing letters of an undoubtedly private nature, shall 1 he intrusted with the task of carrying them to the post when completed? Or. if the work upon which he has been engaged is of somo oilier description, what will become of It when finished, and what will he do with tho pieces of paper which he has torn up? Will they be committed to the Haines, or simply to tho waste paper basket?" 'Which," said the cook at dinner tho next day, "ditchwater Is tho honly word as will eggspress tho presint company, no olTense belli' meant and not hlntlnyatln' nothink agin nobody, feelln's beln' things as is not to be kin- trolled by tho best of us, and better bo low In your mind than In your hldcars Is my motter, but when it comes to not a word being' spoke for five mln-nits by the kitching clock, makin' allowance for Its being twenty-two mlnnits fast by railway time. It do Eeem as someono onghter hlnterfero In a friendly sort o' way." How much longer sho would have rambled on In tho same key It Is Impossible to say, bad not another noto been struck by tha parlor maid, who remarked that. "Miss Agnes hadn't seemed partlc'ler cheerful the last day or so." Tho young man, Edwards, seemed as though his attention was arrested by this trivial remark and glanced across the table Inquiringly. "Yesi," added the prrlor maid, addressing herself to him, as she perceived that what sho had said had, somehow or other.

Interested him, "I've caught her sighing to herself more than once lately, as though she'd something on her mind. P'r'aps" with a sudden Inspiration "p'r'aps he's in love folks generally sighs a Mtrl TWIT Si i I a to of I or to on it as you i LESSON ELEVEN lt "tie Thrill ot If I Ki Introductory. I.cavin" the vents of our last lesson, we pass oer work dining the winter of A. D. mostly recorded in Mark 1 3.

Jesus was making his third preaching tour of Galileo. He sent out his twelve disciples, two by two. over the country, to help him In his labors and train then -for their future work, having first given them full Instructions, recorded in Matthew 10. It was during this tour that the martyrdom of John the Baptist took place, and on the return of the disciples to report to Jesus that the news reached them (Mark). I.

The Troubled Conscience Vs. 1. 2. 1. "At that time." During the thin! Galilean tour, the time inline dialely foU'jwiiv? tiie death of John.

"Hired the Herod son of Herod the Great slew the Bethlehem innocent -i and heir to one-fourth of his Kingdom Galilei and Perea. Hence lie is called te-trnrch, which ruler of a fourth part. "Ileal of the fame." Belter, "heard the report concerning" The many marvelous miracles wrought by Jesus and his disciples, and the doctrines he taught, had so penetrated and stirred the whole people that the news entered the palace and reached the king. 2. "Said unlo his servants." liis officers, who were discussing who this strange man might be, some saying that lie was the expected K.lijah, come that John was arisen from the dead, others that one of the old prophets had come to life (l.ukel.

Herod did not know what to think, but he iinally concluded that "This is John the Baptist," whom he had murdered, "risen from the dead." "If we mistake not. that dissevered head was rarely tlieucerortli anient from Herod's haunted imagination from that day forward till he lay upon his dyiiip Karrar. "Therefore mighty works do shew forth him." Hitter, as It. powers work in him." 1 hat John had brought themselves in "do theso He thought back with him those diviner receives when venly life; and those larger powers, gifts, which the spirit it enters upon the bea the prophet could now exert those powers sterner reprooi aim mere terrible faithlulness. II.

The Faithful Prophet Reproves His King. Vs. a. "For Herod." irk adds "himself," influence by personal reasons pertaining to hk-family. and not urged on by "Had laid held on John." Arretted him.

This was in March, A. D. 2S. a year before the birthday lie scribed below. "in prison." Jc.se-I'hes says that it was at Castle Ma-chorus.

"For Heroiiias' sake, hi brother Philip's wife." The dime of the guilty pair was one of manifold malignity and double dyed turpitude. (1) Herod was married to the daughter of Arctas, an Arabian king, but abandoned her for the sake of Hero-dias. (2) Herodias was the wife of her uncle Philip, an older brother of Herod Antipas. but. she deserted him and eloped with the younger brother.

(3) Herod was guilty of the basest treachery to his brother. For it was while visiting his brother Philip in Homo that ho became acquainted with Herodias, and, as a guest, he plotted against the honor ami happiness of one who was both brother and host. (4) Herodias was "an able, ambitious, unprincipled, but bewitching and ensnaring woman." She married Philip, expecting that he as oldest son would inherit the wealth and the kingdom of his father. Herod the Great. F.ut be was disinherited, and was poor.

Therefore she deserted him for his younger brother Antipas, who was rich and a king. 4. "For John said." Imperfect, implying that he kept saying. "It is not lawful." Herod, as we have seen, had broken several laws of Clod and man. John was preaching against sin, denouncing crime to urge men to repentance, and he could not do this effectively to soldiers, publicans and Pharisees, If he let the sins in high places go unreproved, and failed to urge kings and princes to repent and come Into the kingdom of God.

5. "He would have" (wished to) "put him to death," urged on by Herodias. "He feared the multitude," who might rise up ill revolt, or report him to tho emperor If he killed a prophet There Is nothing so cowardly as a guilty conscience, or so to be feared by evil-doers as a holy man who voices the truth of God. To kill John would be fighting against all the high er unknown powers. 111.

The Birthday Festival. A temperance Lesson. Vs. 7. C.

"When Herod's birthday was kept." Observed by a great banquet In which the nobles and military officers (Mark) were invited. Tho festival was probably at Castle Macherus. where Josephus says that John was imprisoned, on tho borders of the kingdom of Aretas, the father of Herod's discarded wife. "Tho daughter of Herodias," by her former husband. Her name was Salome, and sho afterwards married her uncle, Herod Philip tetrarch of lturaoa.

"Danced before them," or "lu the midst," as In R. sent by her mother to take advantage of Herod's condition when wine had warped his Judgment and dulled his conscience. 7. "Promised to give her Ix oi a alh. and I Will Hive a 1'rewn whatsoe vei she would ask." Kvcn to half or his kingdom (Mark); a wild and reckless promise that cou'd have been mnde only by one who lost his wits by drunkenness.

A Kingdom for a Dance. Herod was willing to give- away half of his king dom for the sight of an immoral da. ice. Poor But how many in our day give away the whole kiligilom of their souls, with health and hope, prosperity, pence ami goodness yea. the whole kingdom of lieavn for the paltry price of a glass of wine; the pleasure of the table; the gratification of passion or pride; the aeq-iisilion a little money! The race' of Esau still lives, who sell their birthright lor me is of pottage.

IV. The ef Joh'i the Baptist. Vs. 8-12. S.

"An! rhe, being before, instructed of her mother." she went to lieu- mother and said. "Whui shall 1 ask?" (Mark.) Which of ail tho beautiful things offered her pal-aces, jewels, gorgeous apparel all tn.it a girl's heart coiilel desire." Her mother replied in words Salome repeated to the king. "Give me now, on the spot. For if not. done at once before Ilerod has time to think, and escape from the iulluoniv of the wine and excitement of the hour, It might never be done at all." "John Baptist's head in a charger." 0.

"And the king was sorry." Not penitent, but troubled anil anxious. lie had expected some entirely different request. There were danger and a. conscience; in the gift. "Nevertheless, l'or the oath's sake." It should be "oaf lis'," not which is a printer's or editor's error.

The word is plural in the; original. See It. V. "Ami them which sat with Pride, ami fear of immediate public opinion, turned tho scale, for John would have few friends in that assembly. "He commanded it to be given her." The wily Herodias had gaine'l her which for year had been refused by lit.

"It; he aeled John in the prisem." if the feast was at Machi rus, tho prison was in one of the dungeons of the castle, and tho was answered in a very brief time. 11. "His head was brought in charger." An meats to a feast. "Tho sight of the Baptist's head would be a least to Herodias. She seemed to triumph afte a ye ar's waiting." "She' brought if to in met lier." who thus seemed to have gained Iter objee I.

bin 'lie really failed. She died in exile. John was but em icience aim voice ol Cod were not silenced. The stain of blood couhl never be wasiii-e! away, nor "all the pe'rfunievs of Arabia sweeten" the guilty soul. 12.

"And wi'iit and told Jeuis." who was most interested, as tho one of horn John was the forerunner arid "riend. They doubt less atterwanls became? the disciples of Jesus, So should we go and tell Jesus all our troubles and works. The Heart of the Lesson. A successful life Is one that accomplishes the high purposes for which man was created; a strenuous life, indeed, with hard lessons to learn and hard battles to fight, but with tho joys of learning and of victory; a noble ehaiactcr consisting of qualities hose activity is a delight, as joy, peace, love; usefulness tj others; it pari in the progress of the worhl a life which grows better continually ami completed in the heavenly life here and forevermore, with at last outward oil cuinstances to match the Inner lite-, -and foretastes of these all along. Herod.

With all his seeming sue-' cess, his life was a failure. He huel1 riches honor, r.ml all that luxury could give. He fared sumptuously everyday. He gained the wife ho desired. Herodias.

But their lives were failure, for (1) there wi re bitter ingredients In their cup of life which destroyed Its fascinations. John the Baptist. Though John's life was short, and his work hard and of less than two years' duration, yel his life was truly successful. 1. John finished the work that was given him to do.

His life was a completed whole. Had he lived longer he would have marred the perfection of his work. After the Messiah had come and was established tho work of the forerunner was ended. 2. John's first success lay In the fact that he preserved his manhood and his rharacter untarnished amid great temptations.

He was a hero. He was gold tried in the fire. No man's life is a failure who Is himself a moral success and Is a victor on tne battlefield of the heart. John lives through all ages by his example. "Tho martyrdom of John is his strongest sermon, heard and felt everywhere! He still precedes Christ in every revival, as repentance must precede forgiveness." His martyrdom set this light on a hill for all the world to see.

It rang the bell hidden in a tower, so that all men must hesr his message. John holds up before all men an ideal of heroism, courage, faithfulness to duty. He Is a perpetual inspiration. 4. Iu heaven he wears tho victor's crown, and dwells forever in the joy of his Lord, eating of "the treo of life which Is In tho midst of the paradise of Cod," "a pillar lu the temple of my God," having "the morning Ftar" and "Che new name." A.

own conscience, or has he object In view which I some other cannot at present discern? "Whatever It may be, that document, that confession of his guilt, of which I needed no further confirmation, cannot have left this house. It is, no doubt, concealed in some secret drawer or hiding place in that room of which I possess the means of entry In the duplicate key. Next Friday may settle at question as well as cithers." CHAPTER XXI. A Robbery and a Recognition. The next, day, being Thursday, was not destined to pass uneventfully.

"To-morrow!" said tne young man who, for prudential reasons, chose to go by the name of F.dwards, as he rose that morning; forgetting to take consideral ion the proceedings of to-day and their probable influence on tne affairs of to-morrow. It was not very long before be awoke to a senie of misohio. brooding in the air. Perhaps it was the sight of that pale, narrow face opposite to him lis he ate his breakfast a face which, on this occasion, was wreathed with a false smile and characterized by a ccuernl air of great complacency. Kvidently Perkins was in a high stata of good humor, so much so that it struck the young man with a vague presentiment of Impending disaster.

However, hf consoled himself with tho rellection that there e.rdv one mote day to clause before he hoped to be in a posilion to set everyone at defiance; ami. surely, In thnt short time, she would be unable to meet with an opportunity for wreaking her spito upon him. "After to-morrow, the Deluge," he parapli rasing the words of the French i.iouarch. Meanwhile, there was to-day to lie considered if. be had only bee aware of the fact, the chances of tomorrow were alnady in danger of being seriously jeopardized by the events of tho more Immediate presi nt.

"Whatever's come to IMariarann?" asked the cook, who was also struck by the change. "I've never knowed took that way afore. Hackshully offered to darn a pair of stockings for me, which, what with the preservln' and other things, my 'amis is full and my toes is bout. Which 'Make 'ay while the sun shines, as there's no knowin' 'ow long the weathcril 'old Is my mutter, but let's 'ope it'll last." 'And she's been and called me 'dear' to my very face," said the parlor maid, taking up tho parable; "which you might have knocked me down with a duster, 1 was that took aback, and hardly knew whether I was awake or dreaming. I wonder what if.

means?" (To be continued.) LIZARDS THAT LIKE MUSIC. Tuataras of New Zealand Very Fond of Rollicking Choruses. A curious fact has lately been learn ed about tho tuatara, the large native lizard of New Zealand. It is great fat, sleepy thing, from a foot upward In length, with a measurement around It of about twelve Inches. It Is kept tamed, about rocks.

Wild specimens are growing rare, though one island off the coast Btill swarms with them. These harmless things come out as a rule only for food. But some one In Christ church has discovered a way of bringing them out at any time. This Is by singing to them. They have preferences In music, too.

They evince much more satisfaction at a rollicking chorus than at a solo. Ono day a song sung by a girl brought some out. but only their heads wero visible, their sleepy eyes opening every few minutes. Then the charmer tried "Soldiers of the Queen" and when nil joined in the chorus there was no doubt about the effect on the tuataras. They wriggled about on tho rocks, almost dancing In their excitement and joy, until the repertoire of the singers was exhausted, when the lizards Biieake.1 hack again to their home among the rocks.

New Zealand Is the only place In tho world where these great lizards are found, and they are said by biologists to be out of their place In this stage of the world's hlidory. They belong to the coal period, and like the moa, ought, by natural laws, to have become extinct loag ago. New York Sun..