Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 791) (1920 11 26)
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, S est 23d Street, New the Post at- New Yerk, N, No..791. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ~ Issue] Weekly—Subscription $3.50 per year; Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50. Harry E. Wolff, Publisher, 166 Fay We a ork, N. Y, Entered as Second-Class Matter, October 4, 1911, at ‘, ¥., under the Act of March 3, 1879.’ NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 26, 1920. Price 7 Cents | Billy the Blacksmith Or, FROM ANVIL TO FORTUNE BY A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER I.—Billy Blake and Others. » * “What are you doing, Billy?” asked Dick Hnd- _ son, walking into John Hooley’s blacksmith shop "where his particular friend, Billy Blake, was ~ employed as chief helper to the owner. - “im tempering these pieces of steel for Jud- ~ son, up the road,” réplied Billy, in his customary ; eaeecfol way, “and when I get that job done I _ have to file them down to a dull-pointed end.”* _ > As he spoke, Billy pulled one of the stee! pieces out of the forge fire and thrust it, hissing, into -@ tub of water. The shop was situated on the - outskirts of the bustling town of Davenport, and - was divided from Hooley’s cottage by a vegetable _. garden. Billy Blake was understood to be a = distant relative of Hooley’s—adopted by the ~~ blac ith when he was too young to remember anything about his real parents. As Hooley had been a blacksmith all his life, it was natural that he should teftch the trade to Billy. The boy got his first insight imto the business at odd / times while attending school, and put in the “peal part of his v; i around the forge. "He was now eighteen and a good, practical work- ~ In fact, he did nearly all the work of the shop, ~~ iow ‘ ~ = > for Hooley had failen into the bad habit of spend- ¥ ~ ing most of his time, to ~ ness, at a near-by dram-shop, where he posed as ~ a champion of the cominon people, putting up a » constant how] about the inequality of the estab- ‘lished order of things. Not being very well edu- - -eated, there was: more hot air than argument in his outbursts against rich men and the rapacity of the trusts. Dick Hudson lived with his: par- ents in the cottage next door to Hooley, and he f a good part of his leisure time with -Billy. the day our story opens he had been fishing ‘and when he entered the blacksmith shop he had “two dozen fair-sized fish dangling from a cord he to make with those e neglect of his busi- warzied inthis hand. =~ “What is Judsoy goin = pieces of steel?” he asked. a wedo dT know? J didn’t ask him.” “Vc a bit of blacksmith work for — fim... He St. be making some kind of a ma- oo rs house.” Pr, mt know of any law against. him spending that-way if he wants to.” “an inyentor.” st @ money, or an in- a lar work. I’ve “I dida'’t notice ind,” sai vide © Abad. Shem, wae any wind, said “There’s going to be a race meeting at the track here shortly.” “So the posters around town say.” “The en said last evening that some of the fastest horses in the business will be brought here to attend it.” “Then it’s sure to be a success. It will bring a_bunch of strangers into .town—mostly people who follow the sport about the country, and make the blacksmith’s business good.” “The Carters ought to enter Black Bess in one of the running events. The mare can go some. I think she’d. stand a good show of winning.” “The anirgal belongs to Bess Carter, and she might not care to race her pet. You see, if spe did, she’d have to secure a reliable jockey. If she only ran Black Bess in one race, she’d have to borrow a jockey from somebody. Then she could hardly depend on a stranger. If the mare won the first heat in good style, the fellow might be tampered with and paid to lose the other heats. I’ve heard that thefte is a lot of crooked work about horse racing, and the owner ‘of a good racehorse entered at a meet has got to be contin- ually on the watch to insure himself a fair show.” “I guess Miss Carter wouldn’t make anything by running her animal.” “That’s my opinion, particularly as Black Bess is only used to being rididlen by Miss Bessie her- self. With a stranger on her back, she might cut up and spoil all her chances of wianing.” “That’s right.’ I never thought of that,” said Dick, with a nod. At that moment a roughly dressed man, with a wooden leg, entered the shop by the-back door. He was an ex-sea captain, named-Ezra Gale, and Mrs. Hooley was his sister. He lived at the cottage and put in his’ time in various ways, chiefly in the vegetable garden, but was. always ready to lend Billy a hand if he was around, for he and the boy were on the best of terms, “Hello, cap’n.” said Dick. “Howdy do young man!” replied the mariner, in a foghorn voice, The captain had a long-stemmed Dutch pipe in his mouth which was hjs ‘constant companion: -About-the only time it was not in his mouth was when he was in bed. ieee does the wind blow, cap’n?” grinned ic “West-sou’-west-by-half-west,” replied the skip- per without*the least. hesitation. ¥ ~
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ad “He could patent it by means of 4 couldn’t he? That's the way Davis got on his corn-sheller.” “I don’t know anything about the re of patent applications. JI don’t ¢ 1 er Judson is an inventor. All I know is made him a number of small i: have fixed up s bee] t
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BILLY THE is direttions. The articles he brought me all parts of.a machine. He didn’t tell at was going to do with them, and I ask him.” got up and left the table. When he re- to the shop, the captain was. sitting on a ‘stool at the door smoking his long-stemmed pipe. - The boy resumed his wogke on the pieces of steel. #Say, Newt look yonder,” said‘the eaptain. - Billy loo ked. Two men, with a pot of paste, = were putting up some ge posters, They were } billing a small, one-ring show. ‘The central pic- Was in the act of touching off“the vent with a hot poker. Rialeei a hazy cloud of white smoke a) his head an es, rolled up like a ball, with and on together, was hurtling through _ the as if he had been fired from the mor- P tae Té was labeled, “The Great Cannon Act. ‘most astonishing and mysterious perform- “a exhibited in public.” a. couldn’t resist the inclination to go to - door to get a better look as soon as. the bill- : _ posters had had finished their ee “We must see that, Billy,” ae Ne tei “Sure,” replied the boy, who prevalent ess: ‘for a circus. t that moment Judson came along, with a Ree those < saies ‘of steel finished yet?” he quite. It will take me half an hour to file . be back in half an hour,” and he went on - % = house, which was only a short distance E hood mad phic hich was laid out as a garden, and walk- an i up to the door. As he was about to pull the ad he heard Judson’s voice around the side of ; As he approached the corner he heard rsarcio. voice say: sees abel you have the machine in running tage of days.” : per been delivered? s es. - “It's hidden under the floo fe the cel- “Good How long will it. take you to turn out ; after you get fairly started?” ; will on circumstances.” “*Youd better cond them on. to us in sections, ‘express, of course. Tackle the fives first, dry, express them. Then follow »sthe tens, and. wind up with the ies. a Watch! + leave a thing around to whan you're out of the house. Under- a r: = ature of the conversation had caused Billy ; at showing himself, that is why . than he r athat wine would. have. 2 to More than half persuade him n off-color business was going son at.the house. The man pate Be out. against curiously dis- « on BLACKSMITH 8 some kind of work. ‘The fact that plates and paper were mentioned gave Billy the notion that it was a printing press. At any rate,-he had learned a lot that was not intended for his ears, and he judged that-if would be the part of pru- dence to return to the door and ring the bell. This he did just as Judson and his companion appeared around the corner of the house. ~ “Hello! What are you doing here? ?” cried Jud- son, with an unpleasant look. ee brought over those pieces of steel,” replied lly. “Very well. Hand them to me. Whats the damage?” “T’ll have to charge yon a dollar.” “Here’s the money, and half a,dollar for your- self to pay you for fetching them over.” “J don’t want any pay for that.” “Take it, anyway. You_can take your girl to the circus ©n it,” grinned Judson. Billy. accepted the tip and returned to the shop not quite satisfied as to the legality of the busi- ness Judson was about to undertake. CHAPTER IIl.—The Burglars. Although Hooley had asked Billy to find out what kind of a machine Judson was putting to- gether, the boy did not intend to. furnish him with the information he had accidentally come into possession»of. The captain was ruminating and smoking when he got ack to the shop. “A Man Was waiting in the place with a horse to be shod, and Biliy got about the work. He had just finished the job and got the pay for it when Mrs. Hooley appeared at the back door of the op. “isn’t John here?” she said. : “No. He hasn’t been here since ten this morn- ing,” replied Billy. “Then he’s down at the dram-shop. You go there and tell him-I want to see him right away.” “All right,” said the young blacksmith, taking off his leather apron. Telling the captain where he was aes and he started off. The tavern was two short away. Marching in, he saw Hooley seated 7? a table with two'men. He had a glass at his el- bow and a pipe in his mouth, and he was riding his favorite hobby——the annihilation of al] trusts and big business enterprises, and the equitable division of all the world’s wealth. Billy inter- rupted him to deliver his message. “I’m busy,” said Hooley impatiently. “Then I'll tell your wife that you won’t come?” said the boy. “No, you'll tell her that I'll be there in five minutes. * Billy looked the two men over ira sweep’ ping way, and mentally decided that he didn’t.fancy j them. They had smoéth; hard faces, and their ‘eyes were shifty. -One had a peculiar scar over his left eye which would identify him anywhere. The cther chap had a broken nose which marked him for life. “Go on, now,” said ge fr don’t bother me. 4
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-putiing dishes away in the dresser, 4 BILLY THE BLACKSMITH 2 “No. He’s my cousin’s son, but he lives with me and works in my shop.” Hooley’s five minutes were each five minutes long, and when he appeared at the cottage he caught Jessie from his better half, but he ex- pected that and never turned a hair. Billy was shoeing his third horse of the afternoon and had no thought for Hooley, though he did think more than once of the two men he had seen in the tavern. At -six o’clock the boy closed up and went in to supper. Then he went to his room to change his clothes. _Just®before leaving his room he looked out of the window. To his surprise, he saw the momen- tary flash of a match through the back window of the shop. He ran downstairs to see if Hooley had gone in there for something. He found the blacksmith reading the evening paper, the cap- tain smoking soberly in a corner, and Mrs. Hooley Clearly, then, there must be some intruder in the shop, and he couldn’t have got in there without forc- ing the back door. Without saying a,word he slipped out. the back way just in time to see two men issue from the shop and shut the door. They started around toward the road. Billy followed them. They stopped in front of the shop and one of them struck a match to light his pipe. Both of their faces were revealed to the boy as he peered: around the corner of the building. He recognized the men as the two he had seen in Hooley’s company at the dram-shop.. He won- dered what had brought them to» the shop, for they did not appear 4 have taken anything. Re- turning to the rear, he found the door had been forced by some instrument. The lock, which was @ ‘common one, was broken, so he had to get a iece of wood and nail it up temporarily. Then e went into the house and told Hooley about the incident, describing the two men so accu- rately that the blacksmith easily knew them. He - went out and looked at the door, asked Billy in "which direction the men had gone, and ther re- turned to -his pape .. Billy attended a dance that evening at a hall half a mile away and the affair did not break up till nearly one o’clock. On his way home his course took him past the Carter mansion, which was situated in the midst of an extensive lawn, sprinkled with trees. It was a handsome place, one of the most pretentious res- idences in the town, and steod on a corner. The two street sides were closed in with a thick hedge, with iron gates—one of which was large and opened on the carriage drive. As Billy hurried ong he suddenly came upon the two men lean- ing against the big gate. A- swift glance told - him they were the men who had been in the shop. He could not see what business they had there at that hour of the night, and the more he thought about the matter the more he suspected they were up ‘to mischief, “J wouldn’t be surprised but they are thinking of trying to rob the Carter place,” he thought. - “Tt's the best house in the neighborhood. and the ~-ene most likely to attract the eye of a burglar.” _ the next of continuing on home, he turned up Street and, crossing a vacant plot of 1, reach bast Se rear of the Carter the residence was partly property. cut and lo easily got over it. He made his way toward the back lawn and yard. He was gliding forward under the shadow of the barn when he saw two figures come around the side of the mansion. They went to the kitchen door and inspected it. It was a plain iron door, which was closed and — secured by an iron hook at night, the wooden door _ inside being also locked and bolted. it would — take tools and time to Open the iron deor from — the outside. The two kitchen windows were pro- — tected with iron shutters. : e In fact, all the lower windows of the house were well protected except the small window that — lighted the butler’s pantry. That, however, was — high up and out of ordinary reach. The window — being small and bolted, it was not thought neces- sary to furnish it with a metal shutter. The two men, whose intentions were now apparent, — noted the small window, and decided that it of-- fered the most available means of entering tke — house. It happened that the gardener had used — a short ladder on the lawn that day and had neg- lected to remove it from the tree against which it steod. The rascals got the ladder, placed it in position against the butler’s pantry, and one of them mounted to the window. After failing to foree the sash, he cut out a ~ pane of the glass, stuck in his hand and drew — the bolt. To push in the window, which swung on hinges, was the work of a moment. He flash- — ed an electric searchlight inside, and then squeez- ed himseif into the room. His companion cli A ed the ladder and: followed him in. Billy had — watched the proceedings, and as soon as the men — disappeared he walked around to the door com- — municating with the gardener’s quarters on the — second floor of the carriage house, and rang the © bell to aYouse the man. He had to ring it sev-— eral times before he awakened the sleeper, who opened his window and asked who was there. ~ “Tt’s me—Billy Blake. Dress yourself ck ras come down. If you’ve got a revolver, fetch — it. “What’s the trouble?” Paes “Yl tell you when you open the door. Hurry now.” > Impressed by the boy’s words that seme was wrong, he hurried on his clothes, gre his A as and camik, Gowenttont ers 7 “There are two burglars in* the house,” said — Billy.. “They got in through the window in the butler’s pantry, with the help of a ladder that you left rary Mo a tree.” ae “How did you discover the rascals?” asked the gardener. ~> “Never mind that now. We must try and catch them.” f “I don’t see how a man could get in through — that small window.” ee “You see that it’s open, don’t you? And sea the ladder where it is?” ; The gardener couldn’t help seeing all that. “What do you intend to do?” he asked. “8 “ — here and. catch them when they out?”> 24 : “That would take too long. Give me your and T’ll go in and you wait here to nab one them if he should gét away from me.” : “Do you-expect to face hoth of them?” ~ *“Why not? f expect to cateh them by while I hold them at bay I shali m ie
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BILLY THE BLACKSMITH 5 Carter to the scene, so that between us we'll cap- ture the rascals.” “That will be first-rate if it works; but look out that the burglars don’t take you by surprise sand lay you out.” “Tf J don’t come on them in the dark, I’ll sur- prise them, all right,” said Billy confidently. He mounted the ladder and looked in at the Window. All was dark and silent inside. He struck a match and flashed it around, and finding that the coast was clear, he got in, though with- out as much difficulty as the burglars had experi- enced, for he was a husky boy for his age. He took off his shoes and carrying them’in one hand, and the revolver ready for business in the other, he started forward. : CHAPTER IV.—Billy Nabs the Crooks. ahead to the front o at the first door he came to. He heard no sounds but he opened the door cautiously and looked in. All was gloom in there and the place, which he ne was the dining room, was untenanted. closed the door and ascended the front base- ~ ment stairs, which brought him to the main hall, _ where the parlor, library and conservatory were. He expected to find the burglars busy on this floor, but an investigation of the rooms showed _ him they were not there. Clearly, they had gone up to the second floor, where Mr. Carter and his ' wife slept, and where the private sitting room | Was. Billy started up, feeling almost like a bur- “glar himself. Suppose Mr. Carter was awakened » and encevntered him instead_of the burglars, and ~ pnt a bullet into him, it would be pretty rough. ~ So when the young blacksmith reached the g of the second floor he stopped and lis- ‘tened intentiv. Not a sound reached him from ' amy room. There were four doors within a short - distance of each other. Billy could see the out- - lines of two of them, as his eyes were now used _ tothe deep gloom of the house. He wondered why - the Carters did not keep at least one light burn- "ing. They did keep the lower ‘hall jet, in a ~ pink globe, turned low all night, but the bur- " glars had extinguished it. The boy had to make - some e move, so he tried the door of the front ~ room, the sitting room, where'the family receiv- |. ed their intimate friends. : ck and the face of the safe was lighted up by of a: hand electric light in the hands the burglars, while the other was drill- ‘holes around the combination lock with an to-date hand drill that went through the steel : ill wood and without ant is v opis os _" Su SESE AA pon nay es SSE sa i Tis 8 pe aia a a BS AE 3 ak Re bree eR IO: ata “Stop, you rascals, and throw up your hands!” cried Billy, ina resolute tone. Both men uttered ejaculations, and the fellow threw the light on the boy, blinding him with its intensity. “A boy!” cried one of them. “It’s the blacksmith kid,” said the other. must be silenced.” “He Billy saw something coming at him and he instinctively raised his weapon and fired straight ahead. The bullet tore through the muscles of one of the men’s right arm, by good luck, and caused him to drop his weapon. The house was now aroused, and everybody.in it thrown into a state of great alarm. Mr. Carter alone retained his presence of mind. He seized his revolver and started for the sitting room. He noticed at once that the dim light on the landing had been put out by some one, and he lit it with the match he had in his fingers. Then he heard a terrible uproar in the sitting room. He threw open the door and looked in. He could make out nothing with his eyes, but he _ heard two persons on the floor near the door en- gaged in a desperate struggle. also heard groans coming from the vicinity of safe. He ran back to his room and got some matches. He flashed one of these into the sitting room and saw the two combatants rolling over and over on the floor, locked in each other’s embrace. One held a revolyer, which he couldn’t use, in his hand. * Mr. Carter lost no time in lighting the gas, and then he saw the state of affairs. He couldn’t tell the combatants apart, though he knew Billy well, because the boy was underneath and his face wag hidden by the body of the broken-nosed mat. However, he saw that.the burglar was a hard- looking stranger, so he seized him first and pull- ed him up. Then he recognized the young black- smith. “Billy Blake—you here!” he exclaimed, in as- tonishment. “What does this mean?” “Hold on to that man, Mr. Carter. burglar!” replied Billy. With a sudden strong effort the boy released He’s a himself, grabbed the rascal, too, and shoved his gun into his face. “Now will you give up?” he cried. The man stopped struggling, for he saw that - he had not the ghost of a show. “You've got me. I give in,” he said sullenly. “Put up your hands, then,” said Billy. The fellow obeyed. “Get a towel, Mr. Carter, and tie him,” said Billy. A shawl-strap Jay on the center table, left there by Bessie, and Mr. Carter used it to tie the burglar’s hands. Then he looked at the groaning man. “Did you shoot him, Billy?” he asked. “T had to, sir.” f Mr. Carter picked up the revolver belonging to the prisoner with the broken nose. “They fired at you, too, eh?” said Mr. Carter, “One shot, but it missed me. I fired twice. I hit this chap, I guess,” he said, seeing the rip in the fellow’s sleeve. ; “Yes, you hit mey blame you!” hissed the man called Cox. “And you'll for it oné of these as sure as you sta crea S2 - Px See se
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“J guess it will be a long time before you ey finish the time you'll get for this job. We've got = you and your companion dead to rights,” said Billy, not in the least worried by the man’s = threat. iad An inspection of the other ‘burglar’s wound showed that he had been hit in the chest by the , bullet, which had fractured a rib, glanced off and buried itself in a muscular tissue. Mr. Carter house. He stated what had taken place in his : house, and asked that officers be sent to take charge of the prisoners. His wife and daughter, who naturally had remained in the background in ‘a state of anxious suspense, now learned all the facts of the case; and Bessie was loud in her praisés of Billy’s plucky efforts in their behalf, The terrified wonien servants, who slept on the -top floor, were reassured by the master of the house, and they retired to their rooms. Billy went downstairs and admitted the gardener, and then he told Mr. Carter that he sed he’d go home, as there was no longer any: necessity for his presence in the house. He had gone about a block wheg a patrol wagon, with a bunch of : a rushing in the direction of the * arter house. It. was close on to three when : Billy got home, He went to bed satisfied that he had done his duty as an embryo citizen, but more than all delighted at having been able to render a@ setvice to the Carters, with whom he wished to stand well, largely on Bessie’s account,” a CHAPTER V.—Billy and the Cannon Act. The newspapers didn’t have a line about the affair in the morning because they had gone to press, and the reporters had gone home, when the burglars were carried to the station house and locked up. Consequently, the first informa- tion the Hooleys got about it was when Billy told them at breakfast. To say that his perform- a ance astonished them would be putting it mildly. y Billy left them talking about it and went to the are shop to open up. ; _ ~~. *¥ s’pose you'll have to attend the police court a * this morning?” said Hooley, who condescended Say to work that morning. 43 “T expect I will, but I won’t go unless a po- liceman comes after me, for I’ve no idea when - the men will be brought before the magistrate.” = A policeman came after Billy about eleven at o'clock and took him-to court. There he found Mr. Carter and Bessie. “Aren’t you a plucky boy!” said the girl, beam- ing on him. % “I didn’t do any more than was my duty,” re- ferred Billy, pleased at the way she addressed im. The case was now called, and Billy’s testimony - Was enough to cause the magistrate to hold Cox for trial. -The other burglar was in the hos- where his svound was not regarded as par- ularly serious, but it would be a week or ten ays before he could be brought into-court. Af- the proceedings were concluded, Mr. Carter illy that he considered himself under great BILLY THE BLACKSMITH went to the telephone and called up the station - “ed on Billy, and the inspection was favorable. ee in the family. There were also other yaluablé articles in it. Billy had saved it all,-and the Carters were very grateful to him. When Billy got back to the shop, dinner was over, but Mrs. — Hooley had his waiting for him in the oven. He sat down and soon cleaned up the dishes. Hooley was shoeing a horse when Billy went into the shop, and he worked through the afternoon with- — out showing any disposition to go to the tavern, — As he appeared to be in good humor, Billy told ~ him that he was going to the circus on the fol- lowing afternoon. Hooley offered no objection, — though the boy’s absence would keep him at work himself. Apparently, the tavern had temporarily — palled upon the blacksmith. Dick met Billy next day right after dinner, or about half-past twelve, and the boys started for the circus lot. There had been a procession through the town, which Dick had seen, but Billy hadn’t, and the former.— described all its tinseled beauties to his com- panion. When they reached the lot they found ~ the tents all in place, and the circus people at- dinner in one of them. The red ticket w ‘ badly weather-stained, stood between the ‘O- tents. It wasn’t open for business yet. The boys — wandered around the clearing, taking ev ing in. In some way they got separated, and while © looking for Dick, who he knew couldn’t be far — away, Billy stopped to look at a circus pony that an attache was exercising. Through the folds ~ of the tent close by Billy heard men ing. “Who in thunder will take Smith’s place this afternoon?” one said. > $ ta “Why, get one of the attaches,” said the other. — “I can’t get one. The whole bunch are down — on me because I got the manager to foree them — to put the mortar in Beis 8 on the stage. They are sore on me for that, and not one will volun= teer. v “See the manager. He'll pick out one and ~ force him to act as the human missile.” | I “T’d rather not. I’m going to look for 2 volun= teer on the outside to perform this afternoon and — evening. I'll pay him ten dollars.” - “I guess you'll have no trouble in getting’a — good-sized boy who’ll jump at that money fer — doing an easy turn that doesn’t take more five minutes.” The voices ceased and one of the men came out- side through a slit in the canvas. His eyes rest- nan “Want to eat ten dollars, my lad?” he aske: “Doing what?” asked the young blac e curiously. - % “Helping me with the cannon act.” . y. I'll give you tendollars to take his place. [J] furni you with the spangled suit. It is a cinch.” ~ “Before I accept I want to know if it’s dang ; ous,” said Billy, seized with a sudden desire to — astonish all his friends whom he knew would be — at the show either that afternoon or in the ning. — “Dangerous!” ejaculated the man. “Not i least. It’s perfectly simple. Come with me I'll show you how the act is worked.” ; Delighted to learn ‘some inside info out the Billy followed him
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BILLY THE entered the main tent. At the highest point of __ the tent, near the top of the pole, was fixed a _ Yoomy netting. This, as was explained to Billy, ‘was to catch the performer when he was shot from the mortal. You'll fall into it as lightly as a feather,” said the man. He led Billy around in front of the circular seats for the public to a small platform on which ‘stood a formidable-looking mortar. It was built of wood, however, with steel connections, and was painted black with gloss paint, to imitate the real article. Anybody at a short distance away Would have taken it for a real mortar. “Look in and you’ll see a big hunk of cotton batting,” said the man. “That covers the strong wooden top of the spring. You crouch down against that and its softness and elasticity break _ the shock of the spring. Being shot out of that isn’t half as dangerous as being fired up eer a star trap on the stage of a theater. You’ll be thrown, with a graceful curve and without any ‘effort at all on your part, in the net yonder.” “Suppose I should miss the net?” asked Billy ubtfull : “You can’t miss it. The spring operates with e samé force each time. If you went through the act a hundred times, you’d land in the same “place each time.” _ “Suppose the spring were to suddenly get out of order?” » “About one chance in a thousand.” “But that one chance is liable to happen.” “The majority of at have more than one chance in a thousand of meeting with an acci- dent, but, most of them miss it. Well, is it a as “ “Yl risk it. It’s like taking a dare.” “All right. The doors will open presently. ‘Before they do, I'll give you a rehearsal of the act. Take off your jacket and hat.” Billy did so, though he felt abit nervous at undert aking a feat so new and -practically mys- terious to him. Z “Say, how do you make the noise and smoke?” he fs ee I release the spring by pulling the er with this lanyard, 2 hammer flies over at the mouth of the cannon and strikes a charge of powder. It goes off with a report and a small ele of smoke as you issue from the opening and soar upward. ell omit that part at this rehearsal. The hammer will fly over, but will only give out a metallic sound. You'll go just he same. Now, get it, legs first. That’s it. Crouch down. Hold your hands in front of your hest, like a diver, and throw them out when ou are fired out. Understand?” : ‘Yes,”, said Billy. “Let her go!” : man pulled the lever over to the first notch, ed the trigger and grabbed the line. ready?” he said. ” answered the young blacksmith. hock, not over hard, followed, and he went eh the air. Before he knew where d into the net as lightly as a te 4 = ; . To-night,’ that will be our cue to enter. BLACKSMITH two of the cireus attaches watching him and ee “You'll find a rope up there. Throw it out of the net and slide down,” replied the man. “Sa Billy did so, and alighted in the ring. A piece ; of cord was attached to the center of the fanc rs rope, and the man told him to haul on the co i When he obeyed, the rope rose up and settled at the corner of the net. Zz “How did it go?” laughed the man. “Fine as silk,” replied Billy, delighted with his part in the act. : “Come with me to the dressing room and don the suit I'll give you. You will appear about the middle of the bill,” said the man, as they walked away. a CHAPTER VI.—Billy Creates a Great Sensation. In the meanwhile, Dick Hudson was looking everywhere for his missing friend Billy, and, of course, did not find him. “Where in thunder did he go?” Dick asked himself more than once; but he failed to get an on pir question. . e ticket wagon opened up, and the surging crowd began its clamor for the bits of pate board that admitted them to the big tent. Re- served seats on the side near the band were sold for 35 cents; all the rest of the arena was a quarter; children, 15 cents. The tent filled up rapidly, and Dick, fearing he would get left in the shuffle, got his ticket, and, giving ly up, entered the tent. Among those who attended the afternoon show was Bessie Carter, who came with her mother and several girl friends. They took reserved seats, but Dick sat opposite in the 25- cent section. Back in the dressing room the per- formers were getting into their costumes, and the head clown was making up his face. In a corner Billy was wrestling with a suit of pink and spangled fleshings with a blue trunk piece that went about his loins, which also glittered with spangles in odd designs. The performers passed out of the dressing room’ and soon the band struck nF the opening march © and the show went on. Billy witnessed the dif-- ferent acts from a slit in the curtain. Suddenly a hand was laid on his shoulder. He looked around and saw the connon boss at his elbow. “We ‘o on next,” he said. “When the band plays, ‘There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town go fist and you will follow after.” = The girl horseback rider finished her act amid — a storm of applause. As her mare trotted out of the ring the equestrienne kissed her fingers to the people and tripped after the animal. i pause followed. The ringmaster be audience that the et ee be th cannon act, which had mysti heads of Europe, the nobility of pal well as the army artillery experts of all nat Millions of people had witnessed it with awe struck eyes: He bowed himself out and 2 started up the music cue. ap “Come!” said the fry Ve ; . > "A ‘ yt thw! i PAL wend
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They mounted the platform and there Billy gazed'around on the big gathering, recognizing nobody, though two-score of his friends were + present. Two persons knew him at once—Dick and Bessie, and they were fairly struck dumb with amazement. “Great Scott!” gasped Dick. mean?” ; The cannon man waved his hand and Billy climbed into the mortar, the lever of which stood set at the first notch. The two circus men who had watched Billy at his rehearsal were on the - platform, dressed like axtillerymen. They were there merely for effect. The detonating powder was in place and all was ready for the firing. The audience had become silent, some with appre- hension, but most with curiosity and expectation. Suddenly one of the artillery chaps stepped up to the boss of the act. He took him to the edge of the platform and, pointing to. the net, asked him if it looked all right. The other artilleryman stepped forward, grabbed the lever and pulled it B= down to the last notch and fixed the trigger as we before. Both artillerymen then stepped back to their former stiff and soldierly attitudes. “All ready?” cried the operator. . “Ready!” replied Billy. The man, Without noticing that the lever had been changed to the 100-foot limit, pulled the trigger. Bang! A puff of smoke and a glitter- ing object was propelled from the mouth of the “What does this er ‘7 Y ¢ bel om re fal mortar, like a shot. Instead of curving grace- ey fully into the net, Billy hit the top of the can- = vas, like a bullet. Fortunately for hiseneck, the = spot he landed against had been torn in the put- + * ting up and he went through the rent like a bird a4 escaping from its cage. ee With the disappearance of Billy, the audience stopped applauding, for all seemed to understand that the human projectile was to be caught in the net, and instead of that, he had gone through the = of the tent at a rate likely to carry him some distance up in the air. There was a suspi- cion in the minds of the majority that something Eve! Was wrong. The actions of the cannon man __ \seemed to confirm that impression, He stood : paralyzed on the platform. A painful silence reigned in the tent. Even the band remained mute. Dick suddenly jumped up and started for the entrance. His action was followed by others. That made it certain to the rest of the audience that the cannon act had gone wrong. Half the men rose and flocked to the exit. The circus was existed. As fast as the crowd got outside, they began looking for the human, projectile, but fail- ed to find the slightest trace of him. Where had the glittering performer "gone? Billy had re- ‘ceived a greater shock at the start than he was looking for after what he had felt during the rehearsal, and he went through the air so fast, tearing through the hole im the top of the tent an engine running wild, that he lost all idea of things till he landed with a crash among the per branches of one of the surrounding elm . He was badly eut and scratched. Instinc- 2 | d the trunk for support and elun ning sailor to a pine in mid- height hung until BILLY THE .BLACKSMITH . thrown into confusion. Almost a state of panic. eee the net. I’m up a tree, and a tall one at a ahs . That being no place for him in such an airy costume, he began to make his way down, but with care lest he fall. Down he went.till some- body happened to see him and uttered a shout: “Here he is!—here he is!—in this tree!” In a few minutes the tree was surrounded by a big crowd, and into their very midst Bill dropped, pretending to be as chipper as thous nothing had happened to him. The crowd gaped at him as he started for the tent. He went in by the main entrance and the people followed as fast as they were able to push their way. Billy walked into the ring, and then the women began clapping and waving their handkerchiefs, The men and boys shouted as they rushed to the first seats in sight. Billy bowed right and left with the greatest ease and nonchalance. The band played joyfully and noisily, “There’ll Be a Hot Time,” ete. Then Billy ran lightly through the _ curtains and disappeared. The amazed operator found him disrobing in the dressing room. “Great Scott, my lad, how did you escape with your life?” he said. “T always light-on my feet,” inned Billy. “What went wrong? Did the spring bust 32 % “The spring! Impossible! Had it broken, you would have been dumped into the ring, or at the ~ most you would have alighted among the audi-- — ence. Why, you must have been flung the full — 100 feet! I, can’t understand how that could — have peppened, for ll swear I set it for the usual 32 feet, the same as I did at the rehearsal,” said the man, apparently greatly puzzled. “Such a thing never happened before.” r ie it won’t happen again—with me. Cough up fite of the ten dollars you promised me and hunt another human projectile for the night show,” said Billy, who knew when he had enough of anything, even if it was a good thing. or pay you when I get my clothes on. I don’t blame you. for wanting to quit. It hap- pened to be your hard luck to meet with the first mot I ge had Wiis Sen Pata, ge = wasn’t any acciden enson,” said a behind them. : 7 The man turned and found the cireus chap he _ = ald sd erde he hired wy. 34 . xplain what you n,” said Benson, whil Billy looked at him with interest, : . “You remember that one of the attaches who pose as artillerists took you to the edge-of the platform and pointed at the net?” axes; he asked me if it looked safe.” That was u* bluff to give his companion time to pull the lever back to the lowest notch.” Benson uttered an imprecation. “The manager must hear about it. ‘Will you repeat what you have told me to him?” . <s “I will, for I think it was a raseally pieee of business. If the boy hadn’t been lucky, he prob- ably would have been killed. Suppose the can- — vas- wasn’t torn at the place he went thro his neck would doubtless have been brokea the impact, Those chaps ought to be and sent to prison.” "ees wf; += <o§ ot = range eet see that they are!” he fumed. “ = RES
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BILLY THE ‘thousand to one against it. The scoundrels spoil- ~ ed the act and shall suffer for it.” “The act wasn’t spoiled. It was a tremendous -_ guecess, for the people now believe the hole in _ the top was made on purpose for the boy to go _ through, and that the gun was aimed to send him _ imto that tree where he alighted. They might ‘have thought differently but for the plucky con- * — duet of your young man,” and the speaker gave Billy an admiring look. “Instead of being rat- tled and looking like a ghost when he got down, he acted just. as if the whole thing was cut and dried beforehand. He entered the tent, stood in the ring and bowed, smilingly, to the audience, and then made his exit just like a finished per- former. The manager said you ought to keep him in Smith’s place.” ESiatens. “Blake, you are a nervy chap, for fair;” said Benson. “[ wish you’d change your mind and re- ar “Til give you my word, Blake,” said Benson eagerly. “You'll get.a rousing reception to-night _ if you go on—a regular ovation. , Think it over, wil ‘ou ?” > ootker some hesitation, and the promise of an extra $5, which Benson said he’d get the man- ager to pay, Billy yielded to Benson’s persuasionse and consen projectile that evening. Then he went home to Supper. . ° PY - CHAPTER VII—Billy’s Engagement Closes. Billy found Dick outside, looking for him. “Por the love of Mike, Billy, what induced you to go on in that cannon act?” cried Dick. - “A&A $10 bill and the desire to give my friends ‘who were present a delightful surprise,” answered the young blacksmith. : “But I say you took desperate chances, being _ fired through the top of the tent. When I saw you _ pass the net and vanish, like a shot, I had an idea that something was wrong, and I rushed out- . side, expecting to find you badly hurt..I found you had landed in one of those big trees outside, -* and as you came down and walked into the show eS “without looking rattled, I came to the conclusion a} en your going through the roof was ay ac- sae ; id ygu see one of the two artillerymen/ fever?” . Yes.” “You supposed it was part of the act?” “Of course.” me jnto the net, That rascal pulled the back to the 100-foot limit only used in a us.- He wanted to give me an awful jolt the act. He might have killed me.” La to repeat the part of the human ~ BLACKSMITH “Ts that so?” “Tt is. Both of those chaps will be in jail be- fore dark if they haven’t run, away. I guess I made a big hit on account of the accident. J daresay everybody present thinks as you did till I undeceived you—that the hole in the tent was made on purpose for me to go through.” “T guess they do, but at first they had an idea that it was an accident. Say, you looked stunning in that spangled rig.” “Caught the girls, eh?” grinned Billy. “So you got $10 for doing the feat? How came you to be taken on? What was the matter with the regular chap?” 2 “He was taken suddenly sick and Benson, who owns the act, hired me for the two shows.” “Are you going to do it again to-night?” “Yes, for $5 extra, but Benson will see that I land in the net the next time, just as I did at- the rehearsal I had.” “You’ve got a pretty good nerve. How does it feel to be thrown 100 feet into a tree?” “T don’t remember anything after the shock of the spring until I crashed into the tree.” “Tt’s a spring that threw\you?” “Sure. What else?” “Tt must be a powerful one.” __ “Believe me, itis. Say, how would you like to try the 32-foot sail into the net. If you want to sample it I’il get Benson to treat you to it before the ‘show opens to-night.” “No, thanks. I’m not a bird.” “It feels fine. It would be something for you to talk about.” FE ad an honor I won’t try to deprive you of. “T thought you had some nerve, Dick?” “Tt doesn’t extend to mechaniéal cannons that have the power of throwing you a hundred feet. I think you’re foolish to run a second risk.” “Maybe I am, but I’m going to chance it. Ben- son says I’m bound to an ovation to-night, for my afternoon feat will be known all over the town by dark.” “So you’re after an ovation? Why ay you join the show?” ~ “T wouldn’t mind if I got paid at the rate of $5\ a performance, which would be $10 a day.” “Wouldn’t you get that right along?” “JT should say not. I asked Benscon what wages Smith got, and he said $15 a week and his keep. Besides doing the cannon act he has to ride in the procession, rain or shine, also appear in the grand entree on horseback; hold a hoop and ban- ner in the ring when the lady equestrian is on; help pack-and unpack tye mortar; putup the stage on which it rests and e it down again; assist in feeding the trained ponies and horses three times a day and do about fifty other things.” “He doesn’t do much for $15 a week and his grub, does he?” “Benson told me enough about cireus life to show me that these is more real hard work about it with most of the people than glitter and show. — I'd rather stay at home and work in the shop ‘than tackle it fr small pay.” : “T thought. cireus people had a picnic.” _— “Don’t you believe it. Hven the star, perf ers have to put 1, a ged of six ¢ goad ee es -) a i. we ae? A ae, ee INS Fae | 2 oa ae
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ee ae el Sai SS es ights, but there are no stars in one-ring shows, : a no fancy salaries. Since ve been behind the scenes I’ve got a different idea of the circus to what I had.” ae They had reached the shop by this time. Hooley was closing up, for supper was nearly ready and he hadn’t done anything for an hour. - . Billy went into the house and told Mrs. Hooley and the captain about the show, but said nothing about the part he had unexpectedly taken in it. He learned that the blacksmith, his wife and the skipper were going to attend that evening, and he grinned at the thought of them recognizing him as the human projectile in the cannon act. As Billy was not required to be on hand before ~ nine o’clock, he took his time in getting to the “lot. Hooley, his wife and the captain started at a ry past seven. They found Billy and Dick tal & outside the gate. : _ “We've got the key, so you needn’t wait up _ to let us in,” said Mrs. Hooley to Billy. : The boy grinned and nodded and went on talk- ing with his friend. About eight, the lads walk- ed to the circus lot. The big top looked like a glowing mushroom, and the sideshow also glow- ed with its own lights. “T’'ve got a pass for two for the side-show. Come on in,” said Billy. ‘ The regular show had commenced, so the side- show was not crowded to any great extent.. Six _ curiosities of the ordinary kind were on exhibi- tion—a fat woman, a living skeleton, a Circassion lady, a midget, a sword-swallower and- fire-eater, and a female snake charmer. In addition there was an Egyptian fortune-teller and palmist. Also half a dozen penny-in-the-slot phonograph boxes -- and two others showing pictures. Thcze was an added attraction in the shape of a five-legged calf, and it cost a penny extra to see it. The boys spent twenty minutes in the side-show, and & then Billy led his friend to the “stage entrance” ee and they passed into the dressing roora. Billy _ opened a small trunk and took out his costume. After getting into it, he put his clothes in the trunk. The lads then took up a position at the curtain and watched the acts and the audience ~~ till the d played the music cue for Benson and * Billy to enter. The young blacksmith got a rous- ing reception as he stood at the edge of the platform and bowed. . “My goodness!” exclaimed Mrs? Hooley, in some astonishment, “that boy looks like a twin brother of Ey, Did you ever see such a re- “semblance, John? Both Hooléy and the captain admitted that the ‘resemblance was most remarkable. Billy, as he got into the mortar, saw that the machine was Tie = * s soon as he had got into his clothes feo bicind hice $5 and a sdaee on the ticket for $10 more, which he duly collected. The Y around the show till*it was nearly e. When the Hooleys i Billy was in bed and BILLY THE BLACKSMITH , usually the first down in the morning. CHAPTER VIII—A Rascally Trick The captain was a habitual early riser and was It was his duty to start the fire going in the stove by ~ opening the draughts and shaking it up, then he went to the well and drew a pailful of water, for the town’s water pipes did not extend to the houses in that vicinity, though the water com- pany contemplated broadening their system in the near future. On the following morming, which was Sunday, Captain Gale was up at seven, at- tended to his duties, and then’ getting the paper from the stoop, sat down to read it, A scare heading on the’ front page first attracted his at- tention. “Almost a Tragedy. A thrilling incident at the circus yesterday afternoon not down on the bills. Thrown a hundred feet into a tree. The human projectile of the cannon act has a narrow escape from death.” The captain was interested at once, and as he read the particulars, his eyes bulged when he saw Billy’s name printed as the boy who had had the narrow escape. The story explained that Gunner Benson’s assistant, having been taken sick, Billy had been engaged.to take his place during the afternoon and evening shows. Then y it went on to state all the facts of the case, as - the reader knows them, winding up with the in- formation that the rascally jokers had made good their escape as soon as they learned they had been found out. “And Billy never said a word about the mat- ter,” myttered the captain, putting. down the pan as per. “So it was him we saw instead of a boy we took for his double. Well, well, well! What a boy he is! When my sister learns the truth, she'll have a conniption fit. Haw, haw, haw?!” 2 The captain chuckled loudly, and then resumed : the reading ‘of the paper. At brealcfast Billy é remarked the odd look the captain favored him with. “Billy,” said Mrs, Hooley, “you were at the cireus yesterday afternoon and you never told us about the boy who looked enough like you to E be your twin brother.” . “What boy do you mean, Aunt Maria?” asked Billy, who called Mrs. Hooley aunt. : “What boy do I mean?” exclaimed the lady, . who thought the question superfluous. “Why, the one who was shot out of the cannon and landed in the net, of course.” ' “Oh! Why, that was me,” replied Billy, with ~_ an innocent expression. : : “You!” ejaculated Mrs. Hooley, in amazement. “Yes. The boy who does the act was taken _ sick and the boss of the cannon act offered me $10 to take his place. It was janeeasy way to make a golden.eagle and so I accepted.” ; “You never said a word about it when you came home, nor did you tell us that you were e ss at the circus,” said the lady. “Why didn’t you?” “I wanted to treat you to a surprise.” s Billy, having finished his breakfast, got up and left the table. When he went to S y School. : that morning, with Dick, they met Bessie Carter at the door of the church basement entrance, —
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ee he BILLY THE BLACKSMITH course, the oun lady had something to say about Billy’s Ses Fam performance at the cir- eus the aftemoon previous, which she and her mother had witnessed. In fact, the young black- smith had to tell his story over again to an audi-’ ence of his friends, though most of them had Yead about it in the morning’s paper. He was generally looked upon as a kind of hero, who had already distinguished himself by catching two midnight burglars, and all the young people re- ed him in a new and more favorable light. After the services Billy escorted Bessie home, and during the walk he learned that she had en- tered Black Bess in the principal event of th race meeting which filled in the last three days of the ensuing week. A $1,000 purse had been offered by the proprietors of the track to the horse which w e two heats out of three in the running rade open to all horses under three years old. Entries closed Wednesday night and race was to form the closing event of the three days’ meet on Saturday. Already two well- known racers had been entered, with records that seemed to leave Black Less’s «chances in the Shade, Bessie, however, was confident that her. mare, with no official record, had a good chance sto carry off the purse, and she was very enthusi- astic over it. The race track was situated within a short distance of Heoley’s shop, and the week to be a busy and profitable one for “Want a job?” asked Billy of Dick, when that lad appeared on Monday morning. ~ “What doing?” asked Dick. hi “The superintendent of the race track is look- ing for a = to renumber the thirty-odd stables on the ground. [I told him I'd send you around to see him. He said he’d pay $i. He'll supply the paint, brushes and a step-ladder.” — “li take it. Where will I find him?” “At his office at the track. Get over there now or tou might miss the contract.” Dick, eager to earn a dollar, started off. The horses that were to take part in the meet be- dag that day, and several of them were with had been made much of by the local press, had aroused a lively itterest. None of the Yacing people expected the black mare to win > of the rival horses heard all the tal Bess. They put it down as they learned the time il her mistress on her back. ° Then they got togeth- er anc talked the matter over between them- selves. The result was a business talk with their respective. jockies. The rival horses were, of course, not only daily exercised. on the esurse, but were sent over it and timed by their owners at daylight on two mornings. In each case they fell a little behind their best records, and they had little, if anything, on the black mare. The men then inquired about the jockey who would ride Black Bess, but his identity appeared to be a secret. The mare appeared daiiv on the track in the morning, and the owners and jockies of the rival racers ‘had every opportimity to look her over and note the way she worked under pull, with her mistress riding her. They wondered why the jockey wasn’t in charge of the animal, for it was considered a prime necessity that horse and rider should get acquainted before the contest. Mr, Carter finally. gave out that he had sne- cially, engaged a well-known. Eastern jockey to ride Black Bess, and was lookine for him to show up. This jockey was a crack rider and noted for his successes. The announcement made the rival owners look serious. They had ood reason to fear that with Nick Burmmside on Rlack Bess, with her private record for speed, there was an even show of them losing, and it called both men to think they were in danger from a horse without an official standing. Burnside ap- peared on Friday, having. been delayed by spe- cial business. He took the mare in hand at ence, and that evening, just as the ‘shades of night were falling; in the presence of Mr. Carter and his daughter, he speeded the mare around the course at a record clip. In spite of the efforts made to keep this trial shady, one of the rival, jockeys got wind of it, sneaked into a position to time the trial, and reported the result to his employer. The owner looked more than serious when he heard it, for it was better than anything his animal had ever accomplished. _If Black Bess could make the same time at the race, next day, she was bound to win, and the chances were she would make it with Burnside riding her, for he could get every- thing out of a horse .there was in one. e owner. hurried to the hotel where his own rival was stopping and told him the news.- Although pitted against each other, they were both against any other competitor. A consultation followed. ey decided that some means must be taken to keep the blark mare out of the race, and they were not over-scrupulous as to the means em- ployed to achieve their object. Black Bess was not stabled at. the track like the other horses, as Bessie Carter would not allow it. The rule re- quiring it had been suspended by the track pro- prietors in order to get her to enter the mare, for they knew’she would be a big attraction. On Saturday morning, about nine o’clock, Black Bess appeared at Hooley’s shop in charge of the dener and Bessie-herself. | Billy was alone ai he time, and was doing nothing at the. momient. _ Burnside had otdered her.to be re-shod with an inside cork sole, which he had fetched with him to add to her springiness, Bessie handed Billy the cork layers, which he was to fit to the mare’s hoofs, and gave him careful directions to follow, then she went down the street to see a : leaving the gardener at the shop. Billy
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BILLY THE ? upon his task, and the gardener sat outside the a “door in the sun. The young blacksmith was just "i finishing his work when four strangers appeared. While one of them entered into conversation with _* the gardener, the others walked into the shop. The three visitors, taking advantage of the fact that Billy’s back was turned ‘toward them, tried a to carry out the nefarious purpose which had es brought them to the place—namely, to dope the = black mare. BR While one grabbed her head and the second ae : her mane, the third tried to force a soft, round We; ball into her mouth. Black’ Bess resented the re attention of the strangers. at once and kicked. s Billy then turned around in time to detect their e. “What are you up to?” he cried angrily. Dropping the mare’s foot, he sprang at the : rascals. The trio started for the door in a hurry. = The boy had a red-hot horseshoe in the tongs in 2 his hand. One of them stumbled and fell, but managed to evade Billy and reach the door in a time to make his escape with his companions. At - that moment Captain Gale had stumped into the Re? = shop through the back door. = “What's the trouble, Billy?” asked the skipper. a “Why, those scoundrels came in here to do u ~ Black Bess,” replied the boy. “Look at that pill, he added, picking the bolus up. “The old game of dope. I wish I had caught one of them; he’d have gone to jail in double-quick time.” ie this point the gardener looked in at the re “Say, I thought Miss Bessie left you here to keep your eye on Bess,” said the young black- smith angrily. “So she did,” answered the man. “Well, you’ve been doing it in fine style, 1 don’t i Why didn’t you come inside with those men and keep them away from the mare? They came here to dope her, and were within an ace of doing it. If anything had happened to. her, I'd have been blamed for it as well as you. You stay here now and watch her.” x é Then Billy finished his job and soon afterward Bessie Carter came back. He to!d her what had happened, handed her the bolus to show to her jockey, and told her the mare had had a lucky escape. Bessie was quite staggered by the inci- dent, and she said some pretty sharp things to the gardener, who had not a word to say in his own defense. a _ J thank you, Billy, for saving the mare,” she i said gratefully. > 2 “Don’t thank me, Miss Bessie. The mare saved _- herself. She kicked and backed, and that drew my attention to the rascals. Then I went for - “Well, you helped save her, and I’m very grate- . ful to you, Billy,” said the girl, with a look that made the boy’s blood tingle. CHAPTER IX.—A Thrilling Race. There was a big crowd at the fair ground track afternoon. It seemed as if everybody in was there. Hooley was there with several eeenions, Billy was theré with his friend k, and Cay Ezra Gale was there with his BLACKSMITH day, was on the books, but nobody cared particu- — larly about the minor events, though they bet on them just the same. Public expectation was on the qui vive over the $1,000 running race. This was to be pulled off in three sections, with an- other attraction sandwiched between the heats, td give the three horses entered a chance to rest up. The local papers had printed a good deal about Blaek Bess’s performances, and confidently asserted that, ridden by such a noted jockey as Nick Burnside, she had an excellent chance to beat out the two racers pitted against her. At three o’clock the horses came out for their pre- liminary canter, and the eyes of every one rest- ed on the black mare. She hadenever looked handsomer or fitter for “a gruelling run. Her limbs worked with perfect motion, and the own- ers of the other two horses watched her with undisguised anxiety. At the last moment’ they had pooled. their interests against her. The jock- eys had received their instructions to this effect —in the first heat Sinecure was to win if pos- sible, while the jockey of Mosquito was to try _ and impede Black Bess in every way short of” fouling her. This program was to be reversed in the second heat. If the racers won a heat each ~ the jockeys were free to make their best efforts to win the third one without reference to the _ black mare. With an ordinary jockey on Black — Bess, the chances would have been in favor of ~ the racers under this arrangement, but i —s so clever a strategist as Nick Burnside it a doubtful if the scheme would work. % However; the owners felt that it had to be put — through. The horses were lined up, the bell ~~ tapped, and they were off, amid the greatest ex- — citement. The man holding the flag dropped it as they passed him in a bunch and the heat was — on. At the quarter-mile post Sinecure moved ahead, with Mosquito second by half a length. All three were going like the wind, but any one who knew Burnside’s methods could understand from the way he sat that he was holding the — mare in to some extent. = At the half-mile, Sinecure led by a length, the others maintaining the same relative positions. There was hardly any change at the three-quar- ter pole, and everybody counted Sinecure a sure winner of the heat. As the horses came down the home-stretch in rattling style, with Mosquito — crowding the black mare as much as the jockey ne dared, Burnside suddenly bent forward and & Black Bess out. She slipped past Mosquito as — though the latter was standing still, caught up quickly with Sinecure,. and passed under the string a full length ahead. The yel! that went — up baffles description. The owners of the racers” swore to themselves, and cursed Burnside for his winning tactics. Billy and Dick fell all over ~ themselves with joy, while the captain swallowed ~ a mouthful of smoke and had a eaening fit. As for Bessie, who sat with*her father mother in the grandstand, she fairly went wild with ex- citement and happiness. ,She and her father hur- ried to the paddock to congratulate Burnside and _ to fondle the mare. we Everybody was so excited over the finish . a
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BILLY THE BLACKSMITH that morning, and the rascals presently went away. intent on some fresh mischief as a last desperate resource. in due time the three run- ners were lined up for the second heat. The crowd now considered that Black Bess, under Burnside, was a sure winner. They were no longer anxious when at the half-mile post the Mare was a length and a half behind, with Sine- cure leading as before and Mosquito a good second. They looked for another exciting finish. But it didn’t come. Sinecure won by half a length, with ona eee second and Black Bess, apparently doing her best, three lengths in the tear. - There was hardly any shouting now. Every- yy was disappointed, and showed it. Experi- enced horsemen in the stand who knew Burnside Saw there’ was something wrong. There was a Suspicion that he had thrown the heat, either be- cause’ he felt confident of winning the final, or for ulterior motives. Bessie Carter was wild, and her father angry. When they reached the to demand an explanation of Burnside, y found the jockey reeling in the saddle. His @yes looked fishy, and it was clear he was not » himself. As he attempted to dismount, he fell dlong on the ground and lay there like a log. A doctor was summoned and he pronounced the man dregged.. With this evidence of foul play, Mr. Carter sought the managers of the track and registered a protest. They took the matter under consideration and an investigation was begun. _The rumor of the truth spread sig the crowd and a howl of in- dignation arose. Billy and Dick heard it, and were mad as two fighting cocks. “it’s a blamed outrage!” cried Billy. “That heat ought to be declared off and run over again.” *“That’s what it ought,” coincided Dick. “This is the second piece of crooked work that has been pulled off against the mare,” said Billy. “You can’t tell me that the owners of the. other ate not indirectly concerned in it. They intend to win somehow, and they don’t care how. ° The papers shall hear about the attempt to dope the mare in my shop, and then the whole town will know why things have happened to handicap the local favorite.” 3 In the meantime the betting had swung around _ Stronger to Sinecure. The bookmakers got wind of the’ fact that Burnside was down and out and could not ride in the final heat. They immedi- ately offered fancy odds against Black Bess, which lots of people, ignorant of the real truth, took up. : When Mr. Carter learned from the doctor that Burnside would not. be able to ride again that day, he was in a quandary. Mr. Carter explained the situation to his daughter. The judges had decided the second heat a go, from lack of proof > to show that the owners of the racers h ; in Burnside’s knockout. It was gener- ‘aly believed that professional bettors were im- plicated in the foul deed, and an effort was be- ing to discover the guilty persons. Bessie : wae ering with disappointment and indignation. Su ly she seized her father by the arm. ell win yet!” she cried, her eyes blazing 13 “You!” he exclaimed, im astonishment. “Yes. Why not? She’s my horse. I’ve a right to ride her.” Hier father shook his head. “Tt wouldn’t be allowed. it wouldn’t be legal If you were permitted, the owners of the racers would protest, and their protest would go.” “Father, suppose I put on Mr. Burnside’s suit. He’s just my sizeeand build.” “But you will be recognized as-a girl.” “Leave that to me, father. Get me the clothes and then vive out that our stable boy, Sam, is going to ride Bess in the last heat.” “Are you crazy, child? Sam is a negro.” “J intend to blacken up and deceive the crowd. I'll -take the clothes across the road to Mrs. “Thornton’s, and after dressing Pll black up with a cork and a ecandlé. Hurry now; there is no time to be lost.” “But, Bessie-——” protested Mr. Carter. “Do as I tell you, father,” said the girl, in a resolute tone. “it is our only show to win, and win I will or kil! Biack Bess!” Her desperate earnestness compelled compli- ance on her father’s part, and the jockey’s suit and colors were soon in her arms. With them she quietly slipped out of the park and across to her fri€nd’s house, where she proceeded to get a for the most thrilling event of her young ife. In the meantime Mr. Carter gave out that he had sent for his stable boy to ride the mare. This, he said, would occasioi a short delay, but it could not be helped. The owners of the racers made no objection when they heard about it. ¢ They now felt certain of winning, and put up all their-funds on Sinecure, for that horse was re- arded;as the only one in the race, the owner, of osquito. compromising a victory on his part for the eo, he expected to win on Sinecure. At last the horses appeared on the track for the last heat, and everybody saw what appeared to be a smiling young negro on Black Bess. The crowd was rather doubtful as to his ability to win, but they put up their money on the long odds that were now offered. The bell tapped and the three racers got away to an even start. Sine- cure forged ahead, but it .was soon seen that Black Bess was under a pull, just as she had been managed by Burnside. The pace was set by the foremost jockey, and it was a hot one. At the- quarter Black Bess was two lengths behind. The owners of Sinecure and Mosquito shook hands and considered it was all over but the shouting. There was no change at the halfway mark, but at- the three-quarters pole the black mare had pulled up a length. The jockey riding Mosquito then began crowding her as they struck the home stretch. The black boy didn’t understand this tactic, but he knew that he was lesing ¢ He knew he must pass Mosquito at once or lose - the race. He bent forward and gave the mare a * free rein. “Go, Bess, go; that’s a good girl!” he cried, in a musical yoice that sounded strange from the lips of a negro boy.
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. ye abinaet et ne Ulie a ite es r i - my _- that it was the greatest race ever Sty him,” said Billy. _ - “Well, I should say-he did! cure, The racer responded and opened up a gap, but Black Bess was now urged to her best speed and she got down to ‘business in fine style. The finish promised to be a close one, and the crowd went wild with excitement. Foot by foot the black mare crawled up on the racer, who .was doing his best. Neck and neck they came down the last part of the course. Then, with the wire right ahead, the negro rose“half up, bent over the mare’s neck and gave her one stinging clip with the whip. Black Bess shot ahead with a rush, her nostrils dilated and her mouth agape, and passed the line half a length ahead. CHAPTER X.—The _Counterfeiters. A perfect Beg tenses ensued around the grandstand. The Davenporters yelled themselves hoarse. When the mare passed the line a win- ner, Billy and Dick fell into each other’s arms and then executed an Indian war-danee around the captain. They fiung their hats in the air and yelled like a pair of Comanches. Neither had bet on the result, for they were not gambling _ boys, but they were just as happy as though they had won a million. ® “My gracious! I never thought Sam could ride Bess like that,” said Billy, who had not recog- nized the cheat. ; “Why, he did as. well ag Burnside did in the first heat,” said Dick. “T think he had a harder job of it. The first = heat was merely a trial of capacity—a kind of sizing up of form for what was to come. The. . last heat was real business, e jially at the finish. Sam is a cookee, but he looked small to me in that jockey suit,” said Billy. “He certainly did,” agreed Dick. “Let’s try and get in the paddock.” They found the pecdeck jammed with a mob which surrounded Black Bess, who was in charge of the gardener. \ The supposed Sam had quickly - dismounted and disappeared. Everybody agreed ulled off in Davenport, and nobody could complain that he hadn’t got his money’s worth of excitement. The race course was pretty well emptied by the time ‘Bessie appeared to see about getting her mare e, ' “Ym awfully glad your mare won, Miss Bes- sie,” said Billy, when he met her. “'m awfully glad myself that she won,” she replied, with sparkling eyes. ;. “Sam $ I didn’t think it was Sam is a corking rider. “You think he did well, then?” she said, her eyes brimming with laughter. t ; He couldn’t have __ ridden better had he been a regular jockey. What _ are you going to give him for winning the purse “for you?” BILLY THE BLACKSMITH ~ sation graphic stories of the big race; stating that in spite of the foul piay that had put Nick Burn-~ side out of the running, Black Bess had won, ~ being ridden in the last heat-by Mr. Carter’s — negro stable boy, Sam Johnson, whose perform- ance was distinctly noteworthy. So Sam became famous in Davenport for a feat he had not per- formed. With the race mecting a thing of the past, and the $1,000 purse banked in Bessie’s name, things resumed their normal status in ~ Davenport. 7 Billy had forgotten all about Judson and his presumed printing machine, owing to the circus _ episode and the race meeting; but now that there — was nothing particular to occupy his thoughts, — the appearance of that individual with a stoutly — wrapped package under his arm, bound for the — express office, recalled the conversation to the — lad which he overheard that day in the garden — of Judson’s house. He began to feel a curiosity — to know what kind of secret printing the man was — turning out. 3 “ « He spoke to Dick about it, and « after securing his promise to let the matter go no further, told him what he had overheard. . “He’s got paper which he’s going to use to turn ~ out fives, tens and twenties,” said Billy. “Now ~— I can’t imagine what is meant by fives, tens and twenties.” ; Dick couldn’t throw any light on the meaning of the terms, either. They puzzled their heads @ over them, but could reach no satisfactory con- clusion. That evening Dick sneaked across the — road and entered Judson’s garden. He hung ~ around the house a while, and distinctly heard a steady thumping as of a press of some kind in — -operation. He located the sounds as coming from . the cellar, but not a ray of light came from the windows that in the daytime admitted light to that part of the house. He examined two of the / windows and saw that they were covered on the inside with some kind of thick cloth. It was clear that Judson did not rean that any prowl- — er about the premises should discover” what he — was doing. Dick spent half an hour in a vain — attempt to find an eyehole somewhere, and finally had to give it up and go home. Next day he reported to Billy what he had been guilty of, and his non-success. ‘The boys talked the matter over again with as little result as before. 4 About eight o’clock that night Billy let him- self into Judson’s garden to see if he could hear — the machine Dick had listened to. He listened in vain, for no sound at all came from the cellar. — He tried every one: of the cellar windows and — found them fast. He looked the house all over, but not a light shone from any of the windows. “Ym not making out as well as Dick did,” he thought. “I must try another night and then perhaps I’ll hear the machine. After all, whatll I gain by hearing it? That won’t give me any line on what Judson is doing. On the whole, IT don’t think I have any right to play the spy on his actions. It isn’t any business of mine if he’s up to some kind of shady work, th if I was sure about it I might deem it my to. notify the authorities.” ae Billy started to return home when he heard the front gate slam shut, and then voices in conv ed his ears. discovery. would place him in an :
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-. BILLY THE close to the kitchen. He judged that the persons ‘were Judson _and a companion, and he ex they would enter the house by the front door. But they didn’t. They came around to the back of the house, passing within arm’s length of the young blacksmith. He saw that one of the pair - Was Judson. “T sent off the package of fives three days ago by express. Rigby must have got it by this time. The bills are beauties, and are sure to pass cur- rent anywhere. I’m at work on the tens now. They are turning out equally as good. We should make a barrel of money out of this thing before the government gets wind of our exertions to - increase the currency of the country for our indi- vidual profit,” said Judson. co The speaker’s words, “increase the currency of - the country,” gave Billy the clue he was after. _It indicated that Judson was printing counter- feit paper money in his cellar, and that was a _erime of the first magnitude. The boy no longer felt that he was acting a part in any way dishon- * orable. Im his opinion, it was his duty to learn ; ‘all he could concerning the crooked work that =. edwas being carried on in those premises and then "notify the town authorities. With that idea in ___— view, Billy listened eagerly to the talk of the two men. “I'm glad things are turning out so well,” said the stranger. “We are Mets great chances in is game. [ shall advise Rigby not to circulate “eres aa until all the bills shall have been printed - and the plant here dismantled.” “T gave him the same advice when he was down _. here two weeks ago, before I had things s -- The fewer chances we take, the better. The mo- - ment the banks report to the Treasury Depart- "ment that one or more new counterfeit issues are in circulation, the Secret Service men will be = on the job. Probably the first thing they'll do will be to try and locate the plant that turned the notes out, and are presumedly turning them out right along. If the plant is out of commis- gion, the plates buried in some secret spot, and | nothing left to show where the notes originated, - the governmert sleuths will be at fault, and while _ they are up a tree we'll have the chance to work _ off all the money and then withdraw to Canada, - or Mexico, and make our way to Europe, where we can enjoy life without fear of being dogged from pillar to post.” - “T agree with you, Judson. You’ve a good head. The way you got the machine down here in _ \parts, and then put it together, proves to us that We made no mistake in taking you in with, us,” “said the man, whose name was Stockbridge. = ing it apart and putting it together again ‘Was nothing out of the u for me to do. I am a thoroughly aie machinist, you know. ~The changes I mad its construction have _ greatly improved it. I could sell the ideas to the “manufac turers, I’ve no doubt; but with larger game in sight, i can’t bother with such small ~ “You are certainly a clever fellow,” said the poe tr approvingly. “Well, let’s goin. I’d like to run some of those fives off. : n started to unlock the kitchen door, Yale lock for greater BLACKSMITH attending the enterprise he was engaged in kept him constantly keyed up, and the least thing out of the way attracted his notice. To the surprise of his companion, he made a sudden dart for the water-barrel. Billy hadn’t the ghost of a show to make his escape. Judson, with an ex- | clamation of anger, seized the boy and yanked him out of his place of concealment. “Who are you, and what are you doing behind that water-butt?” he demanded. “Tm Billy Blake, if you want to know, andI ~~ was hiding there so you wouldn’t catch me,” re- = plied the boy frankly. “Billy Blake! Hooley’s boy, eh? What brings you here?” “T was just looking around.” “What for?” “I heard your machine was in operation, and I Was curious to discover what use you were mak- ing of it.” Judson uttered an imprecation. t : “How did you learn I had any machine, and what business is it of yours what I was doing with it?” j : : “I guessed you had some kind of a machine, 2m because I fixed up certain parts of it for you, and F thovgh it’s none of my business what you are doing with it, I thought I’d find out, anyhow.” “Well, what have you found out?” “Nothing much about the machine, because you’ve got your cellar windows nailed up and = covered on the inside with cloth.” “What has the cellar got to do with the ma- chine?” % “You've got it down there, haven’t you?” i “Who told you it was down there?” st : “Anybody listening last night could have heard — it running. we “Then you were nosing around here last night, ht ead too, eh?” “T_ didn’t say I was.” Se “I guess: you were, all right. Were-you hid- -- den behind that water-butt all the time my friend and I have been here?” —~ “I was.” “And you heard all we said?” “T admit that I did.” “Then you know what I’m doing with the ma- chine?” ' a panic.’ “What's “My silence is not for sale where there is any- thing crooked concerned.” : “Then you mean to blow on us?” almost hissed Judson. : ; “It’s my duty to expose a counterfeiting game.” “T see. t are we going to do, Stock-— bridge?” :
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BILLY THE BLACKSMITH house, and Stockbridge locked and bolted the years in the penitentiary would mean the blot- door after himself. ting out of the best part of our lives if we sur- : vived the term. You are a comparative stran- re ger to us. Can we sacrifice ourselves for you? =k CHAPTER XI.—How Billy Was Silenced. Well, hardly. You see how the case stan = ae : What’s your answer? Weigh your decision we! ox Billy was marched down in the dark cellar, foy your life hangs on it.” . , pushed into a wooden compartment used for the “The only compromise I’m willing to make storage of wood, and locked in with a stout hasp with you is this: I don’t want your money, and~ and wocden plug. In a few minutes the cellar jon can’t buy my silence. I will ree, how- was lighted up by a reflector-lamp, which threw yer, to give you a chance to escape the penalty a strong light on the press, at present covered of your crime. Shut up shop here, destroy your _ with a piece of oiled cloth. There were a couple press, the notes you have printed and the paper _- of chairs near a common deal kitchen table, and you have on the premises intended for bills— Judson, pointing at one of them, told his com- do this, under my inspection, and you can go ‘panion to be seated. : : our way unmolested. [ will forget that you They then proceeded to converse together in have ever been here. I think that is a fair offer low, earnest tones, and it is needless to say that on my part. It’s: the only offer, anyway, Pll “the subject they were discussing was Billy, and make,” said Billy. - how they were to preyent him from exposing the “You forget that we are making the terms, business in hand.. Billy could see them through not you,” said Judson harshly. a crack in the wooden wall of his prison, but “Your terms I can’t accept.” he couldn’t hear a word they said. The men “Are you tired of life?” talked for some time. The problem they had to “No; but there is something I value as much ____ solve was a hard one. The hoy’s frank replies as my life, and that is a clear conscience. It _ ~ to Judson’s questions outside had shown him to isn’t in me to compromise with rescality. I was be a lad of pluck, and not easily intimidated. born that way and can’t help it,” said Billy. He lived only a stone’s throw away, and the men PF me you refuse our offer?” - were uncertain whether any one in his home “T do.” = kmew of his visit to the Judson house or not. Judson pushed Billy back into the woodbin and heir position, however, was a desperate one, locked him in again. Then he returned to $* and Judson, who was a man of resolution, in- tables sisted that only a desperate course could be “You heard his decision,” he said to Stock- __ pursued to silence the boy, who had practically bridge. _ refused to be bought off. It was decided to make The man nodded. - - gnother effort to bribe him, but in the event of “Well, he’s got to die. That’s all there is to dts failure, Judson said they must be prepared to it.” act as the case called for. ; «It’s murder, and I’m opposed to it.” “What proposition are you going to make “I’m not stuck on killing him, but I see no him?” way out of it.” “One thousand dollars cash.” : “We could take him away to some place and - Tt’s a lot of money for a-boy. He’d be a fool keep him prisoner until you finish the santa 9 ’ to refuse it. What good can it do him to blow «Where could we take him where he would onus? If I were in his shoes I’d take the money safe? Would you agree to watch him for two and saw wood.” ; or three weeks?” “Most boys would take it, hide it away’ from “I'd do anything to avoid discovery and the - the knowledge of their folks and spend it having consequences of it.” @ good time, but that chap is different from “Where would you take him?” > most bo J think our only chatice with him is “T’ve got an idea,” said Stockbridge suddenly. to convince him that he must choose between “What is it?” death or silence and a thousand dollars, The “Sixteen miles from here there is a Pare most honorable boy values his life above all else madhouse, 7 by a certain Doctor Jackley, the world. At least that is my opinion.” whom I have heard is not overscrupulous about . “Wellgitry him,” said Stockbridge. taking in ‘patiénts if he is well paid for their _ Judson took\a revolver out of the drawer of keep. We’ll dope the boy and then I'll hire an ‘the table and, rising, went ‘to the place where auto and take him there to-night. A good round ‘Billy was confined. He opened the door and bribe will induce the doctor to keep him fora Tas the boy to step out. : “month, at any rate. Inside of that time you — “Young man,” Judson said, when Billy came can finish up the printing, get rid of your para- — ut, “do you see this revolver?” phernalia and the t f us will be able to -“¥ do,” replied Billy. work off a considerab¥® quantity of the bills. — “Very well. Remember, I have it and don’t We'll drop them between here and the Pacific — y to cut up with us. My friend and I have Coast, and try and grate the balance in San : e ease over and we have decided to offer Francisco. Then we'll take a steamer for Aus- 000 in good money for your silence. If tralia and work our way around to Europe, efuse this excellent proposition we will be What do you think about it?” . So you out of the way. “We'll do,that, There will be no need of kill- ugh to be ‘ing the boy, and in @ month he’ll be set at lib- erty. I.guess we'd better make his term at th house six weeks to provide against any We are
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+ ‘we'll tie him to a chair and then chloroform him. _.~ [ve got some in the house. That’ will put him . to sleep long enough for you to carry out your plan,” said Judson. ‘ The matter being decided, Judson placed a chair near the woodbin. Billy was told to: come out. “We're going to tie you up for the night,” said * Judson, “and give you till the morning to come to terms with us.” ae The two men then pushed the .young black- smith into the chair and tied him in an easy way with a rope around his body and arms. Then Judson went upstairs and got the chloroform. He saturated aecloth with.it and when he went back to the cellar he threw it over the boy’s face. Billy, suspecting that they really intended _. to kill him, put up a eager but useless strug- — ge In a few minutes he lay unconscious. An _ hour later he was lifted into a waiting auto and driven away by Stockbridge. It was close to midnight en the machine reached the mad- ~. house. Stockbridge rang for admission, and af- gr ter some delay the man in chargé-of the gate - appeared and demanded his business.s = “T. must see Doctor Jackley at once. I have a patient for him who must be taken in to-night,” _" gaid Stockbridge. The man said he’d have to see the doctor, In the end the auto was admitted and the counter- feiter interviewed the proprietor of the estab- lishment. For a bribe of $1,000—$250 down, and the balance in three instalments, the doctor agreed to keep Billy in the institution for six ‘weeks, at the end of which time the boy was to be drugged, carried to a certain town, and left _ to his own resources. Stockbridge paid the first money and took his departure as Billy was car- ried into the building. / —— . CHAPTER XII.—The Private Madhouse. _. When Billy recovered his senses he found him- self in bed in a small room, the furniture of st which consisted of the iron cot he was on, one chair, a washstand made of heavy wire, holding a metallic bowl and pitcher, a soa) h and a small towel, and a small looking-glass above a _ ghelf holding a ve and brush. ad ee: fee t was shi a narrow ow p ted in aedh Se sige with iron bars, like a prison cell. Billy was astonished at his strange - surroundings. His first impression was that he ‘was a prisoner in an upper room of the Judson ‘house, though he did not remember that any win- ; of house was provided with iron bars. bed and went fo the window. with another surprise. He r of a building: surrounded wall topped with sharp spikes, was strange to him. Clearly, from the Judson house, a prisoner all right,” he muttered. “Those be: xelec ~— BILLY THE BLACKSMITH “Ge ee 17 safe in letting me go. I wonder how long that will be? And I wonder how far from Dayven- port I am?” As Billy could find no answer to his questions, he proceeded to dress himself. Then he sat down by the window and looked down at the grounds inside of the wall, at the walls and at the coun- try around about. His room faced the rear pros- pect, and the space between the building aad the wall had the appearance of a well-kept yard. The presence of the spiked wall puzzled the boy not a little. Taken in connection with the barred window, it looked something like a jail, or haps an institution of some kind. While he was oes on his predicament, the door was un- locked and a rough-looking man entered with a tray containing his breakfast—a bowl of oatmeal and milk, a small piece of steak, two small corn cakes and a cup of coffee. The man put the tray vein See the bed and motioned that Billy was eat. . eoree my —- eh LB ya the boy. “I’m y for it; but, I say, what place is this, and by what right am I confined here?” The man made no answer, but turned about and left the room, locking the door after him. Billy ate his meal and in a short time the man came after the dishes. The boy tried to get the fellow to talk, but he wouldn’t, and so he. con- tinued in the dark concerning his surroundings. As soon as he was alone again, Billy hoisted the window and got a more extended view of the place, as far as the bars permitted. He saw a railroad train in the distance, alSo a glimpse of a winding country road. He could make out > severa) fa uses, and saw field hands at work. ye and by his ears were saluted with a medley of strange sounds proceeding from a room be- low. The house seemed to be well populated. After a while he heard a noise against one of the walls of his room. It sounded like sawing. He listened, and was sure somebody was at wo on the wall. There was a fall of plaster and the sound suddenly ceased for a while, when it was resumed _There came the sound of foot- steps in the corridor outside his door. on the wall stopped altogether. thrown open and Dr. J entered the room. cal attention, “So you’re the Mayor of Chicago 7” he said, “What's that? What are you talking about? —_ ho are you, anyway?” asked Billy. = .. ‘Quite mad—quite mad!” said the doctor, shak- - ing his head. rel “Who’s mad?” E = . The noise .,His door was »° = ley with an attendant ‘ He looked at Billy with criti- his visitor out. at “You are affli¢ted with softening of the brain, replied the doctor. ea
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Z “And that you own half of the city. The con- sequence is iB Yd friends have brought you here to be treated.” i His words gave the boy a shock. He had read about madhouses and‘always had a horvor of em. us “Is this really a madhouse?” Billy asked ear- ~ nestly.. * “TE is.” “Who is the proprietor of it?” ” - “J thought you said you were a doctor?” ; “So lam. 1 am a specialist on diseases of the “prain.” “Then you ought to know that I’m pretty far ~ from being a lunatic.” % “You have been property committed to my care on a certificate signed by several well-known - Chicago physicians. I couldn’t lawfully accept “you as a patient here without such a certificate.” ~ Dr. Jackiey’s statement was, of course, a lie. ; - “Tf such a certifieate was handed to you when LI was brought here, it was forged by the rascals a ~whd want me kept ovt of the way. You had better investigate it and you'll find there’s noth- ee ing in it. My name is William Blake, and I live = in Davenport, with a distant relative named John _-. Hooley, 2 blacksmith. If you send to him, you'll : soon find that I never was in Chicago in my life, * and that I am no more crazy than you are your- - self,” said Billy. ~ The doctor smiled indulgently. ~~ “Twas told that you would tell me all this,” he said. “it is another phase of your malady. One day you imagine you’re the Mayor of Chicago, and on the next you insist that you are a black- smith. On the third you claim to be a” circus performer who is fired from the cannon at the performances. Another of your illusions is that you are a Secret Service detective, and have dis- _ eovered a counterfeiting plant in a house near where you have lived. You see, my young friend, Thave a full history of your malady. Your friends have brought you to the right place to have you eured, if you can-be cured. [ shall keép you un- mar ebsetra tion and examine you daily. If you tractable and give me no trouble, I shall have great hopes of effecting a cure in you with- in six weeks, in which case you will be discharg- ~ ed and returned to your friends. If you behave re ntly and give us a lot of trouble, you will ave to be placed in a strait-jacket in a padded cell in the dark and fed on bread and water till ou are calmed down. I am not sure you under- and what I am saying to you, but you look as this was one of your lucid moments, so I have gone to the troubie of explaining matters. ‘If you behave yourself, I shall take it as a favorable sign. You will be well fed, allowed a book to if you wish so, and occasionally permitted to ise yourself under the eyes of one of my in the garden below. Then in six weeks ” said Billy. “You have been paid to ere for six weeks so that the rascals -me here can complete their crooked ape? | think ze to ness._ BILLY THE BLACKSMITH The dector smiled. “The certificate is my authority for taking you~ in,” he said. “But i have told you it is forged. It is up to you to investigate it.” “I never investigate certificates signed by rep- utable physicians.” “How do you know that the names signed to it are those of reputable doctors?” : “I have other certificates from them in my safe.” Thus speaking, the doctor walked out, the door was locked, and’ Billy was alone once more. CHAPTER XIII.—The Man with the Red Beard. Billy was a shrewd lad, and he easily saw through Dr. Jackley’s significant taik. “Pil make it hot for this doctor when I get out,” the boy muttered. “I will teil the author- ities of Davenport that I was kept here so as to give the counterfeiters time to complete the print- ing of their money and clear out in safety, and I guess the government will handle this doctor — without gloves.” . ie While he was thinking the matter over he 5 heard the noise in the wall again. He wondered : what was the meaning of it, It looked to him — as if some person was cutting an opening through Z the wall into his room, no doubt from a room = beyond. The noise ceased again when an attend- ant appeared with a book for Billy to pass the time with, but it was resumed when the man went away and the corridor was once* more si- ~~ lent. In about half an hour the plaster suddenly = gave way in chunks. An instrument in the hands of some person out of sight rapidly widened the hole until it was large enough for a small man ta crawl through. Then a head, with a bushy red beard, appeared through the opening and looked around ihe room, Billy’s eyes and those of the intruder met. “Well, who are you, and what did you make that hole for?” asked the boy. “I thought this room was empty. When were you brought here? I’ve never seen you before,” said the man. “I was brought here last night. I suppose you're a patient, too?” » “You don’t talk like a crazy man. Why should you be kept here against your will?” “You're not crazy yourself. I can see that. Why are you shut up here against your will?” “Because I fell into the get of a couple of rascals whose crooked work I got wind of. To prevent me from exposing them, they drugged me last night and then brought me here to re- main for a matter of six weeks if I can’t man- age to make my escape before that time.” ae put here to force me to divulge a cret. a “A secret?” said Billy. : a eae “Yes. The secret of a buried treasure which discovered. But I’ll never do it. Ill die and re here first,” said the man, with desperate es
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‘the tree very BILLY THE pages of story-books. Therefore, he hadn’t much faith in buried treasures. “So you know the secret of a buried treasure, do you ”” said Billy skeptically. t"5 “What does it amount to?” “Nearly $100,000 in gold.” “That’s a lot of money. So you were confined in this place because you would not_tell certain people where it is hidden?” “That’s it.” “When you found they had the bulge on you : why didn’t you offer to compromise?” “Because the money is all mine and they have no right to a dollar of it.” “Did they offer to compromise?” “Yes. ey eed to set me at liberty if I would give them alt of it.” *T should think you would have taken them up. Half of that money, with freedom, is better than none of it and captivity.” Bsa J wouldn’t have kept faith with me. They wouldn’t let me go until I told them first, then I know they would have kept me here anyway till I died.” “Tt seems to me you’re in a bad predicament.” “T have made several attempts to escape, all of which have been failures. This room has been yacant for two weeks. [ decided to bore m way into it, expecting to find the door unlocked. Then I intended to lie in wait for the keeper who comes up here at stated times. My plan was to ang him out, dress myself in his clothes, and make my escape from the building and ounds,” said the man. “Now that you are here, door, of course, is locked and my plans are a failure.” “Maybe not. I want to escape as much as you do. . Perhaps we can “overcome the keeper to- gether,” said Billy. n The man with the red beard was desperate enough to undertake anything that promised suc- cess, so he crawled throu the hole and sat down on the bed to await the coming of the rr. “Say. how came you to find a treasure of one hundred thousand dollars, and why didn’t you take possession of it at the time you found it?” asked Billy, more, to men e the man in conver- sation than because he ieved in the treasure. The man said that he and two cousins went shooting one season three years previous on the southern shores of the State of Wisconsin. He got separated from the others one afternoon and ‘ound the treasure concealed in a hollow tree. He opened one bag and found it contained $20 ld picces, with a memo um of the amount idden in the tree. He marked the location of lily and returned to camp with the one bag, which he showed to his cousins. ' He foolishly said there were many more bags _. where he found that. Their cupidity was excited - and they wanted him to divide the treasure in ~ three equal parts. He refused to-do that, and after that they watched him so closely that he dared not revisit the tree. He determined to do : Sena by -y returned home. BLACKSMITH actly where the treasure was. Such was the ~ story of the man with the red beard, who said his name was Barnum, and he told it so stgaight that Billy began to believe him. “Tf you help me to escape,, my lad,” he said, “we will both go to the place where the treasure is and I will give you half of it. That will be a fortune for you, and half of it is enough for me. Then I shall have my cousins arrested and pun- ished. They are guilty of a crime that will send them both to prison for many years, and so I will have revenge on them.” ay the sound of foot- ~ At that moment there was my: in the corridor. “There’s the keeper,” said Barnum. “Now try and get him to open the door.” He glided into the corner, and Billy ed the bed against the wall to hide the hole. e young blacksmith pounded on the door and then went back to the window. Presently a wicket was raiséd and the keeper peered into the room. “What do you want?” he asked. “T want you to bring me some Billy. replied. r ~ “Drink out of your pitcher,” said the keeper. “IT tried to, but it’s rotten. Bring me some decent water.” he man went away without saying whether he would do so or not. In a little while he came back and peered in through the wicket. Seein the boy still sitting by the window, he ventur oe to unlock the door. He opened it far enough to = in a small pitcher. Before he could close it @ man with the red beard bed the handle and pulled it open. With a blow of his fist he stretched the crouching keeper senseless on the floor. Then he oa him into the room. “Now to escape!” he said. “How can ve do it in broad daylight?” asked Billy. “We'll manage it somehow.” In the man’s hip pocket was a loaded revolver. “You take this and fight your wey to the beak gate. J’ll pretend to be in of you, for wi this fellow’s clothes on I'll be taken for a keeper. Thus we may get outside the wall. Once outside, I defy any man to bring me back. With the re volver we can keep the others at bay and make ities wus upecidaig; he wan cae hile he was s r he was ng the er’s clothes off. He put them on himself, with the man’s hat. Then they both tied the half- dressed keeper and gag: the sheet and thes towel. Barnum opened door and looked out. The corridor was deserted. “Come,” he said, “it’s a time to make the effort for liberty. All the other keepers are watching the patients in the garden.” 2 drinking water,” ve e- E r m 2 x 5 i" j I him with pieces of the — He stepped out of the room and Billy follow~ : ed him, locking the keeper in. CHAPTER XIV.—Conclusion. Billy and the man with the red beard sl over to the stairway and looked down. As , I’m re is a door at te : oy a < St Sat ue supposed 3
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20 Make for the back gate where the supplies are taken in. You will find it locked and barred, and the key is in the possession of the yard man. Waich your chance and with a stick or stone hit the beil over the gate and then hide. That will bring the yard man to the gate. When he opens it rush upon him and knock him down. I will keep watch from the back door. When I see you, dash out I will start after you and chase you down the lane. Use the revolver, ii necessary.” Thus spoke Barnum. Then Billy descended the stairs, *followed by his companion. With the weapon ready for action, Billy glided to the back door, found it unlocked, opened it and looked out jnto the yard. A broom stood against the house. He took it and walked over to the gate. With a dexterous swing he rang the beil and then hid behind an outhouse. The jangle of the bell fetch- ed the yard man. He unbarred and unlocked the gate. When Barnum saw the boy dash at the man, he rushed forward to help him if neces- sary. Billy, however, struck the man down with the butt of his revolver and ran outside. Bar- num rushed after him as if in chase. The cook gaw part of the incident and hastened to give the alarm. By the time a second keeper joined in the chase the fugitives had reached the road. Billy ran on, followed by Barnum at a little dis- tance. He made no effort to overtake the boy until they struck a turn in the road. Then they continued their flight abreast. : “We had better cut across the field,” said Bar- num, “for the doctor is bound to send his auto with several keepers, and they would easily over- take us if we kept to the road.” Accordingly, they took to the field and kept on till they reached a crossroad that in due time carried them into the village of Bingham. In- * oad developed that they were fourteen miles rom Davenport. They got lunch at a bake sho and then walked five miles to a trolley little whi went to Davenport. When they reached that town they went directly to police headquarters, where Billy told his story. A patrol wagon and several officers, with Billy and Barnum, drove to the owe house, passing the blacksmith shop en route. ~ iting business was very appar- ent, and the police took possession of evrything ‘but the press. The Treasury Department offi- ~ cials were notified, and sent men on to look into the cas# and take charge of the prisoners and the paraphernalia of the business. In the mean- BILLY THE BLACKSMITH they entered on the last stage of their journey. Barnum found it no easy matter to locate the place where he and his cousins had camped at the time he discovered the treasure, but they found it at last.. There they left the auto and proceeded on foot to hunt for the hollow tree. The tree, Barnum said, was close to the shore of Lake Superior, and its gnarled dead trunk bore a peculiar shape, very different from any other tree in its vicinity. “Do you see that island yonder?” he said. “Yes.” LA notice two tall chimney-like rocks on it?” do.” “We must bring those two rocks in line so they will appear as oné rock, then we will be close to the treasure-tree,” ; It was an easy matter to get the two tall rocks in line. When they did, Barnum walked straight forward, counting his steps. At the fortieth step he stopped and began looking for a stake he had driven there. Billy’s sharp eyes soon found it. Turning direct to the left, Barnum counted off thirty feet, and there, right before them, stood the fantastic-shaped oe tree, which, the: man declared, looked just as it had three years before. An inspection of its interior revealed nine bags of money, each containing $19,000 in gold. or $90,000 in all. They carried them to the auto- mobile in two trips. Then they made a fire and cooked a pot of coffee, and opening their bas- ket of provisions, made a very good meal. Hav- ing successfully achieved the object of their jour- ney, they started on their return to Chester. The gold was deposited in Barnum’s bank atd he drew $45,000 in bills and passed the money over to Billy, thus keeping his agreement to di- vide the treasure evenly with the boy who had helped him to escape frém the madhouse. - The complaint made to the authorities by Billy and Barnum led to the breaking up of Dr. Jackley’s establishment and the sir | of thirty-odd per- fectly sane persons who had been kept there for varying lengths of time. The stories told by these people as to the cause of their imprison- ment resulted in the prosecution of a number of well-known persons, and the righting of divers wrongs. Billy returned to Davenport. in time to appear against the two burglars, who were convicted and sent to prison for ten years each, and also to testify against the two ccunterfeit-, ers. The latter rascals got a long term each, and shortly after their conviction the Treasury Department forwarded a check for $10,000 to Billy Blake as a reward for his services in the case. *' Mr. Carter gave Billy a valuable present in testimony of his appreciation of the boy’s grit, and at his suggestion the young blacksmith quit the forge and anvil and went to work in his fae- tory, where he eventually rose to the position of general superintendent. Before he got-so_ hi as that, he had won Bessie for his wife. He in- vested the greater part of his fortune in his fa- ther-in-law’s factory, and eventually he will be the sole owner, as Mr, Carter intends to leave his interest to. his wife in trust for his-daughter. Next week’s issue will -contain “SHARP & SMART, THE YOUNG BROKERS, AND HOW
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 21 CURRENT NEWS COAL DISCOVERY IN ONTARIO Great interest has been aroused over the re- rted discovery of anthracite coal at Shelburne, Ont, a village in Dufferin county, sixty-five miles from Toronto. While boring an artesian weil a local farmer struck at a depth of 100 feet a twen- ty-five foot seam of hard black substance, pro- nounced by those who have seen the specimen brought to the surface by the drill to be true coal and probably high-grade anthracite. CART OFF SAFE AND $8,000) Persons living in the vicinity of the private bank and steamship agency of Felix Sarubbi, at 174 Oak street, Yonkers, N. Y., were aroused at the milkman’s hour the other morning by the rumble of an automobile and the voices of several “men who appeared to occupy it. Presently it “seemed that some one was moving, but Sarubbi’s neighbors didn’t get out of bed. When employees of the bank reported for work a few hours later, they discovered that a two-ton safe, holding $3,000, had been removed by bur- giars. TWO CONVICTS MAKE ESCAPE FROM AUBURN Joseph Patnode, 39, and Charles Riley, 20, con- victs, escaped from Auburn Prison October 23 and are stil] at large. They were employed on the night shift in the new factory that is making the State automobile licenses, now operating un- der rush orders. Although roll is called every half-hour, and they responded at 2 A. M., they were missing at the 2.30 rolleall. Investigation showed that they had secured two ladders from the cabingt shop. They tied them together and with a soho made out of many strands of twine let themselves down from the wall on the north side of the prison enclosure. Patrode came from Onondaga county to serve two years for assault, and Riley came from Alleghany county for three f years for grand larceny. . ESKIMOS HOSPITABLE ~ The chill of the Arctic, even when the mercury in the thermometer hovers around. 50 degrees below zero, does not extend itself to the inhabi- tants of the region to the same extent as the chill of the modern drawing-room in more civilized countries, judging from the report of one of the mounted ice officers, who has recently made a rney through’a district not previous patrolled the police. Staff Sergeant Clay, stationed at the new Tree River detachment, on the shores of Coronation Gulf, in reporting a visit to the Kelewiktonnit tribe of Eskimos, says they. had never been visited by the police until he made his ~ fourteen-day journey across country to see them. + “We were received with the greatest hospitelity : by the natives,” Sergeant Clay reports. “They - rected a snow house and gave us food for men on and , and notwithstanding the fact that we Were ute strangers, the natives behaved in a ane courteous manner that is sometimes | ~Rot*met with in more civilized parts.” ce ree} . > BOYS SETTLE DISPUTE; SCHOOLMA’AM REFEREE. choolroom disputes: among the boys at the Webster School in Chicago, where children of twenty-two nationalities attend classes, are not settled by arbitrary fiat ofa teacher. Instead, the principal of the school, Miss Alice M. Hogge, believes in letting the boys decide their griev- ances with their fists, it was learned recently, and in the latest quarrel she acted as referee and second to both combatants. It was a fight to the finish in the school base- ment between Salvatore Sortino and Abe Selon, both aged-12. Time was called several times to enable the combatants to rest and.rinse ovt their mouths, and after fifteen minutes Salvatore had an unquestioned decision. ‘ “Letting the boys fight out their troubles is the best way in a school such as the Webster,” said oa Hogge. “Of course, the fights must pe air. “T never permit any serious injuries. A black eye or two, such as.Abe got, is usually the limit. Abe was inclined to be a bully and got just what he needed. They will be friends now and we shall have no more trouble with them.” J. C. Mortensen, Superintendent of schools, declared he was in favor of Miss Hogge’s method, * Bang jt is the most successful ever tried. in that school. BACKED BY NATION'S STRENGTH. The securities issued by the United States Gov- ernment from the 25 cent Thrift Stamp to the $20,474,330,000 worth of Liberty Bonds sold are backed by the nation’s strength. Americans ac- cept that statement as 9n axiom. unneedful of proof, but few realize what that broad compre- hensive statement really means. ; The United States has but 6 per cént. of the population of the world and 7 per cent. of the land. Yet the United States produces 20 per cent. of the world’s geld, 40 per cent. of the world’s lead and silver, 50 per cent. of the zinc, 52 per cent. of the coal, and 60 per cent. of the world’s supply of copper. The United States grows 25 per cent. of all the wheat grown, 60 per cent. of the cotton, and 75 per cent. of the corn. The mines and mills of American produce 40 per cent. of all the iron and steel used, and the United States operates 40 per cent. of the world’s railroads. The war left no doubt of the man power of the United States. Our production leaves no doubt of the money power of the United States. The power of every citizen and all he possesses is behind the obligations of the United States. Every element of* production is behind them as 4 well as the resonrees from which production comes. If you sell your Liberty Bonds at pres= © ent prices when no necessity exists, merely to have something jn your pocket to jingle against your keys, you discount the wealth, the and the futuve of the st nation of the world, s . ‘ee -— BUY W. S.
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Lost On Mt. Erebus —OR— A Boy Explorer At the South Pole : ' By GASTON GARNE (A Serial Story) CHAPTER XIX.—(continued) : “JT don’t see that here,” grumbled Rucker, re- t to own up to anything he did not have to. “I don’t like you, Hawley, I never will like a you get out of me, you'll get only by eNot only the diary, but White’s last state- ent, written by his numbing fingers, we have.” * “Yes, indeed,” interposed Madge. “We also _ fouhd the poor piece of pencil which he wrote with, that probably dropped from his hand when he could no longer hold it.” 5 “Why don’t you produce all this?” shouted Rucker savagely. ¢ “We saw no use in unduly loading ourselves unnecessarily on our trip south, which the find- “But you took the sextant this far and the eompass.” “Yes,” declared Joe. “We wanted to verify instruments with ours, and ours by his. For felt reasonably certain that if both agreed, our observations were apt to be correct. We found that they did agree. Having found this, we left ses here. i our —_ se = pole, ur grub, sleeping bags, and our li tent, were sabe more than enough to take with us.” Td = to see that diary,” muttered Rucker ina te ‘y- But, meantime, we’ve got to make what rations we have here last the six of us or we’ll not get there at all.” ight you are, Joe,” said Dr. Carr. “If only and Madge were here you would have harder ling, but you would have plenty of grub. As 3, you need not pull so much, for we can all ; but we must deny ourselves in the matter 0 ” er some talk it was agreed that each one id have about a third of the usual amount of mmican and frozen biscuit and meat due an in- ridual when full rations were going. . limited was the supply of alcohol for a fire day. This was made and served at breakfast. “Madge, you-are a girl,” remarked Carr. “You already undergone frightful privations, even ¢ man. You ought to have a double of tea, and a double allowance of pemmi- ep up your strength.” : a cn Gop dike ana ae ; n feel ine an in every way. boy!” purred the girl with a smile. ou will see it when we get to Owl’s Head . at the tea ration was cut down to half a pint_ “1 don’t need at ' FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY . : “Right you are, Miss Madge,” confirmed Shouse, who was growing nervous over the scarce prospect ahead. “We'll all share and shar} alike whatever happens.” “Why, you greedy pig!” growled Joy, giving the sailor a nudge to keep still. “If it wasn’t for Mr. Hawley and Miss Barclay’s divyin’ up with us, where’d we be now?” : “We'd be,in the soup, sure enough,” said Dr. Carr, anxious to concur with Joy and avert any trouble, : “Faith!” grumbled Shouse. “Wouldn’t I like to be in the soup, providin’ the soup was strong and well seasoned.” This brought a general laugh, and the matter was tided over on the theory advanced by the sailor, that all, including Madge, would share and share alike for a time at least. After*a night’s rest, and a mighty slim break- fast in the morning, acterding to the allowance plan agreed upon, they started on the long, weary return march. By Hawley’s reckoning they were — not less than two hundred and fifty miles from the all-important Owl’s Head cliff. If they could avoid many crevasses, and were not detained too long by snow blizzards, they might hope to reach ~ base of Mount Erebus in fifteen or sixteen ys. : But this was only to be achieved, provided none of the many hindrances to travel which are apt to threaten a party like this, should be encountered. Or, if met, should be overcome by pluck, endur- ance arid a reasonable show of good luck. By following pretty much the same trail pre- viously taken by both exploring parties when go- ing south, the high plateau was successfully traversed, and the first range of mountains reach- ed without anything much happening but increas- ing hunger and fatigue. Fortunately the wind was generally at their backs. This enabled the tired and gaunt ex- plorers to make better progress than was expect- ed, and when they reached the summit of this range, the snowy regions still to be passed did not look so very formidable. : Every night Hawley made entries in the diary. When the sun was favorable, he took an observa- tion, that was usually verified by Carr or Rucker. «The behavior of the last was calculated to put to sleep much of the apprehension he had~pre- viously excited. Was the chief mate shamming, or was he sin- cere? , } “TI confess I don’t know,” owned Hawley to the doctor in one of their talks when he and Madge were drawing the sled, while Joy, Shouse and Rucker alternately pushed or walked behind. “Y’m inclined to trust him,” said Carr. “He has nothing much to gain by continued hostility.” - - a two may trust him if you like. on’t. the doctor was pained. + “Pshaw, Madge!” said he. “Rucker has every-. thing to gain by being peaceable. place you and Joe hold the ke But I - Madge uttered this with such emphasis that _ In the'first. .
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY THE NEWS IN SHORT ARTICLES. PRISONER “THROWS” VOICE Sheriff Ed Hanratty of Cleveland, O., is trying to find the jail prisoner who “throws his voice.” Hanratty says this man is responsible for cu- rious noises which have been coming from all ~ parts of the jail. When all the prisoners were assembled in the “bull” pen a voice sounded high above from the ceiling. “Alms, for the love of Allah,” it said. “I have just. come down to earth and am starving.” - HOGS ATTACK WOMAN Mrs. John H. Trout, & resident of Jefferson Township, Huntington, Ind., is confined to her bed as a result of having been attacked by five hogs. The woman ventured into the hog lot while doing her chores Sunday and one of the hogs attacked her, knocking her down. Imme- diately the other four joined in the attack. The NOise made by the animals was heard by Mr. Trout, who arrived with a club and drove them off. No reason is assigned for the attack of the hogs, but they had so bruised Mrs. Trout by the time her husband arrived that she says she could not have escaped alone. Her clothes were torn, "she suffered bruises all over her body, and in " many cases the skin was pierced by the teeth of _ the animals. TRAINER WHIPS LiON&SS Thousands of persons who attended the Imn- easter County Pennsylvania Fair the other after- *noon witnessed a battle between Rose, a vicious lioness, and Scott Bobbie, an animal trainer, in which Bobbie, though seriously bitten in one leg, fought the lioness to submission with a chair. He then collapsed and was taken to the General Hos- pital in an ambulance. - it Rose made her leap just as Bobbie was ending his performance in a cage of five lions. The trainer was felled, but dragged himself from the cage, with blood flowing from his limb. As the multitude of spectators watched in awe, the man ~ picked up a chair and re-entered the cage. Al- though almost too weak to fight he succeeded in beating the lioness back to her corner and then into a smaller cage, in which she was carted away. —-—_—_-eo CAUGHT BIG SHARK. a While the Government dredge San Pablo was moored at its dock at Eureka, Cal., two of the crew, John Newton and Mike’ Herdo, sighted a huge man-eating’ shark swimming near the stern of the vessel and decided to capture it. 2 The men got into 2 rowboat and, armed with a sharp hook, started to outmanoeuvre their prey. "Phe shark came too near the boat and the hook Was sunk into his back. - _. For nearly an hour he towed the little craft _ about the bay at high speed. .It was soon nearly filled with water andthe men drenched to the Skin, but they held on. Finally the shark became ae was towed to the ‘dock, where he was ashore by twenty men. He meas- — a _ ening several pedestrians. ured 9 feet 3 inches and weighed over 500 pounds, being the only one, so far as known, ever cap- tured in the bay. SEAL DOES RUNAWAY ACT i A young seal escaped from his pend at the entrance to the city park and flapped his way up Washington street, Portland, Ore., almest to the city limits, stopping one street car and fright- He was captured by Patrolman Forken and taken back to his home. The seal was donated to the park some weeks ago. An ocean breeze wafted a scent of his old. haunts over the park, and the youngster flapped his way out of the pond and struck cut in the general direction of the Pacific. The escape was discovered when a motorman on a Kings Heights street ear stopped to investi- gate a dark object on the ear track. He thought some one might have fainted while out for a walk. He descended and scrutinized the body. He induced the aquatic pedestrian to move off the track and telephoned the news to police head- quarters. Patrolman Forken and Special Patrol- man Finn took up the chase. Meanwhile the seal had flapped up the hill and was-almost to Mount Calvary. cemetery when they overtook -hinn. The police loaded the scal into the side car of a, motorcycle and trundled him back home. He splashed into the pond with evident- relish. The police say the seal wandered about one and a half miles and traveled at what would be an easy walking gait for a man. The seal weighed about 100 pounds. , SHARK FISHING IN LOWER CALIFORNIA. The shark fishing_industry is becoming increas- ingly important in the Ensenada Consular dis- trict, writes United States Consul William C. Burdett, stationed in Lower Califormmia. The Lower California shark, known locally as the dogfish shark, is from four to five feet long and weighs from 90 to 125 pounds. The fishing is usually done by individual fishermen working “ouq from camps on land. The fish are caught on long set lines, on which are fifty, to one hundred hooks baited with small fish or lumps of shark meat. The fins are sold for consumption by Chinese in shark fin soup. The liver is boiled down and shark oil rendered out, Each liver gives an aver- age of one gallon of oil. The oil is used in paints and as a leather preseryative. .The skins are not utilized, except for fertilizer. Frequently shark steaks are sold by Chinese in the district undér the name of grayfish. The large canneries operating fish fertilizer plants in San Diego, Cal., are eager to buy shark and the newly finished plant at Sauzal, Lower California, expects to specialize’ on -converting Shark into fish meal fertilizer. Whereas, form- erly sharks caught in nets were separated out from the more valuable fish and returned to the water, they are now brought. ashore, although the demand is not yet sufficient to warrant using nets for shark exclusively. - <= a
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ci FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 26, 1920..- TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS >: _ Bingte Copies 2 Bia mnRPs eo dp wstds Postage Free.... 07 Cents One Copy Three Months... o. “ 90 Cents _ One Copy Six Months...... <- 3 $1.75 One Copy One Year....... af $F saan) Se HOW TO SEND MONEY—At our risk send P. oO. * — Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittances in any otber way are at your risk: We ateept Postace _ -_-‘Stumps the same as cash. When sending silver wrap the - _ €oin in a separate piece of paper to avoid eutting the _ envelope. Write your name and address plainly. Ad- —*) dress letters to HARRY E. WOLFF, Pubiisher ité West 23d St.. New York ITEMS OF INTEREST PARIS KILLS 10,865 RATS - A communique issued by Prefect of Police Raux at the close of the first week’s battle against the rat states that 10,865 rodents were killed. Ac- cording to the report of the experts, Paris had a rodent population of 8,000,000 when the drive Started. This is one instance in France where the birth rate is quite superior to the death rate. fe ; SUICIDE. HOUSE “ * The home of Mrs. Steve Kozolko,. Martin’s ‘erry, Q.,/is known as the home of suicides. a. after shooting their wives, committed suicide. Julius Glowski, thirty-nine years*of age, serious- _. ly wounded his wife, who had just returned ~_ here from Chicago. She-was visiting at the Ko- __» gzolko, when her husband, Steven, from whom she was separated, sought her out. Mrs. Kozolko was shot four months ago by her husband, Ste- yen, who then committed suicide, - SILVER GONE, BRONZE TOKENS WILL BE = _, ISSUED The small change crisis still remains very acute in France despite the issue of fifty centime and ope and two-frane notes, and it has been defin- ‘itely decided to issue bronze tokens, the first of which. will be placed on the market this month. ~~ The Paris Chamber of Commerce has issued 40,000,000 franes worth of small notes, but many have become soiled and torn and a large amount of the issue has found its way into the proy- inces, where technically it has no value. Silver change has disappeared. ~*s BREAKS LINOTYPE RECORD. _ Alder Hewitt, linotype operator on The Tribune, | Salt Lake City, Oct. 26, established what is said to be the world’s record for linotype composition, Setting 82,500 ems in six hours and thirty-five _ minutes, an average of 12,540 ems an hour. _ Heéwitt’s setting was entirely in nonpareil. The ting was in straight away composition and not undersigned, who composes this, begs to t he equals this record every day.— oe} Bocas .- FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY = Within a period of four months two husbands,— . my (promptly)—Nominative case. VASSAR GIRLS WAIT ON TABLE The shortage of help at Vassar College is be- ing solved by the students. Members of all classes have volunteered to wait on the table for one or more meals a day. The seniors are serving in the main building for breakfast. Help from Poughkeepsie is ob- tained for the noon meal. In other dormitories students help’ serve both at breakfast and lunch- eon. The high school girls from Poughkeepsie help to fill out the vacancies for the evening meal. ! ; Miss Barrett, head of the housekeeping de- partment of the college, said there was no relief in sight and that the college girls would prob- ably have te continue their volunteer services throughout the winter. Vassar students are well qualified for their new “positions,” especially the upper classmen. After the fire in the main building in February of 1918, and during the alterations that followed, the students served as waitrdsses in the other halls because of the two “shiffs” necessary LAUGHS —— “Did you ever gaze on royalty?” “Just once. It cost me $3.75, and the chap who held it drew two cards, too.” “Well, son, what have you learned at college? z dad! I can do beter than that. I can put to- ~ gether an automobile.” a “Why doesn’t your wife sing to the baby when « a it cries?” “We’ve found out that the neighbors — would rather listen to the baby’. Speedy (’phoping from farmhouse to garage) : —I guess you will have to come and get me. F’ve ‘N turned turtle. Voice—This is a garage; you want the aquarium. ey “T was on the stage once.” 4 “Is that, so?” “Yes, and I’ll have you understand that I was ss ‘it’ ” “Yes, with a capital ‘N.’” 3 4 a “I want to do something that will cause me to be talked about,” said the ambitious man. “That’s. easily’ arranged,” answered his wife. “Merely move into a strange neighborhood.” ts Teacher—Sammy, in the sentence “I have a~ book,” what is the case of the pronoun I? Sam- Teacher— — pe in what case to put the noun ~— oy (thoughtfully)—Bookcase. = “Next boy, tell “book.” Next “What! - Twenty-five cents a pound for say-- sages? Why, I can get ’em at Schmidt’s for — “twenty cents!” said a Yankee customer. “Vell, den, vy didn’t yer?” asked the dealer, “’Cause ~~ ~ Schmidt was out of ’em,” answered the would-be purchaser. “Yell, uy I vas owit ’em I sell ’em pie _ dwenty pea doo,” Benen: the B:
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which he believes to be more than 200,000 years old. The skeleton was found in the famous fossil beds of Cook’s Ranch, near Scott’s Bluff, Neb. It will be preserved and sent to the University 275,000 TONS GERMAN SHIPS AWARDED 3 ; ALLIES an: Germany must deliver 275,000 tons of shipping - to the Allies as compensation for the’ sinking of the German fleet in Scapa Flow, the Reparations E Commission in Paris has decided. 2 Germany, according to dispatches submitted to the council, will strictly observe the Allies’ in- = terpretation of the clause in the peace treaty pro- viding that the Kiel Canal shall be free to inter- This is a reversal of the German ~ iping blades. pulled fer cess the switch it simultaneously blad brig pon fi revolution, one suet : om the Setting wtaes. of the reflector and the other against the lamp bulb. In this way the dirt is swept off both lamp and reflector. f LIFE OF MOSQUITOES. Tt is not known just how long mosquitoes can but their average life is much longer than is ily supposed. Thousands of them live through winter, hibernating or asleep in dark ; localities, where they cannot find such places or shelter, they live through the winter in hollow, _ trees; and, even though the temperature may fa far below zing, they are not killed, but on the proach of warm weather become active again. Mosquitoes are frequently seen flying about in the _ woods before the snow has wholly 1 _ THE FASTEST BOAT IN THE WORLD _ That amazing little craft, “Miss America,” af- winning the Harmswo Cup in British wa- vas brought-back to America and entered as ontestant in the Gold Cup Regatta, which was held on the Detroit River. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY | GOOD READING | : /76.73 miles an hour. places in barns or house cellars. In sparsely set- _ the ground. an hour. The average time for the six dashes credited the little boat with an official speed of. Her best official run was made at a speed of 77.85 miles an hour. The performance was very consistent, as will be seen from the following timings: First mile, 47.06 seconds; second mile, 46.2 seconds; third mile, 47.1 seconds; fourth mile, 46.6 seconds; fifth mile, ; 47.3 seconds; sixth mile, 46.6 seconds. Only one other hydroplane competed in these trials, the “Miss New Orleans,’ which made an average speed of 58.35 miles per hour, with a i fastest lap of an even sixty miles. We show an illustration of the start of displacement- boats with stock marine motors for the Fisher trophy. It was won by the “Rainbow,” of the Royal Ham- ilton Yacht Club, with an average speed of 39.48 miles an hour, and a maximum speed of 40.75 miles. The “Miss America” is a diminutive craft ~ with an enormous horsepower for her weight. She has a single step, and is driven by two Liberty motors with a combined horsepower of 800. TEN-YEAR SILENCE BROKEN. = “Corkey the Silent,” the prisoner at the, -= Charlestown state prison who has maintained an unbroken silence for the last ten years, was freed b. October 27, and he broke that long silence with 2 just one word, “Sure.” Then he lapsed into si- ; lence again, answering all questions and making 4 all his queries with a paper and pencil. For — twelve hours after his release he had not uttered another word. r Neither his meeting with relatives as a free = man nor the sight of the strange things that have come to pass in the out$fle world since the prison. doors closed upon him twenty-five years ago, un- loosened the tongue of Patrick J. Hanley. After ~ an automobile ride around the city, Hanley went < to the home of his sister, in Cliftondale. He had said nothing up to the time he went to bed. : “Corkey’s” one spoken word came when he ~ was asked if he would like to go on the stage. = “Sure!” said “Corkey,” and then shut up likea clam. It is understood his sister and he will go West, where he intends to start life anew. That — * his tongue had already caused him enough trouble was the only explanation of his silence that he — ever made, and this was in.writing: = After he had signed his release papers, Hanley was interviewed. On his part, the interview was ca all in writing. He asked for information con- cerning his former friends, a number of whom — he was told were now dead. et He wrote that he felt as young as he did in 1884. His hair, however, during the long term of imprisonment, has grown snowy white. _ wears it pompadour. : raat He seemed greatly concerned about tion of odds and ends he has -gath the curious articles he has made cecia
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HUNTING IN AUTOS _ Times have changed in Alaska from the days when trappers mushed over the snow fields to hunt for game. Citizens of Fairbanks are hunt- ing caribou by automobiles, so say recent arri- _ vals. Automobiles are coming into their own in _ the Territory, and the’bureau is advised that “the __ days of res! sport” around the Northern Alaska _ town are featured by motoring out to the herd, where thousands of caribou are leisurely grazing, bagging a few animals, dumping the carcasses into the tonneau of the car and driving back with the winter’s meat supply. MILK FROM PEANUTS The common peanut is the source of a new - substitute for milk which so closely resembles its - prototype that it turns sour and curdles, pro- duces buttermilk when churned and may be made into cheese. The flavor, in which the nut char- acteristically persists, is declared to be practi- eally its only point of variance with cow’s milk: The new lacteal product originated in the labor- atery of an American university where the pea- nut kernels are converted into four times their ‘volume of milk, varying from 4 to 8 per cent in - fat content and from 2.4 to 3.3 per cent in pro- tein. The cost of production is said to be con- siderably less than the market price of dairy — milk. — ~ Soe FAINTS FOR FILMS _._ Loeal judges are considering adopting masks vhereafter when they dine in public. One of the “most popular members of the bench, Judge Mau- _ fice Bernon. while lunckjng at the Hotel Statler, Cleveland. ©., was startled by the tragic actions _.of a beautiful young woman who, after giving vent to some subdued screams, rushed over to-his able and fainted at his feet. The gallant jurist ened to raise her,up and apply ice water. She promptly came to and thanked him—not for ringing, her back to earth, but for his lifelike ‘tinge in what she sweetly explained was a scene ‘a movie. The cameraman escaped before the judge could thunder out an injunction. __. HERMIT TEN YEARS ON ISLAND. __ Norfolk, Va., Sept. 26—Charles H. Harden- “burg, of Trenton, N. J., formerly a student at Princeton University, returned to civilization re- tts Island, in Chesapeake Bay. 2 Mr. Hardenburg is a brother of Dr. Daniel S. denburg, of Jersey City. He. went to the imarily to regain his health, but inci- y to win a wager made with a friend that could live ten years on an island without the ip of man or woman; | : impaired while at Princeton companied by his brother, yanionsh ane 323s es eR 2 a8 after living a hermit’s life for ten years - FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY INTERESTING NEWS ARTICLES plements, food and horses. Each year since that day Hardenburg has left his island-once to stock up on provisions and clothes, going either to Onancock, Va., or Crisfield, Md. Soon the horses died, and Hardenborg gave up agricultural life. He spent time with the library of books he had brought with him and at what fish and crabs he could catch. The cold winters. he surrvived without diffi- culty, as his supply of clothes was adequate and the house he had fashioned was snug and well protected from the weather. Canned and dried food that he had brought from the nearest mar- kets supplied his needs through the winter months, and when he was not out exercising in the winds he was devoting himself to hard study. Occasional ships passed the island, but through the ten years,Hardenburg had no one with whom to converse. He leaves the island much improved in health. While at Princeton Hardenburg was’ an inti- mate friend of Joseph Tumulty, now secretary to i President Wilson. : 7 ee “THE WAY TO BECOME A MOVING Pic. TURE ACTRESS” is in “Moving Picture Stories,” No. 326. Get a copy. Price 7 cents; postage free. HARRY. E. WOLITF, 166 W. 23rd St., N. Y. be ———————————————————— “MYSTERY MAGAZINE” — SEMI-MONTHLY 10 CENTS A COPY — LATEST ISSUES THE VELVET TOUCH, by Julian Darrow. THY! CLUE OF THE RED LAMP, by Charles Ful- ton Oursler. 3 THE SCHEME OF SOLOMON SNARR, by Willlam Ralph Cummins. Hamilton Osborne. OOM, by Hamilton a vette yar te aD Tio we wen 7 QUICKER THAN THE BYE, b THE CLUE IN THE DARK Craigie. THE TONGUE OF OSIRIS, b DETECTIYH WADE'S BIG mon. THE SPIRIT BELL, by Charles Fult re THE HOUSE BEHIND THE WALL, Pegs Fon arrow. t EHR ADMIRALS SPOONS, by William Hamilton THE CANINE CLUE, by Thos. J. Lally. Fey The Famous Detective Story Out To-Day in No. THE PSYCHIC ENEMY a By ARTHUR WILLIAM ANDREEN FRANK TOUSEY, Pub., 168 W, 234 St, N. ¥. pe ot ES oS ea a “MOVING PICTURE STORIES” — Mare Edmund Jones. ‘ASE, by Ethei Rose- — Tan ever mre © eS 3 Is A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays an ap nay : PRICE SEVEN CENTS PER Copy _Each number contains Four Pring of the Best Sereens—Elegant ~ sting Articles Mhbor t
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CATFISH USED IN STREET CLEANING. In one, of the towns of Oregon the familiar cat- fish figures as a hardy pioneer, and a valued ad- junct to the street department, all because the terra cotta sewers and drains, especially those in the low- er part of the town frequently get choked. If the sewer is not broken it can be cleaned by passing a rope through it to be pulled backward and forward until the obstruction is loosened and re- moved. The dep- uty superintend- ent of stree had a great deal of such work to look after, but at last he discovered a quick, sure and easy method. He goes to the river, catches a catfish, ties a string to its tail, drops it down a manhole into the sewer, and it at onee starts for the river and forees its way through any ob- struction not as solid as brick, dragging the string after it. Then the deputy foes as far down the- sewer as he deems necessary | and picks up the String, which he uses to draw a Wire through the Sewer, and with this_a rope is pulled through and the sewer is Soon cleared. Moving Picture Show in Your Gwn Home Remember, thi: t Moving Picture Machine aud « The vy Picture Machine is etal, has a beautiful finish, and is c by 4 finely constructed mechanism, consist- ing of an eight whee! movement, etc. _ The projecting lenses are carefully ground and adjusted, triple polished, standard double extra reflector, throwing a ray of light many feet, and eniarging the picture on the screen up to three or four feet in area. Sel ly si R is readily by the most inex- ow The_ pictures wn by this marvelous og Picture } me are not the common, crude and lifeless Magic Lantern variety, but are life-like photo- graphic reproductions actual scenes, places and t Poonle. ~ Hf bas caused a rousing enthusiasm wherever it is . This Moving Picture Machine which I want to send you FREE, gives clear. and life-like Moving Pictures as are shown at any regular Movi Picture. show. It flashes moving pictures of the sheet before yol This Machine and Box of Film are FREE—absolutely free to every boy in this lend i an Outfit, free to girls and free to older people. Read uy OF} nay below ean Se how to get this Marvelous Machine. it would. Lam very proud of it. I thank you Much for it and I am giad have it. I =e an entertainment two ys after I : { ie How You Gan Get This Great Moving Picture Read Fiy Wonderful EXEBE 1S what you are to do in order to get this antesing Moving Picture Machine and the real ress—that is all. rite name ving Pictures: Send your name and ad Mail to-lay. As soon as I receive it I will mail you 29 of the most beautif: Offer to You ever saw—all brilliant and lous colors. These pict) prin’ colors among, the | tithes are such subjects as “Betsy Ross aking the Furst iunion Flag" pa. Home,"—“Battle of Lake Erie," etc. want you to distribute these premium pi on 8 special 40 cent offer among the people you know. When have distributed the 20 premium pictures on my liberal offer you will have collected $5.00. Send the $8.00 to me and I will immediately send you FREE the wove! icturs Machine with com Box of Film. mach’ A. E. FLEMING, Secs 61S W. 43d Street, Dept. iis, New York F. Good for Moving Picture Offer ~ cut it & Check of Bene, ee se ae Din ree Coupon -.
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> 1 WAS BALD 64 New Growth of Hair by Indian’s Recipe : Will Send It Free Iam a business man. At the age of i 66 I have a superb hair growth where formerly I was bald. J was told by an eminent expert that never could any hair grow because the reots were extinct. ca A Cherokee Indian “medicine man” proved to me that the roots of my hair were Pgs alive after having been im- bedded in my scalp like bulbs or seeds in a bottle, needing only proper fer- ; tilizing. ‘This is said often to be the : ease with persons who imagine they are permanently bald. “To my amazement and joy new hair “ aed all over the spot that had bcen 5 The recipe I am willing to send free - to you if you enclose a stamp for re- furn postage. Address: John Hart Brittain, 150 East Thirty-second St., (BB-103) New York, N. Y OLD COINS WANTED $2 to $500 HACH paid for Hundreds of Coins dated before 1395. Keep ALL old Money. You may have Coins worth a Large Premium. Send 1i0c. for new Illustrated Coin Value Book, size 4x6. Get Posted at Once. CLARKE COIN CO., Box 35, Le _Roy, N. ¥. N. Y¥. qaality and 3 Goid- 158 Genuine Foreign Stamps — Mexico, m\ Service, Guatemala, China, etc, } approval sheets, 50 to 60%. 72-p. Lists Free, We Buy Stamos. Hussman Stamp Co., Dept. BLANK CARTBIDGE 3% PISTOL piipuq Only Only finest tection and sport, should have one. Order at once. ican flag FREE. Money refunded if des! L.E, Lewis CO., 1402 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY FREE, = sain eer money. BINGHAMTON, N.Y. ene illesetas Sette 87 A SAY of Bingo Perfumed sisopa. Getta roning ee at 962 E BINGO COMPANY, Dept. 962 eo a ES a ne FIRST BATHTUB IN AMERICA | Like other great reforms, physical and ‘intellectual, the bathtub had to fight its way onward and upward in spite of the habits of mankind. Baths flourished in the ancient Roman C¢ivili- zation. The first bathtub in the United States, an) exchange says, was built in Cincinnati and installed in a home there in 1842, It was made of mahog- any lined with sheet lead and was proudly exhibited by its owner at a Christmas party. Next day it was denounced in the Cincinnati papers as a luxurious, “undemocratic vanity. Then came the medical men and de- clared it a menace to health. In 1843 Philadelphia .tried to prohibit bath- ing between November 1 and March 15 by ordinance. Virginia taxed bath- tubs $30 a year. In 1845 Boston made bathing umlawful except when pre- scribed by a physician, end President Fillmore installed the first one ever in the White House. whi things séem incredible in an age* when transient hotel accommoda- tions include a bathroom, but sanita- tion is a recent development. A south- ern Ohio lawyer went to Columbus a few years ago, and when he registered at the hotel the clerk asked him if he wanted a room with bath. The guest thoughtfully rubbed the stubble on his chin and replied: “No; I’ll be home by Saturday.” .The other is that of a newly rich lady who was showWing a friend of her days of poverty the very elaborate bathroom in her new home. It was a sizzling hot August night. “La, how you must enjoy that tub!” ae exclaimed. “Indeed I do,” was the mse. “I can hardly wait for Sat- av sinh to come!” . Gold-plated Lavalliore and Chain, pair Earbobs, Goid- plated Expansion Bracelet with Im. Watch, guaranteed lated Rings ALL FREE for y selling only 15 pieces War Issues, Venezuela, Salvador and india Oe Asents Wanted. Big Estab. 25 yrs. 102 St. Louis, Mo. WHY DO THEY CALL IT PIN MONEY This expression originally came from the gee ance which a hus- band gave his wife to purchase pins. _ At» one time pins were dreadfully exp sive, so that onl wealthy people could afford them, and they were saved so carefully that in those days you could. not have looked along the pavement and found a pin which | you happened to |be in need of, as you can and often {do to-day. By- a curious j law the manufae- Murers of pins were only allowed to sell them on Jan. 1 and 2 each year, and so when | those days came | around the wom- (en whose hus- bands could afford it secured pin |money from them ; and went out and | got their pins. | . Pins have be- jcome so _ yery | cheap in these | days that we are lrather careless with them, but the expression has continué live, although day, when. used, it means any al- lowance of money which a husband gives a wife for penses. Pins were known and used as long ago as 1347 A. D. They were introduced _ t po personal ex- ~
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HIGH MOUN- TAIN PEAKS. Sees ay Colorado easily holds the record as being the ban- ner State in the country for the largest number of high mountain peaks. According to statistics re- cently issued by the Colorado Mountain Club that State has forty-two of the fifty-five highest named peaks in the United States. The minimum heicht of moun- tains included in the list is 14,000 feet. The highest peak in Colorado js’ Mount Elbert, which is credited by the United States Coast and Gendetic Survey with a height of 14,419 feet. It is only exceeded by Mount Whitney in California, the highest peak in the country, hav- ine an altitude of 14.01 feet. After Mount Elbert comes Mount. Rainier in the State of Washing- ton, 14.408 feet. Mount Massive, in Colorado, ranks fou rth, 14,404 feet, and Blanco Peak in the same State is fifth, 14,- 390 feet. Recent meas- urements, says the Colorado Mountain Club, have reduced the elevations of Mount of the Holy Cross and Buckskin Mo un- tain, placing them below the 14,000 foot. class. The name of Crestone — been given - e peak formerly ~<a el Three Tetons and Gla- cier Mountain has been named Mount Wilson. in Solid Goa Send You a Lachnite ADS aas ‘ust send your mame and say: **Send me [achaite, ount i @ soll a old ring on 10 days’ 1 send it it $4.75 with th repaid us t to your home. 9 postman and then wear * of ope friends can tell ut lt you decide te buy it ee been paid. new. Te! zt us which of the gm titoateaed above you wish er size, Write Today gondz slg Hn rin. (adies’ or men's). Be sure to i souaets mentees 204 8. Pesci tes Dept oe aamend ; or the value; fit, quality and satisfaction thing ate and Liberty Tailoring Snciatw Depelt99 Latest Model Swaren” WATCH ae Th The watch you tie ene Gente’ o: or 43 solid sili cilveroldeata stem od nu % Offert Send and anes Offers Send ane, by parcel post, Pay a atee tonto time ‘ony iees-k saa pie ain _“eicharm, FISHLEIGN W, Wared 192 Cbieago, 10, 00,,Dent, | “Welworth” en Big Combination 5c OVER $1.60 VALUE IN MAGIC NOVELTIES POR ONLY One Magic Envetope. Any card, coin, of puctore placed tm this envelope ether. oh her denned w; 5 - — —e ‘ rackerjeck Card Tricks, and sampte sf vot special cards 10 Care [ye - lovisivie ink =Writing cangot be read until Beatea. — 106 wlas, and "post secres, write them in Mystocods 108 13 Curious Love Letters that reed two ways, Nething vulgar, bet e tip- mer? cone they make you lecch They tickle your joy nerves. ie formulas for making Parisian Perfume Powder, Eye-glass Seam: gory Zothers Al y makers, and pee price is _ _ $1.00 Copy of our Big Trick & Novelty Catalog mples of stage oo #7, formulas, ele , end special Sersaie feller, Sort ot loner ny Ho Retuln this ad with your order, of mention where you saw it, and everything mentioned above will be sent w you postpaid for only ibe Welworth Co., Box 278, AAT: ind, Genuine Song-o-phone cxtaaks ¢ highly polished. Any one can play it, Given for selling 25 Jewelry Novelties at 10c each. Eagle Watch Co., Dept 364, E. Boston, Mass. ‘Send Your Name and We'll solid metal, YouWantteEarn BigMoney! And you will not-be satisfied unless you earn steady promotion. But are you prepared for the job ahead of you? Do you measure up to the standard that insures success? For a more responsible position # fairly good education is necessary. To write a sen- sible busbiess letter, to prepare estimates, to figure cost and to compute interest, you must have a cer- tain amount of preparation. All this you must able to do before you will earn promotion. Many business houses hire no men whose general knowledge is not equal to a high school course, Why! Because big business refuses to burden itself with men who ere barred from promotion by the lack of elementary education. Can You eed 2 a Better Position quirements money. YOU CAN DO IT. us show you how to get on the road to success. | satisi fi Write today. It costs you nothing but a sta. American School of Correspondence Dept. H.D. -8384, Chicago, U. S.A. 2 ee ete EES SS MM oe he ' American School of Correspondence | Dept. H.D. yrs Chicago, HL, spate ogc goat — tell me how to get it. i j snAtebitec ie 84.000 000 to $16, 000 j tonnes Repairman anager 2,509 to $4, Beene ioo to $15 000 |” ae o» D Strato 00 ta 910,000 4,000 to $10, eevee BUSINEDS Ay ale wu. Certifiad Por Public Ac- « countant $7,009 to $15,000 I woe lectrical Engineer ain't? Oto I «...Gener*l Education in one year i Peer eee Lcaapacegenmayieen sro penetepatiinae wisicalated saeeeneneenenen,
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20th CENTURY RODEL WATCH $3. 25 or Boys’ popular 16 siz= perfect time keeper mnt polished ¢ ‘in model eta omar en Tace, Bia VALUE for 10 Cis. , 6 Songs, words and music; 25 Pic tures Pretty Girls ;40 Waysto Make Money; 1 Joke Book; Book on Love; 1 Magic Book}; 1 ‘Book. Letter Writing; 1 Dream Book and For- tune Teller; 1 Cook Book; 1 Base Ball Book, gives ruies for games; 1 Toy Maker Book; Language of Flowers; 1 Morse Telegraph A pha- bet; 12 Chemical Experiments; stem win ae posit: an adjustment, ful) » Fits isa r uarantecd not te be a clock oA Minit mevement, Filled Warne Chain. CONSOLIDATED WATCH CO.. Dept 27| iGOM. Wolic St., Chicege 4a rs s HOW TO RMAKELOVE a(NEW BOOK) Tells how to Get Acquainted;. How to. Begin Courtship How to Court a Rasiful Girl;to Woo a } Widow; towin an Heiress; Low to catch a Rich Bachelor; how to manage your beau tomake him propose;how tomake pe fellow or girllove you; what todo fore and after the wedding, « Set other things necessary for Lovers to iknow, Eenpie vo Be bye matl 10 cents. ‘agic Age Table; Great North Pole A written G: with every ogg ee siven with each Seen hee a | Feteae rast tae Se ames; ‘erses - 4 mail for 10 cts. and 2 cts, ge. the above b VAL SAL Conz. CO., Box 20, South Norwalk, 2 Codes, with which you can Telegraph from house te house without wires. 10 CTS. NIVERSAT CO.. DEPT. PStamford, Conn URIVERSAL_CO., DEPT. PStamford, Conn SORENESS HEALED |® ay BOOE €0., rwalx, Conn Sore or open legs, ulcers, enlarged veins, eczema healed while you work. rite for aon book and describe your own case, E ii Gared wd it home; worst casos, A. ©. Liepe, 1457 auscring Jour OE caMe wv 6 re Bee TOBACCO CO HABIT te tj Ag I Conquered i in 3 Days rtobacce By bebe seer yy qt 4 Born bie doer He has become nervous, dyspen! tic and trrilable; Easily. be nee ae ee enfeasy op, a 2 at 3: “’m giving you this bea ares but ttwtildo one i eae ersal i ith fopacees: Ite tll aslave; another collapse, No, 4—Wife reads r Woods. 0. es for pecs i Fe 8—Seing convinced by mulittude of proofs, he rs ates ts in Fpl tman t3 now delivering. a No. 1—Has begun to overcome tobacco craving, Already - ts a feling msi bit wi98 nd ambition re g. No, 8—Su g improvement; all craving gone, filled with new ; ralth. Ne. P—feow anew, No, Lo Surceatin in cing No.11—No trouble to restst femplation oe acted wed seg No.12—Sy cle adedness, good energy, he has now become prosperctsée © craving. sever yarn causing sich disorders 29 le sensation in aoe Yourself a Thousand Times Better While in Robust Health? t is unsafe and torturing to attempt to rid oneself of tobacco Eeniinhiy everco D> Seaeties Nees Miata aes cliente pple Hay oe otter tne : ag cixerss P ipe, cher | Sear emer Da Ys? emsel WOODS, TH-103, Station Fs New York, MN. Y. STOP RUINING Why continue to commit slow suicide when you can live a coly popping with “ywill-povrer”’—don’t do it. Ths correct war Tobacoe is vameaus and —_ ant in a trouble, impure Cpolsoned a Fe ay bse et WARD. Je To those their healt eis themselves servous, di i i ir Bs Ioaking £h 8 Pe - Would You Like to Quilt Tobacco Quickly and Easily and Enjoy 1 a eter sito, it you only get your body and nerves - YOUR LIFE a ate mangsizie poison from the system, OSSNCS5, Fas Other uncomfortad: eect ippee { le aod eaten tan to’ si _— ‘Overcome ia eee poss ae for es fy Egieccr: or sn mpiled ” Fauegtaee eee ie e ng 2) oa. y me '« A posteard aes Own mastery WASTERS AND LOAFERS “Of all econ- omic fallacies the most damaging is that which con- tends that waste- ful expenditure and idleness are of benefit to a community.” says William Feather in Through the Meshes. “You frequently hear it said of a wealthy man, ‘Why doesn’t he quit work?’ A man’s earning power is the measure of his productive capac- ity. Society is interested in pro- duction because the more produc- tion the greater prosperity. “Therefore the premature retire- ment from busi- ness of a man witr ability to or- ganize and carry forward creative enterprises is @ social loss. “Wasteful ex- penditure is harmful because the world is in such great need of useful things that it can ill af- ford‘to have any of its productive capacity used for making wunneces- sary luxuries. “All the wealth in the world be- gan from some- gan from some- body’s savings.” The surest and easiest method of accumulating sav- ings is by safe and profitable in- vestment. Such investments exist to-day in War Savings Stamps,” Treasury Savings Certificates, and Liberty Bonds at current market prices. These se- curities nog only will aid in piling up savings, but will safeguard them securely and profitably, +
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WHY DOES A FIRE GO | ouT? Fire will go out naturally when there is nothing left to burn, or it will go out if it cannot secure enough oxygen out of the air to keep it going. In the first case it dies what we might call a “nat- ural death,” and in the latter case the fire practic- ally suffecates. The fire in the open fireplace, if it has plenty of air, will burn up everything burn- able that it can reach, The stones of the fireplace or other parts of a stove will not burn, because they have already been burned, and you cannot burn anything a second time, if all of the oxygen in it was burned out of it the first time. Now, then, to burn up a thing, you must first start a fire under it, and then- keep a constant draft of air playing on it from beneath, or the fire will die out. The more dificult a thing is to burn the mare important it is that you have plenty of draft. Tf the ashes ac- eumulate under the fire the air cannot go through them in sufficient quantitv and the fire will go out. Other things which prevent the current of air from going up through the fire will cause it to go out. That is why we close the lower door of the fur- mace, to keep the fire from burning CREAT OH BOYS-GIRLS 2587 | ¢ We 2 a re: "TO introduce our new catalogue ofa the Ti tricks and jokes, toys and novelties, we make a, this big b n offer. For only a two cent ff ith = CLAXOPHON ° under the table, back of a aon into a trunk, desk’ in School, any old place, Big FUN fooling Peddlers, Polleoman, Friends, anybody. This Oluxephone isa : escort ie oa leyson Arion Do! unseen, always & t us@,by anyone. Imt. Birds, etc. Claxephon Bi with full instructionsalso act oftSecret Writing y c 2 Tricka,all fora dime, Coin (no stamps). hddres ED “ te CLAXO TRICK CO." Dent. S Ss) reading tric Ail yours for oar a two oant §) stamp. Nothing more to pay. ba Write your name g| JORN PLA New Haven. Conn. 3 Ro Rescetie F = mr BIG FU BOYS Soca eur clin See bone i Fists MARVEL MFG. CO.. Dept. 13, NEW HAVEN. CONN, GET THI REDUCE WEIGHT EASILY _..No more worry about your over-stoutness. Take Oil of Korein, follow the simple, health-improving Korein system and it is positively guaranteed you will lose 10 to 60 pounds or even more—whatever amount of superfiuous fat you need to be rid of —or this self treatment will cost you nothing. We offer $100.00 Cash-Guarantee! It is in every box. Measure and weigh yourself now; watch the delightful steady reduction, Become healthier, younger in appearance, more active and attractive; gain real beauty. This method is also guaranteed-to be perfectly harmless. Oil of Korein is not a laxative; contains no thyroid—but is a vege- talized oil containing genuine fucus vesiculosus, an ingredient obtained from certain seaweeds. Those who follow Korein system are astonished at the reduction —after all else fails. Recommended by physicians. _. A prominent Philadelphian, George Reyno enue, lost 20 lbs. the first month and sation wane Olt of Korein, massaging himself daily, until he reduced 64 Ibs. Mrs. J. B. Hansen, Plattsville, reduced 2@ Ibs. in less than 2 months. Mrs. L. C. Patrick, Niland, wanted to reduce 8 lbs. and did so in two weeks. Miss Ray lost 69 Ibs.. An Albany business man, F. G. Drew, lest 66 Ibs. in 3 months. Many say fat seems to melt away,’’ or ‘‘ measurements decrease se =o <oe Legions of voluntary testimonials. on’t earry the tedious burden of unhealthy fet. Become slender and attractive by this superi d mae yourself and friends. iaxeeee your por So » x Oil of Korein comes in capsules, easy to take. Buy a small ox at any busy ‘poremeers or the ist. will get it for you. Or, write us and we will mail you a box in plain wrapper, which you may pay for when it comes to you. Begin reducing now! Become,thin and stay so! BOOK c= New Book “Reduce Weight Happily” gives helpful informa- ‘ion. Will be mailed free on request. Cut this advertisement out and keep it. Skow fat friends, Donot lose this chance ef a@ lifetime to improve yourself marvelously. Address: ) KOREIN CO., NL-103, Sta. F., New York ae ge
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Instructive, and Amusing? They Contain Valuable Information on Aimost Every Subject © No. 1. NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND DREAM BOOK.—Containing the great oracie of human des- tiny; also the true meaning of almost any kind of ~~ dreams, ‘together with charms, ceremonies, and curious 4 games of cards. No. 2. HOW TO DO TRICKS.—The great book of ‘Magic and card tricks, Containing full instruction on all the leading card tricks of the day, also the most popuiar magical iuvsions as perfermet by our leading magt-¢ ¢iaus; every boy sheuld obtain a copy of this book. Ne. 3. HOW TO FLIRT.—The arts and wiles of flirtation are fully explained by this little book. Be- sides the various methods of handkerchief, fan. gtove, parasol, window and hat flirtation, it contains a full list of the language and sentiment of flowers. No. 4. HOW TO DANCE is the title of this little book. It contains full tustructions ig the art of dancing, bie yal in the Daliroom and at parties, how to dress, fu dances ¥ HW directions fotecailing off in all popular square No. 5. HOW TO MAKE LOVE—A complete guide to leve, courtship and marriage, giving sensible advice, rules and etiquette to be observed, with many curious : and interesting things not generally knowv. Se N6. 6 HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE—Gi full instructions for the use of dumbbelis, Indian clubs, parallel bars, horizontal bars and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over sixty iliustrations. No. 7. HOW TO KEEP BIRDS.—Handsomely illus- trated and containing full instructions for the manage- Mert and training of the canary, mockinghird, bobolink, blackbird, paroquet, parrot, etc. No. 9 HOW TO BECOME A VENTRILOQUIST— By Harry Kennedy. Eyery intelligent boy reading this book of dasteuctions can master the art, and create any amount of fun for himself and friends. It 1s the great- est book ever published. ‘ No. 10. HOW TO BOX.—The art of self-defense *madic easy. Containing oyer thirty. illustrations of af biows, and ‘the different. positions of a good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of these useful and - 4nstructive books, as it will teach you how to box with- out an instructor, Ne. 11. HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS.—A most complete little book, contaiping fujl directions for writing love-letters, and when to use them, giving speci- menMetters for young and old. | Ne. 2 HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO LADIES.— Giving: complete instruction for writing letters to Y 4adies on all subjects; also letters of introduction, notes ; and 1.e4uests. ‘ ‘ No. 13. HOW TO DO IT; OF, BOOK OF ETI- QUETTE.—It is a gréat life secret, and one that every Joulg tan desires to know all about. There’s happi- mess in it. — No. 14. HOW TO MAKE CANDY.—A complete hand- book for making al} kinds of candy, ice-eream, syrups, @ssences, etc., ete. 4 No. 18% HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIVUL—One of the brightest aud most yaluable little books ever given to the world. Everybody wishes to know how to be- come beautiful. both male and female. The secret is > + simple, and almost costless. No, 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EVENING "PARTY.—A complete compendium of games, sports, Card diversions, comic recitations, etc., suitable for par- or drawing-room entertainment. It contains more : for the mouey than any beok published. = No. 21. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH.—The most com- rm. a) z haunting and fishing guide ever published. It eon- a full tructions about guns. hunting dogs, traps, ’ -trapping“and fishing, together with description of game fish. ; No, 22. HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT.—Heller’s sec- = ond sight explained by his-former assistant, Pred Hunt, ae Jr. Exptaining how the seeret dialogues were carried on = Detween the magician and the boy, on the stage; also” OW TO EXPDAIN DREAMS.—This little Tucky and pulucky days. ' "Bor sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any ~, address on receipt of price, 16c. per copy; in mE? money or stamps,, by FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, bea giving hil the codes and signals No 23 7 New York. OUR TEN.CENT HAND BOOKS Fame and Fortune Weekly _, ——— LATEST ISSUES —— 3 748 ee to Win; or, The Mystery of Safe Deposit Rox 6 ; a0. 4 749 A Wail St. Hero; or, A Winning Pip on the Market 739 Winning a Fortune; or, The Boy’ Hero of the Mii. Wl Stockbroker Dick; or, The Boy Who Broke the Wall Street Market. . 752 On the Job; or, Tom Laylor’s Lucky Venture. 753 The Lucky Seven; or, The Boys Who Won the Tt oney. a Wiil, the Waif; or, From Bootblack to Merchant. 756 TST Prince of the Curb; or, A College Boy in Wall St. Wrecked in the Gulf; or, The Gold of the Old Bue- cancers, = pe Boy Brokers; or, Out for Every Deal in *, ~ 758 Under the Big Top; or, From Acrobat to Manager. 759 wets an Jacks; or, The Smartest Messengers in Wa 760 Brave Billy Bland; or, Huastling Up a Business. . 761 pit a Big Risk; or, The Dime That Led to ches. “762 Ciear Grit; or, The Office Roy Whe Made Good. 763 Dealing in Stocks; or, Saved by a Wall St. Ticker 764 oe vg nha Secret; or, The Treasure of Dead Man's ock. 765 Capturing the Coin; or, The Deals of a Boy Broker. 76 On His Own Hook; or, Making a Losing Business Pay. 767 Lucky Jim: or, $100.000 From Stocks. 768 “Millions In It’; or. A Boy Witn Ideas, 769 The Mystery of a Mining Chart; and, The WaH St. Boy Who Solved It. 770 Grasping His Chance; or, The Boy Merehant of Mel- rose. 771 byt sd by Pluck;.or, The. Deals that Made the ollars. 7iz2 The Crimson Mask: or. The Treasure of San Pedro. 773 Yrank Fisk, the Boy Broker; or, Working the Wall . St. Stock Market. 774 pias a Lone Hand; or, The Boy Who Got the 775 a ee of Wall St.; or, The Success of a Boy roker. 776 A Lad of Iron Nerve; or, Little Joe’s Big Bonanea_ Ti7 Too Lucky to Lose; or, Streak. 778 The Stolen Chart; or, The Treasnre cf the Cataraet. 779 A Game Young Specuiator; or, Taking a Chance on the Mavket. 780 Charlie Crawford’s Claim; or, From High School te Mining Camp. 781 An Office Boy’s Luck; or, The Lad Who Lost the Tips. 782 Out for His Rights; or, Starting a Business on His erve, 783 After the Last Dollar; or, The Wall St. Boy Who Saved His Boss. 784 Fresh From the West; or, The Lad Who Made Geod in New York 735 Boss of Wall St.; or, Taking Chances on the Curb. 786 Dick, the Runaway; or, Tho Treasure of the Isle of Fog. 787 In the Game to Win; or,. Beating the Wall St. “Bulls.” 788 A Born Salesman; or, A Young Money-Maker on the Road. 789 Dick Dalton, the Young Banker; or, Cornering *he~ Wall St. Sharks. 790 A $50,000 Denl; or, Hal Hardy, the Wall St, Wied 791 Billy the Blacksmith; or, From Anvil to Fertune. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any ad- dress on receipt of price, 7c. per copy, in monty or Ppos- tage stamps, by HARRY E. WOLFY,, Pub., 166 West 23d St., New York. HOW TO SCENARIOS wrire rem By JAMES P. COGAN Price 35 Cents Per Copy This book contains all the most recent changes Im the method of construction and submission of scenarios, Sixty Lessons, covering every phase of scenario writ- ing, from the most elemental to the most advanced principles. This treatise covers everything a person must know in order to YMake money as a successful scenario writer. For sale by all News-dealers- and Bocw Btores: ae es eannot procure a copy, send as the prite, cents, In money or po stamps, and, we will mail you one, postage Rages, eae > A Boy With a Winning™ S, 219 Seventh Ave, New York, N. ¥. |~