Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 954) (1924 01 11)

Page 1

BOYS, READ THE RADIO ARTICLES IN THIS NUMBER JANUARY 11, 954 \ ics Price 7 Cents SDSS > | eS 2 a) i 2 SS) Roars pSOESSSSSSS STRESS The Ton | sprang ack with a smothered growl, ana seemed as if about to leap upon his aggressor; but the lad, undaunted by the peril he was facing, followed up his first advantage, and literally drove Rajah back to his cage.

Page 2

Sra wai = literesting Radio Ardcles on Pages 24 and 25 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY © {weued weekly—Subscription price, $8.50 per year; Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50. Harry EH. Wolff, Publisher, Inc,, 16@ ? West 23d Street, New York, N. Y. Entered as Second-Class Matter, October 4, 1911, at the “Post-Office at New York, N. ¥., under the Act of March 3, 1879. No. 954 NEW YORK,’ JANUARY 11, 1924 Frice. 7 Cents ee: a . “ A SURE WINNER OR, THE BOY WHO WENT OUT WITH A CIRCUS ~ a ' By A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER I.—Luke Bagley Yields to Tempta- was always sustained by his mother, a sharp- tion. featured, penurious woman, with a disposition . ; ies resembling vinegar, who thought her only son See here, Nick, where are you goin’?” asked was about as perfect as boys come. Mr. Bagley _ Luke Bagley, a big, lazy-looking boy of fifteen, also backed his son up, as a rule, when ever it- with a sallow complexion, protruding, lobster-like was a question of veracity between his spoiled _ eyes, and a turned-up nose of scant proportions, heir and the hired boy. This Western farmer, of a bright, red-cheeked lad of fourteen, attired who was an obstinate, not over-intelligent man, “yin shabby garments that did not fit his supple, had taken Nick from the poor farm when the boy well-knit frame. was ten and had treated him more or less as.a _ “Ym going into the field to hoe potatoes,” an- slave ever since he had been on the farm. He swered Nick Long, without pausing in his walk. grudgingly permitted Nick to attend school dur- or e hada long hoe in his hand, and his brown jing the winter months, because that was one of _ eurly hair was covered by an ancient broad-brim- the conditions of the contract, and because work _ med straw hat as a protection against the summer about the place was naturally slack at that sea- sun: * 3 : son. In this way Nick managed to get nearly six ~* “Well, ’'m goin’ fishin’, and I want you to go month’s tuition at the district school every year, ; __ into the garden and dig some worms for bait. Do while Luke received the benefit of the full term— you understand?” said Luke, in a commanding om the beginning of September to the end of tone. f SR ay. _ “You'll have to dig your own worms this time, As Luke was not overbright, and was inclined Luke. Your father told me to go into the field to. shirk his studies, the hired boy learned twice - right away.” as much as he did in two-thirds of the time. Nick __ “Never mind what my father told you. Do as "was a very industrious and conscientious worker Ttell you. You can go to the field afterward.” on the farm, but he did not get any credit for it, _ “I’ve got to obey your father, Luke,” replied just the same, When the busy times were on he Nick, pausing to open a gate leading into the was driven hard, and got roundly abused, into me. the bangain, when the farmer looked about for “Do you mean to say you won’t do as I tell some one on whom to vent his ill-humor, All you?” cried Luke Bagley, advancing upon his Nick knew about his parentage was what the father’s hired boy in a threatening manner. ~ overseer informed him the day he was appren- _ “Tf I don’t do as your father tells me, you know ticed to Mr. Bagley. He was born in Salem vil- he'll take a cowhide to me.” ‘ lage, his mother, who was a stranger tothe place, “That ain’t my business,” grinned the big boy, dying almost immediately after his birth, of an maliciously. epidemic. As there was no clue to his mother’s. ' “Well, it’s my business,” replied Nick, resolute- identity, she was buried in the village cemetery, oly, opening the gate. ima sunny corner of the lot, and the infant was _ “Here, stop! Come back and dig those worms taken to the poor farm, where it, thyived and for me. There’s a can,” and Luke tossed an old grew into a bright and intelligent lad. ‘This was omato can toward Nick. the sum and total of Nick’s history. What his - “Can’t do it,” replied the hired boy, pulling the real name ought to have been was a mystery, but gate to after him. the omission was supplied by the overseer of the -- “Pll pay you up for this, see if I don’t,” snarled poor farm, and under the name of Nick Long the Luke, in a fit of anger at the big’s refusal to obey lad was bound out to William Bagley. It was Syahim. ~~ hot work hoeing potatoes on that July morn- Nick Long paid no further attention to him, but ing, and Nick was glad when he heard the horn -went on his way toward the potato field. He was sound for dinner. Not that he had any great ; getting tired of Luke Bagley’s overbearing and anticipations of a bountiful repast awaiting him s yrannical behavior toward him. He would have in the kitchen of the farmhouse. though he was ented it long before but for the fact that Luke hungry enough to do justice to a big square meal. “3 ‘ ease

Page 3

t - One member-of the household succeeded in get- ~ ting about all he wanted in the eating line, and that, as the reader may suppose, was Luke. If _. there was a deficiency on his side of the house at ‘ any time, he set up a strenuous kick, with the re- sult that somebody else had to suffer, and it is -. hardly necessary to mention who the chief suf- ze ferer was. When Nick entered the kitchen, after * washing up at the pump, he found the family already at the table. There was a small piece of meat on his plate, about two bites, and a hunk of stale bread beside, with a full glass of milk. Luke had already consumed his allowance, and had just managed to secure half the hired boy’s _ share; that was why Nick had so little with which to try and satisfy a healthy appetite. He never thought of raising an objection to the meager- ness of his fare, That would have been looked ~_wpon as rank rebellion to the established customs of the house, and he would probably have been deprived of the little there was as a fit punish- _. ment for such presumption on his part. _ “Pg,” said Luke, gobbling down an apple turn- over that had been specially cooked for him, _“there’s a circus in Brentville to-day.” - Brentville was a big town on the railroad, about six miles from the farm. “Humph!” grunted Mr. Bagley. “J want to go.” ; “J hain’t got no time or money to waste on cir- euses,” replied the farmer, ungraciously, for his best horse had gone lame that morning, and in - consequence he was in bad humor. “Ma. can’t I go?” persisted Luke. “J ain’t got nuthin’ to say,” she answered. “Ttll only cost me fifty cents.” “Fifty cents is a lot of money,” said Mrs. Bag- ley. 2 Nick, who was quietly listening to the con- versation, agreed with the lady of the house. + Fifty cents was a lot. of money in his eyes, for he had never owned that much in his life. Just then - there were the sounds of wagon wheels in the yard, and Mrs. Bagley rose hastily and looked out through the window, “There’s the butcher,” she said. “We must get a nice juicy piece off the round, as the minister is comin’ to supper this evenin’. Give me some ' money, pa.” j - *fow much do you want?” asked the master of the house, reluctantly putting his hand into his _. pocket for such stray coins as he carried there. “Half a dollar will do.” ah “J don’t see no sense buyin’ so much meat,” werd objected Mr. Bagley. a ‘We've got to make a show before the minister, pa,” she replied. - Evidently it was like drawing a tooth to sep- arate the farmer from so large an amount as fifty cents, for he passed the silver piece over to his wife very grudgingly. Nick saw Luke follow the money with longing eyes. Mrs. Bagley laid “the money on the kitchen dresser and then went out to haggle with the butcher, who always put “the price up to her first, because, from experience, he knew he had to reduce the price to make a sale. ‘Mr. Bagley presently got up from the table and went out to the barn, leaving the two boys alone at the table. Nick had his famished eye on a read which lay on the bread dish, and shing Luke would follow his Pee A SURE WINNER ather, so~ he could get it, for he know if the bov saw appropriating the thick slice he would imm ately report the fact to his mother, and that woul mean a. ruction, Ordinarily Luke would have suspected Nick’s design and have frustrated it, but just now his thoughts were wholly absorb with the circus, From where he sat he caug the glitter of the fifty-cent piece where it repos on the corner of the kitchen dresser, and the sigh of it made his mouth water. Finally a desperate, plan came into his head. He was just erazy | go to the circus, and he was ready to take some chances in order to gratify his longing. He left his chair suddenly, went to the door leading int the yard and looked out. His mother was talkiz to the butcher heside the wavon. Then he looked back and saw Nick reaching for the slice of bread. — Instead of yelling at the hired boy, as he natural. ly would have cone, he simply grinned, and tip- toeing toward the dresser, reached out his ha’ and grabbed the piece of money. As he did Nick looked around quickly to see if Luke had really gone, and he was intensely surprised to ob- serve the theft. After securing the money, Luke walked in an unconcerned way to the door and went outside. Finn ore : “My gracious!” ejaculated Nick, aghast at the — action of the son of the house, “he’s stolen the money to go to the circus.” ee If he hadn’t been so hungry he would probab have rushed out after Luke to remonstrate wi the boy, as he possessed very rigid ideas as | the heinousness of such an offense. He decide to take Luke to task about the matter later on an make him disgorge. Then he refilled- his glass from the milk pitcher and hastily swallowed pis last of the bread, after he had liberally buttered — it. The milk followed the bread, and he even hi: the hardihood to take what was left in the pite on top of that. As the table was now quite bare of everything in the eatable line, Nick wiped mouth and started for the barn, almost run into Mrs. Bagley, who was preceding the but into the kitchen. Nick saw Luke disappea: behind the barn, and he followed him. ° og Nick came up behind him and laid his hand on his shoulder. With a cry of alarm Luke starte back, and the coin dropped to the ground. Ni stooped down and, picking it up, coolly in his pocket. \ ca CHAPTER Il.—The Hero of This Story Himselt in a Grave Predicament. PER “Give me back that money, you beggar!” ¢ Luke, furiously. : d a4 : “You stole that money from the kitchen — dresser,” replied Nick, accusingly. Ps “T didn’t do no such thing. Hand it over,” “You know I am telling the truth, Luke. an awful thing to rob your mother.” — <i “J never took the money,” snarled Luke, Ss da “Tt belongs to me, and I want you to it up. : 5 ¢ “T am going to return it to your mot. “ll kill you if you dare do such a thing,” claimed the spoiled boy, rushing at Nick and ing to kick him in the shins, . & j The hired boy was m on Jooked—stronger, in fact,

Page 4

i A SURE heavier opponent, and he managed to hold him off. Luke looked around for a stone, but, not | seeing one, he was about to make another mad yush, when his eye lighted on a cowhide whip _ hanging against the side of the barn. He snatched it down from the nail and, dashing at Nick, - Brutally struck him across the shoulders and neck. ~~ “Don’t you do that again, Luke,” cried the hired poy, aroused by the sting of the heavy whip-lash. i But Luke intended to do it again, and raised the whip on high for that purpose. Nick, how- -_ eyer, had stood as much as he was going to stand. He dodged quickly, rushed in under his enemy’s . urm and, reaching up; snatched the cowhide from his grasp. Luke gave him a vicious kick in the as Ct “Pll have to teach you manners,” cried Nick, _ giving him a smart lash about the legs. ; Luke roared like a wounded bull. Mrs. Bagley had run down to the barn after the hired boy, and met her husband coming out of the building. They appeared on the scene of trouble just as Nick raised the whip again on pretenses of giving the boy another taste of its tickling qualities. is “You villain!” screamed Mrs. Bagley, rushing | _at the hired boy like a wildcat. “Are you tryin’ to murder my son?” She sna‘ched the whin from him and brought ge down with all her might on Nick’s back. With "a gasp of pain, Nick jumped back out of reach of the infuriated woman, and began rubbing his bruised arm where part of the blow had landed. “Save me,- mother!” cried Luke. “He wants ~~ to kill me.” ‘ : _ The enormity of the offense fairly staggered -. Mr. Bagley, and he simply stood back and gazed at his hired bov with a look of horror. ~~ « Tried to kill my sen, did you, you wretch!” eried Mrs. Bagley, threatening Nick with the whip. “What is the world comin’ to, I wonder?” - “J didn’t hurt him any,” replied the hired boy, doggedly. ‘ “Oh, you snake in the grass! You thief, you!” sereamed the angry «woman. “Thief!” gasped Nick. ‘ “Yes. Where ‘is that half-dollar you stole from the kitchen dresser?” -« Nick was fairly paralyzed at the accusation. i wuke heard his mother’s words and _ his little brain saw a way out of his dilemna. “Ffe’s got it in his pocket, ma,” he cried, ea- gerly. ; ee “Luke took that money,” said Nick, desperate- ly. “And I took it away from him, intending to ~ return it to you.” “Don’t you believe him, ma. Be such thing.” _ “How dare you accuse my innocent boy of such ‘a crime, you pauper!” cried Mrs. Bagley, advanc- ing on Nick with upraised whip. ~The hired boy retreated before her. At this point Mr. Bagley got a bright idea into his head, = e was only playing a second fiddle where he was, so he withdrew from his position, ran around the barn and, appearing at the other side, dashed at Nick and caught him by the arms, making n a prisoner. : : at’s right, William,” said his wife, approv- ingly. “Now put your hand into his pocket and ze oney he stole.” : of " ves I didn’t do no WINNER Rg He dived his hand into one of Nick’s trousers pockets and brought up the money. : “There it is, Sarah,” he said, exhibiting the silver piece. “The little thief!” ejaculated Mrs. Bagley. “To think we’ve been a-warmin’ a-viper in our bosoms all these years!” “T didn’t take that money, ma’am,” persisted Nick. “Your son took it off the dresser, and I came out here after him to make him give it up.” “Oh, ma, that’s an awful lie!” chipped in Luke, hastily. E ; “T’ll lick him till he can’t stand up,” said Mr. Bagley, who, as we have already mentioned, was not in a good humor, and he intended to relieve his feelings by making his hired boy suffer the keenest anguish he could inflict upon him. Nick, in the course of his four years of servi- tude, had received several whippings at the farm- er’s hands, but had managed to evade the worst part of them by breaking away and getting out of range. Still, he had acquired evidence enough that Mr. Bagley could wield a cowhide with sting- ing effect. “lm going to tie you up to a post in the barn, you little secamp, and when I get through with — you you’ll wish you’d never been born.” Mrs. Bagley, after receiving back the half- dollar, had withdrawn from the scene to settle with the butcher, who had been impatiently awaiting her.reappearance. So her husband, gripping his victim tighter, to be sure he would- n't get away, draggéd the unfortunate boy around into the barn and tied him up to a convenient post. “Here’s the whip, pa,” grinned Luke, appear- ing at the door with the instrument of torture. Mr. Bagley was preparing to shut the door in lis graceless son’s face, when a carriage drove into the yard and a stranger, alighting from it, presented himself at the kitchen door. Mrs. Bagley received him with company manners, and, learning that the gentleman had called to see her husband on particular business, called out to L Luke: “Tell your pa to come to the house right away.” CHAPTER III.—Our Hero Comes Face to Face With a Real Circus for the First Time. “Til attend to your case when I return,” said Mr. Bagley to Nick, throwing the whip on the barn floor. “It will do you good to think over what you’re going to get. I’m going to take the hide off your back this time,” he growled, men- acingly. “I’m just in the humor of it. Ill bet you'll never forget this lickin’ as long as you live.” With that he left the barn, securing the big door behind him. Luke, who was curious to > learn what the stranger wanted, followed him to the house. Thus Nick, for the time being, was left alone. He expected nothing else than that Mr. Bagley. would half-kill him on his return to the barn. “If I could only manage to get rid of this'strap that helds me I’d run away. I wouldn’t care if I starved. I’m half-starved, as it is, anyway. I’m treated as if I were a slave. I have stood it so long. Any other boy woul _I don’t see way ms

Page 5

* or two in money for myself. ed the limit. ‘give me, but I do wish I could avoid it somehow. me On) pretty tough to stand a cowhiding. Nobod¥ 4 ‘A SURE have run away long ago. Well, I guess I’ve reach- It’ll be the last ‘whipping he’ll ever put a coward would treat a boy of my age so cruelly. Mr. Bagley i is only a brute, anyway, and as for Luke y Crack! The strap confining his arms had sud- denly given way, for while he was muttering the: foregoing he had been straining hard at his bonds. “Thank goodness, I’m free!” he ejaculated. Picking un the broken strap, he looked at it. “The old thing was rotten. It’s a lucky thing for me that Mr. Bagley is too mean to provide himself with decent harness. The first thing [’m going to do is to put that horsewhip out of his reach.” There was a big knothole in the flooring, and Nick thrust the rawhide into it, and it fell some- where out of sight, “The next thing is to escape from the barn, and after that from this neighborhood. I’ve had all I want of Mr. Bagley. J’ve earned my board and second-hand clothes several times over since It’s about tire I earned a dollar I’d like to go to school a while longer, but I suppose I’ll have to give that up now. Probably Pu get a chance to study evenings when my time is my own.’ The fact that Mr. Bagley had secured the big barn door when he went up to the house did not greatly disturb Nick. He knew there were two closed window openings—one jn the back, through which manure was tossed, and one in the side of the barn. He could put his hand on either in the dark, consequently it was an easy matter for him to find one of them now. He unbarred the rear ene, glanced out to see if the coast was T’ve been here. ‘elear, and, finding that it was, he jumped out. As a precautionary measure he looked around the corner of the barn in the direction of the farm- house. “Gracious!” he exclaimed, with a quiet chuckle. “JT got out just in the nick of time, for here comes Mr. Bagley now, I wonder what he’ll say when he finds I have cut stick?” . Ah! Young Nick Long! If you had known what Mr. Bagley wanted you for now you would have rushed to meet him, instead of flying for the nearest fence and vaulting it, and then running across the meadows as fast as you could go. Nick was making the mistake of his life just then, but as he didn’t know it, why, it didn’t trouble him. And it was several: years before he found out how Dame Fortune had rolled his way ou her wheel that bright July afternoon, and how, just as she had stretched out her hand to seize him,-he had eluded her. It wasn’t because there ze was a circus at Brentville that Nick directed his . steps in that direction. No; it was because Brent- ville was a good-sized town on the railroad, and he hoped to pick up a job there, that Nick’ aimed for it. It was about six o’clock when Nick ap- ea proached the out-skirts of the town, and, as luck would ~ have it, almost the first thing he spied was the circus tent, for it was only a single- ying affair, with its group of smaller canvas tops strung about under its lee. As Nick stood with arms thrown over the top of the bar fence, - gazing with a ces of wondrous awe Doe the - suddenly from behind, for he had been under ane. than 1.” —a bcos we WINNER. sun-kissed tents, with their waving | flags ee : streamers hanging listlessly in the calm air, the : quiet of a Sabbath afternoon seemed to rest upon the field. Finally the boy got over the fence and — The perform- — ; J crossed the field toward the tents ers -had had their evening meal, and some of them were gathered on the greensward back of the — tents. The women were busy with fancy work’. and sewing; the men talking over the gossip of the ring. No one paid any attention to Nick as” he walked slowly around the canvas walls and wondered when the time would come when he would have the price that would admit him to the — wondrous show of which this was a type. At last he paused in front of the side-show tent. Here a row of huge banners pictured by word and brush the wild man, the midget, the knife-throw ers, the fortune-tellers, the snake charmer, the fat woman, the living skeleton, and others who made up the collection of oddities. In front of the side-show entrance stood a platform, known — ’ in showmen’s parlance as a “bally-hoo stage,” where, as promised the multitude, certain free exhibitions are given to capture the attention of the spectators, While Nick was looking at it~ and wondering what it was used for, a man came — up behind him and, after a covert smile at the quaintness of the boy’ s attire, said: “Say, sonny, how would you like to have a Job, for the evening?” CHAPTER IV.—Our Hero Joins the Circus. Nick was a-bit startled by being addressed SO- impression that he was quite alone. “Do you want a job?” repeated the man, eyeing the boy keenly. “I’ll give you a quarter if you help me sell candy, peanuts and lemonade in t tent to-night. My regular help was taken sick at Benton, our last stop, and he was sent to the hospital, so, you see, I’m short-handed.” Here was an unexpected chance to earn som thing that Nick felt he couldn’t afford to let Be i by him, so he answered: : “Yes, sir.’ “Good, ” replied the candy-butcher. “Live ’roun the neighborhood?” - sir,” answered Nick, dolefully. » ‘ “T thought you did,” said the man, in some sur- “Might I ask where you do live?’ “Nowhere,” returned Nick, with a melancholy shaking: his hea look. “Nowhere!” ejeaulated the candy man. Then he looked the boy over sharply. : “You look as if you’d come off some farm ‘where: they’ were mighty sparing of clothes. Tho trousers seem to fit you too quick,” he went on with a grin. 2 “Yes, sir. These are‘some of Luke Bagley cast-off duds. Those are the only kind of clothe I’ve ever had since I left the poor farm.” ““Who is Luke Bagley?” asked the man, cur ously. “Mr. Bagley’s son. He’s bigger and olde > Seo Whats Mr. B : “Y should imagine he was.

Page 6

“A SURE “Yes, sir.” “Have you run away from him?” oe Yes, sir.” 5 : “What for? Thought you’d try and join the reus?” with another grin. P “No, sir. Didn’t think of such ae “Are you a hustler?” “If you. mean ean I work hard, I'll say yes. I _haven’t done anything else for the last four years, except on Sundays and in the winter, when I went to shool.” “Any chance of your late master turning up here to-night and making things. unpleasant?” with a keen look. ; ees “He won’t spend fifty cents visiting a cireus. I heard him say so to-day.” “Say, what was the reason you left him, any way?” ? “The principal reason was that he intended to beat the life out of me with a rawhide.” . “What for? Been up to.some monkey-shines?” __ “No, sir,” and then Nick related the events of _the afternoon to his new employer. The boy spoke with such sincerity that Mr. Hanks was persuaded to believe him. _. “Well, it’s getting late. The people are begin- ning to come around; so it’s time we got busy. By the way, I forgot to ask your name.” e “Nick Long.” “My name is Hanks.: »*tends the outside booth, is Andy Tooker. “come on—I’ll introduce you to him.” _ “To you ‘sunpose I could get something to eat before I started in?” i “Haven't had your supper, then?” ; “No, sir. I wouldn’t care if I’'d had-a good dinner. But the Bagleys don’t spread much of a table, and half the time Luke got away with my hare before I reached the kitchen. Then I walk- six miles or more this afternoon.” ¢ “There isn’t any chance of you getting supper WNick. ae of sandwiches. nt, won't it?” ‘Yes, sir.” 5 S6 Nick was escorted to the outside booth and introduced to Mr. Hanks’ partner, Andy Tooker, man of about twenty-five, who had all the ear- irks of a born hustler, and was dressed in a ther loud suit-of clothes, with a large imita- m diamond in. his broad-triped shirt-front: When the doors of the big tent opened and the people began to crowd in, Andy Tooker, who had been keeping, Nick well employed on the outside, _ told the boy that it was time for him to go into _ the tent and help his partner. Nick found that his chief duty was to perambulate the seats, first ith boxes of candy, then bags of peanuts, and ally with a tray filled with glasses of a rose- _ colored liquor supposed to be lemonade. Each 2 ime he made his round he carried a different # Ci a thing.” My side-partner, who Now That'll do for the pres- icle, beginning with candy again as soon as he had exhausted the immediate demand for lemon- However, I’ll see if I can get you a ° “WINNER ae was subsequently ready to move on to the next — destination. The order, “Lower away!” rang out sharply, and the menagerie tent dropped to the ground. Only the noisy “big top,” glowing like a mammoth mushroom, and the sideshow canvas, where the band thumps and the ”barker” roars — with tireless energy, remained to mark the spot. The work of stripping the larger tent continued throughout the performance. As fast as a per- former finished his act his appliance was deftly _ conveyed to a waiting wagon. The entire arena’ was divested of its maze of apparatus before the audience had filed outside after the show. ; came CHAPTER V.—The Circus Enters Sidney. When the performance was nearly over, Nick had to help the candy butchers in packing up, and by the time the last spectator left the big — tent the stock in trade of Hanks and Tooker was ready for removal, and then Nick was told that his time was his own until~he should be called — upon next morning to begin a fresh day’s labor. — “Hold on, Nick,” cried Andy Tooker, as the boy ~ was sauntering away to watch the taking down - of the ‘big top.’ “You're hungry, I guess, aren’t you?” : : peateee “Well, some,” replied the lad, in a tone which — left little room for doubt but that he was in shape ~ to masticate a small-sized elephant, if nicely cooked. “Come with. me, then.” ‘The light and airy Mr. Tooker guided Nick to’ a small booth, where a number of the performers, — and such other employees as were now at liberty, were partaking of a light repast of sandwiches — and milk, provided by the proprietor of the show each night after the performance. : a3 “Help yourself to whatever you see,” said the candy butcher, “and don’t stand on ceremony. — You’re welcome to eat all you can put under your jacket.” a “Who's this you’ve got in tow, Tooker?” asked one of the acrobats, who was standing back with a glass of milk in one hand and a sandwich in the other: ; “New boy,” replied the candy man. Smith’s place.” Se “Oh, I see. Looks like a bright fellow; but gracious! where did he get the clothes? They fit — him about as well as Lew Dockstader’s stage dress suit does the minstrel.” yee “He’s ‘been working on a farm in the neigh- borhood and getting the short end of everything. | He ran away to-day. My partner came across him on the lot about sundown, and as wé needed a boy badly, why, we hired him.” : “Where do I sleep to-night, Mr- Tooker?” asked Nick, after they left the eating booth. =" “Tn our wagon,” replied the candy man. “Come with me, and I’ll point it out to you.” * ‘All through the night the procession of wagon with their paraphernalia and slumbering occu- — - pants, lumbered along the country road, and finally came to rest in a long line, drawn up by - ~ a: oy, “He’s taken

Page 7

4 se L awoke about that time, and was a bit surprised to find that the vehicle was at rest. His com- panions, the two candy butchers and several ‘canvasmen, were sleeping peacefully about him. At first he was a bit dazed by his new surround- dings and wondered if he wasn’t dreaming. But gradually the events of the previous day and night unrolled themselves before his mind, and he soon realized that he had actually embarked upon a new career in life—an attache of the big- gest wagon show in the United States. He lay a little while speculating upon what the future had in store for him, and then, growing weary of the confinement of the closed wagon, he picked his way over the other sleepers to the partly open door and jumped down into the road. It was Icvely cool morning and Nick felt like a top. Nick glanced ahead along the line of waiting wagons, the horses standing with their heads down under the blankets and the drivers curled up asleep on the roofs. 4 “T wonder if we’re near a town?” thought the ~ boy. He mounted the wheels of the forward wagon and saw in the distance the houses and some of the big buildings of Sidney, with the rays of the early sun flashing upon windows and roofs, There was a small rivulet not far away, and thither Nick went to wash his face. “I wish I had some decent clothes,” he thought. “TJ look like a guy in these. I’ll have to work some time before I can get together enough to buy me a suit.” One of the younger performers connected with the show—a noted bareback rider—came up at this moment. '“Hello!” said the newcomer, looking Nick over critically, “where did you spring from? Work on a farm, I s’pose?” _*Not now,” replied Nick, wiping his. face in his not overclean pocket-handkerchief. “I belong to the circus.” “You do?” replied the other, incredulously. don’t remember seeing you before.” “Only joined last night.” “What are you doing? You are not a new freak in the ‘kid show’ (sideshow), are you?” with a grin. No,” replied Nick, shaking his head good-na- turedly. “J suppose T look like a curiosity, as if I’d come out of Noah’s Ark. I’m working for Hanks & Tooker, candy, peanuts and lemonade.” “Oh, I see. Fallen into Smith’s shoes, Well, I wish you luck. I must say you’ve got pretty decent bosses, considering how they run.” “They’ve treated me all right so far.” “You ought to have worked for some of the chaps I’ve known; then you'd be able to appre- ciate the snap you’ve got.” “What was the matter with the chaps you ™ knew?” “Oh, they were dead hard on their boys. Waver satisfied with what they did. Roasted them right along till they got tired of the life and ran away.” “A kind of Mr. Bagley, I guess,” replied Nick. “Mr. Bagley? Who's he?” “The farmer I worked for the last four years. He didn’t do a thing but work me from daylight to dark. I never could do enough to satisfy him, s) es he scolded me right along, and bhai he was not ou i TaN AE vary. we perf srl a «ST Serna BRAGS pas A SURE WINN! ER ‘vicinity of the wagon’ where he had slept . ran away from hint for Peed: . “That’s how you came to hire out to thie’ e candy: butchers?” gi “Yes, Is that what you call them?” “That’s the name in the business.” Ry “T thought all butchers sold meat,” said Nick, innocently. a¢ “Well, you’ve got another think coming, so es ot zt be a yap. What’s your name?” a “Nick Long. What’s yours?” Css “Allan Ramsay. I’m a ’kinker’.” ee “What are you? asked Nick, to whom circus phraseology was like so much Greek. , “’'m a performer—a bareback rider. Perform- ers are called ‘kinkers’.” } “Say, tell me why .we’re waiting out here on the road a mile or two from town,” said Nick, eagerly. ~We stay here until aime to make the grand entree into the town. Then every man, horse and wagon will be decked out in the most gorge- ous array. The band will take the lead, and the parade will be on.’ When Nick returned to the road again he found everything changed. From one end of the long wagon train to the other was life and motion. — Men were hurrying to and fro, while orders were being shouted in stentorian tones and rapidl executed, Troops of horses were being groome and attended to. When Nick returned to the found Mr. Tooker looking for him. “Where have you been, young man?” asked’ ine junior boss, sharply. Take that Minto and fill it at the ae ‘You find soap and towels in one of our boxes. lively now. When you get things shipsha can go down to that stand and get a sandwic T a cup of coffee. That'll have to do you till ‘ou get. your dinner at the hotel.” Nick didn’t need to be told twice to wet b and the way he went at his work met the unm qualified approval of his two bosses. “He’s a smart boy,” remarked Hanks to partner. “I hope we’ll be able te keep him.” “T don’t think you need worry,” replied Tooker, “Just leave him to mé, and I guess he’ll stick all. right.” rane Some time before the procession was ready to start, Nick had finished his work and was inc triously getting on the outside of a huge m sandwich and a cup of steaming coffee. acrobat who had noticed him the night before at the “snackstand” spoke to him when he saw hi at the eating booth, and introduced him to couple of other performers who came up to sa ple the morning fare. Later on he was intro- Be duced to the clown, im : quainted with his wife and daughter. was the “mother” of the show, while the latte pretty girl of twenty, was one of the star b back riders, who ‘did all kinds of, stunts over ba: ners and through tissue-covered hoops. At la everything was in readiness, and the pro all Bandy. with banner ‘ae streamers and fi ee

Page 8

_ of Sidney. The parade was preceded by the general man- ager on horseback. He had already been over the route once, noting its conditions born of long experience. Sometimes his foresight bids him change the route, for at some points the road may be too rough, or a bridge may not look strong enough to bear an elephant, or perhaps the advance man did not appreciate that at a - eertain point the parade would “double” on: it- self. Through densely crowded streets the pro- cession measured its gaudy passage. But long before the procession reached the lot, Nick was | there helping to get the candy and peanut stands in shape, while the canvasmen were raising the ~~ tents into position. CHAPTER VI.—Our Hero Takes His First Lesson in Horsemanship. Nick had to cut up lemons and assist in the compounding of that mysterious decoction called circus lemonade, In the meantime the parade » reached the lot, and soon the performers were re- suming their every-day attire, in readiness to go to the hotel for dinner. Nick accompanied the _... first lot of them and secured a place at the table with Allan Ramsay and several other performers, __.» to whom he was introduced. In a short time the ’ pig tent began to fill up for the afternoon per- formance, and the indications showed that the seating capacity would be taxed: to the limit. _ Nick’s experience that afternoon was very similar _to what it had been during the previous evening, _and he was kept on the run until the performance ~ was over, shortly before five o’clock. And so, for some weeks after that, there was searcely any variation in the life led by Nick Long. Nick’s engaging manners and wonderful good nature, added to his good looks, soon made him a favorite among the performers, and eventu- ally attracted the attention of the equestrian director. That gentleman looked him over critic- ally, and finally asked him how he’d like to learn to ride a horse, with the ultimate purpose of becoming a bareback rider. _ “I don’t believe I’d be able to learn, sir,” re- _ plied Nick, doubtfully. : ~. “Nonsense!”? answered the director. “You'd Jearn fast enough under a competent instructor. It’s my opinion you’re cut out for the business. Ee You’re only wasting your time peddling lemonade and candy around the ‘big top.’ What does Mr. a Hanks pay you?” at ae LR so -» “One dollar and a half a week.” : ; : “A paltry stipend,” sniffed the equestrian di- - rector, “that any boy can earn after a day’s practice. As a rider you will have a far ,easier ime of it during the show season, and you will be able to command a salary from twenty-five jollars upward, according to the skill you display mn your act, Think it over, Master Long, and let e know in a day or two.” - “But who will teach me?’’-faltered Nick. “I hhaven’t any money to pay for instruction, sir.” ~ “Don’t let that worry you, young man. Allan Ramsay told me he’d take you in hand and make wie: good as himself. It won’t cost you a> the band playing fortissimo, entered the streets . ‘ visions of the future dancing through his head. -worth a cent, for he and Mr. Tooker had already’ tions. Messrs. Hanks ~ A SURE WINNER. z (oe “Will Allan Ramsey really try to teach me how to ride like he does?” exclaimed Nick, for he and Allan had got to be great friends. ; “Certainly he will, and take great pleasure in » doing so.” “Tt’s very kind of Allan,” replied. Nick, with a feeling of gratitude toward his new friend, “Yes, it was very kind of Allan Ramsay, of course. But Ramsay had figured the matter all out, and saw an excellent chance for a fine rake- off to come his way. He proposed to make an agreement with Nick that would greatiy redound to his own benefit when his young friend at- tained a proficiency which would enable him to go into the ring, and consequently upon the reg- ular pay-roll. : Ramsay had a great business head, and, being a favorite with the equestrian director, had talk- ed the matter up with him and gained his -con- sent to the arrangement. “You’ve. got it in you, Nick,” he said, en- couragingly, when he met the boy that night after the show at the snackstand. “All you need is for some one to bring it out, and I’m the lad for that, Ill make a star of you before next spring.” : “T don’t like the idea of having you go to all the trouble of teaching me for nothing, Allan. If you 9 will be satisfied to let me take it all right when I’m able to learn something as a rider, why: 4 “We'll talk about that some other time,” said — Ramsay. “It was my idea to help you along in ~ thé business, but, of course, if you insist on paying me something: 2: ; “T do,” replied Nick, earnestly. “And I’m very ee grateful to you for the offer.” Py, “Don’t mention it, my boy. I’ve taken a fancy to you, and when I chum in with a fellow I’m willing to do most anything I can for him.” “s “T thank you. very much, Allan.” : : “All right. We'll let it go at that. When will you be ready to begin?” ~ “Tll have to speak to Mr, Hanks and Mr. Tooker about it,” said Nick, with some doubts as to how his employers would look upon the sub- ject, which would compel them to lose the use ¢ of his valuable services for an hour each day. a: “Oh, bother Hanks and Tooker,” replied Ram- say, with a snap of his finger. “Who cares for ris them? I’ve only to. speak to the equestrian di- rector to make it all right.” “Well, I don’t suppose I’ll inconvenience. them much, as I won’t be able to go into the ring this: season, will I?” “No; I suppose not,” admitted Ramsay. ett _ “PI tell Mr, Hanks to-morrow that you’re go- e ing to teach me how to ride, and if he kicks up a fuss perhaps you'll speak to him yourself?” ; “Sure I will, or Mr. Dickson, the director, will. They’re not going to stand in your light, Nick— __ not if I know it,” and he patted the boy encour- — aginly on the back. a a Nick went to sleep that night with golden | Next day he interviewed Mr. Hanks on the sub- re ee ject, and the candy butcher didn’t like the plan planned to keep Nick with them all winter down South, where they proposed continuing ee ae ; & Tooker thought th i

Page 9

ae sc ee A SURE ‘knew when they had a good thing, and it was their intention to nurse it for all it was worth. However, their desires in the matter did not pre- vail. The equestrian director curtly told the candy butchers that Nick Long would be taught to ride by Allan Ramsay, and that was all there was to it. So that day, during the interval be- tween dinner and the opening of the tent for the afternoon show, Nick received his first lesson in horsemanship. He accompanied Allan Ramsay into the ring, and a moment afterward anh at- tendant led in a horse, with a broad wooden sad- dle. Then Nick noticed a curious piece of ap- paratus attached to the center pole of the tent. “What’s that?” he asked Ramsay, pointing at the wooden projection, which resembled nothing so much as a movable gallows, “That’s the ‘mechanique,’” he replied. “It is largely used ‘by circus riders when training or learning new feats. It consisted of a belt which went around the waist of the performer, to which was attached a long, elastic rope, which was again fastened to a wooden, gibbet-like arm. The use of this machine is objected by some performers as reducing the nerve training to a minimum.’ It is, however, in great favor by all whose nerves are already steadied by experience and who are trying new tricks: In the case of women and children the “mechanique” is very frequently employed. “Now, take off your shoes, coat and vest,” said Ramsay. Nick obeyed. The horse was led up, and Nick '. sprang upon the pad without assistance from his instructor. Ramsay nodded approvingly. “Now,” said the bareback rider, as he pulled down the belt which hung from the rope and fastened it around Nick’s waist, “stand up and Py to hold ‘your balance. Remember, you can’t Nick rose to his feet, and the sensation as the animal moved off at a walk around the sawdust ring was the most curious he had ever experi- enced in his life, _ / “How does it feel?” asked his friend, with a grin. “Kind of funny,” replied the boy. “Now we'll go a little faster, Look out! your best to hold yourself upright.” Ramsay cracked the long whip he carried, and the horse broke into a gentle canter. The result was as Ramsay expected. Nick almost imme- diately lost his balance, the horse passed on from under him, and he was left dangling at the end of the rope like a mechanical spider at the end ‘of a long rubber band. Ramsay grinned as his pupil made swimming motions in the air. Pres- ently the horse came around again, and, was stopped long enough for Nick to recover his foot- ing on the broad saddle. The boy thought he ~ never would be able to learn the difficult knack - of standing on a horse’s back, but before the les- son was over he managed to hold his own for one complete lap at a straight canter. . “first-rate,” remarked Ramsay, approvingly. ; “That will do for to-day. We'll try again to- - morrow.” _. The horse was led from the ring and Nick returned to his regular duty. : \ Try ‘with a pad, was led into the arena, and almost WINNER CHAPTER VII—Our Hero Makes His Debut. For three lessons only was the “mechanique” used to keep Nick from falling, and then Ramsay _ decided the boy was able to go it alone. Mr. Dickson, the equestrian director, occasinonally came into the ring to watch the progress made. _ by the boy, and one day he was accompanied by ~ the proprietor of the show. Both of these gen- tlemen began to show considerable interest in Nick’s instruction from that time on. The young tyro was doing much better even than had been ~ expected of him in so short a time. He took to the line of business like a duck does to water. He was eager to learn, and profited by the good advice handed out to him by Ramsay, ae “¥ou’re doing fine,” remarked Dickson, at the end of the third week. “You'll soon be able to make your debut before the public.” | Sina “What does he mean by that?” asked Nick, nervously, of Ramsay, during a five-minute breathing spell. Re “Oh, he’s got an idea in his head,” replied Ramsay, carelessly. 2 “He can’t think of having me appear in the — ring!” cried the boy, aghast. 4 “Don’t worry. He won’t ask that of you till — you can do credit to your instructor,” answered — the performer, in an off-hand way. \ Gia “T should hope not,” replied Nick, feeling much = relieved, for the prospect of a public appearance — in the immediate future dismayed him not a little. ¥ a Just the same the equestrian director was figur- ing on that very thing. He and the proprietor _ had put their heads together, and this was the result of the confernce. One of the features of — the show was an equestrian act performed by Miss Bessie, Abbott, daughter of the lion tamer, George Abbott. Bessie was twelve years of age, and was billed as M’lle Celestine, from the Cirque Oriental, Paris. Her father was featured as- Signor Alto, and he did a series of remarkable — stunts with his man-eating Nubian lion, Rajah. The -equestrian director and the owner of the circus decided to introduce a new act, doubling — Nick and Bessie in a high-sounding equestrian — sensation, the details of which Mr. Dickson was evolving from his fertile brain. He had spoke to Ramsay about it, and Nick’s instructor had — fallen right in with the idea, for it ensured him ~~ a financial revenue from the boy’s talents at an earlier date than he had expected. Consequen he was more assiduous in rounding the brigh’ boy into shape. Nick had already met Bess and the two had become great friends, thoug’ they saw very little of each other. eine One morning, when Nick was about halt through his exercises, a second horse, equippe immediately after, Bessie, in her regulation rin costume—tights, fluffy short skirts and a span gled bodice—came dancing in with the equestri: director, much to the boy’s surprise. : “Now,” said Dickson, in ‘a business-like w: taking the whip from Ramsay, “I’m going to what you two can do together.” ie He hoisted Bessie onto her pad, where he sat demurely, while the director began to explain the first part of the act he had in his mind “Now, then, get busy,” said Dickson,, sha’ 4)

Page 10

He cracked the whip and the two horses can- tered off side by side around the ring. Bessie sprang gracefully to her feet, with her little “ribbon-decked whip in her hand. ~ “Good gracious, Bessie!” exclaimed Nick, the “perspiration gathering on his forehead. “What is Mr. Dickson up to? I won’t be able to do a “thing. I’m rattled completely.” a A little silvery laugh floated from the girl’s ae ips. \ “Brace up, Nick!” she said, casting a saucy, roguish look upon him. “Just watch me and do as I do. “But I can’t,” blurted the boy. the stars, and I’m only——” “Come now, you two; what are you wasting time for?” shouted Dickson. “Get a move on.” _ “Put your hand on my shoulder, Nick,” the little lady said, sweetly. “Now follow me,” and her raised one of her limbs and pointed it out- | ward at an angle. - Nick imitated her. Then she leaned forward, pushing her foot out behind. Nick followed suit, and for an instant it looked as if he were going to take a tumble; but he didn’t, for his arm on her shoulder steadied him. All things considered, ” - Nick did very well at this first rehearsal, and “You’re one of a ' yas quite delighted to practise with the graceful little equestrienne, “Well,” laughed Ramsay, as he accompanied the boy back to the dressing-room, “how does the idea of making your professional debut with Bes- sie. Abbott strike you?” “Do you think I’ll be able to make good?” he ‘asked his teacher, anxiously. * “Tyo I? Well, I guess yes,” replied Ramsay, confidently. “And shall we practise together—Bessie and I—after this?” Ramsay nodded. _ “That's the opening of your act you were doing to-day. You will go all over it again to-morrow, with such additions as Dickson tells you.” Next day, during the first half hour, Nick was / taught to jump through a naked hoop, and fin- issue one. Then Bessie came on and they prac- eee together, A week passed away, and then “morning Dickson stopped Nick as he was Bat to leave the ring, after Bessie and he hed. gone entirely through their act without a ch. You and Bessie will appear together in public Lexington,.where we show next Monday,” he said brusquely. “Your costume will be here by aturday, on the night of which you will sever our conection with Hanks & Tooker. Your wary will be paid to Allan Ramsay, your in- _ structor, for the balance of the season, and what- ver money you may require he will give you. “Understand?” - “Yes, sir,” replied Nick, cheerfully. “That’s all,” answered the equestrian director, alking off. e circus entered Lexington, Ky., during the y hours of Sunday morning and proceeded ly to the lot. Almost the first thing the noticed was a long stand of. circus bills, ‘ cuataeutly among them was a new one colors, as follows: Aas ly wound up with a leap though the regulation _ , A SURE WINNER : ee MADEMOISELLE CELESTINE, The Youngest and Most Daring Equestrienne in the World, From the Cirque Oriental, Paris, and HECTOR DE VRONDE, The Dashing Meteor of the Ring, From the Cirque Imperielle, Paris, In Their Marvelous, epeling and Soul-stirring ct, Entitled THE FLIGHT OF VENUS AND ADONIS.. A Fearless; Fearful, Fascinating Feat. “Look at that, Bessie,” cried Nick, devouring the contents of /the three-sheet bill, the product of the press agent’s exuberant fancy, with dis- tended eyes. “T see it,” replied the pretty golden haired miss, © with a rippling laugh, “Isn’t it just lovely?” “But Hector de Vronde! I don’t understand—” “Why, that’s you, you goose!” she said, with a roguish smile, “Why, my name is Nick Long, and: I never came from the Cirque Imperielle, Paris.” - “You silly boy! now.” “Oh! That’s it. But read what it says: ‘In their Marvelous, Thrilling and Soul-stirring Act. ey What do you think of that?” “It’s that splendid,” she replied, enthiciestiens ally. Maadus afternoon came and an immense crowd was present, for it was a beautiful October day. At three o’clock Nick came from the men’s dress- ing-room attired in blue trunks and pink flesh- ings, with a fancy whip in his hand. He was presently joined by Bessie, in all the glory of a -brand-new spangled costume, that made her look, in Nick’s eyes, like a novely little fairy. Ram- say was on hand to give the’ boy a word of ad- © vice and encouragement. The horses were all ready, and they stood champing their bits and pawing the earth in their impatience until the ‘silver bells with which they were decorated rang out little shivering chimes that set Nick’s blood . in a mad whirl. “That’s your cue,” said Ramsay, suddenly, as the band blared up. The horses were led on while Dickson was in- troducing them much after the style of the pos- ter. After executing, the first half of their act they came to a rest again when the music suddenly ceased, “Well,” he began, addressing the ringmaster, “vou stop, the horse. stops, the music stops, I stop; but there’ s one thing that nobody can stop.” “What is the one thing nobody can stop?” in- quired the ringmaster, “Why, a woman’s tongue!” The ringmaster, in apparent retaliatory dis- comfiture, cracked his whip at the legs of the : clown, who uttered “Ouch!” as if in pain, and ~ the crowd laughed. “What can I do for you, mademoiselle?” asked the ringmaster politely. Bessie made her request, the article was hand- — ; ed to her by the clown, then the band started. up and they were off once more. fore Nick as the horses increased their speed te a tad pace und the cracking of the ; That’s your professional name Then the clown chipped in. 4 In an instant — the great audience seemed to vanish from be-

Page 11

“10 / A SURE ter’s whip and the increasing fortissimo and speed of the band. “Hoop-la!” cried Bessie, excitedly, ‘as the act drew near to its exciting termination. Nick straddled the two whirling horses—a foot ~ on each one—and seized her tightly by the waist- band. Then she raised one foot to the boy’s hip and sprang into the air, bending forward in the attitude of a flying Mercury. Around the ring they went as fast as the excited animals could race, amid a pandemonium of noise and melody, the great audience going wild with enthusiasm. Nick’s breath came thick and fast, and his eyes blazed with a fierce excitement. He lost all track of time and space for the moment, and Bessie had to cry “Jump!” before he realized the finish was at hand. She dropped lightly. to her horse’s back, and both sprang to the sawdust as the band came to a sudden stop. They bowed and retired amid deafening applause. CHAPTER VIII.—In Which Our Hero Performs A Heroic Deed. Three years have passed away since Nick Long ‘slipped away from the Bagley farm that bright July afternoon and joined the Great Occidental ~ Cireus at Brentville.. He is now nearly eighteen years of age, tall, finely formed and handsome. This is his third year with the Great. Occidental, which has now risen to the dignity of a three- ring show and travels bv rail instead of -wagon, ag it did of yore. The reader will therefore un- derstand that there is a vast difference between the Great Occidental to-day and what it was when Nick Long, now widely known as Hector de - Vronde, joined his fortunes to it as an humble assistant to the ecandy-butchers. Hiram Hanks and Andy Tooker still run the candy and other toothsome privileges, and Mir. - Hanks is never tired of telling how he introduced to the circus world the famous bareback rider, Hector de Vronde, the star in his line of the pres- ent show. Bessie Abbott, now a lovely girl verg- ing on sixteen years, and her father, with his “Nubian lion, the Rajah, are also with the Great Occidental this year, but: there is scarcely an- ‘other face familiar to the old wagon show. _-It-was the fifth day of August. The Great Occidental Circus had arrived early that morn- ing at Zanesville, Ohio, had given its daily parade, + and the performers were in the dressing-rooms preparing for the afternoon performance. The people attached to»the show no longer patronized the hotels for their meals, for a “cook tent.”~one of the marvels of the modern circus, catered to ‘their appetites right on the lot. As the “cook _ tents” were the first to be raised in the morning, ‘so they were the first to be leveled and packed “away on the cars at night. The last meal of the _ day was served at five o’clock in the afternoon, - and two hours later there was no perceptibie trace of the improvised restaurant save the coals which glowed in the twilight. _. Neither did the circus people sleep as best they might in the traveling vehicles formerly pro- vided for that purpose. Two.sleeping. cars now arried performers and business staff in the at also tion, known as the “baggage train,” which ‘drove Rajah back to his cage. Several attendants _ his senses under the combined efforts o: _ daughter and Nick Long. <8 — WINNER bore the paraphernalia necessary to the imme-— diate wants of the encampment. The second — train carried the elephants, camels and their keepers, performing, ring and baggage horses, — seat and stringer wagons, “property” wagons and — all the appliances for the performers and their baggage. The third train carried more sleeping — cars and all the eages. . fat But to returnto our story. The “big top, which covered an immense oblong space enclosing the — three rings, was rapidly tilling with spectators for the afternoon show, and the performers were nearly all dressed and ready for the “grand en= tree,” when a terrible roar, a resounding crash, , — followed almost immedaitely by a thrilling scream _ from a woman’s lips, echoed through the canvas eo structure and startled pverfcrmance and specta- — tor’s alike. Almost immediately there followed — a chorus of feminine shrieks and men’s voices raised in alarm, as the crowd of visitors in the menagerie tent made a wild siampede to escape from the place. i : Kee A number of the male performers rushed for — the menagerie tent, and as the foremost of them swept the canvas covering aside a fearful sight met their gaze. Rajah, the big Nubian lion 27.4 one of the great attractions of the show, had broken from his cage; struck down his trzines, — George Abbott (Signor Alto on the bills), and now stood above his body, glaring down at the-~- unconscious man, while he lashed the air savage- ly with his ponderous tufted tail. © Sh os At this thrilling moment, when it seemed that the fate of the lion’s owner was surely sealed, a_ stalwart young athlete, in pink fleshings and dark-blue trunks,-appeared upon the scene. Tt was Nick Long, the champion barchack rider of — the Great Occidental Show. Taking in the situa- tion at a glance, he looked hurriedly around for a serviceable’ weapon to meet the situation wit A. yard away-stood a tinsmith’s heater, with big soldering iron thrust among the live coals The boy seized the glowing iron and, boldly a proaching the monarch of the forest, thrust t heated point within half an inch of his nose. The hon sprang back with a smothered grow] anc seemed as if about to spring upon his aggvesso but the lad, undaunted by the peril he was facing, » followed up his first advantage and literally” rr : 2 z 2 = e now rushed up with long poles armed with i points, with which they: proposed to attack lion; but such a proceeding was no longer nece sary, for Rajah seemed to have been thorough! cowed by Nick Long’s vigorous and courageo\ action, : The broken door of the cage was hastily re- paired by a couple of the blacksmith’s assistants, the men with the poles standing ready to keep was informed of all that had occurred. He sent the equestrian director and the several ri masters into the rings to address and reas the public, Then he pushed his way through group of performers who had crowded a the unfortunate George Abbott, now comii sure 5 +he 2 alt

Page 12

A SURE “How is Abbott?” he asked. - | hope?” “His igh arm seems to be broken, sir,” re- plied Nick. “Have you sent for a physician?” WY es, sir.” ; “From what I hear, Long, you performed a nervy act .. Your presence of mind under such . startling conditions is much to be commended. If that beast had got out among the spectators, good heavens! the result would have been deplorable. “Not badly hurt, I thank you in the name of the proprietors of the. show, and I will see that your gallant conduct is - properly represented to them.” : “Well, I did the best I could under the circum- stances, Mr. Sheldon,” replied Nick, modestly, At ‘this point the doctor arrived and took the injured lion trainer in hand. He found that the man’s left arm was broken near the shoulder and that he received a severe blow on the head from ’ the animal’s paw, though the scalp showed little signs of injury. He set the broken arm and or- dered that Abbott be removed to his berth in the sleeping car. His directions were carried out as the performers, including Bessie, his daughter, > and Nick Long, to whom he owed his life, scat- tered to take their places in the grand entree. CHAPTER IX.—Our Hero Receives A Munificent : Reward. , “Nick, you dear, good boy! How shall I ever thank you enough for saving my dear father’s life?” said Bessie, tears of gratitude shining in her lovely brown eyes. nie “Don’t mention it, Bessie. I’m only too happy to know that I was able to do your father a service.” $ Jt wanted a few minutes of five o’clock. The two had met on the way from their dressing- zoom to the eating tent. As it happened, this was the first opportunity they had had of exchanging a word since the beginning of the afternoon per- formance. - “Tam sure you believe I am very grateful to as you, Nick,” she continued, earnestly. ™~ - “Just as if Hoe (Oh, you Ob APR “Tt know you are, Bessie, so don’t say another word about, it.” ¢ : te. ' “Oh, but I will,” she cried, with girlish per- sistency. “You always will have your own way,” he laughed, looking a_ bit tenderly at the pretty equestrienne. “You’ve managed to boss me about ‘ever since the day I made my first appearance in the ring, with you as the bright particular y 4 Cha " eeeWhat nonsense!” she cried, with a little blush. I could!” : : do it all right,” he replied, nodding his head a contented sort of way, as if to imply ‘that he rather relished the air of proprietorship she exercised over him. “Well, I haven’t any kick ‘coming, Bessie. You’re made me what I am.” “What a ridiculous assertion, Nick! You are the champion bareback rider of the show, while (—I’m only the same Mademoiselle Celestine. st a little bit older, you know, and consequent- ss interesting.” WINNER 11 “You never can be less interesting to me, Bes-_ sie,” he said, gravely and earnestly. “Oh, Nick! You are very good to say that, but——” . She drovoped her head and blushed. “But what, little girl? There’s no buts in this thing at all. I’m sure if it hadn’t been for your advice and encouragement I’d never have amount- ed to shucks as a rider.” : “You know that isn’t so, Nick. If you hadn’t had the thing in you I never could have helped you even a tiny, weeny bit.” “Are you glad your father refused the offer to go out with ‘The Greatest Show on Earth?’ He’d have taken you with him, of course, and then—” “Yes, tal.” “Would you? Why?” eagerly. - : “Because I’ve always been with it since it was a single-ring wagon show, and it’s like an old friend.” “Ts that the only reason?” with a shade of dis- appointment in his voice. “Tsn’t that a good reason?” in surprise. “Yes. It’s a good reason all right. . Only T though ws “What?” “Oh, nothing. It doesn’t matter. Let’s go in and eat,” and he started ahead. _ Bessie looked at him and then laid a detaining. grasp, on his arm, ““Now, what were you going to say? tc know.” I want I’d rather be with the Great Occiden- — “Tt wouldn’t interest you,” he replied, without any life in his words. “Why do you think’ so?” she persisted. “Oh, because ” he blurted out, and then he stopped. “Because what? son.” “Well,” he replied, desperately, “what I was going to say is: J thought perhaps the reason why you were glad your father decided to stay with the Great Occidental was because we—you and I, you know—would be together with the same show. But of course——” “Why, you silly boy!” she answered, with heightened color. “You know I’m glad we’re in the same show. J couldn’t get along without ine “Why not? We each do our own turn these That’s only a woman’s rea- days. So far as you are concerned, I don’t count any more.” “Don’t be foolish. You always count—with me. _ She flashed him a look that sent his blood rae- ing through his: veins, and then she. darted into the tent, for they didn’t sitat the same table. “I wonder if she meant that?” Nick asked him- self, with a little thrill of joy. I don’t think I’d have the heart to work if she wasn’t with us, I’m glad I was on hand fools ae father to-day—he had a close call of it. Be ; He didn’t get any further, for a hand was laid on his shoulder at that moment and the cheery voice of a brother performer came to his ears. . “Hello, old chap. What’s the you? Aren’t you going to eat?” matter with — “Near Bessie! _ Bas

Page 13

A SURE WINNER “Sure thing,” he replied, as he recognized one Nick was handed his envelope he was told tha’ of the star acrobats. “Let’s go inside.” the general manager wanted to see him. = After the evening meal the performers had a “Mr. Long,” said the general manager, in couple of hours to themselves. Bessie decided to genial voice, “I have sent for you to express to” utilize the time by visiting her father, as she You the deep sense of obligation the management was anxious to know how he was getting along, feel under to you for your praise-worthy action — “he railroad yard was not a great distance away, yesterday afternoon in Zanesville when the lio “go when she came out of the eating tent she escaped from his cage. There is little doubt but waited till Nick made his appearance, when she your prompt and effective way—all the mor went up to him and proposed that he’ accompany commendable because adopted on the spur of the her. Of course he was delighted to do so. She ™oment—of coming to the rescue at such ‘hurried off to get her hat, a little gypsy straw, Cvitical moment prevented a lamentable panic in which the boy said she looked real cute, and Which could only have resulted disastrously together they left the lot. They found George the proprietors of this show. The managemen' Abbott propped up in his bunk in the sleeper: therefore feel that you deserve some substantial “His arm pained him a good deal, and he said evidence of their gratitude for the service you — his head didn’t feel just right after the blow have rendered them, so I have been instructe : - by Mr, Jackman here to present you with the the lion had given him. nes be company’s check for the sum of one thousan Se “T hayn’t forget what you did for me, my lad,” dollars.” sg one aid, ae the lion off me and back into», Nick was certainly taken by surprise, for his cage with a hot soldering iron. It was a = not se Sep to be rewarded for what daring thing for you to do. It’s a wonder Rajah had done, unless it was with the smiles and ‘stood for it, In ninety-nine cases out of a hun- ah eaks at saree of rd Ae Ane si ake t . : which was more to him than a é money in. % peed See Jaid you out like a pancake and yor. He mapesb ied she see Loney as sie ch ; ; ; a thing as a refusal to do so would have both Sea etleg Ure aee arbermtamt green yet oe T : an anke eneral ma’ . Ja © had she reblized: the full extent of the peril which man in a somewhat confused way. ‘Then eee _ the brave boy had faced. She recalled now the first thing he did was to run off and show it t innate ferocity of the Nubian beast, which long Bessie, who congratulated him with. sparkli eaptivity had scarcely subdued. Her father was -~ eyes. : the only one the animal seemed to fear, and there ° : had been times when the beast, in a moment of ares ullen angér, had even turned upon him, and for Saas pecte 7 + - minutes his life had trembled in the balance. CHAPTER X.—Our Hero Has An Unex ‘“Well, Mr. Abbott,” replied Nick, cheerfully. Meeting With Luke Bagley. _ “J suppose he was more or less dazed at finding Si himself outside of his cage, and, as I took him e quick, before he had recovered himself, I guess : that’s why I came off first best.” Next day was Sunday, the circus man’s d of rest and relaxation. The start from ‘thi sets eo gene ig always made. the same n You've figured the thing out correctly. The and the Sa at: respite is improve for lor “management has cause to be truly thankful to ee ees ee haeie Se you.” is the j ‘ i ec : : Ss journey so long that, everything favora _ The Zanesville evening papers gave consider- {here will” be tardy arrival. The rate run le space to the lion episode, and all praised eiphty to ninety miles; the trips of one hund: the a cehyattvess pe mately ( ae es ie ee ane fifty and two poner miles are reserved bareback: rider r de Vronde. e stor é ‘chit: +. , was telegraphed all over the country by the As- eetnre eae ere ns ee, ociated Press, and an item detailing the facts : 1 . “ ‘ p ere printed in nearly every morning paper... It he fe : a ppled gue of Foe he icin the alee ses ; § : ne found the train still on the move, with the ~ ~~ also appeared. in condensed com in the eho prospect of: several. more hours in hus pee aS ee it BO Pe ane anand Le pate oe ue a4 f : nin the Unite ad ai nowing from past experience that the re- on it. sources of the train restaurant woul : ly. Next day the show was in Freeport. The lion taxed, for circus appetites are cle eee incident had been judiciously advertised so as to morning, he had prudently laid in a supply attract public attention to the hero of the oc- fruit and food the night before, and placing ¢casion, and ne afternoon the immense tent bie chair npen the car platform, for the day rammed to suffocation, every man, woman an warm and sunny, he proceeded to make the child of whom awaited with feverish interest the of the situation. Nick passed a whole’ hou pearance in the ring of the great bareback ~ solitary contemplation of the shifting lands _-ider—Heetor de Vronde. Needless to say he smiling under the morning sun, before any « - received an ovation second only to the one he had companions made their appearance. He yeceived the previous evening in Zanesyille, That thought of Allan Ramsay, who had initated h was pay-day for the performers (on Wed- into the business, and incidentally pocketed sev ys, during the afternoon show, the long line eights of a six week’s salary, and subsequentl, = a

Page 14

ed, for the young man had practically made an artist of him. , : Now Ramsay was with the “Greatest Show on - Barch,” and the boy at rare intervals- received --a letter from him. Nick’s new chum was Arthur Dale, an aerial artist, one of a trio called the _ “Rinaldo Family”—two men and a woman— “whose “fymnic gyrations, swallow-like sweeps, - swings and somersaults, altitudinous ascensions and far flights” (according to the press agent) “kept the dizzy heights of the canvas dome alive with activity. Arthur was a clever young fel- ‘warm friends. He was the second performer to turn out on this Sunday morning, and he - eame out on the platform as the train siowed down at a wayside station for the engine to take _ water. Bees “How long have you been up, old man?” he inquired. 3 - “Oh, about an hour,” replied Nick, carelessly. “Tf hate the morning,” remarked Dale. “I’m always as stiff as a piece of new leather. Let’s “get off—I see the train has come to a stop. I ‘want to stretch my limbs.” ; '. “Same here,” said Nick, leaping to the ground. His companion stepped down with painful: slow- ness. 1s isn’t it, we’re always this. way the morning after the show?” he said. “That’s right. You can always tell a performer from a workingman by the way he gets off the ear. I wonder what village that is yonder?” ~ “Don’t ask me, Nick,” answered Dale. “Better “inquire of the station agent, if he’s about, if you “want to know real bad.” - Nick hadn’t any great curiosity on the sub- ject, and besides, the station agent was in bed asleep at that moment. There was a big, freckle- faced boy standing on the platform, however, who Was gaping with all eyes at the circus train. His face seemed to be familiar to Nick as he drew near to him, and he looked at him narrowly, but couldn’t place him. Suddenly the boy turned and looked him squarely in the face. His mouth open- ed and his protruding.eyes opened wider. Like a flash Nick recognized him. me 4 ®Iuke Bagley, is that you?” — “Nick Long!” : *Right you are, Luke. What are you doing out this way? How are things around Salem, eh?” “Dunno., We don’t live at Salem no more.” “No?” in some surprise. : : “No. Dad sold out. and come here. We’re keepin’ a store.” “Tn the village yonder?” Luke Bagley nodded. , ; “Say, what did you run away from us for?” - asked, in some little excitement. “And where ve you been all this time? “J guess you know why I ran away. ther threatened to give me the whipping of my 3 raid petter come along with me and see the old You can go to Peoria by another train.” dn’t OF At; ke,®. > ss a SURE Yow. of about Nick’s own age, and the two were. _ted, lay passive on the ground, ready for the _Arthur Dale, in company with one or two othe “You don’t know what you’re missin’, Long.” “Come, now, what are you driving at?” ati old man will tell you if you go and see im.” sa aoe » “Tt’s very important, I suppose,” laughed Dick, — “T guess you'll find it so,” nodded Luke. ne “Well, as you seem to know a good deal about _ it, why don’t you put me wise to it? The train will be going in a minute.” x “You've got to see the old sian.’ He knows all the particulars. What I could tell yor wouldn’t ~ do you no good.” 2 T-oo-t! ‘T-oo-t! Two sereeches from the loco- motive warned Nick and others belonging to the train who had got off that the engineer was on the point of starting up again. Fe “Well, I’m off, Luke. If you people have any- thing important to tell me you can write me care of the Great Occidental Show, per route: Peoria, .Lincoln,. Pontiac, Bloomington, Danville, Lafay- oe We show in those towns next ieek, Good- y: Nick made a dash for the already moving train, which Arthur Dale had boarded, took-a flying’ leap for the platform of the sleeper and sa’ down in his chair. Luke watched the train till it rounded a curve and disappeared, then he Nick iy Oe | CHAPTER XI.—Nick and Bessie Enact the Chief — Characters In Love’s Young Dream. : * Within an hour the train arrived at Peori and the other sections followed in close orde: Few of the performers or staff members went — to the lot for Sunday meals, although the eating — tent awaited their presence. They register, at the local hotels and spent much of their ti in writing and reading. At the lot the scen was one of peace and quiet. The canvas of the “big” and other “tops,” which had not been eleva men to haul them aloft at sunrise. Nick and— Bessie generally spent the day, in each other’ company, either at the cars or walking about town, according to weather conditions. Nick and performers, walked out to the lot, which was fe) ckson Parke an r successful, ba on’t be so coy, M i cue

Page 15

A SURE - with a smirk that was habitual with him, “You might permit me the pleasure of a few words - with you.’ Parke was a good-looking fellow and thought himself irresistible with the ladies. “You'll have to excuse me, Mr. Parke,” an- swered Bessie, whose manner toward him was not encouraging, “Why, what’s your hurry?” he asked, barring her progress. ' -“Y’ve got an engagement,” she replied, coldly. “Tt will keep a little while, I guess,” he said, coolly. “Will you please let me pass?” “Certainly, after you’ve honored me with your _» presence for a few moments,” he answered, with an irritating smile. f “But I’ve got no time to talk with you, Mr. Parke,” persisted Bessie, feeling greatly pro- _-voked. ue “Oh, but you can make a little time, you iinow. I haven't. had a word with you for dhree days, and that isn’t fair.” : “If you are a gentleman, Mr. Parke, you will not detain me,” cried Bessie, angrily, making an- other futile effort to get by. y “Why of course I’m a gentleman,” he said, ~ twirling his small black mustache. “Come now, be reasonable, Miss Bessie, I was going to ask you to take dinner with me. Will you honor - * me?” eNO, sit.” She gave it to him straight from the shoulder, _ for she was wery indignant over his conduct. “Whv not?’ “T wish’ you'd leave me alone, Mr. Parke. If you don’t : “Well, if I don’t, what then?” he laughed, tan- Ns talizingly. “Jl have to appeal to Mr. Long.” “Indeed!” with a sneer. “I have on use for Mr. Long whatever.” “Thank you, Mr. Parke,” said Nick, who ‘over. heard the remark as he stepped up. “It is quite mutual.” Jackson Parke swung around on his heel and _ faced the young equestrian, whose approach he had not heard. _ “What do youmean by that?” he demanded, aggressively, “Nothing more than you meant by your re- . mark, Mr. Parke,” replied Nick,! with mock polite- “ness. “What'do you mean by stealing up behind me in _ that way?” angrily. “J wasn’t aware that I stole up behind you. If you hadn’t been so deeply engaged with Miss Abbott you might easily have heard my foot- steps.” “T don’t care to talk with you, Nick Long.” ~ -“You’re not obliged to, Mr. Parke. Come, Bes- sie; we'll run along, if you say so.’ She a brushed by the handsome acrobat, joined Nick, and then, without another word to fackson Parke, they walked off up the railroad racks. “Ym so glad you came just when you did, ick,” she said, earnestly. es, indeed. He wratnaatt let me by WINNER: ; + if “He insisted that I should stop and ge ‘s im.’ “Oh, did he?” laughed Nick. “Yes, And he had the cheek to ask me to to dinner with him,” cried Bessie, indignantly. “ “You didn’t seem to appreciate the honor very — much,” he grinned, cheerfully, for he was rather tickled than otherwise to se Jackson Parke taken down a peg. “Honor! head. “Of course you couldn’t accept, for you had — already promised to go with me. “Just as if I’d go with him, anyway. I don't like him one bit.” “And he’s such a handsome fellow, too.” “Aren’t you just too provoking, Nick Long!” _ Indeed!” with a toss of her pretty 3 flashing a saucy look in his face. Si “Am I? Well, I’ve got to get back at you once a in a while.” AS “Get. back at me! What do you mean?” “Well, you know you put it all over me every — once in a while, when you ‘happen to be in the a mood. Come, now, own u “T don’t know what you’ re talking about,” she replied, with a pout. i “Don’t you know that you tease the very life out of me sometimes?” “Do bE 6 “Yes, you do. you that’s the time you roast me.” “The idea! I didn’t think you were ever in 5 earnest about anything except your work.” “Well, I’m in earnest about another thing.” ; “And what is it, pray?” with a sly glanced in- his face. “Haven’t you the least idea?” “Why, of course not,” roguishly. . “Do you want me to tell you real bad?” — “Tf you like.” “T have tried to tell you a dozen ge aa you always sidetrack me.” “Nonsense!” “Bessie,” he said, taking the bull by the ioaaa “do you like me well enough to promise to my wife some day?” That was coming to the point with a ven: geance, and the girl blushed a deep crimson an looked down on the ground. “J want an answer, Bessie. I love the ver ground you walk on, and this, suspense is wea ing on the nerves. Do you care for me as I wan! you to? Will you marry me one of these dave What is it, dear—yes»or not?” “Yes,” she answered, in a low, sweet tone. “Bessie, you’ve made me very, very happy.” ee “Have I? Then I am very, very glad.” And so it was that, in spite of the fact ha if there is one thing frowned upon more than others in tented life it is adventures of the hea the seeds of love sowed three years before, when Whenever I’m in earnest with = os , Adonis,” sprouted gloriously in Illinois, with prospect of a golden harvest in the near future CHAPTER XII »—Luke Bagley Receives the cus’ Third. Degree. _ Nick Long, or Hector de Vronde, as he cae in the bills, was’ the most bri

Page 16

A SURE geriia bareback rider in the Great Occidental how, and under his skilful coaching Bessie Ab- _ bott, or Mile. Clestine, eclipsed all the lady riders this season, She was now able to turn back somersaults from the broad, rosined haunch of her milk-white house, Esmeralda. Both she and Nick owned their own animals, which they had trained down to a fine point. Nick’s was a splen- - did jet-black stallion, with a white star in his ‘forehead, who answered to the name of Dandy. ‘It is easy to believe that Nick and Bessie were ‘uncommonly fond of their animals. The sharp little vibrant “clucks” with which Bessie com< manded Esmeralda in the ring’ were “cues” which the animal understood as well she did the sway- _.- ing of the ringmaster’s whip from left to right _ or the pressure of the rider’s satin slipper. : On Monday morning, after the parade was over, an attache of the circus hunted up Nick ‘Long’ and told him that a very persistent young man, with sandy hair and bulging eyes, wanted - to see him, and wouldn’t take “no” for an an- swer. Of course Nick immediately recognized this person as Luke Bagley, and it annoyed him not a little to find that Luke was following him up. : : vcWhere is he?” he asked of the attendant. “Outside, back of the menagerie tent.” “All right. I’ll see what he wants.” _ Accordingly Nick strolled around to the in- _~.. dicated spot just as soon as he had got into his every-day clothes. __ “Ffello; Nick,” exclaimed Luke, in a familiar tone. “I’ve come.” “J see you have,” replied the equestrian, not ~~ over cordially, - - “J told ma and the old man that I’d seen you, and dad is comin’ over to the show to-night to have a talk with you.” - “He is?” cried Nick, not at all pleased at this jiece of news, as he had no wish to meet Mr. Bagley, for whom he only cherished unpleasant recollections. : - “Yes,” replied Luke, nodding his shock head vigorously. “Pm afraid I'll have to disappoint him,” said Nick. ; _ “J wouldn’t if I was you,” answered Luke, with a meaning leer. “Tt is one of the rules of the circus that none of the persone are permitted to leave the tent until the show is over.” 3 : “Then he’ll wait till the show is over.” - “Say, Luke, can’t you tell me what your father wants to see me for?” - _ “Nope.” : “Wh not?” impatiently. : -' “He told me not to open my face to you,” grin- ned Luke, who prided himself on the amount of slang he used. : ; “Very well, then, I won’t see him.” “You'll be sorry, all right, if you don’t.” “Oh, cut it out, Luke. You sang that song jn several keys yesterday morning, I’m sick of hearing it,” said Nick, in a tone of disgust. “Ai right, Nick. ‘It’s your funeral, not mine. ow, let’s talk. of somethin’ else.” - Well, make it short and to the point. I’m ig to dinner.” ay es ae ere do you eat? At a hotel?” ee ‘ can’t make much difference to the boss. WINNER 15 “No. In a long tent on the other side of the — big top.” : “What do you call the big top?” asked Luke, who was unfamiliar with circus terms. oe “The main tent, or auditorium, which covers — the three rings.” : “Oh!” ejaculated Luke, feeling much enlighten- ed. “You call that the big top. Well, it’s big- ‘enough, all right. You must occupy a ten-acre lot here.” “About that. Anything of less area would mean cramped quarters.” “Well, see here, Nick. I’ve come over to join this circus, and I want you to introduce me to the boss and put in a good word for me.” “Ts that all you want me to do, Luke?” asked Nick, sarcastically, amazed at the nerve of his old tyrant. “Tf you can do any more I shan’t forget it when pay-day comes around,” grinned young Bagley, condescendingly. “Thanks, There’s nothing mean about you, is — there, Luke?” ; ; “Not on your tintype, there isn’t. If you’ll go ‘s over to the corner grocery yonder, I’ll blow you off now.” eal This was an uncomminly generous offer on Luke’s part; and quite a safe one, as the people — attached to a circus are not permitted under any circumstances to indulge in stimulants. “I thought I told you yesterday morning that : we had no opening for new people,” said Nick, = 7# ignoring Luke’s bibulous invitation. LOE “I know you did, but I thought maybe you was foolin’,” returned the aspirant. ay “T wasn’t fooling. I stated the fact.” Bets: “You have such a lot of people that one more Cir- ~ cuses coin money, you know.” ase. Evidently Luke Bagley was laboring under a popular misapprehension regarding the profits of — the circus business. As a matter of fact, some — of the large organization have continued in exist- ence for periods of several years without re- turning a cent on the investment, or at an actual operating loss. The daily expenses of the Great Occidental Show were placed by the management __ at over four thousand dollars. When it is stated that the daily average free admissions, largely tickets given for bill-posting privileges, amounted to about one thousand, and that one-quarier of the attendance comprised children under nine years of age, and who paid the half rate, i.e, 25 cents, it will be seen that some eleven thousand or persons, including those with free tickets, had to — pass the door each day before a dollar’s profit: ~~ had been yielded from this source for the man- SDs Great Queenie. A —s _ the Great Occidental’s “big top "capacity was — eight thousand five hundred perucnaeae Bie teen thousand for the two daily shows, and it was _ not an uncommon thing for the net revenue to be supplied entirely by side-shows, peanuts, pop- corn, lemonade and other small departments. : “You seem to know all about it, Luke,” replied Nick, coldly. ¥ peace “Sure I do,” in a confident tone. “Now, I want. you to introduce me to the boss of the shebang.” | _ Nick was on the point of curtly refusing his request, when a brilliant plan of getting rid of — his persevering visitor occurred to him. It na . t e “ + x #;

Page 17

Sit Png OE sD” 16 A SURE been worked before, and there was no reason why it wouldn’t be just as effective with Luke Bagley. “T can’t introduce you to the proprietor, Luke, but I’ll tell you what I’ll do—I’ll turn you over to the head clown and let him pass upon you,” “All right,” replied the gullible Luke, quite delighted at the offer. “Come with me,” said Nick, and Luke followed him around to the other side of the big top. “Wait round here till dinner is over and I’il do what I can for you.” Luke agreed to wait, and then Nick, with a suppressed grin, went in to the midday meal. Dan Leno was the name of the head clown of ' the Great Occidental Show, and Nick sought him out and told him he had. a very persistent ap- plicant for a circus job-on his hands, a boy who once upon a time had lorded it over him to the top of his bent, and he asked the clown if he would take his former tyrant in hand. “Sure I will,” chuckled Leno, with alacrity. “Where is he?” “Come with me and I’ll introduce you to him.” Nick easily found Luke hovering around the appointed rendezyous. “This is Mr. Leno, our head clown, Luke. Mr. Leno, Luke Bagley,” “So you want to join the circus, do you, my lad?” asked the clown, with a twinkle in his eye. “That’s what I do,” replied Luke, airily. “Well, come with me and I’ll see what’s in you.” Luke was escorted with great deference to the men’s dressing-room, received by the performers, most of whom had received the tip, with keen anticipatory delight, and ostentatiously welcomed in their ranks. “You will have to begin your career as a laugh- ‘provoker,” explained Leno, “as that is the only - vacancy we have at present.” . Luke was tickled to death at the' idea of mak- ing his debut as one of the clowns. “Get into these,” ordered Dan, producing a suit of tights, 3 Luke undressed arld assumed the fleshing's. An old, grotesque, loose dress was handed to him, and he was requested to put it on. His hair was filled with powdered sawdust, his face was daubed with chalk and dye-stuffs, and then Leno ordered him into the nearest ring. There the ringmaster, prepared to do his part, awaited him. ~Luke soon felt the sharp lash of the whip upon his legs, and was put through a course of sprouts that took all desire for a circus life out of him. He finally left the dressing-room a sadder if not ‘a wiser boy, and so disgusted was he that he didn’t attend either the afternoon or evening show, as’ had been his intention. wa . CHAPTER XIII—Our Hero may Against His Horse, A cloudy morning greeted the arrival of the ’ Great Occidental Show in Lincoln, Ill., and the chances of a disagreeable rain before the day was over looked good. There is nothing like a spell of rainy weather to breed a feeling of de- - spair in a showman, but it is inevitable that some- times rain and mud and wind be encountered. 5 ated A Plot andy. see | ae re ax

“Why do you hate him? What have you : him?” P “He’s cut me out with the girl I’d give a y sal, to win.” “You mean Bessie Ahbott, don’t you?” the groom.” - =:

Page 18

“Td0.? 2 : : “Youll hever get the inside track with her while Long’s around.” : ; ~ “T know it. That’s why I want to do him.” - “How can you? If I knew of a safe way, is | igo . ; “Try it, eh?” 1 would” : * “Listen to me, then. I can’ show you a way that’ll cut him to the quick.” “You can?” hoarsely. “T can.” SS Acid iS-3t satel” “Perfectly.” “What is it?” 2 : “My scheme is to strike him through his horse. “Through his horse?” : -. “Yes. He thinks the world of the animal.” : “JT don’t wonder. He’s a dandy, both by name “and education. I ought to know, for I handle him.” “That’s just it. ITOCE BE yt a I can’t reach him, but you ae = can.” P Bic “What’s your little game?” ¥ Jackson Parke put his hand in his pocket and drew out a good-sized pillbox. Taking off the cover, he said: ; “Do you see that?” “T do, It’s a bolus, isn’t it?” 3 “Yes. I want you to put that into his mouth- mm this afternoon just before you lead him into the ring.” “What will it do to him?” ‘ 3 Ten minutes or less after taking it the horse will drop in his tracks; Nick Long will be pitched -» ‘over his head, and if he escapes without a broken neck I shall be surprised. In any case, the horse Dandy will be out of business for good.” “Dead!” gasped the groom. : “As a coffin-nail,” with a mirthless laugh. “I'll give you fifty dollars spot cash to turn the trick.” — *T#?s too risky,” breathed the groom. “No risk at all.” “How do you make that out?” “In ease of a post-mortem examination noth- inug will be found to show that he was given this “bolus.” £ “No.” “Why not?” “Tt dissolves almost immediately through his ‘blood. The symptoms are heart disease.” ~ “How can you tell that?” ‘“[’ye had proof of it.” “J wish I was sure of that.” “You've got to take my word for it, Blickett; put I swear to you what I am telling you is the truth.” The grodm scratched his head and hesitated. “Tf this thing should happen to go wrong, you know what would happen to me,” he said, ner- - vously. “It needn’t go wrong if you’ve the sand to put it through right.” : ' Still the groom hesitated. ‘risky thing for him to undertake. “T]] tell you what I’ll do,” said Jackson Parke. “J hate the fellow so much that I'll raise the nte to seventy-five dollars, but you'll have to wait till Saturday for the other twenty-five dol- peeaats.” / : The fifty per cent. raise in the price of the It was a mighty A SURE WINNER * bit of villainy turned the scale in the -acrobat’s — favor. “Give me the box. kett, with an evil glitter in his eye. hurt the horse, but as there’s no other way: “That’s the only chance you have to reach Long. Whether he’s hurt or not, it will queer his act for him to lose Dandy, and it will break his heart into the bargain.” “Blame him!” muttered the groom. “I'd rather see him break his neck.” “Let us hope he will,”-replied Jackson Parke, - with a little evil laugh. “Now I’m going in to dinner. Heaven, how it rains! And how dark it is in these tents! You couldn’t ask for a better day to do the job. No one will see you put that pill into Dandy’s mouth.” “T hope not,” retorted the groom, as they both walked out of the menagerie tent. — For a moment Nick Long, who had overheard every word of the scoundrelly deal between the acrobat and Blickett, stood as if turned to stone, so paralyzed was he at the conspiracy against him and his noble animal, Dandy. ‘ “Good heavens!” he gasped at last. “What a pair of villains!) And to think I’ve always treat- ed Blicflett in a particularly friendly way, and= ~~ this. is the way he turns on me because I stopped. him from boozing on the quiet. I knew if the poneral manager heard that he carried a flask in is pocket he would have been thrown out of the * lot in short order, and I didn’t want to lose his services, as he seems to understand Dandy and eS: the animal likes him. But, good gracious! This —_ is the limit! I must find Mr, Sheldon on once and lay the case before him. That scoundrel © — Parke certainly hit on a plan that, were it : successful, would have hurt me more than ariy- thing I know of short of the loss of Bessie her- self... How any man could find it in his conscience to deliberately plan the murder of an innocent horse gets me. But it looks as if some people didn’t possess such a thing as a conscience.” . With this reflection, Nick also left the men- agerie tent and went in quest of the genera] manager of the show. : T’ll chance it,” said Blic- — “T hate to ny, (a CHAPTER XIV.—Jackson Parke Retires For- ever From the Ring. ee =a The weather cleared up during the dinner hour and the prospects were brighter for a good after- noon crowd. The electric cars passing by and _ in the neighborhood of the lot soon bégan to empty themselves of a horde of passengers who — had been packed inside like sardines in their box, and the stream of eager circus patrons headed —_ for the show ground and surged around the ticket ia wagons like breakers beating against a big rock _ along shore. This was a satisfactory condition of affairs to Mr. Sheldon, the general manager of the show, who was much in evidence in the hurry . and excitement at the main entrance, but for all 5 el a frown, not usual with him, rested on his ace. OME The grave responsibilities of the cireus were his, and he was a man well fitted for the posi- tion, requiring peculiar natural talents, wide ex- perience, knowledge of law and logic and fa- 4 ~*~

Page 19

18 miliarity with affairs in general. The hundred- and-one little annoyances with which he was con- tinually beset never outwardly disturbed him, therefore those attaches who noticed his face this afternoon were satisfied that something out of the ordinary had occurred to ruffle the feel- ings of the general manager. And so there had. Nick Long had interviewed him, and the story he told roused Mr, Sheldon’s astonishment and ire as few other matters connected with the show would have done. Altheugh the information con- veyed to him by the bright boy seemed incredible, still the general manager believed him; at any rate, he. wasn’t going to take any chances. “Don’t worry about Dandy,” he said, as he saw the trace of tears in the boy’s eyes. “I’ll see that nothing happens to your horse. I’m only sorry you have no corroboratory evidence against these men. Never mind. It is my purpose to catch Blickett in the act, if possible, with the poisoned pill in his possession, arid then Ill force a confession from him that will probably implicate Mr. Parke enough to cause his sudden retirement from the show.” Nick Long was dressed and almost ready for his act in the middle ring, when Arthur Dale stepped up to him and put his hand on his shoulder. “What's troubling you, Nick?” he asked, kindly. “Oh, nothing. What would trouble me?” he answered, with a little nervous laugh. “Come, now, old fellow, you can’t stand me off in that way. I know something is the matter with you.” - “What makes you think so?” “You show it in your face. I saw Parke look- ing at you a moment ago in a strange kind of way, and two or three of the people called my attention to it.” - “Pshaw!” eried Nick, with an impatience that was new to him. Cut it out. I’m all right.” “You're not all Ss ataae and you can’t make me believe that you are. For heaven’s sake, man! you can’t afford to lose your nerve just before that act of yours. You need every ounce of it. _ If you’re not well, you’d better see the director. Don’t take anv chances of a broken neck.’ . “Who’s speaking about a broken neck?” said a voice behind them,” and a sibilant laugh sounded in their ears. Dick started as if he had received a shock from +a powerful galvanic battery. He turned square- ly around and faced Jackson Parke, whose hand- some countenance wore an “irritating sneer. “T am just saying ” began Dale, when Dick stopped him, and, looking Parke in the face said, hotly: “You’re an infernal scoundrel!” “What’s that?” cried the acrobat, in a rage, drawing back his clenched fist, while ‘Dale, as well as others who were attracted by the sudden . and unusual display of temper on Nick’s part, ‘looked their astonishment. “P]] repeat the words, so there can’t be no mistake about them: You are an infernal scoun- drel!” _ “Blame you! Take that!% exclaimed Parke, - furiously, making a pass at the boy’s face. "But he didn’t catch Nick off his guard. The vider warded off his arm and then struck the acr bat with all his force ad on pe. sae ‘A SURE WINNER rustle close at hand attracted his gaze. _ waved Nick to enter the ring. Thus reassured stretching him utterly dazed upon the earth of | the dressing-room.° In a moment-the place was in confusion, No one could understand the cause of the scrap. Jackson Parke had apparently not — said or done anything to provoke it. Evidently the reason for it dated back. ot “Y’'m afraid you’re in for a big fine,” said Dale, - Raa in a tone of some-concern, to his friend. “What tee the dickens did you go for him for?” - “The whole circus will know in ten. minutes,” eo replied Nick, with heaving breast and flashing — eye. “I said he was a scoundrel, and so he is.” “Explain. What has he done to you?” asked Arthur, eagerly. me “Yes; tell us alll about it,” spoke up another =p performer, while two of the people were assist- ing Jackson Parke to his feet. 3 “You'll learn soon enough without me telling you,” replied the-boy, shortly. ; At that moment he was summoned from the We. room by an attendant, as it was time for him to,be on the alert for his music cue. Dandy was — standing close behind the curtain, pawing the ground with one foot and rubbing his nose against Blickett’s hand. Nick could hardly hold himself in check as his eye lighted on the rascal. He ~ looked around, but there was no sign of the gen- eral manager, who had promised to be on hand— nor did the few grooms passing here and there seem to have the least interest in Dandy and his. =, attendant. Just at that moment the band blared for him to make his entrance. But the boy, who usually dashed out at the first note, hesitated. eft How could he leave his horse in that man’s hands, knowing the rascal’s deadly intentions? A slight - The face. of Mr. Sheldon appeared above the straw of Dan Deno’s donkey outfit. The general manager the boy sprang’ through the folds of the curtain — and was scon bowing before a portion of the big audience, who received him with a burst of applause. A moment later Dandy came bounding inte the ring alone, while, unknown to the people and those in the ring, a struggle was going on be- hind the curtain. Blickett, at the moment Nick had vanished through the curtain, put his hand in his pocket, and then, with a wary glance about . him, raised it to the horse’s mouth. But ae arm was seized and held in a vise-like grip, and, turning his head with a subdued oath, he found — himself face to face with a big Irish groom, who > yanked him away from the animal just as Mro Sheldon came up. Dandy looked wonderingly ag oy the attendant, for’the horse knew as well as if he were a human being that he should have been > led into the ring at his young master’s heels. The general manager pulled the curtain aside, | and, slapping the stallion on its flank, cried, “Go!” and it darted out at once. 3 “Now, you scoundrel!” cried Mr. Sheldon to’ the trembling groom, “what have you in you hand?” “Nothin’, gasped Blickett, with a frightened look in his eyes. ; “Open his fingers, 0’ Brien, and let me see if he is telling the truth.” > Ea Blickett’s fingers were igtced apart and ‘the ss deadly pill fell to the ground. * Mr. Sheldon picked it up and looked at

Page 20

“What does this mean, Blickett?” he demanded, sternly. : - But the groom was too overpowered to make any reply. . “Call an officer,” said Mr. Sheldon to an at- tendant, several of whom, together with a per- former or two, had gathered around, wondering ~* what the trouble was about. “Are you going to own up, Blickett?” thun- dered the general manager. “I have-.been thor- _ oughly posted about your dastardly intention to poison Long’s valuable animal.” a‘ yellow when the i Blickett turned a greenish f general manager uttered the foregoing words. He realized that the game was up, and his craven soul sought a loophole for escape by exposing his associate in guilt. “Jackson Parke put me up to it, sir,” he re- _ plied, sullenly. “Are you willing to swear to that?” demanded _ Mr. Sheldon, sharply. mex es; fam.” “You’re ian infernal liar!” cried Parke, who, with others, had been attracted to the scene of the disturbance, and he struck Blickett a stagger- ing blow in the mouth, cutting his lip open. - The groom uttered a terrible oath, tore him- self away from O’Brien and rushed upon Parke like a wild animal. : ; , ¥ “Look out, Parke! He’s got a knife in his hand,” warned a brother professional. 2 Blickett had drawn and opened a ge Magers jack-knife and before the acrobat could. dodge _ the infuriated man had buried it in his side. -- *I’m stabber!” exclaimed Parke, with a gasping ery, as he sank to the floor, at the instant O’Brien : got a fresh hold on the maddened groom. An officer appeared at this moment. Take this fellow in charge,” said Mr, Shel- don, “T’ll follow you to the police station as soon re = =" Fd a physician was hurriedly summoned to attend ;o Jackson Parke, who seemed to have been des- erately hurt. And throveh it all Nick Long was going through his wonderful exhibition in the ring hard by, amid the enthusiastic plaudits of the udience. He and his noble steed seemed as e, so strong was the sympathetic attachment tween the two.. When the band stopped, and he animal pan out of the ring, while his accom- shed master bowed his acknowledgments again ‘and again, Jackson Parke lay white and uncon- scious on a hastily prepared couch in the men’s ressing-room, with a local doctor bending over iim and shaking his head at the gravity of the wound. : ae - “He’s bleeding internally,” said the physician » Mr. Sheldon. “A large artery has been sever- and he can live but a few moments.” Nick heard about it the moment he passed through the curtain and saw the little group of excited people canvassing the affair. — ‘Do you think he will die?” he asked, the anger had félt against Parke fading from his mind. “The doctor says-it is only a question of a rery little time.” ¢ was at this moment the wounded acrobat d his-eyes,. -- Satie waa i A SURE WINNER ‘poison Dandy. “I feel awful bad,” he said, faintly, to the phy- sician. “Is the wound dangerous?” i Ses “J regret to say it is,” replied the doctor, so solemnly that Parke realized that he was in a bad- way. © = ; “Do you mean to say that I am going to die?” ; he asked, earnestly, ; ele “You can only live a very few minutes. You are bleeding internally.” “Ts the manager here?” : “T am here, Parke,” said Mr. Sheldon, “What can I do for you?” ‘ ; “T wish to say I am guilty of the attempt to pe I furnished Blickett with the olus. “T am sorry to know that, Parke,” replied the general manager, gravely. “I am afraid you are paying the penalty.” “T want to see Long.” Word was passed to Nick, ie “J should like to see Bessie Abbott, too,” said the dying man. : “I want you to forgive me, Long,” gasped Parke. “I meant to kill your horse and injure you, because——” ; A rush. of blood to his lips stopped him. _ “I forgive you freely, Parke,” said Nick, earn- estly. “And I hope God will also forgive you.” At that moment Bessie appeared. She was white and nervous. : “T ask ee forgiveness, too, Bessie, for an- noying and——” = ue “IT forgive you, Mr. Parke,” she faltered, and _ then burst into tears. : He lifted her hand to his blood-stained lips, then there was a rattle in his throat, his head fell back, and the soul of Jackson Parke stood before his Maker, CHAPTER XV.—Our Hero Makes the Discovery . of His Life. te “Congratulate me, Bessie,” said Nick, two days later, at Bloomington, Ill. ; “What do you mean, Nick?” she asked, in great curiosity. : “Y’ve just received word from my real estate broker in New York that he has: sold those- five lots in the Bronx for three thousand dollars each, I bought them two years ago at a bargain, pay- ing only one hundred and fifty dollars apiece down and giving a mortgage for the other three hundred and fifty dollars.” ' ? “J do congratulate you, Nick. I am awful ~ glad to know you have done so well with that — property, which some people thought wasn’t 20- ing to amount to much.” “Of course you’re glad, Bessie, for you’ve got. a half interest coming on all I make.” .e She blushed and pressed his hand. ; “What are you going to do with so much money, Nick?” ‘ : “Well, with some of it I’m going to buy out Mr, Hiram Hanks’ interest in tl popcorn, pea, nut and other privileges attached to this show.” »“But-you can’t attend to it, 1 tee a }

Page 21

_ “Myr. Tooker and I have arranged that to our mutual satisfaction.” “Things seemed to be coming your way lately ' with surprising chaste,” .she replied, saucily. “First, you get a present of one thousand doliars from the management, now you have disposed of ‘your lots at an enormous profit.. What will it be next?” “Next will be the profits of the firm of Long & Tooker.” “Well, I hope the profits will be bigger than _ the peanuts.” ; Pie “What’s the matter with the peanuts?” = “They’re very small.” i “Mr. Hanks bought them. bigger ones for next season.” “Then the lemonade is dreadfully watery,” she said, with a covert smile. “Did you taste any?” : “Not since I first joined the show.” “Then how do you know that the lemonade of Hanks & Tooker is watery?” ae “It has that look.” Circus caterers must be in the swim to make * ‘money, When our rich magnates are continually watering the stocks they put on the eile si surely the circus man is entitled to water stock in trade, too.” $ Bessie laughed. Just then an attache stepped up and said that Long was wanted by Mr. Shel- bee ON: we “Mr, Long,” said the general manager, with a ‘peculiar look on his face, “you will step down the street to the Empire House. A gentleman _ py the name of Bagley is very anxious to see you.” ae “Very well, sir.” ‘ : tes Ni¢k Long immediately took a car for the -. Empire House. Arrived there, he was shown up to one of the best rooms in the house. Mr. Bag- ~ Jey, looking just as he. always looked when he -_-was attired in his Sunday clothes, answered the knock, - “Come right in, Nicholas, my dear boy,” he : said, effusively. “How could you leave us in such ~. an abrupt manner?’ Here is Mr. Higgings, over- ' seer of the poor farm. You remember him, of - eourse?” a Nick remembered Mr, Higgings, and shook hands with him. ; “Ts this the boy, sir?” asked a tall, elegantly dressed gentleman, with gray hair and gold- rimmed eyeglasses, addressing the superintend- ent of the Salem poor farm. : ' “Yes, sir; this is the boy. I named him Nicho- las Long, because no one knew his mother’s real name. She died, as I have already told you, five - hours after his birth. Have no doubt, sir, this 4s really your son, since you have shown to my _. gatisfaction that the lad’s mother was your wife.” Nick stared in amazement while Mr, Higgings was speaking. The gentleman got up and ap- ' proached him with much emotion. : ym apse “My dear boy,” he began, “I know this is a great as well as unexpected surprise to you. four dear mother, my wife, will traveling through Ohio to the home of her only sister, then +t the point of death, was taken unexpectedly ill. _, She did not rally, and died in a few hours, leay- ing Soe batbic. . This I believe you already have Maybe we'll get atthe vines _ again, York cemetery. is I was in Europe on a protracted busi-_ ot back the — shock of the intelligence of your mother’s death — unhinger my reason, and I was taken to a pri vate sanitarium, where I remained until nea three years ago. Then I was pronounced wi I at once started to find out all the particulars of my wife’s death, with the determ ination to find her and bring her remains, long forgotten in a country churchyard, to a Ne It was a difficult matter to fol- low up clues. which time had faded, but I a length succeeded in locating the scene of he death at Salem. There I was‘told a son had — been born, who had survived. I traced him ° Mr. Bagley’s farm, where he had been bound out by Mr. Higgings. I arrived at the farm the v afternoon you, my dear lad, for some reason — will not inquire into, ran away. I tried to trac your movements, but you had vanished so utterl; as if you had dropped off. the earth. Not unt; the other day, when I received a telegram fron Mr. Bagley that he had got on your’ track, I have the faintest hope of seeing and pres to my heart my long-lost son.” $3) “And you, sir, are really my father?” said Dick, his heart warming toward the fine-looki stranger. ; ‘ : “Yes. My name is George Wheatstone. right name, therefore, is Wheatstone.” : It was a happy reunion between father an son, It also brought certain advantages to’ M: Bagley and Mr. Higgings. They both depar from Bloomington that afternoon with wads You: apparently reckless chances the boy took to the applause of the big audience. Are Nick never rode better than he did unde father’s eye, and we are bound to say Ge betrothed had actually found his father. A conclusion of the season Nick closed his ¢ tion with the Great Occidental Show, and with the circus world, too, forever, for his father was wealthy, and there was no reason that he ‘shi follow his dangerous, though fascinating cs any longer, cy Bessie also retired from spangles and sawdust, — and was feceived by George Wheatstone as prospective daughter-in-law. The day Nick a Bessie were married he received a letter f Mr. Sheldon, accompanying a present to bride, the combined contribution from man ment and performers, congratulating them the happy culmination of the court-s wound up with these words: ‘ “We hope that as a Fendéd ld 3 A 3 enédict you will m big a hit as you did with the Great Occi: Show, among whose attractions you were Winner.” é Nea res _ Next week’s issue will conitigts : FLEECE; or, THE BOY BROKERS TREE j 5 eg ade

Page 22

MISTLETOE IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH The seeds of mistletoe are great travelers, and therever they go the growing trees are strangled to death. The Department of Agriculture has _ decreed the wholesale destruction of mistletoe in the forests of the Northwest. JAPANESE PAPER WATER BAGS ee DURABLE -A United States Government expert, who has been investigating the wonderful papers of Ja- jan, reports that the Japanese make water bags of rice paper which are held to be more durable than similar articles of rubber. Between the yers of paper, which is soft and flexible, resin used and the outside is covered with lacquer. ee SLEEP BY THE COMPASS | _A European doctor, who recently died at®the age of 109, attributed his longevity to his method a - Get a copy of No, 148, _ And it was written by ea, W. Egan. . FAME AND FORTU NEY WEEKLY. oe CURRENT NEWS ae _ ARE YOU READING _ | MYSTERY MAGAZINE? out on all newsstands. ture detective story entitled “ HOUNDED” FRANK BLIGHTON, one of the best authors of de- tective fiction in the world. Sees oi also contains the opening chapters of “THE HAUNTED HOTEL” By JOE BURKE One of the most mysterious stories ev er written. JN ADDITION THERE ARE THE FOLLOWING BRIGHT DETECTIVE STORIES: “THE CONSOLATION NECKLACE,” by Ben Gross; “DOUBLE DEATH,” by Arthur W. > | Witt; “WHEN PARTNERS PART,” by Ernest A. Phillips; “THE IDAHO ACE,” by James And a fine article about detective work called “THE CRIMINAL’S NEW ENEMY” . By CARL H. GETZ . ‘not fail to read these interesting stories. The price is 10 cts. a copy! ira oe 8. Ae * of sleeping. ‘He said: “When you go to bed al- ways take a compass with you and with the aid of ~ 2 the compass place your bed in such a position that your head points directly north and your feet due south. Sleep soundly in a horizontal position. and you will live long.” FREAK LAURELS The United States is generally credited with the bulk of freak enterprises and ideas, but at last we seem to be likely to be relieved of some of this notice. Paris has a paper devoted to the interests of servants. i L’Escalier de Service or “Back Stairs” periodical. It is filled with the doings of servants and prints * — stories about butlers, cooks, parlormaids, ete. Its subscription list was 6,000 when the first number was issued, Janitors in Paris are a powerful class It is appropriately called as is witnessed by their union.and their “rules” for tenants, but it is of more limited appeal than the one cited. It contains a wonderful fea- = They also have a “house organ,” —_

Page 23

299 Wrecked On The Desert VOR LS THE ADVENTURES OF TWO BOY PROSPECTORS By GASTON GARNE (A Serial Story.) CHAPTER XVIII. Arthur’s Anxious Hour. “Has he really killed poor Pedro?” he asked himself. “It’s to be hoped that’s only his crazy notion. I’m sure I don’t want to shoot him, but at the same time I don’t propose to prove an easy victim.” Such were the thoughts of the frightened boy, as he waited for the mad laughing to cease. “Why should you want to kill me?” he then asked. “Have I ever done you any harm?” _ “Why, certainly not,” was the reply, but listen here. I’m a lunatic, that’s what I am. Thanks to Dr. Furman’s kind and skillful care, I have “i been able to control myself after a fashion for many years, only breaking loose occasionally. This is one of the occasions, and I must have my fling. There’s death in the air. I’m the King of _ Death. I’m also the most expert surgeon on : earth—as good a surgeon as poor Furman is a physician. He doesn’t pretend to be a surgeon, poor man.” : - “You refer to our friend with the mask?” “Sure. Didn’t he tell you his name?” “No, nor did I ask.” “He has made a mighty secret of it because he feared his brother-in-law Sanders. Say, you’re a decent sort of fellow. If you don’t want to die, suppose we compromise. Lie down on the bed, and I’ll cut off your broken leg with this sword, which I fished up among Furman’s traps. I must do something, you know. You can get a cork leg, which will serve your purpose just as well.” € “Well, now that’s worth thinking about,” re- plied Arthur, with all the calmness he was able to assume, “but look here, I can’t make up my mind jin a moment. Suppose you give me time to con- sider? Say until morning.” ~“No, no! I’m ina hurry. I want to get through my work and go back to Furman. He’ll be wor- ried about me.” ; “Where is he?” ; “Now, never mind. . That’s my business. One thing I will tell you, though, he is not with those _ mutinots rascals in the cave. I mean to kill every one of them, boy! Every solitary one—see?” “Is Dr. Furman all right?” Tll attend to all that. Say, Where’s that sassy friend of 3 : aera +3 F - daughter, either. _ boy, I like you. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY - appeared. : “Now, never you mind about him, nor his fx yours who blocked my way? I expected’to find — him here. Produce. him instantly.” a “He’s not here. He went to look for Miss Edna, and to try to help her.” ‘ “What!” roared the doctor, brandishing his oe sword. “Interfering with my business! Just — like him! I'll get him, though. I'll fix him! Pil>~ kill him! He don’t dodge the King of Death!” _ With this he rushed from the room, and Ar- lar heard him running down the corridor at full speed. ‘i It was a relief, indeed, but then there was Jack to think of. “Oh, I wish he had taken the revolver!” — thought the boy. “I do wish he had.” Sas Arthur had lighted the little hand lamp at the first alarm, and, taking it up now, he hobbled to- wards the kitchen to search for Pedro, but he did not have to, for he met the boy just coming in at — the front door, apparently all right. Kept “Oh, say, then he didn’t get you!” cried Pedro. — “T was afraid he would. I was afraid for myself, too. He came at me with a sword. That man is the worst of them all. He’s crazy as a bug.” © “Did he do you any harm?” asked Arthur. “He said he had killed you.” aaa “Oh, he doesn’t know what he is talking about,” __ replied the Mestizo.. “He chased me, and I ran into the garden and hid among the bushes. I > ought to have run to you, I suppose, but I was afraid.” ¢ “And where is he now?” ‘ “T saw him running like mad towards the lake.” “Poor Jack!” thought Arthur, “if he happens — to meet him returning!” pes ar “Was he ever like this before?” he asked aloud. _ “Not so bad,” replied Pedro. “The boss could — always tame him down with a word. He might go a year and not have one of his spells.” es i “Let’s go and see if the car is safe,” said Ar- thur. “I’m worried about it. Here, take the lamp, Pedro. It’s all I can do to get along.” The car was where Jack and Dr. Furman, as we now propose to call the mask, had left it. “Let’s get in and stay there till morning, — Pedro,” proposed Arthur. “I don’t want to go a into the house again.” ae Sal 7 Pedro was only too glad of his company, so” both seated themselves in the tonneau, and the — night passed. They slept some, but Arthur’s — lapses into unconsciousness were never for long, and glad enough was the troubled boy to see the sun rise. De) “T’ll go up in the field and milk one of the cows and dig up some potatoes,” said Pedro. “We must have something to eat.” 3 ee Boiled potatoes and milk constituted their breakfast. The morning wore away and nobody Long before the sun reached the meridian, Ar- thur had told Pedro about the cave, and he begge him to go there and see what he could learn. ~~ At first the Mestizo refused, but finally Arthu persuaded him. He was gone an hour, and the returned, saying that he had seen nobody, an could not find the cave. Whether he actually tried — it or not, it was hard to say. 2 iss (To be continued.) =e Fas ‘

Page 24

A “SNAKE” GARDEN At Port Elizabeth, South Africa, attached to the Natural History Museum and Aviary, is a large “snake garden,” where poisonous reptiles live in perfect freedom, among their natural sur- a roundings. The garden is, of course, cut off from the rest of the world by a concrete wall. Its keeper is a negro who has worked in the has. actually succeeded in building up a real _. friendship with his scaly charges. Protected only by gauntlet gloves and leather puttees, with his other clothing merely the regulation uniform of the museum, he fearlessly enters the inclosure and freely handles his pets. ™ - When one considers that the majority of the ‘snakes in the garden are of the most deadly va- vieties—the African cobra, the puff-adder and the fer-de-lance among others—one would think _ twice before offering te swap jobs with the keeper ' of the reptile house. Poisonous snakes are popularly believed to be untamable, but the negro keeper at Port Elizabeth .. seems to prove that if not actually affectionate, Pe they can be persuaded by kindness to tolerate » human companionship. * The snakes in the Port Elizabeth garden are - not used for display purposes only. Their venom, ~ extracted, is used in the preparation of’ serums 4 ‘and antidotes for snake-bite, ORIGIN OF THANKSGIVING DAY ‘The origin of Thanksgiving Day may be traced back through the ages and the nations to the nd of the Canaanites, from whom the Israelites copied many cf their customs. The harvest cele- ‘ation appeared later among the Hebrews and was called ‘he Feast of the Tahernacles. The harvest festi>’ in Greece was celebrated in No- ~ vember, in r of. Demeter, the Goddess of Harvests, whic the Roman worshippers bowed down to Ceres as the giver of harvests. In Eng- and this festival was called “The Harvest Home,” -.,.and its origin may be traced back to the time of Saxon occupation. However, the first Harvest Festival in America was held by the Pilgrims in 1621, although this was not the first time that a thanksgiving service had been observed; for a thanksgiving had been offered by-an English ninister named Wolfall in 1578 on the shores of fewfoundland, and the first within the present pborders of the United States was held by the Popham Colony, settled at Sagadhoc, Maine, in ugust, 1607. But neither of the latter were ex- pressions of gratitude for ample harvests, and “neither consumed the entire day. Our present Thanksgiving Day, through proclamation of the President dates back to a proclamation of Presi- nt Washington who set apart November 26, rity until 1863, when President Lincoln set ale 15 as a day of thanksgiving and pray Since then, with one exception, Thanks- vil vay has been observed on the y in No ; NIC Se ao FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ie GOOD READING snake garden from the days of his childhood, and -gers are of no avail as an excuse for laying ‘off. 1789. But the day was not observed with regu- — O7Aheescteen , Miewant Half-tone Scones from the Plays last Thurs-— : «166 West 23d Street — pes DRESSING A CODFISH EVERY SECOND Out on the foggy Grand Banks the most ardu- ous task of the cod fisherman is “dressing down.” Every one dreads, it, for it means working regard- less of hours until the job is done. If the catch — has been heavy, midnight, or even the dawn fol- lowing, sees the entire crew at it by the light of flares. No one, not even the cook, commonly — known while afloat as “the Doctor,” may have any respite. The deck is slippery with parts of the thousands of cod that have been slid from the knife of the slitters into the hold. Cut’ fin- Power has taken a lot of the meanness out of life at sea and the same little gasoline engine | that hoists the sails and weishs the anchor will now have more to do— and the crew, less. The ~ “Tron Splitter” does the work of 60 to 75 men who now wield knives on the Grand Banks off- Newfoundland, up along the Labrador, as well as — in the localities frequented by fishermen from France, England and Seandinavia. Every second - the new machine takes a fresh codfish and ss __ often it turns out a dressed fish. It performs all the usual operations of splitting, removing the — backbone, cleaning and washing. This ingenious machine was perfected in Seattle. Wash., by the company which perfected, in 1905, a somewhat similar machine called by fishermen “The Tron — Chink” because it took the place of thousands of © Chinese who were formerly employed to clean fish in the salmon canneries of the North Pacific. “Mystery Magazine” ee SEMI-MONTHLY 10 CENTS A COPY — LATEST ISSUES — 142 BLOOD RUBIWS. by J. Werner Phelps. 7 143° “TLL. WIN! VLG WIN!” by Arthur B. Reeve(and ~ Margaret W. Reeve, > 144 “PHANTOM FINGERS, by George Bronson-Howard. 145 ‘ON THE YRLTOWS. by Frank Blghton. : 146 THM ARGENTINE RUBY, by Beulah and SIs sty, Poynter, eee 147 ee ee On ARMS CASE, by Jack Bech: — olt. ‘ The Famous Detective Story Out Today in 148 Is Z HOUNDED By FRANK BLIGHTON HARRY EH. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. ee 166 West 23d Street, New York City - “Moving Picture Stories’’ A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays and Players PRICE SEVEN CENTS PER COPY Fach number contains Three Stories of the Best Film —Interesting Articles About Prominent People in th Films—Doings of Actors and Actresses in the Studi and Lessons in Scenario Writing, x ; HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher. Ie ee

Page 25

24 pes TO TEST FOR AN OPEN CIRCUIT The windings of the amplifying transformers may be tested for open circuits by means of a telephone and a single dry cell. The absence of a click or a very faint click when breaking the cireuit indicates that the winding is open. MEASURING CONDENSERS Wishing to measure the capacity of some con-~ - densers which were unmarked with the capacity when I bought them I happened to think of con- necting a tuning coil into a wave trap. With > ten .coils on a 4-inch tube it took .00025 mfd. on ‘eapacity. I next connected in a .0005 mfd. con- ’, denser when it took two or three coils. air: 3 AERIALS IN TREES ; When you hook your aerial to a tree, it is prob- able that the tree will sway enough to break _ the wire. By hooking up on a rope, run through 2 a pulley and weighted to keep the aerial taut, this disadvantage of the tree aerial will be overcome. Tree aerials should be avoided as they injure re- ception. WINDING INDUCTANCES Do not use No. 16 or 18 annunciator (bell) - wire for winding inductances that are to .be used in receiving sets. The wax coating on the wire reduces the efficiency of the coil by increasing the distributed capacity. If 16 or 18 wire is necessary use double cotton-covered wire. It will prove entirely satisfactory. P Grea MORE GERMAN LONG-DISTANCE RADIO fe In order to facilitate overseas traffic a- receiv- ‘jng station has been installed at Geltow, about 80 kilometers in a southerly diréction from Nauen. A similar arrangement has been adopted at Hilwese, the receiving station for which is now at Hagen. It is intended to use the new stations “for communicating with a distant station from Berlin, using Nauen for transmission and Getlow for reception, land lines connecting each of the -Iatter with Berlin, and for communicating with New York, using the station at Rocky Point for ~ transmission and that at Riverhead for reception. HONEYCOMBS AND VARIOCOUPLERS et The difference between a set using honeycomb - eoils and a regenerator using the two variometers and the variocoupler lies in the fact that the former will give better results on longer wave lengths, while most of the latter type of set will not work on wave lengths over 600 to 800 meters. The honeycomb coil set is all right, but for short wave lengths the variocoupler and variometer circuit is hard to beat. These circuits are both regenerative, while the De Forest circuit is not ‘regenerative. All three ireuits are excellent in their fields, and it is a hard matter to compare elative merits of them. Each is supreme in. _ hours, is often due to nearby power lines. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY eee INTERESTING RADIO NEWS AND HINTS — SHARPER TUNING FROM SHORT AERIALS _ The simplest and perhaps the best method for * reducing interference from neighboring stations, or even between stations which use the same wave lengths, is to reduce the size of the antenna. — An antenna about seventy-five feet long will. feed back plenty of energy to the set, with the — added advantage of giving the operator a chance ~ to eliminate much of the troublesome interfer- ence. : With the long aerial the receiver can change the wave length of the complete circuit but — slightly. With the shorter aerial the receiver then is the deciding factor in the selection of the wave lengths. Sometimes a combination of a — short and long aerial will work well using one for selectivity and the other for reception for long distance stations. 3 £ ; A RESISTANCE IN THE AERIAL In receivers utilizing the principle of regenera- tion it is not always a Simple matter to control g the functioning of the vacuum tube closely enough | to permit the greatest amplification of the signal ~~ without squealing caused by local oscillations in the tube. While experimenting with a set of this. type an amateur has discovered that an ordinary potentiometer of 200 to 400 ohms resistance in-— serted in the aerial le@d-in wire makes-it possible to carry regeneration to a higher degree with- out affecting the stability of the tube. Without some such scheme as this it is not possible to reach the maximum in regeneration before tube oscillations commence. ae OS AVOID HUMMING NOISES ee The continuous hum that is many times heard in reeiving sets, both in and out of transmitting The | remedy is to remove your aerial and lead-in rv. wires from the vicinity of the power lines, and a A possible to run your aerial at right angles to —~ em. , j Other mysterious and irritating noises are — caused by induction from neighboring motors, elevators and telephone lines. Several times it was reported that radio listeners had heard con-— versations that had been carried on over a nearby telephone, and a number of telephone listeners have reported hearing radio concerts, In both— a3 cases the phenomena was caused by the running — of telephone line and aerial close to each other and parallel. : WIRED WIRELESS BROADCASTING There was recently given the first demonstra: tion of commercial wired wireless broadcastin as applied to electric light wires on Staten Islanc New York City. usual radio studio. The studio is not unlike the “ae The output, instead of ing to an aerial and ground connection, is deli ered to the electric wires passing by the st The wired wireless’ broadcasting c

Page 26

planning an 18-hour daily programme. Electric light users can subscribe for the service, in which ease they are furnished with a compact receiving ~ set which is attached to any electrie light socket or outlet by means of the conventional plug. The lowest subscription rate provides for : a crystal set and head-phones, while the highest rate provides for a loud-speaker set. If the Staten Island installation works out successfully, both technically and commercially, the idea will eventually be extended to other electric light systems. : REGENERATIVE SET CONNECTIONS Many amateurs wonder why their regenerative receivers do not give them the results that “the other fellow” gets. Although they may carefully check their detector and amplifier connections, and adjust battery voltages, there is one mat- ter which is usually overlooked, This is the proper method of connecting the antenna and ground to the primary, and the grid and filament to the secondary. a By experimentation it has been found that there are two possibilities which yield good re- " sults. The first is to connect the antenna to the end of the primary of the variocoupler farthest from the secondary coil, and to join the lead from the grid to the end of the secondary coil farthest from the primary coil. It so happens, however, _, that this combination renders the set very sensi- ” tive to hand capacity effects, and it will be found extremely difficult to remove the hand after tun- ing without throwing the signals out completely. A second combination, which is just as good for receiving as the first, is to reverse the original eonnections. Join the antenna to the primary coil at the end nearest the secondary and attach the grid leak to the secondary at the point near- est the primary. \ FOR BEGINNERS : in the most out of a newly-purchased Sees it is necessary to learn a few rudi- - mentary principles of operation. What to do and what not to do should be memorized. _ Tf you have a crystal detector, keep the fingers off the mineral. Handling it leaves a greasy surface and it is more apt to collect dust. It is pest to keep it covered and if you must handle the ersytal, do so with a pair of tweezers. Don’t attempt to find out what is inside of ~ your receivers. Many poor results can be traced ois the fact that the individual was too Jjnquisi- an tive and opened the receivers by unscrewing the eaps. In doing so, you will bend the diaphragms and almost surely ruin the phones. The dia- s are made of wary thin mee and = ' ‘ i ndled. ou may also injure the eel “ee My 4 wound with wire as fine as hair, urchased a complete set, don’t andle it roughly, as you may loosen a connec- Don’t try to change any of the wiring if you 4 Se cnticaitiar with the working of it. THE INTERFERER = You cannot stop an amateur station if he is a |. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 25 ansmitting legally with a license and is on the ! 3 j io right wave length. He has just as much right to the air as you have. Remember that there are many amateurs who have been in the game for years, and some of these men are carrying on important relay traffic. They have a great deal of money invested in sets, and, as a rule, these old timers do not care much about the broadcasting. It is only fair for the beginner to remember that some of these very amateurs whom they are now blaming with the interference are the very men who made the radiophone pos- sible as well as the sets that receive it. A little courtesy shown by both sides will serve to clear up a great deal.of misunderstanding. The broad- . casting station has no right to keep the air all | the evening, and neither has the amateur. At . the present time the broadcasting stations are - sending out lengthy programmes that sometimes extend until nearly midnight. This sort of a performance is hardly fair to the amateur, who has to get off some important messages. Put yourself in the other fellow’s place and do not think that you can have the air all to yourself anv more than anyone else can. VARIOMETERS AND VARIOCOUPLERS Two instruments frequently used in radio re- ceivers are the variocoupler and the variometer. In appearance they are often much alike, but the purposes to which they are put are very different. As many as three or four variometers may be used in the same set, but more than one vario- coupler at a time is rarely seen. The coupler in most cases consists of a straight | cardboard or composition tube wound with wire. This is called the “primary.” At the upper end of the tube a rotatable wooden ball, also wound with wire,-is supported on a brass shaft. This is the “secondary.” The primary is “tapped,” that is, at every few turns the wire is bared, so that connection can be made to it. These taps are led to contact : points on the panel, where a switch traveling 2 over them allows the owner of the set to cut in or ‘ out as many turns of wire as he desires. In hookups the coupler is shown as two coils, with two arrows on one of them to indicate the : switches on the primary. ; The variometer usually consists of two square 3 wooden, or round molded, composition forms, within which rotates a large ball of correspond- ing material. The fixed forms constitute the . “stator,” and the wire which is fastened in its ’ inside is called the “stator winding.” The ball ° is known as the “rotor” and its winding known- _ as the “rotor winding.” As there are two sec-. tions to both the rotor and stator, there are four separate windings, all of which are con-~ nected in series in the standard variometer. Some circuits require the separations of these wind- ings, and variometers having all the connections brought out to individual posts bear the name of “split variometers.” = Certain makes. of variocouplers look exactly like variometers, but they caw be distinguished by the wires from the taps coming through the Ven molded case. The’ regular open type of coupler’ is more desirable, as looser coupling can be ob- pt tained with it, and the capacity between the windings is much less. e - Za Nee J a £

Page 27

L Be BO: _ .. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEW YORK, JANUARY 11, 1924 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Rintle Copies, ss... cck ice cee Postage Free 7 Cents One Copy Three Months...... 4 Si 90 Cents One Copy Six Months... Ses bY 1.75 ‘One Copy One Year.......... ae * 3.50 Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50, 3 HOW TO SEND MONEY —At our risk send P. O. Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittances in any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage Stamps the same as cash. When sending silver wrap the Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting the envelope. rite your name and address plainly. Harry BH. Wolff, Pres. : HARRY E. WOLFF, Charles B. Nylander, Sec. Publisher, Inc., L. F. Wilzen, Treas. 166 W. 28d St., N. Y. ITEMS OF INTEREST BANDITS RETURN $2 OUT OF $12 Two armed holdup men held up-Henry Becker, the rear of the C. H. Mathiessen estate, in Irving- ton on Hudson, the other day. Becker handed over $12 and when they learned that was all he had the men gave him back two dollars. Then _ they tied him to a tree and told him not to try to escape till they were out of sight. THE LARGEST BASS VIOL San Diego, Cal., claims the largest bass viol in existence. The instrument, constructed by Albert - § Filson, is 14 feet in height, with the end pin two feet, and 12 feet in the body alone. The largest previous instrument belonged in New York. It measured 11 feet 7 inches, and required - two men to play it.. The new Filson viol can be managed by one man standing on a five-foot ped- estal. DEAR, HE HAD HIS JOKE “See this door in the wall?” asked Henry Ely, reputed rich retired merchant of Sturgis, Mich., to his brother just before he died. “If anything happens to me, look in there.” Henry Ely died -- and the estate is being settled. The bulk of ‘his wealth was found insa local bank. “But his brother Dan and the administrators could not forget the door. Paper covered the spot in the little room where the door was supposed to be. A few rips bared the door. Drawn open, “tt revealed a dark recess. In the depths of the recess lay a heavy package wrapped in news- paper. Aaa : When the paper was torn off a piece of tile was ~ found. . is =} > ~ ron } TAKING MESSAGES ON THE FLY The British: Air Service in Mesopotamia has «sages to places without the necessity of their _ landing and stopping to pick up the documents. A line is stretched between two poles about 6 feet high and - a? wit FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY : jeweler, on the Croton aqueduct, New York, in | erfected a scheme for delivering written mes- — perhaps 20 feet apart. To this. . line the message is tied. By spreading large pieces of cloth on the ground in a prearran: ed pattern the pilot of the aircraft is signaled there is a message for him; the arrangement the cloth also indicates in what direction he must — fly to cross the line between the poles at right — angles. If more than one piane is up, the cloth again tells which plane is to receive the message. The selected plane swoops low over the poles, — and the pilot dangles a line to the end of which ~ it attached a hook. This engages the line to — which the message is tied, and line, message and all are dragged into the air. The pilot reels in his catch as the plane speeds away. If the mes- sage is to be delivered the plane simply dives to the point of delivery and drops the message.’ The pilots have become very expert at picking up and dropping messages in this fashion, LAUGHS “Does Growcher do anything toward making his home happy?” “Yes.” “What?” “Keep away from it.” Tie _ Billy—Do you believe in signs? Milly—Yes, indeed. Billy—Well, last night I dreamed you were madly in love with me, What is that a sign of? Milly—That’s a sign you were dream- ~ ing. Se Figg—Wonder why people say ‘as smart’as a steel trap’? I never could see anything particu larly intelligent in a steel trap. Fogg—A stee trap is called smart because it knows exactly th right time to shut up. “TI despise a hypocrite.” “So do I.” “Now, take Jackson, for example. He’s the biggest hypocrite — on earth.” “But you appear to be his best friend.” “Oh, yes; I try to appear friendly to- ward him. It pays better in the end.” age — “But I fail to understand,” said the medic man, “why you come to me. You say your wi is a doctor. Why don’t you let her prescribe f you?” “Too expensive,” replied the invalid. “La time I was ill she ordered me to spend six wee at Palm Beach, and she went with me herself.” “T asked Jeannette what she thought of me and she said she thought I’d be very attractive t mice. ‘What on earth do you suppose she meant. — by that?” “It was just a polite way of eerie that you were a piece of cheese.” Edith—Why didn’t you tell me you had that seat painted vesterday, papa? Father—Wh what happened? Edith—Why, Freddy an sat down on it last night, and Freddy got pain all over the back of his coat and trousers! _ Father of the family—‘“Irene, what brings tha youns: Hankinson here four or five evenings ey week?” Miss Irene—‘Why, papa—I hardl: ” Johnny ,(coming to her relief)—“I kn who brings him here. <A pair of the slimme legs a dude ever walked on, Them’s the th that brings him.” _ BES,

Page 28

on TRIBE MAY STOP ITS WEAVING > This discovery of oil and gas on the Navajo - Indian reservation may destroy America’s one in- imitable art—the weaving of Navajo blankets. It is agreed that the Navajo squaw weaves her beautiful blankets solely for the purpose of mar- keting the inferior grade of wool raised on the reservation. Navajo sheep are poorly bred and ~ much goat wool finds its way into the clip. Very little wool of this sort: is purchased for commer- cial purposes. The Navajos do not wear the -plankets they weave, but sell them for use as rugs and hangings. ¥ at is Aare that when the Indians are paid huge royalties on their oil-laden land they will cease weaving their beautiful blankets—and be- ~ come idlers and drivers of multi-cylinder motor ears like their oil-wealthy cousins, the Osages of = ma. 4 oe recent sale of leases for development of il on the Navajo reservation in western New Mexico is expected to speed the crisis. : ‘The bringing in of two gas wells started the my oil development. = RICH NAVAJO OUR DOLLAR 4 For the time being, the dollar seems on the way to become the international currency. stand- ard. Tens of millions of American paper dol- lars, to-day in Central and Eastern Hurope, are heing hoarded as the one form of money which will not depreciate, or being circulated as the one 3 form of money that will buy anything at prices the t+ change. , = Been a angie New York bank received from - its Central European correspondent an order im- mediately to ship one million dollars in five-dollar . -dollar bills. : ip Bai exchange dealers report that remit- tances now being sent abroad do not call for the payment of foreign currency on the other side, ut only of dollars. To meet these payments on ie other side, millions of Federal Reserve notes are shipped abroad by the great New York banks | kk. . y See ig interesting that the foreigner will pay.a premium for Federal Reserve notes with the words “Washington, D. C.” on them, rather than ake the national bank notes of our largest banks. their eyes the word Washington, the connec- with the American Government, stands for sility, certainty and value in their time of un- instability and change. nor’ Crissinger of the Federal Reserve ld the Universal Service the following: gold passes from one country to another. is impounded by customs officers, while American Federal Reserve notes are not seized, but pass freely across international boundaries. A vice-president of the Standard Oil reports at he saw American paper money circulating in Albania. Prices at, the great Leipzig Fair are ‘quoted in dollars. Steamship tickets in Germany are sold’ only for dollars, pounds sterling and aD, 2% puis 3 ¥ Fe a ee Board A ts FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY INTERESTING ARTICLES j ong who received the #1b:8 mouth sglerys. 4 ™“M oe francs. . Berlin hotels are beginning to quote rates in dollars. Dollars are circulating even in those East HWuropean countries where they are forbid- den by governmental decree. Barred from Poland, they jeak into the country through Dantzig and the Polish corridor. ; The stable American dollar is on the way to become an intermediate currency between the van- ishing European moneys of to-day and the stable moneys which European nations must create. ae pee ae : SCHOOL SALARY $15 A MONTH Study the tablet on the New York University building at the corner of Waverley place and there you will find the names of the first seven’ public school teachers who taught in Manhattan under the Dutch rule, who managed households on $15 a month and who were not above taking in their rich neighbors’ washing in addition to teaching their rich neighbors’ sons and daughters, in order to aid and abet their slim “bankrolls.” Adam Rolontsen, Jan Stevenson, Jan Cornellis- | sen, William Verstius, Jan de la Mantagne, Har- manus Van Hoboken and Evert Pietersen are the hardy schoolmasters in whose memory the tablet was erected, in the year 1909. . The year 1633 saw the establishment of the first school on the island. Adam Roelantsen, its first master, was born in Hilland in 1606, coming to this country at the age of 27. His career was a checkered one. He was continually figuring in lawsuits, which, to his chagrin, did not always turn out as he would have chosen. ‘ E Roelantsen’s duties, as outlined in his commis- sion, were: “To promote religious worship, to read a portion of the Word of God to his pupils, to endeavor to bring them up in the ways of the’ Lord, to console with them when sick, to conduct himself with all diligence and fidelity in his eall-— ing, so as to give others a good example, as be- cometh devout, pious and worthy counselors as — the church clerk, precenter and schoolmaster.” __ From the Commission of Relantsen can be ob- served one important fact: The duties of teacher and preacher in those days were closely allied. The requirements for a teacher stated: “He (the teacher) must possess a knowledge of musie, a good voice so as to be heard, and an aptitude.to teach others; he must also be a good reader, - writer, arithmetician, and a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, He must not be under 25 ot — ; over 35 years of age.” tea The teacher was invariably the appointee of the West Indian Trading Company. vey Roelantsen was succeeded by Jan Stevenson in 1643.“Stevenson taught school in the room of a . private house. : ; In 1649 Jan Cornellissen was appointed school- master. He is reputed to have been lazy and much given to the use of “rebellious liquors.” Next came William Verstius, who was a pious, diligent and well qualified schoolmaster. He was followed by Harmanus Van Hoboken, who in turn was succeeded by Evert Pietersen, the last man to teach under the Dutch rule. Piétersen was the - at. 393

Page 29

> BABY ADRIFT IN CRADLE ELEVEN DAYS : A babe ten months old, with sunken eyes and ‘to weak even to cry, was found recently by sol- diers in its cradle floating down the river at Lovere, Italy. The little victim of the recent dam disaster evidently had been drifting about on the- river for eleven days without food or drink. The soldiers took the child to their barracks ‘and placed him under care of a physician. Hach man of the garrison made’a gift of some kind and later held a ¢hristening, bestowing on the baby the name “Little Moses of the Bulrushes.” BRUSHING THE HULLS OF SHIPS It is reported that an Australian company has introduced in England an ingenious method of cleaning the outside of the hull of a ship. The Invention has been in successful operation for a - number of years in Australia and has been tried at Southampton and Plymouth. -The apparatus is mounted upon a suitable frame, ‘which can be suspended from the side of a boat. It consists of a cylindrical brush about five or six feet in length, held in a framework which also supports an electric motor and a propeller. ' The purpose of the propeller is to keep the brush pressed against the side of the ship. The case carrying the-apparatus contains also a four cylin- _der petroleum motor directly coupled to a dynamo. _The-current produced Serves to raise and lower the carrying frame as’ well as to drive the pro- - peller and brush. As the applicance operates un- ‘der water the motor and gearing are inclosed in a water-tight box. The machine is capable of removing the thickest deposits, and can thorough- _ ly elean the hull-of an 8,000 ton ship in from six ‘to seven hours. ae eee A WATCH FOR TIME STUDY -- Modern efficiency methods as applied,in fac- ~ tories and shops often make it necessary to study _ the time required for different operations in the “manufacture of certain products. ‘For this work “it is absolutely necessary to have a stop watch. ~The conventional stop watch, however, leaves ~. much to be desired, for the reason that, while it -. gives the time elapsed for a certain operation, it is necessary to Alef in a considerable: caleula- tion for determining the output per. hour or day. - Now a time study watch has been evolved for the purpose of eliminating all computation and making it possible for an observer to read from the dial the quantity desired. The circumference of the dial of the watch is divided into 100 parts, s in the well known decimal dial, but instead of - ‘these divisions being numbered in the ordinary -~ manner they are marked with figures which indi- _ eate the number of operations per hour, when he time of a single operation is represented by ‘the elapsed time. In the instance of very short ines ten operations intead of one can be FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY fie HERE AND THERE ae { THE DEEPEST MINES States. ; 4 The deepest hole in the earth is a gold mine the state of Minas Geraes and is known as th Morro Velho or St. John, del Rey mine. It is owned by the St. John del Rey Mining Compan an English corporation, which has been workin it almost continuously since 1834. me The mine is now 6,726 feet below the surface at the top of the shaft through which it is entered. — The next deepest mine is in the Kolar gold field India, where- one shaft descends to 6,140 feet. ' Village Deep mine in South Africa goes to 6,1 feet. The deepest in the United States is Tan rack No, 5, a copper mine in the Lake Superi region, with a depth of 5,308 feet. The bottom of this shaft is 4,100 feet below the level of the sea, — while that of the St. John del Rey is only 3,958 — feet below sea level, since the mouth of the sh is in a mountain country 2,768 feet above | level, The Tamarack mine goes nearest to ¢ center of the earth. re The temperature of the rock at the lowest ley of the St. John del Rey mine is 117 degrees. 1 miners work in an air temperature of 98 de The outside air has an average temperature 0; 68 degrees, but is cooled to 42 degrees before be- ing forced to the lowest levels from which it drawn to the surface by powerful fans. On way to the lowest depths its gains heat from ft rocks and from its own compression, because air at_that great depth is considerably denser tha air at sea level. area The mine is a dry one, there being no water at the lower levels, and because of the low rela- tive humidity of the air which has been dried b fore being forced into the mine, the men are able to work under satisfactory conditions. : The St. John del Rey mine is not only the dee est mine in the world, but is operated by the old- est registered English mining company, or; ized in 1880 to work a mine at a place sociated tance from the present workings. This mine proved to be unprofitable, and in 1837 operatio were transferred to the present site where th have since been carried on almost continuoush The deepest hole in the bedrock foundation the crust of the earth has been recently rep to have been drilled in South Africa. It the deepest from the surface, but the point is th its 5,300 feet of depth is all in the pre-Ca strata, the underlying rocks which were la sand finished some hundred million or so years | The other deep bores mentioned above are i of more recent formation, or even, especi the case of the ‘Tamarack shaft, in sup sedimentary material—A bstract from rec dress by Dr. T. T. Reed, U. S. Bureau before the N. Y. Section of the Americ ing and Metallw :

Page 30

: who became a millionaire! A WENTY-THREE years ago, John C. If the I, C. §. can smooth the way to success for a1 echanic in other men, it can help you. If it can help other WWabE 9s: working < 25.3. me men to go forward to better jobs and bigger - Peoria, Illinois, at $12 a week. | salaries, or to success in businesses of their own, it can help you, too. To-day, he isa millionaire—having an income j that runs into six figures—nationally and inter- _, At least find out how by marking and mailing v3 : this coupon. It doesn’t obligate you in any way nationally known as the inventor of the Wahl 4, °4, dis: “but ii shay sno; the aekne of Blauiye Adding Machine, the Wahl Fountain Pen, your entire life. and president of The Wahl Company, manu- MAIL THE COUPON TO-DAY! - facturers of the famous Eversharp pencil. a i er Da he ar a ee =F a8 é ik hei f INTERNATIONAL GORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS Bos Tt is Sateteeene. fo-nete Sais see aed Without cost or obligation, please tell me how I can qual for s the better in the life of John C. Wahl came ~‘the position or in the subject before which I have marked an X: : i ee - BUSINESS TRAINING COURSES - the day he saw an riabediiago a hit him Bunloese tpoment, Metomapan BF ny straight between the eyes. As he puts it, Personnel Organization Bottor Letters “Gt told “how the International Correspon- raffle Management Show Card Lettering . f Business Law Stenography and Typing dence Schools could make a draftsman of a Banking and Banking Lew , | {Business English »... fellow without interfering with his daily work.” Cost Accounting EpRatlway Mai Clerk : é . Wahl enrolle Private Secretary * OAigh School Subjects That day, J ohn C se d and started Spanish O French Mlustrating Cy Cartooning to build for the future. His present success TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL COURSES : ee M Electrical Engi n: Architect is proof that he builded well, Blocrle Lighting z Eee Pe Reading # echanical Engineer ontractor and U ier . <p; ; 7 7 ” Mechanical Draftsman Architectural Draft 3 Pick the line of work nee ue like best, he Machine Shop Practice Concrets Builder. tae said the other day, “and stick to it. Study Railroad Positions Structural Engineer ; we A ; as Engine Operating themistry arm: = ( ) = Civil Engi Automobile Work hard and success es take care of ty ri cs rr OO Atle de ae ‘ ie _ ing 1S impossible wy a ite So, na egnup Sistasrs Hnpinesring AeMeutare and Poultry ~ his mind that he’s going to get ahead. GRadio _ Mathematics - John C. Wahl ‘is just one of thousands of . C. §, students who have made good in a big — way. The lives of such men should be an jnspiration and a guide to every man who - wants a better job and a bigger salary. Persons residing in Oanada should send this coupon to the Tear a= tional Correspondence Schools Canadian, Limited, Montreal, Canads.

Page 31

eS bon Bracelet — lar; Came 5 ‘ge (GIP Brooch and these 4 lovely Gold Qi “Gi Wyrm x Bnap Fasteners a 5°. cents D. T. DALE MFG. CO., 12 cards of our easily-sold card (12 Snaps on a card 1d. only and sending us $1.20. Providence, R. L Fea Uraer now, model of drop forge®& blue steel, just out, rs New, positive safety de- = vice. A world bezter for de- o cere and accuracy. a S$ calibre. Shoots 7 shots. Regular $22.50 value, spe- fu iy priced at $6.75. z= th e: 20 SHOT, 32 CAL. . 20 shot, 32 cal. heavy service automatic, 10 shots wi tra magazine, making 20 shots in all, special at 38.45. Both guns shoot any standard automatic cartridge, PAY POSTMAN ON DELIVERY plus postage. *aramount Trading Co., Dept. F1W ,34W.28thSt.. ALY. ACCO Habit Cured or No Pay Any form, cigars,ci mabe mer chewing orsnuff Guaranteed. am Complete treatment sent SUPERBA Ch Sit Srey Baltimose. Sid. Learn How to WRESTLE In Your Own Home By Mail M NOT SATISFIED ‘ to be. an expert ere wren Fight, in your ‘own home, by m: a esata ce = iia : witheh ey, omy par andi Waias esi FarmerBurns macsphingen bart Wor ia ‘chanipta mug ht each yon ve Gelent of SEVEN “Physical meen ae fbr atet ecee oa Grasp this won der opportunity. State age. Farmer Burns, 9461 Ry. Exch. Bldg..Omaha,Neb- WITH DOUBLE fj HEAD PHONES. THIS WONDER RADIO SE in speciai. metal cabinet with poopie eet hi , lete, ready to ines hee ee FREE LISTEN e uate ae es wont ee Wash nator NTEE SA ALE Ince. De | § DIAMONDS q Guaranteed BROS. » Be Co. ro58 GENUINE We Import Diamonds Direct from European Markets and Sell Direct to You— a great saving in price, an: assuring you the choicest quality, peta ore selected by our Diamond buyers at Amste: Antwerp and other Diamond centers, Specials for Christmas Gifts Your Choice For A VB Se ry) Diamond Ring Brilliant Diamond, ¥% Di blue wie pertoct E ney Back cut. intire ru io = solid white J) Oe lar Wrist ‘Watch No. Jewalen $57.80. A Christmas Gift that ie sure to pi Send for Christmas Catalog fit shoppi: ide to unusual bargains uefa niet Est cate . Th jelect as many articles a» you wis! ounte Sent prepaid for your Free Examination, Easy y creat Torms. DE i. ins is ing. Send for your copy toda: THE NATIONAL JEWELERS Depry. F-187 il. LOF ET &:C0.5 BS ns ea Cin She Found A Pleasant Way To Reduce Her Fat Thousands of Overfat eople have greatly re- Sused their weight and attained a normal fig- y ure by following the advice of others who use and recommend the Marmola Prescription )Tablets. These harm- less little fat reducers are prepared in tablet form from the same in- gredients that formerly composed the famous Marmola_ Prescription for fat reduction. If you are yes fat, you owe it to yourself to give these fat reducers a fair trial. All the better Jrug stores the world over sell Marmola Prescription Tablets at one dollar per package. Ask your druggist for them or send one dollar to the Marmola Co.,628 Garfield Bldg., Detroit, Mich., and secure a package of these tablets. They are harmless and reduce your weight without going through long sieges of tiresome exercise and starvation diet. If you are too fat try this today. . Gash or Credit id 20-k White Gold, 7 FIVE-YEAR ARCTIC. EXPEDITION PLANNED : One of the most elaborate polar expeditions ever undertaken is ~ now being plan- — ned by Capt. Rob- ert A _ Bartlett, commander of the Roosevelt; on which Admiral Peary made his voyage toward the North Pole. The trip will be made to explore a water route n orth eastward from Alaskan waters through the Arctic re- gions, and _ will probably leave Seattle next June or July, pass through Bering Strait, and drift .. eastward with the ~ ice to Greenland or Spitzbergen, It will require five years for the trip, according to Captain Bartlett. The party of ten will make up. the expedition, which will sail in a@ wooden non- magnetic ship. — Instruments for surveying the | northern regions, sounding the depths of the © Arctic Ocean and _- examining what- ever life may be’ found will be in- cluded. The ship will carry wire-. less and a sea- plane. Time, appar ently, means but | little to Arctic — explorers, for | Captain Bartlett — says: “We may — be frozen up a year or two,” and then goes on to. say that such ex- periences are common to noe ern explorers and » are re se pected.

Page 32

FIND RELICS ARE 12,000 YEARS OLD : A boy’s acci- ~ dental find of a fissure in the ~-earth in the cen- ter of a forest - near the River Lot, in the South of France, has been responsible for the discovery of important hu- man relics esti- mated to be at least 12,000 years old. This is the sec- ond important archeological find made in France in the past two months, Univer- sal Service hav- Jing previously de- tailed the discov- _ ery of three skel- etons of men who 4 ived 12,000 years ~- ago in the Upper Burgundy . dis- trict, near Dijon. . The boy, when he found the fis- sure, divined that it might have ~ archeological im- * portance, so he hurried back and ~~ Abbe Lebozi, a parish priest, who yen- tured into the *erack and found it led to a huge - subterranean do- _ main, divided into spacious cham- bers which con- tained the relics. Drawings made by artists esti- * mated to have _ lived in the year ye 10,000 B. C. de- “corated the walls, and there were ‘crude statues and int arrowheads m abundance.” Big; - - ys gris ow a F = PREe AMERICAN SEED CO,, Box V- 127, Lancaster, Pa. MOVING PICTURE MACHINE Genuine New Model Oil or Electric Moving Pic- Pture Machine, and non-, (te inflammable film, given free for selling 25 pack- ages Colored Postcards at 10 cents a package. Extra premium. of Ad- mission Tickets. You can earn money by giv- ing shows at your own home. Write today. COLUMBIA NOVELTY CO. Dept. 986 , East Boston, Mass. BIG VALUE for. {0 Cts. 6 Songs, words and music; 25 Pic- Mm tures Pretty Girls;40 aye to 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 rules for games; Toy Maker Book; Language of Flowers; 1 Morse gy Mes ae Alpha- bet; 12 Chemical xperiments; Mag*> Age Table; Great North Pole “a7 Game; 100 Conundrums; 8 Puzzles; 12 Games; 80 Verses for Autograph Albums, ~ Al the above by mail for 10 cts, and 2% cts. poscage, Royal Sales Co., Desk 134, South Norwalk, Ct. Earn Big Money DETECTIVES Travel. Write Dept."K, American Detective System, 1968 Broadway, New York City : OLD MONEY WANTED 8 $2 to $500 WACH paid for hundreds of old coins. Keep ALL Old or odd money, it may be VERY vainable. Send 10 cts. for ILLUS- TRATED COIN VALUE BOOK, 4x6. Get Posted. We pay CASH. OLARKE COIN CO., Ave. 13, LeRoy, N. ¥. Bald Men Grow Hair Gatpeline. reports are coming from men who were bald or losing hair and who acquire a new. vigorous foe by using Kotalko Treatment that Syakens ee cormaitt pais roots. ‘Four inches of hair have grown over w was a bald spot,’’ is the report of G. W. Ay elas “T had are bald spot and real, healthy hair has developed all over my head ’’ writes C, P. Heiser, Imagine the enthusiasm of Albert H. Flary when he reported: “‘My head was as bare as the bottom of my feet and now I have a good growth of hair,” eo. M. Schwank reports that even with a second application of the compound his hair stopped fall- ing; then a new srowth started. The well known merchant, John H. Brittain was almost completely bald and after using Kotalko a new full crop of hair grew. Legions of similar reports from men and women. Free Box of Kotalko Mailed to You! payee who is losing hair. or is bald may obtain a full size box of Kotalko under money-refund guarantee at any busy druggist’s. Ora proof box will be mailed free, postpaid. merely b: prriting to Kotalko Offices, P-370, Station L, New York, N. Y, FRONTIER SPECIAL fee FAMOUS SIDE SWING BRAND new blue steel, G-shot, famout Frontier Spocia! swing-out hand-ejec tor revolver with 6-inch barrel. Imported from Spain, the equal of any $35 modes, and specially priced for limited time to add new customers. LOW PRICE SPECIAL in 32, 32-20, or 38 cal., OUR No, 35——$13.4! EXTRA SPECIAL, our No, 260, latest 1924 model of tool steel,—-32 cal.—6 shot— Riess: 32-20 or 38 cal.—6 shot— 15.45. 20-SHOT “PANTHER” y) Yy a! Spee cartridge. ~ plus Satisfied. If Ruptured Try This Free Apply it to Any Rupture, Old or Recent, — Large or Smail, and You are on the Road That Has Con- ; vinced Thousands, j Sent Free to Prove This Anyone ruptured, man, woman or child, should write at once to W. 8S. Rice, 556-C Main St,, Adams, N. Y., for a free trial of his wonderful stimulating application. Just put it on the rupture and the muscles begin to tighten; they begin to hind together so that~the opening closes naturally and the need of a support or truss or appliance is then done away with. Don’t neglect to seid for this free trial. Even if your rupture doesn’t hother you what is the use of wear- ing supports all your life? Why suffer this nuisance? Why run the risk of gangrene and such dangers from a small and innocent little rupture, the kind that has thrown thousands on the operating table? A host of men and women are daily running such risk just be- Ja cause their ruptures do not hurt nor prevent = them from getting around. Write at once an for this free trial, as it is certainly a won- “a derful thing and has aided in the eure of #4 ruptures that were as big as a man’s two ve fists. Try and write at once, using the cou- las pon below. Free for Rupture W. S. Rice, Inc., 556-C Main St., Adams, N. Y. a You may send me entirely free a Sample Treatment of your stimulating applica- tion for Rupture. Name PTAA TOR eee meee tema ae eeseesese

Page 33

Fame and Forkine Weekly —— LATEST IssvurEsS — 909 ‘Tom, the Steeplejack; or, Winning a Living by Nerve. 910 Saving a Million; or, Ben and the Wall Street Brokers. 911 Down and Out; or, A Hard Boy to Beat. 912 The Boy Banker’s Double; or, A Strange Wall St. Mystery. 913 The Young Beach Comber; or, A Fortune in the Sand. 914 The Little Boss; or, After the Wall St. Money Kings, 915 $250,000 in Gold; or, Hunting a Hindoo Treasure, 916 A Corner in Money; or, Beating the Wall St. Loan Sharks. 917 malig. a Alone; or, The Boy Who Made His Own uck. 918 Bae a Tucker; or, Making Big’ Money in Wall rect. . 919 Fighting for Business; or, Beating a Bad.Start. $ 920 A’ Boy Money-Maker; or, In Wall St. on His Nerve. 921 Buried Gold; or, The Treasure of the Old Buc- caneers. 922 Hitting It Rich; or, The Luckiest Firm in Wall St. 928 Sam the’ Salesman; or, The Boy With the Silver Tongue. 924 Playing in Luck; or, A Plotter’s Dangerous Deal. 925 After a Big Stake; or, Brains Against Brawn. 926 Facing the Mexicans: or, The Secret of the Aztec's old. ; 927 Fighting for Fame; or, The Luck of a Young Con- tractor. 928 Secking a Lost Treasure; or, The Nerve of a Young Explorer. 929 Matt the Mechanic; or, The Boy Who Made His Pile. 930 Among the Ice Peaks; or, The Voyage That Made the Money. . 981 The Little Castaways; or, The Fortune That a Wreck Brought. / 982 ee Big Chances; or, The Boy Who Saved a own. 938 Always Lucky; or, Winning on His Merits. 934 Out for a Corner; or, A Smart Chicago Boy. 935 The Winning Trick; or, How a Boy Made His Mark. _ 9386 The Young Editor; or, Running a Country News- : paper. * 987 A Big Stroke; or, The Lad Who Made a Record. 988 In the Copper Fields; or, The Mine That Made the Money. 939 From a Cent to Fortune; or, A bhicago Boy’s Great Scoop. 940 A Start in Life; or, A Poor Boy's Rise to Fame. 941 A eng Boy; or, Born With a Winning , Streak. 942 Capturing the Money; or, How Ben Bailey Made His Mark. 948 Digging for Gold; or, The Luck of a Boy Miner. 944 A Boy with Grit; or, Darning an Honest Living. 945 Andy the Mill Boy; or, Rising to the Top. ‘ | 946 Fame Before the Footlights; or, The Boy Who aS : Bossed the Theatre. 7 947 Lucky Lee the Office Boy; or, The Nerviest Lad in . New York. 948 Sure to Get Rich; or, A Smart Young Messenger. 949 Pushing It Through; or. The Fate of a Lueky Day. 950 A Born Speculator; or, The Young Sphinx of Wall 7 Street. ‘951 The Way to Success; or, The Boy Who Got There. i 652 Struck Oil: or. The Boy Who Made a Million. 958 A Golden Risk; or, The Young Miners of Della Cruz. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any ad- o dress on receipt of price, ic. per copy, in money or pos- = tage stamps, by * HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Ine., 166 West 28d Street, New York City SCENARIOS HOW TO ou Price 35 Cents Per Copy j This book contains all the most recent changes in the method of construction and submission of sce- | narios. Sixty Lessons, covering every phase of sce- nario writing. For sale by all Newsdealers and Book- stores, If you cannot procure a copy, Send us the | price, 35 cents, in money or postage stamps, and we will mail you one, postage free. Address — | i. SENARENS, 219 Seventh Ave., New York, N. ¥ “— Containing full directions for making electrica d 166 West 23d Street, * OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOK Ss Bee 2: Useful, Instructive, and Amusing. They contain Valuable Information on Almost Every Subject. : ie ae ae Pr Cae. No. 35. HOW TO PLAY GAMES.—A complete and useful little book, containing the rules and regulations of billiards, bagatelle, back-gammon, croquet, domi-— noes, ete. No. 36. HOW FTO SOLVE CONUNDRUMS.—Contain- ing all the leading conundrums of the day, amusing rid-_ dies, curious catches and witty sayings. No. 40. HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS.—Includ-— ing hints on how to catch moles, weasels, otter, rats, squirrels and birds. Also how to cure skins. Copiously illustrated. : No. 41. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK END MEN’S © JOKE BOOK. — Containing a great variety of the latest jokes used by the most famous end men, No amateur minstrels is complete without this wonderful little book. No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUMP. SPEAKER, — Containing a varied assortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch and Irish. Also end men’s jokes. Just the thing for home amusement and amateur shows. No. 45. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK MINSTREL : GUIDE AND JOKE BOOK. — Something new and yet a instructive. Every boy should obtain this book, as it a contains full instructions for organizing an amateur minstrel troupe. po led No. 46. HOW TO MAKE AND USE ELECTRICITY. — —A description of the wonderful uses of electricity and ‘4 OF est, EGS! Wie Se | électro magnetism: together with full instructions for making Electric Toys, Batterles, ete. By George Trebel, A. M., M. D. Containingg over fifty illustrations, ees le- No. 48. HOW TO BUILD AND SAIL CANOES.—A ~_ handy book for boys, containing full directions for con- structing canoes and the most popular manner of sail- ing them. Fully illustrated. No. 49. HOW TO DEBATE.—Giving rules’ for Fe dueting debates, outlines for Raeages questane tan re cussion and the best sources for procuring information on the questions given. No. 50. HOW TO STUFF BIRDS AND AN oe —A’ valuable book, giving instructions in cotiectsame geen Pa Let et mounting and preserving birds, animals and In- a: No. 51, HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Con- taining explanations of the general principles of sleight- of-hand applicable to card tricks; or card tricks with ea et carers ane ees reduiring: slelght-of-hand ; of cks involving sleight-of-hand, or the use of : prepared cards. Illustrated. epee No. 52. HOW TO PLAY CARDS.—A’' compl handy little book, giving the rules and full ieections a for playing Huchre, Cribbage, Cassino, Forty-Five, a Rounce, Pedro Sancho, Draw Poker, Auction Pitch, All _ Yours, and many other popular games of cards, *~ No. 54. HOW TO KEEP AND MANAGE PETS, — Giving complete information as to the manner and meth- od of raising, keeping, taming, breeding and managing all kinds of pets: also giving full instructions for mak- ing cages, ete. Fully explained by twenty-elght illus. trations. No. 56. HOW TO BECOME AN ENGINEER, — Con- taining full instructions how to become a locomotive eppaticer: ae coreg Ae are a model locomo- _ tive; together w a fu escription of ev: - an- engineer shonld know. oe ana No. 58. HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE. — By Old Ki Brady, ma pei eee tee In which ego: King “a some valuable rules for beginners, and als aS adventures of well-known detectives. 0, Felnten: 60a o No. 60. HOW TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER,— __ Containing useful information regarding the Camera and aie how to work it; also how to make Photographic Magic Lantern Slides and other Transparencies. Handsomein illustrated. HOW TO MAKE ELECTRICAL MACHINES - No. 64. m chines, induction coils, dynamos and many novel’ ves ee Ls] bed a by electricity. By B. A. R. Beinett, Batt ustrated. X For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to amy — address on receipt of price, 10c. per copy, — in money or stamps, by HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. — r