1901-04-13 — Page 5

BOGUS MESSAGESTM AT ¡¡. A WORD.

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1901.

"I know Bentham expects me," I said, un- truthfully," and it would cut him to the heart were I to disappoint him. Hence I must come, To resume, however, Do you know that, a I am credibly informed, there exist among our bourgeoisie many families in which they still observe at a festive season of the year the time honoured custom of seizing the privilege the ¦ gracious mistletoe sanctiona.“

Their fulay men are always yulgar. Their No one can be funny in London, for long. funny women-Ah ! let us forget,

There is no nation so illogical xa' these THE TELIGRAPH AS AN AID TO TRICKSTERS,

people. Has that ever struck you? It has never strack them. Let me make it plain. The Wonderful as is the telegraph, there are a

streets are dug up for the telephone, for the good many people in the world who think it

electric light, for the hydraulic. The people did not come to us as an unmixed blessing, This feeling is engendered principally by the "An atrociously vulgar custom 1"

complain. They are a nation of traders; they undoubted facilities which the wires afford for

laugh at us for loving pleasure more than com "Quite so, and delicious. Now last Boxingmerce; and when the streets are dug up for practising little deceits of one kind and an- Day I dined with a client of mine, pamed other. Some people understand this very well. Fuimelow, who lives at Brixton with his wife

their trade-they.complain I must-smile.

The streets are so narrow that the traffic is For instance Dow, the telegraph wires have and two bouncing, handsome daughters. One always stopped. The newspapers say, "Let more than once been used with marvellous of these last happened after dinner to be stand- the big vans and carts be turned into side ingenuity by lovers who had become disap-ing artlessly beneath the mistletoe, whereupon streets. Commerce is ignored. It is the wor pointed with their lot, as the records of I, guessing at the custom of her class, did what ship of the hansom. Are they not very droll,

was expected of me, her parents looking on these shopkeepers?' approvingly. To her it was but a simple and a frequent joy, to me a rarer one. But now, if you were sitting under the mistletoe, do you suppose that I----

was

breach cl promise cases show. To take one from the many, there

case in the North a little while back in which the young man made desperate attempt to rid himself entirely of his engagement by means of the telegraph, and this is how he did it. His lady lived some long way from his place of business, and his means would only permit of his paying about two visits a year to her parents' abode, so that little was really known of his private life. As a matter of fact, there was nothing much against him.

However, not having the pluck to tell the lady that he no longer cared about her, he made arrangements that during one of his visits to her parents' place a batch of telegrams should be sent to him from time to time, giving him all the latest betting and racing news, with a prize fight thrown in occasionally. These telegrams, when received, he left lying care- lessly about, so that everybody could see them. His interesting project was, of course, to make the lady throw him up, though not many would care to do such a thing at the expense of their

characters.

One day, however, in addition to the tele- grams, he was careless enough to leave on a writing table a letter addressed to a friend, giving him instructions for the sending off of a further lot of telegrams, which were "working admirably " This was not part. of the arranged programme, but the lady read it all the same. The result was that ∙there was a scene of such a nature that had not been bargained for, and the programme being now all at sixes and sevens the worst happen ed, and the telegram manipulator found him. self within the meshes of the law.

1

The mud bas entered their minds. We say London is foggy, We are wrong. London is muddy. That is alt.

I believe, it is this mud which makes the English so queer. Man, we are told, was made from the dust. The Englishman, my friend, was made from the mud.

You certainly won't get that invitation." "No, but imagine it," I persisted. "Im- agine that you not only sat under the mistletoe the whole evening, but that you wore mistletoe in your hair, and that on occasions when I was word. Say it to yourself. Not softly; say it The have a word "sloppy." It is a good near, you feigned to be asleep. Yet, though you loudly. The Englishman says it as if he loved at there for bours, nothing would have hapit. That explains very much to me. Does it pened when you rose to say 'good-night."" not explain very much to you? Sloppy.

I said to an English friend of mine: "1 have a bad cold."

"I am going to send you away at the next comer we come to," was her only comment.

"Nay," I went on, as not hearing the inter ruption, like Beatrice, you would depart un kissed. Think of my loss, and wonder no more at my desire to be vulgar. Then take another case. You have just bowed to Miss Ponsonby. But if Miss Furmelow knew you as well as you know Miss Ponsonby, then, en meeting you, she would embrace you fervently coram populs for no cold convention could freeze the demon. strative ardour of her affection. A simple child of Nature, she would obey the loving impulse that moved her, and find delight in doing so, Again, if Bentham goes out without your re- minding him to order the marmalade and the silk thread #

I should never think of telling him to order marmalade. He wouldn't know where to get it, poor dear!"

Then say the pell de foie gras. Now what would you do? You dare not fling the window open and scream instructions down the street to him. No, you would send a servant after him and the servant would miss him, and the A case of a somewhat similar character had palé de fole gras and the silk thread would be direct pecuniary gain for its object. There wanting. But what does the city clerk's wife was a case in the County Court in which a do? She runs to the garden gale and screams clerk brought an action against his late em.. for all the neighbourhood to hear: 'John, player for wrongful dismissal. The evidence don't forget baby's teething powders, and tell which the latter adduced fairly staggered the man to send up Susie's stockings before him. It was shown that the man had been

dinner,' and then she returns to the house with very anxious to get this particular situation, the proud consciousness of having remembered and before being engaged produced several to give her spouse the last necessary instruction. testimonials as to ability and character, which, Yes, I am going to be valger. So only can I however had not the desired effect. Then he or any one be natural. I hate nearly everything played his trump card. He made a final call now. Then I shall like them-loud voices, loud at the office, and showed his prospective em-dresser, glaring colours, yellow brick villas, oleo- ployer à telegram which he had received the graphs, German gimcrackery, polished walnut same day, offering him a bigger salary than tables, Frith's, "Road to Ruin, musical comedies, cheap magazines, comic songs, and

His eyes brightened. He became animated, French, human.

"Have you tried So-and-So?" he cried. "No

"Or So-and-So?"

"No."

"Or So-and-So?" "No."

"You must try them," he said. talk about these remedies for colds. They are The English are only enthusiastic when they a hardy people!

yourself from Paris now. You will see the If you would see the real London, tear True London. You will never call it Londres again. The Strand is a running river. Pall Mall is black ooze. Piccadilly is full of pud- dles. Everybody's clothes are splashed with mud. All the walls of the houses, all the windows of the shops are streaming with mud. It is sloppy. Everywhere it is sloppy. Nothing but sloppy.

Do not come to London in the summer. It is clean then.

summer,-Advocate of India..

The Londoner goes to the seaside in the

.

HUMAN SHADOWS OF THE THRONE.

It is a curious and little known fact that many of the crowned heads of Europe are best guarded in the fullest sense when they appear to be absolutely without protection.

usually in charge of arrangements of this sort of her Majesty's suite. The police commissary

is an expert, and he is one Monsieur Paoli whose efforts the Queen, so much appreciated that she made him an honorary member of the fourth class of the Victorian Order.

when the Queen was abroad that she was thus But it must not be imagined that it was only secretly protected. As a matter of fact secret police more about with the Court, a special de tachiment of them is always stationed at Wind sor, and though her Majesty was seldom aware they were, in the vicinity, they are never far away. They are always dressed in the plainest and most unsuspicious clothes, and practically nobody but themselves know who they are and what their business is. They are drawn from the best men the A division of the Metropoli tan Police Force can turn out. A superinten dent is in charge of them, and he is notified of the Queen's movements each day.

It may properly be imagined that the Car hay probably the biggest and most perfect se cret protection organisation. His "shadow- ets" are so numerous that they have to adopt ception they often practise is that of represent practically every form of disguise, and one de- ing themselves as belonging to his Majesty's enemies, and vehemently declaiming aged him. Sometimes things get a little mixed lo consequence, and secret police have been ar rested; but they all possess means known to no one else of instantly, proving their identity beyond any possible doubt. Ifa secret detective were, even for a moment, suspected of not being absolutely bond fide, he would find him. selt in Siberia before he quite realised the state of affairs,

All other European sovereigns have their secret bodyguards as well, and the Sultan's is pretty much as elaborate as those to which we have referred-Cassel's Saturday Journal.

A VALENTINE DAY SERENADE.

full possession of his faculties he would bare If Ferdinand de Mayan had been in the noticed that the expression on Charlie Down ing's face was not so cordial as usual this more ing

Ferdinand, as he took Downing's arm and "I wish to say somet'ing, Don Carlos!" said winked in his peculiarly dry, wicked, Spanish way. "You go back to Throgmorton Street?? wayi

do happen to be so doing."

"Ver good. And I too. Ob, my friend, ! am so happy--so dooced happy!"

Charlie. Downing stiffened his jaw. If he had needed any confirmation to his belief, here it was, ready to band. He decided to dissemble for a while.

"Indeed What makes you so 'doaced' happy, may I ask ? be said.

that which be was asking for, and purporting sky signs.. Moreover, I shall always turn to land, and the Emperor William, though given Valetine's Day and it is the custom in

to be signed by a very well-known firm

He was engaged on the spot, and a week or two afterwards It was found on inquiry that no such telegram had ever been sent by the firm whose name it bore, and that, more than that, the firm had never even heard of the man's same. How he had used the telegraph wires to further. his own. interests, as he, imagined, will be readily understood.

So, too, have the wires have been used for procuring a swift and safe revenge. One re- markable car came within the writer's own experience. For a piece of gross neglect a reporter had been

- dismissed from

the staff of a plund prly paper, and felt that he bore it. yudge in conse quence. A for nights later, just before going to press, the paper received a telegram about a hundred words long, which purported to give a brief circumstantial account of the suicide of A man vell-known in the town to which the paper belonged, at a little place some forty miles away. An unknown and--it was after- wards proved-fictitious name was given as the sender of the message.

There was no time for the paper to make any inquiries on the subject, and the message was printed with big headlines. After which it was discovered that it was was entirely untrue, and, being so, the paper had got itself into a very bad difficulty, for which it had to make numerous abject apologies, It may be explained that most other papers would have printed the message in the sime circumstances, for it is a common custom for them to receive telegrams from correspondents, known and unknown, all over the country on divers subjects, the sender, as a rule, receiving half-a-crown for every such message, if used, the cost being only a shilling, or, in some circumstances, much less. Some time after. wards it was ascertained beyond doubt that the sender of this telegram had been the dimissed reporter, who adopted this method of "getting his own back."-Cassell's Saturday Journal.

ON BEING VULGAR.

[BY MARSHALL STEELE IN THE Pall Mall Garzeite.]

"If," she began as soon as we were clear of the little throng of worshippers who had left the sacred building with us, "If I could ever vanture to say anything to you that savoured

of reproach

Then she paused. I smiled, "If?" "It's abominable of you to pretend that I an a regular Xantippe; but the fact is you never get scolded enough, I believe a con scientious and kindly friend would have all bis time occupied in merely indicating your faults." Conscientiousness and kindliness, as i have constantly observed," I commented, "

are most becoming to you.”

"Oh! indeed! Well, after that, I shall cer tainly tell you that I don't approve of people laughing in church.”

"Oh, come, It was only a smile."

"It was worse, sir, if 'was i grin, and gris- plog is

"Vulgar," I said, taking the word out of ber mouth. "Good, and I want to be vulgar. It had just occurred to me, and the discovery of a great truth moved me to mirth, though the Reverend Glossop was thundering at me with the energy of a Long Tom, that to be truly happy you must be vulgar, So I mean to cul- tivate the e of vulgarity."

"Why?

pom

Miss Marie Corelli if i want to know how our old nobility live, talk, and conduct themselves generally. I have more, far more, to say on the subject," I added, as we reached her hospit. able door, "but that can be said at lunch."

"You appear to forget that you haven't been invited to lunch yet."

"Oh! well, if you are going to turn me away in this famished condition, all I can is, as the vulgar do, 'So long,""

She shuddered. Rather than hear any. thing so loathly, I will feed you. So come in

I went in, and, under the influence of the scalloped oysters, I forgot the other advant ages of being vulgar.

FROM THE FRENCH,

[BY H. B.].

This London My friend, we call it Londres; but we are wrong. The English are very right. The name must not be softened. It is London, My God!

Foremost among the rulers who adopt these measures are the German Rainer and the Russian Czar, There are Anarchists in every to no idle fears, does not believe in running the slightest unnecessary risk. As a result, be is probably the best protected monarch in Europe, and an illustration may be given of how this is 30, It is a fair sample.

A little while ago the Emperor belook him- self for a short stay to a little place in Eastern Prussia called Cadinen. This point, by the way, is not so very far from the Russian fron-

lier.

The irony was lost upon the Spaniard. "I do not tell you all-only a leetle part; I am in love, Don Carlos. It is you, besides that I give thank yous' for it. Now I fix up my plan. I have been reading. It is the Holy country on Holy Valentine's Day

your dear "Oh hang exclaimed Downing "Tell me something that isn't state, old man."

"Paciencia, if you please," said the Spani ard, sweatly pressing the arm he held. "You get a temper. to-day. Why? You go late to bed, perhaps? Perhaps you do not sleep well?" I slept detestably, if you want to know," aid Downing. with startling energy. But be did not.add, as he might have done, and you are the miserable, traitorous cause of it No. it was still his cue to temporiin,

sympathetically. "Yes, you are sick under "I am sorry, my friend," said the Spaniard, the eyes, I can see. But do not anger your self again, I tell you. I have. learnt a feetle pretty song to sing to my inamorats this even. ing when the star shine bright. I do it with music also to accompany. I make her a serenade in the Spanish mode. There! Don Carles; and now you shall laugh at me and do yourself good. Ta laugh is to take medicine." Ferdinand de Mayan's own chuckles ought to have amused Downing. But they infuriated him instead; and his foigned laughter was as the crackling of pots in a fire.

As soon as the visit was decided upon, notification of it was given to the police head- quarters at Berlin, and the necessary arrange- ments were promptly made there. Five picked men of the Berlin Secret Police were ordered to Cadinen itself in advance, and others were despatched to Tilsit, Dantzig, Marienburg and other places within a few miles radius of it No one but the Emperor, the detectives them- selves, their superior officers at Berlin, and the head police and gendarmes of the district visited were aware of their business and identity.

One of the detectives the whole of the time was disguised as a trampof a very disreputable. type. He was wretchedly dressed, bad shoes which ware burst at the side besides being practically soleless, and the appearance of his face and hair indicated that they had received not the slightest attention for many days past, Moreover, he was invariably seen lying by the roadside drinking copious draughts from what appeared to begin bottle, but which was in "You t'ink it is brave in me reality filled with tea. Importunate and more or less rude remarks were made to passers-by, think, old man, And who, may I inquire, is the "think, it's wont tell you what I

I will tell you what I have seen. The Lording person was in reality the keenest detective

and no one 'suspected that this wretched-look-the happy lady of your precious heart? Roberts walking to the War Office. He is in Germany, that he made the most searching washed and clean; he has the neatness of the examination, as far as appearance west, of all Frenchman. Sudden I see his hand go up to who passed him on the road, keeping a com his eye. He holds it there, tight.

plete record of every one of them, and that My friend, what has happened? The hand any man whom he suspected would have been is removed. The eye is black.

arrested by the police proper before he had gone many yards further.

Have you ever lived in this city? Do you know what these English call a capital, Do not think of Paris, of Vienna. No, no. Not even of Berlin. London is London; there is nothing like it in the whole world. The dis- coveries of the archeologists have revealed nothing like this Landort. Even the barbarians conceived cities more beautiful. Is it strange This should be so ?

The collar is black also.

}

longer washed and clean. He is no longer The cheek is likewise black. He is not like the Frenchman..

Shail tell you what it means? The streets here are rivers of Dore. They are never cleaned. The mud that lies-there to-day in the mud on which their Sir Raleigh laid his cloak for the Queen Elizabeth to walk cleanly. It is very old mud. It hurts you when it hits you in the eye. The English are proud of old things,

The horses, placing their feetupon the ground, when they walk, when they trot, when they gallop, flag up the mud. They are very good, horses, but they cannot help themselves

I tell you, too, what I have seen.

He answered. Very good weather, what's

as a carpenter, and walked about here and Another of these five detectivas was disguised

in his hand while another acted the part of a there in a very business like way, with a rule bricklayer, and wandered everywhere in the neighbourhood. One of the five superintended the four others, and daily gave them auch instructions and communications 45 necessary.

were

†

"Hal bal You'd dare go as far as that " ke asked strenuously, gazing at the Spaniard's handsome dark face with an emotion he could net completely hide.

my day little secret. I tell you you have seen "Ah, my friend, there you hit me. That is her-oh, yes, indeed! You have even said to ma that she is lovely. But no more. I have confessed, I do not care so I do not play the foal, and you would tell me that, I am ture, if it was the truth."

Ferdinand for two or three seconds, and said Downing could stand no more of it. Ho freed his arm from the Spaniard's clutch, glared at

street." "Ta ta! I've got some business down this

contemplative five minutes seated on a damp But in fact his business resolved itself into a bench in a City churchyard, with tombstones, a plaintive pussy cat, and an old woman eating scraps out of a newspaper, for company.

What was the meaning of it?

He found the answer without difficulty. made a liar and rogue even of Winnie It was De Mayan's money which had heralf. The fellow bad copper mines and things in Spain, at lause his father had, and might buy, the title of marquis er duke any saturnine, gipsyish, Southern way and as day Food-looking of course he was in the crafty with women as was to be expected from such a person,

As another example of secret protection it may be related that on the occasion of the Paris Exhibition of a few years ago the Em- Winnie Stanger herself. Never had horrible In those five minutes he framed his indier

peror, who had recently made some rather unsuspicions so quickly arisen, blossomed, and ment against the Spaniard-ay, and against popular remarks about France, decided to go frullede was this miserable Spaniard whom he It ascends into the air like the jets of a foun- there, but realised the necessity of making his splashing goes on. This squirting is continuous; ber of most extraordinary precautions were tain, this mud. On either side of the road the visit in the very strictest incognito. A num- had introduced right and left, on the very point always it is so all the day, all the night taken, and no one but one or two attend ns last flieun months he had lived every breath of stealing from him the girl for whom these Streams of mud pouring up from the road, of the Kaiser, a few high officials of the Franch of his body, and to whom he had devoted all decending upon the pavements. Is it not droll? Government, including the President, and a his ambitious hopes The windows of the shops are spotted with small detachment of French secret police, who mud. Nobody's coat is clean. Nobody's were told off to protect the Royal visitor collar escapes. Sometimes a jet of mud will throughout his stayfon French soil, wart AWAID catch you in the eye. It is painful And it of the visit. The police, indeed, were not spoils one's handkerchif

made aware of the exact identity of the man they were to shadow, but they were forbidden A woman, charming and pretty, in goloshes, to refer to him except when, necessary, and My God But do not blame her. Hademol-must have guessed. sells, if you lived n this London you too would, The Kaiser on this occasion travelled in a wear goloshes. Do not shudder. It is so. compartment in a train which had an empty These Lon ioners! I said to one of them in one on aack side of it, and as soon as the omnibus: "The weather is dlugreeable, the train crossed the frontier into France the Monsieur"

secret protectors got into them, and caver rain fost sight of the Kaiser till he quitted country. While in Paris it seemed Majesty on cortain acession that a man in the street recognised him, and he whispered his fear to one of the detectives, The man was instantly naised, taken to a police | station, and detained there till the Emperor left; but he turned out to be an officer in the Frussian army! These detectives were all artfully disguised as tourists, foreigners, and so forth, and changed their make-up frequently.

It is but a fair compliment to the French to way, that the secret protection arrangements of safety of any foreign patentate who visits the

sort land, officially or otherwise, are probably more perfect than anywhere else. Whenever her Majesty the Queen went to France, as she did frequently, the police precautions, open and secret, were of the most thorough character

A Frenchman with a basket on his arm may mix among the crowd, and ask of the others round about him the most absurdly simple detective from Paria; who amor knows the questions. And he may be the smartest number of hair on the hind of each member

the matter with it?"

"It is damp," I said.

Can't always be dry," he answered. "It is also very cold? I protested. "Make you hardy," he said, proudly. "The streets are dirty, Monsieur," I pleaded. "We wear boots," he answered.

"Because I think of the countless joys, the simpler pleasures of life, which we lose through being cultured. Do you know that at this moment I am consumed by a wild longing

Also the golashes I said, smiling. He left the omnibus, to change headgear with you, to dance a There is no such thing as good taste in this drur on the roadway, to shour 'Pom city. I went to the pantomime. The Druty

at the top of my voice, and to waltz down New Bond-street with you?

Lane is the national theatre. Keep that in Think of the ecstasies we should feel the ful pantomime. And what do I sco? An thrilling ecitales which are now only known actor, my friend, making fool of the French to Arry and "Arist! Or let us go in after man, ridiculing the French President1 Do noon to one of the people's parks at Greenwich not blame the English. My friend, the enter or Batterses, where true loves only are to be tainment is for children; my friend, the mud found you note the influence of the place wa is responsible, but have left upon my phrasing and you shall are The streets and dirty. every lover's" am round his lady's should be. Now, if you and were

The houses are gloomy, It is the city of a nightmare. The people are silent... When these Landoners would be funny they are lles den fighting against their destiny.

"I interrupt, you only to remark that there ais scalloped systers for lunch, and you kays not yet been asked, a.

the

to

ماند

#And yet, until last night. I'd have. staked my soul on Winnie's lamented, abjently's sincerity! Downing This sald, he recalled the adventure of the previous evening, when to his honor he had bebeld the Spanlard putting Winnie into a hanson in Regent Street (time 9 p.m.), and following her into the vehicle. He would have known that sicy blue cloak of Winnie's, with the fringe of silver fox skin, among ten thou- sand of London's cloaks

***To make sure, however, he, too, had jumped foto abansom and told the man to follow the the leading hansom approached nearer and other one. His rage and his fear grew as

nearer

at length they were both in Ribstone Street

the General lived at number forty-seven

That was enough. Winnis and her father

right! he shouted up to his man and, "Drive right along and turn to the passing forty-seven, which was in the obscurent part of the road, he saw Do Meyan's arm presuming to encircle Winnie's slender waist as they stood before the door. But it was wonder that he had to far con- After this no wonder he had spent a bad night. trolled himself as to hint not at all to the

them. Spaniard of the deadly feud that was between

of everything to keep his appointment to dine A wonder, too, that he determined in spite with the General and Winnie that evening. It was just like the irony of things that it should happen to be Valentine's Day,

"Well, I'll get back to the Exchange," he said, dismally, at length. "There are a few. liars and cheats there, but Winifred Stanger could give them all paints arid beat them."

· II.

the usual cordiality. If anything, Winnie's They greeted him in Ribstone Street with smiles were sweeter than ever. She seemed not to notice at all for many minutes that he was somewhat depressed in spirits.

Charlie, you naughty boy, why didn't you send me a valentine?" she asked him when the General had had his customary growl at the weather,

"A valentine! Ha! Ha! They'reso horribly out of fashion, aren't they? Would you have cared for one?"

This he said with a fierce effort.

have had one from you.”

"Yes, I would have liked very much to have

he asked, so impetuously that the girl opened her pretty eyes widely upon him:

"Oh, yes. Why not, Charlie? Don't flatter me with the idea that you are jealous."

She looked so angelically innocent, so innn. cently coquettisb, that Downing's heart ached in the realisation of its loss.

"Then you had some from others ?"

"Not in the very least," he said.

"Shall show them to you, dear?". Good heavens. And he had trusted this girl as he would trust- no one else on earth! She could call him "dear" like that, and all the while be scheming how, with the best pos sible grace, she could throw him over and became a Spanish duchess, maid of honour to the Queen Regent of Spain, and that kind of j thing!

He turned his head from her.

"You needn't trouble," he said, with a tre- mor in his voice.

about all such foolish, amorous anniversaries. The General interposed with a rude remark "As if marrying and the making of marriages were an affair of rose leaves, winged Cupids, claimed. "It's a confoundedly serious, practi- heavenly whispers, and all that stuff!" he ex- cal business, Downing, as you and I know, chl The less romance there is in it the better, eh 1" "I don't think so, papa," put in Miss Winnic, promptly, Englishmen are horrible as lovers

as a rule, Charlie.".

Her smile was lost upon him. He grappled eagerly with her hint instead,

"No doubt they understand the scenic ap paratus better in Spain, for instance!" he suggested

Yes, she blushed at last. "Your friend, Don Ferdinand, Charlie," she said softly, "would, I expect, make a lover to twenty girls at the same time.”

perfect "Give Winifred your arm, Downing," said the General, abruptly. "Dinner is ready,"

"Twenty girls at the same time thought Downing, over his soup. "Well, surely that, only worsens her case. If she'd rather have a twentieth of his heart than all mine, she's not worth a napkin ring !"

But he could not think so badly of her, look- ing at her in all the glory of her beauty and good breeding. Instead of doing that, be. longed to have De Mayan by the throat.

account with him" he said to himself.

To-morrow, if not to-night, I'll open the

Suddenly he dropped his spoon into the plate with a clatter. It was the catgutty twang of a guitar that he heard.

The Genaral growled.

smile.

"Nerves, my boy," he said, with a grim

But Downing paid no attention to him. He looked at Winnie for the tokens of guilt which she could not now be expected to withhold. She gave him' some satisfaction--not much.

"Was it that street singer, Charlie, who upset you?" she asked sweetly.

"Not at all," he replied; "not at all”. the General, whose ear had now concentrated "They want hurrying to a gaof!" exclaimed upon the guitar, "Is it outside this house, Simpkins?

The maid believed it was. "Then pack him off this minute," said the General angrily.

Downing would have two in any court of kins at these words was one of clandestine in law that the glance given to Winnie by Simp quiry. Should she, or should she not? it asked.

And Winnie only laughed and said

"Don't be hard on the poor fellow, father!" Yet stay! She presumed to look at Downing mirthfully and even mischievously, as if she were enjoying herself.

III

were on the table.

The serenade was suspended until the sweets

into their midst once more. It was by no Then the insidious twanging crapt stealthily means so loud as before. Downing perfectly and told him also that he might, notwithstand- understood that the girl had warned De Mayan ing, continue to amuse himself quietly, for the General's hearing was not perfect

But the limits of Downing's endurance were now overpaised.

And the first band to clasp his was Downing's, as ha proffered him ardeal congratulations an

"Then I his music and his future happiness. heare ?" asked the Spaniard of Winnie smiling. sco her the star of my joyously.

Yes, by-and-by," Mr. De Mayan!” “anid : Winnie-The Rangoon Times,

Entimations,

NOTICE.

TO AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS..

MEE CHEUNG begs to notify his ranny

Customers that in order to meet the demands of AMATEUR PHOTOGRA PHERS he OPENED a New Department on 2nd April, 190r, which will be devoted exclu sively to their interests. Two skilled operators in constant attendance.

executed with care and promptness.

Developing and Printing in all Branches

Enlarging from small negatives a speciality. Hand Cameras refilled.

All kinds of repairs to apparatus undertaken. Prices very Moderate.

"

where there are 7 Dark Rooms always at the OFFICE in Corridor of HONGKONG HOTEL disposal of Patrons Free of Cost. Hongkong, 6th April, 1901.

NEW GOODS,

PLENTY

IN

HAND.

(4010

JAPANESE CURIOS.

D. NOMA,

No. 1 Beaconsfield

Arcade,

Opposite the City Hal

Hongkong, 30th April, 1900,

HE CHINA & JAPAN TELEPHONE

COMPANY, LIMITED.

HONGKONG EXCHANGE, OPEN DAY AND NIGHT.

SUBSCRIPTIONS.

EXCHANGE LINES, $80 Per Annum.

PRIVATE LINES, $100 Per Annum.

NO CHARGE FOR INSTALLATION.

NBA special charge is made for lines of more than average length.

ELECTRIC SUPPLIES OF EVERY DES CRIPTION IN STOCK.

INCLUDING -.

ATTERIES, BATTE

CHEMICALS,

INSULATORS,

FLEC

LECTRIC BELLS

LIGHTNING CONDUCTORS, SWITCHES

TELEPHONES,

WIRE, &C &.

PRICE LISTS ON APPLICATION.

ELECTRIC BELL INSTALLATIONS,

Erected and kept in order.

Estimates given for all kinds of Electrical

work

Trained Mechanicians sent to Out-Ports to fit up Installations if required.

he said, nodding towards the street. "He's NOTE ADDRESS:-1, ICE HOUSE ROAD, still at it.”

"Allow me to stop that brute's mouth, sir 1

"Eh? What? Is he, by George! The In

fernal impudence. Yes, do, Downing," said the General.

He shot from the room. Winnie called, to

Downing waited for no bim to stop.

more action. "Don't be so allly

Charlie" she shouted, almost imploringly. Silly, "ine deed! The word was fuel to his wrath. "Open the door, James!" he cried to the tude in the ball. General's man, who was in an absorbed atti

"Certainly, tirt What's the

ing-room door just as James stopped in "Charlie" cried Miss Winnie from the din

ball filter paised in his arms. amazement at the sight of Downing with the

That same moment Ethel Munroe, Miss Winnie's sewing maid, stcetera, showed her pretty face from the perigurto the left of the entrance, just abare the house area. She was crimson with blushes, and her eyes were very bright, as she ran upstaime

James put his hand to his mouth, and mur mured from behind t

*

she

"That foreign gentleman, Mr. De Mayan, air, he is carrying on with Miss Munron, M

Miss Winnie arrived on the scene funt in time to corroborate this stupefying intelligence,

What are you going to do, Charlis said, holding his arm. She nodded to Jame who withdrew discreetly; and then she whis most absurd boy 1: Ethel wells me he has made pered, laughingly-"You absurd boy! You

For full Particulary, &c., &c.,

Apply, to

W. STUART HARRISON,

Manager. Hongkong, 13th December, 1900,

JUST LANDED, HAMSHAMS? HAMSI FNEST WESTPHALIAN HAMS

Moderate Prices.

CHOICEST SELECTION,

H. RUTTONJER,

5. D'Aguilar Street, and 21 & 13, Elgin Road, Kowloon

Hongkong, 4th April, 1901."

NOTICE OF REMOVAL. BFG to inform, my Patrons and Public Stores from No. 13 to

Generally that I have REMOVED my D'AQUILAR No. STREET.

H. RUTTONJEE

D'Aguilar Street. “Hangkong, 271h April rana, 24

TOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DEBTS.

N

and she wants my advice. Of course you know Nelthar the CAPTAIN, the AGENTS, nor the

most frantic of matrimony to

Downing was staggered, suffocated sud- DEBT contracted by the Officers or the Crema is-Mr. De Mayan, don't you PrOWNERS will be RESPONSIBLE for any

what a fool he had been. Ethel Muaros denly with happiness. He saw instantly of the following Vessel during her stay in must have borrowed: Winnie's cloak the even ADOLFH Onato, American shipy Ame

Hongkong Harbour log before t

SEA WITCH, American ship, Howes

Standard Oil Co

CLAVENING, Brit, str HATTIE C SMITH, American schoonar, Riley

30

Ob, Winnie, he gasped. "Has he really?, I'm so glad

Bariul ship the went to the door, opened it,

So am l, diar.” And Summoned the Spaniard lasideji 8/0 361

Page 5Page 6

Masonic.

PERSEVERANCE

LODGE OF

HONGKONG, NO. 1,165.

REGULAR MEETING of the above A LODGE will be held in the FREEMA SONS' HALL, Zetland Street, on TUESDAY, the 16th instant, at 5 for 5.30 pm. precisely, Visiting Brethren are cordially invited to attend

Hongkong, roth April, 1901.

Intimations.

THE

£4140

ROBINSON

PIAND CO., LIMITED.

BEST VALUE IN

PIANOS.

MONTHLY PAYMENT

SYSTEM

TUNING.