AC(ititurcdTgnk5g.WiniDinncr
RETTT Mercy Stand-
Weil arew oni mo euu
of the huge iron crane
almost as high as her-
! self and peered Into
the pot which it had
brought from the fire, shielding
her face from the blare with a
pretty, plump hand. Someone
had to stay at -home to look
after things, and this morning
Mercy had insisted on the oth
ers going to meeting and leav
ing her to this task, and she had been
utilizing the three hours of the long
sermon in adding to the stock of
food. There were a goodly number
of home folks and guests, and no
one know how many her father and
mother would bring from the service.
"So ho, mistress," came a deep,
mocking voice; "ye have been pre
paring tor our coming, it seems.
Bee brew me, but the odors are good.
What say ye, boys," turning to a line
of piratical, sailor-looking men who
were following him Into the room.
"Shall wo sit for a while and let this
fair wench minister to our appetites?
Twill be a difference from our black
amoor's cooking, I am thinking."
A hoarse growl of assent came
from tha line from all but one, who
looked doubtful.
t ."Will lt bo s19' captain?" this one
asked.
I "Safe!" the deep voice echoed
grimly. "What have we with a lan.d
word like that? Besides, it sounds
weak in thy big mouth, Turbell. It
Is their Thanksgiving time here, and
they word long sermons. Let us be
thankful, too, and partake of their
good cheer. We shall then be fitted,
when they return from service, to
pick out good :nen and true for our
vessel. And for thy word safe, the
soldiery are at their gorging a mile
away from here. We can eat and be
merry, cull our need from the praise
singers when they coma back, and be
dipping across the water before :.ews
of the exploit can get over the leaded
tables to their cars. Now, Turbell,
hla keen, scornful eyes flashing about
and seomlng to see and comprehend
everything: "get all the men inside.
Vou fill up the 'able here, and I will
lake charge of the one In the next
room. It will be time enough to bag
chickens and pigs and other live
stock when we are through; and per
haps there will be a few scraps left
from our feast that we can carry back
to the vessel. It will be a change
from the blackamoor."
All this time Mercy had ben
standing by the fireplace; and her
eyes, which at first had dilated with
terror, gradually calmed and grew
watchful and speculative. She had
thought they might be king's men, on
a raid to Impress seamen. Now she
believed they were buccaneers, or
pirates; but it amounted to the same.
The one impressed in the king's
name, the other in their own. In
either case, the possibility of escape
or release were equally small; only,
with the pirates, in the event of cap'
ture, explanations might be difficult,
and then punishment would be quick
and certain.
As she hurried from table to table,
trying to meet the demands for hot
coffee which were hurled at ber from
all sides, the Hps of the young girl
. were pressed firm, her brain busy.
Something must be done, and she was
the one who must do it. In another
hour her father and brothers and
uncles and cousins, and all the men
of the neighborhood would be com'
Ing ' from service, and, unwarned,
would fall into the hands of these
evil-eyed freebooters, who would pick
out the strongest among them and
bear them away to slavery that would
be worse than death.
Mercy knew what it meant. The
coast was an exposed one, and press
gangs had visited It before. Men had
been carried away, and not one of
them had ever returned. Occasional
ly stories had come back of hardships
and cruelty and even of death, until
the word press-gang Lad become a
word to whiten the cheeks of women
and clinch the fists of men. Only the
year before the son of their nearest
neighbor, the most promlsiug young
man around, and the playmate and
schoolmate and dear friend of Mercy,
had gone out in a boat for a day's
fishing. But he had rowed too far.
schooner had Bllppei from behind
an island, a boat been dropped from
her davits filled with dark-faced men.
Mercy had been on the chore with
others and had witnessed it all. And
from that day to this no t'dings bad
come back of Robert Wade.
Mercy was thinking of her play
mate as she tried to keep the cups
of the men filled, and of the similar
fate that was pending over her dear
ones. And doubtless there would be
bloodshed, for the dear ones would
resist to the last.
For the most part the men ate
noisily, with loud guffaws of enjoy
ment and much rude badinage. The
viands were before them, and they
helped themselves liberally, with
long reachings. It was only the cups
that needed replenishing; but the
men seemed to throw the conteuts
down their throats at a single gulp,
and then cried lustily for more.
Four-times the big pot was refilled
and emptied, fresh coffee being added
with each refilling. But the men's
impatience would not allow for boil
ing, and when hot water was pourel
In for the fifth time Mercy had an
uneasy apprehension that the coffee
was very weak. ' .
Suddenly a cup flew across the
room, crashing against a looking
glass and breaking them both.
"To blazes with dishwater," a mad
yelled. ""Here, girl, what ye got
that's good to drink strong?"
"Nothing, sir," answered Mercy,
keeping her voice steady with an
effort.
"No wine or older?" threateningly.
"No. The only barrel of cider that
we had Is Is too ctrong to drink. It is
vinegar now. Father made it tor
that"
"Father made It tor us to drink,"
mockingly. "And vinegar is 'Just
right Bring In a pitchertul, quick."
"It is out in the barn."
"Quick! Didn't I tell ye!" yelled
the man. "We don't want any pala
vernia." Mercy caught up a large pitcher
and hurried out, an eager light com
ing into her eyes. It she was to do
anything, she must do it now. But
what?
As was often the case In rural com
munities, the Standwell young people
had some little interest in the farm.
Mercy owned a calf and a few of the
chickens and a field which she some
times gave to crops and sometimes
left in grass for the hay. The last
season it bad been in grass, and her
seven or eight tons of hay now rose
in a large stack on the slope below
the barn, where it awaited a pur
chaser. With its proceeds she ex
pected to bur two or three more
calves from her father, some English
dress goods from the store, and some
presents for the various members of
the family.
When she left the house her mind
was on the stack, and her face cleared
of some of its anxiety when she no
ticed the wind blew away from the
barn.
"Ye was" a long time drawin',"
grumbled the man who wanted his
vinegar, surlily, as she came to him
with the pitcher.
"Vinegar runs slow when the bung
Is small," she answered, "and, be
sides, the pitcher Is heavy."
"Lasy steps lag," he retorted.
III v . ' v ' v i
A4 - ' ( J a ) ' t I
r kM$h vVij hi $
jijr Yti m
I il l,-, gu i r j i
Vatf
Ye'd ojihfc to bs a toy, and on ship
board." ""Ten minutes later the captain
leaned back, wiping his mouth on the
back of his hand.
"Now, what do ye give us for the
finish?" be called to Mercy. "Have
ye cake and other sweet stuff?"
"Yes, sir, many kinds; and pies
and thincs fit for a thanksgiving."
"Well, bring them all on. But
what's that smoke?" suddenly, and
springing to his feet, he rushed out
side, drawing his sword. When he
came back, a few minutes later, his
eyes were red and angry.
"Didn't I tell you men to be care
ful until we had eaten?" he cried.
"Some of ye have dropped fire in
lighting a pipe, and the dry grass is
burning below the barn. If It
spreads, the barn itself may catch,
and then some of the torpid soldiers
may be wakeful enough to see.
Hurry, now, and get through. The
psalm singers will be here soon, and
we must be ready to invite them on
board. Your carelessness will lose
us part of the feast. Come now,
girl; bring on the sweet things,
quick! quick!"
Mercy ran into the storeroom, re
turning a few minutes later with her
arms straining under a pyramid of
pies. These she hurried along the
table, dropping one before each man.
Then sho ran back after more. Oh,
If she could only keep the men feast
ing until the soldiers arrived and
even more than that. It only the men
In the meeting house would be slow,
slow in discovering the smoke, so the
soldiers could arrive as soop as they.
All of them would believe it was a
raidr-with buildings being set on fire,
and would come hurring to the spot.
Fortunately the freebootlng captain
himself did not suspect. He had gone
lust far enough to see it was not the
barn, and then the feasting bad
tempted him back. He supposed the
fire to be grass burning in some field
beyond.
He did not seat h'mselt again in
his chair, but stood by the table, tik-
-From The Ram's Horn.
tng huge mouthfuls of cake and pie,
and swallowing glass after glass of
the fresh buttermilk that Mercy
brought in. Presently be swung
around.
"Turbell," he called to the ne:
room, "take all your men and gather
up what food ye can find In the house,
Go into the storeroom where the
wench keeps her pies and cakes.
Take. everything, and all we are leav-
ing on the tables. Wo will have
few days' rest from the blackamoor,
Hurry, now, and get them to the
boats, In case anything might hap
pen; then come back. We will stay
here and watch. The praise-makers
will be here soon."
Ten minutes and the house had
been stripped of Its food; five more,
and there was the sound of voices.
"Stand by the doors," ordered the
captain. "When they get close, spring
out on them. Better club every one
into Insensibility; they will be easic
carried."
ine soldiery, ne wnrned in a
hoarse whisper. "They're almost
here. What "
But the captain was by him with
bound. The men tumbled after. One
look was sufficient. The soldiers
were approaching at a run.
"To the boats!" yelled the captain.
"They're too many for us, and ye
know our fate if captured. Where is
Wade? Not here? Then Turbell
must have taken him. Run! now!
run!" .
When the soldiers came up pant
ing, the last of the buccaneers were
tumbling into their boats on the
beach. The soldiers fired a volley to
accelerate their movements. As the
echoes died away a gaunt, disheveled
figure crept from under the Standwell
porch. Its eyes were big and hollow,
and there were scars of Ill-usage and
cruelty upon the face, and one arm
was in a sling. The people coming
from the meeting bouse stared In
credtlously, then united In a ringing,
welcoming, Joyous shout of "Robert
Wadel Robert Wade!" Frank &
Sweet, la The Advance.
Cahhaap
Cream .
""Sauce,
and ninot Pit
fc. RVittrtt.
trenrn lady hrvftry
THANKSGIVING SUGGESTIONS.
Appropriate Festoons of Corn and Pep
pers For Walls.
A unique and effective idea for
brightening and garnishing the room
where a Thanksgiving feast was to
be plven was worked out by the stu
dents of a kindergarten college in the
West. The room was large indeed,
two rooms thrown into one with
much wall space between the win
dows, and admitted a broad treat
ment. Long garlands were made by
tying ripened ears of corn in the
husk at Intervals of their own length
along a stout cord. These were made
In sections, as being more convenient
to put up.
Between stretches of the ears or
corn, which, of course, hung with
every possible twist and angle, groups
of large bell peppers were fastened
In all stages of ripeness, from the
deep, shining green tipped with red, to
the rounded bell of scarlet. The husk
was pulled back from the corn, so
as to show the golden grain inside,
and the contrast between this and
the bright colors of the peppers was
most artistic. The whole effect of
the graceful festooning across the
dark woodwork of tne doorways, the
filmy lace of the curtains and the
background of green In the wall
paper was full of tha spirit of the
day; a suggestion of the fields, of the
harvest and the garnering.
And then the table decorations
kept the colors of autumn In the shin
ing green of leaves and the flame of
fresh gathered salvias and clusters of
the red berries of the mountain ash.
At each plate was a guest card, a
souvenir ot the redoubtable monarch
of the barnyard who had laid down
his life for his countrymen. There
he was, as the eye glanced from one
card to another, pictured In every
phase of his all too short life, from
the proud spread of the defiant Btrut
to the folded wing of the sacrificial
offering.
When all was finished, from oys
ters to Ice cream, with the nuts and
coffee came on the tall wax candles,
In their shining brass holders, It was
with a heartiness which held a note
of reverence that the circle rose and,
with an unbroken chain of friendly
grasp, sang "Should Auld Acquaint
anna Rn Foreot "
The evening of a Thanksgiving
gathering may, In riubIc and games.
mark further the blending of gentle
memories and present Joy. The old
English ballad, "Drink to Me Only
With Thine Eyes," carries a strain
of the oldtlme love, the love that
sought not a golden crown. "Believe
Me, It All Those Endearing Young
Charms," Is the Bong for the older
life, when the fact may have loBt Its
freshnesn but the heart has proved
stronger to cherish and the soul to be
true.
The Feast of Pumpkins.
A pretty variation on the regular
"harvest home" festival was made
last year by the young people of a
church in one of our smaller cities.
They called It "The Feast of Pump
kins," and that useful and cheerful
vegetable formed the basis of the
whole affair. The hall was decorated
with two shades of yellow bunting
the deep orange-yellow of the pump
kin and the lighter yellow of the
Hubbard squash. Where the bunt
ing was festooned it was caught ud
with bunches ot corn. The husks
were torn open or turned back, show
ing the yellow grain on the cob. The
waitresses were all dressed in yellow,
with a conventionalized squash flower
made of tissue paper In their hair
instead of a cap. At intervals were
great "Jack-o'-lanterns" made of the
pumpkins with electric lights inside
Instead of the traditlonalcandle. The
tables were ornamented with pump
kins hollowed out so as to form great
bowls. These were filled with autumn
leaves and flowers. The water for
these decorations was put In a bowl
which was placed Inside the pumpkin,
The menu Included (beside the regu
lar harvest supper fare) such delica
cies as baked pumpkin, pumpkin pud
ding, pumpkin bread and pumpkin
Ice! The last named was a very yel
low orange ice frozen in Individual
pumpkin moulds. At the ta'ole where
wsre sold the fancy articles and
souvenirs of the occasion, there were
pretty little pincushions made to Im
itate pumpkins, and bonbonnleres,
which were china "Jack-o'-lanterns"
filled with yellow candies. Harper's
Bazar.
VpvPombkin.
CHILDREN DEPARTMENT
A LITTLE SONG.
I have a little gong in me
Tbat sings and sings and sines,
I wish it ever could get out
Like other pleasant things.
II.
I think it looks a bit like me,
I couldn't say just why;
Perhaps its eyes are very bluo
Like those blue bits of sky.
III.
And sometimes it's as white and pink
As blossoms on our tree3;
And then again it hops about
Just like that chickadee.
Jeannette Marks, in Tho Churchman.
TARGET SHOOTING ON TABLE.
Figure 1 shows the target cut out
ot cigar box wood. A circular piece
Is first cut, about one inch in diam
eter, and eight small round pieces of
cardboard with the numbers 1 8 on
them are mounted on toothpicks and
grouped around it at even distances;
the other ends ot the toothpicks are
then inserted in the sides of the cir
cular piece of wood. The target it
self Is fastened to a stick ot wood
about eight Inches long, fastened to
a stand, as shown In the picture. The
gun consists of a paper tube, which is
made by winding cardboard well cov
ered with glue around the stem of a
lead pencil. When it is dry, a piece
about five inche'B long is cut off. One
and three-quarter Inches from one
end we make an incision about two
inches long, cutting down to about
one-half of the thickness of the tube,
(See Fig. 2).
Figure 2 shows how a piece ot
whalebone about six Inches long is
Inserted, acting as the propelling
power of the gun. You shoot with a
wooden peg about one and one-half
Inches long, fitting loosely into the
barrel of the gun; to give it more
weight and strength we insert
carpet tack, as shown in Fig. 3.
To shoot, hold the gun with the
right hand, pulling the whalebone
back with the index fingerand insert
ing the peg; as soon as the index
finger releases the whalebone
springs forward and forces the peg
out. To aim well, hold the tube in
such a way that the whalebone spring
points downward. Washington Star,
HIS OPPORTUNITY.
You might have seen by Timothy's
expression that he was angry. His
father had set him to work hoeing,
because farm workers were scarce
that year, and because his dollars
were almost as scarce as the hands,
Timothy could see his father in the
brook meadow, doing the work of two
men; but this was not consolatory
Timothy had planned to spend the
Saturday afternoon viewing a base
ball game.
Every time a gust ot the fresh
wind brought him the bursts ot cheer
ing from the ball field Timothy's
anger grew. He kept regretting more
and more that he had not spoken the
word which would have permitted
him to see the game. His father had
not positively ordered him to work
He had said: "Just as you please,
Tim. You have a choice of oppor
tunities one to see the game, and
one to do a good turn to me." And
somehow Timothy bad made his
choice.
When, however, a wagon dashed by
and a young man tossed the stump of
his cigar at Timothy, crying, "One
strike on you!" Timothy threw down
his hoe and reversed his choice. Why
should he not see the game and do
the hoeing after supper? He climbed
the fence, scurried down the road
and in two minutes came back again
After all, be had promised to do the
hoeing. A faint crackle, an up-licking
tongue ot flame stopped Timothy
as he was astride the fence.
The smoldering cigar stump thrown
by the passing stranger had fallen at
the edge of a huge rick near the barns
and outbuildings ot the farm. The
dry rick had caught at once, the
flames were spreading and his
father and the hired maa. were far
away.
With a gasp of fear, Timothy
Jumped from the fence. His coat was
tying on the ground. He caught it
up and ran to the nest of fire. He
was In time. He beat and stamped
the fire out. Panting, he stood a mo
ment, looking at the black patch.
What it he had not come back? What
if be were now cheering and shout
ing at the ball game?
Timothy picked up his boe and
returned to work. His face wis no
longer sullen; it was serious. Sud
denly he looked up and turned toward
the distant, unconscious figure of nis
father.
"Dad." he said, aloud. "I'll never
think of breaking my word again! "
Youth's Companion. t
CUTTING OF A BOY'S HAIR. '
One of the most ancient and cur
ious customs among the Chinese, and
one rarely commemorated in this
country, was observed with great
pomp and circumstance in Chinatown,
Sunday night, when Fong Hock, a
leading merchant who for years has
hed the supervision of the Chinese"
discounts In the Anglo-Callfornlan
Bank of San Francisco, entertained
his relatives to a remote degree, with
a magnificent banquet In honor of
the first cutting of the hair of his
only son.
The banquet took place at an.
Eighth street restaurant and there-
were 150 guests. A notable feature
was the fact that the wives and chil
dren of the guests sat down at the
same tablo with the beads of families.
A most elaborate menu, comprising
birds' nest soup, steam stuffed duck,.
Foon Yon Ha, shark's fins and other-
rare and co3tly Celestial dishes were-
served.
The banquet cost the happy father
$1800. During the evening quite a
number of prominent members of the
San Francisco Clearing House called
at tho restaurant to offer their felici
tations to him. The hair cutting cere
mony, which was observed with pic
turesque rites, symbolizes that Fong
Hock's heir Is now a factor in the
family. The guests brought presents'
for the little son worth thousand
of dollars. San Francisco Chronicle.
HIGH JUMPING AT SEA.
"The most stupendous of. nil leap-
ers of tho ssa," saj's a writer in Out
ing, "Is the whale. I have seen o.
monster weighing hundreds of tons,
possibly eighty feet la length, lis
slowly and deliberately out of the
water until It appeared to be dancing
on the surface, entirely clear ot it,,
then Bink slowly back.
"Such a leap Is cn record In the
annals of the British Navy. 'A large
whalo cleared a boat, going com
pletely over it, an estimated leap ot
twenty feet in air how many In
a lateral direction was not known.
"Exactly how high a tuna can lean-
It Is difficult to say. I have Seen the v
water beaten Into foam by them four
miles distant, and have a photograph
showing a fish a black streak at
least a mile distant high In the air
a Jump of certainly ten or fifteea
feet; and It is my opinion, based on
what I have seen, that it is possible
for a lusty tuna at full speed to pro
ject itself twenty feet Into the air and
thirty or forty feet in a horizontal
direction.
"I Judge the latter possible from,
the leap of a big tuna which cleared
the kelp and landed high on the
rocks Santa Catallna. I have often
stood in the centre ot a school of
leaping tunas and watched them, but
the situation Is not one suggestive of
repose or peace of mind."
NAMING THE EVERGREENS.
Here is a suggestion for a1 little
nature study for mothor and chil
dren: White Pine Five needles In a
bundle; scales of cone thickened at
the top.
Scotch Pine Two bluish-grec
short needles in a bundle.
Fir Erect cone; flat, spreading
needles scattered singly.
Norway Spruce Large banging
cones; scattered needles point aft
ways.
Hemlock Small hanging cones;
Cat spray.
Arbor-Vitae Flat branches; cones
few-scaled, and only two seeds under
each.
White Cedar Cones roundish,
with four to eight seeds under each.
Pitch Pine Dark, stiff needles ar
ranged in threes. Indianapolis News.
OPTICAL DELUSION.
Once there was a grub-worm
Crawling in the suu.
Little Billy saw it,
And, gee, how he did run!
He thought it was a monster,
Witb wicked eye a-starc.
But the little grub-worm
Crawled on and didn't care.
From the Birmingham Age-Herald.
An Indiana preacher announces in
a tew years every person living will
be nappy.
as V