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Show e fuE MISSING MAN 182. CHAPTER XVI. A Strange Claim. "Is he worse is Mr. Edes worse?.' asked Constance, trying to speak without nervousness. "No. he ain't no worse, but he's dreadful queer. He wants to see you, for one thing." "Me? I can't go to see him, Mrs. Fry " "He says his name Is Hamilton, an' he talks aliout Constance an' the children jest for all the world as if he had a right to. You won't mind if I tell you what I think?" "No." "Well, I think he has jest set his life by you ever since the first tiaie he see you, an' mebbe he heard somehow that you thought he looked a little mite like Mr. Hamilton, an' now that he's weak an' low, it has got into his head an' sticks there. I wish you would go over, walk in sort'er matter-o- f fact, an' say, 'How be yo feelin' today, Mr. Edes.' or somethin' like that, an' mebbe it'll settle his head a little." "Very well, I will do as you say, Mrs. Fry," said Constance, putting on her bat and jacket as composedly as she Could. Then the two walked back together to the little house; but Constance was in a whirl of emotion. When they entered the sick man was discovered to be fast asleep, lying with his face on his hand. Constance stood and looked at him. at the thin cheeks, the dark hair and the white hands, free now from all marks of labor. Suddenly he opened his eyes and stretched out his hands to her, while a joyful look came into his face. "Constance, you did come I knew you would," and he opened his arms. "What, will you not kiss me, my wife?" Borne forward by the strong fores and rush of sudden belief that ne was Indeed her husband, Constance stooped Uj Lee aud Rhrpard "Can a man's hair turn from light to dark?" "I never knew that it could." "Well, It has, whether any such KM was ever known before or not; but when did it happen?" "I cannot say, for I know nothing about the matter in any way. But you How say you are Vane Hamilton. can you prove It?" "Say that I am Vane Hamilton? Is not that enough? Don't you know that I am?" and he looked at her evidently greatly astonished. "No, I don't know that you are. Strange things have happened since my husband went away. He did not return as we expected, and strange rumors started up meanwhile, that astonished me greatly. It was said be went away with a woman named Lenora, a beautiful woman with emerald-colorehair. Do you know her?" "I have heard of her," he replied evasively. "Then," she continued, "it was feared he had been drowned in the river, or that he had met with some foul play, for a body was found in it that it was thought might be his. This idea followed the bank troubles." "What bank troubles?" "It was said that my husband embezzled the funds, that he altered two notes to ten times their value, and got the money on them." "It is false! I never did it never! It is a conspiracy to rob me of my good name." "Almost the exact words of another," thought Constance. She paused for a moment to look at the pale-faceman on the pillow, who listened with eyes and flushed cheeks. "Go on," he said, faintly. I would better wait "Perhaps awhile." "No, don't you see I am In torment?" he said, irritably. "I want to d wide-opene- d and allowed him to draw her toward him. "My darling," he said, kissing her tenderly, while she sobbed in his arms. "Don't cry, but sit here besiio me and let us talk awhile. Yoti know whether I am Vane Hamilton or not. Mrs. Fry," and he smiled at the good woman, who stood as if petrified, "pretended she did not know me." "The good Lord deliver me!" was ail she could say. Then in a dumbfounded manner she walked from the room. "Is she right In her mind, do you think, Constance?" he whispered. "Oh, I don't know, I don't know," said Constance, taking a chair at the window, in a distressed tone. "I feel as 1f we were all demented." "You have been at work here for several months in the mill. You are known by the name of Primus Edes. and about three weeks ago you were shot, whether by accident or not is not known, and as you were at the time a boarder here you were naturally brought here when you were wounded. He listened intently, with the look of amazement growing on his face. How "Constance! Is It possible? came I to do all that' Have I been insane?" "I don't know." "But don't you know me? Didn't you ever see me?" "Yes, I saw you at church here, and occasionally in other places." "Did I ever speak to you?" "Yes, several times." "And you?" "I spoke to you, but I did not know you." "Am I so changed, then." For answer Constance went Into the adjoining room and brought a small mirror to him. He took it and held it, before him A cry broke from his lips. "Bring me another," he said; "this Is good for nothing." Obediently she went Into Mrs. Fry's bedroon and brought him another, larger i.nd better. "What, does It mean, OoasUaMf1 he aske I. lifting a wild, haggarc tn hnm 'Is my hair a 'lark hr o or is It the fault of this damnable glass?" "Tour hair Is n dark brown, cer" tainly tlmost blaet I knew you would!" know whether I was murdered, or whether I turned out to be a bank robber. By Heavens! what fools there are in this world!" "We advertised and employed detectives to find him, but no trace was discovered. Strange accounts of a celebrated bank defaulter, named Ashley, however, were met with, and he was said to resemble Mr. Hamilton. He also appeared to have a wife named Lenora, whose hair was called screen. One defalcation took place In May. My husband always went away In that month and was absent two weeks. It was thought by some that Ashley and Hamilton were one and the same." "Did you believe that your husband and Ashley were identical?" asked the sick man, raising his head and looking full at Constance. "No, I never believed it; but after a time I thought he must be dead, and I ordered a monument to be made. Intending to erect it to his memory." "But when did I appear on the scene? Was it before the monument affair?" "Yes." "Then you really did not know me, and yet you say you Raw me and spoke to me. Was there nothing about me to recall your husband. Constance?" "Oh, there was, there was!" she cried, "but no one else could see it. You looked sickly, old, and bent. Your hair was a different color. You did not know me. You worked in our mill like an ordinary workman. You boarded here; and, though you did seem to be attracted toward me and my children, there was nothing in your manner to savor of any right to us. Then, too, you played the violin, and my husband kUW nothing about music, except that he loved to hear It and. besides, you were a good inacbln 1st and very Ingenious in many ways, while my husband had no such faculty at all." "And you say I can play the violin?" "Yea." I "Well, now I know I cannot. ran, jplay and I never could. Yon bar been deceived. It was some other person." "I have heard you play often," said Constance "Well, I havp been living a dual ; You Can See Quality and Quantity n the Local Stores. PAYS Th TO TRADE AT HOME Must Take tiouse Goods on Faith Keep the Money of the Community at Home. MEDICINE HAT WANTS BOOM. One Industry Enterprising Town Forgot to Mention. Medicine Hat Is one of the towns pardon us, cities! in the Canadian Northwest which Is making a great bid just now for Us share of the present boom in Canada. The mayor of Medicine Hat goes so far as to advertise the merits of that noble city In some Canadian papers. Its virtues are dwelt upon In these advertisements at great length, and particular stress Is laid upon the fact that an abundant supply of natural gas makes Medicine Hat a particularly favorable place for the location of manufacturing plants. Somehow we seem to have heard the name of Medicine Hat before. If our memory does not fall us, this Is the place where the weather man says i he cold waves come from. When the mercury sinks to zero In the Ohio Valley this considerate gentleman sometimes calls our attention to the fact that it. Is "40 below at Medicine Hat " This does not seem so bad In August, but It must be a pretty cold reality In January. Mpdiclne Hat deserves Its growing fame. Strange that In his references to the many advantages of his growing city the mayor of Medicine Hat never alludes to the cold wave Industry. Cincinnati TlmesStar. Got What He Asked For. "Say," queried the alleged funny man, as he entered the butcher shop, "what's pork worth a yard?" "Fifty cents," answered the butcher. "Well. I'll take a yard," said the A. on the K. M., tossing a half dollar counter. The butcher pocketed the coin and handed the customer three pig s feet. "flay, what are yon giving me?" asked the party of the 'unny part. Indignantly. "A yard of pork Just what you ask ed for." replied the butcher. "Three feet mak" a yard. yOO know." LEGISLATURE. At the rinse of the flfte nth day of the present session of the house, bilU had been introduced. Representative Dean has Introduced measure to prohibit bucket shops ind buccket shopping within the itate. Representative Kuchler wants all goods made in the state prison and affered for sale to be plainly marked six-ty-s- ix as prison-mad- e goods. e dise he is mer-ohan- first-class- "Yes. Oh, it seems as if I should go wild!" and Constance looked about her for a moment, as if really seeking an opportunity to fly from her perplexities. Mrs. Fry strove to comfort her. "It will all come out right without you an' me meddlin'. Jest let it right itself, I say. If this one is your husband it will be proved, and if t'other one is, why, that will be proved, too. It is a matter that will have to be settled by folks that knows, an' mebbe one of 'em will have to be clapped into a 'sylum. Anyway, dearie, don't you fret. You keep on doin' right as you have done; keep 'em both at a distance till it's all settled." "Would I better go to the hotel to stay?" "Talk with your uncle, first." " "Oh, he is all for "The other one; yes, I know. Wall, wait awhile." And so comforted by the good creature's counsel, Constance went home. (To be continued.) UTAH House bill No. 27, Kohinson. regulating ore purchases and prohibiting the making and publishing of false assays, has passed the house. Senate bill No. 19, by Rasband, providing for emergency cages in case of accident in mines, was passed unanimously by the senate last week. H. B. No. 63, by Randall, provides that all stockholders in mining com panics shall have the right to Inspect the property in which they are interested. President Love appointed Senators Lawrence, Clegg, Hollings worth, Johnson and Bullen as the senate portion of the joint coal shortage investlga tion committee. Senator Rasband has introduced a measure prohibiting the use of the devices known as the "slot machine" in this state and providing a penalty for the violation of this act At the session of the house on tho 29th, a resolut ion int rod need by Representative Taft was adopted, inviting William J. Bryan to address the house during his sojourn in Salt Lake City Senator Benner X. Smith's bill Inflicting the death penalty upon convicts in the state prison, alter having committed an assault with a dead" ly weapon, has been killed In the The question of prompt delivery Is house. another question which mail order A measure has been introduced by house patrons should consider. It Is Representative Larson, making an apThe reason for this propriation for the improvement of filled promptly. existing roads and bridges arid the construction of new roads and bridges in Emery county. H. B. No. 58, by Martin Jensen, repeals chapter 29 of the law of Utah, i899, which provides for the creation of a state Institution of art and prescribes its manner of appointment, powers and duties. Mail-Ord- When the consumer buys merchaninterested in three things quality, quantity and price. When he t goes into the store of his local he sees the goods that he Is to pay for displayed before him; he can , good-by?- " determine whether the quality Is "Good-by,- " said Constance, faintly. aud whether the quantity is all "But that is not the way to say that Is claimed. These two points good-by- . Come here and I will show you settled, he should have a fair Idea as how," and a roguish look came into to whether the price asked Is a fair his eyes that made her almost cry out, ene or not. it was so like Vane's. She hesitated But how is it when he attempts to as if about to comply, but she did buy of the big mail order houses of the not. cities? The only guide be has to the "No, no, you forget, I can't, I must quality and quantity they are offering not!" and she swiftly left the room, is what the catalogue says, and the but returned in a moment, to say in catalogue is prepared with the one obhurried accents, "I cannot conie here ject in view of selling the goods. again if you ask me to Kiss you, or Whea the consumer buys of his say anything to me about it. No one local merchant and finds the goods he You will has thinks you are my husband, purchased were not as representhave to prove it." ed he can promptly take them back "Very well," he said, bitterly; "but and receive his money. When he buys at least I can see the children." of the mail order house in the large "I don't know; perhaps so," and cities he has practically no recourse own to would Constance have fled her but to take what he gets and look home had not Mrs. Fry come to her pleasant at the results. side and clutched at her dress. It is goods and short weight "What does it mean, dearie, what that is cheap mail order house making does it all mean?" profits. They can buy but little, if "What do you think?" asked Constance, piteously. "I know what other folks will think. They will say it is all sham. That he wants to git you himself away from the other one, and he didn't know no other way." There was a vein of shrewd about all this that impressed Constance. Still the futility of such an attempt, if it was as she said, struck her' as forcibly. "It doesn't seem as if any man in his senses would do such a thing." "No, it don't; but there's queer works in the world, an' you know an' I know Kdes wa'n't never jest like other folks. If it wa'n't for his hair, an' if the other one hadn't come back, it wouldn't seem so strange, for sence he has been sick I've noticed now and then a look like your husband." "You have? "Yes. I have; but he don't look half so much like him as the other one does. He is the exact picture, now, ain't he?" "Constance, you did come almost the exceptional order that Is Is conducted on the theory that It is possible to take an inferior Job and foist it on a credulous people by means of a reduced price and the honest reputation established by the neritoriuus original which it shame? Thee method lessly caricatures. have been crowned with success solely fcy reason of the fact that mail or der houses put more skill, energy and money into advertising than do the manufacturers to whom the American people are directly indebted for the best vehicles on the face of the earth "The mail order business is the quack doctor of commerce. It prom ises much and guarantees nothing The directions are always on the in side, and you have to buy a non-rturnable package before you can find out what they are." A. G. Enderton. of Walter, Okla. writing to the Shawnee, Okla., UnlOL Signal, says: " The mail order housei are the worst offenders of the pure food law that we have to deal with They are the people who use shori weight tin cans and every year the American public is cheated out ol thousands of dollars by this alone. " 1 see where some mal order houses oner paint at about what good oil is worth. Now, does anyone think that a maH order house can buy good paint stuff cheaper than anyone else? "Now suppose you find out wha. crude petroleum, like what is pumped out of oil wells cost. Very cheap, Is it not? That is the oil that is used and what about the paint stuff? How about Spanish whitening, with just enough white lead to stick It together? KNOWWHATYOUBUY mj-se- By MARY R. P. HATCH Author of "The Bank Tragedy " Copyright. life, then. I liave beard of such tilings. All I know about it is 1 let: home in May, auu 1 went a little wajb on the tram, and 1 came to in this room. If I worked at the mill as a machinist and played the violin 1 knew nothing about it." "You did not work as a machinist, but as a common iiiillhand. You, however, showed a good understanding ol machinery and often remedied defects in it, "Another person has had a similar experience to your own, or proles. a to have done so. But we will not talk of It now. Another time will do as well. I dare say Dr. Peck will say that we have talked too much al ready," and Constance, anxious herself to say no more at the present time, not until she had recovered her full powers of reasoning, arose to go. "You know best. I am tired, but you will come again, Constance. What, are you going without saying H. B. No. 34, by Westphal, making owners of traction engines liable for all damages done by such engines to bridges or culverts, has received the approval of the members of the house and will probably become a law. H. B. No. 15, by Kuchler, amending section 33G7 revised statutes 189G, relating to judgment and penalties in contempt of court., lias passed the house. This changes the law so as to read three months, instead of five days. A bill has been introduced by Representative Waatphal to encourage the destruction of certain wild providing bounties for the killing thereof, and providing the manner in which such bounties may be provided. A committee from the house composed of Robinson, Hone and Tolton. has been appointed, in accordance with a resolution introduced by Robinson to investigate the shortage of cars in relation to the transportation ol coal II. B. 45, by Croft, changing the Lime of taking the scnool census in counties, and EL B. 47, changing the time of taking the school Census in cltieH, were passed by the house last week. The bills change the time of r the census from summer to spring The juggernaut is crushing the lives out of hundreds and thousands of local merchants, and hundreds of towns and villages as well. When The senate observed the last day of r house you are but operating the lever Its work for the 3d week of the session you send a dollar to the machine on the move. that keeps this by passing senate bill No. 15, by making it a misdemeanor for any, cheaper than your local merchant j delay Is that they do not carry the any person to violate any of the laws :an. standard merchan- goods In stock, and must purchase :f the state or any of the counties dise Is manufactured on a very nar- them after your order is received. In regulating the use of public highways row margin of profit, but the mail Chicago, for example, no mail order Senate bill No. 28, by Johnson, regorder house can win and pay big divi- house will sell to any person living ulating the practice of osteopathy in dends on enormous capital if they can within the city limits, and the reason the state of Utah and to provi.i for sell to the people an inferior quality for this is that these concerns pur- a state board of examiners, aim to license osteopaths to practice in this and short weight quantity of merchan- chase a large amount of the merchanpunish violating the provisdise at the prices they ask. Your dise they are selling from the retail state, and ions of this act, has passed the senate local merchant could do the same stores of the city, the proprietors of Represent ai Ives Westphal, In a bill thing, but you would not buy the same which refuse to sell them tLe goods In the house last week, proIntroduced the condition that upon merchant of local except that you they goods your to the fish and game amend poses not to to of sell the the an ire people buy of the mail order house at laws, one provision allowing the shipcity. equal price. ping of carp, mullets, suckers and i Here Is the wall of a mail order Here Is an Item clipped from the chub, which is now prohibited, under taken from the columns of the the supervision of the county game Parma, Mich., News which shows the warden, within the season provided nefarious system of the mail order 'rookston, Minn., Journal, which this point: for fishing. their how victimize and concerns, they "Sir: I want to register my kick Twelve bills fell into the house hoppatrons: ight here on catalogue houses and per on the ldt, Including one pro"A farmer purchased two sacks of heir I am posing a constitution amendment. methods. misleading A binding twine of a large Chicago cata rank to acknowledge that I have been thirteenth bill was offered, but Speakthis Its arrival and upon logue house, er Joseph evidently being of a superluped to perfection. The only dlffe.r-ncmorning a ball was unrolled and meass stitious turn of mind, found a technibetween me and the other ured with a ball of Plymouth twine I am a little deeper cal objection to it and thus saved the that being sold by local dealers, when It was n and that I am house from a horrible fate from the willing to acknowlfound that the Chicago article was just unlucky thirteen. the corn. edge 306 feet short of that sold at home. The Kuchler resolution providing "To begin with, last fall I with her There being ten balls in a sack, It will who is now my wife, decided to for the prosecution of former offbe seen that the farmer lost 6,120 feet, some stuff to furnish our new icials and their bondsmen, to recover or over a mile of twine on two sacks home. amount of warrants Illegally isAccordingly we ordered all the ThiSj by not buying at home. Then, too, our furnishings of a catalogue house sued, bus pased the house. measure is the beginning of an atthe mall order house product was of two weeks to our prior marriage, tempt of the state to recover the monan inferior quality, being full of knots, which we thought would be plenty of ey lost In ,the bounty frauds for and one farmer standing near during ;ime to get the goods around. But which some of the perpetrtors are the measuring process remarked that by the Infernal let me tell you serving terms In the state prison. planets tt would never work on a hinder. Now here that all the correspondence right The senate on the lilst passed three we wish to ask you, does It pay to diplomacy, appealing and pleading has bill No. 9 by trade at home' If there Is anyone succeeded In landing only a kitchen bills. They are senate Iawrence, providing for the payment who is skeptical of this story, Just table and later a mirror from Pitts- of expert witnesses, senate bill No. call and we will show you." Parma, burg. 18, by Lawrence, authorising the state Mich., News. "Our honeymoon has been a very university medical school to use unthat dramatic experience; cooking on an claimed bodies; and senate bill No. Bankrupt stock, merchandise reliable Jobbers would not handle be- old ga.-- plate, eating on a dry goods 23, by Walton, allowing $1,500 to A. L. cause of Its poor quality, the refuse box, sleeping on the floor and borrow Eastman, sheriff of Rich county, for sustained while capturing an of the factories made over Into cheap lug a few necessary utensils of friends Injuries insane man. are the These merchandise. things and neighbors. No more catalogue Senator Seely believes a pound of the patrons of the mall order houses goods for us. We hope to get enough are buying. Here Is an extract from more goods by April 1 to celebrate butter should weigh sixteen ounces. a When the housewife an article that appeared in the Sioux all fool's day In a fitting manner." purchases "A VICTIM." not receive should butter she of Falls, 8. D. Lead pound Mr. Consumer, It Is to your advan"The mall order house selling vehl-cla package containing fourteen ounces, s his contention, and with this in by the catalogue route, Is more tage In many ways to buy honest than a pirate, It Is a turkey buzzard. good at honest prices of your honest rlew he has introduced n bill regulatSee what you are ing the manufacture aud sale of oc:il merchant. It takes the freaks and failures tha have died for want of real merit, and buylDj. Get what you are paying for. butter. The house passed two joint memortrie to stifle legitimate business by eep the money of the community In re- at build live and a at remains vhlch home, embalmed you up the selling ials, one asking President Roosevelt our town Instead of tearing it down to rescind his order withdrawing coal dttoud price. "The whole aefarioui mall order sys- for the benefit of the mail order lands from SBtr) and another asking ' of the big cities. congross to pass the bill pensioning tem, fn so far as it relates to vehicles. ouses Indian war veterans of Utah anl-mal- mail-orde- mail-orde- death-dealin- i, First-qualit- vlc-in- s e vic-:im- pur-has- i J e |