Life — October 23, 1902 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

348 The Great Yellow Way. WITH ABJECT APOLOGIES TO JAMES CREELMAN, CHAPTER I. SHALL never forget the day that the Hearst Estate decided to de- clare war on Spain, It was a sultry afternoon in August, and for four hours I had been explaining the cause of Bryan's defeat to the proprietor of tho newspaper which had been fortunate enough to secure my services, when an attendant entered, and, having admin- istered a few simple _restoratives, handed him a telegram which read as follows: “Evangeline Cinders, a beautiful Cuban maiden of seventeen, has been arrested for revolutionary utterances in 1872 and agrees to be rescued by us. Has refused all other offers. Am arranging with cinometograph people.” Mr. Hearst read the dispatch languidly and then with a sudden effort rose from his chair and shouted"Sam!" whereat a tall, shaven, keen-witted editor, wearing four knives in his back in token of his high rank, entered from the next room. “Sam," repeated the newspaper pro- prietor, “read this telegram. Cuba must be freed, and Evangeline Cinders res- cued!” Within two hours the vast resources of “yellow journalism” were at work in every quarter of the world in behalf of the entombed maiden. Through my per- sonal influence the blind checker-player at Huber’s Museum consented to tele- graph to the Queen Regent of Spain a personal appeal for mercy. Interviews with George Francis Train, Cissy Loftus and ex-Superintendent Byrnes were speedily procured for publication; a large force of artists began at once the work of preparing portraits of the beau- tiful Miss Cinders, and a monster pett- tion to the Queen Regent was circulated among the women of America for signa- » LIFE « tures. Under great pressure, Dr. Park- hurst consented to talk. At midnight, Just as I was about to depart on a mi sion of secrecy and importance, it was determined to publish In the paper of the following morning a portrait of Bishop Potter. CHAPTER II. On my arrival in Havana I went at once to the loathsome dungeon in which the beautiful Evangeline was confin The windows and doors had been left open in order that the foul mlasmas of the streets might poison her young life. A steamer ticket to New York had been placed by her brutal guards on the table before her, and an empty hack stood walting at the curb, The unfortunate maiden bent over her window casement to tell me that one of her flendish tor- turers had just called to say that the steamer would sail at 2 o'clock, and that if she did not get rescued at once, strong means would be taken to compel her to do so, “I cannot hold out much sobbed the beautiful princess. “Last night three miscreants wearing the Spanish uniform placed a greased plank against my window ledge and tried to force me to slide down It Into a cab, but I will not bo rescued except by tho Hearst Estate.” Five minutes later I stood in the pres- ence of the Spanish Captain-General. Never have I seen such a sinister faco as his. His head was larger than his body; in place of a nose he had merely two slits in his face from which camo the fumes of burning brimstone; he had tusks six inches long in place of teeth, and one large, round, red eye in tho centre of his forehead. Familiar as I was with the resources of the art de- partment of the great paper which I served, I never concelyed of such a face as this. “I have come,” I cried fearlessly, “to rescue the beautiful Evangeline Cinders, longer,” who is now confined in a loathsome dungeon." At the mention of the maiden’s name a strange softness came Into the face of the Captain-General. “Ah,” he sald, glancing at his watch, “it Is not too late if you hurry. The steamer salls at two and I have not wholly despaired of peace for this suffering land, but let me warn you not to remain in Havana after the sailing of the boat; it will not be safe.” That very day Evangeline Cinders was free. CHAPTER III. Thad come eight thousand miles to see Abdul Kafoozalem on an important and delicate mission, and now in accordance with the quaint Oriental custom, I knelt in the sand before his tent door and bowed my head toward the east. The great Bedouin chief emerged from his tent, and, prostrating himself in the dust, murmured his morning prayer. Then he extended his hand in welcome and inquired the nature of my mission. Whereat I arose and, having salaamed before him thrice, recited the following verses: Oh, mighty monarch of the desert plain! Hearken unto the mighty monarch of Park Row. Hearken unto him who cometh from the far West with friendly greetings, Hearken unto the words of the emis- sary of that vast and tireless engine of civilization and humanity, the Hearst Estate! Heed well the words of him who knows the secrets of the bread fund, and has seen the axe of the Auditor fall upon the space bill when the new City Editor was making a record for economy. Heed well, oh Shetk, the words of him who stands before you; for the Hearst Estate, that tireless engine of humanity and learning, has sent him here to you, over thousands of miles of wet ocean and dry desert sands, to HOW THR GAMK, “PUSHING & GOOD THING ALONG, SoG ALT § I Dr. Bleedem : You seem to be tn & very ansmic condition. 1 will ive you something for that pain in Your side, bat for that dizzy feel- Ing you had better call at once on Dr. George W. Pursewrecker— stomach specialist. Five dollars, please. consuit my Ten dollars, Dr. Pursewrecker » eyes are also affected. You ought to suthority on the eyes. Here's a Prescription for your digestion, THESE “SPECIALIST DOCTORS. | ae fo ZZ T notice your Dr. Holdup: frend, Dr. Holdup— ously atropht Please, dollars, please. The examtnation convinces me that there 1# nothing serious the matter with your eyes; bat I'm afrald your lungs are serl- Mention my name, and call on Dr. Feathernest—expert on pulmonary diseases. Fifteen 18 PLAYED. Dr. Feathernest ; Twenty dollars, please, Take the prescription every three hours. Iadvise you to lose no time in consulting Dr. Squeezer, the eminent brain pectaltst. Norg.—And the game continues just as long as the victim's money holds out, comicbooks.com