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MOTHER. I E S3 over, ueitn " . . uay uie imm ui um eet yiMay they rest upon SSSB&av 1 ncr bier, She who walked among here. them I fipntlv fold her wasted hands, Smooth the hair in silver bauds O'er tho brow where line3 of care Time hath wrought so gently fair. Calm and still, no wild alarm Stirs the heart whose sweetest charm d Lies beneath the churchyard sou. Sho hath known tho widow's God. Weary grew her eyes and dim, Mourning day by day for him. While she watched and waited long For tho angel's greeting song. Oft when worn with grief and pain Could we feel her touch again; It would calm the aching brow; But no sigh she heedeth now. When we sink In death's last sleep, Other eyes the watch must Ices?: O'er her children's dreamless bed, Other eyes the tears must sheu. But we would not call her back More to tread life's dusty track. Sho hath done her life work well. Let tho lily petals tell. THE HAUNTED LAKE, In southwest Texas there 13 a lako that bears the reputation of being the most desolato and uncanny pool in the world. The place is a veritable city or ghosts. It is a body of water three- quarters of a mile wide and a dozen miles long, lying In the shadows of an almost impenetrable forest in the bot- toms of the Nueces river, in Dimmitt county. Tho lako is very deep; so deep that in many places no procurable Hue has ever reached the bottom. Hence, the rumor says there is no bottom at all. Its shores aro absolutely uninhabited, and tho boldest wayfarer hesitates to tarrv near its ill-omened waters even In the broad light of day. ' It swarms with fish, and immense al llgatora dwell there.. Fierce, wild ani mals slink unmolested through the tan Eled growth along the bank. At night the owl's hoot and the long-drawn, high, plaintive wall of the hungry pan- ther form a fit accompaniment to the ghostly revels of unquiet spirits. , That some inexDllcable happening takes place on these lonely waters on certain nights is beyond question. The evil repute has existed for more than a ,,,,. v. ciirhfa Vtrtva hopn avert and sounds heard by those bold enough J tinuiu - " " I to attempt investigation, that efforts in that line have entirely ceased; the lake Is shunned, and further Inquiry must be made by strangers, for no one know- Ins tho place can be bribed or forced to stay there after nightfall. The lako was tho scene of a tragedy over 100 years ago, and from that day to the present it has borne an unhal lowed reputation. In those days there was a road that skirted Its lower end. The road was the single highway con necting Mexico with tho mission set- tlcments and the Spanish outposts indeed, occupied, but by no mortal oc along the San Antonio river, and fur- cupanta. The unearthly visitors moved ther east, in what Is now Texas. The lake was a well-known and fa- vored camping place. There was good water there, good grass and abundant shade; a welcome rest spot for those coming from the south over the hot sandy cactus-covered uplands. Near the close of a September day long ago, a large wagon train stopped to camp for the night. Within the wagons were sacks of silver coin for the paymenc of troops in the frontier garrisons. To guard this was an armed mounted cs- cort, numerous enough to put at rest all fear of danger. The whole lay aown to rest and slept that night, unsupi- clous, careless and negligent, nut a deadly peril was lurking near at hand, eager-eyed, blood-thirsty ana ever- .watchful of an opportunity. All the way frem the Rio Grande the THE GHASTLY PROCESSION. trail of the crawling wagons had been iollowcd by bandits thieves, renegades and murderers they were, cruel as tigers, brave as grizzlies. Every move 1. w1 Vnnn smtivd oirorv rflmnlnc o1nOf uv. - f or 'Mfothnfi evr'f el en nf rnrplfHS rnwn- i.n n'rri crnHni hv Wn ovM that shone 1th the ill-repressed light r a ninnrtPi. j On this September night, when the whole camp was resting, the sentinels nodding, even as they stood in the dark chw. f iha troo th rnhhAra madfl their attack; a fierce yell, a rattling vol- lev and a navaee rush. The startled escorts sprang up, grasping their old fashioned escopetas, and made what re glstanco they could. There was close desperate fighting all around, and a ronfusion Indescribable. The com ,nn rf.aHrfi that h flffht would eoon go against him, so, exhorting his men to stand to the last, he gathered the teamsters about him and togther they took the sacks of silver from the wagons and threw them over into the bottomless depths of the lake. There was barly time, for all re sistance was soon overcome, the cur- Vlvors begging for mercy and the hu man wolves In complete possession. Hut the silver wa3 beyond them, out or their reach, and all their trouble and palng proflUrsa Mad at the thought of being balked, the outlaws took the ur- vlvorSi the commaudant, the teamsters. the soldiers hound them hand and foot. t,C(1 h gtone3 t tnem and t0s.sea th llvin- one by onei over into tlw dark water. Of all who had laid down to rest in the evening, not one was alive in the morning. Tools of blood, trampled grass, half burned wagons, tho ashes of expired camp fires, marked the spot, and that wa3 all. Deep down in the still, cool water lay tho bright silver, and on the r-urface a swirl hero and there told of the alligators fighting over their hideous feast. Exactly one year later to the very another narty camped at the lake. They were troopers returning to easy service in Mexico, after a season of loneliness, hardship and danger on tho frontier. The memory of the tragedy enacted there had either been forgot ten or given slight consideration, for in those days lawlessness was but too common to causo especial remark. Tho troopers picketed their horses among the trees, camp fires were light ed, supper wa3 eaten; there was a rest ful hour or two given up to smoking, story-telling, laughter, singing, the playing upon guitar and mandolin, and then each man, tired and drowsy, wrapped himself in his blanket, soon to bo soundly sleeping. All but the senti nels, who kept their steady rounds as the solemn night wore on. There was a nearly full moon, that at midnight rested just north of the zenith, 11 luminattng with its mild light the sur face of the open lake, and emphasizing the black shadows nder th t s T sentry vxiu&e ucuc ixy ihoicdi, mo chanced to glance carelessly out over the water as he walked slowly along and ho saw something there that changed him from a half somnambulist to an intensely awakened man The water lay still and quiet as death, and from its wavelcss surface the sen tinel saw what first seemed to be wreaths and strands of gray mist, rls- lug and twirling. In a moment, even as he looked, the shadowy vapors re solved themselves into tho forms of men horrible shapes, with agonizing faces, and arranged themselves in ghastly procession, and, swaying a3 in a gentle wind, moved swiftly forward tnward tho camn of tho sleeping Fol diers. A weird low cry, tho shadow of a wall, rose up and chilled tho hear er's utmost fouI with deadly terror More from fright than boldness the sentinel fired his carbino at the ad vancing shades and then ran shrieking into the woods. Tho sleepers, roused up as one man, saw, heard, and they too fled, panic-stricken, into tne tmcK- ets. Tho horses plungeu anu Droue me picket ropes. Tho noise of maddening beasts crashing througn mo unuei- growth and the cries of terror-stricKcn mrm jrrfiw fainter and rainier us ah ' - - hurried from the horror. Later on in the night a few of the boldest met together, and, with cour age somewhat restored, determined to g0 back and have a second look at tho things that had affrighted them. Lau tlously they returned within view of the camp. They saw forms moving aoout hero and there, strangely dimmed in the flickering radiance of tho camp fires and strangely illumined when in the shadows. Dropping behind bushes and trees they watched breathlessly, not daring to advance. The camp was swiftly about as though bucying them- selves with camp duties, and, as the scared watchers yet looked on, the first flush of morning began to mingle with the wan light of the dying moon. Again arose that vague walling cry. Again the shades marshaled themselves in regular order and moved down silntly to the edge of the lake and out upon the water, there to sink out of sight. When the demoralized troop had been gathered together again and was well 0n its way the men spoke of the cc currence with bated breath and called the place "Espantoso." As the Btory re came known the lake came to bo re gorded as accursed, and travelers passed swiftly by, not daring to rest however weary. Belated wayfarers chance hunters and fishermen added re luctant tales to the sura total of ex pcrlences. Strange forms were seen after dusk and whisperings were heard from beneath the water and from un seen lips in the air. As years passed tho experience of the soldiery was un dergone by other camping parties, some stpangers who knew not, and others who had heard and believed not. All were one in belief thereafter. It is al said that certain persons who were known to have camped there at night were never seen or heard of again, bo evil became the name of the place that the road was finally turned away from the lake shore, and "Espantoso' became a name to be spoken with dread and place to bo avoided. It so remains dow to this very day. I A Sd ltreum That Came True. I George H. Wheeler was found mangled and dead on the Pennsylvania railroad tracks recently with a letter in his pocket containing this btortling prophecy: - t dreamed that you were dead; that two men placed you in a wagon ana that you were bloody from head to loot. This letter was written by a brother to tho deid man and dated Elk Ridge, Md., March 5, ISC'C. Whceter was a yard tlerk in tho Jersey yard of the Ponnflvlvnnia railroad company, had been in the employ of that company nineteen years, lived at C6 Ninth street southwest and leaves a wifo and Ave children. Washington urncB. Mr. A. J. Balfour is one of the few really good musicians In tho house oi commons. He follows tho movement of the musical world with keen Inter est, and is no mean performer on Uu plaatforte. MEXICO REJOICING. NOBODY ANXIOUS FOR GOLD DOWN THERE. Agricultural nml Mauufucttnlnar T.w lerprlses Itrluir rct l'roiperlty Th llrltl.h tJold (Standard lUa Js'ii Hold Tbrre Farmers Oruwlni; YVoalthy Mr. Curtis sometimes writes in cuch a vein as to lead one to suppose that h clieves in the gold standard. When the direct question is raised, he dis claims being a silver man, and by im plication he docs tho samo when the point under consideration bears bo im mediately upon the main issue that ita decision necessarily and palpably in volves tho entire question, as in tho statement concerning silver production which is elsewhere commented upon. If he openly conceded that silver had fallen compared with gold, or, moro properly, that gold had risen compared with silver, because of silver's demon etization, It would bo a complete tur- ender of the gold side of the case. But wherever the connection 13 not so pat ent where there is a chance for heug- ng. qualifying and explaining, the whole trend of his writings is against the gold standard. A considerable portion of one of his recent letters to the Chicago Record is devoted to a statement by ex-Gov. Shepherd, relative to business condi tions in Mexico. What tho governor says Is here given in full: Ex-Gov. A. R. Shepherd, who is now principal owner and manager ol! the Batopilas silver mines, In Chihuahua, Mexico, ha3 been spending the winter In Washington for the first time since he left here sixteen years ago, and be fore leaving for his Mexican home yes terday he addressed the following let ter to Representative Newlands Oi! Ne vada, in reply to some inquiries from that gentleman concerning the eco nomic condition of Mexico as a sliver basis: "I have been a resident of Mexico since 1870. When 1 first went there tho ratio between silver and gold was to 1. The first exchange I bought was at the rate of per cent In coin silver on n New York draft. Since then, owing to the demonetization of silver, many changes have occurred in the rate of exchange. During the fam ine, which existed the whole period from 183!) to 1892, when two-thirds or all the grain used for food in Mexico vas brought from the United States, the rates of exchange ranged from CO to 05 for cent, and at times went as high as 100. Notwithstanding this, Mexico met all her obligations, paid all her interest, and suffered less than any country. "Tnc present condition of tho silver market i3 leading tho Mexican people to doing their own manufacturing. As an instanca of this I may cite Chihua hua cs an example. An iron foundry and machine shop was established thrro come time ago, with $G0,000 capi tal, for the nurpose cf manufacturing the mining and other machinery for which there was a larc and growing demand in that vicinity and which was formerly supplied by the United States. Tho success of this venture may bo re alized when It is known that tho capi tal stock was Increased to $300,000, and that the company secured a contract recently for a large amoant of machin ery in competition with the firm of Fraser & Chalmers arid other largo con cerns In thin country. Cheap clothing, all of which was formerly purchased in tho United States and Europe, is now manufactured in Mexico. At Chihua hua a canning establishment, with a capital of S1,500,OCO, is now being or ganized for the purpose of preserving meats and fruit, and a largo brewery, with a capital of $200,000, is being put in operation. A woolen factory, with 5200,000 capital, was started, and was enlarged last scr.son to meet tho in creased demands upon it, and smelters at Chihuahua now treat the Mexican ore3 that were formerly sent ac ros6 the border at heavy expense. "Numerous other enterprises have been established and are contemplated, all having the effect ot giving remuner ative employment to Mexican artisans and laborers, and what is equally im portant, serving to keep Mexican mon ey in Mexico, for the fruit of all these forms of industry represents the, life necessities of which Mexico has hither to been dependant on this country and Europe. "The conditions in Chihuahua ere truer of the more advanced portions of Mexico, and the development is steady and remarkable throughout. In the northwest of Mexico a railroad will be built within the next year, running from El Paso to a point south of Cor ralltltas, a distance of 250 miles, open ing up a country rich in mines and agricultural resources. The $3,000,000 capital for the undertaking has been furnished by New York parties. "The conditions of the people have improved correlatively with the devel opment of the country. The district of El Fuerte, which furnishes the part of the mountains in which our mines are located, his doubled in pop!tion in the last fifteen years and Its productive capacity correspondingly increased. Formerly tho peon systei: of labor, which pervaded all Mexico, was the rule In El Fuerte. Now the scarcity of workmen is bo great that almDCt everything is produced on shares, and it is almost impossible to raise a crop unless the workmen are interested in it. "Another instance may be recited Blowing the wonderful progress of northwest Mexico. When the Mexican Ccntriil railroad was first opened It was thought that the northern part of It vouid be unremuneratlve. The open ing of mines and the development of agriculture along this portion, how ever, has made it one of the most profit able sections of the road. "Shortly before my departure I was conversing with a very Intelligent Mexican banker. He declared that he warted the difference between silver ind gold maintained, as it enabled the Mexicans to keep their money In their own country. Other Mexican financiers with whom I have talked hold the same views. "Tfcero havo been but two or three hank failures since I have resided tharo. The Mexican banks are required to keep one-third of their circulation in silver dollars in their vault3. "The system In Mexico allows tho miner to send his silver to the govern ment depositories and receive silver dollar3 in return" for It in any part of the country where there is an assay office, the government tax and cost being about W-i per cent. "Perhaps the best sign of the stabil ity of Me::ico under a silver policy may be found in the fact that Mexican 5 per cent bonds stand at S3 in London." Thia is exactly in line with what Mr. Curtis ha3 stated as the result of his own observations In Japan, and there can be no doubt that in thus quoting Gov. Shepherd at length, he intends to fully sanction tho statements made, especially as they are given without comment. A man like Edward Atkinson, who la utterly incapable of reasoning from cause to eii'ect, might say exactly what is given above, and still believe in tho gold standard, but Mr. Curtis is a much abler man than Atkinson, and it is dif ficult to see how he can so clearly recognize the benefits which Mexico and Japan are reaping from the use of silver, and still believe that free coin age would ruin the United States. That the appreciation of gold 13 stimulating the industries of Mexico on many important lines, is too plain for discussion. It, in fact, is deuled by no one who understands the situation and is candid enough to speak without disguise. The gold people do not meet thi3 point fairly. They say, "See how much greater, richer, and more ad vanced the United States is than Mex ico," and then they seek to convey tho impression that it Is owing to our es tablishment of the gold standard, while Mexico uses silver. They entirely ig nore the self-evident fact that the United States was always far In ad vance of Mexico. Even in greenback times, when our only money consisted of depreciated paper, worth but 40 cents on the dollar, wo were away ahead of Mexico, which was then doing business with silver dollars worth about live cents more than the Amer ican gold dollar. Nay, wo were then relatively farther in advance than we are now, because of late years Mexico has been gaining upon us rapldlj A few years ago Great Britain was vastly richer than the United States, and her business was incomparably greater, but that did not prove that her form of government or her financial syestem was better than ours. Tho reason waa that Britain had the start of us. But we have overhauled and passed her, and we are now the richest nation in the world, although by no means so rich as we would have been If we bad not gone deliberately at work to vrlpplo our own resources and in crease the burden of our debt by de stroying one of tho money metals with which that debt might have been paid, and of which metal we were the great est producers. So we are a long way in tho lead of Mexico for various rea sons with which students of history aro familiar, but our adoption of the gold standard in 1S73 is not one of thoso reasons. A. between American and Mexican conditions at the present time, tho question is one of comparative im provement, and there i3 no intelligent and fair-minded investigator who de nier, that Mexico is now gaining ground with race-horse speed. The explanation of the advantages that inure to the silver standard coun tries has been frequently given in these columns, and tho matter will not bo gone into now. The reader is simply urged to carefully read what Gov. Shepherd says, as presented by Mr. Curtis, and then seriously ask himself how n money standard that is bo nour ishing to the Industries of Mexico could possibly be rank poison to those of our own country. National Bimetal list. Deception. Jacob stole the birthright of hlj brother Esau dressing himself in a kid skin and thua deceiving his blind fath er Isaac. A good many republican and democratic candidates are trying this year to similar deceive and rob tho people by masquerading fM bimttallists by International agreement, etc. Look out for them. Wher Our Money (ion. The family of Levi P. Morton, gov ernor of New York and aspirant for the presidency, sailed on April 8 on a European trip. The farmers of the west will continue to take dally trips along the furrows which bear the crop which pay tie traveling expenses of the Mor ton family. Exchange. Secretary Carlisle's speeech on tho currency before tho Worklngmen'a club in Chicago a few days ago was a wishy washy collection of spiritless axioms on money matters. If a school boy, on the third form, produced such a me lange, he Vi'ould be whipped. Catholic Sentinel, Chippewa Falls, Wis. The above from a gold paper is rich. It is possible that Rothschild will d!ow the democratic party to adopt a free silver platform at the Chicago convention, with a view to dividing th silver forces aud making McKlnley's election certain. Exchange. rrhp. "It's strange," said the young man who is always looking for coincidences, "that bo many politicians nowadays aro remarkable for their whiskers."- "It seems to me," replied the girl who is studying art, "that It must be largely due to the manner in which, everybody has gone wild over Beards '?y effects." Washington Star, wmmm BIG AND Sometimes quality is sacrificed in the effort to give big quantity for little money No doubt about that. But once in a while it isn't. For instance, thereV'BATTLE AX." The piece is bigger than you ever saw before for 5 cents. And- the quality is, as many a man has said, " mighty good' Tncre's no guess vork in this statement. It is just a plain fact. You canprovc it in " BATTLE Aa. FREE LAND For Wheat, Flax, Barley, Roots, Cattle and Dairy Products, Mining and i umberine. Groocl Soil, Good Clixxmto, Good lVIn.xrlx.ot0. C. SHEELEY, ESQ., L. O. ARfv.STKONO Dist. Pass. Agent C. 1. U.K., 11 Fort St. Wat DETROIT. MICH. For 1v I lAil ALABASTIN ba f PwVbMuSSVSr?! CnrC A Tlnt Cftrd tints, elsw Alabastlns ifcthrcohore. Kaby inarecovor lllLL Souv-nfr Rook nmi free to any onfttnentlonlDR this paper, f but cannot thrw. AL.AI5 ASTIXF. CO., Grand Jlapiri, Mich. 3 ylw rertuccu nnces r-M I. li J'PN. idea m tins iV" XJL'r"JV . - .. fwjysrXi&. the world's times The New York Journal recently offered ten bicy cles to the ten winners in a guessing contest, leav ing the choice of machine to each & && && && & ALL OF THEM CHOSE Columbia Bicycles STAND ARP OF THE WORLD Nine immediately, and one after he had looked at others- And the Journal' bought Ten Columbias. Paid $100 each for them. On even terms a Columbia vsill be chosen TEN times out of TEN POPE MANUFACTURING CO. " Kftyto HARTFORD, CONN. GOOD. by investing 5 cents PRA6RIE and ... FOREST van. 1'ac. 11. 11. colonization Afcnt. MONTREAL, CANADA. IT WON'T RUB OFF. ITnll Vapor is ITnanltnry. IS TKJirOUAttV, itOTW, ltLllH OFF ASI SCALES. ia a pure, permanent and artfstio wall-coating, ready for the brush by mixing In cold water. Paint Dealers Everywhere. !Ti!i!5!7lBT(JP and other ct3 by tho !r ISS MlLcJ concern that eve r volunta cr. Ill recent limes, oneinaiuu a new line, cn nccount 01 wnicii. ana tlio rood ' . ... . - 1-1 . ' 1. windmill business. It prepay freight to i uiancii nouses, una hi your uour Sr.nd now for catalogue for up-to-date ideas. Our imitators may not tuve in print our latest plana. tyW Cnrt ... w tan. out of I ' II 11 --