Western Kansas world. [volume], April 25, 1885, Image 2

About Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
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1? HAT TTOWtD I DO?
BT JOSEPHINE D. HILL.
flThat would I do, little blue eyes,
Were I rich, and young, and fair?
I would build a magnificent palace
With everything costly and rare.
With trees and fiowera I'd surround it,
With fountains and birds bright and gay,
That would rival the sun of the Indus,
Then what would I do next? You say,
I would build all the fairy stories,
Dolls, play-houses, and kittens;
I would buy pretty dresses and laces.
Abundance of warm hoods and mittens.
Then I'd (end out an invitation
To every tired child in the land,
Who had cross motners or nurses,
To come to my palace grand,
Wide open I'd Sin the windows,
Filtering in tunshlne and air;
Wide open would be the gateway,
Whilst I. rich, young, and fain,
Wou'd welcome and kiss the children
And lell them to roam iree of care,
Up and down the grand carved stairway,
in and out midst the flowers rare,
Unchecked would be'onerry laughter
Ringing so loud and clear,
Echoing ou to the great hereafter,
Rippling so sweet on the ear,
Then when trie little old'sand man
Paused at each drooping bead
I would nestle and kiss my darlings
As I lucked them bo warm in bed.
But alas! my dear little blue eyes,
I'm not rich or young or fair,
Only a (ired little woman
With threads of silvery hair.
Inlcr-Ocean.
TEMPTATION.
Go ask the strong man, he of honor's might,
Hath he not bowed his head and fought the fight
'Gainst s'xong temptation cast bifore his way,
That fain would bind him with its magic sway?
Hath not the channels of his honor's mind
Grown vapid with increasing right confined?
Hath not the queens of beauty eTer beguiled
Hia vow of faiih, while they upon him smiled?
Look on you matd, she who in virtue dreams!
'Twere tacrilepious to instill the gleams
Of bell's own fiendishne6s 'ncath rosy guise;
Look loe, speak love, temrt through love's eyes.
Her ways of love are sweetly pure and fair,
The future holds her precious fruits and rare;
Yet virtue's only virtue in its worth,
When it fells temptat on to the earth.
Then boast not worldly men! boast as you may,
Temptation stalks by night or light ot day;
Norpiiest. nor maid, nor king, nor mortal thing
But feels the touch of sharp temp'ation's sting.
Rear in yo at might and right, and virtue's proof
Will bid the foul tempter stand aloof.
The Malay Proa.
During the spring of 18G7, the English
merchant ship Gazelle, hailing from
Liverpool and commanded by Captain
William Babson, crossed the China sea,
on her way from the Philippines to
Singapore. She was loaded with an as
sorted cargo of great value, besides car
rying a large amount of money, which
had been consigned to her care at Ma
villa. Lying at Manilla, with the Gazelle,
had been the Yankee ship Minerva,
commanded by Captain Charles P.
HeustiSj and it had been planned that
the two would sail together, as a meas
ure of safety; for it was known that the
China sea, at that particular time, was
infested by the most desperate and dan
gerous piratical gangs that had ever been
known in those waters. But when the
time had come for the English to sail,
the Yankee was not ready, being forced
to wait for an owner whose business had
called him away to another island. Bab
son would have waited a day or two, but
he could not waste more time, so he sail
ed alone, bidding adiou to the Phillip
pines on the 27th day of May.
On the evening of the 3d of June, hav
ing run very nearly 1,200 miles on a
southwesterly course, Captain Babson
deemed it proper to lay his ship to until
morning. During the four and twenty
hours last past he had met a strong ocean
current that had so far perplexed him as
to shake his confidence in his reckon
ings; and, as he knew that he must be
very near to the most northerly of the
Great Natuna islands, he did not care to
rush on in the dark. For two days ne
had been able to take no observations.
and the night before him promised to be
unusually dark. So as the night closed
in, he brought his-ship to the wind, and
lay his main top sail back.
With the dawn of another day Babson
found cause of thankfulness for the pre
caution. During the night a strong
current had been setting the ship to the
southward, with the wind in the same
direction ; and now, with the breaking
of the day, he discovered land not more
than five miles distant. The ship was
heading due south, and this land was
directly on the starboard beam, and it
required no consulting of the charter to
tell them that it was an island of the
Northern group of the Natunas.
Upon going aloft, with his telescope,
Capt. Babson gained a good view of the
island,which he judged to be ten miles
long; well wooded, its shore free from
socks, and indented, about midway, by a
deep bay, the northern headland of
which was a high bluff, whereon he dis
covered something that had the appear
ance of a beacon. He was upon the
point of lowering his glass, for the pur
pose of closing it, when the fancy struck
him to take one more look at the summit
of the headland. He did so, and plainly
discovered a human being there, stand
ing close by the beacon. He watched
him,and saw that he gesticulated with
his arms, as tho' signaling to some one
on the shore of the bay below. Pretty
soon a second man appeared to the bed
con ; and the two were evidently in ea
ger conference. It had now grown to be
so light that Babso could distinguish
objects very clerely no the island. He
could see that these two men were sav
ages probably Malays and that they
held conferences with others below them.
This upon the promontory. Then the
captain turned his glass upon the deep
bay, and was able to discover a short
stretch of its shore, where, plainly he
saw other savages, carrying long spears
in their hands, running swiftly towards
a point beneath the headlands. He
counted at least a hundred of those na
ked islanders all Malays making for a
point beyond the reach of his vission;
then he decended to the deck, where he
gave his glass to one of his most reliable
top-men, and sent him aloft to keep
watch, and to report what he saw.
This done, the captain turned to his
chief mate Tom Delaney and told him
what he had discovered.
The situation was not a pleasant one.
With the first break of day, the light
breeze that had held through the night
had entirely died away, so that the ship
now lay in a dead calm, under the influ
ence of a current that was setting her
nearer and nearer the shore a shore
then not more than four miles distant,
where a horde of blood-thirst piraters
were making reaky to come down upon
them.
As soon as Babson had told his mate
what he had seen, the crew were muster
ed upon the quarter deck, and clearly in
formed of the probable situation. On
board the Gazelle, were five and twenty
able men, including the captian.the cook
the supercargo, the mates; and the men
before the mast. For weapons they had
MB M J ,. . ws - ,C
four muskets, twenty-fire large boarding
pistols, and aboat a score of common
ship's cutlasses.' These were brought
out, and while the fire-arms were being
loaded, the look-out in the main top re
ported that a large proa was in sight.
Captain Babson feft the work of pre
paring the weapons to his mate, and
sprang aloft. He was an experienced
hand in those seas, and knew every
sign and signal. Taking the glass from
the hand of the topman, he levelled it
upon the bay? and saw the
Eroa iust rounding the northern
eadiand. It was one of the largest he
had ever seen a Malay war canoe,
capable of carrying 200 men. There
were two savages in her stern sheets, 20
at tho broad-bladed paddles ten on
each side and two more in the bows,
making twenty-four in all. They were in
plain sight, so arranged that it should
appear as though they were all; but
Babson could see that others were lying
flat upon the proa's bottom. Wishing,
hnwpvfir. tn make sure, he slung the
glass over his shoulder, and sprang up to
the cross-tree above, where he took
another observation, being here enabled
to look down into the bottom of the craft
were he saw the savages packed away
like figs in a drum. He made up his
mind that there could not be less than
one hundred and fifty of the piratical
crew. And with this information he
returned to the deck.
William Babson was a brave man, but
his heart sank within him, in view of
the prospect before him. His pistols
were the old-fashioned flintlock
weaDons: his cutlasses heavy enough, but
little better than so many clubs; the four
muskets being the only modern affair at
hand. He was brave, and his men were
brave; but what could they do against
such a horde as was now coming upon
them? The ship now lay with her star
board side next to the shore, and it was
evident that the Malays would strike in
that direction. They would lay their
proa alongside, cast their grapplings, and
then pour in over the rail like so many
tigers. And what should keep them
awaj? Aye, and when they had once
gained the deck 150 of them with
their knotted war-clubs and their gleam
ing knives, how long could the crew of
the ship stand against them?
One man alone of the ship's crew ap
peared to be thinking to a definite pur
pose, and that was the cook a stout
limbed Congo, black as the ace of the
spades.
"Ho, ho! Mar's let 'em come," said me
cook, Jo Pansy by name, exhibiting a
double row of teeth, that might have
shamed a shark. "I say, let 'em come !
Git a tar-bucket an' fix de deck, an' den
set up tacks for 'em !"
The plan was quickly understood, and
as quickly resolved upon. On board
were several boxes with a hundred
packages in a box of large headed cop
per canvas tacks, very much like the
common carpet tacks, the points sharp
as needles, with broad flat heads. The
men caught the idea, and sprang to the
work with a will. One of the large boxes
was brought on deck and opened. Two
men each with a bucket of tar and a
large brush, gave to the starboard side
of the deck, from knight-head to taffrail,
a carefully laid on coat of the intensely
viscous stuff, while the rest of the crew
captain and all worked smartly at
setting up the tacks. They were set
thickly, the heads planted firmly in the
adhesive tar, with the long, needle-like
points standing upright.
The work had been accomplished be
fore the proa had come within pistol
shot, and the crew were ready for the
result. The question had arisen: "Sup
pose the pirates should come up under
the port rail?" But Babson had no fear
of that. They were steering for the side
nearest to them, and would not pull
further without cause.
As soon as the tacks had been set up
several thousand of them the men
were at leisure to take a look at the
enemy, and consider what next should
be done.
The proa was one of the largest Bab
son had ever seen larger than he had
at first thought, and capable of holding
more men. Within two or three cables'
length of the ship, its savage crew arose
and sat up, completely filling the space.
As nearly as the Englishman could cal
culate, without counting, there were a
hundred and fifty of them at least, each
man armed with a knife and a club.
And now a dozen more paddles were
added to the proa's motive power. Tom
Delaney was a strong man, with a stout
heart and steady nerve, but as he raised
the telescope to his eye and took a
nearer view of these creatures, a shud
der crept through his frame, which he
could not repress. Never before bad he
seen anything so murderous so horri
bly ugly and frightful.
The question was asked: "Shall we fire
upon them?" It was decided in the neg
ative. It was settled that the proa was
coming up under the starboard chains,
Babson bade his men reserve their bul
lets and their energies until they had the
enemy in their power. The crew was
mustered in the port gangway, each man
with a pistol and a cutlass, while the
handspikers, hatchets, and other weap
ons of like character stood within easy
reach. ,
It was while Delaney had the glass in
his hand that one of the men near the
wheel uttered a cry of satisfaction; and
when Captain Babson looked for the
cause, he was pointed to a distant ripple
on the surface of the sea. Aye, a breeze
was coming! too late to avoid the proa;
but it might help them nevertheless.
As the proa came up to the quarter,
and began to found-up, with half the
paddles taken in, Capt Babson- hailed.
With a loud "HaUool" he demanded to
know who they were, and what they
wanted. A terrific yell was the only
answer;and in a moment more the proa's
bow touched the ship's side, under the
mizzen chains, gliding quickly alongside;
when grapplings were thrown,and secur
ed, after which, with a howl and a yell
utterly frightful, the Malays mounted to
the rail. They came up like so many
cats, their light bodies and powerful
muscles making them perfect climbers
came up by scores, until full a hundred
of them were upon the rail, with their
long knives held between their teeth.
Despite the strange dressing which had
been put upon the ship's deck, her men
were terror-stricken at the sight before
them. It seemed as though those dread
ful knives must reach them.
Aye full a hundred had gained the ship
rail, and nettings, when one who seemed
to be their chief a tall, guant savage,
with a pyramid of feathers on his head
took his knife in his hand, and sent forth
a mighty yell:' whereupon the others
took their knives in their hands, gave
each en answering yell and 'leaped
down upon the deck. Instinctively the
crew crouched back, and brought up their
pistols; but there was no need of striking
1 . V. i -t . .
was inclined to blame himself for having
suffered a hundred bloodthirsty pirates
to live, whose lives had been once so
completely within his power, either to
take or to spare; but i wo sources of con
solation were his: First He had not the
blood of a defenceless fellow-creature up
on his hands; and, Second He had
caused those hundred wretches to suf
fer an agony of torture to which death
might have been far preferable.
Capt. C. P. Heustis, when he told me
the story, smilingly added:
"The last time I saw Captain Babson,
he took from his pocket-book, where he
carried it neatly folded, a certificate of
non-indebtedness, in due form, from his
consignees at" Singapore, wherein th,ey
acknowledged the receipt of a just and
satisfactory equivalent for twelve gross
of copper canvas tacks, by him expend
ed, for the use of himself and crew, on
shipboard !"
QUARTERLY REPORT.
We are now in receipt of the quarterly
report of the Kansas State Board of Ag
riculture for the quarter ending March
31. We give some extracts from it:
WINTER WHEAT.
The winter wheat area sown in the
fall of 1884 is less than that of the pre
ceding year by about 27 per cent., and is
about equal in extent to that sown in
the fall of 1882. This decrease was uni
form throughout the State, but two coun
ties of small wheat areas, Ness and
Washington, maintaining their acreage
of 1884. The one principal cause for this
decline was the unsatisfactory prices re
ceived for wheat after the harvest of
1884, there being many instances where
the amount received for the crop failed
to reimburse the grower for expenses
paid in its production and marketing.
In the western half of the State, a terri
tory including many of the prom
inent wheat counties, the period
of wheat seeding was unusually
deficient in rainfall, causing many
farmers to sow a small area late in the
season, wnen tney naa contemplated a
larger acreage. The encouragement re
ceived In the cultivation of Indian corn,
in the section last named, in 1884, also
had the effect of lessening the wheat
area, farmers reserving a larger propor
tion of their land for the fcultivation of
corn.
Owing to the lack of moisture, as noted
before, the larger proportion of the crop
in the western half of the State was put
in very late, and had but a poor start
the winter set in. The average date of
seeding was much earlier in the eastern
half and as the rainfall was more abun
dant in this section, the plant had a fine
growth before the beginning of winter,
and aside from the other conditions, the
crop would have presents 1 a fine pros
pect at that time. The Hessian fly made
its appearance last fall in nearly every
county in the eastern half, of the State,
being particularly numerous along the
eastern border and in the counties
lying along the valley of the
Kansas river. It is difficult to
estimate the damage done by this insect
pest before the beginning of the winter,
owing to the heavy damage sustained by
the crops during the months of February
and March from the alternate freezing
and thawing. It is believed by many
correspondents of the Board that the in
jury from the "fly" would prove to have
oeen sngnx 11 an opportunity naa Deen
given this spring to determine its extent.
The heavy loss sustained from freezing,
however, leaves it still an open question.
The appearance of the Hessian fly is
noted in several of the western counties,
but it is not claimed that the crop in this
section received any serious damage from
its depredations. The variable temper
ature of February and obtained in all
sections of tHe State, and correspondents
agree that the largest . per cent, of
damage occurred from this cause.
While the decrease in the wheat area
was twenty-seven percent., the loss from
Hessian fly and freezing was also twenty
seven per cent., leaving a little more
than 1,000,000 acres to be harvested this
year if favorable conditions obtain here
after. The late sown wheat in the west
is just beginning to grow, the season be
ing at least two weeks late as compared
with last year, and for this reason its
condition is difficult to judge. All wheat
sown in corn-stalk fields otherwise shel
tered or protected is in fair condition,
and now promises a good yield. That
sown on new ground did not suffer as
severely as that sown on old ground, and
this area, even in exposed fields, will
make a fair crop. . The condition of the
living plants is 76 as compared with last
year. The twenty-seven per cent winter
killed is being plowed up and the area
put to spring crops. The indications are
that the product of 1885 will not exceed
44 per cent of the crop of 1884.
Eighteen rer cent, of the crop of 1884
is still in the counties where grown,
awaiting a better condition of the mar
ket. The average price offered on March
25 for wheat in local markets was 51
cents.
corn. .
Twenty-three per cent, of the corn
crop of 1884 still remains in the counties
in which it was raised; the average price
of this grain in local markets, March 25,
being twenty-seven cents. But a small
per cent of the corn held by formers is
on the market, it being retained in most
instances for home use.
yet; Eachrnanofthepiratecrsw,ag'his
feet struck the deck, trod upon at least a
dosen of those sharp-pointed tacks. Into
the leather-like soles' of those Ma'ay feet
the' horrible tacks were driven, and under
the first stroke of terrific pain down
they went the whole lot of them upon
their hands and knees, and filled the air
with howls of anguish. Worse and
more of it. Into their knees and into
the'broad palms'of their hands went the
torturing tacks, until the savage horde
were literally insane with exquisite
pain.
Babson could not find it in his heart
to fire a pistol, nor use a cutlas.
The story' of the next ten minutes can
be imagined much better than we can
tell it. Of course, riot one of those Ma
lays tould hold a knife; for every hand
was pierced with the tacks; they could
not defend themselves in any way, oth
er than by getting back into their proa
as quickly as possible. And this they
did. Though their torture was dreadful,
and though the act of either walking or
crawling made the torture more dread
ful, still to save life, they endured the
lesser evil for the time.
It was just as the Malays threw their
grapplings that the breeze, from the
north-west, 'had struck the ship; and, as
the last of the piratical crew were back
into their proa, the yards were braced,
and the Gazelle, with a thrill of pulsat
ing joy, moved safely away from the
scene "of grotesque horror.
There were times when Capt. Babson
TO,
.The rye area has decreased, as con"
pared with last year. Being a much
hardier plant than wheat, it did not suf
fer so severely from" the hard freezing.
About ten per cent of the area was winter-killed,
and the remainder now shows
a condition 01 eignty-nme per cent.
compueu wiw m ut last year, it is
yery backward, and is not affording the
usual Spring pasture. Possibly three
fourths of the acreage is to be found in
the north-western counties.
IJtVE stock.
Horses came through the Winter in
fair condition, being somewhat thin in
flesh, owing to the extreme cold, and in
Duuicxiiouuico luiasumcient 100a. xne
usual number of cases of distemoer.
"pink-eye," etc., are mentioned, but no
serious epidemics have been met with.
Glanders is not mentioned by correspon-
aenxs so irequently as in former years;
this disease, under good management,
having decreased largely. Horses and
mules are in good condition for Spring
worK.
There have been duriner the Fall and
Winter heavy losses among cattle. There
is hardly a county in the State that doss
not report serious loss from turning cat
tle into stalk fields, where an insufficient
amount 01 water and salt was provided.
In the Western counties "ranee cattle"
suffered a heavy loss from exposure and
iacx 01 leea, probably the largest for sev
eral years owing to the unusual severity
of the Winter. Cattle were particularly
free from disease during the past Win
ter, the only loss being from bad man
agement, as above stated. They are in
fair condition, although unusually thin
in flesh, resulting from the severity of
the Winter and the lack of sufficient
food and sheter.
Sheep, on the Western ranges, are in
poor condition, owing to insufficient
food and shelter. Avery large per cent
of lambs were lost from exposure. The
"scab" has not been as serious as in for
mer years, but slight loss being reported
from this cause.
Nearly every county in the Eastern
two-tnirds ot trie state reports more or
less cholera among hogs. In nearly
every instance the cause of this disease
is traced directly to importation from
the stock-yards along our eastern bor
der. Twenty per cent 01 young pigs
died from the effects of the extreme
cold.
FRUIT.
Correspondents report apple buds
generally' alive, and promising a fair
crop of fruit. Peach buds were killed by
the severe cold in all portions of the
state, except in the soutn-central, where
the promise for a full crop is encourag
ing, rears and cherries promise an
average vield, except in the extreme
northern counties, where they were
damaged considerably during the winter.
Blackberries and raspberries suffered
from freezing, and will not make an
average crop." The hardier varieties of
grapes promise an abundant yield in all
sections, while strawberries will make
about a half crop. The prospect ' for a
fruit crop is much more encouraging
than was anticipated.
A New Danger From the Rinks.
Dr. John T. Nagle, registrar of vital
statistics, in a recent interview called at
tention to the terrible increase of pneu
monia within the past few weeks, and to
the large percentage of deaths from it.
Last week this disease was responsible
for one-fifth of all the deaths in the city,
and week before last for nearly as many.
In the month of January 486 people died
of pneumonia here, and in February 575.
During the first two weeks of March 291
died. If this rate had been kept up for
the other two weeks of March mortality
from this disease would have reached
the startling figure of 645 a number
about twice as large as any month up to
this year ever showed.
The startling increase Dr. Nagle is in
clined to attribute largely to the roller
skating rinks. There is no way of trac
ing the cases directly to that, but it is
highly probable, by a priori reasoning,
that violent exercise in a heated room
for several hours, taken in street cos
tumes, and followed by a walk or ride in
the cold and damp night air, would pro
duce inflamation of the lungs; and when
one considers that fifteen thousand or
twenty thousand young people indulge
inthis amusement every night, it seems
reasonable to connect it with the alarm
ing increase of pneumonia.
Boiler-skating, done with moderation,
and with proper precaution taken about
going out afterward, may be a healthful
exercise; but there are so many dangers
connected with it dangers of bodily in
jury, of evil company, of physical expos
ure, of general demoralization that pa
rents need to be very careful in allowing
their children to attend the rinks. New
York Mail and Express.
Postoffice Changes.
Postoffice changes in Kansas daring the
two weeks ending April 11, 1885, furnished
by Wm. Van Vieck, of the Postoffice De
partment. Established Corbett, Ford county, Chas,
3. Culver, postmaster; Coss, Brown county,
Charles W. Coss, postmaster; Brownlee,
Atchison county, Hugh C. Brownlee, post
master; "Engle wood, Ford county, Martin L.
Murr, postmaster; Goshen, Graham county,
John S. Van Brent, postmaster; Heisler,
Philips county, Nancy Heisler, postmaster;
Keroma, Hodgeman county, Austin B. Gil
bert, postmaster; Bayville, Norton county,
George W. Phany, postmaster; Vidette,
Shawnee county, Robert F. McGill, post
master; Whitman, Ford county, Chas. W.
Whitman, postmaster; Wilburn, Ford
county, Lewis P. Horton, postmaster.
Postmaster Appointments Xawrence
Douglas county, Oabun Shannon; McPher
son, McPherson county, Chas. E. Cook.
The president has issued a proclama
tion warning all persons to vacate what
is known as the Winnebago lands in Da
kota, thereby revoking President Ar
thur's order opening the reserva
tion to settlement The set
tlers have been seeding, and
all have invested in improvements and
to be evicted would bankrupt many.
One dispatch says the old soldieis among
the settlers declare it is a rank injustice
that their little homesteads should be
taken after they have been entered upon
in good faith, when the benefit would
accrue to the Indians who made no use
of them. Trouble is feared, for force
may be required to dispossess them.
Troops will undoubtedly be necessary
to enforce the provisions of the procla
mation. ."
They have a far-reaching City Marshal
at Harper. The Graphic says he has put
an end to penny gambling, by the kids
on the street, and-has also vetoed swear
ing among them.
v MXtTXytCM lf-rCfSl
.. "? -- . - -s-y ar? nT?l
STILL TO THE ElfiONTi
MORGAN
Have just received their
ry Goods and Notions
We Have the Largest and Best Selected Stock of
CapSiGloves, Underwear Blankets
KVIE BROUGHT
-OUR STOCK OF-
FLANNELS
CANNOT BE
lime and Examine Our Stock,
WE ALSO HAVE THE MOST COMPLETE STOCK OF
GROCERIES
insr the
WE WILL NOT
WA-KEEIVY,
MORGAN
JUST EBOEIYED
-AT-
ELLSWORTHS
1,000 FEET OF LD1BEB.
Go and Look Before Buying, for it is the
Best ever Brought to This
Market.
Plenty of Corn, Oats and General Feed. Best
of Coal always on Hand.
BIG REDUCTION IN COAL
Colorado,
Bock Springs Lump,
Bock Springs Nut,
CASH PAID FOR
Remember, that after January 1st, I will
Sell for Cash only. ; Don't forget it.
F. O.
. "'&
& DANN,
7,
Fall and Winter Stock of
TO THIS CITY.
& SUT'INGrS
EXCELLED.
No Trouble io Show Goods.
onrsr.
BEUNDERSOLD
&
KANSAS,
$6.00
7.00
6.00
WHEAT AND RYE.
ELLSWORTH.
DAffl
Viit-tT
1
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n
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