Western Kansas world. [volume], April 03, 1886, Image 2

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

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

                
vxc-
3&$!itr mafjm.
3i"lv-
.AAv.
t Vil
Af v
tajA-, - r ot- "-r - 1 1 pi ' i imii , piiiw i ii p nn 1 iiwpjmiiimp i i
?tf
.
rv , if,
2
by1
pv"'
rv,
r-i..ir,
",
Lfft.
H
V
y
A
v
i
&&'
t
J T
01"
v
;-
l
THEMTTtE
.K AND PEATTEB.
JOSETQINE POKLAI1D.
Thor wa'nt any nse o" fretting,
And I told Obadiah no,
Tor if we coald'nt hold on to things
We'd jest cot to let them go.
There were' lots of folks that'd suffer
Alone with the rest of as,
And itaidn't seem to be worth our while
To make such a dreffie f ass.
1o he sore, the bam was most empty,
An' corn an pertaters sca'ce,
An' not much of anything plenty and cheap
But water an' apple eass;
. Hut then, as I told Obadiah,
It wa'nt any use to groan,
Tor flesh an' blood couldn t stan it, an' he
Was nothing but skin an' bone.
But, laws, if you'd only hecrd him
At any hour of the night,
A prayin' out in that closet there,
"Twould have set you crazy quito.
J patched the knees of those trousers
With cloth that was no way thin,
But it seemed as if the pieces wore out
As fast as I set 'em in.
To mehesaid'mighty little
Of the thorny way we trod,
But at least a dozen times a day
lie talked it over with God.
Down on his knees in that closet
The most of his time was passed;
Tor Obadiah knew how to pray
Much better than how to fast.
Batl am that way contrary
That if things don't go just right, m
1 feel like roolmg my sleeves up high
An' gettin ready to fight.
An' the giants 1 slow that winter
I a'n't coin' to talk about:
An' I didn't even complain to God,
Though I think be found out.
"With the point of a cambric needle
I druv' the wolf froni the door,
Tor I knew that we needn't starve to death
Or be lazy because wo were poor.
An' Obadiah, ho wondered,
An' kept mo patchin' his knees,
An' thought it strange how tho moal held out,
An' strange wo didn't freeze.
Hut I taid to myself in whispers,
"God knows where his gift decends;
An' 'tisn't always that faith gets down
As far as tho noger ends.
An' I would not have no one reckon
My Obadiah a shirk,
"For some, you know, hao the gift to pru,
An' others th gift to work.
TWO UNION SPIES.
"Wiiile acting as a spy for tho Union
rasmy of the Cumberland, whose head
quarters wore then at Nashville, Tennes
see, was supposed by the confederates to
he a very bold and daring smuggler,
'whom it was their interest and duty to
ncourage, because brought many ar
ticles within their lines of which they
stood greatly in need, especially quinine,
"which I secured in Nashville through
the connivance of the army police, as it
was called, and which I subsequently
disposed of at a profit of several hundred
per cent., thus having tho double satis
faction of serving my country and reap
ing a large pecuniary reward.
My routs was generally from Nash
"Vxllo to Chattanooga, taking in tho
smaller towns and villages within a radi
3is of fifty miles.
J I had been some months thus employ
going back and forth, and had not as
; met with no serious adventure, when,
j day, as I was quietly riding along a
mtry road, a small squad of cavalry,
m a cross-road, dashed out directly in
v,nt of me.
On seeing me tho party at once pulled
up a across the road, and tho leader call
ed out gruffly:
"Halt! Who are you?"
"A good confederate," 1 answered, in
3 cheerful way, riding up to tho group
"tmh a smiling air of coniidence.
As I did so, my eve fell upon a youncr
,ViJERn whom I had more than once met,
V and whom I had good reason to believe
uraa a Union spy us well as myself.
There was just tho slightest possible
darting glance of recognition on either
aide; but, slight as it was, the leader per
ceived it, and quickly demanded:
"Do you know him? Have you over
met before?"
"Know whom, sir?" I queried in turn,
"with an innocent stare.
"Know your brother traitor, fool!" ho
.harshly rejoined.
'iNo, sir," I replied, looking from one
lo another; "because, if there is a traitor
- among you, ho is no brother of mine."
In this second glance around I noticed
that tho young man was very pale; and
'though evidently riding his own horse,
and apparently as free as any of tho
v others, I believed him to be a prisoner;
and if he was a prisoner, doubtless I
should be one also, which was not pleas
ant to contemplate.
"James Hackott," said the leader, turn
ing abruptly to him, "do you know this
fellow?"
"I do not, sir," was tho quiet firm
"reply.
"I don't believe it!" was the gruff re
joinder; "I beliovo you're both infernal
liars and traitors, and deserve hanging,
which you'll both get before long."
' Having thus delivered himself, in a
"tone of savage bitterness, ho again turned
to me.
"Who are you?" ho demanded.
"A loyal southerner," was my answer
believing my life depended upon convinc
ing tho leader that this assertion was
truo.
"Uniph!" he sneered; "a pretty loyal
southerner you are, riding around the
country like a lazy drone, while your fel-Jow-citizens
are in the army fighting for
jour rights. Whore do you belong?"
"In Chattanooga." . '
4VWhere were you born?"
"In Chattanooga."
"What is your name?"
-"Alfred Harmer."
.""Have you a pass?"
"I have, sir!" I answered, triumphant
ly. "Quick, then let me seo who has
"been fool onougli to give you permission
-to rovo about tho country in citizens'
Ire6S."
I took out my pocket-book and opened
it, expecting to find thero tho pass which
had previously received from General
"Bragg, and which so far I had never had
occasion to use but once.
To my dismay, and even horror, it was
not there. I had either lost or mislaid
1 know I turned pale, for I could feel
tho blood retreating from my face; and
then, with a great upward surge, it came
hack and reddened my skin to the roots
.f. my hair and made my brain swim
and ears sing, as I remembered like a
.flash that about a month before I had
-taken it out with some notes which I had
'lain away, and had forgotten to replace
it, and -which very carelessness might
mow oostme my life.
"Weiy'said the cavalry leader, gruffly,
3a he-noticed my agitation, "you don't
isefcm to produce it !"
"I had it, but I fear I havo mislaid it,"
audi.
"Oh, yes," ho sneered, "you had it but
"3ve not got it now, and this little trifle
of being without it will cost you your
life. I am for stringing you both up here
a once. What Bay you boys?"
"I've no objections, lieutenant, if
you take the responsibility," replsed onei
of the man.
u. And it will be fearful responsibUty,"
3aid I, "for I really have a pass from
General Bragg, which will be found
among my effects at home."
"We only have your word for that,"
returned the lieutenant, "and it's not
our business to accompany people home
to see what they've got laid away
there."
"And is it your business to hang every
southerner you see abroad in citizen's
dress ?" I boldly and rather sharply de
maded. "Well, every able-bodied man that
doesn't join the army ought to be hung,"
he replied, "and Morgan has told us .not
to waste time.bringing in prisoners."
"And for what would you hang me?"
I demanded.
"For being a spy."
"Don't you think General Bragg
needs spies to tell him what the Yankee
generals are doing?"
"But you are one of the traitors that
takes the information the other wav."
"I deny it, and you must prove it be
fore you hang me."
"No, you fool, ril'hang you first. Out
with the rope there, Blodget, and let us
put an end to this talk."
"Men," said I, firmly, and with an ex
ternel appearance of calmness, for I felt
my life depended upon keeping this
blood-thirsty leader from carrying out
his wicked design, "if you obey this mad
order, you will be guilty of murdering a
man as loyal as yourselves, and who has
been risking his life beyond your lines
to bring General Bragg intelligence of
the number and movements of bis foes. I
demand to be taken to his headquarters,
and let him decide whether I am a friend
or foe!"
These remarks seemed to produce
some effect upon tho men, and, through
them upon the leader.
They consulted together,beyond hear
ing of myself; and at tho close I heard
ono of them say, in a positive tone:
"It would bo risking too much with
out a proper court martial first, and Til
have nothing to do with it."
"I wash my hands of it," said an
other, o
"And I!" "And I!" "And I!" respond
ed several others.
"Well, then, forward, and we'll do it
according to law," coincided the lieuten
ant. Tho squad then rodo forward to the
next village, taking myself and the other
man along as prisoners.
As it had now begun to grow dark,
my captors quartered themselves on a
farmer who lived on the outskirts of the
village; and along with the other pris
oner, I was confined in a sort of corn
barn, with a couple of men set to guard
us, they being stationed outside of the
building.
Hearing music shortly after, I called
to tho guard to know if thero was any
other military force in the village.
"A detachment of Colonel Forrest's
command," was tho answer.
"Oh, then, pray get one of your com
rades to inform the officer in command
that Alfred Harmer, General Bragg's
confidential spy, is here in durance, with
his life threatened!" said I.
"All right!" was tho answer.
"And you will get your liberty, and I
shall bo hung like a dog!" said my com
panion, in a low, desponding tone.
"If 1 get my liberty I may be able to
save you," I replied.
"Oh, heaven grant that you can!"
"First tell me the truth, and fear not
that I will betray you," I whispered.
"Are you really in danger?"
"I believe I am."
"Is there no one about to vouch for
your loyaltv to the south ?"
."I fear not."
"Are you loyal to the south?"
"Can you doubt it?"
"I do."
"You think I am a union spy ?"
"What do you say yourself? Como
now tho solemn truth ?"
"If I should say yes, what effect would
it havo upon you?"
"I should feel that your lifo is really
in danger."
"And you would abandon mo to my
fate?"
"I fear I should be conceited to work
the harder to savo you."
"And you would try to save me?"
"I would not like to see any fellow
being suffer."
"Well, you seem to have a good heart,
and I will put my h'fo in your power. I
am a Union spy."
I grasped his hand, and told him to
keep up his courage, and make no such
confession to any one else.
In a few minutes tho door opened, and
an officer, whom I knew, entered, with a
light.
"Ah, Captain Benton," I exclaimed, "I
was never more rejoiced to see you in my
lifo!"
"Why, it is you, Harmer!" he returned,
quito cordially. "What are you doing
cooped up here?"
"Ask him who wanted to hang me!"
returned I, pointing to the lieutenant of
cavalry, who had entered just behind
him, and who was now, I fancied, look
ing not a little crest-fallen.
"I will vouch for him, Buggies, as bo
ing one of General Bragg's confidential
men!" said Captain Benton, turning to
the lieutenant.
"He had no pass," said Buggies, "and
so I felt it to be my duty to "
"Oh, thai is all right," interrupted the
captain. "You did your duty in arrest
ing him, of course, and I now do mine
insetting him free."
On being asked if he know tho other
prisoner, he replied in the negative.
I was thereupon released, and my com
panion locked up alone.
I was determined to save him, though,
if in my power to do so.
As soon as I could get clear of the of
ficers, Lieutenant Buggies being full of
apologies for the rough manner in which
he had treatad me, I went to an inn
keeper whom I" knew, and procured a
bottle of whisky.
This I drugged with opium, and waited
till the guards at the corn barn were
changed, which was not far frern mid
night. I then went reeling up to them, telling
them in pretty thick English, that I was
so glad that rd escaped hanging that I
had been treating myself.
With this I took out my bottle, took a
long pull, and then said, more thick than
ever:
" 'Sense me, genlem (hie) men, if I
jus' she down here. I feels (hie) sick as
(hio) 'orse.'
They laughed, and I lay down and be
gan to pat pry bottle, calling it my dear
Baby Boating, and so on, and .finally
putt one side, and seemed to slumber.
I saw them steal it away, and each
took a long, hearty pull at it '
This was all I wanted, for I had
drugged the liquor with enough opium
to make a gill give a sound sleep.
in due tame I saw my men nodding and
down.
Then I arose, got their key, and un
locked the door, and found the prisoner
walking too and fro, and laboring under
a good deal of excitement.
"Heaven bless you, my friend!" he
said, in a whisper, grasping my hand.
"I heard you, but was afraid your plan
would not succeed. May I go now?"
"Yes, if you know where to go."
"I shall leave my horse, and escape on
foot," he returned. '
"If you know your route, make no de
lay," I said. "Get back to Nashville as
quick as possible; for, if I am not mis
taken, yoa have important news for Gen
eral Bosecrans."
"You are right, my friend; I have."
"Go at onco then."
And you?"
"I will remain to cover your retreat.
If you se a fire about here, remember
you are burning up in tins prison."
"I understand," he said, as he wrung
my hand at parting, "But be careful
of your own precious self, my friend."
"Good by, and have no fear for mo."
In one corner pf this out building there
was a pile of hay and straw.
I opened these combustibles, poured
my bottle of whisky into tho center of
them, struck a match and threw it in,
covered over the blaze darted out, locked
the door, put the key in the pocket of
one of the drugged soldiers, and got as
far as my best exertions could take me
before the flames made their appearance.
Then I started on my return, shouting,
"Fire! fire!" at the top of my lungs.
I took care not to reach the building,
though, till quite a crowd had collected
around it.
"The poor fellow inside is lost!" I
heard one man remark.
"Which will save me from hanging
him!" responded Lieutenant Buggies.
Tho corn barn burned down; and it
was supposed that, either by accident or
design, the prisoner had set it on fire nd
perished in the flames.
I knew better, and General Bosecrans
subsequently found him worth a host of
dead men.
My part in the affair was not suspected,
the drugged guards kept their own secret,
and I was congratulated on my narrow
escapes from hanging and burning.
Itescriing Seats in the Commons.
Boston Herald.
The member, to bo certain of success,
must deposit his hat as early as two
o'clock or half past one p. m. and occa
sionally at an earlior hour on the seat
he intends to occupy for the evening and
night, with a card containing his name.
Ho must, moreover, be in that particular
seat at prayers, after which, if he puts the
card aforesaid into tho slide at the back,
ho may go where he likes, taking his hat
with him, and return when he pleases
with a right to sit in his appointed place,
no matter whether it be occupied at the
time by anybody else or not. It neces
sarily follows that, if a member leaves
his hat on his intended seat in the legis
lative chamber, he must go without it in
the event of his venturing outside that
apartment before prayers, which are said
at four o'clock; and it follows also that
he cannot go outside tho precincts of the
house at all. What is he to do, then, till
four o'clock has arrived? Fortunately
or unfortunately he has plenty to do, if
ho likes fo do it. In the first place he
has his correspondence to attend to; and
this is quite a serious piece of work in
tho case of tho better known and more
popular members. Also, he may have to
read up for a debate in tho evening. For
both of these purposes tho house of com
mons furnishes admirable conveniences.
Besides tho reading room there is a
splendid library, supplied, not only with
books, periodicals and newspapers, but
with writing material in absolute profu
sion, while you need not go beyond the
central lobbv for a postoffice.
A lloj Growing Iiald With Caresses.
"Wasliington Dispatch to Indianapolis Journal.
There is a sunny-haired little page in
the house of representatives who has be
come quite a pet among the members.
He is a little tot of fellow, with a bright,
open face, large blue eyes, and sunny
blonde head of hair. He wears little
knee breeches and is a? lively as a cricket
at all times. When tho members want
an errand done fast and well they always
try to get this little follow to do it. His
very politeness and good manners have
brought many little tramps to his feet,
because tho members all want him. But
he does not mind an extra run, and goes
as chirpy and as happily on a now er
rand as possible. He never seems to
grow weary, and always is polite. But
this is not the worst part of his troubles.
His very appearance is pleasing, and
every time anyone secures him, they tap
him on the head or run their hand over
his hair. Now for three or four people
to do this would not amount to much.
But to have 325 members and as many
more strangers to rub his head only
once a day, is not only tiresome but is
having a serious effect. When the little
boy came here his hair was ' long and
thick, but this continual patting and
rubbing is wearing his hair off. He be
gins to fear that before the session ends,
if this thing keeps up, he will be bald.
rEXSlOX aiATTEKS.
ETery Soldier on the last.
The machinery of tho pension law has
become so cumbrous, and the pension
office is so hedged around with formida
ble bolts of red tape, that many soldiers
and soldiers' relicts are debarred from
the enjoyment of that pecuniary aid and
support which a grateful nation thought
it had provided. Many comrades,
wearied with their futile efforts, have
abandoned their claims for pensions sim
ply on account of their inability to fur
nish every link in the chain of evidence
demanded by the many bureaus in.the
pension department. The magnitude of
this evil has become so manifest that va
rious bills have been presented to Con
gress for the relief of soldiers who should
have pensions granted them. So much
delay has attended these measures that
finally a member of Congress from In
diana proposed tosevethe Gordian knot
at one fell blow, and at the same time to
render useless the further continuance of
the pension department with its bureaus
and clerks,
After a fourteen years' struggle the
Methodist society at Kinsley has paid
off the debt on its church and the edifice
has been dedicated.
dueeisawmymennodduiganaiy ourdfy anything, more as-
rubbing their eyes, and then they too ojL q Cowboy Pianist,"
THE COWBOf MANIST.
The Barbaric Wonder Who is Astonishing
2few Yorkers. ,
Nym Crinkle in New York World.
The reflex wave of barbarism never
I saw him on Union square the other
morning, accompanied by his agent. He
had'on the regulation hat, all brmi; his
shirt was open at the throat, fie was of
a tint between mahogany and boarding
house coffee. He had Como fo New
York to show us how to play the planner,
of which instrument his agent said he
was an "executioner."
Now, if I had not seen this order of
phenomenon before, I should not have
taken any stock in his strange story.
He was not the order of man to excite
musical interest. I should as soon have
looked for frankincense in Greenpoint as
for art in that brawny, stolid face. His
agent Mr. Pike, said they hadn't found
any pianner players here yet, and they'd
been a-lookmg for 'em. He'd heard
thero'd been a feller by the name ofBub
instein here who could play, and they
were sorry they hadn't met him.
This innocent confidence amused me.
I looked the champion over. His legs
had the bow that legs will get that have
been hugging a pony for years. His
eye had a subtle reach as eyes will have
that look upon the sun. Ho wasn't re
fined. He wasn't diplomatic. He wasn't
enven communicative. But he was Wil
lingly to try the issues with any of our
pianists. I don't think any of them
cared to measure fingers with him. Wo
tried to find Mills. We went up to Pat
tison's. They seemed to be hiding away.
There was quite a group of us. Scep
tical, just a trine cynical, don't you
know, on the other edge of safety where
the cowboy couldn't exactly see it. We
wanted to see him stampede the masters,
round up the vhtuosi and scalp Beetho
ven. To ride a concert grand with spurs
would be a good lark. We were so
tired of seeing the instrument treated
like Mary's lamb.
Well we got him an instrument. We
formed a ring. There was Darling, Tom
McBonough, Caxauran, Pike, Wolver
ton, who knows the nocturnes backward,
and well, never mind the other, he wss
incog; but he's the best bravura player
that you can pick up ou Fourteenth
street.
The cowboy sat down at the instru
ment and put his hands on it. He
ran his fingers over the keys. The ex
pert cocked his ears. He was feeling of
them prehnnuarily with a soft, rapid
touch in a long, rapid, clean run. Then
he struck the piano and dashed off into
a wild romanza. Nobody laughed.
Wolverton's eyes stuck out. Cazauran
remaiked, "Cowboy be blowed! That's
no cowboy!"
For force and rapidity of stroke I
hadn't heard anything exactly like it.
Even that phenomenal Harry Sanderson
could not have pounded octaves with
greater wrist celerity than this. His
right hand was a marvel. He wove ro
manza, ballad, polka, waltz, andnocturne
into ono brilliant pravura. The upper
notes screamed. Shade of Gottschalk
and memory of Thalberg! Where did
this heathen come from?
Til tell you presently. First, let mo
say that we put a thin cloth over the key
board and he played through it. I took
his hand and placed the fingers on anoth
er key, transposing the melody he was
playing, and he went on in the new key;
and he does not know a note; never heard
a composition of Chopin's; plays by ear;
never had a lesson in his life; hasn't been
out of the saddle a twelvemonth.
Is he an artist? No, far from it. Some
ono had played him. a sonata of Beetho
ven's. Ho tried to repeat it, and turned
it into a romanza. He couldn't resolve
it. Beethoven never made those harmo
nies. But he caught the melody and
the wild transcript was executed with a
brilliancy of his own that was marvelous.
I tried to talk music to him and found
ho was incapable of either understanding
me or replying to me. He knew nothing
at all about the art.
But ho could play, all the same.
Here is his story, strange enough, and
naively told, with no apparent effort to
deceive: "I was brought up on a ranch,"
said he, "not far from the edge of the
Indian territory. My mother was a Cas
tilian and my father a German. They
knew nothing whatever of music. But
when I was about eighteen years old,
the old man bought an old Chickering
piano of a party of emigrants. He gave
twelve bushels of corn for it, because, he
said, it would make a good iron table for
the old woman. It was put iri'a corner
of the ono room, and she used it to cut
our clothes on. When it was not used
it was generally covered with harness
and potatoes. I never saw it opened.
Ono day, when I was about twenty-one,
I started down with a lot of the boys to
go on a roundup. We had to ride sixty
miles, and we stopped at an old man's
about half way and all got ML You
know what tho boys are out there.,
About three in the morning I started
with my pard, tq go on, but I was so full
that my pony threw me. He got his
foot in a gopher bole. I fell off and
broke my arm in two places. They had
to take me back and then go up to Fort
Sill, sixty miles for a surgeon to set my
arm. I was laid up for six months.
One day I had a shock. I didn't know
what it was then. But I know now, for
I had hold of them electrie notes in
Philadelphia, and that's what it was.
Then I got a crazy notion that
I wanted to play that pianner.
I could not help it no more
than I could help breathing Oh,
I don't know anything about what it was.
I just took the stuff off that pianner and
got it round, and pried it open. The
keys were green. I put my hands on it
and a kind of happiness went through me
that made me holler. I began to play.
I looked at my hands and they were go
ing it. I couldn't stop 'em. The old
woman came in and she let out a scream.
She thought I was mad. They couldn't
get me away from the pianner. I kept
at it night and day. The old man said T
had the tie mens. Well I must have
acted so, when I thing of it Now that's
all there is to it. . If ever I took a lesson
I hope I may drop dead here. Folks
said it was spiritualism, but that's too
thin." Imno denied spiritualist, and
don't you forget it."
I haven't the slightest doubt that this
story is substantially true, because I
have seen similar phenomena, and no
where so often as in music.
I suppose that some German ancestor
organized this talent and it has been
transmitted from father to son, to lie
there abeyant in the bones, only to break
out in full force when the ooBdmona were
ripe. -
This mild cowboy's name is Babel
(fancy it!). He has taken the rooms. in
Thirteenth street formerly occupied by
Mrs. Langtry, and there he is holding a
curious levee every day in which musi
cians, spiritualists, mangers' and curious
females admirers are all mixed up.
James H. of England.
; James IL of England was the second
son of Charles L and Queen Henrietta
Maria. He was created Duke of York
in infancy. He accompanied his father
during the civil war, and was taken pris
oner, due escapeu, aisguissa as a girl, in
April, 1648, and went oVer to Holland.
He served witii distinction in both the
French and Spanish armies, and after the
restoration returned to England and was
made Lord High Admiral of the English
navy. In the ensuing war 'with the
Dutch he commanded the English fleet
abhfc In 1660 the duke had married
Anne, daughter of Edward Hyde, the
Earl of Clarendon. In 1671 this lady
died, leaving two daughters, both of
whom subsequently sat upon the throne
of England. Before her death 'she disa
vowed Protestantism, through the .influ
ence of her husband, who several years
before had become a Catholic. In 1673,
the duke was compelled by tho conditions
of the "test act" to resign the office of
admiral. This same year he married
Mary of Modena, a Catholic princess. So
strong was the feeling in parliament and
through the kingdom against him for his
change of religion, that he was obligod
to go to the continent to reside for a
time, and a bill excluding him
from succession to the English
crown passed tho house of com
mons, but failed to pas3 the House of
Lords. He returned while this bill was
pending and was made Lord High Com
missioner of Scotland, but wa3 so un
popular tnere tnac ne cuu not remain
long. However, in 1685, after his
brother's death, he succeeded to the
throne without opposition. His reign
was brief, however, being filled with con
tentions with Parliament and the estab
lished church. He seemed utterly want
ing in the tact of his brother; but, like
his unfortunate father, rashly contended
for the right of personal government
which he believed the "divine right" of
a king. In the first year of his reign
occurred Monmouth's rebellion. This
was not generally upheld by the people,
and was soon overthrown, all those im
plicated in it being punished with great
severity. The subsequent acts of the
King, his claim to tho power of dispen
sing with laws at his will, and dismissing
the Parliament whenever it would not
carry out his wishes, convinced the peo
ple that his permanent rule could not be
tolerated, and in 1688 William of Orange,
James' son-in-law, was called over "to
protect tho liberties and religion of tho
English people." William came, and
James was forced to abdicate the throne.
A fully detailed account of the "revolu
tion of 1688" will be found in Our Curi
osity Shop book for 1885. James made
an effort to regain his crown by under
taking an expedition to Ireland in 1689.
The troops and money for this expedi
tion were furnishod by King Louis XIV.
of France. The ex-King was received
kindly in Ireland, but at the battle of the
Boyno his army was totally routed. The
remaining eleven years of his life were
spent at St. Germain, in France, in vain
intrigues for recovering jiossossion of his
lost kingdom.
XOTES ABOUT WOMEN.
A woman made the first orange box in
California, and has built up an industry
in boxing that amounts to 50,000 boxes
a year.
Lady Bandolph Churchill has been in
vested by the queen with tho insignia of
the imperial order of the Crown of India.
Maharanee Surnomoyec, a generous
Hindu lady in Calcutta, has given $75,
000 to found a hall of residence for na
tive women students of medicine. The
government has contributed ground for
tho building.
A Kansfis man "points with pride" to
the fact that his wife has worn ono bon
net for twenty-fivo years. Tho feeling
with whicn tho wife points to the hus
band has not been described.
Lady Dufferin takes a personal inter
est in missions. She is now studying
Hindustani with Miss Thoburn, an
American Methodist missionary, and
pays the expenses of several persons in
America who are studying for future
missionary work in India.
Cornell university asserts of the fresh--man
class just entered ten per cent are
women. There are nine scholarships to
bo competed for by every entering class,
and of those who felt themselves compe
tent to compete-twenty per cent were wo
men, and they carried off four out of
nine scholarships, or forty-four per cent.
Professor Jones says: "The average
scholarship of the young women was su
perior to that of the young men, the av
erage attendance better, absence from
illness much less among the female than
the male students."
rirst Heat the Water.
Toronto World.
Tho member for West Algona tells a
good story about a species of sturgeon
from forty to sixty pounds in weight,
which is peculiar to Bainy river and lake.
On a visit which he paid to a settlement
on tho river ho had occasion to visit a
young bachelor, who, with true back
woods hospitality, insisted that he should
stay for dinner. Mr. Comme seated him
self and watched tho preparations of his
entertainer. First, he set down his home
made bread on the table, with tin mugs
for the tea, and then ho put a big pot
full of water over the fire. "When tho
water came to the boiling point he.in
fused th9 tea and set it aside. Thenjie
stized a gaff about six feet long, stepped
outside 0 the river's edge, which was
not over ten paces distant, and returned
in three minutes with a sturgeon kicking
on the end of his gaff, part of which was
soon cut off and transferred to the pot of
boiling water to be cooked for dinner.
This is the usual thing up there. They
always have the water boiling before
they go to catch the fish, and they use
only a common gaff.
SO TEXAS VAV COULD PEONOTWCE XT.
Texas Sif tings.
A Houston, Texas, gentlemen is too
modest to use the word garter. A friend
asked him:
"What kind of a present are you going
to buy your wife?"
"I thmk m get her a -fibni-soit-qui-mal-y-penee,"
was the reply.
I
AFRICA.
reels Weighing 50,000 Poaads Carried
Orerland Hundreds ot Miles.
New York Times.
Many times within the last five years
large caravans have traveled along the
paths that lead into Africa carrying strips
of iron or steel, boxes of rivets and bolts,
and sections of boilers, paddle wheels and
smoKestacKs. Alter many weeks these
expeditions have heaped their loads upon
the snore of some great lake- or mighty
river, where white men and their native
assistants have welded the hundreds of
pieces together and finally launched com
plete and perfect' steamboats upon the
waters of inner Africa.
Eleven steamboats and one sailing ves
sel are" now plying upon these great lakes
and rivers. It is only twenty-eight years
since Burton and Spekewere the first
white men to visit lakes Victoria and
Tanganyika. Only within the past ten
years have they and the third great lake
Nyassa been carefully explored, the up
per waters of the Congo visited, and the
Alima river traced on the maps. On all
these inland waters, and also upon 'the
upper Niger, the whistle of the steam
boat is now heard, and inanv natives
have learned to welcome tho puffy little
craft as offering them a chance to trade.
It was a costly undertaking. to trans
port these vessels hundreds of miles over
land, far into tho depths of Africa. Small
as the steamboats aro compared with our
river boats, they weigh from 25,000 to
50,000 pounds apiece.. From 800 to
1,500 porters were required to transport
each boat to its destination. A few- of
tho upper Congo steamers, however, were
mounted in sections on steel wagons with
broad tires, and Mr. Stanley tells of "the
nwful toil of dragging these heavy steam
ers overland before they-are set afloat
above the cataracts."
These steamers were nearly all built
in England, and they puffed up and
down English rivers on trial trips boforo
they were taken to pieces and shipped
to Africa. Serious delay was caused if a
single important piece was lost. After
the little French steamer Djue had nearly
reached the Alima river last year it was
discovered that one of the most necessary
pieces was missing, and the boat lay use
less on the shore for many months until
a duplicate pie 20 could be obtained from
Europe.
A missionary steamer launched last
summer on lake Nyassa is manned, from
engineer to cook, by a crew of native
Africans, who were taken to England to
learn their duties. By means of this lit
tle craft and its predecessor, tho Ilala,
regular communication is maintained
among the mission stations along Nyas
sa's seven hundred miles of coasts. In
another steamer named Peace, which
eight hundred blacks carried on their
heads to Stanley pool two years ago, the
missionary Grenfell traveled last year
about five thousand miles, making many
interesting discoveries in which unknown
and densely populated regions abound
along tho Congo tributaries.
A Cheap Dinner.
Detroit Free Press.
A colored man walked into a cheap
restaurant in tho eastern part of tho city
the other day and inquired how cheap he
could get dinner.
"Can't you do better dan dat?"
"How cheap do you want a meal ?"
"Two cents."
Tho restauranter looked at him for a
minute and then said:
"All right. Sit down a minute and
wo'l fix you a two-ent meal."
When tho negro was invited into tho
dining-room he found only a glass of
water and a bottle of horse-radish on the
table. He did not make a single com
plaint, but emptied the contents of the
bottle on his plate and scooped it up
with his knife inside of two minutes and
that without making a wry face. Then
he drank off the water, pushed back his
chair and walked off picking his teeth.
"How muoh are you ahead?" asked a
party who had witnessed tho transac1
tion.
"Say," replied the restauranter, "that
bottlo of horse-radish cost me just 10
cents."
A Trilling Hurt JSecomes Serious.
Sacram.onto Union.
Last December Under Sheriff Coons
was in the habit of putting his knee upon
Lthe edge of a table in the sheriffs, office
in order to reach the gas-burner, but
after doing so a number of times he
found that tho sharp edge of the table
was hurting his leg, and afterwards he
stood upon a chair when lighting up.
Eecently the leg began to trouble him,
cfrowinc worse daily. Ho was at a loss
to account for the fact, not remembering
that he had received any hurt, until one
day the circumstances of the gas light
ing occurred to him, and consultation
with a physician resulted in an expres
sion of opinion that the bone had prob
ably been injured. The trouble has now
become serious, the pain preventing him
from obtaining usual sleep, and may re
sult in an operation having to be pro
formed to ascertain the nature and ex
tent of the injury to tho bone.
Advice of a Tar's Widow.
The advantage of having a knowing
mother is illustrated by the following
yarn of an -old sailor: "A maiden had a
recent sailor lover who deserted her and
went to sea. She was disconsolate and
indignate by turns. During tho latter
moods she poured out maledictions upon
him and wished that he might have gales
of wind and gales of wind. Her mother,
who was the relict of an old mariner, said,
'Tut, tut, my child, don't wish that, for
all that they would do then would be to
put the ship under close-reefed maintop
sails and heave to; the sailors then would
have nothing to do but sit under the lee
of the long boat and spin yarns about you
and me. No, no! wish for light winds
and variable, wilh small rain, big ropes
and small blocks, and only ono stun'sail
boom. Aha! that'll work him up, daugh
ter, to your heart's content.'
Courtship on a Bailroad Train.
A few evenings ago, writes a southern
lady in Harpetis, the conversation turn
ed upon suitable times and places for
courtships. . I said I had once been an
accidental witness shall I call it? to a
proposal on. the cars. "O tell us!"
Please do let us hear!" exclaimed ten
young voices and two mature ones. I
could not resist, and after the recital,
whichwas suitably applauded, a lady,
whose opinion I value, begged I would
send it to Barper. I hope the parties
unknown to me will take no offense if
they recognize the courtship as their
property. I have heard, though, that at
such an absorbing moment the identical
words used are seldom remembered.
STEAMBOATS
Iwaa setting on a bain about to kave
Jmwni,Va.,forPetei8bxirg, when a
bndar party came on, and one of the
bridesmaidaoccupiedthe vacant seat by
my side. The coach was crowded, and
her special escort could not find a seat
but contented himself by standing in the
aisle at her side, conversing about the
events of the day. It became dark and I
closed the book I had been readme, and
leaned my head on the window, and
closed my eyes simply to rest them.
Nothing was further from. my thoughts
than to be an eavesdropper, but so in the
event I proved to be, for in the darken
ing twilight the absorbing couple, sup
posing me to be asleep, settled upon
"love's low tone,' each word of which
struck upon my ear clear as a bell for
in his earnestness he leaned on the back
of the seat in front of us, his face, as you
can picture for yourself, forming with
the lady's ear and mine an equilateral
triangle. In free America, and on a
public conveyance, I did not think itnec
essary to remind them of my presence.
Presently he bent closer and whispered:
"You must know by this time what my
attention to you means. May I hope
that I may claim you as mine?"
After a little pause she said: "I am
very sorry, but I am afraid our paths
through life must diverge."
He expostulated, of course; then,
heaving a deep sigh, walked away.
' The twilight deepened, and- I rested'
my eyes. After a while the disconso
late lover returned and renewed his suit,
saying: "I have spent fifteen wretched"
minutes. Can you give me- no hope?"
Her voice in tho gloaming sounded
like music to him, I have no doubt, as
she answered: "I have been thinking
over what I told you. No one knows
what may bo in tho future, and perhaps
our paths may converge."
Just then the whistle blew for a sta
tion, and, gathering up my possessions,
I was preparing to depart, when ho ex
claimed, joyfully: "Do you get off here?
Allow me to help you with these." And
with shining eyes he took my satchel
and parcels and helped me off, even con
trolling himself so far as to bow respect
fully as I loft.
On looking back I could see tho lady
in my seat by the window and the hap
py lover sitting by her side. Tho whis
tle blow, the train started and tho cur
tain fell.
Ho Didn't Know Hi Strength.
Milwaukee Sentinel.
There is an old soldier emploved in
tho government office of this city who
has had some queer experiences with an
artificial limb, his having been taken off
at the knee. Among the most amusing
was one with a Bleeping-car porter. On
one train he struck an uppish sort of a
porter -who stood around with a languid
dignity that would make a street-corner
dudo sick at heart. This man with tho
wooden leg made up his mind that he
would "wake that nigger up" before he
chipped in his quarter. Ho told a cou
ple of men in the car of his purpose, and
they joined in with him. Ho wears his
shoe firmly fastened to the wooden leg,
having no need to remove it, and havin
fallen once from a loose shoo.
After his berth had been made up he
went to the dressing-room and unstrap
ped his leg, keeping hold of the strap,
and then got into his berth. Then ho
called the porter. "I've got rheumatism
.and can't bend over," he said, "and I
wish you'd pull off that shoe." Tho
porter untied the shoe and tried to pull
it off, but it wouldn't come. "Pull hard,"
said tho passenger. The darky gavo an
other pull. "Oh, brace against the
berth and pull," said the passenger. The
porter had blood in his eye. He put his
foot against the berth and pulled like a
dentist. The passenger let go tho
strap and the darkey fell back with the
shoe and the leg. "My God! you'vo
pulled off my leg!" shrieked the passon
ger. The porter dropped it, and with
his oyes bulging out and his teeth chat
tering, he broke from tho car. He con
cealed himself in a corner of the baggago
car, and pretty soon the two other con
spirators came in, protended they didn't
know where he was, sat down on a trunk,
and talked over tho awful condition of
the man whose log had been pullod off,
and about the penalty the darkey would
havo to suffer, if caught. The porter
was of no service to anybody that night.
A roHrth Alpine Tunnel.
London Iron,
The Alps are at tho present time
pierced by three long tunnels, two enter
ing Italy from Franco and Switzerland
respectively,and the third connecting the
latter with the Tyrol, and called, accord
ing to the mountain chains that are
traversed, tho Mont Cents, St. Gotthard
and Ariberg tunnels. Of these the Mont
Cenis tunnel is seven and three-fourths
miles in length. Its cost was 3,000,
000. The St. Gotthard tunnel is nine
and one-fourth miles in length, and cost
3,500,000, tho diminution in expense
being owing principally to the moro
rapid progress of the work by improve
ments in the drilling machines. Tho Ari
berg tunnel is shorter than either that of
Mont Genis or St. Gotthard, being only
six and one-half miles. Its cost with
tho railway, was 3,480,000. A fourth
tunnel, and a most formidable rival to
tho Mont Cenis and St. Gotthard tun
nels, will be tho Simplon tunnol, by
which the existing line from Geneva to
Martigny Brieg will be carried through
the mountains to Ducmo d'Ossola, and
so on to Pailanza'or Streza, on tho Lago
Maggiore. As this tunnel wul bo com
menced at a much lower level than any
of the olhers, it will necessarily be long
er, the rough estimate being twelve and
one-half miles, and the probable cost
about 4,000,000.
Medical intelligence.
Texa3 Sif tings.
CoL Witherspoon, to whom we havo
frequently referred as the meanest man
in Austin, has been in poor health for
some months past. The principal cause -of
his feebleness is his unwillingness to
feed himself with sufficient copiousness.
A few days ago, while he was taking
the air he met Dr. Perkins Soonover.
Witherspoon thought this was a good
.chance to get some medical advice with
out paying for it.
"How do you do this morning, colo-.
nel?" asked Dr. Soonover.
"Poorly, doctor, poorly. For soma
time past I have been suffering from
weakness. As you see X can hardly
walk. What shall I take, doctor?"
"Take a hack," replied the 'doctor,
gruffly, ashe'strode'off. .
The Messenger gives an account of the
new Lutheran church at Minneapolis,
which, it says, is one of the Baaiest
houses ot worship in central Kansas.
&
"h;
M
IX,
'
m
1-&
-rs
n;
I
I
A
v,
s,
&J
-stM
C?J
? c
c ; J
A-
P -4
r
54x
'.Aft
: t. . ' - - a"ri4jtt;.E -
TJWff vJ'-., t , J& '
-" , . . . tf. - .- a"-
Vfc , L"W ,- J
sifeVI-w
. ,tt
NTWJEtS
KiHssAw.
rK jHuV 4 Cla
$m
j-wan Vi
f-KT?f 33Bj
,Ht .O
,. . -' ;; c '-" -vv' ',':-;.; -; bJMiaMm&mBswKmBBfma n- ...:,i. :v! ;.-?5i-iM
.. "f"'
&&