Pine Bluff daily graphic., July 03, 1898, Image 7

About Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942

Image provided by: Arkansas State Archives

                
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«• COLUMBIA’S CANNONADE, f
$4
A Fourth of July Celebration.
By LAWRENCE BOONE.
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Copyright, 1898.
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Columbia was .her name—boiumbia
Alpin. “I know it's queer,” she used
, vi lain, “for strangers, w hen they're
introduced, always stare at me as if I
were some sort of foreigner—which I’m
not. thank goodness! But it's the name
I’ve got, and I’m going to try to live up
to it.”
So Columbia was nothing if not patri
otic, and hc-r name, however odd, didn’t
seem inappropriate. She had little need
to deck herself with the national colors
which she so persistently flaunted, for
nature had printed the red, white a.id
blue-in dawn-tints on her glowing face;
and bright stars shone there, too, right
nut of the blue, to make all absolutely
perfect. She was herself our country's
fairest, truest emblem.
But. patriotism was at a discount in
Bustival—or Bustyvilie, as it was in
sultingly nicknamed by its hustling
neighbors in Newburg, just across the
lake. For Bustival was a sour, belated
little country town, which had aspired
to become the local metropolis and
hadn’t realized its ambition. I remem
ber that when I went there to start a
tannery in ’66, the year of the prelim
inary survey for the Z., V. & W. rail
road, it was impossible to get a rod of
ground for love or money, so ex
travagant were the expectations of the
villagers. But they had seen the rail
road, and the county seat, and all the
other good things which they had ac
counted their own, one by one slip from
their grasp and tumble into the lap of
their upstart rival. Thus Bustival,
dwindling and dingy, continually losing
the more alert of its youth and retain
ing only those whose shallow, rustic
conceit found scant encouragement
elsewhere, had become the abode of
peevish and carping discontent, ripe for
disloyalty. The whole country was
going to the dogs, that was evident; a
glance at their neglected street, weedy
Trr
the girls. Anyhow, there was a great
dearth of "parties,” and “sparking"
was at a standstill.
Then, as an offset to the hated vol
unteers at Newburg, these brave lads
formed a company of “home guards.”
“Fer right here's where ye’re goin’ to
be needed, boys,” asseverated Joel, “an'
puriy soon, too. Fancy them crazy
gals’ll haul in some o’ their striped tog
gery when once they see the Spaniards
marcbin’ into town.”
But when this devoted troop of de
fenders paraded the streets the girls
scoffed at them openly, and front day
.to <i.:j thi bitterness grew. Finally, as
the Fourth of July drew ne;\>'. the men
unanimously voted that they would
have no celebration. "It ’ud jest be a
farce an’ a humiliation at sieh a season
as this,” Joel assured them. “An’ ye
better keep yer eyes peeled, boys, fer
it’s more’n likely them striped petti
eoats'il be out fer mischief.”
And in very truth, this blue-eyed
daughter of revolutionary rebels and
Scotch Covenanters was not the sort
of girl to bear an insult tamely—least
of all, an insult to her flag. And now
a personal grievance was added; for
some of these chivalrous bumpkins had
deemed it a clever joke to break into
her garden at night, uprooting the flow
ers and trampling down the beds—“ex
actly what a drove of hogs would have
done,” she cried, with angry tears,
when she saw it. And this utterance
didn't tend to increase her popularity.
Following close on the heels of this
feat of vandalism, the announcement
of the no-celebration resolution pro
voked a blaze of indignation in the
Soldiers’ Aid society, which was a fine
display of fireworks in itself.
“That shows them for just what they
are—mean-spirited, cowardly traitors,”
broke forth the warlike president, her
cheeks out-flaming her costume. “I
1
$■
“WHY DON'T YOU EXLIST IN THE RANKS?” DEMANDED COLUMBIA.
yards, and the white paint scaling from
a straggling line of houses, was proof
enough to this mildewed community.
Naturally, when the war with Spain
broke out there was no enthusiasm. To
be sure, Joel Slocum, the local politi
cian, made off to Washington tc try for
an appointment; but he soon came
back and reported a general state of
rottenness,
“Them Spaniards,” he declared, “are
goin’ to lick ns out of our boots, an' I'm
hopin’ it may do us good, livery thing's
all at sixes and sevens, and there can't
nobody git any show exceptin’ a ruck
of rich men’s sons.”
“Why don’t you enlist in the ranks,
and serve your country that way?” de
manded Columbia with characteristic
aggressiveness. “I’d call that better
business for a big, strong man like you
than loafing about and grumbling
here.”
She had just entered the post office,
where Joel was haranguing, aucl stood
like an animated edition of the Star
Spangled Tanner on the edge of the
crowd.
“Ketch me servin’ under them nin
compoops!” roared Joel. “Better run
home, little gal, an’ stick on a few
more of them red, white an’ blue posies
you’ve sot out in yer pa’s front yard.
That’s the way you gals fight fer yer
country, Clumby Alpin.”
The men removed ihelr pipes and
g u ff a vv e d a p p r o v i n g 1 y.
“I’ll just show you, some day,” she
cried defiantly, as she turned away
with a letter postmarked Newburgh.
Even the news of the brilliant vic
tory at Manila fell fiat at Kustival.
“Jest happened so,” commented Joel.
“Likely the Spanish wa’nt lookin’ fer
no sech fool Join’s way off t'other side
o’ nowhere. An’ what’s the good on it?
Should say we had savitches enough on
our ban’s a’ready—’specially with that
gal ravin’ round in her war paint, malt
in' a walkin’ barber pole of herself.
Wouldn’t mind givin’ her a few feath
ers, though, to help out. She’s corrupt
in’ all the gals in the village.”
For Columbia had indeed succeeded
in firing the maidens of Kustival with
something of her own spirit. The war
appealed to them; the element of ro
mance had been sadly lacking in their
lives. They organized a soldiers’ aid
society, held patriotic meetings, and
sent liowers anu dainties to the boys in
blue in the volunteers’ camp near New
burg. They also established a boy
cott against the disloyal youth of their
own town—thotgh the young men
strenuously insisted that it was just
the other way, and the boycott was on
don't wonder they sympathize with the
Spaniards, for they aren’t one hit more
civilized, insulting women, and sneak
ing about at night to get revenge! But
two can play at that game, 1 guess.
And if the men won’t celebrate their
own country’s independence day, we’ll
make a celebration ourselves, girls. I’d
like to see them try to stop ns.”
So the rest of the afternoon was spent
in plotting. Giant crackers and other
fireworks were to be secretly procured
and set off in various places at the first
tap of midnight. The church bell was
to be rung as usual, and two strong
armed girls were detailed for this duty.
One artful damsel undertook to get pos
session of the home guards’ big drum
and brat it—“only I shall have to make
up with Joe a lit tie.” she protested,
puckering her lips. Others premised to
blow horns and ccnehs. But the great
act was to be the firing of the cannon;,
and this the adventurous Columbia re
served for herself.
“They’d never believe we could do
that, but I’ve watched them lets of
times, ar.tl I know we can. I wouJdtn’t
miss it for anything. I shall want you,
Hilda Graham, to help me; and you,
Mamie Miller. The three of us can
manage it. I’m sure.”
This cannon was a rusty relic of the
Mexican war, procured from the gov
ernment for Fourth of July purposes in
the days when Eustival esteemed itself
a model cf patriotism. It- was kept
housed in an open shed at the top of a
slight rise of ground just outside the
village.
“We won't try to move it down.” said
Columbia. “We’d best shoot it off right
where it stands.”
At last the night of great events had
ecme—to be signalized by a new revolt
against overbearing tyranny. Ah Eus
tival was sleepy—apparently—except
Joel Slocum, who uneasily paced his
porch and- listened at the gate, still
haunted by vague apprehensions anent
“them striped petticoats.”
Suddenly the still moonlight was
jarred by the sharp clang of a bell; peal
after peal rang out with clashing and
discordant precipitancy, like a fire
alarm. Then there burst forth an un
earthly shrilling and squawking of
horns and eonelis. and-simultaneously a
sputtering and banging of firecrackers
of all dimensions. Joel rushed out into
the street, to be greeted by the hissing
rush of a mounting rocket; and the
meteoric glare as it exploded and
spilled downward its shower of parti
colored sparks showed him that the
aforesaid “striped petticoats” were
abundantly in evidence. A moment
Inter came the roar of the t-anuon from I
the bill, jolting the ear and rntthng all
the window panes with its harsh eon- |
cussion.
Meanwhile the fair artillery corps
were standing in terrified triumph by
their fuming gun.
“1 thought 1 was just blown to
atoms,” screamed Mamie, still dancing
about.
“Lucky you didn't stay behind it,
Clumbv. That was a real cute idea of
yours to set it cff with a firecracker,
See. it's kicked a hole right through the
back of the shed!”
"And isn’t the smell perfectly awful?”
cried Hilda, sneezing.
“I rather like the smell of gunpowder
myself,” answered Columbia, stoutly;
but she, too, choked and sneezed.
“Now for another one!” shouted
Mamie. “Hurry up, Cluinby, before
anybody comes! But we’ve hardly any
newspaper left for wadding. I’d no
idea the old thing would take so much.
What will we do?”
“I’ve seen the boys use grass,” re
plied the resourceful captain.
So. with straining arms and heroic
disregard of grime, they pulled their
heavy ordnance back into position and
filled it nearly to the muzzle with arm
fuls of dewy grass, ramming it home
with all their strength.
“Don’t be afraid; they always fill it
clear np,' panted Columbia, breathless
with her exertions.
“Von didn’t forget to put in tlie pow
der?”
“Not 1!” she responded. “That would
be n girl trick, wouldn’t it ?”
At that moment shouts were heard
at the foot of the hill. She hastily ad
justed the priming and sprang to her
feet. A throng of dark, gesticulating
figures were pressing up the slope. Joel
Slocum at the head of the column.
“You leave alone that cannon!” he
bellowed, as he cantered toward them
like an angry bull. “You shoot that
gun again, and I'll have you jailed.”
“Put ’em under the pump!” bawled
another of the gallant party.
“Look out for yourselves! It’s go
ing!” rang out the shrill, sweet treble
of the captain, keyed to concert pitch
by intense excitement.
The fuse was already sparkling and
spitting gushes of fire. She stood in its
fitful light, aglow with color. Then the
air was rent with a thunderous detona
tion—and both the cannon and its en
closing shed had vanished.
Slocum was hit fair and square by the
huge wad of pulpy grass. Lucky for
him he was no nearer! Stained green
from head to foot, he lay writhing and
raging like a blistered snake.
“She’s a’killin’ folks!” lie yelled, “She
fired right at us. Tar an’ feathers is
too good for her.” And the crazed mob
took uj) the cry.
But the girls also had vanished. The
two aids had fled in shrieking panic;
but ns the storm of threats broke upon
her, Columbia staggered to her feet,
groping for support, a little stream of
blood trickling from her forehead.
Stand back!” she cried, faintly. “Don't
you dare touch me!”
“Stand back, you scoundrels!”
A clear, strong, menacing voice came
like an echo, as with a reville of hoof
beats from the further slope of the hill,
a young cavalry officer, closely fol
lowed by a squad of men. drew rein
beside her. He lifted the girl to the
saddle and drew a big revolver.
“This gun shoots lead,” he warned
them. “Don’t you advance another
step. I suspected there might be trouble
to-night in a despicable little town
where they respect neither country nor
women!”
“Are you badly hurt, sweetheart?” he
asked, tenderly, as they rode away.
“No, Edmund; only a little gash on
my temple—just a scratch,” she whis
pered; but she was shuddering uncon
trollably.
“Anyhow,” he responded—stifling a
soldier’s oath, for he was still hot with
wrath—“you shall fight no more fights
with the craven traitors of ILustival. If
you will go to war, Columbia, you shall
go with me.”
SCIENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES,
The Smithsonian Institution Contem
plates Semlins a Commission to
tlie Captured Territory.
Tlhe Smithsonian institution is con
templating a scientific invasion of the
Philippines along wtb the military oc
cupation. As contemplated the inva
sion will be by a company of the sci
entific men of the institution under the
leadership of a scientist of the highest
attainments, to go along with the
troops and under their protection.
This is not regarded as a new thing,
but to the United States it would be
absolutely novel, for the reason that it
has never before undertaken conquests
of foreign territory. Very rich collec
tions could be obtained, it is believed,
on the island of Luzon, attractive for
the purposes of the institution and in
teresting for the public generally. The
cooperation of the scientists and the
troops would be advantageous, and it
is believed that the natives would be
found amiable and helpful. It would
not be necessary for the success of the
scientific exepdition that the United
States should hold the islands The col
lections would greatly enrich the
Smithsonian, and with an ethnologist,
botanist, geologist and other trained
men along a report could be produced
that would add much to the instructive
literature of the institution. The dis
position of the war department has not
yet been ascertained, but it is believed
there will be entire willingness on the
part of Gen. Merritt to assist the Smith
sonian institution in its desire to make
this expedition a successful one.—N. V.
Tines.
Women's Contrariness.
liagley—Do you think women will
ever quit wearing corsets?
Howland—Not as long as there are
any obtuse men around to maintain
that the things are detrimental to
health.—Chicago Daily News.
THE LATE FASHION'S
The Poke Ecjnet a Pretty Frame
for a Pretty Face.
A Japanese Jacket for Sommer j
LouiikIbk — Bathing; Suits Are
Brilliant — knee Jackets
Again in Favor.
The pokebonnetis the prettiest frame
for a pretty face in the milliner? ex
hibit of t he season. The girl who can
wear one, aud has the courage of her
conscience, is making a sens,ation
among the folks who are spending the
summer on the rivers and lakes, for the
poke is an.ideal' beating hat. No-hat
that is made wiii stay mi the head
A POKE BOATING HAT.
without being tie.! down, and not all
hats admit of this means of security
without forming ungraeeful angles
around the face, but the poke is made
for ties—nice, broad ones mode of soft
mousseline in the shade that is most
becoming to the wearer. They are I
easily made. All one needs is a straw
flat. This can be bent into shape, se
cured with ties, filled in with flowers;
under the brim in front, and provided
w ith flowers or a big bow on the back—
and the frame is ready for 1 he picture.
The lace jacket with sleeves to match
is coming into favor again, after an ex
ami a'low it to air while the wearer is
cooling- off and taking solid comfort in
a loose jacket. Such n jacket can be
easily made in a very short time. The
Japanese cut is tin easiest to make,and
looks like the picture. Japanese crepe
is a good material. It can be bought
for 15 cents a jard, tt
four yards. Or it may be made of white
organdie or challic over a colored silk
lining. The lining may be turned back
to form the edge trimming around col
lar, sleeves, and fronts. If made of
crepe, it, does not require lining and
may be edged with ribbon instead,
A new device for sealing wax which
will save many a dainty linger from a
I “
SILVER LADLE WITH NOZZLE FOR
HEATING SEALING V\ AX
ijj
bad burn is a tiny silver ladle with a
black wooden handle. It sells for 60
cents, including' the wax that is in it,
which comes in every tint. Such an
article would make, a nice birthday re
membrance for some friend, and if in
cluded in a writing set would be a most
acceptable gift, as well as a delicate
reminder that letters to the giver are
in order. The sealing wax is melted be
fore it is poured into the ladle. It then
hardens into a smooth, compact mass,
LACE jacket with sleeves to match.
lie of some years. Cream guipure is
the prettiest tint, ns well as the most
generally useful. Jt can be worn over
a dress of any color and always looks
dressy. The sleeves are made close-fit
ting, without fullness at the top and
are finished at the wrist with a ruflle
of lace. Jabots of lace also fall front
the neck down each edge of the front.
A pretty dress with which to wear such
a jacket has a plain pink muslin blouse
and a pink and white plaid skirt. To
give unity to the costume, a touch may
be added to the skirt in the form of
lace insertion strips, starting at the
waist and running down the front,
turning a right angle towards the back
at a point about ten inches from the
bottom.
A lounging jacket is an indispensable
article in the average summer ward
CONVENIENT FOR SUMMER LOUNG
ING.
•obe. It is even more necessary and
useful than the wrapper. Many times
it is possible to remove one’s dress waist
which may be heated for use by holding
the ladle over the candle flame just as
one would do with an ordinary stick of
wax. Tt can then be easily poured from
the nozzle, and is sure to be melted suf
ficiently without heating again, when
on the letter.
Brilliancy in bathing suits at the sea
shore is beginning to have its effect
OF BLUE AND WHITE SERGE.
upon the temperature. Ited suits are
the rule, and black ones, notwithstand
ing’ their many advantages, are sadly
in the minority. There are so many
girls at the beach with red and white
striped skirts and blue and white caps,
with stars, that if they should form in
a procession on the Fourth of July it
would be difficult to pick out the God
dess of Liberty. This one is blue and
white serge. The skint has four rows
-—-- ■
of While s.rgc, beginning with a wide
at the bottom arm gradually har
rowing’ until the top one is a mere
thread. The peculiar yoke is made of
white w ith bands of blue serge stitched
| around the edge. The belt is either red
| and white or blue and white, according
! to the patriotism of the wearer.
It is very evident that this year’s
j summer girl Objects to the stiff, un
trimmed effect of the average shirt
TRIMMtN'G TOH A SHIRT WAIST.
waist. She uses every device In her
power to cover up its unloveliness.
; metimes it is a bertha of coarse,
o^jam luce. Sometimes it is a white
muslin and lace tie with which she
softens the starchy plainness. A de
vice which sen es very nicely for other
waists, as well ns shirt waists, consists
of a white pique stock and extends in
a point down to the waist. There are
two rovers on each side and all four
arc edged with embroidery. A bit of
embroidery may be plaited into the
upper edge of the stock at the hack of
the neck. THR LATEST.
HORSE WANTED SHOES.
HI* Actions Miowcil Tlinl He Knew a
lilueUsmltli Shop Sian When
He Saw It.
If his mistress is to be believed (and
who dure say she isn’t?), the old horse
deny, some of whose exploits have been
related before, can read. TheOtherday
he was put into the carryall and driven
to a town some four miles away. The
roads turned out to be unexpectedly
slippery, and Jerry was smooth shod.
lie bad so dreadful a time in, getting
down the hills that all the people had to
get out and walk, and as he was trying
to pull up one hill he actually so lost \
liis footing that the carryall began to
run backward, pulling the horse down
hill after it, and if the driver had not
expertly cramped the wheels Into a
bank there must have been a bad acci
dent.
The mistress declared that if she got
the horse to town alive she would have
him .sharp shod there. They did get to
the town at hist.
A: they were driving through the
streets- - the way being easy enough in
the town—they came to a place where
the sign of a blacksmith shop hung at
the head of a little alley. The shop it
te.i w.vs not in sight—only the sign to
direct people down the alley.
The horse had never been shod at this
place, nor anywhere else in the town,
but us soon as he came abreast of this
.sign he attempted to turn down the al
ley, and his driver had difficulty In.get
ting him past. After some other mat
ters were attended to the driver went
hack to the blacksmith shop to get
.Jerry shod, and he headed directly for
the shop in the alley without any guid
ing.
As the man was shoeing him, lie—that
is, the man, not the horse—remarked:
“That horse don’t need a word; kej
knows just when to take up every foot;
and when to put it down; he under
stands the whole business.”
Mow on his way home Ui4> old horsi
never slipped once, and you cannot eon
\ inee his mis! ress that he did not know
that what he needed was sharp shoelrij
nor that he was not aware that thntsigi
pointed the waj to a blacksmith’s shop]
“Look here,” said the listener when Ip
heard the story, "was there a harseshoj
painted on that sign?”
“Ye-yes there was,” said she, mat
moning up her mental picture of it,
“Then that accounts lor it. The lion
dh Stic ■ ally read the ,igti; lie savvtli
picture of the horseshoe, and knew tht
it pointed the way to the place where
could have some of the same sort
things put on his feet."- Boston Traill
eript.
Why .In U Didn't Worry.
Chief Engineer Hates, of the battll
slil;> Texas, had arranged for his vvij
and six-year-old son. Jack, to go aboa
at the last moment before liis leavii
for southern waters. Notice of the <|
parture was to be given by the nig;:
of a gun, which till ashore awaited
pectantly. Suddenly the report cad
Only a half-hour was given visitorsj
say good-by. Mrs. Hates soon
pared herself. Then she saw that J*
was lialf-dressed. “Oh, pray, Jack,]
hurry, or we may never see your fat]
again.” Jack (whose education
been derived partly from some li]
darky children and who had the Ala|
light in mind) replied, with a It
drawn-out drawl: "Don't worry, m<
urn, tiie Spaniards can't hit a bluij
thing.”
Doubtful HIIhh.
bachelor- How do you like marl
life?
New ly wed—Ah, Jack, you don’tki
what you'r<' missing—that is, uni
you count your wa<l every nigh it
morning, and that's mean.—Judge, j
C axe of Must.
Woo!—I don't see how a dealer -
afford to iron all the silk hats he sd
Van Pelt-His to doit; they’d
too long if he didn’t.—Harlem LifeJ
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