Rock Island Argus., October 08, 1912, HOME EDITION, Page 4, Image 4

About Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920

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THE ROCK ISLAXD ARGUS, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1912.
I
i
THE ARGUS,
) Published Da.Ur at 1(14 Second ave
r. tut, Rock Island, TIL (Entered at th
. postofflco as second -class matter.)
J tek lilul afeaefcev mt tW imriitH
BY THE J. W. POTTER CO.
TFJR.M8 Ten cent per week, by car
rier. In Rock U and.
Complaint of delivery service should
J te made to the circulation department,
V which ennuld alio be notified In every
i Instance wbera It I desired to hare
paper discontinued, as carriers have no
authority In the premises.
6 All communications of artam en tatlve
? character, politic', or religious, roust
have real name attached for publtca.-
tlorv. No aucfc articles will be printed
oyer Dctltloua el gestures,
r, Telephones In all departments: Cen
- trul Union. West 145. 1145 and S14I:
Union Electric. S14K.
gfp APES K$N COUNCIL
Tuesday, October 8, 1912.
This facing botii-ways proposition is
becoming exceedingly serious for one
C. J. Searle.
Taft thinks he should be elected be
eause of the abundant harvest. Yet
b raised nothing but standpatters.
Stockholm uses more telephones, ' the sixties to save the union, meet
according to population, than any city j the cost of a home-coming on his
In the world, four to each inhabitant, j pension, as he used to do?
i ., 1 And if not, why?
In Sweden, according to Professor j Ah- There's the rut).
Fisher of Yale, life is longest, tho ! Christmas is coming, too. But how
denth rate lowest and good heaita ; ,c the heal ot family who is re
most general. ; etlving $12 a week, and paying $15
i lo f 20 a month house rent, to All the
If JudgeOimstedlihoulcJ be elected children's stockings and make merry
circuit ludae. It would cost the county ! at the Christmas board, as he used
of Rock Is'.and $6,000 to elect his sue-1
cessor as county Judge. Are the peo
ple ready for such a tax?
The question Involved In the Judl-;
rial election Is simply this: Can the ,
people of Rock Island county afford to
promote County Judge R. B. Olmsted :
to the circuit bench at a cost to tAem j
of $6,000?
President Taft, In the course of an
Interview, speaking pathetically of
Roosevelt at "My former friend,"
says Roosevelt is acTually convinced
a benevolent despotism is demanded
by the country and he alone is fitted
to head It. If the president never be
lore raid anything true, he hit the
nail squarely on the head that time.
Tho corporations and the Wall street
'wolvi-s are not contributing as liber
ally an in days pttst to the campaigns
of the republicans. They don't want
to throw away their money. They are
supplying large sums of their dirty
dollars, however, to the third tertn
rampalrn an a sort of forlorn hope of
keeping up the "In vitriol" government."
But their hope Is vain. The people aro
going to win with Wilson, and are fur
nishing his campaign committees with
the mn-y to pay legitimate exponsfs.
Of course. Mr. Kioaevelt. when presi
dent, "never" solicited contributions
from corporations and trusts. Mr.
Roosevelt is "a practical man'' as was
Mr. liurrlinun. He left all those little
details to George Cortrlyou, who was
tho members of his cablinet and was
the head of the department of w hich
the corporation bureau Is a part, Koose
yelt made Cortelyou chairman of bis
national committee. Roosevelt merely
pushed the button. Ceorge did the
rest.
CIIAHLKH II. MAItMl AM, THE
MAX Hll t'l JtC I 1 T J I' IMJ K.
Than Charles B. Marshall, It is doubt
ful If lther party In any of the coun
ties of the Fourteenth Judicial circuit
could have selected a better equipr.cd
or (tuore competent man for the ex-1
isting vacancy. i
Standing in the front rank of the 1
Rock Island county Bar r.sbociatlon, I
he is regarded as one of the iost I
learned and experienced attorneys In '
tho district and In ability and temper-
auient possesses a distinct advantage
in the Judicial election.
KOO.SEVEI.rSMXK-SACKll-lCIXU
HU M I KKIKMS.
Despite the fact that we live iu a
sordid age, there are as many pat-
rictlc moo. noble, self sacrificing men
i ever, perhaps more. Here is Hie!
proof.
P'erpont Morgan, under oa'ii. tie
Clare he gave $100,000 to the cause
of Uooccveltism in 1SU4. He exp-c cd
lit thing In return. He was tuAy
anxious to serve his couutry. ,Mr. Mor
gan, It will be remembered, with the
aid of George W. Perkins, organized
toe ouiiod collar steel trust for which
tbey received the princely sum of
si'SO.OOO.COO. So It will be seen that
Mr. Morgan got his before he gave up
the $100,000. The steel trust, by the!
way, was crganiied by Messrs. Mor
gan and Perkins In ucn a way that
the law could not reach it. It was or
ganized to defy and evade the law
and defies It and evades the law jet.
So It will be seen that Morgan and
Perkins earned that $260,000,000.
Another patriot and lover of his
couutry Is Bill Flinn. the notorious
Pittsburgh boss, who gave $144,000 to
reform Pennsylvania, who. admits he
signed an obligation tbat he did not
irtend to keep but signed It with the
Intention of gold tricking the other
sir ner.
Another man who la willing to sac
r'flc himself for his country is Henry
t Frlck. who also gave $100,000 to
fc'd Roosevelt in 1904. Frlck is a steel
tiurt man. Tou surely haven't forgot
tc: him? He is the man who em
ployed Pinkerton detectives to over-
awe the workmen at Hemstead la 4X5 2.
They not only overawed them but
hot them down.
Another patriot who would gladly
die for hiB country Is George Gould,
who also contributed 1100,000. Gould
Is part of the interests. He Inherited
stolen millions.
And George W. Perkins must not
be slighted. He gave $57,000 In a
lump "and as often," campaign man
aged Dixon says, "as we needed
money."
Mr. Perkins is the head of the in
surance trust. As such he subscribed
$48,000 in 1904. The money belonged
to widows and orphans and be had
no right to take it But he took it
and not a penny was returned. In
this campaign Mr. Perkins lores the
workingman. Vet as a steel trust di
rector he aided in passing a resolu
tion shutting union labor from the
steel trust's plants.
These are all patriots. But hon
estly, are they not a precious lot of
rascals?
SUBJECTS OF HCMAS INTEREST.
A leading trade paper, In Its latest
issue has articles headed as follows:
"Butter Goes Higher," "Cantaloupe
Prices Up," "Texas Turkey Crop
Short," and others quite as disheart-
These are all subjects of human in
terest and add to the gaiety of the
family circle.
Thanksgiving Is approaching and
most of the things referred to are nec-
essary ir the old fashioned "home
coming" is to be kept up. Can the
gi ay-haired grandfather, who fought in
t0 do
It is natural that the 'veteran sol
dier and the man with $12 a week
salary should inquire why these things
are so?
The subjects suggested by the head
ings of articles in the trade paper
are subjects of human interest to
millions of American citizens.
Is there not a cause somewhere
aid what, has made it possible?
Can the problems involved be
sclved?
FLOWERS OF' THE NIGHT.
They Are Usually Pure White With
Peculiar Glow.
As we all know, there are both day
blooming and night blooming flowers.
The former are generally decked la
red. blue, yellow or purple and have
lines, spots or' markings on their petals
which often act as guides to the nec
taries whtch are visited by the bees
and butterflies.
The night blooming flowers, on the
other hand. Invite the visits of moths
or other night flying Insects and there
fore hnve recourse to something like
the tasks of the fireflies and the glow
worms. They are usually pure white
and hare such a peculiar texture that
they seem to glow with internal light
lu the dim shades of evening.
At times you might almost fancy
that they were stained by nature with
some forerunner of luminous pnint. so
clearly do they reflect every risible ray
of the faint twilight. Tbey tbuS suc
ceed In catching the eyes of the moths,
which, of course, are modified espe
cially for icrcelvlng and recelvlyc the
slisht stimulus of the dusk and gloam
ing. Rut the nocturnal flowers hare no
lines or spots. Iecause these last could
never lie x?rcelved Id the dim gloom
of the evenlug. They tunke up for It.
however, by Mtib very heavily scent
ed. Indeed, almost nil the strong
white flowers, which are such favor
ites with florists, such as jasmine.
tulerose. gardenia, stephanotts. screws
mid syrlnca. whirli lielong to the nlgbt
blnssorcin;; plants, are especially adspt
e to attract the senses of wioged noc
turnal Insects. Sl Louis Glohe-Iemo-crot.
HELP THAT HELPS.
Lincoln's Response to Hia Brothers
Request For Loan.
i Abraham l.iucoln's good aeuse is
witnessed by almost every net of bis
life. II is sound views on Indi-k-rlail
liiite charity mid the best means of
i encouraging thrift snd Industry are
shown by the following letter to one
of hL, brothers:
"Dear Johnson -Tour request for
,so 1 do Dot tblnk It best to comply
"itb now. At tbe various times
when I have helped you a little you
ti.nv said to me. 'We can get along
very well now,' but in a very short
time I ttnd you In the same difficulty
ngulu. Now. this can only happen by
some defvt-t lu your conduct what
that defect is I think I know; you are
uot lury. and still you are an Idler.
"You are now In need of some rendl
; money, snd what I prop. is that yon
sbouid gu to work, tooth aud njiL, for
somebody who will give you money
for It
and then to secure you
a fair rewnrd for your labor I now
promise you tbat for every dollar you
will between this and tbe first of next
May get for your labor I will then give
you one other dollar. Yoa
have always been klryi to in and 1
do not mean to be unkind to you. On
the contrary. If you will follow my
advk-e'you will end It worth more
tbun eight times $30 to you. Affec
tionately your brother. '
-A. LINCOLN."
Youth's Companion.
The Way to Win.
A boat the oo!y way to get things
coming your way is a long battle
against their going the other way.
Atcblaon Globe.
To live long It to necessary to tlva)
I'owly. Ocero.
I , , ' y hi II
V '
I
ERTTHIVG'S rP BIT THE COTf-
scmer. I
"Butter's up. meat's up, eggs are
up, milk's up; everything's up but
the poor consumer, and he's pretty
near down and out," sighed the city
housewife, who was regarding the few
pennies left In her hand after the
morning's marketing.
"If I could see any good excuse for
It all," she went on. "like war time
or famine, I wouldn't feel so Injured
about It, but it's been a prosperous
year in crops and in business, and
prices ought to be slantidg down in
stead of soaring.
"The big firms say its the produc
ers who are raising prices. Now,
there's milk. Because the farmer de
mands more money for his milk the
big city milk dealer raises the price
to the public to pay the additional
amount to the farmer.
"All investigations show that the
farmer never got enough for his milk;
in fact, was forced to sell it most of
the time without profit But now the
farmers are learning a lesson from
the city dealers. They are organizing,
and, through the strength of their
standing together, are getting their
demands.
"Of course I suppose it is unreason
able of the consumer to expect that
CURRENT
BY CLYDE H. TAVENNER.
(Special Correspondence of The Argus.)
Cordova, Oct. 7. Some republican
office holder, fearful of losing his Job
by the election of Wilson, has issued !
a picture postal
card replete "with
misleading sugges
tions as to what
w-ill happen to the
old soldiers should
the democrats win '
the presidency. ' !
The picture
shows a long line
of old soldiers be
ing turned away
from the pension
office by a pension
examiner who
says: "You .are
fit for manual la
bor." On the wall
is a picture of
Wilson and below
is printed the fol
lowing mass of
false and mis
CLYDE H.
TAVENNER
leading matter:
"Under the last democratic admlnv
istration, 40,000 pensioners were
dropped from the rolls. Tens of thous
ands more had their pensions reduc
ed. All pensioners were sorely dis
turbed. A democratic president spent
more than $2,000,000 in covering the
land with spies upon the pensioners.
Do you want this to happen again
under Wilson?"
ABSOI I TE LACK OF TRUTH.
The mendacity of the card is only
equalled by its absolute fack of truth.
Of course 40,000 were dropped from
the pension rolls during the last dem
ocratic administration severai times
40,000. Neither democrats nor rt pub
licans can keep old soldiers from dy
ing, but the democrats came more
nearly furbishing a remedy in the
Sherwood pension bill than the re
publicans ever did. But a republican
senate refused the remedy. Other
causes for removal from the rolls
are remarriage, limitation as to min
ors, failure to claim, fraud and a
transfer from one class to another.
Following is a table showing the
1 i
ILLINOIS
iSprlngfield Record.)
We are proud to be designated aa a
state, but truly we are an empire.
And an empire such as well might
rejoice tbe heart of the greatest states
man that ever lived, or the sublimest
poet that ever sang sweet and sway
ing songs.
A mighty empire whose northern.;
grasses feel the sting of the wintry
blasts while yet it is summer at its
southern borders!
An empire whose brow is touched
by the icy kisses of Wisconsin and
whose feet are swarthed in the warm
blue grasses of good, old Kentucky!
The stateliest empire in all the
world, an empire tbat takes care not
only of its own sons and daughters,
but, out of its largess, sends bounty
to all humanity!
Illinois grows the finest corn grown
anywhere on earth.
. It grows the richest wheat.
And the sweetest fruit.
Hogs Die of Cholera.
Sterling. I1U Oct. 8. The ravages
of hog cholera which devastated the
herds of northern Illinois last year
are being felt again this fall and the
animals are being attacked by the
dread disease with more deadly re-
the city milk dealer should stand any
less because he must pay a higher
price to the producer. The milk re
tailer of the city must make the same
profits for himself, -no matter what he
pays the farmer. It wouldn't do at
all to ask the city dealer to curtail
his expenses or dividends. If anybody
is to curtail expenses its the consum
er. The consumer doesn't have to
live in style and ridt in a limousine.
So, naturally, whatever extra the city
dealer's pay must come out of th
consumer.
' e
"And it Isn't only the big dealers
who soak us," mourned the housewife,
as she carefully placed In her purse
the change from her marketing
money. "The small producer wno sella
at retail follows their shining ex
ample.
"For instance, a woman has been
bringing me eggs from her little farm
all summer. She sold them at two
cents under the top price of the high
est toned down town store.
"The other day she said to me: 'I
see eggs are going to be five cents
apiece this winter.
"It that is so It will be the store
price for strictly fresh eggs, I told
her.'
"Yesterday she came to the house,
as usual, bringing a basket of grapes
I had ordered, but no eggs.
"Where are my eggs? I asked.
"She shook her head am? dropped
her eyes slyly. 'No eggs,' she an
swered.
" 'Why, the chickens around here
are laying I declared.
"But she insisted she had no eggs.
"The fact is that she is- storing all
her eggs with a vision of getting five
cents a piece for them later on. ue u
bring them to me as strictly fresh
eggs and demand the highest price
asked by the exclusive stores, though
she hasn't the store's excuse 0T heavy
expenses to pay, such as rent, clerk
hire, delivering, etc."
COMMENT
i number dropped from the rolls for 10
years, including the last democratic
administration, 1893-1897, together
with the number dropped for death.
and the total number for other causes:
For Other Total No.
Year. Death. Causes. Dropped.
-1893 25,005 8,685 33,960
1894 28,070 9,881 87.951
1895 27,816 14,395 42,211
1896 23,393 14,700 44,093
1897 31,960 9,162 41,122
1898 33,691 12,960 , 46,651
1899 34,345 :' 8,841 43,186
1900 35,809 7,525 ' 43,334
1901 33,353 - 6,433 43.686
1S02 37,145 14,312 51,457
KrnjBRR op PENSIONERS.
The following table shows the aver
age number of pensioners on the .roll
for six administrations, 1881-1905, to
gether with the average increase for
each. I will be seen that the great
est increase occurred during the last
democratic administration, 1893-1897:
Average Average.
Administration. Ro".l. Increase.
Garfleld-Arthur,
1881-1885 "295,235 '
Cleveland's first,
1885-1889 392,368 97,133
Harrison's,
1889-1893 645,124 252,756
Cleveland's second,
1893-1897 971.439 326,315
McKinley.s,
1897-1901 988,719 17.2S0
McKinley-Roosevelt,
1901-1905 997,122 8,413
The average disbursement for pen-;
sions under Harrison was $127, 300,
000; under Cleveland, $1.37,900,000;
under McKinley, $139,900,000; uader
Roosevelt's first, $139,300,00.0.
No greater amount was spent for
inspection under a democratic presi
dent than under republican presidents.
The foregoing figurec show that there
was no unrest among the immense
army of honest, pensioners on the rolls
and no cause for it whatever. A dem
ocratic congress passed the Sherwood
service pension bill giving old sol
diers a dol'.ar a day, which was muti
lated and reduced by a republican
senate.
And the fairest flowers.
An empire tbat produces coal
erough to run the factories of all the
universe!
An empire that quarries stone
i enough to build a million cities!
An empire that sends its manufac
tures to the remotest corners of the
earth!
Third in population, second in
wealth, first in learning and intelli
gence of all the states in all tbe sister
hood of stars!
A land overflowing not only with
milk and honey, but with ambrosia
and a thousand other nectars of the
gods!
A state to be a citizen of which is
privilege indeed!
This is Illinois!
Tbe state which has given more
great men to our nation than any
ether commonwealth in all the nnion!
And, above all. a state of healthful,
contented, thriving, optimistic men
and women!
Eults than a year ago. From Malta,
Kirkland. Shabbona, Dekalb, Hinck
ley and all of the country contiguous
to Sterling for 40 miles, come Ue re- ,
ports of fanners whose herds have'alon?"
been cleaned up at the rate of thous -
an da of dollars dally, .1.
Humor and.
Philosophy
av zvreAr m. smrm
MIDNIGHT' ATTACK.
QFT in the stilly night
w When the cats begin to flht
On the fence behind the lot
Then I form a little plot
As the window wide I throw
And the yard I knee deep sow
With a lot of brlc-a-brao
That waa resting on the rack.
Do the cata In wild alarm
, Run lest I should do them harm?
Do they let the concert slide
And proceed In haste to hide?
No; they do not seem to know
As 1 throw and throw and throw
That a single thing la wrong
- With their piercing midnight song.
Then I heave a pair of shoes
That I wouldn't care to loae.
And I throw a kttchea chair.
Followed by my wife'a false hair,
- Books and tablea. sofa, rugs.
Pots and kettles, pans and mugs.
Writing pads, my rubber stamp.
The piano and the lamp.
Then the bedding and the bed '
From the tall piece to the head
All are hurled Into the gloom
Till there's nothing In the room.
But the cats are good as new
On the job when 1 am through.
Nor do they a moment pause.
Tbey regard It aa applause.-
Soma Luck.
"Did you hear
about Mrs.
Brown V
"No."
"She's the lucki
est woman."
"Tell me about
it"
"The man her
jewel of a maid
was to marry got
killed, her uncle
died, and her
aunt sent Mrs.
Brown several
Paris gowns she
can't use herself
because she's go
ing Into mourn
ing, and her
mother-in-law has
married again.'
Still at It
"O Liberty." said the small boy,
reading from his French history.
"what crimes are committed in thy
name! Pa," he added, "are any crimes
still committed In the name of Lib
erty r
"I should say so."
"What are they?"
"Mostly campaign oratory."
Waiting Awhile.
"Hello, Tim. How comes it that yon
aren't eating at home these days?"
"Thought I'd better keep out of the
way awhile."
"Why?"
"Dad has promised Mary a new piano
If she will learn to cook."
Heard It Herself.
"What is tbe matter, lover'
"No use for you to try to explain."
"But, my dear"
"Don't 'my dear me. I heard yon
say that you were going to buy a new
ribbon for your typewriter."
She Was Pleased.
".Maude has bad some new pictures
taken; did you know?"
"Do they flatter her?"
"1 suppose so. Sbe sent one to Jack.'
Contrary.
"I have'Mary in my black book."
"Why?"
"Because I have caught her In so
many white lies."
They Are Doomed.
The candidate crop
is never lost
Until It hits
November's frost.
PERT PARAGRAPHS.
Tbis Is the season when tbe scream
ing of the eagle Is more the fashion
than the cooing of tbe dove of peace.
The man who has a proper respect
for fresh table linen is a jewel of
great price.
The women In the no suffrage states
ought to be thnnkful that tbe men
have saved them from tbe worry of
saving the country this fall.
It is bard on the populace that tbe
open season for baseball and politi
cians sbouid come at tbe same time.
Tending tbe furnace seems almost as
easy in summer as keeping the lawn
Id order appears wben murcury . is
hunting the zero mark.
The early bird doesn't catch tbe hook
worm. Tbe man who is going some won't
be likely to come back.
Overconfidence is a good thing In
business provided tbe confidence is tbe
other fellow's.
There's a good streak In every man,
but ln.many of them the assay Is so
low that it doesn't pay for tbe C06t of
mining.
An ability to cry on sight bas got
many a woman through the world
easily.
"Try. try again." isn't a good motto
for tbe man who invests in get rick
qaick schemes.
Business Principle.
Dolly 8o Slmpklns. the cashier of
tbe bank, proponed to yon last night?
Polly Yea, and 1 promised to marry
1. 1
, UIIU.
Old be ask yoar father's permls-
J "Yes: be said he would ask papa to
1 tndorse my promissory note."
TTie Argus
The Angel O' Mercy By F. A. Mitchel.
Copyrlarhfed. 1912. by Associated Literary Bureau.
At the Sailors' Snug Harbor a num-!
ber of old fellows, the youngest of '
whom could not have been less than
seventy-live, were crowded around a j
fireplace endeavoring to brace them- j
selves against the despondency of
coming winter. Now and again a j
thin smoke would emerge from be- j
tween a pair of shriveled lips, slowly j
make Its way to the chimney and dis-
pear up the flue. . !
"Some un spin a yarn, and let It be
about 8aillu in a warm climate." saidi
one oi tne men. noiuiug tne palms
of his bony hands to the dame to
warm them. "We don't want no more
o' them arctic yarns that cooled us
off durin' the hot wave. We want
sumpin about the banana trade or the
guano country. These yere winters Is
gittin colder and colder with every
birthday. Somehow the blood don't
run as warm as it did when we was
XT LOOKED AS IF WHOrVKR GOT THAT
KNIFE WOULD LIVI.
cllmbln' the ratlin's. Tom, give us
that un about your adventure on tbe
coast o Afrlcy."
The end of a plug of tobacco was
produced from the pocket of one pres
ent Tom bit off a chaw, tucked it
back in his mouth where it wouldn't
Interfere with his narrative and be
gan to mumble, every listener with
his hand to his ear.
"It's only us old duffers that kin re
alize that as late as 1855 the slave
trade was flourishin'. In 1852 I ship
ped in the Angel p' Mercy, brig rigged
and pertendin' to carry a cargo o' Bi
bles to the coast o' Afrlcy. She fitted
at Boston, and the day we put out o'
the harbor a number o' lean, long hair
ed, hungry lookin' men was walkln'
the deck. They was supposed by them
that seen 'em to be missionaries.
"I thort it was all square till we got
out to sea, when the missionaries
throwed off their pious outfit and ap
peared as or'nnry men. They was the
owners goln' out to Africy. true
enough, but for a cargo o' slaves In
stead o' a cargo o' souls, for by that
time there was some prejudice agin
the slave trnde. and I dunno but that
the law didn't allow it."
"Never mind the pious part of the
yarn, mate," interrupted a grim old
salt. "Git under way with the flghtln'y"
"Waal, we nep-ded for tbe Kongo
country, that's nigh on to the equator,
and the sun stood right over our heads,
pourln' down heat like the fiery fur
nace that the prophet Daniel walked
in."
There was a perceptible change at
this point in the appearance of the
audience. They pushed back from the
fire, and one man unbuttoned his coat.
"One night." the speaker continued,
"we was lyln' at anchor in the Kongc
river. The captain and most o' the
crew and tbe owners had gone ashore
to make a corral of blacks to bring
aboard as slaves. Missionaries bad
been there before, and the owners put
on the same clothes they wore the day
we sailed, and each man took a P.ible
under his arm to make the uiergers le
lieve they was goin- to teach em Unit
ed States religion. Durin' the voyage
I'd been made third mate and was left
on the ship In charge of six men to
keep watch and see tbat no natives
. come aboard to loot the vessel.
"The mixin was full and the night
was hot. I sat out on deck In a wicker
chair In my birthday togs, swingln' a
big palm leaf fan."
There was evident satisfaction on
the part of the audience at this part of
the narrative, and the speaker was In
terrupted by such remarks as "Wish I
was there now." "That's the climste
for me." and "I feel like takin' off ny
coat." Wben. quiet was restored tbe
narrative was continued.
"Piirty soon I saw a black spot on
the wntr and flashes Id the moon
light. I knew tbe black spot was a
canoe and the flashes were oars lifted
cut o tbe water. Some one was row
in snd wi headln for the Angel o'
Mercy. When he came up I leaned
over the gun'ale and asked him what
he wanted. He was a nigger and told
me In broken lingo that he bad decoy
ed a dozen of his friends to' tbe bank
and if I'd send a few armed white
men with bim be could turn 'em al
over. v
"I was young and ambitious to do
sompin noble, so I puts tbe ship's
guard into a boat and sent 'em to
bring toe niggers aboard. Of course I
took a risk in lcavin tbe ship with
only my own protection., but young
fellers is all pluck and no sense, and I
waa one o' thern kind.
"Tbe boat haun t got out o sight be
fore I saw a canoe put out from tbe
snore and make straight for the Angai
Daily Story
o' Mercy. There was six strnppln
blacks in ber, and every one had a
padflle. I saw at once that a game
had been played on us that instead of
niggers beln' decoyed my men was
decoyed away from the ship to give
the niggers a chance to loot her.
"There was a small gun on the port
and another on tho starboard bow,
both kept loaded In case the ongrate
ful niggers, not appreciatln' the bless
In's brought 'em by the Angel o'
Mercy, should show their teeth. I -sized
up the time it would take for
the canoe to reach me and, seeln' I
had a few minutes,' made one jump
for the companionway and another
down it. Gatherin' firearms, 1 got
back with 'em as quick as I went
down and carried 'em to the little
four pounder on tbe port bow. The
niggers acted as if they wasn't sure
how many men there was aboard.
They had seen a boatload leavln
tbe ship, but hadn't spoke the nigger
that had got 'em away. So they
didn't know how many was left. I
yelled to 'em to keep off, and they
stopped paddlin' and looked up enr'us
llke. "I don't reckon they spoke any
United States lingo. Anyway they
didn't say anything; but, seeln' only one
man on the ship, they commenced pad
dlin' ag'ln, makln' straight for me.
They bad at least one gun they might
have taken from some kind white man
who had come all the way from a civ
ilized land to buy Ivory of 'em or.
tench 'em the gospel, for one of 'em
sent a bullet slngtn' by my ear. I
hadn't time to use the four pounder,
which would have Bunk their canoe if
I could 'a hit It. so I picked up a
musket and. takln' straight aim for
the hull of 'em they all beln' in
line fired. I dropped one man anil
saw a paddle fly out of the hand of
another, so I reckoned I'd put two
of 'em out o' the fight. But I saw
that It was too late to sink 'em with
the cannon and I must shoot as many
as I could before they reached the
ship's side. I fired a couple more o'
the muskets, droppln' another man,
but in them days there was no repeat
ers, and I had no time to reload.
"The gangway had been raised, and
they could only climb to the deck
either by the anchor or bowsprit
chains. This helped me, 'cause I didn't
have to defend moro'n one position.
If I . had they'd have taken me in
rear. By quick firl3' and sure aim I
got rid of four out o' the six before
they got any hold. 'Then I shot an
other comin' up tbe anchor chain and
dropped him in the water. But one
ugly black devil reached the bowsprit
tind I'd emptied my last gun.
"I tuk the barrel o' the musket I
had last fired In my two hands and
waited for the nigger to come for me,
lntendln' to brain bim with the stock.
Hut he tuk care to spring for me
when a rope wns in my way, and tho
rope caught the blow Instead of the
nigger. In the clash the guu fell out
o' ruy bands.
"We was two men, a black and a
white, both stripped to the skin, that
bad to settle the dispute with &
wrastle. Tim only thing on deck I
could use was a dirk kuife I'd picked
up wheu I went below for arms, and
tbat was back near the fo'castle com
panionway. The nigger gripped me.
P aud I gripped the ulgger, but I saw at
once thnt he had the udvantage of roe,
for be bad oiled himself all over.
"I was mighty strong in them days,
and I intended to git my arms around
his middle and throw him overboard.
I could 'a' done it If it hadn't been
for his oiled skin. Howsomever; ho
wriggled like a lamper eel and got
out o' my clutches. As bad luck would
have It, the moonlight glittered on the
knife lyln' on tbe deck, and he saw It.
I saw bim go for It. I mado after
bim. caught bim round tbe waist Just
as he got hi fingers on It and pulled
him away from it.
"It looked now as If whoever got
that knife would live and the other
.feller wouldn't. He wasn't as strong
as I was. but the oil on bim made him
tbe better man. I succeeded In git tin'
between him and the knife and put
my foot on it.
"I could never dlsremember that
nigger as he stood off. his greasy face
shlnin In the moonlight, lookin' at me
like a jungle tiser. Jut there's an
other thing I don't wnnt to disremem
ber the sound of oars. The nigger
and I both tlsteiied and beard a qulcc
stroke, growlp louder with every
stroke. Tbe nigger turned and run
like a hound for the side o. the ship.
I picked up the knife, and just as h
Jumped over the gun'Hle I threw it
and saw It stick into his side.
"What became of him I don't know,
but in a few minutes the boat I bal
sent away reached me and the men
came aboard. They had heard the
flrin. suspected treachery and pulled
back as quick as they could."
"How long did your fight last?"
asked a listener.
"From the first shot till I threw tbe
knife about five minutes."
"Some un tel us another such ysrn."
re masked nn oc-tngenarl.in. "This one
I has warmed mo up like bot grog."
Oct. 8 in American
History.
18G2 Battle at Perry vllle, Ky. Gen
eral Braxton Brnsg's Confederate
army wax repulsed In a derfperate
attack Uhi General BuelTs forces.
Buell's loss was over 4.000; Bragg's
2,500. The action practically put
an end to Bragg's Invasion of the
state.
18fZ Franklin Pierce, fourteenth pres
ident of tbe United States, died;
lorn 1S()4
1 872 Fire disaster at PesbtJgo, Wis.;
over VX) deaths. '
1008 A treaty of nrbltration'witb Chi
na signed In Washington.
O