Highland recorder., January 23, 1903, Image 1

About Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972

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HIGHLAND
RECORDER
vol. xxv.
MONTEREY, HIGHLAND COUNTY, VA.. JANUARY 23, 190:5.
NO.-'
*?smmm*
1 IN THE CHINA SEA I
-*
A NARRATIVE OF ADVENTURE.
?*
By SEWARD W.* HOPKIN?,
(COPTBIGHT 1899 BY BOBJIRT BONNEB'R SONS.)
immimmimsmmM
(JHAFTJfiH V.
[continued.]
I could not give up.
With the most scrupulous care I
inspected the rocky walls around me,
going over every inch of surface, both
With eye and finger, and make sure of
the absence of all secret springs or
openings.
Down, way down at the very bot?
tom, I found a small niche that was
cut from under so that it was hidden
from view. I felt intaide the niche.
There seemed to be a small wooden
ball or button in it.
I had had so mauy disappointments
that I did not allow myself to oven re?
gain hope at this discovery. I ex
peoted nothing from it.
Upon minute examination there ap?
peared to be a line in the rock diverg?
ing on each side from the niche. ii
it was a eraok, it was so close as to be
perfectly water-tight aud air-tight.
I placed my ringer on the little
wooden button aud pressed it. I ex?
erted all my strength on that ball ol
wood without even knowing what ]
expected it to do.
My heart almost leaped from my
mouth at tho result. The great wail
in front of me opened. The rock
rolled back and away from me. It
rolled halfway over and stopped. It
presented, on its under side, a flat,
smooth surface. Beyond it was a
huge chamber or vault, evidently a
natural oue, running deep into tho
stone island. I walked into it and
carefully made my way around. It
was empty, as was the pit. But now
I was conyineed that the labor and
expense of the mechanism that moved
the rock were for something greater
than appeared in the discovery of an
empty cavern.
I groped along the walls, for the
only light came from tho mysterious
door I had opened, feeling, as I had
done in the pit, for another niche.
Near the farther end I found a pas?
sage, and found that it ended, as
everything else seemed to end there,
in solid rock. But I was now thor?
oughly convinced that something else
lay beyond. In the passage it was
pitch-dark, and I was not sure of my
footing, hence the work of searching
for a hidden spring simply by the
sonse of touch was difficult and
tedious. After what seemed like
hours of fingering, in which my
knuckles and finger-ends had been
made sore by contact with the rock, I
had the gratification of fiuding a but?
ton similar to the first. I exerted my
strength once more and pressed this
new button.
The end of the passage rolled
open.
I was blinded by a glare of light.
My eyes could not stand the sudden
rush of sunlight in my weakened con?
dition.
It was some minutes before I re?
covered my sight, but when I did I
was bewildered by what I saw.
A most beautiful vision was spread
before me.
I was in an oriental garden. To the
right, to the left and before me were
handsome blooming trees and shrubs.
Flowering plants, that in America
would be priceless, grew in methodi?
cal, well-arranged profusion on everj
side. The musical play of silvery
water from a dozen fountains sounded
like the tinkling music of au orchestra
of heaven in my ears.
True, the bottom of this Elysian
field was below the level of the sea,
but high walls of solid rock surrounded
it on every side, aud protected il
from the waters. Straight above me
the blue sky smiled down upon" the
scene.
Through the center of this garden
a wide wall extended, the floor of
which was alabaster or porcelain. On
either side grew fragrant flowers and
beautifully colored plants.
I wandered through this wonderful
place, gazing at the work of human
hands with awe. The like I had
never seen before. Nor had I evei
dreamed of the beauties with which ]
now found myself surrounded.
At first I thought it was all a
phautasmagora. I believed my mind
Lad given way and these beautiful
visions were but tho symptoms of on?
coming madness.
I pinched myself to make sure that
I was awake. I was awake, most de?
cidedly so, and my hunger was ta
acute as ever. The beautiful scent
could not satisfy my craving for food.
There was no fruit growing there.
There might, I thought hopefully, be
fish in the waters surrounding the
fountains.
Each fountain jutted from a basin
of dazzling whiteness. I leaned over
one and peered down into the spark?
ling water. There was no sign of an?
imal life.
With a sigh, I wandored on.
I traversed the garden, and found
at the farther end of the porcelain
avenue an archway hewn in the rock.
Curtains of heavy damask and silk
hung in the archway, aud thes? I
pushed cautiously aside. I peered
through and looked around. I saw
no person. I went in.
Now I was in what rnn&t be a tem?
ple. It was much smaller than tho
garden, and was lighted by sev?
eral perfumed lamps clustered
about a larjo fountain in the
center of the chamber. Theso
lamps had no wicks, but tho oil itself
that they contained barned with ?
steady glow mat was very brilliant.
The perfume of incense and the odor
oi the burning oil were heavy aud
tokening. For a few minutes it
seemed as though I would suffocate,
but gradually I became accustomed to
the pungency, and the sense of lau
guor produced by the heavy perfumes
was not unpleasant.
If this was a place of worship, the
choioe of gods was liberal indeed.
Upon a raised dais of marble there
was a great Chinese god, or Joss,
made of precious woods inlaid in
blocks. This idol was hollow, and
within his capacious stomach there
humed a lamp. For eyes, he had
windows of amethyst, which were so
lighted by the internal lamp as to be
very brilliant.
The mouth of this idol was open as
if to devour, and his teeth were pre?
cious stones. Rubies, emeralds,
diamonds and sapphires were sel
?round the ugly mouth in tooth-like
order.
A tongue of coral, upon which th*
light of the lamp reflected strongly,
threw myriads of bright rays of coloi
from the gems that surrounded it.
The nails of this idol were of pol
i&liejLmica. He was in a crouching
position, with~arms extended, as-if tc
receive an offering. Around his neel
hung a priceless necklace of dia?
monds.
To one side of the temple, in an al
20ve, a huge dragon, with eyes and
tongue aflame, glared at me as at an
intruder. This dragon was made of
polished stone, with wings of beaten
brass. The tail aud claws were like?
wise of brass.
On the side of the large idol, oppo?
site the dragon, was a huge and hide?
ous Buddha.
Here, then, was choice enough ol
religions. Here could come the
Buddhist and learn his artificial wor?
ship from his god, who stood in the
position as if teaching a multitude.
The Taoist could come, and his joy
3ould not be surpassed. His idol wap
tho richest, the ugliest, the largest.
Confucianism is not represented bj
idols or images, but the Philosophy ol
Light, as it is called, may easily be
discerned in the magnificent gardens
outside the temples.
All these thiug3 I was not long in
admiring. But in a short time I wa?
almost a Taoist. For the sight thai
made my heart beat faster and sent
the hope of life into my brain was a
huge dish of solid gold set before the
great idol, containing cooked rice.
Profane the sanctity of the heath?
en's temples though I should, here
were life and sustenance for a time at
least. Across the top of the dish were
golden chopsticks.
I ate my fill.
Then I made a profound bow to the
frowning idol who had so considerately
come to my timely relief, and shared
with me the offerings of his worship?
ers.
Revived, sustained by the meal 1
bad eaten, I became a newman. I was
now ready for further adventures, and
eager to continue the exploration of
the submarine palace I had so miracu?
lously discovered.
From what seemed to be tho rear of
the temple, another arch, hung like
the first with rich curtains, led into a
large room carpeted with velvet.
There was but little furniture in the
room. It seemed like an antechamber
to the temple. Across this room still
another arch could be seen, and,
pushing the curtains in this to one
side, I passed through it.
If I had been surprised before I was
dumfounded now. This inner room
was not large?not more than thirty
feet square?but fortunes hung upon
ita walls. There were panels of gold
and other panels of silver. Between
them the walls were covered with in?
laid precious wood, studded witb
choicest gems. No rock oould be
seen. Heavy Turkish rugs covered
the floor. Richly upholstered chairs,
divans aud ottomans were scattered
about. A golden lamp, in whicb
burned the perfumed oil, was sus?
pended from the ceiling which
was covered with silk, draped and fes?
tooned. It was a place enchanted.
I saw no exit from this room save
the arch through which I had come.
On one side of the chamber in an al?
cove, nearly hidden by a swinging
panel of etched bronze, I found abed.
It was undisturbed. There were
pipes and tobacco lying upon a small
table.
I had evidently seen everything iD
the rock palace.
"But where," I asked myself, "were
the human inhabitants of this magnifi?
cent palace? Were they absent ot
were they in hiding, and perhaps
watohiug me from their place of con
sealment?"
I closely inspected this last discov?
ered room, but found nothing to indi?
cate that any person had been there
recently. And yet it was unmistaka?
bly tho abiding-place of some one of
past wealth, eccentricity and luxuri?
ous tastes.
I had become accustomed to the
strangeness of tho pince.
My condition was so much improved
over the predicament I had been in,
chat I was disposed to accept the situa?
tion as at least fortunate. I would
make myself comfortable here until
the owner came?that is, if he came
before the rice gave out?and, after a
suitable explanation, I had no doubt
he would asBist me to Hong Kong,
I filled one of my host's pipes with
the black-looking tobacco I had found,
and lay down on a comfortable couch
to enjoy a smoke.
Gradually my senses gave away un?
der the influence of the stuff I was
smoking. It was not tobacco, or, if
it was, it was prepared with drugs. I
am inclined to think it was opium.
But whatever it was, it was luxurious.
First a delicious sense of fatigue came
over me; not weariness, but that calm,
dreamy sense of rest that sometimes
accompanies the use of narcotics.
I began to see bright visions. I was
no longer a castaway in an unknown
island under the sea. I was the favored
one in an enchanted laud. Beautiful
creatures floated about me. Bright
colors played across my vision. Then
all became a blank?forgetfulness?
unconsciousness.
How long I remained in this stupoi
I do not know. It must have been,
according to my calculations, which
were based largely on my appetite,
and, later, on the position of the sun,
from one day to the next. When I
awoke I was very hungry. But this
time, owing to the bountiful provision
made for the idol, I was not compelled
to hunt for food.
I repaired at once to the temple and
ate heartily of the rice.
From the temple I wandered out
through the garden, the air of which
was so richly laden with perfume. I
retraced my steps of the day before,
went through the stone passage,
crossed the bare, cavern-like cham?
ber and olimbed up the steps out of
the well. I judged by the position ol
the sun that it- was yet early in the
day.
I stood drinking in the revivifying
air, when I chanced to turn. Across
the water, perhaps not more than a
mile away, was a small sailing-vessel,
evidently a pleasant-craft. It was
speedily making its way in the direc?
tion of the rock, and I had no doubt,
from the directness of its course, that
the island was the proposed landing
place of whoever was on the yacht.
I do not know what prompted ml
to so quickly conceal myself. Proba?
bly an instinctive fear of some un?
known danger, although all my hope
rested upon the coming of some per?
son who could get me away from my
luxurious prison. If this was the
owner of the island who was coming,
my natural and proper course would
\iS to greeLhim BBOJ bin arrival, ex*
plain my presence in his domain, hum?
bly ask his pardon for the intrusion
and roly upon his generosity
for relief. But I was in the
China Sea. Mysteries of whioh I had
only a faint knowledge were all aboul
me. I was not going to take any
cbances until I saw what manner of
man my host might be.
There was no place inside that 1
could think of, where I could hide
myself and be safe. I could get Inside
the big idol and not be seen; bul
what then if the worshiper should
seek to fill the lamp? I studied the
situation quickly. There was no time
to waste. The persons on the yacht
might at any moment turn a glass on
the island aud discover me.
I looked around.
I found, just back of the pit, a jut?
ting crag. It was large enough to
2ompletely hide my body from view
from tho side on which the little in?
let was. And yet it was so jagged
and rough that I could obtain full
?iew of what was going on without
bringing my head beyond the broken
outline of the rock.
I hastily crawled around the rock,
and fixed myself in as comfortable a
position as possible, to wait.
The little yacht was very fast, yet
it seemed an age before it reached the
island. But at last I had the pleasure
of seeing the sails furled, the helm
put down, and the little boat glided
into the smooth water of the little
bay.
My heart was in my mouth.
The first persons visible were two
Chinese sailors, who lifted a com?
panion-ladder and hung it on the two
iron rings I have before mentioned,
They chattered incessantly, but in
their own language. Having care?
fully adjusted the ladder, they stood
back, respectfully waiting as if for the
passing of a superior officer.
There now appeared on the deck of
the yacht a Chinaman of more than
ordinary size! He was clad in the
military costume of the Chinese army,
and to judge from the magnificence
of his uniform, he was of great im?
portance and of high rank. He wore
Jangling from his belt a handsome
?old-hilted sword. On his cap was a
Sold button. The significance of this
[ did not know at the time, but after?
ward learned that it betokened his
exalted rank. His face was not a
pleasing one. It was not the face of
i man to whom one would like to ap?
peal lor aid. With a dignified step
ie ascended the oompanion-ladder.
Reaching the top he turned, and
jave a sharp command.
Two more Chinamen appeared,
sarrying between them a burden.
They carefully made their way up
he ladder, and turned to go to the
>it. Tbo burden they carried was
mmistakably a woman, and she was
>ound. In my surprise and in my
ugerness to see the woman's face, I
,lmost discovered myself to the
Chinamen. I stretched my neok to
;et a better glimpse. 1 heard her cry
ut, as if calling upon some one for
id. I heard the words "father" and
'God." I judged her to be an Eng
ish or an American woman. The
oice sounded young.
[TO BB CONTINUED. ]
Rich Soil of China.
A square mlle in the rich river
alleys of China will support 3,840 per?
ons.
The love of some women ls about
is refreshing as a marble slab iu a
morgue.
j DROVE GERMANS AWAY
A Venezuelan Bombardment That Turned
Out a Failure.
ONLY THREE MEN WERE WOUNDED.
Panther Shelled Fort San Carlos, Which Com*
mommnnJs the Entrance to Maracaibo, and
After an Hour's Exchange of Shot and
Shell, Retirsd?The Commandant Claims
He Forced Ihe Warship to Retire.
Maracaibo, Venezuela (By Cable).?
The German cruiser Panther shelled Fort
San Carlos, at the entrance to Lake
Maracaibo, for one hour. The fort re?
turned the fire with four guns. The
Panther withdrew in the direction oT Cu?
racao.
Fort San Carlos is 22 miles from
Maracaibo, and commands the entrance
ot the lake or inner bay.
Thc correspondent here has received
the following letter from General Bdlo,
tlie commander of the fort:
"Sunday afternoon at 12.30 Fort San
Carlos was attacked and shelled, without
any provocation on our part, without
previous notification or the deli\ering of
ttl ultimatum, by the German cruiser
Panther,which tried to force an entrance.
After a fight lasting an hour, during
which thc fort used only four guns, the
Panther was obliged to abandon the fight
and retreated in the direction of Curacao.
Thc fort has suffered no damage, and
only three men were wounded'.'
There have been popular demonstra?
tions on the streets here as a result of
thc shelling of thc fort.
SURPRISE IN WASHINGTON.
Another Attack on Venezuelans Was Not
Expected.'
Washington (Special) .?Official Wash?
ington received thc news of the bom?
bardment of Fort San Carlos by the
German cruiser Panther with the great?
est astonishment.
No one in official circles would com?
ment on it. and Secretary Hay. who just
returned home from New York, had
not learned the details of the engage?
ment. Count Quadt, a charge of the
German Embassy, is still in New York,
and inquiries at the Embassy brought
no information on the subject.
It has been supposed herc that noth?
ing more than a peaceful blockade
would be maintained after thc agree?
ment of al! parties concerned to submit
thc case lo The Hague tribunal. The
bombardment of Puerto Cabcllo, before
an agreement of any kind was reached,
and because of an attack on English
sailors by Venezuelans, created less
surprise.
BIG GUN IS F RED.
New 15-Inch Rifle, Largest in America, Does
Well?20 Mile Range.
New York (Special).?The most
powerful gun ever built in Anlbrica, a
huge 16-inch coast-defense rifle, was
successfully tested at the Government
proving ground, Sandy Hook.
It was fired three times in the pres?
ence of several hundred anny officers,
a few civilians and Congressman Gil?
lette, of Massachusetts, who was in?
vited as a member of the House of
Representatives Appropriations Com?
mittee.
General Crozier said the tests show?
ed the gun was an absolute success
and proved that 16-inch guns could be
furnished whenever the country wanted
them.
The gun_cost $100,000. It was said
that it undoubtedly would bc mounted
at Sanday Hook. General Crozier said
that while its range at its highest ele?
vation was about 20 miles, it could be
used to hit objects at a distance of only
four or five miles. Objects farther away
could not bc seen.
General Crozier made a speech just
before thc first shot was fired in which
he said the gun was planned sixteen
years ago, and was authorized by Con?
gress to asccrtajn if guns of that size
could be built when needed. He warned
those present that thc weapon might
burst, as thc charge of smokeless pow?
der was by far thc largest ever tired.
The gun was thc greatest step in ad?
vance yet taken in ordnance.
READ HIS OWN MESSAQ2.
Gov. La Follette, of Wisconsin, Urges Legis?
lature to Pass Anil*Trust Act.
Madison, Wis. (Special). ? Both
houses of thc Wisconsin legislature
met in joint session at 2 o'clock, when
the Governor's message was read.
Governor LaFollette read the message
in person. He devoted much space to
matters pertaining to railway taxation
and the control of freight rates in Wis?
consin.
On the subject of trusts, the Gover?
nor said: "I desire to emphasize for
your attention the importance ot pro?
viding most specifically thc form and
manner for enforcement of such laws
as you may enact for the prevention of
illegal combinations within the State,
to restrain the operations in this State
by such combinations organized else?
where, and for the punishment of vio?
lators of such laws."
The Governor strongly urged the
enactment of a law against the paid lob?
byist.
4714 Perish at Andijao.
St. Petersburg (By Cable).?The of?
ficial figures show that 4714 persons
lost their lives and that 33,112 houses
were destroyed as a result of thc re?
cent earthquakes at Andijan, Russian
Turkestan.
Conditions of Arbitration.
Berlin (By Cable).?In thc negotia?
tions which arc about to begin at Wash?
ington, Great Britain and Germany, as
the result of further correspondence,
are quite determined that the irre?
ducible condition of arbitration is that
President Castro shall pay or give col?
lateral security for thc sums already
specified. The powers will not consent
to raising the blockade until Venezuela
complies with this unalterable condi?
tion. Thc allies place the responsibility
tor further delay upon Venezuela.
THE LATEST NEWS IN SHORT ORDER
Domestic.
Foreign.
John Redmond, M. P., in an addres;
at Edinburgh, said he believed a mea
sure would soon be adopted that wouk
settle thc Irish land question and hea
the wounds of centuries.
The Russian note in reply to that o
Great Britain on the sugar conventior
says she considers the latter's conten
tions as an interference with her do
mestic legislation.
The members of the American Em
bassy and a number of French offi
cials attended the banquet of tin
American Chamber of Commerce ir
Paris.
Thc iSultan's troops had an unimpor
taut conflict with the Pretender'.'
forces in Morocco.
The French Chamber of Deputies
after a lively debate, supported the policj
of Premier Combes in enforcing his or
der to priests in Brittainy forbidding tba
use of the Breton dialect in preaching
and catechising.
Capt. Alder Nicholls confessed in St.
Johns, N. F.. that he cast away the
schooner Bessie Dodd for the insurance
money, and implicated Mr. Jarrett, who
shipped thc cargo of fish she was carry?
ing.
'1 he German Reichstag adopted a res?
olution asking the government to de?
nounce treaties with countries where the
most-favored-nation clause was inju?
rious to German interests.
Ten thousand dollars has been sub?
scribed for the prosecution of Whitaker
Wright and others involved in the fail?
ure of the London and Globe Finance
Corporation.
Premier Coloman de Szell announced
to the Hungarian Parliament the in?
creased duties provided by the new Aus?
tria-Hungary ausgleich.
The official figures show that 4,714
persons lost their lives in the recent
earthquake disaster at Andijan, Russian
Turkestan.
Dr. Jean Charcot announced in Paris
the plans for an Arctic expedition which
is to be exclusively French.
Crown Prince Frederick Wilhelm of
Germany arrived at St. Petersburg on a
visit to the Czar.
A Russian torpedo boat traversed thc
Dardanelles with the sanction of the Sul?
tan.
The Berlin socialist paper, thc Vor
wacrts. publishes the story of an at?
tempt by thc political police to bribe
an employe of thc paper to betray the
secrets of thc office.
Financial.
Price of cut nails advanced 5 cents on
1000 pounds.
Lehigh Valley is earning 15 per cent,
on its $40,000,000 capital stock.
The Gould group of stocks is the eas?
iest of manipulation on the list. They
are in excellent control.
It is reported that the L^nited States
Steel Company will buy the Eastern
Steel Company's plant at Pottsville.
Country banks are pouring money in?
to Philadelphia and New York as rap?
idly as it flowed the other way six weeks
ago.
The delayed steamer St. Louis, ol
the American Line, arrived at New
York and thc passengers landed thor?
oughly indignant at thc company
During the voyange an indignatior
meeting was held and resolution;
passeel denouncing the company foi
sending them across the ocean on a
crippled ship.
Five sailors belonging to the Minne?
apolis, at League Island Navy Yard
had a dangerous ride on a floating
cake of ice in the Delaware River
Their rescue was very dramatic.
The Hanover National Bank movec
into its new building and $65,ooo,ooc
was carried safely through the crowd?
ed streets of New York.
The Ohio Society of New York gave
a banquet to Secretary Hay. Many o!
the diplomats from Washington at?
tended.
Mrs. James R. Booth, wife of a
prominent Philadelphia attorney, com?
mitted suicide at a hotel in Atlantic
City.
In his testimony in New York before
thc Interstate Commerce Commission
Mr. August Belmont, former president
of the Louisville and Nashville Road,
did not know that John W. Gates had
secured possession of a majority of the
stock of the road until he was actually
in control.
At Riverhead, L. I., Louis A. Disbrow
was acquitted of the charge of killing
Clarence Foster at Good Ground on thc
night of June 9. The verdict was reach?
ed by the jury after brief deliberation.
In a speech before the National Live?
stock Association in Kansas City Hon
W. M. Springer said that the incorpora?
tion of thc Beef Trust had been pre?
vented by the power of public opinion.
The will of Dr. Bushrod James, of !
Philadelphia, makes provision for cstab
lulling a free hospital in that city foi
the treatment of diseases of the eye and
ear.
Testimony was given at the Glenn
court-martial in Manila of horrible tor?
tures inflicted upon American prisoner?
by the Filipinos in Samar.
Two hundred shoccutters arc on a
strike at Lynn, Mass., because of alleged
grievances. Their strike affects 3,00c
hands in the factories.
The overdue steamer St. Louis was
sighted off Nantucket Shoals slowly
steaming toward New York.
Because of the coal famine there is
great suffering among thc sick at Sche?
nectady, N. Y.
Sentences of two years and six
months were imposed at Freehold, N
J., on Dr. Hendricks and former Jus
tict of the Peace Stanton for conspir?
acy to secure possession of the estate
of the late H. M. Bennett.
President Spencer, of the Southerr
Railway, gave testimony in New York
before the Interstate Commerce Com?
mission in the merger case of the Lou
is ville and Nashville and the Atlantic
Coast Line.
Deeds transferring six coal mines in
the vicinity of Springfield, 111., to ar
Eastern syndicate were filed for record
the consideration being about $i,ooo,
ooo.
The executive committee of the Boan!
of Home Missions of the Reformec
Church of the United States of America
is in session in Pittsburg.
Six Amcricans who served in th<
Columiban Army and who returned tc
San Francisco report rough cxperi
ence.
Mrs .Caroline Churchill Miller, wife
of former United States Senator War
ner Miller, died in New York.
fiN A WUPPI the rider frequently meeta with diraater. Avery
Ull h\ If flLLl, handy and efficient doctor to have with yon when
jan accideut happen* is a bottle of .Mexican Mustang Liniment.
Ulcers or
Running Sores
need not*become a fixture upon your
body. If they do it is your fault, for
MEXICAN
MUSTANG LINIMENT
will thoroughly, quickly and perma?
nently cure these afflictions. There
is no guess work about it; if this lin?
iment is used a cure will follow.
Yftll HAN'T KiynU/ how quickly a burn or scald oan be cured
IUU MIHI I IMlUff until you have treated it with Mexican
Mustang Liniment. As a flesh healer it stands at the very top.
TUE OLD DOMINION.
Ut?st Nm Gleaned From AU
the State.
Miss Lavina Dcchert, the young lady
who was severely burned at Harrisburg
by the explosion of a lamp, died of her
injuries. The immediate cause of her
death was the inhaling of flames and
general exhaustion following nervous
shock. Miss Dechert undertook to
blow out the light in a lamp hanging
from the ceiling. The flame was com?
municated to the oil and an explosion
followed. With her clothing ablaze,
she first ran upstairs and, returning,
rushed out on the street. Several per?
sons went to her assistance and finally
succeeded in smothering the flames.
Articles of furniture that had become
ignited were thrown out of the house.
The unfortunate young lady was 22
years old and a daughter of Mr. Ed?
ward L. Dechert.
Joseph Tate, engineer on the Sea?
board Air Line train, was badly scald?
ed about the face by the bursting of a
steam pipe on his engine while at
Wood's Lane. The train was delayed
several hours. The engine and injur?
ed man were sent back to Richmond
and the cars sent North on a later local
train.
A son of Lewis Kronk, who lives
near Parker's, Spottsylvania county,
died of lockjaw, caused by a wound
from a piece of gun cap, which stuck in
his hand when he was firing a gun.
J. C. Butler, of Clifton Forge, has
been appointed agent of the Adams
Express Company in Fredericksburg,
vice O. J. Dearborn, formerly of Alex?
andria.
The dwelling of Mrs. Ann Blanken?
ship, near Swift Creek, Chesterfield
county, was burned with all its con?
tents, and she herself was fatally burn?
ed. The only occupant of the house
was Mrs. Blankenship, who was 86
years of age. In her efforts to extin?
guish the flames her clothing became
ignited and she was burned to death.
She was a widow and is survived by
four grown children.
Charged with burglary, with the pos?
sibility of the more serious crime of
arson being laid at their door, Jacob
Haines, Benjamin Clowser and Ollie
Linburger, sons of respected parents,
we're arrested at Rosenberger.
Mrs. L. McCoy, a trained nurse< of
Norfolk, has received word that she has
been bequeathed $10,000 by Janies M.
Hanahan, a resident of Chatfes'ton, S.
C., who recently died. It appears that
Hanahan was attended by the nurse,
and for her kind treatment he left her
a fortune.
The street railway fare between New?
port News and Hampton has been re?
duced to 5 cents. The Newport News
ind Old Point Company and the Citi?
zens' Company will sell no more car
tickets, all fares being 5 cents straight.
One year ago W. M. Gordon, of
Salem, and Miss Sarah Mills eloped to
Bristol and were married. The an?
nouncement was made just one year ex?
actly after the marriage. It was a spirit
of romance that prompted the affair,
and the friends of the couple were not
inclined to give the story credence un?
til they produced the marriage certifi?
cate bearing date of January 15, 1902.
On the farm of Mrs. Hiram Roe,
near Winchester, three fine steers were
found dying, with their throats cut and
their bodies slashed. It is believed that
the perpertrator went to the barn to
steal a calf and first attacked the steers
in an inclosure outside the barn. After
he had cut the throats of two and dis?
emboweled another the maddened1 ani?
mals jumped a wire fence and fell dying
on the outside. The man then killed
the calf, skinned it and carried off a
quarter of the veal.
In response to an alarm of fire in
Suffolk, the driver, Ashton Applewhite,
was thrown from a hose cart, which
passed over his right foot, inflicting a
painful but not serious injury. Apple?
white, who had just recovered from a
long spell of typhoid fever, was unable
to manage the horse, which became un
ruly soon alter leaving the fire depart?
ment. The animal ran some distance
before he could be controlled by Fore?
man H. S. Ely, who was with the
driver.
In thc Virginia Senate, Senator An?
derson presented and had referred a
bill which gives to cities the right to
aid financially any private charities ox
institutions within thejr corporate lim?
its. Senator Harran opposed thc bill,
as he thought it meant the union ol
church and State. Senator Anderson
defended thc measure and it was adopt?
ed. The Barksdale Pure Elections bill
was put upon its passage ana arter a
spirited fight was agreed to by a votej
of 30 to 1. In executive session thc
nominations of Eppa Hunton a mr H. C.
Stuart as members of the Board of Vis?
itors of the University of Virginia were
confirmed.
The Staunton Daily News has been
purchased by the News Publishing
Company of Harrisonburg, of which
Messrs. R. B. Smythe, B. J. Shannon
ind William A. Barr are members, and
will hereafter be published in connec
:ion with thc Harrisonburg News. The
new management will take charge at
ance. A typesetting machine and new
material will be added to the Saunton
plant and a live paper is promised.
In a terrible fight between George
Spider and George Collins, which oc
uirred about 14 miles west of Wood?
stock, Collins had his ear bitten off
and one eye nearly torn out. A war?
rant was issued for Spitler, but bc
made his escape in the North Moun?
tains.
Rev. W. J. Cocke, pastor of the
Christian Churches at Saumsville and
Edinburg, Shenandoah county, has re?
signed his charges and, it is stated,
will accept a call from a congregation
in the vicinity of Richmond.
The farm belonging to the estate of
William Coffelt, at Lebanon, Shenan?
doah county, has been purchased from
the heirs by Mr. Jeremiah Kibler for
$8,475
A party of hunters from Edinburg
recently went into the Massanutten
Mountain in search of an old bear and
cub which had been seen frequently.
They succeeded in killing the cub, but
could find no traces of the old bear.
The Virginia Press Association is to
take a trip to Florida over the Seaboard
Air Line, leaving Richmond February
9. The members will probably be given
a banquet in St. Augustine.
A Unique Procession.
A correspondent of the London
Graphic writes: "The Church of the
Madonna del Rosario at Valle di Pom?
peii, or, as it is called, the Madonna di
Pompeii, is the best known shrine of
the Madonna in the south of Italy, on
account of *he wonderful miracles
whi**h are supposed to be performed
there. People from all parts, far and
near, come on pilgrimage from the
far distant mountains, and even from
Sardinia. Some most wonderful cos?
tumes are seen in and about the
charch. Ihe contadini come on foot,
or In carts often drawn by white oxen,
singing and playing on musical instru?
ments, tambourines, pipes, etc. Often
in a casa of illness, girls with their
ialr down and barefooted go in pro?
cession to tne church to intercede with
the Madonna for thc sic< person."
Fine Building for Employes' Use.
Senator Proctor of Vermont is presl
dent of the first manufacturing corpor
fition in New England to erect a Ana
building near the works fer the edta
cational and moral benefit cf the em
ploy es. The new Proctor buildlnf
will contain in the basement tw<
bowling alleys, a billiard room, amok
ing rooms and lockers for gymnasium
and baths. On the main floor will b*
a reading room, parlor, gameroom, sec
retary'8 office and gymnasium. Th*
eecond floor rooms are for entertain
ments and educational classes, da
bates, discussions of problems o)
marble-workers, etc,