The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, January 05, 1900, Image 6

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KUU UIBVBrUdlB d nuvoiibui 0.
Dy Sawnrd VA7, HoptclriBi
CopjtlKhtWJ, ISM, by Robert Hunner' Sons.
CHAPTER IV.
"Dut the grcnt 'Illnck Cat!" ex
claimed the captain, who spoke better
than any ono clso on board, "It'a only a
boy!"
"Hut I'm grateful to yon for saving
my life, oven If I am," Bald Itob, be
tween his cliatterlni; teeth,
"Oh, ho! Of courso! Hut what un
der tho sun arc you doing In tho
i!vor7"
"Him swim berry well," nald ono of
the men, who hnd gono In tho boat.
"Him swim Uko fish! Him make good
ono!"
"Conid with me," nald Captnln Tor
revo. Ho turned, and led tho way to
ward tho companion hatchway,
whither Hob followed hliu.
It had been so dark on deck that Hob
could not rco what kind of men ho had
boon naved by. He was thereforo sur
prised when ho entered a small but
comfortablo and well-lighted cabin to
And tho captain to be a small, swarthy,
evil-faced fellow, who looked ns If ho
would sooner kill n man than save one.
"The young ncnor Is very wet," said
tho captnln, with a grin that was
meant to bo friendly. "I will give
him n chungo of clothing, and ho may
tell mo how ho camo to bo In thtj river.
Of course, I understand he fell from
that steamer that Just passed."
"I fell or was thrown," said nob.
Tho captnln seemed to pay llttlo at
tention to this. Ho eyed Hob narrow
ly, with an evident desire to mcasuro
his stature. Then ho opened a trunk
or sen-chest that stood In ono corner
of tho cabin.
"Ah! Ho! Ha!" exclaimed tho cap
tain, each exploslvo coming louder
than the preceding, ns ho attacked the
storo of garments that was packed
away In tho sea-chest. Finding what
lie was after at last, ho sent ono plcco
nftcr another Hying across tho cabin
toward Hob.
"Thcro!" ho nald, with a grunt of
satisfaction. "Tho young senor can
"Now, tell mo how you got Into tho
river and what you nro doing hero,"
nald tho captain, beginning to feel even
more friendly.
"I don't believe I can tell you how I
came to fall Into tho river," said Hob.
'"I nm on my way to Uuonos Ayres to
my uncle's, and mot on board tho
steamer a gentleman by the name of
Starne. Ho and I woro on tho deck
talking nnd ho told me to look down In
the water. I did so, and then I felt
somo ono seize mo and throw mo In.
But I can't understand why Mr.
Stamo should wish to kill me."
"No! No! Did you ever meet him
before?"
"Never."
"Was iiny one else nenr you?"
"I saw no ono else."
"Ha! Ho! Look out for Senor Starne,
whoever ho Is. Now, who are you?"
"My namo Is Rob Cleverdalc. I was
on my way to make my home with my
uncle, David Horton, of Huenos Ayres.
Havo you heard of him?"
The captain of the "Mack Cat" gave
a long whistle of surprise.
"You nro tho nephew of Honor Hor
ton?" "Yes."
"Tho black hand Is In It."
Having utterrd this mysterious sen
tence, tho captnln of the "Mack Cat"
walked to and fro a moment nnd
nooined to bo doing some hard think
ing. "Look here," ho Bald, suddenly. "I
didn't know what I was doing when I
picked you up. Even now, 1 ought to
throw you In again, nut I won't do
that. Hut you must promise ono
thing."
"Promlsa one thing!" echoed Hob,
staring at tho captain Li surprlso and
terror. "What do you mean? Why
ought you to throw me In again? What
havo 1 over dono to you thnt should
make you wish to kill me?"
"Nothing to mt, except fall In the
wuy of my schooner," said tho captain.
" ' ' V TOOK A GLASS AD
difference a nmo Qcatit to ttQtn
who was sure to be killed.
"Not a word out of you about this
night. Do you hear?"
"Ys," stammered Hob again.
"Very well. Now go to bed. You
need sleep."
Hob looked at tho captain doubt
fully. "You need not fsar, If you obey,"
said the captnln of the' "Mack Cat." I
llko you. We arc short-handed nni
need a boy. You will bo safe If yon
keep your tongue still. If not, I can
not bo responsible for your safety."
"I'll keep still," said Rob.
"I know. Go to bed. Come, I will
show you your room."
He led the trembling and wondering
boy to n cabin near him nnd hnd the
blnck steward bring n light. This room
was clenn and comfortable.
"Sleep!" said tho captain. Tomor
row you will havo work to do."
Wondering what tho captain meant,
our horo lay down on the bed, and,
though he wept n little, and was much
troubled, tho youth could not bo kept
from slumber, nnd ho was soon asleep.
When, after a sleep that Was some
what disturbed by dreams, Rob at last
nwoke and went on deck, tho schooner
had come to anchor In a boautlful shel
tered bay on the south shoro of the
river.
And what an nmnzlng nnd bustling
occne met Rob's nstonlshed gaze.
ENLARGE THE WHITE HOUSE
CHAPTER V.
Tho "Mack Cat" lay peacefully In
a bay that was, to all nppenruncc,
from Rob's point of view on deck,
completely surrounded by wnter. It
wns evidently n deep bay, with a wind
ing entrance, so that tho great river
could not be seen from It, nnd tho an
chorngo of tho nchooner could not bo
seen from the river. Tho wnter wns n3
smooth no glass. Tho shores of tho
bay, nearest the 3choonor, were low
and gradually sloping. Nenr tho wa
ter's edgo thcro was a long line of
sand. Abovo nnd boyond this thero
was higher ground, with plentiful ver
dure, llowcrlng plants and treo3.
Hut It wns not tho natural beauty
of tho place, great ns It wns, that at
tracted Hob's attention.
There wore, plying from schooner to
shoro nnd back ngaln, three or four
boats, manned by men ns black as
negroes, stripped to tho waist and
strnlulng at the paddles till the perspi
ration glistened on their skin. These
boats were not Ilka tho small boats of
tho "Mack Cat." They were large,
flat things, evidently used for convey
ing goods from the vessel to tho shore.
And thnt Is Just what these men were
doing.
Hob had paid somo attention to po
litical matters, nnd while studying In
school about various South American
republics, hnd also taken up tho con
stitution of each, and the points of
difference In their governments. He
had read tho tariffs of all, and recalled
tho fact that thero was a large duty on
tobacco and rum In the Argontlno Re
public. Thero was an odor of tobacco
In tho air, and Hob was not long in
reaching tho conclusion that theso men
wrro engaged In tho dangerous busl-
noss of smuggling tobacco and rum
Into the country without paying this
duty.
(To bo continued.)
find plenty to wear. Come! You lire
wet. Wo must hurry!"
Hob nt onco begun to tnko off his
wot gnrmonts, nnd tho captain
brought out a rough towol with which
ho gnve tho drenched boy u good nib
down. Having brought n glow of
warmth, ho desisted, and Rob dressed
himself in tho dry gnrmonts.
Hob hnd never been ho plcturosquoly
clad bofore. Nor so richly First, ho
put on n suit of tho llncst underwear,
thnt fitted him very well. Then, over
these, ho put a pair of white trousers,
all otnbroldercd with red silk. Then
n silk waistcoat, nnd over nil n flno
velvet Jacket mndo gay with lace.
, Spanish shoes, with lino points, com
' pleted tho outfit, and were put on
over silk stockings, tho llko of which
Hob had never seen beforo.
Tho gay clothes transformed Hob
Into quite u different boy, nnd ho could
not rostrnln n laugh ns ho looked nt
himself In a glns3.
"And now tho young senor will
need something to warm htm up," said
tho hospitable enptatn. Ho called out
a unmo that Hob did not undorstnml,
uml In n moment n black fellow np
penred. Tho captain gave un order in
Spanish, nnd tho blnck ono dlsnp
jioared, Ho soon vcturnod, howovor,
with two glasses of hot mixed rum.
"Tho young Benor will drink It," Bald
tho captain.
'No, sir," said Rob. "I thank you
taptaln, but I never touched a drop of
ihnt stuff, nnd I never will,"
"To wnrm up, senor."
"No. I don't want It. I am wnrm
enough now."
Hob thought of his mother, and tho
many pronltsos ho had mudo to bar
thnt ho would never touch u drop of al
coholic drink.
Tho captain of tho "Mack Cat"
looked In nmazemout nt Hob.
".You won't drink, senor?"
"No."
"Then I will."
IIo took ono glass from tho black
steward nnd drained It. He then took
tho other and sent Its contents after
tbo first.
Tho black boy thors took Rob'i
clothes to dry tV.etn.
iiui i Know mis Honor Starne. ltn
la well, thoro nre other who know
him
Whim of Iliioo IlniMM.
From tho Wnshlngton Star: "Talk
ing about people being pccullnr," ro-
marked an old trainer out nt tho Ben-
nlngs race track tho other dny, "If
thoro Is nnythlng moro peculiar than
race horses I huveu't coiuo across It.
Hnco Jiorses, I mean thoroughbreds,
of course, are ns full of whims as-
well, us a woman, nnd you've got to
humor thorn just tho samo as women.
I romembor ono I irnlnod some yenrs
l'ho captain drew his hnnd ncross his
throat most alKnlllcnntly.
"Hut what have I done! Why should
any ono kill you for helping mo? Toll
me!"
Tho captnln banged his list on tho
table.
411 1. I tit i. i .
jajuk nuioi ne nam, now m an
angry mood, "r toll you, that I havo
i. ..i .1. i . . t
inKun n rum in saving you. Ask mo
no questions. Hut 1 toll you this. From
today you are no longer Senor Horton'a
nophow. Do you unilBratand?"
"Hut I am, said Rob, "I am on my
way to get to turn."
Tho captain of tho "Mack Cat" ox
plodod with an oath.
"Hang you!" i.o rrlol. "1 will kill
you myself If you do not obey. You
nro no longer nis nephew, von nro
m I no,"
"Yours! "our nephew! What do
you mean?
"Listen! You arc stupid, I think.
Ilut listen, nnd I will toll you what I
moan. I mean that where wo nre go
lug the unmo of Senor Horton la death
to him who utters It unless to curso
It. If you lot It be known tint I 6aved
tho llfo of tho man that Starne tried
to kill, I shall bo killed myself, and
you will lose your llfo In the end.
Thoro Is plenty of rennon for bating
hm. Hu 1b rich. Thoso duties nro put
on to mnko him rlchor, And ho hire?
soldiers to hunt uh down and kill us,
to protect his own Interests. I don't
know why Stnrno wished to kill you
Hut I know that tho namo of Senor
Horton will lose your life and mlno It
you utter It."
Tho captain Rpoko so hotly that Hob
could not doubt his sincerity. A tr-
ilblo four crept Into his heart n fear
tnat after all ho waa never going to
neo IiIb uncle, nnd perhaps never going
to son his dear mother ngaln.
"Your namo is Rlcaido, my nephcy
said tho captain. "Mcavdo Torrovo.
tho samo ns mine. Do you under
stand r'
"Yes," faltered Rob, wondering what
It Needs it and Plans Are Being
Prepared.
Plans for additions to tho white
house will be submitted to congress by
tho president within n short time,
writes a correspondent of tho Boston
Herald. Thoy arc bolng prepared by
Col. Bingham, the superintendent of
public buildings, at tho request of Sen
ator Culloni nnd under tho authority
of Mr. McKlnley, who will give thorn a
final revision. It will be suggested
thnt two wings bo ndded, nnd tho ap
propriation required will not exceed
$250,000. Ono of tho wings, according
to tho notion entortnlned, will bo oc
cupied chiefly by tho state dining
room, whllo tho other will provide for
tho executive offices, which nt present
"Why so?" Inquired tho Impecunious
one, prcpnrlng to go Into fits of laugh
tor. "Because it was n pesky poor re
lation," wns tho nnswer, nnd tho
ncphow's hilarity was somewhat
forced. Now York World.
EVILS OF IRREGULAR EATING.
Moody and Hentlnclijr Women Often to
lllHine fur Their Own IVoea.
The doctor was tired, and, It must bo
confessed, somewhnt out of patience ns
ho spoke. "Lack of proper attention
to their food," said ho, "throws a great
many women off their balance. I havo
just been prescribing for nnd soundly
on this globe, nnd It Is still the baslf
of all other occupations. This la a
truth iiomctlmc: rorgottcn by people
who think they havo risen In tho
world since their grandfathers rained
corn nnd potatoes. In n remote llttlo
southern settlement a "llternry" wns
hold not long ngo as n sort of mental
stimulus to tho community. Tho meet
ing hnd scarcely been called to order
when old Silas Whlttnker obtained tho
floor nnd forthwith began n homely
dissertation on fodder-pulling nnd cotton-picking,
which bade fair to last
well Into tho next hour. Tho school
ma'am, who hnd u word or two to say
herself nbout Longfellow nnd the
Amorlcnn poets, grew restive. At.
length she rose to a point of order.
"I'd like It cxplnlned," said she, "whnt
corn-raising nnd fodder-pulling have
to do with a literary meeting." "Wnl,"
said Silas, 'It's got jest this ter do
with It: Ef It warn't for coru W cot
ton V bacon 'n greens, thoro wouldn't
THE WHITE HOUSE ASIT WILL LOOK WHEN ENLARGED.
llim ttUU IW1UW 1110. 11 It Wasrl..n Iwifcn I mnnn nt rnl.nn Mn
known that I picked you out of tho wng a Breut' 0Iie ana fow of ' thcm
urn. Mimi juur Hie pr-r-r-rj" n,,l,l hnr him Mm wnv In Vnf M.nf
fellow couldn't bo oxcrclsed In pro
paring him for n rnco unless the boy
on him wns rigged out In tho stnblo's
regular colors. You couldn't fool hint
about It, cither, for ho know 'Just ns
well whether tho boy wns fully dress
ed nn wo did, nnd If ho wnsn't you
couldn't get tho old follow on tho
track. Hut when the boy put on tho
dudu, why, tho old horso would go
out nnd do nil thnt was wanted of
him.
"Then thoro wns another thnt I had
that wouldn't nssoclnto with other
horses, nnd th& conscqucnco wns thnt
wo had to train him by himself.
ctually had to wait every time until
every other Horso wns oft the track.
Then, when ho had tho wholo track to
hlmsolf, wo hnd all wo could do to
i5ot him off when wo thought he hnd
been given enough. This samo ono wo
had to send to tho post by himself,
and when wo got him thoro wo had
to koop him aw,iy to ono side, off from
tho bunch. Another ono I had was
Just tho opposite, for ho wouldn't go
on tho track, either for exorclso or for
it race, unless he was accompanlid by
another horse.
"Then thoro Is tho horse thnt runs
truo ns long as ho is In tho lend, but
will Btop and glvo up tho tight tho
moment another ono gets near htm
or passes him. On tho othor hand,
thoro Is the horso thnt tries all the
hnrdcr as long as ho Is behind. Then
thoro Is tho horso that will not try If
tho Jockey hna a whip, whllo thero
are othors that will not try unless
they are given both whip and spurs
Hut, tm I snld, thoy nro very peculiar,
and havo ad many whims ns man
kind."
MUunilerf tont.
Mlxtjlkofskl, tho butlor (sticking his
head in cautiously) "Did your torror-
shlp call mo?"
Xtypmw xtzqmwTltcn "No, you
Idiot; I won only sneering!" Harp
er's Bazar.
crowd so painfully the living quarters
of tho mansion.
The writer, though ho has seen the
plans, is withheld from printing nny
further details by a request of Col.
Bingham, who is obliged to rcsorvo In
formation until tho president has given
his decision. It may bo said, howovor,
that tho new stnto dining-room will bo
ono of tho most beautiful Apartments
ever Imagined, being designed nftc n
modo as original as It la exquisite. If
congress does not lntorforo Inoppor
tunely, tho nation will owe to Col.
Mngham n lasting dobt of gratitude for
Uio Improvement of a classical struc
ture. That It Is extremely dlfllcult to
modify such a building without Injur
ing It architecturally is obvious
enough.
When Mrs. Benjamin Harrison camo
to Washington, sho remarked, Joking
ly, that she was leaving n house with
twelve bedrooms for ono with only flvo.
In a mensuro, theroforo, tho change
for her- was a "como down." Tho tail
Is not to bo denied that tho white
houso Is a very cramped place for the
chief magtstrato of this groat nation
to llvo in, nnd mnny persons of wis
dom nro of tho opinion that tho coun
try ought to provldo him with n dwell
ing of his own a short dlstanco away,
bo that ho might use tho present oxec-
utlvo mansion merely for official pur
poses. Somo day. very likely, this
Idea will be carried out, but not by
this congress, nor within twenty years
from now.
Among many reasons for enlarging
tho white house, perhaps tho most
cogent Is that tho mansion today has
no ndcqt'atn room for meetings of tho
cnblnct. - When tho government was
first str.rtod, tho cablnot had only four
members, representing the departments
of state, treasury, war and Justice. For
that number tho space allowed might
bo sufllclent, but tho president's ad
visory body hns been Increased to
eight, nnd In consequonco It Is absurd
ly crowded. Tho apartment occupied
on Tuosdnys nnd Fridays, when meet
ings aro hold, adjoins Mr. MeKlnloy's
private ofllco, and It Is of very moder
ate slzo, about half of It bolng tnkon
up by tho long mnhognny table that
Beves as n council board. It ought to
bo fully six times ns largo, with a ca
pacious desk for each secrotary. In
which to kcon documents, etc., and
thero should bo spaco enough for geo
graphical globes, big maps, and va
rious other paraphernalia.
Tho condition of nffnlrB dcscrlbod la
cortnlnly not credltnblo, nnd Is likely
to bo mndo ovon svorso by tho creation
of now cablnot members. Already
thcro Is sorloiiB talk of n colonial sec
retaryship, and much pressure la bo
lng brought In favor of n proposition
to appoint a secretary of commerce In
addition to tho two departments over
which thoB? ofllclnls would preside, n
third Is rciommendod namely, n de
partment ot lnbor, which, as n mattor
of courso, would nlso bo ropresonted
In tho cabinet. Thus that body would
number cloven persons, with possibly
moro to como.
lecturing a patient who has been Inex
cusably guilty In this matter. Love af
fairs that go wrong nre nlso responsi
ble for no llttlo trouble, though these
would have serious effects In but few
enscs comparatively If the women were
properly fedf but among the illusions
in which girls nnd women lndulgo Is
thnt, as they care very little nbout
their food, so tho Inck of It cannot havo
much effect upon them. Thoy rather
despise men for being enrcful to have
regular meals, whether business
presses or not, nnd are Inclined to
vaunt their own superiority In such
respects. But If this dlsregnrd of tho
natural Instincts of hunger lends us
In tbo same path ns 'drink nnd hurry
nnd worry' lead men, nnd If wo aro to
be humiliated by hyper-sensltlvencss
In love affairs, how pre-eminently does
male common sense stnnd out In the
matter. Wo so often exalt our weak
ness Into something to bo proud of!
And if we go without our lunch somo
day nn nvcnglng hendncho bwoope
down nnd makes us Irritable. Surely
thnt Is nothing to bo proud of. Or, it
tho men of tbo family nro dining out,
tho women havo tea nnd tonst nnd
scrambled eggs, nnd next morning
wonder why thoy feel so limp nnd nf
If everything to bo dono were drend
fully troublesome nnd Impossible."
I.IWirnturn nml Farming
Farming was tho first employment
bo n llt'rnry man In tho hull couutry,
blnmo If thoro would."
A Llchtnlni; Cnloulntor.
Dr. Llndley of tho chnlr of psychol
ogy In the Indiana University, hns
brought to the Institution Arthur Grif
fith, aged 19, for tho purpose of Inves
tigating the limit of tho youth's re
marknblo power ns n "lightning calcu
lator." He knows the multiplication Nf
tabic up to 130, has a knowledge of the
squares up to 130, and the cubes to 100.
Ho knows tho fourth powers up to 20.
His particular skill is in finding short
methods of operotlon. Ho has devised
17 methods of multiplication, six of di
vision, six of addition and three of sub
traction. Ho can multiply two flve
placo numbers In six seconds. Al
though not having studied algebra his
mind has approximated tho binominal
theorem. Griffith was born In Mllford,
Kosciusko county. Dr. Llndley says
ho Is not a simple calculator, but that
ho belongs to a higher clas3.
Well Mrt.
Mr. Pursyval "You can't buy a ci
gar llko that every day." Young Keeno
(wltJ: penslvo appreciation) "Truo. I
suppose tho denlcrs nro nfrnld of being
nrrested for selling them!" New York
World.
Tho darkest hour Is tho joy of tho
Itinerant match peddler.
THE STRANGEST F!SH.
i.iu.) uiitiMiir.
The Impecunious nephew, who hnd
been doing Ids best to bo ngrooablo,
llulshed his funny nnecdoto and
laughed uproariously, but his wealthy
unclo Binlled not. "Tho mnnnor In
which you told that Btory was llko
yourself," nald tho latter, after a pausr
THE DER.VTODU3.
Tho strangest fbh In tho world Is
found In tho abod of strango crea
tures, Australia, and In tho wilds of
Africa. It nppears to bo nlmost tho
connecting link between fish and air
breathing nnlmnls. The Austrnll'in
variety ot. lung llsh deratodus has
not only gills, but also it bladder by
- i
THE PHOTOPTERl J.
which It breathes air nnd utters sounds
thnt have frightened men who know
nothing of Its habits. This strange
tlsh Bomotlmes emerges from the water
and crawls over marshy places, by tho
aid of Its 11ns, making n nolso llko a
bark, which sounds moro than cerlo
in tho silenco of tho night.
Tho air bladder Is an adaptation by
nature of this strango fish to the pe
culiar conditions under which It Is
compelled to exist, Tho strenms In
which It Is found dry up In tho dry
senson, nnd tbo lung tlsh has to brcatho
air, sometimes for months nt n timo.
It buries Itself In tho mud, nnd only
when tho wnrm rains como does It
nwako to nctlvo llfo ngaln.
Another kind of llsh protoptorus
Is found In Africa, but P. docs not grow
ho largo ns tbo othor. It Bonis ltsolf
ln w olny snck or conr, nnd llos dor--
muni huui n' iuibb euiicn uio cl&y
nnd let it out ssto lit water agn!
o clr.y V
t