Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA DAILY BEE ; MOXDAY , SEPTEMBER 15 , 1890.
FIERCE BATTLE OF INSECTS ,
A School of Bed Ants Attacked by an Army
of Elack Ants.
DEPLOY SCOUTS AND SKIRMISHERS
Ttic Wonderful and liitcr'.Btlnj ; Ma-
nucurrcn ftticl &trntnctn * 131s-
ployed byTlicc Lltllo In
sect Warriors.
On Saturday afternoon in August ns I
wns walking ncro ? ? a pasture field near
a town on Long Island. I noticed in the
grass before me , two ants fighting ; one ,
a slim , black fellow nearly an inch long ,
the other a smnll , thick tot , red one ,
somewhat rcbcmbling a beetle. They
were having a lively tubsel , and I
flopped to watch them to see which
would bo the victor , Bays a writer in
Christian at Work.
The red ant gccmcd to have the nd-
vantage ; one after another ho bit off the
black ants logs from one side. "When
the last of the thrco was removed he
withdrew from the contest , and , saving
a few scratches on his back , seemed not
much the worse for the fight. Retiring
to the top of a email lump of eartn he
cleaned himself snd dressed his wounds
much as a fly washes itself. While en
gaged lu this work , which occupied him
for some time , a black ant , smaller thun
the vanquished one , jet black , glossy
and plump a handsome follow and evi
dently a young one came out from the
grass a few feet away , went up to the
ant lying helpless ou his eldo , went all
about him , troubling him with his anten-
ne ; , and returned the way
ho came. A mlnuto or two
.later several other black ants
camoup to the cripple , went about him
ln theoamo manner as the first had done ,
und returned the way they came. The
ruu ant had now left his lump of earth ,
and started toward the west at right
angles to the direction the black ants
had taken.
I stuck up a bit of St. Johnswort to
mark the position of the vanquished ant ,
and followed the red ant to see where ho
was going. Ho led mo about nix rods
westward to the base of nn old white
stump. Between two widesprcadinp
roots of the stump , on the south side of
it , where the ground was sloping , were a
number of openings as largo as a man's
finger. Down one of these the red ant
disappeared.
A few minutes afterward red ants came
swarming out like bees from under the
stump , tumbling over each otherin their
habto to get out. They ran about the
stump , and over and around it in great
numbers , and finally settled down in
solid mass in u belt as broad as a man's
hand , that extended from the ground
over the southern face of the stump
nearly to the top , forming a circle about
the entrance to their homo , and everv
ant with his head pointing to the pcrf-
meter of the bolt.
This proceeding aroused my curiosity
intensely , and it was further increased
by a low , not unmusical hissing noise
they seemed to make as they were form
ing the belt. I went close to them and
stooped down to make sure the noise
carao from them. Having satisfied myself
that it did , I started buck to the scene of
the combat.
When within two rods of the place , I
met a line of black ants approaching.
Two or three of them were some feet in
advance of the others , and were running
back acd forth rapidly. They were mov
ing on the line the red ant had taken ,
and anneared to act as scouts for the
Ttrmy that followed. They ran about a
yard ahead at each advance , and on each
return touched the foremost of the line
with their antenna ! , as if imparting in
formation. The column of ants advanc
ing grew more and more dense and
widened to a breadth of not less than
two feet ; at the sign of the St. Johns-
wort the ground was literally black with
, the moving mass. The place where the
\ red ant had stood on the bit of earth
I seemed to bo of special interest to each
ant , who ran around and o'ver it , and
then made off through the grass on the
line the red ant had taken.
When the column of ants had arrived
to within twenty feet of the stump I re
turned to it , eager to see the outcome of
such extensive preparations. I found
the ants arranged over the face of the
stump and on the ground about the openings -
ings to their nest in a ring nearly six
inches wide and as rod as the reddest.
On the ground , stationed two inches
from the outside of the belt , a few larger
nnd apparently older ants were continu
ally running out a short ways and back
again , but always keeping on their re
turn about the same distimco from the
bolt. There were others running over
the stump on the outside of the circle ,
and on the they faced the direction from
which the black ants were coming.
The black ants continued to move for
ward till they reached the stump , where
they formed a mass from two to three
. foot wide in a curving line on the east
and south of it. Many began running
over the stump on the outside of the belt
t i-od ants , apparently looking for some
place to enter the stump from the rear
of the line. On the near approach of a
black ant , a struggle was imme
diately begun with one of the
red ants that stood guard on
the outside of the belt In nn
instant the two became a righting mass
us biff as n butternut by contestants
added from both Hides. In the thickest
of the battle there were six or more of
these bunches engaged at once , in which
at times the red unts seemed to nrtdom-
inato , and at times the black. The main
bodies of ants , both black and red , tool :
no part in the fight , remaining quiet
throughout. The red ants wore btill in
order on the stump when the sun sinkIng -
Ing warned mo that it was time to leave.
The black ants were , however , now
quietly dissolving their numbers , return
ing by the way they came , leaving thulr
. dead on the fiold. On examination ,
k these all appeared to have lost their
JT logs on ono bide only , such disabling of
his antagonist being apparently the red
unt's method of fighting. The bodies
were mere empty shells , and with in-
uumorablo legs strewed the ground.
The bodies of the few red ants killed
were also empty shells. There apixsared
to bo little reason for the retreat of the
black ants , which were individually
much larger than the red , and outnum
bered them four to one. I watched the
organisation and warring of these ants
all the afternoon , full live hours , that
teemed less than half that time , so fas
cinating hud boon the occupation.
Being a country youth , working from
un to svin , I had no opportunity to revisit -
visit the field until the following Sun
day. Then I hastened to the nest of tno
black ants. I found it all torn uprooted
out and trampled down. But it plainly
had been an oval hillock , about a foot
high and about two by four foot In diam
eter. It had been built in a sandy spot
on the southern elope of the Held , with
the entrances to the south. Before the
entrances , for a space of eight or ten
inches out , the ground was entirely cUw
of any growth , and was as clean nnd flat
as n flagstone.
I picked up pieces of the roofing that
were nt-arly two inches thick. It was
composed of short bits of grass nnd dirt ,
the top overlaid with short pieces of
grass with the blades all pointing to
top of the roof. The under fide of thereof
roof was glossed orer with n hard , gutn-
like substance. The entrances were
about an Inch and a quarter in diameter ,
and smooth with tho. same substance. A.
few ants wore trying to rebuild the nest ,
and had already repaired the mound tea
a considerable extent. I
\ neighbor , noting my curiosity , told
mo that a bull put into the pasture had
torn the nest to pieces with his horns
and pawed the pieces about ; that the
ants in return had led him a dance over
the field. The pawings and bollowings
nnd mad antics that followed showed
that the black ant knew how to fight his
larger foe , though no match for the llt-
tlo red one. I went over to the stump ,
some twelve or fifteen rods away. The
red ants were gone. The roughest
treatment failed to call ono forth from
the stump. Not a trace of them was on
the ground about
Whether they had emigrated to a
more peaceful hcction , or had attacked
the blacks and been destroyed ; whether
the organized warfare I had witnessed
was simply to avenge the wrongs ol one
of their number , or the fight thiit first
attracted my attention was but the skir
mish of scouting parties and it had been
the intention of the black ants to steal
tholarvie of the red anta , as 1 had
known the honey boo to steal the Inrvto
of their enemies all remained a mys
tery.
tery.You
You cannot bo too particular about the
medicine you use. When you need u blood
purifier bo sure you pet Ayer'a Sarsaparilla ,
and no other. It will niinelo with ,
purify , and vitalize every drop of blood in
your body. It makes tuu weak strong.
'IhnNciv Metal and Its Possibilities.
Aluminum , aside from its lightness
and strength , is malleable , ductile , does
not rust , is as beautiful as silver , nnd is
much more abundant in its native ttate
than any metal in use , says Harper" *
Weekly. oCryolite , or Iceland-spar , is
the mineral from which it has been
mostly obtained , but It is a constituent
of clay and of other earths nnd prevails
almost everywhere. The statement has
been made that it composes more than a
twen4ieth part of the crust of the globe
The dilliculty is to secure it in a pure
state at a moderate cost. Much has yet
to bo learned also as to the methods of
using it , and there remains t-omo doubt
as to its adaptation to certain important
uses. But within the last half-century
its cost has been reduced from over &IO a
pound to less than $3and it is now being
put to practical use as an alloy.
Recently a series of tests to
determine the virtues of aluminum
bronze was made by government
naval officers at the Watertown ( Mass. )
arsenal. A tensile strength of 1)0,000 )
pounds to the square inch was shown ,
which is largely in excess of anything
before developed. The tranvcrto
strength of the composite metal was
found to bo GCOO jwunds to the square
inch a result which has bo in only
equalled by the finest quality of crucible
steel.
There are busy brains and hands con
stantly at work to reduce the expen&o of
manufacturing the pure metal ; and as
the incentive to success is very power
ful , their labors are not likely to bo dis
continued. Its capabilities , sooner or
later , are very sure to bo exhaustively
tested. If they provo as satisfactory as
there is reason to hope they will , and
the laboratory processes give way to
mill production at low cost , a wonderful
revolution in works of construction will
have been entered upon. How. far in the
future the desired end will be there is
no telling.
Remove two-thirds of its own'weight ,
without diminution of strength , from
the vast structure that connects New
York and Brooklyn , and its effective
ness for service , provided room were sup
plied , would bo correspondingly In
creased. Bridges of aluminum sup
posing always its qualities are truly rep
resented could bo thrown across
streams and ravines to span which is now
impossible. The capacity of steambhips
would bo similarly enlarged. Not only
would cargoes take the place of the
lessened weight of the body of the ves
sels , but also of that of their machinery.
Enough coal could be stored to indefin
itely lengthen voyages without freh
supplies. The cost of transportion would
be lowered in many ways , foreseen and
unfores-eon , and speed and safety in
creased ns well * The calculations of a
competent engineer as to the advant
ages to bo gained would nroduce
a showing difficult of belief rt
first. The Eiffel tower as a con
structive feat would sink into insignifi
cance. The field for architectural ad
vance would be all but unlimited. Ah
navigation would leap forward with a
bound if feasible at nil when its great
desideratum , a material combining
strength and lightness in a degree never
before known , or even approximated , hac
been secured , street cars , wagons , car
riages , etc. , would bo Improved , anc
save Immensely in draught power anc
wear and tear. Machines and instru
ments would partake in the benefits o
the cnango , and new ones invented tha
are now unthought of. These are bu
suggestions which experts in each par
ticular branch of mechanics can seize
the meaning of and nmplify. Should the
reasonable hopes of the aluminum workers
ors bo realized , mankind would seem U
have boon emancipated from a burden o
heavy material which it had be n wrest
ling with for ages , and posteritv vroulc
talk of the unspeakable waste of human
energy that had been involved in the use
of iron.
The now offices of the great Rock
Island route , 1002 , Sixteenth and Parnam
streets , Omaha , are the finest in the city.
Call und see them. Tickets to all points
east at lowest rates.
Pretty Husky Specimen * .
A North Dakota dispatch in the morn
ing papers made it out that the Indian
on the reservations up there were swiftl ;
going the way of all flesh nnd wouli
soon bo all good Indians , which is the
same as dead Indians , and that once
flourishing tribes were already but !
pitiful remnant , owing to the prevalence
of consumption , the influence of fire
water and the other ills that Lo i
peculiarly heir to , says the St. I'au
Pioneer-Press. If the writer of the
above could drop down Into the govern
ment building these days and t-izo ui
the numerous specimens' the Nort !
Dakota red man who lie about the corrl
dors awaiting their turn to appear b < 2
fore the grand jury , ho would feel like
eating every last word that ho has said.
For If over there was a plumper , health
ier , more robustious-looking lot of people
ple than the bucks , squaws and papooses
representing this contingent , they ex
isted back in periods unbeknown to
modern men. If they represent their
tribe fairly , it is in no danger of perish
ing from the earth for some cunturles to
come.
Tickets at lowest rates and superior
accommodations via the great Rock
Island route. Ticket office , 1602 Six
teenth and Furnaiu streets , Omaha.
How They Make Wooden Shoe * .
One of the moat Interesting places in
a Holland village la the "klomptn1
maker's ihoj > , where klompen , or wooden
shoes , nro made , says Anna Page Scott
in the September St. Nicholas.
Not far from Rotterdam , surrounded
bv high dikes , lies the little village of
lujsoord ; in that village , beside the
Skalkydi jk river , is a shop in which an
old man and his son work enrly and late ,
supplying the inmsants ( who never go
barefoot ) with shoes. There are at firt-t
roughly shaped from blocks of willow
wood , as a statue at first rudely outlined
by chipping the murblo block , and af
terward the shoes nro finished smocthly
with sand paper and pumice &tone.
The willow trees are grown for this
purpose and when they attain the re
quired slzo they are cut down , the
branches are trimmed off nnd only the
trunk Is used , being divided into blocks ,
each one of which is the length of the
longest shoe.
The work goes on without interrup
tion through the morning , unless some
friendly neighbor looks In over the half-
open Dutch door ; and this Is the oc
casion belzed upon by the two men for
refilling and lighting their pipes , and
drawing a few long whitTs , while they
lis-ten to a little village gossip.
Q At eleven o'clock the good t'vrouw' ' ap
pears at the door with "koillj , jongens , "
( collce , boys ) , and they follow her into
the adjoining room. It has a low ,
thatched roof of do jp-yellow rood ! ? , and
contains the great lire-place , wherein
damp weather the newly made shoes are
placed before the fire to dry.
All their food is cooked in the snmo
fire-place , excepting the bread , which
in every peasant's homo is supplied by
the baker.
The shoes nro piled round tno smolder
ing embers , often with , the tea-kettlo
simmering among them ; and while the
sap dries out , they give little groans ,
and sighs , as if they know the hiu-d fate
i waiting them when the time shall come
or them to cover the feet of some sturdy
) utch pea&ant or workman , and to clat-
er over the pavements of the town.
After this morning's refreshment ,
vhich all of the peasants enjoy , they re
turn to work.
_ _
I'UKSUiSl ) 11V SH VU1CS. .
I5tpcrlc cci > C Fishermen Iti
n ynclit off Jersey Const.
Townsend's inlet runs down to Here-
'ord ' inlet Stone harbor is midway be
t \vccn the two inlets , and is a famous
ilaco for shark fishing , bays the Phila-
Iclphiii Times. There occurred at Stone
narbor the rarest and raciest adventure
of this summer season. J. B. Ratcliffe ,
Lho comic actor , made up his mind to
take a day off with Eichtird Stevenson ,
a gentleman farmer from west Now Jer
sey. Sherman Todd's cat-rigged yacht ,
the "William Boothby was engaged.
"What surprised the party most was that
after an hour's hard fishing neither
fisherman could corral ontoti single bite ,
not oven a tiny blackfi&h. This was soon
explained. Stone harbor was full of big
sharks devouring the mo bunker& ,
chased in from the deep sea by the nil-
devouring mackerel.
Ilntcllflti , who is an all-around sports
man , always travels with a parrot and
a monkey , both given him by some of
his admirers in Brazil. Ho brought the
parrot and money with him to see the
sport. RatelifTo also brought on board
with him that latent and most effective
ngont of civilizntion , a repeating rifle.
"When the shark catno too near the boat
the actor fired his repeater into them ,
and the inlet soon ran red at ebb tide
with blood of the hungry man-eaters.
This raibud , as ho expressed it , "a
bloody great commotion among the
sharks , " who began forthwith to fight
each other.
There must have been fifty of them
Two of the mo&t conspicuous gave battle
In a sea war to the death. The man-
eater was fifteen feet long and the other
at least ten feet. Steven = on dropped his
bluefish line , and , against Sherman
Todd'e earnest remonstrance , picked up
a fish harpoon and let fiy at the biggest
shark and struck him square on the
spinal column. The shark dashed off
toward Avalon , pulling up the killick ,
lashing the water Into a white foam as
ho ran away with the boat as if it had
been a shell propelled by crack oarsmen
of the Schuylklll navy.
There was commotion on that boat
The monkey flew to the rigging. Ste
venson went below. The par-ot , who
had sat t-erenely aloft in his cage up to
this moment , began to scream. "Jim
Ratcliffe , give the shark h 1. " Rat
cliffe stood , rifle in hand , bold as the
boy who stood on the burning deck.
SlTerman Todd was cool enough to keep
the yacht in the channel and turn her
toward the drawbridge. All the sharks
pursued the captive.
Nearing the drawbridge the harpoon
pulled out , and the boat giving a sudden
lurch over went Stevenson in thirty feet
of water , yelling lustily. He is a' cap
ita , ! swimmer , but ho was in imminent
danger of being devoured alive by the
fifteen-foot shark , whose anger was
kindled as ho made vicious lunges at the
boat and with dull thuds struck her bottom
tom with resounding blows. Hatcliffe
refilled his rifle's magazine after throw
ing a life line to Stevenson , who strug
gled , a spent swimmer , to regain the
yacht Hatcllffe's good aim at the
school of sharks surrounding us clearly
saved Stevenson's life. He was soon
pulled aboard wet , but happy as "a
Laverock in alilt11
All the sharks within a mile gathered
around the boat. The fight was re
newed between the big and little shark ,
the fifteen-footer and his gamy and de
termined adversary. They tried to sail
away , but the big wounded shark came
up near the boat , took a flying lean , and
full plump into the bottom of the yacht
Jocko , chattering , flew to the top of the
mainmast and the parrot screamed with
rage : "Kill the d d shark and bo done
with it. "
There lay the monster thrashing the
bottom of the bout Stevenson disap
peared In the cabin , but RatelifTo stood
his ground , safe behind the big mast ,
with only two cartridges in his rifle. He
fired at the big shark , but in his nervous
haste , killed the little one. Stevenson
came up from below with new-born cour
age , seized the small axe and alined a
deadly blow at the vicious enemy , dap
pling the deck as with a trip-hammer.
The axe struck the shark on the tailand
up went his flukes with a tremendous
whisk , sending the axe spinning Into the
thoroughfare twenty feet away and
knocking Stevenson senseless near the
rudder post
Just as Rntcllffo was aiming his last
round at the shark's heart Jocko came
down from the rigging , seized abelnylng
pin which nobody else had fceonand gave
the big shark a resounding blow on the
back of the head , which made the mon
ster quiver like an aspen as the monkey
flow back again up the rigging like a
streak of greased lightning.
Ratcllffo was equal to iho emergency
and delivered bis last shot , ten feet
away , into the shark's brain. One con
vulsive throb and all was over. Jocko
came down from his perch up aloft and
Boomed as happy as a clam at high tide.
The parrott urccncd his feathers and in
shrill falsetto voice , cried out :
"We've won the bloody dayl"
A bucket of saltwater thrown overtho
prostrate Stevenson brought him back
to this mundane sphere , a place , ho.
1 says , "I am loth to quit by reason of a
blow from a shark's tail I" The two
sharks were weighed at Angleesea and
together turned the scales at 1,407
pounds. Ilatcllffo and the inonkej wore
the real heroes of the hour.
I Van Houton's Cocoa-Largest sale la thj
i world.
\ ) ' ttvf'PVTiinn
DESERTERS DEMURE ,
Trying Momenta in the Life of n United
States Soldier ; '
PRIVATE BROWN AND THE § IOUX INDIANS
the llcilskltyj Under Mani
fold IlUadvniilanos Ilyw ItFnrtil
xvitli Throe Men Intent on Kx
the Bloclc'lllUg Country.
About twelve years ago a private sol
dier Private Brown I'll call him was
stationed at ono of the United States
frontier posts. His military service had
not been of so long duration as to en
title him to the appellation of "veteran , "
ns his date of enlistment was a little less
than a year preceding the tragedy hero
related , says a writer in the Toledo
Blade. The regular routine of military
service hail become exceedingly irk
some to Private Brown. lie grow tired
of his post , of his duties , of his surround
ings , of everything pertaining to mar
tial life , and pined to throw off the
"bluo" ' and once more don the familiar
habiliments of a citizen. While- this
frame of mind the tempter cnme 1o Pri
vate Drown , andthoboldsoldier yielded.
unfortunately for himself , as the sequel
will show , and still more unfortunate in
their butaequeat adventures were his
companions.
At that timotho Sioux war was raging
Sitting Bull's warriors were committing
depredations all over that section , and it
was unsafe for persons , unle.- well armed
and in considerable numbers to leave
the post. Notwithstanding this state of
affairs every now and then * inall parties
of adventurers , sometimes only two or
three in number , would come Into the
fort , stop a ds y , and proceed on , gener
ally to the Black Uills , then the great
objective point of all western-bound wan
derers.
Ono day two men came into the fort
and , tarrying awhile , made the acquaint
ance of Brown. Being mutually agree
able they proposed to the soldier that he
accompany them to the Blac-k Hills. The
proposition suiting Private Brown ho as
sented thereto , and the next evening
they set oat on their journey , the soldier
dcMirting his command and taking his
rifle with him. They traveled all that
night , the deserter being anxious to
place as longan interval as poa&iblo be
tween himself and the military authori
ties.
ties.Thoy continued their journey more
leisurely the next day , taking a long halt
for breakfast , and resting two or three
hours for dinner.
Toward the close of the afternoon they
saw at a distance what they took to be a
herd of elk , which shortly disappeared ,
but in less than an hour again became
visible on a distant hill. From this time
the objects drew gradually nearer , nnd
abont sundown It wus discovered that the
supposed band of elk wu * a small party
of Sioux warriors , who , seemed to have
dekcted the adventurers early in the
afternoon , and had leisurely followed
them , purposely keeping at a distance
until tne tiiau for aeti&n had arrived.
Upon discovering who their pursuers
were , the white men immediately sought
shelter. Any they could find was inade
quate , but in that country , as is common
in the plains , frequent depressions nro
found in the ground , of' ' slight depth , in
which , if a man lie prostrate , ho is par
tially screened from any missile that may
bp directed at him. The three fugitives
speedily found and ensconced themselves
in separate rifle-pits as provided by na
ture , and awaited the onset The sav
ages , however , did not charge upon
them , nor did they for some time com
mence any offensive movements. After
the manner Of the Indians , they waited
until it became so dark that objects be
came indistinct , when they began to
circle around the besieged , riding faster
and faster , and occasionally discharging
their ritles , all the time yelling like
demons. Every instant the unfortunate
white men expected the entire band to
ride over them. During all this time
they did not fire a shot , partly because
tnoir supply of ammunition was very
limited , but principally because in tha
obscurity a shot fired at the swiftly
circling savages would almost certainly
bo thrown away.
After amusing themselves in this man
ner for an hour or more , the Indians
ceased their operations and apparently
withdrew , from the field. During the
remainder of the night until daybreak
all wus quiet Not a sign of nn Indian
was visible. The three adventurers ,
however , fearing a ruse , remained
In their holes , keeping vigilant
watch all night. Their suspi
cions were well founded. Just
as day was breaking , with a fierce yell
the Indians burst suddenly upon them.
This time they came in deadly earnest
Round and round tho.y rode , circling
nearer and nearer their victims , the
bullets falling about them like hail.
The as sailed endeavored toroturn the
fire , but with no effect , the savages rode
so fast , leaning on the farther side of
their ponies as they rode. The light
was indistinct , and moat unfortunate of
all , none of the whites were accustomed
to scenes like this , nor oven to the ordi
nary use of firearms.
Ono of Brown'scompanions , an elderly
man , was struck by a bullet. He could
barely gasp , "I am shot , " and died. The
three lay so near each other that con
versation in an ordinary tone could
easily bo carried on. The surviving
companion , shortly after his comrades
dcatn , proposed to Brown to "rise" and
"run for it. " As ho was speaking , he
unconsciously half are o. Hardly had
ho uttered the words when a bullet
pierced his head , and without a groan or
u struggle ho fell back dead.
Brown truly foil that his situation was
a desperate one. He was constitution
ally timid , but it has been said that a
coward when cornered it > the most for
midable of antagonists. Brown proved
no exception to the rule. Ho was most
emphatically cornered ; to run was im
possible , and to raise himself to an erect
position was almost certain death. There
wus no alternative but , to fight or die ,
with the chances strongly in favor of
death. Ho was more favorably situated
than either of his companions nnd been.
In the hurry with whicnthey had scram
bled for the holes ho h/id / chanced upon
the deepest one , and , besides , was much
better armed than they , having the
United States regulation rifle , with a
belt nearly filled with cartridges. After
the death of the last of his companions
he began to fire rapidly , taking ns care-
ul aim as ho could. lie shortly suc
ceeded in shooting one of the ponies ,
after which the Indians became
more wary. They continued , how
ever , n brifck fusilladn until day fully
broke , when the entire band suddenly
disappeared. All day long Brown laid
upon the plains , not daring to arise from
the depression which sheltered him for
fear that ho would become the target
for some unseen marksman , After the
withdrawal of his foes his natural tirnld-
3ty reasserted it elf , and his imagination
pictured an Indian behind every hillock.
Tales he had heard of Indian cunning
and perseverance in laying in wait ,
rushed upon his mind , and the real ter
ror of his situation was magnified by his
liaaginary horrors conjured up by his
fertile Imagination ? . All day long in
the hot sun ho lay , not daring to move ,
nnd expecting surely by nightfall that
his lurking enemies would again assail
him. But night came and no Indiana.
Complete darkness enveloped the plain ,
but no attack wiw made durine tha
night. Brown had such snatches of
feverish sleep as thirst hunger nnd fear
would allow ; but still ho remained in his
place. Ho still feared an attack at day
light , but when , after daybreak , no In
dians appeared , exhausted nature could
endure no longer. He fearfully crept
from his hole , nnd first of all ,
cxnmlncd the canteen of his nearest
dead comrade. To hi joy , it was hal.
full of water. Draining the contents at
'
a draught , ho next exa'mlncd their hav
ersacks for something to eat All ho
found was sou.o raw bacon and beans.
Ho greedily ate the bacon nnd munched
the benna , und without any hesitation
set his face toward the post , and begun
to retrace his stops which had led to the
scene of the tradegy. Obtaining all the
refreshments practicable from the bncon
and beans , filling his pockets with the
one , and with his hands full of tbo other ,
ho trudged nlono eating as ho went , In-
tontoti leaving behind him , us speedily
as possible , this scene of horrors. On
reaching the poM , which ho did early
the next morning , Private Brown
promptly reported to the sergeant of the
guaru , and was with equal promptitude
placed under arrest for des-ertion , for
which ho was subsequently tried , and on
his own confession convicted. The
stony-hearted authorities , although
sympathizing with his misfortunes , did
not allow their sympathy to influence
tholr verdict , and Private Brown was
sentenced to the usual term of two years
confinement in the military prison for
the crlmo of desertion.
Economy : " 100 doses for one dollar. "
Merit : "Peculiar to Itself. "
Purity : Hood's Sarsaparilla.
llll'EFOIt HUV
General Mncco on the Stale of
ThhiKH in Culm.
General Antonio Maceo , who was ono
of the leaders in the last Cuban insur-
rci'tion recently , arrived with his family
by the steamer Cionfuegos in New Vork
s.iys the Times , no has been exiled by
the new governor general of Cuba , Gen
eral Pahivlaja , who assumed the govern
ment of the island on August 2-5.
General Maceo was at Santiago do
Cuba ut the time. A lew days ago the
mayor of that city handed him a letter
that ho had just received from the gov
ernor general. In it the mayor was in
structed to inform General .Maceo that
it would bo best for him to leave Cuba
for some foreign country , and that ho
should sail by the first American
( learner that would leave Santiago.
The mayor was directed to pay the pas
sage and other expenses of General
Maceo and his family. Should General
Maceo insist on cull ng on the governor
general , the mayor of Santiago was to in
form him that the governor genornl
could not receive him. So General Ma
ceo and his family were pent on board
the Cieufuegos and came to New York.
General Muveo said that no reasons
whatever were given him , nnd ho could
not tell why ho hud been thus treated
except it was that the authorities of the
Island were jealous of his popularity
among all classes of the population. The
condition of affairs all over the island ,
General Maceo said , was very bad , in
commerce , politics and social life. The
administration , to begin with , was very
defective. The government employes
were badly paid , and their situations
were not permanent , for with every
change of the ministry in Madrid the
governor general of Cuba was also
changed , and so were all or nearly all
of his subordinates. Therefore every
body did his best to make as much money
as hu possibly could while he remained
in oflice. The result was corruption nnd
extortion everywhere. The head of a
department generally did the robbing
and then divided the proceeds with his
subordinates and supporters.
All this produced its natural effects
upon the commerce of the country.
There was a want of confidence among
merchants aribin from a feeling of un
certainty as to what the future might
bring forth. There was a lack of credit
and bubinesj was to a great extent
paralyzed. In the country districts
matters were no better. Banditti
abounded and extorted blackmail from
the planters. The civil guards were
greater ruffians and thieves than the
banditti. The latter had a sense of
honor , and after getting their blackmail
they kept their promise not to molest
the planters until the next season. On
the other hand , the civil guards had no
sense of honor.
General Chinchilla , the predecessor in
otllce of General Palaviaja , General
Maceo said , was a sincere nnd wise man.
Ho did all that ho could to ameliorate
the condition of the Cubans , but his
hands were tied by the corrupt ring by
which he was surrounded. His removal
was caused by the fall of the liberal min
istry. General Palaviaja was the ap
pointee of the conservative ministry.
General Maceo did not think that
Cuban affairs would bo improved under
Palaviaja's administration. The new
governor general had been a brigadier
in the Spanish army during the last
Cuban insurrection , and was without
any experience whatever in civil af
fairs. What Cuba at present needed
most was a man who had a thorough
knowledge of men and of civil affairs.
Taxes had been steadily growing heav
ier ; and dissatisfaction was found
everywhere. Many prominent Cuban
families who did not sympathize with
the last revolution were now thoroughly
disgusted with the administration. Gen
eral Maceo thought thatmost , of the
Cubans would be glad to overthrow the
Spanish yoke. The country seemed ripe
for another revolution , and was only
wailing the proper man to start it.
The only railroad train out of Omaha
run expressly for the accommodation of
Omaha , Council Bluffs , Dos Moin'js1 and
Chicago business is tha Rock Island
veatibuled limited , leaving Omaha at
4:15 : p. in. daily. Ticket oillco 1002 , Six
teenth and Farnain sts. Omaha.
CUJMOUS DEFINITIONS.
Wliat Mny Bo Found In the English
Dictionary of 1(12(1. (
New York Star : Many of the defini
tions In the English dictionary of 10"6
are amusing and some of them are ludi
crously absurd. The "polo" ' Is described
as "tho end of the axlo-trco whereon the
heavens do move"a very primitive ex
planation. The "Hebridcan wavo"seoms
raihcr a poetical substitute for the Irish
sea , and a "badgor"is a still mere extra
ordinary equivalent for a corn merchant
"ono that buys corn or other victual
in one place to soil it in another. " Still
dennlcr are some of the natural history
Definitions. A "baboon" is said to bo "a
Infatliko an ape , but farro bigger ; " a
"lynx" is "a spotted boast it hath a
most perfect sight , insomuch as it is said
that it can see thoraw a wall. " The ac
count of the "salamander" reads like an
elaborate joke "a small , venomous
beast with fouro feet and a short taile ;
It lives in the fire and at length , by his
extreme cold , puts out the firo. "
Turning to more general topics , wo
have the "alnhabet'r defined as "the
cross rowe of letters , " nnd "abcdorian"
is "one who teaches the cross rowe. "
According to Cockoram "an idloto" Is
"an unlearned asso ; " a "labourer" is u
"swlnkcr ; " nnd "nheretlck" Is sketched
more roundaboutly , but with a clear in
sertion of the right of private opinion ,
a > "ho which mnkcth n. choice of him-
selfo what poynts of religion ho will be-
llovo and what ho will not. " Then from
classic times the " "
"Olympic gamos" are
"solemn games of activity , " and "Am-
phltrlto" Is not as usual , the pod Joss of
the sea , but the "sea" itself. "Maine-
raaticks" and "mi\thcmatlclansaro
hardly dealt with.
The latter mean ? a "soothsayer , " and
the "sclenao , as defined , Includes nearly
all knowledge "tho arts of arithmetic ,
muslck , geographic , geometric , astrono
my , astrology , cosmography , " remind
ing ono of the triumvira and qujulrum-
vlum of the schoolmen of the Middle
Ages. "Actrcsso" has a very literal
and Interesting signification "a woman
doer , " but at this decudo of the seven
teenth century there were no actresses
In the modern sense ot the term , the fc-
male parts being then taken by boys
nnd young men. Women actors first
appeared In 1CCO.
Bail drainage eiiu es much sickness , nnd
bad Mood and Improper action of the liver
and kidneys l bail ilr.ilnafro to the human
system , which Uutilock Blood BittersronioJy.
in : PAID rim ms KKKSII.VKSS.
How Uic Captain of n Parlflc Steamer
Protected n Lady.
On a through eastern train of the
Pennsylvania road , ono day last week all
the scats in the car were taken except
two , says the Pitts-burg Dispatch. A
lady sat In one and a man from the west
with a big sombrero occupied the other.
He was a line looking , manly fellow , and
was taken by these around him for a
lawyer. At the next station un attrac
tive drummer got on the oar. Ho sized
up the situation at a glanco. The lady
was pretty and that settled it. Without
even asking her ho sat down by her and
at once commenced to malco himself
agreeable. She trio.l to avoid him and
looked out of the window , but the fel
low's gall was immaculate , and ho main
tained the one-sided talk. The west
ern man was calmly watching the pro
ceeding and stood it as long as he oould.
Going up to the lady ho said : "Madam ,
I too you are annoyed. Wouldn't you
prefer to have my scat ? " " 0 , thank
you , " she replied , "certainly , " and the
big man helped her to transfer her
valise , while the other passengers tit
tered at the drummor's discomfiture.
The latter was boiling over , but kept
his wrath until ho got to Altoona , and
then he demanded satisfaction for the
insult. The words were scarcely out of
his mouth before the western man
banged him on the jaw , nnd thun with
his foot kicked him around as n football.
"Stand back ! " veiled borao of the tickled
passengers. "Kick him hurdcrl" they
shouted together , and that drummer
finally crawled under a car to escape
further punishment , a wiser and sadder
wan. Lverybody wanted to know who
the western man was. Ho turned out to
bo the captain of a Pacific mail steamer
out on a vacation.
Change of life , bick oae , monthly
larities , hot Hashes are cured by Dr. Miles'
Nervine. Free samples at Kuliu &Co. , 15 : h
aud Douglas.
The Only survivor.
Fort Rilcy is now the headquarters of
the Seventh cavalry , made famous by
General Ouster in his Indian campaigns ,
says the Kansas City Star. The only
survivor of that part of the command led
by General Ouster at the buttle of the
Little Big Horn is Comanche , the dun
colored horse ridden by Colonel Keogh
who was slain early in the battle. At
midnight after the battle Comanche was
found on the fleld of carnage with scarce
ly a spot on his body that wsis free from
wounds inllicted by Indian bullets and
arrows. Another horse was found alive ,
but a leg was broken and it hud to bo
killed. When Comanche was raised to
his feet his wounds bled so freely that
the soldiers tore up the clothes of some of
their bravo comrades who had fallen a
few hours before and staunched the
flow of blood , thus enabling them to get
the suffering beast a few miles away tea
a steamboat where its wounds were care
fully dressed , after which ho was taken
down the river. Comanche is the hereof
of the regiraont. and has never been rid
den since his master fell. There is a
standing order that anyone who clevatrs
himself to Comanche's back shall at once
be court-martialed _ and summarily dealt
with. The her o is twenty-seven yenrs
old and _ his dun-colored coat is rapidly
turning gray.
Mrs. "Winslow's soothing Syrup is nu unex
celled uiediciuo for children while teething.
2o cents a bottle.
Conversation In .Maine.
A stock broker who was recently in
Maine was impressed very greatly with
the extreme cleanliness of the hotel at
which ho was a guest during n brief
stay in the town of Kittery , says the
New York Sun. It was kept by two old
maiden ladies. Ono morning the broker
heard a conversation between them.
"Jane , " called out one of thooldmnlds ,
who was at the head of the stairs , "O
Jane. "
Jane.Vell
" \Vell ? " answered Jane.
"Got some hot water from the kettle
and fetch it up here. I want to scrub
the floor. "
"They ain't no hot water in the ket
tle. "
"What ! no hot water in the kettle ? "
surpriscdly.
"No. No hot water in the kcttlo"
sadly.
"What ! No hot water in the kettle ? * '
sharply.
"No. No hot water In the kettle ! "
very sadly.
" \Vell , I bo durnedl"
M. L. Blair , alderman , 5th ward , Scranton ,
Pa. , stated Nov. , 'SS Ho hud usoj Dr.
Thomas' Elootrio oil for sprains , burns , cuts ,
bruises and rheumatism , Cured every time.
Books.
McPunnsoN's HANDBOOK OF POLI
TICS FOR 1300. Published by J. J. Chap
man , Washington , D. C.
Hon. Edward McPherson has issued
another volume of his handbook of poli
tics , covering the period from August ,
18S3 , to July , 18'JO. ' It is replete with
valu vblo statistics upon important
matters of public concern and
furnishes the texts of the principle
enactments of national and state legisla
tive bodies during the period covered.
It is quite up to ino standard of previous
volumes of the series and also contains
several now features. An interesting
chapter traces the history of the coinage
act os 1873 showing the numerous and
gradual steps by wnich the act demone
tizing silver became a law. A mlsun-
derstanding of the history of this law
has been the cause of n great deal of
controversy during the recent discussion
of the silver question.
1002. Slxteentn and Farnara streets Is
the new Rock Island ticket office. Tickets -
ets to all points east at lowest rates.
rrlrnary , Ffcondarj or Tcrtlarr w-nnanentlj cured
In iO to VO d.ji. V tiitr.li.atc > ill poion Iron the
ev * la'or.y form. 1'trtiea can Ui tn.-aiwl it li"r. , ( for
tbo anne priro b. v n\ M > itd uiulrr tl
rine piaran O V pMi I I If > " C' l ' "
tboievhopre X f I'H I I I X hr to come
lore , e -llJ I I I E I El J contract to
cue them or * I " ' 'ref tind all
monrj and 7 ) entln ezrmxe of comlnr , rallnjid far *
and hotel till ) . V.'cchallirir * tbtvurldfor cat i v
cannctrure. Urntlonihliixpcr , Addrrrn ,
COOK ItEVEJtY CO , , Omaha , Xeliraflia ,
Office. 5t.CUlrlIotelCor.Uth and DoJi.eSt
Omaha Manufacturers ,
Bootrf Anil Shoes.
KIRKKNDALL , JONES it CO. ,
Wholesale Manufacturers ot BOOJS& Shoes
JfenUfor notion lubber Phor Co. , lib ] , 1104 indllot
lltrnay Sttf U Omaha , .S > b.
HrovrrH.
BTORZ * IL.ER ,
lager Bcci Brewers ,
1M1 Ntrth 1Mb Street , Omshn..Neb.
EAGLE CORNICE WOHKS ,
Manufacturers of Galvanized Iron Cornice
Window eap nd mrUIIcikrllnbli. John Kprnrter ,
fronrlftor. W and 110 South IWh trrrt.
ArttMn * Matcrlali * .
A. HOSPE , Jr. ,
Artists' Materials , Pianos and Organs ,
IMS IK > ujl : Street , Omaha , Neb.
l
Coal , , Coke. Kto.
" " *
"oMAIlACbAL , COKE AND LIME CO. ,
Jobbers of Hard and Soft Coal.
1. E. Cor. IClh and Doulai Btreeta , Omaha , Neb.
Clgnrn.
DEAN , AHMismONG & CO. ,
Wholesale Cigars ,
OSN If.th Street. "Hello PUSS.
Dry Goods niul Notions.
M. E. SMITH It CO. ,
Dry Goods , Furnishing Goads and Notions
Corner llth mid llonird Street * .
KILPATRICK-KOCH DRY GOODS CO. ,
Importers and Jobbers in Dry Goods ,
eenU'l'urnlihlnsOood * . Corner llth and lUmiy
BtrrclK , Omaha , Neb.
I' " ii rn It tiro.
DE\VEY At STONE ,
Wholesale Dealers in Furniture ,
rarnnm StreetOrontu , Nobraika
CHARLES SHIVERICK ,
Furniture.
Dumb * , Nobr kn.
Groceries.
McCORD , BRADY & CO ,
\Yholcsalc Grocers ,
li > lh naU Tcnirorth Streeli , Orniha. Xtbmnta.
Lumber , Ktc.
"
" "
o.vr. DOUGLAS "AS"co. ,
Dealers in Hardwood Lumber ,
Turd 1310 X ICtli ft. , Onuha.
*
JOHN A. WAKEFIELD ,
Wholesale Lumber , Etc. , Etc.
Incortcc ) and American Portlntid Cement. fllat *
afentJor Mll * uke Hr < lr ullo Cement , and
Qulncr While Mnio.
CHAS. R , LEE ,
Dealer in Hardvood Lamoer.
Wood oarptti nni ( r rquct npnrtnR , Bin and Doucla *
Btrccto , Umnba , Kebraiko.
FRED W. GREV ,
Lnmbcr Lime Cement Etc. Etc
, , , . , ,
Corner Wh nnd Douulin Street" , Omaha ,
Millinery ami Notlona.
iToBERFELDER & CO. ,
Importers and Jobbers in Millinery ,
MS , SlOandSl ! South 11th ( trout
Notions :
J.'T. ROBINSON
Wholesale Notions and Furnishing Goods ,
1K4 llnrnej utroet , Gmahn.
CONSOLIDATED TANK LINE CO. ,
Bolesale Refined arid Lubricating Oils ,
AxUirttJie , tc. , Omaha. A. . 11. lllihop , Mnnnjfr.
_ Paper. _
CARPENTER PAPER CO. ,
Wholesale Paper Dealers.
Curr a nice itock ol prlntlnc. wrapplnj and wrltlnj
papir. Special attention clvcn to card paper.
Safes , Etc.
L L. DEANE it CO. ,
General /cents tor
Halls' Safes ,
JJl infl 333 Sou til 10th St. . Omaha.
_ Toya , Ktc. _
H. HARDY te co ,
Jobber ! ol
Dolls Albums Fancy Goods
Toys , , , ,
! ! oo e KurnlihlnR ( ] < > udi > . Children' ! C&rrtaget. 124
Varmun Rtrwl. Omaha. Kfb.
Water .
Supplies.
_ _
U. 8. WIND ENGINE & PUMP CO. ,
Steam and Water Supplies ,
Halllduj- Kind mills , nil and VMJonci it. , Omaha.
0 , f. ! Uio > , Acttnt lanaj'cr. !
Iron Works.
PAXTON A : VIERLINQ IRON WORKS ,
Wrongbt and Cast Iron Building Work ,
Knelno , brain work , General foundry , machine ua4
blacfcimllh work. UMIcc and works , U. 1 * .
KT. and 17th itract , Omaha.
OMAHA SAFE If IRON WORKS ,
Mani'rs ' ol Fire and Burglar Proof Safes ,
Vnulu , Jail work , Iron nhuttcrs rind tire c enpe
U. ADdreen , ijrop'r. Cor. Ktb and JacUBon Sis.
Bash , Doors , Ktc. . *
H. A. DISBROW &c CO. ,
Wboleiale miriuf acturcn of
Sash , Doors , Blinds and Mouldings ,
Branch oBce , Itth and Itard itrcoti , Omaha , Neb.
"UNION STOCK. YARDS CO. ,
01 South Omaha. Limited.
Nt-BHASKA
National Bank
U. 8. DEPOSITORY , OMAHA , NEB.
Capital. . . - - $40OOO <
Surplus Jan. 1st , 189O - B7OO <
Ofilcennnd IHrectori-OIenry W. Vatoi , ( 'resident
L Kl .S. Heed , VicePretiaent ; JumeiW urn its V ]
V.Morne.JbhnH. Colllnt , U. C. Cuililnf , J. N , I
I'aUick , W. 11. B. Uin-liea , ciiUler.
Ti-im IRON BANK : : .
Corner Kill and ITarnam Sit.
A Genera ! IliiuUnc Ilutlnuu Transact * ! .
"
COMMERCIAL
National Bank.
Capital , - S4OOOOI
Surplus , - 44.0CK
Oniceri nnd Dlrrrtorn A , 1' llcpklni , prvildnt
W U , Mial , Tlrn iire.ldont ; AlfriMMHUr-J cs.iilil.-l
y II. llrrunt. Militant caililrr. Chitrlei Turnon
1 * H. Wniami. B. .U. Muriiuian , W U Mar , E. a
WANTED
ISSUED DY CITIES ,
COUNTIES. UCHOOI
, . DISTRICTS , WATCB
.elicited.
Correipondtnce COMPANCB. | CTO
KVHARRIS / * COMPANY , Backer *
IOI-I03 Deorborn Street , CHICAGO
70Bt U tr * U B01TOU.