THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : FRIDAT. MARCH 10. 1899.
S
[
PHIL DENNETT'S "HIGHBACK. "
Bf JOHN BOYD CLARKE.
_
/ ii AAftfi * a
fCorrript 1SB iy John Bej d
I > ottpd t'V r the prkt grain
KiniHota art many little
tie * of anprtnti'd plank / ttag * * . or ev i of
"nod" btMMiW , wliof Jjihtbiteiits poewot
ttore nf tbt tharacterliiUc * of th * old-Unit
"Yankee" tatia the premnt cmcBphDU ; of our
New Englsed bomentMite. And tb * rewon
lor lids U jtJuln. Thw * western Tmakeet
are Unco4 flissoeaauntF of our \ > * m ; > arttaB
ntoBk aafl la migrating ; o tlitrtr prMrte
hatnet , from the ruppod New EBsln&d hill
farat. tciok the i. * ullfcrlth-r wrf tewnfllj-
virtues ol tholr sncei-ttirB with timn. T > w-
ton "culture" hat been ClterBfl over ihti TCew
England farm fcdf nfl the old-tiae T n-
kee , nr the olfl-Jft hloned T nlec commn-
nlty. IB an ImptisriWllty in the cast
But these wewternnrr dlfplay tht InduBtry
tad frugality of their ancestors They are |
b hard worklni ; people whnnc pleanures come | ,
labariouhly. Tor ( light mouths in the year j
It is a tup with nature lor the nt-ceBsWes ,
aad a few ot the luxuries of life the other .
four nonthB they are miowliounfl. It it in ! '
tlrfs neasnn. when the tnow mantlw ; the |
prairies and Uie He kinc frttnrs the wstor I
'
courses , however , that the Minnesota , boys
nnd plrls finfl moKt of tholr plenum-el ; .
It is inwinter that "school keeps" aad
pome of the pupils are well .crown youths
and maidens There is little time lor odu-
catJon during the rest ol the year and the
tmbltious are not ashamed to show their
Knrloty lor "boot learninc" The pchool-
house , usually In the center ol the widely
rcattcred eoinmunltj. is the headquarters
lor all Junketing and frolics If the school
master happens to If musically Inclined , so
much the hotter. There If bt once a slnplnp
school established Jor one evening In the
week.
Several years tpo. In a community o ! thlr
kind , known as Sassalras Bottoms , the
younp jieople lormefl a Blnplnc dub , which
met at the Hchoolhouse on Friday evenlnps.
The people of the Bottoms made up a typ-
iral Mlnncsntan community there were
none very rich and lew very poor. The
younc people hud all met each other in the
common school that pretit leveler of class
distinction and there were few cliques.
There was one familj a recent acquisi
tion to the Bottom ? which was rather an
exception to this , however. They hat ! lived
name years down St. Paul way. in a much
more thickly nettled pan of the state , and
were inclined to look down a little upon
their new nelphbors. Especially was thlr
true of the non and dauchter. Hiram Ball
I was a little spick-and-span fellow , with dart
complexion and eyes and hair as Mack as
coal. He was very pallant with the ladles.
tnd was inclined to snub some of the hoys
In a way -which they could not resent ex-
ceptinp in their heartB. Hit sister Mira
T-as u pretty little lirunettr. hut the. lite
her Brother , had such an exalted opinion of
her own Importance thnt she was not very
popular. In fact , the cominp of the Ball'
to Sassafras Bottoms was the sowlnc of
discord in the social life of the com
munity.
The winter of which I write -began with
a peed fall of snow the day before Thanks-
plvinc. and at once the boys cot out their
slelphs and planned to take the clrls to
ride. Therr were all Bnrts and conditions
of clelphR. from , the woodfled with a car
riage seat affixed and the ordinary "punc"
to Phil Dennett's old-fashioned "hichback. "
Phil Dennettwas the acknowledced leader
atnonp the younp fellows of thf Bottoms ,
' and itis considered Bomethlnp of j.n
honor among the plrls to be invited to share
his fileiph to and Iron : sinplnp school. The
old hichback a hupe box affair , which hnd
often held a merry party of six quite com
fortably was an institution in the Dennett
family. It had belnnced to Phil' * preti-
uncle and Phil patched and painted it
every fall -with a sort of veneration.
Phil was a merry , pood-tempered fellow ,
and. us 1 have hinted , the plrls of hit ac
quaintance -were plad to po sleiphing with
him. But lor two or three winters past
there had been fewer frolics in the old high-
back. Phil had neemed to prefer talUnp one
younp lady at a time : and that fortunate
person was always the same the doctor's
dauphter. Myrtle Kemp. Other pirls who
may have secretly "set their cajis" at the
niK , pood-natured younp farmer , had to
turn their ryes elsewhere jierforce.
Hiram Bill happened to pans the Dennett
place the mornine after the first now fall
and saw Phil's box sleiph 1n the yard.
\Hollo. Dennett' " he exclaimed. " 'Where'
you pet that ark ? "
"Don't you like the looks of It ? " queried
Phil coolly.
"Jt looks like a relic of the mound build
ers. " said HI , with a leuph.
"Don't s'pose your sister would care tope
po eleiphing with me. eh ? " responded
Phil.
" "Well , hardly in that thlnp. "
"Allripht : J shan't ask her , then. "
"Say. yon don't really mean to say that
you'd ask a pirl to po to ride with you in
that ? " demanded Hi , confidentially.
Phil looked at him calmly , but with o
spark of fire Sn hie vyeMlf you wait till
Prlday nipht , you'll nee the nlcent pirl in
these bottoms ridlnp On tt , " he said. "Myrtle
Kemp , 1 mean. "
The shot told , for It was an open secret
that Phil wns not the only fellow vJio wor
shiped at the Rhrltie of the doctor's daucb-
t T.
T.Mrytle
Mrytle Kemp war almost the only sdrl
in he neipbborhond whom Mils Ball put
iherself out ta become friendly with , and it
war. whispered thas that was entirely Jor
her brother's sake. Most of the ynunp men
of tbt Bottom ! , had lone Move decided that
Itjll had outclassed them in Myrtle's favor ,
but Hiram Bull wac bound by no such lu
ll uf. In truth , althouph Phil hod made tip
Ms mind recording Myrtle. IIP was not t
all sure chat she hcd mode up her mind
repardiap him. and the poor fellow did not
dart- risk ' nilnp to the lesur with tie doc
tor's dauphter.
Mct of the boys wei * two busy nmtinc
ell secure ubout the farmsteads for tlie
-winter ( ttint trret full of f > new had come a
Ihtle uucxixrtedly ) to do much iJelphinp
jircvlouk to Uie nlpht of the slnplnp club
The heavy wapous and wooadwl * hud by
that timr. beaten t ve.ry fair pash in the
bntiw. Phil bad not seen Myrtic. but it v-ut
qultf undrr&tood between them thut litv.ut
Llwnys to f-top for her on his -wiy to ttie
KDbuol house. The da * b < ifore , Thursday
eumebnay told him in Che Ftontthiu III Ban
Jiai po : a new tJolph.
"It's COIBO up on the last trip of the rlvcir
rteemw Mime 'wuy trom St Paul " jlfl ills
Sulernnai "An * thej. . ' sity it's & hummer
AB rod on * yallor. an' bHvw b 4l * o te the
liaftK He'll out oeme o' JHU boys out vnt
the pals this wiutar. "
ItAl hcarciiiy thoupht this proUabic. how-
rrer. Hi was men umxtpular with tbt-
end WBC hardly Uk d by the pirlK
hit pallautry. But Phil hud y c
to Ipam that the jrlittnr of plh ic oh c
aiirttktii tor < * pl &m uf pur * puW
Hn C&TJMIEEW ! hit tm.t hors l t * tlie liox
tluipt u the usual time , and < ; out for
tiir dOBWu-'e bouw : Par up thi roA !
4 p out nf a Ude laar nhici l d to tt *
Hull turrn there was B 8ot > h of r end yul-
lew. Ic WHS Hlrem's new > '
h4 d Hiram'c paeer tt quickly 4
{ ram I'bil'r ficht He ) or ! ( ! d alone tuoier-
itWUr Tbwrtw f ] il Dty of time Ikrforr tiie
Klnclnp school bepac
1\hpn cc rro'it ? " } ic } - 'ore ' * * ci i-
be noi"f J Shu' a i - g" < ra1 r" * ; ' hr
tc'c'e h m , tor ie - : ] * ee the " -s * - l -
b' r1 1 hud no suspicion of the
nit- : hi fc aw-kiti'd him.
Tbir.llj InUf dnrtor met nla at tbt
porct dnor
T'-u r U > P late , Phil' " he exclaimed ,
laurhmp in hit urufcl bolitterout manner.
"Myrt r cunt "
"Hey : " drawlei tbt sujtonfch fl Phil. "Sat
bic't cone lUont" "
"Bleat you , w > ' " cried the doctor "Hlrata
Ball Jtwt cfcoie in htr new elelgh and took
ln-r. 1 teU you -what , Fhtt. Hi's polng to
cm hll yon < boy But with that new cutter of
his"
Phil ellartied buck into the old hlphbiick
ana drove sway without a word. He waf
6hm6 and bitterly disappointed He was
half-minded te turn < bbck and not po to th
Si-buolhrnmr bt ulL But then , pride coming
to hl rescue , he would not do that Ho
thought once of going around iby some other
plrl's boUM and "flpiu-ing" Myrtle in that
way. But Phil wat. first of all. Just , there
mlpbt li a mlRtLke. Myrtle mipht have
thought he was not coming Perhaps fht
hud been told he wut > not , he 'believed ' HI
thorouqhly unscrupulous So he droic on
alone to the schoolhoui-e and hitched Black
Bob 3 to the rail .bteldo Hi's handsome new
turnout. It was a pretty cutter rather toe
licht for country trtvel and he could
jtcaroely blamt any pirl lor wanting to rifte
"Tn it
The other fellows had gathered around
und "thoupht" many thlnps when Phil drove
up alone , but nolK > 2y cared to thaff the big
fellow. A mastiff it usually pood-natured ,
but there are some liberties that even a
mat > tis will not allow.
The boys and pirl * spldom sat with each
other unices it was awell understood fact
that they were engaged and Myrtle was in
the midst of a bevy of chattering friends
when Phil entered. She seemed to talk all
the faster as he appeared , and an unmis
takable blush arose to her cheek. Secretly
the dortor't daughter knew the hai treated
her old friend meanly.
Phil calmly took his seat , tout before thf
evening was over he found an opportunity
to speak a moment with ( Myrtle in private.
"Will you ride home with me. Myrtle ? "
he aikod.
" 0. 1 must go ( back with Mr Ball , " she
said , nervously. "I have promised "
"You knew il wut coming for you , " he
laid , quietly. "Will you po back with me ? "
"I'll 'i ' e glad to come with you ntxt week ,
Phil , " the said.
"I don't want you next week , " l < e sail ,
flashing are. " 1 want you tonight"
"Tiry well ; if you don't want me next
week you are not obliged to have mt ! " re
sponded Miss Blyrtie. with her head up.
The red and yellow cutter stopped at the
doctor's pute the nest Friday night ; Phil's
higb-bact went around toy the other roaii
There wat nothing more said S > y either ,
neither could their friends pump anything
regarding the estrangement out of them
d Hiram Ball , wisely , sealed his own lips
Phil did not miss a session of the singing
club. He seldom called for or drove any of
the girls home , if he did it was alwtye
somebody who otherwise would have been
neglected. He told himself that Myrtle
should fcee he was no weather-cock. And.
in truth. If ne could not have the girl of his
choice he wanted none at all.
The winter drew toward sprlnp. There
had been a thaw in February which almost
spoiled the foleiphlnp , but when it crew
cold upaln the ibtri-pacttd enow froze solil
and the runners fairly hummed over the
roads- The wiseacres , tea , declared that
the winter was by no means over. There
was a big storm due , aad fae longei it de
layed the more severe It would prove when
it finally came.
One Friday , late in the month , the snow
banks began to pile up around the horizon
and the farmers hastened to pet their fcheep
into the folds and make all secure for the
night. Tbm was little wind , how ever , and
the etorm crew fclowly Phil wat late at the
Elaglnp club that nipht. It was well under
way when he entered , and as he came in be
broupht with him a sudden cold Wast of
wind. The first Cakes of the coming storm
sparkled on his bearskin coat.
"You had ( better close early , Mr. Emery ,
be whispered to the master ar he passed tea
a s at. "There it going to be B heavy pale
But it is hard to Riretk up a merry ? wty
of young people. The fine enow sifted down
about the fcchoolhouse and packed hard over
the doorttone. Had they len without they
would hnie heard now and then the snap-
pine of the crer-laden branches of the
. The scbool-
forest trees i > ehind the building.
bousf etood upon the verge of a wood.
By the time the session broke up the
wind had risen and was moaninp unprily
through the iorest. It swept the Enow
fiercely into their faces as they breasted
it , too. It "was " astonishing how much had
alieady fallen.
Even-body "but " Phil and the master hur
ried to pet away. The latter lived at the
nearest farm house almost within stone F
throw of the school and Phil bad a quet-
he wanted ex
tion or two in algebra
plained. Although the young farmer did not
attend the rejrular sessions of the school he
nevertheless fipent his evenings at home in
studying such "books " as be had previously
had no opportunity of dipping into.
"Come Phil , you'd best hurry along your
self " said Mr. Emery. C ° lnc to the dcior
'
and'receiving the full Ptrtnpth of the pale
in his face. "Why. it's a blizzard : "
"I'll tee you home first , ' said Phil , laugh
ing "Black Bob IB thf best horee in a
storm ia the Bottoms I shall get home all
r
They dug out the old box sleigh and
backed the toip black out of the horse shed.
The others wore already out oJ Bight and
hearing Phil and tht waster tumbled into
the fclelph and Bltck Bob quickly drew
them through the itst drifting snow to the
mastt-j's ulKidc.
"You'd better rpenfl the nlcht here , Phil ,
said Mr. Emery.
"Noncnf.i' " rtvponded the young fellow ,
with n laugh
-Wril you've a peed horse and Just the
sort of a blfligh lor the Btorm. The wind
-will be behind you most of the way , too
That light cutter of BaH's will twe hard
tonight. "
The teacher's last sentence repeated It-
[ bolt D\DT end over in Phil's mind as he
drovt toward home. Perhaps that was why
he turned into the roafl which passed the
fliictor's 'bouse , instead of taking thf more
direct route home There -was little diCfr-
enc * it > the distance , but Phil had not been
in the h-bit of using that road of late Thf
sionn WUE phenomenally fierce.
Black Bol > breasted the snow nobly arid
responded to Phil's verbal enoourapemcnt
without his recourse to the whip , tnd he
was UmoBt past the dootor't before be
kjitw it He could not see thf house , tbf
driving snow hid thut. but he rtwopnlred
the Wg Wack pum in the fence oornor. HI [ I
ani Myrue muat have pot along long before
_
fore At loaat he had not passed them on
the road. .
"Gut UP. old 4my ! " said Phil "They'll
l.wtij' him all night , no he's in no danger
If b * it it isn't uur nf our business ! "
PiflpoB mtJiuUf later Black Bob euddeul 3
| iu > wd of hie own oeeorfi.
! "WtOr wfaJit's up now ? " demanded Phil. .
in wtmiw Th aid farm horse whinnied
loudly and bor&r to Phil's ears in reply.
i terntlr yni oeruu&ly , wae the whinny of
auotlMir Itort * .
"By George1 It's a horse. " criBfi Phil
He Fttiofl is ; aufl listened The whinny -was
rii ( . t-3 tr.i a"1id to it were the tours
r I a i. man VP."E
-itt i utl-Cy c -he road , " thosigH PhH
' And dollar * to douchautt H' that toot ,
Bui M tnuch * * bt bated Hiram he could
scarcely leave him anaMtatH ! in surt b
storm as thfc. The mad ran thrrupb E nn-
ftnt-ed jiriarir Jt w-a very earr mdwd
to pet o tb track Phil palled Black Bob
out of tbf road anfl urged hlai throupt the
drtfu in the fitreethin of the erlef ef dl - ,
tre s The MJOW rwtrled altmit them to a j
mighty fihroud. He r < P pBizfd the risk tot 1
look in leaving the trial , bat what e > lc
ooaJd he do"
He shouted as Black Bub jirrcrwd on , but
tbt voicet in front deemed to recede. It
was ten minutes or more ere he came ic
night of a mistily outlined object in the
enow a horse and cutter half burled in the
drifts.
Phil Jmrst out Lt once , "What the
dickens did you want to run away from me
for" " he yelled. "Hey. there ! do you hear j
me. Bull ? Can you turn your burntt
around ? " I
But it was not Hi's voice that replied.
Instead s-Ptnebody cried , t.nd la a tout
almost rapture
"Thank God ! It Is PhlL"
Phil was out of the fileigb and had
struppled through the snow to the cutler In
an instant. "In hea\en's name , how came
yon here. Myrtle ? " hr caspel. Hirata was
huddled upon the teat by the girl's eldc ,
speechless from cold und fright.
" 0 , Phil' " she cried , "it it really you ?
Can you sate tis : We went by the house , 1
puesi , it stormed BO wt did not know it. "
" 1 reckon you did go by the house ! " ex
claimed Phil. "And you're a long way off
the road now. I've been following you lor
fifteen minutes. Black Bob beard your
horse squealing or 1 should have paused
right by without being nny the wiser. "
"What Khali we do * " demanded tbt pirl.
"We can't turn this tlelgh around. The
horse is almost played out. "
"What's the matter -with him ? " inked
Phil , pointing to the silent Hi.
"He's hUf frozen. "
"And he's pot more than half of the
rolxiE , tot > " ' said Phil in disgust.
"He needs chem mor than 1 do , " apolo
gized Myrtle. "You won't leave him here
to freeze ? " she addel , in sudden terror.
"That'E just like a woman when etie lover
a man. " thouphrt poor Pill. "Alwtys think
of him firm. . " Aloud he said : "We're none
of us going co freeze if I can help it. Sit
where you are till 1 unhitch your horse. Wf
might us well give him a chance Jor his
life. "
When he bepan to do this , however , Hlrom
aroused bimself.
"What are you doinc. Dennett ? " he cried
"If you let the .horse loose we're 3ost ! " He
seized the whip and tried 10 reach Phil
with it. The Iborse liepan ao plunge.
Phil sprang forward and caught the -whip
awty Irom the other's hand. "Ket-p qulei' "
he said , sternly , "or I'll warm you with thlr
lash myself : "
Hiram fell back and rwore. Myrtle shrank
away from him , but Phil did not see her.
He had turned his attention to the restive
liornf again , and soon made him free.
"I'm afraid , " be said , gravely , "that we
cannot pet out of here till it stojtf snowing
1 am polng to unhitch Black Bob tad we
will til come back into my sleigh. . "
"I'm polng to stay here , " prowled Hiram.
"We'll do whatever you Bay , Phil , " de
clared Myrtle.
Phil lo .ead Black Bob from the shafts
and the two horses plunged away into the
storm. Then , after vast labor , he partially
cleared away a snowbank and luraed the
huge , old-fashioned hiriback over. It
would have sheltered half a dozen quite com
fortably.
"Come back here now" " he thouted to
tie couple half buried In the smaller sleigh.
Tlhe Ctrl Btrupcled out , but Hiram refused
to moxe. "Stay ( there , then. , and be a derned
fool : " PhD exclaimed , wrathfully , end he
half carried Myrtle to the overturned sleiph
and placed her among ithe warm robes.
"Youwill not let him Btcy there to freerr
to death' " she -whispered , pleadingly.
"Make him come. "
"All right. " responded Phil , toitterly , anQ
went hack and droe Hiram out of the cut
ter , secured all the robes , end made him join
MjTtie under the hignbock. Then the bmve
fellow crawled in himself , and let the box
sleigh settle down about them. In a f = w
minute * they -were burled by the driving
snow.
"We must get Myrtle between us , " said
Phil. "She will > hewarmer there. If this
old blizzard doesn't last too long somebody
will be along to dig us out tomorrow. "
Ball yielded the warmer position to thf
girl with a very ill grace Thf common
metal underneath the gilt was showing'
very plainly Myrtle turned her back tipan
him completely. She end Phil spoke to
gether only in whtepers
"Dear Phil , " the said , "we should have
djed had yon not come. "
"Humph : The old highbnck it peed for
something ate. pinch , " remarked Phil , with
pardonable maliciousness.
"And old frlendr prove the most faithful
In the end , " whispered the doctor's
daughter.
Phil simply pruntea- But when , a. mo-
'
ine.nt later , he found the -was softly crying ,
i with her nose buried in the colftir of hlF
i bearskin coat , he threw injured pride to
'
the win dr. and just put his arms around
her. What he said and what she said after
that was none of Hiram Ball's business ; nor
is it any ol yours , inquisitive reader.
j In the morning , when the storm had
I ceased , a searching party discovered the
horfee in a little grove off the trail , where
they htid taken shelter , and Boon afterward
found the overturned sleigh , ana the three
j ' castaways all worm and secure Hiram Ball 1
left his useless cutter where it lay , but Phil 1
dug out the old highlj&ck , and drove Myrtle
i home in it. and when the sleighing was good
i the next winter he brought the doctor s
'
daughter to einging school as his wife.
,
\rn Tnnv : VETERANS.
|
Survivor * ol Civil \Vnr n -mberpd
li > the Grurrtil GUI rrniurnt *
WASHINGTON , March 8 ( Special. )
j Petsionr Ume been issued us follows.
IbBue of February 22
Nebraska Original Mary J Shoemaker ,
West Union. Jfi Increase Adam D. Cole-
i man , Hebron , $ f. to J5 > . Charier G. Fischer ,
' Nebraska City , tl to H4 IluiBsue and In
crease David Stephens. Raymond. * C to tK.
i Iowa- Original Charles Volkert , Du-
buque. JU Additional James Waddoll. St.
, Charlee. J4 to fit Increase James , M.
Reynolds , Richland , $ fe to til Original Wid-
' owb , etc , Viletta Freeman Rome , 16 ; Hen-
riPttb O Jonee , . Oflccolk , 112.
i Wyoming Orlglual tViaowt , etc. Mary
G&rland , Cheyi-nne. : ( .
. North Dakota Original Widows , etc.
! Roxey L. Ellenoa , Homen , ft.
' _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Pur ttir Public Good.
I In another pun of this p&pur appeare an
aavrrtisemeni worthy tht rctding as it's
for the public peed It lelle of a Frtii dlr-
' tribution of Doun's Kidney Pills , t remedy
, for Kidney lilt Resd it. and cU ) at Kuun
iCe . pharmacists corner l&tb utid Doug-
las , Omaha Nub . Saturday , March nth
]
' Mor - Munrr fur Couir I nlon.
I NEW YORK March & Deeds htn f been
Kipned by the helrt of Peter Cooper by the
i terms ol which J..SO.dOO will Inudded
evcntuully to the endowment fund of the
Cooper union This sum IE the principal
of the truBt fund left by Peter Cooper for
1 the support of hie family fader the agree-
merit between the helrt his tntir * estate
will thus biae bite devoted tfcthe instltu-
tlon which ha.founded ThU bcRltion to the
endowment will bring the total git en to the
Institution by the Cooptir family up to fl.-
rCOO.OM , not incluaicf JHd.OOO clven by Ed-
wara Cooiwr. Mrt. Sornh Amelia Hewitt ana
Abram S Hewitt for remodeling the build-
ing
Before the dlecoveT of Orr , M-.cute Couch
Cure mlnwrer were greatly disturbed br
cnurh-tc cotiprt-gtuciuL. Jso cxcuet far It
row
BLACKS BANDED FOR BLOOD |
The X&nips of Debt. , Ssnacosi Lotrae ef
tie Wadd.
MEMBERS TURNED LOOSE IN HAVANA
In Mmrr nnd C .ntltitu-d
X atcr Si > finlli POT T Srrlon *
Problem t r Atnfrlrn.n
Amtinritlt-h.
Thrf ure anany jt > l lf in * . . . . , . , . n4lv
think that one t f thf n o t * eriau * anfl dlS0
cult uiiOurtaWticf which now confront the
American autharltlee it the rupprcMioc of
the IfcHKwr , . or rather Infboiout. Naulrt * M > -
ciety. For mi > more has this desperate
band rf raurflerert raised lit head in tbc
Cuban capitul.
Daring the last three months , relates a
corre } i3ndent of ih * New York Herald. - r
"DO Nanigos huve been returned to Cuba
| , { from J thf various Spanish jienal colonies.
Mo of them have settled la Havana , where
they infest the vilwt dent of the over
crowded city , presumably lurking in the
shadow -until they have had opportunity to
renew formfiBirct alliances And with
their coming a Watt shadow of apprehen
sion falls over the minds of the more Ig
norant population as tht par. i * recalled.
Certainly , the iistory of tht world oners
few , if unj. parallels to thU extraordinary
brtiod. Hlstorj nnd fiction hme given oc
casional plimpBes f mysterious cult * al
leged to thrive in darkest India and in the ! '
yet unexplored islands of the East Indian !
archipelago , composed of vrwched outcasts
of sardonic mind and almost unearthly vis- ! '
dom. w hose trade is murder Kiplinp ,
Josep Conrad and other writers have told
weird talesof these knirhts of the silken
cord and subtle poison. Tbry teem to have ,
at least to themselves , Juslliif d their acts
by certain prewt-omf philosophy , and to have
desipned them lor the ultimate betterment
of the human race a philosophy to which
the victim * and their friends , needless to
say. do not subscribe. Then Italy has its
Mafia , of whtwe operations the United
States had a few years ape such a striking
example at New Orleans Hussia has its
nihilists. China its ilphbiaders and Europe
md JUnerica their anarchists
i-orIeti - . for Murder.
In iact , no part of the civilised or un
civilized world but is inflicted with
some or-
pjtnlzation which seeks to accomjilish it *
ends * y particular or wholesale murder
Secrecy is the -universal ruk in the plotting
and promulpation of these
deigns A majority -
jority of them have some definite object to
accomplish , some i-ositive -
end to pain , pen-
erally poHcical , and almost always thf men
orwomen chosen to executf their fell en-
tences do so in the name of oppressed hu-
munlty. Oflensive these
us principle * are to
all rational and ripht minded
people , and
sanguinary as their methods may be thev
ut least ere supported by a certain questionable -
able lopic.
But the Nanico society to'
may bt Ilfct-n-a '
none of these better known orpanizauons i
except in the secrecy -with which it sur
rounds Itself So far as rigid investipation i
bus succeeded in penetrating the dark mys
tery of the Nonicos absolutely no design " '
scheme of organization has been discovered.
Its members seem to be held together by no i
more cohesiie force than a common thirst1 ;
for human blood , a strange , maniacal desire
to murder. The origin of the society cannot -
not be traced. It neemt. to date from the :
bringing of the first African negro into 1
Cuba. At try rate , it htis teen known to >
exist for a matter of sot years , iJtbough it
only became formidable within the present t
century. The Spaniard ! . , with their well I
known propensity to fclu-r driving , soon dip-
covered that the unpaid und easily nurtured I
labor of the African -could be used to ad-1
vantage la the cu-lUvation of tobacco and I
sugar plantations , which industries -were
then just beginning to &how great promise
of profit For many yearr there had bpen 1
I carried on a lively and growing traffic in 1
j human beings between Africa and the con
tinent of North America , and as the negro
flourished best in u tropical climate it was
but natural that the drift should set to
ward Cuba.
OrlclnnlccI lu Slnvrj \
In this brutal traffic the foundation of thf
Nanipo society wns undoubtedly laid It it
the old story of maddened revolt from un
bearable cruelties The slave system in the
j Vnited Suites before the civil war pre-
j ' sented. heaven knows , enouph gross violaI
j tions of human riphtE , but under Spanish
colonial rule it was immeasurably worse.
Prr-m time to time after their enforced 1
emigration hardy and determined black * Ced
from their cruel masters , and many of them
succeeded in escaping from the plantations
Into the mountainous interior of thf island ,
There they wandered like wild beastE , Irei
quently hunted with the aid of bloodhounds -
hounds , and mercilessly shot If caught. AB
time passed these first adventurers were
Joined by others , and they formed tbem-
selves into bands for mutual sufoty and pro-
tection. Tiny villages were constructed in
j the mountain fastnesses or In the many
] i lmpon trable canebrakes which even to this
day obstruct the prop-ess of agriculture in
Cuba. Gradually a semblance of order resolved -
solved itself out of this cliuos nnd organira-
i tions were formed The ravages of death
! were amply restored by a never ending tide
j of reinforcement from the plantations.
j So Mi as born the N'anipo society , that
i Btranpe community of murderers , and so it
grew , fed upon desolation , despair and the
I dcislre for revenge , to be n thorn in the
j ride of the Spanlfb government in the
Pearl or the Antilles. The Nanlgo villager ,
oneo formed , gradually established < -oinmu-
nicanon vith each other , and in time be
came integral pans of a great social secret 1
eocietv Tht fcame general obbcurity which 1
' veils all tlie operations of the Nanipc'f. com-
plotely hides the gathering of these pent-
I te.red tribes into a cohesive and well dl-
rcctea band of cutthroats. No comprehen
sive outline of the oaths and records of the
society has ever been found , although the
Spanitb povernment convicted macy Nanl-
' por. upon proof supported by documents tl-
'
leped to have been the property of the In-
j ner circle of chiefs. At the society grew in
i numbers and power It deswtea the villages'
ana esu.blif.hea itstJf in the cities , where
It became a terror to the luw abiding citi
zens of the island.
It teems almost inconceivable thct in the
latter end of the nineteenth century a band
of murderers for the Nuileot by their own
claim were nothing rise , couia so brazenly
flaunt its crimes in the face of government
atid public Tut for a period of about ten
I j't-ETB prior to IBiiO the Spanlsti authorities
Beemod utterly powerless to suppress th '
NanigoE In fuct. tie society had everybodj >
| complpteily terrorized A policeman war
tlraid to apprehend or arrest c Nanlgo lor
he knew that suca to net w-ouM JWM dratfe
: Juflp fmrrfl tr rnJtirrr tbr l * f upWnrt (
ib flark htrth < rhw fl with Uw 6rtt of w
mminatlPt ITW Jx-fore thrm Oo erne * *
rmili IIP' trust tbeir rwn rcmkt or
ri
u ; tbf ? on. * r ll 4 flcwu UK
tb : < nocirty. tt&6 army offlper * flremflpfl a stab
|
irom tlw baronet of ow of ttipir own Ki-
ta
Stert
i
A 'Vnnlco IlpiciiC1.
As
cltt-fl the r * f o ! Jnas Peaa. a - l * w.
or Mwpeust of pollc * rent wa * Ifi chaTF *
of tae Colon flirtrlet. in tit * imborbf of
Htvuna. in 18SE He was a Spatiiarfl by |
birth , hut had fluent newly hit. eatlre UTr
j1ti j1 CalHi"With great economy he aaiiapf-fi
to sup } > rt hU family on the Kai&ll ealiey he
rpewrrtU Barely six month * Rfter bit- promotion -
motion to thf pommuai of the fllfitrlct there
oocurr fl t inert revolting Nanipo aurfler
A woman nearly 70 yews old w * stabbefi
to flenth and her rp ' harkt-d into pit-res
j ens fct PDcf rtartt-a to run flown the tnur-
dertir Thi hf did. only to dlMicver In htm
one of the principal Nnnipo chiefs So preat
was tht popular aggravation against the so
ciety at thl * time , however , that the
authorities felt that pome-thing must
done and Pens wa oraered to wrest the
murderer.
He dia not fllocb from hlf fluty. The
Nanipo chief , feeling secure , made no at
tempt to escape and was easily taken He
was tried convicted and sentenced to death.
Immediately after the trial Penn and the
judge who prouounchd the sentence received
notices from tht Nanigo society that if the
prisoner was not treed within twcnty.four
hours they -would not live to see the sen
tence executed. Of course , the man was
not pet at liberty. A lewweeks later hr
was parroted in a public square That sume
'day , the Judge was found dead in his room.
stabbed , through the back Pena at oner
> went to the chief of police and demanded a
bodycuard ] of soldiers. This war given h-m
i and' , for three monthr he escaped the ven-
' gcanre of the Nanipos Then ont day br re-
buled ont of the ht.ldlrrs of his guard , or
| i some Might breach of di clpllnt and tbt
i mu.n shot him dead. The soldier escaped
[ i but < sent a letter to the chief of police stai-
| I inc . that he wks a Nanlgo and had wUted un
opportunity , to carry out the order of tht
I society. Ht was never captured.
Garcia , sub-
I t , jew rears earlier. Francisco
i lieutenant in the Alfonso XII regiment
' the insuli-
foolishly protected a woman from
ing addresses of a Xioiigo. That same nipht
he was fatally stubbed in the rotunda of a
cafe. His murderer was never ° lc ,
murder committed In Ha-
The last notable
1IKS
vuna by Ns-nlgos was on February -
while attempting
when Detective Lufrin was shot
the society.
tempting to arrest one of
Tlie Sooletr J-niiiireufct-d.
; ' So for many years this tend of murderer *
' .kept HcviJia'und other Cuban cities com-
! j ple-tely terrorized Tht police were rowefl
land | naturally the populace -were helpless
! The society probably reached the zenith c.f
j i Us power in 1BBB. when Captain General
i PolarifjaWUK bent from Sjuiin with ripifl
inKructions to fctamp it out. Cuba was
i temporarily tree from civil war and tht time
i ' teemed propitious A few former rebels of
' tht lower order , who had a price upon their
! i ' heads and -who had been unable to escape
from the island , -were to be found in the
ranks of the Natures , where they could c-on-
, tlnue relentless warfare against the tyraanv
o' patn This afforded the povernmen ; an
opj.ortunity to kill two nirds with one
' stone and to crush rebellion at the same
I time it exterminated the Nanipos. Polu-
vieja's vigorous methods soon had the
' NcnicoE on tht run. Many of the principal
chiefs -were arrested und cast into the flun-
i gsans of Cabanas , -whence they journeyed
to the "Fosse < 3t IDS Laurales" and thence
to a grave in the cemetery on the hill overlooking -
' looking the city. Hundreds of Naniposwere
captured and the remnant forced to flee to
the mountains. Many were deported to
Spain's penal colonies in Africa and the
, Canary islands To ell outward appear-
"
j unces "the Ntimpo noslety was crushed.
IVejler'k PrrnHnr Polirj.
Then came thf final rebellion of the Cu
bans , - winchwas destined to free Cuba from
Spanish rule Campos iailed and Weyler
was sent to crush it His methods are too
well known and too harrow ing to bear repe
tition. But the administration of "The
Butcher" brought the Nanigo society again
to life. Again whispers -were heard of the
operations of the organization und again
people -were freely murdered in the etreete
of Havana. Itwas noticed , however , that
many of thf victims were Cuban patriot *
or persons suspected of active pympathy
with the rebellion This caused eonsidei-
ablt comment Then at was also noticed
! ' that when Weyler uadorioot to again sup-
I press tht uncioty. which be promptly < Jid.
I < Cuban sympathizers were arrested und ue-
'
cused of being Nanigoswhile the real
members escaped. This caused snore com-
munt and Weyler was accused of using the
society in two ways to further iris ends the
Nanigos murdered patriots and patriots
i were punished for the deeds. Thenr cir-
i "cumPtancee led many people to think that
Weyler had himself revived ihe society for
a purpose und its existence in the origlnc.1
form has been doubted ever eince.
Tiie IVliilcMnnf * Bardrn.
And now hundreds of so-called NanipoE
have been released from Spain's pent ! col-
oniet , and are being flumped by that Sis-
pruntled nation into Havana H thiF spitr
or turdy justice * Taking the latter view us
'
tht more probable , the dUm of trumped up
| charge * under Weyltr'r rule receives a c r-
tuin degree of circumstantial confirmation
B.On . the other hand , if these men be the des
perate and bloodthirsty criminal ? adu''p"l
by the Spanish authorities -when convicted
what a bast trick has Madrid plojed upoi
the American authorities in Cuba' Most of
the men have arrived from their penal exi It-
broken in body and spirit. Some art un
doubtedly innocent , while others ure un
doubtedly criminals of the worst type Bump
forewarned , the American officials are tat-
\ lup extraordinary precautions. Mr. llc-
i Cullupb is thoroughly alert and vlll crush
I the Ntnlpo monster the instant it develops
] any intention to pursue its former bltiod-
I thirsty tactics So far the returned exiles
have kept remarkably quiet , bavin ? engaged
In only B few street disturbances and out
murder If American rule succnedt in ter-
mlnatinp the existence of the Nunipo it will
have plven a practical deraonrtn.tlon of Its
efficiency , whlth will not 1 * lost upon the
people of Cuba-
Vlcllrd I jion ilit- Mail
Ihnl Sluit at Alrxuudrr II.
In April , 1BCC Kartkoaoff thot at Alex
ander II as he WLF coming out of the cum
mer garden to U.ke his ctrriepe The shot
missed and KarakozoC wai arrested on the
spot
In J'.CC 1 WBB ic Silnsna writei Pnnct
i KropolkiE in the Atlanui One of our Si-
! biritL officers who truveled Irom RUBBIL u
j Irkutsk towa'd the end of thai year met a'
I a post Btauun two pendurmeE Our IrLutrl.
iKELPS
Mai ,
for Nununc 1/otiicrt. wnoat weak nerw-
ovcr-tcxcd cycrans arc tnccpshlc of proiucinc
pare oourabmc mil ) : for th : babict.
Udthcn who dnuk it Qtiilv urinc Nursmc pcnod
will tlwsyt bcvc trc = U = nt iaod { or btby tad
btUUi tnesiselvct.
A NON-INTOXICANT.
VAUBLATZ BREWING Co.
MILWAUKEE. U.S. A.
Fes-Sale by Folcy BTM VoaJeselt Deelert ,
1412 DauCiat Street Oaeha , Neb , Tel. J03'
c nt the tc&
t on a oolfl wlnti'T sftplrt. Jtilnpfl tlwa
and chj rt with tirtn xt-ilr ttehorw -
rrrr twUig thatp * ( tH' of tht t o prh-
OarnwF ! ; > * KarakoMtS
Hr w f cumilnc , bv w c" in wild ,
to VIM in llrtIonr * IT * * rrr ort -
t f > of * n * "rerrdlieTrtl rvwy
two liour * not to > ft hire nlwp So vr
bin ) ttttig OE a mmU noel tnd at moa
IKlpac to filun tr T nbcok lilrn to
Bwakn. WlHit will
you * "We werr ort r 4 to 4o w :
i Well , liow running lir win ; . l e would
sit with ertntspfl leg ? , , rr-luplnc mr t f hit
Icpi. tfi make tt * l lcve that i * w * awnlio.
aaC lUniml ! . in the zue&ntlme. would gt < t B
nap. continuing to swing bis loc Bat wr
ttorn aade tt out sad twld tbosf who re
lieved us HP thst he wst nlmV.vt ) ad waked
tiji rvery few mlBUte . whether IH > rwuaj ;
hit , legs or nt _ ' "Atid how leap flM ) he
law " " my IriPiid nkt-d "Oh many dtyn
more thHC ont vwk
WTien iKrKl.o oS wat hanged one trf ay
comrndee from tiie oorj * of jmppf "wat r rw-
t'tit at Uic fxpcutloh w-itb bit , rcpltnrnt nr
ruiransierK "When Jit wa * taV.fB out of
the lortrens " my onmrnde told aie t.ittl > ip
on the high platform of the cart whlrb wa >
Joltinc on the rouch glacis , of the fret-ens
ay tlrst ImprmBion wa that they were
bringing out an ludU rubber doll tp be
litticH ! tht.i Ka"atn oT ! ira
Itit plt tht th * * tV tit.ua * ni < v
n-fr abdrttitl ! nw rr ttin-
kad bwu all hnihtili It * * i
-.l > taitif to w * nfl to thick !
hltn flnrn from tb * curt I thi.-
aovrt ait lei * * 6 nad * nm up < i > <
flnartirt to irkiy. JIT litrdwif atifl lt > UK
Uw Ktopt of tbr JwaSuia HP 11 KF i
floll. nor rnuld titb1' - * brit a n
ATI the tiSttmf * wwt TT wticti jntr
tire ctrrutnrUDcw and oosld DPI rxp'h
VJfpu. lipwpt r 1 nupFPHtPd to T ft n
that jterhfti * Knr tiort > C ttifitit h n !
tortured the color catnp ID ; < > hl fact a : .
"Jo wp all
AVGV5TA Me March -Tu *
judiciary rottitniuw has votrt to
favorably Uie bill to Iwnrponrir tb < f
( tWi OWAinprtcan lee ri.mpunr. Thr Jul
lutroflucpd by Rpprwtpatatlve Joiwph V.i
tn fl had for it * Pbjnri th * rotuMi t
nearly nil tbr tcr t-ompantpt on tbr Kc
b * r and Prticbupo' rnw , nearly i
which arc also Nrw Tork ponwnif
chief urptiniptil in nppoBltlnn tp the I'
that Its MiHrittMit would Htnj'ly ttiaV <
atc the wompr plart for trp the ca'li'
slid nae ) of Uit product Iwiiip ; n-irulu i ,
iinfl tbt atupunt of dotie J f e
Nt-w York
Closer you keep
to the directions , die more Pearline will defer
for you especially so in washing clothes.
| Even the hit or miss -way in which many use
| ! Pearline is better than soap-using. But
| soaking , boiling , and rinsing the clothes-
i according to directions is best ol'all better
for clothes ; better for you. Use no soap
, ivith it
JOBBERS AND MANUFACTUR n
OR OMAHA.
DRY GOODS.
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Dry Goods , Furms/nnf Goods i
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he Sharpies Qotnpany
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m a auppiicE
Boilers , Enplnet F ed Coukcri , "SVooS Pul.
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bfei. of all
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ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES.
IT *
Eh clri cal Sn t > fr ' ; ts.
Electric WtHnjr BelE. and UUP Ligh
G. V JOHNSTON , tict lilt BowtrC Su
John T. Burke ,
POZt
ELECTRIC LIGHT
and PO WER PLANTS
424 South 15th St.
HARDWARE.
Stales
w Supply Go. . ,
/foS-fjfo Harnev Si.
Steam Pumpt , Engine * anfl Boilers. Pj ! > t ,
Wini Mills. Steam tnO P'umblnc
litteritU. Btltce. Eost. Etc.
ee-Blass-Andreessn
Hardware Co
Wholesale Hardware.
ani Sportlnc Goods
no Street
HARNESS-SADDLERY.
I K.Haney&Go.
* x-rr.
AKD
io\i\i.-rt \ of Ltiathpr , iioditlftfi JJarAwarn , t
Wtboliclt jour ortcn. IB1E Howurd et.
For an up-to-date
Western Newspaper
Read The Omaha Bee
BOILER AND SHEET IRON WORKS
Wilson
& Williams
Snorr . orVI ] on A Drukr.
Mat Vi'iiilu'-em ti nn'is , hmoLf ttil.f ar > 4
'e lhlnp > ti'-ch'-urc I'l-nflf mi : r.henp fl p ,
.
lu-tl L.IIO B' * ' tttnks lituiflic i -
rttnt'i on hi.Tid M > rrifi hi tia titur-s
tir urht aifl m .A . ST.- -In' KIU j'"irt ' 'e
in citj or couuujl t > tnfl Pierce.
BDOTS-SHOES-RU3BERS ,
B merioan Hand
1 V Sewed Shoe Go
trfrs I Jobbers of Fort li'car
The Joseph 3am u.n. Co.
e H , Sprague
Rubbers and Mackintoshes- .
Tor. XLlc-i en ill 4fc I arnnin St * . . Otui Ln
P. KErkeEiciall & Oo
Boots , Shoes and Rubbers
Bklnroomi B&rnrr B-m-
CARRIAGES.
) HorBC Mo
Ge ; i S a.jjaoB BJCEJ w.vb tlic Alk
c best M.UU vcsjec : naer in tbt v.orii.
34Itun l > idcc Mrrrt.
CHICORY
The AmerEean
V Gltfo&ry Do.
Crpvren rjifl jctmufucturere at oil lornu of
Ctucorj Omtbt-rremnnt-O N > 1V
URUGi.
iohards&n Drag So ,
v
902-906 Jackson 5/ .
f. O. PJCKAKDSON.
a F. K-ELLER. v. Fruit.
B.BruceS Co >
Druggists and
Brt" Bppclnltlcfc.
Cln-rt Wins. k.n
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