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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1921)
Jr -f DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD ) I s 4 I Jill I I" CHAPTER XVI Continued. 18 "Be shnll have n military funeral," Rlcardo promised. "Frotn the cathedral," Webster add ed. "And tnkc a picture of It for Ms people. He told mo about them. I wnnt them to think ho amounted to something, after all. And when you get tills two-by-four republic of yours going again, Rick, you might have your congress award Don Junn n thousand dollars oro for capturing Sur ros. Then we can send the money to his old folks." "But he didn't capture Sarros," Rlcardo protested. "The man escaped when tho guards cut their way through." "He didn't That was a ruse while he beat It out the gate where you found mo. I saw Don Juan knock him cold with tho butt of his rifle after I'd brought down Ms horse." "Do you think he's there yet?" "Ho may be provided all tills didn't happen the day before yesterday. If I wanted him, I'd go down and look for him. Rick." "I'll go right away, Jack." "One minute, then. Send a man around to that little back street whore they have tho wounded It's a couple of blocks awuy from here to tell Mother Jenks and the young lady with her I'll not bo back." "They're both outside now. They must have gone looking for you, be cause they found you and Don Juan first and then told me about it" "Who told you?"' "Mother Jenks." "Oh 1 Well, run niong and get your man." Rlcardo departed on tho run, tak ing the sentry at tho door with him and In his haste giving no thought to Mother Jenks nnd her companion waiting for tho doctor's verdict In tho palaco grounds ho gathered two more men and bade them follow him ; leading by twenty yards, he emerged nt the gate and paused to look around biro. Some hundred feet down tho street from the palace gate Sarros bay charger lay dead. When Webster's bullet brought tho poor beast down, his rider had fallen clear of him, only to fall n victim to the ferocity of Don Juan Cafetero. Later, as Snrros lay tunned and bleeding beside-his mount, the stricken nnlmal in Its death-struggle had half risen, only to fall again, this tirao on the extended left log of his late master; consequently when Sarros recovered consciousness follow ing the thoughtful attentions of his assailant, It was to discover himself n hopeless prisoner. The heavy carcass of his horse pinned his foot and part of his leg to the ground, rendering him as helpless and desperate as a trapped animal. For several minutes now he had been striving frantically to release himself; with his sound right leg pressed against the animal's back bone he tried to gain sufficient pur chase to withdraw his left leg from the carcass. As Rlcardo caught sight of Sarros he Instinctively realized that this was his mortal enemy; motioning his men to stand back, he approached the struggling man on tiptoe nnd thought fully possessed himself of the dicta tor's pistol, which lay In back of him, but not out of reach. Just as ho did bo, Sarros, apparently convinced of the futility of his efforts to free himself, surrendered to fate and commenced rnther pitifully to weep with rago nnd despair. Rlcardo watched him for a few sec onds, for there was Just sufficient of tho blood of his Castlllan ancestors till In his veins to render this sorry spectacle rnther an enjoynblo one to him. Resides, ho wns CO per cent Iberian, a race which can hnto quite as thoroughly as it can love, and for a time Rlcardo even nourished tho thought of still further Indulging his thirst for revenge by pretending to aid Sarros In his escnpol Presently, however, he put the ungenerous thought from him; seizing Uie dead horse by the tall, he dragged the car cass off Ws enemy's leg, and whllo Sarros sat up, tailor-fashion, and com menced to rub the circulation back Into the bruised member, Rlcardo neated himself on the rump of the dead horse and appraised his prisoner critically. Sarros glanced up, remembered his manners nnd very heartily and grace fully thanked his deliverer. "It Is not a matter for which thanks are due me, Sarros," Rlcardo replied coldly. "I am Rlcardo Lnlz Ruey, and I have como back to Sobranto to 5y my father's debt to you. You trill remember having forced tho obll Cation upon me In the cemetery Botne fifteen years ago." For porhaps ten horrified seconds Barron stared at Rlcardo; then tho ark Mood In him came to his defense; fcla ten-e poe relaxed; the fright tan" .i, ift ala awarthy rount- WEBSTER MANSMAN Peter B. Kyne Author of "Cappy Ricks," The Valley of the Giants' Eta CornWlflUw'KkT nunco ns If orused with a moist sponge, leaving him as calmly stoical nnd Indifferent aa a clgarstoro Indian. Ho fumbled In his coat pocket for n gold cigarette case, selected a ciga rette, lighted It and blew Binoko at Rlcardo. Tho Jig was up; ho knew It; and with admirable nonchalance he declined to lower his presidential dignity by discussing or considering It Ho realized It would delight his cap tor to know ho dreaded to face the Issue, and It was not a Sarros practice to give aid and comfort to the enemy. "Spunky devlll" Rlcardo reflected, forced to admiration despite himself. Aloud ho said: "You know the codo of our people, Snrros. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." Sarros bowed. "I am at your serv ice," he replleo carelessly. "Then nt daylight tomorrow morn ing I shnll make settlement" Rlcardo beckoned his men to approach. "Take this man and confine him under a double guard In tho arsenal," he or dered. "Present my compllmonts to the officer In charge there and tell him It 1b my wish that a priest be provided for the prisoner tonight and that tomorrow morning, at bIx o'clock, a detail of six men nnd a sergeant escort this man to tho cemetery la tho rear of the Ontedral de la Cruz. I will meet the detail there and tako command of It" Two of Rlcardo's Imported fighting men stepped to the prisoner's side, seized him, one by each arm, and lift ed him to his feet; supported be tween them, he limped away to his doom, whllo lift youthful conqueror remained seated on tho dead horse, his gazo bent upon tho ground, his mind dwelling, not upon his triumph over Snrros but upon tho prodigious proportions of tho task before him; the rehabilitation of a nation. After a while ho rose and strolled over to ward the gate, where he paused 'to note tho prim evidences of tho final stand of Webster and Don Juan Cafo tero before passing through Qio por tal. Rlcardo had now, for tho first time, nn opportunity to look around him; so he halted to realize his home-com ing, to thrill with this, the first real view of the homo of his boyhood. The spacious lawn surrounding the palaco had been plowed and scarred with bursting shrapnel from the field guns captured In tho arsenal, although the building ItBclf hod been little damaged, not having sustained a direct hit be cause of Rlcardo's stringent orders not to use artillery on the palaco un less absolutely necessary to smoke Snrros out Scattered over the grounds Rlcardo counted some twenty-odd government soldiers, all wearing that pathetically flat, crumpled appearance which seems Inseparable frora the bodies of men killed In actloc Tho first shrapnel hnd probably com menced to drop In the grounds Just ns n portion of the palaco garrison hnd been marching out to Join the troops fighting at the cantonment barracks Evidently tho men hnd scattered like quail, only to bo killed as they ran. From this grim scene Rlcardo raised his eyes to the palace, the castellated towers of which, looming through the tufted palixa. were reflecting the set ting sun. Over the balustrade of one of the upper balconies the limp body of a Sarros oharpshooter, picked off from the street, t drooped grotesquely, his arms banging downward as If in ironical welcome to tho son of Ruey the Beloved. The sight Induced In Rlcardo a senso of profound sadness; his Irish Imagination awoke; to him thnt mute flguro seemed to call upon him for pity, for kindness, for for bearance, for understanding and sym pathy. Those outflung 'arras of the mnrtyred peon symbolized to Rlcardo Ruey the spirit of liberty, shackled and helpless, calling upon him for de liverance; they brought to his nlert mind a clearer realization of the duty that was his than ho hnd ever had be fore, ne had n great task to perform, n task Inaugurated by his father, and which Rlcardo could not hope to fin ish in his lifetime. He must nolve the ngrarlnn problem; ho' must de velop tho rich natural resources of hla country; he must provide free, com pulsory education and evolve from tho Ignorance of the peon nn Intelll genco that would build up that which Sobrante, In common with her sister republics, so wickedly lacked the great middle class that stands always as n buffer between the aggression nnd selfishness of tho upper class and the helplessness and chlldlsnness of the lower. Rlcardo bowed his head. "Help me, O Lord," he prayed. "Thou hast given mo In Thy wisdom a man's task. Help me that I may not prove unworthy." Mother Jenks, grown impatient at tho luck of news concerning Webster, left Dolores to her grief in the room across the hall and sought the open air, for of Into she had been experiencing with recurring frequency a slight feeling of ftuffocntlon. She sat down on the broad granite stepa, helped herself to a much-needed "bracer" from her brandy flask and wns gazing pensively nt the scene around her when Rlcardo cnnio up the stairs. '"Ellol" Mother Jenks snlutod him. "We're 'nve you been, Mr. Bowers?" "I hare Just returned from capturing Sarros, Mrs. Jenks. He Is on his way to the arsenal under guard," "Gor' strike me pink I" tho .old lady cried. " 'Ave I lived to sec this day 1" Her face wob wreathed In a happy smile. "I wonder 'ow the beggar feels to 'nve the shoe on the other foot, eh the 'cartless 'ound; I'm 'opln' this General Ruey will 'ave the blighter shot" "You need have no worry on thnt score, Mrs. Jenks. I'm General Ruey. Andrew Bowers was Just my summer name, ns It wqre." "Angels guard me I Wot the bloom In' 'ell 8iirprl8e won't wo 'nve next Wot branch o' tho Ruey tribe do you belong to? Aro you n nephew o' him that was president before Sarros shot 'lm? Antonio Ruey, who was 'arf brother to tho president, 'ad a son 'e called Rlcardo. Are you Mm, might I arsk?" "I am tho aon of Rlcardo the Be loved," ho answered proudly. "Not tho lad ns was away at school when Ms father wns hcxecuted?" "I am that same lad, Mrs. Jenks. And who nre you? You seem to know a deal of my family history." "I," tho old publican replied with equal pride, "am Mrs. Col. 'Enery Jenks, who wns your fnther's chief of hartlllery an' 'ad tho bextrcme honor o' dyln' In front of the same wall with Mm. By tho w'y, 'ow'o Mr. Webster?" she added, suddenly remembering the subject closest to her henrt Just then. "His wounds nre trifling. He'll live, Mrs. Jenks." "Well, that's better than gottln' poked In tho eye with a sharp stick," the old damo decided philosophically. "Do you remember my little sister, Mm. Jenks?" Rlcardo continued. "She was In tho pnlnco when Sarros at tacked It ; she perished there." "I believe I 'ave got a slight recol lection ' tho nipper, sir," Mother Jenks answered cautiously. To herself she said: "I a'y, 'Enrretta, 'ore's a pretty go. 'D don't know tho lamb Is llvln' an' In the next room I My word, wot a riot w'en 'e meets 'er I" "I will see you again, Mrs. Jenks. I must have a long talk with you," Rl cardo told her, and passed on Into the palace; whereupon Mother Jenks onco more fervently Implored the Almighty "t fe "I Am General Rey." to strlkij her pink, nnd tho Iron re straint of a long, hnrd, exciting day be ing relaxed at last, the good soul bowed her gray head In her arms and wept, moving her body from side to Bide the while and demanding, of no one In particular, n Blngle legitimate reason why she, n blooming old bag gage and not fit to live, should bo tho recipient of such mnnlfold blessings an this day hnd brought forth. In the meantime RIcnrdo, with his hand on the knob of tho door lending to tho room where Webster was having his wounds dressed, paused suddenly, his nttentlon caught by the sound of a sob, long-drnwn nnd Inexpressibly pa thetic. He listened nnd mndo up his mind thnt a womnn In tho room across tho entrnnce hall wns bewailing tho death of a loved one who answered to tho nnmo of Cnllph and John, dnrllng. Further envesdropplng convinced him that Cnllph, John, darling, nnd Mr. John Stuart Webster were one nnd the same person, nnd so he tilted his head on one side like a cock robin nnd con sidered. "By Jingo, thnt'fl most Interesting," ho decided. "Tho wounded hero has a sweetheart or a wife and an Amer ican, too. She must be a recent ac quisition, because ull tho time wo were together on tho steamer coming down here ho never spoke of either, deeplto tho fact that we got friendly enough for such confidences. Something fun ny about this. I'd better Bound the old boy before I start passing out words of comfort to that unhappy female." He passed on Into the room. John Stuart Webster had, by this time, been washed nnd bandaged, nnd ono of the Sarros servants (for tho ex-dlctator'n retinue still occupied the pnlnce) had, at Dr. Pacheco'B command, prepared n guest chamber upstairs and furnished a night gown of nmple proportions to cover Mr. Webster'u belmndnged but otherwise nnked person. A stretcher had Just arrived, and tho wounded man wai about to be carried upstair. Tho late financial backer of the revolution wns looking very pnle nnd dispirited ; for once In his life his whimsical, ban tering nnture wns subdued. His eyes were closed, nnd ho did not open them when RIcnrdo entered "Well, I have Snrros," the latter de clared. Webster paid not the slightest atten tion to this announcement. RIcnrdo bent over him. "Jack, old boy," he Queried, "do you know a person of femlnlno persuasion who calls you Ca liph?" John Stuart Webster's eyes and month flew wldo open. "What the devil I" he tried to roar. "You hnven't been speaking to her, have you? If you hnve, I'll never forglvo you, be cause you'vo spoiled my llttlo surprise party." "No, I hnven't been speaking to her, but she's In the next room crying lit to break her heart because she thinks you've been killed." "You scoundrel I Aren't you human? Go tell her It's only n couple of punc tures, not n blowout." Ho sighed. "Isn't It sweet of her to weep over nn old hunks like mcl" hp added softly. "Bless her tender henrt 1" "Who Is she?" RIcnrdo was very curious. "Thnt's none of your business. You wait and I'll tell you. She's the guest I told you I wns going to bring to din ner, nnd thnt's enough for you to know for the present. Vnyn, you Idiot, and bring her In here, so I enn assure her my bend Is bloody but unbowed. Doc tor, throw thnt rug over my shnnks nnd make mo look pretty. I'm going to receive company." Ills glance, bent steadily on tho door, hnd In It some of the nlert, bright wist fulness frequently to be observed In the eyes of n terrier stnndlng expec tantly before a rat hole. The Instant the door opened and Dolores' tear stalncd face appeared, he cnlled to her with tho old-time camaraderie, for he had erased from his mind, for the nonce, the memory of the tragedy of poor Don Junn Cafetero nnd wns con cerned solely with tho tnsk of banish ing the tenrs from thoso brown eyes nnd bringing the Joy of llfo buck to Hint sweet face. "Hello, Sceress," ho cnlled weakly. "Llttlo Johnny's been fighting ngnln, afid the bnd boys gave him an all-fired walloplug." There wns a swift rustle of skirts, and she wns bending over him, her hot Uftle pnlms clasping eagerly his pnle. rough chfceks. "Oh, my dear, my dear!" she whispered, nnd then her voice choked with the happy tears nnd she wns sobbing on his wounded shoul der. Rlcardo stooped to draw her away, hut John Stuart bent upon him n look of nuch frlghtfulness that ho drew bnck nbnshed. After nil, tho pnst 24 hours had been quite exciting, nnd Rlcardo reflected thnt John's Inamora ta was tired nnd frightened and prob ably hndn't enten anything nil day long, so thoro wns nmple excuse for her hysteria. "Come, come, buck up," Webster soothed her, and helped himself to n long whiff of her fragrant hnlr. "Old man Webster had one leg In tho grave, hut they've pulled It out again." Still she sobbed. "Now, listen to me, lady," ho com manded with mock severity. "You Just stop thnt. You're wnstlng your sympnthy; nnd while, of course, I en Joy your sympnthy a heap, Just pause to reflect on the result If thoso snlt tenrs should happen to drop Into ono of ray numerous wounds." "I'm so sorry for you, Cnllph," she murmured brokenly. "You poor, hnrm less hoy I I don't see how any ono could bo so fiendish as to hurt you when you were so distinctly a non-combatant" "Thank you. Let us forget The Hngue conference for tho present, how ever. Have you met your brother?" he whispered. "No. Cnllph." "RIcnrdo." "Yes, Jnck." "Como here. Rick, you scheming, unscrupulous, blood-thirsty ndventurer, I have n tremendous surprise In store for you. Tho sweetest girl In tho world nnd she's right here " RIcnrdo Inughlngly held tip his hnnd. "Jack, my friend," he Interrupted, "you're too wenk to mnko n speech Don't do It. Besides, you do not hnve to." lie turned nnd bowed gracefully to Dolores. "I can see for myself she's the sweetest girl In the world, nnd thnt she's right hero." Ho held out his hand to her. "Jnck thinks he's going to spring n surprise," he continued ma liciously, "quite forgetting thnt n good soldier never permits himself to be tnken by surprise. I know nil nhout his llttlo secret, because I henrd you mourning for him when you thought he wns dend." Rlcardo favored her with n knowing wink. "I nm delighted to meet the futuro Mrs. Webster. I quite understand why you fell In love with him, bemuse, you see, I lovo him my self nnd so does everybody else." With typical Cnstllian courtliness he took her hand, bowed low over It, nnd kissed It "I nm Rlcardo Lulz Ruey," ho Bald, nnxlnus to spure his friend the tnsk of further exhausting conversa tion. "And you are " "You're n consummate Jackass I" groaned Webster. "I'm only n dear old family friend, nnd Dolores Is going to marry Billy Genry. You Impetuous Idiot I She's your own sister, Dolores Ruey. She, Mark Twnln, nnd I have ample cause for common complaint against tho world becnuso tho reports of our death have been grossly exag gerated. She didn't perish when your father's administration crumbled. Miss Ruey. this Is your brother, Rlcardo, Kins her you damn' fool forglvo me, Miss Ruey oh, Lord, nothing matters Hny more. Ho's gummed everything up and ruined my party. I wIhIi I were dead." Rlcardo stared from tlm outraged WfibNtttr to hut xUtfcr and hack acain. "Jnck WebaUx," he declared, "ym nrcn't crazy, are you?" "Of course, he Is tlo old denr," Do lores cried happily, "but I'm not." SIh Btepped up to her brother, and bet arms went nround his neck, "Oh, Rick," sho cried, "I'm your sinter. Tr ly, I nm." "Dolores. My little lost BlsUr, Df lores? Why, I enn't bellevo Itl" "Well, you'd better believe U." Joh Stuurt Webster growled feebly. "Of course, you can doubt my word nn get nwny with It, now that I'm flat oe my bnck, but If you dare cast asper slons on that girl's veracity, I'll muf der you n month from now." Ho closed his eyes, feeling Instinc tively that ho ought not spy on such 8 sacred family scene. When, however, the affecting meeting wos over nnd Do lores wns ruffling tho Websterlan fore top while her brother pressed tho WeW stcrlan hand nnd tried to say all the things he felt, but couldn't express, i John Stuart Webster brought them both back to n realization of present i conditions. "Don't thank me, sir," he piped la pathetic Imitation of the smnll boy o melodrama. "I hnvo only done me duty, and for that 1 cannot accept thlr purse of gold, even though my fathei nnd mother uro starving." "Oh, Caliph, do he serious," Doloret , pleaded. He looked up at her fondly. "Take your brother out to Mother Jenks and prove your case, Miss Ruey," ho ad-, vised her. "And whllo you're nt It 1 certainly hope somebody will remem ber I'm not accustomed to reposing on i a center tnble. Rick, If you can per suade some citizen to put mo to bed, I'd bo obliged. I'm dend tired, oltf horso. I'm nh sleepy " Ills bend rolled weakly to ono slda, for he hnd been playing a part and had nerved himself to finish It grace fully, even In his weakened condition. Ho sighed, moaned slightly, am slipped Into unconsciousness. CHAPTER XVII. Throughout tho night there wna rndlc firing here and there In tho cltjr, ns tho Ruey followers relentlessly hunted down the Isolated tletachmcnt of government troops which hnd c enped annihilation nnd capture In thi finnl rout nnd fallen bnck on the city, where, concealing themselves nccori lag to their nature nnd Inclination, they Indulged In more or less snlplti( from windows nnd the roofs of build lugs. Tho practice of taking no prlp oners wns nn old one In Sobrante, auH few presidents hnd done more thai Snrros to keep that custom alive; en go, firm In the conviction thnt to sur render was tnntnmount to fnclng a fir Ing sqund nt daylight, the mnjorlty ot these Rtrngglers, with consummate courage, fought to the death. Tho capture of Birenaventura war alone sufficient to Insuro a brief rcvo lutlon, but the enpture of Sarros was ample guarantee that the resistance to tho new order of things was already at on end. However, RIcnrdo Ruey felt thnt tho prompt execution of Snr ros would bo on ndded gunrnnteo of peace by effectually discouraging any opposition to tho rebel causa In the outlying districts, where n few Isolated garrisons still remained In Ignorance oi tho momentous events being enncted In tho cnpltal. For tho time being, RIcnr do wns master of llfo and death In So brante. nnd nil of IiIb ndvlsers nnd sup porters ngrecd with him that a so cnllod trial of the ex-dlctator would be n rnther useless affair, nis llfo wai forfeit n hundred Hints for murder nnd treason, nnd to bo ponderous over his elimination would savor of mockery. Accordingly, nt midnight, n priest en t oed tho room In tho nrsennl where Sarros was confined, and shrived him. Throughout the night the priest re mnlned with him, nnd when thnt ear ly morning innrch to tho cemetery commenced, he walked beside Snrros repeating the prayers for tho dying. Upon renchlng tho cemetery there was a slight wait until u cnrrlogo drove up and discharged RIcnrdo Ruey nnd Mother Jenks. MMie sergeant In command of the sqund snluted nnd wns brle'ly ordered to proceed with tho matter In hnnd; whereupon ho turned to Snrros, who with tho customary sang frold of his kind upon such oc-1 cnslons wns calmly smoking, and ' bowed deprecntlngly. Snrros actually smiled upon him. "Adlos, nmlgOH," he murmured. Then, as nn afterthought nnd probably because be was sufficient of nn egoist to desire to appear a mar tyr, he added heroically: "I dlo for my country. May God have mercy on I my enemies." I (TO IH3 COHTINUKD.) "Have a Tooth?" I In the FIJI Islands n polished Ivory ! tnmbii, or whnle's tooth Is a symbol of chieftainship, nnd ertremely vnlunblc, I ns nny request 'nicked by nn exhlhl- ' Hon of n tnmbu Is theoretically hound to he granted. Thus, If a Fijian headman wishes to marry n neighbor- ' Ing chiefs daughter, ho sends a mes senger first with tho precious tnmbu, j supposing him to possess one. Neither i the girl nor her father hns then nny , further choice- In tho mutter. The ! wedding has got to be. These ob i Jects, ns may well bo Imagined, aro Jealously guarded by their fortunato possessors; and any Fijian, If well enough off, will nurchoso ono from n ' foreigner for n largo sum. Tho na tives never, or nt least very rarely, can bo Induced to sell their tnmbus. Tactful district commissioners fre quently follow tho Fijian custom, and when unking for hospitality on their tours In tho Interior, send a whalo't tooth with their messenger. The Time. "Is It admissible at any time for a man to pay attentions to a married woman?" "Certainly. If she U bin wife SPOKE 'OUT LOUD' Presidential Language Emphatio in the Extreme. I Under the Circumstances, However, It Will De Understood, Not Intended for Publication. Cleveland was not u mnster of KCholnrly eloquence, like Wilson, or of vigorous epigram, like Roosevelt; yet ' on occasion ho could be fluent and on I occasion witty. Of the two nnccdotea that follow tho first shows his fluency, I the second his wit. I Mr. Jefferson Winter, namesake ol tho famous actor, Joseph Jefferson, who was Cleveland's Intimate friend nnd fellow angler, tells the first story Gray Gables, the Cleveland home, nnd Crow's nest, tho home of the Jef- fersons, were not far apart. While Mr Winter was visiting at Crow's Nest the men went Ashing. Toward sundown, he says, we went from the bass grounds where wu had been fishing to a little lake hidden In woods, owned by Jefferson and stocked by him with trout. MMierc we wero Joined by John G. Carlisle, Clove land's secretary of the treasury; tall, lank, pale-faced, saturnine, garbed In black, wearing n "plug hut" and en ergetically chewing tobacco tho very picture of an old-time country lawyer. Cleveland nnd Jefferson put out upon the hike In n small boat, while Mr. Carlisle and I remained on the bnnk. Cleveland, ns Is well known, wns nn lmmenso bulk of u man a sort ot colossal Cap'n Cuttle, he appeared to me. Ho and Jefferson stood In tho boat, almost back to back, and whllo both were casting at the same mo ment they cnnio violently Into col lision, stem on. Tho result wns that Jefferson plunged overboard on ono side, nnd Cleveland, ranking u vain ef fort to seize nnd save him, lost his own balance and toppled over on tho other. I have heard home strlklnglj ol Urinal, grabble ami vigorous lan guage first nnd last; but I have never henrd anything to equal the Impromp tu dialogue between those two really affectionate cronies, clinging to ojmo- ' site sides of tho half-submerged Hut boa t. Carlisle observed the aquatic disas ter with exemplary calm and listened to tho Interlocution with iittentlvu and manifest admiration. Then he turned a twinkling eye upon me and blandly remarked: "Most eloquent, but wholly ldlol" So much for Cleveland's fluency, now for his wit. Not eloquent, but by no moans Idle, was Cleveland's brief answer to a telegram that ho re ceived whllo visiting at Crow's Nesl during the fight for the Democratic nomination lu ISO?. It was from n seputor, himself nn nsplrant for the presidency, who had the political audacity, not to speak of personal Impertinence, to tele graph to the lending candidate: "Tho time has now come for you, In the In terost of your pnrty, to withdraw from this contest." Cleveland showed tho message to his host, "What answer shnll you make?" Jef ferson asked. Without a word Cleveland took tho telegraph blank, turned It over nnd wrot6 tho reply on the back nnd be fore giving It to the waiting messenger handod It again to Jefferson.' This was his messngo: "Somebody hns been taking nn un panlonnblo liberty with your name. G. Cleveland." It was thu neatest of rebukes, and the most Impossible to resent Youth's Companion. No Cherries Without Birds. Of course, there wouldn't he nny cherries If there wero no song blrdfj. The bird puts tho cherries on the tree, why shouldn't ho eat his own cherry? Thu farmer only holds a second mort gage on that cherry. Ho may think otherwise and kill tho bird; thou thu bird won't get thu cherry and neither will the farmer. Thu worm will get tho cherry; the aphis, the slug, thu mite, the blight, will get thu cherry, and the farmer's second mortgage will, according to John Burroughs, shrink to nothing. In other words, were the millions of bushels of bugs which the song birds consume for food In one season released, the forests and onqy would be presently wiped out, and with them the life of tho people. San Fruncl.scu v Chronicle. Advance Guard of Tremors. In the theory that the movements of the enrth'H crust constituting an earth quake begin on u very small scale, to be followed later by thu greater ml Justments thnt do tho dnmugv, Orlls L. Kennedy of San Bernardino, Oil., h believes that he can give earthquake warnings by observing the cracks In Inyurtf of cement, put down In certain California districts. It Is asserted that In this way Mr. Kennedy pre dicted the qunko that destroyed part of Ilemet nnd San Jacinto, Oil., some thing more than a year ago. He Is now planning to construct a ribbon of cement about a foot- thick and 1.0(H) feet long for laboratory pur poses. Incidental Discussions. "Illnim," said .Mrs. Corntosso), "you don't tako as much Interest In polities as you did last summer." "Yes, I do." replied her husbnnd. "But the new hired man Is such a lino talker I'm afraid to say anything that might start him for feur he'll demand the salary of a lecturer."