ax.
The Sioux County Journal
VOLUME V1IL
HAKKISOX, NEBRASKA THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1890.
i
NUMBER 43.
BIRTH OF THE NATION
OFT TOLD STORY OF AMERICA
MADE FREE.
One Hundred and Twenty Tear Ago
the Gauntlet of Defiance Waa
Thrown to Britain and This New
Bcpnblic Waa Born.
Independence for Al'.
One hundred and twenty years ago.
namely, on the Fourth of July, 1770, there
was born in the western world a new na
tionthe Republic of the United States.
Uefusing to pa? the taxation imposed up
on them at the point of the bayonet by the
British crown; failing to move the king
and hia minister from their career of
haughty and reckless obstinacy, the thir
teen American colonies found themselves
reduced to tbe alternative of abject sub
mission or of armed resistance. Already
there had flashed throughout the country
the electric words of Patrick Henry: "We
must 6ght! An appeal to arms and to the
God of Hosts la all that Is left us."
Tbe sons of liberty shouted their re
sponsive acclaim to this manly summons,
and, like the sound of many waters, the
pirit of national independence which
thus possessed the people came upon the
Continental Congress, then in session In
the State House at Philadelphia, l'a. It
was In this temple of freedom, wherein
was sitting as noble and august a legis
lative body aa the world ever saw, that
Richard Henry Ia-c introduced a resolu
tion, on tbe 7th of June, 1776, declaring.
"That the United Colonies are and ought
to be free and independent States, and
RlSOtXO LIIlKBTlf BUM., JULY 1776.
that their political connection with Great
Britain is and ought to be dissolved."
Upon this resolution there sprang up at
once an earnest and powerful debate. It
was opposed, principally, on the ground
that it was premature. Its further con
sideration was accordingly postponed un
til there was a prosject of greater unan
imity. On the 11th of June, a committee
was appointed to draft a formal Declara
tion. This committee consisted of Ben
jamin Franklin, John Adams, Thymus
Jefferson, Itoger Sherman and Ilohcrt It
Livingston. On the 28th of June the com
mittee made their report, and presented
tbe Declaration which they had drawn
up. On the 2d day of July Congress pro
ceeded to the serious consideration of this
momentous paper, which lasted nearly
three days, and was extremely earnest.
It was known throughout the city that
the great event was to be determined, but
the closed doors of Congress excluded tbe
populace. From the hour when Congress
came together In the forpnoon all busi
ness was suspended throughout the city,
and the old bellman steadily remained at
his post in the steeple, prepared to sound
forth to the waiting multitudes the expect
ed glad tidings. The bell, manufactured
In England, bore iixin Its ample curve the
now prophetic inscription, "Proclaim lib
erty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof."
Hours passed on, and fear began to take
the place of hope In many a heart; even
the venerable and always cheerful bell
man was overheard in his despondent so
liloquy: "They will never do It! they will never
do It!
Finally, at about 2 o'clock In the after
noon, the door of the mysterious bnll
swung open, and a voice exclaimed:
"1'assed! it has passed!"
The word was caught up by ten thou
saud glad mouths, and the watch-boy
now clapped his hands and shouted,
"King! King!" Seizing the iron tongue
of the bell in which he had long felt such
a profesnioual pride, the electrified old pat
riot rung forth such a joyous peul as was
never heard before, nor ceased to hurl It
bacuward and forward till every voice
Joined In its notes of gladness and tri
umph. The roar of cannon, nnd Illumi
nations from every house and hilltop,
added to these demonstrations of univer
sal rejoicing.
Washington hailed the declaration with
Joy, for it put an end to all those tempor
izing hoM-s of reconciliation which hod
clogjed the military action of the coun
try. On the Itth of July he caused it to
be read at the head of each brigade of the
army. The troops listened to the reading
with eag.r attention, and at Its close
broke forth In tumultuous applause.
The excitable populace of New York
were not content with the ringing of
bells. There was a leaden equestrian
statue of George the Third In Howling
Green, in front of the fort. Around this
kingly elllgy the excited multitude surged,
and, pulling It down, broke it Into frag
ments, which were afterward molded Into
bullets and made to do service against
hia majesty's troops.
In Boston, that citadel of radical Insub
ordination to "hia majesty," the public
Joy knew no bounds. The town clerk
read the solemn declaration to the multi
tude, tt the close of which a shout began
In the hall and passed like an electric
spark to tbe streets, which now rang
with loud huuas, the alow and measured
boom of cannon and the rattle of musket
ry. Tbe batteries on Fort Hill, Dorches
ter Neck, tbe castle, Nantasket and Long
Island, each saluted with thirteen guns,
tbe artillery l tbe town flrod thirteen
WHEN, In the court of human c-tpqU, It
beromef 0raar for cm profile to til
ivjlvtt tU ioilllcal t-anli wtii ta bs?
connect! lliin It b oolher, a ol to muiq
inno( tbe powers of the earta the tmparate aud
emial itnthiu to which the Ui or nature aud
of oature'i God entitle them, a lmot respect
to the opinlona of luanlclDd requites that tbfjr
should declare the cauaea which twal them
to the Bruttratloo.
We hold tht-ee truth, to be eelf evident: That
11 men are orratrd equal; that thy are eu
dowed by their t'reator with ct-rtalu uaaltentihle
rlghta; that ainotig thre are life. Ill-rty and
the poratitl of hapiilneaa. That to aecure three
right a, gorernuienta are 1iitltutd among men,
dfrMftf (heir Juet power from the ooueent of
the governed; that whenever an form of gov
ernnient foemnee destructive of these ends, It
is the right of the people to alter or to abolish tt.
and to Institute a new government. Laving Its
foundation on such principles, and oricanulng
its powers In such form, as to them shall seem
most likely to effect their safety and bsppin-ss.
Prudence, Indeed, will dictate thst governments
long estshhahed should not be cbangd for light
SDd transient rsuses; and accordingly, sll ei
pTleric bath shown thst usuklud are more
disposed to uff it, while evils are suffers hie, than
to light themselves by abolishing the forms to
which they ere accustomed. But when a loug
train of atHiss and usurpations, pursuing Inva
riably the same object, evlncs s design to re
duce them under alMolute despotism, tt Is their
right, It is their duty, to threw off such govern
ment, and to provide new guerds for their future
security, Huch has been the patient suffsrance
of these colonies, snd such Is now the necessity
which constrains them to alter their former sys
tems of government- The history of tbe present
king of Great Itrltaln Is a history of repeated
Injuries and usurpations, sll having In direct ob
ject tbe establishment of so absolute tyranny
over these ntstes To prove this, let farts he
submitted to candid world:
He has refused his assent to Isws the most
wholesome end necessary for the public good.
He hss forbidden bis governors to pass laws
of Immediate and pressing Importsnce, unless
suspended In their operation till his assent itxuUl
he obtained; and, when so suspended, be has
utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other laws for the
cromruodatton of large districts of people, un
less these people would relinquish the right of
representation In the legislature; a right Ines
tlmsUe to them, and formidable to tyrsnts only.
He hss cnlled together legislative (todies at
places unusunl. nncomfortsble, and distant from
the depository of their public records, for the
le purpose of fatiguing them Into compliance
with his measures.
He has dtss'ilred representative houses reuest
edly for opiioslng with manly firmness bis In
vasions on the rights of the people.
He hss refused, for a long time after sorb dis
solutions, to cause others to l elected; whereby
the legtsisilve powers, incapable of annihilation,
have returned to tbe people at large for their
eierclH?; tbe state remaining. In tbe mesn
tline, e i posed to sll the dsnger of luraslon from
without and convulsions within.
He hss endeavored to preven the population
of these states; for that purpose ohetructtng the
laws for nattirsllwition of foreigners, refusing
to psss others to encourage their migration hither
and raising the conditions of new appropriations
of lands.
He has otistructed the sdmtnlstratlon of Jus
tice by refusing his assent to laws for establish-
Wig Ji
lie
Judiciary powers.
hss mule juoges nenenaent on nis win
lone for the tenure of their ofTVes. and the
amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of new office, and
sent hither awsrms of officers to hsrsss our
people sod est ont their substance.
He hss kept among us, In times of peace.
Mnndlng armlet, without the consent of our
legislatures.
He has effected to render the military Inde
pendent of, snd superior to, the civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to
rounds, tad the Infantry scattered into
thirteen divisions, poured forth thirteen
rollers all corresponding to the number
of States which formed the Union.
"bou'U" Tor the Fourth.
Don't talk politics.
Don't run to every fire.
Don't despise a toy pistol.
Don't complain if it rains.
Don't set lire to the house.
Don't drink pink lemonade.
Don't overload your stomach.
Don't celebrate with whisky.
Don't drive a nervous horse.
Don't miss the last train home.
Don't think the gun Isn't loaded.
Don't go on a crowded excursion.
Don't be ashamed to be patriotic. '
Don't let your dog out of the house.
Don't gny the "old-fashioned Fourth."
Don't shoot off your mouth too much.
Don't Imagine that "it has gone out."
Don't put a double charge in a cannon.
Don't blow down the mouth of a loaded
cannon.
Don't try to suppress small boys; It Is
their day.
Don't fire a pistol loaded with powder
iiml ball.
Dou't put your nose to a rocket after
lighting It.
Don't "wish you hadn't gone" after
coming back.
Don't forget that the Fourth lasts only
one day.
Don't set off firecrackers In the haymow.
Don't carry loose powder In your pocket.
Dou't laugh at the drum major pity
bitn.
Don't forget you were a boy once your
self. Don't begin celebrating the Fourth on
the 3d.
Don't throw firecrackers at passing bi
cyclists. Don't take any changes with a cracked
cannon.
Don't shoot rocket Into your neigh
bor's wlndowi.
a Jurisdiction foreign to our eoostltutloo
uoacsuuiweogea by our laws, giving bis
to nioir ai:i- 01 preieaaeu legists I lon
Jr'or quartering lage bodies of armed troops
among us;
For protecting them, by a mock trial, from
punishment for any murders which they sbooid
commit on the lnhsbltsnts of these ststea;
For out lug off our trade wltb all parts of the
world .
For Imposing taies on us without our consent;
For depriving us, lu many esses, of the bene
fits of trial by Jury;
For tmiiaiHtrtiris us berood sess to be tried for
pretended offenses; A
for abolishing the free system of English la we
In a neighboring province, establishing thereto
an srbltrary government, end enlarging Its boun
daries so to render it at once an eiemple and
fit Instrument for Introducing the same absolute
nile Into these colonies;
For taking sway our charters, abolishing oar
most valuable laws, and altering, fundamentally,
the powers of our governments;
For suspending our own legislatures, and declar
ing themselves Invested wltb power to legis
late for us In sll cases whatsoever.
He hss abdicated government here, by declar
ing us out of hia protection and waging war
agslnst us.
He has plundered oar sess, ravaged our coasts,
burned our towns, snd destroyed the Uvea of our
people.
fie la at this time transporting large anal
of foreign mercenaries, to complete the work of
death, desolation, and tyranny, alresdy negus
with circumstances of cruelty ana perfidy scarcely
paralleled In the most bartttrlc ages, and totally
unworthy the bead of a civilised nation.
He bus constrslned our fellow cltlseos. tsken
csptlve on the high seas, to bear arm against
their country, to become the executioners of their
friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by
their hands.
He has eiclted domestic Insurrections amongst
us, and has endesvored to bring on the Inhaol
tanta of our frontier the mercTleea Indian sav
age, whose known rat of warfare Is so undis
tinguished destruction of sll ages, sexes and
conditions.
In every stage of these oppressions we hsv
petitioned for redress In the most humble tertng.
Our repeated petition have been answered only
by repeated Injury. A prince, whose cursctt
Is thus marked by every act which msy deflo
a tyrant, 1 unfit to be tbe ruler of a frs
people.
Nor have we been wanting In attention to out
British brethren. We have warned them, from
time to time, of attempts made by their legisla
ture, to extend to unwarrantable Jurisdiction
over us. We hsv reminded them of the clr
cumatftiices of our emigrstioo snd settlement
here. We hsv appealed to tbelr nstlv justice
snd magnanimity, snd we have conjured them, by
tbe ties of our common kindred, to disavow these
URiirpallons, which would Inevitably Interrupt
our connections and correspondence. They, jxe
have been desf to the role of Justice snd tod
ssngulntty. We must, therefore, " acquiesce in
t he necesal ty which denounce our sepa ration,
snd bold them, ss we bold the rest of mankind,
enemies in war, In peace friends.
We, therefore, the representatives of the
f T n 1 1 ed Rrates of A merles , I n general congress
sssembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of
the world for the rectitude of oar Intentions, do.
In the name snd bp the sutborltv of the sood
peon 1 of these colonies, solemnly publish snd
decisre thst these united colonies are, and of
right ought to be, free and Independent states;
thst they are absolved from sll sllegUrics to the
Ttrtttsh crown, snd that sll political connection
between them snd the stste of Great Britain la.
and ought to be. totally dissolved; snd that, ss
free and Independent states, they have full power
to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances,
establish commerce, and do all other acts and
things which Independent states msy of right do.
And for the support of this declsratlon, with a
firm reliance on the protection of Divine Provi
dence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives,
our fortunes, and our aacred honor.
The Day We Celebrate.
Once a year It nmn
Wltb Us flags and drums,
With Its caunon loud,
With Its rockets high
And their starry crowd
Filling all the sky.
Music In the air,
I'owder everywhere,
Crackers making noise,
Hnapplng at your feet.
For the happy boys
All along the street.
Then, hurruh! t say.
Independence lny
Comes but once s year.
With Its noise and smoke.
Let us hold It dear,
Itlg and little folk.
Let us take our part
With a loyal heart.
He our flags unfurled,
Little mil Id and man,
I'rotidest In the world!
Free I American!
-New York Independent.
Here He la Again.
SWEETHEARTS.
Where are my sweethearts, tond
and
fair?
None of tbe graceful group I see;
Fitting fairies, they clip th air.
Or peep from the woods and laugh at
me.
Laugh at the old man muring slow,
Iu a circle of dreams of kmg ago!
Thus in memory's mystic room
Supreme tlieir changeless charms ap
pear, Rose aud lily in hreatbiug bloom,
Aud love-lit smilrs that thrill and cheer.
Wherever affection has touched the past
Is immortality o'er it cast!
Seems it only a vision yet
One little month since her I met;
May fadeless flowers en wreath the
night!
A lady beautiful aglow
With kindness. Strange! Her hair Is
white,
Her cheeks are sunset-tinted snow;
Her eyes have that religious light
Cathedrals In their dimness know!
My queen of fairies! Not alone
I stood by her exalted throne;
For he was there, her gracious king,
The royal family around,
Ah, what an unsubstantial thing
My room of old deligh: I found!
Each image false took Instant wing,
Ileality resumed the ground!
Washington Star.
WHEN THE
MOON IS RED.
Mawson was the qulettwt man In the
company; lazy and easy-going, and as
gentle of speech and manner as a wom
an. Therefore, what I am about to tell
seems all the more Inexplicable.
The troops had Just been paid at Fort
Bolord, In New Mexico, and the detail
to escort the paymaster to the next sta
tion already announced. It consisted
of Sergeant Cnlson, an ex-English sol
dier who had seen service In India, and
lx privates, of whom Mawson was
one.
On the morning of the 17th of July,
the day following the payment, a four
mulo ambulance, containing the pay
master and his clerk, and one escort
wagon, containing the eullsted contin
gent, pulled out of Bolord for Fort
Newgate, sixty mile across the coun
try. As afterward verified by official
observations. It was the hottest day the
regiment had ever known In the Terri
tory. After the sun was a few hours
high, even those tough and hardened
veterans, the quartermaster's mules,
showed signs of It.
By noon both men and animals were
well-nigh maddeneil by the heat; there
was tio escaping, as It beat down un
mercifully upon them, while they
wearily crawled through the heavy
sand. It was miles to I'luon creek, their
first night's camp, with almost the entire-
distance a desert. Nothing but
saud as far as the eye could reach; des
olationabsolute, utter desolation. The
sand gnats buzzed gayly and merrily,
and almost drove the animals to open
revolt. In the ambulance, which was
covered, the paymaster and his clerk
sat, violently fanning themselves, the
water streaming off their faces, aud
their eyes glued to the valises contain
ing the government funds for the pay
ment of the command at Newgate.
"It's simply hell," said the Major,
while the clerk, a tenderfoot, muttered
something about being back lu Ohio.
"Ohio!" thundered bis chief. "Ohio!
What do you mean by speaking of Ohio
In this God forsaken country, eh?"
The clerk, who was a mild man,
coughed apologetically, and for the bal
ance of the ride remained silent.
As the day wore on the wagons
creaked along, the Major occasionally
slept, awoke, glared at the silent clerk,
aud took numerous drops of the "Trad
er's best," his panacea for all evils. The
clerk didn't drink, couldn't sleep, and,
by the time the wagons at lnt dragged
Into camp, was on the verge of nervous
prostration. It was his first trjp In the
Territory, and, I may as well add here,
that It was his last.
After the long, hot siege of the day It
was a relief to strike the little green
spot where I'luon creek gurglei and
murmured over its rough, pebbly bot
tom with tin? most tantalizing sound.
Kvcn the Major rtJaxed and offered a
drink of the panacea to tbe detail who
bad pitched the tents for himself and
clerk In the coolest and shadiest spot
obtainable.
After the animals had been watered,
fed and secured for the night there was
supper, and then the sergeaut divided
the detail Into reliefs for a running
guard.
At about 8:30 o'clock the tnoou shot
up In the sky, blood-red, and the nlr
grew suddenly hotter. The clerk, to
whom the sight was a new one, seemed
much Impressed by It.
"Nothing unusual." said the Major,
who, llko the celebrated Joe Wlllet,
was now In a mood to tackle anything
or anybody In the line of argument
"Why, sir, I've seen er ten times red
der," he added; "yes, sir, ten times red
der." There was a silence.
"You believe me?" asked the Major,
belligerently. .
Tho clerk believed him, but bis resig
nation was already a foregone conclu
sion. An hour later the little camp bad
sunk to slumber, nnd the only noise
that disturbed the alienee was the
tramp of the sentinel In front of the
paymaster's tent
Am tbe night wore on It grew hotter
and hotter, and the men tossed aDd
moved uneasily on their blankets. Tbe
littl breeze that bad sprung up In tbe
early part of the evening died out, and
the silence grew almost oppressive.
Overhead the moon hung red aud large
In Uie skies, its lurid beams giving the
sceiie an almost unnatural appearance.
It was just about midnight when the
whole camp was aroused by an un
earthly yell, and the next instant the
clerk, clad only in a brief shirt, came
madly tearing toward the wagons.
"Well, what is it?" asked the sergeant
quietly, wbo had caught bim in bis
grap; "what is It?"
It was some time before he could tell
bis story, and then, when he did speak,
it was almost impossible to understand
him. "Something had attacked bim,"
he blurted out
"Who the Major?" asked one of the
grinning soldiers, but the sergeant si
lenced him.
"Come, sir, tell us what it was," coax
ed the sergeant., and then he began:
"He had been awakened by something
In his tent a large, white animal, with
gleaming eyes and heavy mane, that
scratched and bit at hlrn savagely,"
and In proof .thereof he showed his
right arm. Incredulity fled at once,
for, sure enough, on the arm were a
cruel red gash and the imprint of teeth.
"It was awful," he continued shudder
ingly "awful; it tried to tear my
throat, but I managed to roll out of the
teni and get away."
By this time the Major had joined the
group and the story was repeated to
him.
" 'Sh, what's that?" asked some one.
There was Instant silence, and quite
plainly, from the direction of the clerk's
tent, there came a sound as If of some
animal crawling through the brush.
The sergeant loaded his piece.
Again they heard it, this time evi
dently approaching them, and then
through the brush they caught a gleam
of something white.
"That's It," chattered the clerk,
"that's it Hhoot It."
Suddenly it came plainly into sight;
a long, white animal that crawled and
slid along, slowly and stealthily on all
fours. Before they could realize what
it was It halted, turned Its head toward
the moon, and gave vent to a wild,
piercing cry that was absolutely blood
curdling. "Now!" said the Major, and the ser
geant raised his piece and nui his eye
along the barrel.
The next Instant, to their unmistak
able horror, the animal suddenly raised
up erect, aud rhe sergeant dropixd his
piece.
"By the living God," he cried hoarse
ly, "It's a man!"
"It's Mawson," said some one.
Aa the thing turned its head fully to
ward them they recognized him plain
ly. He was perfectly naked, and bis
skin shone In the moon's red light,
white and dazzling.
Breathlessly they watched him. Soon
he dropped on nil-fours, and then
eroui'hlng close to the ground began
slowly crawling toward tho horrified
group. They could now hear his heavy
breathing and see his fixed, staring
eyes moving from face to face, while
his jaws worked convulsively and bis
tongue hung out between his lips.
"lie's crazy," whispered the sergeant;
"I'd better drop him," but the Major
shook bis bead.
Nearer and nearer, closer and closer
lie crawled, almost on his belly, and
then, with an angry snarl, the long
white body shot through the air straight
toward them. At tbe same instant the
sergeant clubbed his rlfie, and then
thoy heard It strike against Mawson's
head with a dull thud. lie straightened
up bodily, threw his arms wildly once
or twice, and dropped to the ground
like dead.
When they came to examine him the
blood was flowing from the wound in
the back of his head made by the ser
geant's rifle, but his breathing seemed
strong and regular.
"He's only stunned," said the Major,
"and the bleeding will do him good."
Ills naked body was feverishly hot
and scratched from crawling through
the brush, but otherwise he seemed un
injured. For a long time he lay In a sort of
stuor, while they bathed his wound
and kept wet rags to his head.
Suddenly he began to speak, and then
the men stared at one another in open
mouthed amazement; the words were
utterly strange to them.
"What's his nationality?" asked the
Major.
"American, sir," answered one of the
men, who was a walking encyclopedia
on all company matters; "born in the
mountnins of Tennessee, sir."
The sergeant, who had been some dis
tance away, now approached, and as
soon as he heard Mawson's mutterlngs
turned to the Major with a queer look
on his face.
"He's talking Indian, sir," he said,
excitedly; "he's talking the lingo of the
tiger people I know It well."
"Listen to him now, sir," he contin
ued, aa Mawson broke into a weird sort
of chant, "do you know what he's say
ing? "When the moon la red the tiger kills.
When the moon Is red the tiger kills.
When the moon It red the tiger kills."
"He's mad," said tbe Major, but the
sergeant shook hia bead and drew
away. "He's a tiger man," be wkla-
pered.
All through the long night they
watched and cared for him and listen
el to his one weird cry:
When the moon is red the tiger kills.
When the moon is red the tiger kills.
When the moon is red the tiger kills.
When the morning breeze broke the
long weary watch and the blood-red
moon uropped to rest Mawson sudden
ly sat up, rubbed his eyes, and then,
looking at one of the men he waa fond
of, said, in his usual lazy, gentle man
ner of speech:
"Ilello, Don; ain't reveille gone'yetT
When the sergeant reported to thi
paymaster for Instructions prior ta
breaking camp that officer asked:
"How does Mawson act now?"
"Much as usual, sir, except that he
complains of being tired; doesn't seem
to have any recollection whatever of
last night's proceedings."
"He's shamming," said the Major.
"I think not, sir; I've questioned him
very closely about India, but he doesn't
even know where It Is. He's very Ig
norant, like most mountaineers. I even
repeated in Indian, 'When the moon is
red the tiger kills,' but after gazing
at me In amazement for a few minutes
he burst out laughing. 'What's that,
sergeant Dutch?' he asked, when I re
peated it. Considered It a huge joke."
"How does he account for the wound
on his head?" continued the Major.
"Thiuks he must have walked In bis
sleep and fallen against a rock. I really
believe he's in earnest sir, and doesn't
remember anything."
But the Major was far from satisfied.
"Keep close to him, sergeant," he cau
tioned, "and see he doesn't get hold of
a rifle."
When they got into Newgate the Ma
jor reported the circumstance to the
commanding officer and the post sur
geon, and Mawson was immediately
taken into the post hospital for observa
tion. "A mild sunstroke, probably," said
the doctor some few days later; "he's
perfectly sane and well now."
"But how about his talking Indian?"
persisted the Major; "a sunstroke can't
make a man a linguist can it?"
The doctor smiled In a superior man
ner. "I don't think It was Indian," he
said; "the sergeant was evidently over
excited and only imagined he under
stood it. Why, my dear fellow," notic
ing the paymaster's rising wrath,
"you're a sensible man and a bright
one. Now how in the name of common
sense could a man speak a language
he didn't even know of? The day of mi
racles is over and you don't believe In
the supernatural? Well, I've studied
the matter most carefully; too much
sun; you all had a little touch of it, I
guess. What'Il you have?"
This is what the doctor said and what
was generally accepted as the true so
lution. But the men of the escort knew
better.
Perhaps the queerest part of all Is
that when Mawson was discharged
from the hospital he returned to the
company and served the remaining
three years of his enlistment faithfully
and honestly. Sergeant Calson, who
himself told me the story and in whose
word I have Implicit confidence, point
ed Mawson out to me on a number oi
occasions, but as he was not in my
company I never learned to know him.
The madness, or whatever you may see
fit to call it, never recurred. He was
gentle In speech and manner, easy
going and lazy, which, as I before said,
makes it all the more inexplicable.
These events, which occurred many
years ago, had almost escajjd my
memory, until, the other day, I received
a letter from my friend, the ex-sergeant,
who is now in the customs serv
ice of the Government, stationed la
Tennessee. Among other things ha
wrote:
"Do you remember Mawson and the
story I told you about his queer doings
at Plnon Creek long ago? In one of my
trips lat month I came across a family1
of the same name, up In the mountains
of this State (his birthplace, you may
remember), and by close, though appar
ently indifferent, questioning found out
that they were cousins of his. They
remembered him well; in fact, had a
picture of him, tsken In uniform when
he was a member of my old company.
"It seems that his grandfather (who
before drifting to Tennessee had been
a sailor In early life) brought back with
him from his last trip to foreign parts
a dnrksklnned wife. She died In giv
ing birth to Mawson's father, whom his
kinsfolk here speak of as 'a sleepy,
dreamy, worthless sort of cuss, very
fond of hunting about at night'
"From the description of the woman
(Mawson's grandmother), which Is,
however, almost entirely legendary, I
have every reason to believe that she
belonged to one of the tribes of tlgei
people, quite common In India yean
ago."
Queer, Isn't it? Of course I don't
mean to say that this explains the mys
tery, but It certainly establishes a con
nection; don't you think so? Son Fran
cisco Argonaut.
A New Gunboat.
A new gunboat ha wen devised to
sail In shallow water, and the Inventor
claims for It tbe advantage of great
speed with a light draught of water,
and a continuous and simultaneous fir
ing on both sides of guns specially man
ufactured for the purpose, tbe Crew all
tbe time being safely under coyer.
' f
