The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, January 15, 1897, Page 6, Image 6
TrtJ3 ) ,.,$.-ippnri,n i ii ., . 4 I THE RED CLOUD CHIEF, FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 1897. Xfiy yiy-Mrnw t - M J f 1 ABOUT MOONSHINERS. MANY SMALL STILLS SOME MORE PRETENTIOUS. torn WhUlcjr MiiiIa for Export Anil Loti of (lllirr Kindt Mitilo for llitmr Conimmptloii Inforinurii Arc Alwnya Dctrttcd, (Special Loiter.) ,HE moonshine bus iness In tho moun tains of Georgia, Alabnmn nnd Ten nessee has tnken a frcah Rtart nnd tho local reventio agents, In view of lively times ahead, have cnlled for re enforccmonts to help them In hand As n rule tho major Ins tho situation. ity of theso Illicit stills nroof the most primitive character, nnd geucrally of imall capacity. Nearly every rnrm among tho mountnU has n still se creted somewhere, and should tho pro prietor bo called upon to surrender his boozo and go to Jail, tho usual expla nation Is that tho moonshino Is "for family use only." Thoro nrc, however, many largo stills scattered nil through that rough country, and onco In awhile some of theso big fellows get caught. The largest, moonshino still on record was captured about a fortnight ago by Deputy Marshnl Thaxton of Polk county, who, with a posso, wns engaged In making n series of raids all through that suspected region. In this caso the officials were well prepared for an emergency, but had no idea of the warm reception that awaited them. Guided by an Informer, they trailed their way up tho mountain sldo by the light of tho moon, and a faint glimmer In a ravine far ahead Indicated tho loca tion of tho still. As they drew nearer tho flro grow brighter, and n Jolly crowd of men could bo seen going nbcut their work and talking among themselves At a slguul tho posse, With drawn rovolvcrs, mndo a dash for iho spot, nnd tho "Jolly crowd" Jumped for their arms. A pitched battle fol lowed, In which moro than nno "'shiner" wns shot down; but after n stubborn resistance tho whole outfit was captured, marched off to Jail and their property confiscated. If there Is ono thing a moonshiner hates worso than a snako It Is an Informer. Noth ing Is moro detestable to tho clan than a spy, and no morcy Is shown should ono fall into their hands. This broth erhood of moonshiners Is somewhat similar to the old kuklux arrange ment, for they will stand by each other to tho last. Tho moonshiners really have no grievance against tho revenue officials, and will rarely shoot or even injuro them, except In self-defense, but an Informer is their common ene my, and woo to ono of this class should he over bo found out or oven sus pected. There nro individuals in ovcry dis trict looking for this sort of Job; and It Is dangerous for a stranger to bo seen wandering about tho mountains nlonc, let his mission bo over so innocent. A pair of suspicious eyes nro following every movement, perhaps a woman's or a child's cyo, and should anything appear to theso watchers to bo of a questionable nature, a rough clap on the back and n gruit "What's yor doing in these parts?" may be very difficult to explain satisfactorily. Not long ago, near Waco, Ga a young man of excel lent character was ambushed by three desperate moonshiners, who spotted him as an informer, and it might have gono hard with him had it not been for his raro pluck and rapid work with his xnusclo. Young Roberson is a rustic nthloto, who was written down in tho cataloguo of tho moonshiners as a spy and a plot was laid to mako away with him on tho quiet. Tho opportunity came ono midnight a few weeks ago, when Roberson was riding homo from a visit to a neighbor. In a very dark part of tho woods the "Bhlncrs" waited for their victim, and pretty soon he was seen coming up tho road, mounted on a mulo. As ho arrived opposite the place of ambush, quick as a flash thrco men Jumped bofore his steed, and ordered him to halt. Tho rider, good naturedly, said he had no objection, A MOONSHINER'S HOME. and quietly dismounted. Ono of men whipped out his pistol and tho de mandedtq know" why ho reported them to the revenuo officers. "Shoot the d d spy," said one. "No; thrash tho life out of him,"said another. Tho third was In favor of flogging, but Roberson decided tho question for him self by shooting out his (1st with the forco of a battering ram, nnd tho moon shiner with the pistol executed somo of the finest gymnastic evolutions ever eocn outsldo of a professional circus. The other two threw themselves upon the young nv.n, and one of them drew a gun. Roberson grabbed the pistol, when it was accidentally discharged, and,th,evtblrd moonshine,, who thought the "informer" was shooting at him, cut loose and left his comprade to his fate. Roberion was more than a match lor me remaining one, ana oy a series f trapplM threw his antagonist and aaaa ih ft prisoner, -me omen naa tm& J3j &&u. tntten to their hcols, nnd with tho man's own plntol Uobcrson marched tho fellow to town and turned him over to tho authorities. Tho name "moon shiner" comes from tho fact that tho distillations nro generally carried on nt night, nnd often by tho light of tho moon. Tho spirits nro sometimes called "blockade," for tho renson that those who soil It havo to run tho block ndo In order tr get tho stuff to a pur chaser. No nno would suspect tho In nocent looking load of cotton rolling along tho road of containing moon shino hidden somewhero down among tlioso flaky bales; but a load of pota toes may bo equally nn guilty, and wagons full of corn, cotton seed, hay, or any other kind of produco or grain, nil lend a hand to aid tho moonshiner In getting his goods to market. Tho finest article Is manufactured from P'o corn, nnd It Is Intended principal ly for smuggling; but only tho larger stills cngago in tho export business. Tho smaller affairs aro run In a dif ferent way. Tho very smnll ones nro really "for family use only," tho pro duct being Intended wholly for homo consumption. Except tho larger ones, most of tho stills nro run on tho co operative plan. Thnt Is: You bring so much grain to my mill and I will ro turn you bo much grist. THE WHITE HOUSE. Should lie Mntlc Kpncloim but It ntju Nhnnlil Not lie Clmngnd. Tho rcsldcnco of tho president of (hfc United States ought to bo worthy of tho office, says Harper's Weekly. The present white houso Is equal to all tho requirements of such a residence, so far as It goes. It Is a simple and dignified building, whoso beauty Is a constant delight to appreciative per sons. It wns conceived and carried out by tho architect who planned it in tho proper spirit, but it Is not largo enough for tho uses to which It is neces sarily put. Tho country nnd tho city of .Washington havo grown and tho president's house has not grown with him. A large pnrt of It Is given up to tho business offices of tho president, his private secretory nnd his clerks and the president's family Is deprived of tho uso of another largo part of the -j$sin TYPICAL MOONSHINE STILL. lower floor of tho houso because It It necessarily on public view most of the time. Tho family 1b, therefore, cramp ed for proper accommodations, and there are no rooms for tho entertain ment of guesta. Moreover, tho houso Is so badly arranged as to entrances, ex its nnd hallways that n stnto reception there- is always an uncomfortnblo nnd dangerous Jam, while many an Invited gurst, nnd mnny officers who attend certain functions under orders, have been mndo seriously 111 becnuso they havo been compelled to stnnd for hours In cold or stormy wenthor until they could gain ndmittanco through tho sig nal door that can bo used for tho pur pose. Tho deficiencies of tho white house are so thoroughly recognized in Washington that for many years ef forts have been mado to secure worthier accommodations for tho presi dent. Some of these efforts havo been in tho wrong direction, becnuso thc have contomplntcd other buildings foreign to tho Intent and character ol tho whito house, within tho sam grounds. Other efforts still are at tempts of speculators to move the site of tho mansion to the hills nortb of tho city. Tho white house, with al Its charmB and memories, should b preserved, nnd It should remain on Iti present beautiful and historic site, 1U fine grounds unencumbered by othci structures. In furtherance of this ldei a plan prepared by Mr. Arthur J. Dil lon shows conclusively that the whltt house can be made not only abundant ly spacious, but even Improved, whlli Its architectural features will bo at thi samo tlrao preserved. A Itock-llorlnir HhrllfUh. Ono of tho most curious of tho raan remnrkablo forma of marine life Is s species of mollusk called to razor-shell which can excavate holes in solid rocks. This creature has no English name; its Latin name Is pholas. It li found In widely soparated regions ol tho earth, but is most plontlful on the coast of the Mediterranean, whert llmcstono abounds. It Is frequently met with on tho const of Italy, where whole Hmestono beaches aro honey. combed with Its holes. It Is still n dis puted point nmong naturalists as tc how this boring Is effected. Bonn think that tho mollusk secretes somi acid which solftens tho llmcstono, bul others think that tho holes are bored bj tno simple- mecnnmcai process of grind ing. The preponderance of opinion np pears to Ho with the latter view at present, yet it is sntd that no one hat yet been ablo to catch tho holas a work. St. lows itopubllc. A Vte 'or Life l'rr.rrvrrii. It is Bald that on account of thelt depth and coldness tho waters of Lake Superior do not give up their dead. A recent trnvelor thoro asked tho captain of a Lake Superior steamer why he carried life preservers, tho water being bo cold that one could not long survive Immersion. "Oh," waa the nonchalant reply, wo carry the corks so that It will bo easier to recover the bodies." Learn to say No. No necessity ol snapping It out do fashion, hut bay It 1 nrrniy ana respecuuiiy. Jm Like the rayn of the natural sun, glad childhood sheds Its brightness upon tho world; to which tho Inno--once, tho merriment, tho credulity, tho iiiqulsltlvenesu, tho naturalness, tho nilschlcvousness of thnt hnppy period before tho slindows begin to fall, nro n perpotunl source of refreshment nnd lcllght. When nil theso childish quail tics aro combined and n little touch of perversity Is added, many n moment of perplexity as well as of amusement Is :auBed. To Justly Judge tho child's net wo must tnko Its point of vlow. Only by mcanB of an nccurato memory of our own experiences and by a flno sym pathy with thoBo of others are we nblo to appreciate tho mental nttltudo of the budding life and to realize how mo mentous arc some of its occasions. Countless are tho bright pictures childhood throws upon our memories, for our lifelong enjoyment thereafter. 3omo of the most vivid from tho many ire hero set forth. An ever delightful child typo la that fn which tho mentality Is keen and enrly matured. Theso are they who rend much and think much and to their dally vocnbulary add tho words sneountered In books. In play and In popularity they aro foremost, unfailing In power nnd attraction aro such jonlnl, bright natures. An Interesting boy of twclvo years was shown tho photograph of n lady who was to bo married to tho young man exhibiting tho picture. Ho listen ed with Interest to his friend's account of his lady love whom tho boy had never seen. Not long nftcr tho llttlo man saw tho young woman in question for tho first time. When ho next en countered his friend, tho lover, It wns to announce to him with unconscious ness and enthusiasm "that ho had seen the substance of that shadow shown him a, few days ago!" so accustomed was he to talk in tho language that he read. An attractive child ho was in count less wnyB, with his beaming, Intelli gent faco, his quick action nnd his leadership among his companions. Strangely avorso to going to bed, ho waB never really ready to go at uny hour, his earnest wish being that llfo were nil day, so deeply was lie Inter ested In the affairs of the world. Children of this class, whether boys or girls, are by nature endowed with n mentality abovo the ordinary. For tunntoly they are often tho possessors of high animal spirits, tho result of good physical condition, expressed In a nappy disposition or line vivacity. Such minds aro of splendid fibre, boIzo readily upon knowledgo nnd facts which they easily retain and assimilate. Among all tho traits which children display none are so satisfactory to en counter ns stability and faithfulness; for with even modernto talents theso qualifications will ensure success in some line in tho years of later llfo. But how varied aro the child-natures and faces; like the leaves of tho forest no two are Just alike. A typo that everybody loves haa the bright open countenance, the frank, true tyes. Theo aro the little sunbeams in -the world, dancing along, bejlde the Tveary and oppressed, throwing their happy mllea upon the Borrowing, and upon alnt and sinner alike. Sweet aa the flowers of springtime, they gladden all ( About them. Ban Indeed would Ufa U "SWEET AS THE FLOWERS OP SPRINGTIME." without the blossoms nnd without these chcrub-llko children. Diversity of talents Is never moro plainly scon than In tho development of the llttlo ones. It Is mnrvclous how tho son of tho mcchnnlc lovea machinery so enrly. Even more won derful Is It when another son.lnhcrlting his gift? pcrhnps from his grandfather, father, Interested only In farm matters, In live stock nnd In sowing nnd gather ing of crops. How unlike nrc tho vari ous personalities of children. How THE QUESTIONING self-will shows Itself In enrlicst days In foine. How mischief reaches an ab normal growth In others. What In dividuality and originality nro fre quently displayed by the little folks. Many nro tho homes they cheer; deeply In their value realized when tho sweet baby voice la no longer hoard, when the laughing little fnco Is no longer Been. A few years glide by and then every baby face disappears, all childish speech ceases, for If these llt- TIRKD. tlo ones do not piss Into tho eternal silence, they merge as surely Into man hood and womanhood. It Is ns if in the life of one Individual there were countless lives ending one by ono ns others begin; so wholly apart from tho after ltfo aro tho days of Infancy. Ono beautiful boy made light and gladness In a home. Year by year a picture of tho child was made. Each twelvemonth seemed to perfect the life nnd face, until It took on n far away beauty not of this world. So tho last EYES CHILDHOOD. portralt showed him; then a shadow fell upon tho house that for n few brief years had been Illumined by a lovely presence. The flowers bloom nnd fade. The birds' songs (111 the world and then arc silent. But the sweetness of tho blossoms and of the warbling lingers when neither may longer be enjoyed. A dear llttlo California girl .by hor doings and saylngB has made herself a Joy to many. A chubby little figure, a sunny face, groat bluo eyes, a halo of fair curls a sweeter cheru never lived. She Is not yet thrco years old; and when sho Is gathered up for the night in her long whito night gown, and lifted to papa's shoulder to say, in stead of the conventional "Good night," her "God bess you," to each ono about her, God seems not far away and the blessing nppears to descend. If ever thoro Is virtue In a blessing It Is when spoken by such lips ns hers. Looking out of the back window ono day, hor mother henrd shrill screams and saw her baby girl carrying her cloak which a great rooster had caught In his beak and would not let go. Tho mother understood the llttlo one's pro longed cries of fright and vexation, nnd going outsldo freed tho tiny girl from her tormentor. Shortly after, when tho child was ugain in the house, sho passed her mother in the music room. Her llttlo legs boro her In longer strides than usual; thero was determination in her faco and vengcanco In her baby heart. In one hand sho carried a silver table knife, closo to her side, that it might not bo seen and taken from her. Sho spoke vehemently as she hastened on: "I'll kill 'at woostcr! I'll cut it on the feathers!" Upon another day this little tot's father decided to rearrange a favorite vine upon tho front porch of their pic turesque cottage home. To do bo It waa necessary to bo upon the front porch roof, and to reach .that point without injury to tho vines a ladder was placed against tho rear of the house. By the ladder ho mounted to the shod roof of tho kitchen nnd easily gaining in this way tho four Hided roof of the cottage ho descended thenco to OF tho roof of the porch. After n llttlo time he heard a great puffing and blowing; wondering whence the sounds came ho decided to reconnoitre, and saw It wns his baby girl who had al ready reached the third root! His heart stood still. What to do was the question. If he scolded her sho would turn nnd fall. So he smiled to her brightly and opened his arms nnd told her to "come on." With hor naturnl fearlessness, she had climbed tho lad der, a seemingly Impossible feat, for tho rounds wore far apart. When question ed, this sturdy three yenr old showed the awestrlckcn parents how sho had mounted tho ledder, cllmlnb tho side piece, between the rounds, monkey fashion, becnuso they were too far apart for her reach. Affectionate, warm-hearted, quick ol mind, she is a most lovable child. The years will come and go, nnd tho hap piness and charm of tho baby llfo will reflect cheer upon many a shndowy hour for those who In after years re call the Interesting nnd pretty ways or her childhood. Nickcll Magazine. A CAT'S HOUSEHOLD DUTIES. Ifo Churn unit (litthiT NutH for HI MMri'HH, Miss Angle Eddcs, a Indy living near Stockton, Cal., owns a cat bearing tho euphonious namo of Blldad that Is a marvel of feline Intelligence and In dustry, says tho San Frnnclsco Call. Miss Anglo lives on a little place of her own, whore she has her busy hands pretty full In looking nftcr tho ranch work and attending to her father, who Is a cripple, and the cat, Blldad, has como to bo very helpful to her In many ways. Among other sources of revenue, Miss Anglo has a dozen fine bearing almond trees that bring In no Inconsiderable amount, and Blldad Is invaluable to her in taking caro of tho nuts. Every morning in falling tlmo Mlsa Angle sets a largo basket out In tho orchard and Blldad begins work, frisking back and forth under tho trees, picking up tho plump brown nuts, never ceasing till tho basket Is full, when he goes In, letting his mistress know, by pulling nt her apron, that ho needs her help. Aside from thus relieving Miss Anglo of nil tho troublo of gathering the nuts, Blldad's services aro called Into requisition to protect them from rats, which otherwise would soon begin to ravnge tho trees as soon as tho young almonds show evidences of maturity. Another ono of Blldad's accomplishments Is that of churning, at which ho Is quite an ndept. Old Mr. Eddes, who has quite an lnventivo faculty, has manufactured a llttlo churn, with a unique, light-running treadle upon which Blldad mounts and treds away with the most pralBoworthy Industry till the work Is done. So ex pert has the cat become that he can tell by tho sound of the milk when tho butter has come, and strikes with his paw on tho little bell which is attached to the churn to let his mistress know. In the midst of all this industry, Bll dad finds time for as much fun and frolic as tho average cat, and is a source of great amusement and pleas uro to the old man, Eddcs, relieving him of many tedious hours. THE GIRL'S HALF-HOLIDAY. Most Wonderful I.nw l'ronentcd llofore tho New Zealand IIoums Tho Now Zealand houso of represen tatives has been doing somo wonderful things and Its latest achievement Is a bill for a statutory half-holiday for do mestic servants, which has already re ceived Its second reading, says tho Westminster Gazette. According to the proposal every mistress Is bound to turn her servants out of her houso from 3 p. m. until 10 p. m. ono day In overy week. If tho servant is found employed at her ordinary work during tho statutory half-holiday tho mistress will be liable to a penalty of $25. If tho servants return to their homes for food during tho time mentioned tho mistress must wnit on them or be mulcted to tho same tuno but wo take it for granted thnt the mistress has a legal right to refuse admittance. The result will be that a largo number of tho scrvnnts In the town, being coun try girls without friends, will bo driven to parade the streets for theso six houre of compulsory holiday. Tho humorous completeness of this proposal will, we nro afraid, bo fatal to its chances ol becoming law. A prominent lady poli tician has already avowed hor prefer ence for a statutory half-holiday fot overworked mothers of largo families who lyive no servants. Tho huBbnnd will then be compelled to remlnn at homo and mind his houso In the ab sence of his wife. A HtrtuiKO I'olni-ldnnre. . A certain peasant and his wlfo, Ir Germany, were married on tho same day as the emperor and tho empress tho peasant's Christian namo being William. Their first child, a boy, was born on tho same day as tho Crown Prince, after which thov had five other sons, each of whom wns born at the Bamo tlmo as tho five younger boys ol tho emperor. The roynl couple were Informed of this, and were exceedingly Interested In the very strange -coincidence, but this Interest was Intensified when, on the last occasion of.aVoya". birth, namely, tho llttlo daughter ol the" kaiser, It was learned that the peasant's wife In question had also given birth, to a daughter on tho enmc day. ,So astonished were tho emperor and empress that they stood as god father' and godmother to this little girl, and have well provided for her future The World'! Wcaltlilrit tMillntelUt. The Due do Galllera Is probably the most notable as well as the wealthiest philatelist n the world. Ho began to collect stamps In 1870, and every year spent some 8,000 In adding stamps to his collection. In 1880 his collection was valued at 80.000. nnd tnrtov i i. J wld to be worth close to itSO.OM. 4 -V- -L. r i':r"fr'MmiiiU.i )!WjiM..t.''WWiMRlMMW1WMII....W'..iwlWW.,wtBWMMM wuawwwiMMwrHiwa-pr)-- : ' in i-t