3
t&A
THE BED CLOin) CHIEF.
1 10 YIELD.
Evacuation Celebrations in Havana
to Be Postponed.
UNCLE SAM IS TO BE OBEYED,
Tli Fntrlotlo Committor of ISO Iiinot
Mnntfotto Id T.ln With Oeneml
Ludlow's VTUhei Cubnn Solilltri Ar
StIU lUolted.
IIavaha. Doc. 31. The Cuban Patri
otic lcoguo, consisting of ISO loading
Cubans, lawyers, doctors and business
men, at n mooting which Ins toil until
4 o'clock this morning, decided to yield
without reservation to tho wlshos of
General It rook o and General Ludlow
In tho matter of postponing tho six
days' celebrations they had planned
for tho evacuation. Tho commlttco
has approved a mautfesto to tho Cuban
population of Havana, on tfao lines of
General Ludlow's reply on tho subject
of the proposed celebrations, quoting
some portions of It and paraphrasing
others.
- An order has been Issued closing tho
saloons, forbidding parades and pro
hibiting tho carrying of firearms.
Tho Cuban citizens in Havana and
tho Cuban soldiers outsldo tho city arc
' intensely excited, but tho patriotic
commlttco and tho military chiefs of
tho Cubans think tliry can quiet this
focling and prevent violent incidents.
Tho force of 200 insurgents doing
police duty nt Vcdado under Colonol
IIcrandcz,has been withdrawn becauso
tho United States military authority
could not recognize them except as in
dividuals. A misunderstanding be
tween Generals Leo and Ludlow re
garding American troopH made tho
entranco of the insurgents to do pollco
dnty necessary.
A letter from Gomez has just been
received here. He said that he could
not coma to Havana unless ho camo as
tho commander-in-chief of tho Cuban
army of liberation, and if tho men
who had fought with him for three
years wcro not good enough to como
ho preferred ntaylng with thorn. Ho
ecoutcd the Idea that tho presence of
tho Cuban troops would result in dis
order. Ho trusted thoAmcrlcau peo
ple and feared tho politicians were
working against Cuban liberty.
Tho Americans aro divided in senti
ment, many bollevlng that a great
mlstalco' h.is been made in not giving
tho Cubans nn opportunity to cele
brate tho ovont for which they have
fought so many years. General Leo
was in favor of granting permission
for tho Insurgents to parado and rec
ognizing Gomez as tho head of the
Cuban army. Since Genoral Urookc
gavo his decision Leo has, of course,
refused to express himself.
The evacuation program for Sunday
Is as follows:
At 11 a. ra. tho American commL
lioncrs, Goncrals Wado, Clous and
Butler, with their staffs, will leave tho
I'rocha hotel at Vedado for tho palace
In horseback, In full uniform, but
without a cavalry oscort. They will
arrive at tho reception room of the
palaco at 11:43, where they will meet
Generals Brooke, Leo and Ludlow and
their staffs.
Captaiu-Gonoral Castollanos, Admir
al Mintcrola, and tho'Spnnish evacua
tion commissioners and their staffs,
will 6tand In tho throne room, the
throno having boon removed. At noon
General Castcllanos will, In n few
werds, turn over tho command to Gen
eral Brooke,
There will then be a short rccoption
to the outgoing and incoming gen
erals, and Immediately afterward Gen
oral Castcllanos will start for Caval
ier a wharf, escorted by General Clous.
After Castcllanos's doparturo ull
Americans are expected to pay their
respects to General 11 rook e. Tho gen
eral will then go to the Hotel Ingle
terra. One division of Leo's Seventh corps
will, in tho meantimo, bo massed at
th Lea end of tho Prado, and these
troops, 8,000 strung, under Genoral
: lvcifcr, will march on review. .
Thrco flags will ba officially raisod
at tho palaco, at Morro and at Cabanas
by Lieutenants Leo and Wado und
Major Butler, all sons of gcnerulH.
I'ho saluting will bo with tho bronze
tuns of Cabanas, mado in 1740. Amor
V an artillerymen will first saluto tho
1 lling Spanish flag and tho Spanish
fctlllcr.vmen will use tho wauio guns to
)t uto two American flag.
Promptly at noon United States rcg
lira will patrol tho e.itlro city.
Retiring BpanUli Coin.
Warhinoto.v, Dec. 31. After a con
ference with Mr. Robert P. Porter,
bpecial commissioner of tho United
States to Cuba and Porto Rico, the
President approved an oxccutlvo order
wlilch had alrcadybeon signed by Sec
retary (Sago, to tho effect that on and
after January 1. all customs, taxes,
public and postal dues In tho Island of
Cuba shall bo paid in United States
monoy or in foreign gold coin. Tho
order gives tho rates lit which tho for
eign gold coin shall bo accepted. It
firovldes for tho retirement of the
cadlng Spanish silver coins now in
circulation and specifics values cred
ited to them in the payment of taxes,
lustoms, dues, etc.
CUBA TO BE UNDETbUREAUS,
Tli Cabinet D'.clUoi to Help Oeourul
Ilrooke aovefu tho liUnil.
Washington, Doc. 31. Most of tho
long cabinet meeting to-day was
spent in discussing matters in con-
noction with tho administration of
itho law In Cuba. It was decided
to put tho collection of tho taxes
nd customs duos, tho administration
f tho laws relating to postal matters
una mo courts nud many other I
it.
portant branches of tho government of
mo isionu in the chargo of bureau
beaded by experienced inon.
1
AMBASSADOR ROMERO DEAD,
Apprnitlcltl Fat it to tho Meiltan Am
tisoinilnr to Amerlrn.
WAsmisoTON, Deo. 31. Sonor Don
Matins Romero, tho Mexican ambassa
dor to the United States, died at tho
embassy here at 4:10 o'clock thismortf
ing. Wednesday nn operation for ap
pendicitis was performed upon tho am
bassador, nnd, although the operation
was entirely successful, tho resulting
shock proved greater thnn ho could
bear.
For the last thirty-five years Romero
has been ono of tho leading officials of
tho various governments of Mexico.
An early as 1819 during the adminis
tration of President Buchanan ho
was connected with tho Mexican lega
tion. Ho was at that tlmo only 22
years of ago. Uefore he was !!5 ho had
chargo of the interests of Mexico In
tho Halted Sontc3. Ho was secretary
of tho Mexican treasury during tho
administrations of Juarez, tho first
president of Mxlco, and Diaz, when
he succeeded Juarez; was n member of
tho Mexican Congress, an officer in tho
Mexican army, tiad then ngatu minis
ter, nnd, later, ambassador to the)
United States. Ho was known in
Washington as ono of the shrewdest
nnd ablest of tho foreign diplomatists.
The most important treaties with Mex
ico wcro mado by tho United States
through Honor Romero.
Ho had mauy friendships among
prominent Americans. Among them
was a strong attachment between Gen
eral Grant and him. Ho also was on
intimate terms with President Lincoln
nnd Secretary Seward. In 1SC9, when
ho returned to Mexico, Secretary Sow
ard furnished him a United States
government vessel as a mark of dis
tinction. Tho legation was, by a concurrent
arrangement of tho two governments,
within tho last mouth, raised to the
grade of nn embassy, and noxt Tues
day had boen fixed upon as tho day
when Senor Romero was to presant
his credentials to President McKlnley
as ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary. Ho was a frcquont
contributor to the magaziucs of this
country, confining his labors to ar
ticles relative to Mexico. During the
lust few months tho first volume of a
work from his pen appeared, entitled,
"Mexico and tho United States." It
was a study of subjects affecting their
political, commercial and social to
lations.
RUSSIA AGAINST OUR CANAL
Tho Governn e it IJrRCd to Support the
l'annnni Mom re.
PAnis, Deo. 81. Tho Now York
Herald's European edition prints tho
following: Russia is evidently begin
ning a campaign against the Nicaragua
canal. Tho Novoc-Vrcmya of St.
Petersburg publishes nn nrticlo not
only warmly advocating tho Panama
schemo, but filled with bitter dislike
of tho United States. Tho writer Buy
tho predominance of the United States
would havo been desirable for Russia
a few years ago, but all this has
changed slneo tho last war.
"'ho writer goes on to Bay that, hav
ing despollol poor Spain, tho United
States has become a colonial party and
an Asiatic power.
"Forgetting tho Monroe doctrlno of
America for Americans, which implies
tho other doctrine that American do
minion must bo confined to America,
tho Yankees," ho says, "aro now en
tering into opon competition with tu
in China and Corca. Thoy havo na
bcruplcs over an alliance with their
traditional enemy, Englnud, and with
Japan for this purpose.
"For this reason Russian financiers
and diplomatists ought to giro their
support to tho French undertaking
when it comes to seriously regarding
the neutralization of tho Panama
canal and placing it under tho general
control or tho guarantee of tho Euro
pean and American powers."
Tho writer declares tho Panama
routo would bo more beneficial to Rus
sia than tho Nicaragua route.
"Tltis latter canal," ho adds, "oven
supposing its completion possible,
vould bo a purely American undertak
ing, whereas tho Panama csnal re
mains in tho hands of our allies, tho
French or it may become an interna
tional enterprise, with tho addition of
a strong American element to its share
holders. "Russia must, therefore, bo on hat
guard against tho United States, cr
pvclally in view of the enormous
wealth of its Pacifie shores und tho
strategical position occupied by Amer
icans in tho Saudwloh, the Philippine,
tho buinoau nud tho Mariana Islands."
xouujf Hootor Alurtlera a Woman.
Ur.ooMFiKi.n, Ind., Deo. 3J. Yester
day afternoon Dr. F. F. Gray killed
Mrs. Lizzie Skinner on tho streets,
within 10'J feet of tho depot, In plain
view of many people Ho stabbod her
four times with n surgical knifo and
she died instantly. Ha mado threats
that ho would kill her. Ho was watch
ing for her at tho depot as nho was
coming to take the train. After tho
killing ho immediately gavo himself
up, Mrs. Skinner left a former hus
band on account of the doctor, and he
has deserted a wife and family for hor.
Dr. Grny is about 30 yars of ago, nnd
n son of J. W. Gray, ono of tho proml
uent physicians of tho county.
New Yonit, Dee. 31. A dispatch to
tho New York Herald from Para
maribo, Dutch Guiana, by way of
Haytl says: It is reported hero that
cx-Cnptaln Dreyfus, who for tho last
threo years has been kept in solitary
and close confinement ou Devil's isl
and, ono of tho Salut group a few
miles cast of hero, was removed from
his Island prison to Cayenne, French
Guluna, und sailed from there for
Franco, Dccembor 4, on a convict
transport. Cayenne is about 8,50(3
miles from France, and with fair
weather tuo transport siiouia uiroaay
1 nve reached a French port.
a Christmas binnf.
XJy Arthur Howard Noll.
N THE early dnya
of railway con
struction In North
ern Mexico Mho
frontier swarmed
with young men of
good families, who
hnd loft comfortn
blo homes cast of
the M I s s I s 8 Ippl
I .. ...Il..1 1... f,j
'd promlso of wealth
and adventure, to tho wild llfo of tho
"country nwnltlnir development." They
becamo members of surveying parties
or Bcrved In other capacities on tho
lino of railway which dally utrotched
out Routbnrjy from Paso del Norte to
wards tho City of Mexico. Cainplnfi
out (Inrlus summer months In boiuo of
tho eastern forests hnd partially pro
parcd thorn 'for tho rough llfo thoy had
chosen; and enjoying, for tho tlmo be
ing, their freedom from tho restraints
of society, they contented themsclveo
with tho hopo of Gathering up enough
experience nnd money to cnnblo them
to llvo advantageously In "God's
country" after a few years of roughing
it on the frontier.
Open air llfo In that wonderful cli
mate is wont to develop tho heartiest
of appetites, and thwse young won dis
posed of three meals per dlcm with a
r.C3t far superior to that which thoy
hnd manifested at flnlntlcr boards In a
more refined civilization. For, bo Jt
remarked, tho culslno of tho frontier
was of tho crudest character imagln
riblo. In tho engineer camps, "tho
boys" lived on such faro as could bo
Bccurcd from tho railroad's comnils
Bary, varied by occasional purchases of
provisions of the class nfforded by tho
Bcattorcd ranches and Mexican villages.
For tho Bustenanco of tho track-laying
and brldgc-bulldlng gangs, "boarding
trains" wero established. Box cars,
placed upon a temporary aiding, wcro
fitted up with appliances for cooking
meals and serving them to hungry nud
not over-fastidious workmen. As tho
"end of tho track" rapidly advanced
Into the Interior of Mexico, tho "board
ing train" also advanced, leaving be
hind it, at cash removal, immense piles
of tin cans, to testify to subsequent
occupants of tho locality as to tho kind
and quantity of food dovoured by
American railroad builders. In the
provincial towns through which tho
railway passed, "boarding tents" wero
bpread, wherein, upon rudo tables,
covered with marblelzcd oilcloth,
mcnls wcro served, at threo for n dol
lar, tho score being kept upon tickets
containing the numbers 1 to 21. Theuo
tickets were purchased for $7 cash, and
a number was punched out by
tho proprietor as tho satiated holder
left tho tent. A few Americans ex
perimented with the cuisine of the
Mexicans, and cultivated a taste for frl
Joles (black beans), chllc-con-caruc
(red pepper nnd dried meat ecrved in a
stew), tortillas (corn cakes), cnsllladas,
tamales and tho like. There was llttlo
ill-natured grumbling over tho fare in
any case. Dissatisfaction was usually
expressed by changing about from ono
"boarding tent" to another, or from
boarding tent to Mexican household.
Tho Ill-natured grumbling was heard
only from thoso who had never in their
lives beforo known anything better
than whnt tho boarding facilities of
railroad construction afforded.
Tho result of theso conditions was
democratic. The wldo social differ
ences of past years wcro wholly lost
to sight In the patrons of tho boarding
train, boarding tents or Mexican
boarding house. At any meal time
thero might havo bcon found, In cor
duroy suits, surrounding the rough
planks of tho boarding train tables or
the oilcloth covered boards of tho
boarding tont, young men who used
pewter or Gorman silver 6poons and
etccl forks, drank out of tin cups and
ate off of tin plates, who In times not
long -past had donned broadcloth dress
suits; whoso knees had felt tit homo
under elegant oaks nnd mahoganies;
men who appreciated cut glass and
Sevres, and who hnd not been" unfamil
iar with napkins nnd linger glasses. It
is even admitted by ono of them, who
vrna subsequently reclaimed from "tiro
degradation of the boarding car cook
ery, that nfter ho struck tho frontier
ho learned to convey beans from his
tin plato to his mouth upon n knifo
blade, beforo ho learned to hnndlo hia
shooting-irons. And there were men
who mado their boast that they liked
nothing bettor than chllo-con-carno
and frijoles, seasoned with conversa
tion in Mexican Spanish; and that they
got a hotter throe, meals for their dol
lar than tho patrons of tho boarding
tent; who wcro nevertheless suspected
of stifling memories of elegant theater
dinners In eastern cities and of pub
lic banquets at world-famous hostel
Tics. About tho middle of December, In
188, several of theso sons of tho civ
ilized Orient met In Paso del Norto
(tho border town goes by the immo of
La Cludad Juarez now), and gathered
nround tho cheerful blazo of mcsqulto
stumps burning in tho adobe flrc-placo
of ono Dunlnp. This man hnd just ac
complished tho first Btngo of tho evolu
tion of tho hotel from tho boarding
tent, by renting a ono story ndobo
building whero ho rould furnish beds
nn well ns meal3, nnd whero one room
was set apart ns a general lounging
placo nnd was dignified by tho nnmo of
"tho office" It was in this' "office"
that the men wore assembled. Their
conversation becamo reminiscent. Tho
near approach of tho soason of good
cheer prompted a discussion of tho
gastronomic opportunities of other
days.
"Just think of tho good things bolng
mado up for Christmas back in Massa
chusetts about this tlmo," remarked
one of them, who had been reared )n
tho heart of tho Great American PIo
Bolt. Ho reached over and playfully
nudged a pair of legs Inclined graceful-
2jp
sS 5tf.
rswui Mt LMfcu:
5S42l5Ss1Sj'
- fjrjr' ;!,:,r' '
a point
upon tho adobo chimney considerably
higher thnn the flrc-placo; and with a
tantalizing twinkle In his eye, ho con
tinued, "I sny, Parvln, how would
acme of your mother's ailnco plea
strike you Just now?"
"Don't Bptnk of It," answered Par
vln. "I wns Just thinking of going
down to our hoarding tont and order
ing n turkey Bluffed with chestnuts and
served up with cranberry sauce for my
Christmas dinner, nud inviting you nil
down. 1 need to think that was pret
ty good cntlng, when I couldn't got nnv
other grub. Hut how n fellow'n tastes
do change! 1 might not llko turkey
now. nfter all tho high living I'vo
Lccn getting down to the md of the
trnck."
Well, a good Virginia ham, banted
with eliampac.no ns It toasts, would
about fit my appetite now," rcmnrked
tho son of an ex-Confedernto Brigadier.
"Or Bomo fried chicken nnd waffle 5
make a pretty good meal, when you'ro
hungry and thero iBn't any 'possum
nnd sweet potntocs In slglit."
"I icckon pome of our New Orleans
peoplo aro lnylng In a stock of mighty
flno things to munch nt ChrlslmnD
time," Bald a young man from tho
Crescent City. "I don't llko to com
plain, you know, hut whllo we aro on
the subject I might remark thnt they
don't innko their coffee at our board
ing train precisely ns our Creole cooks
make It nt home. But, then, slnco I've
been tracklaylng this country. 1'vo had
to eubpend my custom of having a
small cup of black coffco with n lump
of cut-lonf tugar In It beforo I get up
in the morning. I shnll lmc to speak
to our track bos3 nbout It. lie likes
to havo us mention to him anything
that doesn't suit us." And tho gentlc
mnn from Louisiana sighed.
"Before I left New York." Enid n
young Gothanilto, "some of my friends
gnvo mo n complimentary dinner nt
Dclmonlco'p. Let mo endeavor to
ttimulale your falling appetites by
rending to you tho way-bill on that
festlvo occasion. It may suggest boiuo
things jou'd llko to havo for your
Chribtmas."
From his pocket he drew forth an
nrtlBtlcnlly-wrlttcn menu card, evi
dently preserved with greater enre
thnn his best girl's photograph. He
rend it aloud with such elocutionary
efforts ns ho might liavo been expect
ed to bestow upon nu epic poem. HW
nudltors npplnudcd with an occasion
al "Yum! Yum"!
"Spending about good things to cat,"
drawled tho sixth member of tho
group, "I'll lay out a good spread for
you on Christmas. How would you
line"
But he got no further with his pro
posed menu. Not until then had any
of the speakers observed tho presence
of n grizzled tramp, who at tho be
ginning of their convcrsntion was
seated In n far corner of the room, ap
parently unconcerned about tho say
ings nnd doings of tho young men.
Fiom nil tho characteristics of Eastern
civilization ho was removed by nt lca3t
thirty years of rough frontier llfo.
With each remark of the young men
"STOP RIGHT THEIUS"
his Interest had deepened, and ho had
moved his chair nearer to tho group.
During the reading of the menu ho
had bccouio greatly excited, and when
tho last speaker began, ho stood before
the young men nnd cried, "Stop"!
They glanced up and saw him palo
nnd trembling.
"Now, boys, stop right there," ho
jilcadcd, plteously. "I haven't seen
any of thoso things you'ro talking
nbout for nearly thirty years. I used
to havo them all when I was 'a youug
man. For Heaven's sake, don't let
mo hear nny more If yau say any
thing more nbout good tklngs to cat
I'll fall right down dead of starva
tion." Tho young gentlemnn whoso propos
ed menu hnd been thus Interrupted
looked at tho old fellow and drawled
out:
"Wo're Eorry If our conversation
nwnkens tantalizing memories of your
past llfo nnd makes you feel hungry,
my vcnerablo friend. That's tho way
I feci myself. But you know wo
haven't forced ourtnlvcs upon you,
and wo won't Insist upon your stnylng
In the room whllo wo nrrango tha
minor detnlls of our Bnrmccido Christ
mas repast." And ho might havo gono
on with Increasing sarcasm and pre
cipitated n Bhootlng affair, but Parvla
Btoppcd him."
"You'vo gono about far enough,
Jones," ho uald. "There's no uao of
rubbing It In. I know just how tho
old man feols. In fact I fcol so my
self. . I reckon wo all do, and It ought
to glvc us n llttlo sympathy for the
old man here. This Is about as near
etnrvntlon ub I ever got. Not hut what
wo nil get enough to cat, but It's not
whnt wo'vo been used to, nnd It's mak
ing us all deuccdly homesick and hun
gry, to think what thoy havo to eat
back homo now, nnd compare It with
how wo havo to grub horc. Never folt
so much llko tho prodigal son In all
my llfo boforo, only I haven't been
very prodigal, nnd I'm not, penitent
enough to go back beforo I'vo mado my
stake.
"But, boyB," ho contlnwrd. "I tell yon
.what. Wo'vo got to havo a good
Christmas dinner, after what wo'vo all
Ralf. or tvo'11 oil drop down dond. And
we'r.i got to hnvo It in style."
"I'd llko to know whoro you'ro go
ing to get it," replied ono of tho boys.
" 'Taint money that'll get It. I'd put
up nil I've envetl since I'vo been hero
to get ono good meal, If that would
fetch It. But there's no ono In thoso
parts that knows how to gt- It up."
"Well, we'll mnnngo It somehow,"
Mid Parvln. "You Just follow mo and
do ns I Bay, nnd we'll boo how woll
we enn do. And tho old man bore
Is to bo our guest. Snbo? And," ho
turned to tho old man nnd said kind
ly, "If wo give your stomach such n
stirprlBo that you never get over It,
you won't hnva any hard feelings
ngaliiet us, will you?"
By tills time tho old man's equanim
ity was restored, nnd ho mnnlfcstcd
conHldernblo intercut In tho prepara
tions which wont on forthwith for tho
Chrlattnns dinner.
"You say this ChrUtmaR dlnnor hns
got to bo In stylo," said dno of tho
boys, "rull dross?"
"Well yes," said Parvln, hesitating
ly. "At least you must all wear bllod
shirts nnd stiff collnr, and It wouldn't
hurt If yon blnckcd your shoos. Lot's
try to Imnglno ourselves back in civil
ization for n llttlo whllo on ChrlstmnB
day. Do you think you could rnlso a
bllcd r.hlrt for tho occnslon, old mnn7"
ho asked kindly.
"Oh, yes,' snld the old fellow. "You
fellows niusn'l think that I am a
pauper. I'm going to do my shnro to
ward this Christmas dinner. I'm not
aB rich an I hoped to bo, but it ain't
lack of monfy thnt mnde mo feel bo
bad nnd mnko n fool of myself a llttlo
whllo ngo. I'vo got n holo In the
ground down horo In Mexico, nnd I
reckon you boys know whnt thnt Is."
"Of course wo do," said Parvln.
laughing. "But you'ro not bo bad off
If you only havo ono holo In tho
ground. It's tho mnn that has lots
of mines that'B poor."
"Troublo Is," oatd tho old man, "I'vo
got Bovcral, and moro hns gono Into
them thnn will over como out. But
I'll keep up my nnd of tho log."
Tho preparations for tho ChrlstmnB
feast went gaily on. All tho groceries
In 131 Paso wcro rnnBackcd for edibles,
and ench of tho boyn telegraphed homo
for n ChrUtmns box. A telegram to
tho nearest market town brought n.
turkey. As good luck would havo it,
Parvln secured for that day tho serv
ices of tho general superintendent's
prlvato car cook, nnd being a sort of
Ward McAllister himself ho wns able
to glvo explicit instructions as to how
everything wns to bo done. A draughts
man In tho chief engineer's offlco pre
pared menu cards in a most artistic
style. Tho crockery stores in El Pao
lent dishes of Parvln's selection, and
Pnrvln Imported thom Into Mexico un
dor bond. Ho hnd to buy napkins nnd
Bell them afterward to a hotel for ono
third what ho paid for them. Ho Bo
cured tho tibo of a pleasant patio In
PnEO del Norte, nnd nil snt down to
tho Christmas dinner at 6 o'clock,
When their plans becamo known
they received applications from a largo
number of their fellow exiles to bo cl
lowcd to join them. And they lcarnod
that they might have mado a big finan
cial profit by selling covers at their
dinner at ton dollars apiece. But that
wns not tholr object, and they politely
refused to extend the number of par
ticipants In their dinner beyond the
six boys who had originated It nnd tho
old mnn who was to bo their guest.
And It was a great success. The mon
who snt down to tho tablo wcro all
well dressed and well behaved. They
took prldo In dropping the uncouth
habits of tho frontier and resuming
tho habits of refinement to which they
hnd been accustomed In tho East. Tho
old mnn looked ns well nnd behaved
as woll as any of them. Parvln pro
Bided with graco nud dignity. The
talk was naturally reminiscent, and
ench of tho boys revealed himself and
his history In a story of his early
dayB. Tho old man contributed but
little to tho conversation, though ho
told hln story when his turn came.
It was n fuuny little cplsodo that had
occurred to him in Mexico twenty
years before. It escaped attention at
tho tlmo what deep Interest ho had
taken In Parvln's story.
But tho dinner and the conversa
tion that went on thero would make
a long Btory In themselves, and wo
must hnateU to relato a curious so
qucl to his Clirkttnas episode. Tho
party broko Cp andMhe boys went
back to their work, wl't fortified
against homesickness until the tlmo of
their oxllo should bo over.
"We enn't do this every ChrlBtmns,"
said one of the boys, rathor ruotully.
"If wo did we'd novor get back home.
For It cost us about all wo saved dur
ing tho year, nut, boys, it was worth
It. I wouldn't liuvo mlBscd It for twlco
whnt It cost. And I'm ready to tacklo
frijoles nr.d chllc-cnn-carno all tho
rest of my tlmo In Mexico." a
After tho pnrty broko up ChrlstmaB
night tho old man sought Parvln alono
and said:
"Young man, you needn't glvo t
away to anyone, and I won't. You may
treat roe In any way you plcaao, and
I'll understand It. I am going to tell
yon who I am, but I don't want you
disgraced by anyone elso's knowing
that I am related to you. I Bunpcctcd
It all along, nnd knew It all when I
henrd your story tonight. Did you
over henr your mother spenlc of hnv
lng a brother? No? Well, I don't
blnmo her for never Bpcaklng of mo. I
wns novor nny credit to hor. Porhnps
nho has forgotten all nbout me. I
know sho bollfves mo dend these thirty
jrcars. No, there's nothing particular
ly romantic In my history. Thero nro
loin of mon In Mexico whoao cases nra
just llko mine. I hnd to lenve homo
when I did, nnd going back oven now
would bo suro to bring dlsgrnco upon
Bomo one. All I want to say to you is
Uji. I'll krep out of your way and not
compromise you. Don't let your moth
er know a word of this, -ilut it evor
I can help you or her out In any nay,
don't fall to call on mo."
Ho gavo Parvln llttlo chance to In
quire into tho particulars of his caroor
and cct asldo his protestations of roadl
ncss to acknowlcdgo him as an uncle,
bo tho consequences what they might.
And during tho next elx months he
wnn out of Parvln's ken. And Parvln
often wondered If nil tie said were
true, or If tho old tramp wcro not a
little crazed.
nut ono day n package of papers
reached Parvln which cleared up tho
wholo matter. Tho old man had struck
a pay streak In ono of his mines. But
tho good luck hnd como to him tou
late. Whnt wan tho uao of wealth to
him thou? He carefully wroto out In
structions regarding tho location nud
condition of tho soveral pieces of min
ing property ho held, and executed
papers tratiBfcrrlng It nil to Pnrvln.
Ho placed nil theso documents In tho
hnnda of someone whom ho folt he
could trust, to bo delivered to his
nephew atter his denth. Thnt event
wns not leng delayed. With tho pa
pers Tarvln received a brief nceounl
of tho old man's death and burial In
a rem7ite part of Mexico.
Pnrvln mado a careful Investigation
of the mines and found that ho was
the possessor of ono InvaVtablo plcco
df mining property. This ho reserved
for himself. For tho management of
the other mines, which might or
might not provo valuable ho organ
ized n stack company among hlu com
panions of tho Christmas dinner, nnd
they floated shares In tho East. "We
can get enough out of It to glvo the
directors an annual dinner, anyway,"
Parvln told tho boys.
And Parvln was himself rich rich
enough to chooso any city In tho world
ns his residence.,, And yet such n fn3
clnntion docs th wild llfo of the
Southwestern frontier como to possess,
even for thoso who found It most re
pulsive at first, thnt he has dcllberato
ly chosen to make his homo thero and
content hiniBclf with ntuiual vlalts io
his New Englnnd homo. But In tho
years that hnvo passed Blnco the
Chilatmns dinner In Paso del Norto
facilities for trnvol between nil parts
of our country and tho Bister repub
lic hnvo Increased ro rapidly that he
Is now wont to call his rcsldcnco In
Northern Mexico, "A suburb of Bos
ton.' HEROES AND HEROISM.
A 1'ow PHllrnt I'moM Tint Aro rot Into
J'orj.0 KiirIIiIi.
Heroes Is fi-lks What has their Name
In tho Paper every day, nnd tholr Pic
turo on Sundny, says the Boy in the
Clcvolaud Loader. Somo Heroes Is
Lucky to Bo Whoro they ain't no girls
to Git them In Corners and Kiss thom
Before you Can Say Jack Robascn
that's Whero Dowoy showed His good
Scntz if them girls over to Manilla got
nfter him He could yell to ono of the
Boys to turn tho hose on Them. Every
time a Hero goes down street Every
body wants to Set them up Fer Him,
and Ho Don't liaft todo Nothln fer a
Llvln Becoa Ho can board around It
Ho wants to nnd The theaters all lets
Him in Froo. Ho rides In ono of the
Front Cariagos in tho Procession, too,
nnd Everybody Cheers Him and I bet
ho feels Blamo stuck up only Ho tries
not to show it. I wlsht I would be a
Horo with a sord and a uniform with
Thom things on your shoulders what
Hang over In tossles. Thoy look flno
In abody's photograft, nnd Then meb
by Ethel Wharton wouldn't Think so
much of torn barlow jlst becos He stole
n llttlo old mcasley pup and glvo It to
hor.
To rrutect Old Document.
Collectors of old documonts, rare en
gravings, stamps or other valuable pa
pers that ought to be protected from
tho noxious Influences, of the air and
from molsturo can cuolly presorvo them
In their original condition by covering
them with a 3 per cont solution of col
lodion. This solution ran be applied
with a Eoft brush without tho slightest
danger to tho object! thus treated.
This proceeding Is mainly applicable
whero dclicato colors that aro soluble
In water aro to bo preserved In tTJolr
prl3t!no freshness and beauty. The col
lodion covering Is, thereforo, most ex
cellent for preserving watur-coljr
paintings and pastels.
ODDS AND ENDS."
St. Francis and tho wholo of tho solid
btructuro la composed of Coqulnn, a
combination of sea shells and mor
tar, which Is almost Indestructible.
Wlien Francis Drake sacked and
burned the town this was tho only
house left In the trail of destruction.
It has been purchased by tho well
known antiquarian, J. W. Henderson,
who will mako It his winter residence.
Tho way In which tho United State
is bcirg Anglo-Saxoulzcd may be gath
ered from tho Immigration statistics
of tho last year; Austria-Hungary,
10,797; Belgium, 095; Denmark, 1,946;
France, 1,990; Germony, 17,111; Greece.
2,339; Italy, 68,013; Notherlonds, 707;
Norway, 4,938; Portugal, 1,717; Rou
manla, 900; Russia (proper), 27,221;
Finland, 2,607; Poland, 4,720; Spain,
677; Sweden, 12,338; Switzerland, 1,246;
Turkey In Europe, 170; Mexico, 107;
Central America, 7; Cuba, 1,877; other
West Indies, 247; South America, 39;
Turkey In Asia (Arabia aud Syria),
4,275; China, 2,071; Japan, 2,230; Ire
land, 25,128; England, Wales and Scot
land combine to furnish 12,893.
Tho originality of some wags U ali
picked up in the street.
Russia is going to abolish Vhftdi
cultles of navigation nt tho nJMcted
tho Volga by cutting a canal d,
frd"i7T Uarlvcr to thoAspIan
Work on It teSJJ3jUis summer.s
The oldest houso In America Is1
St. Augustine, Fla. In 15C4 It wr.
built by tho monks of tho Order of
",