Hemingford herald. (Hemingford, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1895-190?, August 05, 1898, Image 8

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WAR ROMANCES.
FIQHTTOTHE DEATH.
Itomances without number have cul
minated In the fnce of Impending orden
to the front. One girl, the daughtei
of a colonel .n the regular army oui
on the Pacific coast, married her Lieu,
tenant sweetheart a year ahead ol
time, and three dnys later sent hlrr
away to fight In the Philippines without
shedding one tear. "God will brlnR lilrr
back to me," she paid with an exalted
smile. Then there Is the Jersey sir!
whose honeymoon lasted Just as long
as It took a ferry boat to cross th
Hudson river. Her soldier lover could
not set even a half dny's leave. So she
plucklly irot a minister, met him en
route to the trnln 'that was bearing
him southward and married him In mid.
stream.
Weddings at the front, or the camps,
have been numerous. In talking them
over the other day two white-haired
southern gentlewomen became remin
iscent: "That Is all very romantic,"
one of them said; "still It docs not
match things I remember. Major Fal
connet of the confederate engineers,
married a cousin of mine. She lived
at Florence, Ala, The federals were
advancing It was In 'f2, I think. Hut
they had a great wedding. The bride
wore a magnificent white brocade,
which had been ordered from Paris be
fore the war began. The ceremony
was Just over, and the people crowding
to congratulate the couple, when n
trusty negro rushed In with news that
a sauad of federal cavalry was lees
than 300 yards away, and coming
straight to the house.
"Major Falconnet's horse stood sad
dled in the back yards. He caught his
bride In his arms, leaped through a
window with her, swung her up behind
him regardless of the white frock, and
galloped off with bullets singing alt
around him. Ho managed to escape
and reach the confederate lines In safe
ty. That was about the suddeneBt nnd
most Ill-provided wedding tour I ever
heard of."
"Yes," the other agreed. "Still, It was
not so strange ns Lizzie W.'s wedding.
Don't you remember her? she was a
sort of freak didn't like men to come
about her, and only accepted the man
she married upon condition that hn
should leave for the nrmy the minute
the ceremony was finished. He was
rich and good looking and years
younger than she nobody ever quite
understood what made him so crazy in
love with her. He took her upon her
own conditions left her right at the
altar steps, and never saw her again
until she came to nurse him after he
was mortally wounded. I nlways did
think It a shame that she got his for
tunethat he willed It to her, and his
mother and brothers could not contest
the will."
"The soldiers were great nnd moat
fascinating lovers," the second com
mented. In fact, lovemoklng was ns
natural to them ns breathing. General
Quarles' second wife used to tell with
great glee a story of her experience
when the general was courting her. She
was Miss Alice Vivian, one of the rich
est and most beautiful women in the
south, a cousin of Miss Augusta Evans,
the novelist, who It was said made
her the heroine of her war novel, 'Mac
caria.' But that Is neither here nor
there. General Quarles was stationed
at Mobile for some time, nnd while
there met Miss Vivian and became en
gaged to her. He was of the best Vir
ginia blood, a widower, courtly, elegant
and of the most Inflammable gallantry.
When far from the lips he loved It
was necessary for him to make love to
the lips he was rwar. At least you
would think bo frm Mrs. Quarles' sto
ry, which ran something In this fashion:
"Not long after their engagement he
was ordered away to Join Hood'B army
In the invasion of Tennessee. Word
came back that he was pretty badly
wounded. Miss Vivian thought It right
and proper to go and nurse him. Sho
embarked upon a little, wheezy steam
boat for the first stage of her Journey,
and found herself the only woman pas
senger. It was to be a night Journey,
but she wns too anxious to sleep, so sat
in the cabin, wishing the boat had
wings. At the first stop out another
woman came aboard. She also camo
into the cabin and sat down, evidently
in great distress of mind. Other wo
men came aboard and Into the cabin at
various landings until there were seven
sitting in melancholy silence, now and
then wiping away tears. By this time
It was close to 3 o'clock and the limit
of feminine silence had been reached.
A late comer turned to the next neigh
bor sighing, almost sobbing out: 'I
thought the boat would never come. I
cm so Impatient to reach my betrothed
husband, whom I have Just heard is
tadly wounded.'
" 'Why, what a coincidence! So is
mine. I am going to nurse him,' said the
woman addressed. The other women
pricked up their enrs and looked sym
pathetic. At last the boldest of them
ventured to say: 'I am going to do the
same thing,'
' 'And so am I,' 'And so am I,' came
in chorus from the rest all except
Miss Vivian, who could not trust her
self to speak, she wns so full of sym
pathy with the weight of woe. At last
one of the other women said: 'We may
as well tell who our sweethearts are.
Maybe we can help each other. Mine is
General Quarles.'
"'Geneiul Quarles! You must be mis
taken; I am engaged to him,' came In
various keys from each. Miss Vivian
thanked her stars she had not been
expansive, like the others. She left the
boat at the next landing, resolved to
give her loving lover at least one chance
for his life. He must have taken it
for he lived to marry her."
HIS VACATION.
Meutcnat Colonel Henry Carroll
commanding the First brigade of the
cnvalry division before 8antlago, whe
was seriously wounded In the three
days' fight, was major of one of the
United States cavnlry regiments In
IS90. He Is known In the Indian coun.
try In Montana as the man who aveng
ed the death of one white man by kill
Ing two Indians.
Hugh Boyle, a young man from Illi
nois, wns found murdered near Tongue
Blvcr agency, ne had been visiting
relatives In that section, and wns about
ready to return to his home in Illinois.
Major Carroll called In American Horse,
a chief, and the two examined the
dead body nnd the country where the
murder was committed. Major Car
roll said to Amerlcnn Horse:
"I want the men who did this mur
der. I want you to bring them In."
After a few days American Horse re
turned to Major Cnrroll and told him
'that Young Mule and Head Chief, two
.Chevennes, were guilty. Their fnther
was Two Moon, a chief of renown. Ho
was brought to Major Carroll's hend
quarters and wns told to bring his
sons. When he had heard the charge
agntnst them he mnde a speech, In
which he said that his people had held
a council nnd were prepared to Batsfy
the law, from their stnndpolnt. Their
proposition wns thnt the ngent tako
30 ponies In payment for the death of
young Boyle. They Intended that thq
ponies should be accepted and sent to
the relatives of the murdered boy as a
.compensation for the death of tho
young man. The offer was rejected, and
Two Moon wns given to undersmnu
. . in. --. 1 iml1 tint tin I
mai me wnue muii n mw uuu.u .. . t)on
satisfied In that manner, ne musi
bring In his sons. The old chief grunt
ed and said he would do this.
He disappeared, but within a half
hour he was seen returning. With him
were his sons, Young Mule and Head
Chief. They were dressed In war bon
nets, In war paint, and fully armed.
The ponies were handsomely decorated.
The young buckB rode defiantly toward
the cavnlry commanded by Major Car
roll and showed fight. The cavalry fir
ed, killing Young Mule's pony. Then
he and his brother began firing. They
fought stubbornly until they reached
a hill near by, where they were sur
prised to And another detachment of
Mninr rnrroll's troons. One of the
bucks, Head Chief, wounded several
cavalry horses ns he rode Into the lines.
One arm was broken, but wun me
other hand he flred his rifle from the
pommel of his saddle. Another volley
flred at him and he fell dead from hit
pony.
Young Mule saw his brother's fate
and realized that he had not much time
on his hands. He advanced toward the
cavnlry chanting the death song of hl.-l
tribe. He flred severnl shots nnd Jump'
cd Into n ravine. There he kept up hid
light, still singing. At this Juncture
the young buck's mother mode an ap
peal to the troops to save him rrom
Impending doom. It was Impossible
to grant her request, as the wnrrlor
continued firing at his enemies, plainly
showing that he had determined to die
ns his brother bad died. The mother
realizing that all hope had vanished,
staggered Into the open plain, and in
accordance with the custom of the In
dians when they lose a relative or a
dear friend, slashed her limbs with a
knife from the knees down. With the
blood streaming from the wounds and
trickling to the ground she chanted the
death dirge of her son, who was pres
ently shot dead.
In honor of the bravery of Head
Chief and Young Mule their people
marked with stones the death trail
traveled by the young warriors that
pleasant September day.
MODERN CHIVALRY.
WHEN THE BAND PLAYS DIXIE.
Taking a Ride.
"Which way shall we drive?" he
asked after he had made a dash to
the front of the house, taken her to
the buggy and made a band wagon
turn In leaving.
"I have no choice. Anwyhcre you like.
It is enough for me to ride."
"But you surely have some prefer
ence." "None whatever. The Island, Grosse
Polnte, boulevard, Log Cabin Park,
down the Canadian shore, anywhere:
You can't go amiss."
"I don't care to decide and It will add
to my pleasure to drive you where you
would And the most enjoyment. Please
don't hesitate to make a selection."
"Really now, I have none. I mean tt.
Please yourself."
"Pshaw! I like to see a young wo
man with some choice of her own. If
you have any, say so."
"I have said and I have mind enough
of my own not to change. I'll be best
satisfied to go where you like. Fix the
route and go ahead."
"I prefer to go where you like, and it
seems to me we are wasting a good
deal of time."
"Oh, no. The horse is Jogging right
along. We're riding and I'm always
happy when I'm riding."
"Will you tell me where we shall go?"
"I couldn't think of deciding it."
Then the whole discussion was gone
Into again, with the result that they
drove around the same block for two
hours and then awakened to the fact
that It was time to go home.
Nobody on the block 'vns bettci
known than the small man whose coats
wWe always too short in the sleeves,
pays the Washington Star. Very few
people took the trouble to learn his
name, but there was no one, even
among the children, who did not know
that It was Just 7 o'clock when they
saw him starting nut In the morning
nnd Just 6:30 when he returned at night.
In spite of the curve In his shoulders
and the whiteness In his hair, he looked
young. HIb face had not the marks of
worldllnesB which usually come with
ycarB. His brow was wrinkled slightly,
It Is true, but there wns no ungentle
meaning In the frown. And his laugh
ter was so subdued lhat It alwnys seem
ed the expression of well-wishing, and
not of any inwnrd Joy. Year by yenr
his cheeks beenme a little more sunken
and his chest a little narrower, in spite
of his Invariable practice of pausing
on the doorstep each morning to take
throe long breaths of fresh air.
Nobody seemed to know much about
his wife beyond the facts that she kept
her two children neatly dressed at all
hours of the day, paid her bills at the
corner grocery and worked hard. Her
husband was never with her when she
sat on the front doorstep to keep her
children from playing with other chil
dren. And there wbb a light burning
in his room every night until after all
the other people on the block hod gone
to bed. It was with some difficulty
that the big, good-natured citizen who
Hvcb across the street scraped an ac
quaintance with him. But by borrow.
Ing his lawn mower and his garden
hose when ho did not need them, he
succeeded In engaging him in conversa.
It was the big, good-natured
man's Bmall, good-natured wife who
had Incited him to neighborly advances,
but It was Impossible to establish a
calling acquaintance.
"I don't have time to go about any,"
the man with the short sleeves snld.
"I'm too busy."
"But you've got to have some recre
atlon," the big man blurted out. "You
can't work all the time, you know."
"I realize that. And I'm going to
take things easy some day. Of course
It's Impossible now."
"Don't you have any vacntlon?"
"Oh, yes. But I can't afford to use
it for anything but study. Vacations
nre very expensive If you employ them
In the ordinary way, you know. But
some day I'm going to take a good, long
rest. I'm going to the country, where
there Isn't any rattle of wagons nor
clanging of bells. I'm going to have
everything trim nnd comfortable. I
don't believe In a man's using up his
pleasures as he goes along In life. He
ought to have something to look for
ward to. I'm getting things prepared
for a good long spell of absolute free
dom from care a time when I won't
have anything at all to do except ride
In a carriage nnd pass the hours In
some place away off, where there won't
be anything to disturb the singing of
the birds, some place where there won't
be a lot of high buildings to stop the
wind when It wants to come along and
rock the trees nnd sing to Itself."
It wns the enly enthusiasm that any
one knew of hl3 displaying. The big
man told his wife about It, and she said
it was a pity there weren't more such
men like him In this world. He didn't
reply, but the punctuality with which
he got up for breakfast the next morn
ing Bhowed that he felt the rebuke. He
gave up trying to become well ac
quainted with his neighbor, and after a
few days of ambition to Imitate his
methodical habits, backslid and was
comfortable once more. It was several
months later when, after being vaguely
conscious of some unusual condition, he
Inquired with a start:
"What has become of Mr. Tredmlll? I
sat out In front of the house last night
and I didn't see him go home."
"The servant says she hasn't seen
him go to work this week," his wife
answered.
He went to the window, drew the
curtain aside, and then let It fall.
"Harriet," he said softly, "do you
remember what I told you about his
hoping he could go to the country and
have all the rest he wanted?"
"Yes."
"Well, he's got his wish."
She Joined him at the window and
he pulled the curtain aside again.
A hearse and several carriages stood
in front of the house where Mr. Tred
mlll used to live."
Captain Frank Wildes of tho Amer
ica ncrulser Boston, who bore a dis
tinguished part In Commodore eDwey's
victory at Manila, has written a letter
to one of his friends In Portland, Me.,
describing a picturesque Incident that
followed the Spanish defeat It will be
remembered that before the arrival of
the Invading fleet the Spanish captain
general of the Philippines Issued ad
dresses to the people denouncing the
American sailors as pigs and monsters,
who, If they succeeded in entering the
city, would indulge In a wild carnival
of viotence and crime against life and
property. The more Ignorant clnsses
of the Inhabitants were made to be
lieve these frightful stories, and even
some of the Intelligent residents were,
seriously alarmed lest the dreadful
Amrlcans should subject them to In
dignity and suffering. As Captain
WlldeB tells the story, a Spanish lady
of great refinement and beauty, who
had heard these terrible reports, went
to the British consul and asked wheth
er He really believed that the hnted
Yankees were as wicked aB they had
been pictured in the captain general's
proclamation. The clnsul simply re
plied: "Madam, honor and virtue are safer
In Manila today that they have been ror
300 years."
The truthful assurance contains a
hint of one of the most Important and
far-reaching results which the present
war Is destined to accomplish. Social
conditions In Spain's colonial territory
have long been notoriously corrupt nnd(
vicious. The unprincipled officials,
whom the Spanish government has kept
In control of her Island possessions
have debauched both society and poll
tics; many of them have grown rich
by levying blackmail on vice nnd
and their Influence has been constantly
used to stifle the morals and conscience
of the people. In an atmosphere thus
polluted, life and honor arq held at
their lowest valuation. Tho law, ad
ministered by corrupt officers, has of
fered no redress for the wrongs of their
helpless victims, and In some of the
cities of these Spanish colonies, Ha
vana, for example, women and young
girls have been debased to the lowest
depthB of degradation.
Under Providence, the present war
will abolish these revolting conditions
and open the way for social order and
progress. In every one of the colonies
which the clash of arms wrests from
the dominion of Spnln, the status of
woman, socially, Intellectually and mor
ally, will undergo an Immedlato nnd
steady Improvement. She will acquire
a larger liberty, a higher respect and a
purer Influence than she has ever en
Joyed under the degrading rule of Span
Ish monarchlsm, and her ultimate ad
vance to the honored position now
cheerfully assigned to her Anglo
American sisters will be the crowning
achievement of the nineteenth century.
Beneath the extraordinary and help
ful Interest which the women of Amer
ica have taken thus far In the struggle
with Spain, there Is a profound convic
tion that this Is a holy war for the
rescue of womanhood and childhood
from the clutches of their despollers.
The blood of Weyler's Innocent victims
cries from the Cuban soil for vengeance
and vindication. The specters of the
helpless mothers nnd babes whom that
relentless monster put to death by the
exquisite tortures of starvation still
haunt the horizon of our latter day civ
ilization, and they will not down until
the merciless power of Spain Is forever
destroyed In the Islands which she has
shown herself unfit to govern. To this
heroic task In behalf of virtue and hon
or, the sons and daughters of the great
republic have dedicated their hands and
fortunes. The god of battles will affirm
the righteousness of their cause, and
they may confidently appeal from kings
to time for the approval of their deeda
There's something stirs my feelln's,
and It's then I'm feelln' prime
When the band Is playln' "Dixie" an'
the old boys keepln' time!
It's like a song of glory In a halleluja
chime
When the band is playln' "Dixie" an'
the old boys keepln' timet
For the old-time ranks are thlnnln',
An' newer songs nre wlnnln',
But "Dixie" Is as sweet now as she
was In the beglnnln!
i
The new songs fall to win me with all
their rlngln' rhyme
When the band is playln "Dixie" an'
the old boys keepln' tlmel
Oh, It's then my heart beats faster,
while the bells of glory Chime,
When the band Is playln' "Dixie" an'
the old boys keepln' time!
For the old-time ranks are thlnnln',
An' new songs may be wlnnln',
But "Dixie" Is as sweet now as she was
in the beglnnln'!
Atlanta Constitution.
A HERMIT IN MID-OCEAN.
Most of the native Hawailans can
swim like ducks. A Honolulu paper
relates an Interesting incident illus
trative of this fact In connection with
the departure of the transport Senator
for Manila, "A departing soldier at
tempted to throw a letter to some one
on the wharf to mall," says the account,
"and the wind carried the missive out
Into the water, where It was picked up
by one of the little native boys who
dive for coin. While the little fellow
was holding the letter up nnd swim
ming In with It a lady's hat also blew
Into the water. The boy swam to the
hat, secured It, and, holding It aloft In
one hand and the letter In the other,
swam In with his feet only."
Phllanthro Look here, my fine fel
low, do you work?
Weary--Ye8, sir, when I can work
the right person. Boston Courier.
"My last three cashiers have embez.
1p.i lnrce sums and run away." whls
pored the proprietor of the big store
after he had called the manager of the
museum Into a corner.
"Sorry to hear It," replied the man
ager, and then he looked Inquisitive.
"I was Just wondering whether that
legless wonder of yours was a good,
capable man and what his terms would
be." Detroit Free Press.
The manner In which the elephants
of the Indian army are fed is most pe
culiar. It is also economical, for by
the method employed not a single grain
of rice is wasted. An elephant's break,
fast consists of ten pounds of raw rice,
done up in leaveB and then tied with'
grass. At meal time the elephants nre
drawn up In a line before a row of
piles of, this food. At the word "At
tention!" each elephant raises Its trunk
and a package Is thrown Into its ca
pacious mouth. The promptness and
precision of this movement make the
Fight not only interesting, but amus
ing. Washington Star,
Hobson Cannon-Ball.
Latest of all drinks is the "Hobson
Cannon Ball," concocted by a dispenser
of intoxicants known to fame as the
"Only William." To drink the Hobsun
Cannon Ball you must be In a mood
appropriate for the Imbibing of patriot
Ism The effect of drinks depends
largely upon the emotions and the
thirst of the drinker.
Nobody, for Instance, can do Justice
to the alluring beverage which bears
the name of Hobson without being an
imnted by a love of country and by ad.
miration for the naval hero, Richmond
Pearson Hobson.
It Is not best to know too much
nbout the composition of the Hobson
Cannon Ball. One of Us charms Is Its
mystery. The Ingredients are those ol
the gin fizz and the proportions nre
practically the same. Its manufac
ture, however, Is carried on with mil
itary precision. He who makes it works
like an experienced artilleryman firing
a howitzer.
There Is a hasty reach for the gin
caisson, a vigorous ramming of lemon,
a charge of carbonic water, nnd ther
rome the artillery tactics. The drlnV
Is poured Into a long cylinder and th j
trlnss Is carefu y nuea over u. mm
cylinder Is different from the ordinary
lemonade shaker In that It Is longei
and has much the appearance of a
cannon.
Nothing can exceed the rapid man
ner In which the Hobson Cannon Ball
is shaken. The operator Is meanwhile
executing a kind of war adnce closely
resembling the drill of a light battery.
Then a look of pride comes Into the
eye of the drink mspenser.
He draw
his arms toward him and then sudden
ly throws them forward with the sha
ker tightly clasped In either hand.
There is a crash of bits of Ice against
the glass, and then boom! bang! th
foot of the dispenser has Btruck tin
floor with thunderous effect.
Customers who are waiting for or
dlnary cocktails or whisky straight!
turn and look toward the placid faced
dr"WhyIlwhat'B that?" they demand.
"What happened?"
"Hobson Cannon Ball," replies thi
"Only William," as he pours forth tht
alluring nectar.
Thousands of tourists annually pass
through the Greek Archipelago on their
way to the Orient, yet it Is Bafe to say
that few of them are cognizant of the
fact that on one of these Islands a
solitary human being lives In utter
Isolation.
Large passenger ships In steaming
through the maze of Islands seldom
choose the passage that vessels of a
lighter drnught take. preferring a
longer route with comparative Immun
ity from the dangers of being thrown
on the rocks; nnd It Is on this nccount
thnt few travelers to the far east know
anything of the subject of this sketch.
Most Mediterranean sailors, however,
know of his existence, and this account
was given to the writer by Captain
George Mitchell, who has navigated the
waters of this sen for some thirty years.
The rock known to wayfarers as Her
mit Island, and upon which this nonde
script has lived for years In absolute
Becluslon, Is one of tho smnller Islands
of the group comprised In the archipel
ago, and forms one of the walls of n
passage once generally used by ships
In threading their way through the
narrow channels en route to or from
Eastern ports. The Island Is entirely
void of vqgetatlon. Its surface Is n
barren of such growth as Is the desett
nf Sahara. Numerous parties have
visited this rock, but there Is no nc
count of nny of them ever approach
ing near enough to the hermit to en
gage him In conversation.
At the sight of anyone advancing In
his direction he strides up the ragged
rocks with amazing agility, throwing
his long, thin arms about, giving vent
to a series of dismal howls, which nre
renedred all the more weird In their
reverberations throughout .the adja
cent Islands. His personal appearance
Is anything but prepossessing. His eyes
and nose are the only facial features
disclosed through a dense growth of
hair and beard, and his body above
the waist Is never clothed. A garment
made of narrow strips of a material
fastened to a belt completes his attire,
the style and cut of the vestments of
this freak never varying.
It Is customary for ships In pnsslng
thU island to pay tribute to the hermit
In the way of salt beef, hardtack, and
whatever provisions the captains are
disposed to give or may be able to
spare from the ship's stores. The stores
thus given are put In a boat and taken
ashore, where they are left until the
one for whom they are Intended sees
the boat's crew return to their ship,
when he reappears from his hiding
place and carries them to his quarters
further up the rocks.
To pass this point without saluting
the lord of the manor by blast of steam
whsltle would be considered a breach
of courtesy, and such remissness on the
part of any ship's captain would be
frowned upon by others, who regard
this recognition as a duty. This defer,
ence shown the recluse has become so
universal with Bhlps passing this way
that any omission of the convention
ality Is an offense to him, who shows
his disapproval by Buch lusty yells
that leave no doubt In the minds of
any who hear him as to the healthy
condition of his lungs, although he
may have other troubles which disturb
his peace of mind.
He has built himself a shelter be
tween two ledges of rock, which con
sists of a roof only, the sides and
back of the same being walls of Jag
ged stone. Beneath this roof the vol
untary exile eats, sleeps and, presum
ably, engages In other occupations to
while away the dreary days of the
solitary existence to which he has as
signed himself.
The furnishings of this rude habita
tion have received pretty hard usage,
probably having served in a similar
capacity In the fo'c'sle of some ship.
The furniture consists of a low bench,
ThU a three-ieggeu bioui, u ,im... "
a clock whose hands nave long since
ceased to Indicate the flight of time.
A common straw mattress which sail
ors call a "donkeys' breakfast" com
pletes the outfit, excepting such things
as a salt water condenser and an old
rnnner kettle. There is no fresh water
water on the Island, and all the water
for drinking and cooking purposes is
taken from the sea and must undergo
the process of condensation before It
can be used.
He has always on hand a good sup
ply of wood and coal, the bunkers of
passing Bteamers being at his disposal,
and it Is doubtful If the hermit has ever
been known to want for any of the
necessaries of life since he renounced
they beat against the shore and the
creams of the gulls in their outward
flight
As to the identity or former history
of this eccentric character, nothing is
known that may be regarded as au
thentic. Many stories are told by old
Mediterranean sailors concerning the
mystery surrounding his tlfe, and how
ever different one sailors narrative may
be from that of his mate, each Is ever
ready to oirirm that his own is the
only correct version.
The most generally neegpted theory
Is that years ago a young Scotchman,
who for the first time had taken charge
of a sailing vessel, Bet sail from Green
ock, having on board his young wife
und two smnll children, a boy and a
girl. The ship was bound for Jaffa,
which port was reached in safety, but
on its return passage it was wrecked
on the rock now known ns Hermit isl
and, and one of the children lost. The
captain, his wife and remaining child
managed to reach the rock, where they
remained until a vessel passing that
way took them nbonrd and returned
them to their home. It was not long
before tho Scotchman obtulned com
mand of n ship, this time a steamer,
and, taking his wife und child aboard,
sailed for a port In the Black sea.
On tho return the steamer was
wrecked on the rock where the other
vessel had gone down, and tho second
child was lost. Again the captain nnd
his wife sought refuge on the rocks
and were taken aboard a passing ves
sel and returned to Scotland.
For a third time the rover assumed
command of a ship. Accompanied by
his wife, he once more set sail for the
Mediterranean sea. On the outward
bound voyage, ns on former occasions,
nothing eventful transpired, but home
ward bound the same fate that had
on two occasions befallen the captain
nnd his fnmlly awaited them In the
shape of the same rock upon which
they had twice before been wrecked.
For the third time the Scotchman lost
his ship and for the third time he was
bereft of a member of his family, for
this time his wife found a watery
grave, when, so the story goes, he
made a vow that he would never again
leave the island.
COUNT THE WORLD.
A gigantic scheme has been evolved
for numbering the people of the earth.
It Is the intention, to select a day In
the year 1900 and have an army of cen
sus takers start out on that partic
ular day In every quarter of the globe
and count the head of every peison
upon whom the sun rises. The reports
nre nil to be sent In to n central es
tablishment at Berne, and so the great
est census taking on record will be
completed by tho actual counting of
the people of the world.
Some say the scheme Is not possible
of accomplishment," but It will be done,
and no effort will be left unmade and
no expense spared to have tho returns
accurate. To guide them In their task
the census takers will have the esti
mated population of the world made
by John Bartholomew. F. K. G. S of
Edlnburg. who has figured it out in
round numbers at 1,440,650,000.
To Improve on this estimated popula
tion by nctual counting of the various
races Is the work that the census tak
ers will have set for them to do. They
expect that the most difficult part of
their undertaking will be to count the
millions of China and the vast hordes
of savages in the interior of Africa.
How they hope to prevail upon the
fierce tribes of the dark continent to
submit to the counting process, when
those savages have resisted all previ
ous efforts of the white man to make
friends with them, the promoters of
the census scheme do not say. Neither
are they on record with any explana
tion of the means at their command for
overcoming the scruples of the haif
civlllzed races In the heart of the Chi
nese empire about allowing the prying
curiosity of the white man to be grati
fied without a fight and the shedding of
blood.
It Is asked whether or not the census
takers Intend to make the complete
subjugation of the savage tribes of
Africa an Incident of the census taking;
hok they propose to break into the se
clusion of the Asiatic mountain tribes
man's domain without an army at their
backs; whether or not they will Include
explorers of repute among tlie men
they will send to count the people of
the unknown regions beyond the Hima
layas or In the land of eternal Ice that
surrounds the north pole. These diffi
culties nre but n few of the many that
suggest themselves to those who ques
tion the success of the attempt to num.
ber the people.
LI HUNG CHANG WILL HELP.
In answer to those who point out the
difficulties to be looked for In counting
the people of the Chinese empire, those
who favor the plan of taklnK n census
of the worlds population point out that
LI Hung Chang has been consulted
and has given his enthusiastic endorse,
ment and promised to render any as
sistance In his power. At present no
friend has arisen In the heart of Africa
to offer a safe passage through that
land of mystery to the man who comes
with pencil and pad to number the
Inhabitants. This of all lanas it is im
portant to Include In the census taking,
for the figures given of the numbers
of Its Inhabitants change every time
an explorer dives Into the Interior and
after a lapse of time emerges to tell
the world that he has discovered a new
race of people numbering a few mil
lions to be added to the known popu
lation of Africa.
Mrs, Bocks Got your spring? cleaning
the vanities of the world for the life of Mr(J B'lokBAn but little Sarah. She
solitude, with naught to keep him com- j nas had a bad cold, so I .haven't given
pany save the cadences of the woves as her her bath yet.-Xid Bits.
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