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THE NEW SKIPPER
6 OF THE NANCY
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She is a beauty Joe and no mis
take
Yes and fast too
Thats her best point in my estima
tion
With a skillful turn of the wheel that
was so little as to seem almost a toy
Joe Parsons brought the trim steam
launch graeefully around the end of
the pier and tip beside the floating
stage with a maneuver so clever that
the paint on the side of the little craft
was not scraped
Fred Allen sprang out upon the
stage and then running his eye along
the lines of the boat repeated his re
mark
Shes a beauty and as you say fast
Jove she cuts the air at such a rate
that she carries a cool breeze with
her on the hottest night
Then with a cordial Good night
Allen lightly climbed the ladder that
led to the pier while Parsons after a
preliminary toot of the little steam
whistle backed slowly out into the
stream and then kept up the North
river at full speed
A beauty indeed he kept repeat
ing to himself thrilling with a strange
pride at the thought of being owner
master and crew of such a saucy little
marine creature
For the Nancy seemed almost alive
to him He was a bookkeeper in a
down town bank a sober industrious
loyal and good hearted fellow who
preferred the pleasures that do not
appeal to the general run of young men
Two years before he had conceived
the idea that for at least six months in
the year it would give him great pleas
ure to spend his evenings and holidays
in just such a craft as he now possess
ed
The Nancy had consumed 1000 of
his by no means extensive savings but
Joe was happy and what is money
compared to happiness
First the launch spurted ahead at
her best speed then slowed down to
hardly more than half speed all the
-while her shrill whistle tooted much
inore frequently than is required by
the laws of navigation Joe was play
ing with his boat as some men do with
a fine horse as a woman does with her
laughing first born
In and out among the larger river
raft the Nancy glided Several times
lie all but got in the way of tugs and
ferryboatsr but these experiences only
made his miniature voyage the more
exciting
One of the maneuvers carried him
close to the piers on the New York
side of the river
Suddenly Joe looked ahead just in
time to see a human figure shoot from
the end of a pier and strike the water
with a splash
At that moment the Nancy was not
more than twenty yards away
A suicide burst from Joes lips
Then But Ill spoil the game
The launch sped quickly to the spot
then hesitated and almost stood still
binder the influence of a sudden re
versal of the engine
Tn that pause of an instant Joe lean
ed over the side and found himself
grasping a young woman
The next moment the Nancy began
to go backward through the water but
Joe had lifted the sylph like form into
the boat and now the young lady lay
between him and the engine
Her wide open eyes stared at him in a
peculiar fashion
Do you do this often lie queried
not knowing what else to say
A sigh was the only answer
I must scold her thought Joe
So he began
Miss dont you know that suicide
is one of the wickedest things in the
world
The expression on her face changed
to one of relief
Yes she answered
Then why did you jump into the
water
So you didnt see me she began
but stopped in sudden confusion
I saw you just as you struck the
water he answered
A sigh this time one of unmistaka
ble relief escaped her
Why did you try to he went on
sternly
Dont dont ask me she pleaded
Dont ask you what
Dont ask me anything please I
shall be greatly obliged to you if you
will humor me
Well you are a queer girl he
commented You reach the point
where life has no further charms for
you and then immediately begin to
ask favors
Under pretense of working at the
engine he managed to turn the little
lantern so that it shed a fuller light
upon her face
The cheeks were pallid naturally
Vi IHr -
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Joe inwardly commented but the
great tender eyes and inexpressibly
sweet face did not belong to a woman
who would deliberately end her life
It was a face with which any man
not wholly a brute would be unable to
avoid falling in love
See here came suddenly from Joe
you didnt really mean to jump into
the water
Oh but you promised sir to ask
me no questions
I didnt promise it was you who
made the request
I make it again she pleaded
Surely you will humor me
And do everything else that you
ask cried Joe suddenly overwhelm
ed and conquered by the most wonder
ful little face he had ever seen What
shall I do first of all
Talk about something cheerful
she urged with a shiver
Well in the first place youre cer
tainly wet and you must be cold
Oh no the night is too warm for
that
Wont you take a little taste of this
brandy he suggested producing his
flask It may save you from catch
ing a severe cold She took the flask
but only the merest drop passed her
lips
Then Joe in obedience to her whim
branched out into dissertations on the
most general topics He felt that he
was talking like an idiot but he evi
dently pleased her for soon she joined
in his talk and displayed not only un
common intelligence but a vivacity
that Avas hardly to be expected
All this time they had been speeding
up the North river Joe suddenly
awakened from his delicious absorp
tion to find that they were opposite
Harlem
Where shall I land you he asked
Anywhere I must be getting
home
And may I escort you there
Oh no not for worlds
Her look was both pleading and
frightened
At least may I call to morrow to
make sure that you have not suffered
from your exposure
Please dont think of doing that
either And dont try to find out
about me
I am a gentleman said Joe with a
simplicity that much have touched
her The boat had landed by this time
She stood up shook out her garments
which were almost dry by this time
and held out her hand
Good by she said and thank you
thank you for more than I can tell
you We shall probably never meet
again but I shall always look back
upon you as one of my friends Thank
you again most earnestly and good
by
Joe held her hand for a few seconds
longer than he needed to and tipped
his hat almost reverently as she glided
away
No she certainly didnt mean to
commit suicide he soliloquized gaz
ing intently at her rapidly disappear
ing form Confound it if I meet that
girl again I shall certainly fall in love
with her What is all the mystery
back of this affair I wonder
The Nancy backed water again then
steamed down the river Twenty min
utes later the launch was at her berth
was drawn and all made snug about
her
Then Joe wended his way home his
pretty craft forgotten in the maze o
thought with which the adventure of
that evening had filled his head
And when in his bed Joe Parsons
tried in vain to woo sleep these words
kept running through his brain
If I meet that girl again I shall
certainly fall in love with her
But month after month went by and
Joe did not once behold the woman
that the river had yielded up to him
only to let the town swallow her up
half an hour later
It was only a few weeks ago that
Joe had been taken from the books of
the bank and established in a small
cozy office to attend to the correspond-
j once of the institution
A typewriter was necessary so he
advertised for one There were a host
of applicants but many of them had
not the necessary knowledge for his
kind of work so they were rejected
When the door opened to admit still
another applicant and Joe looked up
he almost shouted in his glee for the
newcomer was the young woman of
the river episode
The recognition was mutual but
each strove to ignore the fact and Joe
plunged at once into an examination
of her Qualifications
She gave her name as Nora
well and responded to all his questions
so satisfactorily that he engaged her
on the spot
I am sorry the salary is not larger
he said apologetically but the bank
regulates that and I have no control
in the matter
a few days ago an observer
might have seen Nora gazing with
truly feminine delight at a pretty soli
taire ring on her finger Joes hand
was resting affectionately on her shoul
der
Tell me he said suddenly and
with something of an air of proprietor
ship how you happened to be in the
river that night
I was pushed in she replied turn
ing pale at the recollection
By whom
My husband
Your husband
Yes he was a fearful brute Thar
night he inveigled me out on the pier
with the deliberate intention of mur
dering me But I am trying to forget
all that Please never speak of It
again
Little girl said Joe with husky
tenderness If you are willing to mar
ry me after such an experience in mat
rimony what a great faith you must
have in me
I have she replied simply
The Nancy has a new skipper now
the most delightful skipper imagina
ble Minneapolis Tribune
DOG SLEEP WALKERS
One Canine Struck a Doe Trail and
Was Gone for Three Days
The story in the Sun of the Denver
woman who had been sleep walking in
a way to astonish folks reminded a
group of sportsmen who were sitting
in a Broadway gun store last Monday
of several instances when dogs or
cats had done things almost as re
markable One of the stories was told
by a man who had used a pointer in
hunting quails in the South
He was a fine dog Seth was the
sportsman said He could wind a
quail further or road one faster than
any other dog I ever used and he was
so steady that one couldnt see him
breathe He was a great dreamer and
used to do all sorts of things One
night he lay down before the fireplace
on a bear skin I got down in Missouri
I was sitting over by a table in a com
fortable chair reading some but stop
ping to think about my hunting trips
more The wind outside made a fellow
thankful he wras in a house it whistled
so cold like The wind quieted down
a little and then Seth began to get un
easy He began to kick and whistle
with his half open lips Pretty quick
he got up and began to creep across the
floor foot by foot going slower and
slower Then he stopped dead still in
as pretty a point as ever I saw I
spoke to him and he woke up He
looked about him then with hanging
head he came over to where I was sit
ting and put his head onto my lap after
Id petted him a little
A man who had hunted deer with
dogs in Minnesota told about a big
white and black spotted hound tht he
had used in his sport
One night he said we were sit
ting or lounging before a big log fire in
camp up on a lake I wont say where
because theres a lot of game there yet
Old Rove was lying a little ways from
the fire snoring as all hounds do when
he suddenly jumped to his feet and be
gan to snuff around We could see he
was asleep by his eyes He ran here
and there and then -struck the trail
Sam my partner had made while
dragging a doe in that afternoon and
away he went in full cry When he
was out of sight in the brush beyond
the fire light Bill gave a yell for the
dog to come back he was afraid the
dog would get lost But the dog kept
on and was out of hearing beyond a
spur of a mountain in a few minutes
Three days later the dog had not yet
returned to camp Bill and I went still
hunting to another lake ten miles
away intending to stay all night but
wre didnt We found Rove lying beside
a brook seven miles from camp half
starved with ribs showing like ones
fingers We fed him all the stuff we
had to eat and then led him to camp
We tied him up nights after then
All the sportsmen had seen dogs rise
to their feet in their sleep or whine and
squeal A few had seen dogs lying on
their sides barking as if in full cry after
a fox or rabbit and one had a half bull
dog that used to have a fight about one
night in six doubling up and rolling
over by himself or with a rug in its
jaws New York Sun
Missouri Preachers for London
There is a demand from over the
ocean for Missouri preachers Not long
ago the Rev Mr Briney of the Mober
ly Christian Church received a call to a
church in London and now it is re
ported that the Rev John A Brooks of
Memphis Tenn but formerly of Mis
souri has been called to the British
metropolis Dr Brooks is well known
in Missouri where he was the first Pro
hibition candidate for Governor in
1884 and great interest would be felt
in his success should he accept the
London pulpit It would seem that the
American style of preaching would be
a marked and agreeable improvement
on the native London article which is
generally impregnated with fog and
covered with coal smoke lacking the
fluency and vivacity to which Ameri
can church goers are accustomed A
Missouri divine in London would
change the atmosphere for a large dis
tance around the sacred desk Kansas
City Star
Mirror Made of Celluloid
A London scientist has invented a
mirror of celluloid which accurately re
flects every object The celluloid mir
ror is unbreakable and is cheaper than
glass and lighter
People rush around on Monday as
though they were ashamed of having
been idle on Sunday
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Of all the conspicuous figures of the
civil war none perhaps has so varied
and romantic an experience as General
Jo Shelby Greater Generals than he
were in the conflict more distinguish
ed commanders have passed into his
tory but taking him by and large as
a typical American soldier a free
lance among the lighter and more dash
ing exemplaries of the art of war he
stood with Sheridan Jeb Stuart Ros
ser Custer and the other dare devils
who rode to win in clouds of dust and
amid the clatter of sabers That he did
not know how or when to surrender is
not so much to his discredit as a sol
dier as his subsequent action in run
ning off to Mexico and offering his
sword to a foreign adventurer reflected
upon his American citizenship But
then his wounds were sore his years
were few his ambition boundless and
his matured good sense had yet to
come When in 1867 after his experi
ence with Maximilian he crept back
to Fayette County Missouri and saw
some beauty yet in the stars and
stripes his vision took a wider scope
and in spite of himself he had to admit
that there was no land like the land of
his birth
General Shelbys experience in Mex
ico at about the close of Maximilians
regime sounds like a romance Major
John N Edwards who some years ago
was the Boswell of Shelbys career
dwelt at length upon his experience
with the ill starred Austrian It is
worth reproducing here Major Ed
wards said
At the close of the war when Kirby
Smith in command of the department
was anxious to surrender General
Shelby was an advocate of further re
sistance French support medicines
ammunition and French gold were
coming by way of Mexico and upon
these be based hope His protest was
unavailing and the surrender was
made at Shreveport and the army dis
banded Before the surrender was
made the army became dissatisfied
with General Smith and General Shel
by was commissioned to ask him to
withdraw as direct commander of the
army which he did in favor of General
Buckner At the surrender of the army
Smith surrendered to Buckner and
Buckner surrendered to the United
States
Shelby then gathered about him GOO
men They were Missourians for the
most part and were willing to follow
their leader to the utmost confines of
the earth They determined to go into
Mexico and take part in the contest
then waging between Maximilian and
Juarez Shelbys march through Texas
is remarkable in many respects Tex
as was a vast arsenal of arms and am
munition at this time arid his troops
were well supplied Some returning and
disbanded soldiers at times attempt
ed to levy contributions upon the
surrounding country but Shelbys
stern orders arrested them in the act
and his swift punishment of depreda
tions left a shield over the neighbor
hood that needed only its shadow to
insure safety
When the first Mexican station was
readied General Shelby sold his can
non and his men took a vote the same
night to decide which of the contending
parties in Mexico they should join
Shelby Avas decidedly in favor of join
ing Juarez who led the revolution well
arguing with his usual sagacity and
foresight that the United States would
never allow a foreign power to gain a
foothold on American soil But his
men favored the imperial party and he
allowed himself to be governed by
their wishes They crossed the Rio
Grande at Eagle Pass and entered
Mexico A few days later Shelby was
offered the command of the States of
Nueva Leone and Coahuila but the of
fer was declined as his men had join
ed the imperial forces
Historians say that had General
Shelby accepted this position he would
in all probability have been joined by
thousands of Confederates whose for
tunes were to be made and with that
force he would have been able to save
Maximilian or might have become a
power in Mexicos affairs
However that may be General Shel
by and his men had many a bloody and
fierce encounter with the brigands that
infested Mexico before they reached
the City of Mexico One of these was
the rescue and liberation of Inez Walk
er a beautiful American who had been
educated in California She was seen
years before by Rodriguez a million
aire Spaniard who took a fancy to her
and abducted her In the encounter
he was killed and the American wom
an received the protection of Shelbys
men
Shelby offered his services to the
Emperor but they were refused Max
imilian was not willing to trust the
Americans in his organized army It
is a curious fact that General Shelby
when interviewing Maximilians repre
sentative predicted the situation that
afterward befell that luckless Emper
or
When Shelby gathered his men
about him and announced the decision
of the Emperor he said We are not
To
I P
MEpL
wanted and perhaps it is best so
Those who have fought as you have
for a principle have nothing to gain in
a -war of conquest I stand ready to
abide your decision in the matter of
our destiny If you say we shall march
to the headquarters of Juarez then we
will march You will refuse to day as
you refused before because you are
imperialists at heart and because poor
simpletons you imagined that France
and the United States would come to
blows Bah the day for that has gone
by Louis Napoleon has slept too long
It was necessary that the men
should have a little money and Ba
zaine the French general was applied
to He gave each man 50 and then
every man went the way it best suited
him
At the time the famous emigration
scheme of Maximilians Government
was decided upon and the celebrated
colony of Carlotta formed Agents were
sent to every place in the South Land
was set apart for actual American set
tlers each to receive 640 acres Shelby
advised his men to give up at once any
further idea of service in Maximilians
army Many accepted his advice and
entered heartily into the duts of the
new Kfe A few joined the imperial
army in Sonora Gen Shelby with
headquarters at Cordova became a
large freight contractor Among those
in the colony with him were Gen Ster
ling Price Gen Stephens of Lees staff
Gov Reynolds ex Gor Allen of Lou
isiana ex Go v Lyons of Kentucky and
Gen McCausland of Virginia Ex Gov
Isham G Harris was also a settler
Freighting soon proved unprofitable
and he went to Vera Cruz and was
fitted out with a vessel and instructed
to sail for Havana in furtherance of
the colonization scheme He loaded his
ship with agricultural implements ex
ported from America and returned to
Mexico But Maximilians forces were
meeting with defeat on every hand
and Shelby saw that the end wras near
At last Maximilian sent for Shelby and
asked him how many Americans he
could summon to his assistance
Not a corporals guard said the
General You are too late
Referring more particularly to Gen
Shelbys intercourse with Maximilian
in the winter of 1866 67 Maj Edwards
wrote these interesting details
When Shelby arrived in Mexico the
treasury was empty Maximilian had
been ruling for a year The French
held everything worth holding except
ing that Mexican brigandage ruled and
grew No effort of the French could
stop it Maximilians Marshal Ba
zaine ruled the military with a reign
of death Suspected men were shot
everywhere without the formality of
a trial Maximilian was displeased
His heart was with the Mexicans and
he remonstrated with the marshal but
to no purpose and finally there was
an estrangement
Shelby saw all these things and
planned an interview with the Emper
or Commodore Maury and General
Magruder arranged it for him and
Maximilian met him with evident
frankness and sincerity
The marshal was uresent and Count
de None was interpreter Shelbjs
plans as he laid them before the Em
peror were to take immediate service
in the empire recruit a corps of 40000
Americans encourage immigration de
velop the resources of the country con
solidate the Government against the
withdrawal of the French soldiers and
hold it till the people became reconciled
to the change
The Emperor simply listened with in
terest and that was all
It is only a question of time your
Majesty said General Shelby till the
French soldiers art withdrawn
Bazaine smiled a little and the Em
peror asked Why do you think so
Because said General Shelby Mhe
Avar between the states is at an end
and Mr Seward will insist on a rigor
ous enforcement of the Monroe doc
trine France does not desire a con
flict with the United States I left
behind me 1000000 men in arms not
one of whom has yet been discharged
from the service The nation is sore
over this occupation and the presence
of the French is a perpetual menace
The matter of which I have spoken to
you is perfectly feasible I have author
ity for saying that the American Gov
ernment would not be averse to the
enlistment of as many soldiers in your
army as might wish to take service
and the number need only be limited
by the exigencies of the empire I
think it absolutely necessary that you
should have a corps of foreign soldiers
devoted to you personally and reliable
in any emergency
Commodore Maury and General Ma
gruder sustained Shelbys views of the
case and he went on
I have under my command at pres
ent about 1000 tried and experienced
soldiers All of them have seen much
severe and actual service and all of
them are anxious to enlist in support
of the empire With your permission
and authorized in your name to in
crease my forces I can in a few
J months make good all these promises
1 have made you here to day
But the Emperor was silent Aris
ing he talked in an aside with De
Neue and went
It is no use said De Noue to Shel
by after the Emperor had left the
room the Emperor Is firm on the VJjf
of diplomacy He means to try negt
tiations and correspondence with the
United States His sole desire is to
give the Mexicans a good government
lenient yet restraining laws and to
develop the country and educate the
people He believes he can do this
with native troops He is an enthusi
ast and reasons from the heart In
stead of from the head He will not
succeed He does not understand the
people over whom he rules nor any of
the dangers which beset him It is no
use General the Emperor will not give
you employment
I knew it said Shelby from his
countenance and I say to you in all
frankness Maximilian will fail in his
diplomacy He will not have time to
work the problem out Jaurez lives a3
surely In the hearts of the people as
the snow is eternal on the brow of
Popocatapetl and ere an answer could
come from Seward to the Emperors
Minister of State the Emperor will
have no Minister of State
History now tells how true was
Shelby In his spoken judgment When
the struggle came that Shelby had so
bluntly and plainly predicted Maximil
ian was in the midst of 8000000 sav
ages without an army scarcely a
guard abandoned deserted and be
trayed
As Maximilian heard the news of
defeat after defeat he turned to the
Americans and sent for Shelbyy arho
was then at Cordova and Shelby faint
at heart answered immediately and
presented himself before the Emperor
The interview was brief and almost
sad
How many Americans are there in
the country the Emperor asked
Not enough for a corporals guard
said Shelby frankly and the few who
are left cannot be utilized Your Ma i
jesty has put off too long I dont know
of 200 Americans who could be gather-
ed before it would be too late
I need 20000 said the Emperor
TTou need 40000 said Shelby of
all the imperial regiments in your ser
vice you cannot count upon one that
will stand steadfast to the end There
are desertions everywhere As I came
in I saw the regiment of the Empress
marching out You will pardon me if ij
speak the truth but as devoted as that
regiment should be I would call upon
your Majesty to beware of It Keep
with you constantly all of the house-
hold troops that yet belong to the
pire Do not waste them in doubtful s
battles Do not divide them The hour
Is at hand when instead of numbers
you will have to rely upon devotion It
am but as one man but whatever a sin
gle subject can do that thing shall be
done to the utmost
When the Emperor spoke again hisr
voice was so sad that it was pitiful It
is so refreshing to hear the truth he
said and I feel that you have -told itj
to me as one who neither fears nor
Take this in parting and
bpr that circumstances never rundcf
impossible the right to die for
principle
He detached the golden cross of the
Order of Guadalupe from his breast
and gave it to Shelby who kept it until
his death the sole memento of a part
ing that was for both the last on
earth St Louis Globe Democrat
Elizur Sage as n Brave Soldier
Elizur Sage whose house and lean
to in Channahon is mortgaged for a
loan of 50 to his uncle Russell Sage is
well remembered by Colonel James A
Sexton Of Chicago Colonel Sexton was
in command of the company in which
Sage served D Company Seventy-second
Illinois Infantry The regiment
was raised under the auspices of the
Chicago Board of Trade and was mus
tered in the service at Camp Douglas
Aug 21 1862 Colonel Sexton came to
the regiment after a years service in
the Sixty seventh Illinois When he
took command of his company he found1
among his men Elizur Sage a lad
parently 13 or 14 years old who had
been duly enlisted as a drummer h
with the consent of his parents Recall
ing him to mind Colonel Sexton said
I recollect him Avell He was a
sturdy actiAe and industrious boy
kindly in disposition and a general
favorite among the men being regard
ed as a sort of a mascot though Ave
didnt know what mascots were in
those days Among the officers he was
Avell regarded
As a soldier he was first class lie
serAed AAith the regiment throughout1
the Avar and participated in some of the
hardest fought battles of the Avar He
was at the siege of Vicksburg and in the
battles that preceded its investment by
Grant He was with us during the
campaign against Atlanta and Avhen
detached from the march to the sea he
was with us at the battle of Franklin
and the rout of Hood at Nashville
Drummer boy as he was he had as
perilous duties to perform as any man
carrying a musket in the ranks In
1S63 as I recollect it the drum corps
of every regiment were organized into
a stretcher bearers corps That is
they were made to go out with stretch
ers and bring off the field all the wound
ed to the field or some other improvised
hospital The drummers and fifers
were often between two fires that of
their own command and of the enemy
and I think it required more nerve and
courage to do such duty than to stand
in the ranks to be fired at always with
the chance of firing back
Young Sage as I remember him
was as I haAe said a first class sol
dier and took part in eleven pitched
battles and 200 skirmishes being under
fire 147 days out of the three years
service of his regiment
No man was ever so much deceived
by another as by himself i
