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About The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911 | View Entire Issue (May 19, 1909)
FfcsSs ?" x'hs .? V ,iI.t-VT?x--;- B AFFAIR OF THE PANAMA HAT BY AN EX-OPERATIVE OF THE SECRET SERVICE I CAPTAIN DIGKS6N TELLS OF ACQUIRING AS UGLY ' 1 SCAR EARLY IN ssYTES, " did promise to teli you W bo I 'SOt tWs wound."- -re- J 4-. plied 4 Cap!. Dickson, when I '-recalled 'ismention,f in a farmer reminiscence, of-the gly scar on the back of his neck. "It happened when I was young in the service, and it was due to my am bition and foolhardiness, a combina tion that is dangerous in any one's system. The adventure came near costing me iny "life. I have always connected that affair with a Panama hat. A Panama hat got me into trouble and got me out again, in the end saving my life." 'The Chinese exclusion act has giv n a lot of trouble to the government in one way and another, but the con sequence I am most familiar with is the smuggling of coolies into this country through Mexico and Canada. Coolie labor is cheap, and it is a profit able job to slip a bevy of them across the frontier. "Things began to take a lively turn as soca as I reached Presidio, my headquarters, a village of mud huts and rambling shanties on the Rio Grande. I left the Southern Pacific at Nopal and rode many weary miles across country. Over the river, in Mexico, was the dirty village of Presi dio del Norte. It is impossible to imagine a more forsaken looking place. The Ilic Conchos, a river of uncertain habits, flowed into the Rio Grande here. It was by means of this river that coolies were brought to Presidio del Norte. 'I had arrived in Presidio wearing a heavy Scotch hat. It had been cool when I left Washington and this was my first trip to the Texas border. I paw at. once that my hat was a back number. Jarrall, the customs officer, Ktiggcsted that I get a Panama, telling me lhat I could secure a smuggled one at a reasonable price from a dealer in lie village. "lie said he knew they were smug gled, but that there was no remedy ; for it as the government didn't think it of sufficient importance to put its agents en the case, and he was pow eiless without them. I took his ad vice' and bought a Panama, the largest and whitest and most conspicuous one. "The next morning after my arrival I crossed over to the Mexican village, to look around a bit and see if I couldn't pick up some valuable infor mation. I was wandering about, star ing at the crude hats and the naked babies. when I encountered an Ameri can wearing a hat that was a dupli cate of my own, only his showed marks of hard usage. "Hello!' he said, 'when did you get in?' "I was on the point of telling him that he had made a mistake, but something prompted me to play him "along and see what he was up to. I merely replied: " 'Yesterday.' " 'Where is Munson?' lie queried, looking me over carefully. " 'He will be here later,' I replied at a venture. " 'Now let's get down to business,' he began. " 'All right, I replied. " 'We have 300 coming down to night," he said, 'and 200 more in three days. The boats are ready and Man uel is in charge at Huataz so there isn't a chance for anything to go wrong at that end of the line.' "He paused a moment to mix an other highball which he swallowed at a gulp. "'Ycu know where to meet us to night?" he queried. " 'The instructions haven't been too plain,' I replied. . "-Blame that mutton-headed Indiar. he swore. 'I might have known that he couldn't get anything straight. Well, 1 will have to tell you all over .again. You and Munson be at the Cot tonwood towhead two miles above town at 11:30 to-night to check up the cattle and pay over the money. Take the north trail from Presidio and turn to the left at the giant cactus. You can't miES the way. Tt is about two miles. The cattle-patb at the cactus will lead you out to the landing at the towhead. Andrews and I will come over with the first boat and we can check up as they land. I suppose you have the papers,' he concluded. " 'No, Munson has them.' I ventured, feeling sure that if Munson didn't have them I did not know where they were. "Well, be sure than Munson brings them along, he admonished. "This concluded the interview and I lost no time in getting back across the river to tell Jarrall of my adven ture. He was delighted at my luck. "At five minutes after ten I heard horses hoofs pounding the sand to the south. I could almost have shout ed, for I was sure that it was Davis . and his rangers. It was only the mes senger whom we had dispatched in the morning. He was covered with gray dust and his throat was so choked he couldn't speak. He literally fell from his horse before Jarrall's door, and we had to support him as he Declared Worse Than Cancer Of the Two, .Pangs of Toothache Are Less Easy to Bear. " -. - - . A "You "of the' younger 'generatibh.' said the dentist, severely, "don't appre ciate the importance of the conquest of-toothache that dentistry has made. "Toothache Is the worst torture that ever afflicted mankind. Its pains lancinating'thev are technically called are worseHlfem'ttiepains'of cancer. I M15 tAKttK staggered into-, the xroom. A few .drinks- put him on his feet, and then he told us that.the rangers were not At .their headquarters but had gone In pursuit oT a baad of cattle thieves. "'Well, we can go after them our selves,' I said. There will only be two against two and we will have the advantage by surprising them,' Jarrall looked at me in blank sur prise. "'You must be'craiy, man, to sug gest such a thing. I am not counted a coward, but I wouldn't undertake the job without at least half a dozen good men at my back, for all the gold in the world. It would mean certain death for both of us. No, I am not a candidate for the undertaker just yet "With that I buckled on my revolver and started for the door. "I wouldn't do that, old man, Jar rall breathed, a look of real concern displacing the amused expression that had so nettled me. 'My God, man, you don't know -what you are doing. ' I haven't lived on the border ten years for nothing. You will be killed. I can't I won't permit it.' "I turned on him and snarled in his face: '" You are not big enough to hold me and you can't keep" me any other way unless 3'ou shoot me, and I don't think you want to commit murder.' "I poured out a volume of vile abuse for which I was afterwards heartily ashamed. " I am going,' I concluded, and with that 1 sprang out of the house and set off at a run for the north trail. "'Wait until I get my gun and I will go with you,' Jarrall shouted after me, but I paid no attention to him. "It was half-past ten, and I knew it would be a tight race to be at the ap pointed place on time. The messen ger's horse was standing before the door. I mounted Itrand set out at a rapid rate for the trail. It was a wild ride through the chaparral that night, my heart beating time to the pounding of the horse's hoofs. At the giant cactus I hobbled the pony and has tened, on foot, down the cattle-trail towards the river. "As I came in sight of the water, shining white and silvery through the bushes, I could make out the bulk of boat approaching. I gripped my revol ver nervously and waited- for it to land. The cottonwood trees cast heavy shadows where I crouched, and this gave me the advantage of. the smugglers, for the moonlight was al most as brilliant as sunlight 'The' Worse than cancer; that is the truth; I have heard it from physicians, I have heard it from three old people whom cancer finally killed. They all said that the pain of cancer at its worst was mild beside the pain of the worst toothache. " "Toothache drove DeQuincey to opium-eating. DeQuincey, too. says iixhis 'Opium Eater' like all dentists, T have the passage by heart: BBBBBKcBB3'' BBBBBB.i.t.j' ggf3??"Bi5jt'ivQvJ"BrB" ' ""B"fc""BKMKiBBBMBBPBBrWW!KHflrfffoifc fnJpF 222 fitB2iaSpfl9liBv-uv s ' (M ?m JMHHilBMiBMnitvHlIll lflyf VHYU1BK3BBBmBVB."i XK5? (ffpfe' 5&X. vSyS""aitMfcX- - jjynCy fmitJvB sM"'PMlflM"aM"SIBBm jHmJm Hflw"llUinil"B!l3&r prow of the boat grated onhe beach .and four men stepped out. I had onlj. counted on two. In my hurried ride I had planned out my course of action. I had read somewhere of a soldier capturing a company of the enemy singlehanded, and I intended to follow his plan'. "As the four men advanced up the shelving bank I gave a tense command to an imaginary posse hid back in the' shadows'and, with my revolver leveled I stepped out into the moonlight, cov ering the nearest of the men. " "This trick' may'have worked; with soldiers, but it certainly, didn't go with 'border outlaws. No sooner Jhad I stepped from the shadows than the four men reached for their guns, at the same instant dropping flat' upon the ground, where they were almost invisible. v "I took hurried aim at the foremost man and . pulled the trigger. ' The hammer, fell with a' metallic ' click, which rang sharp and distinct in the still 'air. Then, with a sickening sinking of the heart, I remembered that in my nasty, departure I had failed to load the revolver. I was unarmed and at the mercy of the out laws. "These incidents had happened with marvelous swiftness. Instantly there was a flare of light, a loud report, and a bullet sang uncomfortably close to my ear. It was the first time I was ever under fire. There was a second flash, and my right arm dropped limp ly to my side. I sprang for the shad ows of the cottonwoods just as the third revolver cracked. The bullet cut across the back of my neck and I fell unconscious. "When I came to myself I was in I the bottom of a boat and the four men were paddling with might and main for the Mexican shore. Here was pretty mess my rashness had dragged me into. I realized that the men would show me no mercy, that death prob ably awaited me at the landing. But I was mistaken in this. They did not know that I had recovered conscious ness and I could hear what they said when they paused in their furious row ing to catch their breath. "They seemed highly excited over my single-handed attempt to capture them. One of them, a Mexican," wanted to kill me at once, but the American wouldn't hear to it. He advised that I be revived and made to tell just what I knew. This met with general ap proval, and it was decided that I should be taken to the house that I had visited that morning in company with the American.' They were go ing to hold me a prisoner there until they had gained the information they wanted, and then they were going to make an. end of me. "They stopped talking and resumed their paddling. I was in the heavy shadows at the bottom of the boat, and when I noticed that my big Pana ma hat was resting on my chest an ideai came to .me. I fished a pencil stub from a pocket and. with my left hand, scrawled a message to Jarrall on the brim of the big hat It was a miserable effort, and I feared it would be unintelligible. XI told him of .my capture, that Ijwas wounded, vand be ing taken tothe house with the broken column. .r A . "'No stronger expression of tooth ache's Intensity and scorching fierce ness can be imagined than this fact that, within my private knowledge, two persons, who had suffered alike under toothache-and cancer, have pro nounced the former to be, on the scale of torture, by many degrees the worse. In both, there are at times lancinating pangs keen, glancing, arrowy radia tions of anguisli; and 'upon these the basis' of comparison is rested paroxysm against paroxysm.-rwith the result that I have stated." "The men jerked me out of th boat, with small ceremony when w reached the shore. I moaned piteous ly and lay limp and inert, clutching the hat with my left hand. the. writ ing underneath. As they packed me up the bank I dropped the hat in the shadow of a bush. After this I be came unconscious from the pain, of my wounds. "I came to in' a small room with a single window up near the ceiling. It was heavily barred with iron, between which I could see a single star, so I knew that it was still night. I lay there for a long time, it) seemed, half conscious and utterly resigned. I was suffering too much and was too weak from loss or blood to dare whether I lived or died. In fact, I think I pre ferred to die. The smugglers had not dressed' my wounds and I felt that I was slowly bleeding to death. It was beyond my strength to make any ef fort to escape. "I had dozen off again, I suppose, when the report of shots awakened me. A battle seemed to be in progress about the building, but I was too weak, to more than raise myself upon my good elbow for a .moment; then' l fell back panting and exhausted. The rattle of 'firearms grew less dis tinct, as if the shots were coming from X great distance and I slept again. ""The next I knew Jarrall was bend ing over me. I was in bed and very weak. It was' the room where I had stopped in Presidio. I felt that it was a hallucination of my feverish brain, t "It was little "that I did towards my recovery. Jan-all did it all. By force of his personality he nursed me back to life and health, and when I got strong enough to talk and tried to apologize to him and as:'-- his forgive ness for my abominable conduct he would not permit it. He was a man and a gentleman, at all times. "One day he told me how he had come to rescue me. "He had followed after me when I ran from the house, only stopping long enough to get his gun. This de lay had allowed me to mount the horse and secure a good start. He knew it was useless to follow on foot, and he had lost further time catching a pony and saddling it. "Before he managed to reach the giant cactus where I had hobbled my horse, he heard the firing at the land ing. He had arrived at the river in time to see the boat landing at the farther shore. "As soon as the bandits had left, he swam his horse across the stream and found my hat. His pony struck it with a hoof and knocked it out into the moonlight. He had picked it up and found the message upon the brim. "Appreciating that pursuit was use less, he had hastened back to Presidio to secure assistance. He met Capt. Davis and ten rangers on the way. They had returned to camp sooner than was expected, and seeing Jar-rall's- note, had pushed on to Presidio without rest.' "The rangers - then committed a breach of international law. With Jarrall for guide, they had invaded Mexico and rescued me." (Copyright. 1908. by W. G. Chapman.) (Copyright in Great Br.itainJ An Accessible Governor. On the' glass of the double doors leading tothe offices of the governor of Massachusetts there is printed this cordial invitation: "Walk in." And .many visitors to, the famous state house beneath the golden dome on Beacon Hill whomight otherwise pass by contenting themselves withjurtive glances feel -that here is a welcome so plain and cordial" that any timidity they might' otherwise be conscious of is entirely dispelled National Maga zine, s. jt - - - " JBOTEKTREBMEHZ - . torn 'Nev Sdtas for Pleasant Fairiis, D- vised by tire WIi-l&sjowi utbarity oi . tb Subject, iadan) erri. A New Magazine Party. The invitations were issued on card board made to represent a magazine, aad were Inclosed in envelopes.' Each guest was. asked to come wearing, am article to indicate a current periodical or ia a costume, whichever was most convenient This broke the ice and it was a very merry party. In about a half hour, when all were endeavoring to find out who was what, the hostess passed little booklets which contained the following typewritten romance, the blanks' to be filled with the name of a publication: Once upon a time an who bad al ways enjoyed and cared very little for the outside of his own was .induced by his friends to become a and a junior member of a prominent In the home town of the . At the time of his coming to the city this was a very individual, heart whole and fancy free, and when he heard from lips of the fascin ations of a certain little girl with bright eyes and a face of which an artist might be the lie paid no attention. How ever, upon receiving through the a dainty missive with the odor of the floral garden upon it. his heart fluttered fin an unusual manner. The coming fune- :tion. a lawn party given by the had 'been the at his hotel for days. i His friends, whom we will call Mr. and Mr. for convenience, had 'insisted upon his attendance. He object ed, saying lie was no favorite in the . The friends argued that a little would make him have a different In life and would make him more and that he needed the so lie accepted the invitation. Arriving at the park, he found a gathering, and the place being a pic turesque one. he at once made use of his camera, saying: "I must have a ; of tills." He wan lirst introduced to the owner of the park, an old man witli (lowing beard, a veritable ,and his son. a youth of IS years. The was a charming girl, who shyly left her escort when she saw the approaching. "A indeed," was his mental ejacu- OesBfinini for Pffltow HI Conventionalized Tulip Motif, to Be of a Couc SOFA PILLOWS are a great addition to a living room, den or porch, and it seems as if one cannot have too many of them. Stenciled pillows are artistic and pretty. Girls who intend to enter col lege next fall are beginning to get the things ready for their rooms, and pil lows are always a feature of a college room. The work is easy to do, and the materials inexpensive. A tulip design 'is given to-day, and Is to be dene on a pillow of denfin. crash, burlap, rajah .silk, or any preferred material of this order. The motifs are to be arranged in two bands of tour motifs each, one across the upper edge, about three inches down, and the other across the lower edge of the pillow. This arrange ment is a bit newer than the border or corner decoration. One single motif is placed in the center of the back of the pillow, and it is surprising how much more interesting a pillow decor ated in this way is than one having a plain back. To make the stencil, trace the de sign given on a piece of stencil paper or heavy manila paper. Lay the paper on a piece of glass and cut out the parts of the design that are blackened in. Use a sharp penknire or sloyd knife, or, if preferred, cut out the sten cil with a pair of small, sharp embroid ery scissors. If the manila paper is used, it should be shellaced on both sides to insure its serviceability, and must be hung up a day to dry thor oughly. As real stencil paper Is only ten cents for a large piece, it is much wiser to use it. as it saves much time. The True Economist in Dress. The woman who really does under stand economy in regard to dress, and who also understands that to have the best aud finest clothes she must in vest in the same "not inadvisedly nor lightly," pays a reasonable price for one smart costume and three smart waists one dark one in fancy net. crepe de chine or chiffon cloth, and two elaborately made and perfect fit ing white ones to wear with her trimmed tailor gown. For her abso lutely plain costume she has one waist to match exactly in color made of crepe de chine or soft silk in tucks, with which are worn a lace collar and flat jabot, or a plain but fine linen waist. A curious incongruity permits the wearing of a real lace waist also. Empire Yellow Slippers. With everything empire naturally that color known as "empire yellow" is playing its' part well. Every material is to be seen in this delicate shade. From the velvet rib bon laced through the debutante's hair down to her slippers and such, slip pers! Some are satin with red heels and lation. as he recogVilzed the one la a white to be hone other' than; th one with the pretty face, of whom le bad heard. He was introduced, and a little later, leaving of friends, they strolled across the lawn. They parted at - but he gained her consent to call Upon her and to take her to the Thea intervening days seemed ' a long, but in the meantime a had come to him. liad suddenly become to him as. important a problem as economy and had been in his coun try days before. was no longer a pet by Ids fireside, for his affections were elsewhere. It was the same old story, and he soon decided to become the for pro vided he had with his wooing. This proved to be the case. and he married is one of the his and their happiest places in ANSWKR8. American Boy. Country I-lfe In Amer ica. World's Work. Farm and Home. Business Man. Enterprise. Boston Her ald. American. Independent. Hints. Everybody's. Designer. Saturday Evening Post. Smart Set. Table Talk. Munsey., Harper's. Ladies' World. Outing. Outlook. Cosmopolitan. Recreation. Popular. Pic torial Review. St. Nicholas. Youth's Com panion. Business Man. Modern Priscilla. Dress. The Circle. Sunset. Theater. Cen tury. New Idea. Good Housekeeping. Na tional. Farm Progress. The Black Cat. Woman's Home Companion. Lifel Suc- j cess. Modern .Prfsciiia. Jiouse, Beauuiui. The World To-Day. Candy boxes in the shape of books were the favors, and the prizes were subscriptions to magazines, the lucky ones making their choice of a list that were all the same price. If one secures an invitation to a party of this kind, it would be a good thing to go to a stationer's and look over the magazines, for there are so many it is impossible to recall all the names just when they are wanted. MADAME MERRI. Comfortable Sleeves. It is almost paradoxical, but the sleeves to be properly made should not impede one's movement, or be in the least uncomfortable. Applied in Two Rows Across the Top h Pillow. The stenciling Is done with "Easy dye." which is a simple, effective meth od and will launder beautifully. It is 15 cents a tube for all colors. Before applying the color the fabric should be dipped in a strong solution of salt and. water: A handful of salt will be enough. The material should be dried, r.nd ironed before applying the dye. After this salt process the colors will not run. To prepare the "Easy dye," squeeze some out into a flat dish and dissolve thoroughly in hot water. Use enough water to obtain the desired value of color. When cold, strain it through a little piece of muslin. Then mix the color with the white of an egg to pre vent it from running. Lay the material on a flat, smooth board, with a sheet of blotting paper under it, pin the stencil in place, pin ning it down firmly on all edges, and apply the dye with a stiff bristle brush, holding the brush vertically and having only a little dye on the brush at a time. "Dab" the color on a little at a time, rather than paint it in in long strokes, so that it will not run. it is a good plan to have a bit of old white cloth on which to wipe the brush before applying it to the fabric. Some effective color schemes are: Material, light golden tan rajah; tulips, orange; dots, deep brown; leaves, dark green. Material, ecru crash; tulips, old blue; dots, bright yellow; leaves, gray green; turning of leaves, dark green. Material, tan denim; tulips, old rose; dots. Delft blue; leaves, dark brown. adorned with the smallest of rhine stone buckles. Others are all red. the whole front embroidered with tiny seed pearls, while others are satin covered with renaissance lace, and only here and there, where the pattern is quite open, is to be caught a glimpse of the yellow shining through. Summer Dresses to Be Collarless. The collarless dresses threaten to become positively epidemic; "decap ite" they call them abroad a rather grewsome name when one stops to think that the imagination of the French sees in them a repetition of the bared necks of the guillotine vic tims of the Revolution. In reality, they are quite safe and hygienic, for they give a woman a chance to show a pretty neck if she has one, to ac quire one If she hasn't, and in either case to rest her throat from the effects of the high close collar. Mme. Paquin seems to be responsible for the fad; certainly she is a most successful sponsor, for her own neck is very beautiful and she always wears the decapite dresses. Delineate. Yearning. I want to trail back to the Held and tht wood Where zephyrs are kissing the trees. Where rivers sing softly their rhythms of peace And melody rides on the breese. I want to co back to the old bayou bridge And angle for fish with a pin. To feel once again all the tcrills I havt known At hooking and landing a fin! I want to return where the gooseberries grow. WliTi' choke-cherries pucker your throat I want to go pond-lily hunting one more In Stewart's old. flat-bottomed boat. I want to be lost in the heart of "Tha Run." "Where squirrels and owls have th'-Sr nests: I wantto flop down on my back 'neath tiie elms And worship the blue through their crests! I want to go barefoot along the old trail Thnt leads to the clover-decked hilla By ways that are winding, where busht-t hang Ioy And whisper their loves to the rills! I want to go back and just splash In tho creek And let the cool Cedar ruA fast Run owr and under, and scold as It laves. The hands it has known in the past' I want to wade out where the sand-bar Is heaped In diamonds that sparkle with light Just wade and get sopping clear up to my waist And holisr and yell in my might! I want to run down to "The Quarry." "The Hill." "The Bend." "The High bank" and "Th- Strand" Let me stand all enthroned where my boyhood was spent. Take me back to my own Fairyland! Take me back where the roses are sweet with perfume. Where the bees sing a song that U me back, let me feel la my heart once again. Just the God-given joy of a lad! Andnow the good citizen does not wait for the Macedonian cry from th( village paper to burn those leaves' He takes' time and thu rake by the fore lock and gets busy early, fr Tr If some men were as particular about getting up when they are called as they are about winding their alarm clocks, wives would be saved a heap or nagging. i A lady, disciple of Rooseve'tian spelling has married a Chicago proof reader. She desires to reform him. I presume. ! Come to Thee. I mme to thee. O my darling! Faint with the longing of y-ars. Weak with un.satiate passion. And burnt with its scalding tears. I have come from the Town of Ambition. Through the AVood of the Heart-Sick Dove. To dream in the Temple of Beauty. And feed on the lilies of love. Alfred Hitch. Non Appreciative. Having announced his text, an old colored preacher down in Georgia, as related by the Atlanta Constitution, went on to say: "My attention has been drawed ter de fact dat some scoundul has gone n put a alligator in de pulpit, right under my two foots; but. long as ez dar, I gwine let him stay 'twel after de benediction; fer I notice dat. des lak de res er you triflin. no 'count sinners, he donw made tip his mind ter take it easy eu sleep through de sermon!" Woman. Oh. woman, you are charming. And poets long have Bung Their sweetest verses to you In every written tongue: But none of them lias ever Told why it is that you "Will always leave a street car .ot dne gnorW W. J. Lampton. in Success Magazine.o Song of an Editor. This is tiie season for ptentln" sefd. and 'tis also the printer's time of n-d Sow radish seed and lettuce, too, and pay the printer whatever Is due. Go buill yourself an onion bed and remember the printer must be fed. Sow several rows of early pea, and pay for last year' paper, please. Dig up the earth 'round each strawberry vine and if you want our paper drop us a line. Plant som potatoes to put In hash and remember the printer is short of cash. Fix up i hill or so of beans, and with the editor divide your means. Of water-melons you'll need a patch the editor's pants need! one to match. Pay up your sub scription, plant your corn, and yo'i'll raise a big crop as sure as you're lorn. Henri' (Oula.) Eagle. -BYRON WILLIAMS. Girt In. It Is not to die. nor even to die ot hunger, that makes a man wretched. Many men have died: all men must die. But it is to live miserable, we know not why; to work sore, and yet gain nothing; to be heart worn, weary, yet isolated, unrelated, girt in with a cold, universal laissey faire. Thomas Carlyle. But Is He? When a man pawns his watch lv? probably believes that he is making good use of his time. '- -T i Bfe; V V -J-in1 ,- ,V - u. -, 3-vu j ..-. . li- -, .esiijZsi' U,-jUii Bcs . 'it : .o? - X t wJj iV".n Sr A- lcia - t v . . J llC -! -i & . -. t' y- , VrT-7V". .-y?AOS s. .X;" .'- -1 1. . : .. .. L -ti ;e.'nHavmmEmv r -
