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About Oregon courier. (Oregon City, Clackamas County, Or.) 188?-1896 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1896)
DEATH VALLEY. A broad plain atrutchlng wostward dry Mid aun, 8pnmu vi'Ktiitlun baking In the inn, Ami mountain ranxi-a (urtliur to tlio wont With wbltu snow ihuwh on each lftjr crust, Eioept whim turni-d to run? tlnU at morn. Or glowing blood red just eru night U bcra. No shade to sofUn braUor mn'i Dure wn'b. Lizards and soorplnna In tho dusty path. Whoro glunt spldurs Ilka gray ahadowi warm Each a ainnll dovll with mlmbanvn form Tbo toIIomt rattlnmaka coiled low whoro moot The bowlder's tbadowand tho tun'i white boat. At night at range reptlloi crawl 'noatb pallid moon. fkinat toada and Insects join In tnnoloss rune, While ooyotcs bowl and hoats are scarcely leal Than In the noonday ularo to shadowliia ; A world of doat and sand, low shrubs and tonoe. And 'mid them, gleaming white, bleached kulla and bone. The red Apache o'er it sweope somotlmns To re-enforce Ita horrors with bis crime, Or Moxicnnoa, on aome swooping raid, Add to ita corpan with their bandit trado, Within Ita allenoea tholr rlflus croah, In Ita aun glares tholr crimson knife blades flash. Too oft mooted on this scenic atago Are dramua red with gore and floroe with rao, Man ruonntern vying with the reptile horde Their stlnss the bullet or rulontlims sword, Death valley, where the drought and hot sun breath Tarn skies to brass and shrtvol lifo In death I L Edgar Jones in Boston Transcript. SAVED BY A SQUAW. I regret that the heroine of this story did not have a more romoutio or musio al name thun "Guniboots Jaiie. " Had It been Fuunfoot or Stureyos it would have boon more plowing to romoutio peoplo, and the imagination might more easily pictnre hor as a "maiden of the forest," worthy of companionship with those fair creatures met with in the writings of J. Fenimore Cooper and other regulation frontior stories. Bat as I am simply giving a sketch from real life I must take the names and charac ters as I fonnd them. Truth also compel me to state that she was no great boauty, a fact I the more docply deplore because all other heroines mot with in Indian stories, from the lovely daughter of Powhatan np to the present time, so for as I know, were without oxcoption perfect paragons of native grace and loveliness. Tho heroine of this story appeared at French Bur, a mining camp on the Stiokoen river, ono day in the summer of 1881. She wore a pair of rubber boots much too large for hor, and as her skirts .were rather short thoy were quite con spicuous. Now, minors have a way of readily coining nicknames for those with whom they come in contact, and as if by common consent she was at once called "Guniboots Jano." Tho rest of her apparel consisted of a waist impro visod from a man's blue woolen shirt, a skirt of some kind of brown material, a cboap shawl and a rather dirty look ing silk handkerchief tied over her head. The girl was about 10 years old, and although no beauty, she was not posi tively ugly. Sho had a pleasant face, a well formod mouth and protty white I teeth, which she seemed to like to show when she smiled. But her eyes were the most attractive of hor features. They wero largo, dark and dreamy, and shone with a soft light that made thorn almost beautiful. ' 1 The Indians of southeastern Alaska and British Colombia are fur different from thoso of othor ports of North America in disposition and habits of life. They aro intelligent, vivacious, in dustrious and very sooiulilo. Thoy have but littlo of the stoicism and vagrant ways of tiio tribes of the wostern plains nud readily adopt our habits of life and stylo of dress. By hunting fur bearing animals and working in the mines and fisheries they make a good ileal of money. Thoy ulso conduct quite a prof itable trado in curios with tourists who visit this "land of tho midnight sun" in summer. When out hunting or at work, of courso they wear rough cloth ing, but when visiting with each othor at neighboring villages, participating in the festivities of their frequent dances and "potlacb.es," or attending church on Sundays, they dress about as well as tho whito pooplo. Frouch Bar is situated in British ter ritory at the intersection of tho Stiekoon river and Beaver crock, not fur from Tolegroph creek, which is tho head of Steambout navigation for minors and supplies going into tho colebrated Cus siur mining district. The "pay dirt" there was neither extensive nor rich, and at tho time of which I am writing the camp contained only 10 men. As it rained frequently during that season and was always cool of nights thoy lived in sung littlo lug cabins, making a vil lage just at tho mouth of Beaver creek canyon. Two miners occupied a cabin to gether and owned and worked their claim as equal partners, affectionately calling ouch other "purds." They sulwistod from a common supply of provisions, took regular turns at cooking and doing their chores and slept in the sumo bunk. Dan Nolun was a member of tho camp that summer. Ho was young and boyish looking, but his manly demeanor, his ready wit, industrious habits and ac commodating d Upon it ion made him a grout favorite with his companions. Ho was brought up in Dublin and con sidered that city his homo, as his moth er and only sister, to whom be sent part of each mouth's earnings, still lived there. Of courso he was not called Dan No lan, for miners find nicknames for their favorites as well as for others, and though not selected with any regard for awthotics or enphony they are generally expressive and often Tory appropriate. So Dan was known by the more alliter ative name of "Dublin Dim. " His pord was called "Joaquin" Jones. When he first came to the Bar, he said his name was Jones, but as be had a copy of "Sou of the Sierras," which he read and qnoted from with great freedom and frequency, he Tery soon got "Joaquin" as front name. It was rumored that he had a history in Arizoua and was a bad man when roused. No one inquired concerning his real uamo, since in the fur west It is often taken as a personal insult to ask a man what bis name io "tho Stutes" was. The first time Jano came to French Bar another squaw, a goxl doal older and much less comely, who I oftorward learned was her mother, nocompuniod her. If she had any other relatives, I never heard of them. I did in someway bear that she hud attended the McFur laud school at Fort Wrangoll, Alaska, but never knew cortuinly whothor the report was truo or not Still, as sho spoko English protty well, it is vory probublo she learned it there. The Stiekoon Indians, the tribe to which Jane belonged, claim the whole Stiekoon river region, extending back something like 60 miles into the inter! or, as their country. Bnt they do not nse the upier portion of it except for fishing, hunting and gathering berries in the spring and summer, for in the winter they resido on the Alaskan coust and tbo numerous islands near the month of the river in the vicinity of Fort Wrangoll, where they have per manent villages. Most delicious salmon berries and two or three kinds of hnckloberries grow in groin abundance along the river, and daring the time covered by this story a small party of natives wero camped on it a fow miles above our cainp, engaged principally in picking them. Jane and her mother were with this party, and almost every duy some of the squaws would bring down borrios in varioty to soil to the miners. One night soon after Jano mado hor first appearance at the bar it rained very hard, causing Beaver croek, from which we took our water for mining purposes, to riso unusually high aud flood onr main flume to such an extent that it broke. This stopped work nntil the break could be repaired. Fart of the men, therefore, wont np early in tho morning to mond the flame, while the othors lounged about the camp and tlio bar, talking, smoking and doing odd chores, waiting to begin work as soon as thy could got water for their sluiceboxes. Dublin Dun and four or five others were sitting on a large horn lock log near the camp, talking and smoking to kill timo, when June came along the path by tho log with a basket of berries. As she come in front of a follow known in camp as Jack of Clubs, because of a sup posed resemblance to that rather no torions knave, he suddonly pnt out his foot. As she was walking pretty fust she tripped and fell headlong down a steep bank seven or eight foot on to some rocks below, spilling the berries and smashing tho basket in the fall. Now, I do not think that Jack in teuded to throw the girl down tho bank, but he did not have thut quality of manhood which prompts a noble nature to admit a wrong, and he was inclined to make a joke of the mutter. But as June luy where she fell Dun quickly leaped down and picked hor up with gentlo hands. He wrapped his si lk hand korchiof around her hand, which was bleeding freely from a cut made by the sharp rocks. He picked up her basket, spoke kindly to her and guvo her $1 to pay for the spilled berries. Fortunately sho was not seriously hurt, and after thanking Dan and giving him a grate ful look she weut dowu to tho river and joined her mother. Whon Dan came back to whore the men wero, ho looked angry and said to Jack, "le blackguard, ye ought to be ashamed to do a thing loike that !" Jock said ho had no thought of hurt ing tho girl, but just meant to scare hor a little, aud to turn it off triod to joke Dan for tho intorost he took in hor. See ing that Jack wus not disposed to have any quarrel, Dun's good humor soon as serted itself and the affuirendod without further trouble. In a short time afterward the nion wont to work as usual, and in the ex citement of mining life this littlo inci dent wus forgotten by all bnt Dan. As several days passed aud the girl did not come there any more, ho begun to won der if her ubsouco wus duo to injuries received by hor full, and ho rosolvod in his own mind if such were tho case he would tako tho first opportunity to pick a quarrel and whip Jack for it. After about a week, however, ono morning Jano appeared again at tho camp. But how changed iu appearance I At first no one recognized hor. She was veryueatly dressed in every way, and tho gum boots were repluoed by a nice pair of shoes ; her block hair hung down her back in two heavy plaits, tho ends being joined with a bow of pink ribbon. In her new suit sho was quite picturesque and pleas ing, and it wus not surprising that she was not at first recognized as "Gum boots Juno. " But what had wrought this wondrous chango in so short a time? Hud that strango mngio called lovo, which can suddenly transform the girl into a wom an and tho womou into a heroine, ready to do aud dure anything for her lover, touched her heart? Perhaps so. At any ruto it is certain that Dim's kind actions and words of sympathy mode a deep im pression upon this simple girL Still, sho was more bashful and shy toward him than sho hod been before she was hurt, for, while she cunio down to our camp almost every day, she hardly ever veutnred within spooking distance of Dan, though sho would often sit or stand where she could see him and anxiously watch hint as long as sho was unob served or time would permit. But after this had been going on for a week or two he was much surprised one day by her walking straight up to him, and without hesitation saying: "I like you. Bod Indian want to kill whito man. Look out 1" Before he recovered from his f nrprise or could say a word, she turned and walked rapidly away. Dan thought over the matter and tried to roach some conclusion as to what she meant, without any definite result. But he derided that unless the girl knew of some danger either to him or his companions she would not have given this warning, and that it would be proper to tell them about it. That lame day, however, a man called Bootty, from Nevuda, was down at Buck's ita tion on some business, and on bis return brought news that caused considerable excitement at the bar and explains what Jano meant by her warning. Ho laid there bud been trouble butwee tome Cussinr packers aud Indians work iug for them, which had resulted in the packers killingoneof tho Indians. Now the natives of Aluska and tho adjacent territory have a law, tanning back us fur as their traditions reach, that when a member of ono tribe kills a member of a different tribe the killing must be paid for with blankets or other prop crty, or, if not, then it must be settled by human blood, and a lifo for a lifo is do niunded. Tbo tribe of the doocosed will then kill one of the othor tribe at the first opportunity. They do not seek tho person who committed the homicide, but tako the lifo of any member of bis tribe thut fulls into their power. When white men came into this conn try, the natives applied this sunguinary luw tothein, aud it was well understood by all in our camp. Wo knew thut one of our lives' might have to pay for tho native killed by tho packers, and w therefore agreed to keep a vigilant watch for such danger. For awhile we carried onr gnus with us down to tlio mines, and no man would go away from the camp any con siderablo diHtunco alono. Bnt as nothing more was heard of tlio matter our vig Dance rupidly reluxed, and it was soon almost forgotten. One morning Dan was at work on hi claim. His partuer had gone up tho river for some purpose, and he was for the timo be jig alone, with none of the other men even in sight. He was uerv ous and experienced a vague fear of im pending danger. Just then he beard footsteps, and looking up saw Jane com iug toward him. She came quite near aud stopped between where be was and the woods that skirted tho mountain far away. She did not speak nor even look at him. Her eyes were tnrnod in the di rection of tho woods, and she stood as if'listeuing. This instead of allaying his norvous ness increased it, and he wished ho had brought his gnu that morning. Then he thought he would speak to the girl and ask what she was looking for there, bnt at that moment he heard Joaquin's voice singing up the river, and bis heart gave a greut bound of joy as he turned to look for him. Almost simultaneously the re port of a gnn rang out upon the air, a shrill scream pierced his ears, and Jane tottered aud fell almost at his feet It required no examination to Bee that she was shot, and filled with terror Dan ten derly caught her up in his arms with all possiblo haste and bore her toward the camp. Joaquin overtook him on the way, and together they carried her into the cabin and gently laid her upon their bank. Two or three other miners came in about that time, and it was only the work of a few seconds to open hor cloth ing sufficiently to show the wound where tlio bullet had pierced her breast. Thoy tried to stanch the flowing blood, and did all iu their powor to relieve her, but it was plain thut she conld live only a short time perhaps a few moments. Just then Scotty came in and asked in a low voice who did it She heard him, and without moving or looking in his direction said: "Bud Indian wanted to kill Dan. I save him." Then she seem ed about to sink and faintly asked for water. The water revived her a littlo, and she lay there calmly looking at the helpless men about her, but gave no signs of pain. Sho spoke the name of her mother, though not as if to cull her. Perhaps she know her mother was too far away to come in time. But she look ed np at Dun as he stood at the bedside almost blinded by tears aud a strange light was in her face. She was not beautiful iu life, but ns she lay there in tho very grusp of death she hud a beauty not of earth. She put out hor poor littlo brown hand to Dun. Ho took it and folded it caressingly in both of his. Love is strongor than death. She looked intently at him with a soft smile ou her lips and a tender light in her eyes as she whispered to him in her native tongue: "Yekeohway 'hatt kookauaii eutigh" (I am happy to dio for you). Then the light faded from her face, aud tho little browu hand lay limp and nerveless iu Dan's. She was dead. Worron Truitt in Detroit Free Press. Tropical Downpours. Tlio intensity of gonuino tropical rain fall is extraordinary. The rain appenrs to come dowu, not in separate drops, bnt in great sheets. In Darwin's "Voy ago of the Beaglo," writing of a heavy shower, amounting to 1.0 inches in six hours, which occurred during his stay in the neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, tho author describes the sound produced by the drops foiling ou the innumerable leaves of the forest as very remarkable and says tho noise wus like the rushing of a great body of water and could bo henrd at a distance of a quarter of a mile. Dumpier gives a lively pictnre of the rain at Gorgouiu, off the coast of Panama, where, he says, when he and his meu were drinking chocolate iu the open air, it ruiued so heavily that some of them declared they could not empty their calabashes, for they could not drink up tho water as fust as it fell into them. Iu niouy ports of the tropics rain is a remarkably regular phenomenon. At Rio do Janeiro it is said that it used to be the fashion in invitations for the afternoon to state whether the guests wore to assemble before or after the thunderstorm which came on regularly every day at a particular hour. At the government cinchona planta tions in Jamaica, on Deo. 21, 18S5, 11.80 inches of rain fell in 24 hours, but this measurement does not indicate the total fall, as a gauge when read at the usual hour of 7 a. m. was found full and overflowing. It is probable that unions care is token to prevent this oo curing many very heavy folia are not fully measured. On the crest of tho Blue mountains, on the same plouta tions, 31.50 inches fell in one week, of which three days were fina Gentle man's Magazine. SPLITTING BANK NOTES. Tba Latest and Moat Ingenious Da vice of Counterfeiter. Many devices have been resorted to by counterfeiters to raise genuine bank notes as well as manufacture bogus ones, but one of tho most novel bus come to light within the last few days ft tlio United Stutes sub-treasurer's of fice in tins city. it is not know whether tho plan was ever tried before. nor how successful It wus In this case as It Is not known whether anybody was caught by It The scheme consist ed of splitting a $5 and a f 1 note and then pasting tho back of tho $1 to the front of tho $3 note and the front of the SI note to the buck of a $5 note. The mechanical purt of the work wus excel leutly done, but the fraud could be de tected tho moment the note was turned over. An effort had been made to change the "one" to "five" on the "one" side of the new combined note, but It was done so clumsily that the fraud would hare been seen at a glance, and tho only hope of passing tho notes as fives would have been to pass them over tho $5 side up and trust to the man receiv ing It not to turn It over before putting it away. The doctored notes came to tho sub-trensury through one of the banks, with, the roquj-st that they be al lowed whatever tho notes were worth, The government always redeems notes from the fnco value, and as the faces In this case were of a $1 and $5 note SO was allowed. It Is not known whether the bank was caught on the split notes or not. A cleverly executed counterfeit S3 natloual bank note was also detected at the sub-treasury the other day. It was on the First National Bank of Tamaqua, and was burned In several places to give It on old appearance, aud then pasted on a piece of paper as if to hold it together. The fraud whs first detected by turning over one of tlie corners and discovering a misspell ed word on the back. I'hllndoiniiin uecoru. Youthful Heroines. One need not be a boy In order to be brave. Tho West lately had two- very heroic episodes within a few days of eacn otuer, nnu in eacli case tho "hero" was a heroine, aud a very small heroine at thut. At Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Gertie Anderson, eight years old, saved the lives of two score of peoplo. She was picking strawberries beside the rail road track; which runs near some sub terranean lakes, the precise location of which bad never been known, aud which were uot regarded ns dangerous. A passenger train pnssed the child, and almost Immediately after, she was horrified to see two. hundred feet of the track disappear under wuter. The regular train was due In a short time, and the child, realizing the duuger, ran down the rood and waved her suubon net when the train came into sight. Fortunately the engineer saw the sig nal aud stopped the train just in time. The passengers made up a puree on the spot for their brave little deliverer, who, child-like, was so frightened when oil was over that she had to be carried to her home. In San Francisco the baby daughter of the captain of a steamer fell from the wharf into the water. Littlo Katie O'Connell, ulue years old, saw the baby fall, and plunged in after it. She grasped the little one's skirts. and clung with the other hand to tho pier until help came, when she was taken out almost exhausted. The grate ful father had a gold medal mode for the little girl who saved his baby. ine coolness and courace of thoRo children shows that these qualities may be developed very early in life, and In girls as well as In boys. The Man Under Thirty-live. -. Miss Lillian Bell, the clever Chlciiso authoress, prints rather a caustic view of "The Man Under Thirty-five" in La dles' Home Jouruul. She asserts that conversation with a man under thirty five is impossible, because the uiau un der thirty-five never converses; he only talks. And your chief accomplishment, of being a good listener, Is entirely thrown away on him, because he does not In the least care whether you listen or not. Neither Is It or any use for you to show that he bus surprised or shock ed you. He cares not for your approv- or disapproval. He Is utterly Indif ferent to you, uot because you do not please him, but because he has not seen you at all. He knows you are there in that chair; he bows to you In the street, h, yes! He knows your name and where you live. But you are only nn entity to him, not an individual. He ;ares not for your likes aud dislikes, your cares, or hopes, or fears. He only sants you to be pretty and well dreS;'d. Have a mind If you will. He will not know it. Have a heart and a soul, rhey do not concern him. He wants you to be tailor-made. You are a Gill to him. That's all. The Flnca He Pays. Mrs. Gummey How does It come that Mrs. Cawker dresses so well? Mrs. Glanders It Is because her hus band is so wild. "What do you mean?" "Every time she hears of his paying any attention to other women she fines blm a new bonnet or a new wrap or a new gown." New York World. Founds Knny. "They scy Mrs. Barlow is going to start a free boarding house." "How can she afford it?" "By writing up wuat the boarders say at breakfast- The remarks of boarding bouse people are so witty that he expects to clear expenses writing Jokes." Ha rper's Bazar. K m bar ra as i n c. "I used to know your father, the old soap-maker, well." Tarvenue Yes. soapmaklng was hla pet hobby. Fllegendo Blaetter. HIS DOG HIS AVENGER. fhe Murderers of Tomaa Marlines lirouiibt to Justice. Don Carlos Is a dog of hardy, nion jrel breed, tho property of the wealthy Martinez family, of Hantu Fe, N. M. Ho Is uot beautiful, but ho ts the hero of tho countryside. Up to tho time of tho recent tragedy that mado him famous Ills lmnio wus simply Curios. The Dou" was prefixed In a feeble bill praiseworthy attempt to recogulzo the brute's claim to distinction. That n Mexican should so honor a dog slgnlllcn I great deal. The story of Don Carlos' si .1 isii T- VJ EW WW CAKL0S. leap to fame Is the story of a foul crime, Dou Lorenzo Martinez, of Sun ta Fo, owns and opera tee an extensive cattle and horse ranch at OJo de lu Baca (Cow Springs), lu tho southeast ern part of the county. Last January his sons, Tomas aud Maxluiiliuuo, were there looking after their father's Inter ests. Ou Thursday morning, Jan. 17, Toinns, the older of the young men, started away from the ranch on horse back in quest of missing cattle. He was mounted on a good horse, had first-class saddle and bridle; was well armed and had an excellent equipment of blnukets and warm clothing. Car los, who was accustomed to such trips, eagerly followed his ninster. As the young man rodenwuy he told Muxlniil liiuo that he would be back on Sunday afternoon. Tomas Martinez never returned. On Tuesday morning, when Maxliulliano was becoming anxious about his niton lug brother, Carlos limped back to tho homestead and fell exhausted on tho threshold. There was a ghastly wound lu his bead, and his limbs were quiver ing with weakness produced by loss of blood, hunger aud exposure. Water was brought to the dog, and he drank greedily. It seemed to restore his strength, for he burked, ran out of the house again, looked around at the younger Martinez, and barked again, more loudly. "Yes! yes! I will come with you, my brave Carlito," replied Muxlmiliano, whose fears were now thoroughly arous ed, "only you must eat first" He threw the animal a piece of meat, which Car los devoured In two gulps, and quickly saddled a horse. Tomas had ridden south, and Muxlmiliano jEsus vialpasdo. started lu tho same direction. But Carlos barked dis tressfully, and ran almost due east, turning round every few yards with such manifest tokens of intelligence and purpose that Maximllinno spurred ou his horse aud blindly followed the dog. With his nose to the ground, and paus ing only, to drink at the brink of a creek, Carlos led the horseman nine miles across country to Don Lorenzo Martinez's round-up corral at La Mu ralla. As Maximiliuuo dismounted, Carlos, yelping as if with pain, rushed to the remains of what was evidently been nn unusually large camp fire and began digging furiously In the ashes. And then, amid the black and erav ashes disturbed by the dog, young Martinez found a curious thing. It was a foot his brother's foot. Al though It wos char red, he had no diffi culty In recogniz ing Tomas' heavy shoe nuu overshoe. moment later ho fkliciaxo chavez discovered the large bone of a human pelvis, burned to a dead, flaky white. All around, as his eyes grew accustom ed to the sight, appeared smaller bones, but they crumbled nt a touch. The riddle of the grewsome heap was solved. Jesus Yialpaudo aud Feliciauo Chavez were arrested, tried and hang ed the other day, in the presence ot 2,000 people. Pablo Martinez, a broth er of murdered Tomas, followed them to the scaffold. Don Carlos was at his he Is. The crowd cheered the dog. esus Yialpaudo turned his lean, dark face In time to catch a glimpse of the rate's scarred aud ferocious head, and great shudder passed over him Just as Sheriff Cunningham pulled the lever. Don Carlos' work was done. Water Scoop Accident. The accldeut to the water scoop on the New York Central's locomotive which prevented the Empire State ex press from making a record, savs the New York Mail and Express, recalls the first experience of the officials of that road with that device. General Manager Toueey and Super intendent of Motive Power Buchanan undertook to try the method, and the latter agreed to run the locomotive on the occasion of the test while the for mer was to stand at a point where the water trough began, so as to enable the Siii mm WIS fireman to drop the scoop at the right time. Mr. Buchanan moved his en gine along, and when that point of tho track was reached abreast of Mr. Toueey the scoop was lowered. Instead of cooping up water tho device tore up the ground and creuted ft small sized sensation among tho oulooklug officials. It wos afterward discovered, on Investigation, thut tho scoop work ed all right, but that Mr. Toueey had Inadvertently moved down tlio track I ml forgot to return to his assigned point Mr, Buchanan subsequently tried the scoop again, but he took pains thut It was dropped at tho right time. Another Instance of a similar nature Is recalled of an Inquisitive ynrdiuoster of an Eastern lino who wanted to see how a wuter scoop worked aud got on the bSJud end of a baggage car next tho tender to niako his observations. The train struck the scoop going at full speed, tho engineer not slowing down because ho was behind time, but more especially because he was aware of the yardmoHter's presence on the plntfomi behind blm. For two hundred yards a perfect avalanche of water plowed up' between the tender and car, half drowning the enthusiast on water scoops. POLITE SHSRIFF. A Haniflnit that Woe Conducted Un der Kulea of Society. "The most piXHe man I ever knew," said J. D. Evsns, of Mississippi, to a Washington fctur writer, "was a col ored man 4wn In my county. Ho bo longed fore the war to Col. White, one of Um most cultivated and polished gemJsswn In the South. During re construction days, Tom was elected sheriff, and the first year he held the office a white man was sentenced to bo hanged. I knew the doomed prisoner, and at his request was with him sev eral hours a duy for the lust week of his life. "The sheriff came In the first time I was there, and, adresslng the prisoner, said: ' 'Sense me, Murster Bob. I jess come fur jess a little advice. Yo' see, we aln' neither ob us as used ter cere monious occasions ob dls kin' an' I Jess wants ter know how yo' would like ter hab de gallows, fucln' de sun or de oder way.' "The prisoner told him to have his face away from the sun. " 'Thank yo', Mars Bob. I'll done hab it dot way. We don' wan' to make no expositions ob oursefs by not doln' what is propah on sich events.' "Upon the next occasion, tho sheriff came lu: " 'Mars Bob, sense me one moment; gemmnn. I Jess wants ter hab yo' Bhow me once mo' how you done tie dat knot Mos' curiosest knot I eher seed.' "Upon the morning of the fated day, ns I weut In, the sheriff had the doomed man's foot thrown over a chair and was blacking his boot, the other one having already been polished 'Mawnlrt', sah,' he said to me. 'Mars Bob Jess gittln ready. I done borred a suit nn' neck tie from the cunnel an' Jess slickiu' 'Im up. Den I gets Inter my own dress suit dat I had made a puppus, an' Morse Bob, an' me, we gwlue ter be de bes' dressed ob nnybody.' "Arrayed lu full evening dress, the convicted man and the sheriff mounted the scaffold when the time came. 'AH right now, Mars Bob,' said the sheriff, as he adjusted the cap. 1 'Scuse me, sah, jess a minute,' and be touched tho fatal spring." Where Flowers Do Not Live. There must be a wide difference in the geological formation as well as In the climnte of tlio regions surround ing the two poles of the globe that Is, providing the flora of a country is an index to its climatic or geologicnl con ditions. Explorers who have had charge of the botanlcnl work In both the arctic aud antarctic circles have re cently met and compared notes, and from these comparisons we deduce tho following curious information: With- in the artarctic circle there has never been found n single species of flower ing plant. In the arctic circle 702 dif ferent species of flowing plants have been collected and classified. Fifty of the nbove numbers are flowers of var ied hue and of different degrees of odorlferousness; the remaining 712 are pale or entirely colorless, and with no perceptible perfume whatever. These latter are what the botanists term "types of true polar flowers." Whitest City in the World. There cannot possibly be a whiter city than Cadiz, unless It be built of snow. The best way to approach tho port is to take a. trip in one of the small steamers which ply between the ports of Morocco and Spain. As you near tho coast you see In front of you a white mass, which appears to be floating upon the water, Just as you are. Tho first thought of a foreigner Is that he la In sight of an iceberg. The white mass glittering In the sun, and rendered more dazzling by the blue sea and skv. looks exactly like a monster ice moun tain partly melted, so that the outlines of the castles and hills appear upon It; out only tor a second does the illusion bust for you know there are no icebergs In that part, and you are quickly In formed that you are looking at Cadiz. N'o other town In the world Presents such a magic appearance. Detroit Free I'ress. i An Admission. ' Rector Mr. Jones, I am sorry to tpll you that I saw your boy fishing hut Sunday. Mr. Jones Confound the roans m-i cal! I thought it was strange I couldn't find my fishing rod. London Tele graph, t Bard to Answer. I The Cross-Eyed Waiter (after the rou' lision) Why don't yon look where you are going; Second Waiter Why don't von co where yon are looking? St rani's. i Nobody seems to bo true to anjbodj.