OREGON CITY
COUR
MAGAZINE SECTION".
OREGON CITY. OREGON FRIDAY. JULY 6, J9r.
PAGES 1 TO 4.
CLEYER LADY NAVIGATOR.
MRS ROSE WATKINS GRANT
ED PILOTS LICENSE ON
ILLINOIS RIVER.
Model Housekeeper and Expert
Cook Assists in Fainting Engines
of Steamer Husband is Engineer
of Boat of Which She is Pilot.
In the early spring of this year
when the Steunibout Inspectors began
their examinations ut Chicago of tue
various applicants for license to handle
steamers on the Illinois River, they
were somewhat startled over the ap
pearance of Mrs. Kose E. Watkins iu
the class, and only after a most thor
ough test as to her ability to handle
a steamer was she Issued a license.
Mrs. Watkins Is the wife of Cap
tain George T. Watkins and they own
the boat with which they navigate the
waters of the Illinois. For the last
eight years Mrs. Watkins has made
her home on her husband's boats.
Their home was originally at Peoria,
where Mrs. Watkins spent her girl
hood days and before her marriage to
Captain Watkins had taught school. .
EXPERT IN RIVER NAVIGATION.
For the last four years they have
put In the summer conducting an ex
cursion business between Chicago and
the scenic points down the Illinois
River, including Starved Rock and the
ravines and canyons surrounding It.
Mrs. Watkins has been for years an
expert In navigating these waters, but
not until this spring did she formally
apply for a pilot's license. While
classed as a navigable stream, It has
generally been regarded that the navi
gation of the Illinois ended at La Salle,
but In spite of this, the Watkins and
one or two smaller craft have been
regularly plying the upper reaches of
the river. Last winter the steamboat
men were notified that the boats on
this section would have to comply with
all the government regulations to
carry regularly licensed pilots and
engineers.
A few weeks later Inspectors Mans
field and Peck came to Ottawa to In
spect the Watkins. Since Mrs. Wat
kins has secured her pilot's license
there have been all sorts of stories in
circulation as to that Inspection. One
romance reads that the Inspectors
found her seated at a table In the
pilot house poring over a chart look
ing up the location of a recently dis
covered rock. It is a pity to spoil
such a beautiful romance, but these
are the hard, utilitarian facts in the
case: The pilot house of the Watkins
is too small to hold a table and Mrs.
Watkins Is much too busy to pore
over a chart at this season of the year.
Then the only really dangerous "snag"
In the river at Starved Rock is the ad
mission fee which the corporation that
owns it charges before the sightseer
MRS. ROSE.
Granted a License
la permitted to set foot on the shore
at that beautiful and historic spot.
The plain facts in the case are that
when the inspectors made their oifl
clal visit to the boat Mrs. Watkins w
engaged in painting the engines. Dur
ing the winter months the two Cap
tains Watkins were engaged in over
hauling and renovating their boat
no small task when one remembers
that the boat can carry COO passengers
on its two decks. .
As a result of the examination
which they recently underwent at
Chicago, Captain George Watkins
holds an engineer's and a master's
license, while his wife holds a license
as master and pilot which entitles her
to pilot anv craft up to 100 tons bur
den ubob the jratwi of the Illinois
1 t -J Hiv - ' if
V: V-'C Yi M .
and its tributaries. Mrs Watkins is a
modest and re lined woman who is not
given to boasting of her exploits along
Hues into which women seldom ven
ture. But she takes a pardonable de
gree of pride iu the fact that she is
not ail amateur pilot but is the real
thing in that line.
DISFLAYS UNCOMMON ABILITY.
When the excursion season closes
the Watkins not infrequently seek
other business in the .ate fall and
early spring on the lower reaches of
the river and It is while engaged in
this work that Mrs. Watkins has the
opportunity to display her real ability
as a navigator. She has brought the
boat up the river in all conditions of
wind and current and that, too, when
it was nandllng a great barge piled
high with props for the Spring Valley
mines or with great walnut logs for
a piano factory at Chicago.
As to her ability to handle a crew
of deck hands there Is a determined
glint in her eye which indicates that
she can do that also, and she can cook
for them as well as she can direct
..tic a i
' -flrwflwi awww-.
THE STEAMER WATKINS.
their labors on board. There Is noth
ing mannish or strenuous or new wom
anish about this lady master of the
steamer Watkins she is a model
housekeeper and is household guard
Ian angel for all the crew who dwell
upon the boat. This is the plain
story of a good woman, refined,
pleasant and energetic, who does the
work that comes to her thoroughly and
who is surprised that her ability to
handle a fair-sized fresh water craft
should have attracted the attention
that It undoubtedly has.
Interstate Commerce Commission.
An opinion at one time prevailed
that the members of the interstate
commerce commission had an easy
time. A place on the board was char
acterized in the slang of the day as
a "soft snap." However this may
once have been, it is not true now.
The dispatches show that not only is
E. WATKINS.
to Pilot Steameri.
the commission a very busy body, but
that its activities are yielding much
important information. Its inquiries
into the methods of the railroads in
terested in coal, and into the practices
Oi the Standard Oil Company in ab
sorbing or freezing out opposition, are
in the highest degree valuable to the
public, and should lead to the redress
ing of many abuses. If the board
were composed of twenty members, all
could find work at this time in the
field which as yet has been but
scratched.
In a. pigeon sboot at Madrid. King
Alfonso killed twenty-three birds out
of a possible twenty-nine. Thpre has
been some Improvement in Spanish
marksmanship In recent years.
CONGRESSMEN ARRESTED.
TWO DOZEN OF THEM GATHERED
IN AT BASEBALL GAME BY
OFFICIAL OF HOUSE.
President's Son-ln-Law Among Those
Corraled by Sergeant-at Arms.
Trouble Caused by Minority Leader
Williams.
That the Members of Congress are
fond of a ball game was evidenced a
few days ago when a call of the
House a desire to obtain a quorum
of the members caused the Sergeant-nt-Arms
of that body .to send out his
deputies to arrest whatever members
his squad could corral. Twenty-two
Congressmen were gathered up from
the grandstand and bleachers of the
Washington Baseball Club, Mr. Nich
olas Longworth and his wife being
brought in from the President's box.
It was a delightful spring afternoon
and the House was droning along
through its business,, with John Sharp
-iSiImV ::.-.
Williams filibustering and forcing roll
calls on everything possible, including
the question of a quorum. The
weather, as heretofore stated, was
fine, and the "call of the ball game"
was strong upon the fans of the
House. They heeded it and went, and
then Mr. Williams became unkind,
there was a call for a quorum, and the
Sergeant-at-Arms went after the de
llquents. The officers rounded up stray mem
bers from all parts of the grounds,
and in the executive box found the
popular bridegroom from Ohio, with
his wife. They are both lovers of the
game, as well as otherwise, and the
humor of the situation was slow In
dawning on them. But they could
not resist or argue with constituted
authority. They gave parole to pro
ceed at once to the Capitol. They had
come In Mrs. Longworth's pretty auto
mobile, and on the return trip they
took with them Representative Gaines
of West Virginia.
Representative Sibley, of Pennsyl
vania, with a party of eight members,
also went back to the Capitol in an
automobile and on the way was held
up by a bicycle policeman for exceed
ing the speed regulations, but when
the situation was explained to the of
ficer, they were allowed to proceed.
A few moments later the auto party
was filing in at the door of the House.
The roll call was awaiting them.
They marched in,' voted, turned on
their heels and went straight back to
the machine. Before the authorities
could get busy they were again speed
ing toward the ball park.
HORSES WERE TOO SLOW.
A number of the statesmen who
were hustled back to the Capitol in
carriages were not so fortunate as the
Sibley party. They arrived so late
that it wasn't worth while to return
to the ball' park.
A number of the truants are dyed-in-the-wool
fans, some making regular
but not daily excursions to the ball
park, while others can afford to es
chew the affairs of state every day to
see a game. On the occasion of their
arrest, a number had made their first
visit to see the ball thrown around.
Before the House was called to order
the next day the delinquents gathered
about to hold a consultation meeting.
"It was too bad that we had to
leave just when there was a chance
for Washington to tie the score, with
three men on bases," wailed Repre
sentative Sherman, of New York,
chairman of the Republican Congres
sional campaign committee.
"Oh, go on," added Congressman
McKlnley, of Illinois, "our Chicago
team is too strong for the Nationals.
Their pitcher struck out the next two
men up, leaving your three still hang
ing on their bases."
"Of course it was up to that Cali
fornia recruit on the home team to
make the star stunt of the day," added
Representative McKlnley, who hails
from Santa Rosa, Cal.
Others in the gathering seemed to
assail Representative Sibley for coax
ing them to leave the House for a
ball game, as they considered it a
blaekeye for them to be caught away
from their post of duty.
Among the few wnom the Sergeant-at-Arms
had gathered in were Repre
sentatives Loud, of Michigan; Cousins,
of Iowa: Thomas, of Ohio; Dunwell,
of New York and Burleigh, of Maine.
Representative Rodenburg, of Illinois,
was out at the park, but seems to
have been the sole truant who escaped
the officer, and was permitted to see
the game through.
Wellman and the Pole.
As the time draws near for Walter
Wellman. the newspaper correspond
ent, to make his proposed "dash for
the North Pole" by means of an air
ship, the world at iarge is waking up
to the vast daring and Importance of
the attempt. The scheme cuts adrift
absolutely from all other of the time
honored methods of traveling over the
eternal ice of the Arctic zone. Mr.
Wellman is no novice in arctic travel,
as he has already made one attempt
for the Pole, in the old fashioned way.
From Spitzbergen, Wellman, to
gether with Maj. Henry B. Horsey,
representing the United States
Weather Bureau, and M. J. Smith, a
wireless operator, will start in the i
biggest airship ever constructed on the
000-mile journey toward the goal of
so many men's desires. If the air
ship works and the winds remain true
to the analysis of them made by the
Nansen expedition, the thing h "done.
'ihe isorth Pole Is a terribly illusive !
sort of nonentity, and a thousand un
foreseen calamities may be readv to
pounce upon Walter Wellman and his :
plucky associates. Yet the quest Is I
not an absolutely forlorn hope. To the
American newspaper man may yet be
given the honor of locating the North
Pole, just as to a British newspaper
man was given the glory or cutun
Africa in twain.
The Princess' Bridal Dress.
Princess Ena's wedding dress at
tracted great Interest In Spain, as It
Is truly a Spanish product, In fabric
and finish, except for the wonderful
Brussels lace, which was brought to
adorn it. It was a fancy of the
King and of the Queen-mother that
the wedding dress should be made in
Spain, and the Princess Ena graciously
fell in with this patriotic sentiment.
The dress Is, therjfore, one of the
special presents- from the King and Is
a marvel of elegance.
The silk was manufactured from a
special pattern in one of the large
Spanish silk establishments. It was
made up with all the artistic skill of
the court dressmakers. The silk is
heavily overlaid vlth wonderful silver
embroidery, with soft frills of the
finest Brussels lace, said to have cost
$50 a yard. The luces were publicly
exhibited before being put on the
dress, and excited the admiration and
astonishment of even the aristocratic
ladles of Madrid. Orange blossoms
were profusely used with the silver
embroideries and laces for the corsage.
' .,tt
"THERE WAS NOT
and even in dainty clusters along the I
train, which is four yards long.
According to Spanish traditions, the
bride must afterward present this
wedding dress to the J'irgln de la
Puloma, the popular protectress of
maternity.
"Naive'' Questions.
Mrs. Alexander, the novelist, Uvea In
Florence. There a young American
woman recently interviewed her.
"Mrs. Alexander was delightful," said
the young woman. "She amused me
very much. I, too, amused her she
thought me naive.
"Once, when I asked her a certain
question about the financial side of
novel writing, she declared that my
question was as naive as that of a
little Florentine child's that she had
heard about the day before.
"This child, at dinner with her par
ents, turned to her mother and said:
" 'Mamma, where were you born?
"'At Padua, darling.'
" 'But I was born in Florence, wasn't
I?'
'"Yes, dear.'
" 'And father, where was he born?'
" 'In Venice.'
"The little girl looked gravely from
one to the other.
" 'Isn't It funny,' she said, 'that we
should all have met like this.'"
Her Innate Diplomacy.
Patient to Pretty Nurse "Will you
be my wife when I recover?"
Pretty Nurse "Certainly."
Patient "Then you love me? Ah,
me!"
Pretty Nurse "Oh, no; that's mere
ly a part of the treatment. I must
keep my patients cheerful; I promised
this morning to run awav with a mar
ried man who had lost both bis legs."
Houston Post
v-. -o-ovi i m n i i i n r i
I ft I et I
Copyrighted.
Synopsis of Hreceaing CnaDters.
Thn ROeneB of the story are Inld In Ihe Hth century
The monks of ihe Cistercian Monastery Abbey of
Deaulieu, assemble to witness the trial of a lay
brother, known as nordle John, upon numerous
grnvechariresbrouithtaKointitliiin. Ho pleads pullty
und is sentenced to be expelled from the Order
ami ntlhcpaine time It 1b decreed that he bu drngKed
forth and scourged from the Abbey's prvdncts. He
threatens to assault a number of the brethren, and
In the excitement escaiiea. Shortly after another of
the lay-brethren of the monastery, Alleyne Edricton,
take his departure from tho monastery In accord
ance with provision of his father's will, that In his
twentieth year he shall go forth Into the world for
one year to choose for himself his futuro calling.
In sadness he wanders from the monastery on his
way to Tlslt his brother, the Socman of Minstead
whose reputation la a mort unsavory one. Night
coming on, be seeks shelter In a road-side Inn.
CHAi'TEH III.
Though It was an autumn evening
and somewhat warm, a huge lire of
heaped billets of wood crackled and
sparkled In a broad, open grate, some
of the smoke escaping up a rude chim
ney, but the greater part rolling out
Into the room, so that the uir was
thick with it, and a man coming from
without could scarr catch his breath.
On this fire a great caldron bubbled
and simmered, giving forth a rich and
promising smell. Seated round it
were a dozen or so folk, of till nges
and conditions, who set up such a
shout as Alleyne entered that he
stood peering at them through the
smoke, uncertain what this greeting
might portend.
"A rouse! A rouse!" cried one
rough-looking fellow in a tattered jer
kin. "One more round of mead or
ale, and the score to the last coiner."
'"Tis the law of the Tied Merlin!"
shouted another. ''Ho, there, Dutne
Eliza! Here is fresh cistom come to
A BATTLE BUT Sin NIOEL WAS IN
the house, and not n drain for the
company."
"I will take your orders, gentle' ; I
will assuredly take your orders," the
landlady unswered, bustling In with
her hands full of leathern (lrliiklng
cups. "What Is It that you diiuk,
then ? Beer for the lads of the forest,
mead for the gleeman, strong waters
for tho tinker, and wine for tho rest.
It Is an old custom of the house, young
sir. It has been the use at the Pied
Merlin this many a year back that tho
company should drink to the health
of the last comer. Is It your pleasure
to humor it?"
"Why, good dame," said Alleyne, "I
would not offend the customs of your
house, but It is only sooth when I say
that my purse Is a thin one. As fn- as
two pence will go, however, I shall
be right glad to do my part."
"Plainly snld and bravely spoken
my suckling friar," roared a deep
voice, end a heavy hand fell upon
Alleyne's shoulder. Looking up, he
saw beside him his former cloister
companion, the renegade monk, Hordle
John.
"By the thorn of Glastonbury! Ill
days are coming upon Beaulleu,"
said he. "Here they have got rid In
one day of the only two men within
their walls for I have had mine eyes
upon thee, youngster, and I know
that for all thy baby face there Is the
making of a man in thee."
While he was speaking the landlady
came In again, bearing a broad platter,
upon which stood oil the beakers and
fla'-'ons charged to the brim with the
brown ale or the ruby wine. Behind
her came n maid with a high pile of
wooden plate, nnd a great sheaf of
ipoons. one of which she handed round
to each of the travellers. Two of the
company, who were dred In the
weather-stained green doublet of tv-
1ES
2Z
.. F.; ,! 1 1 ii i. .. .,, 1 a
M I '
1894. By Harper S-SrT3
esters, lifted the big pot off the fire,
and a third, with a huge pewter huile.
served out a portion of steaming col
lops to each guest. Alleyne bore his
share and his ale-mug away with hltn
to a retired trestle in the corner, where
he could sup in peace and watch the
strange scene, which was so different
from those silent and well-ordered
meals to which he was accustomed.
Three or four of the men round the
fire were evidently nnder-keepers and
verderers from the forest, sunburned
and bearded, with tiie quick restless
eye and lithe movements of the doer
among which they lived. Close to the
corner of the chimney sat a middle
aged gleenmn, clad In a faded garb of
Norwich cloth, the tunic of which was
so outgrown that it did but fasten at
the neck and at the waist, nis face was
swollen and coarse, and his watery,
protruding eyes spoke of a life which
never wandered very far from the
wine-pot. A gilt harp, blotched with
many stains and two of Its strings
missing, was tucked under one of bin
arms, while with the rther he scooped
greedily at his platter. Next to him
sat two other men of about the same
age, one with a trimming of fur to
ills coat, which gave him a dignity
which was evidently dearer to him
than his comfort, for he still drew li
round him in spite of the hot glare of
the fagots. The other, clad In a dirty
russet suit with a long sweeping doub
let, had a cunning foxy face with keen
twinkling eyes and a peaky beard.
Next to him sat Hordle John, and be
side him three other rough unkempt
fellows with tangled beards and
matted hair free laborers from the
adjoining farms, where small patchea
of freehold property had been suffered
t.
-'
THE HEART OP IT
to remain scattered about In the
heart of the royal demesne. The com
pany was completed by a peasant In
u rude dress of niidyed sheepskin,
with the old-fashioned galligaskins
ubout his legs, and a gayly dressed
young man with striped cloak jagged
at the edges and parti-colored hosen,
who looked about him with high dis
dain upon his face, and held a blue
smelling flask to his nose with one
hand while he brandished a busy
spoon with the other. In the corner
a very fat man was lying all asprawl
upon a truss, snoring stertorously, and
evidently In the last stage of drunken
ness. Alleyne listened to the talk whlcb
went on round the tire,
"Elbow room for Floytlng Will!"
orie l a woodman. "Twang us a merry
lilt."
"Aye, nye, the 'Lasses of Lancas
ter,' " one suggested.
"Or 'St. Simeon and the Devil."
"Or the 'Jest of Hendy Tobias.'"
To all those suggestions the jong
leur made no response, hut sat with
his eye fixed abstractedly upon the
celling, as one who calls words to his
mind. Then, with a sudden sweep
across the strings, he broke out Into
a song so gross and so foul that ere
he had finished a verse the pure
minded lad sprang to his feet with
the blood tingling in his face.
"ITow can yon sing such things?"
he cried. "You, too, an old man who
should be an example to other's."
The wayfarers nil gazed In the nt
niost astonishment at the Interruption.
"By the holy Picon of Hampole! our
silent clerk turn found his tongue."
said one of the woodmen. "What H
nmlss with the song, then? How has
It offended your babysliip?"
"A milder and better-mannered song
liath never beuu heard within these
'fib?! , u
I r :iV 1 l 1 :JV . L
T :VW ,1
t