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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 1895)
12 THS S'OSTDAIT OREGOSTIANt POKTIA3iIr -KEBB (JAR? 17 1S95. A VALEXTIXE. Before the buds awaken. Or pink the blossoms Mow. "While yet the boughs forsakes. Hang ghostly In the aw, Xave Journeys forth elated Te seek the happy shrine By lovers dedicated T seed St. Valentine. And there before the altar Me kneels, beseeching grace; His heart forgets to falter. Remembering your face: Asd all Ms words are fashioned Into a single line A lover's prayer impassioned To his saiBt, Valentine. Ills eyes with rapture glisten. His heart with hope fc high. He almost thinks to listen And hear your footsteps High; Ah, aweet, when lie ahalt Aad ytn, Ad voice his prayer aid mtee. IX no vain doublings bHnd ou Say ye, my Valentine! Felix Carmen in the Century- Op tbe Old Spapisb Trail. On my first trip across the Great Plains, en route to California, in 1856, we were at two different points on the journey, join J. for a few days each time, by the famous Kit Carson, who, besides accom panying Fremont's 1842 and 3844 expedi tions, had frequently and since those 3 ears, explored the country, which he now knew like a book. At this time Carson was in the prime of "I'LL TAKE CARE OF MYSELF." LAUGH JXGLY REPLIED MOULTOX. life a man rather under the medium size, low-spoken, and of gentle, unobtrusive manner, showing, ordinarily, no outward sign of that Indomitable energy and dar ing courage which had caused him to be inspected and feared by the Ked men of the Western wilds. Ours was a large, strong, and well-arm-vl party, consisting of more than 30 men, and our ample outfit comprised six wag ons, 12 mules and 1C hordes, the latter adapted to draft or saddle. With the ex ception of Carson, each of us carried a muzzle-loading rille and a heavy revolver; while, besides a pair of exquisitely finish ed revolvers, he was armed with one of those 16-chambered, percussion-pill re peating rifles, invented, I think, by Col onel Colt, before his celebrated pistol was put upon the market. This beautiful weapon, as well as the revolvers, had been presented to the gal lant scout by a wealthy gentleman whose life he had saved, and all were highly prised by him. Hence, he had always 22 allots in hand without reloading, and sel dom indeed did a bullet fired by Kit Car-t-on miss Its intended mark. 1 have seen liin start on a full gallop 150 yards from a tree, no more than nine inches in diam- 'SEXT A BULLET THROUGH ?tcr, and before he reached it plant every one of his 10 rifle balls in its trunk. Such a man, aside from the prestige of Ills name, was a little army in himself, and we were extremely glad of his company, as in the country' where he last joined is, we were every moment in danger from predatory Indian, two small bands of (which we had, several days before, beaten off without Iops to ourseUes, and now we might look for reprisals. Among our crowd were two eepecially Jhie young fellows, one an Kntrlishman tiained John Moulton and the other a tiery 1 lrginUa calted Gerald Woodville. These two, though singularly alike in disposi tion, or perhaps for that very reason, could never agree. Both were touchy as hornets and as prone to sting on the bUghtest provocation from each other, though always forbearing toward indiffer ent partfos. Several times they had hardly been prevented front coming to blows, and lately there had been suoh bad btood between them that neither would speak to the other. Which was most in fault I don't know, for in their altercations each apparently trtod to be as provoking as possible. One afternoon, after striking the Old Spanish trail, we were going slowly down the Pacific slope of the Windy mountains, .when & large oik broke cover .somewhat vit of rifle shot ana trotted leisurely away. vtag been for EOine time traversing a ' JhZ Edited by UjeFroucesHJ Buraeti epnrfiDCDw JL .O-O-i.-i gameless region, we were quite out of fresh meat, and this indication of coming plenty was a welcome sight. Moulton, an ardent sportsman, was rid ing his own horse, an extremely valuable animal, and now, without consulting any one, he started oft in pursuit of the elk. Just as he was leaving Carson said: "Re member, we're in a hostile country, young man. Don't go far away, even if you have to come back without meat." "I'll take care of myself," laughingly replied Moulton. "You folks can go ahead and count on elk steaks for supper." "Confound that fellow," muttered "Wood ville. "It would take a sledge-hammer to knock the conceit out of that head of his." We went on for about two miles and finally made camp on a small stream among the foothills, while the stream it self, Carson informed us, was well-stocked with trout a statement quickly veri fied by our fly-fishing Virginian, who, be fore sundown, caught fully 50 pounds weight of these delectable fishes. After we had corraled the wagons, pick eted the animals out to graze and put everything1 in shape to repel any possible attack, we delayed supper for a while in the hope .that Moulton would come in, as we had heard one report from his rifle and had no doubt that he had killed the elk. But he did not appear, and, just at dark, we ate the meal without him, the fresh trout making it one long to be re membered. Two hours more passed away without bringing a sign of the young hunter, though a cloudless sky and half moon might have enabled even one so inexpe rienced as he to find his way back to the trail from so short a distance. We now began to feel seriously alarm ed, but, very strangely, no one appeared so much distressed as did Gerald Wood vine. "What do you think of it, Mr. Carson?" he anxiously inquired. "Do you suppose that Jack has lost himself?" We glanced significantly at each other, for this was the first time we had ever heard the Virginian use the familiar name by which we usually addressed John Moulton. "I hardly know what to think of it." re plied Carson. "The young man has either become lost among those puzzling ra vines, or" and the bold scout relapsed into an ominous silence. "My God!" feelingly exclaimed Gerald, "surely you don't think the Indians have got him; poor Jack." "It's hard to say," replied Kit, "but there are lots of the Digger tribe wander ing through the mountains just now. These are foot Indians, well armed with bows and arrows and spears. They are all murderers and thieves and deadly foes of white men. Their principal village is on a branch of the Sacramento, about CO miles from liere, and If a stray party of them has captured our friend, without killing him on the spot, they'll keep his horse as a great prize, and reserve him to be tortured to death when they reach the main band." "Great heavens! What can we do to save him?" gasped Woodville. "Nothing until morning," gravely an swered Carson. "It would be mere folly to thread the dark passes at night in search of what may be a large body of Indians, who could shoot down their persuers with out letting one of themselves be seen. If Mr. Moulton don't come in before day break, I'll start out to look him up, and I want only one man to go with me. More -would be a hindrance." "That man shall be myself then," said the warm-hearted Virginian. "I'd risk my life a hundred .times over to save Jack Irom such a fate. He's a first-rate fellow, und I begin to think that I've been in the wrong in all our petty quarrels." (I should have sooner said that both theseyoung gentlemen were men of means, entirely independent of our captain's orders, and had joined us merely through love of adventure.) The night passed without alarm, and when the first streak o dawn appeared, Carson and Wodville, after taking a hasty breakfast and packing up a day's supply of food, mounted their horses preparatory to setting out on their perilous quest. "If we're not back by this time tomor row, boys, you'll know we've gone under," observed Carson as coolly as though he were going on a picnic. "But I rather think we'll come in. Stay right here until tomorrow's sun's an hour high, and if there's no news of us then, go ahead on your journey, for we'll be past help." And away the gallant fellows went. Had we been sure of our three comrades' safe return, we should have greatly en joyed the rest and recuperation afforded us and our pnimals in this delightful camping-place, especially as during the day we replenished our larder by killing two fat buffalo cows. If so inclined, we THE XISCREAXT'S RRA7X." might have easily slain SO of these alas! now extinct creatures, for great herds of them were constantly in sight on the plain below us; but we had no heart for sport while the fate of our friends remained un certain. Let us now, by the light of sub sequent information, trace out that fate: It seems that shortly after leaving us Moulton had come within range of and had killed his elk, and was stooping down to cut off the hind quarters for bringing to camp, when, before he could fire another shot, he was pounced upon by a score of Digger Indians, who gagged him ami bound his arms in the twinkling of an eye. Then, loading the whole "arcass upon his horse and forcing hin to walk along, they set off on their retreat, traveling fast until night, when they bivouacked by a spring and had a glorious fesst, the prisoner be ing meantime secured to a tree. Through the first part of the night he was watched hy a gorged brave, who had picked up a a muttering of Kngllsh. and who fre quently consoled liim by hissing in his ear: "We no hurt pale face. Him make good nre btmeby and heap fun" an oft-repeated assurance which, after all, was not so very consoling. Next morning, after another big feast, the savages, no longer fearing pursuit, re sumed tbeJr march In a leisurely manner, and before sunset again halted for the night at a spring, having a quantity of meat still left, though the hapless oaptivc bad ben given barely enough to keep him from fainting by the way. In less than half an hour after leaving the main trail, our two adventurous com rades came upon the spot where the elk had fallen, when, by signs utterly un dlscernible by Woodville, Carson at once read the whole story; declaring, much to Gerald's comfort, that Moulton had been carried off unwounded. Then, lead ing the way with unfaltering certainty through tortuous defiles and over stretches of bare rock, on the latter of which his companion could not see the faintest mark, he soon came to the spot where the band had spent the previous night. "All's well so far," he said, after carefully inspecting the place. "The red devils are keeping their prisoner alive and unhurt, so as to have more sport at his final torture, a sight they'll never see, I think." On and on, but now, of necessity, slow ly, rode the two white men, Carson's un erring sagacity enabling him to follow the oftlmes invisible trail as easily as might another a public highway. Obvi ously the savages were traveling in care less security, for twice, a mile or two apart, the keen-eyed scout picked up, each time a button, which, though his hands were tied, Moulton had somehow managed to pluck from his garments and drop unobserved. "Sharp fellow, that." approvingly ob served Kit. "He expects to be looked after, and has been clever enough to let us know that we're on the right track. Such a man's worth saving." Peeling confident of overtaking the ma rauders before night, Carson became ex ceedingly circumspect toward evening, neither he nor Woodville ever riding over a ridge without first dismounting and taking a careful survey of what lay be yond. At last, as they peered over the brow of a steep descent, they saw, right on the trail, and half a mile ahead, a wieath of smoke rising above the tree tops. "We've got them!" said Carson. "They're camped down at the 'Blue Spring.' I know the place well, but the ground on this side is quite open. Though probably not fear ing pursuit, the reds will naturally be facing this way. We must make a big sweep and creep up on them from, the other side, for they must not have time to strike a single blow aftr our attack. If they did so it would De to bury a toma hawk in the prisoner's brain. The pursuers now led their horses so.me distance from the trail and con cealed them in a bush-grown coulee, lest the Indians, while retreating, might gob ble them up. Then, guided through he darksome rocks and underbrush only by Kit's perfect knowledge of the locality, they made a wide detour, gliding along softly as panthers and noiselessly as shadows two men fearlessly planning to attack, and on their own ground, an un known number of well-armed savages. After more than an hour of pains talcing toil, they gained the dense chap paral fairly in rear of, and no more than 1j yards from, the enemy's resting place. Kneeling side by side, andpeeplng through the bushes, they saw at once that the In dians considered themselves perfectly safe, for a bright fire was burning, and In a straggling row near it, with their backs to their concealed observers, lounged 20 war-painted warriors, while on the out spread elk skin lay some pieces of raw meat, left over from their lately-finished meal. A few yards away was tethered the beautiful horse belonging to Moulton, and he himself sat on the ground with his wrists brought together behind his back and tied around a sapling pine. Despite his terrible position, the poor fellow seem ed to have fallen asleep, as his eyes were closed and his head sunk low on his breast. Carson had cautioned his Impetuous comrade not to fire until he should give the signal, but just as the hidden avengers had. In one swift glance, noted all these particulars, a brutal-looking savage, see ing that the prisoner was enjoying a mo ment's respite from suffering, snatched up a burning brand, strode over In front of him and was about to thrust the flam ing brand Insultingly against his pale face, when Woodville, no longer able to restrain himself, sent a bullet through the miscreant's brain, and he fell like a log across the captive's outstretched legs. Instantly the startled Indians sprang to their feet, but ere they could even grasp, much less string, their bows, one fell to Kit's rifle and another to Gerald's re volver: and now, as they stood for three half seconds bewildered, as many addition al shots rang out, each one stretching its victim upon the earth. Then, yelling like the hell hounds they were, the 11 survivors turned to fly, but before they got beyond the fatal circle of fire light, .three more pitched headlong down. Another of the crew, an eagle-plumed, powerfully built Eavage, quite forgetting In his fright that the horse was picketed, attempted, as he ran, to spring upon its back a position he never reached, for as soon as his head rose high enough to clear the jiobler ani mal's withers, 'twas pierced by Carson's avenging bullet. Thus, in less than one minute, 10 mem bers of the murderous band had become, as a Western man of those times would say, "good Indians;" and the rest, leaving Moulton's weapons and most of their own behind, probably never stopped running until they reached headquarters of their tribe, where they would doubtless report that they had been routed by at least 50 ambushed white men. Now, for the first time, our two heroes showed themselves, and we may imagine John Moulton's feelings when he found that one of the daring rescuers was his whilom enemy, Gerald Woodville! Quickly the benumbed youth was unbound, and while his swollen writs were tenderly chafed back to life by his new-found friend, the ever-thoughtful Carson hastily prepared a supper of hot coffee and elk steaks wherewith to nourish his exhausted frame. In our camp the day of the two men's departure had come to a close in consum ing anxiety, and It was a serious party in deed which gathered about the fire at night, while all strained their ears in vain: to catch the echo of a possible reassuring rifle shot. Yet. though sorely fretting at our en forced Inaction, none of us quite despaired; for besides what we ourselves had, on a former occasion, seen of Carson's success ful daring, our guide, an old plainsman named Joe Brooks, sustained our hopes by telling us of several instances in which he (Carson) had, single handed, rescued prop erty and prisoners from strong, mounted bands of Indians after a pursuit of many days. "Why," said the veteran, "one time, down in Arizona, I knew Kit, entirely alone to trail 22 Apache warriors for more than 101) miles. He came up to them just as they were making camp at sundown, shot down three of them before they saw him, charged upon the rest while yelling to his supposed followers to come on, and escaped scot free with a white woman prisoner, whom, in their fright at the mere sight of Kit, they had not stopped to kill. This is a well-known fact, and It oc curred when Carson was out last with Captain Fremont. Depend upon it. he knows what he's about now, and whether he saves Mr. Moulton or not, he's pretty sure to turn up all right before morning. So long as a star's to be seen he can find his way back at night as well as in day light." In listening to tales like this our sleep less night wore away, and at last we could see in the eastern sky the first pale shimmer of coming dawn. "This," casually remarked Joe, "is the hour that the redskins always select for by thunder! that's the Diggers' war whoop now!" And we all hurried into the coral, as again and again, far up on the hillside, resounded that terrible cry. "Mighty curious," said Brooks, quietly laying down his rifle with a half percepti ble smile, "but it's the first time I ever knew the reds to be polite enough to give fair warning. This must be an extra nice band of the devils Hooray! Hooray! Hoo ray, boys, what did I tell you?" For now- half a dozen rifle shots rang out in quick l sweessten. and calloplnz cheerily down the slope came our three friends, safe and sound. Carson, who could mimic anything from the squeak of a mouse to the harsh cry of a mountain lion, had taken this playful method of testing our alertness. As the trio drew nearer, we could see, in the broadening light, that Jack Moulton and Gerald Woodville rode shoulder to shoulder, and that more than once the hand of one sought that of the other in a prolonged clasp; whereat we rushed from cover, and, firing a feu de jole, broke into a storm of such wild cheering as must have made any stray "welkin" lying around loose fairly ring- again. In another moment the tired and hun gry travelers were among us, and it ar gues well for our humanity that all passed through that tumultuous ordeal of hand shaking without dislocated arms. Not a question did we ask until we had regaled the ravenous men with a bounteous break fast of trout and buffalo steaks, but after 1 mat we garnered from one and another all the facts as above related. W. THOMSON. WASHINGTON'S OBEDIENCE Hovr the American Army Lost a. Fine Pair of Horses. One winter evening In the year of our Lord 1S09. at my grandfather's house on the Muskingum river, the major told this story: "It happened this way;" he began. "I was sent by Washington on a foraging expedition. It was before the battle at Yorktown." The major's eagle eye scan ned the face of his atentlve listeners. Every one of the company had been offi cers in General Washington's army. To gether they had fought In every battle from Bunker Hill to the capture of Corn wallis at Yorktown. I can see them now strong of feature, brave of bearing, their snow white cues falling on velvet collars, white ruffles at their wrists, knee breech es, leggings and the quaint buckle shoes of colonial times. There was bluff old Rufus Putnam whose engineering skill on Dorchester Heights enabled Washington to drive the British from Boston; brave little Commo dore Whipple who gave birth to the American navy by offering the first de fiance to England on the sea, and the com manding figure of Bobert Oliver, who erected the first saw and grist mill in Ohio, together with Jonathan Devol, one of the first shipbuilders in the Western country. But how did all these famous warriors "TELL GENERAL W ASHIXGTOX HIS MOTH JMHASXEED OFHERHORSESS find their way to ho beautiful Ohio val ley, you may ask?" Peace restored, their country had no more use for fighting sol dierswar had robbed them of their for tunes. But they were undaunted, and to gether they boarded the Mayflower a floating barge and made their way into the Ohio valley. There they laid out farms at Beepre, Waterford, and Ames town, the earliest settlement in the vicin ity of Marietta. At eventide they were wont to float down the calm bosom of the river, and at the peril of the lurking redman's tomahawk, moor their skiffs at my grandfather's door. Once in the glow of the pine knots heaped high on the open hearth, these scarred veterans revived in story their country's struggle for inde pendence. Striking, even In this distinguished gathering, was the major. He was a lin eal descendent of Governor Bradford, of colonial Massachusetts. He stood high in Washington's esteem, and shared the friendship of Lafayette. He never failed to hold his audience, and he had it now. "We were reconnoitering in Westmore- 'BETTER SEE MISSUS land county, Virginia," he continued. "I I chanced upon a fine team or horses hitch ed to a plow, and they were driven by a burly slave. Finer animals I have never seen. When my eyes had feasted on their beauty, I cried to the driver, "Hello! good fellow; I must have your horses. They are the very animals I have been looking for. The black man showed his teeth and rolled up the whites of his eyes, while he put the lash to the horses' flanks and turned up another furrow In the rich soil. I waited until he had finished the row, then I threw back my cavalier cloak. "The ensign of my rank -was not lost upon the slave. " 'Better see missis, Better see missis, he cried, waving his hand to the South where, beyond cedar growth, rose the tow ers of a fine old Virginia mansion. I turned up the carriage road and soon my hand was on the brass knocker. Instantly the door swung back on its ponderous binges and the majestic form of a woman filled the empty space. " 'Madam,' said I dropping my hat and visibly overcome by .her dignity, I have come to claim your horses in the name of the government. 'My horses?' she bent upon me eyes born to command. " "Sir, you cannot have -them; my crops (ap - II KB? i. r -, V' js -ZZ '?? are out and I need tbe horses in the Sleds." " 'I'm sorry,' said I, 'but such are the orders of my chief. " 'Your chief? Who is your chief? she demanded -with restrained warmth. " 'The commander-in-chief of the Ameri can army General George Washington." It was now turn to be grandiose. I squared my shoulders while a smile of triumph softened the sternness of her handsome face. 'Tell George Washing ton, said she 'that his mother said he could not have her horses. "Humbled to the dust." laughed the major, "I turned away convinced that I had discovered the source of my chief's decision and self-command." "Did you report to Washington?" asked a hero of Brandywine. "Yes," said the major. "What did he say?" "With one of his rare smiles, the father of his country reverently bowed his head." LIDA ROSE McCABLE. LITTLE MR.THIMBLEFINGER THE CHII.DREX'S SECOND VISIT. ' By Joel Chandler Harris. (Copyrighted. 1S04, by Joel Chandler Harris.) XII. THE TERRIBLE HORSE. When Tickle-My-Toes had told about how pleased the baker and his wife were with Sparkle Spry, he paused and looked nt Chickamy Crany Crow, as if he expect ed that she would beckon him away. But, instead of that she said: "Why, that Isn't all?" "Well, it's enough, I hope," replied Tickle-My-Toes. "Xo," said Mrs. Meadows. "It's not enough if there's any more. Why, so far it's the best of all the stories. It's new to me. I had an idea that I had heard all the stories, but this one is a pole over my persimmon, as we used to say in the country next door." "I don't like to tell stories," protested Tickle-My-Toes, puckering his face in a comical way; "it's too confining." "Nonsense!" exclaimed Mr. Rabbit. "It's time you were settling down. What will you look like a year or two from now If you keep on cutting up your capers?" Tlckle-My-Toes caught hold of the cor ner of Chickamy Crany Crow's apron, and, thus fortified, resumed his story: "Well, the baker and his wife promised Sparkle Spry they would have him a big wooden horse made and they were as good as their word. They sent right off than very day for a carpenter and joiner, and when he came Sparkle Spry showed the man what he wanted. He said the horse must be as much like a real horse as could be made out of wood, and three times as big. "The man asked the baker's wife what the brat wanted with such a machine as .that, and this made the good woman mad. " 'He's no brat, I can tell you that!' she exclaimed, 'and If he wants a play horse as big as a whale and the same shape, he shall have it. Now, if you want to make his play horse get to work and make it. If not I'll get somebody else to make It.' "But the man declared he meant no harm and said he was glad to get the work. So he got the lumber and in a few days, being a very clever workman, ne had finished the wooden horse. He made it just as Sparkle Spry wanted him to. He put big hinges at the joints of the legs, cut a window in each side of the body, made the ears and the nostrils hollow, and fixed pieces of glass for the eyes. "The carpenter seemed to enjoy his work, too, for every time he went off a little dis tance to see how his work looked he laughed as hard as he could. When he was nearly done he asked Sparkle Spry if he wanted the roof shingled. " 'Why. no,' replied the boy. 'There's no roof there. Besides, horses don't have shingles on them.' " 'That's so,' the carpenter assented, 'but this horse has a good many things about him that other horses haven't got.' " Yes,' said Sparkle Sprj't 'but after you get through with him, he is to be polished off.' "So, when the carpenter was through with the horse, a leather-finisher was sent for, and he covered the horse with the hides of cows tanned with the hair on, and fixed a cow's tall where the horse's tail sbould have been. "The baker grumbled a little at this extra expense, and said he was afraid Sparkle Spry had strained his head the night he baked so much bread. But the baker's wife said sho would like to have a whole house full of crazy children if Sparkle Spry was crazy. "When the wooden horse was finished, Sparkle Spry waited until the baker and his wife had gone to bed, and then he tapped on the oven and whistled. Pres ently the King of the Clinkers peeped out to see what the matter was. He came from behind the oven cautiously until he found that Sparkle Spry was alone, and then he came forth boldly. " 'The horse is ready,' said Sparkle Spry. " 'Ready!' exclaimed the King of the Clinkers, 'well. I think it is high time. Mv ' workmen could have built It in a night - BETTER SEE MISSUS!" and here I've been waiting and waiting for I don't know how long." " 'I hope you'll like it, Sparkle Spry suggested. " 'Like it!' cried the King of the Clink ers. 'Why, of course I'll like it; I haven't enjoyed a ride in so long a time that I'm not likely to quarrel with the horse that carries me.' " 'But this is a wooden horse,' re marked Sparkle Spry. " 'I should hope so yes, indeed!' grunt ed the King of the Clinkers. 'I have been riding wooden horses as long as I can remember. They may be a little clumsy, but they suit me.' " 'But this horse has no rockers, per sisted Sparkle Spry. 'It is as solid as a house.' " 'Much you know about wooden horses, said the King of the Clinkers. 'Wait, I'll call my torchbearers.' "He tapped on the oven with his tiny poker, and immediately a company of lit tle men filed out from behind it. As they passed the furnace door they lit their torches at a live coal and marched out to the wooden horse, followed by the King of the Clinkers and Sparkle Spry. "The latter had reason to be very much astonished at what he saw then and after ward. The torchbearers led the way to the left foreleg of the wooden horse, opened a door and filed up a spiral stair way, the King- of the Clinkers .following after. Sparkle Spry climbed up by means of a step-ladder that the carpenter had used. When he crawled through the win dow in the side of the. wooden horse he saw that a great transformation had taken place, and the sight of it almost took his breath away. "A furnace with a small bakeoven had been fitted up, and there was also a supply of flour, coal and wood. The flue from the furnace ran in the inside of the borse's neck, finding a vent for the smoke at the ears. On all sides were to be seen the tools and furniture of a bakery, and there were places where the little men might stow themselves away when they were not on duty; and there was a special apart ment for the King of the Clinkers. "In a little while the whole interior of the horse swarmed with the followers of the King of the Clinkers, who stood count ing them as they came in. " 'All here, he said, waving- his little poker. 'Now get to bed and rest your selves." "They complied .so promptly that they seemed to disappear as if by magic. The torch-bearers had thrown their torches in the furnace, and as wood had already been placed there a fire was soon kindled. " 'Now,' said the King of the Clinkers, closing the draught. we'll let it warm up a little, and see if the carpenter has done his work well.' "Thereupon he pulled a cord-that seem ed to be tied to a bell, and, in a little while, Sparkle Spry felt that the horse was in motion. He hardly knew what to make of It. He went to the window anfi peered out, and the lights in the houses seemed to be all going to the rear. Occa sionally a creaking sound was heard, and sometimes he could feel a jar or jolt in the horse's frame. " 'Are we flying? he asked, turning to the King of the Clinkers. " 'Flying! Nothing of the sort. Don't you feel the jolt when the horse lifts up a foot and puts It down again. I'm mighty glad is is a pacing horse. If it "was a trot ting horse it would shake us all to pieces. " 'Where are we going?' inquired Sparkle Spry. " 'Following the army following "Hhe army, replied the King of the Clinkers. There's going to be a big battle not far from here, and we may take a hand in it The king of this country is a fat old ras cal, who isn't very well thought of by the rest of the kings, who are his cousins; but I live here, and he has never bothered me. Consequently I don't mind helping him out in a pinch.' " 'How far do we have to go? asked Sparkle Spry, who had no great relish for I war if it was as hard as he had beard it t was. " 'Oh, a good many miles, replied the King of the Clinkers, 'and we are not get ting on at all. There's not enough mutton suet on the knee hinges to suit me. "So saying, he struck the bell twice, and instantly Sparkle Spry could feel that the wooden horse was going faster. "Does the horse go by the ' road, or through the fields?' asked Sparkle Spry. " Oh, we take short cuts when neces sary,' answered the King of the Clinkers. 'We have no time to go round by the road. I hope you are not scared.' " 'No, not scared,' replied Sparkle Spry, somewhat doubtfully; 'but it makes me feel queer to be traveling through the country in a -wooden horse.' "Nothing more was said for some time, and Sparkle Spry must have dropped off to sleep, for suddenly he was aroused by the voice of the King of the Clinkers, who called out: " 'Here we are! Get up! Stir about!' "Sparkle Spry jumped to his feet and looked from the window. Day was just dawning, and on the plain before him he saw hundreds of twinkling lights, as if a shower of small stars had fallen to the ground during the night. Being somewhat dazed by his experiences he asked what they were. " 'Campfires replied the King of the Clinkers. 'The army that we are going to attack is camped further away, but if you will lift your eyes a little you will see their campfires.' " 'Do we attack them by ourselves?' Sparkle Spry asked. " 'Of course!' the King of the Clinkers answered. 'I never did like too much com pany; besides, I want you to get the credit of it.' " 'Now, I'd rather be certain of a whole skin than to have any credit,' protested Sparkle Spry. "But the King of the Clinkers paid no at tention to his protests. He gave his orders to his little men and strutted about with an air of importance that Sparkle Spry would have thought comical if he had not been thinking of the tattle. "Daylight came on and drowned out the campfires, leaving only thin columns of blue smoke to mark them. The wooden horse moved nearer and nearer to the army directly in front of them, and finally came close to the headquarters of the commanding general, who sent out a sol dier to inquire the meaning of the appari tion. Finally the general came himself, accompanied by hi3 staff, and to him Sparkle Spry repeated what the King of the Clinkers had told him to say. The gen eral pulled his mustache and knitted his brows mightily, and finally he said: " 'I'm obliged to you for coming. 'You'll have to do the best you can. I never have commanded a wooden horse, and if I were to tell you what to do, I might get you into trouble. I'll just send word alon? the line that the wooden horse is on our side and you'll have to do the best you can. "As he said, so he did. The army soon knew that a big wooden horse had come to help it, and when the queer-looking ma chine moved to the frcnt the soldiers got out of the way as fast as they could, and some of them forgot to carry their arms with them. But order was soon restored and presentlyit was seen that the opposing army was marching forward to begin the battle. "The King of the Clinkera waited until the line was formed and then he sounded the little bell. The horse started off. The bell sounded twice and the horse went faster. Sparkle Spry, looking from the window, could see that he was going at a tremendous rate. The horse went close to the opposing army and then turned and went down the line to the left. Turning, It came up the line, this time very close. Turning again, it came back, and the sol diers in the front line were compelled to scamper out of the way. While this was going on the other army came up, but by the time it arrived on the battleground there was nothing to fight. "The wooden horse had stampeded the enemy's army, and the soldiers had all run away, leaving their arms, their tents and their bread wagons to be captured. "The commanding general of the victori ous army thanked Sparkle Spry very heartily. " 'I'll mention your name in my report to thekinc-,, he said. 'But I hardly; know what -to say about this affair. You wouldn't call-this a battle, would you? 'No, replied Sparkle Spry. 'I saw no signs of a battle where I went along.' " It is very curious, said the general. 'I don't know- what we are coming to. A great victory, but nobody killed and no prisoners taken.' 'Then he went olf to write his report, and some time afterward the king sent for Sparkle Spry and gave him lands anl houses and money, and made him change his everyday name for a very high-sounding one. And the baker and his wife came to live near him. and the King of the Clinkers us?d to come at night with all his little men, and they had a very good time after all, in spite of the high-sounding name." With this. Tlckle-My-Toes turned and ran away as hard as he could, whereupon Mr. Rabbit opened his eyes and asked In the most solemn way: "Is there a wooden horse after him? I wish you'd look." MILLION-DOLLAR STAIRS Imposing Structure at the Entrance) to tlie "ew York Capitol. During the past year the imposing stono staircase at the west entrance of the capl tol building at Albany has been practically completed, and as It now stands, the stairway is one of the most beautiful con structions or Its kind in the world. The entire cost of construction has been nearly 51,000,000, and about five and a half years have been consumed in building it. The staircase occupies a space of 76 feet 10 inches by 69 feet 10 inches, and the height from the tile floor of the first story to the uppermost cornice In the dome is 113 feet. The stairway consists of broad central rows of steps, starting in the corridors and extending through the center open ings between the cylindrical piers. The lower steps of each flight are constructed in convex curves, which serves to Increase the length of the steps and makes it pos sible to introduce a platform or break in the steps about one-third the way up each flight. These platforms in turn are flanked by short rows of stairs on two sides, which extend at right angles to the main or central flghts. These secondary flights extend to platforms which reach! to the walls, and from these platforms next the wall four rows of steps, two from each platform, extend upward to next floor, which also forms the landlnc of the central flight. It will be seen that this construction provides for four wells, and these help to provide a plentiful sup ply of light and air to the lower floors. The central portion of the stairs is sup- ported by eight bearings, resting upon molded granite bases, and e:. tending up from the foundations to a height of three and a half stories. The decorations on the staircase are very elaborate. On the central ledge on the north side, for example, there is a head of Columbus, carved in relief, with, the three caravels used by him in the first voyage to America. The western ledge is decorated with the Viking ship, while on the east ledge is a modern. steamship, both of these being in bas-relief. The sculptured work is cut upon a plain surface surrounded by rich foliage. The rails, the steps, the ledges upon which the balustrades rest, and In short, almost every exposed surface is also richly and tastefully decorated. &ND TESTIBJn.,. $?i!. 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