2f
THE SU2JDAY OREGONIAjS, PORTLAM), 'AUGUST 26, 19"00.
. t i
Off for the Shore.
RumMf dj -row- ItHmbi -rr!
i Tfce e'eTn cars are Mtcta? xm down to the
allure
Cixr ket -eUok! dckty-e4nck!
"Won't wc be Min-lninve before we pet back?
"Mot her ar J Polly ad baby and Jack
V tile th" ''ar wtwdl s staging alone on the
Kumbldr-raoket -claekety-clack!
ClupiK-tj-oMtnk' Ckippety-c'unk!
i 7 eaw tl.i bathing suits put in the trunk.
KJ kTj-lchnJ Klekerj-Mra!
Wonflrr .f father will teach us to swim.
X m gjlng to splah"1otfi of -water on him,
T1J to pfndB to get road, and tbcn Mm!
C lui;jxt-clHilet-fctckury-kiin:
Tu"ksot'-tr! TuckBety-tos!
TVe can po v adtng a'xmt -on the rocks.
Dlng-a-dtaig-dotis" Din-a-dnij-d3nE!
"Won't -we be health ad -hungry and strong?
Isn't it nloe to be ridtng alone.
While the can. arc a-trfnglngr tholr Jolly old
tone
TuckBety-texety-dlng-a-ainE-denc!
Brooklyn Eagle.
ON THE FIELD OF HONOR
Lad in HIk Teens "Wine's Comrade in
a Duel Which Eads in a Sarfeit
of Ice Crenui and Pie.
A pleasant Summer afternoon, Just
Verging upon stinsot. A low, verdant
meadow, fringed on one side with a
hedge of -willows, and bounded on the
other by a calmly' flowing river that
never "was in a hurry, unlesIt was at
a. point half a mile further on, near the
dam. Here the- sluggish wators were
churned into a -white foam by the revolv
ing who Is of an old mill
A long stretch of gently-curving turn
pike, -white with the gravol crushed to
dust by the tires of vehicles and tho
lron-shod feet of horses, ever being driv
en to end from the pretty little town.
At elthtr side of the road was a deep
c.tch, bordered with green turf, sprinkled
here atid there with buttercups and
daisies. On one hand was a bit of fertile
pasture fand that Moped down to a Dab
bling brook, which seemed ever in haste
to join the river. In the west, tho sun,
like a groat disk of burnished copper,
rested on th brow of a distant range of
hills. The town toward which the turn
pike lod was not over a mile away.
Toward a sheltered strip of green
EwrJ near the willows, a lad of 3C. with
cry red Imlr. blue eyes and an uncom-
nwn. j allid face, was hurrying. In one
Land he carried a small vail;. This he
Cropped, aiMi than threw lumself at full
length upon the soft, ool grass. Tho
j-rch of sky above his head took on the
tint . nd hue of an exquisite turquoise,
b beautifully blue was it. The lad tried
to appear unconcerned, but it was clear
ly eI"ent he was ill tt ease. He reached
out for the valise and opened it. Explor
Ing its contents with his hand, he heaved
ft self-satisfied sort of a n4e;h. Glancing
tip thr n ad toward the town, ho solilo
quized: SeriouK Mtuation.
tf wIfIi this confounded affair was well
over. 1 have the lint and bandages all
ready; I only hope nclthor one will be
ldhed, that s all. Ed could hardly be
blamed. Paul challenged htm, and ho had
to accert, or we all should have called
lilm a coward. Lai's see! How was it
tho trouble started? Oh, yes, I romem
bcr. Taul Is in love with Exsll, and so is
TEd. l'a Grant's party is at the bottom
cf it sll. Both -wanted to take Dell to
th-t party Ed's invitation came first,
and she accepted It. Gee! but wasn t
Paul mad when she declined io go with
litra1 W 11, thore wasn't two of her. and
I 1 rbked her llrst Besides. I really j
tlilr.K ihe cares something for Ed, but
no one can tell, she's ?wh a flirt."
Tiia b- s remarks practically covered
t!"0 facts un to a oertaln nolnt. but It was
x. t all there was in the story. Delia
Fown wis the handsome daughter of a
wcl-to-do farmer, and she attended the
-vj'age school. Iir age wasnot oer 35.
"Lr bl ik curls, red lips and white
tilth made her easily the queen In the
s s rosebud garden of girls." Her
pet, saucy ways won her many adinlr-c-s.
for .it least luUf the boys In her
c ass - . re in love with her. And she
was a o-qtiette, despite hep youth. Among
her boy lovers there was aono more
tr-- rgl ' in earnot than Ed Branson
or Pui. Waldron Delia had had quite
a number of lave affairs, but at this time
It served her purpose to bestow her
Em cs i ad billets doux on Ed Bronson,
Ida Grunt hd given a party. Delia,
Fd crd Paul had attended, as well as
George Darlington. Dr. Darlington's son.
Ik-cause Delia had chosen to go with
Ir ' n. Waldron hal become Jealous
aid t jtifd He was perhaps a year and
a -a'f oMer ttjan Ws rival Both lads
w -o that romantic period of life
W vi the imeginatlan rcvelb in tales of
f--a and odvntMre and greedily feeds
t-'n OueU, of all sorts, historical and
Jit '! js "'t wae not an unnatural de
sire that ACaldro afeoutd have wanted to
get ncn" in some way with Bronson.
I e might have waylaid him at night
t 1 h" given hint a sound beating, but
Xhut savored t much of hoodlumism
Tvr Ida of a dMl appealed more strong.
'5 to his xnind. e a duel he decided it
ebou d be.
A Challenge In Sent.
Paul selected a second and the affair
of honor was speedily arranged In prop
cr fo-m, Jurt as the boys hod read In
Vooks these thiagt. wre dene. "VTaldron's
second conveyed a formal note to Bron
son challenging Mm te mortal csmbaC
Jivin& to htm. te aoeerdanee with the
r tfde cuello the choice ai weapons. Bron,
non elected xwvelvers chose his second,
and toe two procured the services at
Darlington, the doctor's fon, as surgeon
Crf oourse. tibe whete thiag was kept
qniet. The soeeads oos8lted. soonred
weapons end picked out the spot near the
willows as the dueling ground; sundown
was named as the time of meeting:. The
eventful moment had arrived and, as the
reader has already seen, the boy surgeon
was the first upon the scene.
"I wish they'd hurry up and set this
business over. I don't half like being
mixed up in it myseir," said George to
himself. "Ah. here they Come at last,"
and lie sprang to his feet.
The ludicrousness of The Affair? for it
had a ludicrous side, was the fact that
neither of the combatants knew how to
shoot, and it was douotful whether they
could hit the broad .sice of a barn, un
less directly up against it. Then? again,
George knew very little about surgery.
"With very sober faces, "Waldron and
Bronson, accompanied by their respective
seconds, drew near. After nervously
fidgeting about, Branson's second spoke
up, with considerable dignity:
"Gentlemen, the seconds have con
cluded to make a proposition. We hope
the principals will agree to It. If they
don't, we're going to quit and go home,
LIKE ALL THE
"Geroldlne Dolan, if yez'll marry me ye'll be
"Am! po'an; jou'ro lolke all th' rest er th'
can heiresses."
so there! Our decision In this grave af
fair Is, that each principal shall fire not
more than seven, times. If neither is
hit then the trouble snail be considered
settled. Whoeier draws blood first must
declare his honor satisfied. Then the two
principals must shake hands and become
friends again. The one drawing first
blood must give up all claim to Delia
Brown, and, besides that, must take us
all to a restaurant and buy supper for
the cro-nd. Is that satisfactory?"
The principals replied together, "It Is."
"Then," said the speaker, "nothing re
mains but to measure off the ground
20 paces, I believe place our men and
sail In."
A'ot So Ilomantle, After All.
Tho ground was measured and the re
volvers wore carefully examned, and
found to be In perfect working order.
"Waldron and Bronson each selected one
with a gravity becoming so Important an
occasion. Now that they had really come
to the point of deliberately shooting at
each other, each would have willingly
backed down, but was afraid to do so,
lest ho should be ridiculed. It wasn't
quite so romantic, after all. Thoughts
of home and mother would come up.
The two boys nere jed to their ap
pointed places. There was a big lump
in each threat that somehow could not
bo swallowed, and their hearts were vlo
lently thumping. The seconds attempted
to appear indifferent, but only scored a
failure. The principals were deathly pale.
They looked as' though they might faint.
With very shaky -knees, Bronson and
Waldron faced about. Darlington stood
half way between and off at one side
with a white handkerchief held well aloft,
so both could see It. He hoped heawas
at a safe distance, but did not feel quite
sure.
"One. two. three," he counted, and the
handkerchief fluttered to the ground. The
seconds shouted, in chorus, "Fire!" The
revolyors cracked together with one re
port. No one was hurt.
Then the shooting was resumed, the
lads peppering away at each other, but
doing no further harm than to alarm an
old ewe, meekly grazing in the neighbor
ing pasture. Three shots perforated the
soft. Summer air and both boys still
stood firm. At the fourth shot Bron
son's "bullet plow ed Its way through Wal
dron's straw hat. Ho had Intended to
hit Paul In the leg, to be sure, but thon
POINTED
&r
3A.-5c,x.-
Johnnie Angle Worm You biff coward! Why
he did not claim to be a marksman.
Paul fortunately was not struck, but
his antagonist's bullet had come uncom
fortably close. Both lads were now
thoroughly warmed up to the contest, and
the seconds and "surgeon" were no less
deeply interested.
A Hit.
At the word, the fifth time. Paul aimed
his weapon directly at Bronson's hat.
"Crack!" sounded the two pistols. Bron
son felt a hot, stinging- sensation In his
left shoulder. Instantly his white shirt
sleeve was dyed with gore. Paul nad tho
honor of drawing the first blood.
When he saw that crimson stain, all
Waldron's animosity disappeared. Ho
didn't care a fig for Delia Brown. His
generous, boyish nature came Instantly
to the front. He put his pistol in his
pocket and Impulsively ran to Bronson's
Side. The "surgeon" was ahead of him, i
but he came In closely after, and the two
seconds were immediately behind him.
Bronson's wound was of a superficial
nature. The bullet had merely grazed
nira, carving a tiny furrow iri the mus
cle of the shoulder. Paul seized Darling
ton's black cJotU cap, rushed to the l?rook j
i
1HB Mikm 'Al
fillip w'5 iji jiw
and returned with at full of clear, cold
water. The "surgeon" laid Bronson out
on the gras and pulled his arm out of the
shirt sleeve. He dipped some of the lint
in the water and washed out the wound,
quite with the air of a professional.
Then, placing some dry lint upon the
wound, he adjusted a bandage.
The duel was over, and all the partici
pants were glad of it. According to tho
programme they all marched away to
the restaurant. T"hey gorged themselves
on lc'e cream, cake, pie, lemonade and
almost everything else the modest little
cafe furnished.
Now that the duel had actually come
off they all decided they never wanted to
engage In another. It had been a foolish
piece of buriness, and It was fortunate
that it did not result seriously.
Paul was as good as his word. He
never molested Delia Brown and Ed
Bronson and they loved each other very
passionately for ot least six; months. Del
j& is now an old maid and keeps a millin
ery shop somewhere In North Dakota,
REST OF
er Princess; me ancestors was Irish Kings "
bankrupt nobility tryln to marry us Ameri-'
Paul is dead. Bronson married, 20 years
ago, a girl from Maine, and they now live
with their family of three children In
California. GHABX.ES E. SAWTER.
CUTE SAVINGS OF CHILDREN'.
Fnnny Idens Thnt Bob Up in Heads
of Dojs nnd Girls.
When small Harry did anything
naughty his mother punished him by
making him stand In the corner for five
minutes. One day, after an experience of
that kind, he said: "Mamma, when I get
big I'm going to build a house with
round rooms in it." "Why are you going
to do that, Harry?" she asked. "Be
cause," replied the little fellow, "then
there will be no corners for my children
to stand in." Cincinnati Enquirer.
First Boston Boy Yes, father punished
me severely yesterday.
Second Boston Boy Indeed! Some par
ents have such radical Ideas about gov
ernment without the consent of the gov
erned. Puck.
Mamma Why do you not give youf
nice. uncle a kiss, Elsie?
Elsie (whose uncle has a heavy beard)
I don't see anv place for it, mamma.
New Tork World.
"AH right, then, we'll toss for It," said
Tommy. "Here goes! You holler. Heads
or tails?"
"Very well," replied little Emerson or
Boston, "I prognosticate the falling of
the obverse uppermost" Philadelphia
Press,
Aunt Mary Now, candidly, Margie,
don't you think you have eaten enough
pudding?
Margie (aged 4) Well, I may think so,
Aunt Mary, but I don't feel so. Chicago
News.
Bobby I wonder why the, tiger doesn't
He down and go to sleep once in a
while?.
Nurse I am sure I don't know, Bobby.
Bobby Do you suppose he's afraid he
will turn into a rug If he does? Pittsburg
Leader.
"Mamma," said 3-year-old Flossie, "1
INQUIRY.
don't you swallow some one your own size?
guess you don't know much about raising
children, do you?"
"Why do you jthlnk that?" asked her
mother.
"Because," replied the little miss, "you
always send me to bed when I'm not
sleepy and make me get up when I am
sleepy." Chicago News.
A class of boys was being examined
orally in Scripture. The history of Moses
had for some time been a special study,
and one of the examiners asked, "What
would you say of the general character
of Moses?"
"He was meek," said one boy.
"Brave," said another.
"Learned," added a third.
"Please, sir." piped forth a pale-faced,
neatly dressed lad, 6"he was a gentle
man." "A gentleman?" asked the examiner.
"How tlo you make that out?"
The boy promptly replied, in the same
tbln, nervous voice: "Please, sir, when
the daughters of Jethro went to the
well to draw water, the shepherds came
and drove them away; and Moses helped
the daughters of Jethro, and said to the
shepherds. 'Ladies first, please gentle
men.' "Buffalo Enquirer.
'EM!
"I Tannic Yon, Dear"
Four little words of love to hear
Four little words so sweet
They mako. my work seem, oh, so light
And put -wins to roy feet!
I think, if folks knew just how nice
They sounded in my ear,
For eAery UiUe thing I do
They'd say, "I thank "you, dear."
Why, goodness meri"race the stairs.
Run ur and down all day
For things my sister leaes around
Qr brothers sut away!
And when at last I And them
And bring them with delieht.
I They only say, "Why, mercy, child,
I thought you'd stay all night!"
Ob, crown ups, if you only knew.
My heart goes in my boct3!
,JL work so hard for those few words,
Efut neems like nothlnr suits.
No matter it my feet were tired,
I would not cry one tear.
JJut happy be. if folks to'me
Would say, 'l thank you' dear."
- , New yojrk Herald.
TOOTSIE'S STRANGE PETS
Iiiitle Citr'GirlTs Experiences With
Two Little, PIg,""Mr. Whltle"
and "Mr. Blacklc.'
Tootsle was a city girl, and she knew
yery little of the everyday things that
go to make up a country girl's life.
Tootsle's papa had bought a farm, and,
coming home one day, had told his wife
and little daughter that they would spend
the whole, lemg Summer in the country,
where they would all get fat on milk,
eggs and homebaked bread.
Tootsle was wild with Joy, as would
bo any other little city girl whose sole
Idea of the country was had from the
big park.
Before the month was out, the family
tras settled on the farm; Tootsle had
made friends with several little girls, far
mer's daughters, and they all played to
gether, manufacturing whole bakeries of
mud pies. To the child's dcllgh she was
permitted to get dirty and to stay com
fortably dirty; therefore, she enjoyed her
splash In the bath at evening, and being
tucked in her little bed, in a clean, white
"nightie."
One day she wenf to Visit the farm
er's Httlo daughters and found them play
ing with two -little white pigs,
Oh, the little darlings! Oh, how sweet
they aro! Are they yours, all your very
The Funny Fly.
'Dear me," said a witty younjr fly,
As he lit on a bald head, "If I
Only had roller skates
For these smooth shlnr pates
I'd have lots of fun on the sly!"
Brooklyn Eagle.
own?" she breathlessly exclaimed.
Qn being assured that they were, Toot
sle's hoart bfgan to pine 'for a very pig
of her own.
When she went home, she begged her
papa for a pet pig.
"Oh, do papa," she pleaded, "Just a
little pig for me; they are so nice and
clean and pretty. Oh do, papa! Please! a
very truly pig, all my own."
So papa sent word out among the farm
ers for a white pig of suitable age.
Plgrerie Comes.
The next day there came a man with a
pig in a gack. Tootsle was indignant at
the man for putting it in a sack, and
"smovcrlng" It to death.
"Why, Mr. Man, you must tie a string
'round his neck; you musn't 'smover' him
that way."
But Mr. Man grinned and showed his
teeth, passing over the little pig to its
new mistress. It was put in the old tool
house.an d Tootsle spent most of her time
for several days feeding it and carrying
straw and clover for it. It became very
tame, gentle and loving, and the child
took a great deal of comfort with It.
About this time another man came with
a pig; he did not know that they had al
ready bought one.
So Tootsle's father thought he would
surprise her; she was away playing with
the farmer's little girls. When she came
home, lo! There was another piggle In
the toolhouse.
My! But she was Just as tickled over
tho second one as she had been with the
first; she treated him royally, also.
But It ws soon seen that Tootsle was
very serious over something. She "stud
ied" over those two pigs a good deal for
a day, and then they found out what It
was that -worried her.
Her first piggle had been white, and
all the other pigs at the farmer's house
that she had, seen we.re white also. This
last little pig was black, and Tootsle
thought there must be something wrong
with him.
She .said not a word to anyone, how
ever, but borrowed a bath brick from the
kitchen, where the cook had been scour
ing knives. She cut a large potato In
half, taking the pieces with her into the
toolhouse, and then she was ready foi
business.
Black Pissle Surprised.
She sat down on the floor and both
piggies came to be petted as' usual. But
Mr. Black Pig "was laid upon bis side,
and treated to a good course of bath
brick, rubbed In with potato.
Tootsle scrubbed and scrubbed, very
patiently, while Blackle said "Quee-a-quee-quee!"
and Whltle said "Gnouf,
gnouf!" in sympathy. Tootsle, however,
wouldn't toke any excuse of that kind,
but she scrubbed and scrubbed.
When she had him scoured all over till
his little skin looked pink In patches and
overy little hair stood straight up, she
put hlro in the water trough and washed
Itsi'!,," slliipllik
and washed and washed. But M.r. Plg-V
gie came out Just about as black as he
went In.
Ho stood, winking and blinking his
twinkling little eyes at her, as much as
to say, "It's very nice to be scraped and
scratched like that, little mistress, but
haven't you, ma4e a mistake?"
Tootsle regarded him very d'scouraging
ly for a time, and then said:
'Now, Mr. Piggle; I' trqly think you
must be a colored person, like Auntie
Mlnty; but who would ever think a pig
gle could "bo a colored person;'
, Tho piggies answered. "Quee, quee,"
"Gnouf, gnouf," which meAns, in pig
language, "You are quite right."
Tootsle accepted the situation, finally,
and the piggies were so good and so
tame they were allowed to come out of
the toolhouse and play about the yard.
They grew and thrived, and followed
Tootsle about as "closely as a dog; she
loved them both dearly. Contrary to the
general Idea of a pig, It was found they
T3IED TO EMULATE ELECTRICITY.
Potato Bug What was tho cause of tho lightning bug's demise?
The Fly Ho broke a blood vessel trying to reach half a candle powes
would be nice, if they dnly had a chance,
and they had a chance.
As the piggies grew, their education
progressed, and they were allowed more
and more liberties. They came in and
ran about the house exactly like a dog,
and were no more objectionable. In any
way. They were neat and intelligent.
Tootsle and the others taught them
many tricks. They would stand up and
"beg" for food, and if given a chicken
bone, of which they were very fond, they
would take it and rum out in the yard to
eat It; then come back,- stand up and beg
for more, with their little front legs
sticking out very comically.
' Tootsle bathed them like a poodle; she
was never tired of douching with them,
in their shallow tank of water.
But all things must have an ending, so
did that happy Summer. Tootsle returned
to the city and the piggies tVere left to
the care 'of the man In charge of the
farm.
Tootsle will go back next Summer, but
will Mr. Whltle and Mr, Black Piggle
know her then? Will she know them?
Farmer?, you know have different ideas
than Httlo city girls of the feeding and
use of piggies. However, wo shall see,
M, J. PATTON.
English Sparrows' Habit.
A writer In the London Spectator says
that the site of sparrows' nests is chosen
with great care, and always with a view
to ayold danger from cats. The birds
shun any proximity to ordinary roofs of
houses, where cats are likely to disturb
them, but th6 erection of a corrugated
iron roof In their neighborhood will at
tract them all from their old nests, as
the cavities underneath furnish homos
for hundreds of them, where they are
entirely safe, as no cat can reach them.
Among other curious things related Is
one of how sparrows cling to a particu
lar block of houses, or maybe only Ut the
front of a row of houses, never going to
the back, or vice versa. One Spring time,
when some of these birds seemed espe
cially Inclined to pull up the early crocus.
It was noticed that a- number of these
JUVENILE
Great-Grandpa What's wrong, Mary?
Little Mary (remorsefully) Ev'ry sing goes
to live over asrla!
m . ,
flowers In front of some hpuses were to
tally destroyed by a brood of sparrows
living there, while the flowers at the back
of the same house were untouched, the
birds living there being busy at work at
something else.
"WHO OWXS THE EYES!"
Amusing Game for a Gatherings of
Yonnp People.
A pleasant way for a party of young
people to entertain themselves at an In
formal gathering Is fbr them to try to
distinguish each other by seeing tho eyes
alone, says the Philadelphia Inquirer. Pin
a shawl across the doorway about five
feet from the floor. Cut twb holes in a
large shoet of wrapping paper, or a news
paper will answer the same purpose,
which will show the eyes distinctly, but
will not expose any other part of the
face.
If any one present possesses a talent for
drawing, the paper which is to serve as
a mask could be decorated with a mouth
and nose, put on with a brush dipped In
India ink. This would add to the gro
tesque apeparance which the shawl, sur
mounted by the mask, will present. Eye
brows might also be painted.
When the paper is pinned above" the
shawl,' the company should be divided
into two parties, one to remain in the
room as spectators and guessers, and the
other to go "behind the scenes" (other
wise the shawl) as performers. If thore
are over half a dozen of the latter a line
should be formed; the one at the head
stands behind the mask, so that his eyes
are distinctly seen by those in the room,
and another of the performers asks:
"Who owns the eyes?" .
If a correct response Is given the per
formers clap 'their hands. Then the one
who has taken his turn goes to the foot
of the line, and number two takes hl3 or
her place behlnd the screen. After a time
the parties change places, and the fun
Is renewed.
Germany's Tliongfhtfnl Emperor.
"During a four months' visit In Berlin.
Germany, last Winter. I noticed." says a
writer in the Minneapolis Journal, "nu
merous sand piles, surrounded by happy
children -of all ages, and, wondering why
thejr were allowed the privilege of scat
tering the sand in this otherwise very
tldy city, I made Inquiries, and learned
that, before the old Emperor William
died, he ordered largo plies of sand to be
placed at intervals on Unter den Linden,
and also In all the" large parks through
out the city, lor the beneAt of the poor
children who live In the crowded tenement-houses.
"The pleasure proved to be so great
that the children of all classes, rich and
poor, mingled together, all armed with
spoons, paddles, buckets and pans. In
Victoria Park, which is situated In the
"poor" district, there 13 one solid acre
of fine white sand, where, on a fine day,
hundreds of children dig and play, enjoy
ing the kindness of the old Emperor. This
Impressed me as the greatest kindness I
ever witnessed."
LAMENT.
drong all time,
WIsh't I had my whole Ufa
HLJ1
Tnlten n.
Some saa folk played at blind man's bS
Far down below tho waves so rough.
The w hale remarked w 1th kindly grace.
"In me you'll find a. hiding place."
Ho waved a welcome with his fln.
At that three mollusks ventured In.
An eel said to a horned pout.
"I euess those chaps are up tho spout."
As in the ocean it Is truo ,
That hiding places are most few,
The flsR swam la with ne'er a oauso
between the whale's great open Jaws,
Sea horses, looking much perplexed.
And timid Jelly flsh came next.
The whale said, "This is kind of you. " J
And now I'll have some oysters, too." jp
The lobster had been playing "It."
For that. Indeed he was most fit;
As, havlne everywhere an eye.
Quite often ho could call, "I spy!" e
How vainly searched he everywhere
And loudly cried. "This game's no fair'"
At that tho whale said, with a grin,
"I fear some folks were taken In."
San Francisco Chronicle.
LIVE IN BOILING WATER
Cnriona Little Fifth That Inhabit a
Spring Almost Hot Enough to
Cock Any Other "Fish.
The existence of a strange red flsh
which lives in hot springs In Southwest
ern Colorado, is reported by Juan Cqr
rara, a Mexican ranchman of that little
known section of the Rocky Mountain
State.
Down near the Mancos River, which,
winds Its way southward within sight oC
the White Pillar Mountains, and many
miles from any town, Tumaco Spring
bolls and gurgles in peaceful solitude.
Near the bottom of the shallow canyon
whoso sloping sides are carpeted with
short green grass, there Is a natural
bowl of reddish sandstone, a dozen yards
in circumference.
It Is almost perfectly round and Its
edges are smooth and polished by the
washing of the water during ages past.
Within a few Inches of the 'brim It Is
filled with, moving water, hot nearly un
to boiling, and of surprising plearness.
The depth of this natural cup has never
been ascertained. Cerrara writes with,
frank wopder of Its unfathomable depths.
He had hopefully placed a piece of lead,
on the end of a ball of twine and cast It
Into the transparent pool. Down sank
the weight until Cerrara had unwound,
the entire ball, and yet the lead was
still pulling at his finger and evidently
far from the bottom.
Its Curious DcnlscnM.
Wonderful as Is the spring which rises
from the very bowels of the earth, its
finny residents are still more interesting.
They are. Cerrara says, light red in col
or, with gills the hue of blood. Their
tiny, graceful bodies are as slender as a
woman's fingers and no longer. Shaped
after the fashion of a pike, the little
fish have larger mouths and bigger gills.
Their eyes are grayish white, and very
prominent. They swim sedately about in their re
markable home, and, though so small,
have none of the minnow's sprightllness.
The warmth of the water perhaps ener
vates them, and causes their slow move
ments, or the idea of the Indians may be
right. They believe that the wondrous
little flsh are blessed with great wisdom
and, conscious of their power and
strangeness, propel themselves 'with be
fitting dignity. To the little red flsh
alone tho Indians attribute tho healing
properties of the spring.
They tell marvelous stories of old men.
crippled with years of the chase and
drunken brawi3. or injured by soma
wound, who have been trembling sub
merged in the hot waters from day to
day and cured in a fortnight.
The flsh have given tha spring its cura
tive power, they say, and woe betide the
luckless rambler who offers to molest one
in the presence of the redskins who
come many miles with their sick to tho
spring. Cerrara, who lives not far away,
has spent many an hour by the wonder
ful stone basin of hot water, studying
the flsh and peering cautiously into the
depths.
Bait Won't Tempt 'Cm.
In his efforts to capture a specimen ot
the finny tribe he experienced unusual
difficulty. Hook and line, with the most
tempting bait, proved entirely useless.
Plump white earthworms which would
have seduced from under a rock the
wariest of trout, availed nothing when
placed before the red flsh of Tumaco Hot
Spring.
Choice bits of raw meat were vatniy
dangled directly in front of the little
swimmers, and it soon became apparent
to Cerrara that the fish were accustomed
to entirely different food. Evidently they
did not know the delight of a fat worm,
and a grasshopper had no more attrac
tion for them than a pebble.
The Mexican carefully made a little
fine-meshed net and hung it on a hoop.
With this he caught at last two of the
strange little flsh. Every tiny scale was
shaded with red or pink, he found, while
the gills of each were of a rich crimson..
The arrowy bodies of the flsh resemble
that of the pike, and their eyes are sur
prisingly brilliant. Having never seen
the flsh eat anything. Cerrara cut one oc
them open to examine the contents of
Its stomach. To his surprise he found
only bits of reddish moss, strongly im
pregnated with Iron. Upon this vegetable
and, mineral diet the little flsh seem to
live.
Sometimes, during thunder storms, the
flsh all disappear and not a trace of ona
can be seen for hours. Down Into thq
earth they go. no one knows how deep.
There are hundreds of them In tha
spring, and excepting those caught by
Cerrara, they have never ''been disturbed.