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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 1890)
THE RED CHEST. n Experience In the Life of a BusBlan Detective. lo 1881 u briefly In the service 0f the Imperial Criminal Detective police Bureau, In St Petersburg, which 1 dUtlnetty dlfforent from the olvil iecrct service, dealing almost wholly with political offender, with whoso iu fsniously barbarous employment I would have nothing to da A series of extraordinary robberlos lid been effected from the luggage van of a number of train on the St Peters burg 4 Odessa railway. 1 was, therefore, not surprised at be jng one day summoned by General Triposki, the chief of tho department, who slid to me, after some preliminary word: "(Jo to see Hfli'r Moyenstuln, the lug page superintendent, and see what yon can make of these robberlos. You can even conceal yourself In the van of the next through train, if you see fit If you succeed In solving the mys tery and bringing the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice, I guarantee you speedy promotion, and the company will, doubtless, ' fill your pouch with , roubles. "If not, ahem!" General Triposki Stroked bis huge mustache, and glanced down complacently over the perfect polish of his military top boots, with a peculiar glint in bis hard, gray eyes "well, that will be less fortunate for you; in fact, I don't know but that I should be dlsploased perhaps serious ly displeased." To lnour the displeasure of a Russian bureaucrat is equivalent to an uncere monious kick into disgrace or obscurity for the unfortunate, delinquent I made my salute and proceeded to the railway station and stated uiy busi ness to the official mentioned. Horr Moyenstuln was a German of a very excitable temperament, and I found him In the ir.ldat of pressing business Incidental to the near departure of the Odessa expross. "Ah, you have come to Investigate?" be managed to exclaim, seml-confldcn-tislly, to me. "General Triposki is very good, to be sure; but what is there to investigate? "The through luggage van is locked tnd sealed from the moment of start ing, and with nothing but the heaped luggage within, and yet the robberies continue. "At the end of the route what is found? All locked and sealed as be fore, and yet confusion and dismay in the interior trunks, chests, boxes, hampers bursted and rifled of their choicest valuables, but not a sign of the thief, wUh the company booked for damagos as before. "A mystery? I should say so. It beats even the organized robberies and mur ders that have so mystified and appalled the environs of Odessa Itself for the last two years, with not a trace of their source. Perhaps not quite so bad as that, but almost There, there! I am too busy to give you any more pointers Just now, my friend." Ho was hurrying away from me when I laid my band on bis arm. "Pointers?" I said imperatively. "You have glvon ma none not known before. You will at once, If you please, devote yourself exclusively to my edifi cation." "Sir!" "Very goodl I suppose I had bet ter return to Genera1. Triposki and say -" "No, nol excuse my hastiness, my dear sir. Walt; then I am wholly at your disposal." He hurriedly placed his office in the bands of his chief clerk and submis sively escorted me to the long platform where the train was in readiness for starting, and the porters were busily loading the luggage van. Ilerr Moyenstuln still further ex plained the interior to me, which I found just as he had at first stated, so far as security was concerned, and also offered some theories as to the manner of the depredations, but they were too far-fetched for serious consideration. As woj stepped out of the van, my companion was instantly surrounded by passengers, who were waiting for their luggage certificates, and who were anx ious to know if they were to run the risk of a repetition of the mysterious robberies. Having rid himself of these question ers as best he might the superintend ent was next approached by about the incut regally handsome woman I bad sver set eyes on. Tall, dark, magnificently dressed, and sttended by two servants in livery, she looked like an Oriental queen as she su perciliously signed to my companion and indicated her luggage, which some porters had just trundled In from the drosky and cab stand. She spoke a few haughty words, though in a singularly sweet melodious voice, expressive of the hope that her luggage might this time pass through unmolested, and then, after obsequious assurances on the part of Herr Moyon teln, and receiving an immediate cer tificate for the articles from his own lnd, she sailed away. Her luggage consisted of two im mense wooden chests or strapped boxes ne larger than its fellow and painted fed, the other travel-worn and of no Particular color such as are much used by the upper traveling class in Russia. A certain peculiarity in the red chest bad attracted my attention while the Porters were affixing the necessary labels, and L bad also been struck by something furtive or sinister in the faces of the liveried servants. "You seemed to recognize the lady," I observed, taking the superintendent 1 the side. "1 should say so," he replied. "It was the Countess Eustanovltch, of the Id oastle and impoverished estate of 'he same name near Odessa. A good traveler, the Countess, either In ber own person or by proxy." "She does not Impress one as being personally impoverished, at all events." "No; she is said lo be rich now. It i nderstood that she is settling up a ealtby chattel estate here, left her by Inheritance six months ago, portions of Men she Is sending to ber castle from "ae to time. These boxes probably """tain some of the property now. "only they are solely accompanied by of her retainers. As she now goes ith them in person, perhaps It Is the shipment" "An odd way of shipping valuables, as fenontl luggage." "The nobility have the privilege of "lag odd. my friend-especially when ttJ pay for it" dryly. "Six months ago, yon say this lnber lUny "About that I believe." 'so,,u,0n,r hm tbe "J'tertous piun ierings been going on?" but'lrl " 0,14 coincidence, I bubou "me length of time." I Has the Countess Ru.tanovltch ever uui-ivu iuoroDy7' "The douce! I should say so. She has even now a suit against us for damages, together with many others. Twice, on ttie van being opened at Odessa, has one or another of her boxes, with nu merous others, been found broken open and ransacked." This piece of information did not weaken a certain suspicion, which bad suddenly come into my brain, and my Plan of action was already decided ol um aw, , iMoaaga cuiu.iur . Mked, pointing to a long box of new. onpalnted wood. "A coffin.'1 "What! Pray explain." "It contains a rich burial casket, which is being shipped by some wealthy Jows for the remains of the Rabbi Joseph Smoleskinski, so famous and es teemed In Southern Russia, and who died in Odessa some days ago," "Is it to go by the van?" "No; as freight" "It shall go In the through van, and with myself inside of It Listen now, Herr Moyonsteln, to my Instructions, and be careful that they are carried out to the letter." He had stared at me, but was qubkly enlightened as I proceeded to give my Instructions; and while those were be ing carried out in their preliminaries I hurriedly telegraphed in cipher cer tain data and memoranda of great Im portance to the Chiof of the Criminal Secret Service in Odessa. Ten minutes later I occupied the burial coskot intended for the rabbi's remains and was speeding southward as one of the chief features, external ly, at least of the contentsof the locked and sealed luggage van. Luckily, I was a small man. while the casket was designed for a very large and corpulont body. Still, I had no notion of remaining In such quarters any longer than was nec essary, and, therefore, speedily set my solf at liberty and began to take in the situation. A thousand miles or thirty hours' journey, was before me, but I was not unprepared for the emergency. There had been room for provisions and wine in the casket I had effected my release with little or no noise. The van was but dimly lighted by some stout slats or blinds over each side sliding door. The interior was stacked two-thirds full of traveling paraphernalia of every description. My own receptacle bad been stowed on the top of a pile of stuff In the re motest corner, by my special Instruc tions. Aftor Beating myself on the top of my wooden case and accustoming my eyes to thr- dim light I looked soarchlngly around for the red chest There It was, also on top of heaped luggage at the opposite end of the van, with its smaller and less pretentious companion chest at its side. That it had not been thrust in under neath or at random was doubtless the result of a surreptitious foe to one of the porters on the part of tbe Countess or one of her sorvants. How long and patiently I watched that red chestl It must have been for hours and hours, but I held out At last I detected the sound of a movement within it and noiselessly slipped behind my burial case, while still keeping on the lookout A few moments later the false straps surrounding the chest I had marked a sham in their construction when first setting eyes on it gave way, tho great lid was raised and a bushy human head peered out from the interior. Then there were shoulders addea to the bead, then a body, until at last the entire robber yes, the mysterious dep redator hlmsolf rose into viow and be gan to take in bis surroundings with a practiced eye. He was a small man, yet seemingly a concentrated bunch of muscle, sinew and nerve. The requisite tools were in bis hands, and aftor stretching himself he proceed ed upon his vandalism with methodical calmness and expertness, as if perfectly aware that there was plenty of time. Box after box, trunk after trunk was ruthlessly broken open and dlscriml nately rifled, after being judiciously se lected from among those of less promis ing and encouraging general appear ance. In his special choice of plundor the rascal was no less critical, with a par ticular penchant for jewelry, laces, fans, expensive robes, money or whatever else of tho sort came in his way; and these he would carefully stow away in his red chest with a due regard for re serving enough room for his own ac commodation when he should see fit to resume his hiding, which would probably be when near the journey's end. lie even smashed open his own com panion chest turning its rather insig nificant contents upside down, which was, of course, merely to serve as a blind. He bad continued his work uninter ruptedly for a couple of hours when be desisted, and, making himself comfort- ble, proceeded to refresh himself with jotne biscuits and a flask of liquor, which he drew from the bosom of bis ccarse serge blouse. I began to pick my way down towards him with the stealthincss of a cat In spite of my precautions I displaced a valise and set it rolling. Knife In hand, he was on bis feet In t:i instant , . . But with the fall of the valise. I bad precipitated myself upon him. There was but a short strugg e; the lagger went flying from bis grip, and then I bad him down, gasping and gnashing his teeth, but powe rless. Having finished disarming blm I propped him up, and presenting a cocked St to his forehead demanded, full eTemtlned silently mute at first but I instantly fired, though gauging the shot so that, wag of bis head be friended him to the extent of my bullet fession. .. n-ipflr it was to th Li effect. rorized the region la the vicinity of "dilapidated castle was at bead-quarters. The band was exceptionally powerful, its uniform success thus far being chief ly due to the intelligence and cunning of their noblo patroness and the ex tremo circumspection attendant upon achieving a membershlp,.every intend ing member being subjected to a severe preliminary examination by the lady chlof herself, who would then appor tion such nefarious work as she had planned. The simple plnn was for the thief to tuff the chest In which he had been concealed Mtb as many valuables as It would accommodate, in addition to bis own personality, and then lock himself in it aguin before reaching Odessa, where Mme. Rustanovltch or her agents would obtain the luggage on the pre sentation of the certificate, raise a great clirtnor on account of the minor box having been rifled, and carry off the red chest lo her castle for the purpose of liberating their onfederate and ap praising the pllferlngs at leisure. Having rendered my prlsonor suffi ciently powerloss, I permitted him to finish his lunch and attacked my own Store of provisions and wine, I then watched my man until pretty woll tired out after which I secured him hand Mid foot and Indulged myself in a long, unstlntod reposo, wuiun lasted throughout toe approaen lng night As we drew near our final destina tion I gagged my prisoner, in addi tion to tightening his bonds, and boxed him up in the rabbi's burial casket Then I managed to get into the red chest myself, though it was a tight squeeze by reason of the pelf that kept me company, to close the lid down over me and make every thing snug. An hour later I was called for at the station, there being the great hullabaloo over the dismantled luggagu that I bad anticipated. After two or three hours' conveyance over rough roads, I felt myself being carried somewhere. Voices, iucluding a soft and melodi ous one, apparently in command, that I bad not forgotten, were murmuring over and around me, as the red chest containing me was again set down. "Come forth, little Garovltch come forth!" called out the musical voice, ac companied by a rap on tbe lid. "Loosen the hasp and come out little Jack-in-the-box! Let us see what pretty new things you may have brought us out of tbe luggage van." Though feeling half smothered, T manged to respond for the missing mannikln thus felicitously addressed by suddenly burling up the top and leaping out among them with a shout revolver in band. Hut the surprise of the criminal crew surrounding me speedily turned to fury and my l.fe would not have been worth a minute's purchase, save for the cipher dispatch that I had taken the precaution to telegraph to the prefect of the Odessa police. He had taken his measures accord ingly, a strong body of gendarmes, with the prefect at their head, having se cretly tracked the removal of tbe red chest to the castle. I had only to fire a shot In the air as a signal to bring tbem rushing to my rescue. After a brief struggle the entire band and their beautiful leader were se cured, the cunning little Garovltch be ing apprehended later on at tbe under taker's, whither he had been conveyed in tbe burial casket All tbe miscreants, including their daring lady chief, presented a defiant front to tbe authorities when brought to trial, but were convicted, without ex ception, and condemned to terms of im prisonment This unlooked-for double success on my part earned me no end of profes sional fame, besides a handsome purse at the hands of tbe railway corporation and the unstinted praise of my official superiors. Hut tbe promised promotion I failed to obtain, though this was altogether owing to certain conscientious soruplos of my own. General Triposki and other bureau crats, who were his superiors, would not be contented unless I should enter the abhorred civil secret service forthwith; and as I could neither consent nor afford to risk their displeasure by my con tinued obduracy, I surreptitiously made my way across the frontior at the first opportunity and have never been in the Czar's dominions slnco. Boys of tbe Empire. Will It Give 1'Ues tu the r.lectrlo Motor in the Neur Future? A New York paper states that on the eve of bis departure for Europe Henry Villard declared that he believed that few more locomotive engines would be built In this country. Ho added that be had recently come in possession of Information which convinced him that electricity could be generated directly by combustion and that it would pro duce more force from the same amount of fuel than steam applied to an engine does. One of bis objects in visiting England and the countries on the con tinent Is to examine the storage bat teries, which have been much more suc cessful there than here. He believes that electricity may revolutionize transporta tion. It already moves passonger cars over short lines of road, and the way to move both passenger and freight trains over long lines has been pointed out by them. Electricity has accomplished more for transportation than steam did in the same length of time. In Maine, which has the most abundant water-power of any State, there is great excitement over employ ing it to generate electricity for moving trains and propeling machinery. It is thought that cars may be moved on most of the railroads in the State by electricity generated by water-power furnished by tbe streams and conduct ed by wires. Most of the roads run near streams that furnish water-power that is not now put to use. It is also thought that this water power can generate electricity that may be employed to run machinery at a distance from falls. Mills built in tbe immediate vicinity of rivers and large streams are always in danger when the volume of water is unusually large, or when great quantities of ice and logs a"e carried down in tbe spring. By using water power to gener ate electricity tbe mills may be built in places that offer greater security. During the past few years electricity has accomplished marvels In producing light and in transmitting intelligence. It has converted vague dreams into splendid realities. But it bas other worlds to conquer. Its mission will not be entirely accomplished till it bas re moved from our railroads tbe ponder ous, noiiy and dirty locomotives and bas rendered tbe stationary engine un necessary for moving machinery La mills and factories. Chicago UeralX HOUSEHOLD BREVITIES. - Damp salt will remove the discolor ation of cups and saucers caused by tea and careless washing. Ginger Snaps. One quart of molas ses, one pound of brown sugar, threo fourths pound of lard and butter mixed, and one teaspoonful of salt two table spoonfuls of ground cinnamon, the same of ginger, flour sufficient to make rather a stiff dough; roll very thin. Boston Budget Cream Cake. Three eggs, one and a half cups sugar, one-half cup butter, ono-half cup milk milk, one teaspoon baking powder, flour to make of usual consistency. For the cream: One cup sugar, one cup milk, one egg, two spoon fuls corn starch, two spoonfuls vanilla. Housekeeper. Cream Omelet Three eggs, slight ly beaten, three tablespoon fuls of milk or cream; salt and pepper to tasto. Heat and butter a pan, and when almost brown pour In the eggs; lift from the center occasianally until tbe whole Is soft and creamy. Brown slightly and serve hot Indianapolis Sentinel Potato Fritters. Two eupfuls mashed potatoes, three eggs, two table spoonfuls flour, a pinch of salt Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and add them the last thing. The bat ter should be qulto stiff, but if too stiff may be thinned with milk. It must be dropped from a spoon into boiling lard, and skimmed out as soon as the cakes are fried to a nice brown. Old Home stead. Marrow Balls for Soup. M x four ounces of marrow, six tablespoon fuls of cracker crumbs, one-half teaspoonful of salt a very little cayenne and the white of one egg; form them into tiny balls and place them on a floured plate in the refrigerator over night; aftor these are cooked in the soup they should be lifted carefully into the soup tureen, as tho slightest pressure will break them in pieces. Boston Herald. Extreme cleanliness is Indispensa ble to good cooking. A good cook can not bo too particular as to the cleanli ness of her kitchen and every thing in it She should keep It. in such a condi tion as never to give hersolf cause to regrot an unexpected visit on the part of ber friends. Every article and every oorner should bo able to stand the closest scrutiny and Inspection. The only way to arrive at this state of per fection is to do It not only decently, but thoroughly well. Household Monthly. Peach lea Put in a vessol a half pound of powdered sugar, with six egg yelks, then mix well with a spatula for ten minutes; add a pint of boiling milk, stir for two minutes longer and pour tbe the who'.e into a copper basin. Place it on the hot stove and beat it thoroughly, stirring it continually, but not lotting It boll Kentovo, lay It on the table and mix In immediately one pint of sweet cream, then leave it to cool for thirty minutes. Have six ripe, fine, sound peaohes, wipe them nicely, cut them In two, remove the stones, then mash into the cream, mixing thoroughly for three minutes. Strain through a fine s eve into a freezer, pressing the peaches through with a wooden spoon, then pro ceed to froeza Boston (Hobo, WORN-OUT MOTHERS. How Many Women Kail and Crow Old Long llefore Their Time. There are a great many people who break down In health and spirits and fall into actual disease when a little good sonso would save thom. As a rule, Amorlcan women are apt to err on the side of unselfishness. They are over consolontious and are apt to under estimate tho value of their own health to their families, or the tax which they are making upon It to contribute to the trivial pleasures of othurs. Justice to herso f is often the last thing the Amorlcan mother considers, although that justlco to herself, in tho matter of maintaining ber own hoalth and montal caliber, is of the utmost importance to ber family. No intelligent mother can underestimate tho Importance of her own presence and work in her house hold, but it is almost a universal rule among even the most intelligent and conscientious to take upon themselves burdons they are unfitted to bear and to neglect in their own persons those precautions and safeguards of health which they so anxiously provide for all others In the family, but wblcb in tbolr own persons are of a greater necessity than in that of any otbor member of the family, not even excepting the bread-winner himself. It is a won der that women with families so woll maintain such health as they have, in view of their per sistent omission of these precautions, and it Is slight wonder Indeed that tbe average of three wives are worn out in an average life of one farmer. A woman of fifty, like a man of fifty, should be In ber prime of Ufa She should take a keen Interest In tbe world around ber and live in tbe present not In the past as too many worn-out women da When ber daughters have arrived at an age when they can take the burden of ber cares off ber should ers, she may yet reign as the queen of ber household, and should have more time for intellectual pursuits than she bas ever bad before. A great many women fall and grow old and reminis cent because they make themselves drudges and perform duties which it would be far better for tbe children to do themselves. From tbe excess of work which so many mothers take upon themselves their appetites become jade, tbelr complexions pallid, their nerves unstrung, and In what should be the prime of life they are old women, unfitted physifvly and mentally for even the ordinary work of tbelr posi tions. N. Y. Tribune. r.terr luiiis. Mm. Tangle Women are more honest than men. You wouldn't bear of ab sconding cashiers If all bank officials were women. Mr. Tangle H'm well women might not succeed as cashiers, but they would certainly be great as tellers. West Shore. It u of Good Material. "I'd like to ask bow you killed this chicken," said the homeless young man to bis landlady. "Why, the girl cut Its head off, of course." "With a batchetr "To be sure; yon seem unaccountably interested." "No, but I would like to know where yon buy your hatchets." Washington Poet Jfo Settlement. "If I have ever used any naklad words to you, Sarah," said Mr. Qenpeck calmly, "I will take them all back." "Yes, indeedr she replied; "I sup pose so yon ean use them all over again. Judge. . . . ROCKY HELIGOLAND. The Little laland Ceiled lo (iermanr bf the ttrttlah tiovernuirut. Heligoland, or tho Holy Island, so called from having been a missionary station in early Middle Age, which Lord Salisbury has agreed, subject to the consent of Purl lament to cede to Germany, Is a littlo mass of rocks thlrty-slx miles from tho mouth of the Elbe snd 100 from Hamburg. Heligo land proper, throwing out of considera tion the sand dunn which extends It at a low tido, but which is cut off from It at high water, Is littlo more than a milo in length, whilo Its greatest breadth Is but 1,84.1 feet Its 2,000 In habitants live on tho summer boarders who resort to It for sea bathing. Though every Inhabitant of the Island is a Brit ish subject they are to all Intents and purposes Frloslunders or Hermans. The only genulno English penpla are the members of tho littlo administra tion that England keeps there, a Gov ernor and a few subordinates. When the summer boarders go away, a great many of the Islanders depart for Ham burg, where they pass tho winter, Ink ing with them the few cows that glean pasturage from the scant grass of the Island, and which aro kept to supply milk for the visiting British babies. Heligoland tamo into England's pos session In 1807, having previously to longed to the Danes, as one of tho lief of the old Duke of Holsteln. England took it by a force, and found it a very convenient place whence to smuggle goods Into countries that Napoleon had terrorized into adherence to his "conti nental policy" of boycotting England. After the general peace England kept Heligoland, It being of somo impor tance while Hanover retained its in dependence, and was regarded as in a measure under England's moral protection. England would not fight for Hanover In lSrtd and Prussia mude short work of it Then conquer ing Prussia, aftor waiting a decorous time, ssked for Heligoland, but England refused to give it up. Slnco then Ger many has Improved In tho art of asking and English statesmon have made cor responding progress In yielding. Stan ley says Uormany knows how to ask, and he probably means that she knows when and whom to ask. At all events, in evening up African pos sessions, Germany and England have come to an agreement about Heligo land, too, and Germany gets it The desire of the Germans to soe Heligo land under the Gorman flag Is very natural. Amorlcans would be restive It a foreign power hold an island within thlrty-slx mllos of New York harbor, or one commanding the mouth of the Mississippi, or threatening any one of our great commercial cities as Heligoland might menace Hamburg, Germany, once soouroly In possession of the rock of Heligoland, It will soon bristle with guns and bo a formidable watcher over the entrance to the Elba Some of the English papers say that now that the process of yielding has bo gun, possibly Lord Salisbury will hood the request of Spain for Gibraltar or of Italy for Malta. Thero Is little danger that he will do so. Independent of the glorious traditions that make the rock of Glbrultar dear to Englishmen, there is another consideration that will govern Lord Salisbury Spain Is not a first-class power; and Italy is not as strong as the nation that has askod for Heligoland and has got it Besides, Gibraltar, Malta and Cyprus command England's short out to the Eatt, and will not be glvon up. Tbe least of them is a thousand times more lmportnnt than the rock In the North Sea. Hot ton Transorlpt MEDIOCRITY IN PAHIS. It II a Lena Chanoe There Than Any where Kite In the World. Paris is the chief receptaule of (he veriest scum of the whole earth. All the vllllani who can no longer remain In tbolr own countries, for thoy would have to pay the penalty of their mis deeds, come here destitute and desper ate, ready for any uproar, hoping for some profit by Ashing In troubled wa ters. With these, less dangorous at the outset, but finally corrupted to any de gree, are tbe discontented provincials; men who, through the want of brains or want of enorgy or want of steadiness, have fallod in all they bave undertaken; who consider themselves persecuted geniuses, only to be appreciated in Par is, where they come with a largo stock of delusions. Any real and striking talent will make its way In Paris, but modiocrlty has loss chance here than elsewhere. The standard is blgb, those who rise above it are quickly noticed and pushed on; those who remain below (of course the vast majority) can not even gfet an opportunity of showing what they might do they are swal lowed up in the vortex of the struggle for life. Consciousness of mediocrity is a rare virtue; people always imagine that they excel in all that they undertake, and asoribe tbolr defeat to any cause but the real one; tbe more so as they have prob ably possessed some superiority over their local surroundings. Hence bitter ness, fury against all who have suc ceeded and who enjoy the fruits of their efforts. Then, the examplo, still more pernldouBly exciting, of the dishonest prosperity attained by so many, the luxury of swindlers, great gains by bad means. Tbe last restraints of borne principles early education, perhaps tbe religious teaching of childhood are broken through one by one, and we find men, not bad men originally, but now frenzied with the desire of holding a prominent position and enjoying the good things of this world. These are tbe men who become the gilded Gen erals of tbe Commune, wearing smart uniforms and imagining themselves heroes; who eat drink and are merry) living in palaces and dreaming they are Princes, till when suddenly awakened to the stern reality, they turn into wild beasts, with tbe one surviving Instinct of general destruction, that others may not bave what they bave not Murray's Magazine. Tbe diameter of trees varies not only from summer to winter, but from day today. They are larger from noon until twilight next morning than from twilight to noon; they are smaller in winter than in summer. Water and the sap -.' trees expsnd not only in propor tion as they rise above, but alto as they go below the freezing point Low tem perature as well as high promotes evsp oration, and the trees evaporate from tbelr branches in winter, and so the colder the weather the more they shrink. A bolt of lightning In a Kansas town recently struck a bouse and set it on fire, and at the same time touched off the fire alms, CHILDS SNAKE FARM. X A Speculator Who lluye Hauler by the Tuund and Fattens Them. J. E. Chillis has a monopoly of snake cultivation and the production of rattlo snake oil In Arkansas, In which State Is located what Is well known through that country as tho t'hllds' Snake Farm. This peculiar and unenvled enterprise is situated in the suburbs of this little village, In tho northeastern part of the State, where snakes, especially rattlors, aro found In abundance. Tho writer met by accident Mr. Chllds, who willingly gave his snake hunting experience In the swsuips of Northern Arkansas. Tho manner In which the rattlesnakes are caught and handled is enough to make cold chills run over persons who aro timid. Twenty-five cents to one dot lar per pound for rattlesnakes, however makes it an inducement for the natives, who live near a good markot to bunt and catch rattlers for livelihood, and here is how they do it: Two men in their soarch for profit in tho Bnake industry go together. One of them carries a long forked pole, or cane, and when a snako Is found this pole is used to hold the reptile to the ground, which is done by pressing the pole down upon the snake just back of the head. The other snake hunter carrlos a strong cord, which Is looped over the head of the poisonous prey and Is then used for carrying the reptile to market (which, however, isdono without injury to the snake). Other hunters use the polo in the way described, but Instead of bringing tbelr captives to market by means of tho string they use a box which bas a sliding lid, and which can be operated with ease and out of reach of tho cooped-up rattler. When tho snako catchers arrive at the resldenco of Mr. Chllds, the lattor, in a careless-like manner, takes the matter In hand, and It a box of rattlers, for instance, is brought to him, be removes the ltd of the box and takes tho snake (wild from the woods) out just as one would reach in for and take hold of a rabbit Tho rattler, as soon as tbe top of his cage Is taken off, sets up a con tinuous rattlo and blssos fearfully. Mr, Chllds, however, pays no attention to this little racket but simply takes the snake to his farm, weighs It pays the catcher, and Is then ready for a repeti tion of the act A good big rattlesnake will weigh from six to ten pounds, and It fat will bo worth nearly or quite as many dollars. The size of the snake farm Is about half an acre, with a tightly closed pen in its center, which is the abiding plaoo t the snako. Here the ugly reptiles are kept and fattened, and whon they are ready to be put under process for the production of oil, the reptiles' heads are neatly chopped off, and by means ol a string are tied, head upward, to tho sldo of tho pen whore tbe sun is bright est The heat of the sun, it appears, causes the oil of the snakes to drip out, and it is caught in a receptacle and laid asld aside to be subsequently sold at from 11.60 to $'J an ounce or from $20 to $32 a pint Mr. Chllds Is said to be the only genuine produoor of rattlesnake oil in this country. Whon quite young be horded In Dakota, and here It was that bo formed thefrlendsblpot rattlosnakes a friendship which, bo states, bas grown, until now he will pick up a rattler wild from his dun with as little fright as he gathers the Innocent rabbits and toads which be constantly feeds to his oaptlves. Whilo tbe writor was viewing (with a feeling of reluotanoo) the snakery, Mr. Chllds was asked It a certain snake could swallow the young rabbit which was neurit whereupon the affable man ager of the snako farm induced tbe snake to try the capacity of its throat, which it did to the rabblt'a misfortune, the rattler putting itself on the outside of bunny with apparent ease. Mr. Child's favorite time forcapturlng snakos Is In tho fall of the year. He managos to find some small oroek which flows out of tho highlands. Here he watches for and follows up the first rat tler that loaves the lowlands for winter quarters In the highlands. In this man ner the den Is easily found. A box trap is then set in the den capable of holding fifty large snakos. A snake trap is about four foot square. In one end of the box is a bole largo enough It admltone large rattlesnake. This opening is covered with a block hung on a leather binge on the outside of the box. Then the box is burled at the mouth of the don, and in due time the snakos enter and are en trapped and ready to be handled for tbe production of olL Tbe skin of a good-sized rattlesnake will bring in tbe markot from $'J to St owing, of course, to how well it has been preserved. A don contains all the way from ton to fifty rattlers, and often more. Uarrlsburg (Ark.) Letter. SCOTCH CAKE LORE. aperatltlone Wlihjh Make the House wife's Unties I'ortentoua. Cakes in Scotland, we are told, must always be laid on the trencher right side uppermost; to serve them tbe other way was formerly deemed nothing less than an Insult Tbe origin of this curl ous notion appears to be tbe tradition. that only to the traitor who gave Wal ' lace up to the English, and to bis de scendants were cakes served up In this manner. Hence the proverb: "Turn I tbe bannock with a fause Mentelth." Before the new year a grand baking took place In Scotch households and tbe gude-wlvos with their bonnle lassos were busy concocting "soor oskes," ) "cream cakes," "facet cakes," "soft cakes," and "bannock." Besides these, a cake was bakod for each member of the family, and from its behavior during the cooking process omens were drawn. If tbe cake broke, the person for whom it wss intended would die during the ensuing year; if only a small piece broke off, he would bave an illness. 1 An nnwrltten law forbade the count ing of cakes, a Isw that must bave singularly favored the depredations ot lawless and hungry bairns. Anyhow, There was nae thrift in coontlt cakes, as tbe Ulrica ate toe nan o men. Happy children, with fairies for scape goats. A baby beginning bis dentition troubles was immediately treated to a teething bannock, which was supposed , to act as a charm and to relieve tbe ' pain. Tbe bannock was made in per- feet silence and given to tbe child to 1 play with; when broken the neighbors who bad assisted at the ceremony car ried each a small portion away with ; tbem, and a bit was put in the baby's mouth, which oomnlwtwd the charm. -Coma S solitary railroad is eighty one miles long, and cost $',00O a mils ; It uses American locomotives. " THE ARIZONA KICKER. lis Editor Continues to Do Baslnae at the Old Stand. We extract the following Item from the last Issue of the Arizona Kicker: A SnirHiMKD Max, Last week wt had a friendly criticism on Jim Taylor, who keeps the whisky ranch at the other end ot tho bridge. We stated that his den was probably the nearest imita tion of Hades to be found on earth, and that the people of this section were sot doing their duty In allowing Jim to con sume so much oxygen and hydrogen. It was Intended as a pleasant little cau tion to Jim to set his shanty on fire and go hence, but be didn't take it that way. On Wednesday of this week be came over to take our scalp. He didn't drop hint as to his Intentions, but when we oaught sight ot him a block off we knew by the jerk of his eyobrows that be meant us. If Mr. Taylor expects to make a suc cess in life he must carefully observe two or three things. Don t pull your gun too quick. Don't shoot before you get ready. Don't yell when you shoot, as it only rattles your own nerve. He openod on us at a distance ot 200 feet which was 180 foot too much. He wis In too great a hurry to take aim, and bis bullets wore wasted. His yells took away his breath. When he had fired six bullets at us we closed In, put him on bis back, and made htm holler In about sixty seconds. The look of sur prise and astonishment on his face as be found himself licked was a laugha ble sight Tbe boys put him la an empty barrel and rolled him around un til he was thoroughly weary, and yester day he was chased out ot his dive sad departed for the mountains. It Didx't Fait, Last Saturday the Granite Hill Savings Bank, of this town, failed to open its doors, and a notice was posted up to the effect that It would open In about a week and pay at least fifty cents on the dollar. The boys got together about ten o'clock snd Mr. Dug gan, the presldont was invited to ex plain matters. He said be hadn't time just then, but after a rope had been passed ovor his neck be explained that the failure had been caused by over- confidence in silver mine investments. Tbe boys doubted this, and Mr. Duggan was taken to the bank and compelled to show his books and his cash. After figuring for about two hours a com mlttoe found that there was money enough to pay evory depositor $L47 on tbe dollar, and it was accordingly passed out and the bank wound up In ship shape fashion. It was no failure, but simply going out of business. Mr. Dug gan had calculated on a little sooop, but tbe boys got ahead ot him. He left town on foot oarrylng a spare paper collar in his hind pocket, and he will probably look for some hay-seed town in whloh to begin life anew. We have a failure here In trade now and then, but we permit no bank to fall unless ail de positors are first paid in full For Otiucr Fields Ex-Judge Jim Harrison, who has been a familiar figure on our streets for the last year, and who was supposed to be a retired flour merchant from Minnesota, out here to cure his asthma, is with us no mora. Be departod yesterday in charge of a de tective, and will bring up at Jollot as the end of his journey. Judgo Jim objected to theoourseof the Klckor. He didn't like us ons bit, and when he s tw us walking to the front he foil it a personal hit at himself. He threw out his hints that we were trying to run the town, but that ha would make us chew cactus before ha was done with us. One day two weeks ago ha trlod to foroe us into a personal quarrel, and we learnod afterwards that he bad a Derrlngor In his pant's pocket snd snapped at us, but it failed to go off. liolleving that we could run the town bolter than the udge, we began hunt lng up his pedigree, and in the course of a week discovered that he was an "escaped gentleman" from State prison. He went away saying that he owod us one, but as he hss seven years yet to sorve we shan't begin to worry for some time yet Still IlABPiifa Our jeslons-mlndel contemporary is still giving himself away in every issue of his poor old senile sheet and such subscribers as ha has, take It for the sole objoot of seeing what be says about us. The hslr that broke tbe camel's baok was our private grave yard. When we went to an expense of $00 to remove the seven bodies to a nice little plat of ground, and to identify each grave with a nice head board, bis gall bursted. He had no private grave yard. He went out to shoot somebody, but was knocked into the sand and his gun confiscated. He hasn't the nerve to even throw mud at an Indian. Poor old manl Poor old contempor ary! Your sun went down kerchunk when the Kicker was established, and you bave boon crawling in the moon light ever since. Blow away if It does your soul good. It doesn't hurt us any, and but for this escape valve yon might take rat poison or roll Into the river. Detroit Free Press. A lomoieto Uire-Awar. Census Taker (to an old maid) Whea were you born, Miss? Old Maid--I was born about tha time that Lincoln was assassinated. Census Taker (a little later, to tha mother) In what battle did you say your busband was wounded? Mother At Vlcksburg, I think. Old Maid Why, no, mother, It wasn't It was In the Mexican war. I remem ber It as well as oan be. West Shore. Some One ta Blame. Ton say you want a silent partner?" "Yes." "Can't yon attend to the businsss alone?" "Yes, but when any complaint arise from customers I want some ona who Isn't near to lay the blame on. "Chicago Times. Almost a Hint. Gentleman Visitor It seems to ma that I have forgotten something. Lady Yes, yon have forgottea to ga Home. Tev m Inteaeeiy fair one. Johnson Hello, Grizzly, how are you? Grizzly I was out with the boya last night and I'm national colors this morn ing. Johnson National colors? Grizzly Yea. My eyes are red. my face is white and I feel blue. West Shore). . Snolther "Speaking of tefr-aphy " Miss Tremont "Oh, Mr. Bmlthers, bow can you pronounce the word in that manner?" Smithers "Why, it's in the dictionary." Miss Tremont "Yes, but It's so unrefined. If you must accent the second syllable, why not say tel-ett-raphy?" Ajserlsfc - . , . .
