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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (June 25, 1892)
EUGENE CITY GUARD. f, lb, CAMPBELL rreprleter. EUOENE CITY. OREGON. FOOLISH 6EA GULLS. They Are Estlly Deceived d ihol by th Loulalane Boy. With the breaking up of a hard win ter the gull pocks up Ills thing and leaves for a more frigid clime. lie can not it an J the balmy breezes and warm sunshine - His system craves blizzards and cold drizzling rain, and his yearn ing in this direction is so strong that even the tempting dainties on the gar bage scow do not tempt hlin to stay. It is a common sight every afternoon during the winter to sue hundreds of the graceful birds flying and screaming along In the wake of the deeply laden cow. Now the scow moves on alone to the dumping ground on the other side of the bay. With the return of cold weather the gull comes bock to another season of wet and garbage. At present the Tacoma gull Is sojourning in the region of the straits, whore cold winds blow. Should the weather grow too warm It moves on further north and waits for a drop in the tempera ture before venturing bock. The gull may be a good Judge of cliills and fevor weather, but as a math ematician it Is a monumental failure. There may bo four or Dve hundred ob jects bunched or in sight of each other, but the gull can only count one. If there are twenty gulls flying In a flock each bird thinks he Is the only one there, according to the gull mothod of calculation. An old sea captain who has made a study of deep water birds and their habits Is authority for the statcmont that the gull's knowledge of arlthmotlo Is limited to one solitary figure. "When I was a youngster," sold the captain, "I lived on the Atlantic coast, whore gulls are more numerous than here. They gathered ou the beach by the thousand, where we used to shoot them for sport In order to got within gunshot we would build a blind or am busli. Eight or ten boys would arm themselves with double barreled guns and march along in plain vlow of the birds, which would settle at a distance to watch our movements. "Before going into the blind we would scatter a quantity of feed within gunshot of the ambush and. then wait for the victims. Then when the beach was thickly dottod with them we would give a broadside, each gunner letting go both barrels. Thosiirvivors (lew oil a short distance, but as soon as one of our number luid gone out, gathered up the dead and moved oil In tho opposite direction from the blind tho other gulls returned. They had seen the whole crowd of gunners enter the blind, but It was only one man to them. He was seen to leave the placo and carefully counted by the gulls, who were thon satisfied that all danger was passed, "Then we would give them another round, after which one more gunner would leuve, and so on until the am bush was vncuted. It was a mean ad vantage to take of an uneducated bird, but then wo had to have some excite ment" Now Orleans Times-Democrat Ignorant of th EngUah. The Ignorance of the English Is per hnps more versatile than among any other civilized and enlightened nation on the eortli. Not one man In ten can tell you how many counties there are In England, not one hi fifty the popu lation of Manchester, not one In a thousand the names of the monarch of England. These people actually know nothing about their own country nothing about tho city In which they live. The sentry stationed In front of Marlborough house will tell you, per haps, that 'Is royal 'Ighnem lives there, but he doesn't know the name of the house. A policeman who for twelve years had walked the beat In which the great banking house of the Darings Is lo cated was unable to direct me to that fa mous institution said he had nvor heard the name before I Distance is reck oned wholly by time. It is four hours to Llvenool, seventy minutes to Harwich, twenty minutes to South Kensington, etc Talk to an Englishman about miles and he simply gapes at you In idlotlo wonderment Eugene Field's Letter In Chicago News. Several CreXaome Inventluna. With a view of robbing the grave of its terrors somebody has patented a lining to conceal the mother eartli. Tills lining consists of evergreen at tached to cloth or matting. After the coilln Is lowered the decoration can be pulled out and used again until the evergreen wears out or turns brown. The Inventor propose to bring the Boenio effects within the reach of poorer people by having an Imitation of ever green painted on canvas for cheaper use. Another of these funeral minded In ventors has patented what lie colls a "cab for pall bearers. " The vehicle has sldo doors and will hold eight per sons, two of whom, however, must ride backward. The design seem to be to save the expense of an- extra carriage, at the same time encouraging sociabil ity on the part of those performing the lust sad offices. And, as if tlus was not enough, an other Inventor has obtained letters on what he colls "a funeral carriage." He carries the ooflln and the bearers, and If there are not too many mourners he accommodates the whole procession with one vehicle. The funeral car riage is built like an omnibus, with a eoinpartinent on top for the coffin. The inventor provides skids, an endless chain and a pulley for running the coffin up into the place Intended for It over the heads of the bearers. Cor. Bt Louis Globe-Democrat A Pir far th Slaws. Devil' l-nke, X. ()., In soon to have a paper which will I unliiie. If not anceem ful It will I known aa The I .in Sappa WocrklyrTayaiipal. It will he printed In the Sioux languatrr. and it editor will or an Indian mimioiutrr known a Father Irrome, TTlr avenue urwtlior will bats ouNiilrralile lifflculiy In mastering the Mune of lbs Dew Sioux oewapaper. THE POET'S APOLOGY. So, (bt Mum bu too swT, Doe not taunt ma much today. Everything1 the bad to aar Ilia been laid? Twaa aut much at an? tltna All thai heooiil.1 bitch in rbvme Never wn the Mum ubllma Who hat fledl Any on who take her In Mar obaerv ah' rather tlilni Utile more than boue and ikia b the Mum; . Scanty aaortfloe ibe won When ner very boat ahe'd done. And at her thej poked their tun In reTlewa "Rhyme." In truth, "are aUibborn things," And to rhyme aba clung, and clinic, But whatever song she slna Hcarcely sella If her tone be grave they say "(lite ua something rather gay," If abe'a aklttlih then they pray "Something elaol" Bo ahe'i cut the whole concern. Lute and lyre, and torch and urn, Tbougbu that breathe, and words that burn, Joy or woe. For Paruaanua la too steep; And the only Muae I keep, And that keep me, write a heap, But It'a prow. Andrew Lang in Murray's Magazine. THE WATCHMAN'S BOY. Jcp's father was night watchman ut No. 2 breaker, and In tho screen room of the same breaker Jcp himself was employed as a slate picker. Dut the breaker had been Idle for three weeks on account of tho urike, and Jep had had no work. Ilo one knew when the strike would end. Med dlesome and hot headed persons were stirring up strifo between employer and employees, ond every one feared trou ble. At such a timo the post of night watchman was one of danger os well as of responsibility. Hut Jep's father neither feared the ono nor shirked the other. Yet this August evening, as he stood In the doorway of his cottago, dinner pail In hand, ready to start for the scene of his nightly task, there were murmurs on his lips. They were not brought there by four, but by a senso of the long night of loneliness that lay before hlin. Jep roso quickly from his seat on the doorstep. "Let me go with you, father," he sold. "I'd like to go." The man looked down on him in as tonishment "Why, lad I" he exclaimed, "w'at be ye thinkin' off W'at'd ye be doin' wi' yourse'f a' night r "Doin' w'at you do, father, " replied Jop, stoutly. jep's father stood for a moment in thought It was evident that tho prop osition did not strike him unpleasantly. "Well," he said at last, "I like the sound o' it. Hero, mothorl" ho shouted, turning In the doorwny. "Put a bit dinner in ma pail for Jcp. Ho goes wP me the night." Jep's mother hurried to tho door In astonishment "What's that?" sho exclaimed; "Jep goes wi' you?" "Aye I Jep goes wP nie." "Well, who ever heard the likef" "I want to go, mothor," said Jep; "1" "Comol come I" Interrupted the mnn good naturedly ; "tlm's no timo to lose. I'll see that no harm comes till 'm." 80 it enme about that Jep went that night with his father. It was a good half mile to the breaker, and It was quite dark when they reached their destination. When the dinner pail was hung up and the lantern lighted they made the tour of the breaker, man nnd boy to gether. This took a long time, for the building was a very large one mid had many wings. Outside it had begun to rein and it was very dark, so dark that the outline of the massive structure could not be distinguished against tho blackness of the sky. When they were seated hi the engine room Jep said : "It's a bud night to watch, ain't it father?" "Why?" asked his father. "Well, It's so dark an' rainy, you know." "An wa't hits that to do wl' It?" "Oh, It's a good ulght to hide," re ptlod Jep, looking anxiously off Into the dork corners of tho engine room. "A man might Jump out from some where an' you nover see htm till ho was onto you." "So he might any night on' there was any object In It" "Woll you know they've threatened to bum the breaker, on' they" "Ah, now I Don't bo seariu' yourself, an' don't be talkln' trash. Nobody'll Ore the breaker, I warrant ye, an' no body'll be bothorln' us wl' this iu ma pocket" and ho placed his hand sig nificantly on the butt of his largo re volver. From somewhere In the great build lng came a dull noise as of Kunding. followed by a slight rattle, and then ail was still "What was thatl" asked Jep In a whisper. "Oil, no mon knows what the noises be. I hear 'em every night No harm comes o' 'em." He picked up his lantern neverthe less, and they went up into the screen room and looked alKiut but finding nothing out of place they soon came back again. Later on Jep grew sleepy. "Lay dowu on the bench an' s'ut your eyes an' go to sleep like a man," said Jep's father, "an' don't be noddin' your head off." Within five minutes from the time Jep laid his head on the rudo pillow he was fast asleep. An hour later he was awnkened by a noise. It sounded as If men were scuf fling Just outside the donr and as If some one was trying to shout Jep raised himself to his elbow and looked across the room. The lantern was still standing on the engineer's stool, but his father was nowhere In sight He was Just about to get down from the bench when the outer door of the engine room was opened and two men entered. They were strangers to Jep and they looked, rough and desperate. "He'll keep a still tongue In his hood for awhile," said one of them, 1 "Did ye kill him, Jerry f" asked the other. "If 1 didn't he'D not wake soon. Give me the lantern and we'll go fix the pump man." Ho seized the lantern and started out of the door. But his companion did not follow lilm. "Come on!" he continued, turning back; "are yegoin'r" "No!" replied the other, "I'm not He knows mo. I'd be a fool to show myself to him." "Stay where ye are then. I'll settle him alono," and the man and the lan tern vanished Into the darkness and storm. Jep saw and heard it alL He knew from their words that the ruffian hud assaulted his father and left him un conscious, perhaps dead, and that the pumpman was about to bo similarly treated. If they should discover Wm there was no doubt but that he would share the fate of the other two. Suddenly It occurred to him that if ho was to escape now was tho oppor tunity, whilo the room was in darkness, before the man should return with the lantern, before the breaker should be set on fire, an act which these men doubtless hod In contemplation. Slipping from tho bench ho felt his way carefully to the machinery of the engine, climbed cautiously over the big shaft and keeping his hand on tho bed pluto crawled along besido it till he reached tho starting bar. Ho know that straight ahead of this and up two steps was the door that led to the screen room. 80 far the sound of his progress had been hushed by tho noiso of tho beat ing storm outside. If now ho could reach the screen room unheard he would bo safo. The man in the door way was not twenty feet away. The outline of his figure was dimly discerni ble In the darkness. ' Jep rose to his feet, held his hands out before him and moved cautiously forward. The next moment ho cuino in contact with the stool on which the lantern had stood, tipped it over, stum bled over it and fell heavily to the floor. The man In the doorway started, turned and looked buck Into the room, but In the darkness ho could see noth ing. "Hello!" ho shouted, "who's there?" For answer Jep scrambled to his feet and groped his way, regardless of noise, to tho steps. But the mnn did not attempt to fol low him. Ho turned Instead to the open door and culled to his companion : "Jerry I hello. Jerry 1 Come buck here wP the lantern, quick!" But Jep, having reached the steps, climbed up to them, opened tho door and the next moment was ascending the longer (light of steps that led to the screen room. Down in tho engine room ho heard tho two men moving about, apparently in the search for him. Ho knew that they would follow him, and he felt that In some way ho must make his escupo from them. Without considering where tho course would lead to, he dropped to his knees, nnd with one hand on tho Iron sheathed shute ho begun climbing alongside of it up the long slope of the screen room. The two men having finished their hasty tour of tho engine room were al ready on the first steps of tho Might which the boy had Just ascended. Jep heard them and know that he must make haste. Coming to tho lower screen ho felt his way along under it till ho reached tho outsido wall of the breaker; then, rising again to his feet and placing his hand against tho wall, he walked up tho narrow clcuted pas sage that led to the dump room at the head Just as the lantern, in tho hands of his pursuers, flashed its light across tho dust laden timbers of the screen room. "Whoover It was ho must V come tills way," sold the leader. "Yo're sure ye didn't iinugiue It Jack?" questioned the other. "There!" ho exclaimed, suddenly stopping, "did yo hear that?" It was a noiso like tho sound of a slamming door, coming from some where above them In tho breaker. Both men hurried across the shutes to tho passage through which Jep had Just disappeared and began to ascend It Tho noiso they hud heard was indeed that of a slamming door, the hnndlo of which had Inadvertently slipped from Jep's grasp as he closed it behind him on his way to the head of tho breaker. A new scheme of escu)o hud como into his mind. It was simply to cross the mouth of the shaft and pass out by the ear tracks to the firstling and thence to tho hills, whence came tho mine cars with their loads. With this end In view he crawled up by the dump shute burs to the weigh platform, and thence to tho carriage way of tho shaft. It was easy enough now to follow the rails of the mine cur truck. But it was well for him to be sure that the horizontal gates were cov ering the mouth of the shaft; other wise ho might go stumbling Into the pit and plunge down 100 feet to tho bot tom of the mine. 80 he felt his way very eauiiously, and finding the gate In place stepped on it with a light foot, realizing that nothing save these hard wood sluts lay between him and Instant dentil. Once ncruss the opening ho moved on more rapidly through the head house and out on to the trestling. He was In the open air now, with the storm Inviting on him; under his feet a network of timbers a hundred feet in height; off to the left a faint glow In the sky rctlccting the lights of tho town; everywhere else complete, Im penetrable darkness. He knew there was a handrail running along by the side of the track for the safety of men and mules. He felt for it, grasped It and touching it as he went he made still greater haste. Ho almost ran. Suddenly he stopped, with a new fear striking In upon his heart He re membered that the company had taken advantage of the cessation of work at the mines to build a new trestle here at the breaker. He knew that it was not yet completed, and that over the new port there was only a line of narrow plonks laid on the bents for men to walk on. He thought be must be near that portion now. Indeed, the next step might bring hlin to the end of the platform; another might plunge bun I Into the depths. He pushed Ids foot cautiously for ward; It needed but a space of throe I feet to verify this fear. From that point on there was only the narrow path of plank above the dizzy height, a path which none but builders and sail ors would have dared to venture on In tho broud light of day. But Jen had no timo to hesitate. His pursuers were even 1 now crossing on tho gate that covered the mouth of I the shaft. They had marked his pro ' gross and were hot upon his track. The limit of their lantern Hashed out and revealed him to their eyes. "There ho Is!" cried tho foremost "D'ye mind 'lm? A bit of a brut not worth chasln', but I'll have 'lm now If It takes the life o me!" "It's a pretty run ho's give us any way," panted tho other. "Catch 'im, Jerry; give it to im Drop 'Im over the trestle!" The man with tho lantern sprang forward, while Jep, desiiemte with fear, dropped to his knees und crawled out upon the narrow plank, grasping the ' edges of It firmly as he went, lighted t fllintv tnr a inntnpTir nn Ids nerilous way by the lantern's ruys, tho footsteps of the foremost rulfiaii sounding at his heels in quick pursuit But It wiw only for a moment. Then, behind him, there was a cry of horror, under him something crushing heavily down among the forest of timbers, around him impenetrable darkness agaia In the eagerness of swift pur suit tho man had failed to see that his path was at an end ; ho had rushed off into space and had gone plunging through the open trestle to his death. But Jep did not know what had hap pened. Tho cry only sent wilder fear Into his heart and nerved him to greater effort. Finally he camo to tho end of the plunk walk. Before him his hands touched nothing. Ho almost lost Ins balance, and recoiled in sudden terror from the edje of this black abyss. But he Imagined that tho men were still fol lowing him. Ho thought ho heard them crawling on the plank almost at his heels. In his wild dread of them anything was better than capture. Ho turned quickly in his trucks and let himself down ut the edgo of the plunk, swinging by his hands. How far below him the solid earth was he did not know; ho hardly stopped to think. Tho fear of those whom ho believed to bo abovo him led him into despcruto chances. Ho dropped. But less than six feet below him lay the solid earth, and ho was not harmed. Tho shock of sur priso weakened him, though, and for a ininuto ho lay quito still. Somewhere above hi 111 he heard an angry voice ond the noiso of heavy footsteps, and still fearful ho rose to his feet and began to grope his way down tho hill along tho base timbers of tho trestling. Soon ho saw a light coming up tow ard him. It was carried by the pump man, who had heard Jerry's cry of distress and had como out to investi gate. "Why, Jep," he cried, as the rays from his lantern flashed Into the boy's white face, "what oils ye, Jep? on' where's the father?" In a few words Jep told his story, and then they both hurried bock to the breaker. Just outsido the door of tho engine room they found Jep's fa ther, bound and gagged, and cruelly, though not fatally beaten, and they helMd him insido out of tho storm, re stored him to consciousness, and then Jep, taking the pumpman's lantern, went to tho nearest cottago for help. Afterward they found tho fallen ruf fian lying across tho sill of a trestb, bent quite dead. His companion, afraid to go forward and unable to return through the dark wilderness of tho breaker, was captured, tried, convicted of participating in tho assault and sent to prison. II oiuor Greene in New York World A New te fur the Telephone. Sir Humphrey do Trafford, of Man chester, England, is the llrst person to apply the telephone to the dog busi ness. Sir Humphrey has ono of the ' finest kennels in England, and when his kennelman wishes to quiet the oc cupant of a certain apartment ho goes to tho telephone in his own room and reads the riot act to that particular dog, for in every kennel is a telephonic device which enables him to make his voice heard by the troublesome canine. Exchange. Powerful llliidnlght. Litewaite I can't account for Brln- die's 111 success in his business ventures, j He has such brilliant Ideas, so logical and sensible can tell you just why ho failed lleavywuito Oh, yes. He's like most billiard players chalks his cue after he misses a shot Exchange. flaaalral Information. Professor Who was Atlas? Student He was a highwayman. Professor (sarcastically) Indeed I Student Doesn't Shakespeare say, "All the world's a stage?" Professor Yes. Student-Well, Atlus held It up. New York Sua lie Ought to Know. Visitor What a sweet aroma comes from the kitchen, so suggestive of 1 of ! "Indigestion," supplied Jones. "My wife Iscook this wxk " - Yankee Blade. She lie Stopped Shop Talk at Table, j Watchmaker (during dinner In a ew York boarding house) No, sir; there is nothing tougher than the spring steel used hi watches. Landlady (innocent ly) Mr. Uhrra acher, won't you try somo of the spring Iambi Jewelers' Weekly. Thai Uir Cut. Wife (to husband) Take Johnnie to the barber's. He wants his hair cut ter ribly bad. Husband Come along. Johnnie; my barber'U give you a terribly bad hair cot Epoch. J THE MAN WITH A P'-AM The Other Paenger Dltrntl Him, but HI Schema Worked. There were five of as In the stage, and a sixth man bud a seat with the driver. There was a second lieutenant of cav alry, a civil engineer, and the rest of aa were only common folks who bad been out in the hills prospecting and were re turning broken In homes and "busted" in pocket. The engineer was a little man of feminine ap)carunce, and we hadn't been together an hour when be confessed that the bare thoughts of the stage being held up made him tremble all over. The officer was a quiet sort of chap, who seemed to have plenty of nerve, and though nono of us hud much to lose, we by und by agreed that in cose the stago was stopped we would muko a fight for it All were new to a hold up. but wo decided that if we had any show at ull we could muke it hot for the roud agents. The little man ut first agreed with our plun us formed, but Inter on ho broached one of his own. The driver told us that the point most likely to be selected by tho highwaymen would be at a rough spot in the road. Just before it reached a certain hill, and we were ubout five miles from the sisit, and darkness had fully descended when the little man unfolded his plun. When within a mile of the spot ho was to get out and follow the stago on foot. In case it was stopjiod be wonld be in position to sight the robbers and open fire ut once. We jumped on him at once for a flunk It was simply a scheme on his part to bolt and save his dollars in case the agents appeared, and eueli one guve him his opinion of such conduct in very vigorous English. In his soft, gentle way he replied: "Uentlenien, yon do me injustice. Pleuse suspend judgment until you see how my plan works. I do assure you that I firmly expect to kill a robber and savo the stage." We were too disgusted to argue with him, and when he finally got out in ac cordance with his plan, the unny ofli-er was fain to muke a kick at him. We couldn't tell whether he hud bolted buck down the roud or wns following on, but we got all reudy for a hold up. Every one of us hud a revolver in hand, and every one wus on the wutch, und yet it cume ubout before we knew it The horses were still at a walk when a mnn appeared ut either door of the stago anr covered us. At the same moment a third stopped the leaders und covered the driver und passenger with a shotgnn. It wus sim ply u dead cinch on us, und we were not over ten seconds realizing it. We hud just got the order to huud up our guns and step out when there was a pop! pop! pop! from outside. The brigand at the right hand window cried out and fell; the one at the left hand window disap penred without a sound. There were three shots more from tho front of the stago, und half a minute later, und bo fore any of us had moved, we heard the littlo man saying: "Gentlemen, it's all over, and you can come out." What had happened? Thore was a dead man on one side of the coach and a seriously wounded man on the other, and the third brigand hud been driven awuy, probably hit by at least one bul let. All this hud been done by the little man und his littlo gun, according to his plun, nnd what made it the worse for us lie didn't unneur to have done anvthinir to feel proud over. We tried to square ourselves with hiin, but it couldn't be done. While he seemed to forgive us, we realized what his real private opinion uf five such chumps must be, and we got awuy from him at the first stop. New York World. ROYAL MATCHMAKERS. Remnrkulile I.nrk nf the Children of Denmark' King anil Jueen. Christlnu IX and Queen Ixjuise of Deo mark are nut important sovereigns In themselves, but of extraordinary interest on account of their children. No other parent in modern times Imve succeeded in arrnng'ug so many brilliant marriages, und It would seem that the comparative weak lies of tho kingdom has had much to do with making their sons und daughters eligible for royal alliances. Prince Frederick, their heir apparent, married Princess Louise, daughter of Charles XV 61 Sweden und Nor way. Princess Alexandra, their oldest daughter, is the wife of the Prince of Wales, probable wife of one king nnd mother uf an other. Prince Wil helm, their third child, is now king of Greece under -7. the title of tJeor- "" iriosl. hvavoteof the tireek DHtional CllltlSTUS IX. assembly of March at, 1803, and his wife. Queen Olga, Is Grand Duchess of Russia. Princess Maria Dagmar, fourth child of King Christian, is empress (czarina) of Russia, The next daughter is Duchess ol Cumberland in England, and the young est child is as yet only Prince Waldeniar. Thus in the next generation the two most powerful monnrchs In the Old World will lie grandsons of Christian IX, and the king of Greece may become very Impor tant. And yet King Christian himself was but the fourth son of the Duke of Schlea-wig-HuIsti'in-Sonderburg-Glucksburg, and came to the throne by a series of extraor dinary changes nnd revolutions among the Scandinavian kingdoms. Some Abaurd Salaries. Just prior to the lost illness of the Duke of Clarence, which resulted in his death, Henry tabuuehere, commenting in his paper, Ixindon Truth, on the approaching nuptials of the heir presumptive, took oc casion to cull attention to the cast of Eng lish royalty, and the figure he gives, which must be considered accurate, foot up the enormous total of tVOOO.000 a year. The most absurd salary paid, perhaps, is that of W.'iiiO per year to the individual known aa the master of the buckhounda. Scarcely les ridiculous, however, is the t&AOO a year each to the lord chamberlain and the lord steward. The Prince of Wales has for himself f.V0.0U0 a year, be aides a liberal allowance for hi wife and Children. A remarkable Record. Railroad reports sometime contain facta of interest to others than statisticians and financier. A recently published document of this nature has to eo with the Pennsyl vania division of the telaware and Hud son Canal company's railway system. Id the twenty years that part of the road has been in oratioo not a single passenger has been killed. On the contrary, its pas senger traffic has increased the population of the country, there having been four children born on trains over the division, two of them twins. The four art living, and one is in th employ of the company. WW CAME TO THE FHOXT. TWO MEN MADE PROMINENT BY TH CHILIAN CONTROVERSY. The neeord of "HghMni Bob" Evan a Naval Ofllrer-HI Uallantry aod De rotlon to the Service-Career of Min uter Egao. The late complication with Chill made two American, ulready conspicuous, very prominent viz.. Minister Patrick Kuan end Commander Kohley 1). Evan. Motb have had rather romantic career V ben the delegate representing the then new territory of Utah made his llrst apMnt nieut to the United States Naval academy, the event was Important and the young cadet was Kobley I). Evans. He left the academy in 1800 with the title of acting midshipman and entered at once upon a tlveduty - He gained an enviable reputation during the civil war, anil Is known among naval officer aa "Fighting Hob." He Is passion ately devoted to his profession, and has re peatedly refused most tempting offem to leave the service and take position as chief engineer of various enterprise, a place for which he la eminently well qualified. A company of capitalists once requested bim to name bia terms for an engagement which might contiuue fifteen years, as i.-.. KOtll.KT D. ICVASS. tbey designed a great work. In a spirit of levity the naval hero replied, "Fifteen thousand dollais a year and a bonus of tmsi.iKDi when the work I done." To his astonishment and emlmrraHsment the di rectors promptly accepted, anil be was obliged to explain that he had placed the figures alisunlly high, as he considered, to end the matter, its nothing would tempt him to leave the navy He won his first honors on the old Pow hntan, In the assault on Fort Fisher, where be led a company of marines and 'was wounded in the leg He advanced rapidly in grade, and on the I3tb of July, IS7S. was made commander, a rank he still hold. As commander of the gunlsjat Yorklown. on the Chilian coast, he has acted with praiseworthy promptness, und when the crew of one of the Vorktowu's boats was stoned by Chilian sailors in the harlmr of Valparaiso be called the commander of the Chilian vessel to account, and declared that If any further indignities wereoflered he would protect bis men by vigorous measures. His luugiuuce and action were worthy of the old days of Decatur and Preble and Ingrabam. The position of .Minister Egan is very much like that of Pierre Soule in I8M-S1 Soule was a fugitive lu fact, an escaped convict from France, and miuister of the United States In Spain during a rev olutiouary outbreak in which Frenchmen were deeply Interested. F.gan is only a quasi fugitive from Ireland, and is Ameri cau minister in a country where liritisb in terests nre great. The Pierce administra tion sustained Soule unflinchingly, hut he resigned in IS.V1. having Ix-en doited, as be alleged, by French spies, and stuped at the French frontier while on a diplomatic tour until orders came from Paris to allow him to proceed. Mr. Soule had beeu many years in the United States, had served a term in the United States senate and be come American throughout, while Mr Egan bad ceased lobea Kritish subject but a short time before be became American minister to Chili. Of course his position has been one of extraordinary difficulty. Patrick Egan was bom Aug. 31, IS41, at Bullymahon. County Longford, Ireland, and was uoted at a very early age lor shrewdness in trade anil general business ability. At the age of fourteen be ob tained a responsible place with a large PATRICK KG AM. milling firm iu Dublin, became a directot soon after reaching the lawful age, and at a time when most meu consider themselves fortunate with a good clerkship be was tbe responsible man of this concern and head of the largest bakery iu Ireland. As soon a bis age would permit be also liccame a Nationalist, was a leader in tbe movement at twenty-eight, and at thirty, to wit., in 1871, was the chief coadjutor of Isaac Mutt In founding tbe Home Rule league. In short, he almost equaled Alexander Ham ilton in political precocity nnd quite ex celled him in managing his private affairs. In 187V be was unanimously chosen one of the three trustees of the bind league, and so became iu treasurer. When the quarrels grew hot he was accused of mis applying the funds, ami alsjut the same time learned that the government designed to prosecute him. Accordingly he "located In Paris" till vindicated by the I .and League, and then, after a hurried trip to Ireland, went to Holland and thence to tbe United States in liSSt His subsequent career i well kuown to Americans. A Terrible M Intake. A celebrated German physician was once called upon to treat nn aristocratic lady, the sole cause of whose complaint was high living and lack of exercise. 1 Put it would never do to tell her so, so his medical ad Wee ran thus: "Arise at 3 o'clock, take a walk in the park for one hour, then drink a enp of tea. then walk another hour and take a cup of chocolate. Take breakfast at 8." Her condition improved visibly, nnti. one morning the carriage of the baroness was seen to approach the physician's residence at lightning speed. The patient dashed np to the doctor's office, and on his appearing on the scene she gasped out. -Oh, doctor. I took the chocolate firstr "Then drive home as fast yon can," ejaculated the astute disciple of Escu-. lap. rapidly writing a prescription, "and take this emetic. The tea must be un derneath." The grateful patient com plied. She is still improving.- "" " ; v---- Z 11 fv:5i-"tfsiiv?i THE NICARAGUA CANAL Ten Thnnaand Men Will Soon Be Work nn It Lin. Ever since the Isthmus of Panama wh discovered there has ls?en a succession of r, atiicin ui make U It a great hlgl fit. way til commerce. Many of these schemes have been wild beyond easy belief, and all of them the rail road excepted J failures, Pater- W. ;-'"-yrTl f sou expedition 'trl& ibuut SOU years AVS&'"Y3 o resulted most V i 7 vi-.viiV r'T'Vsrfe disastrously, the WAUNKII MILI.KK, drcds, and the re cent French Investments hnve proved a total loss. It Is estimated that lX,X),(XiO in money and 10,001) lives huve been sacri ficed in these attempts, and the statement is broadly made that every tie on the rail way cost a human life. The Nicaragua route is far more favora ble. The distance from ocean to ocean Is 109 miles, of which, according to the plans of the Nicaragua Canal Construction com pany, 27 mile is to be covered by the canal and 142 mile by the hike and river, the lat ter to be reduced to a series of basins by dams and locks. Luke Nicaragua is but HOfeet above sea level, and so that route is the lowest between Alaska nnd Puta gonla. The company bos expended nearly ,(UO,OO0, one of their recent acts beingtlie purchase of the entire plant of the Panama Dredging company, tbe largest plant of the kind in the world. It is estimated that the total cost of the canal will be $100,01)0,. 000 the same as that of the Suez canal anil the least depth will be thirty feet, making it practicable for the largest ocean vessels. After long Investigation and thorough surveys a trtaty waa negotiated by which the United States wus to own the route forever and Nicaragua receive a royalty, but the United States senate failed to ratify the treaty in time. Theu the present company wus formed nnd Its agent, Mr. Mcuocal, obtained from Nicaragua a con cession of the route for ninety-nine years. Under the presidency of ex -Senator Warner Miller the preliminaries are in rapid prog ress and it is stated that 10,000 men will soon be at work on tbe canal. TERRORIZED A NEIGHBORHOOD. The Mullclou Deed of a Half Wilted Young- Woman. Lydia Wolthcr is but twenty-two years old and apparently simple minded, yet she has kept Calamus township, Dodge county, Wis., under a reign of terror for four months. Sho is of common appearance, but possessed of immense strength, her wrists being so large that no handcuffs In the county would encircle them. She is smart enough to have learned to read and write, yet totally destitute of moral sense, and all her genius seems to have concen trated in a sublime capacity for lying. LYDIA WOLTnER. The terror began last fall, when the farmers found large stones thrust into their wheat sheaves and two or three thrashing machines were ruined. Then the school house was gutted and finally burned. The church was bombarded and all the windows broken out. Then people's houses began to suiter, her father's first and worst of all. Stones weighing fifteen pounds were hurled as if from a catapult, sometimes splitting heavy doors. Super stition added its terrors. Children were afraid to stir abroad after dark, and many adults begun to talk of a "curse on tbe neighborhood." Guards by the dozen were set, and oc casionally they saw a ghostly figure, but could not overtake it. Tracks of a bare footed person were found in the snow, and at lost they were traced to the house of Samuel Wolther. He was arrested, but easily proved his Innocence. A detective was brought from Chicago, but gave it up as a bad job. At lost a watching party caught Lydia in t he act, but she outran all of them but a Mr. Venio, and when he came up with her she made a vicious slosh at him with a butcher knife. He knocked her senseless with his gun, and she was soon In the ceunty jail. There she kicked all the furniture to splinters and fought like a wild beast till placed in the iron cage. She refused food for three days, but weakness seemed to pnrtially restore her reason. She was re moved to the insane asylum and was al most unnaturally calm till food restored her strength, when she broke out in mirth ful exultation over tbe mischief she bad done. Her practice had been to slip out at night after the rest of the family were asleep. Her parents are very respectable people, and her two sisters are above aver age in intellect and general attractiveness. An Exrea of Femnle. Statisticians are contiuually bringing forward figures to prove that women are increasing all over the world more rapidly than men. This is true even in some parts of South America, for in the city of Lima, Peru, where in IStifi there were 5.000 more males than females, a recent census shows that tbe women now exceed the men there by the same uumber. This represents a gain by the weaker sex over tbe lords of creation of about 10,000 out of a total popu lation of 100,000 in a quarter of a century. Why the lie! Was Not lald. Jonathan Cilley, the congressman who was killed in a duel, met bis fate before be could discharge a singular obligation. A Maine man has discovered among his pa pers the articles of agreement of a wager between Jonathan Cilley and Nathaniel Hawthorne, dated at Mowdoin college Nov. 14, 1824. Hawthorne wagered a barrel of old Madeira that be would not be married twelve years later. He won. but Cilley was slain before he could pay. - Well Koowa, Although Toang. Despite the fact that be baa been long In public life. Lord Rose be ry is still compar atively young man. His first wife w a Rothschild, and it is now announced that he Is soon to marry a daughter of Sir Charles Ten nan t. He is an eloquent, force ful and humorous speaker. Helikeathings American, particularly American works of art. And so. too, it may be said, do other English noblemen, though they prefer the animated feminine sort. ,