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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (May 24, 1878)
Or Mill. i- TI'.MWAT. Mller as PrearteUr V FirE-roK.KtoST WtSHIXGTOXSTBEKT TEBMS, IN ADVANCE: S3 00 year.... S'i munthit - I " ! . ..- 1 (XI lit.ert ton Reasonable Al VJeHM.L.'. . . Term. HER LOT C1. By Xn. A. J. DCNTWA.Y. ACTHOK OF "JBBITH KEJD," "IUIS uowii,' "AMIS AStO BESTS Y Mt "TH IIAI I ," oi woaAW sn." BYC Vlf.i Kit. IKDtgr-vl.soxinllnicto Art ofOuanfli , n, ilic year IMI, by Mm. A-J. Dsniwsjr, la Ike ..t!i. . i the Ulmrionerouagma TmUi('ii "ii . CHAPTER XVU. "First tell me about yourself, Mr. Graeme, if mieh be your name; aud I appose I an not mistaken la believing 70a to be Ethel's, that la, Mrs. Chalm ers', sister." "I in Maleom Graeme, at your ser vice, madam." , "Afaloolm Graeme ."' It was now my turn to be astonished. "Who are 70a, anyhow f" The stranger laogbed uneasily. "I beg your pardon, air," I continued, "but I am very much astonished. My father's name Is Graeme Malcolm Graeme!" "Ah, indeed ? "The very same." "Then I suppose it will not be out of order for me to repeat your question, 'Who are you, anyhow V It was now my tarn to iaagh uneasily. "I am Mrs. Gerald Grey," I said, hesitatingly; "wife of Captain Gerald Grey, formerly of Her Majesty's ser vice." "And now deceased T" Malcolm Graeme looked at me with an eager, sympathetic gaze, ax he asked ' the question, and I 000 Id with diffi culty restrain the feeling of Indignation 1 that prompted me to say outwardly, as I I did say under my breath, "Ala, no; be is not dead, but would to God he, were!" "My bnsband is In Ban Frsnoirco, si r." As I spoke the name of the Golden City, the memory of my hatband as 1 bad seen bim last, brought av vividly before me the vision of the black eyes blonde hair, and baby features of the woman who, band In hand with rum, had lured him to ruin and me to desti tution, that I forgot alike my interest in my courteous stranger guest, and the carious coincidence between his name and my blunt attd honest father's. "Is yoer husband still employed in Her Majesty's service?" "No, sir." For my life I conk not have added another word. - "Do you expect him here soon?" - "No, sir." "Madam, Is it possible that yon and Gerald Grey have quarreled T" "No, sir." "ineu 1 beg pardon. Tbe savage American custom of conjugal separa tion one meets with upon this coast will not, I hope, affect English women." "It has not arretted me, sir." "Then what is Gerald doing?" "Are yon a friend of bis 7" "I know him well." "Then tell me, are any of bis family addicted to drunkenness? Is it, in short, hereditary?" "It is. To my knowledge, not a man of tbe family can Indulge In anything that intoxicates but he wakes np forty demons, and never foregoes his orgies till lie gets what in American slang parlance is termed snakes io the boots." "Ah, me!" "Why that sigh, madam? ,Are you not well, or happy V "Alas, .neither well nor happy, air. But don't let's talk about myself; tell me about Ethel Graeme. Isn't it odd that she, your sister, should have borne tbe same name u I? and yea, her brother, should bear tbe same name as my father?" "And isn't it odder still that we, wholly unknown to each other at home, shoo id meet thus accidentally, away oat here in tbe American Sierra Ne-! vada, and under these peculiar dream stances?" "Malcolm Graeme, are yon my cook i n , r?" "I have not a plebeian relative in the wide world that I know of, madam,' he said, stiffly. "But tell me all about my , sister, Ethel Graeme." I grew angry. Such consummate snobbery might pass as common sense in Old England, where the privileged classes hold human titles to all of (toil's . green earth, and would fain monopolize the canopy of hir, h.avm if they could only grasp it; I l,i 1 had already been too long residing In the wild regiousof half free America to tamely brook such ar rogance. "lam proud to say that I have no pa trician nonsense about m , Malcolm Graeme; and if you feel that you are made of better clay than common mor tals, you may go to your own class and kindred for tbe information you seek. I will tell you nothing, our fee, two whining and fretting at my side, when dollars, sir." , who should enter but the protector and Tne man, my kinsman, as I knew he , head whom aboveall others I most dread was, looked slightly humiliated, but ed to meet. Good reader, pity me; it was ilid not unbend from his imaginary 1 none other than ierald, my husband, haughtiness. I But he was not intoxicated. Evidently "You may yet be glad, under the be had fared roughly in the Intervening mutations of human possibility, to be ' months since I bad last met him. His able to keep a restaurant, or dig ditches, orhiiuk cot. bit"' i'ii the Inth way for a livelii.o I, -.lie- you have dtifti-d away from the aiicei-tial hallucinations that male fooN of half my countrymen," II VOLUME VII. (aid, as I pocketed the coin and turned to wait upon my next customer. You may be sure, my patient reader. I tlrat I was quite as eager to satisfy my icurio&ity as he was, or you are, but my personal dignity is my pet prejudice, and he and I had to indefinitely post- pone further mutual revelations on this topic, afid therefore you and I must. But possess your souls in serenity. You hall learn everything in its order. My next customer was a bland, well looking gentleman, with fiery and yet kindly eyes, fine figure, bald foretop, and snowy hair and whiskers. As be took a seat at my table and glanced ad miringly around the rustle apartment, with its freecoe of spruce boughs and ornaments of cones and flowers, I felt an irresistible desire to say : "Are you an Englishman V "I was born in England, madam, If I may credit the story of my parent; bat I was brought by them to America while yet a child. Bat why do you ask tbe question ?" "Ob, I wanted to know. Yon are my ideal of tbe fine old English gentleman. ! But that isn't all." "Then what else ?" "Wait till I have Ailed your order. Business before pleasure, yon see." Tbe reader will perceive that I was, though imperceptibly to myself, out growing some of my staid and studied reticence. I returned presently with tbe gentle man's dinner, and as I nervously sorted and placed bis dishes, I said, abruptly : "Do you know anything about tbe man who was seated at that table when you entered the dining-room ?" "I did not observe bim, madam." "He says bis name is Malcolm Graeme, and that is my father's name, also. Odd, isn't it?" "Oh, don't know. It isn't unusual, 1 when one is constantly beating about the world, to be stumbling upon rela-, lives many times removed. Did you trace a relationship?" "No; and 1 don't want to. He's a snob." "Perhaps you mi-judge him." I suddenly recollected that I was making myself unduly familiar with my guest upon a very short acquaint ance. I blushed painfully, and made excuse to visit the kitchen, where I re mained,till time to collect tbe usual fee. Then I entered nervously. "1 think," (-aid ti e gentleman, as he deposited a half-eagle upon the table, for which he refused to receive any 1 efaan'.'e, "that I am somewbat ac quainted with the stranger in whom you are evidently interested. I also know your husband, and will be pleased to render any assistance in my power." "'I iien, sir, the only fa-.or I ask, and the ouly one I hope to receive, is that you do not let my husband know my Whereabouts." "Are you divorced from him ?" "I am a trnht, sir, and English, aud I am not divorced." "Forgive me, pray; I did not mean to give Offense, biding from l'.ut it is odd that you are your husband while yet yon acknowledge allegiance to him." 1 "I am frightened of him, sir. He takeb my hard-earned substance from me and wastes it in riotous living, Please do not let him know where lam." "Possess jour soul in peace, little woman. I thai! mind my own business and leave you to look after yours," said j the gentleman, bowing himself out of my presence, nnd leaving me to my own 1 reflections. But I bad not long to reflect. In a little while the tables were crowded with hungry customers, and I was too busily engaged in waiting upon them and receiving their fees to ponder deeply over the mystery of my kinspeople. Aud yet I did wonder why it was that my father, who was a stalwart plebeian from the rank and file of Scotch and English common tenants and day la borers, ignorant and uncultivated as he was, though possessed of strong com mon sense, should be the relative, In name and direct lineage, of an evidently noble family. My mother had been a lady, born and bred. That I knew, though, up to tbe time of Iter death, I had never conversed with a single woman of gentle blood except her own sweet, suffering self. Tbe run upon my larder had been great, and supplies were falling low, not only in my kitchen, but in the entire mining camp. There were still several companies of expectant table guests, and I was pondering as to how they Minuld be fed, when my strange friend, whom I bad during his absence learned was a famous district judge, returned from a short ramble, bringing with him a slaughtered fawn, which he eontrib- uted as a "peace offering" between me and ray husband, he said. In a little while my cooks were busy in the kitchen with tbe cutlets, and I I was seated for a little rest, witli baby ! Ethel in my arms and babv Gerald once handsome face was seamed by want and care, and there were two or three tell-tale scars visible, relics of certain drunken brawls. "If you want a divorce you have legal rOTCTJOANT), cause," said Uie Judge, kindly, as he saw me turn, like a frightened raldiit, from tlie approach of my husband, from whom my ohlldreu shrank, as though lie had been a fiend Incarnate. "Don't mentiou It," I said, rising, while my knees smote together, and my heart thumped aloud. "He's the father of my ehildreu, and my lawful hus band. I will sacriflee myself for him." "Bat Immolation upon his altar will do him no good, and will worse than crucify you." "I'll save him, or die trylug," I an swered, as though the words would choke me. "Is this tbe restaurant wliere Mrs. Grey is boarding?" asked my husband, addressing several men at the table nearest him. "It Is the restaurant that Mrs. Grey is keeping, and I am here, Gerald," I said, extending my hand, and gazing timidly Into his eyes. "Who set you up In business?" be asked, bluntly, and in a loud voice, which caused a look of consternation to settle upon the face of every man lu the room. "Mr. Llllleutlml. The same gentle man who set me to going in San Fran cisco." "I thought so, by ." Ah, reader, I will spare you the repe tition of that blood-curdling oath, and tbe volume of blasphemy that followed it. Ah, me! "Bat I lutd to do something, Gerald. Don't make a scene here, please. See what splendid venison steaks Judge Downy lias brought. But for Iilni we should not have been supplied with meat for our supper." "Judge Downy ! Jehere?" "Yes." "Thunder.''' "Your husband is tinder arrest, madam," said tbe Judge, advancing, "The officers are here already, sir," turning to my husband, "and the better way for you is to submit quietly. You shall have an impartial trial." "But tell me. Judge. What has my husband done? Nothing criminal, I hope." 1 "Accused of killiiiga prostitute; that's all. No doubt he'll be all right. You just remain calm, and we'll do tbe best we can for him." I may be a very wicked woman, and sometimes I fear I am, nnd you may agree witli my opinion when I tell you, patient reader, that I eould not help a feeling of quiet satisfaction over Judge Downy's revelation. Iti my soul I knew that tbe dead woman to whom he alluded was noue other than she of the coal-black eyes aud cream-blonde hair who had lured mj husband into a gam bling den and won from him my hard earned money. I did not stop to con sider that his wrong was paramount to, or even greater, than hers. I did not care to remember that she would never have harmed him had he hut kept bim- self aloof from her presence. I only realized that she was dead, and could now triumnh over me no more. The officers the Judge bad indicated 1 came forward and seized my husband by the arms. j Suddenly I felt as though I were a , mighty general, whose inundate it I would be Impossible to withstand. "Release my husband!" I said, In a voice that had In It the presage of an ominous hush. "Men, are you cravens, tbat you dare not spare me to the father of my children for just a minute, while I ask him one little question ?" "Leave them for a moment," said the Judge. "Clear the room, aud let them have an uninterrupted interview." "Stay, gentlemen. I want you all to remain wliere you are. My business is not private." With this they resumed their seats, as though glad of the pretext. Gerald, my husband, stood before me, his eyes cast down; Gerald, my poor crippled boy, crept behind me, fright ened and sobbing; Ethel, my baby, clung to me and screamed. I verily be lieve I was tbe calmest person in the room. "Gerald, I only want to know this: Is that woman really dead ?" I asked, amid the audible breathings of the lis tening crowd. He turned Ills fine, full eyes upon me, in the kindly, expectant way that had captivated me only a few short years ago I was yet in my teens, remember and the old fascination well nigh over came me. I with the utmost difficulty restrained myself from falling In his arms. I did so need a resting-place. Ah, me ! "You do not answer me, Gerald." Upon my honor, Ethel, I cannot an- : swer," he replied, in a steady voice. Another question, then. Did you murder her?" "You need not answer, Contain Grey; yon are not required to criminate your self," Interrupted the Judge. "Y'ou will please remember that Cap tain Grey is my hutbmd, and I have a right to know the foots," I answered, firmly. "How is It, Gerald? Did you murder her?" "Ethel, J did notJ" I knew my husband had spoken truly. How I knew It I did not know, nor can I now explain. I was certain, though, that he was wrongly accused, and. wom an-like, I wae resolved to defend hlra.lf need be, witli my own heart's blood. I "Gentlemen," I said, still speaking yKr,K Srzcrir, Fhek Inn, Kbek 1'ieori.K. OREGON, 3TKJCDA.Y, JLVY 1, lS7ss. with a constrained calmness, which I even now wonder at, "my husband did not kill that woman. He is as inno cent of her blood aa you or I." "Then, Mrs. Grey, "exclaimed Mr. Lilllenthal, who certainly had good rea son to be offended with me for my pres- oiit attitude toward my husband, "If you prefer to shield that man rather than attend to your own affairs, 1 give you warning to quit my Ihmisc immedi ately." "This properly is mine by right- of lease, Mr. I.llllenlhal, nnd when I neg lect to pay my monthly dses ft will be time enough for you to complain." "You can't lease property to a married woman unless her husband is a party to the cotitract," said a bystander. "I should like to know why?" Ire plied, my spirits sinking. "Because, you see, In law a married woman 'is only the appendage of the husband. She is not an entity, hut a cipher." "And why am I not an entity ?" "Because you are a married woman !" "And why should a married woman cease to be an individual?" "Because she is held by the conjagal law called coveture. She loses her in dividuality in her husband." "I confess I do not understand you." "That is the common law of England, madam." "Pshaw! A fig for England! We are not on British soil. What is the oommon law in America?" "As held by the courts, the American law Is the snmo aa in England in all times, places, aud circumstances where special local legislation does not change the commonly accepted statute. lama lawyer, madam. If you want a divorce I can assist you." Though I do not usually believe in the physical argument, my will was good to knock him down. I was all at sea. Aral yet I fancied that I had all the rights I wanted. Aud didn't I detest the American women that about that time were said to he clamoring for political recognition and financial equality before the law? To be continued. Prehutoric Remain. Incidentally learning that Mrs. Bush, a lady who resides on Grunt street In the southern portion of this city, was possessed of a collection of curiosities of unusual interest, a Mercury reporter was detailed to cull upon her .ik! obtaiu per mission to inspect her curiosities. The reporter found the lady quite willing to accede to his request, and he was at once introduced to the room containing the cabinet. Perhaps the most Interesting collection is that of a large number of what is pronounced by unquestionable authority genuine celts, or, in other words, prehistoric remains, consisting of stone implements of domestic use, or naments, implements of warfare and the chase, etc., etc. These were discov ered ny Mrs. Bush in this Immediate vicinity, and are the first developments of this character made In this section, and fully demonstrate the fact that this portion of tho earth was Inhabited iu prehistoric times by :i race of people the same or similar to that which left exactly such traces of its existence throughout Central nnd Western Eu rope. The first of these remains were discovered by Mrs. Bush iu n gravel pit on Orchard street, from which time she prosecuted a scientific investigation, which resulted in the collection of a great many specimens of from all the stone deposits in and about San Jose. They were found in such quantities in the creek bed near Jtmga Archers place as to lead to tho belief that they had been washed down from nn ancient burial place so mev here near by. It is a matter of congratulation to thinking women that it was reserved for a womau witli a taste for scientific researches, the usual knowledge of this abstruse sub ject and the faculty of obseivation, to determine by her own labors this im portant fact In the geology of this section. Beside the collection mentioned, Mrs, Bush lias a fine collection of minerals from every part of this coast, fossil re mains, nnd an excellent collection of Pacific Coast shells. Mrs. Bush per formed the work ot classifying and ar ranging the articles In the cabinet at the Normal School, which required a great outlay of time, patience and Intel ligence, aud the fact that the work Is so excellently done is a stanTling rebuttal of any argument against the ability of women to shine. A late number of the Anaheim Oa zrfte mentions the capture at that place of a strange bird supposed to be a con dor, which measured fourteen feet from tip to tip of Its wings, llils bird was procured by Mrs. Bush's daughter, re siding In mat section, who Had the skin preserved and has transmitted tho same to her mother to be presented to Pro fessor Allen of the Normal School. An examination of this immense bird-skin, together wltn lis Head and talons, con v luces us that it is a specimen of that lameu Dim The condor or the Andes, that proud bint Which can soaralult through heaven's unntth- finable depths. Or hruTe tbe fury of llw Northern hurricane. Mrs. Bush, as well as her daughter and husband, is nn enthusiast upon noble subject, ana lias made researches and acquired peculiar Knowledge wuicn would do credit to many persons of great pretensions who have not her very commendable modesty, hue pursues the studv for her own edification only. Hods great pleasure in meeting and talk ing with persons interested or who can be interested in her beloved study. To any person wishing to inspect her col lection she will gladly exhibit the same, which we assure our readers who take ! an interest in such things will afford nn hour's or two very pleasaut occupation, beside enabling them to make the ac quaintance of a most estimable and pleasant lady. San Jose Mercury, of April Klh. No matter if a man does say lie wants to be au angel, it Is always safe to have the name or a good Indorser on the back of his note. JEONTIEE SKETCHES. MO. 5. IV S. ft. s. KKDKA. During the early part of the evening, Kambo sought me out and Informed me that he had been entrusted with the command of the present war-party, and while it would be expected that he con vey the Indian captives and their ally, tbe Frenchman, to the Waco Village to afford the women and old men of tbe tribe the ineffable pleasure of tutting them to death In accordance with the most Improved methods, that I was at perfect liberty to eoutliiue my journey toward tiie lands o my (wople. He was quite generous. For, in addition to a bouutiful supply of meat which lie promised me, he said I might choose two horses from among those captured from the 0ges, and that I should still be allowed the pleasaut companionship of my atulablecur. I eould not Imagine what motive prompted sueii magnanim ity until I learned at a later lwur from a garrulous comrade of his that the father of tbe charming Roo Son, in rec ognition of tbe black-face's prowess as a scalp-lifter, had consented, in the event that I did not return to the village be fore tbe next new moon, to allow him to add that coveted maiden to an al ready crowded lodge. I saw my oppor tunity, aud determined to make the most of it. So returning to Sambo's headquarters, I proceeded to inquire after tbe welfare of my kind "mother" and her beautiful daughter, and In great apparent earnestness professed the great est impatience for the curtains of night to he lifted so that I might hasten to the side of that charming mountain belle, and thenceforth bask continually in hersuuny smiles. Sam bo was thought ful. At length he ventured to suggest that he thought I would do better to go back to "Massasipp and buy a gang of niggers" than to settle among the Wa eoes. Albeit, by shrewd diplomacy I at length prevailed upon the unfeeling wretch to allow the Frenchman aud six j of the Indian captives, all mounted, to , accompany me, in consideration of tbe j relinquishment of my claim to tbe hand ; and heart of the artless damsel for whom the sable warrior entertained such ten- der feelings. Hence early the next morning Sambo set about dividing the human spoils of the late contest, the half of wbich were to meet a fate most terrible, the balance to return unmolested to their homes and kindred. Tbinking one Indian as good as another, I proposed that he make the division himself, thus relieving me from all responsibility iu the matter, aud he displayed bis wonted sagacity aud patriotism in this matter, too, for he chose the youuger captives for sacri fice, remarking to me tbat tbe older braves mnst the sooner pass the age of efficiency as warriors, and that his ieo pie woultl have less to fear from those who had already made a proud record than from the younger and more ambi tious who yearned, as all savages do, for opportunity to accumulate trophies of their bravery and skill. But it was really touching to witness the parting of these sons of nature. Those who were to be free fell upon the ground and rent the air with tbe most piteous wails, nor could they be Induced to leave the spot until intervening space had.hidden the receding forms of their doomed comrades from them forever. We then mounted our horses, aud turn ing their heads toward the rising sun, started for the homes of tbe sobbing O sages. Halting at a muddy brook some days thereafter, judge of my sur prise and joy on seeing Boggs, who was captured with me, come timidly toward us. Poor fellow, so great had been his sufferings since last we met that be was reduced to but the shadow of his former selfnd his mind was sadly off its bal ance. He was overjoyed on recognizing me, for he said now that he had a faint hope that he might be able to overcome the attraction of a certain tree that lie had been revolving around for months. ne said that he had started from his present camp numberless times, and in every direction, but in every case had. after a fatiguing day's walk, reached the same lone tree at dark, and that the next he would complete the circuit by returning to this place. Nor had he any knowledge of the length of time lie had lived In solitude. At night I of fered to share my single robe with tbe poor waif, but my incorrigible car, re garding him with eyes inflamed with jealousy, sprang upon him and luflicted a slight wound upon his hand. Boggs' excited manner ami emphatic adjectives showed plainly that his sufferings had not been productive of a very high state of piety. Neither tbe Frenchman nor the Indians could master the intricacies of Boggs' earnest English, but the for mer afterward told me 'that so fearful were the savages that tbe poor man was the incarnation of the ghost of some victim of their barbarity that they were tempted to escape in the darkness, choosing to risk being retaken by the Wacoes rather titan brave the presence of an avenging spirit. Setting out early tbe next morning with us, Boggs soon descried the dreaded tree, but we rode serenely by the attrac tive eim wunoui ueing sensibly per turbed, and ere nightfall even the er ratic Boggs felt safe from its influence. We had traveled Industriously for some eight days, when on the open prairie one night a heavy ehower of rain Visited us, and, probably to escape from the storm, a large snake awoke me by drag' giug his cold body over my faee lu seek- imra lodgment under my warm robe. I allowed him to complete his recon noisance unchallenged, and then he withdrew as quietly as be came. The Indians had Iain down hut a few rods from ns, but when daylight eame we discovered that they had taken thead vantage of the storm aud darkness to steal away, taking each a horse with him. We were now, as the Frenchman thought, within three or four days' travel of the Ojage village, near which he had resided for a number of years, and he insisted that we should proceed forward to his home among that people, where, lie assured us, we would receive the kindest treatment, and wonld be at liberty to proceed farther whenever it pleased us to do so. But I had lost much ot my previous faith in Indians. The ideal had proved himself so unlike tbe real one that I seriously doubted their consanguinity. Tbe one was rep resented as dignified, magnanimous, noble, and as never forgetting a kind ness, while tbe other I had found grov eling, selfish, vindictive, and ungrateful, and I no longer worshiped the ideal, nor desired -the eompaniouehlp of the real Indian. Yet confiding in the French man, and yielding Co the importunities of Boggs, I at length reluctantly con sented to pass by tbe Osage village, but to remain only until a safe opportunity presented itself of getting to the settle ments. Two days thereafter we readied a fine stream of pure water which flowed through a country that far surpassed in beauty aud fertility any I had seen since wandering over tbe Western prairies. On one side of the stream the prairie was gently rolling, but on the other an almost level expanse of green stretched away to meet the horizon, with here and there a graceful fringe of timber i marking the presence of brook or rivulet. . Anil as I stood and gazed, " My heart swelled, while the dilated sight Took in tbe encircling vaslness." Rack fancy to the utmost, and it would lie impossible to conceive a pic tu re of more enchanting loveliness than tbe spot on the bank of that limpid stream where we rested one hot after noon. The limbs of tbe graceful elms that decked either bank reached over as if to commune with each other, while tbe wandering grape vines el imbed aloft, and, locklug themselves in loving era brace on meeting, looked the very picture of soft, pare and unsophisticated nature. Here we rested iu this grateful arbor, where tbe timid deer iiad often passed tbe hot noon-tide hour, slaking his thirst from tbe sweetly singing waters at his feet. " Breezes of the Honth. Who loss tbe golden and the flame-like flower, ' have ye tanned A nobler or a loretler scene than this V While the unsympathetic Frenchman and the self-satisfied Boggs were quietly sleeping away the bright sunny hours, I took a stroll up the bank of the stream, and suddenly no less than six beautiful deer appeared feeding but a few rods away. Tbey raised their heads, gave tbe usual whistle, and then stared with their mild eyes toward me; but, instead of leaping hurriedly away, they soon bent their heads to the ground and re sumed their afternoon meal. I could not regret that I was not provided with any means of strewing that very Eden with trophies of my skill as a hunter, for it would have seemed gross wicked ness to wantonly kill those innocent creatures. Yet I had been at one time an enthusiastic sportsman. I had often when at home remained patiently at a sta nd hou r after hour, waiting for a pack of bellowing hounds to drive some af frighted deer within gunshot, and had In a few instances been rewarded by tbe faint glimpse of a buck madly dashing through tbe bushes at very long range, but up to this time there were just as many living deer as though I had never been born. To be continued. OUK WASHINGTON LETTER. To the Ennoa or ths New Northwest: We obronicle tbe sucsess of an experi ment made here In lowerlug boats from the canal down into tne Potomac, a height of thirty-six feet, by means of machinery, instead of the usual old- fashioned lock. Tbe mills of George town are so extensive that the entire capacity of the canal is taken in supply- iuc them with water, hence tbe ordi nary outlet lock is Impracticable. Pat terulnc after a lock In Scotland, the citizens of Georgetown resorted to ma chinery, and have met with deserved success. A track of heavy railroad iron is laid on an inclined plane, extending, from the level of the canal down li.x the river. O11 this runs an iron box, or caisson, supported by strong car tracks large enough to contain a canal boot which Is floated out iuto it from the canal. There, by means of an immense capstan, rigged with heavy wlro ropea ami operated by a large turbine wheel, the caisson iseasily lowered, with a waste of water probably not one-thousandth part of what the ordiuary lock would require. Boats are lifted quite as easily from the river up intothe canal by a reverse process. Oor colored people are taking steps to relieve themselves from the pecuul- ary burdens Imposed by their charitable 1 societies. It is simply wonderful tho I number of associations thoy have, and A Journal for tbe People. Devoted to the Inlerestsof Humanity. Iadapeadsat In PoUUes and Religion. Mive to all Live Issues, and Thoroughly Radical in Opposlngand Ksposlng the Wrongs ol tbe Ma Correspondents writing over assumed slgaa tnms most make known their names to tbe Kdttor, or no attention will be given to their communications. the high-sounding titles they use in namiug tliem. Every church has its secret society, and the expense entailed by levies for regalia, carriage hire, mu sic, etc., is enormous. It is proposed to devote these funds to the creation of an industrial school, and hereafter avoid and discountenance tbe extravagance of the past by giving means of support to their necessities. Could this object be obtained, ami the tendency of the col ored people in the country to flock into the city be changed, a few years hence would find the raee as successful, pe cuniarily, as tlie whites. Our sbad fisheries were a failure this year, for the catch did not pay expenses. The fish commission has just plauted SOO.000 young shad,- hoping thereby. 4 re-stock the Potomac and bring back tbe abundance of old times. But unless Congress interdicts tbe use of gill nets in the future, we fear this addition of young sbad will prove of little avail, because the gill net will soon annihilate them. We must express our gratification at the passage of the bills repealing tbe bankrupt acts, and funding the Union Pacific Railroad's indebtedness. Our bankrupt laws are simply odious, not in principle, but in effect, for, as Mr. Frye said iu the debate in the House, the men charged with their execution have made them infamous everywhere, and the vote of HQS ayes to 39 nayes evinced clearly how nearly uuauimously the House shared his views. Ben Butler and Mr. I,yude had the honor of casting the only nay votes on the funding bill; the yeas were 243. Now we must go to the court before we can reach a dollar of pur dues, for Jay Gould will never concede a mite so long as money will enable him to avoid payment. Fits John Porter is here vigorously pushiug tbe re-hearing of his case, hav ing at last secured from Congress its re opening and the appointment of a board of inquiry, composed of prominent offi cers of tbe army. Our sympathies cer tainly go with him, not that we think him innocent of the charge that he dis obeyed orders whereby General Pope was defeated, but because other prom inent officers at the same time disobeyed equally peremptory orders to fight, and were equally responsible with Porter for Pope's disaster. One of these Gen erals laid at Alexandria with some 25, 000 men, and was ordered on Friday, Saturdaj. and Tuesday by the President, in tbe most positive manner, to move out to Bull Bun and assist Pope, and yet did not move a man until tbe fol lowing Friday, a week after receiving his first order, assigning as a reason for his inaction the want of shoes among his men. This deprivation of support and willful disobedience of orders an nihilated Pope. Porter was tried and cashiered for his share of the great dis aster, and yet the other General never was even reprimanded. Porter was not surpassed as a fighting man, and his record prior to Bull Bun battle is pecu liarly brilliant, aud we, as an admirer of his undoubted ability and general ship, believe that the country has no right to make him the scape goat, or rather the exception, in matter of pun ishment. It is time that the mantle of charity should be thrown over his ac tions, no matter how much he erred. With scores of Confederate officers mak ing laws for us, and with those as guilty as Porter holding high places of honor aud trust, it does seem to us unworthy that he should be made the exception. Let him go free. Our women lawyers are not disposed to give up the fight for admission Into the Supreme Court, Another bill has been introduced Into the Senate, which declares they shall tie admitted as men are, and Senator Sargent, their princi pal advocate, U) making a gallaut fight to secure its passage, notwithstanding the recent adverse report of the judiciary committee. At the head of this move ment is Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood, who is as persistent and tenacious in it as she is for her client before tbe lower courts. Mrs. Lockwood is a very suc cessful practitioner in a pecuniary point, and lias accumulated quite a competency here by business in prosecuting govern ment matters before tbe department, and it is but natural she should fight for admission to the Supreme Court, as many of her cases go there for final ad judication, and she considers her ability to plead her cause there as good as many of the masculine fraternity who bar her. Fki.ix. Washington, D. C, April 26, 187S. The Carson Tribune declare : "ft U . lie, a base fabrication, and oue of the rencs 01 barbarous limes, to assert tbat woman is man's inferior. Infinitely su perior is the average woman to the av erage mau, and God be thanked that suoh is the case, for, were It otherwise, the Anglo-Saxon race would deteriorate faster than it isnow doing." A devout woman took her baby to church. Tho volee of the preaoher waked the child into screams. "Do uot go," said the minister, "the baby does uot disturb me." "Tbat may be," said the mother, still retreating, "but you disturb the baby." Bussla estimates campaign will cost 000,000 in gold. tbat next year's ber about $100,- There are seventy-two post offices in the Uulfctl States managed by women. It Isafaet that Hi English persona went mad from love last year.