The Columbian., November 10, 1882, Image 1

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VOL. III.
ST. HELENS, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON, NOVEMBER 10, .182
NO. ,14, f
1
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AS M I'R OF 1EKU0K.
I found myself on the following morn
ing looking inta the mirror to see
whether or not my hair had turned
white, and I have often wondered since
how I ever managed to come through it
safely; but I did it somehow, and am
here now to tell you about it, if you will
Its patien: and listen.
I was just sixteen years of age, and the
youngest of a large family, ail of whom
had married and left homo except my
self. We were residing in the country
and I had never wished to leave my quiet
home until after that eventful night of
w hich I am about to tell yon.
My mother used to call me her "tom
boy" daughter, and indeed, if it had not
leen for my accomplishments in this di
rection, I hardly know how I should
have taken c ire of myself on that night
as you wiil observe when I have fin
ished. My father was a physician, and had
been called to the bedside of a patient
who was expected to die every moment,
consequently we did not expect him
back until some time the next day.
My -mother had dismissed all the
servants for the night and locked the
doors. It was pa-t onr usual bed-time,
but we were both deeply absorbed in our
new books, and seemed indisposed to re
tire. At last, however, mother closed her
book, and said it was time we were in
bed, as we were expecting my brother
and his wife to arrive the next m jrning
at about three o'clock, and would be
called up to meet them. I had just
placed my novel on the tale, and was
leaning back to enjoy a huge yawn,
when the front gate opened and some
one came rapidly up the walk to the
porch. The next moment there was a
loud knock at the door, and mother and
I looked at each other a moment, as if
wondering who could be coming at such
a late hour.
"Some one has sent for your father,-1
guess," said mother, going to her room
door which opened into the hall.
"Who's there?" she inquired; and I
must confess I felt somewhat relieved
when I heard the voice of my brother-in-law,
who lived about a mile from us,
saying that his" wife was unwell, and he
Jiad come for father.
Of course I was sorry for my sister's
illness, but at the same time w s glad
that the caller was not an intruder, as I
had feared. When mother informed him
that father was away, hn asked her if she
would not return home with hira, as she
might be able to render my sister some
relief.
Of course she eoald not refuse, and so
I was to be lett alone, for I could not
possibly leave home also, on account of
my brother and his wife, whom I should
be compelled to remain at home to re
ceive. Perhaps I was more easily frightened
than most girls of my ae, but the fact
that I was "the baby of the family, " and
had never been-left alone at night, I
think quite a sufficient reason for mv
ailing.
After 3eeing mother safely off I fas
tened the door, ami taking my book,
went up stairs to my own room, where I
determined to spend the remainder of
the night reading at least until my
brother and his wife came at three.
A door opened from my room upon a
little balcony, into which one from the
hall also opened. This I left ajar to ad
mit fresh air, as I knew there would be
110 possible means of reaching it from
the porch below, except by a long lad
der. I could not center my thoughts upon
the words before me, although I had
Vtooii vore mnfh i nf oifcnl liufnrA mritliftr
left. I would start and listeu at the least
sound I heard. Once I laid aside my
my book, and going to the back window,
loooked down towards the servants
houses to see if they had all retired.
Everything was dark and still, "-and I
again decided to be as brave as possible,
and forget all about robbers and ghosts;
and so, after satisfying mysel? once
more that there was no one in the closet
or wardrobe, or under the ' bed, 1 took
possession of my book and sat down to
read.
I managed to read a chapter or two.
and again I found myself peering out of
the window down into the garden, and
trying to form tho dancing shadows
there into human forms making their
stealthy way through the shrubbery.
I was about to turn my eyes to my
book once more when I saw something
that caused me to start and look more
closely. Yes, it was indeed a man creep
ing cautiously along oeiiina tne neage
toward the servant's houses. Who
could it be? The servants said nothing
the night before about leaving, and it
was something unusaal for one of them
to keep such things a secret, as they
seemed to take a delight in making
kt.own their pleasure trips to us for sev
eral days before they were to take place.
Even if it was one of them, why should
lie be so careful to get to his house?
And why had he come in through the
garden instead of the lane?
. I watched him until he reached the
garden gate, and, opening it, stepped
into the back yard. He paused and
looked about in every direction, and I
saw him peering up through the
branches of the trees toward the window
near which I stood. Shading my eyes,
I looked more closely to see if 1 could
tell who it was, but could not. He wore
a large, broad-brimmed black hat and a
long coat. He seemed to be gazing up
at mj' window for a full minute, and
then he stepped hastily across the yard
and disappeared" around the house. I
hurried to the back window in time to
see him enter the house of Uncle Ben,
our old gardener.
"Pshaw 1" I said to myself. "It's no
body but Uncle Ben, after all. Been
some
neighbors and
come
But still I was not exactly satisfied,
for I kept on thinking about the manner
in which he had come to the house.
It was just half past twelve. Mercy!
what was I to do with the remainder of
the time till three o'clock came?
When the excitement occasioned by
the appearauceof the figure in the gar
den had subsided a liltie, my eyelids
began to get heavy, and almost before I
knew it, my chin rested on my chest, and
I was fast asleep. .
When I awoke, it 'was with a sudden
start, and I almost sprang to my feet. I
wondered why I had been ax o used so
suddenly, and listended intently to see
if the sound or whatever it was would be
repeated. i
All wa3 still as death. Nothing to
meet my listening ear save the mournful
breeze as it gently rustled the leaves
outside ni;v window, and the faint tick,
tick, of a large clock in tho hall down
stairs. Yes, a cricket was chirping from
the hearth, and I could hear the weird,
lonely hoot of an owl from tho neighbor
ing wood. i
A thrill ran through me. Everything
seemed so completely forsaken so quiet
and desolate. Looking at my watch, I
discovered that it was exactly two o'clock,
and indeed was surprised to learu that
I had been asleep so long. Auother
hour before my brother would come. I
thought it would never do to allow my
self to fall asleep again, and remember
ing that there were isome apples in the
closet. I started to get one, hoping it
would assist to keep me awake. I had
just stooped over the basket, when I
heard a strange grinding, cutting sound,
very low, but distinct. I turned to lis
ten, and it came to my ears louder than
before.
I asked myself if it could be a huge
rat cuttting his way into the pan try be
low, but the next instant this hope wa
driven from me, for the noise was evi
dently matle by something larger than a
rat. Some one was trying to affect an
entrance.
Oh, Heaven, what could I do? Sup
pose it were a robber attempting to make
an entrance into the house? What
would become of me?. . I shuddered and
stood like one riveted to the floor. I felt
the perspiration stealing out upon my
forehead in great, hot heads, and almost
heard my heart beatiog. Again I lis
tened in breathless suspense. The
sound was unmistakable this time, and
that it was an intruder I did not doubt,
trvinar to cut his way through some of
the blinds below.
There were guns in the house, and I
could handle one about as well as any
country crirl: but tne fact was tney were
all down stairs in the pantry, and if I
attempted to go after one t might rush
into the very arms of the burglar. Be
sides, I did not know where th pantry
key was. Perhaps it was in the sitting
room. where mother sometimes
kept it, or perhaps in her room; but in
what exact place? Alas! may be he had
tiken it away in her pocket! So there
was no hope of obtaining a gun, and the
only thing remaining for me lo do was to
trv to make my escape. Uut how
The thought struck me that I might
extinguish the light and hide myself;
but then I should run tho risk of b?ing
discovered and perhaps killed.
I was indeed in a state of perplexity,
and asked myself what I must do. The
sound still crew louder. Whoever the
intruder was, he was certainly getting
bolder. j
I unfastened my shoes and carefully
slipped them off, then blew out the
light, and cautiously I making my way to
the door which opened into the balcony,
stood just inside and listened. Yes.it
most certainly was I at a front window.
Lying down on the floor, I crawled to
the edge of the balcony and peeped care
fully over at the windows of my mother's
room. !
I could see no one, but could hear tho
noise much plainer I then made my
way to the other end of tho balcony, and
looked over in the same manner. To my
inexpressible horror,1 I saw the dark
figure of a man atone of the parlor win
dows. If he once managed to get in, he
could go all through the house except in
the pantry. J
. I saw iu on instant that it was the
same man whom I had seeu in the yard.
Could it be that our old gardener had
learned cf father's ami mother's absence
and meant ,to take advantage of it to rob
our house? I could scarcely believe it,
for we. had aiways reposed such confi
dence in Uucle Ben that I did not be
lieve him capable of such a deed.
The noise ceased for a moment, and
looking closely I saw him thrust his
hand in through the hole he had cut and
unfasten the blinds, i Opening them, he
tried the window, but fortunately it
could not be lifted from the outside. He
then set to work with his knife again to
cut out the sash.
How I shuddered! i He would soon be
in, and what would become of me?
Could I make my way down stairs and
out the back door before he cut through?
Was there nothing I could do to pioent
him from taking away mother's valu
ables? There were several handsome
articles of silver in the parlor, beside all
the table silver on the sideboard in the
hall. If 1 could only get out, I might
send for help before he had sufficient
time to make awayj with the stolen
property. j
I spent little time however, in plan
ning for their safety, for I was wonder
ing how I was to take care of myself.
I bad crept back to my room door, and
stood looking around for some means of
escape. The noise had ceased altogether
now, and stepping back to the edge of
the balcony I looked over-r-and tho man
had disappeared. He had succeeded in
entering the parlor window!
There was no possible means of get
over to see
i. i
ting out at the parlor door, and I could
not escape being seen should I attempt
to descend. I almost made pp my mind
to jump from the balcony into the porch,
but it was a foolish thought, for it was
entirely too high, and I would be sure
to break a limb, or sprain my ankle, and
thus throw myself into the villian's
power.
Once more I turned into my room, and
my brain was in such a whirl that I could
think of no course to pursue nothing
but to stand and listen. My heart flut
tered. I heard a soft step on the stair,
and the next moment saw a light thrown
upon- the wall iu the entry. He was
coming!
I wrung my Hands and glanced hur
riedly about. Must I hide myself be
tween the feather-bed and mattress!
Good Heavens! I hadn't time for that,
for he was half way up the stairs.
The closet door stood open, and
springing to it I took out the key, and
stepping in, closed the door, locking it
on the inside. PeepiDg through a knot
hole I saw the dark form of a man step
ping across the hall to my room, holding
a small lantern in his handi When he
stood on the threshold, he threw the
light in and peered anxiously around.
Coming into the room he examined the
bed he even looked under it, then
turned to the table and stood -looking at
my book aud the lamp, as if trying to
solve some mystery. He turned over
my shoes with his foot and glanced up at
the open door.
Mercy! could it be that be was search
ing for me? If so he would not fail to
examine the closet, and if he should suc
ceed in opening it alas! I pressed my
hand to my heart to quiet its wild throb
bing. "Well," I heard him mutter from be
neath his mask, "I am sure I heard a
noise as I was coming up. She must
be here somewhere, for there was a
light burning in here. If I could only
find her but it may be that"
Again he glanced up at the door. In
my anxiety to watch his movements I
rubbed against the key, and it fell to the
floor with a loud ring. Instantly his
gaze was riveted upon the closet door
as he came slowly toward it He took
hold of the bolt and shook it gentle, and
then stood very quiet for some time, as
if listening.
"Yes," he eaid at length, "I saw a
bunch of keys down stairs somewhere,
and I guess I can find one to fit this
lock; if I don't I can make use of these
tools on it."
So saying, he turned away, and as he
went into the hall, I heard him shut
my room dojrand lock it on the outside.
I felt for the key on the floor, and
hastily opening the closet, stood and
listened wiih breathless suspense. With
a bold, heavy step he descended into the
hall, and although I hail not recognized
him as such, I now firmly believed him
to be no other than our gardener, for he
seemed to be aware that I was the only
oecnpant of the house, and to believe
that he had securely locked mo in my
room; but, strange to say, he had for
gotten the door opening into the bilco-
ny, ana stepping out, x again jooxea
about for some means of escape.
I tried the front hall door and to my
delight I found it unlocked. From it to
a little flight of stairs led up into a
room on the roof, where there were two
dormer windows.
Hastening up these steps, I raised one
of the windows and stepped out upon the
roof, lowering the sash after me. The
moon was shining brilliantly, and I
looked up and down the road to see if
any one was in sight; but not a moving
object could I discern among the bushes
and shadows.
O ace more I listened and heard the
intruder coming up the first stairway,
and knew he was coming to break into
the closet. I had leen thoughtful
enough to lock it when I came out in
order to keep him employed as long as
possible, hoping aid might arrive before
he was gone.
He completed his task at the lock with
remarkable quickness, for I heard him
come into the hall with a distinct oath,
and start to come up the second flight of
stairs.
Dear me! Would he suspect what I
had done, and come out on the roof to
look for me? Perhaps he had heard me
raise the window!
Running to the far end of the house, I
saw the limb of a tree extending out
quite near tne edge of the roof, and
thought perhaps I might swing down by
it. It was very small and weak, and I
was' afraid to risk it; but perhaps it
would sustain my weight until I could
reach another limb. But supposa it
should break? The fall would be quite
sure to kill me.
I was almost ready to abandon the
idea, and make myself content upon the
roof until my brother came, allowing the
robber to carry away everything in the
house if ho chose, when a loud rattle at
tho dormer window aroused me, and
without even thinking any further of
the consequences, I took hold of
the limb and stepped off the roof, swing
ing far out over the yard.
As I looked down I grew faint, and
came near letting go my hold. There I
was banging high up in the air. sus
pended by a frail limb, aud to fall would
be certain death.
Climbing hand over hand. I soon
reached the trunk of the tree, where I
let go my hold and caught on a large
limb. Lowering niyself from one branch
to another until I reached the lowest
lin.b, I stood for a moment, and looking
oacK up at tne roof, listened, to ascertain
wnetuer or not I was being pursued.
1 could hear nothing, however, and
climbiug carefully out to the smallest
end of the limb, I bent it down, and
swinging 68 by my hands, reaohed the
ground in safety.
I he next thought was to seek assist
ance, so that the robber nvght be cap
tured and our valuables recovered. I
ran hastily to the house of our gardener,
and finding the door slightly ajar, pushed
it open and looked in at the bed. By the
light of the moon falling full upon it I
saw that itwas unoccupied, and had not
even been disturbed. I had hoped that
he was innocent, and that I should find
him in his bed asleep; but I saw plainly
now that my hopes were in vain.
I then went to our cook's room and
called her. She sprang out of bed with
a frightened exclamation and ran to the
door to know what I wanted. I told her
ir as few words as possible, asking her to
go for onr nearest neighbor, who lived
about; half a mile away from us.
Of course she would, and while she
drew on her clothes I took.op an old gun
from a comer of the room, and finding
that it was loaded, hastened back to the
house.
I stationed myself at the end of the
porch, behind a clump of vines, and
stood with my gun ready to shoot at the
shortest notice. I could hear the in
truder in the house going up and down
stairs, turning over chairs and keejiing
up a general racket. At last he appeared
at the window, and stepping out upon
the porch, stood looking up the road.
"Guess I'd better be gittin 'way from
here, 'cause that young miss has got out,
and first thing I know somebody'll be
comin' in here to eat me up, skin and
bone. I've got the money, anyway, and
that's all I wanted, 'cept missus' watch
and chain; but I'Jl git it some day."
He turned as if to leave, and I let him
have, a load from my gun in one of his
legs. He fell to the floor with a terrible
yell, and I kept quiet. I thought if I
could keep him there until help came
without taking his life, I should be sat
isfied. liaising himself on his elbow with a
moan he looked about and said-
"Oh, I am shot! I'm killed! Please
don't shoot me any more, and I'll give
the money all back evwry cent!"
I did not show myself, but prepared
the other barrel to shoot, if it should be
come necessary. It did not, however,
for it was not long before the cook re
turned, accomnanied by our neighbor
and his two sons, who took possession of
the . gentleman, and relieved me of my
watching.
A few moments later my brother and
his wife arrived, and I discovered that it
had been exactly one hour since I was
aroused from my slumber in my room.
Tne robber was no other than the old
gardener, and he afterward confessed he
knew father was not at home, and saw
mother when she went away with my
brother. He was very much in need of
the money, he said, and deter mi ued to
take advantage of the opportunity to go
into the house and search for some. He
also said that he meant to force me to
tell him the whereabouts of father s
money, but he said nothing about in
tending to take my watch.
When I saw him come through the
garden into tho yard, he had been off to
borrow the hat and coat from his brother,
with whom he promised to divide the
proceeds of the night.
The mask lie lormed nimseit ot a
piece of black cloth, and indeed, had I
not seen him enter his own house, I
never should have known him, for the
disguise was perfect.
Kest assured that 1 have never since
remained in a large house alone at night.
Tlid Pot Luck Club.
At a meeting of the Pot-Luck Club
each male member according to promise,
contributed a specimen of his handiwork
in the culinary art, and the result was
quite novel.
"Here," said the artist sketching the
twentieth letter of the alphabet, "is a
drawing of "T." His contribution was
highly esteemed.
"And here," said the printer, produc
ing a handful of type, "is some 'pi' of
my own making. He said this in a
crusty tone.
"And I've brought a hot goose," said
the tailor, dropping his iron on the table.
He was greeted with hisses.
"And I," said the poet, with a Mile
sian accent, proffering a manuscript,
"have here some tender-loins." His offer
ing was voted very befitting.
"And I hope," said a sad and timid
looking member, presenting his wife,
"you will relish this rib.'" And then
he added in a sfage whisper: "I can
spare her, therefore she is a spare rib."
The carjenter now stepped forward
and said he had prepared "a little plane
board," placing the board on the tabic
as he spoke.
The shoemaker said he thought some
of the members needed a little brain
food, therefore he had brought a "sole,"
also a "tongue." Tho formerVas pretty
"scaly."
"And here," said a smart young man,
with a goneness in his voice, introducing
his!best girl, "is a little trunk." He
was pronounced '"too fresh," and
girl gave him the cold shoulder all
rest of the evening.
Then a newspaper humorist cast
his
the
his
eyes over the assemblage, called it a
"lare meet" poured som. gritty substance
out of a cone-shaped piece of paper, and
made Joe Miller turn over in his grave
by remarking: "The best I can do in
the culinary line is the sand which is
here.
The club immediately adjourned out
of respect of his gray-haired pun, say
ing that they didn't want any "taffy" in
their dessert. f 1 ho Judge.
Frank James' surrender will preclude
the necessity on Governor Crittenden's
part of hiring assassins to do what the
authorities of the State have always been
powerless to accomplish. Colonel James
ought to be hung, but his kindness in
surrenderi ig will probably save his
neck. Denver Tribune.
Ad A flair t f Tas'e.
If the
ond lover of sixty chooses to
marry sweet sixteen, there is little or no
fault found, as a general thing; it is
merely suggested that perhaps when she
is beginning to shine in society he will
have had-enough of it; but otherwise it
is considered quite a suitable affair, on
the whole, by a majority of people. "So
wise in her," they say, "to prefer ex
perience land bonds to callow youth and
nonsense and ignorance; so much better
to be an pld man s darling than a young
man's . slive," as if old men were not as
tyrannical as their juniors. But let a
woman dare to marry a man jounger
than herself, and even her friends won
der at her temerity, and predict all man
ner of misfortunes. Of course he will
get tired !of her after the glamour is past,
they assert, as if only youth and beauty
would command constancy: she will
pass for;
youthful
his aunt, " they add, and his
pleasures will fail to harmonize
with her sober amusements. But if we
look among our acquaintances who have
contracted marriages of this kind, we
will find 'that they seem to be more sue
cessful j than otherwise. Perhaps
the knowledge that a dis
advantage makes the wife more
alert to render herself attractive,
where another woman more secure in
her position fails through negligence;
and perhaps even her added years give
her some advantage; she has felt and
seen and read, and perhaps "understood
and suffered more than a younger
woman, and therefore has greater re
sources, j Her younger sister exacts ad
miration she renders it. That one be
lieves in the power of her youth and
beauty, and often neglects the things
which may enhance them; her senior
knows that youth and beauty are not im
mortal, lit is a poor rule which will not
work both ways. Why might it not be
urged with equal propriety that sweet
sixteen will grow out of conceit with
gouty sixty? We do not advooate such
marriages, but when two people love
each other and have reached maturity,
a few years difference on either side
seems of small consequence; and the
the least sentimental will concede that
there is more in. common, more chance
of happiness between the wife of forty
and the husband of thirty, than between
the youn matron and the old husband.
Dr. Johnson never regretted the cuoice
of a bride double his age, it would eeem,
though she was neither comely nor in
tellectual', and Beaconsfield was happy
in spite of his idol's seniority. All the
world knows that Anne Hathaway was
older than Shakspeare, notwithstanding
his wiie injunction on the subject, which
some cynic may insist was the result of
blighting experience. But the feeling
on the matter has changed more or less
within a decade; that which would have
filled our prudent grandmothers with
holy horror, their grandchildren are not
so sure about; and perhaps this is due to
the fact that so many distinguished men
and women, literary and otherwise, have
lent their countenance and example to
marriages where the seniority is on the
wrong side. f Harper's Bazar.
Unparalleled In Ballroadlug.
A curious accident occurred recently
on the Northern Wisconsin division of
the Chicago and Northwestern railway,
one mile south of Oconto, and which is
the most extraordinary in railroad his
tory. The north bound passenger train,
with-a veiy large number of passengers,
was running along at not less than 25
miles an hour, when her locomotive ex
ploded with gigantic force. "I was
seated 'in the smoking car, the third
from the engine," said John F. Jerrard,a
passenger1, "and knew by the loud report
and the heavy shock to the train what had
happened.' I was talking at the time
with Mr.j Whitney of Pensaukee, and
springing up, I said, 'The boiler has
exploded and I expected in the next in
stant that the train would be smashed
into kindling wood. At almost the same
moment a mass of rubbish from the ex
plosion tell upon the top of the car,
which rattled loudly, but did no other
damage. Of course, in a moment the
sensation of danger was passed, as the
tram ran smoothly along, except a pecu
liar and unnatural sound from the front
of the train, which seemed to move along
without any perceptiole diminution of
speed. 1 concluded tuat my impression
that the boiler had exploded was errone
ous, as everything seemed then to be all
right, and a gentleman remarked that a
torpedo had probably been exploded un
der the train with a view to mischief.
By this time the train had run down
and crossed the bridge across the Oconto
river, when the brakeman suddenly set
the brakes with great exertion, and
brought the train to a halt.
Up to this moment no one on the train
knew what the actual situation was ex
cept the j mail agent and the baggage
men, and they were unable for some rea
son to put on the brakes to stop the
train. The train was finally bronght to
a stand-still. It was then found that the
four forward trucks of the engine were
loaded handsomely upon the tender.
which was intact. It was evident that
not an individual on the train, as it stood
there was injured, and the fact that the
majority of the passengers did hot know
anything had occurred until they were
told, as the report was not heard very
far back and niay were asleep. But
the engineer and fireman there was but
one voice, "tiey are dead." Home
of the passengers and the train
1 m
men ran, DacK and were utterly
amazed to find them stand in or by
the wrecked engine but little the worse
for the dreadful shaking up. After a
careful examination of the whole ground
the following conclusions were reached
by me and! many other: First, that the
explosion had been, most terrific; that at
the time of its occurrence the ensine was
lifted from its connection wih the ten
der and violently wrenched clear of it;
that at the same moment the cow-catcher
was thrown downward as a matter of
course, and as was shown by three ties
being rooted up and broken in two
nearly in the center, and at the same
point by the side of the track lay tho
nose of the badly demoralized cow-catcher.
This must have occur red, as the engine
was thrown forward into the air with the
most terrific force, as was fully ' estab
lished by its being hurled 18Q feet for
ward and along a little to tha right of
the track before it struck the ground,
where it buried itself half out of sight in
the mnd. Of course tliis thirty-ton
mass of iron must have turned a com
plete somersault in the air, at which
time the forward truoks were dropped
upon the tender, where they are now
lying. The grasses and bushes .are
blackened and dead by the escaping
steam underneath the track where the
engine flew through the air.
The huge machine took itself and all
its immense rubbish, the result of! the
explosion, absolutely out of the way, and
left a clean track for the train to pass
along, and, strange to say, the rails at the
point of the broken ties were scarcely
disturbed. But the firemen and 'engi
neer were carried along in the cab an 1
landed with it, or very near. One pair
of trucks on the mail car jumped the
track at the point where the explosion
occurred and ran in that situation one
mile, passing over the bridge at the
Oconto river in that way, and another
odd freak, passing a switch a moment
before the train was stopped, they ran
on again, and no great damage was done
except to tear off the heads of the spikes
from one side of the rail for the , whole
distance, breaking nearly all the bolts
which connect the ends of the rails to
gether, all this without one life being
lost or any one seriously injured. Who
can cite anything like it in railroading?
Edible Locusts.
Not a few commentators have stumbled
over the statement that John the Baptist
"did eat locusts." Not knowing that in
the East locusts are eaten, even in these
days, they have suggested that somo sort
of bean was meant.
There is a bean, which may be found
at some drug stores, knorn as the "St.
John Bean," the name, doubtless, being
given from the mistaken notion ' that it
represented the "locusts" referred to.
The following extraot from Lady Blnnt's
"Pilgrimage to Nejd" sets the matter at
rest, by showing that locusts are eaten
to day in Arabia: ' ,
Locusts are now a popular portion of
the day's piovision with us, aad. are
really an excellent article of diet. After
trying them in several ways, we have
come to the conclusion that they are best
plain boiled.
The long, hopping legs must be pulled
off and the locusts held by the wing,
dipped into salt and eaten. As to flavor,
this insect tastes of vegetable' rather
th an of fish or flesh, not unlike green
wheat,' and to us supplies the place of
vegetables, of which we are much in
need. I
The red locust is better eating than
the green one. Bed is said to be the
female and green the male, bat some say
all are green at first and become red
afterward.
For catching locusts, the morning is
the time, when they are hall benumbed
by the cold and their wings are damp
with the dew, so that they cannot fly.
They may tben be found clustered in
hundreds under the desert bushes, and
cau be gathered without trouble by be
ing shoveled into a bag or basket.' Later
on the sun dries their wings and they
are difficult to capture, having intelli
gence enough to keep just out of reach
when pursued. Flying, they look ex
tremely like May flies, being carried
about on to the wind. They canteer
themselves about as much 'as flying-fish
do, and can alight when they. like. In
fact, . they seldom let themsalves be
drifted against men or camels, and seem
able to calculate exactly the reach of a
stick. - .
They devour everything vegetable,
and are devoured by everything animal,
desert larks and bustards, ravens, hawks
and buzzards. The camels munch them
in with their food, the grey-hounds run
snapping after them all day long, eating
as many as they can catch. The Bedouins
often give them to their horses, aud
Am ward says that this year many tribes
have nothing to eat just now but locusts
and camel's milk.
Of Classic Obioin.-Fcw ladies who
wear polka dots have any knowledge of
their classic origin. The polka dot, we
are told by a learned correspondent, is a
copy of the ancient chrysoclavus, or
golden nail head, which in early church
times was one of the emblematic orna
men s embroidered in ecclesiastical -vestments
and robes, and later a . purple
patch like a broad nail head was vrorn
upon the outer garments by the old Ro
man dignitaries. At first it was observed
as a mark of dignity and "clavi" of gold
on rich silken textiles of Tyrisn dye
could be worn only by the nobles. Im
bued by a spirit of emulation, the
wealthy then demanded silken tuffs
sprinkled all over with large round
spots; and so from the sacred chryso
clavus, or golden nail head, we have
come in modern times to oestrew our
cotton dresses with polka dots.
The postoffice authorities are some
what bothered about the proper destina
tion of a postal card directed to "James
Bone, alias Jas. E. Mulherrln, in care ot
Mike Flynn, or his sister Julia, or her
cousin Mary Ann, corner of a street with
no number, .Pottsville; retail huckster
and tin-bora artist. If cot there, next
door."