The Columbian., October 03, 1884, Image 1

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THE COLUMBIAN';
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VOL. V.
ST. HELENS, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON, OCTOBER 3, 1884.
NO. i).
COLUMBIAN
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BRILLIANTS.
The liberal are secure alone;
For what we frankly give forever is our own.
Granville.
Cursed bo the wx-ial wants that sin against
the strength of youth !
Cursed be the social lies that wan) us from
the living truth! Tennyson.
Why ili.l 1 never sing a song to you?
Iearest! To you, again, behold the ques
tion start.
To miueowii pulses have lever sung? Or do
1 ix'ail a rhyme unto my beating heart
Elizabeth .Stuart Hielis.
(!i, friendl to tho liest pursuits of man.
Friivylly t thought, to virtue aiul to jieaee,
Domestic lut- iij rural leisure passed !
Few know thy value, and few taste thy
sweets,
Though many b.iast thy favors, and affect
To understand and choose thee for their own
-Cowper.
HOW GLOBES ARE BUILT.
The Irote or ?Iaklng Library and
School Globe.
Scientific American.
Our library and school educational
globe's have perhaps Is-eu a puzzle to
many an iuipMisitive mind they being so
light, so easily turned on their axis, and
so smooth as to appear more like natural
exact productions than mechanical con
structions. Tho maternal of a globe is a thick,
pulpy pajK-r like soft straw board, and
this is formed into two hemispheres
from dUks. A Hat disk is cut in gores,
or radical pieces, from center to circum
ference, half of the gores being removed
and the others brought together, form-?
ing a hemispherical cup. These disks
are gored under a cutting press, the dies
of winch are so exact that the gores come
together at their edges to make a perfect
hemisphere. The formation is also done
by a press with hemispherical mould and
die, the edges of the gores being covered
with glue. Two of these hemispheres
are then united by glue and mounted on
a wire, the ends of which are the two
axes of the finished globe. All this work
is done while the paper is in a moist
state. After drying the rough paper
globe is rasped down to a surface by
coarse sand paper, followed bv liner
paicr, and then receives a coating of
paint or enamel that will take a clean
smooth finish.
The instructive portion is a map of the
world printed in twelve sections, each of
lozenge shape, the points extending from
lole to pole, exactly as though the peel
of an orange was cut through from stem
to bud in twelve equal divisions. These
maps are obtained in Scotland generally,
although there are two or three estab
lishments otherwheres which produce
them. The pajier of these maps is very
thin but tenacious, and is held to the
globe by glue. The operator generally
a woman begins at one pole, pasting
with the left hand and laying the sheet
with the right, working along one edge
to the north or other jiole, coaxing the
dge of the paper over ti e curvature of
. the globe with an ivory spatula, and
working down the entire paper to an ab
solutely smooth surface.
As there are no laps to these lozenge
sections the edges must absolutely meet,
else there would be a mixed up mess,
especially among the inlands of some of
the great arehijielagoes and in the arbi
trary political borders of the nations.
This is probably the most exact work in
globe making, and yet it appears to be
easy because the operator is so expert in
coaxing down fullnesses and in expand
ing scanty jiortions, all the time keeping
absolute relation and perfect joining
with the other sections and to their
edges. The metallic work the equa
tors, meridians, and stands are finished
by machinery. A coat of transparent
varnish over t he paper surface completes
the work, and thus a globe is built.
The Petroleum Find In India.
Calcutta Cor. lxjndon Standard.
The government of India has received
the reports of the preliminary examina
tion of the oil-bearing strata which exist
in the neighborhood of Sibi. The pro
fessional reports are of a character so
decidedly encouraging that the govern
ment has determined to procure from
England the necessary machinery for
boring operations. These will begin next
winter, and will le conducted on an ex
tensive scale. If the results justify the
sanguine hojes entertained the discovery
will be one of no trifling importance,
whether in relation to Indian industrial
development or the solution of the
Central Asian question. It will be re
membered that the extraordinary rich
ness of the oil wells round Baku has
immediately stimulated trade enterprise
on the Caspian, and has justified on
purely commercial grounds the con
struction of the line, the strategic im
portance of which can not be doubted.
It wotild be a remarkable coincidence
if, just at the time when Russia makes
her presence felt on the confines of Af-
. ghanistan, a similar store of mineral
wealth were found along the line which
the Indian government have decided to
construct toward Candahar. Tho de
mand in India for illumiuating oils is
already considerable, and no doubt on
the Quetta railway, as on the Caspian
' lines, the petroleum might be used as
fuel. In any case, there will be an influx
of labor from India to southern Afghan
istan, and an iinjetus will be given to
communication between the two coun
tries, the jK)litical bearing of which it is
superfluous to indicate.
Name of ltaoe-IIorwe.
The nomenclature of race-horses is
quite a study, and very curious names
are found. In glancing over the entries
of one day's racing at Washington park,
Chicago, one may find "Chance,"
"Trouble," "Jocose," "Disturbance,"
"Pepper-em," "Modesty" (a good win
ner, by the way, singular to state,)
"Facsimile," Wedding Day," " Beau
ty," etc. There are any number more
peculiar than these. " Ghost," and
" Ghost II," are quite prominent, and
will not "down" at " Banquo's " bid
ding, having beaten him several times.
The general public aro more familiar
t with the names of noted trotters and
pacers, and Wisconsin here steps in with
Jay-Eye-See, Johnston and others nearly
as fast. '
Professor Hughes explains the phenom
ena of magnetism by a simple rotation
of the particles of iron.
One of the things which it is never safe
to do is to purchase a property with a
lawsuit "ttached.
AT SAX PEDRO.
Flora Haines Apponyi in The Argonaut.
I.
He saw her the first time in a Mission
street car, and his impressions were not pre-
ixistssjng. There was something too mi
perious in the quick wave of her hand as she
signaled the car, and her very step was jiosi-
tive anil aggressive, the perfect health
which blossomed in her cheek, spurLIcd in her
eve. and revealed itself in the easy carriage
uf a firmly molded figure, m his sight
sessed an clement of unlady-like audacity.
David Woodbury had lecn in San
Francisco only a fortnight, but he had
a read v made up. his mind, with t lie swift
decision which sometimes characterizes
Massachusetts men, that he did not admire
the women of California. They were an
innovation upon the type of womankind to
which he had been accustomed, the woman
of his family and of his acquaintance had all
ai taken, more or less, of a certain delicate,
spiritual cast, not uncommon among old
England families. He reflected now, with
an invalid's fretful iersisteney, that he could
not recall one who had even remotely ap
proached the buoyant hcalt h and generous
phvsioue of this girl.
For he was an invalid. His stalwart form
ami iron muscles had proved of no avail to
resist the pitiless onslaught of hereditary
diease, and the deceptive Hush upon his
cheek was but ti e presage of decay. Yet lie
had. so far, attained only the interest ing stage
of a sick man's existence, theii the tender
synipithy and concern of friends create a
subtile separation lietweeii him and the out
side world, and the nerves aiv easily jarred
by contact with the unaccustomed or unex
pected.
Lost in reflection, he failed to ol .serve that
a gray-hah-ed woman, meanly clad and car
rvinir a heavy bundle, had entered tlie car,
and stood leaning wearily against the door.
The car was closely l-atked from
front to rear. There seemed a singular
lnek of the customary iiallantrv which
apiears to le a second nature to most Cali
fornians. Several liewsiuqiers wen? lifted
hither, to shut out the appealing glance from
tlieir readers' lines of vision; a few men gazed
stolidly thnugh the windows. Several well
dressed women, occupying seats, smiled in a
suix-rior wav.
There was a swift movement opiosite.
David Woodbury raised his eyes to see the
old woman gently urged into the seat the
young lady had vacated, and to le himself
included in a scornful glance which swept the
car from end to end.
Other men olistinatelv retained their seats
in a very laudable effort to maintain consi
tencv, but this Massachusetts man. feeling an
obligation to vindicate his own gentility, in
defiance of his liodily infirmities arose ami
telidel-ed his seat to the combative young
woman. The courtesy was firmly repul sed.
"You must take my seat. I t an not allow
you to stand," he had said, clumsily enough.
"I would not deprive myself of the pleasure
for the world." returned the girl. The voice
was a surprise musical and vibrating, with
intonations that he had been accustomed to
associate with ideas of refinement and cul
ture. But he at one- alized that he had
blundered. This dauntless creatiuv, w ith the
self-consciousness characteristic of western
girls, had pnur.ptly attributed his courtesy
to the influence of her charms. He writhed
beneath the consciousness all the moi-e lie
eause of his utter inability to defend himself.
The very triviality of the episode rendered
him -powerless.
The recollection of this vexatious incident
still pursued him six months later, when he
returned from the Sandwich Islands, his fail
skill tanned and burned by a tropical sun,
butvith health restored, and ready for a
season of relaxation before returning to New
England. He was at an evening party one
night in March, conversing idly with a lady
acquaintance, when his attention was at
tracted by a couple who hail enteml the
room and stood chatting with the hostess.
He faw a digniTed elderly gentleman in tho
un Iress f a military officer, and on his arm
a queenly girl who might have stepjxil from
some old-time picture. A shimmering robo
of rich texture was drajx-d with classic ele
gance about the graceful form; not a scrap
of lace or patch of velvet marred the lieauty
of the costume; but in the folds of filmy tulle
which crossed the liosoiu a cluster of eglan
tine roses was hidden. A single diamond, in
a setting of antique silver, gleamed like a
star amid the waves of her abundant brown
hair, and in her hand she carried a curious
inlaid fan.
David Woodbury's sensation was one of
positive delight. With returning strength
had come a new appreciation of the royalty
of health, and he reveled in this picture of
)rfcet womauhiMNl. He thought of his sis
ter, who had a mild enthusiasm for art, and
for its sake loved the beautiful in nature, and
wished she stjd by his side that moment,
and could feast her eyes on the scene liefore
him; the lofty room, with its rich apioint
11 en's, not more costly than tasteful, the
wealth of tropiial plant.-; and blossoms
making the air heavy with rfuuie,
and in the foreground a glittering con
stellation, with this sujierb figure for its
central sun.
"That is fien. Langdon and his daughter
Stella," whisjered his friend. ''His wife
died three jrears ago, leaving two daughters,
one a mere baby. They say .Stella's devotion
to her little sister is something beautiful to
behold. But come let me introduce you."
The girl looked at him in calm scrutiny as
he bowed before her. "I have met Mr.
Woodbury before in a street-car," she said,
gravely.
An under-current of satire cut like a two
edged sword. To have attempted excuse or
explanation would have apieared like the
consciousness of guilt. His thoughts turned
turned lwick to their old channel. The ele
gant simplicity of her dress he regarded as a
bid for notoriety. Her unconventional man
ner received his mental condemnation. Ob
serving how neatly she jtarriwl all at tempts
at familiarity on the art of her admirei-s, he
refliM-ted that the women in whose society he
had been bred had no need of lurrying any
such approaches. The air of icy reserve in
which they enveloied themselves was ini
pngnable. During ensuing weeks he met her fre
quently, but by original conception of her
character remained essentially unchanged.
He told himself that she was a gay, brilliant
girl, always cheerful and animated; but
dwelling altogether in the shallows of life,
like others of her class.
One morning these opinions reeei veil a shock
and a surprise. Turning down Pacific street,
after an early stroll on Kussiun hill, he eu
countered Stella Iingdon going downtown
on a forenoon shopping camiaign such as
young and stylish women affect, he inwardly
decided. He joined her, and they were soon
launched iqxm an idle discussion of plans for
the coming season. As they progressed down
the hill, they came to a quarter whose dingy
and rickety ataxics proclaim the ixiverty of
its denizens. Sauntering carelessly along,
Miss f .angdon suddenly bent over two chil
dren, rather more ragged and dirty than the
average of the street. Her face grew tender
and pitiful as she questioned the little ieople,
and, after a brief parley, bearing the viler
of the two urchins aloft in her arms, she dis
appeared down a dark alley-way. Her com
panion halted a moment irresolute; then, re
alizing that he was for the time completely
forgotten, with a eoniia.ssioiiate smile for tho
freaks of San Francisco women, he continued
his progress down town.
II.
The little land and sea-locked port of San
Pedm is oddlv situated. Where the water
has in inust ages hollowed a crescent from the
dins and then receded, years ago a little vil
lage was founded. Two miles north, on tho
crest of the cliffs, the last battle between the
Mexicans and United States soldiers took
place, and in a ghoulish grave-yard, far from
anj' habitation, n'ixse the Ixmes of the slain
of one army, while out in the bay, on a rocky
eminence called Dead Man's island, the dead
of the defeated warriors found tlieir sepul
chre. One by one these graves have leen
rifled of their contents by the encroachment
of the resistless waves, until only a couple
now remain, with a snowy cross above to
mark their burial phut'. Half a mile to the
south is another long, low stretch of land,
with shores of glittering white sand, studded
with curious iebbles and strewn with shells,
to u Inch a little steamer daily plies, as well
as to the distant mountainous islauds, rising
like iale blue clouds far out upon the ocean,
where earth and sky apjxar to meet.
The little modern town of San Pedn nestles
in the cresceiit-shajxsl hollow facing the sea
with pivcipitous cliffs rising like steep walls
in its rear, and embracing it north and south
almost to the water's edge. The entire vil
lage lies so low that a tidal-wave of modest
dimensions could with one mighty surge ob
literate it from the face of the earth. But its
quiet inhabitants dwell on in peaceful secur
ity, and many restless city iieople find in the
quaint spot, so shut off from the everyday
world, the ivi iose and isolation which they
annually stvk as salvation from the wear and
tear of lt'tty cares. And so it has come to
pass that ever' summer finds the homely lit
tie cottages overflowing with city guests, and
the low ground at tho north angle of the -ns-
cent and mntiug the sea is dotted with gay
tents all the season.
Here it chanced that one day in August,
when the waves were lapping the shore with
a slepy surge, Stella Langdon ami David
Woodbury encountered each other. She was
sunning herself on the sand, while her little
sister built a mimic fortress by her side. A
book lay untouched in the girl's lap, for the
Ixiok of natnre spread out before her was in
finitely more enchanting.
He reverted at once to the occasion when
last they met, for, struggling against the
growing admiration he felt for this girl, with
all the iierversity of an olistinate man he had
converted even that incident into an argu
ment against her.
'"Mi.- Ijing.loii.
what ;.hilanlhropi
rectors"
"Of none, sir."
pray enlighten me. O:
society are you a di-
There wus unmistakable
surprise and inquiry in her
went on in a quizzical way:
voice. But he
"Then you are one of the hard-working
mcmlers who do not accept offices,
but preside over committees, and in
augurate fairs and carnivals all for
the punxise of enticing from the
jKK-kets of an unwilling public money for the
supj-ort of establishments which are mere hot
beds for criminals and paupers.
"I do not understand you, sir." Her lijis
tightened and her eyes sparkled w ith a dan
gerous light.
"Be honest. In the interest of what re
formatory institution diil you pursue that
wretched little lx'ggar wo encountered on
Pacific street a month or two ago:"
"Mr. Woodbury, did you notice the condi
tion of that chilil.' When I took hold of her
emaciated arm it seemed as if it would melt
away in my grasp. Did you see the cruel
blows the older child was raining ujioi! hers
And do you think a woman could jxiss by such
a sight? I w ish you had seen that homo as 1
did. Two miserable moms for a father and
mother and seven children. The woman was
at the wash tub. and when I told her why 1
had picked up the little mite, she burst out
crying, telling her troubles in such a dis
couraged way that it made ons heart ache.
The oldest loy and girl were ut sch'Xil, .and
there are five little ones the youngest an in
fant at the breast, the next that sickly ltfihy,
and the oldest the. 7-year-old boy in whose
care she had placed it that morning."
"Where was the father?"
"He is only a inr lalxa-er solx-r and
hard-working, she assured me; but his work
is not steady, and his small wages are in
sutlicient for their suixrt. So the ioor
little things had to be neglected and sent out
on the street to get the sunshine, while the
mother toiled away at home, or sometimes
went out with her baby to do a day's cleaning.
The tiny girl we saw had been suffering
with a severe cough for six months, and they
could do nothing for her but watch her fade
away lief ore their eyes."
"What did you advise?"
"I jiersuaded them to take the little one to
the Children's hospital, where I have a friend
and a noble, good woman she is who is a
director. There the little thing was put
straight to lied, as she need to lx', and nursed
day and night, as she-could never have been
at home.
"With what result?"
"I have a letter to-day from the matron,
who tells me my itient has grown plump as
a partridge, and will lie discharged in three
weeks more, completely rum!.- The father
has procured steady work in the country, and
takes his family there this week, ljet us
change the subject. Do you go in bathing f
"No; I am afraid"
"Of stingarees?" She laughed merrily, and
liefore he could finish his explanation some
body had come up and swept her off on a
search for sea ferns, whose delicate fronds
were Ixirne in by the tide.
He stood for an instant, irresolute. Two
crushing revelations dawned uxn hiin in
that moment. He had learned to appreciate
at last this noble, sympathetic woman; and
he knew, by a swift, unerring intuition, that
she despised him. He asked himself what
else he could have exicted. A man irrever
ent of age, indifferent to the sufferings of
cbildluxxl, and, aliove all, a cowanl! He
summed up his credentials with a bitter
laugh, as he flung himself down on the lieach.
After tins passage-at-amis they mutually
avoided each other. Save when they met
face to face, they never exchanged a glance
of recognition. Yet both were resolved to
conclude the season at San Pedro. One dav
Miss Iang!oii rode down to Wilmington to
take the train for Ixw Angeles. Sho left her
little sister in the care of friends at tho beach.
with many cho rges and cautions, which the
child promised to heed.
Early that afternoon David Wotxlburj
waiylcred along at the foot of tho cliffs, chip
ping away at tho rocks with a small pick he
carried. He was something of an amateur
geologist, and there were some singular,
amber-like crystals imbedded in the rx-ks,
winch he nan determined to subject to micro
scopic analysis. Absorlxnl in his task he
was aroused by the sound of a lady's voice
close by:
"What is it fluttering on the top of that
roek, Henry? Is it a bird? Give me that
glass, and let me see."
"Jo, my dear; my eyes are lx-tter than
yours. I will look, liy heavens! it is a child."
A little child out on a narrow point of
rocks, with a surging sea all around, ami the
tide coining in! Every one understood how
It must have happened, recalling the chain of
moss-grown rocks that lifted their heads
above the t-ea at the ebbing of the tide, and
over which the more venturous had some
times clainlicred, but every vestige of which
was now effaced by the sea. The few men
about stood dazed at the sight No boat
could make a passage of those sharp and
treacherous rocks, ami strong swimmers
daivd not breast the pitiless swell of the side,
maddcinsd to fury by its rocky barriers.
One man set his teeth firmly together at
the sight. Years ago, in his college days, he
had Ikvii a daring swimmer. Once before he
had breasted just such a sett- to reach a lioat
which had overturned with three men. As
David Woodbury threw off his coat, he re
memliered the iirting admonition of his
Hawaiian physician:
i'You are all right now, my lxy; but
guanl vigilantly against any sudden shock or
violent exercise of any kind. '
He mustered all the nerve within him to
meet and bear without recoil the plunge into
the boiling element. Once breasting the
waves his strength came back, and he bat
tled with a vigor he had never known before.
Flung now against some rocks, which bruised
his limlis or tore his hands; now sucked down
by some eddying current, which all hi
strength only sufficed to conquer; now faint
with the shix-k of some ! mighty incoming
breaker, he reached, at last, the rock where a
little girl clung in fright, and took her in hi
anus and soot he 1 her till her wild sobs ceased.
He liethought himself then of what he had
not recalled before that between this ixx-k
and the breakwater, which afforded a safe
retreat to shore, lay a comparatively oui
stretch of sea. And so, plunging again into
the water, carefully supixirting the little one,
but swimming with long, masterly strokes,
he In ire his precious burden safely, at last, tc
shore.
As he stepjied upon the beach, Stella Lang
don met him with outsretched arms. Silently
he placed the child within them, and she re
ceived it without a word; but he was
strangely stirred by the one full look that
fell from her brown eyes like a benison upon
him. A hero in dripping garments, he stxnl
a nxiiig the idlers iqxai the beach, all deeply
moved, as even shallow natures will be, by
the sight of a truly gallant deed.
He tried to meet their effusive praise with
easy indifference, to make light of the jx-rils
thniigh which ho had passed. But a choking
seiisSiion in his throat overpowered him; a
weakness, which wus more than the faintness
of exhaustion, seized iqion him; and it wa
not sea-water that gushed in a crimson flood
from mouth and nostrils.
Stella Langdon, sitting within her tent,
and softly crying over her little sister as she
removed her wet garments, lifted her fuce
w ith a sudden imllor as she heard tho meas
ured tramp of men carrying a heavy burden,
and a voice saying, regretfully:
"Poor fellow: He's done for this time."
III.
If he had lKeii taken to an ordinary habita
tion, and there submitted to the routined at
mosphere, unnatural restraint, and artificial
remedies which invalids are usually obliged
to undergo, it is doubtful if he would have
survived the ordeal. But after he hail lnt'11
placet 1 ujKin the comfortable bed in his tent,
the physician who was summoned wisely con
cluded that it would be dangerous to
run the risk of removal. And so he lay
in the ojx'ii air, tho cool sea-breezes
finding their way through many a rift
in the canvas. Cljse contact with Mothel
Nature accomplished more than doctors oi
physic, ami, after several weeks of rest and
quiet, the inward tissues that had Ix-en ru
tuivd did their work of healing, am! he rose
from his couch, if not absolutely sound, with
chances for a long life about as good as the
average man s.
The seas n at San l'edro was unusually
prolonged tliat year. More than one iarty
of cumH-rs lingered on, loth to leave w hile
the life of this brave young fellow hung in the
ImlaiKV. '1 he Ijingdons lingered among the
rtst, and when, one day late in September,
David Woodbury finally emerged from his
tent, walking somewhat feebly at first, he
diil not disdain to stay himself a little by the
noble strength of the young girl w hose arm
he had taken.
Slowly they strolled along the lxach, and
various gap groujis nodded smiling approval
as they passed. He drew her at length to a
little nook in the cliffs sheltered from the
wind. Below them great breakers beat them
selves ujxin the rocks with a sullen roar. The
sharp outlines of the mountainous islands iu
the distance were veiled in a bluish mist.
Far on the horizon the white-winged sails of
an incoming ship could lie descried. Some
rare bird, with golden plumage, wheeled
down over the cliffs, and darted, swift and
sure, to its nest in a liliputian bush, clinging
to a cleft in the nx-ks.
But the young nam wore a troubled look,
and seemed oblivious of the charming scene
liefore him. He turned to his coiiqiuiiioii at
length with a weakly, endiarrassed smile.
"I do not like to think there was a time
when I seemed contemptible in your eyes. 1
wus not quite so hard-hearted as I apix'ared
about that little ch id, you know "
"So 1 was fully eisuaded when I learned
that an unknown friend in San l'edro had
forwarded a hundred dollars for my poor
lieoplc that very week."
"1 didn't mean that you should know oi
that," looking momentarily chagrined ; "still,
I do not knew that I care now," osscssing
himself of her hand with an air of proprietor
ship, and drawing her nearer to him.
"But I wonder if you will believe me now,"
he jiei-sisted, followed up his chain of remini
scence. "Alxmt that miserable affair in the
street-car, the first time I ever saw you. You
rememlx'r? You thought mo zealous to offer
my seat to a young lady when I wouldn't
yield it to an old woman. I wouldn't make
such a distinction for the queen of Sheba.
The fact is, I was in a brown study when she
came in, and jxisitively did not see her until
you had risen."
The girl hxiked at him in gentle amazement.
"David Woodbury, I never dreamed of
misjudging you so. I understood it all ixt
fectly at the time," she said.
A I'omtoltlce on ITIomit Sinai.
London Standard.
The world moves so fast that one learns not
to lx; astonished at anything. Still, we con
fess tliat to hear of a ixmtoflice being estab
lished on Mount Sinai comix-Is us to revise
our ides regarding the fitness of things. The
pious monks of Jalxd K a term have hitherto
been regarded as holy anchorite, whose minds
hail long ago lxconie weaned from the vani
ties of the world. But it is evident, from
their desire to share in tho somewhat quali
fied blessings of the postal union, that they
have found a continuous contemplation of the
Mountain of Moses less satisfying than they
had Ixx-n led to exict.
Ol' Importance to Letter-Writers.
New Orleans Times-Democrat.
Most per. ons havo an idea that any one
who wilds a letter can telegraph to the ixwt
niastcr at the otlice of delivery and have it
returned to him. Such, however, is not the
fact. The jiost master at the office of mailing
Is the only iici-son who can recall a letter
Thi:$ authorty was recently given, tho priv
ilege heretofore Ix-uig exercised only by the
poKlmustcr general. Therefore, if a scn ler of
a letter desires to intercept the missive, or
have it returned to him, he must apply to the
ixistmaster at the office where he mailed the
letter.
SHERMAN AT ATLANTA.
Scene Alons the Line of Clrcum
vallallon In ISO I. )
fPhiladelnhia Times.! i
For many da vs the sicjre continued,
and it seemed as if there would be no
end. Men liecame very weary of it and
endured the c.mnonade as best they
could. At daybreak, ordinarily, the
booming of cannon liegan and screech
ing shells sailed through the air
with hideous noise. Not many soldiers
were hit with these missies, but
they had the power of making men feel
more nervous than anything that could
jx? done to them. After the shells struck
the ground, unless they burst at once,
there was no great danger, as the sol
diers got out of the way or threw them
selves on the ground, and were measure-
ably safe. The round shot did no par
ticular daumge and the artillerists Ire-
served' their grape and canister for
closer quarters. Apparently the artil
lerymen enjoyo- wus, as it was a tribute
to their skill, "'it liooouy else was
specially elated and rather wished the
affair was ended. 1 could not see how
the Union troops were ever to get pos
session of this important place, so well
situated m tne very heart of the Con
federate states, and there was a dull and
dangerous drag, day after day, with
very little to break the monotony or re
lieve it of its tedium, so wearing upon
military men.
In order to ruin as much ammunition
as possible for the Confederates, our
commander gave orders that at a certain
hour after dark the "charge' should lie
sounded, but the soldiers were to keep
well back and undercover, not showing
themselves to the enemy, lhev would
think of course that our whole line was
advancing directly upon them with fixed
bayonets, and in consequence expend
their ammunition in the most reckless
manner upon us. Everything was duly
prepared and all the necessary precau
tions taken against the effect of their
shot and shell. The baggage wagons
were kept well to the rear, and all
horses, mules and draft animals i so
placed that the shot would not reach
them. The cattle herd was driven to a
secure place, as fresh In-cf was a luxury
duly appreciated by us. Ibe parapets
were strengthened where most needed.
and the rillc-jiits for the men deepened
so as to afford good shelter. j
On the night of Aug. . 7, I think: it
was, but am not positive, this scheme
was carried into effect and proved as
success! ul as could have lieen wished
A short time after dark the drums
in every regiment were furiously beaten
and the bugles and t'rumitets sounded
the "charge." There was a deafening
din ami a few moments afterward the
noise from the Confederate works ex
ceed d anything that can lx? imagined.
Great guns and little guns Hashed and
pealed from tho Confederate earthworks,
ami the United States army never rested
under a more tremendous hail of shot,
shells and bullets of every description.
It was, an old soldier near me expressed
it, "As if hell had broken loose and was
vomiting its contents upon us." The
noise was deafening, the roar tremendous
and the streams of tire through the I air
sublime beyond description. There was
a rain of leaden balls that dropped freely
in every direction, and woe unto any
luckless soldier who endeavored to stand
up against it. j
Of course the Yankees laughed at this
effort on the part of the enemy, and felt
well satisfied at seeing them throw away
in this reckless manner the tons and tons
of missiles which had taken them so
long to manufacture, and at such great
cost. As much ammunition was us-d as
would have been used in an ordinary
battle, the firing having been kept up a
full hour. Many of the Confederates
themselves believed the Unionists had
advanced in force against them, land
were not undeceived uutil the following
morning. The greater portion of them,
however, soon became convinced fts to
the way waiters stood, and ceased firing
of their own accord. Their curses were
loud, deep, and long-continued against
tho Unionists for this 'new-fashioned
scheme of deception that had been prac
ticed upon them, and they did not soon
forget it. i
Our men took good care to keep out of
the way for some time after the firing
ceased though they laughed heartily at
the discomfiture of the enemy. The
Confederate batteries had been plied as
rapidly as possible, and the infantry
regiments seem to have vied with each
other in seeing which could expend the
greatest amount of powder and lead.
From Decatur clear round to Ezra church
our people kept watch anil ward, and all
understood tho wonderful demonstra
tions that took place on this historical
arena on the night described. But ; few
of our soldiers suffered from ! the
firing, though, of course, there
were some few whose curiosity got
the Better of their judgment,
and were stricken by the leaden down
fall. There was not a true Union man
who did not rejoice at this fearful can
nonade, the armies of the Cumberland,
Tennessee and Ohio, forming the mili
tary division of the Mississippi, exulting
at it and wishing, the Confederates had
thrown away even more shot than they
did. From the stripling to the gray
beard they all realized that the Confed
erates were getting rid of bullets, which,
if kept on hand, might find a lodgment
in their own bodies or those of their
friends. The Confederates felt rather
cheap over tho affair, though wo had no
chance to question them closely, as we
were not at that time very intimate with
them.
Xlie Girl and tlie Ilovln a.
Hartford FostJ
A young lady from New York, who is
visiting friends in Wclhersfiehl, saw a
yoke of oxen going by the house, and
stiid: "Oh, how I would like a good fresh
drink of milk from those cows!" Sho is
mortally afraid of cows, and coming on
one suddenly one day sho was too
frightened to run; so poking her parasol
at the boast, she stuttered out, "Lie
down, sir; lie down!''.
Contemplate a Man.
Burlington Hawkeye.
Tclemachus, don't let me hear you
laughing at a woman again because she
can't sharpen a pencil. When you want
something in that line to laugh at, do
you jv' contemplate a man cutting out
a pap i ''pattern with a pair of scissors,
1 il. . 1 - PC xl? -1... I 1
oy tne uuucu euoris oi ins rigui uanii, i
lower jaw and two-thirds of his tongue
The Indian Fourth of July.
W. P. Hoojx-r in St Nicholas.
The Fourth of July morning I shall
never forget. We were awakened by
the most blood-curdling yells that ever
pierced the ears of three white boys. It
was the Indian war-whoop. I found
myself instinctively feeling for
my back hair, and regretting
the distance to the railroad. We
lingered indoors in a rather terrified con
dition until wo found out that this was
simply the beginning of tho day's cele
bration. It was the "sham fight," but it looked
real enough, when the Indians came
tearing by, their ponies seeming to enter
into the excitement as thoroughly as
their riders. There were some five
hundred in full frills and war paint, and
all giving those terrible yells. Their
costumes were simple, but gay iu color -paint,
feathers, and more paint, with an
occasional shirt.
One little boy, whose name was Sha-ke-to-pa
(Four Nails), .had five feathers
big ones, too in his hair. His face
was painted; he wore round ear-rings,
and rows of beads and claws around his
neck; bands of beads on his little bare
brown arms; embroidered leggins and
beautiful moccasins, and a long piece of
red cloth ahanging from his waist, rn
fact, he was as gay ly dressed as a grown
up Indian man, and he had a cunning
little war-club, all ornamented and
painted. For weapons, they carried
guns, rifles, and long spears. Bows and
arrows seemed to be out of style. A
few had round shields on their left arms.
Most of the tepees had been collected
toother and pitched so as to form a
large circle, and their wagons were
placed outside this circle so as to make
a wrt of protection for the defending
party. - The attacking party, brandish
ing their weapons in the air with in
creased yells, rushed their excited and
panting ponies up tho slope towards tho
tepees, where they were met by a rapid
discharge; of blank cartridges and pow
der. Some of the ponies became un
manageable, several riders were un
horsed, and general confusion prevailed.
The entrenched party, in the meantime,
rushed out from liehind their defenses,
climbing on top of their wagons, yelling
and dancing around like demons.
Added to this, the sight of several rider
less ponies flying wildly from the tumult
made this sham fight
alistic look.
have a terribly re-
A Crazy Time for Everybody.
"Betsey Hamilton" in Atlanta Constitution.
"Thar is a time in everylxxly's lifo
when they ' are crazy; -least ways they
gits lieyant thoyselves," says Uncle He
zakiah, "and with some folks its in
ginnerly when they marries."
lie was tumble put out about Malindy
Jane Trotman a-marryin' of Jake Ix)ftis.
As he sot and whittled his stick he lowed:
"Yes, thar comes a time in everybody's
life when they are crazy, and Malindy
Jane's time had come, I reckin."
Well, it 'pears like it's so, and crazi
ness is ketchin' jist like the measles and
yaller jandc-rs and sich as that, for let a
new thing come along, ai.d everybody
goes crazy over it; a newfangled patent,
this, that and tother a chuf.i or sump n
er that sort, and everybody thinks
they've got to buy it. One buys it kase
tother'n does, and here the churn goes
tel every house has got i, whether
they've got a cow or not. Sometimes
the women folks all gits started on one
thing; for n'instance a certain patron for
a quilt. They have even went so fur as
to name a quilt "the crazy quilt." It's
nothin' on the yeth but the old "hit or
miss" patron with a new name, but if
ever a quilt has the right name, hit's got
it, kase the pieces is notionly sot in
cra.v lastnon, but ioits is an
a gwine crazy over it: You can't
go nowhars now without seein' somebody
a piecin' of a crazy quilt, and if they
start on knit lace, or darn net work, or
tattin its the same way. Ihey all goes
crazy tel they gits at it, and stays crazy
tel the siell wears off'n 'cm, and they
take up sump'n else. If they aint crazy
about one thing hits tother, and tho
women haint by theirsclves nut tier, and
the men folks haint got no room to
laugh, for they nre jist as bad. They
are all crazy now about walkin' matches.
Some of 'em aro plum ravin' distracted
over it, has done quit ther work and
tuck to walkin' for wages and tot hers to
watch 'cm. Pop used to L'll me when I
was gwine hard as I could stave: "Betsy,
you walks pino blank like you was a
walkin' for wages;" and I never knowed
what it meant tel I beam about'all these
here walkin' matches that's gwine on.
The Nation' Narcotic.
Globe-Democrat.
Every nation or race has its narcotic.
The natives of Siberia have a fungus an
swering their wants; Turkey, India and
China cultivate and use opium; nearly
all Mohammedan peoples, including the
Indians, Tuiks, Persians, Arabians and
Africans, have hashish or . some substi
tute for it; the natives of Hindoostan
and many other parts of Asia havo the
betel nut or betel pepper;; tho Poly
nesians havo ava; the Peruvians coca;
tho New Granadians tho thorn-apple;
tho Spaniards their lettuce; the whole
world its tobacco. i
Besides theso already mentioned.
there are quite a number of other nar
cotics uKhI in various parts of tho world,
K ti: 7-i-:j- i : a.'.
me. iiiuiuus oi r lonua- naving an emetic
holly, and Scotland having the night
shade. This plant is historic, for ac
cording to Morehouse, a Danish army in
the time of Sweyn was made unani
mously drunk by tho Scots furnishing
them liquor that contained an infusion
of this herb, and they thus fell an easy
prey to the Highlanders. In short, so
extensive is the variety and so wide the
geographic distribution of narcotics in
one form or another that it would seem
as if they were intended for some good
use, though tho tendency tin s far, it
must bo admitted, has been to their
abuse rather than to rentier them of any
benefit as a medicine.
Precaution Agalnat Fire.
Chicago Herald.
In the opera houso in Munich and
Vienna water curtains have been con
structed. This curtain consists of a
wide, thin stream continuously poured
upou tho top of tho stage between the
acts, completely inclosing the stage in a
transparent curtain, and it was o "ing
to this precaution that a recent fire
which broke out during the oerformanco
of "Tannhauser" was choked imme
diately. ;
LIFE IN NEW SOUTH WALES.
Dire i:i!o-t of the Drought-Flsht
Ins Kangaroos. '
Foreign Letter.
"The past year has be-in disastrous to
the stockmen, and consequently businessi
of all kinds has suffered greatly," said
Mr. Burchitt, a resident of Sydney, New
South Wales: "For twelve months not a
drop of rain has fallen in New South
Wales, and as a result the cattle and
sheep have died by hundreds of thou
sands. One man lost 150,000 sheep and
15,000 cattle, and many others have been
ruined. This is tke most severe drought
since 1820, and has been so terrible that
in many instances wild beasts, largo birds
like the emu, cattle and sheep may bo
seen struggling in tho holes where the
surface water collects. The rabbits are tho
greatest pests which the Australians have
ever been called on to fight; , They are
so numerous that at times the plains for
miles are alive with them, and are so
thick! v covered bv the moving mass that
what little verdure there is is covered
from sight.
"The kangaroo is also a very trouble
some animal, and since herbage has
been cut off by tho drought these ani
mals come up boldly to the dwellings in
search of food. The government and
the stockmen expend largo sums or
money in exterminating these vermin.
Ferrets and gun-powder are used to kill"
rabbits, and the kangaroos aro sur
rounded by large bodies of men ami
killed by thousands. There is no ap
parent dimunition, however, in tho
number of the pests, and it is Incoming
a serious problem wheUier they will not
eventually drive the people from t licit
stock farms. The damage done by wild
animals and the disastrous effect of the
drought havo practically put an end to
stock-raising in some portions of New
South Wales. .On ranches where a yiat
ago the grass was twelve inches high tho
ground is now covered six inches deep
with dry sand, which has been blown iu
by the wind."
Mr. Burchitt has been engaged in the
wholesale tobacco business in Sydney.
Sneaking of the Australians, Mr. Bur
chitt said: "They are remarkably fond of
athletic sports and racing. Cricket;
rowing, football, etc., are generally in
dulged in, and so far as racing is con
cerned they go ahead of any other nation.
The tracks at Melbourne and Sydney aro
the finest m the world, and tho racing
stock is of the very best.- Betting runs
very high, and immense sums are lost
and won at each meeting. At tho raco
for the Melbourne eirp there are fre
quently yoo entries, with thirty starters.
The attendance is generally from 100,000
to 150,000. The races are hotly con
tested, and Martin Henry, the winner of
the Melbourne cup last year, made two
miles in 2:27J, lieating the best record
over made. He won by a head, can $ ing
10;) pounds."
in reference to the settlement of the
country it has come to be the case that
squatters are taking up small farms in
the midst of the grazing country, as they
have a right to do under the law. Each
n a-i can take 040 acres anywhere he can
find unoccupied land, anil the water
cours 's are generally taken first. This
compel- the stockmen to buy out the
squatters, and leads to a great deal of
ill-feeling. "As one of the resuls of the
drought," said Mr. Burchitt, "many
fctockmen who a year ago could draw a ;
check for 100,000 pounds sterling, are
not now worth a 5-pound note. Tho
banks hold all the land and the stock,
and for tlieir own protection must carry
the ranchmen through until it rains.
The Painter or Water.
Magazine of Art.
Mr. Wyllie's present vessel is a yawl of
nine tons register (seventeen yacht mcas- i
urcment), built at Boulogne. She is
christened Ladybird, is elegant to look
upon, and by no means unsnug to livo
in; but being of distinctly "ftirrin build"
she is chaffed as unmercifully as the boat
with the omnibus. Flat-bottomed, with
a center-board, and possessing wonder
ful steering jwiwer and very light
draught, she can be run ashore "literally
anywhere a sort of independence abso
lutely ini-essary to an artist to whom
X)int of iew is everything. So erratic
is the course which which Mr. Wyllie
sfci rs iu search of jsiints of view, so re
mote and (apparently) unapproachable
the spots on which ho grounds, that he
has built for himself quite a brilliant
reputation as a daft and incapable nav
igator. Kind-hearted tug commanders, with an
eye to business when they eight the lady
bird helplessly stranded, spontaneously
offer to "take her off" for the ridiculous
sum of 5 Kunds sterling, and cannot
for the life of them understand the skip-
Ecr's refusal to accept their aid, and I
elieve they end by regarding him as a
lunatic adrift. In this craft for years
Mr. Wyllie has cruised in many waters;
under all conditions of light ami weather.
Thanks to them ho has learnt by heart
the lower Thames and its atllucnts,
thanks to them, the channel, its coasts on
both sides, and its sands and inlands havo
become even as old friends; thanks to
them, lie has studied the Zuyder Zee iu
Btorm, and mist, and sunshin.-, and ex
plored nearly every canal in Holland.
Traveling on a Title.
Lord Ronald Gower.
A genuine lord lias no need as a tour
ist in a foreign land, to proclaim his aris
tocracy. 1 ;have traveled a gn at deal in
America, and almost all tho while incog
nito. My experience is that, though a
title may be a passjiort into some circles
of society, it is on the wholo a drawback
among your people. It subjts its
possessor to two eorls of annoyance
that which arises Irom the common dis
like of aristocratic eminence and that
which comes from quite general doubt as
to its genuineness.
lie ii edict Arnold' Descendant.
Toronto Globe.
Benedict Arnold's three sons, Kit-hard,
Henry and John, visited Canada alnuit
1789 to look after tho land granted to
their father some 13,400 acres in Lils
and Grenvillo counties. They settled
there, married, engaged in business, and
left numerous descendants, who aro now
among the most prominent and highly
esteemed residents of that part of tho
country.
Christian Unioivr educational sys
tems are at fault "not only in being an
tiquated, but also iu being narrow: they
are narrow becuuso antiquated. '