Corvallis gazette., January 27, 1903, Image 1

SEMI-WEEKLY,
SS'SaiirRl'fSe.. Consolidated Feb., 1899.
CORVAIXIS, BENTON COUNTY, OREGTJN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1903.
VOL. III. NO. 40.
LORD OF THE DESERT
' 3y PAUL de LANEY.
(Copyright, 1902.)
CHAPTER XXIV.
"Dunder and Blixen."
It was after midnight before the
troops arrived. It was also this hour
before the Indians had quieted down
to sleep. The afternoon's war dance
over their captive victims, the wild
excitement of the torture and the ar
rival of the Follett party with the
two captives had aroused the blood
of the savages and many tales of
former acts of bravery, and deeds of
''daring were told beneath the willows
and the tepees in Hell's Trap, that
night.
Hammersley had decided to go on
his mission of rescue alone.- It was
decided first to station the troops at
r,very point at which the Indians
could possibly escape and then for the
trapper to attempt the rescue.
Should he fail or fall in the attempt
it was the purpose to force the best
terms possible with the ' savages
but should he succeed, it was
the determination to wreak that mer
ciless revenge upon the Indians that
the occasion seemed to justify.
The men had all been informed of
the torture and death of the four
white men and of the arrival of the
two new captives, and this stirred the
soldiers to a revengeful spirit that
caused the.m to forget their tired and
hungry condition and loss of sleep.
They now felt that they had at last
encompassed the enemy and they
were eager to strike the blow.
Ten well armed and equipped sol
diers accompanied by five cowboys
were placed in each gap in the rim
rocks and 100 men, including cow
boys and soldiers under General
Crook, guarded the neck of the pen
insula. It "was half way between 'midnight
and dawn when the trapper started on
his perilous mission. Armed suitably
for the occasion he entered the chan
nel of the stream and hugged the
banks with the silence of a beaver,
always keeping in the shadows of the
willows and never risking his weight
upon his feet until he knew they
were firmly placed.
While his task did not prove a difficult-one,
it was a tedious one. His
bearings had been so well taken that
he recognized the very elump of
bushes in which Bertha's tepee was
pitched without trouble. Farther
away from the stream he saw the dis
mal thicket to which Oscar Metzger,
the other captive, had been taken, and
"from which the four' cowboys on .the
: previous evening 'bad "been taken for
their last walk. v
Like a snake he crawled up the
embankment through the dense un
dergrowth, moving inch by inch, un
til he reached the rear of Bertha's
tepee, and while the guards dozed
near the front he ripped a hole in the
rear wall of the tent and soon gave
Bertha an assuring touch that told
her a friend was with her.
In a few moments time they had
retraced the trapper's steps to the
bed of the stream, in the same man
ner as he had approached, and Ber
. th a hiding in a . dark nook under the
willows wn":eh hung over the em
bankment, Hammersley went to at
tempt the release ot the other
prisoner. "
He found Metzger so securely tied
that even the Indians did not fear his
escape. Bound hand and foot and
stretched full length between two
" Bspplicgs, his body barely touching
the ground, he was enduring a tor
ture that wculd have killed an ordi
nary man. But his was one of those
iron constitutions of the desert.
The trapper was a welcome visitor
and h's knife furnished im.mediate re
lief. When released from his cramped
position the cowboy stood erect 2nd
exercising his limbs noiselessly for
a moment he indicated that he was
ready to go. The trapper handed, him
a revolver rnd a knife and the two
walked silently away ready to defend
themselves, even unto death.
When they reached the place where
Bertha was concealed the trapper was
struck with awe. He saw twigs of
willows and tops of sage brush and
chunks of wood floating down the
stream. These increasing at every
moment. Seizing the woman he drew
her after him and Metzger followed
at a rapid pace.
It was two hundred yards to a shal
low place in the stream and when this
was reached the river was already ris
ing at a rapid rate. JThe trapper
seized Bertha in his arms as if she
were a mere child and plunged into
the foaming rapids, followed by the
cowboy. Against the heavy current,
which almost swept their feet from
under, them, they made the farther
shore, and as they ascended the bank,
the trapper exclaimed:
"Great luck! A head rise!" Ham
mersley and his companions ran
across the open meadow for the nearest-
opening in the rimrocks. The
light of breaking .morn made them
recognizable to their friends on guard
in the rimrocks who .could scarcely
restrain applause. But the drilling of
a soldiers life prevented this out
break. The watef came with a rush down
the mountain stream. The sound
changed from a murmur over the peb
bles to a ripple over the rocks ; and
then to a roar over the boulders and
against the angular banks. So loud
followed the growing roar that the
savages were wakened. Dan Follett
rushed to the tepee of his fMr cap
tive and finding that she was gone, he
kicked the drowsy guards in their
sides and gave the alarm.
The whole camp was astir instantly.
' Discovering the fleeing fugitive??, Fol
lett plunged into the stream, follow
ed by some of the most daring war
riors, and gave pursuit; But when
"within 50 yards of the opening in the
rimrocks where . the fugitives had
passed safely through, a cloud of
smoke rose, a report of a dozen rifles
rang upon the morning air and a
half dczen Indians sank down in the
meadow. Another volley and the;
ranks were thinned to a remnant. :
Follette remained untouched. He
turned and tried to rally the men who
had been following in the rear and
were now panic-stricken,. At least
one-fourth of the entire war party had
rushed across the stream un-armed in
pursuit of the fugitives. When they
returned they found the river in
these few minutes a seething foam,
made black by the earth gathered by
the flood as it came. To cross the
stream was a task no warrior would
attempt. They turned for other open
ings in the rimrocks. But here they
met with disappointment. When ap
proaching these points, and safety
seemed just in sight, they "were met
with volleys from the soldiers' rifles
ihat mowed them down like grass be
fore a scythe. Another opening and
another was tried with like results,
until terror-stricken they ran about
the meadow, hiding here and there in
the tall grass soon to be spied out by
the revengeful soldiers and shot like
sage hens.
But the daring Follett would not
idve up. He saw old Egan organizing
the men on the other side of the river,
and plunged into the mad stream to
loin him, and .made the other shore.
Mounting their horses, the chief and
half-breed led the men to the "neck"
where the water was rapidly rising
to the danger point. But here the
ieal slaughter began.
General Crook led his men in per
son, and when the savages -were in
-?asy range he gave the command to
fire.' It was a deadly 'fire. Every shot
Fpllett rushed to the tepee of his fair
captive. ;
found its mark. The savages fell
from their horses like hail. Some of
them tried to dash through the lines
while others turned back toward the
raging torrent.
"Charge," came the command from
Crook. It was ndt technically a hu
mane warfare, though it was con
ducted according to human tactics.
Every shot that was fired was fired
by a man mad for revenge. They
charged upon the savages, sparing
none and taking no prisoners, for
they refused to surrender and did not
ask" for mercy. To the brink of the
stream they ran, many falling pierced
with lead before they reached this
point. Some plunged into the flood
never to rise again; others made it
across to fall before the rifles in the
hands of the guards at the openings
in the rimrocks.
But the story is better told in the
history of the country and the Indian
wars. There you will find thatonly a
few escaped, and the hattle ground
was made famous in history. It was
made so by a German soldier in Gen
eral Crook's command, whose dialect
gave it the name it still bears. After
the battle was over, as the German
wiped the perspiration and powder
stains from his face, he said:
"Dey call dis 'Hell's Drap,' but I
name it 'Dunder and Blixen.' " Since
that time the battle ground and the
river have borne the name the Ger
man gave the place, and history has
adopted the name as the propef one.
Among the few who "escaped were
Chief Egan and Dan FollettA At the
last moment they plunged into the
raging stream and swam with the
current for a long distance, reached
the distant shore and then ascended
a precipice of rimrocks. and as they
oassed over the summit they waved
their hands in defiance at their pur
suers. CHAPTER XXV.
Wages of Sin and Alcohol.
It is several . days after the battle
of "Dunder and . Blixen." General
Crook has sent all of his men, except
his staff, to the fort and he has stop
ped at the Stone House to straighten
out the matters reported by the trap
per. ,
Bertha and Hammersley are at the
Stone House. James Lyle is there.
Al. Beach has returned. All of the
cowboys who escaped the Indian ar
rows are there. -There are many
reminisences to relate. Bertha has
long ago told the story of how she
and Metzger fell into the hands of
Follett. He had come to the trapper's
abode late in the afternoon and left
a message to the effect that the trap
per desired their presence at ,-the
Stone House, and that the half-breed
would call about dark for the.m.
They had held a conference before
the return of Follett, and while they
were suspicious of him. it seemed so"
probable that his story was true, that
they decided to accompany .him,
Metzger. arming himself and claiming
that he was a match for the Canadian.
Follett came at the appointed time,
brineing two horses with him, and
Bertha leaving Julian Byrd to look
after her father, she and Metzger
started- out with the Canadian toward
the -Stone House. They had not gone
far, however, until they were sur
rounded by the four braves, who had
accompanied Follett, and were in
their power. Follett. took immediate
command and hurried them away to
ward "Hell's Trap." at which place
the reader is familiar with what followed.
It Is earl in the afternoon. Gen
eral Crook is seated at the bedside of
a very sick man in the main room of
the Scone House. He is delirious for
long periods and conscious for short
ones. His conscious moments are
moments of agony.
It Is the Lord, of the Desert. He
had remained sober during the siege
of the Stone House and had taken an
oath at the time that he would never
drink intoxicants again. As soon as
the siege was over and the soldiers
and cowboys had gone and the excite
ment died out, he had collapsed. For
more than a week he had neither eat
en nor slept. The collapse . of his
years of dissipation had come.- His
bloated form was rapidly assuming
its natural state. He was but a
sponge, a dry decaying sponge with
all of the substance gone. He was a
human wreck, made so by sin and al
cohol. His was not an Isolated case;
it was the same old story. Written
and unwritten history abound with
such stories.
"It is too late, general, it is too
late," said the unfortunate man in
a moment of consciousness. "I have
taken the oath, I will never drink
again, but it was taken too late. It
might stimulate me now for a few
hours, but it would make death the
more agonizing."
"It is true, Mr. Lyle," replied the
general, "As effects are always tem
porary, except the injury it . gives.
This is permanent. A man may feel
good for a moment; his life may even
be prolonged by it for a brief spell,
but he must suffer the consequences
in the end." ,
After a more exhausting delirium,
the dying man spoke again.
"It is here that I hurt worse, gen
eral, it is here," he said, placing his
hand over his heart. "If you kn,ew
what lies there, . general, you would
pity me though I'm the most wicked
man living." :
"It is not too late to repent and
do justice," suggested the warrior.
"Not too late to repent, I know, for
I am doing that as fast as a guilty
soul can confess itself, but it is too
late to do justice; they are dead,
general, they are dead, my brother
and his child are dead!"
This confession seemed to ease the
man for a moment. Then he con
tinued: "If I could give them back
their lives, general, and this mockery
called wealththe half-breed only
took a small portion "01 -wutl. J pos
sessdeath would lose many of Its
terrors. I do not fear it, general, but
to meet my God with this load here.
General, for many years I have kept
my heart, my conscience, my soul,
benumbed with strong drink; now,
general, it ail falls upon me like a
mountain. Oh, that it would crush
me, dissolve me like vapor, extermi
nate me that I should not have to
meet my Maker."
"I am able to give you some relief,"
said the-veteran soldier, "you are not
as guilty as you think."
,,"Oh, but they are dead, general.
No power on earth can give me relief
now it is too late. I will tell you
how it happened," continued Lyle,
gapping. "I hired Follett to kill one
and old Egan to kill the other.."
"I know you think it happened," re
plied General - Crook, "but it is not
that bad. Suppose I should tell you
that they both, live?"
"You would mock me, general, you
would mock me."
"No, I speak truthfully, when I tell
you that they still live, and are here
at this moment," said the general.
"Do not torture me, general, but if
they , are here let me see them. Let
them tell me that they still live."
Jim Lyle was brought in in a chair
and seated by the bedside, and Ber
tha came" and stood by her father's
side.
"This is Jim, Brother Jim," aid the
dying man. "Speak Jim, and tell me
that you live and that this is your
ctiild by your side."
The cripple's spirit of revenge had
left him. With tears in his eyes he
"They sre here at this moment," said
the general.
hurriedly related the circumstances
with which the Lord of the Desert
was not familiar, and then called
Hammersley to his side.
"This, brother," said the cripple
"is the rightful heir to all of the prop
erty. He is the only child of the de
ceased brother, William. Here is a
certified copy of - father's will, and
Al. Beach, whom you long since
thought was dead, brings the instru
ments to show that William Ham
mersley, the trapper, is no more nor
no less than William Llye, sole heir
to all of the wealth of the House of
Lyle."
"Justice has been done,'- said the
dying man. "Thanks to the failure of
Dan Follett in carrying out our mur
derous plans. Thanks to the treach
ery of old Egan in not slaying the
child. Thanks to God, who, I must
now acknowledge, guided it. all.
Death is not near so bitter, now. I
believe there is hope, even for me."
And the Lord of the Desert passed
into a sleep never to waken again In
the mortal body.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Conclusion.
Pressing as was the military duties
of General Crook he decided to re
main at the Stone House another day
and night. A cowboy was sent to the
fort with a message to announce this
fact.
The following morning was 'decided
upon for the burial of all that re
mained of the late Martin Lyle. With
military precision General Crook had
designated sunrise xas the hour and
arrangements were made accordingly.
A grave was dug in a small table
land high up on the mountain side
overlooking the place and promptly at
sunrise' the general and his staff ad
the relatives of the deceased and the
employes about the place were as
sembled at the grave.
Before the body was lowered the
irmy chaplain conducted a short ser
vice and the veteran geneiaL con
trary to his custom and experience
delivered a short address, but like all
things that he did, he was practical
and commonsense and spoke to the
point. i
"This is the last tribute," he said,
'that man can pay to man give him
a decent burial in the earth. A man,
ambitious for wealth, and power
mined his life and shortened his days
trying to obtain it wrongfully. It is
uot meet and proper . to speak re
proachfully of the dead, but his dying
words condemned such a life and it is
well that we should profit by the les
son, j
"His life is now familiar to you all.
It does no good to repeat it here.
But there is yet one lesson to draw
from it.
"He was known far and wide aa the
Lord of the Desert.' He prided in
this. This comes from, the difference
in classes In the European countries
where lords and ladies are created by
kings and monarchs" and by heredity.
"There is no such custom here. The
title is an empty one. , Every man
here may be a lord according to the
American Idea, if he wishes. An
honorable, well spent life makes a
man a lord', a sovereign, a king here
better than the highest sounding
names of the old world. It is not the
title, it is the man.
"With all of the high-sounding
name of 'Lord of the Desert,' he was
not nearly so great4 as his humble
successor, the honest trapper, who
has made himself a lord in deed by
laboring and battling for the right.
The assumed lord died a death of
agony from a remorseful conscience.
The real lord the true American lord
came to his inheritance honestly
and through merit. Let us hope that
the dead lord has .made peace with
his maker and that the American lord
will never disgrace the honorable title
which he has won."
With a song by thdse present and
a prayer by the chaplain the cere
mony over the remains of the "Lord
of the Desert" was closed.
General Crook was Siow ready to
take his departure. His friends had
assembled' about him in the Stone
House to render him thanks for his
services. '
"I will send that money to you by
an escort "-ujpun . my arrival at the
fort, friend Hammersley-Lyie,"' said
the general. ; -
"No, send it to some safe bank In
the east and deposit it to Miss Lyle's
credit, so that she may draw upon it
for the use of herself and her father,"
replied the trapper. .
"Not one cent," spoke the father
and daughter together;
"Only convey us to" civilization,"
said Bertha, '"and I 4 will . support
father. Mr. Hammersley is the right
ful owner of "the money and the prop
erty and I would , not consent to ac
cept one cent of it."
"You shall have the money and
property, too," replied the trapper.
."I will return to my traps. Your
father may manage the ranch and you
may travel, or do as you like."
"What a pity you are cousins," said
General Crook. "You should be lov
ers you should be husband and
wife." '
"It makes no difference in Scot
land," said the cripple.
. "But it is against the law here," re
plied the general.
"He has never asked me, anyway,"
said -Bertha embarrassed.
"I didn't think it was. any use," re
plied the trapper with a husky voice.
General Crook at once detected the
real sentiment of the two for each
other.
''It's a bad law." he said, "but it is
best."
"I think I can relieve all of this
embarrassment," said Al. Beach, com
ing forward. "Read the will more
carefully."
The will was handed to General
Crook, who read:
"In the name of God, Amen. I be
queath to my adopted son, William
Lyle al! ." "Adopted son,' repeated
General Crook. "So this William Lyle
was not the real son of the testator."
"That is true," said Leondidas Lig
gett, the former cook of the Lord of
the Desert, who had stood by in si
lence. "I have long known the whole
story. I learned it from William
Lyle's wife in Boston, afier his death.
I have kept silent all of these years
because I did not think an adopted
son ought to inherit over the real
ones." -
A further examination of the pa
pers which Al. Beach had secured dis
covered a written acknowledgment of
William Lyle that he was an adopted
son and that this had been kept ' a
secret from the other children who
were all born after his adoption.
"I see nothing in the way now,"
said General Crook, . glancing at Ber
tha and Hammersley;
"Bertha is it any use to ask?" In
quired the trapper.
"There is nothing lost Jby trying!"
replied ' the girl as she took him by
the hand.
"Glad you remained, chaplain,"
said General Crook. "You . have
buried "one lord and now you may
bind another for life before we go."
Within ten days old Egan came in
with his fragment of warriors and the
squaws and children of his tribe and
surrendered to General . Crook.
Fort Warner was abandoned and
the great Indian fighter was sent to
other fields. Dan Follett was never
heard of again. ; ".
- Bertha Lyle preferred - to change
her name- and she and the trapper
agreed that Hammersley was good
enough. They lived at the Stone
House and gave the cripple a home
the remainder of his days.
They retained in their employ all of
the former employes at the Stone
House who desired to remain, and
the names of the Hammersleys, the
Beaches, the Byrds,. the Hopes, the
Metzgers and the Liggetts are still
familiar and honored ones in the
great Inland Empire belt of Oregon.
THE END. ....
' f
("The Lord of the Desert" may be
had in book form for 25 cents from the
publisher of this paper, or by address
ing .the Metropolitan Printing Co.,
162 Second street, Portland, Oregon.)
CHARACTER IN HANDWRITING.
By W. J. Kinsley.
In the last quarter of a century the
identification of individuals by means
of their handwriting has been used
more and more in criminal as well as
civil cases in the courts. Through the
handwriting of the individual will shine
his personality as in no other thing he
does. It Is more personal ofttimes than
the person himself; as frequently in
fact, nearly always there is less change
In the handwriting from year to year
than in the features of the individual.
And where changes in the handwriting
do occur, the main characteristics re
v..
W. J.
KINSLEY.
main. A man's personality is mirrored in his writing as
it is not even in his photograph.
It is in the. natural, wholly unstudied writing that a
person's characteristics are plainest shown, and these are
the specimens sought for by the expert when called upon
to make a comparison. In school and early life we try
to acquire a more or less model hand and strive for a cer
tain ideal. The exigencies of business in later life modify
this ideal hand until it fits itself into our life In such a
way as to serve our purpose by recording our thoughts,
stamping our personality cn it. and to a greater or less ex
tent reflecting our character. Many people mix character
and characteristics. By the first is meant traits of char
acter in the individual; by the second, peculiar and per
sonal marks in the handwriting that establish the identity
of the writer. When we attempt to disguise our writing
we face the following propositions: 1. We must know all
of the characteristics of our handwriting. 2. We must be
able to eliminate them at will. If we wish to simulate the
handwriting of another person we have the added proposi
tions: 1. We must know all the characteristics entering
into his handwriting. 2. We must be able to acquire these
characteristics at will. I do not -believe there is an indi
vidual who lives who knows and can successfully do these
things. And but few people even know the characteristics
of their own handwriting.
WHEN IS A WOMAN MOST ATTRACTIVE?
By Judith A. Armstrong.
When does a woman reach the height of her
attractiveness is a question which has puzzled the
opposite sex for ages, and even now male opinion
is " utraogely, diverse upon the subject. As a
matter of fact it depends as muchupon the man
as upon the woman. Some men think tht a girl
of 18 is, without comparison, others that she pos
sesses the most charms at 28, while others again
aver that at 38, when she has trained herself to
the world, she has greater influence over the sterner sex.
Be that as It may, a woman's attractiveness is not regu
lated by her age, her beauty or her powers to draw ad
mirers, for In the latter case her fasciniaton is notniohg
lastfng. - It often happens that the plain girl is the most at
tractive. The most brilliantly gowned woman, however
beautiful she may be, does not necessarily possess the
greater attractions. She is admired as one might admire a
beautiful picture, but she is not the girl who claims the
affections. The clever woman is admired in the same way.
She may be Intellectual and clever, but she is always lone
ly. The man feels that he has to look up to her, and a
man hates to look up to a woman.
What, then, is the magical thing that makes one woman
Infinitely more fascinating than another, and draws the op
posite sex in whatever sphere she moves? Some might call
It individuality, others might term it her personality, but It
Is really her attitude of mind. It is those moments when
a woman is most indifferent, most independent, most her
self; it Is when she is making least effort to be so that she
Is most attractive. ' Some women are born with this calm
ART CANNOT RIVAL THEM.
Sculptures Wrought by Nature in the
Great Canyons of the West.
Famous the world over are the grand
canyons of the Colorado and of the
Yellowstone. In both there is a wealth
of coloring. The ravines are. abruptly
countersunk in a plateau and both are
mainly the work of water. But the
Colorado's canyon is more than a thou
sand times larger, and as a score or
two new buildings of ordinary size
would not appreciably change the gen
eral view of a great city, so hundreds
of Yellowstones night be eroded in the
sides of the Colorado canyon without
noticeably augmenting its size or the
richness of its sculpture. . But It is not
true that the great Yosemite rocks
would be thus lost or hidden. Nothing
of their kind in the world, so far as I
know, rivals El Capitan and Tissiack,
much less dwarfs or in any way belit
tles them. None of the sandstone or
limestone precipices of the canyon that
I have Been or heard of approaches in
smooth, flawless strength and grand
eur the granite face of El Capitan or
the Tenaya side of Cloud's Rest.
These colossal cliffs, types of perma
nence, are about 3,000 and 6,000 feet
high; those of the canyon, that . are
6heer are about half as high, and are
types of fleeting change, while glorious
domed Tissiack, noblest of mountain
buildings, far from being overshadowed
or lost in this rosy, spiry canyon com
pany, would draw every eye, and, in
serene majesty "aboon them a' " she
would take her place castle, temple,
palace or tower. Nevertheless, a noted
writer, comparing the Grand canyon
in a general way with the glacial Yo
semite, says: J" And the Yosemite ah,
the lovely Yosemite! Dumped down
into the wilderness of gorges and
mountains, It would take a guide who
knew of its" existence a long time to
find It." This Is striking and shows up
well above the level of commonplace
description, but it is confusing and-has
the fataf fault of not being true. '
IRON TOMB IN WHICH
ITS INVENTOR RESTS.
In the vault which he Invented and
built as a safeguard - against - prema
ture burial rests John M. PurseL who
died recently at Wllliamsport, Pa.
While the widow and other mourners
stood about the quaint wall of ma
sonry the pall-bearers shoved the cof
fin into an Iron compartment jus
large enough to receive it. The coffin
lid wm not screwed down. Immedl-
o n m
Handwriting Expert.
CAUSES OF AMERICAN PROGRESS.
By Dr. C. Doenges, Professor In Hanau,
THIS A DAY OF SPECIALI
A. J. BALFOUR.
of human knowled
self feel lost in the
which will meet the
who really intends t
QUAINT FURNISH!
The settee and table Illustrated have a distinct individuality, and would
find fitting place in the hall sitting-room of some old farmhouse. The settee
has an Inviting-looking mattress cushion covered with blue-green tapestry (or,
of course, any other color or material that may be preferred), and the large
square pillows have an air of substantial comfort well in keeping with its
simple yet pleasing construction. The gate leg table forms an appropriate
accompaniment, fulfilling the fundamental principle of suitability to Its pur
pose, while it is at the same time pleasant to the eye. One can picture the
two with, for background, some quaintly decorative "Voysey" paper, such
as the "Squire's Garden," with its characteristic peacocks and formal trees,
helping to make upia room artistically striking and yet with a quiet homely
charm rendering it essentially liveable. The effectively shaped vase on the
table, soft green in color with oxidized silver mount, is a harmonious -detail
in the group which must not be overlooked.
ately craftsman commenced to place
a covering of steel over the opening.
This was bolted and cemented In such
a manner that it could be removed
from the outside only by means of
violent force. Should the Inmate re-
JOlm M. PUBS EL AND HIS WOBK.
vive, however, he can unfasten the
door by manipulating a combination
lock on the Inner side.
For years Mr. Pursel was haunted
by the dread of being burled alive. He
made an exhaustive collection of news
paper clippings on the subject and de
voted yars of his life to personal in
indifference, this absolute independence that draws men aa
the magnet draws needles.
The woman who wishes to be most fascinating, there
fore, casts aside her self -consciousness, and Interests herself
primarily in subjects other than the study of attracting the
opposite sex. Let her be domestic and useful, with an in
dividuality of her own, a method of striking out for herself
without the assistance of those about her.
Wherein lies the secret of American success?
There are undoubtedly many causes which have
led to the marvelous development of that country.
A young and energetic race of people of strong
vitality took possession of the enormous resources
of a virgin continent, fifteen times the area of
Germany. The people who left the old continent
to find new homes in America were by no means
of an inferior character. There is no country in
Europe that has not given some of Its best men to
help in building up the American union. Many were
compelled to leave Europe for political, others for religious
reasons, but the majority simply emigrated to find an
opportunity for remunerative occupation. Whatever the
motives of the emigrants were, the latter were of a char
acter considerably above the average of those who re
mained at homee. The men who traveled thousands of
miles to find for themselves new homes necessarily pos
sessed more than the ordinary measure of energy and
courage. The nineteen millions of people who crossed the
Atlantic during the last century had confidence in them
selves and in the future, and were seeking, if only In a
material sense, a country better than the one In which they
were born; they were masters of their own fate. :
The United States may be compared with a crucible of
continental dimensions. By . the melting and fusing to
gether of elements of different nationalities the American
nation was formed. The fundamental character of the
Americans remained specifically English. This new race
had at its command the entire marvelous abundance of
natural resources of the new country. Free from all preju
dices, traditions, and hereditary institutions, which have
been an obstacle in the development of the European na
tions, the new country freely grew and developed. The first
aim of the people was to accumulate wealth. That is still
the aim of the Americans, toward which they are striving
with all their might and energy, and for that reason they
easily overtake their competitors, whose strength and en
ergy is used up In. various other pursuits.
SIS
vestigation. His family objected to
cremation. Then he conceived the
idea of building a vault which would
permit of egress In case of the resus
citation of a supposed corpse.
With the aid, of his son, Thomas, he
built such a tomb fn Grandview cem
etery, at Willlamsport, The body of
It Is of solid masonry and it fits Into
the side of a hill. Five compartments
of cast Iron were Inserted horizontal
ly, one for each member of Mr. Pur
sers family. Each chamber Is shaped
similar to a coffin and is open at the
outer end.
A11 of the steel heads which are to
cover the compartments are fitted
with combination locks of Mr. Pur
sers Invention. , Should he or the oc
cupant of any of the other chambers
return to life the working of the com
bination from within would loosen the
head and give freedom.
Some young men are prejudiced
against work because they Imagine
that being hired lowers them.
Love may be blind, but the average
mother-in-law Isn't.