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About The news=record. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1907-1910 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1907)
3 THE RED s 1 P v OVSTAVE AlMARp" I 11 -T R A.I L 3 1) CHAPTER I. Toward the end of June, 1854, a well mounted traveler, carefully wrapped up in tbe thick folds of a sarape, raised to Ins eyes, was following one of the most precipitous slopes of the Sierra of the Wind river, at no great distance from the source of the Green river, that great western Colorado which pours iu waters Into the Gulf of California. It was about seven in tbe evening ; the traveler roda along, shivering from the effects of an icy. wind which whistled mournfully through the canyons. All around had assumed a saddening aspect in the vacillating moonbeams. He rode on without hearing the footfall of his horse, as it fell on tbe winding sheet of now that covered the landscape ; at times tbe capricious windings of the track he ws lonowiug compelled nun- to pass through thickets, whose branches, bent by the weight of snow, stood out before him like gigantic skeletons, and struck each other after he had passed with a sullen suap. The traveler continued bis journey, looking anxiously on both sides of him. His horse, fatigued by a long ride, stum bled at every step, and in spite of tho repeated encouragement of its rider seem ed determined to stop short, when, after turning an angle in the track, it suddenly entered a large clearing, where the close growing grass formed a circle about forty yards in diameter and the verdure formed a cheery contrast with the whiteness that surrounded it. "Heaven be praised !" the traveler ex claimed in excellent French, "here Is a pot where I can camp for to-night with out any excessive inconvenience." While thus speaking the traveler had topped his horse and dismounted. His Brat attention was paid to his horse, from which he removed the saddle and bridle, and which he covered with his sarape, ap pearing to attach no importance to the cold, which was, however, extremely Be vcre In these elevated regions. So, soon as it was free the animal, in spite of its fatigue, began browsing heartily on the frra&s, and thus reassured about his com panion, the traveler began thinking about making arrangements for the night. It was no easy task to find dry firewood at a spot almost denuded of trees, and whose soil, covered with snow, except In the clearing, allowed nothing to be distinguished : but the traveler was pa tient, he would not be beaten, and within an hour he had collected sufficient wood to feed through the night; two such fires as he proposed kindling. "Ah! ah," said the traveler, "the fire will do, so now for supper." Then fumbling in the double pockets, which travelers always carry fastened to the saddle, be took from them all the re quisite elements of a frugal meal ; that Is to Bay, pemmican and tassajo, or meat dried in the sun. At the moment when, after shutting up his alforgas, the trav eler raised his head to lay his meat on the embers to broil, he stopped motion less, with widely opened mouth, and It was. only througn a mighty strength of will that he suppressed a cry of surprise and possibly of terror. Although no sound had revealed his presence, a man, leaning on a long rifle, was standing motionless before him and gazing at him with pro found attention. At once mastering the emotion he felt, the traveler carefully laid the tassajo on the embers, and then without removing his eye from this strange visitor, he stretched out his arm to grasp his rifle, while say ing in a tone of the most perfect indif ference : "Whether friend or foe, you are wel come, mate. 'Tis a bitter night, so if you are cold, warm yourself, and if you are hungry, eat. When your nerves have re gained their elasticity and your body its usual strength we will have a frank ex planation, such as men of honor ought to have." The stranger remained silent for some seconds ; then, after shaking bis head sev eral times, said in a low and melancholy Toice, as if speaking to himself: ' "Can any human being really exist in -whose heart a feeling of pity still re mains?" "Make the trial, mate," the traveler an swered, "by accepting without hesitation my hearty offer. Two men who meet in the desert must be friends, unless private reasons make them implacable enemies. Sit down and eat." This dialogue had been held in Spanish, a language the stranger spoke with a facility that proved his Mexican origin. He seemed to reflect for a moment and then Instantly made np his mind. "I accept," he said, "for your voice Is too sympathizing and your glance too frank to deceive." "That is the way to speak," the trav eler said gaily. "Sit down and eat with out further delay." Tbe stranger smiled sadly. The two men then attacked .with no ordinary vigor the provisions placed before them. Tbe general appearance of the stranger was moat wretched and his ragged clothes carce covered bis bony, fleshless body; while his pale and sickly' features were rendered more sad and gloomy by a thick, disordered beard that fell on bis chest Bis eyes, Inflamed by fever and sur rounded by black circles, glistened with a ombre fire. His weapons were In as bad condition as hi clothes, yet there was In him something grand and sympathetic which aroosed not only pity bat also asspist Urn torture so proudly hidden and J so nobly endured. This mmi ere he fell so low. must hnv. Wn either in virtue or in vice ; but assuredly "-ie was notning common about him and a mighty heart beat In hii hnsnm There was a rather long silence, during which the two men indulged in thought. Hie wind howled fiercely over their heads, the eddying snow was piling up around mem ana me ecboes of the canyons seem eu to utter notes of complaint. It was a horrible night. Beyond the circle of light produced by the flickering flame of the watch fire all was buried in dense gloom. "Now that the ice Is broken between us, the traveler said In a friendly voice, for we have been sitting at the same fire and have eaten together the moment has arrived, I fancy, for us to become uiorougniy acquainted." The stranger nodded his head silently. it was a gesture that could be Inter preted affirmatively or negatively, at pleasure. "For twenty years I have been trav ersing the prairies and great savannahs in every direction, and I shall probably continue to do so till an Indian bullet conies from some thicket to stop my wan derings forever. Towns are hateful to me. And now, mate, you know me as wen as I do myself. I will merely add, in conclusion, that my name among the white men, my countrymen, Is Valentine txuillois, and among the redskins, my aaopcea latuers, Koutenepi." The speech, which the hunter had menced in that clear voice and with that careless accent habitual to him, terminat ed involuntarily, under the pressure of the nooa ot saddened memories that rose from his heart, and when he concluded he let his head fall sadly on his chest with a sign that resembled a sob. The stranger regnraea mm tor a moment with an ex pression of gentle commiseration. xou have suffered," he said; "suf fered in your love, suffered in your friend. ship. Your history is that of all men in this world; who of us but at a given hour has felt his courage vield benenth the weight of grief? You are alone. friendless, abandoned by all. a.voluntnrv exile, far from the men who only inspire you with hatred and contempt ; you prefer the. society of wild beasts less ferocious than they, but at any rate you live, while i am a dead man ! ihe hunter started and looked in amazement at the sneaker. "I suppose you think me mad?" he con tinued with a melancholy smile; "reas sure yourself, it is not so. I am in full possession of my senses, and mv thoughts are clear and lucid. For all that, though. I repeat to you, I am dead, dead in the sight of my relations and friends, dead to tne whole world in fine. Mine is strange story, and one that you would recognize through one word, were you a Mexican or had traveled in certain re gions of Mexico." Did I not tell you that for twenty years I have been traveling over every pan ot America;' tne traveler replied, "What is the word? Can you tell it me?" "Why not? I am alluding to the name I bore while I was still a living man." "What is that name?" "It had acquired a certain celebrity, but I doubt whether It has remained in your memory. "Who knows? Perhaps you are mis taken." "Well, since you Insist, learn, then, that I was called Martial el Tigrero." "You?" the astonished hunter exclaim ed. ."Why, that is impossible!" "Of course so. since I am dead." the stronger answered, bitterly. CHAPTER II. The Tigrero had let his head fall on his chest again, and seemed encaged with gloomy thoughts. The hunter, somewhat embarrassed by the turn the conversation had taken, and anxious to continue it, mechanically stirred up tbe fire. "Stay," be said, presently, as he thrust back with his foot a few embers that had rolled out ; "pardon me, sir,, any Insult which my exclamation may seem to have contained. You have mistaken my mean ing, although we have never met, we are not such strangers as you suppose. I bave known you for a long time." The Tigrero raised his head and looked at the hunter incredulously. "You?" be muttered. 'Yes, I, and it will not be difficult to prove It to you." "What good will it do?" he murmured ; "what interest can I have in tbe fact of your knowing me?" Valentine reflected for a moment, and then went on as follows : "Some months ago, In consequence of circumstances unnecessary to remind you of, but which you doubtless bear In mind, you met at the colony of Guetzallt a Frenchman and a Canadian hunter, with whom you eventually stood on most inti mate terms." "It Is true," the Tigrero replied, "the Frenchman to whom yon allude is tbe Count de Prebois Crance. Ohl I shall never be able to discharge tbe debt of gratitude I bave contracted with him." A sad smile curled the hunter's Up. "Yon no longer owe him anything," he aid. "What do you mean?" the Tigrero ex claimed eagerly; "surely the count can not be dead I "He la dead, eaballero. He was as sassinated on the shores of Qnayamas. His murderers laid him la his tomb, and his blood, so treacherously shed, cries foi vengeance." The hunter hurriedly wiped away th tears he had been unable to repress whi! speaking of the count, nnd went on 1 a voice choked by the internal emotio which he strove in vain to conquer: "But let us, for the present, leave thi fad reminiscence to slumber in our heart The count was my friend, my deares friend, more than a brother to me; h often spoke about you to me, and severs times told me your gloomy history, whicl terminated in a frightful catastrophe." The Tigrero, in a few moments, begat his narra.ive as follows: "My friends must have fancied mi dead. You are aware that I was at tacked by Black Bear just as I believe! I had saved friends. We fought on tin edge of a pit and I was juBt about ti finish him when the Comanche war cri was heard. Startled, I let the Indian go he rushed at Dona Anita, a member. o: the party, who, however, repulsed him He fell backward In the direction of tin pit, clutching me, and down we went to gether." "Go on," the hunter said, "I am listen ing to you with the greatest attention." "The Indian was desperately wounded and it was a corpse that dragged mi down. The chief was the first to read the bottom, and I fell upon his body which deadened my fall. I cannot sa? how long I remained in this state, but ) fancy my faint must have lasted twe hours. When I opened my eyes again, 1 found myself in utter darkness. That did not trouble me greatly, as I had abou' me everything necessary to light a fire Within a few moments I had a light, am was enabled to look about me. I wa iving at the bottom of a species of tun nel, for the pit grew narrower in its de scent. When I reached the floor of th. cavern, I lay for more than half an houi on the sand, exhausted, panting, Unabh to make the slightest movement. Fortu nately for me this terrible condition die' not last long, for the refreshing air fron without, reaching me through the passage of the cavern, recovered me. The grouni' around me was covered with dead bodies and there had, doubtless, been a terrlbli struggle. I sought In vain for the corpses of Dona Anita and her father. . I breath ed again, and hope re-entered my heart Those for whom I had given my rife were saved. This thought restored my courage and I felt quite a different man. I rosi without any excessive difficulty, and, sup porting myself on my rifle, went toward the mouth of the cavern, after removini my stock of provision, and taking tw powder horns from stores I had previous ly cached. No words can describe thi emotion I felt when, after a painful wall; through the grotto, I at length reached the river bank, and saw the sun oner more. "An hour later, mounted on my good horse, I bent my steps toward houses. My journey was a long one, and whcE I reached Sonora the news I heard al most drove me mad. Don Sylva dc Torres had been killed in the fight witi me. Apaones, as was probably his daugh tor. For a month I hovered between life and death. When hardly convalescent, I dragged myself to the house of the onl man competent of giving me precise in formation. This man refused to recog nize me, althobgh I had been intimati with him for many years. When I told him my name he laughed in my face, ami when I insisted, he had me expelled by his peons, telling me that I was mad. that Don Martial was dead, and I an im postor. I went away with rags and de spair in my heart. After this all ffij friends to whom I presented myself re fused to recognize me, so thoroughly wn the report of my death believed. All thr efforts I attempted to dissipate tbit alarming mistake and prove tbe falsehood of the rumor were in vain, for too manj persons were interested in it being true, on account of my large estates ; and also. I suppose, through a fear of Injuring thf man to whom I first applied the on I) living relation of the Torres family. What more need I tell you? DiRgusted in eve- way.sheartbroken with grief, and recogniz ing the inutility of the efforts I had made I left the town, and, mounting my horse returned to the desert, seeking tjie mast unknown spots and the most desolate re gions in which to hide myself." "Brother,1. Valentine said, gently, "yor have forgotten to tell me the name of that influential person who had you turned om of his house, and treated you as an in) postor. "That is true," Don Martial answered "His name is Don Sebastian Guerrer-j and he. Is military governor of tbe prov ince of Sonora." "Don Martial," cried the hunter, "yoi may thank heaven for decreeing that wi should meet In the desert, In order that the punishment of this man should b complete." (To be continued.) Didn't Willi to Interrupt. -A husband was being arraiimed ir court in a suit brought by bis wlft for cruelty. "I understand, sir." said the iudee. addressing tbe husband, "that one a the indignities you have showered upoi your wife Is that you bave not spokei to her for three years. Is that so?" "It Is, your honor," quickly answeret the husband. "Well, sir." thundered the lndo-e "why didn't you speak to her, may 1 askr "SlmDlv." renlled the husband. '. cause I didn't want to Interrupt her.'- Old Adafe Comes I7p. Creditor (angrily) 8ay, when art yon going to pay the ISO you owe me' Debtor (calmly) That query r mlnda me of the old adage. Creditor What old adage? Debtor The one about a fool's abii lty to ask questions that a wis man u unable to answer. Yncso o-i ,n- The New Farmer. The President's address last month at the Michigan State Agricultural Col lege Is so clear an expression of the conditions of modern farm life that a future historian may turn to It to read our times. All national leaders have told us that the farmer is the backbone of the nation. Washington and Jefferson were farmers, aud good ones. The Illinois that bred Lincoln was one vast farm Chicago was then only a small town. Tbe PreslUeut of to-day, not bred in farm life, although he bus been a practical ranchman, is the first to express the unity between farm labor aud all other kinds. The farmer to him Is an expert mechanic aud busluess man, whose problems are precisely those of the workman in the town, who depends for success on In dustrial and social co-operation. He must be an educated, aggressivepar ticipant in the work of life, competing with the farmer of Europe, inviting to his workshop of niuny acres the most skilful young men, learning from technical students and the practical ex perience of bis neighbors the best that Is known about his business. City workers, meeting in the' friction of crowded life, have always learned their craft from one another. Xhe farm er has until recently been In social and business Isolation. Now be is a citizen of the world, often closer In point of time, to the nearest city than his grandfather was to tbe farmers of the adjacent town. The difference be tween the townsman and the country man In educational aud Intellectual opjwrtunltles and In Industrial respon sibility is rapidly diminishing. That means the diminishing of the old reul or fancied disadvantage of farm life which drove ambition and initiative to the city for opportunity to show them selves. The advantage remains and Increases, for no matter how near to gether modern Instruments of unity, the trolley and telephone, bring city and country, broad acres still remain broad, and produce the conditions of free and Independent life. Youth's Companion. .Weed Cotter and Gatherer. Weeds are a constant source of trouble to the gardener, cropping up quicker than he can cut them down, and spoiling tbe appearance of the lawn. A Massa chusetts man has Invented an Imple ment Intended to help him solve tho problem and light en the labor of stopping and dig ging up tbe roots. new weed cutter, It is a combined weed cutter and gatherer, as shown In the accompanying Illustration. Tho cutter Is adjustable, and is operated by a lever which terminates close to the handle of the Implement Tbe gatherer Is placed In the rear of tbe cutter. In front of the cutter are a pair of small, light wheels. It will be seen that after bringing the Implement close, to the weed a pull on the lever Is all that Is required to operate the cutter. As the Implement Is pushed on to the next spot, tbe weed Is gathered up by tbe rake and carried on. The Best Hog; to Italic. It Is not tbe large hog that pays, but the one that makes the largest quan lty of pork In tbe shortest time and on the smallest amount of food. If a pig comes In during April be has nearly nine months during which to grow by the end of tbe year. If he Is well bred, and from a good stock of hogs, he should easily be made to weigh 250 pounds during the nine months of his life. Buckwheat Is a profitable crop and thrives on sandy soil. It Is what may ie termed a summer grain crop, as the teed may be broadcasted In June and he crop harvested before frost It Is rrown as a green manurlal crop, or for be grain. It provides an abundant 'orage for bees when In blossom, bough some do not claim the honey herefrom to be of the highest quality, ielng of rapid growth, buckwheat rowds tbe weeds and prevents them oin growing, and as It shades tbe soli Is regsrded as one of tbe best crops ist can be grown for that purpose. Li To Destroy Iniecta. The grayish black squash bug is difficult to manage. Gathering the eggs and the old bugs early in the spring Is laborious but sure, If thoroughly done. The bugs will crawl upon a piece of board laid among the vines, and may be gathered and caught. The use of poisons will do no good In the case of the bugs, as they do not ent the leaves, but pass their beaks through the outside of the leaf to suck the Juices, and will not consume any of the poison. In a series of ex periments in the method of prevent ing the attacks of tbe squash vine bor er the preventatives employed were paris green at the rate of half a tea 8oonful to two gallons of water, corn cobs dipped In coal tar, and the kero sene emulsion; the application of the parls green and the kerosene was re peated after every hard rain uutil September; the cobs were dipped la coal tar again once In three weeks. AH three of the applications seemed to be beneficial, with perhaps a little something In favor of the corncobs as being cheapest and most convenient Tbe odor of the tar has no effect on the Insects, but sometimes repels the moth, causing her to lay her eggs elsewhere. via BATH, i minute. Nevertheless To Give rim a Bath. The unfortunate pig has always had the reputation of being the most un cleanly animal In existence. This la not entirely the fault of the pig, as his environ ment Is generally accountable for h I s cleanliness. Pig raisers sel dom attempt to give the pigs a bath, as It Is al most Impossible to catch and hold them, even for a a Missouri stockman tackled the problem and suc ceeded In planning an apparatus by which the pigs are given a good wash ing before they are slaughtered. It should also prove equally as useful at other times. The construction and op eration of the dipping tank, as It U called, will be plainly evident by a glance at the acocmpnnylng Illustra tion. Resting on the ground Is the wa ter tank, which Is connected to an In clined Inlet and outlet. On the In cline of the outlet are tiny stairs to assist the pig In aseerdlng. In prep aration for his "annual" the pig la forced down the Incline Into the water, and If his common sense does not di rect him on the Incline, he is prodded from behind with a bar. In fact, In time this device may become very fashionable with pigs, and It would not be surprising to hear of them tak ing their dally "dip" hereafter. Testing- Dairy Cows, The Illinois station publishes a cir cular which emphasizes the Import, ance of studying the production of In dividual cows, and contains records for one year of eighteen dairy herds In Illinois, Including 221 cows. Tbe average year production was 5,019.09 pounds of milk; and 220.03 pounds of butterfat The best herd averaged 850.17 pounds of butterfat and the poorest 142.05 pounds. Tbe best ten cows averaged 888.73 pounds of butterfat and the poorest ten 109.42 pounds. It Is believed that at least one-third of the cows In the ordinary herds are practically unprofitable. A marked Improvement was ob served In herds where grading had been practiced. It was found possible to remove five cows from a herd of ten nnd thereby Increase the profit $7.02 per head. Care ot the Hedge. When the hedge plants begin to die out the cause may sometimes be traced to lack of plant food. There Is con siderable wood removed from hedge plants every year when the hedges are trimmed, and this annual loss cannot be sustained by the plants unless they are assisted. Apply wood ashes freely every fall. , i wild sim." Among the peculiar products of Man churia, which are becoming better known to the outside world since the opening of that country, Is "wild silk," produced by an Insect named Antheroea pernyl, which lives upon the Mongoll an oak leaves In southeastern Manchu ria. The annual production for a few years past is estimated at 15,000,000 co coons. In Shantung this silk Is manu. factured Into pongee. The Belgians as poteto eaters far outatrlp th Irish.