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About The Maupin times. (Maupin, Or.) 1914-1930 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1915)
JpARAMO of QANTA . Isabel FEW persons who live In the temperate zone are aware of the fact that there la quite a large section of country In trop ical America, even at the Equa tor which is a land of sleet and storm during the greater part of the year, where many of the trails are fre quently closed to men and beasts at tempting to cross are frozen to death. Such a region Is the Andean paramo, In the Republic of Colombia. ', Three years ago Dr. Arthur A. Allen explored that elevated land In search of bird specimens, and he has de scribed It In the American Museum Journal. The following paragraphs, says the Bulletin of the Pan Ameri can Union, embody substantially the more Important features .of Doctor Allen's Interesting account: The paramo of Santa Isabel lies about two days' Journey from Solento, the largest town on the Qulndlo trail, which crosses the central Andes, and , on clear days, especially at dusk, can be seen at several points rising above the forest-capped ridges to an alti tude between 16,000 and 17,000 feet. Beyond It and a little to the east lies the paramo of Ruts, and, most mag nificent of all, Nevada del Tollma, with Its crown of crystal snow gleam ing In the rays of the setting sun. One morning In early September the naturalists slung their packs and started for the paramo of Santa Isa bel. From Solento the trail to the paramo leads first down Into the Ho quia valley and then follows the river's meandering course through groves of splendid palms nearly to Its source, when It turns abruptly and begins a steep ascent of the mountain side. The palm trees, In scattered groves, continue to nearly 9,000 feet, where the trail begins to zigzag through some half-cleared country, where the trees have been felled and ON THE PAWAMO burned over, and where In between the charred Btumps a few hundfuls of wheat have been planted and now wave a golden brown agalust the black. Wonderful Cloud Forest. And next the Cloud forest! It is seldom that the traveler's anticipation of any much-heralded natural wonder Is realized when he Is brought face to face with It. Usually he feels a tinge of disappointment and follows It by a close scrutiny of the object before him In search of the grandeur depicted, but not so with the Cloud forest. According to Mr. Allen It sur passes one's dreams of tropical lux uriance. It Is here rather than In the lowland Jungle that nature outdoes her self and crowds every available Inch with moss and fern and orchid. Here every twig Is a garden and the moss laden branches so gigantic that they throw more shade than the leaves of the trees themselves. Giant branches hang to the' ground from the hori zontal branches of the larger trees and In turn are so heavily laden with moss and epiphytes that they form an almost solid wall and present the ap pearance of ft hollow tree trunk 15 or Butterfly Family. The butterfly Is one of the higher of the myriad species of what are called moths, naturalists giving to the whole family the name of lepldoptera. The naturalist who simply studies the won ders and myBteiies of nature cares nothing for learned names for varied genii. He glories In the fact that while gcntla snow flakes fell a butter fly, orange yellow, flitted noiselessly within bearing of tho complainings of lionB, tigers, bears and hyenas, and the chattering of monkeys, nil stolen from their native trees and Jungles to afford entertainment for the children of men, fluttered up and down and around as If seeking the flower which as yet bloomed not 8elect Your Master. Tm cannot serve two masters; yon must serve one, or the other. If your work Is the first with you and your fee second, work Is your master and the Lord of work, who la God. But it rovr fee Is first with you and your work second, fee Is your mas ter, end the lord of fee, who Is (be devil. Ruskin. :Vm; .V:1 ji nrj 20 feet In diameter. One should pass through this forest during the rainy season to form a true conception of Its richness, though even during the dryest months the variety and abun dance of plant life covering every trunk and branch are beyond belief. The great forest, occasionally Inter rupted by clearings, continues for many hours of travel up the mountain from 9,000 to about 12,000 feet, where a sudden change occurs, the trees become dwarfed, their leaves small and thick, heavily chltlnlzcd or cov ered with thick down, and remind one of the vegetation about our northern bogs with their Andromeda and Lab rador tea. Here, too, the ground In places Is covered with a dense mat of sphagnum, dotted with dwarf blueber ries and cranberries and similar plants which remind one of home. Out Upon the Paramo. A cool breeze greets the traveler, sky appears In place of the great dome of green, and suddenly he steps out upon the open paramo. He has been traveling through the densest of forests, seeing but a few paces along the trail and only a few rods Into the vegetation on either side; he has grown nearsighted, and even the smallest contours of the landscape have been concealed by the dense for est cover. Suddenly there Is thrown before his vision a whole world of mountains. As far as he can see In all directions, save behind him, ridge piles upon ridge In never-ending series until they fuse In one mighty crest which pierces the clouds with Its snow-enpped crown. This Is the para mo of Santa Isabel. At this point the party dismounted and led their horses along the narrow ridge. They looked In vain for the Jagged peaks that are so characteris tic of our northern front-made moun tains. Here even the vertical cliffs did not seem entirely without vegeta Or JjANTA ISABEL tiou, and as far as could be seen with binoculars the brown sedges and the gray frallejons covered the rocks oven up to the very edge of the snow. All about them the strange mulleinlike frallejons, as the native call them, stood up on their pedestals, ten or even fi'teen feet In height In sheltered Bpots; down among the sedges were iibiij' lesser plants similar to our North American Bpecles gentians, composites, a hoary lupine, a butter cup, a yellow sorrel, almost Identical with those of the United Slates. Birds also, several of which proved to be new to science, were numerous, but all were of dull colors and re minded them In their habits of tho open-country birds of northern Unit ed States. A goldfinch hovered above the frallejons; a gray flycatcher ran along the ground or mounted luto the air, much like the northern horned larks; an ovenblrd flow up ahead of them resembling a meadow lark; a marsh wren scolded from the rank sedges; and almost from under their horses' hoofs one of the large An dean snipes sprang Into the air wllh a characteristic bleat and went zlg zaglng away. Balzac's Hatred of Tobacco. Perhaps no celebrated author was more hostile toward tobacco than Balzac. It Is truo that Lamartlno speaks of the novelist's teeth as black ened by clgnr smoke, but Lamartlne was not Intimate with Balzac. Gau tier on the other hand knew him well and wrote eloquently about his hatred of tobacco. Dalzac's ruling passion was coffee, which Injured him and perhaps killed him. In some of his novels he anathematizes tobacco. When he allows some of his characters to smoke there Is veiled contempt. "As for De Marsay, he was busied In smoking his cigars." Ha Was Sufforer, "Madam," said the tattered and torn supplicant, to the benevolent lady who answered his timid rap at the door, "have you any old clothes you can spare for an unfortunate victim of the European war?" "I th'lnk I have, my poor man; but how does this hap pen? You cannot have been In this war, surely," "No, madam," humbly replied the sufferer; "but my wife bas sent all my clothes to the Belgians.'' SHE GAVE 1 LIFE And in Return He Saved Her From Grave and Imminent Danger. By DOROTHY DOUGLAS. John Cranborn was one of the Idle poor. He had spent the greater part of his life In condemnation of those people who had chanced either by their own endeavor or by that of their forefathers to have acquired wealth. Cranborn was one of those men who believed that the world and the Idle rich owed him a living. On Cranborn's side, however, and a circumstance that somewhat less ened the conclusive evidence against him, was the fact that be bad been orphaned at an early day In his life. Being of a retiring nature, he bad never Inveigled himself Into a circle other than one of Indifference to his own welfare. Those within his circle had no ambition of their own and, therefore, none to instill Into anyone else. Cranborn drifted Into man hood without an Influence for good or evil having left Its mark on blm. If his mind was unnourlshed from lack of energy, so also was his body, and Cranborn found himself at twenty-five lying In a hospital without the necessary strength to undergo an operation. Perhaps for the first time In his life Cranborn desired to go on liv ing. He wished that he had spent less money on cigarettes and more on bread, so that his body would not be In the humiliating position of ab ject weakness. A spark of anger flamed In his eyes. All the strength of his mind concentrated Itself In condemnation of the rich and idle, who had not only food In abundance but all the luxuries that he lacked The soft purring of a limousine at the hospital door only augmented Cranborn's grievance and he turned bis face to the wall. He would not have believed bad he been told at the moment that the young lady stepping out of the limousine had come that her blood might be transfused Into his, Cranborn's veins. When he turned his face from the wall at the command of the surgeon, Cranborn shrank within himself. Beautiful and glowing with won. derful vitality and health waa the girl who stood beside the surgeon. "This young lady Is going to give you a new life," Doctor Lyman said, "I am going to transfuse some of her blood into your body." "I won't have her do It," Cranborn muttered weakly and turned his shamed face away from the radiant girl In whose eyes shone a great pity. "But you will not deprive me of the pleasure It will afford me," she said quickly In a voice so musical that Cranborn vibrated with the rhythm of It. "You see I have been on Doctor Lyman'a list for a long time and never before have I been allowed to give my blood to any of his pa tients. Now he has called mo here because my blood agrees In certain pathological particulars with yours, and I do so want to do this little good In the world." She was looking with actual pleading now Into the eyes she bad compelled to meet her own. "I have everything In the world save the knowledge that I have saved a human life. Surely you will not rob me of this opportunity?" A weak sob shook Cranborn's body and he closed his eyes. Doc tor Lyman motioned the girl to remove her wraps. The surgeon then prepared his large caliber needle by which the vein to vein sewing and consequent scarring Is avoided, but Cranborn must have been uncon scious during the proceeding, for he knew no more until a warm, content ed Bense of well being permeated his body. The room had grown dark and he was alone except for bis nurse, who sat quietly beside him. Cranborn would have spoken save that a complete sense of shams' held htm silent. A woman, or rather, a mere girl, and one of the idle rich he had so systematically condemned, had given her life blood to save him. His useless, good-for-nothing body had been purified, strengthened and made whole by the act of charity that not one out of a thousand per sons could offer. Pure blood did not run In every set of veins. Had the girl been a needy person who was making the blood sacrifice for the twenty-five dollar fee she could earn, Cranborn might have remained the Cranborn of his early manhood. But the fact that a girl, beautiful, wealthy and refined, had offered practically her life that his might be saved flung Cranborn once and for all time Into a path where no shad ows of past failures were to darken the way. After the successful operation he lay regaining his strength and plan ning some kind of a future for him self. Tho girl, EdltU McVicker, came a few days afterward to see how Cran born was progressing and to assure blm that she had in no way suffered by the transfusion. Doctor Lyman had advised the call, since Cranborn was torn by doubts as to her wel fare. "But why do you feel called upon to risk your life In this way for one that may bo worthless? Doctor Ly man tells me that your name Is down on the lists of four surgeons, and that you might lie called upon at any time to make thin sacrifice?" Cranborn asked her, while his eyes looked steadily Into hor clear, sparkling ones. 'Principally because the dearest brother In the world was saved to me by the generous transmission which waa offered him by a man who was down and out. I havo always vowed to sock and seek until I could give a life for a lito and In some way repay the great debt of gratitude. The man who saved my brother has climbed up tbe ladder of fame now and" "And you have given your life to roe," Cranborn said softly, "and I, too, God willing, will build up this physi cal body of mino so that my name will one day appear on the surgeon's list that la honored by yours. I, too, will plan to give a life for a life." When she had left him Cranborn realized that from tho moment of her coming Into his life ho had seemed to be a different man. Was It her Influence or merely the awak ening of the latent ambition within hlin? He chose to attribute the change to Edith McVicker and her wonder ful fund of human sympathy. That she was happier for having sa,ved his life was more than evident In the calm Joy that radiated through hc-r being, She had not so definitely expressed that feeling at the first meeting, and Cranborn knew that it doing good makes one so completely happy, then good It was that he In tended to do. He smiled softly In silent condemnation of the Idle poor the circle from which he had flown. Perhaps, then, a year or two later, the happiest day of his life occurred when he saved a life and felt the same radiance flooding bis being that Edith McVicker had felt when she bad given life blood to a dying man. Cranborn had been riding bis mare In tbe early morning when a second mare, frightened by the din of a motorcycle, dashed toward him. Cran born bad only time to grasp tbe sit uation, see the rocky precipice over which the frightened mare would hurl her rider and to swing himself like a flash from the saddle. He opened his eyes after being dragged end looked straight Into Edith McVlcker's own. "I thought I was never going to find you," was all Cranborn said In the first dazed moment He was dazed principally because tbe girl's soft fingers were trailing over the bruise on his forehead Just as they' had often trailed in the dreams be nad of her. "We seem destined to keep each other in the land of the living," the girl said a trifle unsteadily, for aside from the shock of that frightened horse Cranborn's eyes were gazing wonderingly at her. A deep color Bprang into her cheeks. "We can make them lives that are well worth saving if if you could love me. I have been most successful since you came Into my life and I have wanted to tell you that and something else for well at least for two years." Edith laughed softly and remem bered the many hours she had sat try. ing to think of someone except the man in the hospital who had tried to refuse to permit her blood to be transfused Into his veins. "Two years is a frightfully long time," she said with eyes that en couraged an Immediate making up for lost time. (Copyright, 1916, by the McClure Newspa per Syndicate.) Dog That Saved His Master. I must write you Just one story that came to me at the ambulance Just be fore Christmas, even thoueh It is a. little late. We had a French soldier brought In frightfully wounded. He came from the region around St Ml hlel. One leg had to be amputated, and, besides that, he had half a dozen other wounds. His doe came with him a hunting dog of some kind. The dog nad saved his master s life. They were in the trenches together, when a shell burst In such a way as to col lapse the whole trench. Everyone In It was killed or buried in the collapse, and this dog dug and dug until he got his master's face free, so that he could breathe, and then he sat by him until some re-enforcements puma ami dug them all out. Everyone was dead Lut this man. "Isn't that a beautiful little story? We have both the dog and the man with us. The dose has a little house all to himself in the court, and he has blankets and lots of nettine. and nv. ery day he is allowed to be with his master for a little while Letter from Dr. Mary Merritt Crawford. In Paris. to New York Times. To Study Coal Tar Products. Thomas N. Norton, late American consul at Chemnitz, Germany, has been appointed a commercial agent of the department of commerce to under take a special Investigation of the chemical Industry In the United States, particularly in respect to coal tar products. It is hoped by the de partment that his report will be help ful in the development of synthetic dyestuff manufactured In the United States. Those who wish to offer sug gestions te Mr. Norton may address him In care of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Washington, D. C. He is an expert chemist, and the author of two monographs on chemical subjects. Where He Came In. A witty barrister, says an English paper, who did not object to a Joke at his own expense, was asked, on re turning from circuit, how he had got on. Well, was the reply, "I saved the lives of two or three prisoners." Then you defended them for mur der?" "No," was the rejoinder, "J prosecuted them for It." ' Cheap Witticisms. It were well If the so-called "rlevor Btory writer," who, too often. Is the chief nuisance of the manuscript edi tor ot all magazines, could be brought to a realization that mere exaggera tion and disgusting Incidents are not "fun;" it would save postage and les sen the certainty of rejections. Na. tional Magazine. Fireproof Wood. To mako wood fireproof, slake a small quantity ot fresh lime and add water till It has the consistency of cream, stir well and add one pound ot alum, 12 ounces of commercial potash and about one pound ot salt. Stir apaln and apply while hot Two or three coats will keep wood fireproof tor many months. Couldn't Lose Him. 'I understand your party threw you overboard at the convention," re marked one political candidate to an other. "Yes, that's right," replied the other, "but fortunately I was strong enough to swim to the other side." tJH T'lE railway from the port of La Gualra to Caracas, capital of the republic of Venezuela, is about twenty-four miles long, following the track of the road built by the coloulul Spanish governors along the shoulders of the mountain wall, writes L. Elwyn Elliott In the Pan-American Magazine. As the railway track winds up In a series of curves the traveler Bees a few yards below, all the way, tho highway newly built up and splendid ly surfaced where automobiles are climbing or descending negotiating the frequent bends with care. No better road could be desired, and this Is but one of the excellent systems of public highways which are the pride of Venezuela. Up in the mountains we get a quick and grateful change of climate with some suddenness; it Is not really cool, for Caracas is sheltered by the double range that closes It In on either hand, but it is exceedingly agreeable a per fect soft Bprlng temperature almost equal during tbe whole of the year and only varied by the seasons of al ternating dryness and moisture. The first, and I think the last, Im pression that one gets of Caracas is that it is very clean, very spick and span, very much "embelllclda." It is Indeed the most embellished city of the Caribbean countries. Large sums have been spent during several successive presidencies on the adornment of this ereatlv beloved can- ital city, and there is no Venezuelan who grudges the continuous expendl- ARCH OF THE ture that is used in making this a place of pride. To the 20-year regime of President Guzman Blanco were due the first layings of modern pavements, the erection of many modern edifices for public use, the Introduction of up-to-date utilities; his ideas have been added to as well as maintained, and the result is that Caracas has made the moat of her natural advantages and is the prettiest, best paved, best managed of cities. Many Handsome Plazas. Caracas is laid out in squares inter sected by a quantity of public gardens or plazas In the style coniir.on to Span ish-America, and a very excellent sys tem of town planning; In the case of the Venezuelan capital each square is beautifully tended, shrubs and foun tains are kept in fine condition, the paths are paved with bright tiles, and the roads leading away at each side kre macadamized or asphalted, like the streets of Paris. The newcomer Is always proudly told that Caracas Is called the "Little Paris of the New World," and her people have certainly done their best to earn the title for their capita). Tho Plaza de Bolivar marks the cen ter of Caracas, the chief government building being accessible to It. It Is a fine square, with an equestrian statue ot the Liberator in the middle, flowering trees all about it, and the warm midday atmosphere cooled by fountains. One one side, or rather at the north east corner, stands the cathedral, the remainder of the side taken up by stores; the post office and Museo Bo liviano, together with the Hotel Kllndt and more stores, take up another side; the palace ot the archbishop and cer tain of the municipal office buildings lie on tho south, while the Casa Ama : ilia, seat ot the department of for- There Are No Cowards. Indeed, from what I have seen ot both sides In this -war, I have made up my mind that there are no cowards tn this world, neither men cowards nor women cowards nor cowardly children. Cowardice Is a relative term, anyhow, but there can be no qualify ing adjectives for the spirit which I saw desplayed by the Belgians, the French, the English and the Germans, end in the ccope ot that statement I mean to include those of all ages and all conditions and all classes. If war brings out what is worst In human beings, !t brings out likewise what Is best In them. Irvln S. Cobb, In the Saturday Evening Post Never Neglect a Cold. Evory cold, especially In a young child, sfcould be considered serious. The possibility and the frequent oc currence of complications such as mid dlo car Inflammation, InSammation In ono ot tbe accessory sinuses of the noso. broncho pneumonia or lobar pneumonia must always be a subject tor . consideration and prevention If possible. BIS eign relations, Is on the west side. One block west and a block bouUi ot the Casa Amartlla stands the Cap! tollo, occupying with its airy spaces an entire block. It Is surrounded with trees and has a beautiful patio, gay with palms and statues and fountains, in tbe center, while about It are gov ernment offices, the chambers where the senators and deputies meet, and a magnificent reception salon. Some Notable Buildings. Among the many handsome build ings perhaps none are more attractive than tbe National university; on one side a great series of shallow steps run along the front of a delicate lacy facade, rows of pillars shading the cloisters; the rounded front of the Capltollo, already mentioned, 1b arch! tecturally fine, and the Yellow House Is a fine spacious building. It does not, by the way, really correspond to the White House at Washington, to which it is often compared, for the president of Venezuela does not reside here. The president's residence Is a lovely palace built over a rock oppo site the Calvarlo hill, and Is known as Mlraflores. South of the main plaza are the bus! ness and largest dry goods stores which are not too busy to shut up tight In the middle of the day, when everybody la supposed to be at lunch most of the financial houses and im portant offices; north the shops thin out and big residences, many of them two stories In height, crowd the streets. Like those In many another Spanish-American city, they have deep- FEDERATION ly embrasured entrances, are painted in gay colors, and decorated external ly In a manner only possible In a land of the sun. Paralso and Calvarlo. The Paralso is the neck of valley that runs out in a southerly direction from the capital; there are two mag nificent roads, meeting at the valley's head, and with a broad strip of green between where there is an almost con tinuous series of parks and residences. Delightful country homes deep In trees edge the hillsides along the roads, and as a, background stand the emerald heights themselves, velvet with soft verdue, the peaks softly capped with trailing clouds. This drive In the afternoon Is one of the pleasures of Caracas that no one can afford to miss. Seen from the Paralso roads Cara cas lies embowered in trees delicately spread at the foot of the protecting heights, an enchanting position. If there la another view of the city for which one would exchange this. It is tl;e enchanting scene laid at one's feet when Been from Calvarlo hill. To reach this point we drive out from the city one fine balmy afternoon, cross lng the outskirts and approaching s westerly hill dominating the whole ol Caracas. Once upon a time this was nothing but a grim height, but now an encircling driveway winds up tc the top, a series of stone steps invite the energies of the pedestrian, and on the summit Is a botanical garden and a zoo where Venezuelan animals and birds are spaciously housed. A One triumphal arch guards the foot of the hill, and the park at the top Is adorned with statues of Colon and of the sol dier Sucre; from the breezy brow one looks down on Caracas itself and on the smiling green strip, hill guarded, which is the Caracas valley. To Clean Watch Chains. Gold or silver watch chains can be cleaned with a very excellent result no matter whether they be mat or polished, by laying them for a few sec onds in pure aqua ammonia. Thej should then be rinsed In alcohol, and finally shaken tn clean sawdust fret from sand. Imitation gold and plated chains Bhould be cleaned In benzine, then rinsed In alcohol, and afterward shaken In dry sawdust More Severe Punishment Lawyer (to fair client) "Don't you think this cash offer of $20,000 from the defendant Is a fair compromise for your wounded heart? Isn't pry ing that old tightwad from bis twenty thousand shiny ducats punishment enough for his breach of promise?" Client "No, Indeed! I want him to marry me!" Judge. Avoid Despair. If we are to escape the grip of de spalr, wrote Amlel, we must believe either that the whole ot things at least is good, or that grief Is a fatherly grace, a purifying ordeal TALE AMUSED SENATOR HOAR Noted Statesman Told With Glee of Southerner's Visit to Boston, Where People Ate Beans, Senator Hoar used to tell with glee of a Southerner Just home from New England who said to his friend, "You know those little white, round beans?" "Yes," replied the friend, "the kind we feed to our horses?" "The very same. Well, do you know, sir, that In Boston the enlight ened citizens take those little white, round beans, boil tbem for three or four hours, mix them with molasses and I know not what other Ingredi ents, bake them, and then what do you suppose they do with the beans?" "They" "They eat 'em, sir," Interrupted the first Southerner impressively; "bless me, sir, they eat 'eml" Christian Reg ister. Carelessness. Mr. FlatbushI see during some re cent explorations at Pompeii an an cient kitchen was unearthed. In the fireplace there was a kettle on the grate, Just as It was left 1,826 years ago. by some cook residing In that city. Mrs. Flatbush Such carelessness! You can't tell me she hasn't had an opportunity to put that kettle away In all this time! Hard to Get. . "Have plenty of trouble with cooks, I suppose?" "The cooks would be all right If I could only get the necessary sup plies." "What do you mean?" "Well, last week I had a southern mammy who was a fine possum artist, and this week I got a Finnish cook who is strong on reindeer dishes." Putting It Nicely. Former Mistress I would like to give you a good recommendation, Delia, but my conscience compels me to state that you never get the meals on time. I wonder bow I can put It In a nice sort of way. Delia Yez moight Jist say thot Ol got the meals tbe same as Oi got me pay Puck. THE REASON. She Daisy married old Gotrox, but she was engaged to his son. He Yes, but Gotrox threatened to cut oft his son's allowance if he-married her. Woozy Decorations. I understand," said Uncle Bill Bot- tletop, "that the Turks are total ab stainers." "Yes." "Well, maybe they are. But I em't see how any total abstainer could think up some of the designs the' put In Turkish rugs." Hard Times Brilliancy. Bride (disconsolately) Ha'.f my wedding presents are cheap1 plated things. Mother1 Never mind, my dear; no one will suspect It I have hired two detectives to make themselves con spicuous watching them. A Cutting Riark. "You have cut my ttir too short," said the man to the barber. "Now cut It longer." And the barber, being a man of many sides and much resource, did so. He cut It three minutes longer. Astray. - "It is my Intentiob Jto lead you on the way to righteousness," Bald the reformer. "Stranger," replied Bronco Bob, "you're lost. If that's your destina-' tlon your trail never would have led you through Crimson Gulch." The More Important Service. "You have charged me toe much for this divorce," vociferated the opera singer. "Madam," protested the lawyer; "consider the extra work you have made me do as press agent" Relic of Bsrberitm. The new barber had finished his Job and his customer synchronously. "You have cut him in seven places," thundered the boss barber. "Just for that you shall shave the gentleman ever again."