Image provided by: Langlois Public Library; Langlois, OR
About Southwest Oregon recorder. (Denmark, Curry County, Or.) 188?-18?? | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1884)
A HUMBLE HERO. The quaintest class of people in the "West are the railroad men. Not the millionaire monopolists of Wall street, who manipulate stock boards and mortgages, but the hard worked, poorly-paid and big-hearted men who drive our Western locomotives, feed the v roaring fires and risk their necks, limbs and lives in clambering up and down, between and over the cars. A short time since I found myself at a little railroad restaurant at Union, Ind. I was on my way to fill a lecture appointmsnt in Southern Ohio. It was about 2 o'clock in the morning, and I had to wait about three hours for the east bound train. While comfortably toasting my feet upon the great stove, in which a fierce, soft-coal fire was burning, an engineer and his fireman entered the room, with black hands and smut ty faces. They seated them selves on high stools at the lunch counter and, calling for pie and coffee, began a char acteristic conversation relative to their oc cupation in life. Their dioll humor is im possible for me to jierf ectly describe. At last the old engineer, rubbing the end of his nose with the back of his hand, while his fingers grasped the half of a plump pumpkin pie, and holding in his other band a steanuing cup of coffee, which be occasionally blew upon to cool it, with a peculiar Western drawl and deep tone of voice, related the following in cident, which at that moment impressed me as being one of the grandest recitals I had ever listened to. I give his words as nearly as possible, only transposing and changing them sufficient:? for versification. I had never heard of the occurrence before, in which the hero was a brakeman by the name of DAVE DRIGGS. Dave Driggs he was a railroad man, A common kind o' chap; He didn't go a cent on style, He wouldn't give a rapp Fur them as put on dudy clo's An' hifalutin' ar's, An' tho't 'emselves some higher up Than Him upon the sta'rs. He wore a yaller flannel shirt That made him look immense, With that ar' diomon' pin o' his That cost him fifty cents. Thar wuzn't much in railroadin He tho't he didn't know. He wuz the brakeman o' a train . Upon the B. & O. But after all he had some streaks . O' common sense in him, A little cream inside his pan That wau't too thin to skim. I've so-n. him tipsy ez a top, I've seen him goin' wild, ' I've seen him jump an' resk his life , To save a lee tie child! . One dark December night the track Got drifted in with snow, That threw the engine down a bank A hundred feet below; An' up on end an' all about, , In every sort o' style, The busted freight car3 got 'emselves Uncoupled in a pile. Xhe engineer an' fireman both Hed left the track to stay. An' underneath the smashed caboose The dead conductor lay. But Dave, he heard the crash in time, He jumped with all his might, An' in a snowbank, on his head, Ker chug! he chanced to light! He hung to his old lantern tight, He got upon his feet; Thar in the dark he stood alone, The wreck waz gist complete. The snow it beat agin his face, A bitin' blizzard blew, The wind jist howled an' screamed an' roared, An' chilled him thro' an' thro'. It froze the clo's upon his back Ez stiff as any shad, I tell you 'twas the proper time vFur all the eand he had ! Yis, Dave he had a level head, Ef he wasn't much on dress, He bounded back along the track To save the night express. He heard the rumble of the train Just ez it hove in sight Around the corner, a sudden gust O' wind blew out bis light, An' thar he stood, the wreck behind, The comin' train before, A hurryin' on to sudden death A hundred lives or more. There big an' bright before his eyes He saw the headlight gleam; He heard the rattlin' o' the wheels, The sissin' o' the steam. An' leapln' from the railroad track, Ez past the engine flew, Into the cab with all his might Dave Driggs his lantern threw It struck the startled engineer, It fell upon the floor, It rolled along into the light Before the fire-box door. ' He read the letters "B. & O." , Upon the shattered glass, He stopped the train before he struck v The pile he couldn't pass! An' Dave, he went to work next day Jist ez he alwuz had; He didn't go a-loafin' round, Nor git the bicj-head bad. ' The city papers put him in An' laid the praise on thick But, sho! for all the fuss they made Dave didn't care a stick. He still is brakein' on the road, He w'ars that yaller shirt, A leetle wuss for use, perhap3, An' ruther dark with dirt. He traded off tnat diamon' pin, Ez sure as you were born, An' got a cluster diamoa' ring? Humph! diamon' in a horn. Eugene J. IIall,in Chicago Inter-Ocean Hugh J. Jewitt is a director in twenty railroad companies. Samuel Sloan in twenty-three, Jay Gould in twenty-four, George B. Roberts in twenty-six, Augus tus Schell in twenty-eight, Sidney Dillon in thirty-six and Frederick L. Ame3 in iifry-two. HILDA'S STORY. I have a friend who lives in Dakota, and raises in that remarkable territory 1 some of the finest wheat that is raised in the world. Part of the winter of 1882 he spent in the East, and often came to my rooms, where we enjoyed many a pleas ant hour together. During these inter views I learned many interesting facts connected with the everyday experiences of settlers in the "West. One incident in his frontier life amused me very much, and I will repeat it, as nearly as possible in his own words, for the benefit of the Companion readers. "My next neighbors," he said, "are a young Norwegian and his wife. The man, whose name is Pete Neilson, is about thirty years old; tall, broad-shouldered and good-natured. His wife, Hilda, is several years younger, a bright, smiling woman, and full of life. V "Sometimes, after work lor the day was done, I used to walk over to Neil son's and sit on the bench outside the house, and chat with him for half an hour. The house itself is a small affair, of the class known in that part of the country as 'shanties.' It is tight-boarded and banked up about the sides, and is proba bly warm and cosy even in our bitterest winters. Pete had set out a few trees in front of the shanty elms and cottonwood and had built a little arbor over the door, under which the bench was placed. There were a few flowers in boxes near by, and an old yellow cat was almost always stretched out at full length in the doorway. It is a pleasant, home-like lit tle place. " A few rods from the house was a 'straw-barn,' with, a heavy log frame, that Pete had built. It was completely buried in a mountain of straw. One evening, after I had become quiet at home with my neighbors, I ventured to say: "'Well, Pete, I suppose you became acquainted with your wife in Norway? Perhaps you have known each other since you were children?' "Pete was smoking his long pipe. He did not reply, but laughed quietly. I glanced at his wife and saw that she was smiling, and had a roguish light in her eye as she looked at her husband. . " This excited my curiosity, and I said to her, ' How is it, Mrs. Neilson? Have you known Pete since he was a little boy?' " Oh no.' " ' Then you came over on the steamer together from Norway?' " ' Oh no,' and she laughed outright. " ' Did you meet him on his way out West?' " 'No, no, no.' '"You must have found him here, waiting for you, then,' I continued laughing. " 'No, be not here when I come,' she said, as she walked over to where Pete was sitting and sat down on the ground at his feet. 'Shall I tell, Pete?' she asked, looking archly into his face. "Pete kept on smoking, but nodded good-humoredly. " His wife laid, her hand on his knee and for a moment was thoughtful and quiet. Perhaps she was getting together her somewhat scanty collection of Eng lish words. " ' Well,' she said at last again, Pok ing into Pete's face and smiling, ' I come to here with my farder and my mutter and my sisters. ' My farder take quarter section, and then he say: " ' " Hilda, you take quarter section, too. You more old than twenty-one." ' "Rather a frank confession, I thought ; but she evidently had no sensitiveness about her age, and went on: '"So I takes this quarter. But I not come and really live here. Only I put up leetle house, and sometime come here with my farder for one day, or for two day. " ' So by-an'-bye Pete he come here, too. And no more good land left; and he know how nobody live here, so he build house here, too, and live here all times and plow and dig well. '"So my farder he come here and ho say to Pete, "Go away, you bad man! You no see first house what built before you come?" '"And Pete say he no care for house. "You must live on quarter when you want get it. Nobody live in those house. I live here all time. Quarter section mine," he sfy. '"So they shake heads and talk loud and shake fists. But Pete he stay. '"He never see me. He think my farder want this land himself. So then my farder and I come and stay in first house all time. " 'Then Pete he come to there, and he say, "Go away 1 go away! Do not live on my land. It is not you's land." He say many such things. " ' "No,"' my farder say to him one day, "it is not my land." "'Then Pete look surprise and say, "If not you's land, then go away." ' 'But my farder shake head, and say very loud, "Not my land, but my daugh ter land." " 'Then Pete he look at me, sit in dark corner, and he more 'stonish. But he go away that time, and plow some more, and build straw barn and buy cow. And some time I hope he go away a"nd leave land for' me, and some time' here she looked up again and smiled at Pete. 'Some time I hope he come back to see us some more, and not so awav. And I sit at window and watch Pete build house and barn, and plow, and I say: " "Pete have good house and barn. but he all so lonesome without some wife." . 'My farder say always Pete is bad man. But I know he not bad man. " 'Then he comes arain, and he sav. "If you go -away, I give you hundred dollar for not have anv more trouble." " 'But my farder say, "No; this land ,1 T4. It ' iuy uauguici uuu. xui 11 juu gu away I give you fifty dollar for not to have come more trouble.' " 'But he say no, and he go off again. So then he build more bigger house, and buy hens, and plow some more. And he come again. " 'And this time-he walk nght up and stand close in front of me, and look at me so I want to run away. But I sits still. " 'And he look down at me, and say, "Who live on this land?" " 'And I can hardly speak, but I say, very low, "I live on this land." "'Then he laugh ana say, "Who else?" - ' " 'I laugh too and say, "You too." " 'Then he say, "Yes, we all two live on this land, but who own this land?" " 'Then my farder, he say, very loud, '3Iy daughter own it." " 'But I know it be very hard to get to own it, because Pete really live on land before I really live on it. So. I say: p'rap3 you own this land, and p'raps I own this land." " "men ne laugh again, ana taice my hands and say, "We all two live on land, but only one own land. But if you marry me then all two shall own land." "'I jumps up quick, and throw my apron over my head, and run away. " 'I run clear to my mutter house, and I cry all the way, and laugh all the way. But then I say: ' ""Maybe Pete think I don't like 'cause I run away. Maybe he never come some more. Maybe my farder drive him off. Why did I run away !" So then I cry some more, but then I laugh too, 'cause I feel sure he shall come again. " 'And the next day he come. And he say to my farder to tell me to marry him. So that's all,' she said, , simply, in conclusion. "Pete nodded and smiled. 'Yes,' ho said, 'we all two own land now.'" Youth's Companion. "Stonewall" Jackson's Climb After . . Persimmons. A Pittsburg (Penn.) Chronicle write! says: While in Lexington,- Va., last June, at the unveiling of Valentine's Recumbent statue of General R. E. Lee, material for sketches of the career ol Stonewall Jackson was sought after among his co-laborers prior to and dur ing the war. An old associate professoi of Jackson's, who served on his staff in the earlier part of the war, and whose in timacy was almost as strong as that ol brotherhood, related to me the following anecdote of Jackson. And the story was corroborated by Lieutenant George G. Junkin, now living at Christiansburg, Va., and at that time an aid to Jackson and one of the actors in the amusing little drama: In December, 1861, while on the march back from Dam No. 5 on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal to Winchester, and while riding at some distance in advance of his staff in company with the afore mentioned old friend, Jackspn espied in a neia alongside me roaa a persimmon tree heavily laden with, at that season of the year, its delicious fruit. Turning to the relator of the episode Jackson, suddenly changing the topic under dis cussion, and with unwonted warmth of manner asked: "Colonel, are you fond of persimmons?" "Well, general, I can't 4say I am particularly partial to them, i occasionally eat a few when they are handy," replied the colonel. "Well, colonel," rejoined Jackson, with increasing warmth, " I am passionately fond of them, and feel a great desire for some of those remarkably fine ones on that tree over there." By this time the staff were approaching and the colonel suggested to the general, who was in the act of dismounting, that he send some of the young men for a supply of the fruit, but Jackson persisted in going himself, saying he felt they would be enjoyed the more did he pluck them with his own hands, and hastily dismounting he crossed the fence, refus ing the kindly offer of help from young Junkin, who had procured a rail from the fence to put against the tree to assist in climbing. Striding over to the tree, he removed his sword-belt and, with his long-legged cavalry boots on. clambered laboriously up its limbless trunk, while the staff stood off quietly snickering at seeing their usually saturnine commander hugging and climbing the tree like a schoolboy. But he soon grasped the lower limbs and was ensconsed in a posi tion where he ate to satiety. When the attempt was made to return to terra firma, however, his legs, hampered by the rid ing boots and spurs, became entangled, and young Junkin had to come to the rescue with his rail to aid the general in his descent. By this time the snicker ing of the quiet and demure old colonel and his young comrades had grown to the proportions of a loud guffaw, and the general himself joined heartily in the laughter as he comprehended the lu dicrous predicament in which he had placed himself. Animated Frozen Fish. The American Angler vouches for the following fish story: A fish dealer in Salineville, Ohio, received a box ol frozen fish from Cleveland, during one of the recent blizzards. They were so hard and brittle that they had to be handled with great care to keep them from breaking to pieces. He sold one to an old lady who took it home and put it in a bucket of cold water to thaw out gradually. During the night she heard something splashing around in .the kitchen. Supposing it was the cat trying to get the fish, she jumped out of bed, seized the broom and rushed to the scene. SheJ ound the fish flopping in the pan. As near as could be learned this fish had lain out in the cold two nights bef ore being packed, and had been out of the water for more than two weeks. The number of French-speaking in habitants' in British North America is 1,298,929. SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL, . In the "White mountains, wherever the, Itimber has been cut it has been allowed to grow up again. The rainfall in the Merrimac valley has been nearly the same every year since .1826. No forest de struction is going on thereabouts. Loadstone is the magnetic 'oxide of iron. When this is highly magnetic and exhibits polarity it is called loadstone. It is the richest known ore of iron, and it is used for the manufacture of iron, as are other ores of that metal. It is found in almost all mineral regions rich in iron. More "natural gas" companies are be ing formed in Pennsylvania. The pres sure at the mouths of the wells is very great, and the gas can be conveyed in common mains wherever it is needed for light or for manufacturing. Pittsburg expects to get rid of its smoke and see the sun again. Lines are being laid to Baltimore and some of the lake cities. Among the animal fibers used in the manufacture of textile fabrics in cash mere wool, which is the fine wool-like hair of the goat. This goat thrives best upon the Himmaleh mountains at an altitude of 12,000 feet. The higher the altitude the finer, softer and thicker the coat of hair is found to be. Nearly all of this staple is manufacted into shawls. American Field. Professor A. Nantier has been trying the effect of various manures upon pota toes, beets and maize. Superphosphate and precipitated phosphate were 'most efficacious in increasing the yield of pota toes. Precipitated phosphate proved in every respect more beneficial than the superphosphate with beets. The best crops of maize were raised from land treated with the manure of the farmyard. A common trouble in country black smith shops is the going out of the fire while the smith is doing work away from it. This annoyance can be prevented by keeping at hand a box containing saw dust. When the fire seems to be out throw a handful of sawdust on the coals, and a good blaze will quickly follow. This may seem a small matter, but there are many who will find the suggestion a useful one. WISE WORDS. In order to deserve a good friendyou must first learn to be one. i A man may talk continually and not be eloquent, sound and substance are' not twins. ; Charities should be diffused. Grain will not grow if piled in a heap ; it must be scattered. Labor is one of the great elements of society the great substantial interest on which we all stand. . The first ingredient in conversation is .truth, the next good sense, the third good humor, and the fourth wit. 1 Strict punctuality is perhaps the cheap est virtue which can give force to an oth erwise utterly insignificant character. There is in a man a higher than love of happiness. ne can do without happi ness, and instead thereof find blessed ness. One of the best rules in conversation is never to say a thing which any of the company can reasonably wish he had left unsaid. The conqueror is regarded with awe, the wise man commands our esteem; but it is the benevolent man who wins our affection. It is impossible to make people under stand their ignorance, for it requires knowledge to perceive it; and, there fore, he that can perceive it hath it not. .He seldom lives frugally, who Jives by chance. Hope is always liberal, and they that trust her promises make little scru ple of reveling to-day on the promise of to-morrow. If the sense of the ridiculous is one side of an irrepressible nature, it is very well; but if that is all there is in a man he had better have been an ape and stood at the head of his profession at once. A right mind and generous affection has more beauty and charms than all other symmetries in the woria beside, and a grain of honesty and native worth is of more value than all the adventitious ornaments, estates or preferments; for the sake of which some of the better sort so oft turn knaves. Curious Growth of a Boy's Ears. A colored boy from Virginia, fifteen years of age, presented himself yester day at the Maryland University hospital ,to have an operation performed for a curious formation on his ears. The growth is known as keloid, a kind of connective tissue tumor, covers the ears" almost entirely, giving him the appear ance of having elephant's ears. The one on the right ear measured eight inches across and twenty-five inches in circumference. The one on the left ear was about six inches across. The weight of both tumors when removed was three pounds six ounces. One has been grow ing since the boy was four years old, and has been cut off three times; the other has been forming six months. They were hard, fibrous masses. The formations are said to occcur more frequently on the ear than elsewhere on the body, and to be more common among colored persons than among the whites. They are not malignant, and cannot be cancerous. The cause of such growth is not definitely known. The surgeon was able to save a good portion of each ear. They were successfully removed by cau tery, and the patient is doing well. He came on in the summer for treatment, but it was deemed best to put off the operation. His physician is with him, and his health is good. There are two similar formations on his breast, but it is thought that those will pass away as he grows older. The boy "has suffered no pain in consequence of his deformities. Baltimore American. , THE WISE BELLS. On a sunny Sabbath morning, " Forth two messengers were sped, That the bells be set a-ringing; One to say, in chime and singing, A fair maiden is to wed; One to say, with knell and moaning. t A fair maiden lieth deal By mischance the stupid servants Went not whither they were bade; - But each where was sent the other.. One said: "Ring the bells right glact. . ForabridaL" Paid the other! 'Tor the dead ring slow and sad." So it chancel that at the bridal, All turned pale to hear the bell ; . While the gladsome wedding chiming 'Mid the dirge discordant fell; But the angels hearing, whispered, ''In the chimes and in the knells: Wisdom, more than man could teach ye,. Did you speak to-day, Oh, bells!'' Pomeroy, in the Continent HUMOR OFTHE DAY. "I'm locked in slumber," murmurs the prison bird in his sleep. The most appropriate pastry for a freer lunch counter Sponge cake. The grocer who sells twelve ounces for a pound depends on his winning weigh. -Picayune. Iowa is said to be out of debt. She ought to change her name then. Phila dtphia Call. If you want to put money in a sound investment buy telegraph stock. Phila delphia Chronicle. Artificial cork has been invented, and we shall soon hear of adulterated life preservers. Lowell Courier. Batter is the name of a tenor singer in a New York church choir. He is occa sionally put out by the first bass. States man. "Hello" is a mighty small word, N- ; the patent on the machine through whicu. it is said, is worth $25,000,000. Topeka. Lance. There are 16,823 Quakers in Indiana. So many broad-brimmed hats must be quite a protection to the soil in dry weather. Burlington Free Press. . The greatest oleomargarine fraud yet perpetrated is the labeling the buckets with a ferocious Lilly goat to indicate genuine butter. Atlantu Constitution. "Are you trying to button your shoes?" asked the wife of a fat man who was grunting as he struggled to fasten the recreant buttons. "No!" he sarcastically growled; "can't you see I'm combing my hair?" When the judge says, "I sentence you for life, " the grammarian and the pris oner look upon it quite differently. The one thinks it a very brief sentence, the other thinks it couldn't well be longer. Boston Times. .. . The curiosity of a child of five had been aroused by seeing a magnifying glass. "How many times does it magnify?" asked a gentleman, thinking to puzzle; him. "As many times as you look through it," was the quick reply. ' When the farmer with a cry awoke At five in the morn, and heard the stroke Of the bell as it 'gan to ring, He jumped from bed with agility. And exclaimed with huge hilarity, "Oh, this is an early spring I" New York Journal. The critics are poking fun at a maga zine article for saying "man is our brother." Of course he is. You wouldn't call him your sister, would you? If the article said: "Man is our sister," the critics would have reason for kicking. Peck's Sun. ; ' A Detroit river fisherman says that the pike of the straits is a very destructive fish. One that was recently speared had swallowed another pike and that pike had swallowed a perch. The trouble with the whole business is about swallowing the-. jtory. Picayune. A LEAP-TEAR VICTIM. "2iow, Charley, my darling, I pray thee Just give me a moment of bliss; I'm going, look kindly upon me, And give me a dear, parting kiss." "Don't do it, you'll rumple ev collar, You'll muss up my hair and mustache I'll tell my minima yes, I'll holler; You horrid girl, don't be so rash." Oil City Derrick. A Queer Character. Mangin, the celebrated black-lead pencil maker of Paris, is dead. He drove every day in an open carriage, attended by a servant, to his stands either by the Place Vendome or on the Place de la. Bourse. His servant handed him a case, from which he took large portraits of" himself and medals with descriptions of ' his pencils, which he hung on either side of him. He then replaced hi3 round hat with a magnificent burnished helmet, mounted with brilliant plumes. For his overcoat he donned a costly velvet tunic -with gold fringes. He then drew up a pair of polished steel gauntlets upon his hands, covered his breast with a brilliant cuirass, and placed a richly-mounted sword at his side. His servant then put on a velvet robe and helmet, and struck . up a tune on an organ mounted in gold. To the crhwds gathered around he then, exclaimed: "I am Mangin, the great charlatan of France ! Years ago I hired a modest shop in the Rue Rivoli, but . could not sell pencils enough to pay my rent. Now, attracted by my sweepin crest, my waving plumes, my din an5 glitter, I sell millions of pencils." This . was true. His pencils were the very best. The Dutch papers mention the dis covery of a "certain cure" for gout. A peasant who was confined to his bed by -a sharp attack was stung by a bee, and almost immediately he felt better and next day he was nell. A short time after another patient thought he would try the same remedy, and,' having in duced a bee to sting him on thepart" affected, he also was was cured. o o