IN THE NATIONAL HALLS OF CONGRESS
Tuesday, April 10.
Washington, April 10. For seven
hours today Die house had under cnn
uleration the postolllre appropriation
till, but In only a few Instances were
tht provisions considered. During the
cVhate on the special appropriation for
railway mall pay, bitter wonla wera
exchaiiired between representatives
from North Carolina, Arkansas and
Kri.tuckv, but all wera within the
rules t( the home. A numerous
perch waa made by J. Adam Ilwde,
Minn., and Charles A. Towns, New
York, spoke In behalf of the Jamestown
exposition. Both Bade and Tonne rep
resented the Ditluth district In Minne
ota in other congresses. They wera
warmly congratulated on their speeches.
Washington, April 10. For mor
than four houra today Bailey held the
undivided attention of the annate with
a speech in reply to Hpouner and Knox,
and Just before ita concluaion there waa
a significant suggestion from Hale Indi
cating the possibility of an understand
lug and an early rote on the railroad
rate bill.
The day waa one of the moat notable
In the recent history of the aenate.
Very few aenatora were absent at any
time during the day and every aeat In
the galleries, public, private, senator!
al, eix'iitlva and diplomatic, waa held
by lla occupant with marked tenacity.
Monday, April 0.
Washington, April . Mclaorin and
Morgan addressed the aenate today on
the railroad rata question, the former
advocating the legislation and the lat
ter opjwmlng. The Mississippi senator
announced li la intention to eupport an
aiuendnient providing for a court re
view of the decisions of the Interstate
Commerce commission and alao etstwl
bla adherence to the Hslley amend
ment, prohibiting the temporary sus
jmnalon of the commission's orders by
the Inferior courts, lie criticised what
he chara"terlzml aa an effort to inject
politic Into the consideration of the
bill. Morgan- took the position that
the proposed legislation waa an Inter
ference with the righta of the atatei to
control the corporatlona created by
themselves, and said that the heit way
to check exorbitant railroad rates waa
to keep the waterway! In audi condi
tion aa to Inaure competition.
Wellington, April 9. Notwlth
etanding that this was Eistrict day In
the house and that body resolved Itself
into a common council for the purpose
of making laws for the District of Co
lumbia, general Interest waa shown In
the hills requiring non resident pupils
to pay tuition and regulating the em
ptoyment of child labor. Hepburn, of
Iowa, replying to a long speech of Sims,
cl Tennessee, In which be contended
for self government for the people of
the District of Columbia, made a ue
fenae of the form of government, but
criticised lta administration. He did
not think two newspaper men and one
army officer, who constitute the board
of commissioners, the proper personnel
for such a government.
Saturday, April 7.
Washington, April 7. The house
did not induge itself in the usual half
holiday Unlay, but continued the con
sideration of the postoflke appropria
tlon bill, and in the latitude acrordod
under general debate the discussion
took on a wide range, including rail
wat mail pay, inrreared pay for rural
letter carriern, the American smelter
trust and the corrupt use of money
in elections, with side lights on na
turalixation laws.
Dalzell, Republican, of Pennsylva
nla, called up the bill amending the in
ternal revenue laws to prevent the
double taxation of certain distilled
epiriti. He asked that the bill be con
ider(nl by the house as in committee of
the whole, possibly anticipating some
debate. Before he could make any
statement, the speaker had the bill
read a third time, indorsed and passrd,
while general laughter over the erpe
ditious way the speaker disposed jf
legislation ran around the chamber.
Friday, April 0.
Washington, April 6. In making an
effort today to get the senate to agree
upon a date for taking a vote on the
railroad rate bill. Tillman made the
important statement that one week
more probably would eihaust the gen
eral debate. Ho failed, however, to
secure the consent of A Id rich, who said
that he would not be willing to agree
to vote on the bill until it was more
1
May End Race Problem.
Washington, April 10 Dr. 8. Har
ris, professor of medicine in the Uni
versity of Alabama, at Mobile, talked
to the president today about the ravages
of consumption among the negroes of
the South. He expressed the fear, and
be added that his opinion was concurr
ed in by the medical fraternity general
ly in the South, that the negro race
was likely to become extinct in this
country. Statistics showed, he declar
ed, that the death rate among the mem
bers of the negro race in America was
greater than the birth rate.
Question for Steel Trust.
Washington, April 10. After a con
fe ence with the president today, Gen
eral Qrosvenor, chairman of the house
committee on merchant marine and
fisheries, announced that his committee
proposed this week, in connection with
bearings on the ship subsidy bill, to
interrogate ofllciala of the United States
Steel corporation regarding the report
ed selling of steel products abroad at a
rate cheaper than was given to consum
ers in this country.
nearly perfected than It now Is.
During the dsy there were three
speeches on the rateliill. The first of
these was made by Elkins, who, while
expressing the opinion that the situa
tion demands legislation, Indicated
many defects In the - pending bill,
(iamble followed In support of the bill,
and Kean cloned in opposition. F.lklns
was frequently Interrupted, and several
spirited colloquies maiked the progress
of his remarks. No senator being pre
pared to speal tomorrow, the senate
adjourned until Monday.
Washington. April 6. Tariff railway
mail subaldlea, denatarlsed alcohol and
enlarged postal facilities for Western
cities were the festures of the debits
in the house today. What were al
legod to be the iniquities of the Ding
ley law, so far as the manufacture of
watches is concerned, were discussed by
Halney, of Illinois, whose tariff revis
ion speech waa listened to with much
Interest. The 'stand-patters" made
copious notes for the discussions on
protection which are foreshadowed.
Without touching the merits of the
poatofllce appropriation bill, which
nominally was under discussion, the
house at 6:15 adjourned until noon to
morrow. Thursday, April 5.
Washington, April 5. The poatofllce
appropriation bill, following an imme
morial custom, was made the vehicle
for a number of speeches today having
no bearing on the subject undtr dis
union, but of general Interest to the
country The tighta ol labor were die-
cuseed by Towne, of New iorx: goods
road, by I-ee, of Georgia: railway mail
pay by Sti-enrrson, of Minnesota, and
protective tariff by Ralney, of Illinois.
Incident to his spetch on labor, Towne
spoke of the increased power given the
speaker of the house by the rules now
in force. He said that, if the house
ever has its ancient dignity ana power
restored, it will be after it has vindi
cated the right of discussion of all pub
lic questions.
Washington, April 5.- In the senate
today there was a re-echo of the White
house conference of last (Saturday rela
tive to the pending railroad legislation,
and, while the discussion ended in good J
nature, there was a time when the
feeling wa quite intense The Incident
occurred at the close of a speech by
Stone, which was devoted largely to a
discussion of that conference.
Elkins has given notice of a speech
on trie rate bill lor tomorrow and
hailey for a speech on that subject
Tuesday. The Texas senator will reply
especially to the criticisms made by
Sponner and Knox, of his plan for a
limitation of the powers of inferior
courts in granting injunctions in rate
litigation.
Newlands contlnueud his argument
in support of his proposition for the
national incorporation of railroad com
panics.
Wednesday, April 4,
Washington, April 4. In the senate
today Newlands discuwed the railroad
rate bill and Daniel the question of the
lack of representation by the Southern
states in the public service. New
landa advocated amendments to the
rate bill providing for the national in
corporation of railroads, and announced
himself as favorable to the govern
mental ownership of these utilities.
Daniel's speech was based on a provis
ion in the urgent deficiency appropria
tlon bill for the representation of the
United Slates at the next Pn-Amcrl
can congress, to be tielt in Kio de
Janeiro next July. The deficiency bill
waa amended so as to provide lor more
delegates, and as amended was passed.
Washington, April 4. The house
during its session to-lay listened to a
criticism of the president on the part
of Fitzgerald, New York, for the fail
ure of the chief executive properly to
advise the boost) as to the objections he
had to the bill opening 505.000 acres
of land for graxing purposes in Okla
homa territory, instead of advising the
members of the Indian Affairs commit
tee as to tiie weakness of tue measure,
so that it might be amended to meet
the wishes of the commissioner of In
dian affairs.
ilia postomce appropriation bin was
taken up, but beyond an explanation
by the chairman of the poatofllce com
mittee, uveratreet, no Headway was
made.
No Limit on Use of Franks.
Salt Lake, April 10. That there is
no law limiting or prescribing the char
acter of printed matter which congress
men may authorise to be sent throuph
the mails under official frank, is the
gist of a decision rendered here today
by Judge John A. Marshall, of the
United States District court. L. R.
Anderson, chairman of the Republican
committee of Sanpote county, Utah,
was indicted lor alleged illegal use of
the frank of Congressman James A.
Tawney, of Minnesota, for distribution
in" Utah of political matter.
Seattle Objects to Negro Soldiers.
Washington, April 9. Seattle is vig
orously protesting against tne assign
ment of a colored infantry regiment to
Forts Lnwton and Wright, in place of
the Tenth infantry, that goes to Alaska
in August. The appeals of Senator
Piles have been without avail and he is
informed that Washington must have
its share of colored soldiers. The de
tall of colored troops to the department
of Columbia will not Include Vancouver
barracks. The detail is for two years.
OFFER TO ARBITRATE.
Miner Willing to Let Conciliation
Board Settle Trouble.
New York, April 6. Having failed
to come to an agreement themselves,
the hard coal miners of Pennsy'.vania,
through their representatives, todsy
projKjaed to the operators that all mat
ters In dispute be referred to a board of
arbitration for settlement, the tribunal
to be composed of the board of concili
ation which was created by the award
of the Anthracite 3trik commission In
1903, with Judge Gray, of Delaware, or
any person he may appoint, as chair
man and umpire. If the operators ac
cept the proposition and a convention
of mineworkers approves the plsn, the
1(10,000 men now Idle In the anthra
cite fields will return to work at once.
While it bad been reported for several
days that the miners, might ask that
the differences be arbitrated, the prop
osition came to them aa a great sur
prise, as they did not believe the onion
leaders were ready to leave the contro
versy to a third party at this time.
That the operators will accept the
miners' propossl a submitted is not
generally believed ; Intact, it Is inti
mated they may flatly refuse ths offer,
on the ground' that existing conditions
are the result of arbitration. The em
ployers hsve decided to consider the
miners' latest move and promise to
give Preeldent Mitchell and his men an
answer on Monday, when another
meeting of the two sub-committees will
be held in this city.
The anthracite board of conciliation
consists of six members three repre
senting the operators and three the
miners. This board held frequent ses
sions during the last three years,
settling lo-al disputes in the anthracite
region. The award of the strike com-mlr-sion
provided that, when it could
not agree, a Federal jude in the Third
Judicial district should appoint an
umpire, who should make a decision.
Judge George Gray, president of the
strike commission, made the appoint
ments. During the first two years he
seWted Carroll 1). Wright, ex United
States commissioner of labor, as the
umpire, but during the last year
Charles P. Neill, the present labor
commissioner, acted as the arbiter.
FURIOUS WITH FOREIGNERS.
Chinese Excited by Picture of Magis
trate Killed by Priest.
Pekir., April 6. The Nanchang affair
of February last, during which a Chi
nese magistrate met death as the result
of a dit-pute with French Catholic mis
sionaries which caused a riot and the
killing of a number of French and Brit
ish missionaries, continues to inflame
the Chinese. The native papers in the
north of China this week print pictures
of the magistrate'! orpe, showing his
wounds, with sensational articles writ
ten in a style which appeals to the
lower claws, exhorting the people not
to forget the outrages and to pn pare to
defend themselves against foreign bru
talities. The belief that a French priest mur
dered the magistrate is universal and
probably no other incident ever excited
such widespread resentment against the
missionaries. In many places the
Catholic converts and the other Chinese
are living on the basis of armed neu
trality, and but for the presence of the
troop stationed near the missions by
the government's orders, the slightest
friction would result in massacre.
Disturbance In Coat Field.
Philadelphia, April 6. The situv
lion in me coal fields remains un
changed. Occasional disturbances are
reported from various sections, but
they are regarded as inconsequential.
As a result of the attacks made on the
breAkers of the Fernwood colliery, the
F.rie, company, w hich owns the land
occupied by the mineworkers, han er
deretl them to vacate the property
The miners are said to have shot out
nearly every window in the breaker.
A detail of state police today arrested
seven Italian laborers at Mccanaaua.
near W ilkesbarre, who yesterday pre
vented non-union men from operating
the West End washery. They were
sent to jail.
Wants All Railroads Appraised.
naahington, April 6. By unani
mous vote today the National associa
tion of Railway commissioners adopted
the resolution of B. H. Meyer, of Wis
consin, offered yesterday, declaring it
to be the sense of the association that
the congress of the United States should
authorize and direct the Interetate
Commerce commission, or some other
department of the Federal government,
to ascertain the inventory value of all
railways in the United States, and to
fix a valuation on the railway property
ol eacu state separately.
Viosca Has Been Vindicated.
Washington, April 6. Charges made
against James Viosca, the American
vice consul at La Pax, have been inves
tigated by the State department and
the Navy department, and the result is
a complete vindication of Mr. Viosca.
It was charged by Chirles Pauson,
who, until bis death a short time igo,
was employed at the United States na
val coaling station at Pichilinque bay.
that Viosca withheld part of the py of
employes at the station.
Will Build Island for Fort.
Washington, April 6. The creation
of an artiflcai island in the middle of
the entrance to Ch espeake bay is pro
posed by the joint board on coast de
fense, as an absolute essential to the
defense of the National capital and the
cities of Baltimore, Norfolk, Newport
isews ana even Kicnmond. The gov
eminent will dump stone on the middle
ground as foundation for a tort.
for The Term ofjlis Natural Life
By MARCUS CLARKTi
CHAPTKrt X. (Ont!io1.)
The red llp parted, snd ths blue
eyes. brighter thin ever, stared vacant
ly around. The sound of her father's
voice seemed to have roused her, for she
began to speak a little prayer: "God
blew papa aaj mamma, and God blew
all oo board this ship. God lie me,
and make ms food girl, for Jeans Christ's
sake, our Lord. Amen."
The sound of the unconscious child's
simple prayer bad something awesome
In It, and John Vlrkera, who not ten
minutes before would bars aealed bla
own death warrant unhesitatingly to prr
aerrs the eafety of the vessel, felt bla
eyee fill with unwonted teara. Ths con
traat waa curious. From out the midst
of tbst desolate ctan in a fever-smitten
prUon ship, league from land, sur
rounded by ruffians, thleres and mur
derers the baby voice of an Innocent
child called confidently on beaten.
Two boors afterward aa the Mala
bar, eacaped from the peril whfch had
menaced her, plunged cheerily through
the rippling water ths mutineers, by
their spokesman, Mr. Jamaa Vetch, con
feeaed: "They were very sorry, and hoped
that their breach of discipline would be
forgiven. It was ths fear of the typhus
wblch bad driven them to It They had
no accomplices either In ths prlaon or
out of h. but they felt it but right to
aay that the man who had planned the
mutiny was Itufus Dawes."
The malignant crlnole had e-ue&aed
from whom the Information which had
led to the failure of the plot had been
derived, and this waa bla characteristic
revenge.
Extracted from the Hobart Town
Courier:
"The examination of tha nrlsoners
who were concerned In the attempt urxin
the Malabar waa concluded on Tuesday
laet The four ringleader, Dawea, Gab
bett. Vetch and Sandera, were condemn
ed to death; but ws understand that, by
ths clemency of bis excellency tbs gov
ernor, their sentence has been commut
ed to six years st the penal settlement
of Mscquarls Harbor."
CHAPTER XI.
The southeast coaat of Van Diemen'a
Land reaerables a blaenlt at which rats
hare been nibbling. Eaten away by the
continual action of the ocean which.
pouring round by east and west, baa di
vided the peninsula from the mainland
of the Australasian continent, the shore
line is broken snd ragged. From the
sentinel solitude of the Iron Pot to the
smiling banka of New Norfolk, the river
wlnda in a aluceesalon of reachea, nar
rowing to a deep channel cleft between
rugged and towering cliffs.
The climate of Van Diemen'a Land la
one of the loveliest In the world. Laun-
ceiton la warm, sheltered and moiot; and
llobart Town, protected by Bruny Isl
and and Its archipelago of D'Encaa-
treaux Channel and Storm Bay from the
violence of the aouthern breakers, pre
serves the mean temperature of Smyrna;
while the district between theie two
towna apreada la a aucceaslon of beau
tiful valleys, through which glide clear
and sparkling streams. But on the
western coast, from the steeple rocks
of Cape Grim to ths scrub encircled
barrenness of Sandy Cape, and the
frowning entrance to Macquarle Har
bor, the nature of the country entirely
changes. Along that Iron bound ahore,
ell la bleak and cheerleaa. Upon that
dreary beach the rollers of the southern
sea complete their circuit of the globe.
snd the storm that haa devastated the
cape, and united In ha eastern course
with the Icy blasta which sweep north
ward from the unknown terrora of the
southern pole, crashes unchecked upon
the II uon pine forests, and lashes with
rain the grim front of Mount Direction.
r urmua gales and sudden tempests
affright the natives of the coast Nav
lgation Is dangerous, and the entrance
to the "Heira Gates" of Macquarie
Harbor Is only to be attempted In calm
weather.
"Heirs Gates," formed by a rocky
point which runs abruptly northward,
almost touches, on Its eastern side, a
projecting arm of land which guards the
entrance to Kings river. In the mid
die of the gates is an Island, which,
lying on a sandy bar In the very jaws
of the current, creates a double whirl
pool. Impossible to pass In the roughest
weather. The headquarters of the set
tlement were placed on an Island not
far from the month of this Inhospitable
river, called Sarah Island.
Snrah Island Is long and low. The
commandant's bouse was built In the
center, having the chaplain's house and
barracks between It and the jail. The
hospital was on the west shore, and in
a line with it lay the two penitentiaries.
Lines of lofty palisades ran round the
settlement giving it the appearance of
a fortified town. These palisades were
built for the purpose of warding off the
terrific blasts of wind, which, shrieking
through the long and narrow bay as
through the keyhole or a door, had In
former times torn off roofs, and lev
eled boat sheds. The little town was
set, as It were, In defiance of nature,
at the very extreme of civilliatlon, and
Its Inhabitants maintained perpetual
warfare with the winds and waves.
But the jail of Sarah Island waa not
tha only prison In this desolate reeion
At a little distance from the mainland
la a rocK, over the rude side of which
the waves dash In rough -weather. On
an evening In December, as the sun was
sinking behind the tree tops on the left
side of the harbor, the figure of a man
appeared on the top of this rock. He
was clad In the coarse garb of a con
vice, and wore round his ankles two
Iron rings, connected by a short and
heavy chain. To the middle of this chain
a leathern strap was attached, which,
splitting in ths form of a T, buckled
round his waist, and pulled ths chain
high enough to prevent him from stum
bling over It as he walked. His. head
waa bare, and his coarse, blue striped
shirt, open at the throat, displayed an
embrowned and muscular neck. Emerg
ing from ouKa sort of cell, or den. con
trlved by nature or art In ths side of
ths cliff, he threw oa a scanty fire,
which burned between two hollowed
rocks, a email log of pine wood; and
then, returning to bis csve, and bring
ing from It an Iron pot wblch contained
water, be acooped with Ma toll hardened
bands a rertlng place for it in the ashes,
and placed It on the embers. It was
evident that the cave was at once bla
atorehouse and larder, and that the two
hollowed rocks formed bis kitchen.
Having thus made preparations for
supper, be sscended a pathway wblch
led to tbs highest point of the rock. His
fetters compelled blra to take short step,
and, as be walked, be winced as though
the Iron bit him. A handkerchief oi
atrip of cloth waa twisted round bla left
ankle, on wblch the circlet bad chafed
a sore. Painfully and alowly he gained
hie destination, and, flinging himself on
the ground, gated around him. A brig
wss being towed np the harbor by two
convict-manned boats.
The sight of tbls brig seemed to rouse
in the mind of the solitary of the rock
a strsln of reflection, for, sinking his
chin npon bis hand, be fixed bis eyes on
the incoming vessel, and immersed him
self In moody thought The ehlp an
chored, the boats deUched themselves
from her sides, the sun sunk, and the bay
waa plunged in gloom. Lights began to
twinkle along the ahore of the settle
ment The little fire died, and the water
In the Iron pot grew cold; yet the watch
er on the rock did not stir. With his
eyes staring Into the gloom, and fixed
ateadily on ths vessel, he lay along ths
barren cliff of his lonely prison as mo
tionless ss the rock on which be had
stretched himself.
This solitary man waa Itufus Dawes
e e
In the house of Major Vlckers. com
msndant of Macquarie Harbor, thert
waa, on thla evening of December, un
usual gayety. Lieut Maurice Frere.
late In command at Maria Island, had
unexpectedly come down with news
from headquarters. The Ladybird, gov
ernment schooner, visited the settlement
on ordinary occasions twice a year. To
the convicts the arrival of the Ladybird
meant arrival of new faces. Intelligence
of old comrades, news of how the world
from which they were exiled, waa pro
gressing, hen the Ladybird arrived.
the chained and toll-worn felona felt
that they were yet human, that the nnl
verse waa not bounded by the gloomy
forests which aurrounded their prison.
nut that there waa a world beyond. To
the convicts the Ladybird waa town
talk, theater, stock quotationa and latest
telegrams. She wss their newspaper,
poatofllce, the one ' excitement of their
dreary existence, the one link between
their own misery and the happlnesa of
their fellow creatures. To the com
mandant and the "freemen" this mes
senger from the outer life was scarcely
less welcome. There waa not a man on
the Island who did not feel his heart
grow heavier when her white sails dis
appeared behind the ahoulder of the
hllL
On the present occasion bnslnesa of
more than ordinary Importance had pro
cured for Major Vlckers this pleasurable
excitement It had been resolved by
(jot. Arthur that the convict establish
ment should be broken up. A succession
of murders snd attempted escapes bad
called public attention to the place, and
jts distance from Hobart Town render
ed It Inconvenient and expensive. Ar
thur had fixed npon Tasman's penin
sula as a future convict depot and nam
ing it Port Arthur, in honor of himself,
had sent down Lieut Maurice Frere
with inatructiona for Vlckers to convey
the prisoners of Macquarie Harbor
thither.
Seven classes of criminals were es
tablished, when the new barracks for
prisoners st Hobart Town were finished.
The first class were allowed to sleep
out of barracks, and to work for them
selves on Saturday: the second had only
the last-named Indulgence; the third
were only allowed Saturday afternoon;
the fourth and fifth were "refractory
and disorderly characters to work in
Irons;" the sixth were "men of the most
degraded and incorrigible character to
be worked In Irons and kept entirely
separate from the other prisoners;"
while the seventh were the refuse of
this refuse the murderers, bandits and
villains, whom nither chain nor lash
could tame. They were regarded as so
cially dead, and shipped to Hell's Gates
or Maria Island. Hell's Gates was the
most dreaded of all these houses of
bondage. The discipline at the place
was so severe, and the life so terrible,
that prisoners would risk all to escape
from it. In one year, of eighty-five
deaths there, only thirty were from nat
ural causes; of the remaining dead,
twenty-seven were drowned, eight killed
accidentally, three shot by the soldiers,
and twelve murdered by their comrades,
la another year one hundred and sixty
nine men out of one hundred and eighty
two were punished to the extent of two
thousand lashes. During the ten years
of Its existence one hundred and twelve
men escaped, out of whom sixty-two only
were found dead. The prisoners killed
themselves to avoid living any longer,
and, if so fortunate as to penetrate the
desert of scrub, heath and swamp which
lay between their prison and the settled
districts, preferred death to recapture.
Successfully to transport the remnant of
this desperate band of doubly convicted
felons to Arthur's new prison was the
mission of Maurice Frere.
"Well, Mrs. Vickers," he sold, as he
took a cup of tea from the hands of that
lady, "I suppose you won't be sorry to
get away from this place, eh?"
"No, indeed," says poor Mrs. Vlck
ers, with the old girlishness shadowed
by six years; "I shall be only too glad.
A dreadful place! John's duties, how
ever, are imperative. But the wind! My
dear Mr. Frere, you've no idea of it;
I wauted to send Sylvia to Hobart Town,
but John would not let her go."
"By ths way, how Is Miss Sylvia?"
Tralre-Frere, with the patronizing air
which men of his stamp adopt when they
speak of children.
"Not very well, I'm sorry to say," re
turned Vlckers. "You aee, It'a lonely
for her here. There are no children of
her own age, with tha exception of the
I pilot's little girl, and she cannot asso-
cUte -with fcer. I5-.it I A'.l not l'.ks t
lesve her behlud. and endeavored u
teach her myeelf."
"Hum! There was a ha governeee,
or something, was there aotT" aU
Frere, staring late his teacup. "That
maid, you know what was her name?"
"Mies Purfoy," said Mrs. Vlckers, a
little grsvely. "Yes, poor thing; a uJ
story, Mr. Frere."
Indeed! I left yon know, shortly
after the trial of the mutineers, and
never heard the fall particulars." He
poke carelessly, bat be awaited the re
ply with keen curioelty.
'A aad story r repeated Mrs. Vlck
ers. "She was ths wife of that wretch
ed man. Rex, and came oat aa my maid
In order to be near him. She would
never tell me her history, poor thin;,
though all through the dreadful accusa
tions made by that horrid doctor, I beg
ged her almost on my knees. You know
how she nursed Sylvia and poor John.
Really a moat superior creature. I think
she must have been a governess. Her
conduct waa most exemplary, aod dar
ing the six months we were in Hobart
Town she taught little Sylvia a great
deaL Of coarse she could not help her
wretched husband, you know. Could
shsT"
"Certainly not!" said Frere, heartily.
I heard something about him, too. Got
Into some scrape, did he not?"
'Miss Purfoy, or Mrs. Rex, as she
really waa, though I don't suppose Rex
Is her real name, either, came into a
little legacy from an old aunt in Eng
land and left my service. She took a
little cottage on the New Town road,
and Rex was assigned to her as bex
servant' "I see. The old dodger ssya Frere,
flushing a little. . "Well?"
"Well, the wretched man tried to es
cape, and aha helped him. He waa to
get to Lannceston, and so on board
vessel to Sydney; but they took the
unhappy creature, and be was sent down
here. She was only fined, but it ruined
her. Yoo-see, only a few people know
of her relationship to Rex, snd she waa
rather respected. Of coarse, when It be
came known, what with that dreadful
trial and the horrible assertions of Dr.
Pins you will not believe me, I know;
there wss something about that man
I never liked she wss quite left alone.
She wanted me to bring her down here
to teach Sylvia, but John thought that
it was only to be near her husband, and
wouldn't allow It"
"Of course it waa," said Vlckers, 1s
ing. "Frere, we'll go on the verenda.
She will never be satisfied until she gets
that scoundrel free."
"He's a bad kt then?" says Frere
opening the g'ass window and leading
the way to the sandy garden.
"Oh, a very bad lot" returned Vlck
ers; "quiet snd silent but ready for any
villainy. I count hhn one of the worst
men we have. With the exception of
one or two more, I think he is the
worst"
"Why don't you flog em?" says Frere.
"I cut the hide off my fellows if they
show any. nonsense."
"Well," says Vlckers, "I don't care
about too much cat myaelf. Barton, won
was here before me, flogged tremend
ously, but I don't thingk it did any good.
They tried to kill him several times.
Yon remember those twelve fellows who
were hanged? No! Ah, of course you
were away." ,
"What do you do with 'em?"
"Oh, flog the worst you know; but I
don't flog mors than a man a week as
a rule, and never more than fifty lashes.
They're getting quieter now. Then we
iron, and dumb-ells, and maroon them.'
"Do whatr
"Give them solitary confinement on
Grummet Island. When a man gets
very bad, we clap him into a boat with
a week'a provisions, and pull him over
to Grummet There are cells cut in the
rock, you see, and the fellow pulls np
his commissariat after him, and lives
there by himself for a month or so. It
tames them wonderfully."
"Does Itr said Frere. "It's a capital
notion. I wish I had a place of that
sort at Maria."
"I've a fellow there now," says Vlck
ers, "Dawes. You remember him, ol
course the ringleader of the mutiny in
the Malabar. A dreadful ruffian. He
was the most violent the first year I
was here. Barton used to flog a good
deal, and Dawes had a childish dread
of the cat When I came, he'd made a
sort of petition to be sent back to the
settlement Said that he was innocent
of the mutiny, and that the accusation
against him was false."
(To be continued.)
As a Picture Is.
"Yes," said Mr. Goodiey, "6he made
quite an impression upon me; reminds
me of an old-fashioned picture "
"Ah!" lntrrupted Miss Chellus, "you
noticed It, then?"
"Noticed what?"
"That she's painted." Philadelphia
Press.
Hta Garret Fire.
Tall Artist DeSmears was telling
me that be was using more charcoal
than ever these days. Is he selling
many charcoal drawings?
Short Artist He Is not selling any.
He has bought a charcoal stove to
keep him warm.
Mere Thought.
New Clerk I think I understand the
business pretty well now.
Employer Yes? Keep at it four or
five years. Terhaps you'll understand
It then as well as you think you do
now. Philadelphia Ledger.
Straining; a Klaa.
Eva Did you ever kiss a girl
through her veil?
Dick Yes and got quite an impres
sion. Eva Of the girl?
Dick No, of the veil.
What Did He Meant
"What makes you look so wor
ried?" "I can never get a dress suit to fit
me."
"Ferhaps you don't get there earlj
enough." Cleveland Leader.
A concrete chimney completed re
cently for a Tncoma smelter Is 307 feet
In height and is said to b the highest
in the world of Its kind.