THE STORK
Last night the Stork came stalkin
And, Stork, lieneatb your wing
Lay, lapped ill dreamless slumber.
The tiniest little thing!
From Babyland, out yonder
Beside a silver sea,
Y'ou brought a priceless treasure
As gift to mine and me!
Last night, my dear one listened—
Ami, wife, you knew the cry—
The dear old Stork has sought our home
A many times gone by!
And in your gentle bosom
I found the pretty thing
That from the realm out yonder
Our friend the Stork did bring.
Last night a babe awakened.
And, babe, how strange and new
Most seem the home and people
The Stork has brought yon to:
And yet methinks you like then»—
You neither stare nor weep,
But closer to my dear one
You cuddle, und you sleep!
Last night my heart grew fonder—
O happy heart of mine,
fiing of the inspirations
That round my pathway shine!
And sing your sweetest love song
To this dear nestling wee
The Stork from "Way-Out Yonder
Hath brought to mine and me!
—Eugene Field.
8°
Hunting an Heiress.
HE tuu.lt be ill,” said Ettle
Hall to lierself, “or else she
would have been here long
Boor Justine! Somehow things
are arranged strangely In this world!
I can't understand what It all means,
nor what 1 have done that I should l>e
rich and courted, while Justine May­
nard, who was my classmate at Mme.
Paulin!'», trims dresses for a living.
She Isn't to blame because her guardian
was a villain. I deserve no credit for
the skillful management of Uncle
Crotcliley, «hereby my [wnnles all be­
came dollars. 1 only wish she would
let me divide with her, but she bus too
much of the haughty Maynard blood In
her veins for that. I’ll go and see her.”
Just as she came out the maid
brought up a card on a silver salver.
Her telltale eyes sparkled as she
glanced nt the Roman lettered Inscrip­
tion on one side:
Markham Fernley.
And then taking It up perused on tbe
reverse the following words:
“May 1 accompany you to the opera
to-night? Florlne lias a box, ami Sal
terelll « 111 slug."
“Please, ma'am," said Barbara, the
maid, "tbe man Is waiting for an au-
s« er.”
Ettle caught up a sheet of notepaper,
and hurriedly scribbled upon It tbe one
■word, "Yes."
“Give that to him," she said, and hur­
ried off.
Justine Maynard's little room was no
luxuriously appointed nest. Bare, and
cold, mid poverty stricken. Its cracked
walls ami sloping roof gained no gio«’
from the rosy sunset, mid Justine her­
self lily oil tlie I h ' i I, with hands pressed
to her throbbing forehead.
"Only a lieadaeh'. dear," she said,
essaying a faint smile, as little Hall
liurrled townrd her. “That Is all. And
I have been a little worried with the
landlord; he «111 lie back again pres
etitly for the money that I shall not be
able, to give him. If lie would only
wait until to-morrow.
“Let me liny him. Justine."
“1 am not a beggar yet, Ettle nay.
do not look hurt, lint I have never yet
accepted charity, even from so dear a
friend ns you, mid I never will no. not
If I die first. Tomorrow I can take
that satin dress home mid receive $5
for making It. I should have returned
It to-night, but this pain makes a mere
child of me."
Elite turned, ami for the first time
mi«’ a folded dress upon tbe table a
robe of satin, trimmed with Ince.
"Justine," said she, "I've an Idea. I’ll
take this dress home for you. FU get
the money mid bring It buck."
"Nonsense, Ettle."
Ettle deftly placid It within SlltM'ts
of brown paper, wrapped mid tied It
up.
"Come, where Is It to go?"
“To Miss Fernley, In Middletown
square. O, Ettle! how shall 1 ever pay
you for all your kindness?"
Ettle was tying a dark brown veil so
closely over her hat that Justine May­
hard never saw the deep dye on her
cheek She «as almost sorry she hail
offered to lake Florlne Fernley's new
dress home. For a second her resolu­
tion wavered, mid theu she reproached
herself for even that second's iudeel-
alon.
It was not a long walk, for the Fern­
ley'» lived In Middletown square, but
a few blocks distant. And Ettle «ent
up tlie steps of the marble fronted man­
sion, wondering If »lie should see Mark
ham.
She «as not certain, but was twgln-
nlng to suspect that »be liked the hand­
some young fellow, whose dark eyes
aud Jetty curl« were such a counterpart
of her own blonde tH-auty.
A smart, blue-rll>l>oned maid came to
the door.
"Yes. Miss Fernley wits nt home,"
aud with a supercilious Insolence
which made Elie s blood boll tbe girl
pointed up a dark stairway.
"Just up there aud you'll find her.
First door to the left."
Miss Ettle Hall followed the direc­
tions and found herself In a twilight
apartment, where drain'd mirrors and
nts betrs.ved the insnl-
sweet.
if a young lady's toilet.
Cold m
Why can't I have
“\V li
' querulously vie­
my nt
nili y'x voice. "O, It
mandr
dressmaker. Mark!
1s thai
Mark!
1
So do I $ 10.* i>0. retorted a famil­
iar voice from the next room. "But J
can’t have all I want.”
"You borrowed $20 of me to hire thal
nonsensical opera liox.”
"That was business, my dear.
“Business! Nonsense! Give me
money, 1 say," fretted Florlne.
“Yes, business, my girl. Heiress­
hunting Is as much business as specu­
lating. and the fair Henrietta Is a fish
that won't jump at any ordinary bait.”
“Hush!” cried Florlne, sharply, aad
then turning to the soldisant dress­
maker, she said:
“It Isn't convenient to pay you to­
day. Call again next week or the week
after.”
“Excuse me," answered Miss Ettle In
a low but resolute voice; “I must have
the money now.”
“Must!” retorted Miss Fernley, as
she angrily rang the bell. "Mary, show
this person out.”
“I decline to leave the dress until I
am paid for it,” said Ettle, firmly.
“Now. look here, you dress-making
girl,” said the harsh voice of Markham
Fernley, as he advanced from the
Inner apartment, “none of your Impu­
dence. Leave the dress, or I'll send
for a policeman and teach you your
place in short order.”
“I would not do that. Mr. Fernley,”
said Ettle, who had by this time recov­
ered her self possession completely. "I
am not n ‘dress making girl,’ but I
shall collect the money my friend has
earned.”
Struck by some accent of her tone,
Markham Fernley paused a second,
then lighted the gas. Ettle Hall delib­
erately threw back her veil.
And that was the last he ever saw
of Henrietta Ilall.—London News.
Occupations of Age.
Oliver Wendell Holmes repeats a New
England story he once heard of a
young farmer who was urged to set
out some apple-trees. “No,” said he,
“they are too long growing, and I don’t
want to plant for other people." The
young farmer's father was spoken to
about It, but lie, with better reason, al­
leged that apple-trees are slow and JJfe
Is fleeting. At last some one mentioned
It to the old grandfather of the young
farmer. He had nothing else to do, so
he stuck In some trees. lie lived long
enough to drink cider made from the
apples that grew on those trees.
"After all.” continues I>r. Holmes,
“the most encouraging things 1 find in
the treatise, ‘De Senectute,’ are the sto­
ries of men who have found new occu­
pations when growing old, or kept up
their common pursuits In the extreme
period of life.
“Cato learned Greek when he was
old, and speaks of wishing to learn the
fiddle.or some such Instrument, tidibus,
after the example of Socrates. Solon
learned something tie«- every day in Ills
old age, as he gloried to proclaim.
“Cyrus pointed out with pride and
pleasure the trees he hud planted with
his own hand. 1 remember a pillar on
the Duke of Northumberland's estate
at Alnwick, with an inscription in simi­
lar words. If not the same. That, with
other country pleasures, never wears
out. None are too rich, none too poor,
none too young, none too old to enjoy
It.”- Youth's Companion.
Bombarding Storm Clou tn.
A Rome correspondent writes: The
Idea of dissipating storm clouds by dis­
charges of cannon bus ls-en success­
fully put Into operation at Colepio, In
the province of Bergamo, which was
lately visited by two hurricanes, ac­
companied by heavy clouds, which
threatened a hailstorm.
About forty discharges wore tired on
the first occasion and thirty on the
second. The effect of the concussion
was most marked on the second storm.
The black clouds were broken and dis­
sipated by the atmospheric disturb­
ance, and watchers statloued to ob­
serve the results reported that the
threatened storm had been driven
back.
What Is certain Is that while hall fell
In all the nelghtsirlng districts not n
particle descended on Colepio on either
occasion.
The cannon were loaded with three-
penny weight of powder and plugged
with paper. After the explosion, which
was effected by a fuse, a column of
smoke rose vertically Into the air to the
height of about a mile, bearing a cur­
rent of warm air, which penetrated the
clouds.
Nh rk« Afraid of Noise
The cowardliness of sharks is well
known among men wlm have been
much to sea 111 southern waters Infest­
ed by man eaters. The fiercest shark
will get out of the seaway In a very
great hurry If the swimmer, noticing
Its approach, sets up a noisy splashing.
A shark Is In deadly fear of any sort
of living thing that splashes In the
water.
Among tlie South Sea Islands the na­
tives never go to sea bathing aloue,
but always in parties of half a dozen or
so. In order that they may make the
greatest hubbub In the water, and thus
scare the sharks away. Once In a
while a too venturesome swimmer
among these natives foolishly detaches
himself from his swimming party and
momentarily forgets to keep up his
splashing. Then there is a swish, and
the man eater conies up beneath him
like a flash and gobbles him. New
York Herald.
Hlnklnt tor Halt Water Wells.
A new Industry Is springing up In
northern Mexico- »Inking well» for salt
water to manufacture »alt for mining
and domestic purpose». One company
has secured 120,000 acres of salt water
territory nt t'ainaron. 120 tulles south
of I.arv« Io. and has struck water con­
taining 12 per cent, salt, worth from
1 to 3 cents a pound.
If the cook Is skillful, the gravy Is
In as great demand as the spriug
chicken.
HEN the sun sank his red and
perspiring face under the cooling
waters of the Caribbean on the
night of July 2, 1S9K, the blockading fleet
off Santiago drew silently inshore to take
lip another night of vigil lest Cervera
should slip by under cover of darkness
and undo the work of the past forty days.
Scarcely had the hiss which marked the
extinction of the orb of day smitten on
the ears of the men of the fleet when the
Rearchlights took up the labor where the
sun had left off and sent long tongues of
flame into the crooked mouth of the har­
bor, sweeping to right and left, west anil
east over the grim fortresses which mask­
ed the entrance, peering in to «here the
lteina Mercedes was floating a watch­
dog against any attempt to break inside.
YVhen the same sun after one more
course from east to «est again took his
mighty bath over toward Panama, the
blockading fleet was somewhat scattered
although within signal call. Part of the
ADMIRAL SCHLEY.
vessels «ere along the coast line picking
up the sailors of Spain and helping to
save the survivors of the wrecks made
But the uneasy sea kept the big ships
such by themselves. The long vigil was drifting to the east as they rose aud fell.
over, nothing remained of sufficient im­ Over nearest the shore in tlie port di­
portance to worry gallant “Dick” YVaiti- vision the little Y’ixen held her place.
wriglit with his little converted yacht. Next should have been the Marblehead,
The fleet of the gray-haired admiral was but she was detached that day. Then
in smoldering ruins along that const line, came the Brooklyn, flagship of the second
«hile lie himself a prisoner was sitting squadron: the Texas, the Iowa, the Ore­
in the cabin of the flagship dressed in gon, the New York, flagship of the chief
garments lent to him by her oflieers.
in command; the Gloucester close inshore
Independence Day, IS'.iS, had received and east of her the Indiana. The posi­
new siguitieance, for it had become the tion at daybreak was such that the port
day of one more stupendous naval accom­ I side was somewhat uncovered. It is be­
plishment under tile flag of the Union. lieved that thia unusual condition was no
Not even the brillhint battle of Admiral ticed by the Spanish commander and that
Dewey in the harbor of Manila exceeded herein he saw bis only chance of escap­
the wonderful fight made by Schley ou ing with oue or more of his vessels.
that Sunday morning. Spain’s sea power
Sampson Steams Off.
vv 11 s a mere reminiscence when the sun
Morning mess was called and disposed
rose over Morro ami Socapa on July 4. of, men lounged about seeking some cool
But one American had lost his life in the spot, officers walked nervously about, but
fierce fight extending from early in the nothing indicated that a change to the
morning until p.n hour and a half after monotony of the vigil was imminent. Over
the time for midday mess call. Hun­ on the Oregon the jackies assembled in
dreds of Spaniards had made their last general quarters for Sunday morning in
fight on earth, four magnificent cruisers, spection. On the other ships in rapid
excelling in power on paper—the one ar­ succession the same preparations for the
mored cruiser which did such fearful ex­ same ceremony were noticeable—except­
ecution, were blackened hulks lying ing the New Y’ork. Day station had been
ashore on the coast, two torpedo destroy­ taken, the commander had made his ob­ I i
ers were under the sea, sent there by a servations and was about to leave his
fierce little yacht inferior in armament to post for a time.
them, and the survivors of all their crews
While the men «ere still on deck under­
were prisoners aboard the vessels of their going a rigid inspection by their officers
conquerors.
the signal bridge of the fleet flagship
A Severe Vi nil.
broke out in many-colored bunting. On
For forty days Schley bad kept guard each signal bridge of each vessel in the
there. For thirty days the blockade had mighty armament the officer on duty bent
been maintained under the oue general his glasses to read the signal. It was
order issued by Sampson to all the fleet nearly 9 o'clock, stifling hot and eyes
on June 2. For thirty «lays the same six- were straining across the brazen water in
mile circle had bound in the entrance to idle wonder «hen the stern guard wool 1
Santiago and made it impossible for any­ be broken. “Disregard the motions of
thing. even a whaleboat, to emerge night commander in chief” read the signal d.»
or day without a challenge to be turned played by the big flagship. Then the
into destruction unless tbe challenge were beautiful cruiser steamed away toward
heeded. It had been a nerve-racking, Sibvney.
soul-wearying strain on officers and men.
Ou the deck of the Brooklyn, shaded by
by day standing off under steam in a wide ! a big awning, sat Commodore Schley.
circle of six miles from the prows of the ' Near by him was Captain Cook. The
big battleships in the center to the same I inspection was over, the men had been
distance off th«' harbor entrance, but close released and all was as monotonous as
inshore, where the little gunboats picket- it had been for forty days. Just at this
oil, by night closing ip to half distance I juncture the navigating officer on the for­
with formation unbroken excepting that! ward bridge bent his glasses on the har-
a battleship should close in on the en­ l»>r entrance. His attention had been at­
trance and blaze it with its searchlights tracted to smoke which was coming
until relieved, while another huge hulk I therefrom.
He quietly turned to Mr.
atteuded to open tire on anything emerg­ Hodgson, executive officer, and said:
ing, such had been the monotonous order] “That smoke is moving, sir."
of (he watch.
“Give nte the glasses,”, said Mr. Hodg-
Patiently and faithfully, punctual to son, and he trained them on the object
the second on changing statiou, the watch now increasing in size. "The enemy is
had been kept. Time after time the vet­ escaping, sir," he bawled out to the
eran of Castile had sought for a break in squadron chief, dropping the glasses in
that deadly guard ami had retire 1 into hi» excitement.
the inner fastnesses of the crooked harbor
“Signal the fleet to dear ship," said
in despair. “If the enemy attempts to es­ the commander.
cape close in on him. engage and endea­
“We have done so. sir."
vor to destroy him or drive him ashore.”
From the signal bridges of half the ves­
So read the general order issued by Samp­ sels in the fleet came the signal that at
son on June 2. which was never changed last Cervera had dared the wrath of the
until it ha,I been carried into full effect. blockaders. In swift reply came the or­
So with the fall of night just a month der from the Brooklyn to close In and
Inter the big ships moved slowly and sul­ engage, but by the time the bunting flap­
lenly nearer th«» point of possible attack. ped from the ropes the entire fleet had
When the first gray streak of dawn re­ broken ground and was following out the |
vealed the point where water ami shore general order to fight on sight. As they
separate the Massachusetts, then on swung to port to meet the enemy the for­
guard with her searchlight attended by ward turrets of the Tere-a blazed with a
the Indiana, turned her prow to the east noisy defiance and the shot were turned
and steamed away to Guantanamo. She loose among the vessels bearing down
left her station to coal, for her bunkers swiftly upon them.
were getting too low in supplies to tW*r-
Then the most remarkable naval bat­
mil her to follow ont order* if the emer­ tle of all time was under way. The big
gency arose. Taylor, with the Indiana, Brooklyn, the largest ship in the fleet,
relieved her. for no second ship was need­ swooped down under half steam, belching
ed then. Rack into tbe circle, with the . flame and smoke from all her port bat­
Gloucester hov ring ou her port bow. the tery. Then, with a nvghty «weep of her
big battleship moved. With tbe increase bow», she sheered up to starboard and.
of l.ght once more the long semi-circle ■winging around in a circle, passed close
was taken up aud the grin* watih went by the Texss, reopen.ng with her star­
on.
| board battery. Swiftly she flew, gaining
W
ADMIRAL
SAMPSOX.
speed and power with each revolution of
her screws. Classed as inferior to any
one of the four gigantic cruisers opposed
to her, she successively engaged them
all.
The Texas, the Oregon, the Indiana,
all swooped down, turning to meet the
westward course of Cervera's ships.
Their heavy guns threw tons of hard
metal against the sides of the doomed
ships, but only one had the steam and
speed to follow the escaping leaders. YVi'Ii
an experience gained in a race of 12.1
miles, the stokers and engineers of i
mighty Oregon had learned a less..
which stood them in good stead, With , i
a speed greater even than that ef the, ;
Brooklyn, this levia'han passed to star-1 :
board of the Iowa and Texas and hung I !
on the trail of the speedy Brooklyn, gain­
ing rapidly on the flagship, hurling heavy
shot and shell upon the enemy.
From out the entrance of the harbor,
last of all, lying flat in the water with a
limited exposure to hostile fire, came the
most dreaded of all the ships which float­
ed the flag of Castile that morning. With
double the speed of the Americans, with
deadly torpedoes aboard and with instruc­
tions to send in their deadly missiles on
any ship daring enough to await their at­
tack. slipped out the Furor and I'luton.
During aii the long watch off that harbor
these two had caused the blockaders the
greatest anxiety. Yet the result tends to
show how useless in hot battle they and
their class can be.
When the action began the Gloucester
lay farthest inshore in the starboard di­
vision. She lapped over the huge Indiana
and her gallant commander sent her for­
ward and then swept in a wide circle,
clearing the way for Taylor. She blazed
away with her guns—mere toys compared
to those of her big consort—but at too
long range for effective service. Then
Captain Wainwright, knowing the speed
of his ship, held her back to gain steam.
He was still «siting when the torpedo
boats made the outer entrance, Theu
came his opportunity.
Opposing two vessels regarded ns the
most dangerous in the fleet of the enemy
by this time was but one daring Y’ankee ■
seaman with a crew of daring Yankees!
aboard a fragile yacht built for pleasure
and not stern war. It was a contest none
need have felt shame in avoiding, but
Wainwright had seen the Maine sink be-|
low the waters of Hnvana harbor, had |
seen his men in mangled heaps crushed
out of life, and he knew no hesitation.
Like a greyhound his little vessel shot
forward. Down under the fire of the I
battleships which had turned their fire |
upon them the yacht bore in between the
deadly torpedo boats. Often in that bril- ,
liant action they tried to torpedo the j
Gloucester, but the skill of the command­
er and the skill of the men behind the
guns smothered both vessels with a dam­
aging fire.
In and ont like a snake of flame and
smoke raced the Gloucester. Back to­
ward the harbor entrance the worried tor­
pedo ships turned in a vain effort to es­
cape, but escape was not to be. Smoth­
ered at their guns by a boat with fewer
weapons and lighter projectiles, but with
deadly aim. they blew up into fragments.
One went ashore and the other dropped
beneath the waves, while the victor hu­
manely devoted his time to the rescue of
the few men who had survived his awful
fire. Les» than one hour had passed,
less than sixty minutes had been neces­
sary to show the limited v»!ne of such
vessels against the deadly accuracy and
rapidity of the Americans.
I
Cervera Open» Fire.
As the Teresa opened fire «he received
the return fire of all the ships of the
American fleet Shearing to starboard .
she made a futile effort to escape to the
west.
Closely following in her tracks
came the Oquendo, the Vizcaya and the
Cristobal Colon, all superior in armament
to the Brokolyn and but little inferior to
the bulldogs of the American Davy. The
SpagMards made a gallant anil desperate
tight, but the constant rattle of the rapid-
fire guns in main and secondary battery
aboard the enemy, combined with an ac­
curacy at long and short range little short
of marvelous, made the Castilian gunners
tlee from their guns.
The Iowa and the Indiana being short
on steam were operating at long range
until well after the action commenced.
But they closed in and by the lapse of
half an hour were dealing deadly blows at
all but the swift Colon, which seemed in
a fair way to glide out to the sea to the
west and make good her escape. The
Oregon, with a burst of speed which has
caused naval authorities and writers to
gasp and continue gasping, set sail for
the flying flagship, and before the Colon
gave up the light was well up with the
chase. In to the shore turned the flag­
ship of the enemy, but as she turned Cap­
tain Clark's gallant vessel flew by, raking
her as she faitered. Then she flew the
white flag and dashed a wreck on the
beach.
On flew the Oregon, followed by the
Texas. Indiana and Iowa, all delivering
hot volleys from large and small guns.
The Brooklyn, ahead of her enemy, was
sending back her compliments from the
after turret, while her forward pieces
bore on the Colon, which passed inshore
if the Oquendo, just as the Oregon raked
. lie flagship,
As the Oquendo veered
inshore the Oregon
passed
astern
and sent a compliment or two as
she headed for the Vizcaya, now hotly
engaged with the Brooklyn and Texas.
The Iowa and Indiana, coming up slower,
also bent the ship into a shapeless mass
of twisted iron and steel. Less than a
full hour of fighting and two of the es­
caping fleet ashore, abandoned and «¡th
colors trailing their decks.
Nine and eleven miles from the harbor
entrance lay two of the best of Spain's
warships—one the flagship—battered out
of all semblance to vessels of their for­
mer power and speed. Just ahead, but
under a fire which nothing afloat could
sustain and remain afloat, the proud Viz­
caya, commanded by the officer who had
showed her off in New York harbor about
the time of the Maine disaster, was reel­
ing along hopeless but still defiant. Her
consort, the Colon, was gaining rapidly
and seemed to be about to escape. The
Vizcaya suddenly turned inshore, ran up
the white flag and her susviving sailors
leaped into the hostile sea to avoid the
rain of iron which was slaughtering them
in winrows.
Seventeen miles of travel and less than
two hours of fighting and three of the
mighty cruisers were gone. On swept the
Brooklyn and Oregon, the big battleship
now close on the quarter of the flagship,
hanging grimly to the chase. Cp lum­
bered the Indiana and Iowa and. no long­
er able to maintain the chase, turned to
the rescue of the unfortunates. A flag
broke out on the New York, now rushing
by. and Captain Taylor, on the Indiana,
saw his ship's number called. Thon he
received a signal order to return to hi»
station off the blockade and guard the
harbor entrance. So slowly and reluc­
tantly he came about and dropped out of
the fight.
"Fighting Bob" Evans, with the Iowa,
having done as much damage as possible
while the enemy's fleet existed, now turn­
ed his attention to taring for the surviv­
ors. Even while st this work the New
York, under full steam and with screws
revolving under forced draught, plunged
by ou her way to get into the fight. On
the bridge was the commander-in-chief
whose orders were being so gaHantlv and
thoroughly carried out by the ships of the
two squadrons in his absence. He sent
Taylor back, flagged Evans to care for
the wounded and surviving and then
raced ahead to where in the distance he
was able to see puffs of white smoke
mantling the Oregon, and then later on
see a geyser of water beyond the fleeing
Colon as a thirteen-inch shell exploded
on the inshore side.
Order» Were Obeyed.
But it was too late. Even as the fleet
flagship drew near to the chase the Colon
turned inshore and the last of the enemy
signaled submission and defeat. Tber.
went the signal of S hley that the battle
was over and the victory won. All that
remained was to see to the rescue and
comfort of the survivors. Three of the
American ships had made fights without
parallel in naval history.
Some people « au’t even tell the trut^
without exaggerating.
t b
<