Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1893 — Page 3

In Sheeps Clothing.

BY Capt. Ormond Steele

CHAPTER XXV,’l—Continued. Lieutenant Hedges tried to induce Untilla to go below and occupy Captain Denham’s cabin, but to his solicitations ■she replied: “Why lie down when I am not weary and cannot sleep. No; I shall s’and and drink in your daring with ray eyes if I cannot help with my hands. Day will soon be hore, and the Montauks must find me ready." “But surely, Untilla, you will not expose yourself to dan.-er. We have Slenty of men to do the work, and your fe is precious—very preciom to me to all of us.” “The Great Spirit commands; I wear the plumes and carry the spear of the mighty Wyandauch. Where they are seen the Montauks will follow; and where could they be seen but in iny keeping. To-morrow's sun will see me as now standing by your side,” said the heroic princess. “Ah, Untilla, would that it were my fate to stand by your side through all the suns of my life.” Alarmed at his own boldness, and perhaps struck by the incongruity of hinting at love on such an occasion, Mr. Hedges turned and left. The men not directly engaged in the sailing of the ship at once made preparations for the morrow’s battle. All laid away their caps and bound kerchiefs about their heads; and as the night was warm, many of them stripped to the waist and tightened their belts. The long gun was cleaned and loaded, and the broadsido guns were doubly shotted.

The boarding pikes in the racks about the masts and the cutlasses which the men girded on were all examinod by Mr. Dayton. The lire buckets were filled and placed within rea h, and in the cookplt the ship’s surgeon and his assistants made every preparation for the reception and treatment of the wounded. Batlons were cooked for the men, to be used on the morrow, and then the fire in the galley was extinguished. W’hile these preparations were going on, Lieutenant Hedges, who with Untilla stood near the helm, saw the lights on board the Wanderer off Gardner’s Island. “There is the ship we are looking for,” said Untilla. “I see her; but we shall keep on till we see the Montauk beacon, then ’bout ship and comeback; by that time It will be daylight," replied Mr. Hedges. The Sea Hawk bounded away, the waves hissing from her prow like the voice of an angry serpent, and her ropes straining like the muscles of a creature hungering for the contest that lay before her.

“Montauk light on the starboard bow,” repeated the officer of the watch. “Bear away one point to the east," said Lieutenant Hedges to the two men placed at the wheel. On sped the Sea Hawk with the eager flight of the bird after whom she was named. Montauk light rose up bold and clear from the headland; and as the eagle in wild speed stops and wheel's back on the course he has come, so wheeled and turned the ship. A gray streak of dawn in the east, but the Sea Hawk faced the darkness to the west. Gardner’s Island was now dead ahead. More light filling land and sea, and the Sea Hawk turned tho point, and up to her. peak ran the ensign of the province. There at anchor, not a mile away lay the Wanderer, her boats alongside after landing her visitors. In alarm Captain Fox ran forward and shouted to the coming ship. “Larboard, you lubbers! Larboard!” A shot from the long gun of the Sea Hawk was the only reply The ships were now only a hundred yards apart. Fox saw his danger and shouted to his boatswain, and then rang out the shrill whistle calling the startled crew of the Wanderer to arms. The Sea Hawk folded her wings. She was alongside, and her grappling irons, like great talons, were fastened in her victim. Down went the anchors, and Hedges’ guns and the cheers of his men rang along the shore.

CHAPTER XXVUI. Tnn END OS’ THE CONTEST. It was Captain Fox’s boast that he •never permitted himself to be taken by •surprise. But he was certainly surprised now. He could not credit his eyes and ears when he saw the Sea Hawk grappling with the Wanderer, and heard the shot •that came from the signal gun crashing through the hull of his own ship. Quick-brained, he took in the danger, .and his first thought was that one of the men he had senton board the Sea Hawk had betrayed him. In no other way, he was sure, could his personality and schemes be detected. But there was no time for guessing; no time for anything but to shake off the foe that had swooped down on him and fastened her sharp talons in his side in a death grip. So well trained were his men that they threw off their jaokets, tore the pikes from the racks, and rushed to their posts while yet the shrill whistle of the boatswain was piping all hands to quarters. The Wanderer was always ready for action: her guns were shotted at all times, and never left unloaded except when the charges were drawn to clean them. Now the great gun amldship turned her muzzle to the neck of the Sea Hawk, and its fiery breath blazed through the shrouds of both ships. The fifteen broadside guns were run •out until they touched the black side of •the Sea Hawk, close lo the water line, and then the solid shot went tearing and crashing through her timbers, a fountain of splinters flying up from the shook.

Lieutenant Hedges had hoped, from the suddenness of the attack, to find the Wanderer wholly unprepared for resistance. He thought to board the foe and overpower him before he could strike a blow; but now, as he saw the wonderful alacrity with which the pirates rushed to their posts, he almost forgot, in the momentary admiration of the act, the all-important mission on which he had come. It was agreed between him and Untilla that her peopie should remain out of sight till his men had gained the deck of the foe, where they expeoted to meet Balph Denham, when the Montauks were to swarm on board shouting the battle cry of their tribe. In accordance with this plan. Lieutenant Hedges, sword in hand, was the rfirst mu to loop oa the deok of the

Wanderer, Mr. Dayton remaining back to direct matters on board. With the quick bound of tigers two score stalwart young men imitated their daring leader, and, quicker than the heroic deed oan be recorded-, they made for the long gun am'dships, and drove back or killed the men who were fighting it. With that quickness of perception and action that would have made him the foremost seaman in the world, had he been engaged in a righteous cause, Captain Fox saw his oppor. unity. “Throw off the grapples!” he roared, “leave the deck to me, Frenauld! Hurrah for the men of the Wanderer!” High over the clash of swords, tho rear of cannon, and the quick, harsh, era liing of firelocks, rang out the voice of the pirate chief; his men heard his words and seemed transformed into fiends. Frenauld ran to part the ships; another instant and the tide and wind would have separated them, so far that, though they were anchored nearly head to head, boarders could not go from one to ihe other. But before tho axes could sever the last ropes a high, shrill cheer rose up from the deck of the Sea Hawk. It was like the united cries of a hundred eagles when circling in mid-heaven they see far beneath them the robbers despoiling their nests, and they sweep down 1o defend and destroy. “I wear the plumes of Wyandauoh! Men of Montauk, follow your queen!”

Untilla stood on the bulwark of the AVanderer and waved the glittering blade above her head. “AVe come! Our princess, we come!" shouted the Montauks. Untilla leaped to the deck, ana when she raised the spear of AVyandauch again It was redder than the waves, blushing in the light of the rising sun. In the meantime Frenauld’s men swung their axes with all their might; and when about cne-half the Montauks reached the AVanderer s deck tho gap between the shiphad increased so much that the others were forced to remain behind.

Wondering why Captain Denham, who must have heard the signal given, did not respond, Lieutenant Hedges, with a view to cheering his own non as well ai to attract the attention of his commander, raised the cry: “.Ralph Denham! Ralph Denham!” Fox heard him, and pressing his men to one side, he replied; “Ralph Denham is dead, curse you!" Tho next instant he was before Lieutenant Hedges. “Murderer, you lie!” retorted tho gallant sailor, and with a leap that would have been surprising even in an athlete, he stood face to face with the pirate. There was no time for taunt or expression of rage. The red swords circled and fell; glanced, flashed, and rose again, and Hedges, the stronger of tho men, pressed on, and bore back his assailant. At the best, tho contest between the men would have been uncertain, had not one of the pirates leaped at the first officer of the Sea Hawk, struck him over the head, and sent him reeling and bleeding to the deck. Untilla saw the act, and, with a cry of rage that appalled those who came in her way, her spear gleamed like the lightning, and, like its bolt, transfixed the man who had stricken down the Lieutenant. While this was going on Capt. Denham and his men, at the sound of the signal gun, had made their way through the opening, which Don had arranged. But the very shot that had called them to action had so torn tho timbers in the advance as to virtually block them in.

In the dim light they worked like giants to release themselves, but whenever they lifted one timber from their front another dropped in behind it. Capt. Denham heard his name shouted on the de.k, and he recognized the voice of Lieut. Hedges. He felt like answering back, but checked himself. Still the Captain and his men worked, and still roso and fell tho tramping of feet, the oath and shout, and the clashing of arms overhead, while the ships, though no longer side by side, used their cannon on each other with murderous effect. In despair, Capt Denham was about to turn back, for the purpose of finding some other way to the deck, if that were possible, when he heard Don in front calling out: “Patience, men of the Sea Hawkj patience!” By the dim light they could catch the gleam of an ax in the hands of the youth, and they saw that it rose and fell. A few minutes, and there came a crash, followed by a cloud of dust. Don had cut the key-piece,, and the whole mass of rubbish came down.

The men, eager to speed to the aid of their comrades, could not restrain the cheer that leaped to their lips. “God bless you!” was all the Captain could say, as he ran past Don into the armory, the walls of which were lined with outiasses and guns. For the latter the sailors cared nothing. They flew for the outiasses, drew the blades, and flung away the scabbards, and then rushed after the (laptain, who was on the stairs leading to tho deck. The sight that met Captain Denham’s eye would have appalled a heart less resolute. The handful of men that Lieutenant Hedges had led to the ship were gathered about the prostrate form of their leader, fighting desperately, though against overwhelming odds. The Montauks under Untilla had just charged over the dock, and were repulsed, and the pirates, confident that the tide of battle was turning in their favor, cheered and fought like incarnate demons.

Ae Balph Denham hurried to the deck he threw off his disguise, and though dressed exactly like his crew, there was no mistaking him. The Sea Hawk men and the Montauks, on the forward part of the ship, saw and recognized him before the pirates did. “Balph Denham! Balph Denham!” went up the cry from the gallant sailors who saw victory coming, personified in the rerson of their beloved leader. “Men of the Sea Hawk! To the rescue! Charge!” thundered Balph. There was only need to follow his example. Those who had been burning with anxiety to get to the deck, now saw their chance. In the front Frenauld wheeled his men, and tried to stem the unexpected onset. He fell beneath Denham’6 blade, and many of his followers, to avoid the fury of that irresistible onset, leaped into the sea. That part of the deck was speedily cleared, and Balph knelt to raise his old friend, but Lieutenant Hedges grasped his hand, and in a voice still strong, though he was bleeding to death, said: “Don’tmind me! Don’t stop till the ship is ours." Telling one of the sailors to call Mr. Dayton to send the surgeon on board the Wanderer at ones, Captain Denham eajoined hie men to follow again, for it

was all Important that the plrafet should not have time to recover from the demoralization which his coming had caused. “Never mind your pistols, my lads!“ cried Denham, when he saw his men drawing the weapons they had concealed on their persons. “Give them the cold steel, and drive them into the sea.” “Aye, aye, sir!" “Sweep the quarter deok; capture Kidd alive!” This Captain Denham shouted, as, with Untilla by his side, and the sailors and warriors pressing close behind, they sped to the place where the pirates, rallied by their desperate leader, were to make their lasi stand. Fox saw Ralph Denham, looked into his blazing eyes, but still he could not credit the evidence of his senses. Ghost or man, he would try him. And Fox did try, with a heroism worthy of a better cause,-to defend or check the onset. But his men had lost heart. They wont down before the flashing blades as the ripe grain drops before the sickle of the reaper, an 1 the pirate chieT was loft nearly alone on the quarter-deck of the AVanderer. “Surrender, Kidd! Surrender!" shouted Balph. For answer the pirate with a horrible oath, discharged his remaining pistol at his conqueror, and waiting only long enough to note that the shot had no effect, he turned and flung himself into the sea. It will be remembered that the boats in which the visitors were landed, were still alongside, there not having been time to hoist them on deck before Lieutenant Hedges made his daring attack. Captain Fox found a number of the pirates in one of these boats, and they had seized the oars and were in the aot of cutting the rope when he crawled on board. He never for an instant lost the power to command. Seizing the tiller he called out to his men: “Better luck next time, my lads. AVe have booty enough or shore to fit out a score of ships like the AVanderer. Tull away!” The pirates took the oars and obeyed him, for obedience is a habit that dings to men after the power to enforce it has gone. So busy were Captain Denham and his men, that they did not see this act of the pirato chief, an act that was not destined to be of great advantage. AVlthin a few minutes after the disappearance of Fox, every pirate on the AVanderer not dead was a prisoner and under guard. Mr. Dayton had by this time worked his ship alongside the AVanderer and again they wore made fast, with their shattered hulls grating against each other.

Captain Denham was about to go forward to where the surgeon was dressing Lieutenant Hedges’ wound, when Don touched him on the arm and said: “If you please, sir, there’s some ladies in the cabin that was locked up till I released them. They wished to come on deck, but I advised them not, and they want to see you.” Ralph Denham did not wait to ask who they were; his heart told him, so he ran atonoe below. He bounded down the companion-way and into the cabin, with its piotures and articles of luxury untouched, and he saw in tho middle of the floor, with their arms encircling each other as if lor mutual protection, Lea Hedges and Ellen Condit. [to be continued.]

FOUND ON THE UPPER NILE.

Evidence Showing that Photography of 1 Kind Was Known 6,000 Years Ago. “I have spent much time in traveling in India, Borneo and on the Malay peninsula,” said William Huntington to a San Francisco Examiner man a few days ago, “and I have also traveled a good deal in other lands. I think, on the whole, that the jnost interesting experience I ever had was in an ancient city on the Nile in upper Egypt. I am not going to quote any guide books nor more than allude to anything that is not well known, but I want to say that to even a well-informed man tho things he sees on the upper Nile will stay with him forever. I may be permitted perhaps to remind you that these cities are more than 6,000 years old, and that some of them had as many as a million inhabitants each. Indeed, some of them had more. Well, when I was there a year ago, and men were digging among the ruined temples, some curious things were brought forth, and these I regard as the strangest of things seen in all my wanderings. In an old tomb was found a curious iron and glass object, which on investigation proved to be a photographic camera. It was not such a camera as is used now, or has been since our photography was invented, but something analogous to it, showing that the art which we thought we had discovered was really known 6,000 years ago. “Another thing discovered there in the sands of the Nile was a plow, constructed on the modern plan. It was not of steel, but of Iron, and it had the same shape, the same form of point and bend of moldboard as we have now. Yet another thing was brought forth, showing that they were expert astronomers. It was a lens, constructed in such a way as gave evidence to the fact that they knew the distance from the earth to the sun and moon, and had many of our modern ideas in regard to the science. I saw where the Mohammedans had razed and attempted to totally destroy those cities, but many of the buildings, or at least parts of them, are yet in a good state of preservation. The stones are largely granite, and there never was a better expression than the term ‘imperishable granite,’ so far as they are cqpcerned. These things start men To thinking and convince us that civilization may, after all, move in a circle and the things which we call new are often as old as the mountains. America and California are new to me, but already I find here you refer to your lost civilization, meaning, as I take it, more particularly the civilization of the Aztecs and Toltecs. I don’t know whether you will find a common plow, an astronomical instrument and camera or not, but I would not be surprised if someone should find as remarkable things in this country as they have in Egypt,"

Morbid Tastes.

Truly, there is no accounting sot tastes in this world of ours. A New York woman wears a ring in which ll set, in a circle of diamonds, her first baby’s first teeth. A London lady ol high- degree wears, set in the jewels ol her bracelet, a tooth extracted from th* mouth of her pet poodle. Another affectionate creature uses the skin of a one* favorite horse as a hearth rug for her boudoir, and has a defunct pet pug mounted in life-like attitude by the taxidermist for an ornament on her writing table

FOR FREE COINAGE.

SILVER MEN FROM FORTY-TWO STATES MEET. they Declare for the Restoration of the White Metal to Its Place as Part of the Money of the Nation—Eight Hundred and Ten Delegates In Attendance. Demands Made by the West. Chicago Speolal: The attendance at the National Silver Convention which met in Chicago was larger than that of any previous assembly of like character in the history of financial agitation. The army of delegates assembled overcrowded the First Methodist Church auditorium an hour before the meeting was oalled to order, and it was early apparent that a larger hall would have to be sought for future sessions. Eight hundred and ten delegates from forty-two States and Territories, representing all political parties and every shade of political belief, rallied to discuss silver. It was an enthusiasts body of men. They had met for a single purpose, and they kept that purpose steadily in mind. A grave crisis, as they viewed it, had called them together. When Chairman Warner of the Bimetallio League called the. convention to order, scores of delegates were obliged to stand in the aisles, but all took the inconvenience good naturedly,

THE CONVENTION IN SESSION AT CENTRAL MUSIC HALL.

as the convention was so largely attended. After a few opening words, Chairman Warner introduced Mayor Harrison of Chicago, who welcomed the delegates to the city. Among other things he said; In almost prehistorlo times wo know that gold and silver were the money metals of the world. Oold is found in pockets, it is the fruit of chance, but silver is worked out of the rocks by hard, methodical, inevitable labor. They say that those who believe in bimetallism are crazy. If the aot of 187!) could bo blotted from the annals of American political action, I believe that silver would he worth 121) cents an onnee. Be wise in your deliberations, but be fearless. Congress is about to meet. Give the benefit of yonr deUberations to Congress, and tell Grover Cleveland what the people of the United States want. I weloome you all. Thomas M. Patterson, in responding to Mayor Harrison’s address, said: I know that the Mayor of Chicago Is heart and soul in the cause. Chicago is not a “goldbug" city. Those who so assert know only the opinions of the bankers of this city. The bimetallists are the conservative element of the country. They oallns lunatics; crazy lunatlos. Do we ask for anything new? All wo ask for is that the law of 17tf2, the law framed by Alexander Hamilton, the law approved by George Washington, shall be restored to tho statute books without blotting out a letter or the omission of a line. When-the Chicago Clearing House Association hankers meet, let them recall that it Is not the tariff measure that adds to the circulating medium of the country, hut that it is thotr policy that has strnok down silver and has paused those who have lost part of their money to fear for the remainder and to withdraw it from circulation. Gen. Warner Makes His Address. Gen. Warner called Judge Miller, of Illinois, to the chair while he delivered his address as President of tho Bimetallio League. The address was an exhaustive discussion of the causes of the present financial depression, tracing them directly to the demonetization of silver in 1873, which he characterized as a crime. By it the money of the world had been decreased onehalf, thereby reducing the value of everything but the evidences of debt.

CHAIRMAN A. W. THURMAN.

(These it had enhanced. During the course of his remarks he said: How the United States could ever have been 6d snared into snch a plot aB that of 1873 I cannot understand. My only explanation of it is that they were taken unawares. Nobody at that time knew that Ihe Sherman act demonetized silver. The .President did not know, the Senate didn’t know it, the presiding officer didn't know it—there was only one man who knew it, and he has not been hanged or Indicted for treason. If ever a sepulcher stalked abroad it is the perpetrator of that measure. That act will be known In history as “the crime of 1873.' Let the names of those who are connected with It rot In oblivion. The compromise we offer is to pnt ns back under the laws that obtained prior to 1873. At the close of Gen. Warner's speech the delegates jumped up in their seats and gave three wild hurrahs for him. A committee on credentials was then appointed, consisting of one member from each State. On motion of exCongressman Symes, of Colorado, “the Chairman was authorized to appoint a committee of five on permanent organization. As this committee, the Chairman named Symes of Colorado, Reagan of Texas. Washburn of Massachusetts, and Fullinwider of Illinois. A committee consisting of one delegate from each State was authorized to be appointed on rules and order of business, this appointment to be made by the various State and Territorial delegations. The Committee on Permanent Organization was also authorized to select a larger hall in which to hold the sessions of the convention. The convention then adjourned until 2:30 p. m. The afternoon session was held at Central Music Hall. The various State delegations filled the entire lower floor. Colorado, with its big delegation, took up a portion in front and to the left oi ine stage. Immediately back of ®Colorado sat the Nebraska men, and behind them a goodly number from California. lowa and New Mexico sat side by side to the right in front. Back of them Illinois’ big delegation kept up Its quarrel during most of the meeting. Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Washington had to find seats back of the rafllti|.

The committee on permanent organization reported commending Allen W. Thurman, of Ohio, eon of the “Old Roman," as permanent Chairman of the convention. The report was ratified by a unanimous vote, and Chairman Thurman, being introduced by the-re-

GENERAL WARNER.

tiring Chairman, was recoivod with great applause, and spoke in substance as follows; Mb. Chaibman and Gentlemen or the Convention— The tlpht -between those who believe that the circulating medium of this country should be hard money—that is, real money, gold and silver, and paper redeemable in the same—and those who believe in the use

of soft money—that is, paper promises to pay money, redeemable in other promises to pay—is on. Binoe the late demand in the East to have the Government issuo bomlH, and the ory that is now mado for the unconditional ropeal of the Sherman law. charging It, rogardless of facts, with all the ills that flesh is heir to, ought to make it perfectly apparent to every thinking man. that should thefthemNUi law be repealed without substituting anything in lieu thereof, it means the fluakdestructlon of silver money as a measure of valuo, and no man can tell when it will evor be again restored to its former place. No matter what may bo said to the contrary, this means, for years and years to come, its reduction to token money, after which the issue resolvos Itself down simply to tho question whether paper money of the country is to be Issued by banking corporations upon the debts of the people or upon other kinds of corporate securities, or whether it Is to rest upon the broad and safe basis of gold and silver. This is so because gold alone certainly cannot afford a sufficient basis upon whioh the amount of circulating medium rc-

R. P. BLAND

qnlred by the people of this country can safely rest. T. V. Powderly, the labor leader, was called upon to spoak. Mr. Powderly said he was here to represent labor. “Being an Amorican, I believe we are capable of managing our own affairs and making our own currency without heeding any demands from across the water,” said he. "Governor Waite has been criticised because he referred to the people across the water. Ho was right. If there ever was a time when there was need of cool and calm deliberation now is the time. The entire membership of the Knights of Labor stand a unit on the question, and they are in favor of free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio to gold of 10 to 1.

Ignatius Donnelly kept the delegates applauding for an hour. He said in part: “This is the most significant event of our era. It is the people rising to the occasion of a groat calamity. We are in the midst of the most anomalous condition ever seen on earth. Our country is stored with every treasure that can make us rich—a most fertile soil, an industrious people, la-bor-sax ing inventions. And yet, with all these elements, we are staggering into universal bankruptcy.” After the close of Mr. Donnelly’s speech the convention adjourned until 8 o’clock. Free Coinage Rwolutlons. The Committee on Resolutions, at the night meeting, practically determined upon a report, the nature of which was outlined in the speech of Congressman Bryan at Central Music Hall. It was agreed to ignore all questions with the exception of that of money, and to demand free coinage and the remonetization of silver. Ex-Senator Reagan, of Texas, was made chairman, and Robert Schilling, of Wisconsin, secretary. A sub-committee consisting of Senator Reagan, Congressman Bryan of Ne-

GOV. WAITE.

braska, ex-Congrossman Bartine of Nevada, Ignatius Donnelly, George Washburn of Massachusetts, Thomas Patterson of Colorado, and ..Mr* Manning of Alabama was selected to draft the resolutions and report to the general committee at 9 o’clock the following morning. An order of Secretary Smith reversing the practice of Pension Commissioner Raum in disability oases is found to be in lino with a previous decision of Assistant Secretary Bussey. In attempting to release his impounded cows near Louisville, Edwin Graham shot Marshal A. J. Blunt and was in turn killed by the officer. The steamer Dorset arrived at New York from South American ports and reports that five of her crew died on the voyage of yellow fever. Cherokee Indians are threatened with destitution.

FIRE AT THE FAIR.

NOT LIKELY TO BE ANOTHER DISASTER THERE. Precautions that Have Been Taken to Prevent Such Calamities as the Cold-Storage Horror—Provision Made for Putting Out a Blaze. No Danger Now. World's Fair correspondence:

that such a calamity will occur again. Tho answer can be made at once In tho negative. There Is no probability that any other building will be burned, and if one wore burned it would be impossible that there should be such a loss of life. In the first place, It must be remembered that the smoke stack that caused that fire had been objected to by the architect of the building and by others, but the owner thought it was easier to take a risk than to pay a little money. The building did not belong to the Exposition, and the Inspection and guardianship over It wero not such as prevail ovor the other buildings in the grounds. There are, it is true, other buildings which do not belong to the Exposition, but they do not includo any of the great builalngs, and they have all been examined and pronounoeu safe. Precaution Against Fire. The principal precaution taken against fire is the fact that the greatest oare is taken not to admit anything in a building that can sot fire to it. Any man may smoke in the grounds, but as soon as he puts footlnsido a building he must stop. Ho can smoke

in a restaurant, but ho is carefully watched and his smoking is harmless. There is a groat doal of lunch eating foing on in the grounds and in tho uilulngs, and the papers left by the people are very inflammable material, but these are all gathered up soon after they are thrown down and carried away. In every building there Is a large force of janitors, nnd their solo duty is to constantly sweep out the aisles and sections, and to lay the dust they always sprinkle the floor before they use tno broom. No stoves are now usod In any building except the cooking stoves where thero is a restaurant. In this latter caso every precaution is taken, and thus far there has been no cause for apprehension on thU Eoore. Two months ago, when the weather was cold, stoves were used in the various offices, but before a stove was put in it was necessary to obtain a special permit, and this was not granted unless there was reason to believe that the stove would be carefully used. It may also be added that during the construction period, when there was a groat deal of building material In the grounds nobody was allowed to smoke at all ex-

GEN. WEAVER

cept in his private office. It will be Seen on reflection that many buildings are safe simply because there is nothing inside of them that could set them on Are. There is not a spark of fire kindled under the roof of the Government Building from one week’s end to another, nor is there any in the Fisheries Building, or the Agricultural Building, or a number of others. All of the State buildings are absolutely safe in this way. Regular Fire Engine*. But it does not require fire in a building to burn it down, sinoe it may be brought in by a careless or malicious person, and every possible provision has been made at the World's Fair for putting it out. All over the grounds there are regular fire engines, such as one sees in every big city. The corps is composed of the Dost and most experienced men, the engines have the best and most modern appliances, the horses are fully up to the high average of fire horses. There are electric firealarm boxes at every corner, and the

SENATOR PEFFER.

Columbian guards have all been instructed how to turn in an alarm. Besides this, hand grenades, portable fire extinguishers and fire buckets may be found everywhere. It has happened l on several occasions that the dropping of a match or crossing of two electric wires has caused a small fire to start, and each time there was found to be no difficulty in extinguishing the flame without calling out the fire department. Another thing must be noted. The buildings are not as inflammable as

IRE at the World’s I cS Fair, at least a dieI astrous blaze, is not at all probable. The . k reo on t burning of K the Cold Storage SI building, with all its attendant horror, " rj »has made nearly i / l~' every person who "0, contemplates vislting the show inquire what are the precautions taken against fire, and whether it is likoly

A WORLD'S FAIR ENGINE HOUSE.

A WORLD'S FAIR CHEMICAL ENGINE

HERE THEY COME.

such temporary structure usually are. It is not pretended that they are not inflammable, for they are, but it would not be an easy th ing to set them on fire from the outside, for the reason that nearly all of them are covered on tho outside with staff, and staff is fireproof. When the cold storage warehouse was on fire the other day it waa noticed that the outside walls stood almpst as If they were built of brick, not falling in until their supports hqd all been burned away, Such a building as that of Fine Arts is absolutely fireproof, but then it is the most elaborately constructed of all tno buildings, and will undoubtedly be usod after the Fair is over as a permanent gallery of art. No Loss of Life to Visitors. But even if there should be another fire there is Bmall probability of its resulting in loss of life to visitors. The main exhibits are all on the ground floor, and no building is more than two

A BLIGHT BLAZE.

stories high. Whore there are balconies with exhibits in them there are large staircases, and if an alarm were given a crowded building would be emptied in less than a minute. It would be almost impossible to out off tho avenues of escape, because they arc so numerous. The very recent precautions in regard to the roofs of tho Manufactures and Transportation Buildings make these entirely safe. In the oold storage fire, the place where It caught was precisely the most dangerous of all, and after the firemen had gono up into the tower where the (lame was the building caught beneath them, thus outtlng off th 1b mode of retreat. It is utterly Impossible for suon a thing to happen again, for tho reason that there is not another smoke staok In a tower in tho whole park. It was demonstrated clearly that a flro at tho World’s Fair cannot spread. It may burn down one building, but it will not burn two together. There waa a brisk wind blowing and the flames , wore of a prodigious magnitude, but they wero not able to jump ovor the space that intervened between the buildings. All the buildings are Isolated, and thoy take their ohanoos Individually and independent of each okhor. Another element In tho safety from fire is found in tho lagoons and basins that intersect tho park. Thoy and the lake itself furnish an Inexhaustible supply of water for the engines, and that terrible dread which is ofton present at fires of an insufficient supply of water is whblly eliminated. There are, it may safely be presumed, somo timid people who will taka fright because of the cold storago calamity, but they will make a grave mlstako If thoy stay away from the Fair on that account. The cold-storage warehouse was the one woak point In tho park and the flro seized upon It. If the rest of tho buildings were safe before thoy are doubly so now, as the minutost care will be obeerved. From an orsthotlo point of view the coldstorage building was one that could be as well sparod as any other. It stood over In a oorner of the grounds near the fence. Fow people ever visited it. and It is probable that not one-third of the visitors now at the Fair notloe where its ruins are unloss they especially seek Information.

Thousands of Snails of All Sizes.

There are over 2,000 species of Bnails and thoy aro found in all parts of tha world. Some are oven smaller than a pin head, while others, in France and Italy, for instance, are cultivated for food and aro large enough to make a good mouthful. Snails are vegetarians, and have Jaws and tongues of saw-like edge, the number of points on eaob running into the thousands. On the approach of cold weather the snail throws a film over the mouth of its shell, which tightens like a drumhead. As it becomes colder other films are added on tho plan of storm windows. Extensive drouth will cause the snail to close its doors in the same way to prevent the evaporation of its bodily moisture and dry up. These little animals are possessed of astonishing vitality. regaining activity after having been frozen in solid blocks of ice ana enduring a degree of heat for weeks which daily crisps vegetation.

The Sacred White Elephant.

The Buddhists venerate a white ele* phant. According to their religion a man lives twelve times on earth, his soul returning after each demise to some animal, beginning with some of the lower varieties, like a reptile, a crocodile or a wolf, and then each time he dies afterward returning to soma animal of a higher type. In this way there is a gradual progression of the soul until it reaches the animal representing the highest type of all, which is the white elephant. They claim that the founder of their religion came back to earth twelve times, and is the only one who eventually succeeded in getting to heaven. The last six times he was on earth hia spirit was incarcerated in one of these elephants, and his spirit, shining through the flesh of the animal, made it white, a color which the animal has retained up to the present time.

No Reptiles in Newfoundland.

There is plenty of game in Newfoundland. but not a reptile of any kind—snake, toad, frog, lizard, or even turtle—and no one ever saw a squirrel, porcupine, mouse, or lynx anywhere within its boundaries. This is all the more singular because the adjoining provinces of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton have all of these animals and many kinds of snakes and other reptiles. On the other hand the Arotlo hare is abundant in Newfoundland, but is not found in Nova Scotia or Cape Breton. The summer nights of Nova Scotia are made brilliant by fire-flies, but no firefly ever lights up a Newfoundland nocturnal landscape by its sparkling flight.

The Cost of Columbus' Voyage.

The first expedition of Columbus cost $7,300, which included the equipment of the three vessels whose duplicates have just visited our shores. Columbus received as admiral only $320 a year; his captains received $lO a month—in our money of to-day—and the sailors received $2 to $2.20 a month. Other expenses were in proportion.

Don’t Rids Too Mach.

jl/uu v was 100 naeiit It has been found that bicyclists who ride to excess are afflicted with a catarrhal laryngitis. Mouth breathing and the rapidity and pressure with which large quantities of air are foroed into the larynx are said to be the cause*