Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1898 — Page 2

gljeftmotroticSttitiittl J. W. McEWBS, PubUiher. RENSSELAER. - - - INDIAN*

WAR SHIPS FOR SPAIN

REPORT IS CONFIRMED BY ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS. Two Coast Defense Vessels Ready to Be Launched in France Also Purchased Official Bulletin on Live Stock in the United States. Three Cruisers for Spain. The English newsjiapers confirm the news of Spain's purchase of warships. The St. James’ Gazette, which published the denials of the Spanish embassy and Spanish naval commission, which has an office in London, says: “It is ascertained on very high authority, in spite of denials, that the Spanish Government has almost certainly succeeded in buying three nearly completed cruisers in England, and two coast defense vessels which are about to be launched in France. Experts are almost as much surprised at the success of Madrid in raising money as by the clever diplomacy which secured the Chilian and Brazilian cruisers of the Armstrongs at a cost believed to be £1,000,000, almost before the move was suspected." The article goes on to say that much competition between Spain and the United States for these various ships was expected, "but America has come to the conclusion that its naval resources are strong enough to confront Spain, and is playing a waiting game.”

BULLETIN ON LIVE STOCK. Decrease in Number of Horses, Cows, Cattle and Swine. The Agricultural Department at Washington has issued the following bulletin on live stock: The returns of the numlx-r of live stock on farms in the United States Jan. 1 show 13,960,911 horses, 2,257.665 mules, 15,840.886 milch cows, 29,264,197 oxen and other cattle, 37,656,960 sheep and 39,759.993 swine. These figures show a decrease of 403,756 in the number of horses, 100,841 in milch cows, 1,244,211 in oxen and other cattle and 840,283 in swine. There is'an increase of 838,317 in the number of sheep and 42,011 in mules. While there has been an increase in the number of milch cows in each of the New England States, and a considerable increase in the Northwestern States, there has been a decrease throughout almost the entire South, nnd this fact, together with a slight decrease in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, reduces the total for the country at large to six-tenths of 1 per cent below that of last year. Of the seventeen States reporting a total of over 1,000,000 hogs, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska show an increase, and Indiana, Illinois, lowa and eight Southern States a decrease. There is a marked increase in the value of live stock on farms reported from almost every section of the country, the total value of farm horst's having increased during the year by $25,713,011; that of mules, $6,728,972; milch cows, $65,573,933; oxen and other cattle, $104,367,218; sheep, $25,700,191, and swine, $8,078,639—a total increase in value of $236,162,859, or 14.27 per cent.

AMERICAN SCHOONER SEIZED. Captured by Spanish Gunboat on South Coast of Cuba. The Spanish gunboat Ardilla has captured in an inlet near Casilda, on the south coast of Cuba, the American schooner Esther of Edenton, N. C., bound from Pensacola to Jamaica. Thecaptain of the schooner was asked to give the reason for the presence of his vessel in the inlet and claimed that his rudder wus broken. No further details of the affair have been received, but if the statements of the captain of the Esther turn out to be correct the schooner will be liberated. The captain has protested against the seizure of his vessel. The Esther is of 1,131 tons gross register. Enforces an Age Limit. A maximum age limit for employes has been fixed by the new Union Pacific management. The rule is now in operation as far as the shops of the company are concerned. but as to whether it will be enforced in other departments is at present bothering some 10.000 men on the lines of the company in the West. Sixty years is the limit of employment in the mechanical department. Not only are all persons over that age in the shops being discharged, but none will be employed in the future who are near that period of life. No official announcement has been made by the company.

Moving Over the Passes. The steamship North Pacific, from Skaguay, Juneau and Wrangel, called at Departure Bay, Jter supply of coal having run out. Her officers describe the situation at Skaguay most favorably. They say that deaths from spinal meningitis were often the result of exposure on the trails, the men being brought into Skaguay dying. The number of deaths, Captain Carter says, has been greatly exaggerated. Fine weather prevailed when the North Pacific left Skaguay. White and Chilkoot passes were fit for travel, and many had already begun the journey inland. Higher Wages Granted. As the result of a conference recently held between Thomas Dolan and a number of workmen employed in the cloth mills of Thomas Dolan & Co. at Philadelphia, a 12 per cent increase has been granted. Russia Wins in China. The Berlin Tageblatt publishes a dispatch from Peking saying China has agreed to lease Port Arthur and Ta-Lien-Wan to Russia for ninety-nine years. Killed by a Burglar. William O. Hutchins, a manufacturing jeweler at Providence, R. 1., was shot and killed by a burglar. The robber was fleeing after discovery, and Hutchins was knocking the intruder over the head with a heavy walking stick, when the one fatal bullet was fired. Crushed Under a Car. Two Italian laborers were instantly killed and two badly hurt by a two-ton dirt car which fell upon them while they were at work on the new East river bridge at New York. Cashier Cunning Confesses. Sherwood S. Cunning, receiving teller of the First National Bank of Cincinnati, 0., was arrested and locked up on the charge of embezzling $23,000 of the bank’s funds. Cunning broke down when put behind the bars and confessed. He is married aud has a family. Big Tug Underwriter Lost. Terrific weather is reported from Northern Persia,- the worst known for a quarter ot • century. The highway from Resht on the Caspian sea to Teheran is impswaable from snowdrifts. More than 100 pmons hare perished, and many others ar? missing.

WOOED AND MARRIED

BY CHARLOTTE M BRAEME

CHAPTER XVIII. With an intolerable sense of shame and disgrace, it suddenly occurred to Lady Caraven that her lot in life was quite different from other people’s. It seemed to pass over her with a sudden terrible commotion. She had been so occupied with her efforts as regarded her husband, her plans of reform, her schemes for the benefit of others, that she had not given much thought to her own position as a wife whose husband made no pretense of loving her. The knowledge of her real status came to her now with a keen sense of intolerable pain, yet she would have borne its bitterness but for the fear lest the brilliant, beautiful blonde should become as wise as herself. That would have been intolerable. A trifling circumstance brought Hildred'S jealousy to a climax. The Earl was going out in a groat hurry one morning when he found that the button of his glove was hanging by a thread. Lady Hamilton, who was now engaged on some kind of fancy work, with needle and silk in her hand, sat by. He went to her at once.

“Lady Hamilton, be kind to me —give this one stitch.” She laughingly complied; she would not let him remove the glove. “You need not take that trouble,” she said; “I can do it as it is.” With a pale face and darkening eyes the young Countess watched the little scene. Why had be gone to her for this small service? Why should she hold her husband’s hand and look with laughing eyes into his face? She could not endure it. She went up to them. “I thank you, Lady Hamilton,” she said, “I will do that for Lord Caraven.” Lady Hamilton looked up in amazement, but there was something in the young Countess' face which made her yield at once. She drew back coldly. “Lord Caraven asked me to do it,” she said. “In all probability he had forgotten that I was here,” she returned, in a high, clear voice. The Earl, like a prudent man, remained quite silent. He looked.at his wife's face as she bent over the glove, and he saw something there that, shrewd as he was, puzzled him. Why was she so pale? What was it that shone and gleamed in the dark eyes? Why did the proud lips tremble? What was in her face? He gazed in silent wonder. She had finished. “The button will not come off again,” she declared. “I hope not,” said Lady Hamilton, in a peculiar tone of voice; “and, if it does, do not ask me to help you again. Lord Caraven.” He turned away with a laugh, but the mischief was done; the sight of her guest's golden head bendinc over her husband's hand had fanned the jealousy of the young wife into a flame—nor did what followed extinguish it. The Earl had laughed to himself, thinking the occurrence a pretty hit of by-play. He was smiling still when, an hour afterward. his wife met him. "Hildred,” he said in a tone of gay banter, “were you jealous of Lady Hamilton?”

Then the idea seemed so absurd to him that he laughed aloud. To his surprise she grew deadly pale; her lips quivered with emotion. “Yes,” she replied, bitterly—“l scorn to speak falsely—l was jealous of her. You may think what you like of me.” Still he would not be serious about it. He said jestingly: “I always thought until now that jealousy presupposed love.” “Did you?” questioned bis wife, with proud indifference. “I always thought love presupposed perfect trust.” “You are a good fencer, Hildred,” laughed her husband; and he thought no more of the matter. But she did. It had wanted but that trifling incident to fan her jealousy- into a flame. How the hours of that day passed she never knew. One picture filled her mind —that of Lady Hamilton's golden head bending over her husband's hand. She could not bear the thought of it. He might not love her, but he should not love any one else. He should not laugh because she was jealous, he should not admire this fair woman while he so cruelly neglected her. She worked herself into a frenzy of jealous despair, yet was outwardly cnlm and proud as usual. The dinner party at the castle on that day was not a large one; many of the guests had left, Lord nnd Lady Darners had returned home. Sir Raoul was in his room. Lady Caraven had dressed herself with unusual care and attention. During dinner she watched her husband and Lady Hamilton. More than once she saw them laughing and heard them talking merrily. Was it of her? Was the Earl telling her that his wife was jealous? And was she laughing because the very cream of the jest was that her husband did not care for her? For the convenience of one of the guests who was leaving they had dined a little earlier than usual. When the ladies reached the drawing-room the room was filled with ruddy light from the sun setting in* the western sky. It would be cruel, they said, to spend such a warm, lovely evening indors. The gentlemen, thinking the. same thing, had hurried from their wine, saying that it would be a pity to lose the last gleam of sunlight. But before they went out someone prayed the Earl to sing one song. “I will sing a duet,” he said, “if Lady Hamilton will help me.” It was useless, he thought, appealing to his wife. The last time he hnd asked her to sing with him she had refused. Lady Hamilton was only too pleased. She went to the piano, and very soon the two beautiful voices seined to fill the room —Lady Hamilton’s clear nnd sweet, the Earl’s rich and musical—while the young Countess watched them with longing, pitiful eyes. They were singing about love,’ love that would never die. love that was immortal. More than once the unhappy young wife saw the widow look at her husband; more than once there came to her a wild impulse, a longing to strike the 'fair face. When the song was over, it was time to go and watch the sunset. Hildred saw that her husband did not leave Lady Hamilton’s side. He remained near her, saying: “We will watch the sunset over the lake. It is one of the prettiest sights at Ravensmere.” She did not hear Lady Hamilton’s answer; it was given with smiling lips and

laughing eyes. Was it her morbid fancy, or did she really hear her husband say, “Yes, nnd I will tell you the story of my marriage.” She did not wait to ask herself if it were mere fancy. She believed that she had heard it, and the idea of it drove her almost mad. They were going to watcH the sun fade among the flowers, nnd the Earl would meanwhile entertain his companion with the story of his marriage—how he had wed the money-lender’s daughter, or else lose Ravensmere, but how he had avenged himself by neglecting her. Hildred's heart and brain were on fire. The husband she loved despite his neglect and the rival whom she disliked were going to laugh over her together. An idea suddenly occurred to the unhappy wife —they should not do this, they should not Inugh at her, her love and her jealousy should not be sport for them. She would follow them unperceived, and then, when they began to laugh over her story, she would confront them, and dare them to amuse themselves with her anguish. All the pride of her nature was aroused. She would suffer death rather than be laughed at by her husband and her rival. The grounds of Ravensmere were so well wooded that behind the safe shelter of the tall trees she could walk quite unseen by the Earl and his companion. The sweet southern wind that scarcely stirred the leaves brought to her from time to time chance words, but none of them were of her. She did not want to listen to their conversation; she only wished to prevent the story of her marriage from being told. Sometimes the low, musical laughter of Lady Hamilton reached her, and then the rich ring of her husband's voice would sound cheerily in the gathering gloom; and all the time she, his wife, was slowly threading her way after him like the shadow of fate. There had not been one word of her yet —the conversation had all been about people they had known years before; and now they stood on the borders of the lake, where the crimson waters, to the dazed mind of the young Countess, looked like blood. She shuddered as the idea occurred to her. Some of the crimson glow fell on the white dress and on the silken veil. She saw Lady Hamilton hold out her little white hand and cry, gleefully: “Look, Lord Caraven —my hand is dyed red !”

They had not spoken of her. The red sun «*as fast descending. “That is what I wish you to see,” said the Earl. “The moment in which the sun seems to touch the water a red gleam passes through it; then the next moment it is quite dark.” They watched in silence, while the dark figure stood motionless and still behind them. The sun, as it set, seemed to touch the outer edge of the lake; a red gleam came over it, beautiful and curious, and then, almost at once, it was dark. “We will go home by the coppice,” said Lord Caraven; and his wife remembered the long avenue of trees extended to the very gate. She could therefore walk almost side by side with them, yet quite unseen. They had not mentioned her name. Could she have been wrong in her suspicion? Had she mistaken her husband's words? They were standing at the edge of the lake, a cold, dark sheet of water now, and she established herself behind a great group of alder trees. It seemed to her that the silver veil on the fair woman's head and shoulders absorbed all the light there was. Presently she drew near. Another group of trees separated her from the two who were so unconscious of her presence—large trees with swaying branches; through them the night wind brought every word to her. They talked only of the light on the water, and the sudden darkness there—of some one who had known and loved Lady Hamilton before her marriage. She laughed coquettishly over it.

How long was that nonsense to last, the unhappy young*wife asked herself? How long was she to stand under the darkening evening skies, with the great alder branches swaying to and fro, and the soughing of the wind in her ears, the fire of love, the madness of jealousy raging in her heart—how long? It was almost unbearable. She felt inclined to cry out that it must end. She clinched her fingers, she bit her lip;’then suddenly she heard the sound of her name —her maiden name —“Hildred Ransome!” What were they saying? Was the Earl telling how he had been compelled to encumber himself with a wife he did not love? Was he saying that, although he did not love her, and they were strangers to each other, she cared for him? Was he laughing because she had owned that she was jealous of him? “I cannot bear it!” she thought. The next moment there was the sound of a shot—something seemed to rattle through the alder —there was a low cry, a startled exclamation. “There are poachers in the wood,” she thought; “he will go in search of them, and then he will find me!” She turned to fly; now that there was the danger of being caught, she seemed to wake to a full consciousness of what she was doing; the bare fact that she was listening seemed to come home to her as it had never come before. She turned to fly; not for anything that could be given would she be caught there. She wanted to hasten, but she could not; it was as though great weights of lead were fastened to her feet. Her brain was dizzy; the unusual excitement, the frenzy of love and jealousy had been too much for her; her tali, graceful figure swayed for a minute like a leaf in the wind, a low moan came from her lips, and then, as in a dream, the white, angry face of her husband was looking into hers, and he grasped her arm in a hard, cruel grasp. Near to the lake, across which the last red glimmer of the sunset had faded, husband and wife stood for one moment beneath the darkening sky, looking at each other. Lord Caraven’s face was ghastly white, an unknown, untold horror lay in his eyes, his lips trembled with uncontrolable emotion. Hildred—pale, terrified, wondering—gazed at him like one fascinated. “What is it?” she gasped. “You guilty woman,” cried the Earl—“you cruel, guilty, jealous woman!” ■She shrank back as though he had struck her, her lips parted as though she would speak, but all sound died away on them. “You guilty woman,” repeated the Earl, “own the truth! You followed Lady Hamilton and me here to watch, to listen. Speak!” “May heaven pardon me, I did!” she moaned. “Here you must remain. I shall come

back. I shall Jcnow where to find yon, crouching at the end of the alder trees, where you hid yourself to listen to your husband and his guest Great heaven, that a spy should bear my name! Stay here I return. If you attempt to escape, I will send the whole county after you. And I was beginning to care for you —to think you a noble woman!” She shrank cowering from him. His angry face, the anger that shone in his eyes, the stern voice frightened her. She shrank lower and lower, until she fell on her knees, sobbing as though her heart would break. “Stir at your peril!”, he said, and then he left her. (To be continued.)

GOLD MINE OUT OF REACH.

Made a Big Find, but It Was on an Indian Reservation. The speaker was one of the old prospectors to whom the present Alaska talk recalls memories. “When I was a kid prospecting in Arizona,” he said, “a little thing happened that made me think for a couple of days that I was wiser than I was credited with being. In the time I had been in the gold country there had been a good many laughs on me, the same as there Is on any tenderfoot, and I was Just aching for a chance to surprise the boys when this little incident turned up. “It was in connection with some of that Pueblo Indian pottery. I bought a little god for a curiosity on a reservation that an outfit of three of us passed through. In handling the ugly bit of crockery I noticed a roughness of the surface. I wondered If there might be anything back of it; so, without saying anything about it to my two partners, I broke it up and applied the tests. “The clay was full. of grains of ‘color.’ “The next thing to do was to find out from the Indians where they got their clay. I planned to hold back my find from the other fellows until I had everything in shape to surprise ’em. They kept me pretty busy making up excuses for hanging around with the Indians for the next week, but I found the excuses. Dry old Abraham Butts would smile once tn awhile, but I never thought for a minute that he ‘saveyed’ my game. “I got the Indian potter drunk, and he told me where 'he got his clay. The clay turned out to be full of color. It was not until I started to locate a claim in the beds that I was Jumped on and told quite plainly that they were Inside the reservation limits, and that a white man had better stay away from them. “That part of it wasn’t half so tough as the fact that the other two fellows had been watching and chuckling over the whole transaction. Old Abraham had found some of the pieces of my Pueblo god the day I broke him up. and had tumbled right on. They didn’t say much about It; no, they only smiled a little, and continued to buy me presents of Pueblo pottery until I swore I’d shoot any man that brought up the word Pueblo again.”

AN OLD DRUM.

It Was Carried in the Revolution and Again in 1812. Capt. George Warren has the oldest snare drum in the State. It was carried in the revolutionary war by Daniel Hopkins, of Plainfield, Conn., Col. Parsons’ regiment of Continental troops. Sixth Company, Sixth Regiment, and was carried at the siege of Boston, April and May, 1775. The regiment then inarched under General Washington, to New York, and was at the battle of Long Island, Aug. 27, 1776, and at White Plains, Oct. 28. The drum was also carried on July 7, 1812, by Musician William Hopkins, of Plainfield, in Capt. Archibald Tuckman’s company, at Fort Trumbull, June 7 to July 14, 1812. The shell of this drum was sawed out of a log by hand, and Is in two parts, glued together in the center with chips of wood. . William Hopkins, the last owner, died in Plainfield fifteen years ago, aged 95 years. He was a school teacher, and his uncle, Stephen Hopkins, of Rhode Island, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. William Hopkins also claimed that this drum was carried by his ancestors In the French war in Canada, when Windham County furnished a number of companies. Sergeant Simon Copp, of Killingly; Lieut. Larned, of Woodstock; and Private Plank, of Killingly, who marched under the music of this old drum, lie buried In the old Putnam cemetery, south of Grove street, with about fifty other soldiers of 1776.—Putnam (Conn.) correspondence New York Evening Telegram.

Negro Philosophy.

Mule don’t kick ’cordin’ to no rule. Cross-roads bad place to tell secrets. Tin plate don't, mind drappln’ on de flo’. Mule don’t unnerstan’ de wheelborrer. I Black sheep hide mighty easy in de dark. Norf wind show you de cracks in de house. Cussin’ de weather is mighty po’ farmin’. Nigger sleep warm es his head kivered up. Sat’day nigit help de roomatlz pow’ful. Corn-cob stopper don’t hut de ’lasses in de jug. It takes heap o’ licks to drlbe a nail In de dark. Smart rabbit go home ’fo’ de snow done failin’. Good signs o’ rain don’t always he’p de young crap. Dead limb oa de tree show its’f when de buds come out. Hlgh-l’arnt nigger ain’t much service at de log-rollin’. De mole an’ de fishin’-wum don’t keer es de sky git cloudy. Better keep de rockin’-cheer In de cabin lof’ tell Sunday. Dribin’ de steers wid mule-talk flingin’ ’way your bref. Blind bridle can’t hide de fodderstack sum de lean horse. Tree-frog kin see de rain fur ors as de olmanick.-pJ. A. Macon. When you pake de jail too nice, you better strenkin’ de hog-pen. Books don’t tell when de bee-martin an’ de chicken-hawk fell out. Da’rs soma sac’s in de wul dat don’t slide ’long on de telegraph-wire. What you can I’arn by boxin’ wid a left-handed nigger cos’ mo’ an’ it come to.

WAR CLOUD DARDER

Feeling that a Conflict with Spain Is Soon to Come. MILLIONS FOR DEFENSE Congress Makes Appropriation ol 850,000,000 for Emergency. UNITED STATES IS BEADY. Spirit of Patriotism Is Universal Among American People. The Administration and All Officials at the National Capital Realize that the Country Is Facing a Crisis—Conditions Deemed Pitch that Hostilities Seem Inevitable Spaniards Have Sought to Cause a Clash and Must Take the Bitser Consequences-No Honorable Recourse Save the Arbitrament of Arms Appears Open. ‘Washington correspondence: • THERE is a general feeling at the capital that we are face to face with a crisis. The bill to appropriate $50,000,000 for the national defense is evidence that the administration has recognized this in its preparations for an emergency. Joseph G. Cannon of Illinois, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Monday introduced the bill

SPANISH PREMIER SAGASTA.

appropriating $50,000,000 for national defense. This bill is as follows: “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: That there is

hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not -otherwise appropriated, for the national defense and for each and every purpose connected therewith, to be expended at the discretion of the President, and to remain available until June 30, 1899, $50,000,000.” Mr. Cannon introduced this bill in his individual capacity, but it was after a most important conference at the White House attended by Secretary Ix>ng, Senators Allison and Hale, and Representatives Cannon, Dingley, Boutelle and Grosvenor. The conference continued for an hour and was regarded as most significant, in view of the developments of the day and the reports that the President had given an emphatic refusal to the request for the recall of Consul General Lee, and another to the request that relief supplies should be sent to Cuba in merchant rather than in war vessels. While Senators and Representatives were speculating as to the meaning of such a conference, the answer came from Mr. Cannon when he introduced his bill appropriating $50,000,000 for the national defense. There was much excitement in the House, but Mr. Cannon said he had no intention of adding to the excitement throughout the country. “The bill speaks for itself,” said he. "It is an appropriation for national defense and it gives the President discretion in the use of the money. I am not certain that we should not always have such an emergency fund. But just now, with the strained relations between this Government and Spain and the talk of war, it is important that the President should leave nothing undone that would strengthen the national defense. He is doing everything, bitt there are some things which cannot be done legally, such as the purchase of ammunition for our navy, projectiles for our big coast defense guns, coal for our fleet, and other things that have to be contracted for when there is an emergency. This appropriation is to be drawn against in just such an emergency.” The bill is not simply a private bill, it is an administration bill and an emergency measure. The situation regarding Cuba has become so delicate that it is recognized that war is inevitable unless Spain is made to understand that this Government is ready for war and will not stop at halfway measures. The President proposes to be ready for any emergency, and if Spain wants war she shall have it, but she will be driven from the western hemisphere. She has done enough bluffing. Although few persons will openly admit it, the feeling in the inner circles of the

administration at the time this is written is that the country is on the verge of war. Conditions are such that an outbreak seems unlikely to be long postponed. There Is good authority for the statement that Congress will declare war against Spain soon after the report of the board of inquiry into the Maine disaster has been made public. The change of front on the part of the administration is regarded as significant. Mr. McKinley, who all along had seemed somewhat averse to the ominous move of asking Congress to assist him in making preparations for war, has thrown off his indifference and did not hesitate to request the emergency appropriation of $50,000,000. The change in the attitude of Speaker Reed was even more noticeable than in the case of the President. The Speaker had set his face resolutely against every proposed piece of legislation which might be construed as intended to prepare the country for war. Mr. Reed had declared that there should be no increase in the standing army and that the bills for 1,500 additional seamen and the arming of the auxiliary cruisers should never sec the light of day. Monday, however, Mr. Reed looked and acted very differently. The transformations which have occurred in the cases of men like “Joe” Cannon, Payne, Little, Dalzell and Gen. Henderson were also such as to cause comment. Saturday night some pooh-poohed the idea that war with Spain was possible, declaring that the people of the United States were not concerned about Cuba, and that it would be ridiculous for this country to dispute the right of the Spanish Government to control its own dominion. Monday some of these same men were going about like raging lions. There was a reason for all these changes, and. efforts were made in every direction to find what that reason was. I can say upon what is considered thoroughly reliable authority that President McKinley had in his possession a transcript of the evidence taken up to Friday before the board of inquiry seeking to discover the cause of the disaster to the battleship Maine in Havana harbor. That testimony, it is asserted, is of the most

THE NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON IN CRUISING ORDER.

startling character. This evidence is said to show that the Maine was not only blown up by design, but that her destruction was the result of a carefully laid conspiracy, in which a number of Spanish guerrillas and volunteers and at least one Spanish officer were implicated. I am assured that when the full report of the board of inquiry is made public it will disclose facts which will, shock the civilized world. Heretofore the President has believed that he could bring the war ia Cuba to an end by peaceful means. While not entirely confident that he couldjsecure the peace and independence for the island by such means, he hoped at least that he might secure autonomy for Cuba with the promise of independence to be accorded the Cubans at some date in the future. Heretofore all preparations made by the President have been for defense, for he has recognized all along that war might result in spite of all his precautions. Since he

has looked at the evidence deduced before the board.of inquiry he has changed all his plans. During the last month a lesson in coolness and self-possession has been well learned. If Spain were only able to realize it, the very calmness of the American Government and the American people speaks lopder than any noisy vociferation. In the presence of a real danger-of wartor no one denies that a real danger now exists —party lines seem obliterated and every branch of the Government and every man who has anything to do with it stands squarely out for the preservation of American honor. Though the war cloud darkens, it is not believed by some that the storm is likely to break very soon, although it may come

THE UNITED STATES IS READY.

SPAIN’S BOY KING.

at any time. It is a long ways from a strained situation or a misunderstanding to actual war, they argue, and this distance may never be bridged. In fact, there are plenty of acute observers of the situation who say Spain’s apparent policy of aggressiveness is a mere bluff, designed for home consumption, and that the best possible treatment of it was to refuse the recall of Gen. Lee and to refuse to change the plan of sending relief supplies to Cuba by war vessels. If it were Spain’s purpose to test the firmness of the United States, to ascertain whether or not this country was really willing to take its place, gun in hand, ready to fight a duel, Spain has her answer. Meanwhile, too, the most energetic practical preparations for war continue in this • country. Ships are being fitted out as rapidly as possible, crews are being enlisted, ammunition is hurried forward, the coast defenses are manned, transports for troops are being prepared, the State militia are ready to jump aboard the cars. Not only is the President to have placed in his hands the funds with which to outfit all our own ships, including the merchant vessels subject to our call for transports or auxiliary cruisers, but he will be able to close contracts for the purchase of a number of foreign battleships and cruisers which are in the market. If it turn out to be true that Spain has succeeded in borrowing $40,000,000, and with this has bought two Brazilian cruisers, the President will in a few days have in hand the money with which to buy a dozen ships, it that many are thought necessary. Moreover, it is proposed to let contracts at once for the construction of a large number of small torpedo boats, perhaps fifty or a hundred, to be built during the next two months on inland rivers and lakes, where they w’ill be free from any possible Spanish attack, ready to be taken to the seaboard at a moment’s notice. The meaning of all this is simply that the resources and ingenuity of the American people are brought into play in all their wonderful extent and celerity in preparation for the national defense. Coupled with tlie preparations which the Government has been making for months past, the sum total is most formidable and well calculated to impress Spain or any other

possible enemy with the vastness of the task which she must undertake if she starts war upon us. The United States is ready for war, and at this moment is able to make war with terrible effectiveness. This Government is not seeking war, and is trying to avert war, but if it must come to blows we are ready to strike in a way which Spain will never forget. But it is a long way yet to war, and we may never get there. The attitude of the President is that it is not for us to make war, but to be prepared for it if it is forced upon us. There is nothing in the present situation justifying Spain in declaring or provoking hostilities. Nothing is at issue which makes a case on which bhe dare go before the world as a disturber of the peace. The position of this Government is a simple one, and should not be misunderstood. It is that if war is forced upon us, either directly or by provocation, we will fight. Or in good time we will have a solution of the Cuban problem, which has become simply intolerable to this nation, even if we have to fight to get it. But over such questions as Dupuy de Lome, ,Geu. Lee, the Maine disaster and the method of forwarding relief supplies it is our purpose to be correct in accordance with the practice of nations, dignified and firm, neither cringing nor unnecessarily provoking. One thing now most noticeable among the public men of Washington is that as the danger of war becomes more serious they grow more conservative. The events of the last few days, pointing more and more to the possibility of war through change of policy at Madrid or the accident of friction between people who are growing to hate one another, have served to level up and level down opinion at the American capital. Those who were ultra conservative have become patriotic advocates of war, if necessary to preserve our honor and dignity. Those who first fiercely shouted for blood, with or without reason, are now facing the actualities of the situation calmly. In truth, so far as the country is represented at Washington by Senators and Representatives of all political parties, of all sections and all shades of opinion, the nation stands together as one man looking calmly and without fear into the eye of a possible foe. The jury in the case of the State of Nebraska against the bondsmen of ex-State Treasurer Bartley returned a verdict for the defense. The amount sued for is $550 - 000. At Cairo, W. Va., near Parkersburg, Geo. Collins, 12 years old, stabbed his mother twelve times, while she was attempting to punish him for disobedience.