Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1913 — Page 2

MOLLY MCDONALD A TALE OF THE FRONTIER

BYNOPSIB. Major McDonald, commanding an army poat near Fort Dodge, aeeka a man to Intercept his daughter, Molly, who is headed for the post. An Indian outbreak Is threatened. “Brick*' Hamlin, sergeant who has lust arrived with messages to McDonald, volunteers for the mission. Molly arrives at Fort Ripley two days ahead of schedule. She decides to push or to Fort Dodge by stage In company with “Sutler Bilr’ Moylan. Gonzales, a gambler, is also a passenger. Hamlin meets the stage with etories of depredations committed by the Indians. The driver deserts the stage when Indians appear. The Indlene are repulsed In attacks on the stage. Moylan and Gon sales are killed. Hamlin and Molly plan to escape in the darkness by way of a gully. Molly la wounded and Hamlin carries her. They cross a river and go into hiding. The Indians discover their escape and start pursutt, but go in the wrong direction. Hamlin is much excited at finding a haverssuck marked C. S. A. He explains to Molly that he was In the Confederate service and dismissed in disgrace under charges es cowardice. At the close of the war he enlisted in the regular service. Re says rite haversack was the property of one Capt. LeFevre, who he suspects of being responsible for his disgrace and for whom ha has been hunting aver since. Troops appear on the scene CHAPTER X|l<—Continued. “I prefer to rely on my own Judgment,” he said tartly. “From what this man reports they are In stronger force than we are. Besides my Instructions were not to provoke hostilities.*’ Wasson grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. “Sore not; they are so damned peaceable themselves.” **l prefer leaving Captain Maxwell to deal with the situation,” Gaskins went on pompously, ignoring the sneer, "as he outranks me, and I am under strict instructions to return at onee to the fort Two of our horses are disabled already, and Smiley Is too sick to be left alone. I’ll not risk it Well.” he broke off suddenly, and addressing a corporal who had just ridden np and saluted, “have you burled the bodiesT” "Yes, sir; found these papers on them.” The lieutenant thrust these Into his Jacket pocket "Very well, Hough. Form the men Into column. Miss McDonald, ’ you will retain the horse you have, and I should be very glad to have you ride with me. Oh. corporal, was everything in the coach destroyed? Nothing saved belonging to this lady?" "Only the Ironwork Is left sir.” “So I thought; exceedingly sorry, Miss McDonald. The ladies at Dodge will fit you out when we get In.- I am a bachelor, yon know," he added, glancing aside Into her face, “hut c&n promise every attention." * Her eyes sought Hamlin where he stood straight and motionless, respectfully waiting an opportunity to apeak. "Is —Is this what I ought to do?" she questioned, leaning toward him. "I am so confused I hardly know what is best" y "Why, of course,” broke In the lieutenant hastily. "You may trust me to advise.” “But my question was addressed to Sergeant Hamlin,” she interposed, never glancing aside. “He understands the situation better than you." The sergeant held his hat in his hand, his eyes meeting her ewn frankly, but with a new light in them. She had not forgotten now the danger was over; she meant him to realize her friendship. "It seems to me the only safe course for you to take, Miss McDonald," he said slowly, endeavoring to keep the note of triumph out of his voice. "Your father is perfectly safe, and will Join you within a few days. 1 would not dare attempt your protection farther west" "You are not going with us then?” she questioned In surprise. "Not if Lieutenant Gaskins will furnish me with horse and rifle. I must report at Union, and, on the way, tell your father where you are.” “But the danger! oh, you mustn’t attempt such a ride alone!” “That is nothing; the valley Is swept clean, and I shall do most of my riding at night Any plainsman could do the trick —hey, Sam?” Wasson nodded, chewing solemnly on the tobacco In his cheek. "He’ll make the trip all right, mlsß," he drawled lazily, "Wish I was goln’ long. l‘m sure tired o’ this sorter Mootin', I am. Down below the Cimarron Is the only place ye’ll hare tar watch out close, ’Brick.’ Them Comancbes an’ Apaches are the worst lot"

SEAMEN HAVE LTTLE JOKE

Relieve Tedium of Sailing With Harm lees Jest at the Expense of Keeper of Lighthouse. A. few miles north of Vladlvoatock there la a lighthouse perched on a etMf SOO feet above the sea. And this Rghtboesa. or rather Its solitary keep or. is the butt of an international Hogs hare funny ways at sea. as pen know, and last at this spot the

By RANDALL PARRISH

Jtifbor oT "RciTo% “Borderr My Lady of Doubr. My Lady ftotim: ck.etc. . UJustraiiotyi hs V.LBamcS COPYRIGHT IMS BY A-C.fTCtURG ft CCA.

“I know —night riders themselves, but I know the trail. Can you outfit me, lieutenant?” Gaskins smiled grimly, but Tyith no trace of humor. His eyes were upon the girl, Btlll leaning over her pommel. 1 “I’ll outfit you all-right,” he said brusquely, “and with no great regret, either. And I shall report finding you here In disobedience to orders.” “Very well, sir.” Molly’s brown eyes swept to the lieutenant’s face,' her form straightening In the saddle, her lips pressed tightly together. Gaskins fronted the sergeant, stung Into anger by the man’s quiet response. "I shall prefer charges, you understand,” almost savagely. "Helm, give this fellow that extra rifle, and ammunition belt. McMasters, you will let him have your horse.” Wasson rolled out of his saddle, muttering something indistinctly, which might have been an oath. "I ain’t goln’ ter stand fer that, leftenant,” he said defiantly. “Bein’ a? I ain’t no enlisted man, an’ this yore tfc my hoss, ‘Brick’ Hamlin don’t start on no such ride on that lame brute o’ McMasters’, Here, you ‘Brick,’ take this critter. Oh’ shut up! I’ll git to Dodge all right. Won’t hurt me none to walk." The eyes of the two men met underand Hhmlin took the rein In his hand. Gaskins started to speak, but thought better of it A moment he stood, irresolute, and then swung up Into saddle, his glance ignoring the sergeant “Attention! company," he commanded sharply. "By column sou march!” The girl sparred her horse forward, and held out her hand. “Good-by,” she said, falteringly, “jron —will be careful.” “Of course,” and he smiled up Into her eyes. '‘Don’t worry about me —I am an old hand.” “And I am to see you again?" ‘1 shall never run away, surely, and I hope for the best—” "Miss McDonald," broke In Gaskins Impatiently, ‘ the men are already moving.” "Yes," hpr eyes still upon the sergeant’s uncovered face, "I am coming. Don’t Imagine I shall ever forget,” she murmured hastily, “or that 1 will not be glad to meet you anywhere.” "Some time I may put you to the test," he answered soberly. "If any trouble comes, trust Wasson—he is a real man.” ; —— He stood there, one arm thrown over the neck of the horse, watching them ride away up the trail. The lieutenant and' the girl were together at the rear of the short column, and he Beemed to be talking earnestly.

“But My Question Was Addressed to Sergeant Hamlin," She interposed.

Hamlin never moved, or took his eyes from her until they disappeared over the ridge. Just as they dipped down out of sight she turned and waved one hand. Then the man’s gaze swept over the debris of the burned stage, and the two mounds of earth. Even these mute evidences of tragedy scarcely sufficed to make him realize all that bad occurred in this lonely 6pot. 'He could not seem to separate his thought from the cavalcade which had just departed, leaving behind the memory of that farewell wave of the hand. To him It marked the end of a dream, the return to a life distasteful and lonely.

sea fog often lies clear above the waves but dense around the high lighthouse. The lighthouso man is bound to make sound signals with guns and foghorns whenever his view of the

sea is obscured, for he cannot tell how far the tog may extend, and passing ships must be guided safely. And when the sea Is clear for miles under a high belt of fog that hides the lighthouse, passing ships of all nations make mock signals as if they too ware fogbound. The industrious

Mechanicallj the Sergeant' loaded his rifle, and strapped the old Confederate haversack to his saddle pommel, staring again, half on believing, at the faded Inscription underneath the flap. Yet the sight of those letters awoke him, bringing to his bronzed face, a new took of determination. He swung into the saddle, and, rifle across bisknees, his eyes studying the desolate distance, rode westward along the deserted tralL CHAPTER XIII. Back at Fort Dodge. The swiftly speeding weeks of that war-summer on the plains ' bad brought many changes to the hardworked troops engaged in the campaign or garrisoning the widely scattered posts south of the Platte. Scouting details, although constantly in the saddle, failed to prevent continued Indian depredations on exposed settlements. Stage routes were deserted, and the toiling wagons of the freighters vanished from the trails. Reports of outrages were continuous, and It became more and more evident that the various tribes were at length united In a desperate effort to halt the white advance. War parties broke through the wide-strung lineß of guard, and got safely away again, leaving behind death and destruction. Only occasionally did these Indian raiders and the pursuing troops come into actual contact. The former came and went in swift forays, now appearing on the Pawnee, again on the Saline, followed by a wild ride down the valley of the Arkansas. Scattered in small bands, well mounted and armed v no one could guess where the next attack might occur. Every day brought Its fresh report of horror. From north and south, east and west, news of outrages came into Sheridan’s headquarters at Fort Wallace. Denver, the base of the mountains, was practically In state of siege, provisioned only by wagon trains sent through under Btrong guard; the fringe of settlement along the water ways was deserted, men and women fleeing to the nearest government posts for protection and food. The troops, few In number and widely scattered in small detachments, many being utilized as scouts and guards, were unequal to the gigantic task of protecting so wide a frontier. Skirmishes were frequent, but the Indians were wary and resourceful, and only once during the entire summer were they brought into real decisive battle. The last of August, Major Forsythe, temporarily commanding a company of volunteer scouts, was suddenly attacked by over a thousand warriors under command of Roman Nose. A four days’ fight resulted, with heavy ldss on both sides, the Indians being driven from the field by the opportune arrival of fresh troops. The general condition of affairs is well shown by the reports reaching Fort Wallace In September. Governor Hunt wrote from Denver: “Just returned. Fearful condition of things here. Nine persons murdered by Indians yesterday, within radius of nine miles.” A few days later, acting Governor Hall reported: “The Indians have again attacked our settlements in strong force, obtaining possession of the country to within twelve miles of Denver. They are more bold, fierce, and desperate In their assaults than ever before. It Is impossible to drive them out and protect the families at the Bame time, for they are better armed, mounted, disciplined, and better officered than our men. Each hour - brings intelligence of fresh barbarities, and more extensive robberies." This same month Governor Crawford, of Kansas, telegraphed: “Have Just received a dispatch from Hays, stating that Indians attacked, captured, and burned a train at Pawnee Fork; killed, scalped, and burned sixteen men; also attacked another train at Cimarron Crossing, which was defended until ammunition was exhausted, when the men abandoned the train, saving what stock they could. Similar attacks are of almost dally occurrence." South of the Cimarron all was desolation, and war raged unchecked from the Platte to the Pecos. Sheridan determined upon a winter campaign, although he understood well the sufferings entailed upon the troops by exposure on the open plalnß at that season. Yet he knew the habits of Indians; that they would expect immunity from attack and would gather in villages, subject to surprise. He, therefore, decided that the result would justify the necessary hardships involved. To this end smaller posts were abandoned, and the widely scattered soldiers ordered to central points in preparation for the contemplated movement Devere had been deserted earlier, and Major McDonald had marched his men to Dodge, where Molly awaited his coming. Retained there on garrison duty, the two occupied a one-story, yellow stone structure fronting the parade ground. In October, orders to march reached “M” troop, Beventh Cavalry, at Fort Union, and the ragged, bronzed troopers, who all summer long had been scouting the New Mexican plains, turned their horses’ heads to the northeast In hopefulness of action. With them up the deserted Santa Fe trail, past burned

lighthouse keeper keeps on banging away at his bells, firing his guns, and blowing his foghorn. And on the decks of the ships below, weatherbeaten seamen grin and wink to one another as they clang their ship’s bells in clear daylight, for Jokes are none too common at sea.—Exchange. Every Jar Breaks Her Bones. The victim of a rare disease of the bones, Margaret Williams, 12-year-old daughter of a wealthy farmer living near lUdora, Kan, has suffered 70

stations and wrecks of wagon trains, rode Sergeant Hamlin, silent and efficient, the old Confederate haversack fastened to his saddle, and his mind, In spite of all effort, recurring constantly to the girl who had gone to Dodge early in the summer. Was she still there? If so, how would she greet him now after these months of absence? The little cavalry column, dust-covered and weary, seemed fairly to creep along, as day by day he reviewed every word, every glance, which had passed between them; and at night, under the stars, he lay with head on his saddle, endeavoring to determine his course of action, both as to their possible meeting, and with regard to the following of the clue offered by the haversack. The time he had hoped for was at hand, but he could not decide the best course of action. He could only wait, and permit Fate to interfere. Certain facts were, however, sufficiently clear, and the Sergeant faced them manfully. Not merely the fact that he was in the ranks, great as that handicap was, could have prevented an attempt at retaining the friendship of Molly McDonald. But he was in the ranks because of disgrace —hiding away from his own people, keeping aloof from his proper station in life, out of bitter shame. If he had felt thuß before, he now felt it a thou-

War Raged Uncheeked From the Platte to the Pecos.

sand times more acutely In memory of the comradeship of her whose words had brought him a new gleam of hope. Never before had loneliness seemed so complete, and never before had he realized how wide was the chasm between the old and the new life. This constantly recurrent memory embittered him, and made him restless. Yet out of it all, there grew a firmer determination to win back his old position In the world, to stamp out the lie through which the Confederate court-martial had condemned him. If Le Fevre were alive, he meant now to find him, face him, and compel him to speak the truth. The discovery of that haversack gave a point from which to start, and his mind centered there with a fixed purpose which obscured all else. It was after dark when "M" troop, wearied by their long day’s march across the brown grass, rode slowly up the face of the bluff, and Into the parade ground at Fort Dodge. The lights of the guard-house revealed the troopers’ faces, while all about them gleamed the yellow lamps, as the garrison came forth to welcome their arrival. Guided by a corporal of the guard the men led their horses to the stables, and, as they passed the row of officers’ houses Hamlin Caught a furtive glimpse in a radius of light that gave his pulses a sudden throb. She waß here then —here! He had hardly dared hope for this. They would meet again; that could scarcely be avoided in such narrow quarters. But how? On what terms? He ventured the one swift glimpse at her—a slender, white-robed figure, one among a group of both men and women before an open door, through which the light streamed —heard her ask: “Who are they? What cavalry troop Is that?” caught the response in a man’s voice: “ *M’ of the Seventh, from Fort Union," and then passed by, his eyes looking straight ahead, his hand gripping his horse’s bit. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

Like the Greek Philosopher’s Fate

The matter of newspaper subscriptions reminds a Kansas editor of the Greek philosopher whose poverty began to pinch him. One es his friends sent word to the men of the city that each should take a certain kind of wine and on a certain day go to the philosopher’s house and pour the wine into an empty vat And so they did. but each thought that one bottle of water would not be noticed in so much wine, and the vat was filled with water. Thus the philosopher received no aid. It is somewhat that way with subscriptions. One fellow thinks he owes only a small amount and so neglects to pay it. The other fellow thinks the same and the’ editor fares almost as well as the philosopher. <

fractures of the legs and more than a dozen of the arms. Ever since she has been old enough to walk the bones of her legs and arms have snapped at the slightest jar or quick movemsnL Physicians say her bones lack soma element They are soft and spongy. Fortunately, the girl doesn’t suffer as much pain from these fractures as do others under normal conditions, but It is necessary to treat the fractures the same as in other cases and the child has spent fully half her time lying with her lags in

Orchid Hunt in Brazil

VOYAGING up the Amazon on an ocean going steamer, one is always far above the surface of the -water, one is always bur=s===; rylng rather noisily on, and so necessarily but very little of the life of the great river is seen. Passing through the narrows above Para, the forests can almost be touched on either side of the steamer, but after that one shore is always very distant There is something mysterious about the river; canoes laden with forest produce, a brightly plumaged mac caw perched on their prow, come smoothly to the town; river steamers with their burden of evil smelling rubber, a few brilliant orchids tied to the wheelhouse, make fast to the wharves, and always there is that sense of the unknown, the bright, the elusive. A' desire to overcome this feeling of remoteness, writes a correspondent of the London Times, determined me to embark In a canoe and journey out on the yellow waters of the Amazon and through dim forest hung channels to the black war tors and white sand strewn beaches of the Rie Negro. The difficulties I encountered were Immense. All my Brazilian friends warned me of the dangers and hardships of such a voyage, and I found that prohibitive prices were asked for the hire of even the most unsuitable craft. Eventually I secured a boat, and built a tolda or hood over one end, took my provisions on board, hoisted a sail and set off. My crew consisted of a Portuguese boatman and a Japanese. Pests of the River Amazon. Sailing slowly down the river, the boat kept very close to the bank and slid along noiselessly. As the day wore on the wind died down and the heat became Intense. A black fly called motuca appeared in great numbers and Inflicted painful bites. We landed to light a fire and cook lunch. Small, dry sponges hung in the branches of the shrubs that had been long submerged, yellow butterflies wqre drinking in companies of 50, or more at little pools left on the sloping shore. Huge yellow and black nornets came around us and at first frightened us, but we soon learned to look on them as friends when we found it was the motuca files that they were hunting, not us. Ofter hardly had a motuca settled when it was pounced upon and borne off. All insect pests were said to be far worse on white water rlverß than on black water ones, bo we hastened to leave the Amazon, so as If possible to sleep that night on the shores of one of the lakes lying between that river and the Rio Negro. A breeze sprung up and took us up the river slowly enough, as the current coming down was very strong, but when we turned up a stream leading to the Rio Negro our progress ceased, the sail was lowered and we took out the oars.

It proved to be very hot work. Shut in by the immense forest trees, no breath of wind came to us, and we were very happy to come to a small lake with a place on its shores free from brushwood on which we could camp. My companions slung their hammocks from branches of trees, carefully arranging their mosquito nets to protect them at night A lit tie way from them, a yard from the water's edge, I placed my mattress and cased it in with a mosquito net on poles cut from the forest We then strolled off in search of the unknown. There is a curious atmosphere of suspense or hush, in the Amazon forest; the light only reaches one after being filtered through greenery. The wide leaves of the wild banana and the frequent palms give a very tropical air to the scenery. Noises are few; occasionally a large bird will utter its call, an iguana will rush through the rustling leaves, or some monkeys will chatter as they ' swing through the creepers overhead. Brilliant metallic blue Morpho butterflies flit silently through the more open aisles, and the tracks of night wandering animals can be seen on the ground.

A BSRAZILAN FOREST

The little footprints of cutias and pecas are present on the firmer the curious serrated linea made by the plates of both crocodiles’ and turtles’ armor occur nearer the water’s edge. Ants swarm on tha trees, and nearly all Inflict painful bites, and there are several kinds of wasps and bees, which either suspend their nests from twigs or else build In rolled up leaves; all would seem to be the guardians of orchids and to do< their utmost to repel the deßpoiler.l Ants as Guardians. Some orchids always have their roots in ants’ nests, and one kind, which I subsequently obtained at the> cost of an aching hand, had a little hole at the base of each pseudo bulb In which a large black ant had tta habitation and of which it proved a most faithful guardian. The orchid turned out to be an oncldinm, with delicate sprays of yellow flowers thickly spotted with chocolate brown. My companions had been searching; for turtle eggs, but without success, and we cooked a supply of curry and rice, and had as dessert a plentiful, supply of passion fruit. It was six o’clock and darkness was falling. 1 made haste to bathe at the> brink of the river and then to get under my mosquito curtains. And not & moment too soon. As the light faded with a soft suddenness of the equatorial regions. Insect life emerged for its nocturnal loves and feastings, ita dances, music, flights and battles. And for many of these revels blobd, and especially human blood, is a longed for prize. If an incautious hand of a restless foot were pressed against tha curtain for a moment, a cloud of mosquitoes immediately settled on it and drove their relentless trunks Into the> veins. No European who has not himself seen them could credit the myriads of mosquitoes which haunt these forest streams, and as the few Inhabitants of these regions are all suffering from malaria, great care has to be taken. The noises that all these insects made> seemed to rise and fall In waveß of sound, now becoming intensely shrill, now dying away to comarative stillness. My companions had fallen asleep in their hammocks; from tha river were heard only faint rippling Bounds, and I composed myßelf for sleep. Never was there a greater delusion. It was indeed a nult blanche. Mysterious sc&mperlngs came from the edge of the forest above me; a great splash came from the river and close at hand something rose, sighed, moaned and sank. Bats Bqueaked and blundered against my nets, creeping things left the river and scuttled over the sand. It was too dark to see anything; the sound of all this unknown activity had a curious effect on the nerves and vivid stories of great snakes, of jaguars and crocodiles came to the mind.

JAPAN IS RICH IN WORDS

It Has More Than Nine'for “I," to Be Used According to Circumstances. There are great differences between the richness and poorness of words in the different countries. Japan la certainly richer in its words than Eng. land. Just tor example, we have more than nine words for the word “I.’* The emperor alone calls hipuelf '“Chin,’’ and all his subjects call them- | selves “Watakushl,” “Wash!,” “Ore,” ’ “Boku," "Sesaha.” “Soregaahi,” "Ware,” “Yo,” etc., according to circumstances. The second or thrld per* son changes as much as the first per. son, “I,” and all the verba accordingly. When I started to learn the English, first time, I asked my American teacher: “What shall I call myself before the emperor?” He said “1.” “Then what shall I say before my parents?" vs “What shall I say before my man friends? ’And before my woman friends?” MJ * "I was quite astonished and said: "How simple, but how rude Is the English language I"—Atlantic Monthly.