Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 May 1914 — Page 2

HOBSON’S RETORN

By M. QUAD.

It was all over with Private Johu Hobson. For two years he had been a. member of Company C, Seventh regiment, stationed on the frontier, and I over since the first week he had been on the blacklist He got drunk; he disobeyed orders; he quarreled with bls comrades; he fell asleep on sentry duty; he left the post without leave; be was the most slovenly man of his company. It * was far easier to tell what he hadn't done than what he had. Private John Hobson had been advised, reprimanded, sent to the guardhouse, mulcted of his pay, givenextra duty and threatened with court-mar-tial, but after two years he was the same man still. It was inevitable that the end would come, and come it did. He was court-martialed on about a dozen charges and convicted on all of them, and the sentence was that he be imprisoned for one year and then be discharged in disgrace. It was a duty the officers owed the regiment and the service, and yet they felt a bit sorry for the victim. He was morally irresponsible rather than vicious. The devil in him had more likely descended than developed. *Tm‘ sorry for you in a way,” said the colonel, “but it was no use trying to do anything with you. I never saw a man like you. You have been charged with everything but cowardice, and if we had not been at peace with the Indians that charge would probably have been included.” “I know I’ve made a lot of trouble, colonel,” replied the man, “but nobody can call me a coward. If we’d had a fight I know I’d have been in it with the rest." “Such men as you are shirks when there is any fighting to be done. Your barrack brawls don’t signify soldierly courage. It’s no use to talk, however; you. know your sentence.” Hobson was sent to the guardhouse to wait for the day when he should be sent off under escort, and the sergeant of the guard wad surprised to see his prisoner shed tears. “You ought to have known it would come,” he said, in sarcastic sympathy. “Look here, sergeant,” said the man, as he crowded back his emotions, “the colonel called me a coward.” “Well, do you find any fault about ft?” “Do you believe I’m one?” ' “Of course.” “And does Corporal Shanley and all the boys believe so?” “Not a doubt of it.” ’ “Good God, but I can’t stand that, Barge! I’ve shirked duty and, been a nuisance to everybody, but don’t call me a coward. I’m to be sent to prison and disgracefully discharged, but leave me one thing to build up on again. Call me a devil, a fool and a lunatic, but don’t say I’d shirk a fight.” “Let me telk you something, Hobson,” said the stem-faced old sergeant, as he looked the prisoner up and down in contempt. “Judging by what I’ve seen of you I wouldn’t agree to drive a dozen redskins off this resservation with a thousand men like you behind me. That’s pat, my man, and you may swallow it or no.” Hobson grew white-faced and turned away and wept, while the sentinel at the door laughed unfeelingly and asked him if he had any Indian scalplocks to prove his bravery. “Why, the sight of a buck in war paint would have scared him out of his shoes!” Was the general verdict of his comrades, and each and every one added a wish that he had never come to the company. That night Hobson dug his way out of the guardhouse, and the various squads sent out next day in search of the deserter failed to get any trace of him. Desertion was a fitting climax to his career, and he would likely be heard of next as an outlatw. Weeks passed and dreary winter gave place to spi*ing. Sometimes the men wondered about Hobson, but nothing was advanced to his credit. He had got clear off, and no one thought to ever see him again. Indeed, there were weightier things to think of. The Indians were becoming restless, and reports of war dances were coming in almost daily. They might go on the war path and massacre a dozen settlers and scalp a few teamsters, and the troops might have a hot chase to drive them back over the Republican, but ft would-end there. The idea that thdy might attack any of the frontier posts was too absurd. It was so absurd that at Fort Wallace no defensive preparations of any sort were made. Even the guard at the powder magazine was limited to one man. On a certain Wednesday the reports were more numerous and disquieting, and the men were paraded and inspected to be ready for an order to take the field. If there was any excitement it vanished as the companies marched back to their quarters. The colonel looked down from the hill into the peaceful valley with bis binoculars and felt relieved. He noticed the grazing herds—the curling smoke from the farmhouse chimneys—the ploymen in the fields and the freighters on the winding highway, and be smiled At the Idea of danger. The hostlles might do their bloody work over the range to the north, and over the river , to the west, but they would not come within fifteen miles of the fort. That night at ten o’clock tho sentlnnel at the gate cried: “Halt! Who Mines there!” Then he called for the OOrporal of the guard, and he for the officer of the day, and ten minutes

later, the colonel, who was about to seek his bed, was called out- He found a man in citizens’ dress with the officer of the day and a sentinel. The man was rough, unkempt and ragged. He was hungry and footsore and exhausted. “Who is it and what's the news?” queried the colonel, in no agreeable frame of mind. * “It’s Hobson, sir,” answered the arrival, as he wearily saluted. “Hobson? Hobson? Why, you are the deserter and have come to give yourself up. Adjutant, why wasn’t this man sent to the guardhouse instead of disturbing me?” “He has news, sir,” replied the adjutant “Colonel,” said the deserter, as he leaned heavily against the veranda of the commander’s quarters, “I’ve been living among the Indians, greasers and outlaws since I deserted. You may know that the Sioux are ready for the war-path, but I don’t believe you know that old Concha and 600 warriors are hiding along the river over there and will move on you tonight. It has been planned for days, colonel, and they’ll be here to attack in the gray of morning. I’ve known it for three days past, but I couldn’t get away to give you warning. I dodged them tonight, and here I am and my news is straight. They’ll sweep the valley clear and then rush the fort. Now, send me to the guardhouse as a deserter and get ready for trouble.”

There was a moment’s silence as the deserter finished. There had been a ring of truth in his every word, and no one doubted his news"Hobson, you are no coward, and you will not go to the guardhouse,” frankly replied the colonel, as he extended his hand.

Then men went galloping down into the valley to warn the settlers and bring them in, and the fort prepared for defense. Orders were issued in whispers and men moved about like shadows. In three hours a breastwork of boxes, bales of bay, wagons and turf covered the most exposed point and the one, most likely to be attacked. An hour later every man who could fire a gun was crouching behind it and waiting for the expected attack. "Sergeant,” whispered the deserter, as the non-com. peered into his face through the darkness, “you said I was a coward.” “Yes, I did.”

“And you said that Corporal Shanley and all the boys believed me a coward.” "Well?” “Well, I’ll make you all take it back tonight or go to h 1 trying!” Moving with the footsteps of ghosts, and leaving the crickets still singing behind them, Concha’s 600 warriors left their lurking place under cover of darkness and swept up the valley. They found it deserted of human life, but, conscious of their strength, they pressed on to the fort. At the first signs of daylight they raised a savage cry and made their rush. But for the extemporized breastwork the post would have been carried off-hand. The rifle fire surprised-and checked them, but they were not panic-stricken. They rushed again and again,* and at length, at one point, half a score of them broke through Six or seven officers tried to drive them back with sword and revolver, and the melee had become bloody and furious, when a man with clubbed musket dashed in and cheered as he laid about him. It was the deserter. He cheered and he struck, and he struck and he cheered, and every time the musket stock crashed down it shattered a skull. He did not fight like a man, but like a devil. Almost with his own hands he killed or drove back such as had surmounted the works.

All along the line the hostiles had had enough. Two hundred of their number lay dead on the green grass as Concha gave the word to draw off, and this heavy loss was to break the prestige of the Slour. chieftain and make him beg for lasting pnace. “Hobson! Hobson! Where is Hobson?” called the colonel,,as the fight was over and his heart beat with gratitude for the man who had brought the warning. “Here, sir,” replied Sergeant Davis, as he pointed to one of the 20 dead men inside the breastwork —a dead man with three dead warriors lying within reach of his hand. “And I called that man a coward!” “And so did I, sir, and so. did we all, and may God forgive us for it!” (Copyright. 1814. by Dally Story Pub. Co.)

First One-Cent Paper.

The first one-cent morning paper In America was the New York Morning Post, which was founded in 1833, with Dr. H. D. Shepard as editor and Horace Greeley as printer. Prior to that by three years an evening paper called The Cent, selling for that amount, had had a brief existence In Philadelphia. Greeley, who was born 103 years ago, started his career as. a printer in Poultney, Vt., in 1826. In 1831 he arrived in New York with 310 in his pocket, but two years later he began business on his own account as printer of the Morning Post. The following year Greeley, in partnership with Jonas Winchester, established the New Yorker, of which Greeley was editor. In 1840 Greely edited and published the Log Cabin, a campaign paper that gained the astounding circulation of 80,000. ’ ’

Patient Kins.

Mr. Simsby—Well, I see the militant suffragettes have burned Bulcate in England and the brigands burned Lao-Ho-Kow in China. Mrs. Simsby—Friday, the thirteenth, may not have been fatal to the human family, but the poor cattle surely suffered that day.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

UNUSUAL VIEW OF BATTLESHIP TEXAS

This remarkable photograph of the battleship Texas, Uncle Sam’s newest completed dreadnaught, was taken from the Brooklyn bridge as the vessel was about to pass under that structure on Its way to the navy yard.

MANY TO EXHIBIT

Frisco Fair to Have 28 Countries at Exhibition.

England and Germany Still Refuse to Take Part, in Panama Exposition— Tremendously Big Naval Parade Is Planned.

Washington, D. C.—To date 28 foreign governments have signified their intention of participating in the Pan-ama-Pacific exposition at San Francisco next year. Notable absences are two countries which heretofore have been most liberal exhibitors at all American expositions—namely, Great Britain and Germany. ■ However, there is every assurance that even if the governments of those two countries do not relent at the last moment and recall their declinations there will be thousands of British and German exhibits contributed bj» individuals. , jt

Countries which have notified the state department of their intention to recognize the fair officially, together

MISS WILDE A CLEVER GIRL

Daughter of Mrs. Henry Siegel a Splendid Horsewoman and a Singer of Much Note. New York. —The beautiful Miss Dorothy Sanborn Wilde, stepdaughter of Henry Siegel, the bankrupt merchant prince of New York city, whose failure involved the Siegel interests In Chicago, Boston and New York, is the daughter of Mrs. Siegel by a previous marriage. It is asserted that when Mrs. Siegel, whose divorce suit is now pending, rebuked him for his. “crooked” dealings with depositors, he raged like a madman and ill-treajed

Miss Dorothy Sanborn Wilde.

her. The father of Miss Wilde, was George M. Wilde of the United Staten navy. Mien Wilde’s sister is the Countess Dentice di Flasso of Italy. She is an expert horsewoman and has. studied tor two years under Jean de Resko.

with amounts of money where the appropriation for exhibits ie known, are as follows: The Argentine Republic, $85,000; Bolivia, $40,000; Brazil, $800,000; Canada; Chile, $180,000; China; Cuba (proposed), $250,000; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; France; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; Italy, $400,000; Japan; Liberia; Mexico (accepted invitation in 1913); Netherlands, $150,000; Panama, $50,000; Persia; Peru; Portugal; Siam; Sweden, $160,000; Turkey; Uruguay; Venezuela, SIO,OOO. The Norwegian government had accepted the invitation, but the legislative body of that country refused to appropriate the $50,000 estimated by the government as necessary for an exhibit.

Nine governments, including the majority of the great powers, have signified their intention to send naval contingents to participate in the naval parade from Hampton Roads to the Golden Gate via the Panama canal, 'which is expected to signalize the opening of the exposition February. Navy department officials, who are arranging the program, think this number will be Increased at least threefold before midsummer. The nine countries are: Argentine Republic, Cuba, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Portugal and Russia. Austria has the invitation under consideration.

K According to the present program the international fleet is x to gather in Hampton Roads early in January and sail in one long column for Colon. In view of the fact that the season is usually ’ Inclement, there is some talk of postponing* the assembly of the fleet until early spring, but no definite proposal has been made to change the date.

GIRL PREFERS TO PLOUGH

Daughter of Wealthy California Farmer Tells-Humane Society Officer Not to Bother Her.

San Jose, Cal. —Ploughing is no harder than playing basket ball, in the opinion of Miss Dora Clay, daughter of Alexander Clay, a wealthy orchardist living on the Fremont road. She so informed officers of the juvenile court and humane officers of this city, who have been requested by the Clay neighbors to Investigate whether or not the girl is being cruelly forced to do heavy manual labor in her father’s orchard. Mrs. I. C. Merriman was detailed to Investigate reports and visited the Clay ranch. .The girl was in town at the time, but Clay was at home and stated that if more girls were raised as his girl was being reared there would be fewer Cases of them being ruined in the restaurants of San Jose. Later Mrs. Clay and her daughter, who is a* pretty, robust girl of sixteen, visited the probation officer and also called on Dr. J. W. Davy of the Humane association. Miss Clay stated that she was ploughing in the orchard of her own volition and fe)t sure that the work was no more difficult than, basket ball. Mrs. Merriman took the stand, however, that such work was Injurious to a sixteen-year-old girl and threatened to, take the case ihto court and have it tried before a jury of women.

Frost Menaces Crops on Mars.

Flagstaff, Aris.—Crops on the planet Mars are threatened by a killing late spring frost ndrth of the propohtls, according to astronomers at the Lowell observatory.

KING’S MEDAL TO AMERICAN

Dr. Rice of Boston Honored for Perilous Explorations in South America. j. London, England. —The Royal geographical society has awarded the king’s gold medal to Dr. Hamilton Rice of Boston, Mass., for his work of exploration in South America. Dr. Rice started from 'London in December, 1911, for Barranquilla, at the mob th of Magdalena river, and 25 days later reached Bogota, capital of Colombia. From that city he started for San Martin, 100 miles south of Bogota. For 21 months he explored southeast Colombia and northwest Brazil, traversing almost 100,000 square miles of virtually unknown country. The trip ended at Manaos, Brazil, 1,000 miles up the Amazofc river.

Dr. Rice said afterward that the record of the party was one of physical horrors. Insects made existence horrible, there were periods of starvation and consequent mutiny and constant prevalence of disease. A race of light colored Indians was discovered, as was also a colony composed entirely of male Indians. For the most part, however, the region explored was uninhabited. Progress through the country was extremely difficult, and machetes were necessary to cut a track almost the entire way. In being forced to swim small streams the members of the party were attacked by dangerous sword fishes, which inflicted ugly septic wounds. From the result of one of these attacks Dr. Rice suffered from poisonous ulcers and was compelled to operate upon himself by candle light, cutting his leg to the bone. During a period of starvation the party was reduced to eating monkey meat.

WIDOW’S WEALTH WAS MYTH

Young Woman's $2,000,000 Turns Out to Be Nothing but Tlme’Tables and Newspapers. . New York City—Mrs. Edith Wilson, a charming young widow of thirty, who until a very short time ago has .been living off the best in the land because of her alleged untold wealth, is, it is said, missing, and numerous individuals and firms who have had

Mrs. Edith Wilson.

business relations with her are, according to report, very anxious to locate the soft-spoken little lady whom they trusted Implicitly. An amazing group of creditors gathered about the mysterious “strong” box when it was opened April 2, and a more amazed group of creditors stared at one another in astonishment when the “strong” box, Which was said to contain millions, proved to hold nothing more valuable than' a collection of old railroad time tablee and newspapers.

FRENCH POET MISTRAL DEAD

Noted Provencal Bard, Nobel Prise Winner, Expires at Age of EightyFour In Marseilles.

Marseilles, France.—Frederic Mistral, the celebrated Provencal poet, died here in his eighty-fourth year. In 1904 Mistral divided the Nobel prize for literature with Ecohegaray, the great Spanish dramatist He was a friend of Colonel Roosevelt, to whom he dedicated a poem in 1904. Most of his work, were written in the Provencal dialect His best known poem was “Mireille.” *

Robbery Makes Revelation.

Chicago.—iJbuis R. Grossman, who recently pleaded bankruptcy, was arrested after he reported to the police that he was robbed of $35,000 in few, elry, because he forgot to schedule the jewelry in his Hit of assets.

Aged Couple Elope.

New York.—Sam pel Y. Allaire, seventy-eight, a wealthy publisher, eloped with Mrs. Mary Owens, seven-ty-two, an Inmate of the Methodist Home for the Aged.

Seals In Hudson River.

Hastings, N. seals were seen basking in the sun on the too floes In the Hudson river off here.

AVOID JURY SERVICE

PUBLIC DUTY THAT IS DISLIKED BY BRITISH CITIZENS. Humorous Excuses Sometimes Ad-i vanced by Those Who Are Sum- i moned—Woman's Plea for Expenses Allowed by Judge. Few British citizens, indeed, haveever any burning desire to spend three or four days successively in the jury box at the high courts or at the local assizes or sessions, a writer in London Answers says. The average, jury receives such treatment and is so much annoyed by delays, criticisms, intricacies, etc., that nobody wants to serve on it. Add to these ills the serious loss of time to most tradesmen, loss of actual money owing to business postponements, loss of out-of-pocket expenses In meals, fares, etc., and no one can wonder that the British citizen will make any excuse in the world to be quit of serving as a juror, if he thinks it can be managed. In my capacity as a clerk in one of the chief London courts I come across strange excuses of this kind. Not long ago one of the men summoned for jury in a breach of promise case appeared and claimed exemption because his wife had presented him with twins that morning, and this unexpected event had upset’ him so much that he felt he couldn’t give his mind to the trial as much as was necessary to do it justice. The court laughed heartily and the man appeared surprised at his callousness. But he didn't get off. “I’m stone deaf, my lord,” said ons eager juror, before he was sworn, evidently expecting he would be let off forthwith. So I was instructed to make him stand down for a while till we had got bls panel arranged, which he did with a smile as of a conqueror. But that smile was his undoing, for the judge had observed It, though he gave not the least Indication of this. However, when all was ready for the case to start, and whilst the man was standing expectantly near the box, his lordship, looking at me, said blandly and unconcernedly: “Oh, just write down for that man that he may go, Mr. , will you?” I turned to the juror, but it was clear he had heard the judge’s words, for he was hurriedly preparing to de- ’ part. And before I could explain to him the judge added quietly: 7 “By the by, he may as well stop. His hearing seems to be improving, and he can wait for the next case, by which time it will doubtless be all right again.” « I got a bit of a shock one morning when, on callinig out the name of “Francis Johnson” among the jurors, a lady in court arose and came forward. Judge, counsel and spectators stared in wonder. “But you’re a woman!” I gasped. “Of course!” replied she tartly. “What did you imagine I was —a monkey?” I had to explain that women were ineligible for sitting on a jury. “Then why did you bring me up from Sldcup?” she inquired. “I have lost my time and money in coming, and all because you folks are so silly that you can’t tell a woman from a man.” , . , She had the pull of us, and the spectators grinned shockingly. “Pay the lady’s fare and excuse her,” said Mr. Justice , suavely. This was the neatest and safest method, as his lordship knew when be caught the glint in that lady’s eye. So I paid her expenses and she left, smiling and thanking the judge profusely. A judge is usually a capital hand at summing up human nature, especially of the feminine variety. All said and done, that is his business.

Cause and Effect.

Apropos of Eastertide, the following little story, which has reached me, may be worth a smile. It was Easter Sunday, and the wife already had arrayed herself in her spring finery. She made a pretty picture as she stood be- • fore the mirror in her “peg top” skirt and her chic little hat of a French model. Outside the procession had begun. The air was vibrant, with church bells. There was a riot of gay costumes. For some reason or other, Friend < Husband was slow. Finally the wife became impatient. “Henry,” she expostulated, tapping her feet, “can’t you hurry? What’s the use of my hawing a S6O hat unless somebody can see it?” “Just a moment, dear,” temporized the patient Henry; “just a moment, while I trim my cuffs.”—Chicago Inter Ocean. %

Amazing Telephone Totals.

It is difficult to imagine our mod*, ern complicated life being carried on without telephones. There are today more than twelve million five hundred thousand telephones in actual use throughout the world and more than thirty million miles of telephone wire are used. In other words, if these wires were wound around the globe they would form a band of more than one thousand threads. • In the course of a year some twentythree billion people shout “hello” through the telephone. This Is about five times the number of people traveling annually on all the railroads In the world. The longest commercial 2,160 miles. * •. i