Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1914 — Page 2

A TEST OF NERVE

By JOHN D. SWAIN.

(popyrl*ht.) It was at the officers’ mess one hot i summer night in Camp Sutro. The He was given so unexpectedly that a rattle not unlike that of musketry ran round the table as we-set our untasted glasses on the board. I was at General Delmar’s right, and I remember how the saber scar crept out on his sac old scar which I had not noticed for years. Across the table, through the haze of tobacco smoke, Colonel Gray's fierce eyes glanced, and his flushed face contrasted oddly with that of the general. It was the junior officer who spoke first. He was a curious chap—this Colonej Gray—from the West He always appeared to be laboring under suppressed excitement, while in action he was cold and calculating. “I am, of course, ready to give you satisfaction. General Delmar,” he said. It was a full moment before the general replied, his cold, blue eyes meanwhile sweeping the table. “Fortunately, we are all gentlemen," he said. “This insures discretion and sets our minds entirely at rest as to any unpleasant notoriety. You may go," nodding to the stewards, who stood about the room, > mouth agape: - After they had retired he continued: “Since Colonel Gray has been so good as to leave the arrangements to me, I will, with his permission, waive the formality of seconds. I have an idea which I am sure will appeal to his love of adventure, and will, I think, not only satisfy honor, furnish an interesting study, and yet avoid the courtmartialing of the survivors for violating the regulations against dueling. "In fact, I am so thoroughly convinced of Colonel Gray’s personal courage,” concluded the general with a graceful gesture, “that I believe there will be no survivor. Gentlemen, may I hope that you will accompany me for a short walk?”

With a great deal of curiosity and some trepidation, we filed out into the night, preceded by the tall, thin form of the old general. The path taken by General Delmar led ns to an old ehanty in a corner of the drill-field; arrived there, he lighted a tin lantern which hung by the door, and led the way within, where was nothing save a few kegs of blastingpowder, belonging to the engineer corps, and some tools. j One of the kegs the general rolled to the center of the room, placing a couple of boxes beside it. He then carefully loosened the plug in the keg and inserted a fuse, winding the other end about the middle of the candle w hich he removed from the lantern. Sticking the candle into an empty bottle, he set it on the keg, and turned toward Colonel Gray, who had been watching the proceedings with great Interest, and who seated himself in reply to a courteous gesture-of his opponent The general sat down also, and continued in a pleasant, conversational tone: “I think you understand my idea, Colonel Gray? Unless this candle is extinguished before it burns idowirta fuse, the keg of powder Is going to ignite. One of us two must blow the candle out within, say, the next twenty minutes. It will not be me, Colonel Gray!” Gray threw his head back and laughed.

“Splendid, my dear general, splendid!" he exclaimed. “We will have a grand final blowout together!" “Harris,” said the general to the genial cavalry major, “just keep these papers, will you? And my watch. Ahd toast us good and plenty tomorrow night,” he added, handing Harris a roll of bills. “Can I be of service to you. Colonel Gray?” asked Harris. “Not a sou on me," he smiled. “Not even a scrap of paper—except a bill from my tailor!” “Now, gentlemen,” said the general. “I thank you for your attentions, and shall ask but one further favor; that you return to the mess-room and await the explosion. Then come and search so us say, the survivor. Good night—and good-by!" Solemnly enough we bade them both adieu and departed, secretly relieved to get away from the vicinity of that cursed candle and fuse arrangement. i ————

Ik was exactly nine when we sat down again at table, and for at least five minutes no one spoke. This was a long panse for the officers' mess at Camp Butro. At last flesh and blood could stand It no longer. Burly Captain Jones who had been pulling away at a huge, onlighted cigar, blurted out: ‘'Three to two on the general!” “Bhame!” ciled one or two: but there were several takers, and we grasped eagerly at the relief to our nerves. The captain’s wager was covered quickly enough by the western 'men, and after that even money prevailed. Then some one noted that it was only seven minutes past nine. One or two were certain the dock had stopped; and nothing would convince them but a personal Inspection of the pendulum. v./.' ‘ -V •', At .a quarter past the tension increased. The explosion was due at any time now. Wragge and the West Pointer drank whisky in alarming

! quantities, and most of ns smoked like chimneys. Then the explosion occurred. We were just as startled as if we had not been expecting it. For a full minute no one had the courage to make a first move, and even at 1 we lingered, eyeing one another shamefacedly, the door opened, and, framed in the blaoAmess, appeared the haggard faces of Delmar and Gray, and with them was Captain Sage of the engineers. It was the general who spoke first. “We have come back!” he an- | nounced definitely.

“What is this—a hoax?” demanded Captain Jones savagely. “No,” responded the general, placing his hand affectionately on his late opponent’s shoulder, “but I have found a man! A hero!” -“Nonsense!” growled Gray. “You were a fool'to come back to the shanty! ” “Sir!” exclaimed the old general. “Your language demands an apology! I hold you personally responsible!” “Cut it, out!” demanded Harris In disgust. “Since you refused to be exploded like gentlemen, at least explain to us how you camq to patch It up between you!” “It was this way,” said Gray, helping himself to Scotch. “We had sat there perhaps five minutes after you left, and I was trying to blow double rings, when I happened to glance at the candle.”

Here young Wragge uttered an offensive word—-but subsided as Gray turned his eyes upon him. “From the candle my eyes traveled naturally to the general; and what do you suppose? He was apparently sound asleep! Asleep, gentlemen!” He paused, that the full effect of his words might be felt. 4 “Now, he was, of course, within his rights in sleeping, but I did not pro-pose-to keep any lonesome vigil, and besides, I was unjust enough to fancy that he might be shamming. So I leaned over the keg and shook his arm. He had fainted away.” “My old heart trouble,” sighed the general. “Always comes on when I am especially anxious to keep awake. What a chance I missed! But what do you suppose this glorious fellow did?” he demanded.

“What any decent man would do, of course!" responded Gray. “What could I do? I was sheer murder to sit there and let him be blown to atoms, absolutely helpless, when a breath of his might have extinguished—” “Do you mean to Insinuate .that T would have blown out that candle?” stormed Delmar. “Why, man, you insult *me in a way I cannot overlook. T must hold you personally-—” “I Insinuate nothing,” interrupted Gray. “But your condition violated the ethics of the code. It left all the responsibility on my shoulders; I had a right to let myself be blown up, but not to see an unconscious third party foully murdered!” "Third party!” “Yes —third party! Directly you went fltty, you cease to be a participant. You could not have blown out the candle, and I would not. So” — turning to us —“I haußffi him outside.”

“Yes, he did, confound him,” grumbled the general, casting an affectionate but irritable glance upon Gray. “But that was nothing, gentlemen—he went back!” “Of course I went back, you helpless old idiot!” “And he ran back,” wheezed Delmar, looking at him with a sort of wonder in hjs eyes. “Ran back?” some one interrogated. “Had to,” said Gray. “Candle most burned down to fuse; afraid I might be too late.” "It was I who almost too late,” said the general, shaking his white head. “What —did you go back, too?” demanded Harris. “He laid me on my back in the grass,” explained Delmar, “and the dew revived me. When I opened my eyerl thought l had been blown there by the powder. Then I saw that I was all together, so I started up and made for the light in the shanty. There was just an eighth of an inch of candle left when I arrived, and there sat this fool, smoking a cigarette and humming that detestable ditty every one forgot ages ago.”

"He means ‘There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight,’ ” explained Gray In an injured tone. “I demanded an explanation,” continued the general, “and he told me, and said how glad he was I had come back, as it was lonesome, and besides, he knew how bad I would feel to miss It all. The fuse was beginning to sputter, and I seated myself just In .time to enjoy the climax." “They both cut and run!’’ quoth Jones, disgustedly. “All bets are off!’’ "Captain Jones, I never have been so grossly insulted in my life,” said General Delmar indignantly. "I shall hold you personally and immediately responsible—” "Well, how came you here, then?” “I can explain that to your satisfaction, I think,” spoke up Captain Sage. "You are the most bloodthirsty crew I ever met. If there were not cooler heads among the sappers than in this polyglot crowd, the service woul<l have lost two of the most courageous—asses I ever heard of. "I chanced to be crossing the drill Held, and noticed the light burning In our powder-shanty, which Is, of course, strictly against the regulations. When I , looked In, there sat these idiots, as cheerful as if they were at tea, while tjke fuse wss Just sizzling. “I grasped the .situation—and the fuse —simultaneously—end that’s all — except that I must have left a spark, in my hurry, and the engineering corps is sky ope keg of pewderl” -

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, INB.

SPAIN'S ROYAL CHILDREN AS AUTOMOBILISTS

The children of the king and queen of Spain seem to have inherited from their father a love for automobiles. In this photograph the fotfr oldest are seen with their little white motor car. Crown Prince Alfonso la standing against the hood, Princess Marie Cristina is seated on the running board, Princess Beatrice is at the wheel and Prince Jaime in the rear seat

REPORT ON ERUPTION

Geological Survey Expert 6f Mt. Lassen’s Outbreak. Geologist Suggests a Connection Between the Volcanic Disturbance and the World’s Exposition in San Francisco in 1915. Washington.—ln a report just forwarded *o Washington from the field, Geologist J. 3. Diller suggests a connection between the Lassen peak eruption and the San Francisco 1915 exposition. Mr! Diller was ordered to visit the scene of volcanic eruption and his detailed statement was made public by the United States geological survey. The geologist points out that old Vulcan may be preparing an American Vesuvius for the Panama-Pacific exposition. Thd Pacific ocean is girdled by volcanoes, and live ones are common in the Central American countries to which Panama belongs. Mr. Diller reasons thus: “So it is up to Vulcan to prepare a nearby exhibit for the occasion, and he evidently sees his duty and is rejuvenating the energy of Lassen peak as a kind of volcanic moving picture. “Mount Rainier and Mount Shasta, the beautiful cones so much in evidence to the traveler on the Pacific coast north of San Francisco, are now finding an up-to-date rival in Lassen peak, which is plainly in view from the railroad for many miles in thi Sacramento valley between and Red Bluff. Lassen peak is the southern end of the Cascade range, and it stands between the Sierra Nevada on the southeast and the Klamath mountains on the northwest. Its lavas erupted in past ages reach the Sacramento valley on the ope side and on the other form a part of the vast volcanic field, one of the greatest in the world, that stretches far across California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho to the Yellowstone National park. “Of all portions of the Cascade

MISS WILSON EDITS MUSIC

Daughter of ihe President Will Conduct Department in New. Bocial Center Magazine. Madison, Wls. —Miss Margaret Wilson, daughter of the president, will edit the section devoted to community music in the Social Center Magazine to be launched here in August. This was decided here at a conference of the prospective editors. Before she permitted her name* to be used Miss Wilson exacted a prom-

Miss Margaret Wilson.

lse that she be given something to do, and not be a figurehead. On Miss Wilaon’B motion the social center promoters adopted a resolution recommending an amendment to the state laws to provide for civic secretaryships in connection with schools. Such secretaries would render community social and recreational service, and would be paid out of public . ; i- ■ lUII LIB. „„„.. „

range Lassen peak still retains the largest remnant of its once vigorous volcanic energy. Morgan and Suppan hot springs and Bumpass hell on the south as well as Hot Spring valley and the boiling mud lake Tartarus on the southeast have long attracted the attention not only of Californians, but to some extent the tourists, to whom the region is growing more accessible every year. If to these already established attractions be added a frequent occurrence of the recent volcanic plays of Lassen peak the region will take high rank among nature’s wonderlands. “But what 1b the nature of this new activity of Lassen? Is it really volcanic? Will it soon dwindle and become wholly quiescent or on the other hand is It the precursor of a more profound eruption like that of Krakatoa? Ttte excellent photographs that have been takpn of the outburst, especially those of G. F, Milford and the series by B. F. Loomis of Viola, taken from a point six miles northwest of Lassen peak, leaves little doubt in the mind of Stay one familiar with volcanic phenomena that the outburst Is essentiality volcanic. These photographs are strikingly similar to those- taken by Johnston-Lavis showing the progress of an eruption in the Pi pari islands, whose volcanic character 1b well known. “The eruptions of Lasseta peak began May 30 at 5:30 p.. m., with an outburst of steam which, according to forest Supervisor W. J. Rushing, continued about ten minutes. It formed a crater in the snow-covered summit of Lasseh about 25 by 40 feet In extent and covered the encircling snow for a distance of 300 feet with a mantle Of 'dark wet dust Harvey Abbey, a forest ranger, visited the scene and reported the facts.

“On the following day at 8 a. m. t another eruption occurred and on June 8, a week later, the third and much larger outbreak took place. It lasted 30 minutes and the rolling column of dense black smoke rose to the height 2,500 feet. Stones were hurled from the crater and the forest service outlook house, a quarter of * mile away on the tip-top of Lassen peak, was broken by some of them. Blocks and smaller fragments accumulated about the crater to a depth of several feet The dust and sulphurous gases carried southward by the wind were observed at Mineral, the forestry station, and the dust was noted five miles beyond. Forest rangers who were in the neighborhood of the summit during the eruption heard the rushing steam and the falling rocks, but report no rumbling or subterranean noißes, earth shocks, electrical phenomena or great heat beyond that of steam. The dust was practically cold when it fell. Considerable volumes of water were ejected, probably wholly in the form of steam. The water condensing from this steam washed a gully in the snow to the adjacent lakelet, which occupies what prior to this latest eruption had long been regarded as the youngest crater of the Lassen volcano. The new crater Is not quite over the throat of the old, but is a few hundred feet to the northwestward. “In all there have been 11 eruptions up to the date of this report—June 21. The most violent was at 9 a. m., June 14, when several overventuresome persons were injured by falling or rolling stones. The eruption was visible from the Sacramento valley, nearly 40 miles away, and created profound interest

Deaf Mutes Drank Too Much.

New York. —Mr. and Mrs. William Long, deaf mutee, arraigned for Intoxication, told the court in Bign language they had become bo exhausted from' talking with janitors while flat hunting that they had to drink. /

Declares Turtle Is 100 Years Old.

Newton, N. J. —Josiah Ewitt, Jr., found a turtle wlt|i "J. E., 1821" carved on Its shell. Ewitt. eays it was carved by his grandfather and that the turtle is one hundred years old.

Doctor Recommends Pig for a Pet.

Philadelphia.—ls a pet you must have, get a pig, la the advice of Dr. R. T. Quigg. Unlike a cat or dog, the pig is not a disease carrier, the doctor explained.

QUEEN MARY FAILS IN QUEST

English Ruler Cannot Find Ladles With $5,000 Income for Princeee of Teek’e Suite. * London. —When Princess Alexander of Teck began to look over the field to select ladies to become members of the suite of the Canadian viceregal household, Queen Mary insisted that no lady with a private Income of less than $5,000 a year should be appointed. The queen has now reduced the

Prince Alexander of Teck.

limit to $2,500 a year because so far Princess Alexander has been unable to find even one acceptable lady with a $5,000 income. The queen does not wish to be responsible for their debts.

SPARROWS DEATH TO RATS

Birds Victorious In an Unusual War on Rodents at North Fort Worth, Texas. Fort Worth, Tex. —Many stories have been told of the prowess of rats in combat with othet animals, and the fact that one can kill a dog is well known, but the fact, that they themselves are warred upon and exterminated by the lowly English sparrow has just been brought to light At North Fort Worth the erection of three brick buildings, left a small court in the rear of one building with no outlet except the sky above. This court has for some timet been the playground of unusually big rats that are almost driving the grocers and butchers in that vicinity to distraction. English sparrows becoming attracted to this court wished to use it as a nesting place. That rata and spar rows cannot live together is a settled thing, therefore, the sparrows have decided that the rats must leave, and daily they are killing them off, In large number* - The sparrows roost on the topi of the buildings overlooking, the court and whenever a rat ventures forth to scurry from one hole to another a flock of sparrows descends upon him and in a short while they peck him to death, i

Policemen Must Look Neat.

Kansas City, Mo.—The police department has installed a cleaning and pressing establishment, where uniforms will be pressed free of charge In order to Insure the "coppers" against baggy knees.

Vows Not to Play Poker.

Jersey City, N. if. —Fred Eckel, arraigned for non-support, took a pledge not to play poker or gamble for the rtst of his Ufa.

ARE QUICK TO LEARN

BUGLE CALLS BECOME FAMILIAR TO ARTILLERY HORSES. x v Respond to the Martial Summons as Rapidly as Could Their Riders-*-Evidence of Their Intelligence on Record.

“Horses chosen for the military service,” said an old artilleryman, “show marvelous intelligence and quickness in adapting themselves to its requirements. Every artilleryman knows that they learn the bugle calls and the evolutions sooner, as a rule, than the average recruit “They quickly acquire a uniform gait, which is about the same as the route step or usual marching step. If the horses did not fall habitually into the same gait as the infantry, there would be varying distances between the different arms~of the service. In the drills in the artillery service the horses will preserve their alignment as well as the infantry ranks. “It is remarkable how quickly the army horse learns the bugle calls and their significance. Let the first note of (he feed or water call be sounded, and instantly there will be stamping, kicking and neighing among the horses, impatient for that call to be answered.

‘‘•Once during a storm at night in our camp our horses were seized with such terror that those of nearly every battery broke loose and went scattering about in their fright. Next morning there was a wjld rush by the artillerymen to capture horses for use. All was excitement, and the still alarmed horses refused to be taken. “An officer ordered the bugler to sound the feed call. He gave the call, and Instantly horses from every direction came dashing In to that battery and the equine discipline was soon restored. , “When it comes to battle the trained army horse seems to know everything that Is going on and the reason for it and does his duty nobly. He enters into the spirit of the fight like his human comrades. “A horse in one of our batteries during the Murfreesboro fight was hit by a piece of shell which split his skull. The driver turned him loose, but he walked up to the aide of the gun and watched the firing, and when a shot was fired would follow it with his gaze* as if to note its effect on the enemy. When a shell would burst near by he would turn his head and look at it. “When he saw the team he had been working with up to the time of his wound driven back for a renewal of ammunition for the battery he ran to his old place and galloped back with the rest. When an officer pushed him aside he gazed at the new horse with a sorrowful expression in his eyes. Then he seemed to realize that the glory of battle was no more for him, and he walked tottering away and lay down and died. The men declared that it was a broken heart, not his wound, that killed him. “During a fierce charge of Confederate cavalry at that bhttle of Murfreesboro an officer was among the killed in the charge and the cavalry was driven back. The horse the officer had ridden was a magnificent animal, and he had not been taught to retreat. Riderless, he kept on his way, and as he dashed through our battery the sight of him was Indescribably grand. “His nostrils were extended wide, his eyes flashed, and he/clutched his bit determinedly in his teeth as he came on like the wind, his saddle flaps flying until it seemed as if he were himself flying instead of madly running. Every man gave him room as he dashed along. An officer shouted that he > would give SIOO to any one who would capture that superb animal, but ail seemed so.. Hypnotized by the sight of the noble beast and his riderless charge that no effort was made to stay him, and he sped on his way, disappearing in the blue distance.” -

Profanity His Undoing.

Too audible expression of anger at finding nothing in a Bate that he and three other men had just cracked resulted In the arrest at New York of Joseph Wilson, homeless by his own assertion. A policeman from the Elizabeth, street station heard loud oaths coming from the hardware store of J. W. Ayres at 88 Walker street and on Investigation discovered Wilson and three o&ers before a safe that had been opened with a "can opener." The other three escapt K —visf;.-Finger-print proof disproved Wilson’s assertion that he had never been arrested before, and a term in the Elmira reformatory for grapd larceny In 1912 was found in his record.

Canada's Influence on Crockett.

The late S. R. Crockett had struggles In his early life as many other poets and authors did. He began to work on the farm at an early age, as even a child’s hands were useful to the straggling household. He was up at five o’clock, and all through his life he continued to rise at this hour, for early rising was a habit with pleasant memories. One /of his cousins was a farmerplowman who had been to Canada and acquired larger Ideas than the rest of the family, and, finding in the boy an unusual play of mind, he used to take him In the Helds before the day's labors began, «hd make him read fine Poetry.