Pike County Democrat, Volume 28, Number 41, Petersburg, Pike County, 18 February 1898 — Page 3

OR ONCE the Father of His Country uas to be properly honored in Wathena. The settlers had decided that it ought to be done, and the method of its

fc -currying out was left to a committee constating of the storekeeper, the teacher. and one of the leading cattlemen who, rumor said, had once owned a library. **Of course it ain’t proving nothing about our honeuty that we do this sort of thing.” remarked Borden, the ranche foreman, “but it’s the right thing to -do.” “Yes, Washington wna a fine old .gentleman,” added the storekeeper,“an* we Virginians always will stand by •ham.” “Mighty nice thing to be honoring the leader of a revolution,” broke in a • gruff voice from the tear'of the store. It was the Englishman who was overseeing the fencing of the Olympic Cattle company’s new lands. He had been a farmer over in the Cimtnarron country. and was always objecting to whatever was on foot. ! ' “Hush up. you got too badly licked to talk.” was the rejoinder from Borden; and Glade* the foreigner, subsided. The celebration was to take place in ■the school-house out on the edge of the tiny settlement. From its door could be seen the hare that covered the tops of the Spanish peaks off to the west and also the sunken lines of the Cimmarron. It was all the conception of the pretty schoql mistress, who thought to thus raise enough money to buy a flag for the building’s roof. 'There were other inducements for the two men who helped in the pre{iarations—Borden and Grade. The cattleman thought there was no one like , Jjizzie Dean—and thq Englishman thought the same. “You are to be Washington,” said the •director to Borden, and the part fitted him well. “All right. I’ll lick the Britishers out of their boots.” he declared, as he' pranced around with n stick for a sword, and cast ugly looks at Glade. “And1 yon shall be Cornwallis,” turning to Glade. This, too, seemed satisfactory. Night after night they met at the , schoolhousc preparing the rendition of the play. The half-dozen actors were j determined that there should bfc no ground for criticism. Spring was early on the prairie, and the gray and brown grasses were dry ns tinder. The.close curling buffalo grass was, like that of the blue stem, crinkling in the breeze. | and the cattle were nibbling it away tc get a; the tiny spears of green beneath. One nipht the play was nearly over when Borden remarked, in tones that • came to the ears of the entire company; “If I had my way, I’d order every ohe of these red coats off the soil of America.” “Mfiybe you can’t do any better than • did your first president at that," was the sneer that came from back in the flies (curtains strung on pieces of twine) somewhere. Borden grew angry. “Well, I can try. the same a* he did. lie won in the end. I believe." The Englishman came out in the middle of the room. “1 would not advise thee to try it,” he drawled. The words were not more fban out of his mouth when there came a crash of scenery, v»nd along with the flies and nearly everything portable came Borden from the stage which he left with • leap. lie made straight for the throat of bis adversary, but what met his grasp when he reached out was— Miss j Dean’s band.

here.' The roan you represent would never have fought in the presence of a soman.” Borden. abashed, stood back, and then went to the stage. But it did not mean the end of the trquble—everybody knew that. The men had a fight after the evening's practice was over, ► but it settled nothing, except that they -were 4>oth Tery much in love with Lizzie. The school did not amount to much those - days, for ail the scholars were -practicing for their parts in the coming drama. The work on the ranches suffered likewise, for there wss the same interest among the older people: On the night before the festal day there was a final practicing at the schoolhouse. and again the two represents lives of the opposing aides in the revo lution >had their warfare of words. In Ms speech the American took pains | «to insert a few words reflecting on the I

Englishmen who came oat to the west to run cuttle ranches, and the English* man said some cutting things that pointed at frontier manners. “See berer gentlemen," said Lizzie, “this has gone far enough. I cannot have you quarreling all the time. You must settle your troubles somewhere else." “All I want is to win you,” whispered the Englishman behind the scenes a few minutes later. “Will you give me the answer?" “No, this is a warfare that you must settle with Mr. Borden. I would like to see how this contest of the rival powers comes out.” “Well, It will be different to that of the days of l?76t” was the sententious answer. But would it? “I don’t like to see that Englishman around you so much,” whispered Borden a few minutes later. “Why, he behaves himself,” replied ! Miss Dean, with well-feignedf astonishment. ' “But it ain’t patriotic, don’t you see,” was the retort. “You ought to stand up for your country, and — Washington!” This last proudly, for Borden was really elated at the character he | was taking in the play. “So I must make this a national affair??’ “No, just a personal affair, but be patriotic in it." Thus the matter stood when Washington’s birthday dawned—an armed truce between the -opposing forces, each of which was intent on winning the prize and confident that it could be done. Soft blew the southern breeze and the night was dark. From miles of plain came the breath of spring thai was giving the first earnest of its glory. The settlers rode in from their claims in wagon*,; the ranchmen came on horseback, and the line of ponies that fringed the schoolhouse yard was formidable. The Englishman came in all the? glory of bis best clothes, while Borden made his appearance in the frontier dress that so well became him. “S*o reserved seats; come right in,” welcomed the storekeeper as he took the tickets at the ddor. The crowd obeyed and filled the front'seats, the back seats, and overflowed the aisles. “Now, ladies and gentlemen," an-, nounced the storekeeper, when all was ready! “we will present the great drama of file time of Washington, as is most appropriate on this occasion.” The curtain rolled up (again a sheet on n pole), and the simple incidents that had been chosen to give a representation of the life of the first pre«ident were one after another called forth. There was nothing but peace until the act where the meeting of the hero aiul Cornwallis occurred. Then as the two rivals came on the little stage there was a howl of delight from the men present, for each knew how matters stood. Borden looked daggers at Glade, and as his turn came to speak all realized that he was putting strange sentiments into the mouth of Washington when be said: “You may be as good a man as the rest of ns, but you are not so brave." ^ Cornwallis colored, and the storekeeper remarked to his wife: “Blest if 1 don’t think Borden struck home that time.” But Glade responded, with due courtesy: “It remains to be proved as to that—” aad then went on with his set speech. The play was long and the audience was evidently weary when the final act came. The rivals were on the stage and there was a chance for some more repartee. which was likely to be given, when suddenly there was a sound from the outside of the house that caused the heart of every auditor to sink with an ill-defined fear. It was a whinny of terror from a score of horses* throats. Qnickly the people rushed from their seats and to the windows and doors. What they saw was something that is never without Its message of alarm for the ranchman and the settler—the prairie was on fire. In an Instant almost the house was emptied. The women were crying and the men were trying to oalm the frightened horses. One by one the wagons were hurrying off. the owners anxious to get home or at least out of the reach of the danger. } It was high time! Like a sea of flame the onyushiog blaze was sweeping across the dry sod, licking up the long grass of the ravines "d making quick work of the crisp •ring of the higher lands. The wind 1 risen and was bringing the attacking army onward with rapid pace. There was no chance for the echookhouse to escape. In a scrambling, pash

In j mass the people left the place aha their wagons'and horses were dotting the flame-lighted plain. Two men found themselves side by sides quarter of a mile from the building, each on his ! broncho and each galloping toward the north. As they mounted a little swell in the prairie the blaze lighted their faces. From each came an exclamation: “Borden!” “Glade!** “I thought you were with her,** demanded the former, angrily. “I thought you were the one.** ' For an instant the two men glared at each other and then the test came. Borden looked straight in the face of the Englishman and then at the sea of flame sweeping up from the south and whose breath was hot in their faces. “Well,” he demanded, “which shall it be? This is the time to prove which is the true representative of bravery.” “Oh. it’s not that sort of a question,” pleaded the other. “It is just that sort of a question. There is a chance for the one who rides into that blaze to come out alive—and only a chance. It will be at the schoolhouse >n a moment, aud the race there is no small thing in itself, even if the horses will take it.” “We’ll go together,” after a little thought. - “Very well.” The horses’ heads were tunned and the rivals went toward the long line of leaping flames, each determined to make the other weary of his undertaking. On and on they rode, the horses becoming wilder as each whiff of the wind brought them a stronger smell of smoke. Finally the Englishman began to fall liehind. His horse was not so unruly as Dorden’s, and there seemed no reason for his retrogression. “Come on, Cornwallis," called the ranchman, and the cut was felt by the laggard. Faster and faster rode the frontiersman into the thick of the smoke and was lost to the sight of his comrade. With head bent lowand notrilsshielded in the folds of his cloak, he steered toward the schoolhouse whose black form rose out of the flames. t Finally the door was reached and with a shout he called to the teacher. Was she there? He remembered that l she had gone to the rear of the building ! when the alarm was given. She might have thought there was no danger in ! staying in the schoolhouse. He leaped from the horse. Into the building he ran and to the rear. What I was that—a sobbing? Leaning over a pile of curtains in the corner he took from them a bundle of humanity that was very frightened and very thankful to see him.

is 11 vou, lizzie lie questioned “Yes—and Jimmie.” “Who is that?” “The widow’s little lame boy. 1 thought he would like the show and brought him. He is too heavy to carry and we had to stay here. What can we do?” For an answer the strong man lifted the woman in one arm and the boy in the othef and rushed to the door. Throwing them to his saddle he bade them cling for their lives. The fire was already around the yard and was eating its way to the building. The intense heat had made the shingles smoke and in a few minutes the whole structure would be a pyramid of blaze. It #was no easy task to control a wild and excited horse in the midst of a fire and also see that two helpless charges did not fall from the back of the animal. But Borden with his superb mastery of horseflesh did it, and the gait that they took through the wall of flame was something marvelous. Had the riders been living a little nearer to civilization they would have called it “record breaker.” '“Well, that was a scorcher,’^ remarked Borden, when they had come to a safe place. “Hello, who is that?” as a solitary rider came out of the smoke and approached them. “Bless me, if it ain’t Cornwallis!” “Woo!” exclaimed the Englishman, wiping his eyes. “I couldn’t find the schoolhouse or I would have saved the little school ma’am.” “Was it hot?” “Awfully so. I suppose it is too late now to do her any good.” “Oh, I don’t know, Cornwallis. She is here all right,” and the form of Lizzie came to the astonished eyes of the late arrival. The Englishman looked sheepish’for a minute aud then hit his horse with his hand and started off. “Say,” called Borden, "that little rivalry is settled now." And then to Lizzie: “I knew that he was not hunting that schoolhouse very hard. You gave him the right character—that is, the side that got licked!” And Lizzie Dean agreed with him. So thoroughly was the defeat felt that the vanquished suitor did not even deign to come to the wedding—the dedication event of the new schoolhouse that replaced the one destroyed by the fire. Lizzie wanted‘it that way and Borden was willing to have it so. “I don’t know much about it,” he said, "but I take it for granted that Washington always pleased the ladies whea he could.” CHARLES MOREAU HARGER.

When Washington Wan loug. The stagecoach roiled along Its wag. On tireless axle hung. The speediest travel of the day When Washington was young. A wick In tallow wax tmpearled Its feeble luster flung To light the darkness of the world When Washington was young. But thirteen states and thirteen stars Historic poets sung. Who scanned the patriotic bars When Washington was young. That selfsame flag to-day is fraught (O’er seventy millions swung) With principles of honor taught When Washington was young. Grand history lessons are enrolled Its stars and stripes among. Hurrah, then, for the days of old. When Washington was young! —Mrs. M. L Rayne, in Chicago Tlraaa Her* aM.

WIT AND WISDOM. —"Did Hopkins get nervous prostration trying to make money?” “No* bo i got nervous prostration trying to borrow money.”—Chicago Record. —Mistress of the House—“My good man, did you ever take a bath?” Tramp—“No, mum; I never took anything bigger’n a silver teapot.”—Tit- j Bits. —Old Nurse—“Well, how do you like your new little sister?” Bertie—“Oh, Nursie, ask mamma not to name it a girl—name it a boy so I can have a kid to play with.”—Truth. —Impossible. — Pruyn—“Have you heard that horrible story about old Stifle being buried alive?” Dr. Bolus (hastily)—“Buried alive? Impossible! Why, he was one of my patients!”— Brooklyn Life. —“There is one thing I wish to know in connection with trusts and pools,” remarked the Casual Caller. “What is that?” “When aspool collapses does the water in the stock dry up?”—Pittsburgh Chronicle-Telegraph. —A Settler.—“Darling, please answer me,” he moaned as he stood in the center of the parlor. “I am on the rack." “So is your hat,” shouted the old gentleman, who had a gallery seat on the stairway.—Detroit Free Press. —He Stated a Case.—“I wish to state a case,” said the Casual Caller, as he entered the office and sat down on the snake editor’s desk. “Go on.” “A man1 who was going home with a bottle of mucilage in his pocket was set upon by robbers, who took everything he had, except the bottle of mucilage and his hat. Leaving him these they turned him loose. Why is that man like George Washington?” “I could never guess.” “Because he has his hat yet.” “But what has the bottle of mucilage to do with it?” “That is the sticker.”— Pittsburgh Chronicle-Telegraph.

A WOMAN WITH A CHECK. &cbbol Teacher with Ideas of Her Own Invades a Bank. A middle-aged spinster who wore glasses and whose voice was thin stepped up to the paying teller's window in a Brooklyn bank and, holding out a check, said imperatively: “Please give me the money for this check.” The teller saw that the check was drawn on a western bank and made payable to “Mary Eliza Smith,” or a name like that. “What is your name, madam?” he asked. “Is that any business of yours, sir?” returned the woman. “Certainly it is, or I shouldn’t ask it.” “Well, you can read it on that check then.” “You are Mary Eliza Smith, then?” said the teller, still in doubt, “Yes, I am, and a teacher in the public schools. I have no time to prolong this conversation, young man. and I will be obliged to you for the $50 mentioned in that check.” “Have you an account here?” asked the teller. “Indeed I haven’t. I would not have if I could. Why, I never met such an inquisitive young man.” “But I don’t know that you are Mary Eliza Smith.” “Indeed!” said the woman, with elaborate scorn. “I have told you tha^ I was several times. Now, young man, I want my money.” “I can’t cash that check,” said the teller. “Why not? This is a bank, isn’t it?” “Yes, but you must bring some one here to identify you.” “Identify me! Me! Well, well, young man! Is the president here?” “Yes, madam. He is back in his office.” And before the teller could send warning to the president Miss Smith bounced into his office. She told him that she had been insulted, and that she should sue the bank. “You pretend, sir,” she said; “that this is a bank. A bank is a place where checks are cashed. I offered a check here, and that fresh young man wanted me to tell him all about myself and have some one identify me into the bargain. Why, I was teaching in the Brooklyn schools before he was born.” *-■ “But you see, madam, you have no account here,” said the president, “and we don’t know you. We have no means of knowing that the check is good.” “Why, the idea!” ejaculated Miss Smith. “Do you suppose I am a foi> ger?” “No, madam, but as a matter of precaution we must ask you for some identification.” “Indeed, I would not so humiliate myself,” said Miss Smith, haughtily. “I will go to another bank and see if I can find a gentleman who will respect a lady,” and out she walked. The president of the bank was the man who told this story, and he has since learned that the woman is a teacher in a Brooklyn school. “Some women have queer ideas about banking,” he added.—N. Y. Sun.

Theories Concerning the Voice. One very interesting: theory held by fomt vocalists is that the Eatural register of the speaking voice indicates the individual character of the speaker as do the lines on the palms of the hand. For instance, a high soprano voice expresses joy and merriment. Complex natures, who carry on two qualities of thought at once, speak in harmonies, with several notes at a time, and have magnetic voices. The minor voice betrays lack of confidence, the major voice, indicates intense vitality. The mental attidude shows itself in a voice with a sliding downward scale, as in most teachers’ voices. Other instructors’ methods go so far as to say that all who can talk may sing, if willing faithfully to devote their time and energy to the cause.-—Fannie C. W. Barbour, in Chautauquan. * Uses Is Mexico. A wealthy merchant of Mexico says that the linen industry of that country now surpasses that of Ireland In its palmiest day*.—Chicago In+«r Oeean.

INNOCENT MARK NANNA. One of tke Morel Plllnra of tk« He* publican Admin 1st ration. The party of high morality in Ohio is entirely convinced that Mark Hanna did not purchase his seat in the United States senate. If members of either house at Columbus were improperly or successfully approached by Hanna himself they would hafe evidence of Hanna’s corruption in Hanna’s own handwriting. He would pay with his check, but the member of the assembly there who was approached improperly did not have Mr. Hanna's check. He had only a pile of greenbacks, and it is clear as noonday that that pile of greenbacks did not come directly from Mr. Hanna himself. If there was a person in the situation willing to put up money to compass Hanna’s election how can Mr. Hanna be charged with complicity in the event? His signature is nowhere seen in the transaction, and people often have indiscreet friends whose zeal runs away with theiir judgment, even leads them into the commission of crime. The republican party in Ohio, the republican party anywhere will not accept as true the allegation that Mark Hanna bought his way ipto the senate of the United States unless evidence is presented that Mark Hanna’s own check passed and that a particular consideration was named in the check— namely, that it was for the bribee’s vote, to be delivered at Columbus on a certain day. Of cc rse Mr. Hanna got away with the goods, but there is no clean-cut evidence that he used money unlawfully. If he wanted to buy a man he would g;7e him his check, for Mark Hanna is a very unsophisticated man, a thorough business man, and in the indorsement of the purchased assiemblyman he would have that assemblyman’s receipt for the money paid him. Why, then, accuse Mark himself any

• GAVE IT AWAY. Dlnffley Exposes the Weakness ot ProteetUos. In the defense of his tariff law in the house the other day Mr. Dingley exposed the weakness of the sham of protection more clearly than the opponents of that vicious system of taxation have done since Dingley ism was fastened upon the country. He scolded the 6outh for producing 2,000,000 bales of cotton more than were needed this year, and declared that protective tariffs could effect nothing if the hours of labor in the several states were not equalized. He declared that the labor organizations would eventually compel an amendment to the constitution which would permit congress to equalize hours all over the country. This foolish contention embodies the essential principles of protection. Limiting labor means limiting production. And still, under protection, there is no other possible way of keeping'production on a parity with consumption. The Dingleyit.es have closed the door* of the world’s markets to our producte and have left the producer none but thet home consumer. It is under this system that the trust flourishes. It is this that produces a labor surplus as well a* a surplus of products. Low prices for these two most essential elements of wealth inevitably prevail. Mr. Dingley has himself confessed this necessary operation of his law in his contention for shortening the hours of labor.” He has also admitted the un-American paternalism of his party’s fiscal policy. The man able and willing to work ten hours a day is not to be permitted to do so because he will produce more than is needed. This is the statesmanship of absolutism. It is the reincarnation of the spirit that ruled the world before mankind advanced from a condition of abject servitude under kingship and priesthood. Every free trader in the United State*

PUZZLE PICTURE—FIND THE PRESIDENT.

—Chicago Chronicle.

more than accuse Chauncey Depew when in 1882 Low Sessions actually passed a $1,000 bijl to an assemblyman and engaged him to vote for the learned and voluble gentleman"? Of course Chauncey knew nothing about- it. Hanna would not buy his way., Unless the voice of the people, being the voice of God, called him to place and power he would remain in a private station. But tipd reigns and the republican par^" still lives, with Mark Hanna as one of ita moral pillars.—Chicago Chronicle. PARAGRAPHIC POINTERS. -Republicans have “pledged the honor of their party” so often that a republican ballot suggests a pawn ticket.—Chicago Dispatch. —,—The Dingley bill deficit (for the current month will be about $#,000,000. Fortunately the Kansas Pacific railroad is to be auctioned off about the 23d inst., so that we shall stijU have a balance on the right side of the ledger.—Chicago Chronicle.

-Mr. Dmgley wants to so amend the constitution of the United States that the man who has to work for a living will be compelled to go hungry if has labor amounts to more than the protected industries can profitably employ.—St. Louis Republic. -Now Mr. McKinley finds that Mr. Hanna promised everything to everybody in the recent Ohio campaign, and the president cannot ke^p the “contracts** made by the Cleveland boss unless a few score of offices are created right away.—St. Paul Globe. -Again we are assured that the Dingley tariff has nothing to do with the strikes in the New England cotton mills. Senator Hoar says it has*not, and he knows. But it is curious how often the republicans feel called upon to volunteer this information.—N. Y. Post. ——We hear a great deal of the progress that the cause of “sound money” is making throughout the country; if these recent votes in the two houses of congress be taken as a criterion of the progress of “sound money,” the progress it is making is evidently after the manner of the crab, backward.-—N. O. Times-Democrat. -The McHannaites still labor frantically to explain the great wage reduction in New England. They brand as an infamous anarchist anybody who dares to remind them how they promised unprecedented pr^perity to the very workingmen that are now In misery. As brooders, the Dingley-billers are not less successful than as prosperity restorers.-—Kansas City Times.

should feel grateful to Mr. Dingley for so concisely presenting the philosophy of proteetion.-^Jt. Louis Republic. A Maa of Potty. No one of any intelligence suppose* for a moment that Mr. McKinley is a gold standard man in the sense that Mr. Gage is. If he were, and furthermore were endowed with strong and dominating character of Mr. Cleveland, he would be using the whole power of the administration to force congress to enact the Gage bill or some similar measure into law. But he is not a dominating man. He is a purely negative quality. He surrendered to the gold power in return for its support of his presidential candidacy. He will go just as far as he can ir. the payment of his campaign obligations. But he dares ndt be aggressive. Not only is such a course foreign to his nature, but he knows that an .attempt to dr..e a gold measure through congress would disrupt the republican party. Therefore, he will endeavor to satisfy such men as Chandler, Clark, Sboup, et ah, by pointing to the “past record,” reinforcing it, perhaps, with the whispered assurance that he is as good a bimetallist “at heart” as any of them, and is not “wedded to the gold standard.” At the same time Mr. Gaga will be allowed to do as he pleases, and the administration will be run on strictly a gold standard principle. In short, the bimetallists will have McKinley** heart and “his past record,” but th» gold men will dictate hispdiicy.

ThrraielTM to Blame. The “sound money” people are absolutely without justification in their yell that the bimetallists, by this resolution, are disturbing the previously existing financial quietude. Whateverdisturbance.if any, there is,has been set agoing the “sound money” people themselves. They have had Secretary of the Treasury Gage running around with his proposition to “commit the" government more thoroughly to the single gold standard,” and they have had their house committee on banking and currency fixing up a bill to give embodiment to the Gage idea—all this before the Teller resolution was so much aa thought of. Secretary Gage and they have been planning quite a change In the currency status, whereas the-Teller resolution is only the reaffirmation in more specific terms of a law which baa been in existence for a quarter of d century. If there be any financial disturbance, therefore—which we very much doubt—it is plainly the “sound money** people themselrrs and not the bimetallists who are the cause of it*-— N. O. Tixoes-Democrat.