Pike County Democrat, Volume 29, Number 8, Petersburg, Pike County, 1 July 1898 — Page 3

STT1N* near the Fourth agin; Bakes alive! how time does spin! Don’t seem like it's sixty year Since I first begun to hear All the loud, triumphant noise •At we made when we was boys— When we net to wish *at powder Was lots cheaper and lots louder.

Recollect *ith what delight Uat to stay up 'bout all Difht Helpin' 'em lire anrlle, or Makin* other sounds o’ war. < Ust to wish the earth was drilled Out Inside and powder-filled. And that I could somehow Ju* Touch 'er off and hear *•» bust! . Was no cannon-crackers then; Kind o’ wish they had a been. Then they would »’ sounded sweet* How they lift me off my feet. I’ve be cun to think 'at noise Was created Just for boys. And the Fourth don’t seem to me Klee as what It ust to be. Just aa patriotic, still Somehow 1 don’t catch the thrill O’ the loud to-dotn's like When I was a little tyke Wasn't nothin* then but I Had s Anger in the pie, But that Unger, as you see. Got biowed off eventually. —Nixon Waterman. In L. A. W. Bulletin. __

OH^TNTE DUCKWORTH bad the most exciting' part i of bia Fourth of [July celebration ’ very early on the morring of the ear-splitting day; even much earlier than that gray* hour when you very

smart birds wen? enjoying those worms of delicious joy—the first boom of the toew cannon (which I hope will not explode in your faces before the day is •over), and t he rattle-te-bangof the first bunch of firecrackers, thrown maliciously under your poor uncle’s window. Well, you see, your uncle is going1 to return good for evil (I hope you will think it is good!), and is going to tell you a story—tell you how it happened that Mr. Duckworth, Jr„ was once on a time up and stirring in a lively manner about three o’clock a. m. But fir it of all I must tell you who Johnnie was and where he lived. Johnnie’s home was a wee little, house, as neat as a pin abd as yellow as a butter--cup, that stood all alone on a small flat plain, a sort of clearing by the railroad, which was as hot as pepper in summer and as cold as Greenland in winter. From the windows on one side of this little house, built by our hero’s father,.could be seen the railroad tracks glistening at a short distance; and from the windows on the other side could be -seen a narrow "river that glistened far more charmingly. So Johnnie’s mother had always thought, and invariably took her sewing to the window in the parlor, from which, when she raised her eyes from the enormous.rents made by her son in his clothing, she could watch for a moment the peaceful, flowing water. Father Duckworth, however, always drew his chair to the opposite side of the room in his rare hours of leisure, and every now and then, dropping his paper into his lap, he would gaze out over his round glass** lovingly at the straight dashes of steel. His face would simply beam with delight when the house began to quiver gently, then to shake more and mo*o violently and then to dance as a tbup--dering train whizzed by. When a slow freight jangled over the tracks, he would lean out of the window and address funny remarks to the men on feoaril, for Mr. Duckworth knew all the “hands." All his life he had worked repairing those rails, and he loved them —next to bis wife and Johnnie. Mr.McKinley could not be prouder to be president than John Duckworth was to belong to the “section gang,” a company of men employed to keep the tracks in •order. He used to say to his son: “If jrour life is as straight and flawless and bright as them mils you’ll resch the 2>lace I want yon to get to all right. Til be there to meet you and your good oxrtber." Johnnie did not half understand this wise saying, yet he always looked politely solemn; but Mrs. Dockworth ever brought to earth this one ifligbt of her husband’s fancy by begging him not to make her so sad; and then she always added—partly, it would -seem, as if to show her own ability for speaking fancifully—that she hoped Johnnie’s life would be as deep and as ^lear a» the river. So Johnnie grew up ,with a poetic awe for the river and the -rails. Ue learned all about bis father’s business, and Mr. Duckworth took just ?iride in bis son’s knowledge. I doubt f many boys know as much about cars «nd engines and their “tricks and manaers” as Johnnie knew. After poor Mr. Duckworth had died »f sunstroke while repairing some sleepers a few miles up the track at the little village station. Johnnie, although overwhelmed with grief, told his moth-% or with pride that as soon ts he vm oM enough he wanted her to make Mm 4 * .,

.some jumpers, and then he would take hie father’s place in the section gong and would support her. Mrs. Duckworth smiled through her tears, and was brave and patient for her boy's sake. The months passed slowly by, and two years had gone since Mr. Duckworth’s death, when my story begins. Through these years Johnnie had trudged regularly to the little schoolhouse, which was a long ways off, and was standing finely in his lessons; and his mother spent her time missing him and expecting him, and sewing to support him. Her neighbors used to ask why she didn’t come off the plain and live among them, ’’more cozy like," where the trees grew, but both she and Johnnie felt it a duty to stay where they could watch the long sweep of railway track. Johnnie’s interest in everything concerning the trains continued and grew, and the boys in the neighborhood used to laugh and call them his big pets. Johnnie was a serious boy, and his father’s death made him more so. He did not seem to care to play with other boys very much. His mother used to urge him to do so, saying that he was getting too old-fashioned, yet dreading all the time that he would follow her advice, for he was very companionable. Johnnie was old-fashioned; but a boy would have been very old-fashioned indeed not to want to celebrate the Fourth of July royally. For this special Fourth that I am going to tell you about, Mrs. Duckworth had promised her son a dozen packages of little firecrackers and five packages of great big ones; but Johnnie, although he did not say anything, was not satisfied. What he wanted was a colored light, and he wanted it fervently and persistently. The year before one of the rich farmers celebrated the Fourth by atdisplay of fireworks in the evening, ihe like of which Johnnie had never seen. The farmer had imported them from far New York. There were rockets and Roman candles and scintillating wheels, such as the little village way up in the north of the state had never had on the counterof its one store. And, wonderof wonders! there were great lights, green and red, that lit up acres and acres of the farm, and even illuminated Johnnie’s and his mother’s facesas they sat on the little piazza of their home watching the distant show. The next day Jotnnie

floating down the river. In Jane? ha could see it going its course, shining brightly and lighting up the trees on the opposite bank. And bow surprised the little fish would be to find the river turning red I He wished he could see the fishes with their mouths wide open staring at his light—the little fish who didn't know anything about the Fourth. Johnnie did not need to be so patronizing in his feeling toward the fishes, for he himself did not know much more about the Fourth than tuba* people always shot off firecrackers on that day. He was glad he had not gotten a green light, for it wouldn’t make much contrast with the night, which is dark green. Then, as the water looks green anyway to the fishes (it must, for it looks so to people on land), why, they wouldn’t be much surprised to see the river simply lightening—they would think it was morning. But think of the exquisite shock to each fishy heart to be awakened by a burst of rubiness overhead! Johnnie's head was sinking lower and lower on the window sill and his thoughts were getting very fantastic, as you see. Rousing himself, he slipped into his little bed and then put his hand up under the cool pillow to touch—the red light! Think of it—he had taken it to bed with him! The wind, as Johnnie’s senses were being stolen by the sandman, was increasing, and there was a distinct smell of rain in the air. The boy opened his eyes and looked out of the window. The wind seemed to be blowing the little fly-away sailboatof a moon over the green sky at a dashing fate. Johnnie thought the moon was a boat—I am not making him think so—and as he closed his eyes he wished he were in the boat and wondered if he should be able to hold the sheet of the golden 6ail in such a gale, and then he fell fast asleep. It seemed to him that he had been sailing for some time when there was a stopping of all things, and he awoke with a start. It was at that solemn hour just before dawn. Johnnie crept to the window to see if there was now a promise of a fair day. The storm had ceased, but it must b#ve been a furious one, for the firm little bridge that Mr. Duckworth had built over the river a few steps from the bouse was broken. Johnnie could plainly see the wreck in the clear night. Just then he heard a sound, a sound as big as a sigh, way, way off. It waa the Canadian express

-=» *1 X BIO FUUiE OP RXZ> riOSE.

asked in the Tillage what the great lights were, and was told that they were called Grecian lights. Immediately the desire to possess so much glow seized Johnnie, and be resolved to have one himselfi the next year. Hi9 longing was so deep that somehow he could not tell anyone about it, not even his good mother. His secret had a charm for him. In the following spring he was still as enthusiastic, and he began to hoard the occasional pennies he made by one and another little service to the village folk. By the last week in June he had saved 18 cents, and was ready for his purchase. And now, how to secure the glorious brilliancy? It had to be “imported." Johnnie asked a good and tried friend of his on the freight train bound f»*r New York to get it for him. During the next week Johnnie’s imagination worlrv*. so hard that beseemed to think his triend would return standing! like the Goddess of Liberty, on the freight car, holding aloft a whole sunset and sunrise of light. Silly Johnnie was ao carried away by his fancy that be received a real shock when, on the day before the Fourth, Jim tossed him only a small package as the train slowly passed his house, calling out gayly: “Open your mouth and catch your light!" * Johnnie ran indoors in a state of great excitement and showed his treasure to his mother, who rejoiced with him in his happiness. That night, just after he had blown : out his candle, Johnnie was looking out of his window trying to decide whether the morrow would be fine or not. There was something in the air he did not like, and be saw that a storm was coming. The moon was shining, but there was a certain stiffness in the warm wind. The little river was running more swiftly than usual. However. Johnnie could not feel that the Fourth would be unpleasant, and he began to think what he should do with his red light, and the splendid Idea came to him to balid a small raft and act the light on it, and then send It

whistling for a switch at the junction The boy waited at the window to see it go by. Suddenly a thought flashed into his mind and bis heart stopped beating. He slipped into his clothes in a twinkling and stole quickly downstairs and quietly out of the door, then scuttled over the plain to the place where the little river fell over the crest of a slight bill and then dashed under the railroad bridge. As Johnnie thought might be the case, the bridge was as much of a wreck as the little one was. The rails were twisted and. lay like jackstraws among the jumbled wood. Johnnie heard the distant sigh again, and his heart beat wildly. What could be do? In a few mirutes the express would come. Suddenly he thought of the red light under his pillow. Taking & full breath, he ran home. He heard* the sigh again, but no nearer. “It hasn’t started! It hasn't started! ” he thought. “There’s still time, still time!” In a minute he was again in his room, and had the light and some matches in his hand. It seemed ages to him. He heard the faint sound again, but nearer this time. “Oh, it's started! God help me!” he gasped, as he fled- ont into the thinning darkness again. He did-not go | to the bridge, as yon may suppose, but ran at full speed up the track toward the sound, for well he knew that the express couldn’t stop short of half a mile at the least. On, on he sped. At last the right distance was reached. And now the whistle sounded clear, some way down round the bend. Johnnie put the light In the middle of the track and struck a match on the rail, but the rail was wet from the rain and the match flickered and went out. Nearer and nearer came the thunder and shrill sounds. Johnnie gasped and struck another xaatch on the case of the red light. This time he was successful. He touched the match to the powder. There was a sputter, then another sputter, and then a big flare of red arose and spread- up and over the plain, jurt as the headlight of the locomotive rounded the curro

Waving wildly, Johnnie sprang bach from the track. To his joy he heard the air brakes scrape and the steam escaping. The great train passed on, bat at a lessened rate of speed. After it oar young hero ran pell-mell. He saw the sparks belching oat of the engine’s chimney, and saw that the train had stopped near his home. When he came up to it, he found the men walking al»out with lanterns, and asking what w«a the matter. Imagine their amazement when a small boy ol ten explained all to them. Think of the cheers that rang out in the gray air! and of how the question, put by one conductor: “What’s the matter with Johnnie Duckworth?” was answered with a roar: “HE’s all right!" Mrs. Duckworth was awakened by the snorting locomotive, and heard the cheers, in which she seemed to distinguish her son’s name. Johnnie saw first a light in his mother’s room, and directly there was a light in the parlor and the front door opened. He called feeb ly, “Mother!” :for the terrible nervous strain he had been under was beginning to tell upon him. Some of the men heard his little cry, and gently raised him on their shoulders and carried him tc her, cheering and cheering again. Many of the men po&sengers went along with them.. They mounted the steps, and then in a short: word or two told wha1 had happened, for their little rescues needed care. “Mr. Duckworth , ovei j again” had fainted. Several of the men j stayed with the anxious mother, and the others went away and stood at« distance waiting to hear news of the boy. Soon tidings were brought that he was all right, and then another long cheer rent the air. Johnnie heard il and smiled at his mother, who wae hugging him and crying and laughing at the same instant. The section jjang was summoned and the bridge rejt&ired in two or three hours. Johnnie was well enough to be taken out on to the piazza to see the express steam away with everyone leaning out of the windows: or standing on the platforms waving and shouting to him and his mother. While the repairs were being made Mrs. Duckworth received gentleman after gentleman. They made every kind of grade ful offer to the proud mother, but she refused them all with quiet dignity, saying that her son had but done his duty, and he would be repaid for having done so, a very long time off, she hoped, when he should j reach the terminus where his father was already. They appreciated her feeling, and honored her too much to insist. Nothing, however, prevented! the president of the road, who was in- j formed of Johnnie’s bravery, from seeing that he had a splendid start in the railroad business he so much loved, and f in which he has now a position such as Mr. Duckworth, Sr., had never in his most hopeful moments dreamed of for his son.

After breaKlast on tne fourth Jonn | nie and his mother went to see what was left of the red light. A little charred board was all that remained. Johnnie took this home as a memento, and then went about setting off his firecrackers like any other small boy,! almost forgett ing the big thing he and his red light had done.—James Pen* nington, in N. Y. Examiner. What He Would Like. A man who looked -the picture of melancholy and physical discomfort was sitting on the front 6tep of a store which had been closed in honor of Independence day. Every time a patriotic Explosion occurred he gave a nervous jump. •^Vhat’s the matter?” said his friend. Aren’t you going to join in the festivities?” “No. I don’t like gunpowder.” “But isn’t there anything that you’o enjoy? This .is a holiday, you know, and a little innocent diversion is only appropriate.” “Yes, there’s one form of sport- that would suit me fi rst-class.” “What is that ?” “I’d like to go somewhere and throw snowballs.”—Washington Star. 03f THE FOt'RTII. A 11/ ////-/ vCo j

.8 aawns uj« ni;ppy [With Its wealth of wasted thumbs, he small boy ct unts it treason If a quiet moment comes. Onip Plat. Sins a sons for the Oar of the Stars and the Stripes! The flag of the R«mI and the Blue! The Has which will live while the aces shall last. Because founded on bravery so true! *Tts the Has of our country, the “Fla* of * the free!" The flay of our "Union forever!** The flag that hi bound to America's heart With a tie which no hardship can sever. Fling It out to the brasses In village and town. The city, the mountain and plain! It will ten Its own sitory wherever ’tla seen. And tell not the s iory in vain. CUvs cheers for the flac! give chews fot the "boys" Who bore It through havoc and woe For the sake of the freedom it won tor m all i In the years that have parsed long age* 1 —Mary XX Brass, la OristMw Wssfc.

Later Particulars of the Great Fight of the Rough Riders in the Chaparral. THOSE WHO FELL BRAVELY FI6HTIH8.

BmthlMi Cubans Give Warning of the Am bosh—Gallant Conduct of Onr Mea Under a Withering Fire—Mo Thought of Retreat or Hesitation Entertained for a Moment. Juragua, Cuba, June 25, 4 p. m., via Kingston, Jamaica, June 25.—The initial fight of Ck>l. Woods' rough riders and the troopers of the First and Tenth regular cavalry will he known in history as the battle of La Quasi n a. That it did not end in the Complete Slaughter of the Americans was not due to any miscalculation in the plan of the Spaniards, for as perfect an ambuscade as was ever formed in the brain of an Apache Indian was prepared, and Lieut.-Col. Roosevelt and his men walked squarely into it. For an hour and a half they held their ground under a perfect storm of bullets from the front and sides, anciLtheuCoL Wood at the right and Lieut.CoL Roosevelt at the left, led a charge which turned the tide of battle and sent the enemy flying over the hills toward Santiago. Impossible to Calculate the Spanish Losses. It is now definitely known that 18 men on the American side were killed, while 60 were wounded or are reported to be missing. It is impossible to calculate the Spanish losses, but it is known that they were far heavier than those of the Americans, at least as regards actual loss of life. Already 37 dead Spanish soldiers have been found and buried, while many others undoubtedly are lying in the thick underbrush an the side of the gully, and on the slope of the hill, where the main body of the enemy was located. The wounded were all removed. A complete list of the killed, revised to four o’clock Saturday, is as follows: The Heroes Who Died at La Quastna. Capt. Allyn K. Capron, First United States v<te*pteer cavalry. SergeanvHamilton Fish, Jr., Troop L, First United States volunteer cavalry. Sergeant Doherty, Troop A, First United States volunteer cavalry. Sergeant Marcus D. Russell, Troop G, First United States volunteer cavalry. Sergeant Russell lived in Troy, •N. Y., aud was formerly a colonel on Gov. Hill’s staff. Private Leggett, Troop —, First United States volunteer cavalry.’ Private Harry Heffher, Troop G, First United States volunteer cavalry. Private Milden W. Danson, Troop L, First United States cavalry. Private W. T. Irving, Troop F, First United States volunteer cavalry. Private Slennoc, Troop K, First regular cavalry. Private B. Work, Troop B, First regular cavalry. Private Krupp, Troop B, First regular cavalry. Private Stark, Troop A, First regular cavalry. Private Berlin, troop K, First regular cavalry. Private Kelbe, Troop K,First regular cavalry. >

corporal wnite, Troop m, lentn regular cavalry. The Spaniards were Thoroughly Posted. That the Spaniards were thoroughly posted as to the route to be taken by the Americans in their movements towards Sevilla was shown by the careful preparations they had made. The main body of Spaniards were posted on a hill, on the heavily wooded slopes of which had been erected two blockhouses, flanked by irregular intrenchments of stone and fallen trees. At the bottom of these hills run two roads along which Lieut.-Col. Roosevelt’s men and eight troops of the First and Tenth cavalry, with a battery of four howitzers, advanced. A Large Fore* of Spaniards In Anibnab. These roads are but little more than gullies, rough and narrow, and at places almost impassable. In these trails the light occurred. Nearly half a mile separated Roosevelt's men from the regulars, and between them and on both sides of the rohd in the thick underbrush was concealed a force of Spaniards that must have been large, judging from the terrific and constant fire they poured in on the Americans. Started Off Up the Precipitous Bluff. I ■ The fight was opened by the First and Tenth cavalry, under Gen. Young. A force of Spaniards was known to be in the vicinity of La Quasina, and early in the morning Lieut.-CoL Roosevelt’s men started off up the precipitous bluff back of Siboney, to attack the Spaniards on their right flank, Gen. Young at the same time taking the road at the foot of the hilL Breathless Cubans Bring a Warning. About two and a half miles out from Siboney some Cubans, breathless and excited, rushed into camp with the an-1 nouncement that the Spaniards were but a little way in front, and were strongly intrenched. Quickly the Hotchkiss guns out in front were brought to the rear, while a strong scouting line was thrown out. Then cautiously and in silence the i troops moved forward until a bend in | the road disclosed a hill where the , Spaniards were located. The guns were again brought to the front and placed in position, while the men crouched down in the road, waiting Impatiently to give Roosevelt’s men, who were toiling over the little trail along the crest of the ridge, time to get up. At 7:30 a. m. Gen. Yonng gave the •ommand to the men at the Hotchkiss runs to open fire. The command was he signal for a fight, that for stubmrnness has seldom been eaualled. Che instant the Hotchkiss

fired the hillside commanding the road gave forth volley after volley from th » Mansers of the Spaniards. ••Don’t Shoot Until I n See Something So Shoot At," yelled Gen. Young, and the men, with set jaws and gleaming eyes, obeyed the order. Crawling along the road, and protecting themselves as much as possible from the fearful fire of the Spaniards, the troopers, some of them stripped to the waist, watched the base of the bill, and when any part of a Spaniard bt came risible they tired. Never for ox. In*tent Did They Falter. One husky warrior of the Tenth cavalry, with a ragged hole in his thigh, coolly knelt behind a rock, loading and firing, and when told by one of his companion^ that he was wounded, laughed and said: “Oh, that's all right. That's been there for some time.” The Twin Battle* in the Chaparral. In the meantime, away off to the left could be heard the crack of the rifles ot Col. Wood’s men and the regu- , llar, deep-toned volley firing of the Spanish. Over there the American losses were the greatest. Col. Wood’s men, with an advance guard well out in front and two Cuban guides before them, but apparently with no flankers, went . squarely into the trap set for them by the Spaniards, and only The Unfaltering ( oarage of the Men, in the face of a fire that would even 'make a veteran quail, prevented what might easily have been a disaster. As iv was, Troop L, the advance guard under the unfortunate Capt. Capron, wiw almost surrounded, and but for the reinforcements hurriedly sent forward eVery man would probably have been killed or wounded.

The Spanish Fire Accurate and Heavy. “There most have been nearly 1,500 Spaniards in front and to the sides of us,” said Lieut.-Col. Roosevelt to-day, when discussing the fight. “They held the ridges with rifle pits and machine guns, and had a body of men in ambush in the thick jungle at the sides of the road over which we were advancing. Our advance guard struck the men in ambush and drove them out. But they lost Capt. Capron, Lieut. Thomas, and about 15 men killed or wounded. The Spanish firing was ao curate, so accurate indeed that it surprised me, and their firing was fear* fully heavy.’* “I want to say a Word for our own men,” continued Lieut.-Col. Roosevelt. “Every officer and man did his duty up to the handle. Not a man flinched.” Further Detail* of the Fight. From another officer who took a prominent part in the fighting, more details were obtained. “When the firing began,” said he, “Lieut.-Col. Roosevelt took the right wing with Troops G and K, under Captaips Llewyln and Jenkins, and moved to the support of^apt. Capron, who Wm Getting It Hard. At the same time Col. Wood and Maj. Brodie took the* left wi ng and advanced in open order on the Spanish right wing. Maj. Brodie was wounded before the troops had advanced 100 yards. Col. Wood then took the right wing and shifted Col. Roosevelt to the left. “Teddy” Yelled and Sprang Forward la Front of Hie Men. “In the meantime £he fire of the Spaniards had increased in volume, but notwithstanding this, an order for a general charge was given, and with a yell the men sprang forward. Col. Roosevelt, in front of his men, snatched a rifle and ammunition from a wounded soldier, and cheering and yelling with his men, led the advance. For a moment the bnllets were singing like a swarm of bees all around them and every instant some poor fellow went down.

lieavj LoHM-KeMnw Ordered Ip— Charged the Blockhouse. On the right wiug Capt. McClintock had his leg broken by a bullet from a machine gun. while four of his men went down. ,At the same time, Capt. Luna of Troop 'F lost nine of his men. Then the reserves, Troops K and E, were ordered up. Col. Wood, with the right wing, charged straight at the blockhouse, 300 yards away, and Col. Roosevelt, on the left, charged at the same time.;, Up the men went, yelling like fiends, and never stopping to return the fire of the Spaniards, but keeping on with a grim determination to capture that blockhouse. The Spaniards Broke and Ran. That charge was the end. When within 300 yards of the coveted point the Spaniards broke mnd ran, and for the first time we had the pleasure, which the Spaniards had been experiencing all through the engagement, of shooting with the enemy in sight.” SPAIN’S BOASTED THIRD FLEET The Kind of Vessels with Which She Proposes to Meet aa American Squadron—Spanish •Finances. """ f Loxdox, June 27.—The correspondent at Gibraltar of the Daily News says: “A third squadron, it is reported, will leave Cadiz July 15. The ships there include the Vittoria, only fit for coast defense; the Alfonso XII., which cannot be ready for sea in a long time, and is incapable of more than 12 knots, and the Havel, which has just been armed by the Armstrongs, and should be efficient. The Namancia, which is at Barcelona, ought to be ready in a fortnight. The armed cruiser Lepanto. Spain's best ship, will leave Cartagena in ten days for Cadiz for her gun trials. The Cardinal Cisneros is at Ferrol, and is little value. Several tranports still remain at Cadiz, with a few gnus, but they are useless for the purpose of conroyieg troops. •*I am told that beside the new issue >f 1,500,000 pesetas in paper, a million pesetas are withdrawn notes which lave been refused in an underhand way. Mot Tot Asked Fermlulou to Coal. Caibo, June 26.—Admiral Camara taanot asked permission to coal EWt Maid.