Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 112, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1904 — Page 6

The Sea Scourge

CHAPTER XIII. Time passed on, and the week was tone. On the morning of the day wh|eh Mad been set for the last to be spent in these regions by the two lovers, Paul arose with a dizzy, aching head, for the night just passed had been one of uneasiness and anxiety. Ben Marton was now so. far, recovered that he needed only rest and care, and the wounded men were also out of danger; so Paul left no one who needed his assistance. Up to the present time he had not made up his mind how-die should manage with regard to Burnington. He had the fullest confidence in that man, though there was yet something about him which he could not fathom. .At length, however, he resolved to write a brief statement of his plans without letting the num know anything about where and how he was going; so he went down to the cabin, and having made sure he was not observed, he took « sheet of paper, and with a pencil he wrote as follows: “Burnington—When you open this I shall bo on my way from those who have thus far proved only a curse to roe. Should you ever wish to see me again, you will find me with my friends in America, if I have any such there. You know where to find me much better than I can tell you, for you evidently know more about them than I do. With regard to this matter, I have not given you my full confidence, it is true, and I ant sure that you have not confided the half of your knowledge concerning myself to me. But I hope to see you again. PAUL.” The youth- sealed—this 4etter, and-at the first opportunity he slipped it into •IJurnington’s hand, saying, as he did sx>: “You will not open this till after dark —till midnight. Will you promise me?” “Certainly,” responded Buffo, in blank surprise. “Then take it, and be sure that no one else sees it Remember, now, you are not to open it until well into the night.” Burnington would have asked many questions, but there was no opportunity, so he slipped the missive into his bosom and then turned away; but he did not keep his promise, for in half an hour afterward he had read the letter, and his face showed that he was troubled. After dinner Paul told the captain he was going up to the castle. Laroon* smiled a bitter smile as he heard 111 is, but he made no objections. Paul made up a bundle of linen which he said he should get washed, and within that he concealed a full suit of Billy Mason's clothes; and thus prepared, he called away his boat's crew, and went over the side. He had taken all the money he could raise that he. felt free, to use, in all amounting to thirteen hundred dollars —for, of course, the prize money of the Russian corvette~irad not yet been distributed, and Paul had not dared to ask for any of it, for scar of exciting suspicions. The castle waS reached, and the crew kad pledged themselves to obey their young commander to the very letter, and be faithful to his interests. He knew he could depend upon them, and he felt bo uneasiness on "that score. Billy Mason had been thoroughly instructed in the part he was to play, and he was prepared for it. The portcullis was raised, and the boat passed under and was moored at the landing stairs close by the building. Paul found Mary waiting for him with Bauch anxiety, but her countenance brightened as soon as she saw her lover, for she knew by his looks that all had gone right thus far. “Are you ready?” was the youth's first remark, as soon as they had secured a situation by themselves.

“Everything is done that I can do,’’ th'' maiden answered. “Then I think we are safe. No One suspects us —no one dreams that we are going—none save Buffo Burnington.” “And does he know?’’ “Yes; or rather he will know, for I wrote him that we were going.” As the night drew on they both grew servous and uneasy, and Mary was sure that she could hear the beating of her lover's heart as she stood next to his aide. Billy Mason had watched the coming darkness, and as soon as he thought he could do so without being discovered he crept into the boat and hid himself under the thwarts. A little while afterward Paul went to the boat, and <s soon as he found that the youngster was there he repaired at once to Mary’s apartment, where he found a lovely girl —the very beau ideal of a handsome sailor. The youth next went to see that the corridor was clear, and, having found It so, they passed over to the maiden’s sleeping room, which was on the front of the building. The window was carefully raised. and Paul could see the dusky forms of three of his men below. He whistled very slowly, and they whistled “All safe.” It was but a few moments' work to knot three linen sheets together, and with these Paul lowered the girl safely to the ground. Just as she touched terra tirma a dark form came gliding up from be•eath the shade of the wall, and Mary would have cried out in alarm had she got recognized her faithful Otehewn “Heaven bless and protect you!” murmured the noble-hearted slave girl, at the Mtn« time throwing her arms about her mistress' neck. But she was too wise to detain the pa\ty, so she only added, after she had received a kiss and a' blessing in return: ’“I shall not Heave here until I am sure you are safely off. Be not afraid of detection from your absence to-night, for ) will see that no one enters your apartaaent. There was one warm pressure, nnd then the faithful girl glided away just as Paul came out upon the veranda. ‘Hallo, my men,” cried the youth. “Ay, ay,” responded one of the crew. Home—look alive. We must lie off as noon as possible, for I promised to be on board early. To your oars at once.” Near the landing stood several of the •Mate servants, n.fi of them willing tools ♦f the pirate captain; but they did not ••cognize their young mistress beneath ber disguise, and with n trembling step •be descended to the boat. But she had •ot the power to lift an oar; she sank down upon the thwart where young Ma■pa should have sat. with her powers of

both mind and body about gone. Paul quickly leaped to his seat, and he saw at one.e how Mary was situated; but'there was no danger of detection now, for it was too dark for those on the landing to see the movements of those in the boat, and the heavy portcullis came down .with a low, grating sound. Both Paul ahd Mary now breathed more freely. The barrier was passed, and the road was open. px At this moment they reached a point which Mary designated as the place where Otehwa had concealed a bundle of her clothing. The bow was pulled in to the shore, and beneath the cover of an overhanging rock was found quite a bundle. This was taken on board, and they started down the stream. At length they came to the point of land where Paul had resolved to land, and the boat was again laid in by the shore. The youth helped Mary out, and then he landed himself. The gold he had concealed about his person in leathern belts, and the diamonds were in a small bag which Mary carried. Turning to his crew, he said: “Now, my brave boys, you will remain here and wait for me until daylight, and if I do not return by‘the time you can see the distant mountains plainly, you may return to the brig; and there you may answer your captain as you please. Now, I am about to leave you. Most of my shipmates have ever been kind to me. You have the warmest love of my grateful heart. Farewell.” Paul would have turned away at once, but Billy Mason sprang forward and caught his hand,, and the rest followed his example. He embraced the noble fellows in turn, and uttered one simple word more of farewell, and then turned away.

CHAPTER XIV. The night was quite dark, and as Paul and his companion struck into the wood path, the way became one of almost impenetrable gloom. Once, at a rew rods distant from the shore, he stopped. Fortunately the path was a very clear one, for it led to the wide opening where the horses were kept, and was consequently much traveled. In half an hour they reached the opening, and here Paul caught a horse. He had already concealed'a bridle there, which he readily found, and as soon as the animal was prepared with his fixtures, Mary’ was helped upon his back. The youth took his seat behind her, and then started on. The animal proved to be a kind and gentle one, and he kept the path without difficulty. It might have been near midnight when the fugitives came to the open country that bordered upon the small bay where the fishermen's huts stood, and by this time the stars had begun to peep through, the breaking clouds, but the moon had not yet risen. Paul rode at once to the found no one there. This was to him a rough pier where the lugger lay, but he bad omen, and it struck him with fear. His next movement was to make his way to the cot where lived the man who was to have taken command of the lugger. He knocked at the door, and it was soon opeeud by the man whozi Paul most wished to see. "How is this?” asked our hero. “You were to have everything ready for sailing by an hour before midnight.” "To-morrow was the day set,” said the fisherman, looking perplexed. “You said you might be here in the evening, but at any event, by an hour before midnight. Did you mean to-day?” Paul saw that the man was honest in what he said, and ho saw, too, where the mistake had come in. The fisherman had planned to sail on the morrow, and they had confounded the evening and midnight of this morning with the close of the day they had set. It was surely a blind, blundering piece of work on their part, and so Paul felt it to be. But there was no help for it now but to get ready as quickly as possible, and the youth had the good sense not to bother them by finding too much fault with their carelessness. "How long will it take you to get ready?” ‘Oh, only a few hours. I can call up the men, and have all ready soon. Paul promised him a hundred dollars, and this had the effect of hurrying matters somewhat; but they were further delayed by the tide being out. Those were painful moments to Paul. There he stood, or rather walked upon the pier, and thought of how all this might have been avoided. “Oh!” he uttered to Mary, at the same time clasping her hands in agony, “if these dolts had possessed the intelligence of common sheep, all this might have been obviated, and we should now, at this moment, have been away. We should have been free! Oh,.’tis too bad—too bad! See how slowly the sluggish tide comes in.” And then Paul walked away to the side of the rough pier nnd then back again; and this he repeated many times. Ever and anon he would stop and look at the water where it gathered about the rudder of tlie lugger, and he wondered why it did not rise faster. Every moment seemed an hour to him, and the lazy element appeared to gain nothing. But the water was not to be forever in rising, and at length the rudder was covered and in a few momenta nrara the old lugger began to right up. The moon had now risen, ami it was quite light, for’ the clouds had all, broken away. Paul helped Mary on board, and then conducted her below, where there was a rude sort of cuddy partitioned off for the sleeping quarters of the crew, and this he had secured for Mary’s own use, having planned to sleep himself on deck under some mats' which the fisherman promised to provide. He selected the best bunk he could find, and then set about arranging the bedding so that Mary might take as much physical comfort ns possible. Thus he was engaged when the men on deck began to gather in the shore fasts, and he knew from th* feeling of the vessel that she was very near afloat, for he could hear ber keel grat ing.upon .the aand. "We shall be off ere long,” he said to his companion. “Now you lie down, and I will go on deck and help get the old thing off. “What was that? I heard a voice—-

someone hailing the vessel, I thought,* uttered. Mary, turning pale. Paul leaped upon the deck and a sight me this gaze that made his heart stand still. A dozen men were standing upon tire pier, directly alongside the lugger, and in advauce of the rest he saw the short, square form of Marl Laroon“Ah, my boy,” cried the pirate captain, leaping on board as he spoke, and at the same time motioning for his men to follow him, “we have once more met. Yo» have no idea how' anxious I have been.” “Back, back, sir!” uttered the youth, drawing a pistol from his bosom as I>e spoke. “Lay a hand upon me and you shall die.” “What—would you shoot your own father?” spid Laroon. Before Paul could reply he was seized from behind, his pistols taken from him, and his arms pinioned. Some of the men had come up back of him without his notice. As soou as this was done, Marl Laroon started for the companion way and disappeared down the ladder, and in a moment more there came a sharp, wild cry up from the cabin. Paul started, and with his feet he knocked down two of the men, but he could do no more,- and while he was yet struggling, the captain reappeared, "leading Mary by the arm. “Now, my son,” he said, as he came near to where Paul stood, “we will be on our way back, for you have been away long enough. Don’t you begin to feel homesick?” The youth was now too much disgusted to speak. He had wit enough to see what caused Marl’s lightness of manner. The captain had evidently been fearing that they were ■ gone past catching, and thus to come upon them so easily raised his spirits. The pirate had something upon his tongue to say, but he kept it to himself. He led Mary from the deck of the lugger, and his followers went after him with Paul. Laroon spoke a few words with the fishermen, and then turued up toward a clump of cocoa trees, where a number of horses were hitched. He spoke no more until he had reached the horses, and then he said only enough to inform those who guarded Paul how they were to dispose of him. During this time Paul had been wondering how all this came about. Either the boat’s crew must have been discovered; or Laroon must have gone up to thei castle; or Burnington must have turned traitor. He disliked to think the last thing, and yet it would hold the most prominent pla-e in his mind. “Look ye, Paul,” uttered the pirate captain after he had assisted Marj - to the back of his horse, “where is your boat and the men you had with you?” The youth- hesitated a moment, but he quickly understood that "if he did not answer this question plainly his boatmen might have to suffer, so he answered: “They are waiting where I left them, I suppose. I told them to wait for me until daylight, and that if I did not return then, they might go on board.” > “Very * considerate, to be sure,” responded Marl with a bitter sneer. He asked no more, and would have ridden off at once, had not Paul detained him. “Unbind me,” said the youth. “I shall not try to escape alone.” The captain pondered upon it a few moments, and then gave directions for unbinding the “boy’s” hands. This was done, and then the pirate chieftain started on, and in a moment more his men followed him, Paul riding the horse he had come down on, and which had joined the others as soon as they had been .left by the cocoa trees. For some distance not a word was spoken. Paul rode by the side of Philip Storms, the second lieutenant, and he knew this officer to be friendly to him. “Storms,” he said, as soon as he was sure no one else would hear him, “at what time did the captain leave the brig? Do not fear to trust me, for I give you my word that whatever you may say shill never be used to your prejudice, Tell me, if you know.” “Well, he left about 9 o'clock.” “And when did he return for you?” “He took us with him.” (To be continued.)

HOW TO SCARE FOOTPADS.

Just Clink a Silver Half Dollar Against a Button. A friend of mine tells me how he once fooled a couple of footpads. He was going home at a late hour of night when he noticed a man walking in the same direction a few rods ahead of him. His suspicion was excited by the fact that the man had not been there a moment before, and that there was no house ln k that block for him to have come from. He concluded that the man must have come from behind a tree. This suspicion was increased to something like certainty when he suddenly discovered that another man was walking behind him. As they approached the middle of the open block —an excellent place for a hold-up—the man In front walked more slowly while the one behind quickened his pace. My friend was pretty thoroughly frightened by the conviction that they were closing In on him with criminal intent. His first thought was to seek safety in flight, but pride on the one hand and fear of being caught by them on the other prevented him from doing this. Then, in his extremity, a brilliant idea struck him. He was utterly unarmed, having not so much'as a pocketknife about him, but he took a silver half-dollar from bis pocket, tapped It twice in quick succession on one of bls bone cont-buttons, producing a sound similar to the cocking of a pistol, and, turning suddenly, pointed his finger at the man behind him, saying: “I’ll give you one minute to get out of range.” The man Instantly took to his heels, shouting as he did so: “Run, Bill! He’s got a gun.” The fact that the other man immediately ran away in an opposite direction convinced my friend that he had made no mistake in guessing them to be footpads.—-Brooklyn Eagle. A politician roosts on the fence because there are voters on both sides of it. Truth is certainly stranger than fiction to many

CURRENT COMMENT

The United States government loaned t>4,G00,000 to the Ixmisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis. The total amount tefunded so far is $2,408,147, which is more than half of the original loan; and there has been no difficulty in meeting the monthly payments. In all these expositions, the early months showed the smaller attendance, and the exposition at St. Louis is no exception. The receipts have shown a steady increase, due to the enlargement of the daily number of admissions. The exposition is the greatest the world has ever seen, and it is probable that it is the most magnificent fair the world will See for the next half-cen-tury, at least. From the Centennial Exposition of 1876, these world’s fairs have been increasing in extent apd scope/ until we have this year the culmination in the St. Louis exhibit. That there will be another of equal scope and value within the next half-century is hardly to be expected. The Louisiana purchase centennial closes a long list of anniversaries, beginning with the centennial of the Declaration of Independence.—Toledo Blade. For the presidential candidate the period between his nomination and the decisive day upon which all interest centers usually proves extremely trying. Wherever he passes the summer and autumn, reporters and photographers are incessantly alert. So many people desire to see a nominee for the presidency, especially a new one, that he is constantly receiving visitors, and he frequently has to entertain incongruous groups of callers. Great discretion must be exercised by the candidate, for he can never feel quite sure of the effect of anything that he does or says. Every chance remark, every letter, every formal speech is'closely examined by the opposition, in search of statements that may be used against him. In six contests during the last half century one candidate was already occupying the White House and running for re-election. Not since 1896 have both candidates been storming the citadels from without, although this was the case for three campaigns in succession, beginning with 1876. Five of these contests between the candidate in the presidential chair and the one outside have gone into history. The sixth is now in progress. Lincoln, Grant and McKinley were successful, while Cleveland In 1888 and Harrison in 1892 were defeated. The chances thus seem fairly even on this score. The battle is more evenly matched, certainly on its personal aspects, when both candidates are drawn from the field, because then they can do the same things. One is not restrained by the proprieties of the presidential .office, nor is the other held back from efforts in which his rival cannot meet him. Although the man in office obviously has some advantages, he clearly labors under many obstacles. He must make decisions on the troublesome questions of current administration, when the outside aspirant need tell what his policy would be only where it suits him to do so.— Youth’s Companion.

THE TALK OF MEDIATION.

Little Prospect that Other Powers Will Mix in the Eastern Embroglio. In its session at St. Louis the Interparliamentary Union adopted two resolutions, one asking the President of the United States to call a new session of The Hague conference and the other asking the powers to intervene to effect peace in the far East. The proposal to hold another conference at The Hague and thus promote the cause of peace generally can arouse no opposition. The resolution calling for the intervention of the powers in the Russo-Japanese war is another and far less practicable measure. As matters now stand between the two belligerent powers, a Chicago paper says, neither is in a position either to ask peace or to listen to offers of friendly mediation. The fortunesrof war thus far have been distinctly favorable to Japan. That nation would not consent to any terms of peace which did not involve the expulsion of Russia from Manchuria and the placing of Korea under a Japanese protectorate. In all likelihood, the Japanese government would require also the cession of Sakhalin island and the right to control the Tort Arthur branch of the Siberian railway. Russia, while it has met heavy reverses, has experienced no such disastrous defeat as would lead it to consider such terms. It would decline to admit that it has been defeated or that future campaigns may not give it a decisive victory over its enemy. Unfortunately, moreover, none of the great powers seems to be in a position which would enable it to intervene without arousing the distrust and antagonism of one or the other of the belligerents. An offer of mediation from Great Britain, Japan’s ally, would be obnoxious to Russia. A similar offer from France, the ally of Russia, would be equally obnoxious to Japan. The Kaiser’s attitude, which is generally understood to be distinctly favorable to Russia, would cause Japan to distrust any exercise of mediatory powers on the part of Germany and probably of either Austria or Italy, which are more or less under German influence. There remains the Unit-, ed States, but there is at present in Russia a strong disposition to regard the American attitude as more or less hostile.

Short News Notes.

L. M. Crawford, owner of a string of opera houses from St. Iziuis to El Paso, withdrew his {petition in bankruptcy. Dr. E. G. Simons, a wealthy nnd prominent physician of Ripley, N. Y., was instantly killed by a train in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Henry A. Huger of Columbia University has been appointed to the chair of psychology nnd philosophy at the Colorado State College. Rosa Stern, daughter of Rev; Lewis Stern, a rabbi of Washington, D. C., who tried to kill herself by cutting her tliront and wrist with a raeor, is dead. Mrs. Herbert’Druce of San Francisco has aided in reviving private theatricals In Paris. She has performances once, a week at her home in the Rue Herran. Thontna W. Lawson of Boston in an opea letter declartM war on the Boston Stock Exchange because his old flrm was deprived of membership, and he has announced that he will do a brokerage end commission business under the firm name of Lawson, Arnold & Co.

BANDITS KILL TOWN MAYOR.

Official of Thomson, 111., Falls Before Criminal’s Fire, Two desperadoes, believed to have come from Chicago, invaded the town of Thomson, 111., Saturday morning, murdered Wayland F. Bennett, the mayor, and were pursued and captured by a band of armed and infuriated citizens. One of the bandits was twice shot, once in the side and again in the hand. Both were taken to the jail in Mount Carroll under heavy guard. The murder of Mayor Bennett came without warning. For some time small towns in the county had been reporting robberies and the authorities had been asked to look out for suspicious characters. About 10 o’clock Mayor Bennett and Editor N. D. Millard noticed two strangers of rough appearance on the streets, and sent for Marshal Charles M. Beck. When Marshal Beck arrived one of the bandits had entered a butcher-shop and the other a. saloon. Beck went into the butcher-shop. At the corner stood Meyers. Beck walked up to him, placed his hand on his arm and told him he was under arrest. Meyers made no resistance. The two walked from the shop to the street, where Mayor Bennett was standing. The marshal turned the prisoner over to the mayor and started for the saloon to arrest the other man. Bennett, grasping the prisoner by the arm, started for the flimsy building which bears the name of "lock-up.” They had gone but a few paces when Meyers wrenched himself free, whipped a revolver from his pocket, and, turning the weapon on his guard, fired. At the first shot the mayor reeled and fell, but the bandit intended to make sure of his work, and, standing over the fallen man, deliberately emptied the other chambers of the weapon. Five bullets took effect in mouth, heart, chin, stomach and leg, and death was instantaneous. The bandit then fled, but after a desperate chase both ho and his companion were captured. The men gave their names as John Johnson and "Billy” Meyers. It is believed certain that the men committed the many robberies in the towns in the vicinity, and there are evidences that one or two other thieves accompanied them in their rigd on this.community. Stores, shops, saloons and houses have been entered and property and money to a considerable amount have been taken. Mr. Bennett, who was a retired farmer, was in reality president of the village board, but through long usage he had received the honorary title of mayor. He was known to almost every man and woman in the county and was highly respected. He was a' man of means and devoted much time to village affairs.

THE RAILROADS

Upward ot J,.000 miles of branch lines in Italy are worked with limited service and at a loss. Extensive and substantial additions are being made by the Texas and Pacific railway to the large shops at Marshall, Tex. The Canadian Pacific has announced that storage will be charged on goods in freight houses after seventy-two hours. The Canadian Pacific has arranged to increase its common stock by $20,000,000 to meet various extensions and betterments. Railroad property in Georgia has increased in value $2,107,203, according to the official returns of Comptroller General Wright. Nearly 2,000 employes of the Vandalia Line have thus far participated in the company’s free excursions to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The system of libraries and reading rooms established by the Santa Fe railroad for its employes is an interesting experiment in welfare wbrk. Lines running into St. Louis report unprecedented passenger hauls to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, leading to repeated calls for more equipment. Between 1801 and 1003 the amount pnid by the railways of the United Kingdom for rates and taxes was practically doubled, advancing from £2,240,TM)0 to £4,488,000. Announcement is made that the Canadian Pacific has closed a contract with the United States Steel Corporation and the Pennsylvania Steel Company for 60,000 tons of rails. The New York, New Haven and Hartford is to spend $8,000,000 or more for improved rapid transit from New Y’ork City to the Bronx and that part of Westchester lying along the Sound. Chairman J. P. Brown of the Georgia railroad commission is declared by Southern newspapers to be in favor of a reduction in passenger fares within Georgia to a maximum of 2 cents a mile. The proposal of a number of American railways to assist in establishing a department of railway science in n prominent college hffs been strongly indorsed by, Walter G. Berg, chief engineer of the Lehigh Valley. The Vandalia Line has decided to run four special trains to St. Louis to givo )ts employes free transportation to the World's fair. About 5,000 employes, it is expected, will take advantage of this liberal offer. Owing to the numerous forgeries of passes on the New York Central railroad a new pass form has been adopted by the officials of the road, who believe that hereafter forgeries will be practically impossible. Each pass will be limited to carry one person only and none will be issued for a party, except as Individuals.

WASHINGTON GOSSIP

Out of 29,287,000 persons in the United States engaged in earning their bread by the sweat of their faces in the census year 1900, 10,438,219 were employed in agricultural pursuits. These were divided into many classifications, farmers, planters and overseers, dairymen and dairywomen, gardeners, florists and nurserymen, stock raisers, herders, drovers, wood choppers and apiarists. Next to the farmer In numerical strength stands the manufactlring and mechanical pursuits. :There are 7,112,304 persons actively engaged in these wonderfully varied occupations, so extensive in all their ramifications and classifications that a mere list of these would enumerate more than 150 forms of skilled and ordinary artisanship, ranging through all the different forms of manufactures. Domestic and personal service comes next, 5,093,778 persons being enrolled as barbers and bartenders, watchmen, policemen, firemen and waiters. In addition to these, under this classification, are gathered the solfilers, sailors and marines of the regular army, 128,736 In all. Fourth position in this great rank goes to trade and transportation, which gathers within its numbers 4,778,233 persons, or about the present population of New York city. This includes an army of Steam and street railway employes, Bailors and their officers and the like. Immigration officials say that the class of Immigrants coming here has materially changed within the last few years. Formerly passage was more expensive and it required industry and moral stamina to acquire the necessary funds to make the journey. Then men and women of the sturdy pioneer type came to this country and made good citizens. To-day the competition between the steamship companies has resulted in offering unusual inducements to Immigrants. Foreign governments are also more or less indirectly promoting immigration of the undesirable surplus in their overcrowded districts. The result is to overcrowd the cities, reduce the price of labor by oversupplying the market and crowding every avocation and to tend constantly to lower the standard of living of the American workman by bringing him into competition, in the mines and on the railroads, with tlie same class of labor from competition with which he has been shielded by a protective tariff.

Prize money for the capture of Spanish ships and property in the battle of Manila Bay has recently been paid to Admiral Dewey and his tnen. Bounty for the destruction of the Spanish ships has already ben paid. The payment of prize money, which is distinct from bounty, was delayed by complicated litigation; the disagreement about the real value of the capture was genuine, and in no way involved unfriendliness between the claimants and tlie government. Half the prize money went by law to the naval pension fund; the other half, amounting to three hundred and seventy thousand dollars, was divided between Admiral Dewey and those who fought under him. Tlie admiral received $18,500; the commanding officer of each vessel received one-tenth of the amount awarded to it; and the other officers and the men were paid in proportion to their salaries, an amount equal in each case to five months' pay. United States treasury experts figured that on the first of last month both the total-and the per capita monetary circulation of the country lied reached the highest point over recorded. The total in circulation was a little more tfian two billion five hundred and forty-six million dollars, and the per capita thirty-one dollars and six cents. There may be some comfort in knowing just what each man’s share is, even if some persons find themselves unable to recall, just at tins moment, where their thirty-one dollars are. The treasurer of the United States on May 6, 1903, redeemed two halfcent pieces. This is the first time in the history of the country that any such coins have been presented for redemption. It is more than n century since the first half-cent piece was coined, and it is nearly' fifty years since the government discontinued minting them. Speaker Cannon said the other day that he received a thousand dollars in wages for tlie first five years that he worked for hire, and saved hulf of it. If he should write an article on “How to Live on Two Dollars a Week,” it would be worth reading, for it would be a record of actut.l experience. If the entire production of coni in the United States during 1903 were loaded on freight cars with a capacity of thirty tons each the trains containing it would encircle the globe at the equator about three and one-third times. The late George G. Vest, when a member of the United States Senate, was the pygmy of that most august body—physically.