University of South Carolina Libraries
CHUB. A Romance of West Virginia BY DAVID LOWRY. CHAPTER Till. CHUB'S RUSK. Chub talked the most. She seerre to regain bcr spirits sitting there wit the people who prized the companioi ship of Dan Bash. "Was Dan like himself?jnst as b always was, Mrs. Bigger?" "Just the same, more'n he was a b livelier. Natrally. Seein' as how was his " "Did he say anything about any oneaaoeting anyone on the road?" "Why, no. Leastways, not as I heerd. Bank Dawson looked meaningly s his daughter. Chub did not notice tb glance. "Did Dan ever say he had any pai MyUiOi DUVUIJ ili OVUVV1 i "Why, no, child. Tho folks as didn like Dan Bash didn't go to school, ai they didn't send their children." "Then there are folks that didn't Ilk him?" "Bless yon, don't everybody knoi them Monks can't bear the sight of him And he hadn't not a mito of love for th Monks. The hull parsell was agin hiir and he was hot on tho hull hassell." "So?" said Hank Dawson. Well, mind; what he said to us h wouldn't blurt out afore everybody." "He wasn't afraid of them, then?" "I know what's In your mind. Chu* No! He didn't care a mite for the hu gang o' them, and they knew It, like a not, cos he was outspoken that way." "I know that " "Course you do. Everybody know Pftn Bash speaks what's in his mind i be don't like a thing." "Did he ever say he met any of th Honks crowd?" "Often." "Well?what more?'' "Why* he laughed, and said they gav him a clear track." "Well?" "That's about the heft of it. 'Less 1 be tho time he caught Bob Squatty peel) In' round tho road somowhere near th allIn' rnolr n "The falling rock," said Hank Dawsor Why, that ain't on the road." "Course not. Dan was out hunting. Oh!" "And Squatty came round there, tot an' something passed atween 'em. never could just make out what 'twas I suspect?just because, somehow?tha Dan had some words with Squatty." "He always did laugh so when any on mentioned Squatty after tbat time." "How long ago was that, Mrs. Bigger? "Well, two weeks or moro, 1 reckon.1 Chub looked intently at her fathei who returned hor look meaningly. H was beginning to understand the drii of the inquiry Chub was making, for tha was tbe practical result 01 iier proionge talk with the Biggers. "Is your dog good?" was Chub's nex ^uery. Her father looked at her curious!} Mrs. Bigger whispered to one of he ons: "Seems to me Chub's gettin' kinder ou f her head." Tbe son turned to Chub quickly: "Yes. I'd not swap my dog for an; round these parts." "Is he ouick on the scent?" None quicker." "Well, dad"?here Chub looked at he father smilingly?"I reckon we'll g< homo now." "Home? Home this time o' night!' aid Mrs. Bieger. "I thought you cal'lated on sleepln hyer," said the oldest Bigger boy. "I've changed my mind," said Chub Dad, let's get our horses and go." "No hurry yet a while, Chub." "None in tho least," said Mrs. Bigger In a friendly tone. "If so be you mus go home, you can take a good rest afor< yon start agin." "I'm willin' any time." * Hank marveled much at Chub's notion V?? iU An #?+ Innrt l.nlf M ^ uui LUCj call ta.jn.iiiK u?v icu't licvji <Jku uvui longer, and then Chub rose. Tom Bigger prepared to aecompam them. The horses were brought aroun< very quietly at Chub's special request and when they were ready to go she re quested Tom to instruct his dog to kee] Quiet. "Ho will mind you, Tom." "He'll do just as I say, that dog.will.' "Well, then, keep him near you, S( that you can make him obey you m aatter what happens." Tom Bigger spoke to his dog, and thei the three l ode out into the darkness. Tom Bigger and his dog were in ad Tanca Hank rodo behind his daughter "What is it, Chub?" said Hank Law on. ? "Can't you guess, dad?" "No. You know, I reckon." "Why, I wanted the rest to go awa; first, and it would get out that we'< topped at the Biggers\" "Well?" "Then II anybody is on the lookoutanybody who knows anything abou Dan, or who may be looking for him oi meir account, jjkb mc .iyiouks, we ma; coino on them unawares if wc ride alonj quietly.," ^Tfcat's the reason you brought th do? along." "To strike any fresh scent. T fee pretty sure we'll find somebody." As if to verify her prediction, Toe Bigger cautioned his dog at that mc acnt "Qeiet there. Hero, Hero." ; "You heard that, dad?" "I'm wide awake, Chub, you bet" They were near Tom Bigger now. "There's something up there atwee ns and the rock," said Tom Bieger. "Dad," said Chub in a low tone, "yo gp ahead; Tom. you make richt aftt whatever it is, and I'll stay right wher 1 an1. Then we'll find out what Hero Mmnllrvl " This seemed a wise course to pursu< "Dad," said Chub, as ho left her sidi "mind your shootin' irons." "They're handy," said Hank Dawsci as be moved on. It was as much as Tom Bigger coul do now to restrain his dog. Hero wante to rush up the mountain side. "Nov/, then," said Chub, when h( father had ridden out of her sight, "yc lot the dog go, Tom." Tom made a sound that the dog longt to hear, and then llero leaped thrcug the heavy undergrowth, crashing h way toward the rock that rose like wuji to the right of the little party o me rcuu. There was another sound heard? roue*. of crackling twigs, and leap rather than sun s, as of a man or lar? animal brushing its way through tL undergrowth. This was succeeded by a single shar cry. as of one in mortal terror. Then Hero gavo tongue freely. E howled rather than barked. Chub was all eyes and ears. Sue ha A her rifle in her hand, ready to use ii tShe had held it ready for use duiing tL entire search for Dan Bash. Suddenly a form leaped across th KA yo^d below her. rould just distil ; . mi. f guish the outlines of a man?then tbe figure disappeared In '<he darkness. "This way, Tom! Dad! It's a man!" cried Chub. They both rode to her side quickly. "Where's the doe?" "I can't make it out," said Tom Bigger. "Didn't you foo Hero?" "No! But it won't do t<> let tho man es* cape. Everything depends on catching him, dad." They sat like statues there In the darkness. listening intently. "Wbero (an the aog be?" faid Tom Bigger angrily. "That's tho first time J ever knew Hero to " A yell, a growl, and a howl of pain startled them. Hero was proving the Auff he was made of. He had found his gamo. d h mn ? dti? i? i v 1 RUN DOWN. 10 "Now, the*. Let us be quick, dad!* As she spole, Chub turned her horse's head to the left, and made her way as rapidly as the forest trees would admit of in the dirietion of the sound made by - the man and the dog. It was plai*, now, that a combat was " waged betweiw the two. The dog yelped; it the man sSot4e4 and swore. e Hank Daw?ct> w_as_un.wiejdjr.pn horseback, but he reached" the dog's side al^ most as soon m Tom Bigger and Chub. , In an instant both were off their horses, * and Tom Bigj^er was speaking sternly to 1 his dog. "Hero! Qiifet there. Behave youra self. Who is that? If you answer, I'll pull the dog oS.* 17 "My God4 eating me up. Take 7 him off." e Bigger pull si Hero back by main u strength, whilq Hank Dawson struck a light "Humph! Thought I knew that voice." ? " It's you. Bob Squatty." Chub looked down on him scornfully. Hank Dawsoa b*ld a freshly lit blazing ' pine knot near Squatty's face. '1 Rnnnttv wa,5 tremblinir like an asDen. ,s Todd Bigger held Hero back with hia right band. Hero licked his chops, and opened his s jaws. Squatty recoiled suddenly.' ' 44 What are you doing here?" demanded Hank Dawson. 0 "Yes, that's what I'd like to know," said Torn Bigger. "Take the 6'og away, will you?" whined Squatty. "Not till you tc!l mo what you were doing on the road this time of night," said Bigger. 1 Poor Squatty was quaking with fear. :* "A nice specimen you are." 6aid Tom e Bigpers. "The dog won't touch you now," said '* Chub. "We are here. You know wo won't permit the dog to hurt you. But " tell us what you did to Hero. He Is mad to get at you for what you have done." ), Tom Bigger looked ijosely at his dog. I "You mean skunk! You've cut him, ? so you have." t ^He did, did he?" Hank Dawson glared at the trembling e wretch. "Anybody'd done what 1 did. He was " coming at me with his teeth when I ' slashed him." , "That's why ho howled," said Bigger. e "And I howled, too, didn't IV" t "Yes?you are a pooty one," said Big,t ger, contemptuously. d "Let's tako him to Bikers'," said Chub, suddenly. "Then he'll tell us t what we want to find out," "No, no! don't! Don't!" said Squat'. ty, shivering with terror. r "Well, then, tell us what you are doing on the road at this hour," said Hank t Dawson. "He seems tongue-tied," said Bteger as Squatty continued silent, looking y from one to the other. "Who was with you? Were you alone," demanded Chub. "Yes." r "All alonel 1 scarce thought it," said Q Hank. "Well, I was." ' I "And what were vou doinc' "I was walking along the roaa just." ' "Just taking a little stroll," said Tom Bigger. "Probably he was thinking of turnin' Dver a new leaf," said Hank. "Speak out, you poor coward! Who sent you , up here? And what were you sent for? t Now, tell the truth, or mayb<? you'll J wish you had. You know I never said me thing and did another. I mean to get at the truth. Did you know where . you were going?" r "Y-y-yes. Yes, I did." "Ohl you did. Where were you gor lng?" 3 "J-j-just along p-p-past your p-p-lace, '? Mr. Dawson, to the Corners." "Oh! and who sent you? Who were you P going to meet? Did you expect to see | anybody at my house? You knew nobody was there, didn't you?" * "Ye-yes." D "You thought dad and me wouldn't be D home; isn't ihat it, Bob Squatty?" said Chub. 3 He looked at her fearfully. Hank gavo the pine knot a shake, and as it played up brightly they could see now ' quite plainly the marks Hero's teeth had made in Squatty's bleeding arm. "ies?we thought you was to stop at Biggers'." "Wet We?" P Hank Dawson laughed a grating lan<rh. It was not like any laugh Squatty had ever heard before. He shivered with apprehension. "I?I?I guess I'd best tell all I know." t "I reckon that will save a heap of a trouble," said Hank Dawson, dryly; "a y heap of trouble." S "Just begin at the beginnin", Bob; an' if you happen to forget anything, we'll e try to remind you of it, so's to help you out Dad, you'd best get another pine knot." "Y-.y-you'll not hurt mo?promise Q you won't" h "Shut up, you dog!" said nank Dawson, sternly. "Tell us all you know, and be r.uick, for I'm in a bad humor, and gettin' no better fast" "Then I'll own up," said Squatty. "That's riffht. Make a clean breast of D the hull business," s?aid Tom Bigpers. '1 will," said Squatty. "But mind the u dog?keep the dog off me'." CHAPTER-X. y bqtjattt's surprising statement. * "I was going over to spy 'round your place, Mr. Dawson." 9- "Just to see everything was all right 3' ?kind of you. Bob," said Hank Dawson, as he lit a fresh pine-knot. "Go ahead, 1' I'll not spoil your story, cos it mu?t be ^ interestin'." "I didn't mean to touch a thing. I was just going over to look around. And ;r then I was going to the tavern. That ^ was all. Just to look around." Squatty gulped down a big lump in his throat. Nobody replied. ;Q A singie night bird screamed. Squat4.? PAtilnM ..?nm ot.rl LV fcUU It'U, tllCJl OCtbiUU uuit ii uguui) uuu u glanced from one to the other. They were not a friendly group. a Chub's lips expressed scorn and avers si?-D* e Ilank Dawson looked as he never e looked before. There was a gleam in his eyes ttiat frishtened poor Squatty, p Tom diggers was as hard-looking as fate. There was a relentless stare In e his big black eyes that chilled Squatty. He clcared his throat twice, and rerl sumed his story. ^ "I wasn't doin' all myself. Of course e not." Still no response. e " 'Twasn't my idea at all." j. Still that chilling silence. Squatty grew frantic with fear. ?? 1 "My God, folks! If I split on 'cn , they'll kill me. They're sworn to do il sure." ,lThey? They? Who's they?" demand ed Chub quickly. "You know. Of course yon know-" "I know nothing," said Chub. "Tel , me." , "Why Ned and Bill and Pete and al ' the rest of the Monks, and the crowd.' "Oh." "You do know, Chub. You saw ( everything that day." ; "What day." "The day at the 6pring." i "What spring? Speak out Dlain.* Of course Chub knew very well whit i he referred to; but she had an object in view. She wanted a witness. Hank Dawson and his dauehter were (rood enough?it would be still better If their statements were corroborated by a third party. This was why 6he compelled the pooi 1 wretch to be explicit. 1 "I mean the day you seen Ned Monk 1 tryin' to shoot Dan Bash." "You mean the same day you tried tc club him while Bill Monk rushed on him with a knife?and I shot his arm, and then came between you and all?" "I never heard of that," said Ton Biggers. "You hear it from Squatty, now," saic Chub meaningly. "O! I'm wake-awake, you bet" i "Yes ? well that was t?e folks ] meant," said Squatty. "That was the,same day the whole crowd jumped on Dan, and I threatened to put a bullet in the first man thai touched him," said Chub. "Yes. The same day. Ned and Bil! sent me along ahead to-night, be i cause * "Stop. How did you know we wer'n'l at home?" "Why, we knew." "How did you know?" Hank Dawson's look was so threaten' lng that Squatty recoiled. "Don't hit me.m "Hit youl Hit you, you poor devil. Ii I touched you with my boot, I'd burn it Go on." "Why, they've been on the watch." "Where?" "Everywhere." "Be more explicit," saia cnuD. -vvnerc were the Monks to-night'" "At tiie forks of the road-" "Where were they?" "In the trees?up high." "flow did thoy learn we wero not golnp home'" "They overheard your folks talking as they rode home." "Humph!.". ? "It's God's truth." "What do you know about God's truth, you wretch?" "Well, I ain't lyinp: now." "That comes nearer it. Now, then. Squatty." Bob bounced as he was addressed sternly. "You've spun a nice yarn to us." "'Deed, Mr. Dawson, I?I " "Shut up! I'd not believe you if you Ewore on as many bibles as you could pile up all over the county," "Nor I," 6aid Tom Biggcrs. "Nor I either, Squatty," said Chub, quietly. "I happen to know that part of what you say is the truth. Now to begin with. What do you know about Dan Bash? Where is he?" "I don't know. I swear I don't know notbin' about him." "Very well," said Chub, coolly. "Now, who was in the business? i Which of the Monks besides you? Or were yon all in the scrape?" "Before God, Chub " "See here," said Hank Dawson, roughly, "I thought I told you once afore not to mention somebody as don't know you, an' ain't likely to have you for a tenant " "I won't say God afjain." "Best not. You'a best talk about the devil. He's your company, Scuatty." "Well, I swear I don't know nothin' about Dan Bash." "You lie!" said Tom Biggers. "If I die for't, I don't," said Squatty. Chub looked at him earnestly. "Xo use in lying now, Squatty." "I ain't lyin'." "And vou'll swear you don't know who has waylaid Dan Hash?" "I'll swear it. I don't b'lievo he was waylaid by nobody." "You'll swear Ned and Bill Monk haven't got him hid somewhere?" "I know they haven't" "How do you know? They don't tell you everything. They make a tool of you." "I know it But I know they didn't do nothin' to Dan Bash, too. If they know'd where he was, what d they keep me trottin' roun' trying everywhere to get track of where he is afore your folks lound him for?" "See here, Squatty," said HanK DawBon, suddenly, "if you say that again?if you pretend they don't know where he is at this moment, I'll smash you," The blacksmith drew his arm back. His tremendous fist war clenched. At that moment Chub grasped his arm. "Don't, don't, dad ! Squatty's telling the truth. I see it in his face." Hank Dawson's arm fell at his side, and Squatty breathed free for the lirst time stoco he fell into their hands. [TO KB CONTINUED.] it is a piiy mat, Admiral Tryon, who so manfully confessed the great blunder for which he knew that he was about to pay the penalty of his life, added immeasurable to the magnitude of the calamity by signaling that no boats should be sent to the rescue. This circumstance, although It ha6 attracted comparatively slight attention, was ol the gravest importance in swelling the calamitous results. It is clear now that tbe loss of the splendid battleship Victoria and about four hundred lives was the result of Admiral Tryon's error of calculation. It is not necessary to n sciimp hnwpvor that, t.he Admiral was either intoxicated or insane. He was a temperate man. He made a mistake; but, no doubt, it was sanely made. The incidents of that fatal day, as described by those who were nearest to the Admiral, indicate that he gave an order without due thought, intending to say "eight cables," and saying "six cables" instead. When his attention was called to the matter he probably concluded mentally that the maneuver could be accomplished in six cables, and adhered to his order. That seems to be a reasonable deduction from the testimony at the court martial. England has lost a formidable battleship through the blunder of Admiral Tryon, but she has also proven that her seamen of to-day are as brave as those who wod fame and victory at Aboukir and Trafalgar. _ When a man reaches the age at which he is ready to settle down and 6top giving his wife trouble, his sons have reached the age to begin.?Atchison Globe. r 5 ?. * - ; CARRYING MAIL. THE POSTOFFIOE EXHIBIT AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. 1 How the Little Two-Cent Stamp 1 Transports Letters In All Kinds of Conveyances?Magnitude of the Postal Servlcc. ? O fPPER Michigan mail is transported on dog-sleds in the winter. Canine letter-carriers are not beautiful to the eye and it is doubtful if they would even be allowed to enter a cross-roads bench show, but there is a business-like look about a tandem dog team that attracts the attention ? ' ?1?A wknnnnA 1 ui every perauu wiiu jju^dod otuuvu group in the Postoffice exhibit. I The dogs harnessed to the toboggan loaded with the mail pouches were aliv* . and in actual service lust winter hauling mail out of Sault Ste. Marie. The wax figure loping alongside in a good I likeness of the Indian who drove the t team. From his snow shoes to the . tassel of his woolen cap the Indian'e 1 costume is a faithful copy of the ' clothes which enabled the bronze-faced , mail courier to brave ten-foot snow and a forty degree below zero thermometer. This group is one of the exhibits which show how mail is tran sported in this country. Few consider what they are doing when they stick a two-cent stamp on ' an addressed envelope. They know ' that the person whose name and adJc CARRYING MAO, dress are on the envelope will receivo i Vin Inffrj-r T?tsxv nf fhom VinTroTTPT nn- i 'VWWV*. A v" "* ?V, ?, -W "W.V., -f preciate the fact that the stamp places < the United States Government under < a cast-iron contract to place that letter in right hands at the earliest possible ; moment, even though the hands are felling trees in the almost inaccessible i depths of an upper Michigan pine for- ] est, or working in the tangles of a i Florida everglade. To do this the ] Government uses human legs, wagons, 1 bicycles, railroads, stfeamboats, dog 1 sleds, horses, ponies, ocean vessels, < river boats and anything else that will ] carry the letter over land or water, i mountains or plains, swamps or snow- 1 drifts, in summer or in winter, at all i times and any time. i Lives have been sacrificed that a let- 1 ter might go forward, millions of dol- ; lars have been spent preparing the < way for other letters and yet people j place tlie two-cent stamps on tneir en- < velopes and drop the letters into the 1 red boxes on the street corners with no e appreciation of what they are doing, t A visit to the Postoffice exhibit ^n the 1 Government Building is apt to increase one'R respect for the little postage j stamp. There are displayed all the j means used for transporting mail, as t well as a thousand other interesting x things which might keep a visitor busy f half a day. ( General Hazen, who was Third As- t sistant Postmaster-General under Presidents Hayes and Harrison, took a i great aeai 01 interest m assemDiingtne ] exhibits, and is on the ground daily a for he is a member of the Government a ^ a DEAD-IiKTTER OFFICE CURIOS. C 0 Bonril. He wished to show the ilc- v velopment of the service and lias sue- <1 ceeded admirably. No greater con- a trast could be found than is formed l>y 1 the two modelB of ocean mail steamers. ? There in a model of the old Southerner, I the first ocean steamship built to carry o United States mail. Forty years ago it did the service which is now per- v formed by nautical greyhounds such as I the City of Paris of the International t line, whose beautiful model is placed t near the old ship. m A queer mail carrier is the Oklawlia, t which runs on the river of that name $ in Florida. Assuming that the model u is a good miniature, the Oklawha is all a above water, a regular floating house. I According to General Hazen its draft p is so light that it could follow a spriuk- d ling cart. The Oklawha can travel ii eighteen inches of water. Much handsomer is the model of th< City of St. Louis, a side-wheel mai packet that brings letters to the rivei towns on the Mississippi. FOUND IN DEAD-LETTER PABCEL8. An old-time Rocky Mountain mai' coach, swung on its leather straps with its boots fall of mail sacks, occu pies a prominent position. It wai built in 1868, and was among the firs to carry the mail in Montana. Once j week it made the run between Helen* and Bozeman. To-day four mail traini perform the service daily. In 1877 th< old coach was captured by Indians j _ t A. T ri i A ana aner a hol pureuiu vy vjeuertu \j, 0. Howard was recaptured. Befor< General Garfield became President h< rode on the coach through the Yellow =f | ~ ^ g[pj , IN ALASKA. jtone country, President Arthur sat or the boot with its driver in 1883 ant jcneral Sherman in 1877 made a trij 3n the ancient vehicle. Near the old-timer is the modern yellow-bodied open coach used in th? Yellowstone Park for carrying tourists md mail. It has usurped the proud nnAA V?o1/1 Vitr flfa/V/i JUOl U1UU V/UW * xi WJJ vuv UVM^V VV/WVJUJ which Indians used to capture. The post rider, mounted on his spirited oroncho, armed with revolvers anc booted and spurred, tells of the letterf carried over alkali plains, broac prairies and wild western lands. Thif mounted group is the admiration ol ihe small boys, who gaze on it witt wide-open eyes. The pony express vae the original letter-carrier acrose ;he plains, and to-day 1000 mail routes ise ponies and bronchos. The Indian luestion was a most serious one to the nen who carried mail-bags through e jountry swarming with redskins. In ;he dead-letter exhibit is a mail-pouch itained with the blood of a post rider ind slashed by the keen blade of the [ndian murderer. From these exhibits, around which jeople gather in wondering groups, to he mail car, mail-delivery and mail.'ollectinpr wagons, the special-delivery neesenger astride the bicycle, and the amiliar city carrier and railway postal Jerk, is coming from the romantic to he realistic commonplace. Statistics are usually dry, but the arge tabulated postal statistics from .775 to 1893 are always the center of in interested group. The totals reach Jmost incredible figures and demontrate the enormous business transacted by the Postoffice Department. 3enjamin Franklin was the first postnaster-general. He was appointed by he Continental Congress July 26, 775, and apparently made no report >f the work done in his department. Jainuel Osgood, appointed September 16, 1789, who was the first postmastergeneral of the United States to hand [own reports, had seventy-five postiftices to look after in 1789, and 2275 nil' of post routes. The gross revenue or iue year amounted to $7510, and lostmasters were paid ?1657 for sal,ries. The total number of mail iecesof all kiud handled was 500,000, vidently an estimate. At the close of the fiscal year, 1892, here were 67,119 postoffices in this ountry. The extent oi post routes ggregated 447,591 miles, the miles of nail service performed reached the mazing total of 363,087,695, the gross eceipts were $70,930,475 and the postiflices cost 876,960,846. There were ,543,270,210 ordinary postage stamps ssiieti, oy.J,oo4, fuu stamped envelopes ,nd wrappers, 511,433,500 postal ards. Of registered letters 15,261v 94 were carried and 6,781,ISO pieces rent to the dead-letter oliice. The lomestic money orders issued mounted to 55120,060,801 and S15,20,271 were seut by international aoney orders. During tho year the 'ostolliee handled 4,776,575,076 pieces f mail matter of all kinds. From 1851 to 188'i the postal rate .-as three cents for every half-ounce, n October, 1883, the rate was reduced o two cents. The total receipts for he last year of three-cent postage fere $45,334,950. The first year of he two-cent rate dropped receipts to 42,560,844, but the figures crawled p so rapidly that last year they mounted to $70,930,475. Genera! lazen was a firm advocate of cheaper oetage. He believed that the slight ecreaeo in receipts would be made up * i rapidly and he also predicted that the sale.of postal cards would snffer. The i figures bear him out. Postal cards wi 1 were first iseued in 1874, and the first fa r full year 91,079,000 were issued. Jn Ei tbe last year of three-cent postage It 379,576,750 cards were sold, but the first at year of two-cent postage dropped tho ev total to 339,416,500. It took five years er for the postal cards to regain their original figures. The magnitude of iu the postal service of the United States as compared with that of three other e\ leading administrations of the inter- iti nal postal union is placarded in a way fe to delight the enthusiastic y oimg Ameri- w] cans. The figures are taken from tho cu reports of the fiscal year ending June nc 30, 1892. They read as follows: sp GROSS AMOUNT OF POSTAL REVENUE. Of United States $70,939,470 th Germany 57.790,118 Sc Great Britain 50,214,271 France 33,493,177 *1 The figures do not include telegraph re- , ceipts for tbe foreign countries. a MILES OF MAIL 8RBVICE PERFORMED. Cfl ... TV Unit eel states 363,U87.6'J.> France 260,58i;i2G ~ Germany 165,912,265 Great Britain 68,203,500 riECES OF MAIL MATTER MAILED A3D DELIV\ EKED. United States 4,302,786,926 Germany 2,776,2*8,719 Great Britain 2,750.535,594 / France.. - 1,881,322,911 A Boat For Land and Water. A correspondent of the Marine Res view, writing from Kingston, Canada, # t gives the following description of e j, boat constructed for use in towing \ j Canadian lumber rafts, that' will also f 3 travel on land: jj 2 A peculiar kind of tug passed ( through here recently for the lakes ad- \ jacent to the Bonne Chene River, in i the back country. It is called an al? ligator tug, because it is able to travel i . upon land as well as in the water. i The boat was turned out of the shops | of West & Peachey, Simcoe, and is pat- ' ented by the firm in Canada and in the United States. It has proved a gre^t success in the lumbering business. The firm has completed six of Ji them. They are thirty-seven feet long _ and ten feet beam and decked all over. h< They are. built scow-shaped, with steel ??] shod runners for working portages, u] In water the boat is propelled at the hi rate of six miles an hour, either forward or backward, by an engine of hi twenty-two horse power. On land it yr is propelled by having a cable drum ba on which is coiled five-eighths of a ii mile of steel wire cable, which is ej fastened to pulleys on trees in front, bc the boat moving as the wire is coiled tc up. The roller is hung on an axle, di and can be kept level in going up or c< <lown hill. McLachen Brothers, of Ji Eganville, have secured two for im- qi mediate use, the one just decribed be- di ing the first to turn up here. ?? tl "Big.tailed" Sheep ot Persia. 01 Mr. John W. Northrup, of the State Agricultural Board of California, is bt making arrangements to secure a con- ^ signment of the famous "big-tailed" ^ sheep of Persia. This lot of sheep Qi . will be imported by the State of Calii fornia, at great expense, a previous th I efl'ort to import and breed them made > by the United States Government when Jerry Rusk was Secretary of Agriculi ture having failed, as out of the fifteen th s big-tails" imported only four are it i now alive. it "These sheep imported by Secretary th Rusk came from Bushire, Persia," said ]& > Mr. Norhrup at the Gilsey House.- w: [ "They were shipped by Mr. Truxton in I Beale, the United States Minister, and in i were treated in a royal manner. From te I the time that they were selected from m i the great flocks of 'big-tails' in the of E Persian agricultural districts until fit i they arrived at their final destination is i in the balmy climate of California of i they received attention, similar to that ar i I accorded a SI00.000 race-hor3e. Only m the handsomest and strongest animals cu ! were selected. ve i "In England the 'big-tails' were T1 i placed aboard the Helvetia in padded th compartments kept at an even temper- be ature while on the ooean. They lij? ! reached this country in safety, but in of a much weakened condition. lil i "When they arrived in Lower Cali- av fornia they were so weak it was impos- th sible for them to stand. They were th fed carefully on prepared fodder and sp narsed along, but they dropped off nc one by one. je< "But California iB bound to have fie en th SLc-fv, THE BIG-TAILED rEBSIAN SHEEP. |* these valuable sheep feeding on her R pastures within a few years. This {* time we will select a larger number and on their arrival in this country i will detiin them a much longer time than were the Government sheep, so as to give them an opportunity to recoup their strength after the very weakening ocean voyage. Then two or three stops will bo made before ele they finally reach California. By tak- wh ing this care in transportation we hope thi to have better luck than did Secretary fini Rusk."?New York World. inc ? dri Will Run Trains by Telephone. sbt It is stated that the great Pennsyl! vania Railroad has decided to disi wit.li the telecrattli in runninc i its traits, and to substitute the long ! distance telephone. The change is 1 j made in the interests of economy and ra^ safety. The management bos decided that it costs less to run the telephone, " ^ and that its messages are Jess likely to Per be mistaken. The telephone will ena- ^e: ble the train dispatcher to comnmni- yis* cate dircctly with his conductors.? ^H New Orleans Picayune. ' m , can Qaicksilver was first discovered within the limits oi the United States iu California in 1800. a Pliny mentions a Spanish mine ^?1 opened by Hannibal which yielded 300 . pounds of silver daily. mD "fr- - v. * * ,"irt The World's Largest Diamond. A flashing gem, whose purity of iter and wonderful size eclipse the mous Kohinoor, has just reached agland from the Orange Free State. is now in London, but its where>out are tot known. The owners idently arc afraid to make its prestce public. A model has, however, ;en obtained, of which the accompanyg sketch is a copy. It is the most perfect large stone er seen. Its weight is 971 carats, 3 color is blue-white and almost perct. It has one blacl: spot in it, bich, however, the owners state, will it out. Its value, of course, can not >w be stated, bat, writes a correondent, I think if 8250,000 were Fered for it now, or even double at amount, it would not bo accepted. >me declare that it will be worth 1,500,000. It was found by a Kaffir, bo was working in the mine, shortly 4 *? ?*:? rm,? 9 LCA UitlrOUU^. i-XiJ ZXU1U1 y iU (UW mm rae, -was talking to hia overseer, m ben he saw ?ome thing ehine, and fl iGERSFONTBIN diamond. ? (exact sjzk. ) ) put hie foot over it until his boss" had gone away, when he picked 3 the immense diamond and put it in is pocket. , Afterward, in tho compound, he mded it over to the manager, for hich he has been given $750, a horse, ,ddle and bridle, and has gone home i, no doubt, perfect happiness. An ctraordinary circumstance is that me gentlemen were under contract ? buy all stones, good, bad or inifferent, at so much per carat. The mtract terminated on the 30th of > me and this stone was almost, if not lite, the last stone found on that *7Tho model ahows that the stone is ia ie form of a sloping conc, flattened l two sides and standing on an oval use, so flush as almost to appear to ive been cut. Its height is about tree inches and its width is about ro, while tho flat base measures 3arly two inches by one and a larter. The diamond has been named "> "-Tarrorafnnfp-m "Rrrtalsinr. " History ot the Mosquito. Tliis insect is always encouraged by ;e presence of stagnant wpter in which breeds. The male feeds on flowers: is the female fly only which sucks ie blood of animals. The eggs are id in water and hatch into small iggling creatures that in time change to the fly, bursting the skin of the imature insect, and leaving the war a winged one. There are several ethods suggested for the destruction the insects while in their larval age and inhabiting water. One is to cover the water with a thin dim kerosene oil, by which the insects e killed; another is to drain the arshes, and by keeping the long grass . * it, to dry the ground and thus pre* '1 * - I.--* Dl tne oggs irum ueiug uuitucu. lere are two common varieties of is insect?one has a black or brown idy, the other is striped and has two jht spots on each wing. The beak the mosquito consists of six bristle;e organs which are gathered into an rl-like probosis, that is thrust into e flesh, and the blood is drawn rough the channel formed by the aces between the bristles. There it > reason to believe that poison is in- 1, jted into the wound, by which the vera pain and the swelling experi ced by seme persons are produced. . i le wound itself is sufficient to cause i ese results.?New York Times. Eccentridtic* ot a Cyclone. Below is a drawing of a part of 'w* ies from Mrs. Slater's farm, south of trelia, and in the path of the recent clone. TheJarger ' opresente a maple n If ) fJ Jwg ; ven iDches in diameter, through ieh was driven a board one inch , ck ami twelve inches wide. The aller is a maple also about eight ' ? hes in diameter, into which is veu an ordinary stove shovel of :et iron. This is driven iuto the e across tho grain about 2; indies. Chicago luter-Ooean. "Babbius1" lor Flouuders. ["be popular way at present for -. hing flounders along the Connecticoast in by the "bobbing" method. , ion a fish bites the "bob" is raised pendicnlarly, and then the excileut begins. As soon as thw "bob*' >s a rush is made lt>r it, and there chase of stveral minutes sometimes. nine eases out of ten the fish itf glit. The number of "bob's" generr used is eight.?New York Hjrald. { buffalo bull v/as seen recently by stage driver on the desert ceax* ivlins, Wyoming. It is supposed to ' one oi' a small herd that is still ruu g wild.