Edgefield advertiser. (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, September 14, 1898, Image 1
rpi. Oldest Savin gs
PLANTERS ^Eastera
LOAN and e8t 8avln^
SAVINGS capita! i" city.
TUNK
' ? * Pay? Interoit
AUGUSTA, GA, an.l Compounds
Organized 1870. CTtryflmonth'
THOS. J. ADAMS, PROPRIETOR
EDGEFIELD, S. C./fcEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1897.
VOL. LXII. NO. 46.
TWO A?.
Tho ship we rhlo tho world in sniffs tba
storm.
And throws its hoad upon tho hurricane,
Qui vori n? like a war-horso when ranks
fonn
With scream of bugles and tho shout of
men;
Koighs to tho challenge of tho thunder
bolt,
And charges ia tho squadrons of tho
surge,
55?
! A VENTURE 1
HOW ONE OF THEEE
[Tho dispatches tell of tho death at San
tiago in tho lore-front of buttlo of Captain
William S. O'Neil, of Roosevelt's rough
riders. Captain O'Neil preferred to bo
known as "Buckey" O'Neil in Arizonn.
where he lived, and some years ago ho wrote
a number of frontier stories for the Argo
naut. Ho was a typical frontiersman, and
did much for tho upbuilding of tho
community in which ho lived, and
his death shows that he has laid down
his lifo cheerfully for the country that ho
loved. One o? his stories which "appeared
in the Argonaut is hore reprinted.]
' ITUATED in South
Eastern Arizona
there is a tract of
laud large enough
to make au East
ern State. It is
known as the
Apacho Indian
Reseservation, and
it is there that
thc Indians of that
tribe are kept un
der close military
surveillance. Years ago the sur
veillance would occasionally relax,
and then there would be an outbreak.
A trail of blood would be marked out
toward Mexico, and tho vultures
would come in crowds, as if from all
over thc West, to enjoy the banquet
prepared for them iu tho dead, whose
bodies would glisten when first killed
with snowy whiteness in the dazzling
sunlight, so that you could see them
dotting tho plains from afar off, while
the hot winds from tho south that
tanned your face would be heavy with
thc smell of human carrion.
It is not so now, for better watch
and ward is kept by the soldiers. But
when it was so, there were four men
who went into this Apache country to
prospect for the mines from which, in
the old days, the Iudiaus obtained thc
silver out of which they would mold
bullets when they could uot get lead.
Many a man has lost his life searching
fur those mines, and many more will |
doubtless do the same before they aro
discovered. This, though, will never
deter men from making the effort, so
long as men have thc right to take
their lives in their hands and wager
them against wealth.
Of these four men, one was Harry
Barrett. He was young, and had, as
many young men have, and as all young
men should have, a girl with whom he
was very much in love, and to whom
ho was engaged to bo married. It was
probably this more thau auythiug elso
that made him so desirous of growing
suddenly rich by finding the treasure
mines of the Apaehes, for, when a
young man is truly in love, his great
est regret is that ho docs not ow? thc
wealth of tho Iudies aud possess the
power of tho Czar to augment his im
portance in ^thc eyes of the womau iu
whom ho is so deeply interested. This
was so with Harry Barrett, and when
old Jeff Bramlett, who had prospected
for these same mines for twenty years
or more, caine to him with his map of
the country in which they-wero sup
posed to exist, Harry was not long in
growing enthusiastic, and believing
what was told him, for the prospect of
great wealth is always intoxicating.
The map was old, 'aud frayed, and
faded, fo: many another mau had
lingered it. to his sorrow. That counted
for naught, though, with Harry. When
thc day came for the party to start out
on their search, he was the most light
hearted of all, especially when ho
lagged behind to kiss his hand to the
giri for who^e sake he desired wealth,
and who stood at the door of her father's
house watching him, while she saw in
vision the beautiful things that the
future had in store for them both. Thc
wealth that Harry might discover was
not necessary to make her pictures of
tho future bright. If she only could
have Harry, that was sufficient, and,
when he passed from her sight, she
turned away, humming thc song he
most lilied, while thinkiug of thc pleas
ures that awaited his return.
For months there had beeu no
minors of Iudiau disturbances There
had been peace on the rest. ..lion so
long that men had ceased to give its
dangers a thought, as men who live in
the shadows of volcanoes live day after
day unthinking of the hour that will
hud them buried beneath its lava. To
thc undertaker, nothiug is so common
place as death, while the headsman iu
time sees nothing notable in an execu
tion. save whether or' not the ax finds
ils way through oue neck easier than
through another. And so it is with
danger, for when it is ever present,
men grow callous to it, no matter how
grcat it may be. So it was with Har
ry Barrett and his comrades. While
the girl who was awaiting his return
might have occasionally thought of
th( risks that thc little party ran,
the men never felt any anxiety, or, if
they did, subdued it without openly
expressing it.
For the first few days they found
indications of rich silver deposits-in
dications that wcro so rich that they
made a permanent camp, intending lo
examine the ledges that criss-crossed
tho country thoroughly. They had
seen no Indians, and expected none.
One day. though, as they sat at din
ner, a shot came from out of the
pines, and before the echo had died
away it was followed by a score of
others. Old Jeff Bramlett, who was
to havo led them to untold wealth,
dropped thc tin plate-from which he
was eating-on tho ground. Not
abruptly, but so gently that it hardly
mads a sound; and, as it fell, he ap
parently Diado un effort to rise to his
foot, only to fall face forward in o the
?rc, where still simmered the uneaten
portion of tho noonday meal.
The three remaining men sprai'g to
their feet unharmed, and rushed to
3cck cover behind trees and bowlders,
picking up the arms that came nearest
to their hands. As Barrett passed tue
fire, he drew from it the body of tljo
old.mau, Xtt?Jage wM.MYeyetl vila
?D FATE.
Sahrings Rs way with fury of revolt,
Aud lashed with exultation as a scourge,
Who would not rather fouuder ia tho
fight
Than to have known tho glory of tho
fray?
Ay, to go" down in armor aud in might,
With our last breath to dominate dis
may,
To sink amid tho mad sea's clashing spears,
And with tho erv of bugles in our oars!
-Richard Ilovey, in Century.
WITH DEATH. ?
-- ?
soi
REMAINED BEHIND, i?i
S3
/VA
ashes and blood, while the long hnir
and open shirt were smoking from the
contact with the coals. Tho limp
body and relaxed jaw told how sud
denly death had come.
As the young mau threw thc body
to one sido from the fire, and sank un
der the cover of a bowlder, he glanced
in thc direction from which tho shots
had come, but could see nothing. As
ho watched, there would occasionally
risc pull's of white smoke, followed by
the report of a rifle, and ho would fire
in return. Through the whole after
noon never once did bc see au Indian's
face or form. After thc first surprise,
the three had cailed to see oue an
other, and were rejoiced to know that
none was hit. The oldest had taken
tho direction of affairs.
"Hold your ammuuition, and wait
until to night, and then we will break
back for tho canon aud try to roach
the settlements. There are too many
of them for us to stand off," he said,
aud so through the long afternoon they
waited. Tho fire they had kindled
burned out, and thc body of tho dead
man beside it grew cold aud rigid.
The blood no longer ilowed from the
wound. When the wind would blow
thc ashes from the coals left by tho
fire, they would still glow, as it iu
mockery of the quick death that had
overtaken the outstretched form be
sido him.
When darkness hr. 1 come, tho three
men gradually crept back-keeping as
closely together as possible-iu the
direction of thc canon behind them.
Oceasionlly, out of the darkness, would
come a flash of light from a rifio fired
in their direction. To these, at firs'.,
they replied; but when they had got
some distauce from tho camp where
the dead man lay, they rose to their
feet, and as rapidly and noiselessly as
possible retreated to thc canon. No
one spoke, but each knew that the
faces of his comrade were,like his own,
glowiug with that feeling of gratitude
that comes only when a man has es
caped almost certain death. They
would never seo the mau they had left
behiud again; but, after all, he was
old and alone iu tho world, whilo thoy
-well, with thom life was sweetoii^id.
dearer ^HIJJ1 : ib1 eauld^poaifivty" har?
been to, him.
The three men kept closely together,
as if relying on-one another for assist
ance. As they climbed down through
the cauon thej* remained on its dark
est side, in order to avoid any pos
sible discovery, although it made their
narrow footway still more dangerous.
Far behind them they could see on
thc mountain sido a blaze of light,and
they knew that it was a signal of their
escape. It made thom push forward
with still greater exertion, for now
they knew that thc pursuit was close
behind,and that it would be ouly with
the greatest effort they could escape,
, as the Indians had probably discov
ered the direction in which they were
going, and would endeavor to inter
cept them. A<; they pushed forward
with renewed haste the mau in the
rear suddenly slipped and fell, carry
ing with him his two comrades. Thc
fall was but a slight ono. Tao little
pebbles it had started had hardly
ceased rolling before two of tho mcu
were again ou their feet, picking up
their arms. Harry tried to join them,
aud rose to his feet, but only to fall
agaiu.
"What's thc matter?" asked one 0?
Lis comrades.
"I think I have sprained my log
some way," bc replied.
Tho two men assisted him to arise,
but when he was on his feet, his left
leg seemed to bc without life, so far as
any control of the muscles of it was
concerned, He tried to step for
ward, but it drtgged as if it were
paralyzed. A cold sweat broke out
all over him, and when one of thc men
who supported him said, "This is
tough!" it sounded like a sentence of
death.
"Can't you move it at all?" asked
ouo of his comrades, his voice betray
ing his desire to bc once more on his
way toward the settlements. They
were still standing where they had
fallen in tho moonlight, and one of
them noticing it, led tho way back in
to the shadow.
"No, I am afraid it is broken," an
swered thc disabled man. His voice
sounded strange and chnuged. Ile
could hardly recognize it. Thc dead
man whoni they had left lying back
by the camp-fire seemed very near to
him, and in his fear and pain ho won
dered if thc Indians had mutilated
him much.
Tho two men laid him down, and
one, taking the disabled limb in his
hand, moved it gently back and forth,
and in au instant moved his baud far
up on thc thigh.
"Yes, it's broken there. You can
feel thc ends of tlie bones," As he
said it, he glanced from the face of
the wounded man into that of his
other comrade. Even in thej shadow
tho wounded man caught thc expres
sion on thc faces of tho two men, and
knew that they were thinking how
long it would be before thc Apaches
would overtake them if they remained
there. Both had scated themselves
by his side in thc shadow, so that if
their pursuers were near they would
oller a poorer target.
"Don't yon think you can limp
along with our holp?" asked one.
"No, it's no use, boys, I could never
get through tho canon. You will have
to leavo me. If I tried, they would
attack us before daybreak." As ho
said this, he unbuckled tho belt from
around his waist, with its gloaming
row (.f cartridges, and handed it to
ono of tho mon, after taking the re
volver from it* holster.
"Well, we ain't going to leave you,"
said one of his comrades.
"BOYS, that is nonaOMe," aa?Mhe ?
disabled mau. His voico was so cain?
and clear now that it surprised him. I
"You can do me no good by staying, '
aud there will be three iustead of ono '
to die. By to-morrow morning, you '
eau bo withiu reach of the settlements j
and safe, but my time has come."
Tho two men looked at each other !
in silence. After all, it was but true
that nothing would be gained by their ?
staying. They had both risen to their
feet like men who had been given a
now hope.
"Boys, tell Mattie how it was, and i
give her what I have got in town." At
the mention of the girl's name, there ;
again came into tho voice thc unsteady j
strangeness that was there when ho
first told them that ho was hurt, !
while, in the moonlight, th^y could ,
Bee there wero tears in his eyes. For ,
an instant the wounded mau was
silent, and then he added: "You had
better take my arms with you; you j
may need them."
As he finished speaking, ho cocked
the revolver and placed it to his head;
but beforo he could press the trigger,
one of the men grasped his hand and
exclaimed: >
"Don't do that!"
"Yes, you are right. The report
would betray us," said the wounded
man, as ho lowered tho weapon. "Give i
me that knife, instead."
"I didn't mean it that way," said
tho man who had mado tho remark,
ashamed that the true feelings which
prompted it had been perceived by tho
wounded man. "Don't kill yourself.
Wo will stay with you, and wo may
yet pull through."
The wounded man shook his head
quietly. The tone of the speaker told
him, as plaiu as words could have
done, that there was but ono chance
of escape for any of them. Ho took
from tho belt tho man mechanically
handed him, in compliance with his
request, his heavy hunting-knife, aud
leaned back fall length in the shadow
of tho canon. The men who stood
watching him saw his eyes close and
his lips moving in prayer, but only for
au instant, aud then, without looking
up, ho said:
"Good-by, boys; I hope you will
got through."
There was not a quaver in his voico.
As he finished the men turned away so
a3 not to see him, each saying softly,
as if speaking to himself:
. "Good-bye, Harry."
As they stood looking down the
moonlit canon, they could hear behind
them, where the wounded mau lay,
sounds as if he were choking and
gasping for breath. When they no
longer heard them, they looked toward
where he lay. Tho white breast,
where thc opsu bosom of the shirt ex
posed it" in tho shadow, looked r~ :?
stain ed with ink where tho bloo:l h..
touched it, and across it lay the
norvcless hand that had held the
knife.
For an instant the two men looked
down on tho body with awe, as if
afraid that tho open eyes were watch
ing- thain.'a Then 'one placed nts afiffir
over tho heart of tho outstretched
form, shuddering as he felt how warm
it was. It seemed unnatural that.it
should be so with a dead mau. Foi a
moment he held it there, and then,
wiping from it on the shirt of the dead
mau tho blood that stained it, ho
arose and said, in answer to his coin
rade's look, in almost a whisper, lyn
if fearing to bo heard by the spjrit
that had just departed: '
"Yes, ho is dead." /
And then thc two survivors/took
tho dead man's arms and pushed for
ward into tho night toward the seitle
ments, leaving behiud ihem in the
stillness of thc moonlit canon, a white,.
upturned face to await the carly dawn,
when tho Indians would slash iy so
that even the girl in thc settlement,
who had so often kissed it, woula hot
know it.
An Anecdote of tlio ttcvolntlon. j
Senator !ato, of Tennessee, toby mc
an anecdote of Colonel Tom Suinter
that I have never seen inprint. Sum
ter was a great big giant of a fellow,
with a voice like a fog-horn. It is
said his "holler" could bc heard for
miles. On one occasion when he was
i on a foray, thc Tories caine and
captured his wife, Molly, and stripped
thc plantation of everything. When
"Old Tom" came home and found
"Molly" gone, his rago knew no
bounds. Gathering together such
forces as ho could he put after the
Tories. He overtook them on tho third
day and hung about until midnight.
Then he deployed his forces around
the camp and told them to a?aithis
orders to fire. He was afraid of "Mol
ly" being shot ?in tho melee, so when
ho got every thing ready he opened his
big mouth and let out aycll that fairly
made the earth tremble: "Lay down,
Molly! Lay down, Molly," and
Molly, recognizing these stentorian
tones, fell prone on her face, aud af
ter thc last "Lay down, Molly," came
the command fire and charge. Molly
was recaptured without hurt.-From
Senator McLaurin's Fourth of July ad
dress at Spartauburg, S. C.
Crystallizing Flowers.
Charming souvenirs of pleasant sum
mer outings aro ferns and (lowers pre
served by crystallizing them. The
best method is to arrange some basket
form of any desired pattern with plia
ble copper wiro and wrap them with
gauze. Into these tie to tho bottom
tho flowers you wish to preserve
ferns, leaves, violets, in fact any
Howers of a delicate character-do not
attempt full-blown roses-and sink
them in a solution of alum of ono
pound to a gallon of water. Wait un
til tho solution has cooled, as tho
colors will then bo preserved in their
original beauty, and the crystallized
alum will hold them faster than when
formed in a hot .solution. When you
have a light covering of crystal that
completely envelopes the articles re
move carefully and allow it to drip for
twelve hours. These baskets aro very
beautiful aud will long preservo their
freshness.
A Piazza Incident.
The following incident occurred at
Jacksonville, Fla. : A private soldier
wiis occu]>ying it neat on tho piazza of
a hotel when the landlord caine out and
said: "Wc don't care to have jiri
vates occupy these seats; they are for
officers." Tho private, who was a
millionaire belonging to an Illinois
regiment, turned and said: "How
much do you want for thc wholo out
fit? FU buy it if you care to sell."
Privates aro now occupying aoatb oa
tUo piazzft.-NowYorls .Proaa, ^.-^ i
The True "Pearl of the ?
tires of This R
Some of the interesting things about
Porto Pico a1' not generally known.
In size it rauKs only as the fourth of
the Greater Antilles, but in point of
density of population and general
prosperity it takes the first place. It
is one of thc few countries in tropical
America where the whites outnumber
the other races. Thc best harbor in
thc islniidis Guauicn, thc most western
port o: he south coast. Yellow fever
never scourges Porto Pico as it does
parts of Cuba, and although most of
it is low-lying, and may be said to bc
very hilly rather than mountainous,
it is one of the most healthful of tropi
cal islands.
Though the harbor of Guanictt,
where our troops lauded, is thc bo$t
in the island, it is not visited by much
shipping. The district immediately
around it is low and swampy, andj
unless improvements have been niado
within tho past two or three years,
the roads are not equal in quality to
the main roads marked on the map.
Guauicn is the outlet for tho produce
of San German, Sabana Grado, and to
to some extent of Yanco, which is on
the railroad. Porto Pican "rebels?'
have been particularly numerous iii
thc western and southwestern dis
tricts, and many thousands of people
there welcomed the day of General
Miles'a coming as thc greatest in their
lives.
The largest city and the commerci
capital of the isluud is Ponce, which
lies throe miles north of tho port of
Ponce, on a rich plaiu surrounded by
gardens and plantations. There aro
hot springs in the neighborhood^
which aro highly appreciated by in-;
valids. Along tho playa or beach in
front of the port arc extensive depots,-,
in which the produce of tho interior^
forwarded through ronce, the trading
centre, is stored for shipment. At
thc last enumeration Ponce lHid ?j
population of 37,543, while San Juan?
tho capital on the north coast, baa;
only 23,414 inhabitants. Ponce has 4
number of fine buildings, among which;
---Til
A MARKET SCENE OUTSIDE THE WALLS
OF SAX JDAX.
are thc Town Hall, the theatre, two
churches, tho Charity aud tho Wom
en's Asylums, the barracks, 'he Cuban
House, and thc market. Tho roc 1 be
tween the city and thc seaside is a
beautiful promenade.
The main highway of ccuti.il Porto
Pico rans from Ponce to San .Tuan in
a northeasterly course through Juana
Diaz, Coaino and Aibouito, where it
goes almost eastward to Cayey, there
to talco a winding course to tho north
.is far as Caguas, where it turns west
-.o Aguas Bnenas, and then goes de
cidedly north to San Juan through
Guaynabo and Pio Piedras, making
in all a distance of eighty-five miles.
The distance from Ponce to San Juan
ina straight linc is only forty-five miles.
The eastern part of thc islaud is less
densely peopled thau thc western,
and as the east coast is on tho wind
ward side aud oilers less protection
for shipping it is not so conveniently
situated for trade. Here all thc
larger towns of the cast lie inland, or
at least some distance from thc coast.
These towns arc in tho hilly region
amid rich coffee and extensive graz
iug lauds.
Tho harbor of San Juan, the capi
tal, is deep enough to admit large
vessels, but its channel communicnt
CHARACTERISTIC SCENE ON THE MAI
WHICH RUNS FROM
ing with tho sea is winding and diffi
cult and can be navigated safely only
with thc aid of a pilot.
One of the leading seaports of the
?..laud is Aguadillo on thc west coast,
?which has the advantage of a spacious
bay sheltered from the trade winds.
Herc aro shipped thc sugar and coffee
of the northwest part of tho island.
There are seven or eight ports of les
ser importance.
Over SDI),OOO people live in Porto
Pico, and about two-thirds of them
aro white. Cuba is thirteen times
larger than Porto Piro, and its popu
lation was not double that of the
smaller islaud even before Weyler ex
terminated a third of tho nativo
Cubans. Besides Ponce and San
Juan, the largest towns on the island
aro Arecibo (30,000 inhabitants),
Utuauo (31,000), Mayognez (28,000),
San Connan (20,000), Yanco (25,000),
Juana Diaz ('21,000), and there arc
about ten other towns with a popula
tion of 15,000 or over.
In. {lu: past fifty years about half
thc popula?ion bas gravitated to and
around the towns, particularly tboso
of ibo seaboard. They live in com
fortable houses aud mauy of them
have the means to purchase all the
wares of the civilized world. Porto
Rico abounds in sugar, coffee, tobacco,
honey and wax, which have enriched
the island, and many of thc people aro
well-to-do. A very largo part of the
island's trade has been carried ou
with tho United States, whose corn,
CORNER OF THE PLAZA DE LAS DE
HEADQUARTERS OF GI
flour, salt meat, fish and lumber aro
imported in return for sugar, molasses
and coffee. Tho natives have little
taste for sea faring and most of their
foreign trade is carried in foreign bot
toms.
Porto Rico is rich in natural bless
ings, and for a tropical region is very
healthful. For somo inscrutable rea
son Spain has given the inhabitants
far better treatment than she has the
natives of Cuba. She has dealt with
the island as though it were a Spanish
province instead t " merely a colony to
j be bled by Spanish oflicials for the en
under construction; and a system of
wagon roads leading to all tho impor
tant trading centres that surpass auy
thing of the sort seen in most parts of
Spain herself. The stretches of rail
road parallel with the coast aro long
links in thc lino that is to make the cn
ti:e circuit of thc island, with short
branches to all the seaports and thc
inland markets.
Tho mode of life is very similar to
that of the Europeau countries except
for some slight differences duo to the
hot climate. Fashions for men and
women alike are introduced from
Spain, and especially from Paris and
London. Tho well to do in thc prin
cipal towns dress just liko peoplo in
Enropcan countries, men wearing wool
en clothes all tho year round. Thc
young women dress very elaborate
ly, and all wear hats, tho Spanish
mantilla being worn only by elderly
women, lu tho small towns men dress
after thc fashion of the enies, but wear
linen fabrics, as woolen clothes are
very uncomfortable, are considered a
luxury, and arc worn on holy days and
Sundays only. Laborers and farm
hands do not wear coats or shoes.
They do not caro to do so, and, if they
did, they could not afford to; as their
wages aro very small.
Lifo at San Juan and thc other prin
cipal towns is very monotonous, thc
only amusements being retreta or con
cert hythe military bands twice a week
N HIGHWAY OF CENTRAL PORTO RICO
PONCE TO SAN JUAN.
aud theatrical performances three or
four evenings a week, matinees being
given very seldom. Tho theatres are
owned by tho cities and rented to Eu
ropean companies travelling through
the island at so much an evening.
San Juan, built on a small island
connected with thc mainland by thc
Sau Autonio bridge, is quite a beauti
ful city, Avith straight but narrow
streets aud many line buildings. It
has several public institutions and col
leges, several churches and seven small
parks, among them the Pla/.uela de
Santiago, with a very good statue of
Columbus. The city is lighted by gas
supplied by an English company and
by electricity supplied hy a local cor
poration. There aro eleven newspapers
of all kinds, tho principal one being
La Correspondencia, a daily political
paper, with a circulation of about 7000
copies, which is equal to that of the
other papers combined. There is a
local telephone company, but no water
except that of thc cisterns. A reser
voir was projected aud tho pinn was
approved hf thc Government some
fifty year? ago, but owing to tho man
ana system it has not been finished
yet.
The history of tho Spauish adminis
tration in tho island is ono of cruelty
and corruption. Thc Spaniards began
by exterminating the native Indian
population, which some historians
placo as large as 500,000, in less than
a century. Every brauch of tho ad
ministration of tho islaud has beeu
conducted under a system of corrup
tion, the law was constantly violated
by the Spaniards and the natives were
deprived of their rights. At elections
tho Spauish or Conservative party al
ways won, notwithstanding the fact
that it was in a large minority.
The liberty of the press was un
known. Articles printed iu the Mad
rid or other Spanish papers attacking
tho Government could not be repro
duced by any Porto Rican paper with
out the editors being punished, even
if the article in question had not been
considered ground for prosecution by
the authorities in Spain.
No more than nineteen persons were
LICIAS, IN PONCE, PORTO RICO. THE
2NERAL GILES'S ARMY.
allowed to meet in auy place ou tho
island without special permission of
the Government, and a representativo
of the Mayor of tho town had to at
tend meetings to see that nothing was
done or said against "the integrity of
the nation."
Licenses were required for every
thing, even for a dancing party.
These arc some of the things which
caused the people at Ponce tc cheer
the Americans who took possession of
the town.
Chief among tho staple products is
coffee. Tho average yearly export
frrt,~ tn i.snh iT.* 49.22<>.000
he
by Spain. Besides, coffee is more
profitable and demands less care. Tho
tobacco yield is large. Between 1892
and 189G the average yearly exports
were 3,034,000 pounds, with a value of
$0:12,000. Ann.itto, mace, cocoa,
A PORTO RICAN DAMSEL.
ginger, rice and oranges are also cul
tivated.
Under tho Spanish rulo the vast
forests were never turned to profit.
Hardwood is abundant. Fancy cabi
net woods and beautiful grained woods
resembling marble are among the
products almost entirely Porto Paco's
own. Like Cuba, tho islaud has ex
tensive mines and quarries. The
principal deposits arc ?ron, gold, cop
per, zinc, coal and salt. Salt is the
only one worked to any extent.
Again, as in Cuba, thero are
scarcely any railways, and the fow are
short aud disconnected. The wagon
ways aro good, outside the cities as
well as in them. Water works are
needed everywhere, and tho drainage
in all the cities except Ponce is bad.
In Ponce only aro there underground
sewers. These flo .v into tho harbor,
whose outlet should be widened, not
only to allow the escapo of tho drain
age, but to afford easier aud less per
ilous access.
Mauy young men in France become
doctors or licentiates merely for tho
sake of avoiding military duty-or,
rather, doing ono year's military ser
vice instead of three.
A Tempting oiler.
"Excuse me, mum, but seeiu' dat
you'.rc a stranger in do city and un
pertected, I fought dat, fer a small
consideration, I might oller my ser
vices ns guide, philosopher and friend!"
-J udgs.
CERMANY'S "WOMAN BISMARCK.'
Countess Walclersee, nn American Girl,
Has n Remarkable Influence With
Emperor William.
As a little girl Mary Esther Lea
played among the flour barrels and
currant boxes of her father's grocery
store on Front street in New York
City. lint that was many years ago.
Now tho little girl is a white haired
and regal lady, with tho titlo of
princess. Moro than that, sho it is
who is the power behind the German
throne, who is known as tho "female
bismarck" and who, it is believed,
brought about thc Kaiser's marriage.
Her titlo is Princess von Noer, and
she is a powerful influence in the
great palace at Berlin.
Her history is most interesting and
unusual. Her father left Connecticut
iulSlOand began a small grocery busi
ness in New York City. Though he
was financially successful, when he
died, in 1853, he left but a very small
fortune to his family. Mrs. Lea, nu
able to afford the expensive living in
New York, bundled up l>3r little fam
ily and went to Stutgnrt. Here the
eldest daughter married Baron von
Waechter. He soon became Ambas
sador from "VYurtcnberg to Paris, and
in due course of time Mrs. Lea and
her other daughters found themselves
in the social set of the great French
capital. Other important marriages
came about. Mary Esther, the
youngest girl, found a fast and affec
tionate friend iu Priucess Louise of
Schleswig-Holstein. Through her sho
formed the acquaintance of the father
of the princess, au old widower, who
immediately fell desperately in love
with the beautiful and bright little
American girl. To compensate for
marrying the daughter of a grocer the
Prince gave up his titlo and accepted
ibo simpler designation of Count von
Noer, which was given to him by the
Austrian Emperor. The groom was
sixty-four years old, the bride twenty
four. Six months later the venerable
husband died and his rich and youth
ful widow settled down in Yienua.
There sho won the esteem of the
Austrian Emperor, and he created her
Princess of Noer in her own right.
COUNTESS WALDERSEE.
Her particular ambition was to
! marry her grand niece by her first
j marriage, Priucess Augusta Victoria
i of Schleswig-Holstein, to Prince Will
. iam of Prussia, tho present Emperor
I of Germany. Thc mother of the
j induce raised great objections, but tho
Princess vou Noer was persistent and
tactful and planning, and the wedding
; was celebrated. Prince William and
j his bride were both devoted to tho
i one who helped along thc rough way
I of their courtship, and their gratitude
I has been unceasing. When Princess
j Augusta Victoria became Empress
I she was more than ever under tho
j sway of her Americau aunt. Princess
i von Noer's present desire is to bring
about tho most cordial relationship
! between thc country of her birth and
j her adopted laud. Her influence over
I tho Kaiser is as strong as in the days
! when sho made opportunities for him
! to meet his pretty little German?
j sweetheart.
Military Frying Tan.
Tho somber shadow of the war pic
tures of the Crimea is relieved by one
comical illustration of a soldier on
picket struggling to coo1, his dinner in
i frying pan. In his left hand ho
iiolds an umbrella as weapon against
wind and rain, in the other ho holds
a frying pan battling with the fitful
gust Idowiug the flame away from the
bunch of sticks, anywhere but under
tho meat to be cooked.
Uncle Sam in his invention for a
combination of comfort and conven
COOKING TAX AND COVER.
ience has not subdued the elements,
but he has done the rest. Fortunate
ly it is not always raining. This fry
ing pan, such as tho First Illinois
carry, a la chatelaine militaire, by its
attached ring, is, closed, a case for
thc day's ration of meat; unclosed and
open it forms two utensils for cook
ing. In the Crimea in groups of
three the soldiers cooked over an ex
tempore bricked collaret heating
stones with tho sticks. Tho latter
day outpost digs a hole in the saud,
lilla it with dry twigs and under
brush, and pulling tho nearest rail
fence, by crossing the apaco twice
with the logs a rest for the cooking
utensil is made.
Closed, Uncle Sn m'a frying pan is
the ration case; open, it is tho frying
pan and another dish for vegetables
or oven soldiers' quick bread of corn
flour or wheat. The Americau soldier
linds it a success, likewise* the trav
eler or hunter may well consider it an
accession.
A passenger car on a steam railroad
costs from ?1000 to $0000, a baggage
car from $2000 to $2500, a Bleeping
cai' from 310,000 lo $20,000,
F?PULAR SCIENCE.
A procesa of plating aluminum with
copper by a weldiug method has been
invented in Germany.
Professor Michelson, of the National
Academy of Sciences, Washington
has invented a new form of specVo
scope, made by building nj) steps oi
equal thickness of o])tical glass.
Harvard University is the possesses
of tho highest meteorological station
in the world, it being located at thc.
summit of El Misti, near thc town ol
Arequipa, Peru. It is 10,200 feet
above the sea level.
The long familiar laboratory method
of drying the air by means of a moisv
ture-absoibing agent has been bor
rowed by a Frankfort (Germany) in
ventor for a patented dry barrel or box
for preserving vegetables and other
substances.
j Tho most powerful microscope ob
jective yet made is a 1-10 inch mono
J bromide of naphthaline immersion
lens, made by Zeiss. Its numerical
aperture is 1.G0, and it has resolved or
made visible a detail only 1-200,000 of
an inch in width.
Dr. A. Wroblewski finds from tho
results of his experiments to ascertain
the effect of sterilization on the chief
constitutents of milk, such as milk
sugar, albumen and casein, that milk
j is so far altered by sterilization that
the milk sugar is partly caramelized.
A cheap method of duplicating con
cave mirrors, for searchlight reflectors
and even telescopes, has been pro
posed by an English engineer. A
well-made convex glass mould is
silvered, then the silver is backed with,
copper in an electrolyte of copper sul
phate, and the mirror is separated
from the mould by gentle heat in a
water-bath. *
Colonel Roosevelt's Naval Foresight.
Among the thiugs not specifically
referred to by the President in his
Thanksgiving proclamation as those to
be especially .< ?nkfui for the fore
most, in naval estimation, is that Col
onel Theodore Roosevelt was Assistant
Secretary of the Navy just before tho
war-cloud broke. Not because he was
so full of fight aud willing to see the
?var come. Petter than that. He had
foresight, for which Admiral Dewey
will render thauks when ho hears nf
tho President's proclamation. AVhen
Dewey was almost out of ammunition,
and it was not expected by anybody
at the Navy Department that the
Asiatic Squadron would need any,
liooscvelt insisted that a large supply
should be sent out to Dewey. He had
to use some argument to impress his
ideas upon tho department, but to get
rid of him aud accept the safe propo
sition, a supply of ammunition was
forwarded loner bti?"* -
- -, ?L?ww?*4ig ?-llU IO
use ammunition without restriction,
ind then had the satisfaction of seeing
his order carried out. Tue Naval
Affairs Committee and thc Appropria
tions Committeo later on asked whero
all thc ammunition provided had gmo.
"Fired it away," was thc answer. And
Mr. Roosevelt insisted that there could
ue no better use made of it. Kow tho
Navy Department is insisting ihat tho
advantage obtained by "firing away"
ammunition is demonstrated. The
fjuus had been tested, and thc men
who were to use them had been per
mitted by liberal practice to gain the
accuracy for which the navy is becom
I iug painfully famous iu Spanish esti
I matiou.-New York Times.
Thc Boundaries of the United States.
Henry Norman, of thc editorial staff
of tho London Chronicle, while on
his recent visit to this country told
the following story:
"I'm as heartily American as over,
and believe more than ever in tho
'manifest destiuy' of the United States,
Dr perhaps I should say that the belief
I have held firmly for t.venty years
has been confirmed. My belief in
what my good friend, John Fiske, tho
historian and author, said in one of
his famous essays on American politi
cal ideas, 'establishes itself most grate
fully as the years pass by.'
"The story he told of the Paris din
ner illustrates the idea. It was a din
ner given by the American residents
of Paris, you remember, in honor of
somo achievement of American diplo
macy. The toast of the evening was
the United States of America. The
first sneaker said: 'Here's to the
United States, bounded on the north
by the Dominion of Canada, on the
south by the Gulf of Mexico, on the
east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the
west by the Pacific' It was heartily
received.
"The next speaker said: 'Here's
to the United States, bounded ou the
north by the north pole, on the south
by the south pole, on thc east by the
rising sun, and on the west by the
setting sun.' Tumultuous cheering
followed this description.
"When the third speaker rose he
said he was loath to confine himself to
ibo restricted limits of his distin
guished compatriot, and ventured to
give more scope to tho boundaries in
dicated by proposing that all present
should drain their glasses to 'the
United States, bounded on the north
by the aurora borealis, on tho south
by the process of the equinoxes, on
the east by primeval chaos, and on tho
westby the day of judgment.' "-New
York Press.
A Hutte Minor's Cat Story.
An interesting story is told by a .
miner of Putte, Mont., who owns a
venturesome pet cat. This cat, it is
said, climbs up and down the shaft,
through drifts, cross-cuts, slopes and
levels, and lives with the miners in
the mine, who feed it from their
dinner pails. One day the owner
took the cat into the orehouse and
thoroughly washed its. hair; then he
panned the wash water and declares
he assayed it for $18.31.
The Marigold a Weather Prophet.
The marigold is a little weather
prophet. If the day is going to be
tine the flower opens about three or
four o'clock in the afternoon; but if
wei weather is iu store the marigold
doesjiot open at all.