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I YORKVILLE ENQUIRER. XS3WSB SSMI-WEEELT. i. m. grist & sons, Publishers, j % Jiamiln Iteirapper: Jor' the promotion of th{ political, gotiat, Agricultural, and ^ommctciat gntyrffts of the |coplt. (1E"m?no'^'roiy! ?k'\t*]*. *(:K^ established 1855. YOEKYILLE. S. O., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1900. NO. 91. . THE MYSTE AGA1 By ANNA KATHA Author of "The Leavenworth Cas and Ring," Copyright, 1900, by Anna Katharine G CHAPTER I. "murder!" THE dance was over, from the great house ou the hill the guests had all departed, and only the musicians remained. As they filed out through the ample doorway, with their instruments under their arms, the first faint streak of pariv dawn became visible In the east. One of them, a lank, plain featured I young man of ungainly aspect, but penetrating eye, called the attention of the others to it "Look!" said he. "There Is tb# daylight! This has been a gay night for Sutherlandtown." "Too gay," muttered another, starting aside as the slight figure of a young , man coming from the house behind them rushed hastily by. "Why, who's that?" As they one and all had recognized the person thus alluded to, no one answpred till he had dashed out of the gate and disappeared in the woods on the other side of the road. Then they i all spoke at once. i "It's Mr. Frederick!" "He seems in a desperate hurry." "He trod on my toes." "Did you hear the words he ^vas i muttering as he went by?" As only the last questio'b was calculated to rouse an interest, it alone received attention. "No; what were they? I beard him say something, but I did not catch the , words." ( "He wasn't talking to you or me. either, but I have ears that can hear an eye wink. He said. 'Thank God. this * terrible night is over!" Think of that! j After such a dance and such a spread. ( he calls this night terrible and thanks , God that it is over. I thought be was ] one to enjoy this kind of thing more , than most folks." < "So did I." ( "And so did I." , The five musicians exchanged looks, | then huddled in a group at the gate. "He has quarreled with his sweet- | heart," suggested one. "I'm not surprised at that," declared ) another. "1 never thought it would be t a matcn. "Shame if it were!" muttered the ungainly youth who had spoken first , As the subject of this comment was ( the son of the gentleman whose house , they were just leaving they necessarily spoke low, but their tones were rife < with curiosity and it was evident that < the topic deeply interested them. One ] of the five who had not previously , spoken now put in a word. "1 saw him when he first led out ] Miss Page to dance, and I saw him , again when he stood up opposite her in the last quadrille, and I tell you, boys, there was a mighty deal of dif- ( ference in the way he looked at her | the last time from what he did the first. You wouldn't have thought him the same Mian. Reckless young fel- , lows like him are not to be caught by dimples only. They want cash." "Or family, at least, and she hasn't either. But what a pretty girl she Is! Sotue fellow as rich as be aud as well connected would be satisfied with her good looks alone." "Good looks!" High scorn was observable in this exclamation, which was made by the young man who 1 have before characterized as ungainly. "1 refuse to acknowledge that she has any good looks. On the contrary, I consider her plain." "Oh. oh!" burst in protest from more than one mouth. "And why does she have every fellow In the room dangling after her, then?" asked the player on the yellow flageolet "But she hasn't a regular feature." "What difference does that make when it isn't her features you notice, but herself." "I don't like her." A laugh followed this. "That won't trouble her, Sweetwater. "Sutherland does. If you don't, and that's much more to the point And he'll marry her yet He can't help It Why. she'd witch the devil into leading her to the altar if she took a notion to have him for her bridegroom." "There would be consistency In that." muttered the fellow Just addressed. "But. Mr. Frederick"? "Hush! There's some one on the doorstep. Why. it's she!" Tbev all glanced back. The grace ful figure of a young girl dressed in whi it? was to be seen leaning toward tbem from the open doorway. Behind ber shone a blaze of light?the candles not having been yet extinguished In the hall?and against this brilliant background ber slight form, with all its bewitching outlines, stood out in plain relief. There was an anxious bend to It. however, which none of them had ever observed in It before. "Who was that?" she began in a high, almost strident voice, totally out of keeping with the sensuous curves of her strange, sweet face. But the question remained incomplete, as well as unanswered, for at that moment her attention, as well as that of the men lingering at the gate, was attracted by the sound of hurrying feet and confused cries coming up the bill. "Murder, murder!" was the word ^ panted out by more than one harsh voice, and in another instant a dozen men and boys came rushing into sight in a state of such excitement that the RY OF THA WEBB. lRINE GREENE, e," "Lost Man's Lane," "Hand Etc., Etc. i reen. , Ave musicians recoiled from the gate, ' and one of them went so far as to start 1 back toward the bouse. As he did so ' he noticed a curious thing. The young 1 woman whom they had all perceived ( standing in the door a moment before ' had vanlAed, yet she was known to 1 profess the keenest curiosity of any ' one in town. "Murder, murder!" A terrible and unprecedented cry In this old, God fearing town. Then came in hoarse explanation from the jostling group as they stopped at the gate: "Mrs. Webb has been killed! Stabbed with a knife! Tell Mr. Sutherland!" "Mrs. Webb!" As the musicians heard this name, so honored and so universally beloved, they to a man uttered a cry, Mrs. Webb! Why, it was Impossible. Shouting in their turn for Mr. Sutherland, they all crowded forward. "Not Mrs. Webb!" they protested. "Who could have the daring or the heart to kill her?" "God knows." auBwered a voice from the highway. "But she's dead?we've just seen her!" "Then It's the old man's work," quavered a piping voice well known as that of the village shoemaker's. "I've always said he would turn on his best friend some day. 'Syluin's the best place for folks as has lost their wits. I"But here a hand was put over.his mouth, and the rest of the words became an inarticulate gurgle. Mr. Suth enuuu uau JUSI uppcairu uu iuc |a;iv;i. j and these were Dot men to let their ( voices be heard In his presence. He was a superb looking man. with ( an expression of mingled kindness and f iignity that invariably awakened both awe and admiration in the spectator. ^ No mPD In the country?I was going to ( jay no woman?was more beloved, nor t tvas any held In higher esteem. Yet he g tould not control his only son. as every , ane within ten miles of the hill well j tnew. ^ At this moment his face showed both j aain and shock. "What name are you shouting out there?" he brokenly demanded. "Agitha Webb." "Is Agatha Webb hurt?" "Yes. sir; killed," repeated a half iozen voices at once. "We've just tome from the house. All the town is j. ap. Some say her husband did it." "No. no!" was Mr. Sutherland's de- t tisive. though half inaudible response. ^ "Philemon Webb might end his own life, but not Agatha's. It was the money"? Here he caught himself up. and. raising his voice, addressed the crowd of villagers more directly. "Wait." said he. "and I will go back with you. Where is Frederick?" he lemanded of such members of his owu household as stood about him. No one knew. "I wish some one would find my son. I want him to go into town with me." "He's over in the woods there." volunteered a voice from without. "In the woods!" repeated the father In a surprised tone. "Yes. sir; we all saw him go. Shall we sing out to him?" "No. no; I will manage very well without him." And takiug up his hat Mr. Sutherland stepped out again upon the porch. Suddenly he stopped. A hand had been laid ou his arm and an insinuating voice was murmuring in his ear: "Do you mind if 1 go with you? I will not make any trouble." It was the same young lady we have seen before. The old gentleman frowned, he who never frowned, and remarked shortly: "a scene of murder is no place for ? women." m. ~ n/l ?/v Kin 1 Uf lawc upiuiut'u LU U13 ICUJttlL'CU unmoved. "1 think 1 will go." she quickly per- * sisted. "1 can easily mingle with the crowd." He said not another word against It Miss Page was under pay In his house. Suddenly he stopped. A hand had been { laid on his arm. but for the last few weeks no one had undertaken to contradict her. In the interval since her first appearance on 1 the porch she had exchanged the light i dress in which she had danced at the ball for a darker and much more serv- i lceable one, and perhaps this token of her determination may Lave had its influence in silencing him. He joined the crowd, and together they moved down hill. This was too much for the servants of the house. One by one they, too, left the house till it stood absolutely empty. Jerry snuffed out the candles and shut the front door, but the side entrance stood wide open, and into this entrance, as the last fpotstep died out on the hillside, passed a slight and resolute flgure. It was that of the musician who bad questioned Miss Page's attractions. CHAPTER II. A BLOODY SLEEVE. Sutherlandtown was a seaport. The Tillage, wmcn was a sinaw uue, uuusisted of one long street running parallel with the coast and numerous cross streets running down from the hillside and ending on the wharfs. On one of the corners thus made stood the Webb house, with its front door an the main street and Its side door on one of the hillside lanes. As the group of men and boys who had been [n search of Mr. Sutherland entered this last mentioned lane , they could pick out this house from all the others, is it was the only one in which a light was still burning. Mr. Sutherland lost ao time in entering upon the scene of the tragedy. As his imposing figure emerged from the darkness and paused in the outskirts of the crowd blocking ap every entrance to the house, a murmur of welcome went up, after which i way was made for him to the front loor. But before he could enter some one plucked him by the sleeve. "Look up!" whispered a voice Into Pis ear. He di(J so and saw a woman's body Panging half out of an upper window.! [t bung limp, and the sight made him sick notwithstanding his threescore pears of experience. "Who's that?" he cried. "That's not igatha Webb's head and shoulders." "No, It's Batsy, the cook. She's dead too. We left her where we found aer for the coroner to see." "But this Is horrible!" murmured Mr. Sutherland. "Has there been a butchir here?" As he uttered these words he felt an)ther quick pressure on his arm. Lookng down, be saw leaning against him he form of a young woman, but before ae could address her she had started iprigbt again and was moving on with he throng. It was Miss Page. "It tfas the sight of this woman langing from the window which first Irew attention to the house," volun ered a man who was standing as a tort of guardian at the main gateway. Some of the sailors' wives who had( )een to the wharfs to see their buskinds off on the ship that sailed at day>reak saw it as they came up the lane ?? their way home and gave the alarm, /ithout that we might not yet have nown what had happened." "But Mrs. Webb?" "Come in and see." There was a hoard fence about the lirnple yard within which stood the imuble house forever after to be pointfd out as the scene of Sutherlandown's most heartrending tragedy. In his fence was a gate, and through this fate uow passed Mr. Sutherland and lis would be companion. Miss Page. i path bordered by lilac bushes led the vay to the house, the door of which itood wide open. As soon as Mr. Sutherland entered upon this path a nan appeared from the house and :ame directly toward bim. It was Linos Fenton. tbe'constable. "Ah, Mr. Sutherland." said he, "sad lusiness, a very sad business! But vhat. little girl have you there?" "This is Miss Page, my housekeeper's liece. She would come. Inquisltiveless. the cause. I do not approve of t." "Miss Page must remain on the dooritep. We allow no one inside exceptng yourself." he said respectfully, In ecognitiou of the fact that nothing of mportance was ever undertaker/ In Sutherlandtown without the presence if Mr. Sutherland. Miss Page eourtesied. looking so bevitching in the fresh morning light hat the tough old constable scratched -l~ ~t-t? l~ a.lmUotinn Rllf lis l_"UlU IU uu^iug auuiiiuuuu. ^MW le did oot reconsider bis determination. Seeing tbis. sbe accepted her defeat gracefully aud moved aside to where be bushes offered her more or less pro;ection from the curiosity of those tbout her. Meanwhile Mr. Sutherland lad stepped into the house. He found himself in a small ball ivith a staircase in front and an open loor at the left. On the threshold of :his opeu door a man stood, who at light of him doffed his hat Passing jy this man. Mr. Sutherland entered :he room beyond. A table spread with eatables met his view, beside which. In m attitude which struck him at the momeut as peculiar, sat Philemon Webb. the well known master of the house. Astonished at seeing his old friend In this room and in such a position, he was about to address him when Mr. Pen ton stopped him. "Wait!" said he. "Take a look at poor Philemon before you disturb him. He was sitting just as you see him when we broke into the house a half lour ago, and we have let him be for easons you can easily appreciate. Eximiue him closely. .Mr. Sutherland; he won't notice it." "Hut what ails liirn ? Why does he sit crouched against the table? Is he liurt, too?" "No: look at his eyes." Mr. Sutherland stopped and pushed jside the long gray locks that half concealed the countenance of ids aged friend. "Why," he cried startled, "they are closed! He isn't dead?" "No; he is asleep." "Asleep?" "Yes. He was asleep when we came In and he Is asleep yet. Some of the neighbors wanted to awake him. but 1 would not let tliem. His wits are not 3trong enough to bear a sudden shock." "No, no, poor Philemon! Hut that he should src sleeping here while she?but , what do these bottles mean and this { parade of supper In the room they were , not accustomed to eat In?" "We don't know. It has not been ^ eaten, you see. He has swallowed a "I don't see anything bvt this poor sleep nig man, nc c/cyu>7?. glass of port but that Is all. The other glasses have bad no wine in them, nor have the victuals been touched." "Seats for three and only one occupied." murmured Mr. Sutherland. "Strange! Could . he have expected _ guests?" "It looks like It. 1 don't know that his wife allowed blm such privileges. But she was always too good to him and I fear has paid for it with her life." - ? . . u "Nonsense! He never tilled ner. n Had his love been anything short of the worship It was, he stood In too j . much awe of her to lift his hand against her, even In his most demented moments." ? "I don't trust men of uncertain wits," returned the other. "You have not no- g ticed everything that Is to be seen In t this room." o Mr. Sutherland, recalled to bis duty f by these words, looked quickly about him. With the exception of the table a and what was on and by It there was s nothing else in the room. Naturally o his glance returned to Philemon Webb. I "1 don't see anything but this poor sleeping man," he began. 0 "Look at his sleeve." b Mr. Sutherland, with a start, again e bent down. The arm of his old friend 1 lay crooked upon the table, and on Its blue cotton sleeve there was a smear 1 which might have been wine bnt which * was?blood. t As Mr. Sutherland became assured of this, be turned slightly pale and looked f inquiringly at the two men who were Intently watching him. p "This Is bad," said he. "Any other v marks of blood below stairs?" a "No. That one smear Is all." v "Oh. Philemon!" burst from Mr. / Sutherland In deep emotion. Then as ]( he looked long and sbudderingly at bis b friend he added slowly: n "He has been In the room where she ii was killed, so much is evident. But n that be understood what was done t there I cannot believe or he would not s be sleeping here like a log. Come, let us go upstairs." n Fenton, with an admonitory gesture * toward his subordinate, turned directly n toward the staircase. Mr. Sutherland followed blm, and tuey at once pro- a ceeded to the upper hall and Into the 1 large front room, which had been the scene of the tragedy. It was the parlor or sitting room of G this small and unpretentious bouse. A t rag carpet covered the floor, and the n furniture was of the plainest kind, but n the woman who lay outstretched on the ^ stiff old fashioned lounge opposite the v door was far from being In accord with e the homely type of her surroundings. t< Though the victim of a violent death, her face and form, both of a beauty f< seldom to be found among women of ri any station, were so majestic In their tl calm repose that Mr. Sutherland, as- c customed as be was to her noble ap- h pearauce. experienced a shock of surprise that found vent In these words: r' "Murdered! She? You have made w some mistake, my friends. Look at ri her face!" But even In the act of saying this bis t] eyes fell on the blood which had dyed her cotton dress, and he cried: j, "Where was she struck and where Is p the weapon which made this ghastly a wound?" "She was struck while standing or o sitting at this table." returned the con- tl stable, pointing to two or three drops g of blood on Its smooth surface. "The tl weapon we have not found, but the n wound shows that It was Inflicted by a 21 three sided dagger." t! "A three sided dagger?" fl "Yes." ? p "I didn't know there was such a thing In town. Philemon could have had no dagger." "It does not seem so, but one caii Q never tell. Simple cottages like these n orten contain uie uiosi uuiooseu ior Itr- (n tides." c Mr. Sutherland thought of what this cottage did contain and scrutinized the ii constable closely. But the latter show- vi ed no discomposure. o "I cannot Imagine a dagger being 51 among Its effects." he pursued. "Where h was the body of Mrs. Webb lying when you came in?" is "Where you see it now. Nothing has d been moved or changed." h "She was found here, on this lounge, C( In the same position in which we see 11 her now?" * ? "Yes, sir." "But that Is Incredible. Look at the |j way she lies! Hands crossed, eyes tJ closed, as though made ready for her burial. Only loving hands could have sj done this. What does it meau?" "It meuns Philemon; that is what it w means, Philemon." Mr. Sutherland shuddered, but said 0i nothing. He was dumfounded by these c< evidences of a carzy man's work, tl Philemon Webb always seemed so it harmless, though he had been failing tl in mind for the last ten years. n "But," cried Mr. Sutherland suddenly p ousing. "tlu?re is another victim. t jaw old woman Batsy hanging from a window ledge, dead." "Yes; she is in this other room; but ;here Is uo wound on Batsy." "How was she killed, then?" "That the doctors must tell us." Mr. Sutherland, guided by Mr. Fen;on's gesture, entered a small room >penlng into the one In which they stood. His attention was at once atjacted by the body of the woman he lad seen from below, lying half in and ialf out of the open window. That she was dead was evident; but. as Mr. Penton bad said, no wound was to be jeen upon her. nor were there any narks of blood on or about the place where she lay. "This ls> a dreadful business." groaned Mr. Sutherland, "the worfft I have iver bad< anything to do with. Help lie to lift the woman In; she has been ong enough a show for the people outilde." There was a bed in this room; indeed, t was Mrs. Webb's bedroom, and lpon this poor Batsy was laid. As the 'ace came uppermost both gentlemen started and looked at each other In imazement The expression of terror tnd alarm which It showed was In striking contrast to the look of exalatiou to be seen oir the face of her ieasl mistress TO BE CONTINUED. piscellanrous! parting. EXPANSION DID IT. lere la an Earnest, Eloquent Analysis of the Republican Victory. ohn Temple Graves, In Atlanta News. I make bold to differ with the current >emocratic estimate of the cause of Tuesday's tragedy of ballots. I think that the ghost of free silver truck less terror to the soul of suffrage han the living issue of giving up .what ur arms and blood have won in the ^ciflc seas. I believe that Tuesday's ballot was n expansion victory, and the result olidifies my conviction that the sentif this country Is overwhelmingly for Expansion. Silver in this campaign was a shadwy ghost that revisited the political attlefleld only during the pale glimpss of the moon. It had no terrors and t scared no votes. The vital, breathing, present issue? he "paramount issue," if you will? ras the commerce of China and the 'aciflc ocean, and the trade winds >lew the ballots in a storm toward the ortw the* atnnri fr?r thPRP crtlORSflJ acts. This Is a commercial age?more's the ilty. The dominant thought of the forld Is trade and accumulation. Mor,1 ideas make scant headway against ast and evident commercial Interests, ind when the moral Ideas are chalsnged by the missionary fervor of oth liberty and religion, and the comlercial Interests are patent and towerrig, the result of the poll battle ought ever to have been in doubt. It Is easy o see this now that It Is all over. It hould have been clear before. I do not think that the Republican majority, great as it is, fully illustrates he strength of the expansion sentiment. Thousands of expansionists?and I m one of them?followed the flag of )emocracy for the Issues that it carled which seemed greater and deeper nan any commercial cuiimueruuuu. The normal Democratic majority In ieorgia Is about 65,0000. The returns his morning Indicate only about 40,000 lajorlty. The 25,000 silent voters, In iy judgment, are expansionists. And ehlnd these are some "25,000 other otes that would follow the flag to the last," If they could go without treason q Democracy. I believe that the thinking South Is ar expansion. There Is every material eason why It should be. No section of he republic has so great a commerlal stake In the trade of the east. We ave been war-wasted and poor. While he eastern and middle states have loted for half a century In prosperity, re have travailed In the struggle for ecuperatlon from poverty and desolalon. To our staple and material products he open markets of China and the Paiflc islands make the Industrial light l the east. They shine with golden romise to our farms and factories nd mines. More than this: The establishment of ur national power and influence in hese Pacific seas is the only possible uarantee which the future holds for he completion of the Nicaraguan caal. That great enterprise has been for ) years the plaything of lobbyists in he houses of congress. The American ag in the Philippines makes Its comletion imperative and sure. And when that imperial waterway nks the two imperial oceans of the orld, these gulf and southeastern tates become the geographical center f the world's commerce?with all the leasureless impetus which that trelendous fact will give to her seaport Ities and to her inland trade. What people, then, have so vast an iterest in the "flag in the East," as re have, and if Materialism be the god f this age, Is it any wonder that votales should follow in thousands where is mercenary banner leads? Mark you I do not say that the south i in favor of imperialism as Mr. Bryan efines it. There is no indorsement ere of colonies of slaves and of proDnsuls enriched with spoils. All. the istinct and traditions of Cowpens and ling's Mountain would rebel at that. ; But there was somehow the pervadlg hope that the McKinley policy, in < s fuller evolution, would conserve all ( lese Republican ideals, and on the ther hands, the pervading apprehenion that Bryan in his strenuous zeal ] >r liberty, might loose the substance i 'hile he bound the shadow. i Since, then, the policy which wraps ] ur highest interests has won?without , D-operation or consent?it is high time i iat the business south should speak ( s mind to those who represent it in le national legislature. We are free j ow from the immediate fealty to ] arty which bound our tongues. Our < political cause has been staked and lost. We are at liberty to find ourselves among1 new conditions. The way of our material welfare is plain. Let us summon our public servants to help us "work the road." Let us make haste to "make friends to ourselves of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when we die they may receive us into everlasting habitation." For Bryan and his great battle there is increasing love and admiration. No cause in the republic has had an abler or a nobler leader than the cause and the man Just fallen by the ballot. Time will vindicate the cause and the man who fought its battles. Somewhere, somehow, at sometime, he will rise again. To me his worth is Undiminished, his prestige all unbroken. He is the last tribune of the common people, and he is grander and dearer in defeat than he would have been in victory. RAZORBACKS AND GAITORS. A Floridian Telia How His Hogs Killed a Saurian. The fame of the fine porkers raised in this section is only equaled by the enuallv well-known fact that some of the biggest and fiercest alligators In the state inhabit the bayous and morasses around this place, says a Kissammee, Fla., letter to th Atlanta Daily News, The owners of porkers know by sad experience that alligators like fat hogs, but they begrudge fattening alligators on cuch food. F. S. Murtens, who lives four miles west of here, has had considerable experience in such losses, and the first question he is asked when he comes to town is, "Well, how many hogs have you lost this week, Fred?" Usually he has a tale of woe to tell; but on his visit this week he had a different story. When asked about it today he laughed a little and said that he felt so good that he didn't begrude the few hogs already lost, as he had so much fun watching a big fight between two alligators and some of his fierce "razorbacks" that he felt almost even. Murtens, besides his fine bred hogs has some regular Florida razorbacks that lived in the pine flat woods and are seldom seen by him. "It was a hot fight and no mistake," said he with a smile, at the recollection. "It occurred last Sunday. I was out at Snake river collecting some of the young Berkshire pigs that had strayed that way. In the afternoon I suddenly heard a squealing and bellowing off to one side and I knew, at once that some 'gators were getting in their work., I ran up wkh all haste; but before getting into sight of the creek where it came from, I heard another sound, a kind of fierce snarling and snorting, like, that I couldn't place. "Suddenly coming out on a little clearing where it shelved off down to the water, I saw a most exciting content cmInc nn Twn hie 'cfttors hud seized a young yearling pig and were drawing it into the water. Fiercely engaging them were three big razorbacks. These latter looked so fierce that I was glad that they were not after me. Their hair stood on end on their backs, and their eyes gleamed with rage. They gnashed their big tusks till the foam frothed out in a bloody stream. Two of them had charged tf?e 'gator that held the pig while the other was fighting his companion. "One of the razorbacks charged at the head of the 'gator that had the pig, while the other swerved to one side and plunged his bloody tusks into the 'gator's side, where the soft skin is. The saurian bellowed loudly as he felt the blow, and releasing the pig swung his tail around with a resounding whack, like a huge flail, and tried to hit his assailant. The nimble hog danced back out of reach of this dangerous weapon, and as the tail went back darted forward, and gave the huge saurifLn another bloody gash along his unprotected side. His mate at the same time ran at the 'gator's mouth, and gave him a most vicious gash in the throat as the gator 'raised his head, exposing this vulnerable part. The 'gator roared with rage and pain and whirled round and round trying to hit his antagonist; but to no purpose. For ten minutes this fight went on, till finally the boars ran in and gave the finish by ripping up the old 'gator along his stomach, turning him upon his back, almost by the violence of the blow. The dying 'gator tried to crawl back into the creek, but was' unable to move. He died in a ' short time. "In the meantime the other boar was having a hard time and needed help. He had missed his aim after giving his antagonist several bad wounds, and the 'gator by a quick movement had 1 seized him by the hind legs and was 1 trying to drag him into the water. 1 This the boar resisted with all his strength, squealing shrilly and ripping up the 'gator whenever he got a chance. . Slowly the 'gator dragged him along i until he was almost on the brink of tne i water. The old boar suddenly uttered i another kind of cry. His companions 1 u~?an anoai for heln. it seemed I ncatiug iv-?**? v. ?. -? rr to me?left their dying prey and rush- | ed to the aid of the imperiled hog. I They fiercely attacked the 'gator on all i sides, darting in, burying their huge 1 tusks in his soft flesh and then run- i ning out again, to escape his heavy I tail that he kept thrashing about in the v%.ln endeavor to hit them. I "This was kept up for a few mo- < ments, when the 'gator thinking he had I enough, suddenly released the hog he 1 had caught and tried to escape into l che creek. But the razorbacks were i mad now and plunged at him with re- < newed activity, so that I could hardly I keep watch of them. All three joined in the fight, and they soon had the i gator over on his side, while they < gashed his body time and again. It 1 was but the work of a few minutes to 1 disable him and their ferociousness i knew no bounds. They gashed ihe ? body and soon had it nothing but a t mass of broken flesh and bones. They t kept this up till they had torn his ? :arcass into small pieces. Then going i back to the first one they served his still breathing body the same way. i "It did me good to see that fight, sir, t md I thought that it was worth the 1 loss of several shoats to see it. The t old razorbacks knew their business, t and they went to work with such earnestness that I wanted to cheer them. But they looked so fierce that I kept under cover until after having exhausted their rage upon the carcasses, they left the place, still gnashing their bloody teeth and grunting shrilly. None of them were hurt seriously, even the one caught by the alligator only walking a little lamfe. "Razorback boars are bad things to tackle, especially if young pigs are in danger and squeal ror help. I am thinking of organizing a corps of razorbacks to fight alligators and open up a show, charging an admittance. I would make a heap of money." with a laugh as he concluded his story. Several such instances have been known where razorbacks have attacked and killed alligators and even bears in defence of their young shoats. THE I60RR0TES OF LUZON. Fine-Looking Natives, Friendly to Americans and Hostile to Tagsls. Dr. Lloyd R. Hawley writes to The Sun from Manilla to say that there are wrong impressions in the United States concerning the Igorrotes of Luzon. He says: "The Igorrotes are much larger than the Tagals, straight and muscular; in fact more like our Sioux Indians. Their hair is straight and most of the tribes are friendly to us. 11 A rrUrlrnr of on Tcnrmto villa (TP vnil see the president or head man. He gives you a man to gather your wood, another to bring water, another to feed and care for your horse, etc. You pay each from one to five cents. They guard your things during the night, and in the morning you.may wake up and see your horse off on me side of a mountain, three to five miles away, grazing; but they are at hand when wanted, having been carefully attended to all night. "The women are strong and sturdy. Some of the younger ones are quite good looking. All have fine eyes and the unmarried ones are modest . in strangers' company. They are great packers. You can see a long line of them, men and women, with packs weighing from 50 to 100 pounds, ascending a mountain, twanging their different toned bamboo tuning forks, where it would be difficult for an American to ascend with an alpen stock. The packs are held by straps to shoulders and waist, and there is a band around the forehead. Mothers put their little babies on top of their packs, leaving their hands and arms free to sound their tuning forks. These are made from pieces of bamboo of different lengths, like the old-fashioned tuning forks. They strike them against one hand, keeping time as they march along, and producing a sort of melody that is very pleasing to the ear, as each gives a different tones, ? A number of prospecting parties have formed mining districts In the Igorrote country, elected recorders, presidents and staked their claims, and now dream of untold wealth soon to be enJoyed with wife or sweetheart in far away America. Some of them will, 1 am afraid, have anything but a pleasant awakening. That is, those who have gone through the, to them, meaningless form of the Igotrote marriage service, and a large percentage have done so, considering it but a form of purchasing a slave. But the United States will, I think, be compelled to recognize the marriage laws or customs of these people and consider them as binding as a marriage in the cathedral solemnized by the archbishop himself. "The Igorrote courtship and marriage is simple. The young swain sees the apple of his eye, meets the stern parent and asks for the daughter. The parents ask what he can furnish for the fiesta or ceremony Itself, suggesting a cow and a hog and plenty of tobacco, native beer, tuba or a calf, and some chickens. The young man offers a young calf, a small pig, chickens and plenty to drink. 'Indeed this young man knows the worth of our charming daughter,' think the parents, and after consent Is given the day Is named for the ceremony (which is generally within a day or so, or on the same day.) The bridegroom takes the calf, pig, chickens, etc., to the father-in-law's house. The young lady is told of her good fortune, the neighbors come in and help kill and dress the food. Then the fiesta begins. "A large Are Is built, the meats are barbecued and all the relatives, neighbors, friends and everybody else gather in a circle, dance, eat, etc., drink and make merryuntil morning, or until the cares and strifes of this world are knocked galley west by the overindulgence in the liquid refreshments. During all this time the blushing bride and her lovelorn captive sit within the circle. At the close of the fiesta they are man and wife.'?New York Sun. , t , . t What Hurt Him Most.?Private John Allen, the famous member of congress from Mississippi, by a simple story, once killed absolutely an elaborate, venomous sectional speech and so thoroughly discounted the maker of ic that he never afterwards gained his prestige on the rostrum. The name of this man, who has met with misfortune since, need not be mentioned here, but tie had outdone himself in vituperation md abuse, while his own war record tiad not been especially brilliant. Allen replied by telling how, after the war, he, the only private in the Confederate array; had gone back and found everything in ruins, and on his way to his own plantation stepped in to see a friend and found him sitting sadly amid the desolation. He tried to ;omfort him and cheer him up,' until Inally the friend said: "John, I do not mind the loss of my noney, and the ruin of my farm or the iamage to my health, or even the sufferings my family have undergone?all that is part of the game?but what nakes me sad is the thought that in Lbout 15 or 20 years after this is all the fellows who never smelt powler will be getting up before big crowds md telling them how they thrashed is." Of course, this gives neither the spirt nor the flavor as Allen did it, for no type or reproduction can do justice to lis inimitable humor, but in Its effect the story was one of the most remark ible ever told in this country. -as .