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* 4r * * *K- * -:> * * 4f * * * * *%t* ?- -X- 7T -X- *X- * * K1 * vr * * * **Tlje Bridge-Tender's ** % Daughter, ** * C * -r * rr & *- & :* * a -:t -:f ir -X- vr re \> -"- -f "* -;f -a- vr ** By RALPH D. PAINE. ** ^ *' vr ire *Jf ie if "if 4r WIIEX Stella crossed the long bridge < n her way home fi\ 111 school, she always stopped to make sure that her father's dinner was all that such a wonderful man deserved. As soon as the noon whistles blew, the bridge tender, in his little house perched high above the middle span, would Degm to look eagcirly across the causeway for the flutter of Stella's j blue skirt and the gleam of the red ; ribbon on her hat. She enviea her small brother t. e honor cf briuging the uinrer pail from home. But it was a treat of which she never t:red to climb to the airy engine house, kiss the big man in overalls, and flutter round him while he ate and chatted and pretended to drive her out with flourishes of a mighty fist. Alter school, iu pleasant weather. ami wheu her home du-ies were not pressing, Stella would hurry across the breeze swept causeway to perch in the window of the engine house and look down the open harbor toward the sparkling stretches of Long Island Sound- There was always much to see, especially in the late afternoon, when the oyster sharpies were sailing . home from the day's work. At first glimpse their sails were tiny specks against the blue water. If- the wind was fresh and fair, they grew as if by magic, and in haif an hour or so the laden sharpies came sweeping toward the bridge like great white birds eager for home. Then her father pulled at a shining lever, the engine panted and groaned, and the great bridge opened its huge arms to welcome the harrying fleet. And the oystermen, sulmmlng through the draw, would loo?: rp from under their battered south westers, and wave their hands at O'Connell, .the bridge tender, with such heart;.- greetings as these: "Hello. Bill! Here's two dozen fat ones on the half shell if you'll send that bright eyed kid of yours round for , 'em after supper." "A little breezy up there, Stella ? j Well, you ought to nave ?own on. Black Point to-day. 11 turned tlie oysters plumb inside out." One afternoon late in the autumn her mother looked up from her knitting, and said to Stella with a worried air: "Deary, I don't feel quite right about your father. It threatens to be the Worst gale we've had in years. And lie had one of his dizzy spells this morning, and I made him promise to get young Jackson to tend the draw this afternoon, while he went for some medicine and came home to lie down for a spell. It's nearly four o'clock, and he's not here yet." Mrs. O'Connell was almost shouting, for the wind was crying wildly over the roof, and the cottage trembled With its fury. Stella stoked her mother's hair with a soothing gesture, and tried to reassure her. "It's a big blow, mother, when we feel it here under tne iee or xne inn, almost a mile from the bridge. But daddy's found it too wet to' go out, and lie's waiting on the bridge, snug and Warm, till six o'clock. Then he'll coming running like a big bear." The mother shook her head, and went to the window with quick and uneasy step. She tried to pick up her work, but her mind was elsewhere. She turned to Stella again: "No, I don't like to seem overanxious, but I'm not satisfied. I wish Bub here was bigger. I'd send him down to the bridge right away. I don't often worry, but your father's overdue. The storm didn't break till an hour ago. He had plenty of time to get youQg Jackson and be here long ago. And Jackson's home and idle, for I saw him this morning." Stella listened to the war chant of the northeaster, and hesitated. Then her young mouth tightened in a firm line of decision as she said: "I'm going to put on my long boots and reefer and go down there. The wet won't hurt me." I can't bear to see you fretting, mother. It isn't dark yet.'' Her mother protested, but Stella darted into the hall, aud presently reappeared, bundled up like a young midshipman on a" winter's night. She kissed her mother and was off before more objection could be raised. ? > 1 ?j- i / ,< 111G gll'l U1U. UUl huu\> luc uiij,iu vi the sudden storm until she staggered upon tie open causeway across the marsh. Here the wind had swept up the uuusually high tide, and was flinging it across the harbor wall in shattered billows. The biting air was full of flying scud, which filled her eyes so that she halted, afraid that a wave she could not see would dash her clean over the barrier. Then she crept over to the lee cf the seaward wall, and fell there, praying that strength might come back to her. Presently she pulled herself along, inch by inch, escai ing the heaviest fury of the waves by crouching close agaiust the wall. Once on the long slope leading up to the drawbriuge, the struggle was less terrifying, and Stella was able to rub the salt spume from ner eyes and look up at the little house perched among the trusses of the middle span. She hoped to see a iigir. through the stormy twilight or a face at the window. But her stout heart sunk win vague orebodiugs when there was no greeting sign from the engine house, j Then she had to fight for very life as she gained the end of the bridge whose | iron railing gave no shelter. 4 ' \ I Tbe northeaster drove with a clean j sweep*across the roadway. It picked her up and threw her against the rail, and left her doubled up, groaning with, pain and fright. Clinging, slipping, edging her way along, Stella reached the foot of the iron ladder and that led to the engine house. Her courage flickered aud was almost gone. How could she muster strength to climb? She would be blown away even if her own weight did not drag her wearied hands from the slippery rungs. She was never able to recall how she made the ascent, but somehow she found herself tugging at the en- j gine room door. She stumbled inside mia 1,jv tliero nnntin?r and snhhini?. When she was able to grope her war in the shadows round what seemed like an empty room, a great fear clutched at her heart. She remembered where the lamps were kept, and found matches beside them. The light showed her what looked like a bundle of old clothes doubled in a corner. She ran to it and found that It was her father, who turned a little and groaued. A pail of water was on the table, and she dashed it into his pale face, which was streaked with crimson. He raised his hand to his head, and she strove to help him, but | his weight was too great for her to move. Presently the engineer muttered brokenly: "Stella, is that you? I went up on the roof?alout four <'clock?to tighteu the whistle valve. Blowing hard, my head went queer?I slipped and fell down to the platform. Must have crawled inside?all I remember." His daughter put his overcoat under bis head, and bathed the gash between : the matted hair. She could on'y whis- | per through her tears: "You're all right now, daddy. I'll take care of you." nTnnnpii was silent for a moment, ! and then made a mighty struggle to ! raise himself, but sank back with a i hoarse cry of fear: "The sharpies haven't been through \ yet! Who'll turn the draw.'" She sprang to the window with strength revived, and looked down the harbor. The driving rain had lifted, apd the angry sunset broke through the curtaining clouds. There was light enough for her to catch a glimpse of tossing bits of. sail, hardly to be told from the ragged breakers cn the skyline. She had not played on this bridge through five years to learn nothing of the ways of sharpies and their skippers. The fleet was driving home before the gale, carrying no more than rags of canvas, trusting that the bridge would swing in time to let them through. If it did n>t? She kuew that these open boats would swamp if tbey were forced to come about in such a sea as this. Stella shuddered and looked down ! at her helpless father. The agony in j his eyes told her that he, too, realized i the crisis. "Open the drafts!" he mut- j tered. "Steam's got low." She toiled at the furnace doors and dampers as she had seen him do so often. Turning toward him, breathless, for further instructions, Stella saw that his head had fallen back. He was again'unconscious. Whatever was done, she must do Pione. The pointer on the steam gage flickered and began to move upward, ever so slowly. She went to the seaward window. The sharj.es were rushing toward her as if they were winged. They leaped into sight and. theu were swallowed between the reeling combers. If they drove straight at the closed bridge and it failed to open, it meant wreck and collision and many lives lost, an awful welter lof helpless men and broken boats. Stella turned the steam pipe valve. She cried aloud with joy when the steam hissed into the pistons, and then she tugged at the starting lever. The great cog wheels of the turning gear began to move, like sullen giant. In the closing dusk, the storm swept sharpies were lunging toward the bridge, hardlv a nuarter of a mile away. She closed her eyes for an instant in a panting little prayer, and the draw trembled as it obeyed the master call of the engine. She feared to hear the crash of snapping masts and the cries of drowning men. Yes, the draw was swirging. She clamped the lever down, and snatched a moment to press her face against the pane. The fleeing oystermen were trying to luff off a little as they saw the draw move slower than usual. The deep laden sharpies yawed wildly, and Stella caught her breath in laboring gasps. "Would they make it? Would the draw ever open? Then the long arm of the bridge opened a black gap of water, the foremost sharpie scraped past by a hairbreadth, and the others tore after it like frightered, living things. Stella watched the gap Jose, and when the draw was again in line with the roadway, she shut off the steam and stopped the engine. A moment later I there was a thundering knock on the door, and, sheepish and repentant, young Jackson came in with the storm. - - 1-1 T?J 1- - .1 "I torn ycur uaa i u ue uuwu ui two o'clock," lie faltered. - "And I got to playirj cribbage and clean forgot I it till just now*. Is be killed?" j The culprit bent ever the engineer and atoned ior his sins by shouting the best of news: "No boues broken, Stella, and his head is as sound as a nut, even if he has got an awful crack on the outside of it! This is all I can find, and I'm a natural born doctor. You stay here while I go down to the dock after a wagon. I'll be back in fifteen minutes, and we'll have nome in a jiffy. SAy, I'm scared to think what he'll say to me when he comes to. Here, don't sJump down and cry that way. The worst is cver< But that's just like a girl."?Youth's Companion. Japan is said to have a deficit of $50,000,000. \ PER CAPITA "COST 5 i Of Running Government is Very Little, SaysTawney. ANALYSIS OF FIGURES Total of Appropriations Made by the Congress Just Closed $880,183,301. Representative Livingston Calls It Extravagance. Representative Tawfney, chairman of the house committee on appropriations, has prepared a statement I concerning the apropriations made by congress during the session just closed for the fiscal year beginning July \ 1, 1906, in which he claims that the per capita cost of government in the United States including federal and state is less than in any other country. Mr. Tawney enters upon an analy- j sis showing the various channels | into which the total appropriation of ! $880,183,301 will be diverted. He begins by deducting $139,456,415 provid- I ed for the sinking fund and for the Panama canal, showing that the real appropriation for the conduct of the affairs of erovernment for the fis cal year is $740,72-6,886. To meet this demand he estimates that the total revenues (customs, internal and postal) will be $781,573,364. The aggregate appropriation is $60,000,000 in excess of that for last year. Of the various increases that of $3,050,250 is made on account of meat inspection; $1,420,332 on account of the army; $068,046 to carry the new consular law into effect; $1,734,970 on account of the navy; $1,995,400 on account of pensions; $10,673,905 on account of the postoffice department, of which $3,030,000 was for rural free delivery. Of the appropriations made about $31,000,000 was unestimated for. Included in this list were the following: Ten million, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in the statehood account, $1,000,000 for arming and equipping the militia, $2,500,000 on account earthquake and fire at San Francisco, $500,000 on account the new quarantine law, $10,231,600 cn aceount of public buildings. Mir. Tawney comments as follows on the volume of the appropriations: "While the expenditures of our gov-1 . ernment are constantly increasing, I and while appropriations made there- j for by congress are in the aggregate ! very large, yet when we take into consideration the marvelous growth of the country, the extent to which the people demand that the federal government shall perform services : that should be paid for by the states, none but the unthinking or "misguided can find any good reason to criticize appropriations made by this session of congress." In a statement of the minority, Representative Livingston makes a comparison of the expenditures provided for by this congress, $880,183,301, with the expenditures of 1898, the first year of President McKinley's administration, in which the figures were $52*8,735,079, a difference of $351,448,222. Commenting on this showing, he says: "This growth in appropriations sustains the contention that the republican party stands for extravagalice in public expenditures in order to use that extravagance as a cloak for their more objectionable tariff to favor the unjust combinations of manufacturers of the country. ? - - -"-j- p-rnwa I "Mucn oi ims cAuor^^w out of the practice prevailing with the present administration of appoint| ment of commissions to do what congress ought to do, and what congressmen are elected for and paid for, thus delegating the powers constitutionally belonging to congress to others who have no particular relations with the responsibilities to the public and do not render an accounting to tax payers of this country." | BULLETS STOPPED ELOPEMENT. Husband Puts Out Lights of His Fool Wife's Lover. As a train was pulling out from the union \ passenger station in Bristol, Tenn., Monday afternoon, bearing Mrs. 'Nita Orr, wife of John W. Orr, of Bristol, and George S. Jones, who were about to elope, the husband appeared upon the scene, and with deadly aim deliberately shot Jones in the back three times, all shots taking effect, and from which he died some hours later. The tragedy was directly traceable to the alleged intimacv between Jones and the young J wife of Orr. SOUTHERN TO MAKE CHANGES. Big Shako-Up in Transportation Department Said to Be Planned. It is stated that a big shake-up will be made in the next we9k or two in the transportation department of the Southern railway. The sj'stem will be divided into four districts, instead of two as at present, and an assistant general superintendent will be in charge of each. i \ , - . " Y.-; WHO WANTS BONDS? Secretary of the Treasury Shaw Of. fers Thirty Millions of Panama Canal Loan to General P.ublic. Secretary Shaw, Monday, offered to the public $30,000,000 of bonds of the Panama canal loan, authorized by the recent act of congress. The bonds will bear interest at the rate of 2 per cent will be dated August 1, 1906, j?nd interest will be payable quarterly. They will be redeemable at the pleasure of the government after ten years from date of issue and will be payable 30 years from date. The bonds will be exempt from taxes or duties of the United States and will be available to national banks as security for circulation. The bonds will not be sold for less than par, all citizens will have equal opportunity to subscribe for them and the bids for them must be submitted to the department en or before Juiy 20, 1906. STATE TAX ASSESSORS Provided in Bill Passed by Georgia House of Representatives. By a vote of 122 to 8, the Georgia house of representatives passed its second measure of a general nature Monday morning, being the bill of Mr. Hall of Bibb to create a beard of state'tax assessors to be composed of three members to be appointed by the comptroller general, whose duty it shall be to assess for taxation all onf) -fVon/iViicea rohlPTlPfl to JJI U vjI I y auu nauwAwvi^ a vwm? mwv. the comptroller gener?\ for taxation. The three assessors are to receive a salary of $1,500 each and traveling expenses, not to exceed the sum of $500 each per annum. One assessor is to be appointed for a term of two years, one for four years and one for six years, their term of service to commence on January 1, 1907. The board shall elect a chairman, who shall preside at its meetings. The amendment offered by Mr. Perry of Hall to constitute the railroad commissioners a board of assessors to carry out the provision of the bill was defeated by a vote of 77 to 60. Mr. Perry 'surprised every one by voting for the bill after his amendment was defeated. CANAL BOARD IS SELECTED. Senate Failed to Confirm and the President Acts Independently. Because of the failure of the senate to confirm the isthmian canal commission, President Roosevelt has named a commission consisting of Theodore P. Shonts, chairman; John F. Stevens, Charles F. Magoon, Brigadier General Peter Haines, U. S. A. (retired); Mordecai Endicott, civil engineer, U. S. A.; and Benjamin A. Hnrrnfl members. Mr. Stevens replaces Brigadier General Oswald' H. Ernest, who retired from the active service in the army last week, and will hereafter devote practically his entire time to the international waterways commission. Joseph B. Bishop, who was secretary to the old commission, and a member of the old commission, will be secretary to the new body, but not one of its members. The salaries of the new members will continue the same as heretofore. Mr. Stevens will continue as chief engineer of the commission, bht will not receive any extra compensation for his services as a member of the commission. AFTERMATH OF WRECK. Bodies of Americans Being Embalmed for Shipment Home. Advices from Salisbury, England, state that the scene of the disaster to the American line special from Plymouth, presented little evidence on -.? ?+>,0 ha von wrought by the iVluuua^ ul _ wreck of the express train, all the wreckage having been cleared away. The bodies of the dead are held in the waiting rooms of the railroad station. Where no relatives are available, the identifications of the dead wiir be made by the doctor and purser of the New York. The bodies of the American victims are being embalmed for shipment heme. WAS A GREAT CONGRESS. Work of Session Just Closed Praised by Roosevelt. President Roosevelt, upon the adjournment of congress, dictated a statement concerning the work accomplished during the session just concluded. He says the present congress has done more substantial work along the lines of "real constructive statesmanship" than has been accomplished at any session of congress with which the president is familiar. He says the men of genuine patriotism * A~ COf. have a rignt to ieci a, PIUIUUMU WMW isfaction in the entire course of this congress. FELL SEVENTEEN STORIES. Boy Playing Blind Man's Bluff Falls to His Death. Jacob E. Delstein, a youth who playing "blind man's bluff," with his little sisters, Augusta and 'Sadie, and his cousin, Lena, on the roof of a 17-story tenement, in New York, accidentally fell over the low coping, surrounding the roof, and was mangled on the pavement far below. - i :f I Employed to Watch Interests of Octopus in the South. I RACY TESTIMONY GIVEN) . I Modus Operandi of Canvassing in Seven Southern States is Brought Out Before Interstate Commerce Commission. Testimony on oil freight rates affect* ing seven southern states was taken by the interstate commerce commission in session at New Orleans on Tflursaay. ah ine witnesses were independent oil dealers. A book on oil tariff rates, Issued \ by the Southern railway, was put into evidence. W. O. Hudson, a former employee of the Standard Oil company, testified that every rata published in the book is between j Standard Oil stations. . i Martin Carr of Buffalo, representing the Standard Oil company, pointed out a proviso in this book that rates will be made to any station when proper facilities for unloading are furnished. Commissioner Chicles A Prouty, re- || plying, said: "I understand that pinper facilities for unloading mean storage tanks and that small dealers cannot build such tanks." Mr. Hudson, who Is manager of the Marine Oil comply, limited, of New Orleans, testified that Woodward Wight & Co., of New Orleans, five years ago, when about to enter the oil business, accepted $30,000 from Oil iwmnanv. for which they gave a contract agreeing not to sell oil for five years. This contract terminates Saturday, witness said. Air. Hudson said that several years ago when he was a Standard Oil employee, the Red C Oil company of Baltimore shipped a car of oil to Pelzer, S. C., He was ordered to proceed Immediately to Pelzer, whore he tried to have the oil condemned as under the standard. In this attempt he failed, and C. T. Collins of Cincinnati, then vice president and general manager of the Standard Oil refining department, ordered him nor to cut prices of oil at Pelzer, as witness had expected to do. The following month the Standard Oil company hired the Red C company's Pelzer agent, bought his oil out, the witness said, and secured the business. M. W. Wilburn, secretary and treas -c MoUatioI RT.fTnine' rOlfVrKL urer oi me iiauv>u? r? ny of Memphis, Tenn., said that at Fayetteville, Tenn., his Employees had been informed by an oil inspectilf that their oil must be inspected at a cost of 50 cents a barrel, although it had been previously inspected by a Tennessee inspector. Witness was informed that just previous tois th Standard Oil agents had canvassed the town to learn wbo bought his oil. At Memphis, he said he had caused the discharge of an employee of the Trisco r^ilr.oad whom he accused of showing the bills of lading of the National Refining company to Standard Oil agents In Arkansas, witness said, his salesmen had been arrested by state oil inspectors on charges that their oil was bejow standard. These arrests had never been prosecuted. The salesmen frequently had been told that if they would leave town there would be no prosecution. At Walnut Ridge, Ark., witness said one inspee-1 tor had been also a distributor for the Waters-Pierce Oil company. T. J. Gay, manager of the G2? Oil company of Little Rock, Ark., said that it has been a common practice among Arkansas railroads for the railroad agents to be also agents of the Waters-Pierce Oil company. Hie said on/* til? Si* IjOUIs, iron iYiuuuuuu ?uu Southern railroad had had one such agent. Oil shipments in Texas, Kansas, Mississippi and Indian Territory wene also inquired into. HARRY THAW INDICTED. Must Face Jury on Charge of Murder. Wife Refuses to Testify. ' Harry Kendall Thaw was indicted at 'New York Thursday for murder in the first degree for the killing of ^ Stanford White. His wife appeared as a -witness before the grand jury, 1 but begged to be excused from giving 1 any teKimony whatever. She was 1 treated with every consideration by { Assistant District Attorney Garvan s and by the jurors, who did not in- 1 sist that she should answer any que3- 1 tions. ( BIRD LEGISLATION PLANNED. Species That Feed on Boll Weevil May Be Protected. As a result.cf an investigation by Attorney H. Howell cf the department of agriculture at Washington, who found ' that twenty-eight species of birds.feet} on the,cotton boll weevil, C. Hart -Merriman, chief of the biological survey, has recommended to the secretary of agriculture that legislation be sought which will protect these birds from destruction J i > - ;C; .? ; V - - - v. ' }? 'it?, __________^ ' ^ GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE Georgia Chief Executive Transmits Most Optimtetic and Congratulatory Document to State Legislature. Optimistic 1a tone was Governor Terrell's anaual message transmitted to and read te both house of the ~ Georgia general assembly Wedaeaday. . ' ' ? morning. The introductory portion of the me*~ , sage, in which the governor pointed with pardonable pride to the fact that, during his entire administration alldepartments of the state government had been rigidly and carefully inspectar\ Ver lonrieloHvA enrnvnlf. V4 cuiu auuiMitf i/j iv^ioiauvv wmuutr tees and boards of visitors without a. single discovery of an official being recreant to his trust, every one of the 7,000 in the employ of the state and . counties having been found above even the suspicion of graft and greed* was greeted with liberal applause in , both houses. i The governor takes occasion in hla message to felicitate the people of the state upon their general condition, and the immense crops, sold at good prices, leaving the people happy and contented and in the enjoyment of great prosperity. Attention is called to the reduction of taxation. f The governor expresses his satisfaction that measures recommended m former messages?such as the taxation of franchises, the limiting of therate of taxation, the business tax on. corporations and the right to hold elections to authorize the levying of special local taxes in each county for the extension of rural school terms? have been enacted into laws by the general assembly. He further recommends legislation. / for the establishment of agricultural colleges and the exemption of col- '?? lege endowments from taxation. Com ment is made upon the fact that in ; valuing property for taxation the state- .ifjg adheres to the law enacted more than one hundred years, ago, and new leg- -; ^ lslation to meet existing conditions is recommended. The overcrowded condition of th8 j supreme court dockets is characterized by the governor as a menace to . the general business Interests of the- ?0 state. W*th eight new counties ereated last year, adding to the business . % of the supreme court, it is feared that the court of last resort may become 'p. ^ so overcrowded with business that judgments appealed from may he confinned by operation of law before the . ^ court can reach them. To remedy this condition it is recommended that an intermediate court **? ?a court of appeal?having final jurisdiction of cases appealed from all ^ courts except the superior courts, and |t|| over all misdemeanor cases, be estafcThifl 1+ la nrce/1 will relieve- -;;v the/ supreme court of 40 per cent ot :-S its business, and an amendment to the constitution to accomplish, this \ purpose is recommended. * - ^ Educational interests of the state , are dealt with thoroughly, the governer recommending the establishment of ; ?v two graded agricultural colleges?such ^ as the one at Dnhlonega?one in the 5 southern part of the state, the other *' 'JM in the middle, to be maintained by ~ fees derived from the Inspection of fertllteers-An appropriation of. $100,000 ' A in two annual payments is recommended for the establishment of agricultural buildings on the campus of the university, and an appropriation of $20,000 Is urged for the purpose of buying seven acres of land adjoining the campus of the Technological school, upon which an option has been taken at $30,000, $10,000 of which is to be raised by subscription. The needs of the several public institutions of the state are called tothe attention of the general assembly, appropriations asked for and recommendations made In the reports of these institutions being indorsed. The message urges the desirability of the state being adequately represented at the Jamestown exposition and closes with a reference to recommendations contained in former messages urging the enactment of legislation upon election laws, immigration, confederate flags and misde- >5 meanor convicts. SHIP CAPTAIN A SUICIDE. Despondent Over Crooked Do'ngs, Folk Took His Life at Sea. Despondent because he has been 4-< ' found short In his accounts and had run his ship on a rocf, Captain Folk Df the German bark, Gesino, which arrived at Pefcsacola, Fla., on Thurs- ^ lav, suicided while the ship was at sea. When the bark, loaded with cenent reached port, it was with flags it half mast and the first mate 12 command. <?. . NEW YORK MAYOR LUCKY. McClellan Came Near Being a Passertger On lll-Fated Train. ? .. ^ xr Hy me merest crnuice lua.vui B. McClellan, of New York, missed the wrecked American line specials train. He had an appointment to keep in London Sunday and althougtt the steamer was late arriving at Plymouth, he decided to come direct to London instead of going to Cherbos^; with Mrs. McClellan. At the last moment he changed his mind.