I
'
.
i
.
aiuy detcrn Into Kx mrvtcfiad crg/t.
tar. After the drat moment of stupor
gallant British tailors risked life sod
ttmb to bring tbs vessel nnder control.
By their calm con race they shamed
tbs paralysed taseore Into activity, a
soil was rigged on the fore must and n
see anchor hastily constructed as soon
os it was discovered that the brio was
twins, Dockets Oared up Into the
sky at regular interval* la the faint
hop* that should they alt root the at
testing of another vessel she wood fol
low tbs disabled Sirdar and rentier
help when the weather cnoderutod.
TThea tho captain ascertained that
no water was bring shipped, the dun
ago bring wholly external, tho collision
doors were opened and the passenger*
admitted to Ibe saloon, a brilliant pal
ace. superbly indifferent to the wreck
and rain without.
Captain Boss himself cmite down and
addressed « fo-.r camrortisg words te
tho quiet men uod pallid women gnth
srsd there. He told them exactly whut
bad happened.
The hours passed in ttdior.t misery
after Captain Bass' risk. livery one
was soger to cri a glbnpc* of the un
known terrors withont f.-uin the deck.
This was out of the question, so peo
ple sat a round the tables to II* tin
eagerly to Experience and hu wise
saws oa drifting ships nod thdr proe
Boma csotlons persona v bt'.tnl their
cabins to scccre valcablre la case of
farther disaster. A few hard* spirits
ratwnad to bM.
Meanwhile In the chart huuso the cap
tain and chief odeer were gravely
pondering orer an open chart and tils
earning s fresh risk that loomed
ominously before them. The ship was
g Isas way out of ber usual course
when the accident happened, she was
drifting new. they estimated, eleven
knots no boor, with wind, tea sad cur
rant all farting ber la the same dime,
tiew. drifting Into one of the most dan
gerous pieces Is the known world, tho
sooth Chino <t». wUh its numberless
rests, shoal* and isolated rocks and
tbs groat Island of Borneo stretching
right tirrsas the path of the cyclone.
- Still there was nothing to be dona
save to stake a few imobtraslre preps
ratisoa and Uu*t to id!* chance. To
StSwnpt to anchor and ride out tho gale
to thetr present pawltlon srnn oat of the
*»». o. « oriacic cam* ana want.
Anatbar half boar would witness tba
down ana < farther dcarlnc of tbs
woatbor. Tba barooatar waa rapidly
•ktag. Tkc center of tho cyclone lud
■trap* for ahead. There waa only left
tba aftermath of heavy saaa and fart
tm bat steadier wind.
Captain Bnee taunt tba ebon kern
Bor tba tweottetb time.
Be bad aged ma<y ream in appaar
Tba smiting. eandiaat. debonair
wea (banged Into a aertdean,
oaa. He bad e tiered with
Tba Birder and bar ouster
coold hardly ba raaognictd. ao crne(
ware tha Mows they bad raealvad.
"It la Impoaalbla to sea ■ paid
aboad." ba cun tided to hie second la
aammaml. “I bar* never been ao a Ba
les* lxf.ee lu toy life. Tbaat Ood. tbs
night U .'.rawing to n dose. Perhaps
when day btwks"—
Hit last worie aootalaed a prayer
and a hope. Iran aa ba spoka tba afalp
aaamad to lift baraatf bodily with an
on*uni effort for a vaaaal moelag ba*
toes tba wind.
Tba neat Instant there waa a barriMa
grinding er.iUi forward. Each person
arbo did not cb-iixe tie lu lidding faet
lo an upright w.u iVjjvu vMoiKly
lows. Tim dec/ w>:» t.lrirf to a dnn
Mto aaglv end rout 1. »1 there, s blla
tlx terry tmifrtliiv *-< l.'x /ci. now
raging sfreib u t.U iiMuma! for ra
rietiinre. lira war I ( tic*; ,tMng yrXi
talent by tie !/.«.- ,e on /.my.
TV glbl.tr t .u . a . tcte.l lux lest
royflge. I'.he Vue low a l*.ttr aJ vwl
mi e barrier reef, f: / basvf that f/r
tut taenriVeekhia ei:-»ttd. 'llteu a>
rib** ware. rVUna trimupnanUy
Ibeaagb It* BSiJrwa. cengbt tl*a gre.il
MSS tsar to It* Oomealta* grasp, ear* -
dad bar onward rat belt taw length
iad amatbri bar <lawn an tha rack*.
Bar bam w.is b.o.sa. Six parted in
two led re*. ■ *th eurtlana tamed r»»
Mataty star In tto nttoa wantjaaau ad
last marital, sad snrytfthna . taiata,
ibaeota. baste. Iran. »*Oi or ary living
mm an bMfd-wta at anaa engnUSl
■ a ansWaiTra at mktog wa tar and
i to as coanwwt.)
A faaA ftart.
‘twryntw tUm.
Oaatoafa now bat a i*W»
"-r tad a bafUHaa aad loan
_at Ion./ A trooj atari of
ut iba aaw rw.
In a atttk > a iba an1
Hi. ttitrarf Im-rb <rf.lfca A!wf< I
'an i«l A-t» ta.ro tatlrnarf w#ar
ric* Ta^arblr motninif JUv. Ci.
Lsay-gsr^aa
□p
Iff SUMME1 LAMBS.
Att iuto:csliaf Latter Fraa a
Oaatct.la Boy Haw lath* West
iaoUs With Undo San'a Navy
—oomethiaf Akaot Placet at
Batuuy and Hiatorlcol lntarast
in These Islands.
lia ranoi- n* Mte Qu«tt>:
U. S. S. Iowa. Culebn, U. S.
Vv. 1., J.a. 15.“From wverv
wiuti r to and-summer in five
da>»! Doesn’t that sound like
on** ni Jules Vente’s romances?
And indeed it would seem like
a romance if the heat here didn’t
take the poetry out of It. JLast
Sunday we lay in Hampton
Kuads, and could walk on deck
only when wrapped in a heavy
overcoat. To-day we arc lying
>i iuuil under the awninga,
Oaioovtii;, clad in light ducks,
and uncomfortable at that. No
wonder here the natives are
»hililess and laxy, when two
<ia>* of ibis climate will take the
vuii out of our snappy 400. At
u is we arc conleuied only when
iu a shady corner and asleep.
we iiau a very rough tea (be
ciuite uiu and for a few days
there was touch sea-sickness
among those who are not accus
tomed to rough aeaa. There are
quite a uuuiWr of new men ou
>oiue vt the .->hips aud you should
have sven the sailor boys the
st corn! day out, when huge
waves l»okc over the big battle
ships I rein stem to steru. You
cutild have bought the whole
bnucJi for a peuuy. Had they
found the man who wrote "Sail
ing. Sailing," aud told them
Mich nice stories of life on the
oct-i.n vyuve, he would have gone
sys iciruing, swimming. All sea
sickness i* misery, aud for sick
ness c*t * luau-of-war there is no
such ti thing as sympathy. How
ever. they are now aware of the
tact that the navy outside the
trail-tug station is uo kid glove
affair, aud are ready to advise
t'-.tir frier ds who waut to live on
liic- kid ilove principle to re
main iu civilian life. Both the
battleship Squadron and the
Carril.vnn Squadron arrived here
at tiie same time, having re
tu.iiiiv u together the cutire run.
The Coast Squadron and the
Sccon-1 Torpedo Flotilla pro
ceed Mi l'v »•..•> of Charleston, S.
C . uni they have uot arrived
vet. The Kuropean and South
At-.ur.ic Squadrons were here
when ve arrived.
Cnlc'iri is on the cast coast of
Psrtu Riot and hat, two large
hut hors both well sheltered from
die «e.‘ and connected by a canal
which vvrs dng by the fleet here
iu Dec. 11*02. The Station Ship
Alliance is in Great Harbor,
where tbs re is a large marine
camp known as Camp Elliot.
All the smaller ships of the fleet
have berths in Great Harbor.
Although h battleship can aochor
there with perfect ease, all the
other ships remain in Target
Bav.
By .climbing up to the mast
head quite a number of small
islands are within sight. Not a
single one that you see but re
minds you of some deed of valor
(lone by brave seamen or some
wild story of the time when ”K1
Drnqtie,” as the Spaniards called
him, was the terror of azuretinted
seas. To the west ia St. Thomas
where the great pirates lived
and carried their gold and dia
mond*. The caatlei of Bluebeard
and Blackboard still remain, and
are great obiccla of interest to
sightseen.
Not far away is the famous
tail rock, whose base stands
solitary in the midst of the lor
holc-nt clrment which surrounds
it. Then, too, there ia Porto
Rico, Uncle Sapi’s pet poasesr
•ion. Here again the sightseer
is in his glory. Ta|ce * good
v!d*s, look over the groves of
R ival Palms, the coffee-covered
hillsides that rise above the val
leys of ©range trees and sugar
cane, aud you ean ace Ban Joan
and the oM civile of Ponce de
I«eon (who sought, but did not
find. tlK- fountain of perpetual
youth. 1
Tin- burr boats are gathering
atoug-idc the ship loaded with
han.i-.-.aa, oranges, pineapples
and other tropical frnita. the
t>ri-'r* of which will fill yon np
with longing: while venders of
mriou* sea shells and bunches
of coral white as snow ere here
in abundance for the purpose of
selling to the sailors.
C- A- Bt'gv
Shells SHU BsaMtoi *!#•*
Immimii XlM.
Some days M* the woods to
the wiiiuititni leosws M London
Heights. opposite Harper's Per.
ry. took Are usd horned with
treat intensity. After horning
tor tome time ■ aeries of explo
sions were beard, which startled
the inhaliiunts, aod the coo
mission was so great that It broke
•ind^.n s In some booses is Har
p»r*s Psrry, across the tt|eae«
donh.
The explosions wars esassd
l >* the l>m*ting of shells which
*-» m ihfmso on the hetehta st
the lime When General MMleecr
rend. wd to Stonewsll Jackson.
In Vm. These had tolled to ex
plode whea they ware feed, aod
aad^lalo km tor mv hrty
K -LJLJOE
A Canal la Fear Years?
WwhtawVm Pum..
Quite a number' of esteemed
contemporaries are taking groat
comfort from an article which
appealed in the last number of
the North American Review.
This article was contributed by
Mr. George W. Crichheld, a
contractor of wide experience,
who baa run his eye over the
Culebracut, and now declares
that the canal can be completed
in four years if only the govern
ment will let out the work to
competent and responsible con
tractors. And this is such au
improvement on the estimates
hitherto offered by engineers—
which fix a minimum of twelve
years in the case of a lock canal,
and twenty years in the case of
a sea-level canal—that the afore
said contemporaries are exclaim
ing "How sensible!* with bean
• if., 1 n>.il
Very likely Mr. Crichfield
took bis observations daring the
"dry season"—which lasts about
three months of the year—when
tbe Cbagres River is a mild
mannered and innocent a stream
as can be found in all the world,
and when tbe construction of tb«
proposed canal aeetns as easy as
ditch-digging in Orange, N. J.
As it bappenes, however, there
are bine months during which
the rains fall constantly in
torrents and when tbe Cbagres
is, within a few hours, trans
formed from an insignificant
brook into a raging, overwhelm
ing inundation. These freshets
come quickly, last from twenty
four to forty-eight hours, and
then as quickly subside; but
they come a great many limes
dnring the nine months of the
* wet season," and while they
last tbe discharge ranges from
112,000 to 136,000 cubic feet of
water per second. Mr. Crich
field can calculate tbe volume
per hour aud per day, and,
multiplying this by tbe average
number of freshets per anuutn,
can proceed to explain his
method of disposing of these
floods while he digs bis ditch,
l’erbapi he hasn't taken tbe
Cbagres River into account.
Maybe that isn’t the business of
a coDtriK tor. The question has
a great deal to do with the build
ing of tbe Panama Canal, how
ever, as we shall all find before
wc are through with it.
Meanwhile, the real question
of importance is whether we are
to have a lock canal, so called,
or a sea-level canal, so called.
Here, again, there is a popular
misapprehension which obscures
the judgment of the layman, for
a aea-Icvel canal, in the proper
sense of the teim, is utterly im
possible. The tide on the
Pacific side of the isthmus rises
ten feet above and sinks ten feet
below the level on the Gulf of
Mexico side, where there is
practically no tide at all. Thus,
twice a day vast volumes of
water would rush through from
one ocean to the other and hack
again with tremendous velocity,
making safe navigation extreme
ly difficult and dangerous, if not
absolutely impracticable. Tbe
question, therefore, is between a
eannl tat t Vt fan 1 b w nn m at
each end—and a canal with
several locks, for lifting ships
over the interior elevation. The
fewer the locks the better, of
course, speaking in the abstract;
bnt speaking wltb reference to
the expenditure of time and
money, bow much better is a
sea-level canal in twenty-four
years than a lock-canal in twelve
years, to say nothing of a saving
of $100,000,000 by taking the
latter? It la an interesting and
significant fact, moreover, that
two different commissions ap
pointed by the French company
-one in U90 and the other in
J808—reported in favor of a
papal wfth locks. Among the
members of the commission
wbjch reported ip lftM were
American, British, French, Rus
sian, and German engineers of
the highest standing and the
widest experience, Gen. Abbot,
of oar own Engineer Corps
(then retired), was ope of them*
Fnisher and Rock, of Germany,
both of whom bad taken part in
the construction of the Kiel
C'inalt Hunter, chief engineer
of the Manchester Cana) Com
pany, in Bngland; Petely, chief
engineer (of the New York
aqueduct commission—these are
e few of tbs distinguished
scientists who. after careful in
spection of the Panama route
and prolonged examination of
all the reports gad spry ays that
bad beep made |*y ofbers, re
commended an abandonment of
fWCTTara
MATtlMONIAL EU01B1UTT.
Maay tad Variaas lautaa That
Ptmv< Man to "Pap tks
Qaaat
New YockTlmc*.
The reason* which prompt men
to make the otters of marriage to
women are as many and various
as the number and kinda of
women thus honored. Not
alone are the natural graces sad
charms of feminity the foci of
attraction for the averntte man.
Acquired accomplishment*often
count fora great deal, and it
frequently happens that women
are eagerly desired for qualifica
tions, which, while strongly
appealing to those who desire
them, would not in the leant
appeal to others occupying a
different point of view.
These very general and nut
altogether Inminons reflections
are suggested by a news item
which reaches ns from North
ern New York of an avalanche
of marriage otters which baa
overwhelmed two estimable
young women, the daughters of
a fanner at Schuyler. They
are not described as beautifnl.
So far as we are advised, they
are not distinguished for ac
complishments of the kind
which make for social pre-em
inence. Perhaps they are not
more amiable, more affection
ate, nor more practical in the
general duties of housewifery
than others. Their claim to
distinction is that they "killed,
cleaned, . scalded, and hang"
two 300-pound hogs without
masculine assistance.
JUMiuuy bu uvcipuwcnng
passion took possession of the
heart of every eligible bachelor
within what may be called bog
gy radius. The rural delivery
carrier has had to provide bim
self with a wheelbarrow to trans
port the oilers of marriage which
come by mail, and the con
course of vehicles which ia
strung along the paternal front
fence every day and evening
suggests that a continuous
funeral ia in progress within.
Perhaps it is. A great many
nascent hopes of domestic hap
piness along strictly bucolic
lines perish in the family "set
tiiT room" every twenty-four
hours, and enough broken
hearts are left behind by de
parting anitors to fertilise the
farm if their fragments could be
composited. The young women
are said to decline, "6rmly but
kindly,” the offers of marriage
which are pressed upon them.
It may be that their uniqne
claim to distinction puts them
in a class which makes it an
impertinence for the suitor to
offer them the commonplace
life of the farmer’s wife, who
can count npou a hog killing
not oftcuer than once a year.
Their sphere of social triumphs
obviously lies in Cincinnati or
Chicago.
Trying to Beat • Bide tor Bit
ley.
dPgmgcmYUVr
"I’ve been up against a good
many skin games in my time,”
said Capt. W. T. Rowland, of
tbe A. T. and O. vestibule,
while going south Friday morn
ing, "oat I’ve {ust struck one
that is a little strong.” Being
asked to explain tbe captain
proceeded to tell that while
passing through tbe second class
car be noticed that a man wbo
occupied tbe cud of the seat
next tbe aisle bad fa Is overcoat
carefully arranged on the seat
next the window. Bvery time
the conductor passed the pas
senger was carefully adjusting
the overcoat, and Capt. Row
land’s suspicious were aroused.
Thereupon he dropped into the
■eat back of tbe suspect and
made it convenient to shove tbe
overcoat off the seat. Lo and
behold I the uncovering revealed
a boy who mpat baim been ?0 or
lg years old- "Half-fare for tbe
boy, please," said Cspt. Row
land. "Jt'a a dirty trick lor a
conductor to move a passenger’*
overcoat, isn't it?” continued
tbe conductor pleasantly. Tbe
passenger smiled in an absurd
and embarrassing way while be
handed oat tbe cash for the
boy's fare aod tried to explain
that tbe boy was timid and
afraid and that Is why be covered
him np. while tbe other pas
sengers laughed outright at the
HaTsouie people think it's all
right to beat a ritilr<nd, and this
passenger was not «n'y doing it
bnt training fits boy up la
deceit-_
IttSEMU uTf ITEMS,
■■<»-»►<■ njrnrm mt dw t||p||»
rfrrasfrjte
from a trip to Northern cities
point!.
Mrs. D. A. Uarriaon in vlfitin*
friends st Concord.
Or. D. A. Garrison left Mon.
day, Jan. IStb lor Mew York.
Ha will be away aboat two
weaken
Mr*. Robert Bark* and chil
dren am vlaitiap relative* la
Jaanery Prd, IMS to
Mr. and Mrs. Oaorpe U Aader*
W»" Haarb Torrence will ho fid
anew r«Gknco Hnt abort Cape.
t 0
tuckaseege ferry.
Skartcat and fttralgMaat Rante ta
Cbarlatta.
well krw to ouccdaaa aa rltbat
■Ida at lb« near. 1 Whan col bc to amd Iran
CharlatU. ewa thU nr.
W. T. SPCINOa,
TBTPEilLS Of iOTflOOD -"
IU Waadar tba Otrla al tba Laad
Ont lumbar their Bratban.
The census analysis made by
Prof. Wilcox, Cornell Universi- -
ty. again brings out the fact
that, although more boys than
K‘rls are born in the United
states, the girls eveutaally out
number them. Why? From
the moment a boy discovers the
use of bis hands and feet, says
the Chicago Inter-Ocean, he
engages in blood-curdling enter
prises, such as—
Diving from tbe bed to a hard
wood floor.
Kemoviug the foundations of
the Encyclopaedia BritUnica
and burying bimacll beneath the
heavy compendium of useful in
formation.
Clinging to the cover of-tbe
library stand until tbe bronze
h'"d t*P* OV*r °Q
Stiffening hii leg* between the
high chair and the dinner table
and tailing backward with a
dull sickening swish.
Going to sleep in the bath tab
without turning the water off.
Palling down-stairs.
Imagining the window ledge
of the third-story fronts a river
bank and fishing with a pin
book in the street below.
Imagining himself a trapeze
performer and jumping from the
barn roof to the clothes lint.
Learning to swim in water that
ix over his head.
Learning to skate on thin ice. "
Learning to play foot ball
with boys of twice his siis.
Learning to flip trolley cars
and bo* cars; learning to jqmo
fTom cars while in mot toil; learn
ing to dash in front of locomo
tives on grade crossing so as to
fool the engineers; learning to
bang by his bands to a railroad
bndge while the train p.8Jct
overhead; learning to be a fire
man by climbing water xpouts;
learning to be a sailor by tattuo
ing his arms and legs with house
paint; learning to be a jnggler
by swallowing the potato peeler:
learning to be a man by nsing
his father’s razor.
, The astounding thing. In fact,
is not that so many boys die
*° *,any ,,V* to
?rack-Coal*d UtUslatiaa.
SatnnUv Hmlacf**
i ,^qw CCMT1*» the Mason of Leg.
aIVMr*!- At the National Cap- ’
**l *t the capitals of most
States, gather'. .
•n|n of statesmen'’- and of the
sinister camp-followers of and
,Urii?wi° lb* law-making army.
Of these several thousand tern
j V** P04*®1 custodian* of
onr lights, how many ait in
seats bought for them by inter*
eats hostile to the pobtic good?
How many of them sit as mere ,
registering keys of politics! ma
cnines, financed and controlled
by those same interests? How
many of them sit for the people
f**r*r lha® for the party? Pinal
ly bow many sit in their own
proper persons, men fret and
eagyr to do what is right?
nJ them are in parson
‘he [r«*ck coats—tney gfye tbp
lr*t»|ative chambers ap ait pi
funereal, rsspecta
htllty. bat if they bnttoaejthcir
In-ok coats, and, without doing
any law making, roda home on
their free passes from the nil*
wa>». would ws so a nation be
any the woraa of?
ifow much they will do that
ought not to be done! HotrUttte
that will adt have to be nadoSt’.
A ratal mall carrier Mated
Gilbert, who carries. mail be
I wmji Burnsville, Yancey ceuafjr..
and Icy, Buncombe county. *mp
arrsatad the first of the wMS on.
'StfssxzxuS&r'
. j * f.