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r »£ no* WSCCIUCI VOLUME XL11I—NUMBER THREE »••• 9—9—9—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0— 0—0—0—0—0—0 «I !» Gloomy of Glories the Wierd Wastes Dismal Swamp • —9—0—0—9—9—9—9—0+,9—9—0—0— 0—0—0—0 •■0—0—0—9—0—0—0—0—0— 9—9—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0-~0-+0'»-0-»-0--0—0—0—0—0—0-»'0—0—0—0—0—a—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—t t — 9 — 9 — 0 — 0—0 — 0—0-‘-0 — 0 — 0 By HELEN GRAY. Written for Zjhc Sunny South ROM the time of Its discov ery that Immense mor.vss which lies partly in North Carolina and partly in Vir ginia, best known as The Great Dismal Swamp, has had a fascinating interest for the observing world. One of the iirst to specu late on its possibilities was the “Father of His Coun try,” who after the revolu tion explored the region on foot and on horseback, in the Interest of a land company, organ ized by himself, whose object was to drain it for .purposes of cultivation. One, writ ing of General Washington's journey, gives a graphic description: “In many parts It was covered with dark and gloomy woods of cedar, cypress and hemlock, or deciduous trees, the branches of which were hung with long drooping moss. Other parts were almost inaccessible, from the density of brakes and thickets, entangled with vines, briers and creeping plants, and intersected by- creeks and standing pools. Occasionally the soil, composed of dead vegetable fiber, was over Ills horse’s fetlocks, and sometimes he had to dismount and make his way on foot over a quaking bog that shook beneath liis tread.” A SOGGY MORASS. Prior to Washington's time indefa tigable Colonel William Byrd, of far- famed "Westover,” on the James, sur veyed the swamp, leaving 11s a pictur esque 3ce?unt of his trip through the big morass. So spongy was the soil, says he, that the “water oozed up into every footstep.” So thick and tangled were the “weeds and briers,” that it was next to impossible to make any headway. And as for the big cypress trees that lay athwart their way—wind-blown—they were “our greatest grievance.” The col on! 1 also tells of the “ignorant border ers,” who beguiled his men with tales ©- the wild creatures—lions, bears and alligators—that they were likely to en counter in the swamp. But 'tis to Tom Moore that we are to pay tribute for the poetic glamor that surrounds the Great Dismal swamp and its desolate, weird 1'ike lake. Who (has not heard of the “death-cold maid” with the “soul so true,” who all night long by a “fire fly lamp” “'paddies a white canoe?” Shakespeare tells us that the world is 6.000 years old. and never a human yet has been known to die for love. But merry Tom Moore, forsooth, pens us loyaller lines, of exquisite rhythm, of a lover with .heart as beautiful and true that he hesitates not to follow the wraith of his lovely dear to the lonely lake of the swa.m'o: “Through tangled juniper, Ibeds of reeds, And many a fen where the serpent feeds. And man never trod before! “And oft from the Indian hunters' camp This; maid and her lover so true. Are seen, at the hour of midnight damp. To cross the lake iby a fire fly lamp. And paddle the white canoe.” William Gilmore Sims, too, poetizes when he visits the ‘Take of the Dismal Swamp.” “ 'Tis a wild spot, and even in summer ho urs. Wllsh wondrous wealth of beauty and a charm For the sad fancy, hath the gloomiest look. That awes -with strange repulsion. There the bird Sings never merrily in the somber trees. That seem to have never known a term of youth. Their young leaves ail being blighted.” WITCHING MOONLIGHT EFFECTS. Although this far-famed body of wa ter, the real name of which is Hike Drummond, after the hunter who dis covered it. Is eveT described as desolate in aspect, it is not without particular charm, especially to him of poetic mold. There is even a beauty in its desolation, and under the light of the moon! Ah! Tis divinely fair. What primarily strikes the visitor to Hake Drummond is the great number of dead cypress stumps, knot ted and gnarled, that stand about its margin in shallow water. Swampy woods furnish a background, with multitudinous reeds and rushes. Here and there on. ithe rim of the lake, where the ground is sufficiently high, are to be seen clearings, the remains of lum ber camps. In the wooing springtime the swamp maple mingles its glowing leaves with the evergreen of the juniper and the lob-lolly bay; the holly and the oak. Mistletoe abounds, and yellow jasmine and trum pet flowers play conspicuous part. The lake is 3 miles at its widest part, and about 7 miles in length. It is cen trally located in the great swamp, and has the highest point, being something !ike 22 feet in altitude. its maximum depth is about 15 foot, tlie floor In many parts being covered with fine white sand. The color of the water of the Great Dismal in general has been poetically described as “amber” in shade, which is because of the juice of tlie juniper tree. This tree, which is otherwise known as the white cedar, is the most abundant as well as the most valuable, in the swamp. Formerly great numbers of shingles were made from it. It reproduces itself at a rapid rate, as many as three cuttings have been ob tained inside of twenty years from the same tract; while its thickness is said to increase at tite rate of one inch a. j car. In many parts of the swamp are great deposits of peat, in which are to bo found trunks of trees magnllioently preserved. That in which grows the juniper tree is vtry poor, when cleared, hardening rap idly beneath the sun. Far different is that part of the swamp in which black, gum has grown, which is noted for its fertility, the peat being from three to ten to fifteen feet in thickness; the soil black, having the advantage of more advanced vegetable decomposition. A beautiful tree in the Dismal swamp Dismal Swamp Canal, Showing Feeder That Connects with the Lake of the Dismal Swamp, Lake Drun mord. region !s the star-leafed sweetgum, and some others are elm, chestnut, willow, beech and rosemary pine. Ferns are i-.ntiful in the Black Gum section. '•’in !iu .Itfj .ip liiUiij. creeks and rlwus have tiheir source, among the number being the Xansemond and the no-ble Eliz abeth, upon which stands the progressive city of Norfolk. CENTURY-OLD CANAL. The Dismal swamp canal, which con nects Norfolk harbor with the Pasquo tank river, had its beginning more than a century ago. It is fed by water from the lake. Within the last feu- years •tl:ie canal has been considerably deepen ed, and consequently a growing trade Is springing up along its way- Dumber is a chief industry and the market gar dening on the reclaimed lands, of prime importance. The eon trade is of b’g value, most of It going to Germany to ibe used as seed corn. Potatoes and cab bage are extensively cultivated, and it is said that excellent celery can be rised in the black gum land. From a sportsman's point of view, we are told that bears are occasionally seen on the edge of the swamp, coming up from its interior, and black bass are abundant In the la'I As for the “runaway slaves” story, connected wf.?Tl the Great Dismal, it is largely myth. The swamp in length and breadth is, respectively, 30 and 10 miles. It is sup posed to have been a great salt lake, and r,-io- to tlhat a part of the ocean When the swamp canal was being built deposits of marine animals were dug up from a depth, in some places, of 17 feet. The water of the Dismal swamp im pregnated by the bark and wood of the juniper tree, is claimed to be very health ful. it will keep pure a long whil^_ and erstwhile ships were in the habit of bar reling it for use. Climatically speaking, the winters of the region are mild, the summer hot, tCTough not intensely so. —9—0—0—9—0»’9 — 0 — 0 —9—0—0—0— 0 — 0 —9 —9—9 —9.*.0—0.*.9 — 9., 0—0—0—1 •0 — 0—0 — 0 —0—0 O *••■•■«••••••■•• t.,.0:0~.0—0~-O-f0-'-0-r-0—0—0.- —0—0—9—0—0—0 — 0—0 — 0., ■ 9 #■• • •■ o ■• 0 — 0 • 9 — « U/>e Deserter’s Story A Series of Humorous Stories by Gelett Burgess and Will Irwin '—0 — 9—0—9—9—0 — 9 —0 — 0 —0 — 0—9 — 9 — 1 DON’T exactly know why I married Maxie Morrow, except that I've always been a' fool about women. The thing came so sud den. I Just jumped and caught her on the fly. M'hen she left me, 1 went pretty much to the bad. Then Harry Maidslow dis appeared, because of debts and one thing or another, and I turned up as Harry Roberts In St. Bouls. That was just about when the Spanish war broke out. It was too good a chance to lose, and I decided to begin all over again. So I enlisted in the regulars, joining the One Hundred and Fourteenth infantry. I was hardly more than through the goosestep when we were sent to ihe Philippines. I was no slouch or shirk, either, but I knew more about eating than anything else, and I naturally gravitated to the cook's tent and put him on to a lot of things the boys liked. I got to be rather popular with the company In this way, and when the commissary sergeant was appointed in Manilla I managed to get the place, thou-h I was only a rookie. Perhaps the captain's wife helped me out side. She, being an officer's lad}', wasn’t supposed to know I was on earth, but somehow she noticed me and fixed It up easy. Commissary work was a snap—little drill, no guard mount, leave of absence occasionally, and the run of the town in a little pony cart. You see each com pany had its quota of rations. We could draw them, or leave them and get credit. There was maple sirup and candy, can ned fruit and chocolate, and all sorts of good stuff In the store house that we could get at wholesale rates. By cut ting down on fresh meat and pinching on bacon, I managed the company’s accounts so that we could have hot griddle cakes and maple sirup everry day. That's the way I held my job. if 1 ever become famous it will be for having introduced pie in the Philippines. Every morning I drove around Manila, visiting the markets with a man to help me, exchanging sacks of flour for fresh baker’s bread and cakes, getting chickens,and so on, besides making friends right and left. About two nights every week I was dancing or flirting with the half breed women; Me&tizas they called them. That’s how I got into trouble. Her name was Senorlta Maria del Pilar Assompcian Aguilar, and nothing that ever I saw could touch her for looks. She was the kind of woman that makes you forget everything else that ever liap- 0—9 — 0 — 9 — 0 — ®.C I—0—0 —9— 0 — 0 —0 — 0 —9 —9 —0—0—0 — 0—0—0 —0 — 0 —0 — 0 —0 — 0 —0—0—9—9.*.9...9 — 1 1...0 — 0 — 0 —0—0 +0 — 0 —9—0 —0 — 0 — 1 0—0 — 0- > — 9 —9 — 0- i.O ■0 — 0 pened before. She and her brother owned about the whole of a province in the middle of the island of Luzon. When she came Into the room It was all over with me. There was more of the Span ish than the Filipino in her. enough to give her the style and air of a lady, but she got her beauty from the tropics. Her hair was like one of those hot, black nights they have down there—silky ami soft, drifting around her face—but it was her eyes that made you lose sleep. They were blue black, not melting, but wide awake and piercing. They were just a hit crossed, hardly a hairbreadth out, but that little cast seemed to make her even more prettier than If they were straight. A Kansas sergeant told me that the family was In from their coun try place, and that the secret service people were watching her. She and her brother were suspected of knowing a good, deal about Aguinaldo's plans. You remember that after the battle of Manila the American troops lay in town for months, just drilling and waiting to see what the insurgents were going to do. There were all sorts of rumors afloat, and nobody knew which way the cat would jump. The Filipinos were camped in a semi-circle outside the city and growing uglier every day. Our sen tries were watching them close enough to see every nigger that stuck his finger to liis nose at us. I saw more an more of Marla, danced with her, or went to her house every night I could get off. It wasn't long before I saw that I had her going. Her brother looked as if he'd like to bolo me in the back, and never left us alone for u moment. I didn't care. I was too far gone myself to be afraid of him. I've seen one or two women In my time, but she could put it over them all. Love goes pretty fast in hot countries. One night I happened to find her alone. Her brother WSCs away on some Ka’tlpu- nan conspiracy business, most likely, or perhaps dodging our spies. She was dressed like a queen all ready for me. I had no more than come in when she threw herself into my arms and lay there crying. I had gone too far, and I was in for it. 1 let her stay there a little while, kiss ing her and trying to get her quiet, and then I looked away, and told her what I should have told her long before—that I had a wife and couldn't marry. She took it pretty hard at first. After she had cried she laughed, and there was a load off my mind. I said to myself that 'women must bo different down here, and thought I was lucky to get out of it so easy. I thought per haps she hadn’t been so badly hurt, after all. She aa!d we'd forget It, and be friends, just the same. I was a fool and believed it. She asked me to come back tomorrow, and I said I would. The next day I met Senor Aguilar, her brother, and he seemed to be as friendly os If we were bunkles. He ins.sted upon my having a drink with him. He seemed to be glad to Know that Maria and I weren’t so much lovers as he had thought. We sat most of the afternoon drinking cognac and I got more and more pleased at having squared myself with them both. Then some one must have hit me over the head. When I came to my head was bursting. My Hands were bound and I was cover ed with a sheet of canvas, being jolted in a little bobbing cart. I yelled for help and my only answer was the bar rel of a Mauser rifle stuck in my face. Then I went off Into a stupor and for the rest of that trip I only remember heat, thirst, hunger, tsiff joints and a murderous headache, 'the Journey seem ed to go on for years and years, but I didn't have energy enough even to won der what had happened or where I was going. Finally I found myself stretched upon a cot In a white walled room, looking through a great arched window into a green patio waving with palms. Senor Aguilar was standing beside me, smiling wickedly. Bromo seltzer wouldn’t have cleared my head the way the sight of him did. “Senor Roberts,” he said, as soon as he saw 'that I ivas fully conscious, “pos sibly you may have suspected that I have not always been charmed at the attentions you haTe paid Senorita Maria. However, you will be glad lo learn that I have at last decided to accept you as my brother In law. I hare given direc tions that the marriage ceremony shall take place tomorrow evening. I shall be honored by the alliance. I am sure, for within a week you will be the only Americano alive on the island of Luzon. I have just come from a conference with General Aguinaldo, and the council of war has set upon February 4 as the date when we shall have the pleasure of cap turing Manila and exterminating your army. Y'ou are at Carrino, a hundred miles from the city, helpless and un armed. I think you will see the advisa bility of accepting gracefully the privi lege of becoming a member of our dis tinguished family. “It is barely possible,” he went on. “that you may feel like declining to be come the husband of Senorlta Maria. Americanos are not "renowned for their courtesy. So I give you a day to think it over We Agmlars do not often force ourselves upon strangers, but under the circumstances I consent to forget our family pride. You may give me your answer tomorrow.” I knew what he meant. This was a sample of Spanish revenge with a Fili pino barb to it. If I stayed, I was a branded deserter. T 'knew that, and Aguilar knew it, too. And he was sure enough that I'd never marry his sister under those circumstances, or he’d never '.have made the offer. The only possible rway out of IT—although that seemed hopeless—was to escape, carry the news to General Otis and save the army. It would mean a pardon, and may.be shoul der straps for me. Could i .get away? That was the ques tion. 1 had no time to lose. To travel a hundred miles through an unknown hostile country in a week, without arms, food or money, was no child’s play. But 1 'watched my chance. About sundown a Taga’.o woman, home- iv as a hedge fence, came in with my dinner. She hung round as though she •were willing to talk, and i set to work to see how l could use her. Dd had some experience wilih women and I had found them mostly alike, black and ■white, and 1 used every trick I knew on her. Of all the cyclone love making I ever did, that got over title 'ground the quickest. I worked so hard I almost meant It, and she rose to the hook. That night she got the guard off, filled him u'P with bine, and showed me the way out of the plantation through the banana grove. Outside, she had a little scrub pony waiting. She pointed to It. and gave me a general idea of the direc tion, then put her arms on my shoulder and held up her great thick lips to be kissed. That was about the hardest work I lhad on the whole trip. Then i Jumped into the saddle and pelted down the road like Sheridan 30 miles away. 1 (thought 1 was a hero, all right, and l saw my picture In the papers with shoulder straps and the girls kissing me like Hobson. It was a grandstand play ■to save the army. As near as 1 could calculate that was the night of January 31. and 1 had six days to get to Manila. It looked easy. I kept as nearly soud.i as I could guess, and rode tlhat pony almost to death. At daylight I hid and nobbled him and crawled into the brush to sleep. When I wdJke up the nag was lying in a puddle of blood, hamstrung. That was the first blow I got under cover and crawled like a snake till I came to a patch of banana trees, where i stopped long enough to eat and to Itll my pockets. For two days I kept it up, making about 30 miles south, I suppose, dodging villages, skirt ing tlie roads and sleeping most of tine daytime. I was hot and dusty; food was scarce and water was scarcer. ■So I fought my way through the trop ical night, tortured by mosquitoes, insects and ants. Luckily it was near the full of the moon, and I was able to drag myself along all ni'g'ht. The way was gradually becoming more moist and swampy. I toiled through slippery mud, and had often to make detours t.o avoid sinking in great morasses. Then, just at dawn of the third morning I came upon the banks of the Pasig. Now I had four days more in which 'to save the army, and a quiet river to drift down at night, hiding by daylight, if 1 could only find something to float on. Toward noon, as T lay in the bushes. I saw an empty boat bobbing down stream. I swam out to it, hauled it ashore, and TTT it in 'the bushes. That night I began to paddle down the river, calling myself "Lieutenant” Roberts. Twice before morning I thought I heard the sound of oars or paddles behind me. and got inshore to listen, but nothing appeared. At dawn I drew to the bank, hid the boat and crawled to a safe place and slept like a horse. After I had ■foraged for bananas and got back to the river the boat wag gone! I began to lose hope After I had followed the bank of the river for some distance, some logs came drifting down the current. I took the chances of being seen, and swam out and captured two of them. Tied together with long, tough creepers they made a passable raft, and a.ll that night I floated down stream, paddling as well as I couid with my bands. I passed a lot of houses and villages on the banks, and so I knew that I was approaching the city. Sometimes I heard the sound of drums and bugles, for the insurgents were all over the country raising recruits. I must have been wandering in my mind by that time, for I wasn't a bit scared any more —only wtachlng for wild bananas and bread-fruit, and wondering how long I’d last. I succeeded in killing some of the many tame ducks I saw. and ate them raw, not daring to build a fire. Next night the river broadened out into a good-sized lake. By the look of it, I took it to be Laguna de Bay, about 25 miles from Manila. I had only that night and the next day to reach our troops. If the first shot were fired before 1 got to the outposts, I might Just as well drop into the Pasig and go to the bottom. When the sun rose I slid into the water and struck out for the shore, intending to take my chances along the bank by daylight. This was the morning of Feb ruary 4. Somehow, some way, I had to get through the circle of the Filipino lines drawn about the city. I hoped that I was too close to the town for them to dare to interfere with an American soldier In the daytime. So I climbed Up a slippery bank and broke into the brush, about as tired and discouraged as a man could be and still live. Then—all of a. sudden—I was nailed from behind! The game was up. Somebody gripped me by the throat. I was so weak there was no fight left in me. I11 half a minute I was bound by a dozen niggers, who eagle Jumping out of the bushes and fell on top of me from all sides at once. 1 didn't much care what they were going to do with me; 1 had quit. Five days of fear and suspense and suffer ing had token every bit of nerve out of me. As soon as I was tied up they began to rush mo along the road, kicking m« up every time I faltered, and jabbing me with bolos when I fell. 1 don't, know why I didn’t die right then. I don't know why my lrair isn't white. At last we came to a little uipa hut guarded by Filipino soldiers in dirty white uuiforms and hare feet. i was thrown Inside, unbound and given a gourd of rice. I ate it, hoping it was poisoned. From all I saw. I was sure the tip about the outbreak was straight, for the place was bustling with soldiers coming and going, and I noticed they all had ammu nition. At about 4 o'clock I was hound again and gagged. I thought it was the end, sure, this time, and I was ready to die game. But it was only a new kind of torture. They prodded me with their bayonets, marching me to a place where l could look through the bushes right across a little river. There, on the othei side, was one of our sentries pacing up and down, and way off I saw the Stars and Stripes floating in the sun. I could hear a band playing “There’ll Be \ Hot Time,” too. If I could have yelled •across just once and given our boys warning, I wouldn't have minded any thing they did to me- But I was gagged. I believe I cried . Then they took me back to the hut, and (right came on. Every minute that passed made the torture worse and worse. I didn’t care for myself any more; 1 was only thinking about tile boys across the river, all unconscious of what was going to happen. I knew so well how careless they had got to be, and what fun they made of the idea that the niggers could possibly have the nerve to attack us. They would all be fooling around the streets of Manila, probably half of them at the theater or dancing or in the cafes, leaving only the guard to take the first rush. It didn't seem possible that we CONTINUED ON LAST PAGE. ; %' V&<', & 1 G>>,’ mmmmM