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betting on labor day races
FAST CANDIDATES IX TRAINING
FOR SEPTEMBER ad EVENTS.
Tlx* Fonr-Cornerfd Race Between
I/t>eal Favorite*.the Short Dixtanee
Cracker Knee and the Batchers*
Event Keeping; Race Men Guess
ing—The Track Being Put in Rea
diness—The Entries In the Four-
Cornered Race Evenly Matched
nud Betting Lively—The “Cracker
Race” Carrying Plenty of Money.
The Thunderbolt Driving Park will be
the battleground of three Interesting
races on Labor day. In horse circles the
guessing is divided between the probable
winner of the four-cornered match race
between the local favorites and the pros
pective winner of the short-distanced
Cracker race end the “Butchers’ event,”
in which two fast steppers are matched
for SSO. The race is to be best two in
three.
Manager Doyle is putting the track in
readiness for the events, and with plenty
of scraping and rolling, It will be in ex
cellent condition, and some fast miles and
stirring finishes will be seen.
The candidates who are to battle for
honors in the four-cornered match race
are in training, and each driver is confi
dent that he will land his favorite a win
ner. There has never been a race at
Thunderbolt where the horses are so
evenly matched and where the entries
are to be piloted by men of experience
in the sulky. Pauline the speedy gray
p icer, which has been seen so often on
the road driven by her owner, H. F.
Kuck, has many admirers who predict an
easy victory for her in the harness event.
The gTay side-wheeler is to be handled
by George Palmer, who has pi'otfd s v' r
al good ones and landed them inside of
the money. Pauline is in splendid condi
tion. and George will have her speedy
trough to pace the best race of her life.
.Tames Furlong is to look after the in
terest of May It, in this contest, and he
kroivs what to do when piloting a trot
ter. May' B has gone several rices at
Thunderbolt, and has fully demonstrated
that the is a thorough race marc' and
one that always ge s part of the money
when in good condition. Little Sloat’s
Bitters wilt certainly be In the chase, if
fast brushes count for anything. The lit
t e horse has developed much speed since
be. was last sen in public. His owner,
P.,t Wright, is taking the best of care
of his favorite and is confident
that when ho turns the pacers
hood loose. The other entries will iook
like they are going the other way.
Aleck Doyle does not say much about
“Ailercyone,” the handsome son of "Al
lerton.” Aleck is giving the black horse
regular work, and is satisfied with the
manner in which Alilercyone handles him
self. From now until the day of the race
the candidates will be moved some fast
miles, oral the patrons of the park are
invited to visit the track and see the fast
brushes. The fact that two of the en
tries are trotters and the other two pacers
makes the race most interesting to horse
men.
The “Cracker race’* will no doubt prove
the greatest drawing card on the pro
gramme. It is reported that a large dele
gation is coming down frrm Tattnall
c unty to witness the event and that
Pure will be plenty of Perry 13. money at
the Park on race day. J. 11. Durrence.
who is lacking after the Perry K end of
it, is a well known horseman and enjoys
the reputation of wanning every short
distanced race that has taken place in
Ttttnall county.
Kirgful, the Savannah horse to meet
Perry E, is a horse of much speed, and
It is believed by mony admirers of the
ii'tle runner, that he can hold his own
wi’h the Tattnall county flyer.
The “Butcher race” promises to be a
liv< !y one from start to finish. Joe Dieter
h F matched his trotter Taylor, against
Max Kraft a blind trotter Madwood.
in addition to these events Manager
Doyle will have several exhibitions by
local road horses to fill out a full card.
WEATHER BUREAU’S WORK.
lTow the Burean Wn* Evolved From
the Old Signal Service.
An interesting sketch of the Weather
Eureau is contained in a review of the
work of the meteorologist for the benefit
of agriculture, commerce and navigation,
by Mr. F. H. Bigelow, professor of me
teorology in the Weather Bureau. The
history of the bureau is contained in three
acts of Congress, that of 1870, organizing a
meteorological service; that of 1871, pro
viding an appropriation to report the
siages of water in the various rivers, and
the third of 1890, transferring the signal
service meteorlogiifal work from the war
department to the agricultural depart
ment.
The acts of Congress, Mr. Bigelow says,
indicate that the meteorological service
of the United States has passed through
three distinct epochs, each of which has
been natural in the practical development
of this branch of science. The laws are
in fact but the crystallized expression of
the outcome of years of experience on the
part of those interested in meteorology.
Thus, the laws of 1871 and 1872 mark the
end of a long agitation, the purpose of
which was to persuade Congress that
forecasts of the weather were practicable
in the United States and that an organ
ized systematic effort to give the public
due warning of the approach of storms
was worth a trial. The organization of
this service was intrusted to the signal
service of the war department. At first
the service was for the benefit of naviga
tion on the seacoast and on the Great
Ikes, but it was soon extended so as to
include the Interior districts and the great
rivers of the central valleys.
The experience incident upon the grad
ual extension of the service soon showed
that it would be necessary to includ ■
the regions adjacent to the United States
In order to secure the most efficient fore
casts of the weather, especially the Do
minion of Canada, along the northern bor
der, for the cyclones; the West Indies, to
ttie south and southeast, for the hurri
canes, and also Mexico and even Alaska
for other local effects. The benefits of
the weather service were readily appre
■ lated by nearly very Industry and every
department of our complex civilization.
Climate and crep conditions were de
manded for the farmer, and observations
•nd warnings for the public and for rail
road and water carriers. Hence, it soon
became necessary to enlarge the scope
of the service so as to include
agriculture and commerce as well as
navigation, and to extend the sphere of
tile meteorologist to cover the study not
only of the dynamics and motions of the
ntmosphefe, but of climatology (the pre
vailing temperature and rainfall), togeth
er with their effects upon human life.
This great enlargement of the original
idea regarding the scope of the work
gradually produced an environment which
became less suited to the duties inherent
in the purely military service that had
so successfully fostered this very growth
through twenty years, till at length It was
concluded that a more strictly scientific
bureau could better carry on tiie work.
Accordingly, the second epoch tame to
an end on July 1, 1891. when the signal
service of the war department was ro-
I *ved of Its meteorological duties atal the
Weather Bureau of the deportment of
sgrleultitre was organized mid charg'd
vit It the future of meteorology in the
I anted (Suites.
hi the latter administrative department
of the government, Mr. Bigelow say*, the
civilian and scientific methods predomi
nate, though It tuuM ee'id i
J
"X had female trouble for eight
years,” writes Mrs. L. J. Dennis, of
828 East College St., Jacksonville.
Ills. "Words cannot express what I
suffered. / sought relief among' the
medical profession and found none.
Friends urged me to try Dr. Pierce’s
Favorite Prescription. When I com
menced taking this medicine I weigh
ed ninety-five pounds. Now I weigh
one hundred and fifty-six pounds—
more than I ever weighed before. I
was so bad I would lie from day to
day and long for death to come and
relieve my suffering. I had internal
inflammation, a disagreeable drain,
bearing down pain, and such distress
even* month but now I never have
a pain—do all my own work and am
a strong and healthy woman.”
Sick women are invited to consult Dr
Pierce by letter fret. Corresoondence pri
vate. Address Dr. R.v. Pierce,'Buffalo, N.Y.
spirit of subordination inherited from the
army discipline stilt continues, and tends
to make tho organization of the Weather
Bureau more efficient and homogeneous
than it otherwise could be.
OUTLAW’S SHOCKING CHIME.
Warrant Charges an Attempted As
sault Upon His Daughter.
Dublin, Go., Aug. 25.—Parties living on
the east side of the river broyght to the
city to-day the details of a shocking af
fair.
According to their statement, on Sun
day last Jordan A. Outlaw, a white man
living in Smith’s district, attempted to as
sault his own daughter and desisted only
when assailed by his wife. Outlaw, it is
said, threatened to kill his wife and
daughter if they spoke of the occurrence.
He kept a close watch upon their move
ments for several days, but Wednesday
his wife slipped away and swore out a
warrant against her husband. Outlaw was
arrested under the warrant by Constable
W. M. Amerson, He submitted very
quietly and seemed perfectly willing to ac
company the officer and stand a commit
ment trial, expressing perfect confidence
over the outcome.
Amerson was fooled by his actions and
allowed him more latitude than he other
wise would have done. Seeing an oppor
tunely to escape, Outlaw made a dasii for
freedom and is still at large.
Outlaw bears a bad name. It Is said
that he was run out of Johnson countv
some years ago for a similar crime. *
NEW RURAL ROUTE.
An Extension of the Mall Delivery.
Other Qnitumn Matter*.
Quitman, Ga., Aug. 25.—Postoffice In
spector Arnold has established anew free
rural delivery route to be known as route
No. 2. The people here are well pleased
with rural delivery, and it is probable
that other routes will be established
shortly.
The latest enterprlze for Quitman is a
modern steam laundry. The machinery
is expected to arrive in a few days. A
building has been secured and it is hoped
to have the laundry in operation in a
short time. J. F. M. Harrell is the princi
pal owner and prime mover in the new
enterprise.
General Superintendent Denham. Train
master Kirkland and other Plant System
officials arrived here yesterday in the
superintendent’s private car. The object
of the visit was to confer with the South
Georgia Railway officials in regard to the
South Georgia’s Florida extension cross
ing the Plant's tracks.
WAS A SELF-MADE MAN.
Dentil of Dr. Wiley Smith, n Promi
nent Sonth Carolinian.
Columbia, S. C.. Aug. 25,-Dr. Wiley
Smith of Wllliston. Barnwell county, Is
dead. He was 88 years old, and was per
haps the most remarkable man in that sec
tion of the st'nte, representing, in a most
marked degree, the self-made man. With
the barest smattering of a common school
education, he began life as a mechanic
when but a boy, and was one of the con
tractors who built the South Carolina
railroad 70 years ago. While engaged on
this work Mr. Smith studied medicine, and
to vigorously did he labor to master the
science that he became a physician and
surgeon of unusual ability. Until within a
few weeks he has been vigorous In mind
and body.
CHARLESTON’S 1 WARM CAMPAIGN.
Close Contest Seems Likely Between
Jervey anil Martin.
Charleston, S. C., Aug. 25. The county
campaign, which has been one of the hot
test Charleston has known in years, prac
tically closed to-night. The main fight
is over the selection of a sheriff, the can
didates being Capt. W. St. Julien Jer
vey for the Regulars and Capt. J. Elmore
Martin for the Reformers. Both sides
claim to be confident of electing their
man but the Regulars are offering to bet
nil kinds of odds on their man. which
the Reformers will not cover.
The Jervcy men say they will elect him
by from 500 to 700 majority. The Martin
people decline to give any figures, but
sav they will sweep the city. Feeling 1
running' verv high, but no trouble is fear
ed ut the primary Tuesday.
NEW STEAMSHIP COMPANY.
Will Operate Between Tninpn, Hon
duras and South American Port*
Tampa, Fla., Aug. 25.—Application has
b ,„.„ made for a charter for the Hardee
Trnnsportailon and Commission Company
of this city, which will run a line of
steamer* to Honduras and South Ameri
can jH>rts, The line will handle fruits
am) Ollier commodities that may he found
profitable. The Incorporator* ore all
Tiimj>a m**n.
■ AnrrhUl,
London, Aug. 25.— According to a spe
cial disputed from Home, WUliain Hlm
hiag of New York, stirpected of being an
anarchist, ass been mn-sled there. Com
promising document* were found on hi*
person, amt it I# suspect #d that be was
the accomplice of Jireuci, die assassin f
King llunbrt.
THE MORNING SEWS: SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 1000.
RESILTS AT SHEEPSHEAD.
How the Horses Ban in the Opening
Races.
New York, Aug. 25.—Summaries at
Sheepshead Bay:
First Race—Five and a half furlongs.
La Vallier, 7 to 1, won; Col. Paddden, 5 to
1 and 2 to 1, second; Rodhampton, 7 to
2. third. Time 1:09 3-5.
Second Race—One mile. Rush, 9 to 5,
won; Kamara, 2 to 1 and 4 to 5, second;
Andronicus, 6 to 1, third. Time 1:40.
Third Race—Fall handicap, six furlongs.
Waring, 4 to 1, won; Potent. 20 to 1 and
6 to 1, second; Contestor, 11 to 0, third.
Time 1:14.
Fourth Race—Futurity, Futurity course,
170 feet less than six furlongs. Bally Hoo
Bey, 11 to 5 and 4 to 5, won; Olympian,
7 to 10 and out, second; Tommy Atkins,
7 to 10 and out. third. Time; 1:10.
Fifth Race—The Inaugural steeplechase,
about two miles. Plato. 8 to 5, won; Old
Tank, 4 to 1 and 7 to 0, second; Chara
grace, 7 to 2, third. Time 4:19.
Sixth Race—One and a sixteenth miles
on turf, selling. Greenock, 12 to 1, won;
Central Trust. 3 to 0 and out, second; Do
lando, 7 to 2, third. Time I:4S 1-5.
Races nt Saratoga.
Saratoga, N. Y., Aug. 25.—Racing re
sults :
First Race—Five and a half furlongs.
Col. Chester, C to 5, won, with Guess
work, 15 to 1 and 3 to 1, second, and
Great American, 15 to 1, third. Time
1:0614.
Second Race—Seven furlongs. Godfrey,
6 to 1, won, with Fleuron, 3 <0 1 and 7
to 10, second, and Bold Knight, 7 to 5,
third. Time 1:2914.
Third Race—ss,ooo, the Spencer handi
cap, one mile and a furlong. Martimas,
8 to 1. won, with Charentus, 4 to 1 and
out, second, and Advance Guard, 5 to 2,
third. Time 1:5314.
Fourth Race—Six furlongs. Tammany
Chief, 6 to £ won, with 4 to
1 and 2 <0 1, second, and Queen Carni
val, 5 to 1, third. Time 1:15%.
Fifth Race—One mile and fifty-five
yards. Althea, 5 to 1, won, with Specific,
2 to 1 and 3 to 5. second, arfd Precursor,
even, third. Time 1:45%.
PITTSBURG THE WINNER.
Game Lost by rhillipx on a Wild
Throw iu.tbe Tenth.
Pittsburg, Pa., Aug. 25.—Phillips lost the
game In the tenth inning by a wild pitch
when two were out and Clarke on third
base. Attendance, 4,100. Score: R.H.E.
Pittsburg .0 20102000 l- 6 2
Cincinnati 100031000 o—s 10 3
Batteries —Tannehlll and Zimmer; Phil
lips and Kahoc.
Philadelphia NVon Again.
New York, Aug. 25.—The Phlladclpliias
broke even on the present series with the
New York by winning again to-day. At
tendance, 3,500. Score: R.H.E.
Philadelphia .1 0020020 0-5 8 2
New York ....1 001 00 1 0 o—3 9 7
Batteries—Donahue and McFarland;
Mercer, Carrick and (Bowerman.
Mer..4J ... hicso shmrdfi cmfwyp mfwy
Shut Out Brooklyn.
Boston, Aug. 25.—Willis was in fine fet
tle to-day, allowing the Brooklyns but
four hits and striking out four men. At
tendance, 6,500. Score: R.H.E.
Boston 0 1 1 0 2 2 0 2 x—B 9 0
Brooklyn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o—o 4 4
Batteries—’Willis and Clarke; McGinnlty
and Farrell.
St. Louis 2, Chicago O.
St. Louis. Mo.. Aug. 25.—Young and Gar
vin fought it out to-day. Young was
victorious. Errors at critical stages
handicapped Garvin. Attendance, 5,300.
UThe score: R.H.E.
St. Louis 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 x-2 4 2
Chicago 0000 00 0 0 o—o 3 2
Batteries— Young and Criger; Garvin
and Chance.
Other Games.
At Chicago—Chicago. 1; Kansas City. 0.
At Buffalo-Buffalo, 2; Cleveland. 1.
An Indianapolis—lndianapolis, 2; De
troit, 1.
Second Game— Indianapolis, 8; De
troit, 3.
At Milwaukee —Milwaukee, 9; Minneapo
lis, 6.
At Syracuse—Syracuse, 6; Montreal, 4.
At Rochester—Toronto, 5: Rochester, 4.
At Providence—Providence, 11; Hart
ford, 0.
A* Worcester—Worcester, 8; Spring
field, 5.
LOUIS MERKEL DEAD.
Wn* a Well-Known Raker nnd Con
fectioner in Macon.
Macon, Aug. 25.—Mr. Louis Merkel, one
of Macon's oldest merchants and best
known citizens, died at his residence, on
Cherry street, at 11 o’clock this morning,
after a week’s illness. The arrangements
for the funeral have not been made, as
it Is not yet known when bis children,
who live in New Orleans and Alabama,
can get hero, but it will probably be
some time Monday.
sfr. Merkel was 66 years of age and was
born in Germany. He came to Macon
something over thirty years ago, and has
been engaged In the bakery and confec
tionery business ever since. His wife died
several years ago, leaving him with the
following children: Mrs. H. M. Austin
of Montgomery, Ala.; Mrs. Otto K. Er
hart of Selma, Ala.; Louis J., of New
Orleans, Ferdinand of Selma, Mrs. Ed
Minton and Mr. Henry Merkel of Ma
con.
STRUCK LIVE STOCK.
Odnm Was Visited by Two Heavy
Thunder Storm*.
Odum, Ga., Aug. 25.—About 4 o'clock
this evening, during a thunderstorm,
lightning struck the barn of Mr. John M.
Aspinwall, killed two mules, set fire to
the premises and burned the barn, with
several thousand pounds of fodder.
The mules had Just been driven under
the shed, and the driver escaped death
by only a few minutes. Yesterday even
ing this section was visited by a severe
electric storm, doing some damage. Mr.
George W. Hires had a fine steer killed
and his horse injured by a shock. It
was the heaviest electric storm ever ex
perienced here. •
ATTEMPTED suicide.
Young Warren Thomns of Dublin
Drank Lundannni.
Dublin, Ga„ Aug. 25.-Warren Thomas,
a well-known young man, attempted to
commit suicide this afternoon by drink
ing laudanum. The attempt was made
at the residence of his brother-in-law,
Sheriff Hicks, and In the presence of Mrs.
Hicks Physicians have been at work
trying to save the life of the young man,
and the probatd'.Hles are that they will
be successful. No cause is assigned for
the deed, except despondency.
Repeatedly Repulsed.
Vienna, Aug. 25.—The commander of the
Austrian warship Kalserin Marla The
resa telegraphs that in the engagement
fought at Tien Ts|n on Aug. 19, the Chi
nese were repeatedly repulmd by the
Japanese and American cavalry.
Won by Five Rirds.
Chicago. Aug. 25.—1n n conicet for the
Dupont live bird championship irophy,
pet went J A It. MHJost of Kansas City.*
and E. *. Graham of Chicago, yesterday,
Lfiriovt won by five birds.
GREAT WILDERNESS OF EGOS’
NOVEL nUISTHY FOUND OX A
FLORIDA KEY.
Robbing the Yeats* of >lilliona of
It it* cl*—Efforts to Drive* Andy the
De*l*oi leri- A DisnyruenlOp Work.
Tius-of-\Vr Between ( rah* nnd
Young Bird*—Army of Scavenger*.
From New York Commercial Advertiser.
In the latter part of April a small, un
inhabited key on the outer reef, Florida,
in the direction of Yucatan, which has
been deserted for months, suddenly takes
on mi appearance of life and activity. The
writer visited il one day in search of
green turtle, and found it a dreary spot
given over to spirit crabs and their kin
folks. Three days later a thousand gulls
rose at the approach of the visitors, and
in a few days more the birds had assem
bled in what is popularly known as mil
lions. The ground was covered with them,
the air black, and when all \\\ re in flight
they formed a remarkable living canopy
over the white coral key with its green
cap of bay cedar. Every year this is re
peated, two islands of the Tortuga s
group being selected for the purpose by
the terns. Bird and East keys, the former
the. smallest, is the most popular.
As the boat neared the island where the
nesting season was in full progress n dark
cloud could be seen resting over ihe spot,
and when within half a inilu a curious
sound wan heard—a sharp continuous ror
like machinery far away, growing rapidly
louder, until when the boat was within
two hundred feet of the beach the noise
hail become deafening. The cloud had
resolved itself into terns, each one of
which seemed to be screaming at the top
of its voice In a high stucatto. They came
off to meet the visitors by hundreds,
plunging at the boat in a menacing man
ner, hovering overheat! almost within
reach, and swooping down from greater
hights with wild cries, altogether present
ing a remarkable spectacle. The birds
were pure white with black heads, with
here and there a chocolate-colored holy
with a white head. As the boat ran on
to the white l*‘aeh, which surrounded the
key, bedlam broke loose. It wns impossi
ble to hear a word spoken in an ordinary
tone, and acreaming was but of little
avail; yet it had a marvelous effect on the
birds.
One of Hie boatmen had gone ahead; nnd
wishing to stop him Ills name was called,
whereupon every bird ceased screaming
to listen, and there was absolute silence
as the birds, as if actuated by a single
motive, all pitched downward evidently
listening, then rising, began the pande
monium of sounds again; and as many
times as this was repeated so many times
could the terns be silenced, for a few sec
onds. As the men moved into the bush
birds struggled away from their nests in
every direction, and made their way up
ward, increasing the clamor and noise. In
some places the ground was so thickly
strewn with eggs that it was almost im
possible to walk without stepping on them.
They were about the size of hensf eggs,
speckled and blotched with black or dark
brown. A boat came in loaded with flour
barrels which were soon filled with the
eggs. The method of collecting was in
teresting. The men. entered the bush,
which grew thick ajid to a hlght of per
haps seven feet, and made their way over
the hot sand on their bands and knees. A
man would drop down, clear away a place
before him, and reach out for ah the eggs
In his range, piling them up in a heap;
then crawl along eight or ten feet deeper
into s the bush, piling as he went. In his
wake came olhers who packed the eggs in
bags and carried them to the beach,
where they were placed in the barrrels;
first a layer of bay cedar leaves, three
inches thick, then a layer of eggs; over
this was placed more leaves and so on
until the barrel was filled, when it was
carried away over to the boat.
Collecting eggs in this way by wholesale
had its attractions as a novelty, but If a
man had been obliged to do It he would
have considered himself badly treated.
The normal temperature out in the air
was terrific, but in the bush, where the
sun's rays were reflected on the sand,
where there was no draught, it was intol
erable. To add to this the struggling
birds raised a stifling dust from the
branches; they rushed blindly at the pick
ers, beat their faces with their wlrfgs,
threw the fine sand this way and that; be
sides there was tho discomfort of being
hit on the head by eggs which the birds
often dropped. One negro took off his
old straw hat, and was mopping bis head
with his bandana when a tern dropped an
egg fairly on his brown pate. It was ex
citing, but as someone remarked, a lit
tle of it went a great way.
Some days tater the writer visited the
island again, end the scene was repeated,
though the birds were now much more
savage, almost attacking the invaders.
This was because the sun had hatched the
eggs, and the sand under the bushes was
a squirming mass of birds, each adding
its squeaking to the general clamor. The
birds seemed to number tens of thousands,
crawling about in every direction, and
the question of each bird feeding Its own
young was an Interesting problem, to
the mother at least, who had to distin
guish her own offspring among so many.
The parent birds were now ranging the
reef more; feeding upon sardines and fly
ing fishes, and the key was converted into
a gigantic commissary in which fish was
the sole commodity. Every gull had to
be fed several times a day. and the un
usual supply of food brought a large
army of land crabs, which not only preyed
upon the fish, but upon the birds them
selves. Lying in the hot, suffocating bush,
gasping for breath, the writer was the
observer of many strange conflicts; in
one instance, W'hlle under a low tree In
which a noddy had built. Tho gulls laid
their eggs in a slight depression in the
sand, Just sufficiently dug out to prevent
the eggs from rolling, relying upon, the
heat of the sun to do the work of baton
ing during the day and most of the night,
so far as couid be learned, the bird only
covering the egg when it was too cool
for them, though some sat upon them oil
night.
Tho on the other hand, had
built nests in the low bay cedar six or
seven feet from the ground, formed of a
few twigs dropped together, the most
being almost as weak and poorly con
structed as that of the wild dove. As
crude as was this platform, the egg man
aged to keep its position, and when the
young appeared it evidently knew enough
(to remain in one place.
As the writer was watching such n
bird, evidently a day or two old, the
mother suddenly appeared with a small
flying fish which she dropped Into Ihe
nest and began to eat, then feeding the
little bird. Immediately a commotion was
noticed In the bushes a few feet beyond,
and looking around the observer saw a
purple sand crab, half as large as the
small bird, making its way In that direc
tion, crossing from brunch lo branch,
finally reaching the nest. The noddy
now flew away when the crab seized the
remains of Ihe flying fish, which the
young bird held, and then began at one*
a tug of war. The crub was presently
reinforced, as up from tho ground several
big hermit crabs began to crawl, having
scented the feast from afar, and II was
not long before six or seven crabs were
fighting for the fish, attacking the bird
itself whenever opportunity offered, ami
that they would ultimately have crowded
It off and over the edge there was no
doubt; bu’t whan the young bird was be
ing hat'd pressed, a hormlt at each wing,
it having lost the fish altogether, tho
writer took n hand lit the battle and the
crabs dropped Hko rain lo the ground
and scuttled off.
Those crabs otAained their food at night
along shore, and heir numbers ware
amazing. The shore line above tilgh
water was tunnelled In every direction
,Btts tec burrows of the spirit grabs, In
which they lived the most of the tim©.
but beyond this, on the edge of the bush,
were the hermits which hid al>out he
roots of the low bushes, or In the dead
leaves. In the cactus patches, which
abounded here and there, tho big red
crabs made their home, sallying out at
times to prey upon the fish brought by
the old birds. All these crabs —and there
were several others wh4’h lived near the
water—constituted an aggressive with
which the bird had To contend.
There has always been a demand for the
eggs of these b ids, and they are enough
like hen’s eggs to make them an accepta
ble substitute. Smacks run into the little
channel and send a gang of men ashore,
who load twenty or thirty barrels with
eggs in a few hours, and then sail for Ha
vana, seventy miles distant, or Key West,
sixty miles away, where there is a good
market for them. One of the boatmen,
who rowed the writer to this key on many
occasions, had lived for years on one of
the islands—as deso ate and out-of-the-way
a place as could be found anywhere, and
it is said that the magnet was the wreck
of an o.d galleon which had gone ashore
on East Key in 176*0. with a vast treasure
aboard. He thought that he could get it.
and it wat* s, I that he never missed visit
ing the island after a heavy storm, hop
ing that ttv waves would ii'n -vi r the
place, or wash asho-e s* me doubloons,
some of which an oi l lighthouse keeper
had found in the early sixties. Though
he lad never dls overed a dollar, he had
undoubted evidence that pirn ten or free
booters lived here at on£ time. An old
cannon was found near Bird Key in shal
low water, and* an old wreck was also to
Ik? seen on the edge of the channel.
TIIE CITY OF Wt.MEX.
V Settlement In Slam Where l No Man
lint the king May Enter.
From the New York Post.
Siam. July 15.—Strange tales have been
told of Bangkok, and more arc yet to tell.
Not the least remarkable of its many cu
rious institutions is the eo-called “City of
Women,” which—like a wheel within a
wheel—i situated in the heart of the
Siamese capital. A passing tourist might
not even dream of its existence, and from
its peculiar naturv, it frequently remains
a terra incognita to many persons long
resident In Siam.
It is well called tho City of Women, for
its i ntire population is made up of indi
viduals of the “unquiet sex.” The very
hewers of wood and drawers of water,
even the guards, police and night patrol
are stalwart Amazons, nnd for any man
but one to cross the boundary line (except
by the special permission of that one) is
sure death. The one exception is His
Majesty, the Siamese monarch. This city
is simply a vast seraglio, nnd its entire
population, estimated by some at about
3,000, is composed solely of the wives and
concubines of His Majesty, with their
numerous children, guards, slaves, and at
tendants.
It is not to be imagined that the King
can know even a small proportion of these
unhappy women by sight, much less that
he feels the slightest Interest In their
lives. Aside from the fact that for one
of them to rebel against her fate would
be instantly to bring down upon her the
royal displeasure, she may have absolute
ly no connection with her owner. She is
n mere useless belonging. It is a part of
Siamese regal dignity to posses© several
hundred wives and concubines, nnd so
even ChuJalongkorn 1., tho most progress
ive monarch that Slam has over had, has
not found It inconsistent with his greater
enlightenment to continue this custom of
his ancestors.
Tlie King's Family.
Many of the King’s women belonged
to his Immediate predecessor, and were
inherited by him with the other goods
and chattels pertaining to the crown.
The present monarch is said to have sev
enty brothers, and any number of sisters,
so that it would soem not unreasonable
to Infer that the late lamented king, his
father, must have left several hundred
survivors in the City of Women. These,
with the women already attached to
him as crown prince, must have been
given the young king to start with a fam
ily quite large enough to satisfy tho most
ambitious Mormon In our own country.
In euch a state of affairs, as it wduld
manifestly be Impossible to secure the
royal and marital honor in any other
way, the king's women are secluded In a
small district, and strictly guarded by
jailers of their own sex. “Discipline must
be maintained.”
Of course not all the children born to
the king are regarded as being of the
blood royal. Tho majority of them may
have a certain social position, but are of
no political importance. Only the sons of the
true queens, the king’s head wives, are
considered of royal lineage and are eligi
ble to the crown. The succession to the
Siamese throne Is not necessarily hered
itary nor always determined by right of
primogeniture—the king’s brother may be
preferred to his son—byt usually the
king’s eldest son by his first, or head
queen, is regarded as his father’s proba
ble successor, and receives the honor due
to a crown prince. As the heed queen
must be a full princess of the blood, it
follows that the royal consort—as in
Ptolemaic times—is the king’s half sister,
and the crown prince his nephew as well
os his son. The head queen has royal
honors paid her, and is a person of the
highest consequence, and often of con
siderable power and influence. Some
times tho respect In which she is held
might seem to have Us disadvantages. It
is said that the sister nnd first queen of
tho present king was allowed to drown
when the state barge upset, because no
man dared to touch her sacred person.
As tho queen was a favorite wife, it is
easy to fancy that the king would have
pardon€*d a breach of etiquette in order
to save her life, but the attendants found
It a very convenient and plausible ex
cuse for their cowardice.
Muintulniiiu’ tlie lloynl Unrein.
The co<U of supporting a household large
enough to form a city by itself would be
sufficient, one would think, to beggar even
the king of a country where living ex
penses are reduced to a minimum. Hut
His Majesty’s nobles and prominent sub
jects have discovered a most considerate
and original way of relieving their ruler’s
necessity. It is customary for any one
w'ho wishes to do so to present his young
daughter, or a handsome slave girl, to
the King, along with other more valua
ble presents, and, les* his gift may prove
In any way burdensome to the royal re
cipient, to assume the entire cost of her
support while in his harem. This, gen
erosity is, of course, not wholly disin
terested. The King appreciates the deli
cate attention to begin with, and then,
if the maid Is bright and beautiful, there
is always the possibility that she may
chance to find favor 1n the eyes of her
high-born husband, when she may repay
her father, or former owner, for the
honor ho did in giving her away to such
un exalted personage. She may speak a
good word for him in the royal ear, or
snatch some concession for him from the
royal hand.
It is stated by the people In Upper Slam,
or Lao, that, when the home supply Is
not sufficient, agents are sent from Bang
kok to procure the material for these
presents from the tributary provinces in
the north. These agents come suddenly
up tho river, enter unsuspecting villages,
nnd kidnap the most attractive girls,
who from that day are lost to sight In
the crowded City of Women. The daugh
ter of the late tributary chief of Chieng-
Mai, the pretty Princess Dab-rah (i. e.,
Stella, Star), was taken to Bangkok to
nerve as n pledge of her father’s fidelity,
and It Is said leads a most unhappy life
there, and pin© continually for her freer
northern home and her accustomed fool.
The Lao tribe* do not eat the rice, famil
iar to us by the names of “Chine*©” rice,
which Is used In Bangkok. Their rice Is
glutinous, ami of an altogether different
flavor, and, h* It grew* only on tH© up
lands, cannot be raised in the flat, marshy
districts surrounding th© delta of the Mae-,
Ping, on which Bangkok is built. It is
not strange that a people who©© staple
article of diet is rice should discriminate
very daintily between the different varie
ties, and a rather jmthetlc little Incident
illustrating this preference came to our
personal knowledge which also gave us
a monetary peep into the mysterious City
of Women and revealed the homesick
longing and want, In the midst of plenty,
which Its inmates know.
A Lao woman of the King’s household
sent a slave down to meet the, little fleet
or Lao house boats which had just come
down to Bangkok from the pleasant vil
lages of her childhood which she was nev
er to see again. Th© messenger was to
beg a little of the glutinous rice her coun
trymen always take with them to supply
their needs on tho way. The boatman
objected that theirs was only the coarse
“black” rice, carelessly hulled, which wan
good enough for common Ijoatmen, but not
fit for a noble lady accustomed to dlno on
“fragrant” rice. Th© homesick woman,
however, sent word In reply that she
wanted it just tho same.
In spite of rules and guards, occasionally
one hears of intrigues between on© of the
King's women and a lover outoide, bold
enough, or fond enough, to dare Ihe fate
i hat awaits him if discovered,, nnd some
• lines even of an elopmont successfully
accomplished. often—for mich ro
ports are carefully hushed up—the fact
leaks out that someone has actually pre
sumed to prefer life in. the body of an
unclean beast, which her soul will doubt
less enter ut a suicide's death to life In
the City of Women.
The fate of these w'omort seems inex
pressibly touching. A few who tind royal
favor are prolvnbly happy enough, and the
majority of the others no doubt accept the
situation with true Oriental apathy, but
there must be some whoso •VII vino dis
content” makes their life a prolonged ag
ony. The rhyming riddle of Walter
Scott exactly tits their case, and, like hlw
“Betrothed,” each on© of' them seem* to
be
“Widow’d wife, and wedded maid,
Betrothed, betrayer, and betray’d.”
Tin* City of Women has all the hopeless
ness of a nunnery without its purity, and
Us Inhabitants know the responsibilities of
wifehood without <?© privileges, and the
loneliness of celibacy without it© free
dom.
DR XVFT AND IIIN CAREER.
The “Weasel*’ Is Still nt Large nnd
Dodging Hl* Pursuer*.
From tho Chicago Record.
Cape Town, .Inly 15.—“ That weasel,
Do Wet,” as an English officer courte
ously called republican commandant who
has checked Lord Roberts with so small
a force, is still at large, and as long an
he has not been raptured the war cannot
be. said to be over. DeWet, who is com
paratively a young man, Is a conspicuous
example of the military genius which is
more or less latent in every Boer, al
though in his case good fortune has
doubtless hud much to do with his suc
cess, and the remarkable stupidity of oi>-
puiwtiU ev< n more.
Christian DeWet Joined the commando
under G n. Lucas Meyer in October last
u a plain field cornet. His former I f©
had be. n that of a peaceful farmer and
silent legislator, for though for some
years a member of the Free State voiks
raad, ho was never conspicuous us a
speaker. One incident in his life, how
ever, gave him not only contid* nee in
himself, but won him th© reputation of
almost daredevil pluck.
When the burghers rose in 1880 to fight
for their Independence DeWet Joined the
commando© and took part In most of the*
engagements that resulted. On the morn
ing of Gen. Colley’s 111-fated attempt at
Majuba he stood In the burgher camp oi
the base of the mountain and saw too
white helmets of the soldiers on the top
of ihe kopjes. Near him stood Gen. Jou
bert. sternly silent and anxious, and per
haps for the firt time in his career open
ly showing his despair. The officers gath
ered around and discussed the matter,
and tho burghers Join’d In, for in repub
lican laagers there is no discipline that
forbids an ordinal y private from offering
his advice freely to his superiors.
It is said that the council of war ad
vised a retreat, and that a woman—Mrs
Joubert—saved tho day. “Atack them,’’
was her advice, “and God will aid you,”
and when her husband stood still uncer
tain, gnawing his long b©*u|d between bis
to th, DeWet Stepped forward and vol
unteered to lend the attack. After that
there was no longer any hesitation, and
history knows tho result. Majuba won
back the independence of tho country,
but DeWet retired to his farm and used
his Martini to shoot game with, instead
of “rooineke.”
It was by an act of almost equal cour
age and perhaps greater resolution that
DeWet stepped on the tlrat rung of tho
ladder during this campaign. The story
of Nicholson's nek, from the standpoint
of the vanquished, has already been told;
from the point of view of the victors Yt
has yet to be related.
Tho story goes that DeWet, without ask
ing leave of his commandant, called for
volunteers to attack the British troops on
Nicholson’s nek, and some fifty men re
sponded to the call. Taking advantage
of every bit of cover and maneuvering in
their customary excellent manner, tho
Boera crept around the hill nnd rushed up
the incline before the defenders were
aware of their presence. Then, however,
there was a formidable Maxim to be si
lenced. Two of the small party bit the
dust, but then out of the attackers an
old Boer, famous for his mnrksmanahip
even in u commando where bad shots w* re
exceptions, aimed at tho gear and euc
ceeded In putting the gun out of action.
“It was Majuba over again after that,”
said my Informant, and doubtless DeWet
took full advantage of the lessons he had
learned by his llrst success. When the
white flag was hoisted the party, now
numbering forty-eight, and several of
them wounded, went up to the thousand
odd men, standing so dejectedly on th©
crest of th© hill, and received their arms.
“Where are your men?” asked the com
manding officer of DeWet, and the latter
replied “There,” and pointed to his pala
dins. The officer blush* and scarlet and
whispered to his men, who began to take
up their arms again. The situation was
critical, but DeWet was not a man of
effeminate measures. Covering the offi
cer In command with his Mauser he
threatened him with instant death unless
the surrender was Immediately effected,
nnd the troops threw down their arms
again.
It is needless to pay that DeWet’s strik
ing success, effected almost eingle handed,
gained instant recognition. Those who
know the Boer system of warfare know
that it is not favoritism, but merit that
selects the officers. Had It been other
wise the war would have been finished
and over by this tim©. Under these cir
cumstances the president was at once ac
quainted with DeWet’s achievement, and
Gen. Joubert, then in chief command of
the Federal forces, made him a com
mandant, and shortly afterward President
Stoyry confirmed the appointment by
granting DeWet a special commission un
der the seal of the republic.
From Natal Commandant DeWet was
sent to Magerfontein, where he signalised
himself by tho almost unprecedented au
dacity of hi* attack on Honey Nest kloof.
Later on, after th© disastrous fight at
Paardeberg, where he, then In command
of the relieving force—having been made
a general in the meantime—was unable to
break through the lines of circumvallu
tlon, he swung round and captured a
large convoy at Klips drift.
Receiving a few days later th© rank of
comrnarKkant general of th© Free State
forces, he showed that the confidence
which his country placed In him was not
mistaken. Fighting: continually against
fearful odds, defeating where he could,
t eirearing where h© ran risk of being him*
*<*lf defeated, tut never allowing his op
ponent* to cripple him, rapturing the con
voyw*ivjbn*htfpori end ¥ /.rn spruit and
keeping half a dozen British generals ooes
tinually on the qul vivo, he has cost LoM
Roberts more gray hairs titan any other
republican general and bid© fair to out*
wit th© hero of Kandahar at Che eafL
Jingo correspondent© who had nothing
good to aay of Gronje bear gTtidgtng,
not less forcible, testimony to Dot?****
humanity and apiendtt toot.toe end serttt
egy.
Fearer ho* been making great brewobra
In the British ranks and the dteoanteaa*
throughout th© colosiy Is daily growing
stronger. Tho burning and deetruottao oC
private property, th© prohibition of pro-
Boer newspapers—practloaHy every (Do-
Doer paper, both EngMsh and DtcSh, has
been prohibited from being circulated In
all district© where martial law ha* been
proclaimed—th© arrest of so many* of th©
more prominent Afrikanders, both la th©
country and at Copt Tnwn. end tb© un
certainty of what th© next moss© is go
ing to be, have tried th© temper of th©
people severely. Formerly th© peopla
stood silent and aullen when their friends,
charged with treason were marched down
the street. That this Is no longer th©
case can be seen from th© following ex
tract from a Jingo pai>*r:
“On Monday more than usual interest
was paid to tho arrival of the train from
Mlddleburg, owing to the fact that it
brought Johann. Roche Pohl, until a year
ago a pupil ut tho local college, under
police escort, to h© tried on a rharg© of
high treason. The police on th© arrival
of tho train conducted their charg©, fol
lowed by a considerable gathering, to th©
court house, where arrangements for ball
in the sum of 500 pounds were made.
Young Pohl was then driven to hl9 horn©.
On his arrival tho scene which we de
scribe as disgraceful took place. One of
the town councilors, Mr. J. van der Borg,
and some others, well known for their
strong anti-British proclivities, were In
waiting, anti when the trap with Rooh©
Pohl arrived ho was carried shoulder
high to the stoop of his. in a
triumphant manner. There la th© fact
that young Pohl Is her© to undergo trial
for alleged high treason, and for men
who orn In n sense representativ© to glor
ify on© who la charged with a capital
offense shows to what lengths they or©
prepared to go in showing their anti-
English antipathy.”
These things are significant. More sig
nificant fetill Is it that tho people do not
stop at verbal or theoretical “antipathy.”
During the last two months three Afri
kander trading companies, with a com
bined capital of 120,000 pounds, have* been
established nnd other are in course of
flotation. Many of tho poorer classes
hav© taken share* In (hear© companies,
some holding one share each, others again
who have clubbed together lews than half
or even a quarter of a share. It is only
a question of time if th© people stand
firm for th© whole of the country trad©
to bo in the hands of th© Afrikander
fa rmer.t.
It Is apparent that there Is a chance, if
there ever was, for at present realizing
the motto of th© Rev. 9. J. do Toil, “A
Unlt<*d States of South Africa under Its
own flag!”
I/A\i OP TUB HVMHINU I)!IU).
Surprising rbpnoinrnoa Follona
Diguing In Aspholt Ukc.
From (ho New York Evening Post.
Few people who travel over the as
phalted stroets of New York are aware
of tire origin of the blank, pitchy mass
that goes to make up the basis of the
smooth roadway under their feet Eight
een hundrod miles almost due south from
New York lies the little tropical Island
of Trinidad—a British possession off tha
coast of Northern South America. At the
southwestern extremity of this colony
the famous Pitch lake la located on the
summit of a small hill, less than 200 feet
above the level of the sea- In appear
ance, there is nothing phenomenal about
this wonder of the tropios; but a visit to
the lake, as It Is familiarly called, reveals
one of the most unaccountable oddities of
nature In the annals of travel.
The tourist may take passage to the
"land of the humming-bird”—as Trinidad
jeople like their country to be called—and
after securing accommodation as the
only decent hotel in the loleny, proceed
to the lake by one of the small govern
ment steamers, plying coastwise three
limes weekly, disembark at the Brighton
pier, and proceed to the scene of "dig
ging.” Of all the crude, rough and ready
means of extracting wealth from mother
earth, the Trinidad lake asphalt opera
tions are the most striking. Tho visitor
arrives on u fairly level plateau, spotted
here and there with tiny pools of water,
beneath which tho soft shiny substance
known as asphalt glittera In the reflec
tions of a fierce tropical sun. Scattered
over the surface of the lake dozens of
swarthy negro*® ore plying plok and hoe,
extracting the tar-coaly-looklng stuff
from the earth. One may ait In the shade
of a. near-by shrub, or under the protect
ing shelter of an umbrella, and watch
the negroes pile heap after heap of the
asphalt into the endless chain of tubs
that hurry along to the pier, from which
one has but recently landed, until a
yawning excavation of twenty or more feet
suggests to the supervising darky that
tho time has come to move a bit further
on. In the course of a few hours the ex
cavation resulting from the morning’s
diggings begins to look less deep, and by
eventide the spot from which more than
five or ten tons have been dug Is again
level with the surrounding earth and
ready to be dug over by the gang of
noisy blacks. From the point of digging
to the pier is but a mile or less of end
less chain descent; and sometimes steam
ers, Into whose capacious holds the tubs
discharge the pitch at the rate of two or
three hundred tons per day.
On the voyage to Trinidad, West In
dies, and during the traveler’s stay there,
many other objects of Interest may be
"taken In." Within a few miles of the
city of Port of Spain Is the "Blue Bas
in,” a lofty waterfall, culminating In a
valley of gorgeous tropical verdure; okvht
miles In an opposite direction are the
Maracas falls, of equal beauty and nov
elty; while all around thecity and suburbs
are villages of Indians, In their primitive
gatherings of tribes and castes, but quits
alert In their readiness to make money by
the sale of queer relic® of their craft.
There ts but one direct line of Steamers
to Trinidad and one to the neighboring
Islands of the Antilles; the rates of pas
sage are reasonable enough, although the
accommodation leaves something to be
desired; the voyage requires anywhere
from nine to twelve days, according to
the point of disembarking: and the cost
of a round trip of five or six weeks may
be coverpd by the prudent tourist for an
expenditure of about S3OO.
Twenty Hounds and n I>rnw.
Buffalo, N. TANARUS., Aug. 26.—Harry John
son of Pittsburg, and Oeorge (Kid) Bush
of this city, wont twenty rounds to a draw
last night. They fought at 12<5 pounds.
—One thing the new Queen of Italy has
yet to learn—how to smile. Handsome as
she is. she is also cold, or so she seems,
for the simple reason that she Is shy.
Asa Princess she htus not achieved tha
art of always rejoicing In public, and the
Italian people, who set great store by out
ward demonstrations of sympathy, have
noted their absence. Even bowing has
been burdensome to her. “Walt till I
am Queen," has hitherto been her reply
to nil the gentle remonstrances made to
her. Now that the time of waiting Is
over, Home looks on curiously to see the
result.
—“Bulls'’ are not confined to Ireland.
At a meeting of Stirling Parish Counctl
the oilier night the following extract wns
road from the minutes: “It was reported
that the nutritious diet allowed not
benefiting this pntiem. ns it was not
given to him.” Tha minute was paaaad
lit solemn eUenca.—Qlasgow Herald.
3