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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