Newspaper Page Text
y 11W® f flltej o J
VOL.XXII
MUG IN THE EAR WEST.
By HON. W. li. GORMAN.
Written for The Constitution.
It was the latter part of the summer
some years ago. that I went over to Cali
fornia to assist my old friend,Colonel Thomp
son, in adjusting some business that had
given him much trouble. 1 had done him a
similar service when ho lived near San An
tonio, Tex., ami 1 suppose it, was the satis
factory manner in which my work was
done that caused him to employ me again,
lie went to California soon after the wild
rush of ’49. and by good management .and
lucky speculations made a lot, of money.
This money was invested in ranch proper
ties along the loothills of the Coast range,
an 1 a large quantity of farming and graz
ing lands along the upper waters of the
Trinity and Sacramento rivers. At. the
time referred to the country was being rap
idly settled and there was a flood of liti
gation in the courts growing out of the old
Spanish titles to bonded properties in these
sections. I found the old gentleman living
on one of his ranches with plenty of the
good things of life around him. a flock of
three thousand Merino sheep and large
herds of cattle to engage his attention.
*My business for several months demanded
my whole time, but finally I succeeded in
getting matters in pretty good shape and
then began to look around for some diver
sion. tt was a wild country, chock full of
game. My host was a thorough sportsman,
wed equipped for every sort oi hunting.
lb' had an elegant lot, of hounds, about
a dozen, such as you'll occasionally find
about a title country place, anywhere in tiie
south in ante-bellum times. There was a
trio of well-bred grey hounds and a Jot of
hybrids. These latter were very intelli
gent and better adopted for the use made
of them than any dogs 1 ever saw. They
were a cross between the Scotch, collie and
the big wtrey haired Scotch terrier, and
for hunting coyotes 1 the common wild
cat. they beat the world. They were the
most knowiii" dogs 1 ever handled, and
plucky enough to tackle the devil himself if
told to do it. One feature of hunting here
—and a very interesting one it was —you
never knew what your pack was
running until you sighted the
game. 1 renumber one mornin - .-
when, we had 'only talf'n the fox honmls
end the crop-eared collies along, our first
run was after a mountain lion. 'The chase
was a hot one and I; st -d 1 >rty minutes,
perhaps, and then the lion treed. One of
the hired men who !-:.ew the country ;:tid
was excellently mounted, kept well up with
tti ed the varmint with a
shot from his Winchester. .1 never had
jruch re peel for his liotehip after this,
. ■»/ • ' j- ;is .1 > ‘jlc ’.h * . W e
s Hip liiws anti just :is apt :o lake to
his heels if he heard the music of the
hounds behind him.
Bui it was a ; ••■*! trovtiing and the colo- '
m! d< eided we : ott’.d for some fun.
We rode directly of ti. • ground we
had rim the 1:. and had gone but a
short half mile when we heard a challenge
from it hound a couple ot hundred yards
right ahead of us. It proved to be a good
scent, and shortly the pack were in full
erv, going 'ike the wind in the direction o'
. tut ed, how ever, before
r '.cliia. tnere, and title - a short burst,
th ■ d seemed all to be coming from a
a . .pot. "Tre.'d. ’ said my "Id friend.
b'.J he was mistake”,. We found the
hounds in as ng;y a 'piece ed ehapparal as
enrdd be found in all California, it was
up one side and e.own the other at just
about the speed they would have made in
a Mississippi <am iu-ak- - . It became mo
re. ion.ms. “A e.t " 1 thought ami so stated
to the colonel, “it may be a fox,” he re
i»li’ .
’'be cha<e continued. High above the
roar of the pack and ever in the lead
shrieked the sharp treble of the co lies.
1 became doubtin'! about the result and e\-
presM'd myself. “No.” said my friend. 'all
they want it—time! If he stays in there
nip and tuck, the collies are sure to do him
up. and if he takes to the hills, 11m pack
will never let him reach them. 111(1 * l ’ l '
om-I i. . ' than I did Lhe <
ended a few minutes later at the taiiini
end <-f the thicket, and the deep baying oL
the pack toid us tho game was treed. In
a small saplii . j«s’ outside the elm] par;
sli d armimi . hu h i.:e < ogs v. re b:.ii..n.,
' ' ... ■ ' him’K
m.’au'b.'iamlj-md
naihM Inm before he Lit the ground.
. , ~ i-evela.ion to me 1" mid mis
. * J,"i'-ir" is > supposed from his habitant,
bm 1 learned after wards .rum Hunt n»,-j m
m-uv parts of the eountr.i tii.u tins wa>
he tdv lox to be found in < tthlornm
. fox is str’n ily a southern spe< les .i d
is common in all the southern aud sot.th
" I'f’ - ‘di mppeais as von cross the plains
jlc t I . little swift that
Jin <l is d, f” b a 1(l (I;ir!s into the first
PU if y- 1 hint eb
and press him hard. 1 h( ‘ A ', 1 ; ; ; s .’][
t „. unaii 11( ‘ :'p ,‘t ‘ ’oet bim
f -'fy d “yie-k ink
« '"J 1 '"".k pt'.'t; m'.l’e to ti e I’aeilie. Blit
t'o. best T-ar't 'of our luntt is yet to be
die , j-.pidt l-ut nothing comes
hhn. ' He'wdl nib n hot! na>st
”, . lamb from the toid y..--
jristi'no ~\s we hrve said nothing vo s...ii.s,
i tom and for downright. eussedncsS
with him ano . a:,™.
1 . ; ti e most perfect hoodlum that "J ”•
Tefore we reached the c.iappatal w
found one of tho trncals skulking in a gtd
h where lie could keep one eye on the lit
■„ Verim s as th-; played on the hlllsme
above him. It was Ilot as peppei item
1 He' dashed into the scrub, doubled and
threw the hounds out ami av*iy he went
Ife ran down io the public highway got
1 tghtenel by a passing team, made a sharp
. ..i. ~|,d t.-msed within a hundred yaids
: f ns. and tV.e l.mmds grab’u■] hmi. There
• 1 ■■. ‘ [
,<J’ miautes. with a quick clicking ot
'•'anvled and out of it earn. < \ i.t .d y
be' one not much tlm worse foi 1m
s' -<1 :l < a stoue, tho
hound’s killed him while the collies held
•>' f. w d-ivs litter we hunted this same
<».-i m t ne-iin -md bagged a fox and a wtld
-- t U!, 'V Vts 'luring tl.i; hunt that I,saw a
ei'annaral eocl;. th" famous bird «n < _■ m
foi-nii 'The bounds were driving a lox
i'lioe'-h the scrub and the bird slipped oat
ami rmi away ns fast as his h-s could carry
him. His local name is roiidrtmner Hom he
hub!’ of rnnidm: along th” highways wmm
pewmed. Us Spanish name is i.i ( >. pi<aiio.
‘ This bird is said to be a deadly toe to
rattlesnakes. When ho finds one he pro
reeds to surround him with a coidou of i
ilittle cactus found everywhere on the hills,
and after he has him safely earraled tai! s
him on the head with his sharp beak. I his
arouses the snake and he strikes right and
left. tiding his mouth with the
little spines of tin' cactus. He
is now furious and in his rage strikes
Idindly. buries his fangs in his own body
I and dies. This is a repetition of the old
fable, where the scorpion being placed in a
ring of lire stings itself to death.
Pretty soon I left for the northern portion
of the state to continue my investigation of
deeds, records, etc. My work took me into
what, was then known as tho 'Trinity settle
ment. which is the country lying witiiin
the shadows of Shasta and Syskiou. Shasta
is one of the mount tin peaks and the finest
scenery in the world is in view from its
I summit- Standing there you can see the
| sun rise far away amid the spurs of the
J Roekies in Nevada and at the close of day
| see him sink to r st in the bosom of the
I Pacific fifty miles away. 1 found here among
the old settlers descendants of Boone,
Harrod and Privy (’roekett. and some who
descended from the men who came over
with Lewis and Clark about the beginning
of the century.
Game was very abundant, especially the
big game of the Rockies. 1 made my first
hunt, on Syskiou, the twin-sister of Shasta.
I secured the services of an old trapper
who had spent, the best years of his life
on these mountains as trapper and guide.
'Three inches of snow whitened the ground
and. although signs of game were abundant,
we sighted none till the afternoon was well
spent.
We had reached a plateau about half
way up the mountain and had paused to
rest. You must understand it is no easy
■ nritter to climb a mountain with three
inches of snow under foot.
At this moment the guide spoke and
said he thougat he saw some deer a. Half
mile away on the mountain side above the
platan. I banded him my glass. “It is
a small band of elk feeding aud moving
slowly in a northwestern direction,” said
h»-, and under his counsel we went a
couple of hundred yard*, further two points
north of east and stopped for observation.
We saw nothing and moved on a hundred
yards further. Then a sharp sh-h-h-e
from the trapper stopped me. “Look to
the right!” he whispered. I looked and
saw an old bull elk browsing on the
sprouts us scrub three hundred yards away.
The guide slipped forward to make a
detour and h id him off. 1 proeee.le ! to
smlk him as best 1 could. Os all will
animais he is one of the most diiliculi, to
4 pproaeh, and a tyro seldom succeeds.
•h is only the hunter who is skilled in
wia derai t that can h >pe to compass the
destruction of siv - h wary game. lie had
moved from where 1 List saw him and
•.'■me in'o . ’ ■ M'ir.-,; I g!ii:ips;d
h.a: nine more was within range, but
i i tiie worst pos ible position, if 1 tired,
I the lost. 1 cotlid hop” for would be to
i wound him. So I cimelnded to wait, for
a i-iiaiige which 1 thought, he would soon
make. At this mom ■nt 1 happened to
ti live a very small twig fastened to the
1- ver of my gnu. I removed it and look
ing forth” elk found him gotie. Vanish
ed as stul ienlv as if the earth ha 1 swal
lowed him up. In less than a minute 1
le ard t he guide shout back in the direction
we had first, seen the elk. it could not
him- been him then that caused the fright.
If not. what then? A little breath of air
tainted just the least bit witii human,
i si-cat ha 1 found its way to file wild creat
ure. It toil him of danger lurking near,
I of a ride’s crack and a trail of blood on
i the snow, and away he went quick as a
1 lie filing many a mile behind him ore
ho turmsl to look back. 'The guide came
liack and report's! lie had tired a running
shot at a small band heading south, and
We spent the night comfortably in a
cabin built by some miners some years
.-.go. After supper the old trapper told me
many yarns. Among the best, was this one:
lie had been employed th" past summer as
guide by a couple >f protessurs who were
i making a geological survey of the canyons
about the mountain.
One morning they started very early to
explore ti e big canyon, the one right between
Shasta and Syskiou. He was tinned with
his Winchester but the prol'e-sors had noth
• ing but their Lammers and some rocks they
had broken and nut away in their satchels.
Th-.-v iiad nroo .dcd a little more than half
. wav the canyon when liny came stiddenlv
upon a big grizzly making his breaklast
j upon something he had found. They re
flated imiu'-diateiy. bruin eyeing them as
they left. They- had gone fifty yards and
th ‘ guide turned his head ‘ just to see how
things was” and he sa ■ it was useless to
tun further, for the bear was coming right,
along and would soon be on them, lb- let
in on him with his rifle, but the first shot
I faib'd to check him and it was not until lie
; pumped in the fourth she’d and fired that.
I lie cave up the ghost. “'The las' shot
; caught him in the eye, found the brain and
: he fell dead in ten feet of where .1 stood.
i “It was ;t close call.” said the trapper,
I ‘‘What became of the professers?” 1 asked.
■ “Don’t know. Never seed ’em any more
i twell I got back to the settlements,” he re
! plied.
We hunted the next day until noon.
I Fell in with a herd of black-tails, anti each
i one of us killed a buck. I tiid not hunt
again until the following week. That, week
I ami the succeeding one I spent on
i the mountains aud had much sport.
Within a few days 1 found if, necessary
i to return to Colonel Thompson’s. I was
I welcomed very cordially by him and his
i adopted daughter. Miss Jennie, who since
i the death of her foster mother had been
I mistress of I’alo Aito ranch. She had just
returned from the east, where she had taken
a fell course at Vassar and a post-graduate
course of six months.. She was a very pret
ty. charming girl, and had 1 not been too
old I must have lost my heart. 'The col-
I one] introduced her as “my daughter Jen
! nie.” lie was very proud of her and show
ed it. She said 1o me one evening “yon
must have a hunt with. me. My dogs are
a little off yet.” she said, “but as you are
going home soon I won’t have lime to train
them any* more. So after you and papa
have your day will) the geese ami (Lucks, you
I shall have a run with mv hounds.”
! it was settled that if tomorrow was a
"ood dav we should take a turn at the
i blinds. ‘Everyhing was made ready, guns
i cleaned and shells loaded for geese. Iho
■ colonel to make sure, loaded the shells
himself ami said a< h” ftnmned, “heavy
lewder, light shot, is 11m rill" for geese.
We set on l two hours before day ."nil reach
ed the blinds at good light. 'hey w-ro
<„! :l bottom of Saerameni .
about two bundred •f’t.ss -“m ■
river. A square hole, big enough for ibre.-
i or four men to stand m> m dug dowit abo'it
i four and a half feet was the b ind. Ihe
di covs. exact imitations of wild goes,. m
size‘and color wore plu'-od thirty to urt v
yards in front and s'-.attored so as to at
tract. some were standw:' ' :
with beads down as d fee-ling. Ihe bh 1
was on tho edge of a field of oung wheat
ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, MARCH 14. 1893.
and the geese were sure to visit there at
early morning, if not frightened away.
We had a. professional in the blind who
could fool the cuuningest old gander that
ever Hew away from tiie decoys. We were
in the blinds before the geese began to ily,
the flight commenced just, about the time
the red in the east began to turn gray.
They came up the river sometimes, some
times half a dozen and again a larger num
ber until the snn got up and then they
ilew in great numbers. The first flight
were passing a quarter of a mile south of
us; they- saw the decoys and honked, our
man answered and they swung around and
came straight for us. Before they got with
in range they turned, but he called again
twice. They turned and again came straight,
as a shot, they hovered over the decoys
and began settling. “Now!” said the col
onel. Four reports rang out in quick suc
cession and out of elevon geese three were
lying dead among the decoys and a fourth
niade a zigzag Hight across tho field am 1
finally turned and fell dead half a mile
away. Two of the dead were of a, knid I had
never seen before, the Hutchins goose
(unset - conadensis minima 1. Ho is about
half the size of the t’enadn goose. They
fly at a great rate and if going across, aim
well ahead or .you get left.
"When migrating ho tmnb'es in his
flight, much after the manner of the sand
hill crane. He is a dandy little fellow,
whether you meet him over the decoys ci
on the board well roasted with
a quantum snfficit of the right,
king of sauce. and a bottle
of “extra dry” to wash him down with.
The geese quit flying about 9 o'clock, and
we gathered up the slain, seventeen in nut’)-
ter at yve.ii as 1 can remember, [lacked our
traps and left for home. You want for this
business a heavy No. 10 gun and shells loaded
with four drachms of powder (Curtis & Harvey
diamond grains) and 1 1-4 ounces Bit’s. Shoot
ing from a blind, however, is mere butchery—
a slaughter of game with every essential ele
ment of sport left out. It was
a very pleasant ride we had
i from the .Sacramento back to I’a.io
; .Alto. '! he old colonel was in the best
' of humors, and like myself,
was not an enthusiast about game
; over decoys. lie was a gentleman as weil
as a sportsman, and believed in giving
everything a chance for its life. We
stopped a moment to get some water from
; the little spring that gushed from the hill-’
side, when he called my attention to some
■ strange sounds coming through the air.
Soft and musical they were, and the effect
i so strange that, 1 have never forgotten it.
1 could hear the sweet strains destinctly
lint could not see the minstrels. It was all
jdain enough when he told me it was a
band of swans Hying north on their annual
migration.
Five miles from the ranch was what they
! called lhe meadows. 'There were perhaps
one hundred acres of sure enough meadow,
and a couple of miles of prairie just be
yond, with here and there patches of sag”
brush and in the southern portion, some
scrub. It wis here that. Miss Jennie race.’
her greyhounds, in.-! it. was truly - an ’o,
jdai-e lot - the business. The jack ralJ.it"
had his home here. 1 had long known the
jack labbit in Texas, but where I lived we
did not course film with (lie high-bred grey
hounds. Like all wild animals, lie can bo
trained until he is a perfect marvel of speed
and cunning. I have known the gray lox
to be trained until lie would defy lhe best
pack tlmt ever lived to catch him, and 1
have known the old lield hare that skulks
about the town graveyard to be trained
until he was invincible. This rule applies
to the jack rabbit and there were several
of his kind about the “meadows.” Os
all the family classed under the
cognomen of “ttrer Rabbit " none of them
will compare with this one. He is always
unique and interesting. Sometimes when
lie bounces up before you he don't seem to
care whether he gets out of your way or
not. At other times he seem< to be a little
lame or .-ripplej and a stranger > ottld never
I suspect he is the marvel he really is. If you
want him to do you a mile in a few seconds
put a couple of gr eyhounds behind him and he
uill sl.ow ii to you. lie is always interest
ing. find him where you will, whether he
. be nibbling tiie grass in the early morning
fm - his breakfast or combing his whiskers
! with his hind foot or lounging about under
■ the sage brush, ho is the same jack rabbit
and tiie more you study him the better you
, like him- 1 have often wondered why lln
i ele Remus never cultivated him. and if the
I old gentleman will investigate him he will
i be able to impart to his readers something
in the way of rabbit lore they have not
, yet dr. ■•iiieil of.
Miss Jennie had a trio of hounds, but
; she never allowed but two to be slipped for
■ a race. I' was unfair she thought, and her
word was law. They were all black, of
large due and standard bred. Jet and Juno
vri-rc imported from England. Juno was
, their pti[»p>. They were black as ravens
! and their skin shown like satin.
Tomorrow was to be my last, day with my
friends and that we would spend at the
meadows. Bright and early wo left and ere
the sun was an hour in the heavens the
mistress of I’alo Alto with her father and
■ her gmtst and her retinue of servants were
i at the further end of the meadow ready for
the morning’s sport. Jet, and Juno were
: carried down in a covered wagon. They
i were so eager for the fray that it was with
! difficulty they could be held. 'Hie beaters
I wore sent in the north side of the little
■ prairie, two men holding the hounds in leash
■ fifty yards behind them, back of these the
I riders. Miss Jennie, the colonel and myself
- Miss Jennie laid down the law, which was
! that, the beaters proceed in a line across tho
i prairie and when the rabbit bounced simply
' call “look out” to the men holding the
I hounds. Tho order, "Don't slip the dogs
until the rabbit has a good start, and slip
both of them at the same time,” was also
given. 'The jack rabbit is not exactly
übiquitous on the meadows, but there are
rather too many for good sport. The beaters
had gone a couple of hundred yards from the
starting when a sharp "look out” was heard
from the front. The hounds knew what it
meant and turned sumersaults in mad ef
forts to break loose. 'The rabbit went away
in his usual style and when the limit of i
the law was reached the hounds were slipped
and away they went- The rabbit was in
full view and it looked as if Vhey would
chop him up right there, but there’s many
a "slip” when you don’-t expect it. Both
diounds made a dive at him. but he was
•just about twenty feet from where they
thought he was, when they put their
mouths down for him. Both hounds went
over in a heap and when they recovered i
the rabbit was quite a distance away.
They sighted him in a second, though,
and sped away like arrows from a bow.
This rabbit had been coursed Itefore; he
knew he had work to do and he just, set
tled squarely down to business. I had |
many a lime before been impressed with
the marvelous speed of the jack rabbit, j
but I never before witnessed anything like '
tlds. 'There wa< a patch of serub and i
sage brush sum.‘thing more than a qiiarie' -
of it mile off: he struck a beeline for it
and in spite of all the hounds could do
he nride li. We were well mound'd, Im;:
wl” ii the rabbit and tile hounds reached
cover wo were far in the rear. There
|v.-.>s danger now of a change to a ft - .'di
irsbhit. as the erwhound hunts only by
sight . \s we roJ” no th'. hoiwl< were
dashing hither and thither: the rabbit was
[Continued first column second page.]
WITH GLADSTONE.
a VAX WITH THE riIESENTTKEMIEJI
OE GItEAT BKJTTAIN.
How He Makes Vee of His Time—From tho
Morning al. Hawarden to the Fvcning
at the House of Commons.
London, Febrnrnry ,. —I am often asked
what is the secret of Air. Gladstone's ex
• traordinary length of days and of tho per
; feetion of Ids unvarying health, 'lhe an
: swer eno doubt is largely to be found in the
? remarkable longevity of the Gladstone fam
ily, a hardy Scotch stock witii fewer weak
shoots and branches than perhaps any of
■ the ruling families of England. But it has
I depended mainly on Air. Gladstone himself
! and on lhe nndeviating regularity of his
i habits. Alost, .English statesmen have been
■ either free livers or with a touch of lhe bon
I vivant in them. Pitt and Fox were men of
feSfiwO 1
tn i:”: 1
- ’ in'/
G —e,
HAWARDEN CASTLE AND CHVKCIi.
the first character; Melbourne, Palmerston
and Lord B. iconslield were ot lhe last.
But Mr. Gladstone is a man who has been
gnilt.v of no excesses, save perhaps in work,
lie rises at. the same hour e\er.v day, us ss
ilie same fairly generous In.' always < are
fully regulated diet, goes to bed about the.
same hour, pur sues the same round ot
work and intelleg;mil and so.-ial pleasures.
' An extraordinarny varied lite is accom
panied by a certain rigidity of personal
habit I have never seen surpassed. The
only change old age Las witnessed has been
tnat the Imus ■ i-ommons work has, been
" ’ ' (hat Mr Glads ■ ■ has
of late y 'iirs been seen in tho house, ex
cept. on nights when crucial divFions. are
expected, after tin- dinner hour, which Lists
from S till 10. With the approach of winter
and its accompanying .-hills to which he is
extremely liable. In seeks the blue skies
and dry air of the MeditmT.-im-an coasts
I and of his beloved Italy. A\.it’n this excep-
7‘/ ’ i .I; -'. !) -. - ;! 1 I
-L- ; BB ", a '■ BqV •; !■ 'i: LtU
h- ■ ■ ; ’
/ s-'' B- I ■ 'S
Bl ■ ■■-/■ ffl Ms ■
ii :
THE GLADSTONE FAMILY.
The Premier stands with his back to the window, .Mrs. Gladstone sits to his right.
Mr. H. G. Gladstone, to our left.
IASS' A AAdA.!"'" ‘
tion his life goes on in its pleasant inonot
onv. At Ila warden, of course, il is simpler,
and more private than in London. In town
todav Mr. Gladstone avoids all large parties
and great crushes and gatherings where he
may be expeetml to be either mobbed or
bored or detained beyond his usual bed
time.
As a Header.
Between the afternoon tea and dinner
the statesman usually retires again and
gets through some of the lighter and more
agreeable of his intelKetn al tasks. <■
reads rapidlv and I think 1 should say tli.it
especiallv of late years he does a good deal
. of skipping. If a book does not. mteiest
1 him he docs not trouble to read it. through.
I He uses a rough kind of memorm technica
to enable him to mark passages witii which
he agrees, from which he dissents, winch h(
desires to qualify or which he reserves for
futlire reference. 1 should say the books he
I reads most of are those dealing with tlieol
’ ogv.' always the firs' and favorite top..-
and tho history of Ireland before and al
ter the act of union. Indeed, eye.--, hmg
’ dealing with that tm movable period is gw
t i-etisui ed. 1 remember or,. - hasty >m - -
over Mr. Gladstone's l’-)ok table in th;- ’ >w.i
bouse. In addition to the hbeiii’. worn v.
The Stwaker. awl few white:. 1 , pamp ”
th. re ’.ver-. - . I üb.'iil 1 fit’- ”!' '
works on theologv. none ot t!uin as a-.
1 should stv ' f 'first rat - ? imp rttiuee Os
science Mr. Gladstone knows hi:w awl it
cannot be said licit his iuteri'st in it • -. on.
He belongs, in a wo - ’d. to 'lie old . A .me..
I Oxford oe<-l''<!t'.stio.il y bool, it-'w: t.ie -
| troversial weapons which are to oe xouui* in
ithe works of Pusey and of Tlurrcll
Fronde. In his reading, when a question
.of more minute and out-of-the-way scholar
ship arises, he appeals to his constant friend
and assistant. Lord Acton, to whose pro
found learning he bows with a deference 1
which is very touching to note.
Mr. Gladstone’s library is not what can j
be called a select, or really first-rate < slice- i
tion. It comprises an undue proportion of j
theological literal lire, of which ho is a large .
and not over discriminating buyer. ! doubt
indeed whether there is any larger publ’e .
book buyer in England. All the book sell : ;
ers send him their catalogn-s, < < < a.l.v i
those of rare and curious books. I have
seen many of these lists with i -f order, i
in Mr. Gladstone's own .i.irdw.-iting on
the fly leaf with his tick against twenty or ,
thirty volumes which he desires 'n
'Those usually range round c .i -a.-.il v.o.ks.
archaeologv - .,special periods of E: -'I.-li his
tory. and above all works recon-ding
the Biblical record with seiem- ’. (>f late.
I as is 1.-iirly well known, Mr. Gladstone has
. built himself an octagon;: ir >n. lions. - <n
• Hawarden village, a mile and a half li m
tho c.-istl.'' for the sto.ag' of his ..p.ei dlv
valuable books ami a -->!1 "ti in of private
papers which traverse a go-.d many .-f tiie
slate secrets of the greater p.'irt. of jhe <•< n
tiiry. 'The iinportaneo of these is gr--.it
and the chances are that, before Air. <ll,-id
stone dies they will be all gr mped and in- 1
d 'xe.| in his upright, a li'ile crabbed. Hit
perfectly plain handwriting. By the wav
a great many siateme its Lave been made ;
about Mr. Gladstone’s library, and I may
as well give the facts which have never be
fore been made public. Ills origm.-tl libra
ry consisted of about twenty-four tin.t . and
volumes. In the seventies, hOW-.'T, l.e
parted with his entire eoTieetion of p.Jiti- (
(til works, amounting io some ei.rlit. thi-u
--sadn volumes, to th. - late Lord Woh vton. i
The remaining fifteen • l.e'is.in.i >r so are
now distributed b. - ' >v - ?n the little iron i
house, to which I have_ referred, nudjhe
Hawarden people. Gurin.tsly enoujdi . It - .
Gladstone is not a wo,iup t "f books ( "r
the sake of their ott'er adorn.n< ns. )'.•
loves them for what is insid - rathoy th;:n
outside. He even oecasiontily s Ts'xf • n,' - ii
ly rare adn costly editions for wlu.-li !.'• bps I
no special use. In all money mail ‘rs, m- |
deed, he is. a thrifty. ord. -- !v S m-iim-m. :
lb- has m v.-r been rich rlm'igh i affans .
have greatly improved sin - e the 'line wncn
in his first, premiership 'i' hit to se.l an
his valuable collection of diira.
At lh<» Dinner Tabic-
Dinner with Mr. Gladstone is the state
ly ceremonial meal wlnclt it lias become to ;
the upper and u|>per middle-class !-m;r,tsa- •
man Air Gladstone invariably dresses tor i
it. wearing tiie high crest collar wlu.-h Harry j
Furness has immort dizel and .-utnwtiy
j coat which strikes oieas of a slignt ly -
fashioned pattern. His iiigesiio. - . I’eyu - |
fails him. and he eats and drinks v.’.h me
bealtln appetite of a man o tmrty. . A
”'-:ss of ehnmpanio is agreeable to him.
and if Vr - does not. take his glass or two of '
I port at dinner lie makes it up by t"0 or |
! three glas-es of claret, which he considers j
i !in equivalent. < lyster I o never could en- I
• dure, but like Sehopenha"<T and Goethe amt
I r,:-mv 0.l great u. . I - ' - '' " ' ■ ■ ’, ' i
! b'.artv and tmf.-t.-'ti.imii-i ctiier. Ho ta-Ds i
1 in an animated inonoliwn. - , though lhe I
1 /minim complaint th.il h. - monopolizes the
I conversation is not a just <me. Aon cannot I
.•■'-ilv turn Air- Gladstone into a tram ot ,
in'eas which doos not inter - st him, but he is :
a courteous and even eager listener ami ii.
the subject is of general interest, lie does I
I not. bear in it any more in it than the com
manding part, which the rest of th' - . 'uipany
invariably allows him. His speaking voice
is a. little gruffer and less musical than his
oratorical notes, which, in spite of the in
vading hoarseness, still at times ring out
with their old clearness. As a rule he
does not talk on polities. On ecclesiastical
matters he is a never wearied disputant.
Poetry has also a singular charm for him
and no modern topic has interested him more
keenly than the discussion as to tennysons
successor to the hiureuteship.. I reiihsulH .
that at a small dinner at which 1 recently
met him. the conversation ran almost en
tirely on the two subjects oi o.d English
hvm'ns and young English poets- liis iit
vorite religious poet is. 1 should say. GarihtiM
Newman and his favorite hymn 'loplady -
“Ro.-k of Ages.” of which his Latin render
ing is to my mind far stronger and purer
than the original English. AA hen he is
town lie dines out almost every day, though,
ns I h.-i ve s-iid. he eschews formal and mixe i
, et-ing; and atfe( ts the small and early
i dinner pnriv a’ which he can nteei an old
I friend or . .v.i and s >-■ a young face which
| b' - iii.li be ;:i:e'-« st -- 1 m -. emg. ()::e iial-.t
lof bis ‘is quite irivttryi t He lil’. ’s to walk
hi-.;n' - awl to walk hottie alone. Ho decline*',
escort and :;w-iy fo'- his quiet stroll
under lhe stars or even ! I.l’’ o-.’h the ” P aud
.1 on ■’ 1 or.I”!' wiotet's Midni rid
win'!!.-. b:i ’'rs his busy, L'U'".'' 4 • t” a
I close. SioorJi : uoss never has and uewr
I du.'s trouble him and nt ei.uh.ty-liire ■ his
i nights ;ii- ■ .is dreamless and untroubled
as those of a bos of ten.
PRICE 5 CENTS-
THE MISSING WILL
“I’ts a very mysterious business,” said
Lawyer Simpkins, rubbing his nose and ad
justing Ins spectacles. “Hiram Green sent for
me ten days before he died and gave me his
bonds au securities to draw the .July interest
for him. 1 put them all back in the tin box
myself, ami he counted ami examined them.
The day lie died lie tried to tell me somefbiiig
about jerry ami that box. -Jerry .in box
all in the box- Jerry,’ was about all 1 could
imike out.”
“.And the tin box was stolen,” said Tom,
tiie lawyer's sot' and partner.
“Well, it has disappeared. If It was stol-’D
it is of pre.-ious little use to the thief. Every
paper m it could be traced. Trust "Id Hi
ram Green to look out lor that.”
"What w; s it worth?’’
“To ,i lawful owner about .$20,000.”
it was jti.u three dais before his uncle died
that J.-rry h .rm d that Hiram Green bad
tell his entire property to Jacob, already
the richest nc.n at Rye Hill.
Wlu n his last illne s attacked the old man
it was to J.-rry lie turned lor lhe al'!'.-, lions
J.: ■ob's harder mi.iire .-0n.4 not ae.-ept
able. It. was Jerr mid .Sally who nursed
ine invalid day ami night with faitliful, un
wearied .are, and ii was with a i-itt.r sense
'M'ong that Jerry knew himself to lx* dis
ii In ril' d. Slid th.- man’s gentle nature over
ruled hi.-, anger, and the iasl. three d.-iys ot
Hiram Green’s life was as t.-ml. - rly nurs .1 as
if Jerry knew- him-.lf to be ins - .!<• In ir.
Hut afterwards the -whole nature of the man
seemed changed. Knowing lie sympathy of
■ n tiie people about him was with iiim lie \\a«
never weary .1 telling of ins wrongs, ami he
made m. e r. t of his del ght. nt the dtsapp.-ar
am-e of tiie tin I,ox and the large slice of prop
erly it contained.
A year passed away and then all Rye Hili
km w that Jerry Green lay ill with a fever,
amt the doctor had given him up. Very sick,
imbed he was. and Sally was heart broken
when cue dav lie whispcr.-d a request to S'-e
Lawyer Simpkins alone. Seeing a lawyer
seemed to poor Sally a de ith warrant, though
J. t ry iiad no fortune to will away.
Moml.-rimr, but ready t,> humor tho whim
"f .-I d.-.iiig n an, tile lawyer answered tiie snm
mo’ s at once.
“Mr. Simpkins, will yon promise to keep
soer. t what ! tel! you now?” Jerry asked in a
hoarse whisper.
•“'ertaiuly I will; lawyers have to do that
“Then 1 will tel! yon where Uncle Hiram’s
tin box is. You have the key."
‘Yes, but—Jerry Green, don't tell me you
are tin - thii !'."
“I did not take it away, but I was half
mad. 1 do believe, amt f wanted to spite
Jacob. So I buried it under tiie porch stops.
I new” - opened it. Everything is there, ami
I suppose Jacob n ight as well have it now.”
“Til keep your secret. Jerry, for T believe
you when you say yon wore half inm! ”
Groat was tho excitement at. Rye Tlillwhen
if became known that Lawyer Simpkins liad
had a communication from the party who
had stolen the tin box. -- onfi - ssim; th -- theft,
ami revealing the iii’i::.. pine -- , ’i lie- - w.is a
g—.mp of half the | . up'o of th” village ir
front of Jacob Groi n’s por.-h when Jerry's
carpenter work was torn aw.-t.v. ami th. - cart !t
tlmt covered the buried treasure removed.
Lawyer Simkins took a small 'toy from his
po.-ket.
“Stop ti moment,” he said, as Jacob Green
was about, to tak. tiie 1 - T. “A..i exocuf .r --f
Hiram Green's eslato. T nuts' ..pen this bej
am! see if tho contents tiro all right.”
'Tlioro was a. sudden catehing ci breath
audible as the lid of the box fell back. <hi top
was an open paper, and Lawyer Simpkins
‘■l Hiram Green, do give and bequeath this
box and all that it. contains to Sarah., wife of
my nephew, Jeremiah Green. I leave it to her
! ;ts a. token of my love for both, and because I
I think she will be more careful of It than niy
| nephew. All I do ask of my lawyer. Robert!
I Simpkins, that he do see my wish carried out.
and give to Sarah his advice about investing
the money. HIRAM GREEN.”
There was one moment of intense silence
and then a clieei - rent the air. Every naan
there was glad that the miserly, grasping
Jacob Green was disappointed, and every’
man rejoiced for Jerry and Sally'.
Rut the sick man was humble as a child
| when Hie lawyer told him the news. He did
not die. nor did anyone but Lawyer Simpkins
ever guess his secret, but he was a broken,
I jiremtittirely aged man. creeping humbly about,
ami living on the income his wife drew from
1 the contents of th. - tin box. which he had
hidden for spite, ami by so doing overreached
himself.
“If 1 had died without tolling.” he thought
often. “Sally would never have had the
money, and Jacob might a-found the box,
after all.”
——— . ...»
Translated Into English.
From The Atlantic Alonthly.
An English traveler had a. quarrel with the
' mate of a Misslssij>;>i steamboat, and the ease
1 eante into court. The counsel for the plain
; tiff, in his opening address to the jury, tints
stated his eauo - <>f action: “The first officer
I of the Bella Iliehtttd.s addressed my client in
I most v'wieti! ami peremptory terms, ami
: threatened him that if he did not: immediately
r - mnve his pors.uwl effects from the entrance
way of th. - slea.'ner he would precipitate him
: info the raging flood below." The evidence
j of l!>. - bystanders as to the mate's words was
I as follows: “Look here, stranger, if you don't
tote your yjtinder o(f that gangplank right
smart, I’ll spill yov. in the drink.,”