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STORY OF KIBATTI OF UGANDA.
By Henry M. Stanley, Author of “In Darkest Africa,” “How I Found
Livingstone,” Etc., Etc.
(Copyright, 1893, by Henry M. Stanley.)
For The Constitution.
It was a custom with us when crossing
Africa in 1874-77 to meet after dinner
around the camp fire to while away the
evening with pleasant gossip, reminiscences,
curious African legends. Sunset in the
tropics is soon followed by darkness, and
the heavy vapors rising from the hot, steam
ing ground appear to give thickness and
substance to it. A large fire is then very
agreeable, as it drives away the dtimj? and
dew; and it is a comfort to look into its
flames and glowing embers wherein each
raw ■ ,
■".
HENRY M. STANLEY.
man sees what he sees. No doubt the drift
of the mind at such times to think of such
things as are driven away by the needs of
the stirring day, suggested that we could
be more sociable and more interested if we
related to one another such stories as were
told to us by the old folks at home. On
trial it was found that there were some of
our men who were most accomplished in
the art of narration, and 1 fancied after
writing one or two out that there was some
kind of a moral of an African character in
each, after which 1 paid more attention to
them and on retiring from the circle I
would hastily jot down what 1 had heard.
If there was some point still obscure in the
story, 1 would invite its narrator to relate
it to me at the first halting place. But then
1 would find also that there was a great
deal of difference in the story told to me
alone and that related to the audience round
the tire- there was then less local color, less
detail and less animation.
After Sabtedu, the best legend teller was
a young fellow named Kudu. lie began the
series of legends with that of Kibatti ot
Uganda. 1 have tried to translate it as
closelv as possible in order to give the
faithful sense of what was said, but 1
despair of rendering the little touches and
flourishes which Kadu knew so well how to
give with voice, gesture and mobile face.
And how shall 1 give expression to the
interest manifested by the dusky listeners
who believed every word uttered? _
"Friends and freemen," he said, "if a son
of a man knows how to show anger, 1 need
not tell you who are experienced in travel
and in the nature of beasts that the ani
mals of the wild also know how to show
their spite and their passion.’’ The legend
of Kibatti runs upon this:
On a day ages ago, the great animals
of the world, consisting of the elephant,
the rhinoceros, the buffalo, the lion, the
leopard, the hyena, assembled in council
in the midst of a forest not far from a
village on the frontier of Uganda. T'he
elephant being acknowledged by general
consent as the strongest, presided on the
occasion.
He said: "Friends, we are gathered to
gether today to consider how we may’ ro
pey in some measure the injuries daily done
to us and our kin by’ the sons of men.
Not far from here is situated a village,
whence tiie vicious two-tooted animals issue
out to make war upon all of us, who possess
double the number of feet they have.
Without warning of hostility or publishing
of cause, they deliberately leave their coni
cal netsts, day by day with idlest intent
against any of u<s whom they may happen
to meet during the shining >f the sun.
Wherefore, we are met upon common
grounds to devise how we may retaliate
upon the sons of men, the wanton outrages
they daily perpetrate upon our unfortunate
kind. Personally. 1 have many injuries to
the elephants of my tribe to remember, and
wfiiich 1 am not likely to forget . It was
only a week ago that a promising child of
my sister fell into a deep pit ami was im
paled upon a sharp stake set in the bottom
of it: and •ygtxew* days ago my youngest
t.otner fell head foremost ino a horribly
deep excavation that was dug, and which
was artfully concealed by leaves and grass,
whereby none but those like myself, exper
ienced in their guilful arts, could have
escaped. Ye have all, I dare say, been
similarly persecuted and have deep injuries
to revenge. 1 wait to hear what you pro
pose. Brother rhinoceros, on are the
next in bigness aud strength: speak."
"Well, brother elephant and friends, the
words we have heard are true. The son
of man is, of all creatures that I know, the
most wanton in offense against us of the
four-footed -ribes. Not a day passes but I
hear m<>an and. complaint from some suf
ferer. Not long ago a cousin, walking
quietly through a wood not far from here,
caught his foot in a vine that lay across
the path, and almost immediately after
a hardened and pointed stake was precipi
tated from above, deep into the jointure of
the neck with the spine, which killed him
instantly, of course. I have by wonderful
good luck escaped thus far. but it may be
my fate to fall tomorrow through some foul
practice. Wherefore, I think it were well
that we set about doing what wp decide to
do instanter. 1 propose that early in the
morning, before a glint of sunshine be seen,
we set upon the piratical nest and utterly
destroy it. I am so loaded with hate of
them 1 could dispose of half of the rascals
myself before they could recover their wits.
But if any of you here have a better plan
I lend my ears to the hearing of it, and my
strength and fury to the doing of it with
out further speech. T have spoken."
“Now. friend lion.” said the elephant,
turning solemnly to him. "it is y*mr turn,
and say freely what thy wit conceived in
this matter. Th.v courage we all know ami
none of jis doubt that thy mind is equal
to it."
“Truly friend elephant and vo others.
This word means
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The best protection for the movement.
Considering all these advantages, the
cheapest. A Fahys Monarch 14 karat
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to wear 21 years. In all sizes and in hunt
ing and open face. Look out for this trade
mark. Joseph Fahys & Co.,
York.
the business we are met to consider is
pressing. The sons of men are craftly, and
their guile is beyond measure. The four
footed tribes have much cause of grievance
against me and mine. However, none can
accuse me or my family of having taken
undue advantage of those whom we medi
tate striking. We always give loud warn
ing, as you all know, and afterward strike;
for if we do not do this, few of even the
strongest would escape our vengeance. But
these pestilent, two-footed beasts —by net,
trap, falling stage, pit or noose—are unceas
ing in their secret malice,
and there is no safety in
the plain, bush forest or rock fastness
against their wiles. For what I and my
kin do there is good motive—that of pro
viding meat for ourselves ami
young. But it passes my wit to
discover what the son of man can
want with all he destroys. Even our bones —
as, for instance, thy long teeth. Oh ele
phant—they carry away with them and
even mine. I have seen the younglings of
mankind dangle the teeth of mv sister
round their necks, and my hide appears to
be so precious that the king of the village
wears it over his dirty black loins. Thy
tribe. O elephant, have not much cause of
complaint against me, and thou, rhinoceros,
it would tax my memory to accuse me of
aught against thy family. Brother leopard
will hold me and mine guiltless of harm
to him; so also can luy cousin hyena.
Friend buflalo and our family have some
times a sharp quarrel, but. there is no malice
in it, I swear. Whereas the son of man,
friends, Is the common enemy of us all.
It is either our flesh or our fur or our
hide or our teeth that he is wanting, and
his whole thought is bent upon destruction,
pure and simple. If ye would follow me 1
would glory in leading yon even now against
the community, and 1 give you my word
that few’ would escape my paw and claw.
However, as our object is to destroy all,
that none may escape, I agree with my
friend rhinoceros, that night time at it's
blackest is safest. Wherefore believe me
that I am sharp sot for revenge, ami I feel
so hollow’ that nothing but the half of all
of them will satisfy my thirst for their
blood. I have ended my. say.”
"Now, friend leopard, you had better
follow your cousin, and we will feel obliged
to you for the benefit of your advice,” said
the elephant.
Leopard gave his tail a quick twirl aud
licked his chops and spoke.
“All that ye, my little friends and cousin,
have said, I heartily agree and bear wit
ness to. The spirit of the son of man to
ward us is limitless. It is remarkable too
for its cold bloodedness and lack of passion.
We have our own quarrels in the woods—as
you al] know—and they are sharp and quick
while they last, but there is no premedita
tion or in what we do to one an
other. But man. to whom we would rath
er give a w’ide berth if possible pursues
each of us as if his existence depended upon
the mere slaying, though I observe ho has
abundance of fruit, which ought to satisfy
a»v reasonable being of the ape tribe.
Wherefore, as I have many sharp reasons
for retaliating on him for his countless of
fenses against mo and my kin, I gladly at
tended this council, and I will go as far as
any of you, ami further if 1 can. to return
some of this spite on him and his tribe. I
propose that night at its darkest is best for
our plan. While the human folk are in
dulging in dreams of slaughter of us. I vote
that we turn their dreams against them
selves. The elephant and rhTnoceros and
buffalo are strong. Let each lead his tribo
to attack, overturn and trample down their
nests. We with our families will range
round and slaughter every one that escapes
them. Those are mv words.”
“Now, friend buffalo, what say you?” de
manded the elephant. “You are a stanch
friend ami stout foe. We cannot but lis
ten with respect Io such a one as thyself,”
“Ah, friend elephant, and ye chiefs of
tribes, every sentiment of hostility against
the vile and spiteful sons of man that we
have expressed finds an echo in my in
wards. If wrong has been done to any
here, magnify that wrong tenfold in order
that ye may understand* the intensity of
the hate I bear the remorseless destroyers
of my kith and kin. Ask me not how would
I slay them; my fury is so great that 1 am
unfit to devise. Do ye the devising and
give the method to me. All I can think of
now is the pleasure I shall feel when mv
horns are warmed in the bodies of the base
and treacherous creatures who have mur
dered wife, brother, sister and child of mine,
besides a countless number of my kindred
by lance and line, spear and snare, sword
and stake, trick and trap. I will lead mv
herd into the midst of the vicious commu
nity. with a joy that only my hate can
match. 'That is all I have to say.”
“Now, my good friend, hyena, you are
the only one left whose sentiments are as
yet unknown. Speak and Jet us hear wis
dom from thee in this matter.
The hyena uttered a mocking
laugh and said; “My friends and
cousins, the night suits me well;
I am in my element then. I may
say that I have a large family that is al
ways hungry. It will be a laughing matter
to them indeed to hear of your good purpose.
It has been long delayed. this signal meas
ure of just vengeance upon those who have
outdone in cold cruelty all that generations
of the four-footed tribe of the Jp-reest tribe
have done. Bird and beast, from the small
est to tiie greatest, have fallen victims to
man’s lust for destruction. True, my kind
are indebted to man often for bones and re
fuse, but what we have eaten has been sore
ly against his good will; we therefore owe
him no gratitude. The young of the human
community will be juicy mtirsels for my
tribe when the signal is given for the attack.
With all my heart I say let it be tonight. I
nave said my say.”
The elephant said: “Friends, chiefs of the
most powerfid tribes of the forest, let it be
tonight us ye sav. Let each go and muster
his forces and let. the attack bo in the fol
lowing manner: Halfway betwixt dawn
and midnight. I will load my troop from the
Uganda side. T'he rhinoceros will lead his
from the Katonga side. The buffalo will
range his herd along that side facing Uny
oro. Behind mv troop the hyena and his
families shall follow to finish those that,
may be but bruised by our heavy hoofs.
Let the leopard place his fellows and kin in
the roar of the rhinoceros’ troop Lion
and his great tribe are needed in roar of
buffalo’s forces, for they are apt in their
fury to overlook the crafty bipeds. Our ob
ject is to make a 'complete job of it The
sooner we part now rhe fitter each will b.>
for the perfect consummation of our low
deferred revenge."
It was wel] past midnight when the four
footed forces were gathered around the
doomed vjllage, and at the shrill trumpet
note of'the king elephant the several
chiefs ]ed their respective troops at the
charge. T'he elephants fore on resistlesslv,
tramping down the doomed cages of the hu
man f<ilk flat and lew] with the -round
THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION: ATLANTA. GA., TUESDAY. MAY 9, 1893.
The rhinoceros and his host pushed on with
noses low down, aud tossed the human
nests as we would kick an empty egg bas
ket;- the buffalo bellowed in unison, and
closing their eyes, threw themselves upon
the hilts and gored everything within reach
of their horns. Then the fierce carnivora,
all excitement at the prospect of the
bloody feast, roared, snarled and
laughed as they tore the mangled vic
tims piecemeal. Ah, poor village, and
poor people, in a short time the dream
ing souls dreamed no more, but were
gone past recall in the regions where
dreams are unknown-all excepting
the clever boy named Kibatti and his pa
rents who survived the calamity. These
happened to live in a tiny hut closely
hidden by a _grove of bananas on lhe edge
of the forest, and Kibatti about midnight
had been disturbed in his sleep by a pres
sure on his stomach, which woke him, and
denied him further sleep. He. therefore,-
sat sorrowing over the red embers of his
fire, when he heard the hollow tramp of
large animals, and pricking his ears he
heard trampling in another direction, where
upon his suspicions that something un
usual was about to happen grew on him
so that he woke his parents and bid them
listen to the rumbling sounds that, could be
heard by such experienced hunters .all
around them.
“Father, come, delay not, make mother
rise at once. This night my sleep has
been broken as a warning to me that mis
chief is brewing. Let us go up into the
big tree near by and observe.”
"Child, you are right,” said his father,
after listening a moment; “the demons of
the wilderness are gathered against the
village, for human enemies make no such
stir as this. We will ascend the great tree
at once.” Thereupon he drew his wife
out.
Kibatti wriggled himself through the bur
row under the milkweed hedge into the
banana grove, and then having gained the
shadow, raced for the great tree, closely
followed by his parents. A large vine
hung pendant, and up this vine Kibatti
climbed, his mother after him, the old
man last. Not a moment too soon, for
just then the trumpet note of the king el
ephant was heard, and afterwards such a
concert of noises that neither Kibatti nor
his aged father had ever heard the like
before. In the starlight they saw the
huge forms of all kinds of furious animals
pass and repass below them; but clinging
closely to the shelter of the giant limbs of
the tree they, from their safe perch, wit
nessed the dreadful ending of their friends
and relatives.
Then Kibatti, when he fully realized the
catastrophe and its completeness, suggested
to his parents that they should ascend to
the very highest fork, lest they should be
observed in the morning, and climbing up.
they found a snug hiding place far above-,
bidden all around by the thick fleshy leaves
of the tree. There they remained quiet
until morning, when the boy’s restless cu
riosity became so strong that he resolved to
gratify it. Grasping close a great limb
of the tree he descended as far as' the
lower fork and looked down. He saw
all the huts smashed, and the bones of
his tribe white and gleaming, scattered
about. The fences were all leveled, but
the elephants, under their leader, were re
setting the poles round about. The lions
were pacing watchfully around, the rhinoc
eros and buffaloes were herded separately,
gazing upon the elephants, the leopards
wore lying down under the tree in scattered
groups, the hyenas were crunching bones,
for these last never know when they have
eaten enough.
Kibatti kept his post all day. By night
the poles fenced the village round about
as before, and in the dusk he saw the
gathering together of all the creatures in
a circle round the king elephant, to hear
his rumbling voice delivering a harangue
to the motley allies. When it was ended
the lions roared, the rhinoceros snorted,
the buffaloes bellowed, the hyenas laughed,
and the shrill trumpetings of the elphatits
announced that the meeting was over.
What, occurred afterward Kibatti did not
stay to learn, but climbed aloft to give tile
news to his anxious parents.
Said ho: “It appears to me, father,
that they are going to build the village up
again, for, they have already fem-’d It
around even better, as 1 think, thaffl it
was before. Those .animals have clever
loaders, that is certain, butt I am not a
man-son if Kibatti does not got the better
of some of them."
“Oh, you are clever, my child, that is
true,” said the old man. “Whalever you
make up your mind to do, done it is. I
have found out that long ago. If wit will
get us out of this place of danger, I have a
conviction it will be by thine, and by
mine, or by my old woman’s.”
“1 do not propose to leave the tree just
yet, father," replied Kibatti. We could
not find a safer place than hero if we are
quiet. The tree is so Lail that they can
not hear us talk unless They set their ears
to listen at the foot of it, and against all
that may happen we must provide our
selves.”
“Give th.v confidence to me, boy, and let
me judge of thy plan,” said the father.
"Well, 1 think this: Tonight they will
all start off, some to catch the hvser prey,
others to graxe and feed. 1 propose after
getting three or four winks of sleep to go
down to the gate, ami discover how things
are. If possible, will try ami get my net
ropes. They will be useful for my purpose.
We may trap some game you know.”
“I see, 1 ctee, my boy. That is a good
idea. Shall 1 help thee?”
“Not tonight, father, except thou keepest
Watch until yonder bright star stands over
head . ”
The old man agreed to keep watch until
the star approached the zenith. A little
after midnight, Kibatti was waked,
and having given inter instructions to
go t<> r.ltvp, lie descended, lie proceeded
straight to the house, and among the wreck
age he found his strong net sand their ropes,
and his sharp hunting knife, besides bis
father's five spears. The last weapons he
conveyed directly to the tree, and bore them
up t<> a lower fork. This done, he re-de
seended lhe tree and crawled away to a bit
of marshland not far off, where there was
a crane’s nest which contained some eggs.
He took these in his hand, and went around
through the bushes to the Unyoro road-.
All this had been done very quickly, because
being a hunter he knew all these things be
fore, and while watching the animals in
the village his mind had been busy forming
his plans. Now when he came to the
Unyoro road he stood straight up and strode
rapidly in the direction of the village which
had been that of tribe’s. Arriving
near it he crawled up to the gate and look
ed in, then traced the fence all around
until he came back to lhe same gate.
Kibatti now stood up and cried: “Hullo,
hu’do there! Are you ail asleep? Will you
not let a poor benighted stranger in? The
night is cold and 1 am hungry.”
The king buffalo, who was on-guard,
trotted up to the gate, and looking out saw
a small boy nearly naked, except a scant
robe depending from his shoulders. "Who
are th<>u?” demanded the buffalo in his
gruffest voice.
Kibatti answered in the thin voice of a
fatherless and starving orphan:
“It is 1, Kibatti, the Little, from Unyoro.”
"What dost thou want?”
“Only a little fire to roast my eggs and a
place to sleep. 1 am a forest boy and live
alone in Unyoro. My parents are both dead
and I have no home. If you will give me
work I will stay with you, for then I shall
have plenty to cat. If not, let me sleep here
tonight and in the morning 1 will go.
“What work eanst thou do?”
“Not much, but. I can fetch water and
fuel.”
“Wait a minute, 1 will see if the people
will let you in.”
The buffalo moved away and woke up
the rhinoceros, the elephant, lhe lion, the
leopard, the hyena and told them that, there
was a little liorest' '“boy seeking a night’s
lodging. At first the general belief was
that he belonged to the tribe which had
owned the village, but the buffalo denied
that this boy could have known of the
country, as be had come boldly up to the
gate from the Unyoro road; besides, was it
likely that a small boy, knowing what had
happened, would ever come back when those
who had destroyed the village were in pos
session of it. This last remark settled the
matter. King elephant said, “As thou wilt,
buffalo. Even if the matter were other
wise, a small boy can do no harm. Let him
in. We will give him plenty of work."
King buffalo opened the gate and allowed
Kibatti to enter and introduced him to his
friends, king elephant and the rest, all of
whom smiled as they saw his slender aud
small form, the only human amongst them.
Buffalo took very kindly to hi* protege and
showed him around while Kibatti amused
him with his innocent unsophisticated prat
tle, which convinced the kingly bovine that
little Kibatti was indeed a wild wood
waif.
“And where do you nil sleep?” asked Ki
batti of buffalo >
“1 sleep here near the gate. JKing el
ephant rests near that big tree. King Lion
prefers lying near that great log there.
Brother rhipoceros brows himself down
on the edge of the banana grove, leopard
curls himself near the fence and heina
snores stupidly near his pile of bones.”
After a little while buffalo lay near the
gate for a little rest. Kibatti lay near
him, but not to sleep. His eyes were quite
open and he soon saw buffalo’s nose rest
against the ground and his head sway from
side to side. Ijpbatti unties a cord am!
stealthily passing it around the fore legs of
the buffalo drew the other end.around the
neck in a slip noose without waking him.
He then crawled off toward the elephant and
tied his fore legs together, gently tightening
the slip noose and fastening the rope three
or four times running round and brought
them all together. To the rliinoce
rous he did the same. He then went out
of the gate and brought, his bundle of nets.
He took one up, fastened one end to the
fence and drawing it lightly like a curtain
over the form of the sleeping lion, just hung
it on splinters and projections of the fence.
In like manner he secured a net over the
leopard and another one over the hyena. All
this did clever little Kibatti without waking
any of them. He then stole out of the gate
a second lime and made his way to the tree
•where his parents were sleeping.
“Come, father,” he said, “the kings of the
herds are trapped and netted. Bring down
mother to the lower fork, and come thou.
Hasten with me with a bundle of spears,
two bows and quivers full of arrows, for we
must finish tiie game before morning.”
Completely armed with spears and ar
rows, Kibatti led his father to the gate
and stealthily entered the fenced enclosure
and they stood over the still sleeping buffalo.
Kibatti gave his father a sharp-pointed
spear ami gently laying his finger on the
vital spot between neck and head, showed
him where to strike. The father lifted his
right arm high up and with one stroke sev
ered tiie spinal cord. A shiver passed
through king buffalo’s body and he rolled
over stone dead.
Thon Kibatti and his father crawled to
king lion who lay lengthways, near the
log by the fence with his side exposed.
Kibatti pointed to his own left side behind
the shoulder blade, am] father and son
drew their bows, and drove two arrows into
lion's heart, who sprang up and threw him
self like a ball into the net which closed
round him taut, and ho presently lay still
and lifeless. In tin- same manner father
and son despatched leopard and hyena.
There then only remained rhinoceros and
elephant.
They chose to attack the first-named
beast, who was still lying down on his side,
unconscious of the tragic fate of his con
federates.
Kibatti pointed to the enemy’s fore
shoulder and touched his father with
his finger two inches below the shoulder
blade. His father understood, and launched
his spear straight into the body, in which
the blade was buried. King rhinoceros,
feeling the iron in his vitals, snorted and
struggled to stand, but in doing so tightened
the cords ami fell back rolling half over.
Kibatti drew his bow ami buried an arrow
close to his father’s buried spear. Mean
time, king elephant had taken the alarm,
ami, struggling with his bonds, had cap
sized himself on the ground.
Kibatti gave vent to a war-whoop and
cried, "Never mind, father, let the rhinoce
ros die. Let us awny to the elephant while
he is helpless." They sprang to the pros
trate beast, and they dliot their arrows
first to every vital point exposed, aud then
launched their spears with such good effect
that before long the last, of the king of the
beasts had ended his life.
Kibatti and his father then flew to where
the old woman crouched in the fork of the
tree, and taking her with them, they left
lhe ruined village ami sought a home in
another distrii'l. where, because of the ter
rible revenge they had taken on the forest
lords, they were held ail their lives in great
esteem.
HAS BEEn’rESPITED.
How the People 'A’like It—The Sad Story o
the Crime.
Bainbridge, Ga., May s.—(Special.)—Dr.
Julius Rembert von who was to
have expiated on lhe gallows here tomorrow
the crime of murdering his wife last summer,
has been respited by the governor till June
12th.
The is much sympathy expressed by all
classes of the community for the condemned
man ami several strong appeals have gone to
the governor in his behalf. Not that, any
one desires tiiat. he should escape the merited
penalty of the law, which the people think
lie fully deserves, but there is a general sen
timent that a. sentence to life imprisonment
would be more in accordance with the ev
idence. Dr. Polnitz is the wheek of a once
prominent am! respected physician, native of
South Carolina, who stood high in bis pro
fession as a physician and surgeon in the
confederate army in Virginia. His educa
tional and cultured attainments were not in
ferior to any who have adorned and won
distinction and honor in the profession of
medicine ami surgery. When in the full
promise <>f an honorable and useful life
the demon intemperance laid his withering
hand upon the young man’s intellect and he
became an inmate for several years of an
asylum for (he insane. After his discharge
he went on down tin- road of adversity ami
from one sin to another until his appearance
here on the 21st day of April, 18!)2.
< >n that day he procured from the ordinary
here a marriage license for himself and Miss
Ali<-e Pullen, stating that he and Miss Pul
len had come from Alabama for the pur
pose of getting .married. Miss I’ullen had
every appearance of a la ly of intelligence
and refinement and it seemed a dark mys
tery to the witnesses of the ceremony that
she should unite herself to a typical tramp.
She afterwards proved to be the daughter
of Rev. Mr. Pullen, a respected Baptist
preacher of Gave Springs, Ga. After their
marriage they remained at the same board
ing house about a month and after their
board bill was paid by her they sought
lodgings at a more humble hostelry. In the
meantime the appearance of the groom was
much improved by a better suit of clothes
bought by the bride.
The doctor, however, did not seem to have
improv'd in like degree in morals by con
tact with his good wife and better clothing.
It was not long after their removal to new
quarters hat the other boarders noticed the
intemperate habits of Polnitz and his cruel
treatment of his wife.
One day the groans and pleadings of Mrs.
Polnitz were heard in their room and, judg
ing from the sounds, it was thought he was
on one of his freqin nt drunken sprees cru
elly beating her. About the time the board
ers had made up their minds to break in
and rescue her Airs. Polnitz sprang open the
door crying most piteously and between her
sobs saying that her husband had beaten and
kicked her nearly’ to death. Polnitz, tearing
the vengeance of the boarders, disappeared,
while their attentions were directed to the
relief of Mrs. Polnitz. During the same af
ternoon she walked up to a jeweler’s store
about a half mile away, pawned enough
jewelry to pay her way home, walked back
to her boarding house, which was near the
depot, and took the train on her way to
Cave Spring. Ga. At this place she died
two days after her arrival.
When the news of her death reached the
sheriff here he at once instituted search for
Polnitz and found and arrested him near
Tallalmssee.Fla. He takes his imprisonment
and sentence to death very’ calmly, spending
much of his time in writing long letters
to persons who have shown him attentions
in his last troubles.
He still clings to the hope of escaping tlv
gallows and unless the sentence of deaii
bo speedily executed a natural death w>l
doubtless end the career of what was oifle
a man.
Tbiity Huge Oxen Hitched to a Wairon-
Milledgeville, (la.. May 3.—(Special)-]wb
ably the largest train of oxen ever seen hitch
ed to one vehicle in Georgia passed (hniugli
Milledgeville today, drawing lhe filtering ma
chine of the MilUdgevillc Waterworks u.inina
nv to its place at the reservoir, ’['lie niaehlne
weiglis 35,900 pounds and was loaded on a
mammoth wagon built for the purpose. Thir
ty huge oxen were hitched to it and over a
thousand people gathered to see the lazy pro.
cession pass slowly through the streets. The
kodak man got in Ids work and it is probable
that the interested citizens may get a pho
tograph to keep as a souvenir of a sight which
the youngest of them may never see again.
A NEW EN» MIRACLE.
A Railroad Engineer Relates His Ex
perience.
The Wonderful Story Told by Fred C. Vose
and His Mother-in-Law to » Reporter of
The Boston Herald —Both Are Restored
After Y’ears of Agony.
From The Boston Herald.
The vast health-giving results already at
tributed by the newspapers throughout this
country and Canada to Dr. \\ illiams s
“Pink Pills for Pale People” have been re
cently supplemented by the wonderful cures
wrought in the cases of two confirmed
invalids in one household in ti New England
town. The radical improvement in the
physical condition of these people trona
the use of this great medicine is vouched
for, not only by the eager testimony of the
patients themselves, gladly given for the
benefit of other sufferers, but also by the
indubitable assurances of disinterested rel
atives and friends who had been cogni
zant of the years of pain and distress
endured by’ the two invalids, and who
now witness their restoration to health,
vigor and capacity.
The names of these people, the latest to
testify’ from their own experience to the
marvelous restorative, tonic and healing
qualities of Dr. Williams’s Pink Fills,
are Fred C. Vose and his mother-in-law,
Mrs. Oliver C. Holt, of I’eterboro, mem
bers of the same household, which is com
posed of Mr. and Mrs. Holt and Mr. and
Mrs. Vose, the latter a daughter of lln:
Holts. The home occupied by’ the family
is a cos.v and neat lookkig two-storied
house, situated on the top of a hill and
surrounded by many of the natural at
tractions of a residence in the country.
Mr. Holt is employed in the Crowell shoe
manufactory of I’eterboro, and -Mr. Vose ■
h is for many years run the engine on the
Fitchburg railroad trains between Win
chendon and I’eterboro.
Before entering upon an account of the
long illnesses of .Mr. Vose and his mother
in-law, which shall be given in their own
words as taken by a reporter of The Bos
ton Herald, it. will be well to give the exact
reason for the coming together under one
roof of the two families, as this fact has
everything to do with the manner in which
Dr. Williams’s Pink Fills first came to the
notice of Mr. Vose aud the reason of their
introduction into the family as a medical
remedy. . . .
Mr. Vose’s wife had been in failing
health for a number of years, her illness
finally developing into a brain trouble,
accompanied by intermittent paralysis of
the tongue ami lower limbs. Death had
taken all her children, and the heavy’ af
fliction had increased her bodily’ and mental
infirmities to such an extent that her hus
band, himself an invalid, wtis compelled
to take some means Toward securing tor
her complete rest and freedom from all
household care. To this end he gave up
housekeeping, and took his wife to her pa
rents’ home, where her mother might care
for her in her ailments. Mrs. Holt was
herself suffering from various complaints
brought on by complete nervous prostra
tion several years ago, but her daughter's
severe and more hopeless condition was th?
more urgent ami more appealing case of
the two, ami so Mrs. Holt for several year
has tried to forget her own disabilities i .
teqderly’ ministering to her stricken daugh
ter .
In February’ last Mr. Vose was reading
the weekly’ paper, when his attention .was
attracted by the account of a case of paral
ysis cured by the use of Dr. \\ illiams s
I’ink Pills. The similarity’ of the case de
scribed to that of his wife at once aroused
the deep interest of .Mr. Vose, ami he called
his mother-in-law’s attention to the pub
lished article. After long consultation they
decided to send for the pills. The beueticial
effect ihey had upon Mrs. Vose waslmack
ed. From being unable to stand she was so
materially strengthened that she could
walk without difficulty, and in other re
spects her condition was iniuh improved.
The beneficent results noticed in Mrs.
Vose’s condition from a trial of the pills
caused both her husband and mother to
consider trying them for their own com
plaints. They tried them on the principle
that "if they don't cure they can’t hurt, '
but before each bad finished their first box
they had felt such relief that they came to
believe tiiat the pills not only could not
hurt, but were actually and speedily' cur
ing them.
To The Herald reporter who was sent to
investigate his remarkable cure, Mr. \ ose
gave a detailed account of bis long illness
ami subsequent recovery. He began his
narrative by saying:
"I am not anxious to get into the pape.’s
in this or ; (iy oth. r e .eneiaion, but as I
wrote the Dr.'Williams’s Medicine Company
I have felt such happy results fr. :n the lai-,
ing of I’ink Pills that I am willing, if my
experience will help any' one else, io stat"
how they benefited me. lam thirty-seven
years old. and fifteen years of this time I
have spent in railroading for the Fitchburg
railroad on the Winchendon aud Peterboro
branch. For the past three? years I have
been engineer of the train which connects
with the Boston trains at Winchendon. I
have been troubled with a weak stomach
from my boyhood. In fact, there never was i
a time in my remembrance when I was not
more or less troubled from that source. 5
“Seven years ago. however, the complaiij’ p
became greatly aggravated from the natti’
of njy work and other causes, and I suffer
greatly from it. My stomach would m>r ( ,
tain food, my head ached constantly,
was a dimness, or blur, before my eye?.
of the time, and my head used to becfijG,,
dizzy 1 could scarcely stand. On-j v :l s
up in the morning my head swam [
frequently obliged to lie down a a " pen
had a most disagreeable )eart GT’./past y
tinuous belching from tin stoma’’ Jnv
coating of the mouth a>d toil X;Glted phy
breath was most offensi e. 1 lnedi
sicians in I’eterboro, md tor helped so
cines for two years but vd . . . ’
slightly by them thatM ’he 11 al t ’ j et lllp
I gave up in dtsco-r.U,
disease take care - • ';?'!<nt on. I have
I I g r>' "1 li"/ i b t\ 4 p S /e tm 'Oi’k many a time
for U a° week or M
other times jpapy mouths
Itoine in bed. * years ami would haw?
dnrmg the pas fi
lost more on T J n , , t
out an I won 1 :? ,' . ..t„„, r
“Mv time*’ th" ’ :l ! 1
f,> o I h-gan to notice a fluttering
mv h' ■ ,r "Tim grew so bad after a whde
that I co I "”t "’.’ilk any distance wHlmnt
•i violenttfalpiiation and complete loss of
breath [Clin in my stomach, from
indiaest n lasted two and three days at a
ime hist considerable flesh, and be tore
long n-hnsl that my kidneys xyere affected
’Phil, due from my work on the engine. T
1-now-as many railroad men tire troubled m
ih' inn l wav. 1 had awful pains in the
L?,.., of my back, and was obliged to make
..... : r many times during the day.
o resolved to go back to the doctors
..Mil, though their treatment had done me
p good before. I was told that medicine
vis'll!) good for me, that what I needed was
• long rest. I could not take too long a
aeatton being compelled to work for mv
aving. ami so I kept along, taking what
stuff the doctors prescribed, but feeling no
better, excqpt for a day or two'at a time.
“Finally my legs and hands began to
ache and swell with rheumatic pains, and I
found I couldn’t sleep aX night. If I lav
down, mv heart would go pit-a-pat. at a
great rate, ami many nights 1 did not. close
my eyes at all. .
“I was broken down m body and discour
aged in spirit, when some time in February
liist I was rending in The Montreal Family
Herald and Weekly Star, which we fake
every week, of the great cures made by Dr
Williams’s Pink Tills for Tale People. I
got a couple of boxes for my wife to see
if she would be helped any by them and
then I tried them myself. I did not put mivh
stock in them at. first, but before T had fin
ished the first box I noticed that I was
feeling better. The palpitation of my heart,
which had bothered.mo so that I couldn’t
breathe at times, began to improve. 1 saw
that in going to my home on the hill from the
depot, which was previously an awful task.
my heart did not beat so violently and I
had more breath when I reached the house.
After the second and third boxes 1 grew
better in every respect. My stomach be
came stronger, the gas belching was not so
bad, mj' appetite and digestion unproved
and my sleep became nearly natural and un
disturbed. 1 have continued taking the pdls
three times a day ever since last March and
today 1 am feeling better than at any
time during the last eight years.
“I can confidently and conscientiously say
that they have done me more good and then
good effects are more permanent than any
medicine I have ever taken. My rheumatic
pains in legs and bands are all gone, lhe
pains in the small of my back, which were
so bad at. times that 1 couldu t stand up
straight have nearly all vanished and 1
find my kidneys are well regulated by them.
This is an effect not claimed for the pills
in the circular, but in my case they brought
it about. I can now go up any hill without
the slightest distress or palpitation or loss
of breath and am feeling 100 per cent bet
ter in every shape and maimer.
“They have been a saving of money to
me, for since 1 began their use I have not
been obliged to lose much time away form
work. 1 um still taking the pills ami mean
to continue them until .1 am certain my
cure is a thorough and lasting one.
After talking with Mr. Vose at the depot,
where his engine, was in waiting, the re
porter went to the house where Airs. Holt,
the other patient for whom .the pills have
done so much, received him ami gafe ;| n
extended account of her experience with
them. Mrs. Holt said:
"I uni fifty-seven years old and for four
teen years past I have had. an intermittent
h<»art trouble. Three years ago 1 nad nerv
ous prostration, which left me with a
number of ailments, for which 1 hafe been
doctoring unsuccessfully ever s nee. My
heart trouble was increased so bidly by
the nervous prostration that I ha< to lie
down most of the time. My st.oi&ch also
gave out, and 1 had continual m d intense
pain from tiie back of my n<‘ kto the
end of my backbone. I wenl t< physi
cians in Jeffrey, Newport, Alsicd, Acton
and here in I’eterboro, but my heflh con
tinued so miserable tiiat I gave upjoctors
in despair ami lost faith in medieie alto
gether. I began to take Dr. Wdanis’s
I’ink Pills last winter, more from <ri<.sity
than because I believed they cAI help
me, but the first box made me fd ever
so much better. I have taken tv pills
since February last and they Imvbnade
me feel like a new woman. The rrible
pains in my spinal column and in tbd’gion
of my liver are gone, and I believe f<gooj.
Aly palpitation has only troubled ndhree
times since 1 commenced using tl I’ills,
and my stomach now performs i func
tions without giving mi l the great stress
which formerly followed everythin ate.
The pills have acted differently fl 1 any
medicine I have ever taken in r! I
have tried everything—doctors’ hewies,
[latent medicines, s.irsapnrillas, amimoe
opathic doses. In fourteen \y', r ?ree
years ago I spent 83011 for de s bills
and medicines, and since then ont
as much more money, but the ’’
taim-d, if any, was only tempo?
“With i!u*-e pills, however, tfi , 'cls are
different. They are not cathai’°tber
pills I have taken, but seem tc 'erectly
upon the stomach and livorfl'Uit any
loosening of the bowels. .Myd- bas
! wonderfully improved since ®’ :HI their
i use. For a long time lr‘forf '”k these
; pills I lost sieep night aflc",- "‘th my
heart and pains in my backl
“My improvement in he.-j a source
i of remark on the part of t who have
known how sick I was. "'ho
! didn't know I was taking is de
-1 lighted at the noticeable in Jll . v
j health., and upon learnirig'" a,lSo ’’f it
urged me to continue thq'.’i ’h'- pills.
This impulse, however, is‘‘essiiry, as
I have been too sick in the, 11 fully
appreciate the value of a s has
done me so much good,;- '■» Hliarns's
I’ink I’ills are cert iiidyf 11 ” medicine,
and from my experionef them 1 can
cheerfully and cord! illy . : 'h'-m (
to any one who is heart pal
pitation. indigestion, lit 'mplaint, and I
lhe many ills conseqtt u l' on nervous I
prostration.”
I >r. Willi: ms’s I’ink T re “’’t a patent
medicine in the sense; ‘i'sciUlr,rUe ll ,!.! s
usually umij'rstood. tij'in general prac-
I paration successfully/ be’my offered to
tice for many years JAey contain in a
the public gonorallyioments necessary
condensed form allfiness to the blood,
to give new life aPn-ves. They are an ;
ami restore s-hatto) !f q l diseases as loco- i
unfailing sneelli.- iralysis. St. Vitus’s g
motor aiaxia. pajigia. rheumatism, ner
dance, sciatica, fter effee's of la grippe, ®
veus headaelu'. toart. the tired feeling f
palpitation of L. : s prostration; all dis- S
resulting fr''n.'ym vitiated humors in ®
eases dependis scrofula, chronic cry- :
the blood, si
sipelas, etc. a specific for troubles pe-
They are such as suppression, ir- !
culiar to ffq'all forms of weakness,
regularities: f j lo blood and restore the |
They bnij'so pale or sallow i heeeks. Tn
glow of h,.,, they effect a ridieal cure in I
the from mental worry, over- '(
all e-5ei,.;.,.,.. ~f whatever uaturc. They
work "F'lctiired bv the Dr. Williams
are 'ompauy. of S- heneetady. N. A..
M' dic.];vii]e. Ont., ami are sold in boxes
by the dozen or bun- a
(nevi 50 cents a box or six boxes for
f,r '<’md nury be had of nil druggists or |
•82/by twiil from Dr. Williams’s Afed
dyc mipanv from either ad'lress.
ie. price at which these pills are sold J
i ~■■ a course of treatment comparatively
spensivo as. compared nith other rem
jos or medical treatment.
Some one entered the orchard of Mr. .T.
tV lenkins. of Marshall county. Ala., and ent
down about ninety young trees that were just
beginning to bear. Sam Taylor was arrested
for the crime, waived examination and went
to Jail to await trial.
The Virginia democratic state committees
will meet at an early day to name the time
and place for holding the convention.
Iff
Mrs. L. Townsend
Rising Sun, Delaware.
Good Family Medicines
Hood’s Sarsaparilla and Hood’s
Pills.
“I regard Food’s Sarsaparilla and Food’s
I’ills, the very Lest family medicines, and wo
uro never without them. I have always been
A Delicate Woman
and began taking Food’s Sarsaparilla three
years ago for that tired feeling. It built mo up
so auickly and so well that I feel like a different
woman and have always had great faith In it. I
give it to my children whenever there seems any
trouble with their blood, and it does them good.
My little boy likes it so well he cries for it. I
cannot find words to tell how highly I prize it.
Wo use Hood’s I’ills in the family aud they
Act Liko a Charm
I take pleasure In recommending these medi
cines to all my friends, for I believe if peopld
Hood’s x Cures
would only keep Hood’s Sarsaparilla and Hood’s
I’ills at hand as we do, much sickness and suf
feringwould be prevented.” Mbs. L. Towns
end, Rising Sun, Delaware.
Hood’s Pilis act easily, yet promptly aud
efficiently, on the Uver and bowels. 25c.