Evening Star Newspaper, August 8, 1891, Page 7

THE EVENING STAR: Ld WASHINGTON, D.C. SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 1891—SIXTEEN PAGES. THE REPORTER WH WADE HIMSELF RING. WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BY RICHARD HARDING DAVIS. (Copyright. 1801.} HE OLD-TIME journalist will tell yon the best re- porter is the one who works his way up. He will hold that the only way to start is asa printer's devil or an office boy, to learn in time to set type. to grad_ uate from a com- nographer, and as a stenographer take down speeches at public into a real reporter, |« positor to a ste~| ge | with a fire badge on | Rothing, indeed your left suspender and « speaking acquaint- | ance with all the greatest men in the city, not | he is reporting still. way he will go into r full knowledge of the newspaper busin ao illusions concerraing it,and with ni snthusiasms, but witha keen and j impression that he is not paid enough: he does. And he will only do what he is paid todo. Now, you cannot pay a good reporter for what he does, because he does not work for pay. He works for his paper. He gi time, his health, his brains, his sleeping hours and his eating hours, and life sometimes, to get at. ka the sun rises only that men may by which to read it. Butif he has been in a newspaper office from his youth up he finds out before he becomes a reporter that this is not so and loses his real value. He should come right out of the university where he has been doing “campus notes” for the college weekly and be pitchforked ont into city work without knowing whether the bat- tery ix in Harlem or at Hunters Point and with the idea he is a molder of public opinion and that the power of the press is greater than the power of money, and that the few lines he writes are of more value in the editors eyes than the column of adver- igne tisingon the last page, which they are not. | After three years -it' ix sometimes tonger, sometimes not so long—he finds out that he has given his nerves and his youth and his enthusiasm in exchange for a general fund of | miscellaneous knowledge, the opportunity of | personal encouuter with all the greatest and most remarkable men and events that have | Fisen in those three years and a wonderful fer- | tility of resource. He will find that he has | crowded thi ordinary young business man. doctor or law- yer or man about town into three short years: that he has learned to think and to act quickly, to be patient and unmoved when every one else ‘as lost his head, actually or figuratively speak- ing; to write as fast a« another man can talk, and to be able to talk with authority on mat- ters of which other men do not venture even to think until they have read what he has written with « copy bey at his elbow on the night be- fore. It is necessary for you to know this in order that you may understand what manner of young ‘man young Albert Gordon was. Young Gordon had been a reporter just three Years. He had left Yale when his iast living Telative died and taken the morning train for New York. where they had promised him re- ortorial work on one of the innumerable greatest New York dailies. He arrived at the office at noon and was sent back over the same soud ou which he had just come to Spuyten Dayvil, where a train bad been wrecked and out everybody of consequence to suburban w York killed. One of the old reporters hurried bim to the office again with “copy,” | and after be had delivered that he was sent to the Toombs to talk French toa man in mur-} derers’ row, who could not talk anything else, but who had shown some international skill in | the use of And at 8 o'clock be covered ow in Madison Square Gar- den, and k was sent over the Brook- lyn bridge in «cab to watch a fire and make | KUeeses at the insurance. He went to bed at 1 o'clock that night and dreamt of shattered locomotives, but béings lying still with blankets over them, rows of cells and banks of beautiful flowers ‘nodding their heads to the tunes of the bras band in the xallery. He decided when he the next ning that he had entered uponap 1 exciting career, and as one d nother he became more and more convinced f it and more and more devoted to it. He ghteen then and he was now twenty-one, ‘and in that time had become a great reporter and had been to presidential conventions in hieago, revolutions in Hayti. Indian out- breaks on the plaing, and midnight meetings of moonlighters in Tennessee, and had seen what work earthquakes, flood. fire and fever | could do in great cities, and had contradicted the President and bor burglara And no to rest and breathe a bit and not to work ag unless as a war correspondent or as He bad always bad enough money of his own to keep him alive and so he was iu consequence in- dependent of what the paper gave him The only obstacle to his becoming a great war cor- respondent lay in the fact that there was no! war, and a war correspondent without a war is | about as absurd an individual as a general | He read the papers every | without an army morning on the elevated f. though there were many clouds, they al- part aud peace smiled again. was very discouraging to young Gordon, and he was more and more keenly disap- pointed. And then, as war work was out of the ques- tion, he decided to write his novel. It was to be @ novel of New York life. and he wanted a quiet piace in which to work on it He was aiveady making inquiries among the suburban residents of his acquaintance for just such a Gist spot when he received an offer to go to the Island of Opeki in the South Pacific ocean @* secretary to the American consul to that pisee. The gentleman who had been ap- pointed by the President to act as con- sal at Opeki was Capt. Leonard T. Tra- @ veteran of the civil war. who had tracted a severe attack of rheumatism dle camping at night in the dew, and who om account of this souvenir of his ‘efforts to save the Union had allowed the Union he had saved to support him in one office or another ever since. He hat met young Gordon at a war clouds, but, elab and bad had the presumption to ask him to serve as his secretary, and xperiences ot a lifetime of the | WELCOMED TO OPEKI jemp | On a rock in the middle of the ocean for four his surprise, had accepted his offer. The idea aque EN in tropics with new and tiful surroundings, and with nothing to do nty of time in whieh to do it, and to write hix novel besides, seemed to Albert to be just what he wanted, and, though b did not know or care munch for a | superior officer, he > go im resaytly aad pees ‘to bid good-bye to | Ris Telends and to make hie preparations. Capt. ‘Travis was #0 delighted with getting such a | clever young gentleman for his secretary that he referred to him to his friends as “my at- tache of legation.” nor did he lessen that gen- tleman’s dignity by telling any one that the at- tache's salary was to be $5000 year. His own salary was only £1,500, and though his brother- in-law, Senater Rainsford, tried his best to it raised, he was unsuccessful. The consulshi to Opeki was instituted early in the fifties to ge rid of and reward a third or fourth cousin of the Presidents, whose services during the compaign were important, but whose after- presence was objectionable. He had been treated consul to Opeki as being more distant and inaccessible than any other known spot and had iived and died there, and so little was known of the island and so difti- } cult was communication with it that no one | knew he was dead until Capt. Travis, in his hungry haste for office, had uprooted ‘the sad ct. Capt. Travia, as well as Albert, had a ndary reason for wishing to visit Opeki. iis physician had told him to go to some warm climate for his rheumatism, and in accepting the consulship his object was rather to follow out hix doctor's orders at his country's expensc meetings, | than to serve his country at the expense of his and so finally grow | rheumatism. Albert could learn but very little of Opeki put that it was situated abo ost frou the Island of Octavia, which island “ «urn was simply described as a coal- ing stacion 300 mules from ifornia. Steamers from San kohama stopped every third and that was ail either Capt. Travis or his sec~ retary could learn of their new home. This Wus so very little that Albert stipulated to stay only as long as he liked it and to return to we states within a few months if he found such a change of plan desirable. As he was going to what was almost an un- discovered country he thought it would be a good plan to furnish himself with a supply of articles with which he might trade with the ek at Octavia, | native Opekians and for this purpose he pur- chased a large quantity of brass rods because he had read Stanley did so and added to these brass curtain rings and about 200 leaden med- als which had been sold by street peddlers dur- ing the constitutional “centennial celebra- tion in New York city, and were cheap. He also collected even more beautiful but less expensive «ecorations for Christmas trees ata whclesale house on Park Row. These he hoped to exchange for furs or feathers or _wea- pous or for whatever curious and valuable trophies of which the Island of Opeki boasted. He already saw his rooms on his return hung fantastically with crossed 5) boomerangs, feather head dresses idols. His’ friends told him he ing a very foolish thing and argued that once out of the newspaper world it would be hard for him to regaim his place in it. But he thought the novel he would write while lost to the world at Opeki would serve to make up for his temporary absence from it, and he expressly and impressively stipulated that the editor should wire him if there was a war. Capt. Travis and his secretary crossed the continent without adventure and took passage from San Francisco on the first steamer that touched at Octavia. ‘They reached that island in three days nud learned with some concern that there was no regular communication with Opeki and that it would be necessary to charter a suil boat for the trip. Two fishermen agreed to take them and their trunks and to get them to their destination within sixteen hours if the wind held good. It was a most unpleasant sail. with calm, relentness persistence from what was apparentiy «clear sky; the wind tossed the waves as high as the mast and made Capt. Travis ill. There was no deck to the big boat and they were forced to huddle up under pieces of canvas and talked but little. Capt. Travis The rain fell complained of frequent twinges of rheumatism and gazed forlornly over the gunwale at the ty waste of water. f I've got to serve a term of imprisonment «,”" he said, “I might just as well have done something first to deserve it. Thisis a pretty Way to treat a man who bled for his country. ‘This is ingratitude, this is.” Albert pulled heavily on his pipe snd wiped the rain and spray from his face and smiled it won't be so bad when we get there,” ‘they say these southern people are hospitable, and the whites will be glad to see any one from the states.” “There will be a round of diplomatic din- said the consul, with an attempt at cheerfulness. “I have’ brought two uniforms to wear at them. It was 7.'clock in the evening when the rain ceased, and one of the black, half-naked fisher- men nodded and pointed at'a little low line on the horizon. “Opeki.” he aid. The line grew in length and proved to be an island with great mouut- ains rising to the clouds, and as they drew nearer and nearer showed a level coast run- ning back to the foot of the mountains and jumped out and shook hands with the man who had turned hands; natives chatt you,” said the young man, eagerly. “My name's Stedman. I'm from New Haven, Connecticut. Where are you from?” ‘New York.” said Albert. “This.” he added, pointing politely at Capt. Travis, whe was still on his knees in the boat, “is the American con- sul to Opeii.” The American consul to Opeki gave a look at Mr. Stedman of New Haven and at the natives. , “See here, young man,” he gasped, “is this Stedman all there is of Opeki? ‘The American consul!” said young § with a gasp of amazement, and looking from Albert to. Travis. “Why. I never sup) they would send another hiere; the inst one died about fifteen years ago and there hasn't been one since. I've been living in the consul’s office with the Bradleys, but I'll move out, of course. I'm sure I'm awfully glad to see you. Ir'll make it more pleasant for me.” : ‘Yes,”” said Capt. Travis, bitterly, as he lifted rheumatic leg over the side of the boat, at's why we came. Mr. Stedman did not notice this. He was too much pleased 10 be anything but hospita- ble. “You are soaking wet, arent you” he said, “and hungry, I guess.’ You come right over to the consul’ office and get on some other things.” He turned to the natives and gave some rapid orders in their language: some of them jumped into the boat at this and began lifting out the trunks, and others ran off to- ward a large, stout old native who was sitting gravely ona log smoking, with the rain be: ed on his gray hair. gone to tell the king,” said Sted- ‘ou bad both better get ‘something to i then I'll be happy to present you * said Capt. Travis with some “is there a king?” ‘Tnever saw a king,” Gordon remarked, ‘and I'm sure I never expected to see one sit- ting on a log in the rain. “He's a very good king,” said Stedman, con- fidentially, “aud though you mghtn't think it to look at him he's # terrible stickler for cti- quette and form. After supper he'll give you an audience, and if you have any tobacco you had better give him some us a present, and you'd betier say its from the President. He doesn’t like to take pre ‘rom common peo- e's too proud. ‘Lhe erly reason he bor- rows mine is because he thinks I'm the Presi- dent's son.” “What makes him think that?” demanded the consul with some sharpness. Young Sted- man looked nervously at the consul and at Albert, and sid thathe guessed some one must have told him. covered with a forest of palms. They could t distinguish a village of thatched huts around & grassy square and at some distance from the village a wooden structure with a tin rool. “I wonder where the town is?” asked the consul with a nervous glance at the fishermen. One of them told him that what he saw was the town, “That?” gasped the consul, ‘is that where all the people on the island live?” The fisherman nodded, but the other added that there were other natives up in the mountains, but that they were bad men who fought and ate each other. Theconsul and his attache of legation gazed at the mountains with unspoken misgiv- ings. They were quite near now and could see an immense crowd of men and women, all of them black and elad but in the simplest gar- ments, waiting to receive them. They seemed greatly excited and ran in ang out of the ‘huts and up and down the beach as wildly as so many black ants. But in tho front of the group they distinguished three men who they could sce were white, though they were clothed like the others, simply in a shirt and a sbort pair of trousers. Two of these three suddeniy sprang away on arun and disappeared among the palm trees, but the third one, who had recognized the American flag that Gordon had placed in the halyards, threw hie straw hat in the water aud began turning handaprings over the sand. “That young gentleman, at least,” said Al- bert, gravely, “scems pl to seo us.” A dozen of the natives sprang into the water and caiae wading and swinming toward them, and shouting and swinging their arms. “Idon’t think it's quite safe, do you?” said the consal, looking out wildly to the open sea. “You see, they don’t know who I am.” A great black giant threw one arm over the gun- ‘ait wale and shouted something that sounded it were spelt owah, owah, ap the boat carried him through the surf. ‘The consul’s oflice was divided into four rooms, with an open court in the middle, filled with palms and watered somewhat uuneces- sarily by a fountain. “Tmuade that,” said Stedman in a modest off-hand way. “I mace it out of hollow bam- boo reeds connected with a spring. And now T'm making one for the king. He saw this and had a lot of bamboo sticks put up all over the town without any underground connections and couldn't make out why the water wouldn't spurt out of them. And because mine spurts he thinks I'm a magician.” “I suppose.” grumbled the consul, “some one tola him that, too. “I suppose so,” said Mr. Stedman uneesily There was a veranda around the consul’s office, and inside the walls were bung with skins and pictures from illustrated papers, and there was a good deal of bamboo furniture and four broad, cool-looking beds. The place was ascleanasakitchen. ‘I made the furniture,” said Stedman, “and the Bradleys keep the place in order.” “Who are the Bradleys?” asked Albert. ‘The Bradieys are those two men you saw with me,” said Stedman. “They deserted from a British man-of-war that stopped here for coal, and they act as my servants. One is Bradley, sr., and the other Bradley, jr.” “Then vessels do stop here occasionally?” the consul said with a pleused smile. “Well, not often,” said Stedm: Not so very often, about oncea year. The Nelson thought this was Octavia and put off again as soon as she found out her mistake, but the Bradleys took to the bush and the boat's crew couldn't tind them. When they saw your flag they thought you might mean to seid them back, so they Tan off to hide again: they'll be back, though, when they get hungry.” The supper you Stedinan spread for his guests, us he stil treated them, was very refreshing and very good. There was cold fish and pigeon pie and a hot omelet filled with mushrooms and olives, and tomatoes aud onions all sliced up together and strong black coffee. After supper Stedman went off to see the king, aud ,came back in a littie while to say that’ his majesty would give them an audience the next day after breakfast. “It is too dark now,” Stedman explained, “and it's raining so they can't make the street lamps burn. Did you happen to notice the lamps? I invented them, but they don’t work very well yet. I've got the right idea, though, and I'l! soon have the town ijluminated all over whether it rams or not.” ‘Ihe consul had been very silent and inditfer- ent during supper to all around him. Now he looked up with some show of interest. “How much longer is it going to rain, do you think?” he asked. ‘Ob, I don’t know,” said Stedman, criti ‘Not more than two months I should sa; consul rubbed his rheumatic legand sighed and said nothing. The Bradleys turned up about 10 o'clock and came in very sheepishly, puliing at their fore- locks and scraping with their lett foot. The consul had gone off to pay the boatmen who had brought them to Opeki, and Albert in his absence assured the deserters that there was not much danger of their being sent back. ‘Then he turned into one of the beds and Sted- man took one in another room, leaving the one in the room he had ' occupied heretofore for the consul. As he was saying “good night” Albert suggessed that he had not yet told them how he came to be on a de- serted island, but Stedman only laughed and said that that was a long story and that he would tell him all about it in the morning. So Albert went off to bed without waiting for the consul to return, and fell asleep wondering at the strangeness of this new life and assuring himself that if the rain only kept up he would have the novel finished in a month at least. The sun was shining brightly when he awoke, and the palm trees outside were nodding gracefully in a warm breeze. From the court came the odor of strange flowers, and from the window he could see the ocean, brilliantly blue and with the sun color- ing the spray that beat against the coral reefs on the shore. “Well, the consul can’t complain of this,” he said, with a laugh of satisfaction.and putting ona bathing robe he stepped into the next room to awaken Captain Travis. But the room was quite empty and and the bed undisturbed. ‘The consul’s trunk remained just where it had been placed near the door and on it lay a sheet of foolscap with writing on it and dressed at the top to “Albert Gordon.” The handwriting was theconsul's. Albert picked it up and it with much anxiety. It began ab- Pte fab ho brought us to this for- be ermen who us saken spot tell me that it rains hefe six months in the year and that this is the first month. I comma bere to werve my country, for which I fought and bled, but Idid not come here to die of the rheumatism and pneumonia. Ican serve my country a — sight better Py ‘and whether it rains or not stay sor le eT he ben gna, send an i by ime you this f will be on ay seturt trip, asl intend jeaving with the men who brought us here ag ‘oon as they can get the sail up. My cousin, Senator Rainsford, can fix it all right with the President and can bave me recalled in proper form after I get back. But of course it would not do for me to leave my post with no one to and no one could be more ry office as Ameri- “How do you do?” said Gordon doubtfally. The boat shook the giant off under the wave try and government and beached itself so that the Ameri- pleasure and duty can consul was thrown forward to his knees. and superior much to | Gordon did not wait to pick him up, but | officer, Laouanp T. Taras. wi the thered about them in a circle and and laughed. “P. 8.—I did not care to disturb you by mov- ing my trunk, so I left it, and you can make what use you please of whatever it contains, as T shall not want tropical garments where I am ing. What you will noed most, I think, is ie waterproof and umbrella. “P.8.—Look out for that boy Stedman. He is too inventive. I hope you will like your high office, but as for me, I am satisfied with little old New York. is just» bit too far from Broadway to suit 2 ‘Albert held the letter before him and read it over again before he moved. Then he jumped to the window. The boat was gone and there was not a sign of it on the horizon. (To be continued.) ——____+e0_____ MONSTERS OF FICTION. Some Chimeras Dire of the Deep That Have Been Exploded. STORIES OF MERMAIDS ACCOUNTED FOR ON COM- MONPLACE GROUNDS— THEY WERE DUGONGS AND SEALS PROBABLY—IS THE SEA SERPENT ONLY A GIANT SQUID?—WONDER TALES OF THE KRAKEN. 66rP\HIS IS THE AGE OF FACT RATHER than of fancy,” said a zoologist to a Stan writer., “Many = monster that has been believed until Intely to inhabit the earth has been relegated by science to the domain of the imaginary. Writers of author- ity on natural history only a century or two ago published grave accounts of such superstitious wonders of the animal kingdom as the sea ser- pent, the kraken and the mermaid. [can re- fer you to a very interesting and matter-of- fact account of the iatier, which was printed 150 years ago by the celebrated Bishop Pontup- in of Norway. ‘He says that in the Sea of Angola mermaids were frequently caught, being taken in nets. When killed they would gery "and. shriek like women, which they resembled above the waist, the rest of their bodies being like those of fishes. The people along shore were in the habit of eating their flesh, which seemed much the same as pork. Also a merman was found in the waters of North America and cise- where, its length being about cight spans and | ite tace being of human cast, with little eyes, a fiat nose, a big mouth and no chin or ears. Its two arma were short, without elbows, the hands having four long fingers, connected with membrane as of the foot of a goose. The upper part of the body is like that of a human being, the skin being of a brownish-gray tint. ‘This extrao:- ary animal was a favorite dish among the most approved method of cooking it being to broil it on the gridiron. A Lone in its head that divided the brain was powdered by the Portuguese, who considered it an excellent remedy for stone in the bladder. A CLEROYMA! 'S TESTIMONY. . giving numerous au- ios for his statements, refers for confir- on toa friend of his own, the Rev. Peter el, minster to the parish of Vand-Elve Gield. ‘This clergyman that whilo walking on the beach im the year 1719 he found a merman which had been‘cast ashore dead. Its head and upper body resem- bled a human being, the lower part being fish- like, with the tail of a porpoise. ‘The back was very fatand when the flesh was cut of and boiled together with the liver it yielded a large quantity of oil. Popular belief’ was to the ef- the creatnre was a fish of prey. Some- es a living specimen was seen with a cod in grasp. Many young ones were caught and’ taken home “by fishermen who gave them milk, which they drauk, rolling their eyes around What they saw on land. Most re: however, was the female, which hud breasts like a woman and gave stick in er to her young, being frequently beheld haif out of the water and in the act of doing this. jow, the most skeptical person might be by the array of evidence in alleged marvel were it not that ange accounts are readily ex- plained within the lines of every-day zoology. The creature which had breasts like a woman and ite young in the manne: vibed was evidently the dugong. As for the mermen they were the common hair seals which answer in ali matotial respects to the dese tion given. ‘To the casual observer the upper part of the body of this animal is sufficiently human-like to account for the mistake. It has a flat nose, singularly beautiful, and human eyes and no chin or external development of ears. The color of the beast is gray. It must not be confused with the fur seal, which looks more like a Newfoundland dog than anything else. As for the lower part it has the fish-like form you know of. . THE SEA SERPENT MYTH. “More remarkable than the mermaid myth must be considered that of the sea serpent, which survives even to the present day, so that the appearance of this imaginary reptile of the deep at varions points on the Atlantic coast is recorded each season with sensational head- lines in the newspapers. Numerous most circumstantial accounts "have —_ been rons, respecting this gigantic marvel. Tuk- ing them all together, the cresture—if one exists there are presamably many of them— may be described as of « maximum length of 600 feet, its body as thick asthe hull of s me- diam-sized vessel, with a mane, a sharp snout d great eyes like round metal plates. It has also been sometimes observed to be covered with great scales: it spoute water on occasions like a whale and persons have come near enough tu it to behold its great nostrils and whiskers. More than once it hns been seen to rear itvelf higher than the maintop of a good-sized ship. A writer of 100 years ago, who had been greatly impressed by & personal wof the monster, remarked: aS 8 Yor iron'is to And « opyer like the twigs that For thus he is des-ribe tin Ho! THE GIANT SQUID. “Now, no one is able to sry with certainty what the basis for thiy myth is. The most plausible suggestion, with which I coincide, is that the original of the sea serpent is the giant squid—an animal which might itself deservedly figure awa chimera of fancy were it not a fact. ‘There is no doubt that this creature attains long is exhibit Museum—aud there is good the Natio ason for b ving that the numerous stories of attacks by ge specimens upon boats and other ait in the Indian ocean and. elsewhere ha ne foundation in truth. However, whether at is 8o or not, such a creature swimming o: the surface of the sea would answer v to the acce).ted description of the progressing backward after its habit, with part of its huge body projected out of the water, its flukes at the tail having the appearance of a mane, a spout of foam proceeding from the’ great siphon by which it propels itself, and its enormous tenta- cles following snake like after the convolutions appearing above the surface. Unfortunately for the sea serpent, wherever it has been looke upon from the point of view of science rather than of wonder it has failed to support its rep- tation." Repeatedly on oceasion of ita appear- anco within view of men of an investigating turn of mind it hasbeen found—althongh the observers themsel ves wero anxious to be amazed, having the uatural human appetite for won- ders—to be merely a school of porpoises follow- ing one another in single file, u flock of shag birds flying near the water, a barrel afloat with a long streamer of seaweed or other such decep- tions. The most important encouragement given recently to believers in this delu- sion was afforded by a captain of vessel bound for San Francisco a few years ago, who, while becalmed in the Pacific, saw an animal on the bottom beneath his ship which was about sixty fect in length, resem- bling in all respects the plesiosaurus of the Mosozoic epoch. Naturalists have never do- nied that a few survivors of that age of reptiles might still exist, but they have been very skeptical as to the likelihood of such a thing, and they are nat- usally disposed to pook:pool, this ‘seaman's yarn, Attho same time they confoss astonish. ment that he should have made and held so Positively to.a description of the beast which accords perfectly and in every respect with present scientific knowledge of ‘what this great saurian was in that strange era of the past. ‘THE KRAKEN. “There is a third fabulous monster of the deep, firmly believed in a century or #0 ago, foetal pretend het te eUaliy acres: ture of the imagination. It was called the ‘kraken’ and was so enormous that when it came to the surface the people frequently mis- took the animal for a floating island. You may recollect that Sinbad the Sailor landed y presence. Some when drop- far out at sea, they found an unexpected shallow and naw it 49 be cansed natives of the countries where it was caught, the | quoted as saying | printed, together with affidavits by reliable | es the length o/ 10) feet—a cast of one | SEA DEVILS AND OTHER EAYS. A Curious Tribe of Fishes With Weird FACTS ABOUT THE STINGRAY, DREADED BY TEE ‘TROPICAL FISHERMEN—SEA DEVILS THIRTY FEET LONG WHICH ATTACK BOATS AND CARRY OFF VEO SELS—THE TORPEDO FISH AND ITS BATTERY. 6C6TVHERE ARE NO MORE CURIOUS fishes in the world than those which be- long to the order of rays,” said an ichthyologist the other day to a Sram reporter. “Certain members of the family are familiar enough un- der the name of ‘skates.’ Their only fault is ugliness of aspect. You have to go to tropical waters in order to find the dangerous and otherwise extraordinary members of this tribe. “Not the least unpleasant of them is the ‘stingray,’ which is quite common in Florida waters. Imagine a gigantic fiat fish with great fleshy wings; give it a breadth across of seven feet, a length of twelve feet and a powerful tail armed with an ivory dart ten inches in length. Such is this remarkable animal, which has caused the death of many an unwary fisherman. It is slow of mo- tion, lying on the bottom and enjo ing life harmlessly unless interfered with. But once disturbed it is a dangerous creature to encounter. When alarmed it lashes about with its tail and woe to him in whose flesh the caudal weapon sticks. ‘The latter is a needle- shaped instrument, with the keenest possible point, and on both’sides for ite entiro length It is armed with barbs, pair upon pair, 60 that when once struck in it cannot be withdrawn save by cutting it out. Of its kind it is the most formidable weapon with which any ani- imal is equipped by nature. THE POISONOUS DART. “This ‘sting,’ as the fishermen. call it, is chiefly dangerous because of the slime with which it is covered. The latter gangrenes the wound it mukes, so that blood poisoning is apt to set in, and frequentiy the loss of a limb, if I myself on meta man ray, ng ‘since passed away ‘of a shallow My friend's foot was rust thro one of these creatures is dragged into a boat e has to be exer. ived leat it wound switching of its tail. One who liows of a southern river fi y Unpleasant to eee oceasionally a section of what hus appeared to be the bottom, perk: fect in diameter, move slowly away just about to step upon it. ‘The animal as- likeness in color to the sand or mud where it finds its home. in order that prey may approuch it without suspecting the presence of the lurking monster. “The stingray is sometimes called the ‘clam ker,” becatise it is able to break the shell of st quahang as easily a8 the operation rformed witha hammer. Its upper jaw is furnished with a sort ot mosaic puve- ment of teeth, with which it is able to smash the Substances. fo oyster beds the creature is a deadly enemy, and where its spe- cies is numerous the bivalves have to be pro- tected with fences. Crabs, sea snails and squids furnish a large partof its diet. When it loses its ‘sting’ by an accident another one grows. It is sold tor eating purposes in the New Orleans markets. The meat is very peculiar and quite unlike anything else, the muscular tissue com- posing the wings being of so coarse a texture that, after the flesh has been boiled, one can dissect the fibers out upon ong’s plate. ‘These wings are merely pectoral fins enormously de- veloped. They, as well as similar parts of skates and other are aold in considerable quantities at San Francisco to the French and italians, who value them for the table. Skate tails are largely eaten on the Pacific coast by the Chinese and Mexicans, ‘THE DANGEROUS SEA DEVIL. “Skates lay eggs, though all the other fishes of the order of rays bring forth their young alive. Que may pick up plenty of skate eggs anywhere on the seashore. Children call them ‘wea purses.’ They are rectangular: almost in shape, with long tails at each corner, and about three or four inches in length. It is merely the shells that one finds, the young animal having made it through an opening at one end. ‘The stingray produces from three to nine living young at a brood, but ite cousin, the formidable ea devil,’ gives birth to but a single offspring. time, ‘in which respect it is. probably unique among the finny tribe. ‘Much ®f the romance that has been written about the sea devil or true devil fish is based on fact. Itis one of the most dangerous mon- sters of the deep, at all events when attacked. Auimals are formidable in two ways—they pos- sess a natural ferocity which impels them to attack, or they may be fierce in self-defense. ‘The sea devil will always run away if it can, but it is a most periious beast to encounter when defending itself. To begin with it is of enor- mous size, often measuring 30 fectfrom tip to tip of its mighty wings, and its muscular power is so enormous that many casesare well authenticated where it has actually encricd away small vessels, having become fouled with the enchor lines. There is on record an account of a specimen captured off Barbadoes which was of such vast bulk that seven oxen wore required to draw it over the land. “The sea devil former owner had stuck up in the sandy bott lagoon. by it while he was wading ior crabs. ing euch smal 3 great wings out of the water and dragging ling one of 108 ew and bark under the sea with a flap ot the jant fin. It has two great horns or fleshy protuberances extending forward from its ead, which avsist it in grasping its prey. Being carnivorous in its hubits there is every reaxon for supposing that it would de- vyoura man if sucha victim should happen into its clutch, Accounts are given of its assailing divers, swooping upon them from above, so thut the unfortunate beholds a living cload settling over him with eager jaws to gobble, while help e the horrible |embrace. However, it is doubifal if there is auy trath in such tales. Doubiless, with its tremendous bulk and double fleshy to grab with, this mighty ray must be an awful errary to tackle. It ix said to be particularly fierce when accompanied by its offspring. You may find in the sea devil a curious illustration of nature's system for adjusting production. The cod lays several hundred | thousand eggs at a spawning, because nearly all of thein must necessarily be lost while floating on the waves aud those which hatch are mostiy devoured. | Bui the sea devil, which produces but a single one ata ‘time, retsins the latter in its “belly until the infant ercature is from four to six feet in length, so that when born it is able to take care of itself and is in no danger of being destroyed, THE TORPEDO FISH. “More remarkable, perhaps, than even tho sea devil is another member of the ray tribe, most familiar under the name of ‘torpedo’ or ‘cramp fish.’ It has two compicte electric bat- | terics on either side of his head, constructed after the most approved scientific principles. Each of them consists of about 470 cells in the shape of six-sided tubes placed side by side. The walls of these celle are lined with nerve tis- sue and each oncis filled with a clear, trembling jelly. Precisely how many volts this duplex {felvanic apparatus is capable of administering has never been determined, but frequent ex- rience bas shown the power to be sufficient Yoknoek down and temporarily paralyze a man. Natives in Central America are said to make a practice of driving wild horses into water where cramp fish are, inorder that the latter may stun the frightened quadrupeds and make them easy to capture "Bo that shock shall be ad- ministered, the object must be brought into contact at two points with the tor- pedo, thus completing the electric circuit. Scientific men regard this s one of the most interesting of natural phenomena. Two other kinds of animals possess galvanic batteries—a catfish and an eel. The two Intter bave the storage cells situated in their tails. In all three cases the electricity is merely transformed nervous energy. ‘The oil of the cramp fish is commonly believed to be very good for rheu- ™tiiaw aes belbog to the “Saw long to order of rays, al- though their bodies have the shape of ordinary fishes. They swim wholly with their tails and the long weapons which adorn their noses are merely prolongations of the snout, armed on either side with teeth in sockets and covered with skin of great toughness. With this Tormidable instruntent they attack their prey, tearing pieces of flosh from its body or ripping open the abdomen to feed upon the intestines the victim. ‘There is some’ abnormal about all these creatures salsa rye ais is not = saneiod find ay ° and man extinct species among’ the fouls ef wesiahed ——— Of Course. From the Boston Transcript. Hicks—““Oh, well, of tourse, all men can't think alike. If they did, they'd say this thing couldn't be done.” . Wicks—“Nonsenso! If all men could think alike, they'd agree with me and say it could be done. ‘ Hicks—“‘All sensible men can think alike.” Wicks—“‘Yes; think as I do.” ‘Hicke—‘No, sir; think as I do.” MRS. HOPKINS’ D: ‘Why He Was Cut Off From Her Enormous Fortane—His Schemes Against Her. From the Chicago Tribune. Sax Francisco, July $1.—The death of Mrs. Millionaire Hopkine-Searles has created a pro- found as well as a gossipy sensation in this city, and at present the general understanding here is that Timothy Hopkins, who was adopted by ‘Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hopkins, coached by a num- ber of sharp California lawyers, will contest the will, which they claim was made as the result of undue influence on the part of Widower Searles and Attorneys Thomas E. Stillman and Thomas H. Hubbard, who were about three years ago given power of attorney for Mr. and Mrs. Searles for life. About thirteen years ago Mark Hopkins, first husband of the ate Mrs. Searles, died, leaving an estate worth probably $35,000,000, but rap- idly increasing. In due time, through the ability of Ju Sanderson, now deceased, but at that time leading attorney of the Southern Pacific rail- road—and the father of Sybil Sanderson, who hascreated such a furor in musical circles in Europe on account of her wonderful lyric power and marvelous beauty—the estate was settled, the widow receiving half of the estate and the balance going to the relatives, part aud parcel alike. A long time before the death of Mark Ho} kins he and bis wife had adopted the good looking son of a poor family named Hagan, and he was treated ax their own. Shortly after Mr. Hopka put young Hagan-Hop! position at Oakland, pre fuential and lucrative positions. A tew years later, about nine years ago, Mrs. Hopkins considered Timothy capable, and at her request he was mude treasurer’ and di rector of the Southern Pacific Company at a snlary of $10,000 per year. ‘The young man soon after taking the position of tresurer inaugurated throughout the entire 'ystem of the Southern Pacitic Company a pro- cess of economy never before known or dreamed of among pretentious operators. He issued or- ders that all departments—from the heads down, including Leland Stanford, president of the com Charlos Crocker and Collis an presidents; A. N. Towne, gen- id the army of lieutenants and subordinates”-should substitute thin buff paper and envelopes to match to take the place of white letter paper. Nothing but the cheapest kinds of penbolders, pencils and all articles used in clerical work could be used; bound books gave place to books without binding; foot scrapers and door mats entirely disap- peared from the offices, and every little job of printing was let out to the lowest bidder, not- Withstanding the fact that Crocker & Co., the great printers and publishers, and Bancroft & Co. patronized the railroad company to the ex- tent of tens of thousands of dollars each year. It ix curious, though a fa Stanford and Hantington objected to the inno- vation and claimed that they should at least have white paper to use in their correspondence With those high in authority, such as the Presi- dent. George F. Edmunds, Chiel Justice Field, Congressmen Morrow. Clunie and United States Senat Miller, Hearst, Fair, Jones and Stewart, siopted sou—for- merly # Sacramento gamiu—carned his point and cut down eapenses have down the heart of a Shylock good. Timo- thy afterward used to show with delight a let- ter from C. P. Huntington, at the expiration of & year of his parsimonious business course. in hich Mr. Huntington admitted that young. Hagan-Hopkins had saved to the “poor, gling Southern Pacific Company ” $66,000. it this time Mrs. Hopkins presented Timothy the place at Menlo Park formerly raed by ex-Senator Milton F. Latham. e adopted son, whose sun of fortune scomed at this time’ to be at its zenith, had at this time married a niece of Mrs. Hopkins, and the opinion was general that the wedding’ and the present of a 500,00 home were proof pos- itive that Mrs, Hopkins meant to make Timotiy her sole heir. Jimoihy at this time had his place of busi- ness in the same room with Mr. Chas. Crocker and Mr. Crocker's eldest son, Charles Fred- erick Crocker. While there and while his adopted mother was qui ing at Great Barrington, fondly thinking him busily at work figuring on lead pencils, penholders, door mats and foot scrapers, he ‘was. plott and sou Mrs. Hopkins began to receive letters from him saying that Crocker pere and Crocker fils were attempting to defraud her. She responded to tne letters by sending Thomas E. Stillman, a New York lawyer of the firm of Stillman, Hubbard & Co., to San F: cisco to investigate the matter. "Mr. Stillman's investigations revealed a mostastonishing state of affairs. He soon discovered that Mr. Crocker and his son were using no fraudulent means, but he did discover that Timothy, the ungrate- ful adopted son, who had been showered with wealth, had in his employ a number of detect- ives, whose duty it was to keep a constant watch on Mrs. Hopkins, his adopted mother, and to report to him all of her actions that might lead them to believe that she contem- plated a second marziuge. When this was reported to Mrs. Hopkins she so incensed that she wedded Mr. Edward ries, disinherited Timothy, deprived him of the directorship in the company, and placed Mr. Stillman in the position in his stead. Sub- sequently Mr. and Mrs. Scarles gave Stillman and Habbard power of attorney for life. It is thought that the many mi:lious of dol- lars that have been left by Mrs. Hopkins-Searles to Ler husband will provoke an attempt on the part of ‘limothy to break the will, particularly aS she was over sixty years of age when she married Mr. Searles. While the people of California are to @cer- tain eatent indignant at the faet that the vast widow will go to Mr. Searles ad of being left to circulate in the wes:, where it was accumulated, there is not much sympathy expressed for Limothy. ratory to more in- eral manager, a ler in the White House. qiiler In the White House! Is that our old riend Mel, Of whose delightful daughters, I've heard the peo- ple tel Is that the Puller who has raised a family of girls Of every type of beauty and of every shade of curls!’ Am I to understand The briilian at we are asked to nominate But why discuss his tariff or his monetary views, Or whetner close monopolist or farmer gets his dues? Tm realy to support the man who first this tag unfuris— Protection of our daughters and free coinage of our girls. ‘Think of the possibilities this promise mag disclose, Eight blossoms in the White House, trom the Illy to the rose; A souvenir of years gone by, reminder of the day When pretty Dolly Madison heid uudispated sway. Adieu to solemn Cabinets and inysteries of State, ‘Those moduses vivendi and the seals of Bering Strai Adieu to Hayti, Hippolyte, and Chill Enter the Yankee giris to institute idle dream, ew Tegime. A whirr upon the second floor, the dressmaker, no lout; Hence all this female toggery that’s scattered round abo And in the famons East room, on sofa or on floor, — @ vell, a fan, which was not so fore. ‘The Cabinet has just ad} t = portage journed, the hour is grow. ‘What merry laugh is that which drowns the creak- ing of the gate? ‘What shadowy forms are those which would the secret paths explore? God biess us! it’s the girls and the whole diplo- matic corpal ‘The White House ts resplendent with a brillant food of light, i With Sancing, candy pullings and receptions every ight; ‘The dinners are a poem and no diplomat forgets ‘To come, or dreams of such a thing as sendiug his Tegrets. ‘The President enjoys a life of Inxury and ease; ‘The Benate and We House ‘auine axe dows ‘upon nees; ‘The Tarif law, the Silver bill no party strife But pass both Houses by a neat majority of eight. What, Fuller in the White House, with those girls ‘as running mates! - ee ee New York as doubtful ‘Who stops to ask what parties or what principles ‘are worth G female ¥« America starts in to own the ‘When fomale Young Health and success to you, fair maids, in every cherished plan; May Heaven bestow on each of you the noblest type of man. —Kansas City Star. ——_——_+oe--___ An Amended Amende-Honorable, Duc de Montmorenci—‘Monsieur Barton, what you haf sid of me inze clabhafcastaslur upon ze illustrious nameI bear. Will monsieur apologize?” ‘Mr. Barton (nonchslantly)—“Oh, certainly. Inspeaking as I did nothing was further from my intentions than to cast a slur upon an hon- . that although | ose charming brood redects | “LA REINE LE VEULT.” How the Queen of Great Britain and Ire- land Agrees to Acts of Parliament. ‘From the Queen, It is question time in the house of commons, and ministers are laboriously reading their an- swers to the long list of printed questions on the paper. Presently, with no apparent reason, the outer doors of the chamber, usually wide open, are shut and locked, and the door keeper stands guarding them, peeping through & tiny wicket in the door, as if he expected an inconvertient dun. But no; the doors have only been locked on the same principal that the little boys on the towing path of the Cam shut the gates when they sce an undergraduate approaching in order to have the pleasure of opening them again—for a consideration. What the consideration of the doorkeeper of the house of commons may be is not known to the public, but the very instant that the stranger approaching has made three modest taps on the door the watchful at oper and announces th torian shout of “Black Rod. elderly gentleman in braided uniform who bears this title and the short rod that confers itadvance up thé floor of the house, bowing scrupulously three times in his passage. Arrived at the table he summons “this orable house” in the name cf the crown im mediately to attend at the honse of peers to hear the royal assent given by commission to various bills. Having given his mesange he retires backward, bowing again with the i¢ three bows. Without word all the members rise in their places and the speaker leaves his chair and joins Black Rod, who has been waiting for him at the bar of the house. le by side in brotherly converse they walk off, followed by the sergeant-at-arms and two or three members as representatives of the house, while strongdunged policemen. in the lobby bellow out: “Make way for Black Kod. “Make say for the speaker.” In the house of lords a quaint but not w impressive spectacle awaits me. Through the stained-glass windows of the beautiful chamber the sunlight is «treaming, lighting up the richly- carved woodwork and the decorated ceiling, and making the red benches below seem redder than ever. “Indeed, on the floor of the house red, crimson red, 1s the single note. Row upon row of crimson benches, ail empty, and on the woolsack three silent peers robed in red. At the table, scarcely noticed in the blaze of red, | are three silent clerks in wig and gown; that is all, But by this time the speaker and his com- pations have reached the house of lords and packed themselves in a little pen oppo- site the woolsack and the throne. ‘There tiey stand. patiently or impatiently, throughout the ceremony. The firet business is the reading of the com- mission appointing certain peers to act on be- half of her majesty. The document is very long and very legal ‘The number of peers named to serve on the commission seems le- (ee There is the Prince of Wales and th | Dake of Connaught; there is “the most rever- ened father in God and my well-beloved and councillor.” the Archbishop of Canter- here is the archbishop of York and other nobilities. Finally comes Lord ¥, “lord chancellor of that part of my kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called Great Britain,” and at these words of the read- ing clerk the lord chancellor, hitherto mo- tionless on the woolsuck. raises his three-cor- nered hat in response toa deep bow from the clerk. The next m is the lof Limerick and the clerk bows again and another three- cornered hat is raised by another figure on the woolsack. The same double bow ix repeated at the name of Lord Windsor, the third of the three figures. The document then recites that these numerous commissioners “or any three of them.” shall have power toact for the queen and notify Ler assent io the bills b; parliament—-"-Given at Windsor, by the queen herself, signed with her own hand.” This ends the first stage of the proceedings. The lord chuncellor then immediately, without moving, make a little speech tothe empty benches, which he addressbe as "My Lorda” and calls upon the “‘clerks at the table to pase the bills in the usual manner. The two other clerks now forward and stand one on each side of the table. One reads the titles of the bills, the other announces her majesty's assent. But this bald statement gives but a poor idea of the acted scene, for the bows have Leen altogether omitted. No cere- mony is complete without a bow, and the pass- ing of bills in the house of Jords seems to.an onlooker all bows. The junior clerk, as he takes cach bill from the table, turns’ to the woolsack and makes a profound bow to the commissioners. ising, he reads the title of the bill aud then bows again. As soon as this bow is over the senior clerk on the other wide of the table makes his bow to the wooleack. ‘This bow over, he turns round to the repre- sentatives of ‘the commons penned up under the clock, and ina clear voice pronounces the crucial words, La reine le veult; then turns round again and makes another deep bow to the red-robed peers on the woolsack. All this ceremonial is gone through with every bill, and as the titles of the bills are read itis not easy to avoid a smile at the incon- gruity between the nature of the bill and the antique formality by which it is passed into law. At length the hign pile of bills is die- posed of and the last of the bows has been made. The three figures in red then simulta- neously raise their triangular hats to the faith: ful commons in the pen, and these promptly retire. At the same moment the lords comm: sioners leave the woolsack and vanish through another door. __ The scene is over, but a last touch of comedy is given to the ceremony by the speaker on his return to the house of commons. Immediately | he has taken his seat he rises and says: “I have to inforin the house that this house has been to the house of peers there,” &c. The house, un- moved at the information, proceeds to the next business. ——__<ee—___ ANXIOUS PARENT. His Worriment Was Both Peculiar and In- o tense. From the San Francisco Call. A short, wiry man, with a very red nose and flecks of gray in his whickers, walked through the Corridor of the Palace Hotel yesterday afternoon and halted at the counter to glance at the register. After running over the list of arrivals he looked up at Fred Stanton, whose classic featares beamed with good nature, and d: ‘Are you the clerk?” “Do I look like a chambermaid or a laun- dress?” retorted the genial Fred. “But are you the clerk?” I'm the colored porter.” ‘ow, look here: I didn’t come here to have fun poked at me. I'm looking for a young man named Charles Clayton that came here from ‘Los Gatos yesterday.” “Do you know Mr. Clayton?” “Reckon I ought to, for he’s my son.” Stanton’s face assumed a most scrious ex- pression as he revlied: “Well, Iam sorry to the conveyor of ill tidings, but your son was struck by a cable car last night and se- riously injured. He is now lying at the City and County Hospital in a most precarious con- dition.” You don’t tell me? Happened last night, es. “Leave anything in his room?" Ne even a small package?” No." ‘Didn't leave anything in the office?” je did not.” ‘The red nosed man's head was bowed down for moment as if with grief, and when looked up ne said slowly and thoughtful “Run over by a cable car, eh? Left no 2 ike hi When he Ff et FER tury plant. A towering column rises out of the center plant to the height of sixty fect, is often relegated to ate Her & Lf i Hit i : HH ie: he Hi SHE SETTLED A Feminine Lesson That 4 Young Husband WHI Always ber. From the Chicago Heraid The other evening « fellow was waiting for the suburban gates at the Northwestern depot toopen. He was © respectable married mam from Irving Park, but he had always prided himectt on hie eye for female beauty. He wouldn't have anything to do with really fast women, and always thought of them with a apecics of disgust. But here, at the side of the baggage room door, was a demure [little woman, pretty as a peach and with |a form fairly glorions. He hed missed bie regular train and would have nearly balf en hour to wait. Atanother time he would have gone away and transacted some business in the meantime, but here was an opportunity mot often tobe met. He would “makes mash.” He Walked past her two or three times and con- vinced himself she was willing to pick up a flirtation. Ax he walked past her one time heart gave a great thump, for he, thought she came just to the point of speaking to him. Next time he came along he stopped a trifle behind her and said, low, so that the baggageman could not hear: many a woman with bis eves, but here was the first time he had attempted to complete the outrage. She turned about slowly, met his eves without a tremor and waited. Hi didn't w what todo. ‘The muscles of bis (ace re fused to manufacture a «mile. He was con- scious of a twitching, guilty blush. He strag the cool challenge of w then he started to turn away, for men and women had come clattering and laughing down the iron stairs, and he recog- nized some Irving Park aud Des Plaines peo ple. But he had no time to escape. The pretty girl caught bim and held bim aad nailed his shame upon bim, and she did it withe out for an instant appearing anything other than the Indy she must have been: “Hereafter when you don"t want anything, @ don't say anything. Married men sometimes think themselves irresistible because they ones fooled one good woman.” © clattering, laughing grou; ry the foot of the iron, stairway, cate nae ee lean, almost pitied him in the painful confe sion and then permitted him to escape from | the depot. He waited for the last train home that night and never again attempted to piel, Up an acquaintance with a handsome women. ——o6e- — Natural Philosephy. ‘M. Quad in New York World. I was passing under one of the bridge arches the other day when I aw a big newsboy give @ little newsboy a clip on the nose and ran away. There was « good deal of yelling and shouting, and it was fully five minutes before the iittle chap would dry his tears and stop his cus words and talk the case over from « reasonable standpoint. By end by I made him see that the world was like ® groat fish pond, and that the big fish were continually engaged’ in eating up the smaller fry, and he quietly observed: “If a feller is bigger’n you are, he's going to git away with you? “That's about the size of it.” “And it ain't no use to fight him?” "Cause if you got your gang t and thumped him he'd lay fer you and catch you alone and hammer jim blazes out of you/” jaturally.” see how it is. The biggest licks the smallest?” t superb being and of ‘Yes.’ He got up with a determined look on bis face and went around into North William street, and by the time Thad caught up with him be bad tackled @ kid smaller than hameelf and was role ing him all over the street. The Revenge—A Chinese Drama. From Munsey's Weekly. Jo Lee and Jim Fizz capture and cook some tate. Arelative of the departed swears revenge . 1. With no thought of the disaster in store for them, the energetic laundrymen continue thei? work. — = at -—— - ——_ = 5 Iv. On retiring, they leave the two shirts upem their counter. The rate now get in their fine work.