Evening Star Newspaper, December 9, 1895, Page 13

THE EVENING STAR, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1895—-SIXTEEN PAGES. ot A CHRISTMASTIDE CRISIS BY JUSTIN HUNTLY MoCARTHY, ‘Author of “Doomed,’’ “‘Liiy Lass,"* ‘One Christ- mas Dinner,” ete. (Copyright, 1895, by Bacheller, Johnson & Bacheller.) (Continued from Saturday's Star.) It. SYNOPSIS. Philo Ames, a London clubman, receives @ mysterious ‘note from a lady asking if he could be seen cn the embankment, near Cleopatra’s needle, on Christmas eve. At first he resolves to destroy the note and forget the incident entirely, but a strange impalse impels him to act upon its sugges- tion. On the night and at the time indi- cated he is at the needle and is met by a beautiful woman, who conducts him to a cab which is in waiting. Without definite explanations they enter and are driven away. It was only after the cab was in motion that Ames seemed to realize the peculiarity of his position and the whimsicality, to gay the least, of the whole amazing expedition. ‘With the rapidity that thought permits in monents of extremity, he contrasted two pictures—the one of Philo Aines seated in the comfort of the St. Stephen’s Club, with a delicious memory of green curacoa stimu- lating his fancy and the atmosphere of Amber Pasha’s wonderful cigarettes charm- ing his mind; the other, of Philo Ames on this raw, wind-whipped night, driving in a hansom cab along a course which seemed the very abomination of desolation, by the side of a woman whom he had never seen five minutes before, and who, if she was certainly strangely beautiful, was no less strangely eccentric, and who opened a casual acquaintance by perplexing ques- tions as to the price her companion set upon his life. Philo felt that it was his duty as a more or less reputable citizen to come to some understanding with the di- vine enigma by his side. It was, he assured himself, absurd, and worse than absurd, to be thus drifting about London in the so- ciety of a creature as lovely as a vision, yet who :night be ether a dangerous luna- tic or a no less dangerous decoy. His heated mood fired his tongue to a fantasy that seemed apt to the hour and the woman. “Well, sweet minion of the moon,” he said, with a laugh, “does your driver know the way to the Brocken? Your witchhood might at least have offered me a lift on a broomstick.” ‘The woman had her face turned to him; he could see her quite plainly in the lamplit ab, ana be sezw that her eyes and lips gave “Follow me,” she snid. back- his Iaughter and that if she was lovely in austerity she was yet more lovely in mirth. “This common cab will serve our turn,” she sald, softly, and her voice now sound- ed sweeter with the assurance it seemed to derive from the deneanor of her com- panion. “We shall not fare far tonight.” “May I not at least know whither the wind of your whim will waft cur spirits?” Ames began, in a tone which he intended to be wholly playful, but into which, in spite of himself, he could not help allo ing a suggestion of anxiety to intrude. “To what star do we steer our course?” ‘The woman shook her head. “Surely,” she said, “so loyal a cavalier and so courageous a gentleman as you Is content to follow unquestioning the lady who honors him with her commands?” Her vice suddenly changed, and was al- Most disdainful as she went on. “But if you are not, you have but to say the word and we can part here and now. Stop the cab if you wish. I shall have lost an fllu- sion, and you will have lost one of those opportunities of adventure which you are fabled to desire--perhaps something more. But in life we are always losing illusions and opportunities. Shall I set you down Spurzed by the sneer in her speech, Phi- lo’s fancy galloped out of sight of hesi- tancy, out of sound of the call of prudence. “Let us say no more about it,” he said, coolly. “Lead on, I'll follow. thee. Please corsider that I am your most humble, obe- dient servant to command.” Then she leant her face toward him whiie she whispered her thanks, and he, fascinated by her pallor, and the perfume im her hair, and the madness of the mo- ment, murmured wild words in praise of her beauty, while the cab wheeled swiftly alcng through a blackness that was broken every now and then by the passing flash of a lamp, adlash that showed him for the second more distinctly the mouth and eyes and the smile of his companion. It was like a drive in a dream, and Ames was never afterward able to piece together the threads of that bewildering conversation. Suddenly the cab swung to the left and came to a stop. Ames saw from the ex- pression of the woman's face that they had reached heir destination. He leaped out of the cab and assisted his companion to alight. She instantly ran up a short flight of steps and put a key into a latch. As he turned from watching her movements he saw that the cay had left them, and was driving repidly away up the narrow street in the direction of the Strand. ant Ames looked up at the lady. is all right,” she said. “The cab is paid. Come in.” Am glanced round him He knew that he was in one of the little cluster of closely re- sembling streets that run in parallel lines from the embankment of the Strand, but he could not in the darkness of the night and the confusion of the moment recall the name of the street. He saw that the door which the woman had opened was the door of what looked like a new and large building of flats, chambers and offices, and that {It stood near to the embankment on the right-hand side going toward the Strand. So much he gathered in a glance, then he followed his leader up the steps and through the door, which she held half open, into a large and somewhat dimly lighted hall, on both sides of which Ames saw the long catalogue of names printed in gold upon black grounds, which are, as it were, the finger posts to these human hives The woman closed the door. “Follow me,"’ she said, and began to lead the way up a long flight of stone stairs. Ames followed her without a word, but as he followed her he assured himself almost mechanically that he was not unarmed The ascent was z, up flights 1 foo of those dimly light which the ascending echo gloomily They each with its own fai ridor radiating away into mysterious space, before they came to a stop. His guide turned to the right and walked along a cor- ridor that serined to lead toward the froat of the mansior. F ntly she paused at a door and turned a handle; Ames still follow ing her, found himself first In the small hall of a private flat and then in a draw- ing room which seemed to fling upon his consciousness a sense of somewhat savage wealth as the electric light flooded it at the touch of the woman's hand. “Take off your cout,” she stone tep: 1, and then her door and ound him. The , even Inxur; tality, of the barbarous, which asserted itself w Philo Ames turned to tal Jey it ross a remote ‘was arrested by one tegraphs upon the chimn the face of a woman tint known, the face of a woman le who talked of him, th Iked of her, declared b very well. § ng t membering that frien n.eaning in his presence, In the adventure. He had said many extravagant things to her; she was a woman whose intimacy tempted to extravagance; it was very prob- able, indeed, that he had said some such words to he> as had been repeated to him by his mysterious hostess. Well, if he had he would stand by them now, if only for the old sake’s sake, ne said to himself, as he turned from the familiar face and fol- lowed the line of the little gallery of por- tratts. There were some of his hostess, which failed, 2s photographs always fail, to renew the essence of her beauty; there were several, too, of a man, a big man of black favor, strong, swarthy ard, to Ames’ eye, forbidding. But his study was inter- rupted by the sound.of an opening door, ard he swung around to salute a meta- morphosis. The Lady of the Embankment had shed her street attire; in place of the long,*black cloak and the smaz black hat she wore now a clinging dress, white with the alluring whiteness of th> softest silk and the softest laces, foppishly refined, provocatively negligent, seeming more like a garment slipped on for the iaziness of some last hour before bed after a ball than for any more wideawake moment of the four-and-twenty hours. Philo felt an admiration of her in his heart which must rave betrayed itself in his eye, for she smiled upon him royally. “Well,” she said, “do you still think that I am beautiful?” Philo Ames had only one answer to maxe, and made it. “Indeed I do,” he said. with such absolute sincerity in his voice that the weman’s pale face flushed with the unavoid- able feminine pleasure in praise. Ames was thinking to himself that he had never seen so lovely a God's creature. “Well,” she said, after a pause, In which she stcod before him, daintily defiant, “am.I good enough to die for—at least, am I good enough to risk dying for Again Ames, in the horfesty of his sou!, had but one answer. “Indeed you are,” he affirmed, and the way in which he uttered the common words made them uncommon in_singerity. She gave a laugh, exultant in satisfac- tion. “Ycu will have your chance now,” she said—“here and now.” Even the coolness of Philo’s temper, oven the composure of his carriege, could not prevent him from a start of surprise at this menace of imminent, unseen danger. He looked watchfully at the door of the rcom which the woman had just left. She followed his glance and shook her head. “Listen,” she said. ‘Do you hear a man’s step in the street, a men’s step on the stair; a horrid step that seems to fill the street with its footfall, to shake the ‘air with its tread; a step that makes the listen- er’s heart throb with fear and loathing” Moved by the passion in her voice, Philo, obeying her, listened. “No,” he said, “I hear nothing.” “You will soon,” she cried—“the tread of the man I hate, the man to whom I am beund, the man from whom you will free me.” Philo felt that if he were indeed dealing with a madwoman it were wisest to humor her. “How can I serve you?” he asked, quiet- ly, wondering waat she was going to say next. She pointed to the ciock. “He will be here in a minute or two.” “He! Who?" Philo asked, with a com- pesure which bis pulses belied. “The man, I tell you, the man,” she an- swered. ‘Chat man," ‘and she pointed to the swarthy face in the photograph. “He is my lover, and'I loathe him. He is a madman when he is jealous. When he Is you here he will try to Kill you.” at is very thoughtful of him, and of you,” Ames said, quietly. The woman might be mad or she might not, but, in any case, the adventure was ticklish, and a cool blood the only wisdom. If he kills you,” the woman went on, with her eyes fixed on Philo’s face, “then he is a murderer, and so I am well rid of him. If you kill him, as I hope, then you have acted in self-defense, and are innocent—and 30, too, I am well rid of him.” ‘ou seem to have thought things out very carefully,” seid Ames. “But why did you honor me with your choice of cham- pion?” “Because of your reputation,” she said, with a smile that was half a sneer; “per- haps because of your big boast. Women have done so much for you that it was time you should do something for women.” Philo shrugged his shoulders. ‘You flat- ter me—" he began, but the woman inter rupted him. “Hush,” she said. “I hear a footfall.” Philo, straining his sense of hearing, seemed to catch the faint sound of a dis- tant ascending step on those distant as- cending stairs. He slipped his hani to his hip pocket. and pulled out his pistol. The woman's eyes flashed at his action. “Of course,” he said, “I can only feel flat- tered at the honor you have done me. If your friend attacks ine, as you seem to as- sume—well, as I believe I am considered to be a good shot, and as I believe that I jus- tify the impression, I should Imagine that you will be relieved of your difficulty in about five minute: Even as he spoke the steps came nearer and nearer, and sounded louder and louder in the gaunt loneliness of the place. But Ames’ blood, growing hot with the excite- ment of tne moment, suddenly cooled at the sight of the woman's face. It had grown curiously pale and drawn and wan, and its leok of anxiety touched him with a quick pity. She seemed to be listening as curious- ly as he te the on-coming steps, but with a very different interest. He thought to himseif, trying to translate her expressi that the steps sounded singularly 1: be those of the black-visaged savage whose face grinned on the chimney piece. The steps came close and stopped before the door. There was a moment's silence—and then a ring. The woman remained motionless for a moment, like one under the influence of some ungovernable fear, some unname ble herror. Ther, as if shaking off the letharzy of a dream, she walked to the door and went Into the hall. Philo followed her, with a revolver in his hand. She op2aed the hall door, and Ames mechanically lift- ed his pistol, but lowered it again as his gaze encountered nothing more alarming than a telegraph boy dimiy visible in the faintly-lighted corridor. Before the boy had time to say a name, the woman had caught the message from him, looked at its address and swung the door to. Philo Ames and she were again alone to- gether. Philo could hear the boy whistling and stamping as he went away, but the woman stood still, holding the message in her hands. It was only for a minute, but it seemed an age; then she turned and walked irto the drawing room, Ames making w: for her. She tore the envelope open, read the message, gave a Uttle cry, which she forced fiercely into a laugh as she handed the slip of pink paper to Ames. He read four words ina flash. The four words were: Phil Followed Her With a Revolver in His Hand. Then she snatched the tood in “Go to the devil.” paper from his hands, and the pair silence for a secund, faciag ea other id Philo, slowly, “you seem to be rid of your diificulty.”” She gave a little shiver as she answered: “So it appears Philo swung his fur coat on to bis should- ers and slipped his revolver back into its place. As he stretched out his hand to his hat the woman touched him cn the arm. “You can stay {f you like,” she said, in a veice that was half a provocaticn, half an appeal. Philo looked at the woman's beautiful face, and his heart grew hot; then he glane- ed round the room, and thought what sham- bles it mizht have become if what had not been had been. He took up his hat. “No, thank you,” he said, and he walked slowly out of the room and out of the hall, and drew the door sharply behind him in the dimly-lit corridor. Then, and then only, he suddenly tock a kind of fright, and he ran down the stone stairs in the darkness as if for dear life. He never knew how he got the open; his next act of conscious was to find himself again up- kment, with the cold, wet wind g his forehead. When he awoke the next morning he tried to find the letter, but failed. “I wonder,” he said to himself, “if the whole thing was due to the green curacoa or to eh pasha’s cigarettes, or if it really hap- pened.” But he took no pains to find out. (The end.) —— ADVANCE OF THE INSURGENTS. The Cubans Proceeding Westward in Two Columns. In spite of the reported defeats of Max- imo Gomez and Antonio Maceo by Gen. Suarez Valdez, Gen. Navarro and Gen. Aldecoa, the latter being understood to be in pursuit of the insurgents who were be- lieved to be caught between the columns of troops commanded by these generals and that of Gen. Aldave, it is now stated that Gomez and Maceo, having united their forces, instead of being in flight in the province of Puerto Principe are advancing through the province of Santa Clara. Gen. Aldave, as already cabled, was sald to be in pursuit of the insurgents after they had turned his flank and crossed the line between Ciego de Avila and Moron, in the province of Puerto Principe, on their way to Santa Clara. Maceo and Gomez, it is now stated, have already passed the road from Iguara on the frontier, to Ta- guasco, a little north of Santi Spiritus. These movements of the insurgents throw an entirely different light upon the cam- paign in Cuba, and if correctly reported would indicate that the Spaniards have been unable to prevent the advance of the enemy from the province of Puerto Prin- cipe into the province of Santa Clara, and that the combined armies of Gomez and Maceo are strong enough to enable them to be divided into two corps, which are ad- vancing into the heart of the district where Gen, Campos has made his headquarters, and where about 40,000 Spanish troops are reported to have been assembled. These rapid movements of the insur- gents, which their friends hoped they would accomplish “before the arrival of reinforcements of troops,” now seem to have actually taken place, and, therefore, the rebellion, instead of being broken looks as if it was making rapid progress in spite of the efforts of the Spanish government. This is the situation in a nutshell. The insurgents are advancing in two strong columns through the province of Santa Clara, where it may be said nearly the entire effective Spanish force is concen- trated. Leaders Quintan and Randeras are now with the head of their forces, and they are marching in the direction of the district of Trinidad. Gen. Campos has just finished reviewing the Spanish battalions. He will leave for the province of Santa Clara. — see TO SET UP A REPUBLIC. Proposed Colonization of g Gulf of California Island. A number of Los Angeles, Cal., men have, it is said, received a concession from the Mexican government to the Island of Tiburon, in the Gulf of California. The men are John Bradbury, J. Downey Har- vey, Peter Martin and Walter S. Moore. Tiburon Island is inhabited by the Ceris Indians, a war-iike race, said to be can- nibals, and an expedition is being organ- ized to conquer them and take possession of the island. A company of 300 men is being organized, under the command of Col. I. H. Polk. Each soldier is to receive ) and 100 acres of land after the island is conquered. The money for the expedition is being put up by Col. Bradbury, who inherited a million or so a few years ago. There are only about forty male Ceris Indians, but they are said to be such valiant fighters that the Mexican government despaired of subduing them, and has offered the island to Bradbury and his companions If they would undertake the work. It is the intention of the Tiburon Con- quest Company, as the new corporation is called, to establish a republic of its owh, and have the United States establish a protectorate. It is stated that Mexico has consented to this. One of the objects of the company is to establish a great resort, and lines of steamers will be put on from both Yuma and Guaymas. The climate being delight- ful, the island will soon become one of the noted resorts of the world. It is teeming with game, and this will be protected. In fact, game and games will be imported there. ——--+0+. —__ WHERE CARESSES REIGN. In the Transvanl the Woman Has the Whiphand. Fiom the New York Press. Mrs. Boer may find life in the Transvaal rough and monotonous. She has distinc- tions, though, for she is the most kissed woman on earth. She may be as homely as the proverbial “mud fence,” her voice may rasp like a file and her housekeeping put a Hottentot to the blush; but from the cradle to the grave she is kissed—kiss- ed by her great-grandiather and great- grandmother, by her grandfather and grandinother, and by her parents, . of course. She is kissed by her granduncleg and aunts, by her cousins, male and fe- male, to the last degree of kinship. She is kissed by the relatives of the above and by their relatives. Her brothers and brothers-in-law, her sisters and sisters-in- Jaw and ail her relatives and female friends residing long or short under her roof kiss her repeatedly every day. She is naturally fiattered by this deli- cate attention, and turns it to good ac- count, for she ruies her “man” kind with a rod of iron. They do not know it, how- ever, nor does she suspect it. All of them would take oath that the exact reverse was the case. Ask her to speak in church or on a platform anywhere and she would imagine you to be crazy. ‘That is a man’s busin * she would say. — Nevertheless Mrs. Boer would see that her “man” or son would say in church or on a platform just exactly what she wished said. Wo- man’s rights as understood by the Ameri- can woman would be utterly incompre- hensible to the Boer woman, were they ever so clearly explained. Her husband might be able to see it quicker than she, for his privileges are more limited. Whether he is poor or rich, he dares not dispose of an article no larger than a tenpenny nail unless he consults with her. He would not even think of go- ing out to herd sheep unless he had her approval. Her sons tare no better. Even marriage does not give them liberty. She commands her married son of fifty in the same way that she did when he was five. He obeys and kisses her just as childlike. She calls her husband by his Christian name to her friends. ‘To others she speaks of him as “the baas.” Ask her if he is her “baas.” “No; he is her “man.” “What white woman,” she asks you, “ever had a master? Do you take me for a Kaf- fir woman? +o-+-——_—____ Mrs. Darling Will Retire. Mrs. Florence Adams Darling, the found- er and organizer general of the national society, Daughters of the Revolution, will retire from the active direction of the 1776 societies after the annual meeting, which will be held next month. In a recent in- terview Mrs. Darling sald she was in favor of the state organizations and against the proposed policy of centralization. She ob- Jected to the Washington headquarters relegating the state regents to the rear. In conclusion she announced that she would favor a unton of Sons and Daugh- ters of 1776. ——__-++ The Proposed Pacific Cable. A meeting was held Saturday at the of- fice of the Central and Southern Telegraph Company In New York for the purpose of furthering the organization of the Pacific Cable Company. This company will be in- dependent of the Mexican and Central and South American telegraph companies in its organization, but they will hold relations which will mutually be advantageous. The projected cable will connect San Francisco with the proposed American naval station at Pearl River harbor, in the Sandwich Islands, Japan, China, Australia and In- dia. A committee on plan apf scope was appointe oe Senator Allen Likely to Be Selected. Chairman Bozelle of the people’s party state executive committee {s making ar- rangements for hotel accommodations for delegates to the national convention of that party to be held at St. Louls. Mr. Bozelle stated that Senator W. M. Allen of Ne- braska will likely be nominated for Presi- dent and the Omaha platform readopted. & File. Main Branches: df 99 “smart set patronize The Yale Laundry ===because they want the best work, and nothing but the best work Because we always deliver their bundle on the day promised because we always finish their laun- dry with a smooth, neat polish that does not collect the dirt and dye from -because we guarantee not to fade their colored shirts= we are responsible for all losses by fire or otherwise---because we use only filtered artesian well water--- because we use the best quality of Let your if for only aweek. You will never patronize any other laun- dry after once trying us. will do. the coat: nonpareil tallow wash come soap. postal and our wagons will call. F. H. Phone 1092. MALE WALKER & CO., =because Drop a 514 toth Street, 1104 14th Street. Plant, 43 G Street N.W. AFRICAN MINES SURPASSED. Ex-Gov. Grant Discusses the Cripple Creek Gold Discoveries. Ex-Goy. James B. Grant of Omaha and Grant Smelter, who has just returned from a tour of inspection among the mining camps of Colorado,’says that all are pros- pering. “I am compelled to believe tnat the future of Cripple Creek,” he sald, “far surpasses the wildest anticipations of those who had the greatest hope for Leadville. Cripple Creek will produce more gold in the next twenty years than any canip ever known. Leadville has produced over $1i,- 000,000 in the last seventeen years. When they have been mining seventeen years at Cripple Creek it is safe to say that the camp will have produced over $500,000,000, There seems to be a general impre: that values at Crivpie Creek are coni to small seams of porphyry. The fact is that in a great many cases there are great just as well detined as any lodes in the San Juan country. As to Leadville, I look for a constantly increasing supply of ore there.” Speaking of South African mines, the governor had no hesitation in saying that ine mines in Cripple Creek region will soon excel them in the money vaiue and actual tonnage. et_me give you my reasons for this belie he said. “The mines of South Africa now average about $3,000,000 per month. But their ores are all very low grades, Out of the October yield, the aver- age mill runs were but $7.50 per ton, and from the tailings $3.30 per ton more was taken. This shows the African ores ave! aging scarcely more than $11 per ton. Now such ores in Cripple Creek are all thrown on the dump. Indeed, anything less than $20 ores are thrown on the dump. The quantity of low-grade ore—from $20 to $2 per ton--are practically without limits. ‘The ores on the ‘Rand,’ which the English mine operators call the African country, can’t compare with the quantity of Cripple Creek's low grade, and its low grades ex- ceed the money value of the average of all the ores of the African country, and the Cripple Creek low grades will be worked us cheaply and effectively after a while as are the ores of Africa. On the Rand they have fifty cyanide mills at work— here we have hardly any. When the cya- nide and chlorination mills are erected in the Cripple Creek country as plentifully as they are on the Rand, you may look for the largest annual product from the Cripple Creek country that history records from any other camp in all previous times.” a THE SON_ IS (SUSPECTED. pees A Biddeford, Me., Carpenter Found in His Bed Murdered. The dead body ‘of James M. Hurd, a car- penter of Biddeford, Me., was found in ted at his home; 7 Oak street, at about 7 o'clock Saturdaymorning. A deep hole in the left temple, and, a gash completely across his throat in@icated murder, and the dead man’s son, Fred, twenty-five years old, has been arrested.on suspicion of hay- ing committed the erime. The young man is thought to have acted under the im- pulse of insanity, as he has on several oc- casions, it is sald, shown signs of mental derangement. ‘The body was found by young Hurd, who, with his parents, were the only oc- cupants of the house. The son at once notified the coroner and also reported the facts to the police, saying that his father had been murdered, On searching the house, the officers found a bloody razor and several bloodstains in different parts of young Hurd’s room, and from other evidence it was considered advisable to place him under arrest. +2. The Matter of Reassessment. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. HAGERSTOWN, Md., December 9.— Judge Edward Stake of the circuit court has addressed an open letter to Governor- elect Lowndes on the question of reassess- ment and taxation as viewed from a farm- er’s standpoint. He presents many sta- Ustics fortifying his position, which is one making radical changes, and which 1s likely to cause much discussion through- out the state, and have a bearing on form- ing legislation when the general assembly meets. SEVERE GALES ABROAD. Many Wrecks on the British Channel and North Sea. Exceptionally heavy weather which has prevailed during the past week over the British Isles continues. There have been numberless small wrecks reported and con- siderable damage has been done to ship- ping, but the loss of life has bgen small. The lightship at the mouth of the river Dee was blown away this morning with ner crew of five men. ‘The telegraph lines in the northern part of the country have been damaged and communication 1s interrupted. The gale is very violent over the North sea, and it is feared that the number of wrecks will be considerably added to. A dispatch from Antwerp says that traf- fic in the streets of that city has been stopped and that navigation of the Scheldt is Impossible. The Red Star line steamer Friesland w: howev able to leave for New York. Several ships were ashore on the Dutch ccast, and the German bark Libertas, from Kotka, has been wrecked near Nieuwediep. Only two of her crew were saved, the remainder being drowned after the bark was driven ashore, where she soon became a total loss. The bodies of four members of her crew have been washed ashore. Sea TO INDUCE A RETRACTION.” Efforts to Persuade Barbara Aub to Sign a Statement. Warden Fallon of the New York Tombs is reported as saying that two persous known to represent newspapers had offered Bar- bara Aub, who recently confessed the falsity of charges against Langerman of assault, $500 and $300, respectively, if she weuld furnish them with a signed state- rent. Warden Fallon says that he was ir formed of the offer made to the girl by Larbara. She said that after the proposi- ton had been made she refused to con- sider it. Continuing, Warden Fallon sald: “I understood from what the girl told me that the reporters who made the offer de- sired to obtain from her a confession that would contradict the confession she has made. Just what purpose a confession of the kind I understood was wanted could serve, I cannot imagine. At any rate, the girl refused the proposition, and she did right. I will not give the names of the papers that made the offer, but I will say that only two reporters have had long talks with the girl, and they were women. Two male reporters had short conversa- tions with her yesterda: a Money in Dreams. From the Atlanta Constitution. Here is “a strange true tale,” with the scene in Georgia, near the flourishing town of Cevington: A few years ago a negro woman living near Covington lost a son by death. A week or so ago the woman had a dream in which the son appeared to her and told her that if she would go to a certain corner of the house and dig she would find a flat rock, underneath which she would find a lot of silver money. The woman awoke and was so much wrought up over the vision that she aroused some of the family and went at once to the designated spot and began to dig. Soon the flat rock was reached and removed with trembling hards and high expectation. A small box was revealed. This was taken out and opened, and, to the wonder and astonishment of all present, it contained thirty silver dollars. a Highest Railway in the World. Mr. James R. Maxwell, in the Engineer- ing Magazine, writes that the Central rail- way of Peru reaches the highest altitude of any railway in the world. It crosses the Andes at an altitude of 15,666 feet above sea level, and two other summits on the southern system of the Peruvian railways reach altitudes above 14,200 feet. These toads were built by the Peruvian govern- ment for the development of the country and for military purposes, and the routes and standards of gauges, etc., were fixed ac- cordingly. The maximum grade is 4 per cent, compensated on curves of less than 1,968 feet radius, and the minimum radius allowed was 393.6 feet, SECRET SILVER PARTY. The Patriots of America Hope to Have the Balance of Power. The free silver leaders of the country have arranged for the marshaling of their forces in a secret pol:tical orier or society, which will be incorporated under Illinois laws In a few days. They hope to control the election of 1896, and to dictate terms to one or both of the great parties. The new order is to be known as the “Patriots of America,” and will have as its main ob- ject the restoration of the free coinage of silver at a 16 to 1 ratio. It owes Its origin to W. H. Harvey, author of “Coin’s Finan- cial School,” and is also backed by the Na- tional Bimetallic League, the western mine owners and the friends and advocates of free silver generally. Last summer a free silver bureau was established in Chicago, backed by western capitalists, with ex-Representative H. F. Bartine of Nevada ard E. B. Light, a well-known western man, in charge. Un- der their direction the National Bimetallic League was organized, and they also began the publication of a weekly paper, the Na- tional Bimetallist. A canvass was made of every county In the United States, except those In New England, and thousands of letters went out from Chicago to leading men of all parties who it was thought could be “trusted.” The letter in question read as follow: “Dear Sir: We wish to know the name of one reliable, zealous, patriotic man in each county in your state in hearty sympathy with our cause, with whom Mr. Harvey wishes to communicate at once concerning the organization of our forces. While you may not be able to furnish us all the names desired, yet please make the list as com- plete as you can, and we will push the in- quiry through others. Give the name of no one who is not reliable and earnestly attached to our cause, We do not want the name of any one who is a partisan, or who is likely to follow his party, should it go wrong on this question. The names we do want are those who would bolt their party In case it declared in favor of the present financial policy of the government, or equivocated on the subject.” These letters were sent out in September and elicited replies from every part of the country. ‘The free silver champions propose, through the order, to establish a permanent organi- zation in every county in the Unitad States, with members pledged to support only the party and candidates known to be unal- terably in favor of the restoration of free silver coinage at the 16 to 1 ratio. Over 1,000 local organizations, represent- ing every section of the country, are ready to receive their charters the first of the year, and will obtain the ritual and other working material from the Chicago head- quarters. If it is found tmpossible to swing either of the great partles into line for free sil- ver, the present plans call for a national conference of silver men early in the sum- iner of '96, and the nomination of a sepa- rate ticket for the presidential campaign. —__—_+0-+______ Trying the Texas’ Machinery. The battleship Texas made a run of a few hours’ duration Saturday to test her ma- chinery. She went ten miles beyond the Scotland lightship and returned, arriving off Tompkinsville at 4:30 p.m. For nearly one hour she ran under full steam, and made 15.9 knots per hour. The machinery worked admirably during the run, so one of the officers satd. He as- serted that not a defect was discovered. It will take a few more preliminary runs to get everything in order. For this purpose the Texas will make three or four short runs during this week, and at the end of as many as may be required Capt. Glass, her commander, will report to the Navy Department that his ship is ready for serv- ice. Then she will be ordered upon her trial run to test her horse power and her capabilities as a battleship. Never Asked for the Refugees. The Independance Belge of Brussels denies the statement, published in New York, that United States Minister Ewing has informed the government at Washington that Bel- gium refuses to grant the extradition of Russell, Killoran and Allen, the men al- leged to be the post office thieves wh caped from Ludlow street jail, New on July 4 last. The Independance never been demanded by the United Stat adds that tho extradition of these men ha-~ FLAMES IN THE ASSAY OFFICE. Firemen Were Admitted With Re- luetance. ‘There was a great commotion in the assay office in Wall street, New York, last week. The journal of an engine in the deposit melt- ing room, where $2,400,000 in gold bars was being arranged for shipment, became over: heated and the oil ignited. The flame fol- lowed the ofl train along the point of the machinery to the ceiling. Great volumes of black smoke quickly filled all the rooms of the building. Outside, on the Wall street side, came a great kicking at the doors. It was a policeman trying to get in. An offi- cial opened the door about an inch and then slammed the door in the policeman’s face. The policeman ran to a fire box and turned in an alarm, and in a few moments two en- gines rattled up to the corner. ‘The firemen, axes in hand, made an on- siaught on the iron doors, but they were re- fused admission, They insisted, and finally fifteen were allowed to enter. Mr. Crossa, chief clerk, said that the only danger was that the fire might have ex- tended to the assay room over the deposit os waa hang wena. | was old, and imbers ve: 5 mseqi highly inflammaple. muiatsss The damage will not amount to over $100. = of it was done to the belting and wood- ‘There is a sum amounting to nearly $20,- 000,000 in the vaults in the assay office, $400,- 000 of which is in silver. The shipment of $2,400,000 will not be delayed. The assay ae is in a building that was erected in ——_-+ e+ —___ LARGE AND SMALL FARMERS, California Ranches to Be Divided Inte Tenanted Holdings. From the San Francisco Chronicle. A syndicate has been formed to purchase and place on the market over a dozen of the largest and most valuable ranches in north- ern California. All arrangements for clos- ing the deal have been perfected, and with- In a few days all the papers required to bind the holders of the vast tracts of land to the terms of the transfer will be drawn up and signed. From present indications the syndicate will close with 153,000 acres, though it is probable that an additional 10,- 000 of the Cone ranch may be admitted into the deal. All this property, which is now owned and cultivated by a few wealthy men, will be cut up into small ranches of twenty and forty acres and be improved with dwellings and outhouses. When the vast acreage of the syndicate land is taken into consideration, and the fact that the land has a frontage of seventy-four miles on the west bank of the Sacramento, besides a large frontage on the east bank, the co- lossal extent of the big land deal will be readily apparent. GEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA DEAD. The Well-Known War Correspondent Passes Away. George Augustus Sala, the journalist, is dead. Mr. Sala was born in London in 1828. He founded and wag the first editor of the Temple Bar Magazine. He visited the United States in 1863 as special correspond- ent for the Daily Telegraph, and in the lat- ter part of 1864 publisbed the result of his observations, under the title of “America in the Midst of War. He was war correspondent for the same paper in France in 1870, witnessing the fall of the empire, in Paris, on September 4. He afterward went to Rome to record the entry of the Italian army Into the-eternal city, and in January, 1875, he visited Spain on the occasion of the entry of Alphonso XIL visited Russia in December, 1876, as 8} correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, subsequently traversed the empire to ob serve the mobilization of the Russian then in progress. Mr. Sala started a wean? paper in May, 1892, entitled Sala’s Jor but discontinued the publication of it. niidren, es, Tavors, &e de0-8i*