Evening Star Newspaper, January 11, 1896, Page 16

16 ‘THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 1896-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES, STORIES OF LINCOLN Some Incidents in the Life Here of the War President. TAD AND. THE. MINSTREL SHOW Mistake Made in Judging a Man by His Appearance. A KINDLY NATURE ee (Copyright, 1896, by S. S. McClure, Limited.) MONG MR. LIN- coln's warmest friends was num- bered the Hon. John S. Wilson, who oceu- pied the position of land commissioner of the Illinois Central raHroad just previous to the war. Mr. Wil- son had served one term, at least, with Mr. Lincoln, as a member of the Illi- nois legislature, and had learned to love him. Soon after the in- auguration, in 1861, Mr. Wilson began to hear that Lincoln, as President, continued on every occasion to tell stories, many of which were scarcely such as could be ap- proved in good society. These rumors filled Mr. Wilson with horror, and he went to Wasliington, determined to reform Lis old friend. Mr. Wilson was cordially Yeceived at the White House, but lost no time in stat- ing his mission in the most forcible language he could command. To the writer Mr. Wil- son related the result of his visit. Said he: *[ gave,Mr. Lincoln a terrible scoring. I told him that any man who would tel! such stories as he was telling was unfitted to fill the high position of President.” “How did he take it?” I asked. “He got mad,” was the reply. “He even went so far as to tell me that were it not for that high positton he would not allow me to talk to him in that way, or, if I did, he would whip me or I should whip him.” Mr. Wilson told several of his friends of Bis experience at the White House. A few Looking Over the Soldier's Papers. @ays later Mr. Linco!n sent Wilson's neme to the Senate for confirmation as third audi- tor of the treasury, much to the surprise of those who knew of his mission and its re- sult. Some of the aspirants to tke posi visited-Mr. Lincoln and told him what son had said about him. I hear coln’s answer. “I know he has me seandalously,” said the President. even had the effrontery to come here and tell me to my face that I was unfit to fill the position I occupied, because of the pot house stories I was in the habit of telling.” “And yet,” said one of the listeners, have appointed him third auditor of treasury.” “What has that got to do with his appoint- ment?" asked Mr. Lincoln, with a quizzical look. “I wanted an honest and capable man for third auditor, and I knew John Wilson was that; our personal spats had nothing to do with his appointment.” Helping a Soldier. In company with a gentleman who was employed in the office of Major Taylor, pay- master for discharged soldiers, I was on the way to the War Department one day. Our way led through a small park between the White House and the War Department building. As we entered this park we Foticed Mr. Lincoln just ahead of us. Just ahead of him was a private soldier on crutches, who was evidently in a violent passion, as be was swearing in a high key, “you the ministration caused much uneasiness among the old employes of the government. Among those who were notified that their services were no longer needed, early in 1862, was an office mate of mine who had recéived ‘his appointment from New York so many years before that he felt himseif unfitted for any other than the routine business to which he had become accus- tomed. This gentleman had a son just Tad Lincoln's age, ard the two boys had be- come not only acquaintances but warm friends. A few days after the man’s removal the son and mother visited the White House grounds to take a last look at familiar scenes tefore leaving for New York. While there Tad Lincoln joined them, and was told that they were making a farewell visit to the grounds. Tad inquired why and was informed, when, seizing his young friend by the hand, he led him away and into his father's presence. There he made what mnust have been an eloquent plea, since it proved successful, for the restoration of his companion’s father to his old position. Mr. Lincein sent the boys for the wife of the ex-clerk, and after questioning her kindly, gave her a note to be delivered by her husband to the Secretary of the In- terior, which resulted in reappointment. Learning From a Clothing Merchant. Wonder has often been expressed how Mr. Lincoln, a man who had few oppor- tunities for education, became possessed of such a wide range of knowledge and so vast a fund of information on subjects ob- scure to most men, as he undoubtedly had. The following incident will throw some light on his method of acquiring knowledge: In the winter of i86U-61, after the elec- tion, Springfield, Il., became a political Mecca. Men visited the President-elect on all kinds of errands and many from mere idle curiosity. Among the latter class I personally remember one I met on a train en route from Peoria to Springfield, who announced himself to be a wholesale cloth- ing merchant from Philadelphia. On learn- ing that I knew Mr. Lincoln and was on my way to Springfield, he asked me to in- troduce him, as he wanted to see what “Old Abe” looked like. Gn arriving at Spring- field, I complied with the request. Mr. Lincoin received the merchant with bis usual good nature, and learning the man’s business at once began conversation on the clothing trade, during which, by skillfully leading the conversation, he elic- ited a great deal of technical information. After the interview was ended and we had left the room, the clothier expressed his surprise by saying, “Why, Mr. Lincoln knows us much «about the clothing busi- ness as I do. Where in the world could he have learned it?” Afterward, in conversation with Mr. Lincoln, I repeated this remark. A merry twinkle came into the eye of the President- elect, as he said: “I was at school to the clothter. Most of the education I have i have learned from men who supposed they were learning from me.” “Tad's” Minstrel Show. Among the men who always had easy access to the White House was Col. John M. Farnsworth, formerly member of Con- gress from the Galena district of Illinois, but at the time of this occurrence colonel of the eighth volunteer cavalry and after- ward brigadier general. I met the colonel one evening and he invited me to accom- pany him to the White House. On arriv- ing there we were shown into the executive office, which was located in a room on the second floor to the .eit and nearly facing the main stairway. On entering we found the room empty, but the presence of Mr. Lincoin’s cane’ and spectacles led us to in- fer that he would soon return. While wait- ing we heard the sound of music, and, look- ing out into the corridor, Col. Farnsworth called to me to look also. The music came from a room near the further end of the corridor, at the door of which Mr. Lincoln stood, evidently listening intently. We walked down the corridor toward him. As we approached he observed us and mo- tioned us to be silent. We soon ‘overed, through the door, which was slightly ajar, several soldiers dressed as negro minstrels with banjos and a violin who were giving a genuine ante-bellum negro minstrel show with “Tad” Lincoln for sole audience. Some slight noise at the door attracted Tad’s attention that way and rising he hastily closed the door with the merry re- mark, “Now, dad, no peeping.” Mr. Lin- coln laughed heartily and explained to us that some of the soldiers on duty as guards at the White House were formerly mem- bers of the old Christy minstrels troupe, with whom “Tad” had made friends and whom he induced occasionally to rehearse for his private benefit. The President add- ed that he had rather see a good negro show than a French opera at any time. Continuing the conversation, he said: “Farnsworth, some of my friends are much shocked at what I suppose they consider my low tastes in constantly indulging in stories, some of which I suppose are not jest as nice as they might be, but I'll tell you the truth when I say that a funny story, if it has the element of genuine wit in its composition, has the same effect on me that I suppose a good square drink of whisky has on an old toper; it puts new life into me. The fact is I have always be- lieved that a good laugh was good for both the mental and physical digestion.” A Former “Side Partner.” Among those who visited Washington on the occasion of Mr. Lincoln's first’ inaugu- ration was Albert Brooks of Petersburg, Ill., who had been a “side partner” of his, it being a custom among the old lawyers of that period to form special partnerships with young practitioners in small towns, dividing with them the fees in such cases as they secured. Mr. Brooks was a small, inferior looking man with a decided cast in one eye, but was possessed of considerable TAD PLEADNG FOR HIS FRIEND. cursing the government from the President down. Mr. Lincoln paused as he met the frate soldier and asked him what was the matter. “Matter enough,” was the reply. “T want my money! I have been discharged here and I can’t get my pay.” Mr. Lincoln asked if he had his papers, saying that he used to practice law in a small way and pos- sibly he could help him. My friend and I stepped behind some nearby shrubbery, where we could watch the result. Mr. Lin- coln took the papers from the hands of the crippled soldier, and sat down with him at the foot of a convenient tree, where he ex- amined them carefully, and, writing a tine on the back, told the soldier to take them to Mr. Potts, chief clerk of -the War Depart- ment, who would doubtless attend to the matter at once. After the President had left the soldier we stepped out and asked him if he knew who he had been talking with. “Some ugly old fellow who pretends to be @ lawyer.” was the reply. My ceompanicn asked to see the papers, and on their being handed to him, pointed to the indorsement they had received. This indorsement read: “Mr. Potts, attend to this man’s case at once and see that he gets his pay. A. L.” The initials were too familiar with men im position to know them: to be ignored. We went with the soldier, who had ju: returned from Libby prison and been given @ hospital certificate for discharge, to see Mr. Potts, and before the paymaster office was closed for the day the had received his discharge and cl the money due him. He was delighted to think his meeting with the President had saved the circumlocution often incident to such cases and given him an opportunity to see Mr. Lincoln, but full of sorrow be- cause of the hasty language used in his presence. On Behalf of a Clerk. The advent of the first republican ad- legal ability. Mr. Lincoln gave Brooks, soon after his inauguration, a note to Mr. C. B. Smith, Secretary of the Interior, ask- ing him to appoint him (Brooks) to a cer- tain position in the Interior Department. Brooks delivered the rote, but met with a cool reception. Days passed into weeks, but the appointment did not materialize. Tired of waiting, Brooks called on Mr. Lin- coln and related his desire. Mr. Lincoln expressed his surprise that the appointment had not been made and pro: ed to look in- to the matter. Soon after, Mr. Smith called on the President and was asked why Mr. Brooks had not been appointed. Mr. Smith Fimself told Brooks afterward in the pres- enee of the writer the conversations that followed. “Ww said Smith, “that man is not f filling so important a position as that place requires the service of ye jong have you known Brook d Mr. Lincoin. “I never have kno was the reply, “but the looks of t! S sufficient evidence of his incapac ty." Smith said Mr. Lincoln rose from his chair and replied: “I have known Albert Brooks twenty years, and I know him to be capable of filling any position in the Interior De- partment from Secretary down. Appoint aim to the position he seeks or I may find occasion to appoint him Secretary of the Interior.” It is needless to add that the appoint- ment was made, and, after Smith learned © know how capable he was, Brooks and he becam> warm friends. A. M. SWAN. —— Other Opinions Not Required. From the Southbridge (Mass.) Journal. Mr. Wyndham—“Do you like the young man who is paying attention to your daughter Mary?" Mr. Warrington—“What difference does that make? Mary does.” INDIAN JUGGLERS Feats of Magic as Performed by American Aborigines. CONJORING PLANTS COT OF THEGROOND Fire Jugglers and the Mystery of a Wigwam Seance. THE CHARMED BULLET ———— HE MYSTERY MEN of certain aboriginal tribes in this country are amazing jug- glers,” said Dr. W. J. Hoffman, the govern- ment ethnologist, re- cently. “Some of the feats of magic they perform are equal to any of those said to be executed by the yogis of India. Judg- ing from travelers’ stories, the most re- markable thing done by those oriental fakirs is the making of a plant to grow out of the ground. But there are sorcerers among our Indians who are able to dupli- eate this trick. A number of them will gather in a circle closely, with their heads bowed together, so as to shut out the view from without. Presently, after going through some monkey business, they separ- ate, and lo! there is a century plant grow- ing on the prairie, where previously noth- ing was to be seen—a plant apparently of a dozen years’ growth and two or three feet high. How is it done, you ask? I haven't the slightest notion. “On one occasion Lewis Cass went to Mackinaw, Mich., for the purpose of repre- senting the government in a conference with the Indians there. After the official ceremonies there ‘was a big medicine feast. Tris latter performance was witnessed by Mr. Cass, who took notice incidentally of a weman looking on—a visitor like himself. She was a full-blood Chippewa, and in her hand she had an old and dried-up bag of stake skin. She spoke English well, and, in reponse to a question, she said that the bag contained certain charms and articles of magical value. Mr. Cass laughed at her, and she became very angry. She threw the tag upon the ground, and, being transform- ed into a snake, it chased the derisive statesman, who was obliged to take to his heels. A minute later the serpent return- ed to the woman and became a bag agai That is the story Mr. Cass told; you may take it for what it is worth. “Christian missionaries have found the Indian magic a serious obstacle to their evangelizing efforts. Sorcery is intimately associated with the aboriginal worship, and the savages, after astonishing the priests with their tricks, laugh at them, saying: ‘Your religion can't do such things.” I happen to know of the case of a Jésuit priest, who some years ago went to work among the Arapahoes and Cheyennes, west of the Mississippi. They did things which, he declared, were entirely beyond his un- derstanding. The mystery men would go out on the bare, sandy prairie, where there was not a sprig of vegetation, and, after some chanting and various performances, grass would come up out of the ground— quite a patch of it, green and growing. He himself saw it grow, and there could be no doubt about it. He Took Fatal Chances. “The bravest act I have ever known was performed by one of these Indian jugglers. A favorite trick of his was one that has often been perforrred by white magicians. It consisted in permitting hiraself to be shot at, the hocus-pocus being an arrange- ment by which the bullet fell out of the barrel into a cavity in the stock of the weapon before the latter was discharged. Meanwhile he had another bullet concealed in his mouth, which at the instant of fir- ing he pushed outward with his tongue, so as to make it appear that he had caught the projectile between his teeth. Now, it happened that this man had a rival, who was engaged in the conjuring business in a neighboring village. On an _ occasion | juggler announcing, as usual, that he was ready to be shot at by any one present, the rival .stepped forward and said that he would do the shooting. But he demanded permission to use his own weapon. “Naturally, the juggler objected, but his protest was overruled. It was decided that the rival magician might use his own weap- on. This meant almost sure death to the perférmer; yet, he did not blanch. To re- fuse the test would have been permanent disgrace. There was one chance out of a hundred, perhaps, that the marksman might miss. He decided to take that chance, and so permitted the volunteer executioner to take deliberate aim and fire at him from a distance of half a dozen paces. An instant later he fell dead; the bullet had passed through his brain. “In some tribes of Indians it used to be the rule that a sorcerer who failed three times must pay the penalty of death. That regulation has been remarkably wide- spread among the savages. I understand it to have, beer accepted as far south as Pata- genia on this continent, and undoubtedly it survives to this day in parts of Africa and elsewhere. But there was an ingeni- ous magician of my acquaintance who saved himself from this fate by a little device of his contriving. Being permitted to furnish the bullet with which he was to be shot, he made one in a mold in which @ piece of paper was inserted in such a manner that the ball was cast in two hem- ispheres. These he put together, causing them to hold by rubbing the edges with his knife blade. In this way at the same time the decepticn was concealed. On being fired from the gun, the bullet flew in kalves, which, being of such a shape, scat- tered and left the man untouched. By this means he escaped on several occasions the penalty which cught to befall the wizard who is a failure. Finally, however, he was found out and executed. Some Ingenious Deceptions. “I once saw an interesting trick per- formed inside of a ceremonial wigwam. There was a lot of dancing and mummery, in the midst of which a woman came for- ward and struck the ground in the middle of the lodge. Then a mystery man took his turn, and began scratching with a stick on the spot which the woman had struck. In a minute or two were exposed to view the leaves of a full-grown wild turnip. The vegetable was dug up and thrown among the spectators, to show that there was no deception and to quell the appetite of the hungry public. Scratching some more with his stick, the magician produced several more turnips—two or three dozen of them. It was really wonderful. I should have been more astonished, however, if, being an initiated member of the secret society, I had not been present in the morning and seen the woman bury the turnips. “In the Menomoni tribe today there is a juggler of great reputation. One of his best tricks is done with a bear’s claw and a small disk-shaped pocket mirror. He takes the mirror in one hand and the bear’s claw in the other. Then, swaying his body from side to side, and keeping up a monotonous chanting, he brings the claw nearer to the mirror, until finally there is contact between the two, and the claw stands upon its point upright on the mir- Pr: ly, by a sudden movement, ticle of ordinary spruce gum does whole business. The Rope-Tying Trick. “The late Garrick Mallery of the bureau of ethnology once told me of something quite unaccountable which he witnessed at White Earth in 1860. There was present a Iamous mystery man, who made a bet with the local government agent that the laiter could not tie him with ropes in such a manner that he would not be able to dis- engage himself off-hand. The agent, as- sisted by Mallery and other white men, tied the Indian up in the most elaborate fashion, and put him inside of a conical wigwam in the middle of an open space. Nobody else was permitted to come near him. As quickly as they had withdrawn, tremendous thumping sounds were heard the when the trick was to be performed, the from the hut, side, as if it hich swayed from side to torn to pieces. utes later the Indian house several they would fi white men was found the ropes, cated knots opened the wizard smol ith all of the compli- tied, The tying committee then, and found the 4 pipe, with his black magic stone hig lap. Neither pipe nor stone had oes nere previously. - The head priest of the Wizards’ society, having heard of this igh ition, sent word that he would be killed’ if He repeated such a per- formance fol vidently, it was deemed improper .' t religious business of that sort should, be thus prostituted. “The Wabeno t has a great reputa- tion for certain ds of juggling. These Indians are call by others the Players with Fire. They ‘perform many horrible ceremonies at night in which fire is con- cerned. They handle fire and walk through it. It is said that they can cause flames to issue from their ears, mouths and nostrils. It is a common belief that they are able to transform themselves in- to animals with fiery eyes. One trick which they really perform seems fairly unaccountable. A Wabeno mystery man seats himself in his lodge, while the young men surround it entirely with a ring of brightly blazing fire. “At the same time an empty lodge at a distance of fifty paces will be encircled with fire in like manner. Both lodges are closed tightly, all the people in the village looking on intently, and yet, after the space of a few moments, the magician, the faggots having been kicked away, is discovered calmly sitting in what was be- fore the empty lodge, while the one which he previously occupied is left vacant. Mystery of the Snakes. “Belonging to a tribe with which I had acquaintance was a no-account indian, generally despised by his fellow redskina, who always carried about with him a medicine bag made of an old duckskin. On one occasion—so the story was told to me—he joined a fishing party. While they were off on the expedition several boat loads of hostile savages appeared. They tried to escape, but their foes could pad- dle faster, and apparently they had no chance to get away. The pursuers came on so swiftly that the pursued were de- moralized. One‘of the latter remarked to the no-account Indian: ‘If, your duckskin is any good, make medicine with it now, and make it quick.’ In response, the owner of the duckskin bag held it in the water, and at once the speed of the boat increas- ed so much that the hunting party es- caped. Scemingly, the spirit of the duck operated after the manner of a paddle wheel and pushed the craft along. “I was much mystified on one occasion by a trick that I saw performed in a big medicine lodge. In the course of a long ceremonial an Indian took a bag about the size cf a large hardkerchief and manipu- lated it in sich a manner as to show that it contained nothing. Then he danced around the lodge slowly, holding the bag between his fingers by the upper corners. Presently the heads of two snakes appear- ed from the mouth of the bag, and about a foot of the length of each snake became ‘ible. But it ehanced that the juggler in his dancing passed by the open door of the lecge, and then I understood the fake. The ght shining through the bag showed that it contained ne snakes. What had appear- ed from the bag was merely the stuffed heads and bodies for a short length of a couple of rattlers. They were made to stick out by pulling taut the piece of tape to which they were attached. Exposing the Magic. “A good many of these Indian tricks I was able to selye: Some of the most re- markable ones} which are perfectly well authenticated, I. never saw. I knew of a juggler who could take ripe red cherries out of his mouth at any season of the year. One credible witness assured me that he knew the cherries were real, because he had eaten them. I have made quite a bus ness of exposing such aboriginal mag’ which does a good deal of harm in vario Ways, incidentally antagonizing the intr duction of the Christian religion and the progress of civilization among the savage tribes, “I have done somewhat of the same sort of work that was performed by Houdin, who was sent by the French government to Algiers for the purpose of outjuggsling the Algerian jugglers. By doing so he con- vinced the Algerians that their jugg: were not divinely inspired. One trick he performed was the firing of bullets which made splashes of blood on the target. The lead bullets ostensibly used dropped into a vity in the gunsteck, pellets of wax filled with a red liquid being substituted. The effect of this trick-on the Algerians was astonishing. I have predjiced an equal ef- fect by turning water into blood. It was very simple. Put a few drops of chloride of iron in one glass and a few drops of sulpho-cyanide in another, permitting them to dry. Then put clear water in both glasses. Pour’ the contents of one glass into the other, and the resulting liquid is blood red Throw it away, of course, be- fore anybody can examine it critically. “Another trick of mine was to set sugar on fire. My sugar was real sugar mixed with cholorate of potash. I would get an Indian mystery man to dip ~ stick into water to see if he could sefgthe sugar on fire with water. When he ffiled I took my turn, but my stick*had been dipped pre- viously into sulphuric acid, and I merely made a preters@ of putting it into water. When the stick touched the sugar the chlorate cf potash was ignited by the sul- phuric acid, and a great blaze followed. Many such simple chemical experiments I have performed for the purpose of astonish- ing the Indians, and they rate me as a first-class magician. RENE BACHE, —_——_-e+-___. FLASHLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY. Recent Developments in the Art in New Directions. From the American Journal of Photography. Naturalists have been doing some clever things by the aid of photography. A west- ern sportsman has been for years making a collection of photographs of all kinds of wild animals im their native haunts, and many of these pictures, especially of ani- mals about to spring at their intended prey, have been taken under conditions that made the skillful handling of the rifle highly necessary the instant after the cam- era was snapped. Another enthusiast nas devoted himself to photographing the ani- mals of the forest in their nightly wan- derings. He would set a wire in the path of the animal he wished to photograph, and adjust the camera so that as the ani- mal came along and made contact with the wire blitz-pulver was ignited, and in the flash the picture was taken. In this way some béautiful specimens of deer in all sorts of attitudes, of mountain lions, badgers, opossums, etc., have been se- cured,and many new feaures have been de- veloped of great interest to the naturalist. M. Bontan, the European naturalist, who studies the wild life of the Mediterranean in the garb of a diver, has succecded in taking some photographs of the sea bot- tom. He uses & flashlight obtained from a spirit lamp and magnesium powder, which is covered by a water-tight bell-jar. The lemp stands.on“a barrel containing oxygen gas, which he émploys to work the lamp and the pngumatic shutter of the camera. He breathes thripgh the supply pipe of the diving dress. ie camera is water-tight and standscn aitripod near the barrel, so that the shutter and the flashlight can be worked together. es 1 In 1900. From the Chjeago Post. “You advertised for a coachman, sir?” said the applicant. “Y aid,” replied the merchant. want the position?” Yes, sir.” “Have you had any experience?” “] have been in the business all my life.” “You are used to handling gasoline, then?” ‘Yes, sir.” sh ‘And you are posted on electricity?” ‘Thoroughly.”” “Do you the glass is turned upside down, and the! «, ourse, ¥ claw still remains attached to it by the | acceso’ Of Course: You are a machinist point. It is quite surprising, but a par-|~ “Certainly.” “And I presume you have an engineer's license?” “Of course.” “Very well. You may go around to the barn and get the motocycle ready. My wife wishes to do a little shopping.” —_-——--+e»__- Blasted Hopes. From the Chicago Post. “Yes.” He had been waiting for that one little word, and his heart beat fast as he heard her say it. “Yes.”” : He longed :o take her in his arms, but she spoke es if there was more that she wished to say, and so he hesitated. “Yesterday I promised to be another’: He strode away in the gloaming. CURIOUS MINERALS A Geologist’s Researches in the New State of Utah. RUBBER DISCOVERED IN RICH VEINS Large Deposits of Gum Asphalt and Mineral Wax. > SOME THEORIES DISCUSSED EES TAH, THE NEWEST of the states, seems to be a mineralogical freak. Mr. George Eldridge of the geo- logical survey was sent out there a few weeks ago for the purpose of looking up certain natural re- sources, and he re- turned with a most interesting report. Among other things, he found great de- posits of mineral rubber—enough to make gum shoes for a large part of the popula- tion of the United States. A plece of this substance about elght inches square and an inch thick was lying on his desk recently. It was black, and it looked and felt exactly like ordinary rubber. “You see, it is quite elastic,” said Mr. Eldridge, in course of a conversation with a writer for The Star, bending it with his fingers. “There is no telling how many val- uable uses it may be put to in the future, But I imagine that it will be employed largely mixed with the vegetable rubber of commerce. For a roofing material it has already been proved excellent. In the min- ing towns of Utah mineral rubber is util- ized commonly for roofing, being prepared in sheets consisting of a layer of burlap with the rubber on both sides. Nothing could be more thoroughly water-proof. Be- cause it is so new, not much is known about this peculiar stuff and its possibili- Only a few tons of it have been mined ns the Uirtah reservation, where it is chiefly found. It occurs in veins, but the number and size of the latter are not re- Mably known as yet.” Mr. Eldridge took up from his desk a queer-looking, black'sh chunk of something not easily identified, and handed it over. It was son-ewhat soft to the feel. “That is another unexplored mineral,” said he, in explanation. “Very ttle is krown about it as yet. It is called mineral wax. In parts of Utah it is found in veins, ike the minerai rubber. Its scientific name is ‘ozokerite.’ The mineral rubber we know as laterite.’ Sometimes the ozokerite oc- curs in pockets between layers of shale. It has not been mined at all. Many uses for it are likely to be discovered in the future. To electricians it will be valuable doubtless, inasmuch as it is one of the best insulating materials for employment in their business. But here is another inter- esting mineral substance from the same state. What should you take it to be?” Deposits of Gum Asphalt. The object referred to by Mr. Eldridge was about as big as his head and looked exactly like a piece of obsidian, or black voleanic glass. It was hard as any rock. “That is gum asphal said he. “My chief business in Utah was to examine the deposits of this material. It is a wonder- ful substance and represents a great min- eral resource that has hardly been touched as yet. However, it has been mined to a small extent, and two companies are at present engaged in taking it out of the srcund. It is nothing more nor less than an exceedingly pure kind of asphalt, and its important usefulness is in the manu- tacture of varnishes. You must observe that varnishes ordinarily are given to cracking, but not so with any varnish made from this stuff. Here is a sheet of tin cov- ered with such varnish. You see, I can bend and crumple it as much as I choose without a crack; the metal will break be- fere the varnish. That is because the gum asphalt is elastic.” _ “Under what conditions is the substancé found?” inquired The Star man. “Under conditions so extraordinary that nobody has been able to account for them very satisfactorily replied Mr. Eldridge. “Tne deposits are found chiefly within and in the neighborhood of the Uncompahgre reservation. You are walking across the country, let us suppose, and you come upon a queer-looking streak that runs straight as an arrow flies. Perhaps the streak is six or eight feet wide. It goes like a strip of ribbon along the ground, over hill and dale, so that, standing upon it, you can follow it with your eye for miles. This, not so much by reason vf its color as because it makes a sort of swath through the vege- tation, The surface sand supports a few plants, but they do not grow to advantage. You brush away the sand, and beneath it you find that the streak is perfectly black. It is a vein of gum asphalt. How the Veins Run. “There are many such veins near the eastern edge of Utah, and some of them run over into Colorado. They have a tend- ency to run parallel to each other, with a trend from northwest to southeast. They vary in width from a quarter of an inch to eighteen feet, and they are from half a mile to six miles in length. Nobody knows how deep they are. It is believed that they extend to a depth of at least 1,000 feet, so that the quantity of material obtainable is enormous. The greatest depth thus far reached is 125 feet. Thus far mining for the stuff has hardly got beyond the pros- pecting stage. The veins are perfectly ver- tical. For a few feet from the surface the substance is more or less impure, owing to weathering, but lower down it is entirely free from impurities. Digging for it is the hardest work imaginable, owing chicf- ly to the dust. The atmosphere of the shafts becomes literally loaded with asphalt dust, which is highly explosive. The body heat melts it, so that it formas a brown coat all over a person exposed to it. Soap and water are ro good at all for washing it off; the only thing that will remove it is kerosene. A tank of kerosene is kept handy, 30 that everybody who comes out of the mine may take a bath. I can state from personal experience that kerosene baths are no* so agreeable as the ordinary kind, but they are a luxury under such con- ditions.” Theory of Its Origin. “How did these veins of gum asphalt come to be formed, Mr. Eldridge?” “They represent cracks in the crust of the earth, made in a distant geologic epoch and subsequently filled in with gum as- phalt. The stuff has much of the appear- ance and hardness of jet, you observe. Of course, it is only useful for mak- ing black varnishes. No, it will never be vsed for paving streets, unless perhaps as an admixture with ordinary asphalt to im- prove the quality of the latter; it is too valuable, you see. I cannot tell you from what source the substance was originally derived. It is believed that all asphalts are of vegetable origin. We know that during the coal-forming peried vast ac- cumulations of vegetable material were laid down in beds and became transformed in various ways subsequently by chemical precesses. According to conditions govern- ing, they were metamorphosed into deposits of coal, petroleum or bitumen—the last be- ing what we call asphalt. “It is imagined that the vegetable beds that were changed into bitumen were laid dcwn in the bottoms of rivers and lakes, where they were covered up by sand or clay, and underwent decomposition while rroistened by water, but without contact with air. One spot where this occurred was in the neighborhood of the Dead sea, whence formerly great quantities of as- phalt were obtained. Very little is got from there now, the most important source of the world’s supply being the famous ‘Tar loke’ of Trinidad. This lake is filled with bitumen instead of water, being about a smile and a half in diameter. Its surface is so smooth that it looks like a lake of wa- ter, and in hot weather the sun melts it to a depth of some inches. In the center of the lake the asphalt is boiling. By the Currents of the Sea. “This wonderful deposit is thought ‘to have been formed by woody and other vegetable matter carried by the river Ori- ncco into the surrounding seas, where by x —— RESTORES GRAY HAIR TO ITS ORIGINAL COLOR It is not a dye, but a harmless fultonic. It does not stain the . 1. fo. 5. 1 No.2. Dark Brown No.6. id Blonde No. 8. Medium Brown No.7. Ash Blonde No. 4. Chestnut REGENERATES BLEACHED HAIR Gives it new life and vigor and makes it any color desired. IMPERIAL CHEMICAL MFG. CO., 292 FIFTH AVE., Between 30th and 31st Ss. NEW YORK. Send a lock of your hair with $1.50 for a trial bottle and beautiful book of instructions. the influence of the currents it was ac- cumulated, its decompcsition being effected by volcanic action. Mineral rubber and mineral wax are merely different forms of the same thing. In other words, their primary origin is vegetable, but the pro- cesses that evolved them were different. “There is a good deal of dispute about such matters. I should not like to lay down an opinion on the subject. Some peo- ple believe that petroleum is fossil fish oil, while others declare that it is derived from plants, like coal and asphalt. My own be- lief is that both plants and animals have furnished the substances of which pe- troleum is composed. In support of the fish story it may be said that many fish fossils are found in the Green river shales of Utah and Wyoming, and sometimes these shales are so rich in oil that the rcck can actually be used as fuel. The pe- troleum of Pennsylvania, on the other hand, is derived from plants exclusively in ali probability.” > “Where is the Flag of England?” From London Truth. And the winds of the world made answer, North, south, and east and west; “Wherever there's wealth to covet, that can be possess’d; ‘Wherever are savage races ‘To cozen, coerce and scare, ‘Ye shall find the vaunted ensign: For the English flag is “Ase, it waves o'er the blazing hovels Whence African victim fs. ‘To be shot by explosive bullets, Or to wretchedis starve and die? And where the beach-comber harries ‘The isles of the southern sea, At the of his hellish vessel, English fiag fies free. “Phe Maori full oft bath cursed With his Ditters dying ‘breath; And the Arab tas, hissed his hatred spits at its folds in deat The hapless fellab has feared it” On Tel-el-Kebir's parched plain, the Zulu’s blood has stained it With a deep, indelible stain. “It has floated o'er scenes of pillage, Tt has flaunted o'er decis of shame, It waved o'er the fell marunder, As he ravished with his sword and flame, At has looked upon ruthless slaughter, And massacres dire and grim: It_has heard the shrieks of the victims Drown even the Jingo hymn. “Where is the Flag of England? Seek the lands where the natives rot; Where decay and assured extinction Must soon be the people's lot. Go. search for tie once-giad islands, Where disease and death are rife, And the greed of a callous commerce Now fattens on human life! “Where is the Flag of England? Go! sail where rich zulieons come With shoddy and ‘loaded’ cottons, And beer, and Bibles and ram: Go, too, where brute forc And hypocrisy makes its air: And your question will find its answer, For the Flag of Eagland is ‘there —____+6~ has A ’PHONE IN HIS HAT. —— Constant Communication Between the Trainmen and Dispatcher. From the Philadelphia Record. An electr.cal telephone sigral system will soon be introduced on the Brooklyn bridge which will, it is said, reduce to a minimum the danger of collisions of cable cars on the bridge. It is probable that within a short time telephone connections will be made between all the trains running on the bridge and the train dispatcher in charge. This will give the dispatcher almost in- stantaneous command over all trains. Assistant Engineer Kingsley L. Martin has conducted exveriments which have shown thac the plan is feasible. The exper- | iments heretofore have peen with the elec- tric light trolley wire strung over the bridge, with a ground circuit in the truck of the car. In the future this will be abandoned, and a meiallic circuit, which gives much more favorable results than the ground circuit, will be substituted. Under the proposed.system, the train dis- patcher will sit in his office and wear a head telephone, and will have a long-dis- tance transmitter and signal bells before him, as well as apparatus he now uses. At both ends of every train there will be a head telephone and a transmitter, so ar- ranged that the grirman may speak into it without moving from his place at the wheel or his gaze from the tracks and sig- vals. He will be ready to receive orders and execute them instantly. The trainmen erdinarily will have their telephones hung up, and will only adjust them when a bell rings, when ail the trainmen will put their receivers to their ears. In foggy weather the men would probably wear the head telephone constantly. During the experiments a car fitted with an ordinary telephone was connected with the terminal so well that a voice in the car could be distinguished and understood dur- ing the entire trip to the other end of the bridge. ——————— Somewhat Satirical, From the Cincinnati Inquirer. - “Aw, why don’t you brace up?” sneered Maneating Mike, at the trembling sheriff. “I-1 never hanged a man before,” said the official “Wot if you didn’t. I never was hung before, neither, but I ain’t makin’ no ex- hybition of myself.” ea PECULIAR SHOPPERS. The Cranky Old Gentleman and the Selfish Lady. From the New York Tribune. “We have some queer characters come here; people who do such odd things that to tell them sounds like exaggeration.” The salesman shut with a snap the jewel case he held, a smile of amusement played about his mouth, as he reached into the showcase and set straight a row of glitter- ing rings that had gotten out of orjer. “See this brooch?” pointir a small gold leaf with vivid, glowing j«<rties. “We sold one like it to a middle-aged lady who lives not a hundred blocks from here, and enjoys the reputation of being wealthy. If those berries were rubies it would be a costly brooch, but, being garnets, it is worth only $20. The day after the brooch Was sent home a tall, austere-looking gen- tleman came in and addressed himself to me. “You sold this brooch to my wife, I helieve,” he said, producing the brooch. [ told him that was the case. “I want you to take it back and refund the money.” “Is there anything wrong about it? I inquired. ““No; but my wife had no right to come to an expensive store like this to buy jew: eiry. There are plenty of other places she could have gone to.’ “I explained that the sale was made, that the lady had paid for the article, and that the firm did not take back goods under such conditions. He got into a passion, argued the question at scme length, and finally, when convinced that we would not comply with his demands, pitched the case out through the open dcor into the middle of the street and took himself off.” “And did the lady lose her purchase?” ‘No; one of the boys ran out and picked the case up from under the very feet of a cab horse. We packed it carefully in a — case and sent it ‘round to her ad- ess. “What do you suppose led the husband to act like that?” “Simply crankiness. He is one of the sort who objects to his wife's making any dis- pcsal of his money without consulting him. He is close-fisted. “That was a cranky man; now, how about this for a woman? Two days before Christmas, just in our busiest time, when the store was packed with shoppers, a lady came in and asked to look at novelties, also silverware. Sbe was interested in only the expensive gouds, and I took great pains to show her our best line. Several people whom I am accustomed to serve were in the store during her stay, but I let others wait on them and devoted my time to her. “After inspecting everything and taking up an hour of the busiest time of the day, she coolly remarked that she had a sen who was at present jn the south on a hunting expedition. “He expects to be an usher for a wedding in June,” she went oi I will write him about the articles I have seen, and doubtless when he comes back he will look in at phem himself.” could ‘hardly believe my own ears. ‘In June, madam? I “Are you looking at thefe things now for a wedding in June, and all these people waiting here to get things for the day after tomorrow “ “Why, yes,” ‘she answered, not the sligh est bit embarrassed; ‘I thought all your prettiest things would be on exhibition now, and it was a good time to get suggestions.’ “Suggestions for a June wedding,’ I whispered to one of the men my cus- tomer swept out to her carriage, and then the laugh was on me, because all had ex- pected to hear of an $800 sale, at least. I counted up, and found that I had lost just $1,000 worth of sales while that inconsider- ate woman was in the store. oe Claims the Banana Champio: From the Richmond State. Two Broad street celebrities—Messrs. Talman and Perkinson—induiged in a banana-eating match last night. The con- ditions of the match were as follows: Tal- man was to eat more bananas in ten min- utes than Perkinson or pay for the lot, otherwise a collection was to be taken up among ‘the crowd of sports present to pay for them. The conditions were faithfully observed under the watchful eye of Referee Andrew Ginter. At the end of ten minutes Talman had concealed thirty-nine banan: and Perkinson had stofed away but thirt: four. Talman is therefore the champion —— eater, with a challenge open to the world. iP. ———_ ++ ______ ‘The Conspirators. From the Chicsgo Record. “It's not dark enough yet,” she whisper ed, as she peered eagerly up and down the street. “There's no one in sight,” he replied, af- ter a careful survey. “But some one may come around that corner at any minute and recognize us, ani then I should want to die.” “Well, then, we'll wait a bit.” What dreadful deed did these two com template committing? He was only about to give her the first lesson in riding a bicycle. The Doctor—“Did you give my note to Mrs. Barton?” “Great Scott! 1 thought it was a prescription and mace it up for ber!’—Léfa