Evening Star Newspaper, July 31, 1897, Page 19

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1897-24 PAGES. COL. JAS. G. BERRET His Personal Reminiscences of Mayors of Washington. FIPTY-EIGH? YEARS A RESIDENT The Great Work Performed by Ex- Governor Shepherd. IMPROVEMENTS YET NEEDED es At the meeting of the Columbia Histori- cal Society, held in the lecture hall of the Columbian University the Sth of last June, and presided over by ex-Senator Kasson, Col. Jemes G. Berret contributed to the interesting subject for discussion “Remin- iscences of the Mayors of Washington,” by an address which was listened to by the large audience present with great interest, and which was frequently interrupted by applause. Col. Berret said: Mr. President, I thank you very much for your agreeable and pleasant introduc- tion, and to you, ladies and gentlemen, for your generous greeting, I tender the hom- age of a grateful heart. I shall preface the few remarks that I propose to make on this occasion by re- minding you—this is historical evidence, and of course perfectly reliable—that: The District of Columbia was named in honor of Christopher Columbus, and also with reference to the poetical use of the term “Columbia,” a designation of the United States. It formerly constituted the county of Washington, this term, however, being popularly confined to the portion cutside of Washington and Georgetown, comprising the much larger portion of the District. After the adoption of the Articles of Con- federation, by the United States, the ques- ition of fixing the seat of government oc- casioned much sectional rivalry. During Col. J. G. Berret. the period between the revolutionary war and the adoption of the present Constitu- tion, Congress met at Princeton, An- napolis, Trenton and New York. After the adoption of the Constitution, March 4, 1789, warm discussions took place in Congress in regard to the location of the capital. On June 2s, 1790, an act was passed containing the following: “That a district of territory, on the river Potomac, at some place between the mouths of the Eastern branch and the Con- ococheague, be, and the same is hereby, ac- cepted as the seat of government of the Uhited State: The same act also provided that Congress should meet at Philadelphia until the first Monday in November, 1800, when the gov- ernment should remove to the district se- lected on the Potomac. The area fixed upon was ten miles square, or 100 square miles. This embraced sixty- four miles of Maryland soll, constituting the county of Washington, which was ceded by that state to the United States in 788, and thirty-six square miles of ginia soil, constituting the county of Alex- andria, celed in 178). The portion on the Virginia side of the Potomac was retro- ceded to that state in 1546. First Acquaintance With Washington. Mr. President, my acquaintance with Washington began fifty-eight years ago Friday t. Upon reaching the capital I found it what might be termed a strag- gling village. There was but one public mode of transportation north of the Poto- mac, leading into Washington. That was the Washington branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. I remember well the impression that it made upon me. The train of cars corsisted of one passenger car, a portion of which was devoted to the storage of baggage, and the engine. We approached the depot, which was formed of a dwelling house which had been utilized for that purpose by removing the interior up to the second story. The engine brought us within a short distance of this old nouse, and we were pushed in by the engine switching down and driving it at the other end. This depot was lo- cated on the north side of Pennsylvania avenue. about LW fect from what was then called the Tiber. It will be remembered, and I have no doubt you will be told to- ight by several gentlemen who are to ad- dress you, that the condition of Washing- ton, as compared with what we now real- ize, was something marvelous. There was not a paved street in the city; the si walks were very imperfect; the crossings from one side of the street to the other were formed by flagstones of about three feet in width, so that the cftizens desiring to pass from one side of the street to the ether had to find the corner of the street before they had reached this passageway. There was no gas light and no water ex- cept what was taken from the pumps, and they were distributed all over the’ city with reference to the accommodation of the population. It frequently happened that a pump would get out of order, and that always created trouble in the neigh- borhood, not only with the familles, but with the servants, who had to travel off a square or two to find a pump and get water for culinary purposes and other domestic wants. President Harrison's Arrival. I recollect that upon the arrival of Pres- ident William Henry Harrison here after his election in 1840 a very large crowd was attracted to this depot—large for Washington in that day—some prompted by a desire to pay their respects to the incoming President and others undoubtedly attracted by curiosity. It was an extreme- ly inclement day, 80 much so that it would be difficult to imegine that people could be attracted from their homes for any such reason without facilitles such as We have now fo: passing from one portion of the city to the other. There were no carriaxes nor omnibuses or conveyances so that whoever went to it-eleet traveled on foot, with the use of an umbrella, and a great number of them cotton umbre! S lent himself, an old soldier, de- y conveyance from the depot to at which he was to hold a recep- insisted upon walking, and the people present held their umbrellas in such r that they would afford com- petent protection, at least from above, on nis transit from the depot to the city hail, where he went arm-in-arm with Col. W. W. Seaton, the mayor. It will Le borne in mind that the revenues of Washington at that day were very lim- ited. The making of improvements such @s were rendered necessary for the com- fort and convenience cf the people was a thing utterly out of the question, so that the most that could be done was to pro- vide @ passage way, if | may po use the term. The streets were all mud; the gut- ters were formed of cobble stones, rendered necessary to carry off the drainage, which et that time was entirely upon the sur- face. The lighting, of course, was with oil lamps, sparsely distributed, and on dark @ights the population had to grope their wey about the town as best they could. This state of things continued up to the advent of Mr. Seaton as mayor, in 1840, but still he was without means—with all the IMberal- ity that characterized his generous nature —to do anything that would advance and produce a greater amount of comfort than the veople then enjoyed. But, with all these difficulties, Washing- ton possessed many advanteges for the eo- cial enjoyment and comfort of her popuia- tion. Congress met at the usual period, and came here to stay. The members lo- cated themselves for the session. They identified themselves with the people of th city, and exchanged & generous hospitality so that in a soctai point of view, certainly, that period marked an agreeable era in ihe history of Washington life. A Disorderly ement. Advancing along a little farther, we find the city somewhat disturbed by a disor- derly eiement, introduced from a neighbor- ing city. I come now to the year 1856. I omit the period between 1540 and 1856, for the reason that there are gentlemen here tonight who will speak of those periods more intelligently and more knowingly than it is in my power to do. The election of Dr. Magruder took place in 1856. He was a man of considerable learning and of high personal character. Indeed, I might say, in common parlance, that he was a very able man. He stood very high in his profession—pre-eminently so; but as a financier I am sure he never ciaimed to be anything more than a tyro. His administsation was characterized by one very striking event, which never had taken piace before at the capital of the na- tion. A disorderly band of what might be called the very worst class of ruffians pre- sented themselves here in the broad light of day, and undertook to possess them- selves of the town. They marched fear- lessly through the streets. They knew what they were going to do, and intimi- dated both men and women. Dr. Magru- der, exercising tite authority devolved upon him, and the duty which he felt imposed upon him, called upon the executive for assistance in suppressing these riotous in- truders. It will be remembered that at that time there was no organized police foree in the city, so that the mayor was powerless to suppress this. organization, and it became necessary to call for aid, which was promptly rendered to him by an order from President Buchanan upon the officer im command of the marine corp: and a company was placed at the disposal of the mayor for the maintenance of the public peace. Fortunately, that command devolved upon Maj. Henry B. Tyler, a very discreet and able officer, whq succeeded in suppressing this mob, and they were driven from the city; but it left behind very many disagreeable feelings among several classes of people, who sympathized for and against the conduct of these people. There were two organizations here of vol- unteer firemen. They were politically hos- tile to each other, ard upon imany an oc- casion, whenever the opportunity afforded, and they came together by a false alarm of fire or otherwise, disorder generally ob- tained; but with a very small guard, what was called the auxiliary guard, organized by authority of Congress, these small diffl- culties were easily taken care of. His Own Election as Mayor. I now reach a period in Washington's history in which it devolved upon me to take part in the conduct of our municipal affairs. At the election which was to take place cn the first Monday of June, 1858, there was very great excitement, caused by the candidacy which preceded the elec- ticn, The two parties were arrayed against each otner With all the zeal and energy and rise which might be expected from ambitious for success. lt was gen- erally Supposed and apprehended by many that the election would be attended with some disagreeable conduct on the part of these people, who were likely to appear again in Washington and interfere with the peaceful and orderly election, but in order to avoid such an occurrence Col. William Seldon, then United States mar- shal for the District of Columbia, thought it necessary for the preservation of the government property and the maintenance of the public peace to exercise his author- ity, and he did so by the organization of a mounted guard of deputy United States marshals. ‘they were stationed at the city hall, and ai stated hours of the day, by his order, 1 think, they would canvass the city mounted. It was a wise precaution, ag the result proved. The election passed off very quietly, and he who now addresses you had the honor of being ejected over his very popular opponent, Mr. Richard Wal- ach. I must be frank to say that I never entered upon a duty before or since feeling more the great responsibility that confronted me. I knew the elements that prevailed at that time in the city thoroughly. I had familiarized myself with them before and during the venvass which resulted in that election; so that on the day of my installation, and within an hour thereafter, I invited a meeting of the coun- ceils, to assemble the following Monday. They did so, and I communicated a mes- sage to them, recommending the immediate organization of a police force of one hun- dred men, in order that I might have, without calling upon the military authori- ties, power necessary to maintain the peace and order of the city. If there are any gen- tlemen present here tonight familiar with those days, they cannot fail to know the serious apprehension that was felt by all Persons who undertook to traverse the city, outside of the main thoroughfares, at late hours of the night. The councils promptly responded to that recommenda- tion. I appointed one hundred policemen and selected as their commander an able and discreet man, who, 1 think, possessed higher qualities for that kind of service than any man I ever have known or seen before or since, Capt. John H. Goddard, with two lieutenants, equally reliable, but, of course, not so efficient. It was a very few days before it became apparent that the peace and order of the city had been thoroughly established, which I attribute to the efficiency and zeal of Capt. Goddard, to whom all honor and praise should be given. Engine Companies Disbanded. The disturbing element at that time were assisted, as I have before stated, by these two engine companies. I found, upon ex- amination of the authority given to the mayor over the volunteer companies, that J had the power to disband a fire company. I promptly exercised that power. I dis- banded both of them. Of course, they re- sisted and talked against it, and thought it was very harsh treatment, and all that sort of thing, but, still, I considered it was to their interest as well as to the interest of the community, that they should be put out of harm's way. The Northern Liberty company occupied a house which was used regularly for that purpose, near where the old Northern Liberty market stood. Im- mediately upon their disbandment { had the building turned over to the trustees of the public schools, and it was changed into a public school building. It is now used on an enlarged scale, and Is known as the Ab- bott School. I think that movement, al- though I say it myself, had a salutary in- fluence in bringing about the condition of things which followed. During my service of nearly four years— I was subsequently re-elected—the revenucs of the city were very small. They never reached, I think, $300,000, and we had a debt of about $2,000,000 or more, upon which the interest had to be paid; so that you can readily perceive that there was but little margin for the development of a great city, formed upon the plan of Washington. But still, we did the best we could, and it is due to Congress to say that when they found this measure we had adopted of or- ganizing a police force was an efficient one, they promptly consented to the payment of ene-half of the expenses ‘consequent upon the organization. With less than $300,000 revenue,of course, nothing could be done of very much ac- count. We managed to keep out of ‘debt. We managed to sustain the public schools, j which at that time afforded a limited edu- cation to some 5,00) children, but not of a very high standard. The teachers were ali highly reputable people, and subsequently became prominent as educators in the pub- iic schools, which are now justly regarded as among the first educational institutions in the country. Permanency of the Capital Uncertain. Congress was very little disposed, as everybody in Washington knows, to do anything looking to any great development of Washington city, and that feeling arose simply from the fact that there was no permanency attached to the capital in its then location. The exciting questions grow- ing out of the agitation of slavery at every presidential election threatened some dis- aster to Washington, and effected very seriously the values of real estate property in the city. That continued until 1850, when, through the patriotic efforts of such men as Webster and Clay and Crittenden and Calhoun and Hunter’and Mason and William H. Seward, and a host of other prominent men, measuring up to the d- ard of those whom I have mentioned, there was passed what was called the compro- mise bills of 1850. That seemed to bring Tepyse to the country; so that in the presi- dential election of 1852 the excitement which occurred In the previous ones had entirely subsided, and the election of Gen- eral Franklin Pierce, over his distinguished competitor, Gen. Winfield Scott, by a vote which wiped out every idea of sectional feeling seemed to give courage to the peo- ple of Washington that their future would be assured. x Well, we all know how long that lasted. During the administration of the successor of Gen. Pierce, Mr. Buchanan, of course, this question arose again in another form. ‘The same embittered feeling which had ex- isted prior to that time again sprung up all ever the land, and, finally, after the elec- tion of Mr. Lincoin, it culminated in what we know and have realized to be one of the most heartrending disasters that ever had befallen a great people, taught to be- lieve that this nation, having the proud boast of being a government resting direct- ly upon the will of the people, would never be drawn into a contest such as existed in this country from 1861 to 1865. But I pass that over. After these troubles had subsided, Washington was still in the same condition which existed when Presi- dent Lincoln took possession of his office. He was undoubtedly very friendly to Wash- ington, and very ambitious that something should be done to advance its interests, and would very gladly have done so, but for the more engrossing subjects which necessarily occupied his attention during the continuance of the war of the rebellion. Gov. Shepherd's Great Work. But Washington still had a future; and when the Congress of the United States changed the local form of government by the appointment of a governor and the election of a delegate to Congress, the ap- pointment of a legislative council, the eles- tion of a house of delegates and the ap- pointment of the board of public works, the people seemed to take courage. At that time the head of the board of public works was Alexander R. Shepherd, a man of great energy, liberal views-and full of enterprise. He formulated a plan of im- provement upon a scale so large as to startle the whole community. A great many of us thought that we were to be sold out; to use a cant phrase of that day— taxed out of the last foot of ground that we owned. He continued in the office of vice president of the board of public works until the resignation of Gov. Cook, when he became governor, and in that capacity served for one year, prosecuting with greater vigor his plans of improvements; but such was the hostility aroused against him at Congress, without consulting the peo- ple of the city, repealed the law under which he held his office, and provided for the appointment of a board of public works composed of gentlemen who had no local interest in the city of Washington. Gen. Grant, however, felt that under the author- ity of the law he had a right to appoint Shepherd on that board. He accordinely sent his name to th Senate, but notwith- Standing the prestixe of his great name high office, the Senate re. - noe Lee large vote ected ous 0) hepberd remained here several yoars seeking, I suppose, to recover his lost fortunes, and finally resolved on self-extle ina neighboring republic. Prior to his de- parture, in 1879, I think it was—I am not certain as to dates, for I am relying entire- ly upon my memory now for what I give you as facts—a public dinner was given by many of the prominent and unofficial men in Washington, at which Justice Miller of the Supreme Court presided, and in the course of his remarks he expressed the greatest sympathy for Shepherd, and the belief t the time would come when his treatment would be atoned for by the. very People who condemned him. am Honors on His Retarn, Well, sure enough, Gév. Shepherd went to Mexico to develop an abandoned mine, and applied the great energies of his character to the work, under new auspices, new ma- chinery, and all the appliances which had been discovered up to that time. He re- turned here after five or six year: id It said to the honor of the people whe Gon, demned him, and many who did not ap- prove of his conduct in the Jarge expend- iture of the public money. on his return he received an ovation, such as I do not be- lieve has ever been extended to any public man in or out of office within my knowl- edge. He was tendered by the board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia the freedom of the city, an unusual distinc- tion, which had never before been con- ferred upon any citizen within my knowl- edge. It was a proud day for him, and alike creditable to those that through his efforts we are now enjoying the advantages of one of the most beautiful cities upon the face of the earth, furnishing all the luxuries, and a generous system of embellishment and decoration—a fine system of sewerage, abundant supply of water, beautifully paved streets, admirable sidewalks and a vast amount of parking, all of which is en- Joyed by those who own adjoining prop- erty, without the payment of taxes. But it seems to me, for reasons which must be obvious to every one within the sound of my voice, that although the fu- ture of Washington is unquestionably as- sured by reason of the generous and pa- triotic spirit which pervades the land in favor of its development and beautification, we have not yet reached the point where future and needful improvements are un- necessary. Some Improvements Still Needed. It has occurred to me, and I will make bold to state it, that in the first place, we should get rid of a festering sore, which is a constant menace to the health of the en- tire city. I mean the Eastern branch flats. I think further that all the bridges con- templated to bring Maryland more closely to Washington over the Eastern branch should be speedily constructed. And that our national park, for which nature has done so much, should be at once put in a condition for the use of the people—not only of this city, but those who visit Wash- ington. Also the Riverside Park, just brought into existence by the same process which I hope in the near future will be utilized in the Eastern branch proposed im- provement. Another needed improvement in Wash- ington is a building adequate fer all mu- nicipal purposes, and for the business of this District. Public buildings of every kind might at once be put under way. The Long bridge, which is certainly not an at- tractive object to the eye, or creditable to the architecture of the present age, ought to be reconstructed upon the plan recom- mended by Gen. Jackson, when President of the United States. And last, though not least, I would like so live to see the contemplated memorial bridge to connect Washington with Ar- lington. 3 I think, with these improvements, and many others that might be named, Wash- ington would rise to the dignity of a cap- ital worthy of a great nation of freemen, whose institutions are worthy of such a capital, and who are entitled to it as a bet- ter means of illustrating the genius of a free government resting upon the will of the people. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for your kind attention. a Too Many for Him. From the New York Weekly. Sweet Girl—“I hope you will call again, Mr. Coolhead.” Mr. Coolhead (new,admirer)—“Thank you, I should be delighted to cal very soon again, if I were sure of finding you at home.” “Oh, I'm nearly always at home; but—let me see—it won't do for you to call Tuesday evening, for that is the night of the Home Mission meeting; and Wednesday night the Emperor's Daughters meet; and Thursday the Blue Ribbons have a most important session; and Friday is the monthly meeting of the Dorcas Club; and Saturday the Browning Club—really, I hardly know what day to set; but—” Um—do you expect to belong to those societies always?” “Oh, yes, indeed; I'm a life member of them aH." “Er—I should like to call again soon, but this is our busy season, and I shall be con- fined very closely to the office for several undoubtedly, who believed in a large degree Ne Time Like the Present. From Harper's Weekly. Miss Heavyweight—“When you get tired, you must let me know.” Mr. Smalistrength—“Guess I'd better tell you now. You know how forgetful I am.” A RUN TO FREETOWN AY GEORGE GRIFFITH, aX (Copyright, 189%, by George Griffith.) Written for TheEvening Star. In the nature of the case it was quite out of the question that the story of the Diamond Dog, untier the skin of which gems were smiuggtéd from the mine, should remain a seéret for very long. To the illicit diamond buyers every detail of it, as it gradually leaked out, was as a sweet morsel under the tongue, and to many more honest enemies of the rew compound sys- tem, mostly tradesmen and canteen keep- ers, it was far too acceptable a story either to be kept dark or to be allowed to lose anything in the retelling. Added to this the tragedy in which it had culminated had lent a piquancy to its flavor which sufficiently ‘stimulated the palate of Kimberley society to set it longing for more, and 80, little by little, it filtered through the barriers of official reticence, until at last a fitting finish was given to the story by the confession of Chief De- tective Inspector Lipinski one night in the smoking room of the club that that day’s mail had brought him a brief note, writien by one loo Chai, presumably a former resi- dent of that name in Delagoa bay, reques' ing that an inclosea acceptance for £250, drawn in his favor by the late Mr. Augus- tus Lowenfeldt, might be cashed by that gentleman's executors, and the amount, less 10 per cent commission for his, the in- spector's, tfouble, forwarded at his conve- nience to No. 9 Malay street, Singapore. The note conciuded by stating that the £250 was a balance due from Mr. Lowenfeldt on the purchase of a certain dog of the esti- mated value of £11,000. Despite the fact that not a few of those who heard the note read out, and looked at the acceptance as It was handed round, had lost some proportion of that £11,000, the irony of the note and the delicate humor of the address given—Malay street, Singa- pore, having a reputation that is redolent throughout the whole cast—provoked a laugh as general as it was hearty, and the next morniag all Kimberley was enjoying the heathen's parting joke. That night a lady variety vocalist at the Theater Royal sent her audience into pro- longed and vociferous raptures by singing the then famous patter song, ‘Keyser, Don’t You Vant to Puy a Tog?” with ap- propriate local allusions, and then Kimbe ley proceeded to improve the occasion in its own way. “No Dogs Admitted,” was found paint- ed in large black letters across the prin- cipal entrance to the De Beers Compound. The corpse of a large Newfoundjand dog sewn up in the skin of a smaif donkey, and carefully packed in a neat case, was sent by coach from Vryburg to the chief pector “to be paid for on delivery.” Printed notices were stuck up in conspic- uous parts of the town to thee! t that in the future all dogs entering or leaving Ki uberley would have to be skinned alive yy authority’’—and so on until sight of a dog in the street afflicted the worthy inspector and his subordinates with something like a new sort of rabies. All this was humorous enough in its way, as humor went then in camp, but for all that it was destined to lead up, indirectly, to a much darker tragedy than that ‘which had closed the hitherto prosperous career of Mr. Augustus Lowenfeldt. There was at that time in Kimberley a Yankee adventurer named Seth Salter, who was known .to the detective depart- ment as an even more skillful I. D. B. than the late lamented. Lowenfeldt. His osten- sible means of hivelihood were stock and share speculation,,billiards, and three-card monte, varied, by. the occasional keeping of a faro bank; but though he did well at all ‘hese comparatively inonest vocations, he did not do well, enough to satisfactorily account for a style of living and luxuriance of dissipation which could not be adequate- ly supported pn less than £5,000 a year, at the most modest computation. There were only possible jalternative hypotheses, debt or LD. B., and he had no debts. Now, Seth Salter was one of the most conspicuous of the humorists who, as he put it, made the gepartment see dogs in- stead of snakes when the officials thereof had “got a bit too full,” and before v long Inspector Lipinski publicly stated the bar of the, Qugen’s Hotel that the next time Mr. Salter tried, either in person or by proxy, to sun a parcel of illicit stones over the border to Freetown, he would so arrange matters that, by the time the cir- cus was over, the said Mr. Salter would have good reason to wish that he had been born a ‘log, instead of a dirty, stock-rig- ging, card-swindling diamend thief. As it chanced, just as the inspector was emphasizing the above statement, gar- nished with certain verbal frillings which need not be produced here, by slapping his four fingers on the bar counter, Mr. Scth himself lounged into the room. The instart turning of the eyes of the company on to him toid him, as plainly as any words could have done, that he was the subject of the inspector's eloquence. The crowd saw at a glance that he had taken in the situation, and every one expected a royal row, for Salter was known to have a temper as quick as his eye and his hand, and Lipin- ski, though only about half the Yankee’s size, was grit all through. Nothing less than immediate manslaugh- ter was looked for, and the crowd began to scatter instinctively. But, somewhat to the disappointment of the more festive spirits, Salter strolled quietly up to the bar, took his place about three feet from the inspec- tor, and said, with the mosi perfect good or: Eivenin’, boss! Don't seem to be feel- quite good tonight. Hope no one’s iryin’ to sell the department another Take a drink? crowd laughed. The dou- ble-pointed jibe was irresistible, and the laugh did not iraprove the inspector's in- ward feelings. But he was far too -well skilled in his business to show the slight- est trace of frritaticn, so he replied with in’ heen pup? Of course, the 3 o “Halt and I'll Shoot!” en easy smile“and the mcst perfect polite- ness of tone: “Ah, good eveni! talking about® yor partment ts not buying any dog flesh just , Mr. Salter, I was just No thanks, the de- now, not ever skiAs. As to your kind in- vitation, well* as°I say, I was talking about you just mow when you came in, and perhape—"” be If ever man uttered fighting words cooll:, und as if he meant them, Inspector Lip- irski did just then. Seth Salter had never been known to take anything Iike that from any man without prompt and usually sfatal reprisals: "The crowd waited breath- lessly, and silently scattered a little more. But no, the Yankee’s hand did not even move toward his pistol pecket. There was just a little crinkling of the outer corners of his eyes, noticed only by the inspector and one or two others, but it vanished im- mediately, and there was no trace of anger in his voice, in fact, it seemed even more good-humored than usual, as he replied: “Don’t take the trouble to séy it again, boss. I’ve known your opinion of me for a long time, and now Ives heard it, If you'd backed down you might nave heard something drop, but as you didn’t, I’m free to say that I've too much respect for your the very ; honorable department to think of removing its respected chief to another, and may be, less congenial sphere on account of an hon- estly expressed opinion—not me, sir! So now, N. G. and name the poison. Will you icin us, gentlemen?” The crowd joined as cne man, and, under the circumstances, the inspector could do nothing less than come in with them. But for all that he felt a trifle puzzled, though he took care not to show it. After that the conversation became gen- eral and perfectly amicable, albeit dwell- ing mainly on the somewhat ticklish sub- ject which possessed the chief ‘nterest for every one present. But as drinks multi- plied and lies got more complicated, the inspector began to grow taciturn. Liquor has that effect on some natures, and his was possibly one of them. At last the Yankee rallied him, quite good-humoredly, on his lack of festivitr, but rather unfortunately, as it seemed to the company, dragged in something about shortage on mine returns. That was too much for the inspector, and his long bot- tled-up wrath suddenly flared out. “Shortage, confound it! You're a nice ore to talk about shortage, Mr. Salter. You know as well as I do that there's about £15,000 short of the month's average on De Beers and Kimberley returns, and you know a big sight better than I do where the stones have gone to. But we'll have you yet. You're. wide and you're deep, but you're not quite the cleverest man on earth, and when we do zet you—" “Well, why’n thunder don't you, boss THE PICK OF the Yankee laughed, with still undisturbed good humor. ‘®ay now, I'll give you a pointer, as them sneaks of yours don’t seem to have got en to it yet. I'm going across to Freetown some time between now and Sunday on a little private business of my own. S'pose, now, I was taking that bit of shortage with me—what'll you lay fea) against me getting it through “Ten years on the breakwate the inspector, as he emptied hi set it down with a bang on the counter. “No, you don't,” laughed Salter; “that’s for me to lay. Now, lock here, Ili lay you 10 years on the breakwater to a thousand pounds—that's only a handred a year, I think my time’s a darned sight more val uable than that, so I'm giving you big odds —that I'll take that little lot through for all you can do to stop me. AS he spoke he suddenly pulled his left hand out of his trousers pocket and held it out to the inspector with the palm full of rough diamonds. Lipinski fairly gaped at the heap of glit- tering stones, but he lost neither his pres- ence of mind nor his professional promp- titude. Like lightening a revolver jumped out of his coat pocket, and as he covered the Yankee’s heart with the muzzle, he said sharply: “That bluff won't work, Mr. Salter. I'll see your hand for a thousand now. If you don’t want a sudden death in your family, come along to the office, and account for the possession of those diamonds.” ‘To the added amazement of every one in the reom, Seth Salter burst into a loud laugh, and said, without moving out of the line of fire: “Waal, boss, I did think you had a better eye for klips than that. D'you fancy I'd be such an almighty sucker as to—Kood Lord, man, can’t you see they're all schlen- ters? There's no law agin carrying them ‘round, I reckon. Here, take ‘em, and see for yourself. There's plenty of good judges in the room to help you. A very brief examination satisfied the disgusted inspector that the astute Yanke: had once more turned the laugh agai him. The things were “schlente “snyde diamonds”—imitations made of glass treated with fluorie acid io give them the peculiar frosted appearance of the real rough stones—which were used chiefly for the purpose of swindling the new chums and greenhorns who were making their first essays in I. D. B. Lipinski saw that he had “done him a shot in the eye,” as the camp vernacular had it, and put up his revolver with what grace he could. The Yankee took his little triumph very quietly, and asked the young lady benind the bar to oblige him with a sheet of note paper and an envelope. Then he wrapped up the false stones, put them into the envelope, stuck it down, and asked the inspector to write his name across the flap, which he did, with a peculiag smile on his well-shaped lips. “Waal, now, that’s a bet, eh?” said Sal- ter, as he put the packet in his pocket. “Now let's take another drink on it and then go home. It's getting late and I've got to pack. There's no knowin’ how soon I might have to start.” The glasses were filled again, and the Yankee clinked his against the inspector's with as much cordiality as though they had been the best of friends, instead of, as they were now, hunter and quarry in a chase to the death. The text day Seth Salter openly hired a cape cart and team of four horses to take him to Bloemfontein, which is about 80 miles by road from Kimberley, and when the bargain was struck he privately in- formed the driver, an off-colored cape boy, who had made more than one run of the kind, that if he would start at midnight instead of midday, and go via Freetown instead of Boshoff, he should have i1u0 for that part “Sf the journey alone, which was not a bad fare for a drive of less than an hcur. The boy jumped at the offer, and within a couple of hours had accepted one of twice the amount, with half cash down, from Inspector Lipinski, to* pull up at a certain spot about 400 yards from the Free State border. : S That afternoon Salter and Lipinski met, as if by chance, in the private bar of the Central, had a whisky and soda together, and talked over the journey with apparent- ly perfect friendliness and freedom. The inspector affected to treat the whole thing as a joke, a bit of spoof that he was far too wary a bird to be taken in by. It_wasn’t likely that such an old hand as Salter would try to run anything but the schienters, after giving himself away as completely as he had done, at least, not that time. Some other time, perhaps, and then he'd sre. At the same time, it might after all be a clever and daring game of bluff, and so it would be as well to take precautions. Altogether it was an interesting sltua- tion, especially for the inspector. If he caught Salter with nothing but the schlen- ters on him he would be the laughing stock of the camp, and if he let him go through with something like a £15,000 packet of diamonds—which he felt perfectly certain he had planted somewhere—his reputation would be ruined and hfs dismissal certain. It was a desperate game, and Inspector Lipinski was prepared to take desperate measures to win. A little before noon Salter changed his plans, and said he would go the next day, and a few minutes before midnight he got into his cart just outside Beaconsfield. The boy whipped up his team, and the cart rat- tled and jolted away at a quick trot towara the border. The night was dark, but fine, and as they spun along mile after mile without let or hindrance Salter began to think that, after all, Lipinski had funked the trap that he had laid for him, and de- cided to risk letting the diamonds through than make a fool of himself by the capture of a lot of worthless schlenters. The lights of Freetown were already glimmering in the distance acrcss the veld. Ten minutes more would see him safe across the .border with the most valuable packet of diamonds that had ever been run out of camp, and then—suddenly his strain- ed ears caught the sound of a voice in the distance, followed by the clinking of horses’ bits and the ominous “click-click” of rifle locks. He was sitting, as usual, on the seat be- hind the driver, and just as the boy turn- ed round and whispered in a frightened way, “P'lice, better pull up, eh? might get shot,” he thrust the barrel of his revolver under his nose, and said in a low. but very business-like tone: | “You yellow swine. you've sold me! Now you whip them horses up, and make m go for all they're worth By thunder, you shall drive to Freetown or Glory tonight, for if I see you pull those reins I'll blow the top of your ugly head off, just so sure as you'll never see the other side of Jordan. Whip up now! You've got to get through or go home, I tell you.” The road just here ran for some distance through a lot of broken ground and surface workings, so there was no chance of mak- ing a detour to avoid the mounted police whose moving forms Salter could now see dimly in the distance. The terrified cape boy, feeling the cold revolver muzzle in the nape of his neck, lashed his horses tnto 4 gallop. The shapes on ahead grew more and more aistinct, and presently there rang out the short, sharp order: “Halt, or we'll shoot!" “Halt, and I'll shoot,” Salter hissed into the driver's ear, and the cart s; don at a gallop. New mounted forms seemed to rash out of the derkness ard close round. anwhile the lights of Freetown were getting quite near now. A few minutes more and— crack, crack, crack, went the rifies to rignt and left and tn front. The off leader reared up with a shrill neigh, and then pti ched on to his head, with the others and the cart on top of him. “Well, gentlemen, may I ask what is the meaning of this outrage on an unof- THE MINES!” fending traveler?” said Salter, in but_angry voice, as the police rode up. “That'll do, Mr. Salter,” said Lipinski's voice out of the bluffs played out. and ccme that’ coul Inspector arkness; “the Pass up with the klips, jong quietly. Don't shoot, for murder, and you're covered three times over.” The Yankee climbed down out of the | cart with an audible chuckie, walked quiet- ly to Lipinski’s stirrup, and held up his hand, say “Ah, you, inspector, is it? Sorry I've brought you a booby hunt like { and given the department a horse to pay for. Klips? Waal, 1 did hear of some going across last night inside a Kaffir dog, but you've struck the wrong shebang for stones a tonight, true’s death you have. But you can search and see, if you like. The inspector took no notice either of the Yankee's extended hand or his speech. j He just covered Salter with a revolver, and ordered his men to light their lanterns and search everything thoroughly. They obeyed, and after a twenty-minute inves- tigation, during which they employed every device that their ingenuity and experience could suggest, on the cart. clothing and person of Salter (who submitted like a lamb), and even on the horses, they were forced to confess that they had drawn a blank. “Waal, boss, are you satisfied that I ain't sellin’ you a pup this time?” said Salter, as he finished remaking his toilet, for he had stripped to the buff, with the true hardihood of a man who is playing for a big stake and means to win. Not so much as a schlenter had been found, and Mr. Inspector Lipinski felt that he had got himself into a very nasty place. He had stopped a seemingly honest trav- eler, shot one of his horses and submitted | him’ to the indignity of a personal search. Visions of his lost bet, of a civil action for damages before a jury that might probably be I. D. B.'s to a man, of heavy damages, and of the storm of ridicule that would overwhelm him at the end, flashed in quick succession past his mental gaze, and, being only human after all, he decided to tem- porize. | “I'm out, Mr. Salter!” he said, with the best assumption of cordiality that he could muster. “I'm dead out, and it's for you to call the game. I'm not satisfied, but I know when I'm licked, and I am this time. What's it to be?” “Waal,” drawled the Yankee, in’s how you've pulled me up here, shot a horse, cut up the fit-out, and made me undress in | this almighty cold, I think the least you | and your fellows can do is to come across to Mike Maguire's shanty yonder and take a drink. You bet ¥ want one pretty bad. What do you say?” Under the peculiar circumstances there appeared to be only one thing to say, and that was “Yes.” In fact, Inspector Lipin- | ski thought it a remarkably good get out. Besides, a miracle might happen even yet, so he said yes, and fellowed it up with a really handsome apolog: ‘The result was that within a very few minutes the dead horse was tnharnessed and pulled out of the road, the other lead- er hitched on to the end of the pole, and the whole party trotted across the border toward Mike Macuire’s store and shanty. On the way Salter roasted the Cape boy unmercifully and then not only consoled him, but mystified him considerably by telling that he should have his money after all. In spite of the wrong that had been done him, Salter insisted on standing the first round of drinks when the party at length stood up against Maguire's) bar. The drinks were duly raised and lowered, and while Lipinski was ordering the next round he said very quietly: “By the way, boss, about those stones. P'raps, as you've come all this way, you might like to see them. Here they are!’ While he was speaking he had pulled the Cape boy toward him and thrust his hand into his trouser pocket. He pulled out the identical envelope which he had asked for in the bar of the Queen's Hotel, with the inspector's signature still written across the flap. He handed it over to the bar- keeper and said: “When the chief of the department in Kimberley does do it, he does it to rights. Just you open that, Mike, and tell me if you ever saw a prettier lot.” Mr. Maguire looked at the signature, glanced curiously at the astounded in- spector, then opened the envelope, unfolded the bulky packet that was in it, and dis- closed about fifty rough diamonds, the sight of which made even his experienced eyes water. Orange and blue, green, rose and pure white, they glittered most tan- talizingly in the light of the paraffin lamp which hung above the bar counter. Mother av Moses, what a lot! they're the pick of the mines, and worth a king’s ransom any day!" said Mr. Ma- guire, in a somewhat awe-stricken tone, as he gingerly turned the priceless stones over and over with the end of his thick ie er, rance av the Shure, finger. “Here, take them back, mis fore I'm tempted beyond the en human flesh and blood by the sight av darlin’s, God bless their pretty sparkle So saying, honest Mike, knowing that his own reward was to come, handed them back to Salter, who pockcted them in a handful as he turned to the almost paralyzed in- spector and his men and said: “No, boss, they’re not schlenters this time—a little steam and a litle skill, you know. Wall, here’s to you, and now I'll just take your Good-for (the South African form of I. O. U.) for that thousand pounds, Mr. Lipinski, and then we'll say good night. I'm not coming back to Kimberey till I've done my business down in Port Elizabeth. Chin chin!” It took all the inspector's self-control to enable him to rise to the occasion, but he did it. He took his licking ike a man and a sportsman, and his subordinates and the Cape boy just grinned and drank their liquors, for, after all, I. D. B. is but a gamble, and the “gods look sometimes this way and sometimes that. The game bad been smartly played, and they looked upon the winner rather with admiration than with enmity. ‘That round of drinks was drunk, and then another and another, and then—alas for the weakness of the best-balanced hrman nature—-Mr..Seth Salter, with a confidence born of the fuiness of his triumph, left the bar room with the diamonds in his pocket and went out into the night to see his dis- comfited friends off on their homeward journey. Exactly what happened durirg the next quarter of an hour was never known, reached Distant so the w ha’ sparkler anyhow I hon cover portly les: they haven't wspector Lipinski orted the three-he riey. The horse the veld was patd for to i the driver his private intimation t+ ever ovened bis mouth that night's doings 3 | as an tlitcit diamon least th he ald «© inski slept the balan with a (15,000 parcel of his pillow, and the one in Kimberley who to him on th dogs or the selling Of course there would have given a what had become that is part of of ups of were many it CLAWS CHAL whi From thy Va., Spirit In the ante-bel lays, when southern mae summer noted Virg sprir nters came up from Ano: linas, Kentuc! Georgia and Mis pp in their carriages, with grea acKaKe % and a retinue of servants, and wher they came the Ist of June 1 stayed unttl frost fell, th were cay old times at the n life was werth Ub mountain resorts, w pain of living. Beginning with the first reg: and comirg on down to 1s tinds succession of historical names. There are the Sumpters, the Pickenses and the Ham tons of the Carolinas; the Clays and Mar- shalls and Crittendens of Kentucky: Cor- win and Ewing and Trimb! Ohio ; Choates and Websters a rees of Engiand: Dickinson, M. nd DD, the middle states: Cass and Douglass Benton from the then far west; the Cabells, Prestons and a galaxy of names from Virginia Car Maryland, and a host of others names have rendered Americ lustrious. Here these old not their shad-bellied ts and lars, and a proper, dignified time of it as they mingled their sulphu rin 1805 New Nas of an ryd: brig! and mint juleps togeth talk tics. It y back wher must hav nh Something in the importance to the whig party. On a musty old page of the hotel reg of that year, in that fine, almost feminine hand that is famiiiar to all, we find t tion: “HH. Clay, ntucky,” whil the next *s arrivals are Rufus ¢ Ma: is; Thomas Corwin, Ohio; Wil liam C. Rives, Virginia, and Millard fill- more, New York Those were the days when the m 1s of a julep was an art as well as a tc accomplishment. The night be Mr. Clay’s departure from the spr eave a@ banquet in his cott to friends. Fortunately, there is still ness to that entertainment piion can be relied upon, event that transcends all mé Old Unele Jimmie Patter able gatekeeeper, who of the White Sulphur morial, was the floor serv: in whick the Clay cotta: helped to serve the banquet the deportment of the host and t Was eminently proper until % fiving ey ané if t -wit- cala vener- attacne imme- “ of midnight, but from t night until morning daw high old time on the ptemises. cloth had been removed and the pipes were brought in—the degenerate prac tice of cigar d cigaret was inv those days—some one called for and a messenger was sent for a ne dier, who soon appeared wit icned instrument. vith “Money Musi “Sugar in the Gourd up “Mississippi Sawyer,” 3 into the middle of *he floor a Kentucky breakdown. This challenge to Mr. Choate, who followed with a New England pigeon-wing. When the old negro struck the chord of “Old Vir- ginia Never Tire,” the courtly Rives, after- ward minister to France, felt that tne repu- tation of the old dominion was at siake, and, shedding his coat, exe «1 (he Couble shuffle with a skill that would make @ minstrel man envious. And thus the fun grew fast and furious until the gray dawn peeped over the mountain tops. —+e- Protecting the Birds. From Harper’s Weekly. A new law in Massachusctts makes the possession of the skin or feathers of any bird which is protected by the laws of that state punishable by the same penalty as is imposed for killing the birds. This seems to mean that the gutleless maid who buys her feathers of a milliner runs as much risk of fine or imprisonment as the hard- hearted man-with-a-gun who goes out and pots the bird. In a state where the school- master ts less comprehensively abroad than in Massachusetts this law might make trouble, but the presumption ts that in the bay state every school girl is ornithologist enough to know which birds are protected citizens, and which are alicns and safe to wear. The ostensible purpose “of the new law is to preserve the bil which eat the bugs which feed on the crops of Massa- chusetts, but the promoters of the law are not likeiy to grieve if it goes beyond that and discourages the wearing of feathers in hats altogether. If you want anything. try an ad. in The Star. If anybody has what you wish, yer will get an answer. é —+e+—. Pertinent. Frem Life. “Why don't you hit a feller of your size? “Do you want me to wait here till you grow?” (BITTY