Evening Star Newspaper, August 20, 1898, Page 21

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDA'Y, AUGUST 20, 1898-24 PAGES. (Copyright, 1898, by William Murray Graydon.) One of of scenery in the prettiest Wpper Barmah is the valley of Mogok, where the famous ruby mines of that name are situated. It has n described in glowins: terms by the few travelers who have pene- trated so far—the village of Mogox itself lying in the lap of grassy hills fragrant with pink lotus blossom and wild roses, the huts of the miners and the white tents of British soldiery, and here and there a jomed temple or pagoda erected to nory of native dead. The mines ided their precious stones to . but after the overthrow of c monarch they became crown 2 were subsequently worked supervision of Engiish official: t many a convoy of rubie: between the mines and Mandalay, transit had falien into the hands of dacoits; and, und uew regime, these robbers of the june tated to attack the Brit- ish soldiers who took the place of Thee- baw's men. However, a couple ef ere defeats had @ salutary effect on the ( time the fol owing narrative opens—which Was two y ars after the annexation of Burmah—th« -e had been no trouble for six months. So Captain Jerome, who had been sent to the mines to escort the periodical crop of rubies down country, felt that he had a him. He was to morning, a distance of seventy miles, over a rude trail that traversed almost entirely a wooded country. But that aft acoits, and at the ernoon a_miserable-looking he Burmese peas- e captain with He had iearned, he said, that a band of dacoits were aware of the | fficer’s plans and intended to attack the of rubies at a certain point in the miles from the mines. learly what he pu us cases were rayed the | , tull credence n’s Stalement. He rmitted to go. fter an hour + hit upon what he idea. he said to him- of it. Ser- off with the ng the jungle trail south t ldy, where he will find a barge t him down to Man- dalay. And I'll carry « pal plan, starting at 4: k with a larger force of men and a ¢ lot of rubies. We'll be ready ni they turn up, and the: y as they have never had before The was carried out precisely as ar- Fanged. After nightfall two heavy chests— the one loaded-with rubies and the other with earth and stones—were placed in sep- arate bull carts. An hour before day- break Sergt. Ward and ten men, with the cart containing the box of rubies, slipped noiselessiy out of the camp and marched away on foot to the southwest. In y light of dawn the r bullock n their journey. ‘d of Capt. Jerome and twenty armed to the teeth. They set ¥, to the notes of bugles, us onlookers; ror departure should | spies whe might | vanish w | Quin. He the mouth’ of | nd some cage. caught In the hil nortly to move | erted town of It had not | nd | putation, t unexplored ‘s 'd to be infest- an order tor a num- e and scarce creatures h the pre nce of Kari Hamrach’s agent in Burmah. © of what had occurred on | a at learned trom rs clever trick. , he veturned to | and Carruthers breakfasted and then, as they had nothing | 7 ir hand, they stretched them-| on the shady side of the tent and lit An hour later Carruthers sud- ng to his feet in excitement. got it! he cried. “Got what?” Quin asked. “That native who came shunned by by the antiquary. ed with tig ber of these sterday with the news of the dacoits—his face was familiar, and I've been puzzling about it ever sini And now I remefmber! An oitfi- cer at Mandalay showed me a snap-shot he took of two dacoits at close quarters, when he wus fighting them a year ago. The one s old Tharadeen, and the cther | Was the identical chap who brought the in- formaiion to Capt. Jerom ! are you sure of this?” ex- claimed Quin. “Dead certain; I never forget a face.” It was Quin’s turn to become excited “T Lelie yu are right!" he cried. “I see it ali—the dastardly trick! Tharadeen is the worst of the dacoits in Burmah, and he purpose nt this fellow with false in- formation. He shrewdly calculated that Capt. Jer would send the rubies to- Ward the river, where the jungle is dense. the real attack will be made. acvits will ambuscads Ward and his and carr off the rubies. The other | party won't be molested. By Jove! what's to be done about it? Nothing, I'm afraid,” replied Carruthers. '$ too iat If you had only told me before!” “How could 1, when I didn't know my- it can't be helped now,” sald I may be on the wrong tack, but to one the other way. We must , Carruthers, ff it's a pos- it’s ten But how are we going It would be of little use ain Jerome's party, for ht not credit the story: and even if he did, it would be too late for him to intercept Ward's little ce by a rapid march across coutitry. It was doubtful dacoits would attack—whether s or near the Irrawaddy. And the few soldiers left at Mogok; being posted on duty at scattered points, were not avall- able. Quin weighed the situation briefly, and then formed a resolve with his usual promptitude ‘There is only chance,” he said. “Ward's party have litue more than two hours rt, and by rapid marching we may catch up in time. ‘Tharadeen’s strong- hold is said to lie across the Irrawaddy, 80 he will likely attack near the river. We Will take ten of my fellows with us and the rest can break camp later in the day, come on with the animals and the baggage, and doin us at Pagan. We are going there, any- now Burmans are afraid of the place,” "arruthers. “Yes, it's their confounded superstition. TU knock it out of them when the time comes. Move lively, now, for every minute is precious. Put some food up in portable . and overhaul the firearms. [ll do ‘The camp was in an tsolated position and gould not be seen from the village. There being a remote possibility that his suspi- cions were baseless Quin concluded to say nothing to the officer in charge of the mines. From among his two score of Bur- WILD- BEAST IA The Outwitting of - | into the blackness of night, and they lit | Carruthe: LEAVES FRM his NCTE? Book VY-MURRAY GRAYDON. Tharadeen, the Dacoit. march until nightfall and push on the fol- lowing day to Pagan, where he would be waiting for them. In less than half an hour all was ready. Quin and Carruthers, at the head of their little band, marched out of the valley, turned southwest and took up the jungle trail recently trodden by Sergeant Ward end his party. The purpose of the expedi- tion had been intimated to the Burmans, who were in high spirits, and seemed to rejoice at the prospect of a brush with dacoirs. Hours slipped by. The sun reached its meridian and began to sink. The marks of the soldi2rs and the bullock cart were not easily traced, and the narrow jungle trail presented so many obstacles that Quin and his companions could not travel as rapidly as they had hoped to. By the middle of the afternoon, however, they had put mor2 than very shallow—and crept, two by two, ‘be- tween a.breach in the walls. Even Quin and Carruthers, stout-hearted though they were, experienced a sudden chilling of their spirits when they found themselves within the precincts of the loag-desirted city. They pushed on for Several hundred yards, keeping a watchful eye on the Burmahs, through what had crce been a street Now it was overgrown with grass and reeds, young timber and dense vegetation. Right and left, where the moonbeams strayed, ruins loomed white and ghostly. “Look!” Carruthers whispered, excitedly, a moment later. In front stretched a sort of an avenue, six yards wide. It was paved with immense s.abs of stone, which, except for tufts of grass in the crevices, had so far defied the ravages of the jungle. On each side, where the thick vegetation began, was an even row of tall, massive-girth trees. And at the far end, perhaps half a mile distant, a graceful, architectural mass was stamped against the moonlit sky. “It's a great pagoda or temple,” said Quin; “and this was the approach to it. We'll find good shelter yonder, I'll war- rant.” They had advanced only a few feet when a shrill, quavering cry, coming from some point ahgad, broke the silence of the night. The Burmans were already bordering on panic, and they took the sound for a su- pernatural omen. With husky .yells, in a state of helpless terror,* they turned and fled. Quin shouted to them to stop, stormed and threatened, but in vain. They continued their mad flight, running like deer toward the place where they had en- tered the city, and soon the last man had vanished in the undergrowth. “The cowards!” exclaimed Quin, “Wait til I go back. I'N teach them a lesson they won't forget in a hurry.” “You're not going after them now?’ asked Carruthers. “No: I'm going on. I want to see what yonder. Not afraid, are you?” ‘Not a bit," was the cheerful reply. “Listen, there’s that cry again! What is “A tiger cat,” said Quin. “I know the IT LAUNCHED ITSELF AT CARRUTHERS. twenty miles behind them, and it seemed certain that the convoy of rubies was not far ahead. But at sunset the situation was unchang- ed. As yet there was no ge€ant's party his theory was wrong, and that the rubies would get threugh to the river unmolested. However, this was only conjecture, and as the time was now at hand when th? dacoits would likely make their attack, he led his little band forward at a quickened rate of | speed. And when the twilizht was fading torch2s that they might be sure of their way, they made an unpleasant discovery. No vestige of the path was to be seen. They had been wandering, perhaps for an hour, through the trackless jungle. It was com- paratively op2n hereabouts, which actount- ed for their unconsciously diverging from the trail. “We must find it again,” exclaimed Quin, nd as quickly as possible.” “That's easier said than done,” replied He was right. Already the party had lost their bearings, and could not tell from what direction they had come. They were igno- Tant, even, of the points of the compass, for the stars were quite hidden by the dense and matted foliage overhead. They divided into three parties, and for some minutes, with blazing torches, they searched to and fro. Then Bo Thaw, one of the Burmans, uttered a shout that drew all to the spot. He had stumbled on a sort of a rude trail that could b2 seen winding away through the jungle. “This is not the path; it looks as If it had been trodden by wild beasts,” said Quin. “But we can’t do better than follow it. In the end it may lead us to the Irrawaddy road.” “There's no chance now of catching the sergzant’s party up,” replied Carruthers. “I'm afraid not,” Quin assented. “It’s hard luck. Come along; we'll make the best of it. One never knows what may happen.” It was the unexpected that did happen eventually, though not in th: manner that Quin meant the words. For two hours and re the little band plodded wearily and in single file through the jungle, sticking to the barely perceptible trail by the light of terchas, At last they saw a dusky glimmer ahead, and. pressing forwar@ eagerly, they emerged several minutes later from the jungle and stood by the brink of a shallow stream. Quin and Carruthers exclaimed with as- tonishment, and the Burmans, uttering low cries of consternation, dropped to their knees. For close by, just across the stream, the ruined walls of what had once been a great city stretched right and left. Through the crumbling gaps of masonry the moonlight shone on towers and mina- rets, tottering arches. and leaning col- umns, rising out of a tangle of rank vege- tation and jungle growth. It was a weird and desolate picture, which none could witness unmoved. All had divined the truth. No words were needed to tell them that they stood on the threshold of the ancient city of Pagan. ‘By Jove, I had no idea we were any- where near here,” said Quin. “This is the t side of the town, awd the road to the Irrawaddy, which was lost, lies a good five miles to the south. It’s no use now to go after Ward’s party. ‘They are at the river by this time, unless they have been wiped out by the dacoits. And that’s not likely; we should have heard the sounds of firing. 1 believe you made a mistake in your man, Carruthers.” “I'm beginning to think so myself, sir,” was the reply. “It's just as well we came.” Quin went on. “Tomorrow the rest of our party will arrive. Meanwhile, I intend to spend the night in one of yonder temples. We'll build roaring fires and sleep comfortably.” Carruthers nodded assent, but the Bur- mans protested in vigorous language, in shrill and frightened tones. “Sahib, think better of it,” pleaded Bo Thaw. “My people are much afraid. There are many evil spirits in Pagan, and it is said also that a band of fierce dacoits have a hiding place there.” “I don’t believe that; the dacoit lairs are all across the Irrawaddy,” said Quin. }‘As for the evil spirits—rot! always flee from @ sahib. come to you, I promise. mans he selected—there was not much choice—ten men whom he knew to be fleet of foot and accustomed to the use of fire- arms. To each he gave a day's rations, a supply of ammunition and a rifle-owing to the unsettled state of Burmah he had brought a small arsenal up country with him. He instructed the rest of the party to break camp within a couple of hours, morning you shall tell your comrades that it is safe to enter the town.” The Burmans still refused, and for a time they held out obstinately. But at length, by dint of threats and firm words on Quin’s part, their reluctant consent was won. He Gid not give them a chance to alter their minds, but led them forward at once, They waded the stream—it was voice. Hullo! more of the creatures are giving tongue now. But it’s all right; they won't dare to molest us.” With that he set off, and-Carruthers fol- lowed. At intervals, as they rapidiy trod the paved avenue, the mournful, rasping sounds rang out from various quarters. And when they were more than half way to the farther end the situation became se- rious. The cries, nOw pitched in an angry, snarling key, drew closer. Scurrying feet were heard in the weeds behind and to right and left, and fiery eyes gleamed from the thicket: the tiger cats seem to be in muttered Quin. “We've stumbled on a regular den of them. A dozen of the brutes could make mincemeat of us, if they choose.” ‘ “Don't you think we had better go back?” suggested Carruthers. “No; too late for that. It’s the safest plan to push ahead. If we are attacked We must depend on our knives or the stocks of our guns. It would be risky to shoot, for there may be dacoits about; it’s a Hkely place for them.” They hurried on anxiously, and each mo- ment the peril increased. Looking over their shoulders, they saw with alarm that a number of the tawny creatures had ven- tured into the open, and were slinking along behind. They were nearly as big as leopards, and were evidently emboldened “Keep Back,” Yelied Quin. by hunger. Their incessant snarling and Lb cater made a bloodcurdling volume of sound. 5 “Faster,” urged Quin. “Don’t show any ear.” He turned and shouted, but his voice had little effect on the savage pack, which was constantly growing larger: A moment later, from the undergrowth on the right, bound- ed a tiger cat—a splendidly-striped brute, plump and graceful. With a ferocious growi it launched itself at Carruthers and fasten- ed on his shoulder. Like a flash Quin whipped out his long-bladed hunting knife a stabbed the creature deep in the threat; ani it fell to the ground, struggling in dying convulsions. % “Thanks!” panted Carruthers. “That was a ‘Don’ nee said Quin. “ along. “1 "t ye” uin. “Come 5. We are neary there.” “3 They advanced for some distance, fol- lowed by the screeching pack, and as they Slavens in ota it oaray Sot made out a w a gate at the base of it. But it was doubtful this shelter; at if they could reach the crumbling, 3 be helped; exclaimed Quin. s2W !§ our chance. Run —run for your lifePY © Side by side the Basn lashed off fieetly, and neither will evtr‘forget that terrible race. Death was @t thtir heels, and the fear of it urged tl 2 on. They did not dare look behind thém, it they heard the patter and screeching’ ofthe savage pack, and they almest ‘hows. They ran fast- er and faster, straiffing e¥ery nerve to keep im the lead. At last, Breathless and ex- hausted, they igor ee through the gateway. Instantly*they'turned and threw their weight-ageitist’ the massive gate, which, to their infinfteé rélief, creaked shut. on its rusted hinges. “Just in time! The infuriated animals, redctiing the spot a sec- ond too late, vented their’disappointment in loud and angry snarling. Presently they were heard scurrying @way to their distant lairs. oe The fugitives, having recovered breath a little, looked about them with keen curi- osity. They were in s court yard sur- rounded on three sides by a high wall. On the fourth side, with its tiers of carved ‘wood and stone, towered a huge pagoda that looked to be in a fair state of ‘preser- vation. But the base had falien at one spot and Quin and Carruthers gained the interior by climbing ‘with difficulty over a heap of ruins. .The moon entered from many a gaping crevice above, and by its light they made a startling discovery. On the floor of the temple were unmistakable signs of human habitation—beds of dried grass, a fire ready to be lighted, food and dishes, a heap of weapons, two massive chests and a cask of powder which had fallen over and spilt a part of its contents. On the far side was the entrance, an arch- ed doorway leadirg into what looked like a covered passage. “By Jove, what a find!" exctaimed Quin. “The Burmans were right. We are in a dacoit lair. What a Splendid hiding-place the ruffians chost “It may belong to “‘Tharadeen’s band,” suggested Carruthers. “We had better be making tracks.” A low, excited cry was Quin’s answer. He had lifted the lid of one of the chests, to find the bottom covered deep with ves- sels of gold and silver, numerous coins, jewel-studded daggers and strings of rubies and other precious stones. Car- ruthers joined him, and for a moment the two gazed in speechless surprise at the treasure. Then they were startled to hear a clamor of voices close by, in the direc- tion of the temple door. “The dacoits are returning!” gasped Car- ruthers. “Come, there is not a second to lose.”” “Not ‘that way,” whispered Quin. “It will take too long to climb over the rub- bish, and thetiger-cats are still prowling in the avenue. We will slip out the other way when we get a chanee, and mean- while we will hide. I see a likely place yonder."" The spot referred to was to the left of the entrance—a recess of some depth in the wall, approached by three steps. The men hurriedly gained this shelter, and ercuched behind a heap of stones and plaster that had fallen from above. They were just in time, as the increasing clamor and a flash of ruddy light told them. The next instant through the temple docrway surged the foremost of the dacoits —evil-faced, motley-attired men,armed with muskets, knives and curved swords. They were led by a hideous ruffian, of immense stature, who was easily recognized as the notorious Tharadeen ohimself. Now ap- peared a small chest, ‘borne on_ the Shoulders of two men, and behind them, with his arms tied, marched an English- man. It was Strgeant Ward. “Look, they have the box of rubies!” whispered Carruthers. .; ‘Yes; tae convoy has dren attacked and captured,” said Quin. %The fiends have probably killed al .but the sergeant. Heaven send us an oppertunity to rescue him! Hush! not a spynd,gor your life!” By this«time th2 entire.band, about thirty strong, had entered the temple; a few wounded brought up the.rear. The box of rubies was placed on the ground, and a terch was applied te the;fire, which blazed up quickly. Som: of the,dacoits began to set out food, while others threw themselves down to rest. w For sveral minutes the hidden men look- ed on with curiosity. and apprehension, realizing that they were in an agly scrape. Then a disastrous thing happened. Car- ruthers, after a vain attempt to stifle it, emitted a loud sneeze. It caused instan- taneous alarm. With eager cries, half a dcz2n dacoits darigd to the spot, and by the light of the fire they discerned the fugi- tives crouching behind, the rupbish. “Feringhees! Feringhees!” they shouted. “Kill them!” ‘They were speedily joined by more of the reffians, led by. Tharadeen ‘himself. The temple resounded with the savage outcry. “Keep back!” yelled Quin, thrusting out his rifte. ‘The warning was not heed2d, The crowd made a rush for the steps leading :o the recess, and at once Quin and Carruthers fired, killing two of the dacoits. The rest, drawing back a little, let fly a volley of shots. Th2 Englishmen, by throwing them- selves flat, narrowly escapad being riddled with bullets. At this eritical moment, when death seemed certain, a shrill voice rang above the tumult: “Enough, you dogs! Off with you, or I'l blow you all to atoms!” The speaker, as Quin and Carruthers saw by a hasty glance, was none other than Sergt. Ward, He had managed to release his arms and snatch a burning brand from the fire. open cask of powder face of such an awful ‘2 panic. With murmurs of fear, they with- drew a little from the recess. One, how- ever, suddenly leveled a pistol and fired hephazard at the daring sergeant. The ball struck the brand, and hurled it into a heap of dried grass that lay close to the powdar cask. The inflammable stuff in- Stantly burst into a blaze. Then quickly, with franii: yells of ter- ror, the dacoits, one and all, made a stam- pede for the temple door. Sergt. Ward, seeing that it was impossibl> to stamp out the fire, joined Quin and Carruthers in the recess. He had barely done so when a tre- mendous explosion hurled the threz off their feet. Happily, they were not injured seriously. Tiey rose up, slightly stunned and bruised, and looked about them. Here and there a mass of debris had dropped from the walls or fallen from abeve; that was about the extent of tre damage caused by the ex- plesion, : “We had a narrow. escape,” Quin said, hhoarsely. “I thought it was all up with us.” “We are not out of the woods yet,” the sergeant exclaimed. ‘Hark! the devils are returning!” “We must retreat the other aay,” urged Carruthers. As he spoke a rattling fusillade of mus- ketry was heard close by, followed by hearty cheers mingled with yells of rage and pain. The shots and the tumuit con- tinued, drawing rapidly near. | “By Jove! I believe help has arrived!” ered Quin. It was evan so. A moment later what were left ot the dacoiis, about twenty, burst into the temple. And at their heels, led by Capt. Jerome, came nearly a score of British soldiers. Th2 fight that ensued, in which Quin, Carruthers and the sergeant eagerly took part, was brief, but bloody. He was holding it close to the Tue dacoits, in the fell into a | The dacoits, driven to bay, made a des- perate struggle. Bi number had be2n deen himself, the % st threw down their arms and surrenddfd. /'Of the attacking force, two were killéd and three wound=d. The victory won, ¢xplinations followed. Sergeant Ward's pdrty Had been attacked early in the evening, ne“itimself being taken prisoner, while of his men four were Killed and the rest were driven to’ the jungle. The latter were with Cagtain Jerome's par- ty, and that officer quifialy accounted for their presgnce: “We had not gdm)xtiny miles ion our ay,” he said, “wi e captured a native Me who had -beén Mog us. On condi- jon swhen half of their ., including Thara- of his liberty ere! ~that the in- formation I had rddsfv@t on the previous day was false, a "s- band m erled Quin. Lo ‘mines,’ ‘It's all right, thoagh. “I sent ti back t the captain. the prisoners, to a temple nearer the walls, where they spent the remainder of the night; they had buried the two soldiers, and left the dead dacoits where they had falien. In the morning Quin found his ten Burmans beyond the town, and after a se- vere rebuke he pardoned their cowardice. About noon the rest-of his Burmans ar- rived from Mogok with the camp luggage and animals. An heur later Captain Je- rome’s force, with the prisoners, started for the mines; they took with them the treasure found in the temple, which, of course, was erown property. ‘It may be said that they found the rubies ell right— the mistake had been discovered. They were subsequently conveyed to Mandalay, where the captured dacoits were tried and punished. Quin and his party remained for a fort- night at Pagan, and part of the time he devoted to a thorough exploration of that interesting town of the past. And when he finally went on to the Irrawaddy, where he had arranged for a barge to meet him, his collection of animals was increased by a dozen of the fierce tiger-cats which had so nearly finished Carruthers and himself, and driven them to take refuge in Thara- deen's hiding piace. a CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR NOTES ‘The topic for consideration tomorrow is “Practical Uses of the Bible,” and the Scripture reference, Psalm 119: 97-105. The Christian Endeavor Society of the West Washington Lutheran Church has elected the following officers for one year, beginning September 1: President, William A. Pettit; vice president, Edgar Reichard; treasurer, M. J. Rohr; secretary, Miss Georgie G. Wenner; delegate to union ex- ecutive committee, Mrs. M. L. Willis. The president has appointed a spiritual adviser for Fort Myer, an appointment due somewhat to the activity of the Christian Endeavor Society of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. The addresses delivered at the Nashville convention last month have been issued in book form by the United Society of Chris- tian Endeavor. Rey. C. H. Butler, president of the Dis- trict of Columbia Junior C. E. Union, made an address to the Endeavorers of Mount Vernon Piace M. E. Church South at their meeting last Sunday evening. The latest report shows a Tenth Legion enrollment of 10,913. The legion is steadily increasing its members, being composed of people whose practice it is to tithe their income, The comrades of the Quiet Hour now number 9,746. The August meditation is “Emptiness of Self.” At the Nashville convention Rey. F. D. Power, D. D., of the Vermont Avenue Christian Church and Mr. Grant Leet, pres- ident of the District of Columbia C. E. Union, re added to the board of trustees of the United Society of Christian Endea- vor, giving this city a representation of four out of a total of 105, representing every evangelical denomination in all the United States and Canadian provinces. The United States is not the only place where they hold Christian Endeavor con- ventions. ‘The German national convention will be held in Berlin October 24 to 26, and the New South Wales, Australia, union convention at Sydney, September 6 to 11. The movement is especially strong in Aus tralia, there-being 2,284 societies on the island. There are fourteen societies in the new American possession, the Hawaiian Is- lands, nine young people's and five junior. There were in the U d States July 1 4 Endeavor societies, classified as Tol- lows: Young people 5 O intermediate, 744; mothers’, 70; senior, 26 parents’, 1, Canada has a totai of 3,456 societies. —_+—__. Handy for Emergencies. From Pearson's Weekly. it may not be generally known that the Dutch Boers at the cape, especially those living in remote districts, where material is expensive and labor difficult to obtain, fre- quently purchase at least one coffin before- hand, which is placed in a conspicuous po- sition in the “voor-kamer,” or principal sitting room, and utilized as an article of furniture, fer ornament or as a receptacie for clothing and other oddments. One farmer well known to the writer possesses a beautifully finished artiele of this sort which he purchased about thirty years ago. During that period he has bur- ied three wives, each of whom had to be content with coffins of the commonest ma- terial and roughest workmanship, while his own, awaiting its possessor, stands in all its luster of polished teak and silver mountings. For the present the old gentleman uses it as a couch for his midday nap, in order, as he sometimes remarks with grave hu- mor, that he may get accustomed to it. Identified. From the Indianapolis Journal. “My brother in the Klondike,” said the medical student boarder, “writes me that he had to pay $4 for a piece of apple pie.” “Hs must be,” said the Cheerful Idiot, “cne of those plece-at-any-price persons.” Cunning Street Boys, From Fliegende Blatter. A SMART-ALEC’S WOES | itios22ennes ete It Does Not Do to Tell All You Know Too Soon. “THREE R’”-HEN EASY 10 MANAGE Not Much Chance to Beat a General Court-Martial. SOME WHO HAVE TRIED Written for The Evening Star. It is not well for an educated man who kas just joined the army or navy to turn loose with all he knows on all hands all at ence. Thereby he is liable to get himself an immediate, yet clinging, reputation as a “Smart Alec.” The really smart just-en- listed maa, who has also had an education, plays it light upon his shipmates for a while. He-smokes his pipe when he draws alongside for a period of listening. and says little. He expresses few or no opin- icns. He apparently sits at the feet of tien who don’t know half as much as he does. After he does this for a long while, and then begins to open up gradual! surprised mates are delighted to make the discovery that he has a good deal of in- formation at his fingers’ ends, and tnen they sit at his feet. But if the new n , even if he has got brains and plenty of them, hops into the confabs of the old- timers with the obvious purpose of im- pressing them from the go-off with the extent of his acquirements, he is squashed and borne down upon out of hand, and gets himself chalked upon the gradually Giminishing Ist of Smart Alecs in the two services. It is an entirely different matter to be regarded as a Smart Alse by the offi- cers, and to be regarded in the same un- canny light by the enlisted men. The sol- dier or sailor who is appraised by the offi- cers as a Smart Alec generally has the esteem and the confidence of the men. Officers of the army used to regard all of the educated men who drifted into the ser- vice as Smart Alecs, and there was even a period when well-educated men were turned down at the recruiting offices wit '- out getting so much of a look-in as a physical examination. The weill-educated men were found by the officers to be harder to manage than the soldiers of only mod- erate attainments in the way of book- learning—“three ‘R’ men.” For example, the soldier with an educa- tion makes too hard a fight of it when he happens to get @ general court-mar! © “has often been known court” composed of a clever assortment regular army officers in full dre: forms. When a soldier does this pretty near tim people, if they are influential, to get him cut of the service; for a soldier wlio beats a general court-martial achieves a reputa- tion with his officers as a Smart Alec, even w it is for him to write to his though he receives at the same time the tumultuous applause of his swaddies. and the sooner he is out of the he hap- pier he will be. There is no let-up on the Soldier who fights a general court-martial and makes his fight stick. Regular army officers are human, and they make such a soldier do ‘his soldiering up to the handle for the remainder of his time, and ke never knows when he is to be touched upon the shoulder by a sergeant of the guard and told to “get his blankets”—which means a guard house trick—for the commission of some military offense of which he knows nothing. At Governor's Island a coupie of years ago there was a spidier who beat a general court-martial and thereby made a bed of thorns for himself. This man was not a Smart Alec in the opinion of the men, by whcm he was respected as a clever and genuine fellow, but he was a Smart Alec in the estimation of the officers. He was studying for a commission from the ranks, and some officers don’t particularly like enlisted men who go into the army for this purpose, This man three months after his enlist- ment and assignment to Governor's Island had been tried by a summary court for tak- ing one of the quartermaster’s boats one night after he had been refused leay absence, rowing himself to ew York, where he had an evening’s whirl-around, and then only returning to the pest in time to hastily restore the boat to its place be fore taking his place in line with his out- fit for reveille. He was accused at reveille, for he had been absent from check ro!l cali cn the night before, and he admitted the impeachment. He was given a month in the guard house for it. ‘even or eight months later this same man was found along toward midnight one mild summer night sitting alone in one of the quartermaster’s boats, moored near on: of the quartermaster’s storehouses, s ing a pipe and apparently unco: all military espionage. It was the officer of the day who discovered him. The lgtter Was taking a walk about, waiting for the hour to arrive for him to make an inspec- tion of the various guard posts, and he had only happened ‘accidentally to ap- proach the quartermaster’s storehouse, which was out of the chain of night guard posts. Thus he spied the soldier sitting in the boat smoking and naturally looking suspiciously like a man about to jump post or like one just returned from a post- jumping expedition. It makes no difference, one way or the other, to this story whether the soldier had been across the channel in the quar- termaster’s beat or not. No Oars or Oarloe! “Having used the boat, my man,” said the officer, recognizing the soldier in it as @ man wno had once before been tried for Ulicitly using one of the quartermaster’s skiffs, “you will now tie the boat up where it belongs, and then report to the sergeant of the guard, under arrest for the same offense for which you were tried some time “The difference being, this time,” said the soldier, saluting, “that when I was tried before for collaring the boat and using it, I was guilty, and owned up to it. I had been across to New York in it, and made no bones about it, and I did my trick for it. This time, I haven't used the boat, nor have I had any idea of using it. I sim_ ply came down here for a quiet, cool smokt “You may recite that fact to the general court-martial,” replied the officer. Just then a sentry, who had been attract- ed from some distance away by the talk of the officer and man, strolled up. “If, then, there is to be a general court- martial,” said the soldier who had been discovered sitting in the boat, “I will just invite the attention to the sentry now ap- proaching that this boat is unprovided with oar Jocks and cars. It doesn’t seem possi- ble that I could make my way across the rough and swift-runnirg channel without oars. Do you notice, sentry, that this boat hasn't oars or oar locks?” The seatry, after saluting the officer, made his reply, end then the soldier was marched to the guardhouse. “You migat eaSily have cast oars and oar locks overboard,” said the officer, “when you heard me coming, in order to’ support your story that you had not used the boat.” The soldier made ro reply, but went to his cell, and waited for his general court- martila. On the following morning the provost sergeant got him out of his cell at fatigue call, and was about tq count him off for work with a batch of military conyicts, men doing two and three-year terms for desertion, some of them. “For why?” asked the provost sergeant. The soldier made no reply, but he couldn't be made to work. So the 8 ie €: iebsts BE r. “The tw regarded at all of the posts thr country for a long time past still in effect. You can’t work him until after he's been tried and awaiting ser tence, and then you'll have to put him ov with the guard bouse prisoners, and with the convicts.” Three Weeks to Prepare. The soldier had three weeks in which to put in his best licks in the way of a fense at bis trial by general court-mart He declined counsel, and wrote his own statement. At the trial he made the po! f quite clear that the mere fact of his having been ind sitting in a quartermasier boat in the middie of the night was sufficient evidence to convict him of having had that boat across the channel to w York. His statement was 2 model of terse ness, correctness and modesty. The mem- bers of the court @idn’t like the confident manner of the man, yet they wavered fore they convicted him. They did convict him, but they only sentenced him to thre months’ confinement in the guard house, to be followed by restoration to duty. The also recommended him to the lenlence of the reviewing authority—which was a hard thing for officers to do in the case of a man they regarded as a Smart Alec. When judge advocate of the department got hi of the papers the fact struck him imm ately that the man ufider sentence best of the case. He was a judge a famous throughout the servic dealing, and he laid the case as he saw before the commanding general of the partment other very just man. commanding general set down and proved of the findings of roasted the court for i Then he roasted the officer who pri the charge idier “entered ab had no substantiation trial,” and he also s every officer who had case. The soldier was restore telegraph. He might hav. eral court-martial that have stuck had he st but his people got him « his discharge. This was t they're al d, trivial ao purchasing se man, in and the wonder does not seem gre hat the officers prefer to handle men of or- dinary acquirements. Pleases Some, Maddens Others. In the navy ¢lso the man with the educa- tion knows how to display a species of ¢ @acious craftiness that earns for him the dislike of his officers, even if, rightly us it earns for hira the ward. When the Key West a few months ¢ abcard one of them came one evening j Smart Alec, otherwise educ arm of the men fc >mbling > a fire ard before quarters. ducated service by ss and indir: oe ad sober,” which & ¥ one that su 7 to answer for at the lowing 4 tting thems the log as having return “drunk and dirty.” This knew how shaky he was, and he didn’t care to tak pons on the rigifl kompec- tion of the r at evening quar- ters. So he went below to an empty bunker and fell asizep. The call for quarters went and the engineers’ force assembled on the port side to answer their names. usual, man, remained in his bun- man called the roll, out Tranby’s name— similar enough to Tranby—Tran- by wasn’t there to answer, of course. So he finished calling the roll, and w turned to report to the chief engin erorted, as it was his business to do, “Tranby, first-class fireman, absent out leave.” The report was pas: to the commanding officer. dismissed from quarters ecutive officer, and found sed along All hands were and then the ex- who looked over the log that Tranby was aboard the stip, sent his messenger after the missing fireman. Meantime, the men of the engi- neer’s gang had gone below and totd Tran- by that he had Leen reported absent from quarters. Tranby immediately appeared upon the spar deck, smoking his pipe, and Iccking very alert. He was probably mz ing ready for an audacious an ignorant man would ceived, much less have been equal to. The messenger boy found him, and told zim he Was wanted at the mast. Could Not Phase Tranby. “Tranby,” said the skipper to the fire- man, “why weren't you at quarters?” “I was at quarters, d Tranby. “What's that? You were at quarters, you es, sir,” said Tranby. The skipper-looked amezed. “Well, why didnt you answer to your name when the roll was called?” he asked the man before him. “I did, sir,” said Tranby. “I did answer to my name. “What sort of a muddle ed the commanding officer officer of the deck. neez’s yeoman and the chief engine The chief engineer and ine yeoms ently appared. “Chief,” said the captain, “this man be was present at quarters. You re} him abseat?” “I did, sir, upon the report of the eng’ neer’s yeoman,” replied the chief enginzer. “Yeoman, Tranby did not answer to his name in line'at quarters, did he?” “Tranby was Rot at quarters, sir,” said the yeoman. “I called his name out twi and he did not answer either time. I look= ed for him then in both the rear and front ranks, and he wasn't there. Tranby was ateent from quarters, sir.’ “I was present at quart2rs, and answered ail thi turning to the for the engl- pres- to my name twice, sir,” said Tranby, firm- ly, addressing the captain. The captain looked nonplussed. “Did anybody see you at quarters, Trans by? Where did you stand in the line?” Tranby replied that he stood between a water tender and an oiler, both of whom he named. It was another pirce of audaci- ty that a thick! ded man wouldn't have tried. Both men were sent for. They caught Tranby's eye. Yes, they both saw Tranby at quarters. Tranby stood betw them. The skipper, the executive officer, the officer of the deck, the chief engineer and the engineer's yeoman, all knew that Tranby was lying, and that Tranby’s two witnesses, the water tend2r and the oii were lying. But Tranby made bis cose stick. i “You can’t prove anything concerning enlisted men on a man-of-war,” remarked the captain, drily. “Tranby, you may £0 forward. But if you are as wise ss this trick proves yeu to b2, you'll remember one ship that it will be advantageous for you not to ship for, when you enlist agais.” A Story of the Maine. While under ordinary circumstances the old-time bleujackets of the navy don't hi much to do with the clever men forward, they are occasionally willing enough to use the men with “headpieces stowed with book learnin’” when they find themselves in trouble. About three years ago, for ample, one of the seamen who went down with the Maine was running the steam cut- ter of his ship between the ship and Val- lejo, Cal. He was the cutter’s cox'um. He hit the terrific article of whisky pur- yeyed in Vallejo to sailormen a great many times one day and became exceedingly drunk and riotous. His condijion was per- ceived by the officer of the a young ensign, and the cox’un was called the ship. He wa: a aboard told to go for'ard by the eck officer. The drunken cox'un prompt- ly knocked the officer of the deck flat to the deck. It is a bad job for an enlisted man of the United States navy to strike an Officer. The cox'un was landed in double irons in the brig and the general court- martial by which he was tried sentenced him to three years’ confinement in a naval prison. Then one of the disliked men for- ward of the crew—lisliked, that is to say, by that element of the officers aboard that regarded all bluejackets of education as Smart Alecs—jumped in and took an fnter- est in the case of the sentenced man, who was @ fine sailor and, when sober, « good and reliable man. He wrote various ap- peals In the name of the sentenced man them forwarded through