The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 24, 1899, Page 32

THE SUNDAY OALL. ©4040 +04040 4+ 0404040404040 . Regiment in the BRPTISM H OF FIRE 040404040404 040404040+ for the Irish autumn efs, who is in did every- sm of fire. f the st Newport the even- regiment the dark ause of 7 which nd the - him, and T in the hest of spirits oppres W although an rk, mean fer own par- and E i are looked wher f rd 1 most agreeable varia- Battall arch from tion in the monotony of barrack ex- Thurles tc there th 1s Though the clouds above grew Jhe Cuban Wild Qirl, gart of an Elgetrieal Storm. & Two Thousand Rounds of Ammus- nition Remain Untouched, While a Tlaxim Gun Upset and llen Stunned. seemed at first as if the shower, though it had been so long in coming, ‘was to be only a slight one after all, Just sufficlent perhaps to gratefully cool the close and over-heated atmos- % Jtrange Freaks of Deadly Lightning. s DTS SOOI @ The Gun Barrels Were Heated Red Hot and Violently Torn From the Hands of the Stalwart Soldiers. 2~ 1.7 ] Is red-hot. Belleving that the metal of the guns was the attraction which was drawing to them this unwelcome atten- tion of the electric fluid, command was given to lay the rifles flat on the ground, finger of fear even the breasts of the brave men around them. A second flash, more awe-inspiringly luminous still, tore through the heav- ens and struck the Maxim gun, over- @+040404040+4040404040404@ i RRAPTISM gflmooo&o#o#o’oocoooooow ¢ OF FIRE } & > endeavored with all their frantic migh§ to break away from the as that held them pri adding to their insane f one of their own number as & V ctim, thicker and more threatening, there was no cloud shadowing the hearts of the merry lads who were rousing the echoes along the quiet country road with their stentc n voices, for no foreboding of ill had come to ther. When the battalion reached Kil- eommon rain began to fall and a halt was called that the men might unroll and put on the overcoats which had been looked upon until then as a most unnecessary” burden by them all. It A Weird History Has ‘@ SECOND TLASM , TOrRE TROUGH THE MEQAVANS phers. No one of the carefree soldiers had any hint of the awful experience toward which they were marching. As they neared R how- ever, the dense darkness around them was ‘torn into a thousand fragments by of blinding brilliance in anks from front -, and was followed by a peal of thunder so crashingly lcud as to set the transport horses wildly plunging, and touch for an instant with the cold sudden a his Cubap Wild Girl OOR little *‘Cuban Wild Ros What is her real name, if she ever had any, and what is her history? No one knows, for if she ever po sessed either intellect or memory they have long since departed from her and the most assiduous efforts of those in whose care she {s have so far failed to awaken more than a glimmering of reason in her darkened mind. A circus tent is her world; a fenced platform her home; her chosen food such food as untamed beasts would eat; her preferred raiment the garb of savages in their native wild She has no language except the monosyllabic chatter and the swift, silent gesture speech which makes her seem welrdly akin to the simian fam- 1ly, although proof is positive that she belongs to humanity alone, and she has no thoughts beyond her primitive and most forcibly e ed likes and dislikes, Two years and a half ago, we are told, Jack O'Brien, an American, was on a hunting trip in the hills about 150 miles from Havana, Cuba, and found this strange creature hiding in a sort of lair in the dense underbrush. She had injured one of her legs so severely that she had evidently been unable to get out in search of food for some days, but, weak and 11l and crippled as she was, she fought against capture with all the frantic des- peration of a trapped wild beast. Medical attendance and good care soon restored her to health, and soon after that Walter L. Main heard of her and secured her as an traction for his ‘Fashion Plate Show.” It has been surmised that she is the daughter of wome Cuban planter whose home was destroyed during those dread- tul days ‘when Spanish rule was making Cuba desolate, and that, crazed with frisht at the atrocitles surrounding her, she fled for shelter to the hills. If this be so she is one of the most pro- nounced specimens of atavism extant, for though evidently 18 or 20 her head s not larger than a cocoanut, her strength Is enormous, and all her instincts are as savage as if she had come to us out of prehistoric times when brutish brain and brute force ruled the world. Only one person can be sald to have control over her and that is the gov- erness, who accompanies her everywhere. This lady has been able to make her understand a few English words, but she has not been able to make her wear the clothing or eat the food of civilization. Corn, raw sweet potatoes, sugar cane and raw meat, which she tears to pieces and devours like a flerce and ravenous ani- mal, constitute her regular menu. She knows the use of a club, for whenever she is able to possess herself of one she pro- ceeds to emplisize with it her distaste for the Ethiopian race, toward every member of which she seems to cherish a most ferocious antipathy. Toward Fred Reynolds, the chief clown, she shows something savoring of preference as he evidently ranks next to her governess in her estimation. For the rest, life means nothing to her but plenty of food, com- fortable garments and & soft place to sleep in. Taken altogether this Wild Rose of Cuba 18 the strangest specimen of mor- tality that has ever been publicly exhib- ited and while she cannot fall to interest the casual spectator, she presents to the profound student of ethnology & problem a::hy ot study if not o of solu- turning it and apparently killing Lieu- where the water was now running in torrents, but this gave the unfortunate goldiers only a temperary respite. The the detachment of A halt tenant Cocper and six men who had it in charge. was called and the regiment drawn up storm became a deluge, and the light- in line while ce was rendered ning was so incessant and so vivid as the who, it was to be a new revelation of nature's power =d, but not other- wise seriously injured by the shock. Meanwhile the lightning raced along the rifles in the hands of their waiting comrades, tearing some out of the owner’s grasp, and rendering others even to those of the battalion who have served in the tropics. Every flash struck down one or more men stunned, biinded, paralyzed or .burned. The horses, maddened by their terror, plunged and snorted and kicked, and p School for Geaghing Pet Dogs Faney Tricks YOUNG woman who found herself in need of extra funds has started is not strictly true, as many an old dog has been trained to do all the sprightly A a new school—a school for pet » doEu U TEERIAREY ot o dmake oA guicker, They are more fond of 5831 ea is a ing, and tricks are simply a professional tricksters of them, ly guided lot of g;mws‘_"nmrolqv e but simply to teach them to arhuse e and the patience of Job; that is all. their masters and mistresses at home by (l)fru;ff‘}v rvr'r:r)ns hnl\'o (heh nlu-s-sary time doing something requiring more intelli- T)H“'“t“ 0 spend on thelr dogs. 10 gt g he first thing the teacher does Is to gence than eating, running and maye o firm friend of the dog under tui. barking, or lying In comfort on a satin tion, the next to make him respect her sofa plllow. authority, and then reward him for obe- | The idea was evolved by the need of the dlence, All do xpect rewards for | hour, and the presence of her own little few Jessons are ail that IS nocesme yar dogs, which do all sorts of funny little v h other in quick suc- “stunts” even without direct orders, so with ‘the reward at the ISt as easy to teach several dogs at once as one at a time. One of the rettiest sights is to see two dogs march- ng like little soldiers clear across the room. Her own two little white dogs—the poo- dle and terrier—are about the same size, Every day they go through the same perfarmance when the mail carrier comes used sare khey to going through their little tricks. It has become second nature to them, and they voluntarily go through with them in thelr own play together, or to attract attention to themselves when they want something to eat She has always been foud of pets, hut was never content until she had taught and leaves a letter. They rush to. the each pet little tricks. At the time her door at his ring, and if there are not rooms were a little menagerie. Thcre enough letters for both, the terrier, Nui- | sance, allows the poodie, Midget, to take the letter in her mouth, and t scurry to the door of the mistress’ room and both stand erect, the letter in full sight in Midget's mouth, and then they march up- right on their hind legs across the room to their mistress and sit dewn on their haunches to deliver the letter. If she gl’elends not to see them they wave both front paws up and down rap- 1dly to attract her attention. If she still remains oblivious Nuisance gives a little bark—speaks—and they cock their eyes and turn their heads to one side, looking at her inquiringly in a very cunning way and she takes the letter. "Then they re- main seated until she gives them some candy. If she should pretend not to think of it they sit there patiently un- were two white mice, a squirrel, two little marmosets or South African monkeys, a parrot, a canary, a robin, a fox terrfer, a Maltese poodle and a Brazilian terrier, besides three tame common house mice which found their way through their own little doors in the casing of the doorwa: when the dogs were not In sight, and fe: on the crumbs left for them, and, if their mistress was there, running up to her and eating out of her hand and running up her arm to her shoulder. %he had taught all the pretty little show tricks to her own pets, dogs includ- ed, and also trained the pet dogs of her friends; so why not train other dogs? c;x;);‘gnyo∋: '.2;1;“‘: t{u"boc‘:t?.,n ;s; tl lhcu remembers, waving their pn'x; nergetically every time can oa uuhaddop new trfclu. u&aunum ch‘rs b % tricks taught to pupples, but the puppies | tion formed a convoy, and eve ful hour of mental the light- ge and add explosion to the other terrors of this awful season of heaven's tusillade. Most fortunately, ning failed to sear target, the str have proved and contented soldiers, who face h a which they knew not how to even at- then ves to face with foe tempt to repel. hes following each were ghastly the smallest dand made the faces of ing like statues in the r conscious on the ground or g to the needs of their injur nrade look like the visages of corpses de for many days. The electricity appeared at times te descend In a veritable flood. surround- ing each individual with a phosphores- cent glow which made him seem weird- ly translucent, and turned the fal raindrops into blazing diamonds. imagination which co ed up scenes of the Inferno never cor a spectacle of wilde ly hideousness in it 1 roundings than this which the S Battalion looked upon with an unwav- ering bravery which has g: the admiration of all who admire courage. It is comparatively easy for a n to seem brave upon the field of where there is a visible hu conquer or be conquered it is possible to dodge a saber stroke, or lie too flat to by a bullet; or where the blood e flerc charge that means victory ¢ It requires quite ar T age to face a myste: foe which you repel or escape, and thes their flery ordeal most nc The lightning played ov would—prank tims here score to des Burning this one, of another, the arms knocking these river-like road, stri from those and sea its branding touch ni cor die gallantly st t : | obeying the commands of their off to succor Jnnd doing th fallen comr the ¢ abated to such ¢ that it possible to mak understc Colonel Curteis su sted, with a vie toring the me strained n to something normal condition, that the on with the song which t singing when the tempes | them, and without h | doubtless, to s ovel sho ev had b broke man whom the light touched took up the tu strain and | continued it until the task of bearing | the wounded to shelter was accom- plished. When the storm was over it was | found that twelve of the s | been serfously and over twenty sl | wounded in the one-sided ent The two laborer's cott the only buildings in the v | metamorphosed into fleld hospi | the time being, and assistance w | for to the nearest towns. : | The fact that the electricity was aif- as sent each | fused over so wide an area and divert- ed by the metal of swords and rifles is, no doubt, what saved from instant death all those who are now fortunate enough to be only injured.