A PROFESSIONAL SKllTEI.
Th Trials of a Deaortor
by Hlmat.lt
ToW
Desertion was, and Is, the open sore
.' the American army. Llko all other
rlla, it haa 1U causes. In the old days
ihen the frontier was the frontier,
Arsh treatment, bad food, hard servieo
n the field, the monotony of garrison
life and the lack of amusements and
recreations in the isolated and shabby
little posts were among the causes that
impelled men to desert their colors.
Among the enlisted men desertion
vra regarded as a very rental offense)
and it was held that men who were ill
treated had a right to desert; men who
were discontented ought to desert; and
men who were found to be rogues were
encouraged to desert by public senti
ment and certain rudu but significant
fciuta.
This constact depletion of the ranks
by desertion, and the great expense in
transporting recruits to distant sta
tions, s well as the difficulty of ob
taining recruits for the hard and unro
mantic service of the plains, made the
evil a very serious problem for the war
department to solve.
Fort Wlngate, situated on the slopes
of the Zuni mountains in Campbell's
pass. New Mexico, being without tele
graphic communication with the inner
world, suffered a great deal from deser
tion. After each visit of the paymaster
there was a decrease in the ranks and
tables of the garrison. The officers
were used to it; the men expected it;
and the flight of these military birds of
passage became one of the pleasing ex
citements of the post. They furnished
a week's holiday for a pursuing party,
which chased the fugitives as far as
San Mateo, where they remained to
have a good time with the daughters of
the town as long as their cash lasted,
and then returned leisurely to the post,
to report that the deserters had es
caped. In the ease and safety of "skipping,"
as it was termed in army slang, the
cavalryman had the advantage over the
mere infantryman. While the poor
"doughboy" deserter was hiding in the
hills by day and tramping over dusty
trails by night, with a heavy "long
Tom" on his shoulder, the cavalry
"skipper" was riding gayly to freedom,
careleas of pursuit, able and willing to
Stand off any tooofflclovs civil officer,
confident that his comrades would not
bother him unless he ran into their
arms, and certain that his good troop
horse was worth a hundred dollars in
the settlement, when he had cunningly
burned out the IT. 8. brand with a red
hot currycomb.
- 1"he experience of Fort Wingate was
duplicated in every western post, and
soldiers deserted in parts of the country
ao-1 reached civilization when it was
doomed hazardous for armed trains to
travel. Strange as it may appear, men
rever deserted in the field during an In
dian campaign; it was garrison dull
ness that made deserters, not the fight- j
mg ana hard riding ot plains and sier
ras. . In 1S78 Gen. Grant issued a procla
mation pardoning all deserters who
surrendered to the military authorities
and returned to their colors. The
president wwely concluded that this
would bring back a number of men in
to the army and stop the outflow for
awhile; but he hardly realized the
story it would tell in the army itself.
At Wingate the proclamation was the
universal subject of talk in the com
pany quarters, and conjectures were
made as to the number of men who
would avail themselves of its clemency.
Out of a total strength of eighty men
In my owb company, some twenty re
rJ'ted titemsetvesaa "skippers."
Then we began 'to hea from posts- hf
Arizona, Utah, Kansas, Texas, Dakota,
it. fact from all parte of the Amertc&a
military world, from men who wer
retting in out of the rain, and, per
contra, there was a constant demand
for the records of elusive soldiers who
in timet past had slipped away unos
tentatiously end were now willing to
return to their first love.
The most lntereetine; of ell this host
of prodigals, to me, was a quiet, smart,
clean, well act-op fellow In my own
company, named Dick Brandon, who
modestly admitted twenty-three de
sertions. Dick had evidently been oa
the move for years and had a nervous
objection to remaining Vong anywhere.
What troubled Dick, now that his de
sertions were -wiped out, was the haunt
ing dreed of the big charges that went
with his "skipping."
The captain of a company in the
army is responsible to the government
for every piece of property in his care,
and he must account for it all or pay for
it, Now, the moat painstaking officer la
the world loses things, and unless they
are covered, some way, the unlucky
officer would never draw a cent on his
pay certificate. Henoe the military
sarcasm hurled at a soldier when he
loses a cartridge or anything else:
"Lost It, did you? Well, you'll find it
on your muster roll!"
Now a smart quartermaster sergeant
found a convenient outlet i - nil losses
in desertion. When a mai. 'ppedhe
was charged with not only ..U he ac
tually took, but with allthul the frugal
quartormaster sergeant had lost. This
was ttituple and effective. The ex&nt
and variety of property alleged to be
stolen by deserters would stagger any
body except an experienced company
cruur'.ormueter sergeant or a dull de
partment auditor. They knew from
experience that a deserter was capable
of btualing anything from a ramrod to
a bat tery of artillery.
When the last of Diuk Brandon's ac
counts came in, we figured it out that
he owed Uncle Sam about four thou
sand dollars; and, as he ruefully
scratched his head, Dick guessed ho
would be ready for the soldier's home
by the time the bill was settled. He
began to grow uneasy and was about
ready to skip, when the buckboard
from Santa Fe brought ease to his mind
and balm to hit soul. A letter came
from the adjutant general's office stat
ing that the attorney general had given
ita&ion that wised out old scores, and
t,ave the deserter a chance to begin
eialn with a clean record.
That evening after "retreat" Dick
apd I sat on our bunks, polishing belts,
cleaning brasses, burnishing our saber
scabbards and getting things ready for
guard mounting next morning, for
Dick was a great fellow "to run for
orderly."
As we smoked and talked and pol
ished I wormed some of Dick's ex
perience out of him.
"Say, Wok," I asked; "what was your
first enlistment?"
"Well," said Dick, with a laugh, "my
first soldiering was tailoring. I 'listed
in the marines and was sent down to a
flyblown hole in Florida. The heat,
the bugs and the style of the marine
officers slekened me, so I resigned.
"Resigned?" I queried.
"Gave thorn a French resignation,
you know. I struck New Orleans in a
Cuban banana boat, dead broke, and
joined a company of 'doughboys' at
Baton Rogue. T hat place was worse
than Florida. The first pay day set
tled me, and I took a trip up the river.
They charged me with two rifles, a
dozen brooms and a wheelbarrow on
my muster roll, when I skipped. Randy
thing for a deserter, a wheolbarrowl I
often wondered that they did notchargo
me with Tom Gorman's wife, who lit
out with a coon about the time I re
tired." "Where did you go, Dick St. Louis?"
"Yes! Thought I'd take a flyer in the
cavalry. Got sick of old Bully Welch
there, and was glad enough to go with
a detachment to the Third in Arizona.
Well, that's a lovely country to got
away from. If there's a hell on earth,
Arizona is the place. I was stationed
at Verde, and the malaria, bad grub
and Apache chasing chaDged my views
of the cavalry. Three of us skipped
the first time the paymaster got round,
and we worked down through Apache
pass into New Mexico with our hair all
right. We struck the settlements, sold
our horses, and separated. I worked
down to El Paso and went broke on a
monte game. I went over to Fort Bliss
and 'took' another blanket. I liked
soldiering there first rate and got the
chevrons; but the captain 'broke' me
for raising a row down town and
thumping a greaser. That made me
mad and I went on the retired list once
more. That quartermaster sergeant
was a daisy, and, as I was a chum of his,
he socked it to me charged me with s
six-mule harness, a grindstone, two
spades, a long Tom and a hundred
rounds of ammunition. Just think of
me a hoofing it across desert between
Quitman and Davis with a grindstone
under my arm! Must have thought I
wanted it to sharpen my appetite. I
got a job as teamster at Fort Clark, but
I ran across a fellow I knew at Baton
Rogue, and he was always hard ud and
had an idea that I was a bank, auS I
concluded to go east"
"And then?" I insinuated,
"Then," resumed Dick, "I guessed 1
had all the west I wanted for awhile, so
I honored the artillery. I made a mis
take. I was in a fort where you could
see nothing but sea and sand, and
where It was cold enough to freeze a
brass monkey. Lord! but the artillery
is tough and dull, all guard duty and
polishing; no mountains, no plains; all
buttons and drill. That heavy artil
lery mode a flying artillery man of me.
I waited for pay day and left without
leaving my address. Well, my muster
roll caught it They landed me on the
pay roll for a caisson and fifty rounds
of fixed and strapped ammunition and
other trifles."
"Draw it mild, Dick," I suggested.
"Well, if tliey didn't," baid Dick,
earnestly, "may I be 'bobtailed.' I put
out for the west and 'listed in Coving
ton in the 'doughboys' again, like a
fool I was just in time to be rounded
for a batch of 'Johnnies' going to
Snoofermtbe voost tot of fresh fit I
ever got InBQ. Touch? WeW say! We
hoofed it all day and stood guard every
other night We had a chap just ap
pointed from cWU life in command,
and he was scared to death. And the
grobJ Well, let that go. We got to
our post and had to build new stables
for the cavalry. Fatigue duty every
day and dress parade every night made
life hardly worth living. Then I was
detailed to guard a railroad survey.
That was exciting, for the Sioux had a
spite against us, but I concluded thir
teen dollars a month was too small a
bet to stake my life against Four ol
us said rood-bjr and waltsed for the
railroad, sleeping is ravines by day
and tramping by night Onoe more I
figured a big thief on the muster rolls.
The pott quartermaster sergeant sold
tlx mules to a freighter and the team
turned up on my pay roll, with plunder
etwugh to start a sutler's store."
'Well, go on, Dick," I said,
'Oa, to make a long story short, I
kept getting in and out all the time.
Bad to keep going and changing my
name, for I was always running into
some fellow that knew me. Not many
fellows will blow oa you but you
cant help thinking they will. Then a
fellow that knows you have a skip
against you finds you very convenient
to borrow tobacco from and money, and
a chap winds up by getting out Now,
there'e Mackey who just joined. He
was with me in the Nineteenth. I was
nervous about him, though he never
pretended to know me; but he owned
up to four himself. I'm going to stick
this time and get out fair and square
with a clean discharge, for I'm sick and
tired of running away like a rabbit"
Dick made a good soldier and got a
sergeant's chevrons; but he never
served his enlistment out He was
smoking a cigar in a saloon in Las
Cruces two years later, when two fel
lows had a row ' and pulled pistols on
each other. Doth fired. One was
killed and his bullet missed his man
and went through Dick's head, killing
him instantly.
We buried him in the little grave
yard there, and every man chipped in
his dollar to put a stone over the head
of poor Dick Brandon, the "profes
sional skipper." Joseph Smith, in
illustrated American.
Quite Likely. "Yes, I have a posi
tion in a powder mill now." "Well,
stick to it, old fellow. You may have
a chance to rise some day. Truth,
TROUBLES OF BUSINESS
New York Bankers on tht
Financial Situation. ,
THEIR WORDS NOT ENCOURAGING.
The Milwaukee Hank thai Failed Yester
day nd Ami Regarded as One of the)
Slronge.t Inalltmlon. In the Country,
Three Louisville Daubs Collepie -Al
most a Paata On the Xew York Stock
Exchange The Indianapolis Fallnre.
New York, July 20. The continued
reports of failures among Western banks
in the opinion of New York bankers shows
that the financial situation there is In no
way improving. N In fact, it Is lew encour
aging than ever.
The feeling Is morn than conflrmod by the
suspension of tbs Wisconsin Marino and
Fire Insurance Company's Bank at Mill
waukee.
"The Wisconsin Murine and Fire Bank,"
said Proiidunt Cannon, of the Chase Nat
ional, "has always Iwn re-Rrdd a one of
the strouui-st and most prosperous Instltu
tions in the Northwest, and its failure Is
certainly the most serious calamity that
has yet occurred sines the financial de
pression began to be felt In the WeKt.
"Such hu iutitution going under cannot
fall to add to the general distress, and the
inienston may be far-reaching in its
effects.
"I do not like to make gloomy predic
tions, for the situntlnn is bed enough as It
is, aud financial Institutions need all the
support and encouragement that can be
given. Yet it is evident that all these fail
ures can be traced to a common cause.
anxiety for the future, lack of confidence
and the withdrawal of money from circula
tion."
President J. Kdward Simmons, of tht
Fourth National Bank, also said that the
failure of the Milwaukee Bunk was in hit
opinion the most serious that had occurred
In the West, as It was an old and well
established Institution, with extensive con
nections and ramifications all over tht
Northwest. Other Institutions would un
doubtedly be affected by its collapse.
The New York banks, ho said, by associ
ating as closely as they did had formed e
mutually protective organization which
had enabled them to tide over the difficult
situation, and their strength had undoubt
edly contributed to reassure financial Insti
tutions elsewhere, lie did not think that
the crisis in the West had passed, but said
that if the banks would form associations
to protect each other a great deal of tht
threatened danger would be averted.
New York, July 26. Almost a panlo
raged on the Stock Exchange yesterday
afternoon. Stocks dropped away violently,
and some of the lowest prices in years were
recorded.
The failure of the Marine & Fire Insur
ance lank of Milwaukee started the heavy
selling, and later on the failures of two
large beuks in Louisville added to the ex
citement. The Milwaukee flank is the largest in
Wisconsin, and the largest in the West
Indianapolis, Ind., July 25. While the
Indinniipolis NatioLal Pank that foiled
yesterday was a United States depository
but $3, -130,96 was tied up. "At our last
payment we checked out nearly f2U0,OOO
from the Indianapolis National," suid 1'en
s on Agent Ensley.
MiLWAVKHx, Wis., July 0. The Wis
consin Fire and Murine Bank of Milwau
kee, which siiMpcnded yesterday, has al
ways Vteen known as Mitchell's Bank, and
was one of the half do.eu famous pri
vate banks of the continent.
It has Kuccumbed to the paper of the
Sc-hlestingor Iron syndicate, of which it held
$750,000.
This paper is all secured by Iron re
ceipts, but these could not be used any
where. Lovihvtlus, Ky., July 20. Yesterday
was a memorable day In the financial his
tory of Louisville. At 10 o'clock a m.
the Mevchante' National bank poatetl a no
sioe of suspension aad halt an bosar later
the failure of the Louisville Depoeit Bank
was announced.
By this time half a doeen banks in the
city were being run by depositors, mostly
small ones. They all stood the pressure
except one, the Fourth National, which
ciosea its noors in the Board oC Trade
building at 10 o'clock.
Tolkoo, O., July 26. The Farmers'
National Bank, of Findlav. has eloetd its
doors. No statement has been given out
as yet. No excitement prevails, and the
other three bauks in the city are prepared
sor any run inat may I allow.
A Shoe Factory to Shot Down.
Lowell. Mass.. Julv 28. Work aft
Filling's shoe factory is being finished up
preparatory to a temporary shut-down,
made necessary by tht stringency of the
money market and tht numerous failures
In tht West where the greater portion ol
Filling'! customers art.
Cottoa Mills to that Dawn.
Wars, Mass.. July 20. Tht Otis Com.
pany't cotton mills in this tows will that
down Saturday for ona month, on account
of being unablt to flud a marktt for
their product. The number of hands tnv
ployed is 1,750 and the pay roll la 50,0D
per month.
Bun on Taconta Banks.
Tacoma. Waah.. Julv 9(1 T hi.
ing as toon as the banks opened there was
a steady stream ot depositors to withdraw
meir money at nearly all the prominent
banks. They, however, paid promptly all
demands.
Overman Brewing- Company Fall.
Milwaukee. Win .. .lulu 9 Tk. r
Obermau Brewing Company has failed!
nermann r. unerman Is the assignee. Hit
bond Is tor $l,oU0,000.
30,000 Illuze at Rockawuy Ileurh.
Rock away Bkach, L. I., July 24. A
disastrous fire ravaged a small section of
the beach yesterday. The large Ice fac-'
tory of Jauieauu fit Bond, their coal and
wood yard, sUtbli and the residence of
John A. Bond, were totally destroyed.
F.leven horses were burned. The Scrall
Housa aud church were saved by the heroio
effects ot the firemen, the new steamers
doing great execution. The Ice factory
and plant cost $22,000 aud the total loss it
30,000, with very little Insurance.
The Men Would Not QuIU
Pitthburu, Kan., July 20. W. J. Lan
yon't strip pits were visited last evening by
about 100 miners who called the workmen
out and talked with them In regard to
stopping work. The men would not prom
ise to quit and another meeting was de
cided unon, ...
Mastes
: tlMMML
One reason why Scott s Emulsion of rure Nor
wegian Cod Liver Oil and Hypophosphites of Lime
and Soda has had such a large sale is because it is(
"Almost as palatable as milk;" but the bestjeason is
that its curative properties are unequalled.' It cures
the cough, supplies the waste of tissues, produces
flesh and builds up the entire system. ''
up
Boon's Emulsion cures Coughs,
Colds, Consumption, Sorofula,
and all Anaemlo and Wasting;
Dlssases. Prevents wasting In
children. Almost at palatable at
milk. Set only the genuine. Pre
pared by Scott h, Bowne, Chemists, Mew
Xork. Sold by all Druggists.
ALEXANDER BROTHERS & CO.
DEALERS IN
Cigars, Tobacco, Candies, Fruits and Nuts
SOLE AGENTS FOR
Henry Maillard's Fine Candies. Fresh Every Week.
SOLE AGENTS FOR
F ,F. Adams & Co's Fine Cut Chewing Tobacco
.. Sole agents (or the
Heary Clay, Londros, Normal, Indian Frincoss, Samson, Silver Asb
Bloomsburg Pa.
IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF
CARPET,
or OIL CLOTH,
YOU WILL FIND A NICE LINE AT
W. H. BMOWll'S
2nd Door aoove Court Ilonse.
A large lot of Window Curtains in stock. -
BA1GAIN81
In order to close out our stock of summer goods while our
customers need them, we have made sweeping reductions in
prices. 1 n
85c. Whip Cords and Henriettas are now
75c.
"e- Goods
30c.
loc. aud 18c. "
10c- and l'2ic.
8c. )ress Ginirhama
7c. and 8c. Prints and
Come soon as these bargains
W.
all .
CIRCULATp
ife 0F-G00DI You w i
HEtM TO aSPTI in
,
lHyiT THEM TO
ME PQS T
IBXmnm Ot Wanta
mm
AND CREAM cnu bo kept pot-ferny m-sh
amlHwet-t live lo seven iluys WITHOUT
USING ICE- Simple, cuea.unflluV"""in
plo tree, write.
The Freservaline Mfg. Co.,
Hole Mfra. and Pateutcts. luodarHt. New York.
r i
rJ T
Emofelosn
following brands or Cigars-
now
i
2oc
20c.
10c.
8c.
'5c.
Zephyrs
fic.
will not last lon
H. MOORE.
,i
IN THE HOME?
YOUr5T0RE
Vr rl mr-
1U WrtTfltSTM. I
TO CONSUMPTIVES.
The undersigned bavin? been restored in
lienlllt by simple meant., nftr KiirTei-lntr for
several years wli b a severe lnnt atieeiloti. and
I nut dread disease Cmui;((ui, is anxious in
make kuown to bis fellow sufferer tlm means
or cure. To tuuse who desire It, bo win cheer
fully send (free of charge) a cony of the nn.L
orlptlun used, which they will flud a Hiiro euro
for Vunsumiiltmi, Aflhuui, Catarrh, Ihuiii-hilt
anrtalUbroatandlunir iliUadls He bones all
TT.W..'.1j!,ir.3!..1?1.?i',im,:Uy'is 11 !s '"valuable!
.. . ' i i'"- "i-hjii. men win coat
nlearanrtaU(,U'',yPrUVt, blt. Will
Kev. Edward A. Wilson, Brooklyn. New York
Hep. id, yeur.
"It fits like the papcr
on the wall."
Of course it does if its the
right kind, and it adds every
thing to the cheerfulness of the
room.
Wall Paper
jjives vour walls any effect and
a touch of luxury that money
could not otherwise supply,
To get the best, that is the
question ; but that is neither
diflicult or expensive if you co
to the right place to buy it.
Ours is the place, the variety
is here, the prices are right,
If you want, we put it on
your walls and Guarantee fit
work. Workmen sent any
where. Window Curtains too, are
here, prices right.
W. II. Brooke & Co.
THE MARKETS.
BLOOMSBURG MARKETS.
COKRKCTXD WEEILT. ttTAIL PRICIS.
Butter per lb
,..8
.22
.18
.16
.18
to .08
to .08
.80
5
.80
2.40
4.25
12.00
1 00
S
1. 00
to -3S
.12
.08
'5
.14
.08
.05
.iS
.18
.03
Eggs per dozen
Lard per lb
I lam per pound
Pork, whole, per pound 07
Beef, quarter, per pound .... 06
Wheat per bushel
Oats " '
Rye " "
Buckwheat flour per 100
Wheat flour per bbl
u ay per ton
Potatoes per bushel
Turnips "
Onions " "
Sweet potatoes per peck 25
Cranberries per ot
Tallow per lb
Shoulder " '
Side meat " " .
Vinegar, per qt
Dried apples per lb
Dried cherries, pitted
Raspberries
Cow Hides per lb
Steer " "
5
5
Calf Skin
Sheep pelts
Shelled corn per bus . .
Corn meal, cwt
Bran, ' . . ..
40 to
.90
2.00
I.2S
''5
'5
.12
.14
.10
.10
Chot) "
Middlings "
Chickens per lb
1 urkeys " "
Geese " "
Ducks " "
Co.M..
No. 6, delivered 2.50
" 4 and s " 3 50
" 6 at yard 2.25
" 4 and s at yard 3.2s
Improve )our stock
1
Dv gett,ng a setting
of Barred or White
Plymouth Rocks.
Eggs from fine birds
at $1.50 per 13,
or $2.50 per 26.
Address, W. B. German,
Alillvllle, 1 t Pcnna,
PARKER'S .
HAIR BALSAM
Clauw sod bwunnw h ulr.
rpomou. . wiiria.1 ffvwla.
. Fail, to B tutor. Qrmj
Vdp .a VMitkfiil Onlar.
Can. Ktlp dUwi a hslr itlltafr
The Conaum Dtiwt an rbis mi n wh.
unorfrom.ihiwtinghMMMhould VMFrkor. Oiutr
Tonto. llcure.lhoonlU.uih. Wk Lu', lXWi'r .T
OigtMu... Fwuli WMkji.M, Kkewiuu4u.nd Puis. Aw- Ml.
HINQERCQRNS. Th. .clr im wr ftr Ctrn
Sk Hi VUU. Ilakn vrtlkiSI fit. Ifctt, .1 liriMU"U-
7-14-4C
WE TELL YOU
nothing new when we atste that It pay. to eniagt
u a yt-i iiiuiirm, inusi lieailliy Ana Hl'asHHl uu-
nem, that p-tariu a prutlt f.ir every day', work.
Huch it the busiuoaa w oO't-r the working ela";
We teach them how to make inonev ruijlilly. "d
giiHrnntce every one who follow our Imtructlom
faithfully the making of 6300.00 a iiiuiitli.
Kvt-ry ono who take. hoM now ami work! will
urely and ipoi clily inori-aw their earnlugn; there
cmu he no our stlnn nhout U ; other now at work
nre dolnit It, suit you, reader, can do the lam.
1 hi. ii the best paying lmim- that too have
ever had the chiinue lo m-cure. You will make s
grave mistake It you fail to give It a trial at one.
If yougrup the situation, und act quickly, J""
will directly find youmelf lu a uwit pronperoul
busineM, at which you cnu .urely make and
large auma of money. The reaulli ot only s fe
houra' work will often equal a week's (!
Whether you are old or youug, man or woman, it
make, no dllTerenoe, do a. we tell you, and auo
mai will meet you st the very .tart. Neither
experience or capital ueoeasary. Thoae who wotj
for ua are rewarded. Why not write to day for
lull particular., free ? K. O. AI.I.KN CO.,
ISos No. Augusta, M