FREEUiD TRIBUNE.
ESTABLISHED 18S8.
PUBLISHED EVERY
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY,
BY THE
TRIBUNE PRINTING COMPANY, Limited
OFFICE; MAIS STREET ABOVE CENTKE.
LONO DISTANCE TELEPHONE.
SUnSCBII-TION RATES
FREELAND.—Tho TRIBUNE is delivered by
carriers to subscribers in Freolaudatthe rato
of 1211 cents per mouth, payable every two
mouths, or $1.50 a year, payable in advance.
The TRIBUNE may be ordered direct form tho
carriers or from the office. Complaints of
irregular or tardy delivery service will re
ceive prompt attention.
BY MAIL —The TRIBUNE is sent to out-of
town subscribers for $1.50 a year, payable in
advance; pro rata terms for shorter periods.
Tho date when tho subscription expires is on
tho address label of each papor. Prompt re
newals must be made at tho expiration, other
wise the subscription will be discontinued.
Entered at the Postoffloo at Freeland. Pa.,
as Second-Class Matter.
Make all money orders, checks, eto.,pay able
to the Tribune Trinting Company, Limited.
The test of true love Is not mani
fest in the ability of a man and a
woman to get along well together. It
Is manifest In the preference to get
along poorly together rather than to
get along better separately.
Sturgeon fishing, which Is carried on
more largely in the Delaware River
and Bay than elsewhere in the United
States, is in danger of extinction, ac
cording to a recent report of the
United States Fish Commission. There
has been a decline in production from
1948 kegs in 1897 to an estimate of
about 700 kegs in 1899, while the price
per keg was advanced in fifteen years
from $9 to $lO5. The larger profits
of the industry for years have come
from what might be called the by
product, the roe, which is the basis
of caviare, the Russian delicacy. The
Delaware fishermen obtain better
prices in foreign markets than at
home,and much of the caviare brought
into this country from Europe has
crossed the Atlantic once before in
pine casks.
There are opportunities on every
hand every day if they were taken ad
vantage of; but the great difficulty
with most men Is that they don't see
them until they are past and gone.
Opportunities can he made, and every
keen, farsighted man will admit this
to be true. Instead of waiting and
whining for something to turn up, go
out into this great world determined
to be somebody and do something;
you will Cud golden chances on every
side waiting to be utilized. The world
owes . o man a living. If he will not
work, failure and ruin will be his por
tion, but If he hustles while he waits,
determined that ho will get to the top
of the ladder, and not he satisfied
until he does get there, his fortune is
assured. Such a man never sighs for
opportunities, but when one comes his
way he grasps it and makes the very
most and best of it. Luck is no fac
tor.
EYE TROUBLES. S
Employments Tliat Should Be Avoided
by People with Weak Kyen.
The changes which come to the eye
as a result of age are beyond the pow
er of the individual to remedy. It is
true that the time for the wearing of
glasses may be hastened by abuse of
the eyes, but with all possible care
that one may take, the eye that hither
to has been normal, will need shortly
before, or it may be shortly after, the
the age of forty-five the aid of glasses.
Bo universal is this that an oculist, in
his examination of the refraction of
the eye of his patient, can determine
accurately the number of his years.
The responsibility of much eye trou
ble, however, can be brought directly
home to the individual. It is due to
the reckless expenditure of the eye
sight. The service of the eyes is de
manded in any and every light. The
eyes are most tried by reading fine
print or doing the fine stitches of sew
ing or embroidery. If tho print Is on
glossy paper whose smooth surface re
flects the light the effect is bad upon
the eyes. If the embroidery is to be
done on satin or upon canvas, with its
bewildering maze of meshes, the strain
is soon shown in the redness and the
weariness of the eyes. Women's eyes
suffer greatly from the tax of veils. It
only shows the great adaptability
which the eyes share with every other
part of the body that the veils, with
their intricate meshes and numerous
dots of embroidery and chenille, do
not occasion more trouble with the
eyes than they do. The first thing to
do in selecting a veil, if one has mer
cy on the eyes, is to test its effect upon
the sight, to see that the weave is not
confusing and that the dots do not
come athwart the eyes.—Harper's Ba
zar.
F.xprnslve Toy Road.
Some children of Macon, Ga., are to
have an expensive but highly instruc
tive toy in the shape of a complete
miniature trolley line about a mile
long. Each car will accommodate
eight passengers, and is complete in
all details, including electric lights.
The railway is to be located in a pri
ll ate park.
WON BY STRATEGY. J
J BY MADELYN ELLMS RAWLINGS. J
The Craiglln Mining Company own
mines throughout the northwest, with
headquarters at Butte, Montana. It
is a prodigious concern, with millions
of incorporated wealth. I represented
one of the running gear in this gigan
tic mechanism; entering service as a
messenger and working up to assist
ant bookkeeper.
A band of organized bandits had
been terrorizing the northwest for
years. They made their headquarters
in a mountain retreat called Hole-in
the-Wall in the Big Horn mountains in
Wyoming. It is a fertile valley or
basin, formed by the main range of
the Big Horn and huge cliffs. The
valley is inaccessible except by a small
pass made by the Powder river. A
small company could hold the pass
against an army, as it is so narrow
in places one can reach the sides with
outstretched arms. In the mountains
are deep caves and canyons, making
the place an ideal rendezvous for those
under the ban of the law.
One of the band which infested this
nitural fortress was the "Curry Gang,"
a i they were called. They defied all
lvw and authority, and committed
crimes almost weekly in the closing
years of the nineteenth century.
All efforts at capture were futile.
To enter the dread Hoie-in-the-Wall
meant never to return, and the only
hope of the officers lay in capturing
their prizes before they could reach
their stronghold or confederates.
The Craiglln Mining Company had
felt the ruthless plundering of the out
laws, losing considerable in several
holdups and post-office robberies.
Their greatest loss had been incurred
through the waylaying of one of the
paymasters of the company. They
first beat him into insensibility, then
robbed him of all treasure, including
his own belongings.
The company's mining interests were
so divergent that it had been their
habit to express huge sums of money
and taken to the mines. But the out
lawry had been so excessive during
this year that it had become a perplex
ing question how best to transmit
money.
When the officers were in session de
bating the question, the news of the
Wilcox, Wyoming, holdup, in which
$.'10,000 was secured, was passed in to
them. The work of paying off at the
mines was suspended until a safe plan
of delivery could be decided on. The
miners became fractious, and demand
ed immediate payment. The policy
of the company was most just and lib
eral, and considering that the men
were demanding only their dues, they
set forth formulating a plan proof
against highwaymen.
By what process of reasoning they
hit upon a plan involving me, is known
to themselves alone. Howbeit, I was
informed that the company, deeming
me to be unknown to the bandits, de
sired that I should conceal the sum
of the rebellious miners' pay roll about
me and proceed to the scene of con
tention. Word had been sent in to the
office that suspicious characters were
in the vicinity. Owing to the intense
excitement prevailing in all localities,
the officers apprehended danger to
their paymaster. No plan of procedure
was marked out for me. 1 was simply
asked if I would undertake the haz
ardous trip and urged to take every
precaution for my personal safety.
Realizing the exceeding danger of the
undertaking, sufficient allurement was
held out to make me very desirous of
Its accomplishment. I saw before me
gain, advancement, glory. The posi
tion of secretary to the president was
vacant. This, together with a sub
stantial renumeration, was to be mine
if I proved myself diplomatic enough
to circumvent the robbers. A good
price was set upon each desperado,
the Union Pacific offering SIOOO each,
dead or alive. The express company
offered a like reward, and the muni
cipal authorities had posted rewards
sufficient to send an army of men
scouting in every direction. Aside
from monetary considerations, one can
not attain greater glory in the West
than by outwitting he lawless.
I asked for the night to consider the
proposition, and fully realized the folly
of it when the blood once more coursed
through my veins at its normal temper
ature. Two to one—no show for me.
One bandit would have It all his own
way, for my only knowledge of fire
arms consisted in the experience
gained in target practice and trap
shooting. I was always too chicken
hearted to kill things, and never en
joyed tramping through the wilds of
nature in pursuit of harmless life.
I told my home folk, consisting of
mother and sister, of my offer and my
intention to accept it. They spent the
evening trying to dissuade me, dwell
ing at length upon the dangers to be
encountered. I could withstand them
upon these points, but when they
struck the emotional and begged me to
consider them, I was somewhat stag
gered. Sentiment will win a man over
quicker than any amount of hard facts.
But to fall to accept the commission
would mark ine for ridicule In this land
where the blood is ever fiery and cau
tion appeals to none. Surely my ever
ready brain would serve me now! Yes,
I would go. must go. Failure meant
loss, humiliation, success meant every
thing.
My mind made up, I retired to formu
late my campaign against the possible
foes.
I spent the night la wakeful con-
tcmplation of highway tactics, and con
ceiving schemes which at llrst ap
peared extremely strategic, only to be
cast away on second sober thought.
Toward dawn I began to despair of
hitting upon any means of baißing
the band should I chance to meet
them.
Suddenly I jumped from my bed
electrified. Good! A brilliant thought!
I would go and win out in the face of
nil odds! Ah, how thankful I was now
for the school instruction I had pooh
poohed at and shirked! The despised
chemistry had proven a friend, and with
faith in the idea it had revealed to me
I withstood all imploring and prepared
for the journey—confident, jubilant.
I got out of town as soon as possible,
for fear the company might change
their mind. I rigged up as near like
a miner as I could and took passage
out of Butte on a local freight.
I soon saw that 1 could not play
the part of a miner; everybody spotted
me at once; so I abandoned the detec
tive role, and upon arrival at the town,
where a branch extends to the mines,
procured a rig and boldly drove over.
I was in hopes that if any attempt
had been planned for the capture of
the money the schemers would look
to the usual route of the paymaster,
the branch line. These hopes, how
ever, did not sustain my courage,
which began to ooze from me with
every revolution of the wheels. Talk
about a coward dying many deaths—
the immortal poet speaks the truth.
I saw more bandits in that ride than
Hole-in-the-Wall produced. Every
indistinct object represented a desper
ado; every crackling twig a pistol shot.
I scourged myself for my terrors, but
to no avail. With knees shaking,
teeth chattering, I proceeded on my
way, devoutly hopeful that my Heav
en-sent inspiration wouldn't fail me.
I laid my terror to reaction from a
state of intense mental excitement to
inactive solitude. However that is,
i;o man is a hero until proven one, nor
a coward, either, and with this com
forting thought I turned my attention
to making speed.
When within a few miles of the
mine, I crossed over a hill, and saw be
fore me a long decline with a narrow
valley. The road curved around a
few foot Hills and then stretched boldly
to the mine. Just as I turned the first
hill and curved to the second I was
completely hidden from the road in
both directions. I heard a sharp voice
cry "Halt!" and drew rein as if by
magic in the face of three shinning
revolvers. No need for a second cry.
The horse ns well as myself was rigid
as the everlasting hills that environed
us. There stood three of the toughest,
ugliest looking ruffians of their caste.
For a second my heart beat a tune
in churn dasher time. The next, the
the blood trickled back in its natural
channels and rushed madly on its
course. To be waylaid like this!
Trapped like a rat, at the mercy of
these devils! Never had life seemed
more precious. I'd sell it dearly, and
clutching the revolver I carried in
one hand, I made a move to aim it.
Suddenly bethinking myself of the
foolliardiness of this play, I said in
as calm a voice as I could command,—
"Well, what do you fellows want?"
"Want?" said the one with crooked
eyes and a vicious leer, "we want the
mine swag. Oh, you're up against the
real tiling, young tenderfoot! Wc
know you've got it, so cough up and
be in a hurry about it."
My plans were instantly formed.
"I have got the money," 1 said.
"No use to deny it You have me fou,.
If you fellows will come on one side
of the rig and let me out the other,
I'll hand over my arms and the money
and go to yonder boulder. You can
drive on and be well out of the way by
the time I get to the mine. I warn
you to hurry, for I'll give the alarm as
soon as I can."
They were completely deceived.
"Wants to save his hide," they said,
and moved with alacrity to one side.
A knowing wink passed the knowl
edge to each that they would humor
me until they had their booty, and
tlien—well, thank Heaven, I never
knew what was to follow that "then."
1 gave one my hand revolver, the
next, that from my boot, and to fur
ther infuse confidence gave the third
one from my hip pocket. They laughed
at each delivery, considering this hold
up tlic greatest picnic of their lives.
"Now for the spondulicks," said he
of the evjj eye. "Trot out the coin
quick! We ain't got time to visit with
you."
I leaned over at this command as
though reaching for the packet. Each
of the desperadoes was placing the
contraband revolver in his hip pocket
ns he grasped his own in a defensive
manner.
,1 slipped my hand into my breast,
and grasping a small bulb, poured a
fiery stream from an attached siphon
across the face of each leering devil.
It struck them square in the eyes, and
with screams of agony each bandit
dropped his weapon, covered his face
with his hands, and with curses and
Imprecations staggered bindly in their
misery.
Quick as a flash I cleared the rig and
seized some Irons I had concealed.
Hastily clasping thorn upon each
wretched sufferer I twined around
them a rope I snatched from my pocket.
Their pain was gradually subsiding,
and while in no fear of bodily harm,
I thought they might escape by run
ning, or might hem me in and attack
even though manacled, so I tied tha
rope to a tree and gave another gentle
squeeze to the bulb. A tiny spray
just a mere mist—sent the bandits into
renewed contortions and freshened
their powers of vituperation. I had
carefully planned this hour. I now
drew forth some stout straps
with halter fixtures, and clamp
ing one end to a
ring I attached to the rig. I made their
venture comnlcte hv fastening the
other end to the Irons. When eacli roe
La r was assigned to his alloted place I
had quite a body guard, and as I now
carried the whip end of the expedition,
I sprang to my sent and drove to the
village.
"Poor devils,"l thought, as we
trudged up the hill, "a man's a sorry
looking animal when cowed and driv
en."
But I soon suppressed my sympathy
when I thought of the fate of their
many hapless victims. Men stricken
down witli the flush of ambition on
their faces and the hope of success
still in their eyes—children rendered
homeless or forlornly desolate—women
—ah, when I thought of the women
I could lay the whip to their backs and
scourge them with each onward step.
When we were near the mines, the
men catching sight of us, streamed
down the hillside, chattering like mag
pies. When the situation was ex
plained they went mad.
"A rope! A rope! Lynch them!
We'll string them to a tree.!"
In vain 1 shrieked commands. The
crowd swelled and the mob excitement
increased. Finally, during a skirmish
over the delegate to tic sent for ropes,
I gained attention.
"Men," I shouted, rising on the scat
and drawing my revolver, "I'll fire on
the first one that takes a stop! Listen
to what I have to say. These men are
my prisoners. I alone captured tliein.
I am going to take them to justice and
secure the rewards. Don't hinder me,
boys—l will not be fooled with. Help
me,"l continued, "and I'll do right by
you. What say you—will you do it?"
With the mention of the reward the
situation was changed. I knew it
would. The miners had a rugged sense
of justice and honor on money lines,
and would be the last to cheat me out
of my deserts.
"Indeed we will! Three cheers for
the lad! All together! Hurrah!
hurrah! hurrah!" Thus we swept on,
the miners growing more calm as we
neared the village.
I picked out a few of the most trust
worthy men, and we debated the best
way of landing the bandits at Butte,
for I was determined to have all the
glory due, and carry my prizes home.
We feared that the rest of the gang
might be lurking among the hills, and
would succor their comrades in spite
of our numbers. It was finally de
cided that we should take them to the
nearest station on the main line, so
after rest and refreshment we detailed
a large guard and set out
We boarded the train safely and se
cretly, every precaution being taken to
avoid publicity. The officials were com
municated with, and gave orders that
no stops should lie made until Butte
was readied.
Arriving at Butte, where the news
had preceded us, the town turned out
en masse in my honor. No dignitary
of 'state was ever tendered so much
homage. Had I not conferred a last
ing benefit upon the West? Such an
example ns these wretches would make
a salutary warning to all of tlicir ilk!
There was no Btopping that crowd.
The mob spirit was at fever heat when
we arrived, and no appeal to reason,
or show of force, could mitigate the
sentence the self-appointed justices
had meted out for the fiends. The
cries grew hoarser, the clamoriug loud
er.
"Up with them! String them up!"
Amid the maddening cries, the
groans, I forced my way through the
crowd and made off for home and
happiness.—Waverly Magazine.
Wouldn't He Nursed by Them.
Sometimes the hospital nurses in
small towns are embarrassed in away
their sisters In the big cities never ex
perience. Not far from New York
there is a hospital with a staff of nurs
es mnde up almost entirely of the
young girls who have lived in the
town all their lives. Most of them be
long to well-known families there, and
when they selected the profession of
nursing remained in their own homes
rather than undertake the work among
strangers. This scheme had some ad
vantages, but serious drawbacks ns
well, and several nurses from other
places and without social connections
in the town are to be engaged for the
good of the institution. It was found
that all of the young men in the town
who were taken ill would under no
conditions consent to be taken to this
hospital. Very few of the older ones
would go for that matter, and the num
ber of private patients had diminished
unprofitably before it was understood
what could be the cause of this aver
sion to the hospital. Most of the nurs
es knew perfectly well why the men
had ceased to come, but they so well
satisfied themselves with this situation
that they made no complaint. They
were all acquainted with the young
men In the town and had known
some of them from childhood. They
understood thoroughly why the young
men objected to be nursed by persons
with whom they had played golf or
danced cotillons. This fact gradually
made Itself plain to the authorities of
the hospital and they took care to sec
that some nurses from other cities
were added to the hospital force.—New
York Sun.
The deaf mute should never be lone
. ly. When there's no one around he cau
talk with his fingers.
I Phil Armour's j Tbe ßu c s ' s " at
Big Job As XT m
L^J'lMWlA^i<lifUWWWWWWiiJWilVU a u'uiUVVU'tti|iMi*WliiJoiinilWUWW<#tl>iOlV)i l ti ,^U'U'li>W l lMJ
P. D. Armour of Chicago, "the old
man of the markets," has a contract
from the Russian czar to ship 7,000
cattle to that country from San Fran
cisco. It is easy enough to secure
the cattle, but the Question of trans
portation is an enormous task. There
are not boats enough on the Pacific
coast to carry the cattle. Those who
know Mr. Armour, however, are con
fident that ho will solve the problem;
if not, it will be the first time that the
greatest trader in the world ever re
ceived an order that was too big for
him.
The last great coup of P. D. Armour
was made in connection with the
Letter wheat corner in 1897. This
corner was months in maturing. It
sent the price of grain up in India.
The value of a loaf of bread almost
doubled in Calcutta, in London and
in New York. Joseph Leiter was a
foe worthy even of P. D. Armour. It
is now a matter of common history
how Armour wriggled out of a
P. D. ARMOUR.
| The Execution I
| of Cordua |
The press of Europe is severe in its
condemnation of Gen. Lord Roberts
for having permitted the execution or
Hans Cordua, the Boor officer, who
was convicted on the charge of hav
ing conspired to kidnap Lord Roberts
and other British officers in the in
terests of the Boer cause.
There is no denial of the fact that
Cordua and other Boers in Pretoria
entered into the conspiracy, under
the belief that If Lord Roberts could
be prevented from directing affairs
the British plan of campaign would
he greatly weakened. But in his de
fense Cordua advanced the statement
that the conspiracy was not of his
initiative. It was according to him
concocted by British secret service
men and It was not until great pres
sure was brought to bear upon him
that he countenanced it and became
i party to It. In the light of this
HANS CORDUA.
it would seem as though Lord Rob
erts might have had magnanimity
enough to have spared the life of
Cordua. His permission for the exe
cution of the Boer officer Is not in
keeping with the general opinion
formed of him.
Beside, the execution of Cordua wc
believe to have been a blunder. Ii
will incite the Boers to more despe
rate resistance and prolong the agony
of the South African tragedy.
No Good M.nlfl in RnslaniL
"We are making our headquarters at
the temperance Albion hotel. I have
yet to find a hotel or restaurant where
you find meals ready," complains a
Macon, Mo., man now sojourning In
England in a letter to his home paper.
•You must go In and call for what
you want and wait for It to be
looked. You do not even have a bill
(.f lore to look over. Have now been
"squeeze" that would have meant fi
nancial death to 999 men out of 1,000.
He executed a great coup in trans
porting millions of bushels of wheat
from Duluth to Chicago by boat in
the winter season, when navigation
was supposed to be closed. It was an
expensive affair for Mr. Armour, but
in the end it smashed Mr. Leiter, just
as Mr. Armour had figured it w*ild.
Mr. Armour could have settled his
losses with Leiter for about one-half
what it cost him to bring that wheat
to Chicago, and it is safe to say that
he is about the only man in the trade
who would not have seized the oppor
tunity to get off as cheaply as pos
sible. But Mr. Armour is not that
kind of a man.
At enormous expense he had suffi
cient wheat shipped to Chicago and
formally delivered it to Leiter. It
swamped the latter, the corner in
wheat was broken and Armour more
than recouped himself in the clean
up.
In England five mornings; have seen
nothing eaten for breakfast by friend
or foe or myself but coffee and sand
wich and boiled eggs. You go into
what they call the commercial-room,
call for boiled eggs and bread and but
ter and coffee. They will bring It in,
the bread cut in thin slices spread with
butter, with the coffee and eggs, a
spoon for the coffee and a spoon for
the eggs; no knife or fork. Waß in
vited out to dinner Sunday by J. H.
Simpson, the Belgian hare fancier of
England. One meal like that In a day
would suffice, so I have decided Eng
lish people go to extremes sometimes."
-rKansas City Journal.
BY CAT'S EYES.
Chinese Tell the Hour by the Clue In
the Feline Visual Orgun.
It must be conceded that in some
qualities of primitive, but practical re
sourcefulness the Chinese are ahead
of most civilized nations. All travelers
agree that If in a district where clocka
and watches are unknown you ask a
Chinaman the time of day he will, if
well disposed, at once proceed to am
buscade and capture the household cat,
and after pushing up the lids and look
ing for a moment into its eyes he will
toll the time with astonishing accur
acy. The explanation is a simple phys
iological one. The pupils of the cat's
eyes constantly contract until midday,
when they become like a fine line, as
■thin as a hair drawn perpendicularly
across the eye; after twelve they bo
gin again to dilate. It is to be hoped
that if the practice is ever introduced
into this country watches and clocks
will continue to be made, as there will
probably be many who will not care
to run after a cat whenever they want
to know the hour, or who may fear
some danger to their own eyes from
too close an examination of hers. The
Chinese have by no means a monopoly
of the cat as a perambulating time
piece. The negroes of Jamaica are
very well acquainted with the method
of telling the time by looking at the
effect of the sun on pussy's eyes, and
those who twenty vears ago were quite
illiterate and could not tell the time
by a watch used to resort to this
method for discovering the time of
day. I have myself repeatedly, watch
in hand, askod a negro to tell the time
in this way, and it was very rare In
deed for him to be five minutes out by
tho clock.
Voter Is a Veteran.
James M. Sherwin of Grafton, Vt.,
has voted at every election in his town
—local, state and national—since 1832.
If he lives until November he will cast
his eighteenth presidential vote.