National Republican., 1883-03-20

: under his arm and drag himself along the
aisle toward the door, keeping his face close
to the floor to avoid the binding, suffocating
iiames As he reached for his leg he remem-
bered that Representative Ben Wilson, of
West Virginia, who occupied berth some
distance down the car, was deaf, and the
thought flashed across his mind that perhaps
the alarm might not have aroused the sleep
ing man. As ho crawled along on his hands,
knee, and stump he felt in every berth,
making oil possible speed, but not missing q
bunk in his blind search for Wilson. Sure
enough, there lay the congressman in one of
the berths sound asleep, in the very embrace
of a fiery death, totally oblivious of his dan
ger The commissioner shook him vigor-
ously, but could not arouse the sleeper Reach
ing over the PROSTATE form, he raised the
window, and then, jumping into the bert
he seized Mr.. Wilson by both shoulders and
shook him with desperate earnestness.
p" For Gods sake give me drink of water"
feebly murmured the semi.conscious man.
Wake up wake up, tell you ~ screamed
Gen. Dudley in his ear, giving him another
shaking; the car is burningupp Although
nearly dead with heat and smoke the general
remained COOL parodoxical as the statement
may appear, and he knew that the half stu
pefied man would be quite as apt to 60 the
wrong way If he stepped into the passage as
the right way, and feeling by the motion of
the car that the train was coming to stand
still, he added :" Be quick jump through the
window or you will be dead man" He
felt the Virginian olambering through the
window, and again placing his face within
two or three inches of the floor he completed
the journey to the doorway in safety, though
when he fell, rather than climbed, from the
platform he was more dead than alive The
car went up like a tinder box, and two min
utes more there would have been another va
cancy in tho West Virginia congressional
delegation. Ben Wilson would have
been burned to crisp. Very few
got away with anything except their
night clothes Luckily, Gen. Dud-
ley's pantaloons were fastened to his
artificial leg, and when he carried that of in
triumph the attachment came with it. Mr.
Grey was clothed in an abbreviated night
shirt and his right mind. Others were not
so we'll fixed.
When burned out gentlemen met in the
smoker to compare notes and foot up their
losses Mr.. Marks drew a flask from his
satchel and generously drank to the health
of his fellow passengers. He then laid claim
to having lost $165 from his vest pocket.
90
Gen. Dudley's bravery and presence of mind
ON the occasion Of the burning of the sleeper
recalls another brave deed in his career. "He
was in command of an Indiana regiment at
the battle Of Gettysburg" said the civilian
narrator, "and was on the extreme left of tho
line, In the thick of the first days fight
confederate column was discovered moving ON
his flank. Dudley was ordered to fall back with
his left flank. Thosonly way the command
could be given sosit could be understood
was to move the colors back. Tho first
color bearer was shot dead the moment
he touched the flag staff Another brave
boy rushed forward only to meet the
same fate. A third was shot down. There
was awavering, and Dudley seized the colors to
move them back. Down he went with his right
leg shot full of lead. Struggling to half stand
ing posture he shifted the flag staff to his left
hand, and extending his right hand ordered
his men to drag him along. They pulled him
on his back over the rough ground for con-
siderable distance, his mangled leg leaving
trail of blood; but the colors came down no
more, although the aim of scores of confeder-
ate marksmen was concentrated upon that
point. That was tho way Dudley lost his leg"
a"s
"They are telling queer stories about you"
remarked gentleman to one of the messen-
gers at the bureau of statistics lately. "They
say you are bug eater; that you cook cock
reaches, grasshoppers in season, mice and
other small game, and eat them"
Tho messenger smiled and proceeded to state
that u few months ago he had been attacked
with throat disease, and ON the advice of an
Indian doctor he had caught and eaten few
bugs. "How did you prepare them?" asked
the gentleman.
"Just killed and swallowed them whole,
claws and all. I had some boys hunting for
a kind of bug a little smaller than mouse,
and little larger than a full grown cock
roach. 1t is q hairy sort of bug. The boys
brought me in several and / swallowed
quito number They helped my throat
too, o, you needn't laugh. j know what
does me good when l. am sick. sup
pose the claws of the bugs and their
hair sorto cleaned out my throat
swobbed it out, you know, and that was
what cured me. | havn't swallowed any
bugs now for several months, The last took
kindo' went back on me-sorto' sickened me-
don't think the diet agreed with me exactly
used to live down ON the Mississippi, where
they believe in such cures, you know, and
have some faith in them myself"
~
Three of the cadets who were dropped from
the naval academy rolls came to Washington
in search of employment. They stayed here
until their small funds were exhausted, when
u capitalistic friend loaned them money
enough to pay their fares to New York. Ar
rived there they sought Mr., Gorringe, to
whom they stated their case, and two
of the boys were taken in by that emil
nent shipbuilder and given work. The
success of the ex-cadets will open a mine
of great promise, and the late commander will
soon come obe regarded as harbor of refuge
for dissatisfied and dismissed navy depart
ment employees, if he continues his benevolent
work industriously.
Not Redeemable.
| e A L.. II