Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-04-04

meeting every two guns with a spool
OF wire. In this way we connected
every two guns with spool of wire.
In this way We connected eight guns
on the land side OF the fort and six
commanding the bay. The the wires
from each gun We're taken into the
powder magazine, where Hudson had
rugged up an internal machine OF his
own devising.
I'VE had hardly completed our work
when night fell You are sure they
haven't any musketsf' Hudson said
to me before we separated for the
night. Perfectly l answered. only
spears and knives Then 1t ought to
be all right, he murmured, but how
about the shipsp Let's settle the mig
gers first l replied. Sufficient for the
day are the ructions thereof
with these remarks he left me, and
sat In my powder magazine await
ing events. The hours crept by very
slowly. | tingled with excitement, for
knew the next hour would determine
our faith. At length. in the pitehy
darkness. the drummer boy, with his
only eye glowing in the blackness like
a carbuncle, whispered softly: Cap
tain, they're comingr Still waited.
"rhen, in the deathlike stiffness, a
yell broke on the startled air. l knew
the crucial moment had come, and |
II pressed button. There was
whirring sound. Then all was quiet
again, until u cheer from my men
rang out, and l knew that all was
Well. Selling my club, l hurried out
into the darkness. Everything was
dark as-as the war otfice-and the
fort was deserted.
Just outside the gate | stumbled
across body. | turned Ii over with
my foot. II was Niger In full war
paint and unarmed. Then knew that
my plan had succeeded. Hurrying
forward, whittier a dull thud, varied
by an occasional groan, guided me,
found my gallant Bombardlers club
bling for dear life-ror the bayonets
and barrels of their muskets had been
removed by my orders-among a sour
rying crowd of sayages.
Well, sir, we banged and banged,
until we could no longer raise our
arms. As day broke ordered the
drummer to beat TO quarters. He was
nowhere to be found. Shouting to my
men, | ordered them TO retire to the
fort. Then the sun rose, and what q
sight met our eyesl Every cannon In
the fort was studded with spears and
knives as thick as a pudding Is OF
plums, as close as pin cushion IL Of
pins.
What had happened win be obvious
to you. By the telegraph wires and
an electric battery In the powder mag
azine had turned all my cannons Into
electro magnets of forty horse power.
Consequently, as soon as the enemy
were within range / turned on the cur
rent. Every steel weapon In the hands
of the niggers simply whirled out OF
their grasp and stuck like horse leech-
es to my magnets.
The absence of the drummer boy
was soon explained. AS. against my
distinct orders, he had been wearing
hanger when I turned the current
| on. he few against the nearest gun
and stuck there as g. o. does to a
decoration. II took six men to haul
him OF.
Then, in the Joy OF victory. sud.
! den dread came over me. How about
the three men-of-war? The foreign
! power ought TO have landed It's mgr.
| midons by this time. Scourged by my
mlsapprehensions, l hurried to the
seward battlements of the fort
f, There, In the gray dawn, a strange
| sight met my eyes.
Mailed to the cruel rocks to the
westward of Damll lay these three
men-ofwar, hopeless wrecks, buffeted
| by the waves against the grinding
crags. What had happened was sim
/ pie enough. Damme, sir. II flashed
! across me In an instant. The force OF
| my seward magnets had been such
that it had deranged the compasses OF
these vessels Following their distort
ed guidance. they had run ashore on
the reef westward OF the fort
Even as I watched, I saw a boat
| push off from the wrecked flag ship
| At once | donned the graceful uniform
of my regiment. the Munchausen's
Own. as the service fondly termed II
I and drew up my gallant ninety-threc
In platoons to await our yanquished
foe. \ tall officer, OF gallant bearing
his dripping uniform decorated with 4
star. stepped ashore.
"'Field marshal said he, bowling tC
me with grace that left me M
doubt that I was standing In the pres
ence of prince Of the blood royal. 4
HhNf tht HpliOi " SuIItuutE W you NY
swordv
"'Not field marshall replied. ac
cepting the sword, as marked the iii
Almonds flashing In its hilt, only Z
captain of her Majesty's loyal regi
nIent Of Munchausen's own All.
said his highness, turning to his fol
lowers, what chance have we agains
nation where such men are only cap
tains? Bowling low, he followed me
my prisoner, into the fort.
THAT, sir. is the true history Of ths
defense Of Damll. The end IL plain
After my victory they sent genera
from home who reaped its fruits. VIII,
was rewarded by grateful c0untr,
by sticking every condemned letter o.
the alphabet after his blIghted name
But the nation has yet to lean Il
whose resources they owe the vict0ry
of Damli. You were pleased to Oh
serve. sir? Eth. sir? What. sir? You
obedient servant, sir. Waiter. two o
the same. with slice Of lemon
New Budget.