The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-09-24

less there's a crowd Drifter bristled
up and said: What we want to knows
where the lake is when there Is any
water
1.-THE trolley man was accommodate
ing. He walked along with us, took us
up what he called hill, and then
pointed out hole in the ground about
SO yards round. and MS dry as the hotel
porch. OF course. was amused, bu,
nevertheless disappointed.
"'Never mind, said Drifter. i viii!
take you for sail on the Trinity river
some afternoon. They are talking now
of running q line of boats up the Trim.
ity from Galveston, and it will seem
like old times to get on a real big en-
cursion steamer
For the next week or two Trinity
river navigation was thoroughly agi'
tated In the Texas papers. AS near u
could make out, the principal difli
Guilty seemed to be that they were clear
ing the river of snags. read that snal
boat No. had accomplished wonders
that snag boat No. 2 had just left Dallas
and fairly revealed in the anticipato'
of trip or the broad bosom of til
Trinity. Then the newspapers began t'
print columns about the need of rain
and 1t was reported that the snag boat
were tied up, owing to the drought.
"One day Drifter took me on tn
train over to the banks of the Trinity
Sure enough, there was the boat. an
excursion steamer on small scale, to
be sure, but boat, nevertheless. Be
lieve me, there was not two feet OF
water in the deepest part OF that won,
derful river. One of the Texans got real
mad when Drifter suggested that it
would be good idea to put the boat on
trucks, so as 10 give an excursion up
and down the river on wheels. at any
rate.
"'You wait until we have rain,' said
one of the Texans, then you won't poke
any fun at Trinity river navigation
"The rain finally came, and there was
enough of it to satisfy all Texas. Now
we will have our boat ride. said Drifter,
and we hurried over to Dallas. Alas
Trinity river was then so high that the
CNtul Slou Dodt Nouid CilbCl hdNe " pC
pulled over the bridge or stay at its.
dock. They couldn't afford to cut a
hole in the bridge, you see, just for an
excursion, and the river had risen to the
level of the bridge.
"At last accounts the Trinity river
excursion had been abandoned. Drifter
told me that the boat couldn't make
much Roadway on account of the dust
in the river bottom, and believed him.
Why, actually they have to wait for
rainstorm down there before they could
have outdoor baptism services, for you
see, it wouldn't look very well to have
people lie down in the bed of the river
and have water poured over them from
a sprinkling pot.
IF we didn't have river excursions or
sails on the lake. there was always
something to make it lively during our
stay in Texas" continued Mrs. Drifter.
81 wish you could have been down there
when croquet was in season. went to
a croquet party one evening when we
first settled in Fort Worth. enjoyed
it very much, but didn't understand at
that time that one ought to wear hip
boots or armor in simple little game
like lawn croquet.
THE next day was sight to behold.
hadn't seen any mosquitoes. but it
was evident that had been settled upon
by swarm. My lower limbs were
spotted with the most irritating and ex-
asperating mementos of the bites of
some insects. l confided my trouble to
one of the ladies in the house, and she
said, consolingly:
"'Oh, that's nothing. You have been
bitten by chigres, that's all
"'Chigres, what are they?' asked.
"Why, chigre is little red bug
she replied. the most persistent insect
you ever heard Of You got them play
ing croquet on that lawn. We have not
had one at our house this season, but
they have them over there. You ought
to put some salt on the places where
you were bitten. Rub them with salt
and water. and you will get the chigres
Off
"'surely they are not on me now
said.
eyes, they are said the lady.
'Chigres bury themselves under your
skin. If you look closely you can see
Them
by the aid of Drifter's microscope, I
was able to detect in the center of each
infamed spot a little bright red insect.
something like spider. When I poked
it with the point of a needle it ran with
incredible rapidly. 1t is needless to
say I didn't play croquet on that par
ticular lawn again. Drifter told me
that chigres in Texas were like the
chills and fever in Missouri. The ma
tives didn't mind them.
II found out in time how the natives
protected themselves against the in
roads of the spider-like chigre. Having
been invited to picnic in tbs woods, I
asked woman who had lived in Texas
dozen years or more what to do.
told her couldn't possibly survive an
other attack of chigres. and Drifter had
told me the people who subscribed for
his paper would be offended if declined
the invitation to the picnic. She told
me to follow her example, and would
not have to worry about chigres. She
said
"'Whenever go to picnic In Texas.
prepare myself for the chigres. Do
n, do. In the morning before starting
out rub yourself thoroughly from head
to foot with chunk of salt pork.
Cl->~es don't like pork. and they won't
light on you.'
II did not go to the picnic" concluded
Mrs. Drifter.-N. Y. Sun.
ALL the fish deserted the Spithead
waters during the naval review on ac-
count of the number Of boats present
and the firing of the guns.