davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-01
DARK DAYS
By HUGH CONWAY.
TIE LAST HOPE.
.HApTER XIII.-(Continued.

CHAPTER AlIl.-(Contmueu.J
sOn one condition-one only" she said
BE guided by me in this. In all else
YOU shall do as you like"
Il must be in the court, Basil. l
must hear the trial. If the worst hap
pen. there must not be the delay of
moment; then and there l must proclaim
the truth"
You shall be at hand-close at hand.
! will be present"
no! I must be there. | must hear and
see all. Il the man is found guilty, |
must. before his horrible sentence is pro-
nounced. stand up and declare his in
Hocence."
''All that could be done afterward."
mo: it must be done then. Basil,
fancy-put yourself in his place! Moth
ing could atone for his anguish at hear
ing himself condemned to death for a
crime he knows nothing Of. ! must be
there. Promise me | shall be there:
and for your sake ] will do as you wish. ="
1t was the best concession l could get
I promised / concealed the fact that
if. when sentence was pronounced,
woman rose in the body of the court. and
asserted the prisoners innocence and her
own guilt the probabilities were she
would be summarily elected. This made
no difference. Let Philippa be silent;
let the man be found not guilty, and the
next train could bear us back to Seville.
Yes. even now there was hope!
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-01
THE BATTLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and in a
Graphic and Inter estinG Manner
Tell OF Camp, March and Battle.
The old Mans Sacrifice.

81 don't know his name" remarked
the man who wore the blue on many
hot Southern field in the COS, shut
do know that he was made Of the
very best stuff that q hero is made of.
/ met him just after the battle of Get
tysburg, before we got the smoke Of
powder out of our eyes. Somehow |
found myself with a slight flesh wound
over in the Confederate lines just at
the tag end of the battle The dead
and wounded were lying all about me.
Suddenly l heard somebody near me
cry out Justify:
." Go it, boys, go it! Give the Yanks
plenty of ammunition
II looked around, and to my amaze
man, fully 65, lying little to my
right. He wore the gray, and both of
his legs had been completely shattered
by a shell, but he didn't seem to know
it, and smiled hopefully as he called
repeatedly to some Of his tagging COM
rades to keep up the fire until the very
last. Presently along came the sur
geon Of the regiment, looking after the
wounded. He was Il courteous, kindly,
llnightly Southern gentleman.
"'Why, old fellow, what are you do
ing here?' he said in CHEEKY voice to
my old man. You are entirely too old
to be in service. How does this hap
pen?'
Tim old, but l never shirked, an
swered the old man with spirit, and
then he stopped to yell again to his
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-01

lay down with his officers beside one of
the fires, without any covering; when
asleep, an aide quietly spread an over
coat over him. For about four hours
we all kept turning over every few
minutes SO as to get warmed on both
sides, initiating with our bodies the
diurnal motion of the earth as 1t eX-
poses its sides alternately to the heat
of tie sun. When daylight broke it
was seen that a low board structure
close to which the general-in-chief had
lain down was pig-pen; but its form
er occupants had disappeared, and were
probably at that time nourishing the
st0machs Of the cavalry troopers of the
invading army. Unfortunately the
odors of the place had not taken their
departure with the pigs, but remained
to add to the discomfort of the blYou-
ackers. Sherdan's cavalry had had a
fight at this place the afternoon before.
in which he had defeated the opposing
force and the ground in the vicinity,
streWn with dead, offered ample evil
dence of the severity OF the struggle.
At daylight on the morning Of the Sth
active operations were in progress
throughout the columns. General Sheri-
dan had ordered his cavalry to move
by different roads to seize the bridges
crossing the Po River. General Meade
modified these orders, and directed q
portion Of the cavalry to move in front
Of Warren's infantry OH the SpotsyI-
yania Court House road The enemy
were Telling trees and placing other OBJ
stacIes in the way. i'll order to impede
the movement, and the cavalry was
afterward withdrawn and the infantry
directed to open the way.
About sunrise General Grant, after
taking off his coat and shaking it to rid
it Of some dust in which he had laid
down, shared with the staff officers
some soldiers rations, and then seated
himself on the ground by the roadside
to take his morning smoke-"Cam-
paging with Grant, by General Hor-
ace Porter in the Century.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-01

comrades to so it. Suddenly he began
to feel terrible pain, and then he said:
Air you the doctor?
Yes, I am answere7 the surgeon,
and I'm going to have you moved as
soon as the firing ceases, and see what
I can dc for you
ooh, don't bother about me- he an
sWered, YEARLY I'm done for, l reck-
on, an you'd better tend to some that's
my dyin' now. They're all fixed an
we'll provided fur. One hundred acres
of good Ian. two mules, an a horse,
he added, half to himself, with 4 peace
ful smile.
"'Who? asked the, doctor, giving
him a swallow of brandy.
My wife an my daughter, sab.
You see, it was this way: When the
war broke out l was an ole man, nigh
on to SO, l reckon, an somehow I'd
never been a good manager. | had
tried but | didn't have nothin' but JUS
what [ made over my rent. An that
was little enough, God knows. [
thing was over, an it nigh worried me
to death to think about leavin' the ole
'oman an Sal to do real hard work.
Then the war came an there was my
chance. The owner of the plantation
where 1 lived was richer than he was
he says, says he:
John, you amt got your folks
well fixed to leave 'em, have you?'
"'"No,' says [, San it worries me
past all peace"
"Now, let me tell you" says he 81
want a substitute to fight for me, an
here's your chance to pervide we'll for
your folks. Age exempts you from
fightin', but if you go in my place to
the war I'll deed your wife this very
day one bundled acres Of my best land,
two mules an horse. Is it bar
gain?'"
I studied a While an then I says:
ut is" Sure enough, he was as good
as his word. He decided a bundled
acres and the stock to the ole 'oman
and Sal that very day, and the next
week | was gone to the war. I amt
never been home since, but have
fought it straight through I got inter-
ested in the cause after | got good at
work at fightin'. an l amt never
flinched once, but what brought me
here was peryiding for Sal an the ole
'oman. / could not bear to leave 'em
empty handed to fight 'ginst the world,
an I knoWed it was too late in life
for me to ever do anything fur 'em.'
His voice was growing weaker and
weaker as he told his story. but as he
finished he raised up. and with a regu-
lar rebel yell sang out: 60 it, boys, an
give 'em hell-them Yankees!' Then
he fell back and in dazed way said,
The ole 'oman an my little Sal. A
bundled acres-half Of it good bottom
land-a horse--an'-a two fust-rate
mules. 1t was the best the ole man
could do fur 'em,' and with these words
and a marvellous look of love and
peace he stopped breathing.
81 stretched out my hand and took
that Of the surgeon, and the tears as
well as the blood Of those who
wore the blue and those who wore the
gray were mingled over the simple
mans story. TO me he was a real
hero. Utica Globe.
When Grant Slept i'm a Pig Pen.
The general and staff bivouacked up
on the ground. The night was quite
chilly, and a couple of fires were light
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-02-01

When Grant Slept in Pig-Pen.
The general and staff bivouacked up
on the ground. The night was quite
chilly, and a couple of fires were light
ed to add to our comfort. Gen. Grant
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14
ADVANTAGES OF aEIyC A PoP

One great advantage OF being a member
of the Populist party is that one need not
consider himself ''hidebound" as to views
or opinions he may at any time entertain.
He can change his political beliefs as oft
en- as he wants to, just as he changes his
raiment. In fact Populist is always in
the experimental stage, trying one thing.
then another. never satisfied, but forever
''prcjickin'."
For instance, Mr.. Bateman, who was the
Pop candidate for governor OF Maine last
fan, thought the destiny of the nation
was wrapped up in the success of the free
coinage OF silver at the ratio of IS to l.
That was the panacea for all ills that af-
hict the people and with its adoption we
might expect n genuine Utopia where
| everything would be lovely and the goose
hang high. Now Mr.. Bateman, since the
people sat down upon that scheme. frankly
! declares free coinage a 'humbug' and
says it would not add SS to the circulating
medium. His opinion at the present time
| is that the only possible salvation for the
country is in scientific paper currency"
AMI oceans of It.
| COMMONWEALTH Coxey and his fidus
| acbates, Carl Browne, and few other
| choice PoDulist spirits whose brain eanis
ters contain Snough wheels to start a
clock factory. have become dissatisfied and
| launched new party at st. Louis. Last
! fan these reformers were vociferous in
! their assertions that the country would 90
| 10 everlasting smash unless the free silver
idea were adopted They lifted I'D their
voices in season and out OF season for is
to 1 and hailed Mr.. Bryan as a man of
destiny whose mission was the saving of
nation and the rescuing Of the toiIing
masses from the thralldon of gold. But
as soon as they ascertained that the
American people did not indorse the err
ratio views held by themselves and others.
they experienced sudden change of faith.
CoSey also now says free silver is a hum
bug. and declares that the only hope IS
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14
She stonped the Game.

From the Chicago Times-Herald.
Judge Steve Osborn was one OF the Judges
who had the greater part Of Western Kan
sas IN his bailiwick when he was on the
oench, and he tells many a good tale of the
enjoyment the boys used to get out of the
sessions. On one occasion all the attorneys
OF the court were gathered in the back
room of drug store for the purpose OF a
friendly little game" One of the lawyers
had wife who had objected to his play
ing the seductive amusement and she was
watching them all day. Whenever court
was in session she made it her business
TO keep close and unremitting eye on her
spouse This night she found that there
was something going on in the little back
room and she got pound or two of powder
and an old stocking with the firm intention
of teaching her husband a lesson. The
Gsme was at its height and the wealth of
three counties was on the table-about $50
-when-bini-wenta a sound under the pine
floor and the smoke of powder came up
through the cracks. The husband turned
pale and the man who was about to rake
in the pot turned paler. They all rushed
out and found that the woman had manu-
foctured n bomb out OF the stocking and
powder. that if it had been confined proper
ly would have effectualiy prevented them
playing any more games or even attending
court the next day.
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14

in paper money without stint. Other emf
nent supporters of that exploded issue
are also declaring that free coinage must
give way TO something more fetching in
the line of humbugging the people again.
And not only that, but these leading
lights in Populism have changed their
views toward Mr.. Bryan himself. Only a
few short weeks ago the Nebraska orator
was held up TO view as the embodiment of
virtue, the sole repository of the wisdom of
the ages and the beau ideal of statesman
ship. He was introduced at Atlanta as the
giant who has placed his hand on the
throttle OF the government and his mighty
arms on the destinies of society," and re-
garded by many as a financial Archimides
who proposed to move the world if he
could only find 4 fulcrum for his silver
crowbar. Just now the Populists are not
singing Mr.. Bryan's praises. He failed to
lead them into the Canaan of fiat pros
pcrity and they are looking for another
Moses. Mr.. Bateman, before referred to,
says that not only has he been greatly
overrated as an orator and a reformer
but, worse than all, he is as defunct as
julius Caesar. which is equivalent to be-
ing as dead as a door nail or as free silver
There are no reins on the Populist He
can believe in and "argy'' anything under
the sun. provided it is sufficiently wild and
nonsensfcal, without hurting his party
standing in the least. There is only one
particular in which he is always and un-
changeably practical, and that is in his
desire for office.
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14
THE ONLY POPuLIsT ISSUE.


In the course OF a recent article We re-
marked that the PopuIist party was a huns
bug in its pretense of holding principles
and policies which distinguished it from
other parties. While It ranged through
! the gamut of nineteenth century isms and
pretended to espouse all sorts of reforms,
it really had no goal toward which it was
going with an inflexible purpose.
Confederation of This view came from
when the new Populist governor of Kan
sas delivered his first message to the legis-
Iature. A careful reading of this message
will disclose nothing which might be seized
upon as peculiarly Populistic. There is
not recommendation in 1t of any impor-
tance whatever which has not been made
by some of Governor Leedy's Republican
predecessors, with the single exception of
maximum freight rate law. After the
hullabaloo which the Populists have been
keeping up in Kansas for the past six
years over the alleged injustice of Repub-
Hcan legislation, it might have been ex-
pected that some radical reforms would
which would stand for party principle, but
nowhere in the governors message can
anything be found which distinguishes the
incoming of a new party and the outgo-
ing of an old.
Granting that a maximum freight rate
law is a distinctively Populist measure. it
is the only thing in Governor Leedy's mess
age which is open to really serious crit
icism. A great deal of danger turks in
the proposition that q lot of inexperienced
legislators shall establish an arbitrary
scale of railroad rates-danger not only of
injustice TO the railroads, but also of re-
suits which will react upon Kansas and
her people. The most delicate and intri-
cate problem which confronts the railroads
themselves is the adjustment of tariff
schedules, and it is beyond the limits of
hope to suppose that a legislature out of
hand can construct a schedule which will
be fair alike TO the railroads and people.
1t is, of course, the purpose of such bill
to reduce railroad rates. Whether a re-
duction can now take place without seri-
ously manning the transportation facilities
of the state is very much question. These
Populist legislators do not seem to compre-
hend that if'the railroads are crippled, the
first and most disastrous result will fall
upon the laboring people, of whom the Pop
ulist party assumes to be the champion.
But without attempting 10 discuss the
question at this time We will simply call
the attention of those Populist legislators
who have announced that they intend to
cut the railroad rates so per cent TO the
annual report of the state board of rail-
road commissioners, which discloses that
only 10 per cent of the total railroad busi-
ness transacted in Kansas is really under
control of the state, and that 80 per cent
of it is interstate and. therefore, out of
reach of adverse state legislation. The
significance of these figures would become
very apparent if the railroads were driven
% retaliatory measures by the unjust ac-
ton of the people of Kansas.
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14
A snap shot at "Dick" Blue.

From the New York Tribune
Colonel Blue. of Kansas, looks as IL he
belonged on the front porch of one of those
great Virginia manor houses, with lot of
dogs lying about him, and negro retainers
standing about in picturesque attitudes to
complete the scere. He might have stepped
out of a frame hanging in one of those
old Southern homes so like Is he in ap-
pearance to the cavalier of the ancient
time. and by reference to the Congress
SIGNAL Directory it will be seen that this
genial gentleman was Virginia born -
hut he broke away from the traditions of
his state and served in the Union army
which accounts for the fact that, although
Virginia born, he is an ardent Republican.
Colonel Blue is not only an ardent Re
publican, but a wise man, and has prac-
tical views on all subjects. Among other
things he thinks it bad policy in the pres
ent distressed state of the country to make
a great ado about the inaugural bail. Of
course, all the money that is spent for this
purpose will find its way indirectly into
the pockets of the suffering poor. but it is
very difficult to demonstrate to these peo-
pie why and how this is so, and they can
rot be expected to enjoy the souads of
revelry when both their stores and their
stomachs are empty.
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14
THE MONETARY CONFERENCE.

The convention in session at Indianapo-
lis is composed Of 4 large body of leading
business men from all over the country,
representing nearly every branch OF in
dustry and deeply interested in the sub
ering is wholly non-partisan. and political
questions will not, therefore. be disturb
ing factor in its deliberations. The pro-
gramme is to devise some means of elm
mating the evils of our present currency
system, agree on improvements to be add
ed and recommend the desired action to
congress.
The problem is not an easy one, and
doubtless there will be many diverse views
advanced by the delegates. On the subject
Of greenbacks, for instance, there will be
much difference of opinion, many of the
Eastern members favoring their retire
Inent, while some of the Western delegates
will submit arguments for retaining them.
On this subject Ex-Governor Stanard, of
St. Louis, said in his speech as temporary
chairman of the convention: 81 believe
there is a very strong and constantly in
creasing conviction among our people that
some method should be adopted for the
retirement of the United States and treas
ury notes, and that they should not much
longer be tolerated as a circulating me
dunn They have been a hindrance to the
prosperity OF our government for many
years. They are a constant menace TO
our treasury reserve and TO the credit OF
the government, and when encroachments
are made upon these reserves commerce
stands in fear and trembling. There seems
TO be a well defined conviction among bust
ness men from the experience of the past
that there should be no notes in circula-
tion which should not be retired when their
office has been fulfilled. Whether these
notes should be retired at once, or gradu-
ally. 1 am not disposed TO say; but of the
necessity of their retirement think there
can be no question. I would retire them
by the sale Of long time government bonds
at low rate Of interest, If there can be
no better way devised for their withdraw
al from circulation" Other delegates ex-
pressed opposing views but, as Permanent
Chairman Patterson stated, they all agreed
that the right solution OF the currency
question in the interest of the whole coun.
try and of all the people, is Of grave i'm
portance."
With this general belief the sagacious
business men of the Indianapolis confer
ence may be expected TO devise some prac-
ticaI means for reform in our complicated
financial system.
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14

Those who have Travelled about the coun-
try and visited the large cities, including
Kansas City. have wondered why this
thriving town is so far behind in the mat
ter of protecting its citizens from death
or mutilation by street cars. These visit
ors will not have occasion to wonder much
longer.
Manager Holmes, of the Metropolitan
system-which now includes practically all
the railways of the city-has been expert
menttng for several months with different
kinds of tenders. with view to finding
the one best adapted to our particular to-
pcgraphy. At last Mr.. Holmes has decided
upon an apron" that he thinks will meet
the requirements in most particulars, and
the cars are being equipped as fast as the
Tenders can be provided.
The one or two lines outside of the Met
ropolitan system will doubtless soon fol-
low suit. and 1t is probable that within a
few months at furthest 1t will be impos-
sible to see a moving street car in Kansas
City that is not duly equipped with life
and limb and damage suit saver.
Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-14
An Effective Anti-Trust Law.

From the Chicago Chronicle.
Georgia claims to have an antitrust law
that is really effective. 1t is known as the
Calvin act According to statement
telegraphed from Atlanta last Thursday,
"the American Tobacco Company, follow
ing suit after the potash trust, the snuff
trust, the coffee trust, the match trust
and all the other trusts, notified the job
bers and merchants throughout the state
that the now famous antitrust bill made
their existing contracts unlawful, and
they would therefore no longer be con-
sidered by either party
The effective provisions of the law seem
void all arrangements, contracts and agree
ments which are intended or have a ten
dency to stifie competition and extort from
consumers more than the natural COM
petitive prices for articles. and which pro-
the state and cancel the charters and fran
chises of home trusts.
1t is stated that only one company de-
nies that its contracts are affected. That
company claims that the law is void be-
cause it is repugnant to that clause of the
constitution of the United States which
says that no state shall pass any ex post
facto law or law impairing the obligation
of n contract.
Other trusts. it seems, do not make this
point. Perhaps their legal advisers have
given them to understand that contracts
made for the purpose of sitting competi-
ton and robbing the people are moi con-
tracts of the kind meant by the constitu-
t'on but are void even in the absence of