Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-09-23
TALES OF PLUCK
AND ADVENTURE.
A Dangerous Home.

UcuC ouu Ebttioouhhc. 4ubt was
the experience of Jake Aldrich few
months ago, aud he says it is the
highest box he ever got into, aud he
has been in u good many. Jack is q
prospector who for over q year has
been working out in the mountains a
few miles from Diamond Springs, Ell
Dorado County, Cal. Near where
Jake has been working is an sbsn-
doned engine, with all the machinery,
including the boiler. The house that
enclosed the machinery has all been
blown down, so that the boiler stands
out in the open air. The boiler is one of
the old-fashioned kind, without fues.
Early in the year it struck Jake
that this boiler would be a pretty
good place to sleep in, as it was warm
and dry and perfectly impervions to
the heavy rains that fall in the vicinity.
SO he took out the manhole gasket.
which was a big one, located at the
end of the boiler close to the bottom,
and moved it.
He found that it was just what he
had been looking for. Dark, of course,
but as warm as q house. BY knocking
of a steam pipe connection at the
other end Of the boiler the ventilation
was perfect and no danger OF getting
wet. For months Jake enjoyed his
sleeping apartment in the boiler and
was the envy of all the miners for
miles around. But last Monday night
there was trouble. That's when the
bear aud the snake got in. At least
that's when the bear got in. When
the snake got in IS a mystery. It
may have been ALTERNATING under
Jake's blankets all winter for all he
knows, but he does know that it was
there last Monday night.
Jake went to bed at his usual time
about Oakland as the night was o
little warm concluded to leave the
manhole open. He went to sleep in.
stantly, but some hours later was
awakened by a queer sound at the
end of the boiler. Rising in his
blankets, Jake reached for his
miners matches. These are the kind
that will burn several minutes.
Striking one, lie was for moment
blinded by the glare. Then it flick.
cred and went out. Before he could
strike another Jake became conscious
Of shifting down at the far end of
the boiler. Then he got frightened,
and when he reached for his match.
box he couldn't find it. He felt here
and there, all the time conscious that
the shifting was coming his way.
Cold sweat came out all over him
aud a frenzy seized him. He wanted
to make rush for the manhole, but
fear held him to the spot.
Then he felt for his matches again,
and this time put his hand right on
them. Striking one, his horror was
increased. Before him stood q big
bear. At sight Of the light the bear
became frightened and went back to
the end of the boiler. Jake's first i'm
pulse was to draw his revolver and
fire, but he had fear that he might
miss the bear or not hit vital spot,
and SO he kept his matches burning in
order to keep the bear at bay until he
could think out plan of flight.
While this situation was at its most
strained point Jake's blood almost
froze in his brains, for the whirr of a
rattlesnake struck his ear. 1t was in
the boiler, right in front OF him and
between him and the bear. The first
move was made by the bear through
the manhole.
This aroused Jake to his senses.
The match had almost burned his fin.
gers when his nerve came back, and
he took careful aim over the sights of
his revolver and blew the head off the
rattlesnake just as it was poised to
strike.
Victory now aroused Jake's sports
man blood. He wanted the bear.
Climbing out as quickly as he could
he saw bruin sitting on his launches
q few feet from the boiler. At sight
Of Jake he turned to run, but pistol
ball caught him between the shout
ders and stopped him. He concluded
to fight Jake and made fierce attack,
ma1dened as he was by the pain OF
his wound.
As the bear came near Jake pulled
the trigger of his revolver, but the
cartridge missed fire. The bear made
a jump and knocked him over, but be-
fore he reached the ground Jake had
put bullet in the pondrous creatures
heart.
This ended the fight. Then Jake
,rawled back into his boiler, threw
out the dead snake and went to sleep.
Next morning he was up bright and
early to overhaul the game he had
bagged during the night.
Colonel Picquart's Charmed Life.
The cable news OF the reinstate-
ment. of Colonel Georges Picquart
makes that distinguished soldier an
object Of great interest. Before the
Infamous prosecution of Dreyfus he
had been recognized as one of the
sblest military officials in France. His
persecution and suffering Mt the hands
Of the Anti -Dreyfusites have but served
to demonstrate him to be o hero of
the noblest type. Many of the tales
told respecting the conspiracy which
tried to add him to its list of victims
are now becoming public.
When Picquart started the move
ment tending toward retrial of the
Dreyfus case the general staff was
filled with alarm. They saw only one
way out of the difficulty, and that was
to get rid of the fearless and truth
loving officer. He was removed from
his Office in November, 1896, and sent
away upon an important mission, the
of the frontier regiments in
the West of France. He was ham
pered;with orders which required him
to give all his time and thought to his
work. The moment he performed the
task he was sent to the southern and
southeastern frontier. Thence he was
rushed on during the unhealthy sea-