The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-24

filled nowder hos VI and calling his
young companiorly soeesner, invited
them to unite with MN in II aele
pointed celebration. 1daying bored =
hole in one OF the ~ NO nlled e
in with powder. they ~ = S9se.
inserted plug and red s1s1S H. aafe
distance to await results.
The plug was not driven ins
ficient force. however. and was 60
out without making the desired report.
Running forward with one impulse the
boys would have recharged. but George.
waving them back, exclaimed: zone
mans life is enough at time" and
going to the log was proceeding to pour
in more powder. when It exploded d.
rcctly in his face.
With eyes fast shut ne made straight
for the rain tub. and plunging his head
in, shook It violently about.
When he raised 1t, with hair all sing
ed. and eyebrows and eyelashes gona.
he presented strangely altered APP
on the small. powder burned face. q,
turning TO his companionA he asked:
Does It show muchT'
The least candid Of them was obliged
to admit that II aid: but George, stih
sanguine OF escaping detection, hoped
that latter 1t stepped smaztinE II
would look better"
When the doctor returned from HI
distant call that evening. however. 10
found patient awaiting him at home;
and In the quiet seclusion Of the two or
three days following the adventure the
future admiral had leisure In which 70
concoct new plans for the entertain-
ment OF himself and his young friends.
During the Mexican war he was Al
ardent worshiper at the shrine Of Gem
eral Taylor. who Kicked the enemy
every time"
He never tired Of hooking at = picture
Of him which hung In his own homo;
and when the boys. catching the miii-
tary spirit which pervaded the at1.
fought sham battles, he always insist
ed upon impersonating "Old Zack," A.
signing the part Of Santa Ana to ssms
one else. an apportionment Of sharas-
tiers sometimes resulting In mutiny.
One night one Of the younger sst
then q e-year-old and net allowed 10
go with the big boys, recalls the
fascination which his society had foy
him, and the hair erecting stories q
the yellow-back variety with which hs
sometimes RECALLED him. On . certain
memorable evening. the smaller beg.
stealing away from home at dusk, jotn-
ed young Dewey ana I've sf his asss-
ciates. and accompanied them up
deep ravine to an old-fashioned saw
mill. which they ret in motion. ths
double object thus accomplished being
the seeing Of ''the old thing shake H.
self 70 pieces" and the securing q
days holiday for their friend, the mill
ler's son. by the suspensisn Of opera
lions subsequent upon the draining q
the pond.
The immense amount Of snow which
falls In the mountains ana valley ot
New England and the large deposits Of
ice which form In its rivers make tho
breaking up Of winter in that far north
ern climate a period to which every boy
endowed with . spirit ct adventure
looks eagerly forward.
Two small rivers. the winooski and
the Onion, come together in Montpelier
in such way a. to form the letter
T. and around this letter the town u
built. In the spring, when the stream
sreams are swollen BY the melting
SHOWS. and pieces Of ice are hurried
along by the current, the boy who gets
upon the smallest cake" which viii
bear his Notwithstanding sften In wa-S
ter four or FIVE inches deep-and sue.
ceeds in effecting . landing upon the
mass Of pulverixed Ice. intersperseA
with huge endwise and criss-cesss
blocks, which lodges six miles bslsv.
ebcomes the hero Of the hour.
On such occasions young Dewey was
in his element. leading the way %
every daring enterprise and acquiring
that hardihood ana utter disregard Of
danger Of which the victory at MaaiiA
was the glorious outcome. II was willis
guiding his ice raft past bridges an4
piers. over cross currents formed ~
the influx Of lesser tributaries and
around quick bends in the river that
he learned his first lessons In thu se3-
ence Of navigation.
What man has done man can DO"
was the motto which formed the pre-
pelling power Of his young life. carry
ing him through every boyish undertak-
ing. Who knows but that 1t may have
inspired his later achievements a. WELT
Germans Are skeptical.
Berlin.-tspecial)-The German gov
eminent was taken wholly by surprise
with the news from Samoa. The in-