The Washington herald., 1907-10-18
MEN AND THINGS.
Workman and Author.

Workman and Author.
William r. Lighton, the novelist of
Omaha, who has made a good deal Of
money out of his books, was not always
able to make living by his pen For
some time. about fifteen years ago, he
would have been glad to get manual labor
Of any kind as a temporary vocation. II
was on the Pacific Coast, at Los Angeles,
at a time when the Los Angeles boom
collapsed. LightOn was working on a
daily paper. He received good wages and
he spent It all. All OF a sudden. without
warning, he, with many others, found
himself out Of employment. When Ligh-
tons money gave out he sought work
of any kind; but hundreds were doing
the same thing. Food brought high
prices. and for three days the young
newspaper man had nothing to eat on
the evening Of the third day he wandered
down TO the bay, and there grabbed
little Englishman found him. The Eng
lishman had a hut and plenty Of tea He
revived LightOn, and then found him
work at excavating for a large building.
and there the newspaper man worked
with pick and shovel. with refined and
educated men working at his side. THE
man on my right" he says. graduated
from one Of the universities Of Edinburgh,
while frequently wOrkmen with whom I
was thrown in contact turned out to be
men of all kinds Of collegiate degrees I
and professional training. 1t was a hard
time all around. but We finally pulled
out of II. But those three days, without
food. seem 10 haunt me now and then
when ] see traces Of poverty and rough
usage on the faces Of men ] meet in
the street" For the rest his career has
been that Of busy and successful author.
Indian weather Prophets.
A number of Toba Inlet Indians recent
ly arrived in Vancouver on the steamer
Cassiar. They are said to be distinguished
above all other Indians for their wisdom
in weather lore. One Of the red men. in
conversing with a white passenger, said
that the Indians along the coast expected
very severe winter, and had already
began 90 make preparations 70 secure
themselves against the cold. Forest ami
mails. particularly the common wolf, they
say, are growing longer hair than usual;
and they declare that nature never fails
TO provide, long in advance, for whatever
she has In store for the animals. The
fact OF the wolves growing heavier coats
than usual, the Indians say, IS sure
sign that the winter is to be very cold;
but besides the testimony OF the animals,
the Indians declare that they have read
IN signs and warnings from the moon, tes-
timony concerning the winter.
Brigadier General Godfrey.
Brig. Gen. Godfrey. who retired the
other day, has the distinction Of being
one Of the last Of the high-commissioned
oficers who saw service in the civil war.
lie served as a private in the Twenty
first Ohio Infantry before ne was ap-
pointed a cadet al West Point whence
he graduated in 1866. Gen. Godfrey won
the medal of honor for distinguished
galIantry OF action" against the Nez
Perces Indians at Bear Paw Mountain.
Montana. September 60 1sU. leading his
command in action when he was severely I
wounded. He served at the battle OF
Wounded Knee, and it was charged
against him that he permitted the killing
Of women and children unnecessarily. He /
was vigorously defended against this
charge By his friends, notable among
whom is Gen. Bell, VINO also participated
IN the engagement In "a railroad acci-
dent just after the battle of Wounded
Knee Gen. Godfrey was SO badly injured
that he had 20 60 20 the hospital, but
he was out again in time 70 participate
in the campaign in which Gen. Custer
was killed and in the expedition which
captured Chief Joseph. He was al the
Military Academy from 1879 70 1sS3 as in
structor OF cavalry. and he was COM
mended for special efficiency by the In
spector General of the army in 1894.
n~EFE Rack
The announcement that a flock Of wild
pigeons. estimated at 1000 birds. are nest
ing in Sullivan County. New York, proves
that this bird, once so numerous, is not
extinct, as has been popularity supposed.
Thirty years ago, wild pigeons were to be
seen by the million in Potter, Elk. War
zen, Mexican, and Cameron counties, New
York In Potter and Mexican counties
was one OF the largest nesting grounds
IN North America. Their r0Osts were
from four TO Eve miles long and from one
10 three miles wide and their numbers no
man could count No other birds were
ever known TO migrate in such num-
bers. These pigeons swept across the
sky IN such masses that Il is not
exaggeration to say that they often
0bscured the sun Hunters were permit /
ted 10 shoot and net them on their nesting
grounds, so that the slaughter was ter
rife In one day in 1S5l the American EX-
press Company carried from the northern
tier of Pennsylvania and the southern tier
Of New York. over the Erie Railway.
seven tons Of pigeons to the city market.
and in one season the total aggregated
ffty-slx tons Hunters shot them by the
barrel on their nesting grounds until they
got tired OF picking up the game. Pigeon
potpie a great native delicacy, palled on
the taste After the pigeons were prac-
tically exterminated. the law stepped in
to protect them, and now that the birds
are coming back again, it is thought. II
the laws are properly enforced, there may
soon be great flOcks again.
The Largest Truck.
The largest and most powerful truck
rolled into New York City the other
day It has the strength to carry JOG
tons. 200.000 pounds. and prior to the Gre
alton of this monster the largest truck
could only carry 10000 pounds The
building Of the Pennsylvania terminal
fathered the thought OF this truck. which
is called The Whale The immense
girders and columns that are 20 be used
in the construction Of the station could
not be handled without this truck, for
some Of the girdpTs weigh ninety tons,
and will have 70 be hauled from West
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