Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-05-15
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.l

hibition in the vestibule of the White
House for several days, having been
placed there for cabinet members. con-
gressnlen and others to inspect Bor-
glum is the sculptor of the statue Of
General Sheridan in Massachusetts ave-
nue.. The bust of Lincoln Is an excep-
tionally large one and has attracted
much attention
President Roosevelt has given a
hearty Endorsement to the plans of the
Arlington Confederate Monument az
ISOLATION for the erection of monu-
ment in Arlington to commemorate the
Confederate dead buried there.
A Story Of Indian Days.
When Quanah Parker, the most noted
Indian chief In the United States,
walked into the White House a few
days ago. it was noticed that he shook
hands with unusual cordially with
Major Charles Loether, doorkeeper for
President Roosevelt and all other pres
ldents for nearly forty years.
Met on Battlefield.
When be had gone away, the story
of their first meeting became known
1t was on battlefield in 1860, Parker
then being small boy. 1t was Major
Loef1e- who saved the mother of Par,
ker from being riddled with bullets and
possibly the life of Parker himself
Major Loeff1ef was for many years q
soldier in the United States army He
served in the Indian campaigns around
the Texas border and In the Red river
country. His soldier life was full of
thrilling incidents. Once he saved the
life of F1tz-Hugh Lee. then lieuten-
ant In the army.
Saved a Squaw's Life.
1t was nearing Christmas week in
1860 when squad of twenty cavalry
men. In which Major Loeffler was then
a corporal. routed a band Of Comanche
Indians headed by Chief Parker. the
father Of the present noted leader OF
the Comanches in Oklahoma The
band fought as it ran. Suddenly half
dozen men under Corporal Loeff1er sd W
a splendid mounted Indian dart across
the plains some distance away. The
Indian rode like true Comanche. In
short space Of time the men were
near enough to the flying figure to be
gin firing. AS they leveled their rifles
Major Loeftler raised his hand and
commanded, them to refrain. declaring
that the flying Indian was a squaw.
The men were inclined to believe that
he was wrong. but they obeyed his
command. 1t was not long until the
flying figure was overtaken. and it was
found that Major Loef1er was right.
Mother Of Quanah Parker.
The Indian was not only a squaw
but she Rugged close to her bosom a
young boy FIVE or six years old. who
had been lost sight of so close did be
stick to his mother The surprise was
further enhanced by the discovery that
the woman was white as white as any
of the soldiers. She was the favorite
wife of Chief Parker and the mother
of Quanah Parker. who grew up to be
the greatest Indian his tribe ever
knew. The woman had been captured
by the Comanches when a mere child.
had grown up with them and had be-
come the wife of the chief Of the band.
She was faithful to them. too. and
pleaded with the soldiers to release her
and permit her to go on with her COM
panions. She was not held in captivity
long being released. and returned to
her husband She died thirty years
ago.
A Plague of Mice.
In the Humboldt valley of Nevada
thee was Il plague of field mice An
expert OF the biological survey is now
~ he ground He has found that in
:':.-t sections of the valley the mice
~ r!;:g" S.'aN to- the acre. number
tia: :,;~::ls almost impossible, but the
TIL: Il # the report is verified
Thu mice were destroying the alfalf:,
viii: i Is grown in the valley at a rate
which m::<,~ it certain that within d
81 IT time the industry of alfalfa rails
ing aust disappear.
When absolute ruin of the industry
was confronting the alfalfa ranch own.
ers. the work of the naturaliSt's Of the
survey was begun. and it is now prac
tically certain that the plague of mice
will disappear
What a Gopher Cost.
The survey was appealed to by the
bureau of irrigation for help in check
ing the damage done to bitches by bur.
rowing animals One gopher hole III
an embankment caused loss of 81.
500. and in many places irrigation was
almost impossible because Of the un-
dermining work done by small ami
mails The work Of the burrowers
made way for the water which by the
erosion process did the rest. The sci
entists Of the biological survey after
experimenting taught the men inter
ested in irrigation how to protect them.
selves against the inroads of the small
beasts that work in darkness"
Soft Jobs at the Capitol.
There are some strange jobs around
the United States capitol building
Many men are carried on the rolls who
have mysterious occupations. and it
cannot be denied that the whole estab,
ffshment is one of the most extrava.
gantIy conducted In the world. =
i One ia yortad srarafftyon4 <,9 a n IN FIR,