Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-14
COME TO THIS GREAT SALE

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Yet he displayed a certain interest
in their needs and affairs. His practi-
cal knowledge was enormous. l think
have told you of the completeness of
his arrangements. Everything had
been foreseen from grindstones to gas
nippers. The same quality of concrete
speculation showed him what we lack
ed in our own.liyeS.
There was, as you remember, the
matter Of Handy SOlomons steel claw.
He showed Thrackless a kind of Ian
yard knot that deep sea person had
never used. He taught Captain Sci
over how to make soft soap out of one
species of seaweed. Me he initiated in
| the art of fishing with Il white bone
! lure. Our camp itself he reconstruct
ed on scientific lines so that we en-
joyed less aromatic smoke and more
| palatable dinner. And all of it he did
! amusedly, as though his ideas were al.
most too obvious to need communica-
| ton.
| We became in a manner intimate
with him. He guyed the men in his
INDECENT fashion, playing on their Gre
dulity, their good nature. even their
forbearance. They alternately grinned
and Scowled. He left always con
fused impression, so that no one really
knew whether he cherished rancOr
against Percy barrow or kindly feel
ing.
The niger was DarrOw's especial
prey. The assistant had early discov
cred that the cook was given to signs,
Omens and superstitions
From a curious scholars lore he
drew fantasies with which to torment
his victim. We heard of all the witch
es, warlocks, incubi, succubae, harpies,
devils, imps and haunters of Avitchi,
from all the teachings of history, sa-
cred and profane, Hindoo. Egyptian,
Greek, medieval, Swedcnborg, ROsi-
crucian, theosophy, theology, with ev-
cry last ounce of horror, mystery. shiv-
ers and creeps squeezed out of them.
They were gorgeous ghost stories, for
they were told by a man fully inform
ed as to all the legendary and grew
some details. At first l used to think
he might have communicated it more
effectively. Then l saw that the cool
drawing manner, the level voice, were
in reality the highest art.
He told his stories in a half amused,
detached manner, which imposed con-
fidence more readily than any amount
of earnest asSeveration The mere
! fact of his own belief in what he said
came to matter little. He was the
vehicle by which was brought ac
curate knowledge He had read al
, these things and now reported then
as he had read. Each man could de
, tcide for himself as to their credibility
, at last the donkey engine was clear
ed and reinstalled atop the cliff. The
niger built under her fire of blacl
walnut, Captain Selover handed on
grog all around, and we started her VI
with a cheer just to see the wheels re
volve.
Next we half buried some lon.
matches, end up. to serve as bits TO
the lines, hitched our cables to then
T. and joyfully commenced the task @
pulling the Golden Horn piece b!
4 piece up the side Of the cliff.
The stores were badly damaged b.
the wet, and there was no liquor, 70
which | was sincerely grateful. w
broke into the boxes and arrayed our
I selves in various garments-whicl
! speedily fell to pieces appropri
! ated gimcracks of all sorts. Their
! We're some arms, but the ammunition
: had gone bad. Perdosa out of fort
, or fifty misfires got one feeble sputte
and a tremendous bang which bleV