St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-05-09

| had, but 1t wasn't in reason that he
could expect anything better Skiddy
said it was a hog pen. The president
retorted that the kings allowance was
eight months in arrears and that the
western end of the island was still in
rebellion. Jails cost money, and they
had no money. Skiddy declared it was
| an outrage and asked them II they
approved of putting a white man into
bare stockade, with none of the com.
| monest conveniences or decencies OF
life? They were both shocked at the
suggestion. The pride of race is very
strong in barbarous countries. A
white man is still a white man, even
If he has committed all the crimes in
the calendar. The chief justice very
seriously pointed out that it would
disgrace them all to confine Satterlee
in the stockade and force him to mix
with the dregs of the native popula-
ton. Surely Mr.. Skiddy could not
consider such thing for moment.
Mr.. Skiddy wanted to know, then,
what the deuce he was to do? The
chief justice benignantly shook his
head. He had no answer to that
question. The president murmured
suaVely that perhaps next year, with
an increased hut tax, and the suppress
sion of the rebellion, the government
might see its way to-
Next year," roared Skiddy. II
want to know what I'm to do now!"
Skiddy flung himself out lest his
anger should get the best Of him. He
went and had another look at the Jail
and liked it even less than before.
Faugh! it was disgusting! It would
kill white man in a week. It would
be nothing less than murder to put
Satterlee into it. He returned to the
consulate to talk over the matter
with the trusty Scanlons.
Would they consider a monthly ar
rangement on reduced charge, CIV
Ing Satterlee the best room in their
cottage and pledging themselves that
he should never quit the confines of
their three-acre cocoanut patch? The
half-caste brothers fell in joyfully
with the suggestion, and their first
wild proposals were beaten down to
$40 a month for custodianship and SIS
for the room and the transport Of
Satterlee's food from the Information
al hotel-$55 in ell. Thirty dollars a
month for the hotel raised the grand
total to $85. Skiddy wondered rue
fully whether Washington would ever
indorse this arrangement, but in his
desperation he couldn't see that he
had any other choice. He would SIM
ply make Washington indorse it. It
was with great relief that he saw the
captains departure from a corner of
his bedroom window and felt that, for
the moment, at least, he had a well
come respite from all his perplexi-
ties.
He put a captain and crew on board
the James H. Peabody, and packed her
back to San Francisco, at the same
time apprising the state department
by mail, and begging that a telegraph
ic answer might be sent him In re-
spect to Satterlee's Imprisonment and
the expense it had necessarily en-
tailed. He calculated that the tele-
gram would catch an outgoing man-of-
war that was shortly due The con-
sular salary was 5000 a month, and if
the $85 for Satterlee was disalloWed
the sum was Individually bound to
sink to $115. Deducting further
fifty which little Skiddy was in the
habit of renting to his mother, a
widow in narrow circumstances, and
behold his income reduced to sixty.
five MONTH 1t was hardly surpris-
ing, therefore, that Skiddy waited on
pins and needles for the departments
reply.
In the course of weeks it came:
"Skiddy U S consul apia samoa sat
terlee case the department authorizes
charge for food, but none for custody
or lodging, bronson assistant secre-
tary."
This was staggering blow. It def
initely placed his salary at sos. He
sat down and wrote singing letter
to the department, inclosing snapshot
pictures Of the jail, the prisoners, the
huts and other things that cannot be
described here. 1t evolved an acrimo-
NOUS reply, in which he was hidden to
be more respectful. He was at liber-
ty (the dispatch continued), If he
thought it advisable as an act of pri-
vate charity, to maintain the convict
Satterlee in a comfortable cottage,
but the department insisted that it
should be at his (Skiddy's) expense.
The department itself advocated the
Jail. If the situation were as dis
graceful as he described it ought not
the onus be put On the Samoan gov.
eminent and thus place the depart
ment in a position ito make strong
representations through the usual
diplomatic channels?"
"But in the meantime what would
happen to Satterlee?" returned the
consul in official language across
5000 miles of sea and land.
"You are referred to the previous
retorted the department.
But it will kill him." said skiddy,
again crossing an ocean and q CONT
nent.
IF the convict Satterlee should be-
come i'll you are at liberty to send him
to the hospital"
eyes, but there isn't any hospital"
said Skiddy.
"The department cannot withdraw
from the position It took up, nor the
principle 1t laid down in dispatch No.
214 B."
Thus the duel went ON, while Skiddy
cut down his cigars, sold his riding
horse and generally economical. A
regret stole over him that he hadn't
sentenced Satterlee to a shorter term