"SEA WRACK."
The wrack was dark an shiny where it floated
in the sea;
There was no one in the brown boat but only
lilni an me;
Him to cut the sea wrac k —ine to mind the boat.
An not a word betw  en us the hours we were
afloat.
The wet wrack.
The sea w rack.
The wrack was strong to cut.
We laid it on the gray rocks to wither in the
sun,
An what should call my lad, then, to sail from
C'ushendun?
With a low moon, a full tide, u swell upon the
deep.
Him to sail the old boat -ine to fall a-h-ep.
The dry wrack.
The sea wrack.
The wrack was dead so soon.
There's a fire low upon the rocks to burn the
wrack to kelp;
There's a boat K<*ne down upon the Muyle, an
sorra one to help.
Him beneath the salt sea—me upon tin- shore
By sunlight or moonlight we'll lift the wrack j
no more.
The dark wrack.
The sea wrack.
The wiack may drift ashore.
--Blackwood's Magazine.
A RAD TOOTIIACIIK.
My friend, Mr. Edward Hobday, is
one of the people who disparage
whatever is not their own If one
of his acquaintances has a possession
—a horse, n boat, a garden, a pie, an
umbrella, which is an object of pride
to the owner—Hobday usually re-
members having owned or at least
seen or heard of a far more remark-
able object of the same kind Ho
when he found mo one evening with
a severe toothache I was not sur
prised to hear him say:
"Hm! Toothache I If you'd ever
suffered from one as I have, you'd
know."
I ventured to defend iny own as a
remarkable specimen of its kind, for
few things are more exasperating
than to have one's toothache depre-
ciated. But Mr. Hobday told me the
following story, which 1 know to lie
true in the main, and I was obliged
to admit that I had never possessed
so disastrous an ache. He said
The toothache took 1110 when I was
on the Pacific coast in one of those
new cities where nothing was done
except the great work of "booming
the town." The population lived in
tents and rough shanties, and den-
tists and such luxuries were as scarce
as kings and dodos.
It was about half past 9 in the
evening, when tho pain became al-
most unbearable—none of your mild,
comfortable aches that are merely
an excuse for idleness and a bid for
human sympathy. I left my quar-
ters and went down by tho water
front to walk in the cool of tho even
ing.
To my surprise and delight 1 saw
near the wharf a tent with the illu-
minated sign ' 'Dentist" in front. The
tooth had transported me beyond
any fear of dentistry by this time,
and I entered tho dread presence
with the joy that a captive feels
when ho sees tho approach of tho ex
ecutioner who is to end a long peri-
od of torture.
I found the operator sitting in tho
one chair in tho tent beside a table
where were a few dental tools, a
email bottle and a lamp. Ho rose
and offered mo tho chair.
"Take ether?" ho asked.
"No. Hurrv up and pull it, that's
all."
In locating the tooth he gave me
several quite needless digs and again
suggested ether. Again I declined.
"It'll come hard," said he mourn-
fully, giving me a tweak with the
forceps.
"All right. Whatever you please,
only lie quick about it." Where-
upon ho poured something on a cloth
which he held to my mouth and nos-
trils.
1 might have known from the first
sniff that it was chloroform. Soon
the light grew dim, and 1 felt very
cold aud dizzy. I awoke in intense
darkness, gasping for breath, and
with a sense of suffocation at breath
ing foul and heavy air. There was a
rushing sound about me like that of
a storm.
1 tried to rise, but struck my head
bard and lay down again. Every-
thing seemed unsteady. There was
ii sense of swaying and rolling. 1
tried to remember how I had come
there and where I was.
Then I noticed that I was lying in a
pool of water that swashed from side
to side. Tins seemed to negative tho
theory I had begun to form—that 1
had been buried alive.
1 heard tramping over me aud
called out with all my might. My
voice sounded hollow and strange.
It frightened me.
I yelled again and again, when a
square of light shone above me and
a voice called:
"Who be you aud what a-hollerin
at? Hold y'r noise an come out."
I raised my head, struck it again
and flopped oack.
"I'll help ye then!" shouted my
new acquaintance savagely. Ho
came down through the square of
light, seized mo and hustled me
roughly up to the opeu air. 1 was
on the deck of a largo schooner un-
der full sail.
Six or eight men lounging about
looked at me with some amusement.
But the captain showed every sign
of surprise and anger.
"What V you a-doin of down into
my hald!" he yelled. "Wbad'ye'r
mean by comin aboard this vessol?
You come to steal an fell down in yer
tracks, oh? Served yer right I"
I gazed helplessly around, men
he ordered me to give an account of
myself, which I tried to do.
"Shut up!" roared the captain.
"Yer drank:'' After more abuse 1
was informed that I should work my
passage and work hard, too, or—here
followed a number of threats, of
which flaying alive and subsequent
pickling was perhaps the least unat-
tractive.
I was then ordered to move some
boxes and sacks. But this proving
too much for my strength I was al
lowed to rest. One of the sailors
came over and looked at me as I lay
propped against a sack
"Well, lad, how d'ye like it i.c
asked kindly enough
"Where are- we bound and what
for?"
"'Laska, sealin."
"How did I come aboard?"
"In a bap.'' said the man, and
laughed a little.
"What do you n.eani"
"Now don't say notliin to tliecap'n
about it or let on as you know or as
I told you."
I promised at length.
"Well, then, about 10 last night
come a boat alongside. Hello, Dav-
ison !' says the cap'u. 'That you
" 'Tlia's me!'says the man in the j
boat.
" 'Got a chicken?' says tho cap'n
" 'A good nil,' says Davison.
" 'Here's for him then,' says the
cap'n, an throws a rope, which by an
by comes up a bag at the end of it,
an they dumps you out on deck,
which was the first I seen of you.
"Cap'n says to Davison as how you
wasn't much to look at. Davison he
held forth as how you was a corker
when sensible, an finally you was all
paid for and Davison went ashore.
In other words, young man, you was
'Shanghaied.'"
I began to understand. The den-
tist hail drugged me, carried me to
tho schooner and sold me for the
voyage. The practice called "Shang-
hai ing'' waa not at all uncommon on
the western coast in those years.
Five to ten dollars a man was tho
usual commission, hut captains,
whose crews were very shorthanded
and could not get men to sign, often
paid much more.
"What had I better do?" I asked.
"Well, boy, they ain't no great
choice. You kin jump overboard or
you kin stay aboard. Overboard is
terrible cold water and cramps, most
likely, and blackfish. Aboard there's
cap'n an hard work an mebbe pay an
mebbe not— cap'ns muke their own
terms with Shanghais. Y' see cap'n
will kind o' keep up the idea that you
come aboard to steal. Not as he
thinks any one believes it, but jest
for form's sake like."
1 thought the matter over. Aseal-
ing cruise to Alaska was not a
charming prospect, especially with a
brutal captain, who would probably
leave me in Alaska after getting the
utmost service out of meat the seal
fisheries.
On tho other hand, the water is
bitter cold in the straits of San Juan
do Fuea and my chances of reaching
shore alive would bo very small.
Not that there was any danger from
the blackfish alluded to, they are the
meekest of creatures.
But for the toothache, which had
survived my adventures and had
gained strength through adversity, I
should hardly have takeu tho step I
took that night. But the pain made
mo desperate and reckless. So I
found a life preserver and in tho
pitch dark night swung a rope over
tho rail and let myself down into tho
water.
Nobody noticed, though 1 feared
the Hashes of phosphorescence, where
tho water broke, would draw atten-
tion. But the schooner sped along,
leaving a gleaming wake.
I was alone in the darkness, miles
from shore, with a life preserver for
a craft, a general idea of direction
for chart and compass, a little hope
in my heart and a maddening pain
in my jaw.
Tho shore had been hidden all day
ill the haze and suioke of forest fires,
so 1 had uo idea how far out I might
be. Tho wind was blowing from the
northwest, however, when I left the
slap and ought, if it so continued, to
land mo in time, dead or alive, some-
where on the Washington shore of
tho straits near Squin bay.
Tho water was icy, and while my
head and shoulders were still eampa-
ratively wann and my arms had not
lost their strength all of 1110 below
tho life preserver bad lost feeling.
My sensation was of being only a
head, shoulders and arms perched on
a life preserver.
Every little while a wave broke
over my head. My unns grew cold
er, and the numbness began to creep
over me. But 1 still paddled along
as well as 1 could while the life
preserver bobbed over tho waves.
After a space, which was probably
about an hour and a half and which
seemed an unusually long night, 1
lost consciousness again.
How long 1 drifted 1 cannot tell,
but 1 opened my eyes on a bright sky
and felt the warmth of tho sun do
lightfully.
My limbs were still numb and with
some pain revived. Then I rose and
looked about. I was lying on the
beach whore, hours liefore, tho tide
had left me.
On one sido were tlio green waters
of the straits, on tho other tho stately,
somber woods where ono might look
through shade into deeper shade fiu'
within. 1 could hear the sound of
running water, dearly distinguish
able from the wash of the sea, the
\yelcome tinkle of a stream among
the rocks under the tree>.
The salt water which I had swal
lowed, and which had left a light
crust on my lips, and the long absti
nence and fatigue had made me very
thirsty. On I staggered, guided by
sonnd, to the stream.
It seemed to l>e dodging about me
end laughing at my efforts to find it
for my senses were dull with expos
lire and weariness, and tlie woodland
echo** shifted the sound as I moved,
but at last I reached it and was
wonderfully refreshed.
There were trout in the clear wa
ters. but I had no means of catching
them or building a fire to cook them.
No more could I catch any of the
wild fowl that swam invitingly near
snore in the straits. But I managed
to kill a squirrel us he came from his
hole in a stump, and the flesh, dried
in the sun on a bit of bark laid on the
burning sand, was a little better than
nothing.
As night approached I stripped the
moss, which grows six inches deep
iu huge mats on the ancient trunks,
and piled myself a bed. Thero I
slept warmly and well till broad day,
when 1 arose refreshed, though
fiercely hungry.
I detet mined to push along the
shore to the eastward, where, if 1
lived and walked long enough, 1
should doubtless find either white
settlers or Siwash fishermen.
The traveling was hard, for the
sand beach soon gave way to rough
pebbles, and tlio pebbles to a steep,
loose, shelving shore. After that I
had to travel in tho woods through
thick brush and over fallen logs.
Had I gone a hundred feet farther
in from the shore I should have found
a well beaten trail to Seguin, but I
struggled ahead on a parallel, with
bruised shins and torn clothing.
Toward night I heard voices ahead
and saw smoke blowing over the wa-
ter. Fire gleamed through the forest
us I came n irer. Finally I came to
a clearing by the water.
There was a broad sandspit, and by
the edge of the woods were built two
two great sheds or lodges. Before
these blazed large fires, and the light
shone on a number of queer, dwarf-
ish figures, who were busy with an
immense pile of game and other pro-
visions.
The men were hideous of feature,
with coarse, heavy, sleepy faces, their
squat figures clad in the typical garb
of the tramp—the refuse of ragbag
and ash heap. The women were bet-
ter dressed than their husbands aud
fathers and wore bright shawls.
Nearly all, of both sexes, were bare-
foot. I had come upon a "potlateh.'
"Potlatcli" is the Chinook word for
"present" or "treat." The Siwash,
or coast Indian, holds on state occa-
sions a feast, to which each member
of the tribe or tribes who celebrate
it contributes. They amass all the
edibles they can get in an open place
on the shore, and then eat the pile—
an operation which often keeps them
busy for several days or a week. This
is called a "potlatcli."
I found them hospitable and friend-
ly. At another time I could hardly
have done justice to such immense
good cheer, but my late experience
had qualified me to eat nobly on
through bear, "enison, duck, grouse,
trout, salmon, sugar, bread, potatoes,
or whatever lay at hand.
In two days I had made up for all
my lost time, so far as food went.
Tho toothache had left me. My kind
hosts showed mo tho way to Seguin,
and from that point I took the next
boat for tho outskirts of civilization.
Mr. Hobday paused. I admitted
that no toothache of mine had ever
caused so much trouble. But my
friend had more to tell. Ho said:
That isn't all. I was not the only
sufferer. The dentist had the worst
time of nil. No, I didn't find him,
but retribution did. Three or four
years after 1 was standing on a
wharf at Sun Francisco, when a man
came and stared at me
"Thought you was drowned," ho
said.
"Never!" said I.
Then I saw that he was the -illor
on the schooner who had l**friended
me. I told him how 1 cam '
"When the cap'n found you v i -n't
there," said lie, "he hadn't no w.> ds
bad enough to express his feelin's
'I'll teach Davison,'says ho, 'to-'up
men onto me that sneak away in the
night into tho water with my life
preservers I' So when wo comes
south ho looks up Davison, who was
still in the Shanghai trade, though
he'd give up playin dentis'.
" 'Davison,' says tho cap'n, 'git mo
a chick'n.' So Davison conies aboard
that night with a man in a bag.
" 'I ain't no use fur no secli chick'n
as that,' says the cap'n. He's too
limp an floppy. But never mind,'
says he, 'never mind you'll do just
as well for my purposes, Davison.'
"So he clasps Davison down in the
hold and sends some o' the lioys
ashore with the chicken. Aud if
ever a man was a miserable, hard
worked, ill fed slave it were that
satno Davison —an tho cap'n's got
him yet."
Mr. Hobday's story was a true one.
Tho "Shanghai'' trade has languished,
for men in search of work are no
louger Bcarco on tho coast, but the
"potlateh" will exist as long as there
is a Siwash on earth who can obtain
a week's provisions —Francis Dana
in Youth's Companion.
I lithe. That I Ixlil.
So aggressive is the plakat, a little
fish from Siam, that the entertain-
ment it affords has liecome a national
pastime, b it not a very creditable
one, to say the least. The fishes un-
trained to go through regular battles
and are reared artificially for the
purpose, while the license to exhibit
them to the general public is farmed
out and brings a lurgo amount of
in >ney into the royal coffers
They are kept in aquariums built
for the purpose and fed upon tho lar
vre of mosquitoes and every possible
care taken of them. Several years
ago a few of them were presented to
an English gentleman by the king of
maui. When the fish is in n quiet i
state, with the fins at rest, tho dull
colors aro not ut all remarkable. But
it' two are brought together or with-
in sight of each other, or even if one
sees its own image in a looking glass,
tho little creature becomes suddenly
excited.
The fins are raised, and the whole
body shines with metallic luster and
colors of dazzling beauty, while tlit
protecting gill membrane, waving
like it bluek frill round the throat,
makes grotesque tho general ap-
pearance. In this state of irritation
it make- repeated darts at its real or
reflected antagonist. If now two
arc placed t igether in a tank, they
rush at each other with the utmost
fury. The battle is kept on until one
is killed i i put to flight, but not un-
til they are entirely separated does
the victor shut his gaudy fins, that,
like flags of war, are never lowered
until peace has been declared.—Pitts-
burg Dispatch.
A Knowing Hear.
"When I was in tho Yellowstono
park," said n Wyoming valley man,
"one of tho gamekeepers told me
about a bear that worried a camp of
government soldiers almost to des
peration for several weeks. Late one
night a bear waddled into camp,
ripped open a tent, put tho soldiers
to flight, got what ho wanted to eat
and went away. Tho next night the
bear came round again, smashed
down a tont and stole a smoked ham.
"Under the park rules the soldiers
were prohibited from firing at the
thievish brute as well as from jab-
bing a bayonet into him, and the
only thing they could do when the
bear appeared and went to helping
himself to rations was to get out of
the way. Night after night the bold
beast made a raid on the camp and
ruined a tent or two. My informant
said that the bear acted as if he knew
that the soldiers daren't fire at him,
and that on each visit lie became
more saucy and destructive than be-
fore. When the bear's raids bad be-
come unbearable, tho commandant
sent the facts to the secretary of the
interior and asked what to do. Word
came back to shoot the bear, and
that night when Bruin strode boldly
into camp the soldiers put an end to
his career by riddling him with bul-
lets."—New York Sun.
THOMAS & HOBBS.
Livery, Feed,
AND
Sale Stable
Speeial Rates to Commercial Men
ENID, O. T.
EL RENO BOTTLINC WORKS
The Leading Bottling Works in the West.
Manufactures all kinds of :
Soda Pop, Mineral Water,
Ciders, Etc., Etc.
Can Supply tlie Trade at all points on short notice.
E. S.DOUGAN&CO
\V. S. DENTON. T. G. CHAMBERS.
DENTON A CHAMBERS,
Attorney - at - Law. attorneys at law.
enid, okla.
Legal buainess in all courts and be-
fore the land office carefully at-
tended to.
C. B. WEEKS.
Enid. - Okla.
Will practice in all the couats, before tl.o
1'. s. land office and department at Washing-
ton.
IIOUSTIN JAMES. F. E. McCLANE
ATTORNEY-AT-I. A W.
Office Near Democrat Office.
Enid,
(). T.
Physician £ Surgeon
OFFIC'F Nl'AH 1 VXD OFFICI
Enid,
Okla.
ATTENTION!
The llells of Davos.
The first thing that strikes the
stranger in Davos, and strikes him
unpleasantly, is the bells. Mr. Hen-
ry Irving must certainly have resid-
ed here when he was maturing his
masterly study of Matliias. His con-
ception of the part— the storm tossed,
fury driven wretch, maddened by
that everlasting "jangling"—is, as
we have always thought, and as we
now know by bitter experience, in-
finitely truer to life than Coquelin's
rendering, the "smug cit," who only
seems to feel a half comic sort of tic-
kling in his ear. If Matliias were
here, two days would finish him.
Not only does every cow, goat and
sheep wear its bell, but when they
are all shut up for the winter, and we
hope for a little rest, then comes the
infernal, eternal din from every cart,
carriage, sleigh, omnibus and all
other kinds of vehicle which ply for
hire or otherwise. No doubt they
become a necessity ou the silent high-
ways as winter progresses, but that
does not render them ono bit more
palatable.—Longman's Magazine.
M3
¥
VETERAN
BACK
BOUNTY
/ r: D
Anatomy of a Snake.
The anatomy of a snake is peculiar
and has much to do with its peculiar
motion. Tho ribs aro loosely articu-
lated with tho vertebrie and are
movable. By bending the body in
lateral curves, which is the only
mode of motion, and not the vertical
bending, as many think, tho scales,
which are attached to the ends of
the ribs, aro separated, and by
their free edges tako hold upon
tho ground. When the body is
straightened out, tho ends of the ribs
approach each other, and so force
the body forward; then by the bend
ing of the other side this movement
is repeated, and so the snako glides
along. The same movement of the
ribs and scales forces tho animal
through the water, as it swims with
tho head above the surface, and with
its body slightly submerged. Now
York Times.
OR RATIONS ODTAirJLD 
Certificates of Service Procured,
Gharoes ot Deseruon removed
Years Experience in Pension Office Work.
An Obliging Apothecary.
A man went into a drug store and
asked for something to cure a head
ache. The druggist held a bottle of
hartshorn to his nose, and he waa
nearly overpowered by its pungency.
As soon as he recovered lie began to
rail at the druggist. "But didn't it
help your headache?" asked the
apothecary. "Help my headache*"
gasped the man. "1 haven't any j
headache. It's my wife that has the
headache. "—Exchange. ,
CALL ON OR ADDRESS
T. F. Ill:
418 2d Street. N. W
LEY& BRO,
WASHINGTON, D. C.