PERCY H. VAN DYKE, Publisher end Editor.
NEWPORT. - - ARKANSAS.
CASTLES IN THE AIR.
. . *
("If you want to know what a man Is, ex
amine his castles in the air.’’—Spectator.)
Where is my castle in the air,
My true self’s home and palace fair?
Its towers high-built in land of cloud.
With dream-wrought pageantry endowed,
A place of moon-enchanted air
With glistening spires and turrets, where
With magic spell the orbed queen
Weaves warp and woof of shade and sheen,
And brimming stars spill from the sky
The Jewels of their galaxy?
Or it’s a place of moss-grown walls
Where sad, sweet memory recalls
The deeds of other siwiclous days
Far past, yet ringing with men's praise?
Or upland cot In some far dale?
Or where In deep sequestered vale
A twilight bower, 'neath forest trees,
Drowsy with hum of honey-bees,
Tempts men to sleep and dream away
The languorous length of summer day?
Or it’s* among the thronging feet
Of crowding multitudes, the street
Kesounoing loud to drum and life.
The trumpet’s blare, the clanging strife,
And people’s voice acclaiming far
Some mighty victor from the war?
Ah, no! ah, no! my true home there,
Where my glad spirit debonair
Can range, from vain temptations free,
To list diviner melody;
The songs of life and> love and truth,
Of child’s romance, of manhood’s ruth,
Of quiet joys and simple ways,
The dear wife’s smile, the good friend’s
praise:
The laugh of ills by Fortune sent,
The scorn of cynic argument
How wiles expedient may redress
The balance of the More and Less,
Forgetful that to dare and fall
Is better than to win ar.d quail.
Nay, this my chlefest aim and mark
To be myself: then days may dark,
My soul’s at peace, my heaven’s all light.
Afar or near, at noon, at night,
Hap then what will, or weal or woe,
Conscience will crown me, and I, so.
King of myself, shall everywhere
Be my own home and palace fair.
—Charles W. Stubbs, in The Spectator.
ll .—
The Young
Subaltern s Ride
'Ey Fred cMyron Colby,
V
WHEN the terrible Sepoy war,
which our fathers and mothers
remember so well, br^>ke out in
India, Sir Henry Barnard, who
commanded the English forces at
Meerut, desired, to send a message
to Gen. A-qson, at Delhi. The distance
was 40 miles, through a country alive
with the rebels, and it was believed to
be all a man’s life was worth to under
take the journey.
However, there were applicants
enough for the undertaking, and it
only remained for Sir Henry to select
his messenger. Surveying the young
officers with a keen eye, he picked out
n slight, slender fellow, who had a
firm mouth and an eye like a falcon’s
and who wore the chevrons of a lieu
tenant. Calling him to liis side, the
Commandant asked:
“Do you think you can convey a mis
sive to Gen. Anson, and carry it
through safely?”
“I can try, sir,” replied the young
lieutenant, with an air that meant he
should do it or die in the attempt.
“It is very important that Gen. An
son should have this by early morning.
Have you a good horse?”
“As good as there is in the army.”
“Then be ready to start in half an
hour, for there is a long ride before
you.”
Five minutes before the half bom
bad expired the young subaltern stood
in the presence of his commanding
officer, ready to start on his danger
tills; n\is;sinn.
“The lives of thousands may depend
on your success,” said the commander.
“Be vigilant and he swift.”
The young officer saluted, mounted
his horse and galloped away, while the
gallant old Briton wiped a tear from
his sunburned cheeks as he thought
of the brave messenger who had rid
den, as lie feared, to his death.
It was, indeed, a dangerous under
taking, and the young lieutenant
knew it, but be was prepared to meet
the danger. AJ1 that summer night lie
rode on through the darkness, lighted
only by the stars, avoiding as far as
possible tlie traveled highway, for
there the danger lay in encountering
bodies of Sepoys that might be on the
watch. On and on lie rode through the
jungle paths lined with banyans, man
goes and cocoanuts. by watercourses
that glimmered dark and silent under
the stars, past fields of maize and cot
ton. Villages and hamlets he avoided,
for he could afford to take no risks.
Two-thirds of the distance had been
passed, and he was nearing Delhi. Once
he had halted to let his foaming steed
drink at a stream, and he had heard
far off the roar of a leopard and the
howls of jackals, but human beings he
had not seen nor heard, and he hoped
to reach the British lines about Delhi
without interference.
But suddenly, as his horse dashed
round a shurp turn of the road, he saw
galloping toward him half a dozen
Ucrsameu. He had no time to turn
about, for they were within 30 yards
of him, and by the early dawn light
he could distinguish the familiar uni
form of silvery gray faced with scarlet,
and the white sun helmets denoting
that they were Sepoy sowars, or na
tive cavalry. There was but one thing
to do, and that was to keep right on;
he could not retreat.
Drawing his sword and revolver, the
brave young officer dug his rowels into
tlie side of his horse and plunged for
ward. One of the Sepoys fell by a bul
let from his revolver, another swarthy
visaged native was cleft half to the
middle by a stroke of his heavy saber.
He broke through them and was away
like the wind, without a scratch, only
that a bullet from a carbine grazed
his scalp, causing a tiny ripple of blood
to run slowly down his face.
The cry of “Halt! Shoot the Fering
hee!” from his pursuers, and the
beat of hoofs behind him made it
clear that they were in pursuit and
meant to run him down.
The eastern sky was all ablaze and
the sun would be risen. All the greater
would be his danger by daylight, for
he might run unadvisedly into other
parties of the enemy, and besides he
could not so easily elude the pursuers
already on his track. He did not dare
to look back, he could hear the pound
ing of the hoof-strikes of his pursuers,
<171(1 llP PYTlPpf Pfl finv mnmpnt fool
the sting of a bullet from their car
bines. For an hour this exciting chase
kept on, and then something hap
pened.
While passing a low line of bushes
that lay in his path the Englishman
saw a slender figure in white rise
suddenly like a ghost, and raise a
rifle. There was a swift, sharp re
port, and as it rung out his horse
stumbled to its knees, pitching him
over its head. He alighted somewhat
stunned, but still unhurt, and seeing
at a glance that his horse was wholly
disabled, he bent low and ran swiftly
toward the thicket of bushes. He
gained Their shelter and then plunged
forward still deeper into their recess
es, for he could hear his pursuers
close behind him. He had no thought
but to escape his enemies by some
means, and get to Delhi to deliver his
message, but he came to a sudden
stop as he saw an open glade in front
and beyond, at the farther side, a
small ruined Hindu temple.
Hope now lent wings to the fugi
tive; here was a place of rpfu">e,”or
at least a place where tie could sell
his life dearly, i" Drought to bay. He
had ba-rfy time to scramble up the
■steps and drop down behind a couple
of fallen columns when the maddened
Sepoys w7ere upon him. There were
a doze?i of them now, and their
threats were frightful to hear. They
stood in wholesome fear, however,
of the young officer’s revolver, and
halted at a respectful distance.
"You had better surrender, Fer
inghee,” cried one, who seemed to be
their leader. For an answer the lieu
tenant discharged his revolver, tak
ing the best aim possible, and had
the satisfaction of seeing the Sepoy
bite the dust. A furious howl arose
from his companions, and the next
moment they made a rush. Three,
four, five shots rang out, and tw,o of
r. n ii i - i
THEY WERE IN PURSUIT AND MEANT
TO RUN HIM DOWN.
the Sepoys fell, but the rest kept on,
tumbling up the stairway and over
the broken columns, only to find that
their expected prey had escaped
them.
In the midst of the smoke he had
rushed in through the temple and
out at the rear, and before they
fairly realized the situation the gal
lant youth had seized one of their
horses which stood tethered to a
tree, and was galloping away. While
they were struggling to unfasten
their horses and remount there was
heard the sound of a bugle close at
hand, and a detachment of English
cavalry cantered by, thus rendering
all pursuit useless.
The subaltern met with no further
adventure, and as he gained the open
country he saw far off the sun’s rays
flashing on the minai'ets of the Jami
Musjid. A little later he placed his
message in the hands of Gen. An
son within the English lines. He had
accomplished his mission, and two
months afterward, when the rebel
lion was over, he was rewarded for
his bold venture by receiving a cap
tain’s commission.
That was 44 years ago, and the
brave young subaltern who made
that long night ride to Delhi is now
the grizzled, veteran, Lord Robert*,
baron of Kandahar and Waterford,
the beloved “Bobs” of the English
soldiery, and the present commander
in chief of tlxe British army.—Young
People. _____
FREE WEDDINGS IN LONDON.
Old Custom of Easter Monday Which
Has Been Discontinued
in Part.
Free weddings, such as formerly
took place every Easter Monday at St.
James’ church, Bethel Green road, are
now discontinued, except for those
who reside in the parish. A year or
two ago this “Red Church,” as it was
called, was besieged on that day by
hundreds of couples, chiefly belonging
to the coster class, from all parts of
the east end, who took advantage of
the one occasion on which they could
be married without having to pay the
minister’s fee. The custom originated
through the then vicar of the parish
becoming disquieted at the decreasing
number of marriages in his district and
offering to forego his fees on this day
annually as an inducement to tardy
couples who hesitiated, says the Lon
don Telegraph. The appeal was not
without effect, for the first year 30 free
weddings took place; on the second
anniversary more than double that
number, and in succeeding years the
marriages performed became so nu
merous that couples from every parish
in the east end used to make the “Red
church” their ob jective on Easter Mon
day, and they had to be married in
batches, and at last restrictive meas
ures had to be taken. Now, the offer
is only available to inhabitants of the
parish, who, however, show a disap
pointing lack of enthusiasm to take
advantage of it. The costers are to
day much more “class” than they used
to be.
LIGHTING FOR PICTURES.
A London Scientist Pronounces the
Incandescent Mnntel the Best
for the Purpose.
What mode of lighting is least in
jurious to pictures? This question,
which cjiio- "r/! not paerely public art
galleries, but also private collections,
has been experimentally examined by
Prof. Percy Frankland, F. It. S., of
Mason college, Birmingham. His tests
were applied to electric are lamps and
incandescent gas lights, and his deci
sion, to the surprise of the electricians,
is in favor of the incandescent man
tle, says a London paper.
It is charged against the arc lamp
that it generates a small quantity of
ozone and nitrogen oxide; but the gas
burning mantle gives off carbon diox
ide, and to some extent sulphur com
pounds, however perfect the combus
tion. The very best mantle light will
blacken a ceiling. No combustion of
gas, where the products of combus
tion mix with the air, can be otherwise
than deleterious either to man or pic
ture. If the burning is within a chim
ney and the fumes are led out into
the open, the gas mantle is perfect;
otherwise its products are and must
be poisonous, only diminished in mis
chief by the amount of ventilation.
A Son to Be Proud Of.
A Hartford (Conn.) woman was left
years ago a widow with two young
children and almost penniless. There
was a mortgage of $500 on the little
house the family occupied, and in or
der to get money for daily expenses
the widow had to take in washing.
When one of the boj's was 11 years old
a friend gave him five dollars, which
he put in the bank. At this time he
went to work in a mill, and for ten
years thereafter dressed himself at
his own expense and paid his mother
regularly for his board. In addition
thereto-he laid away money enough
in the bank to amount to $400, and in
addition has paid premiums upon in
surance on his life. During the iast
three years lie has let his mother have
$200 in money, and now, just coming of
age, is about to assume the mortgage
of $500 which has been so great a bur
den to the little family.
An Applied Proverb.
“He laughs best who laughs last,"
quoted the man who is addicted to
proverbs.
“Yes,” assented the matter-of-fact
person, “I presume an Englishman
does get a lot of fun out of a joke when
he has once got it through liis skull."
—Brooklyn Life.
Of Course.
“I’ve been calling for you for ten
minutes, Jane—didn’t you hear me?"
“Oh, yes, mum—but-you saidi if any
one calls, you weren’t in—so I thought
you were out, mum.”—Ally Sloper.
Easily Satisfied.
Miss Youngun—What kind of a man
would you like for a husband?
Mists Oldun—Oh, either a bachelor or
a widower. I’m not particular which.
—Chicago Daily News.
The Man AVho Abuses Other#,
We do not care to bear a man
abused, for the man who abuse#
other people will also abuse us.—Wash
ington (la.) Democrat.
DRS. B. A. « W. R. WASHBURN '
Physicians and Surgeons.
Special attention given to diseases
of Ear, Nose and Throat. Also Dis
eases of Women.
--:o:
Offices: New Watson Building,
Rooms 12, 14 and 15.
Newport, Arkansas.
DR. H. 0. WALKER,
Physician and Surgeon.
Office: Redman’s Drug Store.
Newport, - Arkansas.
WHEN GOING
EAST • WEST - NORTH - SOUTH
TAKE THE OLD RELIABLE
Only line with double Daily
THROUGH SERVICE
TO HOT SPRINGS^
^NO CHANGE.
CONNECTION MADE AT BALD KNOB
TOR MEMPHIS.
UNSURPASSED SERVICE^
^ FAST TIME
DIRECT CONNECTION MADE AT ST.
Louis and Texarkana with lines
DIVERGING.
FOR INFORMATION CALL ON OR
ADDRESS
WM. M. GREGG, Agent,
Newport, Ark.
H. C. Townsend, G. P. A.,
ST. LOUIS, MO.
The NEWPORT |
LAUNDRY I
COMPANY..... I
Has the Largest Plant in I
Arkansas. 9
Equipped with Latest Improved !|
Machinery. I
Uses Filtered and Condensed I
Water and Positively Guar, j
antees all work. 1
Give Us A Trial, j
We Will Please You. Prompt
Service and Special Work
Everyday.
Out of Town agents wanted.
NEWPORT LAUNDRY CO.
W. F. Williams, Mgr.
Henry ©wen'
PHYSICIAN, SURGEON AN*
OCULIST.
*#VER BAILEY BROS’. DRY GOODS STORE
Hupion Oil^
When buying illuminating
oil insist on having Eupion, the
family safety. This is a dou
ble distilled process oil that is
OHDonr.Ess and absolutely safe.
If you will use clean burners
and wicks and Eurio* Oil you
will have best light obtainable.
The only merchants in New
port that sell this high grade
oil are: Wolff-Goldman Mer.
Co.. W. B. Chastain, Wilmana
Bros., R. D. Wilmans, Heili
ger’s Union Market Co., Martin
Bros., and Harris & Daugherty
Waters-Pierce Oil Comp’y
.... ■ 11
THE BANK OF NEWPORT
(Oldest and Largest Bank in the County).
CAPITAL $50,000
- -- = OFFICERS — |
G. W. Decker, President, A. D. Bailey, Vice-President
R. M. Johnson, Cashier. T. D. Kinman, Asst. Cashier
Directors:—A. D. Bailey, V. Y. Cook, G. W. Decker, John T. Flynn,
Thos. J. Graham, J. W. Grubbs, R. M. Johnson, A. E.
Shoffner, J. M. Stayton.
ftnnhw/tifr !L°Ur pa.tro,n® f°r the past year’s business out of which we are
! P y our stockholders their regular ten per cent dividend, and to
add to our surplus fund and reserve pt\. 'H account 87414.99.
i
Free
Through
Reclining Chair Cars
, -- FROM -—_
Texas, Oklahoma,
Indian Territory
and THE WEST.
- WITH _
Double Daily Service
MEMPHisrfhriAST
and SOUTHEAST.
Pullman Buffet Sleeping Cars.
New Solid Vest! buled Trains.
Unequaled Schedules.
;; Perfect Service.
THE ONLY LIKE TO THE SOUTHEAST
WITH NO TRANSFER AT MEMPHIS
For all Information call on ticket airt
‘ of any line, or address
E.L. Rodgers, T.P.A...Dellas, Te*.
Jno. V. Tadford, T.P.A., Oklahoma, O.T.
Gao. H. Lee.G.P.A T.A., Little Rock,Ark.