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: Oswell,
_ lions than one wounded borele.
- soldierly-looking .man
‘hereafter’ ory, sternly—
a
- pected at the
“While doing this, I sent.wo bullets into
its lungs, anc died while charging my
smoke, falling not ten feet from me.’
The bla ocer os is one of fours
known a A wo of which ‘ar
and two black. ‘The one in question is ily
distinguished, the firstdiorn being the largest
and bent backward, while. the other is short
and conical. The upper lip is long and ca-
pable of much extension. The skin does not
fallin heavy folds like that of the Asiatic
species commonly seen’ in collections in this
country, but is extremely tough, and a good
armor against insects and small bullets.
It is “usually found in the vicinity of
swamps, feeding upon roots of various
kinds, which it forces from the ground by its
horns.
Probably no aniinal j is so thoroughly dread-
ed as this, and old African hunters are unan-
imous in this opinion. One is reported to
have said that he would rather face fifty
One of the
most famous rhinoceros hunters was Mr.
who invariably shot them on foot.
Steadman, the African hunter, witnessed
an encounter similar to the one given above.
A Hottentot came suddenly upon one of
species
w hite
- thes: animals, and before he could fire the
borele had charged, and striking the horse
in the breast, threw both over his head, dash-
ing off as if ‘satisfied with this exploit.
Mr. Oswell was himself tossed by one, and
at another time was, with his horse, thrown
into the air by a white rhinoceros, the horns
of the animal not only penetrating the horse,
but the saddle.
ERIC CHADFORD’S ADVENTURE.
BY LILLA H. GODSHALL.
A large brick building, four stories in
height, and bearing the sign, “ Hall’s Storage
Warehouse,”’ was what attracted Erie Chad-
ford’s attention on this bright October day.
He had seen it often before; every day he
passed it on his way to the paper mills, half
a mile or so up the railroad; but it had never
held his attention as it did this morning—
the huge doors thrown wide. open, and
through them he caught a glimpse of the
ponderous elevator, heavily laden with all
sorts | and kinds of “furniture, just about to
asce
“Te T were a man, now,” he mused, mov-
ing closer, until he Stood’ almost within the
door, “1 should like to own just such a place
“Tlello, there! Stand out of the road!’
and, as he involuntarily retreated, Eric Chad-
ford’ seyes rested upon a boy about his own
size and age, foppishly dressed, and with a
pee cigarette held between his thumb and
nger.
eT don ‘t know as I’m very much in the
way,” Eric replied, his face flushing as he
resented the insolently spoken words. “T
don’t see any loading going on at present.”
“Don’t you?” replied the other, with a
sneer. ‘Nevertheless, you had better move
on.- We dowt want any suspicious-looking
tramps lounging around here.”
“Shaine on you, Thomas Gratz !”’
And almost before the angry blood had
time to dye Eric’s cheek crimson, he saw a
me up suddenly
froin behind them, and pond a slance of stern
. ewe upon his clerk’s fi
» you know, Mr. Tall - Thomas be-
an, apologeti ically, but. looking ashamed
aad a little bit frightened, ‘you ordered me
0 keep the grounds clear of all intruders,
and, since he would not go when first told,
Ta don’t see anything so very objectiona-
ble about him,” Mr. Hall interrupted, turn-
ing kindly to Eric; and then, after a. mo-
nt’s keen survey of his. flushed face,
**You can return to the office, Thomas, and
“be a_ trifle more
careful of your language.”
Muttering something? between his teeth as
he obeyed, and with a final glance of con-
tempt atEric, the boy walked away,. but
continued to watch them through the office-
eurtains, as Mr. Tall, in a kind voice, sought
fo question Erie before allowing him to go on
his v
“Were you ever in a warehouse, my boy?
If you were not,-and think you should en-
it, I have time enough you
through now, and”—a little” mischievously—
“to give you a few hints, in case you should
ever want to go into the business.”
Eric smiled, but shook his head.
“ n very much obliged, but I am ex-
mills in ten minutes, and it
will take me ‘hat long to get there. Good-
mor ning. sir!
Eric touched his cap respectfully,
when Mr. Hall detained him.
“What time will you be coming back?”
i five to-night, sir; other nights at
six.’
Very
well; stop on your way back. I
-will be here, ‘and ‘will take you through
then. It will be a good punishment? —
speaking as if to himself—“ to make young
Gratz stay twenty minutes or so over his
“GOLDEN
sDAYS:
JANUARY ru, 1888,
time.” And then aloud, “ Very good—at five
o’cloc i?
Promptly at five o’clock, Erie was on
hand, and, entering the office, was met b:
a scowl from Thomas, who, after the first
rude stare, took no further notice of him
whatever, and purposely filled all the chairs
in the room, so that he would have no place
sit; but, confident of Mr. Hall’s good
will, Erie did not mind in the least, “and
when that gentleman arrived, went off with
him at once, leaving T homas fuming, and
pondering as to how he could best have his
revenge,
The seven hundred rooms were a revela-
tion to Eric as he followed his guide up and
down the narrow halls, and in and out some
of the rooms that were unoccupied.
What glimpses he caught of the furniture,
through the wooden slats, showed him that
the most of it was good and handsome, and
he looked in wonder at the hundreds of
pianos, sewing-machines and trunks, that,
though close together, took up so much
pace,
“Even a thief would be baffled here,’
remarked Mr. Hall, ‘unless he broke the
slats, which would be considerable trouble
and take some time; and things like this’
—thrusting his hand through the bars and
bringing out a large bell—* would not be
worth the carrying otf. Now we will go up
stair
Ju st at this moment the whistle at the
speaking-tube called Mr. Hal for a
moment, and when he returned he looked a
little excited, and was evidently in a great
ny,
“It’s too bad,” he said, “but I will not be
able to show you any more rooms at present.
Ishall have to take the next train t
which will pass here in three minutes.
But ’”’—and Mr. Hall looked keenly at Erie,
so keenly and scrutinizingly that the boy felt
the color mount to his temples—“ you ean
finish by yourself. Iam going to trust you,
rie; and though I cannot remember when I
left a stranger here alone before, still I trust
you, and you can have fifteen minutes longer
to look around.’
And he was gone before Erie had a chance
to tell him he would much prefer waiting
until another day to finish his visit.
“OW Eric Chadford comes down,
Thomas,” said Mr. Ilall, to his clerk, ‘you
ean lock up, but you must not go home. I
have received word that Barney, the watch-
man, is sick, and you must watch to-night.”
Mr. Hall was gone before Thomas 20)
ered from his surprise, and when he did he
broke forth in anger :
“Stay here? Not much! Vl not stay an-
other minute, and I’ll lock that young cub in
as a punishment for his insolence. Mr.
Hall finds it out, 1’! lie out of it somehow.”
nd seeing nothing ahead but the triumph
of a malicious revenge, he locked the door
and walked rapidly away, leaving Eric a
prisoner.
‘Tired at last of roaming around alone, and
seeing by the clock that;thirteen out of the
fifteen minutes had gone, Eric decided to go
home, and accordingly started down stairs.
was growing dark, and he wondered a
little curiously how the young clerk liked to
be kept waiting for him; but « lance into
the office and into the neig! ‘ooms
showed him that no clerk wa ible, and
that very evidently Thomas had coolly taken
himself off, asa quiet revenge for his (Erie’s)
supposed misbehavior.
Erie could not help smiling scornfully as
his quick brain calculated the result of so
daring a proceeding on the part of the clerk.
“You're preparing a nice kettle of hot wa-
ter for yourself, my fine fellow; but still I
suppose I’m a prisoner, and will have to
make the best of things.
But the smile vanished, as Eric, leaning
his head on his hand, thought of ‘the home
folks, and it moved him to make a second
effort to escape.
But all the doors were locked securely, and
the few windows t! accessible were
on the third floor. 0 dark now, too,
for any one to notice a signal, and his voice
wonld be as nothing in the clamor and noise
of the trains that passed every few minutes.
the darkness of night came new
thouthts and he experienced a new feeling
of fear and a shrinking sensation from every
noise.
“Tle might have left me so much as a
match to light a lamp,” he thought, indig-
nantly, after vain search for that article,
and then, tired of roaming aimlessly around
re
the office, he decided to go ups again,
and if he felt inclined, after awhile, to lie
down by one of the windows, not occupied ;
but after reaching the window, it looked
even more | dismal than the office.
“ ce can get to sleep,” he mused,
lying down on the hard floor ‘on a piece 01
ticking, “everything will be well, only I
haven’t any pillow, and it’s too cold to take
off my coat and use it for one
And then he lay still, listening to every
creak and sound, and drawing quick breaths
as be fancied dim figures in the dense dark-
Por the first time in all his young, healthy
life Erie could not sleep every ioment it
‘seemed he became wider and wider awake,
and every moment more fanciful of the least
sound and shadow.
When eleven o’clock arrived, poor Eric
thought it was surely four or five, and look-
ed anxiously for the first signs of dawn.
“T wouldn’t have played this trick on a
dog,” he muttered, forgetting his fear in his
indignation, when a slight noise, very slight,
fell upon his listening ears.
s he gradually drew himself up intoa
sitting posture, the sounds were repeated—
faint little scratching sounds, different from
any he had heard, “followed after a while
by the muffled whisper of voices, that for
the minute made his heart almost stop beat-
Sop hieves, as I live!’ he said, in a half-
whisper, his heart now beating so hard and
fast it was almost painful.
But the fear was only temporary. It soon
passed away, and very cautiously he tiptoed
over to the window.
All was serene that side of the house, but
by the aid of the uncertain moon Eric saw a
ladder and a large push-cart pressed up ciose
against the house, that he was very sure was
not there bef
Thena small window on the same floor as
himself (he could not see it now, but he re-
membered it), was raised with a stiff, grating
sound, andthe next instant the murmur of
voices, and Eric knew there was some one
else besides himself in all those desolate
seven hundred rooms.
“Tf I could scare them away, now,” he
thought, vith all a boy’s eagerness to be up
doing. “Ah, here they come!” aud Eric
shrank back into the nearest corner.
‘Two men they were, rough-looking custom-
ers, who, now that they were safely within
the building, seemed to feel no cause for
alarm.
One of them carried a dark-lantern, and
the other several large bags, flung carelessly
over his shoulder and a bundle of. tools, the
glitter of which Erie caught as the light of
the lamp fell upon them.
A moment later and they had gone down
stairs. Quick as a flash Erie darted over to
where he remembered the bell was, lost a
few minutes in groping for it, but at last
found it, and dew it out carefully, Jest he
might make even the faintest noise.
After he was back again at the window,
he took a long piece ‘of. twine fron his
pocket, and tying i it securely to the handle,
lowered ‘the bell gently from the window, so
gently that even he scarcely heard the faint
tinkle that it made.
«This will deceive them as to where the
sound comes from,”’ he thought, now begin-
ning to ring it loudly, as he’ swayed it with
all his might. «They can’t see it on account.
the windows being blocked,” and
searcely breathing, he kept} it bravely’ up, al-
most awed himself by the startling noise the
bell made on the still night air.
After a moment he let the string hang
motionless, and shrinking back into his cor-
ner listened, with a beating heart, for the
result.
The thieves had evidently been alarmed,
for Eric heard them talking in low, quic
whispers, and just as he was about to return
to the window again, he heard their stealthy
footsteps coming up the stairs, and saw they
had either tett their lamp behind or had ex-
tinguished it.
Letting out his string to its utmost length,
oe began to jerk it again, with great ¢ en-
With a smothered exclamation the men ran
for the window, dropping in their haste one
of the bags, datted out and descended the
ladder ina trice.
As they disappeared, Erie drew in his bell,
and seizing it by the handle darted after
them, and just as the men touched. the last
round of the ladder, began ringing it from
the window as hard as he could.
Cowards up to the last, the men took to their
heels, and ran for dear , forgetting their
eart and ladder in their haste and. leaving
dric “sole master of the field,” as still ring-
ing first at one window and then at another,
he Ymanaged after a lapse ot jive minutes to
bring a policeman on the
Erie quickly climbed down, "the ladder and
told his story, to which the policeman listen-
ed in soma doubt.
ery well,” tata he, briefly.
to take you to the station, all the same.
can tell your story the!
Erie did tell his story there, and the officer
in charge, after questioning him closely,
seemed disposed to believe him
“Bu must detain you,” he said, gravely.
“This is a serious matter, and we must hear
what Mr. Mall says. I will send word to yo
parents, so that they need not be alarmed at
your absence.”
“Ver ll,’ said Eric, resignedly, and he
stretched himself on the hard bench to pass
the few remaining hours before daylight.
The next morning, Thomas Gratz, rather
curious as to how his little revenge had
worked, started for the office much earlier
than usual, and unlocked the door with a
certain feeling of trepidation as to how he
might be met by this ‘ young upstart.”
But of course no one was visible,
ors
“Til have
You
and
his surprise knew no bounds, while at sight-
of the bag, and the slight confusion - by
the one window, he began to experience a
guilty sensation of fear as he wondered un-
easily what had happened.
Still, when Mr. Hall arrived, he put on an
air of ‘perfect unconcern, and when asked if
Exig had gotten off all right, replied “ yes,
* very respectfully, though he well knew
the falsehood, und out, would forfeit
him his situation at once,
t nine o’clock that morning, Mr. Hall
and his clerk were surprised by the appear-
ances of Eric and a policeman.
r, Hall,” said the policeman, without
any iieaable, “thieves broke into your
warehouse last ni
“Broke into this ‘warehouse !” exclaimed
Mr. Hall. “Wow is that possible? I left
ou here’’— turning to Gratz—“‘and you
heard nothing.”
stammered the frightened
Thomas, and. then could say no mor
“There was no one in the warehouse but
me,” spoke up Eric, quietly.
And then he told his story, to which Mr.
ILall listened with increasing wrath against
his clerk. At its conclusion he dismissed the
policeman with thanks, and then said, in a
stern voice:
“Ts it possible? Very well, Thomas
Gratz, ou can go—not to-morrow or next
bat now! I have long been- dis-
weed ‘with you, so there, sir, j is your mo-
ney tos ing some silver on the table. “Do
spea isn’t necessary | , We will wait
to ‘a8 that w hen you are gone!
And wait he did, with eyes fixed upon the
discomfited clerk that made him slink away
without half his belongings. Then he turned
to Eric, with a friendly smile, and with an
abruptness that startled him as much as he
had formerly startled Mr. Hall, he sai
“Well, Erie, I suppose you would be will-
ing to come and take his piace?
Eric started, blushed, and then looked con-
fused. As much as was possible in human
nature he felt sorry for . and wished it
had not been through him that he had gotten
his discharge 5 elerk in the
great Hall Storage Warehouse was a won-
derful raise from his former position, and he
closed with the offer at once.
“Well, then, Eric, Monday morning at
eight o’clock. That Will give you a week’s
notice at your other place, and give mea
chance to see about getting secure fastenings
for the windows. sta ay!’ as Erie was
about to depart. “I shall give you no mone;
for your brave adventure, but in a day or so
hope you will not refuse to take what every
boy should have.’
The thing that ‘every boy should have”
proved to be a handsome silver watch, of the
est make, and with his name and the date
engraved on the inner case.
Eric certainly did not refuse it, but took it
with feelings of deep gratitude ‘and a firm
resolution to be everything his employer
hoped for. And he kept. this’ resolution.
Eight years have elapsed; he is still with
Mr. Hall, but the firm now has a Co,, and the
Co. is Erie Chadford.
THE CHASE OF THE PRONG-HORN.
BY JOHN HH. WHITSON.
The vast plains | of the West, “extending
from Mexico far into the British possessions
and westward to the Pacific coast ranges, is
the chosen home of the prong-horn or Ameri-
ean antelope. Throughout this entire coun-
try it may still be found in’ considerable,
though constantly diminishing, numbers.
With the single exception of the mountain
goat, it is the only representative of the an-
telope family upon the Western Continent.
It is a very beautiful creature, swift as the
wind, timid and shy, and remarkable for its
intense curiosity.
The ways of hunting it are many. In
summer, when hunted at all, the flag method
is usually adopted.
The first antelope I ever killed I got by
“flagging.”
I discovered by tracks that a number of
them had been grazing in a deserted oat-
eld. One afternoon [ saw two enter it, and
taking my Winchester, started for the field
€
foot. -
When I got within a quarter of a mile
they discovered me and ran out on the prai-
rie. As they did this, I dropped into a heavy
growth of rosin-weeds, and placing, my
handkerchief on. the end of my gun, elevated
it above my hea
They seemed “at once to forget they had
seen me, and, after stamping daintily a few
times and sniffing the air suspiciously, ad-
vanced toward ‘the flag, moving in a Circle
whieh narrowed as they approached.
When within about two hundred yards
they stopped, and, with heads erect, faced
more beautiful sight I never beheld.
me. J
Th were a buck and doe, and ‘the prong- ~
horns of the former seemed, to my excited
imagination, like branching trees.
