The Jackson Herald from Jackson, Missouri • Page 6

The Jackson Herald B.i M'SK, Pnlillalier. JACKSON. MISSOVKI. "The Tyranny of the Roof." We think of the savage tribe as llr-Ing outdoors, aad free from the restraints which come from civilization the garment, the house and the cook. Hut there Is a barbarism which speeds Its winters In huts und holes from which every breath nf fresh air 18 shut out, and where the stilling atmosphere is heavy with "old shapes of foul disease." Akin to the life of the hut and the slum Is the life of the home of whatever grade where cold is dreaded more than bad nlr.

The farmhouse, the millionaire's palace and the. village grocery alike shelter miserable sinners against nature's laws. The crusade against the ravages of consumption has awakened thousands to the fact that the need for pure air Is more Imperative even than the need for good food, although it speaks with a less Insistent voice. Hut, remarks Youth's Companion, hundreds of thou sands of housewives yet need to learn the danger of the comfortable double window and the air-tight stove, and the healing power of pure, cold air, steeped In God's own sunshine. A woman who was known as the queen of the Gypsies died recently in Eng land.

She was of great age and amaz ing vigor, and a real "character" In her reserve and her hatred of modern conditions. She seldom talked, but it was known that she consider educa- tion as rubbish, houses as no bettor than prisons, and the persons who died In them ns the victims of theit own effeminacy. In a phrase both jlling and memorable, she boasted herself "free from the tyranny of the roof." That Is truly noble freedom and one which every wise woman may covet for herself and l.er children. Perhaps another hundred years may ee the stuffy bedroom everywhere supplanted bv the airy porch, and find civilized man again sleeping un der the sky. I find I am called at: old man by other people; but 1 get along myself without thinking of this or talking about it.

unless some correspondent asks me to. writes Edward Everett Hale in the Circle. Thus. 1 am lame; but I do not say I am lame because I am SI. I say I am lame because I had a fall, precisely as 1 should have said it if I were )S years and .1 months old at three minutes after tbreo In the third month of the year.

Or. in brief, If you can get along without thinking of yourself much, it will probably be a comfort to yourself, and it will certainly be a comfort to your friends. Pecause of a poor olive crop in Spain the demand for peanuts is brisk, and the peanut growers in the province of Valencia are holding their crop for a high price. Pianut oil Is largely used by the instead of olive oil. and the peanut competes with the olive at tho oil-crushers.

The consular report from which this Information is taken dots not say whether or not the Spanish dealers sell the peanut oil as olive oil. They may be more scrupulous In their trade designations than some dealers in cottonseed oil have been. If Russia wasn't fighting a revolution that Is liable to break out Into fireworks r.t several points at the same time wuMt a lot of fun it could have fighting once more the Japanese war In the magazines! Kvcn with its attention taTUn away it is doing fairly well, for it is a pool- week that some one doesn't write a book to prove Stoessel a coward. Tho cathedial of St. John the Pi-vine, at One Hundred and Tenth, street and Amsterdam avenue, New York, now promises to be completed In 1 1' when ft will surpass in cost and be auty any church building in this country and v.

Ill rank witli the Lis-turitul ones in Kurope. The simplest 'way to ascertain the purity of olie oil is to freeze it. I'ure olive oil Iras the exclusive prep eitj- of froiing at three or four degrees above zero, whereas other oils need a temperature of ton degrees below. Hut Low about tho zero Hocks and eyes are indispensabh in women's etiire, holding the folds tog ther so neatly without the use ol the conspicuous button. There are a liumber of makes of hooks and eves and the hnnuul outlay for theiu is estimated at An Ohio judge has decided that a man cannot be restrained from saying eilly things In his own home.

If ha could what man would be safe from Intel MaJ. Seely of the Uriiish army says that married soldiers are the bravest Pel baps war does nut seem like much of ai.yihiug to them. England is quite tnki (he dis srniameut idea for tho use of oihei alious. STORY OF PIRATE RECALLS SOME OF FFEEBOOTLR'S Gem Now Owned torney, Was Pari of Accumulated Booty Smugglers' Houses at Matamoro3, Mexico, Still Stand in Magnificent Ruin. Gentleman Instrumental In Discovering Hiding Place of Part of Treasure Believes That Much of It Remains Securely Concealed In the Old Rendezvous of the Buccaneers Who Did So Much to Win the Great Victory Over the British at New Orleans Mexican Government In the Way.

"Yes, that gem Is one of the finest i have ever seen, and its strange history, to me, adds very materially to Its Intrinsic value." The speaker was Mr. Pierce, a prominent attorney of Hrownsvllle, as we sat on the broad veranda at his handsome residence, smoking our cigars, after the most remarkable January dinner I have ever eaten, writes Isaac Kline. On the menu was roast wild goose, which had been shot as It Hew over the house on the day before; oysters on the half-shell, fresh from the waters of the Gulf nt Point Isabel. 15 miles away; green corn on the rob. cucumbers, lettuce, celery from Mr.

Pierce's own garden; oranges, figs and grapes from trees and vines in the doorvartl in January! The gem under discussion was a very fine diamond, whose steel-blue brilliance' proclaimed it as having come from the Old Mines, sparkling in an old-fashioned setting on Mr. Pierce's linger. "If 1 might have its entire history I should be very much pleased, for It belonged to Jean I.alltte, the pirate. If it could but speak, what a tale It Grave of Adrian Vidal. Alm-rii-un Wlio War.

l.i.i.m; Wus Sh.it. ami might tell of former ownership by some Spanish senoritas. of the bloody ecu light which terminated ill the sinking of a ship with its crimson deck burdened with the corpses of its defenders; of murder done afterwards in disposing of the wounded by the piratical custom of walking the plank: of drunlo outrage and orgy at Harrataria following the piratical victory, in which very likely the fair owner of this very ring was one of the prizes. There is certainly a romance connected with this stone, and it attracts me the more for the reason that I know so little of it. Lafitte's Real Character.

"Jenn I.alltte Is referred to in the histories as a pirate, and such he was but from those who knew him. with whom I have talked, I gain the impres sion that he was not fully entitled to that reputation, though he was a fearless lighti r. with a band of freebooters to whom his word was law. whose bravery made them a scourge of the "House sea 70 ars ago. in these very waters.

He was a Frenchman and began bis caner as a lieutenant on a French privateer, was captured by an F.nglish-lish man of ar and thrown Into pris-fn at an Knglish port, where he was kept for many years and so barbarously treated that his resentment had a large bearing in shaping his subsequent pursuits. "It Is assorted hy old residents at itamoras who knew him that his action in In tr.iylng the Kngllsh lu their nttemit to capture New Orleans was In -i tor brutalities, to ill ''ff i 'if PLUNDER DAYS OF LAFITTE WEALTH RECOVERED by Brownsville, Texas, At which he hud been subjected. As there was no war between France and Kngland at the time of his release, he obtained a prlvateer'B commission under the Carthaginian government against Spain. I have seen this commission, which is still In existence, in Spanish, and held by relatives of his, near Hrownsvllle. These relatives claim that his only acts of piracy were against Hrltish vessels and he was beyond question a scourge to these.

In 1807 he came to New Orleans, and In 1813-14 was at the head of ft formidable community of freebooters In Hurrataria bay, about 40 miles west of the mouth of the Mississippi. They had many Btnall ves sels and the bay afforded them secure retreat. In I 1 4 Commodore Patterson attacked their town and destroyed It, but I.nfltte and most of his men escaped, returning later on and resuming operations. Refused British Bribe. "About the same time the Hrltish were maturing their plans for the descent upon the southern coast of the Culled States, and sent a brig of war, the Sophia, under command of Capt.

Lockyer. at Harrataria, with a letter from Commodore Percy, commanding the Hrltish naval forces In the gulf, and one from Col. Nichols, then in command of the land forces in Florida, offering l.aliite iho command of a fine ship and in gold ou condition of his assisting the contemplated expedition to New Orleans. The promise of the Hrltish commander of "bounty and beauty" to his men In case of victory is a matter of record. I.alltte immediately wrote to Oov.

Claiborne of Louisiana, inclosing the two letters, which I have seen, and offering his services in defending Louisiana on the sole condition of pardon for himself and his men. The offer was accepted, and the assistance of the Harratarians under command of l.afitto, who had charge of one of eight snia.l cannon which constituted Jackson's artillery force nt this battle, was an Important factor in scoring the great victory of New Orleans. January 8. 1M.V From this time the history of I.alltte is Involved in obscurity. There was a piratical community formed at what is now Galveston, by a I.atitte, but whether by Jean or his brother Pierre, Is now not clear.

It was broken up in 1S21 by lieutenant, afterward Commodore Kearney. I.afitte's portraits, of which there are two nt Matamoros, show him to have been a handsome man, over six feet tall, with black hair, hazel eyes; and bis polished, easy manners and winning address are still remarked upon. Pirates Were Scattered. "After the destruction of this rendezvous the pirates scattered. Many of them are heard of afterward and are known in history.

They were skilled seiimen and hold fighters. Many left the sea and located at Matamoros, just across the river from Hrownsvllle. This was then great field for all sorts of semi piratical exploits. Smuggling was prevalent and fortunes were made on all sides. Vessels would unload their argoes by-day or night, and the goods were often Pirates.1 smuggled or worse blood stained fruits of piratical cruisers.

Of these followers ol l.antte, tne richer, more prominent captains and lieutenants settled In the same row of houses. Among them were Constantino Tarnava and Ramon I.nFon. These people lived In great splendor until about when they gradually disappeared, leaving the houses they had occupied, about ns they are to-day They were extremely lavish in the use of money, which seemed to flow-through their hands like water, it is related that their woineit ven wore gold heels on their shoes. They entertained In princely style, giving reception! and banquets which tor magnificence were not excelled even In European courts. Kings and queens of Eugla.id, Spain or Fiance gave nothing more elegant In this line.

Nothing approaching them was ever given on -this continent In those days, even If at the present time. Entertained Prominent Men, "All prominent people who came to Matamoros were received and entertained by them Gen. l.nwton, Gen. Corbln, the McCooks, even Gen. Sheridan have been their guests at these receptions.

Among their visitors occasionally was seen a man of magnificent bearing, great manly beauty and carriage. He wore Jewels of ex-trHordlnary splendor, and always carried a court sword with embroidered belt blazing with Jewels. I was a'boy theu. and remember these things well, for they were to me like a dream of the Arabian Nights. The man had with him on these visits a Spanish lady of great beauty who was always at his side.

None except the Tarnava family ever talked with her. but it was a current belief among us children that the man was Ijifltto and the woman a lady whom he had captured In some of his sea fights, killing her malo relative, taken her to Harrataria and still held her as his wife. She was even supposed to bear a title. She attempted to escape from him twice, but "House of did not succeed. Hit i eople no doubt mourned her as dead.

"After the Tarnavas left the house It was never again occupied and so far ns 1 know has not been entered for 50 years unill about a year ago. The entire premises are In ruins, as you saw, but In Its prime It was as handsome as nnv residence on this continent. The slate roof is falling In. though the I brick walls ill probably stand for a century, as they are very thick and i solid. The rotting balconies look down Into an Inner court still full of orange fl.t l.i.l.,,, H-ltV, frnil l.nf have seen this garden and the balconies lighted up at night, filled with the handsomest women wearing the finest dresses the world then con tained.

The high ceilings, magnifi cently proportioned rooms, carved spiral stairways of mahogany, large irrhed windows, mahogany Honrs all indicate the taste of the occupants. The pigeons of the tow now make it a roosting place, entering through the falling roof and the broken windows, but In its day It was a magnificent home, such as few ever enter even In this era of wealth, except the most ex clusive and aristocrnatic. Now to the story of this ring: Had Treasure Chart. "In June, 1900, a gentleman from Chicago came to my office soliciting my assistance. He had a map or hart and a letter, of which he gave the fol lowing history: His mother, a widow, kept a boarding house L'O years ago In Chicago.

Among her boarders was a man of about CO years, who was a sailor on the lake. He had evidently cruised on salt water for many years, in fact the other sailors often talked of that, and the fact that he seemed to hold himself aloof from them; that while mixing freely with them, he would never relate any of his experiences In the past, as sailors generally love to do. This man's name was Por-firlo I.aFon. One night ho was drowned by the wrecking of his vessel, the Irene, of Sandusky. His effects lay about the house for years In an old sea chest, all effort to discover any relatives being ineffectual.

In the bottom of the chest was the chart and letter, the latter stating that I.nFon had been a pirate under I.alltte previous to coming to the lakes, and had, with his companions, buried a very large treasure in Matamoros. There was also some fine jewelry and a beautifully decorated dagger in the chest, and the chart. The latter I at once recognized as a partial map of the city of Matamoros in the vicinity of the Casa Tarnava or "house of the pintles," as It is now called, and the street leading to the Casa Mata, or "house of death" in the outskirts where the prisoners were executed in the early days. "A smaller chart on the same parchment gave a complete map of the rooms in the Casa Tarnava. In one of these rooms a spot was marked with a cross near the wall; a similar mark was placed in the basement of the house, and also In a place In the outer walls at the Casa Mata.

The Chicago man, whose name I do not for professional reasons, said that the map bad never received any attention from liis mother or himself because they did not really 1-now where Matamoros J'" J- was. There was no railroad to Matamoros or that locality, and neither of them ever expected to get there. Since the completion of the new St. L. H.

M. railway, however, ho concluded to go down on one of the Homeseekers' excursions. Tho existence of the map recurred to his mind and he brought It along, though with little faith in Its having any foundation in fact. Found Chest Well Hidden. "We visited the ruined house.

The map was very accurate as regarded the apartments with the exception that the room marked with the cross did not seem to exist. Hy measuring the walls, however, we found an Inside wall of brick all the Inner walls In this building are of brick near a stairway, was much thicker than the others, nnd cut into It and there was the treasure room. It had been built Into the wall In such a manner that its existence would never be suspected. Though four feet square, the stnlr-way at the side, running to the second and third stories, prevented the extra thickness of tho wall being noticed, part of the wHth of the room being taken off the of the stairway. The only entrance was through the floor In the top story, the place being practically a dry well in the wall reaching clear from the top floor to the basement.

"The treasure chest, of old wood, with brass bindings and peculiar locks, remained, and we smashed It open. It Death." was practically empty. There was handful of Spanish and Kngllsh go In coins and several Jewels of which the one I wear Is one. In the box and on the floor. We searched thoroughly What we found was valued at The balance of the treasure, which the letter stated to be over $75,000, had been taken by some one, possibly some accidental discoverer.

The oth er places Indicated to contain treasure we did not find. The descriptions were imiH-rfect or else the places were too well bidden. Our time was lim Ited, since it soon became noised about what we were doing nnd wo were stopped. Yon know what the Mexican government is. Believes Treasure Still There "I feel certain that the treasure Is still Caere, if the places can be lo cateil, but do not see how that can be done without plenty of time und pos sibly pulling down the house.

Tht outer walls at the Casa Mata are now obliterated and It would require great deal of digging to locate the treasure indicated to be burled there. The letter gave the value of one as in jewels and the other as $125,000 in gold. I have full belief that there Is much treasure burled In this locality, by the pirates, the smug glers, the revolutionists nnd even those who operated here during the civil war when this was the only port the south had open for many months, The sunken place in the brick pavement of the busement at the Casa Tarnnva, 1 think, Indicates a secret passage from the well in the court to the street; but It may Just as well lead to a treasure chamber. "The cannon shot over the door In the second story? Oh, I don't know the history of that, it Is my Impres sion that it was shot in there during some of the many revolutionary fights which took place In the streets of Mat amoros. It may have been plantet there during the bombardment of Mat amoros by Gen.

Scott, and I mum times think it was." Elephants ai Laborers. Most amusing is it to see one these working elephants tackling huge squared log and placing It on the stack. First of all he estimates its length and weight as it lies on the ground. Then he digs his tusks uncle it at one end, curls his trunk over and tries to drag one end of the log on to his tusks. Should he find the task beyond him, he will give a queer little trumpet note, and up comes a col league to help him at the other end In a moment the two elephants have sw ting the big log between them, walk In step to the pile, and then one them, apparently by preconcerted agreement, places his end in position on the stack, while the other rams home the log.

The Circle. Will Collect Southern ire's. Frank M. Chapman, a curator of the department of ornithology of the American Museum of Natural History has left New York to make a colli- tion of southern birds for thj instltu. tion.

He will try especially ti obtain white herons In various stages of de velopment, for It Is feared th specli owing to activities for the ijtlllinc trade, will become extinct GOD GIVES JACOB 1 A NEW NAME 1 Seaday Sckool Uttoa for April 1907 Specially ptepirrd for this paper. Wl I.KSSiiN TKXT- Ui n. 22-SK; iiiL-m- IHV Vl-ISeS, UOI.PKN TKXT. "Itfjolio, because ymir niiuifS ure written In heaven. Luke Til 10 wi'tit In Podim-aram about ITS" B.

when be whs about 57 urn old. Perhaps llw Iw-st iiutli.itlllm ashler Hint lie was In Lillian's si-rvlrw fur LU years; but others, finding t' ltlll space In years fur nil the evetilH, rerkoii It 4'1 years, tiiidi-rsliinillna; the 'M years" twlee mentioned In lien, to l.e two periods i.f years each. fee Kxrurmia on (lie chronology I'LAO-T-Thp jHl.bnk (the modern. Wndy Zerkm In one of the prlnclpnl rivers of eastern 1'n lest I ne. It Mows Into the Jordan from the enst nenrly opposite.

the city of K.oiiiirlii. Pinlel or 1'enuil was prohnhly prominent ridge near the Juhliok." (leorne Adam Hmllh. Comment and Suggestive Thought. Hints from Haran. Jacob was years or more In Haran.

During that time he had a good opportunity to learn thoroughly a number of Important lessons; among them these: 1. That tricksters are likely to get tricked In their turn. 2. That Clod can and will bring; prosperity to any child of his without the aid of sharp practice ou the part of the man whom God helps. 3.

That (lod's promises are to be re lied upon implicitly, no matter how circumstances may seem to be opposing the fulfillment of them. 4. That (iod law assigns one wife to one husband, and that any infringement of that law brings only unhuppl- ness. Jacob's Troubled Conscience. Gen.

Jacob had accomplished a large part of his Journey and was In the northern part of the land of tillead when the angry Laban overtook him. From there he proceeded southward mil soon came to In Cilead. where he had his second comforting lalon of angels two hosts of them as his guards ou either hand and from the two hosts he named the place. V. 22.

"And he rose up that night." This praying and the disposal of the ai.ivan across the Jabbok must have arrled Jacob well Into the night. And then, in his loneliness, lu the darkness. the uncertainty, tho great anxiety for himself, bis loved ones, and the fruits his long toil. Jacob's conscience. that had gone to sleep during the two decades in Mesopotamia, woke up Willi a start.

An Aroused Conscience. Some men seek to quiet their consciences, which is like buying an alarm clock and then smothering its sound In a feather pi'-low. It would be as foolish tq pull up all the danger signals where people are skating on the Ice, or smash all tho-red lights in the semaphores. 'What a strange tiling Is an obi dead sin, laid away In a secret drawer of the soul! Must It some time or oilier be moistened with tears, until it comes to life again, and begins to-stir in our consciousness, as the dry heat animnlcul. looking like a grain of dust, becomes alive If It Is wet with a drop of water?" Holmes.

That is Just what happened to Jacob. "Wrestling in Prayer." This strange. event Is often used as a model for our prayers, and rightly. If the terrible earnestness of that midnight struggle Is ulone considered. We are to "come boldly unto the throne of grace," "with all perseverance." "if you don't want thing, don't ask for It.

Such asking is the worst mockery of your King you can Insult him with." Kuskln. We are to pray us Luther prayed In great earnestness by the bedside of the-dying Melancthon for an hour, and returned home, when the recovery of tho reformer for his splendid later years was assured, saying to his wife, "(iod gave me my brother Melancthon back in answer to prayer." Jacob's Reconciliation with Esau. Genesis X. Jacob must have been wonderfully strengthened in spirit, though worn in body, by his midnight struggle, and his fears must have given place to a great peace. Nevertheless, he continued his wise preparations to meet Ksim.

He arranged his family, putting In the rear, as the safest place, those whom he most loved. Rachel nnd Joseph. Then be manfully went forward alone to meet his wronged brother. Seven times he bowed to the ground before Ksau. as if acknowledging the superiority which ho had stolen from him; but if Ksuu.

had come In anger, the sight of Jacob seemed to bring back tho happier period of their Innocent boyhood. Impetuously the Injured brother ran to meet him, and In an eager embrace assured him of forgiveness. Esau even offered generously to return Jacob's present, but was prevailed upon to keep it. He erged Jacob to accept nn armed escort, but this was firmly refused, perhaps with a lingering suspicion of his brother, but more likely because Jacob now felt (Jod to be sufficient protection. Jacob speedily found a good place for winter quarters, acd established himself in peace.

1. "If you fear God and believe that he Is with you, God will prosper your plans ana labor; but never make that un excuse for saying In your hearts, like Jacob, (iod Intends that I should have these good things; therefore 1 may uke them for myself by unfair The birthright Is yours. It is you, the steady, prudent, God-fearing; ones, who will prosper on the earth, und not poor, wild, hot-headed Ksau. 2. "God sees In every Jacob more than Jacob sees In himself." Joseph.

Parker. If tho most crooked stick will only submit to the carpenter, he will bring it out straight at lust..