McHenry Public Library District Digital Archives

McHenry Plaindealer (McHenry, IL), 4 Feb 1891, p. 6

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ftcml * .. . ' +'y*' 1 ̂ iig ̂ tomdcaln IT.*M 9am, HHW pumuhw. ii'^ifciil)i..i DuLINOia TOUCH OF BAB^*|AIJf>ia stt. tj. LiwrEn. * ^ , . *4Bw minister -vras grave to-day, his mossured tones worn low; % -JkaometfainR filled my lieart the white, ana set mjr soul aglow, vJhmA frequently unbidden tears welled up wlih- la.aa r eves. kite through my frame a fesling thrilled akin tti glad surprise. i It the touch of unseen hands that wrought touch of baby's hands tnat left me long ago. • ministerwas sad to-day, he spoke of His great low, . changing and unchangeable, who rales the world above; AM* while lils words of eloquence fell with •measured beat. Sfeiboaght I hoard along the aisles the tread of tiny feet. WRea it the echo of his step Chat set my heart -"•rtfif'iga blue eyes on me gaae? Ah me, I do v WttknOW. . ' "W* all day long and 1» the sight t Hataa tor the sound • • -4K Wby feet to come again, that rest beneath tike ground ; .Jipwgra^ain for baby hands to touch my fevered voice within my ears a tender low to "flhyhxp some day, when I am hid from all the "4fesee (why brands willoome to me to soothe an SMshlng heart. A ROMAN VALENTINE. BY F« M, COL BY. sent. St Valen­ tine's Day is al- :"C- general con- AT lowed to be one of the children's holidays; and it has been ob­ served fro ml time immemorial. St. Talent hue him­ self did not live, however, until the third centu­ ry of oar era. Ha was an early Christian bish­ op, who was be­ headed in the ^piirsecatiQin of ihtfr Rapaan Emperor Claudius, A. D., 270, and after the fashion of his church, was canonized, lbat is, made a saint Wheatley says flfcat St. Valentine "was a man of most admirable parts, and so famous for his to*e and charity that the custom of jfeoofting valentines upon his festival took As rise from thence." Others have de- wed the custom from birds being sup­ posed to select their mates on this day, vat the prevailing belief is that the cus­ tom was taken from the-old Roman fes- Jfaal of the Lupercalia. ^The festival occurred on the 14th of Vebruarv (St Valentine's Day,) which the Romans designated as the day of Ike Lnperci All kinds of amusements wad indulgences were allowed on that Ay; and among the ceremonies was •ae of placing the names of girls and fwu*g women in a box or urn, from they were taken by the young 4Mtows, according as chance directed. Ybis incurred the necessity of bestow- teg a gift upon the owner of the name mmsh one of them drew; and, if the fair wmm reciprocated by another one or by a •ratten message, he was to oonsider JUawelf her valentin#, as modern usage it The pastors of the early ing It impossible to fAq ,j, cnanged ito another name, the middle ages, the cas­ us? valentines was prac- day was very popular _ the young folks. Presents of feathers, scarfs, and jewelry common as valentines. So, you "Ms. there is nothing new in the world, In. this respect: and when you receive fwr valentine this year, you will re- :Member that the Roman youths and children honored the same festival in wwry nearly the same manner as you do. And now, I wish to tell you the story oi a valentine far back in those dim old which was sent to a Roman prince ~ Britanicus. Be was a little olive-skinned Italian Iwy, who lived in Bome about eighteen Jul red years ago. Rome was at that i fee capital of the civilized world; [ in the splendid imperial palace on i Palatine, surrounded all the em- 'Wems of the most exalted sovsreig: •Mother young boy wore Ihe purple of the Emperors. This boy was Nero. He *m& Britanicus were cousins; and the --facing Prince was, at the time of which -We. write, the guest of the boyish Em peror, living with him in the palace of -the Caesars, as though they had been '•feothera. Britanicus was some three years •younger than the Emperor, being but Jbarteen, while Nero was seventeen. Shis single fact made a good deal of difference in the respective lives of each; *1or had Britanicus been the older, he •would have been the Emperor, and Nero •would have been the Prince. As it was, •ike former would become Emperor if :Hero died. But that event was not lia- •iTeio occur very soon, nor did Britanicus -Wish it to. He had no wish to be com felled to wear the heavy, embroidered «pOL*pie mantle--a symbol of imperial eaak--and be waited upon by "those -•tern, dark-bearded men, who came •very day to see his cousin and talk •bout sober state affairs, when he wanted te ride in his new chariot or go to see «flhe gladiators fight in the amphitheater. •Ko, Britanicus thought it was hard "enough to be a Prince, without being ^Anything else. Both of these boys were orphans. *£®he father of Britanicus had been the :;i. i j lEmperor Claudius, who was now dead, f ' >^|w was also the young, dark-eyed Roman "Woman, his mother. Nero's father had twos a brave general, who won many rVistories for Rome at the head of his' le When he died, his widow mar {*ied Claudius, her cousin; and she was -4rtill alive. She was a stately, haughty looking woman, with dark, shining hair, rjBknd fierce, black eyes that seemed to Jook right through any one. Secretly j®ritanicus did not just like his aunt, stood a little in fear of her sharp Heyes and scowling brows. Britanicus stood one morning in the • marble atrium, or courtway, of the ipalaoe, looking out upon the street. . His fine, boyish figure was clothed after ^he fashion of a princely Roman lad. His olive-colored legs were bare, and •his head, with its long dark hair, had no covering. But the tunic of full, rich • silk, belted at the waist and descending <*> his knees, and the stola, or cloak, with its purple border and its heavy embroidery and clasps of gold, were all in the newest style, and showed his ^ graceful persbn to advantage. It was the fourteenth day of February, tte Roman Lupercalia; and Britanicus W already been to the forum, and tit# •- now held It in his hand--a dainty tablet, with thajsime of Octavia Jalut in Ro­ man QfcaMctera upon it. A girl by that nan)*) was not unknown to him, being no less than a fair cousin, of whom he was very fond, and with whom he had romped more than once in earlier days. He was sagely considering what lie should send her for a present, when the clash of the lictors and the shouts of the slaves who usually followed the Emperor sounded in the courtyard, and the young prince glanced out just as Nero wes descending from his golden chariot Flushed with pleasure and knightly pride, the boy emperor rushed gayly into the atrium. How handsome he* looked, in his purple toga and his embroidered buskins, his long silken hair perfumed with precious unguents and sparkling with gold dust! Little resemblance was there between that happy, boyish face and the cruel, bestial Nero he afterwards became. His quick eye fell on Britanicus. "Ha! my cousin, hast thou been to the forum and drawn thv name? Why, thou art lucky P as he read the tablet. "Octavia is our cousin and very lovely, I congratulate you." "I know not what to send hat," mur­ mured Britanicus. "Send her a chariot and a span of Phrygian horses, or a Grecian am­ phora," suggested Nero. "Thou knowest very well, my Cousin Domitius," (one of Nero's names) "that I have no giftslike those to bestow upon< my friends." "What! the cousin of an emperor,and as empty of sesterces as a plebian? Then you shall be so no longer. What I named shall be thine. A slave shall be despatched immediately with the span and chariot to our cousin's palace.** "Nay rather let me choose one of those elegit Green vases in the cabi­ net," said Britanicus. "It shall be as you wish, eousin, but use despatch; for I am impatient to learn how the fair Ootavia will receive thy gift." And-the emperor walked away humming a gay air that he had learned that very morning from his Cor­ inthian dancing master." So a black Nubian was sent with a beautiful vase of Sainian workmanship to the VH&ng princess, and Britanicus waited ^h^ill-conataled impatience for tfjfe mesS^t? whichwHuld tell him of the Ifair girl's decision. It came at last Britanicus was dining with the em­ peror in the great banquet hall amid murmur of fountains and odor of flow­ ers. Brilliant entablatures shone on the walls. A hundred guests, reclining on couches, sat around the board, and throngs of slaves waited the nod of alL The young prince had just quaffed a goblet of sparkling Falerian,f when the Nubian placed the expected missive in his hands. With a bright flush on his boyish countenance, he eagerly perused its contents, A delicate waxen tablet, w ith a lordly monogram, and the en­ graving of a Venus in a car drawn by pigeons, and underneath a few well- chosen words, signifying her acceptance of his princely gift, and proffered cour­ tesies. That was all, but it gave joy to Britanicus. As he slipped the tablet under his tunic, he caught the Btera glance of his aunt "What have you there, Britanicast" she said, reaching her hand forward; and on obedient slave carried the boy's gift to the fierce-eyed empress. She read it with a frown, and retaining it, she called Nero to her, and they left the room together. What could it all mean? Britanicus wondered what he had done to make his annt yxurl so savagely, and he felt a little indignant at her treatment ox »•»««-- He could eat no more; and, rising, he threw the garland from his head and walked out into the atrium. There Nero met him half an hour later. Without any appearance of change in his manner, the Emperor told him that Octavia would be at the palace that night with other company, and that the evening would be spent in pleasure. Britanicus hardly knew how to wait for the night-coming. He anointed his hair ani put on new robes, and when the guests had arrived, made his ap­ pearance, as gay and happy a boy as one could "wish to see. What a merry company it was! The old palace was bright with light, much sounded, and the laughing voices of the children made a pleasant chorus on the evening air. Games were introduced; and, in one which was called, sWho shall be King?" there promised to be mnch excitement Nero had been chosen by lot for the king, and the interest of the game depended on the ingenuity of the monarch in command­ ing such things to be done by his various subjects as would most amuse the com­ pany. When it came the turn of Bri­ tanicus to receive orders, Nero directed him to go into the middle of the room and sing a song. Now, in those days, prince t were not supposed to know much about such things. Singing was not considered a manly accomplishment at all, and slaves were always hired to sing and play at entertainments. But, notwithstanding the degredation imposed on him, and the severe requirement for one so young, the boy, without any hesitation, stepped forward and began to fling. His theme was about a young prince who loved a beautiful girl, and how a fierce old witch kept him in a dreary palace, away from the light of day, and would never let him see his love. The entire assem­ bly listened with profound attention, charmed by the artless simplicity of his song and the grace and beauty of his person. There was a hush when he closed. He saw Octavia's cheek burn­ ing with blushes; and beyond her he saw the dark face of his Aunt Agrippina, regarding him with a glance that Bade him shiver. When the festivities were over, his aunt approached him, and placed the tablet in his hands that he had received from Octavia. "Doubtless, you would not like to lose it," she Baid to hici,her fiery eyes gleam­ ing on him like a burning flame. "Therefore keep it, and may thy cousin never regret her gift" And then she went away, and left him puzzled at her strange speech and fierce looks. Poor little prince! He did not know that in the heart of that cruel woman his death was already planned. But so it was. She feared that he would stand in Nero's way. His beauty and his morning h« was a mtnxlerer in faot, ft not in olma In another ohamlrar of that Roman home, within sound or the plash o^ the fountain in the atrium, lay Britanicus. With one arm thrown above his head and the other rosting on tho soft ermino of his couch, his dark hair streaming over his pillow, and the soft yellow light of the southern moon shining on his Italian face, he looked too fair to die. Under his pillow was the waxen tablet, and he had rank to sleep with the name of Ootavia on his now qniet lips. He never woke again. When the duu rose over the Apennines, it shone on a cold, dead face in the marble chamber --shone on the stiffened form of the young Roman prince, whose valentine had wrought his doom. The Waxen tablet had been poisoned. What Mid Mother Kr« Do? "What did Eve do for a nurse girir» The question came toward the clone of a conversation between two young matrons concerning the training of chil­ dren. One had been dilating on the merits of a book on that subjeot "You ought to read it," she exclaimed enthusiastically. "It is lull, of thor­ oughly practical ideas." "Tells where the nursery should be located, doesn't it?" inquired the other. "O, yes. It says that the room or rooms set apart for the use of the child should be near its mother's, so that it can be constantly under her eye." "Neir her boudoir, isn't it?" "Yes; that's the way the book «lta it" "And the child should be kept away from the reception-room and parlors?" "Of course. Constant attention from visitors will spoil any child." Matron No. 2 roused herself and with considerable show of interest asked: "Does it tell how all this can be ar­ ranged in a seven-room flat?" "Well--no-o," replied Matrcft No. 1; "I don't know that it does." "Did you ever see a book that did ?" "No; I can't say that I hava" "Then a child can't be brought np properly outside of a large house?" "Well, hardly that Of oourse, if one can't have a nursery " "If one can't, one oant follow the ad- vioe given. The nurse girl, I suppose, must be trustworthy, amiaMe,educated, and fond of children." "O. yes; all of that The book spys that wages should not be considered; that the aim should be to get a girl "who could gain the confidence of the child and who would be competent not only to carry out the instructions of 'the mother but to fill in the details. You see, the immediate care of the chil­ dren is in the hands of the girl." '* "And the mother trains the girl?" "Yes, that's ab?ut it." "Suppose she can't afford to hire a nurse-girl?" "Why, I--I--really, I don't think it gives any advice for that contingency." "Ever #e a book that did ?" "No, I don't believe I have." "I wonder," said Matron No. 2 thoughtfully, "how many women there are in Chicago who can't afford to em­ ploy an extra servant to take care of the children." Matron No. 1 did not attempt to fig­ ure on the problem, and after a p^use Matron No. 2 sighed and put hen •'clos­ ing question: "What did Eve do for a nuraejgirl?" Matron No. 1 was staggered, Jbut for only a moment "She didn't have any," she wrong ftues3 O ADVENTURE WITH OUTLAWS. eplied, went popularity might at any time make him a powerful rival of her son. Moreover the circumstance of the waxen tablet and hi& graceful, pathetic scoff showed her that his regard for his cousin was an obstacle which could only be re­ moved by his death; for she had deter­ mined that the royally born Octavia must mate only with her son. That night, the fierce empress paced the marble floor of her chamber with the tread of a tigress; while Nero, her son, listened to the murderous schemes that were to make his throne from any danger, either imaginary or real. In that midnight session he took his first IAAOAU in IAK. kalMA A&I Bill West's Head. The remarkable career of olif Tom Starr, the notorious Cherokee desper­ ado, which has lately appeared in print, recalls an incident in his life, the plain­ est statement of which sounds like a romance. Bill West was old Tom's brother-in-law, and the most powerful man of his day iu the Cherokee Nation. A blow from his fist was as deadly as a Winchester bullet With this formid­ able weapon he killed several men, and a law was passed declaring Bill's fist a deadly weapon. Old Tom and Bill had been close companions, but one day they quarrelled over the division of the spoils of a plundering expedition. West struck at Starr, but the wily savage dodged the blow and at the same time deftly placed a long, keen knife-blade between the former's ribs. This was the tragic end of Bill West. At this time there was a reward $2,000 of­ fered for West's head and $5,000 for that Starr. Old Tom was in need of ready cash and determined to run the risk of losing his own head by trying to secure the reward on that of his brother-in- law. So, after killing West, he cut off his head, put it in a gunny-bag and pro­ ceeded to Tahlequah, the capital where he presented his gory charge to the Chief, with the proof that it was the right head, and demanded the reward. The Chief and the Treasurer are both old men, and they knew Old Tom's rep­ utation. They also knew that the re­ ward on West's head was only $2,000, while that for Old Tom's was $5,000. But Starr was there himself, and meant business. At the muzzle of a six-shooter the Treasurer forked over the $2,000, and Old Tom departed with the money, to the delight and astonishment of the people of Tahleqnah, without killing a single person. Harlequin. That fascinating character in the pan­ tomime, voiceless Harlequin, was cre­ ated by John Rich, an illiterate man with strong dramatio instincts. From his inability to speak upon the stage he originated the silent harlequin, and by mere dumb action could rival the power and pathos of the most accomplished tragedian. In speaking of Rich's won derful abilities as a pantomimist I writer of that day said: "On his last re­ vival of 'The Sorcerer' I saw him prao tice the hatching of harlequin by the heat of the sun, in order to point it out to Miles, who, though excellent in the line of dum^ significance, found it no easy matter to retain the lesson Rich had taught him. This certainly was a masterpiece in dumb show. From the first chipping of the egg, his receiving of motion, his feeling of the ground, his standing upright to his quick harlequin trip round the empty shell, through the whole progression, every limb had its tongue and every motion a voice, which spoke with most miraculous organ to the understanding and sensation of the observers." The tight- fitting spangled dresses which are now Worn by all harlequins were not adopted until the present centry. A Dangerous HI tie la the Days of Bold Highwaymen. I was lying ice bound at Lewiston, Idaho, writes Joaquin Miller in fit. Nicholas. Men wanted to send money below to their friends or families; mer­ chants, anticipating the tremendous rush, must get letters through the snow to Walla Walla. Would I go? Oonld I go? The snow was deep. I'he traiU, over open and monotonous mountains, were drifted full. Could any: living man faoe the drifting snow and find his way to Walla Walla? I decided to attempt it At first I meant to carry only letters. But having finally consented to take a little gold for one merchant, I soon found that I should lose friends if I did not take gold for others. The result was that I had to take gold worth nearly $10,000. As I set out that bleak and icv morn' ing after I had mounted my plunging pony I saw iu the crowd several faces that I did not like. There was Dave English, who was hanged on that spot with several of his followers not forty days later; there was Boone Helm, hanged in Montana; Cherokee Bob, killed in Millersburg, and also Canada Joe. This last lived with some low Indians a little way down the river. So when he rode ahead of me I was rather glad than otherwise, for I felt that he would not go far. I kept watch of him, however. And when I saw that he skulked around un­ der the hill, as if he were going home, and then finally go back into the trail I knew there was trouble ahead. But the "Rubicon" was now behind. My impetuous horse was plunging in the snow, and I was soon tearing in the storm up the hill. Once fairly on my way, I looked back below. Dave En­ glish and Boone Helm were bidding goodby to two mounted cowboys at the ferryhouse. Ten minutes later, as I looked back through the blinding snow, I saw that these two desperate fellows were following me. True, there was nothing criminal in that The two highway men had a right to ride behind me if they wished. And Canada Joe had just as ggxjd right to ride ahead of me. But to be on a horse deep in the blinding snow and loaded down with gold was bad enough. To have a desperado blocking the nar­ row trail before you, with his two friends behind you, was fearful! One of them held up a bottle. They evidently intended to overtake me if they could, and profess to be friendly. This 1 must not allow. I urged my am- i bitious horse to his best But, to my disappointment, as I hastened up a nar­ row pass I found that I was not far be­ hind Canada Joe. This low-browed, black fellow was reported to be the worst man in all the country. And that was saying he was bad indeed. I was in a tight place and had to think fast. My first plan was to ride forward and face this man before the others came up. But I was really afraid of him. it seemed a much easier task to turn and kill the two rear men and get back to town. But no! nol All this wan abandoned almost as soon as thought of. In these days even the most desperate had certain rights which iheir surviving friends would enforoe. I was but a few hundred yards be­ hind Canada Joe. So far as I could find out the robbers were closing in upon me. But we had riddon over the rough­ est part of the ?oad and were within a few miles of iaigh plateau, so {hat the ^nd waa teasing past In & fend the drifting snow almost blinded me. Suddenly I had a new thought Why pot take the left, gain the plateau by a new route and let these bloodthirsty robbers close their net without having me inside? I rose in my saddle with excitement at the idea, and striking Bpurs to my brave horse, I was soon climbing up the natural slope at a gal­ lop. Ah! but I was glad! Gallop! gallop! gallop! I seemed to bear many horses. Turning my head suddenly over my shoulder I saw my two pur­ suers not a hundred yards behind me. They shouted! I was now on the high plateau and the snow was not so deep! Gallop! gallop! gallop! Canada Joe-- thank heaven--was away to the right and fast falling behind. Gallop! gal­ lop 4 gallop! I was gaining on the rob­ bers and they knew it Fainter' and fainter came their curses and their shouts. And then: Whiz! crack! thud! I looked back and saw that they both had thrown themselves from their sad­ dles and were taking deliberate aim. But to no purpose. Not one shot touched me or my horse, and I reached the first station "and finally rode into Walla Walla with my precious bnrden safe and sound. a worship of their anoestori. , 8ome of the islMMlers have wooden goods, and sacrifice to these deities. Ttay practice polgamy and intermarriage closely. But while they hold it legal for sisters' children or brothers' and sisters' children to marry, they do not allow the children of brothers to marry each other. Indeed, it is considered the thing for a brother's son to marry a sister's daughter, and these daughters are all called wives by the son, al­ though he may olaim but one of them iu marriage. The country is a much warmer one than thio, the temperature running from 70 degrees te 90 degrees in the house. As you may imagine, it is very lonelyon the island for us, as we see no other white men on the island but our­ selves, except twioe a year when the steamer comes from Australia on its semi-annual trip."--Kansas City Jour- X'.v£ All In It. Wooden--I see they have started a curling club in town. I shouldn't think they would get many to join. Wagiey--On the contrary, the mem- ship is simplv enormous. Wooden--You don't tell me! Wagiey--Well, I should say ft in* jDlftiiMi jjpUpi . In a Land of Cannlbali* The Rev. William Watt, a mission­ ary of the New Zealand Presbyterian church, on the Island of Tanna, in the New Hebrides Islands, was at the Mid­ land yesterday. Mr. Watt is a tall and bearded Scotchman with the Scotch accent. To a Journal reporter he said: On the Island of Tenna, where I am stationed, there are eighteen mission­ aries and 140 native teachers. The population of the island is about 60,000^ The natives are of a brownish color ana are almost entirely uncivilized, al­ though they are rapidly taking to the teachings of Christianity and are gradu­ ally adopting the customs of civilized beings. In their savage state they go entirely naked and are fierce cannibals. They eat only those killed or captured in war. In 1839 they killed and ate two missionaries named Harris and Williams. In 1862 Gordon and his wife perished by the same means, and in 1873 Gordon's brother suffered a like horrible fate. You see they have hot gotten me yet, and I presume they think I am too lean to be palatable and toothsome. "These islanders have no settled form of government, but) are divided into innumerable small tribes or clans, with no one chief of any importance. These tribes are continually making war on each other and no longer use the barbaric implements of warfare, as they have become accustomed to at leant one product of civilized genius--the Winchester rifle--and use it with deadly effect. The only government in the island is that wielded by a joint commission oi the French and British governments. "These islanders are a shiftless sort of people, living solely off the natural products Of the soil, such as the yam, banana, bread fruit, cocoantit, etc., which grow in great profusion in that semi-tropical climate, The bread fruit is supposed by most people to be an ar­ ticle of food that can be plucked from the tree and eaten withoat any prepar­ ation, but, on the contrary, it has to be prepared by cooking it The natives possess almost no property and seem to. We no idea of accumulation an^ use. *Zhe native worship is idolatry and <- •; Sawdust Brandy, ^-*' And now look out for a slarllibg revolution in the lumber trade. An eminent German sanitary expert says that the chemists have succeeded in making a first-rate brandy out of saw- dnst. Herein is the promise and po­ tency of economy in the management of saw-mills at once startling and inter­ esting. The cause of prohibition gets a serious set-back when it is reflected that the veteran "soaker" who finds the saloons all closed lias only to provide himself with a hand-saw to go out and get as full as a "biled" owl on a fence rail. Talk about the wanton deforest­ ing of our wooded demesnes--why, there wouldn't bo a fence left standing along the highways upon which the peripa­ tetic tramp pursues the even tenor of his way. We shell have reached an ap­ palling down grade of social demorali­ zation when a man may drink the shingles off his own roof, and the legs off his wife's piano or best bedstead, to say nothing of the jim-jams possibly to be extracted from the window sills of her domicile. Why, even the pretty moral of the "Old Oaken Bucket" is lost in the reflection that it is made of wood, and liable at any moment to be transformed into sawdust and thence into a brandy cocktail. If this new chemical wrinkle is susceptible of prac­ tical demonstration, and the sawdust distillation not too complicated and costly, it will take a lightning calculator to figure out the possible rise in the price of the waste of the saw-mill and the corresponding enhancement of all timber values. Our lumber trade would experience a marvelous activity, and we should have to buy a faster printing press to meet the demand for oopies of the Lumberman and we doubt if types and paper would hold out to meet the rush upon our want columns of the new investors in the lumber deals. The saddest reflection of all would be naturally in the destruction of our fondest poetic fancies by this cold, practical absorption of the sylvan charms of our suburban retreats. The lisped numbers of the "Talking Oak"of the poet-laureate would degenerate into the maunderings of a stuttering inebri­ ate, and the touching tones of Morris bo paraphrased to run: ""Woodman (hie), share that tree; touch not a (hie) shin­ gle bough--in youth it sheltered me, and (hie) I'm going to drink it up now," and then the iconoclast flattened with the divine afflatus might moralize thus to the star: ^ leaves have thatr time to tall, ** ^ "! And BO have Ir • §#* ' f But difference tmxt leaves awt.iMV' I falls more harfter and more frequently. , ' --Southern Lumberman. Niational Differences iu Wometw A foreign writer has been at pains to give a category of the points of differ­ ence between the typical women of the three leading nationalities. It is not recommended as an infallible one, but it certainly is enteresting: "A French woman loves to the end of the honey­ moon, the English woman her whole life, the German woman forever. The French woman takes her daughter to the ball, the English woman takes her to church, the German woman gives;, her employment in the kitcheu. The French woman has spirit and imagina­ tion, the English waman has little taste, the German woman modesty. The French woman chats, the English woman speaks, the German woman renders decisions. The Spanish woman kills her lover in jealousy, the French woman her rival, the German woman simply renounces; but all at some time marry some one else. Settled mt Last. Mr. Hayfork (reading the Weekly Welcome)--A Second Adventist out West proves conclusively by the Bible that the world will oome to an end on the 23d of next month. Mr& Hayfork (dropping her knitting) --Land sakes! Then what'B the use o' me finishin'- these stockings? Maybe Iky, see How IA a tery easy thing to do, walking, learned so long ago in every woman's youth that she scarcely remembers how or wbetx she was taught to put one foot before the other, how she learned to move with shambling or dignified motions; and so strong npon her is the force of habit long continued that rarely, rarely in later years of girl or young ladyhood, can she be brought to a con­ sciousness of the defects in her carriage, and persuaded,, to alter them for more graceful movement, as she passes to and fro upon the face of the earth. Just one out of twenty-five women seen passing down a crowded street knows how to hold her body and bow to lift up and set down her feet naturally. That is tho result of long observation on the part of the writer, who, more­ over, remarks that that one redeeming woman is but a passable walker, says a writer in the Illustrated American* Now, only that woman who- goes in for athletic exercises, or has harkened to long lectures from the dress re­ formers, ever takes thought as to her daily bearing in public and at home. It is sufficient that she i3 not hunchbacked or conspicuously ungraceful, and though she doesn't know it, all those long, flowing skirt draperies, from waist to foot, hide for her a multitude of what might almost be deformities ugly, un- pleasing movements, that in a man go under the uncompromising terms of knock-kneed, bow-legged, splay-footed, and so on, but in her are hidden, and only obtrude by the uneasy steps, switching skirts and lift of shoulders, by the weak droop of shoulders, un­ dignified bend of the bead and poise of arms--all of which go to make up the irregular outlines of an ugly figure. In those early days, when a toddling baby, much of this unbeautifulness of carriage was learned, nor was it cor­ rected; and as very few women consider more than facil beauty necessary for happiness, they never pause a moment before the mirror and regard attentively the contours of the body, and walking back and forth, halt to judge whether the motion is regular and full of it won't even be cold by that time. look in the Farmers' Almanac an1 what the weather is goin' to be. Iky (after a moment)--It's goin' to be moderate, Aiother, moderate an' fair. Mrs. Hark fork--Does the almanac stop on the 23d ? Iky--No, it goes right on to the end o' the year. Mrs. Hayfork--Don't it say anything about the world comin' to an end? Iky--Not a word. Mrs. Hayfork (resuming her knitting) --The Bible is wrong. -- Street & Smith's Good News. • " t Confession of a Glove Dealer. "There, you see, is a table on which are some periodicals," said a glove dealer. "That is for gentlemen who come in here with ladies who want to buy gloves. Before I put that table in the gentlemen came to the counter with the lady and the l<»dy ordered her gloves. The next day they came back with the information that they were too small. I soon found that women do not like to tell their escorts the size of the glove they wear. So I put in this table and have the latest periodicals on hand. When the lady comes in with her escort I manage to get the escort over to this table "where he becomes interested. She makes her purchase and the gloves do not come back. A trick of the trade, and a small one, I grant you. The world doesn't know how much trickery there is in trade." How They Bleep. "I suppose you have to be constantly on the alert," said Jenkins to an Irish member of the New York Fire Depart­ ment. "I've heard that yon firemen sleep with one eye open." "Yis, sor, but the ither wan's clost." Hts idea of Hpeotos* Teacher (of natural history class)-- How many species of kangaroo are known to exist? Bright Pnpil--Twa Jes' th' same ez any other kind o' critter---the kangaroo an' the kangarooster. JOB got his certificate of patience be­ fore he was obliged to go out and buy Christmas presents for all his relatives. --Baltimore American, Onyx tn Missouri. When water cantaining lime in solu­ tion drips into a cave upon the ores of metals it forms with them a chemical combination and produces the exquisite translucent substance we oall Mexican onyx. If the metallic oxide or ore is gold, then rich purple veins and splotches appear through the onyx; if silver, then the coloring is yel­ low ; if copper, green; if iron, red. Zine and arsenic produce white. Ages ago King Solomon mined this rare onyx in Africa, says an exchange. The deposits tnere became exhausted. It was found in modern times at Ober- stein, in Germany. ^ The deposits there failed, too, however. Then the most beautiful decorative nSaterial known to man cropped out in America, but in Mexico, as if scorning a Yankee repub­ lic. For some years Mexico has sup­ plied the world, the splendid shining blocks of precious value being cut from the quarries by hand by Indians. Ma­ chinery has not been applied to it hith­ erto to any great extent, because the substance is so fragile that any force more violent than that of deft Indian fingers would split it and ruin it. Now, however, a flutter of interest has been aroused by the announcement that in Missouri inexhaustible quarries of onyx have just been discovered. Of course we do not want the magnificent Mexican onyx to become so plentiful thai it will W Tnlgarund and «vf>pli£d to all inanner of base uses, but it would be delightful if this material should be­ come so cheap that persons of moderate means can have a little of it in their homes. Thus every good thing is foond sooner or later in the United States. ' The Lelt Leg. There is a popular idea that because the right arm is more often used and stronger than the left, so the right leg is stronger than the left. This is not correct; there is evidence that the left leg is stronger than the right. From the theoretical point of view it would appear that in all manual labor requir­ ing increased use of the right hand, the left leg is also employed on the principle of equilibrium. In the case of the lower animals (except ambula­ tors, camels, etc.,) and babies, when walking on all fours, the right fore limb moves with tho left hind limb and vice versa. It follows from this that man, using the right arm more than the left, w;ould probably use the left leg more than the right. Many people find less exertion in walking around large circles to the right than.to the left This is also the ea?e in race paths for athletic sports, nearly all of which are arranged for the racers to go in circles to the right iu running. Again, travelers have ob­ served that hunters, when lost on prairies, wander around in circles to the right The fact( has been attrib­ uted to their following the oourse of the sun, but this does not appear to be necessarily the case. Many skaters can; perform more figures on the left than on the right foot--or, at any rate, in commencing, figures are more readily done.on the left foot. With rope dancers it is usually observed that the more complicated feats of balancing are per­ formed on the leit foot--Nineteenth Century. Help Yourself. Fight your own battles. Hoe your own row. Ask no favors of any one, and you'll succeed a thousand times better than one who is always beseeching some one's influence and patronage. No one will help you as you help yourself, be­ cause no one will be so heartily inter­ ested in your affair. The first step will be such a long one, perhaps; but, carv­ ing your own way up the mountain, you make each one lead to another, and stand firm while you chop still another out Men who have made fortunes are not those who have had $5,000 given them to start with, but boys who havo started fair with a well-earned dollar or two. Men who acquire fame have never been thrust into popularity by puffs begged or paid for, or given in friendly spirit They have outstretched their own hands and touched the public heart Men who win love do their own wooing, and I never knew a man to fall so signally as one who induced his affec­ tionate grandmother to speak a good word for him. Whether you work for fame, for love, for money or for any thing else, work with your hands and heart and brain. Say "I will," and some day you will conquer. Never let any man have to say, "I have dragged you up." Too many friends sometimes hurt a man more than pone at #ll* ~ Exchange. - He Rose Bsriy. She (as he rises to go at a late hour) --I suppose you'll sleep until noon, will you not, Mr. Jenkins? He--Why no; Pm a very early riser. . She (looking at the clock)---Yes, I ••eyouaBe.' * 4 ^ There Is Aeom to Hpim fpwt* Sir Walter Seott, U summing up the - i list of ettMurttiea which resulted from " thetomroainoiiAinwIidilfMiiieeeawwd ^ everything before him, says Hat eflfect j f that, because only a few knights Were 1 ^ * mortally wounded and several others " j dangerously hart, the tournament passed into history and rhyme as "the ., ^5, gentle and joyous passage-at-arms ef p Ashby de la Zouche." The mildly ironical expression is Mr •_ called, says the San Francwoo Chron- icle, by the accounts of the recent foot- : f? >, ball gatoe between Yale and Princeton." We read that one player "mowed down h a l f a d o z e n P r i n c e t o n m e n t h a t " i n ^ V m rush King was badly hurt, but revived sufficiently to go on with the game;" that "another player was retired on ac­ count of injuries;" and that "several of the players had to be carried off th* field at the conclusion of the garnet" Surely this will pass into the history of American sports as "the gentle and joy­ ous foot-ball match between Yale and Princeton," In the national game, teo< the list ef a season's casualties is by no means a short one; Broken fingers, cracked heads, bruised legs, spiked hands and sprained ankles are some of the most common accompaniments of base hallr and it seems impossible that the game can be played well or scientifically with" out them. It is not intended to throw cold- water upon athletio sports or games of My sort, but only to suggest that any game which results in personal injuries and often iiv disfigurement for life can bo called "sport" only by an extremity of courtesy which amounts to a postivo- misnomer. The injuries are not in­ flicted intentionally, at is true, but they are none the less injurious; and all the apologies in the world will not mend>a broken leg or cure a sprained ankle. With all our boasted civilization we are not much better in these matters than were the Greeks or Romans. Their games were not merely rough,. but in many cases cruel and brutal. They seemed to have very little regard for human feeling, or even for human life, as every reader of Greek and Ro­ man history knows. Whether this cal­ lousness was only an incident of the decadence of Athens and Rome, of whether it was an integral part of their downfall, is matter for argument. It has been claimed, with much earnest­ ness and plausibility, that the so-called sports of Rome under the lesser C:csar* were an index of the disposition and habits of thought of the people and » forerunner of the destruction which overtook them; and it has been argued< that we are showing signs of the fame decadence which sapped the imperial city and destroyed the mistress of the world. But this is not a logical deduction. On the contrary, our growing fondnese for athletics is a favorable sign, the only danger being that we shall overdo the v T m a t t e r . W e a r e l i k e a c h i l d w i t h a n e w 1 ' V - • toy--we cannot get enough of our field 0 games and open-air sports. At the same W time there is a happy medium between the gladiator and the "Miss Nancy;" v between puss-in-the-eorner combats with cestus. To show our manhood we r/vT" do not need to knock somebody down v every time we go on the street, or to \ * show our proficiency in manly sports do we need to play foot-ball in such a way as to leave a ma jority of each eleven crippled at the close of the game? , ihere must ™~aaff "f rlny- - |gp ing foot-ball which do not putine placer into the category of what life-insurance people call "extrahazardous risks," and it is time that new rules be found or made which shall eliminate the per­ sonal danger from the game without diminishing its interest. The question is certainly worth con­ sidering. Fun is fun, and a working people like the Americans can hardly get too much of it, but when fun » synonymous with wounds and bruises and fractures and the like it is time to devise some other kind of fun and to pat some limits to the extravagances of our athletic youths. Street Railroad In H«xl«o. For common-sense rules, good judg­ ment as to what a public wants, the street-car companies of the City of Mexico excel all others. First place, no bells are used on t&e horses or mules. The time made per mile is better than any other city in the world, excepting machine power lines. What seems strange to foreigners, but which is after­ wards necognized as a very sensible idea, a horn with a peculiar soft and sonorous tone is blown by the driver before each crossing is reached and to warn tres­ passers on the track. It cannot be imitated by boys, as the whistle is often done. All lines have first, second, and; third class cars, and besides these they have first and second class funeral cars. Market women and persons with huge baskets and bundles must either take the second class-cars or market cars, which at the same time are cheaper. The funeral car can be hired in trains of from two to ten cars and are draped in black, with regulation employes. These cars of course make the same time as the regular cars and everything goes along smoothly and swiftly. An­ other line of cars running to tl^e "baths" will sell you a bath ticket and your fare- for 25 cents, "hot or cold," and.from any part of the city through which the line runs. The conductors say, "Thank you," (in Spanish, of course) when you. pay your fare, and will Btop on either side of the crossing for a passenger. Everybody smokes on the cars, : women.--New York World. Taken. „ In every house, Miss Powelsoa^ said young Mr. Haybenslaw, with some hesitation, "there is a spare room. It ia kept for the us© of some honored guest. In every heart, too, there is a spare room." "And we find one, too, n» somany heads r she murmured. _ "Miss Powelson--Irene 1" the yonng man exclaimed, choking down a large and expansive lump of rising sighs, "in my heart there is a spaze room sacredly set apart for you." "Only one, dear Mr. Habenslaw?" she asked dreamily. "Do not mock me, Irene Powelson! It be a whole suit if yon like*--more than that! You shall have the entire premises if you'll only say so, and if that isn't enough^ we'll tear down and build bigger." "This spare room--this suite of rooms, Arthur," said the maiden softly, "that you are speaking of--how--how ia it famished ?" "In first-class modern style, Irene," replied the young man with a smile and a business-like ring in his voice. "Uncle Bullion died last week." "Say no xpore, Arthur," whispered the lovely girl, as she pillowed her rich blonde head on the young man's heart and listened to the wild thump! thump I that resounded through its spare oham- • fi • • \ 1: ','4' 1 ; Wt. m- :: ' y - f ) • ' i { '&A 'Ai. ItkS

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