Newspaper Page Text
yfjif? It is always the darkest hour Just before the alarm clock begins to stut ter in the morning. When I realized what happened yesterday, Pa butting into the kaiser's private grounds in his confounded run about airship, which was treason pun ishable with death, it made me sick, cause Pa has no more respect for roy alty than a tramp, and when the sol diers confiscated the airship and cut the silk alrbag for horse blankets, and put Pa and the cowboy into box stalls in the barn under guard, and every German around the place looked as though they would murder the in truders, I felt as though it was all off, and that Pa and the cowboy would be buried in Mr. Potter's field, and I would.be left without a friend. I cried some at the Joke on Pa, but when the prince sent me to the dog kennel and a servant tossed a bundle of straw and a dog biscuit to me, I broke down, and just bellered. Life has always had qiany surprises and quick changes for me, but I never fell from a palace, with the richest food and softest beds, in one short hour, to a dog kennel to sleep in, and a hard hearted dog biscuit to eat, with a flock of hounds jealous of me, trying to steal my food. Gee, it was hard lines. I tried to break my dog biscuit with a piece of brick, but the biscuit broke the brick, and then I had to hold it between my paws and gnaw it, but there didn't seem to be any more nourishment to it, than to a mess of petrified break- I Called for the Veterinary Surgeon in the Barn, But He Was Doctoring Pa. fast food, but I ate one biscuit and drank some water, and when the water Boaked into the dog biscuit inside of me, I began to swell up until my stom ach was as big as though I had but toned a pillow inside my vest and pants, and Gee, how I did ache. I called for the veterinary surgeon in the barn, but he was doctoring Pa cause Pa was foundered, and the cow boy bad a spavin on his leg from rid ing a zebra in Africa. I was just going to bust when the prince came out to the kennel and made me get up on my hind legs and "speak," and then he made me lie down in the straw and "play dead," while he and the English princes whis tled for me to get up, but said if I got up before they told me to they would knock my block off. I stood it all right because they said they were hazing me, and I, had taught them that when a boy was being hazed he must take all that was coming to him. But, when they tried to make me lay down and roll over, I told them they could all go plumb, and if they would come over into my kennel one at a time I would whip the whole crowd, and if Germany and England wanted to combine their forces I would tackle them all, football fash ion, and I got up and made a low tackle on the German prince's legs, and took a Jul Jitsu clutch on the wrist of one English prince, and clubbed the other one with him, and I had them down in a heap, and sat on them, and they surrendered. FROM A PAGAN FESTIVAL 8t. Valentine's Day—An Outgrowth of Feast of Lupercalia. St. Valentine, fresh and rosy, comes to time every year for another set-to with the god Cupid. Yet St. Valen tine's, like love himself, is very old., So old, that the feast was celebrated be fore the word "valentine" had ever been invented. It was the same thing under another namei When American girls and boys send each other the feathery, fluffy missives which early in February adorn the counters, of. the stationery stores, they are imitating what the girls and bo?s of Italy did more than two thousand years ago. It was during the month of February that the ancient Romans observed the festival of the Lupercalia, in honor ot Pan and Juno. The names of young women were written on tablets and put into a box, from which they were drawn by the men. The gfrl whose name a man drew was supposed to be come his sweetheart. Whether la Then, the German prince uaid io come on to the house', as they were otlly hazing me, and I needn't eat the dog biscuit and Bleep on the straw, but come to supper and sleep in a bed. Well, that tickled me, and I let them up, and we went in the house, and they gorged themselves, but I couldn't eat a thing I was so full of dog bis cuit, that I barked in my sleep, and in the morning we all had breakfast with the kaiser. He looked troubled and haggard, as though his hair pulled, and the prince didn't say anything, cause they were afraid he would explode, but I couldn't stand the suspense, as I was anxious as to the fate of Pa and the cowboy, so I tried to open the conversation cheerfully, so I said, "What's eating you up, you old grouch?" My, but he flared up. He turned purple, and the princes almost fainted away, at my bad break, but the kaiser choked a little and said, "Notting is eat me. It is' 1 who eat the sisige," and he glowed at me. I took my knife and was opening' a soft boiled egg, when he said, "You should be careful from dose feggs, aftfer vot happened yesterday. I never haf such splatter from scram bled ,eggs all over my uniform," "Well," I said, "You have got about two hundred uniforms, and you won't have to go naked," and that made him laugh, and then I asked him what was going to be done with Pa and the cowboy, and he said there were sev eral deaths they might die, but he had not made up his mind yet which would give them the most pain. We were about to get up from the table, and when he arose, I got on my feet, and looked him ID the eyes and said, "You kill those two men, for ac cidentally sailing over your private grounds because the wind shifted on them, as they were trying out a Ger man airship that Pa had paid good money for, and you strike a blow at President Roosevelt! They are his agents! Pa has been in Africa pre paring the animals for Roosevelt, and the cowboy was Roosevelt's rough rider that scaled San Juan hill, chas ing a wolf to kill it by choking it to death, see?" "What is the novel you are reading from," said the kaiser. "Do you tell me those men are agents of the great Roosevelt, mine Gott?" "Sure Mike," says I, "and I can prove it." the kaiser thought a moment, and then he said, "Bring those Americans to me at once already," and I made a hop, skip and a jump for the barn, and told them the kaiser would have audi ence with them. The cowboy said if anybody wanted to see him they could come out to the barn and he would talk to them while he was currying himself off, and Pa said he had prayed to die all night on the bedding in the box stall, and they could not sugar off the assassination any too quick to suit him. But I told them what I told the kaiser about their being in Africa as agents of Mr. Roosevelt, pre earnest or in joke, our antiquarians have not decided. Anyhow, this was the origin of the custom. The day of that pleasant lottery was'the Roman St. Valentine's. When Christianity became the re ligion of Rome, the pastors were op posed to all heathenish ceremonies. But it was impossible to do away with the Lupercalia, so the names of saints were substituted for those of women in drawing the lots. Some how the name St. Valentine became peculiarly associated with the observ ance. That is what has made him the patron saint of lovers. Soon St. Valentine's day became popular in northern Europe. The man ner of commemorating it was changed. Instead of drawing, lots young people began to write each' other love letters. The day had been-a recognized institu tion many hundreds of years before the modern ornamental valentine came into vogue. And' the1-'comic valentine? Why our serious-minded ancestors never paring fbr hik-big' gamer hunt, and un less they could make good on that story, they would be 'hutig for an. at-: tempt on the* kaiser's life^ in trying nto stab him with an airship, and* for them to ctome on to the houee and think up sbme good old-fashioned -Ues? to tell 'Win. Well, I was proud of Pa. In a walk of half a mile Pa thought it out, and I told him to be polite to the kaiser. "Do You Tell Me These.• Men Are Agents of the Great Roosevelt, Mine Gott?" "8ure Mike," I Says. but to seem indignant at the treat ment. The kaiser received them on, the lawn, and when he asked Paiwhat his business had been in Africa, Pa said, he ought not to give away state Se crets, but In order' to save his own life, and that of his roUgh'Hder friend, who saved Roosevelt, from death at San Juan hill, by drinking the flask of whiskey himself that'had been in tended for the colonel of his regiment, he would tell all, and throw himself on the mercy Of the empferor. He said he had been iii a good many big game hunts, and he knew the dan ger to the hunters,"so he fi&d invented a concrete sort of patrol box big enough for a few men to get inside with port holes to sh&ot out of, bull** ings that were elephant proof, for it whole drove of elephants could not tip one over any more than they could a steel sky scraper,, and he had spent a year building these concrete patrol boxes all over Africa where Mr. Roose velt was to kill big game. Not only that, but he knew how difficult It was for a near-sighted hunter to locate a vital spot on an elephant or tig^r, when he was suffering from Buck fever, so he had taken along about a hundred of these ring targets, such as are used at Schultzenfests, and had caused them to be placed on elephants, tigers, lions, zebras and' hippopota muses, so that the bulls eye inside, the rings on the white target would be right over the heart* of the animals, and any man tfiat coul^tSriTlTtarget with a bean shooter, Could kill the largest animal in Africa if he held right. Pa said he had hired a hun dred natives to herd the wild animals, and put the white targets on them when they rubbed them off against the trees, and that he was on his, way back to the United States to report to the president, and he should no doubt accompany Mr. Roosevelt to Africa after the 4th of March, and he would now take the liberty of inviting the kaiser to accompany them to Africa. Pa sat down on a lawn chair, and the kaiser asked the cowboy if he had anything to say, and he said he could only indorse all that the old man had said as being gospel truth. The kaiser wept, for a moment, and' then said, "Gentlemen, you are free to go home, with my blessing, and if you like I will, send you on a German bat tleship, and you may give by best love to your president *and say I will ac company him to Africa, and show him how to shoot and try those targets, and I shall have them put on my deer and boars 'in' my private preserves. You are now the guests of Germany, till you sail for honte." "Gee," said Pa, "that is easy," and we went to a hotel and skipped for home. (Copyright, 1909, by W. G. Chapman.) (Copyright In Great Britain.) Money and Its Drawbacks. Some people are left money just in the nick of time, and make good use of it it is ruinous to others to receive money that they have never earned. A good many people would never do any work at all if it wasn't for the fact that they had to, and so a wise Providence decrees that money shall not come their way except by the sweat of their brow.—The Captain. A Long Day. Yeast—I see the longest day in Nor* way lasts from May 21 to July 22, with, out interruption. Crimsonbeak—Gee! A fellow must feel tired by the time he reaches his bed!—Yonkers Statesman. dreamed of such a thing. They were too reverent. If all the romances, the oddities, the gpod and bad poetry, the love affairs which began in jest and ended in mar riage, the proposals, the refusals, yes, even the broken hearts and the 'trag edles connected with St. Valentine's day were collected in one volume, they would make a very big and a very curi ous book.—Illustrated Sunday Maga zine. Explained. Church—They usually pass around the contribution plate, in our church before the sermon. Gotham—Why do they do that, do you suppose? "Because so many men wake uy cross."—Yonkers Statesman. Longest Street Car Line. The longest street car line in the world is in the Argentine republic, from Beunos Ayres to 8an Martin, a distance of'64 miles. It is worked tor hordes, which" are less tfcar steam or electricity, vnoj?^-u"! LDEAN T:rought his automobile to a sud den stop In front of the village. church, atid. listened with bated breath.. Rising high above the mel low growl of the organ a voice floated out to his enraptured ears—a clear, thrilling, triumphant voice, singing Haqderp stirring aria, "I Know That My |Redeemer Liveth." "Her voice, .by all that is wonder ful!" ha' muttered, with an eager light in his eyes. "Surely I can't be mis taken. It must be the Easter lady!" He sat there with a rapt expression on his face until the portals Of the church swung open and the congrega tion' spilled out into the April sun 'rtita, bringing color and animation to the scene. He scanned the crowd with searching glances as it slowly melted away. The lkst to leave the church was the gray-haired rector, and walk ing by his side as he came down the walk was a beautiful young woman. "It is she," whispered the man in the automobile. ""I never saw her in my life before, but know it is she!" The rector and his companion came nearer. They were about to pass the car when the girl suddenly glanced up ang stopped. ']Why, this is my car, I believe," She sqdd blithely to the Yector, "f*m to "dih6'%lth Mrs Camperdown, you" Ktaqw Gobd-by, Mr. Roden, and' t,ell Mrjg. Roden I shall see her soon." ^he rector 'lifted Ms hat with ^pro found boty ^nd walked on up the Vil-' lage afreet, while the girl turned "to Va(de„an with pretty assurance. 'frhis. is the 'Camperdown car, is it .In an'instant Valdean was standing on the curb beside her, hat in han& 1 "Of course," he said glibly. "It\$ anything, you WJsh. That is—er— Let* me assist you, madam. Take this for ward spat, pleaW, be8ideVthe driver.'' The girl wag\onthe step W,hetf. she. hesitated, looked the car- oyer doubts fully and turned a half-frightened face toward Valdean. iter cheeks were flaining. 3 ''Am I making a mistake?" She fat tened "Not at all, I assure you," he stout ly protested. "I am Miss Drummond, you know?" ''Certainly, madam." "Mrs. Camperdown wrote me that she would have her automobile wait ing in front of the church, but—I think —I know she said it would be a lim ousine." "The limousine is out of order this ro^rping," lied. Valdean cheerfully, as her fteiftiy pushelfT^nSe elrllnto'aseat' arid' hastily occupteff^3i&' on6" 'tttside her. "So It had to be this or noth ing. You will find it just as com-1 fortable, I think." He put the car in motion, and it glided down the street with a soft, purring sound. f'Now," he added, after a pause, "if you will kindly tell me which way I am to go—" VWhich way?" exclaimed the girl. "Why, direct to the Camperdown farm, of course." "Yes, of course, but—but I haven't the slightest idea where that is, you see." The girl stared at him as if she doubted his sanity. ?'Perhaps you will be kind enough to tell me who you are?" she de manded, coldly. "Richard Valdean, at your service. My father is a ^ell-known banker in the city—Sylvester Valdean, by name. Possibly you have heard of him. I was out for a spin in my machine, and happened to be in front of the church, and—and there was no other vehicle in sight, and—and you couldn't walk, you know—I could not let you walk—" He choked in' his eagerness, and paused abruptly. "I suppose I ou^ht to be terribly in dignant," she said, suppressing her merriment, "but really I cannot be oth erwise than grateful to you for this kindness. You are very obliging, I am sure. Besides, the mistake was mine in the beginning. Mrs. Camperdown lives two miles out in the country, and you are going in the right direction, Mr. Valdean." She hesitated a mo ment, and then asked: "Were yon waiting for anybody at the church?" "Yes, I was waiting for you," he re plied, pimply. "For me!" she exclaimed. "I heard your voice, you know— heard you singing that beautiful aria, and I stopped to listen. I knew it was the voice of the Easter lady, and I was waiting there to see you come out." EASTER EGGS AS PRESENTS. Custom That Is Prevalent in the North ern Part of England. In the north of England, on Easter day, the little boys go out begging for Easter eggs, which are generally beau tifully colored and gilded. They play with the eggs, bowling them along the ground, tossing them like balls in the air, and even fighting battles with them in order to see whose eggs will prove the strongest. There is still surviving in the north of England the beautiful custom of making mutual presents of Easter eggs among the children of intimate families. The eggs are first colored and then are carved in artistic designs with a pen knife. The shells are marked off into three divisions, one part inclosing the name of the child to whom it4is to be given, another holding a little cupid, and the third portion decorated with some kind of a picture—amounting to a kind of Kaater-egs valentine. In America, the colored Easter-egg huntf lng on the grassy lawns, and the *The Easter lady?" "You are ntit wholly unknown to me, Miss Drummond, although I con fess I. never saw you until to-day," said Valdean, slowly. "Last Easter I chanced to be at St Mark's church in the city, and there I heard you sing for the first time. I know it was you, for I could not be mistaken in the voice. I did not see you. nor was I able to find out who you were or where you lived, but your voice- has haunted me for a 'whole year. In my thoughts, in my dreams, you have been k&own to me only as the Easter lady but now—at last—" He checked himself, and deliberate ly began to turn the vehicle into a cross-road leading at right angles from the one they were following. The girl quiekly laid a small gloved hand on his :arm. "No, no!" she cried "not that'way. "Keep straight on. Mrs. Camperdown livfs—" "Mrs. Camperdown can wait," said Valdean firmly as the car shot into the' new road at an increased rate of speed. "I am not ready to take you to Mrs. Camperdown yet. I have waited a whole year for this oppor tunity do you think I am going to turn you over to Mrs. Camperdown so soon?" Drummond sank helplessly back in her seat. He knew she was starring fixedly at him, and he half-ex pelted an outburst of expostulation, but he did not turn his head. 'jlAm I being-kidnaped?" she asked at last and the humorous note in her voljjce assured him that his bbld move wajs being condoned. yaldean's face brightened with a quijek. gleam of excited pleasure. .* "Then you. will let me drive y,ou to to •V* 'jjlncleed it will be a great favor,.to me[ I hope it is not asking too much of Jyou." j|Oh, I shall be delighted. And She gave him a quick, frightened lobk. Then the warm color streamed into her face and neck, and her eyes dropped. "Might it not mean," he continued with desperate earnestness, "that we are both controlled by the same fate that rules in the Valdean family. Might it not mean that you and I—" "Nonsense!" interrupted the girl, but her voice was very faint and trem ulous. "Will you let me hope, Margaret?" he whispered again. She slowly shook her head. "We have known each other so short a time," she protested. "We have known each other for five hours," said Valdean, looking at his watch. "What does it matter? It is fate. At least, tell me that I may hope." She was silent a long time but at last she sighed softly and lifted her eyes trustfijlly to his. "Yes, I—I think you may hope— Riphard." Easter search after the mysterious rabbit's egg, are all modifications of -European customs, while the giving of colored Easter eggs as presents is not an uncommon American habit, especially in connection with our American Sunday schools and churches. A Prayer of the Risen Life. O Thou, Prince of Life and First Begotten of the dead! who, by Thy glorious resurrection, hast overcome death* and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life enable us, by Thy heavenly grace, to walk in newness of lire, and to abound in the fruits of righteousness so that we may at last triumph over death and the grave, and rise in Thy likeness, having our cor ruptible bodies changed into the fashion of Thine own glorious body. Let the sunlight of Thy favor shine upon us, and breathe into our hearts the quickening potoer of Thy risen life until hope springs forth, aftd life is glad with the fragrance of joy in Thee. 'Perfect-the "growth,' and bring it to the tall harvest, to the glory of Um risen Christ Anitt Sttd AmtmM lwe ca^ dine at the Red Eagle inn, Which is Jdirectiy on. the way, and still get home before nightfall." yhe ice was broken it was ^aston ishing how quickly these young peo ple arrived at a* mutual and cordial understanding. By the time th^s Red Eagle inn loomed up before them they were chatting-as gaily arid unreserved ly as if they had kriowh eitch other fbr years. They dined cofcily and ^happily at the inn, consuming-much more time than was necessary in the perform ance, and then taking their places in the car once more, .they resumed their journey .toward t,he city. tl was sure something portentous yrould happen to-day," said Valdean, enthusiastically, as they bowled along the highway. jfrtntr has any thing-portentous hap pened?" asked Miss Drummond, curi ously. ''Surely. Nothing could be more significant than this chance meeting between you and me." "But—does it portend anything?" "To me, it does. It holds a beautiful prpmise. It is the fate of the Val de&ns. Listen, Miss Drummond," and the young man became very serious. "Easter is strangely mixed up with the destinies of the Valdeans. My father met my mother for the first time on Easter day. My grandfather and grandmother first knew of each other's existence on an Easter morn ing and they were married the same evening. It was the tricksy spirit of that festival that brought my great grandparents together nearly a hun dred years ago. As far back as the record goes the members of my family have all met their affinities at Easter tiijie. Will you contend, Miss Drum mbnd—Margaret—that our meeting to-day has no meaning for the future?" hitrm Sttd Clan/itd if«Mr Fkmr. A l-i ALCOHOL-3 PER Awgctable Preparation ftr As similat ingitie afMf ting Hie Storiachs and Boweb of Promotes Digestion,Cheerful ness and RestCon tains neither Opium ,Morphine nor Mineral NOT N AW OTIC AWpr •TOld DtSAMVEimtMOt AwA'» JW AriiftMr perfect Remedy for Cons tipa Hon. Sour Slomach.Diarrhoea, Worms .Convulsions .Feverish ness and LOSS OF SLEEP. Facsimile Signature of THE CENTAUR COMPANY, NEW YORK. 11 on ji O S S [Guaranteed wilder the Fo Copy of WrapfNfc Martha Washington Comfort Shoes RICES I a a a a 4* $3.50 Shoes Than Any Othar Xsnnfastonc totocMM J*M tfc* wesnr «hi tadl «f «h»: gaas£!r',-i,J1 HtocWoa of tka lwthan ftraaek ysrt «f tkaakML wMf la tmj fcnHMrt,! uImh MuJ/tthod of Tanning thi 8oi«a makta tkm More Fttxlbltemd Longer Wtaring iMtm an/ aL«a, CAUTION This Trade-mark Him litotes All Uncertainty in the purchase of paint materials.' KNOWNSINCE It is an absolute guarantee of par ity and quality. For your own protection, see. it is on the side of every keg of white lead you buy. unauLLAita !8Z6 ASR E a nr iii rc CAPSULES SUPERIOR RFMEDV URINARY DISCHAPi'ES DRUG CISTS OK B. MiiL'.s RECEIPT.,. 50 A N N A S N on N N ForInftuit««iidChmreii» The Kind You Hav* BMmthe Yon win never know what genuine foot comfort la until you wear Martha Washington Comfort Shoes. «They re lie vo tired and aching feet and make walk ing a pleasure. They fit like a dove and feel aa easy aa a stocking. ,No bother about buttona or laces—they just allp on and off at wilL The elastic at the aides **givea" with every movement of the foot, Insuring free action and a perfect fit. Absolute comfortguaranteed. Beware of imitations. Only the genuine have the name Martha Washington and Mayer Trade Mark stamped on the sole. Refuse substitutes. Yourdealerwillsupply you If not, write to us. For Sow CUTS FREE—It TOO wQl •end us the name of* dealer who does not handle Maitha Waihingtoa Comfort Shoes, w* beautiful picture of Martha We also mains Honorbllt Shoe*. Leading Lady Shoes, Yenna Cushion Shoes and Speclal Merit School Shosa. F. Mayer Boot &Shoe Go. IULWAUKEB.WISCONSIN DISTEMPER MHSe sad mwlttrs prerwitlrs, BO COME DOWN In USB For Over Thirty Years mattsr bow bonssat anr in -sipmeJ." Liquid. glTen on^ths^ngruaj aets oa.tli* Blood Guudsi expcla tbs and Cum." Special agcota wantad. SPOHN MEDICAL CO.. fOSREI, WD., U. S. k. wre laftoted or Faaeus Sura Raich Incabatora Will be sold CHEAP the next few weeks. Best machine in the world. Built for real business, and will make you somi. Get into the business now and raise chickens while Poultry and Eggs are high priced. Bend for big free book about our Incubator and the Poultry Business. Sure Haich Incubator Co., Bex 172, Fremont, Neb. WIZARD OIL I.J'IM.IIIIJ'HI U' I It htpitka r~j rtiir ii otAtra. liaMftr Ew McmImtm€the FMlly, B*y(,W«ara,MlMW Ml CHUS^sg tm%CetocXyUtUVm4Ssatiutvtly. OitahfariMba W. L. 00U0LAS, U7 ifaik St, Bncktaa. G-REAT O PA I N A. N. K.—G (1909—14) 2276. 45 to 50 Bu. of Wheat Per Acre have been grown on (arm lands in WESTERN CANADA Much lew would be Satisfactory. The gen* eral average is above twenty bushels. "All are loud In their praises of the great crops and that won derful country ."—Ex tract from corrrspondrnce Nations I Editorial Association of August, 90S. is now possible to secure a homestead of 1 'i! 160 acres free and another I60acres at $3.00 per acre. Hundreds have paid the cost of their farms (if purchased) and then had a balance of from $10.00 to $12.00 per acre from one crop. Wheat, barley, oats, flax—all do well. Mixed fanning is peal success and dairying is highly profitable. Excel lent climale, splendid schools and chinches, rail ways bring most every district within easy reach of market. Railway and land companies have lands for sale at low prices and on easy terms. "Last Best West" pamphlet and mapa aent I'm. "or these and information aa to how to accure lowest railway ratea, apply to Superintendent of Immigration, Ottawa. Ctftidt, of the authorised Csnsdiso Govern* meat Afeot: Salts and Castor A?1 bad staff—never cure* "II only makes boireb move be* eanse ft fcrrititei and threats them, like poking fingerin your eye. The best Bowel Mstf&tfa* MM box AR LC a CoseareCa. Erery Salts and Castoc OB user should get a of CASCARETS and tqr them just opce. You'll Caacarets—IQcboa week's treatmiant. AB dnittlats. ^Bluest aeller in the WOCW^BULIFTOO BOIM A NOON* I Per Salter's aatalof pace x*9.| ILargest rrowers ot seed eats, wheat, barley Ispelts, com, potatoes, rrasses and clovers and I farm seeds inthe world. Biccatalocfree:or.l I send lOo in stamps and receive sample oCl I Billion Dollar Grass, yield ii£ lOtonaof hayl I per acre, oats, apelts, barley, ete.. easily worth I ietO.OOof any man's money t»get astart with. I land cataloc free. Or. send I4e and wa add al I sample faraa aeed novelty never aeea before Itoyes. SAUISSCB0a.taff.lal ':ax-ainis»ns's neMsr