The Rising son. [volume], March 02, 1907, Image 3

About The Rising son. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1896-19??

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO

                
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ROMANCE OF V1LJ0EN.
NEW SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY
A YOUNG ASTRONOMER.
FAMOUS BOER GENERAL NOW LIV
ING IN NEW MEXICO.
Captor of Or. Jameson Leading Quiet
Existence ae Fourth-Class United
8tatee Postmaster Weda an
Illinois Girl.
New York. To lose a country and
And a wife may not be a bad trade,
even If It does Involve descending
from the seats of the mighty 10 the
position of a fourth-class postmaster
In a little hamlet on the very out
skirts of civilization.
This is, in capsule form, the real life
romance of Gen. Benjamin Johanls
Viljoen, postmaster of Chamberlno,
Itlo Arriba county, N. M. Ten years
ago his name was a household word
wherever printing press Is known, as
the enptor of the aspiring but prema
ture Dr. Jameson, the South African
GEN. BENJAMIN J. VILJOEN.
(Dr. Jameson's Captor Now a United
States Postmaster.)
raider. With equal success he fought
the Basuto savages, receiving his re
ward in the shape of a scat in the
volksraed, or senate, of the Transvaal
republic
With De Wet and Hot ha he aided in
the shattering of British military idols
from the start almost to the finish
of the Boer war. Like Napoleon he
was sentenced to banishment for life
cn the lonely rock of St. Helena, and
when amnesty was offered he pre
ferred perpetual exile to taking the
oath of allegiance to the crown against
which he had born arms.
Benjamin Johanls Viljoen, now en
gaged in the humdrum occupation of
selling two-cent stamps at Chamber
ino, was born at Woodhouse, eastern
Cape Colony, 38 years ago. In 18SG,
when but a beardless boy of 18 years,
he caught the gold fever and Joined
the rush of eager Argonauts to the
oooocooooooooooogoooooooooooooooooooocobooooooooocooc:
AGED 108, BUT READY TO WED.
Centenarian Celebrates Birthday by
Smoking Her Pipe.
Cherryfleld, Me. Appearing in bet
ter mental and physical health than
she hna for some years past, Mrs. Le
vlna Cox, the oldest woman in Maine,
celebrated her one hundred and eighth
birthday the other day with a party
which filled her house in Harrington.
Among the many gifts for her were
her favorite luxuries, confectionery
and tobacco. She refused a new clay
pipe, because she has one which she
has smoked dally for the last 15 years,
and declared that none can be manu
factured which will be as sweet and
mild as her favorite.
Mrs. Cox was born in Columbia, not
far from where she new resides.
Her first husband was a soldier in
the war of 1812, and her second hus
band served two enlistments in the
civil war. Many of her relatives serv
ed in the wnr with Spain, and in all
cases they won some distinction.
Mrs. Cox walks about the house
without assistance, and although small
in stature and her features much
wrinkled, she does not look the num
ber of her years. Her eyes are bright
and she is able to read a few minutes
each day without the aid of glasses.
Her hearing is remarkably acute, her
oars catching perfectly conversation in
the lowest of tones.
ller appetite is excellent and she
sloops well, despite the fact that she
has never used patent medicines which
aspiring advertisers have endeavored
MRS. LEVINA COX.
(Is 108 Years Old But Still In Good
Mental and Physical Health.)
to thrust upon her during the last few
years.
She says that she knows tobacco It
bad for young eople and she doesn't
expect to live out naif her days if she
-ens on smoking ber pipe, which she
Rand. The goddess of the mines did
not smile upon his labors, and in 1800
he gave up prospecting to enter the
service of the Doer government as as
sistant public prosecutor. He still
longed for adventure, and three years
later he became organizing officer of
the volunteer militia, with the rank of
lieutenant, rising gradually until he
became major. His first leap into
the spot light was made in 1896, when
he gained international renown as
leader In the capture of "Doctor Jim,"
whose misfortune was that he made
his spectacular move Just a little too
soon.
Kor his services at this time Vil
joen was promoted to the position of
commnndant of militia and special
commandant of the burglier, or citi
zen, forces, of Johannesburg. His
mettle having been tried and found
true. In 181)7 he was intrusted with
leadership of an expedition In Swazi
land. During the latter stages of the he
roic Boor Ftruggle for Independence
against an overwhelming weight of
numbers and material resources, Vil
joen captured many armored trains,
and kept up an unceasing campaign
with the object of harassing and wor
rying the enemy, while his com
patriots, De Wet and Botha, were co
operating elsewhere. Two months
before the lust shot was fired he wns
ambushed at midnight, while crossing
the British cordon with a small escort.
His horse was shot under him, and
he was severely wounded, making his
capture easy. He was sentenced to
banishment for life on the Island
of St. Helena, where he was confined
until In the fall of 1002. Ho was then
paroled and returned to South Africa
to bid farewell to the land for which
he had fought In vain, to sever old
ties, and to gather together the little
that belonged to him that hud escaped
the general cataclysm. He was one
of tlio "irreconcilablos," steadfastly re
fusing to accept amnesty at the price
of swearing allegiance to the king.
A few faithful followers, bound to
him by ties of blood, elected to ac
company him into exile, and together
they set sail for the land of the free,
arriving in New York in December,
1902.
The exiles found the hearts and
homes of America open to them, and
selected New Mexico as their land of
opportunity. On his way to his new
home Gen. Viljoen foreswore his al
legiance to the red god of war, meet
ing a red-cheeked girl of Illinois in
St. Louis, and surrendering uncondi
tionally to the dimpled deity of love.
He had lost his country, but he had
found a wife, who now rules Jointly
with him over the post office at Cham
berlno; and if the shadows of past
greatness sometimes haunt him, in
her sympathetic arms he banishes re
gret. has almost constantly in her mouth.
In her Joking mood she declares that
if there are any good looking young
men in town who are looking for a
good housewife she will consider their
proposal. There are four generations
in the house where Mrs. Cox lives, her
daughter being 7fi, her grandson 41
and a great-granddaughter being 18
years old. Perhaps the most remark
able feature In the longevity of Mrs
Cox Is that she has worked hard all
her life, rearing a family of six chil
dren, caring for live stock, splitting
wood and shoveling snow.
BRIGGS TO SUCCEED DRYDEN.
New United States Senator from New
Jersey Elected.
Trenton. N. J. In Joint session here
the legislature chose Frank O. llriggs.
of Trenton, state treasurer, to succeed
FRANK O. BRIGGS.
(Elected to Succeed John F. Dryden
as Senator from New Jersey.)
John F. Dryden In the L'nlted States
senate. He received 41 out of 7S
votes cast.
Mr. Briggs was born in New Hamp
shire In isr.0. lie was u student nt
Phillips Exeter academy und was
gruduated from West Point in 1872.
lie served lu the Second l'nlted
States cavalry until 1877, when he re
signed enter tho employ of Join.
A. Hot Ming Sons company hero as
an engineer, and Is now assistant
treasurer of the concern. He has al
ways been prominently Identified with
politics since leaving the army. Ik
was elected mnyor of Trenton in IN'.i'c
and in 1902 Gov. Vouchees appointed
him state tnasurrr. which position lie
still holds. In 1904. Mr. Briggs was
j elected chairman of the Republican
' state committee aad is still at the
head of the committee.
American Insurance Companies.
There were :163 stock and J.U mu
tual fire insurance coiupunin In the
I.Vnlted States Junuary 1, 1907.
-7 sWTO'ffrtTAsy ,7
FRANK A.
SAVINGS OF THE SOLDIERS.
Paymaster's Department Has $2,911,
737 of the Regulars' Money.
The American Boldler la not highly
paid, yet he is a thrifty chap. Lnst
year 54,200 enlisted men Baved and
deposited with the paymaster's depart
ment $1,495,228. This Is a respectable
sum and represents about 12 per cent
of the total pay of all the enlisted
men for that period. Had every en
listed man made a deposit the average
saving for the year would have been
$27.50, but that is the least interest
ing feature of the system.
The figures show that the soldier
can deposit, under the law of 1872,
only sums of $5 and over. As the pay
is small, the total deposits for the
year show that the saving habit Is
continuous with many enlisted men.
These deposits bear Interest at the
rate of four per cent a year, but they
can not be withdrawn until the soldier
receives his discharge. Last year
there was repaid to soldiers the sum
of $1,168,236; interest was also paid
to the amount of $70,112. The number
oi men discharged is not given, but
the amount repaid shows that their
average saving must have been con
siderable. Since the enacting of the law of
1872 the total deposits have amounted
MONUMENT DISPLEASES NEW ENGLANDERS
A
ft
IS
Tho Tower at Blena, Italy.
Mont Popular Dentin fur tint Monument.
Architects and sculptors of Boston have horn rather amused at the design
lor u memorial io mo rtlgrlm Tamers at rrovincciown, wnicn, ii i mom, mm
been uccepted by the committee having the mutter lu charge. This design
is simply a copy of tho tower of the city hall or communal building of the
city of Siena in Italy. Why this old lower of the late Gothic period In Tus
cany should bo selected as a model for the memorial to the Pilgrim father"
A s,. y...f 1.. - I.I. .
uunu uii v.uiu luu ji Kix'uiiy puzzling
to $27,798,553 and discharged soldiers
have received $1,582,993 In Interest on
deposits withdrawn. There remains
on deposit with the paymaster genorul
the sum of $2,911,737.
Water Is a "Nerve Tonic."
"If nervous women would only
drink more water they would not be
so nervous," remarked a trulned nurse
the other day.
"Nearly every physician will recom
mend a woman who is suffering from
nervous prostration or nervous ex
haustion to drink lots of water be
tween meals, but many women who
do not come under the doctor's care
would feel better and look better if
they would drink, say, a quart of
water In tho course of a day. Water
Is a nerve food. It hn:t a distinctly
soothing effect when sipped gradually,
as one can test for herself."
Probably.
"I saw a picture of a group of chil
dren who will bo rulers of men some
day."
"Must be girl children, aren't theyf
Houston Post.
BR1GC.9.
DERELICTS OF THE OCEAN.
Abandoned Vessels Are a Constant
Menace to Shipping.
Even if our merchant marine is lan
guishing wo still seem able to load
the world in derelicts. The great pro
portion of them aro American vessels
abandoned in American waters. Few
are reported west of the sixtieth de
gree of longitude or south of tho
Bahamas, tho Caribbean sea being
very free from them. The reports to
tho hydrographlc office last month
allowed no fewer than seven of theso
menaces afloat off the coast. There
was one off the New England coast,
two off the const of the CaroHmis,
one each off tho Virginia and Florida
coasts, and one still farther out at
sea.
Lumber laden derelicts are tho most
troublesome. It takes them a long
time to sink. One such reported in
the early 50s drifted over 7,000 miles
In 850 days. She was sighted US times
during that period, showing that she
was frequently putting herself in the
way of charted ocean travel.
Turns Against Woman Suffrage.
H. G. Turner, tho "literary banker''
of Melbourne, Australia, has publicly
proclaimed his apostasy from the
cauBo of female suffrage. He advo-
TeWBfl
OB3ss-
Ikkikii fciihl to lluv liccn fStdnctiMl.
nr tiuuciM.
cated It for many years on tho ground
of equal rights for udults of both
sexes; but now that it lias beeomo an
accomplished fact In Australia ho If
grievously disappointed. What he
saw and heard during the recent com
monwealtli general election lovolu
lionized his views on the subject, lit
draws a terrible picture of tho effect
of female suffrage lu the constituency
In which hu lives. According to Mr
Turner, "in this electorate evil hat
I been wrought that il will take year;
! to eradicate. Iilssouiiion ami disiu
tegiatlou have fallen upon the domes
I tic circle. I.itelong ti lomlshlps have
been withered and an attitude of d
fiance has ri placed that, affectionate
trust luiitoaa wnnn is woman s ciucicki
charm."
A Redeeming Trait.
She There was, at least, one good
thing to ho said for Ananias.
HeWhat was that, I'd like to
kn.w?
Shu (wltherlngly) When he was
caught lying, he didn't say he couldn't
help it; It was all Sapphlra's fault-
Baltimore Amerlcafi.
tr Fumi 1 1 1 1 i in i r
HECTOR MACPHERSON. A SCOTCH
BOY, ONLY 18 YEARS OLD.
A Star Gazer From Birth Hae Writ
ten Two Notable Scientific Works
Speaks Four Languages
Rules Private Observatory.
Edinburgh, Scotland. t'nless there
be an exception on tho other side of
the Atlantic for America Is steadfast
ly regarded by tho old world as a land
of prodigies and possibilities Scot
land thinks It enn boast of tho young
est astronomer In the world.
He la Hector Macpherson, Jr., and
although only 18 years old, Is the auth
or of two notable astronomical books.
He Is the son of a prominent Scottish
HECTOR MACPHERSON.
(Youngest AGtronomer in the World.)
Journalist and lives with bis father In
a pretty tree-sheltered country house
nt .lohnshurn. Balerno, u few miles
from Edinburgh.
The young star-gazer first saw the
light of the moon lu 1SS!, and from
the wonderful accomplishments since
credited to him, it may he safely as
sumed that he began at once to make
inquiries In his infantile tnlud regard-
little in his abnormal Interest in the
wonders of the firmament, but before
the hoy's twelfth birthday his father
decided that Hector was a an nstrono-
Ing that golden orb of night shining
through the nursery windows.
FINE CHURCH ON PRAIRIE.
Iowa Farmers Have Built a Cathedral
Which Cost $85,000.
Eldora, la. At Petersburg, on a
prominent point of the fertile pialrles
of Bremer township, Delaware coun
ty, about eight miles northwest of
Dyersvillo stands Just completed one
of the most beautiful Catholic
churches of modern times. It was
erected nt a cost of $85,0110. The
church Is of a beautiful Gothic de
sign, built of massive rock and cut
stone and its dimensions are 51 feet
wide and 150 feet long, and at. tho
transepts the church Is 71 feet wide.
Three beautiful spires adorn the
front of the church, and under each
nf theso there nro massive arches and
also at the transepts supported by
strong but tresses giving to I he hI rue
til re five large portals. All tho walls
ire supported by well designed but
tresses and the ridges of the roof aro
j'corated with model cresting.
The height of the outside wall Is .13
feel ami the grand arch Inside Is 45
feet high and the side arches 40 feel.
The basement contains a large chapel
well lurnlslied. The building is heal
ed by steam. The windows of the
church aro of grandly decoraled glass.
9tid ihe center of each represents
some figure or event spoken of lu
holy writ. The high altar Is one of
the best ever manufactured, ami
everything that Gothic designs could
furnish to enhance hca'lly and devo
tion seem to have come together here
in a remarkable manner. The altar
table nnd tabernacle are made of
highly pcdl.'dieil Italian marble Inlaid
with mosaic work and the llulals and
baldachins are richly deooiaicil In all
that art can produce. The funds lo
build this church were furnished by
New Catholic Church on an Iowa
Prairie.
the farmers of the region and tho
building was dedicated und conse
crated free of til debt by Bishop
Schinner of Superior, Wis., assisted
by Most Hev. Archbishop Keanu of
Dubiuiue.
ISA
V
oLi
In childhood he had more affection
for tho Big and Little Bears of tho
heavens tli;m for the woolly onea
stuffed wltli' SHwdust from tho toy
shop, and lie iitched the shooting
stars with more interest than he took
in his bouncing rubber ball. He learn
ed the signs of the zodiac as easily a
the alphabet nnd listened more atten
tively to the myths of Diana and Apol
lo than to the "Forty Thieves" or
"Jack, the Giant Killer."
HIb parents encouraged the child but
mer horn. Accordingly, the youth was
given a few astronomical primers as a
birthday present Instead of the "Ara
bian Nights" or "Gulliver's Travels."
Before another birthday the eager
student had worn the covers off theso
books and had more knowledge of tho
planets, satellites, comets, meteors and
other features of the heaven's canopy
than the average person ucqulres lu a
lifetime.
It was no puzzle to the father to de
cide what sort of gifts would please
hU son, and hit by hit the young as
tronomer accumulated telescopes, or
reries, star maps and other parapher
nalia and as became a private observ
er, be lilted up a corner of the coun
try home as an observatory. Here he
had ample leisure to cultivate his fa
vorite science.
Finding it Impossible to get good
translations of foreign works on as
tronomy and astronomers, the lad
learned three languages French, Ger
man and Italian -and at the age of
15 he published a book on "Astrono
mer:! of To -May." lu reviewing this
work a London Journalist said: "We
do not know the author of this book,
luit it is clear to us that be has given
yours of serious thought to the subject
ami is also fully and accurately ac
quainted with the works and met hods
of tho world's greatest astronomers."
Recently this boy now only 18
years of age published a second book,
"A Century's Progress In Astronomy.'
The volume Is one of 210 pages and
tolls In an easy vein the marvelous
progress that has been made In thin
deep but fascinating science during the
last bundled years.
Young Macpherson is a member of
tho Sociele Astronomhpie do Franco
and a member of tho Soelete Belgo
d'Astronoiulo. If there be a lad of sim
ilar accomplishments mid honors In
the land of marvels across the sea Bin
young Scotch expert would undoubted
ly like to hear of him lost ho rest on
honors that bo not his.
il
TO PAINT POPE'S PORTRAIT.
Young American Artist Achieve Great
Distinction.
William Edwards Cook, who will be
the first American artist to paint a
portrait of Pope Plus X., Is a native of
WILLIAM E. COOK.
(American Artist Who Will Paint a
Portrait of the i ope.)
Independence, Iowa, lie now has a
studio in Rome, where he ha.) lived
for a year, and piovloiedy had been It
pupil of .1 ii I i -ii at Pails. Mr. Cook'm
tii., I salon piituie, exhibited In Pint,
wan a lite slc poi trait of the sculptor,
pope, of I'.nstoii, and the following
ear ho exhibited another lite size pot',
trait. Ho also ban done some mural
painting and received honorable men
tion nt the l.a.arus competition at
Now Yotk In I'.i'i-'i. Mr. Cook's father
Is .1. E. Cook of Independence. ' ho
artist sliull'd at the Chicago Ait In
stitute and the .Now York Academy of
I lohtgli.
Remarkable Precocity.
The annals of precocity present no
mine remarkable Instance than Ihe
In lei' caieer of Chilstlan I leinecker,
I, mil at Luheck, February d, 1721, who
died Juno 27, 1725. At the age of ten
inoiilh-i he could speak und repeat ev
ery won) said to him; at. 12 uuui'lii
old be knew by heatt the prim ipul
events nartateil lu the live books of
Moses; in hi r.ecniid year he learned
the greater part of tin- hi.-lnry of Un
did and New Testaments, in his third
year ho could answer must ipje.,1 ii,i:s
on history and geography and learneil
to speak l.afin and Flinch; In his
fourth J ear ho learned tho history or
the church and also learned to write.
His death was caused by his unusual
brain activity.
Simplon Tunnel Successful.
The result of the first six mouths'
working of tho Simptnn tunnel Las
been tabulated and show that an av
erage of s.ouo passenger were carried,
i u day.
y