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THE AGE-HERALI t. W. MAH It KIT Edit© «u til iu« uii aiii4<,luUl, Ant I'OBiotXic© as second class muiier unde act of Congress March 3, 187*. Dauy and iSunuay Age-Herald . ISO Daily and Sunday per mouth ... .7 Daily and Sunday, three months 2.0 Weekly Age-Herald, per annum .6 Sunday Age-Herald .. 2.0 A. J. Baton, Jr., and O. E. Young ar the only auinorized traveling represen talives of The Age-Herald in Us cir cui&uon department. Mo communication will be publishev without its authors name. Rejects* manuscript will not be returned nines stamps are enclosed lor that purpose. Remittances can be made at currem rate of exchange. The Age-Herald v, 11 Mot be responsible for money seal through the malls. Address. THE AGE-HERALD. Birmingham, Ala. Washington bureau, 207 Hibbs build in*. European bureau. 6 Henrietta street Convent Garden, London. Eastern business office. Rooms 48 tc 60, inclusive. Tribune building, New York city; Western business of flow Tribune building, Chicago. The S. C Beckwith Special Agency, agents lor elgn advertising. TELEPHONE Bell (private exchange connecting ail Bepartmeata), Main 4900. The time of universal peace In near. —Antony and Cleopatra. BEGINNING THE DAY—My Fath er, clothe me today with the gentle, aweet grace of Immunity. If I liuvc anything, Thou hant given It. If 1 have done anything. Thou hast en abled me. And Thou knowent how I have failed of my bent, and how I had failed and fallen utterly but for Thee, Amen.—H. M. E. The Commission Plan Commenting; on the fact that Buf falo, which is the largest city thus far to adopt the commission form of government, will be governed, begin ning January 1, by five commission ers, one of them being the present mayor, the Knickerbocker Press says, “In every city in the United States which has not already adopted a com mission government, the commission plan is under discussion by an ever increasing number of citizens.” Among the principal cities now governed by commissions are Lowell, Mass., population, in the last census, 106,000; Trenton, N. J., 96,000; Springfield, 111., 51,000; Omaha, Neb., 124,000; Birmingham, Ala., 132,685 (now estimated at 190,000 to 200,000); Oklahoma City, Okla., 64,000; New Orleans, La., 839,000; St. paul, Minn., 214,000; Dayton, O., 116,000; Den ver, Col., 213,000; Jersey City, N. J., 287,000; Nashville, Tenn., 110,000; Portland, Ore., 207,000. Birmingham was one of the pioneer cities in the commission form of gov ernment. The plan has been given a thojo-o-h trial here and has been found satisfactory to a large majority of the citizens. When city commis sioners first took charge of affairs they were naturally subjected to a great deal of criticism and among the reac tionaries there was much harking back to the ‘‘good old times.” However, these critics were soon silenced and Birmingham’s strides in the past few years have by no means been retarded by the commission form of govern ment. The city has unquestionably en joyed prosperity. V b® noticed that New Orleans Is after Buffalo the largest city to adopt the commission plan, if we ex cept Boston, which hus abolished ward representation and has a modified form of commission government. Only a few years ago the commission plan was thought to be visionary and im practical, but it is rapidly gaining headway. All the cities that have adopted commission government are noted for their progressiveness. Originated Rural Delivery Henry C. Clarke, an official of the postoffice department, who died at his home in Washington Sunday, at the age of 75, had led an eventful life, but k Jms left an enduring monument to him self in the rural mail delivery ser vice. He was a native of England and was for a time on the staff of the Lon don Times. Later he was a newspaper worker at the national capital, and later still in Mexico. After Mr. Clarke secured a position |b the postoffice department he worked there faithfully and indus triously, and although he was credited with originating the rural delivery system in the United States, he never presumed upon this important achieve ment, but on the contrary kept him self always in the background. Sural free delivery In the compar atively few years it has been in oper ation has been a great factor in this country’s social, agricultural and com mercial development. It has been i direct educator, of course, for th< ▼ery fact that the farmer can have the daily newspaper left at his gat< enables him to keep right abreast ol \ commercial life and general informa ©on world-wide in its scope. The rural mail delivery was startet about 18 years ago as an experiment In 1898 the experiment had developec the fact that the delivery system wai workable in sections with good roads jand in that year Congress was in daced to appropriate enough monej II to insure a service covering about 3000 daily miles. The following year - the service was nearly trebled in mile* [ age. In 1898 only 148 carriers were • employed. The cost of the service that year was $50,241. In 1913 the daily - mileage had increased to 1,028,603. J The carriers employed numbered ' 42,686 and the annual cost had \ reached $47,298,169. The wonder now is how we had got along without rural delivery. Cotton This Year and Next This year’s bumper cotton crop was more than the world needed, even if there had been no war. The exces sive production was due to several causes, among them excessive acre age planted, favorable weather con ditions and intensive farming which enabled the progressive tiller of the soil to produce more to the acre than in former years. Many thrifty farmers who had learned something of applied chem istry raised a bale to the acre, as compared to a bale to two or three acres a few years ago. But in view of the European war the surplus to be carried over to be counted with the 1915 crop will be several million bales more than would have been the case under normal conditions. Notwithstanding the excessive crop, however, the price is much bet ter today than buyers thought it would be when they were making cal culations a month ago. Five-cent cot ton was freely predicted, but the price hardly got down to 6 cents. Today spot cotton is bringing 7% cents, and the general belief is that the price will be close around 8 cents before the end of this month. While there is not much profit in cotton at 8 cents in these days, the profit to the south will be considerable in the aggregate. Relatively speaking, at any rate the cotton farmer will be doing well for himself when he sells his cotton at 8 cents. The lesson of this year’s cotton situation is obvious. The acreage must be greatly reduced, and it will be. In previous years when farmers’ organizations resolved to plant less cotton more was planted. It will not be so in 1015. The fact that largo acreages are already being sown in wheat and oats in evidence that di versified agriculture and less cotton will be the rule next year. Cold Weather Helping Business ^ esterday marked a turning point in the business world. The opening of the federal reserve banks and the opening of the cotton exchanges had a very buoyant effect on the country; and added to the factors making for improved business conditions was the drop in the temperature. Northern states have had several touches of winter recently, but in this immediate section the thermometer had indicated freezing weather only once, and then for only a few hours. Now we have a real cold spell, and it will probably remain with us for many days. It is the sort of weather for which the retail merchants and the coal dealers have been wishing. Not only will the retail coal trade be directly stimulated, but coal oper ators will find their output in brisk demand. While the poor and needy suffer in cold weather the improvement in busi ness caused by such seasonable weath er as this benefits the entire com munity. The low temperature of yes terday was certainly worth much to Birmingham as measured by dollars and cents. Albert Leopold Clement Marie Menard. King of Belgium, was born in Brunswick In 1*75. His father, the Count of Flan ders, was the younger brother of King Leopold. After going through tho Belgian military school, Albert entered the Gren adiers, where he soon rose to be a colonel. Ho combined with his military training studies in diplomacy, sociology and engi neering. At the age of 28 he visited the United States and traveled extensively over the country. He made a special study of railroads under the guidance of James J. Hip. He overlooked no op portunity to fit himself for a leader and teacher of his people when the time should come for him to ascend the throne. He took an Interest in all branches of hu man endeavor and few kings have ever been better trained. The treatment of natives in the Belgian Kongo had aroused the resentment of the entire civilized world when Albert visited the country and strongly recommended methods of re form. In 1900 he married F.lizabeth, Duch ess of Bavaria, who is a highly accom plished woman, holding a medical degree and having a wide knowledge of art. lit erature and music. Both the King and the Queen have won unstinted praise by their devotion to Belgium In the present war. The King has endured danger and hardships with his men, while the Queen has taken a prominent part In Red Cross work, frequently entering the flrlng lino to direct the work of picking up wounded soldiers. According to a report from Constantino ple, the Ameer of Afghanistan has decided to declare war on England and Russia. His entry won’t make an appreciable change In the line-up. Some members of Congress who were i returned to their places by small majori ties call It a “vindication" by courtesy. An agent of the Frencb army la In this country to buy some more red trouseral Sulzer claims all the glory ol the recent election in Xew York. There’* one man who will never be thoroughly subdued until the undertaker gets hjm. War Is bad enough when the weather ifi good, but fighting in trenches full of water Is enough to convert any soldier into a propagandist of universal peace. Considering the number of dynamiters at large in New York, Brussels Is a much safer place to live in Just how, even if it is occupied by the enemy. It is well to do your Christmas shop ping early, but the man who has been liv ing chiefly on optimism for the past few months will be excused. The garden hose has been put away and the mischievous little boy who uied to wash down the pavement in front of his home is at school. Business has been resumed at the Chi cago stock yards, where four-footed visi tors are getting their throats cut with neatness and dispatch. Two aeroplanes hover constantly over the Kaiser’s headquarters at Kolmar. The Germans take precious good care of their Emperor. A Chicago paper says there are people in this country who don’t like pumpkin pie. We’d hate to try* to count them all in one day*. A pedant declared that the progressive party was caduke and there was a great rush to the dictionary*. What the government calls a “signifi cant” dispatch from Mexico Is all Greek to the man in the street. Nothing has happened so far to disabuse the Germans of the Idea that they can’t be w’hipped. NEW POETRY FREAKISH J. M., In the Chicago Herald. To my mind there was more of both truth and poetry in Richard Henry Lit tle’s clever parody on the “new poetry” movement in your issue of November 6 than in most of the writings of the re formed versifiers I have read to date. The literary* freakishness now being en couraged by one or two magazines de voted to the muse would be altogether laughable to many of our struggling writers. I am quite sure that the champions of this erratic school of literature .weeth gritting rather than soul-stirring) are perfectly sincere. I am equally sure that they represent a small percentage of in telligent Americans. But w*hy force this weird, unwelcome gospel upon the people? Rhvmeloss poetry can never be popular. We all agree, of course, that rhythm and beauty are possible without rhyme and that Walt Whitmun. with his eccentrici ties, was a man of genius. But Whit man's imitators today nearly all lack his gift. They evidently believe that origi nality of conception makes up for lack of artistry of execution. What says that true poet and artist, Thomas Bailey Al drich : The workmanship wherewith the gold Is wrought Adds yet a richness to the richest sold. Who lacks tho art to shape his thought, I hold Were little poorer If he lacked the thought • * • Disparage not the magic touch that gives Tho formless thought the grace whereby it lives. The new poet should also remember that the greatest poet this country ever pro duced—Edgar Allan Poe—was likewise Its most accomplished rhymester. NEW WAR STYLES Richard Washburn Child In Collier's Weekly. The unpleasantness (meaning the war) Is having a strong effect upon our fash ions. The Atrocity skirt will attain pop ularity without doubt. Gloves of Official Bulletin kid are in vogue. The "Scrap of Paper" gown is a creation to be worn In the evening by lovers of the radical. Milliners are showing transport hats. Smart shop windows exhibit a new shirt waist for refined young women’s street wear, known as the "Censor's Despair.” A maker of lip rouge now has It trade marked "The Thin Red Line." The new dance is called the "Dumdum." Those whose sympathies lie with the Russian army are naming their newly born fe male children "Vodka;” Interpreted, this Is said to moan "Sweet Dream of Con test." Owing to the distractions of read ing war news, French waiters will use Parisian ivory more than ever this sea son. Statisticians estimate that the phrase "Isn’t this war terrible?" Is being written at the rate of 32,000 times an hour on ladies' stationery. The “Monthly Peace Lover,” the offi cial organ of the International Society for the Disarmament of Nations, pub lished several monthly issuef In Septem ber. It has now been sold al'd will here after be known as "Vacation Jottings." its proposal to send 10,000 women clad in white robes to walk between the op posing lines of the Germans and allies is still on file In the office of W. J. Bryan, to whom, as is customary, complaint should be made. LUKE M’LUKE SAYS From tho Cincinnati Enquirer. After a princess has had a quarrel with her steady fellow she will make a light lunch oft ice cream and cucumbers and imagine that the pain that results comes from a broken heart. The old fashioned boy who was taught to respect old age now has a son who believes that there is Ao fool like an old fool. It is a good plan to advertise. But that is no reason why a girl should scream when she is being kissed. A man’s wife usually finds him out long before his sins do. The dear girls enjoy a hearty laugh when they see a lot of men In a sack race. But this is becauso the girls can't see themselves when they are chasing a car and wearing a tight skirt Borne people are born with too much push and too little ambition. That's the reason why there are so many wheel barrow chauffeurs In the world. The fellow who leaves his wife very often when he is alive seldom leaves her mueh when he dies. The rabbit doesn't know anything about human nature. If he would roar when he rears back on his hind legs the hunters would run and let him alone. More people would go fishing If things were arranged so that the fish would dig the worms for the anglers. When there are three or four chil dren in the family mother doesn't have to spend much money on antique fur niture. Every wife would have plenty of spending money If husbands always brought horjie the pay they received for the overtime when they have to work late, j There areja whole lot of 10-cent men in the world who have grown round shouldered* from carrying a (10,00(1 life Insurance j policy. IN HOTEL LOBBIES Great Prosperity .lu*t Abend “Improvement in business is coming faster than the iriost optimistic of us had predicted,” Httid Leo K. Steiner. "The situation is not only better now than it was early in the fall, but there is reason to believe that the Birmingham district will witness very marked prosperity even before the close of the year. Every week more activity will be in evidence, and 1 believe that before the middle of Janu ary every industry hereabouts will be go ing at a great clip. “The advance in cotton within the past few weeks is worth to the south from $7'o.000,(j00 to $100,000,000. The inaugura tion of the federal reserve system is a great tiling for the whole country, and the south will reap Its share of the bene fits. if the system works as well as I think it will people will soon forget that they ever heard of hard times. Yes, I am an optimist more than ever.” The Price of Cotton “I keep in close touch with the cotton i belt, and am, of course, feeling good over the present price of the staple as com pared with the price prevailing a month ago, ’ said A1 C. Garber, cashier of the Merchants and Mechanics Trust and Sav ings bank. T he price is now headed for 8 cents. It may go even higher this winter, but those farmers who sell at 8 cents will be doing well. With the enormous crop which the south made this year, 9 cents would have been as much as it would have brought even if there had been no war. “I have agricultural interests in Ma rengo county, and in the Demopolls neighborhod stock raising is receiving great attention. Some of the finest beef raised in this country will ultimately come from Marengo county. The future or farming In Alabama Is certainly very bright now. Crop diversification will be more popular than ever, and with good weather conditions 1915 should be a banner year in agricultural Alabama.” Twenty-five Per Cent Improvement “Business at the Molton hotel was 25 per cent better last week than it was six weeks before.” said Manager Harry B. New. "As is well known, tho hotel business was extremely dull throughout the coun try during the summer and early fall. It Is improving now, and tho best of it is the improvement will continue. Here at our hotel I feel confident that ousiness Will keep Up fairly well until the end Of the year, and early in January there will be a great improvement. I feel safe in saying that from the middle of Janu ary on the hotel business will be excep tionally active. I am sure that the Mol .W‘“ bf d0ins 60 per cent better soon after the first of the year than it Is now. I have reason to be satisfied with our present business, the situation In other sections considered. v3h? ?915 18 eolng to be a great year for the hotels. All indications point perity."3 a ^ °f hl*b record pr0B The I-anmna-Parffie Exposition I spent a few days in San Fran cisco in the latter part of October, and was very much impressed with the Panama-Pacific exposition buildings and with the thorough organization that had been built up,” said John F. Walling of Chicago. I was agreeably surprised to find there would be many European exhib its. All the countries at war will have creditable displays—not as large as they would have had but for the war. yet attractive nevertheless. Argentina and the other South American coun tries will have magnificent exhibits. "I was in San Francisco about three years ago, and the city looked dull then. Today it is one of the most bust ling cities on this continent. Nobody there seems over to have heard of hard times. As to End of War A few weeks ago nearly every man I met expressed the opinion that the European war would last two or three years, but I now find many who predict that it will be ended before next spring,’' said W. V. Norton of Boston. "I have visited New York, Philadel phia, Pittsburg, Cleveland and Chicago since the middle of October, and I heard a number of men of affairs say that tile war would cease as suddenly as it began. I would be willing to make a wager that peace will be restored be fore the coming summer." Republicans In 101S “The republican party came out bet ter In the elections on the 3d of No vember than I had expected, and I am now hoping that we will he able to put out a strong presidential ticket two years hence,” said Wheeler J. Chap man of Philadelphia. "I have been a voter ever since 1880, and my ballot has always been cast for the regular republican nominees; but our defeat in 1912 made the future look very gloomy from the p. O. P. point of view. It really looked to me as if the republican party was dead and virtually buried, but the recent resuscitation has cheered up all of us, and we are looking forward with a feeling of confidence to 1915. "I have never been actively engaged in the political game; am simply an ardent supporter of the republican party. The national progressives never appealed to me, and It was with great regret that I saw Colonel Roosevelt leading them. The colonel deserves well of the American people, but when it* comes to party politics he is 'down and out,' and should so remain. "As to the republican presidential candidate in 1916 no particularly strong man seems to be in sight, but one will be found In time. Whitman will natur ally try for the nomination. There is some talk of Colonel tJoethals of Pan ama canal fame, but in my opinion we must have some man recognized as a statesman, and a strong one at that, to defeat Woodrow Wilson or any other candidate that Wilson may indorse.” THE POCKET WIRELESS From the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The pocket wireless apparatus which is credited to the inventive genius of an Abruzzl priest, is attracting a lot of attention. Of course, the first thing they ask over there is how the con trivance can be utilised for war pur poses. If a foreigner invented a ma chine for making indestructible shoe strings they'd want to use It right away for shell fuses, and if he per fected a self-adjusting clock pendulum those lnllltarst men would take the whole output and sew it up in bags and call it shrapnel. It may be possible that the world doesn’t need pocket wireless plants. There seems to be quite enough going on in the air now, without crossing it with "Why don’t you come home to your dinner?” or "is Mr. Sousewell at the club?" or "Take that friend of yours to the hotel—the cook has left because you wouldn’t let her have a wireless outfit of her own. I told you how it would be. What’s that? Goodness me, I’m getting mixed up with everybody. Switch my air waves. Who is this talk ing? National Holeless Doughnut com pany. I don’t want you. What’s that? .:lovv away. There, I’ve had my waves cut off.” No, a pocket wireless wouldn't bs an unmixed blessing. ^ ' •, • . ' . A f -*- • i _ If— WAR ECHOES London Cable to the New York World: The correspondent of the Chronicle tele graphs from Paris: "A French soldier who was wounded Monday on the Yser In Bel gium and has reached Paris, gives to day an account of his experiences which Indicates the blind daring and almost In credible determination of the German as saults. He says: " ‘My brigade occupied a front of two and one-half miles to the north of the Yprcs. Germans threw themselves upon it in considerable numbers on Wednes day of last week. Onr troops resisted stubbornly, but enormous losses did not stop the attack. Up to Thursday even ing they came on repeatedly with rein forcements. " 'I saw a single trench lost and re taken seven times In one day. After that there was a short interval, but Saturday morning they attacked more violently than ever to the north of Dixmude. For 10 hours we fought foot by foot with out a moment’s respite. It is Impossible to describe such a hell, but I witnessed the following Incident: “ ‘A German regiment advanced with flags flying. At 300 yards from our tienches It was met by Are so deadly that It fell back. After being reformed in the reRr It returned In markedly diminished numbers, and got within 100 yards of our lines. Our guns poured a torrent of fire upon It, and again It retreated. A third time it attempted the assault. " 'This time the order was given to hold our fire until they had come up. At 20 yards every gun and rifle blazed out. Ten minutes later the German regiment was wiped out. In less than one hour 3000 men had been slain.' " Paris Cable to the New York American: Even famous medical experts of France have now been enlisted in the war against the Kaiser. They are getting rid of him, not by fighting, but by disease. Dr. Cab aniss, a distinguished specialist on the ear, has been studying the history and progress of the chronic otorrhoca, a dis ease of the ear, with which the Emperor Is afflicted. The Paris Matin quotes Dr. Cabanlss as saying the Kaiser U in constant dan ger that pus will flow into the Interior of his mastoid process and the upper part of his tympanum. The wall between the middle ear and the cavity of the cranium containing the brain Is excessively thin. In the Kaiser's case when the pressure of pus breaks tuts wall an abscess of his brain will be in evitable. London Cable to the New York Times: The French have apparently learned to outdo the enemy In the art of trench mak ing. An officer writes that not only have his men fitted up a cooking range In their trenches, but have half a dozen bath rooms properly tiled, screened off, fitted with hot and cold water and showers. Bet ter still, a regular system of drainage Is to be Installed. Next to the baths, he says, is a shaving saloon, and the soldiers are now at work on a cafe and concert hall. All these are underground, warmed and lighted, and somewhat less than half a mile from the German lines. ALABAMA SANCTUMS Talladega Home: In the Theatre of War Death Is the stage manager.—Age-Herald. But the box office man takes in the toll. Gadsden Journal: Birmingham has been made a reserve center—for the banks, not for Europeans. Gadsden Times-News: The manufactur ers who are profiting by the war are In clined to shout “Lay on MacDuff,'1 etc. Montgomery Advertiser: The Servian is celebrated for his reverence for par ents. We need a Servian colony in Ala bama. Mobile Register: News from Birming ham says that Mr. Erskine Ramsay, who was hurt In the launching of the coal barge at Holt last week, will recover. Mr. Ramsay has labored for years to bring about barge transportation on the War rior and on the day of the launching of the first barge came near being killed by a fall. The friends of Mr. Ramsay re joice that the Injury has proved not as serious as was feared. Huntsville Democrat: When a 6 per cent interest rate becomes legal In Ala bama the population will Increase by leaps and bounds, for the present rate of g per cent Is one of the greatest objec tions raised by eastern prospective set tlers, who have been brought up on a four or five per cent interest basis and they are very suspicious of Investments of their ready money. We recommend that the next legislature make 6 per cent legal Interest, if it is desired to place Ala bama on an even footing with other states that are rapidly coming to the front. DISCRETION From the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The good citizen leaned up against the butcher’s counter. The butcher, a large, florid man with yellow hair and a wh^je apron, gently stroked his sharpening tool with an unpleasant looking knife. The shop was a new one. It was fresh, and ewert and clean.* The good citizen had never been there before. It was the ] first time he had met the yellow-haired proprietor. “This infamous war,” he went on ''iz all due to the silly vanity, the crazy ambi tion, Idiotic tomfoolery of just one man." The butcher let the bad-looklng knife slide down the sharpener. “Veil?" he said. The good eitlzen hesitated. A thought seemed to strike him. "Excuse me one moment," he said. He went out on the sidewalk and looked up at the name on the new sign. Then he came back. "Veil?" said the big butcher again. "I think you said 36 cents.” replied the goodf citizen. He hastily laid the change on the table and took up his package. "Come again," the butcher called after blm. Then he said something In excellent German to hie grinning assistant and they both laughed. BUSY CRIST ABE I, From the Savannah Prese. Crlstabel Pankhurst says the hearts of Englishmen will be softened by the way women have helped the wounded and dy ing In the present war. That being the case, why Is Crlstabel not at the front instead of making speeches In this coun try. where the cause of woman suffrage Is getting along first rate without any outside help?—Birmingham Age-Herald. Crltiy doesn't seem to be very anxious to make bandages for wounded sol diem She la over here -working in the new ground. ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES J - i NOT SEL.F-SACRIFICINO. "Don’t you think two can live as cheap ly as one?" asked the poor young man. "I’ve often heard so,” answered the prudent girl, "but I shouldn't care to pursue the study of social economy at the risk of going without a full comple ment of meals.” INTIMATE AFFAIR. "That was a wedding worth seeing.” “Why so?" “She had previously been engaged to all the ushers and he to all the brides maids.” UTOPIA. “It's a good thing for this world that all our dreams don’t come true." “Yes?” "I fear that work would be eliminated." DRIVEN TO IT. “Poor old Slathersby! He’s taking the gold cure again." "Why, can’t he stop drinking?" “He married a woman whose sole ac complishment is her ability to mix cock tails.” POINT IN ITS FAVOR. “I don’t deny that scribbling verses in one’s spare time is a bad habit.” “How could you think otherwise?" "But you will notice that the man who spends his evenings wooing the muse never wakes up next morning with a head ache and a tongue that feels like a bath sponge." •*••••••••••••••■••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••« A KING UP-TO-DATE. Old King Cole was a merry old soul, j But lie fired his slide trombone, And his fiddlers three, With their zee sum zee And purchased a graphophone. —Youngstown Telegram. Old King Cole was a merry old soul. But he’s lost his love for fun. j And his fiddlers three, [ With their zee zum zee Are off to war with a gun. -Telegraph-Republican. | Old King Cole was a merry old soul. But he’s suddenly started to weep; For his fiddlers three, With their* zee zub zee, j Are buried In trenches deep. —Geneva Free Press-Times. t Old King Cole was a merry old soul, But something withal of a snob. When the people cried, “Down With the scepter and crown!" He found himself out of a job. HIGH AND MIGHTY. “Did I understand you to say that Mrs. Twobble is a woman of superior attain- f ments?" “No. I merely said that she puts on the airs that go with superior attainments.” A MAN WORTH WHILE. There’s something tells me I could start And write most eulogistic rhymes To him who has a hopeful heart j And never talks about “hard times.” JUST SO. It is still possible to refer to Zeppelin as “The Flying Dutchman." Several haven’t thought of it yet.— Cleveland ( Plain Dealer. Still possible, to be sure, but the count is not a Dutchman, and is careful not to do any of the flying just now In doughty little Holland. PAUL COOK. THE GERMAN DEFENSIVE From “Germany on the Defensive,” by Frank H. Slmonds, in the American Re view of Reviews. □T the battle of the Marne the great German offensive was halt ed, rolled back. After six weeks a colossal military operation to end a world war by a Bingle blow had termi nated In defeat and the German general staff, confronted by the failure of that grandiose conception which had occupied the Industry and the genius of their gen erals for a decade, were compelled to ac cept that defensive role, so hateful to all their strategists from Blucher and Von Moltke to Bernhardt. Yet as in the earlier weeks it had been the German offensive which had supplied the central circumstance in the great war, so from early September to late October it was the German defensive which claimed equal attention. In that period German high command gave an example of resourcefulness, of skill in foreseeing and parrying deadly thrusts, of ability to transport men from one end of Europe to the other and with smaller resources keep the numbers equal at the decisive point, which was beyond praise. To get at the throat of France, to take Paris and destroy French military power before Russia was mobilized—this was the compelling purpose of German strategy from Liege to the Marne. But one month after the failure at the Marne, German armies were advancing In Poland, ua llcla and along the Nlemen. A new army was storming the last line of the defenses of Antwerp, another was pounding at the barrier forts of eastern France, while along the Alsne the great mass of German military strength stood inexpungnable on the front occupied five days after the re treat from the Marne had begun. In < REAPER AND BETTER AUTOS H. W. Slauson, M. E., in Leslie's. There is no reason why every prospec tive motorist should not be well pleased with the advance offerings of the 1915 models. Whether he can spend $500 or $6000. the would-be purchaser of a car can buy better value, greater beauty and more reliable and economical performance than ever before. LTnlike former years, prices have been materially reduced in many instances, and this, in spite of the increased and improved equipment that is Included. In previous years, prices had generally been maintained at their origi nal figures, and the greater value was given In the form of increased dimensions or added equipment—or a new model was produced to sell at a lower price. But 1914 sales have been so tremendous in volume that the increased productions necessary for the forthcoming season have medium-priced cars actually to reduce the cost to the purchaser of the complete machine—and to offer at the same time all of the 1915 improvements that have been accepted as standard. Instances of this marked price reduc tion are especially apparent in the "light six" field, where cars formerly selling at from $1660 to $1800 are now priced at from $150 to $300 less. Also some of the four cylinder machines of the $1000 and $l-v0 class that were not reduced last year have now been made available at from $60 to $100 less than formerly. And these rad ical reductions even extend to the “Iess than-$800” class, and a car that cost $150 last year is now marked at $695—or at its former price if electrio lights and starter are included. Another $550 car has been reduced $«0, and while on this last car the design and equipment are the same as have been supplied for sev eral years, on the others the latest type of tops, flush dashboard Instruments, and streanl-llne effects are added. So far as the appearance of the cars in general is concerned, it may be said that they are more graceful and show the utmost refinement of the body-builder's and upholsterer’s art. LOXDON’8 “TUBE" From Lilian Whiting's “The Lure Of Lon don,” published by Little, Brown (k Co. The “tube” system of London should be recognized as a legitimate factor in the romance as well as the realities of London life. No such perfection of local transit can be found elsewhere In the civ ilized world, considering the extent of the lines and the manifold connections that make a continuous progress possible. The swiftness, ease and comfort with which one may journey from Charing Cross to Golder's Green, or to the far limits, both east and west, are not else where equaled. More than that, the “tube’’ makea It easily possible for the dwellers In Hempstead and all the sur rounding suburbs to avail themselves of Plays, music and lectures to a degree hitherto impossible. The “tube” and the motor car, together, contribute Immeas urably to the decrease of crowding In town residences. It Is as convenient to enjoy a house lx that time a rout, which seemed imminent, had been avoided. A retreat from France, once apparently inescapable, had been at the least postponed indefinitely. Finally, the allied advance, firontally and by the left flank, had been halted. Beside this struggle in France, the con flict along the distant Vistula still seemed relatively less significant. Again the world watched the German operations a in the west, saw in the German defensive in late September and October the same superb military skill of the offensive in August and early September, discover* In the strategy of Von Kluck a new pal In defensive warfare, comparable wii | those devoted to the achievements of L< I in northern Virginia, of Napoleon in 181 of the great Frederick in the most famoi of all his campaigns. In this same time and by contrast wit German achievement, allied efforts seeme 4 | incomparably inferior. With superic numbers, encouraged by recent succesi possessing shorter lines of communica tion and hence inexhaustible supplies 0 reserves and material, the allies faile to transform German retreat into a roiilp They were unable to terminate Germal occupation of French territory either bj frontal or flank attack. They did not suo, * ceed in succoring gallant Belgium in her last ditch at Antwerp. They could nof turn to decisive advantage along th( Alsne the latest brave fight of King Ai bert, which occupied so many German along the Scheldt. JL Territory was regained, German att . > were repulsed, advantages were won measured by their opportunity, the wh in OctODer, as In the earlier mont! seemed lacking in the mastery of \tu,'*g, of war, which their great opponent • displayed on the defensive, as before n< | had shown it in the offensive. the outskirts of London as to limit th* household to an apartment in the heart j of the metropolis; and the effect on the general life is marked. To those whose 1 resources do not permit the motor car, J the “tube” offers a far better means of transit than is found !n Bubway travel 1 in other cities. The ventilation Is ad- ^ mirable; the system of connections is clear and available; and however great the rush, the “tube” never seems over crowded. ; TOWN SELLS JAIL Noank (Conn.) Dispatch to New York j Press. * Already pretty hard up and fearing a tough winter In Connecticut with a new 1 administration and legislature on the job, this village today got rid of some of its j unnecessary possessions, the village lock up and contents bringing $83.12 under the hammer. The jail building. a,n unpretentious af- ■ fair, as compared with the Tombs or tha Palais de Justice in Paris, was auctioned off to Squadito Bros, of Mystic for $75, I and other bids carried off the Jail stove and utensils for $6.87. A mattress brought J $1.25. Connecticut tramps are peevish at tha f sale of their old-time refuge and say they will not go near Noank any more. RURAL FASHION PLATES From the Hazel (Ky.) News. Farmers are getting so prosperous around Hazel It is difficult to distinguish them, so far as dress goes, from city 1 men. Hill Olive, who has been “porter ing” for hotels here ever since the town started, walked up to a well-dressed stranger Monday and asked him if he would like to go to the hotel, whereupon the man replied: “No, I’ll just go home. I live right out here about a half mile.** FATHER COYOTE By George Sterling. At twilight time, when the lamps are lit, - Father coyote comes to sit i At the chaparral’s edge, on the mountain Fide— Comes to listen and to deride The rancher’s hound and the rancher’r •on, The passer-by and every one. And we pause at milking time to hear His reckless caroling, shrill and elear Hls terse and swift and valorous troll Ribald, rolicking, scornful, droll. As one might sing in coyotedom: “Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!” Yet well It wot there is little ease Where the turkeys roost in almond-tree* But mute forebodings, canny and grim. As they shift and shiver along the limb. And the dog flings back an answer brief (Curse o’ the honest man on the thief),* And the cat, till now intent to rove, Stalks to her lair by the kitchen stove: Not that she fears the rogue on the h!U; But—no mice remain, and—the night !■ chill. i And now, like a watchman of the skies. I Whos# glance to a thousand valleys flle^ The moon glares over the granite ledgs— Pared a slice on its upper edge. And father coyote waits no more, Knowing that down on the valley, floor* In a sandy nook, all cool and wmte) The rabbits play and the rabbits fight. Flopping, nimble, skurrying, Careless now with the surge of spring • 9 Furry lovsr, alack I alas! Bkttns roar fata o’sr tha moonlit gtoi^p I