THE STARKVILLE NEWS
VOLUME 11.
A Philopena
By BELLE MANIATES
PHYLLIS was introduced to him at
a dinner dance, and straightway
forgot his existence. Later he re
called himself to her notice by danc
ing with her one of the absurd fig
ures of a cotillon iu which they had to
eat a philopena.
“It carries me back to my school
days,” she laughed.
“Not very far back,” he insinuated.
“Oh, yes; this is my third season!”
“Then 1 am right.” he persisted.
“I should dislike to tell the number
of seasons that I have been indulg
ing in cotillons.”
“Thou hast all seasons for thine
own.” she quoted.
Here the figure ended, and Phyllis
returned to her partner.
“Who is that man I danced
with?”
“He is a cousin of our hostess.” re
plied her partner. “His name is Steph
en Jerome, and he has recently come
here from Philadelphia. He is distin
guished for succeeding in everything
he undertakes.”
“How fortunate!” she exclaimed. “1
just ate a philopena with him. I had
taken no interest in the fact, but I
shall now. It will be an incentive to
bring failure to so successful a man.”
“How unkind!”
“No; it does a person good to be
thwarted occasionally.”
“I don’t question your cleverness.
Miss Courtney, but T warn you that
you have a brilliant antagonist; he is
a diplomat—”
The subject of their conversation ap
proached with a favor, which he of
fered to Miss Courtney.
“I regret to decline.” she said, look
ing up at him with shining eyes, “but
you know our philopena was ‘give
or take.’ ”
Someone claimed her partner, and
Jerome appropriated the vacant chair.
“We might dispense with the favor,
he suggested, “and yet have the dance,
but if you gave me the dance. T should
be ‘it.’ ~ No; I shall have to await my
opportunity to take (1 mean to give)
you unawares.”
“You will wait in vain,” she re
plied.
“It’s a challenge, is if?”
“Yes.” she laughed.
“I was tempted,” he said, “to
myself to be philopenaed in order not
to forego the pleasure of a dance, but
I shall fight it out to the sure end.”
“You are so confident, then ?”
“Why should I not be? You say
this is your third season., I have been
counting mine, and find it is my thir
teenth. Should not ten years major
ity be to my advantage?”
“But 13 is the unlucky number, and
This is the year you will meet your
Waterloo. I see I must leave you
again.”
Towards the end of the evening Phyl
lis came to him with a favor, which he
courteously refused to take.
“I didn’t expect you to forget so
soon,” she observed. “I simply want
ed to return your compliment in offer
ing me one.”
His partner having been favored,
Phyllis occupied her chair.
“I want to ask your permission to
call,” he said. “You see, in order to
test this case thoroughly, we must
have frequent opportunities to meet.”
“I cannot give you permission,” she
replied. “If you call, you must come
without it.”
“I certainly shall,” he replied.
And he certainly did. His calls be
came frequent and informal. They
met at the opera, at dinners and recep
tions. Phyllis enjoyed the novelty of
a devotee who could not present her
with books, flowers, music, confection
ery and invitations to the theater.
There was a zest in constantly being
on guard and in triumphing over his
adroit subterfuges to induce her to
“take.”
She tried various devices to traphim,
but wan always met by that slightly
cynical, aggravating smile.
* Meanwhile, their intimacy grew
amazingly. In spite of the ever-pres
ent little feeling of mutual strife, there
was an irresistible charm in their com
panionship.
Spring came, and still they were
both baffled in their quest. Their
common acquaintances were aware of
their motive, and made the subject an
amusing feature of conversation.
One night Stephen Jerome pulled
himself together and acknowledged
that he must be up and doing and
bring matter* to a climax. He had
allowed himself to drift pleasantly
along, easily foiling her attempts to
give, hoping to find her napping. But
he realized that she was ever on guard,
and was‘not likely to forget, so he
must resort to stratagem and force
her hand. He had been content with
the equal match through the early ac
quaintance, but it was different now.
He wanted the philopena question set
tled before he asked her to give him
something of infinitely more value than
a trifling philopena. He gave himself
a thorough mental shaking and
worked his wits out of their sluggish
state of inactivity. He pondered un
til a late hour over the ways and means,
but was compelled to go to bed with
no solution of the problem.
The next morning was Sunday. At
breakfast the husband of his cousin
and hostess announced that he was in
disposed, and facetiously tendered to
.Jerome his office of passing the piate at
morning service.
Jerome began laughingly to decline,
with thanks; then an idea struck
him.
“Certainly,” he said, seriously. “1
will at once assume my entire com
mand of dignity in honor of the occa
sion.”
He started at an early hour for
church, in order 10 give information of
his cousin’s illness and to offer him
self as a substitute in the offertory
exercises. He hummed a little ex
ultant air as he wended his church
ward way, thinking that his hour had
surely come; for his cousin’s collecting
route was the middle aisle, left hand
side, and in (his division was the Court
ney pew. Phyllis sat In the seat next
the aisle; next to her little brother
Ned. then a widowed aunt, and at the
end of the pew Mrs, Courtney. Phyllis
invariably put a little white sealed en
velope in the plate and then passed the
plate to her aunt and mother for their
contributions. Many a time he had
watched the process.
He was confident she would be
caught : she had a holy horror of doing
anything to attract attention, and she
wouldn’t balk to the extent, of refus
ing to pass the plate to the other mem
bers of the family, even if she refused
to put in her envelope.
He waited with anxiety for the oc
cupants of the Courtney pew to arrive,
and breathed a sigh of relief when he
saw' them take their accustomed
places. The length of the service and
sermon seemed intolerable. Never be
fore had there been for him a note of
welcome in the words “Let your light
so shine.” He Jumped to his feet and
went, up the aisle in most unholy haste.
Phyllis did not chance tc see him
on his way to the chancel. It was,
therefore, a surprise to her as he camo
down the aisle in the place of his
cousin’s white-haired husband. Sur
prise was quickly succeeded by con
sternation. What should she do? A
wild desire to leave the church seized
her. but her courage wasn’t equal to
the undertaking. She was determined,
however, not to be checkmated. She
put the little white envelope back in
the rack.
Stephen Jerome and the passing
plate came nearer and nearer, he w ith
the air of a conquering hero. While
at the pew in front of the Courtneys
Ik* took in the situation ot the enemy
with a comprehensive glance —the
White envelope in the rack, the reso
lutely folded hands of Phyllis, the se
rene slumber of Ned, and the silver
coin in the hand of the aunt —a similar
one in the lap of Mrs. Courtney.
SPRING IN THE VALLEY.
When the catkin’s on the willow
And the tassel on the birch.
The wild bees from tbe hivlngr rocks
Begin their honey search.
Brown wings among the browner grass
And breast all brightening yellow—
Pipes up from meadows as we pass
The lark's call, clear and mellow;
Nov\ wake the burnished dragonfly ,
Beside the glinting river.
That shakes with silent laughter where
The iris banners quiver;
Now on the budding poplar boughs
The tuneful blackbirds perch;
For the catkin’s on the willow
And the tassel on the birch.
Now stalks the solemn crow behind
The farmer In the furrow;
The dow'ny owl comes out at dusk'
And hoots beside his burrow.
Now blows a balmy breath at morn
To call men to the sowing;
Now' all the waterways are full.
And all the pastures growing;
Now truant anglers drop a line
To catfish and to perch;
For the catkin’s on the willow
And the tassel on the birch.
—St. Nicholas. ■
Xew Jersey Corporationi.
The 927 New Jersey corporations,
having $239,000,000 capital, recently dis
solved for nonpayment of taxes, rep
resent but one in 24 of the companies
incorporated in that state.
STARKVILLE, MISS., FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1903.
Phyllis proved game. Bhe made no
motion to take the plate, as she usua
did. She felt the embarrassment of ihe
slight pause, and was conscious of
surprised, indignant glances from her
mother and aunt.
Finally her aunt moved closer to
the sleeping Ned and leaned forward
to take the plate. In his discomfiture
Stephen relinquished his grasp of th
pUte too quickly. It fell to the floor
of tbe pew, and the silver coins rolled
about promiscuously. Ned awoke and
helped his mother and aunt gather up
the overturned contents of the plate.
Phyllis was covered with chagrin
and embarrassment at the attention
attracted by this incident, while Jerome
felt that he was at last having his re
venge. Her aunt had held the plate
during the operation of restoring the
money. She turned to hand it to Ned,
but he was tinder the seat searching
for more plunder. Jerome made no
motion to take it, anti Phyllis knew
that he would stand there and wait
for her to take it. She was not cor
nered. however. She moved into Ned’s
seat, took the plate from her *’int, and
set it down on the cushion.
At this moment a little chorister
chanted: “It is more blessed to give
than to receive.”
With a smile, Jerome picked up the
plate and passed on. That evening
during his call he appeared so serious
and depressed that Phyllis did not
give expression to her triumph of the
morning. Suddenly Ned appeared in
the doorway.
“Phyllis,” he said. “I want to see
you.” •
She followed him into the next
room. The boy looked troubled and
sheepish.
“What is it. Ned?”
He hesitated and then blurted out:
“Sav. Phyllis, you know when I
was picking tip that money?”
“Yes. dear.”
“Well. T kept a dime and put it In
mv pocket.”
“Oh Ned. Ned!”
“I’ve been sorry all Jay, I thought
I’d put it in the plate r -xt Sunday, but
it’s so long to wait. tell mamma.
I want you to give it to Mr. Jerome.”
“You come in and give it to him.
Ned.”
“Oh. I can’t. Phyllis. I am ashamed.
I should think you might do that much
for me.” and Ife uplifted a rueful face
with beseeching eyes.
She reflected a moment. By a very
simple act she could give pleasure to
one small, forlorn boy, and one big.
unhappy man.
“I will. Ned. Give it to me.” and she
took the dime from him, leaving a kiss
on the fair voting brow'. She then re
turned to the music room and walked
directly tip to Stephen, who sat with
his head leaning listlessly on his hand.
“Mr. Jerome,” she said, unflinching
ly, “Ned kept one of the dimes this
morning. His conscience troubles
him. and I told him I would return it to
you.”
She extended the coin.
With a glow of incredulous joy he
took the piece of money. Then he
put his arm about her. murmuring:
“My darling!”
Afterwards she said:
“It doesn’t count, after all, for you
didn’t say ‘philopena!*”
“I said ‘My darling?’ It’s the same
thing.” he declared.
“But I won’t have to make you a
present.” she persisted.
“No. you have already.”’ N. O.
Times-Democrat.
I
Will Keep “Walled City.”
The walls about the city of Manila
are not to be destroyed. The proposed
innovation met with such a storm of
protest that Secretary Root has given
orders to Governer Taft to let the walls
alone. Manila is now the only walled
city In the orient and many people in
America, as w ell as the Philippines, pro
tested against the destruction of the
old fortifications on the ground that
it would be an act of iconoclasrn. No
part of the wall will be disturbed, al
though it is probable that as a sanitary
measure the moat will be filled up.
Kaiser Posed as Daniel.
The cathedral of Metz has anew en
trance, a part of the decoration of
which consists of arches on which 554
Biblical personages are represented.
On the foremost pillars are the proph
ets, and among them is a wonderfully
well-executed image of Emperor Wil
liam 11., occupying the place Daniel
should fill. His right forefinger points
to a scroll on which the Ten Command
ments are written.
Exactly.—Mrs Waggles—“ How ro
mantic! So she’s a woman who has
loved and lost?” Waggles—“ Yes. She
married a fellow who spent all her
money.” — N. Y. Sun.
SHALL THE HOME MAKER i
T> 17“ DA in P By ZONA VALLANCE,
n 4 ± A jLJ • English Lecturer on Ethical Topics now in this Country.
— 4
... I Ko service rendered to society is greater than that
a|| of the mother who rears good healthy children. The
||| services of the housewife are also of use to the com
il munity, providing, as they do, for the health and com-
U fort of the wage-earner.
|| To the one who renders them these services have
no financial value. The toil of any workingman s.
wife is reasonably worth five dollars per week, be
sides her board and lodging; but she does not get it.
The amount of money handed over to her depends, not on her ability
or industry, but on the money-making capacity and the disposition of her
husband.
We may say that she finds her reward in the happiness and affec
tion of her family; but no other worker does his daily tasks for such
remuneration. In other departments of labor the incentive to rise rests
on the fact that there is money in rising. Only in home-making and
the rearing of children is this requital lacking.
In London women sanitary inspectors visit the tenement districts,,
keeping an eye on the landlords and inciting the mothers to better house
keeping. They teach the bad effects of filth and disorder and the prop
er feeding and care of children. Why should not the state go a step fur
ther and to the housewife who attains a required standard make a cer
tain annual payment ? Though necessarily small, this income would add
to the wife’s dignity.
A great deal of sentiment is woven around the home, but practi
cally man, especially when uneducated, despises woman s work because
it commands no money. It isn’t a bit more important to drive a cart than
to wash dishes, but cart driving compels respect because it receives a
wa^e.
b Under the system suggested, the state would say: “Your work as
home-maker, well done, is of more importance to society than any serv
ice you can render as a wage-earner. Provided you reach a required
standard, the public will make up to you the loss of your wages.
If society does not thus acknowledge the home-maker’s services,
there is no way in which she can gain recognition. The wage-earner can
change employers, hunt a better market, change its trade. From such
opportunities the home-maker is cut off. If she, too, becomes a wage
earner, her long hours of daily toil are destructive of home-making.
SCHOOL AND CHURCH.
In addition to his other honors
King Edward is the titular and hered
itary preacher at St. David s cathe
dral in Wales. He is allowed a sal
ary of live dollars a year and a pew
in the cathedral is reserved for his
use.
St. Andrew’s church, at Retlfield,
Berkshire, is the only church in Eng
land where the bells are rung b}
women instead of men. 'lhe vicar be
ing unable to obtain men, appealed
to the women of his congregation,
and six young women have rung the
bells regularly, although it is heavy
and trying work.
The most notable feature of the
report of United States Commission
er of Education Harris is the great
increase in the number of college stu-,
dents. There are, he says, 75,472
men in colleges and universities, as
against 44.920 ten years ago, and 27,-
879 women students, as against 10,-
701. The only decrease noted is in
the schools of theology.
Prof. Charles R. Van Hise, who has
just been chosen to the presidency
of the University of Wisconsin, is the
first alumnus of the institution to be
come its president. He was gradu
ated in the class of 1879 and since
1892 has been head professor of ge
ology. His reputation as a geologist
was gained on the United States geo
logical survey, of which he has been
geologist since 1888.
Near the little town of Pierre, S.
D., there has been established what
is known in that section as a “Chris
tian Endeavor Rest” for cowboys.
This rest or home is sustained by the
Congregational Christian Endeavor
ers of Pierre, consisting of but 12
members. It is a neat two-story
cottage, in which the Endeavorers
maintain a reading-room. dining
room, bathrooms and laundry.
Principal Butler, of a school at
Missoula, Mont., nearly got into trou
ble because he took his fishing tackle
to school and wound and unwound
the reel during recitations. The pu
pils of the school complained to their
parents about the matter; and there
was an investigation. Mr. Butler said
that he was an ardent angler and
fished in a creek near the school
house before and after school hours.
He liked to hear a reel click, just as
any other angler does, so played with
It in school, but could not see how
It hurt the children. _
NUMBER 14.
HUMOROUS.
Wantanno. —“Why do you call that
boy of yours ‘Flannel?’” Duzno —•
“Because he just naturally shrinks
from washing - .” Baltimore Ameri
can.
He (dejectedly)—“ls this final? Is
there no .hope for me?” She —“O!
there must be some hope. There are
lots of other girls who are not so
particular.”—Philadelphia Press.
A literary wrestling match was the
feature of Saturday last. Bill Jinks
threw Nat Gilkins five times, and was
forthwith declared the greatest poet
in Billville. —Atlanta Constitution.
Limitations of Hypnotism. New
Boarder—“ What’s the row upstairs?”
Landlady —“It’s that professor of
hypnotism, trying to get his wife's
permission to go out this evening.” —-
N. Y. Weekly.
Something Doing.—“ Are you still
braking?” asked the first railroad
man. “Nope,” replied railroad man
No. 2. “I’ve quit braking and gone
to baggage smashin’.” —Chicago Daily
News.
“Sir, you look like an optimist.
You have a happy countenance. Lend
me a dollar.” “My friend, do you
know why I look .appy? It’s because
I haven’t any wealth to bother me.”
—Cleveland Plain Dealer.
She —“You advertise 13 eggs for 25
cents.” He —“So we do, ma’am.” “I
bought 25 cents’ worth of you yes
terday, and I only got ten eggs, and
they were all bad.” “Yes’m; I sup
posed ten would be all you would
want of those eggs, ma'am.” —Yon-
kers Statesman.
The Perils of Youth. —“I think yea
are awiully hard-hearted,” she sa'd.
“You don’t seem to care a bit even
if the baby is sick.” “You wrong me,”
said her husband. “But I regard the
cause for apprehension as compara
tively slight. cannot convince
me that an attack of measles is aa
dangerous as skating on thin ice or
celebrating the Fourth of July.”—
Washington Star.
He was Competent Himself.
Bobby’s father was breaking the
news to him.
“How would you like to have a lit
tle brother, Bob?” he asked.
“First rate,” replied the youngster,
cheerfully. Then he reflected a min
ute. “No,” he said, slowly; “I guess
after all Fd rather have a sister. I’m
a boy myself, yu know.”—N, Y*
Tribune. _ - - - *