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THE SONG OF THE DRUMS. We aie naught but a little brass kettle, With a tight little cover at top, Just a circle of sheepskin and metal And a pair of quick drumsticks a-hop, And we make quite'the poorest of music, Just a rhythmical rattle and hum, Yet there’s never a stave In the heart of the brave But resounds to the beat of the drum. There’s a witchcraft concealed in our hollow, There’s a mystery hid in our round, For we beat, and men cannot but follow, Keeping time with their feet on the ground, With a dream and a glamour of glory Like a wave of the ocean it comes, As we sing and we say: “Come awayl Come away! Follow me! Follow me!” say the drums. We tap, and we hum, and we mutter; We throb to the scream of the fife, And at every note that we utter The scarlet blood leaps into life. We roll, and we crash, and we thunder, Like the roar ere the avalanche comes, And there’s many a lad, So gallant and glad, Who’s been caught by the song of the drums When we rattle a lively chorus To the long shining column a-wind, With the cavalry waltzing before us And the foot doing two step behind, As we pass through the streets of the city Not a heart to our music but thrums, And for all the long way Not a horse in a dray But will dance to the time of the drums. When the guns are unlimbered for action And the men for the slaughter a-chafe, Yet the hell must attend for a fraction Till the drummers are stowed away safe; Though the ranks may be reeling and broken When the charge like a thunderclap comes, Though the roads may be red And the officers dead, You can run to the tune of the drums. —Bertrand Shadwell in Chicago Record. §*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*©*-••*•* | Tio Pepe’s | | Floating- Garden, f 89 With It Vanished the Miser’s Last © Mope of a Youthful Bride. * © © © BY G. CBNYNGHAM TJERRY. © ©*o*©*#*©*o*C->:-9-x-®*o*o*©*©*® Down close to the Viga was the em peno, or pawnshop, of Pepe Diaz, fa miliarly and contemptuously known thereabouts as “Tio Pepe,” or, as it would be in English, “Uncle Pete.” No one cared for the shrunken, dwarfish old fellow, and the custom that came to his musty, dark and ancient shop was mostly foreign. Not that Tio Pepe had no really good and valuable things to offer; far from it. For 10 cents you could buy dingy, faded old samplers, worked in 1785 or thereabouts; old altar cloths stolen from heaven only knows where, old brasses, quaintly bound books in crabbed ancient Spanish and many other things too numerous to mention. So that during the tourist season Miser Pepe flourished and wax ed exceedingly well off. As a matter of fact, the uncle was whispered to be worth at the very least 55.000, much of which of course had been made from the pawnshop. Most of Pepe’s. revenue, however, was deriv ed from the cultivation of his “floating garden” farther down tile Viga at Santa Anita. On this little square patch of ground, owned by liis forefa thers and himself since the days of Montezuma, old Pepe raised a hodge podge assortment of cabbages, radish es, water cress and other toothsome vegetables for sale at the San Juan market, while along the borders of the garden flourished flowers of all sorts and conditions. Fragrant white tube roses, gay red and yellow nasturtiums, brilliant, saucy scarlet poppies; vio lets, white and purple, lifted their fra graut, modest faces to the sun, and sweet peas such as one never sees out side of that favored land overran the borders and clambered impudently over the cabbages and radishes themselves. Tio Pepe, crabbed old miser that he was, loved this little garden. Here you could find him when he was not on duty at the empeno weeding his flow ers, cutting them reluctantly for the flower market and on plaza days pack ing carefully counted vegetables into the boat of old Vicente, who attended to their vending. Of late, to the amazement and mirth of onlookers, a minute bunch of forgetmenots was placed gingerly on top of Vicente’s freight and the servitor commanded to carry it with great care to pretty Paz, daughter of old Gonzalez, at the Ein barcadero. I regret to state that tlie pretty blue blossoms were invariably presented and accepted to the accompaniment of mirthful roars, after which they adorn ed the purplish black braids of Paz’s hair up to the hour at which she daily stole away to the water side to greet her lover, Juan, who always “happen ed” to pole his flat bottomed boat by at a certain time. Then the blue flowers would find their last resting place in the Viga waters, down which they would float until they perhaps reached their birthplace again. And a red poppy or some sweet peas may be would usurp their place with that co quette, Paz. For many weeks, as knew the little world along La Viga, Juan and Paz had been sweethearting. Even miserly old Tio Pepe knew of the courtship that was going on between the handsome young boatman and pretty Paz, on whom the old scamp for long had had his own bleared eye. But little did he care. Tio had seen enough of the world during his CO years to know that money discounts love in nine cases out of ten. He himself was getting too infirm to much longer tend both pawnshop and garden, and Paz was a strong, capable girl. She would make a good wife, he thought, and when he got ready to con descendingly “drop his handkerchief” he doubted not but that Paz would make baste to pick it up. And even in the remote case that she preferred Juan — Well, then Gonzalez, her fa ther, could knock reason into her pret ty black head. In all of which, as you will perceive, Tio Pepe was in the right. It was upon a sunny fiesta day in early September that Tio finally de cided to propose, warned thereto by in creasing rheumatism and new creaks in his poor old joints. Immediately, therefore, after closing his shop for the day he laboriously drew on his holiday garments—black silver buttoned trou sers so tight that he could barely sit down in them, a gay, short coat and costly sombrero of tan felt and gold. Nor should one omit to mention his light, creaking shoes of bright yellow leather. Thus arrayed for conquest Tio pricked forth on his amatory jour ney to the house of Gonzalez, Paz’s father. In the patio were reposing the entire Gonzalez family—father, mother and pretty Paz. This latter, however, sat very close to none other than Juan, the boatman. One of lier hands were clasped in his, and they were both en deavoring to smoke, with much mirth and an occasional sly kiss or so, the same cornhusk cigarette. From afar the father and mother of Faz beamed approval. For, poor though Juan might be, he was diligent and very serious. He would get ahead. And then, though “all the world may love a lover,” in Latin countries he is adored. Into this peaceful peon Eden came that elderly snake, Tio Pepe. And even while the young people were hill ing and cooing under his very eye this unregenerate old man proceeded to ask the girl’s hand in marriage, announc ing that upon the day of the wedding he would present to the parents no less than 50 good, hard silver dollars. His proposal was at first politely turned down. Then, as Tio persisted in his blandishments, the father of Paz, always poor and thirsty, began to wav er. “But, my friend,” he temporized, “it is only today that we have consent ed to Juan, as you see. Figure to your self their anguish if we should, with such brevity, make a ceasing to it. It is true that Juan is young—as young as our Paz—and has no money. But what care we?” To the tottering objections of Gonza lez Tio Pete had many plausible an swers and more silvery promises, after which there was the mother to tackle. Not by mere words was lier consent won. Tio Pete was first forced n ex hibit under secrecy of the house itself and over a bottle of red wine the pre cious little bankbook which he carried next his breast. Then, and not until then, did the mother of Paz counte nance her daughter’s engagement to ' Tio, who, witli many bland adioses to the smiling parents and a leer that con vulsed poor unsuspecting Paz, now pro ceeded to take his departure. After which, the deluge! For, when Juan departed to pole a gringo down to Ixtaealco, Paz was made acquainted with her latest and most flattering proposal, which she re ceived with furious tears, indignant and profane words as regarded the Tio and finally angry words and unwise ones as to the conduct of her parents themselves in thus being wound about the small finger of old Pete, whom ev ery one well knew to be a liar, a miser and an old wretch utterly without shame. Now, in all this Paz was ill advised, for in Latin countries no parent will indure impudance or questioning words from li is or her children. Wherefore - Paz was promptly spanked by her mother, despite the young lady’s 15 years, and safely deposited in a room with barred windows, the door of which they locked on the outside, recommend ing that the undutiful one engage in prayer to the Virgin, who would of a certainty soften her hard heart and reconcile her to marriage with that most opulent and generously inclined Don Pepe. So far, so good. Leaving the weeping Paz booliooing indignantly in her dur ance vile. Mother Gonzalez hastened to don her best blue rebozo and waddle about gleefully, spreading the joyous news: “Behold, only figure to your selves, little neighbors!” she explained. “Paz lias been asked for in marriage by Don Pepe of the empeno. Dios de la Vida, but it was luck of the very best! Only think of the riches, the many dol lars gained from the stupid tourists who go about seeking into everything, the large sums of money in the loteria and, above all, that magnificent floating garden from which Don Pepe derives sls every month! Ay de mi, girls hadn’t such chances when I was young!” “True, senora, but is not Tio Pepe a trifle too old for your little mucbachita Paz?” searehingly inquired a tall, Ju noesque washerwoman, who had de serted her washing stones to listen to the news. “Of what importance is the age? Think to yourself of all that money, the rich garments, the many fine things that my daughter will have!’’ vainglo riousiy retorted the mother. And the Juno, bending again to her tiresome task, did think and sigh. She had married at 13 for love. Now she was the sole support, despite prayers and offerings to the Virgin, of a pulque soaking husband and ten hungry chil dren. “Perhaps,” she reflected, “the mother of Paz was in the right. But poor Juan!” Poor Juan indeed. Jollying boatmen on La Viga broke the new state of af fairs to him, and over the young fel low’s rage, incredulity, despair and pro fanity we must perforce draw a veil. Not for three days did the discarded lover show himself. On the evening of the third day he appeared to the fami ly of Gonzalez, minus Paz, who was still locked up. So downcast was he, so meek and utterly dejected, that even the hard hearts of the Gonzalez coupie melted at the sight of him. He had brought some cigarettes “of the finest” for Papa Gonzalez and a magnificently carved rosary for the mamacita. To Paz, as he broken heartedly murmured, he dared bring nothing, not even a tiny flower of St. John! Melted almost to tears at his misery and further moved by the bottle of red wine which Juan dismally produced from the depths of his blouse, these parents began to palliate their seeming hardness and with one accord began to make excuse: “Ay Dios, Juanito of our hearts, well thou knowest that we love thee a thousand times more than Tio Pepe. Of a verity, as thou knowest, we w:)u!:l wish thee for the husband of our . Eut—there is the money.” Juan, his head bent and son’owful velvety eyes fixed upon the Viga before i an, with its grejen islets and brilliant flowers, said little. Perhaps, like the parrot, lie thought all the more, for a sudden idea seemed to strike him. Turning to the old people, he said softly: “Friends of my heart, perhaps I can borrow from the good Senor Es meeth, for whom I labored at the dyna mite deposit, money sufficient to buy a small floating garden. If so, may I and not that sneaking old Pepe have the little Paz? Tell me?” Now, only mark the soft heartedness, the veritable duplicity of this brace of peon parents. For with one accord, in a single breath, as it were, Papa and Mamma Gonzalez gave vent to emphat ic “yes-es.” Therefore before the de parture of Juan it was mutually agreed and understood that Juan, being first (and evidently last) in the affections of Paz, was secretly to be given several days’ grace in the gathering together of something to offer as a dower to his bride elect. If by the 17th of Septem ber at latest he had “gathered togeth er” nothing, then he was to retire him self, leaving Tio Pepe a clear field. If, however, he could beg, borrow or steal from his friend Senor Esmeeth money to buy a small garden which would guarantee a comfortable living, he would be permitted to accompany Paz and her parents without delay to Padre Ignacio. Transfigured with joy and beaming like a young sun god, Juan embraced the old couple and departed, like the immortal Sir Galahad, on his quest. “Not that the poor little one had much chance,” as Mamma Gonzalez sighed, “for there was nothing more difficult “JOHNNY, WHERE IS MY PEN?” - " ' than to get money out of these stingy Americanos.” “True,” grunted papacito, on whom mingled emotion and red wine were be ginning to tell. “We will wait. We will see.” Soon Enrique, the present guardian of Mr. Smith’s dynamite deposit at Rio Hondo, w 7 as enchanted to receive a visit from his friend Juan, for it was lonely out at the dynamite magazine, and he had no more pulque or ciga rettes. In his capacious blouse the good Juan carried both. The two im bibed several glasses of pulque, after which, smoking their cigarettes, they betook themselves to the vault to sort out some dynamite and fuse which Senor Esmeetli had ordered shipped next day. The shipment reached its destination several sticks and coils short, which made trouble for Mr. Smith and led to the dismissal of Enrique, who fruit lessly and with tears and lamentations protested his innocence. Juan, how ever, reached home intact and joyful, with three sticks of dynamite and sev eral yards of fuse concealed in that hold all, his manta blouse, and during the next few days he “lay low,” not even going near the house of Paz, but spending a great deal of time on the canal below tbe floating gardens. “An old aunt of mine,” he stated in a lordly way, “is thinking of selling to me a small garden. Quien sabe whether I will buy or not.” And those who knew, being well aware that no floating gardens were to be bought for love or money below Santa Anita, smiled good naturedly and passed on. Now drew on apace that great and glorious day, the 15th of September, and “the world” was prepared or pre paring to celebrate the occasion. Ail the city was agog, elaborately uni formed bands played in every direc tion, squads of blue clad foot soldiers and bunches of yellow clad cavalry formed for the procession, flowers dec orated buildings and people, the na tional colors floated from every flag staff and gayly dressed holiday makers paraded the streets. Every one, in fact, was abroad in the land and having a veritable "hurrah" so far as within him or her lay. Even decrepit, wheezy old Tio Pepe had shut upt the pawn shop and. attired in skin tight trousers, laced jacket and hat, linjped about, smirking and ogling and ’ setting up” innumerable "treats” to that heartless and suddenly resigned Taz, with her father and mother. Oh, it was all very lovely and gay! Too bad that poor Juan could not lie there too! “I’oor Juan.” as it happened, was still at I,a Viga, the only living being there, for every c-hiek and child of the resi dents was with the great crowd in the plaza, awaiting “el (Irito” and fire works at 11 of that night. Juan had ■ other work to do, evidently connected with the floating garden of Tio Pepe, about which he had been furtively lurk : ing since the departure of its owner at ; 0 o’clock. And just at 11 o’clock, when ! there arose a deafening clamor front . the city, with the continued jingling of hells, screaming and cheering of 15,000 i jeople and the banging of innumerable i fireworks. Juan was fleeing in his boat - away front the garde.n of Tio Pepe. Two minutes after lie was safely dis . tant therefrom there was the arising of [ that selfsame island into the nstonish > ed air, and its subsequent settling in about: 15 fragments upon the placid wa , ters of La Viga. And so a long, last ■ adios to the garden of poor old Tio i Pope! I And bright and early the nest morn - behold a wonder—two wonders, in fact ■ —even l’or a land in which mountains l appear in a single night and lakes dis ; appear forever from mortal ken. The island of Tio Pepe had sunk (so won -1 dering people said) beneath the Viga • waters—at any rate, it was gone. The ; devil must have done it, they conclud ed, and they all hurried to mass and sprinkled holy water up m themselves ind prayed numerous “Padre Nues -1 tros.” Meanwhile farther down the Viga a I solitary, crippled old dame, hobbling , about early in the morning, lifted up , her dim eyes and beheld a little green , islet where the night before no islet had been. She, Instead of taking the , name of the devil in vain, smiled to j herself and muttered: “Que muchacho! , Mow the poor little one must have la bored during the night! I will take a , hurried look before his coming. If on ions are there, I might as well have [ them as any one else!” Tio Pepe, reaching home at midday on the 10th, muddled as to legs and head and repentant as to his mind, was met with the news that his floating garden had been swallowed up, even as the volcano at Jorullo had been. Ev ery one had noted the smell of brim stone in the air. Old Joaquin, the ear gador, paddling late up the Viga, had seen an awful figure with horns and a long tail carrying the island off bodily on his pitchfork. It was assuredly the work of the devil. Of a truth had Tio best make his peace with the world and live in godliness, else the demon would carry him off, too, as he had done the island. Frightened, speechless, Tio Pepe had several fits, after which he hastened to clear out his pawnshop and, with his precious bankbook, set hurried sail, ser burro, for his own land. It was not well, as he knew, to tempt the devil. The garden was gone, enchanted away, hut he could and would save the bank book and himself. As regards pretty Paz and that grace less and jubilant Juan, little remains to be told. The very day after Tio Pepe’s flight Juan, in spotless white, a flower in his sombrero and another over his ear, appeared again at the house of his beloved, entreating that the family ac company him in his own boat to a small piece of property which, aided by a loan from his benefactor, Senor Es meeth, he had only just purchased. Rapture ensued. Embraces were bandied about, many healths drunk, and eventually the happy party of four floated down the canal through the low gates, where, unless you duck your heads, you are more than apt to bump them, past the grim, stony old churches and past the pretty, sunny gardens at Santa Anita. And finally on a some what remotely situated • island Juan landed his party. “It is our little gar den now,” he announced proudly, “bought from the old aunt, who had moved away to her own tierra; bought with the money of the good, kind Senor Es-meetk and offered now, with my soul’s devotion and adoration, to my own Paz, that heart of my heart.” Whereat more joyful embraces, shrieks of rapture and the christening of the pretty new island in many bumpers of pulque and good red wine. Should you ever go down the Viga in Juan’s boat you are hereby advised not to go near that persistent boat man’s pretty garden., where, with Paz The First National Bank OF FROSTBURG, MD. UNITED STATES DEPOSITORY. Marx Wjneland, President. Roberdeau Annan, Cashier. Capital Stock, $50,000. Surplus, $40,000. Deposits (over) $540,000. Total Assets (over) $675,000. 3 nOr Infernal' D/)ifl Accounts of Individuals and Firms Solicited, pol IKlk. llllCitJl lulll. Safe Deposit Boxes Free to Our Customers. I we- l i WBAV- t \ WEAVING X The undersigned is prepared to do Carpet v* Weaving at the following prices per yard : All Wool Chain, 36-inch, 3-ply, 45 cents Wool and Cotton Chain, 35 cents \ All Cotton Chain, 28 cents f* Js3r‘ I will pay the freight one way. 7i Address: C. L. DeLAUTER, V MEYERSDALEj PA. £ \ A SIDEBOARD of solid build and chaste design gives dignity to an apartment. In our line of Dining Room Furniture there is an assortment of Sideboards, Extension Tables, Chairs, etc., which would attract the eye anywhere. Strong and handsome pieces of Furniture. Call and inspect the stock. CU lUICI/'CT FROSTBURG, . r. IN lUlvfcL,, MARYLAND. dimpling and smiling among her vio lets and poppies, you are morally sure to spend your worldly all on totally un necessary and irresistible bouquets of those aforesaid flowers.—Argonaut. Two Ways. A wealthy and cultured American prominent in social and literary circles lately died in England, where he had resided for 30 years. Since his first week abroad he had never dined at an Englishman’s table. At his first dinner party in London his host made a slight ing reference to the United States which his guest, as a guest, could not resent. Upon the spot he resolved nev er to accept an invitation where such another affront might be put upou his patriotism. For the antithesis to this act cross the channel to Paris. An Austrian archduke visiting in that city offended a Frenchman, who later, in a drawing room, trod on his foot. The archduke took out his handkerchief, brushed the dust from his shoe and remarked aloud to his host, “What an awkward person that is!” The archduke was too highly placed in Europe to acknowledge the possibility of intentional insult. One would need to go far to find two more comprehensive illustrations of an unhappy hut not infrequent phase of social life. Some persons wound others intentionally, some unwittingly. Shall one therefore go through life avoiding all society lest perchance one’s sensibil ities he hurt, or shall one be blind to ward even intended rudeness and “live it down?” When the boys in the gutter throw mud, the dignified thing for the pedestrian is to walk on unheeding.— Youth’s Companion. Why We Need Hobbies. Business is not inseparable from higher things. Men may he born gro cers, but need not live only as grocers. Solon and Thales, wise men. of the Greeks, were merchants. Plato ped dled oil. Spinoza, the philosopher, mended spectacles. Linriseus was a cob bler as well as a botanist. Shakespeare prided himself more upon his success as a stage manager than as a drama tist. Spenser was a sheriff.. .It might require a rather strong wrench of the imagination to imagine sheriffs of to day writing another “Faerie Queene.” But why? Milton taught school, as have almost all great men. Walter Scott, the wizard of the north, was cir cuit clerk and practical man of affairs, Grote was a London baker, Ricardo a stock jobber and Sir Isaac Newton master of the English mint. Paul was a tentmaker and the Great Gentleman an apprentice at a carpenter’s bench. “I practice law simply to support my self,” said one of the greatest of St. Louis-attorneys, an attorney at law. not an attorney at politics, “but my real life is at home in my library.” Thoroughly practical people need the help of hobbies to keep them from shriveling up.—St. Louis Globe-Demo crat. Just a Sample. On a sweltering Sabbath in a little church in the backwoods the perspir ing minister, instead of preaching a long sermon, cailed the attention of the congregation to the figures on the ther mometer. “Just study those figures,” he said. “It ain’t half as hot here as you’ll find it hereafter if you don’t mend your ways.’*—Atlanta Constitu tion. 1(6 (161! That's the kind you get at C. D. BRODE’S Ice Cream Parlors Cor. Union and Bowery Sts. fl@“Try our Ice Cream Bricks."©a LOOK f t°h r e BLUE LABEL STREETT’S Mother’s Bread. NONE GENUINE WITHOUT IT. FINE TABLE BUTTER. That which we sell deserves the highest praise. It is from dairies famous for the flavor and quality of their products. Cream from the milk of fine stock is used, ensuring richness and delicious flavor. Fresh Country Butter -20 c fiood Baking Butter -15 c THE GEM GROCERY, ALBERT SPITZNAS, Prop., Main St., Frostburg, Md. Opposite First National Bank. WASIILNOW These two words mean a difference to you. They mean a saving of ten per cent, on your purchase. If you buy a Suit, the regular price of it being S2O, you get it For SIB.OO. If you select a higher priced Suit, your discount will be proportionately larger. We make this reduction to close out about 25 Light Colored Suitings before the Summer season is over. The goods are this season’s styles, mostly stripes and plaid mixtures.. . . CALL AND SEE. Prices marked in plain figures. WM. G. HILLER, THE RELIABLE TAILOR, Broadway, FROSTBURG, MD. t&f-: t t ts- s- te-t it KODAK * |jj is no longer a luxury but is * now almost a necessity and $ jjj the price, SI,OO to $25.00, is $ t within the reach of all. £ iJj We have a few second- $ ■£ hand Cameras at greatly $ reduced prices. £ I CAMERAS TO HIRE I * * jjj for picnics and outing * i* parties. * jjj We still do developing and jj printing for the amateur in jj j*j our own unexcelled style. * !t Our Photos are Always the Best. 5 j Itaverstick Art Studio f .108 Broadway, .% It FROSTBURG, MD. $ % &