THE SEMI-WEEKLY IMBIBE
IRA L. DARE, Publisher
TKHMS $1.25 IN ADVANCE
NORTH PLATTE,
NEBRASKA
Surely Coming.
Tho prediction (hat tho railroads
will ultimately conio to tho electric
method of propulsion as a matter ot
economy, safety, convenience and no
cosnlty Is no longer regarded with tho
Hkoptlclsm onco prevalent. Tho ex
traordinary extent to which many big
rorp-nflonn nro uslug electrical mo
live tfowor, especially nt tormlnnls,
shown that groat advancement hao
boon made. At a meeting of tho Wost
orn Hoclaly of KloctrlclnnH in Chicago
V. A. Sngnr, a prominent mombor and
ngent for an Important company, mndo
this Htntoment: "Tho railroads will
havo to spend approximately $5,000,
000,000 within n fow years to kcop up
with tho Inorenso of tralllc. Uy eloe
trlflcatlon nt a cost of f4,000,000,000
thoy would lncronso their capacity to
such an oxtont that no now trnckngo
would be nooded," This conclusion
wan roachod uftor a careful rovlew by
Mr. Hagor of what has been dono or
is in tlm way of accomplishment by
tho Now York Contra!, tho Haltlmoro
& Ohio, tho Krlo and other railroad
rnmpanlos oast and west, and tho llg
urea adduced In tho way of annlysla
Boomed to loavo no loubt an to tho
economic and othor advantages do
rlvod from tho chnngo from steam to
electricity.
Beauty, n Woman's Dlrthrlght.
A vast majority of womon uro fall
ing in lovo In tho good old fashion,
writes Annn McCluro Sholl in Applo
ton's, marrying and rearing families,
and soma of them will bo nblo to pro
pnro their boyB for collego when tho
tlmo comes, on tho Btrength of their
own academic degrees. Hut whether
collego bred, or bred In that Bwootest
of all schools for a girl, her own home,
this majority is keeping nllvo tho old
traditions of chivalry which aro
founded not on an Ancient foudal sys
tem, nor on tho ldcnlH of nn aristo
cratic society, adoring tho great dame
nnd scorning tho peasant woman ns n
clod of tho fluid, but on tho instinct ot
strength to protect weakness, to wor
ship beauty, to yield to tho nwny of
mystery; und beauty and mystory nro
represented In this world chlofty by
womon. Ilnatity Is their birthright, and
mystery is a part of their very consti
tution, holng, ns they nro, nearor than
men to Uio uplrltual sldo of Hfo tho
hidden procroatlvo forco which peo
ples both heaven and onrth,
Public sentiment will emphatically
sustain tho declaration of tho presi
dent of Uryn Mawr collego that hnzlug
is a survival of savagory which ought
to 'bo stamped out of mon'a collcgoo,
but in women students is u social
crlmo without ovon tho excuso of stu
pid traditions for Us being, declares
the Haltlmoro American. Tho Inher
ent brutality of hazing, Un suggestions
of forco and roughness nnd its ungen
erous nature nro nil directly opposed
to tho cultivation ot tho essentially
feminine qualities nnd that gentleness
which, a. grace nnd charm In all wom
en, In essentially so In young onos.
Anything prejudicial to Us develop
ment 1m out ot place in the higher odu
cation of womon.
It is tho universal testimony of
American street-cnr men thnt a lnrgo
portion ot tho womon passengora got
off tho car facing backward, and many
accidents nro duo to tho practice. No
amount ot warning or remonstrance
having cured tho hnblt, a car-barn sit
porlutcndcnt In Chicago has equipped
40 cars with a new form of door han
dlo, so placed thnt It Is dimcult for
anyone to alight in tho wrong way
who uses tho hnndlo as a support; and
all other supports nro removed. Somo
of tho women who havo used tho now
cam nro said to regard thorn aa very
Inconvenient, und to bo Indignant at
rtlie loss of u time-honored privilege
ffere ar?d in foreign
nrs. Edward Punroy-Kccd
0
v .fry Bv
1 Ai f 1 I S M ll
WW 0 our "camo over on the f i
Shorenlng of the Day.
' It hns long been known, thoorotlcat
ly, thnt the tides act as a brake on the
rotating earth, nnd tend tolongthen
tho ny. The effect, however. Is so
slight that it cannot bo measured in
nny length of time at man's Isposnl.
It may bo estimated wlih tho old of
corttln assumptions: und using tho
data nvallnblo. Mr. V. D. MaoMlllan
has recently mndo tho necessary com
putation by tho formulas used by en
gineer. He finds for tho lncrcaso of
tho length of tho day ono second In
400,000 years.
Paint Indicates Danger.
A paint Is noon to bo plnced on the
market to Indlcnto excessive heat in
machine parts. Hod when cool, it be-
' eomes blnck whon hented. Mercuric
, Iodide and cnplc ovldo aro two of ttio
I ingredients'.
It Is dlfllcult for westorn pooplo to
umdorstnnd Islam or unravel tho mys
torles ot Kb politico. Hut wo can ap
proclato tho romantic side ot nn event
cclcbratod thin month on thu birthday
of tho Turkish sultan; nnmoly, tho
opening of tho railroad from Damascus
to Medina. Tho rond will ultimately
connect tho holy city ot Mecca with
Constantinople
After spending money, sorrow und
humiliation for It, Lady Yarmouth has
discarded her tltlo as worthless. Hut
somo value will still bo extracted from
lier sorry purchaso It It only serves as
a warning uxnmplo to other Amorlcau
women who boo glamor In a tltlo and
slako n life's happiness to win Its
amply glitter.
Tluniks to Bven Hedlu, Central Asia
Js now In tho snnu class thnt Central
Africa was after Mr. Stanley had pone
tratod It. What will futuro oxplorers
do whon they sigh for now dark con
tinents to upon on tho map? It looks
very much as if thoy might havo to
look afar to tho planets.
K elevato our chliiH, ex
pand our chests nnd don
our "camo over on the
Mnyllower" o x p r o h s lo n
when somo ono niontloun
the origin of Thanksgiv
ing. Unhesitatingly wo lay
clnlm to tho honor of having tho "only
original" Thanksgiving day on tho
globe. Thou along- comes a long-haired
historian with his array of facts und
our prldo receives a shock.
I'horo Is hardly ft country In tho
world which docs not give thanks for
ono reason or another, Somo havo bet
tor reasons than others, but they nil
clnlm to havo Hiilllclont oxcuso for bolng
grateful to set aside ono day each year.
Thanksgiving day was hold long be
fore tho timber for tho Mayflower or tho Anno was
planted. It hud itn origin in antluulty whon tho
Itomans and Greeks held u fast day In October
which thoy dedicated to tho goddess of agriculture
nnd followed the day of fasting by one of feasting
nnd roynl frolicking, a day on which the chnso and
all sorts of rustic sports held sway.
Going oven further back Into the remote nges of
not our country, alas hut of tho world, wo find
tho early Kgyptlnim sotting aside n day for general
thanksgiving nnd burning of incense nnd offering
sacrifices to their divinity ot the crops, the Goddess
Isls.
For soven or eight days the .IowIhIi "Feast of
Tabernacles" was, centuries ago, held during the
Bovouth month, which is November, and after tho
completion of Solomou'n temple tho people that
year hold a M-day festival which was a tlmo of
thanksgiving, and during which time thoy gnvn
thnnks for the abundance or their land. Living In
booths they decorated their ontlro homes with
branches of the palm and of citron trees and then
showed that It was for tho yield of tho season as
well as for the completion of the tomplo thnt they
wore giving thnnks.
Coming forward u contury or two wo tlud Thanks
giving day being held In Knglnml under the unmo
of "Hnrvost Homo." This day was usually early In
November und It opened by a church service, which
was followed by a day ot gayoty and feasting.
Thnnks were given In the churches for tho benefits
of the season and then the "masses" flocked to I ho
groundB of tho "classes," to which they were all
Invited. Hero squire and gentry entertained tho
peasantry with freo und easy dances In tho barns,
wroBtllng inntelJes and feats ot archery, for which
prizes were given.
In the evening harvest songs wore sung by the
light of (ho moon, over the beer and ale, which
flowed freely. A dinner, such ns only the early Kng
llsh know how lo prepare, was sorvod to Ihese great
crowdH of thanksglverH, and tho Harvest Homo day
ended In repletion both of appetite und merrymak
ing. Hefore tho Hoforiuatlon u special day waH set
apart In Hngland for giving thanks, and uftor the
reformation tho custom was continued with added
fervor, but after all, It Is-nut from our Hngllsh nn-
eestorB. as we might suppose, that we received tho
Inspiration for our first Thanksgiving duy.
Neither did the Idea originate with tho Pilgrims
thenmelves, They merely continued a custom with
which thoy hnd become familiar und of which their
natures approved, when they were living with their
Dutch cousins.
To digress Just a little; It has boon claimed by
somo Investigators who slopped Just a llttlo short
or tho beginning In tracing backward that tho first
real Thanksgiving dny or true American meaning
was hold by the Pophnm colonists or Monhognn,
but ns they wero KplscopnllanB nnd gave thanks
every week tu their regular church ritual this must
bo blackballed and cust out of our calculation
And HOW to return to dm I'IIltIiiiu nml tin, mm.
It cannot bo denlod that PrOBldent , toms thoy nbsorbed whllo nrotected in Holland. Tim
Diaz lias dono enough hard, work for pious Dutch, before tho Pilgrims flocked to their
lill republic lo entitle him to lay off peaceful land, hud set apart October ;t on which to
and ttvfco a Ilon-huntluu trip it ha feels c'vo thnnks for their hnrvest, but more especially
o 41gl)ol. to1' tlu''r deliverance from Spanish authority. The
dny opened In this water-locked land with a grent
ringing ot bells and over overy shining doorslll
thorc stepped Into tho crisp morning air the house
hold's full number. Knch Huns or Gretchcn, clasp
ing a sllverbound prayer book, walked sedately to
tho various places of worship nnd there, lifting up
their sweet Hollnnd voices, harsh, perhaps, In
speech, but full and round In sang, sent up mimical
pralso for tho freedom of their land and the good
things of the earth.
Church over, tho ontlro population for tho nonco
broko through tholr usual stolfdnosB nnd thcro wns
a general scampering of young feet In gnmo or
dance and a clattering of oldor tongues In friendly
gossip ns neighbor vlBltcd neighbor or a rather wel
comed his large flock or grandchildren.
Thu great event or this Dutch Thanksgiving day
was dinner, nt which was served as central dish
u queer Htew ot meat und vegetables which thoy
called Spanish hodge-podge. For once In their prac
tical lives tho Hollanders beenmo facetious, and
over this hodgo-podgo thoy mndo merry and cracked
Jokes at tholr old-llnio enemy Spain. Tho general
"hnsh-llke" appearance of tho hodgo-podgo was sup
posed to represent the condition of the Spanish
army when (he Dutch hnd vanquished It. Kven
tho children entered Into the fun und kept their"
history fresh by gloefully slashing Into a potato or
a turnip and chuckling as they swallowed tho mor
soIb, "This Is General So and-So ah! Mo ent him
sol"
Well, the Purllans heartily approved of tho early
religious services ot tho morning and their henlthy
appetites could not fnll to appreciate the Spnntsh
hodgo-podgo, however much thoy may have dis
approved of tho sontlmont which flavored It, so thoy
entered most heartily Into the Dutch Thanksgiv
ing of October II. In 16211 theso Pilgrims hold Oc
tober I! ns a day of Thanksgiving In tho New World,
und here we hnvo our first truo American Thanks
giving day.
TIiIh day has passed through mnny vicissitudes
since that date. Thoro Is not a festival on tho al
manac, llxod or movable, which has had the strug
gle for existence that our Novomber holiday has
endured.
From 102:1 until 10110 Thanksgiving day was hold
In Amorlca In various months, some of the PllgrlniB
keeping to October !! nnd other colonists holding
a different daj by order or the governor,
In IG30 tho people of Mnssnchusetts were suffer
ing for food und clothing und Gov. WInthrop hired
tho good ship Lyon to return to IJngland for sup
plies. For ninny dnya tho vessel lay stranded off
the Isle of Shoals, but finally put out. Winter came
on apace, und nothing was heard of tho Bhlp. Tho
colonists wero ncnrly disheartened when, on Feb
ruary 22, 1031, tho Lyon was sighted, and the gov
ernor ordered that the day bo given over to roast
ing and thnuksgtvlng, This Is the first written
record or a Thanksgiving dny In Hoston; It enn
still be found in tho Colonial Records of Massachu
setts. It la nn Interesting fact that this first Hos
ton Thanksgiving was held on what Is now ono of
our most patriotic holldnys, Washington's birthday.
Tho first record of a joint celebration of Thanks
giving duy 1b given In the Colonial Records of 1C32.
when Gov. WInthrop or Massachusetts bay, asked
tho governor or Plymouth colony to Join him in Is
suing n proclamation of n public
Thanksgiving dny. The invitation
was -accepted, nnd in November,
1032, Plymouth colony and
Massachusetts Hay colony cele
brated Thnnksglvlng day to
gether In a manner pretty
much tho same as their de
scendants of today, in re
ligious sorvlce nnd feasting nnd
funmnklng. Tho ono notlccablo
omission was tho great football
game which marks tho day In our
generation.
From 1032 until 1C77 the Now
England records show that 22 dif
ferent dates wero set apart by tho
various governors ns days for pub
lic thnnksglvlng, and thnt with the
exception of tho two colonies men
tioned no two held tho day on the
snmo date. Tho celebrations, how
over, wero held In October or No
vember. In 10.77, as other denominations
had crept Into Plymouth colony,
over which the Puritan church had
no ruling, the goyernor decided
that It would be well to have tho
power of fixing public holldayB,
"whether for feasting, praying or
funmnklng," vested In civic au
thority. Accordingly In thnt year
the llrst printed Thanksgiving day
proclamation wns printed. Thanks
giving day proclamation was print
ed, setting November 25 as tho
festival.
Tho law reads: "That it he in
tho power of the governor and as
sIstantB to command solemn dates
of humiliation by fasting, etc., nnd
also, thanksgiving aa occasion shall
be offered."
This shows that tho law callod
for only "occasional" Thanksgiving
dnya nnd so tho holldny was but
feted about hither and yon, from
October to November, according to
tho pleasure of tho rulers of the
colonies nnd there never was any
feeling of certainty as to tho boll
day.
That It was held annually with
out break In Plymouth and Massachusetts Hay
colony from Its Inception until 1689, with the ex
ceptlon of tho year when King Philip's war Inter
ruptcd, thoro nro records to show. In this colony
tho church and government ultornated In arrang
ing tho date of celebration.
GEORGIE ON THANKSGIVING
Thankcglvln day eomes once a year because the
Pilgrim band
Was thankful that they had. the sense to leave
their native land
And come across the sea to find a stern and rock'
bound shore
Where they would never haft to bow to bosses
enny more,
Where thieves would not break In and steal and
trusts would never try
To gobble everything and let the little dealer die
We celebrate Than'ksglvln' day because the Pit
grims came
In search of freedom where they knew that they
would find the same,
Where men would be as brothers, where the
strong would aid the weak,
Where llbburty would raise her flag on every
crag and peak,
Vhere billionaires would never dare to cheat
for profits' sake
Or break the laws that other men were not at
lowed to break.
Wc celebrate because the hopes hoped by that
Pilgrim band
Have all come true, because there's not an evil
In our land,
Because we have no wealthy rogues to plan and
plot and scheme
To make the llbburty we claim a vain and empty
dream,
Because our magnates go to church and teach
In Sunday schools,
And everywhere from sea to sea the Christian
spirit rules.
We keep Thanksglvln' day because the man who
does his best
To be an honest citizen Is honored by the rest;
He may not have a share of stock or own a foot
of land,
But all our wealthy senators are glad to shake
his hand
And hear his plea and guard his rights with all
the Jcllus care
They ever give the Interests of any millionaire.
We keep the good old day because no idle rich
ignore
The pressing needs of those where Want Is
scratching at the door,
Because we have such freedom as the Pilgrims
wished to claim,
Because we never are oppressed and never
splotched with shame,
Becauso we've frightened Greed away and raised
our standard high
And kept the faith for which our sires were not
afraid to die.
Women to Vote In Slam.
Slnm has recently panged a law giv
ing woii'n tlm right lo vote in er
tain titles. While this may seem nn
extraordinary stop for an oriental pto-
pie the Siamese woman themselves ox-
plain thnt If Ib Hi teaching of Bud
dhism. Thry point out that Huddhlsm
preaches the eminllty of the sexes and
gives equal oducHon , to boys and
girls.
The Lact Recource.
"She Is porfoetly boamltul!" ex
claimed the hud, onthnslantlcally.
"You must novor say that about nn-
othor girl, my dear," replied tho ex
perienced matron. "Whon n woman
has no featuro which you can critlclso
you must always fnl back on tho state
ment hat sho would bo charming It
sho only hnd n llttlo more stylo."
And Net a Thing to Do.
A Germnn scientist thinks he has
discovered In nn Alpine cave evidence
thnt men wero living 100,000 years
ngo. It Is u torrlblo thought. Thorn
wero no flying mnchlncs, baseball
scores, ready letter-writers nor essay
ists on New York society. What could
the poor things do? Now York World.
Tho extraordinary popularity ot fine
whlto goods this Bummer makes tho
cholco of Starch a matter of great im
portance. Dellnnco Starch, being freo
from all Injurious chemicals, Is tho
only ono which Is safo to uso on flno
fabrics. Itn great strength ns a stiffen
or makes half tho usual quantity of
8tarch necessary, with tho result of:
perfect finish, oqunl to that when tho
good3 wero now.
Woman Wlna Scholastic Honors.
Mrs. Agnes Knox Blnck, wlfo of Prof.
C Charloton Black of Boston univer
sity, hnn been appointed to the fnculty
of tho College of Liberal Arts of tho
university as Shaw professor of elocu
tion. Mrs. Black succeeds Prof. Mnl
vlna M. Bennett, who recently resign
ed. Mrs. Black is n Cnumllan nnd
well known ns nn elocutionist. Sho
vvaa graduated from tho University of
Toronto, nfterward faking a courso In
Philadelphia. Sho wns at ono tlmo
head of tho school of elocution of tho
Now England Conservatory of Musla
and later connected with tho Emerson
Collego of Oratory.
Starch, llko everything elso, is be
ing constancy improved, tho patent
Starches put on tho market 25 years
ago aro very different and inferior to
thoso of tho present day. In tho lat
est discovery Defianco Starch all In
jurious chemicals aro omitted, whllo
the addition of another lngrcdiont, in
vented by us, gives to tho Starch a
strength and smoothness novor ap
proached by other brands.
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0ns 35 h-p Marincllo Gasolino Englno
One 6 li-p Cushmai Gasolino Englno
Ono 11 k-w 110 toll Gonoral Eleclric
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Address Lincoln Gas & E. L. Co.
LINCOLN, NEB.-Attiotlon C. E Vtrnij
Omaha Directory
HAVE YOU HAD YOUR
"WEDDING BREAKFAST"
If not ask your grocer for this
brand of Maplo Syrup.
FARRELL & CO., OMAHA.
a It Factory
& Prices
Aulnbnuifh'fl rnmnlpt
Js vCf wiiui i'uu Willi,
MA G. N. AULABAUGH
'ill' Citl.H, 1500 Douglli St., OMAHA.
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un. Hnllejr ainrli, The nrMTIATn
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RUBBER GOODS
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MYERS-DILLON DnUQ OO.. OMAHA. HEtJH.
MILLARD HOTEL A5SifiH
Tk Frnara Street car. Two IolUr a dar and ud.
W cater etpeclillr tu nvaie trade. Try ua.