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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1904)
NOT TBLL DAY 4k: Thou shnlt not prnlfic the day till night Is foiling, However fitlr Its dawn nnd noon mny bo; Ofttltnes nt eventldo come Htorms appalling, Setting the lightning and the thnnder free. Thou Rlinlt not blnmc the day till it Ik ending, Though It has drought thee flood and hurricane; Full oft at nightfall comes deep peace, descending In sunset gold and roses, glorloiiH gain. PralBo each fair morn that calls thee up from sleeping, And through tho hot day work with all thy might; Then leave the evening hour In heavon's keeping, Which Hent both winter cloud and Hummer light Westminster Gazette, From Germun. How the Old Man 1 quiet, brats! Don't disturb JO)"1?. Bhouted Mrs. Owen to a company of lxIsterous youngsters, who were evidently cele Iforatlng for a festive occasion with tarts and frollcw. "Lot them enjoy their childish pranks to-day," said the kind-hearted rrandpapa, smiling. "But they trample together tho wJiolo carpet, the beasts I" screamed Mrri. Owen, on hor uppermost treble, shoving and beating tho youthful group out of tho room. "What's tho matter? I've never be fore seen you so angry wlththo chil dren," said tiic old man. "Don't mind the chits. I know well enough how lo manugo them, If you'd only not interfere." "Humph I" muttered he, reflectively. Mr. Oweu, who has here been Intro duced as an old man living with his daughter-in-law, had recently been a wcultby dealer In real estate. Fooling, however, that tho strain and turmoil of commercial life was acting Injuri ously on his superannuated nerves, he let himself be persuaded by Mr. Will iam Owen, his son, and Mm Amelia Bay, his daughter, to retire from busi ness and make them n donation of all his property. On tho very morning of HE WAS DRESSED tho day on which the foregoing collo quy wrs held a notary public had ac knowledged the deed which Mr. Oweu, as he was now complacently rocking his armchair, thought had freed hiui, once and for all, from tho apparently endless, exhausting labor attendant on maintaining and advancing tho repute of a modern largo business houso. Hav ing over boon treated by his children with high deferenco, and repoBlng en tire reliance in their sincere magnanim ity, and, as ho fancied, their repeatedly tried filial devotion, ho was certain of living henceforth as unconcernedly and happily as a dove, until, like the noisy river which may bo traced to the tran quil rlllot, his dizzy, restless life should cxplro in calm felicity and undisturbed nioditatlon, These were his anticipations when tho sullen, arrogant tones of his duugh-tcr4n-luw's replies, contrasting with her former gentleness and lovlngness, surprised him disagreeably, and all at once ho recollected the Btory of King Lear. His funciful day-dreums van ished Instantaneously, and, notwith standing his severe efforts to the con trary, tho appalling tale of that hap less monarch haunted him so dismally that ho went and took from tho household library that famous drama of tho bard of Avon. Its perusal was ecarcoly calculated to servo as a sooth ing balm in his present situation, nnd ho wished that it were yet morning and a certain act undone. Nor were his apprehensions to bo unfulfilled. Day after day his chll dron'e behavior became more and moro gruff and Imperious, while their con orts reached an alarming degree. Coming one afternoon to tho library for King Lear, which, recognizing the masterly insight of Its author, ho now read almost dally, ho found the door locked. no Inquired of Mrs. Owen what waa the matter, saying he de sired the tragedy of King Lear. Sho returned crustily, "that she did not care to fav the books dog-cared and IN A IS OVER. Outwitted Them. slurred; besides," sho continued sar castically, "he might spoil his eyes, If not also his mind, by reading do much." "My mind must havo been in dis order for quite a timo," rejoined ho, bitterly, "since I made a certain deed of gift" "What! lngrato!" Mrs. Owen burst out In a terriblo rage. "Is this tho way you reward me for tending jour troublesome old person 7 Is not our taking you Into tho house and feeding Vou ample repayment for any paltry help you may havo given us? You ought to feel thankful to my kind hus band for taking off your lazy shoulders tho bunion of conducting your a (fairs, for which you are mighty unlit, and enabling you to loaf about here to your heart's content you should bo thank ful, I tell you, lnsteud of grumbling and sulking all day long like an un natural parent that you are. An old man like you, already smelling of gravc-lilios, should have more senso than that!'!' and with tills she rushed out of the chamber. For full live minutes after her exit Mr. Owen stood motionless; then he sank down upon a sofa. As if struck by a thunderbolt, his nerves protracted tho vision of a furious woman ejecting COSTLY NEW SUIT OF CLOTHES flaming lava on his trembling heart For a time ho knew not how long, but It seemed an ago he kept staring at the spot which sho had occupied and his mind was utterly bewildered; but gradually and slowly ho collected himself nnd commenced to sift his confused ideas. If he remained pas slve, ho feared he would soon bo shown out of tho house, oven as King Lear was. Yea; his catastrophe was remarkably parallel to that of the King of Britain, ills children were exactly Goncrll and Regan; but, mused he, shivering, "I have no Cordelia! He coulu not tnerorore expect any counsel or suggestion from that book; no must think out ins own course. After contemplating und pondering for half an hour, he seemed suddenly to havo been utllated. Ills 'countenance beamed up and ho arose with an ex plrutlon which was at onco a sigh and a smile; his way lay opon before him. "I've given the old man a pretty good scolding to-day," said Mrs. Oweu to hor spouse on the following evening. "Did you?" smithed tho dutiful son, languidly. "To bo sure I did. Ho has grown unbearably moroso and overbearing. I am minded to have him move out" At this moment tho object of their discourse entered. He was dressed In a costly new suit of clothes, and on his Hps fluttered a most benlgnunt smile. "Deur chlldron," said he, sweetly, "I'vo hired an apartment, .where I In tend to move to-night, and have como to say good-by." "Whatl" gasped the worthy couple, Rtinilltnnoniialv "wnnf'n thn mnttnrV'i . "Nothing Is the matter. Only, I pro sume that the presence of an aged man like mo msut make young folks uncom fortablc, and as Providence has mr.-rci fully seon fit to provide mo with the means, I propose not to Intrude myself on you any further." A thought flashed across Mrs. Owen's shrewd mind, which sho Imme diately whispered to her consort, and Instantly they were both on their knees before tho hoary father, and plunged into violent entreaties of pardon and promises of repentance. Ho listened with equanimity, and, after multiplied supplications and Importunities, was prevailed on to stay, saying, however, with a wistful smile, that "If at any tlmo they think they'd rather live without him, they have merely to say so, and hb will depart with all his be longings." When Hearing the lost few words Mrs. Owen nudged her husband, and then almost fell In a fainting tit, declaring it would henceforth be tho buslncfts of her life to nurse and cheer her dear papa. Coming the next day on a visit to tho Owen family, Mrs. Amelia Bay was Informed by her sister-in-law of the proceedings of last night. ,rSut I doir t quite see the reason of your affecting such obsequious re spect for tho dotard." You aro simple-minded indeed. Where could he got money to buy such a suit of clothes and hire lodgings, had he not retained a large part of his property, and who knows but what It was the lurger part7 His ledgers, you know, were In a Btate of conalderable confusion, and ho might have kept somo two or three hundred thousand dollars without anybody knowing It" From that time the Owens nnd the Bays vied with each other In obtain ing tho good-will and, withal, the good possessions of old Mr. Owen. They deluged him with rare and precious presents, which he would put away nobody know where; but before long the sagacious Mrs. Owen guessed that he was placing them where ho kept his treasure, and that ultimately It would all return to them. They conse quently began to bestow attentions on him with greater and greater fre quency, waiting for their restoration with more than compound Interest One day he asked for a sum of money which amounted to a moderate for tune. They hesitated, but Mrs. Owen afflrmed that she observed he wus waning from day to day, and as this was probably his last probation of them, tlioy would forfeit all by declin ing to comply with the present re quest Still Mr. Bay faltered, but the Owens agreeing to give three-fourths of the sum, tho father at last received the money, which went ns Mrs. Owen asserted, to the mysterious place where he hoarded his vast treasures. Eight months have worn on since tho Incidents related above, when Mr. Owen's fnmlly ore gathered near his death-bed. A gloomy hush reigns in the chamber, while all eyes aro fixed on tno cadaverous, grizzicu neau on tho pillow, whose heavy, Irregular In halation, like the tolling of a funeral knell, heralds the proximity of death. For somo time previous, his unrest, together with brief, Indistinct exclama tions, has shown that his memory has been hovering amid tho scenes of his past life. At length his countenance assumes a more placid aspect, his feverish toslng ceases, his Inspiration becomes nearly Inaudible, and It Is evi dent that tho worn man is lingerlngiy dying. Softly nearlng tho bedsldo. Mrs. Owen, having caught his luster less eye, lisps In her gentlest notes: "Dearest papa, haven't you, perhaps, something on your mind that you'd like to Impart on such a moment, that your undoubted hopes of coming com fort and bliss have made you forget something, for Instance, touching a will?" The half-dead features suddenly gleam up, the emigrant from the tem poral world, forcibly struggling a few steps buck from the boundaries of dis solution, raises himself In bed, nnd even something very liko a sad smile crosses his withered Hps. "Tea ta ta menf stammers ho, with his last breath, "testament at at Mr. Du Duban'B." Mrs, Owen, highly displeased that the testamont should be In a stran ger's hunds, although Mr. Duban Is an old friend of tho Owens, makes a wry face; but It Is of no use protesting, for old Mr. Owen is dead. Hardly, however, had tno corpse grown cold, when both pious couples hurried away to Mr. Duban'B. "To what happy luck," met them that gentleman, "am I indebted for the pleasure of receiving such worthy guests? I hope my good old comrade is better?" "We have como for his will," vociferated the flushed Mrs. Owen. "Our loved father has departed this morning," said Mrs. Bay. "Mr. Owen dead! And you here about tho will so soon!" "Wo'll hear a sermon next Sunday, but now wo demand our father's testa ment" AtrB' Owen said Impatiently. Without another word, Mr. Duban fetched a largo Boaled envelope and, with tho concurrence of his vlstors, unclosing It took out a neatly folded sheet of paper In which ho read as fol lows: "In the name of God, A-men! "I deem It unnecessary to proceod In tho legal style of a last will and testament, as what I have to bestow will probably bo accounted of cheap valuo by the legatees; It Is no more, Indeed, than dearly bought advice. The best mode for Impressing and era phaslzlng this advlco Is, I think, by relating tho circumstances by which I acquired it myself. When I perceived that my children were getting tired of mo and disposed to treat mo harshly, I resigned myself to the Most Merci ful, humbly and devoutly Imploring Him to protect nnd direct me in my helpless old age. While thus praying one midday with more than usual for- j vor, because I had Just undergone a great Indignity, I was suddenly struck by an excellent Idea at the time I thought it an apocalypse. Obeying the heaven-sent counsel, 1 borrowed a hun dred dollars from a crony of mine, Mr. Duban, and purchased u handsome suit of clothes and prepared to move out, thus making my daughter-in-law be lieve that the poor old sugar-maple was not yet thoroughly drained. Thanks to heaven, tho plan succeeded perfcety: I was not only respected and afforded every enjoyment but was showered with sums of money and other gifts all of which I huvc bequeathed on tho Home for Old Men. "Tho moral of my tale is a warning to everybody, never to part with his estate while the soul yet keep tho body. Pardoning my children nnd their spouses for whatever offenses they have committed against me, and be stowing on them my warmest bless ings, I remain, their affectionate father, N. OWEN." Followed by Mr. Duban's leering glances and smart chuckle, the disap pointed compuny went back silently and demurely to tho Owen mansion. On gaining which, Mrs. Owen heaved a deop sigh and ejaculated: "What a cunning old fox It was!" Tho Hearthstone. LOOPING THE LOOP. Fierce Upward Hush of Air, Wild Grip at.Onc's Hut, and Then the Shock. The "Loop the Loop" was Just across the way, and the artist reminded mo that It was worth seeing. "Of course we won't ride," he said, "but It Is worth while to see the oth ers." Wo entered the inolosure nnd gazed up at the pair or great steel loops around which curs are carried by the force of their own momentum. A loaded car wus at the brink of a long Incline. Suddenly it shot down; then for an instant It was in the circle ascending, bunging, descending and strulght away up another incline, pass ing beyond our view. We declared strenuously ugalnst this appalling amusement Another car wont around, and uuothor, and another. Wo became silent In the sort of fascination that awaits Impending disaster. Finally I felt the tailng fermenting in my blood. Nobody seemed to be getting hurt, und I should like to havo the record of thut trip. I expected the artist to demur when I announced my Intention, but he did not Perhaps he waa hypnotized. Wo buttoned our coats, as If starling on a cold voy age I had an impulse to leave some word for tho folks at home. Then presently we were seated in a car, slowly ascending the preparatory In cline. During tills gradual ascent we had plenty of time to think. I found my self wondering If people over fainted in making that swift revolution; also, if I had heart disease, and what would be the consequences to one af fected in that way. Suddenly I re membered that the princess of tho Nile had warned mo against any unneces sary risk of life. It seemed a trivial thing at tho moment, but I realized now that her words might have been fraught with a special meaning. I stole a look at the artist He seemed pale and distrait perhaps remember ing a similar warning. These contriv ances always ended In some frightful disaster, and doubtless tills was the trip for It to occur. Tho next day our names would be In the head lines I reflected that we were probably ns great a pair of fools as walked the earth. The car had reached the level stretch at the top now, and the brink was near. I recalled the starter's in Junctions to keep my head up prob ably to. avoid losing It ns the result of a sudden Jerk. Lifting our eyes, wo discovered that we were on tho verge, Heavens! I had realized that the In cline wis steep, but that why, that was a drop! Wo were In a wheeled car, perched at the brow of a preel pice, with a corkscrew revolution at tho end. Oh, to be for a single Instant on solid ground! To bo A fierce upward rush of air, a wild grip at n loosening hat, and an In stunt later the shock l We were on the loop. Wo were shooting upward as a billow that breaks against the cliff; we were curling over as the wave curls backward; we were darting down to Inevitable annihilation! l conress mint my mina was con fused. I knew only that for what Boemed an eternal instant we were hanging In midair, that my head was far from being up, that my body was swaying In a well-defined centiifuga Impulse to close up liko an accordion Then all at once we had dropped, and woro Bhootlng outward, dazed, weak and wondering at our safety. As for our heads, they wore still on, but al most in our laps. An unknown man in the back seat announced that he would not do it again for a thousand dollars. Tho figures did not seem ex travagant Century. . A new Swiss watch contains a tiny hard rubber phonograph plate which calls out the hours loud enough to bo leard twenty feet away. Sentiment can be had by having the words re corded on the plate in the tones of a dear friend as those of a man's wife or children. The amount of albumen necessary kt man's food has been proven by French physiologists to be much less than ha been supposed. From three to flva ounces dully was thought to be re quired, but later Investigators found tlwt two and one-half, and even ono and one-half ounces would suIUco. Ia the new experiments, continued for thirty-eight days, the real need waa shown to be less than one ounce pec day. Eucaine, the new local anaesthetic, la adapted for many operations whero chloroform cannot bo used on account' of heart weakness. It Is injected un der the skin at the point of incision., Cutting may begin in a few momenta without pain, and nioro of the drug s dropped In at intervals of a few min utes as new portions of tissue are ex-' posed. A recent successful operation n London was continued an hour and a half. A recent French Invention Is a ship's compass so mounted that ns It swings round with tho variations in the pointi ng of the vessel It produces automat ically, through electric connections, a chart on a sheet of paper, by consult- ng which the ship's officers can seo what the course was at uny moment of tho voyage. The same apparatus also registers the speed of tho vessel by recording the number of revolutions of the screws, each stroke of the pis ton closing an electric current. Tho ncceleromotor, designed for meusurlng the power exerted In start lug a train nnd to indicate the propel speed for curves, Is the Invention of F. M. Gllley, a teacher of physics. H consists essentially of two glass ves sels connected by a tube and contain lng liquid, such as mercury nnd red nlcohol. As the train starts, the liquid passing from the forward glass to the rear one shown by suitable graduo tlons Indicates the force exerted, and n the same way the instrument, when placed on Its side, makes evident the Jerk or centrifugal force In rounding a curve. Joseph Whurton, of Philadelphia, suggests, In u paper read before tho American Philosophical Society, that in tho prevailing scarcity of platinum the metal palladium might be a practi cable substitute. It belongs to tho platinum group, although In somo re spects it resembles silver. Among lta valuable characteristics are hardness. ductility and malleability. It Is also decidedly non-corrodlblo. It occurs. nlong with nickel, copper, silver, gold,, platinum, iridium and rhodium, In tho; ores of the Canadian nickel mines la1 Ontario. Out of 300,000 tons of theso oros about 3,000 ounces of palladium ore annually produced. Dr. J. 0. Ewart, In discussing the problem of the origin of horses, de scribes as one of the most distinct kinds now living the Celtic ponies, which are found in the most northern parts of Iceland. They reach a height of only four feet Mid are so abun dantly furnished with hair that In win ter storms they are practically snow- proof. Dr. Ewurt observed the coa duct of one of these ponies dining a snowstorm. As soon as the storm be gan she turned her hind quarters to It and In a Bhort time tho snow had formed a kind of shield or disk upon the long hair growing about the root of the tall. Thus protected,' tho pony did not shift her position while the storm lasted, except to turn with a change of the wind. Tho Submerged Seventh. Just after the convening of tho new; nouse of Representatives there waa a member from the West who was boasting of the enormous majority given him by the voters of his dis trict. "Why," tho new member would ox clnlm, "do you know I wns elected by the suffrages of seven different nationalities?" , One day some one asked him to nam the nationalities. Ho gave them: "Irish, German, Polish, Bohemian, Swedish and Greek." "But you havo named only six na tionalities," said tho seeker after knowledge. "What was tho seventh ono?" The now member again ran over hU little list, but could not remember the seventh nationality. At this Juncture somo facetious bystander chipped ia, witli the remark: "Maybo there wcra somo Americans In tho bunch." "Good for you!" shouted tho now, Representative, lustily, slapping hla thigh. "But It was funny that I should! forget them, don't you think?" It Is ono of tho Inexplicable attrt butea of woraon that they really llk to got a long letter. '