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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1904)
THE SEER. Alone on his dim heights of sour nnd dream f LIo saw the dawn, and of its solace told. ,: We on his brow behold the luminous glcara And listened idly, for the night was cold. Then clouds shut out the view, and ho was gone, And though the way Is dubious, dark the night, And though our dim eyes still await the dawn, Wo saw n face Unit once behold the light -Arthur Stringer, in Century. X'4MHM 'HM,frW!frWH t s WSAIMBE'S 4. T J..iA.u.J.A.J.AW!.iSM,.if.AAAA.iAt;"M''W 2 j1..u..na.a.!.. rrplIE handsome dining room in the Mayberry mansion was all a glitter with Hoods of gaslight and the genial glow of the lire for Mr. Joslah Mayberry was a very queer man, according to his wife's opinion, nnd this fancy of his to have nasty nshy tires all over the splendid man sion before the weather became cold enough wns one of his "eccentric freaks," Mrs. Mayberry called it, with n curl of her Hp, a toss of the head nnd a smile of contempt directed at the hale, hearty, honest-faced old gontleman who had married her for her pretty face, ten years ago, when he was an immensely rich widower, with his handsome lmlf-grown sou for a not undesirable companion. They wero sitting around the hand Rome table, discussing their 7 o'clock dinner, with the solemn butler and his subordinate In silent, obsequious attention these thrco Mayberrys, fa thor, son, and the haughty, well dressed lady who was wearing a de cided frown of displeasure on her face a frown she had barely power to restralu from degenerating into a verb, nl expression of anger while the serv ants were In waiting, ana which, as the door Hnally closed on them, leaving the little party alone over the des sert, burst forth Impetuously: I declare, Mr. Mayberry, it Is too bad! . 1 have gone over the list of Invitations you have made, and to think that there Is not one no, not one of our set among them, and such n horrid lot of people as you have named!" Mr. Mayberry sipped his tea con tentedly. "I told you, didn't I, Marguerite, Unit it was my intention to give an old fashioned dinner? And by that I meant, and mean, to whom It will, Indeed, bo cause for thankfulness. As to making a grand fuss, and seeing around our table only the pcophj to whom a luxurious dinner is an every day occurrence I shall not do It. And ns to the guests on my list being 'hor nd and 'common,' you are mistaken, my uear. :sonc or tnem nave a worse falling than poverty. There is not r 'common,' vulgar person among the ten names on that paper." Mr. Mayberry's good old face lighted tip warmly as he spoke, and Ernest Mayberry's handsome face relleeted the satisfaction and pride he felt In bis father's vlows. Mrs. Mayberry Hushed, but said nothing. She knew from experience that, kind and Indulgent as her hus band was, there wore times when he lufl'erod no appeal from his decision. & ml this was one of those times. "We will have dinner ordered for 12 o'clock, as It used to be when I vns a boy. We wljl have roast tur tey, with cranbony sauce, and mashed mtatoes and turnips, boiled onions and olery, and all on the table at once. For dessert, pie. choose and cider, and nothing more. . Marguerite, shall r I give the order to Lorton, or will you uttend to it?" "Oh, don't ask me to give such an Insane order to him! I have no wish to appear as a laughing-stock before my servants, Mr. Mayberry. Tt will be as severe a strain on my endurance s I am capable of to be forced to sit nt a table with such people as tlje llurds and the Masons, and that Thyrza Green and her lame brother, nnd that little old Wilmington and ids granddaughter, and " Mr. Mayberry Interrupted her, very gently. "Old Mr. Wilmington was a friend of mine-long before ho wont to In dia. Since he came homo with son's orphan daughter and live:! In such obscurity comfortable although plain, for Winnie earns enough as daJly gov erness to support them both cheaply I regard him as moro worthy of friendship than over. Ernest, my boy, I shall depend upon you to help en tertain our gue.-fs, -nd in'.ly at table, for I shall hnv no servants about to scare them out. ?f Ujelr ap petites." And Mr. Mayborry d.'sinJsaed the (subject by arising from the uiblo. Si I) A "Would I like to go? 0. ;-Tundpa, 1 sho'ild! Will you go, do yvu ijjik?" The llttla. b oned aid mu l.voked fondly at her over Ida steel-rimmed glftltfCS. "80 you'd Ilk to Hotiivl Mr. May hurry's Invitation 10 djuntfr, eh, Win it 4 .4. J J. FORTUNE nie? You wouldn't be ashamed of your old fashioned grandfather, en, among the tine folk of the family? Remarkably line folk, 1 hear, for all loo wns a boy Fine folk, and can remember when together with myself. you tinnic we'd better go; "I would like to go, grandpa. I don't have many recreations I don't want many, for I think contented, hon est labor Is the grandest thing In U10 world, and Uic best discipline; but somewhat, I can't tell why, I do want to ko. I can wear my black cash mere, and you'll bo so proud of me." "Proud of you, Indeed, my child, no mnttcr what you wear. Yes, we'll go." And thus It Happened that among the ten cuests that sat down at Jo slah Mayberry's hospitable, overflow lug board that cold, blue-skied day, Winnie Wilmington and the little old man were two and two to whom Ernest Mayberry paid more devoted attention than even his father had asked or expected. Of course It was a grand success all excepting the cold hauteur on Mrs, Mayberry's aristocratic face, and that was a failure because no one took the least notice of It, so much moro powerful were the Influences of Mr. Mnyberry'B and Ernest's courteous, gentlemanly attentions. "I only hope that you are satis fled," Mrs. Joslah said, with what was meant to be withering sarcasm, after the last guest had gone, and she stood a moment before the lire; "1 only hope you are satlstled particularly with the attention Ernest paid to that young woman very unnecessary at tention, Indeed." Mr. Mayberry rubbed his hands to gether briskly. "Satisfied? Yes. thankful to God, that It Avas iu my power to make them foriret their poverty. If only for one little hour. Did you see little Jimmy llurd's eyes glisten when Ernest gave him the second triangle of pie? Bless the youngsters' hearts, they won't want anything to eat for a week." "I was speaking of tue young wo man ' who " Mrs. Mayberry was Icily severe, but her husband cut It short. "So you were pretty little tiling ns ever I saw. A lady-like, graceful little girl, with beautiful eyes enough to excuse the boy for adoring her." "The boy. You seem to have for gotten your son Is twenty-three old enough to fall In love with, and marry even a poor unknown girl you were quixotic enough to Invito to your ta ble." "Twenty-three? So he is. And If lie wants to marry a beggar, nnd she is a good, virtuous girl why not?" A little gasp of horror and dismay, was the only answer of which Mrs, Mayberry was capable. "Grandpa!" Winnie's voice was so low that Mr, Wilmington only Just heard It, and when he looked up he saw the girl's crimson cheeks and her lovely, droop lng face. "Yes, Winnie. You want to tell mo something." She went up behind him and lean ed her hot cheek caressingly against his, her sweet, low voice whispering her answer: "Granupa, 1 want 10 ten you some thing Mr. wo Ernest has asked he wants me to oh, grandpa, can t you tell what it is?" lie felt her cheek grow hotter against his. lie reached up his hand and caressed the other one. "Yes, I can tell, dear. Ernest ha shown his uncommon good sense by wanting you tor a wife. So that is what comes of that dlnne:, eh, Win nle?" "And may I tell him you are willing, perfoctly willing, grandpa? Because I do love him, you know. "And you ore sure it Isn't his money you are after, eh?" She did not. take umbrage at the sharp question. "I am at least sure It Is not money he is after, grandpa," she turned, laughing and patting my re nin cheek. "Yes, you are at least sure of Uiat; there, I huus.dr. hear the young man coming Shall 1 go, Winnie?" It was tlw "youn man himself," Ernest Mayberry, with a shadow of deep trouble and dhjtr8S on ills face as he came straight up to Wlnnlo and took her hand, Uien turned to the old gentleman. "Until an hour ngo I thought this would be the proudest, happiest hour of my life, sir, for I would have ask ed you to glvo mo Winnie for my wife. Instead, I must bo content to only tell you how dearly I love her, and how patient and hard I will work for hor, to glvo her the home which I Fho deserves because, Mr. Winning-! ton, this morning tho house of May berry & Thurston failed, and both families nro beggars." Ills handsome face was pale, but his eyes wore bright with a determination and braveness nothing could daunt. Winnie smiled back upon him, her own cheeks paling. "Never mind. Ernest, on my nc- count; 1 can wait, too." Old Mr. Wilmington's eyes wore al most shut beneath the heavy,, frown ing forehead, and a quizzical look wns on his shrewd old face as ho lh.tend. 'Gone up, eh? Well, that's too bad I You stay here and tell Winnie I am Just as willing she shall be your wife when you want her, as If nothing had happened, because I believe you can earn bread and butter for both of you, nnd my Winnie is a contented little girl. I'll hobble up to the ofllco and see your fnther; he and I were boys tegcUier; and a word of sympathy won't fne amiss from me." And off he strode, leaving the lov ers alone, getting over the distance In remarkable time, and presenting his wrinkled, weather-beaten old face in Mayberry & Thurston's private of fice, where Mr. Mayberry sat alone, with rigid face and keen, troubled eyes, that, nevertheless, lighted at the sight of his old friend. 'I'm glad to see you, Wilmington. Sit down. The sight of a man who has not come to reproach me 1b ln- dced a comfort." But Mr. Wilmington did not sit down. He crossed the room to the table at which Mr. Mayberry snt among a hopeless array of papers. "There Is no use wasting words, Mayberry, at a time like this. Did you know your son has asked my Wln nlo to marry him?" Mr. Mayberry's face lighted up a second, then the gloom returned. "If my sou had a fortune at his command, as I thought he had yestcr- day at this time, 1 would say, 'God speed you In your wooing of Winnie Wilmington.' As it Is for the girl's sake, I disapprove." "So you haven't n pound over and above, eh, Mayberry?" "There will be nothing less than noUiing. I don't know that 1 really care bo mucn lor niysou, nut urnest -It Is a terrible tiling to Happen to him at the very beginning of his ca reer." Mr. Wilmington smiled gleefully. "Good. Neither do I care for my self. but. for Winnie, my little Win nie. I tell you what, Mayberry, per haps you will wonder 11 1 am crazy, but I'll agree to settle a quarter of n million on Wlnnlo tho day she marries your boy. And I'll lend you ns much moro If It'll be any use, and I'll start the boy for himself If you say so. Eh?" Mr. Mayberry looked at him in speechless bewilderment. Wilming ton went on, "I made a fortune out In India, and It's safe and sound in hard cash in good hands a couple of millions. I determined to bring my girl up to depend, on herself, and to learn tho value of money before she had tho handling of her fortune. Sho has no Idea she's an heiress my heir ess. sounds like a story out or a book, eh, Mayberry? Well, will you shake bands on it, and call It u bar gain?" v-x Mr. Mayberry took tho little dried up band almost reverently, his voice hoarse and thick with emotion. "Wilmington, uou will reward you for this. May He, a thousandfold." Wilmington winked away a suspi clous moisture on his eyelashes. "You hpv It all comes of that din ner, oiu toiicw. iou acted like a charitable Christian gpltleman, and between us we'll make the boy and Winnie as happy as Uiey deserve, eh?' And even Mrs. Maybrry admits that It was a good tiling that her bus band gave that dinner, and when sho expects to see Mrs. Ernest Mayberry an honored guct nt her board, sho candidly feels that she owes every atom of .her Bp culor and luxury to the violet-eyed, charming girl who wears her own honors with such sweet grace. Wa verity Magazine. SugRMstloi to TruvelorH. In packing trunks there often comes that final hour of desperation, Avhen after last calls, muddy boots go In on top of a jot bui:.iet, and tho last do iayed wnshju uii iop of that; or per haps unread papers with some friend's speech are sacrificed to wrap up these shoos. To avoid this dilemma, make several pairs of bags of light-weigh wasuauio sum (pieces or Hummer drcBsas, percale, lawn, etc., may bo used); make but one pair of one color, rut eacn suoe or supper with lis own l ng, not n pair together, as they wll rub ami will not pack to advantage, in searching for thorn, the color of the tag4 show wljloli are mates. VVrnau'B Homo Companion y -a a- rk That eggs decrease in weight during incubation has been proved by careful weighings by II. S. Gladstone. The nverago loss of a pheasant's egg from tlin Mrsf in llin twnntv-llrst dav was found to bo two drams twelve grains, 1 and one egg which weighed seventeen drains nineteen grains when laid had become reduced to thirteen drams ton grains on tho twenty-third dny. A striking Instance of the change which the cultivation of natural science Is capable of causing In tho face of tho earth is afforded by a re mark of Andrew Murray concerning the result achieved by horticulture la England. They have, ho said, affected the appearance of a'll England. "No whore can a day's ride now be taken where tho landscape Is not beauti fied by some of the Introductions of the Royal Horticultural Society." There are bacteria and bacteria. Dr. Charrlh. a French physiologist, ins been experimenting ' upon rabbits with various vegetables Kterlllzed by Uie most approved processes, and ho has shown that it Is erroneous to de clare that tho less bacteria thore aro n our dally food the better. What is required Is to weed out the harmful organisms from the beneficent kinds. The rabbits fed on sterilized food soon died from mnladlos set up by nou asslmllation of the vegetables, hut oth er rabbits flourished on similar ster ilized vegetables that had boon nfter- ward treated with suitable bacteria. Much Interest has been awakened by the experiments at Lyons in feed ing silkworms with leaves stained with various dyes In order to causo them to spin silk of corresponding hues. When fed ou red food the worms spin red cocoons, and tho silk seems to rotnln the color. The expe riments with lenves stnlned blue hnve been less successful. Although the expectation has been raised that this process may prove of commercial Im portance, the experiments say that they do not expect to make any dis coveries which will affect the Indus try of dyeing. But for their expenslveness It Is probable that pavements of India- rubber would be largely used in city streets. That, at least, Is tho Infer ence to be drawn from experience with rubber pavement in London, in 3881 the two roads under the hotel nt Eus ton Station were paved with rubber two inches Uilck. This pavement, -un der heavy tralllc, remained In contln nous use for '21 years. In 11)02 It was renewed, having been worn down to about half Its original thickness. Lately a rubber pavement has been laid in the courtyard of U10 Savoy Hotel, London. The cost for covering an area of 75 by 50 feet was nearly 310,000. For two years an exhaustive mono graph on a typical lake of Italy has been In course of preparation by tho Italian Geographical Society. Tho pic turesque lnko of Bolsena, within easy reach from Rome, was selected for thi purpose, and the studies Include the geographical and geological features tho rainfall and temperature and sea sonal variations, the changes of level the seiches or rhythmical pulsations of the surface and the life forms. The seiches constitute one of the most In foresting of tho phenomena. Theso havo a regular period of twelve or fif teen minutes, tho rise of tho water on occasions reaching a foot, and tho os dilations aro often so marked that tho natives speak- of the lake as panting They are moro conspicuous at Marta than on the opposite side of tho lake at Bolsenn, a rise of seven Inches at the former being correlated with .one of four inches at tho latter. DRAINING THE EVERGLADES. Wonderfully Rich Section of Florida to to He Made Productive. There ai-e grot agricultural possl bllltles in tho Florida everglades Though they nro yet merely un ex panslvo waste of swamp and lake and jungle, I venture to predict that they will bo the location of hundreds of for tile farms within ten years and wll by degrecji develop Into one of the most productive tracts of land In tho world. Th barrier to tho utilization of the everglades has been, of course the water which covers the gre'ater part of them to a depth of from ono to six feet. But It has been found on tlrely practicable to drain off tho wa ter. Work to this end has already been begun, and Is being pushed rap Idly. When It is completed a tract of land 100 miles long and sixty miles wide will have been opened to culti vatlon. The slzo of this region Is not ns important us tho remarkable pro ductlvlty of the soil. Tho latter In not only absolutely virgin, but has been ferUHd by animal and vegetable llf,o through many centuries. I am conll dent that its crops will lift Florida to a place among tho leading ogrieulturu Stales. Aue project or draining uie over- glndea attracted the attention of. Hen ry B. Plant In the early '00s, but h wns by no means sure that tho schema was feasible, so I, noting under his di rection, undertook nn expedition tli rough tho region. Despite its prox imlty to centers of population, It wn then, for tho first tlmo thoroughly ex plored by whlto men. Ours was virtu ally u voyage of discovery. Wo pad dled our light boats on lakes nnd enmped on islands that, I have good reason to believe, had never before been visited by any human beings but Seminole Indians, and by those buf rarely. Wo underwent so many hard. ships that some of our party worn compelled td turn back, but out cf forts wero not in vain, for we ascer tained the Important fact that th everglades along tho wholo 100 mllcj t Uie eastern side nro rimmed by a rock edge. Wo furthermore learned tlint all of tho lakes aro several feel above sea level, and wo decided thnJ there was nothing whatever to pro out the water of tho lakes from flow ng Into tho ocean and leaving tho Ian drained If vents could bo made in thii ong ledgo of rock. The chief questloi before us pertained to tho practlcablll y of cutting through tho ledge In va rlous places and dredging out outleb nto the Atlantic, which is not mort than two or threo miles away at nu morons points. Experiment proved that this wor would present no great difficulties. U was merely a matter of a great deal oi digging. Henry M. Flagler took uf the project, and It Is being carried oul by his lieutenants. We aro not onlj making artlllclal outlets through tin rock, but nro also, by ditching and dredging, turning large bodies ox water Into rivers nnd creeks which flow to the ocean. Tho work haB pro gressed far enough to ennblo me to predict confidently the opening in Flor ida within a very fow years of a great tract of land of almost unprecedented fertility. Suoccbb. "MY GRANDMOTHER." Her Helpful Spirit itnd Wuyn Found Her u Welcome Alwuyw. A clear-headed woman of 80 recent ly told how hor father's mother went from Maine to Massachusetts to make her home with his son's family, seven ty-live years ago thia autumn. Sha was so frail that tho captain of tho small sailing vessel hardly dared to Uike her as a passenger, but event ually found her most helpful in co lng for tho other storm-tossed trav elers. "Although they had never before met," continued tho narrator, "uiyi mother greeted her witli tho words, 'I am glad you havo come.' At tills my grandmother broke down, saying, 'I was afraid you would not be.' Out family was very poor, but we soon found her a most helpful addition to it Sho taught me, tho youngest child, how to sow nnd to road, and did uiuci to nmuso nnd Interest me." Tho neighbors soon camo to lllo this aged woman, and to send smaJ delicacies to her whenever they bin them. Tho llrst tomato that her littJU granddaughter over saw camo in thii way. One day tho family was startled bj tho sound of some ono falling. "ItV In grandmother's room!" cried the Hi tie girl's mother, and together thej went there, to find that tho good olt woman had breathed her last "Thl was nearly seventy years ago," coii eluded tho narrator, "but the recollec tions of my grandmother are amona the most precious of life's memories.'1 This story of tho simpler ways of earlier times doubtless has its counter parts now, written over and over again every day. As the last quarter of thia century opens In 1075, one of to-day'a five-year-olds may then toll, for tho benefit of readers of that time, h&w she learned that a woman Is never too old to llnd a welcomo if sho havfl the welcome spirit Youth's Compare Ion. , ICvorybody's Oanoo. "Try to ploaso everybody and yon will please nobody," Is a well-knows truth, nnd brings to mind the follow lng story: "A man In a forest was building a canoe; along came n traveler, and told him ho was shaping the bow altogeth or wrong, and advised him how to lb It. Tho man changed it, and Uie trav cier passed on. Presently along cami another traveler, nnd, stopping t watch progress, suggosted some ntVi Improvement, which the man made, Not long after, a third camo, and also tendered his advice, which ui-upb cd. Tho man having fhii..l;cd i . La wishes of tho travelers, suspended il from a tree, and commenced to inako another after his own Ideas; so when the fourth traveler came along, and. asked why ho did Uils and Uiat, th man looked up quietly, a .il ' u here, stranger, this Is my caaioo; thcre'i everybody's canoe,' (pointing to tin nondescript) in that tree." Gorman Soldlors' Trlolc. In order to obtain dismissal awn) German soldiers havo invented a waj of producing in tbolr oars an nppa rently bad ulcer by rubbing hi a mis turo which produces acute inflamma tlon. Business, like your salary, might always be better.