Business ciris
TK . lnat Lack Staying
OUalltieS Power
By G. WELLESLEY BRABBIT
OTS of girls have brilliant
LI and so they work well
I sfpvinrr nnuer
jet J-"--"
They can't stand by a proposition and sec it through to
the finish. They work well when things go smoothly, but they
are fair-wenther sailors. The least storm arising paralyzes
their energies.
In the same office there wero two girls who started work
the same week. The first one was enthusiastically referred to
by her employer as "a find." She was eager-eyed, buoyant
and as quick to strive under approval as quicksilver to rise with a flame
below it.
The click-click of the machines seemed to act as a stimulant to her.
How novel and inspiring it all was this great, new game of business!
More absorbing than any drama. When others were around to tell her
what to do and watch her she put through her work with zest and ability.
But one day the boss staid away; there was no one to approve and
commend her, and the work simply didn't get done. Neglected tasks
piled up as they have a way of doing. Then along came a crowded rush
week when the whole office was asked to stay overtime. But Miss Quick
silver had other plans and could not think of breaking them.
The other girl, who took up her work and finished it that night, was
just a quiet, little mouse. The manager had barely noticed her before
that occasion. She did her work quietly and with no effervescence of
brilliancy, but with a certain bulldog persistency. When her work was
finally done and the report in the manager's hands he was looking at her
with a new interest. For he had learned that among
all his girls there was one who wasn't a wonder, but
who had staying power.
That girl is now his private secretary, handling
the most important correspondence. Mis3 Quicksilver
is still copying form letters in the outer office at $8
a week and likely to stay at that figure. She wonders
why at limea and speaks bitterly of "pull," but she
will never recognize herself if she reads this, and no
body is likely to tell her.
Faults of
Our
Technical
Training
Schools
By JAMES T. SMITH
was secured and the school opened to pu
pils February 1, 1897. The corps of instructors was drawn mainly from
the graduates of our higher polytechnic schools largely from the Mas
sachusetts institute and these were familiar with instruction methods
which we could hardly expect to improve upon. With these were associ
ated some experts from the mills and shops. The school is a business
school and not an eleemosynary institute.
These great institutions should have more liberal annual provision
from the state treasury for maintenance. A boarding house or hotel could
not depend for its menu on the supplies sent in by its friends. Grants
to such institutions should be regard
ed as investments, to be returned
many fold to the commonwealth, am
not as expenditures.
Little Tots
. . mem uui-Kcn uie uoor oi a place or Jcarn-
tjent tO I ing until the age of eizht.
School
Too Soon
By DR. LEONARD B. NILAND
girl has reached eight years the results are
far better. When they are started at such a tender age there is bound to
be physical harm done, nor is there enough intellectual gain to warrant
the other course.
A bright boy who does not begin school until he is eight, by the time
he is 10 will be fully the mental equal of the comrade who made his
start at six, while in point of health the one whose schooling was deferred
should be far in the lead.
Loath
to Think
Them
Thieves
By CAM. THOMAS R. BRACKEN
Cklcifo DittcUrt
those near to them by blood ties were in
deed the culprits. A man whose brother-in-law robbed him of $1,50C
could not be convinced until the tlrit f was made to confess his rascality.
Such affairs are more numen ut than one would imagine, but tlw
pride of the party despoiled usual! operates to prevent notoriety and i
prosecution in the courts.
qualities they know a eood deal.
up to a certain point, but they lack
Citing as a fact that many of the fore
men of our New England mills and facto
ries are of European training, it is asked,
"What is wrong with American technical
training, and what are its most serious de
fects?" The condition is mainly due to
the fact that until the Lowell textile school
was established and developed there was no
provision here for complete, scientific tech
nical training for the superintendencies
of our mills.
An act authorizing the incorporation of
the trustees of the Iwell textile school
0 0
Instead of sending little tots of six
years to school, as is the custom all over
this country, it were far better to never let
j-1 .1 I iV - 1 m i
The child at aix is entirely too young
to undertake the systematic curriculum
of the public schools, it matters not how
6hort the hours of attendance.
I have been studying this matter for
years and have come to what I deem the
sure conclusion that if the beginning of
scholastic life is delayed until the boy or
Of all baffling things in the world thefts
committed in a household where no out
sider could have entered take the lead.
I have often been summoned in such
cases and they present big difficulties.
First and foremost, the one who has
had his property purloined is loath to sus
pect that his own son or brother or othei
near relative might have taken it, and usu
ally the loser is ready to fight tho detcctivt
who insinuates such a solution.
I have more than onco had the unpleas
ant duty of proving to such people that
CONUNDRUMS.
What burns to keep a secret? Seal
ing; wax.
When is a ship like a tailor? When
sheering off.
What Is that of which the common
sort is the best? Sense.
What animal would you like to be
on a cold day? A little 'otter.
Why are hay and straw like specta
cles? Ilecause they are for-age.
What is that which is full of holes
and yet holds water? A sponge.
When does a farmer bend his sheep
without hurting them? When he folds
them.
When Is the soup likely to run out
of the saucepan? When there's a leak
In It.
What Is that from which the whole
may be taken, and yet some will re
main? The word wholesome.
Which Is easier to spell fiddle-de-dee
or flddlo-de-dum? The former, be
cause it is spelled with more e's.
What is that which is black, white
and red all over, which shows some
people to be green, and makes others
look blue? A newspaper.
What is the best advice to give a
Justice of the peace? Peace.
Who commits the greatest abomina
tions? Nations.
Who is the greatest terrifler? Fire.
What is the best way of making a
coat last? Make the trousers and
waistcoat first.
If you drive a nnll in a board and
clinch it on the other side, why is it
like a sick man? Because it is in Arm.
Why is a game of tennis like a
party of children? There is always a
racket.
What sweetmeat Is like a person pro
posed for some office? The candied
date (candidate ).
Why is the printer like the post
man? Because he distributes letters.
What is the difference between a
sun-bonnet and a Sunday bonnet? A
day's difference.
Why are an artist's colors, used in
painting, like a piece of pork being
sent home for dinner? It is pigment
for the palate.
Why is a sword like the moon? Be
cause it is the knight's chief orna
ment and glory.
Why Is coal the most curious arti
cle known in commerce? Because
when purchased, instead of going to
the buyer, it goes to the cellar.
IS WATER REALLY POROUS?
Experiment Tends to Show That Two
Portions of Matter Occupy Same
Space at Same Time.
Is water porous?
Our belief that two portions of mat
ter cannot occupy the same space at
the same time is almost shaken by
this experiment.
If we introduce slowly some fine
powdered sugar Into a tumblerful of
Experimenting.
warm water a considerable quantity
may be dissolved in the water without
Increasing its bulk.
It is thought that the atoms of the
water are so disposed as to receive
the sugar between them, as a scuttle
filled with coal might accommodate
a quantity of sand.
"Sit" and "Set."
Some one who believes in teaching
by example has concocted a lesson in
the use of two little words which
have been a source of mortification
and trouble to many well-meaning per
sons. A man, or woman either, can set a
hen, although they cannot sit her;
neither can they set on her, although
'.he hen might sit on them by the
hour, if they would allow it.
A man cannot set on the wash
jench, but he could set the basin on
t, and neither the basin nor the gram
narlans would object.
He could sit on the dog's tail, if the
log were willing, or he might set his
'oot on it. But if he should set on
he aforesaid tall, or sit his foot
here, the grammarians as well as the
log would howlmetaphorically at
east.
And yet the man might set the tail
islde and sit down, and be assailed
lelther by the dog nor by the gram
narlans. Christmas In Norway.
One of tho prettiest of Christmas
ustoms is the practice, in Norway, of
ivlng a Christmas dinner to the
lrds. On Christmas morning every
ateway, gable or barndoor Is deco
ated with a sheaf of corn, fixed upon
he top of a tall pole, from which it
s intended that the birds should make
their Christmas dinner.
CIRCULARITIES.
The Circle Children's Circle Cat
U very nice and good.
She never quarrel, but behave
Exactly uh die should.
And with the Circle dog and pig
She plays for day and day,
Ami hIiowr her Clr-culnr-l-ty
In very many way.
BETSY ROSS PAPER TRICK
Cutting Five-Pointed Star of Freedom
with One Clip of a Pair of Self
sort Best Way of Solving.
As the Betsy Ross trick of cutting
five pointed star with one clip of a pair
of sclHsors has never been Intelligent
ly presented, I will endeavor to show
how it was explained to me In my
early youth, sayB a writer in People's
Home Journal. I wish it to be known
that I was born in close proximity to
that little house on Arch Htreet in
Philadelphia whero Betsy Ross
showed George Washington and Rob
ert Morris how to design the five
pointed star of freedom.
There are several ways of perform
lng the feat, but I consider the follow
ing to be, the best and most easily
Betsy Ross Trick.
described. Take a rectangular piece
of paper, say five by three and a half
Inches, and first fold it double as
shown In Fig. 1. Then fold on a line
from the center A to the two cor
ners, folding the corner marked B
forward and the corner C backward,
as shown in Fig. 2. Now fold the pa
per on on a line from C to the center
point A, so as to bring the edge D
parallel with the line B as shown in
Fig. 3. Then fold the end E. back
ward, bonding it on the line from B
to the center point A so the paper will
be folded as shown in Fig. 4. Now
cutting a straight clip from F to G, it
will produce a five-pointed star when
unfolded.
QUAINT STORY WITH MORAL
Wise Pupil Who Profits by Instruc
tion Is Delight of the Master
Unique Test.
The far east abounds in quaint little
stories, each leading up to one of those
moral epigrams which seem so to de
light the hearts of all races. Here is
the story of the "Two Pupils," whose
moral, which you will read again when
you have finished the story, is, "A wise
pupil who profits by instruction is the
delight of the master."
In a certain great city there dwelt
an aged phllopsopher who had two fa
vorite pupils. The day came at last
when he was to part with them, for,
as young men will, they were deter
mined to travel and see something of
the world. In order to settle a doubt
In his mind as to which had most prof
ited under his instruction, the sage
gave to each youth a sum of money.
"Go buy with this money something
that shall fill a whole room," he said.
One pupil hied him to the market,
where he purchased a quantity of
straw. This he had taken to his room,
which it nearly filled. Next morning,
he invited his master to call and see
what he had done.
"Not bad! Not bad!" commented the
wise man, when he had glanced In at
the door. Then, turning to the other
pupil, who had accompanied him, he
asked:
"And what have you bought with
your money?"
"Master, if it please you, I have got
only a small lamp and somo oil. The
light of this lamp, however, will fill
the room In the dark evening hours.
By this means we may continue our
studies after the day 1b done, when we
wish to do so."
"Bravo! Bravo!" cried the delighted
sage. "Now, Indeed, art thou fit to go
Into the world!
And he Judged that the purchase of
the second pupil was the wiser.
Flower Tells Church Time.
Flowers are frequently put to fanci
ful and pretty uses, but one of the
prettiest is to be found in the FIJI
islands, where a flower tells the peo
ple when to go to church.
Try to Imagine a sweely smelling
blossom (it is called the Bauhnla),
which expands Its petals In the early
morning, whilst It is cool and pleas
ant, before the sun's rays become
powerful.
The missionary watches this flower,
and Just as It opens, instead of ring
ing a bell he beats a wooden drum,
and presently by twos and threes and
in quiet groups the islanders are
seen coming to church.
7 (T
Midnight s
Mistletoe Bough
By
Dcltr.a Martccn Eugones
OOD inawnin', Mist' Robert!
Fine Christmas weather,
sah! Fine Chris line "
Cameron bluntly lgnorod
the cheerful greeting and
, the newspaper which Mid
night, tho colored newsboy, hold out
for him, and walked on briskly down
the street, his gazo directed toward
tho pavement.
Mldinght tumbled back against his
news-stand, a queer expression of be
wilderment and sadness spreading
over his face.
"Dat's de firs' time dat Mist'
Cam'ron cvah done buy a pupah from
somebody else," he soliloquized, a
lump gathering in bis throat. "Dat's
de ilrs' time ho cvah pass mah place
wldout saytn' 'Good mawnln'.' He
ain't nevah got no kick an' no com
plaint t' make t' me. Dat'a de firs'
time Ah evah see hlin go bustln' by
like dat an' so cogltatln' ho ain't
lookln' whar he gwlne. Dah am sholy
somethin' de muttah."
All the rest of the day Midnight was
In a sort of a trance. He watched the
elevated stairway from early after
noon for the return of Cameron. His
fitful vigil was rewarded when the
young lawyer walked wearily down
the steps. Midnight watched his
every move Jealously to see whether
he purchased an afternoon papor from
his rivals. Cameron stopped at the
little negro's stand.
"Good evening, Mldrlght," he said,
languidly.
"Merry Chrlstmus, Mist' Cam'ron.
De world am treat In' me fine as silk,
an' Ah ain't got no complaint f make
t' no one," returned the boy, bravely,
Half Unconsciously the Two Young Persons Reached for tht Bough.
concealing the anxiety that had been
overshadowing him all day.
"Yas, sah," said the lad aloud to
himself after Cameron had passed on
toward his home, "dah am sholy some
thin' do mattah but it ain't me!"
Midnight closed his shop that night
in a happy frame of mind and wan
dered off toward his home, whistling.
He was around bright and early the
next day, and when Cameron came
along on his way to his office made
it a particular point to see that he was
not overlooked.
Hours later, when the flying snow
was painting the dusk a speckled
black, Cameron came back along the
sidewalk more slowly and uncertain
ly than ever. It was Christmas eve,
and Midnight felt at peace with all
tho world. People were flying past,
their arms laden with presents, and
all anxious to be home. As he stood
in a sheltered corner of his booth,
counting up his profits of the day, he
called to Cameron:
"Mist' Cam'ron, Ah got a Chrls'mus
present fo' yo' motha. Ah wan's t
ax you ef you will como 'roun' in de
mawnln' an' be de firs' pussen t' buy
a Chrls'mas paper it's good luck fo'
me, you know.- Why, Mist' Cam'ron!"
suddenly exclaimed the lad as the
young man came tinder the light, "am
you sick? Yo' face am white as a
ghos' an' you wa'k like you done git
dls grip what ev'ryone ta'kin' bout
Mist' Brown, 'cross do street hyar, he
git it; Mist' Slmpklns, up at de cor
nah Lordy, he git de misery so he
sta? in de house an' dat lobely
Miss Willoughby you know de
one Ah mean Miss Helen Wil
loughby not dat sister she come
'long dls ebenln' an' dough she smllln'
on' happy like. Ah know ehe mus' git
It, too dat mus' be why she ain't wa'k
down de street wid you t'day an' yes
tlddy." Yes f I I guess she must be
feelln? a little under the weather,"
said Cameron, as ho turned away.
"Merry Christmas, Midnight!" ex
claimed a musical voice.
"Why why good ebenln', Miss
Willoughby. Merry Christmas. Skuse
uie ro' not soein you, but ah done
fo'got my mannahs, Ah guess, fo' de
time beln'. Ah was Jus' thlnkin' 'bout
de fo'ks ob mah fanibly.
"Why, Midnight, you never told us
about your folks as long as you hare
been serving papers at our house. Are
your folks alive?"
"Jus' mah ole gran'mammy, an' she
lib wid some ole fr'ena ob de fambly,
an' Ah sen's her de money dat she
need t lib on. Ah aln' had no daddy
an' no mammy fo' de longes' time,
'cause dey bofe froze f def In de blur
sard what come 'long 'bout six year
ago."
"How did you ever happen to coma
here?"
"Mist' Cam'ron done brought me
hyar. You see, mah mammy been a
cook an' mah mammy's sister a nurse
In Mist' Cam'ron's fambly fo near 30
year, an' when Mist' Cam'ron com
hyar mammy ax him f git me a Job
some day an' den he sen' fo' me. He
try me fo' a cook, but Ah guesa Ah'm
a pretty bad cook ennyway Mist'
Cam'ron he say one day why not staht
a news-stan' an' he give me de money
an' dat's all de hlst'ry what la 'bout
mo but, Miss Willoughby, Ah'm glad
you come long to-night, 'cause Ah got
a Chrismus present fo' you some
mistletoe, a fine big branch what mah
granmammy sen's up from Marylan'
git It offen de trees right in de
swamp back o' de shanty. Ah wan'a
f ax you ef yo' will please be so good
an' kin' as t' come 'roun' in nde
mawnln' an' buy de firs' paper, 'cause,
it means good luck, you know."
Hardly had the Christmas horns
blown their first greetings of the day
when Midnight saw two figures com
ing down the street from different di
rections. One was Cameron, walking
slowly along the main thoroughfare,
and the other was Miss Willoughby.
"Merry Chrismus!" called Midnight,
even before the young lawyer had
reached the stand. "Ah hopes you la
feelln' bettah dls mawnln'."
"Thank you, Midnight; I feel all
right. Here, hurry up with that mis
tletoe and give me that first paper
you wanted me to buy," he added,
quickly, as he glanced up the street
and saw Miss Willoughby approach
ing briskly.
"Ah Ah Ah doan know Jet' wha
Ah did wid dot mlstlemtoe aln' Ab one
fool nlggah? Ah put It right hyar, un
der dls shelf Jes two mlnutea ago,
but Ah can't And it," he replied, rum
maging nervously among a pile of pa
pers underneath the top shelf.
"Merry Christmas!" called another
voice, and Midnight raised his head
and smiled Into the face of Mlsa Wil
loughby, who stood at the other end
of the stand, taking great pains not to
see Cameron, who was striving equally
to avoid her.
"Where Is that mistletoe you want-,
ed me to have. Midnight? You aee, t
got up very early to be the first one'
here, and you know you promised it
to me."
"Well, ef dat aln' de funnies' thing."
replied Midnight, laughing mlschler-.
ously. "Ah sholy had two fine pieces
ob dat mlslemtoe right hyar, but Ah
can't fin' 'era f save mah soul. Ah
done promise dis f you, Mlsa
Willoughby. an' deed Ah done promise
it t' you, Mist' Cam'ron. fo' yo' motha,
an' Ah sholy doan know what t' do
'bout it. Ah can't bus' it in two."
Half unconsciously the two young
persons reached for the bough, then
hesitated.
"Why, of course, let Mr. Cameron
have it for his mother," spoke up
Miss Willoughby.
"Give it to Miss Willoughby," said
Cameron. "Perhaps you will find the
other piece after awhile."
"Ah'11 give it V Miss Willoughby ef
Mist' Cam'ron'U tote it home fo' de
lady."
The girl glanced at Cameron, and In
another moment the young couple
were walking away from the stand
carrying the bunch of mistletoe be
tween them. Midnlgnt grinned as he
leaned against his stand and com
mented:
"Ah guess' Ah'll take dis otha piece
right straight up f Mrs. Cam'ron mah
self, 'cause Ah know dat piece ob mls
tlemtoe aln' nevah gwlne t' leave Mlsa
Wllloughby's house ef Mist' Cam'roa
kin he'p it."
v
