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About Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1903)
aid's c ? ITTLE Miss Sophie was an old JA | maid , which means that she had * passed 35 without either a serious courtship , an offer of marriage or the least Indication that she would ever experience either. Once , indeed , when eho was quite a child only 24r there Lad been a young man , a very pious , well-mannered young clergyman , who but that seemed like a dream to Miss Sophie uo\v. She might have doubted whether he ever lived If he had not given her that little old Book of Com mon Prayer and the faded daguerreo type of himself in that little folding case In the corner of the "what not. " e had been her one "possibility , " re- "mote always , but now quite out of the question since he had married his cousin to please his father , and was now a fat bishop as well as the father of a large famity. For four years now Miss Sophie had been "mothering" the two children of her dead sister. Until Mattie grew old enough and strong enough to go to work Aunt Sophie had been hard put to It to make ends meet in the little household. She had sewed and mend ed , milked her own cow , tended her own chickens , cooked , scoured , and saved to keep Mattie and the boy , Har ry , decently at school. She had even found time to do some plain sewing for the neighbors , and it was agreed on all sides that Aunt Sophie hadn't "a lazy bone in her body. " Mattie's wages as a "machine girl" In the but ton factory helped wonderfully in the ! "SUPPOSE HE SHOULD. ' small household , but it made the old maid's heart bleed to see her set off for the shop every morning , and poor Harry , who was 10 , looked very dis consolate loitering away to school without his sister. Mr. Kingsland , the button manufac turer , had been very kind to Miss So phie and to Mattie. In fact , he had "made a place" for the child , and had gone out of his way to advance her In the works , with a corresponding in crease of pay. But he was a practical business man for all that , and the hours were long , the work hard and the the wages not over much. In little towns like Belleville everybody knows everybody , and Mr. Kingsland had special reasons for knowing Aunt So phie. Her brother had worked in the factory , and It seemed quite fair and natural that he should be kind to the orphans. But this kind of Interest hardly explained his first visit to the old maid's house , nor the repeated at tentions which he showed them. He was forever asking her advice about the treatment of the girls at work In his factory ; and Sunday seldom passed without a visit , long or short , from Mr. Kingslaud. He was pleased to take tea with them , once or twice , and he showed a fatherly regard for Mattie , such an amused friendship for little Harry , such a frank and generous desire to be kind to everyone , that little Miss So phie came to regard him as something less than a wealthy patron , something more than a mere acquaintance. There was no nonsense about him , and his presence In the house , though a cause of restraint at first for both Mattie and her brother , came to seem so natural that the cheerful little housekeeper al ways laid his plate for Sunday supper , and the girl and her brother always dressed in their finest and smiled their sweetest when they knew he was com ing. Sometimes when the children were not present he would sit in the ver anda with Miss Sophie and tell her old stories of his struggles for an educa tion and a living an unromantic story full of the grim realities of a poor boy's hopes and disappointments. He had never married , He had been too busy with the harsher affairs of life , "I don't know that anyone would have me , " he would laugh. "I'm GO years old , a plain old bear ; now , don't you think so , Miss Sophie ? " And she would reply with some trite old sophistry , as "Handsome Is as handsome does , " or "Never too late to mend. " But when he was gone , a lonesome giant trudging away to his furnished room in the hotel , she would sit alone for hours after the children were gone to bed and wonder if his visits , if his confidential manner and talk , if his extraordinary Interest In her and the little ones "meant any thing. " And if so ? "Suppose , " she would say , looking Into her little mirror at her own round , cheerful , wholesome face , "suppose he should ? What ? Ask you to marry him. What would you say ? " And she would smile a little doubt fully , as she shook her head , and , put ting out the light , lay down to think it all over. There was nothing partic ularly romantic about Miss Sophie. She was a demure , modest little soul , but , being a woman , she could not avoid pondering such a denouement for this persistent friendship of a man whom everybody admired and respect ed. It was in such terms that she thought of him. He was no hero In her eyes , for the little old maid didn't "go in" for heroes. She fancied that he would make a gentle , considerate , "safe" husband for any woman , and "He's like a father to the children already , " she caught herself saying one night. And after that she thought of Kiugsland in a new light. What an advantage it would be for Mattie and Harry to have a guardian , a protec tor , a father like that ? Mattie , poor child , was not fitted for such hard work. The opportunities for a girl , or even for a boy , were so small in the small town. Then they were such pretty , imaginative , amiable children. She , Aunt Sophie , had already deter mined to devote her life to them. Why not complete her devotion to them by "marrying Kingsland ? " Her reflections always came back to that At last one night he called a little later than usual ; while Mattie and Harry were at the concert. Miss So phie noticed that he was "dressed up , " and she felt the fever of curiosity and fear come into her plump cheeks and bright eyes. She had let him into the little parlor , and was about to light the lamp , but he stopped her with : "Don't mind the light. Miss Sophie. I just want to say a few things. I feel more collected , easier , in the dark. " The scared little spinster wondered if she might faint , but sat down in the far corner with a queer little sigh. He went on , speaking rapidly and very plianly : "I am thinking of getting married. Miss Sophie. That Is , within the next year or so. Meanwhile I want to do something for you the children. I'd like to send Mattie to some good school. No , no ! She needn't know anything about it. And Harry I want Harry to keep on at school and take a course of manual training. It can be a secret between us between you and me. Will you agree to help me do this. Soph-Miss Sophie ? " "Oh , yes , Mr. Kingsland. It Is kind , so kind of you , but , but how are we to repay it will cost so much. " "Never mind that now , " he said. "I want Mattie for my wife " "Mattie ! " she whispered , choking down a sob , wondering at her own composure. "Yes , Miss Sophie , Mattie. I haven't said a word to her. I mean to give her a little more education without her knowing , and then , if she will have me what's the matter. Miss Sophie ? " For the poor little woman was weep ing. But she calmed herself directly and said : "But if she won't have you then ? " "Oh , I'll think no less of her and- and we'll keep this secret between us. Miss Sophie. " Chicago Record-Herald. OVErt A WATERFALL. Author Made an Awful Trip , but Came Out Alive. The author of "Twenty Years in the Near East" relates the story of a singu lar adventure which befell him while he was fishing in one of the rivers of Montenegro. The story recalls at once all those foolish and usually fatal at tempts to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The writer had followed up the stream for a mile or so when he came to a waterfall some forty or fifty feet in height. Seeking a place to cross , he went above the fall and decided to make the venture on some smooth , moss-grown stones a few feet above the fall. The stream , he says , was twenty feet wide , perhaps , and I started cautiously , feeling my way along with the water just over my toes. I was midway of the stream when a pebble shifted , my foot slipped , and the next moment I was flown and plunging over the fall. I had uot time to save myself or think more than that this was the end of life for me. me.I I struck a stone with my foot and turned a complete somersault in the air , and then I knew nothing. After a while I recovered consciousness , and was amazed to find myself alive. I was lame in every joint , but found myself able to walk and move my arms. I dis covered this much , and then I fainted. [ This happened two or three times , and u ach time the water revived me. Two peasant women came along , and with their assistance I managed to get back to the hotel , where it was found that two of my ribs were broken , a wrist badly sprained , one arm splinter ed and iny thigh terribly bruised. My watch , in a heavy , double hunting-case , was smashed to atoms , even the jewels In the holes being punched out. 'Why I was not killed outright by such a fall will always remain a mys tery. Considered as Hnrd. "Does your Bachelors' Suicide Club offer no alternatives when it conies a man's turn to take his own life ? " "Well a he can get married. " Philadelphia Bulletin. It Is our opinion that a woman looks ridiculous at all times when she is hurrying , except when she is hurry ing t get dinner. NAVAL DISCIPLINE. Laxity a DiHtinguishinjr Characteris tic on Morocco's Man-of-War , The Sultan of Morocco is the posses sor of only one man-of-war , and the dis cipline aboard that vessel Is so lax as to be humorous to those who have vis ited the ship. Frances Macnab de scribes in her "Ride in Morocco" a visit to the Morocco navy. In the absence of the captain , she was received by the chief engineer and another officer , prob ably a marine. They were both Ger mans , and entered thoroughly into the humor of the situation. The chief engineer had five Germans under him , and between them they kept the engines in an apparently high state of efficiency : but the crew , who were all Moors , changedevery third day. They knew nothing at all about ships , nor would they learn. The pay is excellent. They are three daj's on board and three days on shore , and they get their food on board and three pounds a month. Such a berth is considered a suitable reward for any friend or relation of the Sultan. However much these "sailors" may differ among themselves , on one point they are agreed nothing will induce them to obey an order. If they are or dered to do a thing they dispute the or der Immediately , and argue that it would be much better not to do It. This spirit of disobedience Is no fault of theirs. Measures to enforce disci pline are forbidden by the Sultan ; but the German officers can hale the crew before the governor of the town. When this is resorted to the governor asks who the prisoner Is. "Oh , he's the uncle of the Sultan's wife , " is the reply ; or , "He is the cousin of the Sultan's uncle. " "Well , let the poor fellow go , " says the pasha. "You shouldn't give him so much to do. " And there the matter ends. On one occasion a little light occupa tion was found for one of the crew , to \vhich , it was thought , he would not object. He was to hold the office of lamp-trimmer to the ship ; but he did It so badly , In fact so seldom made any attempt at touching the lamps at all , that the officer remonstrated. "Who are you , to talk to me ? " In quired the Moor. "Don't you know that I am the Sultan's cousin ? " This dis posed effectually of further lamp-trim ming. "It Is your work to clean the deck , and therefore you must do It , " said the German officer to one of these Moorish seamen. "Why should I do it ? " asked the Moor. "You are a German , and you come here for work. Do it yourself. I do not come here to work. I am the cousin of the Grand Vizier. " HER OLDEST FR1-ND. A ceil Woman Charmingly Telia of a Great Joke on Herself. The writer known as "Mrs. Grant of Laggan" was , at the beginning of the nineteenth century , one of the idols of literary society , both In London and Edinburgh. She died in 1834 , in her eighty-fourth year , a dear old lady who made no pretensions to being younger than she was. She had a sweet spirit and a delightful sense of humor , never more charmingly Illustrated than in her. iccount of her last appearance at a large public gathering at a flower-show in a public hall. I had no bonnet , she says , but a very- respectable cap ; and as I walked in , from my sedan chair I was surprised to see another lady with exactly such crutches and precisely such a shawl as my own. I looked with much interest it my fellow cripple , and this interest she seemed to reciprocate. She took her place in another nave equally large and splendid , but so open that I had a full view of it. Amid all the flush of bloom before me I often withdrew my attention to regard this ( withered flower with still increasing interest , the more so that every time I turned to look her eyes met mine , and at length , I thought , with a familiar expression. At last I remarked it to those about me , and said I thought she would like to be introduced to me when the show was over. Her figure was as ample as my own , but I comforted my self with the reflection that I had a better face , hers being almost ugly. I rose at length , and so did she , but I saw her no more. There was no such room and no lady. Large folding doors of looking-glass and my own figure had deceived me. This could scarcely have happened had I been familiar with my own coun tenance , but I have actually not looked in a mirror for more than two years. S'i ' jhr Difference. Tom Edison was at one time a tramp ing telegrapher. After he had attained success as an inventor he on one oc casion called upon a friend of his who was a doctor and expressed consider able feeling because he had not re ceived an invitation to attend a ban quet in honor of visiting physicians. "But , " faltered the doctor , "this is a banquet for medical men , and you certainly do not claim to be a member of that organization ? " "Well , " answered Mr. Edison , seri ously , "I myself was a dispatcher at one time. " "Ah , I understand now , " said the doctor , catching the humor of his vis itor , "but these men are patchers. " Detroit Free Press. Coats of Mail for Englishmen. The London Tailor and Gutter makes the extraordinary statement that there are some men who always include a coat of mail in their wardrobe and some of the west end tailoring estab lishments manufacture them regularly for their customers. What do you do with tke ttm C&BB at y ur house ? JUDICIAL DECISIONS A stipulation by a common carrier , hi consideration of a reduced freight rate , for exemption from liability for dam age by wet to property carried is hel-i in Mears vs. New York , New Have * and Hudson River Railroad Compum ( Conn. ) , 50 L. R. A. SS4 , to be valid. Competition , though malicious , if car ried on to get customers away from : i rival and obtain business for one's self is held , in West Virginia Transportation Company vs. Standard Oil Companj 'W. Va. ) , 50 L. R. A. 804 , not to be un lawful if the customers are not induced to violate their contract. Giving notice of dishonor of protested paper Is held , in Williams vs. Parks ( Neb. ) , 50 L. R. A. 7.TJ , to bo , in the ab sence of a notary public , for neglect of which an action Is maintainable upon his official bond by the party injured. Sureties on a note are held , in Brown vs. First National Bank ( C. C. A. 7th C. ) . 50 L. R. A. 870 , to be relieved from any obligation at law , to the extent to which the payee has released collateral secur ity without their consent or that of the maker. The duty of a carrier to protect pas senger from injury and insult is applied in Houston and T. C. R. Co. vs. Phillio. 57 S. W. 915 , where the plaintiff suffer ed the injury complained of while in the wailing room of the carrier. The Coiirt of Civil Appeals of Texas there holds that where a carrier permits a drunken passenger to enter its waiting-room , use indecent language , and being armed with a knife , to make an assault on a female passenger , causing her to be come nervous and sick from fright , the carrier is liable and a verdict for $4,000 Is not excessive. Maintaining a gambling house and betting on horse races , etc. , is made a common nuisance by the statutes of Kentucky , and In the case of Common wealth vs. Western Union Telegraph Company , 07 Southwestern Reporter 25 , it was sought to indict the telegraph company for receiving and transmitting race-track news to certain persons who were engaged In maintaining a gam bling house. The court holds that as it is not averred that the company had any control or management of the gam bling house the only question which arises is whether it is guilty of keeping the house by transmission of informa tion. The law creating the telegraph company provides that It is n common carrier of intelligence and information and penalizes It for withholding the transmission or delivery of messages , prepaid and couched in decent lan guage. The court says common carriers ire not the censors of public or private morals , and it was certainly not wrong per se for the company to transmit the Information. Well Up in Geography. Our system of public instruction does not always show its impress upon those who become public men. The late Venezuelan question called out queries that were of Interest to our minister to that country , who made note of them. In December , 1892 , a Western mem ber of the United States Congress arose in his place and seriously asked , "Where is Venezuela , anyhow ? " This was pending a proposition to consoli date the missions to Venezuela and Guatemala , the impression being that the two republics were adjacent coun tries. Another member , equally well up in geography , and equally enthusiastic In his advocacy of "economy , " wanted to cosolidate the missions to Venezuela , Ecuador and Peru. It was during the same year that a St. Louis merchant wrote to our minis ter at Caracas to find out "the most available seaport of Venezuela on the Pacific. " A cattle dealer In Colorado inquired ' 'whether , in order to visit Maracaibo , it would be necessary to sail Via Europe. " Soon afterward a tobac conist in Virginia wrote to ask 'whether it would be advisable to ship Camples via the Isthmus of Panama. " Itninl'all of the Pyrenees. A great scheme is suggested by the Figaro of Paris , for the utilization of the rainfall of the Pyrenees. It is proposed to dam the valleys all along the chain , hold up all the mountain torrents in a series of artificial lakes , regulate the overflow , run it through turbines and so generate electric pow er. It is calculated that no less than 10.000.000 horse-power could be ob tained from the Pyrenean range , and this power could be supplied at about one-sixth of the cost of that produced by steam. Cruel of Him. Mistress So you are going to leave because the gasoline stove blew you up in the air ? Alice No , ma'am ; it's because of the insult your husband offered. Mistress What did he say ? Alice--Nothing ; but he began sing ing "You can't keep a good girl down. " Chicago News. It makes a woman heartsick every hue she has to cut a valuable piece of ace. ace.When When a man gets full it Is a good time to take his bust measure. Brightening Our Homes. In the winter season a few choice plants in the sitting room windows add much good cheer to our homes. A nice arrangement is shown in the cut. It is well to have a variety of plants , j some for flowers , others for foliage. These may be readily procured of any florist , or even ordered by mail or ex press. Much satisfaction follows the plant ing of a few bulbs , such as hyacinths , tulips , lillies , crocus , etc. These come into bloom in a feu * weeks and are ex ceedingly pretty. There is a great array of foliage plants that may be readily secured , some also having bright and choice flowers. The latter include geraniums , fuchsias , primrose , etc. A palm , or two , fern , rubber plant , etc. , add greatly to the ornamentation of a window iilled with plants , or to the living room. There are many styles of shelves that may be used. A plain , smooth board ' ! I I I I I I I M A COSY WINDOW. Is often handy. Above it , on either side , brackets may be screwed to tut window casing , each containing arms with a flat , round top , for plants. A stand or table in a bay window , may often be used to advantage. Things of this kind are very common in city homes as well as in numberless cheer ful farm homes. But there are , as a rule , none too many plants in our homes. As flowers bring refinement and elevating thoughts , let us have more of them. Farm and Home. Church Work and the Busy Woman. What will become of church work when women become too busy to do it ? This question has not yet come largely to the front , but it certainly will in time If things go on at their present pace. Men have long ago ceased to be able to attend to church work , except when they are regularly salaried to do it , or when zeal and leisure exist. The church has looked to women for 'the unsalaried work that needs doing ; and the women , glad of an outlet for their energies , have willingly given their best thought and their spare time to Sunday school teaching , missionary meetings , the making of altar-cloths and vestments , and the conduct of fairs , festivals , church suppers and so on. In the last generation the busiest Avomeu in each town were always to be found foremost in the churches. The women of 40 and over are still to-day In church work. But how about the young and busy women ? The Sunday schools begin to notice that she does not offer to teach. She is as tired , after her week's work , as a man , and needs rest on Sunday. She has no free weekday afternoons in which to attend missionary meetings. She is making her living , or else she has clubs and courses of reading to at tend , or is heart and soul at work in a college settlement. In the church , moreover , she must work under the authority and supervision of the cler gy ; whereas on hospital boards or in charitable organizations she has all the authority and all the recognition. Nat urally , she grows to prefer the latter , The busy woman is the picked woman , usually , and superior women have been the strength of church guilds and meetings hitherto. The church cannot afford to depend only upon the inferior woman , surely. Can this be the mean ing of the salaries offered to Sunday school teachers in some of our cities ? The whole question is an Interesting one and may have some bearing upon the alleged present decline of church life in America. Harper's Bazar. Chan injr Views. " ' the . that I'll " "I've pictured mat. marry , she said , When reaching her seventeenth year ; "There's only one kind that I ever will wed. And he must a hero appear. This man must be able and handsome and brave Apollo and Mars all in one And if I can't captivate such as I crave , Why , then , I assert , I'll have none. " "All men have their faults , " she was heard to exclaim , When reaching her twenty-fifth year ; "Of course , I am looking for merit and fame , But much may be lacking , I fear. I'd like to have dignity , courago und grace , A man who is earnest and true , Who's strong for the battle and swift for the race But half of these virtues will do. " She cut it down in her thirtieth year ; Her smiles were for all that she met , For she had decided , it seemed to be clear. She wanted th man she could pet- Brooklyn Eagle. The American Girl. What makes the American girl a most attractive being is her self-confi dence , amiability and good temper. Now , I am not a flatterer , and I must say that pretty women are as much In the minority In the United States as in thr ountry , writes Viscount de Santo Thyrso , In the Smart Set. Beau ty , like gold , is scarce everywhere. You can find more gold in California than in Europe ; but even in California .you certainly find more dross than gold. So It is with women. In some places , or in some countries , the number of pret ty women is greater than in others , and ! in this brand : of natural production the United States Is not behind-hand. This , however , is only a foreigner's view of the subject. To tell the truth. I have never met an American girl of J20 who did not consider herself fas cinating ; this is self-contidence , and for a woman to believe she is beautiful is half way to real beauty. In the first place , a plain woman , who is awaro of her plainness , is unhappy. Man is a selfish animal , and dspite what nov els say about sad women and the pow er of tears , unhappiness Is as repellant to a healthy mind as disease to a. healthy body. Then , the conscious plain woman gives up every thought of pleasing , and therefore she does noth ing to make herself attractive. She does not dress in a becoming way , she does not smile , she does not try to be attractive. She becomes sour or duH. or both. Detroit Free Press. For the Younir Mother. It is a pathetic truth that more chil dren are spoiled by too much love than by too little , or , rather , by love shown. In the wrong way. So anxious is a young mother to see her little one happy , smiling and aimis e.l that in quite early days she often excites it with playing with it , talking and tossing , when she had far better let it rest and sleep. The happiest and healthiest babies are those accustomed from the very first to lie on a thick , warm rug on the floor , cooing and crowing to themselves , and not expect ing to be picked up , nursed , rocked , tossed and excited. And later on the happiest children are those taught to wait on and "help mother , " not those perpetually expect ing mother to put aside her work to amuse them. It is nel-ther wise nor kin 1 to so wait on a child's pleasure , and to spend your time amusing a little child , picking up Its ball , buildim ? houses with Its bricks , fetching aui carrying for it , is to destroy its pow ers of self-reliance , to make It row up masterful and selfish , and unfit It for a world In which the most helpful are the most happy. Children managed In the right way are quite proud and happy to do little tilings and wait on others , and this should be encourages. Carries Rural Mail. Mrs. Charles Smith , of Edgertoa , Ohio , carries the mail on a rural free Gelivorv route. Her route Is knows as No. 2 , out of Edgerton. Her home Is a mile and a half from the postoflice , where she must g to receive the inaM before starting out on the route , which is twentyseven miles long. One hun dred and eighteea families live along the route and sixty c. bMiTn. daily papers are de livered by her , to say nothing of the lot of letters and postal cards. Mrs. Smith began to work on the route on July 1 and has not missed a single trip. She attends to her household du ties before starting from home. She carries her dinner and feed for her horse. Mrs. Smith Is a woman of ro bust health and has enjoyed many educational advantages. Shampooing nt Home. An egg is one of the best cleansers of the head and hair that can be used. Break the egg and beat It up well. Pot a little warm water in a basin , lean tho head over it and damp the head and hair all over. Next dip the fingers Im the beaten egg and rub thoroughly with it. It will make quite a lather and bring out the dirt. Proceed till all the egg Is used and every portion of the head has been rubbed * vlth it. The hair must now be thoroughly and care fully rinsed , using plenty of water. The water should be poured over the head by a second person. When all the egg is quite rinsed off and the hair clean rub the head vigorously to dry It , and then the long hair. Let it hang loose for an hour or so , allowing the sir to play through it. Hair will be improved by drying it in the open where the sun can shine on it. It is not advisable to dress the hair too soon after wash ing it. Keauty and Wisdom Won't Mix. An American scientist has come t * the conclusion that the tendency of to much education or intellectual develop ment in women Is to make them lose their beauty. He Instances the Zaro women of India. They are supreme. They woo the men , control the affairs of the home and the nation , transmit property , and leave the men nothing * do. The result Is , says the scientist , that they are the ugliest women on earth. World's Most Gorgeous Bed , Anna Countess De Castellane sleeps in the great bed of Madame De Se- vigne , than which there is no finer ia ill the world. It is made of gilded : o/1ar wood inlaid with precious * stonee. ind has painted panels by the greatest m " ers of the seventeenth and eight eenth centuries.