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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1910)
HE custom of celebrating the- New Year by 1 aving behind. In theory p.t least, oiie'a pet pernicious habit or besetting sin, may be hack neyed, but It certainly Is not en tirely relegated to tho limbo of things forgotten or outworn. Some time New Year's day, when a quiet moment In the day's swirl offers time for thourht. there will bo a hasty taking stock of the year that lr, pine, a recounting of errors and failures, a silent prom ise that this or that will not occur attain. And what does It all amount to, after all, this old cuHtom of revamping threadbare resjlvtions or selecting new one's? The cynic will smile and isay that it is all a waste of rff .it, a fia.'.i in the ,pan, a half-hearted sloping over of mistakes by wordy and none too sincrr rrcmlsc-s of reform. ;The humorist will have his little fling in cartoon and witty quip and Jast. He will gargle with the sardonio glee of Robin Gocdfellcw over the folly of mortals and find in every resolve new subject for laughter. From tho pulpit on Sunday will sound the admonition of the minister and tho moralist. They will taJie good resolutions seri ously, and set upon them the stamp of divine approval. And whether the wry sneer of tho cynic, the mocking grin cf the humorist, cr the approving smile of the moralist prophesy the fate of the resolutions and their maker, It will be true that even tho moat moinratary impulses toward better things will not be entirely wanted. There was a time when, in the simple faith of childhood, you ret down In black and white your promises to do better. On t!n first page of your new diary, a yearly Christmas present, you wrote In your best Spencerian hand we knew none better In those days something like tills: "Dur ing thia year I resolve not to lose my temper; not to be saucy at home; net to put off doing the things I dislike; to read my Iiible every day." Direct, sounding blows were these on the chain mail of your besetting sins of a quick temper, a wickedly sharp little tongue, procrastination, and childish irrellgion. Behind closed doors, lest nny one see linn in so meek a moment, Brother Dick was scribbling earnestly: "I promise myself not to be late for dinner, not to forget, to wash my neck and ears, not to get in debt to father for my allowance, and not to play hookey a single day." Of course you failed, both you and Dick, before the little diary had its new gilt dimmed or the soft penciling of the latter had blurred Itself into unrcproaehful Illegibility. But the cf fort wasn't altogether wasted, and there were fewer fit3 of temper and cleaner neck and ears than would otherwise have been. We grown-ups miss, as we get older, some of the past and gone aids to New Year'B resolves.' The day was once upon a time more marked by pleasant social customs. Only In officialdom is New Year's now a state ly day of ceremonlul. But It is not hard to re call that a decide or two ago there ft ill mr vlved some of the di; nity and good cheer that had attached itself 1(: the day. Before the Christmas fruit cake had all been devoured, or the stone j:irs of small caker, sn.'Vred too Eoverely from the In roads of rapac'i-us chil dren, preparations for New Y'enr's day were ..well under way. Children were not in cluded In this celebra tion. This was essontiailv elders T'jtrAf-if. V " 1 'T. I tJy. SITV VISWT J SrjG '. V ' v - ' a 1 u 11 nwmrVyfl hi immmammmmmiiam of those who liM filled the pewR, esieelal!y that of one man, the governor of the ptate, whose aquiline profile. Hashing eyes and strahht. glossy black hair for::ie( a never to be-forgot-ten personality. Watch nhht hyns have a rersnna'i'v of tin lr own, as tliOKe of fhrist-nas or Eatrr. If not so widely known. They are natnra'ly serious nnd n bit. fore boding, with n t: n"h of the mel ancholy that Is associated with ll'.e rapid night of time. Thi yrnr !s (ronp. bynwl rcAll With all Its hopon nnd fours. With nil its lirlnlit nnd Rlnddrnlng Slllllrf , With Mil I'n innurnrrn t'nn, Is an old I . at In hymn to a com mon meter tune that Illustrates the tendency of this branch of hyninology. Charles Wesley has been most prolific In voicing tblB thought. WUdnm ns ribp. nnd might, and prl.ip, To fiort who Ipnthenn out our 1ity(; Who nparea im ypt anothrr ypnr. And makes us net hi goodnpRi hfrp, I" an old favorite. Often Just on (he stroke of roldnlght anoth er of his voiced the feelings of the congregation, that begin ning. Jetn, nil vi rnnBompd unnn of frraee, The holy Joy prolong, And nlimit to the Hodcpmor'! praisp, A noli'Min mldnlRht onif. 1: W j ft 5 rw '..' iiniiif " 1 ft 1 Si AVG the festival of their Orders to keep fiorn under foot were rigidly enforced, and did you wish to see the fun 110 place remained but tho second-story landing, which gave somewhat inconspicuously upon the hall below, with a strained view of the big parlors, and none of ihe dining room beyond. That it was there and in full work ing order was evidenced by a keen sense of mell. It was always great fun to wander up and down the principal residence streets as noon drew near, to find out who were to be at borne and who were not. A basket tied to the door knob with ;?ay red ribbons said, for all the world to hear: "We are not receiving to day." If you were a boy and daring, later in Ihe afternoon you stole up on the step to peep In and discover, by the number of cards with in, the respective popularity of village maids and matrons. Wherever the door lacked tho basket, you knew that behind the drnwn shades there was the soft glow of candles or the yellow glare of gas, poor substitute for sunlight on snow, but presumably kinder to complexions and gowns Just a trifle passe. And you knew that in each house, subject only to trifling variations of background, there would be enacted thn same scenes. Into the front door that opened at the first touch of the bell passed a fluctuating stream of men in holiday attire. There were elderly beaux a-plenty in broadcloth that was brushed to the point of perfection, smart young dan dles, sporting the newest fashion In ties; awkward beginners not quite used to the length of their frock coats we called them Prince Alberts In the days when New Year's calls were In vogue and a sprinkling of substantial-looking business men paying homage to the established custom of society. Every body who was anybody In "our town" paid his devolrB to the Incoming year by making the rounds of his friends' homes. Once Inside, there was the neat maid or solemn butler to rfeeive the caller's card and help him witli overcoat, hat and cane, and then a dash for his hostess and her daughters and friends under the chandeliers with tho p:!:i::i drops. "Happy New Year" resounded on all sides. In the course of the afternoon the in defatigable had seen all their friends, had sampled the choicest types of Christmas bak ing, had toasted again and again the New Year in punch of varying strength and pungency, or substituted coffee In homes where temperance principles were popular. They had said pret ty things to popular dames In the stimulating atmosphere of holly and green wreaths, and had matched wits with fascinating damsels In the dangerous vicinity of mistletoe that still boasted some berries. It was all very gay, very Informal, and very homey. At no other lime or on no other occasion did the holiday hilarity reach so high a pitch. "I'd like to do it all over again," Is the tes timony of one stately lady, whose home twenty years ago was the scene of yearly New Year's receptions. "No other social function on my calendar was such fun for the gueBts and so little trouble for the hostess. The decorating had been done a week before, and a few fresh flowers wt re all that were needed. Given bright lights, a dozen pretty girls to help en tertain, 1 he simplest cakes, and plenty of mild ly exhilarating punch made from a roclpo that my Kentucky grandfather declared harmless, and success was Bssured. When six o'clock came you had seen all the nice men of your acquaintance undisturbed by the usual Influx of other women, and had sent them away at peace with the world In general and full of the spirit of nelghborllness." Meanwhile, upstairs In the library window scats curled the family small fry, watching the procession as it passed, commenting with Ju venile frankness on the toilets of the callers, counting the visitors as they came, listening to the hum of voices downstairs, the girls hug ging close to the rash, the boys making daring detours to "peek" through the balustrade, re turning to report what young ladioB were sit ting en ihe steps with what young men, and evi :i, in some rases, what they were saying. I.eiH.er tiptoeing prowls, down the bark stairs to th lair of a frl r.dly 00k, led to quick and ji:b'.liu:t rtt-iniM wit'i off.'rinvs of cake rnd iMi'-t cup, v. heivw ith tio hours might hi be guiled until six, when twinkling street lights warned tho callers to retreat. Not a serious way to start tho New Year! No. but a friendly one, that left hostosses and callers with a glow of human friendliness to last as warmth for ninny a day. And If seriousness were lacking, the same decade that enjoyed Now Year's call ing found itself also at one with the cus tom of watch-night service. For, itr- "our town," as in yours, mayhap, It whs the thing to spend the closing hours of the old year In the quiet seriousness of prayer and sacred song. Children had their share in this, for fathers and mothers had not In that simpler time learned to fear the giving of definite religious Instruction to their sons and daughters. It was clear and plain that a child must be trained In the way he should go, and watch night was a part of that train ing. And, indeed, no youngster ever tried to beg off. There was first of all the joy of doing the unusual and the fun of sitting up past his bedtime. Bo you hied yourself to the nursery couch or the sitting-room lounge, after a hot supper, an old fashioned winter supper of sau sage and fried potatoes or scalloped oysters and muffins, and took a long, long nap. At half-past ten, father waked you, tucked you Into cap and overcoat, and the family party started out under the cold stars, snow crunch ing under foot, to the nearby church. Not so very long ago the writer came across an old chromo, of the sort that looks, In a dim and favorable light, like a fairly de cent oil palnttng. In 1U day It had doubtless been the chief ornament of a well furnished, comfortable parlor. Now It cluttered the win dow of a second-hand shop, dingy and out of sorts with fate. But even In the unflattering light of a dusty show window, It had a certain charm for the one who found It. It was the picture of a watch-night service, such as she had once known so well. Bright moonlight flooded the scene, bringing out In sharpened detail the snow-laden boughs of drooping elms and the Gothic spire of a small stone church. From stained glass windows and opened door came streaming the warm glow of shaded gas jets. From village streets flocked men and women and children, stopping to say a word of greeting as they passed Into the vestibule. The spell of the picture took her, with the speed of the magic carpet or of the seven-leagued boots, back to the New Year's eves of her girl hood. So she had walked with father and mother and a sleepy s nail brother. Just so the treer had looked In the frosty moonlight. And Just , as warm and poftly glowing had been the stone church, through whoso open doors came t lie? resonant ttralns of the great organ. She remembered v.itli aching vividness the faces M F4KM y 7 T rlf'f ,TVtT CI A bit more joyful Is the splendid, quaintly Irregular, Come, let us anow our Journey pursue, Itoll round with the year, And npver Btwnd still till the Muster appear. It was cosy after this to go home filled wit' loftiest aspirations, ready to begin the new diary with ambitious resolves that were bound to o'erleap themselves because of their very loftiness. There was one watch night when there drifted Into the ken of the child the poem that has since meant to tier, as it does to many, the very npirlt of this day. From tho choir gallery, just before the midnight hour, came the softened chorus of a strange melody. Then into the silence of the vaulted church rose a wonderful message In a voice that bore con viction to the listeners. It sang to the organ and the hushed accompaniment of the choir: Ring out, wild be I In. to the wild klp, The flying cloud, the fronty light; The year la dying, In the night; Ring out, wild bell, and let him die. Through the whole of the splendid poem It swept, on to the triumphant conclusion: "Ring In the Chrlm that la to be." To the child the most dramatic moment of the evening came Just on the stroke of the In coming year. While outside whlBtles blew and giant crackers exploded, bells clashed and clanged, inside hands clasped hands while to gether they sang the good old standby, "Blent be the tie that binds," before the hush of the benediction and the glad chorus of "Happy New Year's" that concluded the service. There Is another sert of quiet ushering In of the baby yoa.r that is conducive to the good resolve that counts so easily under favorable conditions. There were those in the old days, as there are In these, who fert that after the gala afternoon the happiest way of all was to sit quietly about the fire, chatting with half a dozen congenial Kpliits, singing a bit if tho spirit moved, reminiscing us old times came back In the hush, and ending with the silent loust and the dash of sentiment that makes "Auld I.aug Syne" the fitting song for such a moment. That some such happy hour may begin little J911's firHt appearance Is the best wish one can offer to friends. I.t the aUHptrloiiH morning be expressed 'With a white stone distinguished from th If you allow your young cattle to barely eke out an existence this win ter, they will lose In flesh nnd bodily Igor to such nn extent that It will take two months of good pasture to bring them back to thehr present con dition. Such management swell the farm loss account and gradually de creases the net profits that you may expect next year. The farmer who grows clover for hay and seed and sells both may think he has done a good thing for the soil, but aside from the roots which have been exhausted growing the crop he has done the soil more injury than with any other crop he can raise. A good heifer with her first calf at a little past two years of age, if she Is from a breed of fairly high producing cows, Is worth from JaO to $100. A steer that will bring that much money Is usually fed two to three times as much as tho average heifer. Pumpkins are one of the best winter green feeds for almost all kinds of stock, especially relished by dairy cows, and they are excellent to mix with dairy feed for the production of milk, the cows relishing them greatly. It Is not to be supposed that every heifer will make a first-class cow, but the manner in which she is fed and cared for from birth will have some thing to do with deciding the question. The feeding of dairy cows for best results Is more comullcnted. and In volves more thought than most per sons realize; merely throwing a cow an abundance of food Is not all. It is impossible to tell the profitable cows from the unprofitable animals unless you test your milk. The quan tity of milk Is not enough. The but ter fat must be considered. It Is very important that when tho calves are first placed In tho feed lot they should be given the most palat able feed that can be obtained until they have learned to cat. There Is no known feed that Is bet ter for poultry than good clean grains, accompanied by plenty of clean, fresh water and an abundance of charcoal. Now Is the time to study up on the now "serum" method for preventing hog cholera, then you will bo rendy to act at ouce when you have to. The only way to be Biire a cow has good milking qualities which can be perpetuated in her offspring is to bo suro Bho has good blood In her. In Improving a flock of mutton sheep, the ram Is practically tho whole thing until such a time as the ewes aro equally well bred. Don't pack the dairy cow away for winter into a dark comer of tho sta ble and expect to take out a strong, healthy cow lu the spring. Generally farmers who feed stock upon their farms are successful farm ers, but not all successful farmers need be stock feeders. Producing what the consumer wants and putting It on the market in an attractive form are two of the secrets uf successful dairying. It Isn't much use to keep cows that milk hard. You can find just as good ones that milk by man-power and not four horse-power. So the statoly Dryden has put thought. May it be true of us all. the sumt Hunter Who Has Millions Paul Ralney, Who Is Worth S30,0C0, 000, Has Achieved Fatie in tii'j Came Shooting and Other Sports. Puul Ilainey wus born slth plenty of money and a resthss disposition, both of whifh have ii ceased When his father died, leaving him a little) matter of f :c,n00,0i)i made In ccko at Tittfiburg, Paul ll'iiney went to New r'annda and Me:;!co, und to chronicle the anim l.i lie has slaiked would be to cr. ale;, i:e (!. v. lid bean's oT this enti;.i:er:t. Yet. l.e !:::! !'c( r been a l:c," rid l:;.s si ways ",.! yed 1-" v bl t lT:!e fl t:i'.'i:!:'M. lie ' ::'ini't to i-Vrt 1 , a g ;!: tr.'.ll ' ' ' ' .1' t 1 i: b;r ; ,. i ',y ,rji ; .1 I tie H' l.i.-. A!s" 1 e ; i!;. i- c '1, jr-,-, ..... , j .r ',', ,; I'm! J(- ;-,( y, nnii-1. ;w; l,i I -nil ". l' "," ", v: !' I ' ' the 1 i.i! . in i i i a In he v as f.ii.b ; v;i ; no :ir.' .t ,: . '," u 1' : s In fn'v.d id a yacht iiiia-i, tinl! : 'i, ; !.i r, !. t ;. : : r 11 t ! .' I. . : 'i''!i tori.-t, and all ; i.'itj a'i j I.. r th" j v.y'.r, 1!... '. .-1 rl. lie has l ot all ov c.'u!..j-y, j t !.. ::( :. V! e t i;: li; U umv Yolk with it :.::i ..:b l.U bro'i-c They '.pen' :ti(.:i y in tl:e l,;vish - but i not In the ! e!i h ;vV (,1 I'!"s'.ii:r j niibi'.'inire:-. r. d I'. mi!, j ; : i- i t 1 ! trly, l-ru to 1 a i'. .! li plan.nlrg will take him across Africa, Australia and up Into India. Paul Ilainey Is the type of a rich man's t-.oii i.iueh more prevalent than ii'.cny people supposed. Supplied al ways with in,, re money than most ti.e.i ever e. he has been tailed "Ail 1 rlea';: , rcatcst k penier," but he 1..: t ,t v ,u 1 l:ls f.uidii or his health in !.''! i, a ii.-i. 'lis i.ttilude towards !rs i al'h p t1 at of one who lias been i,rt-:,,sle ( i.u .; Ii to know how to get lotii it ti.c ,t''t amount of healthy , leaii ire fu" l,i::isidf and otbue Mr. Kalney is considered the best polo player in America and (hat means nerve, strength and quickness. Ho is a devotee of other sports, a big game hunter royal, and able business man, and u type of tl "good fellow" at his best. He Is ai d single.--Hampton's J!valne. M.xed Dates. "Are you guli g to wait till tho lani to buy your holiday ftlrts?" "Oh, It's mo early to think about late shopplr Mares do r.ot usually give troubl by abortion If given good food and reasonable cpro Of course, when pregnant, a mare should not be over driven, nor be compelled to smell blood or offal, and should not back or hold bark heavy loa Is liar stall sl'ould not have much Incline Nour ishing food, pure water and fresh air aro essentials. If one 4uspect ergot or Binut in hay or iced It r-hould bo , discarded. It Is estimated that barn-yurd ma nures have n value of about two thirds that of commercial fertilisers, t tiers fore the careful saving of farm ma nures and their judicial application to . the soil are vital factors in farming operations, and as essential to -con tinued success as plowing tho land or planting the crop. The price of dairy products In the winter Is so much higher than In sum mer that only a small extra effort as to care and judicious feeding may re sult In a considerable Increase In the profits from the entire herd at this season. The intelligent flock-masters ar fast coming to recognize the fact that the man who makes the most of his opportunities In handling a farm flock must become a breeder and feeder of high-class mutton, more especially Bheep. Tho farmer who is breeding a floes of improved mutton sheep and feeding them In an Intelligent and painstaking manner, may plan bis feeding opera tlona so that he may have a good near by city market every week In the year. Farm-yard manures benefit the soil by acting as a mulch and make hu mus, but their benefit to the growing crops depends entirely upon the amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid nnd potash they contain. It Is true that the generality ol farm mares are low In quality, but that Is no valid excuse for farmers tc persist in breeding horses that no body wants, not even themselves. Sheep raising numbers among Its requirements quietness and content nient in a degree perhaps not so es sential to success In the handling o! other breeds of live stock. In the production of strawberries tho best specimens aro obtained onlj by careful culture, '.he plants should bo of a large fruited and firm fruitec variety of the test flavor. liegin to take the chill off the watei you give the horses when the wenthei gets cold. You can heat It chcapei on the stove than you can In the stomach of the horse. A thick coat of paint daubed over the severed limbs when pruning in the orchard or wood lot prevents cracking of the wood and gives the trees a bet ter appearance. . The ordinary diversified farm with its abundant use of horsepower fur nishes ideal conditions for growing, developing and training draft horses. It will pay anyone that keeps from 25 to 100 hens to build a shed close to the henhouse In which to deposit tho droppings during the winter. It is best to separate pullets from tho rest of tho flock, let them have free range nnd feed largely of whole or cracked corn, wheat or oats H Is Impossible to create capacity. You may breed for it but you can't create it and it's a very important function in the dairy cow. There Is the most money In the long run In dairying by selling the cream or butter only and keeping the other products on the farm. The Duroc Jersey sows are very docile; they are easily handled during the breeding and farrowing season and are very prolific breeders. Under no circumstances should any thing be added to milk to prevent Its souring. Such doings violate the law of both God and man. The problem of keeping the Joys and girls on the farmstead Is solving itself, for farm lite Is becoming more and more attractive. Cattle ralslne presents a promising field of endeavor to those who almS alike at personal satisfaction and financial profit All damaged limbs should be cut out, becauso they are likely to In jure others while swaying In the winds. It requires skill and a liberal sys tem of feeding to grow and develop a high-grade draft horso for market. The sheep responds profitably to conditions of peacefulness. They need sensible treatment as to surroundings. In the large city markets the best prices for fatted fowls are realized from about February to July. Lousy hogs are a direct source of loss, which, with worms, prevent divi dends in the hog business. Attention to every minute detail In dairying must bo observed If tho best results are reached. All weedB and dead branches should bo cleaned out of the small fruit gar tens and burned. A good square walk for a farm horse Is llko a good square deal for oien. All soil Is niado up of ground pul verized rock and vegetable mutter. Dairying is still a peculiar industry as adapted to tho northern states. Meats and ground grains aro rich In protein and are egg makers. Not one half tho farmers reallzo the profit there on pusture land While It Is some trouble to strain the cream before churning, but when that Is done there will be no white specks in butter. i The feeder is the only man that can tell how much food the colts require for their best growth and develop ment. Fresh air Is all right for the hens, but not when It Is sifted through knot holes and cracks between the boards. Ham lambs are a drug on the mar ket, yet thousands of farmers con tinue to flood the markets with them. Sheep that are kept as scavengers soon assume the appearance that their purpose would signify. . Good, bright oat straw is good roughage for Idle horses, but some grain should be fed with It. Hold on to some of the clover for spring feeding. It is great when the sheep get tired of timothy. I lens are much better breeders than pullets, because a greater per cent, of tho eggs are fertile. Warm water In winter, given morn ing, noon and night, make the hens sing with delight. One of the great economies In growing of sheet) Is that the shelter is inexpensive. Now Is the time of year to feed corn freely to all stock, even including; milk cows. If sheep are left out in a cold rain they are almost sure to contract catarrh.