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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 1911)
A Utllo Business Romance I lh Banana Trade By O. HENRY (CopTtsbt bj AloalM MagMiu OBODY knew ex actly where Dicky Maloney hailed from or how he reached Puerto Rey. He appeared there one day and that was all. He afterward said that he came on the fruit steamer Thor. but. an In spection of the ITinrt nukiwrienr list of that date would have found It to be Maloney leas. Curiosity, however, toon .per ished, and Dicky took his place among the heterogeneous litter of the coast the stranded adventurers, refugees and odd fish from other countries that line the shore of the Caribbean. He was an active, devil-may-care. rollicking fellow with an engaging gray eye, the most Irresistible grin, a rather dark, or much sun-burned com plexion, and a head of the fieriest red hair ever seen In that country. Speak ing the Spanish language as well as he spoke English, and seeming always to have plenty of silver In his pockets, It was not long before he was a wel come companion both with the natives and the resident foreigners. He de veloped an extreme fondness for vino blancho; could drink more of it than any three men in the port, and to meet Dicky Maloney's brilliant head and smile coming down the street meant, to any of his acquaintances, the consumption of from one to three bottles of strong, white wine. Every body called him Dicky; everybody cheered up at sight of him especially the natives to whom his marvelous ruddy hair and his free and easy style were a constant delight and envy. A considerable amount of specula tion still existed concerning the ob ject of his stay In Puerto Rey. but one day he silenced this by opening a small shop for the sale of cigars. dulces and the handiwork of the In terior Indians fiber and silk woven goods, deerskin zapatos, and basket- work of tule reeds. Even then he did not change his habits, for he was drinking and playing cards half the day and night with the comandante, the collector of the port, the Jefe Poll tlco, and other gay dogs among the native officials. The care of the shop hq loft entirely to Pasa. And now It is both desirable and fitting to make Pasn'e acquaintance, for she was Dicky's Digression. La Madama Tlmotea Duencamlnos y Salazar de las Ygleslas kept a rum shop In Cnlle numero ocho. No dis grace, mind you, for rum-making Is a government monopoly, and to keep a government dispensary assures re spectability If not superemlnence. Moreover, the saddest of precisians could find no fau.lt with the conduct of the shop. Customers drank there In the lowest of spirits and fearsome ly, as In the shadow of the dead, for la madama's' ancient but vaunted lineage counteracted even the rum's behest to be Joyful. For, was she not of the Ygleslas who landed with Plzarro? And had her deceased husband not been Comlslonado de Camlnos y Puen tes for the district? In the next room, seated In the cane rocklng-chalr, dreamily strumming a guitar, could ' generally be found her daughter Pasa "La Sanlta Navan Jada" the young men had named her. Navanjada Is the Spanlrh word for a certain shade of color that you must go to more trouble to describe In Eng gllsh. By saying: "The little saint, tinted the most beautiful-delicate- siightiy-orange-goiaen yon vail ap proximate the description of Dona Pasa Buencamlnos y Salazar de las Ygleslas. That Dicky Maloney would, sooner or later, explore this field was a thing to be foreseen. There were few doors In Puerto Rey his red head had not been poked Into. He saw Pasa one afternoon sitting by the door with an unusually saintly look upon her face. Dicky rushed off to find one of the white duck wall flowers to present him. In an lncredl bly short time he was seated close be side the cane rocklng-chalr. There were no back-ngalnst-the-wall poses with Dicky. At close range, was his theory of subjection. To carry the fortress with one concentrated, ardent eloquent, Irresistible escalade that was Dlcky'B way. Pasa was descended from the proud est Spanish families In the country, Moreover, she had had unusual ad vantages. Two years In a New Or loans school had elevated her ambi tions and fitted her for a fate above the ordinary maidens of her native land. And yet here she succumbed to the first red haired scamp with a glib tongue and a charming smile that eame along and courted her properly For, very soon Dicky took her quietly to the little church next to the Teatro Naclonal and then to his little shop In the grass-grown street where custo mers seldom troubled him. And it was her fate to alt, with her patient, saint ly eyes and figure like a bisque Psyche, behind Its sequestered coun ter while Dicky drank and philan dered with his frivolous acqualn taocea. Sometimes mysterious things hap pened at night about Dicky's shop. While the front of It was dark, In the little room back of It Dicky and a few of his friends would sit about a table carryirg on some kind of very oulet negoclos until quite late. Final ly he would let them out the front door very carefully, and go upstairs to his little saint. These visitors were generally conspirator-like men with dark clothes and hats. Of course, theafi dark doings were noticed after a while, and talked about. Quite a number of letters arrived, addressed to "Mr. Dicky Maloney," or "Senor Dickee Maloney," to the con riilemble pride of Pasa. That so many people should desire to write to him only confirmed her own suspicion that (! light from his red head phone uround the world. As to their con- There tents the never felt curiosity wns a wife for you! The one mistake Dicky made In Puerto Rey was to run out of money at the wrong time. Where his money came from was a puzzle, for the sale of his shop were next to nothing, but that source failed, and at a peculiarly unfortunate time. It was when the oouiandante, Don Senor el Coronol En carnnclon Casablanca looked upon the little saint seated in the shop and felt his heart go pitapat. The comandante, who was versed in all the Intricate arts of gallantry, first delicately hinted at his sentiments by donning his dress uniform and strut ting up and down fiercely before her window. Pasa, glancing demurely with her, saintly eyes, Instantly perceived hlsresemblance to her parrot. Chichi. on.l I'm divHi-trrt to the extent of a smile. The comandante saw the smile which was not intended for him. con vlnced of an Impression mado, he en tered the shop, confidently, and ad unni-wl to onen commitment. Paze froze; he pranced: she flamed royally; he was charmed to Injudicious per sistence: she commanded him to leave the shop; he tried to capture her hand and Dicky entered, broadly smiling. full of white wine and the devil. Five minutes later he pitched the comandante out the door upon tne stones of the street, senseless. That five minutes Dicky had spent In pun ishing him scientifically and carefully, fo that the pain might be prolonged as far as possible. A barefooted policeman who had been watching the affair from across remember any one with red any one named Maloney. Such a lot of college men seem to have misused their ad vantages. One of the best mathema ticians of the class of '91 Is selling lot tery tickets In Belize. A Cornell man dropped off here last month. He was second steward on a guano bont I'll write fo the Department If you like, Maloney. Or If there's any tobacco, oa newspn " "There's nothing." Interrupted Dicky, shortly, "but this. You go tell the captain of the Cntnrlna that Dicky Maloney wants to iee him as soon as he can conveniently come. Tell hlra where I am. Hurry. That's all." The consul, glad to be let off so easily, hurried away. The captain of the Cataiino. a stout man, Sicilian horn, soon appeared, shoving, with lit tle ceremony, through the guards to the Jail door. The Vesuvius Fruit Company had a habit of doing things that way In Puerto Rey. "I am exceedingly sorry exceeding sorry," said the captain, "to see this occur. I place myself at your service, Mr. Maloney. Whatever you need shall be furnished. Whatever you say shall be done." Dicky looked at him unsmlllngly. His red hair could not detract from his attitude of severe dignity as he stood, tall and calm, with his now grim mouth forming a horizontal line. "Captain De Lucco, I believe I still have funds In the hands of your com pany ample and personal funds. I ordered a remittance last week. The money has not arrived. You know what Is needed In this game. Money and money and more money. Why haa It not been sent' "ny the Cristobal," replied De Luc co, gesticulating, "It was dispatched. Where is the Cristobal? Off Cape An tonio I spoke her with a broken shaft. A tramp coaster was towing her back to New Orleans. I brought money ashore thinking your need for It might not withstand delay. In this envelope Is one thousand dollars There Is more If you need it, Mr. Ma loney." "For the present It will suffice," said Dicky, softening as he crinkled the en. Mow a whistle and a squad of eight soldiers came running 1velPev,a?d look,ed dowvn tbe aU from the cuartel Just around the cor ner. When tney saw mat uicsy wi the offender they stopped and blew more whistles, which brought out re enforcements of twelve. Dicky, being thoroughly Imbued with the martial spirit, stooped and drew the comandante's sword which was girded about him, and charged his foe. He chased the standing army four squares, playfully prodding its squeal ing rear, and hacking Its bare, ginger colored heels. He was not so success ful with the civic authorities. Eight muscular, nimble policemen overpow ered him, and conveyed him, trlum phantly but warily to Jail. "El Diablo Colorado." they dubbed him, and dg- rlded the military for Its defeat Dicky, with the rest of the prison ers, f.oula loon out tne Darrea aoor ai the trrass of a little plaza, a row of orange trees, aim the red tile roofs and 'dobe walls of a line of Insignifi cant tlendas. At sunset, along a path across this plaza, came a melancholy procession of sad-faced women bearing plantains, bread, casaba and fruit each coming with food to some wretch behind those bars to -whom she still clung. Thrice a day, morning, noon and sunset, they were permitted to come. Water was furnished her guests by the republlo, but no food For two days succeeding Pasa came at each appointed time and brought him food. He eagerly Inquired each time if a letter or package had come for him, and she mournfully shook her head. On the morning of the third day she brought only a small loaf of bread There were dark circles under her eyes. She seemed as calm as ever. "By Jingo," said Dicky, who seemed to speak In English or Spanish as the whim seised hlra, "this Is dry proven der, muchachlta. Is this the best you can dig up for a fellow? Pasa looked at him as a mother looks at a beloved but capricious babe. ' Thina better or it," sne said, in a low voice; "since for the next meal there will be nothing Inch thickness of smooth, dingy bills. "The long green!" he said, gently, with a new reverence In his gaze. "Is there anything It will not buy, cap tain? When the captain had departed Dicky called the sergeant of the Jail squad and asked: Am I preso by the military or by the civil authority?" enty miles In the Interior. But. during the hot season, from Msy to October, the entire administration removes to Puerto Rey. where the sea breeze ren ders the pursuit of business and pleas ure possible. Custom had so estab lished this annual heglra of the execu tive that a commodious government building had been erected on the beach at Puerto Rey for the use of the president and his official family during their sojourn. Hut now, this year, though the middle of May was almost come, the heart of the people was not stirred to the customary Joyous preparation. Throughout the entire republic there seemed to be a spirit of silent, sullen discontent. The administration of President Zarllla had made him far from a popular Idol. Fresh taxes, fresh Import duties, and, more than all, his tolerance of the outrageous op pression of the citizens by the mili tary had rendered hlra the most ob noxious president since the despised Alforan. But the most Impolitic of the admin istration's moves had been when it antagonized the Vesuvius Fruit Com pany of New Orleans, an organization plying twelve steamships, and with a cash cnpltal something larger than Costaragua's surplus and debt com bined. Naturally, an established con cern like the Vesuvius would become irritated at having a small, retail re public with no rating at all attempt to squeeze It So, when the government proxies applied for subsidy they en countered a polite refusal. The presi dent retaliated by clapping an export duty of one real ler bunch on ba nanas a thing unprecedented In fruit growing countries. An emissary requested an inter view with a representative of the company. The Vesuvius sent Mr. Fran conl, a little, stout, cheerful man al ways whistling Verdi. Senor Ortii, secretary to the Minister of Finance, attempted the sandbagging In behalf of Coetaragua. Senor Ortiz opened negotiations by the announcement that the govern ment contemplated the building of a railroad to skirt the alluvial coast lands. After touching upon the bene fits such an Improvement would con fer upon the Interests of the Vesu vlus, he reached the definite sugges tion that a contribution to the road's expense of one hundred thousand pe sos would not be more than an equiva lent to benefits received. Mr. Franzonl denied any benefits from the contemplation of a road. He was authorised, however, to offer a fM$ a& It (mmmJ '.hat "Shall Deliver Them to Enrico. Ollvarra'e Assassin, or to His Son?" five hundred to the tavo Is spent. She pressed closer against the grating. Pasa lowered ner voice to almost a whisper. "And, listen, heart to my heart," she said, "I have' endeavored to be brave, but I cannot live without thee. Three days now- Dicky caught a faint gleam of steel from the folds of her mantilla. For once she looked In his face and saw It without a smile, stern, menacing and purposeful. Then he suddenly raised his hand and his smile came back like a gleam of sunshine. The hoarse sig nal of an incoming steamer's siren sounded In the harbor. Dicky ca'led to the sentry who was pacing before the door: "What steamer comes?" "The Catarina." "Of the Vesuvius line?" "Without doubt, of that line." "Go you, plcarllla," said Dicky, Joy ously to Pasa, "to the American con sul. Tell him I wish to speak with him. See that he comes at once. And you, let me see a different look In those eyes, for I promise your head shall rest upon this arm tonight' It was an hour before the consul came, lie was a spectacled young man, a greedy botanist who was util izing his office to study the tropic flora. He held a green umbrella under hla arm, and mopped his forehead lm patiently. "Now, see here, Maloney," he be gun, captiously, "you fellows seem to think you can cut up any kind of row, and expect me to pull you out of it. I'm neither the War Department nor a gold mine. This country has Its laws, you know, and there's one against pounding the senses out of the regu lar army. You Irish are forever get ting Into trouble. I don't see what I can do. Anything like tobacco, now, to make you comfortable or newspa pers " "Son of Eli." interrupted Dicky, gravely, "you haven't changed an lota. That in almost a duplicate) of the speech you made when old Koen's donkeys and geese got Into the chapel loft, and the culprits wanted to bide In your room." "Oh. heavens!" exclaimed the con sul, hurriedly adjusting his spectacles. 'Are you a a Yalo man. too? Were you in that crowd? I don't seem to 'Surely there Is no martial law in effect now, senor." "Bueno. Now go or send to the al calde, the Juez de la Paz and the Jefe de los Pollclos. Tell them I am pre- The last cen- pared at once to satisfy the demands of Justice." A folded bill of the "long green" slid Into the sergeant's hand. So, that night Dicky sat by the win dow of the room over his shop and his little saint sat close by, working at something silken and dainty. Dicky was thoughtful and grave. His red hair was in an unusual state of dis order, rasa's fingers often ached to smooth and arrange It, but Dicky would never allow It. He was poring, tonight, over a great litter of maps and books and papers on hla table un til that perpendicular line came be tween his brows that always dis tressed Pasa. Presently she went and brought his hat, and stood with it un til he looked up, Inquiringly. "It Is sad for you here." she ex plained. "Go out and drink vino bian co. Come back when you get that 6mtle you used to wear. That Is what I wish to see," Dicky laughed and threw down his papers. "The vino Dianco stage is past. It has served Its turn. Perhaps, after all, there was less entered my mouth and more my ears than people thought. But, there will be no more maps or frowns tonight I promise you that Come." They sat upon a reed sllleta at the window and hatched the quivering gleams from the lights of the Catarina reflected In the harbor. Presently Pasa rippled out one of her Infrequent chirrups of audible laughter. "1 was thinking," she began, antici pating Dicky's question, "of the fool ish things girls have In their minds. Because I went to school In the states 1 used to have ambitious. Nothing contribution of contemplate re. Did Senor Ortiz understand Mr. Franzonl to mean five hundred thous and? By no means. Five hundred pesos And in silver; not gold, "Your offer Insults my government," said Senor Ortiz, rising Indignantly "Then," cried Mr. Franzonl, in a warning voice, "we will change it I" The offer was never changed. Mr Franzonl must have meant something else. So, when the fifteenth day of May arrived the signs were that the presl dential advent would not be cele brated by unlimited rejoicing. President Zarllla was a little, elder ly man, grizzly bearded, with a con siderable ratio of Indian blood reveal ed In his cinnamon complexion. As he was assisted Into his carriage, bis sharp, beady eyes glanced around for the expected demonstration of wel come, but he laced a stolid, unen- thused array of curious citizens. Sight seers the Costaraguans are by birth and habit, and they turned out to the last able-bodied unit to witness the scene, but they maintained an accuslve silence. At length, after a prodigious gallop ing and curvetting of red-sashed ma jors, gold-laced colonels and epaulotted generals, the procession formed for Its annual formal progress down the prin cipal street the Caralno Real to the government building at Its end. As the band struck up, and the movement began, like a bird of 111 omen the S. J. Plzsonl, Jr., the swift est steamship of the Vesuvius line, glided Into the harbor In plain view of the president and his train By the time the van of the proces sion had reached the government building, Captain Cronln, of the S. J Plzzonl, Jr., and Mr. Vlncentl, member of the Vesuvius Company, had landed less than to be the president s wire would satisfy me. And, look thou, j and were pushing their way, bluff, red picaroon, to what obscure fate j hearty and nonchalant, through the hast thou stolen me!" crowd on the nai-row sidewalk. Clad "Don't give up bono," said Dicky, ' In white linen, big, debonair, with an smiling "There was a dictator of air or good-numorea autnority, they Chill named O'Hlgglna. Why not a made conspicuous figures among the President Maloney of this country? dark mass of unimposlng Oostara- t;lv the word, and I'll make the race. , guana. 1 ney peumratea to within a We'll capture the Irish vote, easy run- i few yards of the steps of the brown nlng, by a head." II. The Vesuvius Play. The banana republic of Costaragua has, practically, two capitals The one officially recognized Is flan Mateo, sev- stone building Casa Moreno, the brown White House of Costaragua Looking easily above the heads of the crowd, they perceived another that towered above the undersized natives It was the fiery poll of Dicky Maloney against the wall close by the lower step, and his broad, seductive grin showed that he recognized their pres ence. Dicky had attired himself becoming ly for the festive occasion In a well fitting black suit. Pasa was close by his ride, her head covered with the ubiquitous black mantilla. Mr. Vlncentl looked at her atten tively. ' "Botticelli's Madonna." he remark ed, gravely. "1 wonder when she got Into the game. I don't like his get ting tangled with the women. I hoped he would keep away from them." Captain Cronln's laugh almost drew attention from the parade. "With that head of hair! Keep away from the women! And a Ma loney! Hasn't he got a license? But nonsense aside, what do you think of the prospects? It's a species of fili bustering out of my line. ' Vlncentl glanced again at Dicky s head and smiled. "Rouge et nolr," he said. "There you have it. Mane your piay, gen tlemen. Our money Is on the red. They ceased talking, for General Pilar had descended from the first carriage and had taken his stand upon the top step of Casa Morena. As the oldest member of the cabinet, custom had decreed that he should make the address of welcome, presenting the keys of the official residence to the president at its close Holding In hla hand the gilt keys of Cana Morena, he began his address In a historical form, touching upon each administration and the advance of civilization and prosperity from the first dim striving after liberty down to present times. Arriving at the regime of President Zarllla, at which point, according to precedent, he should have delivered a eulogy upon Its wise conduct and the happiness of the peo ple. General Pilar paused. Then he si lently held up the bunch of keys high above his head, with his eyes closely regarding It. The ribbon with which they were bound fluttered In the breeze. "It still blows," cried the speaker, exultantly. "Citizens of Costaragua, give thanks to the saints this night that our air Is still free." Thus disposing of Zarllla's adminis tration, he abruptly reverted to that of Ollvarra, Costaragua's most popular ruler. Ollvarra had been assassinated nine years before while In the prime of life and usefulness. A faction of the Liberal party led by Zarllla him self had been accused of the deed. Whether guilty or not, It was eight years before the ambitious and schem ing Zarllla had gained bis goal. Upon this theme General Pilar's elo quence was loosed. He drew the pic ture of the beneficent Ollvarra with a loving hand. He reminded the people of the peace, the security and the hap piness they had enjoyed during that period. He recalled In vivid detnll and with significant contrast the last summer sojourn of President Olivarrn In Puorto Key, when his appearance at their fiestas was "the signal for thundering vivas of love and approbation. The first public expression of senti ment from the people that day fol lowed. A low, sustained murmur went among them like the surf rolling along the shore. Ten dollars to a dinner at the Saint remarked Mr. Vlncentl, rouge wins." ver bet against my own Inter- Id Captain Cronln, lighting a cigar. "Long-winded old boy, for his age. What's he talking about?" "My Spanish." replied Vlncentl, runs about ten words to the minute; his is something around two hundred. Whatever he's saying, he's getting them warmed up." Friends and brothers," Oeneral Pilar was Baying, "could I reach out my hand this day across the lamenta ble silence of the grave to Ollvarra 'the Good," to the ruler who was one of you, whose tears fell when you scr ewed, and whose smile followed your Joy I would bring him back to you, but Ollvarra is dead dead at the hands of a craven assassin!" The speaker turned and gazed bold ly into the carriage of the president His arm remained extended aloft as if to sustain his peroration. The president was listening, aghast, ai this remarkable address of welcome. "Who says that Ollvarra Is dead?" suddenly cried the speaker, his voice, old as he was, sounding like a battle trumpet. "His body lies In the grave. but, to the people he loved he has be queathed his spirit yes, more his learning, his courage, his kindness yes, more his youth, his image peo ple of Costaragua, have you forgotten the son of Ollvarra?" Cronln and Vlncentl, watching close ly, saw Dicky Maloney suddenly raise his hat, tear off his shock of red hair leap up the steps and stand at the side of General Pilar. The minister of war laid his arm across the young man's shoulders. All who had known President Ollvarra saw again hla same lion-like pose, the same frank, un daunted expression, the same high forehead with the peculiar line of the clustering, crisp black hair. General Pilar was an experienced orator. He seized the moment of breathless silence that preceded the storm. "Citizens of Costaragua," he trum peted, holding aloft the keys to Casa Morena, "I am here to deliver these keys the keys to your homes and lib erty to your chosen president. Shall I deliver them to Enrico, Ollvarra' assntsln, or to his son?" "Ollvarra! Ollvarra!" thu crowd shrieked and howled. All vociferated the magic name men. women, chil dren and the parrots And the enthusiasm was not con fined to the blood of the plelis. Colon el Rocas uucended the steps and laid his sword theatrically at Young Ra mon Ollvarra's feet. Four members of the cabinet embraced him. Captain Cruz gave a command and twenty of El Clento Ilullando dismounted and arranged themselves In a cordon about the steps of Cukb Morena. But Ramon Ollvarra seiaed that mo ment to prove himself a born genius and politician. He waved those sol diers aside, and descended the steps to the street. There, without, losing hla dignity or the distinguished ele gance that the loss of his red hair brought him, he took the proletariat fo his bosom the barefooted, the dirty, Indian, Carlbs, babies, beggars, old. young, saints, soldiers and he nilsped none of them. While this act of the drnnia was be Ing produced the scene-shifters had been busy at the duties assigned them. Two of Cruz's dragoons had seized the bridle reins of President Zarilla'a horses, others formed a close guard. and they galloped off with the tyran and his tw o malodorous ministers. No doubt a place had been prepared for them. There are quite a number of well barred stone apartments in Puer to Rey. "Rouge wins," said Mr. Vlncentl. ralmly lighting another cigar Captain Cronln had been Intently watching the vicinity of the steps for some time. "Good boy!" he exclaimed, suddenly, as If relieved. "I was wondering If he was going to forget hla Kathleen Ma vourneen." Young Ollvarra had reascended the steps and spoken a few words to Oen ernl Pilar. That distinguished veteran descended to the walk and approached Pasa, who still stood, calm and wonder-eyed, where Dicky had left her. With his hat In his hand, and his medals and decorations shining on his breast, the general gave her his arm, and they went up the steps to gether. And then Ramon Ollvarra stepped forward and took both her hands before all the people. And while the cheering was break ing out afresh everywhere Captain Cronln and Mr. Vlncentl turned and walked back toward the landing where the ship's gig was waiting for them. "There'll be another presidents proclamada In the morning," said Vln centl, musingly. "As a rule, they are not as reliable as the elected ones. But this youngster seems to have good stuff In him. He planned and maneu vered the whole campaign. Ollvarra's widow, you know, was wealthy. She gave the b jy eight years of the best education In the states. The company hunted him up and backed him In the little game." "It's a glorious thing." said Cronln, half Jestingly, "to he able to discharge a government and Insert one of your own choosing, these days." "It's business," stated Vlncentl, stopping to offer his cigar to a mon key swinging from a lime tree; "and that Is what moves the world of to day. That extra real on the price of bananas had to go. We took the quickest way of removing It" 1 r H OME TOWN HELPS MILL VILLAGES IN SOUTH ELECTRIC LIGHTS ON FARMS Undeniably Afford Better Conditions Than the People Encountered Elsewhere. In South Carolina 150,000 persons, or one-fifth of Its white population, live In cotton mill villages, while In the counties of Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson one-third of the popula tion Is In these villages, and the vil lages continue to grow. The South Carolina mill village Is usually a separate community, some times having a population of over 5,000 Inhabitants. It is entirely owned and controlled by the mill, and, Its resi dents have no village corporation of any kind. These villages are built by the mill managements for the simple reason that their people could not otherwise be housed near a mill. They attract much more attention from strangers than from southerners; for strangers, seeing In them for the first time the general poverty and other distressful conditions of our people, handicapped as they have been with legacies from slavery and war, associate these with the village. But all Carolinians know, says the South Atlantic Quarterly, that these villagers are of the same stock aa they themselves, being composed as a class of the less successful, to whom the mills have offered much better wages, with better labor and living conditions, than they had before. It is undeniable that South Carolina mill managements, owing to varloua causes, come into closer personal touch with their Individual operatives and feel more Interest In them as a body than do eastern cotton manufac turers, and that South Carolina oper atives have been benefited hv coming to the mills; that the separate cot tagos of southern mill villages, with plenty of air and larger grounds, are better than the city tenements gener ally used by such operatives In the east, and that the village living condi tions, aa a rule, are steadily improving. Morning Chores Are Done in Kansas by the Aid of Eleotrlclty An Up-to-Date 8oe' House. Within ten years electricity Will light a majority of the farm homes and country schools and churches of Kansls, It Is predicted. Farm homea lighted' with electricity are now num bered by hundreds. With the general use of the gaso line engine this has been made pos sible. Electric light and power com panies in several of the cities are also making plans by which they can sup ply farmers with current from their trunk lines. A notable case of this sort Is found at Manhattan, where the power for electric generation Is furnished by a dam on the Big Blue river, four miles from the city. The current generated Is UBed for electric lighting and street car pur poses In the city of Manhattan, and farmers living near the trunk line are using it in their residences, barns and feed lots. In the early morning hours, when the farmers feed and care for their stock and do the milking, elec tric lights are found to be very useful. In a rich farming community ten miles north of Atchison the farmer have decided to have an electric light plant of their own. They will build a small power house where current will be generated and from which It will be carried Into their homes. Several farmers living ten miles west of Atchison have small dynamos on their farms providing electric light for their homes, barns and dairy buildings. 0 Recently the town of Troy, forty miles north of Atchison, contracted for light from the Atchison plant A trunk line wire was stretched between the two places, and now twenty-five farmeis aloug the route are connect ing their homes with this trunk line. Near Garden City, which a few years aco was In the center of the great American desert, there are farms where all the buildings are made of cement concrete and each la lighted with electricity generated by a gasoline engine on the place. The early pioneer way of living and the modern system are blended on one farm. A farmer Is still living in a sod house built a quarter of a century ago. He is constructing a new and up-to-date borne In which he has Installed a gasoline engine with which to gen erate electricity for lighting. He will not move out of the old sod house until March next because of Ht warmth and comfort In winter, but he is enjoying electric lights in that prim itive dwelling. It la believed this Is the only Instance In which a sod house has been lighted by electricity. In (he natural gas regions of south eastern Kansa the electric light Is cheaper than gas. New York Sun. PLANS FOR A MODEL CITY Boston-1915 Directors See Many Changes In the Future Trunk Sewers Are Advocated. How to develop the metropolitan district has been outlined by the Boston-1915 directors. Changes suggested In the trans portation problem point In every case to metropolitan Improvements to be obtained by uniform development. "Rapid transit and steam systems should make a unified system of pas senger transportation between all porta of the district. "All freight lines should be con nected with one another and with the water front Freight yards should be distributed to avoid long teaming hauls. "The system of radial thorough fares should be perfected. The cir cumferential thoroughfare system should be completed. All the main thoroughfares of travel should b of ample width. "Trunk sewers are advocated. The existing policy of reserving land and sites for public buildings should be continued and perfected, the commit tee believes. Changes In building and housing requirements are advo cated. In the belief that "the inequali ties at present existing discourage In vesting capital and cause slum condi tions In the lax localities." Boston Transcript. American Towns Waking Up. Some districts and sections frankly recognize their advantages in climate, scenery and kindred attractions as one of their chief assets. New Eng land, more than any other part of the country, profits by Its summer charms, but the Rocky mountain re gion is not far behind In that respect Florida has long counted upon winter tourists as one of its chief sources of prosperity. Cities and districts which have no exceptional advantages of site or cli mate, scenery or historic interest, are finding a lesson worth heading in the many instances of large profits from beauty and esthetic charm which the world affords. They are M-allzlng that much civic beauty Is the fruit of civic pride and public spirit. They are building their public edifices, laying out their parks and taklrig care of their streets with more understanding than they had in the paBt of the busi ness wisdom of liberality And breadth of view In such affairs. The ultimate consequence of this growing consideration of beauty and charm in the development of urban centers must color many phases of na tional progress. It la an Influence which spreads and grows stronger, year by year. Same Sum. "Wiy Is everything so high?" "The farmers ain't getting any more actuaii money," declared a grizzled agriculturalist. "Two years ago 1 ruisee1 a thousand barrels of apples and sold 'em for $5,000. Last year I ruluec 00 barrels and sold 'em for $5,001'. This year I ruUed five bar rela " "I And you expect to sell 'em for $.'i,000." Hartford Has Good Idea. The city of Hartford, Conn., will be gin this fall a systematic planting of trees on Its public thoroughfares. The matter will be in charge of the city forester, who will first Inspect tho streets to find out where trees are most needed. A city nursery will be opened later. When She Hit the Mark. Boblits I've always kept my eyes open, but I've never seen a woman throw anything straight Po lluter That's because you have nevei been fortunate enough to see her throw a kiss. Show Cattle Massaged. British bull exhibitors have caught on to the old American trick of mas gaging and brushing and rubbing show cattle several times a day so aa to bring them to the pink of perfection sought by buyers of beef. Grooms spend as much time on steers as they used to on show horses and it pays. New York Press. Nothing Left. "The English government cannot even terrorize the suffragettes by put ting them In Irons." "Why wouldn't they mind that?" "It would bo nothing to them after the hobble Bklrts." Flats With a Purpose. "I hear they are building flats now that are provided with dlsarpearlng furniture." "I surpose that is for the purpose of providing more room." "That Is understood to be the reason, but It will come In handy to have such a flat when the tax assessor makes his appearance." Chicago Rec ord Herald.