The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, March 08, 1912, Image 3

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    a
iiii i minim iiiuimii. in i mi mini mnu imii n mi ii i i ii
Xze
lunar
mat)
QaaoKtt
ia52y- PROP.
T. Patrick's day,
March tho 17th, bo
longs to tho Sons
of Erin by world
wide assent, but
fow Americans, out
sldo of those do
Bconded from na
tives of' tho Emor
nld Isld. pauso to
consider what
memorable Bcrvlccs
were rendered by
Irish during tho
Revolutionary war.
' With tho single ex-
caption of our
French allies, they morlt the highest
commondation for their aid to tho
causo of freedom; and only becauso
tho former peoplo hailed from an al
ready established government aro
their claims granted precedence.
Irish historic emblems, both In device
and tincture, aro woven unalterably
into tho fabric of the evolution of
American history. Here, for tho
first time, are set forth Items of
great heraldic importance, giving the
proper credit to Erin's emblems, bb
they havo formed an equation in tho
development of tho present govern
mental devices of heraldic or sym
bolic meaning.
It is generally supposed that tho
only important matter which engaged
tho attention of tho first Continental
Congress, on tho fourth day of July,
was the adoption of tho Declaration of
Independence; but tho records show
that no less essential national problem
a government signature or seal
was a part of the considerations of
that eventful occasion. It was about
three o'clock in the aftornoon, when
tho Liberty Boll was still sounding
tho call to nrmB and proclaiming tho
dawn of freedom, that John Hancock,
president of the Continental Congress,
aroso from his chair and said:
"Wo aro now a nation, and I ap
point Dr. Benjamin Franklin, John Ad
ams and Thomas Jefferson a commit
tee to prepare a device for a great
seal of the thirteen United States."
The committee immediately proceed-
Du Slmltlerc's
od to perform Its assigned duty, and
after six weeks of labor, during which
timo many designs were considered,
It was announced that the dovico ar-
One of the Proposed Harp Designs.
ranged by Jefferson, based on the com
pilation of1 a Huguenot named Du
SImitler, bo reported to Congress on
August 10, 1776. Tho design in ques
tion was quite elaborate and indicated
fundamental knowledge of tho laws
of heraldry, besides containing primal
symbolic language, and one impor
tant element which appealed strongly
to the Irish pride of race. Tho pro
posed shleld carried an emblem to
represent tho six great nationalities
taking part in the war for Independ
ence, or thoso who populated the col
onies and wero earnest in the fight
for American freedom. Thus, for Eng
land appeared a roso, for Scotland a
thistle, for Iroland a harp, for Franco
a fluer-de-lys, for Germany a black
eaglo, and for tho Netherlands nllon.
Du Slraltlor, who was tho heraldic art
ist, placed Ireland third in this im
portant subdivision cf that proposed
shield for tho Union, nnd It la Inter
esting to noto the reasons set forth
for this recognition of tho patriotism
of tho colonial Inhabitants who camo
hero from Iroland:
Tho third Quartering, greon, with a
harp of gold, was to be tho respected
symbol of Ireland, and was placed
upon the shield as a token to the Irish
patriots who took an active part In the
war for independence; in fact, having
brought over with them a spirit of dls
liko and rovengo against England,
they fought most bravely in our strug-
m If
8Sl?lN,
,S538sv
BBR?iARJO
Ju'
Device Proposed by
glo. Six thousand Irish came to this
country in 1729, and dispersed and
settled throughout the colonies, princi
pally In Maryland, Virginia and the
Carollnas. From among those devout
Bottlers sprang some of- tho most
prominent and influential colonists.
Tho musical Instrument which sym
bolizes tho land of Erin was an at
tributive ensign of tho Goddess Hi
bernln, the patroness of early Ireland.
As early as the fifth century, the harp
was so common in Erin that hardly a
peasant houso was without ono. In
tho old laws of Wales and Erin the
Triads specified the uso of tho harp
as one of tho threo things necessary
to distinguish a freeman or gentle
man from a slave. Pretenders were
Design of Seal.
discovered by their unskillfulness in
"playing of the harp."
That tho heraldic dovico of which
Du Slmitlor was tho author pleased
his critics is proved by the fact that
Franklin at onco withdrew hlB design,
Adams abandoned his and Jefferson
relegated his diagram to oblivion in
favor of tho compilation offered by tho
French export. Also there wore othor
designs placed in ovidenco by distin
guished colonists. Among them was
an emblem of Ireland, a "Harp" with
thirteen strings, nnd the motto, Majora
Mlnorobus Consonant, meaning "The
greater and lessor ones sound togeth
er." Tho strings of tho harp wero of
different lengths, yet they composed
ono instrument in a strong frame and
sounded in harmony. This appropri
ate device was intended to represent
u hi-'
Barton's Second Design.
tho now government under the Con
tinental Congress, as composed of
provinces of various sizes and
strength, but all working and re
sponding, harmoniously for the gen
eral good made united in strength
and purposo by the framowork of Con
gress. This design no doubt was ob-
J. CIOR-4ND
Benjamin Franklin,
PdTRjfiy.
jectcd to as an American cmblom on
account of tho harp being representa
tive of Ireland.
But this, like many other devices,
was not roported from tho committee.
There is good reason to bollovo that
tho following design camo as a later
proposal from Doctor Franklin, as ho
refers to it in his writings:
"Supporters. In tho doxter Bide:
the genius of America (represented
by a maiden with looso auburn
tresses), having on nor bead a radi
ated crown of gold encircled with a
sky bluo fillet, spangled with silver
stars, and clothed in a long, looso
white garment bordered with green.
From her right shoulder to hor left a
Bcarf, semeo of stars, tho tinctures
Thompson's Design, the
theroof the same as in tho canton;
and round her waist a purple girdle,
fringed or embroidered, argent, with
tho word 'Vlrtute,' resting her in
terior hand on tho escutcheon, nnd
holding in the other tho proper stand
ard of the United States, having a
dove argent perchod on tho top of it.
"On the sinister side: a man in
complete armor, his sword-belt azure
fringed with gold, his helmet encircled
with a wreath of laurel and crested
with one white 'and two bluo plumes;
supporting with his doxter hand tho
escutcheon, and holding in tho interior
a lanco, with tho point sangulnated,
and upon It a banner displayed, vert;
(green), in tho fess-polnt a harp strung
with sliver, between a star In chief,
two fleurs-de-lys In fess, a pair of
swords In saltier, In basses, all argent.
Tho tenants of tho escutcheon stand
on a scroll on which Is tho following
motto: 'Deo Favonte,' which alludes
to tho eye in tho arms, meant for the
eyo of Providence."
Tho Congress evidently counted it
more Important to possess tho seal
than a flag, for no deflnlto action on
ccymcTMT y
tho national bannor was taken until
Juno 14, 1777. But Jefforson was so
Improssed with tho idea of rocognlz
Ing tho countries from whence Amor
ica was peopled, and to show definite
ly ndmlratlon for tholr patriotism in
tho fight for llborty, that ho placed bo
low tho Du Slmltlcr Idea tho motto,
"E PlurlbuB Unum," to lndicato "From
Many (People), ono (peoplo);" or
"From Many Nationalities, ono na
tion;" or "From England, Scotland,
Ireland, Franco, Germany, and . tho
Netherlands tho United States." Tho
motto does not menn"From many
Colonics, ono nation," as tho basio
definition Is clearly indicated in tho
dovico and in Jefferson's description.
'Still, Congress whs hard to ploaso,
and tho report of tho distinguished
commlttco wnB set noldo nnd n now
coiumltteo nsslgnod to tho task.
Though Jefferson continued deoply In
terested in tho matter and submitted
sevornl othor devices, no less than
twonty designs woro under discussion,
and four subsoquont committees la
borod with tho eoal problem.
Thon in 1782 a coiumltteo callod to
tholr aid a certain Mr. William Bar
ton, n patriot, soldier and heraldic ex
pert, and ho designed a seal which
again incorporated tho emblems In
token of tho Irish allloB of tho Re
public. His design was claborato and
practically became tho basis of our
present seal. In the shield tho Stars
and Stripes apponr and tho onglo and
eye of Providence But tho special
consideration of tho IrlBh is found in
tho two figures supporting the pro
posed design. Tho harp and tho flour-do-lys
relate to tho nsBlstanco ren
dered by Ireland and Franco, nnd nro
blazoned on a greon banner. How
over, this commltteo's report fared no
bettor than Its predecessors, nnd
finally tho entlro question of evolving
an approprlnto seal was placod In tho
hands of tho secretary of tho Conti
nental CongreBB tho Irishman,
Charles Thomson. Ho, with tho aid
of William Barton, gavo to tho world
our present emblematic signature.
Americans In genoral, and those of
Irish ancostry in particular, will be in-
Basis of Present Seal
torested in tho following skotch of the
careor of tho man who solved the
problem of providing a noal for the
Government of tho Unltod States:
Charles Thomson was born at Ma
ghera, Ireland, November 29, 1729, and
enmo to America with his threo eldor
brothers in 1711. Thoy landed at
New Castle, Dolaware, with no othor
dependenco than their Industry.
Thomson was educated by Doctor Al
lison, tho tutor of several of the
signers of tho Declaration of Inde
pendence. He hnd a groat passion
for reading and when yet a young
man ho had gleanod sufllclont knowl
edge to bo counted among tho "litorj."
Ho was afterwards a teacher in tho
Friends' academy, nt Now Castle Del
aware. From thonco ho wont to
Philadelphia, whero ho becarno ac
quainted with and obtained advice
from Benjamin Franklin; ho soon be
came tho intlmato friend of tho
"learned Phlladelphlan" and the-lr
friendship seemed to lncreaso dally.
In 1772 ho served as negotiator with
tho Iroquois and Dolawaro Indians,
and his good, conscientious work
among tho natives brought for him
tho worthy nlcknnmo, "Truthtoller,"
by which narao tho IndlanB always
after called him. Ho was a man of rare
abilities and had tho peculiar requi
sites to mako and keep friends whore
ever ho happened to wandor. Ho was
called to tho responsible auty of keop
Ing mlnito8 of tho proceedings of tho
first Continental Congress in 1771, and
from that timo until ho resigned his
ofllco In 1789 thon flfty-nlno years old
ho was the Becrotary of that digni
fied and Important body.
John Adams callod him "tho Snm
Adams of Philadelphia, tho llfo of tho
causo of llborty." This certainly was
a compliment, coming ns it did from a
tried and honest patriot. Thomson, it
Is true, mado a most dillgont iieero
tary, and in that position ho had tho
rare pleasure of taking notes of all
tho Important congrosslonal notions.
For tho first year's work ho rocolved
no ppy. Ho served ns permunent sec
rotary during tho ovontful fifteen
years that followed. Ills seal was ac
cepted officially on Juno 20, 1782.
WILEVVR P..NES13IT
u mjjrgevi i
lS?ie
SPKIG,
ilAI
8ho was after a hat,
Just a slmplo spring bonnot
With tho brim bent or fiat
And some llowora upon It;
Sho had looked all tho morn
For sho wont shopping early,
But soma hats roused her scorn
And Bomo hats mado hor Burly.
Thero wore wondorful brims,
Thoro woro crowns that woro qualnteA
Thero wero marvelous "trims"
Though tho hues might bo fulntor,
Thoro wero hats that woro plain
And woro daintily Blmple
Though not anyways vain
In delight sho would dlmplo.
When alio tried on ench ono,
For thoy truly became hor;
(Sho was pretty, and nono
Who behold her could blnmo her.)
There wero hats whoso high prlco
Any purso would ombarrasn,
Thero wero hats neat and nlco
Just brought ovor from Paris,
i
Thero woro hats that had things
That woro sowed on nnd tlod on,
Hats with flowers and wings
And nil of them bIio tried on.
And the saleslady gushed
And tho saleslady flattered
Though sho said hIio was rutihcd,
Sho denied that it mattered.
Btlll no bonnet was qulto
What tho ludy was Becking,
Bomo had not enough height,
OtherH mndo her look peeking,
Others wero qulto too low
(Not In price, but dlmonslon)
OthorB didn't qulto show
Any art comprehension.
But nt last sho found ono
That beenmo hor completely,
"I'll tako this; I must run,"
Sho decided, qulto sweotly.
And tho saleslady's roar
Wo put down to hor shamo hero:
"It's tho hat that you woro
v Long ago, when you camo herol"
Mixed Answers Again.
Inndvertontly last week wo con
trived to affix tho right anBWorB to
tho wrong questions, or vlco versa.
Mrs. Hclolso Partrldgo of Pasadena
Cal., asked ub what waB good foi
hives on her child, and Mrs. Lizzie
Blnks of East Wind, Ind., wanted in
structions for dull finishing a table.
Inadvertently, as wo say, wo told
Mrs. Blnks to baUio it in lukewarm
watoV, powder it with pulverized
starch and seo that it was not covor
od too warmly nt night, lira. Part
rldgo was advised to rub her baby
down with flno sandpaper, glvo It a
coat of hard oil and noxt morning
rub thoroughly with wax. Tho ladlea
will kindly accept this ns a combined
explanation nnd npology. Wo would
separate tho explanation from tho
apology, but fear wo might again ba
Inadvertent.
Columbus and the Egg.
Columbus having promised to stand
an egg on end, failed at tho first
trial, but ho reversed tho egg and it
balancod perfectly.
"Toll mo, Chris," said King Ferdi
nand, "why did you turn tho egg
over?"
"BocauBo, your majesty, tho chlckon
could nbt stand on its head."
It is said that Columbus got tho
Idea of discovering America from this
Incident. But, of course, theories nro
not nlwaya what thoy aro cracked up
to be.
Hannibal's Oratory.
"Forward, my bravo men," shouted
Hannibal; "boyond tho Alps lien
Italy!"
"Bah, you talk liko a swoet girl
graduate," growled a Carthaginian
colonel on tho general's staff.
Later on Hannibal completed tho
resemblance by discovering that
Romo was not built In a day.
In the Museum.
"Hal Ha! Ha!" Tho sword swal'
lower waB laughing ns if ho had BwnU
lowed a pointed Joko.
"Why so hilarious?" quorlod tho
inquisitive half of tho two-headed
girl.
"Tho legless man says ho Is taking
steps to securo an Inhorltanoo," re
plied tho dagger digester.
mSSW
ill
i n
FAVOR INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS
Few Breeds Better Suited to Farm
Raising Imported From West In
dies Fifteen Years Ago.
Much has been said through tho dif
ferent farni nnd poultry journals in
favor of tho Indian Runnor duck, but
I bolicvo thoro nro fow who reallzo tha
possibilities nnd advantages of rear
ing ducks of this breed.
As I havo been raising this brood of
ducks for a fow years, I can testify
that they doservo all tho praise given
thorn.
Thoy nro not an ontiroly now vari
ety, having boon imported some 15
years ago from tho West Indies, thus
it receives tho nnmo of "Indian" with
tho "Runnor" ndded to denoto its chlof
peculiarity, Its rapid movement ovor
tho ground.
Thoy aro great foragorB nnd pick
up innumorablo bugs and Insects. This
alone should glvo them, an important
place on every farm.
Owing to tholr oxtrotno hardiness, It
is qulto an easy task to ralso a
largo flock of Indian Runners, with
very llttlo trouble
Thoy nro nover bothorcd with llco,
thoro nro no roosts to keop elenn, nnd
no oxponslvo houses nro nooded; Juat
n. low-roofed shod to protect thorn from
tho sovoro winds and snows in winter,
BayB a writer in tho Farm Progress.
Tho houscB should havo a dry floor
covering of straw or Bomo kind of lit
ter, as thoy must havo a dry placo on
which to Bleep.
While thoy Tiro not a land fowl, It la
not nt all necessary to havo running,
wntor for thorn to swim in, all that Is
nocded is plonty of clonn water to
drink, placod in a vessel doop enough
.
Indian Runner Drake and Duck.
for ihom to covor their heads, ns tho
nostrils nro llablo to becomo cloggod
with mud or food.
Tho young ducklings grow arid ma
turo so quickly it is Indeed vory Inter
esting and fascinating to ralso thom.
Wo havo had young ducklings that
weighed threo and ono-fourth pounds
when GO dnys old; when matured they
will weigh from four nnd ono-half to
five pounds.
Being n quick maturing fowl makes
their moat exceedingly tender, and
juicy, of fine flavor, oqual or su
perior to spring chicken.
Their eggs nro largo, about one-third
larger than tho avorago hon egg, and
perfectly white. And, contrary to tho
goneral idea of duck eggs, thoy aro of
mild, dollcato flavor, making thom
vory deslrnblo for tho table or cako
baking, puddings, etc. Tho eggs under
ordinary conditions aro very fertile nnd
will hatch exceedingly well in lncubu
tors. DOHLTRTMK
Ronew tho nests often with, cloan
material.
Field peas mako most excellent feed
for laying hens.
Feeding clover Is a preventive of
soft shollod eggs.
It takes knowledgo, oxperlonco and
skill to produce a good egg.
Tho more comfortablo and happy
tho hen, tho inoro eggs sho will lay.
A hen should havo all tho greon
feed sho will eat every day of her
llfo.
A turkey will consumo moro grit
than any of tho poultry kept on tho
farm.
New blood is a necessity, if ono in
tends to build up the egg-laying and'
market qualities of his flock.
After mated, glvo your birds tho
best sanitary conditions posslblo and
keop tho houses froo from llco and
mites.
Great enro should bo oxerclsod that
breeding Btock, young chlckB, or1
eggs for hatching, bo secured from
flocks which nro freo from whlto
diarrhea Infection.
Air-slaked lime sifted or scattered
ovor tho dropping boards will asalst
tho cleaning process materially, and
also tako up much of tho dampness
from tho droppings.
Savo tho small potatoes and other
vegetables that would othorwise go
to wasto and feed thom to tho fowls.
They will help in keeping up tho egg
yield in cold weather.
A scratching hon and opportunity to
got out in tho sun in modornto weath
or aro important to tho health and
thrift of hens In wlntor, and conse
quently to wlntor egg production.
Room, exercise, food, warmth, kind
nosB, puro water and a management
that will conduco to tho comfort of tho
hens genorally, will keop tho egg bas
kot full In wlutor nnd mako wlntor
poultry growing profltablo. '