THE NORTH PLATTE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
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I'W
A
NEWS fortfe
YOUNG
PEOPLE
AMUSING LITTLE FUN MAKER
Game of "Word Rhapsody" Gives
Much Entertainment Excellent
School Exerclso Afforded.
With the coming of the long au
tumn cvonlngs nnd tho entertain
ments and "parties which they bring,
comes tho old question: "Isn't thero
something now that wo can play?"
It Is always dtUlcult to find any
thing altogether fresh and original.
and somo of tho older games, a trifle
worked over and freshened up, win
be found qulto as interesting as any
thing else. For instance there are
many word games, but not one is
quite llko tho little fuu-maker known
as tho "word rhapBody." In playing
this game each of tho guests ia called
upon to chooBo ono word. This word
Is written upon a llttlo card furnished
by tho hostess. It may bo an ndjec
tivo, a verb, a common or proper
noun, or any other word that may
suggest Itself. Tho cards aro then
gathered up and tho hostess writes all
tho words on a large piece of white
paper with a red pencil, so that, when
hung up, It can be seen all over the
room. Then each guest is Invited to
wrlto a short story In which every
ono of tho words appears, all of them
being used grammatically and in a
manner to make sense. The tlmo of
work "should bo limited to ten min
utes. When tho stories aro complete
the authors are Invited to read them
aloud, or tho hostess collects them
and reads them herself. Tho results
are ofton very amusing. Tho rhap
sody also makes a good school exor
cise. PROPER EXERCISE FOR BOYS
Half Hour's Daily Practice on Machine
Will Keep Growing Youth In
Best of Condition.
As indicated by tho Illustration this
simple device will servo for a swing
flying ring and trapeze. In sotting it
up keop in mind the fact that it must
necessarily bo strong. It must not
wobblo very much, and tho timbers
used must bo at least 4 by 6 and of a
Parts of Swing Trainer.
strong, sound oak. For a fifteen-year-old
boy of ordinary stature the height
above the ground should bo ten feet.
The best way of setting tho posts Is
to bed them in concrete. Dig your
holes three feet deep and erect tho
timbers in a perfectly upright position.
You will need a level to do this, and
you must havo light slats or props
nailed to the uprights to keep them
from moving whllo you aro shoveling
in the concrete. Tho concrete mixture
is ono Back of cement (100 pounds)
costing 40 cents, and eight cubic feet
of broken stone and sand or river
sand. Mix it thin and put In around
tho posts, a llttlo at a time. Fig. 5
makes tho idea clear. It will take
threo weeks for tho concrete to set
firm and hard and during that tlmo
you must not touch the posts.
, Tho top crosBpleco has two holes
bored for tho rope, and a rounded
notch "Y"' for tho rope to slide In.
The cleat Fig 4 Is used to shorten tho
rope by tying It around same. Fig. 2
showB tho shape of tho swing seat and
tho method of setting It in place.
A half hour's dally practice on this
dovlco .will go a great way toward
keeping a growing boy In good condi
tion. Degin with ten minutes of light
work and gradually increaso it.
Juvenile Wisdom.
rho elderly visitor with the benig
nant countenance was addressing tho
Sunday school on the subject of kind
ness to dumb creatures.
"Children," ho Bald, "In tho down
town dlntrlct of Chicago, In tho very
heart of tho city, you will seo thou
sands of pigeons, all plump and well
fed. Somebody looks after them.
Why do wo food and cherish them?"
" 'Causo you're 'frald you'll havo to
use 'om fer meat some day," hazarded
a deeply Interested llttlo boy In the
infant class.
Longest Sentence.
For the longest sentence on record
wo must go to tho French. In "LeB
MisorableB" Victor Hugo has ono sen
tenco that runs through a hundred
lines, and earlier in tho book, in ono
of tho chapters descriptive of Water
loo, thero aro over 60 lines without a
full stop.
c a
""1H I Is
" if
DEVELOP A CHILD'S MUSCLES
Exercising Device Attached to Tablo
Pedestal Has Been Designed
8prlng Holds Him Up.
For developing a child's muscles and
otherwiso exercising him a Now York
man has doslgned tho accompanying
attachment for tables. Through a Blot
In tho pedestal of the tablo a horizon
tal arm Is thrust and pivoted. A short
downwnrd curved end of tho arm is
faetoned to tho bottom of tho pedestal
by means of a coiled spring, and on
tho other and longer end of tho arm Is
a ring to support a child. Tho child
can walk back and forth until his legs
are strong onough to bear hlo weight
unaided, the spring supporting him in
tho meantime, while a bracket limits
tho lateral movement of tho arm in
Exerciser for Child.
ono direction. Even after ho Is well
developed a child will probably find
lots of pleasure ntid exorciso in riding
about on this device.
ALPHABET IS EVER CHANGING
Painters Cause Certain Letters to As
sume New Shapes Cultivating
Artistic Sldo of Trade.
Alphabets aro suffering a cha'ngo of
form at tho hands of modern sign
painters, remarks tho Philadelphia
Record. For many years letters have
"held certain distinct forms, which
gave them their names and classes.
Sign palntors, however, are cultivat
ing the artistic side of their trade,
and from various signs displayed all
over the city there seems to be a
great unanimity of opinion among
them as to tho apeparance of certain
letters in ono of tho alphabets.
This now idea seems to bo a ton
dpney to fill in and "balanco" blank
spaces. It was first to bo observed
on the letter "L." Tho painter saW
fit to add a frill about the middle of
tho space between tho haso and tho
upright. Next the letter "O" of tho
sories waB attacked and tho orna
mentation went In tho middlo, mak
ing tho familiar letter resemble an
old Greek "theta." "A" and "V" and
"Q" have been tho latest to be
touched up.
If the idea spreads much further
tho entire alphabet will change its
face.
ILLINOIS YOUTH WAS PLUCKY
While Hunting for Squirrels Boy Dis
covers Hiding Place of Wolf and
Cubs Kills Them All.
A boy of fourteen, In Illinois, start
ed out with a dog, a revolver and an
axe, hunting for squirrels, nnd found
something olse. After getting into the
deep woods, tho dog suddenly charged
a hollow log, and barked furiously. The
boy tried to "sic" him on, but, without
avail. Then tho boy kneeled down and
peered Into tho cavity, and saw a whole
lot of eyes gleaming at him. When ho
recovered from his surprise, he took an
other look, and made out tho group to
bo a sho-wolf with six cubs. She
snappod hor teeth viciously, and would
have como out had It not been for tho
presence of tho cubs. Tho boy waa a
strategist. Ho sharpened somo stakes
with his axe, and drove them into tho
earth in front of tho opening; and hav
ing thus imprisoned the wolf, killed It
with his rovolver. When sho was dead,
the boy up ended tho log, tumbled out
the cubs, killed them with the axe,
and then marched homo with seven
scalps, for which he received a hand
somo bounty.
TO UNTIE CAPTIVE SCISSORS
Considerable Amusement Is Furnished
by Releasing Instrument When
Once Fastened,
i
A neat trick for affording amuse
ment at an entertainment of young
pcoplo is shown In the illustration.
The Captive 8cli8ors.
Fasten a pair of scissors securely with
a piece of string to somo convenient
article.
Can you release them without cut
ting or unfastening tho string?
Tho scissors can bo easily roleascd
by passing tho loop upword through
tho handle, nnd then completely over
them.
r ' il
i i "01
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VAV.V.W.VAV.V.VSVWSWi
BEFORE THE FLAMES
By JUNE GALIAN.
Helena Storm stared resentfully
after tho Eastern Express as 'It dwin
dled to a black spot In tho distance
When it had qulto disappeared from
sight and tho black smoke had drlttod
away Into the sagebrush, sho turned
and surveyed her surroundings.
Tho station agont was watching her
curiously from tho open doorway. Shu
was worth looking at, too, UiIb boautl
ful daughter of John Henry Storrs. tho
flnnncler; who was very lovely In her
plain bluo cloth traveling gown and
chic llttlo hat, with tho lato afternoon
sun turning her hair to red and gold
and warming tho roso and Ivory tints
of her complexion.
Tho station agent jumped when
Holcna suddenly fixed hor lovoly giny
eyes on him.
"Is thero a garago noar by?" sho
asked, pleasantly.
Tho station agont scratched his
head. "Lord, miss, thero ain't a motor
car short of Choycnne, I guoas."
Miss Storrs looked displeased.
"What a desolate spot!" sho ex
claimed. "Can you tell mo when tho
next train Is due?"
"Thero ain't another ono till morn
ing, miss. ThlB one wouldn't havo
stopped only thero waB something
wrong with hor engine. They ought
not to havo lot you off tho train at
all."
"I threatened to roport them it Uioy
did not," said Helen, haughtily. "Wnat
am 1 to do?'' sho aaked
The answer to hor question camo in
an unexpected way. There was tho
sound of wagon wheels and tho clatter
of hoofs and around the bend of tho
trnll thero whirled a light buckboard
driven by a man In a broad-brimmed
hat. Ho handled tho fiery black
horses skillfully and brought the
wagon wheels to a standstill without
an inch to sparo besido tho station
platform.
"HI, there, Jonesoy'ho sang lustily,
"got an express packago for mo?"
"Walt a minute, Jorry It's Inside."
Tho agent hustled Indoors. Presently
ho camo out with a packago, which
ho placed in tho back of tho wagon.
Then ho conversed in low tones with
tho driver. Helena surmised that thoy
might bo, talking about her and she
felt uncomfortably at a disadvantage.
Sho Btepped from tho platform,
went around tho side of tho station
and, without a glanco at tho men,
turned into tho dusty trail that led to
Duggold ten miles away.
Sho had walked perhaps halt a milo
when thero camo tho clatter of hoots
behind her. Sho did not turn around.
As tho sound grow nearer sho Btepped
aside into tho sagebrush and kept on
at a quicker paco.
Mingled with tho hoofs were wagon
wheels; they passed her and then
stopped, sending up a choking cloud
of dUBt.
"I beg your pardon," Bald a pleas
ant voice, "but would you not llko to
rido to Duggold?"
"Thank you, no," sho said, stiffly; "I
prefer to walk."
"It is a tough walk," said tho stran
ger a llttlo Insistently, Helon thought;
"especially It you are not acquainted
with tho region. You may moot all
sorts of people tho grass Is afire at
Fox crook and It 1b coming this way."
Helena looked around nnd saw com
ing fiom tho east a cloud of gray
smoke. Birds were flying beforo tho
wind nnd llttlo charred shreds of grass
drifted past
"Flro?" aBkod Helena. "Do you
mean that thoy aro permitting the flro
to got beyond control?"
Tho mnn laughed shortly. "Tho fire
had been beyond control from the be
ginning. Thero is llttlo hopo that it
will stop at tho trail. I did not know
It had gained such headway or I I
will try backfire! Stop back, please,
over thoro on tho othpr sldo of tho
trail," he said.
Helena obeyed, meekly following as
ho drove tho horseB several hundred
yards Into tho sagebrush on tho safo
sldo of tho trail.
"Stay closo to tho wagon "-It's your
only way to escape." Ho bent to
touch a match to tho grass on the
eastern edgo of tho trail.
A long lino of red flames trickled up-
and down, fighting against tho wind.
Tho man ran to and fro, beating it
back whero it threatened to ignito tho
grass on tho further side of tho trail.
At last tho flames gathered headway
and another cloud of smoko went out
to meet tho blacked cloud coming from
tho east.
Helena felt the intense heat and un
der the man's direction sho drovo tho
frightened horses still further to safe
ty. If Helona had not been a fearless
horsewoman tho terrified animals
might have broken from her restrain
ing hands.
"You've dono nobly," smiled hor
companion, when ho rojolned her at
last. "Now, If you will watch, you
will see the backfire moot tho flro
from tho east and thoro will bo a
struggle for supremacy and they will
cat each other up!"
So 'absorbed did Helena and her
companion become in watching tho
battle of tho two walls of flames that
they were regardlesB of their own dan
ger until suddenly a choking cloud of,
smoke enclosed them and thero was
tho dull heat of approaching flames.
"Dono!" cried tho man, angrily,
snatching up tho reins. "We'll havo
a run for It, after all. It was Idiocy
on my part not to watch for a sneak
ing Jump across the trail furthor down
well, wo'vo got Ho run for It," ho
panted, leaning forward to lash tho
animals into a ruu.
it was a novor-to-Dc-torgottun riao
ncrosB tho flro-swopt sagobrnsh. Tho
wagon leaped from sldo to sldo and
Holenn was obliged to cling desperate
ly to tho strong arm of her compan
ion to koep from falling out. At last
ono of tho horses lurched forward
nnd fell with a shrill Bcrcam of an
guish. Tho othor horso was dragged
down with him and kicked frantically
against tho tangled traces.
"Gopher holo!" muttorcd tho man,
jumping out and lifting Holcna down.
Ho wont forward, bent ovor tho
fallon animals, and called back a word
of warning to Helena.
An Instant later a shot rang out,
thoro was a brlof struggle, nnd the In
jured horso lay quiet. The Btranger
released tho other animal from tho
tracos, helped it to its foot, and then
called to Hclonn.
"It's our only chance can you stay
on a horso?"
"Try mo!" cried Helena, in an In
stant ho had tossed a blanket across
tho trembling animal, strapping It
firmly In place Then, with scant coro
money, ho lifted Helona to a seat, bid
ding her placo ono foot In tho told
of tho blankot.
"In five minutes tho flro will reach
tho wagon," ho said. "It's a ride for
life ready? 'Go'"
Away wont tho black horse, with tho
man running Bwlftly nlongsldo, ono
hand on tho nntmni'B shoulder.
Faster, faster, thoy wont, with tho
flnmes gaining on thorn every In
stant. To Helena Storrs tho- rido was a
revelation. Nover before had shu como
so noar to tho very marrow of life
Here, floclng beforo tho blasting
wind, she might have been the prim
eval woman with prlmevnl mnn nt hor
sldo. (
At last tho ground sloped sharply
over flinty stones. Tho horso Btumblcd
bravoly down tho ddcllvlty, snorted
with pleasure and waded Into a wldo
crcok. whero It stood, breathing
heavily.
Tho man lennod against tho animal
and closed" his oyos. Tho water com-
Ling to his knees roused him and ho
lifted his head and smiled at Helena.
"I reckon wo'ro safo enough now,"
ho said. "You'ro all tired out, eh?"
"It was glorious," Bald Helena,
quietly.
For a moment thoy looked into each
other's oyos, then Helena spoko nerv
ously. "Tho fire cannot como boyond
tho creek?" sho said.
"No. It will bo pretty hot for
awhllo nnd wo can keop cool in tho
water. After that why, I'll tako you
over to Duggold; my Blstor will mako
you welcome at my ranch. I Bupposo
you loft your money on tho train?"
Helena nodded.
"Well, Nancy can help you out," ho j
said practically. "Now preparo to keop
your faco wot and your oyes covered
another hundred ynrds and tho
flames will lick up this grass along
side the creek."
Helona nover forgot that hour. Tho
Btranger tnado her got down into tho
water and wet her gown thoroughly.
Tho heat from tho, approaching
flames caused a steam to arlso from
tho bluo sergo gown and tho smoke
was stifling, but Helena earned tho
oternal admiration of her companion
by her courago, and finally tho flamoa
flickered out and left a dreary black
and smoking palrlo.
"Now, for homo," Bald tho stranger,
swinging Helena into tho saddle and
leading tho horso up tho opposite bank
into tho sagobruBh.
It was long after sunset when they
dragged up tho trail to Rainbow
ranch, whoro Nancy Mather gavo Hel
ena a warm welcome. Nancy's broth
er, Jerry, who had boon Helena's com
panion, lingered a moment that .night
and spoko to his sister.
"Nah," ho said, Bcrlously, "how
would you llko Miss StorrB for a sIb
tor?" "Jerry! At last?" asked Nancy,
smiling Incredulously. "So soon?"
Ho nodded. "If I marry at all It
will bo that girl," ho said, seriously,
as ho bent to kiss her good-night.
"Good luck, then, brother. She's a
dear!" cried Nancy. And when sho
was alono sho murmured: "I'll not tell
him, who she 1b! Ho will bo surprised
to find that he's going to marry tho
rich MIbb Storrs."
And when tho news was finally
broken It was after ho had won Hel
ena's consent to bo his wife. Then
his sturdy American Independence as
serted Itself and ho said tersely:
"Nancy, I lovo her In spite of tho
money l Say. Nancy, you ought to
havo seon her tho day of tho flrol"
(Copyright. 3913, by tlio McCluro News,
pnper Syndicate.)
May Recover Antiquities.
An astonishing discovery has been
made by somo Greok sponge-fishers at
MaChta on the Tunisian coast. Observ
ing a mass of Bunkon wreckage, thoy
examined It and noticed some statues
lying among rotting timbers. Tho
French authorities were quickly In
terested and sent a tug and two tor
pedo boats to tho spot. Tho sunken
vessel proved to bo ono of nbout four
hundred tons and loaded with an enor
mous cargo of ancient household goods
and statuary, Including a Hormcs bear
ing tho nnmo of Uoothos. Tho wholo
of It has now been recovored nnd la
being oxamlned and classlflod. Evi
dently It was n part of tho Roman
plunder from tho sack of Athons, and
probably tho very ship doscrlbed by
Luclan as having been lost with its
precious freight, Including, says Lu
clan, a picture by Xeuxls.
Safe.
"My husband Is hunting In tho Adl
rondacks." "Mercy, aren't you afraid he'll bo
shot?"
"Oh, no. You see. ho's disguised as
a dear."
In 1(M5
-
STARTS SPEECH
(-
my prncllco to voto against tho previous question where thero has beon no
opportunity for full discussion. Rut this discussion began In tho onrly
sprlngtlino nnd hns continued during tho long, weary months of a torrid sum
mer. Tho birds havo nested and ilown with tholr young; tho flowers havn
bloomed nnd faded; tho harvests havo ripened and beon gathered in; tho
bectleB aro already singing tho dirges of a dying year; the fall has como
with tho Boro and yolloto leaf of decay, with walling winds and naked woods
and meadows brown and soro; tho first breath of wlntor Is upon our chook
to chill us.
"Looking squuroly at my platform pledges to tho peoplo, I am roady to
voto for tho previous question."
I ! 1
SAYS BOOK OF JOHN WORLD'S BEST, WORK
"Tho greatest book in tho Hlblo,
and in tho world, Is tho gospel of
John." declared Sir William Mitchell
Ramsay, Great Britain's foromost -authority
on sacred history, tho other
night at the Moody church in Chicago.
"Tho gospel of John far surpasses
tho gospel of Paul The latter only
finds tho heights of greatest spiritual
inspiration at odd intervals. Ho Is
continually dropping from his high
lovel and suddenly soaring again.
"Resides tho writings of Paul, tho
only book of thoBlblo fit to bo com
pared with tho 'gospel of John in
point of excellence is John's own book
of Revelation. This, howovor, has a
defect because of tho animus against
thp Roman emplro which sooms to
provado it
"Whon it is considered that at tho
tlmo this was written John waB under
Bentcnco of .hard labor at tho Island
of Patmos, a sentouco which was
equivalent to ono of death, it can bo
seon that it would bo difficult for him to maintain an nttltudo of calm judg
ment concerning tho great emplro which was oppressing him. It waB this
apparent animus and disposition to boast of tho coming triumph of God'o
kingdom that mado Rovolatlon tho last book to bo received as canonical and
which makes it llttlo read today.
"Tho gospel of John, on tho othor hand, was wrltton after his roleaso,
whon John wnB in n stnto of mind nnd body to do his best work. Tho gospel
of John is Impregnated with tho spirit of lovo as well as antmatod with tho
spirit of victory. It 1b tho groatost hook In tho world."
ANTHONY COMSTOCK, FOE TO VICE
burg, and finishing out tho wir. Going to Now York to seek his fortuno, ho
walked tho streets for a week with less than ( $4 in his pockets, searching
for a Job. ' '
SAYS DIPLOMATS
Dr. Henry Van Dyko, rocently ap
pointed minister to tho Netherlands,
Just beforo his departure for Europe,
said:
"Thoro was a tlmo when tho popu
lar Idea of diplomacy might have
been described as a 'gamo of skill
between accomplished liars.'
"Perhaps thero was as much Jus
tification for that ancient idea as
there was for tho old notion that
btiBlnc8B was n 'device for getting the
best of your neighbor without break
In tho law.'
"At nil events, both of thoso no
tions arc worn out now. A man can't
stay In business unless ho delivers
his goods 'up, to sample.' A diplomat
can't hold his placo unloss ho speak
the truth.
"Hut ho must Hpcak it politely.
"Consequently, ho must learn to
listen as well as to talk. And he
must not say inoro than ho moans,
W most pcoplo aro inclined to do
when they are excited. It Is tho duty of the diplomat to keep tho pcoplo cool.
"It seems to mo that diplomacy, In Its aim and esBencn, is just a means
of keeping up a regular Intercourse between tho governments of two nations
which aro In frlondly relations."
WITH PERORATION
Thoro is only ono man In congress
who starts to Bpcak with a pororation
on his lips. Tho rest of them all
havo totako a running start, got up
Bpced, throw In tho high gears and
with closed oyes and clinched teeth
go ripping Into tho pororation with
tho flourish of n circus rldor Jumping
through a' burning hoop.
Rut not Finloy Gray of Indiana.
Whou ho speaks the houso aUiuds
still. Ho goto "more npplauso than
any ten men on cither side combined.
Ho knows all tho gestures and nil
tho positions. Juat listen to tho
Bpcoch ho made when Cartor Glass
gavo him one mlnuto Just ono llttlo
mlnuto. Could you imngino any ono
working up n peroration In ono min
ute? It would tako about eight weoks
for most people, and by that tlmo tho
audience would havo beon dead. Dut
lot Mr. Gray speak. Ho was roforrlng
to the tnrlff hill:
"Mr. Speaker, It has always been
Llko tho good fnlry who appoars in
tho nick of tlmo, waves hor wand
and confutos tho powers of ovll, An
thony Comstock has again issued
forth and squelched anothpr infraction
of tho codo of decency. It is almost
staggering how wicked Now York
would havo bocomo had thoro boon
no godfather to civic morality In tho
person of tho rosourcoful and untir
ing Mr. Comstock. Rut thero ho ia
still on tho Job, vlrulont, nctivo, de
splto IiIb seventy yoars, a constant
foa to vlco for almost half a contury.
Stofms of abuBO, calumny, hatred and
revenge havo broken over him in tho
years of his labor and loft him as
tho mighty oak, a towor of strongth
to tho righteous and a living warning
to thoso of unclean minds nnd morals.
Anthony Comstock began life as a
poor Connecticut boy on tho firing
lino in tho great Btrugglo between
north and south, taking tho placo of
a brother who was killed at Gettys
NEED NOT LIE
rxzs
?