THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1915.
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Two Kinds of
Rough Diamond
By F. A. MITCHEL
Tlu author sat In Ills study dancing
tlio characters of Ills linuglniitlou, as a
Fundi nnil Juily showman sits under
his inlruic Htnge working his puppets,
wlion a card was sent up to liltn bear
ins tlii iiuniu John Kcnilngton
Now, John IlcmliiKtoii was the name
tho author had used in his last not id
Ho Iniow no run I person of that nnuiu.
for he had found (lie iiaiiio in a tide
phono directory. Why had this poison
called to sec hlinV Ho was curious to
learn, lie directed that he ho shown
Into Ids study.
The Imaginary John Itumlngloti, hero
of "An Uncut Diamond." was a bluff
but honest countryman who had mar
rled the daughter of a fanner. They
had cpiarrolod soon after the wedding
and the wife had left her husband to
go to the city to make hor own living
When the real John Hetnlngton on
tercd he appeared to the novelist to be
of that class from which the character
had been taken.
"I'm not (join to take up your time,
sir," said the man, "or beat about the
bush. It's no concern of mine how
you got hold of my story or what In
fluonced you as to the version you
gave of It lu your novel. You made
me out a brute, and T suppose 1 am
one. It's my misfortune to have
been made that way. What I want
to know Is where I can find my wife."
The novelist gathered that to a co
Incidence In name and another in hav
lug hit on an actual story (or some
thing like It) for tho subject matter of
his novel this umii'ii call was due.
"You say that I have pictured you
as n brute. Wherein, may I ask, havo
I made you brutal?"
"Well, flrot off, I should have give in
as soon as I .got married. There's no
use or a husband tryln' to have his
way with his -wife. It's not In reason."
"Why so?"
" 'Cause there's no reason In a wo
man. She ain't made that way."
"How Is she made?"
"Why, Jost as you niado Foggy. Only
since you didn't get the whole story
there's lots o" things you left out"
"Namo Homo of them."
"Well, Fog novcr could learn that if
a llttlo thing annoyed me she'd better
lot it alone. Slio'd keep on doln It Jest
tho unino ns If 1 hadn't shown her a
dozen times that it annoyed mo. Then
sho'd glvo up to mo lu a heap o' small
things that I didn't set store by, then
come down ou mo for one big thing
that was mighty Important When I
balked she would throw up at mo all
the 'sacrifices' she had made for me.
montlonln' things I hadu't wanted."
"Why, then, do you consider your
self brutal in having objected to this
course?"
"Why, because Feg was made that
way. All women are."
"And weren't you made your way?"
"You mean a brute? Of course I
was. What docs a brute need but a
tamer? ' What docs a ship need but a
rudder? Don't you suppose that if a
ship had life In it it would object to
ibeln' turned this way und that way by
that contemptible little thing at its
stern? Hut where would tho ship go
without the rudder? On tho rocks, of
course. That's where I'vo gone."
"llow have you gone on the rocks?"
"Why, I've got so confounded much
of my way Unit 1 don't know what to
do with it"
"And you wish to find your wlfo to
hbU her to come back and tyrannize
over you some nioro?"
"That's my Job."
"And you propose to knuckle down
and glvo her her own way In every
thing?" "You bet."
The novelist paused in his questions
and was very thoughtful. IIo had
written a novel of -100,000 words to
show what a line fellow his Imaginary
rough diamond was, and the real
rough diamond had knocked the statue
ho had built up off its pedestal In a
few minutes
"Reckon you ain't got a wife?" con
tinued Mr. Remington.
"No; 1 haven't"
"I reckon you hadn't"
"Why bo?"
"Waal, Feg did a lot if things lu
your book that she never did to homo,
and didn't do a lot o' things that she
did do to home, and with a venge
ance." "Mr. Remington," said tho author
after auother pauBo, "I owe you an
apology for having told your story
wrong."
"Just so."
"And I owe myself an apology for
having Hpent a year and n half telling
It and the public an apology for hav
ing taken up its timo reading a lot of
rot I don't know where your wlfo Is,
hut if you'll give mo what clew you
have, if any, I'll help you llnd her."
"That's fair enough. I always like
to hec a 111111) own up when he's In the
wrong."
Mr Remington had a clew which he
gave to the novelist, who eventually
found the rough diamond's wife. There
was another dlaloguo In the former's
study in which he essayed to prove
to her that her husband would bo an
easy man thereafter to live with, and
alio returned to him.
Later Mr. Remington niado tho an
thor another call.
"I came to tell you I got my own
way, nfter all." ho said.
"How did you do It?"
"My wife's so confounded contrary
that when I offorcd to glvo in to her
she wouldn't have it"
Modern 8eamn,
Tho new ship has transformed tho
sailor with Itself. IIo works among a
stibtlo and Intricate network of ma
chinery. His brain Is quickened by the
effort to understand tho now forces
and appliances that he controls. He is
drawn no longer from tho lower strata
of tho population of our ports, but. In
Increasing proportions from tho ranks
of skilled mechanics. Tho electricians
and machinists, who are the aristoc
racy of the crew, bring with them the
notion1 which prevail among tho aris
tocracy of labor out of uniform. They
possess more reading and more science
than did nine out of ten of the olllcers
In the old days. They have a respect
for themselves and their class, which
has revolutionized the morals and man
ners of tho modern warship. The grad
ual reform of tho service regulations
has hought to keep pace with this
transformation, and olllcers have been
educated In a wholly wow conception
of their relationship to I heir men. The
bullying and hectoring which was the
rule of tho sea in the.ld days is today
the rare exception. Instinct and "good
form" condemn that kind of thing as
severely as tho regulations. Nation.
If an Ant Wero as Dig as a Man.
An ant can carry a grain of com
ten times the weight of its body, whilo
a man or horse can carry loads only
about equal to Its bodily weight. It
Is not a fact, however, that tho ant Is
greatly superior in strength. If an ant
should grow to twlco Its original size,
still retaining its geometrical and his
tological structure, Its volume, and ac
cordingly tho weight of Its body, would
increase eightfold. Although tho mus
cles grow to twlco their original di
mensions, tho Increase In length docs
not Increase tho strength, which Is
proportional to their cross section, and
tho ant would only bo four times as
Btrong as before. As it now carries
but flvo times its weight, however, it
Is relatively only half as strong. It
Is calculated that the same ant devel
oped to the size of a man would only
be able to carry one one-hundredth of
its own weight Instead of ten times Its
own weight.
Thrashing Whoat In Cyprus.
The ancient Roman trlbulum, ns
used for thrashing, may still be seen In
the Island of Cyprus. It Is a board
about six feet long and two feet wide,
studded with sharp edged tlnkcs of
Hint. In use It Is dragged by oxen or
donkeys over the corn spread out on
tho hard earthen thrashing iloor, sepa
rating the grain and at tho same time
bruising and chopping up the strnw.
Thrashing time Is enjoyed nllko by
children and animals, the former riding
on the primitive Implement and the lat
ter gorging themselves with a hearty
meal, for in Cyprus the Rlbllcal coi .
inand. "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
that treadeth out the corn." Is still
faithfully observed. 'Although tho got
eminent offers to thrash by machine a7
nominal cost, tho conservative Cypriote
prefers the old method. IIo says that
tho animals will not cat machine chaff
ed straw, and straw thoy must eat, for
thcro is no hay In Cyprus. Wide World
Magazine.
First Fiction Known.
Tho "Talo of Two Urothers," Written
3,200 years ago by tho Theban scrlb
Kiiniina, librarian of tho palace to King
Mcrenptah, the 'supposed Fharaoh of
tho F.xodUH, is tho oldest work of fic
tion extant.
The tale was written apparently for
tho entertainment of the crown prince,
who subsequently reigned as Sell II.
Hid name appears in two place on the
manuscript, probably the only survlv.
lug nutograph signatures of an Kgyp
linn king.
This piece of antique fiction, written
on nineteen sheets of papyrus lu a bold
hieratic hand, was purchased In Italy
by Mine. d'Orblney, who sold It lu 18."
to the authorities of the Hiitlsh mu
seum, where It is now known as the
D'Orblney papyrus.
The Master's Voice.
"Wo have come.' said the chairman
of the committee, "to ask you to take
this nomination. The city needs a
man like you-tstriiug, bra fo. belf made,
self ii'llant. owning no mister, fearing
no man."
The gieat nun was visibly touched.
"I'll not deny." said he. "that your
kind words have shaken my lesolutlon.
I trust that. If elected, 1 may lustlfy
your confidence and prove that I am
Indeed strong, brave, self reliant: that
1 own no master and fear no man.
Suppose yon wait a minute till I see
If my wife will let me accept?" New
York Tlinus,
Coarse and Fine.
Tlii" liner the nature tho more Haws
will It show through the clearness of
It. The best things are cldonnst
seen In their best form. The wild
grass grows well and strongly onu
year with another, but the wheat Is
by reason of Its greater nobleness lia
ble to n bitter blight.
Trademarked.
"If my llttlo brother WHUo ever gets
lost wo can easily find him." said small
Klolso.
"How, pray?" queried tho visitor.
"Ho's got a strawberry trademark on
his right arm," was tho rcply.-Chlcago
News.
Health Recipe.
Ono time a man asked the
Longfellow how to. be healthy,
this Is the answer he received;
poet
and
Joy, Uimpoiuncu and repouo
Nlam tho tloor on tlio doctor's noso.
Lieutenant.
The word "lieutenant" means, liter
nlly, "holding the place" Thus a lieu
tenant colonel holds the placo of a
colonel.
A WIG IN
WARTIME
By DONALD CHAMDERL1N
In the Bpring of 1014 I Joined the F.u
ropean invasion of American tourists
and made Germany my stamping
ground. Before leaving home I sent
to Washington for a passport, for.
though at the time thcio was not much
prospect of using one. 1 preferred t-i
bo provided. The document described
mo ns Kdward Boyor, aged thirty-one,
five feet eight Inches high. eyes, hair
and complexion dark.
In Berlin I contracted typhoid fever,
and when 1 recovered my hair fell out.
leaving my skull as polished as a piece
of ivory.
On the liSth of July the bomb of the
European war exploded and 1 was ad
monlshod that if I wanted to get out
of the war zone and back home I must
bestir myself. I had not yet recov
ered my strength, but I was due In
America on the IStli of August and
resolved to start at once.
The first thing needed was a wig. 1
sallied forth to get one, having just
an hour before the train on which 1
was to leave would start This gave
mo about twenty minutes to procure
a hair head covering. I found a placo
where such things wero sold, but un
fortunately the 6nly wig they had
that would lit my head was of an
auburn hue. There was no other place
to procure one within a dozen blocks.
I looked at my watch and saw that I
had Just ten minutes to get the train.
I paid for tho auburn wig, clapped It
on my head and started for the sta
tion. I was on the last passenger train to
leave Berlin. The war was brand new
to me, but not to the Germans, who
wero prepared for it Two things espe
cially I had not considered, for I had
not heard of them tho Germans' spy
system and their methods of detecting
their enemy's spies.
1 was brought to my senses by see
lug a German officer come through the
train examining passports. I had mine
in a hand bag, got it out and had it
ready when the man reached me. He
read the description, looked at me, and,
noticing my red wig, his expression
changed at once to ono of fierceness,
no said something to us in German
that I did not understand and, calling
some soldiers, turned mo over to them
for safe keeping, then went his way
through the train.
An American gentleman who under
stood German announced to me the un-
lucusiuii liuonnnuou tuai i uau uccn
arrested as a French spy. He had
hoard the officer say that tho passport
I traveled on belonged to one having
a French name and that it described
a black headed man, while I was a red
Headed man. Never had thero been a
moro barefaced attempt to carry infor
mation out of Germany for tho use of
an enemy.
ncre was a pretty pass. In my hur
ry to get away I had forgotten my
passport or, rather, I had thus far not
been required to show it and it had
not occurred to me that the document
would bo now required.
When wo reached a city 1 didn't
know what city I was taken from the
train and conducted to tho headquar
ters of an officer who. I Judged by
the respect paid him. was of high
sank'. He received mo with a lowering
brow, read the description in my pass
port and. looking at my wig, said what
by his expression I Judged to mean,
"Take him out and shoot him."
The soldiers advanced to take mo.
In a fit of desperation I seized my red
wig and, throwing it on the floor,
trampled on it and cried out, "I am
not a red headed inffn; I am an Amer
ican citizen."
There must have been something
ridiculous In the act, for the officer
burst into a laugh. Then nu inter
preter was called, who translated my
story. As soon ns It was understood
that I was an American and tho pass
port belonged to mo I was set at lib
erty, with an apology. Realizing that
my train had gone on, I asked for a
permit to travel on a troop train, and
one was given inc.
I could not endure to travel without
my wig, so I retnlned It During my
Journoy through Belgium 1 fell in with
a Frenchman with a red head. As
Boon as we passed Into France he gave
me his passport, which ho no longer
needed. Having had so much trouble
with my own passport, I decided that
possibly I might have use for the oth
er, so I accepted It
While working my way south toward
Fails I was set upon by a party of
French spy hunters. Thinking to got
rid of them without their noticing the
difference In my hair from that laid
down In my passport I used the one
given me. Unfortunately a keen eyed
fellow noticed how the hair of my wig
fell on my neck and, grasping the wig.
bold It up amid shouts from the. otli
cm. crying-
"A spy' A bpy!"
Again I was taken before an officer
tills time a Frenchman, who on re
celvlng the report of my captors, fir
dcrcd me out to Instnnt oNeoutlon I
utood before htm with folded arms and
uncovered dome and. cried In a sten
torlan voice
"Je suls Ainerlcnln!"
1 suppose It was the absurdity this
time as well as before that saved me.
The officer laughed, consented to listen
to me, and, since I spoke French tol
erably. I told my story, producing m
own passport.
And so my life for the second lime
was saved by mock heroes und I
reached Faris without further trmiMe
One-Tenth Off on
Beginning December 26th and closing January 13th, we will
give a discount of one-tenth off of every article carried in our stock
except Butter and Eggs and XXXX Flour. The goods will be sold
to you at regular prices and one-tenth deducted from your bill.
This discount does not apply to case prices ongoods but to the
regular broken stock. This is an unusual opportunity to save on
the most staple things you buy, so get busy.
Wiicx Department
NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA,
Scene from "Today." The first open breach in their household finds the husband
supporting his aged parents against his young wife. At the Keith Theatre, Monday
January 11th.
Who Will be the Winner?
That's the question that is uppermost in the minds of about 125 contestants in the Pony
Contest and one in which practically 5,000 people in North Platte and tributary country are inter,
ested to a grcator or less extent. The canvas for votes goes merely on, not only among the con
testants who live in town, but by a number who live outside. Only the secretary oi the pony con
test knows how many votes have been cast, or who is the leading contestant, but lie has said that
the work of the country the voles is one that consumes much time once in two weeks when the
count is made in order to see who wins the watch.
Business Firms that Give
Rush Mercantile Co.
J. B. McDonald, Clothing.
Robert Dickey, Bakery and
Confectionery.
Dickey's Sanitary Laundry.
J. S. Davis Automobile Co.
Crystal & Keith Theatres.
The Semi-Weekly Tribune.
The Palace Cafe.
Where You C$n Get
Coupons in Pony Contest.
Brooks' Studio.
Harry Dixon, Jeweler.
Coates Lumber and Coal Co.
Howe & Maloney, Furniture.
Block's Ladies' Outfitting
Store. .
Schiller's Drug Stores
Fred Marti Central Meat
Market.
Groceries
Store
Votes.1")
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