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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1918)
THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. DADDfSMNG FAIRYTALE Helping the Meat and Milk Supply (Special Information Service, United States Department of Agriculture.) LIVE STOCK INCREASES-SHOULD HAVE MORE. FROG'S SPRING SONG. "Goog-a-rum, goog-n-rum, said Grandpa Frog. Tho little frog9 opened their very sleepy eyes nnd snld: "What tlmo Is it?" WORTHILY RANK AMONG SAINTS Patrick's Useful Life and Good Works Entitle Him to Posi tion of Eminence. PLACE OF BIRTH NO MATTER Certain He Was a True Irishman and Accomplished Much for tho Wel fare of the Raco During His Sojurn on the Island. ONE of tho reasons why St. Patrick Is such a favorite tho world over Is that ho was so very human. lie lmdn't much of a chnnco when a boy, but he made tho best of what he had. If he hnd not he would have been a hogherd all the days of his life. lie was a slave, In very truth, being bound to a pagan hog raiser in Britain. But you can't keep a good man down, nnd that's a fact. If all tho legends be true, which can hardly bo possible, Patrick was n fa vorlto among tho ladles, even making nn Impression on tho good St. Bridget. Maybo this was before they became snlnts of course it was, for how could they be saints and be alive at tho sumo time? ETowcvcr, there Is qulto' n lot of writ ings, whether genuine or not, that go to show that ho was a real human lover, und that dear Bridget was ex ceedingly fond of him, and would have married him could bo huvo procured the consent of the church. His Life and Works. From all that can be learned con cerning tho llfo and works of St. Pat rick, he was a good man, and spent his life going about doing good for his fel lows. As you know, a good man Is more Wghly respected, more beloved and ex erts a greater lnlluenco for good In tho community In which ho is known than even tho wealthiest, the most powerful or most favored. Ho may not wear purple and fine linen, nor fare sumptuously, but ho Is making the world better nnd Is, therefore, truly, and In the highest sense, a son of God. There are numerous stories nnd leg ends concerning St Patrick, some of which may be true. But It matters little whether he was a Milesian born In Spain, or n son of a poor swine herd of the green Isle. Tho history of tho world shows that the mere circumstances of birth cuts very small liguro In tho matter of real greatness. From earliest times tho men who have figured most promi nently In world movements for the bet terment of mankind have beeu of humble origin. In order to rise from tho lowly birth Htntkm of Lincoln or of Moses, a man must have the true spirit of manli ness In him. If he survive the (severe trylng-out process his will bo a master ful, leading, helpful spirit which the spirits of all must acknowledge, re spect and submit to. In His Day. Wo of the present day can hardly conceive of tho conditions existing In the British islands in his day. The nntlvo Celts were heathen and brutish, and liad no higher ambition thnn to exist, unless It was to rob neighboring tribes of their cattle, hogs and fair women. Physically they wero strong, vigorous and emotional, and possessed of good nature, wit nnd so cial feeling In a marked degree as com pared with tho inhabitants of other Islands. Noting this, St. Patrick must have concluded there was something here to work on, something good; nnd seeing this he took It as Ills command to as sist In the development of tho social disposition and good feelings of these people. lie therefore became one of them, lived with them, won their confidence nnd commanded their respect. In or der that he might be an efllclcnt lender he occasionally went abroad nnd studied under tho fathers of the church, for religion Is most powerful to con trol the feelings nnd chango tho aspi rations of men. No mntter what ho mny have been born, ho was a truo Irishman. A Real Man. There uro those who regard St. Pat rick ns n fakir more or less, because of the miracles ho Is said to have wrought. As far as known St. Patrick did not claim to have miraculous power, nor to have driven the reptiles out of Ire land. It has always been the rule among Ignorant and superstitious people to credit their religious teachers and greut leaders with having done some marvelous or miraculous thing. With out something of the sort other Igno rant nnd superstitious people would not heed them. Thero may never have been any rep tiles on this particular Island, It hav ing been one of the last to rise up out of tho salty sea. It Is not tho fact that a man Is able to do wonderful things, or to work mir acles, that makes him great really, but his iiblllty to see and to comprehend tho great truths concerning llfo, and to earnestly desire to spread theo among tho people. This it Is that commands tho attention of tho livelier spirits, nnd wins the respect and confidence of those who deslro better things In this life. Such was St. Patrick. . -... i A Splendid Type. It Is not tho mcro Human crcuturo that accomplishes great things, but the man within tho machine. It wns not the figure seen by tho people thnt com manded their admiration, for he was not an Apollo, nor was It tho familiar form bearing a shepherd's crook that brought these rough, untutored men to their knees and Inspired them with worshipful feelings; nor was it tho venerable father that aroused tho spark of crudo love in their hearts and ripened It until it became u controlling Influence of their lived. It was tho man within tho plalnls clad form, the spirit thnt lighted tin kindly eye, the love thnt prompted tin tongue to utter nppeals, to give tlmelj warnings nnd to promise contentment; prosperity nnd hnpplncss to all whe would live right one townrd another, thus pleasing God nnd mnklng for pence nnd good will on earth. Great ho was Indeed, else ho could not have done so great good toward all men. PLANT LONG HELD SACRED Clover, of Which the Shamrock Is Species, Was Much Thought Of by the Ancient Greeks. It is difficult to say what was the original shamrock, trefoil or Hero Trln Ity. Tho leaf now recognized as tho national emblem is that of tho whlto clover, but tho name shamrock Is generic nnd Is applied nlso to tho purple clover, tho speedwell, tho pim pernel and to tho wood sorrel. The clover of two or four leaves was held sacred In tho festivals of tho Greeks. Tho one of four leavea, when carried about, Is supposed to Insuro success at play and confer tho power of detecting nvll spirits. The lover may put It under his pillow and ho will dream of his beloved, or the maiden may slip It Into her sweetheart's shoo without his knowledge nnd It will In sure his safo return from any journey. It mny bo employed to prevent tho wearer's being drawn Into military service, Is snld to bo a euro for lunncy, and Is still, among tho Irish, regarded as magical, even sacred. Snakes dis like It exceedingly nnd will not remain where It Is growing. Some say tho four-leaf shamrock is tho shamrock of luck, and others that It Is the five-leaved one that holds tho magic touch. This latter Is rare and prized and Is said to grow from n de caying body, as tho nettlo Is said to spring from hurled human remains. The shamrock of luck must bo found "with out searching, without seeking." When thus discovered It should bo cherished and preserved as an Invincible talis man. ST. PATRICK PAID HIS WAY In His "Confessions" He Tells of His Custom Never Asked for Contributions. Always chary of "sending round tho plate," Patrick paid his own way through tho Green Isle, as ho emphat ically relates In Ids "Confessions." "But when It happens that I baptized so many thousand men did I accept ever a serepnll (n Celtic coin of tho value of about six cents) from them?" h,e wrote. "Tell me, nnd I will return It to you. Or when the Lord ordnlned clergy through my humility nnd min istry, did I confer tho graco gratu ltously? If I nsked nny of them even the vnluo of my shoo, tell me, nnd 1 will repay you more. I rather spent for you as fnr ns I wns able, and among you nnd everywhere for you 1 endured many perils In distant plnces, where none hnd been farther or had ever come to baptize or ordain thu clergy or confirm tho people." Now, they asked this question in ihcir croaking voices, and thoy asked the time Just ns people ask tho time In tho morning when thoy lmtc to get up, but know they must. "What tlmo Is It?" repeated Grnndpn Frog. "Goog-n-rum, goog-n-rum, dear me, dear mo. Ann to think that nn old fellow Uko myself has to wake up all tho others. Gracious, but when I was n young chap, or n young frog, I would bo tho first one up every spring." "Oh, Is It as Into no that?" asked n llttlo frog, Just ns n grown-up or a child might ask If It really could bo eight o'clock. "Yes, it's gcttlng-up time, said Grandpn Frog. "Tho spring Is here. Yes, It's here. Tho crcnturcs who havo slept all winter nro beginning to ap pear. But for those who would like to sleep still longer, I've no objection. It's very early springtime." "What does that moan?" nsked an other little frog. "It means that only the first signs of spring are here. But it's coming, suro enough." "Don't we hnve to get up unless wo want to, Grandpa?" asked several of tho others. "You mny sleep n little longer," said Grandpa. "But I want to be. up nnd seo what's going to hnppcn this yenr. I want to sec whnt flies are In season and how the bug crop Is doing. "It's pretty chilly still, but It's the snrlnctime. I'm suro of that." "Suppose it turned out to bo winter, after nil?" nsked n little frog, "Why, yes," snld nnother, "we mny only havo been having Just llttlo naps and not our good sleep nt nil. "We're not so dreadfully sleepy," snld nnother, "nnd If it were still tho first part of tho winter we'd be so very, very sleepy. "And what Is more we'd never even dream or think of wnklng up, or of leaving our nice beds of mud." "WIso grandchild I Goog-a-rum, goog- a-rum," said Grandpa Frog. "You know," he continued, ."thnt I hnve nev er mndo a mistake nbout the spring. Ms It as Late as That7" Asked a Lit tie Frog. There nro nil sorts of things which hnppcn which make a follow think that mnybe tho spring Isn't coming nfter nil thnt we're going right over tho winter once more. It's npt to do such strnnge, cold things ngaln. But, Just the same, tho spring always 1ms Its own way In the end. Once It starts to come, It comes, even though slowly. It nlways arrives In the end." "Isn't that wonderful!" exclaimed tho young frogs. "To be sure It's wonderful," said Grandpa Frog. "Spring Is fine 1 Spring Is well It's spring I" "You've snld thnt several times, Grandpa," said one of the little frogs. "Don't he rudo to your grandpa," said Grandma Frog. "IIo can't help saying It many times. IIo Is so pleased about It." "That's right," said Grandpa. "I'm so pleased about It I'd Uko to sing a song about It." And ho began, hut on ly frogs with their voices and their understanding of music (or their kind of music) would huvo enjoyed it. This was the song: "I'm a frog, I'm a frog, "And I tt on ix log, "I oft' have a surprise, "A bug or Bomo flies. "Thoy hop on my nose, "But not on my toes. "For a bug on the nose, "In tho mouth Boon goes. "I soon must begin "To grow fat, not thin. "And now that spring's horn, "I'll begin, never rear! aoog-a-rum, goog-a-rum!" And all the little frogs decided they had slept enough, and they joined Grandpa Frog In croaking, or singing, his song of the spring. I In Tune. The girl who cannot play finger ex orcises without wincing If the piano Is out of tune, Is sometimes strangely Indifferent to discords in the homo life. It Is truo that the piano strings should bo kept tightened, so that notes shall bo neither shurp nor lint, but It Is vastly more Important that the henrti of the household shall bo In tune, Unit thero may bo no Jangling. Girl's Com panion. Fair Weather Friends. Are the friends you are making the sort of people who will stand by you on tho cloudy days? Itemember that fair-weather friends are a pretty poor Investment for your time and effort. 1 How One Cow Helped to Swell tho IN MEAT ANIMALS Federal Reports Give Gains Made in 1917 and Needs of Pres ent Year. MORE MEAT ANIMALS NEEDED Specialists Tell How to Get More Pork and Beef Exports Have Increas ed 177 Per Cent During Past Three Years. Live stock men are on tho Job. A gratifying lncrensc In tho prin cipal classes of live stock during 1017 is reported by David F. Iloustou, scq of agriculture, In a recent statement Tho Increases reported as for January 1, 1018, on farms and ranges of tho United States, nccordlng to a revised estimate for 1017, are: Horses, 803,- e e a WAYS TO THE 15 PER CENT HOG INCREASE. Pork production, to attain tho 10 per cent increase declared needed during 1018, according to the agricultural production pro gram recently announced by the department of agriculture, will bo Increused economically by breeding for two litters a year, by saving through better caro a larger number of tho pigs far rowed, by growing pasture and forngo crops, by using wastes, especially town and city garbage, by proper rations of concentrat ed feeds, by the use of self feeders, by pasturing alfalfa and other legumes nnd other forage crops, by hogging down grain sorghums and corn, by finishing hogs to heavier weights, up to about 270 pounds, and by pre ventive measures which will keep hogs free from cholera, tu berculosis, other diseases ami parasites. 000; mules, 101,000; milk cows, 300, 000; other cattle, 1,857,000; sheep, 1, 284,000; swine, :,871,000. Tho total number of horses is estimated at 21, 003,000; mules, '1,821,000; milk co.ws, 23,281,000; other cattle, 4:1,510,000; sheep, -18,000,000; swine, 71,874,000. Tho increase of 4.0 per cent in num bers of "other cattle" Is due to an In crease of 4.2 per cent In calves, 22.7 per cent In heifers, a decreaao of 8.2 cent in other heifers, a decrenso of 3.2 per cent in steers, and an Increase of 1.0 per cent in "other cattle" (milk cows not included). Swine over six months old Increased 4:0 per cent; thoso under six months Increased 7.8 per cent. The number of live slock not on furms, that Is, stock In cities and vll lugcs, Is not estimated yearly, but their number in 1010 us reported by the census was: Horses, 3,183,000; mules, 270,000; cuttle, 1,870,000; sheep, 301,000; swine, 1,288,000. Tho census of 1010 also reported 100,000 asses and burros on farms and 17,000 not on farms; 2,010,000 goats on furms and 110,000 not on farms. ' In average valuo per head horses In creased $1.30, mules Increased $10.00; milk cows Increused $10.00, other cat tle Increased $4.00; sheep Increused $4.00, swlno Increased $7.70. In total value the Increases are: Horses, $00,310,000; mules, $03,058, 000; milk cows, $278,388,000; other cattle, $282,431,000; sheep. ?238,338, 000; swine, $000,878,000. The totul value January 1, 1018, of all animals enumerated nbovo was $8, 203,024,000 as compared with $0,735, 012,000 January 1, 1017, nn increase of $1,027,012,000, or 22.7 per cenL How to Get More Beef. Thu number of beef animals should be maintained, and In areas whero It Is clearly tho best range and farm practice, should bo Increased, says tho program for ngrlculturnl production In 1018 recently made public by the United Stutes department of agricul ture. Since the outbreak of the Kuro- Stock Increase Healthy Triplets. penn wnr nnd tho consequent depletion of the Kuropenn supply of cnttle, the task of meeting the increasing de mands for beef and beof products, to a large extent, lias been put upon the people of tho United States. Tho exports of dressed hoof and beef products havo Increased 177 per cent during tho last three years. The short age of beef abroad, like tho shortage of other meat products, doubtlesg will be accentuated as the war progresses. Beef production can bo Increased In tho settled farm nreas of the nntion, and especially In the South. It can be Increased everywhere by preventing tho loss of flesh by calves during their first winter and keeping calves grow ing during this period so that beef ani mals may be marketed at earlier nges, thereby requiring tho maintenance of fewer stockcr cattle and mnklng pos slblo tho mnlntennnco of lurger breed ing herds; by using n lnrger propor tion of bulls on the rnngo to Insuro larger calf crops; by using good bulls otdy; by reducing tho tlck-infcstcd nreas as rapidly us possible; by elimi nating ns far ns posslblo tho losses from disease and predatory animals; by transferring animals from regions of scarcity of feed to thoso where thero is an abundance of feed ; by pro viding a moro nmplo supply of winter feed and better shelter, nnd by utiliz ing nil roughago produced, cither ns fodder, hay, or silage, and supplement ing these feeds with moro nitrogenous concentrates and less gralu. Growing Calves for Beef. In order thnt calves may bo qualified for the production of baby beef, that is, fattened and matured for market between one nnd two years of ago, they must havo quality and good finish. The consumer docs not want tho un finished yearling, nnd tho calf that docs not havo quality will not tako on a high finish. Neither will the calf lacking In carly-mnturing qualities fatten properly during tho latter part of tho feeding period, but Instead it will uso most of tho feed which it con sumes for growth. The feeder should keep this in mind nnd first determine whether his calves nro good enough to compete on tho fnt yearling market, and If ho decides that they arc not, they should bo finished with conrso feeds nnd mnrkcted Inter. Tho deep, wldc-bodled, thlck-fleshtd calf with short legs and an abundance of quality as Indicated by fineness of hair, texture of skin, smoothness of flesh, und general refinement nbout the head and other parts of tho body, is tho typo best suited for making prime baby beef. Uniformity In size, weight and color should not bo overlooked cither, becauso such factors aro nn ad vantage in marketing. These points uro of great Importance In selecting calves that will make rapid gains nnd return tho most pounds of meat for tho amount of feed given them. BILLIONS IN FARM PROD UCT8. Tho totnl estimated vnluo of all farm products, including ani mal products, for 1017 Is given ns $10,443,840,381 in n recent re port of the secretnry of ngrlcul turo. This compares with $18,-400,30-1,011 for 1010 and $0,388, 700,770, tho five-year average for 1010-1014. These valuations are based upon tho prices received by producers, which will apply to tho total output rogardless of whether tho products aro con sumed on the furms or sold. FEEDING HOGS MORE BARLEY Tendency on Part of Farmers to Use More of Crop Than In Past to Conserve Wheat Thero Is a distinct tendency for fanners to feed moro hurley to hogs than In the past, owing to tho great need for wheat conservation. The movement may result In tho develop ment of barley as n great hog feed Uko corn Is In tho middle West. Care In Fattening Calves. Moro caro is necessary In fattening calves than in feeding grown cattle, hut, wherever possible, it is best to ralso and finish beef cuttle on the same furm.