THE NEBRASKA ADVERTISER
im i. m i "-
W. XV, HANDKKH, I'ublUhor.
NEMAHA, - - "- NEHHASKA,
THE CHANCE GOD GIVES.
"I'll pans tills wny l)Ut oner," a fool cried
out,
"And tliorcforo 1 will laugh ntul take my
(JIIFI!,
Let others toll and nwo.it mid fret mid
doubt,
And miss the chance Clod gives them, If
thoy please
IJul I will Journey down tho careless ways
And ope my cycH to nouu but happy days."
"I'll pass thin way but once," another said,
"llcncu all that Clod laid out for ma to do
I must be doing iir I (art- ahead,
That Ho may nay: 'Well done,' when I
am through
lly wonl nnd deed I'll do my best to spread
Good chocr alone tho pathways that 1
trend."
Tho wIho mnn did IiIh work and did It well,
And people blessed him hh ho went along,
And fewer team, because ho labored, fell
And blKher swelled tho chorus of tho
song
Tho song of Joy Clod meant that men
should raise,
Tho splendid hour of brotherhood and
praise,
Tho useless fool went dawdling hero and
there.
Unmindful of all feelings but his own;
What If men sang or sobbed? Jlo didn't
euro
Ono morn ho woke to find all pleasures
t llown I
Ills tonguo was thick and dry ho cursed
his lot
And shriveled up and passed nnd was
forgot.
8. 15. JCIser, In Chicago llecord-Herald.
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CopyrlKlit.J, J900, liy tlio J. H. Llpplncott Co.
CIIAPTKII IX.-Co.vnNi;i:n.
"WVU, now, Miss Hay, don't you
think it was most discourteous, most
ungontlemunly, in him to hcikI such
u messngo?" demanded a Hushed and
indignant young woman, ono of tho
most energetic of the sisterhood, as
they atood together on the prom
cimdu deck hi the shade of tho canvas
awnings, shunning tlio glare of tlie
August sun.
"Aro you sure such a message was
HentV" was the serious reply.
"Sure? Why, certainly lie did! and
by his own servant, too," was tlio
wrathful answer. "Didn't lie, Miss
Porter?"
And Miss Porter, Hie damsel ap
pealed to, and one of the two nurses
who sent in their message from tho
ofllce, promptly assented. Miss liny
looked unconvinced.
"Servants, you know, sometimes de
liver messages that were never sent,"
she nnswered, with quiet decision.
"Wo have seen quite a little of that
in tlio army, and it is my father's
rnlo to get all the facts before pass
J,, judgment. My brother thought
Mr. Stuyvcsnnt's attendant garrulous
nnd meddlesome."
"Hut I asked him if he was sure
that was what Mr. Stuyvesant said,"
persisted Miss Porter, bridling, "and
he nnswered they were Just tho very
words."
"And still T doubt his having sent
them as a message," said Miss Hay,
with slight access of color, and tliat
evening she walked the deck long
with a happy subaltern and added to
her unpopularity.
There were several well-informed
and unpleasant women, maids and
matrons both, in the little sisterhood,
but somehow "the boys" did not show
Hiieh avidity to walk or chat with
them as they did with Miss Hay. She
Norely wanted n talk with Sandy that
ovenlng, but tho Holgie had come in
from 'Frisco only six hours before
they sailed and huge bags of letters
and paper were transferred from
her to tho Sacramento.
There were letters for Middle and
Randy both several but there was
ono bulky missive for him that she
knew to bo from her father, from
far-away Tampa, and the boy had
como down lato to dinner. They hnd
acnts at tho table of tho commanding
oillccr, a tiling Maidio had really
tried to avoid, as she felt that it dis
criminated, somehow, against tho
other nurses, who, except Mrs. Dr.
Wells, their ollleial head, were dis
tributed about tho other tables, but
tho major had long known and loved
her father, and would have it so.
This night, their first, out from Hono
lulu, ho had orderejl wine-glasses on
the long tabio and champagne served,
nnd when dinner was well-nigh over
noticed for tho first time that Hay
had turned his glass down.
"Why, Sandy," ho cried, impulsive
ly, "it is just aa years ago this sum
mer that your father made the ride
of his life through tho Indian lines
to snvo Wayne's command on the
Cheyenne. Now, there aro just 22 of
us hero at table, and I wanted to pro
pose his health and promotion.
Won't you join us?"
Tho boy colored to the roots of his
dark hair. His eyes half tilled, Ho
choked ami stammered a moment and
then back went tho head with tho
old, fumilinr toss that was so like his
l jS jKjfy
vvam? kjrn 1 1 u 7
EKM -
Vip-f 1
father, and through his set lips San
dy bravely spoke:
"Can't, major. 1 swore oft lo
dayl" "All right, my boy, Unit ends II!"
nnswered tiie major, heartily, while
Marion, her eyes brimming, barely
touched her lips to the glass, and
longed to be on Sandy's side of the
(able that site might steal a hnnd to
him in love and sympathy and sister
ly pride. Hut hq avoided even her
when dinner was over, and was busy,
ho sent word, with troop papers
down between-deeks, nnd she felt,
somehow, that that letter was at tho
bottom of his sudden resolution ami
longed to see it, yet could not ask.
At three bells, half-past nine, she
saw him coming quickly along tho
promenade deck, and she stopped her
escort and hold out a detaining
hand.
"You'll come and have a little talk
with me, won't you, Sandy?" she
pleaded. "I'll wait for you as long
as you like."
"After I've seen Stuyvesant awhile,"
lie answered, hurriedly. "He isn't so
well. I reckon he must have over
done it," and away Iiu went with his
springy step until he readied the
forward end of the promenade,
where ho tapped at the stateroom
tloor. The surgeon opened it and ad
mitted him.
Ifls eyes were grave and anxious
when, ten minutes later, he reap
peared. "Norrls is with him," he said
in low tone, as he looked down into
the sweet, serious, upturned face.
"He shouldn't have tried it. He
fooled the doctors completely. I'll
tell you more presently," ho added,
noting that Mrs. Wells, with two or
three of the band, were bearing down
upon him for tidings of the invalid,
and Sandy had heard as who had
not? the unfavorable opinions en
tertained by the .sisterhood of his
luckless, new-found friend.
"The doctor says he mustn't be
both 1 mean disturbed wants to
get him to sleep, you know," was his
hurried and not too happy response,
to the queries of the three. "Matter
of business he wanted to ask me
about, that's all," he. called back, as
he broke away and dodged other in
quiries. Once in the little box of a state
room to which ho and a fellow
subaltern had been nssigned, he
bolted the door, turned on the elec
trio light, and took from under his
pillow a packet of letters and sat
him down to read. There was one
from his mother, written on her way
back to Leavenworth, which ho pored
over intently nnd then reverently
kissed. Later, and for tho second
time, he unfolded and read the long
est letter his father had ever penned.
It was as follows:
"I havo slipped away from camp nnd Its
countless Interruptions nnd taken a room
nt tho hotel to-night, dear Handy, for I
wnnt to havo a long talk with my boy
a talk we ought to havo had before, and
It Is my fault that wo didn't. I shrank
from It somohow, nnd now am sorry for It.
"Your frnnk nnd manful letter, telllrg
me of your sovoro loss and of the weak
ness that followed, reached mo two dnyr.
ago Your mother's came yesterday, fond
er than over and pleading for you as only
mothers can. It Is a matter thnt has
cost us alt dear financially, but thanks lo
that loving mother, you were promptly
enabled to cover tho loss and save you:
name. You know and realize tho sacri
fices she had to make, and she tells me
that you Insisted on knowing. I nni glad
you did, my boy. 1 am going to lenvo In
your hands tho whole matter ot repayment.
"A young fellow of 1!0 can stnrt In tho
army with many a worto handicap than n
debt ot honor r.nd a determination to work
It oft'. That steadies him. That mattur
really gives mo less caro than you thought
for. It Is tho other your giving wny to
an impulse 10 drink that lllls mo with
concern. You como up llko a man, ad
mit your fault, and say you deserve and
expect my severe censure. Well, 1'vo
thought It all over, Sandy. My heart and
my arms go out to you In your distress and
humiliation, and I havo not ono woid
of reproach or blnino to give you.
"For now 1 shall toll you what I had
thought to say when your graduation drew
nigh, had wo hen ablo to master me
chanics and molecules nnd other mathe
matical rot not as useful to a cavalry olil
eer as a binocular to . blind man, and that
I ought to havo told you when you start
ed out for yourself as a young ranchuio,
but could not bring myself to It so long
as you seemed to linvo no Inclination that
way. Times, men. and customs linvo great
ly changed In tho Inst 40 or M years, my
boy, and greatly for tho better. Looking
back over my boyhood, I can recall no day
when wine- was not served on your grandfa
ther's table. Tho brightest minds and
bravest men In all Kentucky pledged each
other day and night In tho cup that some
times cheers and ofttlmes inebriates, and
no public occablon was completo without
champagne nnd whisky In abundance, no
personal or private transaction considered
uusplclous unless appropriately 'wet.'
"Those were days when our statesmen
reveled In bcntlment and song, nnd drank
nnd gambled wltn the fervor of tho fol
lowers of the races. I was a bov ot ten
der years then, and often, with my play
mates, 1 was called from our merry gamob
to Join tho gentlemen over their wlno and
drain a bumper to our glorious 'Harry of
tho West," and boforo I went to the Point.
Sandy, I knew iho best, and possibly the
worst, whlskys made la Kentucky--wo nil
did and the man or youth who could not
h tti ml his glass of Ihiuor was looked upon
as a milksop, or pitied, and yet, after all,
respected, as a 'singed cat' u fellow who
owned that John Iinrleycoin was too much
for him, nnd he did not dure a single round
with him.
"Then came tho great war. nnd wars aro
nlways In ono way demoralizing. West
l'olnt In tho early sixties was utterly unlike
tho Wist 1'olni ot to-day. and no worsu
than a dozen of our greatest colleges. Tin
coi pa still had Its tales and traditions of
tho old-time Fourth of July dinners nt the
mess hall, when eveiybody mndo a dash
for tho decanters and drunk everything In
sight It was tho only day in tho year
on which wlno wns served. It was In my
time tho Invnrlnblo custom for the super
intendent to receive tho boaul of visitors
on tho day of their arrival ut his quarters
and to Invito the ofllff rs and tho graduat
ing class to inert tlum, and lo set forth,
as for years hnd be n the fashion at Wash
ington, wlno and punch In abundance, nnd
the very olllcers totalled ns our lnstructois
would laughingly Invito nnd challenge the
youngsters so scjii to shed tho gray nnd
wear tho blue lo drink with thorn again
and again. 1 linvo Men dozens of the best
and Oraveit of our fellows come reeling
and shouting link to barracks nnd u
thoughtless set of boys laughing and ap
plauding. "1 was stationed at tho Point soon after
graduation, and the men who drank wero
the rule, not the exception. Social visits
were rarely oxehirgcd without the Intro
duction of tho decanter. The marvel Is
thnt so many were- "temperate In our meat
and drink,' ns my father and grandfather
used to plead when, regularly every morn
ing, the family and the negro sorvants wojo
mustered for prui rs. At every post where
I was stationed, either In tho cast or where
I was most ut home' tho far frontier
whisky whs the established custom, nnd
man after man, fellows who had mndo fine
records durli.g the war, and bright boys
with whom I bad worn tho gray at tho
l'olnt, fell by the waysido and wero court
martialed out of service.
"In '70 nrd '71 we had a board that swept
tho army llko a seine, and relcgnted scores
of tipplers to civ. I life, but that didn't
stop It. Llttlo by little the senso and man
hood ot our ptople began to tell. Llttlo
by llttlo tho feeling against stimulant be
gan to develop at the Point. It was no
longer a Joke to set a fledgling olllcer to
taste tho tempter It was a crime. Four
years after 1 was commissioned we had
ono total ubstnlnr out of some CO olllecri
at tho mess, and he was a man whoso llfo
and honor dcpen 1 on It. Three yoarj
ago, when I went to see you, thwo wero
dozens nt tho met- who never drank at nil,
only eight who even smoked. Athletics nnd
rlllo practico had much to do with this,
I know, but there hns gradually developed
all over our land, notably In those commu
nities where tho custom used to be most
honored in tho observance, a total revul
sion of sentiment.
"Quarter of a century ago even among
many gently nurtured women the sight of
a man overcome by Ihiuor excited only
sorrow and sympathy; now It commands
nothing less than abhorrence. I and my
surviving contemporaries btartcd in life
under tho old system. You, my dear boy,
aro moro fortunate In having begun with
tliu new. Among the old soldiers there uro
still somo few votaries of Uacchus who
have to count tlulr cups most carefully
or risk their commissions. Among thoso
under 10 our niiny has far moro total ab
stainers than all the others In tho world,
and such boldlers as Grant, Crook, Mcrrltr
and Fpton, of our service, nnd Kitchener
of Khartoum, aro on record ns saying that
tho staying powers of tho teetotuller exceed
those even of the tempeiate man, and
staying power Is a thing to cultivate.
"As you know, I havo never bnnlshed
wine from our table, my boy. Hotb your
mother and I bad been accustomed to see
ing It In dally use from childhood, yet sho
rarely touches It, even at our dinners. But,
Sanford, I sent John llarleycorn to tho
right about tho day your blessed mother
promised to bo my wife, and though I al
ways kept It in the sideboard for old com
rades whoso heads and stomachs aro still
sound, nnd who find It agrees with them
better than wine, I never offer It to the
youngsters. They don't need It, Sanely, and
no more do you.
"Hut you como ot a race that lived as
did their fellow men to whom cards, the
bottle and betting were everyday affairs.
It would bo remarkable If you never de
veloped a tendency towards one or all
of them, and It wns my duty to warn you
before. I mourn every hour I wnsted over
cards nnd every dollar I over won from u
comrade more than much moro than the
many hundred dollars I lost In my sov
cial years' apprenticeship to poker. It's
Just about tho poorest Investment of time
a boldier can devi30.
"Knowing all I do, and looking back over
the path of my life, strewn ns it Is with
the wrecks of ft How-men ruined by whisky,
I declnro If I could llvo It over again It
HE HEAD THE LONGEST LETTISH ins
FATHEH HAD EVEH l'ENNED.
would bo with tho determination never to
touch a card for money or a glass for liquor.
"And now, my own boy, let me bear tho
blamo of this jour first transgression.
You nro moro to us than wo have ever told
you. You are now your sister's guardian
nnd knight, for, though sho goes under tho
wing of Mis. Dr. Wells, and, owing to her
intense dcMro to tnko a woman's part, wo
could not deny her, both your mother and
1 aro filled with anxiety as to tho result.
To you wo look to bo her shield In cverj
possible way. We have never ceased to
thank God for tlio prldo and Joy He has
given us In our children. (You yourself
woulddellghtln seeing what a tip-top little
soldier Will is making.) You have over
been manful, truthful, and. 1 say It with
prldo and thankfulness unutterable, square
as boy could be You have our whole faith
nnd trust and love unspeakable. You have
tho best and fondest mother In tho world,
my son. And now 1 havo not ono more word
to urge or advise. Think and decide for
yourself. Your manhood under God will
do tho rest.
"In lovo and confidence,
"FATHER."
When Marlon eamo tapping timidly
at tho stateroom door there was for
a moment no answer. Sandy's face
was buried in his hands its he knelt
beside the little white berth. He
presently arose, dashed some water
over his eyes and brows, then shot
back the holt and took ids sister in
his nrms.
CIIAlTKIl X.
Not until the tenth day out from
Honolulu was Mr. Stuyvesant so far
recovered as to warrant the surgeons
'In permitting his being lifted from
the hot and narrow bed to a steamer
chair on tnc starboard side. Even
then it was with the caution to
everybody that ho must not be dis
turbed. The heat below and in many
of tho staterooms was overpowering,
nnd olllcers and soldiers in numbers
slept upon the deck, and not a few
of the lied Cross nurses spent night
after night in tho bamboo and wicker
reclining chairs under tho canvas
awnings.
Except for the tropic temperature,
tho weather had been line and tho
voyage smooth nnd uneventful. Tlio
Sacramento rolled easily, lazily along.
The men hnd morning shower baths
and, a few at a time, salt water
plunges in big canvas tanks set foro
nnd aft on the main deck. On the
port or southern side of the promen
ade deck tho oflicers sported their
pajamas both dny and night, nnd
were expected to appear in khaki or
serge, find consequent discomfort,
only at table, on drill or duty, and
when visiting tho stnrboard side,
which, abaft the captain's room, was
by common consent given up to tho
women.
They were nil on hand the morning
thnt tho invalid olllcer was carefully
aided from his stateroom to a broad
rcclining-ohnir, which was then borne
to a shaded nook beneath the stair
way leading to the bridge nnd there
securely lashed. The doctor and Mr.
Kay remained some minutes with
him, and tho steward came with a
cooling drink. Mrs. Wells, doctor by
courtesy and diploma, nrose and
asked the surgeon if there were real
ly nothing tho ladies could do "Mr.
Stuyvesant looks so very pale and
weak" and the sisterhood strained
their ears for the reply, which, as
the surgeon regarded the lady's re
mark as reflecting upon tho results
of his treatment, might well be ex
pected to be somewhat tnrt.
"Nothing to-dny, Mrs. or Dr.
Wells," said tho army man, half
vexed, also, at being detaineel on way
to hospital. "The .ever has gone and
he will soon recuperate now, pro
vided ho can rest and sleep. It is
much cooler on deck and if it's only
cjuict "
"Oh, he shan't be bothered, if that's
what you mean," interposed Dr.
Wells, with proper spirit. "I'm suro
nobody desires to intrude in the lenst.
I asked for my associtites from a
sense of duty. Most of them aro
capable of fanning or even reading
aloud to a patient without danger of
overexciting him."
"Unquestionably, madam," respond
ed the surgeon, affably, "and when
such ministrations ore needed I'll let
you know. Good morning." And,
lifting his stiff helmet, tlio doctor
darted down the eompanionwny.
"Unite!" said the lady doctor. "No
wonder that poor boy doesn't get
well. Miss Hny, T marvel that your
brother can-stand him."
Miss Hay glanced quietly up from
her book and smiled. "We have
known Dr. Sturgis many years," she
said. "He is brusque, yet very much
thought of in the army."
Hut at this stage of the colloquy
there enme interruption most merci
ful for the surgeon. The deep
whistle of the steamer sounded three
quick blasts. There was instant rush
nnd scurry on tho lower deck. Tho
cavalry trumpets fore and aft rang
out the nssembly.
It was the signal for boat drill, and
while the men of certain companies
sprang to ranks and stood in silence
nt attention awaiting orders, other
detachments rushed to their sta
tions nt the life-rnfts, nnd others
swarmed up the stairways or clam
bered over the rails, and in less than
a minute every mnn wns at his post.
Quickly the staff olllcers made tho
rounds, received tlio reports of the
detachment commanders and the boat
crews, and returning, with soldierly
salute, gave the result to the com
manding ollieer, who had taken po
sition with tho captain on the bridge.
For five or ten minutes the upper
deck was dotted by squads of blue
shirted soldiers, grouped in disci
plined silence about the boats. Then
the recall was sounded, nnd slowly
and quietly tho commands dispersed
and went below.
To He Continued.
An (Hit CiiNtom In Clnyni.
I have known two or three old
priests in Cloyne diocese break up and
distribute among the poor girls ot
their respective parishes their old and
worn vestments, for the purpose of
being mnde into "Saint Patrick's
crosses." The cross thus made (from
a priest's vestment) to people of sim
ple faith was an object of venerntiou,
and I have known many such forward
ed by their owners to their kindred
In America, where they were doubtless
received as welcome souvenirs of an
ancient custom In the land of their fa
thers. Not a little curiosity is the
etiquette of those children's "Saint
I'ntriek's Crosses," for wherons it
would be considered effeminate of a
little boy to wenr "a girl's cross," it
would be considered most unbecoming
on the part of the little miss to don
a bey's paper cross. Donnhoe's,
.Moral I Don't t.entl.
You linrdly expect a loaned article
to come back as good as it iwts when
you loaned it. Washington (la.) Democrat.
FOR TRAVELERS' USE.
I.nxtirlcit fer tlic Ocenn Voyngcr, far
Ynubtlngr ntul Coaching;
Trips.
"Flowers are not the only things
thnt people send to their departing
friends aboard ocean steamers," said
a dealer In fancy form products, re
ports the New York Sun. "Somo
folks send chickens. We have ono
customer, for instance, who sends to
friends traveling in this manner a
dozen dainty broilers.
"The traveler never sees these, of
course, until they arc served to him,
ns ho desires, at tlio table. When
they ore delivered at the ship they
are taken in chnrge by a steward,
who sees thnt they arc properly
stowed in the old storage room,
where they will keep in good order
until they nro required. The flowers
are beautiful, no doubt, and their
fragrance delightful, but they last
only a day or two; while a dozen
spring chickens will afford pleasure
for the entire voyage.
"We have a good many customers
who, themselves, when, going abroad,
order sent aboard ship such a num
ber of broiling chickens as they think
they will require on the passage.
And we have many customers who
take with them on ocean voyages
milk or cream or butter or eggs, or
all these tilings, supplied by us; the
things of this kind they would put.
aboard ship might be ns good, but
they know what our products are and
they arc accustomed to them. Wo
have been putting up these tilings
in forms especially designed for trav
elers' use for years now, and tlio
demand for them increases all tho
time. They are, of course, ordered
in ndvance, and they are put up inj
special packages.
"Milk, for instance, unless other
wise ordered, is put up in pint jars,
nnd these are put 21 in a case, each
jar in a compartment of its own, 'n
which it can be iced separately and
with certainty. Cream is, put up in
a similar manner. Looked after nnd
enred for prope.iy tho mnk and
cream thus put up keep perfectly
throughout the voyage. Milk and
cream packed thus for travelers' use
cost more than when delivered at
home. It costs more to put them up
to stnrt with, and we never put back
nny part of the packages; when the
jars are empty they and the eases
are thrown nwny.
"We put up all these things, now
adays, also, for other travelers than
those malting trans-Atlantic voyages;
fo- instance, for use on yachting
trips, nnd on cross country trips,
coaching and so on. Thus provided,
the question of whether ho can find,
in this port or that, suitable supplies
Oi. these things is of no importance
to the yachtsman, for he is already
supplied. And the snme is true as to
land trips. Carrying these tilings
along the coaching party is assured
of the best things that can be had
wherever they may halt. For all
these things arc so put up that with
.suitable enre lioy will keep as long
ns may be required."
DISTRIBUTING THE NEWS.
HunIiu'Nh Jlon Kvcrj" Dny llnniliurd
C111 AVnr Vctcrii:iM with n
Shower of I'lipcm.
At the soldiers' home each morning
shortly after eight o'clock a detach
ment of grizzled veterans is subjected
to as warm a lire ns many of them ever
experienced in "the good dnys of '01,"
says the Milwaukee Sentinel.
Attached to the suburban train which
brings in hundreds of "commuters'
from their summer homes to the city
is the private car of the Nashotah club,
composed of well-known business men,
traders on 'change and professional
men who spend tiieir nights at their
country homes during the warm
months. And, as is the custom of the
suburbanites, a large share of the time
required for the inward trips is de
voted to the perusal of the morning
papers. All is quiet and peaceful in
the private car of the Nushotah club
until the whistle blows for the sol
diers' home.
Then the scene changes. Each gray
haired occupant of the well-appointed
conch gravely nnd deliberately folds
his newspaper into a small and ex
ceedinly hard package of a sort cal
culated to lly through the air with
the least resistance. As the train
whizzes past the home grounds a long
line of "vets" is invariably to be found
standing along the trneks, waiting pa
tiently to be placed under lire for the
sake of securing a newspaper free of
charge.
The first post is passed, and the bom
bardment begins. Through each open
window flies a tightly wadded paper,
whose force is accentuated by the
speed of the train, and invariably the
carnage is great. What ammunition
cannot be fired through the windows
is piled into the arms of the porter,
who takes a' few shots on his own ac
count from the rear platform.
And then the merchants nnd traders
on 'change nnd professional men re
adjust their collars and prepare for
the serious work of the day.
Se'eret of lUJUiraiicc.
The secret of ignorance is not to
know your lack of wisdom. Chica"o
Daily N.jws. a
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