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Opinions of Great Papers on Important Subjects.
SONGS OF THE NATION.
kOARDS of education In three Western cities
have required tliat every pupil who enters
the high school must be able to repeat the
words of several patriotic songs, such as
"My Country 'TIs of Thee," "Hall Colum
bia" and "Tho Star Spangled Banner." Ex
cellent I It Is a crying shame that not ono
In teu of tho average American audience Is able to re
Dat or sing ull of tho stanzas of "America." An ex
change tells of n patriotic Sunday school superintendent
who was surprised to And that the national hymn was
not contained In the book used. In his Bchool. Ho request
ed the children to sing It from memory. They got
through the llrst ntanza and then faltered. And the
adults present were unable to lend them much assistance.
This Incident Is typical. Do you suppose any company of
Germans would fall to sing every line of "Die Wacht
Am Rhine?" Or could you Imaglno any audience of the
French that would fall to remember a single word of
tho "Murflolllalso?" The fault Is with the schools. Youth
la the tlmo to learn the songs that are to abide In mem
ory and the school Is the place to teach them. It Is
possible to be patriotic without knowing either words or
tune of the national songs. It Is also possible to be
patriotic without tho flag. But the flag symbolizes pat
riotism. And the dearest traditions of tho nation are
forever wedded to both song and Hag. "Old Glory" ought
to be raised over every school house and the national
songs should bo taught in every public school. Kansas
City World.
A SPLENDID PEOPLE.
II E (iiilck and generous rcsnonso of the couu-
k "V I try to the cry of distress from San Fran
I I clsco Is Inspiring. It -makes one proud that
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in; is u i, in .uii ui .-Hiv.il a uwiiimj. xiiu
American people are a great people as
great In noble Impulses and humane sym
pathy as In Industrial and commercial en
ergy. We often hear It, and more often rend it, that
this Is a land of mammon worshipers. We are told that
the fierce, remorseless battle for gain has absorbed our
mental faculties and made us sordid and unfeeling. Yet
when a city far out on the Pacific coast is suddenly
stricken and blighted we see these calloused and cold
hearted Americans rushing from every quarter to lay
their savings at tho feet of the sufferer. The Atlantic
seaboard and the Middle West vie with the Pacific slope
In sending prompt and liberal contributions. The rich,
the well-to-do and the poor are mingling their gifts, and
hundreds of cars of provisions and other necessaries will
soon be speeding across tho continent bearing relief to
the unfortunates.
It Is grand, splendid, glorious! It gives (he lie to the
calumnies of the critics. It shows that however fast
C'their business pace and however much they overtax their
strength in tiie pursuit of wealth, the American peoplo
have human hearts In their bodies and a plentiful supply
of the milk of human kindness. The silver lining to tho
dark cloud of adversity when devastating tornadoes, de-V
structlve floods or consuming flames wreck a thriving
city or hamlet Is the fine exhibition of generous sympathy
that they call forth from the people of the nation. -Kansas
City Journal.
THE EVOLUTION OF ILLUMINANTS.
IE have been going from had to worso In tho
A T matter of lliuminants. The old-time lamps
vfwr I that tho wise virgins kept trimmed and burn-
I I r , tin. rflihllltt IimI ! I rtltfl ltd fMttliftDO
little Jugs filled with oil or grease Into which
was Inserted a spluttering wick, gave but
little light, but enough to enable peoplo to
move about from place to place. There was nothing to
read In those days and the eyes were not taxed. Then
came the sconces with their wax or tallow dips und later
tho candelabra with their multiplied lights. The flam
beau becamo popular for out of door lighting and Nero
lit his gardens on one occasion by burning the foodies of
fat Christians whom he charged with the burning of
Home after having fired It himself. There were no elec
tric lights In those days and no gas Jets. There were
no pavements or sldownlks and tho traveler attached a
small lamp to ono of his ankles to light him on the way.
From this custom came the Spiritual phrase: "Thy
word shall he a lamp unto my' feet." The old poets who
rhapsodized the brilliancy of tho lights In halls on gala
occasions had little to boast as compared with the sys
tem of lighting now In vogue. There was nothing that
gave a better light than tho American plno knot by the
aid of which so many Americans In the early days edu
cated themselves.
Gas we havo had for long and gas Is bad enough on
the eyes ; but electricity, the product of only yesterday, Is
the evil genius. We are becoming a spectacled race and
we may be on the road to total blindness as scientists
claim, font we are not likely to abandon electric light
ing. Memphis News Scimitar.
TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT.
CONSUMPTION, or tho white plague, as It Is
C often called, has received more cousldera
I tlon of late than uuy other human disease.
x uu iicju mil i uic ia LsviiJ tiiviu uui;i,iiiii
than anything else. Fresh, pure air, In un
limited quantities with sufficient dally exer
cise to Insure full deep breathing Is a sure
preventive against this disease. In the early states It
may be entirely cured by sleeping In the open air. This
brings the question of ventilation straight home to every
one. More deaths uro caused by consumption In somo
parts of the country than ull other diseases combined.
Probably ninety per cent of these deaths could bo pre
vented by the liberal use of fresh air. The other ten
per cent could be prevented by tho proper care of those
suffering with the disease. Consumption Is purely con
tagious. It could bo entirely stamped out If everyouo
would follow tho simple rides of health us laid down by
physicians who have made a thorough study of this
terrlblo malady. Farm. Field and Fireside.
THE REVOLT IN SOUTH AFRICA.
BRITISH MOUNTED TROOPS IN CONKl
Somo time ago Itumbuuta, a native Zulu chief and
formerly regent under the British for tho Grey town dis
trict, In Natal, South Africa, revolted, und began a
hush warfare against tho whites. Many members of the
British mounted police havo been murdered and other
native chiefs Joined Bambaata's forces. A tax collecting
party, headed by Magistrate Stainbank and supported by
a mounted column, was attacked at Muhlnbttlnl, In Zulu
land, and the magistrate and one of the mounted men
were killed, the others of the party narrowly escaping
with their lives. Ever since the revolt or Bumbaata the
mounted police have been in almost dnlly conflict with
bands of Zulus, who after delivering a sudden attack will
disappear In the forests or hide In the tall katllr corn.
All of South Africa Is now seething with unrest, not only
In English but In German territory, and tho doctrine
HT Willi THE FIERCE ZULUS.
of Africa for the Africans Is being preached among the
blacks. The agitation Is even extending to the far north
and agents are busily engaged In stirring up ivolt
against the white man's rule.
The Zulus, a considerable number of whom are now lu
revolt, are tho fiercest native fighters In South Africa
and aro close seconds to the Arabs of the Soudan In
fanaticism. In the past they have waged many desper
ate wars against the English. It was in one of these
struggles, lu the 80's, that the Prince Imperial of France,
the son of the last Napoleon, fell. In former wars the
Zulus depended mainly upon their assegai, or spears, hut
now many of them are armed with rifles, which renders
the situation even more grave. If the disaffection be
comes general, affecting the native races, there will be
much bloodshed In the dark continent lu the near future.
William II. Chase, tho portrait paint
er, tolls a story of tho tlmo when the
late James McNeil Whlatlor wan at
outs with tho Itoyal Academy at Lon
don. About this tlmo an admirer of
Whlatlor In Pennsylvania wrote him
requesting his autograph. The letter
was sent In caro of the academy. That
Institution took advantage of tho op
portunity thus offered to revengo Itself
for tho alleged offrouts put upon It by
tho caustic Whistler. The Pennsyl
vania's letter waa returned to him
somo months later, through tho dead
letter ofilce at Washington, und It bore
on tho envelope the word "Unknown,"
repeated as many times as spaco would
allow. Washington Star.
A LITTLE LESSON
IN ADVERSITY.
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It seems almost Incredible that, u deaf
man should ho one of the greatest mus
ters of music, and almost beyond be
lief that Beetho
ven, tho giant, of
composers, should
have been utllicted
with tho loss of his
hearing when he
was but .50 years
old, In tho full zen
ith of his wonder
ful iM)wers.
To many u man
this a til lot! on
would have closed
the doors of
achievement, h u t
I.UUWIO UKKTUOVK. m)t gQ w,.( (hu
wonderful musician. At first desik.nd
ent when he had been assured by tho
best physicians that nothing could be
done to help him, ho refused to meet
any one, ns he could not hear tho world
to know that ho hud become deaf. It
was then that he wrote:
"It makes me sad to think that oth
ers can hear tho notes of a far-off flute
or a distant shepherd's song, and I can
not." But gradually his great nature con
quered the blackness of his despair,
and he went to work again with deter
mination. Despite his deafness he de
termined to lead an orchestra lu a sym
phony of his own. When the last note
hud died uwuy tho great audience was
perfectly quiet for a moment. Then a
storm of applause broke forth. Beetho
ven could not hear it, could not know
that his symphony had pleased. The
aplause grow louder and louder. Final
ly one of the musicians touched Beetho
ven upon tho arm. He turned und saw
what he had not been able to hear.
It was after ho had become deaf that
many of Beethoven's greatest composi
tions were written, n proof that by
force of will alone a man may prove
himself creator than circumstance.
After listening to a bard luck story
sift It down and It usually stunda on
this foundation: La.luess.
COOKING IN THE CHURCH.
Mcitla Furulnheil for Ovcanloim In
Uk-iO-IJuIo llouacx of Worlili,
Light and heavy housekeeping as
practiced In up-to-dato ohurches Is n
revelation to tho people who see It for
tho flrst time. The country visitor Is
apt Lo be shocked or delighted, accord
ing to temperament. Many conserva
tive folk, Including missionaries, rural
pastors, und hiymen, come to censure
and remain to digest.
Why shouldn't n church have a
kitchen V
What could Iw more practical? It Is
asked. There are clubrooms, libraries,
and gymnasiums In churches nownduys,
and people wiy It Is quite proier to
have a well-furnlshed kitchen capable
of supplying after meeting refresh
ments und the solid meals of rarer oc
casions. In some churches the ecclesiastic
kitchen gives forth a savory ellluence
three times a day. A cup of coffee hot
from the urn often heartens the min
ister before ho ascends the pulpit. Aged
members of the congregation, wearied
by a long service, may bo revived lu
the basement by a draught of steaming
oolong.
"It Is a sign of progress," said an
enthusiastic matron, who manages one
('liur-'i kitchen, the oilier day. "The
food at festivals und sociables used lo
be a byword. Everything was cold,
soggy and uneatable.
"People nibbled at things out of u'
soiixo of religious duty und went to n
g od restaurant afterward. Now the
menu at any affair compares favorably
with what you get outside.
"A missionary to China said that our
ehureh reminded her of tho Chinese
temples which are used ns hotels by
travelers. Anybody out there may
sleep and get his meals In the temple,
which Is often tho only available pub
lic house.
"Now, r think that speaks well for
tho Chinese and for ourselves. Tho
church can never he made too popular
and too useful. Religion ought not to
ho an enemy to modern Improvements."
"One good thing about church kitch
ens," said nn uptown matron, "Is that
they penult us servant tyrannized folk
to practice a little cookery. I could
never dare to enter my kitchen at home
and make experiments In cook's pres
ence. But I can go to the church es
tablishment and educate myself in ull
tho departments of culinary art. Also
one meets there ladles who havo trav
eled and thero Is u chance to acquire
the rudiments of cosmopolitan cookery."
Olil Aire INminIoii.i.
The colonial legislature of Newfound
land has unanimously adopted a reso
lution favoring old ago pensions, tho
terms of tho grant to bo determined
by a commission which, It Is recom
mended, shall Investigate tho subject
during tho next twelve mouths, pre
paratory to tho Introduction of tho
meusuro to glva effect to tho project.
Not Alwny 1-Jnxy to KmtnliUih Ono'
Identity.
Paradoxical ns It may seem, tho most
dllllcult thing to prove lu it court of
law Is who you are. It Is a slmplo
mutter If you have still living plenty
of relatives of nn older generation, but
suppose your parents und uncles mid
mints uro deud, It becomes well-nigh
Impossible, Hays a writer lu the Now
York World. As u matter of fact, your
knowledge of your Identity Is absolute
ly hearsay. You know your father and
mother called you their son, and to
that fact you may testify If tho ques
tion of your Identity should ever como
before a Judge and Jury. But tho testi
mony goes before tho Jury with tho
warning from the Judge that It Is only
hearsay, for you havo no personal
knowledge of the matter.
Otlkial town or parish rttcords uro
valuable, but by no means conclusive.
SupiHse you aro John Smith, sou of
Robert und Mary Smith, Itoru at Al
bany on August 1, 18(15. Tho record of
births In the Bureau of Vital Statistics
at Albany will prove that a sou named
John was born to Robert and Mary
Smith on that date: the register of tho
church may prove that John, son of.
Robert und Mary Smith, was lmptlzei'1
on a certain date, but they do not prove
tliat you aro the John Smith, of whom
these are records.
To establish the connection between
you und the person mentioned In tho
records, lu other words to prove your
own Identity, Is tho dllllculty. If your
mother is alive she can tlo It; If any
relative who lias known you since you
were born Is allvo he can do It.
Tho successive stilts for thu eslato
of A. T. Stewart failed on such grounds'
us these. The plalntlfl's, cousins of tho'
Into Mrs. Stewart, were unable to prove
their relationship. It was necessary liii
one of these cases that a man should)
prove his Into father ami A. T. Stewart'
to have been brothers, but ho hail no'
personal knowlodt of tho matter ; ho
had heard his father In Ireland refer
to A. T. Stewart as his brother, but'
the court would not let him testify
even to that, and, as tho defendants de
nied tho relationship, tho caso fell to
the ground.
Tiie identity or a person becomes
even harder of proof after he Is dend.
In the Royal Arcanum there aro sev
eral hundred thousand dollars of death
benefits tied up because of the Inability
of heirs to provo that the Insured man
is dead.
Very often It is necessary to success
In litigation over an ostnto to provo
not only who were your parents, but
who were your grandparents. Family
Bibles, with tho records therein, help?
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nut hi hum, out uro mil ui nn eonciu-,
Hive. Birth ami marrlago certificate'
are accepted ns corroborative, but Itj
requires quite, a muss of such mutter,
together with at least somo witnesses
who can testify of their own personal
knowledge, before a court will accept
such a fact as proved to ItH satlsfao
t Ion.
PASSING OF FAMOUS HEN.
Sim
lliul l.ulil '1,7.10 V.KK lleforo
llled nt Akii of
"Betsy," George Bradley's famous
hen, known to poultry raisers all
through Tennessee, is dead at the ago
of years, and has been burled with
honors befitting her career of useful
ness. Betsy was one of a brood of chicks
hatched on the day that Bradley's eld
est son was born, nearly twenty-threo
years ago. By I lie date of the young
man's birth the family established .bei
ng''. Betsy was occasionally permitted to
Indulge her motherly Instincts, upon
which occasions kIio Invariably brought'"
Into the world from a doen to fifteen
of the finest chicks that ever scratch
ed gravel.
When not engaged In motherly duties
Betsy sometimes worked overtime and
laid two eggs n day.
Ah year after year passed without
any .appreciable difference lu Betsy'a
streniioiiHlty, she became the wonder
of the country and the barnyard Jowel
of the .Bradley family.
It Is estimated that during that tlmo
this Industrious hen hus laid -1,750 eggs
and hatched !70 chickens.
Over her grave Mr. Bradley will
erect a headstone Inscribed as follows:
"Here lies laying Betsy. Born in
lSSf!; died in 1!)0,. Slio did many n
fowl deed for those she loved. -Poaco
to her bones let them lay. .May sho
lay again somo other day."
If tho 4,7."0 eggs that Betsy laid dur
ing her nineteen years of faithful serv
ice were sold In tho market at their1
present piico they would realize
$!)08.r0. If her r.70 chickens brought
an average price of .50 cents they would
represent a mar.ket value of $171.
On this basis Betsy earned $1,070.50
for her owner foetoro sho retired from
active duty and commenced to take Ufa
easy. New York Herald.
'IVrrllilt- Thought.
Mrs. Bacon 1 seo Japanese cooks
aro coining Into favor.
Mr. Bacon Well, flay! After discov
ering what fighters those Japanese are,
Imagine going up against a Japanese
cook I Youkers Statesman,