By MARIE H. MUDRA
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
THE six-year-old boy pulled
himself up on the marble
stool to look into the glass
case. As with us, it was his
first visit to Washington and
he had to see everything. He
let out a squeal of surprise,
“Mother! ” he said, looking up
to see where she was. “It’s
all gold. Is it a treasure?”
We all laughed, but the policeman
stationed there on the west gallery
of the main floor of the Congres
sional library bent down to the small
boy.
“ ’Deed it is, Sonny. It’s so price
less that there is a special guard
like me here every hour of the day.
Do you know what they are, Sonny?”
"Nope,’’ said the boy, his eyes
growing larger.
‘‘They’re the birth certificates of
this nation. That one up in the
cabinet on the wall is the Declara
tion of Independence and this one in
the case below is the Constitution
of the United States.”
The guard pronounced the words
with so much pride that they sent
a thrill through us listeners and we
edged closer to see the golden docu
ments.
Under Protective Glass.
‘‘See, they’re specially lighted and
kept under a protective glass coated
with a yellow chemically treated
film so the parchments won’t fade.
Here,” speaking to all of us. “Look
at John Hancock’s signature. Writ
ten big and bold so the king of Eng
land might read it without his spec
tacles.”
“Have these documents always
been here?" asked a man in the
group.
“No, they’ve always been at the
seat of government. At first that
was New York. When Philadelphia
became the capital, they were taken
there. After congress fixed upon
Washington as a permanent capi
tal, they were moved to this city.”
“And been here ever since?”
someone asked.
“No,” the guard explained. “For
a short lime when the British cap
tured Washington during the War of
1812 they were removed to Virginia
far enough away to be safe. They
were preserved in a vault but in 1921
President Harding ordered them
placed here.”
‘‘Why are some of the names
rubbed off?” asked the six-y^r-old
boy. We looked closer and saw a
few signatures somewhat obliter
ated.
“They tell a story about that but
no one can prove it. When the Brit
ish attacked the city of Wasnington
in 1814, these parchments were for
gotten in the confusion that followed.
Then a clerk of the state depart
ment, in whose custody they were,
rolled them up in a hurry, shoved
them into linen bags, and fled to
Georgetown and then to Leesburg.
It is said that on his journey the
ink on the surface flaked off from
this rough handling. Now will you
remember,” he asked the little boy,
"all those things on September 17,
Constitution day? That’s the date on
which the Constitution was finished
way back in 1787.”
Philadelphia Celebrates.
Not having such an introduction to
the origin of our Constitution, most
people do not even know when Con
stitution day is. But the Philadel
phians have observed it with great
er regularity than any other place
in America. Perhaps this city is
conscious of the distinction it holds
in having Independence Hall, the
building in which both these docu
ments were drafted. In 1887 Phila
delphia held a national centennial
celebration on September 15, 16 and
17, arranged by a Constitutional
Centennial commission. This com
mission included representatives
from each stale and territory ap
pointed by the governors; the Presi
dent and his cabinet; governors and
other officers from each state and
territory, and members of the diplo
Wmmm
In this shrine in the Congressional
library in Washington arc preserved
the "birth certificates of this nation"
—the Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution of the United
States.
matic corps. The celebration began
with an industrial parade in which
12,000 people demonstrated the prog
ress made by the United States in
the century of its existence. In the
evening Governor Beaver of Phila
delphia held a reception in honor of
the official guests.
On the second day. 30,000members
of state and federal military organi
zations paraded in review before
President Grover Cleveland. At
night the President held a public
reception in the Academy of Music
attended by thousands.
Cleveland Is Speaker.
On the third day, the real anni
versary of the Constitution, exer
cises were held in Independence
square before the building where
the Constitution was drafted. Presi
r dent Cleveland made an address in
which he concluded:
As we look down the past century to
the origin of our Constitution, as we
contemplate its trials and triumphs, as
we realize how completely the principles
upon which it Is based have met every
national peril and every national need,
how devoutly should we confess with
Franklin, "God governs In the affairs
of men"; and how solemn should be
the reflection that to our hands is com
mitted this ark of the people's covenant,
and that ours is the duty to shield it
from impious hands
In the 20th century the anniver
sary has attracted general attention
throughout the country. Various rad
ical groups, small but noisy, began
to agitate for the overthrow of
American institutions. Public-spir
ited men decided that citizens ought
THE AUTHOR
Editor’s Note: This article won
first prize in a contest, sponsored by
Marie II. Mudra
Western Newspa
per Union at the
Firth Annual
Writers’ Confer
ence at North
western universi
ty in July, 1944,
for the “best fea
ture article ap
propriate to the
observance of
Constitution
day.” It waswrit
ten by Mrs. Ma
rie II. Mudra, a
teacher in a Chi
cago high school.
Mrs. Mudra is the daughter or an
immigrant Bohemian shoemaker
and, although born in this country,
she did not learn to speak English
until she was six years old. She
has achieved distinction as a writer,
having won several contests in short
story and feature writing in the Mid
dle West. She is the mother of a
son who recently was accepted for
CAA training and who hopes to be
come an army aviator.
to be more fully instructed in the
nature of the Constitution and its
guarantees of their freedom. So in
1914 the National Security league
was organized to promote this in
struction. The league prepared a
catechism of the Constitution, cir
culating hundreds of copies. It
urged schools to devote more time
to the teaching of the Constitution
and observance of the celebration of
September 17.
By 1919 there were active commit
tees working in 41 states with chair
men from: presidents of state bar
associations; presidents of colleges;
chairmen of school boards; presi
dents of historical societies; state
branches of Sons of the American |
Revolution and other distinguished J
citizens. Under the guidance of the
league, Constitution day was ob
served by 22 states and a hundred
cities in that year.
The National Security league tried
to counteract the effect of attacks
upon the Constitution by radicals out
of office. In 1934 these radicals
charged the Democratic President
and congress with setting up a gov
ernment disregarding the Constitu
tion, a kind which the radicals of
previous years had advocated. At
that time measures were adopted to
overcome the effects of financial
panic in the fall of 1929 and the con
sequent business depression.
To Save Our Liberties.
Prominent Republicans and Dem
ocrats organized the American Lib
erty league to use all means in its
power to prevent the destruction of
those liberties guaranteed by the
Constitution. The Constitution day
anniversary in 1934 was observed by
distinguished orators of both par
ties calling legislation for the relief
of business as subversive of the
Constitution. Meetings were held un
der the auspices of the SAR, DAR,
YMCA, American Legion and other
organizations. Some speakers de
fended the recovery legislation as
constitutional and said they had as
profound respect for the Constitu
tion as the critics of such legislation.
This difference of opinion on funda
mental issues made the 1934 cele
bration more notable than any be
fore. It demonstrated, too, the rights
Americans were privileged to exer
cise under this same Constitution.
In more recent years there is a
growing tendency to have "I Am an
American Day” on September 17
as an especially appropriate way to
celebrate the Constitution day.
Those who become of age before
that day and any aliens who have
been naturalized are welcomed as
new citizens of these United States
by their local community officers.
The pledge and national anthem giv
en by these new citizens has such
tervor that it makes one conscious
anew of what it means to be an
American.
Few Changes.
Perhaps this year's celebration of
Constitution day, just two months
before a national election, would be
a good time to look up the Constitu
tion in any encyclopedia and study
its articles. Drafted by 55 dele
gates from 13 states, who, working
four months in secret session, often
violently disagreed, the Constitution
now in its 157th year, has had few
changes in its text. Among all the
constitutions in the world it is the
oldest and yet is well adapted to
the expanding needs of the resource
ful American people even in their
complex civilization. Men like Wash
ington, Franklin, Hamilton and Mad
ison had a hand in shaping it and be
cause of their divergent view's com
promised to make a “more perfect
Union” possible. You will learn that
it confers powers upon the federal
government and again exerts limita
tions upon both state and central
governments.
Today with accusations hurled by
presidential candidates ringing so
loudly in our ears, a quiet contem
plation of the original Constitution is
almost a must for every citizen. It
is a good way to celebrate Constitu
tion day this year.
‘Five Gospels of Americanism’ Which All of Us Should Know
niuci i j ucveriuge, statesman
and historian, once wrote:
"People ask me, ‘What is Ameri
canism?’ I say, ‘Read its five gos
pels — the briefest gospels ever
penned. "
“These are the five gospels: The
Mayflower Compact, the Declara
tion of Independence, the Constitu
tion of the United States, the fare
well address of George Washington
and Lincoln's second inaugural.
"You can read them all, every one
or mem, in less man nan an nour,
and any man, or woman, or any
boy or girl, who will read them un
derstandingly, will have the founda
tion. the climax, the beginning and
the end. the heart, the limbs and the
brain of true Americanism.
“And I like to feel that all these
people who are living here—for our
country is the only thing, after all—
that every time they think of any
thing public, every time they think
of this nation, for which all ol them
are giaa 10 go out and die, if need
be—that in that thought there sound
the strains of the fife and drum of
Bunker Hill; that in their victory,
glorious and beautiful, never shall
fail the heroism of Valley Forge
and all that is sacred, ali that is
dear to our hearts, through our tra
ditions of the great men and noble
women, who have lived and sacri
ficed and died for this republic and
its flag, shall still continue in our
hearts and in our brains.”
Last Game Takes All
♦ ♦ #
By E. M. PARKINSON
McClure Syndicate—WNU Features.
AS Clara Rivers parked her car
before the Northviile Fanners’
Bank, William Hudson thrust his
long face inside the window. "Car’s
gettin’ kinda run-down, ain’t it,
Clara?”
Clara laughed, a plump, middle
aged spinster’s pleasant laugh. "I’m
not squanderin' money on new
ones. I learned a lesson, William,
when my father died and I got that
mean note from one of the bank
directors, threatenin’ to foreclose on
my farm. Lucky I found Pa’s money
in time. Only that letter rankles. I
keep wonderin’ who done it.”
"When I find out, they’ll answer
to me!” William’s voice dropped.
"Ye know how I feel about ye,
Clara. Any time ye say the word—"
”Sh! Someone's cornin’ ’’
William nodded contemptuously.
"Dumbest businessman in the
state.”
Big, good-natured Bruce Bigelow
ambled over, grinning. "Momin’,
Clary. Momin’, William. Well. Wil
liam, you sure outsmarted me last
week. Heard you sold my hog for
twice what you paid me."
"Well, ye begged me to buy.”
"Dumb,” Bruce chuckled. "That’s
me!” he turned to Clara. "Clary, I
picked up a nice box of choco
lates. Could I bring it over tonight?”
Clara flushed. "Well, Will and
me—”
"Sure!” William broke in. “I’d
enjoy eatin’ chocolates while I beat
ye at smear, Bruce. Or this here
old ladies’ game, annygrams. Hear
ye’ve taken it up lately.”
He went off and Bruce looked at
Clara ruefully. "Clary, you ain’t
gonna marry William?”
Clara snapped, “If so, I wouldn’t
starve. I admire a smart man,
Bruce.”
“I know. Clary, but maybe I got
reasons for appearin' so dumb!”
“Then you better prove it, Bruce.
You got just tonight."
All the way home Clara fumed.
She was so angry at Bruce that
she’d almost have taken William
Hudson, if it weren’t for her awful
uneasiness about the note. She took
it from its hiding place back of the
old Seth Thomas clock and read
it for the thousandth time. It was
typed in capitals on the bank's sta
tionery, and signed only DIREC
TORS. Every director had declared
indignantly, "Clara, if we find out
who did this, we’ll oust him!” Well,
after a year, maybe she ought to
forget. But. . .
At ten tnat evening wiara couia
have cried. Bruce had lost every
game. ‘‘You boys play this final
one without me," she said, looking
straight into Bruce’s eyes. ‘‘Last
game takes all."
The first plays went badly for
Bruce. He held one word; BEAR.
He drew A and made MA. ‘‘Take
your A to make MASS,” William
said.
Bruce drew and passed. ‘‘This is
embarrassin’!”
William’s eyes narrowed. “Take
your BEAR to put with MASS and
make EMBARASS!”
Clara gasped. “But—”
“Hush!” Bruce said, “No kibit
zin’!” He acquired two words. RITE
and STRING.
“Take that RITE to make EN
TIRE,” William said.
Bruce drew and passed. “Nice
game, eh. Clary? Interestin'!”
William leered. "Take your
STRING to put with ENTIRE and
make INTERRESTING.”
Clara was furious. "Bruce, that
ain’t —”
“No help!” Bruce said. Then,
‘‘Take your EAR to make FEAR."
Losing a word upset William.
“Come on,” Bruce teased. "Don’t
take from now to February.”
“Thanks,” William sneered. “I'll
take your FEAR to put with BUY
and make FEBUARY.”
Clara burst out, “That ain’t the
way to spell —"
“‘Never mind,” Bruce said stern
ly. William had nineteen words
“Twenty words out," Bruce sighed.
“Last game takes all. I’d sure like
to win. It’s — urgent!"
“Urgent, eh? I’ll jest take your
CUR to put with my HINT and
make URCHI.NT! Hate to win so
easy, Bruce."
Bruce leaned across the table, ad
miringly. “You got a lot of big
words. Will. Pushin’ ’em around,
addin’ a little here and there, you
could make a little sentence.”
Suddenly, before Clara's eyes lay
a familiar message: VERY UR
CHINT YOU PAY UP WITH
INTERREST BY FEBUARY OR
SOMETHING EMBARASSING WILL
HAPPEN.
“Remind you of anything, Clary?”
Bruce asked.
Clara went to the clock and re
turned to spread a worn paper on
the table. “What’s that, Clara?"
William asked hoarsely.
“Just the note you sent me, Will,
when Pa died."
William’s face purpled. “Look
here! This ain’t proof—”
“’Tis," Bruce said quietly. "I
tried out every other bank director,
before witnesses. None of 'em’s got
just this way of spelling these
words. Maybe you’d like to resign.
Will, without lettin’ the town know
why.” He turned to Clara. “Sorry
about losin'. Clary.”
Clara smiled meltingiy. “You won
the last game, Bruce. Last gam*
takes all—including mel"
i
FARMS OR RANCHES
li. A. LARSON "The I-itnd Man.” nine*
1111, Central City. Nebr *uccc*sful •oil
ing aervlca In all part* of Nebrnaka. Tlia
larger holding* and eatntea our apeelalty.
To aell your form or ranch, writ* me
without delay.
PUPS FOR SALE
BHKPIIKRP ITI’H. Natural hae era. Ship*
jied on approval, C O IV—Male* $8, ta*
melee *♦.. Farm raised
I1KYKKLY GROKS. Wilckley. Nebraska
!f apples or bananas which are
to be used in fruit salads are cov
ered with grapefruit juice and
chilled, they vail not darken and
discolor the salad.
—•—
Dip the ends of rag rugs in
6tarch after washing and they will
lay flat on the floor instead of curl
ing on the edges.
—•—
Save the core wax paper
comes on to wrap your doilies on
to prevent wrinkling after launder
ing.
—•—
A few drops of vinegar or lemon
juice added to the water used in
poaching eggs will help hold them
together.
SEWING CIRCLE NEEDLECRAFT
Sailor Boy Has Gal in Every Port
7076
SHIP ahoy—here comes the navy
walking right into our doll fam
ily and sure of captivating all
hearts. He’s a pal of younger and
older.
That Old Chair Can Be Reclaimed
With New Seat and Coat of Enamel
By Ruth Wyeth Spear»
i
^JEW cane seats are expensive
^ because the work is done by
hand. Endless time is required
also for scraping off layers of paint
to get down to the grain of the
wood in doing over many pieces
of furniture. The chair shown here
did not seem to be worth this la
bor. It was reclaimed with a seat
from a scrap of plywood, blue
paint and seat cover of blue and
white ticking edged with white
material raveled to make a fringe.
The chipped white enamel that
was on the chair was rubbed with
coarse and then with fine sand
paper until smooth. The new seat
came next; then flat paint which
was allowed to dry 24 hours be
lore applying enamel. Next, the
seat cover was made with a
straight band around the front and
across the back terminating in ties
at the back corners.
• • •
NOTE—This chair remodeling Idea Is
from BOOK 10 which also contains direc
tions for making an adorable padded bou
doir chair from an old kitchen chair; a
high-back chair from an old rocker and an
attractive upholstered chair from odds and
ends of wood, a little padding and soipe
chintz. Send name and address with 15
cents and receive a copy of BOOK 10.
MRS. RUTH WYETH SHEARS
Bedford Hills New York
Drawer 10
Enclose 15 centa for Book No. 10.
Name .
Address .
Roosevelt Descendants
Including President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, 20 direct descendants
of Nicholas Roosevelt (1658-1742)
have been listed in the 22 editions
of Who’s Who in America pub
lished since 1899; they constitute
the largest number of entries to be
descended from one man.
A popular toy or mascot easily made.
Pattern 7076 contains a transfer pattern of
doll and clothes; directions; list of ma
terials.
Dir? to an unusually large demand and
current war conditions, slightly more time
is required in Ailing orders for a few of
the most popular pattern numbers.
Send your order to:
Sewing Circle Needlecraft Dept.
564 W. Randolph St. Chicago St, III.
Enclose 15 cents (plus one cent to
cover cost of mailing) for Pattern
No_
SrtHr—«
A DAB A BAIT
kccps p 0'awmv
New eream posltivly stops
*underarm Perspiration Odor
I. Not stiff, not minsy— Yodora spread* Jus*
like vanishing cream I Dab It on—odor von* I
3. Actually s jothing —Yodora can ba used
right after shaving.
J. Won't rot delicate fabrics.
4. Keeps soft 1 Yodora does not dry la Jar. Na
waste; goes far.
Yet hot climate tests—made by nurses—
prove this ilainiier deodorant keeps under
arms Immaculately sweet—under the mas*
severe conditions. Try Yodora I la tabes aa
jars—l#f, SO*. «0<. McKesson * Bobbins.
Inc., Bridgeport, Connecticut.
YODORA
DEODORANT CREAM
Birds Fly When Hatched
The only birds that are able to
fly the moment they are hatched
are the megapodes of Australia.
Have you been hearing or reading claims about tractor tire
cleaning lately? As a farmer, you are entitled to know the
facts. And here they are:
Remember that the Firestone Ground Grip Tread is patented.
Its extra-long, triple-braced traction bars do not have "broken center”
traction leaks, no trash-catching stubs or buttons. The wide spaces
between the bars clean easily, even in soft soil, because there
are no corners or pockets for mud to stick or hide. No ^
>
)
wonder Firestone Ground
Grips clean so much better
in ALL soil conditions!
And don’t forget that
Firestone Ground Grip
Tires give you up to 215 extra
inches of traction bar length per
tractor. That means extra pulling
power — and the more pulling
power you get, the more time
and money you save!
From these facts, it’s easy to
see why more farm tractors are
equipped with Firestone Ground
Grip Tires than with any other
make. Farmers naturally want
the tires that pull better longer
— the tires made by Firestone,
the pioneer and pacemaker.
Listen to the Voice of Firestone
every Monday evening, over N.B.C,
Oopyriftit, 1914. The Ftreituiie Tlr» ft Rubber Oft.
_ FiRESTONI PUT THE FARM ON RUBBER
Mr. Ixtro Trorttofi
txtr* lor Un9<tT)th«l givtt
Sttptriu Pulling Powur to NIOTONt
(ROUND (IIP TRACTOR Till!