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DECEMBER 1, 1811
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The Commoner.
13
Brain Leaks
As long as a man hopes he is not
helpless.
Do your Christmas shopping early.
We den't expect to.
A man wha has nothing but riches
is in a pretty bad way.
He who is forever taking chances
seldom takes anything else.
The Christmas spirit Is measured
by the heart, not by the dollar.
Jerk & Shirk are always complain
ing about the success of Pluck &
Plan.
A stretch of the imagination is
usually accompanied by a stretch of
the conscience.
Ever notice how easy it is for the
baby to get hold of something that
it shouldn't have?
Not knocking, of course, but a
waxed moustache is usually the sign
of "nothing above."
If you are beginning to worry
about how much your Christmas gifts
are going to cost you, don't make any.
A Personal Word
I wish I could personally answer
all the splendid letters I have re
ceived from my friends of The Com
moner during the last two or three
months. Through them I have re
newed many friendships of the old
days, and have made many more
which I earnestly hope will be last
ing. Every one of them has con
tained something that will be
cherished in. memory by myself and
the Little Woman, and if the kiddies
fail toappreciate them in the days
to come I. shall be disappointed in
them.
It does a fellow a world of good
to learn direct that something he has
written has touched some one's
heart, brought a smile to some one's
face. Scores have written me splen
did letters concerning my recent
humble little testimony to my faith
in the Father of us all. More have
written to tell me how their own
little ones have enjoyed my little
rhymes Inspired by my kiddies. I
have never succeeded in learning the
knack of piling up dollars, and as a
result I haven't many of them. But
believe me, good friends, when I
say I wouldn't take as many dollars
as I have earned in the last ten
years for the friendships I know I
have made through The Commoner.
I know I have made them strong,
helpful friendships because I and
the Little Woman have before us
more than 000 letters telling us so.
It's pretty hard for me to write
what I'd like to say, because one is
apt to become either egotistic or
maudlin. But finding it impossible to
answer all these kindly letters per
sonally, I am seizing this opportunity
to do it wholesale.
Mr. Metcalfe tells a story of a
little girl who insisted that anything
you wish for will come true if you
wish hard enough. I believe the
little girl was right. To all my
friends of The Commoner, scattered
ail over this broad land, I am wish
ing health and happiness and love.
And the Little Woman joins m
in these wishes and we are both
wishing Just as hard as we know
how. WILL M. MAUPIN.
.an ii
Baptisto Gendrean's Trip
Last September Mr. Louis Guyon,
chief of the factory inspectors,
hureau of. labor and inspection,
Province of Quebec, was in Lincoln,
attemdhur the International Associa
tion of Factory Inspectors. Whil
here he imitated the example of
Silas Wegg, who often dropped into
poetry, and dashed off the following
bit of verse. For the benefit of those
who do not happen to bo as French
as Mr. Guyon and The Architect
who is mostly Irish with a French
name we Btop the press to explain
that In order to get the rhyme in
several places you have to use the
perfectly correct French pronuncia
tion. But whether you do or not,
you will enjoy Mr. Guyon's clever
little poem:
You want to hear 'bout that trip?
When Pit Labbe, Patry and me,
Shock the lumber camp and got our
scrip
And started en masse for Chicopee.
I remember Just like veHtnrdnv.
T'was election tam in that city.
Ana every man had a little sign
On one side Roosevelt; sur l'autre
"Bryan."
Course, les Canadlens don't have no
vote
Like chez- nous down in Berthier.
Sure we don't understand all the
jokes.
But I hurrah! all the same with Pit
Labbe!
Bam bye I see a big stout man
Who came right to me and shako
my hand,
And say: hello! Baptiste comment
ca va?
How is the old folks down in
Canada?
By gosh! I feel proud like when the
Queen
She gave me a medal 'cause I bring
back
Soldier Anglais, more than seven
teen, Safe and sound from tlie third
Cataracte.
So I push ahead with mes amis
And don't care a rapp for those
Chicopee's
So long we get a good place to
stand
For hear le discours of that fine big
man.
At first he speak fine like Wilfrid
Laurler
When he makes big speech at St.
Sauveur
After that he come, I think, trouble
For he talk all the tam 'bout silver
dollar
Mon Dieu! I shout, speak on reci
procity And you'll capture every vote in
Chicopee.
Bah! he don't listen me but still
make fun
And count on his fingers sixteen
to one.
T'was big fight for that champion
belt.
But our man lost ca e'est certain
La Gazette said vive Mr. Roosevelt
He is not very bad Americain.
So I write a long letter to Will
Maupln
An' tell him this from les Cana
dlens If Mr. Bryan will skiddoo from
Nebraska '
W will elect him Premier of all
the Canadas.
Bryan and asked if ho knew whero
might be found that old poem, "Olvo
me threo grains of corn, mothor."
Mr. Bryan did not know, bo ho wrote
a little paragraph asking any Com
moner reader who had the versos to
send In a copy.
Then the floods descondod. More
than a thousand kind friends and
close readers copied the verses from
old books and sent them in; one
even going so far as to send an old
school reador with it in and enclos
ing stamps for the book's return.
Just two weeks ago perhaps
three Mrs. Ridgely of Kansas asked
me If I know whore she could get a
"sopsyvino" applo trco. I didn't
know, so nsked if any Commoner
reader could toll us. IIo could
numerously. T. B. McHenry of
Benton, Pa., was the first one to toll
us, and Elmoro Light of Shelby, O.,
the second. I thank these two, and
the sixty or seventy others. J. J.
Hawthorne of Fremont, Nob., says
It Is the early Washington, and not
equal to the winesap. Mnybo I'm
deceived by boyhood memories, but
I hold Mr. Hawthorne to be mis
taken. There never was any such
eating apples as those that grew on
the old sopsyvino tree down In the
corner of the orchard, right along
side the path that led down to the
little creek wherein lurked the hun
griest bullheads that over gobbled a
worm, and where the dandiest log
that a boy ever took a header from
jutted out over the finest swimming
hole this lad ever swam In.
Advertising Pays
Hera are a coaple of little in
stances that prove beyond a perad
veatura that It pays to make your
wsats known throagb the colamns
nm,-, nnmwannan Eleht or Bine
yuri tfo s juscribar wrote Mr,
"Kiddies Six"
The Architect overcomes his
natural modesty long enough to pub
lish the following complimentary
verses concerning his new book, said
verses being from the pen of Thos.
J. Curran of St. Louis.
A treasure dear, the "Kiddies Six,"
its brlmimng every line,
With radiant rays of faith and hope,
and thoughts of love divine.
It sings of cheerful childhood love,
so simple, pure and true;
Bright gems of thought as beautiful
as flowers in morning dew.
It Bings sweet songs that touch the
heart, sweet songs that never die,
That shine like golden sunbeams and
make the clouds roll by;
It sings sweet songs of human hope
that beats in every breast;
That cheers the weary traveler on
when he lays down to rest.
It sings of happy wife and babes, In
sweet poetic song
Of "home sweet home," where love
is king and rules the whole
day long.
God bless that home, the "Kiddles
Six," the "Little Woman," too;
Had I a field of roses fair I'd pluck
them all for you.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
(Continued from Pago 12.)
Second district; Joseph Cassldy,
democratic boss of Queens, and Louis
T. Walter, Jr., a lieutenant of Cas
sidy's and the man who placed Wil
lett In nomination at the democratic
convention on Oct. in New York.
A suffragette riot occurred In Lon
don and 220 women were arrested
for engaging in disturbances.
Persia has asked Great Britain to
advise her as to the course she shall
follow on the demands of Russia.
Governor Johnson of California,
declared for La Follette for president
and a direct presidential primary.
A call for Theodore Roosevelt to
bear the standard of the republican
party in the struggle for the presi
dency next year wan voiced at a
banquot of tho Garfield club at
Youngatown, O.
Tho International Harvester com
pany filod at Jefferson City, Mo., a
motion for a rehearing in tho rocent
ouster caso.
William J. Cummings, former dlrcc
ing head of tho Carnegie Trust com
pany, was found "guilty In Now York
of tho theft of 1140,000 from tho
Nineteenth Ward bank.
Chinoso officials at
firmed tho report that
of foreigners as well
had occurred at Sian
wore forty foreigners In
many missionaries In
Shen Si towns.
Pokin con
a massacre
as Manchus
Fu. There
Sian Fu and
tho smaller
Tho St. Louis Post-Dispatch has
offered to contributo $10,000 to
bring both the national conventions
to St. Louis.
Dr. John M. T. Finnoy of Balti
more will probably succeed Woodrow
Wilson as president of Princeton
university.
CRUEL PAPA
"Papa says if I give up my singing
lessons he will present mo with a
pair of diamond earrings."
"You have never worn earrings,
have you?"
"No; I should have to have my
ears pierced."
"Ah! yes, I see his idea. He
wants to pay you back In your own
coin." Western Christian Advocate.
America's Host
Famous Songs
How often havo you wished for a
book containing the old, old songs;
for after all, the songs nearest to
our hearts are the ones we knew an
children and the ones our children
am sinking today.
Wo have Just examined a music
folio entitled America' MMt Fa
nuuiN Sohkm) these compriHu the
beat known songs, including patri
otic, home, love, Bouthcrn and folk
songs. Songs liko tho following:
Alice, Where Art Thou?
Battle Cry of Freedom,
Bea Dolt,
Dixie Land,
GIpy' Waralag,
Heart Bovred Doivh,
Kathleen Mavonraeen,
Ltant Ronc of Hummert
flacked la the Cradle of the Deep,
WheH Yoh aad I Were YuuBgr, Mangle
and CO other universal songs of
America with music and piano ac
companiment. In large clear print
and on good paper.
We have been so favorably im
pressed with this splendid collec
tion of songs, and feel so certain
that nine out of every ten readers
of The American Ueracatead will
bo anxious to own the book that we I
havo mado arrangements with tho
publisher in New York to reserve a
liberal supply for our readers.
Each subscriber to The America
flemejrtead who sends us twenty
five cents to pay for a year's sub
scription tb tho paper, and ten cents
to pay for wrapping and postage
on the book of songs will recelvo
a copy with our compliments.
This offer will hold good as long:
as the present edition of tho books
lasts, and requests for the book will
be filled in the order that they reach
this office. Wc caution everyone to
be prompt In sending for the book:
If your subscription is already paid
in advance, the 25 cents remitted
will still further advance your ex
piration dato for ono year.
The American Homestead
Uacola, Nebraska
'J
M.-,