The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, August 20, 1914, Image 2
,- mWMlWtti -T-r- "T - 'W' ...- ... . v.Mvmntr(t4WMWItaKptrtvitSt RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF ,-. 'iw --- -tr - OLDL AUTHOR OTMTHC5TORY Of 5APAH," "THr SHIP Of DREAMS' ETC. Mors than one faded, fragrant romance It revealed In the chap ter! of this homely little story. Through It runt like a golden thread, the tender devotion of the aged husband and wife. I CHAPTER I. The Tea Table. Augelino's slender, wiry form and small, glossy gray head bent over the squat brown teapot as she shook out the last bit of leaf from the canister. The canister was no longer hers, nei ther the teapot, nor even tho battered old pewter spoon with which she tapped the bottom of the tin to dis lodge the last flicker of tea-leaf dust The three had been sold at auction that, day In response to tho auction eerVi Inquiry, "What am 1 bid for the iotr Nothing In the familiar old kitchen was hers, Angollne reflected, except Abraham, her aged husband, who was taking his laat gentlo rldo In the old rocking chair the old armchair with painted roses blooming as brilliantly across its back as they had bloomed when the chair was first purchased forty years ago. Those roses bad come to be a source of perpetual won der to the old wife, an ever-present ex ample, Neither time nor stress could wilt them a single feaf. Whon Abo took the first mortgage on the house in order to Invest in an. Indefinitely locat ed Mexican gold mine, the melodeon dropped one of Its keys, but tho roses nodded on with the same old sunny hope; when Abe had to take the sec ond mortgage and Tenafly Qold be came a forbidden toplo of conversa tion, tho minute hand fell off the par lor clock, but the flowers on the back of tho old chair blossomed on none the lesfl serenely. The soil grew more and more bar ren as the years went by; but still the roses bad kept fresh and young, so why, argued Angy,- should not she? It old age and tho pinch of poverty had failed to conquer tholr valiant spirit, why should she listen to the croak ing taleT If they bloomed on with the samo crimson, flaunt 'of color, though tho rockers beneath them had grown warped and tho body of tbo chair creaked and groaned every time one ventured to Bit in it, why should ehe not Ignoro the stiffness which tho years seemed to bring to her joints, the complulnts which hor body threat ened every now and again to utter, and faro on herself, a hardy perennial bravely facing life's wlnter-tlmoT Even this dreaded day had not tak en ono fraction of ti shade from the glory of tho roses, as Angeline could soo in tho bud at ono side of Abra ham's head and tho full-blown flower below hie right ear; so why should she droop becnuso tho sale of her household goods had boon somewhat dlsuppointiugT Somewhat? When tho childless old couple, still sailing undor tho bannor of a clrarlty-forbld-ding pride, becamo practically reduced to their Inst copper, Just as Abo's Joint wero "loosenln' up" after a tlvo years' siego of rheuniutlom, and de cidod to sell all tholr worldly possus hJoub, apart from their pntched aud thrcadbaro wardrobes and a fow mon gor keepsakes, they had depended upon raising at least two hundred dol lars, one-half of which wub to securo Abo a borth In tho Old Men's homo at Indian Vlllago, and tho other half to make Angelina comfortable for llfo, If a llttlo lonely, in tho Old Ladles' homo In their own native hamlot of Shoro vlllo. Doth institutions bad been gen erously endowed by tho samo estate, and were separated by a dUtanco of but flvo miles. "Might as waal bo flvo hundord, with my rheumatlz' an' yer weak heart," Abraham had growled when Angy first proposod tho plan as tho only digni fied solution to their problem of living "But," the llttlo wlfo had rojolned, "it'll bo a mito o' comfort a-knowln' a body's so near, even ef yer can't gtt tew 'em." Now, another solution must- bo found 10 iuw prouiem; tor iub auction was over, and instead of two hundred dol lars they bad succeeded in raising but one hundred dollars and two cents. "That air tew cents was for the flour-sifter," Inwardly mourned Angy, "an' It'a wuth double an' trlbble, fer It's been good friend ter mo fer nigh on ter eight year." "Tew cents on the second hunderd," said Abe for the tenth time. "I've counted it over an' over. One hun dord dollars an' tew pesky pennies. An' I never hear a man tell so many l let lit my llfo ae that air auctioneer. u HIS PALATE WAS FIRE PROOF Unusually Strong Drink Had But Ons Drawback, Is Testlmony.of Confirmed Toper, Assemblyman llrennan', author of thu "Brcnnnn cold Htoruge law," onld the other day In Albany to tho Journal man: , "A recent examination of the cold iiioraRu plants In New York city KUoved that In twelve storapo hiniEos aione thero wt stored 7,300,000 iFSMir cormcrtroY mc cuttrvny ca i i'iiw'd 'a' thought ho was sellin' out tho empory o' Uooshy. Hy-guy, it sounded splendid. Fust off I thought lio'd ralso us more 'n wu expected. An' tnobbo hu would have tow, Angy," a bit ruefully, "ef yew 'd 'a let mo advertise a little sooner. I don't s'pose halt Shorevllle knows ylt that wo was gwlno tor havo a auction sale." Ho watchPd tho color rising in her cheeks with a curious mixture of pride in her pride and regret at its conse quences. "It's no use a-talkln', moth er, pride and poverty makes oneasy bedfellera." He leaned back in the old chair, creaking out a dismal echo to the auctioneer's "Going, going, gone I" while the flush deepened In Angy's cheek. Again she fastened her gate upon the indomitable red rose which hung a pendant earring on the right side of Abraham's head, "Yew wouldn't 'a' had folks a-comln' horo ter bid Jest out o' charity, would yew?" she demanded. "An' anyhow," In a more gentle tone the gently posi tive tono which she had acquired through forty years of living with Abraham "we halnt so bad off with ono hundred dollars an' tew cents, an' beholden ter nobody! It's tew cents moro'n yew need ter git yew inter the Old Men's, an' them extry tew cents '11 pervlde for me Jest bewtlful." Abra ham stopped rocking to stare hard at his resourceful wife, an involuntary twinkle 0 amusement in his blue eyes. With increased firmness, she repeated, "Jest bewtlful!" whereupon Abe, scent ing self-sacriflco on his wife's part, sat up straight and snapped, "Haow so, haow so. njpther?" "It'll buy a postage stamp, won't It?" she was fairly aggressive now "an' thar'e a envelop what wa'n't put up ter auction In the cupboaTd an' a paper bag I kin Iron out kejch me a-gwlno ter the neighbors an' a-beg-gln' fer writing paper an' I'll Jest set daown an' wrlto a line to Miss' Hal aey. Her house hain't a stun's throw from the Old Men's; an' I'll offer ter come an' take keer o' them air young 'una o' her'n fer my board an' keep on' ten cents a week. I was a-gwine ter say a quarter, but I don't want ter Impose on nobody. Seein' that they hain't over wcll-ter-do, 1 would go fer nothin',' but I got ter have somethin' ter keep up appearances on, so yow won't have no call ter foel ashamed of me when I come a-vleltln' ter the hum." Involuntarily, as she spoke, Angy lifted her knotted old hand and smoothed back the hair from her brow; for through all tho struggling years she had kept a certain, not un pleasing, girlish prldo In her personal oppoarance. Abraham had risen with creaks of tils rhoumatlc Joints, and was now walking up and down the room, his feet lifted slowly and painfully with every step, yet still hie blue eyes flash ing with tho flro of indignant protest "Mo a-bunkln' comfortablo In the Old Men's, an' yow a-takln' keer o' them Halsey young 'uns fer ten ceuts a week! I wouldn't take keer o' 'em fer ten cents a short breath. Thar bo young 'un an' young 'una," he eluci dated, "but they bo tartars! Ycw'd bo In yer gravo afore the fust frost; an' who's gwlno ter bury .yer tho taowu?" His tono became gontle and broken: "No, no, Angy. Yew bo n good gal, an' dow JUBt as we calc'latcd on. Yew Jlno tho Old Ladles'; yew'vo i;ot frlendB over thar, yew'll git erlong splendid. An' I'll git erlong tew. Yer know" throwing hie shoulders back, he assumed tho light, bantering tone so familiar to his wife "tho poor-, houBo doors Is always open. I'd Jest admire ter go thar. Thar's a rocking chair in evory room, and they say tho grub is A No. 1." He winked at her, Hmlllng his broadest amllo in his at tempt to deceive. Doth wink and smile, however, were lost upon Angy, who was busy dlvldy lng tho apple eauco In such a way that Abo would'iiavo the larger share with out suspecting It, hoping the while that ho would not notice the absence of butter at this last home meal. She herself had never believed In butter ing bread when there was "Base" to eat with It; but Abe's extravagant tastes had always carried htm to the point of desiring both buttor and sauce as a relish to his loaf. "Naow, fur's I'm concerned," pur sued Abe, "I hain't got nothin' agin tho poorhouse fer neither man ner woman. I'd as Hot let yew go than 'stld o' mo; fer I know very well that's what yew're a-layln' out fer ter do. Yes, yes, mothor, yew can't fool me. Dut think what folks would say! Think what they would say! They'd crow, 'Thar's Abo a-takln' his comfort In tho Old men's hum, an' Angelina, pounds of poultry and meat. ,4,500,000 pounds of Hah, 2,000,000 poundB of cheese. 0,000,000 pounds of butter and 500,000 cases of eggs "This food should bo luboled as what It Is. It shouldn't be sold to the public us fresh food at th$ price of fresh food For It Isn', Iresli food, and, though K looks a jiu, its taste Is all wrong except taiauch people no nre blessed with thefcfatu of Jim Jlinlnon "Jim JltnlBon," Mr refu. explain eu "wus u hard urinKSSHt, ithara sWs a-eatln' her heart out In the poor house!'" Angeline had, Indeed, determined to be the one to go to the poorhouse; but all her life long she had cared, perhaps to a faulty degree, for "what folks would say." Above all, she cared bow for what they had said and what they still might say about her husband and this final ending to his downhill road. She rested hor two hands on the table and looked hard at the apple sauce until It danced before her eyes. She could not think with any degreo of clearness. Vaguely she wondered it their supper would danco out of night before they could1 sit down to eat It So many of the good thfngs of life had vanished cro she and Abo could touch their lips to them. Then she felt his shaking hand upon hor shoul der and heard him mutter with husky tenderness: "My dear, this Is the fust chance Blnce we've been married that I've had to take the wust of It. Don't say a word agin It naow, mother, don't yer. I've brought yer ter this pass. Lemme bear the brunt o' it." Ah, the greatest good of all had not vanished, and that was the love they bore one to the other. The sunshine came flooding back Into mother's heart She lifted her face, beautiful, rosy, eternally young. This was the man for whom she had gladly risked SBSSBL SfcN WISsV-sWBfc A. j Jk. -A She Wondered If Their Supper Would Dance' Out of Bight. want and poverty, the dlrpleasure of ber own people, almost half a century ago. Now at last she could point him out to all her little world and say, "See, be gives me the red side of the apple!" Sho lifted her eyes, two bright sapphires swimming with the diamond dew of unshed, happy tears. "I'm a-thinkln', father," she twit tered, "that naow me an' yew bo a-gwine so fur apart, we be a-glttln' closer tergother in speret than we've over been afore." Abe bent down stiffly to brush her cheek with his rough beard, and then, awkward, as when a boy of sixteen he had first kissed her, shy, ashamed at this approach to a return of tho old time love making, he seated himself at the small, bare table. This warped, hlll-and-dale tublo. of tho drop-leaves, which had been brought from tho attic only tortnv RANK CASEY WITH HORATIUS . Comment of Those Whose Opinion Is Worth Heeding Concerning the Two Famous Ballads. "Casoy at the Bat In his own hum bler sphere deserves to bo mentioned as a distant relatlvo of Horatlus at the Bridge," said tho late Harry Thurs ton Peck, as quoted by tho Little Classics ProsB, which republishes the baseball ballad. Literary people aro reluctant to see merit In contemporary ballads of "low life," so-called. Casey Is really better stuff than Its prototype Horatlus. Horatlus did Impossible things. He licked a whole army single-handed, then Jumped Into the river and swam across in a 200-pound suit of lead pipe, cast Iron and chain mall. There Is no element of surprise In the poem, either, because everybody expects him to float Bafely across the river with a ton of steel tied around his neck! "And with bis harness on his back plunged headlong In the tide." But Casey is human. He works no miracles, He goes to bat in high favor way, Ono evening Jim stopped at the tavern for a dram, tossed It off, and departed calmly; but after hu wus gone the tavern-keeper discovered that, In, place of applejack, he had giv en Jim n drink out of tho sulphuric ncld bottle that was kept to clean tho verdigris off the brass taps. "Tbd tavern-keeper couldu't steep that night, but the next ssornlng, to his unspcakublo relief, Jim dropped In for another drum before breakfast, apparently nuns the worse tor tils dose of poison. after resting there for ten years, had served as their first dlnlng-table when the honoymoon was young. Aba thoughtfully drummed his hand on the board, and as Angy brought the tea pot and sat down opposite hiss, he recalled: "We bad bread an' tea an' apple sass the day we sot up housekeepln', dew yew remombor, Angy?'' "An I burned the apple sass," she supplemented, whoreupon Abo chuck led, and Angy went-on with a thrill of genuine gladness over the fact that he remembered the details of that long-ago honeymoon ae well as she: "Yow don't mind havln' no butter to night, dew yer, father?" lie recalled how he had said to hei at that first simple home meal; "Yew don't mind beln' poor with me, dew yer, Angy?" Now, with a silent shako of his head, he stared at her, wonder ing how It would seem to eat at table when her face no longer looked at him across the board, to sloop at night when ber faithful hand no longer lay within reach of his own. She lifted her teacup, he lifted his, the two cas ing at each other over the brims, both half-distressed, half-comforted by the fact that love still remained their toastmaster after the passing of all the years. Of a sudden Angy ex claimed, "We fergot ter say grace." Shocked and contrite, they covered their eyes with their trembling old hands and murmured together: "Dear Lord, we thank t&ee this day for our daily bread." Angy opened her eyes to find the red roses cheerfully facing her from the back of the rocking-chair. A robin had hopped upon tho window sill Just outside the patched and rusty screen and was Joyfully caroling to her his views of life. Through the window vines In which the bird was almost meshed the sunlight sifted softly into the stripped, bare and lonely room. Angy felt strangely encouraged and comforted. The rosea became sym bolical to her of the "lilies of the field which toll not, neither do they spin;" the robin was one of the "two spar rows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall to the ground with out your Father;" while the sunlight seemed to call out to the little old lady who hoped and believed and loved much: "Fear ye not therefore. (Ye are of more value than many sparrows r CHAPTER II. "Good-by." When tho last look of parting bad been given to tho old kitchen and the couple passed out of doors, hushed and trembling, they presented an In congruously brave, gala-day appear ance. Both wore dressed In their best To be sure, Abrabam'a Sunday suit had long eince become his only, every day suit as well, but he wore his Sabbath-day hat, a beaver of ancient de sign, with an air that cast Its reflec tion over all his -apparel. Angeline had on a black silk gown as ehlny as the freshly polished Btove she was leaving In her kitchen a gown which testified from its voluminous hem to tho soft yellow net at the throat that Angeline was as neat a mender and darner aa could be found In Suffolk county. A black silk bonnet snuggled cIobo to her.head, from under its brim peep ing a single pink rose. Every spring for ten years Angellno had renewed the youth of this rose by treating Its petals with tho tender red dye of a budding oak. (TO nF CONTINUED.) ' the BurprlBO by fanning. He put his punch In the laBt lino. Ho missed tho ball but batted out a liter ary home run. Now York Mall. How to Win an Author. "There's no greater fallacy," said an author at tho Now York Authors' club, "than the popular ono to the effect that writers don't like you to talk to them about their work. "Mark Twain exploded this fallacy well when ho said that there were three ways of pleasing an author: First, to tell him that you have read one of his books; second, to tell him you havo read all his books, and, third, to ask him to let you read the .manu script of hlB forthcoming book. The first way wins hU respect, the second wins his friendship, and the third wins his lovo." Average Consumption of Water. While the averago amount of water used daily in the cities of the United States varies from 50 to 160 gallons per capita, thero is an almoBt uni form consumption of a llttlo more than half a gallon by each person for drink ing purpoaoj. " 'Jim,' said tho tavern-kooper, 'what did you think of that applejack I solaV you last nlghtr "'Oh. it was flen stuff,' said Jlmf 'good, warmln' stuff. It had only one fault, Every time I coughed K set my whiskers afire.'" The First Dread. Tho "Btaff of llfo" wiu hy'no means tin first llnm nn mnn'a til it nt tarn For We know not how many ages liu - tunii beluga, lived entirely without bread or an) thing approaching' It la ARMIES OF POWERS COMPARED I 1 r 1 1 1 w XwUfyl bbt ia'an I o w w I I rrtAMcx tRMANY REAL BATTLE CAPABILITIES OF THE ARMIES OF EUROPE "Do you know that the contending armies in Europe today are battling upon their peace time footings?" asked a colonel on the general staff of the United States army. "And don't for get that the nation that gets Its fight ing force up to its full war strength first will gain a material advantage In the present turmoil." This means that any hasty deduc tions made upon the basis of fights won and lost up to date may soon prove absolutely misleading. . The question then arises: Which of the struggling armies can reach its war strength soonest, and, with that attained, what are Its chances for maintaining that standing in the gru eling days to come? The answer is a matter of administrative efficiency first, and then follows naturally tho relative merits of the reserve material upon which the nation can draw as battle after battle and disease thin the ranks of those in the field. At present the Germans are virtually lighting alone tour other nations, but their Initial setbacks are not properly a true Index of what la to coma In tho near future. Some Figures. As It Is necessary to deal with fig ures it Is Just as well to begin now as later. Thoao figures, Interpreted In the light of additional Information have another meaning, one that comes closer to, the tacts inspiring the ag gressive policy aBBumed ny the kai ser In face 'of seemingly appalling odds. According to 'authoritative in formation tho peace and the war foot' lng of the powers named are as fol lows: Peace. Russia ....771,193 Germany .EGS.ccs France ...633,670 Auttrla ..313,353 Italy 211,301 England .,206,626 Japan . ...1S2.503 War. Roiervea, Total. C, 497,337 CSI4.SS3 3,9V).7I0 3,02.1,52! 1.871,494 438,693 1.264,2( 1,079,387 6,400,000 844,933 c.ooo.coo 3,250,000 2.500.000 1,500,000 215,000 1.000.000 70O,i4) 523,624 371.494 223,633 264,300 As between Franco and Germany apart from the latter'a superior war footing, the total of the fully tralnod reserves In the Fatherland would be the most potent factor In a prolonged struggle and also tho Justification for a vigorous initiative despite early heavy Iobbcs. Both Germany and France have in the last two yearB In creased the period ot service from two to three years. In Franco this lengthening of the term with the col ors aroused a great deal ot opposition, not to say discontent. V Immediately back of these .soldiers are the first reserves, men who but recently have finished their full tours of active service and of course are familiar with the latest practices. Now look at the foregoing figures. Ger many's peace footing is only 29,895 men stronger than that of France, but upon the first call to arms this moder ate juperority Immediately Jumps to the greater figure of 144,203, giving the kaiser an advantage of noarly 21 per cent But this Is only the beginning of the difference. Germany's total reserve of fully trained reserves men trained with peculiar thoroughness is today quite 6,000,000, while the admittedly less ex actlngly drilled reserves of Franco 'number but 3,250,000 rank and file. Here, as can plainly be seen, tho Fa therland leads by 1,750,000 two and a half times tbo war footing of Franco, while still having In rcBorve as many as France would have at host. Setting aside the question of the relative military value ot tho training ef the German and tho French sol- l16 - 0B of. uanCm,ca.rrr a m,?,ga' cine rifle of eight mllllmlters caliber and the Qennan lafantrymon repeat TOTAL STRENGTH OF ARMV WAR fOOTlNG PEACE FOOTING irus&iA ers having a caliber ot 7.8 millime ters. Assuming the same propulsive charge, tho German gun will carry fur ther and travel tlatfer than the French . weapon, making for better marksman Bhlp at all ranges. Again, the French "rifle is heavier than the German, increasing to that extent the stress upon the man who has to carry it on long marches. The soldiers ot both uatlons cany the same number of cartridges, 120. But the saving in weight In the German musket ia offset by other weights he has to carry. Fully equipped the French foot soldier has a total bur den ot 54.58 pounds, while the Ger man Infantryman has to hoar 68.75 pounds. As a broad proposition the average German is a sturdier man than his Fronch rival, and this greater tax is wisely laid upon him. French Equipment. In the French army each coinpanj of infantry has the following portable tools: Eight shovols, four pickaxes (doublo headed), threo axes, one fold ing saw aud a pair of wire nippers. Tho ijermau foot soldier on the other hand docs not get off so easily, bo cauBe each company has to carry 100 small spades, ton pickaxes and five hatchots. Now what does this mean? Simply that tho kaiser's infantrymen aro ablo to entrench themselves quick er than their French rivals, and for that reason could hold an advanced po sition moro securely and guard them selveu against attack whlld thero bet ter than tho soldlerB of tho tricolor. Now lot us buo what Russia repre sents as a foeB to Germany on tho Fa thorlaud's northern border. Unques tionably tho czar's army la superior to the kalaor'B In more point of num bers in peace, lri war and In tho total available roscrvos, and so far as per-, sonnl bravery goes tho Russian soldier is unsurpassed. But battles are not won these days by Just numbers; training and handling of the men are of supreme importance. Broadly speaking, it is doubtful If the Russian forces are any better t ralued than they were when they measured strength with the Japanese in 1904-05. The infantry are armed with magazine rifles of 7.62 millime ter calibor, and as marksmen they are nothing llko tho equals of the Ger mans. How They Compart. Russia is measurably superior to I Germany In tho matter of Infantry, cavalry and artillery In the form of flold guns, and Germany, in turn, leads France in the vital .feature ot artillery. Artillery has played a prime part in all great wars, and the popular idea Is that it Is upon these guns that the tide of battle turns. In a measure thht Is so, for the field pieces havo to pro tect or support the infantry; but with this done, the decisive outcome ot an action depends upon the conduct and gallantry ot tho foot soldier, for he constitutes tho backbone of any mili tary force. As a matter of history, the French have led in field ordnanco ever since tho Franco-Prussian war. Tho French wero the first to adopt tho long rocoll which mado It pouBlb,lo to use higher propulsion charges and to securo hot ter practice against tho target, and to thorn, too, Is owed tho Introduction ot the Bpado upon tho trail by which tho rocoll of tho carrlago could be checked, thus making It posslblo for tho gun pointer to hold his position and to flro deliberately and rapidly. To the French, also, tho, world is Indobtod for tho higher dovoloprnont of the shrapnel shell with Its withering blast of leaden bullets. b. f I V. t,t v'tel ttiJ. hXhiAM-M' Kp&iMtfJ M, . tj iiyjirii.. , f j (-.-, r if it ,.