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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (July 15, 1910)
NEBRASKA HOST im QIMPCD? I uis UII1ULIIU i Two Thousand Ccnilng for Na- HEET IN JULY 20-23. German Singers Come "Out West" for Elggett Musical Event In Two Years. Bring American and European Art iste With Them Two Thousand School Children in Another Chorus. Two thousand German singers, their friends and the most famous vocalists of this country and Europe will gather "out In Nebraska," July sn.23. for tha twentv-fourth biennial saengerfest of the Saengerbund ot uie Northwest. For the first time In the history of he organization a place of meeting has been selected west of the Missouri river, the society having unanimously selected Omaha as the meeting place lor the big musical event because of the large Auditorium and hotel ac commodations, as wellt as because of the largo number of German people in Omaha Interested in the saengerbund music. It Is a great thing to Nebraska to have this national saengerfest meet within its borders, as it will bring to the state hundreds of the most promi nent German citizens In the United States, and give home people an op portunity to hear them. The Saengerbund has a most thor ough way of organizing and rehearsing the music, the director traveling from one city to another throughout the year and giving Instructions, leading the local choruses and assisting the leaders to insure unison when the big event takes place In Omaha. This director, Mr. Theodore Kelbe of Milwaukee, has made his last round. His 2,000 singers are ready and could doubtless sing together without a general rehearsal. But rehearse they must, as the leaden never rest. Such a chorus will be a musical Tent In the west, and with .the artists and orchestra, five grand concerts will be given, each one different In char acter. The opening concert. Wednesday evening, July v 19, will be entirely by singers of Omaha and South Omaha, It being in the nature of a reception concert. An artists' matinee will follow Thursday afternoon, at which all the . great artists will appear on one pro gram. These will include Miss Mary Muncboff, Madame Hesse Sprotte. Myrtle Moses, Mrs. Wagner Thomas, Christian Hansen of the Bos ton Opera company and Marcus Keller man of the Royal opera house, Berlin, and others. The first concert of the mass male chorus will be given Thursday even ing, and the grandeur of such a chorus cannot be realized until it Is heard. One of the most unique arrange ments ever made with Nebraska school children Is to train them under the direction of the Saengerfest asso ciation of Omaha and present 2,000 children's voices at a national saenger fest matinee. These children, trained In the schools of Omaha' and South Omaha, will sing Friday afternoon, presenting American and German pat riotic airs The mass chorus will be the princi pal feature of the Friday evening con- cert, assisted by a sixty piece or-' chestra. which will have a place on all programs, and be directed' by Tb. Rud. Reese. The members of the Saengerbund will close the fest with a picnic, fol lowing the annual business meeting, and a street parade, Saturday, July 23. NO ROOSEVELT FOR FAIR Former President Will Visit Omaha on Septmber 2. Senator Burkett has made the defi nite announcement that Colonel Theo dore Roosevelt will be In Omaha on Friday Sept. 2. Secretary Mellor of the state board Of agriculture has decided not to try to get ex-President Roosevelt for the Nebraska state fair. He will do noth ing that might lessen the chances of (maha securing the colonel. "Pnlnnel Rivwlt la nlM . V u .... b"MB UtVUU Omaha. Sept. 2, for Cheyenne," said Mr. Mellor, "and that would be a week before the fair, so it would do us no good to secure him for the fair crowd. If he stops over in Omaha more peo ple would get to see him and It would not Interfere with the crowds which are coming to the state fair." Hut Gets Honor. W. N. Huse, publisher of the Nor folk News, appears on the program of the sixth annual convention. Asso ciated Advertising Clubs of America, which meets in Omaha, July 18-20, and Mr. Huse will speak on "The Country Newspaper as an Advertising Medium." This is not only the first time a Nebraska speaker has been placed on the national program, but also the first time a speaker has been selected to advocate the country newspaper as aa advertising medium. The Omaha eommlttee made the arrangement, not only insisting that a Nebraskan be placed on the program, but a country paper publisher who eould bring these ers before the big buyers ot apace. A CUNNING WEASEL TW Trick by Which He Trapped His Big Rat Antagonist. Once a sawmill in a western town was Infested with rats, which, being unmolested, became very numerous and bold and played round the mill among the men while they worked dur ing the day. But one day there ap peared on the scene a weasel, which immediately declared war on the ro dents. One by one the rats fell victims to the weasel's superior strength, until only one very large, pugnacious rur was left of the once numerous colony. The weasel had a go nt the big rat several times, but on each occasion the rodent proved more than a match for his slender antagonist and chased the weasel to a hiding place. Shortly thereafter the weasel was seen busily digging under a lumber pile near the mill. He was engaged for some time, but later appeared again in the mill, seeking his old ene my. He soon found him and at once renewed hostilities. As usual, after a lively tussle the rat got the better of the argument, and the weasel ran, pur sued closely by the rat, straight to the hole under the lumber pile. He ran in. still followed by the rat. but immediately reappeared round the end of the pile and again dodged into the hole behind the rat. Neither was seen again for some time, but the weasel finally reappeared, looking no worse for the fight. The curiosity of the men in the mill being aroused, thoy proceeded to in vestigate the hole under the lumber pile. They found that the weasel had dug the hole sufficiently large nt the opening to admit the rat, but had gradually tapered it as he proceeded until at the other end it barely allowed his own slender body to pass. When the rat chased him into the large end of this underground tunnel he quickly slipped through, and while the rat was trying to squeeze his large body into the smaller part of the hole the weasel dodged in behind him, caught him in the rear and in a place where he eould not turn round and fin ished him at his leisure. Harper's Weekly. POISON IN FLOWERS. Dainty and Beautiful Blossoms In Which Lurks Death. When the good friar in "Romeo and Juliet' reflected upon the properties of the simple flower, "within whose infant rind poison hatb residence and medicine power." his observation em braced a goodly category of well known flowers whose secretions fur nish the world with so many poisons. For Instance, the laburnum, which has been compared to a fountain of gold leaping into the sun a. most charming sight is one of the most poisonous things imaginable, Inasmuch as it. is poison In loaf nnd flower and seed. Even the grass growing be neath it is poisonous by reason of its proximity to the innocent looking blos soms overhead, and ifr has been found necessary to guard against cattle eat ing this grass for fear of fatal results. The bulbs of such dainty and, beau tiful flowers as the narcissus, hyacinth, jonquil and snowdrop secrete the most deadly poisons, not to peak of the oralis, the monkshood ad the fox glove, all of which furnish noxious liquors sufficient to destroy life. To these may be added certain of the crocuses, the lovely lady's slipper, the quaint old jack-in-the-pulpit and the laughing little buttercup. The lat ter, despite its most innocent appear ance, is one of the worst of the poi sonous flowers. Even the cow is aware of that and carefully avoids it. The cousins of the buttercups, the -peonies, the larkspurs and the rest, all contain toxic fluids. Another source of deadly poison Is the olenader tree, while the bark of the superb catalpa tree contains .many deadly doses. Pittsburg Dispatch. An Unfamiliar Alias. There may be nothing in a name, but the American traveler of whom the Living Church tells found at least confusion therein, ne bad landed at Liverpool and hastened out of the city to a rural village, where he found a charmingly old fashioned inn wblcb delighted bis soul. It was late when he arrived, and when he asked what he could have for supper the buxom landlady suggested minced collops. He agreed with enthusiasm, the dish sounded so romantic, so Robin Hoodsy, so almost mediaeval. And what do you suppose they brought him? Just plain hash!' Bread In Sweden. In Sweden the bread of the people Is for the most part hard, thin as a din ner plate and about the size of one. It is baked without yeast, and tbe water is practically all extracted In the proc ess of baking; hence, relatively per pound of bread, its cost is much high er than la the common forms of bread as we know them, containing one-half their weight In water that has cost nothing. Loaf bread and rolls in Swe den are a luxury. Making Time Profitable'. "See here," cried the busy merchant. "don't you know my time is valua ble?" "Well," replied the book agent, "I'm sure it might be valuable to me. If you'll give me five minutes of it I be lieve I can sell you a set of these books." Catholic Standard and Times, Finding Issues. "We've got to buy a paper If we wish to go In politics." "Sure. Then we'll have a lot of is sues to offer the people." St. Louis Star. THE JADE STOi STREET, Experience of an American Who Went Through It. By CLARISSA MACKIE. Copyright, 1910, by American Press Asso ciation. Granville lazily rolled another ciga rette. "W liy is it called 'the Jade Stone street V" he ijtiestioned. Xeal Scott did not remove his gaze from the busy Shanghai thoroughfare outside the club room windows. "I don't know," he said. A boy approached with a tray of tinkling glasses, and Scott bent his head over the tray as if to hide the concern in his eyes. Granville waited until the boy had departed and then tossed his cigarette away and stiffened in bis chair. "I'm going into the old city tomorrow, and I intend to find out why it is called the Jade Stone street." "A foolish quest," returned Scott lightly. "Once before a man went into the city to find that out, and he never came back." 'I shall find out nevertheless," said Granville stubbornly, "or I'll never come back either." 'I'll go with you, then." Scott's voice was matter of fact now. "Not if there is a risk. This is my own funeral," objected the other. "As your most intimate friend it is my duty to attend upon your obse quies, then," retorted Scott, rising and stretching his lean form lazily. The conversation turned to other matters, but later before parting for the night they agreed to meet early the next morning and go into tbe na tive city upon Granville's "asinine quest," as Scott chose to call k, which they did. Almost before they knew it they were approaching one of the dark, cavernous gates of the old city. "Got a gun?" asked Scott suddenly. Granville smiled sheepishly. "Yep. , , BK DAKEO NOT TURN H18 HEAD. Thought I might need it after what you said." The other nodded approval and touched his own hip significantly. ? "There are many more fascinating streets than the one you are seeking," said Scott after long silence. There was a trace of uneasiness in his voice that Granville noted with a lurking smile. "There is 'the Street of the Brilliant Eye or 'the Thousand Bells' a dozen others far more suggestive than this one." . "The Jade Stone street for mine!" said Granville emphatically. Scott and Granville approached it from the lower end, and once in the shadow of the swinging signs, with nothing save thick mud beneath their feet, Granville's Interest waned. His quest seemed an idiotic one, and he marveled at , Scott's patience in ac companying him. Nevertheless he tried not to show his indifference and look ed about for some means of obtaining his information. A carver in ivory and jade peered out from his niche fn the wall, and Granville stopped abruptly. "Will you act as my interpreter, Neal? I'll ques tion this old duffer. - He's the oldest Chinaman I ever saw." The Jade cutter's wheel had ceased its whirring revolutions, and the old man watched the Americans from his twilight niche as some brazen god in its shrine might have done. There was the same impassivity of counte nance. Even the eyes, like bits' of polished jet, were motionless. Then stillness fell upon the street. Save for the shuffling of padded shoes there was silence profound. Granville cleared his throat noisily and then started at the sound of his own voice. He turned to his companion. "You've made me as nervous as a' witch, Neai," he complained. "Just ask the old beggar why this is called the Jade Stone street and get it over with." Scott put the question In the vernac ular, and tbe yellow lips moved in an swer. "Says he doesn't know; always been called that." There was" a malicious gleam fn Scott's blue eyes. Granville stared resentfully at the gleaming black eyes, so fathomless to his probing question, and turned away. With his movement the street seemed to sink into a twilight obscurity, from which shadowy forms melted as if by magic and left the narrow pavements untenanted. The sun had drawn be hind a heavy black cloud, and a low mutter of thunder vibrated the build ings. "Where have they gone?" he ques tioned, wondering. Scott shrugged his broad shoulders. "I'm afraid we'll find out in a min ute," , he growled. "1 was a fool to humor you, Granville, We're in a dev il's mess." "I don't understand now what it's all about, Neal. What harm have we done merely asking a few questions?" Granville's voice took on an injured tone. "I told you it was foolhardy to med dle in things that do not concern us. We'll have to run the gantlet of some thing, as we must do now!" Scott spoke in a low tone, but his voice was acute with restrained feeling. "Run the gantlet!" echoed Granville faintly. The other pointed up the gray tun nel of the street, where a patch of lighter gray shone like a window in a high wall. "See that?" he asked. "Yes." "That's the end of the street, the top of the wall. The gray spot is our goal now. Give me your gun, Dick. I'll understand when to give it back to you, never fear! There! Follow me. Run for your life toward that gray square of light at the top of the wall. Remember, there are a thousand yel low faces behind doors and windows and lurking in alleyways. Our safety depends upon our speed! Ready go!" Like arrows from the bow the two men shot forward, Scott leading by a bare twelve inches. Granville's face was quite pale, and he tried not to see the peering faces even as Scott had described them. He heard long hiss ing breaths, and strange shrill cries broke behind him as he ran. They passed through an empty street, yet as they passed it was peopled behind them with padding trit-trot of feet and low cries and shrill cackles. Scott's long, white clad form covered the distance with amazing agility. To Granville's tired eyes he seemed mere ly a white streak which he must fol low or be struck in the back. 1 Time and again, he felt that some assassin hand hovered over him. yet he dared not turn his head lest the hand make the downward stroke. He panted up the incline in Scott's wake, with starting eyes glaring at the gray patch of light growing larger every moment. Behind him sharp cries mingled with the pushing crowd. Afterward he never heard that shrill cry of the Chinese, "Hal yah!" with out the same feeling of blind terror that pursued him up the incline of tbe Jade Stone street to the very parapet of thS wall, where he fell breathless beside his friend. It was several moments before he realized that they were safe ' at the end of the street. Several white clad forms trooped jajong the wall from the river gate and. witting on the parapet, stared inquisitively at -Granville. "Feel better, old chap?" they asked in chorus. , "Haven't got all my wind back," ad mitted Granville dazedly. He wonder ed vaguely why these chaps from the club should have appeared at the very moment when, the danger over, he and Scott had reached a zone of safety at the top of the bill. Their smiling faces under white sun hats and the genera) air of hilarity that prevailed during the lighting of cigarettes seem ed strangely out of place after his race with death. He shuddered slightly and turned to Scott. That gentleman had joined the oth ers on tbe wall and seemed more in tent ' on the flight - of a carrion crow drifting black against the gray clouds than on the recent exciting events. "Why is it called the Jade Stone street, ; Granville?" snickered Beals from the end of the row. i ' . ' Granville .stared, at first uncompre hending and at last with growing light. He got upon his feet and scraped the mud from his white shoes, "Was it a plant?" he demanded. Their roars of laughter answered his question. He turned and looked down the street and into the jostling, shifting crowd. A shrill "hai yah" pierced the air, and be felt the hair crinkle along his forehead and turned back swiftly to hide his agitation.' .., . ' "Initiation, I suppose." he grunted, half angry, wholly relieved for the moment. Scott's mirthful face sobered, and he reached out a hand and pulled Gran ville down beside him. "We've , all been through the mill, Dick,"' he ex plained. "It's the only way tovteach a newcomer to keep away from the native city if he has any idea of pry ing aroupd. We run the new chaps through this street. So many of us have run the gantlet that the natives catch on In a minute when they see a couple of us drawing near and one a stranger. They lend themselves un consciously to the little farce and dis appear. But it might become a trag edy at any moment if bad men from any other street should be on hand, say a few river pirates spending their money in the city! As it is, the Jade Stone street is the most peaceful thor oughfare in Shanghai. The denizens are harmless, industrious workmen, oven as the old carver of jade whom you questioned. But you know how It feels to realize that a real Chinese snob is at your heels, and it teaches you how to keep out of danger.:' Would you want to try it again, old man?" After a long silence Granville spoke one word. "Thanks," he said gruffly, And they all understood. PLANNED BY A WIDOW Bv M. QUAD ' Copyright. 1 1910. by Associated Lit erary Press. The widow HuDnewell bad been a widow for, four years, and she hadn't found much in life for her. She had bad to split her owd wood, build her own fires and milk her own cow. Ev ery day she bad missed Mr. Hunne well. and when night came and the wind moaned and tbe rain fell and tbe shingles blew off tbe roof she wept and wished it were all over. At length Professor Doty arrived in the village. Not only that, but he ar rived next door. He was a professor of natural history in a college, and he raine to the village for his vacation. He was a man of sixty, tall and re served and dignified. He gave every one a feeling of awe. Mr. Hunnewell. on tbe contrary, had been short and fat and jolly, and people used to poke him in the ribs and joke with him. It was probably the contrast that caused the widow to fall In love at first sight. She leaned over the fence and intro duced herself, and he approached and talked to her. He bad found a tree toad bidden in the bark of a1 locust tree, and be was glad to talk to some one about his find. While the professor lectured the wid ow fell deeper in love and kept ex claiming: "Do tell!'' and "Oh, my soul!" She was an interested listener. She said she'd give anything to learn all about toads and bugs and grasshoppers and clams, and the professor was a bit flattered. If the woman next door had been a nice, loving woman she would have invited the widow over to make further acquaintance, but she was a different person. She said that widows had too much rope as it was and that Mrs. Hunnewell was always out of tea and coffee when a neighbor wanted to borrow. And the professor wasn't to be caught sight of so often either. However, when Providence gets Its machinery once started there are gen erally results. One night when the wind didn't moan and the shingles didn't rattle, but when It was moon light and calm Instead, tbe widow was awakened from her sleep by a bad dream. She thought herself surround ed by potato bugs and fighting for her life. The dream made such an im pression that she got out of bed and looked ont of the window. There was the explanation before her eyes. The professor had climbed the fence and was in her yard and down on hands and knees In the grass. He had on so few clothes that it was easy to guess be had risen from his bed to look for crickets. Not a word did tbe widow 'say. She just got. into bed and did some thinking. That thinking resulted in her sending for tbe village constable next day and saying to him: "Mr. Richards, If a widow living all alone should have reason to believe that her house was about to be broken Into, what should she do?" "You mean If she saw a man dodg ing around in the yard?" "Yes." Weil, she might scream." "Yes." "Or she might throw something out of the window at him." ' "Yes."- ' ' ' - "Or she might take her life and her broomstick In band and rush out and crack his skull." , , , I "I see." "But if I .was that woman I'd bor row, a shotgun, load it with salt and fire on him from a window." "And what would the salt do?" '. "Keep him In bed for about a week. If there is anybody spooking around 'your boose o nights I've got the gun 'and the salt, and you can protect your self. The law will be on your side. -Aim at bis legs and let 'er go." The widew took a couple of hours to think it over and then sent for the gun. She was taught bow to fire it, 'and when' tbe sun went down that 'evening sbe felt that events were go ing to happen before morning. What Professor Doty was looking for the 'night before was crickets. Their songs bad floated into bis open window at midnight and awoke him. He bad .climbed the fence into tbe next yard 'without a thought of trespass.' He bad got down on bands and knees and ipawed around, but the crickets had evaded blm. . He would try again. : If there bad been any bells in the itown they would have been striking II o'clock when the waiting, watching 'widow heard some one softly drop from the fence, then come into sight crawling over the grass. Sbe saw him grab with this hand and tbe other and i heard him chuckle. Then she pointed '.the gun ou of the window and shut her , eyes and fired. There was a 'whoop and a yell, and sbe rattled downstairs to find tbe professor lying on tbe grass. He bad been salted. Nevermore would ne: be fresh again. (Nevermore would be want any salt on ibis potatoes., v 1. Of course the plan was to rush him 'into tbe house, call a doctor and keep !hlm around for a week as an Invalid. There would be romance in the salt and gratitude for the soups prepared for him, and those things might lead on and on. They didn't, however. The professor cussed; he swore; he wrig gled; he said that any woman ywho would shoot a barrel of salt Into an 'innocent man ought to be banged, and as be made his way to the fence be called back: ' "And my wife la coming here In the morning to stay for two weeks. Wo man, keep your old crickets and be banged to your A BRAVE GIRL Her Terrible Experience While en Smuggling Expedition. This ta.j of heroism displayed by a young woman engaged in smuggling contraband goods over the Swiss-Italian border comes from Geneva: i'MUe. Poretti. aged eighteen, and her broth er, aged twenty-three, left Swiss terri tory to cross the Baldisco pass carry ing contraband goods' into Italy. On the summit they were overtaken by a violent snowstorm and were soon in deep snow. Tbe Porettis roped them selves, the young umu leading. i They lost their way. and . while attempting to find tbe path -Poretti fell through the snow into a crevasse into which he nearly dragged bis sister. The girl, however, planted her ice ax In the snow and withstood the shock. 'Early the Dext morning several smugglers crossing the pass from; Swiss territory into Italian found the young girl near the ordinary route tak en by smugglers and recognized her at once, as sbe belonged to a smuggler's family and lived at Chlavenna. The smugglers at once drew up the broth er, but found that he had died during the thirteen hours his sister had held him by the rope. ..' He had received se vere Injuries in the bend, and his body was frozen. . ,-. "The smugglers carried down the brave girl, who was almost uncon scious, as well as the dead body of her brother, and notified the Poretti family at Chlavenna.' On reaching the valley the girl had recovered sufficiently from' her terrible experience to explain that she and ber brother bad spoken for several hours after tbe accident and at last he had said that be felt nothing and wanted to sleep. "A warm night followed the snow storm', or two dead bodies would have been found. Under the great strain the rope bad cut through the girl's clothes and her waist was bleeding when . she : was rescued." Chicago News. . . ' MISERY AIDING MISERY. I The Helping Hand Among the Beach ' Comber of Marseilles. Harry A.' Franck in "A Vagabond Journey Around the World" writes of tbe trying times when he was a beach comber in Marseilles: "Long, hungry days passed, days in which 1 could scarcely withstand the temptation to carry my kodak to the mont de plete (pawnshop) just off tbe sailors' square. Among the beach combers there were daily some wbo gained a few francs by an odd job. by the sale of an extra garment or by 'grafting.' pure and simple. When his hand closed on a -bit of money the stranded fellow may have been weak with fasting, yet this first thought was not to gorge himself, bnt to share his fortune with his com panions under hatches. In those bleak November days many a man ranked a worthless outcast' by his more fortu nate fellow beings tolled all day at tbe coal wharfs of Marseilles and tramped back, cold and hungry, to the Place Victor Gelu to divide bis earnings with other famished mlserables whom be had not known a week before. "More than one man sold the only shirt he owned to feed a new arrival who was an absolute stranger to alL These men won no praise for their benefactions. They expected none and wonld have opened their eys in wonder If they had been told that their actions were worthy of praise. The stranded band grew to be a; corporate body. By ' a job here and there I contributed my share to the common fund, and be?' tween us we fougbt off gaunt starva tion.; .. ;. . "In a dirty alley just off the place was an inn kept by a Greek in which, one could sleep on tbe floor at 3 sous -or in a cot at 6, and every evening a band of ragged mortals might have been seen dividing the earnings of some of them into three sou lots as they made their way toward L' Au berge chez le Grec.' " Hal ley's Achievements. - , Edmund Halley , was a very great man. He was not only the first to pre dict correctly tbe return of a comet, that which is now known by bis name, but also before Newton had announc ed his results to any one arrived at tbe conclusion that tbe attraction of gravitation probably varied inversely as the square of the distance. While these and other Important achieve ments of his are well known It seems to have been forgotten that Halley de vised a method of determining the age of the ' ocean from chemical denuda tion. Dr. G. F. Becker in Science. Tommy Knew. Teacher (addressing class) A philan thropist is a person Who exerts blm- , self to do good to his fellow men.. Now, if I were wealthy, children, and gave money freely to all needy and un fortunates who asked my aid I'd be a She broke off abruptly to point at a boy in the class. "What would I be. Tommy?" she asked. "A cinch!" shouted Tommy. Ex change. ! The Cure. He There Is a certain young lady deeply interested in me, and while I like her, you know, still I never could love her. I want to put an end to It without breaking the poor girl's heart. Can you suggest any plan? , She Do you call there often? He No, indeed; not any oftener than I can possibly help. She Call oftener. What Did He Mean? Mrs. Benham Death is the debt we owe to nature. Benham Nature does not send out her bills often enough. New York Press.