THE LOWER SHELF
By MRS. ANNA REAVIS GIST.
1 have just finished reading a great
book by a great author, in which he
veils of a wonderful corner for echoes
R corner so peculiarly situated with
vM-costie properties so sensitive and
delicate that the foot steps of one
person echoed and re-echoed, until >*
seemed that hundreds of people were
passing; and it was a familiar past
kipio for those living near to listen
M,d muse thereon, wondering whetli
« r the echo would never cease, wheth
it might not be the tramp of the
people coming into their lives that
they heard, or the tramp of those
gene on before, for some were com
i*g, some going, some hurryiing, som
faltering, some firm, some a mere
patter, patter, some afar, some near,
but all in the distant street.
I’ve read that story often before
very often—and always with interest,
but never with a keener delight than
this time, and as I laid the book
down just now, the echoes seemed
in come into my room.
Ml sounds of life are dead, save
ibe unceasing sobbing of the night
wind as it sweeps over the fast whit
ening world without—it is a very
cold night too and I draw my chair
closer to the big open hearth—full
of blazing red coals, with a wrought
icon grate and a brass fender and a
draft of such suction that stray
scraps of paper, held near, whirl
and eddy until in a flash they disap
pear into the capacious chimney
down which the winter storm moans
a,3id groans and shrieks and screams
ns though it and the run away bits
0i paper were chasing each other, like
the thoughts in my mind when the
night wind blows and solitude
creeps over the world. The flame
fitfully fanned; plays hide and
seek with the shadows, all other
lights are low and I am alone with
the echoes, and as they whisper
and whisper, I dream and dream and
dream. What a way they have of
merry making when the night wind
sighs and they startle us with the
familiarity of their voices; they
speak not always in the tone we have
latest heard, hut as often in the
a sound of “a voice that is still, one
whom we have “loved long since and
lost awhile,” for you know every
house ha6 two classes of tenants, the
ones who laugh and talk and work in
ii and the ones who long ago fell
asleep in it and who came silently
back at an hour like this and whisper
in the accents that we know and
that stir the heart, and so quietly
that the very silence is eloquent.
Which is more vividly present with u
In our solitude, the one who sleeps
after a busy day, or one that sleeps
after a long busy life? Which one
enters the holy of liolys within us of
tener and sets the echoes stirring?
The fire sputters and flutters and the
' hoes answer “which.”
An hour ago or more a sleepy little
form crept upon my lap and clasped,
about my neck, two chubby dimpled
arms, “a necklace of love" that 1
wouldn't exchange for gold fir jewels
and she drozily said "tell mo a story,
mother."
I socm to hear the baby voice now
ami again to say, "A story? a story
of what little daughter?”
“Oh of when you were a little girl
like me," and the echoes came like
a mighty host from the hazy hills
uf long ago, and I told her the story
of the echoes, in which there were
little children like, her, who played
together and sang together and trod
the beaten paths of the old orchard
together, where some of their sweet
est memories, like birds of bright
plumage, have built their nests, which
hang weather beaten and brown
through all the years; and how they
loved the snow as she does and
watched for old Santa with the same
asticipat.ion that she does, and she
listened to the story of dolls and
sleds, candles and cookies, so often
repeated, with as great interest as
though it weere the first time she ha
heard it; if I failed to relate some
p*rt that had interested her before,
'he supplied it and often corrected me
in the narrative. It was as real to
her as though it were her own. The
story finished and she lay in my armt
thinking, suddenly she said "Did you
have lots of cookies, mother and
were they always on the lower
shelf?*' She hesitated a moment and
then continued, ‘‘Aunt Emma keeps
hers on the lower shelf and 1 love
Aunt Emma.”
1 remember how the tired little
face flushed ns she poured foil h her
Childish interpretation of life's lesson
in which the letters spell "love and
gentleness and patience” and the sum
toial to the problem is a "merry lieai
that doth good like a medicine." How
often by us older grown it is read
(brought, a glass and darkly—nothing
mu of order, no dust nor litter—
these things are more to be avoided
than disappointing a child and free
access to a cookie jar m >ans crumbs
you see.
How often I’ve seen children—mere
babies—look with wistful eyes at the
jars upon the upper shelf and turn
away disappointed for the things they
longed for and looked for and that
were dear to their childish hearts
were with held and dealt out only
upon request and then sparingly and
with many an admonition that took
away half of the appetizing flavor.
Do you know 1 want to go to my
baby’s room and kneel by her little
cot while I tell her, how in her sim
plicity she has taught me a great
lesson in human love—I shall never
forget it—a little child sat in the
midst of the wise men one day, and
taught them and a little child is
teaching yet.
The clock on the mantle is striking
the hour, the cold of the night wind
is striving for entrance though door
and window crevice and my fire is
burning low,still,the echoes tire not.
Ail, me,—from the midst of distant
years there comes a picture—hazy
and Indistinct as to detail, yet in
some, respects as clear and vivid as
though it wore but yesterday that I
saw' it—an old stone cookie jar—al
ways on the lower shelf—I see an
expectant baby face with tiny hands
out stretched—hands so small and
chubby that to grasp your finger
tests their Capacity and the echoes
grew louder and more insistent, as
they bring a chuckle of delight which
bubble forth when baby hands find
the good things within the jar,
smiles and dimples form a heart that
is satisfied.
A little rumbling and a sudden
brightening of the fire startle me
from my dream—the baby is gone—•
by a strange force of mind and of
fancy he lias become a school boy,
who lias lain aside bis childishness
for boyishness, but he still seeks the
place where the cookie jar stands.
Perhaps lie emptied it when lie
left, but that does not trouble him
nor slay his foot stops for one min
ute, he knows it is not empty now—
lie never found it so- it will be filled
with cookies crisp and brown, just
to bis liking, as though some bless
■u fairy, anticipating his wants, had
mysteriously waved about it a magic
wand and lo! it was filled.
1 see him with bis hands in the
pockets of bis knickerbockers, bis
cap back from the brown locks that
wouldn't curl; the flush of health
on bis cheek and the love-light of a
boy in his eye as lie enters the door
and eagerly lays aside book and
pencil, the stern things of bis life.
A whistle of assurance escapes him
when lie finds the fulfillment of his
expectations and he feeds thereon to
his satisfaction.
The coals slip with a thud, like
that of coarse earth falling into a ne y
grave.
My boy has become a man—the sea
son of boyhood is so brief—with man
hood's pride and strength written on
every feature, but the spirit of the
eternal boy snuggles within the
coat of the man, whispering and
coaxing him to taste and see that the
cookies are good and have the same
flavor as of old. The thing that
caused the baby to chuckle and the
boy to whistle and make them happy,
warms the heart of the man and
makes him glad. He may not speak
his delight always, but that makes
no difference, it is there just the
same, for be it baby, boy or man the
i the heart remains the same, sen
sitive alike to kindness or disappoint
nent. All this the echoes told to
me and the fire; 1 listened and
learned and the fire has slipped from
| me bar to another until with a rat
tle and a last plunge they arouse
me and the little heaps of coal smug
gling so red and cheery a short time
ago. are at last charred and scarred
in their glorious fight to scatter
abroad the warmth and comfort stor
ed within them by nature's great fur
nace of power ami heat, for wanning
up this old world of ours. And l am
reminded by these inanimate strug
gles about me and the constantly
whispering echoes that there is an
other struggle going on to warm up
this old world, and a part of 'this
struggle is to deal Justly and lie gen
erous with words of praise and com
mendation to our fellow travelers lie
they large or small and with-hold not
the words of encouragement, and en
dearment that are expected and long
ed for, as something a thirst longs fo
water, or by our indifference, some
day when we are hungry and long to
be fed, we may find our selfishness
has put the jar beyond our reach and
has left a stone or a crust on the
lower shelf Instead. We do not waste
time when we pause to listen to the
echoes, they return to us that which
we have meted out, the sound is very
like the song we sing—let it then lie
Peace on earth, Good Will to Men.
Listen, oh, ye of many cares, that
the echoes may have no uncertain
sound—never mind the crumbs—nev
er mind a little undoing of your
plans—keep the cookies on the lower
shelf where baby hands may reach
and baby heart may feed and be glad.
Tliere’ll come a time when the lit
tle feet will take another path than
the one to the cookie jar and the
sound will echo and re-echo as the
hundreds of people were passing, hu(
'twill be in the busy distant street
outside and not one in sight; the
hearth will be tidy and well swept.;
the coals will be white and lifeless,
below the last bar and fire 'will have
given up the struggle to cast abroad
warmth and cheer, because the thing
it fed on has been with held and the
glow died out for want of nourish
ment; all this when the child that
scattered crumbs one baby day, will
have joined the host of the past and
the cookie jar stands unmolested.
Brethren Church.
The brethren church was first or
ganized in Richardson county at Sil
ver Creek, four miles north of town,
by people who came here from north
ern Illinois in 1868.
The city church was built in 1897.
Elders Henry Meyers, Forney, Mess
ier and Stump were among the early
ministers. The pastors in later years
have been Elders E, L. Yoder, Burn
worth, Keller, Harrison, Barker, Ditch
Haskins and Teeter. The present
pastor, Rev. .1. F. Watson came from
Beaver City eleven months ago. Rey.
.1. (J Dodds was called as associate
pastor last summer.
The custom of an annual r< vival
service, is continued at eai h church.
Both Sunday Schools have Christmas
i exercises.
In times past, the school made a
| special effort to secure gifts for the
j needy by preparing a manger, and
the offerings placed therein were al
: ways very satisfactory Indeed.
The thought is to teach the young
to give good gifts to such as are in
actual need, the same as was this
poor old sinful world, when the Fath
er gave us a precious Sovior, that
j incomprehensible gift to mankind.
The thought second is, to give fewer
gifts and less expensive ones, to
'such as have need of nothing in the
wide world.
If the young art' not taught along
this line at Christinas, they will
heap gifts on their well-to-do asso
ciates, so they have nothing left for
the needy, and many a hard working
parent will be oppressed by simply
satisfying the fad of making pres
ents .
At all Christmas exercises the won
derful Christ should be exalted and
lifted up before humanity, and our
wonderful need of the precious gift
should be emphasized, which in the
fullness of time came and gave light
, and hope to a lost and ruined race.
| Thanks be to God for His unspeak
able gift. Let us give gifts to those
[who are sorely in need,—S. Lichty.
cJHIP LINE FOR THE RICH
American Millionaires Seek Privacy
During Ocean Trips Between This
Country and Europe.
It would seem that American ml'
lionalrea are becoming extraordinarily
reserved and exclusive and they arc
beginning to object to traveling on the
ordinary boats which voyage between
America and Europe.
“We have a variety of objections t<
Ibis mode of traveling," said Ilarry
Payne Whitney, who with a big party
of friends arrived in England the oth
or day from New York. "The first I'
that even when you engage prlvat<
suites at the cost of $750 apiece, ns i
did for myself and my guests, the ae
eonuuodation Is not all that it might
be and one litis not the sense of priv
ucy one desires.”
The upshot is Unit a number of mil
linnaires which includes the Pierpont
Morgans, the Vanderbilts, the Ogdet
Millses, etc., are putting their headi
together with the Idea of building a
lew palatial floating mansions for theii
own exclusive use In which sumptuous
suites of rooms decorated in the most
approved manner will he at their dis
posal. The wealthy American now
crosses so often to and from New
York that there Is an idea that a fitly
equipped service of this kind. In which
the prices would he four or five times
more than the usual fees, would pay
handsomely.
Some of the rich Americans like to
cross with their own retinue of serv
ants and even now In numerous In
stnnces take their own chef, who does
his master and mistress’s cooking on
board.
LITERATURE AND THE BIBLE
Scriptures a Constant Source of In
spiration to Famous Writers
of the World.
Direct, but not always accurate, quo
tations from Scripture ami allusions to
Biblical characters anil events are
very numerous in English literature.
They are found in all sorts of books.
Prof. Albert T. Cook has recently
counted 63 in a volume of descriptive
sketches of Italy, 12 in a book on wild
animals, and 18 in a novel by Thomas
Hardy. A special study of the Bib
lical references in Tennyson has been
made, and more than 500 of them
have found.
The references to the Bible in the
poetry of Hubert Browning have been
very carefully examined by Mrs. Min
nie Gresham Maehen in an admirable
little book. In his longest poem, "The
Ring and the Book,” there are said
to be more than 500 Biblical refer
ences.
With what pathos does Sir Walter
Scott, In "The Heart of Midlothian,”
make old Davie Deans bow his head
when he sees his daughter Efflo on
triul for her life, and mutter to him
self, "Ichabod! my glory Is departed!"
How magnificently does Ruskin enrich
Ills "Sesame and Ellies" with that
passage from Isaiah In which the
fallen kings of Hades start from their
thrones to greet the newly fallen with
the cry, "Art thou also become weak
as we? Art thou become like unto
us?”—Century Magazine.
Corresponding.
For some girls there seems to be a
special fascination about an aimless
and silly correspondence with every
man they have ever met, even those
In the same city as themselves. This
correspondence is always useless, and
is likely to degenerate into a false and
pernicious sentimentalism.
There is no reason why a man and
a girl who are on approvedly friend
ly terms should not occasionally write
to each other of their doings and
those of their common friends, when
the two live In different towns, when
each has Interesting experiences and
opinions to give, and when the girl’s
mother knows and likes the man But
this mere writing for the hake of writ
ing, indulged in by so many very
young girls simply, It would seem, for
the ,)oy of being able to write to and
receive letters, front men. is a harmful
and ridiculous practise that should be
brought to a speedy end by those in
authority ov r the girl
Addressed the Jury.
A man who had never lx en In court
before in his life was recently called
as a witness in a court In southern
Indiana. On being sworn he took a
position with his buck to ihe jury and
began telling his story to the judge,
who courteously said: “Address your
remarks to the jury, sir."
The witness paused for a moment,
but not comprehending what was
said to him, remained In the same
position.
The judge was then more explicit
and said: "Speak to the jury, sir
—the men lx hind you on ihe benches."
The witness turned around, bowed
awkwardly, and said: "Good morning,
gentlemen."—National Monthly.
Englishwomen and the Law.
Tight-fitting dresses received some
criticism from Judge Macon at Mlooms
bury. A lady sued a dressmaker, al
leging that a hobble skirt supplied to
her was not a proper fit because It
was not sufficiently tight. Judge Ma
con directed the dress to be fitted on,
and, thus arrayed, the lady stood up
on the bench in order that his honor
might examine the skirt very closely.
"I notice a little fullness In the skirt.
Is that what you complain of? I no
tice that some dresses are made so
tight, now—In fact, indecently tight.”
Judgment was given for lady plaintiff
for tlx- cost of the material.—New
York Sun.
Your Baking Cannot Fail
If You Use Puritan Flour
Because
It’s the
Purest
Because
It’s the
Finest
wi T h e
"iis.ind bread
* iels of made from
v finest — Puritan Flour
c purest flour is whiter and
a le, leaves our lighter, the loaves
ills daily and it is larger, than from
tails all consumed any other flour. It’s
i Nebraska. I hat’s the highest grade quality
roof enough ot what through and through, sold
Nebraska thinks of Puri- to you under a positive
ian. Thousands upon money-back guarantee. Try
thousands of the state s best Puritan Hour and if you do not
families are using it. K yours like it, take the sack back and
one of them? get your money.
Wells-Abbott-Nieman Company
The Puritan Millers, Schuyler, Nebraska
C_hitistmas
Specialities
Pictures, Art Goods and
Framing
Japanese, Pastels, Water Colors
Framed Mottoes
See ns for Wall Paper, Paints. Oils and (Jlass, etc.
Kin#, Zimber DeWald
Falls Cily. Nebraska
dlPYHIGHT UlOn.BY
GEO.P.BENT. CHI.
Character is what you are.
Reputation is what people
think you are.
This is as’true ot Pianos as ot people. The reputa
tion" of the "Crown Pian >s" rests upon their character,
and their fame springs from the conlidence ot customers
and the enthusiasm of the piano dealers who know them
and recommend; them’ upon their merit. Call and see
instruments at my residence opposite Court House.
CLARENCE E. SMITH
• . I '
PrintingEnvelopes
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THAT IS WE MAKE A SPECIALTY
OF PRINTING THEM CORRECTLY
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