Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898 | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1898)
K wnnren wmwwti ysa mm rawm iffi May 1 get married standing jest in Pineville Joe and Polly lived on adjoining five acre lots with only a fence be tween them It was not a very high fence nor a strong one either for it was almost rotted down in many places It was said that years ago Joe and Polly had been sweethearts but that they had quarreled about some trifling matter and that they had not spoken to eacli other since that day Jonessy had just been elected justice of rineville and was Ioolcing around to see where the fees of the office were to come from As i here was nothing for him to do in the office lie thought that it was his duty to go outside of it and hunt up something In debating the question with himself as to what would be most likely to bring him in a fee his mind of course turned to marriages When Joe Peterman and Polly May get married he repeated to himself smiling Well it is a duty I owe to this community to end that quarrel of theirs the first thing and it is a duty I owe to myself to see that they get married as soon afterward as possi ble So Jonessy took a walk out to Joe Peter mans place and found the latter at home Joe he said after some talk on subjects in general Joe I came out to see jou on official business Joes eyes flew wide open I havent been doing anything wrong have I he asked with trem bling voice The truth was that Joe had thrown a brickbat at Pollys cat the night be fore and without really intending to do so had hit her and knocked her out of his favorite peach tree and had felt rather mean about it ever since Well I dont know Jonessy replied cautiously for he could see that Joe had something on his mind and thought to draw him out You see Joe the right and the wrong generally depends on the circumstances attend ing the case Thats what I reckoned said Joe You see I saw her coming through the fence and tried to make her go back And she wouldnt go No What did you do next Soon as I spoke she ran up that peach tree and went to clawing and scratching the bark She did eh She did Then I got mad like a fool said Joe hanging his head I picked up a brickbat and threw it at her and down she came kicking her legs like- drumsticks Didnt she say anything asked Jonessy Who Why Polly May of course You didnt think that it was Polly I treated that way did you asked Joe No hardly But who was it It was Pollys cat Jonessy I thought that perhaps Polly had seen it and gone to you and entered a complaint against me No she hasnt done it yet Joe but there is no telling how soon she may do so said Jonessy Then he added con fidentially If I were you Id go over and see her and settle the whole thing out of court After Jonessy left him Joe stood and scratched his head for some time The whole thing was a puzzle to him Had Jonessy known more than he pretend ed If so had Polly told him And if Polly had was it at her suggestion that Jonessy had come and told him to go and see her It is ten years since we spoke he mused with a sad smile while a mock ing bird was singing blithely in a tree close by Then suddenly he burst out laughing The idea of Polly climbing a tree he cried And me throwing brickbats at her and she falling ha-ha-ha But Jonessy walked homeward in quite a different mood Somehow he felt that his mission had been rather a failure Still every once in awhile a gleam of hope darted upward and he thought that he could see a fee of office afar off As he walked along musing and dreaming he found himself suddenly face to face with a woman carrying a huge basket on her arm How do you do Judge she cried cheerily letting her basket down to the ground I was real glad to hear that you was elected Thank you Polly I was just think 4ing about you when you bobbed up aid Jonessy Have just been over to fefce your neighbor Joe Peterman and was on my way home with my thoughts full of both of you Polly frowned 4 HEN Joe Peterman and WHEN was a Joe isnt going to have me to court is he she asked Cant say Polly I reckon that de pends as much on you as on him Well he had no business coming in through the window like he did Polly cried It served him only right that the window fell down on him like it did and caught him by the leg Of course when I grabbed him by the throat to keep him from squalling and he cut me on the wrist I was mad enough to kill him But I kept my tem per and I didnt hurt him any more than I could help she protested But Joe didnt Jonessy bogan Of course Joe didnt Joe never would listen to reason cried Polly But Polly Joe Jonessy began again Thats all right Jim Jonessy you have Joes side of the story and I am going to tell mine cried Polly After I got him loose I bothered with him all day and doctored him and that night after dark I carried him in my arms to the fence and set him down on the other side Goodness Polly you dont mean to tell me that you carried him in your arms Jonessy exclaimed Well I just did and Ill swear to it before Joe or anybody I wouldnt do it if I was you said Jonessy earnestly Why there isnt a soul in Pineville would believe you could do it Could do what Why carry Joe Peterman in your arms of course Jim Jonessy you are a fool she cried very red in the face It is Joes old Dominick rooster I have been talk ing about Why yes of course stammered Jonessy in confusion trying to smile I was just teasing you Polly know ing that you and Joe were such old friends But did Joe say he was going to take me to court she asked Not exactly but I advised him to go and talk the matter over with you Say Polly you two ought to make up You take my advice said Jonessy Then Jonessy went one way and Polly went the other each one busy with many thoughts That evening Mrs Jonessy asked her husband how many fees the new office had brought him This is the first day you know he smiled faintly I have just been set ting the wheels in motion to day and the fees will come in after awhile Yes when Joe Peterman and Polly May get married she said laughing Jonessy had accomplished something that day He had set Joe and Polly thinking about each other Joes long lantern jawed face usually sober and solemn had relaxed into smiles several times and once he had actually caught himself humming an old song that had lain forgotten for years within him On the other hand Pollys round and rosy face that was supposed to wear a smile even in sleep was very thoughtful and sad And while bending above the rjuJUwssHit steam from the fragrant teapot at the supper table her eyes seemed filled with unshed tears Poor Joe she sighed as she sat down to her lonely meal I thought sure that he would get over it and mar ry some one else but it seems that be doesnt care any more than I do for anybody and both of us just persist in being wrong when only a word from either of us would make things so dif ferent Just then a cat came in at the open door and when Polly saw that it limped slightly on one leg she sprang up from the table and caught it in hei arms Poor Kitty she murmured I won der who hurt you You cant tell can you I can said a manly voice in the doorway and a moment later Joe en tered the room Jonessy told me to day that you intended to sue me foi throwing a brickbat at your cat he said Polly eyed her visitor closely for a moment and seeing that his eyes were upon her supper table instead of upon herself the hard lines that had come around her lips relaxed into a smile Gome in Joe she said gently Will you take a cup of tea with me Then you aint mad because I crip pled your cat Joe she cried trying to look se vere will you take a cup of tea with me Yes You aint mad Polly Polly did not reply but busied herself refilling the teapot and making room for him at the table When Joe was seated at the table Polly sat down opposite to him and watched him in silence for several min utes So Jim Jonessy has been telling you that I was about to take you to court for crippling my cat has he she said at last I met him when he came from your house and he hinted that you might have me prosecuted because your old Dominick rooster came over here and got himself crippled the other day I never said no such thing Polly cried Joe Nor did I said Polly I never mentioned rooster to him And I never said cat 1 wonder how he found out cried Joe I guess our consciences gave It away When I think of it now he never said rooster to me until I had Vti I CAN SAID A MANLY VOICE IN THE DOORWAY told him all about it myself said Pol ly smiling I remember now that it was the same with me and the cat said Joe I know I wanted to tell you how sorry I was and it was all I could think of when Jonessy came to see me I am sorry too Joe said Polly and I hope you wont think that I done it on purpose Somehow the summer dusk gathered around them and neither seemed to notice it as they talked on and on across the table between them After awhile however Polly rose and went to the open door where Joe followed her Say Polly he said taking her un resisting hand I have been sorry for everything all these years wont you say that you forgive me Polly looked up into his face - I have been sorry too Joe Oh so sorry Just then Pollys cat purring softly rubbed herself against Joes leg and at the same moment old Dominick crowed lustily on his own side of the fence Now in rineville a good many things are dated from the time when Joe Peterman and Polly May got married St Louis Globe Democrat Ill Omened East Wind There are twenty two allusions in the Bible to the east wind nineteen of them being of a disparaging character When an only son comes down town earlier than ten in the morning he looks as though he hadnt had his sleep out iir m jjs - JWl KJ ssti IftffflllT Sir Charles Gavan Duffy once had put into his hands by a hostess a vol ume containing some of his own poems and was asked for his opinion of them Dreadful drivel replied the modest Sir Charles His predicament may be imagined when his hostess flushed and said sharply I dont mind your laugh ing at me but pray dont laugh at verses which came to me from the very heart of my husband when we first knew each other and which I will treasure to my dying day A member of the National Guard of Pittsburg who has been absent from the city nearly a year had been wiring his captain at brief Intervals for a week inquiring anxiously when he should re port for duty The captain answered by wire several times but the thing got monotonous When affairs assumed definite shape he set the anxious mili tiaman whose given name was John a brief telegram Johnny arrived in the city next night and exhibited the tele gram to his comrades It read John ny get your gun When Huxley visited this country some years ago says the Ladies Home Journal he was entertained at the home of his friend John Fiske the his torian At breakfast when the raised biscuits were passed it was noticed that Huxley took one eying it curious ly and laid it carefully beside his plate for further investigation It was evi dently an unknown quantity to him As soon as he could quietly without being observed gain the attention of his host he lifted the biscuit solemnly and holding it out to Prof Fiske in the palm of his hand said in a whisper Is this is a buckwheat cake Fiske General Grant when in Scotland heard a great deal about golf and be ing a guest at a country house express ed a wish to see how it was played Ac cordingly the two gentlemen went out to the park The host teed the bail and waggled the club with all due solem nity and the Generals expectations ran high as he observed these impressive preliminaries Presently there was a heavy thud a flight of turf and the lit tle ball still sat on the tee Again and yet again a thud heavier than before with turf still flying with ball unmov ed with the golfer perspiring and per plexed Whereupon General Grant gen tly remarked There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game but I fail to see the use of the ball Ellas Howe the inventor of the sew ing machine proved his patriotism dur ing the war by enlisting and bj fre quent heavy contributions from his pri vate purse In November 1SG2 his regiment was in Virginia suffering great discomfort Not having been paid off and the men needing money Private Howe advanced 13000 due them He sat at a table handing out the money when a clergyman asked him for a subscription toward a new ohurch Oh said Howe this is war time Yes the clergyman replied but we need churches and hope you will give us something for St Peters St Peter said Howe he was the fighting apostle and cut off a mans ear Yes Oh well said Howe Ill give you 50 for St Peter but just now most of my money is being spent on saltpetre Captain Sigsbee served as ensign un der Farragut at Mobile Bay He was in charge of the forward powder divi sion The lire was hot for a while and when it was quieter Sigsbee went aft to ask a brother ensign if there were any casualties in the after command While talking he stood up against a stanchion in the ward room The next moment there was a crash against the side of the ship within ten feet of where they stood The air was filled with dust and splinters and flying fragments The stanchion against which Sigsbee was leaning came down broken in the middle and one jagged end of it went flying Sigsbee reeled and staggered Are you hurt cried the other rush ing to him He drew himself up and said No sir but I would like to know where that went to They told him that the shot went through the side of the ship I dont mean that said he wheres the skirt of my coat One skirt of his brand new uniform coat had been ripped out of sight by the jagged end of the broken stanchion The late George Dawson accompan ied Carlyle during the latters travels in Germany in search of material for his Frederick the Great and they had with them on one occasion a quiet German book worm who did a great deal of the underground work One night having comfortably bestowed their great charge in a farm house some eleven miles from the city Daw son and the book worm betook them selves to Berlin and had a quiet dinner to themselves went to the theater sat up late over beer and a pipe or so and as a consequence of all this breakfasted rather late in the morning It was sum mer weather and they took their meal in the garden Up came a figure with flying coat tails Carlyle in a towering rage Call ye that a quiet place Call ye that a quiet place At three oclock a score of cocks began to crow and woke two score of dogs who barked till they woke a hundred oxen who lowed till I came away And ye call that a quiet place The Reindeer Moss Though the common name of this little plant of a gray tint is reindeer moss cladonis rangiferina it really belongs says the Boston -Transcript jto the family of lichens These are a little lower in the scale of life than the mosses which have roots and leaves The lichens have neither stems noi leaves and may grow flat orpon the surface of the trees rocks or ground or may as in the present case grow up in numerous thread like parts The reindeer moss is very common in the old pastures and open woods of New England where the soil is poor Indeed it often covers theground so closely with its compact masses that it would seem as if cows put out to pasture would find it a hard task to get a sufficient quantity of grass for their dally meal It fairly tinges the ground with a whitish gray hue When dry it Is quite brittle and very pretty its stem like parts being hollow like little tubes They branch out and stand up some four or five Inches high After a rain this lichen Is soft to the touch It makes a beautiful addition to a fern ery where It needs no care The rein deer lichen grows in other parts of the world as well as In New England It covers the barren plains of Lapland and the northern parts of Siberia growing well where nothing else would There It forms the principal food of the reindeer from which fact It has received the name of reindeer moss It is said that at one time when there was a great scarcity of grain in Sweden this moss was ground up with flour to make bread To us the food made in this way would seem to be most unpalatable CHARITY IN FRANCE Society Women Nurse in Hospitals Where Loathsome Diseases Are Miss Anna L Bicknell writes of French Wives and Mothers in the Century Miss Bicknell saj s Ladies of the highest rank who seem the most engrossed by frivolous pleasures will perforin heroic acts of charity in the most unexpected manner The Infirm ary for Cancerous Diseases containing the most fearful and loathsome exam ples of that repulsive malady is regu larly attended by ladies of rank who have their fixed da3rs of duty when each in turn they dress the wounds with their own hands The Duchesse dUzes one of the best known leaders of fashion whose splendid festivities fill the chronicles of the leading news papers is one of the most assiduous showing an adroitness in the exercise of her charitable functions which In duces her care to be particularly de sired by the patients I know great families who when re siding in their country houses have regular days in the week when the daughters of the family dress wounds and sores among the surrounding peas antry The mothers in such families repress energetically any morbid sen sibility which might interfere with such duties What will you be fit for in after life if you cannot command your feelings I have heard said by a venerable marquise who looked as if she had stepped down from the frame of one of the pictures in her chateau I may quote another instance of a lady in a less high position who took in a wretched beggar child on a cold wintry night performing maternal offices as regards removing the consequences of his neglected condition which were so repulsive that her physical strength gave way and she was taken violently ill in consequence On my praising her charity she exclaimed almost indig nantly What when our Lord wash ed the feet of his disciples you would have me shrink from doing what is necessary for a poor wretched child merely through a feeling of disgust I said nothing but could not help thinking how many would have left the care to others It must be acknowledged howeverc that by the side of acts of heroic char ity there is saving exceptions a greal lack of that genial kindness which shows itself to equals In any trouble by many little friendly attentions in En gland and America the cup of cold water of the gospel OriRin of Visiting Cards As is the case in many other in stances we owe the invention of card to the Chinese So long ago as the period of the Tong Dynasty G1S 007 visiting cards were known to be in common use in China and that is alsc the date of the introduction of the red silken cords which figure so conspicu ously on the engagement cards of thai country From very ancient times to the present day the Chinese have ob served the strictest ceremony with re gard to the paying of visits The cards which they use for this purpose are very large and usually of a bright red color When a Chinaman desires to marry his parents intimate that fact to the professional matchmaker who thereupon runs through the list of her visiting acquaintances and selects one whom she considers a fitting bride for the young man and then she calls upon the young womans parents armed with the bridegrooms cards on which are Inscribed his ancestral name and the eight symbols which denote the date of his birth If the answer is an acceptance of his suit the brides card Is sent in return and should the ora cles prophesy good concerning the union the particulars of the engage ment are written on two large cards tied together with the red cords Satr u rd ay Evening Post OO Wooden C nrohw Some of the wooden churches of Nor way are fully 700 years old and are still in an excellent state of preserva tion Their timbers have successful resisted the frosty and almost arctic winters because they have been re peatedly coated with tar Norway pine thus treated seems to best resist decay Half a Day of Discord It requires half a day to sing the na tional hymns of China Lying will never become a lost art until all the men and women have been buried THEY CAN SING jRoyal Personages Who Have Voices Few outside the intimate court circle at Berlin are aware that the Kaiser has a very fine barytone voice and that he is exceedingly fond of singing Ger man and English ballads which he does with a good deal of expression and feeling His performances in this di rection are restricted to the evening which he spends with his family none but the most intimate friends and near est relatives being admitted to the im perial circle On such evenings as these the hours between dinner and bedtime are devoted to music the Em press being a remarkably clever pian ist while whenever Prince Henry is present he produces his violin on which he is a far wore accomplished perform er than even his Uncle Alfred the sec ond and sailor son of Queen Victoria The Emperor never sings unless either his wife or his brother consents to accompany hrm for singing is one Of the few things- perhaps the only one in which he is not absolutely sure of his superiority and It is probably precisely on that account that is to say in consequence of his diffidence that he really sings in a very pleasing manner It is King Oscar however who pos sesses the finest barytone voice in Europe and experts have declared that had he been forced to sing iustead of to reign for a living he would have sur passed every professional barytone now on the stage Queen Margherita of Italy Is pa ssionately fond of sing- ing and music but her husband King Humbert like King Leopold of gium abominates the very sound of music which grates upon his nerves None of Queen Victorias family pro i fesses to have a sufficiently good voice for singing to encourage him to per- form solos But try are all glad toj join in singing no matter when or where and their voices are easily dis tinguishable above those of the re mainder of the people singing I never have been able quite to make outt whether this is due to the peculiarity of their accent or if it is attributable to the fact that owing to their royal rank they have a right to pitch their voices higher and louder than any one else Queen Victorias third daughter the Princess Christian of belongs to choral societies in Lon don and Windsor which give public concerts In these the Princess takes an active part Nothing is more in spiring than to hear the Prince of Wales singing on Sunday at church at the top of his voice his favorite hymn Onward Christian Soldiers the roll r ing rs giving It something essential- Iy militant and military Chicago Ilec 1 ord i Neat Wives ntl Touchy Hnsbandsy Women have their faults tis true and very provoking ones thev oie times are but if we would all learn men and women that withcertaiu vir tues which we admire are always cou pled certain disagreeableuesses we might make up our minds more easily to accept the bitter with the sweet For instance every husband we be lieve delights in a cleanly well-ordered house free from dust spots and un seernry stains the painstaking machin ery necessary to keep it so he wishes never to see or seeing too often for gets to praise If then his wife true to her instincts toward cleanliness gently reminds him when he comes home that he has forgotten to use the doormat before entering the sitting room on a muddy day let him reflect before he gives her a lordly impatient ungracious pshaw how the reverse of the pic ture would suit him viz a slatternly easy woman whose apartments aro a constant mortification to him in the presence of visitors It is a poor return when a wife has made everything fresh and bright to be unwilling to take a little pains to -keep it so or to be properly reminded if forgetful on these points upon which many husbands are unreasonably1 touchy even while secretly admirJ ing the pleasant results of the vigilant eye of the good house mother Trying to 3Iake a Perfect Book It Is said that a Spanish firm of pub 4 Ushers once produced a work in whicb only one letter got misplaced through accident and this is believed to have been the nearest approach to tion that has ever been attained in a book It is f irrther stated that an Eng I lish house had made a great effort to the same end and issued proof sheets to the universities with an offer of twoj hundred and fifty dollars If any error was discovered In them but in spite ofj this precaution several blunders re- mained undetected till the work issuedf from the press Saturday Evenm Post r Or Postage Stamp Patriotism It is a sdtirce of complaint that pie put stamps on their letters in every position but an upright one Washings ton is sometimes seen on his face Grant standing on his head and Frank lin in an undignified attitude As it is not proper to hang out a flag ensign down neither is it becoming nor paj triotic to pr ste stamps in any other way than with the head turned top side up Philadelphia Times Fatal to a Pleasant Task She Yes thats the new pair of skates Uncle Ned gave me Theyre the very latest out He I dont like them as well as the old fashioned strap skates She Why He It only takes about thirty sec i onds to put them on Puck When men quit the prize ring and women give up the marriage ring jtheres new stars in the theatrical fi iuument - - - - v r -v M i IX i i ih i 1 1 H 4