THE VALENTINE DEMOCRA1
I. at KICK , J'ul > I-her.
YALENT1NE , NEBRASKA
No woman has ever really though"
the photographer succeeded In doiuj
ber justice.
Gustavo Dore's "Hell" is to b <
itaged. This seems to be getting pret
ty low down.
Marion Crawf./rd has decided t <
flramati/.e one of his novels. If it take ;
well , he will arrange to dramatize tin
other J)4.71 > 8.
Mary MacLane received 100 offers ol
marriage while she was in the East
No wonder Mary thinks the East ii
"a crazy old place. "
Some ministers are eliminating UK
word "obey" from the marriage cere
mony. It's of no consequence , since
ttie world is meaningless , anyway.
The strike has not been without Its
Benefits. It has led to a more genera
Recognition of the fact that "anthra
Hte" is a noun and means "hard coal. '
While there Is nothing so exciting as
I church fight , it is generally agreed
Ihat It is much better to pray for out
Vrother than to bat him with a ver
bal ax.
The United States and Great Britain
Jandod marines in Samoa and ended a
revolution. The international arbitra-
or has decided against them. Blessed
re the peacemakers !
Speaking of the surgical operation of
pastrectomy , or cutting out the stom-
ich. a writer in the Lancet says he
'does not look upon the operation as a
favorite one. " Still he must acknowl
edge that it is very interesting.
A man who attempted to present a
t > aper to the sultan of Turkey was
Vwooped down upon by bashi-bazouks
md cast into prison. He was released
ater when it was discovered that the
locumeut was not a bill , but a petition
lor a government job.
We are feeling much relieved since
Serr von Brand , burgomaster of Bam-
icrg , Bavaria , has declared that the
fefiling of the United States arms over
lie American consulate was the "wan-
ion act of an individual. " We there-
tore ignore the act , which were impos-
rible if it had been an official insult.
"Our Lady of the Beeches' ' is the
Stle of a novel fhat is just out. If
'or "Beeches" one could read
Breeches" the romance would have a
itroug interest for various and divers
husbands who are subdued and de-
jrecatory when the partners of their
loys and sorrows are in the vicinity.
II. N. Pillsbury , the champion Ameri-
: au chess-player , hasannounced that
ae will play no more championship
natches , but will devote himself to the
vractice of the law. The temptation
o make a profession of a sport or a
; ame in which one is expert is strong
ipon many young men , but most of
.hose who yield to it soon become uu-
itted for anything else. Mr. Pillsbury
fets a good example.
American women seem to be hold-
jig their own in diplomacy as well as
ilsewhere. The new British Ambas-
jador to the United States married an
imericau ; the wife of the new French
Ambassador is also an American , and
ihe Belgian minister married his wife
m this side of the ocean. But proof
' .hat the women of this country cm
iticcessfully meet the competition of
he world was not needed. Every
American type of beauty is unsurpass-
d , and every American lover would
jhalleiige the world to produce the
fqual of the girl he likes best.
Why should old age be so dreaded' '
One would think , by the way some
oeople trick themselves out and try
avoid showing the marks of time ,
that old age was a crime. Yet old
ige maj be one of the most beautiful
Smes of life. Over and over agaiu we
lear it remarked how good looking
tfrs. So-and-So has become , and that
aer white hair has softened her face
Hid given her a beauty she never had
before. That her wrinkles , too , seem
to add to her charms , for they are
imiable wrinkles , and seem to be a
sort of reflection of bygone smiles and
kindly , gentle impulses and thoughts.
Old age is really never hideous unless
tt be vicious ; so why so many people
Ihould desire to hide it is a mystery
to many. Every right-thinking person
respects old age , ml sees nothing re
pulsive or ludicrous in it unless it
nasquerades as youth.
In spite of the continued assertion
( hat enthusiasm for historical fiction
Is on the wane the number of new pub-
jicatlons continues about the same ,
find reports of others on the' way still
Come In. At the meetings of the New !
Blgland History Teachers' Association i
to Boston Professor Kit-hard Burton
had an intelligent word to say on the
lubject of historical novels. He be
lieves an immense interest has been
iroused in the past generally , but es
pecially in our own nation1 and colo
nial past He thinks historical fiction
lids Immensely the study of history ,
ispecially with the young , and that its
rogue will continue. At the same time
te says publishers are very careful at
cresent about accepting this kind of
tction unless written in the best style.
Professor Burton is in a position well
ttted to speak on the question. His
' close connection with a leading pul
. Hilling house enables him to look a
the question from a commercial pole
of view , while his former position a
Instructor in a large university ha
given him experience enabling him t
judge of the value of historical fictio :
' upon the minds of the young. WhetL
er the historical novel is cause or el
feet of the present interest in the pas
or whether each is cause and each i
effect Is hard to say. One thing , how
ever , is certain the amount of poo
stuff that has passed current in th
guise of history lias had its day. Th
public is already discerning betwwi
good and poor work in this line , am
only the fittest is to have a chance ti
exist
The question what we shall eat con
tinues to be an absorbing one to tin
human race. There are moments ii
the life of many a woman when tin
world seems to her nothing but a va * =
market , from which she must snatd
such food as she may. and spend he
whole force in preparing it , only t <
see it disappear from her tired hand ;
before the greedy demands of appe
lite. Against the depression of thii
mood there are a few remedies. On <
is found in the determination of the
housewife that in her home the fooc
shall be so cooked and served as t (
remove the meal as far as possibl <
from the mere process of feeding , ant
allay it with the satisfaction of those
appetites that we call the higher. Th <
meal swallowed hastily in a hot , un
tidy room , from a table heaped rathei
than spread , is a degradation alike tc
cook and to eater. On the other hand
a meal served witli accessories so gor
geous as to dazzle all the senses is nc
less vulgar. A meal , be it humble 01
rich , set forth with the dignity anc
seemliuess which come from clean
linen , well-ordered dishes , and plenty
without surfeit , becomes a function as
worthy of a high spirit as the reading
of a good book or the hearing of mu
sic. There are two kinds of good cook
ing. One of them is represented by the
the work of the accomplished Frencli
chef. His sauces are "creations , " and
his omelette is worth the price of a
week's food for a family. The other
kind is as simple as it is inexpensive.
A dish of green peas prepared by a
New England farmer's wife ; a bowl
of "hasty pudding" eaten in the kitch
en where it was cooked ; a plate of
macaroni from the hand of an Italian
peasant woman these may be truly
triurnps in the art of cookery. The
conclusion of the whole matter health
ful for the tired housekeeper and for
the overfed millionaire is that food
is a means to life , not life itself ; and
that whoever overvalues or under
values it fails to live fully and richly.
Did Pelee Rob Oil Wells ?
Speaking of the decrease or almost
total disappearance of the gas pres
sure which was so long one of the
great peculiarities of the Beaumont
Held , there is a novel theory advanced.
Some men who study such things say
that just about the time of the erup
tion of Mont Pelee and the destruc
tion of St. Pierre the gas pressure be
gan to lessen and in a short while al
most entirely disapepared.
The theory is that the gas which
was under the ground at Beaumont ex
tended laterally under the earth all the
\vay down through the Caribbean Sea
md when it accumulated in large
luantilies under Mont Pelee the ex
plosion came and the supply was ex-
lausted there. In support of this wou-
lerful theory attention is called to the
fact that the famous oil pool in the
llulf of Mexico , south of Beaumont
nany miles , and which has been the
ivonder of mariners for years and
rears , is on a direct line between Beau
mont and Mont Pelee. So the neople
ivho deal in synclines and monoclines
md anticlines , says the New Orleans
Picayune , find comfort in believing
rhat the eruption of the volcano is
ivhat has caused all the damage at
lieaumont.
The Genuine Article.
A certain lady of title recovered from
i rather severe illness. An adept with
: he brush , and a regular exhibitor of
ivater colors in connection with the lo-
. al art gallery , it was supposed she
sad overworked herself.
When the doctor was called in an old
lurse , who had been in the family
nany years , bored the medical man
ivith her opinions as to the cause of
: he attack.
"It's them long hours an' hard work
) f the paiutin' what's done it , " she re-
narked directly she saw him. The
loctor was preoccupied and scarcely
leard the remark.
"Has her ladyship exhibited any
; races of hysteria ? " he suddenly de-
nanded , turning to the talkative nurse.
"Oh. no , sir , " was the unexpected
eply ; "they was water colors , all on
em real beauties , too ! " Detroit
S'ews-Tribune.
Bridget as a Mrs. Malaprop.
Bridget , who came to this country
fist year , has a limited vocabulary , and.
\-hile she is learning fast , some of the
rords and expressions that she has ac-
tuired do not always fit , her ear not
taving been accurate In getting the
ight term. Thus the other day she
aid to her mistress :
"Mam , shall I fix that Kansas back
uck for dinner ? "
Again , Bridget "was telling a tale of a
lissing friend in this city , when she
xclaimed :
"Do you know I believe when Katie
urns up she'll be found in the Potash
Meld ! "
While at work on Friday a tremen-
ous blast near by in the subway rat-
led the dishes hi the kitchen and the
irl cried out :
"There goes that rapid transom
gale. "
THERE SHONE A STAR.
[ I , stars by the mil
lion-fold above !
[ n the wide blue
spaces we watch
and love ;
Stars like gnilns of
sand by the sea ,
I h r o u g h wheeling
dusters of worlds
they be ;
Rut once through the
pates of heaven
ajar ,
When a Child was
born , there shone a
Star.
Children they c-iine to
the palace hall ;
"Thildren they come to
the cabin small :
Fo the tent , to the
ship , to the poor
man's COt
Drear is tlie home where God st-nds then
not :
But once , just once. through the gates ajar
Sod's own f'hild came , and there shone :
Star.
Over drsort places its golden light
Flamed like a torch the livelong night ;
Bowing low to the wonderful East.
! n stately procession , king and priest ,
And a marvelous , moving caravan
sought for the gift that had guerdmiei
man ,
\Vhen. banners of glory waving far ,
Once , for his people. ( Jod kindled a Star.
The Kmperor sat in his purple robe ,
Holding the scepter that swayed the globe
Bent the slave to the laboring oar-
Little to him was a groan the more :
Wreathed with laurel the conqueror strode
Trampling hearts on his haughty road ;
The cry of the anguished quivered far ,
And lo ! In the darkness there shone f
Star.
Out from n cave in the riven rock
A candle flickered ; who will may mock ;
That thread of flame was the answer sent
From Earth to the Star In the tirmament.
On the silence trembled a Babe's , lirsl
breath.
Child to be Lord of Life and Death ;
Safe as a bird in the tiny nest ,
In the mother's arms , on the mother's
breast ;
While the lowing kine stood wondering near ,
And the angels sang on the midnight clear ,
And the midnight waned , and the dawn's
great car
Swept in where brightly there shone a Star.
-Margaret E. gangster , in Woman's Home
Companion.
WON HIS CHILDREN'S LOVE
BY ThOMAo HALL.
of care furrowed
the forehead of John How
WRINKLES leather mer
chant of New York , as he
sat in the library of his
home , and his hair was tossed into dis
order by the combing of his nervous fin
gers. His dull eyes gazed into tlio rod
depths of a great fire , but road no crim
son pictures there.
This was the man the world had called
"complacent John Howard. "
Eight years before , when he married ,
people expected a change in his habits ,
but they were disappointed. He had
merely added another part to his ma
chinery. He had carefully chosen the
kind of woman who would helplessly be
come a part of a machine.
When children came they , too , wtre
compelled to become parts of the order
ly , silent machine controlled by John
Howard. Meek little mites they were.
Xo one suspected that they were chil
dren.
dren.There
There were three of them : Mary , a girl
of seven ; Anna , a girl of live , and John ,
a boy of four. By direction of John
Howard , good , plain names were given to
thorn , names that would wear. Meek
Mrs. Howard would have chosen differ
ently , but she was not consulted.
When the children came , John How
ard laid down the rules for their ron-
duct and keeping : ' and never afterward
bothered himself about them. If he saw
them once a day it was by accident. One
of his rules , conditions , was that he was
never to hear them , save when he wish
ed. As a result John Howard was a
father without children and the chil
dren had a living father , but were fath
erless.
All this would have continued but for
one , inevitable little incident in life called
"death" for death , after all , is a parr
of life , and dying very often the Miain
part of living. The entrance of Mrs.
Howard into the life of her husband had
made no perceptible change in it. Her
ieath had thrown every part of it out of
iear. There were three waifs in
liouse who came at his bidding and look-
ad at him in a frightened sort of way.
"How was he to win the love of his-
children ? "
How John Howard longed to enter that
play room ! But he never dared. Hi
ivas afraid his entrance would drive them
x rth , and he realized that this room was
: heir own little world. Sometimes , in
igony , he listened at the door , and learii-
; d how different they were from other
ihildren.
How he longed for them to ask him
ror something ! What joy he would take
n granting them any wish ! But they
lad been brought up to ask for nothing.
o expect nothing , save on one day in the
ear. That day was Christmas.
On that day they could expect wonder
'ul new presents , they knew , from a mys-
erious person called Santa Clans. The
ate Mrs. Howard had cultivated this one
[ ear delusion in them , and so perfectly
hat they never dreamed that either who
ir their father had anything to do with
he annual midnight visit of the good
ittle fat man. Of him they talked
aonths before he came and months after
le left. And with the presents he left
hey played from one Christmas 'until
he next , patiently waiting for the new
nes and carefully guarding the old.
Discouraged at his failure to win even
he confidence of his children , John llow-
rd hired that hopeless substitute for a
lother , a nurse , to take care of them.
With business acumen and lack of or-
inary common sense he secured a grim
Tew England school teacher for this deli-
ate position ; and in less than a week
he succeeded , by perseverance and in-
ustry , in casting more of a shadow over
lie lives of the three waifs than ever
ohn Howard had. But the waifs had
eon taught not to complain , and John
loward knew nothing about it.
One lingering hope remained in his
reast. Could he make the coming
Ihristmas so happy for his children that
e could win their love ? He resolved
lat he would take charge of the holiday
imself , and the preparations he made
3r it were extravagant. The presents
tirchased for all the preceding Christ-
las celebrations at his house were as
othing compared to the array that stood
efore him on the floor , on tables andon
hairs , this Christmas eve when he sat so
roken in heart before his grate fire.
Something had happened. A mistake
ad been made. The New England school
ai- .
teacher , in the interests of white-winged
truth , had told his children there was no
Santa Claus. This he had learned while
listening at the door of their playroom
that afternoon. And he , who had so care
fully rehearsed the part of Santa Claua
for the performance that night , felt that
it would be a hollow mockery , now that
they knew , as we all do some day , too
; much.
i With n promptness and decision that
! had characterized him always in busi-
j ness. John Howard peremptorily dismiss
ed the New England school teacher , piv-
J ing her a month's salary and no expla
nation for his strange conduct. The chil-
, dren should have the hollow mockery of
j Christmas at any rate. But the essence
of it was gone. He had heard his chil
dren declare , between sobs , that they
would never hanir up their stockings
again , and after all it is the stocking and
not the tree that is the essence of Christ
mas and the mystery of mysteries there
of is the wonderful fact that Santa Claus
can spend so much time and take so
much pains in filling the stockings.
But John Howard was human. He
himself had looked forward to this Christ
inas with greater expectations than had
any of hisVhiidren.
He rose from bed and put on his dress
ing gown and slippers. Then , with a
little night lamp in his hand turned very
low , he went stealthily into the bedroom
where his children slept. Their clothes
were laid neatly on three chairs , and
from each chair he took a stocking and
pinned it where the sleeping children had
been accustomed to pin them in previous
yonrs.
After this he made frequent trips to
the library and brought up load after load
of toys , candies and trinkets. And then
he began to fill the stockings. It was
slow work. He had seen his wife do It
once. He had watched her then in a
mechanical sort of way. It was on the
preceding Christmas eve. She was ill
ind nervous and afraid to go about the
iiousc alone. In a grumbling , protesting
way he had accompanied her.
ri
CHANGING THE SCORE.
i *
Like some prayer triumphant falling
On the ear ,
Lo , the past Is past forever.
In this hour ita bonds we sever.
And Its clouds shall darken never
Our New Year.
List , the New Year bells are swaying
High and low.
Pulsing , pleading , praising , praying.
As they go.
Now may every sin be shriven ,
And our hearts from sorrow riven ,
All forgiving and forgiven
Here below.
Minneapolis Housekeeper.
Making Preparations.
"I want to get a turkey , and a bottle
of paregoric , and some mince meat , mid
some pepsin pills , and some cranberries ,
and some furniture polish , and a quart of
oysters , and a package of court plaster ,
and some sweet potatoes , and a fire in
surance policy. "
Here the market man smiled merrily
and inquired :
"Going to eat nil that ? "
"No , " responded the customer , "hut
the family Christmas dinner occurs at my
house this year. " Baltimore American.
Tho Annual Greeting.
"A Happy New Year to you ! " This is
the greeting which is heard on every side
as we cross the threshold of the new year.
It has become a custom to repeat it. In
many cases it has little meaning , and is
nothing more than an empty compliment
or an idle wish. How much do you mean
SANTA CLAUS' BIG JOB.
I
j
!
Said Santa Claus on Christmas eve , in jolly , good , rat jrl e.
"To judge by all these stockings here , they've turned the hose on me. '
How glad he was now that he had ! He
dropped a moderately heavy object into
the toe of each stocking to hold it down
then an orange t make it capacious.
After this he slipped in a present for the
sake of a surprise , and on top of the pres
ent he put a layer of candy. He won
dered that the "tick tick tick" of the
candles as they dropped did not awaken
the sleeping children.
He was slow at the work. It was early
down when he finished. He blew out the
little night lamp and sank into a chair ,
burying his face in his hands , and his
heart in memories. Suddenly he looked
up and saw his three children standing
about him in the arc of a circle.
" ' " cried his eldest rush
"It's papa , girl ,
ing into his arms. "Papa is Santa Claus.
It is papa who has been so good to us
and we haven't loved him. "
"It's papa , " echoed the younger daugh
ter.
"Papa Santy Close , " said the boy.
And they , too , sidled up to him and
clung to him , their little eyes beaming
with love.
And then John Howard knew that Lis
stocking had been filled , also with the
love of his children. Criterion.
The New STenr.
List , the New Year bells are ringing
To and fro ,
Messages of comfort bringing
Clear and low.
Dver mead and plain and valley ,
5Vhere the forest giants rally ,
Jp through park and street and alley
Paeans flow.
List , the New Year bells an calling
Far and near.
by it ? It is very easy to repeat the
formula. It is a very simple matter to
buy .a New Year's card and enclose it in
an envelope. But when you send this
greeting , or speak it , do you regard it as
a pledge or promise that you will do
nothing to make the recipient of it un
happy , and that you will do all in your
power to relieve his anxieties and bring
gladness to his heart ? Baptist Union.
Triniminsr the Tree.
IP x !
A .Real Saint.
Old Santy Is no phantom prim
The cheer he brings cures many Ills ;
Thro' dreamland's door we follow him.
And IOM the thought of New Year's bills.
I
j
%
k-
| Christmas Feasting.
I D.urinS the middle ages the whole
Christmas season was given up to rev
els and jollity , inwhich eating and drink-
: ing had a prominent part. The Saxon
i instinct of our English ancestors led them
'to ' make of
every holiday an occasion
for feasting. Plenty to eat and to drink
was their idea of a festival , no matter
how sacred might > e its associations. On
Christinas they not only lined their stom
achs with good capon , as did Shakspeare's
justice , but stuffed themselves with all
sorts of rich , nourishing food and strong
ly compounded puddings and pies.
Origin of Mince Pie.
English plutn pudding and mince piea
both owe their origin , or are supposed to ,
to an occurrence attendant upon the birth
of Christ. The highly seasoned ingredi
ents refer to the offering of ripic s
frankincense and myrrh by the wise men
of the East to the Christ Child. New
York World.
Giving Him a Chance. 1
"Harriet , you ought to grre me mr
choice of a Christmas present once hi
awhile. "
"Well , Harry , I'm willing ; do you want
a lamp shade , a sofa pillow or new lace
curtains ? "
Shattered. Her Ideals.
Miss Askit Why is Miss Wonder 'so
pessimistic about Christmas ? s
Miss Tellit She hung up a $12 pahof
silk hose last year , and some one stol
them.
them.What
What would not wish
you done to TOO * .
eh ! do not unto others. OhineM.
