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About Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1903)
THE OTHER MAMS HOUSE OME at last ! Grip and umbrella dropped from the girl's hands. For the last four days she had sat In her Pullman section , picturing this home coming , and now that it was a deed accomplished she could have cried as ehe hugged the hideous old marble lion that guarded the steps. Safely home ! Yes ; but explanations would be In order ; and from the ab- 2nce of lights It would seem that her father 'was dining out ! Well ! A shrug ; a laugh ; and she ran up the Kteps. The hall was unchanged ; the same carved chairs , the same lounge by the staircase. The last time she had slid down those banisters Hardwick Hol- deu had caught her as she bumped up Mgainst the post at the bottom , and , /aughed aloud over her performance. : A step sounded on the upper stairs , then a cough. "Master's out , " an iiv- vlsible Eome one remarked and Bess darted through the nearest door. The voice was a strange one , and she was not prepared to malie explanations to new servants. She laughed again as she tiptoed Into the half lit library. What right had father to break Into her plans this .way by being out ? What would he * think of her crossing the continent /alone ? What would other people think i Aunt Annie and Hardwick Holden , for instance. Hardwick had no busi ness to think anything ; she had not come to see him ! Bess smiled serenely ; but the se renity changed. What ailed the li brary ? Mother's picture had been taken down , and the table why , the dear old library table was gone ! She had sat on that table when she wa * ' a mite and played checkers with father during the black , creepy hour of 6 and 7. In later years she had sat there and wept over her first 'geometry ' problems , which father in despair had tried to solve for her , 'and couldn't ; and life had been a howling wilderness to them both un til Hardwick brought sage counsel and arranged to come in evenings and help her. That table would have to come back ; it shouldn't be pushed aside ; it stood for a big slice of home. And the dear , old , beautiful times were all going to come back , too. Yes , everj-thing would be perfect now , Bess decided as she smoothed back her hair ; for Hardwick had so much tact. Tact ? Supposing Hard wick , with his superabundance of tact , should consider it necessary to keep out of the way ! If he once made up his mind to it , he could be come invisible , even If his great , empty , lonely house were only across the street. She knew that of old ; It had happened once when , among oth er things , she had told him to mind his own business ; and the time that follov.-txl had not been a pleasant one. The room had become uncomforta bly hot , and Bess pulled off her jacket with a sense of Injury. He needn't have been GO stupid as to write on to Now York three months before and ask her to marry him. The next moment she was scramb ling her belongings together and had slipped into the cllibby hole of a room adjoining the llbni-y ; for the step that had tirst sent her flying into the li brary was abroad In the hall. Ten minutes later Bess was roused .by the sarcastic comment , "Don't let me disturb you. Take your own time. " This must be a new butler. "Look -here " Bess began , sharply ; but the man interrupted. , "Oh , I see. All right A precious "mess you've made. Did these rags come out of that drawer ? " He picked them up. "Look as though they might have been a sunbonnet once. Master'll be mortal angry over this. " Bess stamped her foot "Man ! " "Young woman , more'n likely you'll go to the lockup " But just then a voice outside the door interrupted voice that was well known to her. "What it It Roberts r' "Please , sir , this young person " "Yes , 1 see. You can go , Roberts. " "Shall I go for the police ? " Roberts asked , hopefully. "No ! Get out , will your * Roberts vanished. Then Hardwick Holden came forward , hesitated , stop ped. Something In.the glrl't eyes for bade further approach. "If you were BO terribly anxious to get rid of these these things" her voice VTOB little more than a whisper as she pointed to the littered desk and floor "why couldn't you have sent the the letters to me whe.n I was in New York instead of sending them back home ? " "Bess , how did you get In ? " he ask ed , bewildered. "I i..ve a latchkey , of course. " "And the desk ? I thought it was locked , " Hardwick said , uncertainly. "It's ; ny desk. Don't you suppose I have * he key to it ? " Sh ' iaughod ; but he came forward with an exclamation of dismay. "Bess , did you tear up tbat sran- boi ct' : " He snatched the .pink t&t- t.rs from the table. "Yes. and I burned up tfco collec tion of dried flowers in the eld eather puck ei book you used to cany ; also the 1 rut of the riding whip I drew away two years age on Pine Ridge and have - : ver scon Mneu until to-night I had begun on the letters " she went on with groing scorn ; but he Inter rupted. "Bess , what right had you to do that ? " "To save father the trouble of car ing for them any longer. " "He has nothing to do with it. These things are mine ! " Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Considering the fact that this rubbish was sent here to our house " she began , flippantly ; then , "Where's father ? " she burst out. Hardwick walked over and kicked the andirons. Then he came back again. "Did your father know you were coming ? " "No. I wanted to surprise him. " "You haven't had any news from here lately , have you ? " "No-o. Why , Hardwick " She was beginning to be frightened * . "Then why have you come ? " "I came to be with father. His let ters have been so queer. And when ever I asked to come back , be said no , for me to stay and enjoy myself as though I could have a good time any place so well as at home with father. " Bess dabbed her eyes fierce ly. "So I came on without asking leave ; and then I found that you had sent all my letters back , just because Here Bess suddenly collapsed , and , sitting down , dropped her head on the desk. "I wish you would % o away ; you've spoiled my whole home coming. " "Bess ! " His voice was startingly near. He must be bending close above her. "Why did you refuse to marry me ? " "I I wouldn't have done it If you hadn't asked me. " An interval of bewildered silence. Then , "supposing I were to ask you again ? " he ventured. "But you sent back my letters and a lot of other things I didn't even know you had , " came an injured voice from among the notepaper confusion of the desk. "I sent none of those things back ; but I can't explain until we are en gaged. " She looked at the floor. Hardwick waited ; then he pulled out his watch and handkerchief. "I'll give you one minute more , " he said , delib erately. "If by that time you haven't said you will , I shall consider it done. " Bess wheeled around and stared at the watch with fascinated eyes. "Half a minute gone , " he said. "I I oh , I Hardwick , put up that watch ! " she ordered desperately. "All right Now I'm going to dry your eyes oh , that's orthodox ; en gaged people always do and you are not to be frightened at what I am go ing to say. You see , there really is no cause for worry ; it's going to turn out all right Why , In three years he'll pull out as good as new ! But last spring , what with stocks going down , and the mines , things looked pretty black. He's been up at the mines for the last six months and , Bess , the house had to go. " "The house ? This house ? " "Yes , your father had to sell it. You see , there was a mortgage on it and enormous interest " "Oh , Hard " "But I bought it in " "Oh-h ! " "Because we couldn't have strangers living in the old home , could we , Bess ? And now " "No. " Bess shook herself free and pressed her hands to her cheeks. "You mean we're poor I'm poor ! " "Poor ? Owning me ? " "Don't laugh. I can't be engaged to you now ! " "But you are , " he laughed. "But I refused you when I thought I was rich " "Sweetheart , " he whispered , drawIng - Ing her close , "I thought you would feel that way ; that's why I wanted you to promise before you knew. " " " "But "What difference does it make ? There's only one thing aren't you sorry you pried into my things and tore up the pink sunbonuet ? " Half an hour later , when Hardwick was taking her over to Aunt Annie's for tbe night Bess confessed that she was. New York News. of Criminality. With reference to New York's special police court for childish offenders , It Is noteworthy that both British and American law fix the same age of criminality. In defiance of theology the legal codes of all nations regard man as sinless by birth. Before at taining a certain age he Is regarded as Incapable of crime. In England and America this age is 7 years , and before this a child can not be prosecuted. After its 7th birth day a child is accountable for its deeds , but If under 14 the prosecution must show that he was acting with crim inal intent. The same age of crimi nality is held in Russia and Portugal. In France and Belgium ai child must be 8 years old before being prosecuted. In Italy and Spain a further year of grace is accorded. In Norway , Greece , Austria , Den mark , Holland and Switzerland , says the London Chronicle , the age is 10. The little German can play pranks with Immunity until 12 years old , while in Sweden no posecution Is al lowed when the offender is under 10. People who are . "peculiar" .can easily carry It too far. THE WORD FULLY EXPLAINED. When He Understood It , "Beaitzo" Gave the Old Man a New Idea. Back from the day's hard work in the wheat field the discontented par ent sat down to interview the young man who was home from college In quest of a brief vacation and n re cash. "I do not comprehend the meaning of many words which have appeared in your letters , " complained the par ent "For instance , in your last letter you wrote this : 'Financial besitzes are on the blink again. ' I compre hend 'the blink ; ' that Is what your education is on up to date , but 'be sitzes' is beyond me. Explain. " The young man smiled a superior smile and gracefully lighted a tinted cigarette. He said : " 'Besitzes' is a new word in the lan guage and can be used as a substitute for all the other words or , rather , It is a word which may be used to ex press the universe in its infinite en tirety and in minute detail ; anythin , " and everything , separately or together is 'besitzes. ' The purpose of 'besitzes' Is to relieve monotony of diction in the classics of the future. "Thus the reformer will protest against the 'besitzes' of political abuse ; historians will allude to the ancient Roman 'besitzes' of Julius Caesar ; the poet will sing the sweet 'besitzes' of the springtide ; even the parson will minister to the spiritual 'besitzes' of his flock all the various entities in literature , science , religion , and art will be known as the intellectual 'be- sitzes. ' But that Is not all. " "You don't say ! " " 'Besitzes' are also people and things. For instance , in your distin guished person you represent my own parental 'besitzes. ' Ha ! ha ! " "Indeed ! " "And you are 'besitzes' In a general sense. " "Am I ? " "You eat 'besltzcs , ' drink 'besitzes , ' and engage In 'besitzes. ' Merely 'be sitzes' comprises all the 'besitzes ; ' and It Is very odd 'beeltzes' that you should , be the 'besitzes' under the remarkable 'besitzes ! ' Ha ! ha ! " The young man laughed uproarious ly , for he was tickled by the fun he ] was having with the old man. As the latter rose to answer the dinner bell he remarked : "You needn't go back to that college. I don't believe you are just cut out for the classical 'besitzes. ' You can re port for more appropriate 'besitzes' in the wheat field with the rest of us a | 4 a. m. to-morrow. " Kansas City Star * "Worships a Rig Ra. % Doll. Carrying in his arms a huge rag doll , dressed in the clothing of his dead wife , "Jerry" Mooney , a farmei living near the village of Montague' Lewis county , N. Y. , goes to his worli In the fields each day. For fifteen years , ever since his wife , Molly , died of paralysis , Mooney hai carried this dummy about with him He refuses to believe his wife is dead/ After her burial he made a rag woman and dressed it in his wife's clothes. He often places the figure in the fav orite chair of his wife and spends long evenings before the fire talking to it At meal time he draws the chair containing the figure up to tin. table and helps it to food. On Sundays he dresses the figure in the bes- clothes his wife had at her death , geti out all of her jewelry and places ii about the neck and on the hands of th.j . doll. doll.Week Week days when he goes to the field the rag doll Is carried by him and placed under the shelter of a tree in summer or in some protected spot ir cold weather. He always carries lunch eon for himself and the doll and nevei eats the latter portion. Mooney and his wife came fron Londonderry , in the north of Ireland , In the early ' 50's and settled on s small farm. They were rigid Cove nanters and , having no children , liv ed by themselves. When his wifd died in 1888 , neighbors , not seeing hei about , called at the house and found her dead In bed and her husband sit ting by the side of the body talking to her. Mooney will permit no one to entes his house. The existence of the raj woman was discovered by persons whc watched the house and saw him car rying it back and forth from the fields On all other subjects Mooney Is ra tlonal. The Pleasant Waj. Tees Yea , Mr. Trotter was on mj card for one dance last night aad 1 enjoyed It very much. Jess Nonsense ! He's a& clumsy ai an elephant Tess I knew that , so I Induced hla to sit It out Philadelphia Press. Comets Lighter Than Air. Professor BabLnet has proved thai comets , instead of having a solid bodj with a gaseous tail , are much lightei in weight than our air. Even if a comet were to strike the earth it would hardly penetrate Its atmosphere. Good. Reasons for Passing By. Weary Wraggles Hey ! you wm'j git nothin' decent in dere. Dem pee pie is vegetarians. Hungry Hank Is dat rifjht ? . Weary Wraggles Yeh. an' d y got a dog wa't ain't Philadelphia Press Not Like Him. "Poor Maruley's gone. " "Yes , and I understand he dfed hard. " "Strange. Everybody who ever trle < ! to borrow from him proved him to b < dead easy. " Philadelphia Press. Nature seems to hate a man ; the summers are either too wet or too dry A weed always # ejs along. WHEN A SULTAN TRAVELS of the Sultan of Morocco .V ; t an Imposing Spectacle. Ill the morning , at 4 o'clock , the uuple Gounded to break camp ; the foot Soldiers arose , pulled up their tent pegs , and were away in the darkness. &widufllly the remaining -tents came iown , and the throng of Arabs were w the move. The Sultan's tent re- Ma.-ned. A little to one side his min isters and kalds patiently waited , the : atter forming a large , hollow square at one end of which stood the min isters , while in front of them a spaci ous blue and gold chair awaited Ite eacred occupant. Presently the wall opened and he ap peared , his mask-like visage turning neither right nor left. With garments twaying rhythmically , he Avalked to the chair and seated himself. A slave at bis side fanned him with a white silken cloth , to defend his sacred mas ter from imaginary insects. He whis pered to the slave , who called to one of the ministers. Hurriedly he appear ed , lowering his hood ; then , after re moving his slippers just back of his majesty , presented himself , and after a short conversation was dismissed. Presently five gorgeously saddled horses were brought before their royal master , who , with a motion of hi * nand , chose one , the others being taken "way , while he rose with great solem nity and mounting , rode to all sides of the square , to be thrice saluted by each body of soldiers. This ceremony completed , the musicians , armed with oboes and tom-toms , disturbed the at mosphere with a doleful , prehistoric dirge , and the procession was under way. It was nothing but an entangle ment of artillery , infantry , flags , horse men , and court officials in a mad riot , but , as in a threshing machine tear- lug Its insides furiously , the wheat , straw , and chaff found their channels at once , and left the ignorant beholder spellbound. Behold ! they were mov ing with military precision , a brother of the Sultan at the head , followed by an extremely wide row of mounted soldiers carrying silken standards of all colors. Then c-anie the artillery , rattling and bumping , and coining to grief often where the roads were bad. Next fol lowed mounted soldiers and a score of government officials , a sort of police. After a short space , riding alone , came the kaid of the inishwa ( master of ceremonies ) , very straight and very black , picturesquely hugging his gun close to him. After him followed four led horses abreast , all richly saddled , for the Sul tan's use should he tire of his mount Then , with some distance intervening , came the Sultan alone , save for six black slaves , who kept up a continual wafting of white cloths in the direc tion of his face. A palanquin containing the blue chair then appeared , carried between two mules , just In front of anothei row of mounted standard bearers , fol lowed by the minister of war and the important members of the court. Ali were obliged to turn aside and make way for this cavalcade. Century : CHICAGO GIRL WINS FAME AS A VOCALIST IN EUROPE Jan-e Noriu , who recently made a niccessful debut in Paris , where she sang Juliet , Is a Chicago girl and tha ( vife of Secretary Becker of the Ameri can Chamber of Com amerce in Paris , During the past three seasons she has sung in the Castle Square Company inder the name of Josephine Ludwig. She received many encores on her first ippearance in Paris. Singers and Croakers. The extent to which the agricultural portions of the Middle West are now supplied with modern conveniences may be inferred from the story which follows : There came a ring at th : elephone in a farmhouse In Northern Indiana one day last summer , and the farmer himself responded. Hello I" he said. "Hello ! " said the voice at the other end of the wire. "Can you furnish me a bass singer for to-morrow night ? " "A bass singer ? Why , yes , I reckon so , " answered the farmer , laughing. 'What do you want one for ? " "Because the one we've had up to now is sick. What would be youj terms ? " "Well , I usually furnish 'em by the Jozen. I won't charge anything foi jne. How do you want him sent ? " "What are you talking about ? " "Who do you think you're talking to ? " "Isn't this the Indianapolis Opera House ? " No. This is the Barataria frog farm. ' This country can struggle along without kings and queens as long as il a few po15 * ! ' > al bosses. Grnndmother'a Garden. I've been back to grandmother's garden where the dear old flowers grow That she placed there , and tended in the summers long ago The sweet , old-fashioned flowers that used to delight her so. There are lilacs by gate and doorway , and lilies , all in a row , Whose blossoms we fancied were trum pets for fairy bands to blow , And southernwood , spicily fragrant , by the doorstone worn and low. Pinks that are rich with odors of clove and myrrh are there , And I seem , as I catch tbeir fragrance , to be in the house of prayer , In grandmother's pew , on Sunday , close by the pulpit stair. I can see her there vrith her hymn-book open at "Wells" or "Mear , " With a bunch of her garden posies be tween its leaves , and hear The Voice that has sung In Heaven for many and many a year. i Grandmother gave her flowers to crown the maiden's head When she stood at the marriage altar and a wife's "I will" is said , And they came to her for blossoms to pat in the hands of the dead. I remember the enmrner morning when grandmother heard the call Of the angel of death , whose summons will some day come to us all. The first of June roses were blowing down by the garden wall. "How sweet they are , " she whispered. "What dear tilings God has made. I am going to dwell in a country where the flow rs never fade. " Then she folded her hands on her bosom , and It seemed OB if she prayed. She looked * o peaceful , ro happy , with her hands clasped on her breast , Holding the flowers we brought her , the blossoms she loved the best , That we thought the Heaven she had gone to was a place of sweetest rest. Over her grare hi the churchyard her dear old flowers grow , Bat I think of her out in the garden of God , where His Hlies grow , And I fancy she tends His flowers as sh used to these below. Bben E. Rexford in Home and Flow ers. New Btyle of Corset Cover. Here Is a cut showing a new style of corset cover In white lawn and lace insertion. L ace beading , through which blue satin ribbon runs , borders the bust and Is drawn to fit The petticont is the favorite cut , closely gored and fit ted into a smooth hip yoke. It is trim med to match the corset cover , with lace , pin tucks and ribbon. Mo t "Wotne A prominent American physician is responsible for the startling statement that every woman has either crooked arms or crooked legs. Inquiry among the different professors of gymnastics has brought forth much the same opin ion. Women are knock-kneed , bowlegged - legged , too lean , too fat or only par tially developed , and a straight arm Js very rare. Worse than aLL they at tribute these deform itletf to our man ner of dressing. Tight sleeves , tight waists and tight corsets are to be blamed. A man rarely has deformed arms , because his cloth'ng is made to allow him an opportunity to reach anywhere , and fashion decs not forbid him to swing his arms when he tak'js his daily walk. Bes.dcs bsing ti-ht , a woman's sleeves are put into a waist In such a manner : is to prevent her from lifting her arms to any height The fashionable tleo'iof th last twenty years buy II.PJS ioyiit ; : l. and ; woman's arm * have giowii .is t-rookrd I as the sleeve. Bow ! - > and kiiockj' 5 knees often begin li : c.i id..u d. but they are finished by th. > hi rii ile.'rs and narrow-pointed t.'ew icli ( - - guish the every-d iy fu M e ir of tvonij j ( ankind. j < Our own defonrmi ni-r-- ! _ 7"c : - . died by a thorough . r y p'.ysi : | exercise with duin \ \ \ - . : Inf.11 ! : clubs or any on.ui" it- 11 : t ! cisers now on xue nri ' . Ouf can be saved fro.i j , i. . , , . , - . . and attention. The mother is careless often allows her baby to stand upon tender little legs , whose cartilages are too soft to bear the weight of the body , and so bend one way or the other. If outward , the baby will have bow Irgs , and If In the other direction knock knees will be the result The legs should be allowed to gain strength to bear the weight of the body. Massage for both arms and legs of a baby should accompany the dally bath. Health Culture. Society "Woman Tnrn to Mrs. James R. Branch is a graduate f of the woman's law class of the New- York university. She is a Southerner and has lately taken up a residence in MRS. J-OiES B. BRANCH. New York. Mrs. Branch is one of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of Eclectic. She Is fond of outdoor sports -and belongs to the Richmond County Golf Club. Women Are \Vearlng ; Mem'a Hosiery. What won't fair woman do next ? The latest novelty is half-hose for women , says the New York Evening Post They are to be had at present In only a few exclusive shops , and they are rather expensive , the cheapest being $1. These stockings , -which are designed for coolness , end just below the knee in a close ribbing , -which , keeps them in place. For greater se curity , nothing being worse form than a wrinkled stocking "on a woman , there is sold a garter exactly like those worn by men. Fiench women have "worn these short stockings for some time , and ono New York shop Imported a few last year. The proprietor tells an amusing story to account for his first purchase. A young woman from a fashionable private school , making her 4 summer purchases of hosiery , added a few pairs of boy's socks "which she de clared she intended to wear on hot days. She displayed her novel pur chase to her schoolmates , and the next day they flocked down to the store and bought every boy's sock in the place. The proprietor sent out and bought more small socks , all he could get of the required , quality , and the school took the lot Philadelphia Evening Telegram. Health and Beauty. For bee and wasp stings use car bolic acid , soda or ammonia. Never neglect to bathe the eyes oc casionally in salt water. A weak solu tion is best. For burns use a dressing of saturat ed soda or equal parts of linseed oil and lime water , vaseline , sweet oil , butter any blund oil but on no ac count glycerin , which Is Irritating. In a case of poison ivy try a solution of baking soda or a weak solution of sugar of lead. Mackerel brine from the kit In the farm cellar or a tomato from the vines will also be found ef fectual. In walking don't hold the leg stiff , although it must be held straight In this way one walks with the least phy sical expense and with the greatest case , comfort , healthfulnesa and beauty. The beat treatment for a bruise is an immediate application of hot fomenta tions. After that witch hazel , vinegar : tnd hot water , or alcohol and water , put on with a bandage and often moist' cned. During the summer weather give th children a good bath every night , bul turn them loose in the day to make ac quaintance with growing things and l-abbllng brooks and all the sweet se crets that nature stands ready to re- \ eal to the little child. When you go to the country take I > leny : of bandages , neatly rolled , a case of court plaster , your family doc tor's prescription for any special at tack that any of the family are sub ject to , a small bottle of Jamaica gin ger or paregoric , a package of mustard rasters , then hope you will find occa. ion for none of them. Double China Cured. A double chin is a hard thing to re- MOVC by home treatment , but it can irfciinly be modified by persistent ! - ; : application of the following treat- : -ir : Grasp as much of the chin as 1.1:1 Ise held between the thumb and fe-.ii ; er , and twist until It slips out \ > this many times on both sides of IIP chin. One can form the habit of clo.iiIt when reading.
