1 ft THE OMAHA DATI.T . BICE : SAOTllDAY , FEBRITAllY 27 , 1807.
I w
The Holly-Sprig Spoon.
The Singular Loss and Recovery of a Precious Heirloom ,
lly Edwin C. Martin.
( CopytliTiit , tH'7 , liy the S. 8. McClur Co. )
Winter , when It fell at Osccola , fell will
amplitude. If you stood on the uppe
bridge you saw thi
bridge a high. open
canal stretching far tip and down , a Icvc
tfench of snow , Its whiteness enifih < islzc <
licro and there by a patch of brown cartl
showing from some umlcrwath In the banks
Southward , at the center of the town , ;
boats lay soldered t <
f c of low-decked
their wharves by snow-covered Ice. In thi
near fields to the north the whlio ridge
jilkod with last year's cornstalks , sugRrfitct
" rich possibilities In rab
to" boy * Rtid dogs
bite. The like possibilities , though In IOPECI
the nearer common
degree , were suggested by
Its white fiurfact
mon , thickly bwtrewn as
vns with blark-flankcd logs , lying then
ach under Its long , narrow napkin of snov
gourmand , whom oni
until the Iron-toothed
could hear wheezing at his feast from ovci
on the river bank , should be ready to liavi
them served to him , and the lows of too
tr'ackfl , juvenile and cnnlnc , running al
about , hinted of efforts to realize on sonu
Mich possibilities hero. A wider , white
with the clumps o
common on the past ,
and blacl
smoking chimneys
nhlte houses ,
cowsheds on Its edge , and the steel him
ifcky drooping down beyond , was a vcr ;
lilcturo of the reason. Over a laigo mil
i-frand on the west glided tlifr skaters , boyi
and glrla , who had themselves , with shove
nnd broom , by hard , hot labor , In brie
Jiours after school , cleared of snow the scan
ways they traversed. In one corner of thi :
" mill fond on the morrow , If the morrov
chanced to be a Sunday , In a pool rellevci
"of ice for the occasion nnd hedged nbou
by a throng of spectators , they would bap
tlze the latest converts of the winter re
. .vlval ? .
Hither unit thither , about and all througl
the town , wound the deep-trodden foot paths
so narrow that when two people met on
must needs stop out Into the full depth o
Mthe snow , for no provision of ordinance o
custom exacted of householders any contrl
button 'In this sort to the public convenience
and except In small patches at gateway
wimd before the doors of stores the snow wa
and travel dissolved ll
left lying until sun
And since In Osccola the rubber boot was o
yet unknown and the rubber shoe was die
dallied of men as a wear beneath their man
hood , one rarely failed to find In thu house
and thu stores a man sitting with his fee
" " 'flattened against the hoi. stove , sizzling ol
the snow taps from his boot hoels.
In n.'lldcr seasons the prevailing form c
social entertainment was evening teas , bu
now there was apt to be a round of rathe
stately dinner parties. The ladlea came 1
carefully treasured blaclt silk gowns , of th
richest and stlffest material , with wide col
lars of whlto lace ami lacn-cdged whit
lawn under sleeves. The men wore coat
of black broadcloth , no less carefully kep
and no less excellent In quality , and hlgl :
lit I IT collars , swathed In black silk or uatl
neckerchiefs. The dinner , cooked mainly b
the hostess' own hand , vas served In tw
courses , but out or Its abundance migh
easily have furnished forth twelve or fifteei :
of the daintiness which courses acquire who
they are made a particular point of. Turke
and oystern , four or live vegetables , a Ilk
number of cooked fruits , pickles eour an
pickles sweet , coffee nnd hot rolls , with
dessert of two kinds of pie , a rich preserv
served In cream , and a calto that was th
chef d'oeuvre of the tcust- these wcro th
least that decency would allow , and th
guest was expected not to elect betwee
them , but to eat somewhat of all.
The company came to table for these din
ners with a certain hesitation and awli
wardncss , nnd for a llttlo while after the
wore seated conversation rather laggei
First there fell a sharp , expectant sllenc
until the minister , if present , as ho usual !
was , had invoked a blessing. Then as th
liost took carving knlfo and fork In nan
and rose from his chair with a certain cor
fldenco , every eye and all attention fixe
Intently on him , and remained so fixed whll
with a single sturdy stab ho planted th
"fork Immovably astride the knob of th
breastbone of the turkey nnd with his kee
Itnlfo deftly unjointed wings and legs , cu
away the white breast meat In thin , wld
slices , and by a bold stroke through th
bones and tissue of either Hank and a nlci
quick turn on the handle of the fork , ti
umphantly cleared away the breastbone an
exposed to appetizing view a steamliif
odoriferous mound of gray stuffing. Wit
this the company diew an audible breath an
settled back comfortably In their scats , a
when a mid-air acrobat concludes his tea
without breaking his neck ; and shortly th
talk began to show something like fluenc ;
But untll the carving was well nchlevei
beyond a staple compliment or two to th
carver usually tipped with Jest to save
from any suspicion of sentiment or fulsomt
ness and perhaps a query to the hoates
regarding : jier method of dressing and cool
11 \ III
/ a.
GYl'SY ANN.
Ing turkeys , llttlo or nothing was said.
It was clmost a violence on custom , the
fore occasioning subsequently under t
aspect mirmlscs of a prompting scarcely 1
than fiendish or providential when at
dinner given by Mrs. Hamlln Wampler , 1 !
Luther Gears began , In the very height
the carving , to tell quite a story of the 1
of a kpoon. She told It In a plaintive , in
vellng tone : how , after u dinner given
herself ten days before , to substantially
present coinpiny , when she came to call
lior silver , with n view to washing and p
ting It away with her own hand ( as
careful custom was ) , she found a spoon < m
ing ono of her holly-sprig cpoonu.
Nobody attended , much , lor Wampler ;
really doing a very neat Job. Nona of
men of the circle were bad carvers , and tl
would have deemed It a slmmo beyond wo
to luivo b < en ; but Wampler had rather
deftest and surest hand of them all ,
rivalry with him iMrs. Gears was but
begging performer. At the conclusion of
recital two or three women murmured a i
functory "that wag too bad , " and Dr. D
ley asked In hU blunt way , "What li
holly sprig spoon1 Ilut ho gave no outw
ilgn of listening to Mru. Gear * ' explanat
that holly-sprig was thu design , and that
loss was especially grievous , because it oc
eloned the IIrot break in a set given her
her marriage by her mother , who had brou
It at an early day out from Now Jersey , EC
up for safety In her petticoat , a gift teat
at her marriage from her own mother , J
Gears' grandmother , and to the latter pri
ously at her marriage from her mother , i
Geam' great-grandmother , for whom It 1
teen expressly made by a London sllversm
the only set of Its design ever seen or he
of. At the words "grandmother" nnd gr <
grandmother , " the doctor's head nod
slightly , but his eye , like all other eyei
the table , oven Mrs. Gear * ' , wag on W <
pier's knife.
Wampler wbaved away the lut bit of bre
nnd raised his Instrument for the master
fttroko through the flank. The guests dipped
forward a lltllo farther. The knlfa de
scended , pierced then plopped abruptly.
Wampler's fncc grow red like a burn. Mrs.
Wamplo's grew red , too , out of sympathy.
"You mu t have struck n tough turkey ,
mother , " ha snld.
"Il'a a young turkey , " ptotcatcd Mrs
\Vnmplcr , "and it FecmoJ very tender when
I waa dressing It. "
"Then you didn't cook it enough , " urgt-.d
Wampler.
"I had It In the uvrn four houru , " said
Mrs. Wanlpler.
The other ladles averred thnt , .If your
oven waa right , four hours was long
enough ,
lly pushing and sawlr.i ; tike tin amateur
with a dull blade , Wampler finally cut
through , nnd sought to retrieve himself by
n special dexterity rn the other fide. lint
again the knife , r.flcr entering keenly , came
to a inUlen halt , and had to be driven on by
main forc . Wnmpler fln.illy wrenched elf
the bicnet bonu and rcaumt-J his chair In n
sweat and a pant.
Thcro was perhaps moiu thnn the usual
movement of relaxing Interest around 1ho
tnblo ntt lie finished , hut thorn was less than
the usual outburst ot ti lk. The serving of
the plates began In comparative silence. In
the course of this oIDce Wntnplcr thrust n
largo spoon drcp Into thu mound of stulllng.
Thcro came n metallic click which every
body distinctly heard and again fixed eyes
on the host. Then , on bringing up the
spoon , hn turned up with It thu handle of
another , n. smaller one , which everybody
saw. Since there could bo no concealment ,
Wnmplor Bought escape from the misad
venture by jocularity , and saying , "Well ,
well , mother , jou mtiBt have run short of
"WE'LL , WELL , MOTHER , YOU MUST HAVE HUN SHOUT OF BREAD CRUMBS. "
i L
bread crumbs for your stufllng , " drew fort
the spoon und held It up In full view.
I i "It's my spoon. " cried Mrs. Gears , fnlrl
sink-King , "tho one I lost my hollysprlg ]
) I and she stretched out her bund us if to r <
i I cover It , If need bo , by force.
"At any rate It's not mine , " said Mr :
Wampler. Out of sheer confublon she spoil
curtly ; she looked ns If In another momcr
she must collapse.
" 0 , It's mine , It's mine ! I should know
nnywhore , " persisted Mrs. Gears cxcltedl ;
and Wampler handed the spoon over to ho
"It must be yours , " said Mrs. Wamplo
"I remember the design , nnd It's not llli
any of mine. I never saw It , unless at yet
house , until this moment , and the turkc
1 I dressed and put into the oven with in
own hand. "
I Even with the precious spoon restored i
. her possession , nnd her ownership of It tin
' fully acknowledged by Mrs. Wampler , Mr
5 Gears did not wholly recover herself. Ui
1 til the company broke up her manner r
t tallied n tinge of pugnacity , and she wore
3 look rather hard and suspicious. The othi
5 , guests made a particular show of ease ar
gaiety. They commented a little on the sli
i gularlty of the. Incident , and ventured
1 I make a Joke or two upon It , then dropped
from the talk and were studious not to reel
to It. Ono and all departed , however , wl !
It still sufficiently In mind , and moro the
3 { mndo themselves amends ultimately for ni
1 I self-denial they may have suffered rcgardii
It In the presence of their host and hostes
Thus very soon the whole town knew tl
story , and Mrs. Gears' hollysprlg spoon b
3 came celebrated.
' Never did n dinner party leave the gl
crs of it with heavier spirits than theirs le
Mr. nnd Mrs. Wumpler. Wnmpler wou
have been not a llttlo disturbed simply at
misadventure In his carving , and Mr
Wampler nt onrt In her cooking. But
these occasions of discomfort the affair
the hollysprlg spoon added , or at lea
seemed to them to add , the possibility
putting In question their honesty ; and tl
cense ot this moved them finally to find a
fcnsu In the behavior of Mrs. Gears. Tl
more they thought. It over and the habit <
people In Osceila was to think over thlni
a good deal the more offense they founi
so that thu feeling of both soon came
bo as expressed by Mrs. Wampler : "SI
might as well have said I stole her spec
In so many words. "
In point of fact , no such thought had
that tlmo entered Mrs. Gears' mind. For tc
da > s she had fretted continually , suffering !
her appetite and In her sleep , over the lo
of the spoon , and the consequent break in tl
set. When the spoon reappeared i
strangely , the sight ot It threw her Into
kind of frenzy , and she felt that she mu
clap hands on It at once or It would ill
appear again , And when she got it In hi
hands her fiellng was as If some cruel prar
had been played on her and she must loc
sharp or It would bo repeated. How tl
spoon came to bo where It was found , whit
was the question of first Interest to the reef
of the company , did not occur to her tint
Inter ; and when It did pceur It nt fir
started , no doubt , In her of the honesty
thu Wnmplcrs. But the crazy , dull sense
having somehow been victimized contlmii
to harry her , and for that she began Ir
perceptibly to hold the Wamplers answc
able.
able.Under a fortnight's pricking by the
fantastic grievances , the next tlmo Mr
Gears and Mr. and Mrs. Wumpler met , thi
barely know each other ; and the next tin
after that , they knew each other not at u
Then It became Impossible- invite them
the tame companies , and through the clrc
of their common acquaintance there begc
to steal , like a line of split oil across
door , a separation out of bympathy. By tl
time the separation became fully define
Mrs , Gears' umbrage at the Wamplers hi
como to positive grounds. Shu did n
scruple to think , and to freely say ; " \ \
have no direct proof ; but It's very slnguli
that the spoon should have been found
their pot session ; and they've never often
any explanation. "
The Wamplcrs , too , had by this time tuki
an open stand. On all convenient occasion
and on tome not convenient , they declun
tl'at they preferred not to have the frlen
ship of peopln who thought them capnb
| of stealing a spoon ,
Thu.i the difference grew into an ope
feud. Finally It was carried Into the ehurc
' A document was laid before the sesaloi
4 urging It to summon Mr. and Mrs. Wan
' pier to an explanation. Their comluc
' the document set forth , In Ihus far rcfuilu
an explanation , was neither brotherly m
' [ Christian ; It tavored , if not of guilt , at lea
of celt-rlghteousnc. and pride ; and In elthi
t case they wcro amenable to the sessloi
u f There was prolonged argument In the sn
, elon , and some plain speaking and stror
[ . feeling. At the vote the lay members d
1.1 vldcd evenly , and It devolved on the pa
d tor , Rev. Cornelius Holt , to decide , I
i ; was a man of rare humility , but of a reai
il sense of justice and an obstinacy In * follo\ \
. . tug u that no amount of aggression cou
d outwear. He decided against the petltti
it and lu favor of the Wumplcrs. He hi
i- talked with them , ho said , frequently aboi
I the affair of the Kpoon ; they had , InUep
tJ r nU time * sought hcounsel. \ . H wi
convinced of their honcity ; And If they of
ten-J no explanation , It was simply be
cause they had none to Rive ; the appear
ance ot the spoon In their house was as1
Inexplicable to them as to others. Ho
would not say that they had always born6
themfeelvc * as frankly nnd forgivingly as
Christians t hot Id ; but there had been , he
feared , mistakes made on both sides. The
difference thnt had grown up had been a
great grief to him. An A pastor and as a
friend ho had employed all ot his persua
sions to heal It. He believed that In time'
It would be hcalnj and that right feel
ing , the loving spirit , would yet prevail ;
but It It were brought Into the church , It
would only Intensify and deepen and the
day ot Its removal bo put farther off.
There was vuoli > tur , ! In his cyca and a half
sob In hla voice nn ho concluded with "Let
us pray , " and In the prayer ho offered n
brief , fervent prnycr for gentle counsels nnd
confiding hearts , ho was checked several
tlmrs by his emotion. The other members of
the session were deeply touched and re
paired to their homes with dcllclouoly pure
and exalted feelings and with a mind re
ceived , every man of them , to do his utmost
to keep the congregation In harmony.
Hut unfortunately the congregation had
not como under the spell of the pnator's mov
ing judgment nnd prayer , nnd divisions of
such magnitude ensued that the laymen of
the session forgot their good resolutions and
the session It.iolt became a scat ot war , Mr.
Holt had served In his prcacnt pastorate ten
years. Ten years' sen Ice In no office lessens
thu number ( it a man's critics , unless he be
a man ot supreme talent ; nnd that Mr. Holt
was not. From his Installation there had
bren In the congregation n dissatisfied mi
nority , and It had grown with the poiisngc
of tlmn more 'numerous nnd more outspoken ,
It now found In his vote against having the
Wamplers before the session what , uncon
sciously. It hod long been waiting for a
point of union nnd onset. The pastor'a'
f i lends , however , were \u \ the main stanch ,
and open opposition only Intensified their
ardor. The sesaton divided again about
evenly ; but the opponents of the pastor
wcro the cunnlngcr faction and finally per
suaded two of his supporters to disregard per
sonal preference nnd join them 'In voting a
request to Mr. Holt for hla resignation.
With his sctalon UIUH become practically
unanimous ngalnet him , nnd n good third of
the congregation fiercely urging the sessl
on , the poor minister would gladly ha
yielded up his charge and fled away. .1 :
this , It seemed to him , would be moral wu
ness , a clear violation of his duty to t
larger fraction who devoutly besought h
'
to stay. So he refused'to comply with' t
sestlon's rcqucat. .Appeals followed to big !
bodies , and a tedious , complex exhnustl
contest , ending In defeat for the opuoat
minority , which thereupon wlthrew frc
the church In n body nnd organized a1i
society. i
And this Is the origin of what Is ilr
know in Osccola as the New church , t
church which In recent years has been
marvelously bleared. lint it had a lit
struggle In the beginning. It began
prosper only after Uev. Mr. Holliwell to
charge. He Is a natural pulpit orator ,
man thoroughly abrcnst with the tlm
He began by prefacing his si
mons with familiar talk on ci
rent topics , and every three menthe
ho preached a sermon exclusively for worn
and one for th young people , nnd by tin
ami other novelties ho soon awakened
Interest which has continued , until now I
new church congregation IB much the la :
ot and wealthiest In the town. Then /
drew Jarbo" , n rich old bachelor farmer , d
nnd left the church $10,000 , and that was
great help to It. In life Andrew had i
been a notable supporter of churches , 1
Mr. Holt had once rebuked him sharply :
falling to supply a due weight of butter , a
It Is supposed that this had something to
with determining his out prising bequcul
the New church.
Poor Mr. Holt , after the New chur
begun to come up so conspicuously , si
fered a certa'n decline In the regard
his congregation , The members wi
still free In expressions of devotion
him ; but it became evident that In tin
feelings they had a llttlo cooled , and J
Holt finally sought another chart
And his departure is not the least I
portant Item in a general change will
has now made Osceola Into a wholly d
ferent town from what It was at t
time , when Hamlln Wampler dlslnterr
Mrs. Luther Gears' holly-sprig spoon frc
'
the- turkey stiittlng. Winter at Its visit
tlons Is still profuse ; but the household
and shopkeeper now sweep and shovel t
snow from their walks down almost to t
last flake , and but a slight moisture urn :
foot deters the ablest-bodied men from t
Ing abroad without their rubber shoes.
Kven the revivals are not what th
were. So much have they suffered
their old-time fervor that to the o
church In which they still maintain thi
former lustlhood people now resort
crowds out of mere curiosity to view t
spectacle. Hero as regularly as wlnl
comes the best known reprobates of t
town ore brought under tumultuous conv
tlon , Hut when come the spring thav
little by little their new virtue relaxes , a
as the year advances and all nature gro
jocund and voluptuous , they slip back , I
the most part. Into their old wild ways , Th
ono winter opens with no less occasion th
another for a stentorian evangelist , L :
winter , however , among the converts of tl
hardened typo appeared one noted characl
who had never been brought to the pei
tent's posture before , for however brief
season ,
This was n woman known as Gypsy An
a keen-eyed , disheveled , shrill-voiced , ha
mad creature , held , as her name betokcni
In a certain suspicion and fear , and oft
a word In the mouths of Inert mothers
Intimidate willful children. She dwelt nlo
In a remote , ramshackle cabin , living mail
on charity , but earning 11 little money MI
and then by helping In the rough work
the kitchens. Shu had always some spec
patrons. They changed , however , from tli
to time , for In her moods she was apt
quarrel with her benefactors. Among t
most devoted ot them had once been M :
Wampler and Mrs. Gears ; but on some fa
clod provocation both wcro abruptly d
missed from her regard , as a number
others hud been dismissed , and neither h
had aught to do with her now for ma
years. Of all her dislikes the bitterest lilt
erto had been of the churches. At the nai
of any particularly honored member , h
wont was to cry out , with a wild gcstui
"My hand's a Illy besldu his black hearl
When , therefore , word went abroad th
Gypsy Ann had presented herself.at t
"mourners' bench , " Osceola quivered wl
Intmst through all Its members , The hi ,
and the low , the full-robed and the ragg
were alike excited ; and at the next meet I
the swift runners after nensatlons throng
the church ,
The object and hope of theie Intrude
were of the vaguest , but the entertalnme
they sought they found. In the confldon
that a now life had begun for her , Ai
seized the occasion to renounce the pa :
Item by Item , In the presence of the co
gregatlon , The renunciation lacked fcom
what of the humility that usually chara
terlzes uuch performances ; but , aside frc
this , It proceeded quite prosaically , a
would have yielded no particular relish
the curious , but that toward the end s
disclosed altogether Incidentally and us
matter of no more Importance than <
other shfi had touched upon lhat che %
the demon behind tho. mystery of the ho !
eprlg spoon. For not a , few of her audit
even this passage Irad no pungency , si :
the Incident of tt holly-sprig spoon 1
befallen to long ngo ot to be far back
their knowledge , hut with the larger m :
her U was still well'Inmemory , and A <
tlnct murmur passed ihrough the house
Ann related how. In revenge of an In ]
which she thought had been done her
Mrs. Gears , she stole- the spoon , nnd tl
In revcngo of another- which she thou ,
had been done her b } ' Mrs. Wnmpler , "tuc
It nway , " as Rho isald | In Mrs. Wnmpt
turkey. "And I mind , me to this day , " t
she , "what n tlmo I htd the oven was
hot , and Mrs. Wampler gone from the kite
only for n minute , and the spoon such
onhamly shape. lint , somehow , satan
me succeed as he always leta us. If c
wo try hard enough and little I thou
of all the trouble It would mnkol But , in
be , It's done some good , too. On nccoun
It , we might say , there's two churches i
whcro there wng only one before. So , |
haps , It'll bo somewise- forgiven me. "
'
The Ice In the mill pond was thicker
winter than It had been for years , bul
cracked again under the weight ot the crc
that gathered next Sunday to see Gypsy J
baptized ,
1IISTOUIO ST. JOHN'S.
Old Church AVlu-rrln PnirlrU Ilftir
KninniiN SiiecultViix Mil < ! < : . *
Old St. John's church In Richmond ,
where Pfltrlck Henry etlrrcd the world v
hi ; ) eloquence , ctlll stands todny. Stlrt
nnd Inspiring were the times the build
saw , recounts tin Brooklyn Eagle , nnd m
a phrase rang out within Its walls thnt '
cxli't through nil the country's history ,
no orator holds a higher place In the her
of Americans than that wonderful ono wl :
made the tory tremble and the patrl
blood move faster "Give me liberty or f
mo death ! "
Patrick Henry had won hla laurels In
fight against the clergy In 1763 , when , n
youth ha won n case that Immcdlal
stamped htm ns n genius. Then , In the ho
of burgesses , to which he had been elcc
on the strength of his victory In the parse
cause , the young orator again electrified
hearers with his power of debate. Ho i
elected to the house about two years at
nnd just at n tlmu when the colonies w
up In nrms against the passage of the sta
act. Whllo the house was In constcrnat
over the passage of the obnoxious law th
seemed to be no particular disposition
oppose It until the young patriot nppea
and convinced the younger memuera of
danger to their liberties In tubtnlsalon to
meamire. He wrote out a eel of resolutl
against the net nrgulng that It was agal
the magna charter for freedom to bo ta :
save by their own consent , nnd thnt cor
quently the act of Parliament was void.
H was during this debate , described by
old writer ns a most bloody one , that P
rick Henry startled the house and really
gan the strife which ended In the birth
the nation by his famous oxclamatli
"Cncsar had his Brutus , Charles I his Cro
well nnd George III . " "Treasoi
roared the horrified speaker ot the lion
"Treason ! Treason1' ! came from nil sltl
But the orator never paused. Lifting hi
self to his full height and fixing the chc
man with his piercing eyes , he nddcd , w
meaning emphasis ; " may profit by th
example ! If this bo treason , make the m
ot It. "
The resolutions were carried and the
ports of the debates nnd their result spn
throughout the eolcalc ; ; . Massachuscl
catching the contagious fever of patriot ) !
was the first to break out In public dlstu
ances , and sons ot liberty organizatli
started up throughout all America. ' .
net was repeated , but the English king si
began again his persecutions through P
llamcnt and once more Virginia was ami
the lenders In opposition.
Having won so remnrkable a battle o
such able nnd venerable leaders ns were
the assembly of his colony , Patrick He ;
naturally became , the first among A
glnlnns. Troops had been sent to Best
where open rebellion -had broken out , i
commerce with the colonies had ceased. T
was In 1774 and companies of'patriots w
being formed In every section of Amerl
England , however , bad become determli
In her course of bringing the1 colonies
subjection.
H was on March 20 , 1776 , that the me
orablo convention met In St. John's chur
Richmond. Vn. , when the great speech
Patrick Henry thundered from Its pul
and rang throughout the world with its e
to nrms. The continental congress had b <
called. Its protest to the king had been t
warded , Massachusetts' open proposition 1
been commended and the Virginia delcgat
Patrick Henry foremost among them , 1
returned. The congress had demanded r
rcscntatlon , or at least homo govcrnmc
and had devised n plan which was submit
to the crown. The convention In Virgl
knew nothing of the extreme course tal
by Parliament nnd had only heard of
gracious reception of the petition of the ci
tlncntal congress by the king. Consequent
their first motion was one hopeful ot n
turn to "those halcyon days when we HI
as free nnd happy people. " Patrick Hei
could see no hope of this and only saw
Immediate necessity of arming for the sti
which he knew to bo Inevitable. Ho
once offered as an amendment a rcsolut
advising the formation of a militia for I
protection of the colonies. It was in defci
of this amendment that his thrilling per
atlon was delivered.
The church was crowded. In the oppc
tlon to the impassioned Henry was the c
-incut and charming speaker , Richard Hei
See , who won by grace , while his oppom
gained by strength. There were other glai
n opposition , too , but Henry was trlumi
ant. He went over the whole field and
viewed the situation from every point , ;
could see no end but war. And then , w
-Irnmatle power and an intensity that c
ried all before him he ended his speech
the following undying words :
"There Is no retreat but In oubmlEs
and slavery ! Our chains nro , forged , tli
clanking may bo heard on the plains of B
ton ! The war Is Inevitable and let
come ! ! I repeat It , sir , let It come ! ! ! It
In vain , sir , to cxtonuatb the matter. G
tlomen may cry peace , venco-'biit there
no peace. The war Is actually begun , 1
next gale that sweeps from the north \
bring to our car the clash of resound
arms ! Our brethren are already In
field ! Why stand we 'here Idle ? What li
that the gentlemen wish ? What would tl
have ? Is llfo eo dear , or peace so sweet ,
to bo purchased at the price of chains i
slavery ? Forbid It , almighty God ! I kn
not "what course others may take , but as
me " hero Patrick Henry extended his at
aloft and with his face lighted up by
purpose of his soul ; ha cried ; " 'Give mo 1
crty or give mo fleath ! ' '
That peroration rank like a war cry i
today It Is re-echoed 'In every land. T
old church now overlooks Richmond from
hill and from lt place It has scon the ro
lu tlon successful * H has stood In the c
tor of the rebellion that trjed to break asi
der the bonds It'saw forged a century i
moro ago , and wllll stands , visited 'by ' th
aands of travelers. Having seen the birth
a 'nation ' It exists today when that nation 1
grown to bo a power among the powers
the world.
t
The .Scimfur'x S < rlH'il | lintltTTVrar ,
A western senator , who has always b <
addicted to the liublt of wearing striped i
derwear , had a narrow eecapo recently
that very account. The striped undcrwi
worn by the distinguished senator , rola
the Washington Post , looked for all I
world like a prisoner's garb , but of cou
that aspect of the case did not suggest Its
to the senator. While en route lo Washli
ton last month , after he had been ro-clecl
for another six years , the fact came to h
In a striking way. It was on a sleeping i
at night. The car pitched and threw h
out of the lower berth onto the floor , cl
In bis striped underwear.
The lurch of the car startled other fol
too , and two women on the opposite side
the car from the senator stuck their he ;
out to see what the commotion was all abe
When they saw the senator crawling urn
cover. In hla striped garb , thinking he v
an escaped convict , they screamed and p :
demonlum reigned. Thu porter was su
moned , whereupon the women command
him to icmove the "convict. "
It took all the -"senatorial courtesy" I
senator could rake up to prove an alibi , a
ho was finally able to demonstrate who
was ; but ho hag since abandoned the U
of wearing itrlpodunderwear , havl
reached the conclusion that plain flaiin
without atrlpci are much better and
safer , ,
Next Sunday The Bee will issue a pro
fusely illustrated Bicycle- Edition , with a com-
'plete forecast of the great bicycle show , to be
i
given in the building at the southwest corner
of 15th.and Howard , The edition will con
tain a number of pages devoted solely to bi
cycle news and will be very interesting to
wheel people. Orders for extra copies should
be handed in to the counting room as early as
possible. The edition will be especially at
tractive to advertisers , who will be accommo
dated with space if orders are received before
Saturday noon. Telephone 238 and one of
'our adverlisinsf men will call ,
Current Literature
I , . . ' ' ' * > ? Ji Qi .P
ffaff ] J r ny. T y Tr i'ji v'A' < 'n svi'K A
d o Two splendid color plates , "A Bunch o
Hot-Houso Grapes" and "A Bouquet from th
Roadside , " the latter after the water cole
painting by Clara Goodyear , are given frc
with the February number of the Art Am
nteur. Wood carvers , pyrographers am
china painters will find many valuable prao
tlcal designs In It , and the gallery am
stdulo have some excellent full-page cople
of paintings.
A line portrait of Walt Whitman serves a :
frontlsnlcco to the February number of tin
Book Buyer , and a paper on Phil May , Ui
Maurler's successor on Punch , Is very In
tercstlng , Interspersed with sample plcturci
Illustrating May's peculiar humor.
Ono of the most noteworthy articles U
current literature Is by Postmaster Genera
Wilson on the "Early Days of the Amer
lean Postorflce , " and appears lu the Youth'i
Companion of February 18. This Is ono o
a scries of practical articles by Senatoi
Henry Cabot Lodge , Speaker Thomas B
Reed , Secretary H. A. Herbert , nnd others
appearing In the companion.
Some very pertinent remarks nro fount
In the opening paper of Gunton's Magazlm
for February on "Practical Versus Wetn
physical Economists , " which Is followed b ;
another article In a similar vein on the "Do
cllno of Cobdenlsm. " Other topics treatei
In this number arc : "Walker's Contributor
to Economics , " "Indictment of Organlzct
Charities , " "American Standard of Living,1
"Tho Indianapolis Monetary Convention , '
"The Convict Labor Problem , " and thi
" Arbitration . "
"Anglo-American Treaty.
The Expositor , a new magazine devoted ti
theology , begins Its February number will
n critical article on Dr. Watson's book , "Tin
Mind of the Master. " Among other pnpen
are : "Chrlsl's Attitude to His Own Death , '
"Chrlstlnn Perfection , " "Notes on Obscun
Passages from the Prophets , " "John's Viev
of the Sabbath Ilcst , " and the "Priest o
Penitence. " ,
To the portrait and clipping collector thi
February Issue of Ev'ry Month will be es
pecially attractive , as there nro sevcra
prominent people pictured therein , whosi
pictures nro seldom found in the puulli
prints. Among the excellent half-tone portraits
traits are those of Samuel Gompers , Tin
Duchess , Robert Ingcrsoll and a now picture
turo of Maud Adams. Other exceedingly In
tercstlng things are a new song by Pau
Dresser , n lively two-step , and an appro
clatlvo article telling of the llfo and character
actor of the late Joseph B. McCullagh.
The current number ot Cosmopolls opcni
with a story by Anthony Hope , entitle !
"Tho Necessary Resources. " Walter Hal
elgh contributes a paper on "Tho Batth
of the Books ; " H. -AJ-nold-Forster , M. P.
discusses "Tho New French Naval Pro
gram ; " Helen Zlmmern and Alberto Manz
wrlto on "Italian Literature of the Day ; '
R. Nlsbet Bain contributes a paper 01
"Maurus Jokal as a Novelist , " and Henrj
Norman writes on British affairs under tin
caption "Thu Glebe and the Island. " Amoni
the French and German contributors an
Anatolo France , George Sand , Edouaril Rod
Lou Andreas-Salome and Felix Poppcn
hers.
NEW BOOKS.
"A Manual for China Painters , " by Mru
N , Dl R. Monachesl , la a most thorough am !
complete treatise adapted for china painters
containing practical directions for every slej
and offering such Instruction and uuggcutloni
In the use of mineral colors us will onabh
amateurs to pursue this beautiful art b ]
themselves. Abundant Information Is glvci
In reference to materials , which Include :
colors , brushes , mcdlumo , etc. , and how ti
use them , Valuable iraggcstlons are furnltjhcc
as to the requirements of decorative art , am
uceful hints follow on the correct designs foi
table ware. The author rays , In her Intro
ductton , the book contains such Infornmtloi
OB ehu sorely needed herself while learnlnt
to paint on china. Leo & Shepard , Boston
Megcath's.
"Commentaries on Hebrew and Christian
Mythology , " by Pariah 1) . Ladd , Is a para <
phrase and compilation made from writing !
of various agnostics und atheists. Renan
9 Huxley and the German leaders of the hlghei
criticism are among the authorities quoted
The Truth Seeker company , New York.
"A Peculiar Irishman , " by One Jones , li
a crude etory of an Irish free thinker wltl
oplnlonu upon nil nubjecta. Hid brogue am
BOHKB have the genuine Irish ring. Thi
Truth Seeker company. Now York.
"Nor Wife Nor Maid. " by Mrs. Hungertori
( The Duchess ) , whoso death has recently beci
chronicled , depicts Ilia oorrowa that como t <
a gentle Englishwoman through no fault o
her own or of her husband. It Is of high !
emotional order and of course rewards tl
good lu the end and does not forget to pm
Ish those who have been wicked , America
Publishers' corporation , New York.
"Hunting" Is one of four volumes dealln
icspectlvcly In angling , hunting , athletl
sports and mountain climbing , each of whl ;
comprises the best articles In Its partlculn
line that have appeared from tlmo to tlm
In Scrlbner's magazine. The men wh
wrlto of hunting are nil well known experts
George ifllrd Grlnnell , who has written th
best books on the North American India
of any man In this generation , tells of th
sport -In climbing for white goats nnd dc
scribes the extinction of the buffalo. On
curious point he brings out , nnd that Is tin
change In the physical traits of the buffalo
duo to Ita constant pursuit by hunters. Fron
a fat , heavy animal with short legs I
changed In fifteen years to n long-legged
light-bodied animal , formed for running
W. S. Ralnford writes ot camping am
hunting In the Shoshone ; Frederic !
Irland tells of sport In the Canadian wilder
ness , and Birge Harrison describes a kan
gnroo hunt. Charles Scrlbner's Sons , Nev
York. Megeath's.
With the giving to the public of his thin
volume of the "Principles of Sociology" Her
bert Spencer ends the great work of wrltlnj
a complete synthetic philosophy , which hi
began thirty-six years ago. The completi
set of the synthetic philosophy la printed It
ten volumes and Is ono of the greatest of literary
orary achievements. The ten largo volume !
represent the labors ot n number of abli
assistants , who aided In collect-Ing the nee
essary data and in verifying the statements
The work Is not exactly as planned um
promised , but while some parts have bcei
omitted this philosophical library has beet
made moro complete In ways not promised
and the author considers that the promlsi
of the prospectus has b'-en fully redeemed
The Important part omitted was to have
treated ot progress linguistic , Intellectual
moral , esthetic. But these topics wen
too extensive and complex for ar.
Invalid of 76 to handle adequately
The first two parts of this volume , on ec/
cleslastlcal Institutions and professional In
stltutlons , have been published before , bu
the third part on Industrial Institutions U
hero first given to the public. H dlscussci
twenty-four subjects In the author's usim
clear manner , and whllo Invaluable as cm
bodying the results of vast research , the con
elusions arrived at are sadly defective , be
traylng a wholly superficial view ot tin
economic nldo of the social problem , In fact
Mr. Spencer Is ono of that school of econo
mists who deny the exlstcnco of cconomli
science by their perpetual outcry against all
Interference with the operations of com
merce , the latter being considered solf-negu <
live , and all economics , therefore , beginning
and ending with commerce. To them eco
nomic science Is merely A defense of com
merce as It Is. To them the study ol
economics begins with the acceptance of the
Infallibility of commerce , nnd how can It end
otherwise than aa It begins ? Mr. Spenccr'r
weakness as an economist Is best displayed
In -strictures against socialism when he
finds It necessary to take his opponents at
their very worst and struln his objections tc
the utmost limits , planting the outcome ue
a new form ot slavery a conclusion that putt
him In a ridiculous attitude as a phllosophci
and man of cool judgment. Again he borates -
rates labor leaders for asserting the need foi
"organization of labor , " when the fine divi
sion of labor already Implies an Intense degree -
greo of co-operation and organization ot la
bor , falling to see that "tho fine division ol
labor" also carries with it an awful division
In the ranks of laboring men and therefore
calls for organization of laboring men tc
counteract tbo helplessness of their Isolated
condition , Air , Spencei's failure to distin
guish between "organization of labor" anil
organization of laboring men 'is only one
among many Instances characterizing Mr. .
Spencer's lack of acumen In dealing with the
problem of Industrial society. D , Applcton
& . Co. , Now York. Megeath'n.
There Is a class of readers ever attracted
by that form of fictitious literature bearing
a title suggestive of or purporting to de
scribe the ever-busy , and to thu masses
slightly mysterious , members of the rcpor-
torlal and editorial forces of a news sheet.
To these the subtitle of Henry Suton Merrl-
man's novel , "Christian Vellacott , a Slave
of the Lamp. " will appeal strongly. But the
tory will disappoint those who expept a
detail of newspaper life , The hero Is an En
glish journalist writing editorials for a Lon
don weekly. There U evidence of power In
Mr. Merrlman's delineation of Christian ,
but ono Is led to expect more of a vtory ,
much moro action , than thuro U. Stirring
ovpnts are merely outlined or hinted nt.
The blender thread of love la snapped as a
flnale. It really seems as It the materials
wcro to the hand of tbo author lor a greater
nnd a longer effort , but ho has only suc
ceeded In producing an interesting talc not
without assertive nnd analytic strength.
American Publishers' corporation , New
York.
"Tho Square of the Sevens" Is a very oldi
book resurrected and redressed with prefa
tory remarks by B. Ircneiis Stevenson. It
purports to give "An Authoritative System
of Cartomancy , " and , as Mr. Stevenson says ,
"It Is safe to presume that oven the Inqulsl-
tlvo book hunters of the present day hnvo
not encountered the scnrco and curloua
llttlo volume here presented. " Fortune tell
ing with cards was a common and curloiiN
occupation in the days of George II , nnd
the solemn faith with which the writer un
folds Its mysteries nnd his sly remarks nml
quaint phrasca contribute to give the book
a highly nmusing character. Harper &
Brothers , New York. Megenth's.
A great want will lie Illled when the
Werner company completes the new American
supplement to the Encyclopedia Brltnnnlca ,
the first volume of which , Including lettera
from A to B , has been issued and commends
ItE-elf to the libraries of great nnd small
readers everywhere. Its principal point of
advance over the original Brltannlca edition
Is Us Inclusion of the biographies of eminent
living men , and Its articles upon the new
branches of science which hnvo arisen slnco
the close of the Brltnnnlca. Such late scien
tific bubjccts as Argon , the Roentgen raya ,
nnd klueto-iphotography are covered by specialists
J
cialists In those lines. The Werner company.
Chicago. '
_ _
AT voicns or CONC > IIIS.S ! > M'IS.V.
Mimy N POHNCHHIM ! of
l.nr rt- I , u UK I'ouor. '
There Is always iomo one member of thi
house who possesses a volco far superior In
depth and volume to that ot any of thu
other members , which In Itself eerves ta
glvo the member possessing It a certain
reputation. In the present house , say's the
Washington Post , this volco Is possessed by
Marriott Bret > lus of the Tenth Pennsylva
nia district. Mr. Broslus has a faculty ol
talking so ioud at times that , the people In
the galleries cannot distinguish what ho
says. Another Pcnnsylvanlan- possessed
a similarly powerful volco was ' the lata
W. D. Kelley , commonly known' 'as ' "Pig
Iron" Kclioy in his day ho , hold tlju.yolco
record ngalnst nil comers until Charles II.
Van Wyck of New York , who/ was afterward
a senator from Nebraska , appeared on the
scene. His volco was oven greater than that
of Mr. Kolley. Back In the old days the great
est volco known to congress was that of th
Into William Allen of Ohio , whoso statue
now stands In Statuary hall at the copilot.
It Is told of Mr , Allen , when he WHH In the
house , before the days of railroads , that
ono of hla colleagues loft for his home In
Ohio. The day after ho was gore Allen was
lamenting the fact that ho had taken hla de
parture so soon , as ho wnntcd to consult
htm about somo. measure which had coma
up suddenly. "That needn't trouble you ,
Allen , " said t fcl'ow-member. ' "Ho has not
got across the .Alleghanles yet. Just go
out on the balcony and call him back. "
The greatest voice of which there Is any
record or tradition about congress was pos
sessed by George O , 8ymes of Colorado.
Symca , who vas a good deal of a character ,
finally committed suicide. Ho was an
Ohloan by birth , but seived In the union
army through the war with a Wisconsin
regiment , entering as u private and comliiK
out as a ccloicl. Most of his llfo after the
war wa ejumt In the west In the Rocky
mountain region , From 1874 ho mode his
homo In Dem or , Cot. Ho was a lawyer
by profession , and an orator noted for Ilia
great voice. Compared with It the bellow
of "tho bull of Ilashan" was n gentle mur
mur , It was a deep , heavy bass , proceed
ing ppemlngly from cavernous deptha. Askt-a
ono day about the reputation hla voice had
given him , ho replied ;
"Well , I'll tell you about It , " and the
words rolled out In his deepest , heaviest
ban * , "You see , I was out campaigning.
I was addressing a republican audience at
Sllverton. Over at Oruvlllc , twenty miles
distant , the democrats were holding' u meet-
Ing. Along about U o'clock thuro came up
ono of the awful storms which occur In
ttut mountain country. The wind howleil
like , a million devils. It wan especially bail
at Orovlllo. The people showed signs ot
alarm , anil noted as If they wanted to brealc
up the meeting and leave the hall , The
chairman bicomlilu anxious , rote to reatsure
them. 'Ladlre nnd gentlemen , ' ho said ,
'do not bo alurmed , There U a republican
meeting over at Sllverton , and Qcprfio
Symeu Is addressing It , He hau just como
to that portion of his speech wheru he du-
nounccii the Mills tariff bill , anil the nolta
you hear U the Indistinct rumbling ot hl
voice. ' "
iii