THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 191&
LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER
PAGE SIX
LEATHER FROM THE SEA.
Tt Product of Shark, Sturgeon 'and
Angel Fiih Skint.
It Is a curious fact that many sorts
of leather are not from sea creatures,
some of which nro very beautiful. Too
akin of sharks Is a beautiful burnished
gray or blulKh color. The surface ro
aemblcs finely grained leather since It
shows mauy tiny prickles all set one
ry. This property of shark skin ren.
tiers It especially valuable to the man
ufacturer of shagreen. Since the skin
Is at once tough and easy to work It
can bo used for many purposes where
decorative effects are desired.
In spite of its lumpy armor the stur.
geou furnishes a valuable and attrac
tive leather. It has been found that
when the bony plates uro removed the
patterns remain on the skin, just as
the patterns of alligator scales remain
on alligator leather, a clrcumstnnco
that adds greatly to tho valuo of tho
product. From the sturgeons that
abound on our Pacific const and In the
jrrcnt lakes wo get a tough leather that
Is used for the making of laces to join
leather belting for machinery. It Is
said that tho lacing frequently out
wears the belting Itself.
Thoro is found in Turkish waters a
strikingly unattractive fish called tho
angel llsli. classed among the littoral
sharks. This fish yields an extremely
blgh quality of green leather, much es
teemed in the Ottoman dominions.
Kansas City Journal.
THE DARK HORSE.
How tho Namo Was Applied to a Po
litical Possibility.
A novel written by Disraeli, earl of
Rcacousfleld, entitled "The Young
Uuko" and published in 1831, contain
ed a description of a horse race In
which the following sentence occurred:
"A dark horse which had never been
thought of and which the careless St.
James had never even observed In tho
list rushed pust the grand stand In
weeping triumph."
This was only a horse race, but It
ave prominence to tho fact that tho
race was won by a dark horse which
had not attracted any notice until he
came In a winner.
This may have been tho origin of the
phrnso "a dark horse," which, as used
In American politics, means a person
not prominently considered as a candi
date when a convention meets or dur
ing its earlier ballots, but who sudden
ly develops unexpected strength nud
nvius.
A notable case In point was that of
James A. Garfield In the Republican
national convention of 1880. On tho
first ballot for president he did not receive-
a single vote, but be received ten
votes on the second ballet, one vote on
tho twentieth ballot, fifty votes on tho
thirty-fifth ballot and was nominated
tty34M) on tho thlrty-sUth ballot Phil
adelphia Tress.
Foot of the Fly.
Yon fcave seen a boy uso what he
calls a "sucker," a round, flat piece of
leather, which Is soaked In water aud
flattened against a stouo so that all
die moisture between 'tho stone nud
the leather Is pressed 'out. Ho picks
up a brick with a string attached to
the leather. Since there Is no air be
tween tho leather and the stono tho
Atmosphere presses tho leather so
firmly against tho stono that tho stono
can bo picked up by tho leather.
A y has suckers on his feet the
Popular Science Monthly explains,
which act very much ou tho sntuo prin
ciple. As soon as ho puts dowu a foot
tie automatically squeezes the air out
between It and the surfneo upon which
he Is walking. Tho atmosphere there
fore presses him against tho celling or
ralL
Knocked Down.
'Some years ago lu a certain county
court which was not ono of the best
fitted up pluccs, three auctioneers were
eated In a pewllko contrlvunco await
ing the Judge's order to glvo evidence.
All at once thcro was a terrible noisa
In court and a dense cloud of dust
flew up.
"What's that?" asked tho Judge.
"Oh. It's nothing, your honor," re
plied a ready aud facetious lawyer.
"It's only three auctioneers gone off In
.one lot"
.The scat bad given way. Chicago
Hews.
The Firit Steam Engines.
The first known uso of steam to drlvo
klud of steam engine was described
by Hero of Alexandria, probably In
ICS) llrst or second century B. O. Hut
tche first real steam engines were those
ased at tho end of tho seventeenth and
In the early eighteenth centuries for
pumping water out of mines. New--cotiicn's
engine was used lu English
(nines about 1711.
Another Story.
A Glasgow antiqunry recently visit
d a rulued castle nnd asked ono of
the villagers If he knew anything of
avn old story about the building.
"Aye." said the rustic, "there was
wither a it Id story, but It fell dowu
loojf since." London Telegraph.
One of Many.
"Then you think you won uo perma
nent place la her heart?"
"I'm Just a notch on her parasol han
dle; that la ell." I.onlsvllle Courier
Journal. Bummid Up.
K nicker Of what does shad con
1st? Rocker A backbone a wish
bone, a funny tone and then some.
hew York Times.
The grand maxUn nowadays is "to
work, always to work and still to
work," Leon Gambetta.
STORY OF AN ORNAMENT.
The Lavalliere and tho French Beauty
Who Firet Wore It.
Do you know what a Invallicre Is?
You have seen many neck ornaments
of more or less elaborato design sus
pended from chains that were thin or
massive, which were sold as laval
Ucrcs. The traveler who knows bis
business will tell you that tho large
and highly ornate ornament made of
hand wrought gold and studded with
many gems, suspended from a thick
chain aud reposing on the bare skin
Just above the low cut bodice, Is a
"stomacher," whereas the "lavalliere"
Is light and delicate In construction. Is
set with not more than three stones
and Is on a slender chain.
Tho heavy ornament was formerly
worn on the front of the dress, the
entire front part of a bodice, which ex
tended down over the pit of the stom
ach, being called the stomacher. It
was an lCngllsh mode, whereas the la
valliere cumo Into existence lu France
In 1000, having been designed at the
suggestion of Louis XIV. as u gift to
Frnncolso Louise do lu Itaume lo
Illanc, when she wus made Duchess
do la Valliere. Of all the king's favor
Itos sho was the most interesting. She
became "queen of the petticoat court"
when Louis was but twenty-eight
years old and when Colbert and Lou
vols were making tho French treasury
and the French army tho greatest and
most formidable powers In Europe. At
thirty she retired to a convent where
sho spent her declining years .writing
that mournful essay, "Iteflectlons ou
the Flty of God." Exchange.
DUBLIN IS VERY ANCIENT.
It May Have Been In Existence In the
Time of Ptolemy.
Do you know how old Dublin Is?
I'robably not. Few cities tell their
correct age, but there is a rumor tbut
the Irish capital, the picturesque city
on the banks of the Ltffey, at the en
tranco to Dublin buy, is much older
than she pretends to be. In fact, It
has been asserted by some ungnllaut
scholars that sho was already a buxom
girl when Ptolemy sat on the throne ot
Egypt and that the fair clly on tho
western Island was 'mentioned in the
writings of that day. In later times,
say about 212 A. D., it already had a
history. When the Danes came, some
000 years later, the Celts had been at
pence so lung that they fell victims to
tho Invaders, but submission was no
part of their program.
The Inhabitants of the Island are Cel
tic to the very core, and never have
they become reconciled lo the iden of
sharing their beautiful country with
either Saxons, Danes, Teutons or Norse.
At one time, wheu the city of Dublin
had become pretty thoroughly English
in Us feeling, the people of the hill
country came down and massacred
most of the Inhabitants in the year
1170. Illchard declare, known ns Rich
ard Strongbow, the second earl of Pem
broke, crossed the Irish chonnel with
a great host and captured the city. But
he became governor of the Islaud only
after he married the daughter of one
of the Celtic kings. St. Louis Globe
Democrat Imagination In Art
Imagination is an element by which
artists are able to inflict their wares
upon tho public. When Millet painted
two peasants lu a potato patch with
bowed beads in an attitude suggesting
dally prayer ho wisely named tho pic
ture "The Angelus." That gave the
critic a hunch that a church bell In a
distant spire was pealing the hour of
prayer. Had he called that truly mag
ulllccnt pnlutlug "Digging Potatoes"
tho public's Imagination would not
have carried beyond the potato Held,
and It might also have made a differ
rncc of a few thousands of dollars In
the market valuo of the work. A well
chosen title for a picture or book Is
what mayonnaise dressing Is to a
salad 1 Cartoons Magazine.
Jewels of India.
For variety of precious stones uo
country lu the world can rival India.
Though she exports annually over 1,
500,000 worth ot Jewels, she still re
mains today, ns centuries ago. the
storehouse for the nations. Diamonds,
rubies, sapphires, tourmaline, garnet
and mnny kinds of rare chalcedony are
mined throughout her many provinces.
Tho diamond Industry Is carried on
to a groat extent lu the central prov
inces, ltubles are mined lu upper Bur
ma and next to petroleum form the
most profitable of the mineral resources
of that state. '
Woodbury the Composer.
Among obscurer composers of hymn
tunes that have lasted long Is Isaac
Bnkcr Woodbury of Beverly, Muss.,
who begun his career ns a blacksmith's
apprentice, lie llunlly studied In Eu
rope and was an associate of tho better
known musicians of tho day. His
tune called "Slloam." sung to Heber's
"By Cool Slloaiu's Shady Hill," Is
known to most churchgoers.
His Futile Attempt.
Mr. Sernpplngton (lu tho midst of his
reading) Here Is an Item about a blast
ed fool who kissed his wife 2.500 times
In oue day. Mrs. Sernpplngton Of
course he was a fool to think ho could
deceive his wife that way. What does
tie nccouut say he had been dolng?
.ludge. One Reward.
"Wealth doesn't bring happiness."
"No," replied Miss Cnvenne. "But It
does help some toward influencing oth
rs to put up with your grouchy ceoen
trlcltles." Washington Star.
The May of life blooms onco and
never again. Schiller.
Building a Battleship. '
Do you know bow many hours' work
It takes to build a modern dread
naught? Urobohly you have never giv
en the mutter a thought, so It will In
terest yon to learn thut a big battle
ship entails about 7,200,000 man hours,
or labor equivalent to the work of one
man working that time.
Tho making of the turbine machinery
absorbs Boine 1,650,000 man hours, and
the mountings of the big guns can easi
ly ucqulro two years' work, while a sin
gle armor plate may take nearly three
months to finish. None of these proc
esses can be unduly hurried, us the
very best work must be put In, the
least scamping making all tho differ
ence between victory and defeat
Between -10 and 50 per cent of the
cost of u dreadnnugbt's hull goes in la
bor. Curiously enough, fur less is spout
on lubor when constructing a lurblue
engine than when making oue of the
old reciprocating type. Much of the
material Is made by machinery, leav
ing only 28 per cent of tho cost for la
bor, whereas 4o per cent went in wages
when Die older klud were In use. Lou
don Telegraph.
Armenia's Royal Pretenders.
Tho last king of Armenia died In
rails In 1303, but his alleged descend
ants have frequently asserted their
rights to the Armenian crown. The
last well authenticated claimant Guy
de Luslgnun, died hi a Purlslau cellar
In 705, but a considerable stir was
created some forty years ago by the
pretensions of an Armenian family
named Khorinn. Archbishop Khorian,
the head of the family, gained many
Influential supporters iu England and
on the continent, but wus unable to
attain his modest desire that Cyprus
should be made over to him as a llrst
step toward the complete restoration
of the Armenian kingdom. Ono of his
brothers married an English lady, who
may bo still living. Another wedded
Victor Hugo's friend. Mile, de Nosrols,
who subsequently styled herself Prin
cess Mario do Luslgnan of Cyprus, Je
rusalem, aud Armenia. Loudou Globe.
"Temper" and "Humor."
The history of the words "temper"
and "humor" is very curious. Accord
ing to ancient physiology, tho human
body Included four "humors" (liquids)
blood, phlegm, bile nnd black bile
or melancholia. Their combination
formed a man's "temperament" and
wo speuk of sanguine, phlegmatic, and
melancholy temperaments to this day.
"Teuqier," the synonym of "tempera
ment." has undergone the strnngo de
velopments which we have noted, so
that "losing your temper" and "being
In a temper" mean the same thing.
Excess of one humor over tho rest led
to oddities; whence a "humorous" man
came to signify an eccentric person.
And now "humorous" applies not to
the odd person, but to the man who
sees tho oddity in hlra. London Spec
tator. Individual Verdicts.
The lady Jury had been out for hours.
The Judge looked tired, the clerk
yawned, the loungers slept
The bailiff, after listening at the key
bole several times, shook bis head with
a discouraged air.
And then, quite unexpectedly, the
Jury announced it was ready to report
and the twclvo ladles filed In.
"Have you agreed upon a verdict?"
the demanded.
The foselady smiled.
"We have agreed upon twelve ver
dicts, your honor." sho told him In her
flutelike voice.
"You are discharged!" roared the
Judge.
"Isn't he horrid?" said the ladles.
Exchange.
Just to Help Out.
"Well, well:" exclaimed Mr. Dubson
to a flustered acquaintance who rush
ed into a railroad station enrrylug two
lurgo suit cases. "Going away on tho
choo-choo?"
"Oh, no!" answered the acquaint
ance In n sarcastic tone. "My sole
Idea In buying a railway ticket and
hastening hither with all the baggage
I could stagger under was merely to
Increase the stir and bustle of this
great city." Exchange.
Going the Rounds.
"How is it you know so much about
the nelghltors' affairs as you tell at
the club?"
"Oh, my wife's maid picks it up
from tho other servants, nnd then my
wifo will Insist on repeating It all to
me. You know how wouleu will gos
sip." Baltimore American.
Too Much Ambition.
"I can't understand why you dis
charged my boy. You advertised for
a boy with ambition, and he"
"That's Just it, madam; that's Just
It. Ho wasn't In the place two days
before he had his feet on my desk and
was smoking my cigars."
The Sacrifice.
Mrs. Itlchlelgh (scornfully) I wish
you had more brains, Ferdinand, in
stead of so much money. Ferdinand
(unmoved) I did once, dear, but It took
all of them to get money.
Flirtation.
"What really constitutes fllrtatlou?"
asked the young nuiu of the womau of
the world.
"Attention without Intention," re
plied the cxiierienoed one.
Salary.
Soldiers once received salt as part of
their pay. When the salt was com
muted for cash the Intter was called
"salnrlum." salt money, or "salary."
The golden rule measures business
better than the wooden yardstick.
CONGOLEUM ART RUGS
Arrived today large shipment, new and beautiful rPtrtel Jff VuESE
tive floor covering shown today. I AY ILL bLuuvix
RUGS for one week only, today till next Saturday tor:
A I IT KUUS, 1 piece, 3x4 1-2 it. regular jjm.uu ,uu uan
ART RUGS, 1 piece, 4 1-2 x 4 1-2 ft. regular $1.75 value only .-- -J
AWV HUGS, 1 piece, 4 1-2 x 6 ft., regular $2.00 value only -
A RT I;rr,S I T.in Q v 10 1-'2 ft. regular $10.00 value only
t rjrri DI.lO i ' n
.tut ii two, l piera, . iw it. iuf;uuu .j-u.w j
Very Special on Two-Piece Congoleum Rugs
$7 35
Two piece, 9 x 12 regular $9.00 value only i'm
Two piece 10 1-2 x 12 regular $10.00 value only zrrrfJ,
CONGOLEUM RUG BORDER YARD WIDE, OAK PLANK PATTLKJN
Regular 55c value, only 43c the yard
CONGOLEUM in 0 ft. wide rolls beautiful colors aud patterns.
J)'0e value special this week onlv 49c the yard.
You cannot afford to miss this opportunity to re-cover your floors.
Furniture on
Easy Pay
ments K.
E
FIRE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN
CAUSES HEAVY DAMAGES AT
COVE FAMILY HOME.
Library Included in the Loss Family
Not at Home Other Cove News of
General Interest.
Cove, Sept. 21. (Special.) Karl
Stackland's house on his fruit ranch
burned to the ground Monday even
ing, Sept. 18. The cause is unknown.
The family were living in town, but
had left part of their furniture in the
house, also a nice library. There was
only a small insurance of $1,700. The
building originally cost $3,200.
Died Chauncy Cummings, at the
home of his sister, Mr3. Royal Allen,
Monday evening. The remains will
be taken to his home in Maker. Mr.
Cummings had been in the hospital at
Portland for some time and was
brought to Mrs. Allen's home two
weeks ago.
M. K. Knight was a La Grande vis
itor Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Huntly and daughter,
Eloisc, were visiting at Tom Conklin'a
home over Sunday. Mrs. Huntly will
live in La Grande this winter and
Eloise will attend school there. Mr.
Huntly will return home after a short
visit here.
Miss Eleanore Davis of Union sang
at the Baptist church Sunday morn
ing and was entertained at the home
of Frank Williams at dinner.
Raymond Williams has eone to the
John Day valley to work. He expects
to remain there this winter.
The Woman's Civic Improvement
club will meet the third Thursday this
month instead of the fourth on ac
count of prunes, which will be ready
to pick next wceK.
Mrs. Ed. Stearns has gone to Pen
dleton to visit her mother and, inci
dentally, to take in the Round-Up.
J. K. Lantz left for Salem Satur
day with his exhibit for the State
fair. Mrs. Lantz will join him the
last of the week. Before returning
home they will visit their son, Roy,
at Woodburn.
The Ladies' Aid will meet with Mrs.
Minnie McDaniel Wednesday.
A party of Indies made the trip to
Mt. Fannie Sunday over the new
trail. Included in the party were
Mrs. May Kelly, Mrs. Mary Reese,
Miss Bessie Kelly, Miss May Stearns,
Lawton Stearns,, Miss Winnifrcd Os
ten and Miss Duff. All pronounced
it a pleasant trip, even if they did suf
fer from lameness afterward.
Mr. and Mrs. I,ogan Anderson, Mr
nnd Mrs. Hugh McCall and Dr. and
Mrs. McCown were entertained at din
ner at the home of Chris and Gcr
hart Stackland Sunday.
Mrs. Will Houx and two daughters,
Vera and Veda, are home from Boise,
where they have been visiting for the
past week. Mr. Houx returned with
them for a two weeks visit.
J. H. Houx has returned from Baker
City after a week's visit with his
daughter, Mrs. Pearl White.
Purl Boman drove over from Pen
dleton Wednesday to take his sister,
sirs. j. v. Ingram, and Mr. Ingram
to the Round-Up.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert French start
for the Round-Up Thursday morning
nnd will take Mrs. Knight, Mrs. Ryan,
Miss Bonnie Senvers nnd Gay Dutton
in their car.
Ix-onard Love returned Wednesday.
J. Ayres and Bert Stoffcl stopped
in this vicinity fo:- a few weeks, vis
iting friends and relatives en route to
the Round-Up.
Mrs. Leonard Towle went to Union
Tuesday with Mr. and Mrs. Roval Al
len. Wesley Smith, with his nephew,
Ralph Burwell, Mr. and Mrs. Ogden
and daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Wade,
have gone to the Round-Up in Pen
dleton in Mr. Smith's car. John
Smith will also take a partv over
Thursdny. Included are Mr. and Mrs.
STAG
HOM
D
1.1 ci. ,.,, 1 J" 1 1 (C Tflllln
F. D. HAISTEN
Nip Conley and Mr. and Mrs. George
Conley.
Mrs. Lahrman has returned from
Portland, where she has been visiting
for a few days.
Rev. Henry will be the new pastor
at the Methodist church. Rev. Cath
ers will take the pastorate at Elgin.
Farmer's Wages.
The president of the Texas Farmers
Union has been greatly aroused by the
suggestion that an eight-hour day ir.
now a principle recognized us inevit
able. He does not feel that there
should be any inequality between the
workers of the city and the workers
of i.ho rural districts. He points out
that the farmers cf Texas work from
twelve to fourteen hours a day and
that their average compensation docs
not exceed $2 a day. He continues:
j We have in this state nearly 250,
! 000 women as farm hands in the fields
from sun to sun, for 50 cents per day,
which is as much as products of their
toil will bear. If the plan for an
eight-hour day is capable of giving
the farm workers a full day's pay for
eight hours' labor, we are for it; but
if it results in shifting either hours
or dollars from those who labor in
industry to the backs cf those who
follow tho plow, we are unalternably
I opposed to it.
' The farmers of the country have
been pointing out that since increased
wages in large cities invariably are
disturbed over the cost of products
sold to the consumer, the farmer must
bear his share of high wages in tho
cities even he is paying low wages on
, the farm. They reason that labor en
gaged in transportation service should
, have as favorable working conditions
i and as fair remuneration as the farm
ers themselves receive, but no more.
i If this view is to have weight, it
must be extended to cover all the busi
ness of the country. The manufact
urer who ships his goods over the rail-
: road might well say that he would re
fuse to pay a higher freight rate for
higher wages to trainmen so long
as his own employes are working
, more than eight hours and getting
lower pay. There is no question of
the fact that farmers work long hours,
l but usually their profits are good and
and they are independent. The
farm hand is less fortunate, since he
OUTBURSTS OF EVERETT TRUE BY CONDO
-$1.4
..$1.6
..$8.
An r
rmlv fVX
Furniture on
Easy Pay
ments. must work long hours for little pay.
Nevertheless, if a:y attempt is made
to go into the whole problem, it will
mean a reorganization tf nearly every
business in the country. Washington
Post.
The Common Sense Of It.
When you put r. bartender out of a
job you remove a parasite from tho
body seci:il. He can no longer suck
the fruits of production from the veins
of the producer; he mu.it begin to pro
duce the equivalent of what he con
sumes. If you put a foot-pad out of a job
certainly he will not have so much
money to spend, but the men who
would have been his victims will have
considerable more to spend.
Isn't that common S'.;nse?
MEXICAN PLANS RAILROAD
Mexicali to Be Connected With Gul
by 40-Mile Line
San Diego, Sept. 17. Building of a
railroad from Mexicali to San Relipe,
at the head of the Gulf of California, a
I distance of 40 miles, will be begun
, soon by Governor Esteban Cantu, of
Lower California, according to an an-
nouncement made here by a close
friend of Cantu.
j The purpose of the road, to be in
operation not later than the summer
!of 1917, is to afford a direct line to
tidewater for Lower California prod
ucts without a long haul through
American territory and attendant cus
toms complications.
, Could Hardly Monkey With Kansas.
j Some of our Kansas friends are
! afraid that somebody might think that
I the motion picture censors of that
I state have acted in accordance with
advice from the office of the Brewer's
Anti-Prohibition organization as cen
Isors in some othir localities have
done.
! The brewers could no more effect the
State administration of Kansas in any
department than they could open a sa
loon on Kansas Avenue, Topeka, and
as B. L. T. would say, that is about
zero in opportunities. The Kansas
censors stand absolved by common
consent and common sense.
in
i S.S- X ;
I?