Image provided by: Independence Public Library; Independence, OR
About The Polk County post. (Independence, Or.) 1918-19?? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 1919)
-X L ^_-~A ____ W h at W ill H e W rite ? M o il and Farewell FAREWELL TO THE OLD O ld Y ear, th y life is w ell-nigh spent, T h y feet are to tte rin g and slow, T h y hoary head w ith age is bent, T h e tim e is here for thee to go; A lready in th e frozen snow A lonely grave is m ade for th ee; T h e w inds are ch an tin g dirges low. U pon th e land and on the sea. O ld Y ear, thou w ert a friend to some— T o som e th o u w e rt of w orth untold, T h y days w ere blessings, every one, M ore precious far th a n shining gold; B ut unto others, th o u a foe Did prove th y self—an enem y, R elentless as th e chains of woe— As ruthless as th e m addened sea. Some will rejoice to kn o w thee dead, O thers will m ourn thee as a friend; Some will look back on thee w ith dread, O thers th eir praises to thee le n d : I neither offer p raise n o r blam e, Old Y ear, for w h a t you b ro u g h t to me, F o r unto m e b o th jo y and pain Y our active h an d s gave lavishly. T h y solem n d ea th -h o u r draw s a-nigh— And h ark ! I h ea r th y funeral knell Slow pealing th ro u g h th e darkened sky— F arew ell, O ld Y ear— farew ell, farew ell! HAIL TO THE N E W H a il! hail! to thee, O virgin year! N ot y et a d ay ’s len g th on thy throne,— T h o u w ith th e m erry eyes and clear And joyous voice of dulcet to n e : H ail! hail! to thee, th o u stro n g of lim b; O ur praise is thine, O youthful king. F o r thou a rt pure of w oe and sin, T h y young h an d s y et b u t blessings bring. T h e m onarch w ho is laid aw ay W ith in the catacom b of years W as harsh and ru th less in his day— Seemed less to love o u r joys th an te a r s ; W e look for blessings m anifold, N ew Year, from th y pure sinless hand, W e tru s t th y h ea rt will n e’er grow cold T o w ard us—and o u r N ativ e Land. fesblimorv A barbamKerr OMMY-TROT,” christened k Thom as Tcotwood Blrney, spraw led on the table at his fa th e r’s elbow. He was engaged In printing some thing which he carried about w ith him. “It’s an uwful hard job, ain ’t it, daddy? B ut I guess gentle m ans h as to do It anyway, don't we?" "W hat’s th at. S ir Thom as?” asked his father, glancing up from his book. “Why, the New Y ear res-o-lution thing,” answered Tommy as he labo riously put on some finishing touches. “P retty big word, th at. W hat about It?” “Yep, but then I don’t say it much, It’s sort of like a bet. You bet you do o r you bet you don’t. A n’ I’m going to bet I do.” And Tommy closed his book 01 ) a little fat finger nnd ollmhed on his fath e r’s knee. "And w hat is it you’re betting you’ll do, B usterkins?” smiled his fath er rumpliug up the boy's brown curls The child was unusually se rio u s; he looked intently a t his father. “I’m going to see about getting a lady for our home, daddy. I’m so tired being wivout one. I—I w ant a muvver, dad dy—a muvver Is so handy.” And try as he might to m ake his declaration very m atter of fact, Tommy-Trot's chin quivered and he hid his face on his fath er's shoulder. Mr. Birney laid aside his pipe and for a full long m inute said nothing ‘‘So th a t’s your New Y ear’s resolution, ® ft #} ft ft H (* *} B ring healing to th e h e a rts now sore F ro m w ounds th e cruel O ld Y ear m ade; T h e veil of peacefulness draw o’er T h e woes at each h ea rt-th resh o ld laid : W e cannot love a ty ra n t k in g ! O ur h earts refuse to loyal be T o one w ho takes delight to fling U pon our h earts keen m isery! ft Be kind to us—th a t we m ay say, W h en com es the tim e for thee to go; “ O d arling year, w e grieve to-day, Because we all have loved thee s o !” « G o o d H ousekeeping. father, “and If you will get me a glass of hot milk I will be very grateful.’’ "I’m ashamed not to have thought of that myself,” he told her remorse fully as he hurried to obey. When he returned she tried to dispatch him to *et himself something to eat. T d rather not," he assured h e r; "I do not think I could eat. I only w ant to make you understand how much I appreciate what you have done for me and Tommy-Trot. We’ll be your de voted slaves from now on and Tom my s father will run him a close race, Miss Woodburn.” "It was mighty fortunate th at I re membered that I had promised to stop for him," she said quietly. "But I think now that you had better get your din ner at once and then I will run home for mine when you return.” H er tone brooked no argumeut, although Mr. Blrney much preferred to look at the picture of her holding his sleeping child than to eat. Shortly after Miss Woodburn had her <1 Inner Mr. Blrney, In distress, tele phoned that Tommy had awakened nnd was crying hysterically for her. Would she come and stay a little while and get him to take one more dose of medicine? Hastily putting on her wrnpa. Miss Woodburn started for the Blrneys’, taking w ith her an old narse Who she knew would stay with Tommy for the night “You pwomlsed m e!" he out his hand to h e r; deftly she smoothed his pillow, asking quids questions hs to doctor’s orders and showing the bewildered fath e r how to follow them, all the tim e talking in soothing, com forting little sentences to the child. “W e’re good pnls, are n 't we, Tommy? And we’re going to hnve some aw fully good times together, nren’t we? And will you make a b a r gain with me? When my little Peter- klns was sick he did Just w hat I w ant ed him to do. Will you do th at, d a r ling? If you will you may call me Aunt Grace, Just as he does. Will you, dearest?" "R a w e r call you muvver,” w his pered the child hoarsely. The color flooded Miss W oodburn's face, but with a little life hanging In the balance th ere was no tim e to hesi tate. "All right, little man. It's a bar- walled. "Yen shan't go back to P e te r; I’ll fw ash him I” Abashed, but smiling. Miss Wood burn soothed the chHd, who clung to her till she assured him over and over again that she would return In the morning, and Mrs. Brown would stay till she came back. When Tommy-Trot was finally quieted for the night. Mr. Blrney Insisted on taking Miss Wood burn home, and It seems that most of the time was spent In telling her about his family and his prospects, as though be felt It necessary that she should he flioroughly acquainted with his biog raphy. Neat day he made the ao qualntance of her father and repeated the story and much more about him- •eif and Tommy-Trot. And as Tommy soon learned the way to the Wood- boms' also the neighbors are wonder- tag whose courtship Is the most ardent, Mr. Blrney s or Tommy-Trot’s. But certain It la that Miss Grace Woodburn la to be the New Year lady la the Blruay home. ^Copyright, 1»1»L by_ McClure Newspaper ' R a w e r Call You Muvver.” Engaged In P rinting Something. Is It, old man, to get us a lady for our home?” He somehow could not say the word m other lightly, though It had been five long years since Tommy’s m other died. “I t would be nice. Have you found any one, spoken to any one yet ?” “I’d like to hnve the lady wiv the shiny eyes th a t takes me to school mornings,” adm itted Tommy. "I asked her once was she a muvver, and she said no, Just only a little boy’s aunt. I spect she’s so busy being a nunt thnt she wouldn’t have any tim e to be a muvver,” and the child sighed deject edly. "I w lsht you'd ask her daddy. Won’t you?" "Why, I don't know Miss Woodburn, old man.” The fath e r smiled a little ruefully ns he remembered th a t he had thought to strik e up an acquaintance through the child, but Miss Woodburn had coldly repulsed him. though she had long been a fast friend of Tom my’s, stopping for him to slip his hand into hers ns she hurried to her school room, which was in the same building as the kindergarten. "I think we have pretty good times together, after nil. Shall daddy be the hear tonight?" “I’m most afraid I’m sick, dnddy,” murmured the boy; "I spect I’d b etter go to bed.” Mr. Birney gathered Tommy T rot up solicitously and prepared him for bed. 'I w lsht your lap fitted me better, dnddy. I’m going to get the New Year lady’s lap to fit like Benny Jones’ muvver’s does," complained the child, drowsily. The next morning Miss Grace Wood burn slackened her pace, expecting Tommy to conic running hs usual, then she retraced her steps, walking slowly Pfist the house. The door swung open nnd Mr. Birney. coatless, an apron tied about his neck, frantically ex plained that Tommy-Trot was very sick with the croup, thnt the doctor was trying to get a nurse, but he fen red the child would die before they could get help, as the woman who kept th eir cottage was away. Fo-.unntely Miss Woodburn had taken a first-aid course; also. In her strenuous business of being an aunt, I she had helped to take little Nephew | P eter through a very severe attack of | croup. She knew th at every minute was precious. She began draw ing off her gloves and unfastening her wraps as she hastened afte r Mr. Blrney. She telephoned her assistant to take her place till fu rth e r orders, then reached out her hand for the apron. Lovingly gain nnd you'll take the bad medicine Just as If It w ere good.” Patiently she worked, sending the grateful fath e r flying on errands, or telephoning the doctor to ask for fuller directions. No inan has any concep tion of a woman's resourcefulness till he sees her trying to save the life of some one dangerously til. Mr. Thomas Blrney watched, fascinated, the move ments of this highly com petent young woman who seemed never to give him a thought except to order him about. Noon came—the afternoon was almost spent before the child was sleeping calmly In her arms, the crisis passed. "We’ve wool” she announced to the tthc beat aver Tommy-Trot, wba bold ft Little old last year's f t resolu tion is as good as any, and f t probably will w ear f t fully as long as a n ew one. ft ft finite. But each succeeding year is a new opportunity. It offers the perfec tion of completeness, and by even a p artial comprehension of its fullness we may move tow ard fulfillment of the m easure of our lives. ft “I am not afraid,” said Thoreau, “th a t I shall exaggerate the value and f t significance of life, but th a t I shall not be up to the occasion which it is. 1 f t shall be sorry to remember thnt I was there, but noticed nothing rem arkable f t —not so much ns n prince In d isg u ise; f t lived In the gol.len age a hired man: visited Olympus even, and fell asleep f t a fte r dinner, and did not h ear the con versation of the gods.” brightness. April will spread her feast of flowers. June will display her green perfection of beauty. August will offer the ripening grains ; October O who does not note the excellence th e laden orchards. The year will of the world he has been set to rule, take no heed of the crime th at has proves himself unworthy of his herlt- been done by man or of the vengeance ; age, nnd is punished hy b itter unrest. His life lacks the boon of contentment th a t marched inexorably. which includes all boons. There are, OETS died in the trenches of Gal or course, the few whose mental scope lipoli nnd France, w atching God’s is too narrow for self-measurement. sunrise or the wispy clouds in the They do not even know th a t they are blue. British gentlemen caked with discontented and may enjoy Mfe as the the mud of Flanders wrote detailed re ox enjoys life. They nre fortunate. ports of th eir observations of migra The unfortunate man is the one who tory birds nnd of the effect of <’ n- has, even dimly, an understanding th at i he world is good and beautiful and lire on bird life. French student .1 scholars, bearded and dirty, made th at he is failing to reap the richness careful notes of the flora of the thnt is rightly his. T he coining year is indeed a great Meuse and the Somme. mystery, full of possibilities. Who These men visited Olympus and did not fall asleep while the gods con ever has not watched and studied the versed. N either did they perm it the ro ar of m an’s fury to drown out the divine voices. So it m ust be a good year th a t Is O W m a n y of u s a r e w a it ahead. T here can be no bad years. T he years nre measured by God and in g for th e o p p o rtu n itie s not by the evil th n t men do. o f th e c o m in g y e a r ! W ith P Joy T hat All Can Have. The Joy of living is best found in the real success of life. Take away success nnd there’s no Joy in life to one alive to opportunities and respon sibilities. N r live man Is satisfied with m ere existence, for he w ants to con trib u te something to the w orld's prog ress, the world’s good. And it Is in such contribution th at real joy Is found, the satisfaction th a t comes froncfull reali zation th a t one has done w hat he could In th e year given him. So this Is the Joy this journal wishes every read er may have the coming y ea r; and will have If they fully appreciate th a t the new year Is theirs, to make It truly a happy new year. h o w m a n y o f u s Is It t h e n u n u t t e r e d h o p e t h a t to m o rro w , n e x t w e e it, n e x t m o n th , t h e n e x t y e a r m a y b e a s to d a y in Its p r iv i l e g e s a n d o p p o rtu n itie s , o n ly fa r m o r e a b u n d a n t. W e aure to ld t h a t th e firs t d a y o f t h e N e w Y e a r is a n a p p ro p ria te t i m e to fo rm g o o d re so lu tio n s. B u t t h e N e w Y e a r Is to m o rro w , a n d t h e r e is a b e t t e r tim e for s u c h a tasK , a n d t h a t tim e is to d a y . F o r " n o w is t h e a c c e p t e d tim e."— Bishop H . C. Potter. passing years may begin to d a y ; It is never too late. W hoever has long Day Means Much to All. w atched and loved the years will New Years suggest intim ate personal know th n t to his knowledge, however views of self. The annual crop of good ripe, much will be added. He will ad resolutions shows how n ear most vance a step n ea rer to the goal of con people are to becoming radically bet tentm ent. and In so advancing will In ter. The day also bring a sense of the crease bis human usefulness, his help Inexhaustible resources of life. It Is fulness. the door Into a wonderful future, new inventions, new discoveries, new HE year dawns on an earth red achievements, of social justice sad prlv- with Mood, an earth torn with lege and joy for the masses of men. strife. It will be for most of the peo- ple of ■irth a year of sorrow and of a cn i But fo r all this It will not be a had year. Not h alf of civil- f t ized mi tn ! ind but all mankind thnt has If you leave it to A f V.* t not fot■gotten the meaning of civiliza- h;iis 1-een unselfishly, heroically t h e s c h o o l b o y f t tien e iu -g e ¡1 In the needful work of rid- f t N e w Year's day f t dim. t?ie world of a noxious p arasitic grmi th . the poisonous fungus of mill- is w hat comes be” f f t t , tarism . For those who gave them- to this essential work It will be fore he has to go A 0 9 selves n g< ■ -<I .war. For all who are sulTer- Ine fir i ' he years to come may be back to school. tin ;; V ' healthier the year will be : 5 a good y r c r. T February wlU bring Its crystal WJ In turning over a n ew leaf, be sure to lay a 1,000” pound weight on it, so it won't fly back. w YEARS MERELY LIFE’S CHAPTERS Offer Opportunity for Each ol Us to Write Therein a Record Better Than the Preceding. H E coming year lies spread like the w hite plain that sweeps from the roadside tc the distant forest where thi gray squirrels are making tracks in the light snow. On this w hite sheet a lit tle record may be w ritte n ; not a full life story, but merely a brief chapter or two, like the chapters of squirrel life th a t may be read by one who to day ventures into th e w hite forest. It is a great m ystery th a t lies ahead, a trea su re house of endless possibili ties. T he span of a man’s life Is sh o rt; shorter in absolute m easure m ent than the span of a year. For each year, when October fades into November, lias wrought completeness. No human life can bring completeness. It cannot bring completeness of knowl edge or com pleteness of happiness or com pleteness of good works. The best man can do, In his poor, limited way, is to glean as much wisdom and win as much happiness and do as much good as the num ber of his days per mits. When the hurnnn October fades It may thus be rich and peaceful and w ithout th e scars of storm y days or the blight of w asted days and without undue regret th at w hat should have been seen and known and done has not been seen and known and done. T YEAR'S completeness Is but ■ twelvemonth. O ur human incom A pleteness covers many twelvemonths. How fo rtu n ate th at each dawning year means a new opportunity to live and learn. Again and again we may take up the thread and advance tow ard the goal of apprehension. We may study God's works and year by year come n ea rer to an appreciation of them. We can never fully appreciate them, for o u r m inds are finite, and they are In- T h e n ew resolu” tion will be simply the sam e old re” solve broken with s u c h frequency.