♦
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Topics of
the Times
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♦
All tlie testimony pus to show that
the American lieu acquitted herself
nobly.
Tt Is probably Just ns «ell that con-
<re«8 never adjourns out of respect to
s dead bill.
The hatchet-'aeed man Is generally
• nsiieeted of treachery If one of hla
friends gets it in the neck.
An insane man has made a cent into
• screwdriver, Demonstration of how
a lunatic can get tilings twisted.
A royal wedding has been held in
Russia without any dynamiting. Even
Nihilists like a change once in a while.
A Montana man has inherited a coun­
try home from a dog. lie will be both
fashionable and grateful If he calls his
placa- “The Kennels.”
As for us. give us the kind of man
who. notwithstanding It may be cloudy
to-day, believes that to-morrow will be
a sun-kissi'd dream.
It cost a man $4.750 to kiss an un­
willing woman. The price seems high,
considering how many girls are only
waiting for a chance.
Ixive is the name of the Chicago
woman who was recently granted her
Sixth divorce. Site should retain the
name and use It for halt.
The philosopher of the Atlanta Con-
etitution says that “men like widows
because they pretend not to know a
lot of what they really do know.”
Madame Paderewski paid $7.500 for
four chickens. Tills seems like reckless
extravagance until we reflect how
easily her husband makes that amount.
In celebrating Easter the Czar of
Russia released 20,000 political prison­
ers. Tlie Russian reactionaries will
not be likely to regard this as a cheer­
ful spring opening.
Every kind of religion is permitted, to
flourish in America so long as It keeps
the peace. The first Hindu temple In
the Western world was recently dedi­
cated in San Francisco.
“Tlie excessive talker,” declared a
London clergyman, “is a human vam­
pire who saps the vitality of those
about him." But he meant “her” but
didn't dare say It because his wife w-as
*n the room.
We are delighted to see that Miss
Jean Held's fiance “attends the king
and queen at all state and social af­
fairs.” Any man with a vigorous ag­
gressive life work like that ought to be
a great and constant Joy to any Ameri­
can girl.
ashes will be discovered to have been ■
flretrap. The discovery would be made
too late to save the lives of unfortun­
ate occupants. Cities and towns which
wish to do their full duty by the strung
er within their gates should be s.irn-d
to action by what 1ms happened at
Fort Wayne. The authorities of each
place should have Its hotels Investi­
gated to And out whether there Is a
flretrap among them. Where one Is
found tbe changes that will make it
safe should be ordered. Tills Is what
should be done generally. Common hu­
manity und regard for the lives of
home people and strangers demand It
Business considerations require It. In
some places the lesson of the Fort
Wayne hotel tire will tie heeded. In
others the authorities will trust to luck.
They will assume that the good fortun«
which has protected Insecure hotels
hitherto will stand by them. They will
not hunt for flretraps, but will wait
until a fire shall have revealed their ex­
istence.
OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE.
It Is frequently said that a famllv
can live for much less In England than
in America, although tbe details are
seldom given In support of the state­
ment. A committee of representative
English working men, which visited
America not long ago, has reported that
there Is practically no difference In the
price of food in the two countries, and
that in some parts of England provis­
ions are more expensive than in New
York. Rent Is higher here than In
Great Britain.
But even with the I
greater rent the American working
man Is better off. for his wages are hoi
much higher than those paid on the
other side that, as the committee has ■
reported, the American can save two
dollars as easily as the Englishman
fifty cents. The contented workman
is the one who saves fifty cents or two
dollars, rather than the one who
complains that his wages are so small
that he can save nothing. The news­
papers noted the death the other day
of a man In Scotland who had never
earned more than eight dollars a week,
yet had educated two of Ills five chil­
dren well enough for them to enter the
learned professions, and had a surplus
of movable property worth two thou­
sand dollars. There Is In a New Eng­
land town a sh.te worker who, when he
was a young man, resolved that he
would save enough out of bls wages to
tie able to retire and live on his Inter­
est at the age of sixty. He retired at
the age of fifty-eight, with a home and
a competency; yet he never received
more than fifteen dollars a week. It
Is men of this type the world over who
are the bone and sinew of their respec­
tive countries. In democracies such as
England and America they control In
a real sense the national policies. The
cost of living does not trouble them
very much, for they have schooled
themselves to adjusting tlielr imme­
diate wants to the necessity of provid­
ing for a future when they may rest
from their labors.
“Cuba llbre” has long been a war
cry and watchword. A new kind of
“Cuba llbre” is reported by Governor
Magnon, who declares, after a careful
Investigation, that the island has not
a single case of yellow fever. That Is
a better kind of “free Cuba” than even
Its liberators dreamed of.
“The flag of tlie American frigate
Chesapeake, taken by II. M. S. Shannon
June 1, 1813. which was recently sold
at auction In this city, has been pre­
sented to the Royal United Service Mu­
seum by William Waldorf Astor.”—Lon­
don dispatch. It is an unpleasant lit­
tle episode that one of the few Ameri­
can battle flags ever captured by Great
EMI’EKOR FRANCIS JOSEPH.
Britain should be thus prevented by an
Francis Joseph, of Austria-Hungary,
American from returning to America.
Even an expatriate might wish to pre­ who recently celebrated the ttotli an­
vent its permanent exhibition In an niversary of bis ascension of tlie throne,
is not as old as one would suspect, con­
English museum.
sidering thnt the Imperial robes have
Appeal to authority may be so slavish been worn for three score years. His
or so trivial as to dishonor the author­ investment as emperor took place at 18
ity and make the appellant ridiculous. and this makes him 78.
From the beginning of Ills rule his
Did Lincoln approve of redncing the
tariff on wool, and If wood pulp had gentleness and love for his subjects
been in use In his day, what would he have ever been conspicuous. Though
have thought of the tariff on that? the central figure lu the most aristo­
What was Paul Jones' view of the need cratic court in Europe, be is one of the
of an American naval station In the most democratic of men. His humility
Yappl Yappl Islands? Would Thomas In washing the feet of twelve poor men
Jefferson have sanctioned a course in on Good Friday, a performance the
Celtic In an American university? world looks upon as menial, gives the
What would Jackson have thought of key to Ills fondness for others and the
the Aldrich currency bill? These ques­ jioorest can lay their troubles before
tions are no more absurd than many the head of 00,000,<K)0 people. Hun­
which are seriously discussed In Jour­ gary long ago would have broken the
nals and assembly halls. Great men dual relation only for Francis Joseph.
are great precisely because they act in Ills strong sense of Justice and his lov­
obedience to principles which are too able nature have kept the hyphenated
deep and broad to bind the answers to empire from dissolution, and ft may be
siNs'lflc questions which arise in after that be 1ms gone so far in conserving
the Interests of Hungary thnt she will
♦Imes.
continue the dnion after the death of
Now that a hotel at Fort Wayne, the sovereign.
In the world-wide felicitations which
Ind., has burned down with much loss
of life the discovery is made that it are being extended to the oldest em­
was a firetrap. There Is no reason why peror, in the world, tbe United States
the discovery should not have been tenders her good will and hopes many
made before the fire and the bulkting more years of usefulness is In stor-f for
have been made less of a firetrap. It this model monarch.
was erected over fifty years ago and
The Fall Ong.
naturally did not measure up to mod­
“I dropped four stories this morn­
ern standards of safe construction. To
ing without being Injured.”
have made it reasonably safe would
“Wh-what!”
have cost considerable. The owners of
“Fact. They’d just been returned
the property did not care to spend the
with thanks, and I dropped ’em in
money The city officials whose duty It
the fireplace."—Kansas City Times.
was to see that flretrap hotels were not
permitted to run did not Interest them­
A man does his own love-making, but
selves in the matter. Consequently a he hires a lawyer when It comes to try­
number of people were burned to death. ing to get it undone.
Fort Wayne is far from being the only
Instead of waiting for things to turn
town with an old hotel building which
as soon as it has gone Into smoke and I qp, turn them up while you wait
By Sir Oliver Lodxe.
On this planet we are the highest of the
forms of life that we hoc
Y ou are apt to
think that you are the highest thnt exists.
whereas there la no reason tor thinking so at
all. We are sometimes asked whether other
planets are inhabited. I think we may say we
know- that the moon is not; any life there
may once have been on it appears now­
to be extinct; its whole surface looks dead
and Inert. We sometimes think that tlie planet Mars
Is inhabited. Perhaps it is; but 1 venture to think that
on the whole it is most probable that we are at the
present time the only intelligently inhabited planet In the
solar system.
The solar system is but a fragment of the universe.
Every star Is a sun with a solar system It is possible
thnt there may lie million of planets Inhabited by beings
higher or lower than ourselves. What we see going on
is what we call the process of evolution from broken
fragments to coherent masses, and to Inhabited worlds—
from chaos to cosmos; a struggle upward of tlie uni­
verse; from something lower and disorganized to some­
thing higher and organized.
What we have to realize in regard to our place In the
universe is that we are intelligent, helpful and active
parts of the cosmic scheme. We are among the agents
of the creator. One of the most helpful ideas is co-
operation—helping one another. Co-operation this In a
new and stimulating sense—co-operation with the Divini­
ty Illmself.
EXERCISE NOT FOR THE YOUNG ALONE.
By Prof. A. Hoffa.
We have too little athletics. The people at
large are not yet aware of the wonderful In­
fluence which exercise, regular and systematic,
lias m>on tlie constitution. Athletics in the
general sense of tlie word Is the best remedy
for a harmonious development of the body,
and should be recommended and encouraged
everywhere. The field of athletics has been
so widened as to make possible all kinds and
forms of exercises for men ami women, young and old.
There is a form of athletics which will exercise every
portion of a man's body, and this should be taken ad­
vantage of. One of the most erroneous views which
people and even partisans of athletics entertalfi is that
athletics must be begun by the young; that older people
should let it alone. Nothing is more illogical. Older
people should 1* encouraged to go through certain exor­
cises which will benefit their systems as much If not
more than young people.
Horseback riding and automobillng are two forms of
sports which, though designed to bring about the same
results, differ widely in the range of their accomplish­
ments. Horseback riding sets every muscle of the rider
Into motion, and consequently is a forcible and health­
ful form of exercise. Automobillng sets the muscles
of the chauffeur in motion. He sometimes strains every
BALLADE OF AFFIRMATIVES.
I told her that the rose was fair.
But she was fairer than the rose;
I told her that her rippling hair—■
The sport of every breeze that blows—
Was brighter than the golden glows
Of dawn, and that for one small tress
I'd give my blood that bounding goes;
And all she said to me was—“Yes?”
I said her blue eyes wore a pair
Of brilliant sapphires sot in snows
Unmelting and as pure and rare
As e'er on mountain tops re;>ose ;
And such a dainty, scornful nose!
I told her all that 1 ;>ossess
I'd gives to kiss her lips' sweet bows;
And all she said to me was—“Yea?"
1 said she drove mo to des;>air.
I urged her to assuage my woes;
Her dimples darted here and there;
I looked so foolish, I suppose!
"Your mortgage on my heart foreclose,"
1 said: "Rid me of doubt's distress!
You could reward me if you chose !”—
And all she said to me was—“Yes?”
l ’ envoi .
Accepted, prince? Jove only knows!
Rejected? That I'm left to guess!
I know not. though I did propose.
For all she said to me was—“Yes?”
—Buffalo Express.
|
VERA’S NOTE J
“Good-bye, I have gone," wrote Vera.
It was short and comprehensive, and
the man to whom the note was ad­
dressed, laughing grimly, read, re-read
and pondered it as though Its writing
covered pages, and the small sheet with
those few words on It was a state docu­
ment ou which depended tbe fate of
empires.
.
t In this pogresslve era of searchlight
and unwholesome curiosity, when ev­
eryone's comings and goings, doings
und Intentions, are chronicled, it stood
to reason that no mystery could sur­
round the whereabouts of that charm
Ing society luminary; that conspicuous
figure In the pageantry of certain ex­
clusive circles, Vera.
8o Pendleton had arrogantly believed
six months ago.
But time had disabused him of his
error, for tbe date at the foot of the i
lines he held and ruminated upon thia
soft, bright afternoon had Iteen written
six months before. This was early in
June.
A.very pleasant evening, with a light
breeze sweeping over the city from tbe
river, and light clouds drifting across
the setting sun, produced the effect of a
fitful smile on Nature's unsympathetic
face, while the air was saturated with
the i>erfume of flowers and the bloom
of early summer.
And yet Pendleton considered It a
dull, gloomy day.
“That must be a deuced unpleasant
nerve in an effort to make the machine go a certain
pace or stop it with a jerk. But It Is the chauffeur who
Is getting the exercise, and not those who look for It.
Still, automobillng has considerable shaking and Jostling,
and this acts upon the muscles and body at large.
ARE THE BLOND RACES DECAYING ?
By E. G. Minnick.
In every country where scientific observa-
tions have been made the »fair complexion
proves to la* dying out. It will vanish alto-
f / gather unless the decline be cheeked Every-
where the conclusion Is the same a dark type
supersedes the fair. A few years ago the
JL
British Medical Journal raised objections to
some of the arguments advanced, but at the
close it mournfully admitted that "the fair
hair so much beloved by poets and artists seems to be
encroached upon and even replaced by that of the darker
hue.” It Is a melancholy prospect for the esthetic.
Where the conditions are favorable, "such ns suburbs
in which are large dwellings, with plenty of often space
around, tin- blot des seem nearly to hold their own.” The
conclusion is that the fair type must die out If deprived
of fresh air. while the dark suffers comparatively little.
It is a striking example of natural selection and the sur­
vival of the fittest under an unnatural state of things.
I’rof. Ripley asserts thnt hl the country near London
the average stature of the people Is even lower than in
the metropolis, ami they are darker mostly. This he at­
tributes to the constant migration of the taller Individ­
uals. who seek to "better themstlves" In town. But the
tall, as a class, are the fair; moreover, tney are the more
enterprising. Ami tills rule applies to emigrants general­
ly; the fair go. the dark, less inclined for adventure,
remain to propagate their like in the mother -country.
U
11
IJ
g
BEWARE OF THE DEMAGOGUE!
By Gov. Guild of Massachussetts.
We are passing through a quiet, a fairly
peaceful, but a very real social revolution.
Equal rights were won by the generations that
have gone before us. Equal opportunities are
to be our gift to posterity. As always at a
time of acute social excitement, the dema­
gogue Is a most conspicuous figure. The dem­
agogue. by catering to extremists, seeks first'“
his own advantage, and finds it in turning
rational revolution into irrational anarchy.
Lincoln was neither mawkish nor sensational. He
frankly sought public office, lie never sought It by un­
worthy means. Ills sustaining trust was In the honesty
of the ordinary citizen, whose life is neither the comfort­
able Indolence that shrinks from all change nor the
broken career that leaps to embrace a gospel of despair.
His weapons were endless patience, cheerful good na­
ture, abounding common sensee, and an abiding faith In
his cause. He despised claptrap. He embodied a cause,
not a candidacy. He did not fight fire with fire. He
faced hot excitement with cold reasoning and mad vftu-
]>eratlon with clear truth.
bill. Chuck it In the fire, old man. No
use running over the items. Never does
any good. Life Is short, and all is van­
ity,” yawned Perry Folsom, with care­
less sympathy, from a comfortable arm­
chair. «here he was reading the after­
noon pai>er.
They were alone in the reading room
of the club.
Dick Pendleton laughed grimly «'bile
slowly folding atsl putting away In his
inner pocket the note containing five
words words conned and dreamed over
—which meant «ell, pretty much ev­
erything to him. lie had come to realize
How bitterly lie’ regretted having let
slip the golden-hued opportunities when
they lay at hand.
"Did you ever know of anybody dis­
appearing—vanishing
utterly?”
te
asked.
Perry Folsom looked nt him reflect­
ively. "If I were a good-looking mill­
ionaire------ ”
“Oil, shut up" interjected Pendle­
ton.
“I’d be hanged if any woman could
lose mo, or throw me off the scent
until J agreed to let her go." continued
Folsom calmly.
"No doubt you'd do wonders. Perry.”
“No. not wonders. Only I'd have a
little common sense, and I would marry
her if I cared for her.”
Pendleton blew a ring of smoke Into
the pleasant June air. and remarked
after a pause: “Scotch Irish, which
accounts for your overweening assur­
ance and Impudence.”
“Shall I tell you something you
ought to know?" resumed Perry placid­
ly. "You never would I h - in your pres­
ent predicament If you hail a little of
that same blood in your veins. Ami.
what's more, you ought to go out and
find her."
By the time they sauntered to the
front door of the club. Pendleton bad
made up his mind to go for a month's
wandering In the Blue Ridge ranges.
It was an Intense relief to get away
from the city and to speed away toward
the mountains, ami to find himself final­
ly among the peaks and crags ami for­
ests of the vast rolling ranges, where
the majestic mountains smile at the
fret and heartbreak of humanity.
The days slipped by for Pendleton In
his rural retreat, where life was un­
eventful. But it Is a mistake to suppose
that the specter of recollection and tlie
torment of unfulfilled desires can be as­
suaged by aloofness from others.
Pendleton found that Vera, with her
changing moods, mellow laughter nml
Infinite fascinations, was much more ills
companion when he sauntered through
the forests, sat on the porch of the pret­
ty cottage he had rented, at dusk or
uhen he went at dawn to fish in some
dark lake In the lieart of the mount­
ains, than when they were together In
gay meetings and In crowded drawing-
rooms.
Pendleton saw Vera always any
everywhere, nt dawn mid nt lilghfall.
That explained why he watched with
startled pleasure and a strange thrill
a tall, graceful young woman who oc­
cupied with an elderly relative a cot­
tage a short distance away, iis she
passed leisurely down her little gar­
den path mid out hi the winding public
road, going evidently for a trnmp, a
Issik in oik * hand, her face completely
hidden by a sunshade.
"Who rents the cottage over the
«ay, Sam?" Pendleton asked at break­
fast the next day,
"A Miss Cullom, I hear, sir. Very
wealthy [teople, I'm told, sir. No, sir;
I can't find out wlmre they are from.
Big establishment, but they live very
retired, sir," Sam supplemented. “Just
been here ten days.”
'Cullom? Pendleton knew no one of
that mime. Since he bail taken posses­
sion of the pleasant bungalow on tlie
side of tlie cliff he had seen no one In
the gray stone cottage hut the graceful
girl, so wonderfully like Vera In her
supple movements. The elderly lady
must I k * a recluse.
The days slid one Into the other, ami
Pendleton grew to watch for the girl
who so reminded him of a beautiful ab­
sent woman. She and her companion
had handsome traps ami horses, nml
they often went out driving, but Pen­
dleton could never catch sight of the
young girl's face. Through Sam he
learm-d that Ills all but Invisible neigh­
bors were going to prolong tlielr stay
In the mountains.
"Go mid sis* the owner mid renew the
rent for another mouth. Sum," Pendle­
ton directed, as he strolled from the
house down into tbe valley.
“Queer folks across the way,’* Sam
said to the hostler. "House full of sil­
ver mid handsome things, mid the Indies
Just go out driving and won’t sis* no
callers, I hear.”
"Something wrong. I guess," the bos
tier answered. throwing a bucket of wa­
ter on the wheel of the trap he was
cleaning nml spinning It around.
Sntn acquitted himself without enthu­
siasm of the commission to renew the
rent for another month Why stay up
In these solitary mountains, tbe near
I est town being a small place a mils
away? Why not go to Bar Harbor
or some civilized place?
But Pendleton lingered, and the
charm of the mountains grew on him,
and the girl across the way became in­
extricably mixed up in bis thoughts
of Vera, until lie grew amazed and Irri­
tably anxious to see her fact* to fact,
and get rid of the absurd Illusion.
It was in vain be scanned Ills volumi­
nous mail each morning. No letter ad­
dressed in the firm, delicate handwrit­
ing be knew so well ever came, and he
still carried In Ills Inner pocket that lit­
tle note. “Good-bye, I am gone."
Yes, the days seem to vanish like a
dream In the fastness of the Blue
Ridge.
The time drew near when he would
go back to life's tumultuous cares and
pleasures, and Pemlleton was no nearer
an acquaintance with his neighbors. Ho
could not for<x* himself upon them, nml
sh<* was as elusive as some water sprite
or wots! nymph.
The world hail done Its day's work,
the sun bad set ls*hln<t the summits of
the ranges In .ill Its accustomed pomp
ami glory, and faint mists «’ere veiling
the peaks ami valleys. Pemlleton sat,
absorbed In distracting thought, by the
side of a still lake shadowed by tower­
ing hemhs*ks, «lien somelusly came
slowly toward him through the forest
path.
Hers was a beautiful face, laughing
and proud and tender, and the only
word Pendleton could say ns she
paused before him while he sat motion­
less, was: "Vera!”
"Why. I've been your neighbor nil
summer! Ilo«- did you happen to come
to this wild ami beautiful place?” she
asked a little while later, as she sat by
his side, when some very broken and
breathless words had been spoken.
Pendleton took out Ills letter and un­
folded It.
“How could you be so cruel? So in­
humanly cruel? To write good-bye to
me! Why, child, through all eter­
nity ------ ”
"You don't mean to say — you
thought I meant It?" Vera asked In
amazement.—New Orleans Tlmes-Dem-
ocrat.
—
■
w■
■
-
H® Wan Still Counting.
A doctor, now eminent, was at on»
time seeving as an interne In one of
the Philadelphia hospitals as well as
holding Ids own with a coterie of
rather gay friends. On a certain
morning the physician awoke to find
that he had sadly overslept. Sleepily
donning ills attire he hastened to the
hospital, and soon a stalwart young
Irishman claimed Ills attention.
"Well, my num, what seems to la,
your trouble this morning?" Inquired
the doctor, concealing a yawn and tak­
ing the patient by the hand to exam­
ine bls pulse.
“Faith, Bor, It’s all In me breathin’,
doctor. I can’t get me breath nt all,
at all.”
“The pulse Is normal, Pat, but let
me examine the lung action a mo­
ment,” replied the doctor, kneeling be­
side the cot and laying his head on th»
Irishman's chest. “Now Jet me hear
you talk." lie continued, closing hla
eyes and listening attentively for
sounds of pulmonary congestion.
A moment of silence.
“Wluit will I I k * sayin’, doctor/'*
finally asked the patient.
"Oh. s.i.v anything. Count. Count
one, two, three and up, that way,”
murmured the physician, drowsily.
"Wan, two, three, fure, five, six.”
When the young doctor, with a start,
opened his eyes, Pat was continuing
weakly, “tin hundred an' slxty-nlne,
tin hundred an' sivlnt.v, tin hundred
an' slvlnty-wan
•
»
•”—Success
Magazine.
America'« Art PoMKiblJitlew,
With such a broad basis to work on,
ft is not impossible that flu» artists In
America are going to keep us pretty
well Interested in tlielr future work.
No other band of men has workwl so
hard to overcome obstacles. The art­
ist feels Ids triumphs when ho la
young when a men» bov. In fact—
Just as Funk felt them w hen be drew
littio sketches on his mother’s table­
cloths. 'fids burning desire to some
day swing some ndgldy thought on
canvas cannot be kept down. It be­
comes the embryo painter's master,
and In Its power he Is a slave.
I do not Include here the vast army
of daubers who persist In calling them­
selves artists and who ought to be hujh
pressed by a kindly hut firm law. ft la
of num of Ideas and ideals and origin­
ality that I speak.
Funk Is one of that new American
school that Is exemplifying this Indi­
viduality. He shows It in the force
and originality of his work. Success
Magazine.
Only W'ft rated it < li mice.
She I see where a fellow married a
girl on Ids deathbed Just so sin* could
have Ids millions when he w’as gone.
Could you love a girl like that?
He—Sure I • could love a girl « like
that. Where does she live? Puck.
«lulte
So.
“New thought will beautify the plain«
(•st girl.”
“That may be, but very few girls are
going to give up lotions for notions.”—«
Pittsburg Post.
< on 1 i n noil«».
“I notice that Captain Carter says ha
Is another Breyfus.”
“Strange how the persecution of that
unhappy Fromhimm continues to g<>
on.”—Cleveland Plain healer.
Some way, we always distrust th*
man with a Jaunty air. He looks
though be were bluffing-