Jacksonville post., December 26, 1908, Image 5

“not brutal books. not IndecMtt books,
but truthful books.” American mothers
may learn from French nut tiers what
girls should and should not read. They
must also learn how to make a pro­
hibition effect without its being either
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
1 irksome or suggestive of disobedience.
Mae Woods seems to be the latest A hen a girl ouce discovers that her
mother's book tits her no better than
victim of the get-rich-quick mania.
her mother's bonnet. It will be a gain
Strange that most people have a kind for girlhood and for literature.
of contempt for those who agree with
The United States commissioner of
their opinions.
education reports that there are G22
Skin grafting, by the way, was prac­ Institutions of higher education avail­
ticed to a considerable extent by the able lor the nteu of the country. In
114 of these the enrollment of male un­
early fur traders.
dergraduates exceeds 2tl0. lit seventeen
At the age of 21, a young man thinks the number is l.ouo or more, five of
he is smart. At the age of 40, he them having more than 2,200 and five
knows tliut other people knew he was others following closely with over 1,500
each. The figures are for undergrad­
not
uate male attendance and take no ac­
Persons who have watched the pre­ count of graduate or professional en­
dictions made by scientists will observe rollment. A good deal has tieeu written
that not one of them has ever foretold of late about thb feminization of the
colleges. The eagerness with which
anything pleasant.
women have been availing themselves
A Methodist bishop, though occupy­ of the opportunities afforded them in
ing ordinarily Ills own proper location, a day of popular coeducation has led
1ms the power to move clear across the many people to think that the number
of male students has been decreasing.
religious chesslamrd.
These statistics, designed to show the
If the Rev. Sam Jones’ celebrated contrary, tell their own story. If the
wllllpus wallapus Is a more fearsome women were counted there would be
tiling than tills .year's mosquito it juust need of rearrangement of the 'figures.
But, counting them or leaving them
•ie something terrible.
out, tile facts are clear that the United
What would life be worth without States Is. a country of colleges. There
an official assurance from somebody never was such an army of students In
every two or three days that “Japan the world as that which throngs Amer­
ican colleges, whether supported by
does not want war?”
public grant or private endowment.
The murderous idiot who shoots nt When this fact is remembered, the
balloons is the latest peril of the aero­ large amounts of money given in a year
nauts.
A peculiarly drastic law for educational purposes are better un­
derstood. Another inquiry has brought
should be enacted to tit his case.'
out the statement that during the last
An eastern clergyman announces twelve months more than $23,000,000
that he will devote the remainder of has been glvrfii for the cause of higher
Ills life fo suppressing gossip. It Ip education in the United States. The
a grand and noble work, and it will largest amount received was by the
keep him busy.
University qf Chicago—$4,300,000.' The
smallest amount reported was $10,000.
John D. Rockefeller declares that Between these two extremes generous
"his pictures always look terrible when gifts of varying sums have enriched the
taken in the sun.” Do you recall hav­ schools. As a rule the older and bet­
ing seen a picture of Mr. Rockefeller ter endowed Institutions have been
taken in the shade?
most favored. The pressing throngs of
students have demanded more Instruct­
1 We begin to suspect that the "cost ors, more courses of study, more labor­
cf upkeep” of which so much is said atories and dormitories, more equip­
by owners of motor cars is just a ment. In many cases colleges have
polite way of referring to the fines been seriously embarrassed liecause of
Imposed for violating the speed laws.
the demand* made upon them. There
Is no longer a search for students. The
Alfred Vanderbilt will not be per­ teal problem Is one of handling proper­
mitted to marry again within five ly those who present themselves for In­
years; but he needn’t worry. He will struction. And when it is recalled that
probably have enough left at the end the Institutions of the collegiate typo
of that period to be still quite attrac­ represent only part of that general edu­
tive.
cation to which the United States is
pledged, there Is occasion for Just pride
"If It be true that the Emperor of on the part of the American people.
Japan has on his household pay roll
sixty doctors, what’s the answer?”
asks the Buffalo Courier. One answer
seems to be that while he may be
short of funds the Emperor is determ­
ined to be well healed.
♦ Topics of
♦
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the Times ♦
“A species of cerebral commotion and
a stirring of some hitherto dormant
association centers by an appropriate
atlinltive impression” is the diagnosis
of love—to be exact, first love—as re­
cently given by a famous English phy­
sician and man of science. Yet the
disease1 does not always seem so se­
rious as that.
•
A New York paper, describing the
visit of Andrew Carnegie to Lehigh
University, to which lie has Just given
a dormitory, says Mr. Carnegie was
"met by the student body with the
university band, conqtosed of students,
a large number of alumni and the fac­
ulty.'.’ it is doubtful if any other
American university could (mister such
a band, even though such newspaper
English Is common enough.
Diplomacy. In spite of the frankness
which is supposed to characterize it in
modern days, still has its amusing
episodes. When Italy desired to open
postoftlces In five Turkish cities, the
I’orte not only refused permission, but
said that the opening would be ’ pre­
vented by force if necessary. When
Italian battleships appeared the re­
quest was granted, "not as a right,
specially acquired." the Turkish am­
bassador took pains to remark, “but ns
an expression of the unshaken senti­
ments of sincere friendship” between
the Sultan and the King of Italy.
Signor Tlttonl. on behalf of Italy, re­
marked. somewhat dryly, that the,
friendly sentiments of the Sultan were
fully reciprocated.
The publisher who advertises "books
for all ages” tacitly recognizes that
the seven ages of man call for differ
ent Intellectual food.
The pictures
and fairy tales for children and the
philosophy and criticism for serene old
age are accepted ai a matter of course.
But the debatable land Is that between
sixteen and twenty-five, and this espe­
cially for girls. It Is highly undesir­
able for Mary that she should read
everything at hand. It is equally unde­
sirable for the man of letters that he
should tie restricted in his produce to
the book suitable for the sweet girl
graduate. As life opens iiefore her she
should have b<*>ks which will Interpret
it to her. Meantime, for the men and
women who are in the midst of life s
actual struggles, there should be other
books—no less delicate though cover­
ing a larger field. The demand of ma­
ture men and women who rely upon the
Imaginative writer to help them In
their relations with other folks is not
for wicked books. Nothing could be
less to their purpose. A clever novelist
bus recently said that our time asks
A woman knows she has a soul be­
cause there is no proof of it.
Grand opera is so ns to make you
enjoy the change to vaudeville.
It makes a girl awful ashamed to sit
In a man’s lap without saying she won't.
A mother is afraid that her child's
mind Is so active that ft will stunt its
body. I
\
One reason so many men get married
is they don't intend to, but the girl
does.
Self-control Is being able to cuss be­
fore the children without letting them
hear it
Most people want to save money on
the necessaries so they can waste It on
the luxuries.
It's better to have wed and been di­
vorced than never to have Imagined
you have loved at all.
* What flatters a man about being a
cynic Is the disagreeable things he ex­
pects always coming along.—New York
Press.
The worst about women talking scan
dal is not wliat they do that way. but
the things at home they neglect while
they are doing it
An All-Hound
Book.
The book agent had spent a discour­
aging morning, ami when he had an
opportunity to scan the face of Eli
Hobbs at close range, he felt that there
was small chance of making a sale.
However, he bad more than one meth­
od of suggestion.
"Sitting out here on the piazza after­
noons w ith your wife, this would be the
very book to read aloud," be said, in­
gratiatingly, to Mr. Hobbs, taking the
other rocking chair and opening the
large red-covered volume. *
“I don't read and I haven't any wife,'
replied Mr. Hobbs, dryly.
“Dear me!” said the book agent.
“Well, if your wife Is ‘dead, perhai*
there are children. Now, children find
this book—”
“There are no children," Interrupted
Mr. HoMm. “There’s nobody but my-
■self and my cat.”
“Well,” said the {jook agent, “don't
you ever want a good heavy book to
throw at her, just to ease your feel­
ings?”
Most of us could do a lot of worli
while trying to dodge it
Opinions of Great Papers on Important Subjects.
■f
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THE HOPELESS BANK CLERK.
IRECTORS of banks are notoriously parsi­
monious In respect to salaries. There are
a lot of young men who go into a bank
looking upon It ns affording a genteel po­
sition likely to lead to something good
very rapidly. As a fact, there Is perhaps
no class of expert workers so poorly paid
and none where the-responslbllitles are greater. A young
man works at a meager salary which Is slowly Increased
until he gets gray-haired, lie handles millions In money
or accounts and absolute accuracy Is demanded. Banks
are usually profitable institutions, especially national
banks. They pay uo interest on deposits and pile up
large surplus accounts us a guarantee against trouble
after paying handsome dividends It would be a much
better guarantee if the employes were given living wages.
If they were awarded Increases according to ability and
length of service. No man wants to steal—unless he be
a degenerate—but the temptation Is great where poverty
dwells, and the opportunities tire large In most eases.
There is no excuse for dishonesty, and there is no excuse
for parsimonious greed on the part of bank directors.
It Is time for a reform all around.—Philadelphia In-
qulrer.
MATRIMONY BY MAIL.
MINING CAMP In a Western desert re­
cently witnessed the loathsome end of a
woman who, a few years ago, was the chief
of a "matrimonial syndicate" which In
Eastern cities fooled many credulous seek­
ers of wealthy wives. On the same day
that her death was «reported the country
■was horrified by revelations of the doings of a woman In
the Central West who, after advertising for “well-to-do
bachelor” husbands, not only robbed- hut murdered the
strangers who sought her hand.
Both women found their victims through "matrimonial
agencies," most of which agencies publish papers contain­
ing what purport to be descriptions of a “young man of
25, salesman, good salary, seeks blonde wife, with so­
cial gifts," and of a "widow, comfortably situated, aged
85, who would like to find congenial life companion,” and
others, to suit all tastes. Some of the cases are genuine.
They embody natural hopes and longings that grow up
in lonely surroundings, or that are not easily expressed
by shy natures outside the shelter of a false name; and
many responses to the appeals are equally genuine.
But the fact that a man has honest Intentions, and
tlifreforc credits them to others, makes him the easier
dupe of an adventuress, and the trustful good faith of
a friendless woman by no means Insures her agnlnst the
wiles of a scoundrel. Young girls sometimes answer
such advertisements “for fun;" but the very freedom
with which girls write Increases the danger that they
will be entrgpped and blackmailed by scoundrels who
batten on Innocent indiscretion.
A man who stands high in public esteem once declared
A
"It was just too sad for anything,”
said tile woman in brown. "I don’t
know when I ever had anything affect
me so.”
“It must have been sad,” said the
tailor-made friend. 1 meant to have
gone up there myself, but that was the
day I went to the Kenyons' luncheon.
I had to go; but It was an awfully
stupid affair. Was Mrs. Brent there?”
“All .the family were there except
Mr. Brent. I don’t see how they could
bring themselves to do It. but they did.
I'm sure it was sadder than a funeral.
I could have cried, though of .course 1
didn't know them very well. Yes. Mrs.
Brent and Dora and Edith and the two
l.oys—what are their names? I always
forget. I thought at first they were
Intending to bld in some of the things,
but they didn’t.”
“Did they sell everything?”
"Everything.
Wasn’t it too bad?
Just imagine how you would feel see­
ing all the things you owned going
away to strangers! You know I’m go
attached to everything I have that I
can’t bear to throw away so much as
a chair when It gets broken. It's fool­
ish. but I'm afraid I always shall lie
a little sentimental. I send everything
up to the garret as fast as It gets worn
out nnd sometimes I go up there and
sit for hours Just thinking about the
happy days they are associated with.
Mr. Dlmsy laughs nt me ami says lie's
going to throw them all out into the
alley some day.”
"Wasn't It too had?” murmured the
tailor-made friend.
. “I just wanted to weep, I felt so
miserable," said the one In brown.
"Poor, poor things! I just .know how
they felt, exactly. A lot of strangers
coming In and fingering over all your
possessions and the auctioneer making
joke's about them and all! As I say.
It's worse than a death. They've bad
those things, or a great many of them,
ever since they were married. When 1 ■
thought of the memories that must
have been connected with some of
them-----♦
“She was very, very brave about It,
and the girls were, too, hut once or
twice I could see they pretty nearly
broke down. I wonder what they will
do now.”
“They're going away to the Pacific
coast. I beard.”
“Oh, of course. I knew that. I
meant I wondered how on earth they
would get along. Everything will lie
so different for them after being in
such comfortable circumstances. I feel
bo much pity for any one who meets
that he never wrote a letter which he would fear to have
[Misted on a bulletin board In front of the city hall. He
has. perhaps, established a standard above the reach of
the average Impulsive mortal. But persons of ordinary
Intelligence, who read the newspapers, ought easily,
henceforth, to resist the appeal of the "matrimonial" ad­
vertisement; for recent events have shown that It Is
frequently a lure to ruin, it not to death.—Youth’s Com­
panion.
THE THREE "R’S"
EVEN HUNDRED AND, FORTY SIX teach­
ers from the fifth. sIxtA seventh and eighth
grades In Chicago public schools have
formally advocated more time for reading,
writing, arithmetic and spelling in those
grades.
A committee of the Board of Educa­
tion asked for opinions from fifteen hundred teachers
In the upper grades. Some of the answers are almost
startling. Forty-five teachers report that they give no
time at nil to writing, and nearly 350 give less than fifty
minutes weekly; 345 teachers give between twenty-five
and fifty minutes weekly to spelling; nearly 500 said
they make no effort to teach children words outside of
their natural vocabulary.
One teacher, a little bolder than the rest, writes that|
children should be drilled In rapid addition, or letter­
writing. or spelling, or cultivating a taste for good books,
"instead of using precious time in making paper furni­
ture.” Other teachers complain that the courses are
overcrowded. Nearly GOO teachers express dissatisfac­
tion with the result of the spelling courses.
These comments are from those who should be abl<
to judge the results of their own work. They harmonize
closely with the judgment of those in the outside world
who are constantly confronted with glaring deficiencies
of public school graduates in reading, writing and arith­
metic. Even high school courses do not remedy these
fundamental deficiencies.—Chicago Journal.
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I
CANADA SIFTS HER IMMIGRANTS.
F Canada selects all her citizens as cau­
tiously as her Immigration commissioner In
London, England, Is now doing, the North­
ern Empire may some day be what Its na­
tives often dream of—the Utopia of the
Anglo-Saxon race. The Canadian govern­
ment iB not only opposing most effectively
the Influx of Southern and Eastern Europeans and Orl-
entals; it Is making the English themselves pass a stiff
examination to prove their desirability. Fifty prospect­
ive immigrants whom the Salvation Army had arranged
to send from London hovels to Canadian faruiB have been
held back until the Canadian authorities have investi­
gated inch member of the party. It will be Interesting
to see how long the government can continue this mi­
nute and scrupulous central In the face of a growing
demand for unskilled labor.—New York Tribune.
I
I
Messrs. I’alerno and Clnngolonl, the
inventors of "tachyol" (fluoride of sil­
ver), an autisjietlc employed in surgery,
have found that a solution of 1 part in
500,000 of water will destroy all germs,
including liadllus subtllis. Its germici­
dal effect being much greater than that
of chlorine, bromine or ozone.
To lessen risk of loss of submarines,
torpedoes used in naval practice and
other objects liable to sink In the sea,
a French oceanographer attaches a ves­
sel of oil having a long and short time
tube one-tenth of an Inch In diameter.
When submergence softens the gum
seals of the tube, oil rises from the
long one drop by drop, locating the
sunken object by the film on the wa­
fer's surface.
The German government more than
a year ago lnqmsed what seemed to 1«»
a moderate tax on railroad tickets.
The result of it has been a diversion of
travel fr<»ni the higher to the lower
classes, to such an extent that a de­
crease of about $2,500,000 In the pas­
senger earnings of the Prussian state
railroads alone Is attributed to it.
Nearly at the same time a new schedule
of charges for passengers and baggage
was Introduced, which on the same
railroads
reduced earnings about
$1,500,000. But this was expected.
Dr. IL C. Stevens, of Seattle, reports
recent experiments which show that
objects seen by Indirect vision ordin­
arily appear larger in the right half
of the field of vision than in the left.
With a smaller number of persons this
Is reversed. From these facts lie de-
duces a possible origin of right and left­
handedness. Right-handedness, oi Its
reverse, develops at about the age of
seven months. Dr. Stevens suggests
that they may be due to the phenomena
of vision just described. By a reflex
effect the infant reaches after the ob­
jects best seen with the arm nearest to
them.
In his book on the great veld of
German East Africa, Herr C. G. Schil­
lings gives a vivid description of the
shimmering, undulating sea of light
which bathes that country, causing
light-colored objects often to uppear
black, and making distances so decep­
tive that when but a few hundred
paces away It Is sometimes Impossible
to distinguish a rhinoceros from an
ostrich or a termites’ nest. Water on
this veld is often the greatest of lux­
uries, "as precious as life Itself, evex
when obtained from small mud pools.'
Yet the country, when viewed from hill
tops or from tall trees, exhibits a won
derful panorama of wildlife. Elephant!
there are not dependent upon grass
but will strip trees of their bark oi
branches when hard pressed, and they
are sometimes found In company wltt
giraffes. In some of the small laket
of the Kilimanjaro region hippopotami
may be watched by a concealed ob
server nt ns close quarters ns In /
zoological pnrk.
|
with misfortune of thatddnd. It really sixteen large hospitals. Several times
hurts me. I suppose they will have to each day the director of the ambulance |
go Into some poky little house In a poor service Is notified how many empty
neighborhood nnd the girls will have beds there are at each reception hos­
to go out anil work nt something. Mr. pital, thus preventing the complication
Brent’s salary won't amount to any­ that frequently arises In this country
thing, my husband tells me—not enough of a <lylng man being taken to n hos­
to support them even In the most pital only to find that there Is no place
Order of the Golden HorweMhoe.
modest way. All they have in the for him. They nlso have test runs
How many persons have ever henrd
world is what they got out of the sale.” Berlin. At the pleasure of the director of the Order of the Golden Horseshoe,
“Did the things bring much?”
any or all the ambulances are called the first order founded In America?
“Mercy, no! They didn't bring any­ out unexpectedly, their time noted, nnd
In 1724, when Virginia extended
thing hardly. Not half what they were their condition Inspected. Berlin Is the from the Atlantic Into the unknown
worth. That lovely colonial bedstead only.city where this practice prevails. West, few of her colonists had cross­
sold for $11.”
A well-maintained ambulance service ed the Blue Ridge or the Alleghenies.
“You don't tell me!”
Increases the demand for attention So full of dangers from savages and
"Yes, my dear, that's all It brought. from the really needy. Berlin, virtu­ wild beasts and so full of natural diffi­
If I could have found room for It I ally the same size ns Chicago, responds culties was the passage of these terri­
should have bld $2 or $3 more on It, to four times ns many cnlls. St. Ixmis, ble heights, that Governor S|>otswood,
nisi I think I should have got It. 1 half ns Inrge, has more calls by several setting out to discover a pass, looked
know you.couldn’t buy a bed new like I thousands than Uhlcngo, owing to the on the expedition uh so hazardous that
that for less than $45 or $50. I'm sorry better service nnd the fnmlllnrlty of he took with him a guard of "soldiers,
now that I didn't bld more, for I could the citizens with ft.
gentlemen, nnd pioneers," armed and
have disposed of one of mine. 1 did
Persons In city streets nre thrilled carrying provisions. The»' sealed the
buy the Daghestan rug that was in by the clanging of the nmbulan-e gong pass with grt'nt hardships and [s-rils,
the library ami four pairs of curtains. nnd fnsclnnted when the horses gallop and returned after the Governor had
I bought that dainty little Doulton tea by. A feeling of horror la oftentimes >-ut the name of King George in ths
set, too. Nobody bld against tne, so followed by one of some comfort >rt the rocks on the highest |ienk.
1 really got the mat my own price. thought flint. In cnse of accident to
He then constituted the society, o»
Wasn’t I perfectly lucky?”
himself, one s|>eedlly would be taken order, of the Golden Hors shoe. Each
"I told Mr. Dlmsy that I wouldn’t care of. In a majority of instances tills man who had scaled this high pass was
sell my bargains for five times what I feeling of comfort Is not Justified. If made a member of it, und to each one
gave for them and he said, ‘You’d lie you don't believe it, watch some one try he presented a golden horseshoe. On
a fool If you did,’ and when Mr. Dlmsy to get nn ambulance In n hurry.
the side was Inscribed In Latin: “So
admits that anything Is cheap you may
It pleases him to cross mountains.”
Loveliest of Princemie«.
be sure it 1 b . I was awfully pleased.
Any men thereafter wlm could prov»
I believe If I'd bld less than I did I
Princess Andrens of Greece, daughter that he had read with his own eyes
could have got them Just the same. of Prince Ixmls of Battenberg, nnd the name of the King on the height wae
That’s always such an annoying therefore first cousin to the Queen of entitl :ed to become a member of this
thought. Isn’t It?"—Chicago Dally Spain, Is now hailed as the most beau­ order.
News.
tiful princes!» In Europe, says the New
Devlotiw Definition*.
York World.
BEHIND IN HUMANE WORK.
Like all the Battenbergs, Prines
Colic: The only thing that will
Ixniis Is nn exceptionally handsome tackle a baby without first considering
Berlin Alford« a Fine Model In Ip-
man, nnd nlso exceptionally capable, the consequences.
to-Date A in bill mice Service.
lie Is an ndmlrnl In the British navy.
Chimeras; The food of Indolent the­
.^nbulanee service In this country Is
Princess Andrens has the advantage
poor, chiefly because the need for it of Queen Ena In figure, ns she Is di­ orists.
Humor; An anvil upon which to
does not appeal [icrsonally to the aver­
vinely tall nnd ninjestlcnlly graceful.
age citizen, and there is no general de­ Queen Enn’s defect Is that her neck crack a smile.
Matrimony: The sen that swamp»
mand ujton olficlals’for Its lietterment, Is unduly short, like her mother’s. This
says Leslie's Weekly. What has been Is a Guelph characteristic Queen Vic­ many a courtship.
Sympathy: A convenient thing for
done has been accomplished tbroti.di toria of’England had no neck at,all.
the efforts of physicians and humanely In coloring both nre dazzling blondes, a silent partner.
Miser: One of the things that will
Inclined persons of wealth and public
with the purest pink and white com­ keep In any climate.
spirit. A good example to pattern plexions and violet eyes.
Dude: The excrescence of Insuffer­
after Is that of Berlin. A private or­
able conceit.
ganization, the Rescue Society, made
A Triple Cotncldence,
up largely of surgeons, looks after
An almost incredible triple coinci­
Incomplete Slirnals.
emergency cases, nnd does It well. It
dence was noted In France some years
The Ingenious Charleston News and
Is considered an honor to be a member
ago. In 1HM the deputy for the Ar­
of the society, nnd only surgeons who dennes wns M. Ferry; for Loir et ('her, Courier suggests that the new spring
hats would gain In distinction If they
have practiced a number of years are
M. Brisson, and for the Vosges, M. sported a neat two-foot flagstaff.
eligible. Each member takes Ids turn
Hugo. In 1793, 101 yenrs earlier, each
And right away somebody will wank
riding the imbalance, for which he gets
district had been represented In the
no pay. Tills does away with the rep­ chamber by n man of exactly the same to suggest a sign language for the ting
tn the hat.
rehensible American practice of In­
na me.
Of course the flag nt half mast
ternes, ami others seeking experience,
practicing upon street victims.
Wo do not Intend to buy nn auto might Indicate that Its owner wan a
The Rescue society has nine emerg­ mobile; we are wniting until the air­ widow, and a reversed flag would
mean that the lady was In distress. —
ency stations, fitted with all the facili­ ship 1» ¡»erfected.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
ties of a fire-engine house for getting
It Is believed that every time a ma,,
out quickly. These Rescue society am­
One quiet cooking lesson beats twq
bulances are co-operated with by at makes a kick on his gas bill he get»
noisy muglc lessons.
least one ambulance from each of the a reduction.
•*