The Corvallis gazette., December 07, 1894, Image 4

THE OLD BRUSSELLS CARPET.
Oh, drear to our hearts are. the sad
days of springtime,
When the annual housecleanlng re
curs to our view,
When we sleep on the sofa and eat
off the mantel,
In an atmosphere strongly suggest
ive of glue,
We think of. the stovepipe, the soot
that came with it,
Likewise the profanity, fluent and
fine.
But saddest and bitterest of all rec-
olections
T the, diifrfv old carpet that hung on '
the line.
Oh, that dusty old carpet,
That rusty old carpet.
That musty old carpet,
' That hung on the line!
We remember how, armed with a
lithe flagelator,
In the morning we blithely advan
ced to the fray,
In the muscular pride of our heart
little dreaming
That cleaning that carpet would
take the whole day.
We sweat, and we swore, and our
hands badly blistered,
While the sun lent his countenance
warmly benign,
But the harder we pounded the more
it was needed -Cy
that dusty old carpet that hung
on the line!
Oh, that dusty old carpet,
That musty old carpet,
That cussety old carpet,
That hung on the line!
St Louis Republic.
The Canon of
the White Horse.
HIS canon ought to have
a history, Pablo," I said
to the guide, as, supper
finished, I leaned back on
my blankets and dreamily
gazed at the scene before
us. It was a summer
night a night in the South
west where nights are perfect The
moon was at the full,, and not a cloud
was In the sky to obscure her radi
ance or the light of the myriad stars
which bore her company. The air
was cool and bracing, yet balmy, and
there was just enough breeze to lull
one's spirits and cause him -to forget
Che world and indulge in fanciful
reveries, such as only Southern
breezes Inspire.
We had pitched otr camp on one
of the sloping hills on the south 6ide
of the canon, where a little stream of
clear, sweet water rippled from a
.spring In a ravine down into the
canon below. Above us was the sigh
ing, odorous forest of Juniper and
pinon; Jbeiow was a little stretch of
velvety grass, extending clear to the
floor of the canon, on both sides of
the little stream. Right and left
stretched the canon itself, its walls,
precipitous for the most part, rising
grandly, hundreds of feet high on
each side,
"It is beautiful," Pablo," I continued..
"It must have a history of some kind;
or a story no?"
"Si, Senor, that It 'has-iay, that It
has," answered the Mexican, lighting
a fresh cigarette and puffing at it re
flectively a moment "Would the
senor hear it?"
"By all means, Pablo; go ahead."
And here is Pablo's story, as nearly
as I can translate it (for he spoke in
Spanish):
"Does the senor see the cliff on the
other side, how Mgh it is? That is
the Oliff of the White Horse it is
many hundred feet high, and straight
up and down. And at the top, when
the moon is a little higher, the senor
will see the White Horse. It Is a
great white rock on the edge of the
cliff, and by clear moonlight it looks
like a white horse. It has not always
been there, and now, they say, on the
anniversaries ox certain days, the
ghost of old Don Fernando comes and
rides it along the edge of the canon.
"Don Fernando? Oh, ay. May the
oiessed saints hf.ve mercy upon him!"
ejaculated Pablo, crossing himself.
"Many years ago, Don Fernando
Cortez he was a grandson, or some
thing, of the great Cortez lived over
above, beyond the canon several miles.
Don Fernando was rich, and lived In
a grand house, and had many servants
and slaves. He was a great enter
tainer, was Don Fernandez, and peo
ple used to come many miles hun
dreds, thousands, yes to his grand
dinners and balls.
"He was not a good man. No. He
was a cruel master, and hard with all
his people, and made them all hate
bim. He was kind to only two living
creatures; one of these was his beau
tiful daughter, the Lady Ysabel the
other was his great white stallion,
the largest and fleetest horse in all
the country. These two the old Don
loved as bis two eyes, aud well he
might yes. The Lady Ysabel was
not only beautiful, but she was kind
and good, and all the people loved
her as much s they hated the Don,
wnicn was a great deal. She had
golden hair, and yes like the sky,
and it is said the birds listened when
she sang. And the horse ay, he was
wonderful. He was as big as three
ordinary horses, and his tread shook
the ground. He had a long, white
mane, and eyes that flashed fire, and
was almost as much feared as the
old Don, who alone dared go near
mm.
"The Lady Ysabel had many suit
ors. The wealthiest and most aristo
cratic men in all the country came to
sue for her hand many of them from
far-off California, and some. It is
said, came even from Spain. But the
Lady Ysabel would have none of
them. She loved ber pony, and her
dogs and birds, and her people; but
a man, no. One after another came,
but she turned them all away. So,
after a few years the old Don became
tired of what he Galled her 'foolish
ness,' and swore she should marry,
and at once, a man whom he had se
lected for her.
"This grieved the Lady Ysabel very
much; for not only did she not love
any of those who had offered them
selves to her, but her heart was al
ready given given to one of her
father's peons, a young man named
Jose, whom she had helped nurse
through a terrible illness. Him she
used to meet by stealth, nearly every
night, unbeknown to any but them
selves. But, one night when the
Lady Ysabel's wedding day was near
at hand, she and her lover were seen
together, and the story came to the
ears of the old Don.
"He started to find them, swearing
to kill them both; but they had been
warned, and had taken two of the
fleetest horses in the stables and fled.
With mad haste the Don saddled , his
white stallion and . pursued them.
They had taken their way over the
hills, blindly, but some instinct led
the Don to follow the direction they
bad taken, ud fn. fe, short ttaja- He
had them la eight, riding over the
I plateau beyond the canon tnere.
"When the lovers saw they were
pursued, they put their jaded horses
to their highest speed, hoping to es
cape; but soon they found It was too
late, and as the old Don, with terrible
curses, pressed them closely, they
leaped to the ground, ran to the edge
of the cliff, and, clasped In each oth-
er's arms, sprang into eternity to-
eether!
"And the Don? For days he raved
like a madman, and seemed to know
no one. Thei he became quieter, and
they thought he would be himself
again. But one moonlight night,
tnoy missea mm, aim several boi wui.
to seek him. He was riding up ana
dawn the edge of the cliff, yonder,
raving and blaspheming terribly, and
none of those who had come to find
him dared approach. For hours he
raved; then, just as the moon came
from behind a cloud, they saw him
ride back from the cliff a little dis
tance. Then be . wheeled sharply,
and, shouting, 'Now, my friend, both
together!' he rode full speed at ne
precipice. But at the edge the white
stallion halted suddenly, and the Don
went over alone. In mid-air he shook
his fist and hurled a curse at the
friend who had deserted him at the
last minute; and then and there the
great white stallion turned to stone!
There he stands, senor you can see
Mm plainly, now still looking over
the precipice. It is from him that the
cliff and the canon get their name.
"And it is said by the superstitious,
senor," continued Pablc, drawing
closer to the fire, and shuddering
slightly, "that on the anniversary of
old Don Fernando's- death, and on
Lady Ysabel's saint's day, the ghosts
of Lady Ysabel and Jose ride lortti
on the plateau, and that of the old
Don pursues them, riding the white
stallion, which leaves its station at
such times. And-Kh, senor, for the
love of God, look!"
Startled, I looked quickly across the
canon. The rock which appeared so
very like a white horse seemed to
vanish, as though in mist Then there
wore a series of blood-curdling shrieks
and curses, and, flying along the edge
of the cliff, code three persons on
horseback and one, behind the oth
ers, rode a great white horse!
It was only a moment and then the
drunken cow-boys passed out of sight,
and the tiny fleck of vapor which had,
for those few seconds, kept the moon
light from the white-horse . rock
moved on, leaving the rock standing
out In the clear light just as before.
Still shivering with the sudden fright
I had had, I turned to Pablo. He
had fallen in a fit, and was lying
rigid, with flecks of foam ou his lips
I brought him round soon, and he sat
up, his eyes staring wildly.
"Well, Pablo," I said, in as steady
a voice as I could command, "you
must have had quite a dream. You've
been plunging around and yelling for
a full five minutes."
"What senor. I? A dream? Then
it was not "
"I think it was the bread, Pablo.
You ate a big supper, and that hot
sour bread would kill an Indian. '
Pablo concluded not to ruu away.
as he might have done if I hadn't
been able to convince him It was only
a dream.
SURPASSES THE POPULISTS.
Syracuse Post: Miss Frances E
Willard, for many years president of
the Woman's Christian Temperance
union, delivered a speech before the
union last week in Cleveland, Ohio, in
which she departed considerably from
the subject of temperance, and pre
scribed an entire system of measures
for the administration of governnwut
She advocated the single tax theory
of Henry George, I. e., placing the
entire burden of government uion
land, thus abolishing custom-houses
internal revenue, taxes on personal
property, license taxation, etc. She
wants the government to own all the
railroad and telegraph lines, thus in
creasing the patronage of the presl
dent and whatever political party
happens to be in power. She thinks
the government should also own the
newspapers, not apparently stopping
to think that the president and the
party in power could thus institute a
censorship of the press which would
muzzle the mouth of every public
speaKer like herself who shouldn
happen to advocate just what that
dominant party with an executive at
its head should think agreeable to
them.
This brief outline of Miss Willard's
notions of political economy rather
goes beyond the popnlistic visions of
lerry Simppcn. John C. Boll, T. J
Hudscn, Lafe Pence, and a whole gal
axy of like statesmen in the present
congress, but who after the 4th of
March next will sink into oblivion i;
the western horizon. It is true, thev
were ready to pass laws authorizing
the secretary of the treasury to loan
government money on such security
as wheat rye. oats, barley, and we
do cot remember if they include live
stock upon the ranches; but in their
most lurid descriptions of the pros
perity which would follow such legis
'.anon tney never advocated the gov
ernment ownership or control of
newspapers.
Miss Willard has undoubtedly
wrought good results in the field of
temperance advocacy, but she will
ultimately probably come to the con
clusion that cne great reform at a
time Is worthy of the ambition of
man or woman, without attempting
to revolutionize the entire system of
national government -
THE HOP TRADE.
Tha market continues in. pretty
good shape. Exporters have drawn
some new orders from London, and
vith the shipments from previous
purchases and Pacific coast stock go
ing forward on consignments the for
eign business makes a fair showing
this week. Dealings with brewers
have be;n on a large scale and ' the
month of November promises to be
the best for several years. Confidence
is shown by the free operations, and
there Is still a willingness to buy when
desirable samples are shown. The
fact that the bulk of the stock both in
this country nd Europe is of a lower
quality than was indicated at the
opening of the spason nfcke
dealers as wisll as brewers think
pretty well at choice hops. For a
very high grade-rich, clean, bright
and silky 12o is asked and occasion
ally obtained, but most ot the stock
classed as choice sells at 11c, and me
dium to prime grades range from 8 to
10c. More busluess has been done in
yearlings and best grades are firm
Buying in the country was quite free
during the early part of the week,
but it has seemed to be a little quieter
toward the close; prices, however, re
main unchanged. London cables re
port no change in the condition of the
English markets. N. Y. Producers'
Price fjmm Not. 2tb.
PALMISTRY
haracter Reading a
Fascination.
The Women Are Its Es
pecial Patrons.
Business Men Are Not All Above Con
sulting the Art of the
Chiromancier.
Out from the commonplace level of
the matter-of-fact in these end-of-the-
century days protrudes conspicuously
the art and mystery of palmistry.
Not that the ancient guilds of clair
voyants and those who tell fortunes
with cards and other devices are ex
tinct, but society no longer has re
course to them in its hours of uncer
tainty and longing, says the Kansas
City "Star.
Nothing that does not smack of
science can hold today, and the palm
1st lays claims to as correctly scien
tific a foundation for his calling as
does the geologist or the astronomer.
His deductions, startling and occult
as they may appear, he claims to draw
from a profound study of cause and
effect and places himself under a
plane several degrees above the for
tune teller and seer. The latter still
has his patrons, but it is to the palm
ist's portals that silken robed society
flocks and pays liberally to know
itself.
The question why' a woman or man
should desire to know what the palm
ist can reveal concerning the character
is one of tho queries that come to the
mind of the onlookers here. A certain
set expression of expectancy and
strained curiosity is to be seen on each
face, mingled perhaps in many cases
with an artificial air more or less
skillfully assumed, of unconcern. It
was for the purpose of studying the
devotees at the shrine that the writer
visited the reception rooms of a pro
fessional palmist the other day.
Many of those in waiting seemed a
trifle apprehensive and somewhat in
clined to draw back, and as nearly
every applicant was accompanied by
a friend who had been through the
ordeal before, there were many low
toned discussions.
As each caller emerged from the in
ner room it was curious to note the
eTToct of her experience. Some who
had gone in with careless mien, came
out with traces of tears upon their
Clueks, others with almost trembling
limbs moved slowly toward the outer
door, while a few who had entered the
mystic portal in appnehension and
timidity came out like conquering
heroes.
Their emotions were duly reflected
in the faces of those waiting without,
as the secretary stepped up and, in a
quiet tone of voica, invited another
victim to enter. The solemn and often
nervous demeanor of those about to
go within was almost ludicrous in
many instances, and there was a
queer suggestion of the fureral about
the whole proceeding, even in the case
of those giddy creatures who go
through the thing simply as a lark.
Once within the inner room the in
quiring visitor found himself facing
a tall, broad-shouldered man, with a
face like Byron's, and great pene
trating eyes. He had the solemn
manner and bearing of a dealer in
mysteries, and, withal, an air of one
who takes himself and his trade 9cri
ously. She was requested to seat her
self and place her hand upon a silken
cushion that rested upon a little table
in front of the high priest but her
business there was not to test his
ccult art
"I wrnt you to tell me something
about the people who visit you," she
said. "You must have curious, or, at
least humorous happenings, some
times." "Yes," he replied, "and some pathet
ic incidents as well. Sometimes they
are all mingled in one. For instance,
a woman came n here the other day,
who, when I detected in the lines of
her hand evidence which betrayed
events in her past, confessed that she
had procured a divorce from her hus
band because fie had became enam
ored of her daughter, and that she
herself had fallen in love with the
man whom her daughter married.
That is a blending of the tragic and
the comic indeed."
"But how do the people act when
they come in?"
"In various ways, according to tem
peramentjt. Some aire badly fright
enedindeed, the majority are nerv
ous, at any rate some of them fall to
weeping almost at once, and some
grow hysterical. This is generally
when I mention an unsuccessful love
affair. Many of them treat me as a
father confessor as soon as they per
ceive that I can read their past and
proceed to acknowledge all sorts of
things, seeming glad to unburden
themselves to someone.
"Some. time after I have proceeded
for a while deciphering the hand, the
client will suddenly withdraw it and
refuse to allow me to go any further.
This has often happened, especially in
the case of men, who are generally
easier to get along with, however,
asking few questions and appearing
better satisfied with the results. Men
rarely are frightened, either, but when
L discovered in two instances that I
held the hand of a murderer, both of
them trembled violently. One of them
returned on the following day, looking
as though he had not slept all night,
and with beads of perspiration on his
forehead asked me to promise to keep
his secret
"A woman will ask questions about
everything that touches upon her life,
and the married woman's favorite
question is, 'How many children
have I?'
"One client, a young woman who
had had a most uneventful little life,
ifter I had finished, produced a long
sheet of paper, with a list of ques
tions almost a yard -in length. Many
of them covered the ground I had
gone over, but I had to answer them
all, while she checked off the replies
with a lead pencil. At the conclusion
she bowed stifly, and said: 'Most sat
isfactory, and walked off. Another,
who came to me lately, listened in
silence to my reading, and at the
close said to me:
"You've been most successful in
reading my life, yet I am not quit
satisfied. There, is one
Important
thing I particularly want to know.
and that is, is my sister's tferagtoter
In Australia going to get married T
And not unlike that woman was the
man who' asked me to predict from his
hand the future of Ms twin brother."
"Not many men oonrie to you, do
they?"
"More than you would imagine,"
answered the Mystery Man; "but un
like the women, they don't want their
friends to know it as- a rule. They
try to make appointments for after
business Hours and Sundays, and 1
have had very tempting offers to come
to their apartments, but I never ac
cept the latter, as my surroundings
hure are much more conducive to cor
rect reading."
SOLID FACTS ABOUT SHOES.
An Augusta shoo dealer upon whom
a Journal man called yesterday relates
many little sayings that he heard
when selling people footwear. Some
people place considerable confidence
in these superstitions, while other
look upon them as myths. The dealer
quoted from bis little note book a few
of these anuislna sayings, such as,
"Worn on the heel, spends a good
deal;" "Worn on the ball, spends it
all;" "Worn on, the vamp, look out for
a scamp;" "Worn on the toes, spends
as he goes;" "Worn on the side, will
be a rich man's bride," all of which
may be taken for just what they are
worth.
"An old sign says that if a young
man is careless of his shoe lacing, he
will neglect Jus wife; but on the con
trary, if he laces them tight he will
I be very stingy in his dealings with
her. By tho way, if a young man is
going to see his sweetheart and stubs
his right toe, he may know that he is
to be welcome; but if he stubs his left
one he may as well turn around and
go home, because she does not want
him. Again, if his lacings keep coin-
iug untied, his lady love is talking or
thinking about him.
"When you buy a pair of new shoes,
never put them on a shelf higher than
your head, unless you want to bring
bad luck; andf you blacken them be
fore you have had both shoes on, you
may me it with an accident or even
have a sudden death. This is an old
Irish superstition. The Scottish girls
believe that if they drop their shoes
before they are worn, trouble will
ensue, while a French lady losing her
heel is sure of some disappointment
in love, and a German mother iii the
same predicament feels that she will
soon lose one of her children.
"You must no, put your right shoe
on your left foot or your left on your
right, nor must you put your left shoe
on before the right unless you want
bad luck. This superstition dates back
to one of the emperors of Rome, who,
it is recorded, put on his left shoe first
one morning, and came near being
assassinated during the day.
"As a sign ol respect the Japanese
take off their slippers when they meet
in tte strvet, ard the Jews used to
pluck off cne of theirs to confirm a
bargain. Throughout the East when
an inferior enters the presence of his
superior, he leaves his shoes or slip
pers at the door. A great many peo
ple still tollow the old custom of
throwing ar old shoo after a bridal
couple, but very few know -the old
significance of this. It is supposed
to bring good luck, and those that
throw it after a newly married couple
do so with the best intentions in the
world. This custom, however, really
came from the old Anglo-Saxon times,
when the father invariably handed
the bridegroom one of the bride's old
snoes, which signifies the giving up
of all authority over the girl to her
husband, so that these who throw an
old shoe afr the departing couple
nowadays are really signifying that
she is his property, jus in mediaeval
times.
"It is supposed to bring good luck
to keep an old pair of shoes that are
past wearing around the house, but
if ' they are burned up, according to
an old sign, snakes will squirm away
from the place and will leave bad
luck behind them. Old negro 'aunties'
in the South burn up old shoes and
hog hoofs, and use a mixture of the
two for coughs. It would seem as
though a good smart cold would be
preferable to this remedy.
" 'To be in another's shoes' is a
quotation in vogue today. Among the
ancient Norsemen, when a man adopt
ed a son, he must always, for a cer
tain time at least wear the shoes of
his adopted father in order to lawfully
inherit his property, and so it came
about that to stand in another's shoes
means to claim his honors."
Thus endeth the shoe dealer's col
lection of shoe knowledge In this line,
and doubtless many who read this
will be able to add some other super
stition in regard to the shoe, but be
sure to put on your right shoe first in
the morning. Kennebec Journal.
SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED.
A correspondent writes: I became
acquainted with a young widow, who
lived with her stepdaughter in the
same house. I married the widow; my
father fell, shortly after it. in love
with the stepdaughter of my wife,
and married her. My wife became
the mother-in-law and also the daughter-in-law
of uiy own father; my
wife's step-daughter is a step-mother,
and I am step-father of my mother-in-law.
My step-mother, who is the
step-daughter of my wife, has a boy;
he is naturally my step-brother, be
cause he Is the son of my father and
my step-mother; but because he is
the son of my wife's step-daughter,
so is my wife the grandmother of
the little boy, and I am the grand
father 'of my step-brother. My wife
has also a boy; my step-mother is
consequently the step-sister of my
boy, and is also, his grandmother, be
cause he is the child of her step-son:
and my father is the brother-in-law
of my son, because he has got hip
step-sister for a wife. I am the broth
er of my own son, who is the son cf
my step-mother; I am the brother-in-law
of my step-mother, my wife If
the aunt of her own son, my son is
the grandson of my father, and I am
my own grandfather. -
COFFEE. v
According to the Scientific American
of Nov. 14th even Java coffee pays
to the planter tot over four cents a
pound. The government takes it all
at a price worth $6 per every 134 lbs.
In Holland. Holland sells it at a high
price and compels us "all to pay her
taxes and saves her people from tax
In that way. If the people had enougn
union and conccrd among themselves
to refuse to buy it how soon all those
monopolizing demons would come to
their knees. -
A STRONG PAIR.
' Sam Francisco, Dec. 4. Joaquin Mil
ler, the "Poet of the Sierras" and
George Partington, an artist of loca'
note, have engaged passage on the
next steamer to sail for Honolulu.
They have been engaged by eastern
publishers to prepare history of
Hawaii, to be written iy Joaquin
Miller and illustrated by Partington,
Ably Discussed
and
Compared.
Our Own Country Pos
sesses the Worst.
Economic Statements as to Cost of
Construction the World
Over.
The public highway question is
now one of the most Important mat
ters that is being considered by the
people of the United States, and
when we take into consideration what
forcible and convincing arguments can
be advanced In favor of good macad
amized roads it is str'ange indeed
that the public mind is so slow in
grasping the situation. Good roads
materially assist the farmer in his
money making and put him upon
higher .plane, socially, commercially
and financially. At the same time
they widen his influence and add
much to the comfort and convenience
of his family. They place him in bet
ter accord with the busy world and
therefore bring him in closer contact
with its civilizing influences. It is im
possible to enumerate the number of
ways bad roads entail a loss upon the
people. .The necessity for more help,
the wear and tear of vehicles and har
ness, need of extra draft animals, the
depreciation of farm lands, the great
personal inconvenience and so on
which, taken In connection with the
fact that good roads are cheaper than
bad ones, should cause the people to
act promptly and effectively,
We expend $140,000,000 annually
upon our public schools. Statistics
show that aa average of 30 per cent
of the pupils are absent in every
school day in the year and that fully
three-fourths of the absentees are oc
casioned by bad roads. At every
political election the question of good
roads has an important bearing upon
the result for it has been proven time
and again that bad roads alone have
often prevented a full expression of
public sentiment in different portions
of the United States. It is certainly
not a very pleasant commentary upon
a great nation like ours to say that
the success of an important political
movement may be placed in jeopardy
and perhaps be defeated by bad roads
vvhen the arguments for establishing
good roads are so strong and con
vincing. There are 16,000,000 horses
and mules in the United States. Say
these animals are kept in the stables
upon an average of only twenty days
in the year on account of bad roads,
and value them at only 25 cents a day,
and we have a loss of $80,000,000,
which would macadamize 16,000 miles
of road, which would more than ma
cadamize every road in the state of
Oregon. To illustrate to what ridicu
lous ends the perseverity of the human
mind will sometimes lead, the follow
ing incident is given: A half -loaded
wagon stalled in the mud in almost
the shadow of the tweritw million
dollar state house at Albany, N. Y
at the same time when the farmer
of Albany county were sending tele
grams to members of the state legis
lature asking for the adjournment of
a committee because the roads were
too bad to permit them to get to town
in time to oppose a bill that sought
to make the roads better.
Outside of the social and political
features of the matter and the direct
influence they may have upon the
personal fortunes of the farmer, bad
roads invariably force the consumer
to pay a higher price for produce be
cause it cannot be hauled to town
rnYueT such conditlona and the middle
man, or speculator, takes advantage
or the situation and secures a bi
profit thereby. Indeed It is a costly
and paralyzing condition of affairs for
a county to have bad roads at all
and measured by every rule of econ
omy, public and private, the United
States has by. far the worst highways
in the world.
The people of Europe have learned
by experiment ard still better by Ion
experience that true economy in the
construction of public roads consists
In making them durable and broad
enough to meet all of the demands of
travel and traffic. England. has
most admirable system of roads and
so have the other countries of Europe,
but France is acknowledged to possess
tho most perfect of them all, the grea
impetus to highway Improvement
having been given the country by the
nrsr JNapoJieon. Although only four
times larger than the state of New
York, France bas spent $600,000,000
on her roads, -and it now only costs
her a little over 2 per cent of the cost
to keep them In repair. This tallies
closely with our figures, for we said
in our last issue It would not cost
over $10,000 a year. to keep our ma
cadamized roads in repair, which is
about 2 per cent of the cost of con
struction, amounting to $450,000.
Francis W. Loom is. United States
commercial agent at St Eltenne,
France, in his report to the state de
partment at Washington, speaking
of the road-system of France, says:
"The road" system of France has
been of far greater value to the coun
try as a means of raising the value
of lands and putting the remote peas
ant proprietors In easier communica
tion with their" markets than have the
railways. It is the opinion of well
it formed Frenchmen who have made
a practical study of economic prob-J
lams max una super o roaas or jj ranee
have been one of the most steady and
potent contributions to the material
development and marvelous financial
elasticity of the country. The far
reaching and splendidly maintained
road system has distinctly favored
the success of the small landed pro
prietors and In their prosperity and
the ensuing distribution of wealth lies
the key to the secret of the wonderful
financial -vitality and solid prosperity
of the French nation." -
The roads In Norway are very fine,
though' differing in construction to
those of France. - The road from
Christiania to LUrdalsoren is a noted
highway. It Is 150 miles in length
and Is thoroughly drained. The high
ways of Austria and the German
states, Italy and Switzerland, are al
most equal to those of France, all of
w'hlch bears forcible testimony to the
statement tEat the people of Europe
have fully tested the experiment of
good roads and find them economical
and satisfactory In every respect
What a contrast we run square
a?a,lnst when we compare the splendid!
roads of the old werld to those in our
unit wuuym vtvw, V!V
are the rule, ". while in this country
they are the exception. In fact the
few good roads in -the United States
remind one 'of an oasis in the desert -
The history of the construction of
good roads in England up to the time
the people took the matter in hand and
went about the work was similar to
that of our own. Maeaulay wrote
often in scathing terms of ridicule
about the stage coaches sticking in
the mud and it required hundreds of
years for the people there to regard
tiie matter in its proper light and put
it into practical operation. When
they inaugurated the work its practi
cal utility became at once apparent
and they wondered why they had de
layed it so long.
In Kentucky and Tennessee, where
the system of turnpikes prevails It
has proven an admirable success.
These turnpikes are simply macad
amized roads constructed by private
parties with a system of toll gotes.
But their one defect is the fact that
they are not free to SHI and paid for
out of the general taxes. These beau
tiful roads are really what have made
the blue grass regions famous all over
the world. The splendid roads and
the blue grass pastures on each side
thereof form a picture which charms
the eye of everyone who travels
thiough that country. Give Buchanan
county such a system of roads and
tho transformation will be wonderful
indeed.
We sincerely believe that if the peo
ple of the United States would make
up their minds to use the money they
are expending annually in almost a
usoless manner on their roads in a ju
dicious and practical way the present
hard times would disappear like the
mists of the morning. It would give
work to hundreds of thousands of peo
ple. We would hear no more of
Coxey armies and we would not have
thousands of honest workmen almost
starving because they are unable to
find work. It would open. up a new
era of prosperity in the United States,
it would bring about genuine prosper
ity In a hundred ways and what
would the people be paying for it all?
Nothing. On the other hand it would
be an economical movement that
would result in the saving of millions
of dollars every year to the people
But, if the people all over the United
States will not now see the great ben
elits to be secured by such a genera
movement Marion county can do so
and make it the garden spot of tin.
West She can set the example which
other counties will surely follow when
they observe what great blessings
good roads confer upon the people.
We desire to continually impress upon
the minds of our readers that then1
is nothing Utopian in all of this, but
that it is a plain, practical question
which anyone, can thoroughly appre
ciate and understand by giving the
subject proper attention and study.
THE SAME OLD GAG.
But It Is
Changed
Trilli
Around Just a
Tho tin box game is practically tl;
same the world over. There are n
few trifling variations, but the sharper
usually M3ts in his work along tin
same oh' line. The latest story is
from Chillicothe. Ohio:
By a bold gam;; William Jones wa
bunkoed out of 7.0O0. Mr. Jones if.
one of tho wealthiest farmers of that
county. A stranger drove up to Mr.
Tones' residence, and when he met
Mr. Jones introduced himself as a
Mr. Rnv'th, of Columbus, and repre
sented that lie was related to George
H. Smith, a well-known capitalist of
that city, aud that, being desirous of
purchasing a farm, h's relative had
recommenced him to see William A.
.Tones, who nr'ght bo able to aeeomTno
dato. him. Mr. Jones stated that he
was. not particularly anxious to pell
his farm, but was assured by Mr.
Smith that there would be to trouble
between them in coming together on
a price, provided the farm suited him.
Mr. Smith asked to be shown over
the place, and Mr. Jones got in the
buggy w'th him. aud they spent an
hour or more driving about the. farm.
As they were driving along tho road
returning to the house Mr. Smith ex
pressed himself as being delighted
with the farm, and said it was jut
the sort of place he had been looking
for for sometime. They were dis
cussing the price when they, met a
stranger com'ng toward them, walk
ing along the read. The, stranger
stopped them to inquire the distance
to Bourneviile, and the trio were soon
engaged in conversation. The stranger
was very loquacious and entertaining.
He said his name was Jones and hr
, r , , , ,
'ived in Tennessee and was delighted
to nna xiiai one ot n:s new acjuHiiu-
ances bore the name of Jones. Th
Tennessee. .Tones stated that he was
up in this country for the purpose of
buyirig a farm, and when Smith said
that was his mission there the coin
cidence caused considerable merri
ment and joking between the two.
"What have you got to buy a farm
with?" interrogated Smith of the Ten
nessee Jones.
"T have the money and plenty of it.
right hero," replied Jours, nt the same
time indicating by tapping his fingers
:n a tin box under his arm.
"How much have you got?" wns the
next question put by Smith, and the
answer came back:
"Fifitecn thousand dollars."
As the badgeriug continued it wai
plain to be seen that the victim of
tho game was becoming very much
interested.
"I don't believe, you have $15,000 in
that box," was the bantering remark
of Smith.
"Well. I will just bet you $15,000
that I have that amount," promptly
answered Jones.
"Let's take him up." proposed Smith
to Farmer Jones. "I have SS.OOO. and
if you have $7,000 we'll ju.t bet that
sucker and take all he's got, for 1
know that box hasn't got auy $15,
000." Farmer Jones was a goner, and took
the bait, hook .and all. The only
drawback was that he had-not that
:iraount of money at home, but he
fagerly took up with Smith to come
to town rnd get it from the bank.
Bunkcist Joi es agreed to remain
where he was while Smith and Farm
er Jones drove to he city to get the
money. The journey was made as
hastily as possible, and Mr. .Ton"
PIONEER
-
COFFEE
HODES'& HALL,
Plain and Fancy Confections-Ice Cream.
CIGARS::-
"OUR SILVER CHAMPION, "EELKONT." GENERAL ARTHUR," ana
a full line of Smokers' Articles. Corng
-r rjrv b&i
went to the Central National bank; v
wrote out his check for $7,000, and "
the money was passed over the eoun- '
ter without a word, as he is a heavy
stockholder in the bank, and In bis
apacity of stock-dealer, as well as
farmer, often has use for large sums ...
of money. Rejoining his companion, "
the two hurned back toward Bourne- .
ville and met the other bunkoist who
was awaiting them. In the excite
ment and lively conversation between
the two bunkoiots nothing was said
about Smith's putting up his. agreed ,
portion of the bet. '
Farmer Jonos produced the $7,000
and agreed that it should be placed
in the tin box with the supposed $15,-
000; that the box should be locked up .
and turned over to Farmer Jones;
that the Tennessee Jones should keep
the key; that next day they should
come to the city' and go to the Cen
tral National bank and open the box.
Whichever . one won should have the
contents of the box. Farmer Jones'
money was shifted and the box, after
being locked, was turned over to him
md he took it home and the two bun- ;
koists got into the buggy and drove
toward the city. Later in the day Mr.
.Tones became uneasy and took the
box to town. It was pried Open at
the savings bank and contained only
a package of paper.
THE OREGON PACIFIC.
Montana Railroad Men Looking Over
the Road There Will Be Bidders.
Mr. Stone and A. B. Hammond, ojt
tho wealthy firm of Bonner, Ham
mond & Co., of Missoula, Montana,
who recently went over the western
portion of the Oregon Pacific from
Albany to Yaquina, returned yester
day from a tour of inspection to th
front They have been, investigating
tho condition of the road, and it is
believed will be bidders at the ap-.
preaching sale. ,
As tho time draws near for the sale
of tho Oregon Pacific railroad at Cor
vallis there is reason to believe that
several bidders will be present ready
to buy the property. December 22d
is the day set by the court for the
sale, it seems now that the uncertain
ty attending the final disposition of
tho road will soon be ended. ' ,
Mr. Hammond's reason for getting
control of the road Is not known, be
yond the supposition that he believes
it would be a good investment Wal
lis Nash, of Corvallis, who was iden
tified with the building of the road,1
is said to nave Dacmng ior its pur
chase. Recently a party of English
gentlemen made a trip over the road
as his guests, and thi is presumed to
have considerable significance. Wil
liam M. noag, the former manager of
the Oregon Pacific, has come up from
San Francisco to Albany, and it Is
believed he will also represent capital
at .tho sale as a bidder. Albany Her
ald. Speaking of Marcu3 Daly, with
whom it is supposed these men are
associated, a gentleman just returned
from Montan'S said yesterday: "If
Marcus Daly makes up his mind to
take hold of the O. P. something will
b f done. Daly spent $750,000 in the
eiTort to make the town of Anaconda
the capital of Montana. Anaconda,
geographically and otherwise, Is about
aS appropriaTe for the capital of that
state as Monroe is for county seat of
Benton; but Marcus Daly owned thir
teen mucs square or iana arouna An
aconda and has plenty of money, and
when the votes were, counted out of
50,000 he lacked only 1,700 of carry
ing the state house over to his burg.
Afhong other electioneering devices to
which no resorted, he- surveyed raiK
foad lines from Anaconda to every
section of the state, leading the people
to believe that the roads were to be
built and fn turn they voted for Ana
conda to be the capital. It will be a
great day for this country If he be
comes interested in the Oregon Pa
cific." The presence in Corvallis of William
M. Hoag aud Wallis Nash Tuesday,
led many to. wonder if their coming
was an omen that the Hogg faction
were to bob lip with a bid for the
road on the 22d of December. They
left for Albany In the afternoon with
out having shown any sign of a .de
sire to again sit in the ministerial sad
dle of the old road.
ATgentleiuun who desires his name
withheld, rnferrin? tn tha rnllrnnil aft-
uation this morning said: "I have
positive assurance that there will be
a bid made for the O. P. at the com
ing sale. The people need not expect
however, that it will be a fancy price.
Men who think of hnvinrr t.hrt -rvnrrtr
are deterred from paying a fancy
l iiKui" uy me realization mat mere
must bo an enormous outiay of money
figure by the realization that there
; iu nn PVtonaion rf tha Una hrAra
property will pay good interest on the
investment People from whom I
have assurance that there will be a
bid, have plenty of means, and if they
secure tho property their first move
will ba to extend it" The same party
expressed a belief that there was an
influence in the sale abroad, that for
.selfish puiiKses, opposed a successful
sale of the property. Corvallis Times.
KEEP IT AT HOMEThere Is an
immensity of Oregon money sent out
over the mountains and even across
the oceans that might and ought to be
kept at home, where It will get back
into and circulate through the various
channels of trade. One Item alone
is a little surprising in its magnitude.
Very few would think that over $300,
000 went out to foreign companies
last year in the shape of insurance
premiums, yet such is the fact, and
tho proposition at once suggests itself,
how much better It would be If this
money were kept at home. And to a
large extent it might be. There Is no
necessity 'for sending out a dollar for
ordinary insurance so long as the peo
ple have an Oregon company of
strength and reliability to carry their
risks. This they have in the Stat
Insurance company, of - Salem, com
posed of many of the strongest men
in tho state, a company whose poli
cies are as good as a goldbearing bond
and whose every interest is to do a
clean, honest business with the neigh
bors and friends who are its patrons.
The proper thing to do for an Oregon-
renewing old policies is to find an
agent of the State and leave his pre
miums at home. . v
BHKERY
AND -
SALOON.
Proprietors.
In wh?n hungry and get a lunch any ,