Lincoln County leader., July 27, 1900, Image 7

CI
sar
UNCLE
w
66CTpO WHOM are you writing
II now? 1 declare, I never
come to see you that I dou't
find you with that everlasting ink
stand open and the pen just ready to
dip." And . Hutu Boyden tossed her
gloves on the stand, her hat on the bed,
and her jacket in the big chair. Theu
she proceeded to give May Gleason an
enthusiastic hug. "Who is It? Tell me
quick 1"
"Oh, you crazy. It isn't always the
lame one. This morning it's Toui."
"Tom? Torn who I"
"Tom? Oh, just Tom. Uncle Tom,
If you must have all the particulars."
"Well, then, May Gleason, 1 should
think you would say Uncle Tom. I
think It does sound so rude and dis
courteous when children fail to give
their relatives their proper t.tle.
There's Joe.Kenney always calls his
mother Helen, and his father Joe. I'd
lecture you well If you were my niece."
"Oh, Tom doesn't care."
"How do you kuow he doesn't care?
His feeling might be very much hurt,
nud he would not say a word just
nutter In silence. Old people are very
ttensltive."
May giggled, though Ruth couldn't
see a thing to laugh at
"I think Just as you do about It, and
I'm going to reform. Now what shall
we do? You haven't seen my new Idea
for sachets, have you? Wait till I wipe
my pen and cover the ink, for it's sure
to tip Itself over If the cover isn't
screwed on tight."
One morning later In the season Uuth
Boyden received a note from her
friend, which read something like tuls:
"Dear Kuth: Can you come up to tea
to-night? I have just had a letter from
Tom I mean Uncle Tom and he Is
coming up here for a few days before
startiug on a trip West. I should like
to have you meet him, for he is my
dearest relative. Wear your maroon
trimmed with sable, you do look so su
perb In that. Come early, by 5 o'clock,
o we can talk. Tom I mean Uncle
Tom doesn't get here till the six train.
Your most devoted MAY."
Kuth dressed herself In the uiaroou
dress, and as she studied the reflection
in the minor she hoped he wouid feel
atlsned with May's nearest fr.eud. "I
must try to be d.gnified and uu.et. O-d
people dou't ever like tiy-away girls. Of
course May has told him all about me.
1 do hope she hasn't overrated me.
JSbe thinks the world of Uncle Tom,
and some way I should like him to be
pleased with me. I am going to carry
my lace handkerchief that Mrs. Baker
gave me. It will make talk, for she
was a returned missionary, and I am
mire there is nothing better than that
work. Almost all old people are inter
ested In that."
"Oh, Kuth, you darling," was May's
eager greeting. "I am so glad you wore
that. 1 do think the white yoke and the
fur bands round the neck and wrists do
miften the tints so. Tom" there was
a catch in her voice "I mean Uncle
Tom is such a judge of beauty. But
don't be alarmed; he will like you, I
know and your lace handkerchief, too
I am honored."
"I really put it on to have something
to talk about, you kuow. Does your
uncle enjoy missionary work?"
May half snickered and then covered
It with a cough, but she hastened away
with Ruth's wraps; while she was gone
she laughed heartily. Her face, when
he re-entered the room, was gravity
Itself.
Ruth tried to find out some of Uncle
Tom's tastes, but May avoided the sub
ject, and Ruth finally decided to trust
to luck to show her what to say and do.
A little past G there was a commotion
outside, and from the station cab Uncle
Tom descended. He was welcomed at
the door by May's mother, and May ex
cused herself to greet him, saying: "Oh,
Ruth, he Is the handsomest, dearest
man."
"I'm glad to see you, Tom, and I have
friend here to meet you."
"The friend?" was the laughing ques
tion. "The only," was the reply. "I predict
you'll say so, too."
Tea was called In a few minutes, and
po Ruth did not meet Uncle Tom till
they entered the dining room. Then be
fore she had become accustomed to the
lights or could think what she wou!d
say May's voice paid In a sort of trem
bling quaver: "Ruth, this Is my Uncle,
Mr. Gordon Uncle Tom, you know."
Ruth looked. A young man not over
25 stood before her with right hand
extended. He lind the brightest of
laughing blue eyes, and his hair of
brown was so curly that May was al
ways threatening to buy him side
combs to keep It In place. He was.
to say the least, somewhat astonished
at the demeanor of May's friend, for
e suddenly collapsed Into a chair,
b?.T.Jf auglicd, and laughed, and laughed,
until tears ran down her face, and May
was fearful of an attack of hysterics.
Tom turned to May, "U anything the
TOA
w w
matter with me? Is my necktie
straight?" he asked, anxiously.
"What is the matter. Ruth?" and
Mrs. Gleason brought the camphor,
while Mr. Gleason stood wondering
what ailed the girl; but then there was
no accounting for girls, they are al
ways surprising.
Ruth suddenly recovered herself at
sight of the camphor, rose to her feet,
and said, "I do hope you will forgive
me all of you. But I it was so funny
I had no time to recall my senses. Oh,
May, you did It on purpose. You see
I expected to see an old man of 153 at
least, who would be Interested In mis
sionary work ha, ha, ha, Isn't it too
funny? I can't get over it."
"I might wear a white wig if you'd
like to have me look older," said Tom
shortly.
"Now, Tom I mean Uncle Tom," be
gan May.
"Come, now, drop that."
"Well, she said it was Irreverent to
call you just Tom, and It would hurt
your feelings, nud I promised to reform,
and I'm going to." but she was laugh
ing as she said it.
"I don't believe I can ever forgive
you, May," said Ruth.
"Oh, yes, you will. But didn't I fool
you most completely?"
A Jollier party never sat at the Glea
son table than the oue that night, for
every now and then- May would say,
"Tom, 1 mean Uncle Tom," or Ruth
would suddenly have a laughing tit in
her handkerchief.
"I don't quite understand it yet."
"Oh, Tom, I mean Uncle Tom, '.s
mamma's half brother, and there Is
twenty-five years difference in their
ages."
Tom Gordon deferred his trip West,
and when he went he took Ruth.
"Dear Auut Ruth," whispered May
as she kissed the bride. "Don't you
ever dare," was the reply, whereupon
May declared It sounded so discourt
eous, and she didn't want to htrt her
feelings, "but If you Insist you 11 for
give me if I sometimes forget to put on
the title."
"I'll forgive you on condition that
you always forget It."
Wain's Life Saved by a Frenchman.
The credit for saving the life of the
Prince at the recent attempt to assas
sinate him at Brussels, rightly belongs
to M. Louis von Mol, a young Parisian
law student. M. von Mol says: "I had
just alighted from the train coming
from Liege, which reaches Brussels at
5 o'clock, when I heard that the Prince
of Wales was In the statlou, and I went
into the carriage to see his royal High
ness and bow to him. I saw a servant
alight from the carriage; then, as the
train was starting, I perceived a young
man springing upon the footboard and
holding something in his hand. I at
first thought that It was the servant
returning; but all at once there came
the report of a firearm. I sprang upon
the malefactor, caught him with one
hand by the throat, and with the other
disarmed him. We rolled upon the
ground. As I picked myself up an Indi
vidual tried to seize the revolver I held
in order to claim the honor of having
apprehended Sipldo; and an altercation
theu ensued, with the result tlmt tut
police came up, and on seeing that 1
held the revolver and that my hand
wasYovered with blood from an Injury
I had received In my fall, at once ar
rested me. Fortunately, the confusion
did not last long, but in the course of It
I was brutally Ill-treated by the police.
At last, seeing their mistake, they
wished to apologize to me, but I re
fused to accept their excuses until the
things I had lost In the scufile an um
brella and a pair of gloves were re
turned." New York Journal.
Preferred Speech.
The spirit of love and kindliness to
all, which pervaded every word and
deed of Phillips Brooks, did not hluder
his keen appreciation of others' fall
ings and short-comings, or his own.
"Why In the world doesn't Brown
write his autobiography, and have it
published?" said one of the bishop's
friends, referring to an incessant talker
and most egotisticnl man, who hud
been wasting on hour of the bishop's
most precious time by a rehearsal ot
some unimportant happenings.
"Why, he'd rather tell It, of course,"
said the bishop; and then like a flash
came regret for the quickly spoken
truth, and he turned on his friend with
a half-humorous, half-distressed face.
"What do you mean by asking me
such a question as that, when I'm olt
my guard?" he demanded, reproach
fully. Youth's Companion.
American Savins Ilnnkn.
In 181)5 there were 1,030 savings
banks In the United States, and the
deposits In them amounted to $1,811,
000.000. In 1&9 there were 042 savings
banks in the United States, and their
deyoslu were $,401,000,000.
83
CHICAGO'S CHURCH CENSUS.
ta a Population of 2,000,000 the Be
lievers Number 871,152.
As Chicago passes the 2,000,000 mark
In population the city comes to the
front with a noteworthy showing In re
ligious statistics. The total church
membership foots up 871,152, while the
number of edifices or places of worship
has Increased to 789. If the number of
points at which mission services are
held are added the total would reach
considerably over 900.
The magnitude of this showing may
perhaps be better appreciated If the
figures are compared with those recent
ly published In New York showing the
number of churches and church mem
bers In that city. New Y'ork, according
to these statistics, has only 541 church
es with a combined membership of
723,172. The figures In detail show
several differences between the two
cities. While New Y'ork Is far ahead
of Chicago In Episcopalian churches,
having 121 to Chicago's forty-nine, the
difference is more than balanced In
Catholic and Methodist churches. In
Chicago there are 116 Catholic church
es with a membership of 600,000. as
against 103 Catholic churches in New
York with 543,163 members. New York
has but sixty-nine Methodist churches
(""MisceuANeousT"!
I 7790 I
imiomwnoon. toso
(undid (VWIG"!. 12 JO I
I
UitHtU HCJQTIWlaO I
mrowweo oo
I episcopal rcform Moo I
'christian 2 300
f'SCOPAL JO a
I I ,
iweoiiM MISSION. WOO
LUTHERAN u. 12000
I PRC5BYTERIAN 13.903
CONORCOATtONAL 13273
BAPTIST
19
METHODIST EPISCOPAL 30 000
LUTHERAN 30 OOO
JEWISH
IOO.O.OO
CATMOLIC
60OO0O
TOTAL OF
ALL DENOMINATIONS
S7I.I52
POPULATION
OF
CHICAGO
2 000.000
RKLIOIOUS CB.1RT OF CHICAGO.
with 15,511 members. Chicago has 150
churches with 30,000.
Both the Catholic and Jewish denom
inations have more adherents than any
other sect In Chicago, but the heavy
percentage shown over other churches
is partly accounted for in another way.
Instead of counting only those mem
bers of the church who are actually af
filiated If Is the custom of both the
Jews and Catholics to enumerate as
regular adherents all of the members
of every Jewish or Catholic family. It'
Is estimated, for Instance, that there
are between 20,000 and 22,000 Jewish
families In Chicago, Including both the
liberal and the orthodox Jews. It is
calculated that the average family Is
composed of five persons. This compu
tation places the number of Jews in
Chicago at between 100,000 and 110,000.
In this manner the total membership of
the Catholic church Is also reached.
In recently published statistics com
piled by Rev. J. C. Armstrong figures
were given in relation to the number
of orthodox Protestant churches and
the city's population. It was clearly
shown that In every decade since 1840
the population of the city Increased
faster In proportion than did the num
ber of these Protestant churches. The
figures given up to date are as follows:
Churches to
Year. Populntion. Churches, population.
1849... 4,479 4 1 to 1,119
1850... 20,1X13 19 1 to 1,103
I860... 109,206 00 1 to 1,820
1870... 800,005 125 1 to 2,453
1880... 491,519 161 1 to 3,052
1890... 1,208,669 848 1 to 3,472
1899. . .1,851,588 605 1 to 3,060
This table shows a constant decrease
In the number of churches per capita
until the present decade which shows a
slight Improvement. The last figure, It
will be seen, Is based on C05 churches
and a population of 1,851,588. The C05
churches do not Include Catholic, He
brew, Dunkard, Ethical Culture, Sal
vation Army, Volunteers of America or
the liberal churches, Unitarian and
Unlversallst. The addition of these
raises the total number of places of
worship to 789 and the number of
church members to 871,152. It It esti
mated that there are now over 2,000,000
inhabitants In Chicago making the av
erage of oue church for every 2,534
people. These figures show a great in
crease in the proportionate number of
churches to the population over the fig
ures of 1S90, the relative number being
almost as great as it was twenty years
ago.
It Is an acknowledged fact that wom
en are mostly In the majority amoug
church members. Some authorities
place the percentage of women over
men at 75 per cent. If this be correct,
and it will not be disputed that this
estimate is at least approximately near
the right figure, then a rather small
portion of the male population of Chi
cago is connected, with the churches.
In the average church the preponder
ance of women Is always notice-able,
and if one will take the trouble to count
he will find that the women outnumber
the men about three or four to oue.
Terhaps exceptions must be made to
this rule lu the cases of the independ
ent and liberal churches, where gener
ally men are found In larger numbers
than at the orthodox churches.
Clara Barton's Characteristics.
"Everyone probably has an idea of
what Clara Barton Is like, but few
have a correct one," said a Bed Cross
nurse to a New York Tribune reporter.
"The photographs of her represent a
plain-looking, elderly woman, of sensi
ble appearance. She has attributes
that a photograph never reproduces.
Combined with the characteristics that
go to make her the really wonderful
woman that she Is, Is one that the ma
jority would never suspect her of, and
which, perhaps, more than any other,
makes her beloved in the very kind of
work to which she has given her life.
Miss Barton Is a regular bohemlan.
No dally frequenter of little out-of-the-way
table d'hotes Is a more thorough
bohemlan in tastes than Is Miss Bar
ton. When she Is in New York she is
never happier than when taking her
meals hit or miss somewhere any
where! The odder the place and time
the "better It suits her. As to time.
Miss Barton, never bothers herself. She
gets tilings done when she gets around
to it, and if she has planned a thing
for Tuesday morning ami gets it done
on Thursday afternoon, it is all right.,
There niay be considerable remon
strance and fussing on the part of
those who were to do the things along
with her, but she Is never fluttered in
the least by that. She Just pursues the
even teuor of her way, and If a presi
dent and a cabinet have to watt awhile
because she isn't Just on time for her
appointment, well, it Is Miss Barton,
and they simply wait.
Hoiuethini; lu It.
The question, "What's In a name?"
may be answered from one point of
view by narrating a bit of experience
confided to one of his friends by a mau
named Coward.
Now be It known that there are
branches of the Coward family who
can trace an honored lineage back to
old colonial days, and are quite as
proud of their ancestry as the Vere de
Veres .cr FItz Montmorencys.
"Have you never thought of chang
ing your name?" asked the friend.
"No," answered the Coward In ques
tion. 'There are too many thrilling as
sociations connected with It."
"In what way?"
"Well, from the time I was a little
boy nut 1 I went through coleje I had
more than fifty lights on account of If"
An Anecdote of (Stanley.
When II. M. Stanley was writing
"Through the Dark Continent" he was
In the habit of spreading his maps and
cliarts upon the floor. One day his fa
vorite cat went to sleep on n chart
spread out on the hearth rug. By and
by the chart was wanted, and one of
the assistants went to turn pussy away,
when Stanley stopped him. "Don't dis
turb the cat," he said, "we can get on
without the chart until she wakes up.
If you only knew how good the sight
of that cas was to me, you would never
let her move from where she is."
After his trials among uncivilized
tribe the sleeping cat was to him the
symbol of domestic peace and comfort.
Giving Bachelors the Go By
The town of Glvet, In the Ardennes,
Is taking steps to put an end to the
depopulation of France. Hereafter in
all town offices first fathers of more
than three children and next married
men will be preferred to bachelors.
Prizes of $5 will bo awarded yearly to
those parents who have sent the larg
est number of children to school regu
larly, and scholarships in the national
schools will be reserved for families
only of more than three children. Fath
ers of families shall also have the
preference for admission to almhouseg
and old people's homes.
Aninsemeatt for Hospital I'atlrnti.
The London Lancet contends that
hospital patients should be allowed to
play cards as wel as to smoke, provid
ed this does not annoy other patient.
Considering the miiny old men M ho
are struggling along In poverty, It Is
wonderful tlint young, men do not take
better care of their money, and Bave it
for the inevitable rainy do.
DROPPING WITH A PARACHUTEj
Circus Balloon Man F ays It Is Gentl
and Not Extra Hazardous.
"Coming down from the clouds in a
parachute is like a dream," said a cir
cus balloon artist. "Ever dream of fall
ing 'from a high place? lou come
down, alight quietly, and awake, and
you're not hurt. Well, that's the para
chute drop over again. No, there is
no danger. A parachute can be guided
readily ou the down trip, but you can't
steer a balloou. To guide a parachute
out of harm's way a practical hand
can tilt it oue way or the other, spill
out air, and thus work it to where you
want to land, or to avoid water, trees,
chimneys, or church spires. Circus as
censions are generally made in the
evening. When the sun goes down the
wind goes down. The balloon then
shoots Into the air and the parachute
drops back on the circus lot, or not far
away. A balloon is made of 4-cent
muslin, and weighs about 500 pounds.
A parachute is made of 8-cent muslin.
"There Is much more danger In com
ing down in a balloon. When It strikes
the earth It's like a big ball, and
bounds up again, taking you with it.
Not long ago in McKeesport, Pa., I
came down in a balloon because the
parachute would not let go. I nearly
came down In a big stack of a blast
furnace, but the hot air drove the bal
loom away. After that I never intrust
parachute would not let go. I nearly
cd the parachute arrangements to any
uu, uia-uui-u lo u myself.
"The rope that secures the parachute
is cut with rt knife. The aeronaut
drops fully 100 feet before that para
chute begins to fill. It must fill, If
you're up high enough. There are sev
eral hundred parachute men In the
busluess, and the accidents are less In
ratio than railroad casualties. Our
business is new at that. After awhile
the ratio will be less. A man can't
shake out a parachute, If It don't open. '
A man lu the air Is simply powerless.
Invariably the fall Is hend first. When
the parachute begins to fill the descent
Is less rapid, and finally when the par
chute has gradually filled It bulges ,
out with a pop. Then the aeronaut
climbs on to his trapeze and guides the
parachute to a safe landing. In seven
cases out of ten. you can land back on
the lot where you started from. The
first performers must have had nerve
to make the drop. Now, It Is a regular
business, not considered hazardous at
all. The hardest work is to bring back
the balloon with a wagon. Sometimes
It tears In the trees, or wherever it
may land when not In open."
COMBINATION SPECTACLES.
Glasses Which May Be Used for Either
Btreet or Rend Ins Purposes.
If you are compelled to wear two
pairs of glasses for street and reading
purposes the convenience and utility
of the pair of spectacles illustrated In,
the accompanying cut will readily sug
gest itself. This useful novelty Is the
Invention of D. L. Falardeau, of Al
bany, N. Y., and has for its object the
combination of the two pairs of lenses
In one frame, In a manner which will
allow either set to be brought quickly-
BTRBKT AND RKaDINQ GLASSES.
Into position for use. The lenses ar
attached at one end to Individual brack
ets, which are pivoted In the mala
frame, being independent of each other
and adapted to swing on pivot pins la
cither end of the frame. The screws,
which form the pins are so arranged
that they can be tightened sufficiently
to hold the lenses In place by a slight
frlctlonal contact with the brackets,
thus preventing the accidental dis
placement of a lens while In use. The
pair of lenses which are at rest are
swung Into the oblong frames at right,
angles to the pair In use.
Amber vs. Nicotine.
In Turkey nmber Is supposed to be a
specific against the evil effects of nico
tine, and, as the people are great lovers
of tobacco, they freely Indulge In the
use of It, but take care to safeguard
themselves by having amber mouth
pieces to their pipes.
Continent of Plateaus.
Africa is the most elevated of all the
continents. It is the "continent of
plateaus." The great tableland in the
South has a mean altitude of over 3,500
feet; the wide tableland on the north
has an average elevation of about 1,300
feet
Shamrock, on Graves In Africa.
Shamrock will be planted on the
graves of the Irish soldiers In South
Africa. The Duke of York has accept-,
ed a thousand pnekets of seed, and has
forwarded them to the oillcers of the
Irish brigade. ... -