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About The Maupin times. (Maupin, Or.) 1914-1930 | View Entire Issue (July 28, 1916)
6 Butler's Hour By GRACE ELMER (Copyright, 1916. by W. O. Chapman.) "Who do you think is coming to our dinner party tomorrow night, Henry?" asked little Mrs. Emory of her husband. "The Countess Karolyl." "Well,; let her carol all she wants to," said Henry Emory heartlessly. "Never heard ol her anyway. Who is she?" , "Don't be flippant, Henry! You know the Countess Karolyl is the fa mous Hungarian woman writer who has come to America to study our ways. Well, I met her as president of our ladies' club, and I got her to promise to come to dinner. There." "I wonder if John's acquainted with her," murmured Henry Emory, looking after the Hungarian butler, who was at that moment leaving the dining room. Everybody in Mrs. Emory's circle had read of the countess, who had run away from home as a girl and found employment as a woman writer in London; how she had returned to peo ple who believed her dead, years af ter, famous; of Jier marriage after all to the elderly count to escape whom she had first left home. Mrs. Emory felt that her visit would be a social triumph. "You must be on your very best be havior tomorrow, John," she said to the butler. John Lisz, her Hungarian butler, was a treasure. She had had him nearly a year, and had never had a better or more distinguished looking servant. He was about the same age as the countess a trifle ovef 30, per haps, tall, well built, handsome and so well bred that she had romantically speculated whether ho was not an army officer in dlsguiBe." John looked at hor strangely. "Madame, I muBt ask for tomorrow off," he said. Mrs. Emory was horrified. "But, John, what shall we do?" she wailed. "I have a friend who will take my place. Madame, I cannot sorve my own people. I was In in a higher station." Seeing that ha could not be moved, Mrs. Emory reluctantly assented, and Raised It to Hit Lips. went to break tho news to her hus band. "Do you know I believe John would grace our luncheon with his fine ways," she said, laughing. "Why don't you have hlra?" asked Honry Emory, "Don't be so foolish, Henry," re turned his wlfo. A couple of hours Inter John way laid her with the most extraordinary proposition that she had ever heard. "Madame, If I dared to ask a fa vor " he began. "Well, ono gets things only by ask ing." said Mrs. Emory briskly. "Madame, I was a a gentleman In my own country, and I I would give the world to meet jrentlefolks again, not as a butler. Madame, I ask to be your guest at dinner." "My guest, John!" exclaimed his mlBtross, astounded at this sudden in terpretation of her own thought. "Yes. Madame, I pledge my word I know how gentlefolk's behavo. I rfhalt not shame you." Little Mrs. Emory was Indignant for a moment; then she saw tho humor of the situation. And she happened to be one man short for her party. She was sure none of those dining with her, largely strangers as they would be, would recognize the butler. "John, I will!" she exclaimed Im pulsively. "And I'll Introduce you as a friend of ours who Is staying with us. You have the the proper clothes?" "Indeed, yei. A million thanks, madame!" cried John. "But wait a moment! How about your substitute?" "I have arranged for that already," replied the butler calmly. "My friend Is In here.' He opened the kitchen door and !Mrs. Emory saw a real-to-llfe butler, more real even than John, a the ad- mitted afterward, standing Imposing ly within. He made her a deep salu tation. "My friend, Peter, will serve you, madame," said John. "I have already instructed him in his duties. He was for many years with the Davlses of Yorkville." Mrs. Emory could say no more, though she half regretted her impul siveness. It seemed uncanny to her, and more so the following evening, when, standing to receive the countess, she was staggered at the appearance of John Lisz, dressed In a well-cut evening suit, which was certainly not that which he had worn as a butler, with a carnation In his buttonhole, enter. The guests, she could see, were no less impressed than she was. Countess Karolyl," said Mrs. Em ory, "I want to present a countryman of yours Mr. Lisz, who is vteiting us." The countess, a tall, Btately woman, looked at him, and a slow flush crept up beneath her cheeks. "Is It Jan Lisz of Buda?" she asked. Yes, I know you now, my friend." John Ltsz's hand was steady as a rock as he took the trembling hand which the countess extended toward him and raised it to his lips. That action was remembered afterward. Then, before the scene had fully im pressed Itself upon those present, din ner was announced. And somehow, in spite of Mr. Em ory's dutiful attempts to take the countess as his partner, she wont in on the ex-butler's arm. Mrs. Emory heard their conversa tion with increasing astonishment during the meal. "Have you been long in this coun try, Jan?" asked the countess. "Five years." "And your commission in the car airy regiment?" "Gone like many other things." "You were not home, then, at the time of your father's death? It Is so sad when one is estranged." "My father Is dead?" asked the ex butler quietly. "You did not know?" "No, madame. Yes, we were es tranged. But I am sorry he died when I was here. And the count, your hus band, Is well, I trust?" ' The countess looked at him very strangely. "I thought you knew. He died last year," she said. Then, as if each had said too much, they joined in the general conversa tion of the table. But Mrs. Emory's eyes grew wider every moment. "Cav alry regiment!" Who was he? It was at the moment of their part ing, when, after a low talk In the corner, John bowed again over the countess' hand, that the look In their eyes told her everything. Half an hour later she found John in the kitchen putting away the wine. The old butler had gone; John was in his accustomed suit once more. "What does it mean?" she asked. "Madame! How can I ever thank you that she did not know? We were friends lovers once, in our country, in youth. My family was higher than hers. My father would not consent to our marriage. I Insisted and she ran away to save my prospects. That Is all, madame." "And now? You are leaving us, I suppose?" said Mrs. Emory sadly. "At the end of my month, madame. Service Is honorable in this country. Afterward " "Yes?" Mrs. Emory whispered; though she knew she had no need of nn answer. Smithsonian Institution, The Smithsonian Institution Is a gov ernment Institution, as expressed In the will of Its founder, "for the In crease and diffusion of knowledge among men." It maiutalns a library of 165,000 volumes, chiefly scientific re ports, and has the administrative charge of several branches which grew out of its early activities and which are supported by congressional appropriations. These are the Nation al museum, including the National Gal lory of Art, the International exchange service, the bureau of American eth nology, tho National Zoology park, the astrophysical observatory and the United States regional bureau for the international catalogue of scientific lit erature. The International exchange service, carried on In accordance with the terms of treaties entered Into be twoen the United States and various foreign nations, Is for the free Inter change of scientific, literary and gov eriiniontul publications between the government of tho United States and foreign governments and In stitutions, and investigators In the United, States and foreign lands. It has correspondents In all parts of tho world, and since Us es tablishment more than 4,000,000 pack ages, containing many millions of pub llcations, have been handled by It. The bureau of Amorican ethnology is for the study of tho American Indian; the astrophysical observatory, for the In vestigation of solar phenomena. Now a Clay Coffin. Human clay can now be burled In a clay casket If the latest Innovation In undertaking supplies becomes pop ular. The clay coffin la said to be dust, vermin and waterproof, and therefore more durable and satisfac tory than any wooden casket It Is supplied with metal handles and cloth linings and a pane of glass Is set In the lid, but both the ltd and the casket are entirely of clay molded each in one piece. Tha sharp cor ners are overcome In tha clay coffin and It can be finished to simulate any desired material In either black, white or gray. It the clay coffin reaches commercial demand It can be produced at moderate cost. THE WINTER T HE famed winter palace of the Russian czar probably has seen more romantic history In the making than any other build ing in Europe. The dramas that have unfolded within its walls would overshadow, if told, the most highly colored Imaginings of politi cal fictlonlsts, and the huge building appears worthy of all the fascinat ing memories which cling to it. For generations Russia has reached out from this home of the empire toward ever more distant frontiers, toward every compass point, building the greatest of states. The winter palace, a symbol of the empire, mayhap en dangered by the present Teutonic In vasion, is described in the following statement issued by the National Geo graphic society. Among the many palaces of Petro grad, a city wherein dukes, grand dukes, diplomats and millionaires dwell In abundance, the czar's win ter palace, a structure of truly Impe rial immensity, Btands out unapproach able. It is one of the world's largest and most imposing buildings, and the air of Its rooms and corridors is sur charged with the romance of history. During the capital seasons in peace times, the most brilliant court In Eu rope could be seen here, when the great rooms were ablaze with lights and jewels, and filled with a splendid display of gowns and uniforms. Completed by Catherine. The winter palace stands on the left bank of the Neva, on a site bequeathed to Peter the Great by his high admiral, Count Apraxin. The Empress Anne first made her residence In the ad miral's house, which was pulled down in 1754 and the foundations of the winter palace laid. The building was first completed in the reign of Cath erine the Great. The whole interior of the palace was destroyed by fire In December, 1837, when valuables estimated at 120,000,000 were consumed. It was restored on an even more elaborate scale In 1839. The structure is four stories high, or about 80 feet, with a frontage of 455 feet and a width of 350 feet. The principal entrance, the "Perron des Ambassadeurs," is from the Neva river. Connected with the winter palace Is the heritage of Cath erine the Great, where the renowned queen played first Bohemian in a Bo hemian throng. There is a table hung on the walls of the palace, draped with a green cur tain, which contains Queen Cath erlne's by-laws for the Hermitage socl eties. They were: "1. Leave your rank outside, as well as your hat, and especially your sword. 2. Leave your right of precedence, your pride, and any similar feeling out side the door. 3. Be gay, but do not spoil anything; do not break or gnaw anything. 4. Sit, stand, walk as you will, without reference to anybody. 6. Talk moderately and not very loud, so as not to make the ears and heads of others ache. 6. Argue without an ger and without excitement. 7. Nei ther sigh nor yawn, nor make any body dull or heavy. 8. In all innocent games, whatever one proposes, let all Join. 9. Eat whatever is sweet and savory, but drink with modera tion, bo that each may find his legs on leaving the room. 10. Tell no tales out of school; whatever goes in at one ear must go out at the other boforo leaving the room." Good rules all, but rules difficult for any but a queen to hold before her friends. The penalty for breaking the rules was the drinking of a glass of cold water for every offense. The queen was most severe with those who broke the tenth commandment; they were never again admitted to the hermitage, after being once found guilty of tittle-tattle. Treasure House of Art. An Immense square before the pal ace gives it the proper dignity of set ting. Within, it Is said, 3,000 people can dance under the blaring light crys tals at one time, while 2,000 people can be seated at the great dinner gather tags. The palace Is a treasure house of relies, jewels and paintings. One of the finest collections of pictures In Russia Is hung on the palace walls, among them numerous excellent war pictures. Among the jewels stored here there is a scepter with one of th largest diamonds In Europe, li PALACE carats, the great Orloff diamond, which was originally the eye of a lion that crouched before the throne of the Great Mogul. When the czar Is In the vicinity of his capital, the imperial standard floats from the winter palace flagstaff. Petrograd, the city made to the or der of Peter the Great to serve as Russia's political capital, now prob ably at higher tension than any other city on earth, performing, as ever, the work necessary to the administration of church and state over vast dis tances, from the Gulf of Finland to the Black sea and the far Pacific, and, be sides, taking care of a great war busi ness, which includes planning for the defense of more than 30,000 miles of frontier. This 30,000 miles of fron tier, of course, does not take into ac count the vaguely known northern boundary of the empire. Petrograd's High Tension. Petrograd has always been a hlgh tensioned city. It was constructed upon islands and swamps at the be hest of a high-tension ruler; built with wide, straight streets upon a perfect ly fiat country, with no softening nat ural beauty except that of its dividing Neva, a river that has often been com pared to the English Thames. Even the architecture of the city is repres sive, almost wholly of sternly chaste classic Roman and Greek. And in this city the primary business has been that of caring for a vast empire, embracing In its far-reaching sweep many peoples, numerous religions, di verse traditions, a confusion of tongues, and widely varying Ideals. The responsibilities of government have held the city as tenBe as when Its founder, with 40,000 workmen, drained the Neva swamps and bullded overnight his capital hard upon the lands of the Finns. Petrograd is the greatest importing center of the empire. A great part of the products of Europe which find their way to the bleak northern plain are entered at the mouth of the Neva, and this despite the fact that the port is icebound five months of the year. It has, too, Borne industry, though its surrounding region is not rich In any of the raw materials of industry. Some 200,000 of its men and women normally are employed in manufac ture. In the machine and iron works, in the ship yards, in the cloth fac tories, shoe factories, and cigarette factories, that stand on the outskirts of the city, around the Finland sta tion. There is a certain stern beauty in the capital. The broad, arrowlike Nevsky ProBpect is fully as Interest ing as any of the world's famous thor oughfares. It is a business street, some three miles long, lined with shops of average appearance, churches representing Greek, Protestant and Catholic religions, bank buildings, the public library, the Imperial theater, a garden, and some dark red palaces. The remarkably diversified life of the remarkable empire flows in a never ending stream along this avenue. When the Birds Wake Up. An enthusiastic ornithologist has amused himself by Investigating the question at what hour in summer the commonest small birds wake up and sing. He says: "The greenfinch .9 the earliest riser, as it pipes as early as half-past one in the morning. At about half-past two the blackcap he- gins, and the quail apparently wakes up half an hour later. It is nearly four o'clock and the sun Is well above the horizon before the real songster appears In the person of the blackbird Ho Is heard half an hour before the thrush, and the chirp of the robin be gins about the same length of time before that of the wren. Finally, the house sparrow and the tomtit occupy the last place on the list." This investigation has altogether ruined the lark's reputation for early rising. That much-celebrated bird is quite a sluggard, as it does not rise till long after chaffinches, linnets and a number of hedgerow birds have been up and about for some time. The Reason Wherefore. "Do you notice that these royal people always have their pictures taken carrying an umbrella?" "That Is probably because they art accustomed to a continued reign." NO SHELTER FOR MURDERERS Oliver Cromwell First to Put Limit on Protection Afforded by House of an Ambassador. It was the grim old Oliver Crom well who first showed that the house of an ambassador was not an inviola ble sanctuary for all classes of of fenders and that at least the line of protection could not hold against a murderer. In November, 1652, Don Pantaleon Sa, brother of an ambassa dor from Portugal to England, walk ing In the New Exchange, London, en gaged In a quarrel with a young Eng lish gentleman named Gerrard. They were - separated, leaving Gerrard slightly wounded In the shoulder. The next day Don Pantaleon came to the exchange with fifty well-armed fol lowers, for revenge. Four English men were slightly wounded and a Mr. Greenway, while walking with his sis ter and a lady to whom he was en gaged, being mistaken for Gerrard, was killed by a pistol shot through the head. A great and enraged crowd collected. The Portuguese took ref uge In their house of embassy. Crom well, the lord protector, sent a mes senger to the embassy, stating that If the criminals were not given up to the civil authorities the soldiers guarding the embassy would be withdrawn and the mob left to do as it pleased. Don Pantaleon, three Portuguese and "an English boy' were given up and com mitted to Newgate. Their trial was delayed A mixed jury of Englishmen and foreigners brought In a verdict of guilty and the five were sentenced to be hanged. The three Portuguese were pardoned, the "English boy" was hanged and Don Pantaleon, at the request of his brother, the ambassa dor, was spared from hanging and was beheaded on July 10, 1653.. This case impressed foreign nations with a sense of Cromwell's power, and has ever since been sonsldered as a precedent In questions respecting the privilege of ambassadors and the persons of their household. MANY POINTS ABOUT CIGAR Not Alone Must "Weed" Have Proper Flavor, But Other Things Have to Be Given Consideration. A cigar should have four cardinal virtues. The first and most important is a good burn that Is, the burn must be even, the cigar must hold its fire, the ash should be coherent and not flaky, and there must be no charring In advance of the burn. The second point relates to the flavor. This is Important to the smok er the cigar must tickle his palate. The third essential point has to do with the aroma, which Ib the pleasure- giving quality of the smoke, not only to the smoker but to the bystander. Even though a cigar has a rich, smooth, mellow flavor, it should be classed as a poor one if it gives off a bouquet which is offensive to all within range of Its fumes. Finally, a cigar should have a good appearance. Really, It is surprising how important this is. No matter how fine the burn, or how pleasing the flavor or aroma, a cigar must look the part In order to be good. Given two cigars of equal quality, the one which looks the best will actually taste the best. Cigarology of Henry Reist Kraybill of the University of Chicago. Mourning for Pet Dogs. Dog funerals are no longer an un common thing in New York. Every day the local office of the dog ceme tery In Twenty-fifth street has a few visitors who shed copious tears as they make arrangements for their dogs' interment And some of the numerous mourners are willing to pay large sums to give their favorite pet a comfortable resting place, even to the extent of buying tombstones for them. A ramble through this dog cem etery, which is at Hartsdale, will dis close many remarkable Instances of the devotion of owners to the memo ries of the animals they loved. Most of the graves have monuments erected over them with inscriptions telling of the good qualities of the pets which have gone to the "happy hunting grounds." Some of these monuments are very pretentious affairs and cost as much as $1,000. The cemetery is well kept and flowers bloom on prac tically all of the plots. The Gullible Cow. Two little girls walking through a field were afraid of a cow. Said one of them, "Let's go right on and act as if we were not afraid at all." "But wouldn't that be deceiving the cow?" the other little girl expostulated. We smile at this bit of conscientious ness, but we love the little girl for it, She would be uneasy in regard to Da vid's reception of the Philistines, and most of us wish that, like Moses, he had gone down into the Sinai country, rather than place himself in a position where he had to act a He. Christian Herald. Fate and Character Alike. It took the world many generations to recognize and to accept the simple truth that fate and character were the same. Even now, though It Is ad vocated virtually by all creeds and by all persons who think about the matter, it is rather an idealistic the ory than a practical reality. To take it Into the mind and the heart, to care for It sufficiently to put It In control of the feelings, to give it, In other words, loving recognition, is to turn from wayward and contradictory theories and to make a right start In living. . . MDDY'S Vmtid MY Ml MARY GRAHAM FAIRY QUEEN'S DOG STORY. "Not long ago in Fairyland," said , Daddy, "a lot of the Brownies came over to Play on a day when the Fairies were feeling very sleepy. There had been a big Party the night before, and the Fairies were Just about ready to lie down in the cool moss and half sleep and half dream when the Brown ies arrived. "The Fairies didn't want to hurt the Brownies' feelings, nor did they want to appear rude, but they didn't seem to know at first how they could get up and Play with their usual vim. They wanted so much a good lazy time for a change. But the Fairy Queen thought up a fine scheme which pleased the little Fairies and which the Brownies thought was a special treat for them. So all were quite happy and this was the Fairy Queen's idea: "She said she would tell them a Story about a very bright little Dog. They were all delighted, for they loved the Fairy Queen's Stories at all times, and were very much honored when she told them. And they all loved and admired little Dogs. "So I have thought that I would tell you the Story the Fairy Queen told to the Fairies and Brownies. She said that once there was a lit tle Fox Terrier Dog who lived in a big "Why, What Is the Trouble, Kink?" stone City House. He was the pet Dog of a little girl named Annette and his name was Kink. Annette's Daddy was very fond of his morning Newspaper and his evening Newspaper, and would read and read and read, looking very hard Into the Paper. Annette said she could never understand why he looked so hard into his Paper, as if he were going to miss seeing something, be cause he spent so long reading it she waB sure he read everything three or four times over. 'But even when he was reading his Paper he would pay some attention to Kink. Kink was devoted to the News paper, because every morning when Annette's Daddy was reading it at breakfast he would give Kink little bites of Bacon and- delicious piecea of crisp Toast. "And in the evening he read it when he came home and Kink was al ways standing on the stoop watching for him to come and he would rush to wards his Master carrying the Paper ' in his mouth. "Well, one night Kink was sleeping in his little basket in Annette's room when he suddenly began barking. An nette woke right up and said: " 'Why, what is the trouble, Kink?' "As a rule Kink would never dream of waking up his little Mistress in the night, and that was one reason why he was allowed to sleep in her room because he was so good and quiet. But nothing would quiet him this time. "He went over to Annette's bed and Jumped up and behaved in a very strange, excited way. And then every moment or two he would run over to the Window and bark harder and harder. " 'Why,' said Annette, 'there is noth ing out there but a silly old man call ing "EXTRA;" lie down like a good boy.' But Kink wouldn't keep still, and finally Annette's Daddy woke up and just to see if Kink had guessed right, he bought a Paper, because he said Kink must have all the papers even Extras! And to his surprise he read in the Paper the wonderful piece of news he had been looking for, for days, and now he patted Kink, who had made him buy the Extra. "And when the Fairy Queen finished this story she told another, but we will save that for another time." WHAT IS THE EASIEST THING? You Can Slide Things Off Till Tomor row as if Road Were Buttered With Soft Soap. What Is the easiest thing in the world to do? Some of you will say it is eating pumpkin pie; there may be votes for roiling downhill; some peo ple may think it Is making a mistake In addition, or sliding down a greased pole, or sneezing, but we have studied the thing out carefully and we know. The easiest thing in the world la putting it off till tomorrow. Why, you can slide things oft till tomorrow as if the road were a 50 per cent grade but tered with soft soap. But and this la what a man named Emerson would call the compensation for Itnothing In the world Is any more difficult than hauling It back again. It simply cant be done. The American Boy. WIIIUUIBUJtnil,UWMHMJI