MERWIAIDSOF LEGEND
Sea Women That Were Vouched
Fop by Ancient Writers.
ORIGIN OF THE DELUSION.
Theaa Traditional Creature War
' Probably Dugonga and Manateat.
8al Maiden of Fable Mermaid of
Fiction and the Seal of Fact
There Is a decided fascination about
the mermaids of legend. Considering '
their traditional form. It does not seem
quite certain whether they can be In-!
eluded among the fair, "humanities" of
old religion, but It would be extremely I
Interesting to see one. n all serious
ness the truths and poetry underlying
and inherent In the old myths are well
worth attention, but apart from these
there Is something distinctly entertain
ing In the quasi-historical accounts
that we have of mermaids and the he
roic attempts at rationalistic explana
tion. The fancy has taken firmer hold
on popular Imagination than many of
the old legends. Of course they are
recognized as nonexistent; but, unlike
the majority of mythological beings,
they are Invested colloquially with a
sort of humorous reality. -
A "IllBtory of the Netherlands' gives
a circumstantial account of a great
tempest which washed ashore near
Haarlem a 'sea woman" as Bbe was
swimming about She was captured
and cleansed from the "sea moss that
had grown about her" and became a
humanized creature, except that she
was always trying to escape Into the
water. And It Is added, "Many persons
worthy of credit have justified in their
writings that they had seene her In the
said towne of Haarlem." In the six
teenth century off Ceylon some sailors
captured, "seven mermen and mer
maids," several priests and physicians
testifying to the fact and the latter
leaving It on record that after exami
nation and dissection they found the
external and Internal structures resem
bled pose of human beings. Hudson,
the amous navigator, declared that
his ship's company had seen a mer
maldj the upper part of her body like
a woman, skin very white and long
black hair. An old Iceland history
tells of one near Greenland, "the neck
and bead in all respects like a human
tSlng." The Norwegian Bishop-Pontlp-pldan,
who wrote in the. eighteenth cen
tury, "records , the appearance of " a
mermaid which was deposed to on oath
by the observers." And not to multi
ply quotations proving the belief even
of the learned In the actual existence
of the mermaids, rilny asserts author
itatively that "as for the meremaidens
It is no fabulous tale that goeth of
tbem, for looke how painters draw
them, so thay are indeed."
It seems uard after all these weighty
testimonies that we should be assured
that the "historical" mermaids were
only augougs or munaiees,. seais or
sea Hons, especially as some of these
Interesting creatures measure some
eighteen feet In length and are by no
means attractive In appearance. Some
thing In the shape of the head and the
breast Is relied on by the rationalistic
scientists as explaining the delusion,
but one is nt a loss to understand bow
this can account for the circumstan
tial descriptions that have, come down
to us. Coevals of those old writers
have proved to us by their paintings
that they held very much the same
views as to what constitutes feminine
beauty as we have, and we should
certainly not discover in the dugong or
manatee anything whatever to suggest
in the very faintest degree the idea of
a pretty woman. Yet there Is general
ly the Implication of comeliness in the
verbal pictures the old writers give
of their mermaids, though Columbus,
who reported that he had seen two or
three, admitted that he saw no beauty
In them. The seal explanation perhaps
does the least violence to one's tradi
tional Ideas, as. whatever mav be
thought of its resemblance to a wo
man, it Is in Itself graceful and Its face
and eyes are pleasing.
There is, at any rate, a rather sug
gestive coincidence in the view that
the mermaid of fiction is the seal of
fact, for closely allied If not Identical
with mermaids were the "seal maid
ens" of a thousand fables. The ac
cented tradition was that these maid
ens assumed the form of seals, which
they could relinquish at any moment
by divesting themselves of the seal
skins. Only If while they were dls
porting themselves in quasi human
guise their seal integuments were stol
en or hidden they would. have to re
main as "maidens" and could not re
sume the form of seals. We know on
the authority of many a song and
legend that willingly or unwillingly a
man has been
"married to a mermaid
At the bottom of the deep blue sea,"
but In the case of the fortunate pur-
lolner of a seal maiden's "troublesome
disguise" there was no need for a sub
marine descent She could quite com
fortably live on land and, Indeed, had
to unless she found her sealskin again.
though always longing, like the mer
maid of Haarlem, to become a sea
dweller once more. There is therefore
unquestionably a certain poetic pro
priety in the scientific identlflcat'on ot
the mermaid with the seal. London
Globe. .
Renunciation.
.. ' " . , A
1 nave aiwnjs ra a guuu ureuu iw
you, Mrs. Jinx," said Mrs. Lapsing,
with blazing eyes, as she rose to go,
"but I am a friend no longer. Yon
have talked about 'my husband. Right
bere Is where our paths divulge. Good
afternoon." Chicago -Tribure. ,
CLOTHES AND THE MAN.
etudy the Lerd of Creation and the
Things He Wear.
See the mant
He wears a hat of straw, stiffened
wltb. glue until It is like a tin pall, or
of felt or silk, stiffened with bum
shellac until it is like a crist Iron .pot
Inside this unyielding brim is n thick
band of hard, stiff leather, rr-enforced
wltb Inner bands of flimm-Ja Itesult,
compression of the blood vessels of the
scalp, causing undue perspiration, bead
ache and baldness.
About his neck In summer Is a turn
down collar, which Is a high, stiff
fence of 'eight thicknesses of starched
linen. This fits closely, leaving htm
nnable to turn his bead without great
effort Imbedded In this and tied In
front in ft thick, uncomfortable bunch
la a tie of heavy cotton or silk, re-enforced
with linings of quilted canton
flannel.
His shirt has a stiff, unyielding front
of the firmness of a priest's breast
plate. This must be donned with dex
terity and worn with care lest it break
or bend. His waistcoat is made of
heavy woolen cloth, and in summer he
wears one ot heavier,- thicker and
warmer duck or cheviot This warmth
and thickness, however, are only In
front, where nature has already pro
tected the lungs and heart At his
back, where protection is required
against draft or chill, the waistcoat is
of thin muslin.
His coat is built similarly, the fronts
being re-enforced with lapels of many
linings.
About his waist he buckles a belt so
tightly as to Interfere with breathing
and circulation, yet can rarely get It
tight enough to achieve its own pur
pose.
For this reason he must wear sus
penders, which ore probably the most
uncomfortable garment known.
He carries a stick which has no pre
tense to use or beauty.
He has dozens of pockets into which
he never puts anything. :
He has buttons which button nothing
and buttonholes which are not to be
used.
He has strange Jewelry of clumsy In
tent. Great buttons of uncouth shape
must be thrust through stiffly starched
layers of linen. Collar buttons must
be lost and hunted for.
He has rings on his fingers, pins in
his scarf, chains across his breast fobs
dangling from bis pockets and studs
in his shirts.
He Is not what be was created, but
Is what he has created.
Is the man a savage?
No; he is the lord of creation! Life.
MILLET'S POVERTY.
Incident In the Life of the Great
French Painter.
It seems almost incredible that Mil
let painter of "The Angelus" and oth
er now world famous pictures, should
have suffered from the poverty that
forms the basis of the following story,
but It is n fact that he did: One day,
indeed, he found himself without food
in the house for himself and his fam
ily. In his extremity Diaz offered to
take two of Millet's drawings to Paris
and make an effort to sell them. Even
lng came, the Millet family anxiously
awaiting their friend's return. If be
came back without the drawings it
meant bread; with tbem, hungry to
bed. Night fell, the family sitting in
darkness because they felt they could
not afford a light
At last they heard the stamping of
Diaz's wooden , leg as he crossed the
little paved court and his lusty voice
calling out: "Lightl Light! Where Is
the light?" The family hurried to light
a candle. But even while the head of
the old fashioned sulphur match still
was spluttering Diaz, who was a.Span
lard and nothing if not temperamen
tal, slapped down two -loaves of bread
on the table, one after another, in
quick succession. When at last the
candle was burning he drew out CO
francs in gold, all save one piece,
which he had been obliged to change
In buying the bread. He arranged the
gold pieces in a circle like a halo
around the candle, ending with the
change, of which be made a neat pile.
"Ah," sighed Millet as he regarded
the unhoped for treasure, "if only I
could count on a sum like this every
week!"
"Would you turn capitalist?" re
proachfully asked Diaz.
If to suffer Is a spur to genius, Is It
a wonder that these Barbizon men
were great painters?
Getting Even.
At the savings bank It is requisite
to obtain the signature of new depos
itors to an identification form. Recent
ly a lady wltb more independence of
spirit than experience exhibited un
willingness to comply with the reg
ulation.
"What is your husband's name?"
asked the clerk.
"My husband's name is Peter Jones.
What is your wife's name?" snapped
the fab depositor. London Scraps.
Unappreciated.
"I've worked for the party faith
fully for the last twenty years," be
gan the office seeker, "and I can say
with truth that I never once asked
for an office"
.'Great record," put In the party lead
er. "1 wouldn't think of urging you to
break it Keep it np." Philadelphia
Press, ; .. . :
Memory.
Tommy Pop, what la memory?
Tommy's Pop Memory, my son, Is
something tlint enables us to forget the
money we borrow and remember the
money we lend. Philadelphia Record.
Don't prr-nch too Much: do a kind
ness when you can.--SUtd.
L-iir Tcarsclf T
C..u( -r rra roar month like a jrounf
bird a . :-nlr- c.own whatever food or nwu
tine ma':Jtt cored jrou 7
1 i Vj
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In need otVi ? from weakness. nervousness,
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druggist; for t.v: cure of woman's Ilia.
. ifc 4i to &
The makers of Dr. Plwre'a Favorite Pre
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down, over-worked, debilitated, pain-racked
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ifl ifl !fl 4v
A. booklet of ingredients, with numerous
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leading medical authorities of this country.
Will be mailed free to any one sending name
and address with request for same. Address
Dr. E. V. Pierce, Buffalo. N. T.
S. P. Sharp
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Special attention given to all
calls, both night and day.
Calls promptly answered. Office on Third
street, Ainena. uregor
Dr. O. F. Heisley Dr. 8. Etta Heisley
Graduates Am. School Osteopathy,
Kirksville, Mo., ut A. I . stiu,
President,' Founder.
Drs. HEISLEY & HEISLEY
OSTEOPTHIC PHYSICIANS
Office and Residence Cor. 5th and Ad
ams St. onnniiite Christian church. Days
in Athena: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
On Savings
We Pay
4'
o!
On the Quarterly Balance or
3
0.
On the cTVIonthly Balance
BLACKSMITH AND
REPAIRING SHOP
A. II. LUNA, Proprietor.
Shop West ot King's Barn, Athena
!
' THE
A 4
I ST. NICHOLS HOTEL
$ J. E. FROOME, peop.
I 11?
t Only First-class Hotel in
I the City.
'Iff
t
THE ST. NICHOLS X
la the only one that can accommodate
commercial travelers.
Iff
Can beteeomended for its clean and
well ventilated rooms.
Cob. Main akd Third, Athena, Or. 4
For First Class
HORSESHOEING
And
BLACKSMITHiriG
Call at the Brick Shop, oppo-
site Commercial Stable.
TROY LAUNDRY
For
GOOD WORK
HENRY KEENE, Agent.
Athena. - - Oregon.
ro,
endleton's
Making Room for a Record Breaking Holiday Trade.
Our already Low Prices Further Reduced.
On November 7th
will open on the second Floor. Bring the Children to
to see the largest and best assortment of Toys ever seen
in Eastern Oregon. Trains, fire engines, hose parts'
autos, Teddy bears by the hundreds. Attached to these
are Department
you of 25 per cent and sometimes, 50 per cent.
Biggest Assortment and Biggest Varieties
Lowest Prices on all Lines Dependable Merchandise
All Vour'ciipons
A CHOICE LINE OF ROCKERS
N. A.. MILLER,
I THE TUlVI-A-LUPil LUMBER GO,
H. O. Mansfield, Manager
Athena, Oregon
BUILDING
AND
Yards at Walla Walla, Touhhet and Lowden, Wash.
Athena, Adams and Freewater, Oregon.
At
r
Store prices, which
PCOplCS WaTBhOUSC W,
Pendleton, Oregon
You can make no more useful, ap
propriate or acceptable gift than a
nice piece of furniture, and how
your wife woule appreciate a new
carpet, too! I have the best stock of
PURNITURE AND CARPETS
EVER SHOWN IN ATHENA
Over 65 Patterns of Bookiug Chairs, from
Over 22 Patterns of Dressers, from - -
Over 60 Patterns of Rngs and Art Sqnaies, from
Over 32 Patterns of Carpets, from, per yard
Over 20 Patterns of Stand 'la ties and Dining Tables
Over 20 Patterns of Conobes, from
In laot, everything to make an up-to-date Furnitnre Store. Come
and see if 1 am not telling the trntb. I also have some nioe Portieres
and Concb Covers for the Holiday trade.
the furniture
MATERIAL
FUEL
Store
mean a saving to
42.00 to 422.50
(11.00 to 130.00
11.25 to 135.00
40o to $1.50
- $1.25 to $24.00
$9.00 to $28.00
Man, Athana.
A few doses of this remedy will In
variably cure an ordinary attack of
diarrhoea.
It can always be depended npon,
even in the more severe attacks of
cramp colic and cholera morbus.
It is equally successful for summer
diarrhoea and cholera infantum in
children, and is the means of saying
the lives of many children each year.
When reduced with water and
sweetened it is pleasant to tako.
Every man of a family should keep
this remedy In his home. Bny it now.
Price, 25c. Large Suk, Sue.