The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, August 10, 1904, Image 7
^ UNREST.
BT FX.ORKXCE EABLE COATEB
Man that will not l>e beguiled
Like a fond and ha;)pv child
Prom his toil or futile strife.
Feels within his bosom burning
>11 the deep, impassioned yearning
i Woven in the woof of life.
And though far. with wean,' feet, " s
lie may wander, man shall meet ?[So
content until he come?
Soon or late, his fate compelling?
To love's domed and star-lit dwelling,
For he has no other home.
f; ?The Outlook.
OMR.ADES OF
VIRGINIA. |
^Qj^^ILLIAIlD turned courteous
ly at' Lydia Deuning's I?I
summons.
. "jJg "Will you be so liind as
to run up to Ted's den and
the book?" she asked. '"Then we
i settle the question." Hilliard acded
the commission, as befitted
1's friend and a fellow who wns
en at the house.. He went up stairs
1 kuocked at the door of the den.
pectlng no response, he immediately
shod it open. At the same moment
liead with a mop of brown curls
1 into a bunch at the back lifted
;i? from above a big book, a pair
brilliant brown eyes looked up into
[Hard's, and Virginia's face broke
0 a smile as he stood smiling back.
Oh," come in," she cried. "Why are
1 up here? Aren't you having a
id time?"
A charming time." he answered
hout hesitation, for Virginia was
> younger daughter of the house.
rhy are you not down stairs? When
f you going to be old enough to couie
Miss Lydin's parties?"
Never, I hope," declared the girlish
lips scornfully. "'Do you really
? them? They sound so stupid to
. Think of staying in the house to
ice when you might be out coasting
ist come in. Such fun!"
[illiard sat down upon the arm of
l'a big chair. "Tell ine about it," he
uested. "In the tirst place?who '
V you?"
irginia closed her book and came
und to drop among Ted's sofa pil- ;
'S. six feet away. She wore her !
iting dress yet, he saw?an aulclcgth
fur-bordered, gray affair, with j
ouch of scarlet, which set off her 1
k young beauty effectively.
Oh, I went with our set." she eximed.
"It was magnificent. I
aildn't have made Kent briDg me
so early if I hadn't forgotten all
?ut Lydia's party."
But, really," he insisted, "when are
i 'coming out'?"
Why, that is a thing that's depend- :
on several others," declared the '
1. "In the first place, I'm in no '
ry. In the second place. Lydia's in :
" Slio ctrknrxvl ihrnntlr lnr?l.-ir?r*
flat him with a shake of the head.
|l don't mean that,*' she added
Billiard nodded. "I understand. I
Hs sure you must be?well, nearly
H\teen, at least."
H am?nineteen?at most." she ad- '
Hted. "If I should put my hair up,
B'il see."
Hind they're keeping you back on
Hi* sister's account?"
That's all right," she said defiantly. 1
I does make a girl seem older to 1
we a big younger sister around.
Hd, besides, I really want to stay a !
as long as I. can. I hate to put <
9 hair up and my skirts quite down. 1
Hon't care a straw for dressing up
H going to receptions and teas and ties.
Lydia loves it. I love coast- '
and skating and riding, and swiruftg,
and all the rest of it."
H?o do I," he said heartily, "and it's 1
H>ng while since I was nineteen."
Hhe looked at him critically. "Yes, I
Huld think you must be about thirtyH.
No, you can't be, because you
H-e at college with Ted."
e laughed. "Not quite that," he
Hi. "It won't be long before I am,
Hugh. But I shpuld like coasting as
Hi as ever. I wish I had been out
Hh?your party?to-night. It's years
H?e I've coasted."
Hirginia's eyes turned longingly toH-rf.
the windows. "It's a heavenly
Hit," she said. "Let's go!" She
H^d at him. smilins darinirlv.
e stared at her for a minute, then !
leaped to his feet with a laugh. 1
ime on," he cried, under his breath. :
lere's nothing I'd like to do better. 1
; how shall we manage it?''
[ didn't really mean it," said VirLa,
"but if vou do we might have
t one coast, 'and nobody would miss '
i. We'll slip down the side stair- 1
o, and Luc-ian's bobs are where we ;
get them."
['11 tell you," said Hilliard rapidly,
eyes dancing. 'I'll just take this ]
k down to your sister, mix in the
svd, slip away in ten minutes, and 1
i we'll be free?see?" (
plan was carried out. The two 1
t JRently away from the house, and
eurninutes more were at the suburi
hill, where a few jovial coasters
[ lingered.
2an you steer?" demanded Vira.
Jnless I've grown old faster than
>el as if I had, I can?sure."
e took his place, she started the
s, and flung herself on behind them.
ras a long, swnr. oreatmess nignr,
then they stood at the bottom and
^ed at each other, laughing,
hey sailed down the hill again and
in, until Virginia realized the darof
this unauthorized, unehaperoned
Cormanee. Hilliard never hated to
anything in his life so much as he
ed to put up those bobs and go in.
lingered in the shadow of the side
ranee. He pulled off his glove and
1 out his hand.
!fs the best fun I've bad in a dozen
$ moons," he said, enthusiastically,
je nodded, smiling. He retained
hand for a moment, then he gently
w off the scarlet silk mitten.
[ don't like to shake hands with a
d comrade with gloves on," he exiued.
She let him have the warm,
i little hand a moment?a very
short one-then drew it demurely J
away.
>;.hxl night. Mr. HUHard," slit'4 said, j
I've oil joyed it. too."
"Miss Virginia." lie urged, taking a |
step after lier. "I've n favor to sk i
of you. Couldn't you?wouldn't your ;
sister be willing for you to appear at '
her evenings now?"
"Tliis is nicer?and so is all the rest
of my world. Lydia's too much indoors.
I don't like to wear my best j
clothes, Mr. Milliard."
"Try it. It's more fun than you j
think. Come down next time?please, j
Miss Virginia. I can't grow young
again, and get back into your world, j
You can put up your hair and put 011 j
a trailing skirt and?come iuto my J
world. Miss Virginia "
"I really must go." She was 011 the !
top step, her hand 011 tht> door. But j
she could not escape him. He was at j
her side in two leaps.
"I should like to be in the same !
world with you," he said rapidly. !
"Miss Virginia, come down next time? |
will you? Ic will .iust mean that you
are willing to be friends?comrades? j
in the same world. You- don't know
how long I've been waiting for you
to get old enough for that."
1 She was gone before the words were
fairly finished. Presently he was back
in the hot rooms and the crowd, a faint
flush 011 his smooth cheek, ami a .singular
sparkle in his eyes.
When at last Lydia entertained
again, Ililliard found himself entering j
the crowded rooms at the I Jennings
with a quicker pulse than any social j ,
affair had ever caused him. As the j
evening drew to a close and no Virginia
came, he blamed himself for an
unwary hunter who had been follow- | !
ing his gam? down the wind.
"Louis," said Ted Denning's voice in j
his ear, just as he had made up his i 1
mind to go dejectedly home, "come up | i
to my den for a minute, will you V?or ! '
?you run up first, and I'll he along. I 1
I've something I want to show you." ; 1
Willingly enough, Milliard escaped j <
to seek the familiar spot. He opened j 1
the door unceremoniously?and stopped I I
with a rush of warm blood to his J i
heart. With a little cry of discom- | <
fitted surprise, Virginia tried to pass j <
him, but his tall, broad-shouldered i
figure filled the doorway, and he stood i !
determinedly still. 1
But was this Virginia?this lovely ; I
woman with the blushing face, the j '
sweet bare neck and arms, the trailing j t
white garments? A transformed and :
glorified Virginia, then! lie stared 1
nf hpr a iovful smile breaking over
his grave face. But with, her lieail j
bent down and turned aside, her Iinnds
hurriedly pulling a filmy scarf over
her shoulders, she was imploring like
a frightened child who has been caught
tit mischief.
"Please let.me go by, Mr. Milliard.
I was not going down stairs?really I j
was not. I just dressed up for fun? j
for?for Ted to see. I?it was just for j
fun "
"You didn't do it for ine, then?"
He would not stand aside an inch.
He felt with a thrill that her sudden
intense shyness was far more significant
than her appearance down stairs
would have been. The thought swept
him off his feet.
"I always liked to dress up." she
breathed. "It's a childish trick."
"You told me you hated your best
clothes."
"I do!"?vehemently.
"Then why did you put them on?"
, "I?you?Mr. Hilliard!" She raised
her head and tried to meet his look
with dignity, but the lashes fell before .
the light in his eyes.
"Virginia"?he took a step forward j
and bent to whisper the words?"you >.
tlid do it for me, only you didn't dare j 1
come down. Tell me, wasn't it so? j (
You were willing to be comrades after i 1
all?just comrades for a while, Vir- j '
sinia?till you get used to it," he added, j
under his breath.
Ted's step was on the stairs. Hil- j (
liard turned and closed the door be- j \
i.f t- - ?J. ! !< *?4. ??
Li lull ujlu; in? set ins iuut n. (
Virginia looked up appealingly?and j
found herself for one breathless uio- (
ment in his anus. ^
"Just comrades?till you get used to |
it. darling," he repeated softly, "aud
then, more?more!"
""HeJlo, old man!" called Ted, out- | 3
side. "Did you find it?" ?
"Yes, I found it," answered bis *
friend's voice, with a happy laugh.
"Come in."?Washington Times. ^
t
Poison-Sumac.
There are several species of sumac, j "
md most of them are harmless, but if I
we do not know one from the other
we are apt to feel uncomfortable ia
the presence of any of them. The
poisonous specics may be readily distinguished
from either the smooth j
sumac or the stag-horn sumac by rea- |
son of the fact that the leaflets of these I
species are saw-edged, while those of |
the poison sumac are "entire"?that |
is, without teeth or lobes. The one
other species with which it may be I
confused is the mountain sumac; but
as iu this shrub the leaf-stems are
widened out into so-called "wings," it |
need not be mistaken for its dangerous 1
relative, ,}whose stems are wingless.
The noison ivv. a near relative of the i
poison sumac, though usually a
creeper, is classed with the shrubs, and
sometimes becomes one when it grows
in a spot where there are no supports
for its aerial rootlets. This plant has
compound leaves with three leaflets,
n. fact which enables us to distinguish
it at once from the Virginia creeper,
which has five leaflets, ami from the
bittersweet, which has from seven to
nine.?Woman's Home Companion.
"Wood For Paper.
It has been estimated that nine novels
had a total sale of 1,600,000 copies.
This means two million pounds of
paper. We are assured by a manufacturer
of paper that the average spruce
tree yields a little less than half a
cord of wood which is equivalent tc
five hundred pounds of paper. In
other words, these nine novels swept
away four thousand trees.
Tlie Oil Indnitry.
The recent report of Dr. C. T. Deane;
tnat trie touu uuipui 01 me uamorma
oil wells last year amounted to ovei
22,000,000 barrels only partially repre
sents the important influence and valut
of the industry. Its true significance Is
pointed ost by J. W. Harrison, a promi.
neat Indianapolis coal dealer, who sayt
it practically displaces 0,000,000 torn j
of coal as faeL I
6' > LMmL.
**
In the Pu
k
GENERA]
(The Japanese Officer I
Operations Arour
SPUING MATTRESS TO FALL ON.
Device Which Will Prevent Many Elevator
Accidents.
A new life-saving device, designed
Lo prevent serious injury to one unfortunate
enough to fall down an elevator
shaft, has been made by Joseph
G. Branch. Inspector of Boilers and
Elevators, and is shown herewith. It
consists of a woven wire net covering
the full opening of the well and supported
just above the bottom by stout
arms. The whole is supported in an
outstretched position uuder normal
circumstances by a pair of springs.
When the falling boily strikes the
net the fall is broken by the combined
action of i'c and the springs. It will
give and sag to a position indicated,
the arms themselves closing up scissors-like,
as is shown, and being resisted
in this movement by the compression
of springs. The pipes are
i VJ .
SPUING MATTRESS TO FALIi ON.
free to move endwise t/rough proper
jpenings made-in the upper ends of
the strut arms, permitting them to
llose in and break the force of the !
fall.
During the last year 08-1 persons bil:en
by dogs having hydrophobia were
:rcated by the Pasteur Institute in Inlia.
There were only six failures to :
mmunize the patients. Six other (
:ases came after the disease had de
reloped. .
Hamburg has a Madchenheim, or re- 1
!uge for girls, at which last year 9315 :
roung women were provided with '
sleeping accommodations at' seven to
;en cents a night.
The most expensive chair in the
vorld belongs to the Tope. It in of :
iolid silver and cost $90,000. 1
IHE MAN WHO V
PANAMA
If-- . : -
* ' ' \ C-1 "
' .-* . *' ** { '. . *'* '! ' ' *,
V :. * ;
m
vh, ' ? '
11 | |$||
:
;K.\ ' n- , -? ^ ? ix ??-1
V..;
JOHN F.
Je baa been appointed Chief Engineer ol
has been General Manager of
blic Eye.
L OKU.
tlost Prominent in the
id Port Arthur)
Milking Fionch Knots.
"I did not see your daughter in the
coaching parade, Mr. Gates."
"No She has been captured by the
latest fad?making French knots. You
HIGH=GRADE ANGUS
BUTCHER
amilMHIII
Live weight. lbs.; dressed weig
40 lbs., worth 4e. per lb. (2) Chuck, 2i
(4) Porterhouse steak. 103 ibs., 1!
Rump, 30 lbs., Sc. (7) Round. 1S3 lbs.. ]
52 lbs., 4c. (10) Ribs, plate, 13S lbs., 5c,
icnrm- slip was a nunil of Madame I
Buchanan, of the Champs Elysaes, and
is quite proud of her needlework.
Every young woman these days must
have at least one hand made dress,
that is, a dress made uy her own hand.
Eloise spends four hours a day ornamenting
her latest creation with
French knots. Last night she informed
me that she had made already over
1200, and expects to make S00 more.
The knots look like little hummocks
of thread, and are built right in the
cloth."
irn itialB For Names.
Brevity is said to be the soul of wit,
so the mania in England for initials as
abbreviations of die names of persons,
societies and newspapers seems
to be growing. The lively periodical,
II. A. P.. "commonly understood to
mean "Mostly About People," has already
a secure standing, and the London
correspondent of the New York
Times Saturday Review notes the
starting of several other papers named
an the same principle. Among these
are T. 0. P. and T. A. T? and the latest
is 3. M. G.. which is devoted to the
banjo, mandolin and guitar.
Several Milesian village have been
visited by a plague of adders. Ia
Frendenthal alone 452 snakes have
been killed.
PILL BUILD THE
CANAL.
: .r ?/. ?>. ..
-T&?
y ' :" V.
- ,
'Y-'.C -*v * "" '''
' ' l
? ;
. i |
rALLACE,
' the Panama Canal. Mr. Wallace <
the Illinois Central Rai!roa<L
TARGET SHOOTING ON
THE DINING ROOM TABLE
Figure 1 shows t!io target cut out of '
cigar bos wood. A circular piece is an
first cut. about one inch iu diameter, 'jh
and eight small round pieces of card- uo
. jf
TABL3 TARCJJ2T. j tu
- ?lit. 1 <-/-> W nn I
uoara wiui uic uuuiucia * iu ^ i
thorn are mounted on toothpicks and. i
grouped around it at even distances; ' .
the other ends of the toothpicks are j .
then inserted in the sides of the circular
piece of wood. The target itself
is fastened to a stick of wood about ..
eight inches long, fastened to a stand, j 1C
as shown in the picture. The gun | "
consists of a paper tube, which is I *
made by winding cardboard well cov- i
ered with glue, around the stem of a j
leadpencil. When it is dry, a piece j
about five inches long is cut off. One i
and three-quarter inches from one end, r?
we make an incision about two inches i ??
long, cuttiug down to about one-half
j PC
j STEER, SHOWING ?
:s cuts. jse
i is
............ flc
??? mi M-irgrnrrcH| I
' ! if
! bl
lit, }04G lbs. Retail prices: (1) Neck, [ in
7 lbs., 7c. (3) Prime of rib, 117 lbs., j in
Sc. (5) Sirloin steak, 87 lbs., 15c. (0) I qc
Oc. (8) Sbank, 30 lbs., 2c. (0) flank, I re
. (11) Shin, 23 lbs., 3c. I sit
, ^
of the thickness of the tube (see +'i?- J
tire 2). _ | w]
Figure 2 shows how. a piece of whale- j no
Imno fihnnj- civ innlios Inrur is inSfrtCfl. I
Ul""' a l WJ
acting as the propelling power of the ! .g|
gnn. You shoot with a wooden peg j
about one and a half inches long, j '
fitting loosely into the barrel of the j
gun; to give it more weight and j ^
strength, we insert a carpet tack. .
To shoot, hold the gun with the ? (
right hand, pulling the whalebone back go
with the index finger, and inserting ^
the peg; as soon as the Index finger
ne
releases the whalebone, it springs for- ! _
ward and forces the peg out. To aim j 1
well, hold the tube in such a way |
that the whalebone spring points,down- j
ward. ' 1 bc
| m:
CUTS OUT THE PINEAPPLE EYE. "J
pi)
or
The preparation of a r>;r.tapple is a ru
long and tedious cperatfbu because of ra
the size and shape of the fruit, and for an
the reason that tbe fruit is rather hard
to cut. After it has been pared it on
must be carefully gone over and tbe eu
eyes cut out. These tough portions ab
being allowed to remain, interfere he
largely with the enjoyment of eating rie
the fruit, whether it be in its natural sic
J ^ II
PINEAPPLE EYE CLIP. I ^
condition or cooked, and the economi- j
cal and ?juick removal off the eyes with j W?
the ordinary means it) impossible. j rei
A pistol-like device with which this j
is accomplshed with celerity and dis- i
patch is shown in the accompanying fai
cut. In use the pineapple i.s pared and cei
the band 01 the clip is placed under the a
eye about one-half inch and then the j sta
trigger is pulled, and in its descent it j ve
completely cuts out the eye. The trig- j Fr
ger, being released, throws out the j ga
bite. In this manner the eye is cut out dei
with great economy of the fruit as an
compared with the usur.I method of pri
procedure. cet
kii
Fuel Without Smoke. /
A French naval olBcer has made it am
possible, with certain changes in the ma
fireboxes, to burn a fuel in the form Th
of petroleum briquettes. which gives it
off no sruol:e. The officer claims his arl
invention will give fuel of which one ag
pound is? equivalent to four pounds of in*
coal. The briquettes are made by add- tai
ing to petroleum oil. for each liter, 150
grammes of ground soap, 150 grammes
of resin, and 300 grammes of caustic j
TMiio miYlllPfi is first llCSt
un. .jr. J. ?>- ? .
ed anil stirred until near solidilicution,
when it is poured into molds, a"'
which in turn are then placed in an
Dveu for ten or fifteen minutes, and
tLio briquettes are iroady l'or use after
fooling for a few hours. Greater so- "
lidity may be obtained by the addi- ,
tion of a little quantity ?f sawdust
ind a little cjay or sand.?New YorU
Times.
yoi
There are 13,000 to 15,000 street
casualties which cafl for the use of ^
an ambulance la. London erwry yeac
PA'f FOR OLD STUMPS.
rmcrft Reimbursed 1?y the Speculative
Makers of Turpentine.
Tnjipeutine can bo extracted from
i old pine stump, and this fact is tha
sis of a new industry reported from
rtliern Minnesota. The promoters
the novel enterprise are asking farm,
s for the privilege of clearing their
nd.of stumps. .
Such a proposal, comes to the owner
a "cut-over" farm, whose ribs are
re in futile efforts to dodge the obrusive
stump,.like a message,of .de erance.
All the promoter wants is
e stumps, and the farmer serenely
ants him to have tliem, so a bargain
easily struck.
The turpentine men go on the land |
ith a 'stump puller and extract all i
e remnants of the forest, hauling j
em away to the plant where the tur* j
rntine is extracted, and all the
urnps, pine or hardwood, are burued
r charcoal. It is asserted that the
umps are rich in turpentine and that
e process yields good financial rerns.
Hitherto the manufacture of turpenle
has been practically, confined to the
uth, where the yellow pine is very
?h iu all by-products. White pine
elds them in comparatively small
lantities. It is not likely that the
dustry will ever reach great propor>ns
in the North, but as long as the
rpentine man finds his raw material
ieap and easily accessible he is likely
carry on the good work.
What Minnesota is more interested
is the elimination of the stumps.
>me cut-over land really needs theui
decay and thus enrich the sandy
il, but there are large areas of good
rming land, especially adapted to
tatoes, red clover and other crops,
at will be much rnpre valuable when
itirely" cleared. It is an enormous
bor for the farmer- to, clear a quarter
ctlon of these obstructions. When it
done he can put in a larger crop
;reage and raise more to the acre,
it the clearing means years of labor,
he can have it done for him by the
rpentine and charcoal producer he
in not oegruage ins ukubuiului a
mdsome prolit.?Minneapolis Journal.
Eat Apple* and Be Healthy.
Hail to the apple. It is tlie latest
itry in the life-preserver class offered
r the scientists who are ever seeking
eans to prolong life and relieve the i
s that flesh is heir to. In a well
loyvn sani'tafium for nervous diseases
ere are numerous placards on the
alls of the gymnasium, the dressing
oms and the haljs, which read: "Eat
)ples!" Apples are served in every
rm?raw, baked and stewed. When
ey are served raw the patients are
ipected to pare tliem and to save |
e stomach from the hard work of
gesting the skin.
THe apple has in it the elements 1
hich go to the making of good red
ood; it has a goodly quantity of iron
side its red, yellow or green cover:
g. The apple has in it both a tonia
hi and a f?MAnin2 susrar: it is a
al food. There are two large divi-1
3ns into which apples may he put?; |
e acutely acid and the subacid. Not |
ery one can eat greenings, with their I
liolesome sourness; those who can-1
?t can try the beJi:lower or the russet, |
hich are less acid, but equally nour-,
ling.
N'ot every one can eat apples un- j
oked without sufTering from indi* |
stion; those who cannot should cat j
em baked. Baking is better than !
swing, for the fruit juices are kept |
side the skin and changed gradually, j
> why not eat apples and see what I
ey will do for your blood, for your j
irves and for your pleasure??Salt'
ike Telegram.
EYiila ?!?? Brother and Gets Married,
Jacob Sachs and Minnie Wechsler, j
>th of Newark, N. J., -wanted to get '
arried, but Minnie's big brother, Jo
ph, said "No." Minnie, in tears, j
mned with Jacob that, big brother 1
no big brother, they would get mar- !
id, and in the night, when it was '
ining, they slipped out of their home j
d eloped to New York.
Joseph, the big brother, followed hot
. their trail. He was unromantic !
ough to look upon the affair as an j
duction ajid not an elopement, and j
told the police how Jacob had car- ;
;d off his infant sister. With two j
?uths Joseph traced the pair and had
em arrested.
'Why, my sister is only seventeen *
ars old," said Joseph in court. "This :
in abducted her. She has no right
choose a husband."
'Insane jealousy," snapped Minnie, j
ten she counted back to the time j
e was born and proved by arithmetic I
at she must bs at ler.st twenty-three
ars old. {
'And, O, Judge, won't you marry I
," cried the girl.
rhe judge could and did, and Minnie I
is a bride before she had time to !
llize it?New York News.
The Alligator in France.
Llie l<rencn are 10 nave an am^uur
-m. Several French capitalists reitly
visited this country to purchase !
few head; of stock with which to !
irt it The point selected for the !
nture is somewhere in the soum of i
ance. The Frcnch prize the alii- }
tor's skin so highly that the leather j
alers belive it will pay to raise the !
imals directly on home soil?or, more '
>perly in home waters. If they sue- j
;d it will be the flrst farm of its
id in the world.
illigator skin is daily growing rarer
ii more high priced, while the dejid
for it continues on the increase.
ie French require large quantities of
for shoes, bags, portfolios, and toilet
tides. ^President Loubet, not long
o, received as a gift, an entire huntl
suit made of the finest skins ohnable.-^oston
Transcript
Her Opinion.
In English lord \v:ts recently dininft
tii a family in New York. Tlio
stcss' little girl sat opposite the lord
I stared solemnly.
Are you an English lord, really
1 truly, sir?" she said at last.
Yes," h* answered, laughingly,
tally and truly " \
I never saw an English lord be"0,"
she said. "I've always, wanted
>t I
'And now you're satisfied, .aren't
u?" said the young man, gayly.
No, I'm not satisfied.", responded
i little girl. "I'ju disaDDOiuted."?
e Children's Visitor,
t
' "v
tjlllt
City FriondH.
.-*0*4* WONG those interested in
4 A ^ roa(l iuiProvemeut. the O
/\ O farmers of course stand
first. The character and
condition of the roads are
of vital interest to them every day iu
the year. The farmers, until recently,
have been compelled to struggle with
the road problem without much help
or encouragement from any other
class. Now, however, some strong elements
of the city population are rallying
to their support. Among these
may be named the manufacturers of
road building machinery; the makers
and user/j of bicycles and automobiles,
and the monej-eil men of the cities who
hnvA mnnpv invested in tlio country.
Tliese people are entering into the
work for road improvement with evea
more enthusiasm and zeal than the
farmers.
Just now the farmers who want
better roads are brought face to face
with a most important question. Will
lie accept the assistance of these city
allies? Will he welcome the aid of
the machinery man, the capitalist, the
bicyclist and the automobilist? Or
will he treat them as schemers who
are trying to meddle with his affairs?
The answer to these questions ought
to depend on what these city friends
of good roads ,a,re proposing to do. If
they propose to have the country roads
improvedin order to increase their
business, and enhance their pleasures.
wholly at the expense of the farmer,
then he should spurn the proffered
alliance. If, on the contrary, they are
proposing, through State and National
taxation, to lift a large part of the
burden off the farmer and place it
on the taxpayers of the cities, he ought
to bid them welcome, and extend the
glad hand.
This is a live question for the farmer
to consider and answer. Already th?
opponents of State and National aid
are at work trying to sow seeds of
suspicion in the minds of the farmers,
and they will do their best to prevent
any co-operation between the country,
and city friends of good roads.
JiUlLiu tui J-aui, omic aiiu
tional aid offer the only hope of general
road improvement, and such aid
can never be secured if the city people
array themselves against it. Unless
the farmers are wholly'blind to their
own interests, they will welcome aid
from any and every source, and will
make every effort to secure the powerful
aid of the State and Federal
Governments.
Depends on the Farmers.
The candid and unprejudiced opinion
of a public man on a question concerning
which he is well qualified to speak
is nearly always, of interest. Such,
an opinion concerning the prospect for
National Highway^ legislation was recently
recured fr6ia a gentleman who
is a close observer of men and events, ,
and who has spent many years at the
National Capital. He said:
I have watched the growth of the
so-called "good roads movement" with
much interest, and especially sine?
Colonel Brownlow introduced into Congress
his bill providing that the Government
should pay half the expense ,
of improving the roads. As regards
tlfe prospect of such a measure ever
becoming a law, I will say that it all
depends on the farmers. If the agricultural
classes go to work in earnest
for Government aid, they will get it;
if they do not, Congress will never enact
such a law. In Government affairs,
as in most other affairs, I have
noticed that the people who go after
things are the people who get them.
The farmers as a class receive com
paratively little serious consideration
from Congress simply because they
don't demand it Every Congress now
appropriates more than a billion dollars,
but how much of this is spent in
the rural districts? Almost nothing.
Millions are spent for public buildings
in cities; millions for improvement of
rivers and harbors; millions for the
army and navy; millions for the Government
at Washington, etc. Occasionally
a few thousand dollars go for
something that directly benefits tbe
farmers, but that is all. Of course
there isn't as much chance to give the
farmers direct benefits from the spending
of public money. But national aid
to road improvement furnishes aa
ideal opportunity. It would even up
things to some extent. It would certainly
be a big thing for the rural districts.
The money spent would of
course make good times; but the main
benefit would come from the improvement
of the roads. It would increase
the value of farm lands; it would enable
the farmers to market their crops
to better advantage; it would make
farm life better worth living. In fact
it would bo a great permanent bene
fit.
If any other class of our population
had such an opportunity to enjoy the
fostering care and aid of the Government,
how they would work for it.
They would give their Senators and
Representatives no rest. But the farmers
as a class move more deliberately.
They take time to look into the
whys and wherefores, and to consider
all objections. So far as I am able
to learn, the farmers are taking up this
question seriously and in time will
make their influence most powerfully
felt. I think Congress wil be ready
to enact a national law whenever there
is a general demand for it from the
farmers of all sections.
Tlie-Britl8l> Income Tnx.
The income tax was introduced into
England by William Pitt in 1799 under
the stress of the French war. It ceasedt
in 1816, but was revived by Sir llobert
Peel in 1842, and extended by Gladstone
in 1853. From being a temporary
war tax it has now become a permanent
part of the British financial system,
and is resorted to by every Chancellor
who finds himself in difficulties.
Bamboo sprouts shoot upward at th?
rate of three feet a day under favor^
Me circumstances. ' /
/ ?A