Decatur Democrat, Volume 50, Number 49, Decatur, Adams County, 7 February 1907 — Page 6

I iff For Love j sty [OWrlnal] Alice Wren was a witch. It's singular that when we apply the title to an old woman we mean a hag, and when wre apply it to a young girl we mean something fascinating. Alice was a young girl. She had no end of lovers and was always trying to see how far she could go with any of them without being eaught in a matrimonial net She did not draw them by her wiles; there was no necessity for that; but she would agree to marry them on im ■possible conditions. The consequence was that when she at last met a man who inspired her with at least uncertainty, she had formed a habit of toying with lovers that made her only more reckless with this one. When Walter Trask proposed he was treated the same as the others. He was not refused outright. He was laughingly given a conundrum to solve. If he solved it he had won; if not he had lost. He coldly admitted that he had no brains for puzzles, and since the task was Impossible he must give up the prize.. Not being accustomed to have her suitors give her up so easily, Alice was piqued, but as Trask did not bite at any of the baits she held out to him she found no opjwrtunity for revenge. Finally, when, her eyes snapping with mischief, she told him she wouk! decide for or against him by spinning a coin, he declared that that was a proposition he could understand and assented. Taking a penny from his pocket, he asked her whether “heads" or “tails” meant “yes,” but she declined to use any jcolu for her decision except a silver dollar that she had long kept in her treasure box. She went for it, and showed it to the applicant for her hand to prove that all wag fair.' Walter looked it over and, seeing, nothing unusual about it, handed it back to her. “If it falls head up,” she said, “I am yours; if tails, I am not yours.” Going to a highly polished table, she removed everything from it and set the coin spinning on it. It whirled for a long while, then gradually settled down tails up. “Best two in three,” said Walter. “Anything to please you,” she replied, and spun it again. It settled down as before. "Bert three in five," he pleaded. The operation was repeated, and again the reply was "no.” Walter begged for one more chance, •r best five in nine. She granted his request, declaring as sothat another spin, if tails, would.be a final decision. She twirled the coin, and tails it was. Walter asked to examine the coin again, but she refused him and took it away. That afternoon Bobbie, Alice’s brother, aged nine, came along whistling "The Girl I Left Behind Me,*’ and Walter agreed to give him a dollar bill if he would exchange a silver dollar for tiie one his sister kept in her treasure box. Bobbie proved doubly corruptible. He accepted Walter’s bribe, Jrat not being able to get into the box offered to divide with his sister if she would unlock it. Then he accepted 'a bribe from her to take her cointbintr lover and keep her knowledge of it a secret. Walter on receiving the silver dollar tested it to see if it were loaded, but found it an honest piece of- money. Then he brought a microscope to bear on it and discovered that a fine file had been drawn lightly over the beveled edge on the head side. This caused it when spun on a smooth surface to slip on this side and throw taHs up. Walter bribed Bobbie to take it back to the box and say nothing. The lover’s next object was to persuade Alice to make a new decision on the fall of a coin furnished by him. He expected a refusal, but was surprised at a granting of the boon on condition that Alice should be permitted to examine the coin. Walter showed her a new silver half dollar. She examined it and, handing It back, said: "Tails you win; heads you lose.” Walter’s face fell. He had filed the coin so as to throw heads up. Not caring to acknowledge the fraud, he spun the coin, knowing-that he -must lose,and he did lose. If Alice Wrenn had known whether she wanted Waiter Trask or not she might have acted accordingly. Not knowing It, she permitted hertelf to be drawn on in a game that two could play. Walter, not feeling eqpal' to the task (or being too lazy), consulted a professional gambler. The gentleman gave Walter two silver dollars. Walter left him feeling that he was quite capable of using them to advantage. Nevertheless he went home and spent a good two hours practicing changing one for the other. The next time he went to see Alice he bantered her to let him make a final trial with a silver dollar of his own to decide if the fates decreed that he was to lose her. She consented. He showed her a new silver dollar, and she examined it. “Heads you win,” she said, handing It back. It appeared to be a genuine coin that had not been tampered with. She was ready to give him even chances. Walter suddenly started and looked out of the window. Alice looked the same way. He changed the coin, spun its double, and every time it came heads. He had won. Alice tried to snatch the coin, but in the struggle Walter got her in chancery and took a betrothal kiss. Then she agreed to keep her contract if he would tell her how he had done the trick. He produced three silver dollars, one from the United States mint, one a spurious double header, the other a spurious double taller. The last would have bean used if “tails” were to win. A BERTHA Bl HURLEY.

J HOW THEY GOT AHEAD < | OF THE OLD FOLKS [Original.] Miss Julia Wardwell had breakfasted and was attending to her canary when the postman arrived and left a letter for her. “Good gracious f* she exclaimed. "Mamma ‘to be married.’ ‘Sorry she can’t come home quite as early as expected.’ ‘Mr. Arbuckle’. ‘Hopes I’ll not be naughty about it’ What in the world am I to do? I can’t get used tc a strange man in the house. I’ll”— A maid entered and handed her a card on which was written, “Henry Durand Arbuckle.” “Well, I declare,” the girl went or with her soliloquy, after telling the maid to say that she would be down soon, “this is ‘disaster following fasi and following faster.’ I hardly learn that I am to have a stepfather when 1 am called to face him. I wonder if mamma has gone and made a silly of herself by taking a young man. She always disliked old ones. So I suppose she’s got a boy. Heigho! I wish I had some one to marry myself.” She prinked a little before the glass and then went down into the drawing room. A handsome young man of twen-ty-five arose as she entered. He looked rather embarrassed and stammered a few incoherent sentences. “Beg pardon, Mrs. Arbuckle—l mean Miss—no, Mrs. Wardwell, for calling so early. I have but a few hours in the city, and”— “You are quite excusable, Mr. Arbuckle. I received a letter this'morning”— "So did I. Quite charmed, I assure you, to find so young a person. I feared”— “And I am quite surprised in yon.” ‘T think I shall love you very much. My mother died when I was but four years old, and I have no remembrance of her.” Miss Wardwell looked surprised. “His mother!” "I remember my father," she replied, "and I’m quite sure no other man can take his place, but”— “You will not object to the love of a •on?” Miss Wardwell paused again. “The love of a son! Is mamma to marry a lunatic?” Meanwhile Miss Wardwell had taken a seat on a sofa, and Mr. Arbuckle, who had taken a chair, got up and sat down beside her. "You have.no idea,” he said, “how eharmed I am In finding so agreeable »young person. I’m sure we shall get on famously. You will find me dutiful, obedient, idving.” ►--“And I,” she replied, “am equally pleased. Just before you called I made up my mind that I couldn’t endure”— “Same here. We have both felt alike. How delightful to have dissatisfaction turned to pleasure! Oh, mother, let us”—

"Mother!” she exclaimed, drawing back. “What do you mean?” “I mean that father couldn’t have chosen a more' satisfactory stepmother for me.” “Stepmother! Why, I’m to be youy stepdaughter.” “What do you take me for?” "Mamma’s new husband that Is to be.” "Are you not Mrs. Ward well?” “I ani Miss Julia Wardwell. Do I look, old enough to be your stepmother?” “This is very astonishing. I supposed I was calling on father’s fiancee.” “And I supposed you were my mother’s fiance.” “Father wrote me that Mrs. Wardwell would arrive in the city yesterday and, as I was passing through, asked me to call on her.” “I have just received a letter from mamma saying that she has been delayed. .1 supposed she had chosen a young man. She has never liked old ones.” “Well, well! Upon my word! And you’re not to be my stepmother after all!” “I should say not! And you’re not to be my stepfather, and I’m to have an old man in the house! I’m disappointed.” “And I’m to. have an old woman for • stepmother.”» "I shall not live with them.** "Nor I.” “I shall take apartments and Jive alone, with a maid and other servants.” “You qin’t do that” “Why not?” “You’re too young—and pretty.” “Oh, dear! I’m disgusted.” "So am I. I shall go into bachelor quarters.” “Why will parents make themselves happy by making their children miserable!” ‘lt’s very selfish of them.” “They’ve had their fling and should defer to their offspring.” “I’d like to get ahead of the governor. It would/serve him right.” “I’d marry a clown to get even with mamma.” “I wouldn’t mind helping you out” Miss Wardwell turned away her head. Her stepfather that was to have been moved closer. “Do you know when our parents are to be married?” he asked. “On the Ist of July, mother says Your father has business in England in that month, and they are to sail as soon as married.” “Very well. We’ll beat them by two weeks.” “Father's a fool.” “So is mother.” “They'll quarrel.” Kisses here interfered, and the dialogue became unintelligible. 1 HARRIET B. LEE.

PERHAPS WE CAN LOCATE THEM The Commercial Club Proposes t< Raise • Fund of Fifty Thousand Dollar*, The Commercial Club had the pleas ure Friday even., of entertaining Col Marvin E. Hall of Detroit, and C. H Rittenhouse of Jackson, Michigan Beth are genial gentlemen ana iHe fev social hours were enjoyed to the limit They came here partially as guests of Mr. T. M. Ried and partially tc meet our representative people tc look Decatur over as a probable point for the lp cati on of a factory. Thej have an unusually good propositior for any city and will have no trouble to locate any place they desire, anti get well paid for it, besides. Thej have the capital subscribed, >300,000 half of which will be paid up at the time they begin the erection of theii plant. They will manufacture large gas engines from fifty to three hundred horse power, and the output oi that plant is at this minute contracted for and sold. This makes a pretty safe proposition, both for those financially and otherwise interested in this proposed plant, and for the town or city who gives the financial aid to secure them. The gas engines manufactured is not a natural gas or gasoline project, but is one which extracts from the coal, the gas to operate the engine. Government statistics show that the same power can be extracted from two and six-tenths tons of coal as can be had from ten tons of coal used under a steam engine. This being true, the steam engine will soon be relegated to the past and their places taken by the large gas engines such as will be manufactured by this proposed company. Mr. Rittenhouse Is. known by many of- our people who, during the past several years, have watched with pleasure his progress and advancement in the manufacturing world. His specialty, of course, has been gas engines, and he is credited with being the most practical gas engine expert in the country. He will have charge of this new industry, which would be a double assurance to the people of Decatur, that It would be everything and more than it is now represented. Col. Hall now resides in Detroit, although at one time he lived In Hillsdale, and was among the enterprising men there that took up the first crude engine that Mr. Rittenhouse furnished the trade. This was an experimental engine, made by experimental men and given to the public as an experiment pure and simple. They sihee have perfected their engine, and now employ more than one hundred men—with a weekly pay roll of >2,000 —all of whom live in Hillsdale, many owning their own homes, and in five years property values increased from twenty to fifty per cent This is the history of all substantial factory towns. Mr. Hall is now a financier and through his close connection with men of money and their confidence in his ability, as well as his honesty and integrity, the capital for this great enterprise has been taken. Mr. Hall and Mr. Rittenhouse are both practical business men, the one with the manufactured prbduct, the other with the cash, a necessary requirement. Those who have taken the stock know to a certainty the per cent they will receive upon the investment made. The capital for this company comes from the city of Detroit, and it goes to a small town in order to avoid the serious handicap of union labor troubles that infest every large city in the land. It is probable that Decatur can secure this industry, but if we do, we will have to pay the fiddler. But the payment of the fiddler will be absolutely nothing as compared to the direct benefits achieved therefrom during the first year of life with this factory. Every property and lot owner will be richer by twenty-five per cent, the minute the first nail is driven in this structure.- Every merchant will be likewise remunerated. Did you ever calculate upon the benefits of an industry that employed .from one hundred to two hundred men? In less than twelve months Decatur would be an entirely different Decatur, and its closest friends would fail In recognition. The . Decatur Commercial Club has decided to-raise a factory fund. They have not decided to try to raise this fund, but they are going to raise It. The total fund must be approximately .fifty thousand dollars in order to accomplish what they desire. In order to do this they must have the united support, Influence and assistance of every man, woman and child in the I city. It will take money and hard, 'persistent work, but success can only be achieved by labor and lots of it The plans for raising this fund is now being worked out by the factory committee of the Commercial Club. , They will have the plans ready in a few days, add after that time the fireworks begins.

'-- ■ ■ WTHESEAL 0F Now for Pure Food • Insiston ; Dr. PRICE’S ■mß ■ Cream Baking Powder r ; A PURE, CREAM OF TARTAR POWDERj MADE FROM GRAPES

1 - 11,1 ■' I 1 mini r MARRIED IN EARLY MORNING s And Leave Immediately On Honeyt moon—Both Popular in Society i h Circles. s ■ . ? Sunday morning at seven o’clock t at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Wherry, 3 on North Third street, occurred the ® wedding of Miss Gertrude Wherry and j Mr. Hugh D. Hite, two of Decatur’s most popular young people. The ■- event had been kept very quiet and '■ only the immediate relatives were aware of the exact time the event V .. was to take place. Although it had been commonly known among their - friends that they’ were to be married 8 soon,' the news that they were married j Sunday , morning came as a surprise t° I all. The ceremony was performed by - Rev.; John C. White,, the only witi. nesses to the happy event .being Mrs. 1 Wherry, her son and daughter and Miss Fanny Hite, a sister of the 3 j- groom. The bride looked very pretty r indeed, being attired in a green travel1 ing suit, while the groom wore the 1 conventional black. A wedding t breakfast was served at the Wherry 1 home and the young couple took the .. morning train to Fort Wayne, Miss 3 Hite accompanying them that far on ! their wedding trip. At Fort Wayne, they were met at the train by Mr. £ John Anderson, a traveling salesman, and the bridal party were driven to , his home where a wedding dinner was g served, and at twelve o’clock the haps py couple left for Chicago, where they » will spend their honeymoon. Miss . Wherry is one of the most popular ! young ladies of our city, being beautiful and clever. She has a host of friends and is a leader of . her crowd 3 in society* Mr. Hite, the groom, is j the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry _ Hite, and is one of the popular young 8 men in our city. He is at present j engaged in the grocery business, beg Ing junior member of the firm of . Everett, Hite and Son, and in this r capacity has proven himself a hustlj ing young business man. He was bom t and raised in this city and his friends j are innumerable. The young couple g will be absent fer several days, when j they will return to this city and for j the present will make their home with r the tiride's mother, on North Third street. The Democrat joins their many j friends in extending congratulations. • g N. A. Loch of the Decatur Hardware r Company, is loud in his praise of the B interurban and says it is the best thing for Decatur people that ever y could have happened and to back up| I. his argument, he gives the folowing r example: He went to Fort Wayne onI the six o’clock car, purchased some! I goods that were needed at his store, e brought his purchases with him, arriv-' I ing here at twelve o’clock, and at one ? o’clock had disposed of the goods to several customers. He says the trip g was made without a hitch and says f the line is bound to prove a winner, j >. Shafter Peterson and D. D. Heller a went to Bluffton today, where they i- will argue a motion for a new trial in the Stahley road case. j

HE WOULD MAKE SALOONS PAY Teachers' Wages So Low in Indiana and as a Reaplt, Scholarship Tests are Low. Fassett A. Cotton, state superintendent of public instruction,, in a bulletin just issued, devoted to the subject of the pay of school teachers, declares for higher remuneration. He asserts, that to maintain the present high standard of efficiency it is necessary to increase salaries. “The saloon license,” Mr. Cotton points out, “could and should be made SI,OOO, and onehalf or three-fourths of it should go to the schools.” He also quotes statistics to show that* the school teachers . receive considerably less money than common laborers. The bulletin in part Is as follows: "In the present agitation sos better things in education there are a few fundamental propositions. The first of these and {he onn that overshadows all the rest, is th?t we have come to a stage in educational affairs in which the question of efficiency Is involved. It is not a question of securing more pay for teachers. That Is a secondary proposition. Primarily it is a question whether we can anv longer, under the present conditions, secure and maintain efficiency in our schools. The worth and progress of any calling depends upon efficiency. “Teaching is not yet a profession in Indiana. The salaries are so low that teachers cannot make extensive preparations for the ‘work. As a result there is practically no professional test and the scholarship requirements are very low.” o — REWEIGHING OF THE MAILS Postoffice Department Rushing Supplies Over the Country. In anticipation of the rewelghing of the mails, the postoffice department is rushing hundreds of tons of supplies to their various destinations. The re-welghjng, which' takes place every four years in each district, will begin early in February. Out of the re-weighlng period there will be a total of ninety workiug days and the total tonnage of each route for the entire re-weighing period will be divided by ninety, the working days, in order to determine the average tonnage per day. | Upon this tonnage so determined the pay is scaled and when fixed will remain the rate which the railroads shall receive until the mails are reweighed four years hence. | The minimum pay Is for 200 pounds dr less, for which $42.75 is allowed ' for carrying it one mile every day in , the year. The pay is on a descending scale, as the average weight in- ' creases until for 5,000 pounds or more dally s2l®o per ton Is allowed. —o ——— The Right Name. Mr. August Sherpe, the popular overseer of the poor, at Ft. Madison, la., I says: “Dr. King’s New Life Pills are rightly named; they act more agreeably, do more godo and make one feel ( better than any other laxative.” Guar.anteed to cure biliousness and constii pation. 25 cents at Blackburn’s Place.

(I—!'I 1 11. 1 . 11 . . ' HAVE OVER HUNDRED MEMBERS i Charter Has Been Asked For and the Opening Session Will be a Big Event. j —-- ■ V It is now an assurred fact that there ■ will be ag Eagles .lodge In this city. • Yesterday afternoon at two o’clock a - large number of Eagles, who reside • here and have their membership in •_ other towns, with a number of can- - dldAteS, met at the city offices, for i the purpose of organizing. The order I here will start to with about 103 mem- - bers, .there being seventy-one candj- » dates and twenty-two who are now' • members of the lodges at Fort Wayne, - Portland, Van Wert and Ohio City. The meeting Was an enthusiastic one and $250 was soon raised from ' the candidates to secure their charter. The charter will arrive in a few days, ■ when real work will begin. A meeting has been called for next Wednes- : day evening at seven o’clock, when i officers will be elected. • The installation of officers and i initiation of candidates into the order will be held in about two weeks, at • which time, lodges from Portland, Van ' Wert, Fort Wayne, Bluffton and Ohio i City will be in attendance. The work i will be given Decatur candidates by • the Fort Wayne team, who are recogi nized as the strongest and best equip- ■ ped team in the state. The installation and initiation will be held at the i K. of C. hall. The exact date has not : been decided upon. o —■ ■ An elevator in a Chicago iky scraper fell fifteen stories the other day and 1 the elevator boy being in the car fell with it. Miraculously he escaped injury, and as he crawled from the debris a minister was the first to greet him. “Are you hurt, my son?” he asked. "Naw,” replied the boy, “sever touched me.” “The Lord was surely , with you, then,” said the minister. “Well if he was,” replied the young man of the Ups and downs, “tie was surely going some.” It is said that a Kansas City man has just recently succeeded in getting a patent on an electric motor fastened on a cow’s back, the electricity being generated by a dynamo attached to her tall. It strains the milk and hangs up the strainer. A small phonograph accompanies the outfit and yells “Co!" when the cow moves. If she kicks a hinged arm catches the milk stool and lams her over the back. A small fire broke out at eight o’clock this morning in the residence of J. N. Fristoe on Mercer avenue, but was put out before any apparent damage was done. In fact, the alarm had no more than been sent in until the alarm that the fire was oqt was sounded. The fire department did have time enough to even get started. How the fire originated we are unable to say. —o Shall We Tan Yeur Hide? The average stock raiser hardly realizes the value of cow, steer and horse hides when converted into fur coats, robes and rugs. Get the new illustrated catalogue of the Crosby Frisian Fur Co., Rochester, N. Y. It will be a revelation to you. And ‘‘Crosby pays the freight.” . • '* . r ■ M ... ....... '