Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1890 — Page 6

THIS HEART Or MIKE. BY AXIDA. This teart of mine is sadly human, Anapttbsion sweeps it oftentimes ; Shall earthly pleasures neier fill it? Or do I long for things sublime? It flutters restless in my bosom, As if it pined sad and alone. Is it the poet’s soul within ine That makes my spirit weep and moan? My heart is empty of all uleasure— Such pleasure as the wifld can give; My path is shrouded still in darkness, I’ve lived —and still—on hope I live. My heart is tired with Hope’s beguiling, And Faith droops low with weary wing; How long can Patience bear her burdens? When shall these Ups in rapture sing? 3eibne, Ark.

WHAT WORD! BY KIT, COURTLAXD. "What was the word you said to me In the gleam of the sunset glow? When the moss-rose pressed her scarlet lips On the lily's cheek of snow. Ah! poets and sages their lives will spend And the tides will ebb and flow, But only the roses can tell, good friend, And only the lilies know. But what was the word I 6aid to you, In the heart of the ruby glare?’ The passion flower swung high the cross, The pansies were all at prayer. Ah! poets and sages their lives will spend And the tides will ebb and flow, But only the roses can tell, good friend, And only the lilies know. Pendleton, S. C.

LITTLE ROBBIE’S NERVE

BY DWIGHT BALDWIN.

Twy N the fall of 187.3 _ / my business calli : f .ed me into the . j^ppin o regions of A the State of X v Michigan. I had ’5 Jrecently secured i \ a Patent of great i \ va^ue i’ l the felling of heavy tim- , gjU|[&! her, and Avas introdu ci n g it * —among the log-_-r ging camps and ~ *’ satv mills.

In this I was meeting with decided success, and was making money at a rate I had not, in my wildest dreams,' anticipated. I was a widower, and, as will readily believed, was devotedly attached to my only child, an active und unusually bright boy of eight years. A father—particularly a doting one, as I admit anyself to have been —is apt to exaggerate the abilities and attainments of Jhis children, and I well know that the ifiTst branch of my statement will be given greater credence than the last. I will not stop to argue the matter with the incredulous reader, but proceed to relate the story upon which I have already made a beginning, confident that it Avill conv'ince the most skeptical of the cpiick Avit and nerve of .my little Robbie. I had brought him with me to Michigan, and left him at school in East Saginasv Avliile 1 conducted my profitcble canvass among the pineries. Late in NoA'ember the friend with Avliom I had left him Avrote me that he had be■come exceedingly lonesome, and could mot apply himseif to his studies. It required no great evidence to convince me of the truth of the report, for a month’s separation from my boy had brought me to a similar state of mind. The letter decided me upon a course that for rome days I had been considering— a foolish course any man in full possession of his faculties Avould haA-e said. I directed that Robbie be sent forward to me in the vast pine woods. Three days later ho joined me, having been placed in charge of a kindhearted lumberman, avlio delivered him safe enough, though Avith but little appetite for the sweetmeats I had provided in honor of his advent. But the ripened harvest of dollars awaited my sickle, and not even the pleasure of playing Avitli my boy could detain me from business. J had Avorked all the camps in that section, aud decided to start the next morning for pn point on the river, some twenty miles away, Avhere I Avas confident of disposing of a number of machines. I Avas to the journey on horseback, Robbie riding behind me. We had mounted, said good-by to our iioav but none the less warm friends, Avlien an old skidder came running toward us. “Don’t start to-day!” cried he, when bwithin speaking distance. '“Why not?” I asked. ■'“’Cause we’re goin’ to have a storm, •an’ it’s a Jong an’ lonely stretch you’ve got before you.” “I see no indications of it.” “You Avould, if you’d been waitin’, . as I have, a fortnight for snoAv to start the sleds, so that you could earn tlie ; grub you Avas a-eabin’: We’ll have a storm, and a big one at that, afore ■dark.” “But I’ve lots, of time. It’s only a few' hours’ ride.” “I hope, so, .for. I sees you’s-bound to go. Well,.hustle along, an’, domt waste time a-talkin’ to me.” , The old man had judged me rightly; I did design to go, seeing nothing portentous of evil. Accordingly, I acted upon his suggestion, and rode away from the log buildings that constituted the camp.. For some miles there was a fair bridlepath through a wilderness of stumps and underbrush, and we made good progress. At length Ave reached a point where we were obliged to mike a tiyn, and strike into the heavy timber, through which the remainder of our journey lay, ▲ railroad line had been projected

here some years before, and abandoned, after the timber on the course had been felled, a telegraph line eonstruHed and some little grading done. I well knew that it was but a poor apology for a road, and had only adopted it because it shortened the distance by more than one half, from that of the regular wagon road. We were, as nearly as I could estimate, within fi\'e or six miles of our destination when, to my consternation, I saw that the prognostication of the old skidder was about to be verified. The sky had become overcast with clouds, the tall pines Avere rocking in the rising wind, and fiakes of snow were beginning to flutter to the ground. I tried to increase the speed of the horse, but found it impossible by reason of the numerous obstructions in the form of trunks of trees. “Don’t be afraid, Robbie,” said I, in as cheerful tones as I could command. “Not a bit of it. I think it just jolly. I’ll make the eyes of the boys at home open ” A snapping sound cut short the lad’s remark and caused his oAvn eyes to open pretty Avide, I fear. An upAvard glance shoAved me the green top of a huge pine, describing in our direction an aAvful circle in the air. I dug my heels into the flanks of the horse and shouted at the top of my \oice. This seemed to increase the terror of the animal. Avliich stopped stock still. Another instant and the tree was upon us. I felt a sharp tAvinge of pain and lost consciousness. My first thought was of Robbie, and the groan I uttered Avas caused not so much by pain as by the dreadful fear that I had lost him forever. Judge of my joy Avhen I saAV him not only alive but acth'ely engaged in clearing aAvay the branches aa hicli covered me. The horse had been killed outright, and my right leg broken above the knee. With the assistance of the coolheaded boy I changed my position so as to lean against the body of the dead horse, which somewhat relieved my pain. Our situation Avas desperate in the extreme, and Robbie realized it as soon as myself. “Brace up, father,” said he, “I’ll run on, and be back before long with lots of help!” But I at once interdicted this plan. The storm had become furious by this time, and I Avell kneAv that the boy could never face it and live. Toward evening. hoAvever, it abated and finally ceased altogether. But the. wind, howling through the only avenue afforded it, had piled the snow into enormous drifts, Avhicli precluded all thought of the child’s Avorking his way through them. No Avords can describe my anguish. My pain Avas forgotten in the awful consciousness that my foolish fondness for my boy had brought him to a terrible death in the wilderness. “Where do the telegraph lines run, father?” asked Robbie suddenly. “To some point on the lake,” I replied. “And are they used?” “O, yes; I understand “they are a great convenience to the inland camps.” “Can’t Ave use them, somehow?” “No, my boy; Ave have no instru-

“ANOTHER INSTANT AND THE TREE WAS UPON US.”

ment, and would not knoAv lioav to use one if Ave had it.” Then I spoke of other matters, not Avishing him to entertain hopes Avhich I saw had no foundation. Suddenly I awoke from an uneasy sleep and missed him from my side. In terror I called his name, and with a sinking heart listened for the response that did not come. An awful fear took possession of me. Knowing that he could never secure my consent, the daring little felloAV had started off to meet his death while trying to bring relief to me. This terrible conclusion, coupled with the pain of my broken limb, caused me to lose consciousness. When I reAdved, it was to find Robbie rubbing my hands and face. “Where have you.been?” I asked, in a tremor of joy at seeing him in the starlight, j “Looking into that telegraph mat- ■ ter,” he replied; I’m hoping——” “Hope no more for that Robbie, but sit down beside me. Help may come in the-morning,” I added, not wishing to discourage him. Help did come in the morning. About o’clock Robbie set up a joyous shout, anji a moment later I saAv strong men approaching. “How came you here ?” I inquired,

as soon as my feelings permitted me to speak. “I telegraphed for them,” cried Robbie, as he turned a cart-wheel in the snow. “That’s about the size of it,” said one of the men. “The lines wouldn’t work this morning, and we were sent out to locate and repair the breaks.” “That’s just Avhat I figured on,” said the delighted boy, “when I climbed a pole last night and sawed the whole

ROBBIE CUTTING THE WIRES.

six wires in two with my knife. I bad an instrument and knew how to use it!” Who will say that increasing years has added foolishness to my fondness, and that the handsome young man who sits beside me and makes disparaging remarks as I Avrite, Avas not a bright and nervy boy ?

Surgical Operation Upon a Lioness.

Yesterday morning Keeper Havens, of the Gress Zoo, performed a A r ery delicate operation. The silver lioness, “Mollie,” chewed up a piece of raAv beef which the butcher had chopped up Avith a cleaver, leaving some fragments of bone in the flesh. It is not the custom of the keeper to give the animals flesh that contains any bone at all. In this instance a sharp sliver of bone pierced the lioness’ gum on the outside of the jaAv, next to the cheek, just below the left eye. Tlie place swelled up and festered, and the animal suffered a great deal of pain. Her head Avas swollen and she Avas anable to eat. Yesterday morning Keeper Havens went to the cage, and by coaxing the lioness he got her to lie doAvn, and then he slipped ropes over her fore feet, stretching them to either side of the cage and tying them securely. “Mollie” kicked and struggled until the keeper fondled her awhile. After she was secured he entered the cage all alone, and, faking her head between his knees, he cut a small incision in the cheek, took liis lance and drew out the sliver, an inch in length. He did the Avork all alone, and no one else Avas present during the performance of the operation. Yesterday afternoon, after she had been released several hours, he visited the cage, and she met him with a gratified look, holding the wound up to the bars of the cage as if she Avas glad that he had performed the operation that relieved her, and she appeared as docile and kindly as a kitten, although she had been fierce and resentful before.—Atlanta < o nstitution.

Cornfield Philosophy.

The burnt child fears the fire, and so he will try to find some method of playing Avith it without getting burned. I A drunkard can preach a good sermon on the evils of intemperance. He knows whereof he speaks. Kindness is the grease that makes the world run smoothly. The faster a man runs the farther he will go ,in a certain time and the sooner he Avill be tired. The poison you put out for your neighbor’s dog Avill kill your oavu canine if he eats it. A sheep cannot climb a fence as readily as a goat can, and he is not so self-conceited, but he produces more wool. A big head is no more a sign that its possessor has lots of brains than a large smokehouse indicates that its owner has plenty of meat. Both may be empty. Small quantities of nickel are obtained from various localities in the United States and other countries, but the world’s chief supply is stated to have come thus far from the mines of a French company in Noav Caledonia, Avhose output has been about 1,000 tons yearly. At the copper mines near Sudbury, Ont., however, nickel has now been found in such quantity that Dr. Peters haß offered to produce 2,000 tons of the metal annually. Late discoveries of nickel ore have also been made in .she Ural. The increase in the supply Of this metal is expected to bring into extensive use the valuable alloys of nickel with steel and with copper. In round numbers 10,000 missionaries are sent out by the various Christian nations to preach the gospel to 1,000,000,000 heathen—one missionary to every 100,000 of the heathen. Physiologists say that the older a man grows the smaller his brain jbecomes. This explaifis Avhy the old man knows nothing and the young one everything.

OUR LITTLE FOLKS.

Every-I>ay Tilings. The sun each day pursues his course; The little brooks and rills. Each day, come trickling down the vale. From sources up the hills. Each day old ocean beats hia bounds, His tides 1 ecede and flow; And day by day the loud winds roar, Or gentle zephyrs blow. And so, dear children, etch day brings Appointed work for you; Some act of duty, charity, Or kindness, you may do. Count no good deed too trifling, No duty as too small; For little things combine with great ’ To make the sum of all. And he .who does the best he can, With all his heart and mind, To make the world a pleasant place, A sure reward will find. —Edith M. Norris, in Yankee Blade.

Grandma’s First Day at ScliooL Every one about the house knew that school was to begin on Monday, and Bess was saying for the twentieth time: “I’m all ready, grandma, everything. Just think! it’s only to-morroAv.” ‘How times have changed since I Avas a little girl and went to school!” said grandma, Avitli that far-away look in her eyes that Avas ahvays there Avhen she was “ ’memberin’,” as Bess said. “O, grandma, I never thought that you ever Avent to school, as old as vou are.” “I Avas just as young as you are once, my dear,” said grandma. “Tell me ’bout Avhen you went to school,” begged Bess, draAving close to dear grandma. “I Avas eight or nine years «old before I started to school,” grandma began. “We lived in Ohio, and it Avas more than sixty years ago. “Every one had to pay to go, and the school only lasted three months in tlie winter, Avhen it was too cold to Avork. “My little brother John AA r ent Avith me. “My mother Avove a piece of flannel on tlie big loom from the avool of our own sheep. Then she colored it broAvn Avith Avalnnt hulls. From this she made me a brand-new flannel dress, very long, Avith tucks in it to let out as I grew. “Fatiier went to the woods, and shot a deer and skinned him and tanned the hide. From this deerskin he made me a pair of buckskin shoes. They were tied together with leather strings, and Avere stiff and heavy. “Mother next sold some tallow, and bought a square of real store flannel of a bright red color. She cut this in two- on the bias, so as to make one piece larger than the other. The smaller of these three cornered pieces was for me fro- wear around my neck as a handkerchief- The larger one was to serve as a shawl and hat, for I wore it over my head. “With all my neAv things on and a little tin bucket in one hand, with our dinner in it, and the little primer my mother had bought me hugged to my breast, we started t©' school right after breakfast, father, John and I. “Father carried his ax on Ms shoulder, going on before us and ‘blazing’ the Avay. By ‘blazing’ I mean he chopped a large chip out of the trees on each side, and' cut a-way the underbrush for a path. The school-house Avas a mile and a quarter fro-m our house, over hills and through hollows. “The scliool-hoUse Avas built of big round logs Avith clav stuffed in to fill up the cracks. There Avas a Avide chimney Avhere a log fire burned. “The seats Avere logs split Avith stout legs stuck in there. We- sat on the fiat side. My feet never touched the floor. They used to get very tired hanging doAvn, and I would SAving them back and forth to rest them. There Avere no backs to these seats, and no desks in front of them. “I did not know Avhat a school was like, and I felt very strange. I was afraid of the teacher, he was such a large fellorv, and went around carrying a big stick three or four feet long under Ms arm. He was called the master..* “Father told him our n antes, and then went home, telling ns not to get lost, but come straight ho-me by the path he had made. I felt like crying when father left, every thing Avas so straDge. “That day the teacher put all the big boys and girl's in one class and the little ones in another. “ When noon came we all opened our dinner buckets and ate onr dinners, for some of the children had come three miles. “We then all Avent out-doors, and the big boys played ball very much as boys do now. The girls and smaller boys played 1 blind man’s buff,’ ‘ drop the handkerchief ’ and ‘black man’ just as children do now. It was almost dark before we reached home that night. The teacher went Avith us to stay a week at our house, as he did with all the other pupils. That was the first day I ever spent at school.”— Youth’s Companion.

A Question of Method.

“This talk about us. fellows wanting to marry for money is all foolishness,” remarked young De Troy excitedly. “Love, and love alone, should prompt a young man in choosing a life partner. Do you suppose that before I would propose to a girl I’d hem and haw around and try by hook and crook to get her to tell me how much she was worth?” “No,” remarked young Inswim, “a thousand times no" You’d find out some other way.”— Drake's Magazine. ? Isn’t the man who paints a fence a hue er of wood?

BITS OF FUN.

A head waiter—The “next” in a | barber shop. I “Nothing is harder to bear than a long succession of pleasant days,” sighed the umbrella maker. Poor people with too many naughty boys in their families should send some of them tp a nautical school. Interviewer— What do you regard as the chief instrumentality in converting the heathen ? Returned Missionary —lndigestion. A man said the only reason why his dwelling was not blown aAvay in a late storm Avas because there was a havy mortgage on it. Doctor (feeling the patient’s pulse)— Um, um, I think I shall ha\*e to bleed you. Patient (feebly)—Can’t you wait, Doctor, till you send in your bill ? Never be critical upon the ladies. The only way in the world that a true gentleman ever will attempt to look at the faults of a pretty woman ir; to shut his eyes. Tell a woman that she looks fresh and she will smile all over. Tell a man the same thing, and if he doesn’t kick you it is either because he has corns or dares not. Lover —Don’t withhold your consent on account of my income, sir. I can support your daughter on $25 a week. Pater—Then you are a jim dandy. I never could. Mrs. Sjkinnpiilint —Jeremiah, that’s an awful cold you’ve got. Mr. Skinnphlint (crossly)—You needn’t make any fuss about it, Jane. It didn’t cost me a cent to get it. She (at the mint) —Ah, now I know, Harry, why I think yon are good as gold. He—Oh, get out! She—No; but you are, really. You are pressed for money, you know. Customer (to bartender) That’s the poorest whisky I ever tasted. Taint fit to drink. Bartender —Sorry, sir. it’s the best we’ve got. Customer—That so? Well, give me a little more of it. RETRIBUTION ON THE RAIL. Little Tommy McVail, A a he rode on the rail, Yelled for his mother to open the -winder. Fate marked him for that, For out blew his hat And into his eye blew a cinder. When Mrs. Shaller read a neAvs item stating that “a man in NeAv York threw his Avife from au upper window in a family jar,” she looked surprised, and “wondered if the man kneAv his wife was in the jar at the time.” Mrs, De Sense (to benevolent friend) —I presume these idiot asylums do some good, but I can’t see how they can hope to make idiots self-supporting. Small Son (gloomily)—I guess they set ’em to writin’ children’s books. “Look here,” said the credit man, “we can’t sell you those goods on four ■ months’ time. ” “Yy not ? I gives you my note.” “But do your notes sell on the street?” “Mine gracious! no, or I vould go home and make notes instead of cloding.” Employer “William, Mrs. Spriggins complains that she received only one of all the bundles she had put up here last night.” William—“ That’s funny, sir. I wrote Mrs. Spriggins on one bundle and put ditto on each of the others.” Mr. Sundries (to his youngest) — Noon ah, darling, wliat makes you the SAveetest baby in the Avhole wide Avorld ? Noonalv—l deth, papa, that -when God made me he mutlit have put thome thugah in the thand that I wath made of. Unfortunately Avorded; Fenderson (arguing in defense of his favorite theory that personal beauty is not woman’s chief ’attraction) — I contend that beauty has nothing to do with a young woman’s chances of getting a husband. I’ll lea\ T e it to any married woman in the room, if it is not so.

Jem Browne’s Stratagem.

For several years before his death frequent draughts of sherry became a necessity with Jem Browne. OAving to poverty, however, he was ill able to provide it. Attracted by the announcement “Funerals supplied.” BroAvneone day, Avhen fatigued in his rambles, waited upon an undertaker, his face buried in a handkerchief, his voice inaudible from emotion. The man ran for a decanter of wine; BroAvne di-ank and was relieved. He asked several questions about scarfs and hat bands, coffins, hearses, mutes and coaches. The undertaker assured him that he would provide all. BroAvne at last stood up to leave. “But you have not told me where I am to find the remains,” remarked the undertaker. “You said you would find everything —find the body,” exclaimed Browne, as he left the house and rapidly turned the corner.

Fine Sage.

Metaphorical language is sometimes misleading. When one begins to “call names,” even in a complimentary fashion, there is a chance that some literal person will -wonder what he means’. A gentleman visiting a little town “Down East,” sayst I called on business at the house o? an old lady, and entertained myself in looking over her library. We fell to discussing books, and, thinking of Emerson, I asked her if she knew much about the “Sage of Concord.” “Concord, where?” she asked. “Concord, Massachusetts,” I answered. “Is it any better’n any other sage?” she innocently inquired.