Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 131, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1910 — Page 3

GOOD ROADS

The Good Koada Problem. Whatever else may be said of it, the problem of good roads is largely local In character. If the people want good roads and are willing to pay for the teame they will get them. The way to tio it will be found If there is a will. There has been much tinkering and patching of the lowa road laws in recent years. Not a legislature has met an many years, but it has had before it a great many proposals for changes In the laws. The last legislature did less than any other, largely because there was no leadership and nobody to suggest that something should be done for lowa good roads. But, after all, the laws are sufficient, and the Important thing is to have the people understand fully that if they are to have good roads, or better roads, it will he because they are willing to pay for the Same. Of the necessity for good roads there can be no question. It is idle to waste ■word* aoout how much cab bi saved by having good roads or to spend time telling about the terrible losses from bad roads. These things have been told so many times that some people think this is all there is to a good roads movement. What is wanted is some practical way of getting the people who pay the taxes interested sufficiently so they will dig up and pay the bills without grumbling when the road work is done. Good roads mean increase of taxes in some form. A great many persons seem to think that if they can get the state to father a good roads movement, it will relieve them of a burden. Nothing could be further from the truth. The state gets its money from taxation. But let as all boost for good roads. It is a good thing. Nobody is opposed. There will be no controversy. It is popular. It 1b right.—Des Moines News. Michigan Roada Beat of All. James H. MacDonald, state highway commissioner of Connecticut, and for the last five years president of the American Road Builders’ Association, stopped in Detroit a few hours on his way east. Mr. MacDonald was in this state six years ago, and at that time addressed the state legislature, urging the value of the good roads movement. “I want to congratulate Michigan on the showing she Is making,” said the Connecticut commissioner. "The state is in the front rank, and the counties ire contributing to the movement more than the state, and that shows that the movement has fffund favor with the mass of the people. It shows that the people have confidence in it. "The good roads movement has had a remarkable development. The American Good Roads Association has been in existence six years, and there are now 22 states affiliated with it. The movement has become almost universal. “The foreign countries have the best roads, but with the Introduction of the newer travel, with which Detroit is concerned more than any other city, the old countries find that they must adopt new methods of repairing their roads. They had to bring Americans over there to show them the way. There will be another international good roads convention in Brussels next July, and two delegates will go from each state In the union.”—Detroit Free Press.

“OLD MRS. PITT.”

Wnriaeu of Pioneers in Early Work for Education of Women. The preliminary sum with which Mount Holyoke Seminasy was established was the direct result of Mary Lyon’s personal work and contagious enthusiasm. The work once started, says Miss Ida M. Tarbell in the American Magazine, friends seemed to rise out of the ground. The very errors of the founders helped them. A member of the committee wanted to call the school the Pangynaskean— t. “where all the Powers of Women aro cultivated,” —Seminary. A few editors hostile to Innovations in women's education took up the unwleldly word for ridicule, but they really did much good. The first contribution of five hundred dollars came through a woman who had been attracted to the enterprise by the attack on the name. Mary Lyon was persistent in presenting her cause; she rarely took even a stage ride that the passengers were not made acquainted with the subject. By the end of two years over sixty town? had been interested, and enough money pledged to begin a building coating fifteen thousand dollars. How large a part of this sum. had come directly through the efforts •r from the savings of hard working women nobody probably knows. Certainly a large part was due to them. Mary Lyon was always wary about the impression she made in soliciting money, and constantly tried to avoid giving the idea that what was called “female greatness” was to be encouraged in her school. There is an amusing example of the clandestine methods even women like 'Catherine and Harriet Beecher felt obliged to , employ when they wished to influence public opinion. One of the Southern States was trying to drive out a tribe of Indians by methods which the Beechers felt to be “cruel and unjust." In 182# Catherine wrote a letter, published

anonymously, and addressed to "Benevolent Women of the United States,” in which she expressed her Indignation, and suggested, that public meetings be held and petitions prepared for Congress. Through the aid of a few women pledged to secrecy this document was scattered over thev country. To the great delight of the conspirators, their campaign worked marvelously, and a large public interest was aroused. iTiere was much curiosity about- the authorship of the circular. Professor Silliman of Yale said It was “worthy of the elder Pitt,” whereupon Harriet dubbed her, sister ‘‘Old Mrs. Pitt.”

CHIVALRY IN GEORGIA.

(location Of EUtqoette In IClevatora Diacnaaed In Two Cities. A placard in an Atlanta office building’s elevator says that men passengers (in the elevator) need not pull off their hats because women are present. "Men of Atlanta!” shouts the Georgian in holy terror, “shall a foolish placard * * * sound the death knell of a custom which has beeff tor three full centuries one of the distinguishing traits of the gentle South?” We fear that undue excitement has got the Georgian a little mixed as to Its facts, the Savannah News remarks. We do not believe that it has been the custom in the South “for three full centuries” for men to pull off theii hats in elevators when women were present. “Three full centuries” would take us back to the year 1610, and we are satisfied that at that time no man, in the South or elsewhere, ever took off his hat in an elevator. We’ll go further and risk the assertion fihat George Washington himself never took off his hat in an elevator because there were women passengers, and he was certainly a typical Southern gentleman. We might venture to risk deducting two full centuries from the Georgian’s figures and assert that even at that time it was not the custom of Southern gentlemen, to uncover their heads in elevators —for the very simple and sufficient reason that there were no elevators. “Atlanta sets the pace for the South,” says the Georgian. If that were true one might well say, “Then, God help the South!” Atlanta is the least Southern city in the South. It has less of Southern manners and customs and courtesy-than any of its neighbors. No Southern city takes its manners from Atlanta. Each of them has just as good manners of Its own.

GOOD TOWN FOR “TEETHING?”

Knnaaa City Mother Inquire* as to Lons Beach’* “Molar Crop.”

Secretary Camp of the chamber of commerce received a letter from a mother living in Kansas City, who wanted to know if Long Beach was a good town for "teething” purposes, the Los Angeles Examiner says. She said she had a baby nearly 2 years old who was now in the midst of some heavy teething, and because she had heard so much of the Long Beach climate she was anxious to spend the rest of the winter here. If climatic conditions in Long Beach were good for teething, then she would make her plans for coming here immediately, otherwise she would have to seek a more congenial climate, where teeth pop out painlessly in a night. Secretary Camp consulted several physicians and mothers relative to the -growth of teeth in Long Beach, and, as far as he could learn, the teeth crop seemed to be as bountiful as any of the crops raised in this vicinity. Secretary Camp has decided to write back and tell the mother that for stimulating the growth of teeth Long Beach stands unsurpassed, and that the molars raised here are noted particularly for their strength, length and whiteness. Among the questions asked by the mother were: 1. Do children die in Long Beach from teething during the second summer? 2. Is the death rate large or small? 3. Which, if either, would you consider the better place for teething children—Long Beach or Los Angeles? To the last question Secretary Camp was compelled, of course, to answer Long Beach. The first two questions were the ones that bothered him.

The Accommodating Night Clerk.

Up to the night clerk’s desk goes Abe Perlmutter, a Chicago traveling man. *"I wonder,” he says, “could you find me somebody to play a game of pinochle for an hour or two tonight?” "Why,” says the clerk, “I guess so,” and he runs his eye over the register, "Boy,” he calls, “page Mr. Gutwilllg.” Before long Mr. Gbtwillig is found and introduced to the plnoche-hungry Perlmutter, and a game is arranged. “How did you know I played pinochle?” Mr. Gutwlllig asks the clerk. “Oh, I H begins the clerk. Just then emerges from the bar a young man, tripleplied with wine. He stagegrs up to the desk and says: “Shay, I wanna fight! D’ye hear? I’m lookin' for a scrap!” Thus the clerk: 7Boy, page Mr. Kelly and Mr. O’Brien.—Success Magazine. i

Helping Some.

Mrs. Flatt—What do you think of our new cook, John? Mr. Flatt—She would turn milk sour. Mr* Flatt—Then we’ll give up taking milk. —Boston Herald.. Many cooks claim to be, old fashioned, but this Is the real test: An old-fashioned cook always has something on the stove that won’t be done until day after to-morrow. In after years a man doesn't enjoy looking at the pictures taken of himself wfhen he was a baby. t

ABSURDITIES OF THE LAW.

What Constitute* the Crimea ot Boralary hod Larceny. Burglary is the crime of breaking in and entering in the night time, of another’s dwelling house, with an intent to commit a felony therein. This means precisely what It says, according to Charles B. Brewer in McClure’s. If a door or a window is broken open, a knob of an unlocked door l& turned, or an unlocked window is raised, it is burglary; but if the door or window is left open, or even raised as little as an inch, and a thief pushes or raises it entirely open and enters, it is not burglary. It means, too, a “dwelling house”; therefore, if a family is sleeping in a tent or booth, and a. thief enters, it is not a burglary. If all the other conditions are met, and it happens that the dawn has broken, there can be no burglary; for that part of the definition specifying the nighttime is strictly adhered to. We meet another of these fine distinctions in "larceny,” the stealing of personal or movable property, which requires that the thief must get complete control. Thus, if a thief, in attempting to steal a watch, lifts it out of a man’s pocket and it is not attached to the owner by a chain, if the thief gets it into his hand for a moment only, it is larceny and felony. If, however, the watch is attached to the clothing, even though the pickpocket cannot see the chain, as might happen ih a crowd, he has not had complete control and the act is not larceny, but only a misdemeanor. The difference of the two terms relates only to the length of the sentence; but if it is your watch and you wish to see the trial of the would-be thief proceed, you will do well to see that the indictment does not choose the wrong word.

Abbie Ben Adhem.

Abble Ben Adhem (pretty as you please, And dressed as neatly as one ever sees), One day was absent when her- friends began To turn such absent ones beneath their scan. “She paints!” Vowed one, and sadly shook her head. “She flirts!” another with a Bhudder said. I ve heard that so and so and so and so,” a third Declared, and all cried: “Well, upon my word! ”

And so in half an hour poor Abbie’s fame As well as reputation and once honored name Were torn to tatters, and her friends declared She was the sort by whom fool men were snared, And that if they were she they’d hav* more pride Than to give cause for rumors unde* . . _ nied. -■ —-

!n fact, they came to the conclusion then,' That Miss Ben Adhem should not he again Held in their friendship as she once had been, But that she should be spurned with glances keen. And that-while some reports might not be true, Of course, “a person never really knew!”

The next day these same friends met to compile __ A list of those who should be asked to while Away an afternoon at tea and whist, And each one then prepared her lengthy list, Suggesting who to ask and who to snub— For It. you see, was an exclusive club.

And who, think you, was most important guest? Lo, Miss Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest. —Wilbur D. Nesbit, in Life.

Crucifixion Group Startles.

In the shadow of the city’s great white way there has just been erected a Calvary and sculptured story of Bible history of such striking character as to arrest the attention of evdn the most thoughtless of those who travel the godless paths of the metropolis. These representations of the stories of holy writ, the New York Herald says, have just been erected on the facade of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, in West 46th street, between Broadway and 6th avenue. Since the erection on this episcopal edifice last week of the Calvary, having as a central figure the dying Christ stretched upon a cross, with Mary and John gazing appealingly Into his face, hundreds of passersby have halted before the daring work and bowed their heads mutely as they looked upon it. The treatment of the subject is regarded by sculptors as unique in church embellishment in t America. Certainly it is a very unusual decoration for the exterior of a protestant church. Both the representation of the cruCifixlep and the lunette over the main portal of the church, which ' depicts in twenty-nine figures the Virgin and the prophets, are the creation of Pierre T. Leßrun, who designed the church twenty years ago, and has now presented to It-the lunette as one of the final works of his career.

Hogs Soar.

"The time has come," the walrus said“To talk of many things • • • • • Of why the sea is boiling hot And whether pigs have wings.” The whether pigs have wings or not We answer without watting ; Hogs are equipped with aeroplanes And pork is aviating. —Kanses City Times. ir About the ottljr variety in some men's lives lies in the mistakes they make.

CAUSES AND CAUSES

Woman Did Not Believe 11 n-band* to Blame for All Divorce*. “I'm not saying that all husbands are angels—l haven't lost my mind,” — said Miss Maria Foote, as she sat entertaining a friend in the front room of her own neat little apartment, “but you don’t hear me proclaiming any more that they are to blame for all the divorces. I know one thing. If I were a man, and had accidentally got myself married to Lilian Barnes ” “Lilian Barnes! Not the brilliant Lilian we knew at college? What about her*”"--,; “Haven’t I told you? She looked me up last summer, and found me on my back in bed in the next room there, without even a maid in my kitchen; so what did she do but insist on staying to take care of me.” “That was good in her.” “It certainly was—but it broadened my horizon. She sailed in here, su-perb-looking as ever, dropped jjer bat and gloves and veil and purse on that tea table, and there they tey among the cups and saucers as long as she stayed—five days. She wore my wrapper and slippers—and her shoes stood in the middle of this floor, where she first stepped out of them. Yes, I mean day in and day out. She Blept on the couch here, to be near me. When she got up in the morning, she .threw back the bedding to air—and there it stayed in a rumpled heap all day, never even smoothed up once. —* . “The bottles she gave me medicine from were all tucked under the edge of my bed on the floor—and this mantel! Everything you can Imagine was piled on it, from a brush and comb and curling iron to a fever thermometer left out of its case. No, not because she was so busy taking care ot me. She had time to sit and read by the hour.” “That fascinating Lilian! Who’d have dreamed it!”

I “And the worst was that my dapper doctor came every day, and never j could -find a spot to sit down. There was always a towel or sheet or something trailing over every chair. Mortified! Yes, but something funny bapepned. One day I was lying here, I thinking what a splendid mind she had, and remembering how I always used to suppose she was a lady of quality clear through, when suddenly she made up her mind that I needed and sat right down in the midst of the muss to read to me. It happened that the first thing she found was an anecdote about a son asking his mother to congratulate him | because he was going to marry the sweetest, most unselfish, angelic girl in the world! and- the mother Just lookA ,dat him compassionately, and answered, ‘My poor boy!’ “Well, I began to laugh—couldn’t stop—and Lillian said I was too weak for jokes; they made me hysterical. At that I let myself go, and laughed harder than ever. It just saved me for the time being—and next day_she had to go.” j “You poor thing! Who took care , of you then?” j “Just a plain, neat, common Swedj ish girl—bleps her heart! But right then, while I was getting over Lilian, I made up my mind that when it comes to the question of divorce, there are causes and causes." —Youth’s Companlon. ■ .

Wit of the Youngsters

Grandma —Well, Bessie, how are you feeling this morning? Small Bessie—Not very well, thank you. 1 don’t believe I slept twenty-four hours the whole night lola, aged 7, proposed to a number of her small playmates to play Sunday school, to which they all agreed. “Now,” she said, “we must proceed to organize the classes.” “We can’t,” protested one little miss. “We haven't any organ.” A little chap of 5 years, whose grandfather had recently died, was asked by an old friend of the family what caused the death. For a momenl the boy looked puzzled, then brighten ing, he said: “I don’t ’zactly remember, but I think it was nothing serious.”

How to Save Quail ia Winter.

General Speaks, our efficient state game warden, is receiving hundreds of letters asking for advice as to how to save the quail from starvation In the old-fashioned winter. The quail is about the most helpless bird we have in Ohio. Although It winters In this latitude, It hasn’t the slightest idea how to take care of Itself when the deep snows come. When the ground is covered and the ready food supply is shut off, these beautiful and useful birds huddle together and wait in miserable motionless flocks for death by freezing or starvation. The only way to save them is to scatter on the snow near their haunts liberal allowances of grain or ether suitable food. A few of the bolder or tamer birds will find it and go and tell the others. It is gratifying to learn from the volume of the game warden’s mall on this subject that farmers in all parts of the state are kqenly Interested in the conservation of the quail, whose value to the farmer* as an Insect destroyer can hardly be estimated. —Columbus Jour-1 nal. Speaking as a reporter, when we are looking for news, we do not care much for the latest Joke. As a general propositon, fame may be defined as a man's notoriety after he is dead.

PROFESSIONAL SHOE STRETCHER

New Canton* Which Will Meet the Approval of Multitude*. When the woman said she wanted a pair of shoes the hollow-eyed clerk did not ask, “What Size, madam?” but said, or second-hand?” The woman hesitated, not quite grasping the significance of the question, the Philadelphia Ledger says. “Why, new, of course,” she said at length. « “The reason I asked,” said the clerk, “was that we have several pairs of shoes of different sizes that have been worn a little. Just enough to stretch them, and I didn’t know but that you would like a pair that your feet wouid slip right into and that you’d never have any trouble with.” The woman’s Interest had plainly got started by that time. “Do you mean to say you have shoes like that?” she asked, incredulously. “A few pairs, as I just said,” replied the clerk. “They have been worn long enough by professional shoe stretchers to take the stiffness and newness away. We are thinking of making these stretched shoes a permanent and prominent feature of our stock. Why, do you know,” he continued, with increased earnestness, “if I had a foot that I could contract and expand at will I could make a pile of money by Just trying on shoes. “Anybody who has ever endured the torment incident to stretching a new pair of shoes would be willing to. pay 60 cents more a pair in order to bd relieved of the discomfort of getting them set to the foot. The custom of offer-i g stretched shoes to patrons has already been introduced into several stores, and it certainly ought to become very popular. Judging by present indications, it will not be long until every shoe store of any pretensions will employ people with feet of the standard sizes to wear new shoes for a day or so to break them in.”

BITS FOR BOOKWORMS

The new story by H. G. Wells, which follows the much discussed “Ann Veronica,” is called “The Adventures of Mr. Polly.” It is the story of a young Englishman from an adored baby to a typical citizen of his own part of the world.

The Danish government has brought in a bill abolishing the censorship of plays. The place of the censor is taken by-a theatrical council consisting of three members selected by the government, dramaticauthors and Jurists —the system 'being copied from that in use in Portugal. * Although Sir Gilbert Parker is busy In the turmoil of politics, he has taken time to put together a little volume of stories which is announced for early publication in London. It is named “Omner’s Son.” after the first tale, and they all deal with scenes and incidents In the South Seas. - Mrs. Humphrey Ward’s forthcoming novel Is a story of the Canada of today and will be called "Lady Merton: Colonist.” It will be remembered that during Mrs. Ward’s visit to America last year she spent a fortnight in Canada, and her book will embody her somewhat hurriedly taken impressions of that country. “Kings in Exile” is not a new title, but Charles G. D. Roberts evidently could not resist the conviction that it exactly fits the contents of his new book. The discrowned sovereigns to be met there are not men and women such as play their brief parts in Daudet’s novel; they are the splendid great beasts who have been torn from their jungle homes to live among curious humans. The author does not make his animals talk, but he makes them reveal individual character, all the same.

Arthur T. Qulller-CouCh in his home town of Fowey takes a most enthusiastic interest in all that goes on about him. He helps train the school children for the Christmas pantomime. He is justice of the peace, rear admiral of the yacht club, and a leading spirit in the mercantile association and the Troy Town Band. He plays cricket and frequently kicks off the ball at Important football games. His popularity is summed up by one of his Cornish neighbors. “They’m many of us could tell you that Mr. QuillerCouch is the only gent in Fowey.”

“Some Musical Recollections of Fifty Years,” by Richard Hoffman, with a memoir by Mrs. Hoffman, is one of the new books which will be of special Interest to music lovers. The book is made up of reminiscences of musicians and musical affairs in America and in England. The account of Mendelssohn’s leading of “Elijah” at Manchester; of Jenny Lind and her appearance at Castle Garden and her tour under P. T. Barnum; of Thai berg. Von Bulow, Liszzt and many others, and cf the audiences and concerts throughout the country fifty years ago—all add Interest to the book. Writing of the hardships of the artistic life in 1849 Mr. Hoffman says that one of the greatest difficulties be met with in many places on his own concert tour was finding a piano.

It May Happen.

“I see the automobile is Invading rural life." \ ••. "Yes, and I’m living in hopes," declared Farmer Haw. “Of what?" "Of seeing my hired man develop enough energy to get arrested tor speeding."—Louisville Courier-Journal.

FACTS IN TABLOID FORM.

More than $60,000,000 worth of soap is made and sold in the United States every year. An official estimate places the number of dairy cows in the'Unlted States at 21,000,000. Some varieties of rice ripen In two months after planting, while others require up to six months in cultivation. Canada has twenty wireless stations, and new wireless service is being established between Prince Rupert and Vancouver. England imported from Argentina in 1907 nearly $21,000,000 worth of fresh beef and $11,472,345 worth of fresh mutton. The New York public Bervice commission will make an extensive investigation of concrete as a deadener of noise on elevated railroad structures. The highest viaduct in the world recently was opened in France. It stands 144 feet above a river, took eight years to build and cost about SBOO,000. * In the last fiscal year experts of the department of agriculture inspected before slaughter 56,544,255 animals at 876 establishments in 240 cities and towns.---. Bacteriologists are now using an electrically heated incubator to hatch germs, as the temperature can be controlled for an indefinite period without variation. New York City has been Increasing its birth rate for the last ten years. For the twelve months just passed it has been twenty-eight to the thousand inhabitants.

One of the great Intellects of England has stated that not above fifty thousand people in all Britain can read and understand the ordinary London newspaper. After an exhaustive research an English architect has decided that the leaning tower of Pisa was built at the angle it stands to-day as a feat of structural bravado. Experiments in abrasion conducted at a French mint have proved that aluminum coins will be less rapidly worn by use than coins made of gold, silver or even bronze. Stuyvesant Fish, Jr., began in the Illinois Central shops in Chicago at a salary of $25 a month. Later he worked as station agent at S6O a month in his eagerness to learn the work from the bottom up. The Wesleyan conference of England recently passed by a large majority a motion to admit women as lay delegates. This resolution must be approved by the synod before it can become a rule of the denomination. In 1907 there were about 30,000 barrels of sesame oil shipped to Constantinople, but the cotton seed oil has supplanted this to a great extent, and this season there has been used hefe hardly 1,000 barrels of sesame oil. The women of Chicago are urging an increase in the number of milk inspectors for that city. They say that it is Impossible for the eight inspectors now on duty to make sure that even a small part of its supply is in wholesome condition.

To check New Jersey’s destructive forest fires, the state has ordered the railroads traversing its pine forests to clear the ground for fifty feet on each side of the tracks and plow up and gravel ten-foot strips to prevent the growth of brush again. The Alps show such an extraordinary attraction for Hertzian wave currents that Swiss military aerographists have been able to intercept wireless messages from points 2,000 miles away, while the interchange of messages within Switzerland is unsatisfactory.

At twenty, Tintoretto was one of the most prolific and popular painters in Italy; Schelling had grappled with the philosophy of Kant; Galileo had discovered the use of the pendulum; Lafayette was a major-general, and Garrison voiced emancipation for the slave. A new electrical alarm clock uses dry batteries to ring a bell, supply a small Incandescent light with current and start a fire in an alcohol lamp with a platinum wire, all by completing a circuit when the hour hand touches a third hand set at a designated time. Making, selling or exporting of red giqseiy; in Or from Korea is now forbidden under fines of from SSO to SSOO and confiscation of equipment to all parties except the, Korean government or firms specially authorized by it It is highly valued in the orient for medicinal use.

Queen Ena of Spain (Victoria Ena) is one of the few ladies of the peninsula who can lay claim to horsemanship. Spanish ladies are, as a rule, too indolent to ride. But Alfonso is a daring horseman, and it must please him to have his young wife galloping by his side. A new Japanese steamship service has been put on befeveen porta of Japan, via Hong-Kong and Valparaiso, Chili, by the Togo Klaln Kalsha Company of Yokohama. The three steamers are subsidised by the Japanese government. Other porta of the west coast of South America will also be used. The calabar bean is highly poisonous and in foreign countries is used for medicinal purposes. Its effect is opposite that of belladonna and is used for contraction of the eye, In tetanus, neuralgia and rheumatic dlseasaa It is such a powerful depressant to nervous action that surgeons can only us* it in small amounts.