Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1911 — Page 3

Firing Jones

By JOANNA SINGLE

(Copyright, 1910, by Associated Literary • Press.)

When Jones had been' steadily making good for two years in the circulation department of the Daily - Scintillator, he suddenly began, In the elegant language of the new boss, to slump. The new boss, by sheer merit, had suddenly risen from obscurity to his present position, and lie knew not Jones, his worthy business past, nor his troubles. His one Idea was to get the work done property, promptly, plentifully. He wanted subscriptions, and carried no superfluous sentiment about with 'him. So, after Jones had for several weeks been slumping, the boss summoned him to the desk. “What’s the trouble, Jones? The circulation is crawling back on us. The Tribune’s sworn statement in their lying paper last night gave me the backache. You haven’t brought a fresh idea into this business for a month —and what ails your soliciting? Sickr Jones was so obviously a clean sort that the boss knew he was not dissipating. The young fellow hesitated a moment before replying, while the older man eyed him with keen tadiiness. . “No, I’m not sick. And I’m not shirking. I seem to work harder than ever with less results. Perhaps it's the heat—everybody else is hot, too, and the town seems willing to let the paper die. I'm sorry.” Now, it was the idea of the boss that being fired occasionally was good for any man. Perhaps Jones was too sure of his job, having lately • been promised a raise. “Well, Jones, I’ll give you another week to get a brace on. If you don’t deliver the goods by next Monday— I’ll have to get a man who will. That’s all.’’ The boy—he was hardly more — went out on the street. He was not even angry—he was merely ashamed in a dull way. Last year—last month —he would have raged. But then the boss could not last year have found fault with his work. The thought stung. What was the matter? All forenoon he worked, but with small success. He knew that his once confident smile was becoming apologetic. Where he had demanded a hearing, he now pleaded for one. It was like fear. He hated to realise that he was afraid. He was discouraged, and the day’s work summed up between “fair” and “middling." And he knew the “Middlin’ Man’’ did not last long in the business department —or any department—of the Dally Scintillator. The interview with the boss was on Monday. Tuesday passed, and Wednesday, and still Jones made small headway with his work. ‘ He wondered if he could be homesick for the home that he never had? An older sister, dead since his sixteenth year, had brought him up. For the rest,' he had worked his way through business college, and then had struck out to the city for himself. The brother-in-law had married again. Jones bad no home but the room he paid for in a boarding house. Thinking about it now, he was glad he had just paid his rent a month in advance, for he began to be sure he would be fired. He sat alone in his room a hot June evening, miserable, despondent. Then he went down to the porch and talked a little to the landlady. She called him “Mr. Jones.” The office said “Jones.” No one knew his first name, or would have used it if they had. The other fellows would v have gone cheerfully out with “the gang,” get gloriously intoxicated, and then have slept it off. Jones was not that sort—-he was decent in the basic things. He had wt, special moral objections formulated against vioe. But it did not appeal to him —good taste is often the best protection. Saturday morning he set his teeth and made a last try. Things went better, but the day was sultry. Everybody was wilted and mad and refused to be solicited. He hated eolng it So at noon his time had been spent in vain, and he wandered disconsolately into Scotty’s for a counter lunch. He slouched hla hat down over his eyes as he ordered, and then, his eye catching the eye of a girl beside him, he straightened and took off the hat—she was in the advertising department. He turned and spoke to her about the heat, and about the poor quality of - the food they were about to have, but which

My Creed.

I do not tear to treed the path that those X love have long since trod; « . X do not tear to pass the gates and stand ... before the lltfng Hfll in this world's light I’ve dons my part; If God be God, he knows It wsll; Ho will not turn his back on ma and ■end ms down to blackest hell Becauee I have not prayed aloud and shouted in the market place. ’Tla what we do, not what we say, that makes us worthy of his graoe. —Jeannette L. Gilder, In Putnam’s Magaslne. r'

was as “good here as anywhere, if you're not a millionaire.” He turned to look at her and noted with a start that she was white about the lips and red about the eyes, which somehow did not disguise the fact that she was very, very pretty. Her pallor made her simply pathetic, but her deep gray eyes were kind—sometiling motherly shone from them, though she could not have been more than eighteen. She said nothing about her dw n troubles. “How does your work go these •days?” she asked as she bit Into a sandwich full of what the newspaper folk called “alleged ham.” "Rotten,” he answered succinctly. “How about you?” He had not expected a simple business question to bring tears_ta a girl’s eyes, but that’s what happened to Jones, and made him Inwardly curse . himself for a blundering donkey who ought to be kicked, He had never had a girl friend and he turned eyes of wistful apology on this fair-haired, slender little thing bravely trying to smile past the tears while she took a gulp of coffee before she tried to answer. “Worse than rotten,” she said, whimsically. “I’m fired.” He had not been angry about himself but he was about her. “But you do fine work —they all say so in the office. You don’t deserve it," he said angrily. She hastened to explain. "It's only that I’m the newest at the office, and there is too much help for ther'dHir summer months. They want me again in September. They Just told me—and I don’t know where to get another place—it's dull everywhere now;” He nodded comprehendingly. His own troubles dwindled. “Can you do anything but stenography? Say, why can’t you go home?” The boy somehow had a wistful idea that all the world save himself had a home somewhere. But this was even worse than his first question. The white line about the girl’s lips was worse than the threat of tears. "I —have no home,” she said shortly. “But all I can do besides typewrite is—cook and do housework. But I don’t see how I dan go into somebody’s kitchen. I’m not—so very strong, you see. But I suppose something will happen—it always doeß.’* She smiled and slid off the stool. "I’ll be late if I don’t hurry” She was nodding him goodby when he followed her, took the check from her reluctant hand, and paid it with his own. Then he walked back to the office with her. It was Saturday afternoon, offices taking the half-day off, every soul who could get out of town going, and the rest viciously cross because they couldn’t. Nobody cared whether the circulation increased or not—save the boss, the rival papers—and Jones. To do him Justice, he worked like a Turk, but he accomplished little. At five he returned to the office for his check, and though the boss was not there, he knew it was likely to be his last $25 from that source. He would be fired Monday. He set his teeth. Just as he came out, Fannie was leaving, too, and a certain gay boldness came over him. He wsb only twenty-one, and he had $25 in his pocket, and his rent paid a month- But he had never in his life had a good time. He had no vices, no debts —but he had never had a girl. He followed the girl and overtook her. < She did not shrink from him as she would have from some of the men—his face was kind and good—and lonely. He surprised himself in what he said. “Won’t you go to supper with me and then out to the park? There’s a good bill on, and it will do us both good. I’m nearly crazy with being alone. Will you?” The girl hesitated a moment and then consented. ‘Tve only $8 between myself—and —I don’t know what," she said. “Unless I get the housekeeping position. But if I have to do that, I will at least have a good time tonight and forget about it until it has to come.” Youth Is a blessed, despairing tragic, happy thing. These two ate In a good little ease. They took a summer car to the park; they laughed at tne traditional fun of the vaudeville per formance. Finally, rather late, they walked back to her bleak, hot boarding house. And when the girl said good night, she had promised to give him her Bunday afternoon and evening. That Sunday—well, the boy and girl freed themselves of the ingrowing loneliness that had been feeding upon them. Each told the other his past, his present When he left her that night they were engaged. The next morning Jones went to the office as usual, and since the bobs was absent for they moment, he went to work as usual. At noon he took the girt to lunch, and they went to the courthouse and had a long talk. Then she went back to her bparding place—and he went to work again—this time with a will, with light In his eye, and love in his smile. "He loved the world, and the world, always responsive, felt and answered it Everybody be 'approached subscribed tor the ’ paper. Courage rode so high in his beast L— ; a

that be wept back to the office with the spoils of the day. He had forgotten the boss. \ But the boss remembered. He saw Jones and called him to the desk. f*Tou’re fired," he said briefly. Jones’ anger and his courage rose. “I won’t be fired,” he said firmly hut respecfully, at the same time turning over his signed orders. *Tve taken a brace—this is today’s work , —more than Rye done hi two weeks. And besides—J’m going to be married tonight—and I simply can’t be fired.. Give me another week, won’t Vou?" The boss growled. Impudence of the right sort always pleased him. And could there be greater Impudence than a youngster, as good as fired, taking a wife to himself, and refusing to go? He asked who the girl was. v “Miss Morris. She's got to be taken care of—even in the dull summer months —and the contract to do it looks good to me. I’ve got the license here.” The boss Podded. Then he nodded again; then he spoke slowly. “The matter with most fellows,” he remarked dryly, "Is either too much calico or too little. I see you’ve had too little. Do you suppose you two can live on twenty-five a week?” Jones rather thought he could. ■When he had Seen decent about it to the boss he ran to Fannie with his news—breathlessly, boyishly. "Oh, Alfred,” she said, “oh, Alfle!” She put her arms about his neck; He was no longer Just “Jones!’ —ho was called by his name.

GREAT EFFECT OF ARSENIC

Seems to Rebuild and Beautify, but la Currariatlve Poison—Also Aids , Digestion.

“You no doubt have observed the lily white complexion some fromen. These women are sacrificing years of their lives for that beautiful skin by the use of arsenic, 1 ’ said D. V. Duvan, a chemist of Manchester, England, at the Shoreham. "It is a well-known fact that thousands of women in all countries of the, world use the poison In small quantities to bleach their skin. It is an effective means of whitening and clearing the complexion, but the complex* ion given by Its use has no permanency, unless the absorption of the dnig be continued. "Arsenic, as science has long told us, is an accumulative poison. When one takes it either by prescription for the upbuilding of an appetite or for the bleaching of the skin, he does not feel any 111 effects for several years. The effect of the drug is bracing, and' makes a person feel like eating. It also aids the digestion. The average user of the poison takes It in such small quantities that he does not realize bow much of it will accumulate In his system in the course of four or five years. “Being an accumulative poison, it often takes that length of time to see the results of the drug. Then the user may complain of not being able to control his fingers or toes. Subsequently, he loses control of his hands and arms. Arsenical poisoning is the result. “Five years ago in Manchester there was an epidemic of paralysis. Several thousands of persons were stricken. Several hundred died, and the medical profession of England made a thorough Investigation of the malady and traced It to beer. The Investigators discovered that the brewers were using a glucose in the brewing of their product, which was found to contain a small quantity of arsenic. This drug, imbibed in small quantities in beer, had gradually accumulated in the bodies of thousands of persons; had impoverished their blood, and left a great percentage of them helpless.”

And Silence Ensued.

E. G. Tillotson was traveling the other day with a pompous chap who life miserable for his fellow travelers by delving into natural history, philosophy, chiropody and politics, says the Cleveland Press. He dwelt particularly upon the ability of the fly to walk up and down a glass pane. “Of course,” he said, “that is made possible by thw fact that the glass, despite all Its smoothness, is In reality rough, as you may see with the aid of a powerful microscope. However, they have discovered a process of so rubbing down the glass by machinery that not even a fly can walk on it” “Good!” exclaimed Tillotson, with an air of relief. “I’ll have one of those machines* Installed at once. Just what I want" "But my dear sir,” replied the bore, “you can’t do that you know. That’s only done in a laboratory in Germany. Beside, what would you want it for?” "Well," said Tlllotqon. ’Tve got a fly at home that Is bousing the life out of me and I want my window panes so fixed that he’ll fall off and break his neck." There was silence during the remainder of the trip.

Astronomical Observatories.

The astronomical observatories are found by a British astronomer to have , increased from 60 officially recognized in 1869 to 230 at the present time. Of those now existing the United States ,and the British empire have 106, Germany 81, Austria 16, Italy 16, Russia 14, France 12, and the remainder are scattered in Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Finland, Holland, Japan, Mexico/ Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the South American reput&fes. The northern hemisphere has twelve times as many as the southern.

NEW YORK.—Educators are watching with much interest the work that is being done in the Peter Minuit school where there is a club of boys who are being trained in the procedure of legislative bodies and the theories and methods of government. The lads have a regularly organised "house of representatives” with a speaker and representatives from each state and they carry on debates in formal manner with all due regard to the rules governing such a body. The club is named the City History club.

HOBBLE SKIRT AGED

Fashion Was Prevalent at Least 1,000 B. C.

In Time of Ptolemy and Cleopatra Egyptian Women Hopped Along Nile in Garb Worn by Smart Set.

Chicago. —Has someone remarked that the “hobble skirt” is fin de siecle —up to date, the very apogee of modern feminine sartorial folly? Well, it is not —merely redivlvius of a fashion prevalent at least 1000 years B. C. This startling infonnation will come as somewhat of a shock to the clothing designers of the day who prided themselves that they had created something, originated something, or at least been responsible for the renaissance of a style not more-than three or four hundred years old. Over 2,900 years ago the dusky maidens of the now defunct city of Thebes hopped along merrily in their hobble skirts. Somewhat later in the time of Ptolemy and Cleopatra the favored of Pharaoh’s daughters, that is, the better classes of Egyptian women, tripped along the banks of the slimy, sluggish Nile, and a few of them probably fell in. The ancient hieroglyphics upon the obelisks, sarcophagi and pyramids of the earth’s once most powerful race show conclusively that women who have now been mummies for fully a score of centuries wore the much ridiculed and secretly admired "hpbbles.” Evidences of this vagary of dress among the ancient Egyptians may be seen in the picture writings an the granite and basalt tablets and upon the highly colored mummy cases that are preserved In the Field Columbian museum

The “hobbles" seem to have been confined (as well as confining) principally to the upper strata of the society of the day, yet examples of a partial “hobble effect” are to be seen In the chronicllngs of the middle classes. Dje-Mut-Esankh, a lady of high rank In Thebes, 1000 B. C., whose mummy case, If not whose mummy, forms a portion of the Egyptian archeological exhibit in the museum, wore the “ties that bind" at the earliest known date. She was the daughter of a family of noble priests and served In temples, herself as a musician to the great god, Ammon. Dje-Mut-Esankh, translated, means “Musician of Ammon.” Her hobble made her famous and feared. It was a wonderful asp of gold, studded with rubles and other gems, and was attached to her gown at the proper place by means of clasps. Princesses are said to have been envious of her.

Naja-Rames, of the XXVUth dynasty. about the seventh century B. C., went her predecessor one better, and wore ’em just above her knees, judging from the pictures of the lady that are extant today. But Egyptian art and artists were somewhat uncertain, however, and It Is possible that the bronze hued man who carved her picture for the edification of posterity may have mode a mistake. »* “Naja," to be familiar, la believed to have been the wife ofa powerful noble or au actress, otherwise she would not have dared Ignore public opinion and envy wjth the sang frold that Is apparent In her pictures. [iTWith her striking apparel and garlands of blue and rose-hued lotus flowers she was the sensation of her day. The discovery that the Egyptians wore the “hobbles" Is corroborated by Egyptologists. “Yes, it Is true that the style was In vogue, many years before Christ,” said W. Chesney Chenery, an authority on archeology, living at Hull house.. "It jnjy bears out the trite old saying, there Is nothing new, etc., etc.* ” “They certainly did wear tight skirts

TRAINING THE BOYS TO BE LEGISLATORS

in those days,” admitted Prof. James H. Breasted, Egyptologist at the University of Chicago. The custom gained such hold by the Egyptian race that they hobbled their dead by swathing them in bandages. The ladies whose pictures show the tight skirts lie at the Field museum, hobbled even in death. "Mummy” coats and "tube” dresses are to become new fashions. At least -this is the word that comes from the National Cloak, Suit and Skirt Manufacturers’ association. “Straight lines” will be a feature of spring garments. In tailored suits the jackets will be shorter, measuring twenty-six Inches or less. '

GIRL POPPED THE QUESTION

Heiress Finds and Weds Fiance After Long Separation—Favorite Musician at Ruaelan Court.

?- Thousand Island Park, N. Y.—The marriage of Mlsa Lots Baldwin of Atlantic City and George Roqovoy, a Russian violinist, at the Methodist Episcopal parsonage here by the Rev. E. J. Lavis, ends a romance covering a period of seven years. The bride is a granddaughter of Major Herbrlch of Heidelberg, Germany, who died recently and left her sole heiress to a large estate. A few weeks ago she received $40,000 from the es-' tate of her mother. She first met Roqovoy In Berlin in 1903, and the two became engaged. Both were then under eighteen. Miss Baldwin’s parents objected to the match and brought her back to America. Three* years later she returned to Europe And tried to find her lover, but was unsuccessful, and did not meet him again until recently, when, while dining at the Frontenac hotel, she recognized him in the orchestra. .Their acquaintance was renewed, and the marriage was agreed upon.

ON MOVE TO DODGE BULLETS

Hunter Back From Minnesota Thinks It’s Like Real War—Game Unusually Plentiful. • W

New York.—-Capt. Cushman A. Rice, nephew of the late Senator Cushman K. Davis got b&ck the other day from northern Minnesota, where he has been on a shooting trip, and reported that deer, bear and partridges are unusually plentiful In that pail of the country, but there are few wild duck. Captain Rice, who is on his way to his plantation in Cuba, would have remained longer up there but he says it Is extremely dangerous, owing to the number of persons In the country who are out to shoot something, and who are not over particular as to what it Is they are aiming at “We were about the first to go on a hunting trip in that pert of the world In automobiles,” said Captain Rice. “It was a very enjoyable trip, but so many persons were killed t)y mistake for deer that we decided It was not a safe region to be In. I was told that no fewer than 40 persons have been killed In that way this year. One man whom I knew was found by his friends on the snow. He had a bullet through his lung, but lived long enough to tell how he had got It. He was going through the woods when, as he came to a clearing, he saw some distance away a short, thick-set man raise his rifle and point at him. He yelled but not In time. The shooter, he said, did not stop to offer him any assist ance, but as soon as he realised what be had done, ran off as hard as he oould go. "Lota of persons wear bits of red In their hats when traveling through

Miss Baldwin admits that she bad! "popped the question.” They hurried to the minister, but found that a license was necessary, and they lost three days seeking one. Mr. Roqovoy said he would not break his contract with the' hotel. When the season ends the couple will go abroad. During the last seven years Roqovoy has traveled all over Europe. He was the favorite musician at the Russian court, and the czar decorated him. Queen Wilhelm ina of Holland, and King Alfbnso of Spain, it is said, presented him with jewels. Coming to America last year Roqovoy was a member for a time of the White House orchestra. He has been playing at. the Frontenac hotel for two seasons.

GIVES HOBBLE SKIRT PARTY

Hostess Makes Women Guests Try Virginia Real snd Three Fall' In Heap—-Ail Men Are Barred. New York. —Curious swains of Glenwood, L. 1., who were anxious to ses how their young women Mends would look at a hobble skirt party given by Miss Lillian Hahn were barred from the Hahn home by the hostes tt own orders. Several tried to gain admittance to the house while the party was In progress, but the hostess stationed two women at the front door, with orders to repel all attempts at entrance by any man. - Miss Hahn, who is socially prom* nent, sent out invitations to her hobble skirt party a few days ago. Shs furnished games for her guests until they had become accustomed to traveling from one side of the room to the other in their skirts. Then dancing commenced. Young men who gathered outsids the house, waiting to accompany the guests homey say they heard many a thud, accompanied by laughter. When the music of the Virginia reel was heard one youth peeped through a window and saw three young women lying on the floor in a heap.

that country, but it seems to do ne good, in Wisconsin they have a law which makes you wear a scarlet cap when shooting In the forests, bnt In spite of that I was told that fully 4< persons had been killed in the stats by mistake for animals.”

BRUNETTE IS MONEY SEEKER

Prof. Lanzendorf Makes Startling A* sertlons About Differences Between People. Berlin. —Professor Lanzendorf ol Vienna has bobbed Into the limelight this week with certain startling assertions about the difference between llght-bpired and dark-haired people. He has apparently taken up In earneat the eternal discussion of the superority of blonds over brunettes. The scientific tables and data which he has collected are appalling in their minuteness and volume. To reduce the professor's conclusions to something Uke brevity, he finds that 90 per cent .of the world's great literary' men—artists, tqusicians, philosophers and scholars, as well as all* people who have ethical Ideas and high moral principles, are blonds. Black-haired people, he says, are money earners and brutal oppressors. Professor Lanzendorf* statistics show that 30 per cent of the gamblers. swindlers, usurers, murderers are dark complexloned. He notes with grief that dark-haired people are getting money and oppressing the fail* haired people, and ends by urging the,, falr halred contingent of humanity to ' fight against the dominance of their stronger, but morally Inferior hiecb bn I red conauerOTS.