Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1911 — Page 3

Thanks for Two

Copyrigbt, 1910, by Associated Literary Press

Early in the afternoon Janie, her usually laughing fair face sober and thoughtful, was putting the last holiday touches to the solid beauty of the Old house. From an. open door she could hear her mother’s gentle voice and the heavier tones of the family ■cook in housekeeping consultation. Bhe had just arranged some splendid chrysanthemums to her satisfaction when her mother called her. “Janie,” she sair, “your father and I are worried about Ruth. Do you know what the trouble is? You’ve noticed how thin and fretful she is—and her college work has been very light Tn the two days she has been home she hasn’t been herself at all. Sometimes a sister can get at things [better than a mother. I wouldn’t ask iyou to betray confidence, of course — but I’m anxious.” Jennie, in her elderdaughterly fashion, came to put an arm about her pretty mother. "I’ve noticed—and she cries at night when she thinks I’m asleep. But she hasn’t told me a thing,. and I haven’t dared act as if I were worried. She’s so offish, and declares she’s perfectly well. You don’t suppose it could be about —Russell? Since he's ben at Harvard this year—we don’t know what they may have written. I didn’t say anything to you, but last fall at Nan’s party Ruth did flirt awfully with Allan, and I could see Rusisell was furious; but they both went away in a few days, and I rather forgot It Don’t worry, mother, and I’ll try to find out.” The older sister failed to find the once sparkling, happy Ruth in, her room, or in the library, or anywhere about the house. Finally going on an errand to the sewing room on the third floor, she heard a queer noise and hastily opened the door. Ruth lay full length on the rug, her face hidden in her thin little bands, her dark curling hair falling about her crimson bathrobe. The slender figure was shaking with 6obs. She became aware of her sister, who knelt beside her. She went on crying. “Ruth, I will know what’s wrong! You’ll make yourself ill —why, child, you’re burning with fever —” “I’d like to be dead,” mourned Ruth. “I’m so miserable and it isn’t a thing a girl can talk about Do go away.” “Is it about Russell?” persisted Janie. “I saw how he acted last fall. Tell me, dearie. What’s been going on while you were at school. Does he write to you?” “We had an awful quarrel—after Nan’s party, tie was—horrible.” “I suppose so—you acted with Allan In a way to make him horrible, if he cared. Ruth, none of us could make you two out If you were engaged why couldn’t you come out and say eo? It was hardly fair, dear.” “That’s just it!” flared Ruth, suddenly sitting upright on the rug. “We But, Jane —I’m ashamed to tell even’ you. He never—asked me right out to be engaged, and still he would not let me out of his sight. And he acted as if he owned me. I knew he was jealous of. Allan, and it came over me that I had been so devoted to Russell that perhaps a little danger of losing me would make him —tell me he — loved me—if he did. I was tired of being neither free nor engaged—l wouldn’t have gone to college at all if —I had been sure—” The girl’s face burned with anger and shame. “Well, he just wrote one horrid little note. I know I acted scandalously that night—and his last night, too. He was to take me home—and I went with Allan right under his eyes. All he said in the note was that he had a little self-respect—as well as a heart, and that he would not be played with, and whin I wanted him would I please send for him! Imagine me sending for him!” Janie gave a soft littlo laugh before she spoke. “If he hadn’t cared desperately he wouldn’t have dared to be so ruee. He came home this morning—did you see the paper? Perhaps he will come to see yob. Of course he will." Ruth shook her head. “Constance wrote me from Cambridge that he’s been simply devoted to that Sylvia White —simply devoted! I wish I didn’t care—l despise myself because I do—l’m sorry I came home. I can’t be natural—and I certainly don’t propose to make any advances. If he does call, I shall not see him —but he won’t! Oh, Janie, do you think he will?” Janie rose and pulled her slater to her feet, and drew her down to her own room. "Of course he will —and you will see him. The world knows how he’s been at your beck and call wince you were in kindergarten. And 1 want you to take a hot bath, lie down a while, and put on your rose-colored dress, for it’s certain that come of the girls will be here before the afternoon's past Do as I say—you’ll feel better Just for having talked it over. And you are largely to blame, you know.” Jane coaxed the girl to do her bidding. and after her nap fastened her into the pretty gown. She, herself, had on her street things, and prepared to go. “Ruth, I’ve to do some errands for mother. She Is sleeping—she’s tired out. And Nellie Is helping cook. Would you mind answering the tele-

By JOANNA SINGLE

phone? There’s nobody to do it until 1 get back. Be good. And while I’m gone think of the grand time you had at school with Orville Metcalf and several others —suppose some one wrote Russell about it? Did you think of that?” v This was a new idea. Ruth had, indeed, had the merriest of times, for all her inward heart-wearlneps, at the coed college where she had been so popular. She sat down in a big chair and' closed her eyes, and thought what a dear sister Janie was, and how comforting it had been to speak the old trouble out. But she could never send for Russell —he would have to come himself. She had ’ not told Janie that she had answered his note with a worse one, saying that she didn’t care whether she ever saw him again or not, and would certainly die before she would send for him under any circumstances. It had been a very young, angry little note—-but Russell was young and angry, too. She fell into a half doze. : ‘ Presently she was aware of the doorbell, for which she was not responsible. A little later the telephone whirred and she sprang to answer it, excitedly. Suppose he should call her up? But It was only Janie, Would Ruth run to the little sitting room upstairs and see if she had left the windows open?—Janie feared that she had. That was aIL Ruth went soberly along the hall, rather vexed with' her sister. Nobody used that room much, and She thought the errand stupid. What had Janie been doing in there? She opened the door, and the full blaze of the low sun struck her eyes, almost blinding her. She stood there blinking a moment, very sweet and slender and flushed in her rose dress, before she saw that a big fire burned in the fireplace, and that a man rose from a chair -and came toward her. “Ruthie—Ruthie—are you going to forgive me?' It was Russell, but tor a moment she could not understand, and then she began softly to weep, the tears falling like a child’s down her cheeks. He took her into his arms, soothing and comforting her. Asking her if she did love him, whether she would not marry him —though he knew he didn’t deserve it He gave her no chance for a word until he had poured out all his heart But as she clung to him he knew that he had his answer, even before he made her say he was forgiven. “I was —horrid last fall, Ruthie, but it was because I was desperate. You see I, had promised both my father and yours that I would not say a word to you until we had been away from each other at school a year. They wanted us to be sure—and they would not have you bound. They were right, I suppose, but it put me in a bad position. I could not have a right to you—and yet—l could not stand to have you act so with Allan—” Ruth pulled away from him. “That was —hideous of me—but what could I do? Follow meekly about, letting you monopolize me — and—nothing doing? It’s a horrid way to put it —but the girls all teased to know if we were engaged—and I had to show them I didn’t care. You can see how it was. But—l do —I always have—cared, Russell —you know that —” Pride made no difference now. "It was like you, Ruth, to be forgiving and call me up. I was just starting out for the house to come here, anyway, when they called jne back to the ‘phone. I’m sure mother thought I was insane, I was so happy and relieved —” “What do you mean—l never called you—l wouldn’t if I died —” “No, you precious goose,” said Janie impudently from the doorway. “I’m glad our voices are so much alike. My, didn’t he bite! I may be a fibber, but I’m not a gooselike you two —and I have no pride, personal or family, where it’s a matter of life and death. I am so glad you are out of one kind of misery—and into another! Shall I tell mother you’ll stay for dinner, Russell?" "Tell her anything—so long as you clear out. Janie. You’re a nice person, but I really don’t want you just now, though 1 do owe you thanks for two. Shut the door after you!” Janie went, and went singing. She met her mother on the stairs, and hugged her outrageously. “Ruthle’s all right—they had a silly quarrel, and they’re making It up. Russell will be here to dinner. He is still sufficiently on the earth to consent to take food!" She danced away down the hall, and- the load lifted from the mother’s heart. Then she sighed—she bad no wish to lose her daughter, even by a happy marriage.

How a Woman Makes Home.

“Wherever a true woman comes, home is always around her. The stars may be over her head, the glowworms in the night cold gnus may be the fire a 4, her foot, but home is where she is, and a noble woman if stretches fax' around her, better than houses celled with cedar or painted with Vermillion. shedding its quiet light far far those who are homeless.” —Ruskln.

Two Attractive Costumes

Smart Russian Coat. —This would look well in material to match the skirt, or might .be made in tweed or serge to wear with any dress; it fastens down left side of front, where braid and buttons form a trimming; the turn-down collar and sleeves are trimmed to match. A black patent leather waisbband encircles the waist. Hat of. black satin trimmed with masses of white wings completes the costume. Materials required: Four yards 48 inches wide; yards silk for lining, nine buttons, one dozen yard's braid.

RAFFIA HAT FOR WINTER

Sounds Rather Unseasonable for Frigid Weather, but Is All Right i at That. The raffia hat will do very good service for evening wear even now. But what it is' chiefly designed for is evening make —in other words, a very pleasant and profitable way to spend the Idle hours that come, more or less frequently, to all of us. The hat is of braided raffia, natural colored or dyed, and made by hand from beginning to end. First, it is plaited in long strips, just as tightly and as evenly as possible. When you have about two dozen of your - thin “pigtails,” start sewing them together, round and round, forming the crown first. A paper pattern, cut out from any broad picture hat you may have, will serve as a model. By thus braiding and sewing at the same time you can get an idea of how much raffia you will need. When you get to the brim, plait more loosely, as the “floppy” effect is picturesque and desirable. Lined with silk, the raffia hat makes a charming frame for a young face. The older women may desire something more in the line of a turban. This Is obtained by braiding loosely and winding the raffia round and round upon Itself. Of course, if you wish, you may work over a wire or canvas foundation, but where stiffening really seems necessary it Is best to give It by means of milliner’s wire, which can be sewed Just where needed. The fashionable turbans nowadays, which fasten way down over the ears, and are so soft and close-fitting that they need no pins to hold them, seem to cry aloud for raffia as their material. There are great possibilities here for the clever woman.

SOME SEWING MACHINE HINTS

Little Annoyances That May Be Avoided If These Tips Are Followed. When much machine work has to be done, filling the shuttle is a constant annoyance. This can be partly obviated by threading the shuttle with finer cotton than that used on the needle. The sewing will be quite as strong and the shuttle will not need refilling half so often as It wohld if threaded with the same number of eotton as the needle, because the bobbin will hold a great deal more of the finer cotton. > If you want your sewing machine to do satisfactory work, remember that it needs to be kept clean. After every ten hours’ work it needs oil; but all surplus oil most be carefully wiped off afterward. Always work It steadily and never start or stop with a Jerk. The best way to finish off a machine seam is to turn the material rpund and stitch back for about ad inch. This saves tying the ends of cotton, which is annoying work and takes up a good deal of time If there are many seams.

Use for Tennis Racket.

An old tennis racket, threaded with stout cord, makes the best kind of flower rack for trailing plants that need a frame. ''Cut off half the handle, sharpen the end and drive It Into the flower po^

Dinner Dress.—Apricot Korean crepe makes an exceptionally pretty dress carried out to this simple design. Both the over and underskirts are trimmed with wide and narrow insertion to match. The bodice has the sleeves cut in with it, and is trimmed with a strip of insertion over the shoulders, also at edge of sleeves; the under sleeves „are of fine lace to match yoke. Materials required: Ten yards crepe 22 inches wide, one yard lace, yards silk and five yards narrow insertion.

NOVELTY IN CUT OF SKIRTS

Smartly Cut Garment That Has Many .* Points That Will Appeal to tho Fancy. This smartly cut tight-fitting coat has a panel down center of back and one each side front, which meet in the middle where fastening is formed by buttons sewn on each side and connected with loops of cords; a

Long Coat.

band is cut in with front panels and is carried round waist to back panel. The large collar is braided. Felt hat trimmed with a large silk bow. Material required: Four and onehalf yards 48 Inches wide, one dozen yards braid, four and one-half yards silk or satin for lining to waist, eight buttons, one and one-half yard cord.

Girl and Her Complexion.

A clear complexion and a line skin are the gifts of nature, but they may be,marred to a great extent by injudicious foods. Just as an ordinary complexion and skin may be considerably improved in appearance by carefully chosen diet. Strong tea and coffee, taken frequently, rob the skin of its whiteness and the complexion of its freshness and clearness, while milk’ and water are in every way beneficial to health and beauty. The girl who drinks milk instead of the darker bevi erages will keep her completion pur* and fair, and if she does not wish to sacrifice her good looks to her palate she will eat charily of rich, fat foods, cheese, cakes, pastries, sugar and *o on and take freely of fruits and gnws vegetable*.

OUT-SLITTERS HIS GUTTER

Young Man Proud of His Diamond Got In Wrong Car at Wrong Tlmo. It was plainly evident to one and all that the young man seated down about the center of the car bad a new diamond ring in which be took a heap of pride. For some moments he sat with the rins-bearing hand on his thigh where he could get a view of it and shower his admiration on the karat-and-something stone. Then he began to polish the gem on the leg of his trousers, after which he went further and cleaned the dust from tne innards of the setting with a toothpick. He got to fretting lest other passengers should not share with him the joy of feasting their eyes on the solitaire. It represented all the earnings for several months, but he was willing that others should feast their eyes on its glitter free of charge. So he raised his hand to his mouth, and scratched at one of his teeth, that all might see. Now while this was going on, an older man across the aisle was getting more fidgety every minute. He looked as if he’d have given a whole lot for the privilege of pasting the young man opposite him one in the eye. But as that seemed likely to cause excitement among the other passengers, he took another means of getting rid of Young-Man-Proud-of-His-Diamond. He reached in his pocket and produced a heavy manila envelope from which he took- a couple of dozen diamond rings. These he proceeded to put on, about two to a finger, until his hands looked like a Christmas display in a jewelry store. Furthermore, he took out a big diamond horseshoe —an affair large enough for the hoof of a yearang colt, It seemed, and pinned It on the lapel of his coat. It was some moments before the young man who’d planted his entire fortune in a ring happened to look up and see the display opposite. When he did his face looked like that of a man who had Just seen something when there wasn’t anything there. He rang the bell—using his ringless hand, too —and got off at the next corner. Then the man across the aisle, who happened to be a jewelry salesman, put his samples back into his pocket and resumed the reading of his paper.

Most Valuable Timber.

Arthur J. Clair, the American consul at Georgetown, reports that green heart timber, which is plentiful in British Guiana, was used in the construction of the great lock gates in the Manchester ship canal, and that for the last fifty years all the lock gates in the Mersey harbor have been built of the same wood. It has been specified for use as sills and fenders In the lock gates of the Panama canal, and it is being extensively used in the new naval docks at Methil, Scotland. Leading authority says it is difficult to fix a limit to the durability of lock gates built of green heart; the only element in their construction limiting their age is the iron bolts and other fastenings, usually renewed without serious difficulty. While rebuilding the gates of Canada docks in 1894 it was found that green heart, after thirty-eight years’ use, was as good as at first, and it was again used in the construction of new gates. Every wharf in the port of Georgetown is built on green heart piles, which successfully withstand the attack of the pile worm. Teak, or oak, or any other hard wood, would be destroyed in a few years. The Immunity of green heart from the teredo is said to be due to the large quantity of the alkaloid bebeerine found only in this wood.

Pure Air Pneumonia’s Foe.

Doctor Neff, Philadelphia’s director of health, believes in keeping his department constantly in the public eye. He is out with a circular warning the Quakers of the dangers of pneumonia and telling them how to prevent' it. “Ventilation Is the keynote of prevention from pneumonia, whether in office, public building, sitting room or bedroom,” says Doctor Neff. “Day and night pure air should be breathed. The old superstition that the breathing of night air is conducive to disease has been eliminated from the minds of nearly all by public education, with the exception of a few of our foreign population, who still believe that some diseases are spread by the breathing of night air. As a matter of fact, the night air is purer than the day air, as there is less black smoke belching from cblmney stacks and locomotives and less dust in the air, owing to reduced street traffic; so windows should be opened both top and bottom tn every sleeping room.”

No Gentleman.

“That young Pufferiy is the rudest person I ever saw,” said one young woman. ”1 reminded him that w* were standing under the mistletoe.” “And what did he do**’ asked the o*her. « . “And what did he do?” asked the other. “He simply smiled, and said: ‘By Jove! The joke’s on me.”**

It Worked Well.

“How is the new filing system? Success?” asked the agent of the merchant to whom he had sold a "system” a few days before. “Great!” said the merchant. . “Good,” said the agent, rubbing hla hands. “And how is business ?” “Business?" echoed the merchant, “Ob, we have stopped business to at* tend to the filing system.”

STORY OF A GOOSE

MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE AND REMARKABLE RESCUE. • Fowl Tumbles Down a Well. Is Solxod: by a Snake and Then Gigantic Hawk Appear* on Scene. At Mount Lebanon In Bienville parish, Louisiana, there was maintained! during the Civil war a laboratory forp the preparation of medicines to bej used in the Confederate service. To> supply the water needed a deep well! was dug. After the war all the buildings connected with the laboratory! were destroyed by fire and the wellj remained yawning and uncurbed. Thus for many years it remained, tor, no one used it and it was no one’s, business to fill it or to cover It over. A pine wood grew up about it and the well long served as a pitfall for animals that strayed in that direction. When a cow or a pig or any other animal disappeared from the neighboring town it was commonly remarked that the animal was “at the bottom of the well,” and that was the last said about it. One day a fine goose which belonged to a well-known man In the vicinity strayed off in the morning and in the evening her brood of goslings came cheeping back without her. It was surmised that the goose might have fallen into the well. Two days afterward the owner of the goose, rifle in hand, on his why to Join a hunting party, passed near the old well and noticed that a large hawk appeared to be greatly interested in something that was going on in the well. The hawk circled round and round above the opening, dived into it, reappeared screaming and went down again. After a succession of such movements the hawk finally emerged from the well with a great white load in his talons,. It was the missing goose, and the goose, to Its owner’s astonishment, had a long black snake hanging from her beak. A shot from the rifle brought the trio to earth and the man set about solving the mystery. The snake appeared to have attempted to swallow the goose, head first, for her beak was sticking in his throat so that he could not get away, nor could she get rid of him. Evidently after her fall down the well the goose had found a foothold on a bit of curbing and had there been attacked by' the snake, with the singular result described. ’ In that predicament she had been pounced upon by the hawk. The owner killed the snake, bagged the hawk and restored the goose to the bosom of her grateful family, for she was little the worse for her extraordinary series of adventures. The hawk was a pretty big fellow, measuring almost five feet from tip to tip of its outstretched wings.

Can’t Judge by the Voice.

One of the duties of a certain clerk in a Philadelphia drug store is to telephone advertisements to a certain newspaper. About the softest voice that the clerk ever heard is always at the other end of the wire. After he had phoned a dozen times or so he began to get a little more familiar, and after that he carried cm quite a flirtation with the stranger in the newspaper office. By and by he sent around candy, a box a week. The soft voice would always tell him how good it was the next day, and this was compensation enough. But he longed to see the possessor of the voice. He said so, but the owner told him he would have to be satisfied with hearing the voice. It was a mighty soft voice. The other day the clerk took, the situation into his own hands and dropped into the newspaper office. He asked a red-headed, freckled kid at the switchboard who took down the ads? “I do," said Reddy. And beside all else, the clerk had spent $6.75 for candy!

Wisdom of a Husband.

A man' who IJived in a suburban town was asked’ by his wife to help with the shopping by buying her a shirtwaist while he was in the city. Later a saleslady said to him as she displayed a numbei 1 : “Here are some very pretty ones. >Vhat color do you prefer?" "It doesn't make any difference,” replied the husband. "I believe she would like this one," returned the saleslady. "What slse do you went?" "It doesn’t make any difference," was the surprising answer.-*"" "Doesn't make any difference?" exclaimed the wondering saleslady. “I should think It Would make a whole lot of difference.” "O. no, It doesn’t!" Insisted the wise husband. "No matter what color I got her or what else I got her I would have to come back tomorrow anyhow and have it exchanged.”—-Ladles’ Home Journal a

Webster Pudding.

One cup molasses, one cup of milk, one-half cup melted butter, one-half cup of bready or wine, one teaspoon of soda, one teaspoon of cinnamon, cloves and a Utile nutmeg, one pound currants, and a little salt. Mix aa soft as pound cft« and steam or boil two hours. Hard or wine sauce. Dae only half the recipe for small family and currants to suit. What la Jest owe* can be steamed over and over.