Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 197, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1911 — Page 2

Her Clothes—and His

Ruby Welts jumped up hurriedly when the train pulled into the station at New Rochelle. The usual crowd of week-end visitors tilled the aisles and Ruby was only one of hundreds who picked up a suit case and- escaped to the less crowded platform. Mrs. Hobbes was at the station to meet her. When their greeting was over, hostess and guest jumped into a wilting carriage and were whirled away over the country roads. John Wade and his host Billy Avery had also jumped from the same train and were likewise being driven over the country roads toward the Avery house. ■ ■ ■' '■ “What’s doing tonight?” asked Wade. “It’s rather unusual to have to bring dress clothes out here, old man." “Dinner at the Sutcliffe’s —fashionable people you know —and the big dance at tbe club.” "Looks good to me,” laughed Wade. “Are there some good-looking girls in store f "Sure, and I understand from my wife that Mrs. Hobbes has a peach out with her this week. You’ll meet her anyway." “We have to make more or less of a rush for it, won’t we?” Wade laughed. *T mean, of course, the dinner.” “Oh, we’ll make it In good time—here we are now.” The two men got out —Avery insisting on carrying his guest’s bag. After his greeting to Mrs. Avery, Wade was shown to his room, there to prepare for the dinner party. The first thing he did was to open his suit case that his evening clothes might not be unduly creased. “Great Scott!” be ejaculated. ’Tve picked up the wrong suit case! Oh, I say, what a stunning frock!" Wade lifted out a goum of" exquisite yellow chiffon. His heart tripped up several beats when he carefully took out the next garments. They were qf foamy white and all drawn with creamy satin ribbons. It seemed to Wade that so many little fluffy bows were quite unnecessary yet—Wade drew In a deep breath of some delicate scent that clung to each garment. Next there was a pair of yellow slippern. And. last of all, he picked up a wreath of small yellow buds and a creamy pearl peeped from the center “What a regular beauty you must be!" Wade sank on the couch beside the feminine apparel and felt a peculiar Intimacy with the owner of the suit case. “I could kick myself for a blind idiot for having, unconsciously, deprived you of all these.” He looked at the initials bn the back of the silver brush. “IL W.’ could stand for most any kind of a girl, but I do hope your hair is red —that gorgeous sparkling red. I would like to place this wreath on it this minute. If ever we meet —I will never forgive you for having black hair to wear with this costume.” / A knock sounded on Wade’s door. Avery’s head popped in. “Oh, I say—aren’t you nearly ready? What in the “Yes —Oh, yes—l’m ready—just come In and have a look at what I’ve brought in the way of evening clothes for the dinner-dance!" “Great Scott, man! We are almost due at the Sutcliffe’s now.” “I’m sorry, old man, but you will have to go without me —I’ve picked up the wrong bag in that beastly crowded train!” Avery’s sense of humor prevailed. He roared. Wade joined in. “I’ll go and speak to my wife,” laughed Avery. “We’ll have to fix you up somehow. I think my wife’s father had a dress suit at one time. He was some thirty pounds smaller than you.” “Beat IL" put in Wade. "I’ll not go to a dinner in somebody’s hand-me-downs!"

"You’ve got to! Mrs. Sutcliffe would never forgive my wife if she were the cause of an empty chair at one of her dinner*!" Wade sighed hopelessly as Bill Avery made his exit laughing uproariously. Meantime Mrs. Hobbes sat on the edge of the bed In her guest chamber and talked through tears and laughter to the huddled mass of femininity that was Ruby Wells. "You must go. Ruby. She would never forgive me. My red dress won't look so bad—* "Alice Hobbs! How can you sit there and suggest that I wear brilliant flaming red with this scarlet hair of mine—besides—we would have to use a dozen safety pins!" Ruby Wells would have resorted to tears, but for the effect on nose and eyes. Underneath it all the humor of the situation was trembling Into mirth. Finally she laughed“All right, Alice —make a scarecrow of me If you want to. I’ll do as you •ay and If I don’t make an impression on some man It won’t be your fault.” Alice went off smilingly to get her evening drees and slippers for her guest Ruby picked up an Immaculate pair of dress trousers. "Humph! You are •lee and Mg anyway—l'm awfully lorry I was so perfectly silly as to take up the wrong suit case. I rather like your pearl studs " She picked up • large box of candy. "I’ve a good notton to give this to Alice. The one to my own case te exactly the same, and you could give mine to your hoeA half hour later, the guests at Mrs. Ratcliffe’s, well, bred though they

By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

looked up in amazement as Mrs. Hobbs and her guest were announced. They had had a similar shock when Billy Avery entered with John Wade. The latter looked up when Ruby Wells entered and was being introduced. "Great Scott! What excruciating taste!" he whispered to Billy Avery. “And look at the hang of the dress—it hikes up ln‘ front —’’ “Rather the same effect as your vest—isn’t it?” covertly suggested Avery. “And It’s pinned in at the waist, I know—" went on Wade, waxing into a white heat “Is this the peach you spoke of?" "Must be—” Even Avery was taken aback. “Sh! Here she is." ■- “Hello,/ Billy!” Mrs. Hobbs shook hands with Avery. The introductions took place and Wade made room for Ruby Wells at his side. He couldn’t help himself from falling into the snare of her charm. It would have been there if her gown had been yellow, red and green mixed. “I understand we are to be dinner partners,” she said with a twinkle gleaming from the deep gray of her eyes. She cast a quizzical glance at the length of arm and hand projecting below Wade’s coat sleeve. Another glance traveled over the shoulders which strove to proclaim their breadth notwithstanding the meager proportions of the coat. She looked up again and their eyes met Both strove to quell the laughter, but it was too much. They laughed until everyone tn the room cast startled glances in their direction. "What are we laughing at?” asked Ruby when John Wade’s eyes had ceased their* mockery** and her own had grown questioning. “To. be frank. Miss Wells," said Wade, “I laughed because your eyes made me, at my own predicament and because —well, because you are so hopelessly—a—well, out of harmony with the clothes you have on." Ruby bit her lips. He was so serious and apologetic. “If I am out of harmony—you must be out of tune. If I may have the impertinence to suggest it—a little sugar might coax that coat of yours to meet" "That’s right, laugh at a fellow because he has had the misfortune to pick up the wrong suit case —" "Suit case!” cried Ruby. “Are you the poor man whose bag I ran off with?" "I beg your pardon—l ran off with yours.” "Oh, very well —as the suit fits —" “But it doesn’t!” They laughed again. “And is my perfectly good maizecolored gown—’’ “Well, I would have said the things were yellow—” He stopped confused. The slow color mounted in Ruby’s cheeks. Try as he might, Wade could not turn his eyes* from the exquisite beauty. “I had pictured—just you—in that maize-colored gown," said Wade. “And perhaps,” said Ruby, “I had pictured—just you—in that evening suit.” Dinner was announced. Ruby and Wade arose and she put her band on his arm. Toward the end of dinner Ruby leaned near Wade and whispered, “I refuse absolutely to go to that dance tonight In this frock.” "So do I—in these clothes. But listen. Immediately after dinner I will order a carriage and you and I will make a hasty exit I will explain the circumstances to Mrs. Sutcliffe." "What are you going to explain?" asked Ruby with wide open eyes. “That you and I are going to make ourselves presentable before the dance.” Two hours later Wade strolled impatiently about the drawing room at the Hobbs home. He straightened an already immaculately set tie and glanced at the perfect fit of his own evening clothes. Presently he heard a soft little swish on the upper landing of tbe stairs, and be went to the hall to meet Ruby Wells. His eyes lit up as she came down the stairs. The soft gown clung in graceful folds and her glorious Titian hair was crowned by a wreath of buds from which the pearls peeped. He took her hand as she came to the last step. “I cannot tell you how beautiful you are," he said while a slight tremer shook his voice. Ruby was on a level with him now and her large gray eyes lingered shyly on his face. The unspeakable answer was tn her eyes.

A Catastrophe.

"Here’s an account of a man who is going to have rabbit’s eye grafted on his own." "Good gracious! Suppose he bites everybody he sees with JL cabbage head!"

Fact and Wonder.

First Englishman—Do you know old Dodder has been knighted? Second Ditto—By George! First Englishman (surprised)--Of course.

Gave Her a Chance.

"I thought 1 was never going to get a word tn at the Watsons’ party, but that dear Mr. Steeple provided just the opportunity I needed."

India's Varied Hunman Types

T IE charm, as well as the problems, of India lies in Its most extraordinary variety. A flying politician, taken in hand by a Bengali, sees infinitely less in India than a British workingman sees of Germany conducted through manufacturing cities by a tariff reformer. It is a most foolish and a most dangerous thing for a mani oHltHe'imsemtiaiifr smaif imagination and no reflection to race through one or two Indian cities and then express himself on Indian politics with more authority than a man of science would speak of chemistry after a life of incessant investigation. It needs actual experience to appreciate this amazing variety of human types; and yet until this variety is realized in the mind of a European there can be no Intelligent understanding of anything that has to do with India. The very first thing a man must do who..would, form rational opinions on Indian politics or carry in his mind a true picture of Indian color and Indian feeling is to realize that the 300,000,000 of humanity comprising the empire of India are not one race or two races, but are 8,000 species of mankind as different from "each other as snakes from elephants, tigers from fireflies and mosquitoes from buffaloes. Directed by Handful of British. You cannot dogmatize about India. You can no more speak of India as one complete and single thing than you can exhaust botany by smelling a rose or paying sixpence for a bunch of lilies. India is infinite. A man with seeing eyes begins to perceive this baffling truth on his very first walk through a street, and he is at once on his guard in forming opinions, and most diffident in venturing to utter even the least uncertain of them. He who speaks .otjndia as a nation of Hindoos and Mohammedans would speak of tjje constellations as consisting of Orion and tfrsa Major.

There are many good people in England who think of Indians as two peoples, Hindus and Mohammedans, purposely kept apart and purposely held down by an immense army of proudful, iniquitous and atrabilious civil servants exported year by year by the India office. Let these good people bear in mind that the inhabitants of India represent 2,000 species of mankind, that not only is each species opposed socially and intellectually to the rest, but that they practice toward each other an ostracism which has never existed in England between the greatest Swellfoot and the most downtrodden hind; and, further, let him definitely apprehend and reflect upon this fact, that the whole company of British civil servants, including military officers holding civil appointments, is only 1,200. India is governed by Indians, a tremendous army of them, with just 1,200 British citizens at their head. One might far more truly saythat India employs a : handful of Englishmen to direct her own government than assert that England holds India in the grip of an iron hand. Influence of Caste Everywhere. I have seen nothing of violence or even rudeness on the part of Englishmen toward the natives; but I have no doubt that Instances of this kind could be cited and perhaps proved. I have seen, known and I see it every day I live in India, and every mile I travel in the courftry, instances of the most intolerable exclusiveness and appalling pride between native and native. Consider these two facts: A Brahmah priest will not visit a low caste person, however extreme his need; and a high caste doctor will not go to the bedside of a dying coolie. "Thanks be to God,” said to me a benevolent and educated Hindu, “for the hospitals set up for poor people by the British government** A postman will not deliver letters into the hands of a lower caste man than himself; he flings them down on the ground. Democracy has no expression whatever in India except through the government, which devotes all its

Riding a Buffalo.

labors to improving the material for* tunes of the poor. It is the abused civil servant who has given India an idea at all of democracy and it is the civil servant who governs for the many and the poor and the general welfare. At every railway station, even the smallest, you may see something of the infinite variety of Indian mankind. Men of noble stature and intellectual countenance, men to all intents negroid and bestial, men of Jewish character, men like Chinese, men black, brown, chocolate, yellow and almost white, move about among a womankind degraded to the lowest forms of labor and debased out of the likeness of humanity. - The turbans and loin cloths of the men are different; the fashion of wearing the hair is different; they eat different foods, worship different gods or devils, speak entirely different languages and will have no more relations one with another than exists between an English crow and a flying fish in the Red sea. The sects of Christendom are as one loving and united church as compared with the religions of India. Something like a quarter of the population of India, let us say 10,000,000 of men and women, are regarded as outcasts, helots and abomination by the other three-quarters. And these helots have their separating prides and customs. In every little village the outcasts live in a quarter of their own, and if they would worship a god, must make their own temple and employ a priest of their own order —a priest despised and loathed by the religious leaders. They are worse treated than the galled bullocks under the yoke of the transit bandy and they ill treat each other. Multitudes Ruled by a Despot. From the ascetic and refined native, who will not eat animals, down to the native who eats lizards and mice, and downward still to the native who lives upon the human corpses fished from the Ganges, there is in India every height and every depth of the human mind ever comprehended in the soul of Shakespeare or the heart of Dante. In England one might classify Englishmen with perhaps 200 temperaments. In India one has to speak to 2,000 different species. Reflect upon this fact until it is realized; reflect that the dense millions of India are races of men as various and disparate as the leaves -of a foreat, the birds of the air and the fishes of the sea; definitely possess the mind of the idea that between these groups of crowding humanity there are greater gulfs than anything which separates an intellectual Englishman from a Scandinavian peasant and you will be at the beginning of a trdv conception of India’s mystery and at the door through which a European must first pass truly to comprehend and feel her infinite charm and the sorcery of all her multitudinous glamour. Caste, you may be told, is breaking down in the cities. This is partly true, but only in A a general sense. And if caste broke down absolutely in all the cities it would not altar the truth of Sir Bamfylde Fuller’s statement For the cities are only specks on the map of India and the people who dwell there are but a child’s handful out of the 300,000,000 inhabitants. Something like 90 per cent of the population live on the land, and among these 270,000,000 the system of caste is not merely lieutenant governor or viceroy, but king of India, the one supreme and unquestioning obedience In rendered by all the peoples.

GEMS FROM VICTOR HUGO

There is always a pain attached to every pleasure. To bear eternal burdens is not the destiny of man. .*/• Crime is flattered by having virtue preside over it Childhood is so ineffable that one may unite all affection uponlt Often those terrible belligerents trample our vere souls in their mad conflict w If God meant man to go backward, he would have placed an eye in the back of his head. During the battle let us be the enemy of our enemies, and after the victory their brothers. ' <2 •- Nature in her immensity has a double meaning which dazzles great minds and blinds savage souls. The most sublime psalm that can be heard on earth is the lisping of a human soul from the lips of childhood. > What ■'’battle ground is the soul of man! We are given up to those gods, those masters, those giants—our thoughts. A good action might sometimes be an evil. He who saves the wt)lf kills the sheep. He who sets the vulture’s wing is responsible for his talons. What can one not pardon in a child? The innocence of his age makes one forget the crime of race; the feebleness of the creature chuses one to overlook the exaggeration of rank.

REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

Sinners are snivelers. There’s a heap of wisdom in being silly over children. Most people like money so much that they could revere any dog that had it The more successful a farmer is the lees credit he will give to the weather and the Lord. A pretty girl makes a fool of a man by appearing to give him a chance to make a fool of her. The noblest thing about a wife is the way she will keep on being one when she has learned better. S Religion is like medicine —some-/ thing that appeals to a man when he isn’t well and can’t have any fun. A man could let a thousand friends into a good thing without ever thinking of letting one of his own family in. When a girl who gets seasick is anxious to go out sailing with a man it’s a sign she is more anxious to get married. A man isn’t necessarily a fool at sixty, but he might as well be for all the influence he can have with men under thirty.—New York Press.

RAM’S HORN BLASTS.

The man who p*uly fears God is not much afraid of anybody else. God alone knows how much is lost when a child is started wrong. '■l ■■ The busybody and the scarlet sinner are classed together in the Bible. The Christian life that counts is the one that is full of hope and patience. Religion that is pure and undeflled works at the trade all the year round. Trying to make the world better is the best business anybody can go into. Confidence in God always * gives hope a, rock upon which to rest her feet There 4s no hard place in life for the man who makes the journey with Christ. The world is in more of a famine for sympathy than it ever was fdr bread. Every man is certain to hear the ■till small voice who is willing to obey it With all his wisdom, even Solomon couldn’t tell whht a boy would do next. —The Ram's Horn.

ANVIL STROKES.

No amount of thinking will stop the man who doesn’t stop to think. A really good man is nearly always a little better than he thinks people think he is. Love may live on a few scraps for its meals, but die on a few family scraps between meals. The man who makes a crooked path get to heaven in the end, but i those who follow after may not The foolish man thinks he can avoid meeting his obligations by turning his back on them.—W. J. B-, in Christian Herald.

A FAMILY BULLETIN BOARD

Dr. Samuel Johnson gave ns a quaint pair of phrases when he wrote that the death of Garrick “eclipsed the gayety of nations and impoverished s the public stock of harmless pleasure.” Yet there is needed a third that shall cover “diminishing a people’sdaily comfort,” to follow the Johnsonian style. , ’ There are so many little sins of omission or commission that give others discomfort or petty annoyance, writes Tudor Jenks in the Christian Endeavor World. I beg to otter a list that might well be posted on that “family bulletin board” that should hang in every front hallway: Dispose of your own burnt matches* broken needles or pins. Others Hke the brownest pancakes* Reading extracts is often boresome. Throw all waste paper into the basket. Good manners are a public benefaction. Have pencils, pens and paper of your own. Argument may offend even when It convinces. Put your book back into place on the shelves. The salespeople are not allowed to answer back. When making a call remember yon have a home. Hang up towels, dusters, polishing cloths and mops. Don’t borrow stamps or ask friends; for small change. Though your affliction may be great* it is not universal. A boy seldom whistles well enough to make it a treat. Remember that trifles use up others’* time as well as yours. . .. It is likely someone may be waiting for the telephone wire. Your best friend does not alwayslike your favorite book. Many things new to you have long been familiar to others. The rules of hygiene are not always a part of the Holy Scriptures. Keep a dog if you must, but don’t Impose thq animal on the whole neighborhood. The whole neighborhood has an interest in the neatness of your homegrounds. People don’t like to say, “Mind your own business," but they often think it unless we are careful. -*

THOUGHTS ON LOVE

Divine is love and scorneth worldly* pelf, And gan be bought w.lth nothing but' with self. —Sir Walter Raleigh. If a man should ask me to give a reason why I loved him, I find it could, not otherwise be expressed than by making answer, Because it was he, because it was I. There is, beyond all that I am able to say, an inexplicable and fated power, I know not what, that brought about this union.—Montaigne. True love is but a humble, low-born thing. And hath its food served up in enware;It is h thing to walk with, hand in hand, Through the every-dayness of this workday world. —Lowell.— I love thee as the good love heaven. —Longfellow. Love leads to present rapture then to pain; But all, through love, in time is healed again. —Leland. The pleasure of love is in loving. We are happier in the sentiment we feel than in what we arouse.—La. Rochefoucauld. But great loves to the last have pulsea red; All great loves that have ever died: dropped dead. —Helen Hunt.

UNCLE EZRA DISCOVERS THAT:

"A skyscraper never raises much uv a dust.” . _ - “The main trouble with loose change la that It’s gen'ly too loose.” "The man who depen’s on book farmin’ gen’ly hex more readin’ matter than produce.” miVhen opportunity knocks at some folks* doors the latchstring ’pears to be on the inside.’’ •The child bom with a sliver spoon In its mouth don’t begin life with the right kind uv vittlea.” “Makin’ a mountain out uv a molehill is all right pervidln’ they’s a Mg demand fur real estate."