Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1913 — Page 2

AT THE ROAD'S END

!Young Teacher and Her Pupils Soften the Heart of an Irascible Old Bachelor.

By CLARIBSA MACKIE. •, “A cross-country walk,” Announced Miss Molly Dale'to her assembled pupils. “How many children would like to go with me?" Fourteen hands fanned the air vigorously while the remaining hands In the room wanted to wave assent •Iso, but gaturday morning brought household tasks, chores for the boys and music lessons for many. "Very well. Those who would like to go with me can meet me here at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. You must be on time for I have an engagement after dinner and must be home at noon. School Is dismissed.” Saturday morning found the eager fourteen at the schoolhouse warmly equipped for a tramp across the snowy fields. When Miss Dale appeared they set up a shout of welcome for the teacher who was a pretty sight in her short blue skirt and sweater with crimson tarn o’ shanter that matched the red of her lips. Color warmed her cheeks and her dark eyes shone softly. She looked like a little girl._ “Now, we are ready. 1 shall go ahead and lead the way. Four boys next —then the girls—and the rest of the boys to bring up the rear. Remember, boys, you are to look out for j the girls and help them over the rough places. The boys grinned sheepishly and the little girls giggled together until the group straightened out. into a long Hne across the schoolyard. \ It was only a light snow that ha€ fallen and with every thump of their sticks the pedestrians struck the frozen ground beneath. In the - woods the trees creaked in the light wind and sent powdery whiteness down to sting their faces;

Now and then a rabbit scurried •cross the snow or a squirrel poked bright eyes out of some safe retreat. In places where the sun struck warmly one could glimpse trails of green *nd dots of red where the partridge berries grew. Presently Molly turned Into an old wood road that led no one remembered where. It Is great fun to explore unknown roads and all the children skipped Joyfully. Undoubtedly they would come out Into some snowy field and that meant a tramp through the untracked whiteness —perhaps startling a flock of quail—over fences or under them. V A barbed wire fence snarled across their way and they got over it and under It somehow, and found that they bad lost the wood road. This was all the better. Suddenly a laurel hedge loomed before them and with a wild whoop the group separated and broke through. Miss Molly smiled and trailed after them. When she looked around for her pupils she saw to her dismay that they were romping and racing about the grounds of a hafltfffsome house. Surely she had seen that house before —from a different angle. Suddenly she gasped for breath. Now Bhe knew! It was the home of Mr. Jared Smithers —Irascible old bachelor and one of the trustees of the school. Beyond the rolling snow-covered lawns, through the trunks of the noble trees, Molly could see the high, prim greenery of the hpdge that shut the house from the village street. Somehow —she had blundered. This escapade meant farewell to another year’s teaching in the Glen Hollow school and Molly did like her position r so much. Desperately she darted down past the house in a mad desire to gather her shouting flock and rush them out of the yard. As she flew past a trim little summer house a long arm shot out of the door and caught her arm. Molly screamed in surprise and when she saw her captor she became quite limp in his strong grasp. It was Mr. Smithers, peering nearsightedly at her. He wore a house coat and thin slippers and his thick brown hair was tossed wildly about his head. ■ "Little girl," he roared crossly, "what are you doing in my yard—ehr “I—l don’t know," stammered Molly feebly. She squirmed under his clutch. "You are hunting my arm, air," she added. *1 beg your pardon,” he said ;gruflly. He released her at once but still he glared down at her drooping little figure. "What are you doing here —and those others? Are they your brothers and sisters?" Molly stared aghast at the fourteen and then a smile crinkled her lips and the corners of her brown eyes. "No, sir,” she said demurely, "they are tay children.** "What?TTutut —tut —what do you , mean? Ah, I see, you are playing a Joke upon me—well, clear out, all of you. riaht now;** Molly hesitated. Now was her chance to vanish with her innocent pupile; if Mr. Smithers had not recognised in her the teacher of the fourth grade whom he had barely noticed, why they would all escape judgment and punishment for trespassing. But Molly was feminine —and somehow she did not relish being treated so cavalierly W any man. old or young. She risked dismissal when she lifted bar brown eyes so Innocently to his and said reproachfully;

“I am afraid that you do not recog nice me, Mr. Smitherm.” “Why—why—” he bent down- testily and looked at her through his glasses. What little girl was this that spoke in such a grown-up way? •Who are you?” . „ - “I am Miss Dale—£eacher of the fourth grade,” admitted Molly with a sinking heart. Mr. Smithers stared at her. That Is he stared until he happened to see the crinkly smile that still trembled on her lips. One could not say that he Bmiled in return. But his lips did relax .their grim lines and a queer look came into his blue eyes. “Miss Dale, eh? Well, what’s all this?" Molly told him with a sweet little dignity that somehow melted a hard, knotty place in his heart. 1 “We did not mean to trespass—we will-go at once, Mr. Smithers.” she concluded, moving away from him. “Wait,” he commanded, and then, grinning in rather a shame-faced way, he went on: ’ "I’m afraid I frightened you and er—if you’re out for a good time, why, let the youngsters slide there on the ice if they want to. I’ll have Mrs. Powell, my housekeeper, hurry dinner along and they can stay. Perhaps you’d like to come in and see my pictures and books?” Molly’s heart was dancing wildly, but she put on a little prim, schoolma’am air and shook her head.

“Thank you, Mr. Smithers, I will come in by and by with pleasure, but for the, present I will remain with the children and see that they do no harm to your lovely grounds." Mr. Smithers assented reluctantly and went into the house while Molly hastened to the wondering children and told them the startling news. At first therp was an inclination for wild flight, but when Mr. Smithers and his hired man appeared with two old bobsleds that had been found in the barn, they changed their minds. They also changed their opinion of the gruffness of Mr. Smithers, for now, clad in thick boots and warm sweater, he coasted with them down the steep hill back of the house and quite forgot that he was a school trustee and a woman hater. Molly grew pinker and prettier and happier every moment and after they had eaten a delicious dinner in the big dining room they all trooped into the library, where Mr. Smithers wound up the talking machine and they had a feast of fun and rare music. It was almost dusk when they Jjade their host good-bye and they stood before the house and gave three lusty cheers and he waved his hat frantically in response. Somehow, that day, Jared Smithers had found his Jost youth. In spite of this day of pleasure and many others that fell to the little school teacher, Molly Dale did not come back to teach in the Glen Hollow school, for when June came she had promised Jared Smithers that when her wedding clothes were made she would return to Glen Hollow as his wife. (Copyright, 1918, by the McClure New»- ... paper ■ Syndicate.}

LEFT THE DRUGGIST GASPING

Youth Drove Bharp Bargain, but According to Agreement, He Was Entitled to a Guess. Nicholas J. Pizagno, superintendent of the Southwark postal station, in telling how he was called to the phone in the middle of the night some time ago and effusively thanked for the receipt of a letter, said that his emotions for a minute or two were similar to those recently experienced by a druggist friend of his. The druggist, in order to stimulate trade, according to Mr. Pizagno, placed a jar of beans in his show window, together with a card announcing that every purchaser would be entitled to a guess as to how many beanß the jar contained, and that a handsome prize would be given the party nearest correct. One afternoon a young man, evidently from the country, happened along, glanced in the Bhow Window, and then entered the store. “I see you are givin’ away a prize for guessin’ them beans,” he remarked to the proprietor. “Kin I git a guess with any kind o’ purchase?” “Oh, yes,” was the smiling reply of the druggist “We don’t make any discrimination in the article you buy.” “All right, then,” was the prompt response of the youth, “there’s Jes’ about 2,342 beans in that jar. Gimme a 2-cent postage stamp.”—Philadelphia Telegraph.

"Fierce."

A Cleveland man who makes a practice of choosing his words with care, a practice which he has endeavored into the family circle, made a ‘memorandum of the misused words uttered by his son and daughter during a recent breakfast. Here 1b the result: Elegant, nineteen times. Awful, eleven times. Dandy, six times. Pierce, four times. Great, two times. When the meal was over the head of the household called the family around him in the library and gravA ly read the totals to them. “Gee, that’s fierce!” said the son. "Isn’t it awful!” Bald the daughter. —Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Floating Around.

“I can’t understand where our Tommy picks up this bad language.” “Maybe It’s that amateur wireless station of his.”

TAFT AND ROOSEVELT AGAIN

Here is a new Taft and a new Roosevelt, both connected with the new administration, the former as a newspaper correspondent covering the executive offices, and the latter, Franklin K. Roosevelt (wearing the hat) an assistant secretary of the navy. Both are related distantly to their more famous namesakes. t ' .

COINS TO NICARAGUA

Money Is Shipped from New York to the Capital.

Funds Bent on Steamer Are In Bllver and Copper Will Replace the Discredited Paper Now' in Circulation.

New York.—Wheb the steamship Panama, bound for the port of Panama, sailed from her pier in the North River she carried cointf to the value of over SIBO,OOO, which are destined for Nicaragua, and form part of a project of putting the currency of that republic on a new and solid basis. The coins are packed in some sixtyfour boxes and twenty-five “drums.” They are entirely copper and silver. They will be transshipped acroßS the isthmus and thence by steamer to Managua, the capital, on the weal coast. ~

The coins and paper money as well will be put in circulation, and will gradually replace the old depreciated paper currency of the country. In the course of the next few weeks over SIOO,OOO in money will be shipped to Bluefieids, on the Atlantic coast, so that the money will be put into circulation practically simultaneously. At about the same time a load of bank notes issued by the new National Bank of Nicaragau will also be shipped to the country. Not only will the general value of the Nicaraguan currency be changed in the course of the next few months, but the denominations of the currency will be entirely altered Hitherto the standard coin of the country has been the peso, originally worth about 20 cents, which has been depreciated by constant and reckless Issues of paper money, till,-two years ago, its value was 5 cents. The new national coinage, and also the paper currency, will be modeled on the American system. The standard will be the “cordoba,” a silver coin equal in value to an American- dollar. The smallest banknote will be the one-cordoba bill; the silver will be of the same denomination as the American, with the addition of a copper half-cent This shipment is the most substantial accomplishment of a two years’ campaign to reform the financial condition of Nicaragua. The firm of J. ft W. Seligman Co. of 1 William street, which first understock to help finance the republic in 1911, has advanced the money necessary for the issuing of the new currency, having among other

CHINA WANTS DEATH CHAIR

Specifications of Machine for Killing i Criminals Bent to Canton by Constructor.

Trenton, N. J. —Information was sent across the sea from the newest to the oldest civilization of the world regarding the humane execution of criminals, when Carl F. Adams, constructor of electric death chairs, sent to China specifications for a modern electrocuting apparatus. Mr. Adams, of the Adams Electric company, received a letter from the Colonial store, 58 Sha Kee street. Canton. China, telling him that one of the highest officials in Canton wanted InformatiOn about electric chairs. The Colonial store 16 kept by J. B. Cheeny, and his letter, in back hand, is couched in excellent English. The letter was addressed to Montgomery, Ward ft Co., of Chicago, and by that house sent to Captain J. B. Wood, superintendent and warden of the Richmond, Va., penitentiary. As Mr. Adams Installed one of his chairs for the state of Virginia, Captain Wood forwarded the letter to the Trenton man. It was about six years ago when Mr. Adams designed and installed an electric chair in the state prison here. It has worked without a bitch for

securities, a certain percentage on the Import duties into the country, to be collected Dy one of Its own agents— They recommended, first, that before any new money was introduced into the country a large part, at least, of the old paper currency should be summarily destroyed. This advice has been taken, and up to date a sum of $12,000,000 paper currency has been burned, and many millions more will meet tbe feame fate. The agents, it is said, commonly used the fireboxes of railroad locomotives as incinerators. This is said to be the nearest the Nicaraguan railroads have ever come to being run on Nicaraguan capital. By this means the rate of exchange has been lowered nearly 50 per cent and the paper peso is now worth the sum of 8 cents, gold, which rate will remain.

The new money will be-gradually given out as the old paper currency is called in, and 12% pesos will be received in exchange for one silver cordoba. It is not expected that the ignorant people will take to the new system without suspicion, accustomed as they are to vast fluctuations in the currency, but the intelligent people and the business classes will probably take the new money without hesitation.

Boy Lost His Life for a Hat.

Fort Smith, Ark. —Gerold Venecy, 11 years old, while trying to catch his father’s falling hat, fell from a lumber wagon and was crushed to death under the wheels near Ozark.

LOVE DUKE’S AMERICAN WIFE

Chief Interest of Duchess of Marlborough Is the Welfare of Humbler Ciasaea.

London. —"It a vote were taken among the poor as to who is the most popular lady in London, Queen Alexandra probably would be first, but the duchess of Marlborough a close second, for the interest which she takes in the welfare of the humbler classes is not spasmodic. It'has become her chief interest in life and, like a genuine American, she insists on doing as much personally as he time will permit, Instead of following the easier English way of doing good by proxy. Recently she/has been very much taken up with the working of "Albion

more than seventy electrocutions. He has also installed a similar machine in the penitentiary of South Carolina.

RESTORE OLD MEETING HOUSE

Bouth Structure in Boston Has Its Ancient Features Again After Paint Is Washed Off.

Boston, Mass. —If those British dragoons who sailed away from Boston 137 years ago could return to the scenes of their riding exploits they would probably recognize the Old South meeting house as it has emerged today from beneath the drab paint of nearly a century. The historic edifice was built in 1726 of red brick, but for some' reason which does not appear on its records the outside walls were painted in the spring of 1816. The meeting house narrowly escaped destruction in the big fire of 1872 as well as a few years later, when an association was hurriedly formed to prevent its being supplanted by a business block. The success which attended the efforts of the state in bringing out the ancieqt features of the old statehouse, farther down Washington street, by washing -off the paint prompted the 'Old South association to follow, and the last trace of paint was removed.

BOY PLEADS FOR LIFE

In Terror of Turkish Butchers, Child Writes to U. S. Relatives.

Ottomans, Repulsed by Allies, Visit Wrath Upon the Christian Natives, Who Have No Escape—Youth Appeals to Grandmother.

Chicago.—Atrocities more revolting than those practiced upon Christians in the days of Nero are being visited upon Christian natives of Armenia, according to a vivid first-hand description that .has reached Chicago. A pathetic plea for rescue from a terrible death has been sent by a little eleven-year-old Armenian boy whose grandmother and aunt have fled the country and have arrived in Chicago. Supplemented by the knowledge of an aunt, Miss Elizabeth Dombourajian, who is staying at a missionary training school at 4949 Indiana avenue, the boy’s letter indicates that the Balkan war has turned into a frenzied religious conflict. The Turks, who are being driven out. of Europe by the Christians of tbe Balkan states, are wreaking vengeance upon the Armenians. Scores of American citizens who have married Armenians are in as grave danger as the Armenians themselves, Miss Doinbourajian declared. The letter, written by Arsen Megerditchian, and sent from Armenia, is as follows: “My Dear Grandma: - Though I have not seen you I like to write to you. Because you are the mother of my darling mother. We are happy at home, but outside our condition is so bad that I do not know how to tell you. Cholera is one side, the Turks another side, the famine another; where shall we ruh? Thousands are leaving; we like to run away also, but in what way can we get away and how? “Now we warn you if something happened and we died then our sins will be upon your shoulders. “\£a are in constant fear. ‘Tomorrow we will kill you’ (is a common saying). We cannot bear any longer. Do quick and take us there. “Would you like if the heads of your grandsons were pulled off? If you do not, hurry up. Grandma, take ub there quick. “Till this letter reaches there it will be Christmas .to you, so I kiss your hands. “Grandma, don’t you have any friends who would lend_us ten Turkish pounds? I promise to pay back as soon as I come. We cannot stay here any longer. Your grandson. “ARSEN MEGERDITCHIAN." Tbe boy Is the son of Rev. Thomas Megerditchlan, a secretary in the British legation at Dierbekir. As the wages paid to native assistants in the foreign legations of Armenia are extremely small, and little Arsen has many brothers and sisters, the father in spite of his anxiety has been unable to get the money necessary to get bis family out of the country. Rev. Johnston Myers took up the case of the distressed family. He expects to do what he can in assisting to raise S6OO, which would be required to get little Arsen, his brothers, sisters and mother safely to America.

House,” established in the heart of Kensington laundrydom, to help poor washerwomen and other humble female toilers. This house was until quite recently a saloon, but is now a

Duchess of Marlborough.

residential club and restaurant run by the National Association of Women’s Lodging Houses. The duchess dropped into the club the other day to have afternoon tea with the Inmates and greatly enjoyed a large cup of tea and two “sinkers,” supplied at the reasonable price of one penny. When she went' away there was not one of the woman or girls who would not go through fire or water for the American duchess.

Caesars Had Elevators.

London. —The Daily Mall’s Rome correspondent says that Professor Bonl, who has been carrying out excavations on the site formerly occupied by the palace of the Caesars on the Palatine hill, has proved that at least three large lifts were used In the palace, enabling tbe Roman emperors to ascend from tbe Forum to tke top of the Palatine. One. shaft, which has not yet been completely cleared of the debris and rubbish which Incumbered It, Is 12V feet deep.

CAMP FIRE STORIES

B/friLE AT SAVAGE* STATION Part the United Btatee Artillery Took! In That Fight—General Bumner Led Brigade Himself. I was a member of Battery A, 4thj U. S. Artillery, and was In the seven: days’ battle. ” When we Just left thei breastworks, our supply depot was burning. We continued on to the peach ' Orchard, about one-half mile from there, writes Rody Landugan, Battery A, 4th U. 8. Artillery, of Greenwood, Cal., in the National Tribune. We went in battery, and ten minutes after taking our position we } saw three rebel brigades advancing. We fired about twenty rounds of canister at them and repulsed them several times. We had no Infantry support then, as It had gone on to Savage station. De had to limber up, as they were fiahking us. We came on a gallop to Savage station, where we .met General Sumner and the Irish brigade. Sumner said: “Hazzard, you have done well. Take a position here, and hold It until you get orders from me.” Sumner led the brigade hlmsblf at . Savage station, and In less than ten minutes he was coming back, the enemy being too strong for him to hold his position. We stayed at Savage station all night,-as we got no orders from General Sumner to retire. Whdn our captain got up in the morning and saw we were surrounded by the enemy,; he said, “They have sacrificed my battery to save themselves,” and, calling to the men to stand to gun, commenced to fire. We fired about six rounds, then limbered up andi went on a gallop to White Oak swamp. The bridge was burning when we got there. Our captain led the way across the burning bridge, and we all got safely across. We went into battery with the: Irish brigade to support us. We commenced to cook our breakfast, and about the time our meal was being eaten two batteries opened, on ur. A stampede followed of the pontoon wagons, sutler’s wagons, baggage trains —most everything was driven from the field but our battery and the Irish brigade. In the stampede our cohorns and the majority of our men were taken away. We still had the six guns and the limber chest. The captain, General Meagher ahtf myself manned one piece. The captain was wounded, and gave orders te the battery to retire. The Irish brigade was then retreating. Our battery and the Irish brigade were all that were engaged at Peach Orchard, Savage Station and White Oak swamp. i * After our captain was wounded I took him to a white house in the rear of the battlefield, where we had to leave him. ’There he wrote a note to General Lee, telling me to take It to the road and nail it to a tree. He gave me his pocket handkerchief, tellJng me to wait there until I saw a rebel and wave the handkerchief at him and point to the tree. I think Captain Hazard was a graduate of the same class at West Point as General Lee. We heard afterward that .General Lee had him sent to Richmond In an ambulance. He was exchanged after he got well. No braver man ever commanded men than Hazzard.

He Didn’t Get It. In 1863, after the fall of Vicksburg, a man came to President Lincoln seeking an office. He had known Lincoln in the early ’6os, but had drifted south. He claimed to have always been a Union man, altfyoggh compelled to hide his sentiments until Vicksburg fell. He wanted an office and a good one, and he was very important “John,” said Mr< Lincoln, “when I was a young man I was invited to a dance. I remember that I bought a good new hat for the occasion, and I was very proud'to wear it to the dance; Well, I enjoyed myself so, much that I stayed very late, about the last one to leave, and as I was ready to go I said to the man rtho had charge of the coats and hats: ‘Zach, I wish you would bring me my hat.’ He brought me an old hat that had been worn for a long time. ’This isn’t my hat; I wore a new one,’ said I. ‘But, Mr. Lincoln,’ Bald he, ‘the new ones were all gone two hours ago.’ ’’

y Politics In Wartims. “Is Alderman Clancy a friend of your family?” asked Mrs. Flynn. “He Is not," answered Mrs. Groogan. ‘‘Before ellctlon' he promised to git me b’y Patsy a Government Job. and after the ellctlon he directed me boy to a recruiting office.” — i ' .. n .■■■ # • Why Pat Refused. “Why don’t you carry a knapsack. Pat?” “An’ phwat for should 01 carry a knapsack?” “To put your clothes In." “An’ go naked T An Irish Recruit’s Height. “What's your height?” asked the recruiting officer of an Irish recruit. “The man that measured me tould me ut was solve feet tin or tin feet foive,” replied Pat; “I am not exaotly ■ore which.”