Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 219, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 September 1915 — Page 3

The French Venice

The Etang de Berre is a huge inland sea in ' the South of France, 24 miles west of Marseilles. It ia only separated from the Mediterranean by about four miles of low-lying land, pierced by a sluggish stream. Where this stream leavgs the lake, in its southwesterly corner, stands Les Martigues, practically four small towns, one on either shore of the stream and two on islands in the channel. Altogether it is a town of 6,200 inhabitants, who seem mostly to be fishermen. Fishing on the lake, in the most picturesque lateen-rigged boats, and the making of fishing nets are the chief industries. The town of Martigues is spoken of as the “French Venice,” writes W. J. Clutterbuck in Country Life, for the old color-washed houses are built at the very edge of the waterways, and most of the traffic is by boat. There the resemblance naturally ends, however, for there are no magnificent churches or stately palaces to be reflected in the waters below them. Two fine churches there are, of which the people may well be proud, but’it is to the irregular old houses, the crazy boats, the great triangular sails and the piles of brown and red fishing nets that the little towns owe their popularity with painters of many countries. It requires no small amount of enthusiasm and determination to reach Les Martigueß, as the journey from Marseilles is slow and tedious, and carries one through an arid and unpromising country of low, treeless, limestone hills. When the shores of the great lake, the Etang de .Berre, .are reached and the little train puffs cautiously along its margin, one feels, Indeed, far from the busy world in a strange, wild region, where only water, sky, wind and birds can Interest one, with just a faint indication of "distant shores, which cannot be reached without much tribulation. At

one hour a limpid, opal sea, idle clouds reflected and distant sails scarcely filling with the light air; at the next how tragically changed can all the scene become —such ftngry waves, such lowering skies and our poor fishing fleet running at its swiftest pace for home and safety. Dangerous to Navigate. Being so near the Gulf of Lyons, and very large and shallow, the Etang is dangerous to navigate, and many a day, promising in its aspect to the stranger, you will see the Martigues fishermen idling, smoking, chatting, quarreling, but not venturing forth on those deceptive waters, whence many a brave boat’s crew has not returned. Very honest, friendly people are these dwellers on the edge of the waters, as unlike as possible from their “progressive” cousins at Marseilles. Though the male population often Idles through the days, perhaps from prudence, perhaps from preference —who can tell? for they are southerners entirely—we must not forget that they are constantly afloat all night, fishing till early morn. When the boats, laden with a good catch, touch the quayside comes the turn of the energetic women and girls of the town. Then begins the counting, weighing, selling, packing, the shouting, the bargaining and all the bustle of a successful day. The women always seem busy, as endless repairs to nets have to be quickly made, and new ones are always wanted, and all this work is carried on, whenever possible, in the open air on the nar- .. row shores of the lake. Flamingoes Were Hidden. We heard that the Etang de Berre is the only place in Europe where flamingoes breed, and dearly would we have liked to see some of them, but perhaps owing to the “mistral,” which blew mercilessly during our stay of a fortnight at Martigues, we never saw one, and no doubt they had wisely hidden themselves in the reeds for shelter. Wind is the bete noir of Martigues (lying between the devil of the Gulf of Lyons and the shallow inland sea), wind which almost lifts one over the parapets of the bridges, which quite removes one s hat and temper, but gives some humorous h<nnan silhou

ettes. We grieved tor the white tulle veils, the white wreaths of the shivering little white girls, who were performing, during this trying spring weather, their fortnight's visiting tour, seeming obligatory to good Martigues Catholics after the premiere communion. The little brothers. In correct black suits, with white gloves, were comparatively protected from the elements, and the happy grown-ups were wrapped in coats and cloaks; only the dear little white girls suffered pour etre belle, and in order to show their innocent finery to every grandma, aunt, cousin and friend in the neighborhood.

SOME FACTS AS TO COLORS

Good Reason for the Objection, That Is So Popular, About Bad Odor of Yellow. A certain significance has always attached to the different colors. We see the usually accepted meaning of the various hues of the rainbow beautifully exemplified In the paintings of the Italian masters, who draped their Madonnas in blue and in red, to signify purity and love. Blue —purity —was without a doubt derived from the color of the heavens, and red —love —from the color of the flame. Purple, a mixture of red and blue, since time immemorial, was the insignia of royalty, and green was and is the color of envy. What a “yellow streak” means needs hardly be explained. It remains to be seen how yellow came to be in bad odor. In all nature, particularly in tropical countries, it is a notorious fact that the brightly colored flowers and Insects are poisonous or ill-tasting, or both. Oftener than not these brightly hued poison-plants are .yellow. It is the color of belladonna, of many particularly malignant toad*

SCENE IN MARTIGUES

stools and of innumerable insects whose bite is dangerous. The salamander, obnoxious to the nose, is streaked with yellow. This curious animal possesses glands which excrete a secretion which becomes enormously large when the glands are suojected co Intense heat. In this way the salamander can sustain life in the open fire during an unbelievably long period. We see that the figurative sense in which we use the expression, “yellow streak,” is founded on solid facts in natural history, where the “bad odor” is an actual thing.

While the locust (just now of news interest) is essentially a plant de* vourer and famine bringer, there are many well authenticated cases in history showing that populations reduced to the last extremity have utilized the destructive insect as food. Diodorus Siculus relates that an Ethopian tribe was known as Acridophagi ("eaters of locusts”), while Aristotle writes of a certain part of Greece where the people regarded them as delicacies. Layard, the explorer, found on the engraved monuments pictures of dried and preserved locusts on rods, presumably Indicating their use as food. It is not believed that any race today eats them. They are regarded everywhere in the East as an abhorrent calamity and the presence of vast swarms in Palestine this springTs held to be a forerunner of complete crop failure, both of fruits and ’cereals. — Christian Herald.

“Whenever a man expresses an opinion you invariably start tai by disagreeing with him.” “That’s where I show my diplomacy,” replied Mr. Truckleton. "I begin by disagreeing with Mm so that he can have the pleasure of convincing me.”

"I presume time passes very slowly in prison, doesn’t it, my good man?" “Yes, ma’am. And the visiting hours when we have to answer everybody’s questions are especially nto> notonous.’—-Detroit Free Press,

Eaters of Locusts.

Adroit Flattery.

A Monotonous Life.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

HILDA GETS EVEN

By HAROLD CARTER.

“Mother, we can’t let Hilda go. She understands father’s very decided tastes in cooking, and it would take months to train another girt” “But it's natural that she should want to get married, Lucille,” protested Mrs. Hampton weakly. “It may be natural, but we’re going to keep her,” said Lucille, tossing her pretty head. W* “But put yourself in her place, my dear,” answered her mother. "Suppose you were prevented from marrying John. Wouldn’t you feel badly? And wouldn’t you give up any position, if you had to work, to marry him?”

“That’s quite a different matter," answered Lucille. “Hilda is a Swede and Swedes have no feelings. And she’s a servant, and we can't expect that sort of people to feel like us. Hilda is very happy as an independent single woman, and that' grocer’s clerk would probably squander her savings and perhaps ill-treat her. I’m going to stop the affair.” Mrs. Hampton, mildly curious, found her questions rebuffed with all her daughter’s energy; and, being primarily a peace-loving person, she subsided and hoped that nothing more would be heard about the matter. However, events moved quickly. The next day Hilda was in tears, and she sniffed in a very audible manner as she waited at table. Lucille looked particularly gleeful. ‘Tve fixed it," she announced. "Lucille!” protested her patient mother. "Oh, nothing much about that. When I was in the store today I remarked casually that I hoped Hilda had got her divorce in Sweden before coming to this country, because she was flirting a good deal with the young men who delivered goods at the house. That was all. And did you notice that a different clerk delivered the groceries this morning? Hilda will soon get over her feeling, and we’ll keep her." “Lucille, I-am ashamed of you!” “All right, I’ll take the responsibil-

“Dear Miss Lucille,” It Ran.

ity—for father’s sake,” said the girl brusquely.

The experiment certainly seemed to have been successful. Gradually Hilda’s disconsolate face grew bright again. It was noticed, too, that she seemed to distribute her favor impartially upon the different tradesmen’s assistants. Where so many shared it, there seemed no likelihood of her fixing upon one in particular. As for Jones, the clerk who had monopolized her, he had left his employer’s services. Katz, the grocer, said that he was going into business for himself. Lucille did not care particularly what happened to him, so long as there was no danger of his detecting the fraud that had been played. „

John Martin and she were to be married in four months* time. They were very fond of each other in a sensible way. Every Saturday night John called, and every Wednesday night he took her to the theater. It was an ideal engagement from a monetary point of view, for John was earning S3OO a month as secretary to a prominent publisher, and’had five thousand in the bank besides. About three weeks after Lucille’s successful maneuver the girl waited in vain on Wednesday evening for John to appear. She was as much amazed as disappointed. It was the first time since their engagement that his regularity had failed. And the absence of a telephone call induced in her first anger, then alarm. --“John is Hl, mother!” she' exclaimed, when at last all hope of his appearance that night had been discarded. “Or else he has met with an accident on the way.” "Oh, no, my dear,” said Mrs. Hampton. “No doubt he was detained at the office on business.” “But he ought to have called me up. I shall call him up and let' him know what I think of his behavior!" cried Lucille angrily. She flew to the telephone and called up John’s address at his apartment house.' ; - - "Mr. Martin said that if anybody

called him up, to say he’d gone to the theater with a party,” answered the attendant’s voice at the other end. Lucille slammed down the receiver. "That beats everything!" she said Indignantly. ""I shall send back his right tonight." "Better wait till Saturday, and give it to him. dear,” said wise Mrs. Hampton. Lucille, burning with humiliation, concluded that what she had to say might better be said than written. She spent three wretched days, which were not rendered any tnore pleasant by the look on Hilda’s face, which now bore a broad smile. Saturday night came, but John did not. This was the climax of Lucille’s suffering. At ten o’clock she sat down and wrote him an Indignant letter, breaking off the engagement She was glad, she said, that she had found him out at last, before It was too late, but she wished he had been enough of a gentleman to tell her what she had wanted to tell him, that each had grown tired of the other. But before the note was posted there came a ring at the apartment door, and Lucille, opening, encountered John Martin himself, wearing an expression at once penitent, sheepish and absurd.

"Forgive me, Lucille,” he pleaded, taking her hands In his. The girl found her anger evaporating so rapidly that she could not keep back the tears. "I was a brute, a beast, to believe it of you,” continued John, “but the evidence was so circumstantial, and if I hadn’t received Hilda’s letter tonight—” » "What are you talking about, John?” demanded the girl. "Why, the letter Hilda wrote me, dearest. To think that she should have behaved in such a way. Why, the girl must be mad —” "John!” cried Lucille. “I don’t know what you mean about Hilda writing you letters, but why haven’t you been to see me, and why did you leave word on Wednesday night that you had gone to the theater with a party, without even telephoning me?” She was beginning to weep again. Her feelings overcame her. John clasped her in his arms and tried to comfort her.

"Don’t you know, Lucille?” he asked. "I came here on Wednesday a few minutes earlier than usual, and I —l saw what I thought was you, in the kitchen, in the arms of a stranger." “How dare you! How dare you, John!" "But you had on that blue silk with the lace, and it was impossible to mistake that dress. You know you wore it because I always said I liked it. And Hilda wrote me that she had worn it that night to get even with you for something or other, and had smuggled her young man into the apartment—" But the girl, wild with anger, ran into the kitchen, almost dragging John after her. There was no Hilda, but on the table was an open sheet of paper with writing on it Lucille snatched it up. "Dear Miss Lucille,” it ran, "I guess this evens it all up now and you can have your Martin. Tonight I leave to be-married to my beau. We have a grocery store and ask your esteem patronage. Please send wages as under. Hilda." (Copyright, 1915, by W. G. Chapman.)

WENT AFTER THE WHALES

Fishing Party Unable to Resist the Presence of the Monsters of the Deep. z --- Maj. Gen. Arthur Murray, commander of the western department, with headquarters at San Francisco; Lieut. Col. W. C. Davis and Mrs. Davis, Capt. J. B. Murphy, aid to General Murray; Capt. C. M. Condon, Capt. and Mrs. J. C. Kay, Capt and Mrs. John H. Page, Judge Morris O’Connell, Ward Preston, son-in-law of General Murray, and Miss Caroline Raymond, daughter of Maj. R. R. Raymond, have enjoyed their first whale hunt. The entire party, as the guests of Colonel and Mrs. Davis, embarked aboard the army tug Lieut George Harris at San Diego, Cal., at 6:30 o’clock the other morning, bent on enjoying a day’s albacore fishing. All went well until about ten a. m. when a school of whales, variously estimated at from 100 to 1,000,000 in numbers, hove in sight off the starboard quarter of the tug. All thoughts of albacore were forgotten during the excitement and plans-were formulated to catch one of the mammals and tow it to pore. Captain Murphy crabbed the game, however, by shoving his fish pole down the mouth of a wild-eyed whale while the latter was calmly surveying the fishing party. About the same time three of the mammals became entangled in the tug’s propeller and, fearing further casualties. Colonel Davis ordered the tug to return to port. The net result of the day's sport was two albacore, one gaunt-looking bass, two kippered herring and a lost fishpole and line.

Wireless Wonder on Wheels.

The signal corps of the United States army has what is probably the most powerful portable wireless telegraphy outfit of its kind. The apparatus Is mounted on a motor car chassis and can be set up complete and in operating condition in as short a time aa 12 minutes. , Under favorable conditions, the apparatus has a sending radius of up to 600 miles. Messages from points 2,500 miles distant have been received. The generator which furnishes the current is driven by the same motor that propels the vehicle.

A Loose Topcoat for School Wear

The young woman who is going away to school, or who must make a daily pilgrimage to the halls of learning in her own home town, has now to be provided- with a topcoat This is about the most important item in her apparel. It must be durable and comfortable, proof against rain and snow, good looking and up to date. There are many styles to choose from —all of them ample in width, and straight-hanging garments. Rough mixtures, in stable colors, thorn tweeds and other fabrics are cravanetted and therefore rainproof. Some of the plainer models are mannish looking and wonderfully smart, especially on certain types of youthful, feminine prettiness. These coats are shorter than those that are developed unmindful of the mannish touch. A fine model is pictured here in a green and light brown mixture. It is long, hanging straight, with full skirt. The fullness is belted in just below the normal waist line, with a very wide belt of the material. The ends of the belt at the front are split

French Knots, Feather-Stitching and Embroidery

Here is one of the newest things in gowns. It has distinguished itself by proving to be one of the “best sellers” among many competitors in a large assemblage of medium-priced lingerie. This is a testimonial to the return to high favor of all the simpler forms of decorative needle work. Everywhere, in lingerie, in dresses and even in millinery, ornamental needlework is in evidence. All the pretty, old-fashioned fancy stitches—the “feather-stitching," “catstitching,” "herringbone,” “smocking” and “buttonhole stitching” that disappeared to make way for showier trimmings. are coming back. They are more lasting than the pretty (but somewhat fragile) cheap laces and they have the elegance of handwork — which is always worth while. The gown shown here is made of nainsook. Twice the length of the figure measured from the neck to the feet and six inches more —allowed for hemming—is required to make it The material is folded crosswise in the center and the neck opening cut out. The sides are sloped gradually inward and then out to the edge of the material- to form the short sleeves.

into two straps and fastened with buttonholes and large bone button*. The strap idea is repeated in the collar and cuffs. A single strap, overlapping at the front forms the collar. It fastens with buttonhole and button at the left side. The coat is double breasted and fastens with three buttons at the front. The body is cut high at the neck and long at the shoulder. The straight, plain sleeves have a band about the wrist and, back of it, a strap with pointed end finished with a button, is set on. A novel management of the patch pockets is noticeable. The lower part of the belt is extended in a pocketshaped flap at each side and the pocket is set on to this. It is finished with a button. This is an innovation in the placing of pockets that ha* style and something more to recommend it It is usually at the pocket* that the coat must bear the brunt of much wear. The “give” of the belt is promising—it will prevent the usual sagging and tearing at the pockets, which is so destructive.

At each side of the middle front a group of eight short tucks is run. The neck opening is hemmed with a very narrow hem, to which a strong beading is whipped. This is finished with a narrow val edging. The same edging is sewed to the. edges of the sleeves, which are slashed at the top to the depth of six inches. At the head of the slash there is a group of six tiny tucks and just below them a pretty ribbon bow is tacked. Feather-stitching done with mercerised cotton floss extends across the front of the gown. A row of French knots on each small flower form, done in outline stitch, adds a final needlework touch. Sometimes an initial or a monogram is outlined in small letters at the center of the front When narrow lingerie ribbon is run in the beading and tied in a bow at the front the gown is ready for use. Those who make hand-crocheted laces or tatting can further add to the elegance and good wearing qualities of their lingerie by substituting their handiwork for the machine-made laced commonly used.