Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1916 — Page 3

HIS NEW I YEAR’S GIFT

By WM. GLYNN

FWHOUGH it was yet afternoon ? the studio was. like twilight. The *■ I reflecting colors of pictures, the red restfylneab of a divad, the •tained curtainß for models, the disorder hinting a thousand temperamental hours, the blotched floor, the elegance become interesting and tawdry, an atmosphere which suggested the lingering of moments —it all seemed apart from the. day outside, from the north light peering-above-* half-rolled blind. The artist-occupant sat examining some drawings. He Was strongly built, in his early thirties, not handsome, hut with eyes remarkable for their glance. His face had the hrooding, sensitive quality. The drawings, Impressions in wash and crayon, which he went over slowly and of which there were scores, presented an art that only few have been capable of. He‘had caught character and life in a thousand moods and stories, had done it with that intimacy which cannot be defined. He finished the drawings with something of a sigh, then with something of |i smile as his eyes dwelt on a picture set on an easel. Slowly his face filled with mocking

The Painting Was That of a Young Woman.

satire. The painting was that of a young woman done with almost irradi&nce. It seemed to portray, not flesh and blood, but the thousand things of feeling which the blood served, the throbbing music which is played on temperament. The character was conceived and translated poetically, but its very'nuances were striking because of the grasp of the artist. Yet did one fancy it—did the smile on the lips change with an indefinable stain to what was coarse and light even as you looked at it? Had Hastings’ repeated gloatings of satire wrought this subtle difference in a thing done so tenderly? Or had his brußb unintentionally brought out beneath everything the feminine eternal that would not be denied, in the flux of bloom shown the nestling wprm? In the varied mystery of life in which nothing dies, where perhaps even thoughts become colors of flowers, who can know or dispute anything? It was New Year’s day and the afternoon was melting away. Hastings threw himself on the couch and for a long time rested, regarding the painting with a changing aspect. The grayness of a thousand days seemed to settle over him, of drifting and not caring, yet carrying downward with him that gift supreme, of knowing that beauty was the necessary dream, but that the world and woman always made of it a lie, that truth could be spoken of only after money. He could think in those terms and yet he did not altogether. His need to appreciate was too strong. In art, at least, he could follow life in tone, however deeply and personally he understood Its irony. But he was no longer sure that he cared to tollow it. The laugh and bitterness of the lntervalß'Tmutt increase. He would become a dilettante, glorious perhaps, but careless. And he woflld be careless, that was the worst of it. At any rate he could color desuetude with a bright aspect, could gamble like a good fellow what was left. He would not appear hard hit.

At this point he invariably added a postscript to his thinking. If she had only cared for the other man. He 'cpuld bear that and have gone on. But, after many times previously confessing her love for him, she had' stood, there that da?" they had parted four months ago and stated so busi- / nesslike and with smug, immovable philosophy: "A woman must marry money these days for her own sake.” Coming from her, it was unimaginable - and left him flat He could not point out that she had much money of her own, that for him success must come '* very soon, and that it was his great- /' est Aope she would wait for him. She already knew these things as she knew that he loved her. He had J made no answer to her because there 3 = was none. Her statement killed even the thought that she was, being coerced. If she had only left it possible for him to think beautifully of

her. Nothing else mattered quite so much as Jthat. And yet h£ did think beautifully of her in spite of everything, though he Gould not but think in the terms of her own statement last But it was “all in the game." A man must laugh at those things, what ever the laugh did to him. He was facing another year today, that was all, and her marriage to the othei man took place that night. A black cat came out of the, corner, hashing its face in the center of the room. A homeless kitten, it had appeared the first day she had come, stealing in the door at the time of her departure. He had iept it as an omen of good luck and more. That was something like nine months ago, if such time could ever be reckoned by calendar. She had told him then- that, she was a model, but. had refused to pose for him without drapes.’ Who she really was he had found out weeks later. It was too late then, for he had fallen In love with her.

There was a knock at the door, and he went to open it, Stanton, the editor of a powerful weekly, entered. He stalked around the room as one with something to unload, and, at length, flinging himself on the couch, proceeded brusquely: “Hastings, you’re an awful ass, and because it was New Year’s I dropped in to tell you about it. Ten weeks ago your picture won highest honors at the London exhibit. Two weeks later you repeated in the Metropolitan with another picture. But you have not been acting like a successful man, but to the regret of your friends, like a sloth and a fool. A couple of the boys have seen you beastly drunk. You have shut yourself away from everyone and everything. You are being reviewed by every important journal in the country, and yet you mope around as though you were your own lackey. There are one or two of us have begun to think it is a woman. We do not know of any woman but that cussed portrait is always sitting there. And Ido believe the thing lives."

Hastings laughed a little. “It is purely fanciful,’’ he said, “not really a portrait. And, of course, it is absurd to think of a woman in the matter. I suppose that I have not been quite well. Let us have a drink, because it’s New Year." “I’ll be hanged if I will, Hastings. I believe you have been drinking too much. I have got to go now. I just turned in for a minute. But do not forget what I have said.” • “I will not forget, Stanton; and thanks for your interest. We cannot sometimes explain ourselves to ourselves.’’

After Stanton had gone he took out his watch. It was five o’clock, and she was to be married at nine. He would sit in the rocker and go to sleep. He would waken probably about about twelve and know that it was all over. He would have a sandwich first and put the decanter of •claret beside him. Claret always had a tendency to make him sleep, particularly if he put a little sugar In it. He did these things, but it took him hours to drowse off, and only after he had turned the portrait on the easel. It seemed but a minute had passed when he awoke. Of course he knew that he was not awake, that he was dreaming. Someone was weeping softly on his shoulder, caressing his hair. Only one woman on earth had that aroma of person. If anywhere in the world he found one of her hairs and touched his cheek with it he would have known to whom it belonged. Then her eyes, penitent and wet with tears, came around, slowly meeting his. With a start he realized that he was awake. He held her, looking at her as something to marvel at. She explained it all in a whispered breath. “I could not do It, Paul," she said. “I rah Away from them, from them all. Will you—will you marry me now, dear—tonight ?’’

He looked and saw that she wore a wedding gown. , “There was a minute when I would not,” hb replied.—San Francisco Argonaut.

BEST" WISHES.

Unfortunate Old Gentleman—What’s that you said? The Kid—Oh, I only wuz wishin’ you a happy New Year. ~

The Dying Year.

The year is dying away like the sound ot bells; the wind passes over the stubble and finds nothing to move; only the red berries of the slender tree seemas if they ~ #ould fain remind us ot something cheerful, and the measured beat of the thresher’s flail calls up the thought that in the dry and fallen year Ues-much of the nourishment of life.—Goethe.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

A New Year Message

By William S. Jerome

PERHAPS no better motto! for the new year can be found than that which Longfellow prefixed to his popular work, “Hyperl&n.' ,, He /*ays he found a’’tablet in the church•yard of St. Gllgen, in the Tyrol, bearing this singular inscription: “Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear, and with a manly heart.” Here we have a motto and message for the three divisions of time which mark the New Year. ,•

The Past—lt is natural to look "mournfully into the past." The look backward recalls so 'many mistakes and failures that the result is always depressing. What we have accomplished seems small in proportion to what was desired and attempted. This perspective of time enables us to judge more accurately our life than we could at the time. It is not a bad idea at the New Year to “take account of stock,” review the past, and seek to learn its lessons. Yet there may be too much introspection and retrospection. We should not neglect the past or fail to learn from it, and there is a profound philosophy in the apostle’s injunction to “forget the things that are behind.” Whether they are evil or good, the advice is wise. If the review of an evil past leads us to discouragement and depression, the thought of a good past may lead to self-satisfaction and content, and thus prove an obstacle to further progress. We can make no real advancement - if we “drag at each remorse a lengthening chain,” even if that chain be of roses, and the remembrance of happy days and good deeds. Cultivate, therefore, a good “forgettery.” Do not let the failures and mistakes of the days gone by prove stumbling blocks In the future pathway. Do not let past good deeds prevent yet nobler efforts and grander achievements. Whatever the past, it has goqe forever. Neither prayer nor tears can bring it back. Let it go, therefore; unload its memories, that we may better run the race that is still set before us.

The Future.—The “shadowy future,” our motto calls it. The word is well chosen, for a veil lies over the days to come, which is not. lifted till we reach them. We naturally shrink from the unknown, and not knowing what may be on the morrow, we therefore fear the morrow. But fear is not the same as wise forethought. Because we do not know what the morrow will bring forth we ar§ not to boast ourselves of tomorrow or recklessly waste the days granted us. But fear of the future weakens us for life’s struggles, and is unworthy of one who believes that —

“God’s in his heaven; all’s right with the world.” The true attitude toward the future is that of encouragement and faith. The fearless, “manly heart” does not mean rashness or bravado, or insensibility to life's seriousness and meaning. It means the triumph of faith over fear, of courage over cowardice. It expresses exactly the right spirit in which to face the unknown. “Trust no future, howe’er pleasant;” fear no future, no matter how dark and mysterious. For the future is made up of just such days as we 1 have already had. The Present. —This la thine. Therefore it Is to be wisely improved. It Is literally and really all we have —the present moment —“the Inch before the saw.” Yesterday, like last year, is gone forever. Tomorrow may never come.

How urgent the call of the New Year, to spend no time In vain regrets or future forebodings, but to give ourselves diligently to the work of the day! At this season we often say, “A new year has dawned.” But, really, only one more day has come. We have 1915, but 1916 is not yet here, and when it, too, Is gone It will be too late to do anything in It. TKeYecur-

Questions for the New Year.

I asked the New Year for some motto sweet, Some rule of life by which to guide my feet; I asked and paused—lt answered soft and low—- “ God’s will to know.” £ - _ • “Will knowledge then suffice, New Year?” I cried; But ere the question into silence died The answer came—“ Nay, this remember, too-r “God’s will to do.” Once more I asked-—“ls there still more to tell?” And once again the answer sweetly fell—- “ Yea, this one thing, all other things above—- “ God’s will to love.”

rence of New Year’s day does not really alter the ordinary conditions of life'. We are prone to think that, with the new date and new year, things will be in some way different —duty will be easier and less distasteful. One who has wasted the past year is very apt to think that, by some ‘magical influence the pew year will bring new and more favorable condition* But to think so is to deceive ourselves. Whatever new Experiences may come to u>, we know very well that the ordinary laws of morals or mathematics will not be changed tar the change of date. In 1916, as in the past, two And two will make soul 1 ; the law of gravity will operate irrevocably and certainly; and "whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” Now is the time, therefore, says Norman Hapgood, “to pitch in anjd achieve —now, now! Remember, my friends, the present is the future from which you hoped so much." Unless we "wisely improve the present” we shall find ourselves, at the end of the year, regretting our past, Just as today we are mourning over mistakes and resolving to do better in the days to come. So the modern Journalist puts into homelier phrase the teachings of Longfellow’s famous motto: Yesterday is dead; forget it. Tomorrow isn’t here; don’t worry. Today is here; use it. And the New England poet adds W* word of encouragement-and cheer:? ' Life is a leaf of paper white. Whereon each one of us may write His word or two—and then comes night. But for a line. But that sublime! Not failure, but low aim is crime! —Detroit Free Press.

O bright New Year! Hast thoh in store Health, happiness, success, complete— Or sorrow, sadness and defeat, With petty trials by the score? Be kindly lenient, we implore In blending bitter with the sweet, O bright (New Year! Grant us a faith to tide us o’er Whatever problems we may meet. And may our hearts be more replete With sympathy than heretofore. O bright New Year! * _ —Caroline Louise Sumner.

The Old Year’s Happiness.

Our past ia sufficient assurance of a happy New Year. Writing a New Year’s greeting to a friend, a Christian man well on in life said: “When I think about it, it seems to me that all our years are happy- Surely the dark days are few and the whole of each year is full of showers of grace, so full that we ought not to notice what only seems, but is not, dark. Sometimes it takes steadfast trust and confidence in our Lord to say that; and in many lives never more so than at the close of this war-dark-ened year. But it is true even of this year. God is reigning; his steady grace is greater than all that opposes it. May we gratefully remember the happiness that is past, and confidently count upon our Lord for infinitely mote to come.

All aboard for y the water wagon. Climb onto the seats so high. Avoid the rush, and the midnight crush, when the old year says “Good-by!”

BY T. J. WIGGINS.

O BRIGHT NEW YEAR!

All Aboard!

NEW YEAR RESOLVES

Donjt Plunge Hastly, but Consider Carefully Promises You Make.

By BILL VINES.

BE WARS, gentle reader, for January l approaches. It Is time for yon to begin to pause in . your wild and woolly career for the nonce and consider wisely and well, the particular style of good resolutions that iriS your jlrm purpose to put into immediate and drastic effect on that date'. Do not plunge hastily into the matter* and waste a perfectly good resolution. From my personal experience 1 know/fthat it is a human weakness, in a moment of sentimental and saffron-hued regret, to tie oneself up so tight in an ironbound»and illconsidered New Year’s resolution that it takes frequently till January 15 to separate oneself from it, and it can be. done then only with considerable mental anguish and a badly lacerated conscience. I have on hand now a varied and general job-lot assortment of shopworn, good resolutions adopted unanimously by the committee on resolutions at its annual meeting sometime between the 25th and 31st of December. None of these resolutions has been used long at a time. They are not frayed on the edges or wabbly in the bushing from excess of use. They look awfully good at this gladsome time of the year when one’s bank account appears delicate and remorseful. This is the time for a good reso-

lution to make its strongest appeal to you. You survey the field with an anxious and appealing eye, and looking for comfort and, succor. The good resolution steps blandly forward with a smile; bright and cheerful looking, with an open, honest face like the insidious book agent it slips a blank into ycur ready and nerveless hand and says, "sign here.” You are in no mental or physical condition to refuse. You can’t turn anything down, much less a good resolution. It is likely the night before you could not even turn the bedclothes down, but probably rested your weary head on the pillow and spread your classic form over the band-worked, snow,white counterpane. You put your hand to your solid ivory, but throbbing nut, and try to recollect your thoughts. You mentally review the past and see nothing -hr “it 'to cheer you up, not a single bright spot. On top of this someone sticks a package of letters under the door. You open them slowly, and there you find the’gas bill, the coal bill, the rent bill, the grocery bill and you vainly attempt to calculate at what time next spring by the strictest economy and by cutting out cigars and highballs, you can reasonably expect your bank account to be convalescent. Score, 12 to 0 in favor of the good resolution.

You try to remember if the good resolution now facing you looking so strong and vigorous has ever been introduced to you before. It looks familiar somehow. Can it by any possibility be the same good resolution that you fell for last year, which gave promise of carrying you through the good year 1915 holding you firmly on a permanent seat on the waiter cart; and free from the nasty effects of King Nicotine? You recall with what joy you embraced said good resolution a year ago; how you fell upon its neck and clung to it in your hour of distress and brunette remorse. You reflect that it ought to be a good resolution, because it is “Made in America,” but wit'- more s os less distrust you remember that something got wrong with it during the first inning, and it permitted you •to “blow up” with the bases full and nobody out. "Away,” you mutter, "you are no good, you failed me once, and you will do soagain.”

Then you turn your bloodshot eye, both of them being that way, to the dresser and you behold the necktie given you by the wife of your boson!, and with a broken sob you snatch the blank from the outstretched hand of “good resolution” and once more you are “on.” ' Listen—if you do it. and you willshut both eyes and hold on to that good resolution till the Fourth of July. Cton’t Jookjt over, for if you do you’ll observe its imperfections. Simply exercise the tenacity, of. a bull pup and hold on. If you last till the Fourth it will be easier—at least I am told so.—Birmingham Age-Herald-

An Old Indian's New Year Greeting

That ytra may always hav# a tent and no aorrowa* you trareL That you may always have a cache for your food and food for your cache. That you may never find a tree that will not give sap nor a field that will not grow grain. That your bees may. not freeze in winter, that the honey may be thick and the comb break like anew in the feeth. That your heart may always hs like the morning, end that you may come slowly to the Four Corners where mea say “Good Night!”

AN ESSAY ON "NOO YEAR'S”

Little Eddie Gives His Reasons for the Annual Holiday and Ita Celebrations. "" » » Noo Yeers is the time when a man takes off enuf time ter think what a fine feller he mite be if he was only a littul diffrent. Then he makes a lot of resolushuns and stands in front of the mirror to see If there is a halo arownd his hed. The resolushuns peepul make are like the toys you buy in the ten sent stoar; they don’t last long. Another objekt of Noo Years Is to glv the wine sellers and the cellars a chanct ter celebrate. On Noo Yeer’s eve everybuddy goes downtown, where the lites are brltest, and sit arownd tabuls to wate for the yeer to brake in. When the clocks get to the rite place and al the waiters have been pade, the yeer comes in, and then everybuddy stands up and hollers or else blows horns. Why peepul should do this I don’t kno, unles It la that they don't want the year to think’ it has slipped in withowt ennybuddy knowing it. The feeling on the moarning aftur Noo Year’s ia responsible, for menny of the resolushuns. Pa sez that if evvury Noo Yeer’s resolushun was kept, we wuddent bastes worry abowt wet and dry eleckshuns, but as the mattur stands nobuddy heers abowt eny bartenders being lade Off the fUrst weke in Janyouary. Last Noo Yeer’s pa sed he would make a resolution and kepe it if ma would do the same, and that each could suggest the resolushun fer the othur, and ma sed all rite. Then you can resolve, sed pa, not to ask me whare I hav been when I come home late at ®ite. I guess that is a good one, isn’t it, Eddie, he sed to me. Then ma told him what to resolve, which was this—you resolve not to go owt at nltes for a yeer. Pa got pri.tty sore, you bet, and went and got a loryer friend to get up an argyment bq prove that he didn’t have to live" up to the agreemunt, being as his resolushun ottymatically nullified hers, or sumthing like that. There was a strained atmusphere in owr howse for Sum time, and now if there are eny Noo Yeer’s resolushun, they are voluntary affares. The wurst thing abowt Noo Yeer’s for a boy is that it is the last day of Christmus vakashun, and for a man, that it is the day that the bils come in. lam too young to go to restawrunts to welcum in the yeer, but I am old enuf to know that the best resolushuns to make are to resolve not to do things I wuddent do ennyway.

ASSIST THOSE AROUND US

New Year a Good Time to. Remember the Needy and Struggling Who Are Close to Home. All history teaches us that dll conditions change and. that every war cloud must eventually pass away. It is the fervent hope and prayer of all nations that peace will come with 1916. Meanwhile every individual has his own plans for the hew year and they are usually generous and kindly in purpose; a universal spirit that explains the cheery hopes for the new year. True, it has been with many rather a strenuous and exacting time in planning gifts for the Christmastide out the surplus of last year, hut they will be none the less appreciated, because this year’s benefactions possibly represent a greater sacrifice than those of years past. Then, too, there have been heavy claims on American generosity for funds with which to send contributions for the millions of suffering, homeless and destitute people abroad. ■ ■? 1 But on New Year’s day we should look more closely at home, and remember that around us are many that need help and assistance. There are thousands of struggling men and women that need Just now something in the way of encouragement and inspiration, to say nothing of a~ little financial boost here and there. The New Year has always been a -popular holiday with mo, because the greeting carries the word “happy,” and I wonder if happiness is not, after all, what most of us are seeking. We work for it; we plan for it and ought to be thankful when we find it, and when you say"happy, ’ you must feel happy and look happy. The word "happy” comes from “hap," and “hap” means chance —good, fortune, and implies peace.,and Joyoua hours. What a slender thread between “happy” and “hapless, ’ and we feel on this dbcasion like using Shakespeare’s greeting, “All happiness bechance to thee.” We just stop and look at xhe word as ft stands out by itself and that is why it seems so appropriate to have a little talk on “happy” when we'speak of the New Year.— Joe M. Chappie Hu NaUohalMaga<an|