Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1918 — Page 2

TEDDY

By JANE OSBORN

(Copyright. 1918, by the McClure Newspapoc Syndicate.) When Mariana, in moments of patriotic fervor, thought of herself as braving the perils of the ocean and doing her bit in France, it was always as an ambulance driver, than as a trained nurse or an office worker. The reason was not far to seek. Mariana, ever since she gave up riding side saddle and equipped herself for a cross saddle, had been quite taken with her own appearance in breeches. When dressed her prettiest in filmy ruffles and entrancing furbelows for a dance Mariana hesitated before her pier glass long enough to see that she had been properly hooked up and that she had forgotten no necessary accessory, but when she was dressed in her riding togs she stood long and admiring before the mirror, studied with infinite satisfaction the straight line of her leather legging, the neat juncture of that legging with her tan boot, the immaculate trimness of her white pique stock, the severity of her plain sailor hat that hid almost all of her pretty curls and the well-tailored severity of the coat that extended from her slight shoulders to her knees. She did not admire the image because it was the reflection of a charming and graceful young girl, but because it looked to her for all the world like a young boy. For Mariana was at the age where the greatest compliment anyone might have paid her was to tell her that she was not feminine, that she thought like a boy and that she was free from any of the foibles of sex. The very first day she met Dixon James he had been fortunate enough to pay her a compliment of this kind. He had ridden across the country with her brother and reached the Burden house just as she was mounting her Own horse for a country ride. So Dixon and the brother remounted their horses and started out again with Mariana.

“You know, I have never enjoyed riding with a girl before so much as I have with you,” he told her. “In fact, you don’t seem like a girl. You’re more like some awfully nice kid brother.” Mariana had treasured that compliment. It was worth more than a dozen of the usual sort, and ever since that day Mariana had grown more and more addicted to the boyish costume and more and more rebellious against skirts. She had never been convinced one way or the other on the suffrage question, but when she learned that some of the early suffragists had rebelled against skirts, she had declared herself a decided suffragist and rode with her fair hair streaming, in a coat of steel mail, to represent Joan of Arc at the next suffrage procession. Then she bought a pair of housework overalls and went about her own bed room and little sitting room mornings dusting and putting things to rights in that costume* Her mother positively forbade her going out of her domain in the costume. Of course all her negligees were cut on pajama lines and, inconsistent as was it with her suffrage conventions, she fancied that she would like to be a Turkish woman because of the bloomers. “I can do almost anything,” she told her chum one day, “if I am not ham- ' pered with petticoats. I’m sure if I ever make a name for myself it will be in . breeches —riding breeches or housework overalls, or something of that sort.”

Then came the war and illustrated newspaper supplements were flooded with pictures of dairy girls in breeches, factory girls in overalls and street car conductors in suits like the soldier’s uniform. Mariana felt devoutly thankful that she had lived in an age when she might wear trousers and not be hooted like poor Amelia Bloomer and those other worthy pioneers in petticoat emancipation. The question was, just which line of emancipated occupation should she pursue. First she decided to be art ambulance driver, but the idea struck every one as absurd. Particularly did Dixon James plead with her to abandon this project. “In the first place, they wouldn’t have you,” he told her. “You’re only eighteen and you are too darned pretty. What do you know about mixing up with a lot of rowdy soldiers!* They won’t want girls like you—they want some big husky amazons that can give a hand to lifting stretchers and one that has nerves like iron. You say you couldn’t stand being a nurse. Why, my dear child, you’d have to go through more horrors as an ambulance driver”

Finally she was dissuaded. But eventually her mind was made up. She read in some uot distant city an appeal for street car conductors — the kind that wore leggings and kneelength coats and bloomers —and not the petticoat sort —she announced firmly that she considered it her duty to give her services as a conductor. She was going to release some man for service, she ‘announced. Arguing against her was in vain, and after several family councils of war, it was decided to let her go her own sweet way. “It would usually be a family disgrace,” her mother said to Dixon James one day, for of‘late Dixon was usually to be found somewhere about tiicj u summer "It really would be a scandal to have one’s daughter be a street car conductor

[usually, but nowadays girls are doing such odd things. Perhaps that is no worse than being an elevator girl, and one of the Van Dyckman girls—perfectly splendid family, you know—has just gone in for that” However, Dixon James was not quite so resigned as was Mariana’s mother. Mariana went ahead with her plans, and having applied for the position as conductor, resignedly waited the three weeks that were to elapse sendees would be needed. To make {the time pass more pleasantly, Dixon Tfothls’tnother to gethrp a house party, ait their country place, and Mariana packed her little trunk and rehearsed the new dance steps with considerable enthusiasm. There was to be a little dance the first night of the party and Mariana was laying out her newest dancing frock and other accessories on her bed before dinner, when Dix’s mother —an old-fashioned little gray-haired lady with a twinkle in her brown eyes—knocked at her door. “Mariana, dear,” she said, “I am asking you a favor that I don’t think you’ll mind granting. First, did you bring any riding togs?” , “Oh, yes, indeed—l brought two sets —Dix said there would be some riding. FrL-love to let someone have either outfit.” "That is sweet of you, dear,” said the older woman, “but that isn’t the favor. You see, we are two men shy. There are seven girls and only five men—two of the men have just got their commissions and had to disappoint us. Girls do dreadfully hate to dance with girls, but I thought for a lark you’d be willing to play man. Dix says you make a wonderful boy. You understand —you wear your riding things and play man, will you?” Mariana’s enthusiasm was genuine, and willingly did she hang the pink ruffles and fnrbelows back in the wardrobe and don her most boyish riding suit. “You can lead, can’t you?” Dix asked her after dinner when they had cleared the floor for the little dance and Mariana admitted that she could. “It’s awfully decent of you. I’ll introduce you to the girls you don’t know. We’ll call you Teddy to make it seem natural.” Mariana had not at first realized that she was to play the role of Teddy for the entire house party, but she was, and so her dressing simplified itself to simply changing from one riding suit for day wear to the other for evening. In the meantime she danced only with girls and rode beside them and walked beside one of the other of them on all the little outings and really saw nothing of Dix or any of the other men.

After all the guests had retired- one night Mariana knocked at the door of one of the girls— had been escorting on a moonlight stroll that evening. “If you have two dressing gowns, would you awfully mind lending me one? I’ve only got the pajama sort, and —well, I am getting tired wearing trousers. I want to be a girl —just in my own room.” And the other girl laughingly handed Teddy her fluffiest, laciest pink chiffon negligee. By the end of the five-days’ house party Marian went home, only with difficulty concealing her grievance toward her hostess’ son, Dix. Eventually, of course, the grievance made itself known to Dix and there was an explanation. Teddy was pouting a little and blinked back a tear. The other wouldn’t blink back so “he” drew a filmy handkerchief from “his” breeches pocket and wiped it tenderly away. “I’m not a bit jealous,” Teddy began. “I don’t mind at all that you have gone about with all the other girls and haven’t even looked at me, but—well, I guess what makes me feel peeved is that I had such a pretty dance frock with pink ruffles and lace and everything made just for the party, and I haven’t had it on once.” This was DJx’s cue and he took it, and as he gathered the tearful little Teddy in his arms—they had met in the woods by chance when gathering sticks for \a picnic fire —he explained his entire plot to her. Yes, he loved her distractedly, and had longed to be with her every minute. But he wanted to make her give up the idea of being a conductor —wanted to show her that sometimes there were advantages in being just a girl.

Soldier's Cobbler Kit.

Our soldier boys learn many things besides actual soldiering. “ When they return to their prosaic tasks after the war, there will be ifaany a bank clerk, for instance, who will be eligible to join the cobblers’ union. Of course there are shoe-repair stations all along the lines of battle, but so much depends upon the condition of his shoes and his consequent foot-comfort, that most of the boys carry a little cobblers’ kit and make small repairs themselves. The kit consists primarily of a hollow handle, the top of which unscrews to disclose the awl, screwdriver, cobblers’ tacks, and other essentials for repair work. At the opposite end of the device is a spool of waxed twine, which threads immediately into' the awl when the awl Is screwed into place. When some other tool, such as a screwdriver or knifeblade, is to be used, it is screwed into place instead of the awL In addition to his, shoes the soldier may mend his torn leggings and his saddle straps.

Couldn’t Scare Beavers

So troublesome have beavers become to the fanners along the Walla Walla river that one rancher erected a beaver “scarecrow,” which was effective the first night. On the second night the beavers cut down the scarecrow and used it in their dam.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER. IND.

REMEMBER

The hoe is mightier than the word. Change notion to motion—turn patriotic impulse into real back yard service. . Are YOUR garden tools repaired and ready for use?

HOW TO GROW

TOMATOES.

The tomato is one of the jnost satisfactory of all the garden crops and one that Is found in practically every vegetable garden. No matter how small the garden space available, it Is always advisable to have a few tomato vines. Tomatoes will grow in almost any good soil, but the soil should not be too high in nitrogenous matter, as this will cause the plants to go to vine, rather than to fruit. The plants should be started in the window box or in the hotbed, some six weeks before time to set them in the open. For best results they should be transplanted at least 'once. It is possible to secure a crop much sooner by carefully growing the plants indoors in pots and transplanting to the open ground as soon as conditions permit; They should not be set in the open until about two weeks after the last killing frost. If set sooner than this, they should in all cases be protected from frost with a muslin cover or with boxes covered with glass or by other means. The pot-grown plants are especially desirable, as they may be brought to the blooming period by the time it is warm enough to plant them in the garden. If. the plants are not to be trained, but allowed to lie on the ground, they should be set about 4 feet apart each way. If trained to single stalk and tied to stakes or a trellis, they may be planted In rows 3 feet apart and 18 inches apart in the row. If to be used for table purposes only, 25 plants under good conditions will supply the average family. If for canning, from 50 to 100 plants will be necessary., One hundred plants should supply sufficient tomatoes for present use, and enough to can at least 100 quarts. Under favorable conditions tomatoes will continue to grow and bear for the entire season, and it should not be necessary to set a late crop

LATE CABBAGE. Late cabbage is usually grown as a crop following early potatoes, peas or some other crop that leaves the ground free for about one-half the growing season. The plants may be grown in the seedbed, it being necessary to sow the seed some three or four weeks before it is desired to set them in position in the garden. It is an excellent plan to follow early potatoes with late cabbage, as none of the insects that affect early potatoes are liable to molest the late cabbage, and it is possible to set the plants between the potato rows some two or three weeks before the potatoes are dug. In this manner sufficient time is gained to the cabbage to reach maturity before hard freezing weather occurs in the fall. The rows should be about 3 feet apart and the plants some 2 feet apart in the rows. Slight freezing does not injure cabbage, but it should not be subjected to repeated freezing and thawing. Late cabbage can be stored by taking up plants and packing them closely together in a trench, placing a frame of boards or poles around the trench, some supports across the top, and covering the whole with straw or corn fodder. The heads may be removed as needed and the roots and stems left in position in the trench. These will furnish an abundant supply of greens in early spring.

GARDENING NOTES

The more blisters you raise in cultivating, the less water your plants will need. Weeds waste moisture and plant food. And they’re not even pretty. Have you filed your hoes? Some sticks to mark the rows?

BEETS. The red garden beet may be grown' in any good soil, but rich sandy loam will give the best results. The seed may be sown in spring as soon as the ground is in condition to work. They may be planted two weeks before danger of frost is past. If for horse cultivation. the rows should be from 2% to 3 feet apart, or wide enough for the horse to walk between the rows. If for hand cultivation the rows need not be more than 12 to 18 inches apart. The usual custom is to sow the seed somewhat closer together than the b—ts are desired, and after the beets are up, to thin them from time to time, using the ones removed for greens until the beets finally are some 4 to 5 inches apart in the rows. ■ It should be remembered that what is commonly termed beet seed is really a seed ball, containing severab individual seeds, and for this reason each, one of these balls may bring from 3 to 4 plants.' All of these plants except one should be removed during the thinning process. Two ounces of the seed ire sufficient to plant a 100-foot row. Beets should be planted in succesion at Intervals of about two weeks urine the summer so as to have a

supply of young tender beets at all times. The beets should be used before they exceed a diameter of 2 inches as the young beets of' moderate,, state are of much better quality than those allowed to make a greater growth. The beets that remain unused during the latter part of the season should be allowed to* grow until frost, pulled, trimmed and stored for winter use. If not desired for table use, thev make an excellent stock or poultry feed. * CELERY. Celery shed should be sown In the hotbed or window box, about the time of the last frosts In the spring. The seed is very slow in germinating and the plants are small and delicate. They are improved by transplanting at least twice. Celery requires a deep, rich, moist soil with plenty of well-rotted manure or fertilizer and frequent shallow cultivation. In the garden, celery may be planted after some early crop, such as lettuce, radishes or peas. As soon as the plants attain considerable size the leaves should be drawn together and a little soil compacted about the base of the plant to hold it upright. If the blanching is done with earth, care should be taken that the hearts of the plants do not become filled. Boards, paper or other material may be used for blanching, but earthing up w’ll produce the finest flavor. Celery may be stored and kept for winter use by placing it in old hotbeds, and covering it with fodder or straw; in trenches covered with coarse manure or straw; in outdoor cellars; or in the storage room in the basement. Celery will test the skill of the gardener about as severely as any crop ho may choose to grow, but no garden, product pays better for painstaking care and effort than this crop. For details as to the storage of celery, see Farmers’ Bulletin 879, “The Home Storage of Vegetables.

SEED AND SUCCEED

Early to seed bed —early to sprout. A time for everything, especially for planting. Some seed left In that packet? Ask your neighbor.

CUCUMBERS. The soil for cucumbers should be a rich sandy loam, rather moist but not wet. The seeds may be planted in berry baskets or on sods in the hotbed and these transferred to the open ground, or the seed may be placed directly in the ground. Considerable time will be saved by starting the plants in the„-hotbed. In either case they should not be placed in the open until the ground has warmed up, which will be about four weeks after the last killing frost in the spring. They may be planted in hills 4 feet apart each way or drilled in rows 7 feet apart in the rows. It is a good plan to use an abundance of well-rot-ted manure in the holes or in the rows. Cucumbers should receive frequent shallow cultivation until the vines begin to run freely; after this very little cultivation is required. They are ready for use as soon as large enough, and no fruit should be allowed to ripen on the vines. It is advisable to spray cucumbers with Bordeaux mixture, as they are quite liable to be injured by diseases. For a full discussion of Insects and diseases cucumbers and remedies forthehp, see Farmers’ Bulletin 856, entitled “Control of Disease and Insect Enemies of the Home Vegetable Garden.” SWEET CORN. Plant sweet corn about the time of the last killing frost in spring and make 3 or 4 successive plantings at intervals of two weeks. From a quarter pint to a half pint of seed is sufficient for a hundredfoot row. Plant the seed in drills 3 feet apart and thin to a single stalk every 10 to 14 Inches, or plant 5 to 6 seeds in hills 3 feet apart each way, and thin out to 3 to 5 stalks in a hill. Cover the seeds about 2 inches deep. Cultivate frequently, taking care to remove all suckers froth around the base of the stalks^ aJca

WORK FOR PATRIOTIC WOMEN

Food Supply of Nation May Be Greatly Supplemented by Production of Chicken Flock. The women in the farm homes of this country may greatly supplement the food supply of the nation by raising all the poultry and eggs they can this year. Every fowl and every dozen eggs raised and consumed on the farm will release meat and other foods for our armies and those of our allies. Patriotic production of poultry will pa? profits to the patrons of the nation.

More Vegetables and Fruits.

The farm would lose much of its value as a place to live, enjoy life and rear a family without plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Substitutes for Wheat.

It is possible to make potatoes and beef scraps, meat trimmings from the kitchen, or cut fresh bone take the place of high priced wheat.

No Chance for Good Butter.

It is Impossible to make sweet, cleanflavored butter from old. uncleaa cream.

World as Now Constituted Unsafe Place for Undisciplined Democracy

racy will always rule over an undisciplined democracy. The other discipline comes from within—this is the discipline of the true democracy. It is a law of the universe that discipline rules and there is no going against the laws of the universe. In a football team each player does not play for himself but for the whole team, and so it must be with a nation. The disciplined man subordinates the lesser needs of the individual to the larger needs of the group, and thus a disciplined people has the essential teamwork. Democracy will win in the present war only if the devotees of that democracy will so sacrifice that good teamwork is accomplished. Much has been said recently about spending money freely in order to keep it in circulation and thus make for .prosperity. In this the people should be careful as to whether the money kept in circulation is spent on frivolities and nonessentials or in ways in which it can help the government. If invested in Liberty bonds, it is spent and will circulate, and will do much good, as will also money that is given to the Young Men’s Christian association and the Bed Cross, while money spent for mere peacetime trivialities simply makes for exchange. Exchange is a good thing only if it permits specialization of production, and under these conditions work will be done better. Exchange simply for the sake of trading is valueless from an economic standpoint, because nothing is produced.

Characteristic Shortcomings of Our Schools Brought Out by the Great War

By DR. WILLIAM T. FOSTER.

The war has brought out in sharp relief the characteristic shortcomings of the schools of the United States. Our people, as a whole, are prone to contentment with mediocrity and avoidance of the discipline of prompt, thorough and exact achievement. In these respects the schools of the United States reflect the people. Our schools, as a rule, do not make necessary the prompt and complete performance of duty. They do not cultivate the habit of “being there.” As challenges to the powers of the majority of the girls and boys of the United States they are absurdly inadequate. The high-school diploma is no guaranty to the employer or to the college that the graduate has ever been required to do his best at anything. In this respect a college is no better. Indeed, it may stand for four years of irresponsible and headlong pursuit of the joys of college life, during which the youth has formed the habit of “getting by” with a minimum of effort. Thousands of boys in our training camps are experiencing for the first time the necessity of performing assigned tasks promptly and exactly day in and day out. Thus they are having the benefits, for the first time, of a discipline from which there is no escape. All of them know it, and most of them enjoy it.

All Loyal Americans Admonished to “Keep Your Mouth Shut” in Public

By PAULINE WORTH HAMLIN

Twice lately I have overheard people talking of things that would delight the ear of a German spy, and yet I could tell from the rest of their conversation that they were loyal Americans. Once on a suburban train 1 was sitting in front of two women who were knitting for the soldiers. They talked of their Red Cross,-canteen and war relief work. They were without doubt true patriots, yet one of them said to the other, in a lowered voice, but perfectly audible, “My nephew, who is a captain at —t , told his mother—” and the information was something of which I could have made use had I been a spy. Another time on the train I overheard two men talking. They told some news that an ambulance driver had brought home from France. This information, which seemed to them not to be important, struck me ashighlyenlightening—toomuch soforGerman ears. And so I say to all loyal Americans, take unto yourselves Attorney General Gregory’s advice to the Germans, and when outside your own four walls, “Keep your mouths shut.”

New Lesson of Great War Pointed Out by Prominent Canadian Worker

By MRS. NELLIF. M'CLURG.

We are not citizens of Canada, of the United States or of Britain only ; we are all citizens of the world, and no part of the world can live unto itself alone. We are bound together either by the cords of love or by the chains of death. We are not free while any part of the world ia bound. The world is not safe for any one of us until it is safe for everyone. This makes living a very serious business. When a woman sees her boy go out to kill or to be killed, she loses from her life, some of the spirit of youth: she can no longer be deceived into believing that all is well with the tvorldl Women are the last reserves of the nation and they have never yet exerted their full influence. Thy have lagged behind the men in their development. But the women are being awakened, and a mighty influence for good, for kindness, for human safety is being felt in human* "flairs. . * -

By DR. THOMAS NIXON CARVER

Profemor of Rural Economics. Harvard Uruverdty

Is democracy worth saving? A democracy may. be just as bad as an autocracy, depending on the kind! it is. It may be made up of undisciplined persons, or it may be the kind of democracy in which every person, does just as he pleases regardless of anyone else—then it is not worth saving. The world as it is now constituted is an unsafe place for undisciplined democracy. The world has always been ruled by disciplined people, and of these there is more than one kind. First, there is the discipline of the benevolent despot, and a disciplined autoc-

President of Reed College. Portland, Ore.

of the Vigilante*

Edmonton, Alberta