Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 160, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1918 — Page 2

Meeting Sister

By CATHERINE PARSONS

(Copyngnt, Iftte the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) "You’re a hopeless woman hater, Kenny,” groaned Lieutenant Campbell. "But if you refuse to meet my attractive sister-in-law, at least, you will consent to meet my attractive wife' — she’s quite harmless as far as you are concerned and well Worth knowing.” Kenny grinned. "You bet, I’ll meet your wife, Fred — the sooner the better! It’s only a lot of silly girls I can’t stand.” “Well, she’s here now. She’s taken a little apartment about a mile from camp—lo Main street. We’ll expect you to afternoon tea tomorrow —that will be before her sister gets there, so you won’t have to worry. Is that O. K.?” “It sure is. So long, now—l’ve got to get back to my job.” The next afternoon was cold and clear, and Kenny walked briskly along and thought rather pleasantly of the hot tea he would soon have offered to him. And he was really anxious to meet Fred’s wife, too. They had known each other since they were boys and his friend had married only a month or two before —just after he left training camp. The girl he imagined Fred would pick out would be tall and stately and dignified and very goodlooking—he could see her perfectly in his mind’s §ye. But he had quite a shock when his ring was answered and he was ushered into the tiny living room to Mrs. Campbell’s apartment. To be sure, his hostess was there —very much so—but she was small, very pretty and ridiculously young looking —Fred should have prepared him a little for this. “We’re glad you could come, Lieutenant Kenny. Fred took my sister out for a few moments, but they will be back directly. Do sit down and tell me something about the camp—l’m dying to hear all about it.” “Sister!” thought Tom Kenny, groaning inwardly. “Then she did come after all. Curse my rotten luck!” Aloud he said: “I’ve just been thinking it’s so wonderful out —perhaps you would like to see something of the place yourself—we could take a little walk out in the direction of camp if you want to and you think Fred won’t mind.” His one idea was to get outside before sister returned —he hoped she never would return! • “Mercy, no—Fred won-’t mind! He’ll be only too glad to get me off his hands for a while.” Having made up his mind to make the best of things, Tom found his little companion decidedly good company. She laughed at his jokes and made herself so agreeable that he found himself feeling almost disappointed when <hey finally turned towards home. But the whole afternoon she never mentioned her husband once. W’hen they first started out Tom had turned to her questioningly: “You are quite sure your husband won’t care if you do go off like this? “My husband!” echoed the girl, blankly. Then light dawned in a moment and she turned her head away to hide the twinkle that shone in her eyes. “He’d trust me with you, I know,” she returned, smiling. “I’m just going to have a good time and forget all about him.”

When they got back to Mrs. Camp- , bell’s apartment it was so late that Tom begged to be excused, as he had to be back at camp in time for mess. Fred’s wife did not urge him to come in, but asked him to come to tea two days later to meet her sister. He tried to refuse, on some sort of pretense, butffie found it too hard to refuse anything this girl asked him, when she really wanted to have her own way. So he promised and went back to camp, thinking that Fred was a pretty ' fortunate man to have such a wonderful little wife, and wishing there were more women in the her! On Friday afternoon he found both the ladies home, and he went through the painful ordeal of meeting sister. She was far more stately than Fred’s wife, and possibly very charming, but Tom irardty noticed her at all. “I was so sorry about the other afternoon,” apologized Miss Ely. “Fred told me it would only take a minute, and then I found so many things I had to attend to that before I knew it it was terribly late. I was so sorry not to meet you.” “Mrs. Campbell was very kind, and entertained me royally,” assured Kenny. “I’ll bet she did,” agreed Fred Campbell, and a gleam of amusement passed between him and his now very demure little wife who was seated at the other end of the room. “We had a beautiful time Freddie, dear,” she cried enthusiastically. “And I’ve been thinking we ought to get up some nice little parties while sister is, here —just the four of us. Ido so love to chaperone.” Fred laughed. “Anything you suggest will be all right, my dear.” “Then let’s go skating Sunday afternoon—it’s heavenly on the lake. Will you go. Lieutenant Tom?” “If Fred's willing. Are you fond of skating?”,, he asked the silent sister, who had not entered into the conversation for some time. “1 adore it!”, she assured him. “I haven’t been on skates for two years, but I’ll probably get along with a

little help. You won’t mind giving lut a few points till I get used to it, will you?" “No, indeed!” he assented, almost too promptly, and he thought he noticed Fred cough slightly to cover a laugh. He began to wonder how he could get sick on Sunday, but his thoughts were dashed to pieces. He knew that unless he poisoped himself he could never deceive Fred. “Oh, it will be such fun!” exclaimed Mrs. Campbell, and she smiled at him happily. They had a very pleasant hour, but Tom had little conversation with Fred’s sister-in-law. By mutual consent Fred seemed content that he should talk to his wife, while he himself entertained the stately sister. Tom understood that Fred wanted him to know his wife better, so that he might be more interested in women in general, and that he would approve of his friend’s choice. So he listened to the charming little lady and he became her abject slave for evermore. And he also thought that Fred had done better than be deserved —he couldn’t possibly appreciate such a marvelous girl. And he told him so on the way home. Fred laughed heartily,' ; "You’re wrong, Tom,” he contradicted him. “I assure you that I think my wife is the most wonderful girl in the world, and I adore the ground she walks on. But I thought you would be more interested in my sister-in-law. I really think you are, too —but you don’t know it!” “You’re crazy, Fred. She may be wonderful, but girls don’t interest me at all —I’m through with all that sort of thing forever!” But Fred only laughed again and told hirn he’d be married himself in six months, and Tom walked off indignantly. The next afternoon Tom Kenny had a note from Mrs. Campbell. .“Dear Lieutenant Kenny: —I’m sorry, but I shan’t be able to go skating with you all tomorrow. I’ve strained my ankle slightly, and would not dare to try to skate on it so soon; “But the party will be just the same, for my sister is anxious to go. Will you come for her at the same time, and we shall expect you-to come back to supper with us. Too bad Fred doesn’t care much about skating.

“Cordially yours, “ELEANOR CAMPBELL.” Tom shuddered. The worst had happened. He would have to get Miss Ely and pull her around the ice alone, and Fred would stay home and laugh at him. was too’much! But he could not find a waj out, so he avoided Fred and appeared at Mrs. Campbell’s at the appointed hoar. To his surprise he found her alone in the room, evidently dressed for going out. “You’re better?” he asked. “I was sorry to hear you were sick.” “I wasn’t,” she denied, “it was my sister.” “But you wrote me—■” r “No, I didn’t -write you—that was my sister, tooI” .. “I don’t understand at all —so many sisters and things that I’m all mixed up. Whose sister are you, anyway?” “Fred’s and Eleanor’s —I thought you knew’ in the first place, but you didn’t. And then you began to think 1 was my sister, and it was all so funny that I just let you. Eleanor thought it was a good joke, and they helped me pretend the other afternoon when you were here. Oh, I hope you won’t mind because I’m not Fred’s wife —I’m so sorry if you’re disappointed in me!” Tom could hardly believe his ears, and in his excitement he took the girl’s hand in his. “Disappointed!”' he cried. “Why, 1 never was so pleased about anything in my life. I’m so glad you are only Fred’s sister that I can’t think! The only thing I wouldn’t like would be to have you promise to be a sister to me, too. Please don’t do that, will you?” Dorothy Ely blushed and laughed as she got to her feet and walked toward the door. “You’ll have to invite me to be one first —and besides, I have two brothers of my own. Shall we go skating now, or do you want to wait till my sister can come along and chaperone us?” “No, I don’t, but I’m ready to go anywhere in the world you ask me to, provided you are there, too. Do you think you could be?” Dorothy* looked up at him and then blushed again, and Lieutenant Campbell knew that his suit was won.

Country’s Highest Mountains.

The ten highest mountains in the United States are Mt. McKinley, in Alaska, 20,300 feet; Mt. Whitney, California, 14,501 feet; Mt. Rainier, Wash ington, 14,408; Mt Elbert Colorado, 14,402 feet; Gannet Peak, Wyoming, 13,785 feet; King’s Peak, Utah, 13,498 feet; Truchas Peak, New Mexico, 13, 306 feet; East Peak, Nevada, 13,141* feet; Granite Peak, Montana, 12,850 feet; San Francisco Peak, Arizona, 12,611 feet. The highest point in Ohio is near Bellefontaine, Logan county, 1,550 feet; highest point in Indiana, Carlos City, Randolph county, L 210; highest point in Illinois, Mt Charles, in Joe Daviess county, 1,241 feet

Garden for Invalid.

If you have an invalid friend, you can make her a garden that (ihe will enjoy for a very little mone/. Buy a small gold fish bowl and have a piece of glass to fit over the top. Then go out into the woods and get a piece of moss for the bottom and find a small plant or a tiny fern and set it out in the moss or plant a nasturtium seed. The moisture from the plant will keep it growing; there will be no need to water it, and the invalid can have her little garden right near the bed, can even take it in her hands and watch it grow. It will be a joy weeks.

THE EVENTNG, REPU]BTJCAN. RFNSSELAER. IND-

OLD GOTHIC BARNS

Great Structures in England Similar to Village Churches. Unapproachable in Dignity; Beautiful as Cathedrals; No Ostentation of the Builder’s Art. The great old stone barns of England, dating, many of them, from the fourteenth century, are, .comparatively speaking, little known to the general public, says the Christian Science Monitor. The beautiful architecture to be found in the English' village churches has received its full meed of appreciation, and so, though possibly In a slightly less degree, have the fine old manor houses which dot the countryside and provide a most Interesting study In the local variations which occur In the generally prevailing style at any given period. The barns, however, have been rather neglected, and literature on the subject Is practically nonexistent. Yet the barn Is intimately bound up with the history of the neighborhood In which It stands, and where, for possibly nearly 500 years, it has been fulfilling practically the same eminently Important functions, with little change, for the benefit of the folk in Its neighborhood. The methods of the farmer may vary, but the general routine of the countryside goes on, much the same, century after century, and the great barns still stand ready to house the people’s food as they have done, summer and winter, for so many hundred years. These old Gothic barns are very dignified and very beautiful buildings, comparable In some ways to the village churches whose contemporaries they are, and if they are less ornate, they are. In their simplicity, hardly less imposing. Indeed, some people would give the balance in favor of the barns in this matter. It is by no means always an easy matter to tell the precise date of these bains at first sight, but sometimes there is a little carving, a bit of tracery or a finial which will supply the clew, or possibly again, the form of a buttress may afford an indication; but fortunately there are generally local records to which access may be had containing f details of the origin and foundation of the%arns. 1 Among the famous fourteenth century barns of England are those at Glastonbury, Wells and Pilton in Somersetshire, Great Coxwell in Berkshire and Abbotsbury in Dorsetshire. These are all what may be described as barns of the first magnitude; great cruciform buildings which may well vie in size and dignity with many churches. Of the barn at Great Coxwell, William Morris said that it was “unapproachable in its dignity, as beautiful as a cathedral, yet with no ostentation of the builder’s art,” and he always declared that it was one of the finest buildings in England or anywhere else.

Two Senators for Each State.

Congress consists of two senators from each state, the smallest state as well as the largest; and a’ number of representatives, according to population. The basis of representation, or number of inhabitants for a representative, is fixed by congress under each recurring census so as to secure adequate representation for every state without making the house too large and unwieldy. The Constitution of the United States, adopted in 1789, said the number of representatives should not exceed one for every 30,000 of population, and as no census had yet been taken, 30,000 was adopted as the ratio of representation and the population of the different spates was estimated. By this process ihe first house of representatives -consisted of 65 members. Since then congress has passed 13 apportionment acts, under 13 different censuses, changing. the basis of representation every time except once. In 1800 and in 1810 the ratio was fixed at one representative for 33,000 population. In 1820 the ratio was increased to 35,000, and it has been increased every tenth year since till it is now 211,877, while the membership of the house das increased from 65 to 435.

Big Oil Supply.

Last year the United States produced 341,800,000 barrels of crude oil, approximately 68 per cent of the world’s consumption. In 1916 its share was about 65 per cent. A large part of the fuel oil used by the British navy comes from Mexico. Last year Mexico produced 60,000,000 barrels, about-20,000,000 barrels over the output the year before. Russia in 1917, produced 70,000,000 barrels, a falling off of about 2,000,000 barrels from the 1916 production. In the Dutch East Indies 14,000,000 barrels were produced last year and 17,000,000 barrels the year before. Roumania in 1917 produced 11,000,000 barrels as compared with 10,000,000 the year previous. Most of the Roumanian oil fields are now under control of Germany.—The Pathfinder.

Experientia Docet.

First Bach—Let’s ask Peck. He’s married and will be able to speak from experience. Second Bach —On the contrary, he’ll keep his mouth shut from experience.

Same Home.

Father —I want my daughter to have as good a home after marriage as she had before. Suitor —I want her to have the ftHTW 7 X-' -

DEVIL WORSHIPING IN HAITI

Hera the Savage Instincts of the Blacks Have Been Fed and Fostered for Centuries. Aside from warlike considerations, people have become so accustomed to being safe that it is something of a shock to learn that only a few hundred miles from the centers of American culture there is an almost savage country. The islands of the West Indies are, as a rule, the abodes of enlightenment where any one, man or woman, may travel without fear of molestation. “But such js not the case in Haiti,” says A. Hyatt Verrill in “The Book of the West Indies.” “Here the shortcomings, the failures, the savage Instincts of the blacks have been fed and fostered for centuries. From untamed jungles they were brought In reeking, pest-ridden slave ships to serve beneath the lash. Debased, untaught, they rose, and in a resistless wave of black swept the dominating whites from the land. Then were loosened all the pent-up hatred, the undying lust for revenge, the suppressed savagery of the African races, and slaughter, rapine, incendiarism, torture and debauchery stalked naked through the stricken laftd.” Haiti has improved considerably since then, but there is yet much room for improvement. “The only wonder is that any vestige of civilization remains, that there is the semblance of rule, of industry, of order in the. republic.” Among the barbarisms now prevalent in Haiti are voodooism and obeah, the former a. kind of devil worship, and the latter a form of witchcraft. “In its most fanatical form voodooism requires human sacrifices, which are accompanied by cannibalistic feasts and unspeakable orgies. . . . Obeah, on the other hand, is merely witchcraft with no religious significance whatever, and in its most malignant form consists of poisoning with devilish ingenuity, and in its commonest and least virulent form amounts merely to a lot of nonsense, hocus-pocus and mummery.”

Indians Best Walkers.

■When it comes to feet civilized man has a thing or two to learn from the dog eating Igorrote or the pigeon toed American Indian, says Prof. L. J. Richardson in a bulletin entitled “The Soldier on Foot," and issued by the University of California. Becoming a patron of the long abused pigeon toed man Professor Richardson says that the normal gait of man is exemplified by the American Indian, who walks with his feet set parallel or even with the toes turned slightly inward. In this way all the toes function and the lifting and propelling power of the foot is at its maximum, he says. While deploring the army regulations requiring a soldier to stand with his toes turned out at an angle of about 45 degrees, because of the tendency to cause eversion of the foot and weakness of the posterior arch, Professor Richardson is sufficiently optimistic for civilized man to conclude that in spite of the inherited and acquired bad habits he can reform and “learn to walk” with fair results. Walking in tight shoes generation after generation is the cause of nearly all the foot troubles of civilized man, the professor says. This -condition, he says, has left but a single strong toe on either foot, the others being in some measure atrophied. Frequent washing, trimming the toe nails and an avoidance of change from high to low heeled shoes are suggested as a means of obviating much foo* trouble.

When Exempt From Duty.

Section 59 of the army law now in force reads: “The vice president of the United States, the officers, judicial and executive, of the government of the United States and of the several states and territories; pereons in the military or naval service of the United States; customs house clerks; persons employed by the United States in the transmission of the mail; artificers and workmen employed in the armories, arsenals and navy yards of the United States; pilots; marines actually employed in the sea service of any citizen or merchant within the United States shall be exempt from militia duty without regard to age; and all persons who, because of religious belief, shall claim exemption from military service, if the conscientious holding of such belief by such person shall be established under such regulations as the president shall prescribe, shall be exempted from militia serv ice in a combatant capacity; but no person so exempted shall be exempt from militia service in any capacity that the president shall declare to be noncombatant”

Canned Turtle.

The advantage of New Orleans as a port was emphasized in the opening of a canning factory for the distribution of real green sea turtles. With the exception of a small factory at Key West, it will be the only establishment of its kind in America. The factory has been situated at Miami, Fla., but the excessive freight rates and a lack of steamer service to Central American ports led to its removal to Bay St Louis. It handles nothing but green sea turtles caught in Central American waters, and these are put up in four different forms —clear green turtle soup, thick green turtle soup, turtle beef in Creole style, and “callipe,” which is the meat of the turtle taken from Its breast, back and flippers. The factory turns out about 15,000 cans a day, or a total of 700,000 pounds a year, including all products. There Is also a by-producl called turtle oil, used medicinally.— Fishing Gazette. -

SCRAPS of HUMOR

IN LUCK.

First Manager—Then you had a satisfactory season? Second Manager —Very! Two of our most antagonistic critics died. Gassed. The perfume of the wlldwood flower Expands across the scene. And then is wholly smothered by The scent of gasoline. Selt-Help. “Don’t you hate a man who insists on being waited on instead of doing things for himself?” asked one woman. “No,” answered the other. “Our home would be much happier if my husband didn’t get the lights and the doorbell all mixed up owing to his impression that he a natural-born electrician.” Very Much So. “The discipline in the navy is very strict, isn’t it?” “Yes; even .the vessels which don’t keep up with the others are docked for it.” The Cause. “The man who insulted me wrote me a very lame apology.” “But, then, you know, he had sprained his wrist.” Recrimination. He —You think you are deep, my dear, hut to me you are an open book. She—Maybe I am, but you can’t shut me up. * XT Sure Defense. “Did you ever see a gas mask?” “Sure; you can see one every time on the gasman’s face when you go to complain of your meter.”

Its Proper Namd. “What do you think of my daughter’s execution on the piano?” “I think I would look on it more as murdering time.” Faint Hope. “Wanderlust says he would like to go out West and settle." “Well, I hope he settles with me before he goes.”—Answers. BUSINESS.

“Harper says that every husband should wash the dishes for his wife.” “And who is Harper?” “He is in the china business.” Their Way. “Average .juries remind me of a selfcocking revolver.” “In what way?” “They go off as soon as they’re charged, but nobody knows what they’re going to hit.” A Good Reason. "Why don’t you accept him if he has offered to have his life Insured in your favor?” “Because if he was a good risk for the insurance company, he’d be a bad one for me.”

HEROIC

“Do you think you would eat som» if this cake I made?” “Didn’t I say I’d be willing to dia t’or yow?” o |

APPROPRIATE EXCLAMATION

“When I was up to old Simmons’’ yestiddy he called in his son Josiab an’ give him the hull farm.” “Gawsh! What did Josiah say?” “He couldn’t say a durn thing but just ‘My land!’ ”

JUST WONDERED

“Is the fishin’ good, .sir?” “Not very. But why do you ask?”’ “Well, you see, there hasn’t been a drop of water in this, creek all summer until the rain last night, and I just wondered.”

NOW, THEN

“What are you thinking about?” “Nothing.” “Sure you aren’t thinking about me?” “No; I was thinking about another nothing entirely.”

MEAN MAN

Doctor Wise —Your husband needs absolute quiet and rest. I’ve left an opiate. Mrs. Talkalot —When shall I give it to him? Doctor Wise —Don’t give it. to him—take it yourself.