Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1899 — Page 6

THANKSGIVING PUMPKIN PIES

cling she ban had strengih to refuse; ■ha would out a aorry figure In the aoclal paradise— Sat ahe looms a perfect paragon concocting pumpkin plea. ■ar mind has never waded through the literature of gush, gar cheeks have never crimsoned other than with nature’s blush. ■ha Isn’t verged In subtle ways and fashionable Ilea— . . Bat she’* queen of all creation when ahe builds pumpkin plea. She baa not applied for membership In any cooking fad. , . , ■he baa never murmured politics to make all nature sad— Bat ahe'a mighty Intellectual In wrestling with the ties . . ■anwnndlng the arranging of Thanksgiving pumpkin pies.

«rt ES, I come out better with 'em \/ than I expected,” said Phoebe Podd across the barnyard fence to bar neighbor, Mrs. Tripp, who said: *They’a as fine a lot o’ turkeys as I ever we, Misa Podd, and you’d great luck to 4o so well with ’em. Turkeys are dreadful hard things to raise. Don’t you think •or “Yea, they be; an’ I do’no as I shall *t« try It again. They need so much eoddlin’ when they’re little things an’ they eat so much 1 doubt if it pays to bother with ’em. But 1 thought I’d try It once Just to see how I come out, an’ I didn’t lose a single one. One of ’em had the pips, too; but I coddled it through all right.” “You’ll sell some of ’em at Thanksglvtag time, I s’poseV” “Oh, yes; 1 collate on selling all but that young gobbler, an’ I’m goin’ to eat him I’m short of grain and it won’t pay ate to buy feed for a lot of turkeys. They’d eat their heads off in six weeks.” “Yet, I s’pose so. Who you goin’ to have for comp’ny Thanksgivln’?” “I ain’t quite sure yet; but I guess It won’t be hard to git someone to come in aa’ help eat a plump, juicy young gobbler like that.” “No, Indeed. We’re all goin’ over to Hebron to eat dinner with my husband’a •later. They’re goin’ to have a big fam’Jy reunion there, an’ sister counts on havta’ over forty to dinner.” “It must be nice to have that many •wn folks,” said Miss Phoebe, with a algh. “Here I ain’t got any kin at all.” “There’a your cousin Thyrxa,” said Tripp. “I don’t count her ns kin,” aald Phoebe Podd coldly, and she manifested her resentment of Mrs. Tripp’s suggestion by turning about abruptly and walking into the houae, while Mrs. Tripp walked down the country road toward her own home, aaylng to herself: “If ever there was a set piece Phoebe Podd is one. There’a aobody on earth she’d ought to have and she’d like to have help her to eat that young gobbler as Thyrxa Deane and her boye, but she’d die, Phoebe Podd would, before she’d own np to it.” Miaa Podd lived on a profitable little farm left to her by her parents, who had also left her cash and stock enough to make her one of the “best off" women In tbe neighborhood in which she lived. She lived alone, with tbe exception of a hired man.

Hits Podd and her cousin Thyrza bad keen more like sisters than cousins in tlieir intimacy until a trifling disagreement had resulted in their'complete estrangement, and it had been fire years ■luce they had spoken to each other. Mrs. Deane had become a widow during these five years, and she had been reduced from a state of ease and plenty to •ne of hardship and poverty. But these facta had apparently made no difference with Phoebe Podd, for she coutinued to ■tterly ignore the existence of her cousin. “I’d like to see myself asking Thyrza Deane and her young oues to come and help me eat that turkey!" said Miss Podd apitefully as she went into her spotless kitchen and banged the door behind her. "I’ve a good mind never to speak to Sarah Tripp again for mentioning the same of Thyrza Deane to me!” Three days before Thanksgiving Miss Podd engaged the services of Jane Gray, a woman who “worked out” in the neighborhood. and the two women dressed the entire flock of turkeys for market after Job, the hired man, bad done duty as a batcher. The plump young gobbler alone was spared, but his end was to come on Thanksgiving day. “Although it’d be a mercy to kill him sow,” said Mlsa Podd to Jane Gray, "he'll feel so lonely without his mates. I’U have Job kill 'im early Thanksgiving morning and hut 'im in the ice house to coat off ’font I roast 'im, an’ I dost think I’ll bare any one her* this Tbanksgivin*. I ain’t feelin’ right well an’ 1 'don’t feet able to fuss ’round gettin’ up a big diuaer. I don’t seem to bare any interest la Thanksgiving this year/’

B E may not be versed In history, theology and that, Bhe has never paid attention to a B sharp of A flat; I know tt’a very certain lhat the planets In the sklea Have not bothered with her skill In making luscious pumpkin plea. Bhe has never worr 1 e d ever over que tlons called obtuse. The mysteries of cy-

THANKSGMNG 99

But her Interest was aroused when Job came in on Thanksgiving morning, and informed Miss Podd that the young gobbler was not to be found. "I’ve looked high and low for ’im, ma'am; an’ he ain’t to be found nowheres. I’ve my s’picions where he went.” ‘‘You have? Well, why don’t you com* out an’ say what you think?" asked Miss Podd irritably. “I think he was stolen, ma’am.” ‘‘lt looks like it,” said Miss Podd. “An’ I’ve my s’picions who stole ’im.” “Who?" “Well, I met that oldest boy of the Widow Deane’s in the woods near your barn last evening just at dusk an’ he had a white an’ black turkey gobbler slung over his shoulders. He made off mighty fast when he saw me. I never thought anything about it until I come to look up your turkey this morning, and couldn't find him.” “And you ain’t seen my turkey since you saw Joe Deane with a gobbler like mine on his back?” “No, ma'am. The last I saw of your turkey was about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon when I see ’im goin' out toward the timber back o’ the barn. It’s my opinion that the Deane boy swiped that gobbler." Miss Podd was in just the right mood to be easily led to this same conclusion, and her wrath knew no bounds when she had finally decided that Job was correct in his surmise.

“Yes,” she said finally, “that boy nabbed my turkey, an’ he probably did it out of pure spite. But then he bad a great uncle on the Deane side who was once urrested for stealin’ an’ the failin’ has prob’ly cropped out in Thyrza’s children. Bnt she’ll wish she’d raised ’em better ’fore night. I ain’t crossed her doorstep for nlost six years, but I’ll cross it today an’ tell her to her face what I think of this performance. I’ll tell her something that’ll make that turkey taste mighty bitter in her mouth, now see if I don’t!” w#*. It was a raw, cold and sunless day. Miss Podd’s anger had made her forget that she was not feeling well, and soon after noon she set forth from her own snug and pretty hojne to visit the far from attractive and comfortable home in which her cousin lived. There had no money for repairs of any kind on the Deane place and Miss Podd relented a very little bit as she noted the forlorn aspect of the place. But she was determined to carry through what she had undertaken. It was unlike the Podds to swerve from any fixed resolution, and Miss Podd’s face wore a hard, grim, resolute look as she knocked at the Deane’s back door. “I’ll face ’em when they’re in the very act of eatin’ my turkey,” she had said to Job. “I’ll make that turkey change from sweet to bitter in their mouths!” Someone called out “Come in,” and Misa Podd entered the Deane kitchen just aa Mrs. Deane and her five children had aeated themselves at a table on which there was no sign of a turkey or of a Thanksgiving feast of any kind. A plate of corned beef and a dish of boiled potatoes were the chief didhes on the table. Mra. Deane’s surprise when she saw who her caller was was manifest in her face. “Why—Cousin Phoebe!” she said. Misa Podd’s sharp eyes took in at a glance the poorly spread table and the air of poverty the Interior of the house presented, and her first words were: “Well, Thyrza Deane, ia this the best

“IT’D BE A MERCY TO KILI, HIM.”

Thanksgiving dinner you’re able to have?” “Yes, it is, Phoebe,” said Mrs. Deane with a blush. “It’s so poor, Phoebe, that Pin ashamed to ask you to share it.” “Where’s the turkey Joe brought home last night?” asked Thoebe. “We sold it. It was one he earned huskin' corn all day for Andy Tetlow, and we were too poor to keep it for ourselves, so I dressed it and Joe took It to town after dark last night and exchanged it for things we needed more than we needed the turkey.” There was silence in the room for a moment and then Miss Podd burst out impetuously: “I ain’t fit to live! No. I ain’t! Pm too miserably mean an' narrow contracted to be respectable even! I'm ” “Why. Cousin Pbnrbe, I *■ “You jest keep still. Thyrza. an’ hear me out! You know what l come here for? Hey? No. you don’t, an’ you ain't meaa-tsisded enough to guess! 1 come here to accuse your boy Joe of stcaiin’ a turkey from me! I ” “Why. Pboebe-r— ** “Yon keep still. Thyrza. an’ hear me out. an’ then order me out if yon feel •ike it. A young gobbler I had was mistin' this moinin’ an* Job. my hired man. saw your Joe f»du* home las’ night with

a turkey on his back, an’ I waa mean enough to make myself think it waa my turkey, an’ here you are eatin’ a Thankaglvin’ dinner of corned beef an’ potatoes, an’ more thankful for it, I’ll be bound, than I am for all the good things I’ve got in my cellar an’ pantry!, I’m bo ashamed of myself!” “Why, Phoebe!” “But this is what you’ve got to do, Thyrza; you an’ the children most go right home with me an’ keep Thanksgivln’. I’ll kill a >air o’ chickens an’ we’ll make a big potpie like we bad the last time you et your Thanksgjyin' dinner with me. I’ve piles of pie an’ cookies an’ doughnuts an’ a big pound cake all baked up! You’ve got to go, Thyrsa, for the sake of old times! Come on an’ welcome to you all!” There was no opposing Miss Podd and in fifteen minutes they were all on their way to her house, the two cousins walking arm in arm. When they reached Miss Podd’s house Job met them with a grin on his face. ‘That young gobbler’s a good one,” said Job. “I reckon he thought he’d be smart enough to save his neck. I found him just now in the shed room. The winder was up an’ I reckon he flew in there last night an’ he'found it so comfortable he concluded to stay right there, ’speshly as there was a bag of corn there.” “Well, you get his head right off an’ put him in the ice house to cool off,” said Miss Podd. “Our dinner’ll be late, Thyrza, but I’ll set out a good lunch to kind o’ stay our stummicks an’ then you an’ I will pitch in an’ git up one o’ the reg’lar Thanksgivin’ dinners like we used to git up ’fore we was geese enough to fall out. But we’ve fell in again, as it were, an’ it won’t be my fault if we don’t stay friends the rest of our days.”—Detroit Free Press.

Joke of Two Mean Boys.

They tacked up a sign on Farmer Foe row’s fence. All Darktown rejoiced.

The rejoicing was turned to mourning, and Darktownites wondered why the farmer was so hostile.

Driving Turkeys to Dawson.

When the steamship Elder tied up at Juneau from Portland she ha£ aboard 1,000 dozen of frozen eggs and Some dead and some live turkeys, which their owner expects to rush through to Dawson in time for Thanksgiving. The live turkeys, he says, he Intended to drive in over the Chilkoot pass and. Dawson trail. When old Dave Thompson, a prospector of three seasons’ experience in Yukon country, who came out of Dawson up the river, heard about this, he began to laugK Half an hour later Mr. Thompson waa still laughing, black in the face, pounding a table, and saying to himself: “Gee whiz, but this beats me.” He says that the cold in the interior ia so intense in November that it burns the skin off the face, and that the turkey* will be frozen on the walk.—San Francisco Call. r

Custom’s Probable Suggestion.

The antiquarian will tell us thwt Thanksgiving day was suggested by tha Hebrew “Feast of the Tabernacles” or “Feast of Ingathering” at the end of tha year. Occasional thanksgiving was not unusual in Europe, and 6uch a day waa observed in Leyden, Holland, Oct. 3, 1575, the first anniversary of the deliverance of that city from siege. The pilgrim fathers, however, are unquestionably to be credited with inaugurating- tha day in America and it has become purely an American observance equally recognized with Christmas and New Year. As tte gather at the well-filled boards let us*cast a passing thought on those earnest men and women in the peaked hats and quaint hoods who have taught us to give thanks/ for the blessings of life,

There'll Be No Parting There.

First Turkey Gobbler—l hear your son had a terrible experience on Thanksgiving day. \ ' *' Second Turkey Gobbler—Yea; he waa all cut up by It.

PCOPLE TAUGHT TO SAVE.

EwsrksMsOisuAsfOrsatmMalsWi KottrlGce Fsvisgt Bask. The history of the post office avlags bank of Great Britain is specially remarkable. There is nothing computable with it in the wor!4 as a savings Institution. It was founded only thir-ty-eight years ago and it now has 7,000,000 depositors and bolds in trust o ver 16004)00,000. The business of the central administrative department In London has grown to sack enosmoas proportions that an area of live acres has recently been purchased at West Kensington, in the outskirts of London, wherein new buildings will be erected for its accommodation. The corner stone of the main structure was laid in June by the Prince of Wales. Every postoffice in the United Kingdom Is a branch of this bank, and there are 1,200 branches. The lnstttntlou has been popular with the masses from the beginning, and its beoedts la the encouargement of thrift and providence have been beyond estimation. One in every fire persons in England and Wales is said to have an account in these banks, and one in every fourteen in Scotland and Ireland. The institution catches the small savings, the average sum on deposit by the 7,000.000 depositors being only about SBO- - device is employed to encourage the making of deposits and to render the banking process simple and convenient. The elementary schools of the country co-operate with the banka and the <jJ»ildren form a large percentage of the depositors. Penny -stamp slips are provided whereby children sue enabled to begin an account with a minimum deposit of 1 shilling. An in terest rate of 2% per cent. Is paid.

SIR JOHN WATERS A FINE SPY.

Thrilling Adventure When Captured by the Sir John Waters was the moat admirable spy ever attached to an army. In the Peninsular war he gave to Lord Wellington accurate and valuable information about the Spaniards. Once he was taken prisoner by Spanish dragoons while clad In the English uniform. He was supposed to he a stupid Britisher who could not understand a word of French or Spanish, and his captors talked freely before him. Then he learned that they were going to kill and rob him at an old mill where the company was to stop for dinner. They would pretend that they had shot him because of his attempt to escape. Oa reaching the mill the dragoons dismounted and went into the house, leaving their prisoner outside, in the hope that he would try to escape. As soon as they were out of sight Waters threw his cloak on a near-by olive bush and put his cocked hat on top. Empty flour sacks lay on the ground and he crawled into one of them. A moment later the dragoons came out, fired their carbines at the supposed prisoner and galloped off, intending to return later to rifle the body. A liorse loaded with sacks of flour stood near the door and Sir John, still enveloped in the sack, managed to throw himself on the horse's back, as if he were part of the load. The owner came out, mounted and rode away without detecting the peculiar Contents of one of the sacks. When far enough away for safety, his position being uncomfortable, Str John freed himself from the sack and sat up. The horseman, happening to look around, saw the man covered with flour and imagined a ghost was perched behind him. He fell in a faint and Ihe supposed ghost threw him to the ground and galloped off. Sir John reached the English camp without further adventure. —New York Press.

Tragedy of Death Valley. Earth affords no more horrible tale than would the history of Death Valley, the great arid desert this side of the mountains of Southern California. The latest tragedy is only one of thou sands. James Dayton, caretaker for a borax company’s property in the valley, 150 miles from the nearest railway station, set out for home with a team of six mules. Two weeks lata-, having failed to reach his destination, a search party found him lying dead undo- a mesquito bush. Fifty feet away his wagon stood, with the dead mules lying about in such condition as to indicate the terrible torture they had undergone. In the wagon were barrels of water and hales of -hay, which would hare saved them had they been able to reach it. The bodies of man and beast were intact when found, neither coyote nor buzzard nor other living creature daring to enter the confines of the heatparched valley in the height of swimmer. The only living thing at the scene of death and desolation was Dayton's faithful dog. which for twenty days had watched by the side of its dead master In the desert The dog managed to survive, probably by getting water from an old borax camp known as Eagle Camp, half a mile distant.

Howto Keep Cut. Flower.

A lady who has spent a good deni of time in Japan says that she has often kept cut flowers for an abnormally long period by burning their stems with a piece of wood—not with a match, be it observed, or the sulphur would be injurious to the flower. The Japanese say that the charring process causes the water to penetrate t» stem and to sustain the flower. Whatever the reason, it is satisfactory to learn that by charring the Atoms of chrysanthemums we may keep than in good condition for a month or six weeks.

Would Not Interrupt a tody.

He—The great trouble with Gahtey la that he Mbs toe much. She—That’s strange. When he baa been with me he aeareely arid a word. He—Oh, he la too much of a gentle yuan to Tit-Btta.

POLITICS OF THE DAY

REAL EVIL OF TRUSTS A citizen of sufficient consideration to bo consulted and quoted on the subject of trusts lately raid that,he considered them very objectionable and hurtful to the interests of the people, because they had to pay dividends on a capitalisation more than twice as great as the value of their plants—that is, because they had to pay dividends on stock which was more than half water. If this was the worst that could be said of the combines, commonly called trusts, they would not be deserving of .the popular condemnation under which they abide. The truth is that they do not have to pay dividends on their stock, however much It may be diluted. If they did have to the holders of mnch of their common stock would have cause to rejoice. A corporation cannot make dividends for any great length of time except out of its earnings. If it earns nothing it has nothing to divide. If it earns mnch if ean make large dividends. Its earning power does not depend at all upon the amount of its capitalization. If it issues stock nine parts In ten water It cannot earn a dollar more than If its capitalisation is only half the value of its plant. Bat its power to declare dividends—to make earnings depends very greatly on its power to fix prices arbitrarily. If it Ims that power it may declare large dividends on a very excessive capitalization. It is this power to control prices that is the objectionable thing about trusts. Divest them of this power and the public win not rare a fig how muck they water their stock.—Chicago Chronicle.

Next Tear. The issue of imperialism or anti-im-perialism. of the Declaration of Independence against national frvebooting, of American- traditions ns opposed to British policies, will be the supreme question of the hour next year. The assailants of the Constitution, the vouW lie destroyers of the Declaration, me welcome to whatever they can get out of their so-called victories in Ohio and elsewhere. In (Milo they have elected a minority Governor, and whether Jones drew most heavily from the Democrats, as Mark Hanna confesses he did, or from the Bepublicans. the fact stands out conspicuously that Jones himself is an anti-expansionist. In Maryland the most popular Republican of the State was up for re-deo*ion as Governor. He had given a very creditable administration, and all the power of the National Government was used to promote his interests. Bet his party made the fatal mistake of indorsing expansion and upholding McKinley's jungle war. This cooked his In Massachusetts the Republican platform was a riddle. Even the SpringHeld Republican indorsed it on the ground that it was a good anti-expan-sion document. So did Senator Hoar, whose views are too well known for And yet merely because the declaration was not positive, because it was susceptible of two meanings, 25,009 Republicans voted against it. In Nebraska, where the issue was distinctly one of whether the Philippine bargain should have been ratified or not, and where the forces of nature really seemed to work in favor of the Republicans, there was a fusion landslide. In Kentucky the Democrats would certainly have carried the State, per haps they have carried it. but for the bolt led by former Gov. Brown, (for. Bradley, the Republican leader of Kentucky, Is an anti-expansionist, therefore the issues were principally local to that State. As a mater of fact Nebraska alone of all the States passed judgment absolute upon the President's policy. It was formerly a Republican stronghold, ne Democrat ever carried it as such for any State office, and McKinley was snowed under. The next President will not only be a Democrat, bnt he will be elected because he believes In the fundamental principles of Democracy, in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Thomas Jefferson.—New York Newsu The ejections have settled at least two Important questions. William J. Bryan will be the Democratic candidate for President in 1906, and William McKinley will be renominated by the Republicans. Bryan's victory in his home State of Nebraska assures his position as the logical candidate of the Democracy, and McKinley's success in Ohio makes his renomination certain. Aside from thode two Important matters the elections showed that the Democrats have gained strength. Discussing this matter William J. Bryan In an interview given out at |Jneotn. Neto, says: “The elections have shown a decreasing confidence in the policy of the administration and n growing opposition to all for which the Republican party stands, which will result in the overthrow of that policy In He declares the mult ia Ohio favorable to the national Democracy because of the decreased Republican plurality, and as yet wfossff to admit defeat in Ohloteconreroed the

their victory, but are busy explaining why Hanna was repudiated by his home city and county. As a matter of fact, it appears that Hanna stands higher in those localities where he is least known. On the whole, Dembcratn can find much of encouragement in the results of the election. Wherever national questions were made prominent the people expressed dissatisfaction with the administration and this is an. indigestion of a Democratic victory in the national election of 1900.—Chicago Itemoerat. The PhilippinelOatragr, When Admiral Dewey'was in control of the situation in the Philippine® he expressed the opinion that 5,000 men would be all we should need to maintain our authority in the islands. And If he had remained in authority we should have had no occasion for any more. The Filipinos admired and trusted him. They did whatever he told them to do. As long as he represented our Government in their eyes there was perfect peace. Now we are sending 504)00 men to the Philippines, and we do not know that that will be enough. By a simple computation we see that the administration considered it worth 45,000 men to exchange Dewey for Otis. The revenues of the Government are increasing so that, if It were not for the drain of the needless war in the Philippines, incurred through the incompetence of a “fussy old woman,” we should be laying aside such • surplus every luonth as would enable ua to resume the almost forgotten practice of paying off the national debt. That debt is nearly twice as large now as it was six years ago,"but a few years of peace and prosperity would dispose of it Gen. Otis has cost us 45,000 men and about $15,000,000 a month. The naval estimates for the coming year are three times as large as they were a few years ago. and the increase is largely due to the demands of the Philippine service. We expect to keep a fleet of fifty vessels on blockading duty for an indefinite time, and that costs as much as it cost ! to maintain our whole navy not long ago.—New York Verdict. - Finance* ns “Firm u a Rock?” John Hay. Secretary of State, in his letter to “My dear Dick,” tells us some things that are generally believed to be quite the opposite even by a large section of his own party. After pitching into the Democrats, which, of course, was to be expected of him, he says: “With a sufficiency of money to meet the demands of a volume of business unprecedently vast and profitable.” * * * “With our finances as firm as a rock,” and so forth. At the same time that he must have been writing this letter, the bankers of New York were appealing to the Secretary of the Treasury to help them, money in that center being ao scarce that the banks there had but a few dollars over and above what they are obliged to keep on handr according to law. On or about the same day the Secretary of the Treasury did help them by advancing over $5,000,000, not due for some months. About the same date the Bankers’ Association met in Cleveland and put forth a platform urging Congress to amend or pass currency legislation, because our financial affairs were not “as as a rock,” but were likely at any tithe to give us trouble.—Jeffersonian Democrat. - Chicago Platform Victory. In Nebraska the Bepublicans sakl Bryan wasfhe issue. Judge Reese, head of the Republican ticket, was a strong ami popular man. There was no opposition to his nomination. The Republicans united on their strongest man to - defeat Bryan- On the other hand, Holcomb, the head of the Fusion ticket, although a strong man, has.many bitter opponents within his party. His nomination was only secured through the personal intervention of Mr. Bryan to prevent a split in the party. For these reasons Mr. Holcomb was weaker than his party. Nevertheless, he is selected by a majority of 15.000. a substantial Democratic gain. Mr. Bryan accepted the gage thrown down by the Republicans that Bryan was the issue, and the result of yesterday’s voting show's ♦he effect of the magnificent campaign he made. He has attempted to trim on no Democratic issue. He has not pandered for a single vote. The rictory In Nebraska is a clean, superb victory for W. J. Bryan and the Chicago platform, and a complete rout of the gold standard and imperialism.— Grand Rapids Democrat. Briton* Cannot Bluff the Boer. Military experts In England, as well as in Europe, are suggesting that the/ experience of Gen. White and other officer* of the Indian army in fadng'AslatIcs, who can be “bluffed’’ and "rushed,” Is a positive disadvantage Ita confronting an army of stolid Dutchmen, who spit on their hands and go Into battle as placidly as they would hoe their corn Is it not possible that the fact that our own officer® have been occupied to largely with Indians may have prompted that rash rush at Santiago, which only a lncky fluke kept from being a disaster?—Springfield (Mass.) Republican. In Germany, during the year ending Julwiwe, out of 387,991 persons looking for employment, 222,596 found occupation by means of free employment