Ligonier Banner., Volume 36, Number 38, Ligonier, Noble County, 19 December 1901 — Page 2

o g Riﬁ i'!j.[q l:‘ h% T : ‘VE scarcely . done a stitch b 7 T}?f wgrk £ e 7 e whole de- . 3@#@#@ 7 lightful day; G 7 I'm just too 77 proud to set--5l /////// tle down Into the old time way. *Tis grandma’s Christmas from the boys; It makes me young again, ey @ith all the little ones at play, U "And ne’er an ache or pain. - First came Dan’s Nell, with precious gifts From all the neighbors near; ; &ach sent a note with wishes sweet, : "Twould do you good to hear. This easy-chair’s from Brother Tom; Jack sent this fur-lined hood: 4And here’s Bob's check from-Michigan, . For winter's coal and wood. And let me see—gold spectacles! x From Dorothy, Pick’s lass; : They say she's.famous as a belle— To think it’s come to pass That Dick, my boy, my youngest one, Forever swapping things, Should be,a magnate in the land, One o’ them railroad kings. = This box is labeled ‘“from the kids''— They live in Idaho— JA pair of“silver candlesticks! I wonder if they know s ¥ow often by the hickory fire DAL I've spun both wool and thread, ‘And only lighted candles, when it We went upstairs to bed. o hy “They never in their modern home Worked as their grandpa did, WWho wore the sheep’s rough skin and ' wool, : ¢ And dined upon the kid; They want me, too, but bless their ] hearts, | I couldn’t live their. way; ) A'm used to this old fireplace, . i|, And here I mean to stay. : _ I f'm used to every homely thing o Hallowed by smile and tear; o X couldn’t leave to stranger hands || What love has made so dear; " ¥'m fond of my old rocking-chair, ‘ Tholtigh breéther’'s gift is fine, Wor th_re once laid the silver hair, . That changed as fast as mine. = . i 3 And down the road a little way, . . Then up the hillside steep, o X almost see tHe granite cross oy Where ‘“‘father’” lies asleep; i B 0 here I rest and"ﬁ_aply, when . Old Santa comes this way, " He brings a whole year’s happiness, - Wrapped in a single day. --Mary A. Denison, in Ladies’ World, | New York. . Belaf edD 5 ) . Christinas.

o DU ARTIR RS W), ey o @“ (t “‘* P e 7 0, I AIN'T gor,s& in’ to make @ : . any Christ- : ) : mas,” said - Mrs. Bennett, decisively, as she poured out her husband’s second cup .«of tea. “The Lord ain’t good to us, -and I don’t feel called upon to act as 4f I thought He was.” “Why, Hannah, how you talk,” and ‘Samuel Bennett set his cup down so :suddenly that some of the tea spilled - wover upon the table. “It sounds kind o’ sacrilegious.” ~~ “I can’t help it if it does: There! you've slopped your tea on the table- - «<loth. Why ain’t you careful?” “You kind o’ s'prised me, sayin’ ¢hat, and—" _

“Surprised you, did I?” and Mrs. Bennett wiped up the spilled tea with a cloth taken from the sink near at hand. “I don’t know’s I said anything so very terrible. I guess it ain’t no worse than actin’ out a lie, tryin’ to have a Christmas when you don’t feel it.” . :

“But the Lord is good to us, Hanrnah. They’s ? lot of folks worse off’n "‘“'e- be'” i X .-

“Then I'm sorry for ’em, Sam Benmett. Look at us. We ain’t had noth“ing but bad ;,-jluck this whole year Don’t talk t.oLme. It’s settled.” Samuel Bemnett knew his wife too ~well to argue the question, so he left her and went out to do the “chores,” while she went glumly about the task of washing the supper dishes. But in the old man’s heart, as he went out to feed the cow and fix the mare’s stall

for the night, was the Icpely feerli_ng

-of a disappointed chil-. He liked Christmas. He had 2iways looked forward to it with pleasurable anticipatfion, although for many years the day had not meant so very much €6 him. But he had taken delight in <rimming up the plain rooms of the little farmhouse with evergreens, and he always had managed to give Hanmah a little present, while she had mever failed to remember him with some useful product of her own handiwork. But these humble gifts were real: treasures to him, for he measured them in love’s own balance, and their brightness was a reflection of the effulgent Christmas glory. He

and Hannah were alone in the world, their only child having died in infancy. But they had been happy together and fairly prosperous, until within the past year. Dauring this time, Samuel, as he expressed it, had lost his holt.” One thing after another had happened to «discourage him and set him back. First, his horse died, leaving only the wather decrepit old mare to help him in his field work; then ecrops had failed. Never before had his few acres of ground yielded so sparingly, and the fruit trees were never so ®arren. Along about harvest time, a 8 if to complete his misfortune, he was taken ill and for weeks was un--able to work, while a doctor’s bill ac<umulated. He was obliged to hire a snan to do the work, and the farm wroduced hardly enough to pay for these services. This had all put him behind, and now, in the latter part of December, he seemed to have every meason to be discouraged. But it was Hannah who had given up. He would #till have been hopeéful and looked on the bright side, but for her. She grumbled. ' “I feel awful kind o’ bad not to have any Christmas,” confided Samuel 4o the mare, as he laid the straw for her bed. “I know things ain’t so :m" bright, but Hannah hadn’t ought to ‘feel so. It Iltfx%nht be worse. I guess ‘we can puil through. But then, it'll have to be as Hannah says. If she

won’t have no Christmas, I can’t.”? He felt like crying in his disappointment. Samuel Bennett was oold enough to be getting a bit childish. ° In the house, Mrs. Bennett was putting away the supper dishes in mo amiable frame of mind. 21 don't care,” she muttered, “what he thinks. I ain’t said a word but the truth. How we’ll ever get along this winter, I don’t know. Starve, mebby. The idea o’ making a fuss about Christmas when you ain’t got a thing cheerful to look ahead to! No, I ain’t agoing to do it. Sam can make the best of it. I mean what I say.” That evening there was 'nothing further said about Christmas between the farmer and his wife. By nine o’clock they were in bed. It was Tuesday night and Thursday would be the holiday. As he lay there, Mr. Bennett wondered what he should do with the 50 cents which he had saved up to buy his wife a present. With

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no Christmas, of course there could be no present. He fell asleep, saddened by the thought. The day before Christmas was bright and clear. There had been a generous fall of snow during the night and everything out of doors was covered with the pure ' white mantle. Samuel Bennett was out shoveling paths when the expressman drove along, with a well-filled sleigh: “Hello, there!” shouted the driver, cheerily.” “Merry Christmas, Sam! It’s a little ahead of time, I know, but I may not see you again.” “Thanks. The same to you,” answered Samuel, leaning on his snow shovel. “Got lots of bundles, ain’t yonl: ;

“Yes; everybody’s got something.” “That so? Ain’t come to ours yet, have you?” - The poor old man chuckled at his own pitiable little attempt at a joke. !

“No,,not yet,” was the merry answer from the sleigh. “I’ll bring that around to-morrow, most likely. Well, good-by. G’lang!” and on sped the sleigh with its jingling bells. “l guess he won’t, though,” mused the other, as he fell to work shoveling again. “’Tain’t likely we'll get anything. There ain’t nobody to send it to us, that I know of.” : And Hannah, looking out of the window, echoed his thought with one still more doleful. : “Everybody’ll get something but us,” she mused. “I guess Christmas was intended for rich folks. Nobody gets that ain’t got.” .That afternoon about three o’clock, a muffled-up little form trudged through the snow and up the road to the Bennetts’ farmhouse. “Why, Amy Darrow, what .you. doing here in all this snow?” exclaimed Mrs. Bennett, as she opened the door and saw the little girl standing on the steps. “Come right in before you freeze.” :

. “Oh, Mis’ Bennett,” said the shivering child, in a voice choked with tears, “won’t you come right over to our house? Ma’s awful sick.” :

“Is that so? What’s the matter? Yes, I'll go right over.” “It’s one of her bad spells, only worse,” wailed Amy. “She says she don’t know but she’ll die.”

“Oh, I guess it ain’t as bad as that,” said Mrs. Bennett, kindly. “Don’t you be scart., Sam!’”> She was adt the woodshed door now. “Hitch up the mare right off. I've got to go over to Mis’ Darrow’s. She’s sick.”

Samuel dropped an armful of wood and hastened toward the barn. In less than 15 minutes the old-fash-ioned cutter was at the door, Amy was tucked in between the farmer and his wife, and they were off as fast as the wheezy mare could conveniently carry them. Mrs. Bennett had her medicine bottles under her shawl. She was said by her neighbors to be “about as good as a doctor.” The Darrows lived half a mile or more from the Bennetts, farther on away from the village, which ' was nearly two milées from the Bennett farm. Mrs. Darrow was suffering from a chill when her neighbor entered, and there was no fire in the house. Two children, smaller than ten-year-old Amy, were shivering on the bed with their mother. “Kin’t there no fire?” exclaimed Mrs. Bennett. “My sakes! 'This weather, too.” “I couldn’t cut the wood,” said Amy. “It’s all big sticks.” “ ‘Mrs. Bennett lpst no time in giving the sick woman some of her homemade cordial, and Samuel soon had a fire blazing in the kitchen stove. The heat gradually crept into the adjoining bedroom. | : “You're so good,” dighed the poor Koman on the bed. “I felt so bad I ad to do something, and there wasn’'t a thing but to send for you, Mis’ Bennett., It was so far to go for the doctor, and—" ; . “Which wasn’t necessary,” ' interrupted Mrs. Bennett. “I guess you feel some better now, don’t you?” . “Yes; that medicine se'emec}_l__- to start my heart again. I thought it would just stop beating, one spell.” ~ “I guess you'll be all rightepow,” said Mrs. Bennett, comfortingly. Her naturally kind heart had been touched by the sight of some one else

in distress, and she forgot herself in ministering to another. : “It was good of you to come over,” continued Mrs. Darrow. *“l’'m afraid it will spoil your Christmas. You must have been getting ready for it, seeing it’s Christmas eve.” ‘ - “Don’t you worry. It ain’t botherin’ me a bit,” responded Mrs. Bennett. . : : o But something was bothering her. It was something in her heart that almost sent a moisture to her eyes. But she choked it down. ! “You need something to eat,” she saitl, “some tea and;toast. And these children must be half-starved.” “I'm afraid there ain’t much to get,” said Mrs. Darrow, feebly. S*F don’t know as there’s anything but a little. bread.” “Well, that’ll- make toast.” Mrs. Bennett knew that Widow Darrow was poor, but she never bad known that the family were so desti-

JUST LIKE SANTA CLAUS.

tute as she found them to be, this day before Christmas. “It's dreadful,” she thought, as she searched the bare cupboard. “They’re jest starvin’.” A moment later she was saying privately to her husband: “Sam, you go home and get a loaf of bread and some of that tea. Then you get a pat of butter and a little ham and hurry right back with it. They’re all starvin’, sure’s: ’'m born. I guess ‘that’s what ails Mis’ Darrow. Now you hurry.”. i“¥Yes, Hannah.” :

The old mare seemed to realize that she was on an errand of mercy, and actually quickened her pace. It was not long before Mrs. Darrow had her toast and tea, and the children were enjoying what to them was a bountiful feast. It was dark when Mr. and Mrs. Bennett left for home. As they were riding along, Mrs. Bennett said: SSam!” ‘ “Yes, Hannah.” : “Them children have hung up their stockin’s.” : “Have they? Poor little things!” .“But, Sam, there won’t be anything in ’em. They think there’s a Santy Claus.” o “I wish there wds,” sighed her husband. i (“But there ain’t,” answered practical Mrs. Bennett, “and there won’t be one thing in themmsfo’ckin’s, unless it’s holes. ‘Mis’ Darrow cried about it. It’s too bad.” - - There was silence for a moment, then Mrs. Bennett continued: “Sam, there must be something put in ’em.” » - “How can they, Hannah?” “Well, T guess there can. You go down to the store and get something. I guess we can spare a little.” “I've got—" Samuel interrupted, and then he paused, almost afraid to tell the rest. He had always been a bit afraid of his wife. “Well, what have you got?” ; “Fifty cents, Hannah. "I kind o’ saved it up, along, to buy you a—a Christmas present, but—” “I don’t want no present. That'll buy some candy and a few trinkets for them children. Then, while you’re gone to the store, I'll pop some corn, and there’s some red apples. You can go over and fill them stockings.” “Jest like Santy Claus,” said the old man, delighted. The thought warmed his kind old heart anew, and the Christmas spirit within him began to revive. That evening, tremulous with joy, he filled the little stockings that hung in a row in the bare kitchen of the Darrow house, left a whole pumpkin pie in the cupboard, and went home, leaving a promise to come again in the morning and see how the mother and children were getting along. Mrs. Darrow was: much better. She said she thought she would be able to get up in the morning. !

Christmas morning, as soon as they had had their breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett again drove over to the Darrows’. .They found the mother sitting up, happy with her children over their humble gifts. They had been sure that Santa Claus would bring them something, and he had not betrayed their childish confidence. +“I declare,” said Samuel Bennett, when he and his wife were again in the cutter, on their way home, “it seems kind o’ Christmasy, after all.” “I don’t know but it does,” admitted Hannah. “I’ve kind o’ made up my mind we ain’t the worst off ever was, after all.” S She was learning the true lesson of Christmas time—that it is doing for “the least of these’” that gives the deepest joy. But she was still to find "the fuller happiness of that Christmas day. - “Lan'dg” she exclaimed, as they neared the house. “There’s the expressman in front of our gate. What can he want?” ; ; “I don’t know,” replied Samuel. “It ean’t be anything for us” ' ... | But it was. : : “I brought your package,” ecalled the expressman, “only it’s a box.” . The mysterious box was soon carried into the house and opened. It ‘was generous in size, and as the cover came off it was found to be well e e

“Here’s a letter, Sam. Open it.”

Samuel Bennett opened the letter, which bore his name, and read it wonderingly. It said: “Dear Uncle: I guess you have forgotten me, but I am still alive and prospercus. As Christmas approached, I thought of you and Aunt Hannah, as the only living relatives I have, and I send you something’ to make you think of me.” There was further explanation, and then the letter ended with: “Now, Uncle Samuel, if you need arny assistance, let me know. I shall be glad to help you. I have plenty and to spare, and if I can do anything for you it will be a blessing to me. Write to me soon. Your affectionate nephew, John Bennett.”

“My brother Henry's boy,” said Samuel. “I never knew what had become of him. Ain’t it queer?” “Queer?” said Hannah, feelingly. “I call it a Godsend. And to think I grumbled and found fault with the Lord. Wasn’t I wicked?”

And then she sat down and began Lo weep. ; “Don't, Hanra! 'Tain’t nothin’ to cry over. You didn’t mean it, and the Lord’ll forgive you. Let’s take the things out of the box.” There were many beautiful gifts for both of them, John Bennett had shown his liberality when he packed the Christmas box.

“Sam,” remarked Mrs. Bennett, when they had examined and wondered at the last article, and the box had been removed to the woodshed, “I wonder if you couldn’t go and get a few evergreens. We might trim up a little.”

“Of course, I could,” answered Samuel, radiantly. “It ain't far to the woods, and the snow ain’t deep there. I could get some in no time.” “Then you get some. And while you’re gone, I'll go to work and get the best dinner I can. We’ll have a Christmas, if it is a kind of a late one.”

“Oh, Hannah,” cried the delighted old man, with a suspicious shake in his voice, “you make me so happy.” “I feel that way myself, Sam,” she replied. l

Then she did something which she had not done before in many years. She went up to her husband and kissed him. He, surprised into silent ecstacy, blushed like a boy, as. he went out after the evergreens.

That kiss was the sweetest Christmas gift he had ever received.—N. Y, Observer. : i

SOME GOOD ADVICE.

It Is Not the I’ri?e of a Gift That De= termine Its Value to the ' : Receiver,

‘“The gift without the giver is bare.”

If you Kl‘d\’_&e‘ many friends and little money, you will probably be pained over and over again, during the Christmas .season, because you cannot express your feelings for them in more or less costly presents. But have you ever stopped to think, asks Success, what priceless gifts, heart gifts, thought gifts, love gifts, you can bestow without money? There is nothing else the human heart so hungers for, yearns for, as sympathy, encouragement, love; the things that gold has no'power te purchase. “I have no gift to send you, dear grandma, but I love you, love you, love You, and here are a hundred kisses for you.” This was the Christmas present sent by a little girl to her grandmother many miles away. The simple, loving words, which brought the tears to her eyes, gave the grandmother more pleasure than any of the presents she had: received. Yet the child had only three cents to spend on “grandma’s present.” With one of these she bought a sheet of paper and an envelope for the letter, with the other two a stamp.

Do not think, those of you who have money to spend freely, that all your duty has been done when you have sent a boolk, a ton of coal, or a check, for a Christmas present. You must give yourself with your gift. This alone will make it valuable.

Cyrus gave up a cup of gold to Artabazus, the courtier, while to Chrysanthis, his favorite, he gave only a kiss. = Thereupon the -courtier demurred, saying: “Sire, the cup you gave me was not so good gold as the kiss you gave Chrysanthis.” Many a heart will be hungry, vacant, aching, after receiving costly Christmas gifts, because the giver is nov in the gift. The precious gold, frankincense and myrrh laid by the three kings at the feet of the Christ-child would have been shorn of their value had not the offerings been accompanied by the hearts of the givers. Who gives of himself gives that which is above rubies, that which alone can sat~ isfy and uplift humanity—love, “the greatest thing in the world.” NOT FAVORABLY IMPRESSED, N en A N TR | | L A @f ;‘;‘é‘g}’f}?ﬂ“ A A W afltz“%“". ) (N TP, : Gk Y G FRA A T N j o f L il Ilk:'ﬂl"f' J | . S ii‘ . L : O = . REER ] — b = | NN = " & I / -—"" o .f:_";__‘.::k::: ‘lo-—?%%“\*“ - Simmons—Do you know his wife? Kimmons—Only through some cigars she gave him Christmas.—Town Topics. L i A Happy Oon‘cluslon. Ted (of Beacon Hill)—*The settles ment of the much-discussed question, that Santa Claus is a myth, fills me with unbounded delight. Now I'd like to see anyone wheedle me into being good just before Christmas.”— Judge. i Concrete Meanness, . “Bingleson’sthemeanest man I evea heard of.” s “What’s he been doing now??” = - “Mude his wife a Christmas present of a receipted ULi.l for the sealskin ,‘g?@fat;;she; got away back early last »w o e AR S N uh!wChica«g‘oDnﬂyHemld,“,

j T 3 137 i HEAVY LOSS OCCURS. Disastrous Floods in Pennsylvania and New York. _ Much Damage to Property and Several Fatalities Reported — lix- ' tremely Cold Weather Causes Suffering.

Philadelphia, Dec. 16.— A storm which for severity and destructiveness bas not been equaled in this section for 25 yé!urs visited eastern and central Pennsylvania Saturday 'night, causing almost unprecedented damage and resulting in the loss of probably 15 human lives. The havoc in the coa. regions is enormous and the loss to railroad and mining companies wiil amount to millions of dollars. 7The Schuylkill, Lehigh, Susquehanna and Juniata rivers have risen as high as 15 feet above their levels and all of their tributaries have overflowed, inundating the surrounding country in more than a dozen counties. Innumerable washouts have occurred on the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia & Reading, Northern Central, Lehigh Valley, New Jersey Central and Lackawanna railroagds, B'ridges were carried away and traffic is at a standstill. :

A fast freight train on the Phila delphia and Erie division of the Pennsylvania railroad went through the bridge spanning Lycoming creek, between Williamsport and Newberry, at six o’clock in the morning. Three trainmen were killed. The enzine and nine cars weore engulfed in the icy water. The creek was greatly swollen and no efforts could be made to reach the bodies. Near Hazleton a miner was drowned. Three men are said to have been drowned at Pottsville, and a miner was blown into a culvert at Wilkesbarre and killed. At Ralston a boat loaded with Ifalians capsized and seven are said to have lost their lives.

Part of Allegheny and Pittsburg were submerged, household goods and stores that were placed in cellars and basements were damaged and coal fleets on the river were twisted from their moorings and sent crashing down the Ohio, threatening destruction to whatever came in their course. ’ : In York State, - New York, Dec. 16.—Warm weather and rain followed by high winds have resulted in fearful damage all over New York state. . On Saturday the ,snows in the northern sections thawed fapidly; causing the rivers and creeks to rise and the valleys were inundated. Heavy rain followed, during the night; accompanied by winds of great veloeity. Trains were blocked for many hours, landslides were frequent and in the lowlands and valleys hundreds of dwellings were flooded, while the dam-. age to farm lands and buildings is very poreat. Few lives so far have been reported as lost. Corning reports that the Chemung and Canisteo valleys have had the biggest flood since June, 1889, Sunday. The Chemung and Canisteoriversoverflowed their banks and for miles east and west the lowlands are flooded and great damage has been done. The village of Painted Post has been under water and the water is two feet deep in most of the dwellings. The Erie, Lackawanna and New York Central roads all suffered from washouts and landslides. . Damage at Ithaca. At JTthaca the damage is estimated at $200,000. The flood was the most disastrous experienced since 1857. The. nearby creeks became raging torrents by midnight. A dwelling house was swept away and Sunday no trace of it could be found. The power and lighting plant was washed out and two trolley cars swallowed up in the flood. All street car traflic is suspended and the city is in darkness.. Lumber yards and buildings suffered immensely and the wreckage, blocking the channel of Six Mile: ereels, turn the stréam from its course and thle whole lower part of the city was oveﬁ)wed. Miles of the Lehigh Valley & Lackawanna railrcad tracks were washed away and no trains reached Ithaca, Several bridges were washed away. Percy field, at Cornell university, was turned into a lake and the university power plants were-aban-doned. Much Suffering Reported. ~ §t. Paul, Minn., Dec. fs.—The ofhcial report of the weather bureaun contains the cheering information that the backbone of the present cold wave has been broken. From all of the stations in the far northwest reports are that there has been a decided rise in temperature, the most of them giving readings but slightly below the freezing point. Sub-zero weather continues to be reported, however, but not of such an intense character as was shown by the map for the previous 24 hours. In St. Paul the maximum Sunday was two below, and at eight o’clock the thermometer showed four above. The rapid rise in the Canadian northwest has induced snow storms and cloudy weather, but the snow fall has not, so far, been heavy enough to cause material delay to traffic. Despite the suddenness and intensity of the cold wave but few fatalities have been reported. - : : . John Swinton Dend, New York! Dec. 16.—Jolm Swinton, journalist, economist and orator, died at his home in Brooklyn Sunday morning after an iilness lasting ten days. Since 1887 Mr. Swinton has been engaged as correspondent for several European newspapers and as a writer on-social economics for various American magazines. Earthquake in Manila, Manila, Dec. 16.—The worst earthquake shock since 1868 was felt here Sunday morning. One house was wrecked and many houses were damaged. . : Hanna'’s Ambition, New York, Dee. 16.—Senator Hanna, who comes to New York to attend a conference of leading labor representatives and manufacturers, speaks hopefully of a plan to end ruinous strikes and disputes, and says he would rather bring about this result than to be president. - _ Chieago, Dec. 16,—The Chicago Federation of Labor has prepared a memorial to the president and gonGEEtien, askiig tiat s dlinie eot on the power of judges in labor dis-

SIGNALS ACROSS SEAS. Marconi Achieves the Feat of TransAtlantie Communication Without Wires, e & St. Johns, N.¥.,, Dec. 16.—Signor Marconi sannounced Saturday night' the maost wonderful —seientifie discovery of modern timeés in stating that he had received electric signals acrossthe Atlantic ocean from his station in Cornwall, England. ; : B He explains that before leaving England he made plans for accomplishing this result, for while his primary objeev was to communicate with ccean liners in midocean, he hoped also to succeed in attaining the wonderful scientificachievement of wireless telegraphy across the Atlantic. : Signor Marconi's station in Cornwall is most powerful. He possesses an’ electric force, generated there. a hundred times greater than at ordinary stations. Before he left England he arranged that the electricianin.charge of the station, which isloecated at Poldhu, should begin sending signals daily after a certain date which Signor Marconi would cable him after having perfected his arrangements here. 5 Signor Marconi arrived here-a week ago Friday, selected Signal Hill at the entrance to the harbor as an experimenting staticn, and moved his-equip-ment there. Last Monday he cabled to the Poldhu station to begin sending signals at three p. m. daily, and to continue them until six p. m., these hours being respectively P]:SO and 2:30 p. m., St. Johns Time. |

During these hours Wednesday Signor Marconi elevated a kite with anaerial wire by means of which signals are sent or received. He remained at the recorder attached to the receiving apparatus,’and to his profound satisfaction signals were received by him at intervals, according to the programme arranged previously with the operator at Poldhu. These signals consisted of repeating at intervals the. letter “S,” which in Marconi’s code is made by three dots or quick strokes. This sigial was repeated so frequently and so in accordance with the detailed plan arranged to provide safeguards against possibility of mistake that Signor Marconi was satisfied that it was a genuine transmission from England. -5 Again on Thursday, dutring the same hours, the kite was elevated and the same signals were renewed. This made the assurance so complete that Signor Marconi cabled to his. prineipals in England and also informed the governor of New Foundland. Sir Cavendish’ Boyle, who apprised the British cabjnet of the success of the experiments. Signor Marconi, though satisfied of the genuineness of the signals and that he has succeeded in his attempts to establish a communication aeross the Atlantic without the use of wires; emphasizes the fact that the system is.yet only in an embyronic stage, and that the pessibility of its ultimate development is demonstrated by the suecess of the present experiments with incomplete and imperfect apparatus, as the signals can be received only by the most sensitively-adjusted apparatus, and Signor Marcori is working under great diffienlties owing to the conditions prevailing here. The Cornwall coast is 1,700 miles from .St. Johns. . <

In view of the success attending these trials Signor Marconi will for the present disregard the matter of communicating with trans-Atlantie steamers. He will return to England next week and will conduct the experiments from Poldhu himself. He explains that the greater electrical power there will enable him to-send more effective signals. He will undertake this work -himself, leaving assistants here to ereet 'a mast and receive the signals as he forwards them. It is not possible to send return signals from here until a powerful electric battery shall have been installed.

Sir Robert Bond, premier of Newfoundland, offers Signor Marconi every facility within the power of the colonial government for the‘earrying cut of his plans. SN

THREE LIVES LOST

Train Goes Through a Bridge Near Willinmsport, Pa.—Three i Trainmen Perish, 5

Williamsport, Pa., Dec. 16.—A freight train on the Philadelphia and Erie division of the ‘Pennsylvania railroad weat through the ° bridge spanning Lycoming ecreek below this city and Newberry at six o'clock Sunday morning. Three lives were lost; The dead are John Martz, engineer; Frederick Glass, fireman, and George I"arey, brakeman, all residing at Sunbury. The train was known as fast freight No. 83, and was/running three hours late, owing to the disarrangement of the schedule.in consequence of the storm. The bridge spanning the creek was a two-span iron .struecture, the first span of which gave way beneath the train.” The engine and nine cars were engulfed-in At\he icy water. The creek was greatly swollen as a result of the heavy rain, and it is presumed the middle pier had been weakened. No efforts could be made to reach the bodies on account of the height of the waters. . e Falls from Wagon and Is Killed. Guthrie, Okla., Dec. 16.—Judge Joseph F. Speer was killed in falling from a Joad of lumber mnear ' his home in Lincoln county. He was a pioneer Kansan, and a prominent figure there in the events preceding the war. e Burned to Death, o Ovid, Mich., Dee. 16.—The house of Thomas B. Southworth was burned Sunday morning and Mrs. Southworth was cremated. She had risen to build the kitchen fire, and being 75 years olid and nearly blind, it is supposed she set her clothes ablaze. o : Aged Woman Swindled. e Akron, 0., Dec. 16.—Mrs. Malvina Fulmer, aged 50, of Britain, a village near here, was swindled out of $1,500 by green goods men. She had recently received the money from the Canton & Akron Electric Railway company for the right of way through her farm, Her husband is in the Newberg asylum. Lo R Phioks Cut, - New York, Dec. 16.—Manufacturers of copper wire, following the action of the trust, have cut prices. Brass manufacturers are expected to announee a similar reduetion, ...

- FOR .TRADE ALLIANCES. Federantion of Labor Committee Fa- . _vors a Close Union of Subotk rdivided Crafts. = Serantbn, Pa., Dec. 16.—Two surprises. developed in Saturday's- session of the Amrerican Federation of Labor convention:- The first was the report of the special committee which had the question of trade autonomy, or organization along industrial lines, in its keeping; the other was \he ease with -which the socialists bowed to the .inevitable. The committee on trade _autonomy recommended: ’ e “Where there are only a few craftsmen in a-large‘industrial ¢grcern, the best interests of all would be consérvéd by the few joining the paramount organpization. -“*We hold that. the interests of the trade union movement will be prometed by closeIy allying the subdiviced craft, giving consideration to amalgamation and to the organization of distriet ard ‘national trade courcils, to which should be referred questions in dispute arid which should be acjusted within allied craft lines. “The American Federation of Labor, being a voluntary asscciation. cannot direct and should net adopt methods antagonistic to or in corflict with established trade unien laws, and in.order to carry the above recommendations into effect, and in full recogrition of its logical position, the American Federation’ of Labor pledges its officers. to aid and assist in the adjustment of such eraft encroachments as disputants may be willing to submit to its arbitrament.”’ - - _ The.failure of- the socialist delegates to attack the substitute for 12 spcia,l_istic‘%‘»solutinns was the second surprise. The report stated that “the aims,~ decires and acgirations of trades unicnists compzised all that is.necessary or pcessible to the well being of the human family, and in the pursuit of ‘which we cheerfully accept and in fact desire all the assistance which can be given our movement by those reform forcés. which stand for the betterment of mankind.” -

While the report advises the consideration of all questions of political economy. or -of a public nature having reference to industrial or political liberty-in the homes of laboring men,<in the meetings of their unions, and through publications in their official journals, it concludes with this sig'niﬁcnnt‘ statement:

“““We subinit tlat-it is rot within the power of this orgzanization to dictate to members of our uninns to which pplitical party they shall belong or which party’s ticket they-shall vote.””

_The socialists, in declining to take up the discussion, explained that the convention-had so much business to dispose of in the limited time at its disposal that they would -not seize the opportunity at this time to show that socialism could cure the ills of humanity. The substitute was adopted by a large majority. : - Samuel - Gompers was reelected president. New Orleans was chosen as the next place of meeting.

}V Numerous resolutions relating te dis-iplm;*sa'hc:‘\\‘(*-vn unions were reported ib:\'»the grievance committee, and aetion was taken upon most of them. ’T.hm"e being mno further business, the ‘,?.(m\'on't;on,' at 12:45 a. m., adjourned sine die. o TRAINS COLLIDE. . Disaster on Illinois Lentral Near Perryville, Ill.—Six Dead and . Two Missing, Rockford, 111.,, Dee. 16.—Failure on _the part of a conductor to obey orders is' supposed to have been the cause of a head-end collision on the Illinois “Central between Irene and Perryville early Sunday morning. The two trains ‘were the east-bound passenger train No. 4 and a through freight from Chi¢cago going west. As a result eight peop.e are dead or missing and 11 injured. The known dead are: i Richard Ormsby, Chkicago, engineer of ‘passenger train; James Reardon, Freeport; fireman of passenger train; Robert Thompson, Dubuque, American Express ‘méssenger; J. MW. furk, Chicago, brakeman -passenger train; David Behan, Freeport, freight.engirneer;” Edward Carey, Freeport, freight fireman. .- Missing and supposed to be Gead—Newsboy. on passenger .train, name unknown; secticn foreman from.:lreite, name unknown. : : - The ~injured, so far as the names ‘could:be ascertained. are as follows: H. G. Wellman, 895 Jackson boulevard, Chicago.. right arm crushed off at elbow. -taken to Roel:iford City hospital. condition eritical; D. R. Ahrendt, 669 West North avenue, Chicago, cut arnd bruised by broken glass; H. G. Quinlan, passenger conductor, cut and bruised. crushed about the chest, taken to Rockford City hospital, eendition. critical; -W.-B. Keefe, Sioux City, la., ‘head severely cut; Frank Stadleman, Néw Athens, 111., cuts -about head ard arms; Thomas Hendricks, New Athens, 111.. cut and bruised and hair scorched-off; G. E. Shurtleff, Genoa; C. M. Burch. Kankakee; M. E. Frarklin, Lake City, la.; A. L. Boggs, St. Louis; John Hussey, Independ-ence,-la.; latter five slightly hurt. , ; " Three Drowned, Nashville, Tenn.; Dec. 16. — Heavy wind and, rain resulted in a triple drowning about five miles below the city.. Ed Reynolds, a fisherman, his wife and infant, were lost, and two othiers narrowly escaped death. The five persons were on a houseboat moored. near the mouth of Richland creek, and the sudden rise of the waters broke its mcorings-and the wind drove the boat inte the middie of Cumberland river, where it was blown over and sunk. The two persons saved were taken off the boat just beforeé it went down by men in a skiff. The bodies have not been recovered. : - Ends in Failure. : Washington, Dee. 16—The official announcement comes from Mexico City that . the pan-American congress will break up without accomplishing results. The question of compulsory arbitration, insisted upon by several South American states, caused the split. - - - Is Defiant, # Chieago, Dec. 16.—Free Society, official organ of Chicago anarchists, defies President Roosevelt and is pre-’ paring to distribute broadcast its caustic criticisms of the message to congress. e > —_— s o eipe Tragedy. ~Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 16.—A special to the Constitution from Danville, SX C., says: Edward Hollis, a drummer residing at Lima, 11 miles from this place; ‘shoﬁi@igdy killed his wife and sister-in-law; ‘fired at his mother-in-Jaw and son, but missed them, and i e B LR SR Sl o r.»@%n'«,v‘.szf e, A 6 Fy “% T SR e B e e e winners in America, is dead of dropsy. LR T Tee S e Sl s