Ligonier Banner., Volume 43, Number 41, Ligonier, Noble County, 31 December 1908 — Page 1

$2.00 PER YEAR.]

Italian Disaster Assumes Awiul Proportions=--Panic Reigns FIRE ADDS TO HORROR Scores of Towns Burned and Hundreds Are Buried Alive in Ruins - of Their Homes

ROOSEVELT’S MESSAGE. “His Majesty Vittorio Emmanuel, Rome: “With all my countrymen I am appalled by the dreadful calamity which has befallen your country. | offer my sincerest sympathy. American National Red Cross has issued appeals for contributions for the sufferers and notified me that they will immediately communicate with the Italian Red Cross. “Theodore Roosevelt.”

Rome, Dec. 30.—South Italy and the island of Sicily have been visited by an appalling calamity, the extent of which cannot yet be grasped. - l.uest reports to-day compiled by government authorities place the dead begween 75,000 and 80,000. The earthquake wrecked city after city. and obliterated smaller towns amnd villages without number. Then a tidal wave swept along the Strait of Messina and added to the horror, drowning the people in their helplessmess and panic. Fire came to complete the work of destruction. Flames broke out in the devastated cities, and countiless numbers of wounded men, women and children were burned to

Any tdeguate estimate of the total casumalties is as yet quite impossible, but the Rome Tri%uflna places the number at between 60,600 and 70,000. -The horror and destructiveness of thi visitation probably will exceed that of any earthquake in Italy since 1873, when 40,000 persons perished at Messina alone. - Reports of heavy loss of life are coming in every hour from city and town, and nearly every village in the Fe oo . \ < BRARI o RN = = o S > agfion'n 1 <3 Sy 2 , \ oz A N ‘ euULF ot Gices rng/’uvi - eLVERDH & ks b T . , _95 s B v N e ey gt Jx 'l-l% ,«;“55“/‘“ \ "? // 6’? # oeeEuA e Ao L) ,/“/ (W% ccuoé“'“’?‘s 6?s = 0 - \ U & ;\V “ s Y 44 H*° 3 svmacust SICITLY ANND CARALABRIA BEGIOCIT OF YESTERDAY S BARTHQUAHKE <—> stricken zone, and the story in its detail has only begun to be told. The borror grows as further reports come in. . - Messina has been fire-swept. The dead there alone will run into the tens of /thousands. Reggio is a sepulchre of the dead. Catania suffered heavily. Whole Country in Terror. _Mount Etna, the volcano on the island of Sicily, is active. The detonations are reverberating over Catania and add to the terror. Volumes of smoke are pouring from the crater. The work eof rescue is being pushed forward with every possible energy. Troops are being poured into the zone, but the efforts at succor are as yet utterly inadequate. France, Great Britain and Russia are hurrying warships to the scene. . King Victor Emmanuel and Queen Helena have left Rome for the south. His majesty will superintend in perwon the work of relief. The queen, re- & to let her husband go alone, in#fl upon sharing his dangers. The pope has mad{.an appeal to Roman Catholics the world over for pelp. He has headed the relief sub‘seription list with a donation of < K % 5 &2& is consternation in Rome. The : #e &y ; . dl, d i . me story of death, destruction @RG aesolallc = : : : = ;i‘:u.“ x‘:s' T AR -‘:fl

The ZLigonicr DBanner.

1 TO-DAY’S NEWS OF QUAKE Latest estimate of dead, 80,000. Latest death estimate in Messina, 50,000. ' : Mount Etna in eruption, adding to terror.’ Whole southern Italy and Sicily panic stricken. Fire in many towns killed hundreds. Message df sympathy from President Roosevelt. ‘ ) ' President Fallieres of France sent message of sympathy. King and queen of Italy at work in stricken district ministering aid. United States Red Cross sent aid and ‘will raise fund. ! Pope started fund for sufferers. Catholic headquarters and officials in stricken district wiped out. Scores of persons, buried under the ruins, are said to be alive, with no hope of rescuing them. X Vandals found looting and robbing the dead are being shot down by troops. Soldiers patrol the stricken towns, and what is practically martial law prevails. . :

Reggio have escaped death or injury. Lieut-Gen. Fiera di Cossatto has ordered that all looters and robbers be shot on sight. Martial law was_insututed in the earthquake zone. ‘The population of Reggio is placed at about 50,000 persons by the best. authorities. The city is eight miles south of Messina. The dead at Messina, as a result of the earthquake and tidal wave of Monday are estimated at 12,000. Scores still are alive beneath the ruins of the city. Owing to the inadequacy of the means of rescue at hand it will be impossible to reach these people and bring them out alive. Other dispatches received here place the dead at Messina at even more appalling figures. Thé Tribuna publishes a telegram saying the casualties will reach a total of 75.000 persons. Mount ‘Etna in Eruption.

From Catania, Sicily, comes word that Mount Etna Tuesday showed considerableactivity,and the detonations, which were plainly heard in this city, ~together with the volume of smoke rolling out of the crater, added to the panic of the people. According to the director of the Catania observatory, this activity is directly connected with the earthquakes which wrought such havoc in Calabria and Sicily, but a great eruption is not expected. Such phenomena seldom accompany violent seismic disturbances. . The pope has been notified that the entire religious communities of Mes: sina and Reggio, including bishops, priests, monks and nuns, have been wiped out by the earthquake and fire. Premier Giolitti received a telegram from Deputy Felice at Messina confirming previous reports of the complete destruction of Messina by fire following the earthquake. The deputy says that the dead at Messina will be counted by the tens of thousands. 50,000 Dead at Messina. R The minister of marine Tuesday received a wireless dispatch estimating the dead at Mess.ina at 50,000. Reports have been received from two other towns in Calabria, Cassano and Cosenza. Cassano is said to have suffered 1,000 dead, while the wounded number 500. At Cosenza 500 dead people al ready have been taken from the ruins. Cassano has 6,700 people, while Co senza is the center of a community with a population of 21,000. - E The town of Palmi, Calabria, has been practically destroyed, as has also Bagnara. The dead at Palmi number 1,000, and it is impossible to estimate the number of the injured. Large numbers were killed also at Bagnara; and the list of wounded there also will be heavy. The tidal wave inundated a villa at San Giovanni, 2,500 feet back from the shore line. Palmi has 10,000 inhabitants, while Bagnara counts 7,500 people. King and Queen to Rescue. Queen Helene has refused to allow her husband, the king, to go alone to the scene of the disaster. She said she would not give up her privilege of sharing her husband's dangers, and consequently both king and queen left Rome Tuesday afternoon for the south. The royal couple arrived earlier in the day from Naples. The queen explained to a member of her entourage that she considered it her duty to do all in her power to comfort and help her afflicted subjects. The king and queen left the railroad station here at half-past one. A number of ministers, senators and deputies, together with Jul |fi“ _Rome, were at the sta

LIGONIER, NOBLE COUNTY, INDIANA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 381, 1908.

‘W. H. Crane At Gonhen—-Celeßmted @m-‘ p edian In Play At The Jefferson ; At the Jefferson theater, Goshen, on Wednesday evening, January 6th, Charles Frohman will present W. H. Crane in George Ade’s most recent comedy, ‘‘Father and the Boys,” this being the first local production ‘of the piece, although it was played in other cities all last season with emphatic success, achieving among other triumphs a run of four months at the Empire Theatre, New York. It is said to exhibit at their best both the artistic worth and engaging personality of Mr. Crane and the delighiful wit and humor of George Ade. Mr. Crane seenmi not to have had for a long time 8o congenial a role as is offered in this play, and its popularity bids fair to surpass even that of “David Harum.” The characters in the domedy are mostly New Yorkers. Lemuel Morewood, the principal figure,is a wool broker who at the time of the play is a staid, respectable, middleaged gentleman who bhas denied himself all worldly pleasures and has devoted himself solely to business. His one thought has been his work and his desire to accumulate money for his two sons, of whom he is ex ceedingly proud. The boys, however, show none of their father’s disposition to keep their noses on the grind stone. One of them is enthusiastically devoted to athletics, while the other is eagerly devoted to the exclusive pleasure of high social life. Butin his devotion to his business, Morewood has not lost any of tne lovable, generous impulses of the real man, and is not at all of the ‘srusty’ variety. Then there comeg a change. After repeated urging by various friends that he give himself over to the enjoyment of life he yields. " The transformation is at once complete, From being, as oue of his sons puts it, *‘eight miles behind the procession,” he is soon. “fourteen miles ahead of it.”" He becomes ‘‘oue of the boys,” a real “rounder,” and his sons have hard work in keeping up with him. He takes a fatherly interest in an act | ress, and while his motives are throughly honest, the boys fear that' he intends to marry her, and they follow him to Nevada. where he finally is persuaded to abandon his revelry. This is but the barest out- ‘ line of the delightful comedy: It} must be added, however, that the play is entirely free from suggestiveness, Mr. Ade wrote the play for! Mr. Crane, and he has given the comedian a role that suits him splendidly. Mr. Crane is such a thorough artist that his work is a constant delight. He makes every line count, and gets all the humor possible out of the part. Both as the sober-minded old business fellow and later as the gay “rounder,” he is always admirable; each shade of the character being most skillfully pre sented. Mr. Crane’s supporting company, which is of unusual abil ity, includes Margaret Dale, Vivian Martin, Belle Bohn, Isabelle Garrison, Forrest Orr, Fred W. Sidney. Dan Collyer and others. : Charles - Frohman ~has given “Father and the Boys’’ an excellent scenic production-

Do You Fatronize Home Industries ? J. Charles Hall, a Charleston. W. Va., pharmacist, sends Notes the following newspaper clipping that should be cut out and sent to your local newspaper with a request to publish: “Those of you who have been making, your purchases away from Charleston should think before patronizing mail-order houses any further. *Who sympathized with you when your little girl was sick? Was it Sears & Roebuck? ““Who carried you last winter when you were out of a job and had no money? Was it Montgomery Ward & Co., or was it your home merchant? ‘When y‘ou want to raise money for the church or for some needy person in town do you write to the May Stern Co., Cin‘ginuati, or do you g 0 to your home merchant? “How much does Siegel, Cooper & Co., give toward keeping up sidewalks or paying the minister s salary? ' ‘““When you were sick, how many nights did Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. sit with you? : “When you had to raise money to pay your gas bill, did you get it from the Larkin Soap Co. or a home merchant or contractor? : “When your loved one was buried, was it your home merchant who dropped the tear of sympathy and uttered the cheering word. or was it Marshall Field & Co.? - “Patronize home merchants.” This article cannot be given too wide circulation for it presents a a vital truth in a simple, effective and interesting way. : Guilty of Conterfeiing ~ Passing conterfeit money is no worse than substituting some unknown worthless remedy for Foley’s Honey and Tar, the. g.eat cough and cold remedy that cures the most obstinate cough and heals the lungs.

Senator Will Wood Preparing to Dominate Indiana Upper % House MANY REPUBLICANS OBJECTING The Star Part in the Deliberations of the Senate the Gentleman From Tippecanoe Proposes to Take Is Not at All Pleasing to Many Members of Hls Pal‘tyIndianapolis, Dec. 29.—When ' the members of the legislature meet next week the first matter to receive their attention will be the organization of the two houses. Of course the Republicans will choose the officers of the senate, including a president pro tem, and the secretaries, sergeant-at-arms and the various subordinates. The present lieutenant governédr, Hugh Th. Miller, will preside for four days, when he will be succeeded by Frank J. Hall, the new lieutenant governor. : As stated before, it seems to be settled that Senator Will R. Wood of Lafayette will do the leading for the Republicans—or at least most of it. There are several other Republican senators who will not be happy unless they are allowed to be in the spotlight a/part of the time. But if present plans do not miscarry Wood will do the heavy ground and lofty tumbling. There are many me'mbers of his party who will not take kindly to the starring of Mr. Wood, but that willi ‘ make no difference. The Lafayette l man has had a lot of experience—and variety of experiences—in legislative work and his Republicans brethren ' have learned that the only way to keep peace in the family is td let Wood run things on his side of the chamber, And then the peace is usually on Mr. Wood’s own terms. On the Democratic side of the senate therssiwe some strong men v .o will be apie to handle any situatioh® 'that may arise. Among the Democratfc hold-over senators, Frank M: Kistler of Logansport and Evan B. Stotsenburg of New Albany were conspicuous and forceful in the debates at the last session. And there are others in the present body who were found to be wise in counsel at that time. Among! the new senators on the Democratic side there are several who are expected to show great capability. Of this number there are some who have had previous legislative service, such as McCullough of Anderson and Fleming of Fort Wayne. Tilden of Greencastle, Proctor of Elkhart, Harlan of Indianapolis, Long of Nashville, and yet others, are new membergs whom it is believed will develop séong]y as opportunity occurs. N

Conditions in the s-gnate are such that there are pretty sure to be many acute and highly interesting situations before the session ends. While the Republicans have a majority, the two parties are not so greatly apart in point of numbers that everything can be taken for granted. On the contrary, the Republican majority is so slender that a larger proportion of seats on that side of the chamber are likely to. be more continuously occupied than at any session for years. This will be due more to fear of the minority than to any overwhelming desire on the part of the Republican members to earn their per diem. : : * % %

In the house, where the Democrats have a majority of twenty, the race for the speakership has attracted a good deal of attention. Seven men have been talked of in connection with this honor, viz., Thomas M. Honan of Seymour, James Garrard of Vincennes, Harry G. Strickland of Greenfield, John B. Faulknor of Michigan City, Andrew J. Behymer of Elwood, John M. Smith of Portland and Peter L. Coble of Jasper. So far some of these men have not made an active canvass for support, but they all have been fa.vorably mentioned from time to time by their friends. Each of them has seen previous service in the house. The contest among the aggressive can‘didates has been unusually good-nat-ured. All of the aspirants are friends, poltically and personally, and mean to ‘remain so, no matter what the result of the speakership race may be. As everyone knows, the speaker of the house is an exceedingly important and powerful officer., Much of the success of a session must be due to his wisdom and tact, and to his knowledge of the business under consideration and the processes of legislation. In selecting their presiding officer the Democratic members of the house when they meet in caucus next Wednesday night have no chance to make a mistake considering the- excellent material from which they are to. make’ a choice. When it comes to work on the floor and in the comm(htees the Democratic majority has no end of able and alert men to look after the people’s business. And when I say “the people’s business,” that is exactly what I mean. Every Democratic member of the legislature understands that his party has pledged itself to gerve the people to the fullest extent of its power. That pledge is going to be carried out. to the letter unless it s blocked in the senate, g B & Peopb are wondering what Governor Hanly will say about the state’s Mnances when he reads his last message to the assembled legislators next week. In his inaugural address four

‘griticised the administration of his prejdecessor, Governcor Durbin, for anticipating the state’s revenues. He desclared that the revenues for the then ‘current (1905) fiscal year had already been anticipated to the extent of $529,659, and he said that such a condition would so embarrass the treasury that goney would have to be borrowed or the revenues of the next fiscal year be drawn on in advance. : - From all this it was thought that Governor Hanly intended his administration to be economical. But what happened? Why, e Republican state officials just kept on anticipating the revenues until at the end of the fiscal year 1905 the counties had been compelled to advance $994,449. During the next fiscal year (1906) these advances had risen to $1,245500 And during the fiscal year 1908 these advances had grown, according to the state treasurer’s report, to $1,772,823. Jist how Governor Hanly is going to explain this serious “embarrassment” of the treasury during the last year of his administration is a matter that {8 claiming attention. There is no denying the fact that the state is desperately hard up and .@at the financial problem confronting. Governor Marshall and the general asgembly will be a difficult one to solve. gflzhe treasury was embarrassed by the anticipation of the revenues that Qi‘)vernor- Hanly found when he entered office, how much more serious must be the embarrassment now when the anticipation of the state’s funds is almost double what it was then! | In order to tide over the trouble four years ago without borrowing money on the state’s bonds, the Republican legislature, on Governor Hanly’s advice, diverted the 3-cent sinking fund levy into the general fund. In this year’s tax collections, however, the sinking fund levy must be credited to that fund, which will leave the general fund where it was before. With a largely increased general expense‘ account and with large building projects on hand, it can be seen that it is going to take hard thinking to make ends meet. : One does not like to say it, but the frath is that from a practical point of view the state government is in a condition of bankruptcy. There is no question about its credit, for in all this land there is none better, but it has been living beyond its means to such an extent that it has been able to pay

its bills only by drawing on the future, the amount so drawn in advance during the year 1908 being nearly $2,000,000, as shown above. _ +. And who is responsible for this condition? Certainly not the Democrats, because they have not been in power for twelve years. It would have been a splendid thing for the taxpayers of Indiana if they had succeeded in their desire to give the Democratic party full control. That can be done at the next election, but until then the Democrats will be seriously handicapped. Governor Mazshall and a Democratic house can de much, but it will not be possible for them to do all that should be done. The draining of the state treasury has been terrific for years. Some of this draining has been open and some more or less subterranean. Doubtless many leaks can he stopped, ‘but it will take time and careful engi‘neering to reconstruct some of the ‘channels through which the state’s’ ‘money has raced from the treasury. ‘So far as their power goes, the Democrats will give a good account of their stewardship. On that point the people may rest easy. - ® % X

Most persons now admit, in view of the unsatisfactory condition of state affairs, that it was exceefingly unfortunate that the whole Democratic state ticket was not elected by majorities so decisive that they could not be questioned. As the matter stands, those who Tfailed to get commissions are continuing their preparations for'a contest before the legislature. The state committee at a meeting last week resolved to aid the contestants by all the means at its disposal. Scarcely anyone doubts that on the honest vote of the state all of the Democratic candidates were elected and it seems to be a public duty to show up the rascality and rottenness that kept them from getting their commissions. The machinery provided by the statutes for deciding state contests is not satisfactory in some respects, but it is sufficient to accomplish its end provided that judicial fairness and not mere partisan advantage shall control its management. o %9

When David Turpie’s second term as United States senator expired on March 4, 1899, the Democrats of Indiana ceased to have representation in the upper house of congress. But that ‘matter is now to be remedied. The new legislature, being Democratic on joint ballot, will elect a Democrat to the seat in the shate now occupied by James A. Hemenway. Six men have been proposed as candidates for this high honor. These men are John W. Kern, Benjamin F. Shively, John B. Lamb, Gustavus V. Menzies, L. Ert Slack and Edward G. Hoffman. The two last mentioned, Slack and Hoffman, are both bright and ecapable young men, still in their thirties, and with undoubtedly promising futures. The other four are men of maturer years, with a long record of creditable party service. *No- one, of course, can surely anticipate the action of the Democratic caucus. With such an array of candidates, to say nothing of some fine “dark horses” who can be thought of without much effort, it will be seen that the legislators are facing a somewhat trying situation. Under the circumstances it is naturally expected that general party sentiment will control the choice of a senator in the end. - MILLARD F. COX.

NAMES TAFT AIDES . Several Ergineers Accom=p.:ny Him ‘o Canal. ROOS :VELT INVITES THEM Arthur P. Davis Heads List—Alfred Noble Unable to Go—Stevens De- . clares Panama Troubles Are Basely Exaggerated. Washington, Dec. 30.—The president has invited the following engineers to accompany President-elect Taft on his trip to Panama: Arthur P. Davis, chief engineer of the reclamation service, Washington, D. C.; John R. Freeman, Providence, R. 1.; Allen Hazen, New - York city; Isham Randolph, Chicago; James Dix Schuyler,*Los Angeles, Cal,, ‘and Frederick P. Stearns, Boston, Mass. Alfred Noble of New York city was the first engineer invited by the president, but he was unable to leave his present work. It was on his recommendation that the engineers announced Tuesday were selected. Admiral Capps Selected.. Admiral W. L. Capps, chief constructor U. 8. N.,, was to-day designated by the president to be acting chief of the bureau of steam engineering. This action is regarded as practically consolidating the bureau of construction and the bureau of steam engineering,amatter that has long been discussed as a feature of the reorganization of the navy. Ridicules Canal Reports.

New York, Dec. 30.—John A. Stevens, formerly chief engineer of the Panama canal, in a letter published in this week’s issue of the Engineering News defends the Gatun = dam, declaring there is no justification for the sensational reports attacking its design which recently have been circulated. He states that the dam is being built actually much wider and higher than safety requires, merely as a concession to prejudice, and that if the canal were being built by private interests a much less massive structure would have been considered entirely secure. Mr. Stevens suggests that the published attacks on the canal plans and methods of work are in’ the interest of the Nicaraguan route, and he declares that in his opinion the Panama canal has been wisely located and properly planned. Had $15,000; S;arved. Los Angeles, Cal.,, Dec. 30.—With a roll of $15,000 in ‘his pockets, with which he intended to. return to China, an unknown Chinese died of starvation on a Southern Pacific train shortly before the Arcade depot was reached. : Slays His Stepfather. - Lexington, Ky. Dec. 30.—William Hill, aged 50 years, was shot and killed Tuesday at Isham, on the Ken-tucky-Tennessee line, by his stepson, William Sowders, aged 18, who was protecting his mother from injury at the hands of Hill. PICK JURORS IN THE ERB CASE, Great Crowd Watches Start of Media, Pa., Murder Trial. Media, Pa., Dec. 30.—1 n the presence of a great crowd the trial of Mrs. M. Florence Erb and her sister, Mrs. Catharine Beisel, charged with the murder of Capt. J. Clayton Erb, well known in political circles in Philadelphia, began Tuesday in the Delaware county courthduse. Capt. Erb was shot and killed at his country home near here on October 6, after a violent quarrel with Mrs. Erb and her sister. Both defendants, who are separately and jointly charged with murder, pleaded not guilty when arraigned Tuesday. The proceedings were late in starting, but fairly good=progress was made when the trial got under way. When court took a recess for an hour four jurors had been selected. The jury was completed when court adjourned fbr the day.

Protest Against Rate Increase. san Francisco, Dec. 30.—One hundred mass meetings were held at various points throughout the state Tuesday to protest against the proposed increase in transcontinental freight rates which is scheduled to go into effect January 1. Fire Destroys Eight Buildings. Boise, Idaho, Dec. 30.—Eight business buildings in Silver City, the leading mining camp of southern Idaho, were destroyed by fire and dynamiteTuesday, causing a loss of $40,000, with practically no insurance. - Former Official Killed, Madison, S. D., Dec. 30.—Peter Marquardt, past grand master of South Dakota Odd Fellows, was instantly killed here Tuesday by a switch engine, his body -being badly mangled. The Bribe That Failed. Among Father Dempsey’s steady poarders was a fellow named Delaney. He was drunk as often as he could get that way. Father Dempsey tried all manner of means to get Delaney to quit drinking. At last he said to him: ‘ “Delaney, my man, if you'll stop‘ drinking for six months I'll give you a check at the end of that time for $50.” “Indeed, if I stopped for six months I could write you a check for’ $100,” answered Delaney, and Father Dempsey in telling of it later added: - 4 “And inaeed he could, too, for he’s a No. 1 mechanic.”—SBt. Louis Post-Dis-DRI o . ]

Report of Noble Co. Horticulture Meeting On Thursday, December 18th, 1908, the Horticultaral Society met.at the home of Daniel Portner, in Elkhart township. The weather being stormy only about fifty were brave enough to venture out. “As far as numbers were concerned the meeting was not a success, but for. enthusiasm and amount of business transacted,’ it proved to be record breaker. Shortly before twelve, those present sat down to & sumptuous dinner, everything being prepared that one could wish for. s

The program began with a seiection of instrumental music by Relle Portner, after which the minutes of the October meeting were read and accepted. The chair then called for the report of the standing committee and Mr. Stanley made a partial report of the ecommittee on place of meeting, some members of said committee had failed to report to him, so his report was not complete and was not accepted. - Article9in the bylaws was changed by vote of the Society in order that the meetings of February and April might be combined and held in March. Article 2 was also changed so that hereafter tweuty-five members shall constitute a quorum. The report of the program committee was read by the secretary and accepted. Election of officers then followed, and upon the motion of Mr. Moorhouse, the old officers were retained for another year. ‘ The Misses Weaver then sang a duet, which was vigorously applauded. The Chair then appointed J. W. Smith, John Moorehouse and Lewis Rimmel to act asauditing committee to audit the accounts of the secretary. A bill for $l2 was presented by the Henny Bros. for care of tent dur-. ing the year,which wasordered paid.

- The President called attention to the matter of sending & delegate to the meeting of the State Board of Agriculture, at Indianapelis in January, and suggested that we have our representative from this county, Mr. J.T. Stahl, who will be Indianapolis at that fime, act as onr delegate. A motion to that effect was made and carried. -

Mrs. L. O. Meyer then read a well prepared paper on ‘‘The Centralization of Schools.” To say that it was good, is putting it mildly ; it was excellent. Mrs. Meyer took the negative 'side of the question and found more argument to sustain her side than we supposed existed. If there were those present who favored this centralization “fad” they were not brave enough to say anything in the discusdion, which followed. Mr. Moorehouse gave his views on the subject, which were decidedly against centralizetion. He referred to the law which compels the closing of schools where there are not more than twelve®pupils, saying that as long as the farmers paid for the schooling of their children, whose business is it if there were only six pupils in the school If the country is the best place for people to live, (and that fact is generally conceded) why have our children hauled to town to get their schooling where‘ they must be assogiated with children of the vicious and immoral class which in some degrge makes up the population of our towns. ' The Auditing Committee reported the accounts of the secretary correct.

‘The Presideut suggested that the society inaugurate a contest for the boys and girls of the .county, and after an explanation of the scheme, Mr. Pangake made a motion that the gociety appropriate fifty dollars to the boys and the same amount to the girls as premiums in this contest. Motion was carried. The President appointed Mr. Enos Bricker,J. W. Moorehouse, W. H. Favinger, Levi Harvey and O. Q. Oviatt as committee on boys’ contest, and Mrs. C. M. Clapp, Mrs. L. Steifel, Mrs. J. I. Ressler, Mrs. John Cavin and Mrs. Geo. Arehart, committee on girls

A YPrayer for the New Year LIMIGHTY God, the unfailing source of light and mercy, A Wwho bast brought us to the beginning of this year, ; and art sparing us to love CThee and t© keep Thy commandments, prepare us, we beseech Thee, for the coming days. Let CThy grace enlighten our darkness and strengthen our weakness. Felp, us o forget the sins and sorrows of fhe past, <herishing onl{( the wisdom and the humility they may bave faught ws. Tnspire us with new purposes and mew bopes. - Deepen within our hearts the love of truth and goodness. Renew in us the life of that which alone makes Jife - worth living. -~ €Enable us o discern the solemn meaning of these earthly days, and the Bigh and sacred purpose Tor which they are given. Suffer us not 10 be unfaithful o Thee. Chou bast richly biessed s bitherto; still lead ws by Thy band; still admonish and guide us by Thy spirit, and leave ws - mot to ourselves, Thow Good Sbepberd of the sbeep. Lot mot © the sorrow and weariness of life rob us of our faifh in Thee, - Whatever light may shine or shadow fall, keep us in the el lowship and in the service of Jesus €hrist our Lord. Fimen?

VOL. 43--NO. 41

contest. Mrs. W. W. Riddle. Mrs. Julia Foote and Mrs- Geo. Gaby, mémb‘ership committee; Mrs. J. L. Ressler, Belle Portner ‘and Carl Gerver, music committee. Exhibiting committe& fruits, Ed BelQ and M. B. Faux; vegetables, Enos Bricker and J. E. Boughey; fiowers, Mrs. Byron Gray and Mrs. W. A. Imes; reception committee, P. J. Stanley, George D. Gaby, J. I. Ressler, O. Q. Oviatt, Mrs. J. W. Smith, Mrs. L. O. Meyer, Mrs. E. E. Houston; commiittee on premium list and advertising, Albion, W* W. Cary; Kendallville, G. Feebles; Ligonier, J. W. Smith; Avilla, John S. Hooper: Rome City. A. J. Raber; Wolcottville, M. F. Holsinger; Wolf Lake, Mrs. Hazel Graves; foreign, Mrs. J. I. Ressler* Miss Frances Weaver then sang a solo. A vote of thanks was tendered Mr. and Mrs. Portner and those who furnished the excellent music, and the society adjourned. :

- Mr. and Mrs. Portner have an ideal home, a splendid 'place for a meeting and everything was arranged in fine order for the serving of the dinner and we hope to meet with them at some future time, when the weather will be favorable for a grand meeting. ,

SIGN OF A BEATEN MAN. . Runner Who Looks Behind Almost Sure to Lose the Race. - “There are many more good distance runners now than in my days,” said an old time champion after watching a .three mile scratch race at the New York Athletic club games. “But the habits of the runners have not changed any, for 1 noticed ;one little trick in the race that bore tfie significance that used to attach to it. “To the casual onlooker there was nothing to choose befween the two leaders when they were beginning the last quarter of a mile. Right from the crack ofithe pistol they were running almost stride for stride with the low, graceful, easy action of the real long, distance runner. . “Neither had called into use the reserve power which must be utilized in the final sprint for victory when they turned into the stretch for the final lap. Then one of them slightly turned his head to see where the third man was. .~ . " Tha is beaten,” was the thought ’'cuNed to me at once, and it pr eNas 3 hen the dasH for the finish began he allowed his rival to get a lead of five yards before going after him in earnest pursuit. \

“From that point to the finish there was no perceptible difference in the speed of the men, but the man who had turned his head to make sure that he would get second place, instead of bending every energy to win, of course landed where his thoughts placed him.”—New York Sun.. 3 e Defined. : s “John,” she said, looking up from ‘.the paper, “what is a political boomerang ?” - “Why, I'd define it,” he answered, “as a-roorback on the return trip.”— Philadelphia Ledger. . - His ldea of Luck. Blobbs—Bjones is the most unlucky fellow at cards I ever met. Slobbs— Then 1 suppose he is lucky in love. ‘Blabbs—l suppose so. At any rate, he has never been married.—Philadelphia Record. Mrs. Mcßaney’s ExPerience Mrs. M. Mcßaney, Prentiss Miss., writes: ‘I was confined to my bed three months with KkKidney and bladder trouble and was treated by two physicians but failed to get relief. No human tongue can tell how I suffered, and I had given up hope of ever getting well until I began taking Foley’s Kidney Remedy. After - taking two bottles I felt like & new person and feel it my duty to tell suffering women what Foley’s Kidney Remedy did for me.” - S.J. Willlams. 37-5 t For Eczema, Tetter and Salt Rhenm . Tbé’ intense itching characthristie of these ailments is almost instantly allayed by Chamberlain’s Salve. Many severe cases have been cured by:% _;s. For sale by S.J. Williams. -bt