Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 43, Number 226, 3 August 1918 — Page 15

itlCHMOND PALLADIUM, AUGUST 3, 1918.

PAQB THREE

THE JUNIOR

The Junior Palladium is the children section of the Richmond Palladium, founded May 6, 1916, and Issued each Saturday afternoon. All boys and girls are Invited to be reporters ind contributors. News Items, social ovents. "want" advertisements, stories, local jokes and original poems are acceptable and wiil be published. Articles should be written plainly and on one side of the paper, with the author's name and age Blgned. Aunt Molly Is always glad to meet the children personally ati they bring their articles to the Palladium office, or to receive letters addrcsseu to the Junior Editor. This Is your little newspaper and we hope each boy and girl will use it thoroughly.

Dear Folks: Do you like editorials? I (would you like me to tell you a cares half as much about what

they reason out themselves, and yet, because there is so much to be thought out now days, when nations and ideals and whole systems of living are being on trial to see which is truest and strongest and best, we really ought to read stories and articles which go into the real problems of the world a little more than the merely entertaining stories do. And so do you know what I've decided? Instead of writing plain editorials any more, I'll just let you see into the real life of one little boy named Jimmy G. and his sister Jean, and then, maybe you can decide things for yourself. But since they really are sort of story-editorials you won't mind if the folks talk pretty much now and then, will you? And if things sound almost like a "free-lecture" some time, just skip it and wait until the next week to see if Jimmie does a little better then. Don't you think this way will be a little better? If not, we'll be ever so glad to have you send in the kind of editorials you like, and then, perhaps the Junior editorials will be the part of the paper you'll like to read best of all. AUNT MOLLY.

DO m 0

JIMMIE G.

m m It was one of those cold grey days when the smoke blows low and twiiight comes stealing through the half reserted streets in the late afternoon. Little pools of light marked the street lamps down the avenue, but one soft glow marked home to a certain big manly form that had come striding down the walk, and no sooner was his firm quick step heard on the cement, than the door was flung open and Jimmie G. bounded out onto the middle of the front porch, where lie stood like a chunky little lord of the manor house facing his world. He was one of those typical Americans of some nine Fouth-of-Julys, with a hank of unruly'black hair across his forehead, and so much surging of red blood through his veins that the staid, oldfashioned women in his "neighborhood considered him a human fire cracker. "Hi, dad!" he greeted his senior parent as they both stooped to pick up the evening paper. His father gave him an affectionate pat on the head, but without answering, directed his sturdy little son towards he door, and they entered together. As they stepped inside, the click ef the oven door reminded Jimmie G. of joys ahead and at once he burst out, "Oh, dad! biscuits for supper, isn't that great? And strawberry jam, too." "Is that so," responded the-young enthusiast's father, but there was something hollow in his voice, and after placing his hat over his raincoat ,he drew a long official envelope from his inside pocket and started towards the kitchen. At the same moment, however, the door swung open and Jimmie's mother appear, her face flushed and eyes laughing. But as 6he saw the envelope which the father was holding out to her silently, the smile and the color died away, and she stood motionless leaning back against the casement, her eyes seeking his dumbly. Jimmie G. looked up In surprise. Then coming over between his father and mother, he stood looking from one to the other in speechless amazement Finally he could stand it no longer. "Well mother," he said, "what's the matlcr?" It was like a call to arms, to Jimmie's mother. Half kneeling as she held her wondering son closer and closer, Ehe looked up into his fath-

PALLADIUM

wondered if you did, because, sercret ?) I don't. No one other people think as what m DO 0 m 3 C ?r's face while her eyes glowed with radient pride. "Jimmie, guess what," she said, her voice quivering and vibrating with a new ring. "The most wonderful, the most glorious thing ever has happened." "What's that," asked Jimmie, still rather doubtful. For a moment she held him closer still. Then rising and standing very erect, she said, "Now watch, and If you can do everything just as I do it, I suspect you will know." She first put her left arm straight down by her side, and Jimmie did the same. Then with all the sudden jerkiness of a major's command, she made a military salute, and Jimmie mechanically followed. But all this time poor bewildered Jimmie G.'s eyes grew bigger and bigger, until all at once a new light began to dawn and an enlightened smile to break across his face. "Say, dad, you haven't why dad, you don't mean to say, well great Scott, dad, you haven't enlisted, have you?" "It rather looks that way, doesn't it?" asked Jimmie's father smiling. Grinning from ear to ear, Jimmie G. stood speechless for a full minute. Then the realization breaking over him, he clasped his daddy in a vice-like grip as he choked out, 'Oh dad, that's grand dad, that sure is great, say dad, I I I've got to tell Bill Hadley." And in another moment the door had bantted behind the vanishing form of Jimmie G. And so It was that In the evening the chuckling wood fire gave out more than its ordinary cheer to those three home folks, for it was the last night with "just plain dad," as Jimmie put it. "There isn't any chance of Jean coming home tonight, is there?" asked Jimmie's father as he pulled hi3 chair up by the library table. "I'm afraid not," answered Mrs. Gray. "But Lois said she will surely have little Jean girl back by ten o'clock in the morning, so that will give you two hours before your train time." They were silent for a moment, and the three did not notice how strangely quiet the room had grown until suddenly a fire-eaten stick of wood broke, flaring up as It fell with a bhower of sparks and a little thud onto the pile of ashes below the andirons. "I'll tell you," broke out Jimmie G, with new energy, "Let's play.

'Keep the Home Fires Burning shall we?"

"All right, Jimmie," answered his father. "I'll appoint you an excellent committee of one to put it on." But the appointment was unnecessary, for even then his energetic young son was taking the record out of its case and was fitting It onto the disk. "But, mother," asked Jimmie, as he fumbled about in the shaded twilight, "do you know where a good needle is?" Poor Jimmie once more was learning the old story that a little son's enthusiasm, no matter how genuine, frequently needs a mother's reinforcing a'.d. At last the record wa9 started, however, and as Jimmie and his mother came walking slowly back, the father stretched out his arm, catching his little wife about the waist, and pulled her, half laughing, half protesting, down on the arm of his great chair, while- Jimmie promptly mounted to the other side.. 'Jim," began his father, as the last tones of the song died avay, "ther's a lot I'm going to depend on you for, while I'm gone." "What's that, dad?" asked the future man of the house with his eyes fixed very steadily on a certain blue and yellow flame that was sputtering in and out of a crack In the burning wood. "I'm going to depend on you as my Junior partner," he said. "I want you to take my place just as nearly as you can, till I come back. You know what that means. Be good to little Jeannle, and to your mother. Jim, you know I call her dearest, that's what she means to me. You'll remember, won't you? "As for writing to me, Jimmie, down at the office they are to send me a weekly report, and I will be glad if you can be business like and do the same way. "And Jim, if things ever start going wrong, you know your mother is your best friend. I want you to remember that. Sometimes some of the older fellows may start telling you a lot of dirty stories, trying to make you think that is the way men do and talk, but don't believe ihem. I'm a man, Jim, and I'm telling you straight, that all real men are too busy getting down to work and trying to make something of themselves to listen to any filthy stufl like that. Why Jim, if I had, I couldn't come home and look your mother in the face, and son, that is the best part of the day to me. "I'll tell you what I think you want to do, Jim. You better plan to make this a kind of a council chair where you can talk things over, perhaps sometimes with Jean, but sometimes just you two. When I'm down there in camp, I'll like to think of you being here that way, and son, you won't disappoint me, will you?" The little blue and yellow flame which Jimmie was watching so intently sputtered and flickered and darted in and out of its hiding place like a wild little sportive elf, but in spite of all its antics, Jimmie's eyes were very big and sober as he nodded his head in answere to his father's question. They were silent for a moment, and then his father continued, "It's hard enough to go, anyhow, Jim. If America weren't a republic wTiere every red blooded man must take his place, I wouldn't think of it. But as it is, our country" gives us everything we have, even the right and chance to have this home of ours. It was under the laws of this country that your mother and I were married, and it is because of the laws of this country that you were born free to live your life as you want to make it to work shoulder to shoulder with other men as equals in any way you choose. "Our country is a democracy, Jim, a brotherhood, where every real man must do his part, and now when I am needed I will go, that's all. But when I go I want to go knowing that I can trust you to be doing your best for your country and for me." In the short silence that followed the father's words, the unfeeling old wooden clock tolled out nine, and Jimmie G. very 6lowly and very quietly got up and stood by the table looking down at the paper cutter. "Dad," he said finally, "I guess I can't say very much about what you've told me tonight, right now. but you can trust me, dad, and,

well, if I'm going to be your Junior Partner, don't you think maybe we had better shake hands." So they did. School Garden Notes Since all the boys and girls of Richmond are Interested in successful gardening, each week a space in the Junior will be devoted

to garden notes, to help solve the many problems which come up during the summer. Also news of the results which the Junior gardens are having from their work will be published, and all boys and girls are invited to contribute to the column. A national organization, called the United States School Garden Army has been started and circu lars are sent out by it to all the cities, so that children may be helped in their efforts. These circulars are received by Mr. Murphy, and he is sending them over to the Junior so that all Richmond children may profit by them. Protecting the Garden Products. Many garden plants are destroyed by rabbits, sparrows, dogs, cats, moles and chickens. For this reason the young gardener should protect his crops from these intruders. One of the best methods of protecting young plants from the pests mentioned above, as well as insect pests, is the cheesecloth frame. These frames may be made small for the individual hills or in lengths to cover several hills if preferred. Hill frames are made two or three feet square. Use four 6-inch thin pine boards. Nail these together over these frames. Where frames are to cover an entire row, these frames may be made ten to twelve feet long and four feet wide. Over these frames tack cheesecloth as stated above. Some protection may be furnished plants by placing small brush over them. Do not make the brush too thick as it will exclude the light. Strips of tin or tincans suspended from poles placed in the garden will sometimes serve to keep the birds from injuring the garden crops. This results from the bright sun shining upon the tin. Three or four strips of tin or cans should be tied together so that the noise resulting from their striking together will also tend to frighten away birds. Formerly it was quite common to see scare crows and rags placed in the garden, but the practice has i about been abandoned. For the ! mnet Hart it ia rri npoKfiil Mole traps set in mole runs will tend to destroy these animals. If the garden is enclosed with a wire fence five or six feet high, dogs, chickens, and cats will not likely do much dammage to the FARM BOYS P means of the boys' pig clubs

SPl IIS' ! 'irfTWir & i

j thousands of boys arc being instructed in hog raising, and by this

means are helping to produce a very important rood tor our soimers ana sailors. Your county agent, club leader or director cf extension work at your state agricultural college will tell you of the work in your own state and how to join a club. The department wants 200.000 boys to raise pigs 40.000 did it n pig clubs last year but whether you are youug or old, if you live in the country or the suburbs of a city, you can do it, too, and thereby become a "soldier of the commissary."

crops. Secure fencing wire with fine mesh for this purpose.

Raises Large Cabbage. One of the largest cabbages reported to be raised by any boy or girl in Richmond was raised by Frederick Tbistlethwaite of Asylum avenue. It weighed ive and a half pounds. SOCIETY A picnic party to Thistlethwaite's Falls was formed last Wednesday by Elda Magg, Geneva Magg, Grace Slmcoke, Edward Altenbaugh and Loretta Magg, with Miss Caroline Magg as chaperone. Audrey Newman of Starr School is leaving in two weeks for California where she will make her home. Virginia and Janet Harris have been spending the past week with relatives in Marian. Little Frank Clarence Burr of Detroit, Mich., returned to his home Wednesday with his parents, after visiting relatives in this city for two weeks. . , Gerard Harrington of South Eighth street, das returned from an extensive visit in western states and Chicago. Edward Nusbaum Is spending several weeks at the northern lakes with hia parents. . Julia Burr, of North Seventeenth street left Wednesday for Dayton where she will spend the rest of the summer with friends. Leota and Howard Hosbrook have gone to Arcanum, Ohio, to spend a fortnight with their grandparents. An all day fishing party was held by a boys class of the First Presbyterian Sunday school last Thursday. Several crawdads and one fish were caught. The fishermen included Lynn Brendel, -."'William Campfield, George Toler, Robert Morgan, David Henderson and James Basore. Master John Charman has returned from a week's visit with relatives in Muncie, Indiana. ' ' Misses Martha Webb and Mary Frances Churchell are spending the week-end in the country. . 15 YOUR HOUSE A FORT? FORM PIG CLUBS of the Department of Agriculture