Bellefonte, Pa.,
THE SMILE OF A LITTLE CHILD.
There is nothing n:ore pura in Ieaven,
And nothing on earth more mild,
Bore full of the light that i= divine
Than thy smile of a little child.
The sinless lips, half parted
With breath as sweet as the air,
And the light that seems so glad to shine
In the gold of the sunny hair.
0, little ona smile and bless me!
For somehow—I know not why—
I feel in my soul, when ehifldren smite,
That angels are passing by.
I feel that the gates of heaven
Are nearer than I knew.
That the light of hope of that sweet world.
Liko the dawn is breaking through.
“A GENTLEMAN BY THE GRACE OF
GOD.”
BY VIRGINIA WOODWARD CLOUD.
As Mrs. Alexander Powers entered she
tossed her muff on the table and seated
herself in my rocking-chair. One gray-
gloved hand held a note-book, and the
ether she waved dramatically toward me,
half in protestation.
‘Now, I know just what you are going
to say, Lalaye : that you can’t afford it, or
haven’t time, or something of the sort !
But you must !”’
In vain I protested that I had eschewed
ehurch fairs early in life; that nothing
eould induce me to have anything to do
with one. She argued that this was not to
be a fair in the usual sense of the word,
although the proceeds were to furnish a
new organ and lectern for St. Blasius’
ehugeh. It was to be something new and
unique in the way of a bazaar. ‘‘You can
ehoose your own committee, you know,
just of the people with whom you would
rather work’”’—Mrs. Powers twirled the
leaves of the note-book, and I begged her to
believe that I would go miles to keep off a
sommittee ; that I loved my fellowmen
-about as well as the average woman did,
but not well enough to put on acap and
do an eternal treadmill witha waiter in my
hand ; or to stand smiling for hours in a
flower-booth, importuning long-suffering
men to buy houquets and get no change !
Or to break my back over an impossible
femonade-well ! Or to—
But Mrs. Powers went off in a gale of
laughter.
‘Oh, you poor benighten soul! Do you
suppose we do such things now? Why,
that belongs to the past age of our extreme
youth !”’
Here she sat up and opened the note-
book. ‘‘Seriously, though, it’s to be the
greatest society cvent of the season—that
is, of its sort. Jack Sherrard designed it.
He has charge of the pictures in the Art
Loan. Beatrice has the Oriental booth.
She’s gotten lots of things, and her gown
isa perfect dream! The art needlework
from the Ladies’ Industrial Exchange will
be in that. Then we’ve got the junk 1?
“The what 2’
“Junk ! Japanese, you know, Sort of
ship. Everybody goes on board to drink
tea, and its perfectly lovely! We got it
from Keno & Co. They brought it over
as an advertisement. All the girls who
took part in our ‘Mikado’ last year are
going to serve tea in costume. Bertie Bar-
toe was. Nanki Poo and Sallye Lunn was
Yum Yum, and they are just too sweet for
anything! Oh, I wish I had time to tell
you all! India is the cafe, and its a
dream! Greek art comes in on tableau
“night, and Italy has all the music. I have
charge of that. Itis kept for the grand
finale. It’s the one you are going to help
me with, and it’s the hardest of all !’
Then she laughed at my expression.
“Oh, I know how you feel ! But no one
would take it ; there’s so much prelimin-
ary work. I have just shoals of flowers
promised ; and above all, my dear, I’ve se-
cured Stani !”’
She clasped her hands enthusiastically on
the note-book and gazed at me.
“Oh, now, you surely know who Sta-
ni is?”
‘But I don’t,” I protested.
‘Well, you cught to, you know. [e's
‘the great boy-tenor and the very latest
musical craze—and you know how hard it
is to secure anything instantaneous ! Every
craze treads on the one ahead of it! Well,
Pinkney Thorpe heard him in Boston, and
says that the furore he created was some-
thing extraordinary ! He sings divinely,
and is very young and extremely swell and
all that ; and, my dear, he’s coming for
our last night! The tickets are going al-
ready like wildfire. How many can you
sell? Fifty *»
In vain I assured Mrs. Powers that only
stout nerves and heroic hearts sold tickets.
She flew to her muff and drew forth a
package. Pausing beside my desk, she
took up a picture of Shelley.
“Really, he looks a little like Bartley,”
she raid.
“Bartley ? Which one was he?” I agked.
‘‘Now, that sounds like Alexander!
When he wants to dampen my ardor he re-
minds me of Bartley. Well, I cannot
blame him, for Bartley was certainly a dead
failure. The ungrateful little wretch!
Don’t you remember? He was the adop-
ted son of Mrs. Mimms, the old woman
who was charwoman once for St. Blasius’
church ?”’ ?
I cast around in my mental museum
among a heap of Mrs. Power’s past experi-
ments and came upon Bartley, an angel-
faced boy, with a voice leading the choris-
ters in soprano and mischief.
“Yes!” said Mrs. Powers, ‘‘that very
hoy ! Whom I rescued about six yess ago
from Mrs. Mimms! He was the loveliest
thing I ever looked at, and a perfect little
savage. He led us the most awful life, if
you remember! Why, he took all the
works out of the piano, and—I will never
forget it !—climbed up the back balcony at
three in the morning and was arrested for
a burglar. I had to appear in court!
Alexander was away from home, but when
he returned - he thrashed Bartley well! I
really did not think Alexander was capable
of such a display of wrath. We sent him
to the House of Correction the next day,
I’ve never heard of him since, and never
want to! Oh, I'll never forgive Bartley—
never ! He's a trump card to this day for
Alexander to wave over my head ! Well”
—she was rapidly counting out tickets—
“here are thirty !"’
She straightway proceeded to write me
down a patroness, to call me a goose, to
to kiss me good-by, and to return to tell
me that the musical committee had a meet-
ing on Thursday at three ; and the art com-
mittee, date unrecalled, and several other
committees ditto, and that I must not fail
to attend them all.
It is needless to say that I proved no ex-
ception to the many with whom Mrs. Pow-
ers has her own way.
Two weeks later the bazaar for St. Bla-
sing’ was in full blast, and we were all
there. Scarce a Pharise¢ went by onthe
other side.
Day after day a host of intrepid spinsters
repaired the wreckage made at night.
Night after night the gilded youth, and
the youth who wanted to be gilded, prom-
enaded with the chrysalis belle. The se-
ductive strains of Benjamin’s orchestra
were wafted from a height which was
swathed in the combined colors of the na-
tions represented beneath. We walked un-
til we were faint, because every one else
did, We bought Indian baskets from an
Egyptian booth and carried them around
all the evening (and we do hate to carry a
basket.) We bought Chinese trays from
the Japanese junk, and kept them for
Christmas gifts, and we took cold eating
ices in the dreamful and draughty cafe,
under perilous palm boughs. And for the
climax, we fairly swarmed on the last night
to hear the Stanising.
Mrs. Power's party filled the lower right
proscenium. The orchestra had descended
to the regulation chairs beneath the stage,
and the balcony was a patch of brown made
by the gowns and hats of St. Blasius’
Orphanage—which was to share the pro-
ceeds with the organ if there was anything
left. The front row of the auditorium was
reserved as an especial treat for the choris-
ter boys, who were out in full force.
The curtain fell on the first half of the
program, ending with a scene which was
more than resplendent, and again our Mer-
cury bows bobbed hither and thither, and
our lorgnettes were raised, and our pro-
grams fluttering — programs on which
the name of the illustrious Stani appeared
in staring type.
Mrs. Powers settled herself comfortable
in the corner of the box facing the stage.
“I am delighted now that I took the
music and that it’s all profcssional,’”’ she
said. “I wouldn’t be back there grouping
all those people for anything !”’
‘Jack Sherrard is tearing his hair now
and vowing he’ll never be caught in any-
thing of the sort again!” spoke Pinkney
Thorpe from the back of the box, where he
stood dressed for the Spanish dance.
‘‘Wouldn’t it be simply horrible if Stani
didn’t come !"’ said Mrs. Powers. -
‘Stage waits !"’ said her husband, enter-
ing suddenly, while Pinkney Thorpe caught
up his mandolin and fled.
*‘Stani has just arrived,’’ said Mr. Gran-
by from the background. ‘‘He wished to
keep us in suspense. These people who
become the fad know the value of being
difficult.” :
“They say he is in great vogue !’’ said a
pretty girl in the front of the box. ‘‘Every
one is perfectly crazy about him, and he
could fill double his time with drawing-
room engagements if he only would. But
they say he’s one of those painfully-artistic
people who are extremely exclusive about
their art.”
. A white-haired woman beside her spoke.
‘I noticed in the paper that he went
down in a wretched neighborhood in Bos-
ton and sung for some newsboys, though.”’
‘Oh, well,” said the pretty girl, ‘that
sort of thing is a tremendous advertise-
ment, you know.”
Here the curtain went up in the flies.
The lights went down. The stage burst
forth in gorgeous color. The dancers laugh-
ed in each other’s eyes ; the senora peeped
from her lattice, dropping a rose to Pink-
ney Thorpe, who gazed upward from among
a group of troubadours. Little murmurs
broke from the house like butterflies as the
curtain fell on the Intermezzo from “‘Cav-
elleria Rusticana.’’
‘‘And now Stani is coming !”’ cried the
pretty girl in the front box. ‘I never
wanted to sec any one so much in my life.”
The lights burst forth, the stage was
cleared, and the piano rolled out from the
wings. A smart accompanist witha roll of
music caused a preliminary ripple of ap-
plause. Then the singer, a tall butslight
and boyish figure, with a white flower on
his coat and a sheet of music in his white-
gloved hands, advanced to the footlights.
As the house resounded with applause,
Mrs. Powers, who had been talking with
the white-haired woman, leaned forward
quickly and put up her glass. At the same
moment her husband, in the background,
sprang to his feet and leaned forward, star-
ing at the stage.
“By George !”” he muttered.
“Alexander!” Mis. Powers spoke in a
| helpless sort of way, staring at the stage.
The burst of applause from the house
seemed intensified by a sudden crescendo of
shrill boy voices on the front row, which
was immediately quelled by the choir-
master.
Then as Stani bowed left, then right, his
eves swept our box for an instant : and in
the clear, poetic face, the waving hair and
irreproachable grace, I recognized Bartley,
the adopted son of the old ex-charwoman
of St. Blesius’. Bartley, who sung like a
seraph amonz the choir-boys, who played
havoc with Mrs. Power’s domestic peace,
who was sent to the House of Correction,
and whom Mr. Alexander Powers had ig-
nominiously thrashed.
The accompanist was playing the prelude
and Mrs. Powers turned to her husband.
“Is it actually ?”’ -
‘It is certainly Bartley,’”” he said in an
undertone.
Mrs. Power's eyes flashed. ‘‘Just like
him! His audacity would carry him
through anything !”
‘Hold on, now,’ said her husband,
“give him a chance. Although, if it's a
sell—-."" The words were stopped by a
voice. Such a voice! we might easily for-
get the Italian aria and the English ballad
following it, but we shall never forget the
voice which sang them. After the first,
the house was fairly breathless with amaze-
ment for onc instant—then it stormed, and
after the second it rose to its feet, and there
was a cry of ‘‘Brava.”’
‘‘By George, the fellow can sing !”’ cried
Pinkney Thorpe, bursting into our box ;
‘‘never heard anything like it before in my
life! Bring him out again.”’ :
The little choir boys were doubled up in
a frantic effort to be heard, and Mrs. Powers
was fanning herself rapidly, a burning
flush on her face. The pretty girl in the
front of the box was exclaiming rapturous-
ly over the beauty of the singer and the
wonder of his voice, when suddenly there
was ga hush. Stani advanced to the front
of the stage, and stood looking, not at the
fluttering, rainbow house, but at the row
of little choir-hoys down in front. Their
faces were uplifted expectantly, and one lit-
tle fellow, utterly unable to restrain him-
self, began aloud : ‘‘Hey, Bart——_." But
a hand was promptly clapped over his
mouth by the choirmaster.
Stani gazed at them for a full minute,
doubtless with a tide of recollection sweep-
ing him toward them. He then turned
and spoke to the accompanist ; then, still
looking at the row of eager, upturned
faces, began as simply as if a little boy to
sing.
A suppressed rustle stirred the house.
Mrs. Powers leaned forward quickly and
put up her glass.
The illustrious Stani was singing ‘‘Jerus-
alem the Golden.” They had sung it to-
gether probably oftener than any other
hymn, he and the little choir boys. Often
had he led thesoprano soaring on the high
notes when he was Bartley, the boy who
went to the House of Correction.
Suddenly, at the fifth line, he made a
motion with his hand. It must have been
an old and well known motion, for every
boy began to sing.
I know not, oh, I know not!
The voices burst out with the words un-
til the light quivered, the soprano of Bart-
[ey thrilling above them all. The audi-
ence knew he was not singing to them, for
he was looking far beyond. :
That may have been the reason the house
forgot to applaud. It was quite still for a
minute as the sound ceased, and he quick-
ly left the stage.
Then everybody began to talk to every
one else, while a few touched their eyes
with their handkerchiefs. Mrs. Powers laid
her hand on mine and said nothing. Mr.
Powers sprang up and left the box. A
moment later I saw him standing in the
wings holding Stani by the arm and talk-
ing. The pretty girl fluttered outward,
exclaiming with the others over the charm-
ing uniqueness of the strange finale.
Then we gathered up our wraps and met
the crowd in the corridors. A breath of
snowy air stung our faces. Carriages were
being called. Figures in character marked
the crowd with vivid color, and Mr. Pow-
ers was making his way to where we had
drawn aside. Behind him was Signor Sta-
ni. He bowed low before us, but Mrs.
Powers put out her hand impulsively.
‘‘Bartley, come home with us!”
said.
‘Thank you,”’ he answered, smiling,
“but I go early in the morning. I sail
again Monday, and must spend to-night
with—my mother.”’
We then saw, clinging to his arm, a
bent figure, in a black bonnet. It was the
old ex-charwoman of St. Blasius’.
*‘She’s very pleased,’”’ he added, ‘but
I’m afraid she’s tired, so I'll not stop, if
you'll excuse me. Thank you for every-
thing, Mrs. Powers, and I hope you didn’t
mind about the hymn. I didn’t intend to
do it. But it—they—the boys seemed like
—home. Good.by !"*
He turned abruptly and was closed upon
by the crowd, all eager for a closer view of
the famous singer. A moment later we
had a glimpse of Stani’s beautiful face, bent
over the black bonnet of the old woman.
Then they were swept out the door.
‘Oh, look at this!’ Mrs. Powers was
gazing at a slip of paper which the singer
had put in her hand :
For one night's services to St. Blasius' Church.
Received payment in full, (Signed) Sraxi.
‘‘Little Bartley ! Well, I can’t get over
it!” Mr. Powers was still staring through
the crowd to where the singer had disap-
peared. ‘‘And he says teat he got out of
that place in a week, and some one discov-
ered his voice, and sent him abroad, and
he’s come back to- make a home for that
old woman, who wasn’t any relation to
him at all. I tell you that fellow’s a’’—
he paused to adjust his wife’s cloak, and I
heard the white-haired woman say softly :
‘A gentleman by the grace of God !"’—
The Illustrated American.
Battle of the Wilderness.
she
There Were Features that Have Never been Matched
in the Annals of Warfare—The Scene Was One of
Unutterable Horror.
The losses found to be ; killed, 2,246 ;
wounded, 12,037; missing, 3,383; total,
17,666. The damage inflicted upon the
enemy is not known, but as he was the as-
saulting party as often as the Union army,
there is reason to believe that the losses on
the two sides were about equal. Taking
tweny-four hours as the time actually oec-
cupied in fighting, and counting the casual-
ties in both armies, it will be found that on
that bloody field every minute recorded
the loss of twenty five men.
As the staff-ofticers threw themselves up-
on the ground that night, sleep came to
them without coaxing, they had been on
the move since dawn, galloping over bad
roads, struggling through forest openings,
jumping rivulets, wading swamps, helping
to rally troops dodging bullets, searching
for commanding officers in all sorts of un-
known places. Their horses had heen
crippled, and they themselves were well-
nigh exhausted. For the small part I had
been able to perform in the engagement,
the general recommended me for the brevet
rank of major in the regular army ‘‘for gal-
lant and meritorous services.” His re-
commendation was afterward approved by
the President. This promotion was especi-
ally gratifying for the reason that it was
conferred fot conduct in the first battle in
which I had served under the command of
the general-in-chief.
There were features of the battle which
have never been matched in the annals of
warfare. For two days nearly 200,000
veteran troops had struggled in a death-
grapple, confronted at each step with al-
most every obstacle by which nature could
bar their path, and groping their way
through a tangled forest the impenetrable
gloom of which could be likened only to
the shadow of death. The undergrowth
stayed their progress, the upper growth
shut out the light of heaven. Officers
could rarely see their troops for any con-
siderable distance, for smoke clouded the
vision, and a heavy sky obscured the sun.
Directions were ascertained and lines estab-
lished by means of the pocket compass, and
a change of position often presented an
operation more like a problem of ocean
navigation than a question of military
mancuvers. It was thesense of sound and
of touch rather than the sense of the sight
which guided the movements. It was a
battle fought with the ear, and not with
the eye.
All circumstances seemed to combine to
make the scene one of unutterable horror.
At times the wind howled through the tree
tops, mingling its moans with the groans
of the dying, and heavy branches were cut
off by the fire of the artillery, and fell
crashing upon the men, adding a new ter-
ror to battle. Forest, fires raged ; ammu-
nition-trains exploded ; the dead were
roasted in the conflagration ; the wounded,
roused by its hot breath ; dragged them-
selves along with their torn and mangled
limbs, in the mad energy of despair, to es-
cape the ravages of the flames ; and every
bush seemed hung with shreds '6f blood-
stained clothing. It was as though Christ-
ian men had turned to- fiends, and hell its-
clf had usurped the place of earth. ‘Cam-
paigning with Grant,”” by General Horace
Porter in the December Century.
Good for the Health.
Jenks (who has taken to horseback rid-
ing and h unces about ten inches at every
step)—**Ah, howdy-do, Blinks? I think
horseback riding is good for the health,
don,t you ?
Blinks—‘‘Yes, indeed ! All who see you
will be benefited. ‘Laugh and grow fat,’
you know.”
——A Russian land owner at Batoum
during the big oil strike there had an in-
come of about $30,000 a day from his wells.
Meeting of the State Grange.
Worthy Master Rhone Re-elected.—He Will Continue
at the Head of the Pennsylvania Branch of the
Patrons of Husbandry—A Series of Resolutions on
the Subject of an Export Bounty of Agricultural
Products Considered and Adopted.— Great Adultera-
tion of Food Shown.
At the meeting of the State Grange which
convened in Altoona last week. Hon. F.
N. Moore, deputy dairy and food commis-
sioner, gave the Grange an entertaining
talk on food adulterations, showing sam-
ples which had been collected, analyzed
and proved adulterated. Some of these
adulterated samples had been collected
from stores in this city. He exhibited 85
samples, one sample each, including a
sample of filled cheese. These samples
were all adulterated, or compounds. In
regard to ‘oleo,” one year ago there were
500 dealers in Pennsylvania who had paid
a government tax for the permission to sell,
but to-day these are all wiped out but a
few in Allegheny county, who in the near
future will pay for their violation of the
law.
He presented in conclusion with his ad-
dress samples of adulterated food, among
them one of a saleratus, taken from a store
in this city, containing 80 per cent. of plas-
ter of Paris. He told his audience not to
be frightened, as he had such samples from
all parts of the state. With the hetero-
genous mass was a specimen of Cayenne
pepper, which, when analyzed, showed the
contents to be 50 per cent. red oak bark,
25 per cent. hickory nut shells and the
balance was supposed to be red pepper. A
sample of black pepper analyzed by Mr.
Moore revealed 40 per cent. buckwheat
hulls, though he said the latter component
is very often displaced by cocoanut shells.
Coffee and allspice were taken up, ana-
lyzed and showed the same deleterious sub-
stances in their make up. A specimen of
analyzed honey showed 95 per cent. of
glucose and 5 per cent. of honey. Even
foods for babes, he said, dissected, have
been shown to contain everything from
tartaric acid and other adulterations equal-
ly injurious to good health. His discourse
was exceedingly interesting. He claimed
that there was not over 10 per cent. of the
amount of adulterated foods sold in Penn-
sylvania to-day that was sold one year ago.
Mr. Moore concluded with strong plea for
pure food.
During the year 1896 the sale of ‘oleo’
had fallen off 3,000,000 pounds in this
state.
At this juncture the finance committee
reported, showing a balance of over $9,000
in the treasury.
Hon. Gerard C. Brown, chairman of the
legislative committee, next read a series of
resolutions, based on the principles of the
Lubin proposition, which resolutions are
given below.
The reports of the committees on reso-
lutions and education were next read and
discussed. A number of resolutions sup-
plementary to the report of the committee
on resolutions were also read and disposed
of.
The afternoon session was devoted main-
ly to the election of officers, which result is
given below. Those marked with an
asterisk were re-elected. The worthy mas-
ter, who isamong the re-elected, has served
in that capacity for over twenty years, and
it is mainly due to his instrumentality that
the Pennsylvania State Grange has risen
to its present influence and affluence.
LIST OF OFFICERS.
Worthy master, *Leonard Rhone, Cen-
tre county ; overseer, A. C. Barrett, Sus-
quehanna county ; lecturer, *W. T. Hill,
Crawford county ; steward, *J. P. Whip-
ple, Bradford county ; assistant steward,
*E. J. Tuttle, Tioga county ; chaplain,
*Rev. W. T. Everson, Erie county ; treas-
urer, ¥*Hon. S. E. Nevin, Chester county ;
scribe, *Jerome T. Ailman, Juniata coun-
ty ; gate keeper, ¥*Wallace Chase, Tioga
county ; ceres, *Mrs. Helen S. Johnson,
Eric county ; pomona, *Mrs. S. J. Logan,
Crawford county ; flora, Miss Hill, West-
moreland county ; lady assistant stewart,
Laura A. Litchard, Montour county ; exe-
cutive committee (three to be elected), *J.
S. Walker, Allegheny county ; *J. B.
Kirkbride, Philadelphia county ; *I. M.
McHenry, Indiana county ; finance com-
mittee (one member to be elected), *S. S.
Blyholder, Armstrong county.
After the opening of the evening session
the announcements of the officers elected
were made, between which numbers the
executive committee and the committee on
the good of the order reported several good
recommendations, on which action wa-
taken. In due recognition of the unprec-
edented action on the part of the citizens
of Altoona, which action is embodied, the
following preamble and resolutions were
unanimously adopted by a standing vote :
WHEREAS, Tho city of Altoona having
learned that the Patrons of Husbandry
were to hold their annual session of the
Pennsylvania State Grange in their city,
and
WHEREAS, They have raised by popu-
lar subscription the sum of $100 to defray
the expenses incurred by the State Grange
in renting a hall ; therefore be it
Resolved, That we extend to the city of
Altoona our hearty thanks for its generous
donation and hearty co-operation.
The following prcamble and resolution
were also unanimously adopted :
“WHEREAS, Brother J. Metzger, chair-
man of the Blair county Pomona Grange
committee of arrangements, and his asso-
ciates have made ample provisions wherein
our people have been entertained and en-
abled to hold this meeting of the Pennsyl-
vania State Grange. Therefore, be it
Resolved, That a vote of thanks be ex-
tended to Brother Metzger, his associates
and members of the Blair county Pamona
Grange for their zeal and fidelity to our
officers, representatives and members of the
Pennsylvania State Grange.
On the adoption of these resolutions the
session adjourned to meet Friday morning
at 9 o'clock, at which session the final re-
port were made and salaries fixed.
The following preamble and resolutions
were submitted to the Pennsylvania State
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, by the leg-
islative committee of the the State Grange,
at the session held Friday morning, and
were unanimously adopted. They are a
forcible recognition of a new condition of
thought and action throughout the world.
The rapid development of hitherto unculti-
vated lands in countries with a compara-
tively low standard of civilization and con-
sequent cost of maintenance has created
such a forcible competitor to the farmer of
the United States that, with the latter's
much more costly mode of living, the
world’s price of agricultural staples has
reached a point at which under existing
conditions, he finds himself unable to cope
with his opponent. This fact has given
rise to the question ‘‘What will the Amer-
ican farmer do to make his occupation
yield more than the absolute necessities of
life?” After due consideration of all con-
ditions appertaining thereto the American
agriculturist has come to the conclusion
tha, if it is necessary for the manufacturer
to be protected by law from the invasion of
foreign competition he is in equity and
N
ne
justice entitled to the same consideration.
There seems to be logic in the proposition
he submits that since he has to pay a tariff
rate on almost everything he uses, and if
there be any good reason for so doing, he
for the same reason is entitled to similar
consideration. He believes that if it be
right to sustain one factor of our civiliz-
ation another factor equally deserving
should not suffer.
{Your committee, in view of the contin-
ued depression in the prices of agricultural
staples, which in the price of wheat is only
partially and temporarily relieved by the
demand for export caused by the accident
of a shortage in the crops of our principal
competitors, have given attention to the
proposed policy of a bounty on agricultural
exports which has been so forcibly advoca-
ted by David Lubin, of California, and we
accept as established these facts :
“That the prices of agricultural products
as a whole, and particularly of the great
staples, are so reduced as to be often be-
low cost of production, and that in no case
do they suffer a guarantee of profit.
‘That this situation is not confined to
this country, although intensified here by
the more liberal mode and higher cost of
living of our people; in short, by their
progress in education and advancement in
civilization.
‘“That, unless remedied, this condition
must inevitably gravitate downward until
the level of the lower and debased agricul-
tural populations of the world is reached, a
condition incompatible with the mainte-
nance of our higher civilization, and even
the perpetuity of our free institutions and
our self government.
‘That we recognize a new ‘world-condi-
tion’ arising from the wonderful facilities
of transportation by land and sea, which
now bring together ‘as in a scroll’ the very
ends of the earth; which outstrip even
time itself in disseminating intelligence
through all the marts of trade. ,
‘‘That we realize that by the introduc-
tion of modern automatic machinery the
superior efficiency of intelligent agricultur-
ists is in a great degree discounted, and the
educated farmers of our land are brought
into sharper competition with those who
but for the advantage given by their use of
such machinery could never have become
objects of our concern as rivals.
‘‘That we are aware of the additional
menace which threatens us from the ap-
proaching completion of the Siberian rail-
road and the opening by Russia, as the
bidder against the world, of the most enor-
mous contiguous arable tract on the planet,
which, when stocked with the latest farm
machinery now manufactured in conti-
nental Europe, will ultimately crowd all
cereals and staples toa point lower than
ever yet reached. So
“That we cannot deceive ourselves with
the idea that any measure of protection to
our industries offered by a tariff on imports
can avail in the slightest degree to benefit
the grower of those crops, of which he pro-
duces a surplus for export, and whose
prices are necessarily made in the world’s
market, where they are and must continue
to be disposed of.
‘That we have a right to demand that
the same proportion of advantage shall be
given to the agricultural industry that is
accorded by law to any other in this broad
land.
‘‘That while protection countries which
are importers of agricultural products may
in a measure remedy the evil of low prices
by increasing the duties of agricultural im-
ports, it is manifestly impossible for those
which produce a surplus for export to give
the least particle of relief to the interest of
their farmers by a high tariff on these
products.
“That the lessening of productions of
these farm staples, so as to bring them
within the limit of our own home consump-
tion, is no remedy, as it is an economic im-
possibility, and, in any event, could only
injure by lessening the opportunities of
employment to our people and reducing
the actual resources and wealth of our
country.
‘‘Again, that diversification of our pro-
duction can afford no certain nor perma-
nent relief, as experience has proved that
largely increased production, such as dairy
products, truck, berries, fruit, etc., only’
tends to eventually lower these things, as
well as the staples, below the profit point.
‘“‘At a time when the American farmer
had almost a world monopoly in the pro-
duction of staples, when with cheaper
lands he was the almost exclusive user of
improved agricultural machinery, he was
then able to pay the ultimate net cost of a
high protective tariff and still live; but
when as now the world’s prices are down
to one-half their former rates, ir the face
of this to attempt to even maintain, let
alone still raise higher, the protective tar-
iff, would be economic suicide.
“What then is the remedy ? It is clear
that we must either lower the price of
things which the agricultural producer
must buy to the world-level of value,
through free trade, or artificially enhance
in the home market the price of his prod-
ucts to the protection level by a genuine
and real protection policy. :
“This, we have seen, it is utterly im-
possible to affect by any tariff no matter
how high upon the staple crops, whereas a
bounty on exports could not fail to raise
the price of such products in the home mar-
ket to the extent cf that export bounty. |
“This would be securing to the Ameri-
can producer of these staples directly, and
to all farmers of this country indirectly, the
same measure of protection or advantage
that the tariff now gives to manufacturers.
And just as long as our manufacturers
are protected on their productions by a tar-
iff on imports, every consideration of jus-
tice, equity and expediency demands as an
offset an equal protection to agriculture by
a bounty on exports. -
After the newly elected officers were in-
stalled on Friday morning by Mr. J. C.
Kennedy, of Eric county, assisted by Mr.
S. J. Logan, of Crawford county, and Mis.
Kate Hutton, of Cumberland, the meeting
adjourded.
Before introducing the newly elected of-
ficer , Mr. McClure made a brief, but vigor-
ous address on the importance of faithfully
carrying out the provisions of the constitu-
tion and laws. The officers in turn made
brief addresses pledging faithful services
during their incumbency. The adjourn-
ment service was conducted by Worthy
Master Rhone. The delegates from Centre
county who stopped in town on their way
home all express their appreciation of the
convention and the pleasant hospitality of
Altoona. :
Decidedly Unfair.
Bobbie—Tommie Crumps is & mean little
boy. 5
Bobbie’s Mamma—What
done?
Bobbie—Why, me an him was practic-
ing high kickin, an he got mad an kicked
me right in the stummick.
Bobbie’s Mamma—And what had you
done to Tommie ?
Bobbie—TI just kicked him in the neck.
—Cleveland Plain Dealer.
has Tommie
FOR AND ABOUT WOMEN:
The granddaughter of the late Baron
Hirsch is heir to £100,000,000, which is
about $10,000 a day income.
With the wide use of corsclets and girdles
buckles and fancy buttons are becom.
ing more popular than ever before. The
latest buttons are square and are rather
large—in steel, enamel, paste pearls of
every color set in cut steel and a new com-
position that imitates mother of-pearl very
well. Buckles are beginning to appear in
the front of the wide corselet belt, and
these come in steel and paste, in slender
shapes and in length of six to ten inches.
For the back of a ribbon belt there isa
a steel buckle six inches wide and bent to
the figure, with loops of ribbon above and
below the centre of the buckle—a Parisian
idea sure to take here.
Bodices for every day street wear may be
said to be unknown quantities.
A skirt and jacket constitute a tailor
suit nowadays, and instead of the fitted
body once worn under the coat a winter
shirt waist is now the proper caper.” Time
has proven the usefulness and comfort of
this admirable garment and one marvels to
find that the shirt waist character is not
lost through winter materials. Think of
silk, velvet and corduroy being made into
shirt waists ! :
But strange as it may seem such is the
case and very dashing they are, too, espec-
ially when made at the men’s furnishing
shops, as the best of them are.
Very nice ones, though, may be found at
all of the large general shops, which show
besides the corduroy and plain velvet
waists very useful and inexpensive ones of
changeable silk in all colors, and really
magnificent affairs in plaid and shot
velvet.
A stand-up or turn-down linen collar
to button on generally accompanies these
at the general shops, but at the furnishing
places the winter shirt waists are all sold
without collars.
These are bought separate, costing from -
13 to 25 cents ol ® 2 5
No other article of dress takes on the in-
dividuality of a person as does a hat. One
that we have seen often on its owner's
head, wherever we note, whether lying on
the table in the area entry, or hanging in
the orthodox horns in the front hall, will
seem to be framing the professor’s face in
indelible photography : “How like Amy
that looks,” or ‘‘Uncle Samuel,” or Miss
Smith”’—as the case may be—is continually
reiterated.
While we are willing to concede that any
hat frequently worn will in time get to
look like us, we often neglect to consider
that there are certain head coverings so un-
suited to our style, that, when they be-
come a part of us, personality seems to
have been pulled awry, as it were. Only
naturally natty girls should wear distinctly
jaunty hats. *
Demure ones should affect those that far-
ther carry®but the notion of quaint sim-
plicity, but they have nothing whatever to
do with a chapeau that in the faintest de-
gree suggests masculinity. Vogue should
not be allowed to settle these matters ab-
solutely, as there is no more attractive pos-
session than a distinct individuality in all
that bears on personal appearance. Any
inviolable rule in that direction is most
absurd. For instance, one frequently sees
advice to women which asserts that a small,
thin face should never be crowned by a
large hat, and that a stont woman should
not wear a diminutive one. Whereas, the
fact remains. that a small bonnet, if trim-
med to relieve what some wit calls that
‘‘grapeskin on an orange look,”” may be
much more becoming than a headpiece of
such dimensions as to suggest everything
of one kind. And a thin woman if her
face is saucy and piquant, never looks bet-
ter than in a broad rimmed or high crowned
hat, surmounted with nodding plumes.
Of course, if the features arc emaciated
through illness, or of a serious, saintly or
student type, nothing is more ghastly and
inappropriate than a dashing head cover-
-ing. The universal popularity of the sail-
or hat for several years, proves how be-
coming simplicity is to the maturity
of young faces. In selecting a hat more
should be taken into consideration than
merely what is modish, and our average
size. We should consider well our char-
acteristics and decide whether we come un-
der the sprightly or the demure head, as
well as the exact use we will be likely to
put our new purchase to.
A skilled New York dentist has formu-
lated the following rules for the care of the
teeth= Use a soft brush, and water the
temperature of the mouth. Brush the
teeth up and down in the morning, before
going to bed and after eating whether it is
three or six times a day. Use a good
tooth powder twice a week, not oftener, ex-
cept in cases of sickness, when the acids
from a disordered stomach are apt to have
an unwholesome effect upon the dentine.
Avoid all pastes and dentrifices that foam
in the mouth ; the latter is a sure sign of
soap, and soap injures the gums, without
in any way cleansing the teeth. The very
best powder is of precipitated chalk ; it -i8
absolutely harmless and will clean the
enamel without affecting the gums. Orris
root or a little evergreen added gives a
pleasant flavor but 1n no way improves
the chalk. A teaspoonful of listerine in
half a glass of water used as a wash and
gargle after meals is excellent; it is good for
sore or loose gums ; it sweetens the mouth
and is a valuable antiseptic, destroying
all odors that arise from the diseased gums
and teeth. Use a quill pick if necessary
after eating, but a piece of waxed floss is
better.
The lady whose wardrobe holds no figaro
is decidedly behind the times this winter,
for, from street costumes to ball gowns they
are in vogue. They are made indifferently
of every thing that comes to hand—-silk,
velvet’ satin, cloth, lace, fur, and in open
passementerie. Some of these dainty little
garments are small, scarcely more than a cir-
cle around each arm ; but others are longer
than the waist itself. Some are flat to the
figure, and others have revers, collars or
fancy facings.
There are also figaros in black crape,
worked closely with fine dull black beads.
These are for mourning. Black broadcloth,
braided with black soutache and fine gold
braid, make a very handsome figaro, and
one that can be worn with any kind of a
gown. Those of shaped silk passementerie
are susceptible to many changes, according
to the color of the lining, which can be
lightly basted in to suit the different
gown. Some of these arc left unlined and
worn just as they are over any kind of a
dress. The best made, however, is to have
a figaro to every gown when one can af-
ford it. These are of the dress material
and trimmed to suit the colors.
Never go to bed with cold or damp feet.
5)
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