Dewan flu.
Bellefonte, Pa., Jan. 14, 1898.
THE BRAVEST BATTLES.
The bravest battle that ever was fought;
Shall I tell you where and when?
On the maps of the world you will find it not ;
“Twas fought by the mothers of men.
Nay, not with cannon or battle shot,
With sword or nobler pen;
Nay, not with eloquent word or thought,
From mouths of wonderful men.
But deep in a walled-up woman’s heart—
Of woman that would not yield,
But bravely, silently bore her part—
Lo! there is that battlefield.
No marshaling troop, no bivouac song;
No banner to gleam and wave ;
But O! these battles they last so long—
From babyhood to the grave!
Yet, faithful still as a bridge of stars,
She fights in her walled-up town—
Fights on and on in the endless wars,
Then silent, unseen—goes down.
O, ye with banners and battle shot,
And soldiers to shout and praise,
I tell you the kingliest victories fought
Were fought in these silent ways.
0, spotless woman in world of shame !
With splendid and silent scorn,
Go back to God as white as you came,
The kingliest warrior born.
—Joaquin Miller.
THE WORTH OF THE WARNING.
The young girl’s fair face was tinged
with a flush of happiness, and her lips
were slightly parted with one of those rare,
dreamy smiles that are expressive of in-
effable joy. Her companion watched her
for many minutes in silence.
‘‘So you are engaged to be married 2’
said the elder woman at length, as she laid
aside the painted screen with which she
had been shading her eyes from the blazing
logs, and turned her gaze full upon the
young girl.
Not exactly engaged, Mrs. Walton.
He has asked me—about it. Somehow,
when the time came, I found it a far more
difficult question to decide than I had ever
supposed it to be, and I asked him to wait
a little while and let me think it over. He
is coming to-day at 4 o’clock for an answer.
Oh, Mrs. Walton, it is a serious matter,
after all, isn’t it ? What shall I say ?”’
The woman of the world smiled sadly.
‘You are right, my dear,’’ she said. ‘It
is a serious question. The great trouble is
that so many people do not consider it so.
Do you love him ?”’
“Ob, yes, very dearly. Iam miserable
without him. When he is away I wish he
were here. I count the hours until he will
come again. I—'’ she paused and blushed
deeply at the innocent confession.
‘‘But with all that,’’ she added, after a
short pause, ‘I wonder if I love him
enough. Tell me, Mrs. Walton, what the
depth of one’s love should be to insure its
endurance and one’s consequent happi-
ness.’’
Mrs. Walton removed her eyes from the
beautiful, pleading face and rested her
head in her hands for a time, as if in deep
thought.
‘‘Oh, my dear, my dear,’ she said im-
pulsively, looking up with a sudden start
and drawing her chair nearer the earnest
inquirer, ‘‘don’t you know that you have
come to me, a pronounced cynic, with the
most difficult problem that has vexed the
human race for ages? Can [ solve it for
you? ShallI try to solve it, or shall I bid
you take no further heed of the matter,
but marry, and learn afterward ? No, no,
my dear, I cannot do that. How much
ought you to love him ? Out of justice to
yourself, and at the risk of converting you
into a cynic, too, I shall answer you ac-
cording to my own experience and that of
hundreds of other women whom I have
known.
‘In the first place, you must love him
so much that you can bear to see his love
grow cold. Do not shudder and shrink
away, my dear ; it must come, sooner or
later. Otherwise, he is not a normal man,
for the capacity of indifference is one of the
standards by which modern manhood is
measured. Every marriage which is not a
complete failure, must be sanctioned by a
certain measure of love, and this must not
be diminished ; so, as his affection grows
weaker, yours must not only endure, but
must strengthen and increase, that the
deficiency may be made up. You must
love him so much that you can bear to see
the lover who is restless if you are out of
his sight for a moment, be gradually trans-
formed into the friend who is content to
dispense with your society for three, four,
five, yes, even six and seven evenings in
the week. And your love must be so deep
and so strong your love can forbear re-
proaching him for his neglect. The slight-
est allusion to his shortcomings would be
fatal. You must learn to steer clear be-
tween the Seylla of reproach and the Cha-
ryhdis of retaliation. '
‘You are beautiful, sweet and good, but
if, in the future, some face less fair than
yours, perhaps, attracts him, you must not
be surprised and must suppress all jealous
pain. He often tells you, but by and by.
he will begin to say it less frequently, and
at last those three little words, ‘I love you,’
will be but a memory, as the refrain of
some sweet song that you loved in days
gone by and whose melody still hovers
faintly around you. And you would give
your life to hear them, too. Your heart
will ache so without them. He will be
proud of you and will give you money
without the asking, all of which is very
necessary, of course ; but there will be
many times when you will feel that you
would he the happiest woman on earth if
he would just take you in his arms and
say, ‘Oh, I'love youso !” although he had
not a dollar in the world and you would
understand that you would have to work
your fingers’ ends off for enough to live on.
‘‘You will weep many bitter tears over
it, but you will not dare to remonstrate
with him, because he will not mean to be
careless. In all probability he will not
know that he is, and would he very in-
dignant were any one to hint at such a
thing. It is simply a man’s way. There
will be times when you will want to go to
him and say, ‘Oh, what have I done, that
you should grow so cold toward me ?
Why don’t you love me as you used to? I
am well fed, well housed and well clothed,
but for all that I am starving for the dear-
est thing on earth toa woman—love. 1
would rather you would beat me once in
awhile, and then make up by indulging in
a fit of genuine love-making, than to break
my heart by degrees with your indiffer-
ence.” But you won’t dare to do it. He
would become angry and say you were un-
reasonable ; that he cares for you, of course
he does, and that you ought to know it by
his uniform kindness and generosity. Oh,
no; you mustn’t say anything. That
would be nagging, and a naggin woman
is excluded: from the elect, both on earth
below and in heaven above. A man de-
spises a nagging woman. Were you to re-
proach him he would be apt to declare that
you were driving him away from you ! So
you must smile and seem calm and serene,
and bear it all asa matter of course—which
it is.
‘‘But have you any conception. my dear,
of the extent of the love required to do all
that ? You can bear it by gradually ac-
quiring indifference yourself, but indif-
ference is never patient, uncomplaining
and true. Only love can be all that, and
it must be a boundless love—a love that
passeth all understanding. Is yours such
as that? Have I frightened you, my dear
little girl ? It is cruel, isn’t it ? Perhaps
it would have been better after all, to let
you live the lesson instead of having it in-
culcated by means of the cramming process.
But I mean it for the best. Ponder over
these proof sheets of experience and store
away strength. You will need it. All
women do. He is only a man, you know,
and he is just like the rest of them, how-
ever different you may think him. Men
are not like women, because—well, be-
cause they are men.”’
The happy flush had died out of the
young girl’s face and her lips were pale
and drawn.
‘*‘Oh,’” she cried, ‘‘it is such a horrible
picture. Take some magic brush which
you surely have at your command, Mrs.
Walton and paint it all away. No, no, I
do not love him enough for that. I could
work for him and suffer with him, but I
could not endure the dying of his love.”
‘But remember,’”’ resumed the other,
“that love is a woman’s life, and is not a
modicum of the divine gift better than
none at all ?”’
“Oh, I do not know. I cannot think.
Marry him—for that ? No, no, Mrs. Wal-
ton, I cannot. Tell me what to say. He
will be here in a few minutes.”
“My dear, do not ask me. I have said
too much already.’’
The young girl arose and stood, tall and
firm, before the woman of the world.
“I will say ‘no,’ she said decisively.
“I will not cultivate the best love of my
woman’s heart, only that I may be the un-
complaining slave of a selfish man.”
He came at 4 o’clock.
She was very dignified, very cold, and
very beautiful when he took her hand in
his, but one look from his honest dark eyes
brought the tell-tale flush to her cheeks
again, and her lips trembled.
‘Is it to be ‘yes ?’”’ he asked softly.
She shook her head.
“‘Oh,’’ she said, ‘‘I am afraid. I love
you, but you will change, I know you
will. You will grow cold and—"’
He cut short the sentence by drawing
her close beside him and kissing her.
‘“Never,”” he said. ‘‘As you see me to-
day, so will you see me ten, twenty, thirty
years from now, if we live that long—only
grown more devoted, perhaps, through
years of common weal and woe.”’
She rested her head on his shoulder.
‘Mrs. Walton was wrong, wasn’t she ?’
she whispered timidly.
“What did she say 2’
‘Oh, she’s said that all men grow indif-
ferent after the novelty of having a wife
wears off, and that—’
‘Oh, she’s a cynic. She doesn’t know
what she is talking about. You musn’t
pay any attention to her. Some men may
do so, but I never shall.”
“Why, my dear,”’ she said, with a hap-
py little laugh, ‘‘of course you won’t. How
foolish. I was to think of saying ‘no.’ ?”’
—From the Puritan.
He Met His Waterloo.
“Billy” Pinkerton Found a Denver Pickpocket too
Slick for Him.
William Pinkerton, whom the world
knows as ‘‘Billy’’ and has supposed the
real modern pVidocq, has fallen from his
pedestal. The fall was occasioned by an
unknown pickpocket who in Denver, the
other day relieved Mr. Pinkerton’s inside
coat pocket of $250.
Mr. Pinkerton’s purpose in going to Den-
ver was to advise the local police how to
best protect people from pickpockets dur-
ing a carnival that was in progress. The
day following his arrival there was a pa-
rade, and Mr. Pinkerton undertook the
task of giving an object lesson of his meth-
od of foiling pickpocket designs.
He moved about among the people who
lined the streets and kept a sharp outlook
for the light fingered folk who take the
chance that in stealing another’s purse
they steal trash. Just how it happened,
no one, not even Mr. Pinkerton, knows,
but when the Chicago detective king
reached his hotel he found himself minus
the $250 that had been in his possession
when he began to give his object lesson.
This is the first time, so far as criminal
records show, that a man who has won
international reputation as a thief catcher
was ever made the victim of a thief when
he was looking for just such a criminal.
Mr. Pinkerton gave no further lessons to
the Denver police, but returned to Chicago,
where the thieves know and fear him.
It is Said of Celery.
That if celery were eaten more freely suf-
ferers from rheumatism would be compara-
tively few.
That when celery is eaten largely an al-
kaline blood is the result, and that where
this exists there can be neither rheumatism
nor gout.
That it should not only be eaten raw but
cooked. :
That it should be cut in small pieces and
boiled till tender, in as little water as pos-
sible, and after adding to this a little rich
milk, thicken slightly with flour and sea-
son with butter, pepper and salt.
That the tender leaves and small ends of
the stalk, which are usually thrown away,
should be used for soups and even the
greener leaves are useful, for they may be
dried and powdered and used for flavoring
soups and the dressings of roasts.
Regulating the Pitch of Bells.
In the casting of bells of large size for
chimes or given tones, the skill and secret
of success lie in getting the thickness of
the ring which is at the mouth of the bell
just right It will be noticed that just a
little back from the edge of the bell, on
the flange, the metal is thicker than in any
other portion. The maker, in order to get
the desired tone, makes a drawing of the
bell, and in a cross section of this thicker
ring, describes a circle, the diameter of
which determines the tone.
——The next encampment of the Na-
tional Guard of Pennsylvania will be by
division and will either be in Fairmount
Park, Philadelphia, or at Lewistown.
The chances are that the encampment will
be at Lewistown or some other central part
of the State. The next encampment will
be devoted to campaigning and but little
drilling by battalion and regiment. With
the campaigning will be the attendant
work in engineering and signals.
John Forster, of Buffalo Valley, and
Some of His Descendants.
A Brief History of a Well Known Centre County
Family.—The Golden Wedding of one of the De-
scendants Calls Forth a Story of the Family
Tree.
At the golden anniversary of the mar-
riage of Mr. aud Mrs. William Foster, of
State College, which was celebrated on
Tuesday, December 28th, 1897, a full ac-
count of which was published in the last
issue of this paper, Maj. R. H. Foster, of
Harrisburg, formerly of Bellefonte, read
the following history of their particular
branch of the Foster family.
The story of the early settlement of the
Fosters in Buffalo valley will be of double
interest to our readers, because of the inter-
esting history of early days that is involved
andthe fact that one of Centre county’s
most substantial families is descendant from
the pioneers who fought Indians while they
cleared the forests and made homes for them
selves. :
JOHN FORSTER AND SOME OF HIS DE-
SCENDANTS.
John Forster, or Foster, (as many of his
descendants now write the name) the an-
cestor of one branch of the Forster family of
Buffalo valley, was a son of David Forster,
of Derry, formerly Lancaster. now Dauph-
in county, Pennsylvania. This appears hy
the will of David Forster dated September
2nd, 1745, and recorded in Lancaster coun-
ty. Itis believed, though not certainly
known to be a fact, that David Forster,
with some of his family, came from the
north of Ireland, about the year 1733, with
the Scotch Irish immigration of that per-
iod, and was among the first settlers of
Donegal, Derry and Paxtang. He died in
1754, leaving a widow, Mary by name, and
five sons named respectively William,
John, David, James and Robert. One of
these sons, John Forster, our ancestor, be-
came the owner by purchase of two hun-
dred and seventy-one acres of land, situ-
ated in Hanover, then Lancaster county,
which had been surveyed to John Young
under a warrant granted to him in 1740.
This tract of land was confirmed to John
Forster by a patent deed from Thomas and
William Penn bearing date the 17th day of
November, 1752 ; and he resided upon the
tract until about 1773 or 1774, when for
some reason, probably with a view of bet-
tering his condition and that of his family,
he disposed of it by sale, and became one of
the pioneer settlers of Buffalo valley. That
delightful and charming valley, then an al-
most untraversed forest of stately oak, hick-
ory, walnut and pine, was within that
part of Pensylvania mown as the last pur-
chase made from the Indians by the Pro-
prietary Government of the colony in 1768.
The firs§ surveys in the valley were made
1769, and from that year sturdy, adventur-
ous and self-reliant settlers, among whom
was John Forster, began to occupy, clear and
cultivate its beautiful virgin acres, even
then rich and inviting with the promise of
future fertility and productiveness.
Among the first surveys made in 1769,
after the land office had been opened on the
third of April of that year to receive appli-
cations for land within the purchase of
I768, a number of tracts, aggregating 8000
acres through the heart of the valley, were
returned for certain officers of the 1st and
2nd battalions of the Pennsylvania regi-
ment that served under Colonel Henry Bo-
quet in the expedition that marched under
his command in 1764 to the relief of Fort
Pitt, the site of the present city of Pittsburg
then beleagured by the Indians. In the allot
ment of these surveys to the officers who
were to receive them, were two that fell re-
spectively to Lieutenant Chas. Stewart and
Lieutenant James McCallister. These tracts
were at the western part of the survey, ly-
ing about two miles west of the present
town of Mifflinburg. The first tract, that
of Lieut. Stewart, was called in the patent
“Joyful Cabin’’ and contained 340 acres
and 63 perches ; the other, that of Lieut.
McCallister, was called ‘‘Chatham’ and
contained 340 acres and 60 perches. Before
removing from Hanover to Buffalo, John
Forster had become the owner of these two
tracts. On the western tract, near Buffalo
creek, he built his cabin—literally the
beginning of a new home in the wilder
ness for himself, wife and children — and
there he lived until his death, which
occurred in 1783. In the tax list
of Buffalo township, Northumberland,
county, for 1775—the lists for the previous
years not being in existence—the name of
John Forster appears. In this list his prop-
erty returned for taxes consists of 20 acres
of cleared land, 2 horses, 3 cows and 3
sheep, probably for that time a substantial
return. The property adjoining on the
west of where he lived was the farm so well
known in the valley for many vears as the
William Young farm.
His life appears to have been quiet, un-
obtrusive and moderately successful,
though no knowledge of his personality, or
traits of character, has come down to his
present descendants. As before stated, he
died in 1783, and among some old family
papers now in the possession of a friend at
Paxtang, Dauphin county, is a letter writ-
ten from Buffalo to Paxtang, announcing
his death,from which the following extract
is taken :
‘‘John Forster was taken sick of a fever
on the 10th of September, 1783. Died on
the 20th and was buried on Sunday, Sep-
tember 21st, 1783.”
Of his wife nothing is known except that
her name was Margaret. Eight years later
another letter announced her death, as fol-
lows : -
‘‘Margaret Forster was taken sick on
December 31st, 1791, and died January 8th,
1792, about nine p. m., and was buried on
Tuesday, January 10th, 1792.”
The interments, though there are no
marks to show where they lie, were in the
old Lewis graveyard, about three miles
southwest of Mifilinburg, then the com-
mon burial place for the inbabitants of the
upper end of the valley, where rest in the
peaceful sleep of death others of their fam-
ily—children and grandchildren.
By his will on record at Sunbury, after
providing for the support of his widow, he
directed that his real estate, consisting of
the two tracts of land already mentioned
and containing together 680 acres, should
be divided into three equal parts to be given
to his three sons. then living—a third to
each—and that his daughters should re-
ceive certain bonds which he described as
“Bonds I received from the sale of my
plantation in Hanover.” The children of
‘John and Margaret Forster were four sons
and four daughters. The sons were Thom-
as, Andrew, John Jr. and Robert. The
daughters were Christena, who became the
wife of John Montgomery ; Jane, who be-
came the wife of William Irvine; Eliza-
beth, who became the wife of Joseph Gray,
and Rebecca who became the wife of Wil-
liam McFarlane. A marriage record of the
Derry and Paxtang Presbyterian congrega-
tions, published in volume VIII, of the
second series of the Pennsylvania Archives,
shows that Thomas Forster, the oldest son,
was married to Jane Young November 4th,
1777, and that Robert, the youngest son,
was married to Esther Renick December
14th, 1784. Andrew, the second son, was
married to Susanna Gray.
daughter of Capt. William Gray of Revo-
lutionary fame, and was first married to
William Hudson. After his death she be-
came the wife of Andrew Forster. John
Jr., the third son, died young and un-
married, the victim of an Indian massacre.
His death occurred on the 16th of May,
1780, in an attack made by a band of raid-
ing Indians on what was known as French
Jacob’s Mill, (Jacob Groshong, ) about five
miles north of Mifflinburg and near where
the road through the Brush Valley
Narrows enters Buffalo valley. He was one
of a company of enlisted rangers whose duty
it was to patrol the northern side of the
valley along the Buffalo mountain, to guard
against Indian incursions. A sudden and
unexpected foray, was made by the sava-
ges, and in the skirmish that followed four
of the rangers were killed. among them
John Forster, Jr. The names of the others
were James Chambers, George Etzweiler
and James McLaughin.
Thomas Forster was the Revolutionary
soldier of the family. A sincere patriot
and lover of liberty, he was early in the
field for the independence of the American
colonies. In 1776 he is first found in the
record as Major of the Fourth battallion
of Northumberland county associators, of
which Philip Cole was the Colonel and
Thos. Sutherland, another ancestor of some
of the present Forster family, was the Lieu-
tenant Colonel. This battalion was sent to
Reading, but anxious to be at the front
Major Forster became a Lieutenant in Capt.
John Clark’s company of Col. Potter’s reg-
iment. This company was detained
at Reading until it was too late to reach
the scene of actual hostility in time to take
part in the engagements at Trenton and
Princeton, but participated actively in sev-
eral subsequent skirmishes in which a num-
ber of casualties occurred, and in which the
members of the company won honorable
distinction.
Returning to the quiet life of a farmer
after his patriotic military service, Thomas
Forster, on the death of his father in 1783,
as the oldest son, inherited, together with
his third of the veal estate, the homestead
of the family, where he lived a prominent
and highly respected citizen of the valley
until his death in the month of November,
1810. His body also lies in the Lewis
burying ground.
In religious faith and belief the Forsters
were strict Scotch Irish Presbyterians, and
were early members of the Buffalo Cross
Roads Presbyterian church, founded in |
1773, and the parent conggegation of that de- |
nomination within the bounds of the present
county of Union. According to Linn’s an-
nals, the pews of the Buffalo church were
first rated and rented in 1791, and among
the pew holders of that year were Thomas
Forster and his brothers, Andrew and Rob-
ert.
The marriage of Thomas Forster and
Jane Young was blessed with six children,
three sons and three daughters. The sons
were John, William and Thomas ; the
daughters, Margaret, Elizabeth and Jane.
It is only William, however, the second son
of the family, who demands our attention
on the occasion. He was born in 1784 at
the home of his father in Buffalo valley.
The means then provided in that newly
settled locality for education were not great,
and it is probable that in youth, like many
others in the same circumstances of life,
but few opportunities were afforded him for
book learning. But he is still held in pleas-
ant remembrance as an intelligent and up-
right man, of sterling integrity in business
affairs, possessed of a genial, cheerful dis-
position, the head of a household noted for
its hospitality, a devoted husband and
father, and an excellent citizen. In _ the
second war with Great Britain in 1812,
like his father before him, he found it a
duty to enter the military service in defence
of the rights of the country. With his older
brother John and a cousin William, son of
Robert Forster, he became a member of a
company of Pennsylvania militia command-
ed by Capt. John Donaldson. The company
was attached to a regiment commanded by
Col. Snyder that marched to Meadville,
thence to Erie and from Erie to Buffalo,
N. Y., remaining in service about three
months. He was married to Esther Young,
who was born in Dauphin county, and the
children by this marriage were William,
whose fifty years of happy, prosperous mar-
ried life we are here sssembled this day to
celebrate, and his twin sister Esther, who
by the favor of a kind Providence is able
to come from her distant home to be pres-
ent to mingle her congratulations with
other friends to the bride and groom of half
a century ago. The mother of William and
Esther Forster died and the father was
subsequently married to Rachel MecCay.
The children of this second marriage were
Christena, who became the wife of Mark
Halfpenny ; Margaret who became the
wife of Dr. Seebold ; Capt. Robert M., the
gallant soldier who gave his life to his
country on the historic field of Gettysburg;
Thomas, who died in early life, and Catha-
rine, who became the wife of William Wit-
mer.
William Forster died at his home in
Hartley township, Union county, March
26th, 1853, at the age of 70 years, and
found interment in the same burial ground
where lie his father and grandfather. Wil-
liam, son of William and Esther Forster,
and Maria, daughter of Joseph and Eliza-
beth Corl, were united in matrimony on the
28th day of December, 1847. To this hap-
py union of fifty years ago have come
children as follows: Elizabeth, Charles
H., James, Mary A., and John, all of whom
are living to be a comfort and delight to
their parents, except the daughter Eliza-
beth who was called hence soon after her
marriage in 1872. To our dear relatives and
friends on this golden anniversary of their
wedding day we offer sincere and heart-
felt felicitations. Together, hand in hand
have they journeyed down the pathway of
life for half a century of time, sharing com-
mon joys and sorrows; in their more vigor-
ou- years never idle, but always busy and
industrious ; and always loving and help-
ful to eaci. other. And now, happy in their
dutiful and affectionate children, surround-
ed with: all reasonable comforts to make
life enjoyable, free from solicitude for the
future, with no signs of trouble to disturb
the peaceful serenity of their declining
years, we feel that they are ready to ex-
claim with rapture, as memory glances
back through the vista of the past,‘ ‘Bleesedl
thrice blessed ! the hour that made us hus-
band and wife !”” May they live yet many
years to enjoy life, happiness and prosper-
ity, and to receive with each succeeding an-
niversary of their marriage the hearty con-
gratulations of friends such as we tender
to-day.
——Bishop Warren, of Denver, will
leave this month on a missionary tour of
thc South American countries, where he
will take formal possession of $200,000
worth of property donated recently to the
Methodist Episcopal church.
She was aT
A Letter from the Klondyke.
J. H. Meyers and His Son Oscar Have Reached Daw-
son with Their Outfit.— Will Now Begin the Search
Jor Gold.—Former Bellefonters in the New Eldorado.
Several weeks ago we published a letter
from J. H. Myers Esq., formerly proprietor
of the Bush house in this place, teiling of
his trials in crossing the White Pass on the
way to the Klondyke in the search of gold.
With his son, Dr. Oscar M. Myers, he had
left Rochester with a wel! equipped outfit
and had gotten that far with amazing ra-
pidity and success. Now comes the follow-
ing letter from Oscar to friends at home,
telling of their arrival in Dawson:
DAawsoN, ALASKA, November 8, 1897.
Hurrah! We have at last reached Dawson,
after just three months and three days of
ceaseless toil and hardship. We are in prime
health, and our goods are in first class condi-
tion. We came through without an accident,
notwithstanding accidents are the rule and
not the exception, with most parties. The
‘‘Mabel”” came through the Miles canyon,
and White Horse rapids like a swan. We
were terribly hampered by the ice in the
river, during the last four days, and all we
could do was to keep out of ice-jams, and
float along in the rapidly moving current.
When we reached Dawson we took our
goods ashore, moored our boat, and pitched
a tent close to the bank. Yesterday morning
about two o'clock, we were awakened by the
crushing ice. Looking outside, we saw that
the ice had jammed, and that the water was
rapidly rising and advancing towards us and
our provisions. Our boat (for which we had
no further use) had already floated away.
We went to work like beavers and just bare-
ly got our goods out of reach of the water.
The mines are about two miles from Daw-
son, and extend thirty to forty miles or more
out. We went out about twenty miles yes-
terday to look the ground over. While we
have not definitely decided on anything, we
have several good chances, and will decide
within a day or two. It is quite certain,
however, that we will locate about twenty
miles out.
We are all as busy as we can be, and I am
stealing the time to write this letter. We
have lots of hard work before us, but are
hopeful of rich reward. This is a typical
mining camp, and bristles with life and busi-
ness. The currency of the country is gold
dust, little money being used. Prices are
expressed in quantities of gold. Provisions
are very scarce here, and it will go hard with
those having short ‘‘grub” supplies. Flour
is $100 per 50 pound sack, beef $1.50 per
pound (we brought an entire hind quarter
with us—240 pounds). Sugar is considered
cheap at 30 cents per pound, and candles are
actually selling an $1.00 each. I wish that I
might take the time to write you about many
interesting incidents of our trip. When we
are settled, and I have more time, I will do
SO.
A great many exaggerated stories have
been told about this country, but of one
thing we are now certain, that there are vast
quantities of gold here, and that a large pro-
portion of those who are diligent are getting
it. Yours truly,
OSCAR.
(Dr. O. M. Myers.)
P. Ss.
The day we arrived here—Nov. 2 (Election
day in Rochester), was seventeen degrees be-
low zero. We have worked day and night
to get out to the mines with goods and build
winter cabin before severe weather makes it
almost intolerable for us todo so.
? Affectionately,
J. H. Myers.
Will Truckenmiller Writes of North
Dakota.
Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Feb. 6, 1898.
EpITOR WATCHMAN, DEAR SIR :—It is a
long time since I was in Bellefonte, but I
read the WATCHMAN every week and thus
keep track of events in old Centre county.
I hope you are having as pleasant a winter
as we are having here. We have only had a
couple of inches of snow this winter, and it
has melted and gone ; no sledding, weather
very pleasant most all the time, not one
storm this winter, plenty of sunshine. We
had some very cold disagreeable days in No-
vember. I hitched my horse and drove five
miles on next to the coldest day this winter,
and did not suffer at all.
We had a pleasant Christmas time. A
friend and I took a little drive of eight-
een miles to visit some friends, going one day
and returning the next. There was a large
amount of Christmas trading done in Devil’s
Lake, the largest in the history of the city.
Times are fairly prosperous here, most of the
farmers are making money, many ‘large
barns and beautiful houses were built in this
county last summer, a great deal of building
will also be done this year. Crops were only
fair last year, of course there are exceptions.
One neighbor cleared four hundred dollars
off of 22 acres sowed in flax; that is he had
four hundred dollars in clear money after all
expenses were paid.
Land is slowly advancing in price, there
are some very good chances for investments
here. The next farm east of mine is for sale,
eight hundred dollars cash will take it. ltis
very cheap at that price, and would easily
yield twelve per cent on the purchase price.
The government land is nearly all gone,
the last of it will very likely be taken next
summer. Emigrants are coming in by the
thousands and settling on the wide prairies,
whole townships are settled in a couple of
months. The land is a rich, black, sandy
loam, and produces heavy crops of wheat,
oats, flax, barley and rye. Vegetables of all
kinds are easily grown. Small fruits do
well. Stock of all kinds thrive and have
been pasturing on the prairie all winter.
Yours truly,
WILL TRUCKENMILLER.
The Gratitude of a Grateful People.
To the Aid Society of the W. C. T. U. and Good
Citizens of Bellefonte :
The deserving poor of Valentine's iron
works extend their heart felt thanks to the
Ladies’ Aid society of the W. C.T. U. and
the good citizens of Bellefonte who con-
tributed to the donation that was given them
on December 31st, 1897. It was most highly
appreciated by them, as it came in a time of
need and, in many cases, it was seriously
needed, therefore greatly appreciated.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
This is undoubtedly a true saying in this
case, for they were our friends in time of
need and, therefore, are indeed our friends
may they have God’s speed in their doings
the coming year and Heaven’s reward in
the end. GEORGE C, MILLER.
FOR AND ABOUT WOMEN.
The little Queen of Holland, whose coro-
nation will take place September next in
Amsterdam, is described by a recently re-
turned tourist as a round-faced lassie, with
fresh complexion and countenance of the
type know as ‘‘Dutch ;”’ that is to say,
calm and somewhat stolid looking in re-
pose and expressive of the national char-
acteristic—much determination.
With raw oysters, at the beginning of
dinner, serve brown bread, cut in thinnest
slices, and buttered and rolled up on itself.
Horse radish is sometimes served with raw
oysters, and the ‘‘quadrants’’ of lemon are
never far off. But do not forget that the
bread must be brown and well buttered.
Only in one way can it be shaved thin
enough. Take a brown loaf and removing
the crust at the end, butter it on the loaf.
Then with your sharpest knife shave off as
thin a slice as will keep from breaking.
Lay it flat on the table or modern bread
tray and cut the crust away all around,
without lifting the slice. Then it will be
ready to roll up.
A rich promenade gown has a plain skirt
of violet ladies’ cloth made close-fitting
over the hips, with the fullness laid in two
narrow box plaits at the back. Of course
the box plaits did not lie flat, for in all the
smart gowns there is a tiny cushion of hair
sewed at the back of the skirt that adds a
wonderful touch of chic to a costume.
With this skirt was worn a corsage of
deep violet velvet. It fitted closely to the
curves of the figure back and front. Broad
revers of plain violet satin turned away
from the high Medicis collar and continued
to the bottom of the corsage, where they
ended in points. They were covered with
heavy cream-white applique, and over the
lace there were strips of shirred narrow
white satin ribbon running crossways.
The high Medicis collar was filled in
with frills of white chiffon that formed a
jabot at the front. Four bands of narrow
silver passementerie, set with turquoise,
trimmed the bottom of the corsage. The
sleeves were close-fitting and long, with
just a suspicion of fullness at the tops.
They were trimmed at the bottom with
four bands of the passementerie.
Everything has a blouse in the front ;
everything pouches considerably. As to
the backs the ‘‘sag’’ must be managed with
infinite skill. Too little is awkward ; too
much inartistic. The ruffles, which I
noticed are worn on the blouses dominating
in the States and which are too full, are
very scant here. They consist of a narrow
bias piece which flares considerably, or the
blouse in itself is cut long and is belted
in. The smart affairs look like short
coats, about the waist of which the wearer
has clasped a belt. Metal belts are just as
popular as ever.
A plea for the boys. The poor boys,
how they are snubbed and neglected and
with what anxiety one sees one approach
if best clothes are in evidence, for fear the
muddy shoes, ‘or the sticky hands will
create havoc with one’s finery.
Then their rooms. How they are made
a kind of receptacle for everything that is
not wanted in any other part of the house.
Is there a chair with a partly worn seat
too good to throw out, but not good enough
to have in the rooms frequented by guests.
The first thought is take it up to John’s
room. No one will see it there.
Poor John. Don’t you think that pret-
ty things have as great a fascination for
him as for his sister upon whom the best
of everything is lavished. And then we
wonder that John is so untidy that his
room is never in order, that his clothes and
his foils and his boxing gloves and his best
necktie are all in a heap together on the
table with three legs or on the floor just as
the case may be.
One thing you will never find out of
place, that is the cellection of medals that
he has won in the running high jump, or
the 4 40-yard dash or the mile run, or the
hurdle race. No, you will find the shelf
on his book case where these are carefully
placed in a circle around the cup won in
last summer’s sports, in the most sys-
tematic order, neatly dusted (generally
with one of his best handkerchiefs) but al-
ways in apple pie order.
Give your boy a chance, mothers.
Paper his room and give him some fresh
pretty covers for his bureau and tables,
and some curtains (if they are only of
cheese cloth) for his windows, and take
time occasionally to go yourself to see if
his room is neatly swept and dusted, and
if his bed isreally made not only spread up.
Make him comfortable and his home will
be better appreciated, and his evenings
more frequently spent at home than they
now are. There will be fewer anxious
mothers and many better ahd happier boys
if this plan is followed.
Just try it and see how it works.
For curry sauce take one tablespoonful
of butter, one of flour, one teaspoonful of
curry powder, one large slice of onion, one
large cupful of stock and some salt and
pepper. Cut the onion fine and fry brown
in the butter ; add the flour and curry
powder. Stir for one minute ; add the
stock and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer five minutes, then strain and serve.
This sauce can be served with a broil or a
saute of meat or fish.
For cleaning the spots on the carpet ox
gall or ammonia and water are excellent.
The proportion is one tablespoon of
household ammonia to four parts of water,
or use one tablespoon of oxgall to one quart
of water. Apply with a sponge or flannel
not too wet, and rub until nearly dry.
Lime spots may be removed with vinegar.
This must be used quickly and washed off
immediately. For soot cover with salt or
cornmeal and sweep up. To remove ink
spots pour on milk, and as it becomes col-
ored absorb with a blotting or other soft
absorbent paper ; coarse butcher’s paper is
good. As soon as the ink is removed wash
with warm water and castile soap—noth-
ing stronger—to remove the grease of the
milk.
Braid and tailor button trimmings on
street costumes, will be even more fashion-
able in the coming season than they have
been this winter. It is interesting to learn
of the novel trimming arrangements of
the season. Rows of narrow ribbons and
braids arranged in loops and lines are
seen in decreasing lengths on either side of
the front breadth of skirts. Thesame trim-
ming adorns jackets ; it is not applied in
parallel lines but springs from a common
centre in a fan effect. Braid forming joined
triangles not only single, but in groups,
appears on skirts. Cloth gowns are trim-
med with bands of black moire, edged
with black cord. The favorite trimming
for street gowns is still the band of cloth ;
sometimes these bands are straight and
sometimes they form fancy figures. The
outer seam of sleeves is frequently trim-
med with a double row of fancy woolen
braid. ‘