Demorraiic atm
~ Belletonte, Pa., May 28, 1915.
RETURNING FROM INDIA.
By One on Medical Duty in that Far Eastern
Country. The Beauties of Singapore and Hong
Kong as Seen on the Homeward Trip.
HoNG KONG, MARCH 2nd, 1914.
Dear Home Folk:
I think I left you at Penang; I didn’t
send a brilliant letter there nor will this
be a work of art, but.I do want to tell
you of Singapore. The sea was like
glass and it took but one day to reach
Singapore from Penang, and we were
promised a day and a night off boat.
Well, we docked at about three in the
afternoon and it was so hot and muggy
most of us decided for the boat for an
hour or two longer, then an English
woman, and two of the men from the
ship and your daughter, went ashore.
Singapore is just forty miles from the
EquatorZand on the sea shore, so in truth
the tropics were before me. Rank vege-
tation everywhere, but in the English
section}a]l well kept; it was an exagger-
ated green-house. I drove to the botan-
ical gardens and could have just stayed
there for hours and hours, wandering
among the beautiful great ferns and
along paths where the maiden-hair met
over my head, or gazing at the orchids—
for it is said the most beautiful collec-
tion of orchids in the world is in that
green-house— (green-house with bamboo
sides and a top made of poles over which
a great flaming flower bedecked vine had
thrown itself as though too inert to hold
its head up.) I cannot really blame any-
thing that loses its vigor in that country
for it is so moist you feel as though it
must have rained but a few hours ago
and then not cold, except at night. Can-
not you imagine how languid one would
become. After revelling in it all as long
as I dared I went back in my Shetland
pony chaise to the big new hotel “Raf-
fles” to have dinner. I went through the
funniest looking bazaars—only different
from the Indian variety in the look of
the slant-eyed owners of stalls and the
exquisite cleanliness of the place. The
buildings themselves are not one whit
different and so I was not noticing them
at all. Of course, this is a tourist's town
and things are proportionately high, so
please don’t set your mouth for lots of
pretty things else you may be disap-
pointed. I had dinner alone in the good
looking place and was waitedon to per-
fection by a soft slippered lad, whom I
would have liked to slip into my pocket
and bring along to you. I then went
back to the boat and watched the South-
ern cross come up, way down in the
South. Our boat was to leave its moor-
ings at seven the next morning, and I
love to watch the going, so was off to
bed as soon as the coaling was finished.
The morning was delightfully cool,
crisp and clear and the sun came up just
in time to give us God-speed, and then
off we went for a two days of too perfect
seas. Just like a child’s play pond was
the ocean, with the most wonderful tints
you could dream of—greens, mixing with
blue, and then little frothy bubbles to
give the trimming in pure white and the
sky, not wishing to be out-classed, put
on a pink or yellow tinge and only black
was missing and, as you know that is
mourning, we did not want it. But all
this perfection changed on our third day
out. The great Genii of this region
laughed at our happiness and his laugh
was so horrible that those greens and |
blues turned gray in terror and the little
white frothy bubbles became so agitated
they began to run hither and yon in the
most unaccountable way and our good
ship, instead of gliding along like a swan,
began to twist and writhe as though in
pain and——yes I must confess, we all
had to go below the first day; I only
stayed a few hours, but it grew worse
and worse and although not nearly so
bad as when I came out, the motion was
so different that I am sorry to confess I
just spent a whole day too sick to even
lift my head and this was our last before
Hong Kong. It was cold and so when I
came up on deck as we were passing the
first island in the harbor I felt as though
I had lost pounds and pounds of flesh,
but of course I had not and the fasting
was good for me.
The harbor of Hong Kong is indeed a
beauty, full of islands all green and hilly
and on each one is seen some pretty
eastern building; then Hong Kong, itself
an island, with big high hills on it, is
indeed a picture place for all over these
hillsides the government buildings are
standing with their compounds up and
down about them so that the great white
stone places are perfectly outlined by
their green surroundings.
The Chinese city lies at the foot of the
hill and with its narrow, humanity filled
streets makes a curious comparison to
the beauty of the English suburbs. But
it is not purely Chinese and so after I
had made a trip to the peak, and saw the
harbor filled with all kinds of “crafts and
the Chinese city stretched out like a map
below me, a panoramic view so glorious
and beautiful I almost cried out at the
sight of it. But Ihad to come back to
earth and the incline railway is anything
but a thing of joy; but even disagreeable
things have an end and so I finally got
back to this hotel. That evvening I,
with some friends whom I met on board,
went by steamer to Canton.
That is truly a Chinese city, so wierd
and fascinating I just nearly stayed. The
streets are only eight feet wide and the
shops are flush with the line on either
side so that their advertisements hang-
ing from each side meet, except for a
few inches. The streets are like a maze
—so winding and so joining at curious
angles it makes you think of a grotto;
but the markets are perfectly clean and
the smell of the native cooking was so
appetizing the others wanted to stop and
buy, but grim cholera stalks abroad in
this world, so we didn’t even hesitate.
One whole day, up one street into the
City of the Dead; down another into the
temple of a Thousand Genii, etc., and
then, as it had been pouring hard the
entire time, we started for our boat; but
we stayed long enough to walk past the
Consulates of the various countries. A
six hour’s run brought us back and
we have been sitting here waiting for
the boat-sailing day to come.
Tomorrow, once more, I will be on the
way and think I will try to write a little
more fully, for I could fill pages and
pages to you. But I may be sea-sick and
so I'll mail this, that you may know
where I am and how I am getting along.
(Continued next week.)
The growing child has to_ be doubly
nourished—once for the ordinary needs
of the body and once for growth. A
great many times there is not enough
nourishing food taken to provide for the
needs of growth: the body is poor, the
blood thin, and every condition is suita-
ble for the lodgement of disease in the
enfeebled system. Dr. Pierce’s Golden
Medical Discovery is a food medicine. It
furnishes the body through the blood
with all the elements needed to make
sound flesh and sturdy muscle. Don’t
let your child be handicapped in the race
of life. Give it “Golden Medical Discov-
ery” and that will give it stength.
To Reduce Weight.
If you are too stout don’t take fai
reducing medicines. Cut down or
your diet, get out-of-door exercise
and you will assume normal lines
and reduce to normal weight. Avoic
sweets, eggs, cream, fat meats and
especially potatoes. Live mainly on
lettuce, spinach, cabbage, lean meats
young onions, celery, tomatoes, etc.
Take salted toast instead of bread
and butter. If you cease to give
your body fat-making foods you will
cease creating fat cells. It is no trick
to reduce if you practice self-denial.
Bad Physical Sign.
The sudden cessation of pain is
often as bad a sign as its beginning
In appendicitis or some other acute
inflammation of the right side of the
abdomen sudden cessation of pain
may be of the gravest import, par
ticularly if not associated with a cor-
responding drop in the temperature
or pulse rate. Under such circum:
stances it i an unfailing index of
gangrene or rupture of the appendix
or of a breaking down of the barriers
between an abscess and the general
peritoneal cavity.
Cheap Witticisms.
It were well if the so-called “clever
story writer,” who, too often, is the
chief nuisance of the manuscript edi-
tor of all magazines, could be brought
to a realization that mere exaggera-
tion and disgusting incidents are not
‘fun;” it would save postage and les-
sen the certainty of rejections.—Na-
tiona: Magazine.
Politeness III Rewarded.
“A man kin be too polite an’ oblig-
m’,” said Uncle Eben. “I know a man
dat stood wifout kickin’ while his wife
dressed him up in a fancy loungin’
zoat an’ a gorgeous necktie an’ a smok-
in’ cap. Den she inspected him an’
decided dat she couldn’t live wif such
2 lookin’ man. nohow.”
Imaginary lls.
Sorrow itself is not so hard to bear
as the thought of sorrow coming.
Airy ghosts that work no harm do
terrify us more than men in steel
with bloody purposes.—Aldrich.
Serves Him Right.
The difference between a crank and
a gentleman is that the latter always
agrees with you, while the crank nev-
er agrees with anyone—not even him-
self.—Schenectady Union-Star.
Daily Thought.
The mind that is cheerful in its
present state will be adverse to all
solicitudes to the future, and will
meet the bitter occurrences of life
with a placid smile.—Horace.
Too Tender-Hearted.
“Some men,” said Uncle Eben, “is
80 tender-hearted dat dey is almost
willin’ to make trouble foh a friend,
jes’ to show how kind an’ sympathiz-
In’ dey kin be.”
Happiness.
Happiness lies in the consciousness
we have of it, and by no means in the
way the future keeps its promise.—
George Sand.
Optimistic Thought.
We mount on the ruins of cherished
schemes to find our failures suc-
cesses.
Good Company.
Keep good company and you shall.
be of the number.—George Herbert.
Universal Desire.
All men desire to be immortai.—
Theodore Parker.
“AT EVERY SOLDIER'S GRAVE, WITH LOVE”
Let tears bedew each wreath that decks the lawn
Of every grave! and raise a solemn prayer
That their battalioned souls be joined to fare
Dim roads, beyond the trumpets of the dawn.
_ Yet perfumed; somehow, by our flowers that heap
The peaceful barracks where their bodies sleep.
MEMORIAL DAY
ANCIENT CUSTOM
Ceremonies Can Be Traced Back
to the Very Earliest Days
of Civilization.
EMORIAL day, celebrated in al-
most every state of our Union,
has been set apart by statute as
a special day for decorating the graves
of the nation’s soldiers and for hold-
ing appropriate exercises in their
memory. While it originally sprang
from a spontaneous desire to do honor
to the heroes who fell in the Civil
war, still it is now celebrated in honor
of all the soldier dead, that their hero-
fsms and sacrifices may never be for-
gotten.
It is interesting to trace the origin
of this holiday, for, like many another
modern institution, it goes back to the
early days of civilization. We have
been celebrating it with a special sig-
nificance for years, and yet, upon ex-
amining it, we find the adaptation of
an ancient custom rather than the ex. |
pression of a new idea.
set aside for ceremonies to honor the
dead are so intimately connected with
all races that they seem inseparable
from the practices of civilization.
The pagan Greeks held sacred rites
at the graves of their dead called zoai
and made offerings of olives and flow-
ers. A floral wreath was placed at the
head of the grave, and if a bloom
sprang from the mound it was con-
sidered a sign of the happiness of the
departed one.
Poman Parentalia.
In Rome a similar festival was held
for several days in February. It was
known as the Parentalia. During this
celebration the temples were closed
and the .last day offerings were made
at the tombs. These consisted of
milk, honey, fruit, wine and other
things, while flowers of every variety
were used in profuse decoration.
The Druids held a memorial service
fn the autumn on the eve of the
Thanksgiving feast, while the ancient
people of Japan and China had a serv-
fce for the dead called the Feast of
Lanterns.
After the various nations embraced
Christianity this custom became more
widespread and the nature of its cele
bration changed materially. The spir- |
tual side of the day became the upper
most feature, and this led directly to
the founding of All Souls’ day. This
is observed in our own country strict.
ly in a religious manner, but in many
places in Europe it includes the deco-
ration of flowers in addition to the
spiritual exercises. In France for sev-
eral days before the feast wreaths and
bunches of immortelles, dyed in va:
rious colors, are seen in the shop win.
dows.
After the religious services are over
the people go to the different grave-
yards laden with baskets and bunches
of flowers, and before the day is over
these burying places are a mass of
brilliant color. Not a grave is slight:
ed, and even in a corner of potters
field one will find a token of remem:
brance for the most neglected one.
Another interesting feature is the plac.
fing of a lighted lamp at the foot of
the graves. The lamps are usually
taken to the graves as evening draws
on, and often the people stay and
kneel there in silent meditation. The
colored garlands and the flickering
lights present a strange and novel
sight.
All Had Graves to Decorate.
Our Memorial day is in truth noth-
{ng more than a secular All Souls’ day.
{t owes its origin to the women of the
South, who began the practice of deco-
rating their graves less than two years
after the close of the Civil war. That
struggle of fouf years had kept our
country in a constant state of commo-
tion and excitement. Every part of
the nation had contributed its men,
young and old, to the conflict. When
In fact, days |
~
peace was restored there was scarcely
a village or town that did not have a
grave to remind it of the fearful cost.
A New York newspaper first pub:
lished a paragraph stating that a few
women of Columbus, Miss., had strewn
the graves of the dead soldiers, Union
as well as Confederates. This touch-
ing tribute caused a thrill of tender
ness to pass through the North, and it
aroused, as nothing else could have
done, a feeling of national amity and
love.
The practical result of this incident
came in May, 1868, when Adjutant
General Chipman suggested to Gen
John A. Logan, eommander in chief of
the Grand Army of the Republic, that
their organization set a uniform time
to decorate the graves of the Union
soldiers.
General Logan immediately took ap
the suggestion and named May 30 as
the day for decoration. He added that
it was his purpose to inaugurate (his
observance, and sincerely hoped .t
would be kept up each year while a
survivor of the war remains to nonor
the memory of the departed. The idea
spread rapidly, and the legislatures of
the various states enacted it into law
until the holiday is now a legal one in
all but six states. In many of the
southern states the celebration is neld
April 26, as spring visits the South a
¢ full month before its first harbingers
appear in the North.
First Services at Arlington.
On the first Memorial day the serv-
ices at Arlington were perhaps the
most impressive. The speaker on that
occasion was James A. Garfield. In
his soul-touching address, which 1e
mains to this day as a foremost 2x
ponent of the spirit and significance of
Decoration day. we read:
“I love to believe that no heroic
sacrifice is ever lost; that the charac
' ters of men are molded and inspired
by what their fathers have done"
that treasured up in American souls
are all the unconscious influences ot
the great deeds of the Anglo-Saxon
race from Agincourt to Bunker Hill
Each for himself gathered up the cher
ished purposes of life—its aims and
ambitions, its dearest affections—and
flung all, with life itself, into the scale
of battle. If each grave had a voice
to tell us what its silent tenant last
saw and heard on earth we might
stand with uncovered heads and hear
the whole story of the war. We
should hear that one perished when
the first great drops of the crimson
shower began to fall, when the dark:
ness of that first disaster at Manassas
fell like an eclipse on the nation; that
another died of disease while wearily
waiting for winter to end; that this
one fell on the field when the tide of
war shook the dome of yonder capitol
and re-echoed in the chambers of the
executive mansion. The voices of
these dead will forever fill the land
like holy benedictions. What other
spot so fitting for their last resting
place as this, under the shadow of the
capitol saved by their valor? Here,
where the grim edge of battle joined;
here, where all the hope and fear and
agony of their country centered; here
let them rest, asleep on ‘the nation’s
heart, entombed in the nation's love!”
Memorial day has now grown to be
a day of thought for all dead. When
the national Decoration day comes,
many who have no soldier dead, take
the opportunity to honor relatives and
other dead ones by strewing on their
graves the symbols of love and affec
tion.
THE NATION'S DEAD.
Beside the army of her dead
Once more the nation stands,
With banners waving at her back,
And blossoms in her hands,
With equal love and grief and pride,
Impartially, today
She drops her roses and her tears
Upon the Blue and Gray.
Forgotten are the years of strife,
The cause they lost and won,
Each sleeper in the silent tents
Is 1 or beloved son,
The uniforms are ashes now,
The swords and guns are rust,
But Memory’s eternal green
Is rooted in their dust.
; -Minna Irving, in Leslie's.
Signs of Pain.
It is difficult to estimate the dezrco
of pain, but there are certain signs of
i suffering which are unmistakable—
{ thc pinched features,
; brow, the rolling eyes with widely
dilated pupiis, the ashen countenance,
the knotted
the cool and clammy skin, the thready
pulse, the increased blood pressure,
the hands alternately clenched and |
opened, the cries and groans and the |
! bodily contortions.
| a definite picture with which every
| experienced physician or nurse is
All these present
familiar.
Wanted “Nice, Dirty Mother.”
When Edward was five years old ne
played with a boy named Adolph. One
muddy day they tried to run across
my clean kitchen floor to get a ball
I chased them out and afterwards
heard them talking out on the porch.
Adolph said, “My mother doesn’t care
if I run across the kitchen floor.” Af
ter a long silence I heard Edward say,
“I wish I had a nice, dirty mother like
yours.”—Exchange.
Just a Hint.
“Now, men,” said the genial em:
ployer, as his hands clustered round
him at the breakfast hour, “this is
the election, and I hope you are all
going to vote. Now, I'm not going to
tel: who my favorite candidate is. Ev-
ery one of you is to be entirely free
to vote as he thinks best. But do you
see that big barrel of beer over in the
corner? Well, that barrel won’t be
opened unless X gets in.”
Why He Hadn't.
“Why is it,” asked the poet’s wife's
neighbor, “that your husband never
dedicates any of his books to you?
Nearly every poet who has a wife dedi
cates at least one book to her.” “Dear
me! I'm glad you called my attention
to it. I must look at his books some
time, and if what you say is true I
shall never forgive him.”—Tit-Bits.
Almost Perfect Ideal.
A faithful friend of all that is best.
a brave sufferer from incurable bur
dens, in a private letter sends this con:
fession, which we commend to those
more favored of circumstances, less
consecrated in the center-stances of
life: “My ideal is every day to spread
a little truth, a little kinduess, a little
beauty, but alas, how often I fail!”
Fireproof Wood.
To make wood fireproof, slake a
small quantity of fresh lime and add
water till it has the consistency of
cream, stir well and add one pound of
alum, 12 ounces of commercial potash
and about one pound of salt. Stix
again and apply while hot. Two o1
three coats will keep wood fireproof
for many months.
Wanted a Sample.
“Your honor,” said the foreman of
the jury, “this body is suing this gent
for $10,000 for a stolen kiss.” “Cor
rect,” responded the judge. “You are
to decide if it was worth it.” ‘““That’s
the point, your honor.
have a sample?”
Could the jury
Some Love Lacking.
Helen was playing on the porch,
where she spied a white moth and
asked her mother to kill it. Her moth:
er said, “But, Helen, you ought to
love the poor little moth.” “I do love
it, mother, but I don’t love it enough.”
Had No Chance.
“Honesty pays in the long run.”
counselled the visitor. “Perhaps you're
right,” admitted the man in the stripes
“but a cop got me before I'd gone 100
yards.”—Baltimore American.
Two Advantages.
He who makes two blades of wheat
grow where one grew before, is not
only a benefactor to the human race,
but stands a first-classchance to make
money in the transaction.
Most Refreshing Color.
Green is the most “refreshing”
and restful color for the eyes. It is
nature’s favorite color—and the infer-
ence is fair that nature is wiser than
the human specialists.
Dancing Around.
Nowadays, when two irresistible
bodies meet, the usual course is for
them to join hands and take a few
turns in the maxixe or the hesitation.
—Judge.
Ages of Various Trees.
The ivy lives 200 years, the elm
300 to 350 years, the linden 500 to
1,000 years, the locust tree and the
oak 400 years, and the fir 700 to 1,200
years.
Well, Sometimes.
Marriage makes one out of two; but
generally this comes through the
squelching of the husband.—New York
World.
Why They Fail.
Some men are failures because they
have pinned all of their faith to the
horseshoe over the door.—Atchison
Globe.
Daily Thought.
Resolve to perform what you ought;
perform without fail what you re-
solve.—Franklin,
1
County Correspondence
..
Items of Interest Dished Up for the Delec-
tation of “Watchman” Readers by a
Corps of Gifted Correspondents.
REBERSBURG.
Why not have R. F. D. from Rebers-
burg?
New supplies have arrived for the oil
and gas works.
Those who planted white corn early,
find it coming up yellow.
Oh Millheim, the orme sthodt,— *
Rockke brod and sel net sodt.”
Hard 10 keep tab on—Schreyer, of Miles-
burg! All bright after the storm!
The Aaronsburg Cornet band will fur-
nish the music for Memorial day here.
Mr. and Mrs. George Waite repapered
and painted their home in elegant style.
Robert Hackenberg has set up a lot of
apple and chestnut grafts the past week.
The State Grange’s road bill went on
the scrap pile, where its votes went last
{ fall.
The stone crusher is doing better work
than ever, Duck’s engine furnishing the
| power.
Hasn’t some one found that “Song
Garlands” yet for the Rebersburg
Palaverer?
The January fogs brought their May
frosts this time. Tally five for the weath-
er prognosticators.
It seems Tom Harter secured the
James Corman woods, and bark peeling
now procedeth thereon.
Not a soul hereabouts turned out to
sweat free for Brumbaugh’s “Good
Roads” phantasmagoria.
A long time to wait is 1918—to vote
down Sproul’s State bonding proposition.
Many of us may be dead then.
When our beaux go to Millheim to see
their “gals” now they can say they went
to the tabernacle for inspiration!
Our farmers fear that corn is getting
too much cold water now and the price
of corn spirits will be high in coon time.
Dr. Bright on Saturday amputated a
finger for Mrs. Charles Shultz, of Tylers-
pile, to iop off a dangerous and malignant
elon.
Mrs. Sarah Kelley and daughter are
being benignly nursed by Mrs. James
Harbaugh, who is an expert on such oc-
casions.
Under the work-road-tax law we had
better roads than we have now with all
the “State blather and graft” added to
the money tax.
Our buxom country lasses certainly
have good voices. When they call to
each other across the messuages, you can
hear them a mile. a
There should be ice cream enough now
to go-around. Mrs. Addie Waite has
opened her pleasant parlors, and she has
Jersey cream, too!
Miss Mary Bright, having recuperated
on Brush valley fare, has returned to
Philadelphia, and will engage in concert
work during vacation.
Mrs. Amanda Evans attended the Sun-
day school convention at Loganton this
week and visited her sisters and other
relatives, incidentally.
The township stone crusher was busy
the past week under supervisor Bain’s
direction. “Bill” is determined that it
shall not quite rust out.
Dr. Jakey Spangler had the misfortune
to lose his horse and now the Tylersville
bachelor must use Shank’s mare to visit
his Centre county loves!
Dr. Kelley, of State College, is proud
of his little daughter and celebrated by
assisting daddy-in-law Meyer at the
ranche and fish preserve.
The old pews in the Lutheran church
were auctioned off by George Winters on
Saturday evening. Upwards of $30 were
realized for the sacred seats.
According to accounts, that Brumbaugh
lot of legislative cattle lately browsing on
spring chicken and lobster salad at Har-
risburg, were “a hot bunch!”
On Saturday, Charlie Smull, with his
auto bus, conveyed George Crouse and
Israel Haugh to Centre Hall to attend the
funeral of the late Perry Breon.
Bob Bierly has laid in a supply of
Parisian perfumes and will run opposition
to “Lovey Dovey” in those little things
that tickle the ladies’ constitutions.
One of our quiet citizens explained
German “Kultur,” as seen in America.
He said it consisted of hops and beer,
followed by gastritis and head aches!
Prof. Karl Reed Bierly, the violinist,
writes froin Harrisburg that the piano
accompanistes shall get ready, as he ex-
pects to visit here in abouta week hence.
George Miller was laid up the past
week by a recurrence of trouble with his
limb, which was injured some years ago.
It kept him indoors, which irked him
very much.
The Odd Fellows will have their decora-
tion services two weeks from Saturday,
June 12th, at six o'clock p. m., which
assures a very large turn out, if the
weather is fair.
The State espionage system adopted in
Pennsylvania and elsewhere, by which
every industry is subjected to spies, busy-
bodies and salaried ninnehammers, is the
great curse of the age.
Of course the limestone based roads
are better than any State road ever built,
if the centre is kept full so that no ruts
or mud puddles form. We need no ten-
dollar-a-day man to tell us that.
Prof. Strack blew in on Saturday on the
gentle southern breeze with wings of
love outstretched like those of an zro-
plane, “from behind Lebanon up.” Every-
body glad to see him and one especially
Oh, that will be joyful! The home com-
ing of those long absent from the scenes
of their childhood. We can entertain all
the wandering Willies and absquatulated
Alices during Home week—and then
some.
The basement and Sunday school room
of the Lutheran church were renovated
by the members and made more attract-
ive for the services held there, pastor
Metzger working with his sleeves rolled
up to accomplish it.
There are still a few “sinners” left here
[Correspondence continued on next page, ]