anim
Bellefonte, Pa., July 3, 1925.
PHILOSOPHY AND TACKS.
By Levi A. Miller.
My memory is growing a little
treacherous; a few days ago my
housekeeper asked me to bring some
butter from the store when I went
after my 2 p. m. mail. I forgot it. At
10 p. m. she asked me if I didn’t for-
get something. “How about the but-
ter?” I was shocked and went forth-
with to the store. On arriving there
I found only three of the principals of
the Stores sight. The loungers and
hangers-oh had retired to their homes,
possibly on account of the excessive
hot weather. I listened to what oc-
curred to me to be a most interesting
conversation. I concluded a little
write-up of the same might interest
the readers of the “Watchman” (the
Democratic Bible), so here I embark.
“What is home without a box of
tacks,” murmured Sammy, as he ad-
justed some bits of sticking plaster to
his stiff and swollen fingers.
“That’s the first purely philosoph-
ical utterance I ever heard from you,”
observed William H. Jr., extending
his hand for a shake.
“No you don’t, I'll take your word
for it until my hammered fingers get
well,” said Sammy.
“Well, really, my boy, I am sorry
for your fingers, but indeed I admire
your philosophy,” continued Wm. Jr
“How did you happen to strike the
vein ?”
“It was this way,” said Sammy sad-
ly. “I had-seated myself on the bread
box in lieu of a stepladder, (our
neighbor having loaned his to the oth-
er fellow), and I was in the act of
tacking up that touching motto,
‘What is home without a mother,’
when I discovered I had no tacks;
then it was that I warbled ‘what is
home without a box of tacks?’ Yes,
sir, I actually sang it gleefully and
would have danced if it had not been
for the uncertainty of my standing.”
“Inductive philosophy; you will get
there if you only keep it up,” exclaim-
ed Wm. H. Jr., encouragingly.
“But I don’t want to keep it up,”
roared Sammy. “To the dogs with
your inductive philosophy. Look at
me! Do Ilook like a philosopher?
Gaze upon these swollen fingers and
think of two more carpets to: tack. Sce
that branded knee; and it isn’t the
trousers only that are abrased. Your
philosophy may be deducted or induct-
ed, or whatever you please; I want
none of it, if it comes through such
tribulations as these. However, what
is home without a box of tacks?”
“You have changed your tune re-
cently,” suggested Abner. “Only a
few days ago you were blowing about
having bought a hatchet and saw, and
a whole outfit of tools with which you
were going to beat the carpenters,
plumbers, and all sorts of jobbers.”
“So I did, and that smashed finger
is proof positive that I have a hatch-
et; this ragged slash across my thumb
settles the saw question; that hole in
the heart of my hand establishes the
fact that I have a brad-awl, and that
tip end of my left finger, which I pick-
ed out of the saw-dust and ashes, and
is now held in place by sundry strips
of plaster, ought to satisfy any one
that I possess a chisel; a paring chis-
el.”
“Good, good!” interrupted Wm. H.
Jr.
“What's good?” roared Sammy.
“Your philosophy,” replied Wm. H.
Jr.,, cheerfully. “You prove every
point as you go along.”
“Qh, yes! I seal every one of them
with my heart’s blood. Yes, indeed,
I clinch everything, leave nothing ly-
ing around loose; my wife Ruth wiil
testify to this last item. Why, my
dear Wm. H. Jr., I couldn’t sleep last
night for thinking of these things. I
thought, and thought, and thought,
and at last went to sleep thinking.”
“That’s right, my boy, that’s right.
That is the way to become a philoso-
pher. Don’t you see already that you
are better informed on every day tcp-
ics than you were? You now realize
that there is another side even to car-
pet-laying. Before, you only saw the
side that men usually see, and you
could not grasp the version of it given
by your wife. That’s what it is to be
a philosopher. There is always anoth-
er aspect to a thing or event.”
“So I find,” said Sammy mournful-
ly. “I had been taught that there was
no harm in cheating the plumber.
While getting tools I got a few in his
line, consisting mainly of a pair of
pinchers and a soldering iron. My
father-in-law has been at me ever
since I got married to get one of
these. He says no man can be a
christian without a soldering iron, es-
pecially in winter when pipes are
given to bursting. I thought I could
buy one now cheaper, but the man
said it is an article that is never out
of season.”
“What do
Abner.
“Have fun with it,” answered Wm.
H, Jr.
“That is about right,” said Sammy.
you do with it,” asked
“] had a picnic with mine today. It
hapened to notice a little moisture on
one of the lead water pipes, which
aroused suspicion in my mind that
there was a leak somewhere. A little
investigation confirmed the suspicion.
uth said it wasn’t worth bothering
with, but I silenced her with the
‘stitch in time,” argument, and at it I
went. In about two minutes I had all
the solder off the joint and water was
fizzing out at a dozen places and I
was as wet as if I had a hose turned
on me. The women folks had tubs
and kettles and pans and buckets, and
gum coats and oilcloth strewn around
promiscuously, and holding their
dresses as high as most of our girls
now wear their every day frocks, as if
the water were a foot deep.”
“Why didn’t you solder it and stop
the deluge?” asked Abner in amaze-
ment.
“That's what they were all’ asking
at the time,” replied Sammy, appar-
ently annoyed at the interruption.
rrr ——————————————————————]——————————————
“Don’t mind him,” said Wm. H. Jr.,
tenderly, “there is no originality about
him. His questions have all been
asked before.”
“I then bethought me that I had
forgotten to use rosin. There was
some about the house, but a state po-
liceman couldn’t have found it, so I
had to use sealing wax. It has some
rosin in it you know. While hunting
for this I had the sharp nosed iron
down on the floor, as I am in the hab-
it of doing with my hatchet and tack
hammer. Presently the scrub woman
came down the stairs, four steps at a
jump, yelling that the house was on
fire. I noticed a smell of strange
smoke myself, and hastening to the
kitchen, I found that the utensil which
had been so highly recommended by
the beloved father of my dear wife
had burned a hole through her watey-
proof and laid waste a section of car-
pet as big as a man’s hand, and right
in the middle of the pattern, so that it
cannot be patched, and on account of
the size of figure it will take a whole
yard of stuff to make it look decent.”
“Too bad,” sighed Abner.
“Too bad!” snorted Sammy. “That’s
nothing. Taking the alleged useful
utensil out of the grate, I again tack-
led the fizzing pipe. The second ap-
plication induced the lead to leave the
brass spigot, and then the water did
fly. I threw the aforesaid useful uten-
sis onto the table, grabbed the pipe
and gave it a twist to divert the
stream from the ceiling. It then
struck the grate and sent out a show-
er of ashes and live coals equal to the
best efforts of Vesuvius. Then I tried
to play up the torrent with my finger,
which sent the water up my sleeve
and down my back. By standing in a
tub I was able to keep the flood with-
in bounds, and thus checked the
wholesale destruction that had been
rampant for what seemed an age.”
“I don’t see how you ever stood it,”
said Abner. His tones were mellow
with sympathy, and his whole visage
was mantled with deepest commise.-
ation.
“How I stood it!” Great Scott, 1
had to stand it; that’s how I stood it,”
roared Sammy, apparently in as much
agony as if he were going through the
ordeal again.
“Is the fun still going on,” queried
Wm. H. Jr.,, who like a true philoso-
pher was more interested in the up-
shot of the matter than in the details.
“Oh, no!” replied Sammy, in a more
cheerful vein. “Just as the second
tub was about to flush over, and I was
discussing the propriety of climbing
into the kitchen sink in order to take
advantage of the waste pipe, in get-
ting rid of the water that was going
up my sleeve and down my back, Ruth
came in with a plumber. He ran
down to the cellar and shut it off.”
“Why in the name of sense didn’t
you think of that?” exclaimed .\bnev
in a loud, contemptuous tone.
“That’s what I said to Ruth. I do
believe she would have let me drown
before such a simple idea as that
would have gotten through her hair,”
replied Sammy.
“What are your deductions?” asked
Wm. H. Jr.
“Never try to beat the plumber,”
replied Sammy with emphasis.
“Shake!” exclaimed Wm. H. Jr.
“Excuse me,” begged Sammy, “un-
til I can answer the conundrum, ‘what
is home without a box of tacks?’ ”
SAD FOURTH FOR WASHINGTON.
On the 4th day of July, 1754, Colo-
nel George Washington surrendered
an army. It was only a small army,
but a fort went with it. He exper-
ienced on this occasion his first.defeat
in war, at the hands of the French.
Although at that time only twenty-
two years of age, he had been placed
in command of a small bedy of troops
which was marching toward Fort Da-
quesne. At a point on the Mononga-
hela river less than forty miles from
his destination he heard of the ap-
proach of a party of French and In-
dians, sent to intercept him. Accord-
ingly he fell back to the Great Mead-
ows fifty miles from Cumberland, and
hastily erected a stockade, which he
called Fort Necessity.
With the help of a friendly Indian
sachem, Half King, he attacked the
French in their camp at night, killing
their commander, Jumonville, and tak-
ing a number of prisoners. It was the
first blood shed in the French and In-
dian war.
A few days later Fort Necessity
was attacked by 1,600 Indians and
French under De Villiers, and Wash-
ington surrendered on honorable
terms. This was on the morning of
July 4. He marched out with his little
army of 400 men, drums beating and
flags flying, and he and his soldiers re-
turned peaceably to their homes.
Pollen of Showy Flowers Rarely
Cause Hay-Fever.
Hay-fever season will soon be here.
Sneezing, reddening of the eyes, run-
ning at the nose, and other symptoms
of the well-known summer discomfort
will appear.
According to Dr. E. M. Gress, bot-
anist of the Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture, inoculation will go far
toward reducing the susceptibility of
persons who suffer every summer. He
recommended the patients be inocu-
lated with an extract of the substance
from pollen which causes the irrita-
tion to the nasal passages.
The malady, said Dr. Gress, is caus-
ed by the dust-like pollen grains of
certain flowers. They are carried by
the wind, and are not carried exten-
sively to hay-fever victims by insects.
Usually the damage is done by pol-
len from the less conspicuous and the
more common flowers and weeds. He
listed Kentucky blue grass, timothy,
red top and rag weed as the principai
sources of the pollen that so greatly
distresses some unfortunate persons
every summer. These plants are com-
mon on the average farm, and they
grow unchecked in waste places and
vacant lots.
Lecturer—“What have any of you
done to save our timber?”
Voice from rear—“I shot a wood-
pecker once.” .
ADOPTING THE DECLARATION.
Although the Fourth is the day that
is celebrated by many as that on which
the immortal Declaration of Indepen-
dence was signed, sealed and promul-
gated, as a matter of fact such is not
true. The great document was read
to the people on the Fourth after hav-
ing been approved by Congress, but it
was not signed on that day. The
facts are these:
On July 2 Jefferson presented for
adoption the immortal Declaration
after Congress had adopted a resolu-
tion presented by Richard Henry Lee,
of Virginia, which had been placed be-
fore the body on Jurie 7, 1776. This
resolution was as follows:
Resolved, That these united col-
onies are and of a right ought to
be free and independent States;
that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British crown
and that all political connection
between them and the State of
Great Britain is and ought to be
totally dissolved.
This resolution was debated for
nearly a month, and, owing to the ab-
sence of Lee, who had been called
home, the defense of it fell on his col-
league, Jefferson. It needed defense,
for in that Congress were able men
who opposed its passage and revolu-
tion. Great therefore is America’s
debt to Jefferson and Lee. On July 2
Lee’s resolution was adopted, and Jef-
ferson’s draft of the Declaration was
adopted on July 4, 1776.
John Hancock, president of Con-
gress, and Charles Thompson, its sce-
retary, immediately signed the docu-
ment and became thus the first official
traitors from an English point of
view. It was made public to the cit-
izens by John Nixon, who read it to
the citizens of Philadelphia in Inde-
pendence square. On July 15 it was
ordered to be engrossed, and on this
being done it was ready for the sign-
ers, who appended their names on
August 2.
Meanwhile there had been some
changes in the personnel of Congress,
and many of those who had taken part
in the debate against its adoption
were displaced, some of them at their
own request, and others who had no
connection with the historic discus-
sion signed the document. For in-
stance, John Dickinson, Edward Bid-
dle, Thomas Willing and Charles
Humphreys of Pennsylvania, fought
the Declaration, and the Common-
wealth sent Benjamin Franklin, Rob-
ert Morris, George Ross and James
Wilson to Congress in their places to
sign the great paper.
MOTOR CYCLES TO RACE
IN ALTOONA BOWL.
Fifty thousand cheering spectators
who witnessed the spectacular speed
duel at the famous Altoona speedway
recently, when Peter DePaolo and
‘Tommy Milton battled for victory in
the field of seventeen cars of the au-
tomobile classic, on July Fourth will
again see one of the supreme contests
of the speed world when the leading
motor cycle racers of the world meet
in the national championship on the
big bowl in Altoona.
With a taste of the thrills of ex-
treme speed on the giant mile-and-a-
quarter oval, patrons at the track in
Altoona from States all over the east-
ern part of the country have request-
ed tickets for the big Independence
day classic of the twe-wheel mounts,
the first revival of this sensational
sport since the old Sheepshead Bay
course.
With thousands of motorists al-
ready making arrangements to at-
tend, the management reported that
they had been requested to make pro-
visions for close to 15,000 motorey-
clists alone. These motorcycle clubs
from all parts of the United States
have made arrangements for going,
some of them being forced to ride six
days to reach there. Clubs from New
Orleans, Dallas, Denver, DesMoines
and others equally as far are coming
300 strong each.
Representatives of the big motor-
cycle factories in Altoona preparing
their racing equipment for the big
event declare that the sport-loving
public will see thrills unknown in the
east when the roaring midget motors
careen in and out of the steeply
pitched turns on the big board track,
with the riders hurling them through
gaps in the ranks with speed around
120 miles an hour.
ree fp mr
A Tribute to a Goced Tree.
Ido love a good tree. There it
stands: so strong and sturdy and yet
so beautiful, a very type of the best
sort of man. How proudly it lifts its
bare head to the winter storms and
with a full heart it rejoices when the
spring has come again! How grand
its voice is, too, when it talks with
the wind; a thousand aeolian harps
cannot equal the beauty of the sigh-
ing of the great tree in leaf! All day
it points to the sunshine and all night
to the stars and thus, passionless, and
yet full of life, it endures through the
centuries, come storm, come shine,
drawing its sustenance from the deep
bosom of its mother, Earth, and, as
the slow years roll by, learning the
great mysteries of growth and decay.
And so on and on through the gener-
ations, outliving customs, individuals,
dynasties—all save the landscape it
adorns and human nature—till the ap-
pointed day when the wind wins the
long battle and rejoices over a re-
claimed space, or decay puts the last
stroke to his lingering work. Ah, one
should always think twice before one
cuts down a tree H. Rider Hag-
gard.
eee ple eee
Be Sure of Binder.
Is the binder in running order?
Grain ripens fast when the days are
hot and dry, and every kernel lost by
cutting over-ripe grain is one less in
the bin. It is a pleasure to know that
the binder is ready to run from the
start to finish of harvest, but repair
parts often are slow in coming. Put
them on early.
sere —————
And how did you come to fall in the
pond ?
I didn’t come to fall in—I came to
fish.
CHINA’S DANGER POINT.
A new Chinese “civil war” has mo-
mentarily diverted interest from the
anti-foreign movement centering in
‘Shanghai. But the fighting that has
started around Canton is in reality
of quite secondary importance as com-
pared with the Communist-agitated
strikes and disorders which threaten
to dislocate the relations between the
Chinese and the foreign element in
several of the great trading centers.
The Chinese seem to have lost the
ability to settie any issue by means of
war. A Chinese “civil war” has little
more meaning than a fireworks dis-
play. It makes a little difference in
the long run which side wins, and the
actual fighting is carried on along the
lines of an American safety campaign.
The art of not getting hurt has been
highly developed by both soldiers and
commanders.
So long as the Chinese stick to war,
the harm they can do is minimal. Ar
anti-foreign movement is much more
serious. A Chinese strike can be car-
ried to a point of effectiveness possi-
ble in no other part of the world.
The Russian Communists realize
this fact and are adapting their tac-
tics accordingly. As an instance, they
have promised to indemnify the fami-
ly of every Chinese killed in strike-
rioting at Shanghai. The first loyalty
of a Chinese is to his family. If by
getting himself killed he can bring
two or three hundred dollars into the
family exchequer, he feels in duty
bound to go out and get killed. That
more of them have not done so is
probably due to doubt about the hon-
esty of the Russian agitators. The
Chinese himself is too fundamentally
an honest creature not to recognize
dishonesty when he sees it.
The little “civil war” at Canton will
not settle anything and is not likely
to do much harm. A concerted anti-
foreign movement might disrupt the
life of the nation and involve far-
reaching complications. It is in such
a movement that real danger lies, and
the Russians are making the most of
it.
ee
A Free Scholarship in Music.
Any ambitious young man or wom-
an who is a reader of the “Watch-
man’ may secure free instruction in
music or elocution.
The Ithaca Conservatory of Music,
with the desire to stimulate the study
of these arts, offers 100 scholarships
valued from $80 to $600 each, to de-
serving applicants from any State in
the Union, and which will entitle them
to instruction for the term of seven-
teen weeks beginning with the open-
ing of the school year, September 22,
1925, in any of the following depart-
ments: Voice, violin, piano, composi-
tion, elocution, band instruments and
public school music. These scholar-
ships are awarded upon competition
which is open to any one desiting a
musical or literary education. Any
one wishing to enter the competition
or desiring information should write
to Mr. B. L. Johnson, secretary of the
Ithaca Conservatory of Music, Ithaca,
N. Y., before September 1, 1925.
Miss Margaret Beezer, of Philips-
burg, is a Centre countian who won a
scholarship at Ithaca last year.
Marriage Licenses.
Amos Lee Powell, of East Orange,
N. J., and Mary L. Boyd, of State Co!-
lege. :
Wilbur T. Gates and Evelyn J. Do-
lan, Nittany.
John P. Smith and Ethel May Kahl-
mus, Bellefonte.
Harry Warren Coder, of Williams-
port, and Ethel N. Neff, of Howard.
Charles A. Lucas and Rhea M. Lom-
ison, Orviston.
William M. Osman and Catharine
P. Chandler, Bellefonte.
Ford Lewis Stump and Thelma I
Woomer, State College.
Emanuel F. Fike, State College, and
Adda C. Marshall, Bellefonte.
——-Get the Watchman if you want
the local news. :
BANKING IS
Not, a Quick-Rich Business
urplus is of slow growth.
organized in 1863.
This Bank was
It now has, after 62
years, an earned surplus of $250,000.00.
This represents earnings, after dividends
of a little less than $4,000 per year.
Its present
earnings, in large measure, are due to this sur-
plus, slowly accumulated during more than half
a century.
The First. Thought, of a Competent. Banker is
NAY AY SV
Secyrity--Not. Dividends
Surplus Gives this Security
TAT AT AT LAT LATVIA LV LT A
AV AV VY
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The First National Bank
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ELLEFONTE,
PA.
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STABILITY §
Fourth of July
he Anniversary of this Great Event
is always fittingly observed.
All who lay claim to patriotism
and public--spirtedness unite to laud
and magnify the day.
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK
STATE COLLEGE, PA.
MEMBER FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Fittingly Observed
NEE Ceiict dia sid ALA
Leave Buffalo—_ 9:00 P. M.
Arrive Cleveland *7:00 A. M.
Ask your ticket agent or
Automobile Rate—$7.50.
| A restful night on Lake Erie |
Makes a pleasant break in your journey. A good bed in a clean,
cool stateroom, a long sound sleep and an appetizing breakfast
in the morning.
Steamers “SEEANDBEE”-“CITY OF ERIE”-*“CITY OF BUFFALO”
Daily May Ist to November 15th
Eastern
Standard Time
#Steamer “CITY OF BUFFALO?” arrives 7:30 A. M.
Connections for Cedar Point, Put-in-Bay, Toledo, Detroit and oth 1
tourist agency for tickets via C&B De Porta
Send for free sectional puzzle chart of
the Great Ship “SEEANDBEE” and "OEE ANDBEE
224s beokist, Loh Stet,
Cleveland & Buffalo Transit Co. A Breadth, 98 feet
Cleveland, Ohio \"-«_6 inches.
Fare, $5.50 [Ny X
Your Rail Ticket is
Leave Cleveland—9:00 P. M.
Arrive Buffalo —*7:00 A. M,
AANNNNAN
AUN NANRANY
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hp
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It will be a Real Dollar Day at Faubles
Mens Dress Shirts $1.00—1gg. $1.50 value
Boston Bags . . $1.00—iegular §1.50 *
Boys Bloomers $1.00--]eg. $1.60 and §2
on every $5 Purchase made on this day.
cludes everything in the storz---nothing reserved.
Odds and Ends in Mens Under-
|
| wear, Union and Two-Piece
| Suits at, . . . $1.00—values up
{0 $2.50
cree
in addition, we will allow a Discount, of $1.00
This in-
iwilieakal DollarDay at F aubles
I