De —————————————————— BenorraicADatdpon, Bellefonte, Pa., January 15, 1926. rma" Franklin and His Kite. The ordinary person—particularly the ordinary young person—likes his history in dramatic form. That is the only way in which he assimilates much of it. Plenty of people remem- ber the story of how Pocahontas sav- ed the life of Capt. John Smith, but can tell you nothing else about that hero of the young Virginia colony. Everyone knows Parson Weems’s story of George Washington and the cherry tree, but not everyone is fam- jliar with the much more important story of George Washington's deal- ings as president with the French rev- olutionaries and their emissary in the United States. a Benjamin Franklin, flying his kite in the thunderstorm is the Benjamin Franklin we all know. Many of us know little else of moment about him. But the scholar and the profession- al historian distrust these bits of drama. They are always poking in- to the evidence and finding it insuffi- cient. The story of the cherry tree they long ago branded as a myth in- vented by Parson Weems for “instruc- tive” purposes. Some of them have given excellent reasons for doubting John Smith’s own tale of his rescue from the hands of the executioners by the Indian maid; though we have always had a warm spot in our hearts for John Fiske, that most human of historical writers, who defended to the last the old adventurer’s veracity. Now learning, in the person of Pro- fessor McAdie, the director of the Blue Hill meteorological observatory, tells us that we must give up the story of Franklin's flying a kite made of a silk handkerchief into a thunder cioud and charging a Leyden jar with the electricity that he thus drew from the air. Professor McAdie says that there is no good evidence that Franklin ever performed the experiment, though he described in a letter to a friend how it might be done; and he adds that, if he had really tried it in a thunder- storm, he would not have got the re- sults that he expected and would prob- ably have got a shock that would have killed him. This is a blow at one of the most cherished of American traditions. Everyone has accepted the Franklin story for a century and a half. You will find it in all books about Frank- lin and in a great many of the books abou® electricity. The government once decorated a bank note with a pic- ture of the famous scene. Ben Franklin without his kite would still be a great man—one who did many great and interesting things— but as a popular hero he would have got a knock-down blow. He still stands fairly firm on his feet, how- ever, for there are plenty of men of science who do not agree with Pro- fessor McAdie, and who think of the story as credible and well authenti- cated. Something of the kind must have happened. According to Dr. Stuber, who wrote a life of the phil- ospher-states-man, Franklin desecrib- ed the episode at length to him. Cer- tainly the French people believed it during Franklin’s lifetime. Turgot—- or was it D. Alembert ?—made a fam- ous epigram about Franklin’s “snatch- ing the lightning from heaven and the sceptre from tyrants.” Perhaps the conditions were not quite what we have imagined they were. Professor McAdie admits that the results that Franklin describes could be got on a clear day or when electrical disturb- ances were a long way off. Perhaps the thunderstorm has grown during the hundred and fifty years that it has been talked about; stories have a way of growing with repetition. We may have to give up the big, black, angry storm cloud full of restless lightning flashes that we used to see on the old ten-dollar bill. But we must respectfully decline to give up the rest of the story. We have be- lieved it too long, and it is too good a story anyway.—Exchange. Restore Lands to Indian Boy. Washington.—A four years’ legal struggle to prevent the transfer of valuable oil lands without compensa- tion from a restricted Creek Indian living at Eufaula, Okla., to private in- dividuals, has resulted in a favorable decision by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth district, it was announced at the Interior depart- ment. The land is located in Okfus- kee county, Oklahoma. . The name of the restricted Indian is Miller Tiger. In December, 1921, this Indian boy was induced to con- vey 80 acres of land to his aunt, Rosannah Brown, without any con- sideration, it being represented to him that the land was valueless. The aunt immediately transferred a three- fourths interest in the land to T. E. Brotton, C. R. King and J. E. Whiten- ton. Within one month after the In- dian had executed the deed to his aunt, an oil well drilled on the tract brought $7,600 in royalities and within three years $107,000 in royalities had accumulated. When the deed made by the Indian boy was submitted for the approval of the secretary of the interior, an investigation was conducted by the bureau of Indian affairs with the re- sult that the attorney general was re- quested to institute a suit to recover the land. A decision of the District court of Oklahoma upheld the legality of the transfer. An appeal was then taken by the government to the Eighth District Circuit Court of Ap- peals. This court has just announced a reversal of the dicision of the lower court and reinstated the title of the valuable oil lands to the Indian, can- celing the deeds to the aunt and the other parties. . —The “Watchman” makes it a bus- ness to print all the news that's fit to print. It’s a home paper. : | MIGHTY HUNTER IS THE LITTLE WEASEL Small Hope for Mice When He Takes the Trail. No bigger in girth than a walking stick is that nimrod of the hedges, ditches and meadows which hunts the dwellers in the rank tangled jungle of undergrowth and herbage, writes Fran- cis Pitt in the London Spectator. A hunter by trade, his life’s object the chase, he is one of the most dapper little fellows that ever laid nose to trail. But a few inches in length, still less in girth, he is clad in sandy-red, with creamy-white underparts, includ- ing a cream “choker” right up to his muzzle, delicately furred paws, a little short bottle-brush of a tail, and last, but not least, the brightest of dark eyes. But it is not his lithe and graceful form, nor his smart and dapper ap- pearance which is the great charm of the weasel—for after all our mighty nimrod is only the weasel, the little red hunter of mice and voles, that, if his quarry be but small, is yet as great a hunter as any man or beast that treads this earth. No, what makes him so engaging is his dark inquisitive eyes, his air of alert curiosity, com- bined with a light-hearted enjoyment of life. He i8 ever on the dance, frisk- ing about in and out of the mouse runs which he usually haunts. When really bent on the chase a weasel is deaf and blind to all else, and it hunts mice and voles with a grim determination that does much to keep these prolific rodents within bounds. No wonder the unfortunate mice flee before it. The mouse may have bolted for dear life, but that makes no difference. With its keen nose on the trail the weasel follows, through all the turns and twists of | the underground tunnels, where mouse ‘| holes run into mouse galleries, and up again to the light of day, he hunts the scent; however complicated the line of that mouse, however the scent may. have been crossed by other mice, he will patiently work it out, and hunt on and on, through that labyrinth of the underground world te which the small creatures of the hedgerows have entrance. The chase may be. con- tinued along the runs and highroads which thread the herbage, the be- wildered rush of the hunted mouse along the paths it knows so well, until its panic takes it blindly into up- known ways. A break in the scent may give it a respite for a moment, when the weasel! shows what a hunter he is, for as a huntsman casts his hounds in a circle when they have lost the line, so does the weasel seek to recover the scent by dashing around. Soon recovering it, he gallops on. Now it is, with the end near, that a hunted mouse will do any desperate thing. sight and all is over, the weasel bounds upon its victim, and with a quick bite ends its career. Schneiders Are Thorough The Schneiders of Hoernsheim, Germany, believe in doing things thoroughly. When Wilhemine Schnei- der was wed to a tailor named Schneider (which in German means tailor) there was a civil marriage be- fore Justice of the Peace Schneider, in the presence of Heinrich Schneider and Ludwig Schneider as witnesses, | after which the newlywed Schneiders went to church and again were wed, this time by pastor Schneider who gave them his blessing. Then the Schneider couple, the Schneider wit- nesses, Judge Schneider and the Rev. Herr Schneider foregathered at the home of Widow Schneider, the bride's mother, where a wedding breakfast was served to the whole Schneider clan.—The Associated Press vouches for these interesting details so they must be true.—Capper’'s Weekly. Ice Mine in Black Hills A huge ice mine has been discov- ered in upper Spearfish canyon, in the northwestern section of the Black hills. Workmen, after removing four or five feet of rock and dirt, encountered the frozen soil. Digging deeper, the men came upon the formation, which re- sembles a stone wall, with the mor- tar replaced by ice. The ice is found on a slope facing west, upon which the hot sun has beaten all summer. The so-called “vein” of the “ice mine” is, according to the highway workers, about 15 feet wide and approximately 10 feet high. It is believed it may prove an opening to another Wind cave, In the southern Black hills, which is one of the wonders of the district. Long Separation Ended Reunited by the accidental finding of an unopened letter that had lain in a trunk more than a quarter of a century, Mrs. Mary Price of Bremer- ton, Wash.,, and Mrs. Cella Gates of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, started a search for their only brother, from whom they had not heard in twenty-eight years. Recently Mrs. Gates found a letter from her sister written in 1897, which she had put away unread, and in which her marriage to B. F. Price was announced. President and Automobile According to the American Automo pile association, Taft was the first President to make regular use of an automebile. During the latter years of Roosevelt's administration the se- cret service had a car at the White House, but the President did not care for it and seldom used it. Harding was the only person elected to the Presidency who had driven a car him- self.—Pathfinder Magazine. Once within “Soldiering” on Work Not Modern Monopoly The cynics, who know that the world is getting worse all the time, are sure that idleness and “soldiering cn the Job” are faults of the Twentieth cen- tury. In the good old days everyone worked hard and conscientiously. But there have always been honest workmen and the other kind just as there are today. There is a curious old French epic written by one who called himself the Grocer of Troyes in the Thirteenth century. Here is one passage quoted by M. Langyois in his “Life in France in the Middle Ages”: “When I finally make up my mind to work I take with me a young mate who knows nothing cf the job, but I insist on his being paid the full wage of 12 deniers. When, at last, I get on the roof, I lay one tlle in the time it should take to lay eight or ten. I ease off and sing a song, then take a siesta between two slopes of the roof. It is then time to knock off for dinner. After that, it is soon supper time, so we leave work for that day. Of course, with plece work it is different: I can do as much In one day as in five days by the hour.” Such is the speech that the Grocer bard put into the mouth of a tiler 700 years ago.—Youth’s Companion. Methods of Naming Newcomer to World Choosing a name for a new baby is always a matter of anxious consid- eration. But in many lands this anxiety has been minimized by the laying down of rules to guide the choice, says a writer in Science magazine. For instance, in Egypt the parents take three candles and the one that burns the brightest and longest deter mines the child’s name. The Hindus allow the mother to name the baby. Then, when the baby is twelve days old, if the father does not like the chosen name, he selects another, Then the two names are written on slips of paper and held over a lighted lamp, the one that burns the brighter being the name adopted. Egyptians place 12 names in the Koran. One slip is drawn out, and the name on it is the name for the <hild. Chinese girls are not named. The boys are named by their mothers. When they reach twenty the father names them over again. Good Start Attached to the early morning train going east was a car for laborers. The lattice gate between this car and the one in’ front was closed, so that no one who. belonged: in. the front passenger car would stray into the special ear. A passenger standing on the back plat- form of the-regular -passenger coach peered curiously through this lattice gate and the open door into the car beyond. A wag In the laborers’ car promptly bleated out, “Ba-a-a, ba-a-a.” Immediately his comrades took it up, and “Ba-a-a, ba-a-a,” they went in chorus, in solos, in duets, for all the world like a cattle train loaded with sheep. It ended in a howl of laughter from all the men and as the car pulled out of the station it was evident they had put themselves in good humor for the day’s work.—Springfield Union, Celtic History The term “Celtic Renaissance” fs applied to the intellectual awakening and the renewal of interest during the latter part of the Nineteenth and the beginning of the Twentieth century, in the languages, literature, history and customs of the native inhabitants of Ireland, the Scottish highlands, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. This movement may be said to have started with the publication of J. C. Zeuss’ Grammatica Celtica in 1838. The Society for the Preserva- tion of the Irish Language was estab- lished in Ireland in 1877 and this was followed by the Gaelic league in 1898. The movement was not confined to Europe, but spread to Canada, the United States, Australasia, Argentina and other localities inhabited by per sons of Celtic strain, Fate’s Grim Jest About the middle of the Seventeenth century, when so-called witches were being persecuted in England, there were many fanatics who went about the country seeking out persons ac- cused of witchcraft and forcing them to confess by means of examination and tortures. One man in particu- lar, Matthew Hopkins, received the title of witchfinder-general because of his Industry in the search. In a single year (1644) he brought 60 persons to the stake. Being finally accused of witchcraft himself, Hopkins was sub- Jected to his own favorite test of swim- ming, and, happening to float, was de- clared to be a wizard and put to death. —Kansas City Star. Ancient “Small Ad” The to-let “ad” In 79 A. D. was not totally like our own in phraseology, but painted conspicuously in red and black letters on the sides of buildings, -and was In vogue in Herculaneum and Pompeii, according to the reports of the excavators who have been uncover ing the ruins of the ancient cities— buried in 79 A. D. One such advertise ment is sald to have been translated as follows: “On the estate of Julia Felix, daugh- ter of Spurius Felix, are to be let from the first to the sixth of the ides of August on a lease of five years, a bath, 8 venereum and ninety shops, Bowers and upper apartments.” PREFERENCE IS FOR “CAVE-MAN” HUSBAND Modern Girls Seem to Favor Strenuous Type. Answers to a questionnaire circu- lated among 1,000 college girls of the Middle West are said to show that 65 per cent of them think that the ideal husband should be cave-mannish, but in a “refined” way. These responses would be more {illuminating if they were more complete. It is a common failing of questionnaires to elicit ev- erything but the one thing most per sons would like to know. It is not at all clear what kind of caveman the “refined” variety is. Of course some of the things not to be expected of him are apparent. He is not supposed, in the pet phrase of pro- fessed wife tamers, to ‘Catch ’em young, treat ‘em rough and tell ’em nothin’.” It is to be presumed that he may be entirely ruthless in seizing the weekly pay check, dragging it home and hurling it into his wife's lap. On occasions he may even be cross with the janitor—especially on cold mornings when the steam is low —and he must not allow landlords to browbeat him when it comes time to renew the lease. Undoubtedly he is not to be a per- fect amorist. In primitive times when ‘the troglodyte had wooed his mate with a bludgeon and carried her in- sensible to his lair it was not denied that he might afterward comfort her with such endearments and tender- nesses as occurred to him. Yet in idealizing the qualities a refined cave- man should have 75 per cent of the girls say he must not be a petter and the other 25 per cent say he may pet moderately but mmnst not indulge out- side the home. The refined caveman must neither drink nor smoke. In physique he must be muscular. There is grave doubt whether he should be a social worker, 60 per cent of the girls fear- ing that he might thereby become a “sissy.” Above all, he must not be flirtatious where other women are cor- ~erned. From all this it appears that the re- finement and the cave-mannishness are subject to qualifications. Happily the 1,000 prospective husbands of these 1,000 college maidens need not be cast down. The probability is that while few of them will prove 100 per cent up to expectations at the outset of the matrimonial journey, the dear girls will train them so to be before the voy- age is ended.—New York Sun. Crook’s High Life Ended That persistent individual who for more than ten years has been wander- ing about Europe, posing as “the bish- op of Warsaw” and collecting bourd, lodging, alms, loans, raiment and rev- erence from the pious, has been ar- restéd in Rome. His smooth speech and commanding presence had enabled him to impose himself on his victims and escape detection, despite the fact that he had been formally denounced by the Vatican and the police had been assiduously on his trail. His name, it appears, is Tarwoski, He was born in Lemberg, a peasant, and his profession, when he is doing hon- est labor, is that of a cook. But since taking up his avocation of “bishop” he has slept in many a soft bed and eaten many a fine meal as the guest of high- ly placed personages. Wrong Number When Frank Harris last visited New York he was very much put out by an attack on one of his books. “Only ignorance and misunderstand- ing,” he said, ‘“‘can see viciousness in this book. Its critics remind me of a story. “An old farmer and his wife halted in a picture gallery before a painting of Adam and Eve. “‘Who’s that brazen hussy? said the wife. “The farmer turned to his cata- logue, but got the number wrong. “ ‘Queen Victoria,’ he read out, ‘re- ceiving General Grant.” Only a Dream The late Max Hirsch, the noted New York theatrical manager, had a fine library and a fine literary taste. Mr. Hirsch dined with Michael Ar len, the popular but shallow Armenian novelist, during the latter's visit to New York, and in the course of the dinner Mr. Allen, relating his life story, sald: "So I woke up one morning and sound myself famous.” Mr. Hirsch gave a loud laugh. “You mean,” he said, “you found ourself famous, and then you woke up. Boss Was Guilty On returning home from my vaca: ton, I found that a simple set of files that I had, supposedly, left for the of- fice boy to take charge of, was all muddled up. With utter disgust in my voice I said to the office boy, in front of my boss, “Why a baby could keep these files straight.” Can you imagine my embarrassment to hear the boss reply, “I kept those files, Miss Stone.”—Chicago Tribune. Child’s Marvelous Escape A child was run over by forty cars at Monroe, La., and was extricated without a scratch on its body and no more than a bad scare was the result of the experience. As a freight train was passing through the town the engineer saw the child, just able to toddle, in the middle of the tracks throwing stones. He was unable to stop the train, Colony of Beavers Discovered in Lebanon County. Lebanon county has for many years rejoiced in the possession of honored families of Beavers, Bievers and their kin, but it has just been dis- covered that there is now not only a family, but a whole colony of beaver residents there. They were discover- ed by county Game Protector William L. Ibach in the northern Blue Moun- tains while on a business trip. The animals are making their home in a large pond. Beavers were almost extinct in the entire State of Pennsylvania ten years ago, and no such animal was seen in Lebanon county for years. About six years ago the State Game Commision placed about twenty-five of the ani- mals in the State, scattered over a wide territory. None were placed nearer than Schuylkill county, how- ever, and it is believed that those dis- covered migrated from that region. They are protected by law for fif- teen years or more, and killing of onc of them is an offense punishable by a heavy fine. The colony discovered by the game protector seem to be thriving nicely. These are the enly known wild beaver to exist in Lebanon county. Merry Christmas We take pleasure in announcing that enrollment in our 1926 Christmas Savings Club Began Tuesday December 1, 1925 You will be sure to have money for Christmas if you Join one or more of these Classes. Class 25—Members will receive Class 25 paying 25 cents a week for fifty weeks $ 12.50 Class 50—Members will receive Class 50 Yayitig 50 cents a week fur fifty weeks $38 ()f) Class 100 will receive. Class 100—Members paying $1.00 a week for fifty weeks $50.00 Class 200 Class 200 Members paying $2.00 a week for fifty weeks $ 1 00.00 Class 500—Members will receive Class500 Glass 1000 will receive. Class 1000—Members paying $10.00 a week for fifty weeks paying $5.00 a week for fifty weeks §3§0) 00 $500.00 weeks will receive Class 2000—Members paying $20.00 a week for fifty S000netensasenseartantnant arnns seseasitarenen senenn $1,000.00 with three per cent. interest added if all payments are made regularly in advance. Bellefonte Trust Compan 70-48-tf BELLEFONTE, PA. : = > Lyon & Co. PAPA A AAAI AAAI Lo sn NIA TRI RR AAAI IRR vA NN NNN CNN NNN NINDS NIIP SPP PPP POP PPP POPP PPP POPP FTI TUTTTTTL WNW OWI of manufacture. The Greatest Slaughter of Prices Ever Heard of During the Month of January Ladies and Childrens Winter Coats Must be Sacrificed Regardless of Cost. One Rack of Ladies Dresses —Point Twills, Flannels, Satin Back, Canton, Crepe de Chene and Satins—at less than cost Lyon & Co. Pre-Inveniory Sale Throughout (he Store We Invite Inspection of Prices and Qualities [TO VIO IPO IOI N WWIII Lyon & Co. Save Money....Byy Here “10 Lyon & Co.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers