24
Pester House Clerk About Ancestors
" U S^~PMY^
WASHINGTON— Sir John Courts,
Bart, K. C. M. G...K. O. C., C. 8.,
who, as plain Jnmea C.' Courts serVes
the United States government in thfe
responsible position of clerk of thq
House committee on appropriations,
has his troubles just lijte other folks.
People are all the time pestering him'
to death to know if it Was his grand:
father or his great-grandfather or his
great-great-grandfather who used to
own about 20,000 acres in Maryand
and who presided over the feudal glo
ries of Clean Drinking Manor. Ahd
every time he gets through with one
of these historic bugs and settles
down to work a delegation of home
folks from Tennessee drops in on him
and demands to know why he accept
ed from the Emperor of Korea —be-
fore that eminent personage was sat
upon by the Japanese—the military
order of the Setting Moon, third class
and wears the undress button that
goes with it all the time.
But even these annoying things pale
into insignificance beside an incident
that happened just the other day. Mr.
Courts has his nose in a chaotic appro
priation bill and was dictating to four
Old General Got No Aid from His Aide
GEN. Luke E. Wright, told at a din
ner in Washington a war story
from Manila.
"There was once upon a time," he
began, "a gallant old general. This
general, leading a splendid charge in
his'youth, got a bullet in his chest and
two sabre cuts across the head. In
after life, relating over the nuts and
svine his many battles, it was this
particular charge that he always de
cribed most flamboyantly.
"The older the general grew the
■more splendid the charge became; the
more awful was the slaughter that
he visited upon the enemy; the more
horrible were the wounds that he re
ceived. For corroboration he would :
always turn to a grizzled veteran on '
his. left, his aide-de-camp. The aide
de-camp would nod his gray head in
acquiescence silently.
"Taller and taller grew the gen
eral's stories of the charge. Higher
Plans Homegoing of Irishmen in 1910
i Cf
FIFTEEN years ago Francis J. Kil
kenny arrived in this country from
reland. He was so green that he
uistook a Fourth of July celebratioh
is a reception to himself. Young Kil
kenny had relatives and friends in
Vlilwaukee and Chicago and he made
'or the middle west soon after his
•anding. He had a fund of native wit
tnd an abundance of energy and
jluck. He got a job cutting grass and
oon came under the notice of Charles
. Dawes. When Mr. Dawes came to
./ashington as controller of the cur
•ency he brought Kilkenny along as
lis private secretary. When Dawes
'etired from the controllership his
successor found he couldn't get along
without Kilkenny. Mr. ltidgely was
succeeded as controller by Lawrence
3. Murray and that official has re
tained Kilkenny who has now be
come one of the institutions of the
treasury department.
Vo'ung Kilkenny is making remark
able headway with a movement for
the "home-going" of Irishmen in 1910.
Chautauqua Salute, Menace to Health
'"■//A
Diiy'l WILLIAM C. WOODWARD,
•hlfipHh officer of the District of
ytflih;i>)ia, is in favor of abolishing the
only rorm of athletics ,W
nrul Kraduat.es •(rfiaii* 1
tjaftfjpra literature and reading circle.
that the Chautauqua salute is
4 tirenftce to health.
The salute, as all
ltmw;>is a waving of ho handkerchief
vphealtfriends make a the tec?
ture platform or sail aw,iy for; distant
lands. Lverybody waves and every
body Is happy provided that one does
adding machines all at once when a
straight-backed, straight-nosed, white
mustached, white-haired and extreme
ly dignified old gentleman marched in
to the committee room. He was look
ing for his member and as the mem
ber wasn't on hand, had turned around
togo out again, when he caught sight
of Mr. Courts. " .
There was a moment of tenseness
and of pauso-™a -hiatus in"oth,er words.
And theq thy old gentleman, advanced
and cast ttf'mself—
cast —on My. Counts' bosooi, clutched
Mr v Cdurt.6' hand, patted tyx. Courts'
shoulder _arf& gazed into* Mr. Cfiurts'
ey£s;""(And' as a dozen or so members "
of if tHe^Appropriations committee gath
erW'aro'ujid • the old gentleman ex- >
plodod/'hiS,. bomb. • '
"Captaih,' 8 hie said to Mr. Cburts.
"I am moah than happy to meet you
again. ,thls' the happiest
day of my life, my' dear c^njrade,in
arms. XtelLl i. xi&Ußfnber the days
when, side by side, knee to knee, we
followed the fortunes of that flower of
chivalry, that most dashing of cav
alry leaders, our idolized chieftain,
Gen. J. E. B. Stuart."
Of course it was a case of mistaken
identity. Sir John says so himself.
But nevertheless it was embarrassing.
And he's going to ask for a couple of
more assistants, for, with this Clean
Drinking Manor story and the Setting
Moon button and the Confederate cav
alry yarn, he's just fairly pestered to
death and hasn't time to do his reg- .
ular work.
and higher grew the mound of ene
mies slain by his sword. More and
more numerous became the bullets,
thrusts and slashes sustained by him
self. At the end he always appealed
to the grizzled aid; and in silence
the aid nodded confirmation.
"The general one night gave a large
dinner party. The wine was no less
abundant than superb, and at dessert
the old warrior let himself out upon
the charge as he had never heretofore
done. Four horses were killed under
him. Three lances passed through his
right arm, five through his left, Nine
sabres crashed down upon his
head simultaneously. The bodies of
his slain formed a wall wellnigh im
passable about him. And it seemed
that there was hardly a muscle in his
person wherein a bullet failed to im
bed itself.
" 'You remember all this, don't you,
De Courcey?' he said, in conclusion.
"The silent and long suffering aid
at last spoke up.
" 'No, general,' he shouted, in a loud,
indignant voice. 'No, of course I don't
remember it. How can you expect me
to? You know as well as I do that
the cannon ball that killed your fourth
horse struck the breastplate of a
cuirassier behind us and then bounded
back and took my head off!'"
The plan is to induce the Irish people
from all over the United States to re
turn to their native land during the
months of July, August and Septem
ber. It is proposed that the various
Irish organizations, notably the A. O.
H., and the Gaelic league shall take
up the moveilient and carry it
through. Kilkenny does not claim
personal originality for the idea but
he gave it initial impetus and has ta
ken upon himself the burden of inter
esting Irish societies in the plan.
More than a sentimental purpose
animates those who have undertaken
this ambitious task. While the pros
pect of a visit to the old country, at
reduced transportation rates, and in
the glory of midsummer, will form a
leading incentive, the real purpose of
the movement is to stimulate Irish
industry. Kilkenny has made several
visits to his old home in Ireland and
each time has been impressed with
the industrial possibilities of the coun
try and the apparent hopelessness of
improving conditions without organ
ized effort. He takes the position that
the industrial and agricultural re
sources of Ireland have not been de
veloped to of their capac
ity. Capital is needed to develop
them and Kilkenny believes thai, it
will bo forthcoming if the Irish people
in this country are given an opportun
ity to see with their own eyes that
profitable investments can be made.
.not overtax his or her energy.
"The custom of waving a handker
chief vigorously in the air," says Dr.
Woodward, "is dangerous. Nearly ev
ery contagious disease can be com
municated in this manner, if the hand--
kerchief is slightly soiled. If the lin
en square has just been purchased, or
has come straight from the laundry,
there is not the slightest danger, but
• the waving of a handkerchief that has
been used even once is harmful.
"When a handkerchief is wavf,.! the
jvijid blows the germs from it. Ty
phoid fever, scarlet feVer, tuberculos
is, smallpox and c.hiekenpox. measles,
and diphtheria may bo thus
spread."
The Chautauqua saluters criticised
the health officer's remarks.
Woodward does not know whit
he hi -talking about," said a young wo
than, "We never carry Boiled hr.cc!
i | Kerchiefs."
CAMERON COUNTY 1 PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER Itf,
11 The Littlest Boy. J;
and Santa Claus ij
> • *
Edwin L. Sabin
ji | j
(Copyright.)
I • J HE GREAT hall clock, sta
tioned opposite the foot of
the stairs, two.
From his bod the Littlest
' Boy listened • with a sense
of awe. Never before had
he heard it strike so late an hour.
Once, indeed, he had heard it strike
ten, but usually it had stjruck eijrht
and when next- he was -awake
striking-sijc and morning had cd#kte^;
The LittleM. Boy lay > find listflnfid.
The house' was"ihipressiyely still;-
only audible were the stjitety
ticking. ; 6f the monitor elock bfeJeW,
and tife regular .breathing of the Big
gest Boy and -the Biggefcjt Girl ttip
froom adjoining.
The Littlest-Boy's eyes were \y|d<p
open anil gazing into thd .velvet black
ness' effee above his 'face. NVheji
he had ,gope to bed it been C firisf :
mas eVe\,.-l ie was not fullj^ certain las ti)
tl\efltS&sSf' demarkatiod, but it' 09-
that now it was (!ferfst-.
mas day! Then he began ito blink? and
think. ! > - i
He wondered if Santa Claus > had
come yet. Hefore the grate-fire, dowh
in the library, were ranged three
chairs; a rocking-chair for the Biggest
Giri, a straight-backed, ordinary chair
for the Biggest Boy, and a huge, roomy
arm-chair for himself. In addition, he
had hung up his stockings to the
mantel.
He tried to picture to himself how,
if Santa Claus had been and gone,
that chair and those stockings must
"Hello!" Said Santa Claus.
look. At intervals, as some particu
larly alluring fancy stood out before
him, he gave an ecstatic wriggle ajnd a
few blinks extra.
Oh, the red wagon! And the silver
napkin-ring! Supposing he got them
both! It did not seem to him pos
sible that he could exist without eith
er, and yet—and yet—he mustn't ex
act too much.
If he might take one peep into the
library—just one tiny peep—to find
out whether or not Santa Claus had
been.
He felt that He ought not to yield
to this temptation; and he sighed hard
and twisted. But even in the lfiidst
of his struggle he did yield, for first
his disobedient right foot stole from
beneath the blue coverlet, and next
his disobedient left foot; and in a
moment all of him, enveloped in his
long, pink-flannel night-gown, was
moving resolutely towards the door
way. £ •
At the landing the stairs turned
sharply. The Littlest Boy also turned
with them to continue his journey.
Now there ahead of him was the mon
itor clock, staring him in the face,
and ticking loud reproval. From, the
library, off the hall, came the reminis
cent glow of the grate-fire with Which
the Christmas eve had been cele
brated.
Down sped the Littlest Hoy, boldly
ignoring the astonished clock, down
the remaining flight, and across the
square hall, whose rugs were soft and
comforting. On the threshold of the
library he stopped short, frightened
at what he had done.
He had caught Santa Claus! •••*•
Aye, there was Santa Claus, bend
ing over the big chair, which;,) the
Littlest Boy glimpsed, was overflow
ing with packages and things. j! •
I do not know but that the ij'uifo't
Boy would have beat courteous ' te
treat (although, of course, his farther
curiosity was simply tremendous)' had
not Santa Claus suddenly glanced Up
arid descried 'him —a small, pinjc 'lim
ine, made sti'.l pinker by the giving
coals, framed, wide-eyed, in the littery,
doorcase.
"Hello!" said Santa Claus, not'ftiftiip
li»g. '
• "Hello!" responded the Littlest«Jlby.t
"1 didn't know you -vere here."
• Didn't, you?" remarked Janta <sa,us,'
straightening up and slowly Kteiijiing s
backward. . ... ;1„V,
"No," assured the Littlest Hriy.'
you In throuKh the chimle.vjJTj 1
During his whole life —that is-.'e.pct
since could u'llk—the Littlest boy
nad been trying say "chimney, '
but., somehow, that "1," being so slim
and b'atchet-faeed, always nimbly
slipped iii and elbowed out the "n;"
.'•'Did I get in tbrougn the chim
biey!" repeated Santa Clans; and then
be. opened his mouth ia a< silent
laugh. "Yes, I dumb down the cbim
bley," he said.
"You shy 'chimbley' and I say 'chim
ley;' but my father says—says ch —
ch—chinmeley is right," informed the
Littlest lioy.
"You don't mean It!"returned Santa
Claus, who, having backed to the win
dow looking upon the side porch, now,
with his hand behind him, was deftly
sliding it up.
"Please don't go, Santa Claus," be
sought the Littlest Hoy. "We'll talk
real low, so nobody'll hear. That is.
if you're not in too big a hurry to
stay," he added, politely.
"Sure," responded Santa Claus.
"It's almost empty, isn't it!" assert
ed the Littlest Iloy. "Hut I s'pose
ycArye lots more up in the balloon
Had':you got all through with me?
My chair is the middle one there,
and these are my stockings in front of
tfv m 112.
"Well, I wasJiinder foolin' around
when you come' in'" confessed Santa
Claus; "but -I reckon I'm through.
Them othefr vchairs are your ma's an'
pa's, I tak6 -.it?" ■
"Yea; mamma's is' the rocker and
papa's is t£e* other," informed the Lit
tlest Upy, hurriedly., "Did you bring
me£a red w£gon. and a napkin
rin£?" ■ , ; y
"Aren't they there?" queried Santa
Claus.
"May I look?" asked the Littlest
Hoy, eagerly.
"Sure," grunted Santa Claus, with
his favorite word.
The Littlest Hoy was not slow In
taking advantage of that permission.
In a twinkling he was at the chair,
and, oblivious to the rustling that he
was producing, was burrowing amidst
its contests.
He did not have to burrow to find
the red wagon. Its two front wheels
were sticking straight up against the
chair's back!
"0000-ee!" jubilated the Littlest
Hoy, turning with sparkling eyes.
"Will its sides fold over?"
"You bet!" assured Santa Claus.
"Just bushels and bushels of thanks,
Santa Claus," purled the Littlest Hoy,
rapturously. "I hope it's bigger than
my Cousin James' is! Is it?"
"Sure!" said Santa Claus. "Now,
about the ring? Ain't It there?"
"1 don't see it?" replied the Littlest
Hoy, rummaging.
"Mebbe it's in the stockin's," sug
gested Santa Claus.
And it was! —a beautiful, shiny, sil
ver napkin ring.
"000000-eee!" gurgled the Littlest
Hoy, unwrapping it."l bet it's the
very solides' kind!"
"Lemine see," demanded Santa
Claus. "That's what I intended it to
be, anyhow, an' I hope I ain't made
no mistake."
"Yes, it's solid, all right enough," he
said, weighing it in his hand, while
the Littlest Hoy watched him, anx
iously. "Hut don't you think that that
there wagon an' this here ring, both
together, are too much for a kid like
you?"
"I don't know," responded the Lit
tlest Hoy, abashed. "I've tried to be
awful good. I've picked up kindlin'
and went on errands and brushed my
• teeth —and —and gone down cellar
• after dark, and —and —and I've hardly
i ever cried when I got hurt!"
"Still, seems to me," persisted
' Santa Claus, gazing at the shiny ring
1 in his fingers, "that a wagon alone is
• good enough for ono kid, besides all
• thein other things you've got in yon
• chair and socks. I dunno but what
I'll take this an' give it som'ers else."
1 "Well," agreed the Littlest Hoy,
I gravely, "if —if you can find some lit
-1 tie boy who ought to have it
more'n me, then you can—can. take
1 it; and p'raps next Christmas—"
I "God!" roared the Biggest Hoy, like
; an angry lion, leaping through the 11-
; brary doorway.
1 With a slam up sped the window;
; with an oath, out whirled Santa Claus.
L "You've scared Santa Claus! You've
1 scared Santa Claus!" wailed the Lit.
1 t.lest Boy, in despair.
"I have, have I!" exclaimed the Big
gest Boy, gathering the wailer into his
' arms.
I "And he took my ring," farther la
■ mented the Littlest Boy.
"He did, did he!" repeated the lion
• —that is, the Biggest Boy—in a com
! miserating growl. "Never mind; we'll
get another "
1 "But 1 told him he might, if there's
' some other little boy who'd ought to
have it more," explained the Littlest
Boy, truthfully. "Maybe he'll bring
1 me one next Christmas."
' Here the Biggest Hoy shut the
treacherous window; and with the Big
i gest Girl, who by this time had ar
rived and was hugging and kissing
the Littlest Boy's two rosy feet, as
they hung down inside the Biggest
Boy's arms, close accompanying, car-
J ried him upstairs to bed.
What do you think! Evidently Santa
Claus. repented, or else he had only
L .been joking, or else he.could find no
other little boy who was more worthy;
'' for, after all, at daylight there was
discovered, lying on the mat before
' the side-door, that very same ring—
I wrapped, it is true, not in tine tissue
j paper, but in coarse brown paper.,
• j I lowever, upon the paper was
;)j>crawled, in ragged but unmistakable
: :1 lines,:
j j£| "for the kid
"J; '1; "SANTY CLAWS."
, \ <H
w| .'. , Effect of Self-Satisfaction.
! $W) —That was a frightfuly lo#g
i .Sertoli the minister preached this
<: rnqwing.
r itelle —Why, I didn't notice it was
Y unusually' long.
Nell —Of course not; you had on
a new hat.
r
IN wir Pmli oEYE
IS OLDEST ARMY OFFICER
He is quite as spry and youthful In his ways as
many a man of 65. In Washington, where he lives, he walks downtown nearly
every morning and. is-often seen on the streetcars. Only the other day ho
was noticed standing on the running'board of an open car, having got up
and stepped out to ,allow some ladies to pass. ,
General Rucker was 97 years of age on April 28 last. But it does not
seem to him that this fact gave any excuse for the remarkable. zealousness
of a certain life insurance company which, a few weeks ago, sent a man to
his house on Jefferson place to make a money settlement for his death.
Greatly irritated by this summary notice of his own demise, he walked down
town the next morning and dropped in at the office of the company.
The company was very apologetic. Yes, it was obliged to admit the gen
eral had the appearance of being alive. His presence in the office was evi
dence in favor of such a supposition. But in a technical sense he was dead.
From a life insurance viewpoint he had passed over to the beyond. There
had been nothing to do, therefore, but to pay up the policy—though the com
pany was sorry if the general had been inconvenienced in the matter.
The general felt very greatly inconvenienced —in fact, he went away in a
rage. The money which the company declared to be due he refused to accept.
He is still so angry about the matter that his friends do not dare to mention
it to him even in joke.
GOES TO THE SUPREME COURT
Tennesseean is progressive in thought and will interpret the lawa in accord
ance with the modern spirit.
The Judge was born in Campbell county, Ky., February 26, 1844, his
father, at that time a physician, later becoming an Episcopalian minister.
His education at the University of Chicago cut short by the civil war,
young Lurton hurried south and enlisted as sergeant-major in the Thirty-fifth
Tennessee. In February, 1802, he was discharged for sickness. Me returned
to the front, however, in time to take part in the battle of Fort Donelson,
where he was taken prisoner and confined in Camp Chase. He managed to
escape and enlisted in the Third Kentucky cavalry and was taken prisoner
again in Ohio while on"i Morgan's raid." This time he was so carefully
guarded that he did not escape until the war was over.
After the war he formed a partnership with Gustavus A. Henry and
came rapidly to the front as a lawyer. In 1886 he was made justice of the
Tennessee supreme court, in 1893 chief justice, and two months later WP.3
appointed to the United States court by the late ex-President Cleveland.
CANADA FOR INDEPENDENCE
the dreadnaught. The Laurier bill calls for three cruisers and four destroy
ers, which will cost $8,000,000 to build and $1,500,000 a year to maintain.
Sir Wilfrid stated on the floor of the house that the Canadian fleet would
not be under orders from London and would not even participate in naval
warfare as a British ally, unless specifically ordered to do so by the Cana
dian parliament.
"If we have no voice in making peace or war," says the Montreal Herald,
"how can we with safety abandon the right to follow what course we please?
Unquestionably, being who we are, our fleet will almost under any conceiv
able circumstances co-operate with the British navy when war ensues. Hut tha
power of volition in a matter of such moment must be retained."
The Ottawa Citizen states its case thus: "Should the day come when the
country that was the cradle of liberty proves recreant to its traditions, then
Canada will disown that country and change its flag instanter."
HE'LL BE THE CAFE KING
"I realize keenly," said Mr. Pruger, "that my work in Ne-w York will be
enough to keep any man thoroughly alive. American hotels aad restaurants
are in many respects the finest In the world. There are hotel's and restau
rants in this city which have no superiors anywhere. In tli* now Cafe do
l'Opera it is our desire to add still another brilliant establishment to the list
of those of which New York is so proud. Two of the best chefs in Europe
have been brought to New York to see that the culinary part of the restau
rant begins operations as it should.
"In furnishings and decorations we have a restaurant unique. I feel
that my life's work lies in New York, and although I was sorry to leave my
old friends in London 1 welcome the opportunity of working in America
in a restaurant so beautiful as the Cafe del' Opera."
Brigadier-General Daniel H. Rucker, retired,
is not only the oldest officer of the United States
army now living, but also the oldest man thai
has ever been in the military service of this
country.
The lapse of time since his birth is most viv
idly realized when it is considered that General
Uucker has lived in every presidential adminis
tration since the government began, save only
three —those of Washington, Adams and Jeffer
son. He was born only 13 years after the death
of the first president and among his friends and
acquaintances have been a good many people who
kpew George Washington.
But anybody who saw the general to-day would
never imagine that these things could be true.
President Taft lias selectetd Judge Horace
Harmon Lurton to fill the vacancy in the United
States supreme court caused by the death of Asso
ciate Justice Rufus W. Peckham.
Judge Lurton has been a judge of the sixth
judicial circuit of the United States circuit court
of appeals, the district including Tennessee, Ken
tucky, Ohio and Michigan.
Judge Lurton, a prominent Tennessee Demo
crat, even though he has never held elective of
fice, is an ex-confederate soldier and in Michigan
is known as the man who once decided a street
car case against the late Governor Pingree.
Mr. Taft's service on the circuit bench with
Judge Lurton convinced him of the integrity and
rectitude of that jurist. His later contact with
him has demonstrated to his satisfaction that the
Some optimistic persons in Canada believe the
day is not far distant when the Dominion will
become a republic independent of. England. In
such an event, they believe, Sir Wilfrid Laurier
would become the head of the new nation.
When the imperial council of defense sent
out from London recommendations that included
the construction, manning and operation of a
Canadian war navy protests arose from all parts
of the Dominion. The actual government meas
ure presented by Sir Wilfrid to the house of com
mons has caused another outburst, which indi
cates clearly that many Canadians look forward
to ultimate independence.
The defense council suggested that Canada
build one Dreadnaught, three cruisers, . six de
stroyers and three submarines, beginning with
Henri Pruger, l'or the last seven years general
manager of the Hotel Savoy, London, has been
engaged as general manager of the new Cafe de
l'Opera in New York City at a salary of $50,000.
This, it is believed, is the largest salary paid to
any restaurant mapager in the world. Mr. Pru
ger is president of the company that will operate
the restaurant, which has just been opened. It
occupies an.entire building west side of
Broadway, between Forty-second and Forty-first
streets.
■jtyv London Mr. Pruger has become known to
thousands of Americans. Before going to the
Savoy, he conducted the Grand Hotel Nationale,
Leizone,'and a chain of hotels in southern Eu
rope. including the Grand Hotel at Monte Carlo
and the Grand Hotel at Rome.