LONG AGO,
——
Ionce knew all the birds that came
And nestled in our orchard trees:
For every flower I had a name
My friends were woodchucks, toads and
bees.
I knew where thrived, in yonder glen,
What plant would soothe a stone-bru ised
toe
Oh. I was very learned then,
But that was very long ago.
I knew the spot upon the hill
Where checkerberries could be found,
I knew the rushes near the mill,
Where pickerel lay that weighed a
pound;
I knew the wood, the very trees,
Where lived the poaching, saucy crow.
And all the woods and crows knew me,
But that was very long ago.
And, pining for the joys of youth’
I tread the old, familiar spot,
Only to learn this solemn truth:
I have forgotten, I am forgot.
Yet here's this youngest at my knee
Knows all the things [ used to know;
To think I once was wise as he—
But that was very long ago.
I know it's folly to complain
Of whatsoe'er the fates decree,
Yet, were not wishes all in vain,
1 tell you what my wish should be:
1d wish to be a boy again,
Back to the friends I used to know,
For I was, oh, so happy then
But that was very long ago.
~ {Eugene Field.
1
BY EMILIE EGAN,
The young people of to-day can
scarcely realize what a ‘‘straw ride’
was like a hundred years ago, or that
the fun-provoking
so much i
excursion enjoyed
nowadays had an ancient
and necessary origin. It is probable,
however, that as much fun and laugh-
ter sccompanied the straw ride then
as now, for young people are alike in
all ages and the world over.
When our Engl
tle first in the New England States,
especially Vermont and New Hamp-
shire, they established their homes
upon’the highlands, because, strange
as it now seems, the larger lakes,
ponds and rivers—where the beauti-
ful meadows now are—were com-
passed about with miles and miles of
thickly wooded swamps,
almost impassable even
Last summer I climbed the moun-
tain which is
and I counted there forty old cellar
holes. overgrown with grass and
brush, but indisputable evidence of
former homes.
I asked stupidly—
the answer would be,
dians or devoured by wild beasts’'—
“Where did all the people go to who
once lived here?” one
of our party answered they
moved down gradus for, the
woods were cut off, the swamps dried
up.”
A hundred ago
on the mountain made nothing of the
deep snows which in winter covered |
all that country, but turned out with
shovels and ox sleds—the only vehi-
cles known in the mountains in those
times—and manfully ‘‘broke roads,”’
in order that their social
with their “‘Notchite’’ friends might
not be interrupted.
Especially was this the case in a
winter, when Mr. Stevens, the
‘‘forehanded’’ of them all, had built
a frame mansion, and was going to
give a house-warming ball. A string
of ox-teams was sent over the rough,
drifted road, and all was ready for the
revellers.
There were enough people to fill
two sleds, and Thad Waldo and Free-
man Eddy, each of whom owned two
yoke of oxen, were chosen as team-
sters. Their sleds were filled with
straw and blankets, ready for their
respective loads, and they started
merrily off at four o'clock, reaching
their destination before dark. They
stayed there until three in the morn-
ing, gayly dancing and feasting, with
never a thought of danger.
When the teamsters went out to
“tackle up'’ for the return home, they
found the sky heavy with dark clouds
and much warmer than when they
came over.
“Guess we're going to have
Janmary thaw,” remarked
Waldo.
“And I'm afraid we'll get a slump |
over the south side. It won't be very
easy riding over those stumps and
stones,’’ returned Eddy.
For a mile or so the high spirits of |
the party made the woods and moun- |
tains ring with song and laughter, |
but by the time they reached the |
heights the fatigue of the dance be-
gan to tell upon them, and the
younger of them commenced making
pillows of the laps of their elders,
who, also, soon became silent,
Waldo and Eddy as they reached
the noteh, jumped from their sleds to
better giide their teams down the
mountain, and the latter shouted as
he reached the road, ''Old Buck and
Bright will be more lively company
than that sleepy crowd.”
The drowsy ripple of laughter which
followed this sally was suddenly
drowned by a horrible seream which
seamed to fairly fill the pass, echoing
and re-echoing among the mountains
as if being Oy by a hundred
others,
The two teamsters sprang quickly
to the heads of their teams, now
trembling and cuddling up to each
other in fright. The men knew that
they had but a moment to prevent a
stampede down the mountain ; for, as
soon as the poor oxen should recov.
er from their first alarm, they would
seek safety in fight, when it seemed
impossible that the whole party could
ish forefathers set—
which were
in summer.
the scene of this story,
The practical
Oh,
as
VOArs the settlers
intercourse
most
our |
young f
escape being dashed to pieces.
the oldest to the youngest. fully ap-
precinted their double danger. They
knew that that defiant scream came
from a hungry punther—and that it
meant death.
Instantly every young man on the
sieds had his gun to his shoulder—
they never went without them in
“those good old days’ —peering
sharply among the hemlocks which
lined the road, for the two fiery eyes,
they expected to see in the cloudy
darkness. Failing a shot, they know
that he would jump for them, when
they passed under the tree where he
ing seream. Should he miss, it would
in no wise end the chase, for they
knew that by his huge, vaulting-
The road through which these hap-
less young people took their fearful
ride is nearly obliterated now by a
sturdy growth of young trees, except
the “Three Ledges’ around which
the road rau. No trees can ever
cover those eruel rocks. Here was
climax which must end
until they reached the
ledges,
In thirty quick-witted
young Waldo had unhitched his lead-
and turned them into the
seconds,
possibly attract the panther. Thus
he obtained also a better chance to
others. By this time a
second scream, defiant than
the other, rang through the woods.
i
This second s
more
sronm came from be-
the notch
answered by
hind them over through
and was i
the first
immediatel)
1 1 - " oy i
masking the Or, trembling
oxen fairly bound
sending them off or
The teamsters it Stineine
}
hold of yoke and horn.
shouted back to those
“Hold on
It
The young men
thrown among
their extended
blows as they fell. But not a
of fear or complaint was uttered
the hardy settlers, and
sound was heard for a
excepts Waldo's and Eddy & sh
their endeavors to i
speed of their teams;
: 3 3
to those in the sleds, as
r your lives!”
nn SGIMost Useless
hind risen
who had
who
those
*111 iealine
guns aeanng
young
few minutes
.
Outs in
mad
check the
yet it seemed
they
and bounded from side to side
¢ their id
stakes, that the next stump
. ;
ing and losin hold u
must certainly wreck them
Even the panther
sir efforts to keep th
was forgotten
e chase was freshly
rig
!
}
h
he united se
now certain
That the oxen
their first mad run
that gave the unfortunate
of !
had di
was plain;
siraw-r
ers no ho
for they could
screams the rapidiy-ma
their pursuers, which we
ing in upon them.
Walde
d. was running {ai well,
forethought
while
Wr un
now
y's team, though mus
timely
loose his leaders;
had barely
of his near ox
which in th
frights at each scream {
ers, bolted frightfully
danger well as
chances of escape by flight.
It would seem that the dangers
ready surrounding the party co
not be increased, but those in the
became suddenly aware that
Waldo's abandoned leaders were in
the road behind them. They recogniz-
ed the danger immediately, and tried,
by flinging out their free arms and
shouting, to change the course of the
pursuing oxen, but the poor, terror-
blinded creatures plunged straight
on. heeding nothing.
There was no time to
new danger, had the occupants of the
sled any strength to do aught but hold
on. and each face turned toward the
end of the sled-boards. But when
the shock came, it almost seemed
the Providence interfered to
them, for only one ox planted his feet
over the endboard, while the other
fell with only his big horns and head
inside, where by a miracle they hung,
only to be savagely shaken off by the
next stump or stone.
The continually nearing screams of
the panthers showed that they were
time to catch
r his
COORSIYe
hind DO Conroe Ovi
:... 3
ieaders, eir il
rom the panthe
] adding to their
ns lessening thelr
file
yu ld
last
sled
escape this
suve
regretful hope in each mind that the
poor oxert might not be able to rise,
thereby becoming a sacrifice for the
gafoty of the load of human beings
clinging to the sled.
Not 80: for in a moment, just as a
road, probably not fifty feet behind
the sled, the oxen were in the road
and madder than ever with
fright.
nhend, though comprehending fully
team must be fur shead, for he had
pot heard nor seen anything of him
for a long time ; and they themselves
were flying past the ‘Boulder Spurs,”
than a half-mile beyond.
Turning his face back, he shouted
hoarsely, ‘For God's sake, shoot the
oxen and be quick about it, for we
are nearing the ledge!”
Two shots instantly answered his
command, and, in the short interval
of partial silence that ensued, he
heard two sounds, which, strong,
brave man as he was, he never forgot,
and always remembered with a sense
of unforgiven cruelty. It was a
long, mournful *‘loo,’” a pitiful peti-
tion for help, as it were, from one of
the d oxen; and, ‘Oh, see!
The poor thing is dragging his mate !"’
in a sweet, girlish volce. But soon
followed, telling of the fate of the
oxen.
For a while all believed themselves
which were drawing them evidently
shared their belief, for they showed
signs of slackening speed; though
ten minutes before, it had seemed as
though nothing could save the party
from being sweptover the ledges, if car-
ried upon them with such fearful spe-
ed. Now all began to hope that theteam
might be slowed up sufficiently to
allow them to jump off. They began
to take an interest in young Eddy's
efforts to stop his oxen, and noticed
that Waldo was not ahead of them,
Thay saw that Eddy was redoubling
his efforts to slacken up, with a vig-
use of his thick goad up the
of the oxen. The had
not left his hand in all
ride down the mountain,
shouted, ‘Get ready to jump when I
tell you, and jump to the upper side.”
A few more cruelly vigorous blows.
Then, jerking the head of his near
Orous
‘4
NOSES StiCcK
1
the whole
geling mass
a
And with one wild shout
sled-load landed in a stru
in the deep, soft snow.
Young Eddy, when he saw his sled
npty, let go his hold upon his oxen
{ fell backward, through sheer ex.
haustion: but almost immediately he
sprang to his feet
The worst danger they
§ upon tl
Lien
former
¥
niu
again
«
to-night was
one of their pursue
new comer
blood-curdling
heads.
entirely
Ff were in
a few feet
f bs ray
, though
Com
plete
hoods and !
men had breath ts
or pity Their sur;
bout equal
Bit
their breath sufficient!
yoxpress their griel
188 ald 10% We
after ti
nd remember names,
Crow d Of selijers coms to meet
them individual first
load.
Waldo and Eddy suffered
from the adventure; Eddy had rheu-
matic fever. Waldo constituted him-
anlf doctor and
every
the most
him, and they talked many a
time the fearful incidents of the ride.
The two places where the oxen fell
were made the common hunting.
grounds of both and
many a panther, wolf, and fox were
killed there before the winter was
through.—{ Romance.
over
settlements,
Terrorized by Wild Hogs.
There is terror among the people
living on Mud Bay Point, caused by
the roaming through that country of
a drove of wild hogs. There are a
dozen or two of the beasts,
time, but not until the last
months have they made themselves
dangerous,
They are of a large-boned variety
and have grown to an enormous
height. They also have tusks. They
live mostly on the skunk cabbage
growing in the swamps, but as this
provender has run low they have be-
hunger
Only a few days ago they took
after a fleet-footed pony and ran him
down, killing him almost instantly.
The residents of the Point have found
it necessary to keep their stock
its life by the attacks of the boars,
Nobody in the neighborhood dares
go out after night, and extreme cau-
tion is exercised when out of doors
during daylight.
A number of expert riders and
marksmen living in Olympia are con
templating the formation of a com-
pany to engage in a wild boar hunt
on Mud Bay Point, and it is probable
that the fierce drove will be exter-
minated. The people living there do
not feel equal to the task alone,—
[Oregon Olympian-Tribune,
IT will surprise a great many peo-
¢ to be informed that there are
60,000 Afro-American Catholics in
the United States, with Sirey on
sisterhoods teaching in 108
over 8,000 children. 4
SOCIAL REFORM.
SOCIETY'S CLUB.
What the People Will Do When They
are Given an Opportunity for Social
and intellectual Improvement.
Alice Chittenden gives an interest
ing account ot her visit to the Uni-
versity Settlement Society in Delan-
cey street, New York, as follows:
“It is in the heart of the Tenth
Ward, that great district variously
known as the “Typhus,’”’ the '‘Sul-
cide’ and the “"Crooked’’ ward, where,
on a single square mile, 385,000 hu-
man beings are packed; where the
population is twice ag dense as that
of the most crowded London district,
and five times as dense as that of any
great city in the United States, An
area where everything tempts men to
vice, All this is within a
sands of vacant lots.
Not only do
corners ailowed by law, but often on
the fourth, with
kind and ‘coffee
where every sort of immor-
ality is kept up until the early hours
of the morning, abound,
ling resorts are ingeniously
guised and so innocent
to deceive the very elect, The He-
brews form a large part of the popu-
lation, and where they
with its attendan
Dives of the lowest
saloons,
BO
$1
go the
shop,’ tevils springs
the Ni
% band of devoted
of these evils
Against all
borhood Guild and it
5
Siri a
adherents have to contend.
WW hat
1 4
tot ty
stopped in
ilding of
if forks
nBrign
fare iis weapons?
f ti
# Ww
Iwo 31
front of the four
scovered em
Milwaukes
and
marked a
the buildings in the v
shades offer so
Cinity
these
placards:
Wednesday and
*trymnasium,
day Thursday ¢
THE POOL ROOM
ngs from 8 to 10,
Wednesday
its por we ok
Fool
im x io
ini tion
As I paused, attracted by these an
aguneements 1
by a crowd
evening
room Open every evenir
10,80, Two cents per
for 25 cents
fr
I was soon surround
: of happy
faces
and oh
learn to cool
another,
sed when
I 20 to school here,
said one. *'1
and to sew,’
3s 2 1
it hice
said
3 s
ivier lair
SO, BAVIDZ Jer
ng the Guild
t
was, I passed in to discover what |
was
The first floor covers a lot 26 x 100
feet and contains two large assembly
rooms and agyminasium, In the latter
a number of little girls were practic.
ing with such evident enthusiasin as
can be felt only by those who have
never known what it was to have even
elbow room’ in not to speak of
the absolutely unattainable freedom
of childish in fields and
neadows, These children come from
homes where three rooms for a large
family is sn almost princely abode,
for many of them “‘home’” means a
single room shared by four or five,
The astembly rooms, which are al-
so used for dancing. have the walls
hung with beautiful etehings loaned
life,
gambols
graphs,
original sketches made by their own
artists of illustrations which have
Among
the latter is a large and beautiful
Sistine Madonna.
Dancing classes are held every Sat.
urday evening and are under the
ment and Friendship). There are
composed of each sex.
£1.75 and the women
course of twelve lessons,
The men pay
the dues
per lesson and three pieces of music,
Mr. James Galvin is master of core-
monies, and the circular announces
will be observed.”’
The second floor contains a library
and reading room and a large room
used for club ‘
ing school.
on this floor.
1,200 volumes, all of them donated.
It opened in February, 1898, with
twenty members, the fee being 5
cents, not a week, but for the entire
year. New members were added at
It was suspended on the 15th of June,
1808, and waited to be opened until
a permanent librarian could be en-
gaged. Hundreds of appliornts
were also then awaiting admission,
Cards of admission must be signed
: mon testifying to
the good ET ne anplicant.
placard in large type advises them
slowly, pause
keep clean and return duly with the
the leaves not
down,’
The attendants made cach child a
to works on
of each mind. It
ing to see tots of 10 and 11 choosing
histories and biographies of states.
men.
and read ** Milman’s history of the
Jews.”” It is impossible to keep a
United States history on the shelves,
The third floor contains the
rooms for clubs and various classes
and pool rooms, where the
tables all running every even-
ing, with an average of five cues per
game.
If too narrow othodoxy should eall
this fighting the devil with
weapons, ask yourself whether it
are
men, bounda
Ff 1h
: i
¢
reenable
a
1s
wn and women of
intions
Tir
eid
with
mutuaa:
d by this con-
fe i y ti
i y y he
100 irom © ing Li
of any
» %
yen
croed
wiy
HO-2CONOMIIL
must rest
thies
In teWing what the Guild is 1
that I have omitted a very important
branch of kinder-
3
fing
the
io
i pays for the
its work, viz
cents per
ped
daily lun-
There are
und
the
or rte
garien.
The due ££ Are
week, whicl
cheon of bread and milk
fifty-two childre: the class,
mothers are fast gaining faith in
Fifty-two children are carry-
ing the refining and civilizing is fiu-
ences of this school into their homes
{ future
Ma
such
gchonl.
and are being assured for
themselves that
homes as man}
from impossible
A Penny Provident Fund Bank has
been opened, the 430 depositors being
1
2 11
shall
of them
make
now
cone
|
added, and those who chose to avafl
themselves of the opportunity off cred
were enabusd to at
market prices, instead of paying, as
formerly, mors than double.
That this work, begun Years
ago, is not to be lightly dropped, the
plans of the proposed building for
the University Settlement Bociety
will show. The name of Dr. Btanton
Coit, the head worker of the soci
purchase conl
seven
qr
hE
¥
whose book on Neighborhood Guilds,
an Instrument of =o
the standard work on
a still firmer guarantee {
To a thorough enlig
garding the work it is necessary that
I should mention that the only
aried workers the matron
secretary, the kindergarten teachers
libraria: sund
Ary it
(dr
from
from
i
wii
are the
whom It was {«
[OCP Rs salary
herto relied in its ur
£ »
having hi
(ings upon volunteer Workers
Most
self-supporting cin
ducting the Flower Mission thi
(
f these
03 ne
at]
that th
was a boy of
This is a pie in wi
whose heart the
IRpdemanda i
Vigil OrS—--wolnen
10
ERNCeR O
rend
for these lan
to 40 per cer
tate tus
Philadely
& claimed
elaborate and
argan in this country
y Bt. Luke's Protest:
Penn
Ee
Church, Germantown
being $13,000. The
have received th
Stainer, tl
of St. Paul's Cathedral. Lond
here will be
there will be five
trolled by them, the
rappn wal of Sir J
» celebrated organist
thre
distinet
swell organ,
great organ, second great organ
organ and echo org with independ.
ent pedal organ, havine a thigiy-two
foot foundation.
An interesting
strument will be its orchestral stops
and wonderful effects. which have
only once before been presented in
this country by the builder, Cariton
C. Mitchell, in his famous organ in
St. Stephen's Church, Boston. The
whole of the mechanical movements,
key action, draw stops will be
under tubular pneumatic control. It
is winded with separate reservoirs,
supplying each division of the instru.
ment with distinet and independent
are of the in-
ete,
The organ will be blown by a Ross
motor, acting on four hori.
instrument is divided. The
N.
THE KINDERGARTE
per week. Four hundred and fifty
more future homes insured against
economy.
It has instituted a social reform
club==think of
Ward and every man and woman is
invited to become a member. This
is divided for active work into ten
sections, with such large aspirations
as the establishment of a public bath,
laundry, park and playground, pub-
lie lavatories, co-operative stores and
sick benefit societies,
It has prready opened a co-oper-
ative store which is being success.
fully ran and at which pure milk and
honest butter can be obtained nt hon-
besides being the vie-
sort of adulteration of
oy are obliged, buying
tims of eo
their food
was
&
most exorbitant ;
on the north side, separated
The manuals are
5 TAM AAAI
Knotty Point for a Judge.
“One of the most puzzling legal
propositions ever submitted to me,”
said Judge C. E. Clark. of Kentucky,
was a will ease which arose in the
A man
died, leaving considerable estate. He
had no children, but at the time of
hix last illness his wife was approach.
ing maternity. He therefore
vided in his will, which was made a
few days before his death, that in
case the unborn child should be a son
the mother and son were to inherit
equally, each taking one-half of the
estate. In case, however, the unborn
child should be a daughter, the widow
should take two-thirds of the oe
erty and the daughter one-third. In
the course of time the widow gave
birth to twins, one girl and one boy.
The mathematical and consangui :
problem was too much for gp
the estate was finelly divided by