Tho Progressive Farmer, April 8, 1002.
' - ii.. i
Ths Home Circle..
STEUGQLE
My soul is like the oar that momently
Dies in desperate stresss beneath the wave
Then glitters out again and sweeps the sea :
Each second I'm new born from some new grave.
Sidney Lamer.
EVEJTINO
Look off. dear Love, across the sallow sands,
And mark yon meeting of the sun and sea,
How long they kiss in sight of all the lands,
Ah longer, longer we.
Now in the sea's red vintage melts the sun,
As Egypt's pearl dissolved in rosy wine,
And Cleopatra night drinks all. 'Tis done,
Love, lay thy hand in mine.
Come forth, sweet stars, and comfort heaven's heart ;
Glimmer, ye waves, round else unlighted sands.
O, night ! divoroe our sun and sky apart
Never our lips, our hands. Sidney Lanier.
THE DAY
Come read to me som4 poem,
Some simple and heart-felt lay,
That shall soothe the restless feeling,
And banish the thoughts of day.
Not from the grand old masters,
Not from the bards sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo
Through the corridors of time.
For like strains of martial music,
Their mighty thoughts suggest
Life's endless toil and endeavor,
And to night I long for rest.
Read from some humble poet.
Whose songs gush from the heart,
As showers from the clouds of summer,
Or tears "from the eyelids start..
Suoh songs have power to quiet
The restless pulse of oare,
And oome like the benediotion
That follows after prayer.
, Henry W. Longfellow.
THE " GRIT, BARE
The story of a boy who refused to
allow his poverty to stand in the
way to his desire for knowledge is
related by an exohange :
Nearly a hundred years ago, a
stout, freokle faced, awkward boy
of eighteen years, dressed in
a ragged waistcoat and short
breeches, without stockings or shoes,
rapped one evening at the door of a
humble oottage in northern England,
andasledto see the village school
master. When that person ap
peared, the boy said, very modestly :
"I would like to attend your even
fng school, sir."
"And what do you wish to study?"
asked the teacher, roughly.
."I want to learn to read and write,
ir," answered the lad.
The schoolmaster glanced over the 1
boy's homely face and rough clothes
scornfully, and said :
'Very well, you can attend, but a
grit, bare legged laddie like you
would better be doing samething
Ise than learning his letters " Then
2ie olosed the door in the lad's face.
If that "grit, bare legged laddie"
had said to the schoolmaster, "I mean
to become a great inventor, to be the
friend of rioh and powerful men, to
hold conversatiDn with kings, aiid !
io write my name among the great
ones of the earth," it is likely he
"would have called the boy a fool to
aheriah such wild dreams. Yet this
poor, ignorant lad, who did not krjow
the alphabet at eighteen, accom
plished all these things betore he
died.
He did it by hard work and be
cause he made up his mind to do the
best he could. He kept pegging
way. His ignorance was a misfor
tune, and not a fault. His parents
were too poor to send him to eohool.
He was the s"5n of tho fireman of a
pumping engine in a Northumber
land oolliery. His birthplace was a
hovel with a clay floor, mud walls,
and bare rafters. When he was five
years old he began to work for his
living by herding cows in the day
time and barring up the gates at
ight. As he grew older he was set
io picking stones from the coal, and
after that to drive a horse which
drew coal from the pit. He went
half -fed and half clothed ; but for
ua that" he hud a man's brave soul
his sturdy little body.
For several years he was assistant
era an to his father ; then he was
made fireman himself. Subsequently,
the age of seventeen, he was
jlugman of a pumping engine, a
jost superior to his lather's.
But all this time, though ignorant
si books, he had been studying his
tngine. Gradually he acquired so
somplete a knowledge of his machine
ihat he was able to take it apart
nd make any ordinary repairs. The
No?. SI, 35 and 38 of our series or the World's
Best Poems, arranged especially for Thk Pko
9&sssiTX Fabmkh by the editor. In this
aries selections from the following authors
fcave already appeared: Barns, Bryant, Mr and
Mrs Brownlnsr, Lord Byron, Campbell, Eagene
nld Goldsmith, Leigh Hunt, Holmes, Omar
Xbayyam, Kipling, Lampman.
S0NQ.
IS DONE.
- LEGGED LADDIE."
14 grit, barelegged laddie" was
smarter than he seemed, and this
faot the teaoher was not long in find
ing out as the he began to teach him.
At the end of two years, by attend
ing evening school, he had learned
all that the village eohoolmaster
could teach him. This brought his
sohool life to an end, but he still
kept on studying. He bought books
on engineering and mechanics, and
spent his leisure in learning what
they taught and in experimenting.
At last he began to think about
making better engines than those
around him. Meanwhile he had se
cured the appointment of engine
wright at one of the great oollieries
of northern England, and he gradu
ally applied his plans for an improved
locomotive He was not entirely suc
cessful at first, but he was not dis
oouaged. He saw his mistakes and
corrected them. Before he was
thirty -five years old he had con
structed several looomotive steam
engine, and five years afterwards
he had become known as a success
ful and energetic engineer, and was
called upcn to build long and diffi
cult lines of railway.
But his locomotive? were too slow ;
he wanted them to run faster. He
proposed to build one that would run
at the rate of twelve miles an hour.
Everybody laughed at him. Some
thought that he was going crazy.
One gentleman who considered him
self very wise said to him : "Suppose
you invent an engine capable of run
ning nine or ten miles an hour, and
suppose while it was running a cow
should stray upon the track, would
not tbat be a very awkward circum
stance?" "I should thini it might be very
awkward indeed for the cow," he
answered.
Well, he succeeded in making his
locomotive, and at a trial which took
place near Liverpool it attained to
the unprecedented speed of fourteen
miles an hour. By making certain
improvements, this same engine, the
Rocket, was made to attain the
speed of thirty miles an hour. Peo
pie laughed no longer, but admired.
He was invited as a consulting en
gineer to foreign oountries, and
wealth flowed upon him. Philoso
pheiti nought his friendship. His
king offered him knighthood, but he
rofnsB i a title, preferring to remain
plain okorqe Stephenson.
''V.rles Motcalf, who has been
wriirg advertisements for a drama
in Nha' York City, had an unpleas
ant experience in connection with a
compositor of one of the great dail
ies in that city. Metoalf wrote a po
etical advertisement, as follows :
"From half-past eight till half-past
ten,
You laugh and laugh and laugh
again."
Imagine his surprise when a matter-of-faot
compositor set up the ad
vertisement and it appeared :
"From 8: 30 to 10. 30
You laugh and laugh and laugh
again." Live Matter.
WHAT 17 YOUR LOT IS HABD1
That submission to one's lot means
that one should sit helplessly before
sorrow and disappointment while
weeks and months pass by, is a ter
rible misapprehension. Life should
be growth. These trials come to us
that we may conquer them, wrest
power from them. To yield faint
heartedly is surely ignoble, for there
is no life so barren or hard, or sor
rowful, that it does not hold some
door to wider living, if we will but
seek it.
Is it loneliness that oloses about us
and shuts joy from our day? Have
we tried honestly and patiently to
touoh other lonely lives? Is it be
cause we have no time for study
that life seems so hard and barren?
A friend of working girls advised
them to learn a poem as they went
to and from their work instead of
simply reading street car advertise
ments. A verse, a line of poetry, a
single noble thought every day
who of us could not make time for
this, if we would? And how rich a
harvest one short year would give
us I Is it poverty that is eating the
gladness from our day? It is hard,
but there are things within our reaoh
that no gold could purohase for us
friendship, the power of an upright
life, the joy of earth and sky. Dare
we, with all we have within our
reaoh, bemoan our poverty? Frank
H. Sweet, in Home and s Flowers,
Springfield, O., for April.
BED TAPE IN THE TBOPICS.
Says the Saturday Evening Post :
An inoident ocourred while Admi
ral Dewey was commanding the Asi
atio Station and one which illus
trates his independence is one known
as the "coal inoident."
It seems that his squadron was in
need of coal, but, instead of writing
to the Chief of the Bureau of Equip
ment at the Navy Department, he
purchased a large amount of ooal
without consulting the Department
The following is the correspon
dence between the Admiral and Cap
tain Bradford, the Chief of the Ba
reau of Equipment, and is self-ex
planatory.
Navy Department,
Washington, D. C.
To Dewey, Manila :
Why did you buy so muoh coal?
Bradford.
Flagship Olympia, Manila.
To Bradford, Chief Bureau Equip
ment, Washington:
To burn. Dewey.
THE OBATOBY OF SENATOR PETTU8.
Says the Washington Post :
Senator Pettus solemnly arose as
if to address the Senate. His tall
and venerable form towered above
his colleagues. The Senate became
silent, waiting for the words of wis
dom whioh should fall from his lips.
Wih every eye upon him, Mr. Pet
tus reached around into the tail
pooket of his long frock coat and
drew forth a plug of tobacoo! Then
he took a chew and sat down without
saying a word.
Everybody smiled.
KNEW HIS PA.
"Elnathan," asked the teaoher of a
boy at school, "If your father bor
owed from you one hundred dollars
and should agree to pay you at the
rate of ten dollars per week, how
muoh would he owe you at the end
of seven weeks?"
"One hundred dollars," said the
boy.
"I'm afraid you don't know your
arithmetic," said the teaoher.
"Well," said the boy, "I may not
know my arithmetic, but I know
my father." Henry Elias Howland.
THE PBESIDENT'S ESTIMATE OF HIS
DAUGHTER.
In speaking of his daughter Alioe
to a friend President Roosevelt once
said: "She does not stay in the
house and fold her hands and do
nothing. Sho can wOk as f ir as I
can, and he often tnkes a tramp
of several miles a the pice I Bet for
her. She can ri-5e, drive, skee, shoot
though she doesn't care muoh for
the shooting I don't min.i that.
It isn't necessary for her health, but
the outdoor -xrci and she has
plenty of it." April Ladies' Home
Journal.
"I congratulate you, my dear sir,
on the marriage of your daughter. I
see you are gradually getting all the
girls off your hands."
"Off my hands yes I But the
worst of it is I have to keep their
husbands on their feet." Tit Bits.
Take off this load of responsibility
from the human race and we might
be happy, but we never could be
great. Lyman Abbott.
Our Social Chat.
AUNT JENNIE'S LETTER.
In the blossoming of the early
flowers, the bursting of the buds on
the trees, and the ploughing in the
fields, we have enough to remind us
that spring is really here, and know
ing this the good housekeeper will
avail herself of every opportunity
to prepare for summer. Moths are
one of the greatest nuisances of sum
mer housekeeping. To prevent their
future depredations prepare for
their attaoks now by thoroughly
airing, brushing and shaking every
article that is to be paoked away.
Replace lost buttons and mend gar
ments that will be first needed next
fall. This done,' they will be per
feotly safe from moths if you will
prooure stout paper sacks, plaoe the
articles to be kept in them, then
seal the sacks and put them away.
If you cannot get the bags, you can
buy at the drug store oil of red cedar
and with a little paint brush apply
it to all craoks in trunks, boxes and
drawers, thus rendering them moth
proof for quite a while. Our grand
mothers had cedar chests in which
to pack the most costly apparel, but
we must content ourselves with this
simple substitute. Occasionally
through the summer months saturate
small pieces of ootton with the cedar
oil and place in the reoeptaoles where
the clothes are stored, being care
ful, however, that it does not come
in contaot with the goods, as it
makes a reddish yellow stain which
is hard to remove.
Before beginning to pack things
thoroughly, olean every closet, war
drobe, etc. ; then use some insect!
cide in every crevice, and if the ar
ticles are properly oleaned, you
need have little fear of insects of
any kind. I have found kerosene
oil and borax both every effioacious.
By the way, be sure to get a sup
ply of borax this spring to sprinkle
in pantries, safes and wherever food
articles are kept thus forestalling
the little ants that are always busy,
you know.
Minnie furnishes us this wees a
thoughtful comparison of an inci
dent in nature with an incident in
human life.
Rubv. who has never written a
dull paragraph for our department,
disousses the topio suggested by Mr.
Parker. Do not forget that the
prize tucker will be awarded May 1st.
Those that wish to compete for it
have little lime to lose.
The two members of our Circle
who were called on to award the
prize offered by Editor Poe for the
best letter for Chat written in Feb
ruary or March, found the task
somewhat troublesome by reason of
the rather indefinite wording of the
announcement of the competition,
'For the best letter" was the phrase
used. Did that mean the most
helpful, the most thoughtful, the
most entertaining, or the best in
style and language? They were un
able to say as to this, but finally
(after examing all letters received
by me in February and March)
agreed that the book should go to
Rebecoa, whose letter was written
March 27th, but was crowded out
of our last issue. In order that our.
readers may know the real name of
the successful competitor, I should
be, glad if Rebecca would give me
permission to publish her namo and
postofQ.ee, if she has no objections ;
this is optional with her.
And by the way, I sometimes
think it would be nioer if more of us
gave our real names. Would it not
add weight to some of the letters?
I speak of the matter now because
tke almost unexceptional use of pen
names may cause some writers to
think this compulsory. The writer
may use his or her own pleasure as
to the matter ; only please do no not
choose very odd or very sentimental
names.
But I must not forget to say that
the editor has sent a copy of ''The
Princess, Maud, and Other Poems,"
by Tennyson, to Rebecca, as the
prize.
I am also authorized to announce
that competion for another book as
a prizs will begin at onoe. The con
ditions as named by Editor Poe are
as follows :
"The book will be given for the
most interesting letter regarding the
South of other days incidents, re
miniscences, sketohes, etc., of life in
the South in slavery days, or in the
Civil War, or in the daya of Recon
struction and the Kuklux. Any
writer can discuss any one or all
three periods. This prize, whioh is
offered by The Progressive Farmer
and not by me personally, is a copy
of Rflv James 5attie AViret
The Old Plantation,' a description,
of ante-bellum life in North Caro
lina ; bound in cloth, zvv pages
The book will not be awarded until
x j- 1 V- J. 1.ii..d V. a anilAAi
at least eigti xontoio uu uo jww.
are reoeivea. .
.ait
Now let the older readers of the
unat. soiuiers uuu owmoio
etc, relate their own memories of
war davs and plantation lips, and
let the younger readers write what
they have heard from me uie w
. . ii .
rkidfti Tiftnnift. wno will dou u
respond? Aunt Jennie.
A LESSON PE01I THE SEASON.
Dear Aunt Jennie: "The wild,
mad Maroh,f ell Winter's disorowned
King," made a furious attempt to
show us that he is not "a child of
spring." He rolled up from the
west a err eat. dark mantle that
W 9
throated to envelop earth and sky
with one great pall of darkness,
fluttering with wind and storm.
But it passed quickly by, leaving
only a trace of snow and the black
ened buds of flowers that were too
tender to withstand the freezing
touoh of his icy hand.
And there are hearts that beat
with high hopes when their young
feet trod the well-worn path to the
old sohool house on the hill, and they
watohed wifch eager eyes the burst
ing of bud and bloom, and -stopped
at times to listen to the mooking
bird's oarol, as he weloomed the com
ing of spring. But ere the sound
seed corn of truth had taken deep
root in those hearts, they were
overspread by the wild and furious
waves of passion and sin, and the
tender blades and buds of promise
were left blaokened, as though Are
had soorohed them. Then the skies
gathered darkness overhead, as
friend, after friend (?) turned the
cold shoulder, and the erring wan
derer sought in vain a resting plaoe
for his weary he&d.
But there is hope for even those.
The Christ who had not where to
lay his head, oalls unto suoh in the
language of the deepest sympathy,
"Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heaw laden, and I will eive
you
rflst" And the am Ch.
tians, too, who are seeking for suoh,
and bidding them weloome to the
feast prepared for the Wedding of
the King's Son. Minnie.
Cumberland Co., N. C.
TO PUT SOUS 0E SPEIRG'S HAPPINESS
INTO LIFE.
Dear Aunt Jennie :
"A soft breeze kissed the expectant
moon, .
A bluebird sang a witohing strain,
A crocus Dioomea : ana spring was
born."
After passing through a long, cold
winter, how sweet are the first flow
ers that bloom, heralding the advent
of spring ! They teach us a lesson,
and remind us of the glorious resur
reotion. With spring's return, let us re-
ceive a new impulse, new vigor, giv
jng ueiier preparation ior me auues
i 1 aj a e ii i
of life.
It is an old teaching, but one
io mma, inai me one wno aoes mai
duty which is nearest at hand, is the
one who accomplishes the most for
the world.
cm, i t
The ordinary duties of life may
seem oommonplace and monotonous
the round of vesterdav. we mav
think, is the round of to day, and
will be the round of to morrow ; and
thus life passes and we have nothing
to show for all our trial and care.
But this is a mistake.
We are plantad amidst these cares,
as seed are planted in the ground,
that we may oome in oontaot with ,
and gain access to, the very mate-
rials necessary for our erowth.
These cares, these common duties
and employments are the very mate
rial out of whioh the web of life is
woven.
There is an attractive side to every
thing. Nothing brings so much
pleasure to its possessor as does the
kftfln HAnsfi nf annrftniatinn, Tt nrtinta
out the beauties of nature that are
all about , gilds the oommonplace,
and emphasizas the joys of life and
of living.
I was foroibly impressed with
Aunt Jennie's letter, telling how to
grow old beautifully. I remember
reading of an old woman whose face
was serene and peaoeful. though
w r cj
trouble had not passed her by.
The Fretful Woman asked her
one day for the secret of her hap
pine8s, and the beautiful old faoe
shone as with a newly risen joy.
"My dear," she said, "1 keep a
Pleasure Book."
"A what?"
" A Pleasure Boob t
la&rned that thera wna , 6J I
u day
contain some ray of pleasure
not
i - v, cinn
Tl R VA TTiadfl ft th hnflinoaa
ft
-oo ui myjii
i m Tsriin nnwn c n 1 1 t i - v.; -n
BV -w xo tmogg wt,,.
mean bo muoh to a woman. I '
. - j omue i i...
school, and a place for every day. t
is but a little thing: the new i,J
the ohat with a friend, the thorn
t I ri c ai 1 1 1
iujimwbw.ww uuouana, a flower
book, a walk in the field, a letter
WUVWIB Ul a U11YD , UUb lb all Oft
into my 'Pleasure Book, and when?
am inolined to fret I have only tg
read a few pages to see what a hapn
woman I am."
I am sure we can all keep a "Plea,
ure Book." And when the oornen
of your mouth are down, and yog
are an unhappy looking creature
elevate your expression. Think ol
the pleasantest thing that ever haj).
penea to you; ne Kindest thing
that was ever done for you ; send out
the most generous, sweetest, most
helpful thoughts to your friends :
then you will be beautiful.
The time for the book prize to b
awarded is fast approaching. A good
book is worth try ing for; "its price
is above rubies."
The letters of Social Chat are be.
coming more interesting. I, iie
Reader, trust there will be no issue
of The Progressive Farmer with
out them, or without one from Aurt
Jennie.
Jennie Acton, let us have your let
ter on that great big subject that U
up for disousssion. Rebecca.
Onslow Co., N. C.
THE 8FBINO AND STJMMEB WABBBOSI
FOB THE FAMILY.
Dear Aunt Jennie : Seeing the
competitors are few as yet for the
"Magic Tuoker," I shall now gfo
my ideas on the summer wardroto.
For themother,a sufficient numk
of neat print wrappers for every day
wear, with a nice blaok skirt and ai
many shirt waists, inoludinga white
pique and silk waist for best, as the
puree will permit.
For the young lady, a cotton jeans
skirt and gingham shirt waists for
every aay; wnite ana aainty coiorea
lawns and organdies, blaok skirt.
silk and ootton shirt waists, with a
liberal supply of stook collars and
ribbons ; belts, gloves and neai; com
fortable shoes, will be a netJh and
appropriate wardrobe for any fwa
sion and may be also a very economi
cal one.
For the little girls' school dresses.
there is nothing neater or with bet
ter wearing qualities than denim
trimmed with white tape. Qing-
Y,rn th, U wilJ lV 8en
the amount of laundering. A large
palmetto hat with a thin, dainty
colored lining shirred on, band, ro
sette and strings of same material,
will be equally as pretty and much
less trouble than bonnets, and muoh
cooler for Sunday wear Whit8
dresses are prettier, and look better
after being laundered than most
colored fabrics; for visiting, cham-
brays, ginghams or prints with white
aprons make a dainty outfit; then
with black slippers and hose the lit
t ick ml as I f rCk tnni t hoH ttti th ft
QOmpl8te wardrobe. if voa add a
l .
pretty, solid color of outing under
skirts for Bohool and every day
wear, whioh do not soil quickly like
hams, chambravs or denim for the
two-year-old, with white pique, dim
niities or lawns for best
or onr mtle school boys, corduroy
pants ana caeviot waists will stana
morQ wear ad tear whiIa f beat
and visiting, crash or linen, percale
and white madras or riaue. v?ith
dark pants, Frenoh gingham and eilk
ties, with palmetto hat for every
day and a nice sailor for Sunday
and we have our little boys provided
for.
I shall not give a list for father
and big brother, as their apparel is
mostly bought ready made.
We must not forget to include a
supply of gingham aprons for mother
and the young ladies to wear when
they are at work A pretty way to
front with shoulder-straps fastened
to band in baok. Then with sleeve
protectors made from old stocking
legs the dress is protected arjd this
saves muoh washing and ironing.
The aprons are really pretty made
with ruffles over the shoulders and
trimmed with white tape.
I have not eriven nriOPS as. of
u"e !?e prlce ofgod8 j68 wib
Toan 7 aoomlete and ,ery
wardrobe for our familv of five for
$25. and of course this could be cut
down to $15 by leaving out some of
the trim miners and extras, whioh are
not really essential, but add to the
beauty of our wardrobe.
Let me say to the busy mother
who does all h9r own work and
with no grown-up daughter to help :
ohiW-lsn.- Mnthi and trim instead
Put fewer tuoks and ruffles on your
with valenciennese lace and the fin
ishing braids. It will save yon
many stitohes, besides giving you
I "u "mo iur ttiJU
nrvi. w n