Newspaper Page Text
I
FOURTH PAGE
THE SUNNY SOI
APRIL it. 1903
Luther’s LucKy
By ELLIOT WALKER.
ttUEADS, I ask her; tails, I don't.”
*1 Luther flipped his old penny in the
air and caught it deftly in its downward
flight. He gazed at his closed fist In
some trepidation, then opened it cau-
tously.
“Gosh! it’s heads,” he cried. “I was
hoping it might be tails."
But the die was cast. It was Luther's
habit thus to leave matters of moment
to the decision of his lucky penny.
He thrust the coin in liis pocket and
went on brushing his hair. ■
“Heads,” he whispered gloomily.
“Heads.”
The prospects of Luther CTTubb—finan
cial, not matrimonial—were good. Had
r.ot Uncle Bildad considerately, if unex
pectedly, died and left him the farm?
While Bildad Chubb had lived and
Luther lived with him in the rather
ambiguous relation of favorite nephew
and hardest-worked hired man, the
charms of Myrtle Gillett had seemed an
all-sufficient desideratum for future
hopes in Luther's view of eventful matri
mony.
Miss Gillett was plump hnd possessed
of some facial beauty, together with
rharacterictics oT indepedence' and hust
ling ability. And she favored Luther.
But with the accession of worldly re
sources came hesitation on the part of
Luther, and from Myrtle a letter of most
sympathetic condolence and unmistakable
personal interest.
Luther had involved himself by no
proposition. Undoubtedly he could do
better. Still, people expected it. His at
tentions had been regular, if not serious,
end, after all, it would pain him to lose
Myrtle. She had admrers.
Only that morning old Miss Cope had
waylaid him in the postoffice.
"1 s'pose soon ez the sod sets you'll
silence, “do you think—”
“Yes. Luther.”
“Think that ‘marriage is a Ipttery?’ ”
Miss Gillett faced about in the gather
ing dusk.
"I—don't—know,” in a queer tone.
Chubb laughed.-
“Neither do I,” he said. "Don’t know
what to think. Maybe I wouldn't mind
taking a clyince. I suppose I’ll come to
it some time. Not ’specially anxious,
though.”
In the dark he could not see the girl’s
eyes.
“I'm fixed to do about as I please
now.” went on Luther. "But you and I
are old friends, and people sort of expect
it, you know. Folks don’t want you to
move away. Say, Myrtie. suppose I flip
up my lucky penny—heads, we get mar
ried; tai's. we don't. Eh?”
"All right,” said the girl, quickly: “go
ahead.”
Luther chuckled.
"Guess I’ll end her misery,” he thought,
feeling a sudden sense of shame, and he
carefully adjusted the coin in his hand,
heads up, with a cautious finger. A quick
pretense of tossing, a catching slap.
“I’ll hare to strike a match,” observe
Chubb coolly. “Now'”
Holding the light hi his left hand, he
peered in apparent anxiety into his right
palm.
“Heads.” he whispered merrily. “Dor£t
say yen ain't lucky, Myrtie.”
Turning to draw her to him. he met a
fierce push, and fell back in amazement.
“Lucky! I wouldn’t marry you if you
were the last man on earth. Lucky! Yes,
1 am, to have found you out! Take your
hat. Luth *r Chubb, and go home, and
don't you dare to ever speak to me
again. Go!”
"Why—why—” gasped the discomfited
lover, “I thought—”
But the a oman was past hint and in-
Leaves From An Old Scrap Boot
^ Edited By a Georgia Colonel ^
Half the girl’s face was in the slime, but she never let go.
start keepin’ house. Wall. Mvrtie Gil-
ett's a nice gal fer ye’ Luther,” she.
said noisily, right before Mrs._Bayley and
Widow Swett.
What could he say? He had shaken
his head deprecalingly and mumbled,
something to the effect that it was no
such tiling.” The gossips had laughed
knowingly and nudged, one another.
Myrtle’s letter had smacked of owner
ship. In two places be could have sworn
she had written "our” is referring to the
farm, and afterward prefixed a "y.”
s idea, which had soared tem-
R -ivily above the Gillett connection,
iame down with rapidity. He guessed
there was no other way. His lucky pen
ny had settled it. He would impi ess
upon Myrtle and her mother one fact,
however. Luther Chubb, the proprietor
of Blackbird farm, was now a person of
importance, and they might consider
themselves fortunate in acquiring him.
Albeit somewhat cheered by this re
solve. he spatted his hair viciously and
prepared to set out for Gillett s, a mile
down the road.
The sun was behind tile hills when he
tramped up the grass-grown path and
beheld Myrtle seated in the wide porch -
a fair picture in her white dress, with the
fading light softening her strong fea
tures.
“Why, Luther Chubb, who’d have
thought of you coming over tonight?”
she greeted in feigned Astonishment.
“Kind of felt like it,” responded Lu
ther. with equal mendacity. “Knew you
wouldn’t expect me.”
The girl made room for him beside her.
The clasp of her warm hand seemed to
her caller of unusual heartiness. He sat
stiffly.
“How’s your mother?”
“She’s well.”
“How's your father?”
“Oh. pretty fair for him.”
"Ain’t getting along very well lately, I
hear. Ton bad.”
“Well, the old place isn't what it was,
you know. Luther. Hope we won't have
to pick up and move over to Fernside.
He’s talking of it.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Why not?”
Myrtle edged a little nearer.
"That is—no use of your going, I guess.”
Miss Gillett sighed softly and looked
down.
“Thinks I'm easy,” reflected Luther.
“I guess I'll make her feel it's some ob
ligation.”
side, angrily slamming the door and
locking it.
Luther rose, dazed and overwhelmed.
Slowly he walked across the road, climbed
the fence and trod on through the high,
wet grass, oblivious to the fact that he
was wearing his new shoes.
The glamor of wealth had departed from
him. lie was no longer the prosperous,
envied heir of Uncle Bildad, the man
upon, whom fortune had so richly, smiled.
He was only the country boy who had
thought every night for two years of
Myrtle Gillett—every night until that fate
ful one when his uncle died, and his head
had been turned.
“Mj rtie—why, of course, there could be
no other—never has been. Without her—
Luther gre aned and stumbled on, hating
himself and cursing. .vunk
Funny? Yes, very. M hat was he think
in got? Oh, he was not to be overridden by
any woman. The Gilletts were to be
shown that he was different now. r lhey
were poor. He was rich. He intended to
have them all see the difference. Myrtle
had always been quick of comprehension.
Surely there was no reason for breaking
out like that, not even giving him a
chance to explain. Didn't she tell him to
„ n ahead? Who ever supposed good-hu
mored, fun-loving Myrtle Gillett couldn t
take a joke? Now, he had lost her—lost
How dark it was in the woods. What.
Was he stepping in water? Yes, and
mud—mud. He must have strayed into
Dyer’s swamp. If he should get into
one of those mires?
Luther plunged wildly about, feeling
for firmer ground, and becoming moie
and more confused. That was the way
no—this.
“Help!”
The frightened cry pealed out in the
gloom. Going down, .down. Now he
screamed, knowing what it meant. Gil-
lett's cow had gone in the same way.
His struggles and cries were growing
fainter. The mud slowly came up to his
chest. It hurt him to breathe. If Myrtle
could only know he was sorry.
Almost unconscious with horror and
weakness, his breath nearly gone, he wail
ed feeble, “Myrtie, Myrtie! O-h-h, Myr
tie!”
“There he is. father! Hurry! for heav
en's sake, hurry!”
“Where, girl? Where?
“Yonder! Just his head! The rope,
quick! Around my waist, so.
Throw in
Innocently.
"Myrtie,” he began, after a moment of
He tapped with his foot and whispered | some brush fora footing. Now! Hold this
lantern, mother!”
An oozy, pushing slide, a gleam of white
arms in the flickering light.
‘‘I've got him! Pull! both of you! ’
Half the girl's was in the slime, but
she never let go. Slowly the forlorn ob
jects were dragged to the little line of
turf; than up and back to safety.
“Come!” said old Gillett huskily, gath
ering up the rope and lanterns, "let's get
out o' this. Can you walk, boy? That's it,
lean on Myrtie. Good thing she heard
you holler, and routed us out!"
As they turned, Luther thrust a clam
my hand in his pocket, extracted his fist
with difficulty and threw something from
him with a gesture of disgust. It struck
with a spat in the very place which had
so nearly terminated his earthly career.
“What's that?" asked Mrs. Gillett.
“My lucky penny,” replied Luther, with
some strength in his tone.
"I wonder if it fell ‘heads' or 'tails,
laughed Myrtle, squeezing his arm.
Dr. Shoop’s
Rheumatic Cure
Costs Nothing If It Fails,
Any honest person who suffers from
Rheumatism is welcome to this offer.
I am a specialist in Rheumatism, and
have treated more .cases than any other
physician, I think. Fo r .1 years I made
2,000 experim“nts with .lilferent di ugs,
testing all known lemedies while search
ing the world for something better. Nine
years ago I found a costly chemical in
Germany which, with ny previous dis
coveries. gives me a certain cure.
I don't mean that It can turn bony joints
into flesh again; but it can cure the dis
ease at any stage, .completely and for
ever. I have done it fully 100.000 eraes.
I know this so well that I will furnish
my remedy on trial. Simply write me a
postal for my book on Rheumatism, and
I will mail you an order on your di ug-
gist for six bottles Dr. Shoop’s Rheumatic
Cure Take it for a month at my risk.
If It succeeds, the cost is only $5.50. If
it fails, I will pay the druggist myseif—
and your mere word shall decide it.
I mean that exactly. If you say the re
sults are not what I claim. T don't expect
a penny from you.
I have no samples. Anv mere samples
hat can affect chronic Rheumatism must
ae drugged to the verge of danger 1 use
ao such drugs, and it is folly to take
them. You must get the disease out of
the blood.
My remedy does that even in the most
difficult, obstinate cases. It has cured
the oldest eases that I ever met. And In
all my experience—in all my 2,000 tests—
1 never found another remedy that would
ur° one chronic case in ten.
Write me and I will send you the o»-der.
Try my remedy for a month, as it can’t
harm you anyway. If it falls it is free.
Address Dr. Shoop, Box 901, Racine,
WIs. .. .
•Mild cases, not chronic, are often
cured by one or two bottled At all drug*
data.
Venus’ Looking Glass.
I marked where lovely Venus and her
court
With song and dance and merry laugh
went by;
Weightless, their wingless feet seemed
made to fly,
Bound from the ground and *n mid air
to sport.
Left far behind, I heard the dolphins
snort.
Tracking their goddess with a wistful
eye.
Around whose head white doves rose,
wheeling high
Or low, and cooed after their tender
sort.
All this I saw in spring. Through sum
mer heat
I saw the lovely Queen of Love no
more.
But when flushed autumn through the
woodlands went
spied sweet Venus walk amid the
wheat;
Whom seeing, every harvester gave
o’er
His toil, and laughed and hoped and
was content.
—CHRISTINA ROSSETTI.
O NE of the best of the old war poems
that have been lost sight of was
written by Ralph Gower in The
New York News. The beautiful and
touching poem. appearing during the war
as follows:
The Rebel’s Widow.
Belated on a strange'road, I encountered
a servant and was by him conducted to
the dwelling of his mistress, a small log
tenement once occupied by negroes'. She
was the widow of a confederate officer
who, with her two sons, fell in defense of
their native state. A detachment of fed-
erals encamped in the vicinity, and her
home was burned by order of their com
mander. The next day I found the black
ened ruins of the house already half
covered by the luxuriant vegetation of the
climate,
Away, away, triumphant Spring, ,
Why beauteous dost thou linger here?
Thy scented songs of joy to ring
In childless widow’s wretched ear?
If golden jessamine’s mellow breath
Would raise my darlings from their bier.
How would I watch the swelling sheath,
Impatient, thrilleVl with hope and fear.
When honeysuckles charm the air,
And hyacinths raise their purple heads.
Vain, vain the power these sweets declare,
You cannot give me back my dead.
Nor Summer, with thy gorgeous ray.
Shine on the land that cannot smile.
Sole empress of the buyiing day.
At night by softest dews beguiled.
i
The bursting rose’s crimson heart
Unfurls our battle flag again.
Or scattered 'minds me of my best
Dear blood that flowed and flowed in
vain.
Wave not the ruthless passion flower
High on the ruined walls of home.
Nor bid the bright crape myrtle shower
Where calling on their names I roam.
Rich Autumn, thou const not desire
To rest where grape nor yellow field
Can fill thy chilling veins with fire
Or plenty to thy sickle yield.
Thy red and russet garlands pain
The eyes that but behold despair;
No more they glad the loving train
Were wont thy luscious gifts to share.
When nuts are falling on the ground.
The deer and squirrel through them race,
No cheery horn or yelping hound
Wake in the lonely woods the chase.
Come Winter winds that wailing rare.
Bring mourning skies and kindly snow,
To heap above my lost ones' graves.
The only fanes they yet may know.
RALPH GOWER.
Some Ammunition Statistics.
The following statstics wore furnished
near the close of the war and published in
many of the old war newspapers:
Colonel Duff, chief of artillery of the
army of Major General Grant, has furn
ished the following statement of the
whole number of cannon shots fired dur
ing the campaign, commencing with the
affair at Port Gibson, on the Mississippi,
and ending with the capitulation of Vicks
burg:.
“From the time of crossing the Missis
sippi river. May 1. till the surrender, July
4. 18,889 solid shot. 62.314 shell. 17.897 case,
2.723 canister, were expended, making a
total of 141.823. They were used in the
several engagements as follows: .3,960 at
Port Hudson. 82 in the pursuit frogi Port
Gibson. 620 at Raymond, 476 at Jackson,
3.442 at Champion Hill. 1,297 at Big Black
riyer, 9.59S on the 10th of May (nearly the
first day of the siege), iso,754 on " the 22'd
of May, and 117.814 during the remainder
of the siege, an average of 653 shots for
each cannon used. These are cannon
shots, the reader will remember. Add to
these the musketry, and some idea may
be formed of the immense amount of am
munition consumed."
Price of War Rations.
People who are complaining about high
prices should read the following, which
was an official order during the war: ,
2. The following prices, Veing the aver
age of late schedules established by com
missioners for the states east of the Mis
sissippi river, with the cost of transporta
tion included, will be charged for sub
sistence stores sold to officers under the
act of February 17, 1864, and amendments,
in Virginia. North Carolina, South Caro
lina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Missis
sippi and east Louisiana, until further or
ders:
Bacon. $2.50 per pound.
Fresh beef, 70 cents per pound.
Flour, $40 per barrel. t
Corn meal. $4.50 per bushel of 60 pounds.
Rice, 30 cents per pound.
Peas. $6.50 per bushel of 60 pounds.
Sugar, $3 per pound.
Coffee, $6 per pound.
Candles. $3.26 per pound.
Soap. $1 per pound.
Vinegar, $2.50 per gallon.
Molasses, $10 per gallon.
Salt. 30 cents per pound.
3. Non-commissioned officers and pri
vates are allowed rations for their own
use, but this privilege does not authorize
the sale or other disposition of hem. If
it is impracticable to use the ration, c«m-
mutation may be drawn in lieu thereof.
By order, S. COOPER,
A. & I. General.
Lee’s Tribute to Cobb.
The following just and beautiful tribute
was paid by General • Lee to General
Thomas R. R. Cobb in a personal letter to
General Howell Cobb:
“Camp Near Fredericksburg. 18th De
cember. 1S63.—General Howell Cobb:
"General—I beg leave to express my deep
sympathy in your great sorrow. Your
noble and gallant brother has met a sol
dier’s death, and God grant that this army
and our country may never be '-ailed upon
again to mourn so great a sacrifice.
“Of his merits, his lofty intellect, his
accomplishments, his professional fame,
and above all his Christian '-haracter, I
need not speak to you who knew him so
ultimately and well. But as a patriot and
soldier, his death has left a deep gap in
the army which his military aptitude
and skill render it hard to fill. In the
battle of Fredericksburg he won an im
mortal name for himself and his brigade.
Hour after hour he held his .position in
front of our batteries, while division after
division of the enemy was hurled against
him. He announced the determination of
himself and his men never to leave their
post until the enemy was beaten, and
with unshaken courage and fortitude he
kept his promise.
“May God give consolation to his afflict
ed family, and may the name and fame
of the Christian statesman and soldier be
cherished as a bright example and holy
remembrance.
“With great esteem.
“Your obedient servant,
“R. E. LEE.”
Lincoln on Colonization.
In view of the movement now on foot
to colonize the negroes in Liberia the
following words from the message of
President Lincoln in 1862 will be read with
considerable interest:
Lincoln says in his message: “Liberia
and Hayti are as yet the only countries to
which colonists of African descent fcum
here could go with certainty of being re
ceived and adopted as citizens; and. I re
gret to say. such persons contemplating
colonization do not seem willing to mi
grate to those countries as to some others;
nor so willing as I think their interests
demand.”
How General Gregg Was Shot.
The’Robel. alluding to '..he way in which
General Gregg was shert^r, the late battle,
said: ‘^General Gregg's horse became un
manageable during the engagement and
ran away with him, carrying him quite
into the yankee lines, when he was shot
in the neck and fell to the earth, where
he lay for some time insensible. The yan-
kees, believing him to have been killed,
cut his spurs from his boots and his sword
from his belt. But our forces subsequent
ly driving the enemy from that portion of
the field, the general was rescued.”
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BUILDING As a Career For Young Men
«CONTINUED FROM SECOND PAGE
one time a seven-story structure was
considered a sky-scraper, and the problem
of putting it up nad to be studied care
fully, and special appliances made. Now,
the same methods which would caj*ry a
building to the fifth story would carry
It without change to any desired height.
"The opportunities are better now than
ever for the contracting builder. More
work is now done than ever before, and
it is the kind of work that requires wid>'r
and deeper knowledge. Buildings, of
course, must be safe, and the contractor
must not only see that his own part ot
the work is safe, but he must also watch
the plans of the architect, who himself
is likely to make a mistake occasionally.
The builder, however, is responsible.
“I think that, on the whole, the chances
in our line of business are good. if. as I
said, the young man is educated, capable
and honest.”
Mr. Lewman says that he knows of no
business which offers more to young men
than contracting. He speaks as follows:
MR. LEWMAN’S VIEWS.
“Contractors are always on the lookout
for capable men to fill positions. It
would-surprise you, in fact, to know how
hard it Is to get men qualified for respon
sible work; men who are capable of tak
ing charge of tihe construction of a
building, and of managing the other men
employed on it.
“We have applications every day trom
engineers and graduates of technical
schools, but we pay little attention to
them because, as a rule, they are not
practical builders; their knowledge is en
tirely theoretical. On the other hand, the
more mechanic is limited in his ability
to plan his work. The combination of
practical builder and engineer is rare—
so rare as to demand a large salary.
“To begin with, a man in the business
of building and contracting must be
quick in his movements, for if he is quick
In his physical makeup, he is apt to be
alert mentally. And it is necessary for
his mind to act quickly. He must figure
the plans for his work carefully and
economically to make a profit. In a
sense, what he does' is merchandise, with
this difference, that it is not already made
up with a price set on it, but he mus.
make his cost price and his profit aLo.
He must know the weight of material,
too, and he must examine the plans of
the architect to see that no mistake has
been made there. If there is a mistake
'and the building collapses, he will be
mixed up unpleasantly in the conse
quences.
“As I said at first, I am inclined to
discount the advantage of technical train
ing, for, somehow, the men who nave, it
seem to have missed the practical ex
perience which must go with it. If I
had a son who expected to go Into this
business. I should send him to a techno
logical school for a few months, and then
give him practical work, alternating me
until the course was finished. Th'e ,
and increased their stock of general in
formation. until they began to get small
jobs of their own.
SALARIES ARE LARGE.
“Salaries are as large, perhaps larger,
in our line of business than in any o! ner
Superintendents are worth at least $126
a month, and $500 is not an unusual price
for a competent man. One man In At
lanta was taken away from us by a
northern firm and given a salary of $10,000
a year. I don't think that many bank
cashiers or professional men earn that
much.
“The chances for salaried men in the
south are particularly good, owing to
our labor system. In the north the la
borer is a white man and an intelligent
white man. He has not worked long at
his trade before promotion is offered him,
and thus the superintendents’ places are
filled from his ranks. In the south the
laborers are negroes; and with their nat
ural incapacity they can never hope to
rise to a responsible position. Conse
quently the contractor has no source to
draw from. The supply of competent em
ployees is scarce, hence they are in de
mand.
“And there is another point in this con
nection which a great many people over
look—the fact that every section b;4; its
local conditions which only a man who
has lived there can understand lully. Not
long ago I employed a man from the
north to take charge of some work in
Louisiana. He undouotedly understood
his business, and he came to me wel»
recommended, but he failed to accom
plish anything on the job 1 gave him,
from the simple fact that he couldn t
adapt his ideas to the peculiar conditions
which prevailed at Baton Rouge, La.
“1 should by all means advise a young
man to go into business for hinise £ a iter
he has had the necessary experience. It
is not essential for him to have capita!
in the beginning, if he sets out with the
determination to work, learn, and perse
vere. Capability, after all, as what counts,
and if a man has it and can show 1-,
there are plenty of firms that will give
him a working interest and ue glad to
do it.
“Competition is keen, of course, and I
don't claim that there is a tremendous
amount of money to be made in the
building business, but 1 don’t know of
anything where there is more room at
the top. Particularly is this true in the
south, where building, one might say, is
in its infancy. You have only to com
pare methods of today with those in
vogue a few years ago to see the advance
which has already been made. Then, if
you look ahead, and compare conditions
which exist today with the still more
improved ones Which must come with
time, you can see that the young man
who steps in now will have a brilliant fu
ture to look forward to.
“The south is developing rapidly along
talk about it for two hours, and yet not
show you all there is in it. I should,
by all means, advise him to follow it, if
he intended to stick to it, learn it, and
apply himself heart and soul."
Mr. Glide believes in technical educa
tion. though he says that it is not abso
lutely necessary. He also speaks of the
scarcity of competent men, and the
bright outlook for Contractors in all parts
cf the country. He says:
MR. GUDE’S VIEWS.
“In the first place, the builder needs
education, and the more of it he has the
better off he is. To begin with, he should
have at least a common school education
to fit his mind to receive a technical
training.
“The latter is a groat thing, though not
absolutely necessary. The young man
who knows a trade, or if he has no trade,
is bright and quick, stands a good show
to learn the business. Such a course,
though, as the technological schools give,
saves him a great deal of time. It
teaches him not only the fundamental
principles of building, but also gives him
a specific and thorough mastery of me
chanical drawing and engineering. He
then needs only the practical experience
which is necessary in everything to take
hold of important work.
“The schools have been blamed by some
people for the incompetence of many of
their graduates, but the fault is not with
the system, but with the boys themselves.
They go there from the country without
even the advantages of a common school
education, and the professors are expect
ed not only to teach them mechanics, but
also the elements of arithmetic and Eng
lish. Naturally they are not fitted in the
beginning to learn anything, and the
course, as far as they are concerned, is a
waste of time.
“But if the student is fairly well edu
cated at the start, and applies himself,
he is at the end of his four years’ course
valuable In a builder's office. In fact, it
is hard to get these young men—they are
applied for even before they graduate.
OFFICE POSITIONS.
“They are (irst given a position in the
office in some clerical capacity, where
they write letters, run errands, or assist
the superintendent on the building. By
gradual stages they are promoted, per
haps to assist the draughtsman or to
superintend smaller jobs. Finally they
become superintendents, with the whole
process of construction under their di
rection.
“If the demand is great for the grad
uate. you can imagine how hard it is to
get hold of competent superintendents. It
is almost impossible to find them, and
necessarily they are worth large salaries.
So, you see. the possiblities for the right
kind of man in a contractor’s office are
extremely alluring.
“The chances are also good if he wishes
to go into busines for himself. Does he
need capital? Not if he is competent and
inspire* confidence. Plenty of men will
risk their money on him if he is worthy.
“I hear a great deal about the prospects
of this or that kind of business compared
with those of a few years back. As far
as building is concerned, and I think this
is true of everything else—the oppor
tunities are no better or no worse now
than in the past, and I don't think that
you would notice much difference one
hundred, years hence. There may be
times of depression, or periods of extreme
activity, but. striking an average, condi
tions remain about the same. Just now
business is good, and successful liri*s
have more than they can attend to.
“.Vs for the south as a field for busi
ness, it is good, but so also is the north
and the west, though I am not well ac
quainted with conditions in the latter
section. The south, if anything, has the
advantage, for it is much less developed
than the others, and, in proportion to
its wealth, is advancing faster. The
young man would at least have as much
chance here as anywhere else.
“Another thing which seems to bother
a great many people is the raising or
lowering of standards in certain lines.
In building, for instances, they wish to
know whether the requirements are any
stricter now than they were twenty years
ago. There is really no essential differ
ence; the fundamental principles are al
ways the same, except that new methods
aio invented, or old ones abandoned, for
carrying them out. There are also changes
in syle, and developments in the arrange
ment' or size of buildings, but the old
in style, and developments in the arrange-
“I would advise a young man.to go into
contracting and building, provided he
likes it. If he works hard and determines
to succeed, there is no possibility of his
failing. But he must rid himself of the
idea that he can succeed in a short time.
Success comes only after years of hard
work and experience."
Picturesque Story of Easter
days. The rule that "Easter day is al
ways the first Sunday after the paschal
new moon" means that the 14th day of
the calendar month, which had been the
ecclesiastical “full moon from the time
of Moses, falls generally on the fif
teenth or sixteenth day of the real moon.
The paschal full moon is that which
comes on. or next after, the 21st of
March, which is the beginning of the
ecclesiastical year. If this happens on a
Sunday, then Easter is the next Sunday
thereafter.
We have seen how deeply the old time
western churches resented the claim of
th eastern churches that the Easter festi
val was the equivalent of the Jewish
Passover, even going so far as to call it
heresy. And right here we come to that
reason already referred to, for this odd
arrangement of the calendar moon, for
the determination of Easter. It was that
the latter might never fall on the same
day as the Pa,ssover. But “the best laid
plans of mice and men oft gang agee,”
and so it has chanced that in spite of the
early fathers of the church, the two fes
tivals have sometimes met.
FIXING OF EASTER.
The Jewish feast is also a movable one,
and it encountered the Christian feast on
the 14th of April, 1805, on the 3d of April,
1825, and again will do so on this present
year, 1903, on the 12th of April. The Jew
ish festival usually comes during Pass-
over or Holy Week, never before the 26th
of March, or after the 25th of April. The
Christian festival is never earlier than
the 22d of March or later than the 25th
of April. Sometimes it happens that Eas
ter come at a different time from what it
would if the “full moon” that determines
its advent were really the visible, as
tronomical full moon. Thus, in 1818
Easter was celebrated on the 22d of
March, the earliest possible day, although
the real moon was full on that day, and
the same thing happened in 1845. Y'et,
according to the ecclesiastical fiction, the
time was in both instances the Sunday
after t'he full moon. The question is
often asked, "Why has Easter always
been celebrated after, and never dur
ing, the calendar ‘full moon?'” The an
swer is this. Because the crucifixion oc
curred at the time of the full moon, and
therefore the resurrection came after, and
neither before nor after this period. On
this one point as to actual time we are
certain.
In the far away ancient times the cele
bration of Easter lasted for eight days,
but after the eleventh century it was re
duced to three, and still later to two
days. Easter was then the favorite time
for performing the rite of baptism. The
courts of justice were closed and all busi
ness came to a pause. Alms were dis
tributed among the poor and sick, who
were even feasted in the churches. This
latter custom, however, gave rise to so
much irreverence that it was finally abol
ished. In those countries where slavery
was practiced, and they were many in
those days, Easter day was the time
chosen for freeing slaves and proclaim
ing pardons to criminals. In fact, mark
ing as it did, not only the most glorious
event in the history of the world, fcut the
end of forty days of gloom and depres
sion, it naturally became a signal for
general rejoicing and gaiety. Popular
sports, dances and farcical exhibitions
became the order of the day. In these
latter the clergy took a prominent part,
reciting and singing from the pulpit le
two until the course was finished. . __ . ,, ,
combined experience would then be more buildings, structures^ o^ al^kmds^are
valuable than either one taken separately.
“Most successful builders, however,
have begun by working at a trade.
While they were working as stone masons
at carpenters, they kept their eyes open,
commercial lines, and is? now regarded
as a business center. Factories, office j gends and songs calculated to excite
mirth and uproariousness. This custom
springing up. It is hardly necessary to
point out what share the contractor will
have in tHls development. ,
“It is a great business, a splendid
chance for the young man; and I could
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CONTINUED FROM SECOND PAGE.
was carried to such an extent that the re
formers of the sixteenth century de
nounced it in such scathing terms that it
soon fell into disrepute, and finally died
out altogether.
On Easter day the people saluted each
other with the kiss of peace, and an ex
change of exclamations, “Christ is risen!”
“He Is risen indeed!” This custom of
“Easter kisses” still obtains throughout
Russia, and as all strictly religious peo
ple deem it their duty to kiss the first
person they meet on Easter morning,
whether high nr low, young or old, some
very comical situations result. The
“great white czar” was one of these strict
observers of the Easter kisses, and the
story is told of an old beggar woman,
who, going out early on one Easter morn
ing to collect kopecs and eatables from
the arms of the great czar, and his beard
ed lips pressed to hers. In her stupefied
astonishment, not unmixed with terror,
she almost forgot to respond to his greet
ing of “Christos voskres" until its cus
tomary third repetition, then at last she
stammered the answer, “Voistinu vosk-
res,” and sank upon her knees, where she
remained until the laughing monarch had
passed out of sight, leaving in her hands
a gold coin such as she had not so much
as seen before. Pcor though she was, she
and her descendants, that coin was never
spent, but still remains a treasured lelic
in the family of "the peasant who was
kissed by the great white czar.”
PRETTY STORY OF FORTITUDE.
The late emperor Nicolas was also a
strict observer of the Easter kissing rule,
“first come, first served,” and so it hap
pened that once upon a time he honored
a common soldier, who, by the way, was
the worse for sundry libations he had in
dulged in, with the touch of his lips.
Then, to the usual Easter greeting, the
czar added a sharp reproof for the dis
grace of his condition and passed on his
way, little realizing that he left behind
him a man who then and there took a
solemn oath that the lips that had been
honored by the kiss of the czar of all the
Russias, should never again be defiled by
the touch of liquor. He kept his oath,
too, and eventually won his way to a
high position in the army.
In many parts of Germany the day was
celebrated by the kindling of bonfires (an
other relic of pagan customs) and other
ceremonies which are still extant, either
in their pristine state or in a modified
form. These old time bonfires can be
traced in the immense “paschal tapers”
which lighted the churches and often
weighed 300 pounds. In the ancient rec
ords of one of the London churches there
is a charge "For a quarter of coles for
the hollowed fire on Easter eve, six
pence.” The explanation of this quaint
item is found in the custom that obtained
for many years in the English churches.
All the fires in all the churches 'ifere put
out on Easter eve, and then were kindled
afresh with flints that had been blessed
upon the altars together with the waxen
paschal tapers, which, as noted above,
were usually very large.
There was a widespread superstition as
to the rekindling of those “hallowed
fires." The blessing and striking fire
from the flint was attended with impos
ing ceremonies, and these were consider
ed to hallow each brand in the burning,
and give it the ijjiwer of guarding its
owner from danger, and especially from
lightning. Therefore as soon as each
stick was fairly ablaze:
“A brande thereof doth every man with
greedie minde take home.
That when the fearewell storme appears,
or tempest black arise.
By lightning this he may be safe from
stroke or hurtful skies.”
An odd feature of the old time Easter
festivities in England was that of “heav
ing.” The villagers formed themselves
into parties of a dozen or more and car
rying a chair decorated with white rib
bons, paraded the streets on Easter Mon
day captured and placed in the chair
every woman they encountered, unless
she chanced to be old or homely. Then
the chair was lifted and heaved to and
fro. This was repeated three times, and
then the usually laughing prisoner was
released on payment of a contribution, a
kiss being the toll exacted. On Easter
Thursday these conditions were reversed,
the women “heaving” the men. whose
contribution were something more sub
stantial.
The “water tilt” was a merry game
that might well he revived on our own
shallow waters, ranking as quite equal
to tub races or similar aquatic sports.
Two tall stakes were driven into the bot
tom of a shallow pond in water not over
3 feet deep. The stakes were placed a?
far apart as the cross piece nailed on
top would permit, the object being to
allow as much space between them as
possible. From the center of this cross
piece was suspended a wooded shield.
The contestants in the tilt entered small
boats, having no boards and provided
only with a long pole or spear. The
boats were left to drift about until
chance brought them in position for a tilt
at the shield. When this moment oame
the water knight stood up and struck
with his spear at the shield. If the spear
broke against the shield, it was consider
ed a good stroke, and the knight was
clapped and cheered. If. on the contrary,
the spear missed the swinging shield, as
it usually did, or remained unbroken, its
owner was certain to lose his balance and
tumble into the water, whence he emerg
ed like a drowned rat, amidst the cheers
and laughter of the onlookers.
The "Easter ball playing" as conducted
In the Romish churches of olden times,
was one of those customs “more honor
ed in the breach than in the observance.”
A large ball was placed upon the altar,
while the highest priest present and his
representatives began an antiphone, a
sacred song sung by two persons respond
ing to each other. The chanting in the
English cathedral service, it may be re
marked in passing, is an imitation of the
ancient antiphone.
EASTER BALL PLAYING.
The dean or priest, taking the ball in
his left hand, and still singing, began a
dance to the tune of the antiphone, tha
other priests dancing around him hand
in hand. At stated intervals the ball
was tossed or “bandied” to a choirister,
who returned it to the dean to be passed
on to another, until each one had tossed
the sacred ball. During this strange
scene the organ was playing in accord
with the dance and antiphone. The lat
ter concluded, refreshments were served
in the church to priests and choiristers.
It was the esteemed privilege of the para
mount priest or lord to throw the ball,
and even the archbishops did not con
sider it beneath their dignity.
In Ireland at the present day great are
the rejoicings over the ending of Lent,
and the coming of the glad Easter tide.
On Easter eve the cottar’s wife puts in
the pot on .the stove “a good fat hen”
and a special cut of bacon, and no one
dares so much as to touch the contents of
the said pot until the cock has crowed on
Easter morning. The stroke of midnight
on Easter eve finds the light-hearted
Irish peasantly assembled in merry con
claves, and it is greeted with clapping of
hands, shouts of joy and laughter and
ciies of “Out you go. old Lent." Until the
clock strikes one. dancing and feasting
are in order, and then every one goes to
rest until 4 o'clock, when they all rush
toward the nearest sheet of water and
fix their eyes upon nature’s mirror. “To
see the sur dance in honor of the resur
rection ”
This latter superstitnon is by no means
confined to the lower classes in Ireland.
Many persons of rank, wealth and educa
tion. even in these modern times have
not hesitated to declare that they have
literally seen the sun dance on Easter
morning.
The modern custom, which is growing
more and more Into favor, of religious
Easter offerings an'd of friendly Easter
gifts, originated in the old time custom
of Easter dues. These dues were com
mutation monies paid to the clergy at
Easter. instead of personal labor or
tithes, which the ecclesiastical law th’n
lequired. The old superstition that to
wear something new on Easter day would
bring good luck is seen today in the cus
tom of appearing on Easter la a aew
gown or bonnet.
