Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-03-12
W. c. +. q. Column.
An Appeal to Activity and Earnest
Effort,

1
comes to my mind as l take up
the pencil: "What ought to be
done can be DONE"
On receiving the proceedings OF
the ninth annual convention of the
Indian Territory, was surprised
to find my name as superintendent
of literature, because of my living
in an isolated district. William
Dean Howell's writing in the
Youths Companion gave me cour-
age by saying that literary merit
need not necessarily be circum-
scribed on account of remote or
obscure places and that fresh orig
inal things were apt to come from
such places and not from literary
centers. Now, my surroundings
according to William Dean are
eminently fitted for a scribbler.
Unfurling a new motto. "better
late than never" l will try to re-
deem lost time.
| will begin by asking some
questions. What books do you
read? You take the papers. Do
you read them when they are TAX
emf A paper is not read unless
every article in it is thoroughly
understood, from current news to
advertisements. Why, sometimes
one can find astonishing things in
these columns-find out that a pa
per creditable in other respects is
not fit to polish window panes on
account of advertisements that
may lead the young astray, or
keep the older ones from reform
ing their ways.
Sisters. what papers do you
take? Of course many we love to
read. A devoted reader used to
be called book worm; now as the
paper almost supersedes the book
We would properly style them
paper-worms
trust YOU take the national or
gan, the Union Signal; if you do
not you are not properly equipped
for the battles with evils in which
we unavoidably come IN hand to
hand struggle as it were; if we have
not already been in one, a bayonet
charge lies in wait for US, and the
Union Signal keeps US from getting
rusty. keeps us with the help of
divine will. bright and shining
and ready for the masters use.
Let US study together for few mo-
ments page ten; if any of you are
90 unfortunate as not to be a sub
scriber, borrow. which is the next
best thing to do; but you will coon
tire of that. and want one of your
own. Memorize the pledge until
il comes 10 you like the Lords
prayer-"I hereby solemnly prom
Use, God helping me to abstain
from all distilled, ferment d and
malt liquors, including wine, beer,
and cider as a beverage and to en-
ploy all proper means to discour-
age the use of and traffic of the
same.
Motto: "For God and Home
and Every Land"
Methods: Agitate, educate. or
ganize.
Departments: Preventive, ed
ucational, evangelis,ic, social and
legal.
Do you take home paper-THE
CHIErTAIS, Brother in Red, Regis
ter or any paper published in :he
Indian Territory? If you do not.
whether you are a citizen, white
leaser from the state, freedman or
intruder, male or female, you need
civilizing. l believe The CHIEF
TAIN is the most widely circulated
in this upper district, claiming pre-
csdent of age, and in a habit OF
turning on the search light" on
dark places and now the cathode
is invented we may expect the in
trepid editor and manager to pur-
chase one and photograph the
heart of evil. The s1.50 you pay
for it will do you and your family
ten times more good than the mon-
ey will do them. If a home pa
per does not suit you, be like chill
dren playing poor pussy wants a
corner"-take the next neighbor.
There seems to be several good pa
pers in the territory; We are not
obliged to take any certain one.
But an editor who is too cowardly
to print small temperance report,
cannot publish paper fit for
white ribboner to recommend. You
haven't got the money to pay for
paper? Then 60 right off and set
a temperance hen, if you live in
the country, dozen chickens will
pay for two good papers. If you
live in town or city, take in sew
ing, a boarder, or give lessons of
some kind, end pass it on to a sis
ter who cannot do these things
read today a report of the W.
c. L. U. of Casey, ILL.,, where fif-
teen years ago an enthusiastic
mother in the temperance cause,
in spirit a crusader, put out her
hands detainingly on my arm and
that of another young lady whose
arm was linked in mine. Girls"
she said "we need you; my sight
is growing dim, my feet almost
failed me this morning; in bad
health;as | am coming only little
way; you are young and strong:
won't you help us?" And there
on the steps of tha. old brick
church was told to me the Christ
like missisn of the Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union. The
abbreviation w. c. T. U. is curt
and unsatisfactory, and don't use
it sisters when you are trying to
make convert. Well, you see we
need not wait till the yearly con-
vention to make a speech; that lit
tie talk is ringing in ny ears yet
ill Ill G;-lct