The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-11-25
Bab's Bright Babble

III some lonely corner bitter, cynical
man bids goodby to the world, for he
has found nothing sweet in it, while
among party Of gay companions a hand
some woman surprises them all by the
shot Of pistol because there have been
100 much life, too much love and too
much so-called happiness in her career.
| Did you ever sit down and think out
the terrible fate Of the Hapsburgs? What
a doomed family they seem! From the
days OF Marie Antoinette, who walked
80 proudly to the guillotine, there seems
and sorrow. The fair-haired Marie An
lonefte saw her son and heir beaten,
Starved and ill-treated by a rough taller
ti!l the tears no longer flowed down her
lace. She could no longer weep and
when tears are taken from a woman sure
~ her last refuge il gone.
the house of the Hapsburgs, saw yery
| young son kill himself simply because the
morbid line of heredity was stronger
than he could bear And vet he was
only Ii years old! Justly he feared the
future. Then girl of II was murdered.
a pretty, dainty rosebud to whom even
NE was envied. Afterward there was
mat most awful death of the son and
her, the death of the gay and joyous
| hudolph, who, seeming like his brother,
| 10 look into the future. murdered the
woman he loved and then killed him
sell. This was at the supper table. the
gay, festive board where each was drink
! ing the health OF the other and from
| winch someone had to carry the news to
| mat lonely mother. She had grown lone
" by this time. Gradually her children
mad been taken from her by the dagger
or the pistol, and she wandered over the
race OF the earth, finding no pIace to
rest. Always the word "murder seemed
| 10 hang, like the sword of Damocles, over
| her head. ''''
beautiful sister. the Duchesse d'AIencon
one VINO was eager to help the poor, and
| beautiful in her desire to offer bread ia
| tnose who lacked it. She was caught by
the whlriing, pitiless wind of fire that
IN taking away her sweet breath was
body unbeautiful.
80 they all went, and Nine. la Dpch-
esSe, as the Empress preferred to be
calied, since she could hide herself under
Inat name. sought refuge i'll England and
ireland. She was followed here. there
and everywhere by the friends who loved
ner pest ana who spoke words Of consola-
t tiot' as wen as ty those dumb friends
! 'hat, when she was told that she must
no longer ride, since some bitter bastard
might take her life from her. would come
TO her and eat Jumps of sugar from the
DAINTY hand that never hurt. but ALWAYS
dld good. One who saw it said that there
was never more beautiful picture than
that OF the Empress of Austria. surround
ed by her favorite pets. each gently push
ing the other III Its eagerness to get near
| est 10 her or to gain from her the bits of
sugar that were held out and she, like
a child: expecting the loving looks as
thanks In return.
And now she has gone away. The
great cathedral bells toll the masses for
the dead, and those to whom she has
been friend raise their hats and honor
her by that great silence only given to
the dead. Here she lies, magnificent in
death, and yet in death she and you and
l are all equal. TO her, to you and to
me there can only be said "Au revoir''
because of that certainty that we will
| meet again.
Ihlnk OF the going home. Think of
the Empress. and then think of the SOL
der boy: There is no great difference.
DO you remember going home after a
| pleasant party: The day over you reach
the time to- say laughing 'Goodby''
| DO you remember the time when a
nificent colors used by the great Master
to achieve the wonders Of the world. Ut
tered the somewhat awed ''(;oodby? -
And yet there come into everyday life
situations that are quite as wonderful
and they all lead to the going home. Just
today there is young and pretty girl in
one of the rough, everyday cars that fly
| over the great mountains carrying home
hundreds of soldier boys. some dead,
some wounded and some so happy be-
cause they are going home. There is an
accident. The whole train is delayed for
four hours. A young boy goes through
! the car begging. not Tor money. not for
whisky. but for quinine. the health-giving
bark that will bring strength as he ex-
plains, ''to that other fellow that l am
taking home to his mother" When there
is: an opportunity, my pretty girl takes
her quinine to the dusty, wounded soldier
boy and finds him gasping. signing. worD
out and almost dead. The quinine is
quickly given, and then. with the dainti-
ness of gentlewoman. a fine handker-
chief is dipped in a cup of water. and the
soldiers face is freshened up, while his
hair is made to look little more like that
of human being. There they stand. the
pretty maiden and the boy. for he is only
that, who a few months ago started out to
fight for his country. Like you and like
me. he had an opinion. and he announced
| it:
You see miss. until l really and
truly got to know all about it l didn't
dream as how this here war was what
Il war really and rightly is. But. my
God. the first man l killed-why. I
felt as if God and his angels and the
devil and all his imps was saying. Tim.
what right have you t" take an eternal
| gave you the right to kill when you
can't create? And now. miss. there amt
no more war for me. 1t amt that I'm 4
coward-Id like to see the man that says
so-but l believe in what they call by
that there long word-yes-no. it isn't pro-
cession-you've got it: it's arbitration.
And. as l understand it. it's the coming
together of the best and the wiSest men
from the different countries and letting
them decide how things ought to be man
aged and how it is best for this part of
| the country to be ruled in such way
and that part of the country to be gov
crned in another. You see it is only nat
ural for dago to jerk out his knife.
while. a cool. calm Swede would behave
60 consider climates and the dispositions
| of people. That is what l call arbitration.
and I'm glad. miss, as how you agree
| with me, and II never be III any war
again, no matter who it is for or what it
is for. No. stree! I'm going home to
and, begging your pardon. miss. there's
girl that l has took 4 mighty liking to,
and l think about the end of the year
they'll all be making quilts around the
neighborhood. and she and I will dance
the Virginia reel to the tune of Love
Makes the World Go Round Goodby.
miss. You've been mighty good to me.
and am very much obliged to you. and
I only hope that there will never be a
time in your life when you'll need quiz
nine."
Aren't you glad this cruel war is over?
l do believr all of us are glad. men. wom-
en- and children. We rheered the soldiers
as they marched out so gayly. but there
are not quite so many cheers as each regi-
uent returns. Some of those who have
come back tell their little children of the
wonders of war and the marvels of the
strange country where they have been. but
there are those who don't come back to
tell of the glory of the war and Its story
those who are martyrized. Thank God
that women do make martyrs of men
when they are dead! It's soft spot in
tho heart Of aa,.h woman that makes M