Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-04

the sans culottes of the language. In the
near future the dictionary which contains
the fewest words will rank far above the
big dictionaries. A dictionary into which
only words of Enthusiastically good char
acter and lineage are admitted would be
] much more useful to the conscientious
| author than the big dictionaries can ever
be. Bigness does not invariably consti-
tute merit. A failure to perceive this fact
| has led New York to imagine that build
ings forty-one stories in height are noble
! architectural works, instead of hideous
| warts on the face of this great city"
! ~ x *#
I've got three brothers and myself -
said six-year-old boy one day last week
to male caller at his home in the north
| western section of the city. during little
| talk about playmates. toys and boon CON-
panions, The caller was bosom friend
| of the youngsters father and was waiting
| for the latter to Join him on a trip down
| town.
-Four boys. eh?' commented the faith
er's friend.
Yes. Tom. that's me. Jim an Fred an
Lou. Girls might be all right; like EN-
| too. most of the time. but they're sassy
and always afraid of getting hurt. Can't
| play ball. nor shoot marbles. and the only
thing some of 'em can do is skate pratt
| tied the boy.
so you don't think you'd like to have a
| sister,"
Nope" replied Tom after a pause.
| but suppose the Lord gave you sister,
you would have to have her, wouldn't
your"
| Tom looked about the room for several
moments and then casting his big eyes on
| his inquisitor in frightened sort of way,
\ suddenly darted out of the room and made
| for the stairway. Where are you going,
| boy?" called the man.
ITO the nursery came the reply as
Toms legs carried him as fast as they
| could I'D the stairs. In about ten minutes
placid, and. placing himself squarely be-
| fore the man, hesitated moment. Mr..
| Smith. me and the boys don't want a
sister," he said.
But, suppose God had just left one
| here for you. what them"
well. 1 wouldn't a-been her, Fred
wouldn't a-been her. Lou wouldn't a-been
| her and Jim wouldn't a-been her. Now,
who'd a-been her?''
X K Z; x x
1.-THE yuletide season. says southern
editor, lis time of special favor to our
rural brothers; that is, it is the time the
readers of the country newspapers in that
section seem to remember their local edi-
tors in very impressive way"
From the 18th of December to the 10th
of January nearly every editor of a
southern weekly has to make glowing
acknowledgement in his local column OF
various and sundry choice articles for
his table, such as sugar cane syrup, large
potatoes, fresh country sausage and even
turkeys, received from some one of the
subscribers of his paper. Some thought
full farmer friend when he starts for his
Loco r1r1fr rot wit
cotton to sell often makes it convenient
to fill box of choice edibles for the town
editor, and the next issue of the - News
will contain this acknowledgements:
Thanks to Uncle Nellie Nixon of beat
No, IL for box of table comforts. Col
Nixon is one of the best farmers in his
section; may his shadow never grow less
A glance at some one of a recent back
issue of the News will reveal the follow
ing personal notice: Miss Sallie Nixon
of beat No. II, one of the most beautiful
and accomplished young ladies of Nor
gan county, is visiting Miss Emma
Davenport this week"
These substantial membranes from
the country folks to the rural editor are
not in payment for the subscription price
Of his paper, not by any means. they
are generally free gifts in recognition of
the hard lines in the life of the average
rural editor and for his kindly personal
notice of some female member of the
family.
The EDITORS sanctum of nearly all OF
the country publications in the south at
this season of the year contains samples
of farm and garden luXurieS, and there
may be small crate of quail and even
@ specimen of a hound puppy for the
amusement of the editors children.
But with all his nice things from an
admiring constituency there is one article
of home consumption that country edi-
tor in the south must get the best he can,
and that is a jug of moonshine whisky
the line is drawn on that only.
X * X x \
"Billboards may be a horrible blot on
civic beauty" said a well-known business
man the other day, but they have their
uses
"Impossibler' said a Disguised artist.
'Impossible"'
But tell you they have their benefits"
insisted the man. 81 know it,
"Oh, 1 don't see how said the dis
gruntled artist, recalling memories of
many wars waged by his colleagues and
civic improvement societies on the bill
board.
Il got my elementary education from
them said the business man. Il learned
the alphabet from them"
well, of all things" said the artist.
Yes. when L was a small tad. i used to
drive about the city good deal with my
father, who was a physician. / used to
love 10 Hollow the sign DoardS. especially
the illustrated ones. By studying them
closely, 1 learned my letters and would
spell out the words.
lone evening father said Bob must be-
gin to think about going to school. / said
why, father, why should l go to school?
/ can read / ran and got a newspaper
and read one of the long stories before re-
ceiving any comments. OF course my pro-
nunciation would never have won me
blue ribbon in a reading match; in fact,
guess, from all / can learn SINCE it was
pretty awful. But could read, and that's
why / say I got my first start in educa-
ton from the billboards."
Free electricity travels at the same rate
as light-1S6OOO miles a second. Through
wire, only 5000 miles a second.