The National tribune., 1908-09-24

just died, leaving much of her fortune
to various charities, made one beQueS
which makes us think that life with it
tendencies to materialism and contemp
of sentiment had been powerless to de
stroy in her the belief that love is, after
all, the best gift of the gods. In hel
will she stated that she wished $4,000
of her money to be safely invested, ant
the interest divided every year between
two poor but deserving girls who were
about to be married. My desire is
she said, ito make each year two girls
very happy" knowing that her gift II
the hands of girl accustomed to make
a small sum go long way, might give
the young couple Just the start neces-
sary for future success and happiness
Invested at four per cent the $4,000
would yield an interest of $500, and
this divided between the two girls
would give each the nice little sum OF
$500. With $400 a penniless young
couple, armed with nothing but thell
mutual affection to fight the world
could do a great deal. They could fur
nish a little home, put it aside as nest
egg. or start a modest business If neces-
sary This pecuniary help, given at sc
momentous period in their lives, might
change its whole current, and COM
Portable home, healthy and good chill
dren and a dignified and happy career
be the result. Such a start as this would
act as a spur to their ambition, and en-
courage them to live up to the beginning
which it enabled them to make. If the
money is placed in the hands of the
right girls, this bequest of the English
woman will doubtless prove very wise
and beautiful charity.
There is a little town in Massachu-
setts-Carver, it is called-whlch IS
known as the "undertakers' despair,
because nobody ever dies there. 1t is
not quite as free as that from the visits
of the dread messenger, but during 1907
it reported but 19 deaths, and all these
were people over so years of age. Sc
far in 1908 not a single death has oc-
CURED. 1t is entirely too slow place
for the undertakers and doctors. VINO
are moving to more promising spheres
of influence. A year ago there were SIX
undertakers and four physicians in the
town. which now canot boast of single
undertaken and of but two doctors, the
latter having taken UP farming on the
side to kill time and help out their slen-
der incomes. The place has popula-
ton of $500, and proposes to hold on 10
them.
Marcel. the great and only Marcel
has been honored and feted in London
and presented with a casket containing
an Illuminated address of welcome
which he will display with much PRIDE
to his compatricts when he returns to
sunny France. The famous hairdresser
gave a public demonstration OF ms
'swave'' on the occasion of this visit
using his daughter as a subject. The
dapper little old man, standing by the
side of his good-looking daughter, who
had beautiful hair and no mistake
welded the irons, gave the turn OF the
wrist" in which it seems the whole
secret lies, and, To- the most charming
and natural-looking of waves were the
result He claims that his wave VIII
last three weeks. He says he made his
discovery from experimenting with his
mothers hair, which waved naturally
but only on the top. He tried to initiate
this natural wave all around her head
and found after some practice that he
could do so most successfully, and he
then realized that he had struck gold
mine, so to speak. Years ago NJ. Marcel
: retired from business, his waving
having brought him in a handsome for
tune Some of his fair clients would
pay him as much as 1000 francs for a
single waving. AS no woman could
Marcel her own hair, he had things
pretty much his own way when in bust
ness.
The good or evil done by books is
incalculable. Our ideas of life, oul
morals, are largely derived from the
books we read. Writers as genera
thing have quite as much If not more
to do with forming the character of thf
young than the mother or the teacher
In many cases the life of crime could bt
traced to the yellow-covered literature
read at the most impressionable period
of life, when the imagination and fancy
are easily kindled. Ever since people
began to write books have been power
be reckoned with, arraying them
selves on one side or the other of al
the great questions. The books tina
have helped humanity are numberless
and their writers almost as the sand
of the sea. Among these no writer o.
the present day deserves higher place
than James Whitcomb Riley, whose
clear, clarion note of optimism, simple
faith, charity and love Of fellowmaI
rings out true and strong from hi
verses We are indebted to the abl'
pen Of James B. Morrow for much in
teresting information concerning thi
poet. Mr.. Riley, who was born a
Greenfield, Ind, is now Sc years old
In appearance he is refined and intel
lectual-looking, slender as 20 figure an'
immaculate always as to dress. lookin,
very trim in his usual costume of gra.
clothes, white vest, harmonizing tie AM
of flowers, and almost invariably wear
one pinned on his coat. Mr.. Riley is
bachelor, and lives with some oil
friends. his brother-in-law, who is
banker taking care of his money, TO
Mr.. Riley is the proverbial poet whel
II comes to money, and knows jus
about as well how to take care of 1t a
q child would. Arithmetic he frankl
admits was never one of his stron
points, and even now he makes no at
tempt to count his change after pur
chase. He simply pockets what is give
back to him, thankful to receive eve
a few pennies. Mr.. Riley is very pre-
else, orderly and deliberate about every
thing. He leaves his home at a certai
hour every day, goes to the florists fo
his boutonniere then TO the same littl
shop he has patronized for years for h
tobacco, then to the old hotel, whel
once lived several of his best friend
where ne walks thru the Office, readin
room and corridor, finally turning up ;
his publishers. And they do say in Ii
dianapolis, where the poet lives, that
any part CT this daily program wei
changed or omitted Mr.. Riley wou
undoubtedly lose his way and have
hire a boy to land him at his destin;
tion.
OF course, no one ever goes to Cor
ireland, without visiting the little vi
lage of Blarney, only four miles to Il
northwest, to see the ancient castle ar
kiss the blarney stone. The old cast
a very picturesque ruin, stands in
grove and the famous stone-well, 1t {
depends upon the visitor where tn
stone is. The real, true and only ori
II f.s... IT, lit.