The National tribune., 1909-06-17

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The late Henry H. Rodgers, the Stand
ard Oil magnate, was man OF many
beautiful charities of which the world
knew nothing. He seemed to. particularly
object to notoriety of this kind, and did
all he could TO keep his good deeds hid
den from the public. 1t is said that ii
was his aim to make his little native
town of Fairhavent.as ideal as possible,
not only in its external appearance. but
in the spirit of it's 5le0ple. He wanted to
make it an abode of beauty and happiness.
His efforts to this last end can never be
half known, but the air is full Of stories
of his quiet. beautiful way of helping
those whose lives were joyless on account
of circumstances, and whose hands were
too feeble to change their lot. II IS said
that several gentle, sweet-faced ladies' OF
middle age living in the town Who were
wholly dependent on relatives, were made
happy by his setting them up in some
small business, and so the stories go, too
numerous to be repeated. 1t now comes
to light that it was Mr.. Rodgers who pro-
vided the means for part OF the educa-
tion of Helen Keller. In recent letter
to the Boston Transcript Miss Keller tells
of her meeting Mr.. Rodgers at the home
of Mr. Lawrence Hutton, in New York,
and of his contributing afterward the
money for her college education. Not
only did he do this, but arranged that n
certain sum of money should be sent to
her each year after graduating. MISS
Keller SAYS that Mr.. Rodgers did it all
in a perfectly impersonal way, and dion I
even like to have her thank him in her
letters He never wanted 1t spoken OF
by her or the few persons who knew Of it.
She was almost afraid to dedicate a little
book she published last year to him, but
she ventured to do SO, and afterward
learned that he was pleased. He always
seemed to find out somehow when she
needed anything and sent it to her, and
always in the most beautiful, delicate way
The little "Orange Bud'' of Holland
made her first real public appearance on
the occasion Of her christening the other
day when, altho not apparently caring a
button for the whole outfit, she behaved
admirably, and Queen Wilhelmina and
the royai consort stood around beaming
with pride and pleasure. Most OF the
little lady,s time is still spent in the royal
cradle, which we are told is the some one
her mamma slept in, and which is not
particularly grand. But if it is grand
cradles we are talking about, that used
by the Queen of Italy for her numerous
offspring is well worth mentioning. 1t Is
by the father, the Prince Of Montenegro;
The cradle has the arms OF Italy and
Montenegro carved on the top, and a
laughing cupid on the bottom. It weighs
over 40 pounds, and cost $4,000. which
was a good deal of money fcr Nicholas
of the plain, simple life to pay out: An
other very grand royal cradle was the one
in which the Empress Eugene rocked ine
little Prince Imperial, who later lost his
life in Africa. This cradle Is made of
rosewood, beautifully inlaid, and orna,
mented with garlands in old silver and am,
bronze. At the head Is a statue OF Old
Paris, holding the imperial crown. The
city presented 1t to the Empress Just be-
fore the birth of the Prince, and she gave
Il back to the civic authorities Jew
years ago.
Now that the Summer nights GRE up
on us the wall OF the apartment-house
dweller Is heard in the land. For at
this season, when doors and windows
re necessarily open, the girl who thinks
she can sing, but can't: she VINO lmag.
ines she can charm the savage breast
by her PLAYING, but who labors under
the greatest of delusions IN so thinking,
or the wretched possessor of phono-
graph. usually start in about or 10
o'clock to make night hideous, and keep
IL up till after r. For those who find
a mild form Of torture in such music,
and who object to being kept from sleep
after retiring, this sort OF thing is a
real trial from which there seemed 10
be no escape, since any appeal to the
manager or proprietor of the building
is invariably met by the remark that II
the building it too noisy the protester
had better go somewhere else. A cham
pion for these poor, helpless victims
has at last arisen, and st. Louis is about
to establish a precedent which 1t is
hoped the other cities will follow. A
curfew law is being drafted by the City
Attorney of st. Louis, by means of
which ali apartment-house music must
stop at 10 o'clock, and not begin again
till in the morning under penalty of
a good, fat fine. 1t seems such law
has been in existence in London, Berlin,
Paris and other large European cities
for several years. There has certainly
been a crying need for such a law, 10!
these many years. and It Is hoped that
the end of this nuisance is in sight.
The principal of one Of the most
fashionable girls schools in the country
has had the courage to rise up in her
principals chair and say that no girl
who wears false curls, puffs or the tre-
mendous rolls which stick the hair out
about foot from the face, changing a
prettily-shaped head into one of gro
tesque appearance, shall take part in
the commencement exercises this year
or receive diploma. The girls are in
state of mind over this mandate, for
most Of them have invested in new
curls or puffs for the occasion, and
everyone knows that three really nice
curls or puffs cost as much as SIS. If
the stand taken by this principal could
break up this hideous fashion, and give
US back the sweet simplicity of a few
years back, all would give her the most
cordial support; but, while she may sue
ceed in showing lot of nice, "sweet
girl graduates" this year with heads of
ordinary size and no sign of a curl,
puff or roll. as soon as those girls leave
the platform they will get into their
false hair again before she or anyone
else can say Jack Robinson. For how
can they wear their hats without It?
Death of Col. Healy.
Col John q Healv died at New EJo