The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-02-01

as the second month of the year. 1t
was then the custom, whenever an
extra day was needed in any year, to |
pry Feb. 23rd and Feb. Gath apart and |
insert the extra diem. When the year
was again made to begin with March,
February again became the last
month. Then J. Caesar tried his
hand at recognizing Papa Time, and,
as usual, February got the worst of it,
being awarded only twenty-nine days
except in Old Maids Year, when it
had thirty Augustus, becoming peev
ed because the month named after
him had only thirty days, while that
named for julius had thirty-one, then
Topped off another day from Febru-
airy and added it to August
February derives its name from
the word februus, meaning cleansing,
or publication. Its birthday stone is
the amethyst, and its flower is the
Camellia japonica. Astrologically
the first nineteen days of the month
come under the sign of Aquarius,
which is described as an air sign,
"hot, sanguine and humane" This
sign, says the dope books, rules the
legs and ankles. Today is a good day
to order new gowns and to buy house
hold furniture-especially if you read
the ads.
February is the month of harvest
in many countries. In Chile and Ar
gentina the reapers are in the fields,
while harvesting will begin this
month in Upper Egypt and India and
will continue through March.
Thirteen years ago today the Uni
ted States flag was hoisted over the
island of Guam, in the Ladrone Arch
ipelago, about 900 miles from Manila,
In that brief period Uncle Sans be-
nevolent assimilation has worked so
we'll that nine of every ten of the ma
ture islanders can read and write.
: Spanish continues to be the prevail
a ing language, although an attempt is
70 now being made to introduce the Uni
e. ted States tongue. Fruits, rice, corn
e tobacco and sugar cane are the princi
pal products.
n Russia is today celebrating the fiji
& ty-first anniversary of the appoint
le ment of the Imperial Commission to
lie free the serfs. Before their enamel
IL patton nearly 100000 of the chill
rs dren of the Great White Gear were
a bound to the soil-chattels who pass
m ed from master to master Although
h progress has necessarily been SLOW
among those for centuries unused t.
freedom, millions of the former slave
or their descendants now own tn
land which formerly owned them.
Today is St Bridget's Day. Unlik
many of her namesakes of today, 81
A Bridget was wealthy family of roy
al blood. but she devoted her life t
works of piety and service to tn
=, poor
al Among today's birthday annivers;
~ ries are those of Sir Edward Coke, tn
ip great English iurist. 1852; Commodor
David Porter, 1880; George F. Et
&C. munds. 1928; John Phillip Kemble, tn
es- actor. 1887: Victor Herbert, compo
ey er, 1859; Henry Miller, actor, 1866
III Caleb Powers, who graduated from
Use Kentucky jail into Congress, 1869 ar
ca Gertrude Coghlan, actress, 1877
'rk Thomas w. Cobb, United States Sc
by ator from Georgia, died ON this da
gh- in 1870. Mary Wollstonecraft ShelIe
ny second wife of the poet Shelley al
author of several novels, died Fe
Bile l, 1851, and Commodore Matthew
old Maury, veteran of the Confedera
an and United States navies, died Fe
to 1, 1873.
sti- Four years ago today King Carl
rec of Portugal and his son, Grow
Der, Prince Luiz, we're assassinated. F
in Gently a Portuguese anarchist &C
e fessed that no less than a thousa
UG reds" took part in the conspirac
Pro- These were divided into sevel
Hat bands and If the first failed to do
bloody work the others were to ma
the attempt. But the first band {
: = not fail. King Manuel, who succe
q ed to the throne until ousted by
I: republican revolution, is now in Fl
p. land