The Lampasas Daily Leader. (Lampasas, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 758, Ed. 1 Friday, August 17, 1906 Page: 2 of 4
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Love Is Strong as Death
By KATHERINE J. MURRAY
How came I ou the street? It is
a chilly evening in October, and there
is a cold breeze. Yet I am not cold.
I was half frozen an hour ago, and I
made the nurse put this heavy slum-
ber robe over my nightdress and my
bedroom slippers on my feet. And
I saw tears in Aunt Alice’s eyes—1
-don’t know why.
I had been burning up with fever
and parched with thirst. I had been
ill so long—nearly three weeks. She
ought to be glad to see that fevpr
leave me. I should never be better
while it staved.
Now here I am on the street, and
I don’t see how it happened. I must
have walked in my sleep. They
have watched me so closely; too.
How is it they did not see 'me go?
Aunt Alice has hardly been out of
my sight for. the past week, and one
nurse or another was always there.
I must look odd in my slumber robe
and slippers, but I’ll keep on in the
shadow, and nobody will notice. Of
course, I cannot stay out long; but it
is so good to feel the fresh air once
more.
I feel so well—so strong! No more
fever, no more aching body an£ limbs.
I know I never shall be ill again.
Something worried me a great deal
before I was ill. Indeed, I think it
made me ill, but I can't remember
what it was, so it does not matter.
Nothing worries me now, and I feel
so light—so happy!
Oh. that muddy crossing! I’ll sure-
ly wet my feet! I’ll pick my way
over; I don’t want to go home just
yet. Why, what frightened that
horse? Was it my white dress? How
he rears and plunges, and now he
has bolted down the street. But I
am safely over. I must have grown
thin while I was ill, for I have stepped
so lightly I did not leave a track in
the mud, and my slippers are quite
dry.
Here comes our nextdoor neighbor,
with her noble English mastiff. Rex
is such a fine dog, and he and I are
great chums. Last night I heard him
howling—something unusual for him.
I don’t know what his mistress will
think to see me out in this dress,
without a hat. Good evening, Mrs.
Vincent; I’m so glad to be out again!
She does not answer, yet she must
have seen me. Perhaps she did not
recognize me. But then Rex would
npi let me pat him, but howled and
ran away. Surely the dog w'ould
know me, even if she did not. It’s
very curious; I can’t understand it.
Oh, there’s the doctor with his as-
sistant, and he’s driving at a furi-
ous rate. Can it be Aunt Alice has
sent for him? I’m afraid so; and
now I must go straight home, for they
have missed me.
Here comes Judge Stilwell and his
nephew, the young artist who paint
ed my portrait last year. I thought
it would be a dreadful bore; but
Aunt Alice wanted it, so I sat to
please her, and I was really sorry
when he finished. I had not
seen him since. I waited, but he
never came. I’ll let them pass and
then follow, for he must not see me
in this dress. They are following the
doctors and I can hear them talk-
ing.
“She has been ill for several weeks.
It was some sort of a low fever. She
was not thought to be in a danger-
ous condition until a few days ago;
but I heard this morning she was
very low, and they feared she would
not last through the day.”
That’s the old judge. What would
he say if he knew the sick girl was
walking close behind him? But I
didn’t know I had been in danger of
death.
“I am greatly grieved and sur-
prised to hear it. She was the very
picture of beauty and health when I
painted her portrait.”
That’s Willis Vernon, the artist.
'Now the judge is talking:
“The doctor drove by at the top
of his speed, and turned up the street
where she lives. That looks as if
there had been a change of some
kind.”
“Suppose we vralk up there and in-
quire. I should be very sorry to
hear—”
Why should his voice falter? He
never cared for me, and my heart
broke when I found that out. That
was v/hqt made me ill. ' I remember
now. I want to laugh, but I’m afraid
they will hear. How. perfectly ab-
surd to think that I should die! The
judge looks at him a moment and
then says:
“Very well; but I did not know
you were so much interested, Will.”
The dead leaves rustle under their
feet, but my dress makes no noise as
it brushes over them. The two men
walk on, and for a few moments the
artist does not speak, and when he
does, I can barely catch the low
tones:
“Frankly, uncle, I was deeply in-
terested—too much so for my own
peace of mind.”
"What can he mean? He was al-
ways coolly polite—nothing more. If
he had not seemed so indifferent—
But again the judge is talking:
“I am quite surprised. But she is
a very charming girl. I am sorry she
could not reciprocate.”
Oh, I want to go home! But I
must still keep behind them. And 1
never got a chance to reciprocate or
refuse. If he had only spoken! But
what is he saying now?
“Don’t misunderstand me, please. I
never broached the subject to her.
She is wealthy, and I have only a
bare competence.
“But there is the house, and who is
that old woman at the gate?”
It is old Mammy Sue, my mother’s
maid and nurse. She fairly idolizes
me. She is leaning on her stick and
the tears roll down her wrinkled face.
The two men look at one another and
hesitate a moment. The judge asks
how Miss Brandon is—is there any
improvement?
“Oh, gen’lemen, she’s gone! My
lil* Miss Bella is daid an’ gone!”
Willis Vernon turns deadly pale
and clutches the judge’s arm. I lay
my hand on Mam-my Sue’s shoulder
and give her a little shake.
“Mammy, wake up—you’re dream-
ing! Your Miss Bella is here—she
isn’t dead!”
But for the first time in her life
she does not notice me, but sobs as if
heart-broken. Then she. goes on:
“She fall ’sleep ’bout an hour ago,
an’ de nuss went to supper. When
she got back ,she was gone—oh, my<
lamb, my lamb!”
Willis Vernon groans: “Oh, my
lamb! Oh, my bonnie Belle!”
The judge asks: “Is the doctor
here? He passed us on the road.”
“Yas, sah; two doctahs an’ de nuss
am wukkin’ ober her. But she’ll neb-
ber open he sweet eyes no moah. Oh,
my own Miss Bella—my lamb, my
lamb! ”
Once more I speak to her. I pass
between her and the men. But she
only sobs and wrings her hands. Can
it be that she does not see me—that
none of them see me? Is it possible
she is right, and I—
I run toward the house. I glide
through the open door and hasten to
my sick room. I stop short at the
threshold and look in. Something
holds me; I cannot cross the sill.
The nurse and the doctors are
bending over the bed. What is ly-
ing there? A girl’s body, still and
straight; the head tipped back, the
eyes half closed. The nurse is put-
ting hot-water bottles around it; one
doctor has his fingers on the wrist,
another holds a hypodermic syringe in
his right hand, while he pushes back
the loose sleeve with the left. This
is surely my body lying in that bed;
but what is this standing in the door-
way, with feet chained to the thresh-
old? Is this my spirit and has it
left my body forever? Is this, indeed,
death? .
The doctors look at each other; one
shakes his head, the other refills the
syringe. I will try again—no, I can-
not go forward, and I will not go
awray! How can I leave this world,
just as I know my heart’s desire is
granted — that Willis Vernon loves
me?
The nurse is rubbing the feet, and
one doctor is moving the arms up
and down over the head. But still my
poor body lies motionless and my ago-
nized spirit watches their every ef-
fort—all seemingly in vain.
Oh, Father in Heaven, let me stay!
Christ, the Merciful, plead for me!
Thou who hast broken the bonds of
death, help me to live a little longer!
Dear Lord, thou hast given the one
joy I craved on earth, (k> not snatch
it from me! God, who art Love, for
love of thy dear Son, let me stay,
let me stay!
Once more I struggle—the spell
holding me yields, and I cross the
threshold.
(Copyright, 1906, by Daily Story Pub. Co.)
A student just returned from the
university sat down to supper with
his father and mother. Three eggs
were served up.
“Why,” said the husband to his wife,
“your supper is scanty. You should
treat your son more liberally.”
“Let us be content,” observed the
son, ‘since there are six eggs on the
table.”
“How,” asked his- father, “do you
prove that?”
“Easily enough,” he answered. “Do
not one, two and three make six?”
“I will, then,” rejoined the father,
“give one egg to your mother, take
two for myself, and you, my boy, may
help yourself to the rest.”
No man is sp tall that he need
never stretch, and none so small that
he need neevr stoop.—From the Dan-
ish.
REVISITING THE OLD FARM.
“The shimmering meadows, the blue skies
under,
Are fairest in the late September days.'*'
As from the stream, like a roll of thun-
der,
Sounds the mill wheel’s roar through
the peace and haze.
The sun dove calls from the withering
clover ,
The cricket's beat seems a fair gong;
And maples hint of the sunset over
Where the breeze croons soft as a
mother’s song.
Tn the woodlands brown are the haw
and holly,
The sumacs flame by the long road-
way;
But ali is informed with a melancholy
Suggestive of things that are passing
away.
What of the life here since the old pleas-
ures
It gave in the autumns that are long
gone by?
There was. once a time that my memory
treasures
When there seemed no reason for sob
or sigh.”
STARTING AN ORCHARD ON
THE FARM.
Mr. O. R. Smith, of South Dakota,
Writes: “I would like to ask you for
a little information. I am just open-
ing out a new farm. .-Have had my
ground plowed and Cropped one year.
I expect to do my first planting in the
spring. Would you advise the plant-
ing of an orchard close to the house,
■where the ground slopes to the south,
or ought it to be planted on the high-
est ground on the farm, irrespective of
location? Does the slope or elevation
have anything to do with what they
call sun scald, or the effects of spring
frosts? Would you plant a windbreak
around the orchard? If so, on what
side, and what kind of trees would
you use? Do you consider close plant-
ing advisable in the orchard, with the
expectation of cutting out when they
crowd.”
In reply to the inquiry, will say that
the site of the farmer’s orchard is,
as a rule, near the house and prob-
ably will be in the future. There are
many advantages in having it there
■which offset the reasons why it should
not be. The man who makes fruit-
growing his main business should con-
sider well before deciding where he
will plant his trees, so that good and
profitable returns jnay be obtained.
There has been much debate in recent
years in state horticultural meetings
and institutes as to what slope is best
situated for the apple orchard. The
trees planted on a southern or south-
western slope are more subject to
sunscald there than if they are planted
on a northern or eastern one; on the
other hand, it has been proven that in
a very severe winter trees suffer more
from root-killing on the northern slope,
the intensity of the frost being great-
er. As sunscald probably causes the
death of more trees than root-killing;
and as the latter can be protected to
a large extent by growing clover crops,
we would recommend a northern or
eastern slope as best.
All practical farmers and fruit
growers know that spring frosts are
very local, even occurring an one part
of a farm and not on the other, and
as such late freezing sometimes means
great loss, especially if it should oc-
cur at blooming period, it is essential
and important to avoid using a site
that is low when one of higher alti-
tude can be procured near by. Gen-
erally speaking, the apple trees grow
well in almost any kind of soil, if it
is thoroughly drained. It is this won-
derful adaptability of the apple which
has caused it to be planted on the
many varied soils we have in our
state, but we are confident that the
better the soil the better the results
will be. A good orchard soil is one
that is abundantly supplied with plant
food, rich in humus, while sandy, loose
soil is generally lacking in this. To
bring it up to the requirements of the
tree, lots of artificial fertilizer or
barnyard manure must be used.
The preparation of the land before
planting has not had the attention it
deserves by our farmers. It very often
happens that the farmer or fruit grow-
er instantly decides to plant an or-
chard, no previous thought or prep-
aration being*given to the matter, or
if there had, nothing was done to get
the land into the proper condition for
the young trees. There is no future
preparation or care that, will make up
for the loss sustained. We believe
that all orchard land should be plowed
deeply in the fall if possible, and sub-
soiled. This prepares the soil so that
the roots can easily penetrate deeper,
and as the soil is broken, makes de-
pository for the elements of nutrition.
The time to plant an orchard in this
country is invariably in the Spring,
although trees may in occasional sea-
sons be planted out in the autumn.
But it is dangerous practice and one
that should be abandoned. The dis-
tance apart that apple trees should
^e planted will vary according to the
varieties used and the land at the
planter’s disposal. That trees may
thrive and produce fruit of good size
and quality, they require an abund-
ance of sun, light and air, and they
cannot obtain this if planted closely
together. There is but one argument
in support of close planting and that
-is the protection that trees afford each
other, but to obviate this, we recom-
mend the planting of low-top trees so
that the stems may be shaded. The
great mistake in the past in the or-
chards of Iowa or the northwest have
been that they are planted too close,
the result being the production of
poorly colored, scrubby fruit. Apple
orchards in Iowa should not be plant-
ed out less than 25 feet apart each
way, and if land and the planter’s
conscience will permit, make it 30
feet.
If the orchard is not naturally pro-
tected from the wind by trees or ris-
ing ground, a windbreak may be
planted with good effect along the
north and west sides or on the south
side. This must be governed by the
location and direction of prevailing
winds. We would not encourage wind-
breaks that would be dense, so as to
check the circulation of air, but mere-
ly break the velocity of the wind, and
as the proper windbreaks lessen the
force of th'e wind, it will protect the
trees from being blown over and they
will grow straighter and more shape-
ly. . The windbreak will also be a fac-
tor of importance in retaining the
moisture in the orchard during a
drought, as the wind is one of the
greatest agents in drying out our land.
The best trees to plant for wind-
break purposes are Scotch and Aus-
trian pine and Norway spruce. A sin-
gle, row of these trees, planted 15 feet
apart is oftentimes sufficient, but if
the exposure is greater, rows can be
added to suit the planter and his con-
ditions.
STREET TREE FLANTING.
There is no city or village so poor
but they could be made more attrac-
tive by planting trees and otherwise
embellishing their streets; planting
shrubs and flowers, giving them a
parklike appearance, and testifying to
the refinement of their people. I was
never more surprised at the comfort
growing out of tree planting than in
visiting Blair, Neb., last autumn. Al-
though the site was upon the broad
prairie, originally, the town to-day
has the appearance of having been lo-
cated in the wood, the trees having
been preserved. I learned that the
city was the creation of a railroad
magnate whose name it bears—John
I. Blair. He, in locating the town,
imposed two conditions; one that the
purchaser must plant and maintain a
certain number of shade trees; an-
other that intoxicants shall never be
sold within the town limits.
The trees everywhere testify his
forethought, and to-day there are few
prettier towns than Blair, Neb. Tall,
stately cottonwoods, grand elms and
beautiful. hard maples spread their
sheltering branches over modest
dwellings. The glory of the city of
Blair is not in her buildings, nor in
her architectural beauty, as few of
her buildings are expensive, but it is
in her streets, and while being driven
around I was lead to exclaim, “What
a pretty, pretty place.”
NAMES FOR FARMS.
We wish that every farpi had a
.name. This is not a matter of senti-
ment but is strictly business. The
man whose farm is known by name is
certain to take a greater interest in
its products and to conduct all of his
operations on a better plan. On
every place there is certain to be
some peculiarity that will suggest a
name. A spring of pure water, a
grove of oak or maple trees or some-
thing else of a similar nature will
give it a local flavor. Then plant its
name on the end of the barn facing
the road. Let it be where every pass-
erby can see it. Your farm will then
soon become, known far and wide and
will aid you in a thousand ways. Be-
sides, how much more dignified it is
to be spoken of as the proprietor of
Oak Grove farm than to be alluded to
as Jim Jones. By all means name
your farm and it will make you a bet-
ter farmer.
A carpenter can build a house more
economically than can a blacksmith,
because he knows how and has the
right kind of tools to work with, A
cow, with good dairy form, for the
same reason, can produce more milk
than one with a beef form. Let the
carpenter and the blacksmith work at
their respective trades and adopt the
same rule in regard to cows. Let the
dairy cow work in the dairy and the
beef animal in the feed yard. Spe-
cialists are more successful these days
than Jacks-of-all-t.rades,
THE FARMER’S HOME.
The home of the farmer should be
the place which is of the most inter-
est to him, and his highest aim should
be to make it interesting to others,
and this he can only do by making it
appear like a home. We should make
the home ornamental and attractive,
in other words, “Have a desire for the
beautiful,” as the saying is. Have a
home.that you may be proud of, and
one which you are not ashamed to call
your awn. Plant trees and vines, in
abundance; there is little danger of
having too many. Keep the rubbish
cleaned up and everything else in pro-
portion. Keep an eye upon the object
you have in view, and ever wrork for
that point and do not stop short of it.
I do not know what would speak bet-
ter for a man than an attractive home,
no matter whether he lives in the
city or upon the farm, and what can
a man have that he should take more
pride in making so? We should
make our homes attractive by plant-
ing some of the many kinds of shrub-
bery and flowers There are so many
varieties that sometimes we are at a
loss to know what to plant. The only
rule for this is to plant the kind we
like and that will grow in our location.
If we have only a small lot, and are
crowded for room, we can plant trees
which will pay us a profit. As for me,
I think some fruit trees make very
fine shrubbery. I hardly think that
any farmer is so crowded but that he
could find room for ornamental trees
and flowers if he wants them. I only
spoke of this in reference to the per-
son in town who has only a small lot,
who might accidentally happen to read
this. What looks more beautiful than
some nice fruit trees on the lawn,
loaded with delicious fruit? Next we
can make the home attractive by mak-
ing some improvements each -year.
Keep up the fences, remodel the build-
ings and make the whole appear as if
it were a place fine enough for a
king. We farmers cannot afford to let
our farms go to ruin. Sometimes
wher people ’pass on the road, if it
happens they do not see anyone, it is
hard for them to tell whether anybody
lives there or not. By all means keep
up the appearance of the home in
some way, and do not be satisfied un-
til you have done your best—-and then
enjoy it.
THE BEST TIME FOR PLANTING
CURRANTS.
Currants are about the cheapest
and easiest crop of fruit to produce,
requiring very little time and labor as
compared with many others, states
American Gardening. For fillers, or
what might be termed a catch crop,
they are indispensable, when grown
between plum, pear, peach, cherry and
quince trees. They can be grown in
an orchard of any of these fruits with-
out retarding or injuring the trees.
When currants are fruited in this way
it is merely a question of more manure
or fertilizer. Every intelligent fruit
grower will understand this at once.
Under this system of intensive garden-
ing you have a nice income from your
currants, while your fruit trees are de-
veloping and getting ready for fruit-
ing.
It depends entirely upon yourself as
to how long these bushes will bear
large, marketable fruit.
No matter how great a sacrifice it
may seem, you should remove two-
thirds of the new wood each season.
Failing to do this, you will soon have
a lot of overgrown bushes on your
hands, and the fruit will dwindle in
size and be imperfect in many ways.
On the other hand, if you prune judi-
ciously, spray as often as is neces-
sary, manure well and cultivate thor-
oughly, you- can keep your plantation
of currants in perfect order for at
least ten years and one year with an-
other, you will be well recompensed
for your investment and labor.
When ground feeds are given cow3
they should not be fed by themselves.
In some parts of the country the prac-
tice of thus giving ground feeds and
corn is well-nigh universal. Yet any
man that knows anything about a
cow’s stomach knows that such food
so given passes at once to the fourth
stomach and passes out into the ma-
nure very largely indigested. It
should be fed with the roughage, that
it may be chewed with the cud when
it is brought up from the first stom-
ach and thus have the opportunity
of passing through all the stomachs
and be subjected to their digestive
processes. The food is then very fully
utilised, and it will not be necessary
to have a drove of hogs follow the
cows to save the corn they drop.
Where silage is used the feeding with
it of the chopped feeds is easy. Where
hay and fodder are cut. to be mixed
with the meals it is necessary to wet
them, to hold the mixture of the rough-
age and the meals more constant.
This is a good month to start cut-
tings that will be used later in window
gardens. Place the cuttings in a box
filled with sharp sand^ place the box
on the back end of the stove and ap-
ply water freely. By placing the box
on the back end of the stove artificial
heat will be supplied at the bottom of
the box and the cuttings will be forced
forward rapidly.
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Vernor, J. E. The Lampasas Daily Leader. (Lampasas, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 758, Ed. 1 Friday, August 17, 1906, newspaper, August 17, 1906; Lampasas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth897207/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lampasas Public Library.