Tonkawa Chieftain. (Tonkawa, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, December 30, 1910 Page: 3 of 8
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HE custom of celebrating the New
Year by leaving behind, In theory
at least, oue'a pet pernicious habit
or besetting sin, may be hack
Keyed, but it certainly is not en-
tirely relegated to the limbo of
things forgotten or outworn. Some
time New Year's day, when a
quiet moment In the day s sw Irl
offers time for thought, there will
be a hasty taking stock of the
year that is gone, a recounting of
errors and failures, a silent prom-
ise that this or that will not occur again
And what does It all amount to. after all. this
old custom of revamping threadbare resolutions
or selecting new ones? The cynic will smile and
say that it la all a waste of effort, a flash in the
pan. a half-hearted glossing over of mistakes by
wordy and none too sincere promises of reform.
The humorist will have his little fling in cartoon
and witty quip and jeBt. He will gurgle with the
sardonic glee of Robin Qoodfellow over the folly
of mortals and find In every resolve new subject
for laughter. Prom the pulpit on Sunday will
sound the admonition of the minister and the
moralist They will take good resolutions seri-
ously, and set upon them the stamp of divine
approval. And whether the wry sneer of the
cynic, the mocking grin of the humorist, or the
approving smile of the moralist prophesy the fate
of the resolutions and their maker, It will be true
that even tho most momentary Impulses toward
better things will not be entirely wasted.
There was a time when, in the simple faith of
childhood, you set down in black and white your
promises to do better. On the first page of your
new diary, a yearly Christmas present, you wrote
In your best Spencerian hand—we knew none
better In those days—something like this: "Dur
ing this year I resolve not to lose my temper;
not to be saucy at home; not to put off doing
the things l dislike; to read my Hible every day."
Direct, sounding blows were these on the chain
mall of your besotting sins of a quick temper, a
•wickedly sharp little tongue, procrastination, and
childish irreligion. Behind closed doors, lest any
one see him In so meek a moment, Brother Dick
■was scribbling earnestly: "I promise myself not
to be late for dinner, not to forget to wash my
neck and cars, not to get in debt to father for
my allowance, and not to play hookey a single
day.” Of course you failed, both you and Dick,
'before the little diary
ihad Us new gilt dimmed
or the soft penciling of
the latter had blurred
itself Into unreproachful
Illegibility. But the ef-
fort wasn't altogether
wasted, and there were
fewer fits of temper and
cleaner neck and ears
than would otherwise
have been. ,
We grown-ups miss,
as we get older, some of
the past and gone aids
to New Year's resolves.
The day was once upon
a time more marked by
pleasant social customs.
Only In officialdom Is
New Year's now a state-
ly day of ceremonial.
But It Is not hard to re-
call that a decade or
two ago there still sur-
vived some of the dig-
nity and godil cheer that
had attached Itself to
the day. Before the
Christmas fruit cake
had all been devoured,
of the stone Jars of
small cakes suffered too
severely from the In-
roads of rapacious chil-
dren, preparations for
'Now Year's day were
well under way.
Children were not In-
cluded In this celebra
tlon. This was essentially the festival of their
elders. Orders to keep from under foot were
rigidly enforced, and did you wish to see the
fun no place remained hut the second story
landing, which gave somewhat Inconspicuously
upon the hall below, with a strained view of
the big parlors, and none of the dining room
beyond. That It was there and In full work-
ing order was evidenced by a keen Bense of
emell.
It was always great fun to wander up and
down the principal residence streets as noon
drew near, to find out who were to be at
home and who were not. A basket tied to the
door knob with gay red ribbons said, for all
the world to hear: "We are not receiving to
day " If you were a boy and daring, later In
the afternoon you stole up on the step to peep
In and discover, by the number of cards with
In, the respective popularity of village mal l*
and matrons. Wherever the door lacked the
basket, you knew that behind the drawn
shades' there was the soft glow of candles or
the yellow glare of gas, poor substitute for
sunlight on snow, but presumably kinder to
complexions and gowns Just a trifle passe^
And you knew that In each house, euhject
only to trifling variations of background, there
would be enacted the same scenes.
Into the front door that opened at the first
touch of the hell passed a fluctuating stream
of men In holiday attire There were elderly
beaux aplenty In broadcloth that was brushed
tn ths point of perfection, smart young dan-
dles, sporting the newest fashion In ties;
awkward beginners not quite used to the
length of their frock coats- we railed them
prince Alberts in the days when New Year's
calls were In vogue- and a sprinkling of sub-
stantial looking business men paying homage
to the established custom of society Every-
^.d* who was snybody In "our town" psld his
dsvolrs to the Incoming year by making the
rounds of his friends' homes
Otto* Inside, there was the nest maid or
•olemn butler to receive the caller's card and
help him with overcoat, hat and cane, and then
a dash for his hostess and her daughters and
friends under the chandeliers with the prism
of those who had filled
pews, especially that of om
man. the governor of the state,
whose nqulline profile, flashing
eyes and straight, glossy black
hair formed a never to-be forgot-
ten personality.
Watch-night hymns hnve a
personality of their own, as
those of Christmas or Easter, if
not so widely known. They are
naturally serious and a hit fore-
boding. with b touch of the mel-
ancholy that is associated with
the rapid flight of time.
The year Is g'>ne. beyond recall
With all Its hopes and fears.
With all Its bright and gladdening
With all mourn*™* teari.
Is an old I-at In hymn to a com-
mon meter tune that Illustrates
the tendency of this branch of
hymnology. Charles Wesley has
been most prpllflc In voicing
this thought.
TRIFLING EXTi'AS 12,012,374
and might, and
That Amount Senate Paid for Such
Things as White Cloves and
Sofa Pillows.
Washington. 1), C —The senate *
little bill for "extras" last year was
$2,012,374.52. That is the amount it
spent on small kniekknacks such as
sofa pillows, manicure scissors, white
gloves, mineral water and similar
trifles. Included In the contingent
1 fund, as shown by the annual report
of the secretary of the senate, made
i public.
| When a senator wants to look really
dressed up he must have a pair of
white gloves, and ten dozen of these,
costing $21.50, is one senatorial ex-
pense Item Some senators like their
oflices to look nice and cozy for old
homo visitors, so '-’3 velour sofa pil-
lows figure in the list.
The Items In Ihe report, printed in
fine type, cover more than 700 pages.
Anyone who has a lurking suspicion
that senators don't imbibe water free-
ly should glance at the record of »1
K34 spent for apolllnaris water. More
than $:;,000 was expended for other
I mineral waters.
Wisdom ascribe,
praise.
To Ood who lenth-ns out our days;
Who spares us yst gnothsr year.
And makes us ses Ids goodness
here, | . - ■ -
is an old favorite Often Just ' VACCINA! E AGAINST TYPHOID
on the stroke of midnight anoth- -——
er of his voiced the feelings of
the congregation, that begin-
ning:
Soldiers Going to Philippines Are
Guarding Against Disease in
the Islands.
Join. »U ye rsnsomed sons of gracs,
The holy Joy prolong.
And shout to the Redeemer's
praise,
A solemn midnight song
Leavenworth, Kansas.—In order to
guard against typhoid fever and to
avoid an epidemic of the disease
such as prevailed two years ago,
many soldiers at Fort 1-eavenwortb
are voluntarily undergoing vaccina-
tion. The first experiments hero to
vaccinate against typhoid fever
started six nionihs ago aud of late
I nearly all the soldiers, and especially
those members of the Infantry and
engineer organizations soon to depart
{ for the Philippines are taking the
treatment In one engineer company
three officers and 108 enlisted men
have Just undergone the vacclnution.
1 None of them Is 111.
: WOULD INCREASE PAY OF CLERKS
A Joint Resolution in Congress Oe*
dares High Cost of Living Hat
Come to Stay.
Washington, D. C.—Representative
t'arey, Wisconsin, Introduced a joint
resolution Increasing 25 per cent the
salary or wages of government em-
ployes receiving less than $2,500 a
year.
The increase to become effective
March 1.
In his resolution Mr. Carey saya
that high cost of living has come to
stay; that It is attributable to tha
decreasing value of gold measured bjr
the market value of necessary com*
modules and thut congress has set a
! bad example In increasing the sal-
aries of legislators and high official*
while neglecting the clerks.
AS CHRISTMAS GIFT $2,700,000
The Steel Trust Has Set Aside That
Amount to Distribute Among
Employes.
fme/PAL R£J>!D£fiC£ JTRH 70
JH fL L/C TL/A TJ/iG ATfirAM Of MM MHOLJDAY
ATT/Rf
drops. "Happy New Year" resounded on all
sides. In tho course of the afternoon the In-
defatigable ha<l seen all their friends, had
sampled the choicest types of Christmas bak-
ing, had toasted again and again the New Year
In punch of varying strength and pungency, or
substituted coffee In homes where temperance
principles were popular. They had said pret-
ty things to popular dames In the stimulating
atmosphere of holly aud green wreaths, and
hail matched wits with fascinating damsels In
the dangerous vicinity of mlgtletoe that still
boasted some berries. It was all very gav,
very Informal, and very homey. At no other
time or on no other occasion did the holiday
hilarity reach so high a pitch.
"I'd like to do It all over again." Is the tes-
timony of one stately lady, whoso home twenty
years ago was the scene of yearly New \ ear s
receptions. "No other social function on my
calendar was such fun for the guests and so
little trouble for the hostpss. The decorating
had been done a week before, and a few fresh
flowers were all that were needed, (liven
bright lights, a dozen pretty girls to help en
tertain, the simplest cakes, and plenty of mild-
ly exhilarating punch made from a recipe that
my Kentucky grandfather declared harmless,
and success was assured. When six o clock
came you had seen all the nice men of your
acquaintance undisturbed by the usual Influx
of other women, and had sent them away at
peace with the world In general and full of
the spirit of nelghborllness."
Meanwhile, upstairs In the llbrsry window
seats curled the family small fry. watching the
procession as It passed, commenting with Ju-
venile frankness on the toilets of tlm callers,
counting the visitors as they came, listening
te the hum of voices downstairs, the girls hug
glng close to the sash, tho boys making daring
detours to "peek" through the balustrade, re-
turning to report what young ladles were sit
ting on the steps with what young men. and
even, In some esses, what they were saying.
Longpr tiptoeing prowls, down the back stairs
to the lair of a friendly cook, led to quick and
Jubilant rstums with offerings of cake and
rlaret cup, wherewith the hours might be be-
guiled until six. when twinkling street
lights warned tha callers to retreat.
Not a serious way to start the New
Year! No hut a friendly one, that left
hostesses and callers with a glow of human
friendliness to last as warmth for many a
day. And If seriousness were lacking, the
same deeude that enjoyed New Year's call-
ing found Itself also at one with the cus-
tom of watch-night service. For, In “our
town," as In yours, mayhap, It was the
thing to spend the closing hours of the old
year in the quiet seriousness of prayer and
aacred song. Children had their share In
this, for fathers and poothers had not In
that simpler time learned to fear the giving
of definite religious Instruction to their Hons
and daughters. It was clear and plain that ft
child must be trained In the way he shpuld
go, and watch night was a part of that train-
ing.
And, Indeed, no youngster ever tried to
beg off There was first of all the Joy of doing
the unusual and the fun of sitting up past his
bedtime. So you hied yourself to the nursery
couch or the sitting room lounge, after a hot
supper, an old fashioned winter supper of sau-
sage an<l fried potatoes or scalloped oysters
and muffins, and took a long, long nap. At
half-past ten. father waked you, tucked you
Into cap and overcoat, and the family partv
started out under the cold stars, snow crunch-
ing under foot, to the nearby church.
Not so very long ago the writer cam#
across an old rhromo, of the sort that looks,
tn a dim and favorable light, like a fairly de-
cent oil painting In Its day It had doubtless
been the chief rtrnament of a well fumlahed,
comfortable parlor. Now It cluttered the win-
dow of a second hand shop, dingy and out o
sorts with fate Hu* even In the unflattering
light of a dusty sho window, . had a certain
charm for the one ho found It It was the
picture of a watch gbt aerv'e». such as she
had once known #o well. It Ight moonlight
flooded the scene, bringing •>' t In sharpened
detail the snow-lad a boughs drooping clnts
and the Oothlc sp e of a s ll stone church.
From stained gins wlntlnv nd opened door
came streaming tl » warm gi v of shaded gas
Jets. From vlllw »Hc**a r teked men and
women and chlldr , stoppi u to say a word of
greeting as they bussed Hit
spell of the picture took h
of the magic carpet or of
boots, back to th New Ysi
hood.
Wo she had w 'Iked with
and a sleepy sm I brother ----
had looked In h# frosty moonlight And Just
as warm and softly slowing had hesn the
stone church, tl -oagh whose open doors came
the resonant «t *1". of tns treat organ. Him
remembered w * aching t'vidness the faces
ie vestibule. The
r, with the speed
he seven leagued
eves of her girl-
ither and mother
Just so th# trees
A bit more Joyful la the splendid, quaintly
irregular,
Com«. let us anew our Journey pursue.
Boll round with the year,
And never aland at 111 till the Master ^
appear.
It was easy after this to go home filled with
loftiest aspirations, ready to begin the new
diary with ambitious resolves that were bound
to o'erleap themselves because of their very
loftiness. There was one watch night when
there drifted Into the ken of the child the
poem that line since meant to her, as It does
to many, the very spirit of thla day. From the
choir gallery. Just before the midnight hour,
came the softened chorus of a strange melody.
Then into the silence of the vaulted church rose
a wonderful message In a voice that boro con-
viction to the listeners. It sang to the organ,
and the hushed accompaniment of the cholri
Ring out, wild bolls, to the wild skle#.
The flying cloud, the froety light;
The year le dying, In the night;
Ring out, wild belle, and let him die.
Through the whole of the splendid poem ll
■wept, on to the triumphant conclusion:
"Ring In the Christ that is to be."
To the child the most dramatic moment of
the evening came Just on the stroke of the In-
coming year While outside whistles blew and
giant crackers exploded, bells clashed and
clanged, Inside hands clasped hands while to-
gether they sang the good old standby, "Blest
be the tie that hinds," before the hush of the
benediction and the glad chorus of "Happy New
Year's” that concluded the aervlce.
Thpre la another sort of quiet ushering tn
of the baby year that la conducive to the good
resolve that counts so easily tinder favorable
conditions. There were those tn the old days,
as there ore In these, who felt that after the
gala afternoon the happiest way of all was to
sit quietly about the Are, chatting with half a
doten congenial spirits, singing a bit If ths
spirit moved, reminiscing as old times came
back In the hush, and ending with the silent
toast and the dash of sentiment that makes
"Auld Lang ftyne" the fitting song for such a
moment.
That some such happy hour may begin little
IBM's first appearance Is the best wish out
cau offer to friends.
!<et th# auspicious morning be »spr«sssd
With a whits stons illstlngulshsd from ths
rsst.
So the stately Dryden has put the same
thought. May It be true of us all.
New York. N. Y — As a bonus to
faithful employes, ranging from of*
fleers to tho lowliest employes of the
Cntted States Steel Trust, Judge
(!ary announced that the directore
had Bet aside $2,700,000 for distribu-
tion as Christmas gift to the many
people on the pay rolls of the, giant
1 corporation.
Canal Work Advances Fast.
Washington. D. C.—The Panama
canal commission’s offices received
from the Isthmus requisitions for
material to be used In the building of
the emergency dams. The installa-
tion of these will constitute the final
large work to be performed In con*
nectlon with the canal locks.
Kansas Products $539,739,034.
Topeka, Kansas.—The value of th*
farm products aud live stock pro*
duced In Kansas In 1910 broke all
previous records for the state, accord*
Ing to a brief report prepared by F.
D. Coburn, secretary of agriculture.
The total value for this year was
$539,739,034, the report show*.
Peary Will Show His Proofs.
Washington, l). C—After months
of persistent refusal because of Inter*
ference with contracts with publish-
ers, Capt Robert E. Peary has prom-
ised to furnish congress the proofs oo
which he relies to prove that he dis-
covered the North pole.
Water for Cherryvale.
Cherry vale, Kansas In the special
election here a proposition to vote
$105,000 water works bonds to build
a 12-Inch pipe line to the Verdigris
river, six miles west of town, carried
by 241 majority
A Southern Speech for Taft.
Washington. D (’.—President Tafl
has accepted an Invitation to address
the Southern Commercial congress at
Atlanta, Ga, March 10, 1911.
Fight With Monoboa Tribesmen.
Manila, P t A United .States army
private has been killed and a corporal
ami another private severely wounded
In a tierce battle, fought between a
detachment of the Third I'nlted
-4tales infantry and Monuboa tribes-
men
To Bore for Gaa at Lincoln. Kan.
Kalina, Kansas A company ha*
been organised at Lincoln to bore for
gas A charter will be applied for
and Block will be sold Lincoln pet*
pie expect both gas and salt
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Williams, Carl E. Tonkawa Chieftain. (Tonkawa, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, December 30, 1910, newspaper, December 30, 1910; Tonkawa, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1169689/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.