Show TT '1 THE SALINA CALL By C N Lund The Jr UTAH 6AL1NA Littlest Boy and Santa Claus By Come again football friends! Edwin L Sabin The revolution season has opened again In Central America Prosperity Is still waxing and will set a hot pace for the country Terrible battles are the Nicaragua cable are winning happening-o- ver Both sides Some persons express their op timism by eating chicken croquettes in restaurants "Paris is a woman’s town” sings a Boston Globe poet Other American gents have made the same remark It is clumsy to break laws when It is easier to evade them but that is not a good excuse for evading them Berlin wants an immovable date for Easter Sunday Let us hope they will also get a Easter Sunday hat Messina is alarmed over signs oi1 Messina further earthquake shocks seems a good place to keep away from The American Dreadnought is the greatest of all Others do well we do better They do better still when we do best Aeroplanist Farman flew for over four hours the other day The coming aeroplane will have to have a dining car attachment Rifflan tribesmen send word to Spain that they have only started to fight Madrid will get little satisfac tlon out of that (Copyright) HE GREAT hall clock stationed opposite the foot of two struck the stairs From his bed the Littlest Boy listened with a sense Never before had of awe he heard it strike so late an hour Once indeed he had heard it strike ten but usually it had struck eight— and when next he was awake it was striking six snd morning had comq The Littlest Boy lay and listened The house was impressively still The only sounds audible were the stately ticking of the monitor clock below and the regular breathing of the Biggest Boy and the Biggest Girl in the room adjoining The Littlest Boy’s eyes were wide open and gazing into the velvet blackness close above his face When he had gone to bed it had been Christmas eve He was not fully certain as to the line of demarkation but it occurred to him that now it was Christmas day! Then he began to blink and think He wondered if Santa Claus had down come yet Before the grate-flrIn the library were ranged three chairs a rocking-chaifor the Biggest Girl a ordinary chair for the Biggest Boy and a huge roomy for himself In addition he had hung up his stockings to the mantel He tried to picture to himself how If Santa Claus had been and gone that chair and those stockings must A Washington man says he owes his longevity to pie but few poll tlcians can hang onto the pie counter a whole lifetime During the past year our paternal government planted 3117000000 fish which statements the biggest fish story of the year This discussion whether or not there are insects on Mars is chopping conWait till the troversy pretty fine hookworm gets settled Orville Wright says that flying is Few doubted that It easy to learn is the coming-dowprocess which the majority want made easy -- 7v ji The German dirigible air squadron has been executing maneuvers and another war scare is due in ithe right ItUetlght little British Isles What are said to be the highest falls on this continent have been discovered in Labrador Maybe Canada was tired of owning only half of Niagara That Hartford boy who insisted on being taken to school after he had broken his leg because he did not want to spoil a perfect record for attendance may be counted on to ap predate the value of an education and to turn it to good account Writing of the evils of ’ear strain to which the people of a large city are always subject a doctor says: "When the ears have been strained by the noise and confusion of the day they may be refreshed in the eveing by listening to music or to such other sounds as are restful to them” Perhaps you have noticed the restful effect after a hard day’s work when the clock in the street strikes six and the comes around The St Lawrence river is an in water power An enormous volume can be turned to account by And now progresmodern methods sive Americans and Canadians are uniting in an effort to utilize this power A plan has been formulated which looks to the erection of a dam at Brockville which will drown out the Long Sault rapids and raise the stream at that point 18 inches affording several hundred thousand horse have engineers power Competent pronounced it wholly practicable it” “Well I was kinder foolin’ around when you come in” confessed Sants Claus "but I reckon I’m through Them other chairs are your ma’s an' pa’s I take it?” "Yes mamma’s is the rocker and papa’s is the other” informed the Lit “Did you bring tiest Boy hurriedly me a red wagon and a silver "Aren’t they there?” queried Santa Claus “May I look?” asked the Littlest Boy eagerly "Sure” grunted Santa Claus with his favorite word The Littlest Boy was not slow in taking advantage of that permission He did not have to burrow to find the red wagon Its two front wheels were sticking straight up against the chair’s back! jubilated the Littlest Boy eyes turning with sparkling “Will its sides fold over?” "You bet!” assured Santa Claus "Just bushels and bushels of thanks Santa Claus” purled the Littlest Boy “I hope it’s bigger than rapturously Is it?” my Cousin James’ is! "Sure!" said Santa Claus “Now about the ring? Ain’t it there?” “1 don’t see it?” replied the Littlest Boy rummaging "Mebbe it’s in the stockin’s” suggested Santa Claus And it was! — a beautiful shiny silV ver nSpkta ring “Oooooo-eee!gurgled the Littlest Boy unwrapping it “I bet it’s the very solides’ kind!” "Lemme see” demanded Santa “That’s what I Intended it to Claus be anyhow an’ I hope I ain’t made ' no mistake” "Yes it’s solid all right enough” he said weighing it in his hand while the Littlest Boy watched him anxiously “But don’t you think that that there wagon an’ this here ring both together are too much for a kid like you?” “I don’t know” responded the Littlest Boy abashed "I’ve tried to be I’ve picked up kindlin’ awful good and went on errands and brushed my — teeth and— and gone down cellar after dark and — and — and I’ve hardly ever cried when I got hurt!” “Still seems to me” persisted Santa Claus gazing at the shiny ring in his fingers "that a wagon alone is good enough for one kid besides all them other things you’ve got in yon I dunno but what chair and socks I’ll take this an’ give it som’ers else” “Well” agreed the Littlest Boy gravely "if — if you can find some litto have it tle boy who ought more’n me then you can — can take it and p’raps next Christmas—” “God!” roared the Biggest Boy like an angry lion leaping through the library doorway With a slam up sped the window with an oath out whirled Santa Claus "You’ve scared Santa Claus! You’ve scared Santa Claus!” wailed the Littlest Boy in despair "I have have I!” exclaimed the Biggest Boy gathering the waller into his arms "And he took my ring” farther lamented the Littlest Boy Here the Biggest Boy shut the treacherous window and with the Biggest Girl who by this time had arrived and was hugging and kissing the Littlest Boy’s two rosy feet as they hung down Inside the Biggest carBoy’s arms close accompanying ried him upstairs to bed What do you think! Evidently Santa Claus repented or else he had only been joking or else he could find no other little boy who was more worthy for after all ’at daylight there was discovered lying on the mat before r the that very same ringwrapped it is true not in fine tissue paper but in coarse brown paper However upon the paper was scrawled in ragged but unmistakable lines: “for the kid “SANTY CLAWS’ r The germ family are in hard luck Mrs Sage is combatting the tuberculosis germ Mr Carnegie the pellagra and Mr Rockefeller the hookworm In her suit for divorce a Sacramento woman charged that her husband would not even buy her ice cream Still he may have loaded her down with fudge and chewing gum “No” assured the Littlest Boy “Did get in through the chlmley?” During his whole life— that is ever since he could talk— the Littlest Boy had been trying to say "chimney” but somehow that "1” being so slim and hatchet-facealways nimbly slipped in and elbowed out the "n” “Did I get in througn the repeated Santa Claus and then he opened his mouth 'in a silent laugh “Yes I dumb down the he said "You say ‘chimbley’ and I say but my father says—says ch— ch— chimneley is right” informed the Littlest Boy "You don’t mean it! ’’returned Santa Claus who having backed to the window looking upon the side porch now with his hand behind him was deftly sliding it up "Please don’t go Santa Claus" be"We’ll talk sought the Littlest Boy real low so nobody’ll hear That is if you’re not in too big a hurry to stay” he added politely "Sure” responded Santa Claus "It’s almost empty isn’t it!” asserted the Littlest Boy “But I s’pose you've lots more up In the balloon Had you got all through with me? there My chair is thb middle one and these are my stockings in front oi you “Hello!” Said Santa Claus look At intervals as some particularly alluring fancy stood out before him he gave an ecstatic wriggle and a few blinks extra Oh the red wagon! And the silver ! Supposing he got them both! It did not seem to him possible that he could exist without either and yet — and yet — he mustn’t exact too much If he might take one peep into the library — Just one tiny peep — to find out whether or not Santa Claus had been He felt that he ought not to yield to this temptation and he sighed hard But even in the midst and twisted struggle he did yield for first his disobedient right foot stole from beneath the blue coverlet and next his disobedient left foot and in a moment all of him enveloped in his was long moving resolutely towards the doorway Down sped the Littlest Boy boldly ignoring the astonished clock down the remaining flight and across the square hall whose rugs were soft and On the threshold of the comforting library he stopped short frightened at what he had done He had caught Santa Claus! Aye there was Santa Claus1 bending over the big chair which the Littlest Boy glimpsed was overflowing with packages and things I do not know but that the Littlest reBoy would have beat courteous treat (although of course his farther curiosity was simply tremendous) had not Santa Claus suddenly glanced up and descried him — a small pink figure made still pinker by the glowing in the library coals framed The preliminary report of the department of agriculture show's that the corn crop this year is up to a high level and comes near to figures The yield is placed at bushels which is nearly a hundred million bushels more than The largest crop of that of 1908 corn ever gathered w'as that of 1906 "Hello!” said Santa Claus not movwhich aggregated 2927416000 bushels At the prevailing prices the corn ing "Hello!” responded the Littlest Boy be to estimated more is worth crop I didn’t know you were here” There is no doubt than $1900000000 "Didn’t you?” remarked Santa Claus that “King Corn” does his part toward straightening up and slowly stepping creating national wealth backward - VEKA’S FIRST LOVE By CARL (Copyright BARON TORRESANI by Short Count Mishko — his family name does not matter as everybody called him Count Mishko In true Vienna fashion — ought to have been the happiest man alive Young and handsome blessed with a beautiful and charming wife whose most extravagant whims as well as his own he was amply able to gratify — nothing seemed lacking to complete his happiness Nothing indeed was lacking but something was present which he might well have spared — suspicion! The first year of his married life had been one long dream of bliss Two people were never more perfectly matched than he and Countess Vera But suddenly there came a Without imaginable cause change Vera’s merriment ceased abruptly She became grave pensive almost morose and a hard cold expression replaced the sunny smile that had hitherto played about her beautiful lips Mishko was in despair “What is the matter sweetheart?” he asked “Have I offended you in any way?” "You? Oh you men!' In your vanity you imagine yourselves the cause of everything” “But this sudden change — ” "Mishko I wish you wouldn’t notice every little trifle It grows tiresome in time” She turned away sullenly but he caught her and drew her to his knee Then ensued the first unpleasant scene of their love drama It was ended by Vera rushing wildly to her bedroom and locking and barricading the door against the enemy Mishko went to the Jockey club and sought consolation in the companionship of old friends and old Amontillado At two o’clock in the morning when he came home whistling and thoroughly consoled a servant handed him a note and said that the countess had gone away ' "Do not be alarmed” she had written “I am not running away though But my nerves are you deserve it worn out and I must find rest — where I do not yet know some quiet place I shall In the mountains probably be all right in a week Please do not try to find me You will not succeed Posand will only make me angry sess your soul in patience Mishko dear It had to be for your sake and mine In a week dearest wild man I shall be in your arms again Meanwhile I send you my forgiveness and a thousand kisses” s This note instantly dispelled In the mornslight exhilaration ing he telegraphed to every one whom Vera would be likely to visit and receiving only negative replies resigned himself to his punishment On the third day he happened to meet that but vapid fellow Sokoloff of the Russian embassy who asked: “Any news from St Petersburg?" "Eh?” said Mishko “From the most charming of countesses I mean She should be there by this time” "Mv wife! She is no more in St we than are” Petersburg She was in such haste” “Strange! “When? ‘Where? About what?” “About her passport” for a passport? "She applied When?” "Friday morning" Mishko wiped his brow Though not exactly a sage he was by no lie could put two and means a fool two together When Vera had played her great scene she had been in possession of her passport several hours She had provoked the scene deliberately to afford a pretext for her sudden flight He waited but not patiently and in sleepless nights he formulated a plan to pay her back in hpr own coin if her explanation should be unsatisfacIf she could act tory or suspicious a part so could he 'On the seventh day after her departure Vera returned radiant as the dawn "Here I am Mishko!” she cried extending her arms It was less an embrace than a All he said was: wrestling match “Where have you been?” "Do not ask Mishko! If you love me dear boy do not remind me of It is that which I wish to forget past and gone and this moment is the commencement of a new life for us” “Serpent!” he muttered under his breath but he made no audible reply and never again referred to his wife’s eccentric flight It did seem like a new life for Vera apparently sought to atone for her action by redoubled effusiveness and docility Vera’s deceitfulness her comedy still rankled but he had nearly arrived at the point of forgiv Stories Co Ltd) ing even these when one morning at breakfast he was startled by seeing in his wife’s face the same cold bard ominous expression that it had worn just before the scene of 18 months before He tried to drive it away by jests and affectionate words—both very art tificial and equally fruitless Vera’s face seemed hardened to stone and her heart also for the few words which he wrung from her were in a tone that chilled him He telephoned to the Russian embassy and received the answer he expected Very well! He was prepared Now let the play begin! Of course it was not necessary for ’ a lady of Vera’s lively lmamingation to play the same comedy twice This time the stage setting dialogue and action were quite new but the finale was the same — a nocturnal flight In a sleeping car of the international express she slumbered without dreaming that her husband lay awake within a few yards of her and on the following evening when she peeped out of the troika which conveyed her from the station to a fashionable hotel on the Nevsky Prospect she failed to recognize her trim and elegant Mishko in the occupant of a carriage close behind her Mishko stopped at the same hotel and next morning stationed hiqiself In a cab near the entrance After waiting three hours he saw his wife come out and enter a troika He followed her to a fine apartment house in Volshaya street and to an apartment on the second floor the door of which closed after her almost in his face In wild excitement he rang the bell and was admitted by a servant in livery As he entered he heard a scream and a sound of something falling to the floor and through an inner doorway he saw Vera standing and at her feet — a broken dental plate with two incisors! Man is a strange creature Mishko it might be supposed would have shouted with joy at thi3 proof that his tormenting suspicions weret groundless but it was also a prowl that Vera had deceived him in anoth j er way for years and this newT"" thought completely engrossed him As they drove back to the hotel he listened with a very bad grace to her tearful explanation It had happened when she was a schoolgirl in St Petersburg — an accident In skating Luckily no one had seen the damage except her father who had hurried her off to the best dentist in the city — the one she had just visited — and nobody had ever guessed her humiliating little secret “Why need you go to St Petersburg?” “Because there lived the one man who knew my secret which I did not confide to another” Now or never was the time to learn the whole truth “How about that fellow?” he asked “Who?” You know well “That fellow To speak frankly I would enough that you came—” have “To meet him? Here in St Petersburg? So that is why yon followed me! O my poor dear boy that was Do a master stroke of diplomacy! you know where he is? In Vienna! You see him and shake hands with him every day and have never had How could the slightest suspicion you? A respectable father of a family a stiff formal diplomatist and I can’t imagine quite uninteresting what I ever saw in him to' admire” “Who is he?” “Your friend Sokoloff of the Russian embassy” care to Extinction of Chinaberry Tree The Atlantic Coast line has taken steps looking to the extermination of the chinaberry tree It has long been claimed that the tree Is a breeder of the white fly and as the government has taken a hand and the experts have declared that the pest i3 bred to an alarming extent in the chinaberry tree we can but commend the action of the Coast line in the matter and we hope the step they have taken will encourage others in this country to follow suit The Coast line has given orders that every china tree along its right of way in Florida be cut down Name Towers for King and Queen The news that the king and queen have consented to allow their names to be assigned to the western towers of Truro cathedral is extremely welcome Many of our cathedral towers bear names connected with some saint or some great local notability but we believe it is a new departure of recent years to give them a royal aspect The kindly action of the king and queen will be much appreciated in Cornwall— Lady’s Pictorial |