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Show THE BULLETIN Famous Writer Gave Most Unusual 'Christmas Gift1 in All History In Robert Louii Stevenson "Bequeathed" His November 13 Birthday to a Little Girl In New England Who Was Unhappy Because She Had Been Born on December 25 and Thus Was "Cheated Out of a Birthday Party Like AH the Other Children Have" 1891 Wtstera Ncwipaprr Union. I By ELMO SCOTT WATSON n Forty-seve- years Clay Ide, a lawyer who had held various public offices in the Green Mountain state, was appointed American commissioner in the Samoan islands, then held jointly by the United States, Great Britain and Germany. It was not a very important appointment but it became the first link in a chain of circumstances which resulted in one of the most unusual Christmas gifts in all history. Ides wife and two daughters did not accompany him when he went to Samoa but remained in their Vermont home. Among the residents of Samoa Ide found a famous writer who had become a .voluntary exile there for the benefit of his health. This was Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, Kidnaped and a number of other books which have become English classics. Ide and Stevenson became warm friends. During a conversation me day about the coming Christmas holidays the American told the Englishman that he had a little daughter, Annie, back in Vermont who was always unhappy at Christmas time because she had been born on December 29 and thus was cheated out of a birthday party like the other children have." Although he and his wife tried to compensate for this by giving her more than the usual number of Christmas presents, Annie continued to mourn over her lack of a real birth- day." Thereupon Stevenson sat down and wrote out the following remarkable document: I, Robert Louis Stevenson, Advocate of the Scots Bar, author of the Master of Ballantrae, and Moral Emblems, stuck civil engineer, sole owner and patentee of the Palace of Plantation known as Vallima, in the Island of Upolu, Samoa, a British subject, being in sound mind, and pretty well, I thank you, in body: In consideration that Miss Annie H. Ide, daughter of H. C. Ide, in the Town of Saint Johns-burin the County of Caledonia, in the State of Vermont, United States of America, was bom, out of reason, upon Christmas Day, and is therefore out of all justice denied in consolation and profit of a proper birthday: And considering that I, the said Robert Louis Stevenson, have attained the age when, O, we never mention it, and that I have now no further use for a birthday of any description: And in consideration that I have met H. C. Ide, father of the said Annie H. Ide, and found him about as white a land commissioner as I require, Rave transferred, and do hereby transfer, to the said Annie H. Ide all and whole my rights and privileges in the thirteenth day of November, formerly my birthday, now hereby and henceforth, the birthday of the said Annie II. Ide, to have, to hold, exercise and enjoy the same in her customary manner, by the sporting of fine raiment, eating of rich meats and receipt of gifts, compliments and copies of verse, according to the manner of our ancestors: And I direct the said Annie II. Ide to add to the said name of Annie H. Ide the name of Lou-isa at least in private and I y, Healthy Mind Will Preserve Facial Beauty LINDSAY By PATRICIA Ball Syodleala.-WN- U Earvin. HOTELS nunucleus of beauty but it is cleus of a radiant happy life! Had I space to quote famous authorities I could convince you that destructive thoughts, or an undisciplined mind, can rob a woman of her health and destroy her hapouv --atpiness. As you think, your face and eyes express your thoughts. Catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror as you converse with a friend. Notice how your eyes sparkle and your lips turn upward when you speak Thereupon Francis P. Church, gaily. See how quickly a frown an editorial writer, wrote a re- appears and your eyes dim when ply which was printed as an edi- you talk of sorrow or feel sad. torial in the Sun on September Your lips narrow and your eyes 21, 1897. It said: partly close when you give vent to anger or gossip maliciously. Would IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS? you have believed it? Do you know that every unworthy We take pleasure in answering registers on your face? thought at once and thus prominently the Havent you seen women whose communication below, expressing reveal their habitual at the same time our great gratif- countenances of malice, selfishness, jealthoughts ication that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of ousy? Of course you have. have of miserable traits the Sun: robbed them of their beauty and Dear Editor I am eight happiness. years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa .Claus. Papa says: If you see it in the Sun its so. Sick minds, registered on faces, Please tell me the truth; off all human sympathy and ward is there a Santa Claus? love. Virginia OHanlon. So dont be a neurotic. Keep your mind active, free, and in order. It Virgins, your little friends an is the receiving and sending inwrong. They have been affecte strument of your entire body. Let it by the skepticism of a skeptica age. They think that nothing cai receive wholesome, pleasant mesbe which is not comprehensibh sages. Let it send wholesome, pleastheir little All minds. minds ant dictations. You know the old by Virginia, whether they be meni or little childrens, are little. It this great universe of ours max is a mere insect, an ant, in hii intellect, as compared with thi boundless world about him, at measured by the intelligence ca pable of grasping the whole o: truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santi Claus. He exists as certainly at love and generosity and devotior exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life it! highest beauty and joy. Alas how dreary would be the world ii there were no Santa Claus. II would be as drear as if there were no Virginias. There would be no child-lik- e faith then, nc poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal lighl with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus? You might as well not believe in Your face reflects your fairies I You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the adage that Beauty comes from chimneys on Christmas Eve to within" well it does, from within catch Santa Claus, but even ii your mind! If you have been in the habit of they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? brooding, of becoming easily hurt Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that at peoples thoughtless words or acis no sign that there is no Santa tions, strive to overcome those tenClaus. The most real things in dencies. Ignore hurts and discourthe world are those that neither agements. Realize that brooding children nor men can see. Did or worrying is an insidious form you ever see fairies dancing on of illness which can destroy a lot the lawn? Of course not, but you hold dear. thats no proof that they are not Dont be a woman consumed with there. Nobody can conceive or Dont be a girl consumed imagine all the wonders there are with Every person has a unseen and unseeable in the tough time in life. Every person world. has problems and hurdles to You may tear apart the babys No life is without sorrow nor isleap. rattle and see what makes the life without joy! Take life asanyit noise inside, but there is a veil comes. Keep yourself healthy and covering the unseen world which let your mind create beauty l not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view The intelligent way to go about and picture the supernal beauty the style of your hairdress changing and glory beyond. Is it all real? is to sit before your mirror after Ah, Virginia, in all this world you have given your hair a thoris there nothing else real and ough brushing away from the scalp. abiding. Comb your hair back from the face. No Santa Claus? Thank Godl Determine which hair-d- o he lives forever. A thousand your good features and will accent soften your years from now, Virginia, nay, less glamorous ones. ten times ten thousand years If you can afford it, go to an exfrom now he will continue to and let him take you in pert make glad the heart of childhood. hand.stylist Otherwise go to a good barber and get a hair cut once you have A Newspaper Classic." decided on the exciting new style. Around Christmas time, the Try to suit type, your mood, next year after this editorial ap- your clothe?. your all sorts of parts Try peared in the Sun, that newspauntil you find one that does a lot per began receiving requests for you. from its readers: Please reprint the editorial called Is There a Area of Dominion of Canada Santa Claus? Each year thereThe area of the Dominion of Canafter it received the same re- ada is greater than that of contiquest and each year the editorial nental United States. The area of was reprinted in the columns of United States proper is 3,026,790 the Sun. miles, while that of the DoMore than that, it was reprint- square minion of Canada is 3,729,665 square ed in other newspapers which miles. United States and also received the same request Alaska have an area proper of 3,617,675 annually. It became a News- square miles. Thus it will be seen paper Classic," which has been that the Dominion of Canada has a reproduced thousands of times greater area than the combined during the 40 years that have areas of the United States proper elapsed since it first appeared, and Alaska. and it has been translated into many foreign languages even Fear of Ghosts the Chinese The belief that a widow who reNext to Clement C. Moores will be haunted by the spirmarries A Visit From St. Nichpoem, of her late husband is widespread olas" (also called The Night Be- it in both primitive and civilized counfore Christmas"), this editorial is tries, says a writer in probably the best known bit of Weekiy. As late as 1912 Colliers a man writing associated with Christmas in Macon Ga., was quickly ever produced in America and it a divorce granted when he explained that seems destined, like Santa Clau& the ghost of his wife's first husband to live forever." bothered them so much could so longer live together. they Stair St. tlh 8a. ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, famous author who charge her to use my said birthday with moderation and humanity, et tanquam bona filia fami-lia- e, the said birthday not being as young as it once was, and having carried me in a very satisfactory manner since I cat) remember. And in case the said Annie H. Ide shall neglect or contravene either of the above conditions, I hereby revoke the donation and transfer my rights in the said birthday to the President of the United States of America for the time being. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal in the year of grace eighteen hundred and ninety-onROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON" After having this document witnessed by his friends, Lloyd Osbourne and Harold Watts, Stevenson gave it to Ide who sent it with a letter of explanation to his wife. On the morning of December 25, 1891, little Annie Ide walked slowly into the room where a Christmas tree was laden with presents for her and her sister. As usual, die was brooding over her lost birthday." But her mood soon changed when her mother handed her the deed of gift" which was hanging on the tree and explained its meaning to her. Thanks to the famous Robert Louis Stevenson she now had a birthday of her very own" and its celebration would not be overshadowed by the celebration of Christmas. Little Annie immediately wrote a letter of thanks to Stevenson and sent with it photographs and drawings of herself. In acknowledging her letter Stevenson explained to her how her new birthday would work. He wrote: You are thus become a month and twelve days younger than you were, but will go on growing older for the future in the regular and human manner from one thirteenth of November to the next. The effect on me is more doubtful; I may, as you suggest, live forever, I might, on the other hand, come to pieces like the shay at a moments notice; doubtless the step is risky, but I do not in the least regret that one-hor- se willed" his birthday the little American girL She sat beside him at the end of the native dais and received many fine gifts. The next year the event was repeated and there was a dinner party in the evening besides. The famous author, enjoyed the occasion as much as did the little girl. But that was their last dual celebration for Stevenson died on December 3, 1894. Annie Ide, however, continued to carry out faithfully the conditions of the birthday deed by the sporting of fine raiment, eating of rich meats and receipt of gifts.? Even after she became a woman and married W. Bourke Cock-rafamous New York political leader and congressman, she con-n, tinued to observe the birthday which Stevenson had willed to her. Stevenson proved to be a good prophet for her husband was a wealthy man, and in their luxurious home at Port Washington, Long Island, she received her gifts" of costly jewelry and arrayed herself in her fine raiment" of Paris gowns. Last year, Mrs. Cockran decided that she had enjoyed more than her share of the unique Christmas present which Stevenson had willed" to her. So, instead of letting it revert to the President of the United States, as Stevenson had whimsically suggested would be done if she should neglect or contravene" the provisions of his will, she passed the birthday along to her n niece, Anita Leslie, a British author who is the daughter of Shane Leslie, Irish poet, . novelist and dramatist, and Marjorie Ide Leslie, sister of Annie Ide Cockran. If ever Miss Leslie decides that she no longer wishes to keep Stevensons gift birthday," there are several notables, born on December 25, who would doubtless welcome it. It would be especially fitting, perhaps, if she conferred it upon a little boy who is out of all justice denied in consolation and profit of a proper birthday" even though he is a scion of royalty. That little boy is Prince Edward, the young son of the duke and duchess of Kent Or she might pass it along to another member of the royal house of her native England-you- ng Prince Edwards aunt, the duchess of Gloucester. Some other notables born on December 25 are Evangeline Booth, world commander of the Salvation Army; Helen Twelvetrees, actress; Rebecca West, novelist; Gladys Swarthout, opera singer; Robert L. Ripley, the Believe It or Not man; Paul Manship, sculptor; Belle Baker, singer, and Jerry Rodman, bicycle aMiai auba. aafi. EX. Ml E Sfala. Ball Laka. GIFTS OF GLASS Mirrors and Picture Framing well-know- which enables me to sign myself your revered and delighted name-father- ." Two years later Mrs. Ide took her two daughters to Samoa to join their father. They arrived on November 12 and were met by Ide and Stevenson. The next day, being little Annies new birthday," she was a guest at a huge feast whichthe natives had arranged for Stevenson in tumor of his birthday which he, unknown to them, had willed" to Safety Glaaa white raa wait ScpIacMnt DS LUXE GLASS CO. I Gian for Every Purjxwa Salt Laka CUr Eaat Iri Ba. 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MH SALT LAKH y. self-pit- y. HINT-OF-THE-D- 1 i AataaMhil I self-pit- aai iWrt, I la AND USED Saaka NEW lytwrkm, B L. DESK - PRINCE EDWARD 1J 1.M, LhA OFFICE EQUIPMENT Over-indulgen- as a Christmas rift to a little girl la New England. LASS Katri tKNII NAV ADA (tap a, lh GOLDEN Kaaa'a laiaM aaS man papular haul Wh HOTS! j Don't Be A Neurotic SAL1 rLANIMIMh HUTKI en- clear thinking, A HEALTHY, ergetic mind is not only the the a e. ANNIE IDE COCKRAN Six years after the little girl in Vermont had been made happy by Robert Louis Stevenson, who willed her his birthday, another little girl in New York city was also made happy by a writer, but in a different way. One day in September. 1897, there came to the office of the New York Sun this letter: Destroyed Many War Planes Baron von Bichtofen of Germany was reputed to have destroyed 80 enemy planes daring the World war. Named for Ash Trees Fresno, Calif., is so named from the once heavy growth of ash trees on its site, Fresno being the Spanish form for ssh tree. Famous Anthem in Handbill Form Francis Scott Key had the words of his song, The Star Spangled Banner," printed in handbill form In the office of the Baltimore American and they were distributed a few days after the song was written. Before the British fleet had even left the Chesapeake it was sung on the stage of the famous Holliday Street theater and taken up through the nation with intense eagerness. Iris Once Colored Ftia During the Seventeenth century a popular pigment was made from the flowers of the common blue flag iris. The purplish blue flowers were first allowed to ferment, then the juice was extracted and mixed with powdered alum. Later the pigment wae CRlled iria green. The flowen of the mansy were also used to malm a similar pigment. violet-color- ed chief experts of North Afr during Its Roman empire days. AYE LASSIE, IT COSTS LESS BECAUSE IT BURNS BETTER AND LASTS LONGER? |