Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, December 22, 1910, Page 8

o The Magpie Ceiling. One of the apartments in the an- gient royal palace at Cintra, Portugal, 4s known as the Hall of Magpies. Painted in the arabesque ceiling is to be found a swarm of magpies. Bach has in the mouth a-scroll, on which, painted in red on a white ground, are the words, “Por bem.” The story runs that King John of Portugal was making love to one of the maids of bonor in this chamber and was sur- prised by the queen.. His majesty made the best of the circumstances and ex- plained to the queen, “E por bem minka sacre” (“Oh, it is nothing at all. It is quite right. ‘There is no harm in it”). As to whether the queen was satisfied the legend is silent, but the ladies of the court were deeply interested and were constuntly saying to one another with a smile, “Por bem! Por bem!” The king thought it time to act, so he com- misvioned an artist to paint on the ceiling as many magpies as there were talkative ladies about the court, each holding in the beak the ‘ribbon with the words, “Por bem.”—London Globe. Fate of Portugal’s Homer. “The Lusiad” is one of the noblest records ever written of ndtional glory and suce Camoens, its gifted au- thor, determined to do for Portugal what Homer had done for Greece. The great poem was written in the six- teenth century, which has been called the heroic age of Portugal, and its main feature is the rounding of the Cape of Good Hope by Vasco da Gama, while a most interesting episode is the crowning after death of Inez de Castro as queen of Portugal. “The Lusiad” took its name from Lusius, who was said to have founded Lisbon. Its author was born_about 1520, and his career, which began brilliantly, . was blighted by the death of a broken heart of the lady of his love, for whose' sake he was banished from the land. He wrote “The Lusiad” in his banish- ment and was recalled in 1571, losing on the way all his property except his poem. Pensioned at first by the king, this great epic poet of Portugal died in great ‘poverty in 1570, when his patron was also dead. Down In a Coal Mine. . To the ear accustomed to.the con- stant sound of a living world the still- ness of a coal mine, where the miles of crosscuts and entries and the un- yielding walls swallow up all sounds and echo is a silence that is complete, but as one becomes accustomed to the silence through long hours of solitary. work sounds become audible that { would escape an ear less trained. The trickling murmur of the gas, the spat- ] tering fall of a lump of coal loosened by some mysterious force from a cranny in the wall, the sudden kmock- ing and breaking of a stratum far up in the rock above or the scurry of a rat off somewhere In the darkness strike on the ear loud and startling. The eye, too, becomes trained to pene- trate the darkness, but the darkness is 80 complete that there is a limit—the limit of the rays cast by the pit lamp, —Joseph Husband in Atlantic. Portuguese and Codfish. It is an interesting fact that the fish- ermen of northern Portugal started and developed the fishing industry on the “banks” off the northern coast of America, and, though they now send i fewer ships, their taste for salt cod from Newfoundland is unabated- in fact, it is a national Portuguese dain- ty. Tt is found in every little grocery shop, hard and brown as a board. A number of Portuguese have made their home on the islands to the south of the mainland of Massachusetts, and there the dark ,eyes of the Iberian maiden, raven locks and a certain pic- turesque element. in dress are not in- frequent. 'This connection with Por- tugal dates back many years, the ships of Marthas Vineyard bridging the distunce over sea and returning with Portuguese crews.—Exchange. Adam and Eve. “I hope this expulsion of ours is not going to injure our social position,” said Eve ruefully. “I guess not,” replied Adam. “They can’t 'stop us from being one of the very first families, whatever they do.” “I don’t find our names here in the ‘Social Register,’” said Eve, looking the volume over. ) A “Look under ‘Dilatory Domiciles,” my love,” sald Adam as he went out and named the jackass after himself.— Harper's Weekly. A Pithy Sermon. Here is the pithiest sermon ever preached: “Our ingress into life is naked and bare: our progress through life is trouble and care. our egress out of it we know not where: but, doing well here, we shall do well there. I could not tell more by preaching a year.” Wanted It Well Hidden. Little Bobby was too polite to say he wanted a big piece of the turkey, but he said he would like a piece of the chest. where the wishbone was, only he didn’t want to find the wish- bone too quick.—Browning's Magazine. sirable presents. rics. $15 to $30. be appreciated. Harris Suspenders, finesilk suspenders in Christmas boxes 50¢ to $3 a pair. Boys’ Knee Pants Suits, made from good wool serge and fancy Scotch suitings $3 to $10 a suit. Footwear, Men's Shoes $2.50 to $6. Boy’s shoes $1.75 to $2.50. Men’s slippers $1.25 to $2.00. Lo everyone. Presents for Men Adler’s Suits and Overcoats make de- New styles, new fab- Elgin Shirts, plain or pleated bosom, attached cuff. A quarter dozen would Neckwear. Cutter & Crossett neckwear made from imported silks, the latest styles, in Christmas boxes 50c¢ to $1 each. Handkerchiefs, we are showing a very large line of men’s handkerchiefs, silk, linen and mercerized, plain white and fancy borders, 15¢ to $2.50 each, - CHRISTMAS PRESENTS Selection of Christmas Presents has made this a busy store. There will be a greater waists received 5. ¢ $6.50. All wool ' O’LEARY-BOWSER CO. Bemidji, Minnesota. blankets $1 to $2.50. rush the balance of the week, but we have extra help and will do our best to wait on Kindly do as much of your shopping in the morning as possible Ladie’s Presents One of our suits,coats or a fur piece would make a nice present, we carry only high grade goods, our prices are lower than any other stores, better look. Shirt Waists, two large cases of shirt for Christmas. We can suit you in size, material and price. They are nifty up-to-date garments. For the Toilet, toilet cases, brushes, combs, hair pins, manicure sets, Infant toilet sets, toilet powders and perfumes. Gloves, kid gloves $1 to $1.75, Cashmere gloves, 35¢ to . 1.25, loose gloves 25 to Silk Hose, we are showing a large assortment of silk hose in colors and plain black, $1.25 to $3 a pair. Ladies’ Hand Bags, a good hand bag for Christmas, we have them from 50¢ to $10, in patent, Seal and grain leather. Blapkets, Indian blankets $2.50 to bed blankets $5. Baby = \ i §