Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 30, 1905, Page 5

_, WELCOMETHE COMING SPEED THE PARTING GUEST; SS ZE \ SE —_ Sa THE OLD YEAR AND THE NEW ONE WORKING DAY FOR US ALL. To-day the Only Period for Which We Are Accountabie. The coming year will have 365 days in its calendar, but really will have only one working day, and that is ealled “To-day.” That is all you will be accountable for; none but a fool lives in to-morrow. Serve your Mas- ter by the day. Each four and twenty hours brings its own duties to be done, its own loads to be carried, and ‘ts own progress to be made heaven- ward. There never was a Christian yet strong enough to carry to-day’s duties with to-morrow’s worries piled on the top of them. Take short views, and never try to climb walls until you get to them, or to cross a bridge until you reach it. Begin every day with Jesus Christ, and then, keep- ing step with him, march on to duty over the roughest road that lies be- fore you, and in the teeth of the hard- est head wind you may encounter. “My times are in thy hands,” and they could not be in better hands. Our times are in our all-wise and all-lov- ing Father’s hands, both for control and for concealment. He takes care of us, and yet we can not tell just what to-morrow or the next year will bring forth. Facing the New Year. A new year is upon us, with new duties, new conflicts, new trials, and new opportunities. Start on the jour- ney with Jesus—to walk with him, to work for him, and to win souls to him. A happy year will it be to those who through every path of trial, or up every hill of difficulty, or over every sunny height, march on in closest fel- lowship with Jesus, and who will de- termine that, come what may, they have Christ every day.—Theodore L. Cuyler, D.D. Children’s Day in Russia. In Russia New Year's is especially the children’s day. Among the peas- ants the old-time frolics and games are renewed. It is a practice among the boys to arm themselves with a supply of shelled wheat and dried peas and to go from house to house in the small hours of the morning. They present themselves unbidden in a neighbor’s house, where the doors are always unlocked, and pelt him with wheat or peas till he offers cakes or fruit as a truce. The Closing Sear ‘Tis midnight’s holy hour—and silence now Is brooding, like a gentle spirit, o’er The still and pulseless world. Hark! on the winds The bell’s deep tones are swelling; ’tis the knell Of the departed year. Is sweeping past; yet, on the stream and wood, With melancholy light, the moonbeams rest, Like a pale spotless shroud; the air is stirred, As by a mourner’s sigh; and on yon cloud, That floats so still and placidly through heaven, The spirits of the seasons seem to stand, No funeral train ‘Young Spring, bright Summer, Autumn’s solemn form, And Winter, with his aged locks, and breathe In mournful cadences, that come abroad | Like the far windharp’s wild and touching wail, A melancholy dirge o’er the dead year, Gone from the earthforever. ’Tisa time For memory and for tears. Within the deep, Still chambers of the heart, a specter dim, Whose tunes are like the wizard voice of Time Heard from the tomb of ages, points its cold And solemn finger to the beautiful And holy visions that have pase’d away, And left no shadow of their loveliness On the dead waste of life. That specter lifts The coffin lid of hope, and joy, and love, And, bending mournfully above the pale Sweet forms that slumber there, scatters dead flowers O’er what has passed to nothingness. The year Has gone, and, with it, many a glorious throng Of happy dreams. Its mark ison each brow, Its shadows in each heart. In its swift course It waved its scepter o'er the beautiful, And they are not. It laid its pallid hand Upon the strong man, and the haughty form Is fallen, and the flashing eye isdim. Ettrod the hall of revelry, where throng’d The bright and joyous, and the tearful wail Of stricken ones is heard, where erst the song And reckless shout resounded. It passed o’er The battle plain, where sword and spear and Flash’d in the light of midday—and the strength Of serried hosts is shiver’d, and the grass, Green from the soil of carnage, waves above The crush’d and mouldering skeleton. It came And faded like a wreath of mist at e Yet, ere, it melted in the viewless air, It heralded its millions to their home In the dim land of dreams. Remorseless Time— Fierce spirit of the glass and scythe—what power Can stay him in his silent course, or melt His iron heart to pity? On, still on He presses, and forever. The proud bird, The condor of the Andes, that can soar Through heaven’s unfathomable depths, or brave The fury of the northern hurricane, And bathe his plumage in the thunder’s home, Furls his broad wings at nightfall, and sinks down To rest upon the mountain crag—But Time Knows not the weight of sleep or weariness, And night’s deep darkness has no chain to bind His rushing pinion. Revolutions sweep O’er earth, like troubled visions o’er the breast Of dreaming sorrow; cities rise and sink Like bubbles on the water; fiery isles Spring, blazing, from the ocean, and go back To their mysterious caverns; mountains rear To heaven their bald and blackened cliff,and bow Their tall heads to the plain; new empires rise Gathering the strength of hoary centuries And rush down like the Alpine avalanche, Startling the nations; and the very stars, Yon bright and burning blazonry of God, Glitter awhile in their eternal depths, And, like the Pleiades, loveliest of their train, Shoot from their glorious spheres, and pass away To darkle in the trackless void—yet Time— Time, the tomb builder, holds his fierce career Dark, stern, all pitiless, and pauses not Amid the mighty wrecks that strew his path, To sit and muse, like other conquerors, Upon the fearfal ruin he has wrought ! GREAT DAY FOR THE ROMANS. Right Beginning of New Year Meant for Them Success. No nation has ascribed so importance to the beginning of things as the Roman. To that people there was a magical connection be- tween a right beginning and success. To them New Year’s day was the day of days. It was the anniversary of the founding of the city of Romé, which they considered the greatest event in the world’s history. They called the first month of the year January in honor of Janus, the god of doors and beginnings. \The world still uses a heathen calendar.) At dawn of the new year the _ people, robed in white, sacrificed elaborate of- ferings to their gods, especially to Janus. Fraternal greetings, benevo- lent gifts and exchanges of costly presents marked the day. All evil- speaking, quarrels or excesses were for one day laid aside and the ideals for a nobler future were brought to mind by parables enacted in public places. The soldiers renewed their vows of loyalty to Caesar and put on new uniforms. much The Animals’ Season Greetings. The action and voices of domestic animals on New Year's day are said to be more significant than any other omens. A dog’s cheerful bark in the morn- ing is a most auspicious sign, while his howl is very unfavorable. To meet the cat on the morn of the New Year is considered by people in the Latin countries as a sign that they will change their residence, and it also betokens ill for the future. Throughout southern Europe it is regarded as a most fortunate sign to see a pig, signifying plenty for the coming twelve months. The sight of a snake is considered to be the worst conceivable omen, for it means death by violence. To see a jackdaw, magpie, or crow is a sign that the beholder will be cheated on all sides during ‘the fol- lowing year. Land of Many Tongues. An American tourist who travelea through Hungary last summer in his automobile says that he found the signboards in German, Magyar, Ital- ian, Slavonian and Turkish. Prefer- ence was given to none. -|9 a trip The State STATE FIGHTS FOR BIG TRACT. Title to 151,000 Acres of Swamp Land Is Involved. Attorney General Young and the state auditor have just returned from to Washington, where they went to fight for the state’s title to 151,000 acres of swamp land in the northern part of the state. The land was given to the state by the swamp land grant of 1860, but the deed was never recorded. The state’s title to the land never was questioned until the forest near by was given to the state for experimental porestry pur- poses. Then the forestry bureau of the United States agricultural depart- ment conceived the idea that the state owning or selling land in the midst of the forest reserve would be detrimen- tal to the forestry interests, and de- cided to contest the validity of the grant. There are 151,000 acres in- volved in the grant, but the fight centers around 95,000 acres located in the vicinity of the reserve. The state auditor said regarding the visit te Washington: “We have won every point in the contest so far. The secretary of the interior sus- tained our claim to the land on the Chippewa reservation around Leech lake two years ago, and from that time to this it has been a process of identfying the lands. The officials of the department of the interior showed a desire to close the matteh up and to give to the state the lands to which it is entitled under the decision of the secretary of the interior. “The opposittion which at present seems to prevent the secretary of the interior from fulfilling the grant arises in the forestry bureau of the department of agriculture. The offi- cials assert that if the state gets the swamp lands within the forest reserve at Leech Lake it will destroy the for- est reserve. In order to preserve the experimental forest reserve it was found necessary for them to attack the validity of the swamp land grant as it stands to-day. “Sofar as Attorney General Young and myself are concerned we are making no fight on the forestry re- serve as outlined by the bureau of forestry, but as officials of the State of Minnescta we emphatically object to that department,or any other de- partment of the United States gov- ernment taking 100,000 acres of more belonging to the state and devoting it to experimental forestry. The con- test was carried up tothe attorney general of the United States. At- torney General Young prepared a ver able and comprehensive brief cove ing the entire subject and submitted it to the attorney general, and I-feel perfectly safe in saying that we shall win. “The land is equal to the average land in that part of the state, and the value may run up to a million doll: The state drainage board this sent a corps of civil those lands. The engineers spent weeks in preparing an estimate and plans of how best to drain the lands.” fall engineers onto STATE FAIR’S ACCOUNTS O. K. The state Fair association has been given a clean bill of health by the au- diting committee which has been go- ing over the books and accounts of the society. The committee’s report has been filed with the governor by Gen. E. M. Pope, former state bank examiner, who is chairman of the auditing com- mittee. While there are a number of recom- mendations for improvements in the system of accounting for other chang- es, the report is in the main highly commendatory of the work of the state fair officers. It is recommended that the public examiner hereafter examine the soci- ety’s accounts, as the supreme court has held that the organization is a state institution. The committee also recommends the adoption of more improved systems of accounting, as the fair has out- grown the systenr now in use. The chief criticism of the report is not in regard to accounting, however. It is suggested that agricultural soci- ety funds are not now deposited in banks which are approved state depos- itories. ~ It is also suggested that the attorney general's office should take care of the legal business of the State Agricultur- al society, instead of special attorneys being employed. The committee found that the treas- urer was not properly bonded. While a bond was on file, the sureties had never justified in any amount. Secre- tary Randall brought in the bond in question for the inspection of the at- torney general. “We are satisfied with the report,” said Mr. Randall. “If there is any crit- icism of the bond in question we wish the matter looked into at once, as we supposed it was all right.” William Williams, who killed 16- year-old John Kellar and his mother, Mrs. J. M. Kellar, April 12 last, in St. Paul, must die on the gallows. The supreme court filed its decision, up- holding the district court in its refus- al to grant a new trial and the sen- tence of death must be carried out. Fred E. Foster, an Alden township farmer, was declared to be insane af- ter a hearing in the probate court 2t Albert Lea and he was committed to the state hospital at Rochester. He had been ailing for a year, and- at times became violent. Day by Day d NEWS OF INTEREST. Oneececerecceceececececeneecesceses® we ceseeeeaeeeee, e $ OVER MILLION FOR BUILDINGS Minnesota Awaits Spring to Launcn Boom. A tremendous amount of building at an aggregate cost of $1,080,000, is to be undertaken by the state board of control at various state institutions as soon as spring breaks. Perhaps the most important in gen- eral interest is the work at the state university of building the superstruc- ture for the new main building, the foundation having been completed last fall. Work will be rushed as soon as the weather permits, but it is doubtful if the building can be advanced suffi- ciently next season to permit of its being used the following school year on account of the magnitude of the structure, representing, as it does, an expenditure of over $400,000, includ- ing equipment Another state university building to be begun next spring and complet- ed during the season is a new plant house to cost $10,000. Bids alr have been called for and will be s mitted to*the board of control Jan. 1 Another big building to be pushed in the spring is the new main for the state agricultu school at St. An thony Park. This, with equipment, is to cost $250,000. Other state institutional structures to be erected in the spring and com pleted during the season e a wom en’s cottage at the Anoka asylum to cost $40,000. A similar cottage at Hastings will cost $40,000. The audi- torium in the Anoka asylum is to be torn out and the building remodeled and enlarged at an outlay of $15,000. At the St. Cloud normal, a new model school building will be con- structed for $25,000. A new prison is to be built, for which $ 000 is available. The state reforma tory at St. Cloud is to be benefited by having a new contagious ward hospi to cost $5,000. At the F. ult school for minded, the ‘shops are to be enla at a cost of*$22,000; a new laundr will be built at an outlay of $5,000; ¢ central kitchen building will be erect ed, costing $15,000. Fergus Falls hospital for the in is to have a handsome, commoc dormitory for nurses, costing $75,000 also a new contagious wé $5,000. At the Rochester hosy the insane there is to be erected ar extension to the main buildin $16,000, and also a $5,000 con ward. St. Peter hospital for the i to have a new $40,000 dormitc the nurses have long needed, contagious d to cost $5,000. At Walker, where the board of con trol last 1 had a earetaker’s cottage erected, in the spring will be built the state sanitarium for consumptives to cost $50,000. It is hoped to have the plans for all these instltutions completed by spring that work may advance without delay as soon as continued milder weather permits. state Dus wh and a MAY HOLD EXTRA SESSION. Delay in Printing of Code Will Tangle Things Badly. An extra session of the Minnesota legislature may result from the delay in the printing of the new code caused by the printers’ strike. “There is a possibility that Gov. fohnson may be compelled to call a session of the legislature to have a law enacted to postpone the date the code goes into effect,” said Frank A. Day, Gov. Johnson’s secretary, in discussing the matter. “What in the world can be done without any existing written law? “The code vitally changes various laws now in effect. There are also a large number of laws which were amended by the last legislature which are entirely superseded or repealed by the effect of certain portions of the new code. The non-publication of the code before it goes into effect is a mat ter which becomes more immense in its power to create trouble the more it is contemplated. “It may become a necessity for a session of the legislature and the sub- ject will probably be put up to the governor to contemplate as soon as he returns home.” TAKES FIRST HONORS. Minnesota Live Stock Wins Prizes in Chicago. Minnesota live stock is again to the fore and the latest scene of its tri- umphs is the arena at the internation- al stock exposition in Chicago. In competition with thousands of the premium cattle of the world the herd exhibited by W. H. Dunwoody carried off first honors in the Shorthorn class, as announced in a telegram received at the office of W. H. Brown. In the final exhibition Mr. Dun- woody was represented by five head of cattle, including an aged bull, an aged cow, a two-year-old, a yearling and a calf, all of whom were raised on his stock farm at Lake Minnetonka. The victory, which again demonstrates the superiority of Minnesota stock, is the greater because thousands of the best cattle raised in all parts of the United States and Canada were on exhibition. The attendance at the exhibition ex- ceeded 70.000 people. Another ‘honor which came to Min- nesota was the election of H. F. Brown as president of the American Short- horn Breeders’ association.