Page 174

172 Longmeade, con.

Europe 25 yrs. ago the starling, which not only
kills and eats wrens, bluebirds, robins and sparrows,
but bids fair to drive all these valuable feathered friends
away from our premises in a few years.

Eliza N. Moore gave first “A Cheerful Rhyme for
A Dismal Time”, -

“If the day looks kinder gloomy
And your chances kinder slim
If the situation’s puzzlin’
And the prospect awful grim;
And perplexities keep pressin’
Till all hope is nearly gone
Just bristle up and grit your teeth
And keep a keepin’ on.”

E. N. M. then read of the stone trees of Arizona
which ethnologists believe may have been burned
at prehistoric cannibal feasts. How these trees
ever reached their present position is a matter
of speculation, but they are believed to have
been over-thrown by a flood. One end of a stone
tree spans a chasm 60 ft. wide. There are 3 petrified
forests a few miles apart.

Mrs. B. D. Canby brought a column from the
Star which contained the prize essay on Temperance.
Many Wash. pupils had competed but
Miss Emma Kahl aged 16, of Cooke School won
the $20. The title was, “Harm of a moderate
use of Alcohol.” We quote, “To be efficient is the
cry everywhere, to be able to do one’s task with
the least amount of effort, to do more and better
work, - that is the goal for which we strive.

To be efficient we must be healthy; avoiding
bad habits, whether they quickly poison us or
only slowly injure our vital organs. To the latter
class the moderate use of alcohol belongs. + + +
With clearer brain and healthier body man
will be ready to attain greater heights of efficiency
and progress. Strong manhood, splendid
woman-hood, is the ideal that should at all
times be before us.”

The Sec’y exhibited a pkge. of evaporated corn
made by a Mr. Cope of Pa. at 10 cts per pkge. She
had found it very good in the form of a stew
or fritters. It should be soaked in a little