RAILROAD TIME CARD.
ST. L.. I. M. & S. RAILWAY.
NORTH BOUND.
No. 72. Local Freight. 12 ’ " P- n
■ No. .. 2."5 a. m
No. 4. 10:40 .a m
/ No. 12. MI2P.it.
No. 6. 1°:45 *>• m
ji- No. .. 11:11 p.m
7 No. 20. 12:43 p. n
SOUTH BOUND.
No. 73. Local Freight. . :00 a. m.
No. 17. 4. oa. m
No. .. 4:45 a.m.
No. 11. 6:4.ra. m
No. 3. 4 53 p- m'
No. 1. 10:4r P- «"■
No. 7.11:33 a. m
BATESVILLE BRANCH.
Passenger Leaves. 7:05 a. n
Mixed ’• . 11:45 a.m.
J'aasengerlArrives. 7:40 p. m.
Mixed “ .. lo:15 »• m
ROCK ISLAND SYSTEM.
passenger Arrives. 1:40 p.m
Passenger Departs. 3;1:> *’• m
Local Freight Departs. C:3(l a- m
On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
r 1
THE INDEPENDENT
PERCY H. VANDYKE,
Publisher and Editor.
NEWPORT, - - ARKANSAS.
CHRISTMAS.
To a people reared in a Chris
tian land, who are prone to ac
cept without study those observ
ances which meet with the ap
proval of their minds and hearts,
it is often well to call for a retro
spection upon .these customs to
determine their origin and aims,
and how well £hey have been
held intact by successive genera
uvnoi
Christmas, the commemoration
of the Savior’s nativity, tells its
derivation in its component syl
lables. Christ, from the Greek
word for savior, and mass, ob
served by the early Catholic
church as a part of the celebra
tion of the advent of the Son of
Man upon earth. As early as
the second century the followers
of the Child Jesus observed the
commemoration of the birth in
the manger, but it was not until
the fourth century that Pope Ju
lian fixed the date as Dec. 25th,
and this day is thought to have
^ been chosen from the fact that
^ the ancients regarded the winter
solstice as the most important
period of the year, the beginning
of life in all nature, and not be
because historical or biblical data
confirms the date selected.
The desire of the church to
proselyte the barbarians of the
north had not then contaminated
with heathen practices the puri
ty of the festivity. The glamour
of ceremony, the acceptance of
feast and fast days that had no
part in their religion, but made
more compatible the new faith to
traditions of Goths and Huns,
had not then influenced the ob
servance of this festivity. In
mass was the nativity commem
orated; in good will and cheer
was the spirit of the day pro
claimed.
No matter to wnat distortion
and corruption the Dark Ages
•carried this festive day, it has
come forth in this enlightened age
full of the meaning it once bore.
Not only as a religious, but as a
social event, it preaches the gos
pel of love. To the Christian
church it tells the story of the
coming of the Savior, but to all
the world it has come to signify
a day of rejoicing, when the kin
ship of man is seen in sweet
charity.
Christmas—such are its asso
ciations from early childhood that
its magic name seems hallowed.
It lives in the sunshine of happi
ness, drives away the clouds ol
sorrow and trouble and showers
peace and good will upon un
numbered millions who cherish
its name and meaning.
Most popular holiday the calen
dar holds in store, most signif <
cant commemoration that mar
observes, most blessed event that
each year marks our lives, its
mirth encircles both “him that
gives and him that takes,’
drawing each closer in a bond ol
love, the brotherhood of man.
Inspirit reaches into the heart,
calloused in self by business
* cares and hurry, and the kind
ness that it calls forth causes
many an unfortunate to forget
his misery and exclaim: “The
world is good.” There is much
in our Christmas to extoll, though
abused by some excesses, and we
should all strive to give more
meaning to the old familiar
greeting: “A merry Christmas to
you.” Let’s do.
Hark! the Christmas bells are
ringing^
Angel voices join the lay:
Peace on earth, good will for
ever,
Christ, the Savior, born today.
The devotion of the late ex
Governor James P. Eagle to his
wife was the most striking char
acteristic of his life. He was
like unto William McKinley in
! this regard, and it was this ten
der affection and high admira
tion for his help-meet that won
him the unstinted regard of
: many thousands who were hard
ly acquainted with his many oth
i er endearing traits of character.
;This of itself stamped him as
good, and men did not fear to en
trust with this noble type of God
! fearing and home-loving citizen
! the responsibilities of the highest
office within their gift.
A big planter of Rock Hill, S.
C., is out in a press statement
advising the farmer to burn
three out of every ten bales of
cotton he is holding. Seven bales
at 10 cents would bring him as
much as ten bales at 7 cents and
i fVin ViDQfi: and •fnr»t-nrips would he
1 taught a lesson. If all would
burn their 30 per cent the theory
| might hold good, but the farmer
who would fire his proportionate
part and expect others to do the
same should be adjudged insane
immediately. He might become
a promiscuous incendiary.
The daughter of the late Bar
on Krupp, whose guns netted
him a fortune of millions, has
come into an income of $2,000,
! 000 per year. Mrs. Russell Sage
says the girl could secure the
greatest amount of happiness in
devoting her heritage to charity,
which is true and good advice no
doubt, but why shouldn’t the
j Sages, like the ordinary run of
mankind, follow a sage’s advice.
Should the Cherokee strip be
' added to the confines of Arkan
sas, 25,000 to 50,000 new voters,
i the majority of whom are Repub
licans, would be added to our
suffrage list. The bill for the
change is fathered by a Demo
crat, Congressman Wallace, but
he seems to be a master of the
situation and knows how to ap
peal to a Republican congress.
Santa Claus starts from the
1180th parallel, but as the Inde
pendent has no special corre
spondent in the frigid zones a
j report of his departure, how well
I his reindeers were shod, if they
wear shoes at all, and how heav
ily his sleigh was laden with toys
and good things to eat, is lacking
in our Christmas fore-runner edi
tion.
From past totals it is estimated
that the charity of this Christ
mas will represent something
'close to $4,000,000 in these
United States. The American
people may be laughed at abroad
for their reckless extravagance,
but upon such items as this a
corresponding credit is deserved.
A. R. Crook, the Chicago pro
fessor who three years ago said
he had never been kissed and
immediately became famous,
whether from the fact, his
foolishness in telling it or his
nerve in lying it, we know not, is
I soon to be married. His reputa
tion is ruined.
The merchants of Newport
will close their stores the Mon
day following Christmas and new
vear. or Dec. 2b and Jan. 2.
These days will be generally ob
served over the entire country as
holidays, and the local business
men are in line on this good pre
cedent.
Our old childhood friend Kris
Kringle, in keeping wTith his gen
f
erous disposition, has promised
to help us out in awarding prizes’
for the babies. The other five j
are to be looked after by this
jolly old toy dispenser.
The little ones “under two”
have been in the lime-light of
public attention to such an ex
tent for the past fifty days that
Santa Claus can have no excuse
for passing them by as unknown.
The Independent will issue no
daily Monday. We don’t pro
pose to let the calendar rob us of
a holiday when we only have
four during the entire year.
No long faces on Christmas.
There’s no city ordinance to this
effect, but don’t take advantage
of the law.
A merry Christmas and a happy
New Year to each one of our
readers.
SPECIAL RATES
Account of Christmas and New
Year’s holidays via the Iron
Mountain route. Dates of sale
Dec. 24, 25 and 31, and Jan 1.
Tickets will be sold to all points
on the Iron Mountain and will be
good for return up to and in
cluding January 4. Rate will be
one fare plus 50 cents, one fare
and one-third to apply where
latter basis makes less, adding
sufficient to make rate end in 0
or 5. Minimum selling rate of
50 cents will be observed,
btd Thos. H. Reamey, Agt.
WINTER jTOURS
TO
COLORADO
AND RETURN
$39,50
FROM
ST. LOUIS.
VIA
VIA UNIONj PACIFIC
EVERY DAY until May 1
1905. Return limit June 1.
Your Physician Says:
—That the dry mountain air of
Colorado as an elixir of life, stands
pre-eminent. Always rigorous and
invigorating, the crisp atmosphere
and delightful climate are at their
best in winter.
Inquire of
J. H. Lothrop, G. A.,
903 Olive st., St. Louis, Mo.
SAW MILL FORISALE.
Saw mill and 1,000 acres of
oak for sale cheap. Party de
sires to look after other business.
Apply at this office. This
is a bargain and can be secured
for $450.
Toys for the babies and little
folks at the 5 and 10 Cent Store.
jTHE CHRISTMAS SEASONl
I Is almost here, and the Holiday shopper
I can hardly afford to miss seeing oar large
I and handsome line of
FINE
CHAIRS,
Parlor, Library, Bed and
Room Furniture. ^
Every article well made, artistically designed, attractively priced. ^
A NICE CARVING SET L
Makes a handsome and acceptable Christmas present. Oor Hard- |
ware Department has a variety sore to please yoo. |
Newport Builders’ SuapS Hardware Co. |
100,000 DOLLARS
OF NEW BUSINESS IN TEN DAYS IN NEWPORT.
THIS IS THE RECORD OF
• •
S. M. POWELL,
STATE MANAGER FORj/THE ■* 1
Metropolitan Life’Insurance'Co.
_
The Policies’are plain and guarantees absolute.
LIVERYMEN
FARMERS
DRAYMEN
And all users of axle grease
that want the best grease on the
market and that recognize a good
thing when shown its merits, we
recommend our Golden and Cas
tor Oil brands of Axle Grease.
It is put up in 1 pound tin boxes
and 3 pound tin buckets. For
sale by all up-to-date merchants.
Ask for it and take no substitute.
It is guaranteed to have no equal
for quality on the market.
waters-pierce!
OIL COMPANY.
WINCHESTER
S FACTORY LOADED SMOKELESS
POWDER SHOTGUN SHELLS
Good shells in your gun mean a good bag
in the field or a good score at the trap.
Winchester “Leader” and “Repeater”
Smokeless Powder Shells are good shells.
Always sure-fire, always giving an even
spread of shot and good penetration, their
great superiority is testified to by sports
men who use Winchester Factory Loaded
Shells in preference to any other make.
ALL DEALERS KEEP THEM
—J
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