davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
THE PEACOCK.
Another Illusion Dispelled-A Bird With
out Vanity or Brains.

Another Illusion Dispelled-A Bird With.
out Vanity or Brains.
at seems like pity to shatter be-
lief that has existed for years." said a
dealer in pug dogs, pigeons and pea
cocks this morning to news gatherer,
''but the old. old story of the vanity of
the peacock is a miserable myth. I
can not understand why people be-
lieved in it SO long. Why, sir, are you
aware that the peacock has less brains
than the chicken? Do you know that
the peacock is practically the idiot of
the feathered tribe. the same as the pug
is of the canine race? A peacock, sir,
hasn't sense enough to 90 in when it
rains. No, sir. What l say is literally
and actually true. Ihave seen 'em stand
out in storm and pick up corn, while
every sensible turkey, goose or duck
would be under shelter
cit is simply the gaudy plumage of
the peacock that has led to the story of
his vanity. l suppose in days gone by,
when some parson or other had no
text, he just lit on the peacock as a
subject and jumped in without regard
to nice distinctions in natural history.
at is true that when the peacock
hOists his tail and struts around it looks
as if he was trying to show off, and all
the women folks say: Just look at the
vain thing" The truth is that the pea
cock rarely, if ever, exhibits his mag
nificent circular tail except when court
ing. A male pigeon swells out his
neck-feathers, while a barn-yard rooster
seeks for dainty morsels for the hens
and clucks complimentary clucks. The
peacock takes different style, that's
all
81 don't suppose that peacock has
sense enough to know that his feathers
are gaudy or his feet ugly. It's dead
sure fact that he has smaller head
and less IN it than any bird you can
mention that is half his size in body.
Vanity be blowed!' - Philadelphia
NgtcS
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
SMALL FLOCKS,
They Are More Profitable Than the Whole.
sale Raising of Sheep.

They Are More Profitable Than the Whole.
sale Raising of Sheep.
An idea which is fast gaining ground
with practical sheep men is that small
flocks-comparatively small oEes-are
the most profitable. The popular no.
ton, in the range countries at least,
used to be that the larger the flock, the
greater the profits. This idea is fast
being dissipated, and the days of hand
ling sheep by the tens of thousands is
numbered, even on the plains of Texas
Certain kinds of sheep do better than
others in flocks of several thousands,
but it is fact which experience has
demonstrated that there is no kind of
sheep which will thrive as well in
large flock as in small one. In these
huge bands of sheep vast number die
and vast number are left, and one re-
ceive the attention which common
economy demands. 1t may pay in one
sense to have one herder to attend to
more sheep than two men could prop
erly see to. but it pays in no other way;
and it must be remembered that the
item OF expense involved in the wages
OF the man who attends the fOcks il
one which is either the largest or small
est in the business, for the profit or loss
of the flock depends more Oh him than
upon the man who furnishes the money
and attends to the financial manage
ment
The sheep-raiser of the present time
seems to think he is beset with an un-
usual number of hardships, and so he
has great deal to contend with in
order to make his business a success,
but the hardships are simply incident
to the competition and the close figur-
ing of the times. With careful atten-
ton and an application of judiciou.
business management, sheep and WOOL
growing can be made to pay as well.
and better, than in the good old
times" about which men are too prone
to talk.-SAesp Breeder AUD Feel
Grower
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
A BIRD STORY.
A Humming Birds Liberation from .
Rather Tight Nest.

-
Rather Tight Nest.
In an oak grove in California, pic
mic party camped under tree in which
was a tiny aest, with little female
humming bird sitting thereon. She
was fed by her mate very devotedly,
and the pair excited the interest of the
whole party. 1t was at my sisters
earnest request that the nest was I'M
molested. Afterward she went alone
weeks after-thinking to find young
birds, which she was anxious to see.
The bird sat in the nest, but no fedg-
lings were there. She could not be
scared away, and in the effort to see
into the nest, the twig was snapped,
and bird and bough fell together. Then
it was discovered that the bird was
caught tightly by the feet in the nest
lining. The nest was taken several
miles to house and had to be torn to
pieces, bit by bit, until the threads
which held the bird were carefully I'M
wound. The bird was put under
tilted glass case to recover the use of
her legs. She remained there several
days, became quite tame, and her mate
not being at hand to feed her as he had
done while she was in the tree, she ate
honey that was put into her glass
house, and apparently relished it high
ly.-Cincin7aatt Commercial.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
A CUNNING BEAST.
A Sacred Bull That Knew . Trick or
Two.

Some years ago, while living in West
ern Mysore, says Mr.. Romanes, occu-
pied a house surrounded by several
acres of fine pasture land. The supe-
rior grass in this preserve was a great
temptation to the village cattle, and
whenever the gates were open trespass
was common. NV servants did their
best to drive off intruders, bat one day
they came to me rather troubled, stat
ing that Brahmin bull which they had
beaten had fallen down dead. 1t may
be remarked that these bulls are sacred
and privileged animals, being allowed
to roam at large and eat whatever they
may fancy in the open shops of the
bazaar men. On hearing that the tres
passer was dead Immediately went to
view the body, and there sure enough
it was lying, exactly as if life were ex-
tinct. Being rather vexed about the
occurrence in case of getting into
trouble with the natives, did not stay
to make any minute examination, but
at once returned to the house with the
view of reporting the affair to the dis
trict authorities l had only just gone
for short time when a man, with Joy
in his face, came running to tell me
that the bull was on his feet again and
quietly grazing. Suffice it to say that
the brute had acquired the trick OF
feigning death, which practically rem
dered its expulsion impossible, when 1t
found itself in a desirable situation
which it did not wish to quit. The
ruse was practiced frequently, with the
object of enjoying my excellent grass.
and although for time amusing, it at
length became troublesome, and re-
solving to get rid of it the sooner, I
one day, when he had fallen down,
sent to the kitchen for supply of hot
cinders, which we placed on his rump.
At first he did not seem to mind this
much, but as the application waxed
hot he gradually raised his head, took
a steady look at the sight of the Gin
ders, and finally getting on his legs,
went off at racing pace and cleared
the fence like deer. This was the last
occasion on which we were favored
with visit from our friend Christian
Union
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
JULIUS c. KOOSHAR.
The Man Who Manufactured the Bomb
Which Killed Gar Alexander.

The parsonage who, it is alleged,
manufactured the bomb that sent Car
Alexander to another world bears the
somewhat striking cognomen Of Julius
Cesar Kooshar. The police claim,
however, that bis real name is
Tshoodnofsky. He is native of Kief,
Russia, and made his debut into this
world in the year 1871. At the age of
eight he was sent to Leipsic by his
parents. and in the university there re-
ceived his education. Returning to
kief in 1856, he claims to have entered
into the banking business, and a few
years later inherited the sum of $50.
900 rubles (Sl75, O00) on the death of his
father. Having loaned large sums OF
money to Polish noblemen, he was
well-nigh ruined by the Polish revolu.
ton of 1868. His wife died about
thirteen years since. leaving him two
children, who are at present in Russia.
In later ventures he lost what re-
manned of his fortune, and. hating the
Government of the Gear, he set out for
California. arriving here five years
sins~ Several residents of Russia in
this city state that his real object in
coming to the Golden State was to
further the interests of colonization
scheme, which failed. He lived for a
time at the expense. of the Russian
Consul, and, i is alleged, swindled
Barnett Rosenthal, tobacconist, of q
stock OF cigar materials which were
given him on credit. KOoshar is a
man OF medium height, rather well
preserved. A deprecatory expression
rests continually on his wrinkled coun-
tenance. He stoops slightly, and,
when cenversing, his eyes have sly
look. lie is not member of the Anti.
Coolie League or any other orgapizs,
6On.-S0n francisco Eeassiser.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
PEMUaious ROYALTY.

Crowned Heads Who Lay Away Nest Eegs
from the Tithes Of the People.
Louis Philippe was mean in the sense
the Americans attack to the word, and
had no perception Of any kind Of
grandeur. He cut down ruthlessly, to
make money Of them, trees in his
parks which had weathered the storms
Of many hundred years. His mean
ness was the ruin of his dynasty. From
St. Petersburgh to Madrid and London
to Athens thrift now reigns. There is
hardly sovereign who feels that the
income allowed him by the nation over
which he reigns is not for him or her.
but for the dignity of the Crown, and
to act as head-waiter ON national in
dustry. The Car and Czarina them.
selves, colossal as their private fort
une is. are intent on making it much
greater Stinginess is traditional in
the house of Holienzollern; but their
civil list allowances have never been
great, and they shrink from no duty.
however hard and irksome. They have
public spirit in high degree, and COM
mand respect. The late King of
Sweden bequeathed his only daughter
the largest fortune that was ever known
of in Scandinavia, and it would have
been counted great one all the world
over. Her father was Bernadotte, the
son of q Bearnais lawyer of small prov
incial practice.
In Belgium the royal family is also
plutocratic one. Although Leopold l.
was Heeced by fair harpies in his old
age, he left each of his three children
about million sterling. Yet M. Eth
cnne AragO remembers when he had
to go in debt for some French embroid-
cred muslin which he bought to make
presents to the sisters of his Tin 1850
master, the Car. Empress Elizabeth
is prOdigal, and thinks she can never
spend enough on her stables and dog
kennels; but the Emperor is anxious to
swell his investments and the Crown
Prince and Princess pare cheese. III
Italy the King saves to pay his fathers
debts, and nobody, therefore, COM
plains of his thrift. Ludwig. of Ba-
varia, is not of his time His brother,
of Wurtemburg, is not personally ex-
travagant, like our James l., but is pro-
fuse through favorites. The one now
dominating him is an American, who
succeeds an American. At Lisbon, the
King Dowager has amassed so much az
to be able to spend million of francs on
his country house near Cmtra, and in
it and the palace where he
and his amiable wife live in winter.
Maria Pia, being passionately fond of
dress, Don Luis pinches in the stables
and wherever else he can. He, how
ever, only saves out of his income. His
Ministers plumber by means of frequent
loans, but he is not suspected of receiv-
ing share of the hauls they thus peri
odically make.-L0nd0n IfatH.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
An Anecdote of Ripon Palace.

When DR.. Longley was appointed
Bishop of Ripon, he used to tell. with
much glee, an anecdote of the new
palace prepared for him at Ripon.
There are in the front two ornamental
statues of angels on each side of the
entrance. Walking with friend round
the house, the visitor observed: Il say
Bishop. do angels wear the Order of
the Garter?" Nonsense; what do
you mean?" "Why, these angels Of
yours have distinctly got carriers on the
leg of one and the wrist of the other!"
On examination it was discovered
that they had been originally statues of
the Queen and Prince Albert, but it
had been thought more suitable for an
episcopal residence to convert them
into angels. and to adorn them, in that
capacity. with wings. The carriers they
had worn before their apotheOsis had
been imperfectly filed away. - San
Francisco ArgonGnt.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
HOME. FARM AND GARDEN:

Some gardeners are now using
common drain tile for holding tho
stalks of celery in position and for
blanching them.
The time was when tables were en-
tirely set with white; now We 60 to the
other extreme and have q clutter of all
sorts of colors mixed together without
harmony.-Cincimnati Times.
Keep old turkeys for breeders. Sc
lect gobblers and hens that are broad
across the back short legged and
square-built. Tall, thin turkeys are
not worth keeping.-Prairie Former.
1T is said by an experienced seam
stress that if you would only thread
your needle from the end farthest from
that broken off last. you would never
be troubled with the thread knotting.-
N. Y. Post.
There is probably no root more
poorly adapted to making good milk
or butter than potatoes. They should
be fed only sparingly and with a good
ration of corn meal, or the milk will be
thin and the butter of poor quality
Rural NesC Yorker.
Rice Bread: Boil one pound of rice
until soft in three quarts of water;
when cool, mix it well with four
pounds of flour. two tablespoonfuls of
salt, and one small teacupful of yeast.
Knead it well. set it to rise, and bake
as common bread. Add more water in
boiling should the rice require it
Caterer.
Rice Pudding: One-half cupful of
rice, three-fourths of pint of milk,
four apples, peeled, cored and stewed,
one-third cupful of sugar, four eggs.
Boil rice in milk until reduced to pulp,
beat well with apple sauce and sugar
for ten minutes, then set aside to cool;
then carefully mix in the whites of
eggs. whipped to stiff froth; butter
the mold, pour in pudding. set in
saucepan with boiling water to reach
half up its sides; steam slowly for
twenty-five minutes; permit it to stand
three minutes before turning out
The Household.
If any article of household furniture
requires disinfectinS occasionally, it is
carpet; especially if it has been used
a considerable time. The following is
a method recommended by 4 lady
housekeeper, both as disinfectant and
a preventive of moths: Add three
tablcspoonfuls of turpentine to three
quarts of water. Saturate large
sponge with this mixture, squeeze it
about two-thirds dry, and go over the
carpet carefully. AS often as the
sponge becomes dirty cleanse it and
take in a fresh supply of water.-1foy
Times.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
BONNET TlCKERS."
A Scheme to Put Fashion on . Speculs
tive Basis.


A Scheme to Put Fashion on . specula-
tive Basis.
All bachelors will tell you that the
principal reason why they remain in a
state of single blessedness is the high
price of bonnets.
1t is well-authenticated fact that
the bonnet market governs that of
matrimony, and that the rise and fall
in women's "head-gcar" is watched
with intense interest by the youth Of
the country intending to take unto
themselves helpmates in the journey
through life.
A scheme has recently been set on
foot to establish "bonnet tickers",
similar in principle to the ''stock
tickers", for the use of the matri-
monially-inclined members of the
sterner sex. These tickers" will be
placed in all the principal hotels
throughout the country, and give con-
slant quotations from the foreign and
domestic bonnet-market. Particular
attention will be paid to the Paris and
New York prices, and the opening and
closing quotations in these immense
bonnet centers will be wired to all
bachelors willing to become subscrib-
crs to the stock of the company. The
value of these ''tickers" will be APP
preciated at one. by all the lords of
creation, whether they happen to be
single or married. The single man on
a limited income will be enabled to
ascertaia just when it is the safest
time for him to get married. If bon
nets are quoted, say at seventy-fve
dollars each. buyer thirty days, then he
will wait for 4 decline. and, when the
market is off, capture his bride, lay in
3 big block of bonnets. and thus take
advantage of the bear movement.
The ticker will enable the married
man to always talk bonnet intelligently
to his wife. and. by converting her over
to the bear side. he will avoid the ruin
which every man knows is sure to fol-
low reckless speculation in the bonnet
market on the bull side.
THERE'S scarcely any limit to the use
fitness of a '.bonnet ticker" Puts and
calls in bonnets can be arranged, and
the husband, instead of purchasing out
right. can simply put up margin, and
thus enable his wife to control unlim-
tied bonnets at comparatively small
outlay.
This margin system will prove of
especial advantage to young married
men, unless they are unfortunate
enough to get on the wrong side of the
market, which would, of course, mean
instant ruin
The ticker" scheme has met with
universal approval from the ladies.
The wife of the future. instead of ask
ing her husband to invest in a single
spring bonnet. will simply have him
put UP a margin with her bonnet
broker, and then give an order for
hur dred or two hundred bonnets when
the market is a good purchase.
When tEa new system becomes thor
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
To Test Gold or Silver.

For testing gold, make liquid con-
sisting of nitric acid one ounce, water
two drachms and muriatic acid One-half
scruple. Mix the ingredients well and
keep the solution in a bottle with q
glass stopper. With glass rod which
has been dipped in the mixture touch
the metal and watch the action. If no
effect is produced on the metal, it is
either gold or gold-plated. If the gold
is very low, or less than one karat, the
acid will boil grease, and base metal is
at once detected by the mark left by the
acid. To test silver, apply drop of
solution of nitric acid three ounces,
water one ounce, and bichrOmate of
potash one-half ounce, and wipe off
the drop Immediately with a sponge
and water. If blood-red mark re-
suits, the metal is silver or the article
silver-plated. -Independent Journal.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11
cHESTNUTS CONSIDERED.

Does Humor Live on from Decoration to
Generation:
Does a joke ever wear oute Certain
gags. quips, puns and smart saying
undoubtedly get old, bald and toothless
once in while and are relegated to
the shelves of antiquity. but does time
ever come when they crumble away
and are lost or when they become toe
decrepit to hobble forth once more?
Any attentive newspaper reader will
observe in the wit and humOr of the
present day jokes with which he be-
came familiar when he was a boy
stories which in new clothes and mod
ern millinery he read when he was H.
school, and which his father and grand
father probably read before him, and
puns which were worked of on the sur
vivors of the flood and have been on duty
ever since. Each reader will discover
some combinations in the construction
of modern jokes which will be new to
him, but that does not prove that they art
not musty to somebody else. Many of our
Aodern humorists have achieved great
success in the art of dressing up the wit
of past generations. They have invent
ed some new situations. and in some
cases they have applied their jokes i'll
such way as to leave the impression
that they were new, as, indeed, they
may have been, yet the fact that so
much humor lives on from generation
to generation in about the same form Is
suggestive of the idea olat most of the
jokes which convulse the people of to-
day caused those of the last century to
explode with laughter and are destined
to perform the same service for genera
tiOns yet to come.
The habitual reader of modern
humor will fin6 i'm the writings of Ad-
Olson, Pope, Jerrold, Hood and other
wits of long ago strangely familiar
ideas, though he may never have seen
these works before, and Irving,
Phoenix, Doesticks, Mrs. Darlington
and Artemus Ward and host of con-
temporary writers worked the same
mines in which modern humorists are
delving. 1t does not necessarily follow
that all humorists are delving. 1t does
not necessarily follow that all humor-
lists are plagiarists, bat it is a question
if the sum of humor increases from
age to age and if it is not under vary
ing conditions about the same old thing
whenever and wherever it is found
CHICAGO Herald
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11

Mr. McElhone, chief of the official
reporters of the House, has been in the
continuous employment of the House
as a reporter for the last thirty-Gve
years, or since the debates "a Congress
have been reported verbatim. He is
now training up his son to take his
place. Washington Republican.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11

Beef Cakes: Chop up some beef
that is partly cooked With little smoked
pork fat, and season with salt, pepper
and onion, mix well and form into
small cakes. Fry them light brown
and serve with a good gravy made of
soup stock thickened with brown -four.
N r. Herald.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11

An agricultural editor says; INC
animal can fight and eat at the same
time" He has evidently never seen a
traveller at q ten-minutes-for-lunch
stand PHILADELPHIA Call
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11

oughly understood, there is little doubt
of the speculation in bOnnets becoming
fully as general as that in stocks. grain
and oil.-PucE.
Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-11

j. Wilkes Booths widow and two
children. now grown up, live in seclu-
sion in Alabama