davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
To Destroy Rats.

Some three weeks since, Mr.. James
Newell, neighbor of mine. in reply
to my question said: eff you will take
a jar or pot, put it in your corn
crib. fill it within four or five inches
of top with water, put double hand
full of cotton seed on top of the water,
and pile the corn around so that the
rats can easily reach the top. you will
catch every rat that passes by; the rats
will jump on the cotton seed" THE
next day I tried the experiment. and
three days after had my jar examined,
and the servant pulled out thirty-one
drowned rats. In sixteen days 1 had
caught ninety-two rats" Newell says
the rats never hurt his corn. I have
repeated the story to several, and all
who have tried it. have been success
full The best place to set your jar, is
by the side or wall of the crib. Ali
who are troubled with rats. try it
Jas. NJ. Pearson, in Dixie Farmer.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
QUEER BIRD NESTS.

Strange Places Sometimes Selected by
Winged Builders.
Birds have some queer fancies in Sc
lecting spots for building their nests
Some time ago, near Seaville, N. j., ]
noticed in grove of oaks that nearly
every tree had an old tin can nailed up
in it. I found on examination that the
cans were all occupied by wrens and
blue-birds. But what attracted my at
tention most was an old boot fastened
in one of the trees. As approached
it blue bird flew out, and although it
was twenty-five feet from the ground,
1 climbed up and saw inside five young
birds comfortably sitting in the nest
once found veritable tower-nest,
built by pair of robins. They had
built nest in a cedar tree, and it had
been found unsuitable for some rea-
sons that they alone knew. Immedi-
ately afterwards they built second
one on top of it, and still being unsat-
isfied they built third one. But they
were very hard to please, for still
another nest was constructed on top OF
the fourth before they were contented
to begin housekeeping. Not long after
that four little heads were peeping
over the edge of their lofty home.
An old gentleman once told me that
his wife. on certain wash-day, missed
a lace cap that she had hung out on
the line and fastened with a clothes
pin. Several days afterward, when
walking in his garden, he noticed
something white fiuttering in the
branches of a cherry tree. and an ex-
animation showed that pair of robins
had taken the cap from the line and
fastened it among the twigs and grass
of their nest The birds had undoubt-
eddy pulled the cap from between the
prdngs of the clothes-pin, for they could
not otherwise have obtained it. They
were left in undisturbed possession Of
their prize.
A pair of sparrows in Central Park,
New York. have regularly for several
years built their nest and reared their
young ones in the right hand of Daniel
Webster's statue. But a stranger place
than that has been used by pair in
Charing Cross, London, for six years
past. These brave little fellows have
made their home right in the mouth of
a ion-but the lion is made of stone.
In St. Thomas. Ont, several nests of
wrens were found inside street gas
lamps, where during the night bright
light was always burning, but they
seemed in nowise disturbed by it
Philadelphia Times.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
FoREIoN GOSSIP.


"A French circus performer has
been engaged to give riding lessons
to the young officers of the French
army.
-Belgium's zinc manufacturing bus
mess has developed until one-third OF
all the zinc used in Europe is made in
that country.
The Madras Government is max
ing great effort to stimulate silk
culture, three reservations of 200
acres each having been made for that
purpose in different districts and
liberal appropriation provided.
Duke Adolphus of Nassau, who
has become Duke of Luxemborg, is one
of the richest royal personages in
Europe. He lost his throne in 1866
and became reconciled to the German
Government two years ago.
An English Industrial paper is au-
thority for the statement that in the
Black country semi-skilled workmen
on chains and nails, working sixty and
sixty-five hours a week, are not able
to earn more than ten to fifteen shil-
1ings per week, while women earn but
four to six shillings.
In Japan dentists travel from town
to town, and their instruments of tor
ture consist of small mallets and
wedges. When man wants tooth
extracted, the dentist prizes open his
mouth, and with his mallet drives a
wedge under the aching molar until it
is forced from its socket and can be re-
moved with the fingers.
The Eiffel Tower, at Paris, is the
highest structure ever reared by human
hands, being 1.178 feet high, or over
twice as high as our great monument
at Washington. The electric light at
it's summit will be visible for forty
miles, and it will be strong enough to
enable person to read newspaper at
the distance of seven miles.
"A coal dealer in Yorkshire, Eng,
has been in the habit of giving over
weight in selling, the weighing ma
chine being so constructed as to regis
ter about 2,40O pounds as a ton. He
did this out of pure benevOlence. But
strangely enough his kindness was de-
Jared to be illegal by the authorities,
" no arrested anu uu0O u1Iu lOr IdlS1Iy-
ing an official weight.
An old European custom has died
out this year. The religious service of
foot-washing. which has lasted for four
centuries in Austria, with occasional
exceptions, was discontinued on &C
count of the death of the Crown Prince.
For forty years the present Emperor
has washed the feet of twelve old men,
while the Empress has performed the
same service for twelve old women. It
was a curious relic of medieval times.
The steel-casting works of Krupp
cover an area of about 1000 acres, in
which IL, 211 men are employed. Over
20. 900 cannons of every caliber have
been produced. The gross production
Of iron and steel averages 26O, 900 tons
per annum. For the accommodation
Of traffic and shipping twenty-eight
locomotives are used, with 882 freight
carriages. About forty-6ve miles of
narrow and broad-gauge railroad lines
are laid through the establishment.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
MARVELLOUS MEMoRY.

A Talk with a Man Who Had tho Fortune
of Knowing Washington.
"Look yere," said an old negro,
''what's all dis yere marchin' an blow
in an sky-larkin' gwine on erbout?"
''It's the centennial celebration of
George Washington's Inauguration as
President of the United States"
How? What you mean?"
''Why, it has been one hundred years
since Washington took his seat as
President
''Has it been dat long?"
Eyes"
us you SHOP"
Eyes, sure"
s'W'y I didn't know it had been dat
long. Amt seemed dat long to me,
sab. -
do you remember. it?"
s.Huh, I reckon / does when made
ten dollars dat day drivin' er hack
''Yon must have been a very small
boy at the time"
who er small boy? Ne er small
boyp No. want. wuz ez big ez 1 is
now, dat's how much O. err small boy
wuz. Wife tole me dat day"
w udG you WcI0 uOb u6trTlcu.
"Huh, who want married.? Me? 1
reckon wuz. Wife she say: Stephen,
you go on out yander now an make
some money
"'How I going make money! ST
".Dribin' er hack she lows.
"'Whars de hack?' 81.
".Dat's what you mus look out fur,
she lows
''Wall, I went on down the street. I
did"
what town was lt?"
''Cairo, down yere. sab; Cairo. I
went on down de street, / did, an /
seed Gen'l Washington's hack stop in
front O. de tavern, an went up, I did,
an ez de greet man got out / walked up
ter him an, ST: .Gen'l, how long you
gwiue be in dar?'
"'Doan know, zaclsly,' says he.
'Wharfo' you ax?'
".Caze. 1 wanter hor yo' hosses,
ST.
".All right says he, an he went on
inter de house. After he'd gone /
jumped up an driv dat hack off.
Right dis way 1 hollered, take er
ride in Gen'l Washington's hack. Las
'tunity you'll git Ride you 'roun' de
block fur fifty cents Wall. sab, de
folks da filed in. an eft de Gen1 hader
staid in dat house long ernuff I'd err got
rich right dar. but he had ter come
out an go on up ter de pos -office an
take his seat / seed him when he sot
down. Da fotch err greet big rockin'-
cheer out in front o. de do, and de
postmaster he say: 'Gen1. set down
An de Gen'l he say: 'Thankee, sab,
doan kere eff does"
WAS there much of a crowd?'
"Yas. sab, er right smart sprinklin-'
County cot an de gran jury wuz hold
in fort, an. sides dat. dar wuz er
good many folks in frum ober the
riber. De Gen'l knowed er good many
o. 'em, he did, an once in er while
he'd say; Billy. is you done planted
yo' con yit?' Alb. how's all de folks?'
.Nath. ewin~ ter set out any terbacker
dis season. How many chickens you
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
GARDEN VEGETABLES.
A System Of Irrigation That Insures FIJI
and Profitable Crops.

A System of Irrigation That Insures Fine
and Profitable Crops.
To irrigate all kinds of garden vege-
tables, construct a lateral. or SUBJ
ditch, to run across the head of the
garden in order to easily turn the
water into each row. Run a shallow
ditch or furrow between each row to-
keep the water from flooding the sur
face and coming direct in contact with
the growing plants. Turn into a few
rows sufficient water to fairly fill the
furrow, allowing the water to run I'm.
til the soil is saturated nearly up to the
row. Then shut off the water and
turn it in two other rows until the.
whole plant is irrigated. provided that
all the different vegetables need wates
at the same time. When Gu
cumbers or melons are plant
ed, run the irrigating furrow
each side and close to each
row. These burrows should not be
distui bed in cultivating. but left to be-
used after the vines have grown too
large TO cultivate. No exact instruc~
lions can be given as to the time of
watering; the operator must use his
Judgment and apply the water at such
times and in sufficient quantity to keep
the different kinds of vegetables in a
thrifty. growing condition always
bearing in mind that too much water
is fatal to success. One of the most
important factors in irrigating hoed
crops successfully is to stir the surface
soil Just as soon after irrigating as the
ground can be readily worked This
leaves the surface in a fine filth and
prevents the ground from baking, or
crusting.
If one wishes to excel In raising fine
vegetables and melons, the plan to pur-
sue is to make the lateral at the head
of the garden six feet wide with strong
banks. and a dam across the lower end
Fill this ditch half full of fresh or
well-rotted manure. and with water as
full as the banks will hold and allow II
to soak one hour; then turn on heao
of water and irrigate with the hquio
manure, stirring the manure In .ne
ditch occasionally. to secure lts ,uiA
If you want fine Vegetables.
bic melons and splendid straw oerries~
try this plan--H Strattons In AZ -
md Home
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
Standing on Her Dignity.

Husband (alarmed) Emily, there
seems to be a smoke coming up
through the floor. Run and tell the
lady on the fiat below. Something's
afire in her part of this building!
Quick! Quick!
Wife (cold and stately)-Cyrus. I'll
never do it in the world. We've lived
three months in this fat and she has
never called on me.-Chicago Tribune.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
AeouT GOLD WATCHES.

Tho Demand for Them Growing IN Al
Parts Of tho Country.
sGold watches are so common now
adays that men don't take as much
pride in caring them as they did
few years ago." said q Fulton street
jeweler the other day. 1.-The individ-
ual who could sport gold watch and
chain dozen years ago was cons1d-
cred person of wealth and property.
But he isn't now. Why. you will ind
gold watches in the pockets OF our
street-car conductors, and have even
known them to wear handsome dia-
mond rings. Did you ever notice the
osteutati0us manner in which young
man handles his first gold watch? 1t
is rather amusing. Usually he carries
it in a chamois leather pouch, and is
very careful not to breathe on 1t or
touch the case with his fingers. He
consults it every fifteen minutes for
the first month, but he soon tires OF 1t,
and then considers it a horrible bore
to be asked for the time. The demand
for gold watches was never greater
than it is to-day. Watch companies
are kept very busy filing orders, and
we retail jewellers do a good business
in this ine.''
why is it that watches are so much
cheaper now than few years ago?"
well, for one thing, the watch
movements are a great deal cheaper.
Gold is just exactly the same price per
pennyweight- The reduction in price
is confined to the movements. The
watch movements of the standard
American make are very cheap.
Those in common use in gold watches of
the cheapest grade are from $40 to $50
each, and some of the best movements
are worth at wholesale $25 to $780,
There is, however, a high-priced, fine
American movement which may cost
you $75, but they are not put in ordi-
nary cases. A watch that you paid
500 for few years ago you can get to-
day for $50, and this $50 watch will
have $40 or $15 movement in it. For
$50 you should get a movement cased in
solid 14-carat gold, weighing from As
to so pennyweights. The purchaser
will get more service out of a 14-carat
case than he will out of an 18-carat"
''How can dealers offer the public
solid gold watches for $40 and 1852"
"They are not solid by any means.
There are some unprincipled makers
who will mark case of 10 carat out
side and 8 carat inside IA carat, and
10 and IA carat would be marked 10
carat. There is no law in America
to prevent this. The case is made of a
composition which holds a gold plat
ing finely. This composition is some
times very heavily plated. and will wear
for several years without showing the
base metal. There is little difficulty
in disposing of them as solid gold
cases, and in this way the price is sur
prisingly low. There is more oppor-
tunity for deception in the movement
and case of a" watch than in almost
any other article. The amount of
money invested in watch offers much
inducement to experiment The case
manufacturer is not necessarily obliged
to know much about the movement of
watch. He makes his cases to fit the
standard American sizes of movements,
and most makers produce a uniform
size.-Brooklyn Eagle.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
JuGGERNAUT'S JEWELS.
How the Honor of the Idol Was Defende,
by Its Faithful Priests.

How the Honor OF the IDOL was Defended
by Its Faithful Priests.
Many years ago 1 was quartered at
Fuzarabad, an important military sta
ton about one hundred and fifty miles
from the Madras coast. Unfortunate
ly, at the time was there, gambling
and betting were much in vogue, and
many men plunged and came to grief
over their debts of honor. Of all that
gay company, nobody was more popu-
lar and better-liked by both men and
women than young Fitzroy; but, I'M
fortunately, he lost money at the
races, tried to recover himself at the
whist table, but failed, got into the
hands of the Marwarrees, and got
deeper and deeper into the mire of
debt. At length he told the narrator
that he intended to go to England to
raise money. Twill you come away
with me?" he asked. Give out that
we have taken ten days leave for some
shooting. and see me down to the
coast. If I go off alone, 1 shall be
stopped by those cursed Marwarrees.
After some hesitation I agreed. He
sent in his application for leave to
Europe on private affairs, and 1 gave
out that I was going on ten days
shooting expedition.
A week later, with couple of ton
gas, we had started on our long and
wearying journey to the coast, where
my poor young friend hoped to pick
up steamer to take him to Europe.
On the second day we met crowds of
people tramping along. In reply to
our inquiries we were told they were
all returning from the great festival of
Juggernaut, held at Puri, now only
some three days journey from where
we were. The tongawalla kept us in
terested with a graphic description of
the festival and of the great god.
which was especially remarkable for
the wonderful jewels it possessed
two emerald eyes of inestimable value.
its lips formed of the finest rubbies in
the world, and a necklace of priceless
pearls. The sun was sinking as at
last we neared the town of Puri, and
we could see the pinnacles of the tenn
pies rise above the trees which sur
rounded the place. Half a mile the
other side of the town stood the
Travellers BunSalo, where we
intended putting up for the
night. A more uncomforta-
BILE meal never ate than
the dinner which was served up to us
that evening, and was quite thankful
when the poor lad said he was dead
beat and would go off to bed. My own
room was on the other side of the
bungalow, and took my pipe and sat
smoking in the veranda- The moon
was just rising when I thought 1 saw
the figure of European stealing along
the wall of the compound. Strange, /
thought, and wondered what other
European there could be here at the
same time. An idea struck me, and
went across to my companions room.
There was nobody in it, the bed was
undisturbcd. threw down my pipe,
and rushed out into the moonlight A
few seconds later I was out in the
road, and turned instinctively in the
direction of the temple.
could not see the young officer; but
ran on until reached the wall of the
] temple compound-an enormous coun-
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06

"A young man in Raleigh n. c.,
eloped with the wife of one of his
neighbors and the husband of the
woman had the man arrested for steal
ing his wife. The justice of the peace
before whom the case came up dis
missed it on the ground that wife
stealing was not larceny, because a
woman, even though wife, is not per-
sonal property, and therefore could nor
be the subject of larceny.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06

got Aunt Nancy wy. bless me.
dar's Aunt Janer' Oh. vas, sab. ]
rickOllecks all dat ez we'll ez eff it wuz
yistidy. AM you say it's been er hum
mud years. Huh, how time do fy!"-
ArlxansaW Tro
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06

There are nearly 25O.0 600 Indians
in the United States. not including
Alaska. and about ZOO Of them are in
New York State, living on eight
reservations set apart for their usa.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06

George Washington received the
degree of Ii. d. from Harvard, Yale.
University of Pennsylvania and Brown
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
AMERICAN FABLES.


Three Little Stories with Morals for the
Young and the Old.
THE GOOSE AND THE EAGLE.
The Goose Whose Heart was Fired
with Ambition decided to become an
Eagle. and She left the Farm Yard one
Morning and Wandered off into the
Hills as Starter. She was presently
Espied by an Eagle, who pounced down
and Seized upon her as prize. =
'What Means this Treatmentr' de-
handed the goose. II Came here to
be one of you!''
"As Fowl at Home you were Sue
cess" replied the Eagle, ''but as a
goose abroad you are n. g., except to
furnish dinner or some Bird with
More Sense"
MORL-When a Mechanic quits his
job to become politician it is not the
politician who is Eaten.
THE FARMER AND THE JUG.
A Farmer who had filed a jug with
Cider and taken it into the Field with
him tore up the soil for awhile and
broke both suspenders, and then went
over to the jug in anticipation of a
Refreshing draught. But when he
came to lift the vessel to his lips he
found that every drop of Cider had
Leaked out and been Absorbed by the
dry Earth.
''Ah! but this is the Basest Ingrati-
tuder' he exclaimed, as he flung the
jug from him.
but beholdr' replied the jug as it
split open and Revealed a long-lost.Will
made by the Farmers grandfather,
and leaving him $4,000 worth of real
estate in Chicago.
MORALE your House Burns down
and is not Insured you may, in Poking
around Among the Ashes. find twice
its value in Diamond Pins lost by the
Plasterers when the house was Built.
THE FROG AND THE TRAVELLER.
A Frog who had his Home in Pud-
die by the Wayside Made such an Ado
one night as a Traveller passed that
way that the Man was Fain to stop and
Inquire the Occasion of it.
Had I not made such Noise you
would not have known of my Pres
ence." replied the Frog.
':But now that 1 do know, what of
it?" queried the Man.
''Why, I am here"
Eyes, but what are the odds to me
where you are? You are but a Frog,
place yourself where you will"
.MORAL-The Man whose Mouth
makes his Presence known is seldom
worth minding. --Detroit Free Press.
The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-08-30


There is a popular impression that worry
accomplishcs some actual good 1t it does it
must, of course, be somebody duty to worry
whenever anything goes alniss. 1t is an old
story-and one, by the by, which leaves bad
taste in tho mouth-that cynic heard
friend walking the floor at night, and went
to his room to inquire what was the matter.
"Oh, can't sleep!' replied the other 81 owe
Smith largo sum of money, and | sec no
possible way of paying it." "Is that ala"
asked the frie&l. 'Then should say Smith
was tho ono to worry Go to bed and let him
walk the Hoor"
Two sisters, who occupied the same room,
one night talked late about some wearing
family trouble One of them finally dropped
off to sleep, aud, waking some hours after,
heard her sister sigh.
Are you awake, Norah?" she asked.
eyes, can't so to sleep"
Don't you feel well!n
Yes, in body, but I'm so worried l can't
close my eyes
"Shut them right up and try again. deur,"
said the other with loving authority, 1--WE
had my mp. and II you'll really givo up fret
ting aud 80 to sleep, I'll lilo awake and worry.
It's my turn. Youths Companion
The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-08-30

state from Kentucky when Joseph Smith
and his Mormon followers fed from Missouri
into Illinois. 1t is claimed by its enthusiastic
admirers that this stone has wrought untold
good to humanity. 1t is estimated to have
saved no less than Il hundred people from the
horrors Of death. All old man from Louisi-
ana named Hoaglala, located in Kentucky
in the neighboriooi Of the school Mr.. Orton
was attending having this maidstone with
him. His story is that the stone was found
III nn Indian mound By coorel preacher.
Hoaslulrl did not know Of any wonderful
cures that had been effected by its applica-
ton to wounds, Yet he said several people
had recovered from snake bites through tho
application of the stone to the wound.
Youn. OrtOn obtained the stone by trading
one Of lIoaglanas boys Il jaci,Aitc for the
stone.
While in Kentucky Mr.. Ortou applied the
stone to several mad DO; bites, and in every
case tho parties recovered. He does not re.
member ali those WHO have been treated by
the stone, but thinks they would number
fully Il hundred. So far as can he ;scer-
tanned, nobody treated by the stone has ever
suffered from hydrophobia. y young man
who had been bitten through the wrist by n
rnbid dog sought treatment in Denver. The
maidstone was applied and adhered immcdi-
ntcly; i'll 4 few moments great stream of
blood, water and greenish matter soaked
through the stone and ran down upon the
floor The arm was swollen to twice its nat
ura! size, but il Il stort time the swelling
YVES ull gone So far This year Mr.. Orton has
applied the stone to . number Of persons who
are al recovering.
The stone is first boiled in milk and water,
the wound is then scarit.ed by an attending
physician and the stono applied. Those who
usp it complain OF n Strange drawing sensa-
ton, and say that the stone acts as if it were
alive. It resembles piece of petri6ed hon
eyco:nb. and is like coral in general appear
ance and weight