davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
LITTLE THINGS OF LIFE
They Go Far to Make To the Beauty Of
Human Existence.

They Go Far to Make 10 the Beauty OF
Human Existence.
Little words, not eloquent speeches
nor sermons; little deeds, not miracles
nor battles; nor one great act nor
mighty martyrdom make up the true
life. The little constant sunbeam, not
the lightning; the waters of Sloan.
THAT go softly" on their meek mission
of refreshment not s.the waters of
rivers. great and mighty. rushing
down in torrent noise and force, are
the true symbols of holy life"
The avoidance of little evils. little
sins. little inconsistencies, little weak
nesses, little follies, little indiscretions
and impradences, little foibles, little
acts of Incidence or indecision, or
slovenliness or cowardice. little equiv
ocations or alterations from high in
tegrity, little bits of worldliness and
gayety, little indiferences tosthe feel
ings or wishes of others, little outbreaks
of temper and crossness, or selfishness
or vanity; the avoidance of such little
things as these 60 far to make up at
least the negative beauty of life.
And then attention to the little du-
ties of the day and hour, in public
transactions, to private dealings, OR
family arrangements, to the little
words and tones, little benevolences or
Performances, or tendernesses, little
self-denials. self-restraints and thought
fulness, little plans of quiet kindness
and thoughtful consideration for
others; punctuality, and method. and
true aim in the ordering of each day
these are the active developments of
holy life. the rich and divine mosaics
of which it is composed
What makes yon green hill so beau
tifal? Not the outstanding peak or
stately elm, but the bright sward which
clothes it's slopes, composed of innu-
merable blades of grass. It is of small
things that a great life is made up
Christian Union.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03

officers of the bank, and then give the
bank draft on the United States
Treasury for the amount so Cancelled
In case any question should arise over
an alleged counterfeit bill, then have
it sent to the Treasury Department for
a critical examination and decision.
If it proves to be genuine bill, then
send the bank a new one for it, other
wise let the bank lose it, and be
educated thereby to be more
careful about taking in counterfeit
bills in the future. This would assist
the Government in ferreting out
counterfeiters- By this, or similar
method. the Government currency
could tbe kept in good. clean and
healthy condition. The National bank
currency might be treated in the same
way if thought advisable. A similar
method might also be pursued for
keeping the coinage of the country in
good condition Coins weighing below
a certain fixed standard, and at the
same time above another lower fixed
standard. should be redeemed by the
Government at par value, while coins
falling below the second standard
should be redeemed as bullion only.
If. in addition to the above, all the
banks and moneyed institutions were
required to wash or cleanse all the
coins they received before paying them
out again, all danger from transmit
ting contagious diseases would be re-
moved, and then we would have all the
money of the country in clean, sweet.
healthy and quite perfect condition.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
WINTERING POTATOES.
How to Keep Them in Good Condition
Planting in the Spring.

How to Keep Them in Good Condition For
Planting in the Spring.
We had our coolest weather last
winter about the last of February.
Just as it was over we drew out two
loads of straw and put over the heap
that contained our seed potatoes All
the earth on the heap vas frozen solid
We covered it about one foot deep
with packed straw. We used that
which was short and chaffy. from near
where the end of the straw-carrier
was at threshing-time. thinking it
would be better non-conductor.
April there was no frost in the
ground. and we dug into the pit to see
how they were. The earth was still
nearly all frozen. and it took vigorous
work with the pick to get a hole
through. May 1 we opened and began
planting. The frost seemed then to be
just from the earth Some of the eyes
started. 1t looked as though this was
done last fall. You know the early
winter was very mild. Some other
eyes had started a little; but as a
whole the seed was very sound, and
in nearly perfect condition They
were Hebron potatoes, which sprout
very early under ordinary circum-
stances Two of my neighbors tried
this way of keeping. with same variety
of potatoes with good success. Another
reported his badly sprouted (kept in
cellar) and said he should try this
way of burying next winter. The
straw was drawn back in the barn for
bedding. so only the use of it and the
little labor need be charged to the
potatoes The potatoes are entirely
dry in the pile We put three bushels
of New Queens in bags and laid them
in with the others last fall. The bags
even were not injured. One friend
last fall thought had better build a
board roof over the pile. felt sure
that straw put on as described would
turn all water.-Massaehus Plow-
man.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
THE GRACEFUL GAME.
DIR. Dwight Z ellis How to Make the StrOk
i'm Lawn Tennis.

DR.. Dwight ellis How to Make the Stroke
in Lawn Tennis.
After getting the ball into play by
the service, the next thing to do is to
return it oveI, the net off the ground.
AS has been said before, there are
practically only two different ways of
making the return, one with the racket
vertical. the other with it horizontal;
the latter is a modification of the ten
mis- stroke or cut. the former is stroke
which lawn tennis has produced. and
might we'll be called the lawn-tennis
stroke. Let US take it first: The ball
is allowed to drop very low and the
player steps forward to meet it with
the left foot in the forehanded stroke.
The ball is taken near the ground,
with the racket, as before stated,
nearly vertical. There should be
little or no swing of the racket back
ward. but it should be held at a
little distance from the ball, and then
quietly brought forward to make the
stroke. As the racket meets the ball
1t should be lifted so that the ball
seems to go off the lower end of the
racket This motion gives an over
twist forward to the ball. and in this
twist lies the essential part of the
stroke. The ball is, so to speak, lifted
by the racket, so that it has every
chance to get over the net; and on the
other hand, as soon as the force of the
stroke is over the twist tends to bring
the ball sharply downward. 1t is easy
to see that one can hit harder by using
this stroke without hitting out of
court. Moreover, such a stroke is
very difficult to volley well, because
the ball shoots downward after pass
ing the net. and must therefore be vol
leyed upward to be returned.
Dwight, Md. in Scribner.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
THE AMERICAN SCHOLAR.

Why Literally Educated Men should Have
Place in Our Legislatures.
In his judgment of the scholar. this
average American citizen has usually
only one definite idea-that he is
dreamer, quite out of contact with act
ual life Consider for a moment the
genuine amazement and dismay with
which the average citizen regards
Gated men to exert their due influence
in the solution Of a great political or
economic probl He seems to look
upon them somewhat as he might
watch group OF monkeys escaped
from their cage, and engaged in some
mischief, the effects of which they can
not be made to comprehend; or. to
substitute a simile somewhat more
complimentary. that throng of ex-
cited passengers had attempted to die
tate the management of a great ocean
steamer.
OF course no such view of scholarly
activity in the political field will be
submitted to. The men who devote
their lives to the study of the records
of human experience as transmitted in
history and literature have not less.
but infinitely more, claim to be heard
on any important subject than those
engaged only in the vulgar scramble
for wealth Emerson's brief essay on
Politics outw sighs, and will outlast,
all the foods of campaign literature
and selfish demagogic eloquence which
have so often since then deluged the
land.
But is there vne of the older civil
lied countries where the organs of
the horde of money-getters would dare
to stigmatize the whole class of liber-
ally educated men as visionary theo-
rists? Imagine a university educa-
ton regarded in England as disqual
ifcation for high public Office! Even
in Germany. where political leaders
and great scholars seem more nearly
the representative men of two distinct
castles, the illustrious double careec of
Mommsen shows that the gap is not
yet impossible. The condition of
things among ourselves is an alarm
ing symptom, indicating how far the
most highly educated and wisest men
have lost their proper leadership in
the national councils and the nationa;
life.
Now, do the colleges. and the limit
ed body of cultivated. reflective and
earnest scholars generally. appeal as
directly and sensibly to the average
American as they could and should?
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
Utilizing Furnace Stag.

Farmers in Eastern Pennsylvania
have quite recently begun to use a
new fertilizer which is we'll known to
European agriculture. but has never
got a foothold In this country 1t Is
iron Stag, produced in the manufact-
ure of basic steel. In this process
iron. which is too rich in phosphorus
TO be used In making bessemer steel,
is pephosphorized. the phosphorus
passing into the product, which is
Stag. This Stag is ground to dust and
used as q manure. its phosphorus con-
tents making it valuable. The de
mand for it Is now 50 great in Germany.
where basic steel Is principally made.
that almost all the Stag that Is made
Is utilized for fertilizing purposes In
1888 about 600. 900 tons were ground
up and sold This fertilizer is cheaper
and better than mineral phosphAtes.
Basic Stag has usually been considered
worthless in this country, but Potts
town iron company turns it TO the new
useL-Phiiadelphia Record.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
ABOUT INSECT PESTS.
The Good Work Done by Parasitic and Pre-
daceous Insects.

1he OOOu w OK zone ny PARASITIC anu FFe>
daceous Insects.
From a Michigan Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station bulletin the follow
ing is taken: The Importance of para
site and predaceous insects in over
coming our insect pests, has long been
recognized by the practical entomolo-
gist He sees the destroyer swept off
as by a flood; and finds in these pro-
life friends the easy solution of the
problem of insect years. He knows
that were it not for these friends the
destroying hosts would make our eartn
a desert, and replace plenty with
famine. He knows that adversely
among these tiny helpers means sue
cess to the swarms of insects which
devour the crops, and so is rejoiced
when he sees these little helpers active
and numerous.
The present season furnished vivid
illustration of this important and in
teresting fact. June so, the heads of
wheat were crowded with hungry
aphides or plant lice. These
myriad lice, often five or six
around a single kernel of wheat.
and two hundred on sin
gle head. were sucking the sap and
very vitality from the forming kerr
nels. They were rapidly blighting the
grain. and unless some friendly hand
was raised against them, the wheat
crop would be utterly ruined. Even
then, when the lice were countless in
numbers, and when the winged forms
were rapidly spreading to the oat
fields, the hand of deliverance was
easily discerned in the comparatively
few but wondrously prolific enemies of
the lice which had already sounded
halt in the march of destruction. A
week later, and the enemies of the
lice were in the ascendency. and later
the lice was exterminated, and the
wheat crop rescued, the oat crop saved.
Close observation easily demonstrated
these truths. Even the careless eye
could see the savage insects dining
on lice. or the fatal egg laid which
doomed the louise which received it.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03

AMERICAS inest-'sTansilP s Punch Cigar.
SOME idea of the Shah's travelling expen-
ses may be formed from the statement
that Cooks charge for what railroad and
hotel expenses he had discussed on the
Shah.s account was $4,000.
Princess SOPHIE Is the best looking of
Emperor Frederick's daughters. but she Is
not exactly pretty. She has pleasing
face, however, and a soft, simple manner.
Victoria is decidedly German" Margaret
Is plain
THE Queen is so tired of sitting for por-
traits that she has refused to have her
picture taken for the Victoria art gallery at
Melbourne, but she Is willing to allow a
replica OF her jubilee portrait By Angel to
be made for the COLONY which bears her
name
TIE Princess of Wales adds to her mary
other accomplishments that Of being an able
and competent musician Not infrequeutly
at private concerts at the st. James Palace
she plays in the quartettes- Her musical
talents are the more remarkable as she suf-
tiers from slight deafness
NOTHING is more charming, says the Lon
don World, than to see the Prince OF Wales
with the Queen HIS manner is so tender,
so deferential and so affectionate, and he
watches over her with such care. attending
to her every want, and suggesting any
thing that he thinks VIII please her
THE marriage of the Princess Louise to
the Duke of Fife VIII rehabilitate two ladies
who have not received official recognition
from the Court of St. James for some time
past. Of the Dukes three sisters, two
Lady Ida and Lady Agnes-have been di-
vorced once, and between them they have
had five husbands.
EITHER English Princes CT English royal
nicknames are running down Here Is a
little list: Alfred the Great, Edward the
Confessor, William the Conqueror, Richard
the Lion Hearted, Henry the Scholar. Ed
ward the Black Prince, Charles the Merry,
George the First Gentleman IN Europe, Al
bert the Good. Albert Victor, Collars ard
Cuffs
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
TESTING a cREMAToRx.

a Two Hundred Pound Ram Reduced to
Ashes In One Hour.
Dr. L l. Davis. of Lancaster. Pa,
the builder of the American incenera-
tor at the crematory at London Park
Cemetery. recently. in the presence of
a number of directors of the Baltimore
Crematory Company and others,
tested the furnace by burning up a
2SO-pound ram. The ram cost SO,
and was purchased from the Balti-
more Abattoir Company. 1t was
knocked in the head, SO that it might
retain all its blood. The ram was
placed in the iron basket attached to
the cremating machine. and covered
with white cotton cloth which had
been saturated with alum water to
preserve it. so that it would not catch
on fire from the intense heat. but
would gradually be consumed, and
would thus act as a protection to the
dead body, preventing any Sizing OF
the corpse in the presence OF the spec
tators- The ram thus covered had all
the appearance of a shrouded corpse
of child of twelve years as it lay in
w
hung upon the long iron arm Of the
eremating machine, the doors were
opened and in ten seconds DR.. Davis
mad given the elevating screw a few
turns and the ram was in the fiery fur
mace. In less time than it takes to
write it the doors of the furnace were
safely fastened and the work of burn
ing the body until nothing but its
ashes remained was begun. Four men
lifted the iron basket to its place on
the arm. 1t did not take half min
ute to swing the ram into position on
the iron arm, to run the arm and ram
into the furnace and to fasten the iron
doors.
The reporter looked through the
peep-hole to inspect the fire of the
furnace a moment before the ram was
placed in it, and it was at red heat,
indicating about $500 degrees of heat.
or nearly enough to melt pig iron.
which is melted at $500 degrees. A
moment after the ram was sent in a
cloudy appearance of the furnace
showed through the peep-hole, indi-
eating vapors from the fluids of the
body. In about half hour the cloudy
appearance ceased. and look through
the peep-ho.e showed beautiful scintiI-
latious of heat in the furnace, indicat-
ing that the now dried metallic,
phosphoretic and other parts were
rushing up the furnace chimney amid
the oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and
carbonic gases. into which the body
had been resolved. At this point a
visit to the rear of the oven indicated
by a roaring sound that the body was
burning at such white heat as to
cause its own combustion, much in
creased by the arrangement of the in
Generator, by which great draft of
oxygen is secured.
In about an hour the ram must have
been reduced to ashes. as the roaring
ceased and no flame was visible.-Bal-
timOre Anne rican.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03

4 woman walked into an insurance
Office the other day, and said she
wanted the policy she held settled
The agent took it. saw it was a paid-up
policy, and told her he had no notifca-
ton of the death of the man named
therein She said: mo. of course
not. he only died night before last.
and guess they are just about putting
him in now" He told her he thought
It was rather soon for a widow to be
after the life Insurance before her hus-
band was buried. WELL she said.
I'VE are divorced. and it's made out to
me. and 1 learned by living in this
world that when you've got business
to do the best way is to do it right OF.
and rs soon as heard of his death /
came right down" The agent told her
he would have to have a death certi-
ficate, and she went away. She has
evidently had experience with the say
ing Delays are dangerous"-India
apolis Journal. -
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
Got Himself Ready.

John Henry" exclaimed the angry
wife. you needn't pretend you're
asleepi Now you listen to me. I'm
going to give you piece of my mindr'
wait a minute, Serena" said John
Henry. as he got out of bed and CROPPED
his way to the boot-closet
What are you doing?n demanded
the exasperated Serena
I'm preparing myself" replied John
Henry, and a moment later the famous
ex-catcher of the world renowned
champion Sockdologer baseball club
had lighted a lamp and was standing
in his well-kno xn attitude In the mid
die of the floor with his old mask.
breastpad and leather gloves on.
go ahead. Serena" he said. calm
ly.-Chicago Tribune
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03

Among the philosophic few it is an
axiom which one rarely thinks of even
stating, that wider knowledge, closer
contact with the wise and good of all
ages. the assimilation of their best
thoughts, the contemplation of their
glorious deeds. are the employments
which ennoble young and old, and
make men truly happy.
But the typical American. as Prof
Shaler has very clearly set forth in
recent essay, is only dimly conscious
that he ever even had any ancestry at
all That the achievements of other
races and peoples in the past or pres
emit have any lessons of overwhelming
value to teach US he certainly does not
believe. That the poetry, the philos-
ophy. the architecture. the plastic
arts. can be used to make life more
beautiful, more happy. better worth
living. he understands at best very
imperfectly. Perhaps he is open to
conviction. Is a proper effort being
exerted to make him realize all this?
American men read to moderate ex-
tent. The women of America have
large leisure, liberal share of influ-
ence in home and social life, and sure
ly also lofty consciousness of their
duty as mothers of the race that is to
be. To them. it may be chiefly, we
may hopefully appeal.
Again, there is widespread feeling
that American literature is not hold
ing the height attained in the last
generation. The subject is quite too
large for reviewer, possibly rather
too serious for a protested optimist-
But if our literature is losing, or in
danger of losing, its vital power, it's
hold on the national life, may we not
find a partial explanation in the fact
that great body of men. claiming. no
doubt justly, that they have accumu-
lated knowledge worthy to be widely
disseminated, nevertheless disdain to
learn and practice the art of adequate
and graceful ex ession?-Atlantic-
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-03
UNCLEAN CURRENCY.

How to Improve the bOminable COndi-
ton OF Our Money.
The condition of the large portion of
the Government currency now in cir
culation-greenbacks and silver GER
tificates-is simply abominable. The
bills are badly worn. torn, ragged,
greasy and rank smelling. Can't some
thing be done to remedy this? The
present condition of the National bank
currency Is bad enough, but it is far
superior to the Government currency.
Neither the banks nor individuals will
voluntarily send it to the Treasury De-
partment at Washington for redemp-
ton in clean, new bills for several rea-
sons, viz, labor and expense required
for it; loss of the use of the money for
several days; loss that might arise
from counterfeit bills that the Treas
ury experts might discover among the
bills sent in for redemption 1t might
be said in reply: We'll. now. it is
very easy to find fault; but what's your
practicable remedy?'
In answer the following remedy is
proposed by Mr.. /. a. Newton in the
Springfield Republican: Let the pres
ent oank examiners. or special agents
appointed for this purpose. be author
lied and directed to enter all the Ma
tonal banks and require all the Gov
eminent currency each bank has on
hand to be delivered to them for ex-
animation. Let the currency that is
clean and in good condition be returned
to the bank. and have the balance sent
to the Treasury Department.. after
punching holes through all the bills
so sent. to render them useless, doing
this in the presence of one or more