davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11
Do Plants Think

A story of one of the most interesting
freaks of vegetable life is told by Ell
wood Cooper, of Santa Barbara. As
coming from him, and moreover having
happened to him, the story cannot be
anything but strictly in accordance with
facts. Verify we may ask ourselves do
plants think? Mr.. Cooper believes
they do, and here are some of his rea-
sons for thinking so:
Through Mr.. Cooper's garden there
ran some years ago q sewer made out of
redwood timber. This sewer was again
cased by an outside sewer, which in
course of time had partially decayed.
Across the sewer there was built brick
wall many feet high and in such q way
that it was pierced by the inner sewer,
which it inclosed tightly, while the out
side sewer casing ended abruptly out
side the wall. AS / said, the outside
sewer casing had in course of time de-
cayed, and eucalyptus tree standing
some sixty feet away had taken ad-
vantage CT this and sent one of its roots
to the coveted spot in as direct line
as possible. Here the root entered the
outside sewer and followed its course as
far rs it could; at last it came to the
wall which shut off its course, and here
it could go no further, the inside sewer
being perfectly tight. But on the
other side of the wall the sewer and its
double casing continued, and this the
eucalyptus tree evidently knew. How
to get there? Some three feet high in
the brick wall there was little hole an
inch or two in diameter and this the
eucalyptus tree wGs aware of, as its big
root began to climb the dry wall and
face the sun and wind until it found the
hole, through which it descended on
the other side and entered the sewer
again and follows it along as formerly.
Was ever such instinct known before,
or are similar traits in plants of daily
occurrence, only we are not aware of
them? How did the tree know of the
hole in the wall? How did it know
that the sewer was on the other side?
Did it smell, and if it did, how could it
direct the root to go and find the place
with such precision? There is, of
course, another explanation of this curl
GUS phenomenon, which, as we might
say, the roots of any plant grow always
and unerringly in the direction of its
food, just as the eucalyptus tree did
do, "-BdkeTSfield Californian.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11
Unlucky Thirteen.

1t Is custom on some street railways
to give annual passes, which are num-
bered. These passes are not necessarily
shown each time a man rides on the
cars of that line, but each one bears a
number, and when asked for his fare,
the holder of the pass calls the number
of his pass.
Not long since the holder of pass No.
Ii on one of the Seattle lines got on q
car, accompanied by two ladies, for
whom he must, of course, pay fart 1t
happened that the conductor was a new
man and not acquainted with the pass
system.
The conductor entered the car in
quest of fares, and the first person he
approached was the holder of the pass.
The gentleman handed him a dollar
to take the ladies' fares from, at the
same time remarking distinctly ~Thir-
teen"
The conductor took the dollar and
then began ringing the bell of the regis
ter. ding. ding, ding, ding, ding.
ding, ding. ding, went the bell.
Here, here, broke in the passenger,
what in thunder are you trying to
dol"
didn't you say that you wanted to
pay for thirteen?'
NO, you double-breasted lunkheadI
I hold pass No. IL, and want to pay for
two ladiesl"
@Oh," exclaimed the conductor
mildly, %why didn't you say so beforeIa
Then the bell-puller gave the passen.
ger back his change and inwardly de-
termined to get even on the first small
boy that attempted to steal a ride
Seattle Press.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11
She Brought the Young Man with a Pur-
PIE Sash to Limerick.

pie Sash to Limerick.
Awoman looks much better padding
than when she is bathing, for even
Venus did not have to make an entrance
from bathing house-she Just spouted
up from the sea and retreated.
What an art that isl There is one
girl here who has her mother we'll
trained in this respect. She (the girD
has won the admiration of an ecru
young man who wears purple sash to
protect his infant stomach. He adores
this young woman, but he don't know
how to tell her; he palpitates fero-
ciously and his sash draws with emo
ton when she dances with another
young man, but. as he cannot dance, he
must sit and palpitate. He takes her
to get soda water and treats her to a
box of candy, but still he does not
speak. She has resolved that he shall.
So last night, when everybody had left
the verands, she said.
Indeed, ma, the air is too damp for
you"
The mother thought it was and so
toddled off to bed. Then that girl,
with deliberation worthy of q census
taker, said:
Samuel, do not wish to make un-
pleasant remarks, but people are talk
ing about US.
And Samuel, smoothing his sash.
said, THAT seems pity"
Then this diplomat murmured, "Oh.
would you in your great
permit this ?"
And Samuel, having the great
strength of a puppy and the vanity of
peacock, says, Certainly not"
And the spursued again remarks.
Samuel, after this we understand each
other as only two loving souls can
you may kiss me"
Samuel is the color of corpse and
ne performs the kiss mechanically
still he does it. This sounds like ro-
but no, on my honor it occurred
in the drawing-room of the West end
last week.-"Bab'S" Correspondence
from Iona Branch.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11
The BaIkY Horse

Says horse trainer: Nature never
intended that horse should be balkv.
The driver Is always to blame when
horse becomes unmanageable while in
harness. If an investigation follows.
this will, in nine cases out of ten, be
found correct. Most horses are very
obedient. They will be so anxious TO
go that when the word of command IL
given they will make leap forward.
which, If the wagon contains a very
heavy load viii never start it. The ami
NAL viii, however, get very severe Jerk
which will throw him back, probably
against the other horse. Both viii be-
come excited, and will not know what
is meant when word to attempt another
start is given. The whole object in
preventing bslkiness then is to prevent
the horse from leaping forward A
tight hold of the reins Is all that is
necessary to remedy that evil.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11
On the Cars.

~By Jovel Yes, We meet With all
sorts OF people here said . railroad
conductor, as he sat down IN the smoker
after making his rounds. 1T Is a great
place in which to study human nature. I"
Aren't there a good many kickers
among the passengers?" asked . COM
mercial traveller.
Plenty of them. I could have a
fight every hour in the day if I wanted
to talk back. There is one in the third
seat ahead now. He lives at R,
and he never comes or goes without try
ing to kick up a row."
DE seems quiet enough"
But he only seems. I'm expecting
every minute to hear his warhoop. 1t is
Just an hours run to R, and I bet
he makes three kicks in that time"
I go you for box of cigars"
~Done, old fellow"
They were shaking hands on it when
the man rose up and went to the water
cooler. He took two or three sips of
the water, then walked back to the con-
ductor and said:
When you get ready to clean the
drugs and chemicals out of that cooler
please let me know. Perhaps can buy
half ton of copperas at wholesale fig
ures."
THAT'S one," said the conductor, as
the kicker took his seat.
The train stopped, and another round
was made. The conductor had scarcely
resumed his seat, when the kicker came
over and said:
@u there is window in this coach
that can be raised wish yon would just
have it labelled for me-"
That's two, and we've sixteen miles
to go yeti" whispered the conductor.
The kicker sat down to his newspaper,
and he was so quiet for a time that the
traveller began to have hope. Eight,
ten-twelve miles rolled behind the
train, and he seemed deeply interested
in an article, when he suddenly bobbed
up and came over to the conductor.
"Pll bet fifty to one there are feas
in this coach! I've just been bitten by
something mighty like one, and I'm
going to send in a complaint to head
quarters.
Are you satisfed?" asked the con-
ductor after the kicker had taken his
seat.
give got to be. And this is his usual
practice, is it,"
Eyes"
well, it is worth a box of cigars to
be able to see into human nature in this
Yav." unused the traveller.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11
One OF the Bravest.
The Time Table.

He-How do you do, MISS Dro"n,
stone? They tell me you have moved
out to the country-er-at what tune
do the trains run out to that place?
Miss Brovnstone (who has not yer
been broken in to catch trains, vearliyl
The trains go three minutes before 1
can get to the station, and at othei
times during the day
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11

ALL men who are worth calling men
like to wrestle with difficulty. If il
does not lie In their way, they go out Of
their way to find it. There is no excite
ment In ease and safety, and. without
excitement Of some kind, we should al
rust, body and soul.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11

IT is the old man who has Stunned
work sll his life who is continually say.
ing, @That boy ought to be set to WORK
and kept at it :
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-11
One Human, Driver.

One day during the winter a fine
looking horse attached to q grocer's
wagon fell down in the middle of Q
slippery pavement. The driver did moi
Jump down and belsbor the animal
with club, as most drivers would
have done. He did slight from his
wagon and loosen the harness upon the
horse. Then he took from the wagon 6
lap robe and spread it upon the slip
perry pavement near the fallen horses
feet. The intelligent animal did moi
mistake the mute suggestion. He eyed
the robe fer q moment, then he edged
around until his feet were upon it.
With an effort he struggled to an up-
right position and then lifted his feel
while the driver picked up the robe.
One OF the Bravest.
you're pretty brave man." he SAID
to the bartender.
"Oh, 1 don't know" was the depre'
eating reply; @but when there's trouble
around 1 certainly don't cry to &c
home"
@I Judged as much, because see YOU
are not afraid of the white caps, and
he pointed to the three-story structure
of foam that surmounted his glass Of
beer.-Philddelphid Times.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
WHY THEY DID IT.

Trying to Hold" the Farmers or the West
and ut the Same Time Please the Eastern
Manufacturers.
Now that the combined protests OF
Western tanners and of Eastern manu-
facturers of boots and shoes have sue
ceeded in forcing the Mckinley commit
tee to remove hides from the dut.able
list, it is interesting to recall Governor
Gears explanation of the committees
action in deciding to put on duty. 1t
will be rememb ered that when the news
first leaked out, by way OF California,
that duty was be to put on hides there
were such vigorous protests from all
sides that the duty was again taken Oh.
Then followed change after change
now it was off and now it was on-till
nobody knew whether hides were to be
taxed or not.
Finally it was reported by Mr.. McKin-
ley himself, on the day that the bill was
finished, that hides were free. But the
same night the political weather
changed, and before the dawning of the
next morning. which was Sunday, hides
were again taxed.
A few days later New England man
ufacturer. who had been in Washington
to oppose the duty, passed through New
York on his way home. While in New
York he had talk with some Of the
leather men and reported to them con-
versation he had had with Governor
Gear, of Iowa, who is prominent mem
Der Of the Ways and Means Committee
at Washington.
Governor Gear gave him the reason
which influenced the committee in plac-
ing duty on hides. 1t was something
like this: do you see the condition of
the party in the West? We have lost
Iowa and Ohio; the farmers are discon-
tented and are leaving the party. We
must do something to hold the farmers. I"
There, then; it was simply piece Of
politics. Something had to be done to
hold the farmer.
Some one asked Governor Gear day
or two later if he proposed to stick to
the hides duty.
"Stick to it," echoed Mr.. Gear. Eyes,
sir, like dog to bone!
What kind of dog did he mean? The
committee was at last frightened by re-
ports about probable losses to the party
in Massachusetts and elsewhere next
fall, and the bone was dropped. What
kind Of dog was that?
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14

that city for over thirty years, is very
confident that European nations will be
frightened away from Chicago by the
NICK .nley bill. 'If this bill," he says,
sis enacted 1t will be with the avowed
object OF driving those European manu-
facturers out OF the American market
II their interests are to be foreclosed In
this fashion, how can they be reasonably
expected to take any part in an Ameri-
can worlds fair? 1t will not be
done. Our European correspondents
have clearly indicated that the
enactment of this hostile measure will
be resented in every possible manner,
and why shouldn't 1t? What have the
English and French and German and
other European nations to expect OF this
country IL that bill Is passed? Shall
they come here to be the spectators OF
our glorification over their discom-
future?
1--WE invite them to make exhibitions
OF their industrial arts in our World'e
Fair for what purpose? To encourage
the exchange of products? But we have
enacted prohibitory laws against the
purchase of foreign goods-we are going
to make all these goods in our own
country. Shall these men come here to
show us their patterns and designs and
make display Of their arts and accom-
plishments just for our Qualification and
honor and profit? The idea, you SEQ, is
ridiculous. Not only will the European
manufacturers refuse to take part as
exhibitors in our Fair, but they will re-
frain from attending it. Any man who
would expect any thing else of them is
fool ~
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
The Prince of Wales Income.

The balance sheet Of the Duchy of
Cornwall shows payments made last
year for the use Of the Prince of Wales
amounting to e63, 500 IS I'd. In addition
to rents and profits accruing in Cornwall
there goes into the balance sheet a sum
of over $1,000, the produce of royalties
of coal mines in the county Of Somerset
There are two generally unsupported
sources of revenue for his Royal High
ness which appear in this account One
is profits arising out Of the Office OF
Havenor, which reached the sum Of R19
1 shilling 10 pence. The Office of Hav-
enor, 1t is explained, deals with the pro-
ceeds of the sale Of unclaimed wrecks.
Any wreck found on the coast of Corn
wall and not claimOd becomes the prop
erty OF his Royal Highness the Duke.
Another source of profit is the seizure
Of the personal estate Of any person
domiciled in Cornwall and dying in
testate without kin. Last year the
Prince Of Wales did not benefit copper
from this source.-Wexford Independ-
emit
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
MIXED ON THE PLANETS.

The Telescope Man Puts q Fakir Temper
arlly, In Charge.
The man who owned the big telescope
at the corner of Broadway and Chambers
street was called away and engaged q
fakir to attend to the business for him
until his return. The fakir's knowl-
edge of astronomy was not profound, but
he did the best he could.
''Step right up, ladies and gents" he
exclaimed, with flourish, land take q
look at the heavenly bodies. Here we
have Venus and Adonis, Mercury. Satan
and his seven rings, Jupiter Pluvius and
all the rest Of 'em. Over here on the
right" and he indicated spot in the
heavens, 1--WE see the Dog-star, travelin'
with great velocity"
'Mebbe the Dog-star has tin can
tied to his TAIL" yelled small boy on
the opposite corner.
The interruption was treated by the
fakir with the contempt it deserved, and
he continued:
''Over here we can show you the beau
tiful planet Uranus, as the boys said
when the farmer chased them out Of the
orchard. l am surprised, gents, that
you do not come up and take look at
Venus. 1t may be the last chance
you'll get, as this beautiful and
accomplished star is now receding from
the earth at the rate of a million miles
q minute. Such shrinkin' modesty is
not often met with. We also have
Romeo and Juliet. / AMI not certain,
but think they appear tonight in the
balcony scene. Surely, gents, here is
an attraction worth the paltry five
cents we ask you for it. Over here we
have Raceland, Badge, Exile, Inspector
B., and some more OF the talent. If you
want to see Neptune in q now bathin'
suit. now is yer chance"
The crowd did not seem to be greatly
interested in the starry armament, and
many did not hesitate to jeer and SCOT.
This hurt the fal1ir's tender feelings
and he wound up his remarks by say.
ing, very tartly:
''Confound yer pictures! ! could get
every nickel in the bloomin' crowd If
did tell you that this powerful telescope
would draw the man in the moon close
enough so you could borrow q dollar
from him." and he placed his eye to the
instrument and swept the sky for his
own amusement.-N. Y. World.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
SUGAR FRAUDS.

Tho Attorney General Of Kansas Com
mences Suit Against the American Sugar
Company.
TOPEKA, Kan, June 1O.-The State OF
Kansas has undertaken to dissolve the
American Sugar Company, which has
been operating for the past eighteen
months in Southwestern Kansas and
which has been charged with all man
ner of frauds by various townships
which have voted it bonds, while the
papers the last month have been flooded
with communications in which repre-
sentative citizens of some of the town
ships have warned other townships
against voting any bonds to this COM
pany.
The company was organized March
%, 1889, with capital stock of 81. OOO.-
900, the incorporators being o. B. Ham
ilton, NJ. ]. O'Meara, George NJ. Cock
rell, A. j. Adamson and William X.
Palmer Of Meade County.
The petition of the Acknowledgements
sets forth that the company obtained
the illegal issuance OF negotiable bonds
in Meade, Seward, Stanton, Stevens.
Morton, Grant, Haskell, Gray and Ford
Counties. The alleged fraud is then
exposed in detail by the Attorney-Gen-
eral He says that the American Sugar
Company constructed and placed in OPP
Grafton manufacturing plant in Min
nicola, Clark County, in which the Adam
SON or roasting process was used In
order to impose on the public the AttOr-
ney-General charges that the company
obtained two barrels of sugar manu-
featured from Southern cane, placed it
in its own watts and receptacles and then
exhibited this Southern article as sugar
manufactured from sugar cane by the
Adamson process. The new process
was then extensively advertised. BY
this scheme $40. 900 in bonds was voted
the company. The townships which, 1t
Is alleged, have been swindled out of
this amount Of money are Sand Creek,
Mertilla, West Plains and Cimarron in
Meade County; Falkenstein, Stanton
County; Ingalls,. Gray County, Ford and
Bloom, Ford County.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
BLAINE OR M'KINLEYq
"a Cheap Attempt to Throw Tub to tn
Agricultural Whale"

"a Cheap Attempt to Throw n Tub to thc
Agricultural Whale"
Western farmers are disconnected and
unhappy over the low prices of all their
products. As everybody else Is getting
the benefits, real or supposed, Of protcc-
ton, the farmers Of the West have justly
commended that they should have their
protection too; and so Mr.. Mckinley has
attempted to introduce the era Of pro-
protection to farmers. But what good
will this protection do the farmers?
Mr.. Blaine has argued that the general
effect of protection is to reduce the price
of protected products. Everybody will
admit that Mr.. Blaine is q high authority
on this question:; but how are his views
and those of Mr.. McKinley's to be recon-
ciled? If Mr.. Blaine Is right the farmers
may expect to see their prices 60 still
lower. Are they ready for that? Are
prices not already low enough? II Mr..
Blaine's views are sound, what are
farmers to think of the protection that
Mr.. Mckinley is Offering them? Wilt
cure the disease, or will it only serve to
bamboozle them q little while longer
and get them to give protection one
more vote and thus postpone the day Of
reckoning?
Meanwhile some Of the more thought
full Republican newspapers are assuring
the farmers that the protection to be
given them will do them no good at all.
One of these papers ridicules Mr.. Nc
Kinley's protection to farmers and calls
it "a cheap attempt to throw tub 70
the agricultural whale"
The problem for the Western farmer
to work out now is this: What Is the net
advantage to me Of protection on what
l sell which does me little or no good
along with a very high protection on
what buy that does me great harm?
That is q question which viii bsaT
thinking over till next November.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS.

A Statement Of the Indebtedness Of COun-
tiles In Kansas, ~ Shown by the Census
keport-Tho Indebtedness Of 1890 Com
pared with That Of 1880.
WASHINGTON, June THE reports Of
county Indebtedness are being compiled
ut the Census Office. Complete returns
have been received from Kansas. They
show that eleven counties have no
county debt. Leavenworth leads all,
with bonds outstanding to the amount
OF si,O6a, 700. Wyandotte, in which is
Kansas City, Kan, has debt of $780,
sSs. so. Doniphan has sGO9,3Sa and
Douglas has $500, 100 Several counties
have decreased their debts since 1880,
but most OF them show an increase.
The tabulated statement presented
below gives the debts OF 1880 as well as
those of 1890. Dickinson is one Of the
counties which has made phenomenal
increase in ten years having now $780,
300 in bonds, while in 1880 the amount
was S14, 800 Riley has increased her debt
from Sl4, O00in 1880 to Sa94, 900. The aggre-
gates Of county debts show that the gen.
eral increase is from SO, $500 to $14.-
229,674sO. Perhaps the most interest
ing deductions to be drawn from the
figures is that the big increases in the
debts are limited to less than one-third
of the counties. Half dozen Kansas
counties have entirely paid of their
debts since 1880. Twenty or thirty have
reduced their bonds' As many mora
have neither increased nor decreased.
The complete returns are as follows:
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
He Wa willing.

"You haven't explained how you hap
pened to have Mr.. Wacker's chickens in
your possession" said the magistrate,
sternly.
Use tryin' to think, jedge. Glib me
time, " replied the prisoner.
81 will Ninety daysV"--Munsey's
Weekly.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-14
Weekly.

Polio, Umatilla Indian woman, was
hanged in Portland, Ore, by United
States authorities for the murdHr Of an
Indian woman on the Umatilla Indian
reservation about year ago.
Morris tribune., 1890-11-26
]. d Goods New Store.

The finest and most commodious
business house in the state, outside of
the big cities, is that of ]. ID. Goods,
in his new brick block, on Atlantic
avenue. 1t is 50x90 feet, and is fur
nished in Il most elegant and attrac-
tive manner, devoted to the sale of
furniture, hardware, tine ware, &C.
His stock of goods is large and COM
prises all the most modern styles. He
has now plenty of room to show goods,
SO that customers can see just what
they are purchasing. The front of
this magnificent store is almost en-
tirely glass. and at night when lighted
with modern style lamps, is very at:
tractiye. We congratulate our friend
Good on having the finest country
store in Minnesota, In the language
of Rip Van Wrinkle, may he live long
and prosper.