davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30

ground that no tornado. no matter how
severe. has ever been known to wrench
it from its mornings; but the hurricane,
SO frequent in the tropics, will often
twist the trunks and carry the broken
portions a long distance, thus ending
that cocoanut palm, as it will
not sprout second time. Could
you examine a cocoanut when it in the
process of sprouting you will find di-
rectly beneath the sprouting eye q
small, white. mushroom-shaped kernel,
and in this little germ lies the life of
the future tree. Shut up in its prison
like shell, and the shell surrounded by
many inches thick Of tough and tangled
fiber. how is it to work its way out and
perform the duties assigned to it? For
it is apparently soft and tender as
baby's hand.
Soon its tiny fingers begin boring
their way out of the weakest eye; then,
rending the tough, woody fiber right and
left, it forces itself to the surface and
commences the campaign of life, send.
ing its shoot upwards to form the tree
and downward to form the roots, still
clinging to its parent for support, until
the entire inside of the shell is filled
with round, ball-like substance that
is formed by the CONCEALED milk of the
cocoanut From it the roots first form
ing receive their staff of life until the
mother coke becomes exhausted, and,
having fulfilled her mission, is deserted
by her offspring and left useless mass
of fiber.
On grows the tree, sending deep into
the ground its roots and high into the
air its trunk until after lapse of from
five to eight years it has attained a
height of from forty to sixty feet, and
then pays tribute to mother earth by
bearing its first fruit, and. under favor
able circumstances, continuing to yield
for more than half a century, giving
its owner from 100 to 200 marketable
nuts year.
Through the center of the trunk of
the cocoanut tree is a soft fibrous heart
which furnishes the life of the tree and
acts as great pump in forcing to the
nuts the immense quantity of water re-
quired to fill them. This fibrous heart
has wonderful filtering power, for no
matter in what location the tree may
be growing, either upon the beach or
in the malarial swamps near the pools
of stagnant water, when nature has
done her work she deposits in the CO.
|
crystal and as cool as if drawn from
the deepest well in our northern yards.
Having no particular season for fruit
ing, but bearing all the year round,
blossoms, ripe and green fruit may be
found on the same tree.
! The blossom of the cocoanut is most
beautiful and peculiar work of nature S
art Appearing at the base of the long
ragged leaves is a gourd-like sheath,
green in color. and standing erect until
its own weight causes it to bend down
ward, where it hangs until the stems it
incloses, which are to bear and sustain
the nuts, are sufficiently matured to
proceed on their journey without pro-
lection. When the outer covering splits
open it reveals a cluster of ragged
stems, upon each of which you will find
miniature cocoanuts requiring about
fourteen months to ripen.-Merchants'
| Review.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30
MISTRESSES AND SERVANTS.
The Former Are Too Apt to Maize Slaves
of the Latter.

The Former Are Too Apt Maize Slaves
of the Latter.
The truth Is that mistresses, as rule.
have not yet accepted a conditioa to
which men in command of others have
long since bowed-that pleasure and
personal liberty in moderation must be
accorded when the days work is done
Servants are mostly young women in
the prime of life, with all the instincts
full upon them. and it is cruel to ignore
their social needs Their followers and
visitors are not welcome to those in au-
thority, and therefore less objection
should be raised to their occasional
efforts to obtain the companionship of
their own class outside the house when
their work is done j fear we must
own to another fault in dealing with
our servants; women scold and nag in
a way which Is unknown to men who
are really fit to rule They listen to
the gossip of other servants, and almost
lie in wait for the suspected delinquent
A wise master knows the value of
sometimes shutting his eyes, and viii
certainly let a good employee have time
to recover himself before he attempts
any expostulation- The ordinary
mistress unfortunately summons the
servant before she has controlled her
own temper, and the result is disas-
trous to both If once "a hostile
attitude" describes the relation be-
tween the drawing room and the
kitchen a state of constant friction
must ensue- do not ignore the trials
experienced by the mistresses of un-
trained servants: too often a succession
of wasteful, ignorant girls pass. like
phantasmagoria across the threshold,
leaving, however, a very convincing
proof of their reality in the wreck of
kitchen utensils, china and other
household treasures Where large es-
Establishments are kept young servants
are carefully taught their seperate
duties, but it is deplorable fact that
girls who have passed the fifth school
board standard are often incapable of
lighting a fire or of washing a wine
glass without breaking it They can
read the penny dreadful" but they
cannot darn their stockings or mend
their clothes The want of technical
training is the disadvantage which has
threatened to make servants a failure
but our board schools are now waking
up to their responsibilities; they have
begun to include needlework and cook
ing in their list OF subjects. and / hope
they will shortly add laundry and
housework--Emily Faithful, in North
American Review.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30
THE PREVAILING STYLES.

Predicament in Which Two Young Men
Found Themselves While shopping
1t was all the fault of the prevailing
styles
The two young men stopped in front
of a counter that was piled up with
neglige shirts, carefully folded, and be-
gan an inspection of them
There's about what you want. Jim, ;"
said one, pointing to a sh:r. with pref
ty blue stripe in it
But Jim shook his head
TOO much blue" he said ssNow,
there's one that's something like How
much is that?''
Zone seventy" responded the dapper
youth behind the counter
Cheap enough said jim 81 didn't
know you could get one for less than
three dollars or three fifty
''oh, yes" returned the clerk, 1--WE
have them as low as siXty-nine cents
VIII you take this one?''
''Sure-at that price"
What size, please?"
Fifteen and half collar"
Fifteen and a-excuse me. What is
the size of the lady's waiste We meas
ure more by that, you know
Lady" cried the would-be pur-
CHASER Do you suppose m doing
shopping for women? / want IT for my
SELF
OH said the clerk. as he took one
off the pile and shook it out, showing
that it was belted waist Third aisle
to your right Ask for Miss Jones' She
has charge of mems neglige shirts 1
handle only women's neglige waists"
Then he went down to the end of the
counter and posed, and two men walked
meekly away, mutte-ing harsh things
about women and their waists-Chica-
90 Tribune
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30

in one of the beds in the long dOrnitOry
slept small representative of our own
republic, Frank Harrington, whose
parents hao left him to receive his Win
ter's schooling at Sainte Barbe, while
they were travelling abroad. Frank
was great favOrite among the boys
bright, overlooking with fun and full
of American grit. They admired the
little fellows courage and daring, and
that fine sense of honor which is born
in the breast of every true American
boy. And Frank Harrington, if the
truth must be told. rather enjoyed all
this admiration, and was not a little
proud of being a leader among the
French boys
AT the extreme end of the dormitory
stood the bed of the only boy who re-
fused to acknowledge the reign in the
preparatory school of ''le petit Amer
acoin," as Frank was called. A proud,
naughty nature had Louis de Chaves,
the last of long line of titled ances-
tors, faithful followers of the Bour-
bons, and hating with an inherited
hatred all that savored of republican
ism. Although younger than Frank by
several years. he seemed to have taken
an instructive dislike to the careless.
happy-hearted boy. anG more than once
had succeeded in bringing him into dis
grace.
1t had been a holiday, and the boys
had been having very jolly time, so
being unusually tired tonight they
We're unusually subdued and, after a
whispered word or two about the
games of the day, went quietly to
sleep. Gradually the few noises about
the college ceased until the ticking of
the clocks could be heard through all
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30
JOCK, THE OUNCE.

Jock was a Ounce the auld wives said,
The dominic just shook his head
WI sic a look.
4" I've done the best could quo he,
..But Jocks a dunce-the worl' can see
Without book"
Jock laughed, but never flashed his thumb,
He was ma ane wha wad presume
To contradict.
But aye he thocht within himself
1t may be sac, but time will tell,
I'll mo- predict.
There was ane MAR besides our Jock,
Who thocht ma like the rest o. folk,
Draw young quean.
Her faith in Jock was strong an true,
she Io'ed him as heart can loe
That kens q frien'.
An when Jock left the glen at last,
To push his fate afore the mast,
Jenny was there.
He kissed her bonny mou' farewell
And said: moo. dawty by this seal
Wen meet ance MAR"
Her heart was like to break in twa.
She sobbed and sobbed, but through it a.
There cam a smile.
." Johnny, my heart is a yer ain,
An will be when ye come again,
Their jokes to spoil
i'C years SdCb ny, y ears Will SdUS--
ken twa hearts that thocht them Ian
But aye keped true.
Princes and priests may change their creeds
But love, aye strong for what it needs
Meier changes hue.
-Ane day stranger-rich an Draw
Cam doom the glen an fieyed them a
WI proudfu' stares.
Then whispers through the clachan flew
Here's Jock, the Ounce, captain, noo
WI sic grand airs.
-Alang the glen the stranger strobe,
WI dignity in ilka nod
Mang a the folk.
An side by side wi bushes warm.
Sweet Jenny cam, locked arm in arm
Wi Captain Jock.
The dominic cried: "Losh bless me,
1 aye tbocnt Jock wad bear the gree,
An turn out weel.''
The auld wives joined him in the lee,
An vowed hoo glad they We're to see
The weel faured chief.
Oh, warl that hae kennel sac lang,
Confess that we are sometimes wrang
In Judging men
Dinna We fee wi unlkind haste
An set ane doom game to waste
Before ye ken.
William Lyle, in Detroit Free Press.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30
LOUIS STOOD FOR A MOMENT.

the buildings. Outside, the streets of
Paris grew more and more deserted,
and the lonely footsteps of the sergeants
de ciUe were the only sounds which
broke the stiffness of the night.
Frank Harrington had played a little
too hard that day, or his supper, some
what better than usual on account of
the holiday, had disagreed with him,
for he was very restless, and started
many times in his sleep, until at last
his eyes opened wide and would not
close again. 1t was very still Frank
was unused to being awake in the night,
and 1T seemed to him he had never felt
anything more oppressive than the
silence of the room, and the regular
breathing of the sleeping boys. The
moon shone in full through the window
Just above his head. and threw long
shadows over the floor, which he fancied
took queer forms and shapes around
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30
The Boy Travellers Adventures.

Ernest Morris. who died recentlv,
was known as ''the boy traveller"
While yet in his teens he decided to
visit the wilds of the Amazon basin,
and when he returned well laden with
all sorts of nicely preserved specimens
illustrating different branches of natu-
raj history and ethnology. his story was
told in all the newspapers as showing
what determined and intelligent lad
could do. His experience fifteen hun
dred or two thousand miles up the great
valley only whetted his am bition to en-
gage in other adventures in the same
region, and in the course of time he
made a number of voyages to the Anna
ION basin Sometimes he would bury
himself for months in the great forests.
where he saw no white people, and
lived among the savages of those re-
gions, who took a liking to him Nor
ris knew very well the taste of monkey
stew, and like the natives among whom
he wandered, he more than once APP
peased his hunger with meal of snake
meat, which he declared to be not at all
disagreeable- He was evidently able to
suppress the imagination, and could eat
without qualm anything that would
appease his hunger.-Boston Beacon
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30
A Slangy Pun.

Mrs. Uptown F1atte-Jane is the
LATEST parlor maid ever saw. She
simply won't dust.
Mr.. Uptown Flatte-Then you'll have
to make her dust. Discharge her,
Munsey's Weekly.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30

Both Sides of the Question
know what my daughters voice is. :"
said Third street two-isted woman to
the leader of choir uptown, who was
looking for a singer. "Yes, madam, >"
he said, subnaissively. 81 should say
So" ''Yes, madam" he continued,
bracing mp, land may say that also
know what it ism "-Detroit Free Press.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30
SAVED A LIFE.
How an American Boy Won Fame
at French School.

] p p E r was
over in the col
lege of Sainte
i a r b e. The
lessons for the
next day were
a IL prepared.
and the boys
w e r e getting
ready for bed.
A merry l o t
they were i n
the preparatory
department this
year; nearly all
We're French, of
C o u + S e, with
here and there
a little English
man frOmacrOSs
the channel. and
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-30

Miss Fifthavenue Ito young man
from the west)-"Ah, Mr.. Kouboi, do
you sing?" Mr.. K (frankly)-"Yes'm,
if there amt anybody around with q
gun Post
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-05-07
PRETTY WOMEN ARE GOOD, TOO
But Somehow tho Homely Ones Get Most
Of the Credit for Goodness.

But Somehow tho Homely Ones Get Most
of the Credit for Goodness.
Why is it that only the homely, I'M
attractive girls receive praise for their
virtues? There are just as many good
pretty girls as, there are ugly ones, yet
one seldom hears much about the good
deeds of pretty women.
Yet how much more credit pretty
women deserve for doing acts than
ugly ones. Nobody expects. much Of
pretty women. They can be selfish,
tyrannical, almost anything they like,
without being blamed very much,
while the ugly girl muct be good to be
endured by her fellow creatures.
Still it's rather hard for the pretty
woman who practices a few virtues
never to get credit for them. il.
Twas struck by this recently when
the name of girl came up for dis
cussion and a number of racy stories
were told about her. One man, who
had known her all his life, said that he
liked her anyway; that at her home she
nursed the sick and the wants of the
poor were relieved by her generosity.
had heard stories about this girl for
many years and this was the first kind
one. If the girl had been homely she'd
have had no temptations; she would
have led sedate life, and nursing the
sick and feeding the poor would have
been all to be said of her. But the
pretty girls shortcomings were
blazoned abroad and her kindnesses
untold.
There's another handsome woman
whose name is spoken with a sheer,
whose life has been full of kindly deeds;
who has nursed her friends sick chill
dren night after night; who has always
thought of the comfort and happiness
of the people she loved-but these
things are never mentioned.
And still another, whose ungodly
church stunning ways are a by-word,
and whose daily charities are SO large
as to make the church-going miscr
grasp his purse strings in terror at the
thought of them.
And what do you think of a pretty
girl who has been at the beck and call
of her friends convenience for many
years, who is willing to stay with
friends and nurse their children just
from pure heart kindness. who creased
with her own dainty hands three little
children with measles, who nursed the
same night after night, and who is al
ways the most comforting, kindly, low
ing body to be found when sickness and
sorrow come?
And another pretty woman~I know
| and whose life would extol has spent
her days in the fulfillment of hard du-
ties and sacrifices to the comfort and
happiness of those about her. She has
no vanity, no love Of self. Her mind is
as brilliant and attractive as her face,
and she loves all the good things and
pretty things she has been denied, yet
with a cheerful spirit she lives we'll and
nobly every day of her life. This is
true greatness. T..
Everywhere that turn my thoughts
I find women as good rs they are fair
to look upon.-Atlanta Constitution.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-05-07
The Price of Wisdom,

There is nothing stranger to youti,
than the persistency with which age
proffers its experience; there is nothing
more trying to age than the determine
ton of youth not to accept it. Tho
fathers, mothers and guardians, who
have learned their hard lessons, would
be glad to impart their knowledge,
without it's ruinous price, to those they
love. But the youngsters will have
none of it. No; they must buy their
own wisdom, ''dree their own weird, .
''pay the piper themselves. Noyearn-
ing affection can shield them from the
trials and temptations they rush so
gayly to meet But why should the
elders continually mourn that such is
the case? They have spent their lives
in learning how to live. So. did their
predecessors. Their children will do
the. same. The law is universal.
knowledge comes only with age and
wisd 3m with the close Of life. It must
be that it was so intended. The blum
ders of youth, the struggles Of maturity,
the regrets Of age, are all part of the
inevitable training Of each soul; train
Ing necessary before it is prepared to
entoY On fuller life. -Harper's Bazaar.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-05-07
WORK IN THE GARDEN.

What Should Be Done in Spring to In:
sure Good Results.
Spring is here and work plenty in the
garden. One advantage of the north is,
that for the winter months but little
can be done out Of doors, and when the
green buds begin to push out and the
grass to grow, people are itching to be
doing something to help matters along.
Pretty nearly everybody who has a plot
of land will make some kind of an
effort to clean up in springtime. The
first thing to do is to clean up all
leaves, rubbish, ETC., and where this is
admissible, the better way is to bury it.
It helps, on decaying,g to furnish ma
terial for building up new plant growth.
Flower beds and places where anything
il; to be planted require spading up, if
small spaces around the house, if large,
til c plowewill do it more expeditiously
aid it should not be forgotten that a
coating of manure is beneficial to work
in the soil.
Anything in the way of shrubs, trees
or hardy border plants that are now
being more thought of than: formerly,
SlOu1U DC pIduCcN DIS SOOu DIS UllC kIOuuu
is in ST condition, as if left to the
last moment it is often too late, as de.
ciduous trees and shrubs do not trans
plant favorably when the leaves have
burst out. Flower-beds that stand for
long time in the same place and
year after year are expected to grow
about the same kinds of plants will, il
not heavily MANFRED, be found to fail
to furnish the display they did a,
first. This is because some particular
part of the soil that is necessary to the
we'll being of the plant has been ex
hausted. Some gardeners, where the
flower-beds are cut out of the grass OF
lawn, make new arrangement, re-sod
over the old spots, and cut new ones
from fresh soil. Another way is tc
add portion of fresh new soil to the
bed, and cart away a corresponding
portion of the old. 1t is all on the prin
ciple of rotation of crops, that the
farmer finds beneficial in keeping his
farm in what is called good heart
Prairie Farmer.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-05-07

whats the matter, Laurie3 You
look sas though you he'd shpcl, 4 said
Bent.S.sE = ~ ~ s.. fssssfas assesssI tss9
$50 have. Here, read these" and
he pushed the letters toward his friend.
Then he burst into hearty laughter. i
what ll are YOU laughing iat?'' asked
Weston. =. : =. =
''Ha, ha! Because, really, old fcl-
low, can't help it. It's too good.
well, If it ;isn't rich. Did you mean to
do it9'' 3ss5ss3Ssss=slSa Il "a j
''Mean to do what?,' sz4 ssts8 81
Can You ask me?.' said Bent. .trag.
ically, waving the two sheets of scented
note-paper in the air.
"What have l done? For Heavens
sake tell me if youscan, Fred g.
'Is it possible, that you don t know
You are not very shrewd, Laurie, or
else you are in love, and love-, you
know, is 'proverbially blind .s@ea @f
''Go on said Laurence, impatiently.
''Why, man alive, you put your let
ters in the wrong envelopes, as near as I
can see." 4>.; ~ =. .s7- s..,.
A sudden ray of intelligence darted
J over Weston's face. *'sa@'. E.-s
II believe did, he said, ruefully,
''and see what q scrape l have drawn
my devoted head into .,> a.. g.. 81
Gould You make 1t up with Miss
Wellington?" ~- - - :. s.>.'.
II feel sure I could. But Miss Stur-
tevant has practically accepted me, and
see how must insult her. =. 4z~ -
"And yet," museds Fred, t...you ought
to explain to Miss Wellington
II know it," distractedly, but if
do, must also explain to Miss Sturte-
want" ."L.,.-- ;t,s.,.,y e~-.. .s1s4. ~
'Now, honestly. Laurie, do you care
anything for either one?"
| Laurence Weston met his friends
gaze without flinching: 49, .vi ~.4
''No. honestly, Fred, like and adj
mire one as much as the other, ~
"Why not give them both up?''
"And get into the mire deeper than l
am? Besides, am determined to mar
ry one of them"
''Wen," said Bent, rising to go, 81
am sorry for you, Laurie. This is
what your, assurance and sound COM
mon sense has brought you to. For
my part, prefer romance. Good-by,
old fellow" .-..-- -.....-...- .-...-..~-.-. -.
"Good-by, "came mournfully from the
depths of the easy chair.
At the door Bent halted
II say, Laurie, 1 might help you out.
might marry one of them"
IF you only would; but which one?''
AYE, that's it," echoed Bent, as he
closed the door and went down the
hall; and the. evening breezes waited
his words back, ''that's the rub-which
one?'-Agnes L. Pratt, in Boston Globe.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-05-07
Superficial .Jud9ment of Men.

In our judgment of men we are to be-
ware of giving any great Importance to
occasional acts. BY acts of occasional
generosity weak men endeavor to re-
deem themselves in their own estima-
ton, vain men to exalt themselves in
that of mankind. It may be observed
that there are no men more worthless
and selfish, in the general tenor of their
lives, than some who, from time to
time, perform sfeats of generosity.
Sentimental selhshness will commonly
vary its indulgences in this way, and
vainglorious seldshness will break out
into acts of munificence. But self-gov-
crnment and self-denial are not to be
relied upon for real strength, except in
so far as they are found to<beS exercised
in detail.-N. Y. LEDGER
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-05-07

5 5, are 4 by inch or heavier if de.
sired They are secured to bolt with
a hand setting nut. When change of
adjustment is necessary, the nut is
taken off, the irons sprung off the bolt
and arranged at the width desired.
Two pieces of iron, 6 c, Is by 3 inches,
are bolted at the front, one at the bot
tom, the other at the top, and act as a
hinge when adjusting at different
widths The teeth used were ordinary
cultivator teeth. No wheel was used,
which admitted of its being attached
close to the horse. Such a machine is
very cheaply and simply made: Any
person that can make a pair of bar
posts can, do the work, except punch
ing the irons.-J. H. Andre, in Farm
and Home.