davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19
r..rIy DAYS Of TeIeCraphx.

was at Baltimore when the Clay con-
vention met. participated in the Wing
national convention Of ratification at Bal
timore May 2, 1874. In company with the
delegates from Maine, we left Baltimore
on either the Sd or 18th of May for Wash
ington On our arrival ut the station
twenty miles from Baltimore the train
stopped for wood and water. There WAS
small building opposite the train. A man
announced from the door that if the pas
sengers would gather around the building,
in less than five minute he would give us
the first message from Washington over
the telegraph wire.
He adjusted the instrument, which was
in front of the window that was open. We
soon heard the ticking of the instrument.
and the operator read from the strip of
paper the message. which do not remem-
Der We gave three cheers for Harry CLAY
and the telegraph.
The operator said he would send this dis
patch:
The cars have Ist arrived from Balti-
more. The passengers gave three cheers
for Harry Clay and the telegraph"
We then proceeded to Washington. On
our way tclegraphing was the general topic.
The writer remembers well that one dele
gate who has since been member of the
cabinet, remarked, They may make it
work this distance, but it will never reach
Baltimore. Another delegate said it was
all bosh; they could not make him believe
any such trash. On reaching Washington
there was II crowd at the Capitol. The
writer, as well as most of the passengers.
went there. Some one read from the front
Of the building several kilograms from the
other end of the line. - San Francisco
Chronicle
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19
A Western Wilmington and His

ana HIS Cat.
Here comes Il story for you which sounds
almost like fairy tale but am told that
1t is strictly true: During the first DAYS of
Pixies Peak, when that country was being
occupied by mimi z proSpectors, their cab
ms We're overrun with raus-not your do
mesticated house nice and rats of an old
civilized community, but rats-large, raw
enous rats-with teeth and digestive an.
paratus capable of managing ANYTHING
from tough old boot TO a dainty piece of
breakfast bacon. This state of affairs
came to the knowledge of a thrifty Dutch
man, poor but willing to earn a bright
dollar If the way was only pointed out and
reused his dormant idea to take advantage
OF the rat nuisance and profit thereby.
The Dutchman secured a yoke of oxen,
rugged n prairie schooner with three stories
and filled the same with good cats, which
his neighbOrS were glad to be rid of With
this outfit he started across the plain fol
Pixies Peak, a tedious journey of some GOJ
miles. This, with sCant supplies of game.
prepared the cats for any encounter witt
their victims. Their arrival spread ioy
among the householders, and everything
was set aside to purchase cats. When the
stock Of our worthy Dutchman had been
speedily converted into gold dust he sold
his team, returned on foot across the des-
ert plains to Omaha with over 81, 800 and
bought IA farm near by But the climax Of
this venture was attained when his faith
full oxen straycd back to him-St Nicho-
las
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19
The Color of Handannas.

Speaking of bandannas, these cotton
squares make gay and inexpensive covers
for cushions. The colors are fast and they
are large enough to spare a strip from each
to make into trimming ruffle for the pill
low. For the sitting room lounge, whose
cushion is likely to serve on occasions as
the children's football, they are especially
serviceable.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19
Tax Notice

The taxes for 1891 are now due and
may be paid to the township collector al
Hurst & Donsdson's office in Masonic
Temple block Your last wears receipt
viii be of great assistance to the collector
in finding Your descriptions on the tax
books WILLIAM T. SuGDEN
Township Collector.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19

The little son of one of our legal lulnina-
ries was eating with gusto some candy,
which struck him as so unusually good
that he sue denly turned to his mother and
said, Mamma, | believe that if God had
had this candy lac would eat it all up and
not give the angels one bit. "-LouisyiIie
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19

Earthen and stoneware jars or crooks
should br. filed with cold water and put
over SLOW fire and allowed to come to a
boil once or twice before using to cook in
New York Journal
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19

THE DIANA MONKEY.

1.-The Most Lively ana Playful Of the
Whole Tribe.
Mana was goddess of the chase among
-, ,nrient Greeks and Romans, and 1t GER
. .n seems odd to call a little monkey
'-i,b black face and long white beard by
,bs name Of the beautiful huntress. But
mana was the goddess of the moon as we'll
asof the chase, and she was represented in
n,iptipg aud in sculpture as bearing cres-
ssnt on her forehead; and as the monkey
rbicb is called after her has crescent of
.,ow white hair just above the brows, | sup
nose that is the reason it receives her name.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19

Portia, inspired by her great love, went
into the court and saved her husband when
wisdom had failed to win his case. Choose
- i:f ,,r,l- ord 10. al,.t f.llnr,stp Won
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19
DANA FASTENED HFE rNeEhs n THE
IMILh MILL-

THICK wool
However unlike the beautiful Greek god
dpss the longtailrG i.tr.e creature may be,
it is pretty in its own way II has bright
intelligent eyes and well formed little
hands. Itswhfra beard gives tia very funny
appearance. Irisa native of the west coast
of Africa. and the negroes. who seldom
make pets of animals, sometimes capture
the monkeys to sell TO strangers An Afri-
can girl who had got possession Of one of
these monkeys was greatly amused by its
long beard. but her own woolly head was an
object Of quite a. much curiosity to DIANA
who, fastening herliJtle fingers in the thick
wool, was with difficulty persuaded to let
20 her hold
The Diana monkey j. one of the most
playful OF the whole monkey tribe There
is one in the geological gardens in London
which goes through very amusing antics
and turns somer~aults backward like Il
professional tumbier
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19

A lively team, across the snow
In gallant style the horses 90
Francis and Sidney. Ralph and John
With Flo behind to urge them on.
1hedient to her least command,
she Keeps her playmates well in hand,
WIN whip aud reins to check and guide,
As On they canter, side by side.
Down hill they race with reckless speed,
Almost too fast for Flo, indeedl
bHt through the deep and clogging snow
Up hill, their tagging pace is slow.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19

Listed, as the brokers say, at 100
Dos Q Dollar" Hoods S4rsapaIiila
is alw@' $ fair equivalent for the price.
Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-19

GALLANT FOUR IL HAND.
10 reins them tight and cracks her whir
" hen in the ruts they chance to slip
harder task than you would deem
II Is TO manage such u team.
w I'm eyes that seem to dance with fun,
=" lIh faces rosy from their run,
=" hen they have scampered half a mile
10 pulls them up to rest awhile.
Ihey halt a minutes breathing space:
men, hOmeward turning. Off they racel
I'oWn hill and up hill, on they go,
iauting and toilins through the snow.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28
YE d. R. b STILL ON.

So many conflicting accounts and de-
scriptions of an insect called the DEVILS rid
ing horse have appeared in The GAZETTE
that have concluded your correspondents
have been seeing different insects known in
different sections Of the South by that same
common name. Now, when a boy l was
taught TO fear the devils riding horse on
account of its reputed dangerous sting or
bite-l could never find out which-but It
was not the devils riding horse that you
have described rs Afantis carolina of Lin
neeus.
This DEVILS riding horse Of my youth was
an insect known 10 entomologists as Spec
trum femoratum Of Say. il has a small
cylindrical body three or four inches in
length, slender and near all the way of the
same size Has long, slender legs, and in
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28
DEEP pREAK1NG FOR CROPS.

As see in your paper considerable argu-
ment in favor of shallow preparation for
crops by some old fogy who signs his article
San Old Texan" hope you will permit
me to say few words over my own sigma
ture. l am not ashamed to father every
thing 1 say in this case.
| never farmed in Georgia or Alabama, as
your correspondent claims to have done,
but have been following the plow in
Texas for more than twenty years,
and in this time have farmed right
along by the side of some of the
N ers." In this twenty years of experience
1 have become fully satisfied that the deeper
one can break his land the better it is for
him; in other words, the better are his
chances of success. l farmed in Bosque
county just eighteen years, where I
always made it my rule to break
my lands as deep as my team could
pull the plow, and never in those eighteen
years did L make single failure. Have
been out here two years, where I have paid
particular attention to blowing in this part
of Texas, and that attention has fully con-
WINGED me that the man who breaks his
land deep, and thoroughly pulverizes it, is
the man who meets with the best success.
wish to state in regard to Mr.. Fosters
theory relative to the cause of drouth in
West Texas that he is as far from the right
track as is your Mr.. Land Skinner. He
says the drouth is due to lack of timber to
keep the ground cool, and that the hot
winds we have drive the rain clouds past
US and on northward. Now if Mr.. Foster
will come out here this summer he will see
that this is one of the coolest regions to be
found in the state. We have cool breeze
here all the time, hence the lack of GOODNESS
cannot as MIR. Foster has it, be the cause
of drouths.
While 1 have no disposition to buck
against any weather witch Carrying the no.
toriety of Mr.. Foster, I must be permitted
to assert that, in my opinion, 1 could better
predict the weather for West Texas than
Mr.. Foster has been doing of late would
say, "Dry and windy this week, and Dry
and windy next week, " and would add that
a sandstone might be expected occasionally
from the west; also a few 'northers about
the change of the moon" My predictions
would hit it every time, which is entirely
more than can be said for the predictions
of Mr.. Foster w. w. VINIsoS.
Howard County, Tex.
We know you are correct so far as re-
Iates to deep preparation for crops and we
have very good reasons for believing that
you are right relative to your weather pre-
dictions.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28

its home it viii remain from year TO year
until completely starved out for want of its
natural food. Il has certainly secured a
good footing in Fort Worth, and unless
prompt action is taken to cut it short Fort
Worth viii soon have but very Sfew trees.
And with all that has been said of it
of late our people appear to be taking
no particular interest in the matter
Within the past week or so we have
called the attention OF citizens TO half a
dozen or so of baskets hanging on low trees
in their yards, and have told them exactly
what would happen this coming summer if
the insects were not taken down and
burned The parties talked about the mat
ter and said what we proposed ought TO be
done, and yet those baskets, each of which
could be reached from the ground, still
hang upon their trees. Some persons have
said they had seen something hanging on
their trees, but thought they were merely
"crumpled-up leaves" And the crumpled-
up leaves still hang there. Well, we have
performed our part.
Coming to the matter of remedies for this
detestable insect-pest, Professor Riley says:
Effective preventive work can be done
during the winter time, or when the trees
are bare. The bags which contain the
alternating eggs, and which are very easily
detected, may then be gathered or pruned
and burned. This work may be so easily
done that there is no excuse for the increase
of the species"
If Fort Worth wants to keep her shade
trees she must act on those insects and do
it now We are no alarInist-we are simply
stating what we know to be plain fact,
based upon what is known to have happened
in other places. Of course, we are not pre-
tending to advance the idea that the basket
worms, if left to have it ali their own way,
will destroy all our shade trees in the sum-
mer of 1892, but undoubtedly they will
destroy many of them and seriously dam
age many more; and this is not the worst
of it-for every basket full of eggs allowed
to hang on the trees and hatch this spring
there will be at least 500 insects on the
trees next fall Those 500 insects will
give US a corresponding increase for 1898,
and thus it will be kept up until no trees
are left. We now have it within our power
to nip the pest in the bud, as it were. Why
not do it?
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28
THOSE TEXAS CnRRANrs

Several months ago there appeared in
the Agricultural Department of THE Ga
ZETTE an article from some Fort Worth
gentleman stating that you were OF in your
supposition that there We're no native cur
rants in Texas. You replied still main
tanning your position, and giving it as your
opinion that the plant referred to was the
Mexican 'alglreda,n sometimes going by
the name Of currant in our state. The
gentleman had stated that wild cur
rants grew in Palo Pinto county
had been hoping to hear further
from your correspondent, but since moth
ing further has appeared, 1 conclude that
he must have accepted your theory of the
''algireda" being the ''currant" ne was re-
ferring to. We have in this county an
other shrub, besides the algireda, that our
people call currant, but il is not the cur
rant grown at the North. 1t may have
been this that your correspondent was
holding in mind. If you desire it l will
send you a specimen. READER.
Palo Pinto County, Tex.
We think our correspondent has weak
ened on the currant question. Soon after
the article to which you refer had appeared
in THE GAZETTE he wrote US private letter
which he requested US not to publish. In
that letter he gave his location as in one of
the suburbs to Fort Worth, reached by
street car line. A few days later we took
the car and went out to see his native
Texas currants, but could not find him or
his place-no one in the suburbs appeared
to know anything about him, SO Of course
we had all our trouble for our pains. OF
course we could not do otherwise, under
the circumstances, than draw our own con-
illusions. We had already asked him to
send us specimen of his 'currant" in or
der that we might identify it, but he de-
clined to do so.
While we are entirely satisfied in our
own mind that there are no native eurrauts
in Texas, we would be glad to see speci-
men of the Palo Pinto growth known by
that name, and not the ''algirida" If it is
really currant we will promptly let you
know of the fact through The GAzETTE-if
not we will tell you what it is. A mere
twig would probably enable US to identify it.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28

character OF it, the woman must be suit
ably clad, discard corsets and petticoats and
adopt the union suits. thick or light, as
needed. Eschew all fiimsy Yankee calicos,
and make your short dress-skirts of blue
denim. stout linen or flannel. No woman
who wears sunbonnet can succeed farm
ing. She will never see enough or hear
enough TO keep even with nature. Long
wristed gloves may protect your hands
while dropping seeds, picking beans, setting
out young plants. and so on. but sitting
under the shed tieing up vegetables, pack
ing fruit, ETC., you will no more need gloves
than you would need them in doing fancy
embroidery work on the shaded side Of the
front gallery.
Trust to yourself. Look after every
thing, and do with your own hands what
you are able to do. Be right there when
your fruits and vegetables are packed for
market. If you have much to pack, and
you do as have recommended, the Fort
Worth GAZETTE viii soon get an advertise
ment something like this: WANTED, five
ladies with good taste and judgment to pack
fruits and vegetables on the farm,
to whom viii pay 81. so per day.''
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28

heard Of its disposition to "kerspat" into
peoples eyes and put them out
When disturbed Spectrum bivittatum
throws of fluid in self-defense, about as
a tomato worm does. It has decidedly
disagreeable odor, but not more so than
that cast of by the ordinary black squash
bug. From this fact has probably sprung
the nonsense about putting out peoples
eyes. We think this popularity is strictly
confined to Spectrum bivittatum, as I'VE
have seen nothing of the kind with Spec
trum femoratum. 1t amounts to just moth
ing at all. No doubt this eye-extermi-
mating idea originated among the negroes
in the days of slavery, and we well
know it has no more foundation in fact
than had the ghost stories that our old
negro '.mammas" were wont to tell US
Southern children forty years ago. Slavery
is now gone The white children of the
South no longer have negro ''mammas" to
look after them under the guidance of
mother. This being the case, tits time for
US to drop those old negro-superstition
notions and take hold of things as they
really are. Those old 'mammas' were
good old creatures, as q rule. We could
trust them, for they would have died
in defense of their little charge at
any time, but they were excessively iguo-
rant, of course. Why. the ghost stories that
they used to tell US little. white-headed
chaps fairly. made our hair raise, and made
US afraid to go to sleep at night unless the
old mamma" was right there to defend US
in case of a ghostal attack. But the old
'mammas" are now no more, and so let US
old folks be manly enough to allow their
old superstitions go with them. Let US not
be bull-headed enough to tell the rising
generation that we know a certain thing
is so, when really we know moth
ing about it beyond what the old
black ''mamma'' (bless her old souU, told
US about it. Among the things for US to
give in on, like little men. is this '.devil's
riding horse" notion. All the leading au-
thorities have shown US that there is no
such thing in Texas, or anywhere else, as
an insect that ':kerspats'' into peoples eyes
and puts them out, or at all Injuries them
Indeed science (truth) has shown US that
there is no "kerspattingn at all on the pro-
gramme of any insect. Let US submit
Why not, when there is no chance of dodg-
ing the plain truth, in any case! And thus
forever ends the ''devil's riding horse''
controversy in the Agricultural Depart
ment of THE GAZETTE, so long as we remain
agricultural editor of the paper.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28

have talked TO not few citizens about it,
but they do not appear to be at all
Interested l fear that they think that
your warnings are arefiection on their good
sense, for none evince a disposition
to remove the worms 1t is ever thus with
home things. II some count from France
had visited Fort Worth and had told the
people that there was a pest in their shade
trees likely to destroy them, there would
have been rafting of dry bones until
every basket had been destroyed. IAN
after them with sharp stick tipped with
bunch Of rags saturated with coal oil and
set on fire, but 1 cannot get others to follow
my example. The baskets still hang.
Fort Worth, Tex. A CITIZEN.
The article heading this page Of the paper
contains about everything we have to say
in the case. If some French count could
lead our citizens into destruction of the
basket-worm on our shade and ornamental
trees, it is pity that he could not be in.
duced to come.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28

I am only a little girl, with every
thing to learn as yet. 1 take much
interest in plants, insects, and
everything 1 see To-day send you four
cocoons which 1 find hanging on our rose
bushes. A lady next door says they are
silk worms. We have many more of them
on our roses, and if they are really silk
worms please tell me through the Agricul
tural Department of The GAZETTE, whsch
read all through every Sunday
morning, how TO manage them
to make silk. have a taste
for something of that kind and am not az
all afraid of harmless worms. Pa says Il
they are sure enough silk worms, and sou
will tell me how to manage them, he will lst
me have the attic room to raise them II
this summer. We have three mulberry
trees on our place, and this would give me
lots of leaves for my pets. 1 don't find any OF
the cocoons on the mulberry trees, but rose
bushes where find them are near the null
berries, and 1 suppose the worms wanted to
build their cocoons nearer the ground
They would have been lonesome away up in
big tree. Please answer through the GA
zETTE. DoLLIE n.
Fort Worth, Texas.
Please read our first article on the agri-
cultural page of this date and then burn all
the ''cocoous" of this character that you
can find. They are baskets" of the noto-
rious basket worm, now here to destroy
our shrubbery and yard trees.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

This department is devoted 10 answering
such questions as may be asked by our sub
scribers which may be Of general information.
Inquiries OF personal character that require
answer by mail should always have stamp in
closed. Please give full name and postoffiee
address in addition to any such signature as
Subscriber or "A. G. d. " not for publication
il against the will OF tbs writer, but TO admit
of direct communication should such thing
be deemed necessary. Address as directed at
head of this page.
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28
TO HOG.

While you seem 10 be apt In giving infOr-
nation, will bet you peck of peeans that
you cannot give me method by which
can successfully lead hog with a rope OF
course you will understand that this has no
reference TO being led by Hogg.
READER.
Fort Worth, Tex.
We take the bet. In the first place get &
hog of your own-should you undertake to
lead some other mans hog you might get
into trouble over it. Having made sure Of
this very important matter affx a rope
around the neck of the hog so that it will
not slip of, and then on the rope, about
four feet away from the nose of the hog,
tie an ear of corn. Thus equipped start in
the direction that you desire to lead the
hog, and keep the ear Of corn beyond the
reach of the animal.
You can leave the peck Of pecans at TIE
GAZETTE Office with instructions for the
boys to crack them. 1t might be best, how
ever, for you to send them, for should you
deliver them in person some of the boys
there might begin the cracking on yoc-
head FOR having writtena Us such postz-
card note as the above
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28
Fort Worth, Tex.
YE RAskErs sr1IL Hang.

Two articles on the so-called basket
worm appeared in THE GAZETTE of laktl
Sunday. Since that time have been looking
over the town and the great number OF
baskets" that 1 have found hanging on
almost every tree has surprised me. l