davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
High Rates of Interest,

Many governments In good credit can
borrow money at 3 per cent, or even
less. When security cannot be given,
or when credit Is not good, the rate ex-
acted of private borrowers Is much
higher. A case has been found In Lon
don where interest was paid on short
loans at q rate which would amount to
five thousand two hundred per cent. q
year.
A Mr.. Moon, who has contributed IN
article on the subject to IN English re-
view, has made q personal investigation
of the matter among the pawnbrokers
of Whltechapel, London. These men
and women are regarded by the wretch
eddy poor people about them as phil
nnthropists rather than usurers.
An act of Parliament permits these
pawnbrokers to collect on all loans of
two shillings or less IN interest of at
least half-penny month. This ap. ears
very reasonable to the poor people of
Whitechapel; but many loans Of SIX
pence are made, and as In the case Of
sixpence loans no time longer than a
week is ever given for payment, and as
the half-penny is always collected the
same as for a month, the rate on these
little loans amounts to what would be
equal to four hundred per cent. year.
But the way In which this sort Of
usury may be carried very much fur
Their is described In Mr.. Moons nara
ton. A pawnbroker said to him:
"There's things here, sir, that don't
stay here not day. Last winter wo-
man brought NE In one evening child's
pair of shoes, and lent her u sixpence
Oh them. :,
Next morning very early In she
comes, sir, with bed coverlet. 1t must
have just come off the bed, for it was
Us warm aB could be to the hands.
lent her sixpence on 1t, and with that
sixpence and a half-penny that she
brought with her, she took the child's
shoes out of pawn and went away
with them.
CHOW them says she, the little 'un
can go to school,
"And In the evening back she comes
again with the child's shoes once more,
and puts 'em up for sixpence, and gets
the coverlet and pays her half-penny
Oh that, md goes away with that to
sleep under for the night.
"And that she kept up, sir. day after
day and night after night, until the
mild weather came again, and cover
let on a bed wasn't no longer neces-
sary."
This woman was really paying inter-
est, therefore, at the rate of hundred
per cent. week, or tifty-two hundred
per cent. q year.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
"a FINGER LUNCHEON ],
The Latest Form of Entertainments upie
I from Napoleon. 49, & g.

The Latest Form of Entertainments Copied
=. @=ls from Napoleon.
The very latest fad in society is the
finger luncheon The origin Of these
dainty and novel repasts can doubtless
be traced to the furore for everything
pertaining to Napoleon, one of whose
peculiarities, it will be remembered,
forks. =. IS: s
At one of the prettiest suburbs near
philadelphia ten bright girls assisted, as
the French say, at such Il luncheon the
other day. The pretty nasturtium- dec
GRATED table spread with fine china and
gllttering glass seemed only the conyell-
tionai table till one sharp-eyed damscl
exclaimed: "Why, there are no forks,
nor knives, nor spoons even! What are
Your fingers" promptly replied the
youthful hostess; and sure enough the
table boasted absolutely the small silver
accessories; and though u little gour-
mande afterwards confessed that she in-
stantly resolved to- 90 to the nearest
restaurant as soon as the mock luncheon
was over, the sequel proved that i very
substantial as well MS eminently dainty
repast can be served without even u
fork on the table, ss!.5s. !. s..
!. First little-neck CLAIMS were served.
but how to eat them! till one courageous
maiden seized the shell in her fingers
and daintily "scooped" the succulent
contents: Iced consomme then was
slipped from the prettiest of bouillOn
cups; tiny lamb chops in frilled papers
were served with Saratoga chips and
tender white lettuce leaves-the problem
of eating these viands with the fingers
was easily solved; the next course, was
pretty one, artichokes. boiled and
served whole, French fashion. Those
stripped from the stem and dipped in
sauce tartare are by no means a deli
cacy to be overlooked by epicures.
Cheese straus, which melted in the
mouth, preceded the ices, and these last
were veritable surprise-they seemed
bananas, but when the peel was drawn
back there was Il most delicious banana
ice frozen hard; grapes, plums and the
inevitable demitasse followed, and when
the flower-scented finger glasses were
finally used there was really no greater
need for them than there is ut Il conven-
tional repast where ones plate is tanked
with innumerable forks and perplexing
knives and Ons,-PhiladelDhia Times.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
A Connecticut :.Rattlesnake.

The snake story of the day is told by
Caleb Davis Of Great Quarter. New
town. He killed n RATHER five feet long,
with nineteen rattles He says: II was
going along besideemy horses, and step
ping over the bushes ana weeds, as I
had done every day before for two
weeks. AS | raised my right foot to
put. It i'll over Il sartain stone heard
whirr, whirr,s whirr, and / said Whoa
mighty quick. Il trembled all over, for
there, was the biggest rattlesna Ike / ever
see: I grabbed the ax5out of the wagon
and cut n hickory pole ten feet long.
perhaps more. ] wIacked him with
thia. but the bushes. kind O. kept the
blows off. FIe came toward me and
my hair stiffened right up; but finally
fetched him. "-Hartford Courant.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
Advance Science.

The Association for the Advancement
of Science, which has just closed its ses-
sion in Springfield, Mass, devoted some
time to the discussion of the question Of
cities, as did the American Social Science
association. Mr. Gorthell, who spoke on
THE Growth Of Great Cities,'' made the
prediction that London would be the
the present generation, with the possible
exception of Chicago, which might catch
up in about four decades. He closed his
lecture by predicting the population of
some of the worlds greatest cities in
1920, as based on past and present
growth, and allowing for II future de-
crease. His predictions are as follows:
3,SO8,5S6; New York, 6,337 800: Berlin,
1922, 221; Chicago, 7,707,GOO; Philadel-
phia, l,S3S, 16O, and ST. Petersburg,
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
GOSSIP FOR THE LADIES
Accomplished Girls.

accompanied G1rla. y-s.-zs=<Eze
A girl should learn TO make bed,
TO bake good BISCUITS. cake and bread;
To handle deftly brush and broom,
And neatly tidy up room. 3.
A girl should learn TO darn and mend,
To care for sick, the baby tend;
To have enough style and taste
10 trim hat or fit a waist.
Agirl should learn to value time,
A picture hang, a ladder climb.
And not to almost raise the house .,-~-..s=~
AT sight OF a little harmless mouse.
A girl should learn to dress with speed,
And hold tight Iacing 'gainst her creed;
To buy her shoes to fit her feet;
In fact, above all vain deceit.
A girl should learn to keep her word,
To spread no farther gossip heard,
Home or abroad TO be at ease.a
And try her best to cheer and Please.
A girl should learn to sympathize,
To be reliant, strong and WISE;
To every patient, gentle be, 80
And always truly womanly.
A girl should learn to fondIy hold
True worth Of value more than gold;
Accomplished thus with tender mien,
Reign, crowned with love, homes cher
1shed queen.
New Orleans Picayune.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
The Dining Ring.

There, isaa.ns swell new4sfad~inas jewelry
called dining ring" You couldn't call
it sweet, because anything so big and
clumsy couksnot be llignified by that
term., 1t is tosbe worn on the first fin ger
aud is said to look like a dinner plate seen
through thes "other" end scf ans opera
glass. The fayorita form for this remark.
able bit of ornament is a shield, covering
the first joint entirely. 1t is set with al
ternate, rows of two or more kinds of
stones, anything thatsswill SPARKLE and
flash, and they may beSas big as you can
afford. The next favorite in form is II
square set with nine stones, Il row of dia-
monds. one of rubies and third of cmer-
aids or turquoises. If you are the fortu-
nate ,possessor of old heirlooms in the
shape of mourning rings. With the
"relict's' hair in them; bishops rings or
signet rings of any kind. which you have
never hadgaa chance to shaw. trot them
to the front. and be quick about it, for
this fad will be short-lived. :
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27

fashionable West Walnut street house.
taaas several days n fteE thisNata Venture he
card to u number of his envious friends.
On the evening appointed for his call he
hired q dress suit and fixed himself IN
IN great shape. With wildly beatinr
heart, he rang the bell at the Walnut
street residence. Us Miss Darsey at
home J! he asked of the maid who came
g the, door. Vho.?s Miss Darsey,
!, MISS Margnerite Darsey. q The maid
smiled. and later she grinned. Obj
Sald she, Won mean Maggie, Maggie
uarsey, the upstairs girl. You'd better
90 rOunS thu hnol, r.,, 10 -
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
The ChiDlnunk,

Have you ever watched the antics of
| the ground squirrels in summer? The
name the learned people give them in
the books is almost as hard rs the nuts
their winter food. Imagine yourself
saying, every time you see one Of these
the limb of a tree, Sphere goes q tamias
stratus of the order sciuridac.''
The last name comes from the Greek,
ska, a shade, and oura, u tail, which
! describes pretty well the way in which
a squirrel carries his tail shading his
head. But the Indian name, chipmunk,
seems to suit him much better.
His long front teeth are we'll adapted
to the hard work before them in the
winter, that is to get the contents of the
nut out in good shape. These two teeth
a pivot. They 50 around the inside of
walnut or hickory nut and serve the
purpose of nutpick as well as nut
cracker. = .s... =. : q.
II. you examine walnut that a squir-
rel has dropped, you will find that both
the flat sides have been pierced as if
every particle of the Kernel has been re-
moved from the shell by these flexible
little teeth.
They come by twos and threes, these
comical little providers from their home
in great old oak just across the road
from the end of the lawn, and you may
trace their route from one tree to an
other by the rebounding of the branches
when relieved of the light weight as the
squirrels jump and frolic along
Two large horse chestnut trees in front
Of the house are right in the line of
march just now, and it is amusing to
sit on the porch and watch a little fellow
bite off large leaf that seems to be
in his way. Just when the leaf falls
you see him stop and fill his cheeks with
the green horse chestnuts, and then, as
it seems to you, with his mouth too full
for comfort, he hurries home just as
nimbly as he came, over his elevated
road, jumping sometimes over a space
between the branches, two or three feet
in width.
If you do not put your walnuts and
hickory nuts carefully away i'll the full.
these little thieves will find them out and
soon reduce your store. They carry
them off while drying in the sun, and
even before they are hulled.
A young girl in Southern Maryland
had the power of tanning these little fell
lows With few crumbs of bread or
grains of corn and wheat; she could
draw them around her and catch any
two or three of them that she fancied,
carry them i'll her pockets or her apron
for half a day and when set free they
would scamper off as wild as ever.
Visitors to the park in Richmond re-
member the tame squirrels that, if
treated to a few peanuts or cake crumbs,
will follow you for hours around the
grounds and seem to know you if you 20
back again in the course of day or two.
They are the gray and black squirrels,
with thicker tails than the chipmunk,
but are just as knowing and as cunning
as those that wear striped coats and
smaller brushes.-Virginia McSherry in
PHILADELPHIA Times.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
Moa1t 11o nnas1

p. Woman-"My husband has disap-
peared, and may be dead. I want to
offer a. reward for his body Chief of
police--"Yes, madam. A description will
be needed, and this, with the reward,
will no doubt prove effective. He may
be alive, you know, in which case we
may soon be able to return him to you"
Woman shan't pay cent Of reward
unless he is returned dead. Just remenl-
Der tint. New York Weekly. - i.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
A BOY C0MMANDERY.
Kentucky Son. Of Unfortunate Masans r:
= rade as knights Temblar.

Kentucky Sons Of Unfortunate Ma SONS Pa
=: ~ratte As Knights Temblar.
One OF the nbst interesting of the
many attractive features of The great
knights Ten.plar parade iii Boston was
the appearance of the Little Comn.and-
cry - LIS composed of boys. from a
Masonic home in Kentucky and its
young members wear the same kind of
uniform that the august and exclusive
Knights Tenipiar wear. The boys made
a splendid showing all along the line of
march and were cheered again and
dierly bearing. The day after the big
parade the little commandery gave an
exhibition drill, and the training and
| discipline they showed then made it
evident that each boy -hl.ist have dc
voted many hours and days to perfect
himself Ill the manual IF arms. kni -h.s
Templar carry swords instead of guns,
:; nd the sword drilIsfor compan MES is said
lry military men tie be much more diff
| cult and intricate than the gun drill.
| The commandery is composed ofstwen-
| ty-nine boys from L to Ia years of age
Only three of the company are over II
years old. These boys are all the sons
| of MaSOns who have been unfortunate
enough in life not to l,e able t. provide
/ for their children. The home is situated
in Louisville and is known az he Ken
| lucky Masonic Widows and aDryhans
home. OF course the boys as soon as
they are old enough to earn living
] leave the home. and So. although Little
! Commandery has been in existence, for
over ten years, few of the members re-
main in the company longer than for
five years.-New- York Press.
| Passenger-'This train i nearly one
hour behind time. is it not:
| CONTEMPORARIES. But that's all right
| Wen get In on the usual time
| Passenger-''What time is that
Conductor hours late."..New
York World
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
Washing Handkerehiefr.

For years l had all of my handker
chiefs, as one might say, systematically
ruined by sending out. Whether they
went to the French laundry to be
cleaned or to the ordinary laundress who
simply washed and ironed, nattered lit
tie. 1t took all my spare change to keep
myself in good handkerchiefs, and really
IL Is surprising how recOnciled one gets
under such circumstances to using those
of inferior quality. finally got hint
from Il veteran traveller that has done
me good service for many years, and
women who suffer as / did may be glad
to know that it is possible with very lit
tie trouble to put an end to the annoy
ance of having their handkerchiefs come
back to them a mass of rags or not have
them come at all. A bottle of strong
ones hands are delicate, a toy wash
board is not aihiss. At night dip the
soiled handkerchiefs into clear, cold
water, then soap them thoroughly and
roll them up in tight little parcels, then
drop them into dish containing water.
with about a tablespoonful of ammonia
to the quart. Let them stand over night,
then in the morning squeeze and press
them and rinse. A little bottle of blue
can be kept i'll any out-of-the- way corner
of the medicine cabinet, and will give the
required clearness to the dainty wash.
Squeeze the handkerchiefs as dry as DOS
sible, do not wiring them; then take a
large towel and spread it fat, and put
the ha1dkerchiefs, one above another.
upon this, roll them up snugly: and OH
smooth table or lapboard continue to roll
them under the hands until the package
is as hard as possible. Let them stay
in this way for a few minutes, then un-
roll them, and. one by one, smooth them
and draw out every wrinkle and fold
They can be handled until almost dry.
then lay them smoothly out ON the table.
on which a clean cloth is placed. and
fold thick cloth over them and pile
books and papers over for weight.
Let them remain for an hour or so.
then remove and fold and press again.
BY little careful handling they will
have IL new look, almost impossible to
be gotten in any other way.
Lace handkerchiefs are greatly i'm
proved by this process and are much
more durable, as nothing spoils lace
| more quickly than an iron. One may
keep small package of starch or Il drop
OF gum arabic i'll the rinSinS water will
give the very slightest possible stiffness to
the fabric. One wants but little starch
| however, as stiff handkerchiefs are not
! approved either by good taste or good
sense. This folding and pressing process
| is much more desirable than smoothing
handkerchiefs out on a mirror or marble
ais Il great many women have but one
room. and it does not add to the an.
pearance of the apartment to turn it into
laundry. even in the most amateurisi
| way; besides which landla,lies and hotel
keepers sometimes make point against
this way of doing things.
1t is possible by taking note of some
of these little practices to study economy
| in expenditures, as well as in the wear
| ard tear of ones delicate belongings
New York Ledger
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
The Enchanted Pumpkin.

When your little brother or sister has
birthday party and you want novelty
as centerpiece for the teatable, try
the "Enchanted Pumpkin and see what
fun it will make for the guests.
It ought to be prize pumpkin and a
big one. Scoop out all the inside; that
will do we'll enough to make pies out of
for grownnp people on days that are
not birthdays. Then stuff it full of
toys tied up in MISUNDERSTANDING bun
dies. - ~ t.. ~. = a
To each package tie bright ribbon,
letting the loose ends full out over the
sides of the. pumpkin. Then carefully
replace the cap or stem part, which you
cut off, so that it will look as if it were
still whole, and place it on your tea
table. Surrounded by ferns and colored
autumn leaves, and decorated with the
dropping ends of the ribbons, it will
make a very pretty centerpiecc. -
When the feast is over, set the chill
dren to guessing how many seeds are
in the pumpkin. When all have guessed,
tell each to take hold of one of the rib
bons, and when you say 'Threev they
must pull on the ribbons and in that
way they will find out uow many seeds
are in the pumpkin. ~
Of course, each little guest secures u
pretty gift."-Grace Il. Pcnnypacker in
Philadelphia Times. '''~ss . -.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
At tie sI.ear2Gate..

The Philadelphia Record tells this good
story of n young man about that tow,
who is fond of posing as winner of
feminine hearts. On a recent evening he
attired himself in his prettiest clothes
and boarded Il steamer bound for one Of
the river resorts. There he managed TO
become acquainted ina very informal
way with a decidedly pretty young girl.
! They soon became friendly enough to
exchange cards. and the Young man re-
ceived an inritation to call Mt the house.
When he had ii ehance % look ut the
card he was made almost franfic with
delight for the nd dress given WAS y very
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.
A Bene,lic,io,,,.

n Beno0iGtiON. Il
He held her hand one minute In his own, 1t
you, Sweets" .$$54=# 's ..z5 S.,.5-Es14s
Left her alone, and In his vacant place
feet, ssss5 b ,75s.s55ss - !
He passed away through dewy garden paths.
Flooded with waves Of moonlight, weird
IS and white, II 5's
And mystic scent Of leaf-yeiled lilac bloom,
= Waiting Its incense to the soul OF night.
Between the setting and the rising sun,
zAdrift her spirit wandered, till the day
Woke the new story of u life begun Y:
Out of the grave Of One who slipped
away. $500 y .E' :s,esg. r.. ~ s:$i
A twilight life. Of gentle thought and deed,
Of selfiess purpose and reliant prayer;
A spirit moving In the misty light
OF springtime perfume on the evening
{ air-- @~-4@f = = :. u
Standing alone. her life was doubly blest,
by this dead love. and love Of sorrow
i :. born, 81 %5lr =.
TIL tender Death sang all her soul to rest,
And merged spring twilight III the summer
morn. Poems Of G. Brook.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
Witty CLERGYMAN.

A witty and popular New York cler-
gyman, whom everybody knows by rep.
utation, had a laughablc and at the
same time unpleasant experience re-
Gently, according to the Journal. One
Sunday not long ago he was going up
the steps of his Fifth avenue church.
when he was. asked by an old lady (who
of course did not know him) to help her
up the steps. With his usual courtly
grace. complied with her request. On
reaching the top steps she halted, breath
preach that day. ".rhe Rev. Mr.. Blank"
he replied, giving his own name ooh,
Lord" exclaimed the old lady; thelp Inc
down again. I'd rather listen to man
sharpening saw. Please help me down
again. i reckon | won't go in" The
clergyman; smiled and gently assisted
her down the stairs again, re1narking as
he reached the sidewalk: II wouldn't
go III, either, If wasn't paid for il" 8 :
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
No I.atchkeys for Them

Queen Victoria evidently disapproyes OF
young ladies carrying atchkeys. s The
Irincesses Victoria and Maud of Wales
recently paid visit to their royal grand
mother ut Buckingham palace. These
young ladies are most democratic, in their
tastes and would have preferred to enter
and leave the palace by a side door and
thus dispense with the formalities of the
i for latchkeys. This request. after receis,
ing the attention of several members of
the household. was finally laid before the
Queen, who spent little time considering
the question md sent word to the prin.
mail delivery a year ut Fort Adams.
New York Sun. 8
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27
Crank IN Silver

They say Il fellow in Henry county.
Mo-. Is so cranky on the silver question
that, he digs up NIL the goldenrods and
marigolds, raises white corn and won't
speak to his wife because she has golden
Won keep 4 The golden rule and doesn't
Witnt to enter the golden gates. Evan
sston,s vyo.,s News-R Register. ss
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-09-27

Beecham's pills are for bill.
iousness, sick headache, die.
illness, dyspepsia, bad taste
in the mouth, heartburn, tor
pid liver, foul breath, sallow
skin, coated tongue, pimples.
loss of appetite, etc., when
caused by constipation; and
constipation is the most fire.
quent cause of all of them.
One of the most important things foR
everybody to learn is that constipation
causes more than half the sickness in the
world especially of women; and it can all
be prevented. Go by the book free at your
druggist S or write B.F .AHenCo. ,365Cansl
ST., New York. Pills zoe and use box.
Annual sales morn than uo 600 boxes