davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25

fore them plenty of sharp grit. Pound
ed crockery, good-sized gravel stones,
bits OF bone, etc., are good. Better not
use glass, as there is danger of the
sharp particles cutting through the It's
sues and causing trouble. Grit is good
for both man and hens. The sooner
every novice in bookkeeping becomes
aware of the fact that roup is by all
odds the worst disease that ever af-
ficts poultry and learns to steer clear
OF 1T the better it will be. Almost every
new recruit to poultry keeping loses
many birds from roup the first winter.
The older breeders, however, seldom
get caught, for they take precautionary
measures, realizing full well the I'M
satisfactory character of any treatment
whose aim is to cure after the ailment
once gains firm foothold. The disease
in many particulars closely resembles
consumption in the human species, and
therefore must not be trihed with.
Feed the fowls we'll. House them snugly
in well-ventilated houses and keep all
surroundings clean and wholesome. I'm
der such conditions naturally vigorous
stock will rarely contract a case Of
genuine roup.
Save the poultry manure. If the fowls
are fed upon rich grains and plenty Of
clover, meat and bone, their droppings
must be rich, approaching in fertility
the much-lauded guano. Farmers
must not let any kind of good manure
escape them. 1t is far too precious and
much needed to restore lost or exhaust
ed fertility of soil.
Feed good, wholesome, nutritious
foods that comprise large variety.
Glover, cabbage, roots, raw beef, ground
bone, wheat bran, corn, ETC., should all
come into the bill of fare. Man tires of
one food exclusively, aud poultry does
likewise.
Make preparations to hatch some
early chickens, for these are the ones
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
New Breed of Fowls

l have been breeding and raising
fowls for twenty-eight years. I have
kept Asiatics, Leghorns, Plymouth
Rocks, Polands, Wyandottes, Javas and
Langshans. The Leghorns suit me best
My chicken houses have ground floor
but the walls are double-lined and the
spaces filled with sawdust. In the win
ter We feed warm chop feed mornings
and at night wheat, about all they will
eat up clean. We give them plenty of
water. We sell dressed fowls at 10 m
1912 cents the year round to privata
customers. We get eggs the year round
We lose no fowls except by accidents
We hatch our broods by hens. in the
box stalls in the barn, during May and
June. We have no disease in our fiocks
We allow the weak ones to die and the
survivors are sound. l have been de-
veloping what / call a perfect breed
from the common points Of perfection.
using all of the dark breeds with the
Leghorn for a base. l call IL the
American Wonder" Our yards are full
of the Wonders now, and l think thew
are not equaled by any in utility, beau
ty, early maturity and ability to stand
hardships. Some of them seem to be
perpetual layers and never sit. The best
ones live to be ten years old.-H. G.
Mcdowell in Farmers Review.
Wintering Sheep. - In wintering
sheep. 1t is not necessary that they
should have close, warm stables, such
as are used for horses and cattle; such.
indeed, would be injurious to them.
But they require shedding of some sort,
a good roof to keep them dry, and
closed to protect them from storms.
Lambs under a month old, with their
mothers, should have warmer quarters
than this, should be separated from the
flock and receive extra care. Glover
hay is the best food on which to winter
sheep. A change of food Is desirable,
and they will improve on it faster.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
THE UP-TO-DATE KITCHEN.
Perfect Ventilation Is Said to He the
First Considerations

Perfect ventilation, says an architect
who is an authority on kitchens, is the
first consideration in such q room.
Next come light and the possibilities Of
perfect cleanliness. To get these in Il
crowded city block half buried in the
ground is, of all things, the most diff
ficult. Something has beer. said of the
movement upward in private houses
by reason of the introduction of eleva-
tors. One of the most significant indi-
cations is seen in the elevation of the
kitchen.
In the house of a New York physi-
clan all the household offices are on the
top floor. The servants bedrooms are
in front. Midway is the laundry, with
tiled floor. next the servants sitting
room. and opening into the kitchen.
One may well envy the cook her pri-
vate dominion. The kitchen is no.
ble room, with windows that catch the
first rays of the morning sun and the
last rays Of his benign majesty in the
west. The view is fine for a hemmed
in city house. The practical mind dis
covers other advantages in the saving
of gas bills-there Is over an hour of
udy llS III IuOTc mere tllill the DuStllclL
kitchen receives. There is also a con-
siderable saving of time, as the rag
man and the peddlers Of wares soon
discover that there is neither pleasure
nor profit in the area.
The kitchen in some of the apart
ment houses are beautiful indeed
These are small, but calculated to a
nicely. In fact, except when there is
a large staff of servants, it is a mis-
take to have large kitchen. 1t wastes
time and takes the strength Of the
cook to cover more space than is nee
esSary. AS these kitchens are placed
in the least desirable parts of the
house, every care is taken to give them
all the light and air possible. The
floors are tiled. The walls are covered
with white enameled tiles, sometimes
made gayer with tiles of pink and blue
The sinks are porcelain lined, and the
faucets silver plated. The cupboards
and dressers are in light natural
woods. and the glass unspotted. The
cook feels that size Is precious thing
inclosed in a jewel box, and one may
hope she strives to live up to the stu
ation.-New York Journal.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
UNUSED ELECTRIC POWER.
There Is Considerable Waste, as People
Sometimes Find Out.

"Did you ever think" said an observ-
ing man lately to reporter of the New
York Tribune, how much loose cleo
tricity there is around? 1t is brought
to my notice especially every time l
have occasion to ride in a trolley car
on a wet day. 1 have frequently re-
ceived singing shock by taking hold
of the brass rail as 1 swung myself
aboard. My feet are wet, you see, ami
water is so good conductor that a
ground connection is established with
| myself as part of the circuit The sen"
sation is quite enough to be disagree
able, assure you.
1.-The metal doorsill, too, is another
place where the current leaks out. Since
| discovered that by personal expert
ence / have often amused myself by
watching the people who enter and
leave the car. If they step over the
wet threshold we'll and good, but If
their feet touch it they are likely to
get some of the superfluous power.
Then the expression on their faces is
iudicrous. Most of them look COM
pletely bewildered, as if they didn't
know what had struck them, and sup
pose they don't know for the instant.
"Thosa are not the only places where
there is free electricity, either In my
own office / can get as severe shock
as could from battery. In one OF
the incandescent light fixtures there is
a spot where the current escapes in
great force. By touching this place
with a key, knife or any bit of metal
and resting my other hand on the iron
of the steam radiator near by l can
take shock of such power as to burn
my hand and make me drop the ex-
pertinent in a hurry. The other day
half a dozen of us Joined hands and
formed a line between the two places.
The man at one end held key to the
fixture and the fellow at the other end
laid his hand on the radiator. You
would hardly believe how strong the
current was. Our hands seemed sud
denly gripped together and after we
let go our fingers tingled for minutes
from the effect.
Il have often thought that COM
putation of the amount of unused cleo
trio force there is around us would be
interesting. There must be numbers
! of other places that have never no.
| ticed where it escapes and | suppose
| there is no doubt that in the aggregate
| the power wasted would be sufficient
! to accomplish a tremendous amount OF
! work"
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
Poultry Pointers.

You must, of course, have warm
house if you are to have laying hens;
but do not have one that is filled with
vile odors and stencil sufficient TO
make any man want to get out OF 1t as
soon as possible. Such house Cd for
fowls must produce lack of health, dis
ease and ultimately death. Pure air,
secured by scientific ventilation, is as
necessary to fowls as to man. All ami
NAL life, without exception, must have
pure oxygenated air for their breath
ing or dread disease will appear. or
course it would be unwise to have ven
tilators open at all on very cold nights.
They are to be opened and closed par
TALLY or entirely, according to season,
weather, etc. AS further aid to pure
air in the hen house, absorbents are TO
be largely used. There is nothing to
take their place. Dry plaster, coal
es that proceed from animal excretions
and are therefore of high utility in the
poultry house.
Do not keep too many hens together.
They will not lay we'll and prove profit
able where the crowding policy is pur-
sued. Twenty-Five birds to one pen is
certainly maximum number to run
together. II you have fifty or more hens
now unseparated. better divide up and
put in partition in the coop. Crowd
ing is the source of good deal of dis
ease and lack of thrift.
Be sure you do not forget to provide
teeth for your hens by keeping ever be-
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
Effects of sudden Religion.

John Smeltzer, aged 80, one OF the
earliest settlers and wealthiest resi-
dents of Goshen, Ind, attempted sui
eide at Wakarusa by hanging himself
10 a rafter in the barn. His act is the
result of an attempt to become sancti-
fed. Several months ago he Joined the
church as the beginning of an effort
to become holy. Failure in the attempt
brought or mental depression.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
Value of Dairy Tests.

No one can doubt, says the Mark
Lane Express, that there are affluent
milk yielding cows, which are not re-
munerative butter making cows, and
that every dairy farmer should ascer-
tain whether the individual animals in
his herd are adapted for the purposes
to which his milk is applied; very few
do this, and great losses are occasioned
In consequence. The fact has been
shown over and over again that unless
separate Weddings of each COW be
weighed after milking, periodically,
the owner would be ignorant of the
animals performances, or whether her
yield Is up to the standard requisite to
give profit or not. Keeping each cows
milk separate for butter making would
be tiresome. AS there are chemical
tests and instruments for ascertaining
the composition Of milk, it is far easier
to resort to them than to adopt the
ether alternative. In the generality of
cases, however, nothing of the kind is
even attempted, and the dairy farmer
remains totally unaware of what ought
to be his greatest concern-the indiyid-
ual capabilities of each COW he owns to
do what he expect from her. Hence
the utility of butter tests and milking
trials to show how very varied are the
Weddings of cows, both in milk and but
ter, and how much better certain yari-
ties are for butter making than others.
Our Horses in England.-America
and Canadian horses are a regular
feature in the auction sales in England
and Scotland. Prices range from S125
to 5000 for our common small horses,
and an occasional high-class horse
runs up to double that price, and the
strangest part of it is that it is the
best they want, and would readily pay
the good prices for high-class horses if
we only had them. They only take the
cheap horses because they are so cheap.
-Ex.
Remedy for Crop Bound-This is
John Baucher, Jr.'s remedy for crop
bound: One tablespoonful lard, one
half teaspoonful pepper, one teaspoon
full ginger, one teaspoonful sulphur,
one-fourth teaspoonful asafetida. Mix
In -four to make 1t stiff enough to roll
into pills. Give twice a day, and at
noon give one teaspoonful of castor oil
and half teacup of warm water.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25

doing toward filling his pocketbook,
which, of course, implies that each
should be regularly tested; he must be
sufficiently interested in his business to
feed regularly, generously, and with
ration having abundant variety, and
composed of the elements best caicu-
lated to make milk and butter fat eco
nomicaily. and he must provide for the
comfort of his cows both in the stable
and out of it, furnishing warmth, ven
tilation and sunlight when they are
housed, and shade and freedom from
flies when they are on pasture; he must
provide good, pure water, salt regularly
and love the cows we'll enough to treat
them with kindness and humanity; he
must keep the quarters clean and Tree
from bad odors. must milk regularly
and have patience enough to milk the
cows, even when they reach the point
where they give but little, in order that
their milking periods may lengthen
rather than sh orten; he must study the
care of milk and the modern methods
of butter making, and must provide
modern implements and utensils for
doing the work; he must study mar
keting in order to secure the best prices
that his make of butter will bring, and
be constantly striving to improve the
quality so that it will command bet
ter price and meet with reader sale
Western Farm Journal.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
Said of Ideal Christianity.

Christianity is not a poor mans reli-
gion nor rich mans religion. 1t does
not teach that Lazarus was taken to
heaven because he was poor, but be-
cause he was pious; and that Dives was
sent to hell not because he was rich.
but because he was mean. Christian
ity teaches liberty, paternity, equality.
and that all of us are brethren.-Rev.
p. S. Henson, Baptist, Chicago, Ill.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25

that pay well. They lay early and con-
tlnue all winter while prices are high.
April is an excellent month in which
the chick should break the shell. If you
have an incubator there is no trouble
in Matching chicks early. Otherwise
you must coax the hens to lay early, in
which case they will lay early and soon
become broody. Do not place more than
ten eggs under hen if the weather is
still quite cold.-W. P. Perkins in
Farmers Review.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
A roland for His oliver.

Papa" inquired a small girl at the
dinner table the other evening, whats
a millionaire? Dorothy Smith said to
me to-day, Your fathers a million
aire.'"
What did you say?' asked the small
girls father.
"Ch, I jus said. "So's yo1rs. New
York Evening Sun.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25
DAIRY AND POULTRY.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
OUR RURAL READERS.


ARRIVING pay S
upon the same
terms, and no other,
that other occupa-
lions pay. The dali
ryman must under
stand his business,
and always be on
the alert to learn
more about it. He
must have his work
on his mind stead
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-25

Arthur Rock. a 6-year-old bicycle
rider of Brighton, New Jersey. while
riding across East Lake pond recently
broke through the ice The boy re-
talned his seat in the saddle and tho
inflated tires of the machine kept him
anoat until help arrived.
Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-12-30

Half an hour later the letters and par
cells had been assorted and the postmaster
began distributing them to the waiting
throng. There were Christmas presents
and loving tidings from dear ones in the
East and many pioneers face wreathed
with happiness as the letters were READ
or the presents tucked snugly away in
warm breast pockets.
Here's something for you, Hans
called the postmaster, and the pale-faced
man who had been lingering near the
door, doubtful but expectant, started for
ward with smile and an outstretched
hand, That handwriting! The letter
was from Christina!
The envelope was hastily torn open
and pair of happy blue eyes'ebhsan
perusing the text. Suddenly, tflss hasppy
light vanished from the face. =. Hans
Brynjulson's limbs grew rigid and he
lurched over against the counter with a
moan of anguish.
English words, even in free transla-
ton, are powerless to catch the pathetic
vein that ran through Hans Brynjulson's
letter, but here are its contents, done
into our own language:
On board S. S. Stockholm, Dec. 10.
My Dear One:
when you read this. my faithful love, she
who writes it will be with you-but in the
spirit. am TO die, the ships doctor says,
and thank God that have the strength to
send you this last word. l would that Our
Heavenly Father had spared me to work for
you, but, since this Is impossible, work dou-
bly, hard for yourself. Be brave, dear Hans,
for my sake. Be patient and you will be
fortunate. God tempers the wind to his
stricken children and he will NOT forget thee,
my darling. My strength Gibbs fast-a last
farewell. CHRISTINA.
sky and brought out, one by one, the
cold, ciear-cut stars, the words of
Christmas carol foated through the doors
of the little Sykeston church and settled,
Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-12-30
"Why," he exclaimed, cts Hans Bryn-

"Why," he exclaimed, cts Hans Bryn-
julson!"
"Lct him lie where he is" said Mrs.
johnson; "he's drunk, no doubt"
"Well, drunk or sober, if he lies here
he'll freeze. 1t means hundred dollars
to me" said the lawyer, grimly; "ah, he's
reviving. Come, come, my man, don't
you know where you are?"
"Messer Yonson?" returned Hans inter-
negatively.
Eyes, yes; get up and follow us. You'll
freeze to death lying there. You must't
freeze you know 1t wouldn't be treat
ing ,ma fair. You understand why, Ell
You can sleep in my barn tonight"
80. a~-s
: The day after New Years dawned with
t.ea a. that would have been foreboding,
had not unusual weather so far marked
the winter in Wells County.
Little Bessie Johnson went to school
in the morning and she had been gone
from home an hour. when a black cloud,
rifted with wind, appeared in the north
west Like a great ominous banner,
battle-scarred and brushing its ragged
streamers across the sky, the cloud came
on with racehorse speed. And then came
the blast in all its fury. Helter-skelter,
here and there, blew the wild white
flakes; rushing around the corner of Law
yer Johnson's house with an angry roar,
the bits of snow played hide-and-seek
among the caves and then skurried away
In the mad gambols of whirlwind.
Goodness me, Silas," said Mrs. John
son, turning from the window, III can't
see a yard away. What will become of
Bessie?"
shell be all right-don't worry. The
teacher will not let the scholars leave the
schoolhouse until the blizzard is over"
Fears, however, if long enough persist
Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-12-30
Nls yR1ls|;.ls
1M1sIO35TglE9dEs
4sNT<'S
GA@

Dakota night. The prairie,
~ wrapped in mysterious shadows,
~ rolls away to the south and van
ishes among the ghostly stars. Through
the sedges of the marsh the night wind
signs fitfully; and the frogs, from their
reedy haunts, croak hoarse accom-
paniment.
For Hans Brynjulson, smoking in the
door of his "shack," and looking out over
the moonlit plain and coteaux, there Is
but one word in the heart, one song on
the lips of nature.
Christinal
Well, indeed, did Hans remember her
braids of golden hair-her sparkling eyes
the fair beauty of her northern face.
They had parted-but that was long ago.
"You will make your fortune in Amer
lea, Hans. Be brave. l will come when
you want me. God be with you, my
dear one!'
Not day passed but these words
leaped from the memory to the heart of
Hans Brynjulson. They We're oftener on
his lips than were his prayers.
The first year, the dreaded southwest
wind scorched and withered n field al
most ready for the reaper, but Hans
saved enough grain to plant the land
again. The second year, crops were
backward, and the wheat was "nipped"
by frost and shriveled and blackened in
the husk. The third year crops were
beaten to the ground by hail.
How had Hans contrived to keep body
and soul together during these years of
trial? By mortgaging his possessions
lbs claim, his horses, his farming imple-
ments-everyt hing-had been laid under
contribution to tide him over the hard
times.
In his hands he had letter. 1t was
dark and he could not read it-but this
was unnecessary. He had conned it
word for word until he could have recited
II by note. The letter was from Chris
tina. She told her lover, in simple words
that she could not remain away from him
longer. A longer absence for her, was
worse than death. Surely, her willing
hands would prove mighty factor in
his hard life. The meanest drudgery at
his side and for him would be happiness
for her. The Stockholm sailed on the LIST
of December for New York. Could he not
send her money to pay her passage?
If so, she would come third-class all the
way. God bless him for the faithful
lover that he was!
Poor Hans! He had never written
Christina of his heroic struggle with fate
What should he do now? Tell her ali :?
No, no. His heart rebelled against such
course. Fair, loyal Christina! He
would send her the passage money. But
where was he to get it? He started sud
denly to his feet. The moonbeams, strik-
ing his haggard face, wreathed it with II
strange beauty.
'Ay skall dot" he murmured in his
broken English; 'ay skall see Messer
Yonson in da mornin'r'
"Say, do you know what that ere
crazy Swede from Pony Gulch has been
up TOT"
Chris Larhin, the blacksmith, dropped
the head of his hammer ON the anvil and
supported himself on the handle with his
barred, sinewy arms as he addressed this
sentence to Cal Higgins, a farmer.
what now?" asked Higgins. whats
the latestT
"Gone an mortgaged himself TO Law
yer johnson for $100"
faint possiblep'
"'Tis. too--but it can't be legal"
Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-12-30

nothing is known. The lawyers daugh-
ter could not tell. She started home, she
said, was overtaken by the storm and
finally grew bewildered. Struggling vain
" for what seemed an interminably long
time she had finally sunk senseless and
exhausted into the snow.
When found she was snugly wrapped in
the lawyers fur coat while pair OF
thin, rigid arms folded her close as
though to protect her from the drifting
flakes. And when the snow was brushed
from Hans Brynjulson's icy face, con-
gealed tears were found in the eye-lashes,
and about the mouth-mystery unsolva-
ble-there lowered a smile. Happiness
crowned with tears!
Perhaps they were tears of JOY; per-
haps the boisterous winter winds became
summer zephyrs in the ears OF Hans
Bryniulson and whispered to him the
word. "Chrstina, Christina perhaps
this also was the burden of the snow
flakes as they rustled down over him and
wove their spotless wool into the welt
of his life.
LAWYER Johnson caused it to be duly
known that Hans Brynjulson had can
eelled his mortgage and it was Mrs.
Johnson's own hand that gave the docu-
ment TO the fre-W. W. Cook, in Detroit
Free Press.
Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-12-30
A Christmas Scheme.

A lady who was shopping saw her hus-
band examining pocketbooks at show
case in another part of the store. When
he had gone she approached the sales
woman In that department.
"Did he get the one l wantedT
eyes, the one with the silver horse
shoe. l told him it was the best and
would just suit"
you're jewel. I feared he would
get something didn't want. Thank you
ever so much"
The husband had gone to his fayorite
drug store, when he asked:
HAS my wife been here?"
Eyes," said the clerk, with a grin.
"Did she get toothbrush or box OF
cigars for my Christmas presentF'
"She looked at cigars"
"Ha! l know the brand-$2 IL hun
dred. Well, if she buys box change
them to my regular brand, and III pay tho
difference-seeY
And the druggist-saw.