davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
How the Cricket Saved the Ship.

Just as Alvar Nunez's vessels were
almost on the rocks cricket COM
menced to sing, which cricket a sick
soldier had pet into the ship at Cadiz,
being anxious to hear its music; and
for the two months which our naviga-
ton had endured no one had heard it,
whereat the soldier was much enraged;
and as that morning it felt the land
(sintio la tierra) it commenced to sing,
and it's music Weakened all the people Of
the ship, who saw the cliffs, which
were distant almost a crOss-bOw shot
from where we were; so we cast our
anchors and saved the ship; and 1t Is
certain that IL the cricket had not
sung. all of us 400 soldiers and thirty
horses had been lost.
| Some Of the crew and soldiers ac-
cepted the occurrence as miracle
from God, but Nunez himself is silent
on this head, being better observer
of natural history than theolOgian.
But, "from then and sailing more
than hundred leagues along the coast,
always every evening the cricket gave
| us his music, and thus with it we ar
rived at little port beyond Cape Frio,
where the Adelantado landed and I'M
furled his flag, and took possession OF
the country for his majesty."-Nine-
| teenth Century.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
A SATISFACTORY REI.T.

A leather belt has been devised
which makes both ends meet" the
ends being the shirt waist and the
skirt. OF course it is mans belt,
and is Of not very general use for
women, since, being of leather, it can
not be worn on any but the most out
ing Of outing costumes. 1t is hard to
describe accurately, but mems fur
nishings stores will show you the belt
called the "Cantslip"-and you will
catch the idea ut once. The same de-
vice could be readily applied to silk
betting, and then women could be sure
of tidy looking waists and skirts. A
portion of the belt is lined, and be-
tween this and the outside are fastened
both the ends of two wires, shaped
something like the under side Of dress
hook and forming slot on the inside
of the belt. One end is open, the other
closed. A button in the skirt band is
slipped through the open end until 1t
is firmly held by the wires, and there
it is immOvable, for the skirt and belt
are practically one garment.-Philadel-
phia Public Ledger.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
cualosITlEs OF CATS.
Why They Go to Sea...How They are Wor.
shipped in Egypt.

There are many curious facts about
cats that are not known to the general
public, especially as to the use to which
the animal Is put. For instance, the
Chinese utilize cats as clocks. They
say that the pupils of their eyes grow
steadily narrower until II noon, when
they are like fine hair lines, gradually
dilating after that hour BY this way
a Chinaman finds out the time when a
clock is not handy. To see cat when
walking the streets suddenly snatched
up and Its eyes stared at would be a
surprising thing in New York.
Cats have commercial importance
in certain lines of trade. Marine in
surance does not cover the damages
done to the cargo by the depredations
of rats, but If the proprietor of the mer-
chandise injured can prove that the
ship was furnished with a cat he can
recover compensation from the owner
of the vessel. A ship that Is found I'M
der certain circumstances without a
living creature on board is considered
a derelict, and property rights in her
are forfeited. 1t has frequently &C.
Cured after the crew has been lost or
the ship otherwise abandoned, that a
live canary, domestic fowl, or more
often cat, being discovered on board,
has saved the vessel from being con-
demned. For this reason ship owner
seldom sends a ship to sea without a
cat Cats were first domesticated by
the ancient Egyptians. On a tomb
erected about 1900 B. G. puss first ap-
pears as a domesticated creature, be-
ing shown seated beneath chair.
Cats were worshiped in Egypt, and be-
hind temple at Benz Hassan great
pits have been found containing null
titudes of cat mummies. When a cat
died a natural death in an Egyptian
house the occupants went into mourn
ing and shaved off their eyebrows.
A few years ago there was discov-
cry made Of a great cave in Egypt
which was filed with thousands of
mummied cats. These were dug out,
exported to England, and were sold at
the rate of "a ton for manure. Some
Of them, however, were carefully I'M
wrapped and dissected for scientific
purposes, and were found to be similar
to the cat Of to-day.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
swITz's BABIES.

Sylvia was sobbing as il her heart
would break.
"My dear little daughter" said mamma,
lit is impossible to have so many kittens
around under foot. You may pick out
just one for pet"
II want 'em ALL" sobbed S. lvia. "Oh,
mamma, don't have them drowned,
please"
Listen, dear; the kittens are very
young, only day old, and it is great
deal better to drown them now before
their eyes are open than later, for they
will have to go some time. 1t will not
hurt them, because they are too little to
know what water is. Be mothers good
little maid, and dry your eyes"
1t was very hard to do, but mother
knew best, of course, so Patrick put them
in water and then Sylvia and Douglas
buried them under the old gnarled apple
tree, and shed more tears at the funeral.
Only one dear. ugly, soft little ball of fur
was kept to wait until its eyes opened to
be their playmate.
Sylvia and Douglas were not the only
distressed ones; Swift, the old st. Bernard
dog, watched the proceedings with wet
eyes and stayed behind to guard the grave
when the children went in to supper.
For couple Of weeks Swift behaved
in very strange manner and he and
Mrs. Tabby became very intimate, often
sauntering off together. One day Doug
las followed them. and he came back in
great state of excitement, inviting the
whole family to follow him down to the
old ice house. Finally he succeeded in
persuading mamma. papa, Aunt Nell
and Sylvia to go. and what do you sup
pose they found?
Nothing more nor less than Switz con-
tentedly washing three playful little kit
tens, while Mrs. Tabby sat on ledge
near by, watching the happy family in
the straw, and purring contentedly.
Loving old Switz had not left the poor
babies in their grave; 1t was his nature
as St. Bernard to save life, and he had
dug the kittens carefully up, and with
his soft, warm tongue had licked them
back to life; then he had told Mrs. Tabby
all about 1t, and she had thanked him
and let him adopt them and keep them
safe in the straw in the old ice house,
where no one would be likely to see them
and take them away again.
And no one ever mentioned getting rid
of the kittens again, for Switz brought
his family up well, and kept them where
they belonged.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
Increasing the issue of Books.

The cheapening of devices for print
ing has had the effect of increasing the
issue Of books to figure never before
attained or probably never dreamed Of
by our ancestors. In 1894, for instance,
there were issued in the United States
4,4S4 new works, while in Great Brit
ain during the same period the new
books numbered $500, while there
were 1,1S5 new editions Of books pre-
viously printed, n total Of 6,4S5, and
for the two countries Of 10,969. 1t is
quite probable that not less than 1000
copies were printed Of each work, ana
it is more probable that Of the whole
number not ten will be remembered,
even by name, in 1904.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
This Rat Catches Birds.

A rat that catches and eats birds il
the latest novelty on the West Side.
Under sidewalk ut Twelfth and Loo
mis- streets lives a rat. From the size
Of the rodent and his gray whiskers it
Is evidently an old resident in the
neighborhood. Unlike some other rats,
it does not depend on cheese and bread
for his living, but prefers nice, juicy
sparrow.
On the corner stands building occu-
pied as a saloon, and in front of the sa-
loon is watering trough, where team
sters allow their horses to slake their
thirst. The teamsters also find the
place very convenient one to feed
their horses while they sample the pro-
prietor's free lunch and lager beer.
AS result, the pavement is thickly
strewn with oats pushed out of the
feeding sacks by the hungry horses.
An army Of sparrows has been at
tracted to the place, and each morning
the pavement Is covered with the little
fellows eating their breakfast.
The rat, having cultivated taste for
sparrows, now has one for breakfast
every day. Hangers-on around the
place have come to watch the manoeuv-
res of the rat every morning. Soon
after daylight the sparrows make their
appearance, and the rat slyly crawls
out Of its hole. After looking around
to see that the coast is clear the rat
selects n plump sparrow, and, while
the bird is busy filling its crop, the rat
makes spring and secures its prey.
The bird is dragged under the side
walk, and nothing more is seen Of the
rat until the following morning, when
he comes out for fresh victim. So
expert has the rat become that those
who have seen it say it can catch and
kill bird as cleverly as a cat.-Chi-
cago Chronicle.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
THE LITTLE QUEEN OF HOL-
LAND.

The little Queen of Hollands por-
trait is to be seen ut every railway
station, in all the shop windows and
on nearly every article that is sold,
from a packet of cigars to a tablet of
chocolate. But when you see her you
notice at once that these pictures are
poor fac SMILES. Her Majesty Wilhel-
nina, Queen of the Low Countries, is
tall and stout for her fifteen years,
possessing the fair and pearly complex
ion of her race.
Like all the Dutch, the young queens
figure is long and fat-a sign Of fidel-
ity, the moralist assures us. The
mouth is often smiling with fun; the
eyes are large and beautiful, Of an un.
decided color something between sky
blue and the green Of the seattle kind
Of eyes which give to the face a sig.
nificant expression, and make one feel
that behind them there Is already a
defined individuality, as though their
owner were accustomed to act and
think for herself; In a word, one feels
that there is there a Dutch soul, full
of energy, and always ready to fight
London Society.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10

After the walls had dried : short time,
sticks Of greasswood were laid across
from wall to wall on these small branches,
and weeds were laid, and then the whole
covered with mud. At regular intervals
near one edge Of the roof. Jumps of mud
had been worked into block-like forms
for chimneys. and fnger-hole made In
tbs top Of each one for fuc Openings
In the walls for doors and windows had
not been neglected. The whole structure
was about two feet long. one foot wide
and eight inches high.
The boundaries Of the little farm were
marked with tiny wooden crosses. the
same as the big farms. thus showing
disposition, that Is shared by boys and
girls everywhere. TO initiate their elders
In religion a. well rs 10 other matters.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
Lumber Used in Box Making.

In a discussion Of the amount of
lumber consumed in the making of
boxes, Barrel and Box, paper recent
ly started at Louisville, is authority
for the statement that a certain Chi
cago soap concern uses every year
100000 worth Of white pine soap
boxes in Chicago and $4,000 worth Of
cottonwood boxes at st. Louis. The
total number Of boxes used by this
company last year was 1,541 1855. An
other Chicago concern uses 100000
boxes every year. The firm operates
its own box factory at Rhinelander,
Wis. There are fifty other soap manu-
facturers in this country, and Barrel
and Box estimates that altogether 150,-
100000 boxes are used in packing
soaps alone Two of the larger soap
manufacturers expend each year $780,
600 for boxes. If 100000 boxes cost
100000, 15O,00O,OO0 boxes would in
volve the expenditure of $20,000,000 for
soap packages alone. Continuing the
calculation through the vast range of
packing-box demand, which involves
almost every industry known to man,
we can imagine how enormous Is the
expenditure in its grand total, and
what an amount of lumber Is con.
sumed in its manufacture. 1t is evi-
dent that the making Of boxes fur
nishes the largest percentage of the
demand for the coarser and common
grades of lumber, and that, as the
years pass, there will be sure outlet
for low grade white pine, cottonwood,
yellow pine, and all other lumber that
can be worked into boxes.-Northwest-
ern Lumberman.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
! ApvERTIsEs MS INJURY.


Farmer Jake Stoddard OF Doniphan
County, Kansas, believes IN telling the
world Of his grievance. He has been
wronged and he Is determined that all
who whirl by his house on the Burling-
ton road shall know all about 1t. Uncle
Jake's troubles are told by signboard
which stads near his house by the side
OF the railroad tracks. The passenger
on the Burlington, II he is a lover Of
the romantic scenery which abounds
In northwestern Kansas, may observe
form the car window as the train from
Atchison approaches Tanning station
large sign covering board one by
five feet, nailed to q pole twelve feet
high, which reads:
This Man Has Been Wronged By
The Railroads.
When the road was built 1t suited the
convenience Of the company, according
to local correspondent, to lay the track
within ten feet of the corner Of Farmer
Stoddard's house. The construction
gang plowed through bis barnyard, re-
moved his hen house and cut a wide
swath through fine young orchard
which was the pride of Farmer Stod-
dard's heart. The agriculturist fixed
his damage ut high figure; so high in
fact, that the company compelled him
to go into court and take what he re-
garded as a ridiculous sum.
1t was not long until the trains were
running. When the first excursion
steamed out of Atchison the passen-
gers, when the train reached Farmer
St0ddards place, observed the sign in
bold, black letters, with a background
as white as snow. Stoddard had paint
ed the sign himself, and, while it was
not executed In the highest style of the
art, 1t could be distinctly read.
Farmer Stoddard has raised a large
family of boys and he has taught them
to hate corporations. Not less than a
half dozen dogs of doubtful breed can
always be found on the Stoddard place.
The dog, too, are taught to hate the rail-
road, and when train passes the en-
tire pack runs out and banks at it. The
old farmer feels that he is in a mea-
sure getting even. Brakemen on
freight trains have great sport throw
ing pieces Of coal at the dogs as the
train passes. Stoddard figures that he
gathers up almost enough coal around
his premises to keep one stove run
ming through the winter.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
A PLAY RANCH IN NEW MEXICO.

The writer recently made trip through
part of New Mexico where the natives
gain livelihood by farming in very
primitive manner. The boys there at the
age of eight or ten years are sent out in
ps rs, with focks Of sheep or goats,
wi ioa they herd in the hills and noun
tains all day long from daylight till sun
down, when the flocks are driven into
corrals and the children get their second
meal for the day; the first meal they get
at daylight. As they never take any
dinner or lunch or any kind of toys with
them, the long days would be very dull
IL they did not possess the capabilities,
common to all children, Of selfamuse-
ment.
During trip among the hills where
the sheep and goats are pastured, we
came upon a miniature ranch, which
some of these young herders had made
for their own amusement. The grease
wood had been broken of aud cleared
away, and the ground stirred with q
pointed stick in imitation of blowing. A
canal and heatlditch brought imaginary
water from nearby gulch, and q system
of irrigation bitches and cross burrows
had been made to carry water to all parts
OF the field All had been done with the
same regard to grade and slope that their
athers bestowed upon their real farms.
Nor was this all. for upon . slight emin-
ence close to the cultivated fields OF this
imitation ranch. mud (abode) house
had been built by bringing water from
an irrigation ditch one-fourth OF . mile
away. With this mud, mortar had beer
made, and then the outer walls Of the
house were shaped in an oblong form.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
BLOWING THE BAG.

When you breathe into paper bag to
puff 1t up, and then burst it with q blow
to produce an explosion, do you ever ask
yourself anything about the extent of the
force of your breath thus imprisoned!
Great scientists nowadays, you know,
are talking about compressed air taxing
the place OF even steam and electricity as
motive power. To give Yourself some
sort Of an idea of this force, take bag
quite long and narrow, and made of
strong paper. Lay it fiat upon the edge
OF table, the opening toward you, place
a weight upon it, and puff it well by
blowing. Gradually increase the weights
and continue blowing, and you will be
surprised at the amount your breath will
lift. TO make two large. heavy volumes
fall one over the other will seem the light
est kind OF play, so easily can it be &C
complished.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
LATE HINTS FRoM PARIS

The latest information from Paris Is
to the effect that capotes or small tur-
bans built of tulle, with flowers, feath-
ers and large aigrette, will be worn
with dinner gowns next winter. and
even mt balls they will be permissible.
This suggestion seems to indicate a
slight approach to the imposing look
ing turban with bird of paradise
feather, which ornamented the heads
of fair danes fifty years ago. Head
dresses, which Of late years have be-
come almost obsolete, promise to have
a decided revival. A chic little affair
by virot, to be worn Mt a fulldress
evening function, is Of light green
tulle, punched on tiny net frame,
with a full Write aigrette on the left
side; Just below II, resting on the
elaborate couture, is large, blush
rose. Another effective head dress
from the same house, is of turquoise
blue velvet, laid across the front In
folds, which end In a sort Of fan on the
left side. They are held together by q
tall, full white princesse feather, fas-
Asned with diamond pin. The right
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
THE YOUNG FoLks


ONE WAY 10 GROW.
What's the use. I'd like to know.
VI boy who Il quiet and prim;
II boy must mind his ps and q's
He'd ought to be her instead Of him.
lrs the girls that should sit still and
straight
That's what they're made for. don't you
know;
While boys must jump and shout and
race
It's noise and fun that makes us grow.
They say You're like your mother, Bob, I"
But that's great mistake, you see,
For she likes gentle, quiet boys,
+" While I--why like boys like me.
The more we fellows shout and jump,
The more we race and tear and climb,
The bigger men we'll grow to be-
I II you will only give us time.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
THE MYTHICAL CROWNS.

The idea which most children have OF
King is that he goes around with a
crown on Ills head and wrapped in royal
robes or riding splendid steed. This Is
not true, of course. as some Of you may
know. The only ruler of Europe to-day
who Is ever seen wearing crown is King
Oscar of Sweden. The Emperor Of Ger
many owns beautiful crown, which. il
is said, he has never put on his head.
The crown is the emblem of kingly rule,
but 1t is kept for state occasions only,
and then 1t Is more often borne into the
state chamber resting on a cushion than
on the brow of the man who is entitled
to wear II.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
An Artificial Sunrise.

There is an old music hall joke about
a thrifty farmer who endeavored to
cross the breed of honey bees and
lightning bugs, SO that the former
might be enabled to work all night.
Dairyman Wilder, whose extensive es-
adjustment Is near Santa Cruz, Cal,
has done almost as we'll in introducing
an electric light into his COW sheds, in
order to deceive the cattle into the be-
lief that the sun has risen.
BY this piece of deception he is en-
abled to milk the cows two hours be-
fore sunrise the year round. 1t is well
known to dairymen that "bossy" is
very much averse to being walked up to
render service which her instinct
and custom teach her belongs to the
daylight. She frequently shows her
resentment by kicking or obstinately
lying down.
The Wilder dairy shelters over two
hundred mich cattle, and the product
is shipped to the city daily. Mr.. Will
der, after some costly experiments
with lamps, put in the electric lighting
plant. In the sheds he placed num-
Der Of arc lights with ground glass
globes. The plan worked like charm
from the first. On the initial morning
the cattle began to get up as soon as
the bright lamps filed the sheds with
their artificial sunlight. They may
have felt some surprise, and remarked
to themselves that Old Sol was little
ahead Of schedule time, but the arrival
of the milking crew with their pals
must have given assurance to their
bovine minds that everything was all
right, for they stood still and gave
down. as freely as II the light above
them was in fact Natures own.
The deception has been successfully
practised for several months, and Mr..
Wilder, by being able to get his pro-
duct to market so much earlier than
previously, has long since recouped
himself for the original cost Of his cleo
trio plant.-New York Journal.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-10
FASHION NOTES.

Novelties In satin corselets are
among the late arrivals from Paris.
A large black hat seems to be the
August dress necessary OF stylish
women.
Long black gloves are worn with
white gowns by women who desire
chic effects.
The Nile and hunters green appear
to predominant for evening wear, al
though pansy and heliotrope come a
close second.
The tip tilted hat, so long the friend
of stylish women, has given place In
Paris to rakish little affairs set at any
other angle that is picturesque.
Spangles and sparkles are among
the notable features of garniture of all
classes. The tiny metallic disks that
are so freely used are very inexpen-
sive, and an artistic needlewoman can
make exquisitely elaborate and hand
some trimmings.
In belts the wide ones are taking the
lead, and are really much more becom-
ing to most figures than the tiny, mar
row ones. There is less display in the
way of buckles; one of the newest Is
a huge gold plate, on which is painted
an exquisite miniature Of Marie Antoi-
nette.
There Is quite a revival In China
crepe and Japan silk this season, and
more especially in such delicate colors
as Nile green, heliotrOpe, olive green
and other varieties Of oriental tints.
The high collar now in vogue serves
the same purpose as does the burden
the Italian woman carries on her
head. 1t forces the wearer to
hold her head high, with slightly
backward tip, and gives the whole
body a more graceful poise.
Skirts and sleeves are undergoing
gradual transformation, which, as yet,
Is hardly perceptible to the general
public. Sleeves are borrowing from
the Louis Nv. and Louis XVI. epochs
their most becoming features, forming
charming combination, semi-full,
semi-fitting, which cannot fail to
please. AS for skirts, they also will
be made in harmony with the sleeves,
the richest materials being used.
Having reached the extreme limit to
size 1t is only natural that sleeves
should begin to decrease. This by no
means indicates that they are to fall
into a condition Of total collapse, and
go back to skin tightness and the old
fashions. TO be sure, dress or two
have been imported with tight sleeves,
but they have shoulder ruffies, puffs
and frills large enough to more than
make up for the contraction in the
sleeve proper.
| The most notable popularity about
the sleeve portion of the costume is
the adoption Of fiaring cuffs that fall
over the hands, some Of them being
pointed over the back of the hand and
filled in with full-gathered lace ruch-
ings, others in bell shape, with seal
loped edges bound or embroidered
These cuffs are cut with the sleeve,
and, while they are rather stylish, they
look somewhat odd at first. Other
cuffs are set on over the sleeves, and
have long points at the under side of
the arm.