davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
Fake" Cotton Plant.

Recently there appeared in the New
York Sun what purported to be a tele-
gram from Atlanta, Georgia, telling OF
q wonderful cotton plant hat had Deen
introduced from equatorial Africa and
was to revolutionize the cotton grow
ing industry of the world. 1t was a
most marvellous plant, towering to the
height of twenty feet and covered with
a mass of downy cotton balls. The man
in Georgia that is growing it would sell
seeds as low as five cents apiece. Inc
Farmers Review sent the clipping to
the Georgia Experiment station, and
received a reply in the line it expected,
namely that the so-called wonderful
plant was merely a very ordinary cot
ton plant that was probably palmed
off on the present Georgia enthusiast
by some local joker. Below we give the
letter. Parenthetically we would eau
ton u readers against believing any
of the wonderful yarns that are con-
stantly appearing in the daily press
about new agricultural plants OF great
value. The p~ropagators are simply
using the gullible city reporters to help
advertise some worthless thing that
they hope to make money out OF by
sales at fabulous prices. The letter fol-
lows:
Experiment, Ca, August, %, 1897.
Editor Farmers Review, Chicago, Ill.
l have yours of the Goth this a. M,
enclosing clipping from a Chicago pa
per. In reply to your letter I beg to say
that the article has simply a naked
basis in fact-something to build upon.
There Is a gentleman named Jackson,
who runs a small farm near Atlanta,
and who is engaged in booming a So
called African variety of cotton, etc.,
etc. After some difficulty I succeeded
in getting a few seeds of the cotton,
of u%ndoubted purity, and have now IN
progress IN elaborate, competitive test,
including Fl varieties Of cotton, en-
bracing most of our popular, prolific
varieties, seeds of which are easily oD-
tainable at from so cents to $l.5O per
bushel. So far I note nothing peculiar
in the cotton. The plants have an up
right habit of growth, and n fruit
is produced on short fruit spurs, each
containing from two to five bolls. Usu-
ally there is one or more long side
branches that proceed out from the
main stem near the ground. This
habit, however, is not so very remark
able. In fact it so happens that one
of the varieties planted in the COM
petitive test, and in rows adjacent to
this wonderful" cotton is very similar
to the latter, but not growing so tall.
At the close of the season l will make
an exhaustive report of the test, which
will be published in bulletin form. At
present there is no indication that the
yield will be even equal to the average
yield of the other 20 varieties. A few
bolls have already opened and show a
staple of fair length and fneness, but
not comparable to Sea Island cotton.
There is now no possibility of any ma
terial Improvement in the conditions
and promise Of any of the varieties. In
other words the crop is practically
"made," and the final results will be
practically the same relatively as are
now indicated.
Very truly,
r. J. REDDING,
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
Almost Eatal.

The Bachelor-Don't you think our
divorce laws are disgraceful?
The Grass Widow-Oh. Mr.. Fergus,
don't let a little thing like that keep
you back. If we should get tired of
each other, you know there is Dakota!
But he escaped through an open
window.-Cleveland Leader.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

Senior Partner-Well, there isn't a
thing left to run the business on.
Junior Partner-Can't you think of
any scheme?
Senior Partner-Yes; I'm going to
make tracks right away.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
An ORIGINAL Plan.

"Rorden is spending his vacation in
Chicago"
Elm Chicago"
eyes. He says it rests him so to get
away agafn."-CLicago Journal.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
DR.. ]. H. RINDLAUB, Specialist
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat.
Fargo. N. DpE.
neAfinY.

II guess I'm in for it now" said the
billet doux, as the fair maiden closed
the envelope and wrote Charley's name
on the back.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
THAT. LOVELY WALK,

WAS the walk
that did it-that
lovely walk. Every
one said so, and 1t
was one of the
cases in which the
m y 8 t e ous ION
dit" proved to be
true. 1t really was
the walk.
Arthur Allen and
phoho Clowns hoI
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
S|00 To Any Man.
WILL PAY 500 FOR ANY CASE
OF Weakness in Men They Treat and
Fall to Cure.

An Omaha Company places for the first
time before the public q MAG1cAL.TREAT-
MEN for the cure of Lost Vitality, Nervous
and Sexual Weakness, and Restoration of
Life Force in old and young men. No
WORKOUT French remedy; contains no
PHOSPHORUS or other harmful drugs. It is
q WoSDEHFUL TREATMENT-magical in its
effects-positive in its cure. All readers.
who are suffering from, a weakness that
blights their life, causing that mental and
physical suffering peculiar to Lost Man
hood, should write to the SNNATEMEDICAL
COMPANY, Omaha, Neb., end they will
send you absolutely FREE, q valuable
paper on these diseases, and positive proofs
Of their truly MAGICAL TREATMENT. fhous-
ands of mon, who have lost all hope Of q
cure, are being restored by them to a per-
feet condition.
This MAGICAL TREATMENT may be taken
at homo under their directions, or they will
pay railroad fare and hotel bills to ali who
prefer to go there for treatment, il they
fail to cure. They are perfectly reliable;
have no Free Prescriptions, Free Cure,
Free Sample, OF c. o. d. fake. They have
100000 capital, and guarantee t cure
every case they treat or refund every dollar;
or their charges may be deposited in .
bank to be paid to them when . cure IL
effected. Write them today.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
Mans Inconsistency.

Mans inconsistency.
"You know how you grumblc when
you wait for me to do Il little shop
ping:'
YES"
We'll, I watched you yesterday, and
YOU stood three hours on a corner wait
ing for base ball returns. "-Chicago
Record.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

II. manure 10 to be applied to the
orchard this fall, It should not be done
till after growth has ceased.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

My doctor said I would die, but Piso's
Kelner, Cherry Valley, ILL.,, Nov. %, 1895.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16


followed by cxhilaration, an inability to COM
pose oneself, and many other similar symp-
toms, which continue to grow worse and worse,
until ut last the patient finds himself afflicted
with that most dreaded of all maladies-Pare-
sis "a disease that is veritabiy a living death,
and for which, once firmly established, there
can be no cure. The only means of treatment
is the insane asylum, where the patient, unable
to think for himself, is unable to even bear the
irritating effect of the clothes on his back, be.
comes an object of loathing, even to his friends,
until death releases him from his misery.
To all such sufferers, we would advise the
use of Kickapoo Indian Sagwa, it is the best
blood purifier and stomach, liver and kidney
regulator known to man. Keep these organs
right, and good health, both Of body and
mind, will be the result, accompanied by a
good appetite, the power to sleep and enjoy
sleep.
Kickapoo Indian Remedies are sold by all
druggists. Kickapoo Indian Sagwa is sold at
81 per bottle.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
Very truly,
r. ]. REDDING,
Df--.k-.

P.S.-The claim that the variety of
cotton belongs to a different genus
cannot, for a moment. be allowed. It
Is not even of a new species. but SIM
ply a variety of Gossypium herbaceum.
and very probably of local (domestic)
origin. .
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

A mixture composed of two-thirds wa
ter and one-third alcohol is excellent for
cleaning the keys of a piano.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

The domestic servant, of whose
faults and failings we hear so much,
and of whose frequent patience and
long suffering so little is said, may
at least thank her stars that she does
not live in. Russia. In st. Petersburg
they have a short way with the sister,
hood of the cap and apron, which
would seem as though the governor
were like John Forster, the friend of
Dickens, a "harbitrary gent" For this
governor has relieved Russian house,
wives of all trouble by issuing a serv-
ants handbook of regulations, in which
strict rules are laid down for their
guidance. The book is supplied gratis
by the police, and every servant is to
produce one upon her engagement.
The general tone of the booklet may
be gathered from the rule which en-
ables an employed to dismiss a serv-
ant for r%udeness, but permits him or
her to use such reproachful express
sions as may be deemed necessary. 1t
is anticipated that the printed rules
will make domestic service still more
unpopular than it already is in the
Russian capital.
An English fashion writer recently
mentioned the fact that the late Lon
don weddings copied to a large extent
several customs formerly observed
only in America. The habit of decora-
ting our churches with banks of palms,
festoons of roses, arches of greens and
clusters of snowy blossoms was, until
q short time ago, a purely local one,
but the late English brides have shown
a tendency to copy the custom, al
though they have not as yet reached
the high degree of elaboration 80 uni
versal in the United States. The floral
bell aad fower-draped canopy under
which the bridal couple Of this coun-
try so frequently stand is still I'M
known on the British isles. The habit
Of having tiny children in the we'd
ding procession is an innovation in
ENGLAND, and it is still an unusual
sieht in the stately churches of Eng
land to see a bride preceded by a little
mai das flower girl, although the heavy
court trains worn there have long
necessitated the presence of pages. &
There was great hope in the hearts
NJ the woman suffragists Of England.
that the queen would reply favorably
to their jubilee address. in which they
begged her to give them zone royal
vord Of sympathy with a progress
which women have achieved during
Won majesty's5 reign, n expression
NJ gracious confidence and hope in the
hanpy results which may be expected
to follow from still further enlarging
the area brought under the influence
~ women" victoria's answer. while
sveetly gracious. seems to bear no
hint Of her sympathy for women ex-
ercisine the right to vote. She hopes
,.that the women of the British race
will in the future. as in the past. ex-
ercise faithfully, for the welfare Of her
naople. the powerful influence that by
divine ordering they must ever pos
$685."
Girls inhabiting the island Of Himla,
near Rhodes. are not allowed to marry
until they have brought up q certain
nnmber Of sponges. each taken from
= certain depth. The people Of the
island earn their living BY the sponge
fishery.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
Boston's Now sohs

Boston is to have a new public school
named after Paul Revere, which will
cost, including the site. about $3,000.-
600. The building will be constructed
of light pink granite. gray, red and
white brick and terra Gotta. It will
contain public bathing facilities for
the children.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16
Sum voted Rate per

It will be noticed in the above that
England appropriates nothing.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

Il. the Vatican library is a Bible which
weighs $40 pounds.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

Sold by druggists 75c.
Halls Family Pills are the best
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-16

A white 'possum, with pink eyes. was
recently captured in Howard county, Mo.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
Wildcat and Porcupine.

A large wildcat that had gone hungry
three days sneaked down the big beech
ridge above Balygump, Me-, with its
face screwed into as ugly sheer as
ever wildcat wore. Beyond the ridge,
where the ground sank into a gullylike
swamp, the wildcat found fat porcu-
pine on the ground. The cat evidently
found the porcupine tempting to look
on, for it promptly went on the hunt
with all the craft it could exercise. Be
hind a hummock, along snow ridge,
over fallen log and through a sprin-
king of bush tops the cat made it's way
and approached the porcupine. Then it
sprang and gripped it's claws on its prey.
1t sought to roll the porcupine over so
as to bite it ON the belly. 1t succeeded
only partially, and filled it's jaws full
OF short quilts from the porcupine' s
side. The porcupine died quickly, but
the wildcat, with it's jaws distended
with the quilts, could not eat the meat,
being able only to lap up little of the
blood.
The agony to the wildcat was so great
after awhile that the brute rolled over
and over in the snow, finally forcing a
quill through an eye and into its brain
New York Sun
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
Always Play Cards For Money.

England is termed puritanical, "
said a New Yorker who has been in
London good deal, "but English peo-
pie who consider themselves very prop
er do things sometimes which would
shock people Of similar sort in this
country. For instance, even clergymen
often play cards for money, and women
do so as a matter of course. I never
played a game at an English house at
which there was not stake.
''The stake was small if women were
among the players, and possibly only a
few shillings changed hands, but it
never seemed to occur to any English
people L ever met to play for fun. The
people were of the middle class, which
is anything but fast.
Fancy an American clergyman play
ing cards for money! He would be con-
sidered bad lot by many if he played
cards even for fun. And certainly a
young woman who arose from u card
table with IA dollar, more or less, of a
mans money in her possession would
be considered fast, to say the least. -
New York Sun.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
Costumes of the Spreewald.

Consul General De Kay writes pa
per entitled can Inland Venice" for
The Century. 1t is description of life
in the Serbian swamp, Vendland Mr.
De Kay says: "School out" at the vii
lage school of Burg is a pretty sight
The substantial brick building overlooks
the ever murmuring highway, and the
boys and girls, instead of stringing up
a dusty road, tumble into punts and
pole away for dear life-tho boys much
like other boys, but the girls reduced
facsimiles of their mothers and elder
sisters, clad in bright but short raiment
and visible afar off through their strange
mob caps with wings. AS one moves
down stream from Burg by Leipe to
and collapse, while the skirts grow
longer and more resemble the ordinary
dress of women. At dance the Spree
valdez knows instantly, by the pecul-
larlties OF her costume, from what vii
lage a woman Or girl has come At
Leipe the multudinous skirts of alarm
ing girth are no more. The gown reaches
the ankles, and the cap fits close to the
head instead of resting ON framework
as in Burg. Thus the dress in Leipe is
perhaps more graceful, but it is more
commonplace. 1t no longer testifies to
that pride of the peasant father or hus
band which is shown by the number of
yards in the skirts of his woman folk
and the variety of their caps, by the
richness of their dress as we'll as their
ieWelry.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
BRIDAL FAVORS.
An Ancient and Curious German We'd
ding Custom.

An Ancient and Curious German We'd
ding Custom.
In The Ladies' Home journal Max
Won Binzer writes of his experience as
"a Page at the Berlin Court" upon the
occasion of a double royal wedding and
of the preceding and succeeding festivi-
ties. Describing an ancient and curious
custom, he writes: "And now-after the
wedding, dinner and ball-came the
'Fackeltanz. Several of the highest
officials entered the hall with flaming
torches. A procession was formed, with
the bride in the midst. A number of
complicated polonaise figures were then
executed, after which the line closed
about the bride and groom and marched
out as escort to the bridal chambers.
LAS the doors of the bridal apart
ments closed upon the happy pair we
found ourselves Immediately next the
entrance. We waited expectantly for the
next feature, holding our advantageous
position with some difficulty In few
moments the doors flew open, and half
a thousand silken carriers, with the mon
ograms embossed on the gold buckles,
We're thrown out by the ladies of honor.
Court etiquette was for the nonce for
gotten. Generals, courtiers, chamber
lains and state ministers scrambled and
fought with one another for these me-
mentos. But we pages, rest assured, got
the lions share. L have several of these
souvenirs now, although many were
given away by me that night to beseech-
ing dignitaries -
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03

He is a Bath (Me. clergyman, and,
of course, somewhat unacquainted with
new tangled forms of vice, to say the
least. Accordingly, when he espied Il
nickel i'll the slot machine at a seaside
resort last summer his curiosity was
aroused, and he dropped i'll a nickel.
Luck was coming the clergyman's way
that day, and, to his intense horror, ten
nice cigars rolled out of the machine in
response to the titillations of it's interior
as the nickel ratified through it. In fact,
the good man was so scandalized that he
took those cigars away and burned them
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
SHIP LIGHTING.
How Electrical Appliances Are Now IT'LL
lied For This Purpose.

How Electrical Appliances IRE Now IT'LL
lied For This Purpose.
When electrical plants We're first i'll
stalled aboard ship, lead incased cables.
run in ordinary molding, We're used al
most entirely, and i'll case of iron ships
the hull was frequently employed for
the return circuit. The latter method
loon passed out of use, for it not only
Increased the fire hazard, but was in
Efficient mechanically, and also liable
to give rise to disturbing influences on
the ships compasses.
Lead incased conductors in ordinary
molding We're used on the first two
United States men-of-war having cleo
trio plants-the Trenton and Omaha
but with unsatisfactory results i'll each
case. In the latter ship, the electrical
plant of which was installed by the
writer in 1884, the lead incased port
and starboard mains passed through
holes bored i'll live oak knees, one hole
to about each six feet of run, and the
writer has vivid recollection of the
difficulties encountered in boring several
hundred three-quarter and half inch
holes through about eight inches of
gnarled oak, very nearly as hard to
pierce as some of the tougher metals 1t
is perhaps needless to say that the cost
OF labor and tools was no small item in
the cost of installation.
Lead incased conductors were finally
discarded, except in some special work,
as the protection from injury to the in
sulation and from moisture, which the
lead sheath was supposed to give, was
found to be illusory. Dents caused
short circuiting on the sheath of the
conductors while punctures, permitting
the entrance of moisture, led to bad
grounds as well as short circuits.
AT the present day what may be call
ed a composite system for the installa-
ton of the distributing conductors is
employed. Equal security in all parts
of the installation is the object kept in
view, and to obtain this several systems
are blended together as one. While
molding and flexible conduits are used
in the saloons and cabins, the conduct
ors in the machinery spaces and holds
are run in iron coduits, which are thor
oughly insulated on the inside, and
special fittings are employed in passing
through the decks and bulkheads. Spe-
cial water tight switches, cutouts and
fixtures are also used wherever there is
exposure to the weather.-E. G. Ber-
nard in Casters Magazine.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
Buttons.

Buttons are certainly as ancient as
the siege of Troy, i'll the ninth century
before our era, for, both in that unfor-
tunate city and at Mycene, DR.. Schlie-
mann discovered objects of gold, silver
and bronze which could have had no
other use than that of buttons. In me-
diaval times the clothing of the common
people was generally fastened with
wooden pegs of the type and form of
those resorted to i'll emergencies by the
country boy of the present day. Buttons
covered with cloth were prohibited by
George l, III 1920, to encourage the
manufacture of metal buttons.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
FRENCH ARMY AND NAVY.
England's Traditional Enemy Not Behind
Her In Armament

In armament.
The French navy ranks next to that
of England in numbers, while i'll eff
cheney and fighting qualities the French
ships are fully equal to their English
rivals. In fact, in naval architecture the
French early took the lead, and many
of the English types of ships were mod
eled after the French designs, says The
Chautauquan. One of the chief differ
ences between the English and the
French armored ships today is i'll the
disposition of the armor and the conse-
quent design of the hull. English de-
signers have striven to protect the men
working the guns, and to do this they
have reduced the length OF the ships
armor. French and naval architects, on
the other hand, have given little atten-
ton to the protection of men and great
deal to the protection of thf water line.
Therefore they have reduce the breadth
of the ships armor.
1t is worthy of note that France is
the only great power which levies IA tax
on such of her citizens as either do
not enlist in the standing army or VIII
enlist for shorter term than three
years. Only those who are officially de-
clared "impecunious' are exempt from
such a tax. 1t is payable annually as
long as the liability to service lasts, and
the revenue from this source amounts to
about 80, 900, 600 francs, or Sc, 600, 600,
annually.
The officers of the French army re-
ceive a very thorough education at the
different military schools. AT the head
of these (although not exclusively mill
tary) stands the Polytechnic school in
Paris, which admits $50 pupils annually
after competitive examination. The
course occupies nine months in the year
for two years.
AS it is impossible to keep under arms
for three years the entire annual contin-
gent of recruits, the law provides for
the discharge of thoroughly trained men
at the end Of the first or second year Of
active service in such proportions as to
bring down the peace strength of the
army to the number annually determin-
ed upon by the general assembly. Pref
erences in this connection are decided
by lot. For this purpose every recruit
at his enrolment draws a number, and
only those having the highest numbers
are entitled to consideration.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
Classical Boston.

General Horace Porter in the course
of recent speech said, Boston is not
city; it is state of mind" This dec
laration was greeted with laughter by
unthinking New Workers, who failed to
see General Porter's point. He meant
that as much mind is found in Boston
as in an average state. We thank Cen
eral Porter. -Boston Transcript.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
Forests In EurOp g.

According to the Hon. F. Lawley,
Russia i'll Europe has 527, 500, 600 acres
of forests, Sweden coming next with
$4,000, 900. Germany has 1000, 900,
Austria slightly over "a, 900, 600 and the
British isles less than 3, 600, 600.