davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
MAKE THEMSELVES USEFUL.
Dogs Perform Many Services for the
 Miners in Frozen Alaska.


 Dogs have suddenly become more valuable than horses in this section of the northwest. This state of affairs results from the great and growing de- mand for dogs to be used in hauling siedges in tine Yukon country, Alaska. While thousands of horses for which their owners cannot get three dollars head are roaming over the plains of eastern Washington and Oregon, gocd- sized dogs are bringing from $15 to S30 each in the local market. At Juneau their value is double what it lis here. and on the Yukon river good dog brings from $100 to $50. To the Yukon miner the dog has become what the reindeer is to the Laplander and the pony to the cowboys of Texas and Mexico-a beast of service and most valuable one.
 Every steamer sailing for Alaska For three months past has borne north ward several dozen dogs destined for service in front of heavily laden sledges. They are taken by boat to Dyea. at the head of salt water naviga- ton. and there put into harness to assist in hauling outfits and supplies over the Chilkoot pass and down the farther slope to the series of fresh water lakes forming the headwaters of the Yukon's tributaries. Up to May, when the ice breaks up, dog teams slide over the smooth surface of the lakes with sur prising rapidity, considering the loads they haul. There are portages to be made around dangerous rapids, and here again their services are invaluable. Arriving at the central parts. such as Forty Mile or Circle City. both men and dogs are put into harness again for the trip to the diggings.
 The sledge dogs are too valuable not to be well taken care of where that is possible. Their owners first thought in this respect is to obtain plenty of food for them. Their food consists principally of fish. usually salmon. caught in the Yukon river by the na- lives. An ordinary dog will eat daily two pounds of dried salmon. which equals seven pounds of fresh fish. At Forty Mile last winter dried salmon sold at from 20 to 50 cents pound. and bacon that was fit only for dogs to eat sold for STE cents pound In some of the larger camps on the Yukon dog boarding houses have been established. where the animals are properly cared for at from six to fifteen dollars a month, according to the season and the price of dog food.-Forest and Stream
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
,40D,S22 Persons Have Gone Up Since
 the shaft Was Finished in 1888.


 During the month of June there were 12,s37 visitors to the top of the monu- ment, of whom 10,130 made the ascent in the elevator, and 2,7O7 by the stair way. making l, 1,4C9, ,s22 persons who have visited the top since the shaft was opened to the public October 9, 1888.
 Col. Bingham, the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds. reports that the usual care was bestowed on public parks during the month of June. and that they are now in as good condi- tion as possible with the funds at his disposal In regard to recent improve ments at the executive mansion he says:
 "The floors of the east and west ends of the corridor on the first floor of the white house were strengthened by plac- ing additional supports between the floor joists and the ceiling joists of the basement. and portable supports of timber were made for use under those floors and the floors of the state dining room and east room for strengthening them when subjected to the increased weight imposed by the large crowds dtttHulilB IctCptlOuS- iAcpdliS were made to hinges and locks of doors, and some new doorsills were put down. A section of plank walk was made and placed upon the roof, and repairs were made to the floors in three of the rooms, and other minor carpentering repairs were made as required.
 Extensive improvements were com menced in the small reception room ad- joining the entrance vestibule. The old fireplace was torn out, new floor laid, the room wainscoted with oak. the ceiling decorated, and the side walls covered with woolen textile material The room will be completed by putting in an oak mantel. trimming the fire place. tiling the hearth. and refinishing the doors and windows. An electric machine for operating the elevator was purchased and will placed in position after July l. One of the brick arches of the first floor was found to have been cut out. It was repaired"
 Col. Bingham reports that two acts of vandalism were recently committed at the Washington monument by un- known persons, resulting in the de- facement of two tablets in the interior. Washington Star.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
puNoENT PARAGRAPHS.

-"Where shall we go?" She ton her second ride) That think shall have to leave entirely to my wheel."-Brook- lyn Life.
 Miss Flyte, do you think Miss Gig gle is laughing at me?" II can't say, MT. Softleigh. She often laughs at all most nothing g'-Tit-Bits.
 -Ferguson-"What is the compost tion of Roquefort cheese?" Tipton- "Roquefort cheese is not a compost ton; it is a decomposition" ."-Boston Transcript.
 More Information.-"Pa asked Tommy. who had been reading head- lines, what does charges of bad faith mean?" "Oh--er-I dunno" answered Mr. Figg. absently. Another one of those heresy trials, guess. s."-1ndian- apolis Journal.
 -"Yez know Casey, the contractor?" said Mr. Dolan. "Oi do," replied Raf- ferty. "Is he what ye'd call reliable?" "He is the most reliable man Oi iver knew. Whineyer he tells yez anythin' ye kin depend on it's not bein' SOL Washington Star.
 First Reformer-'.I'mtry trying to write an essay on the emancipation of my sex, and 1 find it very hard to begin" Second Reformer-"Oh I think that would be so easy. Why, you might be- gin by sharpening your pencil with your husbands razor, you know. De troit Journal.
 Pleasures of the 1magination.- Mrs. Stebbins is the meanest wom- an on earth" What has she done now?" "She gave her little boy slice of bread and butter and told him to go out and sit where he could smell the blackberry jam Mrs. Perkins was mak ing."-Chicago Record.
 Gave Himself Away.-"G George, do you know that you came home at three o'clock this morning and acted dread fully silly?" What did say?" Well, for one thing, you called me wingless angel.' Did I say that?" Yes" II own up, my dear. I was drunk."- Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Digestion proceeds more rapidly in the horse with active exercise than when eating is followed by period of rest. according to the experiments of Dr. Tange, of Buda-pesth. In the dog and in man the opposite is true, which shows how unsafe it is to infer results in one animal from observations on an- other
 The scheme of covering the Sa- hara with forest is pronounced by M. F. Privat-Deschenel utterly impractical ble, the arid plateaus being hopeless desert. On limited scale, however. the valleys-most of which are favored with a small amount of water-may be suc- cessfully planted with tamarish, acacia. eucalyptus and poplar, the last-named tree having unexpectedly proven the most suitable. In the forest shelter vegetables and fruit trees may be grown.
 MT William H. Dall, of the Smith sonian institution, says in Science that during the early days of the whale fishery several well-attested instances occurred of whales struck in one ocean, as the Atlantic, being afterward killed in the North Pacific, and vice versa" This would indicate that some whales are great travellers, for to get from the Atlantic to the North Pacific they would haze to go many thousands of miles, passing either around Cape Horn or around the northern end of North America and through Behring strait.
 Men of science sometimes make ex- traordinary demands upon the skill of instrument makers. An interesting il- lustration is furnished by the instru- ment called the "microtome," the pur- pose of which is to cut excessively thin slices or sections of various substances, such as animal or vegetable tissues, for microscopic examination. Microtomes have recently been invented which. it is claimed, can cut successive sections each only elve-thousandth of an inch thick! The edge of the knife which makes such cuts appears perfect ly smooth and straight when magnified 50 times.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
THE BALLOON DRAG ROPE.
First Used by Aeronaut Samuel King,
 of Philadelphia.

It is not generally known that the drag rope, now so indispensable to bal loonists, was first used by Aeronaut Samuel King, of this city, says the Phil adelphia Record. The idea of using such a rope" says Prof. King. was first suggested by the famous Green, of England. He called it guids rope, and he carried one with him in a trip across the English channel, but he never used it. Away back in 1857 was making captive ascensions' at New Haven. Conn. and, having finished that business, decided to take a short voy- age to test the value of the trailing rope. 1 had l50 pounds of rope on my windass, and on a certain day l arr ranged with my assistant to cut the rope at the windlass after 1 had got my balloon into the air and let me sail off. l ballasted my balloon so that only half the weight of the rope. or 75 pounds, should trail. got off all right, with my rope twisting along under me like u snake. A score of misguided la borers in field, imagining that the balloon had broken loose, grabbed the rope and held me. It took me some time to convince them that 1 didn' t want to be stopped. 1 sailed along for some time, and found that the drag rope gave greater stability to the bal loon, but the action of the sun upon the gas worked against me. The suns heat, expanding the gas. gave me a false buoyancy. picked up my 75 pounds of rope, and severed my connection with the ground. After that used the drag rope very frequently, and it was gen erally adopted by aeronauts."
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
THE EVERLASTING LIFE.

Oh. hurrying the blossoms come. make ready for the summer, And crinkling vines go gadding-a-gad- ding all day long. Past sleepy hooks slip sun-warmed brooks, aglow with dmply rnurmur So low their song seems silence. but si- fence sweet as song. Oh. poet-painterl closer coma Into these dim receeses or growing buds and springing green, where every star-leaf shines: Of breezes that leap up and mock the pines with their caresses, Then drop into the hollow and sleep among the vines. Live first upon the mountain top and watch the world made over When. lol the sun lifts up its rim and warns the land with light; Then slip into the valley and sleep amid the clover Ay. softly sleep and purely dream-stars watch 'tls holy night. oh who hath caught it's grandeur. this living, surely living, Of seed that deathlke lie. then stir and slowly rise to bloom; While the Eternal Goodness is giving. ever giving,
 within its tombi Oh humbIy live and purely speak: ye can not speak too purely; This high, anointed plan is set in Gods amending grace: Each hath it's own fulfilling, and surely, always surely. Each moves through light, or darkness. to his appointed place. --Millie w. Carpenter, in Springfield (MassJ Republican.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01

Isabel, it's all a mistake. and I'd have interrupted Mr. Dacre before, only he was so impetuous had no time. He didn't mean me at all--"
 MT. Dacre doesn't seem to know who he means said the offended Isabel.
 II know very we'll when l can see them," murmured Charlie, nearly crushed. Here goes for light
 But when blaze of light illnmined the room only one Isabel remained. Dacre took her hand.
 You are the one" he said.
 Are you quite sure?" she asked, archly.
 "Ah! that's cruell Of course, am. What will you say to me. Isabel--for- give me and"
 Love you," whispered Isabel.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
you ARE THE ONE" HE SAID.

he took as favorable sign. Miss Den ing-in hoping-you know-you sure ly must know that love you
 The girl had stood still for second, while Charlie rushed on with his dec laration. but she interrupted him hastily
 Indeed. Mir. Dacre. I'm afraid"
 Don't say that" said Charlie, going nearer: .all those weeks in town down here. when we have been thrown so much together-I surely have not misunderstood"
 A stitied sound came from the dim figure before him, whether laugh or what he could not tell; but he sudden ly started back. and in so doing. came face to face with another Isabel in gray dress.
 If the earth had opened and swaI- lowed him Charlie would have been thankful. This was the crowning dis aster. Neither Isabel stirred; which in Heavens name, was which? To whom had he proposed? How should he ever know he had got the right Isabel?
 He recognized after the first wild movement that he must save the situ- ation. He. approached the newcomer. who eyed him disdainfully.
 Miss Dennison-lsab abel'--he began.
 Which Miss Dennison do you intend to address. Mir. Dacre?" she demand ed, stiiily.
 How the deuce should knowo It is nearly dark, and you both evade ,na. ?
 You had better pursue your conyer- sation with the lady you seem to recog- nize best. and will retire"
 The other Isabel sprang forward
 Don't be Il goose, cousin" said she. half laughing. ''and you. Mir. Dacre. l wait minute You know very well,
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
They'd Rather sit win szen

A noticeable habit of women on railway trains is that of preferring to sit beside strange man rather than to take a vacant seat beside strange woman. The window seats the whole length of the car being in possession of earlier corners, the belated woman or girl can be counted upon to pass by seat after seat until she reaches one where masculine visage is silhouetted against the window pane, when with "Is this seat engaged?" she seats her self shoulder to shoulder with a strange man. It would seem natural for q woman of refinement to find such close proximity to a stranger of the op- posite sex little short of resolting-an experience, in fact, to be avoided, if at all possible. Judging. however, by the conduct of the majority of the sex, this is not point on which woinen are sen sitiye.-yogue.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
THE LOvABlE JAPANESE.
They Are the Finest Flowers of tho
 Malay Race.

Malay Race.
 Down to Java" is the title of an arti- cle in Century, written by Eliza k. Scidmore. The author says:
 Native life swarms in this land of the betel and the banana, where there seems to be more of inherent dream and calm than in other lands of the lotus. The Javanese are the finest flowers of the Malay race-a people possessed of a civilization, arts and lit- erature in that golden period before the Mohammedan and the European conquests. They have gentle voices, gentle manners, fine and expressive features, and are the one people of Asia besides the Japanese who have real charm and attraction for the alien. They are more winning, too, by con- trast, after one has met the harsh, un- lovely, and unwashed people of China. or the equally unwashed, cringing Hindu. They are little people, and one feels the same induIgent, protec- tive sense as toward the Japanese. Their language is soft and musical ''the Italian of the tropics" their ideas are poetic, and their love of flowers and perfumes, of music and the dance, of heroic plays and of every emotional form of art, proves them as innately esthetic as their distant cousins, the Japanese, in whom there is so large an admixture of Malay stock. Their rev erence for rank and age. and their elaborate etiquette and punctilious courtesy to one another, are as marked in the common people as among the Japanese; but their abject crouching humility before their Dutch employers, and the brutality of the latter to them, are subjects for sadder thinking, and something to make the blood boil.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01

q think my motnes wants me-" said Isabel. rising with dignity.
 May I .ake you to her?"
 No, thank you"
 Charlie only got pardoned when everybody was going. He was mad with himself, but could not bring him. self to acknowledge the real reason of his apparent neglect. He was sensi- tive about these constant mistakes. They went on happening, of course, the one Isabel laughing at him, which he dreaded; the other turning naughty and offended. He offered some flowers 10 a Dennison girl one day, and she said. demurely: Are you sure they were meant for 1ne?'
 Whom else could they be meant for2" said Charlie. sentimentally.
 My cousin. perhaps-she's over there," said the girl, merrily. Dacre flushed in unutterable confusion and took back the flowers, scarcely knowing what he did And when he turned away he met the scornful eyes of girl who must be the Isabel he wanted, be- cause the girl he had left wasn't her. It was quite impossible to present the flowers, and he made a crestfallen es- cape as soon as he could.
 Hang it I'll end all thisl" he said. angrily, one day. But l shall have to be careful. if 1 am happily successful. that marry the right girl. It would be awfully awkward if didn't"
 His opportunity seemed thrown into his hands, for he was invited to spend a week at a country house where the Isabel was also going with her mother. He sat next her at dinner, and to his great delight saw no other Isabel.
 I've shall be larger party to-mor- row, said the young lady; my cousins gre coming"
 ''The--the Dennisons?' Charlie almost gasped.
 Not all of them--only Isabel and Lucy"
 This was comfortingl And both Isa- bels had such an odous habit of dress ing in the same colorsl Why didn't they wear different-colored ribbons, like French twins?
 He got along fairly we'll, with great care and caution. One evening he saw Isabel Dennison entering the library. He knew it was his one, because she had On gray dress. whereas her cousin had worn green one during the day; other wise it was too dark to see her features. He followed her into the room.
 "The incest time for a chat" he said. and she made movement as if to leave the room. fitting toward further door,
 "Yes, but I'm afraid I can't stay" she said. T only came to fetch some thing left here"
 "Well-but don't go--stay minute" said Dacre, entreatingly. He had no doubt at all about his accuracy as to identity; her desire to escape from him was sure proof, let alone others; for it was precisely the desire she had shown in the last few days. and which
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01

nOs YOU think two girls ought to
 , be born so exactly a,ike?" said Charlie nacre. rnefullv twisting up a cigarette.
 The other man laughed.
 Are you talking of those two Dem nison girls? They're not exactly alike"
 AIt's all very we'll for you, but l haven't your long sight. and 1 declare to you If I see either of them at little distance, or in bad light, 1 can't tell which is which. am going to party tonight, given by the respected parents of my Dennison. and positively dread it."
 Perhaps they play tricks on you said Ballantyne. "One of them is rather skittish."
 Charlie got himself up that night with extraordinary care, and. as he was good-looking fellow, he pre- sented rather striking appearance us he entered Mrs. Dennison's drawing rooms. He had been detained. so that most of the guests had arrived when he came, and his inamorata was no-
  had paid his respects to the host and hostess the daughter of the house. pret- tily dressed in white and blue, came up. Dacre begged for a dance-two dances.
 I'm so sorry" said she, "but I've nothing vacant till the lancers. You're little late, MT. Dacre, you sec" with a slight accent of reproach as she gave him her card. Charlie apologized in the humblest terms and the girl be- slowed a smile on him as she was led away.
 Dacre went to seek her in good time for his lancers. She sat on an ottoman in a distant part of the room, where the dropping folds of a curtain formed shade from the glare of the lights. The blue and white of her filmy gown stood out against the dark background. Dacre hastened across the room to her. Miss Dennison, my dance," he said, eagerly. May ?"
 She turned her pretty face and arched her eyebrows in surprise.
 "Yes." said Charlie, ''the lancers- you promised-ohi I beg your pardon. You're your cousin-I mean the other Miss Dennison--and. of course. haven't seen you before"
 Then, recovering from his confusion before the young lady could speak. he added:
 II hope I'm not too late to get dance, Miss Dennison ?"
 Having secured this, he sought the other Isabel.
 Why. n the fend's name, do they dress alike?" he muttered, in nervous fear of another mistake. He might be continually coming across the one he didn't want. like u recurring decimal. Several times he bore down on Il fair girl in blue and white, but turned away. deciding that he had only come on an Isabel in another place. The lancers had begun--it was in full swing before he came suddenly on sofa where sat the Isabel.
 Miss Dennison," he stammered. I'm Eo sorry"
 ssPray don't apologize" said she, cold ly. s'I assure you the delay is not of the slightest moment"
 Indeed it was quite unintentional.s { said the unfortunate Charlie. in despair ''I have been looking for you"
 ''I have been sitting here the last ten minutes. and you passed me just now
 ..I saw q blue and whife dregs.n ac knowledged Charlie. but some people came hetweenit and me. Won. you for give me mud dance this? It isn't too late"
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
What Il Means.

A little girl was asked if she knew ths meaning of the word secret" "Yes'm." she replied quickly. Its something somebody tells every body else in whisper Too many secrets are thus made public property. It is vice pe- culiar to women, for vice 1t is, to tell tales that should die within our own bosoms. Men are not much given to the habit, which degenerates into gossip and scandal in the end, and it is d habit which grows upon one. It is so de- hciously nice to know something that some other woman does not know. and 10 tantaiize the other woman with our superior knowledge. 1t is an easy step. then, to set her to guessing what the important bit of gossip may be, and the tale is told before one really is aware of it. Tell a woman secret. then tell it to the wind." says an old writer. and the woman's tongue will carry if the faster. ."-Chcago Journal
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
Appendicitis Contaaiou..

The observations of Prof. Goluboff. of Moscow, have convinced him that ap- pendicitis is not only contagious dis ease, but that it sometimes occurs in epidemics. It was unusually prevalent in Moscow last year. To illustrate, Prof. Goluboff mentions that in a small boarding school where in several years there had not been single case of ap- pendicitis he treated seven cases with in two months.-Cincinnat Enquirer.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
The old Feud Revived.

Hayerstraw-Why do Dnxter and Jiggersnook quarrel so since they be- came Theosophists? They used to be such great friends.
 Bildad-So they were until they dis covered that in their former incarna- tion one of them was Julius Caesar and the other Brutus.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
Eriesseu

Gladys Mamma, acrobats stand on their heads, don't they?
 Mamma-Yes. sometimes.
 sls MT. Poss an acrobatf"
 No. of course not"
 'Then. how did the hair get worn of the top of his head ?"-Upto-Date.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01

''I hope it's the right one, said Bal lantyne, when the marriage ceremony was over; but upon my word, he was almost taking the bridesmaids hand instead of the bride si"-London Star.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01

crowth of Railroads in Japan. Japan now has 5000 miles of railway in operation.
The Mena weekly star., 1897-09-01
AN AWKWARD POSITION.

snO. YOU think two girls ought to
 IJ be born so exactly a.ike?" said Charlie naere. rnefully twisting up