davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Assisted Club MoetinKs.

The tendency among women's clubs to
depend upon outside effort for the pro-
grammes of their meetings is no new
thing. 1t has grown, however, very no.
ticeable of late, and is combated by those
who are able to see clearly to what it is
leading.
In many department clubs there is
decided, If friendly, rivalry among the
most drawing programme The result is
that chairman often values the members
of her committee not for what each indi-
vidual can contribute, but for the inf1u-
ence she may lend towards securing we'll
known persons for the meetings-this
where the club does not expect to pay for
ITS outside assistance. In such organiza-
ury money is freely expended to have the
services of distinguished and high-priced
speakers and readers
We are complaining that in social life
hospitality has degenerated into success
sion of shows where the guests are en-
tertained by this. that or the other con-
ceit, according to the purse and knowledge
of the host. The clubs, in becoming lee
ture bureaus and lyceum courses, are
similarly raising strong standards.
The trouble lies solely in it's exaggera-
ton. There are obvious reasons for open
meetings several times year, when ex-
pert minds. trained in special lines of
thought and effort, shall give of their
richness to appreciative clubwomen. But
there are equally obvious reasons why
the majority of a seasons sessions should
be dependent only upon what the club
itself has to give. In this way the or
ganization becomes self-supporting and
reaches its best development.-Ha
Bazaar.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
POlishfnU Procious StnnoS


The first thing necessary iii polishing
precious stone is 10 slit it; this is done
by means of thin sheet-iron disk, placed
in horizontal position and made to re-
volve by very simple machinery. Dia-
mond dust is applied to the edge Of the
disk, and sperm oil is dropped upon it
from a can.
If properly managed very small guam
not much of it will be lost. In order to
prevent appreciate loss, a table with a
raised edge all around it is provided. The
diamond dust in polishing stones is made
from bort, or cheap. coarse diamonds.
After being slit, the stone is ground on
horizontal wheels of lead, brass or iron,
and sometimes Of wood. These wheels
are called laps" and the workman who
cuts and polishes stones is a lapidary,
from the Latin word lapidarius. Lapi-
DIARIES acquire great facility in shaping
and polishing stones, and from a given
pattern are able to produce any object re-
quired with great dexterity. Diamond,
emery, agate or corundum powder is
spread Oh the laps: gradually the powder
becomes imbedded in the laps and the
stone yields to them.
The stone is held either with the fingers
or by wax in the hollow at the end of IL
stick, and is pressed against the revolving
laps. For the last polish the laps are COW
cred with CLOTH leather or hard brushes
The facets, or fat surfaces that give bril-
liancy to transparent stones, are cut by
means of horizontal grinding wheel by
the side of which is placed an upright
club-like piece of wood:
Into this heavy piece Of Wood in diff
ferent places, rod is stuck, at one end
of which the stone is fixed with cement.
A IL
against it and a facet is cut to make a
new facet, the rod holding the stone is
simply stuck in another hole in the club
like piece of wood and is thus given a
new inclination or angle-Philadelph
Times.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Oregon's Christian Martyrs.

eleven years of the United life of DR..
and Mrs. Whitman had passed." writes
George Ludington Weed of DR.. Whit
mans patriotic achievement in saving Or
Home Journal "In all his labors she
had been all inspiration and support,
sometimes the only one. But the life of
romantic beginning was to have a tragic
ending Whatever the causes of that
ending, direct or remote, or whatever
their relative force: the result was one
of the saddest in American history. In
it DR.. and Mrs Whitman must ever be
recognized as the Christian patriot mar
vember %, 1877, just half century ago.
The full tale of it's horrors need not here
be told. though the incidents are at hand.
The partly-lifted curtain reveals enough
DR.. Whitman's fall by the tomahawk
at the age of 45. and Mrs Whitmans
by the rife at the age Of 80. There was
Il shallow grave invaded by wolves, and
then a deeper one. which until now had
been without monument. Twelve 9th
ers of their household, butchered with
them, share their grave. But the mem
DRY of the long-forgotten hero is being re-
vived. A bronze statue is being erected
near the spot in the region of his triumph
and martyrdom. As in palace car was
hurried through it, where his lone wagon
had tediously sought the way, he seemed
everywhere present, and each mountain
a monument recording his Deeds
''The Oregon saved from falling into
the possession of the English by Dr.
Whitman's heroic efforts means the
Washington, Oregon and Idaho of today,
a territory of 271,OOO square miles, equal
to New England, New York, Pennsylva-
MIA, New Jersey. Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia. West Virginia and three Con-
necticuts.'
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28

: X Young Folks Column Il e


some place, probably where there was no
postohice, by vessel not employed to
carry mails. to be deposited in the first
postoffice reached, says the Portland Ore
gonian. The ship performing such serv-
ice is allowed 2 cents for every such let
ter delivered at the postoftice, and this
cents is charged to the recipient of the let
ter and is collected by the carrier. The
letters above mentioned came from points
on the coast Of Alaska, and the cents al
lowed is little enough remuneration for
the service performed by the ship.
Last spring Mr.. Nash, coming from
Dawson to Dyea, brought 200 letters to
mail at the first postoffice reached, for
which he was paid 81 for each letter
PERSONS who carry letters from Dawson
now to the various mining Camps in that
region are paid 81 for each letter. al
though the United States government
takes the letters from any point in the
United States to Dawson. by the aid Of
the Canadian mounted police, for 2 cents
1t is probable that within the next year
there will be many ship letters" arriving
from points along the Alaskan coast, ON
which the additional 2 cents will have to
ha maid
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Party Bags Again in Favor.

!, Another old fashion has been revived
this winter: The girls have for long
time felt that they really needed some
sort of receptacle for their SLIPPERS. fan
and handkerchief when going to a dance
and also something to carry away their
small cotillon fayors in when coming
nome. Party-bags have therefore come
IN IN. again. One girl, who was married
not long since, got four as wedding pres
ents. They are made generally Of satin
brocade, lined with silk or satin to corre-
spond. and large enough to hold a pair
OF dancing shoes or slippers. They are
about half yard long and a quarter of
yard wide, shirred at the top, and gath
cred ON satin ribbon about a quarter
of an inch wide. Some of the girls who
wish to be very chic put thin inter-
lining in their bags, we'll sprinkled with
orris root, which gives them delightful
odor.. AT dance the other evening ali
the girls in the dressing room were made
envlous by perfect beauty of a bag.
carried by one of the prettiest girls IN
town. 1t was of pure white brocaded
SATIN, embroidered in gold thread; the
sshlrrlng at the top and the inside was
lined with corn-colored satin, and it was
tied with corn-colored ribbons At the
ends of the ribbons were tassels of gold
thread: When she opened the bag the
most delicious perfume of violets was
waited into the air. The other girls iris
found she had put lovely bunch, which
had been sent her to wear, in her bap
with all the other things. '"e
These party-bags arc being put to all
sorts of uses. The girls find them indis-
pensable at the theater in the evening
since hats have been abolished. MS theyy
take off their little toques and stow them
away in their bags. Then they use them
a great deal, made up in darker coiors.
of course, to carry slippers, gloves, fans
etc, if they are going to receive at n
friends house. and do not care to 20 TO
the expense Of a carriage. A very pretty
one was seen the other day Carried sby y
young .debutante. It was of dark blue
velvet lined with pale, blue, and had her
They are also made in black silk or satin
and lined with bright plaid. -Harper's
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
WE NEED PURE AIR.
Lack OF Common Genso In Ventilation
and Heating.

Lack OF Common Sense In Ventilation
and Heating.
Eta Morse Hudders says that if there
is one thing more than another to which
the majority of Americans dislike to listen
1t is common sense in the matter of ven
tilating and heating their houses. It is
hard to tell which Is the worst-the
had or the hot-air boxes into which we
have turned our houses today. The air
IN the house Is contaminated first by it's
inmates, and, secondly, by tile artificial
light and fuel. A human being will spoil
a gallon Of air minute; gas eleven gal
Ions OF air in the same time, and stove
twenty-five gallons. The foul air thrown
gas which, generated by charcoal, will
asphyxiate man in Il close room. A
simple test by which to determine
whether or not the air in a room is pure
IS to carry into it Il bottle filled with wa
ter. Pour out the water slowly into an
other vessel, and in its place put an ounce
OF lime water: If this lime water be-
comes turbid from the contact with the
air in the bottle it is not pure.
The modern system of heating is in
furious to health: In the first place, the
air of the house is made too dry. It has
the same effect upon the body that dry
air has Upon the furniture and woodwork
IN room which has not the proDer
amount of humidity. The hair becomes
brittle and the skin dry and wriukied
The air takes the moisture from the body
and dry sore throat is one Of the results.
1t is under such conditions that tubercu
losis is developed. Catarrh, bronchitis
and sore Threats are more prevalent in
winter than in summer, because we 20
from heated rooms out into the cold with
our systems depleted by bad air. If our
houses were not so hot, and the yentila-
ton were better, we should not take cold
SO easily. Germs do not thrive where
there is good ventilation. Vertigo and
apoplexy may be brought on when people
who are subject to those troubles have
sat for an hour or two in a badly yentil-
ated room.
The atmosphere in our street cars is
terrible. Their ventilation and that of all
public buildings should be regulated bv
law. Each individual requires a certain
amount of clear air, but, strange to saw.
many people who would Indignantly re-
fuse to drink a glass OF uirty water. will
contentedly breathe the air of a street
car, which is generally much worse than
dirty, by the half hour.
Mrs. Hudders says that few people re-
alize how deeply rooted is this national
aversion to fresh air In the present fall
walk through the residential part of q
large city revealed the fact that although
the thermometer stood at Is, in only one
room in thirty was a window open. and
even in most of these rare instances, an
ignorance of the laws of ventilation was
shown by the window being opened at
the bottom only.-Pittsburg DisDatch.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Household Economies in France.

An article on "F'rench Wives and
Mothers" written by Miss Anna L. Bick-
nell, appears in the Century for January.
The author says:
'"The pot-au-feu, or meat soup. is, in
fact, a festive meal; more often the moth
er has made soup with dry cr,lsts soaked
in the water which has boiled vegetables.
and the addition of peapods or some such
delicacy. If they live near the Halles
Centrales, or principal markets, the moth
err goes there late in the afternoon and
looks out for articles of food which would
not bear days delay, and pounces upon
these because they are sold at any price.
In the case of old bachelors or widow
ers, lone and lorn,' who are not so ex-
pert at bargaining, there is the character
istic resource Of what are called tech
nically les bijoux, namely, the remnants
sold by cooks of large establishments and
by first-class restaurants. These are col
lected from door to door, and tumbled
together in no very appetizing fashion;
but the retailer sorts and arranges the
various articles, which are then properly
adorned (pares), scraped and cut into neat
pieces. nicely garnished and set out on
clean plates. Customers who are brave
enough to forget the antecedents of such
dainties may thus purchase for tri1e
portions of the choicest game or the best
fish served ON high-class tables, with
many other delicacies of tempting appear
ance Many old renters, so-called. liy-
ing in garrets. and summing themselves all
day on benches in the public gardens,
where they talk politics with their fell
lows, get really good dinners in this
way
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
A Peter the Great "Boom,-

We are about to witness the outbreak
of boom on Peter the Great similar to
that which has ragged for some years
round the person Of Napoleon. Sir
Henry Irving, with all the world open to
him, has chosen a play on Peter the
Great, written by his son. With this
drama the Lyceum season will open in
January. Prof. Oscar Browning is
about to publish life Of the inevitable
Peter; and J. NJ. Graham's historical
novel. "The Son of the Gar" published
by Harpers, has already attracted consid-
cradle attention, and will certainly be
widely read, as it gives powerful pres
entation of Russian life at the most
critical epoch of Muscovite history. There
is something significant in this renais-
sance of Peter the Great. The smaller
states Of Europe are vanishing, one by
one, and everything points to eventual
collision between the Teuton and the
Slav. III the meantime everything that
Holy Russia and the anointed person of
the Kaiser can do to magnify their respec-
tive missions will certainly be accom-
plished:- Harper's Weekly.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Mrs. GrundY Tr0uhlad.

Just now the good dame is in trouble
about the mutual relations and obliga-
tons Of guests and hosts when it be-
comes question of visit of some du-
ration. Of late years it has been the
fashion to accord perfect freedom of ac-
ton to a guest, and it. goes without say
ing that to a certain extent this under
standing is a great relief to both the
visitor and the visited, but unless there is
a certain amount of tact shown on both
sides the relations are apt to become
strained. Neither host nor hostess likes
to feel that the house is looked upon as
a hotel, to be simply used for conven-
FENCES sake, while, on the other hand,
neither does guest feel particularly fat,
tered if he or she is left much alone
without any apparent effort on the part
OF the entertainers to make the stay
agreeable: On the whole, there are de-
clded limitations to the modern "go-as-
you-please' style, as regards the enter
talner and entertained, which it would be
wen to have established.-Ne York
Tribune.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
FORTUNES LOST BY GAMBLERS.
Millions that Change Hands on the Turu
of Card,


Benson, the jubilee plunger, thought it
worth while to write or have written FOR
him book telling how, in 1887, he spent
and gambled away a fortune of ESQ, 600.
Yet BensOn's was by no means a record
indeed, if list of the biggest losses in a
single year by gamblers were compiled it
would be found that Benson would not be
in the first hundred.
The famous Lady Castlemaine was one
of the most notorious gamblers Of her
day. Pepys, in his amusing diary, tells us
that in single night her losses amounted
to over f25,O0O, and that, too, in time,
be it remembered when money had two
or three times its present purchasing
power
Nell Gwynne, actress and court favor
lite, beggared herself times over and over
| again at the gaming table Her cont.m-
porary, the Duchess of Mazarin. niece of
the famous cardinal of that name, raised
i'll many days large sums of money, al
ways to lose them in the card room.
Charles James Fox, as well as being
great statesman, was notorious gam
bier. He lost enormous sums, and man
| aged to get through several fortunes. His
own estate and fortune passed out of his
hands very early, and then Lord Holland
paid for him f140,OOO to rid him Of his
| debts
Fortunes that came to him afterward
| by marriage were similarly gambled
| away in the ga mbling clubs of st. James
| and Pail Mall: Fox always took his
beating like a man; he was the coolest
| gambler of gambling age. and watched
! the turn-up of card on which thousands
| depended with an apparent stole indiffer-
| ence. "
The clubs at the end of the. last century
were hotbeds of gambling. Lord Stayor-
dale lost f11.OQO at one sitting at AL
mack's one night, and was rising to go
when the winner offered to, throw him
the dice for double or quits; Lord Stavor-
dale did SO and won.
! At the Cocoa Tree, a famous club in
its day. there was in 1870 one famous
evening. of which the records are still
| preserved, when sum of f1S0,OOO de-
pended on single hazard.
| AS an instance of the enormous sums
lost even early in this century, it may be
stated that the club known as Crick-
ford's was started in 1927 by a fish
monger of that name; by keeping haz-
ard bank he retired in 1910, twice over
a millionaire
| TO come to more recent times. the late
Lord Waterford lost on the turf, and by
his eccentric wagers. immense sums. the
precise amount Of which it would be
impossible to set down. The Marquis
of Hastings plunged till he became at
once the terror and the JOY of the rae
ing fraternity. His losses on Hermit
Derby" were considerably over f1OO.OOO
When Abingdon Baird died it was com,
puted that his losses on the turf alone
amounted to close on half a Million
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Daily PanJeinoniurn.

Daily PanJeinoniuin.
shrteks arise upon the air,
Wild, piercing and ear-splitting;
Forms, excited, here and there
1ncessahtly are fitting.
TO and fro
They flying 90
In most abundant riot,
And as they dance,
There IL no chance
For anything like quiet.
Showing, pushing, laugh and yell,
(, Frehzied, objurgati0il,
soeh 4 tale, Of Struggling tell
Past Imagination.
But we need
TO pay no heed
To all this wild misrule
So calm your thrill
IT'S but the chill
Dren coming out Of school!
David H. Dodge
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
A Wonderful Calculation.

The most remarkable bit of calculation
ever done by. human being is that at
tribute,i to the famous British astron-
omer, Prof. Adams. The scientist had
observed certain peculiar perturbations of
the planet Uranus. He could explain the
phenomenon only by the presence of an
other great planet. unknown to science.
somewhere in the heavens. Then began
the Figuring" referred to. When the cal
culation had been completed DR.. Gale of
Berlin pointed his big telescope at the
place in the heavens indicated. and there
times as large as the earth and 2,500.O O0.-
OOO miles away from it.. Scientific
achievement like this seems to border on
the supernatural.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
A Proper Girl,

z... A Proper Girl. Z
She was maid, 80 very shyl s.s !.
The very modestest OF lassiesl
She would not gaze with naked eye,
But ever used sedate eyeglasses. -
Her soul was white 40 budding caiias,
When she reclted Poe she talked
About the ''Pallid break Of Pallas."
I begged kiss. She babe me wait
While thus, intent, she babe me ilnger--
Till she could take her place sedate,
Beneath spray OF mistle- finger"
yellow Book.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Essence VI Pepperm,nt Deadly.

Three 1uearHB IrOm pepptfMlht pOlSOn-
ing have occurred at RichmondaIe, O.,
during the past six months. G. G. Dale,
a village magistrate and well known resi-
drinking a large quantity Of peppermint,
and was taken i'll and died before medical
assistance could be summoned. Rich
mondale lis in a local option township, and
the residents, being unable to get whisky,
are driven to essence Of peppermint.
Many have formed the peppernlint labit
during the past yea, sss
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
Woman Perfected the Cotton Gin,

"Recollections of Washington and His
Friends are contributed to the Cen
fury by Martha Littiefeld Phillips.
They We're taken down from the lips of
the authors grandmother, who was the
youngest daughter of Gen. Nathaniel
Greene. The following is one of the sto-
ries:
During my life at Dungeness a cir
substance occurred there of some historic
and scientific interest. and in regard to
which much erroneous statement has
been made. l refer to the invention of
the cotton-gin by Eli Whitney. and my
mothers connection with it, The facts.
briefly stated, were about as follows:
While spending the previous summer at
Newport, r. l.. my mother became ac-
uuaintcd with Mr.. Whitney, and grew
much interested in the outcome of the
experiments ne was then making in the
interest of his projected gin. TO assist
in his enterprise, my mother invited him
to spend the following winter at Dun
genesS, where all abundance of cotton
and quiet could be assured. Mr.. Whit
ney accordingly came to Dungeness,
and diligently pursued his expert
ments, a room in the fifth story hav-
ing been specially fitted for his use
ed headlong into the drawing room. where
number of guests were assembled. and
excitedly exclaimed, The victory is
NINE In deep sympathy with him the
guests and hostess went with him to his
work shop. Whitney set his model in
motion. For few minutes the mina-
ture saws reyolved without hindrance,
and the separation of the seed from the
cottonwood was successfully accom-
plished; but after little the saws
clogged with lint, the wheel stopped. and
poor Whitney was in despair.
Here's what you need!' exclaimed
my mother, in her clear, decisive way:
and she instantly seized clothes-brnsh
lying on the mantel, and held it firmly
to the teeth of the saws. Again the
drum revolved, and instantly the saws
were cleaned of the lint and the last re-
quirement of the great invention was sat
isfied.
'''Madame,' said Whitney. overcome
with emotion. and speaking with the en-
aggeration of gratitude. you have per-
fected my invention