davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

Spontaneous Combustion in Hay Mowa
The experience Of Mr.. John w. Nc
Arthur Of Delaware county, N. Y, as
told by himself, is convincing proof In
my mind that II all conditions are
favorable to its development. such
combustion may easily happen, says
E. J. Brownell in Country Gentleman.
He said the first year after building
this barn, In the rush OF his large hay
ing, the hay was drawn il very green.
he believing. with many others. that
II all the water were dried OF the hay
and 1t was nicely wilted, no damage
could result from the natural juices
remaining in 1t. even though stored
In this green condition.
AS will perhaps be remembered BY
most Of your readers. this NOW is q
bay nearly round and 60 fset in dame
ter, resting on the gror, !. 1t was
rapidly filled with hay that was very
green, crowding 1t In with large force
Of help as fast as 1t was possible to
get 1t cut and partially cured. The
result was that tremendous heating
Of the NOW caused by storing so large
a bulk Of hay in that condition &C.
Cured, so great that after the heat
ing process was fairly started his wife
told him she knew that hay NOW was
all aflre and the barn would certainly
burn down; but he had always thought
1t was impossible for hay to burn from
spontaneous combustion in the NOW.
However, when he fed out that hay in
winter, the condition in which it was
found at the center Of the NOW con-
WINGED him that this was not only pos
sible but that without doubt it had
frequently occurred where all the con-
ditions were favorable to its develop
ment
For" said he, there was space In
the center Of that NOW about as large
around as an ordinary hogshead, run
ming from the bottom to near the top
of the NOW, in which the hay was lit
orally charred, having the appearance
of having been burned and then smoth-
cred for want Of oxygen to keep II
burning; and I have no doubt that
had 1t been possible for a current OF
air to reach the center Of that NOW and
furnish the necessary oxygen, comous-
ton would have at once occurred anu
the whole mass have gone with rush
Of flame. But resting as 1t did on the
ground in the center of this large barn,
there was no chance for the air to get
under it. and the fire went out for want
| Of feeding"
Still he said 1t convinced him that
spontaneous combustion is possible,
and he believed that had that same hay
been stored in second story, as is
often done where stables are built I'M
der the bays, nothing would have
saved it from burning, as there would
in that case have been a sufficient cur
rent of air passing through the hay to
produce the necessary draft. 1t at
least had taught him lesson of eau
ton as to how he stored such large
quantities of hay, even in that NOW,
in condition Of dampness such that
heating was possible. 1t would, it
seems to me, be well, in view of such
evidence as this, and the fact that so
many barns do burn near the end OF
the haying season without the origin
of the fire being known, for farmers to
use more caution in this direction.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

The way to make useful citizen out
Of an idler is to give him a real inter-
est in life. Comte de Dion, the promot-
er o. the automobile in France, where
the new vehicle first attained popular
ity, is. according to the Bicycling
World, striking illustration Of this
truth. The comte was long the typical
white carnation Of the Paris aristoc-
racy," which means that he was a
ne'er-do-well. The merest accident
sufficed to put him on the right track.
One day he bought miniature loco
motive for the little son Of one of his
friends, and carried the toy to the
child. But Though they lighted the
alcohol lamp and got up steam in the
tiny boilor, for some reason the thing
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03
Where He Missed II.

Il can see now where my education
has been neglected in one important
branch" remarked the graduate Of
pharmacy, as he started to FIJI his first
prescription. "And what is that lin
quired his employer II should have
taken a course in the science of deci-
phering illegible handwriting"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

Naggs-Dear me, Jaggs, I'm. sorry
to see you in this condition. / under.
stood YOU had quit drinking. Jaggs-
Yesh (hic), sho ave, OF chap. Jush
(hic) lef' of drinkin' bout (hicv min
ute ago. sheer
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03
LADY CURZON ANDTHE SCRIBE.

The Naughty Secretary Much Surprised
at His Rebuke.
A charming little story comes from
India, illustrating Lady Curzon's ma
tive kindness of heart toward those
of her compatriots who come in con-
tact with her in that great empire in
which she is the queens representa-
tive, says Leslie's Weekly. At the
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

Monoecious plants are those in which
the principles Of sex, as illustrated in
pistils and stamens, are present in diff
ferent flowers borne on the same stalk
or vine, as is seen in the corn. cucum.
Der, melon and squash plants.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

From worthless weeds have been de-
veloped some of our choicest vegeta-
bles; and 1t is more than probable that
some of our present weed pests will,
in like manner, prove to be our friends.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

Sheep are gregarlous. When one ID
seen "flocking by itself" it is evident
that something is wrong.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

Dioecious plants bear the sexes on
distinct plants. Among dioecious plants
are spinach and asparagus.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

Keep for breeders only sheep Of fair
s::e. healthy and with strong consti-
tutionA
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03
The Profit In Hog Raising.

Charles Haines: The profit lies IN
getting to market promptly and often.
No breeder or feeder loses anything by
constantly keeping his hogs in a con-
dition ready for market. Care, judy
ment and skill pay proportionately as
we'll in raising porkers as thorough
breds, but remember that life is too
short to waste in feeding scrubs; the
lower the price Of pork the more i'm
portant it is that the farmer have the
best machine to work up corn at
profit Pigs intended for pork should
be crowded as rapidly as possible to
be the most profitable. The advantage
of growing improved stock does not
lie merely in it's better adaptation to
the market wants and to the fact that
it will respond more promptly and con-
tinuously to feed; the early age at
which it natures is one of the sources
Of profit to its owner Early maturity
Is chiefly a question of feeding for
generations with view Of making
rapid and continuous growth, the early
maturing quality being transmitted, as
it gradually increases, by heredity.
Breeding at an early age also prob
ably has much to do with the creation
of quality. 1t is possible to push it so
far as that the results will be incon-
sistent with full and healthy develop
ment, but if this be avoided early ma
turity is one of the most valuable at
tributes of the improved animal.
Adjusting the Cultivator.-To say
that some men do not know how to
select good corn or do not know how
to cultivate corn is presuming a good
deal, but it is true, nevertheless, says
correspondent of Iowa Homestead.
I am sure of this when l see farmers
planting corn that l know will not
grow under the most favorable condi-
tions, and when l see men cultivating
corn who do not know how to adjust
the tenders, have to believe that rot
all men who try to farm are farmerA
even though they live on farms. To
know how to adjust the tenders so the
pulverized dirt will fall through on the
small weeds, covering them up without
covering the corn, is krack not pos
sessed by every farmer. I will not
work half-hour with cultivator that
is not properly adjusted in every way.
A Castor Bean Market.-Perry, tho
county seat of Noble county, Okla
homa, is the greatest shipping point
for castor beans in the United States,
says the Kansas City Journal In 1897
there was shipped from Perry $4,000
bushels of castor beans. In 1898 the
yield was hardly as heavy, and this
ears output will be about the same
as in 1898. The season begins about
Aug. / and continues till frost. Abb
sence of protection against foreign
beans prevents shippers getting the
highest price; the wild Indian beans
also are bought and teud to lower the
price Of the cultivated. The price of
the latter in 1897 was 81 per bushel;
last year. so to 80 cents. The Perry
beans are chiefly grown in Payne and
Pawnee counties, along the Cimarron
river.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

Most poultry houses are too well
ventilated.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03
Saving Seed Wheat.


great deal of stress on the prepares
ton of the seed, says contributor to
the Epitomist. In the first place, we
| choose the seed from the best and
strongest wheat in the field, and put 1t
| in the bottom of the stack, so that IL
any foul stuff, or different kind Of
wheat has been carried from our neigh
bors by the time we get to threshing
the seed, it will have been run out, and
our seed will be pretty sure to be all
from our own field. When cutting our
wheat, we keep lookout for the best
acre that stands up we'll, with good
straw, and that we think will yield the
best. This acre is always saved for our
seed. The wheat from it is put in a
separate bin, and 1t is thoroughly
cleaned over the course screen, and
the tanning mill turned very hard, so
that fully one fourth is blown over, or
run into a chess box. This gives us
only the largest grain to SOW; such az
will produce large healthy stock, that
will be able to stand the hardships that
it is subject to during some of our So
we're winters.
Cow Peas-Wherever I 60 I talk
Cow peas" for thin, poor land, says a
contributor to Rural New Yorker.
There are usually wise men who shrug
their shoulders and say: ooh, the COW
pea may be all right for the South, but
with us the Canada field pea is much
better!" Usually these men never saw
q cow pea in their lives. If they did
grow a crop they would want to meas
ure its value by the amount of COW
food 1t would make. There they would
make a mistake, for this plant should
be used "for the lands sake" We
used Evergreen sweet corn seed Of our
own saving this year. and find it more
satisfactory than what we used to buy.
Breed to Good Boars.-Any farmer
who has from three to five brood sows
cannot afford to breed them to scrub
boar; in fact, he cannot afford it at
all, for 1t takes as much to feed one
scrub as 1t does to feed two pure-brsd
hogs. The best thing any man can do
10 to improve his stock as fast as he
can, both in point of feed and quick
maturity
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-03

The fall of the year is the time to
manure the ground for certain early
spring crops, and this manuring should
be done early enough in the fall to
permit the manure to become incor-
porated with the soil and partly rotted.
It must be remembered that 1t takes
time for this to be done, and that time
does not exist in the spring between
the time when the ground ID warm
enough for seed and when early crop
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
VACATIONS AND THE EYE.
How the Organ Is Taxed During the
Summer Season.

Eyes. the vacation season is hard on
the eyes, said DR.. Julius Pohlman re-
Gently, in answer TO a question DR..
Pohlmar conducted a corrse Of lectures
last year at Chautauqua On eating and
seeing. and his talk va5 practically
continuation Of the addresses of laet
summer.
"Persons going away TO rest or com
ing back 10 work. continued the doc
tor, "almost Invariably rae their eyes
on the train If they Go nc; read they
watch the scenery You seldom see It
person reclining comfortably even OF
a high back paying no attention Ell
Their to book or the fencrpmts JGst
outside the window The worst of il i,
that the books that are sold on the
trains are usually in the poorest OF
print The paper is cheap and thin and
of dull color-drab or gray rather
than white The type does not show NJ
nearly as distinctly MS it should.
"When travelling by train and read
ing, you try to hold the book or paper
steady. but the types jiggle irrcgularly
back and forth AS the result of the
motion Of the car and the shakiness Of
your hand. Your eyes also do "A deal Of
dancing, not only in pursuit of the bob
bling letters, but in addition because
Won also are shaken about more or less
by the motion of the train Imagine the
effect OH the muscles Of the eye. First,
mind yor, the eye itself has an I'M
steady rest second. it is trying to
fasten itself on that which is more un-
steady still wonder more people are
not bothered with defective sight
"But reading is not the only ILL Fix
your eye on things close to the car-on
flowers, fenceposts, culverts, trees-and
the effect is as bad as would be brought
on by reading. Why will people persist
in injuring themselves? You don't have
to have the toothache long before learn
ing its cause and attempting a cure.
but people 90 on running their eyes
right along for the sake either of killing
or economizing trihe of time. A head
ache is the first warming. but that be-
comes common after awhile and is not
needed any more than the headache
that follows unwise eating There is
closer connection between the stomach
and the eyes on one side and headache
on the other than most people imagine,
but perhaps the public some day will
DO willing to watch out for its eyes as
well rs with them. just as 1t is being
taught to take care Of its teeth y
Buffalo Express
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
Colonel Bells Joke.

Colonel Bell, the United States con-
sui at Sydney. recently appeared as
witness in the divorce court in that city
on the point whether a certain certif-
cate would be accepted in the Ameri-
can courts as formal proof Of marriage
"You are lawyer, think, Colonel
Bell, " remarked the judge.
"Well, no. sir, " replied the colonel,
with a Mark Twainlike drawl II was
once, but have reformed.
When the laughter had.subsided, the
bench settled the matter with the die
tum. "Once a lawyer, always law
yer "
The colonel then pronounced the GER
tifcate valid from the legal American
standpoint
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
He WALKED.

Time, II p. III. "They tell me
YOUR gait was esteemed one of the
iuest in the regiment"
"You datttr me-"
$40; Lieutenant Wagstafi is said
to have marched magniicently."
"The lieutenant mag not be a
good Judge"
81 fancy he is. To my mind
there is nothing that makes man
more presentabIe and really at
ractive than a graceful walk. My
curiosity is realty aroused. May
ask a favor Of yOui'
Certainly"
Then | would Ike to see you
walkD
Aud she handed him his hat
Cleyeid Pain Dealer.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
Dewey asa Dresser.

A friend Of Admiral Dewey denies
the report that the great sailor Is q
''howling swell. According to this
statement the admiral is most simple
in his tastes. but has weakness for
good clothes. Dewey S valet, " he says,
"claimed he had 30 suits His civil
ian outfits were made for years by a
man who never put a pair Of scissors
into the material that did not cost $65
per suit This artists evening clothes
coat. vest and trousers--were 1925.
He made Dewey's things for years. and
when he retired from the business with
a fortune he transferred Dewey and
few of his other first class customers TO
his successor.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15

Nathan Tinker Draper Of Grand Rap
ids. Mich is 106 years old He was
born in New London, Conn. has been
married twice but both wives are dead
The old man draws pension Of Sl2
month because of the killing Of one Of
his sons in the war of the rebellion, but
never saw any service himself He has
been a gardener nearly all his life and
is still able to do a little fussing"
about the yard. but not for any length
of time He says he remembers Thomas
jefferson very we'll but never saw
Washington He has been smoker ali
bis life. but never TO excess. He also
drank liquor in his younger days. but
never to an Incorporate degree
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
Across Three Centuries.

Henry Howard one of the aged in
mates Of the Old Men home at Powell
ton avenue and Saunders avenue has
just reached his one hundred and first
birthday. He said
IF | live until the beginning of the
year, | shall have lived in three cen
turtles. He has never had much sick
ness. He gets up at o'clock every
morning and eats breakfast with the
other inmates He walks twice a week
TO St Marys church, Thirty ninth and
Locust streets. FIVE squares away and
does not become exhausted. He has not
missed the regular service at this
church once in - years
Another interesting inmate Is Carl
Boyer. 94 years old He is able to walk
long distances
Mr. Boyer has just left the Presby'
terrain hospital, where an operation was
performed for hernia He Is the oldest
man ever operated upon for that all
ment.-Philadelphia North American.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15

never been heard Of on earth or known
but little have gone into the rest and
peace Of heaven What restl What a
change it was from the small room.
with no fire and one window (the glass
broken out. and the aching side, and
WORKOUT eyes. to the "house Of many
mansionsi" No more stitching until IL
o'clock at night. no more thrustlng OF
the thumb by the employer through the
work TO show it was not done quite
right. Plenty of bread at last Heaven
for aching heads Heaven for broken
hearts, Heaven for anguish bitten
framesl No more sitting until midnight
for the coming Of staggering steps No
more rough blows across the temple
No more sharp, keen, bitter curses
Some of you will have no rest in this
world Ii will be toll and struggle and
suffering all the way up. You will have
TO stand at your door, fighting back the
wolf with your own hand. red with
carnage But God has crown for you.
] want you to realize this morning that
he is now making it, and whenever
you weep a tear he sets another gem in
that crown, whenever you have pang
of body or soul he puts another gem in
that crown. until after awhile in all
the tiara there will be no room for an
other splendor. and God will say TO his
angel, THE crown is done let her up,
that she may wear it. " And as the
Lord Of righteousness puts the crown
upon your brow, angel will cry to an
gel. "Who is sheY' and Christ viii say
Il will tell you who she is. She Is the
one that came up out of great tribv la
ton and had her robe washed and made
white in the blood of the Lamb. " And
then God will spread a banquet, and he
will invite all the principalities Of
heaven to sit at the feast. and the ia.
bles will blush with the best clusters
from the vineyards of God and crimson
with the ~ manner Of fruits from the
Tree of Life, and waters from the
fountains Of the rock will fash from tne
golden tankards, and the old harpers Of
heaven will sit there, making music
with their harps, and Christ will point
You out. amid the celebrities of heaven,
saying "She suffered with me on earth;
now we are going to be glorifed to-
gether. And the banqueters, no longer
able to hold their peace, will break
forth with congratulation, HALL
hailr' And there will be handwritings
on the wall-not such as struck the
Babylonian noblemen with horror, but
FIRE tipped fingers, writing in blazing
capitals of light and love, "GQd hath
wiped away all tears from all faces"
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
THE CAT REFUSED TO DIE.
How an Intelligent Pussy Baked a
University Professors Lecture.

How an Intelligent Pussy Baked a
University Professors Lecture.
Students Of one of the big universe
ties in this city have a cat that has ut
terly refused to become martyr to
science Its history is another instance
of the refining and elevating influence
Of science.
Professor Blank asked J. P. Morgan,
the janitor, to get a cat for him. as he
wished to illustrate his lecture on
Respiration" by experiments upon
the animal. Mr.. Morgan succeeded in
getting one with the aid Of some small
boys When his students had assem-
bled, the professor put the cat into the
glass receiver of the air pump and be-
gan to pump out the air. Before the
piston had time to move more than
once or twice the cat began TO feel very
uncomfortable. and. discovering the
aperture through which the air was
escaping, put her foot on it and thus
corked the pipe and stopped the removal
Of the air.
several subsequent attempts 10 carry
on the experiments were alike ineffec-
tual. for as soon as the glass cover was
put over her and she felt the removal
Of the air the cat would put her feet
over the pipe and keep them pressed
there.
The students, struck by the remark
able intelligence shown by the cat,
asked the professor to liberate the ami
NAL and loudly cheered her self posses
sion when tho cat after coolly cleaning
herself and smoothing her rufiled fur.
jumped down and rubbed against the
legs Of the students sitting on the front
bench. She is now permanently an
nexed to the college and an object of
interest to all visitors Chicago Times
Herald.
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
The BlHhop's Discovery.

A good story is told in The Nineteenth
Century. A few years ago the exami-
nation for Protestant candidates for or
ders to a certain northern diocese was
VIGOROUSLY easier than in any other
But on one occasion a candidate from
the north of England was being inter
viewed by the bishop.
"What were the special reasons, Mr.
X. >" inquired his lordship, with genu'
inc interest (which led you to seek
work in my dioceseH'
With more truth than wisdom the
unhappy X. replied that he didn't think
he could pass his examination anywhere
else.
"Oh, indeed" said the bishop and
straightway interviewed his examining
chaplains At that examination fully
half the candidates were rejected
Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-09-15
sInIn licform school.

Among the recent additions to the re
form school boys at the Chehalis school
is lad named Sin. 1t has been the
portion Of Superintendent Westendorf
for many years to deal with sin in the
abstract. but this is the first time he
has ever encountered the real thing 1t
is trusted that the professor will be en-
abled successfully to guide Alright the
footsteps of Original Sin and make a
good man Of him. -Chehalis Bee-Nug-
get