davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
PREDICT COLD
WINTER.

Weather prophets all agree that the
oming winter will be of unusual
severity, though few of them will say
-ust how cold it is going to be. An
'lrew Jackson Devoe. the New Jer-
ey expert who foretold the Galveston
torn year ago. however, pins him
elf down to dates and figures. Mr..
Oevoe is famous, not only for his re-
.narkably successful predictions, but
ilso because Of his methods, which are
peculiar to himself. His deductions
Ire made entirely from astronomical
data. and he claims that he can anti
cipate the formation of storm or any
condition Of the atmosphere, while by
the method which the government en-
oloys one has to wait until such con-
lition has already formed before
making any prediction about it. Mr..
Devoe. says the Cleveland Plain Deal
er, predicted very cold fall and a
:evere and early winter. The coolest
weather might be expected, he said,
in December, which would also be
very stormy. By cold weather, n.
Devoe said, he meant what is popu-
larly known as zero weather, and he
promised it with good sleighing. Win
ter. according to Mr.. Devoe, will start
in to 60 business about Nov. 8, when
we will have a cold wave which will
make last winters weather seem very
tame. From that time till the end
Of the month thhsasrssNt vim u a success
sion Of storms and freezing Weather.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Always BE Kind.

Always he Kind.
Always be kind to the dogs and the
cats
And the meanest sort Of big gray
rats;
Always have pity on the lame and the
blind.
And to those be especially kind.
Never throw stones at the dogs in the
street,
Or pull the poor pussy cat by the tail
or the feet
These poor creatures can never harm
you,
So why should we plague them as
some people do?
Always be generous to the oaes that
roam,
For perhaps they are hungry and have
no home.
A kind word to wanderer will do no
harm,
And to the helpless and homeless /,
works as a charm.
Never be rude, but always be kind,
To the lame. the poor, the sick and
the blind;
Always regard them with kindness
and love,
AS God does you from heaven above
Harriet Barth.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

and the violet, and the white streakeA
with violet, and the pure white with
gold at the heart Of them! And how
they shouted and sang!
The sunbeams, the sunbeams ara
painting US! Oh, shall we be alwayn
th:,s?"
Yes whispered the sunbeams "it
is because you were humble and ohe-
dent
When the pert snowdrop heard tina,
she nung her head ashamed to look
the great sun-father in the face. And
as she gazed at the glowing crocuses.
she grew very meek and said: ~ vaa
wrong; and, oh, you are more beauti.
full than can ever hope to be-"
Nay. not SOL" cried the generou,
crocuses. Never before were YOU
half SO lovely as now, with your
sweet Bonded head"
And the little sunbeams caresse1
the snowdrop gently, bidding her b.,
OF good cheer, for the kind sun-father
! loved to forgive his children. Blu,
| snowdrop never raised her pretty
mead. All the other snowdrops huns
their heads. too; for had they nos
applauded their sister?
An, by the by, as the years went on
people grew to love the snowdrops fol
their meek and lowly spirit, as much
as the crocuses for their gay colors:
and always the two flower tribes dwell
| close together, in most nerfect har.
mony.-From the Christian Register.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
CHEATED THE GlBBET
FOUR LIVES JACK BRADFORD
HAS UNDER ITS SHADOW,
Has Boon Sent to Madhouse-An
Ignorant Country Boy, He Was Hired
ey His Brother and Woman to Conf
init Que OF the Blacklist of Deed..
Especial Letter.

Especial Letter.
Four times within the shadow Of the
gallows in year, Jack Bradford, per-
petrator of one of the most fiendish
crimes ever recorded in Missouri, has
been snatched from the jaws Of death
each time, only to be at last put in
the asylum for the insane at Full
ton. raving maniac. The scaffold
upon which he was to expiate his
bloody deed still stands, gruesome
reminder Of what might have been.
Jack Bradford, strange to say. had
no malice against the man he killed.
He didn't even have the excuse OF
revenuge. He took human life for
an insignificant recompense-$25 in
cash, a pony and bottle Of whisky.
none of which he was ever given time
to enjoy. He was a hired assassin.
and his own brother was his en-
ployer.
Will Bradford, aged IS years. was
employed as farm hand by l.. F.
Holt. IS years old, who lived in tho
lower Bcaggadocio neighborhood, Is
miles from Charlottesville, Mo. He
was honest and respected and quite
Eell-to-do. His second wife, Matte,
was 81 years. She was rather good
looking. Jack Bradford worked In the
neSghborhood. He was simple. igno-
rant country boy, 81 years old; had
never gone to school and knew moth
ing of higher life. But for the in
fiuence of others, Jack might have
died OF old age, Just plain. innocent
farm hand.
Complications arose. Holt was old
and by no means handsome. Will
Bradford was young and fairly good
looking. In the course Of time there
arose between himself and Hollis wife
feeling of mutual affection. They
found out that continued companion
ship was necessary for their happi-
ness. But seemingly impossible
barrier presented itself between them
| selves and bliss in the person of old
man Holt.
After considering the matter FOR
several days the lovers decided that
the old man should be assisted in lay
ing down the worries and vexations
of this changeful life. To Jack Brad
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Tho Automobile In War.

A recent application to our war de-.
partment for exper. ments with mill
tary automobiles was answered wi b
prompt refusal on the ground tina.
they appear to be the conclusion
abroad, where France and Germany
are experimenting with them. The
question has been in the hands of a
technical commission Al France since
October. 1897. and eight automobile s
were tested in Germany during the
grand maneuvers of 1899 and the Ger
man emperor has offered a prize OF
$4,000 for the best military automo-
bile. In Italy after trial. number OF
automobiles have been assigned to the
army for the transportation Of bag
gage. austria uses the Danier. Auto
mobiles are used for army transporta-
ton, carrying load of 1000 pounds
on a slope of in 10 at the rate of
from three to seven miles an hour.
Belgium is having one of it's army
wagons for the transportation of sup
plies transformed into an automohi. e.
The new wagon weighs 400 pounds
and its maxium speeds ten miles an
hour. 'a
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Theodore TiIfon
RefurnS TO His
.Na1ix'e Land to
End His Days.

which was secretly carried by steamer
from Philadelphia to New York. John
Browns wife tarried at his home in
Brooklyn. when her sad journey to
take last farewell of her husband
at Harper's Ferry was interrupted by
message from the condemned man
telling her not to come. He was at
Fort Sumter when the American flag
was rehoisted there at the end OF the
war in 1865.
But during all his public career Mr..
Tilton was devoting himself to bellies
lettres. With equal grace he wrote
prose and poetry. His first editorial
work was on the New York Observer.
From 1856 to 1871 he was an editor
of the Independent. being editor-in-
chief during the latter part Of the PEI
Rod. For six months in 1871 he edit
ed the Brooklyn Union, succeeding
Gen. Stewart L. Woodford in that po-
sition. Then he established the Cold
en- Age. an Independent political and
literary weekly, but retired at the end
Of two years.
Afterward he Travelled and lectured
on The Problem of Life and other sub
jects, visiting 40 states and covering
100000 miles-as far as the moon and
half way back again-as a lyceum at
traction.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Brooke for a Lager Arnx.

DrOOkO I0f . Lager Army.
1t is urged in the annual report oe
Major General John r. Brooke. com.
handing the department OF the east.
at New York. which was made public
at the war department recently, that a
pressing necessity exists for the reor-
ganization of the army on modern
lines. He says:
For many years past the general
officers of the army have shown the
necessity for an increase which will
place the army on an efficient basis
and enable it to perform its duties
with credit to itself and to the salts
faction OF the nation. The events since
the commencement Of the Spanish
war have demonstrated beyond doub,
the necessity for reorganization
which will enable this nation to main.
tain the position in which it now finds
itself placed, so that, in case of war,
the army may form the bulwark be-
hind which the volunteer army may be
created, as has always been done in
our country. by organizing the peo.
pie"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
An Experiment in parlor Maze.

Soak a piece of thread in strong salt
water, dry it, and repeat two or threa
times. When thoroughly dry tie one
end to chandelier and on the other.
or lower end, tie a ring or some small
but not too heavy article. It is now
ready for the experiment. Set fire to
the thread. and behold, the ring does
not fall to the floor nor does the thread
break. The explanation is: The
thread has in reality been burned, but
the salt with which the thread was
saturated forms a solid column. and
that supports the ring. Varied ex-
periments can be made, using several
threads for one article, and, in fact,
many others which may suggest them
selves to the readers.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Dogs Of war


The dog seems destined to play an
important part in future warfare. The
German army is now provided with
ia large number of four-footed soldiers
tThe greatest pains are taken to train
tho animal, and its usefulness was
quite established at last years man
euvers near Coblenz. It is employed
~ three ways. Its intelligence and
keep scent are utilized for discovering
wounded men. The st. Bernard would
naturally be chosen for Samaritan
duties Of this kind but the object is
10 choose smaller dogs, which are less
likely to be shot. During the man
ssnY1eDoaoo soldiers were ordered to
III. ded in different parts Of q
It Five hundred ambulance or
Aerlies were instructed to find them.
700. more than one-half the total
value Of al U. s. property in Boston.
Including the forts in the harbor. This
was exclusive Of the machinery and
tho buildings since erected. The naval
valuation Of the yard before any Of
the present Improvements started was
more than $12 .00o. 900. the second high,
est Of any yard. The Argus was the
ART ship fitted up at the yard: the
esz3 work n this line WAS the rspaix-
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Eating at a Nations Heart.

From the highest home to the lowest
In America this idea Of caste has en-
tered, destroying our old high ideals
and making rs pretentious and vul-
gar" writes IAN American Mother. -
OF How We Can Lead Simple Life, /"
in the October Ladies' Home Journal.
THE idle rich man covets high social
place with hunger that is both ridic-
ulous and tragic. II he has money
enough he buys a titled husband for
his daughter. He tries to establish a
precedence for himself over his neigh
bors by claims Of high descent. Nor is
this appreciation of rank confined to
the leisured class in the country. It
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
JACK BRADFORD.

II OASAA AS4SAOCO1Lkls
A ford his brother and Matte HoIt ap.
pealed for;, relief from their dilemma
With much diplomacy it was suggested
that he remove the old man. With
the realization of the act he was asked
to commit he was horror-struck. Cen
tie persuasion followed. No one
would know, and besides he would be
given all of S25 in cash when the crop
was harvested, Texas pony and q
bottle Of good whisky. This was
enough. He agreed to commit the
deed.
On the Friday following, May 5. 1898.
Jack decided to do the deed and have
it over with. Old man Holt had gone
up to the neighboring village, Drag.
gadocio. horseback. There was strip
Of woods on the road between the
village and Hollis home. Jack told
his employer that he was too sick to
work that afternoon, and took his
gun and went into the woods. He
went to lonely place along the road
and seated himself on log, as calm
as If he were on squirrel hunt.
1t was bright, cheerful May day.
The old man came into view. Jack
remained quiet till he had passed. Then
he quietly took aim and pulled the
trigger. Holt toppled from the horse.
He had been hit in the back and was
already in the throes Of death, yet
Jack walked up to where he lay, and
deliberately blew off the top of his
head.
The riderless horse went home. In
vestigation showed the bloodstains on
the saddle. A search was instituted
and Hollis body was found. Suspicion
rested on the two Bradfords and Mat
tie Holt, and was strengthened by the
fact that Jacks shoes fitted the pecu.
liar tracks in the mud about the body.
The three suspects were taken into
custody and separated. Jack talked
freely and made several full COMES.
sions. The three were arrigned for
| murder.
Matte Holt accepted compromise.
pleaded guilty and was given two
years in the penitent!ary. Will Brad
ford compromised, pleaded guilty and
is serving 20-year sentence. Jack
stood trial It took the jury but a
short time to decide that he was
guilty, sane and accountable for hi.
actions. Judge Riley passed sentence
and set the day of execution for Jan
Is, 1900. The higher court sustained
the verdict of the lower court and de-
nounced the murder as one of the
most cold-blooded crimes in the his
tory of the state. The date of the
hanging was then set for June Is Of
the present year.
It seemed that the mans last hone
was gone. The fatal day drew near
and the gallows was erected. The rope
was secured and the knot tied. Brad
ford was put under the death watcA.
On Thursday before the hanging Gov
rrnor Stephens listened to the Appeals
# the friends Of the defending at
torney and postponed the execution
until Aug. IA. Then another respite
of 80 days was granted. Before this
time was up Jack Bradford had been
cdjudged insane by commission, and
he gallows now stands gaunt and
grim where 1t was erected. cheated Of
is victim.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
transports. to Pay Par. Charges.

Transports to Ray Part Charges.
The territorial government of the
Hawaiian islands has decided that
hereafter .all United States transports
must pay all port charges required OF
merchant vessels. except wharf fees.
which are specifically excepted by the
territorial act Heretofore. and espe-
cially under the old Hawaiian govern
ment, these fees were RENTED in the
case Of transports as q compliment to
the United States. But II has been
decided now that as transports have
70 pay port charges in al other Amer
iean ports There 4 NO rsaaon why they
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

Is universal. No candidate for Office
finds 1t necessary now to pose as a SELF
made man or to put his respectable an.
cestors out of sight The self-made
man is no longer the popular hero. On
the contrary, noble ancestors are In
such demand that II we do not have
them We must invent them as We do
air-brakes or motor3. or anything else
necessary to our well-being and com
fort. The rich American finds It az
easy to have a coat-of-arms and ped
igree as to have dress-coat. He sell
dom goes to Burke or the Herald's Col
lege for these things. He plants and
Grows his own family tree as he doer
his maple at the front door"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Girls Must Chew Hides. \
WIN Smith sound Eskimo
~ ~, = aafe he apparently has -

She must be able to do the cooking
and to sew, and to chew hides. This
last Is sill e qua non. Furs are the
only possible dress. and of these the,
must have an abundance, else they
will perish with cold. When the sun
is above the horizon, the womea
spread the skins of seal and reindeer
and bear, pegging them out hide up.
and allow them to dry thoroughly.
Once dry, they are. of course, as stir
as boards, and before they can be
made into garments the fbers must bs
broken. Accordingly, the women bend
the hide double, making crease
through its length, Beginning, then.
at one end. they chew steadily to the
other.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

s Ships Of War.
Ae ships Of War, that ride the waves.
And strike with spurs Of steel.
Hour coursers CULVER meath the curb.
But heed the iron heel:
Hoa bear our hearts and hopes abroad,
Across the shoreless sea.
while. storm-defying, on your prows
! stands thund'ring Victory!
What though the eastern sky be black
With death for those that rove,
Though darkness Of the damned in
= CULTS
Yalm and palmetto grove.
,Kour fires fash along the shore,
i Your searchlights food the bay.
sAnd Liberty can enter where
Your great guns blaze the way.
When your trackless paths prove lone
~.
And friends are far and few,
Or In all the waste of waters
None but the Lord tand you.
70 Him who shields Nnd saves us all
Prayers rise from n&id and man.
For you bear the nations banner:
You are the nations van.
Advance. ye steel-clad Ships of War
Oispelling doubts and fears!
Your bosoms hold precious freight
The fates Of future years.
High DER your conquering coming
towers
The remnants fly unfurled;
The Stars and Stripes above you are
The best hope of the world.
James Eugene tarmer in the
Rookman.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
De.-nses of Paris.

&
Perhaps you have Just returned from
Paris. enthusiastic over the sights
there. Here are some Of the things
you didn't see: Seven great forts about
the city, eight miles away from its
walls. Nineteen smaller forts. four
miles out. each containing three acres
and mounting two 95-ton guns. Great
stacks Of 10O-pound melinite shells,
ready for these guns to hurl. TWEEN
ty-0ne miles Of continuous tortifica-
tons about the town-earthwork walls
150 feet thick at the base and fronted
BY 45-foot meats. Three hundred en-
placements along this giant wall for
% many 95-ton cannon, kept free from
rust In the Champs de Mars arsenal,
and ready to be swung into place a,
any time. So clsXerly are the forts
masked BY long SLOPES of green turf.
and the walls ~ trees ahd bushes. that
one can pas In and out Of Pa1lF.. q
dosen TINS and see scarcely a trace
g ~ .Rmous Notifications. The range
J % he 95-ton guns is over ten miles
some say fourteen. Beneath their, at
present, untenanted beds on the RAM
part are stone classmates for ammuni-
tion. with small transfer wagons.
These classmates open upon the inner
base Of the wall. and set Of rails,
standard gauge. runs from the door
way to the top Of the fertilization.
You must look for these rails in the
grass, the general staff is SO modest.
Suppose war comes and the 300 guns
must be mounted. Well, the staff has
thought of that The ails-standard
'gauge-that lie ready for the ammuni-
ton wagons can be linked with the
tramway system OF Paris. To work
these guns, were every man of the gar
rtson drafted away. Paris has $4,000
trained artillerymen among her re-
oarvists. She could man every gun
twice over, garrison all her forts with
infantry reservists, and put dozen
cavalry regiments into the field for
scouting purposes. Every reservist,
whether Partisan born or provincial
Immigrant, has book containing his
number. particulars Of his service. and
memorandum of the barrack to
which he must repair upon the calling
Of the reserves. In case of war lines
carefully maintained would be switch
ed into use. and the tramway system
would be in communication with the
enormous goods depots Of the Paris
termini. Not rolling stock only. but
horseflesh would be requisitioned. Ev-
cry horse over four years old is regis
tered. together with his type, owner,
and probable utility. The general staff
could choose from some 100000 horses.
The military stores Of Paris are
,boundless. In a day she could clothe
and arm 100000 fighting men, with
i70.000.000 rounds of melinite car
,tridges. At the army bakeries she
reserves large stores Of grain. In case
OF siege the general staff has a censor
ship OF prices ready in the Paris NUM-
cipality. which at all times fixes the
price Of bread and would do so Of other
staples. Paris has an invisible defense
the submarine boats that patrol the
Seine from Asnieres and Ivry.-Boston
Post
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Musical Dog. Of Salt Lake civ.

"usAcaA logs OF salt Lake City.
There is church bell on the east
side, says the Salt Lake City Tribune
that seems to have a peculiar attrac-
ton for the dogs in the vicinity. Each
Sabbath morning, as soon as the bell
begins its noise, many OF the CANNES
IN the neaghborhood prick up their
ears and start in single file for the
church. Arriving there they array
themselves in front and start in ON
yowling obligato. This beautiful
vocal effort is persevered in as long
as the bell keeps going and when It
stops the dogs feel that their duty
has been done, and, dropping their
ears and voices, start home again. #
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

OF height II he dit persist In b..
coming portly. He " rs 257 pounds,
tn spite Of all precautit. and cures"
ne can take. He wears a. 1Sh collar,
mas chest measurement c. IS inches.
a 34-inch length Of arm. list Of 43
or "A inches, and trousers leg Of 50
inches. King Oscar of Sweden al
Norway is the tallest monarch OF
Europe, being little over 6 feet. When
the crown prince of Greece ascends the
throne he will take the palm from
King Oscar, for he is slightly taller.
Prince Charles Of Denmark is only
fraction OF an inch shorter than King
Oscar, and Is the tallest male member
OF the English royal family. But the
lat kings prize belongs to the king o;
Portugal. who Is only feet 6 inches
tall, and weighs 303 pounds. Queen
Victoria is the shortest monarch in
the world. being only feet IL inches
tall. She weighs 16S pounds. Here are
measurements Of some of the royal
women Of Europe:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Making Prints Of Leaves.

The following is an easy method Of
making permanent prints of leaves.
Rub olive oil with the finger evenly
over sheet OF Taper, hold the paper
/ over lamp until it is black with SCOT
I place the Leaf on it under side down.
lay upon 1t paper and press down
hard especially over the thin parts
o. the Leaf, end close up to midrib);
then place the leaf on the paper that
Is 70 receive the print. and press every
part.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Adn,ra, Keep. Systematic Record

Admiral BRADFORD, who is at present
chief Of the bureau Of Equipment and
Supplies in the navy department, is
known as man Of system. In his
private office he has hanging on the
wall bulletin showing tho exact
amount OF coal available for purchase
by the navy at the different ports
throughout the world.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
N.ta,,s odd POSE c.rd.,

Natars Odd Post Cards.
The Natal government has issued q
set Of post cards for use only in the
colony. The set includes views Of
spion A.op. Ladysmith Town Hall. q
~ in. naval gun. and the Tugela va.
terfalls.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

a woman In Easton. Pa, was re-
Gently fined $5o.25 for utterin9 seventy
oaths. or 81 cents for each cath.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

should not pay them here, especially
as the territorial government is in
need of revenue.-Ch Charles L. Rhodes
in Chicago Record.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

When society throws people over
board they are not In the swim.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
whites Explanation.

What are the holes for?'' asked nj
tie Edna. looking at the porous plAs-'
ter that her mother was preparing u
put on Willie's back. PSI 81
ITS funny you don't know thak
Sis. 8" tnterposea Willie. They're u
let the pain q OF course"