davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
This country is learning that ethical

This country is learning that ethical
considerations like these are most in
tensely practical, and that study of
such problems is what the country
needs for truly larger growth, But
figures are deduced in the report to
convince those to whom figures are
the only tangible evidence. So the
report sets forth that whenever the
system has been started properly, it
has been followed by these results:
Increased postal receipts. More
letters are written and received. More
newspapers and magazines are sub
scribed for. So marked is this ad-
vancement that many rural routes al
ready pay for themselves by the addi-
tional business they bring.
Enhancement of the value of farm
lands reached by rural free delivery.
This increase in value has been esti-
mated at as high as SIS an acre in some
States. A moderate estimate is from
50 to So an acre.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Dry Storage for Fruit.

A cellar or any other place where
mould or mildew appears on the walls
or in any part of the room is too damp
for the successful storing of fruit.
Brush it up, clean it thoroughly, give
it thorough ventilation, and if it
cannot be made dryer by such treat
ment. warm it until dry, for. although
the fruit should be kept cool, it is bet
ter for it to be too warm for little
while than too damp all of the time.
One way of drying the air in cellar
is to place pan of unslacked lime, or
more than one if the cellar is very
large or very damp, at such place
that it will absorb the moisture.
When the lime has Stacked by the
moisture, change it and put in an
other. This will dry the air without
greatly raising the temperature. This
will destroy the moulds and other
fungus very quickly. 1t will also
sweeten the air, or destroy bad odors,
which some fruits will absorb very
quickly Grapes that have been in
musty smelling cellar will soon be-
come unfit to eat from this cause.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Kaiser's Great Ring OF State,

Whenever the Emperor of Germany
is engaged in an important function,
either imperial or royal, those near
him notice that should he by any
chance take the glove off his left hand
he wears on the middle finger large
ring-a square, dark-colored stone set
in massive gold.
The story is that the ring is an old
heirloom in the Hohenzollern family,
dating from the time when the anoes-
tors of the Kaiser-the Margrafs OF
Nuremberg-followed their leaders to
the capture of the Holy Sepulchre
from the Moslems.
Margraf, of Ulrich, who lived in the
thirteenth century, was an adventur.
GUS prince, and it is believed that the
ring which the Kaiser nov wears came
into Ulrich's possession after a hard.
fought battle under the walls ofJerusa-
lem. 1t belonged to one OF Saladin' S
successors, and in some unexplained
manner it found its way on to the fin
ger of the German Knight.
Some one of the Nuremberg Mar.
gratis obliterated the sentence from
the Koran which originally adorned it
and engraved Latin cross il it's
place
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Dry Earth as an Absorbent.

AS an absorbent in the poultry
house dry earth is excellent. 1t is
doubtful if there is any kind of ma
terial that can be put under the roosts
that will work with greater gertrude
in neutralizing the odors and in tax :
ing up and evapoyating the moisture.
In fact, dry earth is altogether too
good an absorbent and moisture de-
stroyer, if one wishes to save the
manure to use as fertilizer 1t has
been fourd that in dry earth closet
the same earth may be used over and
over again. The dust burns up all
faecal matter and even the paper
usually found in such places has dis
appeared. The same dirt has been
used over and over in dry earth
closet for six years, being taken out
and dried each time the closet was
cleaned. In another case the dust
was used over ten times. After both
OF these experiments the dust was
analyZed and less than one per cent.
of nitrogen found. Most of the earth
that has been SO used is of no more
value for fertilizing purposes than the
dirt taken from the garden. When,
therefore, we consider it's use in the
poultry house the value of the manure
must be taken into consideration. If
cleanliness is our sole object, then we
need not hesitate about using dry
dirt, and we may feel sure it will
prove effective. Some amount of
moisture seems to be needed both to
help the manure retain the volatile
portions, and. we may also presume,
to keep germ life in state in which it
can develop. Certainly dust should
prove to be good germicide, for
spores once falling into it would be as
surely destroyed in time as would the
paper and other matter in the dry
earth closet. Farm, Field and Fire
side.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
SFOR FARM and GARDEN. }
silave for Fatteninr Cattle.

At the Ontario Agricultural college
they fed three lots of two steers each
as follows: Lot had 81 pounds Of
ensilage each; Lot 2, 81 pounds of en-
silage and 9 pounds of hay; Lot 3, 43
pounds of roots and l l pounds of hay.
Each had about u pounds day Of
grain, consisting of ground peas, bar
ley and oats. Lot weighed 27S9
pounds at the beginning, and in 146
days gained sos pounds or 10 pounds
each per day. Lot weighed 2735
pounds at first and gained in same
time 44S pounds, or 1.53 pounds each
day. Lot 3 weighed 2672 pounds,
and in the time gained 537 pounds, or
1.S4 pounds a day. The gain by
feeding only ensilage and grain was
not much larger than that Oh roots
and hay with grain, but all estimates
indicate that the silage is much more
easily and cheaply produced, the 81
pounds requiring less land and less
labor than the 43 pounds of roots, to
say nothing of cost of the hay.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Preparing Bees for winter.

Bees ought to be prepared for win.
ter before very cold weather sets in.
When the fall honey crop is removed
from the hive it is none too early to
begin. In the middle states the be-
ginner will have better results by
wintering on the summer stands. Gel
lar wintering requires more expert
ence and watchfulness, says f. G.
Herman in the New England Home
stead. The first requisite to success
full wintering is to have bees enough
to cover at least four Langstroth
frames. They should have from 90 to
80 pounds of good ripe honey. If
lacking in stores they should be fed
good granulated sugar, one cup and a
half of sugar to one cup of hot water
making syrup of the right consis-
tency. If you have on hand some ex-
tracted honey, add few tablespoons
full, which will prevent its granulat-
ing. Bees will winter we'll on good
sugar, which is about the only sub
stitute that can be used. Unripe
honey or honey dew often kills the
bees in winter. as they cannot stand
long confinement on such food.
If the bees are in double walled
chaf hive, nothing more is necessary.
If in hive of single thickness an
outer case of some sort should be put
over the hive, but in no wise close up
the entrance. Bees need plenty of
fresh air The hive entrance should
be left open full width, which will also
prevent the combs from becoming
moldy. On warm days during winter
when the thermometer registers so
degrees or more the bees will fly out
for cleansing flight, after which
they will be able to stand another
month of rigorous weather. With
cellar wintering have had no ex-
perience, but the conditions necessary
are to have we'll ventilated cellar
kept dark, with an even temperature
of about 45 degrees. Some time in
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Large and Small Vegetables.

While on visit to the Pacific coast
found onions and potatoes Of enor
nous size, and the boast of the people
is that they can grow larger vegetables
than can be grown elsewhere in the
large vegetables and fruits can be
grown in Washington, Idaho, Oregon
and California than can be produced
in other sections. But there are fre.
quent specimens of vegetables in the
middle west that are as large as any
that can be grown anywhere. Large
onions and very large potatoes are
not desirable, however. I have seen
onions grown in Indiana that were as
large as an onion could be. The land
was peculiarly fitted for onion grow.
ing, and the product was enormous in
size. But [ am under the impression
that onion growing on that land was
abandoned simply because there was
no market for such large onions.
They were like the eggs of the ostrich,
fine curio, but of no utility to the
average person. The market demands
o reasonable sized onion and potato
In many OF our hotels and restaurants,
say nothing of private houses, small
onion only is used for havoring pur.
poses. These places will not buy
onions that are "overgrown." Nor
will they buy potatoes that are over.
size. Usually potatoes are brought
onto the tables of public eating houses
whole, and potatoes that are as long
as your foot can not be used. 1t is
mistake to attempt to grow large
onions and potatoes.
Fruit is different. That can not be
too large. From the cranberry to the
apple, size attracts attention and wins
the customer, especially if the fruit is
well colored.
At Lewiston, Idaho, I saw a Ben
Davis apple that in any market of the
world would outsell any apple that is
grown. 1t was more than twice the
size OF the Ben Davis of the east, and
was as beautiful as n picture. Irriga-
ton, climate or soil had made a new
apple out of this very common and
not highly appreciated variety. In
growing fruit, therefore, next to good
shipping qualities without these
it is useless to grow fruit CONNER
cially-appearance is the most impor-
tant thing. Of course, the quality
must be passable. for the consumer
would not buy fruit the second time,
however handsome it might be. if the
quality was so bad that he could not
eat it. But quality is secondary to ap
pearance. The large, handsome col
ored apple, peach, cherry or other
fruit are always the best sellers. The
eye fixes the standard of taste and is
regulator of the appetite. B. f.
Brimson in the Epitomist
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Plenty of Space for Poultry.

One OF the greatest mistakes OF
poultry ralsers Is to suppose that
chickens do not require much space.
A dairyman only keeps enough COWS
on his farm that the land is able to
support. If one acre will support
COW, it is crowding them to have as
many on the farm as there are acres,
but if you put 500 hens ON one acre
the latter would be quite different.
Land is generally cheap enough for
poultrymen to have ample room for
their poultry, but as rule they are
always too cramped. Not more than
so to rs hens should be raised to the
acre. A 500 chicken farm should con.
tain at least or 10 acres exclusive of
buildings. That is larger space for
each bird than most people provide,
but it is not too liberal an arrange
ment, as any one will discover after
few years experience. Farmers cal
culate their profits by the acre. If
they can clear from $40 to $50 an acre,
they consider themselves fortunate,
and they do not grumble at their hard
conditions. Fifty dollars an acre
would supply them with substantial
rewards for thinking themselves we'll
blessed.
Now in the case of the chicken raiser
we find that everything is in his favor
for comparison with any other class
of farmers. Suppose so hens are
raised to the acre, profit of so cents
a year on each bird would make fair
farming. He would be clearing $25
year per acre, which would be more
than many farmers can clear today in
raising either wheat or-corn. But so
cents year clear profit is small in
deed for respectable poultry, and a
dollar year is not too much to place
to the credit of the average well-bred
fowl. Here we have $50 an acre. and
10 or 20-acre farm stocked to the
capacity mentioned ought to yield q
good living income to the owner. The
trouble with most of us is that we ex-
pect to make as much on three or
four acres as another farmer can make
on hundred-acr farm. That is
placing handicap upon poultry rais-
ing that is hardly fair. One acre ju-
diciously cultivated should raise
enough food to keep so chickens a
year, and that is about all we can ex-
pect from it. Let us go to work and
cultivate the soil for chicken food as
Systematically as the farmer cultivates
his land for corn and wheat, and then
we will realize larger profits and
sure income. The birds will no longer
be crowded, and fewer diseases will
attack them. Both our pocket books
and poultry will be richer and better
for expanding the chicken farm in
this way. Anne G. Webster. in
American Cultivator.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

that in the last fifteen years he has
driven 1000 miles going to and from
the postoffice to get his mail-all travel
that is saved to him by the free de-
livery system.
In the last report of the First AS
sistant Postmaster General there are
some striking illustrations.
There is, for example, scene at a
country store. twelve miles from
Lafayette, Ind, from which point
three rural letter carriers start daily,
each making a circuitous drive of
twenty-five miles or more, without
passing over the same road twice, At
the particular point photographed
four cross roads meet, and twenty or
more families, most of them living
half mile from the store, have each
put up an individual letter box of
galvanized iron, lettered with the
name of the person for whom it is in
tended.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

mer's door, by the Federal Govern
ment, is no longer an experiment. In
the words of the report, the system
has now ''to be dealt with as an estab-
lished agency OF progress, awaiting
only the action of the Congress to de-
termine how rapidly it shall be de-
veloped." The current month finds
rural free delivery Of mail in success
full operation from 3S3 distributing
points radiating over forty States and
one Territory, while other districts
from Maine to Texas are anxiously
waiting for those regular visits from
Uncle Sam which mean so much in a
variety of ways.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
has performed one of the most bril-
liant exploits of personal daring during
L 4 i.

has performed one of the most bril-
liant exploits of personal daring during
the war in the Philippines.
This special act of gallantry was
performed by Bell, who was then q
Colonel, near Porac, Luzon, when he
was in command of some scouts ahead
of the regiment. Just as the day was
dawning the party encountered the
enemy's patrol. consisting Of one Cap
tain, one Lieutenant and five privates.
Colonel Bell was in advance of his
men and spurred on his horse. The
enemy was confused, and the men
sought to run away. Colonel Bell
pushed ahead alone and unsustained
charged the seven insurgents with his
pistol. He scattered the party and
compelled the surrender of the Captain
and two privates under close and hot
fire from the remaining four irsur.
gents, who were concealed i'll neigh
boring bamboo thicket. In the report
it is stated that this feat was one of
several heroic acts performed by Col
onei Bell during the present war, and
that the wonder is that Bell still lives.
Colonel J. Franklin Bell entered
West Point from Shelbyville, KY, in
1874, and graduated into the cavalry
service. When the Spanish war be-
gan he was captain in the Seventh
Cavalry. At the beginning of the war
lie was sent to the Philippines with
General Merritt aud had charge of the
Bureau of Military Information. He
was subsequently appointed Major
OF Engineers and then Major and
Assistant Adiutant-Genera of Volun-
teers. When the Thirty sixth Regi
ment was recruited, Major Bell was
appointed to be their Colonel.
Time and again The conduct Of
Colonel Bell in the Philippines has
been commended by his superior Of
icers, and he has been recommended
ior medals and for brevets. At the
;aking of Caloocan last February,
while our troops were shellipg the
town, Bell, then a Major, led COM
oany of the First Montana Regiment
IN clever and audacious outfanking
maneuver whereby they penetrated
he town and arrived unexpectedly
on the enemy's left flank. The enemy,
>utwitted as well as outfought, fled
,recipitately.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

the carrier can probably sleep as COM
fortably in his saddle as anywhere
else.
The hardships sometimes encount-
cred by the rural carriers are shown
in the photograph OF rural carrier in
Northern Ohio returning from trip
when the thermometer was forty de-
grees below zero. Yet. though the
First Assistant Postmaster General
reports that there are several girls
acting as bonded rural carriers, few
instances are recorded of their failing
to make their daily trips, either in
the coldest storms of winter or the
blazing heat of summer
One question which has received
grave consideration by the Depart
ment is the insecurity and improper
character of the mail boxes put up.
On this subject the First Assistant
Postmaster General says:
In the early days of the service,
when neither Congress- nor the Post
Office Department, as then organized,
held out any hope that rural free de-
livery would prove more than tran
STORY experiment, extreme careless
ness was manifested as to the kind of
receptacles put up as rural free de-
livery boxes. Tomato cans, cigar
boxes, drainage pipes up ended, soap
boxes and even sections of discarded
stove pipes were used as mail boxes,
and were frequently placed in hedge
rows or other inconvenient spots out
of reach of the carrier.
The Department has entered upon
systematic effort to correct this con-
dition of things, and recommends
ton is made that the Government pro-
vide uniform boxes and mountain
them, charging moderate rental.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
A Venerable Church.

The Second Unitarian Church oil
Boston recently celebrated its two
hundred and tiftieth anniversary.
Samuel Mather was The first minister
Of this church. Afterward Increase
and Cotton Mather filed the pulpit,
and it was here that Emerson served
his only pastorate.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
RURAL MAIL DELIVERY
The Marvellous Growth and Popularity
of the SYSTEM

Better prices obtained for farm
products, the producers being brought
into daily touch with the state of the
markets, and thus being enabled to
take advantage of information hereto
fore unattainable.
In the communities where it has
been tried free delivery is considered
the greatest boon that the Govern
ment ever has conferred on them.
One Missouri farmer has calculated
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Would Nurse Him Herself.

They found her hurriedly packing a
valise. "Where are you going?" they
asked. ''To the Transvaal, she re.
piled. ''But 1 thought you didn't
believe in women going to WARP" 81
don't; but if you think am going te
let any of those red-cross women
nurse my Harold back to health if he
is wounded you are mistaken. I'm
going to be there myself. Golden
Penny,
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

November, right after the bees have
had good fight, remove them to the
cellar, selecting the time toward even
ing. The bees should be handled as
gently as possible to keep them from
filing themselves with honey, for il
will be four or five months before
they will have cleansing fight. II
an even temperature, quietness, dark
ness and ventilation are secured, sue
cess is assured.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

carry it TO the house, and the farmer
is thus spared drive of twelve miles
to the postoifice, which he would
hardly feel justified in undertaking in
the most favorable weather more than
twice week, and then at much per-
sonal inconvenience and pecuniary
loss. Under the rural free delivery
system he gets his mail and his paper
daily without cost of time or money.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

riding in specially constructed postal
wagon, he as often as not mounts a
bucking bronco, or dives him to a
blackboard, with only an umbrella fol
shade. But he makes thirty odd miles
a day, nevertheless and the Depart
ment has just issued orders to cut
down this particular route from Tempe.
five or ten miles day, chiefly out Of
consideration for the bronco, because
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

Into this box the carrier, whose
hour of arrival is known, and scarcely
varies ten minutes, winter or summer,
drops the letters and daily papers for
each family, and collects in return
their mails which are deposited in a
Government collection box, placed in
position at the same spot. The farm
er's children, or such idle hands as he
can spare, gather up the mail and
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

A general improvement OF the con-
dition of the roads traversed by the
rural carrier. In the Western States
especially the construction of good
roads has been prerequisite to the
establishment of rural free delivery
service. In one county in Indiana q
special agent reports that the farmers
spent over $4,000 to grade and gravel
Q road to obtain rural free delivery.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

P to the present
: time til ere has
b e IN nothing in
the history of the
postal service of
t b g U n j t e d
States," says the
annual report of
the first assistant
po 8 t m a ster-gen-
eral, $50 remark
able as the growth
of the rural free
delivery system"
The daily delivery
of mail at the far
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

Queensland is being gradually con
verted into large orchard. The Aus.
tralian orange in particular has great
future. as it ripens at q time when
Spain, Italy and California cannot
provide the fruit.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Natural Curiosity.

The living tree horse here sketched
S natural curiosity to be seen in the
vicinity of Datchet, near Windsor,
England, says st. Paul's. 1t is formed
,f four topped elms, which stretch
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

The Chinese FLAG in Washington.
The Chinese Embassy is the only
one in Washington that flies the flag
of foreign countryA
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

One of the hardest things to under
stand in this workaday world is how
so many incompetent men get such
desirable iobs.-Puck.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01

over space of $50 feet and grow tc
the height of sixty feet. The tops
have never been touched by the shears,
or otherwise influenced than by ma
ture's own hand.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Does All the Talking aer.otr

A clever woman can always give
slow man the impression that he has
said lot of bright things himself.
Chicago Record.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
Sometimes a Good Thing.

Egotism is often good thing in
that it induces men to put forth com
mendable efforts for the purpose OF
living up to what they think they are.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-02-01
AN OFFICERS DARING EXPLOIT.

Handed. Whipped Seven Filipinos.
Official reports received at Wash
ngton show that Brigadier- General
j. Franklin Bell, Colonel of the Thir-
ty-sixth Volunteer Infantry, who is
also Captain in the Seventh Cavalry,