davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
COLLEGE FACULTIES.
There Are Away. Weak Men-why
They Hold Their Places.

There will always be weak men in
every faculty, says the Atlantic. Some
come by nheritance-they were en-
dowed with the chair in those early
days when the grantor thought he
knew far better than the grantee what
ought to be done with the grant. Some
have simply outlived their usefulness,
and as there are no means for pension
ing, they are maintained through a
pity for themselves which very UNI
wisely overshadows the pity which
ought to go out to those in their
classes Some are so influential in
their church, or in some one of the
great fraternal organizations, or in
p5litics, or are SO beloved by alumni
uwho graduated many Years ago, and
Who do not understand either the ma
ture e. Dtne demand of the new edu-
cation, that to disturb them would in
all probability cause the institution
more loss than to permit the employ
lnent of better men. Some are there
for UNCONVENTIONAL reasons, in the
privately endowed or church" insti-
tutions; or for political reasons, in
state schools-though thirty years
administrative experience and obser-
walton prove that both these influences
are exceedingly exaggerated in the
popular mind. But far more are there
simply because there are not yet
enough strong men to go around.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
Insect Cunning.

The gardens in Hamburg have with
in the last ten years been decorated
with white leaf naples, and writer
in the Zoologist says that since the in
PRODUCTION of these shrubs the common
white butterfly has chosen them for
Its settling places. Concealed in the
white leaves, the butterfly is safe from
enemies. An anecdote. more sugges-
tive of insect reasoning, is told of a
spider by James Weir 1t spun its
web in a sawmill in place where the
passing of lumber frequently broke
the long stay threads that held the
web. The situation was too favorable
for flies to be abandoned, and finally
the spider got around the difficulty by
discarding the use of stays and sub
shutting for them. to keep the web
stretched, nail which it wove into
the lower edge Of the fabric.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
A Real Dog of War.

Maine, the queen of mascots, and
the greatest war dog of the closing
century, with battle record of which
any soldier might be proud, is now on
her way to Europe, where she is being
taken that our friends across the
ocean may see what sort of fighting
stock America produces, even in ca
mines. She is a Great Dane and an
animal of splendid pedigree-mouse-
colored, three feet high, and weighing
eco pounds. She will be two years old
in a few weeks, and during her brief
lifetime she has undoubtedly had the
most eventful career of any dog that
ever lived. Maine went to the Philip
pines with Battery D, California
Heavy Artillery, having been present.
ed to the famous regiment of Ellen
Beach Yaw, the famous singer. On
/ the way she became seasick and nearly
died, but was taken ashore at Homo
lulu and tenderly cared for until the
next transport touched, when she was
taken on to Luzon. She rejoined her
regiment at Cavite. The remarkable
intelligence possessed by this remark
able dog was shown by the fact that
she knew the bugle calls perfectly,
and was ever first to respond. But on
the firing line she won the most glory.
| ALWAYS at the front during an engage
and roar of cattle and the whizzing OF
bullets. and proved herself very valu-
able as a messenger. She participated
in the battles of San Rogue, Carload
and Delalican, fought on February 8,
1899; Rosario, June 10; Noveleta, June
l6; and selinas, June is. At the bat
tie of Voveleta she received a wound
and won the heart of every Americai
soldier by her bravery and lnteiN
gence. While death and destruction
were flying everywhere, Maine was IN
advance of the American troops. Sud
denly she was struck by Filipino
ride ball, and quickly the word was
being passed along the rifle line thal
our mascot had been fatally shot.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
soldiers, ohicial Prayer.

The great majority of the services
held in the British army and navy, as
in tl,a American army and navy, are
according to the Book of Common
Prayer Of the Episcopal Church. The
board of bishops of the church of Eng
land has Just issued a special official
PRAYER for the use of their seldlers
in South Africa. The phraseoiogy is
interesting when read refectiyety i
is as follows: Almighty Father nave
often sinned against Thee. Oh. wash
me in the precious blood of the Lainh.
O God, fill me with Thy Holy Spirit,
that | may lead a new life. Spare me
to see again those whom | love at
home. or fit me for Thy presence IN
peace. Strengthen us to quit our
selves like men in our right and great
cause. Keep us faithful unto death
calm in danger, patient in SUFFERING.
merciful as we'll. as brave, true to our
queen. our country and our colors. II
if be Thy will, enable us to win vic
tory for Britain; but, above all, grant
us the better victory over temptation
and sin, over life and death, that we
NAV be more than conquerors through
Him who loved us, and laid down His
life for us. Jesus our Savior, the Cap
tain of the army of God. Amen.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
COULDN'T FOOL HIM.
Dog Was Bound to Have the Meat II
Paid For.

A butcher in Manchester, N. H,
tried to fool a dog which was in the
habit of coming to his stand daily for
meat, and bore the name of Horace
Greeley" One day Horace went to the
butcher stand, on which, as usual, he
placed his ten-cent stamp. The butch
er put the stamp in his drawer, and
paid no attention to the dog, thinking
it was a good joke on the animal.
Horace didn't understand Why his
goods We're not given to him, but wait
ed patiently. keeping sharp eye on
the young man all the while and fol-
lowing his every movement. After u
few minutes spent in this way he be-
gan to comprehend and decided to play
little joke in return. So he cnolly
walked up to the bench, seized a quar-
ter of lamb and waltzed away, with in
dignation and triumph depicted in ey-
cry wag of his tail.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

Probably no part Of the harness
used for horses has come in for so
large a share of the humane society's
is no disputing the fact, however, that
its use adds so per cent to a horses
appearance, and that very few people
can afford to purchase the pure blood
ed horses whose natural arched necks
are the delight of all beholders. An
ingenious inventor David Holford, of
Canada, has conceived the idea that it
might perhaps be less Objectionable to
those who object to chekrcins for hui
name reasons if the horses head was
propped up instead of held up. This
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

Everybody who loves to watch the
heavenly bodies has frequently noticed
when the crescent of the new moon ap-
pears in the west. the phenomenon
called 1.-The old moon in the young
ones arms" Partly embraced by the
horns of the crescent is seen the whole
round orb of the moon, glimmering
with a pale, ashy light. The cause OF
the appearance is that the earth-light
upon thatparto of the moon not reached
by the sunshine is sufficiently brill
liant to render it family visible to our
eyes. Lately successful attempts
have been made, particularly in
France, to photograph this phenome-
non, and the pictures thus produced
are very interesting.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

From the study of clouds Prof 2.
H. Bigelow Of the United States wealth
er bureau concludes that the ordinary
cyclones which traverse our country
from west to east are not more than
two or three miles in depth, although
their diameter is many hundreds Of
miles. In other words, their motion
does not affect the upper regions of
the atmosphere. In the case of hurri-
canes Prof. Bigelow finds that the
depth is greater, amounting to as much
as five or six miles. But higher cur
rents blow directly across the cyclonic
and anti-cyclonic areas which pro-
duce storms and fair weather at the
surface of the earth. Some of Prof.
Bigelows conclusions ups former
ideas concerning the circulation of the
atmosphere.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
A Smile Wasted.

A stout old lady, seeing at one Of
the English railway stations an auto
matte machine from which, by drop
ping penny in the slot, you receive
the portrait of celebrity, carefully
reconnoitered it. She dropped the coin
in, and wearing her best smile, posed
herself in front of the machine for d
few seconds, opened the drawer and
drew out portrait. Adjusting her
spectacles and looking at it, whas
should meet her astonished gaze but
the portrait of lady acrobat in cos
tune "Well!" she calculated, $50 this
is me, Ell? If don't speak to the
authorities about this, my name is not
Marta TenkinSio
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
Mixed HIS Letters.

Editors have their troubles. One of
these men who preside over the des-
TIMES OF western paper is mourning
the loss of two subscribers. One wrote
asking how to raise his twins safely.
while the other wanted to know how
he might rid his orchard of grasshop-
pers. The answer went forward by
mail, but by accident the editor put
them into the wrong envelopes, so that
the man with the twins received the
answer: Cover them carefully with
straw and set fire to it, and then the
little pests, after jumping in the flames
for few minutes, will be speedily set
tied And the man with grasshop-
pers was told to give castor oil and
rub their gums with a bone''
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
And SHOWS are on our head
That ne'er will melt until. for US,
The silent tents ae spread.
Rev. DR.. C. o. Brown.



Westminster Gazette: An amazing
story is told of the hoaxing of British
feet by "a stupid Irishman" during
the recent naval maneuvers. 1t appears
that during an attack On Bere Island
by some of the vessels of the b fleet
the officer of the Hut received instruc-
lions from Castletown coast guard sta
ton to gather up all kilograms and
secret plans, send man away with the
same to hide in cave and on no ac-
count to let them fall into the enemy's
hands. With the remainder of his
crew he was then to show fight until
the last. In the meantime an attack
ing force of eighteen men and an Of
ficer had been landed, which marched
to the Hut and secured its surrender.
All search for the secret papers, how
ever, proved useless, and the men at
the Hut maintained profound silence
to all interrogations. During the
afternoon one of the men of the Castle
town coast guard station had been
sent to Bere Island with the pay OF
the men, Upon arrival there he pro-
ceeded at once to the Hut (having
previously disguised himself), and
found himself surrounded by the in
vaders, who wanted to know his bust
ness He posed as an old naval pen
sioner, stating that he was native
and was trying, with the help of his
small pension, to make living on
the island by cutting and selling turf
He had provided himself with a turf
cutting spade in order to give color to
his story.
The sailors of the invading party
were very sympathetic and advised
him to go to England, where he would
be sure of getting work in one of the
royal dock yards. After getting the
invaders into good humor he imme-
diately went in search of the man with
the secret documents in his posses
sion. With the aid of some of the is
landers he found the man he was in
search of, took from him all the docu-
ments, which he hid in two baskets OF
turf. and returned to the Hut This
time the sub-lieutenant in charge OF
the invaders took him in hand and
closely questioned him with view to
obtain some reliable information re-
garding the defenders, but all to nc
purpose. At last the sub-lieutenant
dismissed the man, with the remark
that he was the most stupid 1rishman
that he had ever met Little did the
officer imagine that the supposed stu
pid Irishman was the very man they
wanted as at the time he had in his
possession all the documents the in
vaders were searching for.
During the night the enemy's flotlll;
left Berehaven. going west, disconnect
ing the telephone of the Hut befor
leaving.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
Recent Inventions.

For preserving timber from decay an
Australian has patented new treat
ment, consisting of immersing the tim
Der in solution of arsenous acid and
an alkali until thoroughly impres-
mated, after which coating of sui
plate Of copper is applied.
In a new boat-driving gear a short
propeller shaft is set in the rea. OF
the boat, Interesting with a large
gear wheel. mounted on a horizontal
shaft with pivoted levers connected to
the shaft by cranks to rotate the pro-
peller and drive the boat.
An adjustable spring for baby car
riages has been patented by Cana
dian which can be increased in stiff
ness as the baby grows, having du-
pick hinge joining the outer ends OF
springs, running from the frame and
the body of the carriage, with means
for adjusting the movement of the
hinge.
Dressmakers will appreciate new
ly patented pair of scissors. which is
provided with a marking pencil set in
a sleeve attached to one of the blades
with tape measure secured to the
opposite handle, designed to be opened
in line with the pencil point, to accur-
ately mark the cloth for cutting.
Clothes are automatically cleaned in
a new wash boiler. which has false
bottom into which the water falls
from the main boiler, with series 1i
tubes extending vertically to the top
of the boiler through which the water
is driven by the increased heat and
steam in the false bottom.
Leaves can be rapidly and cleanly
picked up from lawns by an Ohio
womans invention, which has a larSe
hopper mounted on wheels. with fan
blades set in the mouth of the hoppe!
close to the ground, to be rapidly re,
volved by gearing inside the wheels
thus tanning the leaves into the hop
per.
A new burglar alarm has two teie-
scoping tubes, with the end OF enc
tube closed and piston mounted in
the other tube which connects with the
metallic contact spring to complete ar
electric circuit, cord being run from
the window or door to the closed tube
which moves the piston when the cor
is disturbed.
In Germany a man has patentsil {
reading or writing desk which will b,
found convenient for use when stand
ing, having fiat tablet formed of sew
eral sections hinged together, will
braces and straps to hold the tablet il
a convenient position for use,the who'll
folding in small compass to be carrie,
in the pocket.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
New sem,-Automatic Gun.

The latest development in rapid fire
weapons is new semi-automatic gun
designed by Commander briggs of tho
navy. This gun has just completed its
trials at the Indian Head proving
ground, and has made. it is said. a
record for rapidity that exceeds by
nearly 100 per cent the best previous
record.
Light rapid fire guns are divided in.
to two main classes. viz, those work
ed entirely by hand, and known as
hard working guns" and those par
TALLY operated automatically, called
'semi-automatic guns The new
briggs gun belongs to this latter class,
though it can at will be used as 4
hand working gun, fred as deliberate
ly as desired. Herein lies one of the
main advantages OF the piece.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

fore leaving Fort Sheridan, ILL.,, Gold
man received pass for twenty-four
hours, and when he returned to camp
he said he had gone to get married.
When the main column left Batangas.
Goldman, during the march, was
found to fall out on account of sore
feet. There were three or four 9th.
ers with him. At 1880 in the cvonina
the men were about a mile in the rear
of the column, but still doing theil
best to keep up their courage and join
the main commands in the advance
On the right of the road the column
passed fine line of trenches to ali
appearances vacated by the insur.
gents. halt was not made, as the
trenches We're of no value to the Am
orleans. About an hour after the
main column passed the trenches til,
small body of stragglers came along
tired, hungry and footsore They
saw the trenches. but kept on. ant
when about sixty PAGES beyond III.
agine their surprise to receive a we'll
directed volley from the rear. Til,
| first volley claimed Goldman Cor It'll
victim. bullet having struck hin
squarely in the back He sank to tn.
ground and soon passed away Tbs
| last words lie uttered were. On. my
wife The men stood the insurgents
off until the rear guard joined them
Poor Goldman was picked up and ca,
ried to the next town, where he was
buried by a squad detailed from she
dead soldiers command. They dug
grave under large tree. The gr&1t
finished the men lowered their con
rade into it. while Father Glea -
said few words of prayer. The 80!
dier's name and company were tieA
carved upon the tree, the grave Gov
cred, taps sounded. salute fired, anG
the order to double time given, Whit5
was necessary to join the column
which had not halted. In my Cos!
in the quartermasters department
have some things taken from hs
clothes of Goldman, which will be sen
to his relatives in America"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

The horizontal strands Of wire are
first attached to a post and threaded
through the several guides on the
weaving machine and continued to a
movable standard some distance fur
Their along. The several spools on this
fence machine are made to reyolve
around the guiding strands of wire,
the wire being automatically uncoiled
from them. After several revolutions
of the spools, produced by hand
wheel, the machine is numbered by
means of lever and moved back a
few inches further and the same opera
ton repeated. When sufficient
length of fence has been woven post
is placed in position and the wire
fence is attached to it, when the stand
ard carrying the foundation wires is
moved along for another length. This
machine has recently been developed
by Samuel Watson Of Indiana.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

the suns disk A large number Of
photographs have been taken of tie
horizontal rays on each SIDE of the
sun. These have the appearance CT
wings. The oriental, with his con-
slant observation OF the heavenly
bodies, saw this wonderful sight, and
it has been reproduced in the winged
disks of Babylon and Egypt. These
symbols OF the sun-god took their
origin from the observation of natural
phenomena, and the Hebrew people
We're perfectly acquainted with them
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

he proposes to accomplish by means
CT two tubular rigid supports, which
telescope one over the other and which
are rigidly fastened to the collar and
bride or bit respectively Geared in
this way the horse is at liberty to
stretch his neck in any direction he
may desire. but the most comfortable
position is that in which the head is
held erect
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
turtles ago, by the Flemish physician.

turtles ago, by the Flemish physician,
Van Helmont. In pot of earth
Weighing 200 pounds he planted a will
low branch weighing five pounds. He
kept the plant we'll watered, and in
five years the willow had gained 1914
pounds in weight, while the earth in
the pot had lost only two ounces. Van
Helmont inferred that the plants gain
was due only to the water which had
been supplied. Modern botanical sci
ence proves that the gain was, in
great measure, due to carbon absorbed
from the air.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
wire Fence weaving Machine.

Since the use of wire fences in one
form or another has become SO great
on our western plains, in Austria and
South Africa, the development of ma
chimes for their construction has been
brought to high state of perfection.
Our Illustration, which presents an
improved wire fence weaving machine,
shows quite clearly how strong and
serviceable fence may be constructed
in position very rapidly and cheaply.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

". comrades, We VINO gently steep
Meath the evergreens and snow,
"All's quiet" where, below the hill,
Potomac's waters flow.
AIS quiet at the front tonight,
And white the ground and chill;
For since the angel sounded taps,
The camp is wondrous still.
AIS quiet" here; the guns are
stacked,
The guidons all are furled
The lights are out, and while you
sleep
Peace rules your silent world.
So quiet, from no sentinel,
The challenge sharp l hear;
No clarion horn nor rafting drum
Proclaim the foe is near.
But yonder in perspective rise
Majestic shaft and dome
The more than queenly city, whence
The laws of freemen come.
To her your priceless sacrifice
Made sure for coming years,
The powers whose wide expanding
Thrills both the hemispheres
"All's quiet here; but millions, yon,
Awake the jubilee!
A race, with graceful song, recall
The price that made them free.
"All's quiet here; but through the
earth
Your deeds reverberate;
Inspiring peoples to arise
And nations to be great.
Hank! dimly come in undertone,
The rhythmic waves of sound,
From the cities to the silences
That in your camp abound.
They are the pulse and throb of life,
Which, like mighty sea,
Moves on resistless in it's sweep
To larger liberty.
And in that boundless life your deeds
Shall live forevermore
Till deeds of earth, like pillows .,.eall
On heavens eternal shore.
"All's quiet" comrades, and the SHOWS
That mantle you in white
Are whispering softly to your dreams.
Sleep peacefully tonight.
Softly we tread who marched with you,
So many years ago;
And, marching still, we're coming CT
To join you meath the snow.
For ~ ~ss 'o''s--~' l,mh and
| brow.
And SHOWS are on our head
That neer will melt until, for US,
/ The silent tents ae spread.
! Rev. DR.. c. o. Brown.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

The way in which the primitive Boer
lives at the front is very different from
the way in which the luxurious British
are installed. The latter are encamped
in well-made canvas tents, and, as is
we'll known, are looked after as to the
eommissariat department by the most
competent officers in the world. Field
Marshal Roberts has always made it a
point that Tommy Atkins should be
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

we'll taken care of and we'll fed. The
South African campaign has been no
exception to this rule. The manner in
which the fighting Boer, on the other
hand, ekes out an existence is entire
ly different and the accompanying pic
ture will perhaps show more clearly
than words just where this difference
is. The Boer scene shows a number
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

of Dom Paul's people bivouacking for
warriors are engaged in their evening
service of psalm singing and Bible
reading. The meagerness of their
camp supplies and the humbleness of
their quarters are in strange contrast
to the well-ordered and spick and span
camp of the English shown in the
smaller picture.-Inter Ocean,
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
Great Star Photograph.

At the Allegheny Observatory re-
Gently, Prof. Wadsworth made pho
tograph Oh a curved plate, including
the whole constellation OF Orion and
adjacent regions of the sky, covering
in all more than thousand square de-
grees. 1t is estimated that the plate
contains the images of more than 5O,-
600 stars, whose positions can be
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17
Winged ni.ks.

In total eclipse Of the sun, the
dark body of the moon shuts out from
the earth direct sunlight Then, lit
orally, the sun is turned into dark
ness" When the darkness is deepest,
a remarkable fringe Of glittering rays,
which we call the Corona" encircles
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

Ray Ames, private in the Thirtieth
regiment. writes to his father in Bay
City letter descriptive of the march
of the regiment to its present station
in Tayabas. P. l. In the letter he
says: "Let me tell you of the burial
of one OF our boys. as related to me
by Father Gleason. who delivered his
brief funeral sermon. A few days be-
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-05-17

Van Helmonss Experinent.
An illustration of thef new lights
which science throws ZION old ques
tions is the modern explanation Of an
experiment made nea49 three cen