davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
"sALAMANoERs."

Curious Little Rodents Found in the
Southern "Piney Woods"
In many places in the extreme South.
ern States, especially in what are To-
cally known as the "piney woods" one
of the most notable features are the
constantly recurring mounds of yellow
sand which everywhere dot and, 1t must
be confessed, disfgure the monotonous
landscape, says Popular Science Month
~. These piles Of earth are usually
nearly circular in form, fairly symmet-
rfcal in contour, from six inches to two
feet in diameter and, save where they
have been beaten down by rain or
winds or the trampling of cattle, about
half rs high us they are broad. Often
these sand heaps are pretty evenly dis
tributed, sometimes so thickly as to
cover at least one-fourth Of the soil sur
face. If you ask a native the cause of
this singular phenomenon, which you
will perhaps at first be disposed to con-
slider kind of arenaceous eruption
which has somehow broken out on the
face Of nature. your informant will
sententiously reply "Salamandersp'
All this Disagreement is, indeed. the
work of curious little rodent, popu-
larly SO named and about the size and
color Of IN ordinary rat. He Is never
seen above ground IL he can possibly
help It, He digs innumerable branch
ing underground tunnels at depths va
rying from one to six feet, and these
mounds of sand are simply the dump
heads" which, in his engineering oper-
atoms, he finds 1t necessary to make.
After carrying the excavated earth
to the surface this cautious little miner
takes the greatest pains to cover up
his tracks. No opening into his burrow
Is left. How he manages to so care
fully smooth over his little sand mound
and then literally pull the hole in after
him." is as yet unexplained.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

forward and looking across the broad
cxpanse Of water before her, was a
beautiful girl. in the flush Of her youth
and beauty.
I, In the wheelhouse stood a young
man, second mate Of the ship, looking
at Mabel vane. He was young. with q
bold, manly face. curling brown hair
and beard md speaking gray eyes-a
man, In grace Of person, manly beauty
and pure heart-a man worthy Of the
name. He WINS only a sailor. and had
risen to his present rank from cabin
boy. but yet he dared to love the daugh-
ter Of the East Indian millionaire, Ar
thur Vane.
he loved her and had no hope-loved
her as we worship star which is far
beyond our reach. Nothing was fur
Their from his thoughts than to insult
her by telling her that he loved her; but
to be near her, to see her often. per-
haps to do some service which would
win smile from her-that was reward
enough for VIII Clay.
She never dreamed of his alteration;
and he had heard her say among her
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

their only diet was bread and water
the entrance fee was not exorbitant.
The primitive cabins of the Bernard
ines yet exist and are yet occupied, al
though n more imposing edifice has
grown up around them.
At every few steps in the convent
hangs some inscription in huge black
letters which contains the word
Death" 1t Is impossible to forget for
one moment ones Inevitable destiny.
"Are you prepared? This hour may be
your last. Reflect on dcath' is sam
pie of the inscriptions. Another one
that noticed was to this effect: "That
you may not sin because you have
beautiful hair, cut 1t of. Beautiful
eyes and beautiful face have caused
much sin. Detest them, and think
about Death.'
The nuns cemetery is within the
convent enclosures and is the fayorlte
resort Of the Bernardines. Here they
promenade, praying for the dead, and
at 4 o'clock every day each one digs a
shovelful of earth from her own grave.
AS the Bernardines are vowed never to
speak word, the Servants of Mary at
tend to all of their necessities for them.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
grounds. Inside the globe, electric ele-
vators and broad staircases conduct

grounds. Inside the globe, electric ele-
vators and broad staircases conduct
visitors to a second sphere (110 feet In
diameter) representing the center Of
the plnneary system. The sun, the
moon, the stars and the wandering
comets are visible, while in the center
may be seen the earth diameter, %
feet, slowly revolving on Its axis.
There is room for 100 persons on this
miniature earth. They will travel from
west to east receiving the impression
of the diurnal rotation. To these spec
tators the stars appear to rise in the
east and set in the west. The moon
moves around the earth, presenting its
usual monthly phases. The phenom-
enon Of the eclipses are visible. All
these celestial movements are accom-
plished with scientific precision.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25


There are several kinds of ducks
reared for market, but 1t is the most
profitable one which should be chosen.
Fancy often stands in the way of this
matter Of profit. The poultry keeper
Is too npt to look at his fowls through
the spectacles Of fancy. and If his
birds please his fancy. he has plenty
of excuses to make for defects. But
this Is not business, and when it is the
money coming in which is left to tell
the story, the tale is quite different. AS
regards ducks, especially, there is q
great difference in the kind and breed.
Kind Is distinguished from breed here
for the reason that there are many
kinds, good, bad, and Indifferent, and
shades between, of every breed; and
sometimes 1t is true that n breed gains
or suffers through the management.
But figures won't lie. unless they are
forced to by too much pressure. And
honest figures prove distinctly that
there are ducks which surpass others
In relation to breed. Fancy goes long
way, and SO each country seems to
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
The Adjective.

A writer in Longman's Magazine
says that everybody nowadays in prose
or poetry claps on an adjective to every
noun. 1t degrades the adjective and
enervates the noun.
Then, too. there are host of vulgar.
oyerdressed people introduced into our
company, whom we, the old-fashioned
adjectives, hardly "strenu-
Gus" "intense," weird" fiery" sym.
pathetic" splendid. secure, '"naiye, !"
impressive" poignant" mostly at
tached, too, to the wrong nouns.
There are too many adjectyes, and
they carry too much sail, like Delilah.
bedecked, ornate and gay.
l noticed, as an instance the other
way, a criticism in u French review of
the academlcian sea-captain who calls
himself Pierre Lott, whose style is so
defeated that he seldom or never uses
an adjective more startling than
good" bad" green" red" dark"
Eight" and SO on; and yet SO orders
his sentence that the adjective shines
out like rose on a brier-bush.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

have Its best variety. The English
choose the Aylesbury, the French the
Rouen, but ON this continent, having
no special national bird, we choose
that which makes the most money.
And by the general verdict of those
who keep ducks for profit in large
quantities, the Pekin is the best of all
breeds for money-making. Experience
has shown that this duck makes ten to
twelve pounds the pair at the same
age at which the Rouen duck weighs
eight pounds to the pair, which under
the best management is when ten to
twelve weeks old, and with precisely
the same consumption of food. This
duck is sufficiently strong-skinned to
dress without tearing, and has no dark
pinfeathers to blemish its appearance
at the market age us the Rouen has.
On every large duck farm where thou
sands are reared every year for mar
ket, the Pekin is universally the kind
kept.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
FLOOR PLANS,

stories are: No cellar; first story, 91s
feet; second story, So feet. The floors
throughout are Of select fencing floor
ing, we'll seasoned and dry when laid.
The doors are all stock made. The out
side doors are ~ inches thick, all in
terror doors 1% inches thick, all princi-
pal doors having transoms over them.
All windows are hung with weights.
Inc plaster1ng rs Of thrrc-cvu+ -rorl.-e e
best materials and workmanship. The
interior finish for the entire house is
Of white pine, finished natural color.
A sink and drain table are placed In
the kitchen. The hardware Is Of the
best quality and workmanship
throughout. The painting outside is
three-coat work, done in best manner,
of best materials. hand-mixed, Of col
ors selected to harmonize with sur
roundings.-E. A. Payne.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
How to Locate Henhouses.

Poultry houses should not be located
on the north side of clump of ever
green trees or to the north of buildings
that will shut off the supply of sun
shine in the winter time. Sunshine
should be present at all times of the
day; its salutary effect will be remark
able. In the summer time the fowls
naturally get all the sunshine they
want without our help, but at this time
of year we must give them our help.
Sunshine will keep the air dry, and
will, to some extent, neutralize the
moisture constantly being thrown off
from the lungs of the fowls. A few
good-sized windows on the south side
will prove of immense value.-Farm-
erS' Review.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

shown, with their AD'usTAnIE oALks.
ends bent up into hooks so as to engage
with the shoe. AS both bars are of
shorter length than the largest diam
eter of the shoe, 1t is evident that they
can readily be held in place with a
bolt and nut in the manner shown.
Wedge-shaped calks are fastened in
tapering holes formed in the bars, the
location of the holes being directly
over the iron shoe, SO that they cannot
accidentally be driven through into the
hoOf.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Watering Stock,

If one figured up the time spent ev.
cry year or every winter in driving
cattle quarter of mile to the brook
and back again, twice or even once a
day, and computed 1t n fair price for
labor, and then added to 1t the value of
the milk lost and the extra food con-
sumed to keep up the system to its
normal temperature, he would find
that from even few cows it would
not take long to reach the cost of a
good cistern, or some other method of
having the water right in the yard, or
even in the stallsiso that the cattle
could drink without man or beast CO.
ing out of doors.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Cost of Fatteninp cattle.

A fat steer of 1000 pounds weight is
said to have in it 500 pounds of water,
about twenty-five pounds of nitrogen,
eighteen pounds of phosphoric acid and
two pounds Of potash. To buy this
nitrogen to return to the soil it would
cost about $3.50, and the phosphoric
acid would cost about 81. In selling
such an animal raised on the farm and
farm products about $4.5n worth of fer
tilizing material is taken. If bran, lin
seed meal or other grain is bought to
feed it, more than this would probably
be added to the farm, and it would be
growing richer, while if the hay and
grain 1t consumed had been sold off the
farm, 1t would have been robbed of
much more.-Amerlcan Cultivator.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
A Benefactor.

James," whispered the good wom-
an, there is a burglar in the parlor.
He stumbled against the piano in the
dark. heard several Of the keys
struck"
"Alt rightr' said James. "pll go
down"
ooh! James, you're not going to do
anything rash?"
Certainly not I'm going to help
him. You don't suppose he can get that
piano out of the house without assist
ance, do you?"-Philadelphia Press.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Eonthau Duelia1a

A duel has recently taken place at
Paris between two football men, the
captains of rival teams, who had quar-
relied on the field during the progress
of game. Unlike most French duels.
which are innocuous. both combatants
received severe wounds in the arms
and shoulders,
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
A sevEN.RooM COTTAGE.
Convenient and Roolny House at a Cost
- Not to Exceed $1,000.

convenient ana Kooiny House at q Cost
Not to Exceed $1,000.
On every side we see in the pictur-
esque homes that dot the landscape the
result Of education In architecture, for
the man who ten years ago would have
been satisfied with a plain, square
house has now seen examples Of what
can be done in designing neat, con-
venient and roomy, yet cheap cottage.
The plan here offered has four rooms
downstairs and three above, besides
the accessories, such as n pantry, en-
tries and closets, and a large attic
over the kitchen, which could be fin
ished and made n good room IL neces-
sary. 1t has been erected and fully
finished complete in Carthage, ILL.,, at
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

Eggs for Matching should be gathered
almost every hour during the day, says
a poultry writer in the Homestead.
When the egg is laid 1t is in its high
est state of freshness. If left in the
nest and one hen after another permit
ted to sit upon 1t the heat will start in
cubation, and If it is exposed to lower
temperature afterward, the germ is
killed and the egg decays. This is one
cause of SO many spoiled eggs that is
not generally known or needed by poul-
trymen. If the weather is cold tley
should be gathered often to prevent
them chilling. The cold may not be so
much as to actually freeze an egg, but
it may be cold enough to chill it so 1t
will not hatch. An egg is not frozen
SO as to crack the shell until the Their
mometer reaches 10 to 10 degrees,
which is point lower than should be
reached in any poultry house. After the
eggs have been gathered they should
be kept at about a temperature Of 60
degrees and never be subjected to any
lower temperature than about 40 for
safety.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
packcrs in Poultrx Business.

The poultry trade views with alarm
the giant strides made by the big pack
ing firms, meaning the Swift and Ar
mour companies, toward control Of
what has ben for many years profit
able business. These concerns have
for year or more been making large
additions to the capacity of their poul-
try packing plants, and. further than
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
How to Get Rid Of che Surplus.

There are just two ways to get rid of
the surplus that is so rapidly piling up
In the national treasury. One is by
repeating some of the war taxes. The
other is by authorizing the deepening
Of the sacks of the campaign contribu-
tors that now have access to the treas
ury and by licensing few more con-
tributors and few more extra large
sacks, Mr.. McKinley's great heart
beats warmly for the first plan. 1t is
therefore not unlikely that his perverse
hand will push on the second plan.-
New York World.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
/ that she liked him better than

friends that she liked him better than
any other officer on board the Gray
Eagle. She said 1t in the careless way
OF girlhood, and yet he treasured 1t in
his heart. Standing there, watching the
course Of the ship and ready to give a
word Of warning to the wheelsman II
1t were needed, he never took his eyes
from her long.
.'Air. Clay" said the man at the wheel
as he gave 1t half turn and rested
there. don't you smell smoker"
''It comes from the galley"
Perhaps SO. but what are they burn
ing rosin in the galley for2"
"Rosin," cried viii. raising his head
quickly and smiling the air. He caught
the peculiar smell himself and leaped
down from the wheelhouse. Keep
steady" he whispered to the man at
the wheel. "There may be danger, but
II there is, for Gods sake, keep 1t
quiet"
The man nodded quietly and took
flrmer hold on the wheel. viii Clay
crossed the deck without apparent
haste, and yet with a fearful fear tug
cling at his heart. He caught sight of
the captain coming out of the gentle
mems cabin and hurried up to him.
..There is something wrong" he
whispered. Don't you smell burning
rosin, captain?"
rha old son cantain sunnressaa o,,,
~ horror. with fifty nassenpars ~,
hoord IN the midst Of the Ind,on
Ocean FAR from land. N fire was ono -. -
the most horrible things which could
come mon a ship. ~
zoo forward and investigator 10
said In n low tone, "If Won And +bat
q "a a fire. you know what to do. How
are the boatsT'
"All right, sir; you may trust to
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Not All Tary.

"Can you tell me who Ananlas wasp"
asked the old man of the proprietor of
the book store.
"Of course can" was the reply. HE
was the champion liar of the world at
one time. Did anyone call you Ana
nias?"
"Yes, sir. Yes, called me Ananias;
and durn my buttons If didn't think
he was giving me a bushel of praise.
Next man calls me Ananias won't know
what house fell on him" Washington
Post.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

Lime is excellent on the onion bed.
as 1t assists in destroying worms. 1t
will also serve to make the manure
more available. The onion seems to
grow 90 the top of the ground entirely,
but it sesss out roots far and deep, and
is one OF the heaviest feeders of the
soil known. The land can not be too
rich for onions.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

cred and slippery
governments has CIV
en- inventors an at
tractive problem. One
solution offered is an
adjustable calk that
can be fastened to
the shoe temporarily
and which can read
lily be resharpened at
will. 1t consists Of
two bars, b mt as
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

1t is said that cowbells are produced
only in four factories In the United
States, and are made just the same as
they were 100 years ago. and sound the
same. There are ten sizes,
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Shire M,ro

The Shire mare Hendre Crown Prin-
cess was sold by Lord Vantage, few
weeks ago, at public auction in Eng
land for $500, phenomenal price for
a draft mare. She was got by Prince
Harold, one of the most promising
breeding horses in England, and her
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
MY SECRET.

When first assurance came to me
That thy dear heart was mine,
4 wandered forth upon the leu
Alone, lest all the world should see,
My secret SO divine.
But ah, the world has passed nue. by,
Nor read the secret, dear;
The poor old world, SO dim OF eye,
30 dull Of ear, 'twere vain to try
To make my feelings clear,
To those who cannot know as
Thy heart when love draws near.
New York Home Journal.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

this, they are represented to be now
reaching out for mastery over the
chicken producing territories of Kan
sas. Missouri, Illinois and the North
west. The margin of profits in the poul-
try-packing business has been good for
those who operate on comparatively
small scale, and it is no wonder that
these two big packing firms should I'M
dertake to monopolize field for which
they have exceptional facilities in mat
tiers of transportation, storing and mar
ket-reaching.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

dam is by President. Her list Of hon
ors won in the show-ring is long one
and includes first prize and gold medal
at the Royal Show held at Birming-
ham. She was brought out in great
bloom the day she was sold and elected
the keenest competition.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
"A SAILORS LOVE.

he Gray Eagle
W e MT on her
course, parting
the waves of the
Indian Ocea n.
She was a packet
steamer in the
e m ploy Of a
great E nglis b
company, and
carrie d many
p a 8 s en- g e rs.
Among t b Sc,
standing on the
rrOuoonodo 1oC1r
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

Even as spring water seems warm
in the winter and delightfully."- cool in
summer, although 1t is at practically
the same temperature the season
through, SO, also, land that Is well
drained will be warm enough for the
termination of the seed earlier in the
spring than undrained soil, and in the
hot days Of summer it will not get as
undrained land would, so hot as to
parch and dry up the roots of tender
plants. The spring water is hot or
cold by comparison with the atmos-
phere, but the ground is made warm
and dry in the spring by Its porous con-
dition, which allows cold water to
drain away and the warmer air to pen
citrate into 1t, and that same porous
ness in summer enables cool water to
be drawn up from below when hot
winds blow overit. These are among
the advantages of a well-drained soil,
Value of Good Pasture.
An English writer tells that in an
experiment made there one acre of
rich pasture made a gain Of 500 pounds
of beef on steers fed there for six
months. On cattle Of same age and
nearly same size, stall fed, it took $500
pounds of clover hay, 1000 pounds
corn and oil meal and 10000 pounds of
Swede turnips to make the same gain.
The pasture was called good enough
to have cut about 31a tons Of hay il 1t
had been mown, but even then the pas
ture feed was cheap. Very few here
would pasture field as rich us that,
and we are not sure it would be econ
omy here, but we are very sure that 1T
would be profitable to try to make
some Of the pastures grow more grass
than they did.-Exchange.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Ear1y Plants for the Garden.


Those who have an incubator brooder
may have a green house ON small but
effective scale. Dig hole in the ground
large enough to admit the brooder in
some sunny sheltered spot, bank pit
on north side eighteen inches high and
have tight wood or canvas cover for
use at night and stormy weather. The
brooder is placed in this pit and the
opening to the sun is closed. Three
inches of good garden soil is placed In
the broodcr. The seeds are planted
in this soil and the proper temperature
maintained by means of the boiler
heated by lamp. A thermometer win
be used to test the heat. One can raise
their early garden plants in this way
with but little expense and less labor
than the old-fashioned method of
planting seeds in boxes placed in the
kitchen.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
GREAT CELESTIAL GLOBE.

One OF the Many Side Shows at the
Paris Exposition.
The Celestial Globe" is a side show
at the Paris exhibition. It is sphere
145 feet in diameter, and surrounded
by terrace 200 feet above the ground.
The exterior Of this immense globe is
decorated with astronomical and myth
illogical figures, which, being illumin-
ated at night from the interior, will be
visible from all parts Of the Exposition
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
The Indcpendcnt Farmer.


Some of the Western farmers who
make speciality of one crop, whether
1t is grain, beef, cattle or hogs, or ex-
tensive orchards, are inclined to sneer
at the small farms and garden patches
of the Eastern States, and often the
Eastern farmer envies the man who
can sell thousands of dollars worth at
one time, but 1t is the small farmer
with n few acres and diversified farm
ing who is really the Independent
farmer. He grows vegetables and
fruits for his own use, has milk and
butter in plenty. fattens his beef and
pork, and perhaps mutton, and abun-
dance of poultry and eggs, and If every
railroad in the country is blockaded he
is in no danger of starvation.-Ameri-
can Cultivator.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Keeps Horse from Shining.

The necessity of keeping horses
shoes sharpened in winter weather to
enable him to keen his feet on ice.coy-
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

There is a young man who sails a
steamer from London to Alexandra,
whose name is Will Clay, and he is
married. The name of his wife is Ma
bel, for Arthur Vane, having found a
man." knew how to make him all his
own.-Exchange.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25

The male mosquitoes do not bite, but
live upon the juices of aowers aud
plants,