davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
THE LITTLE roorHP,cKs.

When Shakespeare, In "All's Well
That Ends Well" makes one OF the per
sons say: richly suited, yet insult.
able" "Just like the brooch and tooth.
pick which wear not" Now he doubtless
thought the toothpick was thing Of
the past. But each successive age has
seen 1t flourish.
The dainty orange toothpick Of or.
ange wood or some wood equally light,
Is a great contrast to that of olden
times. In the sixteenth century tooth
picks were worn as ornaments. These
were Of various metals. In the time
of James l., Sir Thomas Overbury de-
scribes q man ''who wore toothpick
in his hat, cape cloke and q long
stocking"
In the museums Of Paris and London
there\ are specimens Of toothpicks Of
the early ages some of them clumsy
metal ones. and others marked a. II
they were badges of honor.
There seems to be no record as to
who first brought toothpicks to the
shores Of the new world. But there was
the same need Of caring for teeth hers
as elsewhere, and so the same need Of
the little instrument.
In the days of our grandfathers chill.
dren were trained to make quill tooth.
picks as well as quill pens, and It was
quite an accomplishment when per.
son could whittle either in good shape.
The old Romans used toothpicks made
from mastic wood. which was q tree
cultivated in the Levant principally
on the island Of Chios. This mastic
wood had bitter taste, 1t was an as
tringent and besides being good to
strengthen the teeth It had medicinal
qualities. In fact, was among the roots
and herbs Of the old-time medical prac,
tice.
In modern times the little toothpick
u put to many uses besides its original
one. We find the toothpick playing q
part in the preparation Of various dish
es for the table.
Pigs in blankets which are prepared
oy wrapping large oysters in the thin
aest possible coat of salt pork, have
these coats pinned together with q
clean toothpick before putting in the
over. Large Strawberries are sprinkled
over with powdered sugar, and tooth
pick stuck in each one so we may
handle the berry without soiling our
hands. Radishes, too, are cut to look
ike rose, and toothpick used for
stem. So housewives find many uses
Tor the toothpick.
Even the amateur photographer finds
40 more handy tool with which to help
IN handling the prints as he tones them
.nd gives them their numerous baths.
They are so cheap that they may be
Used as lavishly as one cares to do
Mary Joslyn Smith.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
lntemperanoe in England.

For about three months after my ar
:ival In London could not get warm.
{ knew that the people put on heavy
clothes and took great deal Of exer-
Use in lieu Of heating their houses as
we do, but the thickest clothes did not
suffice, and only few Americans know
now to work at athletics and business
At the same time. so that ehivered by
night and by day, and was made almost
II with the cold. said so to my bank
.r--the soberest. most orderly or men.
lays writer in Harpers Magazine.
How much whisky do you drink 2"
ne asked.
had not been drinking any.
GOOD heavens, mani! he exclaimed.
Come with me-" He took me to the
aearest public house and ordered
glass Of Scotch whisky for me. There.
said he. never let the middle of an aft.
arnoon pass without your having had a
glass of spirits. Take another before
you go to bed Others may prescribe
a greater quantity. and you must be
the Judge OF your own requirements,
but. mark me. you take two drinks
lay as have advised. or you'll be Ill;
ndeed,sI shouldn't wonder IL you died
It is impossible to live In this climate
without stimulants."
The drunkenness that results from
the strain Of the facilitating climate Is
worse than shocking to stranger The
crowds in the gin palaces. the prepon-
derance of poor women in the mass cs
drinkers, the drunkenness Of women
and the fact that liquor. which renders
men sodden. seems to make women era
zy-these, with the bedlam in the street
at the closing time Of the taverns each
night, are all noteworthy, though not
as nice as the eating habits of the peo-
Pile.
These same London poor beat their
wives. No one will deny 1t. At least,
they beat them, or fight with them, o,
get beaten by them-according to the
distribution Of strength in each mar
ried couple. The refrain Of the police
court chorus each day demonstrates
how much rum leads to fighting in the
homes. remember now that q clerk OF
the court told me that the poor are
reforming rapidly in this respect.
They throw things at each other
more and more. instead Of fighting.''
said he, but the point seems . smal,
one to me.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
WASTE on THE FARM.

Prof. Hacker Of Minnesota estimate:
that the farmers Of that state are los
ing annually $1s,000,000 because the,
do not know as much as they ought tt
know about feeding cows for dairy re
suits. He also estimates that they ar.
losing s17,o00,000 annually because they
are using the wrong COW.
Such great losses as these should b.
enough to arouse the Minnesota farmer.
to q realizing sense Of the reason VIII,
they are SO badly lacking in feeding
judgment and right cows.
All the creamery prizes in the worlt
will never take them out Of such 6
slump at the farm end of the business
Nothing but a strong resolution to b.
intelligent, by each farmer. a resolu.
ton to read more, to study the COW
and her feed more, will stop this fear,
full loss Of $S0.0O0,000 annually, that
might be earned II better judgmen,
and cows prevailed.
Prof. Hacker says further that hi
wants to see Minnesota the greatest
dairy state in the union, and to be fal
ahead Of any country in the world.
want to see." he says, "every COW in
the state, contributing milk to a cream.
cry or private dairy, receive a full bal.
anced ration every day in the year, and
want she should be bred to dairy
SIRE"
We hope Prof. Hacker will realize
his most extreme hopes. and we are
sure that the climate, the soil. the
water and the cows Of Minnesota can
all be made to fall into line, II only the
farmers will do so.
Prof. Hackers ideas are by no means
unreasonable. All that Is needed is that
every man in that state, that is keeping
cows shall come. up to the full stat
ure Of an intelligent dairyman. II
every COW owner will but spend a little
money. little time and little effort
to see the right thing and do the right
thing all this will come to pass
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
Girls az Farmers.

Fifty girls have taken up the study
Of scientific farming at the Minneapolis
College Of Agriculture, and If the inno-
walton shall prove successful it will
naturally spread to other agricultural
states. Heretofore one great drawback
to farming has been the difficulty Of
keeping the boys upon the farm. With
trained and educated girls taking up
the profession the old homestead farm
ing would take on new charm, and
the rush OF farmers sons to the cities
would be checked il not entirely done
away with.
The character Of instruction under
taken by the girls at the Minneapolis
college is thoroughly scientific, empha-
sizing the sciences of botany, chem,
stry, physics and geology. In speaking
about the course the other day, Prof.
II. w. Brewster, the principal Of the
school said:
"Our plan embraces work designed
not only to make boys more skillful
in planning and executing farm work,
and girls more sSillful in the work OF
the house, but also disciplinarian stu
lies and culture studies as well. Boys
and girls work together throughout
about two-thirds of the course, which
Includes work in languages, mathemat-
les, science. civics and considerable of
the technical work. But while the boys
are taking carpentry. blacksmithing
and veterinary science. the girls are
taking cooking, laundering and sewing.
Also. while the boys are giving closer
attention to some Of the business as
poets Of farming the girls are giving
attention to such subjects as household
art, home economy and domestic hy-
yiene.
1.-THE basis Of the work throughout
the course is scientific. Botany and
physiology are made the foundation for
all Of the technical work in plant and
animal life, chemistry for soil, fertiliza-
ton and culture, while physics enters
with reference to animal and vegetable
life cultivation and the use of machin.
cry.
In technical lines we emphasize
dairying, poultry, breeding and feeding
If animals. veterinary science, field
agriculture, fruit culture and forestry
Both in, our course of study and in the
general handling of the school we plan
to make both boys and girls learn to
oe interested in farming. farm life, the
farm house and farm society Both
boys and girls learn in their drawing
classes how to plan farm buildings and
how to lay out the grounds around
them. We give considerable attention
to the furnishing of houses to litera-
ture. music and social culture.
1.-THE general thought of the whole
course is to make the farm home the
most attractive spot on EARTH
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
DIFFICULT RHYMES.

You cant" says Tom to lisping Bill.
Find any rhyme for month";
"A great mithtake," was Bills reply,
I'll ind rhyme at onth."
There are certain words in the Eng
lish language which present almost In.
superable difficulties to the would-be
poet, and OF such words month"; 10
facile princeps and Orange" proxims
accessit. However, as in the above ex.
ample. certain Of the more inventive
have surmounted the difficulty, though,
it must be admitted, only by compound
Ing two words or distorting. splittine
and otherwise spelling one. Better than
most 10 Christina Rossettis example n
her Sing Song Nursery Rhymes:
How many weeks in month";
-Four as the swift moon runn'th.
This Is distinctly better than the e.
forts Of numerous lispers, who confess
their inability to rhyme month, altho
they could do 1t '.'wunth." Less grams
NAUTICAL, but more funny IL the univer.
sity mans attempt.
How SWEET It il to toll from month 70
month,
Working equations from ne-plus-onth.
Father Prout has left on record a fun
and frank confession of his inability
to find q rhyme for this difiicult word.
He says in long poem, which achieves
the rhymeless at the end OF every verses
We parted at the gate in June.
That soft and balmy month.
Beneath the sweetly beaming moon
and (wunth, hunth. bunth, sunth-
can't find q rhyme for month";.
Notwithstanding all these failures TO
find a perfect rhyme. however, there 10
one example which may be said to hit
the mark. It Id ascribed to w. 8. Gill
bert, and includes not only rhyme to
month. but also to orange. It runs:
From the Indus to Blorange
Came the rajah in a month, Ell
Sucking now and then his orange.
Counting all the while his Grunth.
This is the only perfect instance, and
even this 10 not perfect. for. though the
Irish River Blorange IL an absolute
AeASAAAS W OASA0Ct SSS ~ 40 = hAA0 Va
rhymeless blasphemy to pronounce the
name Of the Hindoo's holy book a. II
1t rhymed with month" It's real pro-
nunciation 10 "Grunt," but lest the
poor word under discussion should 80
forever minated. we may all admit
that the final III 10 no Just cause or
impediment, and that this is nc time to
talk Of proper pronunciations. A
There are many amusing attempts
with regard TO Orange" The following
IL good sample. It also includes the
lemon:
I gave my darling child a lemon
That lately grew its fragrant stem on,
And next. to givs her pleasure mors
range
offered her Juicy orange
Ana nuts-She cracked them In the door
hinge. London Standard
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

On many small farms. large meat and
bones and the like are found on the
backs of the kitchen stoves. where
they are allowed to dry out and char
perhaps. This makes them easy to
break up fine for the chickens. and
fowls will eat them readily, but it
should be known that the heating pro-
cess loses the bone Of its most valua-
BILE constituent, the heterogeneous COM
pounds. Better get a green bone cut
ter. There 10 no proper substitute.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

The little house that 10 my heart
] robbed Of treasure for his sake;
/ had been glad with more to part,
And he, I'm sure. with more to take
IRE had time TO miss my gold,
Love lightened at my door his load:
The little house can scarcely hold
The riches that he has bestowedl
Mary A. Mason In March Century
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

The litter on the floors Of the house
and scratching shed should be kne.
deep. and all grain should be scattered
in it. Don't be afraid of the grain being
wasted. The fowls will find each tiny
kernel.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

Fresh green bone is considered by
many q perfect food for hens. Some
farmers buy fresh meat all through the
summer and have more or less fresh
bone that could be probably ground
for the poultry II they had q mill. The
butcher who drives his wagon to your
door will also supply you plenty OF
bones at small cost.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

The light brahma is an excellent
fowl to breed, where one is wanted
which will not forage all over the place.
stratch everything inside out and man.
ufacture holes in the fences It never
flies, and q low fence will keep it with
In definite bounds. In feeding the large
Asiatic strains. particular care must be
given to cast their feed among plenty
of straw or litter in order to make them
exercise In finding it. In confinement
of any kind. their tendency is to be too
sluggish.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

Use board floors In all your houses
Dirt floors are dangerous and caus
many complaints that could be easil!
avoided.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

Lemon Juice and salt will remove ink
stains as well as those Of iron rust.
fresh milk and salt are good to uss
Upon fabrics that acid would fade. The
application must be made before the
article Is washed in water.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

Do not crowd the fowls in their win
ter quarters. 1t is better to give to-
much rather than too little room.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

If the flock is kept confined, the food
must include meat or scraps. Wheat
and barley are good grain. but vari-
ETY. should be given. and good way to
do this is to mix several kinds and let
them pick out what they want. Hens
are early risers and want to be fed
as soon as they come down from the
roost. See that they are well supplied
with clean water and box of ashes
or dry earth to dust themselves in. To
keep of lice soak the roosts with kero-
sene. and with garden syringe throw
hot lime wash all over the inside Of
the building.-Feather.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

Many successful poultry raisers feed
large amounts Of clover hay during the
winter. when succulent food is scant.
The usual preparation is to cut very
fine and at night sprinkle well with
polling water. By morning 1t will be
soft and ready for feeding, and will be
mighty relished by fowls. It is a highly
nitrogenous food and can be fed with
advantage every other day. Some poul-
trymen mix corn meal with it; this
practice gives complete food, the corn
furnishing the carbohydrates or fat
producing element of the food.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

/ Pullets are commencing to lay. Good
comfortable houses and substantial feet
will keep them at it through the win
ter.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
POULTRY POINTERS.

sunfiower seed is splendid for fowls
during mott. 1t adds luster to the
plumage.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

senator Jones OF Nevada has been
Informed By the manager Of his gold
ninss in Cost Rico that = valuable lead
has bssn found on the property.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
HOUSEHOLD HINTS,

Always dredge cake with flour be-
oiN icing is put on; afterward place in
lewarm oven to harden.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

Busy flower lovers will find the fol-
owing short list from Meehan's Month
y valuable as representing plants that
ire easily cared for: no house plant can
,e considered lazy mans plant; all
mould have some daily attention. but
.hese mentioned bear UP well under ad-
rerse circumstances. Rubber plant, both
sariegated and green: dracaena, varie-
gated and green; cypripedium insigne,
! satisfactory species Of lady's slipper
,rchid, the flowers Of which last from
rour to six and eight weeks; Chinese
,rimulas; begonias, umbrella plant, OF
:yperus, in several kinds; geraniums;
oeperom.a, ardisia. cyclamen. Ophi-
,pogan japonica. Pandanus utilis. Linz
ting the number to sufficient for plac.
ng around in rooms in houses Of aver.
age size the suggestions are suff1cien,
With the addition Of the interesting
Dutch bulbs. such as hyacinths. etc
Palms, Of course, are indispensable
though somewhat burdensome to clean
when attacked by scale.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

The best time for taking a bath Is
lust before going to bed. There is no
practice more Objectionable than to go
90 bed closely wrapped up in the dust
and dirt that accumulate on the surface
IT the body during the day; nor is there
anything know Of so conducive to
sound sleep as a tepid douche just be-
fore getting into bed. I have many
times known bad sleepers to become
the best Of sleepers from the adoption
Of this simple rule. .:;11Ar
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

One Of the small but essential points
p the roasting of meats, aften neglect
ed or not understood by the average
xitchen priestess, is that hot fat, rather
than hot water, should be used to haste
Them. Start the fat of the roast with q
little butter or good drippings, and
then depend upon the juices to continue
the process. 1t should be remembered,
too, that all roast meats need hot
oven to start with. Afterward the heat
should be tempered.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

One Of the most important things
about good farming that most of us
nave to learn is to avoid waste. We
pay taxes on land that we do not farm;
we only half cultivate our fields and so
waste both labor and land; we leave a
large percentage of the crop in the
aeld, we waste time and capital in rails
ng inferior animals; we waste energy
IN trying to do more than one man can
DO right; we waste money in buying
what we should raise ourselves; we
waste opportunities to improve our con-
attion by staying away from Institutes
and fairs and by neglecting to read pa
GERS; we waste-in a thousand ways,
and then we are ready to say farming
ion't pay" And it is no wonder.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

On account Of its extreme earliness
Is paragus always sells we'll and main
aims a strong market value. Every
thrifty market gardener will find an
scre or more Of it one Of his best in
'estments. For the family garden, too,
t Is one of the indispensables. 1t is a
vegetable that keeps growing more in
avor and paying better every year.
There is no easier vegetable to grow,
snd beds when once established If pro-
Ierly tended yield more and pay better
.ch season. AS long distance shipping
vegetable it ranks among the very best.
The plain truth is this-it makes money
or the grower, yields profit for the
oiddleman. and. most Of all. pleases
he consumer.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03

It IL useful to know that dry mustard
an admirable antiseptic, useful be-
.ause it is easily procured. A physi-
ian contributes to medical journal
he statement that If, after an autop-
y, he washes his hands we'll in paste
II soap and mustard flour, rubbing 1t
thoroughly into the icrevices and cracks
II the nails and hands with the aid of
I nail brush, he feels no hesitation in
Undertaking an operation with no other
.,recaution. II the hands tinge smartly,
t may be assumed that the mustard
Ill has done its antiseptic work. He
las also tested 1t as deodorizer. and
inds that 1t will remove oven the per-
heating and closely clinging smell OF
odoform.
The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-11-15

He was big Irishman and his name
was Pat. He was fixing the telephone
wires and whistling to himself as h<
worked. Just then milk boy came
driving down the street, and Pat mace
a fatal mistake. Instead Of attending
to his own business he tried to wors
and watch the reckless driver at the
same time. The consequence was tina,
he did neither. What he did do was
to lose his footing. There was a cry OF
horror from the bystanders below
echoed by lusty yell from above.
Every breath was suspended and
then shout of relief went up from the
crowd. Pat had made frantic dive
for the wire and had caught 1t.
Hold on, Pat" shouted someone who
knew him. I'VE will get you down
somehow"
Then a wave Of horror swept oveI
the crowd. The man suspended be
tween the earth and heaven suddenly
loosened his hold and fell backward
striking the ground with a sickenine
thud.
''He is deadv' groaned the crowd, and
men covered their faces from the sight
But he wasn't. When Pat came to
and sat up dizzily, trying to realize thai
he was once more on terra firma, some
one said to him:
what did you let go for, Pat7 Why
didn't you hold on little whilelongerT
BE jabers!" replied Pat earnestly
"Oi was afraid the wire would break!
Parsons Weekly.
The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-11-15
Small but Very Strong.

The humming bird flies as the Irish
man played the fiddle-by main
strength-the frigate. bird relies on his
skill in taking advantage of every vary
ing current Of air, and the skeleton of
the one indicates great muscular power,
while that of the other shows its alb
sence. No other bird has such proper
tionately great muscles as the hum
ming bird, the keel Of the sternum or
breastbone from which these muscles
arise runs from one end of the body to
the other, while at the same time 1t
projects downward like the keel Of a
modern racing yacht. These muscles
drive at the rate Of several hundred
strokes a minute pair of small, rigid
wings, the outermOst bones of which
are very long, while the innermost are
very short, feature calculated to give
the greatest amount of motion at the
tip of the wing with the least move
ment Of the bones of the upper arm, to
which the driving muscles are attached.
Another peculiar feature is that the
outermost feathers, the fight feathers
or primaries, are long and strong, while
the innermost, those attached to the
forearm, are few and weak; 50 far as
fight is concerned, the bird could dis
pense with these secondaries and not
feel their loss. Finally the heart,
which we may look upon as the boiler
that supplies steam for this machin-
cry, is large and powerful, as is neces-
sary for such high-pressure engine as
the little humming bird.-Popular Sci
ence Monthly.