davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
HOW is THIS CROP COMING
ON?

We do not refer to the corn or the
oats or the hogs or any of your farm
crops as usually named. We mean the
crop Of boys and girls in the farm
home, the crop which too many farm
ers give the least attention to. Now,
see here, my friend, you have a just
right to feel proud of that fine team of
horses which you have raised or that
275 pound 6-month-old pig or that year
ling steer which turns the scales at
LOO pounds or that crop Of corn
which averaged up IS bushels to the
acre OF the county or state fair premi-
um which you won on some of your
farm products, but if you are raising in
your home three or four i'll hammered,
uncouth- and ignorant boys and girls
you are making the biggest kind of a
tizzlc of your agricultural work. 1t is
a pity, but it is all too true, that there
are men who give the hogs, COWS and
horses on their farms infinitely better
care and attention than they do their
boys and girls. Never forget that the
future progress of this republic de-
ponds almost wholly upon the kind of
boys and girls raised in Americas farm
homes
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
NOT A pa1RY IrEM.

1t may be said that this is not strict
~ an agricultural item, but it has, aft
er all, no little to do with many a
mans success on the farm. What we
want to say Is this: Young man, don't
select as Your wife young lady, no
matter how sweet, accomplished and
pretty she may be, who is weak and
sickly or whose ancestry is tainted
with some hereditary disease. 1t is al
most needless to point out the pitiful
fate of the young invalid wife in the
farm home. The place is hard enough
fcs the physically perfect woman, Then
there is another phase to this matter
best stated perhaps by saying bluntly
that because of physical weakness and
infirnity or because of hereditary faint
some people should never marry at all
The children of the future have God
given right at least to be well born. In
selecting wife use little good sense
on the line indicated. The girls can
read and transpose this item also.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
THE BUSINESS WIFE.

Not few men are fortunate in hav-
Ing q wife with business turn of
mind and are relieved of not a little
care and responsibility by letting the
wife do the buying for the family.
Such woman will always spend mon
ey more advantageously than a man,
will make dollar go much further.
Other women have no knack this way
and always depend upon the husband
to buy all that is needed unless it is
the baby's clothes. Girls should be bet
ter educated along this line. To know
how to prudently spend and care for a
dollar is worth more to a girl than to
be able to paint red dog on piece of
yellow canvas or twang the strings of
q mandolin.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

locksmith's. In the present instanco,l
however, the cha. sc SC had occurred,
somewhat earlier th,ln schedule time.
Certainly, certainly" repeated Rev.
ben, and he produced his roll of bills.
The account was paid and q receipt
duly given.
Zone of our boys will carry your bag
to the safe deposit company for you,"
suggested Stanton That's the safe
way. You walk right behind him and
see that nobody gets away with your
money"
"All right" said Reuben; much
obliged"
sharp faced boy took the bag. and
Reuben after wishing Stanton and the
accountant "many happy returns of the
day." pleasantly which they seemed
not to fully understand. walked out of
the Office on two legs that felt as fit to
support mans body as two wet tow
els.
1--WE got the brains Of swindler,"
said Reuben as he tottered down the
stairs, "but haven't got the nerves
nor the legs"
AS he passed out Of the building he
saw countryman entering, just such
another as himself.
Suckers are plenty today" said Reu-
ben, chuckling.
At the first cross street Reuben made
hasty escape. leaving the boy to pro-
coed wherever his fancy or his orders
might take him. A cab presented itself
most opportunity. and RUDE Walker Of
Tunkhannock, Pa, limp, dripping and
SO dry in the throat that his breath
made rustling sound, was conveyed
to the Fifth Avenue hotel, the first
whose name came to his mind as he
was entering the cab.
He dared not open the bag till he had
reached his room, but he suffered ago
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
SPARE THE HAWKS

Facts go to prove that hawks of all
kinds are friends of the farmer, yet the
sight of hawk on the premises is nine
times out of ten signal for some one
to get q gun and shoot it or the discov-
cry of Il hawks nest in the big timber
certain sign that the farmers boys
will rob 1t. 1t is true that the hen
hawk will sometimes make raid on
the poultry yard, but this very rarely
happens. On the other hand. it is
working hard IA hours day through
the summer season to clean the farm
er's fields CT gophers. rabbits and mice.
The hawk is not nearly SO destructive
to bird life as the crow and never like
the crow, destroys the nests of other
birds. Unless actually taken III the act
of carrying off the poultry the hawk
should never be molested
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
EARN wArnRwopKs.

Every well arranged farm should
have small system of waterworks, a
supply of water under pressure for use
In washing off the buggy and the tired
and dirty horses, for irrigating the
flower beds and the strawberry patch.
Wherever there is a windmill small
tank can be put up and the mill made
to fill 1t. Thirty dollars will buy tank
and piping to thus fit out any ordinary
farm home. A pipe should run from
the tank to the kitchen and for eight
months in the year, when most water
is needed, would give the housekeeper
supply of water in the house without
going out to the well for it.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Cowpeas, equal in fertilizing value
with clover as soil renovator, have
been grown in the south for $50 years.
With the urgent demand all through
the grain growing sections Of the west
for plants rich in protein and at the
same time nitrogen gatherers and dis
tributers why should this cowpea be
confined to the territory south Of Ma
son and Dixon's line? Peas, beans and
clover have maintained the fertility of
English farms for centuries.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Ii there was range of mountains
5000 feet in height stretching across
the Mississippi valley from east to
west in the vicinity of Cairo, Ills, the
now fruitful and productive northwest
would be an arid desert. AS it is the
moisture laden clouds from the gulf Of
Mexico pass from the gulf unobstruct-
ed up through the entire trough of this
great valley and make it one of the
best watered and most productive
areas of land in the wide world.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

We noted recently with much pleas
ure the efforts Of T-year-old boy at
garden making. He had no assistance
and was left to plan out and plant his
garden, a patch rod square, just as he
pleased. He had 1t all divided up into
little beds, upon which he had growing
corn, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, mel
ons, peas, radishes and lettuce. BE
carefully hoed his garden and did not
let weed get started and carried wa
ter long distance in little tin pail to
water 1t. We doubt IL he will ever feel
prouder during his life than he did
when he showed us his fresh peas.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

A pickle factory which cost the peo-
pie of the little town where it is locat-
ed $1,000 as bonus to secure has lain
idle for several years because the
farmers in the vicinity will not raise
cucumbers at 40 cents a bushel to
keep 1t running. Where farmers make
their money raising corn and hogs and
keeping COWS they do not generally
take kindly to special crops, such as
cucumbers, sugar beets and the like.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Comparing tract Of heavy forest
timber and the groves, shade trees and
shrubbefy found around and upon the
home lots Of thickly populated town,
we find that most of our birds prefer
the latter for home to the denser and
heavier native timber. The robins,
grosbeaks, catbirds, blue jays, brown
thrushes. orioles and fycatchers are
seldom seen in the heavy timber, while
they swarm in all our towns and vii
lagos. Possibly the fact that IL, the
towns they are exempt from the at
tacks Of crows, squirrels, hawks and
owls may have something to do with
this fact, and then 1t may be that they
and greater abundance OF food.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

1t was not verSenuch of house that
this man had on his farm; neither were
his barns and outbuildings such as to
attract favorable attention, yet every
one who drove by his place noted and
commented upon the fact that he kept
the highway bordering his farm neatly
moved, which thing did more than he
was aware of to set off his farm and
stamp him as an enterprising and pub
lie spirited citizen.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

England is now receiving each day
not less than 1900 tons of dead meats
from foreign countries. Improved
processes CT handling meats have made
the meat of all the faraway countries
tributary to her markets. Sheep and
cattle in Argentina, which but a few
years ago We're slaughtered by the mil
lion for their hides and tallow, are now
artistically dressed and delivered by
thousands Of tons on the London mar
ket
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

A new tool pertaining to farm work
offered this season has been the wire
less corn planter. Theoretically it was
a good thing, practically it proved a
failure, as it could not adapt itself to
all conditions.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

AS between farm lying upon dead
level and one located upon rolling land
we should prefer the latter. True, the
level farm may be the richer soil, may
be more economically worked, and the
rolling farm may sometimes wash, and
there will be hills to climb, but it is
worth a good deal to have the view Of
the changing landscape of the hill
farm. The best men come from the
hill countries.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

It is always poor policy to cut all the
trees from the hills which are too steep
for cultivation and fit only for pastur-
age. Our observation leads US to the
opinion that more good blue grass pas
,ture can be obtained from an acre of
land when it is partially shaded wit
trees than when it is all exposed to the
sun.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Lyon county, Mimi. a well settled
section of the prairie west, has this
year paid out the sum Of S2953 as
bounties on wolves killed within it's
borders There were So old wolves
and TO cubs destroyed. 1t is a curl
GUS fact in the natural history of the
west that these prairie wolves always
greatly increase in numbers with the
settlement and improvement of the
country during the first 80 years after
settlement.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

It is said that sprig Of red cedar
stuck in, a hill Of melons will keep the
ntriped melon bug away. We have not
tried this and incline to the opinion
that this recipe goes with the red clio
yer remedy for house flies.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

In the section of country where the
writer lives there was recently an ex-
tremely heavy fall of rain. regular
cloudburst, six inches of water falling
in less than three hours. Upon each
acre of land where this rain fell no less
than $40 tons Of water We're deposited
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Many western farmer is this year
confronted with yield Of So worth of
hay from $50 an acre meadow. This
didn't pay when he had to hire the
cornstalks broken down in his cornfield
SO that he could put the field into oats
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Some way we never liked this plan of
going out into the barnyard, taking a
ROSTERS head off and getting him into
the frying pan jor pot before he got
cold. Chicken meat is vastly tenderer
and more palatable if properly ripened
before cooking, as are other meats.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

While the rainfall of the Mississippi
valley averages about 36 inches per an
mum, a large per cent of this water re-
turns to the sea by way Of the great
river. If the rainfall could be exactly
adjusted to the needs of agriculture,
one-half of this amount would insure
good crop conditions.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
eoesos sesss ses ,v.~sssss ss.
8 MALCOLM KIRK. :


Continued from page ~
ponds en- the way he accepts this death
of Ills baby"
This is only fragment. of Wilson'S
letter, but the number of times he re-
ferred to the death of the baby as
marking a crisis in the lives of Malcolm
and Dorothy revealed the depth of the
impression made upon his mind by the
manner in which they were affected by
their loss.
He went away on the morning train,
and Malcolm, who had gone to the sta
ton to see him off, came slowly back
to the parsonage and went into the lit
tie room next the kitchen which he
had fitted up for a study.
Dorothy was at work in the kitchen,
and Malcom sat down at his study ta-
BILE and looked out of the window
across the prairie. 1t was unfortunate
that from that window he could see the
little cemetery in the distance. He
finally rose and drew the curtain clear
down and went back to his desk. He
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

A recent experiment in the feeding of
steers conducted at the Minnesota ex-
pertinent station is of interest. A lot
Of steers were divided, and one half of
them were fed out Of doors with no
shelter save an open shed. The other
half Were stall fed and housed. The
steers fed outside did the best, ate
more food and laid on more meat.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

They have goose in Indiana which
has verified record Of having lived sc
years. We think that we got the mate
of this goose as a present for Thanks
giving dinner at the hands of dear old
lady (since dead two years ago. We
do know that our goose was tough
enough to have lived a hundred years
easy enough.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
D. A. Kent of Jewell Junction Ia

D. A. Kent of Jewell Junction, Ia.
has been appointed by the Turkish
government to the position of instructor
In the science Of agriculture. mas
much as the fellahin, or farmers, Of
that country plow their fields with a
bullock hitched to wooden crotch it
would seem as though Mr.. Kent would
have his hands full in organizing a
kindergarten class in agriculture.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

The fateful time for the young bird is
the day on which it leaves the home
nest. Unsnspecting and unable to care
Tor itself just then for a day or two,
the cats of a community make short
work of a large per cent of all birds
Matched.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
THERE LAY THE MONEY, $751; O0i

THERE LAY THE MONEY, $4,000!
MES. Was there any possibility Of de-
ceit? Could there be knaves shrewd
enough to work a trick even under the
circumstances described?
In his room his first act was to lock
the door. Then he pulled the little bag
out of the big one and with nervous
hands wrenched it open SO violently
that metal and leather were torn asun-
der.
There lay the money, $4,000! The
bunko men were bunkoed.
Reuben remained in his room during
the remainder of the afternoon. He
had his dinner there, paying, for it with
one of the hundreds from the bag. He
had a nervous time while the bill was
being changed, for it might be counter
felt. That deadly possibility had just
dawned on hhn. But the bill was good.
Reuben retired to rest about 8 o'clock.
the bag under his pillow. Excitement
kept him awake for several hours, but
at last he sank into heavy sleep. from
which he awakened with start to find
it day.
| He rang at once for the morning pa
pers, thinking 1t barely possible that
some hint of his adventure might have
reached the press, and he was not dis
appointed. On the first page Of The
Sun was a story headed as follows:
''Mr. Atkinson Was Bogus: Lawyer Lee
land Loses Thousands by o Clever
Trick; the Lawyer Is Ill Of the Grip,
| nd yic, pat1
Money In a Real Estate Transaction to
the Wrong Man: The Real Atkinson
Arrived Just Too Late and Raised
Rumpus"
1t appeared from the story that At
kinson was a man for whom Lawyer
Leland had done great deal of legal
work In the past year, settling up an
| estate; that Atkinson had never been
In Leland's Office. having been Ill at his
home in Summit. Pa. most of the time;
| that none of Leland's employees except
Stanton had ever seen Atkinson, and
Stanton had had only glimpse Of him
at his home tucked up in bed. Stanton,
however, was good deal of smart
Aleck," as rustics say, and had assured
his employer Of his ability to carry
through the transaction.
The story went on to tell how the
sharp faced boy had discovered the loss
of Reuben and had returned to the Of
fee In alarm to find Atkinson already
there and the swindle known.
There was no resemblance between
the two men except that they were Of
the same type and the same complex
ion and had the same fancy in the mat
ter Of whiskers.
Reuben's feelings on reading this sto-
~ pass the limit of language. He med.
itated suicide, but finally decided to put
the matter in the hands of lawyer. A.
settlement was finally effected in sucn
a way as to keep Reuben's name out of
the newspapers, but the lawyers fee
was $3.50, the price, as Reuben express
ed it, of being too darned smart"
4 Attractive.
Applicant see you advertise for a
window dresser.
Milliner-Yes, sir. Have you had
much experience?
II arranged the window display in
the shop worked in last. and every
woman who passed stopped and looked
In"
i "rThaf'a somefhino lilo Vo,,,ro 3,,ut
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Reports from all the sugar beat fields
of the west are encouraging. There is
a good stand of beats, and the plants
are growing thrifty. AS matter of
fact there is 10 longer any doubt that
any quantity Of high grade sugar beets
can be grown wherever good crops Of
corn are produced.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Ruth is at work in the Kansas wheat
fields-hundreds of nice girls, some
with college diplomas, some social
leaders, some rosy checked country
girls. The gathering Of such muniti-
cent crop Is in no sense unwomanly
work. Perchance as some of these fair
maidens gather the golden ears they,
Hike Ruth Of old, shall find a Boaz.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

The thin and bony COW always
charges less for the butter she makes
than does the smooth and well feshed
one. Butter making is the business of
the lean COW, beefmaking that of the
other.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

We notice that trees always grow
better on land which was originally in
native timber than they do when plant
ed upon prairie soils.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

If a good licking will not cure your
dog Of the habit of rushing out into
the highway and barking at passersby,
try shotgun. Give him charge Of
bird shot at a distance Of six rods and
see him find business at the house right
away. If you SO shoot him, 1t may
save his life.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

With oleomargarine sold as butter, as
it is at the present time, the steer and
the hog can be properly referred to as
dairy animals.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Wheat at 81 bushel is not in any
way out. of line with pork at S., beef
at $3.50, corn at 30 cents and labor at
$1.50 per day.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

CALIFORNIA; latest boom is q sort of a
tonsorial one-oil wells and Belgian
haresa sort Of a hair oil boom, as it
were.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

The costs of recent Bookkeeping and
gambling cases tried at Baskerville
footed up to $145, but resulted in no
aGnyictions. ISL
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Pretty soon now you keep an eye on
that pasture where your cows are. II
the grass gets brown and the cows be-
gin to shrink in their milk, you want
to get move on yourself and stop the
leak, one of the worst on the farm. If
you planted an acre or two of sweet
corn In the field adjoining the pasture.
as we suggested last April, you want
to get the cows and the corn together.
An August shrinkage Of milk in the
dairy COW is seldom or never restored
by the flush feed of September.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
BY ]. S. TRIGG.

When a man gets to liking bees, he
can't get interested in much of any
thing else.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Wheat which during the past year
of advanced prices on nearly all agri-
cultural products has remained steadi-
ly in the dumps, falling in any degree
to respond t. the improved price condi-
tons, has at last walked up and is now
well headed for the dollar mark.
Droughty conditions through the
spring wheat territory and bugs in the
winter wheat section have so shorten
ed up the prospective crop that dollar
wheat is easily in sight for the next
year.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Eldora enjoys the distinction of hay
ing organized the first Mckinley and
Roosevelt marching club in the nation.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

WITH RAPID HAND HE CHANGED THE BAGS.
The operator would then suggest pay
ment out of the victims pocket, saying
that the bag could be taken to lock-
smiths around the corner.
The game us whole depended upon
the willingness of the countryman to
rob the swindler. OF course he knew
that he wasn't "John Atkinson" and
that he had no land to sell. And Of
course when the locksmith finally sue
ceeded In opening the bag 1t would be
empty, change having been effected
either In the Office or on the way to the
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
Attractive.

Applicant see you advertise for
window dresser.
Milliner-Yes, sir. Have you had
much experience?
II arranged the window display in
the shop worked in last. and every
woman who passed stopped and looked
In"
That's something like. You're just
the man we want. By the way, what
line was your firm in?"
"Mlrrorsw- London Telegraph.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10

Ito be Continually