davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Dusty Ocean Roads

A "aCsty" ocean highway sounds al.
most incredible. Yet those who ara
familiar with sailing ships know that.
no matter how carefully the decks
may be washed down in the morning,
and how little work of any kind may.
be done during the day, nevertheless
1t the decks are not swept at nightfal|
an enormous quantity Of dust will
quickly collect. OF course, on the
modern liner" the burning OF hun.
dreds of tons Of coal every twenty,
four hours, and the myriads Of foot
falls daily would account for a consid.
cradle accumulation of dust, but on Q
wind -jjammer,' manned with q dozen.
hands OF less, no, such dust-producing
agencies are at wGrk. And yet the
records of sailing ships, show that the,
collect more sea dust than. does q
steamer, which is probably acconnte3
for by the fact that while the dust,
laden smoke blows clear OF the steam.
er, the large area of canvas spread by
the sailor acts as dust collector. !.
To quote an instance in support OF
stnls contention, one may mention that
no less than twenty-four and a half
barrels of fine dust were swept from
the decks of an American sailing shin
during ninety-seven day voyage
from New York to San Francisco. The
captain of this vessel, man Of scien-
tific tastes, made careful observations
on the mystery of sea dust, but be-
You'd the wear and tear Of the sails
and rigging, a quite negligible factor.
he could assign absolutely no percept.
ible cause for the formation Of dust
on board his ship. It has been assert-
ed that the dust which falls on the
decks of vessels emanates from the
interstellar spaces. This sounds both
scientific and plausible, but it is at
variance with certain known facts.
Bits of leather. cork, wood, and vege.
table. fibre are almost always present
in sea dust, the presence of which
would seem to indicate that the dust
comes from the land.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
TIE CLAY EATERS.
MISERABLE CREATURES or
CAROLINA AND cEoRGiR.
Whose wretched Habit Set, Them Ap.r&
from Their Klnd-Look Hasgard ana
Cadaverou. and Live In squal.d
(snecial Letter

Especial Letter.
1t may be surprise for somo to
Enow that within the limits Of the
United States there exists a class OF
people almost as uncouth and igno-
rant as the average inhabitant Of the
] hilipplne archipe. ago. writes j. Mont
gomery McGovern. They are the clay
eaters.
In the mountain ridges Of North
Carolina and the northwestern part of
Georgia .lese people live today in the
same state Of civilization that their
ancestors did $50 years ago when
the majority Of them being English
fugitives from justice--they sought
refuge in these mountains. To stu
dent Of ethnology these people, who
must in no way be confounded with
the ordinary rural population Of the
southern states, offer a most interest
ing study.
AS excessive cigarette smoking
leaves its indelible marks on Its VIC
tim, and the effect of alcoholism is
transmitted from father to child, so
the dominating habit Of these strange
people. which has given them their
name, bas branded them to such an
extent that having once seen a clay
eater 1t Is impossible to ever mistake
one. Instead Of the sturdy red-faced
farmer, buoyant with health and
strength and vigor, that one meets on
every side in the southern mountains,
one suddenly comes upon a man or
woman with face 50 worn and bag
gard. 80 cadaverous in its ashy white
ness, that it sends a shudder through
ones very soul. A clay eater has about
him distinctive marks which set him
apart from the rest Of humanity as
unquestlonably as the marks Of lep-
rosy condemns its victims to Isolation
among the unclean. The countenancs
Of clay eater has cast of its own,
which can be described by no otter
word than unearthly. Even the little
children have peculiar, large eyes, set
deep in the head. and accumulated by
high skinny" cheekbones. Their eyes
lack luster. and they glare with leaden
stupidity from the cadaverous hollows.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
TRACING A LETTER.
Uns,s Sans Way of Making Up for Gu,
CArelessness,

CArelessness.
Here Is good illustration of how
assiduous the United States postoftice
department is in following up mail
which it is requested to look for and
assure itself Of delivery A lady In
Bostap sent a letter to her son in
Manila on Jan. 10. and as It occurred
to her, after she had mailed 1t that
the address was incomplete, in that it
did not contain the number of the reg
iment in which her son served, she
wrote letter to the Boston postmas-
ter the same day, giving him the full
address and asking him to trace tho
letter and supply the deficiency. This
AFTERNOON or tomorrow evening she
will be informed that the letter, which
she said was important, has reached
Its destination, the authorities in Man
liza having isolated it from the bulk
OF soldiers mail and completed the
address. After the necessary inyes-
tlgation in the Boston postofnce the
postmaster sent communication to
the San Francisco Office, through
which most of the military and naval
mail goes, and explained to the post
master, w. w. Montague, that the
address on certain letter which was
dispatched from Boston via the Bos-
ton and Albany railroad postoff1ce
train No. 10, was insufficient for its
prompt delivery and he gave the full
address. At San Francisco the mat
ter went through the hands of the
postmaster and the superintendent of
mails, and on Jan. 18 it was referred
to the clerk in charge of the naval
and military mail. He made an in
vestigation inquiry in the Office. and
found that the letter was probably re-
celved on Jan. 16 from train No 8.
and dispatched by steamer to Mania
the same day. Consequently it could
not be intercepted on this side of the
water, but in the next dispatch to
Manila the postmaster Of San Fran
cisco sent all the papers relating to the
letter to the director general Of posts
at Manila, P. l., SO that the deficiency
in the address might be supplied there
II the letter were found unbelievable.
NOW the Boston postmaster has re-
ceived communication from Manila
stating that the letter in question has
been round. The addressee's letter
OF inquiry with the inclosed stamp
for reply. and all the papers which
have been made out in the various
postofaces relating to this letter, have
been sent to her.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
CLAY EATERS CABIN.

. OkkA CAolQ.
The clay eaters usually live In lit
tie settlements Of two or three-some-
times half dozen-families In en-
forced isolation from the rest Of the
mountafheers, for these simple felhAl,
crude as they are in their own manner
Of living, look down upon the clay
eater as the pariah of the universe
Even the half-savage moonshiner re-
CARDS with mingled contempt and pity
his clay-eating neighbor. Neverthe-
less the despised clay eater is not
without social instincts, and these
strange people have their own form Of
rude entertainment. There are FREE
luent visits from one settlement of
clay eaters to another, usually across
dozens Of miles OF the toughest noun
tain country without road or path
way, where it would seem impossible
for anyone without the instinct OF di-
rection of the savage or lower animal
TO find way.
Each Of these settlements is always
located near peculiar geological for
nation. Instead of the usual red clay
which characterizes the soil of the
mountain and hill region of this sec
,ion of the country. there are occa-
sional apparently spasmodic breaks"
n the land formation, where radi-
cal change takes place for short dis
lance in the character of the soil and
vegetation. The clay gives up Its red
h11n onH taGna VIII;
.nterspersed with sand-beds. It is
this white clay which is devoured by
the Cay eaters. The white clay is of a
peculiar consistency, soft and rather
oily to the touch, and being found only
In certain localities is comparatively
lare. 1t is said to contain arsenic,
thus accounting for the force of the
habit upon those who have acquired
the taste for it, as well as for its pc
cul.ar detrimental effect upon the sys-
TEN.
The clay eaters occasionally hold
festivals or give 'dinings' among
themselves, the menu of which is
largely made up of clay. supplemented
in the summer by berries, or perhaps
a ''pone" Of the coarsest corn bread,
and always by jug Of "moonshine"
corn whisky.
These beings make no attempt at
regular work. They exc out an ex-
istence In winter by selling kindling
wood In the nearest town or village;
during the summer the most energetic
pick and sell blackberries and hue
kleberries." which grow In profusion
in this region.
The home of the clay eater usually
consists Of log cabin. or rather pen,
made Of unplaned pine saplings Of ir-
regular size. through the cracks and
interstices of which the sun pours in
summer and the mountain wind whis-
ties in winter. The windows consist
always Of small openings in the wal,
where portion Of one or two logs
has been rudely sawed away. These
windows" are guiltless mot only OF
glass panes, but even Of wooden shut
ters; when 1t rains. or the wind is
more than usually fierce and cutting,
these holes in the wall are stuffed with
old rags and pieces of clothing.
I have never seen clay eaters
house that was not squalid den. The
plank floor, laid directly on the gro.nd,
Is usually broken In many places,
through which the green mold oozes
up into the cabin. OF furniture there
is none except crude apology for a
bed-a homemade wooden frame
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
FLOYD A. MCFARLAND.

Orlando Stevens. are hard pair to
beat and it has not been an unusual
thing for them to finish one, two in
races where both were entered. Nc
Farland is probably the best handicap
rider in the country. Starting from
scratch he can NOW down a field Of
men who have been given yards start
on him in a surprising manner. Nc
Farland is now in Europe and is meet
ing the foreign cracks. His hardest
opponent has been Jacquelin, the
great French rider. Our engraving is
from copyrighted picture by R. K
Fox.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

The earl of Chatham used to bow SO
low when he met bishop that his
nose could be seen between his knees.
I A suavity no less appalling to its sub
ject marks, nevertheless, the ascent OF
our Indians in the social scale. A
teacher in an Arizona mission school
lately noticed big boy holding a
discussion with little girl at the
school door. He was explaining to her
that girls should always Ego first"
She was accustomed to seeing the
woman carry the load behind the man.
and hung back, abashed at such gall
iantry. Of hundreds Of young Indians
the political phrase may truthfully be
used, Not dancing, but advancing"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

This is an age OF freedom in dress
and appearance. The story books Of
our grandparents spoke of the eccen-
tricity of man who allowed beard
20 grow on his face. OF twenty-five
contributors to new encyclopedia.
whose portraits have been recently
published, all but five are strangers to
the razor. The familiar group of por-
traits OF our Presidents shows no we'll
bearded man until Abraham Lincoln's
time. The three military Presidents.
Grant, Hayes and Garfield, each wore
full heard. Both of the leading Pres
idental candidates to-day are closely
shaver. Although the present fashion
chiefly Of young men is that of a
smooth face, the fashion is not impera-
tive. Every man may follow it or defy
1t without being queer.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

Molten wood Is new invention BY
Mr.. De Gall. inspector of forests at
Lemur. France. BY means Of dry dis
tillation and high pressure the escape
Of developing gases is prevented,
the eby reducing the wood to mott
en- condition. After cooling off the
mass assumes the character of coal.
yet without showing Va trace Of the
organic structure Of that material.
This new body is hard. but can be
shaped and polished at will; is i'm
peryious to water and acids. and is
perfect electrical nonconductor.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

The aggregate investments Of tho
United States life insurance companies
exceed twelve hundred million dollars
This would suffice to pay the national
debt, and the debts OF several states
besides; but it is 2lore pleasing. some.
how. to think of the private burdens
which. distributed widely and in COM
paratively small amounts, this great
fund will remove. Uncle Sam IL
neither widow nor an orphan.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
COMBINED CANE AND TR1Pop.

COMBINED CANE AND TRIPOD.
regulated by means of three sliding
brackets, secured to the legs and pro.
vided with hooks, which engage eye
lets in each of the brackets. When
using small camera the hooks pro-
vide triangular rest for its support.
as shown in the cut, but with large
camera the cane handle is unscrewed
and the camera attached in Its place
by means of the screw shank. It will
be observed that the legs form third
of circle in cross section. 80 that
when they are brought together tubu.
lar body is formed, and screw ferrule
is provided to secure the lower ends
Of the legs.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

A new federation is in prospect. It
Is rumored that following upon the
formation Of the Australian common
wealth the long-talked-of federation
OF the British West Indies is to become
an accomplished fact. The imperial
government is credited with the inten-
ton Of welding the whole of the Lee
ward and Wlndward islands into one
confederation, with Barbados az the
seat Of government.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
ICE BOX WHICH PREVENTS EN-.
TRANCE OF HOT AIR.

vile. Tenn. has designed the refrig-
orator which we illustrate in the ac-
companying cut. The method of
operation is very simple, as can be
seen by glance at the picture. When
1t is desired to open the meat chamber
a handle on the side is pulled and the
triangular chamber turns outward on
Its pivot of pins. pulling the back par
tition out at the same time, and thus
closing the interior. Whatever air en-
tiers in this operation is forced to pass
over the ice and is thus cooled consid-
erably. The meat compartment is
provided with door across its face.
which opens as shown. Ins swinging
the chamber into place again the cool
ed air is forced through it to drive out
the warm air from around the meat.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

TO blame the missionaries n the
sole cause Of the troubles in China is
to overlook the fact that other classes
Of foreigners have been coming in con-
tact with the Chinese-fer example.
merchants. statesmen, politicians and
promoters and that politicians and
promoters are famous hands at max
ing trouble.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

An American who visited the Paris
exposition thinks its failure to realize
expectations was due to two things
It was not sufficiently localized and
It's magnificent distances made people
weary. The other trouble was disap-
pointing with what had been announce
ed as some Of the biggest features, like
the telescope that was to bring the
Image of the moon within few miles,
The visitor says the show resolved it
self into Sunday afternoon parade"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
FLOYD A. M'FARLANp.

A prominent figure in the cycling
world at the present time is Floyd A.
Mcfarland, of California. known as
the handicap king. Mcfarland is
good at middle-distance racing as we'll
as at the sprints and stands near the
top Of the list in this years winnings
on the track He and his team mate,
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

News comes from Danish West In
dies that species OF grasshopper,
hitherto unknown in the island, has
made its appearance in st. Croix, and
the planters complain of the damage
done to the canes. It is feared it is
similar to that which made its appear
ance some time ago in Cuba and was
supposed to have been brought over
In hay imported from the United
States.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Cannon Bal. Protect Bank Vault.

In tearing down the Atlantic Mutual
Insurance company building in New
York city a secret method Of protec-
ton against bank burglars has been
revealed in the form of cannon balls.
loosely imbedded in the walls sur
rounding the money vault. The idea
was to Illustrate attempts to pick the
wall apart by opposing the rounded
surfaces and freely revolving bulk Of
the cannon balls to the burglars
tools.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
NGE AND
RoGRE.'ss

water and the mean temperatures arc
far above the thermometric figure that
would appear to render such deposit
possible. But the ice is there and the
product Of the unique mine has been
sold daily in Flagstaff.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

Two New York commissioners ap-
pointed to inquire into the sanity Of
man indicted for larceny have de-
clared him not to be lunatic, but q
high-grade idiot."
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

President Hadley OF Yale is reported
TO have said at the celebration Of the
quarter centennial at Smith College:
AS long as women colleges train
women for good citizenship they win
hold right to exist" The instructors
and students ought to welcome such q
test,
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

The house in which Charles Carroll.
Maryland's signer of the declaration
OF independence, lived and died. and
which was once the scene of many
gay gathering in colonial days. has
become at last Jewish sweatshop.
nothing more and nothing less.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Good management.

The brand Of ball played by the
American league clubs is not as good
from an expert standpoint as that fur
nished by the National league clubs,
but excellent executive management
has made it more attractive by free
ing it from rowdyism. The National
league, team for team and man fos
man, is SO far superior to the Ameri-
can that it would be difficult to find
half dozen players, outside of the
pitchers, in the latter organization
who would strengthen the poorest
club, and the best of that limited
number are National league discards.
The standard of play in the National
league was much higher in 1900 than
ever before in its history. There were
so many high-elass players in each O,
the eight clubs that their respective
positions in the race were determined
in great measure by the relative
ability of their managers and the
habits of the players. Condition
counts almost as much as class in a
baseball campaign. and dissipation by
two or three members of team dur
ing the season is responsible for the
low position of several National league
clubs.
Rowdyism In Montana.
The Montana State League was con-
Quoted in way to bring base ball
into disrepute. Gambling on the
games was tolerated with the inevita-
BILE result that the honesty of the play
ers and gamblers was brought under
suspicion. The National Board should
investigate the charges against the
integrity Of players and umpires, and
il the conditions were as bad as they
are reported to have been, the parties
responsible for dragging down the
good name of base ball should be de-
clared ineligible to control or play
with a club under the national agree
ment. A Pacific coast exchange thus
summarizes the deplorable state of at
fairs in that state:
Altogether the season in Montana
has been dismal failure. The state
ment made by Pace is about the most
severe arraignment that has ever been
made against base ball organization.
Politics and factional fights have TAX
en- the place of genuine interest in
the sport, and the conduct of the affair
has been thoroughly disgraceful."
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
CONVENIENT REFR,cERAroR.

Much Ice is wasted in the ordinary
refrigerator by the necessity Of expos
ing the interior to the warm air every
time 1t is opened, and. with the idea
of eliminating portion Of this waste,
at least. An inventive genius of Nash
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

King Victor Emmanuel has pur-
chased the spot at Monza where his
father was so cruelty murdered, AID
the deed OF sale has been completed
she document explains the reason OF
purchase by the king-hi desire to
let monument to his fether.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Not : Promis,nr pnn,,.

Uncle giving his nephew 1, few
hints on politeness) Now. why, for
instance. do make it point to turn
my back as little as possible to the
ladies?
Johnny promptly $50 they Won't.
see your bald spot. Meggendorter
Rlaetter.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
Small Purses Now.

That the repeal Of the Horton law
IN New York is going hard on the
fighters Is shown by the fact that
Peter Naher and Gus Rubin have
agreed to fight for purse Of $4,000.
This amount Is exceedingly small.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

A little 4-year-old miss wanted
fan, but could not remember the name
OF 1t. SO she said: Mamma, where's
the thing you brush the warm away
with ?"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

covered with a "corn-shuck- mattress,
also homemade. a pile Of corncobs
in one corner, sometimes covered with
pine straw, usually serves as the sleep
ing place of the numerous family OF
children.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

The extraordinary vogue Of certain
historical novels of the past Jew years
is not SO unprecedented thing as re-.
viewers would have US beliefe. Sixty
years ago, when one of Captain Mar.
ryat's novels was running seriaAly, YES.
sells in mid-ocean used to run hip the
signal. '.Has Japhet found his fkther
yet9" and wait for the reply. ncy
tho deutschland slowing u
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

As a rule. the average woman Is
more generous than precise in money
matters.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
THURSDAY. NOV. 90 1900,

Says an amateur poultry fancier:
The only money In chickens is what
they swallow
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

Gotham will spend in round num-
beers Sloo,o0o0oo for its municipal
household expenses next year.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29
A NEWSPAPER GOLF TROPHY.

In order to create interest in the
game Of golf among the men who
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-29

thu peutschland slowing d g
] lions 1l lls '1''n que