davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-23
AN ELEGIAC ODE.

AN ELEGIAC ODE.
He chastens us as nations and as men,
He smites us sore until our pride doth
yield,
And hence our heroes, each with nearn
for ten,
Were vanquished in the field;
And stand today beneath our Southern
sun
O'erthrown in battle and despoiled of
hope,
Their drums all silent and their cause
undone,
And they all left to grope
In darkness till Gods own appointed
time
In His own manner passeth fully py'
Our Penance this. His Parable sublime
Means we must learn to die.
Not as our soldiers died beneath their
flags,
Not as in tumult and in blood they fell
When from their columns, clad in homely
rags,
Rose the Confederate yell.
Not as they died, though never mortal
men
Since Tubal Cain first forged his cruel
blade
Fought as they fought, nor ever shall
agen
Such Leader be obeyed!
No, not as died our knightly, soldier
dead
Though they, l trust, have found above
surcease
For all life's troubles, but on Christian
bed
Should we depart in peace,
Failing asleep like those whose gentle
deeds
Are governed through times passions
and it's strife,
So justly that we might erect new
creeds
From each well ordered life,
Whose sanity lessons are so framed
that we
May learn that pain is but text sub
lime,
Teaching us how to learn at Sorrows
knee
To value things of time.
Thus thinking DER life's promise-breal0-
ing dreams,
It's lights and shadows made of hopes
and fears,
l say that Death is kinder than he
seems,
And not the King of Tears.
The complete poem is found iA
"Vance's Sketches of North CayOlinas"
book now out of print, and there
fore very rare and valuable
Miss Smith after completing her
picture. tried in vain to secure copy
of the book and Mrs. Vance, hearing
that she wanted the poem, made
copy of it with her on hand and sent
it to her. This copy the artist natur-
ally prizes very highly.
There are comparatively few people
in the State now who know that one
of General Lees daughters is buried
i'm North Carolina soil, and Miss Smith
has done u noble work in calling att
tention to it by perpetuating the de-
sign of the monument the good peo-
pie of Warren have erected to her
memory.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21

by cautiously piercing the shell with
a strong needle"
The following directions for pre-
serving by this method are given:
"Use pure water that has been
thoroughly boiled and then cooled.
To each ten quarts of water add one
quart of water glass. Pack the eggs
in a Jar and pour solution over them,
covering we'll.
"Keep the eggs in a cool, dark
place. A dry, cool cellar is a good
place.
IF the eggs are kept in too warm
a place the silicate is deposited and
the eggs are not properly protected.
Do not wash the eggs before packing,
for by so doing you injure their keep
ing quality, probably by dissolving
the mucilaginous coating on the out
side of the shell.
For packing, use only perfectly
fresh eggs, for stale eggs will not be
saved, and may prove harmful to
the others.
"Water glass is a very cheap prod
uct, that can usually be produced at
not to exceed SO cents per gallon,
and n gallon would make enough
solution to preserve fifty dozen eggs,
so that the cost of material for this
method would only be about one
cent. Water glass is sodium and
potassium silicate, sodium silicate
being usually the cheaper. If wooden
kegs or barrels are to be used in
which to pack the eggs, they should
first be thoroughly scalded with boil
ing water, to sweeten and purify
them"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
The Poultry Yard.
DUCKS AMI DUCKLINGs.

Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
There is something pleasant and
fascinating in raising ducks and
ducklings, either for a living or as a
little side issue in farm work to make
pin money. The large Pekin ducks
are the great friends of those who
would make money in this line, and
one mnst have stock of this breed to
obtain the best results. The old
fashioned common barn yard ducks
are not suited to the epicures of our
cities, who demand a large, fine
meated duckling whose flesh is al
most as tender as bread, and with a
flavor to it that tempts the appetite.
The Pekins furnish all these considz
eratiOns, and at the same time prove
a friend to the growers by increasing
in size and weight far more rapidly
than the old half -breeds.
They are voracious feeders, but
they convert every ounce of food
rapidly into flesh and feathers. For
this reason we feel that we can afford
to feed them literally, and the sight
of the food disappearing so fast does
not alarm us as to the final outcome
of the experiment. Still it is very
possible and even likely that a be-
ginner will fail in raising Pekins for
market, and it is always better to
begin On a small scale until expert
ence has demonstrated the sure ways
to success. One may CLEAN a good
deal from books and papers, and
from the conversation of others, but
after all there is nothing that will
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21

quite take the place of actual expert
ence. The cheapest way we can
purchase this experience is what we
all want to find out, and that is,
think, by experimenting with a few,
and increasing the numbers year by
year as success j~ustifes the work.
One must consider the marketable
possibilities of both the feathers and
the flesh of Pekin ducks. The former
have some demand, and if a market
can be found for them the success OF
the work will be so much more. The
feathers should pay for a good deal
of the actual food consumed. Some
times there is no other way to sell
these feathers than to pick them,
clean them, and make them up in
pillows, and sell these at the stores.
That, in some localities, a be made
quite a thriving and profitable bust
ness. The raising of fine breeding
ducks to sell to others who have
robbed their focks to furnish a good
market is another feature that is
important to consider. One year |
sold frty dollars worth of good
breeders in this way, and at prices
just double what l could have re
ceived for them as ducklings. 1t
never pays to reduce the stock to
such a point that you cannot stand a
loss from sickness or to sell a few at
fancy prices. I do not believe in
carrying over too many breeders
from year to year to consume food,
but there is another extreme of de-
pleting the 1ocks too much that
should be avoided. Like every other
business, there are little tricks in the
trade that count. The man who
happens to have the stock of goods
when in special demand is the one
that can always ask his W price,
and this law holds just as true in
ducks as it docs in cotton or machiL-
cry or any other commercial articles.
ANNIE G. WEBSTER.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
CLUB RATES..

Nowadays papers are so cheap thai
nearly everybody can afford to take
two or more. We have arranged
list of some Of the bestin the land ana
can furnish them in connection witt
The Progressive Farmer at a loTeI
price than you can secure them sing
ly. Here is the list. The price II
the parenthesis is the regular SUD
scription price of the paper and tns
other figures are what we charge fa.
the paper with THE PROGREsSIb
FARMER both one year. Renewals lu.
the other papers cannot be taken y
the club rates, but all neW subscrlo'
ers can. You can renew for our pG|
per and get the club rates:
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER alone. S'
IT FamiiyS Detroit FREE rIgsS 400 q
Weekly Practical Farmer FARM -. lLWl ~
TRMFIe e@s7 New York Worla uOQ "a
AtI2nta Weekly Constitution lFam- 900 ID
L0 0al ~ i T tWice-a-week CourlerJ?ur GJ u
TT Tsr%7 Home and Farm C0 u
W.
seR drM Monthly Farm and Firesioe e0 a
Monthly WOman's Home COmpan- , oo Nj
ion Magazine ...................... iGG M
Weekly Farmers Voice (Farm) 49, lLV"
Monthly 01 n w American g69 ]951ieen lWo- 6G u
Weekly Week. Hoard's Dairyman DAIRY 900 IS
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21

A6DACLODLb MN
meat production. Never buy a a
blood sire and never use n OF your
breeding, no matter how good
he nav be. Once in a long while a
grade sire is an excellent breeder, but
Won cannot afford to take chances,
Donot take a half blood at any price.
Never take an inferior individual, no
matter how long his pedigree, under
any circumstances. If your choice
is red hogs, then stick to the same
breed of reds. Do not breed Durocs
because they are red, nor Tamworths
because they are redder. Make up
YOUR mind as to the kind of breed
YOU want and then get the best indi-
dividual of that breed you can, with
out being related, and keep right on,
You will come out all right.
Our correspondent is confoundlng
two things when he says that some
saw one cross is all right but no
That is proper advice to give as that
is true in cross breeding but not IN
grading up. If you have thorough
bred Poland hinas OF Berkshires, or
any other black breed, and if, to
C a lot of fancy hogs with
which to top the market, you were
to o these with thoroughbred
Jersey reds or Tamworths, you
would in all probability get a class
of individual merit superior to either
of the breeds. The superiority con-
sists, we think, in the fact that they
mix blood of different strains and
avoid in breeding or close line breed
ing.
Under these circumstances, we
would say not to use the progeny for
breeding purposes. Why? Because.
while cross breeding two distinct
and highly developed breeds brings
out apparently the best in both
breeds, when you come to use the
progeny for breeding purposes it is
very apt to bring out the worst OF
both breeds. In other words, the
two heredities seem to neutralize
each other and give room for the
traits of the unimproved stock.
We might cite once more Darwin's
experiment in crossing pigeons. He
selected individuals of two highly
developed Sbreeds and mated them,
some of two other breeds and mated
them, and then crossed the progeny
resulting. The result was a surprise,
being the original rock pigeon from
which all these breeds had been de-
veloped. Such complete relapses
should not be expected in hogs or
cattle, and therefore by way Of illus
tration we prefer to give the expert
ence of a farmer whose place we
once visited and who had hogs Of all
types and cOlOrs. Some had white
heads and necks and the rest black;
others had white stripes around the
middle and both ends black others
had combinations of black, white
and red. We asked him how he
secured such astonishing results. He
told us that he started with Poland
Chinas of the common stock, then
used Berkshires, then ChesterWhites,
then a variety that he called Russian,
and finally the Irish g~raziers land
now" said he, Il have a lot Of hogs
that Satan himself would not be
compent to build a fence for that
they could not go through"
Whatsoever a man sOweth, that
shall he also reap"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
PRESERVING EGGS.

A bulletin of the North Dakota
Experiment Station calls attention to
the need of a simple method which
will enable farmers and poultrymen
to put away eggs during the summer
months when they are cheap and
preserve until they are scarce and
high, says an exchange.
The spelling of eggs is due to the
entrance of air carrying germs of de-
composition through the shells. Nor
mally the shell has a surface coating
of mucilaginOus matter, which pre-
vents the entrance of these harmful
organisms into the egg for a consid-
cradle time, but if this coating is re-
moved or softened by washing or
otherwise, the keeping quality of the
egg is much reduced. These facts
explain why the common methods of
preservation have not been entirely
successful, and suggests that the
methods employed should be based
on the idea of protecting and render
ing more effective the natural coat
ing of the shell so that air bearing
the germs of decomposition may be
completely excluded. At the pres
ent time eggs are largely packed in
lime, salt and other products, or are
put in cold storage for winter use,
but such eggs are far from being
perfect when they come to market.
According to the experiment made
by the North Dakota Station, water
glass more closely conforms to the
requirements of a good preservative
than any of the substances common
~ used.
1t was found in these experiments
that a 10 per cent. solution of water
glass preserves eggs so effectually
that lat the end of three and one
half months eggs hat were pre-
served the first part of August still
appeared to be perfectly fresh. In
most packed eggs, after a little time,
the yOlk settles to n side, and the
egg is then inferior in quality. In
eggs preserved for three and one-half
months in water glass the yolk re-
tanned it's normal position in the egg,
and in taste they were not to be dis
tinguished from fresh, unpacked
store eggs. Again, most packed eggs
will not beat up we'll for cake max
ing or for frosting, while eggs from
solution in water glass seemed quite
equal to the average fresh eggs of
the market"
Of twenty methods of preserving
eggs in Germany, the three which
proved most effective were coating
the egg with vasseline, preserving
them in limewater, and preserving
them in water glass. The conclusion
was reached that the last is prefer
able, because vanishing the eggs
with vaseline takes considerable
time, and treating them with lime
water is likely to give the eggs a dis
agreeable Odor and. taste. ''There is,
however, n drawback with eggs
preserved in a solution of water glass.
VIZ: that the shell easily bursts in
Dolllng water. This may be avoided
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
The Dairy.
AMERICAN

correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
think it is not too much to say
that the wives and daughters of
farmers in this country hold the fate
of dairying in the hollow of their
hands. Unless n stops to think
seriously of the subject, the fact of
what a tremendous influence woman
exerts in dairying is not appreciated.
No matter how wise a breeder and
feeder of mich stock a man may be,
he is not apt to be fully successfulin
the home manufacture of milk with
out the intelligent cooperation of
his wife. 1t is she who keeps the
dairy apartment sc~rupulOusly clean
and generally watches with the
solicitude of an expert the delicate
processes of butter making. I some
times think that there is an intuition
in regard to dairy cleanliness in wo-
nan that man does not possess, that
fits her naturally for the best dairy
work of the two.
What a large proportion of farm
ers' wives and daughters need, how
ever, is a better appreciation of mod
ern scientific dairy principles. For
instance, woman by nature is a ten
der and sympathetic nurse, but edu-
cate her as a trained nurse, and she
is ten times better. Science perfects
the inherent aptitude.
1t is so with the faithful cOnscien-
tiOus dairywoman Of the land. Let
her grasp and put into practice the
scientific principles of milk care and
milk manufacture, and she becomes
an invaluable factor in the march of
dairy progress. The wives and
daughters of farmers all over the
United States should be encouraged
to study the technical side of fine
butter making, to enhance the value
of their labor and increase their
emOluments.
The task of the average American
~ 1AOA - "4AC 10 14OI1C GOO CdSNs dllu
one of the most prominent signs of
dairy improvement would be to see
the dairyman trying to tighten the
burdens of the dairywoman.
Give her a modern up-to-date dairy
house or room, in which to perform
her tasks, and one profitable step has
been taken in the right direction.
Dairymen, cooperate with your bet
ter halves in their efforts to produce
an improved quality of butter. IF
you send your milk to a mandatory
cooperate with them in caring for
the product, and SCI that they are
furnished with the best of utensils
and appliances for this purpose.
Do all of these things with two OBJ
jects in view, first, because it will be
easier for your wife, and second, be-
cause it will pay.
GEORGE E. NEWELL.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21

We shall be glad to quote you Gu +
prices with any paper you desire :, ;
you want any other agricultural r.
per write us. If you want the a.
lantic Monthly, Scribner's, McCIu[g
or any other magazine, let US Anor
If you wish the Youths COmpani3G,1,
Ladies' Home Journal, Saturn r
Evening Post or any other stana ao.
home periodical ask US for priv -,
IF you want any daily payers, 9I
religious publications or any o. H.
sort of periodical send US YOU tbo
We can save you money, Whe IF
we get Your order in connection Won
your renewal or not CorTe'P'
dence invited. rim
NOTE.-In forwarding SuD9 MI
tons to other publication, we Tp
act as the agent of the suDScIi enb
and after we have paid over tn9 ases
scription our responsibility @oer
Failure to receive magazine or RadFb
change of address, etc, shQ lESber
reported directly to the PuOn
not to us. Ulo Pro
Address all orders to II1 r
gressive Farmer, Raleigh N ~
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
GEORGE E. NEWELL.

If you want a bunch of sample
copies of The Progressive Farmer,
don't hesitate to drop us a card,
stating the number desired. We be-
lieve you could use a dozen copies or
more very advantageously in your
community. Write us tomorrow if
you haven't time today.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21

Men can be cured privately and pos
ltlvely at home Of ali weakness and
disease. Write for new free book.
DR.. j. n. Hathaway, 22% AC South
Broad St., Atlanta, Ga.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
Did you ever hear a verv rich )
sing?-Josh Billings.
THE NATIONAL FARMERS, A.
ANCE AND INDUSTRIAL
UNION.

S. G. O
Vice-President-P. H. Rabin.
Lake City, MINI.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT B Wol5
Victor, n. Y.
LECTURERS.
j. p. SOssamOn, Charlotte. N r
j. c.. Hanley, ST. Paul, MINI
NORTH CAROLINA FARMERS STATE !,
LANCE. y
President-W: A. Graham, Mad
pelah, N. c.. I"'l
Vice-President-J. S. Nitcbor
Winton, N. G.
Secretary-Treasurer and St,,.
Business Agent-T. B. Parker, Flint
boro, N. c..
Lecturer-Dr. V.N. Seawen, Faisn
N. G.
Chaplain-W. S. Mercer, MovoF
n. G.
Doorkeeper-Geo. T. Lane, Green,
boro, N. G.
Sergeant-at-Arms-D. W. Watsm
haywood, N. G.
Trustee Business Agency Fund
w. A. Graham, Machpelah, NC
Steward-J. G.. Balm, Wade, No
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NORr
CAROLINA FARMERS STATE
ALLIANCE.
j. w. Denmark, Chairman, Raj
N. G.
w. A. Graham (Ex-ofcio), Mad
pelah, N. @.
w. B. Fleming, Ridgeway, N. G.
John Graham, Warrenton, n. CT
DIR. J. E. Person, Pikeville, n. G.
Thomas J. Oldham, Teer, N. c.
STATE ALLIANCE JUDICIARY COMMUTE
J. T. B. Hoover, Hillsboro, NC,
c.. G. Mcclellan, Goodwin, n. c.
H. T. Jones, Goldsboro, N. c.
g g SPECIAL !L,. pRIsEs e & &
Sa-i III @ snS oGmSI1a seaiF Ot ca
C,.,lo- - Wv;to - ~EANuANTON,N
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
A PRICE.

A mule is a bad pun on a horse
Josh Billings.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-21
A VALUABLE BOOK

We really do not believe that the
average North Carolina farmer can
anywhere invest SIP to better ad-
vantage than by sending that
amount to us for a copy of Prof. L.
H. Bailey's principles of Agricul-
ture." This is a work which tells
the ''whys and wherefOres"-the
principles-of the "business" of
farming. It is written by a man of
great ability who knows his subject
by long years Of actual experience
and scientific study. The farmer
who secures a copy Of this work
and studies it during his spare
moments this summer will not only
find much pleasure thereby, but will
find greater interest in his work, a
broader view of his profession and
the probability of making many
more dollars as a result of his study.
There are many books upon the
market, but not for many years, we
firmly believe, has one been issued
which the average reader of this
paper so badly needs. The work is
handsomely bound, we'll illustrated,
clearly printed and contains 300
pages. Send US 81. 25 and get a copy.
We guarantee satisfaction.
A PRICE,.
We have now decided to send a
copy of this VALUABLE work and a
years subscription to The Progress
i've Farmer to any address for only
81. This offer is made at a sacrifice
in the hope of placing the work in
the hands of more of the thousands
who need it. Order at once. Address
The Progressive Farmer Raleigh,
N. G..
A mule is a bad pun on a horse
Josh Billings.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-04-05

PREACHED BY A BLIND MAN.
The Best Sermon That an Eminent English
Clergyman Ever Heard.

An English clergyman Of cminence was
asked by group OF London friends whose
was the best sermon he had ever heard
"If you mean, he answered, 1.-The ser
mon which has influenced me most direct
ly and never been forgotten, l can tell you
at once. 1t was preached in the streets Of
Boston many years ago by blind man..
lie had been preaching, he said, in
Phillips Brooks church and had started
to walk back 10 the house whore he was
ytaying. Being IA stranger in Boston, he
became confused and, turning to man
who was behind him, asked to be directed
to the house
"Why, it is the preacher" exclaimed
his companion. II know you by your
voice, for l was in the church and heard
you preach. | am blind but | can show
you the way. can take you to the door "
The clergyman protested that he could
not think of troubling the blind man and
that he could find his way by himself.
surely" said his new acquaintance,
"you will not refuse me the pleasure OF
conducting you. l am not boegar Every
one is 50 Kind TO mo, and it is seldom in
decd that | can render any one service. y
So the two men went on arm in arm,
and in ten minutes they were at the right
door and parted. During that short walk
the best sermon which the Clergyman had
ever heard WAS preached.
"It was simply, be said TO his English
friends, 1.-THE story of "a man blind from
his birth, whose face was shining with
contentmcnt and peace and whose heart
was thrilled with II sense Of his mercies
and blessings.
His parents had sent him TO school
for the blind, where he had been taught TO
read by raised letters, and they had left
him a small income which Suliced for his
wants. IIo lived alone, but he could 60
about the streets without guide. He told
me that he considered that he ought to be
thankful for being born blind because he
had 80 much leisure for quiet thought.
There would be- time enough in another
world for him to see everything.
~ have never forgotten that sermon,
added the clergyman. His example OF
contentment and sincerity of mind has
never ceased TO be helpful To me. have
told the story often to my English congre
cations, and 1t has always deeply affected
them. "--Youtl's Companion.