davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
GOT ATSINSTEAD OF BLANKET
Penalty Paid by a Southern Planter for
His Iilegible Chirography.

"If you ever get down to old Colonel
s." said an enthusiastic New Or
leans sportsman, naming veteran
planter Of the lower coast, you will
find the grounds overrun with big coal
black cats, now partly wild. How they
came there Is quite curious story.
You see, there is some tip-top hunting
in that neighborhood, and some years
ago, at just about this season, the old
man invited down party of northern
gentlemen to take crack at the ducks.
They were heavy swells he had met in
New York, who were here for the car
nival and he was anxious that they
should have royal time. The best
place for ducks was some distance from
the house, so it was arranged that the
whole crowd should camp out for
few days near the shooting grounds.
and in getting things together for the
trip the colonel discovered he was
short on bed clothing. Accordingly he
rushed darby over to the station with
letter to his merchant in New Or
leans asking him to buy twelve large
blankets, and send them out by first
express. Now, the colonels handwrit-
ing resembles the tracks Of an inebri-
ated turkey and his photography Is
equally eccentric. He spelled the word
blankets 'blancats,' and after puzzling
over the hieroglyph for an hour, the
merchant concluded it stood for black
10 ocfNntchod of hirt
knowing that there was jovial gang
at the plantation he decided some prac-
tical joke must be afoot and hurried
out the clerk to buy all the large black
cats he could find in the neighborhood.
They had some trouble getting the doz-
en- together, and the black cat market
rose about 500 points before they sue
ceeded, but eventually the consignment
was safely boxed and sent away. Next
morning the colonel and his guests
eagerly awaited the arrival of the wag-
on from the station, before starting out
and when it appeared in the distance
were surprised to hear faint sound Of
yowling, rapidly growing larger as it
approached. A huge Slated crate filled
one end of the bed and inside were
twelve large black cats engaged in q
free fight. When the top was pried off
the ebony monsters leaped out in all
directions, and they say the colonel's
remarks ran up to the temperature Of
the lower coast Is degrees Fahrenheit.
That's where the stock came from that
is now on the plantation. There must
be two or three hundred of the beasts
by this time. New Orleans Times
Democrat.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
HIS BLUE
EYED PATIENT.

1t was near the close of a cool Sep
TENDER day, and the shadows had fall
len so heavily over the long wards of
a hospital that the neat white cots
looked all alike; but upon closer in
spection one could see that the patient
sufferers were differently occupied.
Some slept, while others thought OF
the time when they would be once
more permitted to walk Gods beautiful
earth.
Among the cots there was one that
was empty-it was No. Is. Its last
occupant had been discharged that
morning, and 1t was now waiting to be
utilized again. Presently noise is
heard at the end of the long hall, and
some one is being wheeled in. No. 16
has a new occupant. Weak and pale
upon her pillow lay a sufferer, young
and fair, while on her snowy forehead
clustered soft curls of golden hair.
No. is was wholly unconscious OF
the pretty picture she made. She lay
there softly moaning; a cruel wheel
had crushed her, and she had been
brought bleeding and suffering to that
great home for sufferers, the hospital
Tenderly the doctor dressed the
wounds and gravely watched her first
signs Of returning consciousness. He
was rewarded; the long lashes moved
and beautiful pair of blue eyes looked
up at him. They seemed to look into
his soul. Never before had grave Dr.
Edgar Canton been so thoroughly
moved.
He walked to the head of the bed
and softly asked II she wanted any
thing. Where am 1? o, where am
1? Why can't move? I'm 50 tired!
The beautiful eyes closed again, and
she had again lost consciousness. Week
after week that terrible fever seemed tc
tear the life from the young sufferer
Day after day DR.. Canton came and
watched his patient, and listened pity
ingly to her rawlings.
1t was there he learned the story Of
her life-how the dear mother hat
died and left an orphan, this beautiful
girl; it was there he learned that
after months of fruitless searching, she
had at last found employment as book
keeper for a downtown firm.
He listened while that poor muddled
mind added column after column Of
imaginary figures; but one night she
fell into deep, peaceful, dreamless
sleep. Morning came and with 1t new
life for Millicent Everton. Slowly
she began to improve; she noticed the
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
All Because a Man Knew What ~ iaASv
and Did It.
THE DESERT BLOOMS.

All Because Man Knew What ~ Ia
and Did It.
In the southwest corner OF France,
between the rivers of Adour and Ga
rome, are long stretches of pine woods,
green and cool. Where these pines
now stand was barren waste in the
middle of the last century. Sun and
wind We'd with each other in making
the land drier and dustier. Over the
stormy bay Of Biscay came winds that
set up great sand storms and sometimes
buried whole villages. The whole re-
gior was one of hopelessness and de-
spair. Fate was against 1t. But at
last there came along a man who &C
kowledged fate only as something
to be overcome. His name was Bre-
monitor, and he was an inspector OF
roads. He began fencing in the desert.
He built fence, and behind it planted
a handful of broom seeds. Behind the
broom seeds he put seeds of the pine.
The fence protected the broom seeds,
and the broom grew. Then the broom
in its turn afforded shelter to the deli
cate pine shoots. Soon the pines
spread, and their tough roots bound
the sandy soil together. The first step
was accomplished Then canals were
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
" IlNF ILt7 ~
DIRT PASSES FOR BUTTER.
In Many Places of This Globe Wher
Primitive People Dwell.

Eating earth is practiced all over the
world to certain extent, and is not
confined to the clay-eating Indians of
the far west. In some parts of the
mountains of Germany the natives eat
a certain kind of clay spread on their
bread, calling 1t "stein butter" stone
butter. In upper Italy and Sardinia
a kind of clay is offered in the markets
for sale as food. In Northern Sweden
and the peninsula of Kola a kind of
earth called bergmerl, mountain flour,
is baked with the bread In Persia, too,
large quantities of clay are eaten. The
natives of Africa are great clay-eaters,
especially the Botocudos of the Orino-
co river. In Nubia certain kind of
earth is eaten as medicine, and on
the island of Timor the eating Of earth
is connected with the religious cere-
monies. The cause Of this widespread
custom, according to Doctor Lasch,
German scientist who has just been in
vestigating the matter, is that the clay
contains a certain amount of salt.
which tastes good to these primitive
people. The consequence of habitual
earth-eating is great distention Of
the stomach, an increase in the lean
ness of the eaters, and distention OF
the liver. When a child of civilized par
cnts shows a disposition to eat earth
or slate pencils, as is often the case,
there is physical cause for it, and the
case should be brought to the attention
Of the family physician,
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

surroundings, her fellow sufferers, the
white capped nurses, and the doctors
For each and every one she had the
same wan little smile; but there was
one whose coming seemed to be the
only sunbeam of her life. How eager
ly she watched for his coming, and how
those blue eyes lit up as she saw his
handsome, grave face! Every day he
came to her and spoke kind words
She wondered how 1t would all end
All! too we'll she knew that in few
weeks she would again begin the wear
isome life of the past. He would for
get her, but through all her sufferings
she knew she could never forget him.
She could never forget those dark eyes
as they looked tenderly into hers
yes, in all the years to come there
would be one bright spot she could
remember. &. ~
One morning she watched for his
coming in vain. A new doctor came
in his place, and, although Millicent
would have rather died than confess
it, two great tears rolled down her
cheek. One of the nurses came to her
and placed large bouquet in her thin
hands. "They are for you" she said.
"Shall put them in water?" Mill
cent gazed thoughtfully at them and
wondered where they came from. Sud-
denly tiny piece of paper caught her
eve. It was a note addressed to her.
Her trembling fingers could scarcely
unfold it. Involuntarily her eyes went
down the page to where the name was
written in a bold, plain hand, Edgar
Canton"
Softly she read the following lines:
Dear Little Eriend-I am called
away to distant city, but cannot go
without bidding you goodby. | cannot
come to you, as start at midnight
and by morning will be many miles
from here. When return you will be
almost we'll again. Dear little girl,
I will have something to tell you when
I get back, try and see If you can guess
what it is. I shall be home the last
day of the old year. Until then am
yours, EDGAh CANloN'
How happy she was, and how she
longed for his return; she dared not
think of what he had to tell her. The
days passed quickly, and one morning
she was surprised when the doctor told
her that in a week she would be able
to leave the hospital. The week passed,
the day of her departure came. 1t was
Dec. "a, the day before Christmas;
she knew that she would be unable to
see Edgar Canton and her heart was
heavy. Where was she to go, she had
only few dollars and no work. over
and over again she tried to think. Yes,
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

graved separate characters. These he
baked, making movable type Of earth
enware. Even to this day in China
the impression is made by linking the
type with a brush; thin absorbent
paper Is then laid upon the face Of the
type and pressed lightly with a dry
brush. We have now the first way by
which ink was transmitted to type.
This way OF taking an impression
continued until about 1474, when pelt
balls were introduced. II in perfect"
order these would do good work. They
were made in the following way: A
piece Of strong grain pelt or skin was
selected, and from this the grease had
to be entirely removed. 1t was then
soaked IA or Is hours and afterward
"curried" by drawing 1t across a post
until every particle Of dampness had
gone. Then long treading by the feet
followed. Wool was wrapped under
the skin and the pelt was tightly
placed over, but the great difficulty OF
getting it in order and the uncleanli-
ness of the operation led to the intro
duction, about 1907, by Mr.. Maxwell
Of Philadelphia, of the dressed sheep
skins or Skin rollers" as they were
called. But they, too, were abandoned,
being found too heavy for the hand.
About 1915 Mr.. Fanshaw Of New York
introduced an improved roller made by
wrapping blanket some eight times
around piece of wood three and a
half inches in diameter, turned true,
and with an iron spindle on each end.
The skin was then tightly wound
around the blanket and afterward
nailed to the wooden end. 1t was in
1917, by the merest chance, in one Of
the potteries in Staffordshire, England
that the composition of glue and mo-
lasses first saw the light. This COM
position was used in the potteries for
what are commonly called "dabbers."
Mr.. D. Foster Of Weybridge, England,
was the first printer to apply this COM
! position to letterpress printing; but
! even he did not understand its great
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

them in all the banking business / did
when I was abroad couple OF years
ago you will no doubt look for the dark
lantern and Jimmy to complete the set.
My experience, however, was not bur-
glarious, and the story, in a word or
two, is this: l had never been in Eu-
rope before, and wasn't posted as to
the best way to carry money, SO on the
advice of friend who ought to have
had more sense got an old-fashioned
letter of credit in New York-one Of
those idiotic arrangements that have
a photograph Of the holder pasted in a
little circle at the top of the page.
When I procured the letter l was
wearing a full beard, which, l am
told, changes me very materially, but
while staying in London l got tired Of
1t, and one day, on a sudden impulse,
had 1t taken Off, never thinking of
that COMPOUNDED letter OF credit. had
no occasion to use the document until
l arrived In Paris, and when present
ed 1t at bank there was turned down
hard. The teller, or whoever he was,
told me he couldn't think of paying
money to man who bore no resem
blance whatever to the official photo,
and, when l explained the situation,
shrugged his shoulders and advised me
to come back after l grew another
beard. Going out l CHANGED to notice
costumers shop, and was seized with
an inspiration. l rushed over, bought
that curio now on the wall, returned to
the bank, clapped it on my classic mug,
and said, Now gimme that money
There was some talk, but I got it, and
tfterward l worked the same scheme
from one end of Europe to the other
The bank people regarded it as an
! amusing American eccentricity. With
out it l would have lost at least
month, laying up somewhere, waiting
for my bristles to break out New
Orleans Times Democrat.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE NOME,
TIE LAND OF SHINING GOLD

usefulness, He merely spread it, when
in liquid state, upon piece OF can
vas and then made ball Of 1t. This
is the only way in which 1t differed
from the pelt ball. The inventors OF
printing machinery were not quite so
slow. however. About 1880 the
composition was used as a coating on
wooden cylinders: and here we have
the first application for printing
presses worthy the name of roller"
without which printing machinery
could never have reached the state OF
perfection it has attained today.-In-
land Printer.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
Takes a Snow Bath.

Ed Dietz, a prominent athlete Of
Northwestern university, is acquiring
considerable celebrity in Evanston for
his snow baths. Every evening before
retiring Dietz plunges head first into
a snow bank After floundering about
vigorously for few moments he
throws his robe about him and sfushes
into the house. Dietz says asnow bath
is not so bad after. you become used
to it," and he speaks in glowing terms
OF the exhilaration that follows it,
Chicago Times-H Herald. H'r
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
A FALSE BEARD.
Why an American In Europe Had to
Wear One.

why an American In Europe Had to
Wear One.
Among the varied br,c-a-brac, OBJ
jects of art, and souvenirs of travel
that adorn the walls of one Of the
contest bachelor ''dens" in New Or
leans is a false beard and mustache
put together on false foundation and
supplied with a pair of delicate wire
hooks to go over the ears. 1t is jet
black In color, and its effect is trifle
piratical. These false whiskers,"
said the young broker who occupies
the apartment, "are an interesting
relic. When l tell you that l used
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

the army horseshoer goes to work and
has the charger shod before he could
eat feed or oats. A small portable
bellows and forge enables the farrier
to travel about the lines and do his
work wherever wanted. The accom-
panying illustration shows one of these
army horseshoers putting shoes on an
obstreperous officers mount in South
Africa.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

made to drain the wet parts and carry
the water to the dry. Thus did one
man, by patient effort, turn a dreary
desert into home for an Industrious
and healthy population. 1t was an
instance of triumph over fate.-Phila-
delphia Times.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

the soil to be prospected lies but few
feet below the surface, either on the
beach or back in the foothills.
There is but little non-producing
dirt to remove, as bed rock is found
I'VE feet below the surface. Men who
have suffered with the gold fever for
6fty years aver that the inland mines
of this district are very similar In geo.
logical formation to the early placer
mines in California. During the min
ing season at Nome almost all the OPP
erations were confined to beach dig
gings. This was due chiefly to the
accessibility to water and to the fact
that little was known Of the interior
mining regions.
Two million dollars have been ex-
tracted from the beach already and no
estimate can be made Of what lies hid
den there. Prospectors have gone
over sixty miles Of this beach and say
that in every inch Of 1t there is pre-
clous metal.
The beach for many miles Is dotted
with mining claims. The particular
sand in which the gold is found is ruby
red in color and lies in strata from two
to nine inches in thickness.
Labor is the greatest item OF ex-
pense, but this when taken In proper
ton to the net gains dwindles into
insignificance. Perhaps one OF the
greatest advantages of these fields lies
in their accessibility. The greatest
difficulty is manifested in the landing
of both passengers and freight from
the vessels to the shore. The gold it.
self has been pronounced by experts to
be of an exceptionally pure quality. 1t
ia clean and bright, is easily retorted
and amalgamates perfectly on the
copper plates, which lie at the
bottom of each rocker The
specie is found in fine par
ticles and small grains in the pay
dirt along the beach, while in the in
terror and along the numerous creeks
the product contains nuggets OF ex-
ceptional size and weight. These mug
gets are generally smooth worn, show
ing that they have at some time been
washed about or worn by the friction
of ice In some prehistoric period.
This is the district into which the
new gold seekers must plunge. The
miner on his arrival at Nome may
pitch his tent any place until he To-
Gates his claim, either upon the beach,
the four stakes, one for each corner OF
the rectangle. AS soon as a piece OF
land is decided upon by the prospec-
tive miner the district recorder Is no.
titled, who, for the small sum Of $3.50
examines the records to find out If
there are any previous claimants, and
If none are found, places the location
on record. Pol
The area allowed is 500 feet in width
aud the length depends on the geo.
graphical formation. The width may
vary from a hundred feet to half
mile. The creek on the borders Of
which the claim "a taken up generally
passes through the claim. What Is
known technically as the rim, or rims
forms the boundaries on either end o.
the claim. The rim Is nothing else
but that place in the formation OF the
land where the hills forming the watel
shed begin to rise. 1t is estimated by
the transportation companies tina
there will be a hegira of gold seekers
numbering some $4,000, to these new
gold fields within the next few months
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

One of the necessary adjuncts OF
every military camp which counts ca
valry among it's forces is corps OF
farriers Horseshoeing at the front
however, is not performed as 1t Is in
the well-stocked blacksmith shop. The
cavalry horse requiring shoe is seized
by two or three soldier, promptly
dumped over on his side and, while 1t
is held down by number of Tommies.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
Naming of Nails.

Many children and some grown per-
sons have found it in order to ask why
nails were called tens, Fights. skies,
and SO on. There are various explana-
tons for this. and the scholar can ac-
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23
INK ROLLERS USED IN Io4I.

Not Until Few Years Ago, However, Were
They Made OF Glue and Molasses
As long ago as the year 1041, so his
tory tells us, Chinese blacksmith,
Pitching by name, made a p'std OF
glutinous earth upon whi's he en-
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

Open Space In London
London enjoys greater area OF
open space than any other capital In
the world.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-03-23

Hardship.-The native soil of man
hood and self-reliance.-J. Neal
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-10
May Govern Under Any Form We
plnaSe

The nations power to make rules and
regulations for the government or ITS
possessions is not cOniircd to amy given
set of rules or regulations. IL Is not
confined to any particular formula or
laws or Kind of government or type or
administration. Where DO senators nmd
kind of government in territory belong
ing to the United States The Ian
guage aftirmiiS our power to govern such
territory is as broad as the require
ments of all possible situations And
there s nothing in the Constitution to
limit that comprehensive language. The
very reverse is true. For power to ad-
minister government anywhere and in
any manner the situation demands would
have i'm COZ 2rcss II III" constitution had
been silent. not merely because II Is a
power not reserved to the states or pco-
pie: not merely because it Is a power
Inherent in and an attribute of nationals
ity; not even because IT might be in
ferrcd from other specific provisions OF
the Constitution; but because 1t Is the
power most necessary for the ruling
tendency of our race--the tendency>.to
explore, expand and grow, to sail new
seas and seek new lands. subdue the will
derncss, reyitalize dccayinS peoples and
plant civilized and civilzilis governments
oyer all ,ne @G the makers sbSt Sr
produced Hawkins, and Drake. and Ra-
leigh and smith. and Winthrop, and
Penn. They were Of the great cxpor-
ing. pioneering. coionizing and governing
race who went forth with trade or gain
or religious liberty as the immediate oc-
casion for their VOYAGES, but really be-
cause they could rot help 1t; because the
blood within them cCmma nded them; be-
cause their racial tendency is as resist
less as the currents of the sea or the
process of the suns or any other ele-
mental movement of nature, of which
that racial tendency itself Is the most
ma icstic. And when they wrote the
Constitution they did not mean tn ncga-
tive the most elemental characteristic of
their race. of which their own presence
in America was AN expression and an cN-
ample. You cannot interpret a consti-
tuition without understanding the race
that wrote it.. And If our fathers had
intended reversal Of the very nature
and being of their race, they would have
so declared in the most emphatic words
our language holds. But they did not,
and in the absence of such words the
power would remain which Is essential
to the strongest tendency of our practical
race to govern wherever We are. aud To
govern by methods best adapted to the
situation. But our fathers were not con-
tent with silence, and they wrote In tho
Constitution the wCids which affirm this
e"SeHiial ana imperial power.
'tr kContinucu on Page o.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-10
"The Blood of Our Soldiers"

Mr.. President, reluctantly and only
from sense Of duty, Sm | forced tn say
that American opposition 10 the war mas
been the chief factor In prolonging IL.
Had Aguinaldo not understood thai in
America even In tie American congress,
even here i'm the senate, he and his cause
were supported had he not known that
II was proclaimed on the stump and i'm
the press of faction I'm the Init 4
states that every shot his misguided fol-
lowers fired into the breasts of American
soldiers was like the volleys fired by
Washinstons men against the soldiers
uf ne King George, his insurrection
would have dissolved before 1t entirely