davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03
HOUSES Built of Petrifed Trees by Pre-
l historic Americans.

c Americans.

In the Petrified Forest of Arizona are
ruins of several ancient Indian villages.
which present to the eye a very remarkable
spectacle. inasmuch as they are built of
logs from fossil trees. These particular
trees are of a species known to botanists as
Araucarioxylon, and have no living repre-
sentative nearer than Chile and the Pacific
Islands
Doctor Walter Hough. in a recent COM
munication to the Plant World. says:
During the process of fossilization the
trunks Of these ancient conifers. which had
fallen and sunk down in the soft mud of the
Jura-Triass lake shores, became divided in
to cylinders, from two to rarely more than
ten feet in length, SO that they can scarce
iy be called logs. The prehistoric dwellers
of the land selected cylinders of uniform
size. which were seemingly determined by
the carrying strength of man. 1t Is prob
able that prehistoric builders never chose
more beautiful stones for the construction
Of their habitations than the trunks of the
trees which hourished ages before man ap-
peared on the earth.
This wood agate also furnished material
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

petrified forest country there was no raas
terial so suitable and so easily obtained %
the silicified logs. and IL IL natural that
the Indians should have utilized them "a
this way. They furnished a very beautiful
building stone. but aesthetic considerations
are Of secondary importance from the abo.
riginal viewpoint
The prehistoric dwellers in that part OF
their descendants Of to-day. Not only did
sometimes Of gigantic size. but they laid TIE
the walls and added finally q coat of white
wash. Some Of the edifices which they left
behind. although now in ruins. are pagnif.-
cent monuments to their architectural sitill
Occasionally, too. these buildings were
adorned with superb round towers, suggest
ing likeness to those Of medieval Nor.
man castles.
when Doctor Hough started on his expsS
dition last spring / suggested to him that
he should make a sort OF pottery map a
the region. Some of the most interestfnt
remains found in the fossil forest and IL
neighborhood are pots, which are Of severn
distinct types. One type ID the so-cal1ed
'coiled ware another ID the 'poiychrosae'
and third Is the gray pottery. The cclDed
ware seems to be the most ancient kind.
though some Of 1t is still in use The Sray
pots were made by the cliff dweiIers-these
ancient folk were cliff dwellers where suit
able cliffs happened to be handy-but tbs
same sort OF ware Is to be picked up all
over C"r,.a. arizona New Mexico and southsrs
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

was a few hundred for a starter. and to
get that he'd decide to let me In on the
ground floor. / want to say right here that
whenever any one offers to let you in on
the ground floor it's pretty safe rule to
take the elevator to the roof garden.
never exactly refused to lend Charlie the
capital he needed, but We generally COM
promised on half a dollar next morning.
when he was in a hurry to make the store
to keep from getting docked.
He dropped by the office last week. .
little bent and seedy. but all In a glow and
trembling with excitement in the old way.
Told me he was president Of the Kiondike
Exploring. Gold-Prospecting and Immisra-
tion Company, with a capital Of ten mil.
lions. / guessed that he was the board OF
directors and the capital stock and the ex-
ploring and the prospecting and the inmi-
grating. too-everything. in fact, except the
business card he'd sent in; for Charlie al
ways he'd a gift for nosing out printers
who'd trust him. Said that for the sake Of
old times he'd let me have a few Thousand
shares at 80 cents. though they would &c
to par in a year. In the end We compro-
missed on loan Of SO. and Charlie went
off happy.
The swamps are full OF razorbacks Gko
Charlie fellows who'd rather make Q mn-
lion a night in their heads than S . day in
cash. / have always found 1t cheaper to
lend a man of that build a little money than
to hire him. As a matter OF fact, have
never known a fellow who was smart
enough TO think for the house days and for
himself nights. A man who tries that 10
usually a pretty poor thinker. and he ISN'T
much good to either; but II there's any
choice. the house gets the worst of It.
simply mention these little things in .
general way. II you can take my word for
some of them you are going to save your
self a whole lot of trouble. There are others
which don't speak of. because life is toe
short, and because 1t seems To AFFORD q fell
low heap OF satisfaction to pull the trig-
ger for himself to see II II is loaded: ana
a lesson learned at the muzzle has the viz
tue of never being forgotten.
You report to Milligan at the yards at
sharp on the 18th. You'd better figure on
being here on the 18th, because Mnligan's
a pretty touchy Irishman. and may b
able to give you a point or two that viii
help you to keep on his mellow side. Hes
apt to feel little sore at taking on q man
In his department whom he hasn't passeA
on. Your affectionate father,
JOHN GRAHAM 9.
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

literally eat and sleep with the engines
until the final tests have been made.
A bit of emery dust dropped into an
oil cup may undo the work of months,
as has been discovered.
An instance of American adaptability
IS mentioned in the case of large
order sent TO an English firm in ia
maica. The gauge of the railroad diff
fered from that common in England.
The Britishers sent word that the line
would have to be relaid and bridges
widened. The American firm that final
ly received the order Immediately pre-
pared new plans, adjusted TO the condi-
tions in Jamaica. This one instance may
be taken as indicative Of the reasons
why American manufacturers are win
ming their way over all the world. En-
terprise and genius are bringing their
lust reward
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03
TEACHING METHODS.

During the past few years most col
eyes and universities have placed Greek
and Latin among the electives. Regular
degrees may be secured in institutions
of recognized standing without a study
of Greek. Educational methods are
going through an evolution which in the
end will make the students of twenty
years ago or even Of the present day
seem very much out of date.
In the November issue Of the Com
monwealth. Mr.. George X. Lockwood in
dulges in "A Lecture to Teachers" He
lays on the teachers the blame for dis
carl1ng the dead" languages. He thinks
that the attempt to give students a
is q mistake. The hard. extensive and
Iniuteresting" grammar work is pro-
nounced the cause Of the general dis
like Of these tounges-a dislike which
Mr.. lockwood confesses to be natural
lie argues that a reading knowledge
Of the languages can be obtained with
out burdening the mind of an active
girl or boy with the 1000 or 1,5OO rules,
exceptions and examples usually taught
Modern languages are more popular
because the teachers do not re-
Quire so much grammar work, yet, even
I'm their study, Mr.. Lockwood holds,
there is a surplus OF this unnecessary
aud unwelcome adjunct.
"A reading knowledge of language"
says Mr.. lockwood, lis all that most
students can hold on to for twelve
months i; they know 1t through books
Only, and the more reading they do in
school the more of the language will
they know a year after graduating, and
tins the greater will be their own
profit"
Mr.. Lockwood argues that mathe-
tnstics should not be taught to any ex-
ten, until children are L. or 13 years
old. Previous 10 that time reading is
profitable, especially n course taken
from mythology, history, anatomy,
physiology, geography, geology and po-
cry. Students should not attack higher
mathematics until they are well ground
ID in algebra, tho gymnast of marhe-
;natics." The larger number of failures
ID t-.gonometry, geometry and calculus
are from q poor algebraic foundation.
There is too much counting on the
future benefits 10 be derived from
studies, holds NJ. Lockwood. Students
should be made to feel that the present
studies are benefit to the present life.
Post obits' have ever been cashed
only at heavy discount; and pedagogic
promises of future value are held In the
school world In like sub-par estimate"
The spoken form Of the English Ian
gusge Is the most forceful, according
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03
Foot of a New Guinea Native.

but there are some variations Of this stock
in different localities. The western half of
the Island belongs to the Netherlands, Ger
many has most OF the eastern portion while
the southern part belongs to the British
Empire.
The center of New Guinea is perhaps the
least known Inhabited portion of our earth.
This Is due to the difficulties Of transporta-
tion and the unhealthfulness of the climate.
The only means of access into the heart Of
the country Is by rivers. and the upper
reaches Of these are subject to continual
and rapid changes Of volume. so that at
any moment a boat may be stranded and
delayed until there Is rise In the stream.
The Papuans are not at all inclined to
travel or to act as porters, and there are no
tracks through the jungle. In these respects
there Is a great contrast to Africa. Beside
the rivers there are large scattered villages.
and their inhabitants keenly resent the in
trusion of foreigners. and as a result there
have been several skirmishes between the
few travellers who have attempted to pene
trate the country and the patriotic natives.
Though the Papuan is by no means averss
to stealing upon defenseless men and women
in order to add to his collection Of skulls
he can at times exhibit great pluck and
bravery. and one can well believe that even
gun-possessing Europeans do not feel quite
comfortable when a fleet Of canoes dashes
down the river filled with naked savages
painted and accoutered for war.
The shell and leaf decorations show up
well against their black skins and above
the cleaning array Of their white teeth and
their glistening eyes are white feather
headdresses or the sable plumes of the cas-
sowary. The chanting of the war song is
accompanied by the rhythmic strokes of the
paddles. and soon as they come within
range shower OF arrows Is discharged
amid vociferous yells.
1t was but a few months ago that the re-
nowned and devoted James Chalmers, or
'"Tamate," as he liked to be called by his
black and by his white friends, and a young
brother missionary, the Reverend o. Tom
lSins, together with twelve native mission
students. were murdered by such a war
party.
The noble Tamate. hearing of a tribal
fight at spot on the coast near the Arid
River that had not been under missionary
or Government influence, went thither to
quiet the disturbance. Alas, even his
strong personality and wonderful influence
over natives failed to soothe the passion of
the savages, and he closed his adventurous
career by being killed and eaten by those
whose welfare he had so much at heart
The Papuans vary in the color Of their
skin from copper to very dark bronze; their
hair is black and woolly; of this they are
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03
n
Moossa awnmu in the Wood.

aWAmuc, In the Maine WOODS.
his pride are pretty badly snarled up In this
world. and he can't always pick them
apart. I think heap OF you and a heap
of the house. and / want to see you get
along well together. To do that you must
start right. It's just as necessary to make
a good first impression in business as In
courting. Youth read a good deal about
love al first sight in novels. and there
may be something in it. for all I know;
but I'm dead certain there's no such thing
as love at first sight in business. A mans
got to keep company long time. and come
early and stay late and sit close. before
he can get a girl or a job worth having
There's nothing comes without calling in
this world. and after you've called you've
generally got to go and fetch it yourself.
Our bright young men have discovered
how TO make pretty good article of pot
ted chicken. and they don't need any help
from hens. either: and you can smell the
clover in our butterine if you've developed
the poetic side of your nose: but none OF
the boys have been able to discover any
thing that viii pass as a substitute for
work. even in clearinghouse. though TIL
give some Of them credit for having tried
pretty hard.
remember when I was selling goods for
old Josh Jennings, back in the sixties, and
had rounded up about thousand in a saw
ings bank-a mighty hard thousand that
came a dollar or so at time and every
dollar with little bright mark where L
had bit It'll roomed with dry goods clerk
named Charlie Chase. Charlie had a ham
kering to be rich man; but somehow he
could never see any connection between
that hankering and his counter. except that
he'd hint to me sometimes about an heiress
who used to squander her fathers money
shamefully for the sake of having Charlie
wait on her. But when II came to getting
rich outside the dry goods business and
getting rich in a hurry. Charlie was the
man.
Along about Tuesday night-he was paid
on Saturday-hed stay at home and begin
to scheme. He'd commence at s o'clock and
start a magazine. maybe, and before mid
night he'd be turning away subscribers be-
cause his presses couldn't print a big
enough edition. Or perhaps he wouldn't
feel literary that night. and so he'd invent
a system for speculating in wheat and go
on pyramiding his purchases till he'd made
the best that Cheops did look like a five
cent plate Of ice cream. All he ever needed
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

fellow who's doing the talking; lust as I'm
little afraid that you're sometimes like the
hungry drummer at the dollar-a-day house
inclined to kill your appetite by eating the
cake in the center of the table before the
soup comes on.
OF course. I'm glad to see you swing into
line and show the proper spirit about COM
ing on here and going to work: but you
mustn't get yourself all "'het up before
you take the plunge, because you're bound
to find the water pretty cold at first. I've
seen a good many young fellows pass
through and out of this Office. The first
week lot Of them go to work they're in a
sweat for fear they'll be fired; and the sec
ond week for fear they won't be. By the
third. boy that's no good has learned just
how little work he can do and keep his
job: while the fellow who's got the right
stun in him is holding down his own place
with one hand and beginning TO reach for
the job just ahead of him with the other.
i don't mean that he's neglecting his own
work; but he's beginning to take notice,
and that's mighty hopeful sign in either
q young clerk or a young widow.
You've got to handle the first year Of
your business life about the way you would
a trotting horse. Warm up a little before
going to the post-not enough to be in a
sweat, but Just enough to be timber and
eager. Never start on at a gait that you
can't improve on, but move along strong
and well in hand to the quarter. Let out a
notch there, but take 1t calm enough up to
the half not to break. and hard enough not
to fall back into the ruck. At the three
quarters you ought to be going fast enough
TO poke your nose out Of the other fellows
dust, and running like the Limited in the
stretch. Keep your eyes to the front all
the time, and you won't be so apt to shy
at the little things by the side of the track.
Head up. and tail over the dashboard
that's the way the winners look in the old
pictures Of Maud 8. and Dexter and Jay
Eye-See. And that's the way I want TO
see you swing by the old man at the end
of the year, when we hoist the numbers
OF the fellows that are good enough to pro-
mote and pick out the salaries that need
a little sweetening.
I've always taken a good deal of stock in
what you call Blood -will-telT' IL you're a
Methodist. or 'Heredity'' II you're a Uni
tartan; and don't want you to come along
at this late day and disturb my religious
beliefs. A mans love for his children and
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

THE LETTERS OF sEI.F-MADE MER-
CHANT IN THE SATURDAY EVENING
POST HAVE ATTRACTED WIDE FAVOR ON
ACCOUNT OF THEIR BROAD GRASP Of
BUSINESS AND SOCIAL LIFE. SOUND SENSE
AND CLEVER STYLE. BY SPECIAL AR
RANGE,MENT WITH THE SATURDAY EVEN
ING POST THE REPUBLIC Is ENABLED TO
REPUBLISH THESE ARTICLES.
July Z. 1ss-.
Dear Pierrepont-Yours of the 4th has the
right ring. and it says more to the number
OF words used than any letter that / have
ever received from you. / remember read
ing once that some fellows use language to
conceal thought: but it's been my expert
ence that good many more use 1t instead
of thought.
business mans conversation should be
regulated by fewer and simpler rules than
any other function of the human animal
They are:
Have something to say.
Say It.
Stop talking.
Beginning before you know what you
want to say and keeping on after you have
scid 1t lands a merchant in a lawsuit or
the poorhouse. and ones a short cut to the
other. / maintain legal department here
and it costs lot OF money, but It's to keep
me from going to law.
It's all right when you are calling on a
girl or talking with friends after dinner to
run a conversation like a Sunday-school
excursion, with stops to pick flowers; but
in the office your sentences should be the
shortest distance possible between periods.
Cut out the introduction and the peroration.
and stop before you get to secondly. You've
got to preach short sermons to catch sim
ners; and deacons won't believe they need
long ones themselves. Give fools the first
and women the last word. The meats al
ways in the middle OF the sandwich. OF
course. little butter on either side of II
doesn't do any harm II it's intended for
man who likes butter.
Remember, too, that IT'S easier TO look
wise than TO talk wisdom. Say less than
the other fellow and listen more than you
talk; for when a mans listening he isn't
telling on himself and he's fattering the.
fellow who is. Give most men a good lis
tener and most women enough note paper
and they'll tell all they know. Money
talks-but not unless its owner has a loose
tongue. and then its remarks are always
offensive. Poverty talks. too, but nobody
wants to hear what It has to say.
1 simply mention these things In passing
because I'm afraid you're apt to be the
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03
Foot of a Civilized Man.

very proud. and they dress their hair with
care and decorate 1t with elegant combs
and beautiful feathers. That is to say. the
men do. for 1t is curious fact that. as
among animals it is the males OF primitive
peoples who are decorated.
have seen young men. gorgeous1y got up
with feather and shell ornaments, strutting
about the village like turkey cocks while
the more sober appareled damsels looked
on with admiring eyes. Perhaps the ex-
treme of fashion is reached by some of the
young men Of the Mexico district, where
tight lacing Is much in vogue.
There you may see young men with bands
drawn around their waists to the extreme
OF tightness much that the flesh
oozes out between the circles Of the belts
in prominent rings and the chests seem in
Hated, recalling the characteristic appear
ance of pouter pigeon. One may safely
assert that all through life the Papuan
woman Is much less ornamented than the
man. One fact is significant, after marriage
the hair Is cut off-indeed, this is. believe,
In most cases the only outward and visible
sign of marriage. One day a damsel will
have a fine head of hair and be fighty in
her behavior; the next day will see her de-
murely walking shelterless with shayen
pate fully exposed to a broiling tropical
sun. and looking as IL butter would not
melt in her mouth
The Papuans are excitable. demonstrative
and fairly intelligent. although some of the
tribes have no names for numerals above
two. These In counting say 'one." two"
"two-one." ''two-two," "two-two-one"
"two-two-two." after which they say "a
lot Other tribes have a decimal system.
All the Papuans are very fond of dancing
and then they get themselves up In fine
style.
1t would take far too much space to de-
scribe even in the briefest manner the nu-
merous varieties of darces in which the
Papuans indulge. With US dancing is
merely an amusement. and there appear to
be some dances of the Papuans which are
similarly indulged in. simply for pleasure.
The great majority of dances are. however.
of q ceremonial nature.
Among some tribes dances are held on the
supremely important occasion when a young
man is initiated into manhood. for unless
certain very sacred ceremonies are held q
youth Is not recognized as a man, and has
no rights and privileges. Some of these
dances are performed by men wearing won
derfui masks. One mask l know of had q
beard of human jawbones.
There were magical dances to make food
abundant and masks were worn on some of
these occasions. 1 witnessed one dance in
which the performers had masks represent
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

were two. Their culture was superior to
that of their descendants OF to-day. as is
proved by the plentiful remains which they
have left behind.
Wherever we find the aborigines on this
continent we learn that their ancient cu,-
ture. II they had any worth mentioning. was
superior to that of their descendants of to-
day. On coming into contact with the
whites the Indians lose their own arts.
abandon TO a great extent the culture that
properly belongs TO them, and becomes hang
ers-on to Caucasian civilization. In this way
the Pueblo tribes appear to have lost less
than any others, but they have suffered con-
siderably.
Fix it in your mind that the region OF
the Petrified Forest reveals no signs of any
prehistoric people aside from the ancestors
OF the Pueblo tribes. Next, realize that
there is hardly a square mile of that coun-
try which does not contain some remains of
ancient art. buildings. pottery. or what not,
to serve as a memorial of human dwelers
of long ago. In that land of drought water
Is always the chief desideratum, and 1t may
be taken for granted that during many CEN
turfes past no spot where water was to be
found has been without a population. Where
there Is or was no water there are sure to
be traces Of hunting camps or other evil
dences OF temporary occupancy.
THE discovery of ruined villages in the
fossil forest. with remains Of houses built
of logs from the petrified trees. Is not at all
surprising. Wherever man finds himself in
the world he constructs his dwelling of the
materials most conveniently at hand. In the
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

Another shiver passed over the Re-
publican "outfit' in Missouri when
President Roosevelt declared that the
merit rule would be applied in all ap-
pOintmenrs made since adjournment of
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

Has Lee Meriwether picked out his
ticket for next year? When he goes in-
to political movement, he takes all the
glory, handles the funds and shows up
with most of the Republican votes.
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

Conduit extension should precede the
paving Of streets and the laying of
sewers. Be sure that the ordinance is
error proof and then go ahead. The
people will take no excuses for made
quate laws on the subject.
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

to Mr.. lockwood. Let teachers desist
from constant efforts to keep out Of
school-boy and college-boy writings col
ioquialisms; and let them stop trying to
get undergraduate compositions written
In Addisonian English. They will
never, or very rarely. succeed. and will
spoil much good stuff In the writing"
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

Proper sanitary measures are not con-
fined to the bertermeut Of the streets
and sewers. The passage of the ordi-
nance declaring tuberculosis conta-
gious disease is one of the necessities.
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

Foreign representatives Of the Worlds
Fair are evidently being selected with
q proper appreciation of the importance
and dignity of their duties.
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

Philanthropist James Eads How has
probably chosen to sell newspapers as
offering the shortest cut to the enlight-
enment and uplifting of mankind.
The St. Louis Republic., 1901-11-03

That must have been an oversight
when the Board Of Public Improve
ments permitted a section of the new
street sprinkling bill to authorize the
appointment of twenty-one inspectors at
q cost Of S21 600 Where are the police?