davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Know When They Have Enough.

The llama, that docile animal which
was the beast of burden in Peru in
prehistoric times and played the part
that was assigned to his cousin. the
camel, in Egypt and Arabia, is still
seen in large numbers in the mountain
districts, but he cannot live in the
warmer ATTITUDES along the coast. He
Is docile, enduring and sure footed. He
can go long time without water and
food and chews the cud Of contentment
when other animals are in distress be-
cause Of the temperature of the rare
fed atmosphere found in the Andean
plateaus.
A llama will carry 100 pounds and
no more, and if you add an ounce to
his load he will lie down and wait IN
til it is taken off. He knows when he
has enough, and there is no use in try
ing to argue with him. The native In
dams have learned this by the expert
ence Of generations, and when llama
lies down they Immediately unstrap
and diminish his burden without max
ing any fuss about it. Then, when he
Is satisfied that he has been given no
more than his share, he climbs on to
his hoofs again and follows the noun
tain trail for days and weeks at time
without murmuring or slipping or for
getting his good manners. - Chicago
Record.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
USING HIS WITS.
Showing How People May BE Guided
by Inference.


"You see" said the man with the
bullying forehead and prominent nose,
''if people would only be guided more
by inference it would save lots of use
less trouble"
Il don't understand you" said the
man who had been tickling pimple on
his chin.
''Why, for instance, l passed frozen
pond one winter day. On the ice saw
a pair of skates, boys cap and a nit
ten. Out in the middle of the pond the
ice was broken. Did l jump to the
conclusion that boy had been drown
ed and raise a great hullabaloo about
it?"
"Of course you did, or else you ought
to be prosecuted. You don't mean to
say you passed on and said nothing?
Il do" calmly replied the man of the
forehead. Il inferred instead of jump
ing to a false conclusion"
But you had to infer that the boy
was under the ice," protested the 9th
er.
mot bit of it. If the boy had fallen
in, the skates and cap and mittens
would have gone with him. 1 simply
inferred that he had seen a rabbit and
given chase. l was right too In the
course of five minutes met him on the
road
''Oh, you did! And maybe you infer
red something else"
"Of course did. AS he had the nose
bleed. inferred that he had fallen over
a log in the chase aud got left, and he
admitted that such was the case"
Then you ought to have wound up
the performance by inferring whether
it was male or female rabbit"
st wasn't necessary, my captious
friend. AS l passed on l found the
rabbit, dead from overexertion, and it
was male. "-Washington Post
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
A Common Ereak.

When p. 7. Barnum was in the mu-
scum business in New York, one of
his most jovial friends was Gaylord
Clark, famous litterateur in the days
Of our fathers. They were a well
matched pair of practical jokers One
day when Mr.. Clark dropped in at the
museum, as was his custom, Mr.. Bar
num-, apparently much excited, hurried
his friend into the private office and
said: Gaylord, l was about to send for
you. want your advice. 1 have a
chance to purchase the most wonder
full of all geological freaks. It's at first
a perfect fish, then it changes to a
four legged land animal, then it climbs
trees and''-
Bah! You're joking" interjected
Mr.. Clark.
"On my honor l am not" impressive
~ replied the Snowman. But the ex-
pense."
"Oh, hang the expense" interrupted
Mr. Clark, brimful of enthusiasm over
the business project of his friend. "If
you can get any such freak as that,
your fortunes made But what's the
thing -called?"
We'll" replied Mr.. Barnum, with
just the faintest suggestion Of a twin
kle in his left eye, "it belongs to the
batrachian family of animals and in
the vernacular is called the-the-tad
poler'
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
The Clothes Moth.

We may marvel at grubs growing fat
and succulent upon such unpromising
fare as old timber affords, but that
achievement is improved upon by the
insects that prefer to draw their en-
tire nutrition from wooden fabrics, fur,
horsehair, feathers, tanned leather and
the like and apparently without ever a
desire to wet their whistles" by any
thing of a juicy nature. Any small,
silvery winged moth that is seen fit
ting about the house is regarded as a
CLOTHES MOTH" but every one killed is
not an enemy, for there are a number
of moths of similar size and appearance
that come from outdoors and have been
occupied as grubs in destroying green
leaves. 1t is a common error to sup
pose that it is the clothes moth that
does the mischief, though by destroy
ing the moth we prevent the laying Of
lnnumerable eggs from which come the
consuming larvae, whose cutting jaws
would be actively and necessarily en-
ployed in mutilating choice fabrics and
valuable furs. These caterpillars are
rarely seen by the housewife because
their first care on leaving the egg is to
disguise or hide themselves.
The clothes moth proper has yellow
ish gray wings, with three or four in
definite brownish spots upon them, and
in consequence of its marked prefer
ence for furs it is known to science as
Tinea pellionella.-GoodW Words.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Historical Divisions of Time.

For convenience time is, by his
torians, usually divided into three
great eras-ancient, medieval Tor mi
dle) and modern. The ancient period
is considered to extend from the EARL
est times down to the fall of the Ro-
man empire in the west in A. D. 476;
the medieval from that date to the
discovery of America by Columbus in
1892 and the modern from that time to
the present. Some historians prefer to
put the end of the medieval period at
the capture of Constantinople by the
Turks, about 40 years earlier than the
Columbus event. The dark ages are
often held to be coeval with the me-
di2val era, but some authorities think
that the term should be applied only
to the part of the era extending from
the downfall of the empire of Charlie
magne, in the ninth century, onward.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Pretty Far OF.

a summer resident in n New Hamp-
shire village, lady who, in Horace
Walpole's phrase. sits at the top of
the world" was making her first
friendly call of the season upon the
family Of an old widower
Only the father was at home, one of
the girls being absent on a visit to the
other sister. who had been married
during the past winter. Naturally the
talk turned on tie daughters.
Yes" said the father; Mary made
out real WELL But don knows III
ever work Lizabeth off. There's
young man been comm here steady
now for two year, an he's no further
on yet, ma'am. than me an YOU
Youths Companion.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
ENGLAND'S FIRST SHIP.
Great Harry Was the COuntry's Pre-
mier Fighting Machine.


Of the first ship, properly speaking,
of the British navy, known as the
Great Harry, the following particu-
lars are given in an old number of the
Mechanics Magazine, lated Oct. %,
1923:
The Great Harry was built by King
Henry VII at a cost of f14,OO0, and
was burned at Woolwich, through acct
dent in 1853.
Though King Henry, as well as
other princes, hired many ships, ex-
elusive of those which the different
seaports were obliged to furnish, he
seems thus to have been the first king
who thought of avoiding this incon-
venience by raising such a force as
might be at all times sufficient for the
service of the state. Historians tell us
that he caused his navy, which had
been neglected In the preceding reign.
to be put in condition to protect the
British coasts against all foreign inva-
siOns, and that in the midst of pro-
found peace he always kept up a fleet
ready to act.
LII <AuS uot, 1o1-, Tic IleSeAl,
Of 1000 tons, which was at that time
the largest vessel in the British navy,
was burned, and to replace it the
Great Harry, or, as it was also known,
the Henry Grace de Dieu, was built in
1915
The vessel, of about 1000 tons bur-
den, was manned by $40 soldiers, 3O1
marines and 80 gunners. She had four
masts and portfolios on both decks and
in other parts.
Before the time of ner construction
the cannon were placed above deck
and on the Prov and poop. One De-
charges, French builder at Brest, is
said to have invented portfolios.
In list of the British navy, as it
stood on Jan. 5, 1913, the Great Harry
| is said to have carried 10 brass and 103
iron pieces of ordnance.
The name of the ship is supposed to
have been changed in the reign of Ed
ward VI to Edward, which, on Aug.
e. 1862, was reported to be still Sin
good case to serve" and was ordered
'to be grounded and calked once a
year to keep it tight. "-Cassier's Maya
| zine,
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
BILLIARD CUES.
How They Are Made-America Fur
nishes the Best.

ntSheS the Best.
Most billiard cues" said New York
manufacturer the other day, ARE made
in two pieces-the cue proper and the
handle. The cue is made generally of
shaped, is inserted into a handle Of
rosewood. snakewood, ebony. mahog
any. walnut or some other fancy dark
wood. which is cut to dovetail with the
long part.
"The maple wood used in making the
handles is sawed into suitable lengths
and seasoned. The logs are then split
into pieces from which the handles are
made. These pieces are called bolts.
The bolts are sawed approXimately to
the. shape of the handle to be finally
made, and in this shape they are han
to the shape of the handle in lathe,
and when the butt has been fitted it is
finished and polished.
The finest and best cues are fitted
to the handle or butt by means of a
double wedge. At the top of the cue is
which the leather tip is fitted. While
the ivory ferrule is the most expensive.
of course it is less durable than the
horn or bone ferrules. which are less
liable to crack The extra workman
ship on cues is put in on the butts.
some of which are deliberately inlaid
and carved in beautiful patterns.
There are a number of billiard play
ers who will not permit another person
to use their cues. and for the use of
these particular players cues are turn
ed out from which the tips may be I'M
screwed. leaving the cue with unfinish
ed points and useless.
american billiard cues are the light
est. strongest and neatest made any
where in the world. They are made
in all weights and lengths and rank in
price from 80 cents to $25 and more
each. according to the quality and fin
ish of the article.-Washingt Star.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
SOME CURIOUS CHURCHES.
Congregations Which Meet In Inns,
WirdmilIs and Boats

W lEO4h1l1S ana Boats.
A public house is one of the last
places one would expect to be used as
place of worship. The inhabitants
of Twyford village near Winchester,
would not consider this at all a nov
city, because for several years past
the Phoenix inn has been used Sunday
for religious purposes. The room in
which the religious services are held
will comfortably hold about 200 people
and opens at the back on to a pretty
tea garden. The most remarkable fea-
ture of the services is that they are Of
ten conducted while the public house
is open for business purposes, and the
customers can join in the singing If
they are so disposed.
There are two or three instances of
public houses which have been con-
verted into churches, and there are
also two or three theaters which are
now places of worship. The Fen dis
trict possesses a canalboat church.
There are a large number of people
who live some distance away from any
church, and the canalboat church trav-
els from place to place for the benefit
of such folk. The boat will seat a
congregation of about 100.
The old chapel of ease at Tunbridge
Wells has unique situation. 1t stands
in two counties and three parishes.
When the clergyman leaves the vestry,
he comes out of the parish of Frant of
Sussex. If he is going to officiate at
the altar, he walks into the parish of
Tunbridge in Kent. If, on the other
hand, he is going to preach the sermon,
he walks from the parish of Frant to
the parish of Speldhurst on his way to
the pulpit.
The chapel at Milton Bryant is stu
ated in the village pond. The reason
for the selection of this strange site
was because no landowner would
would grant any other position.
The windmill church near Reigate
is familiar TO London cyclists. Not so
familiar is the underground church at
Brighton. Owing to some ancient
lights difficulty, the authorities could
not build up" and as the site was a
good one they decided to ''build down."
London Mail.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Tale of n Erugnl Rishop.

"There used to be in city in which
lived" said Il Cleveland man. "a GER
tain bishop who. while possessed of the
highest principles and whose aims and
ambitions in life were of the highest
character. at the same time united with
tiers that caused innumerable stories
illustrative of this failing to be tackled
upon him One of these related to
certain church conference which the
bishop and other dignitaries of the
church at one time attended.
AT one of the meetings the bishop
in endeav oring to open a letter neatly
with his penknife was so unfortunate
as to allow the latter to slip and to
cut a finger severely The injured
member bled profusely. and a hasty
search for court plaster ensued There
being none forthcoming. a clergyman
standing by fished out his cardcase
and, extracting from it cent stamp.
the smallest priced stamp he had. Of
fered it to the bishop to use as a sub
stitute for the much needed court plas-
ter
The bishop accepted it gratefully
and in his turn took out his own card
case In ii he placed the > cent stamp
and then. producing l cent specimen
of his own. he pasted it over the still
bleeding wound. New York Tribune.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31

In the east the camel today. as in the
days of Solomon, is the principal beast
of burden in peace and in war. Across
the pitiless desert he strides, his great
pack nodding as he swings along.
Down the old, old trail that winds
through the hills of Lebanon, blinking.
they come in pairs, bringing cedars to
the sea. But the most remarkable of
all freighters is the eastern hamal, the
human burden bearer All or nearly
all the freight of Constantinople is
handled by the hamal He wears on
his back a regular pack saddle, thin al
the top, where it rests on his shoulders
and thick at the bottom, where it ends
at his hips. A broad band circles his
forehead, and when he leans forward
the saddle presents a fat, level sur
face.-Munsey's Magazine.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
The Lesson He Wanted.

In his autobiography, up From Slav-
cry" Booker T. Washington tells an
amusing anecdote of an old colored
man who during the days of slavery
wanted to learn how to play on the gui-
tar. In his desire to take guitar les
sons he applied to one of his young
masters to teach him. But the young
man, not having much faith in the
ability Of the slave to master the gui-
tar at his age, sought to discourage
him by telling him: Uncle Jake, will
give you guitar lessons. But, Jake, l
will have to charge you So for the first
lesson, 50 for the second lesson and 81
for the third lesson. But l will charge
you only % cents for the last lesson"
Uncle Jake answered: "All right
boss, hires you on dem terms. But
boss, wants yer to be sure an give me
dat las lesson first"
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Saved Each Other.

A short time ago a guard on one of
the Northern expresses while at a big
station in the midlands had been talk
ing to the engine driver Presently he
stepped aside and gave his Right
awayp'' when a gentleman who was
late sprang on to the footboard while
the train was in motion and tried to
obtain admission to one of the compart-
mentS.
AS the carriage came along the guard
seized him by the coat and pulled him
off, remarking that he must think him
self lucky, for he had practically saved
his life.
AS this conversation was going on
the guards van came by, and the
guard, with that gracefulness acquired
by constant practice, sailed majestical-
ly on to his van.
The gentleman, who had taken in the
situation, thereupon seized him by the
coat and pulled him off, saying as the
train sped away:
Zone good turn deserves another.
You saved my life; have saved yours.
Now we are quits. "-London Telegraph.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31

A popular belief is that the sound
produced by little insect known as
death watch" portends the death of
some relative or friend. That the
noise made by this little creature re-
sembles the ticking of a watch is un-
disputed, but that it in anywise fore
tells the dissolution of human being
is absurd. Observation has establish
ed the fact that these little insects i'll
fest decaying timber and posts, and
that the peculiar noise is caused by
them in gnawing and boring through
the rotten wood fibers in quest of food.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
A Cheese Roast

Those who insist upon eating cheese
should take the precaution to cook it
thoroughly before eating. 1t is for this
reason that some people who are I'M
able to eat raw cheese find themselves
able to eat toasted cheese without diff
ficulty. Toasting the cheese does not,
however. increase its digestibility, but
rather the reverse. Its beneficial effect,
If any, is from the destruction of the
virulent microbes which are present
and which are capable Of giving rise
to symptoms even more distressing
than those of ordinary indigestion. The
best method of dealing with cheese is
to give it to the pigs, as it is nothing
more or less than decayed milk. fit only
for a scavenger diet. - Sanitary and
Municipal Engineering.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Did You Ever Drown a F1ys

II
Whatever other fate might befal It,
naturalists agree that the common
house fly cannot be drowned and many
experiments have been made in rela-
ton thereto.
Included in such tests was the i'm
mersion Of a fly in a tumbler of clear
cold water, with a piece of cardboard
to fit the glass and floated so as to
keep the insect beneath the surface.
So little did the fly trouble about
such an obstacle that it kept near the
bottom of the glass, and there for a
quarter of an hour ran about as freely
as in the fresh air, while it at times
crawled across the underside of the
pasteboard as on the ceiling of a room.
After being immersed for 20 minutes
the fiy's movements were less active,
and at % minutes it turned over on its
side, apparently dead. 1t hung sus-
pended in the water just under the
pasteboard, which kept it from rising
to the surface and there it remained
for another % minutes.
1t was then taken out and placed on
sheet of paper, looking to all appear
ance dead. Its next fate was to be
buried by being covered with about
half teaspoonful of fine salt
At the end of 10 minutes the saline
was shaken off, the fly having thus
been completely covered either by
water or by salt for Go minutes.
Immediately upon it's release the in
sect trimmed its wings and legs active
ly for awhile and then flew away
Parsons Weekly.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Why Monarchs Were insane.

Pathologists have often pointed out
the fact that physical and mental en-
ervation are apt to go hand in hand,
and the intellectual degeneracy of eti-
quette monarchs may haze Il good deal
to do with the Sybaritism of their pal
ace life
The plebeian functions which medic
val sovereigns were obliged to perform
by proxy included the adjustment Of
their gala gloves. They had flunkies
to remove their cravats and warm their
nightshirts, unplait their pigtails and
tuck up their bedclothes around their
shoulders. In the morning courtiers
competed for the honor Of holding
their washbasin. Peers of the realm
waited on Bonded knees to buckle their
shoes. If the inheritor of a legitimate
throne lifted a spoon to break an egg,
lynx eyed lackeys anticipated his needs
with the agility of trained conjurers.
Like his food, his information on cur
rent topics was served ready dressed
and cooked, till he turned into a masti-
eating machine and repeater of con-
ventional waddle.-Lippincott
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Answered His own Letter.

A certain young railroad man who
has charge Of a department in the
auditing branch of his company's busi-
ness had occasion recently to dictate
letter to the head of corresponding
department Of another road. There
was a point in dispute between the
two railroads involving money, and
this young official had taken a stub
born ground that the other official was
totally at fault and advanced what
seemed to him unanswerablo argu-
ments to prove it.
A short time after he had forwarded
the letter he received a proposition
from headquarters of the other rail-
road, which he accepted. and within a
few days he became the head of the
department with which he had been in
dispute. The first letter which he found
on file ready to be answered was his
own on the point in question.
There was only one thing to do. He
Immediately dictated an answer to his
own letter, refuting and repudiating
its argument, and wound up by heat.
ed insinuation that the writer of it was
an unmitigated donkey. OF course, the
letter was addressed to himself. but in
his enthusiasm for the interests of his
new employer he did not mind little
thing like that--Chicago News.
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
.Lnhn Allen,s PnIr.

When the house voted to prohibit liz
uor selling in army canteens, John Al
len of Mississippi WIS not recorded.
Some good women of Mississippi noted
the fact that he did not vote and
called on him for an explanation;
knowing that Mr.. Allen had been at
one time quite active in the Congress
sional Temperance society. Mr.. Allen
replied that he was paired on the can
teen question. You see, ladies'" he
said, 1.-The situation was this: My wife
thinks very much as you do about this
legislation in regard to the canteen. l
have some doubts as to whether con-
gress will really promote temperance
among soldiers in this way. So | pair
ed my judgment with my wife's con-
science and decided not to vote."-St
Louis Globe Democrat
Amador ledger., 1901-05-31
Contests of Eggs.

From the remotest ages the egg has
been looked upon as the symbol of Gre
alton, or new birth. According to the
Persians, the world was Matched from
an egg at that season of the year which
corresponds to the vernal equinox.
Hence the Parsees still exchange gifts
of colored eggs at the new year festi-
val, which they celebrate at this date.
Among the Jews the egg entered into
all the mysterious ceremonies called
apocalyptic and occupied a prominent
position on the household table during
the paschal season. Christianity in
vested the paschal egg with new sig
nificance-namely, that of the resur-
rection of Christ. and it was colored
red in allusion to his blood shed for
sinners on the cross
A curious custom in medieval church.
es, for priests and choristers to join in
game Of ball at Eastertide, took its
rise from the Easter egg. which was
thrown from one to the other of the
choristcrs in the nave of the church
while an anthem was being sung. AS
a missed egg meant smashed egg, the
more durable handba!l was substituted.
But the smashing of eggs continued
as form of outdoor sport. Survivals
are to be found among all Teutonic
and Anglo-SaxOn people A popular
game in England and Germany con-
sists in hitting enc egg against anoth-
rr. the egg that survives uncracked
winning for its owner the weaker an
tag0nist, until an entire basket of eggs
may have changed ownership. Anoth-
er game is TO rIuHdlp eggs down a hill
or s.ope. these which reach the bottom
u2cracked being similarly victorious
over the others.