davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
to indicate. A woman may cuItIvata

TO indicate. A woman may cuIulvnra
manner and self-control to such an ex-
tent that her real personality and in.
stincts may be kept from the eyes of
most observers. But her thumb is her
betrayer. 1t Is the one member that
she forgets to keep under strict sur
veillance. And 1t speaks frankly.
When l am collecting money for any
philanthropy and l meet q. patron who
discusses the subject with her thumb
held close against her forefnger | do
not ask her for a contribution. for |
know that she is selfish and unwilling
to part with a donation IT, on the
contrary, the thumb stands ont with
heroic nonchalance, I know that tho
owner is open for sympathy. and Will
help If she can. Even Il she cannot,
her answer will be truthful. ! do not
think that ! ever have met an excep-
ton to veracity in the right sort Of
thumb. But | never place any reliance
upon the word of a woman whoss
thumb closes inside of her palm as she
speaks, or who makes list by letting
the fingers cover the thumb. She is de-
ceptive, insincere, and often cowardly.
In man this retirement of the thumb
expresses weakness, too. Notice IL
when acquaintances or friends shaks
hands with you. If women think thai
bravely extended thumb is obtrusivs
or inartistic they should disabuse theft
minds of the idea, for they are placing
a class upon themselves that they do
not deserve wher they check ths
thumb in its free expression. When a
woman manifests nervousness on q
club platform LOOK at her thumb to
know the cause. And when she utters
particularly lofty or noble sentiment
l glance again at her thumb to know
whether she meant it. This has been
one of the most important aids that I
have used with success in studying the
colored people.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
RELICS FIX HISTORY.
Professor Hnprechrs Recent Discover

Professor Hilprechts Recent Discoveries
at Nippur
Professor Hilprecht, of the Univer-
sity Of Pennsylvania, who has return
ed to Constantinople, has described
some of the principal results of this
years work of the university expedi-
ton, which have attracted great in
terest, as they carry the history of
Babylonian civilization back to about
1000 years B. C. The most important
discovery was the library of the great
temple. This was unearthed at the
very place where Professor Hilprecht
said some eleven years ago it would
be found In less than three months
1920 tablets bearing cuneiform char
acters were brought to light. They
mostly relate to business contracts,
conveyances, letters, etc., but the lat
est finds show that many of the tablets
are historical, pathological and liter
airy, treating of mythology, grammar,
photography, science and mathemat-
les. None of them bear a later date
than 22S0 B. c., when, 1t is surmised,
the library was destroyed by the in
vasion of the Elamites, which occur
red at that date. 1t is thought that
the unexplored part will yield 150, 900
more tablets. This is probably the
greatest discovery of antique literature
ever made, and as we know that the
library was of great Importance In
early Babylonia. being the principal
college for instruction in all branch
es, when all the tablets are deciphered
the world will, no doubt, be in posses
sion Of most valuable information re-
garding life in all its relations as par
ticipated in by this most ancient peo-
pie. The work on the library has
been temporarily stopped in order to
complete the work at the temple and
ON the southern and eastern lines of
in the lower strata, many weapons have
been found. During these recent ex-
cavations also a palace belonging to
the pre-Sargonic period was discover
ed beneath an accumulation of about
seventy feet of rubbish, which divid-
W ANippui hheO wv Peil To- Anio par
ace, which has a frontage of 600 feet.
Professor Hilprecht thinks will prob
ably be found to be the palace of the
early priest kings of Nippur. Valuable
results in the shape of tablets, cylin-
ders and figurines have been obtained
from the few rooms excavated, and it
is hoped that statues will be found
as the work progresses.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12

Spencer, Mass, July 9, 1919, and died
at Brooklyn, Oct 8, 1867 He was the
son Of a farmer and miller, and his
only education was that received dur
ing the winter months, when there was
no work to be done on the farm. In
1887 he drifted to Boston, and secured
employment in the shop of machin-
list. Here he conceived the idea of the
sewing machine, and spent five years
in perfecting it.
On Sept. 10, 1886, he was given hin
first patent, but he could not sell the
machine because of the opposition of
the artisan class to labor-saving ap-
planes. Next he went to England,
and, failing there to interest capital
in his invention, he returned to
America, working his passage as a
common sailor. While he was abroad
his machine had been initiated and
was selling everywhere. Capital now
came to his aid. and in a short time his
income had increased from $500 to
100000 year. He cleared up on his
invention about 100000.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
To Raise the Kangaroo.

A movement has been started in
France which has for its purpose the
preservation, or, rather, the cultivation
of the kangaroo, which has been rap
idly proceeding toward determination.
DR.. Brisson, a French surgeon, says
that there is likely soon to be an ex-
ceptional demand for the animals in
consequence of the success attending
the use of the kangaroo tendon in the
hospitals. 1t has been employed in
scores of instances to tie up the frac-
tured bones of mans leg, in order
that he may use his knees while the
bones are knitting together. Kanga-
roo tendon, he says. is as strong as
silver wire. 1t is taken from the tail,
and being animal in its nature is alb
sorbed, and the leg does not have to be
cut open, as is necessary when silver
wire is used.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
A Novels Strange History.

One of the most popular novels of
the day had strange history. A New
York author, whose books are always
sure of a certain degree of popularity,
finished all but the last few chapters
of novel. Try as he might, it was
impossible for him to complete the
story satisfactorily. So he put the
book away, and for two years it lay
unfinished in his desk, although the
author thought of the work from time
to time Finally he lost all hope of
ever completing the work, and decided
to end it at a point several chapters in
advance Of that at which he had
ceased to write. With this abrupt and
unexpected ending the novel went to
a publisher, was accepted, and turned
out one of the most popular novels this
author has ever written. One of the
most praised features of the book is
its unconventional ending, which is
said to be just explicit enough to sal
isfy everybody without going into in
artistic detail.-New York Sun.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12

fore he had told me HIS tdJtory and
confessed that It was his plan to kin
me and use my shack, gun and name
and everything, with perhaps the
chance of finding some money around,
He was an escaped murderer from
somewhere up In Alabama, and they,
were after him for a terrible crime.
even worse than murder. He hadt
missed being caught again several
times, and at last had got away down,
here, through the swamps and woods
and in boat he had stolen
He said his name was Dick Boston,
so If you ever hear of such a man be-
ing wanted you can tell them that they
can get his bones here. for / buried
him out yonder
That's why have this snake. /
drew his fangs and kept him around
for some time, till he got so he would
eat out Of my hand, and seemed to Scr
ter take liking to me. l don't c7le
much about snakes, but this old fell
low has right to my friendship IL
he wants it, and he can have it till
he dies"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
EXTINCT ANIMALS.
SOME OF WHICH ARE WORTH
THEIR WEIGHT I'M GOLD.
Wonld DO Worth "a Fortune to Those
Lucky Enough to Possess Them
Figs That Arc Worth Ono Thousand
Awe Hundred Dollars Apiece.
Boston Letter.)

There are some animals, living or
dead, that would be worth their weight
IN gold to any person fortunate enough
70 possess them, says writer in
Everybody's Magazine.
A living specimen OF Dodo, for in
stance, that weird, flightless bird,
about tie size of a swan, which at one
time made the islands of Madagascar,
Reunion and Rodriguez its home, and
OF which nothing but few skulls, still
bearing the strong hooked beak, and
some Zones in our museums now re-
main, would fetch any price in reason.
30 would the Great AUX, which only
fifty years ago was so common in the
North Atlantic that it is said they
were killed on Funk island, off the
Newfoundland coast. in tens of thou
sands at time, for the sake of their
feathers, but whose eggs sell today
close on 81 800 apiece, and stuffed skins
at $3.50 each, with a steady demand
for more
Both the Dodo and the Great AUX
have become extinct within compare
lively recent years, like the Moas OF
New Zealand. enormous ostrich-like
running birds, which are known to
have existed up to the end of the last
century. Some o. them exceeded
twelve feet in height, and over twenty
different species are known to scien-
fists. Runlors occasionally arrive from
that far-off land of living Moas; but
year after year passes, and the price
less bird Is not discovered in the flesh,
only its bones, feathers and egg shells
reaching us, all being quickly bought
up for private or public collections.
The living ApteryX or Kiwi is very
near the Moa in type, although but a
pigmy beside the huge giant, for the
largest does not exceed three feet IN
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
OLD BATTLEFIELD.
Find of Prehistoric skeletons May Locats
Site of Bloody Conflict.

Find of Prehistoric skeletons May Locats
Site of Bloody Conflict.
The discovery of fifteen prehistoric
skeletons in gravel bank near Halls
vile, Ross county. o.. it is believed is
of much greater value than at first sup
posed, for it is thought the place was
an aboriginal battlefield The day
after the discovery the digging fol-
lowed the line of the trench, and the
bones finally became so thick that the
work had to be abandoned, as they rem
dered the gravel unfit for use. No
effort was made to count the skeletons
unearthed after the first day, nor will
it be known how much further the
trench extends until some archaeolo-
gist arrives on the scene and completes
the work. The theory that the skele-
tons mark the scene of a bloody pre-
historic battle arises from the fact that
they lie in the ditch without any sem
blance of order and as though thrown
there hastily. There was only one
skeleton which indicated that the body
had been buried with care. 1t was ly-
ing straight in the trench some dis
lance from any other and surrounded
by black soil. as though buried in a
coffin or some other covering Large
numbers of stone implements were
found. one of especial interest being
stone funnel
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
.san.-aen-- Charaetsrl.tIe, Of IA.

Few monarchs possess the sans
gene" characteristics of Ii Hung
Chang. At home and abroad he is
bound to reign supreme, and this am
bition would have more than once gone
sadly against him at Pekin had he not
been the famous Tsi-An's favorite. In
1896 the old viceroy represented China
at Nicholas Ills coronation fete, when.
among other celebrations, an elaborate
presentation of grand opera WAS
given. On this evening all the elite
of Europe formed the audience. When
Nicholas II. entered the orchestra
struck up the "Boje Tiara Krani," or
Russian national anthem, everybody
stood up during the singing of the
hymn, and the last note was drowned
by an enthusiastic chez lor the new
sovereign. General attention was d.
rected, however, to one box where
wizzen-faced old chap was observed
seated. This was none other than the
independent Ii. The master of cere-
monies spotted the delinquent, and,
rushing up to the Chinaman, politely
informed him that he must rise, as had
every one else. Il am not every one"
answered Ii, coldly. $50 please take
yourself off. Chicago Record.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
THE KJWI.
A wingless bird of Australia, still in
existence. hut becoming daily
more rare.

height, and 1t differs from the Moa in
having an exceedingly long beak, with
which it probes the soft earth at night
time in search Of worms. Some of the
Kiwis are valuable birds, too, since
the rarest living specimens are said to
be worth $3.50 apiece in this quarter
of the globe, for they are very difficult
to bring here alive from such a dis
tant place as New Zealand.
From this list of rare birds we must
not omit the other one for which NADIA
gascar was so famous, the Aepyornis,
a monster bigger even than the Moa,
the eggs OF which, still constantly dis
covered by the natives, are worth at
least 5000 apiece. They measure three
feet in circumference, with liquid
carrying capacity of no less than two
gallons.
Some few Of tie larer living birds
Of today are worth large sums, the
King Tenquin being valued at $500
Or more. We might mention also
oair of sober tinted ducks, which the
curator of the ECO at Rotterdam as
mred the writer he would not willing
" exchange for $4,000 rhinoceros, as
they were the last CT the race.
Among the beasts, what would not
the huge mammoth be worth ?-that
strange. elephant-like creature whose
body was covered with long, reddish
hair to protect it from the bitter cold
NJ Siberia. where its rer- ains are still
often found, with the hair yet on the
holy, fast frozen into its icy sraye;
whose enormous tusks, far exceeding
IN size those OF the elephant, are still
collected :or the sake of their ivory,
shlpload having teen actually sold
not long ago. Mammoths must have
been exceedingly numerous at one
fine. fer from the quantity OF tusks
collected in Siberia alone it is esti-
lated that quite 5000 carcasses were
discovered there in twenty years.
Theye is an African animal, the
,rasga that would bring a good price.
4, recently at 1889 these animals ex
,stod in vast herds even so far south
nc cane Colony, but owing to their
r'tber heavy build ana somewhat slow
Zoo they fell prey first to the lions,
t p 10 the natives, and finally to the
e,N;to men. who coveted their flesh and
Sides Not a single specimen has been
naon for nearly twenty years, although
sSoro sill remains the slight chance
- eomiag across 4 lew survivors in
t,a German and Portuguese territory
IN southwest Africa.
=" Two more of the Afrisan mammalia
aOeoming extremely rare, the els-
~, and the hipporotamus. Prob
pn"" ~. only african elephant in Eu-
ANY n0 i now in the collection at Re
lopt mark. London, and would sell
gen n,,.tion for more than $4,000, while
AZ n nr the scarcity OF the hippos, no
10 pIs son 50 500 was raid for an infant
les1 'i Sorn IN the geological gardens at
i ant,ysro about three years ago. Even
An.w o,v Years ago $4,000 was paid for
t I'VE Monster African elephant Jumbo.
the m .sas killed in 1855 by an express
train in Canada a,uoo
l ,non will bring $4,000 today.
81 the~ domestic animals some
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
ANCIENT ELEVATORS.
First Elevator Was Constructed In Loui.
XIV's Days.


XIV's Days.
Elevators are by no means the re.
cent inventions generally supposed.
An amusing account of what was
probably the first attempt at an ele.
vator is told by st. Simon, and ac-
cording to him it was from M. Viii
layer that the idea of flying chair"
first emanated. This ingenious person
set up a passable prototype of the
modern elevator in his house in Paris,
working it up and down between tine
walls. The daughter of Louis XIV. was
so delighted with the novelty that she
had one put up in her own apartments
at Versailles. The honor was, how
ever, the undoing of poor M. Villagers
machine. The chair suddenly stopped
moving while the princess was be-
tween two landings, and she had to
remain blocked up for three hours un-
til the workmen broke a hole through
the thick wall. The king was so an
noyed at this that he forbade any
further experiments in the same line,
Another invention of M. Villagers was
a clock which he placed near his bed,
In this each hour was marked by a
pocket of different spice. When the
owner wished to know the time he
merely smelt the spice, whereby he
knew what O'Clock it was without
striking light.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
MADE SEWING EASY.
BUT SCANT HONOR Is DENIED
HIS MEMORY.
Elias Howe Failed of Election TO the
Hail of Fame In the University of
New York-Chisf Justice Against

Chancellor McCracken Of the Univer-
sity of New York requests that the fol-
lowing be published
BY reason of clerical error (the
misleading of single figure) in our
canvass of the reports of the 100 cleo
tors of the Hall of Fame, fifty-three
votes were credited to Elias Howe in
stead Of forty-seven. Seventeen chief
Justices were recorded as supporting
him, when the number was eleven.
Failing, therefore, to receive fifty-one
votes, his name is not included among
those to be inscribed this present year,
This reduces the roll of names to TWEEN
ty-nine and leaves twenty-o1e vacant
panels to be filled two years hence, in
1902. The official count will be pub
lished in a few weeks in the book of
the Hall of Fame. In a few instances
the figures may vary slightly from
those published in the public prints,
but the roll OF twenty-nine names is
now assured"
Elias Howe was the inventor OF the
sewing machine. He was born at
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
Navigation on Illinois River.

Although there are many steamers
on the Illinois river, most of them ara
in local trade on the various pools, and
few pass through the locks. A fee OF
$150 per vessel and toll on cargo is
charged at each dam. The receipts at
Henry last year were s1,101.11, and
the expense of maintaining s1,376.O5.
At Copperas Creek $1,761.66 was col
lected to offset an expenditure of ST.
lab But a single vessel regularly
passes the Henry lock at present, the
Borealis Rex of the Royal route, Capt.
Swain. This steamer makes regular
daily round trips between LaSalle and
Henry loaded to the guards with
freight and passengers, and is said to
have cleared nearly $4,000 above all
expenses this season. A new steamer.
the Fred Swain, has been built to run
opposite to it, and many more boats
are projected in consequence of the
deep water and booming trade. An
other steamer. the Bald Eagle, runs
from Peoria to St. Louis. In addition
to these grain boats, yachts and ex-
cursion steamers pass at intervals, and
this year the expense sheets at the
locks will probably show a consider
able profit to the state.-John L.
Mathews, in Chicago Record.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12

This is what John Ruskin thought
of the bicycle: Some time since /
put myself on record as an antagonist
of the DEVILS own toy, the bicycle. I
want to reiterate, with all the empha-
sis of strong language, that condemn
all manner of BIZ, tri-, and A., s., g., or
7-cycles. Any continuance or inven-
ton intended to supersede the use of
human feet on Gods own ground is
damnable. Walking, running, leaping
and dancing are legitimate and nat
,ural joys of the body and every at
tempt to stride on stills, dangle en-
ropes. or wiggle on wheels is an az
front to the Almighty. You can't Inn
prove on Gods appointed way Of
walking by substituting an improved
cart wheel. New York Tribune.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
CHARACTER I'M THUMBS.
The Way They Are Held Is a Guide
Observers.

There are many who judge Of the
character of individuals by the ex-
preston and setting of the eye, the
shape and character of the nose, the
conformation of the mouth, with its
tell-tale corners, the looseness or tight
ness of the lips. but here is a woman
who bases her approval or con1emna-
ton on the way women hold their
thumbs. and declares that she has
never been deceived in her estimate
This is Miss Mary Burk, an organized
charities worker, whose remarks are
quoted by the Philadelphia Daily Bull
letin as follows: l gave the subject spe-
cial study after l had noticed the al
most infallible guide that thumbs offer
to the woman who must read charac-
ter. Many of the so-called signs of
character may be acquired without the
characteristic that they are supposed
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12
New Flrlng erasshopper.

A species of grasshopper, hitherto
unknown in the island, has made it's
appearance in St Croix, Danish West
Indies. and the planters complain OF
the damage done to the canes. This
insect is from one to one and half
inches long; of a light brown color,
and, contrary to the habits of the
known species. it is able to fly. 1t is
feared it is similar to that which made
its appearance some time ago in Cuba
and was supposed to have been brought
over in hay imported from the United
States.-H. Burrowes in Chicago Rec
ord
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-03-12

The late William L. Wilson, who died
at Lexington, KY, recently, was born
at Charlestown, W. Va, May 8, 1S43.
His father, who was also an educator,
died when the son was a child, and
the boy was educated by his mother, a
woman of great culture. Mr.. Wilson
was graduated in 1860 from the Column
bian university at Washington and for
two years thereafter was student in
the University of Virginia
At the close of the war, during
which he had fought as a private on
the side of the confederacy, he studied
law in the Columbian university and
was at the same time assistant pro-
fessor of Greek and Latin in that in
stitution.
1t was at the Democratic national
convention of 1880, to which he was
a delegate, that Mr.. Wilson made his
debut in politics. Since 1871 he had
been a practicing lawyer in Charles
town. But law and politics we're not
then as attractive to him as was edu-
cational work, and in 1882 he became
president of the University of West
Virginia. His election to congress,
however. drew him back to the politi-
cal field into which he entered this
time with keen interest.
In congress he won a distinguished
reputation as a scholarly. statesman
like member whose special interest in
the tariff question led to his appoint
ment to the committee on ways and
means. This was in 1887. He was al
ways a hearty supporter Of Mr.. Cleve-