davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13

Russia has set in the end of MS
sceptcr diamond that is said to be
worth quarters of "A million
dollars, and there is one in England
that weighs much less than a silver
dollar, but It is valued ut six hundred
and twenty-five thousand dollars.
The closest relative Of the diamond
is smooth black substance called
graphite. In one form you handle it
every day, for graphite is used in
making lcad-poucils, Gas-CarOun is a
cousin Of the diamond, and Is obtain
ed, as you might imagine from the
name, in the process of making gas,
Only three things came from bitumin.
I GUS Coal-gas, Coaltar, and coke.
GasGarbOn is another namC for coke
Now, the diamond gives exquisite and
inimitable sparklos of light, which
make it of great value as a jewel;
but it gives only the pleasure Of
possession Its soberhucd cousin,
coke, affords broad beams of light,
making the path of night easy 20
]
used to prevail in dimly lighted citv
streets. For from coke the long
black pencils, or "carhons," used in
|arc.lghts ere made. First the coke
is ground to fine powder Then ii IS
: mixed with mOlassos and made into
very thick dough After being
rolled into long cylinders having a
thickness about equal to the damot "
Of twcnty-fyc-cont piece, it Is baked.
/ And night after night, in all seasons,
the power that we know as electricity
is at work in millions OF pieces Of
carbon all over our great country,
giving rs light and comfort and
safety.
/ Yet / can't say that this Is the most
marvellous effect coming directly from
carbon. No doubt you know that
steel is a certain form OF iron, but,
like many older people, you don't
know exactly how it differs from ordI-
nary iron. We'll, the difference Is
that steel Is iron containing n very
small proportion of carbon-from rs
per cent. TO Is per cent.--and thus
/ tho iron becomes very, very hard.
The surgeon, the carpenter, the en-
grayer, and every one else who uses
edged tools would be I'm a serious
plight II they had to depend on iron
alone. With steel, however, a keen
| edge can be secured The railroads
in these days are almost all equipped
with steel rails, which last longer than
those Of ordinary iron. All our won.
derful cruisers and battleships wear
outside cases OF heavy steel plates.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13
The Killing of Seals.

A kind friend sends US an account
Of the terrible cruelty inflicted in the
seal fisheries, and picture from
Pcarson's Magazine, illustrating that
cruelty. II Is too painful to reprint
in Our Dumb Animals. From the state.
ment It appears that In one season, by
actual count, the bodies Of over six.
teen thousand young seals that had
been starved to death were found,
this being caused BY the killing Of
the mother seals 1t Is painful sub
ject, but unless the ladies' can be in.
duced TO give up wearing seal-skins,
we know OF no other way we can
reach tho seal fishers except by the
humane education, which We are en-.
deayoring TO promote through our over
foty.nve thousand Bands Of Mercy"
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13

ator, "ono night two tramps looking
Tor a place In which to spend the
night Glanced across a half empty box
ear ON u siding, They awotc late the
next day to discover that the car was
partially filled with corn. It was rain.
ing cats and dogs outside, and SO ono
of the tumps, producing greasy
pack Of cards, proposed game of
poker to nnl the time. They were
without chips, but a substitute was
readily found by Smelling some Of the
corn and using the kcmels thereof in
lieu of the regulation white and blue
disks.
"Tho corn was of three cOlors,' con.
tiuued the senator, red, yellow aud
white, and the knights of the road de,
cidcd to mako the white koucls worth
800, the yellow $500 and the red
$1,000 The game being credit one,
each took a most generous supply of
chips The hands were dealt and one
of the trampa, after surveying his
cards, nouchaDanty drew out OF his
Nb'htl tue NlWV VI Il tlkUl NHlNH no
had picked mp ON his travels, Light.
ing It. he then airily announced that
his hand was worth $L00O,000 The
other, not to be outdone. also pro.
duced a atoopoo liz it, cooked it at
the proper angle in his mouth, and
then, prcliminarics being successfully
accomplished, saw the others bet and
raised him $l0OO,00O No I, man
of nervous disposition, started as he
heard the raise, but he too, was dead
game sport, aud another $l,0p000O fol-
lowed the previous $1,000 0o into the
pot and 1t was mp TO hobo No, TO call
or raise Az he saw ht No surveyed
his companion loisurcly ana then his
hand i see that bet he announced
imprcssiyoly, and raise it $1,000, 600.
600 Take It, gusped No /, as soon
us he got his breath. and then, in
semtsolIoquy, added OATS what
gets for playing poker with an oducat
ed lobster Ike You, What ten is
$1,000, 1000, 900 anyhow
"Goutlomcn," concluded Senator
HansbrouRh, what tel Is $l0OO,000
600, anyhow New York Tribune,
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13

While the floor is drying, a great
polishing goes on in the street.
Quaint old brass lamps and candle
sticks, tobacco-boxes and ash-trays,
huge milk cans-all are FURNISHED
until, like golden mirrors, they reflect
the red-checked, white-capped faces
bent over them.
The lacQuer-man is busy on Satur-
day. He goes from house to house
painting the bread-trays and honey
cake boxes with designs of gau1y
birds and wondrous leaves and
flowers.
The street is in turmoil until noon,
when order is partially restored ln1
the scanty midday meal partaken Of.
In the afternoon washing is resumed.
The exteriors Of the cottages are
scrubbed from roof to pavement and
every trace of mould removed, for IN
this low, wet air the green moss
gathers quickly. Then the bril-
pavements are drenChed and care
fully dried, and | have even see the
women slip off their sabots and tip.oe
to their doorways in their WOODEN
chaussons, so as not to soil the ian.
maculate sidewalk
Lastly, toward evening. the entire
village goes to the canal. and ali the
sabots are washed and whitened with
pumicestone, spotless for the morrow
On Saturday evening all the piCkets
Of the low black fences are decorated
with rows of dripping foot-gear, Gaze
fully graduated in size from the big
wooden shoes of the father down to
the tiny sabots Of the youngest born.
Mary A. Poixotto in Scribner's.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13
The Servant Question.

A radical change In housekeeping
methods Is inevitable. In that change
will come the sure remedy Of -
phase OF industrial discomfort thai
We as hOusekeepers confront Il
kitchens. The relations between r-is
tress and maid viii yet be wisely ad
justed; there VIII be fuller recognition
by each Of the rights and duties OF
each. Reciprocity will be strictly
maintained, and domestic service
given It's rightful and h0nored place
among leading industries. Then
housework VIII attract and not, as
now, repel capable, intelligent w.
men, without whose faithful service
an ideal homo-llfe may not be pre-
served. How 10 secure the services
Of such a woman Is a question OF more
Importance than any absorbing the
womans club at present. How 10
manage the typical incompetent
how 10 tain her into com.
paratiye adequacy for the place that
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13
What is a Billion Dollars2

The greatest business combination
or financial combination of any kind
governmental excepted ever got to-.
gcther in the history OF the world, is
the great steel combination which J.
PierpOnt Morgan e. Co. have Just Of.
foially announced to be an accom-
plIshed fact A billion dollars Of CAPT.
tai, The human mind staggers when
1t tries 10 think what Ii means. II
cannot grasp H.. II Is the Identical
sum which the famous Fifty.frst con.
gress Appropriated and through that
appropriation gained the name Of the
billion dollar congress.
The other evening at the Waldorf
Astoria John w. Gates Of the Ameri.
can Steel and Wire company gave a
dinner to celebrate the successful &C.
complishment Of this greatest Of all
great trade combinations. As was 10
be expected the conversation turned
upon the United States Steel corpora
ton Millions and billions were con.
yersationally juggled until the listen
er's head swan. Finally one man pro
pounded staggerer Gould any one
present define what a billion dollars
really meant?" There was a pause,
and then Senator II e Eansbrough
Of South Dakota told the following
story. which apparently satisfactorily
answered the question:
Out in my country" said the sen.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13
MRS. BEN WAITS PARROT.
How a Newspaper Man Restored to
Health an lroquois.

Jacob A. Riis tells in the Century
the story Of an old FrenCh-Cauadian
widow in a New York tenemont.houso,
whom he restored to health by getting
a parrot to share her room. I wrote
in my newspaper he says, that Mrs
Ben Wah was sick and needed a
parrot. a green one with n red tuft.
and that she must have it right away.
told of her lonely life, and Of how,
on a Christmas eve, years ago ! had
first met her at the door of the Charity
Organization society. laboring up the
stairs with big bundle done up in
blue cheese-ClOth, which she left in the
Office with the message that it was for
those who were poorer than she.
They were opening it when | came in
It contained a lot of little garments
of blanket stuff, as they used TO make
them for the papooses among heI
people in the far north. 1t was the
very next day that I found her in her
attic, penniless and without even the
comfort Of her pipe. Like the widow
of old, she had cast her mite into the
treasury, even all she had.
All this I told in my paper, and how
she whose whole life had been kind
ness to others was now in need-in
need of a cor panion to share her
lonely life, Of something with a voice,
which would not come in and go away
again, and leave her. And ! begged
that any one who had green parrot
with a red tuft would send it in at
once.
New York is a good town to live In.
II has a heart It no sooner knew
that Mrs. Ben Wah wanted a parrot
than it hustled about to supply one
at once. The morning mail brought
stacks Of letters, with offers OF money
to buy a parrot They came from
lawyers, business men, and bank
presidents, men who pore over dry
ledgers and drive sharp bargains on
Change, and are never supposed 70
give a thought 10 lonely widows pinin2
away in poor attics. While they were
being sorted csme the parrot itself
big and green. in a stunning" cage
II was an amiable bird, despite its
splendid get-up, and cooked its
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13
A Lesson In Law,

That's very well done" ho said
when the sweet young thing who hal
interested herself in the law sun.
mitted the paper TO him, but you
have overlooked one thing"
what's that" she asked.
you do not say at the conclusion,
And further aillant saith not
But stop, don't |, she demanded
"Oh. yes"
And | put the signature ln?"
yes
We'll, should think any one OF
sense could see that when afIlant
quits talking he has stopped"
Yes, but"
III a person said, That's the end
every time he finished statement
in conversation people would think he
was a fool, wouldn't they2"
"Of course, but you see"
when you close letter you don't
have to say, Here's the finish do
your"
NO; but in law It's different"
We'll, II the judges are so stupid
they've got TO be told when tho end Ia
reached, III just write Finis.' That's
prettier, anyway"
But 10 won't do"
Then you can keep your old Law
books she exclaimed petulantly.
And you can keep your old judges.
Any one who can't see when tho
stops and draw his own con-.
customs from that hasn't sense
enough to do business with a reason
Ing belng, aud won't waste any time
'yer him. SO there, now!"
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13

crimson head to one side to have il
scratched through the bars, and held
up one claw, as if to shake hands,
How to get Il to Mrs, Bon Wah's
without the shock killing her was the
problem that next presented itself
Mrs McCutchcon solved it by doing
the cage up carefully in newspapers
and taking it along herself. All the
way down the bird passed mulilCd
coments on the Metropolitan railway
service and on its captivity to the
considerable embarrassment of its
keeper; hut they reached the Beach
street tcnemcn; and Mrs. Ben Wah's
attic at last. There Mrs McCutchco1
slowed its carefully away in a
corner. while she busted herself about
her aged friend
She was working slowly down
through an address which she had
designed to break the thing GCu;iv
and by degrees, when the parrot,
extending a fcclcr on its own hook,
said "K-r-ra-a," behind it's pape'
screen. Mrs. Ben Wah sat up
straight and looked fxedly at the
corner. Seeing the big bundle there,
she went over and peercd into It, She
caught a quick breath and stared.
wide.cycd
"Whcre did you get that bird?" she
demanded Of Mrs McCutchcon faint
~.
ooh, that is Mr.. Riis's bird" said
that lady sparring for time; "a friend
gave to him"
"Whoro you take him" Mrs. Ben
Wah easDod her hand pressed against
her feeble old heart.
Her friend saw, and gave right up,
Il am not going to take it any
where" She said. Il brought It for
you. This is to be its home, and you
are to be it's mother, grandma, and it,
friend. You are to be always together
from now on-always, and have a
good time" with that she tore the
paper from the C'ge.
Tho parrot, after all made the
speech Of the occasion. He con.
sidered the garnet; the pOtato-fcld on
the frc-escapc, through which the sun.
light came in. making a cheerful
streak on the floor; Mrs Ben Wah and
her turban; and his late carrier; then
he climbed upon his stick, turned =
scmcrsault. and said, Here we are -
or words to that effect ThereupOn
he held his head over to be scratched
by Mrs. Ben Wah in token Of com,
pact of friendship than and there
made
JOY. after all, does not kill Mrs
Ben Wah wcpt long and silently big,
happy tears Of gratitude Then sh"
wiped them away, and went about her
household cares as of old. The pre-
scription had worked The next day
the notice" vanished from the wall of
the room where there were now two
voices for one.
came back from Europe 10 find
my old friend with a lighter step and
a lighter heart than 10 many a day
The parrot had learned TO speak
Canadian French TO the extent Of
demanding his crackers and water in
the lingo Of the habitant Whether
he will yet stretch his linguistic ac-
quiremens to the learning Of Tron- 1is
gS~ll not say.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13

she Will MI no longer than It takes
time 20 find something else almost
anything else) to do, how to train
houseEcopers, etC,,---why not suspend
tie trtte discussion for while and
take up something like this; 1t Is not
imperative that housekeepers unite In
making domestic service more attract
i've 20 capable and Intelligent women?
~~Jane Marsh Parker in Woman's
Home Companion,
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13
cAReoN's WONDERFUL FAMILY.
Diamond but One Of the Famous on.
spring.

Talking Of Charcoal" IN the st.
Nicholas, Ralph Benton tells OF ,ar-
bon's wonderful family. The arisro-
crat of It is the diamond. / thought
you would look surprised at that re-
mark Nevertheless, all of those
diamonds that you see in the jewelers.
window are pure carbon. They are
carbon crystallized-the most per-
uaueut 81 gems, for they can Jcithe"
be melted nor dissolved. The car Of
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13
THE TIDY DUTCH.
Saturday ie Cleaning Day with the
Good People in Holland.

1OVu TtOPTt III FIOEIa7IU'
But 1t was generally understood
that our models would not pose n
Saturday, that day being exclusively
devoted to house-cleaning within and
without. Early in the morning every
stick Of furniture is carefully rubbed
and wiped and taken out Of the house.
Then the women, with their skitts
tucked up, entirely food the rooms
with bucket after bucket Of water,
brought up from the canal by means
OF the shoulder-yoke. With broom
and brush they souse and scrub the
red-tiled floor and finally pull up Z
plug in one corner to let the water
Tow outlet us hope into the canal
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-06-13

The consensus Of opinion In Wash.
ngton y thai the duties collected
on goods from the Philippines are
valid.
The Washington bee., 1901-06-08

OF factory operatives in the North and
IN Europe demand that he stay, and
his own best interest will be conserved
by staying. But all must unite that he
may be accorded fair play. Fair play
IN the courts, fair play in business and
an equal chance in the race of life. II
he IS charged with crime, try him be-
fore jury, ifnot his peers, citizens OF
his state. He is never seen on the
bench, hardly ever seen on the jury,
and scarcely ever exercises much in
fluence at the bar, so there is no dan.
ger of SYM pathy over doing its part in
his behalf. If the courts thus consti.
tuted cannot be trusted by those who
constitute them. then who can trust
them?
'Three things, am satisfied viii
constitute a complete answer. They
are, Industry, Education and Charac.
ter Industrious to get homes anC
property; education that we may un-
derstand the affairs OF our conntry-oul
obligations to it and society anC
character, that we may stand before
our fellow men without fear and
trembling"
Quite a crowd came up from Decatur
on the six o'clock train to hear the
speech of Register Lyons.
The Washington bee., 1901-06-08
ON RAILS OF STEEL.

Only India and Germany earn over
five per cent. on their railway lines.
The worlds average is 81 per cent.
1t was held recently in a London po-
lice court that no one has any right
to force his way into a railway car
riage already full.
Germany led Europe in length of
railroads at the end of 1899, with 34,-
O69 miles, of which 600 miles were
opened that year. Russia came next,
with 2s,745 miles, an increase of 2,164
in the year.
A new idea in table decorations was
evolved by Charles De Cordova In a din
ner given by the New York Athletic
club to P. r. Todd, recently elected to
a vice presidency of the New York,
New Haven & Hartford railroad. In
the center of the table was large bank
of roses, around the edge of which
was constructed a miniature railroad,
on which a locomotive, baggage car
and passenger coach, operated by
electricity, whirled about the table st
speed of about so miles an hour.
The Washington bee., 1901-06-08

Schools recently asked the small boys
who compose her class, What Lots
wife did before she turned into pillar
OF salt? She was almost brokeu up,
when little urchin in the rear shout
ed, she turned to rubber.
Snow has visited unusual places this
season. 1t has fallen in Mexico City,
the first time in thirty years. In
Madrid where it has not been seen for
eight years. InJerusalem snow fell 20
the depth OftWelve inches.
The color question is again cutting
prominent figure in one of the most
aristOcratiC Organizations of the
Country. The Daughters of the Rev
olution will have this question to con-
front at their next Annual meeting.
A great record in Gunnery has been
made by the Crew of the new Battle
ship, Wisconsin. In target practice
from the great IS inch guns, I37 men
proved TO be first class marksmen and
I56 second class, out ofa crew of 444.
Gov Allen D. Gambler, of Ga, says
that there are too many schools for
Negroes. He contends that they
The Washington bee., 1901-06-08

cial once said that negro stranger in
Washington, with a million dollars in
gold certificates in his pocket, might
starve to death, and not a single hotel
or restaurant would open its doors 10
him. And this is true to very great
extent. There is no city in the Union
where the negro is socially ostracised
more than in the National Capital.
And then the courts-the Journal man
cannot point to single case, under the
Civil Rights law, that has ever been
decided by a Washington court in favor
of the negro, though several have been
tried there. 1t may be said, however,
that there is one paper in Washington
the Bee-that has stood up against
this disfranchisement and discrimina-
tion. And we want to commend its
editor, w. Calvin Chase, who has
made this fight alone and unsupported
for so manv years.
The truth of the whole business is,
the negroes are attracted to Washing
ton by the glamour of politics. Like
the negro in Hoyt's Texas Steer they
start out as Minister to Dahomey,'
and wind up with a residence in some
back alley, and exc out a bare living
The Washington bee., 1901-06-08

The Roman roads, according to their
Importance, were from eight TO thirtS
feet in width.
Florida will continue for four years
at least 10 lease its convicts to the
highest bidders.
The price paid for hemp in YucatAn
has brought great prosperity to the
people of that land.
A bill which has just become a lASs
of New York makes the funeral ex-
penses of a deceased person payable
from his estate before any other
debts. ,
Argentine republic is preparing -
send & team to compete in the inter-
national rife match In New Jersey
next scmmer.
The Evanston (nl) Golf club has the
championship hole of the Unite{
States. II is $50 yards from the tee
1t will be hard TO make with dEisS
and q putt.
A fine specimen of the periOphthal.
mus family, q species OF fab that Is
supposed to be confined strictly te
Afrioan waters, was recently caught
near FeTDAndipA. Kla.
The Washington bee., 1901-06-08
emptying waste baskets or cleaning
spittoons.
SECRET ORDERS.

The order of K. 7. was instituted
in IItS. There are in this country
over Io, 900 Sir Knights.
Col. A. D. Williams 33representative
Of the United Supreme Council 80 for
southern and western jurisdiction OF
MOnrOvia, Liberia, visited this coun-
try last month. He was cordially re-
ceived by President Mckinley.
While in San Francisco the Presi.
dent was guest of the Knights, TEN
plarS over 5000 were out in full uniform
fine silk American flag was present.
ed to the President by the Sir knights
The ceremonies were held at Mechan
les. pavilion over 1900 persons were
present.
Ascension day was celebrated by
CYrene commanding no 5 X. I. Of To
peka KaS owing to threatening
weather, the Sir Knights assembled
at the Asylum were the services were
held. In the evening at the Metro
politan Hall an interesting program
was rendered, followed by an exhi.
bitiOn drill for which the Commandery
is noted. Good crowd present.
The Sir Knights of Detroit, Michi.
gan will hold their Grand Conclare,
July p, July %. The Grand Parade
will take place in the afternoon. The
visiting fraters will attend divine ser.
vice at St. Matthews Church, Rev.
!. b. MasSiah Pastor will deliver the
sermon. Fle will be assisted by Rev.
DR.. Waller. Grand Prelate Of the
Grand ommandery of K. T. of the
d. c. The balance Of the time will be
devoted to sightseeing etc.
The members of Progress Lodge
36I7 G. u. o. of 0. F. of Homestead, ,
Pa. celebrated the 5Sth anniversary OF
the order in America Sunday the 10th
by attending service at the Tenth
Avenue A. NJ. E. Church. Rt. Rev.
Benjamin Arnett Bishop and senior
member of the order of West Phila-
delphia preached the sermon and gave
a brief outline of true OddFellOW-
ship after which the order of exercises
were carried out.
Over IS years ago the G. y. of o. F.
was established in this country. dur
ing which time the order has expended
over $4,000, 900 for charitable Pur-
poses. To-day there are 5000 branches
with a membership of zoo, 900. Since
IS43 the order has been extended IN
every state and territory, also Canada,
Central and South America, West In
dies, Africa and Philippine. During
the past u months the order has fur
.1.N.. 4 FEs
Paid out for sick and funerals over
$500 900. 447 new branches have been
added to our ranks, another thing the