davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
The Decay of Intellect.


Andrew Lang is moaning over the
decline of intellect. Why he does so
is difficult to say, for Mr.. Langs YER
satile and voluminous writings find a
ready market and many readers. Yet
in the Critic he discourses in this man
ner: THE human intellect. like the
SERVICE has long been going to the
dogs Oldfashioned people tell us
that nobody reads anything but news
papers and novels Many critics in
the serial reviews apologize for MOTTO
ing work that is not avowedly a
work of fiction. Most reviewers have
long dropped the hypocrisy of pretend
ing to own any acquaintance with the
subjects of historical, antiquarian,
anthropological, NEUROLOGICAL and
other erudite books. They frankly
avow their ignorance, unashamed.
Poetry is still "a drug in the market
except when some new bard is well
coined as an exquisite blend of Shake
speare and Racine. Literary gossip
is concerned only with the wealth at
tanned by a few manufacturers of fus-
tian. Lately saw grown man read
ing Sully's Memoirs in French, too,
and, like the Ancient Mariner, I
blessed him unawares,' so unusual was
the spectacle. The classics of all Ian
guages, as lady lately declared in
print, have become 'glorified school
bookS'"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
Comforts OF Home,

Comfort ought to be the first con.
sideration of home. If a rocking chair
brings that to the wife, then a rocking
chair let it be, despite changing fash
ions. The big armchair may not be
beautiful to look upon, but keep it if
the masculine head of the house feels a
fondness for it. He might never find
another to fit him as perfectly. If
carpets are more comfortable than
wood floors and rugs, stick to them,
even though you admire your neigh
boris rooms more than your own. 1t
is difficult to locate comfort-we feel
it but cannot describe it. To one wo-
man it means a wrapper and loosely
flowing hair; to another couch, and
so on through long list of things.
To one woman it is compressed into
this-hot water, hot fire and hot
coffee. She is a great woman, a IA
nous one, and among the many adj
vantages fame and wealth have
brought her are none to equal those
three. The higher we rise the larger
become our ideas. 1t is like the pos
session of money-the more we have
the greater our wants, and only in
rare instances are we much better OF
In mental way.-Boston Journal.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
Dolby,s Sad Fall.

Some years ago, writes correspond
ent of the Daily Chronicle, Mr.. Dolby.
who was Charles Dickens manager,
and has just died miserable and pen
niless," in Fulham infirmary, was in a
quite respectable position, but was
fast drifting. into reckless, vagrant
life. He was fond of recalling his as
ISOLATION with the novelist, but never
told any anecdotes about him. Hs
accompanied Dickens on his readina
tours, and his services were greatly
appreciated. On one occasion Dickens
wrote from Liverpool, Dolby would
do anything to tighten the work, and
does everything" In another letter
from Glasgow, he described him as
IAN agreeable companion, an excellent
manager, and good fellow. Dolby
wrote book entitled Charles Dick.
ems as Knew Him." which Miss Dick.
ems considered "the best and truesi
picture Of her father yet written
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
WILLIE HOPPE.

when her son gets the balls on the rail
and in few minutes ticks off the nee
essary fifty, never losing his stroke or
command of the worries, and, from all
one could tell, is able to keep on in
definitely.
For boy of II to reach the point
where the severe restrictions of the
balk line are really necessary must
have been brief experience at best,
when one remembers that men with
distinct gift for billiards spend years
in patient practice before reaching this
standard Of skill. The wonder grows
when one learns that he has had no
expert training, and that he has been
able to beat his father, who is his
only teacher, for the past year and a
half.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
THE WOODED
REGIONS,,,,
GATHERING HUGE
TIMBERs IN
THE NORTH

GUS and eminently practical features
of modern numbering.
In the spring the logs, either in raftA
or loose, are foated down the streams
to the mills, where they are sawed.
The men who cut and ship the logs
are of many nationalities, Scandina-
VANS being most numerous. They go
into the woods in the early autumn
and remain until late in the spring,
seeing practically nothing of the out
side world during ell the winter
months. They live in temporary houses
built frequently of pine logs, with a
large common sleeping room and a
main dining room supplied with coarse
pine tables.
When the great RATS containing mil
lions of feet of lumber have been
f1oated down the small rivers out upon
the broader Mississippi, and then on
down to the city of Minneapolis, they
are diverted through what are called
boom" channels, sideways, bound
by logs fastened together, up to the
Silt" which is an inclined plane lead
ing the log to the jagged teeth of the
saws. The log is drawn up this slit
to an endless toothed chain, and is
quickly whisked along on sort OF
tramway in the mill, and held in readi-
ness for its turn at the teeth. The
saws are of various types, some OF
them great circles Of steel, perhaps five
or even six feet in diameter; others
are known as gang" saws, series OF
| Is or 20 short saws rapidly running
up and down and eating their way
through massive log together, com.
pletely saving up in a few moments
log three feet in diameter. There is
another style known as the band saw
a continuous piece Of steel like large
belt, say foot in width, with teeth
on one edge. 1t passes over frame
work like belt, continuously cutting
thorugh the log. When the boards
the lumber, as they are called-reacf
the end of the mill, they are sent for
ward to the piling yards, where the!
are piled up and left exposed to th'
weather, that they may properly b.
seasoned. These piles are sometime
higher than an averaged dwelling
house, with long lanes or streets be
tween them. From the piling yards tn
lumber is delivered to various point
by rail, or may be sent on for the for
eign export trade.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

d.
on my hat to them. You know had
money. But it wouldn't have made
any difference if I hadn't cent. 1
tell you these hospital people are all
right, fellows.
They brought in another poor fell
low who was in trouble. His wife
was going under the knife. She was
the mother Of ~ children and she was
a good woman and fine locker.
you'd take her for sister of her chill
dren instead of the mother. The poor
husband was all broken up and they
asked me to put little heart into
him. Say says to him, you haven't
got. 100-to-1 chance to lose that good
wife OF yours. She'll beat it, now you
mark my words, she'll beat it.. Well,
she did beat it, too, God bless her.
She came out all right"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
HEADQUARTERS OF LUMBER CAMP IN WINTER.


reached that period in disintegration
where it is impossible to revive life.
Some Psychologists still further re-
strict the definition to that point in
decay where every cell in the body
of an animal or plant has ceased to
contain or consist of living proto-
plasm-in other words, each cell must
have lost beyond recall its life powers.
Probably one Of the most striking ex-
amples of instantaneous death was that
of the person who accidentally fell
into a large vat of boiling caustic
potash, which at once consumed the
entire body, leaving only the metallic
plates from the heels of his shoes and
few buttons from the clothing as re-
mains. Death from electric shocks
also border on the instantaneous pro-
cess. 1t has been found that living
cells taken from the body can be pre-
served in normal state for a long
time and then have life processes re.
vived if they are properly treated.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
FIGHT WITH LION.
Three Cowboys in Wrestling Match
with Huge Beast.

Three cowboys In Wrestling Match
with Huge Beast.
Three Tonic basin cowboys had a
wrestling contest with the largest
mountain lion ever killed in Arizona
few days ago. The men. / George
Hubbard, Hardy schell, and A. c.
Harer, were riding the range near Sa-
lone creek. Schell/had the only fire.
arm in the party, rifle, and had only
one cartridge for it. The cowboys
routed the lion out of some rocks and
rode after it to rope it if possible
Schell tried 2O0-yard shot and
knocked the lion over, apparently kill
ing it, with a bullet through it's neck.
The three then rode up and dismount1
ed, to find that the lion had only been
stunned by the shot. AS they ap-
preached it jumped to its feet and
leaped at ell, who knocked it aside
with a bNS from the butt of the rifle,
The $ slous cat then jumped upon
Nlbs afd, crunching the mans left arm
and badly decorating his body with its
c}iaws. - Hubbard, who is possess
ed ofdsai I'll strength, caught the
beaA - 90 a. front foot.
Schell, at the same time seized the HING
feet, while Iarer ran in and cut the
lions throat with small knife. Ihs
lion undoubtedly had been weakened
by the bullet wound, and the men con-
slider themselves fortunate to have es-
capped with their lives. The skin meas
ures feet 10 inches from tip to tip.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
ICEBERG FOR CRADLE.
Thrilling Adventure of Crew While
Stocking Ship With Ice.

Thrilling Adventure of Crew While
Stocking Ship with Ice.
A thrilling story of vessels en-
counter with an iceberg is told by
Capt. Chester of the schooner Elwood.
While the schooner was on fishing
cruise in the northern waters Captain
Chester sighted an immense iceberg
apparently fastened on a reef known to
exist just off Hoonia. tits lucky
find!" thought the captain, as he head
ed the Elwood for the berg, that he
might fill the hold with ice to preserve
the fish he expected to catch. When
the schooner was within few yards
Of the berg the anchor was dropped.
The vessel swung around until she
came alongside the berg, to which she
was made fast with lines. The tide
was at the full; gangplank was
thrown over to a ledge on the ice, and
the men began breaking off chunks of
ice and hosting them aboard. All
went we'll until evening, when thirty
tons Of ice had been slowed in the
hold. Meanwhile the falling tide had
caused the berg to settle upon the reef
and to tip toward the side opposite the
vessel. The gangplank rose in the air
nearer the water to keep it horizontal.
Capt. Chester suspecting that all was
not going to be we'll, ordered the crew
to make sail. Before they could man
the halyards the iceberg, with a grind
ing roar, rolled off the reef and started
to turn over. A jagged spur of ice,
which had formed the bottom of the
berg, rose on the starboard side of the
vessel and beneath it. The ice struck
the keel, and the vessel, lifted out OF
the water, rested in an ice cradle.
Chester ordered his men to get into the
boats and out of harms way. Cutting
the lines that held the schooner to the
berg, the men pulled to safe distance
and waited. The anchor held fast, and
the schooner tugged at the chain. The
tide dropped few more inches, the
iceberg careened still further, and the
Elwood rose higher. This proved the
schooner's salvation. The tendency of
the iceberg to roll over and raise the
vessel brought such an enormous strain
upon the anchor chain that something
had to give way. Something did, and
to the joy of the fishermen it was not
the anchor of the chain. The iceberg
lurched and the schooner was seen to
slide several feet along the crevice in
which it rested. There was another
lurch and another slide. Then the YES
sci reached downward grade, and the
next instant shot off the iceberg and
into the sea, bows on. like rocket.
She shipped a heavy sea as the result
Of plunging her nose beneath the sur
face, but quickly righted, and after
stumbling over her anchor chain and
Juggling viciously to get away, settled
down to her original state Of tranquil
ity, to all appearances unhurt. San
Francisco Chronicle.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

A Primrose dame, canvassing Lon,
don constituency, called upon a Mrs.
Smith and asked for her husbands
vote. Mrs. Smith expressed regret but
was afraid her husband would vote for
the Liberals. "The fact isl she said.
che has been promised a new suit of
clothes if he votes for the other side"
The Primrose Dame was in an ecstasy
of curiosity. Who had made the prom
Use Mrs. Smith mustn't tell. Half a
sovereign was offered for the informa-
ton; but Mrs. Smith was Of opinion
that she couldn't tell for that. WELL
look here, I'll give you sovereign il
you tell me-" said the lady at last.
Then Mrs. Smith succumbed to the
tempter. Having received the money
she revealed the secret. If you will
know, ma am, it's me as told him
that II he'd vote for the Radical I'd
give him q new suit Of clothes and
thank you for helping to pay for It! z
The London Chronicle.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
BUTTERFLIES SLEEP.
rhey Are Scarcely Distinguishabls from,
Their Surroundings.

Their SURROUNDINGS
The butterfly invariably goes to SLEEPY
head downward, its eyes looking
straight down the stem Of the grass.
1t folds and contracts its wings to the
utmost, partly. perhaps, to wrap its
body from the cold. But the effect is
to reduce its size and shape to mar
row ridge, making an acute angle with
the grass-stem, hardly distinguishablo
in shape and color from the seed-heads
on thousands of other stems around
1t also sleeps on the top of the stem,
which increases its likeness to the nat
ural final of the grass. ID the morn
ing, when the sunbeams warm them.
all these gray pied sleepers on the
grass-tops open their wings and the
colorless bennets are starred with a
thousand living flowers of purest azure.
Side by side with the blues" sleep
the common brown heaths." They
use the grass stems for beds, but less
carefully, and with no such obvious
solicitude to compose their limbs in
harmony with the lines of the plant,
| hey diSO steep Will tuGlr QeaQS GOWN,
ward, but the body is allowed to droop
sideways from the stem like a leaf.
This, with their light coloring, makes
them far more conspicuous than this
blues. Moreover, as grass has no
leaves shaped in any way like tbs
sleeping butterfly, the contrast OF
shape attracts notice. Can it be that
the blues, whose brilliant coloring by
day makes them conspicuous to every
enemy, have learnt caution, while tho
brown heaths less exposed to risk,
are less careful of concealment? Be-
it noticed that moths and butterfliea
go to sleep in different attitudes.
Moths fold their wings back upon their
bodies, covering the lower wing,
which is usually bright in color, with
the upper wing. They fold their an
tennae back on the line of their wings.
Butterflies raise the wings above their
bodies and lay them back to back, put
ting their antennae between them, If
they move at all.-London Spectator.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
ST. Paul Letter

One Of the important industries of
Minnesota is numbering, and the work
Of gathering the timber harvest and
bringing it to market affords employ
ment for thousands upon thousands Of
people.
The first step is to cut down the
trees, which average $50 years of age.
The cutting is generally done by means
OF cross-cut saws about six feet long,
operated by two men. AS soon as the
tree has fallen, the branches are trim
med from the trunk, and the tree is
cut into sections of convenient length,
ranging from 10 to 80 or more feet. ac-
cording to the uses to which the lum-
Der to be cut from the tree is to be
put. These sections of trees are hauled
through the woods on low sleds, called
"go-devils," that deliver the logs at a
common dumping ground, where they
are pulled up on railroad cars by means
of inclined frameworks called skid
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
MAY BE A COMING CHAMPION.

MAY BE A COMING CHAMPION.
The billiard world is watching with
eager eyes the progress Of Willie
Hoppe, the 12-year-old expert, who is
looked upon as the coming Ives. He
will have to wait at least four years
before he is big enough to play accord
ing to the rules requiring the player
to keep one foot on the floor. He only
gets along now in many Of his shots
by clambering over the table, neces-
sary concession to his youth, and, Of
course, permissible in exhibitions.
When he can stand on the floor for all
his shots the experts must look to
their 1aurels.
In his exhibition games with his
mother, who is clever player, Willie
has been averaging anywhere from
six to nine at the 14-inch balk line
game, and in the games with his moth
er, at $50 or no count, straight" which
is part of his card, the result has an
invariable ending. Mrs. Hoppe makes
anywhere from ten to thirty points,
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
NoBLEssE oBL1GE.

In the highest development of femin-
Inc friendship there must be equality.
There should not be distrust or envy
or jealousy. These infelicities are IA
tai flaws, and an ideal friendship can
not survive their presence. One may
be keen-eyed to discern friends
weakness. and sincerely compassion
ate over a friends errors, but unless
asked, and then very sparingly, one
will not tell friend her faults nor
in any emergency will truly loving
and noble friend discuss the foibles
and defects of her friend with third
person. Here obtains the rule of no
blesse oblige.
Among women disparity in age, al
least after the crudity of youth is past,
forms no barrier to the most delight
full friendships. What do you care TO,
a handful of years if your friend and
yourself are congenial, and are Of that
fibre which blends into sweet and
sympathetic companionship?
How weary the shoulders of thes
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
A DANCING FRoCK."

OF pale yellow liberty silk, with ochrs
lace collar and sleeve ruffles. The
seams are fagotted together with yell
low floss. the very full circular ruff
file (the spreading fulness at the hem
is mark of this seasons gown)has q
serpentine design of chiffon ruching.
The belt is of yellow taffeta ending in
rosettes. The shoulder strappings. and
the loop and end effect in front, on
the bodice, are of black velvet, the
former ending in gold buckles, and lat
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
MoDERAr1oN IN ALL THINGS.

We have all heard of women who
lived only to be neat and died, pre-
sumable, from the effects Of their
struggles. and we are equally familiar
with women who do not pay the
slightest attention to the first laws Of
neatness. If asked to choose between
Ehe two classes, we would encounter a
bard struggle. In fact, both are most
uncomfortable. both drive comfort
rom the Preside, and give the mascu-
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

" 49, = 10 i.
Women at the present time seem
lilly persuaded of the truth of the
younger Pliny's saying: "The living
loice is that which sways the soul,
br in nearly every public place, train,
estaurant or what not, they are con-
lpicuous by their much speaking. The
pity is that in their attempts to SWAY
the souls" Of their hearers they for
get that the swaying may be in two
i~ays-it may attract or it may revolt.
OF course, every woman wishes that
her voice may attract, and she should
take every possible care that it should
do so. She can recall, perhaps, some
one to whom people listened willingly
and Of whom they said that she had a
pleasant voice, says the Chicago News.
"a sweet voice and a pretty face go we'll
together, but Of the two the former is
preferable. A undetermined woman,
with sweet and harmonious voice,
mas an immense power for good in the
world. Words of consolation and coun-
BEL from her lips have greater influ-
ence than she dreams possible. The
tact is that people are impelled by the
music of her tones to listen to what
she says, and are charmed and in
Auenced as they never would be by
the utterance of any one who spoke as
wisely and kindly, but less pleasingly.
Sometimes beautiful and attractive
Women cease to charm when they be-
yin to speak. This was the case, it
Is said, with the Empress Eugene
Many people were enraptured with her
beauty till they heard her speak, and
then her harsh Spanish voice utterly
destroyed the fascination. English
women are seldom blessed with musi-
lcal voices. The damp and variable
climate is responsible for colds and
bronchial affections that more or less
tnjure the vocal organs. Yet any wom-
an can, in spite Of natural defects, so
school herself that she may acquire a
pleasant way of speaking.
The living voice it is which sways
the Soul. and the home is happy one
which has at Its head a woman who
speaks In sweet, calm and we'll regu-
{ lated tones. Such possession car
ries her far on the road to social sue
cess, while the lack Of it is likely to
make people consider her terrible
person"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
Able to Caro- for Himself.

When Rudyard Kipling was lad he
went on q sea voyage with his fathers
Lockwood Kipling. Soon after the
vessel got under way Mr.. Kipling went
below, leaving the boy on deck Pres
emily there was a great commotion
overhead, and one OF the ships oficers
rushed down and banged at Mr.. Kip.
ling's door. Mr.. Kipling,"' he cried.
your boy has crawled out on ths
yard-arm, and If he lets 90 he'll
drown!" es, " said Mr.. Kipling, glad
to know that nothing serious Was thu
matter: "hht he wont let 60.
All deEcate situations are more o.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
MEMPHIS MAY BE THE MECCA.

Persons who profess to know say
that Memphis is to be the Mecca for
fighters. 1t is a case Of booming the
southern metropolis, and the moneyed
man behind the affair is one of great
wealth and influence. He is young
fellow with enough power to bring
off the affair, and is using his money
and influence to bring several big
fights to Memphis for no ether purpose
than booming the town. SO the tip is
that IL Jeffries is matched with any
one 1t will be before some club Ii
Memphis.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

(The front wheels are fitted with teeth
to grip the ice road.)
rays, and are then drawn through the
woods to the nearest river and rolled
down upon the snow-coyered bosom of
the frozen stream.
The logging engines are on runners.
The road through the wood is sprink-
led, and a heavy coat of ice formed.
Tracks are then worn or cut into the
ice in place of rails. In these tracks
the runners of the engine and cars
run. The large wheels in front are
fitted with steel teeth, which grip the
ice firmly in front of the engine. 1t
is a new device. and one of the Curl
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

line members Of their family the best
excuses for seeking comfort else
where, says the Pittsburg dispatch.
Moderation in all things is an ex,
cellent rule of life. To keep house
absolutely free from dust or dirt is q
task which would require every min
ute of the day and leave no time for
anything else. More than that, it
would mean an appalling number Of re.
strictions with which sensible people
will have nothing to do.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17
Meaning Of Inst.ntaneous peath.

Meaning of instantaneous Death.
THE instant Of DEATH" says the In
dian Lancet, is vague and indefinite
expression when viewed from the point
Of physiology. An animal or plant
cannot be considered dead until it has
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

Souls must be expa1ded by the con-
temptation Of natures grandeur be-
fore they can comprehend the greaAe
nese 9 man. -Heine,
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

How weary the shoulders of thes,
self-thought Aliases must be?
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-17

All delicate situations IRE more 81
Less ind licate.