davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
HobSou,. Cboice-

How many of us who use or hear the
familiar expression, at was Hobson's
choice" are acquainted with the real
sort of selection that Tobias Hobson
offered his guests? This is the genuine
version of the tale: The said Tobias
Hobson was Cambridge innkeeper,
with 40 horses in his stables. some bet
ter, of course, than others. When a
traveller came to request a mount, he
was obliged to take the steed that
stood nearest the door, although there
were so many others advertised as for
hire. If the traveller objected to that
mount, all he could do was to wait I'M
til some other traveller had come for
one and so removed this and left its
next door neighbor nearest the stable
door.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
TIE Cost of Cutting an old Atlas.

TIE Cost OF Cutting an Old Atlas.
In the state department at Washing
ton is the most comprehensive and
comp Cte set of aliases and maps to be
found anywhere in this country. AS
can be readily appreciated, they are
v,tally necessary to the carrying on of
tie department, and therefore neither
trouble nor expense is spared in keep
ing them constantly up to date. 1t
would be supposed that their extreme
value and Importance would be patent
to every one.
Some years ago, however, one of the
most valuable aliases was found with
two of the maps cut out The maps
had not been distracted. They had
simply been detached from the bind
ing. Investigation proved the mutila-
ton to he the work of q certain clerk,
who on being hauled up by his superior
explained why he had done it as fol-
lows:
Those books are terribly heavy and
hard to handle, and so 1 cut the maps
out in order to get at them easier. The
aliases were very old, and 1 didn't sup
pose they were of any value or that
any one would care"
To the state department an atlas is
like bottle of wine to judge of fine
drinks-its value increases in direct
ratio with its age. 1t was felt in the
department that that particular clerk
had mistaken his calling in life, and to
him was accordingly given an opportu-
nifty to pursue another one.-New York
Tribune.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
The Average Lawsuit.

There is nothing more ridiculous than
the average lawsuit. Two men dispute
over few dollars and go to law. Both
are sure to lose. Their neighbers are
dragged in as witnesses. and the costs
amount to 10 or 20 times the amount in
dispute. Frequently these lawsuits
ruin families and start quarrels that
last for years. Some men claim it is
principle" that actuates them in these
lawsuits. 1t is bullheadedness. pure
and simple. 1t is nearly always easy
to ''split the difference"
Another bad feature about these law
suits is that the county is put to con-
siderable expense, and men willing to
work are compelled to SIT, on the jury.
Settle your disputes without going to
law. If the man with whom you are
disputing is not willing to "split the
difference" he will probably accept a
proposition to leave it to three neigh
borS.-AtchiSon Globe.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
WANTED A RECEIPT,
The Old Lady Insisted Upon FoIlovo
ing Instructions.

ing Instructions.
The old lady was not used to travel
ing on the Broadway cars. She had
evidently spent her youth and middle
age in the rural regions, but doubtless
she called old Ireland home. The con-
ductor. who differed little from the
rest of his kind, came through the car
calling for fares. The old woman held
out her hand, in which a nickel was
tightly clutched. then drew it suddenly
back as if she had made some mistake.
Il want my resate' first" she said in
a rich Doolian dialect
The conductor paid no heed; but,
holding out his hand, demanded. "Fare.
please"
I'd
mo receipts, lady" said the stolid
conductor. "I'll have to have your
fare"
my son told me not to give up any
money without getting 'resate,'" in
sisted the old woman stoutly.
The kind lady with the sweet face
and Paris clothes proffered the assur-
ance that it was "all right" that no
body got receipts.
"See, | pay my fare without one,"
she said. giving the conductor a dime
and the woman reassuring smile.
But the woman was stubborn. 81
want my 'resate.'" she reiterated.
The conductor mechanically held out
a nickel to the kind lady of the Paris
gown. but she shook her head. nodded
toward the old woman and smiled.
The conductor without word passed
on through the car, which lurched and
swayed through Union square. She of
the "resate" shook her head grlmly,
settled herself back in her seat and
held on to the nickel. determined not to
relinquish it without the necessary ac-
neutrality-suspicious. York Mail and
EXPRESS.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Architectural Oddities.

At Frankfort-on-the-Ma there is
one street in which two houses on op-
posite sides of the street lean over so
far that their roofs meet over the
street. In one of these houses Lord
Rothschild was born. In Paris, on the
other hand, it is noticeable that the
builders Intentionally construct the
houses SO that they lean backward
slightly to add to their stability. But
almost in the center Of Paris there is
one big stone building which leans out
fully 31a feet over the sidewalk. So
solid, however, are the Paris buildings
that this one is claimed to be safe
Pearson's Weekly.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
THE DATE OF THE FLOOD.
Bible Facts ON which the Bishop
Based His Question.

Bible Facts ON Which the Bishop
Based His Question.
Some people had fun over the re-
ported rejection of eight candidates for
the African Methodist ministry in the
south by the examining bishop because
they could not tell the date of the
flood. Nevertheless the bishop who
asked the question knew what he was
doing. 1t may not have been a fair
question, but there is a concise answer
to it in the Bible, and he no doubt
thought that the eight candidates, IL
they were well versed in the Old Tesla
ment, would answer it at once.
The date of the flood was 1856 years
after the birth of Adam, in the second
month and the seventeenth day. 1t be-
gan then and continued for 40 days
and nights. This is how it is figured:
The third verse of the fifth chapter Of
Genesis reads thus, "And Adam lived
$50 years and begat a son in his own
likeness, after his image, and called his
name Seth" Then In the sixth verse
it is told that Seth lived los years and
aO1Iii, TIT lOuT
verse. lived 800 years after the birth
of Seth, and the latter after the birth
of Enos lived S07 years. So it goes on.
Enos begat Cainan when he was 60;
Cainan begat Mahalaleel when he was
70; Mahalaleel begat Jared when he
was Go; Jared begat Enoch when he
was 162. Methuselah was born to
Enoch when the latter was 65, and
when Methuselah was 1877 he begat
Lamech. and Lamech's son Noah came
into the world when the father was
49,. This brings us down to the birth
of Noah, which, according to the added
ages of the several patriarchs at the
time their sons were born. occurred
1,056 years after the birth Of Adam.
In the seventh chapter of Gensis the
eleventh verse reads as follows: "In
the six hundredth year of Noah's life,
in the second month, the seventeenth
day of the month, the same day were all
the fountains of the great deep broken
up and all the windows of heaven
were opened" This was the flood,
and it came to pass in the year 1856
after the birth of Adam.-New York
SIM
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
How Niagara wears the Rock.

All who have been to Niagara know
that the cataract is divided by Goat is
land the larger portion of the fall be
ing on the Canadian side of the river.
This part is known as the Horseshoe
fall and was so named because years
ago it was identical with a horseshoe
In shape. A few years ago V shaped
break occurred toward the New York
side, and since then other changes have
taken place, until today the Horseshoe
fall is more like its original form, but
clearly shows the effects of the wear
Ing of the waters.
Many people fail to see how the falls
wear the rock away, and this is little
mystery until the exact conditions are
realized. The ledge of rock over which
the water Of both the American and
Horseshoe falls flow is of hard lime
stone. 1t is all of 60 feet thick and
naturally very heavy Underneath this
ledge of limestone there are the shales
Of the Niagara locality. This soft rock
is many feet thick. The rock of the
Horseshoe fall is unprotected, and as
the water falls over the precipice and
boils in the river below it washes away
the soft shale beneath the limestone,
SO that the limestone is left in shefike
form, projecting far out into the gorge.
Observant visitors to the falls have no
doubt noticed this condition.
In the course of time the shale foun-
dation of the limestone ledge is eXca-
waited to such a point that the unsup-
ported ledge breaks away by its own
weight, and the crest line of the Horse
shoe fall recedes so much farther.
Then the water attacks the newly ex-
posed shale, and in time the process
outlined is repeated. This has been 60
ing on for centuries, and it will con-
tinue until the falls of Niagara are no
more.-Philadelphia Record.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
The Happy ASS.

The chief beauty of the following
poem is that it is both rhyme and
blank verse-rhyme according to the
spelling and blank verse according to
the pronunciation:
Through twiligbt's gold heard the wild ass bray
His love song, which resounded DER the quay,
While he. well knowing that for Joy he should
Cavort in glee, kicked up the messy mould,
And with the energy of lusty youth
Once more let of his everlasting mouth,
Which set on edge two polka dotted calves
Until they, too, oped wide their safety valves
And fed like me, and few like the wolf
Or cen the hit ball in the game of golf.
r. K. Munkittrick in Smart Set.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

Sir Lyon Playfair, who represented
the University of Edinburgh for II
years, naturally came in contact with
the most eminent men Of England, and
he put this question to most of them,
did you in your extensive practice
ever know patient who was afraid to
dieT With two exceptions, it seems,
they answered NO" One of these ex-
ceptions was Sir Benjamin Brodie. who
said he had seen one case. The other
was Sir Robert Christison, who had
seen one case, that of girl Of bad
character who had a sudden accident.
Health
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Got what They wanted.

Their Caller-I don't see why Count
Parchesi and his American wife should
quarrel.
Miss Davis-Their interests clash, do
they not?
Their Caller-Not to any marked de-
gree She wanted foreign alliance
and he foreign allowance, that's all.
Harlem Life.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
The Porter,r LUCKY DAY.

Eve were travelling from Ell Paso to
the coast" said the advance man of
theatrical combination, land the porter
had tucked us snugly in our berths,
when we were awakened to the con-
seriousness that our train was held up
The robbers marched us out of the car
and made us deliver. Fortunately not
one of US had more than a few dollars
in cash. But the man who held up the
car porter gave yelp of delight: See
what I've found! Put 'em back! Start
the train!
'.In the careless porter's vest pocket
he had discovered a roll of bills as big
as the pocket would hold. It looked as
if there must have been several hun
dred dollars. We all knew of the prof
table righteousness of the Pullman
ear porter, but never dreamed that his
accumulations were so large. Yet the
friendly human spark of forgiveness
and sympathy was in our hearts for
the poor fellow losing so much at one
fell swoop. We were gathered in the
smoking compartment and had a con-
ISOLATION purse under advisement for
the darby, when he came along him
self:
Nah Lawd, dat was the luckiest
sperience 1 done ever had,' he said,
chuckling all over.
"'Luckyr
1--WE were astonished. A poor serv-
ant robbed of hundreds chuckling with
gleei
""Deed. yes, gem'men! Dey never
look but jis' in only one of my pock-
ets!"-New York Times.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Part of 1t.

Eyes. sir; we have 200 deaf and
dumb inmates on the roll of the insti-
tuition. and fully 100 of them are vot-
ers."
Indeed? This must be part of the
silent vote to which reference is so fire.
quently made in the daily papers,
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
WINGS.
The gods but half reluctantly


The gods but half reluctantly
Grant US the gift of song;
Yet, tawny throat, they give to thee
Pure notes and pinions strong.
To those blue worlds that arch above
We look, aspire-and fail.
Thou, thou dost mount the skies we love.
The stars we never scale.
Thou knowest not, winged soul, the hres
OF that old discord strange,
The vast and infinite desires,
The all too finite range.
So sing for usl Our threats are still,
And song no solace brings
To whom the gods have given the will,
But not, alas. the wingsi
Arthur Stringer in Ainslee's Magazine.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
The Discovery of Iron.

Teacher-Sammy. can you tell me
where and how iron was first discov-
cred?
Sammy can't tell you just where,
sir, but l think l know how 1t was dis
covered.
Teacher Well, Sammy, what is your
information on that point?
Sammy heard pa say the other day
that they smelt 1t.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Two Great objects.

'"They say" remarked the very Gym
ical person. that in this corrupt and
superficial age the great object is not
to be found out"
"That shows you have very little ex-
perience with bill collectors" answered
the impecunious friend. "My great OBJ
ject is not to be found ."-Washing-
ton Star
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Told the Truth.

Mother-Now. George, | shall tell
your papa to punish you severely for
telling an untruth. You said you didn't
touch one of those six peaches, and
there is only one left, and found the
five stones in your nursery.
Georgia. told no story, mamma.
The peach I didn't touch is the one
that's left.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
No Need of Chasing,

Jeweler-This ring is 81 more than
the plain one on account of the chas-
ing.
Farmer-See here, mister, yew don't
hat ter chase me. I'm goin ter pay fer
what git.-Chicago News.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
AM unexpected Retort.

Where" asked the female suffrage
orator, would man be today were 1t
not for woman?"
She paused moment and looked
around the hall.
81 repeat" she said, "where would
man be today were it not for womanr
He'd be in the garden of Eden eat
ing STRAWBERRIES" answered a voice
from the gallery.-Bostop Traveller.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Spinsters.

Unmarried women are called spin
sters. or spinning women, because 1t
was a maxim among our forefathers
that young woman should not marry
until she had spun enough linen to fur
nish her house. All unmarried, old or
young, were then called spinsters, q
name still retained in all legal docu
monte
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Trying 1t on the Building.

Markleigh-Your office seems badly
mussed up. Have you no janitor?
Barkleigh-Ne have one, but since
he became a faith curist he has been
giving the Office "absent treatment.
Baltimore American.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

consequence of self abuse and excess produc.
ing the following symptoms; Sallow counts-
nance, dark spots under the eyes, pain in the
head, ringing in the ears loss of confidence,
dlftldence in approaching strangers, palpitation
OF the heart, weakness of the limbs and back,
loss OF memory, pimples on the face, coughs,
consumption, etc
DIR. GIBBON has practiced in San Francisco
over 81 years, and those troubled should not
fail to consult him and receive the benefit Of
his great skill and experience The dpctot
cures when others fail. Try him. Cures guar.
anteed. Persons cured at home Charges reas.
enable. Call or write
Francisco, Cal.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
SnoIIed His breakfast

"How is the landlady this morningT
asked one of the boarders.
"Fhreatening and cooler" answered
the man with the newspaper, misun-
derstanding the question.
And the other boarder. who was no.
toriously slow in settling with the land
lady, looked partly cloudy.-Chicago
Tribune
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

A story first heard at mothers knee
is seldom forgotten, and the same may
be said of other things received at
mothers knee, which will readily recur
to the reader-Chicago News.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

A birdseye view of the sanitary stu
alton of Europe shows that it is the
damp, chill, cloudy north which Is
healthy and the dry, warm. sunny
south which is unhealthy.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
All There.

She-How many pictures have you
painted since you first. began?
He-Oh, haven't any idea.
She-Some day am coming around
to your studio and count them.-Ex-
change.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
Willing to Listen.

Mr.. SLY love you more than words
can tell.
Miss Sharp-Then let the preacher do
the talking.-Detroit Free Press.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

A book published in Japan 1000
years ago notes that at that time good
silk was already produced In 25 prov
tnces of that country.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

The largest city in the country in
Washington's time was Philadelphia.
1t had 1900 inhabitants.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

a physician says one should never do
any work before breakfast Some day
science will recognize the great truth
that working between meals is what
is killing off the race.-Minneapolis
Times,
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25

There are certain flowers the per-
fume of which is produced by mi
crobes.
Amador ledger., 1901-01-25
TO THE UNFORTUNATE
DIR. GIBBeN

This old reliable and
themost successful spe-
cialist in San Frsn6isr
co stilIcontinues to- cure
all Sexual and Seminal
Diseases,suc as Ghon-
orrhea, elect. Structure,
Syphilis in all it's forms
Skin Diseases, Nervous
De b ility, Impotency,
Seminal Weakness. and
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-05
Germans Want American system.

BERLIN, Nov. 3O-The German
association for advanced educa-
ton, representing many of the
most prominent teachers of the
empire, has petitioned Chancellor
Won Bulow to create an imperial
bureau of education modelled on
the lines of the department of
education at Washington. 1t is
asserted that the American sys
tenn of educational uniformity,
whereby the school authorities
of the entire country are more
or less subject to central control,
is urgently.requred in Germany.
The reichstag is to be asked to
appropriate funds for an exhaus-
tive study of the workings of the
American system with view to
its immediate reproduction in
Berlin.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-05
ARE NEUTRAL
American Officials in Cuba are Strictly
impartial in the Pending Presidential
Contest and Must Remain So.

WASHINGTON, Noy. 30-Sec-
retary Root addressed a com.
munication to Eligio Bonachea,
president of the convention at
Havana, Cuba, that nominated
Bartholomo Maso for president,
relative to complaints that the
United States authorities were
interfering in the Cuban elec-
tions. A press dispatch from
Havana stated that Maso COM
planned that the influence of
United States officers was being
exerted in favor of Estrada
Palma and a dispatch from Bona
chea to the secretary implied the
same thing. Following is the
secretary's communication to
Senior Bonachea.
''Sir-I have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your
dispatch of Nov. 20 saying:
''The national convention of Ha-
vana which has proclaimed Gen
eral Maso candidate for the presi-
dency of the future republic of
Cuba respectfully asks you to
recommend to the representa-
tives of the Intervening govern
ment the stricter imparti-
ality in the electoral contest
which is now taking place
The representatives of the
intervening government in Cuba,
are already aware that their
duty requires them not merely
to be strictly impartial in the
electoral contest in Cuba, but to
refrain from interfering in any
manner whatever with the free
expression of the. wishes Of the
Cuban people at the polls. They
have not violated this rule in the
past and will not in the future.
They will have nothing to do
with the electoral contest. ex-
cept to enforce the electoral law
prescribed py the constitutional
convention and promulgated by
the military governor on the 14th
of October last. This will be
done impartially and effectively.
1t is quite unnecessary to assume
that the offers Of this govern
ment will be less faithful to their
duty hereafter than they lave
been in the past, or to recon-
mend or direct that they shall
perform duty which they are
already performing"
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-05
Hominy Mill Burned.


TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Dec. e.
The Terre Haute hominy mill,
owned by r. @. Jenckes & Co.,
was totally destroyed by fire
which started at l o'clock this
morning in the boiler-room of
the four-story brick building.
The mill and a three-story frame
elevator are in ruins. The loss
is $50, 900 with sos, 900 insurance.
Fifteen thousand to eighteen
thousand bushels of corn were
destroyed and six box cars were
burned.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-05

FINDLAY, Ohio, Dec. "A
movement is on foot to organize
all the basket manufacturers
east of the Mississippi into
trust. One of the leading pro-
moters of the scheme is Willard
Duccomb, president of the Find
lay Basket company.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-05
THE MESSAGE
What the President SAYS
on Important Subjects.
TRUSTS AND RECIPROCITY
How He Would Deal With
These Problems.

He Declares Publicity Is at Present
the Oaly Sure Remedy Against
Evils of ombinations-While OPP
posing Any General Tarin Change,
He UphOl6s the Principle of Reel
procity - Advocates Reduction Of
Duty on Cuban Imports Into This
Country - Importance of Building
the Isthmian Canal and the Pacific
Cable Urged-The Philippines and
other Insular Questions.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-05

Insular questions are next treated
In Hawaii our aim must be to develop
the territory on the traditional Amer
lean lines. Porto Rico is declared to be
thriving as never before. The atten-
tion of congress Is called to the need of
legislation concerning the islands pub
lie lands. In Cuba it is stated that
much progress has been made toward
putting the independent government of
the island upon firm footing, and it is
declared that independence will be an
accomplished fact. The president
adds:
Elsewhere I have discussed the ques-
ton of reciprocity. In the case Of Gu
ba, however, there are weighty reasons
of morality and of national interest
why the policy should be held to have
q peculiar application. and most ear
nestly ask your attention to the wis
dom, indeed to the vital need, of pro-
viding for Substantial reduction In
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-05

The condition of the American mer-
chant marine is such as to cali for i'm
mediate remedial action by the con-
gress. 1t is discreditable to us as a
nation that our merchant marine
should be utterly Insignificant in COM
parison to that of other nations which
we overtop in other forms Of business.
We should not longer submit to condi-
tions under which only trifiing por-
ton Of our great commerce is carried
In our own ships. To remedy this state
Of things would not merely serve to
build up our shipping interests. but 1t
would also result in benefit to all who
are interested In the permanent estab-
lishment Of wider mat ket for Amer
lean products and would provide an
auxiliary force for the navy. Ships