davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
Thes, Women Shave.

One part of Egypt shows where the
outward and visible evidences of the
aboriginal have been softened down
with a veneer which the softeners
fondly imagined is indicative of in
ward and spiritual grace. This Is along
a S50-mle stretch of the White Nile,
where the Shilluks live and move and
have their being. Now the Shilluks
are picturesque and promising peo-
pie, They have their Fashoda for
capital and their memories of Lord
Kitchener. of Khartoum,+ which no
man may take from them, ( Wherefore,
what matters it that they have lost
their original lawlessness, their former
turbulence and their cheerful speciality
of roasting the enemy on the point of
the spit? Now the Shilluks are so civ
ilized th"y carry short, wooden clubs
after the fashion of the Broadway po-
licemau, and occasionally brandish a
long spear in true light opera style.
Tl,eT lead an enviable life, these Shil-
luks;' nothing to do all the livelong
day but lie on the messy bank and
spear the horny-hided hippopotamus
as he glides within range, or make
dead crocodile of live one by the
simple expedient of harpooning him
through his vitals. AS for work, that
is for woman, and my lord of the Shil-
luks never puts his hand to it. Agri-
culture is yet an undeveloped indus
try, and what little developing has al
ready taken place has been at the in
stance and hands of the wives The
the seven Brotherhood sisters of glor-
ious hirsute memory. All the women
of the tribe shave their heads.-New
York Herald
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
HIS HORSE WAS ALL RIGHT.

The colored man was driving a
limpy old horse along the street in
front of a junk wagon when a pedes-
trian halted him to ask:
What on earth ails that horse of
yours?"
Dat boss? Why. sab, what's de
mattah wild dat hoss?" was asked IN
reply.
That's what l want to know. Look
at his hair"
Yes, sab; he's sheddin' his coat,
you know"
But he's full of limps."
Eyes, sab; but let me tell you sun
thin. Dat boss gwine to shed all his
limps along wild his hair if he keeps
on"
Il never heard Of such thing" pro-
tested the pedestrian.
Same wild me; but he's gwine to do
it. He haint bin sheddin but a week
yit, and he's got shet Of poll evil, blind
staggers, a stiff knee, bad eye and
about fourteen other ailments. Whoa,
dar, Caesar; hole yo'r head up and bite
on de bit and prance around, Yes, sab,
yo' kin see it in him. Just yo' wait
about seven mo- days, and if dat boss
doan' run away and bust de wagon
and kill two men III go outer de biz
ness and let bosses alone"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
-AnHiStOriC
House
New York letter.

p. tANtW IOIk l4tlltI-I
The famous Jumel mansion in New
York, associated with the name of
Washington and other heroes of the
revolutionary struggle. has been pur-
chased by the municipality and is to be
maintained forever as an historic relic
of that story period of our colonial
history. The grounds, which cover
G7,391 square feet, are to be converted
into a park. and the house itself is 10
be suitably improved.
The mansion was built In 1853 by
Roger Morris, at that time colonel in
the British army. He occupied it I'M
til 1776. When Washington's forces
were stationed in that part of the state
the house furnished shelter for some
of the Continental troops, while at sew
eral times between June and the mid
die of October, 1776, it was occupied by
Washington as his headquarters. In
one room known as the council cham
Der, Washington and his generals
planned their operations.
In 1900 Stephen Jumel, a rich French
merchant, bought the place. Jumel died
in it, but his widow remained there
and when late in life she was married
to Aaron Burr they lived in the old
colonial house. In it she gave many
gand receptions, among those she en-
tertained being Lafayette and Napo-
leon Ill Madame Jumel died in 1865.
After her death the property became
the subject of much legal wrangling.
and was finally ordered to be sold by
the supreme court.
The Jumel mansion is one of the few
remaining places in Now York which
sheltered Washington. A towering Of
flee building occupies the site OF a
house at No. Broadway which shell
tered the commander-in-ch in 1776
before the battle of Long Island. AZ
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
A SORDID MERCHANT.

Something you want?" querted the
man who had been standing around
the door for several minutes.
Il see you have washtubs." was the
reply.
Yes, sir; a large assortment. What
size would you like"
Il dunno. was jest grim to ask
you a question. Hev you ever come
across a piece of poetry tsginnin' 1T
was the schooner of Hesrerus which
sailed the ragin' main'?"
mo. sir"
you'd remember it If you had, l
suppose?"
Probably I would. have three
sizes of tubs. The largest is"
Eyes. l know but let's settle this
thing first. She sailed the ragin' main.
There's the first two lines, but to save
my neck l can't think of no more.
Must be more Of course. Yes. them
washtubs are all right. but I'm more
interested in the schooner jest now.
Never come across the piece, eh?"
mo, sir. Any -four, potatoes or
squashes to-day"
perus. She sailed the ragin' main.
Where was she sailin' to? What was
her object? What happened to her as
she sailed? Let's go in and figger it
out"
Il have nothing to do with the
schooner Hesperus or any other
schooner" said the groceryman as he
turned away.
you look like that kind Of man"
exclaimed the poetry hunter n ne
backed off.
you go on" shouted the grocery
man.
''All you think Of is tubs and pals
and squashes. ] don't believe you
know line of THE Star Spangled
Banner"
Didn't tell you to go on? II you
make fuss around here I'll have you
arrested"
"Oh, I'll go on" growled the old
man as he backed away. But | want
to say to you that if had your sordid
soul"
Cit along"
He moved down in front of the next
store and finished.
I'D shred it up with Goldfish and
sell it at 6 cents pound. 1t was the
schooner Hesperus which sailed Lake
on she bumped herself fur shore and
I'll find some one else to tell me the
-est of it."
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
LIS Name Associated
with
George Washington
aa -, Dl,:SS

WASHINGTON. a tragedy which Washing
ton. helpless to avert, witnessed with
streaming eyes. Hardly a recognizable
vestige of this fort remains.
After seven years forcible Danish
ment from Manhattan island the Am
orleans returned in triumph in 1888.
and Washington, standing on the old
Fort George at Bowling Green, watch
ed the triumphant procession as 1t
passed in review. The old fort has
gone and the site is now being exca-
waited for the custom house. In De-
cember of that year Washington babe
farewell to his officers in Fraunces
Tavern, in a pathetic scene which has
been made the subject of many PFC
ture and chapter of history. And what
of that building? 1t has been mutilat-
ed architecturally and debased to the
uses of a common taphouse.
Then, in the course of time, Wash
ington was elected president, and was
inaugurated in the old Federal build
ing at Wall and Nassau streets. That,
too, is gone as is the executive man
sion on Cherry street, occupied by him
while he lived in New York as first
president.
of starvation. His stomach was as
empty as a drum and it was plain that
he hadn't eaten a particle Of food for
several days. The cse attracted good
deal Of attention and reading about it
in the morning papers l looked in at
the morgue to see the body and inn
mediately recognized the tramp who
had tackled me unsuccessfully the
night before. OF course | was deeply
shocked and reproached myself for not
having listened to his appeal. 1t was
said, | remember, that there was nc
reason for such a death. and if he had
applied to any of the aid societies he
would have received prompt attention.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26

The lhabitants of Newport Land
by the appearance on the shore of a
creature. which was at first pronounced
to be sea serpent. There had been
a heavy sea for, several days along
shore, and when the first beach comb
er went out they saw, floating in the
waves, an extraordinary object, tven-
ty or thirty feet in length. It was
bobbing up and down, and occasionally
raised a rounded head which seemed
to be covered with hair. The current
was setting rapidly to the south, bear
ing the strange animal, and soon a
number of men and boys were follow
ing it. Finally the creature, caught by
a great roller, was sent in upon the
sands, where it was captured and
hauled upon the beach. Here it was
paced off and found to be twenty-five
feet in length and a most remarkable
creature 1t was as fiat as the blade
of an oar. of silver hue and looked
more like a gigantic silvery ribbon
than fish. A fin, extending from
head to tail, developed into beautiful
red tufts or fins, on the head, and
these might we'll convey the idea of
hair. The head was large and rounded,
the eye and mouth small. Local sci
entists pronounced the strange animal
a sea serpent, and while Newport
Landing has many fishermen and sail
ors, no one could be found who had
ever seen such fish before. This with
good reason. as it was the second
specimen ever seen on the coast, and
by far the largest. The fish was
ribbon fish, peculiar deep-water
form rarely seen. Several specimens
have been taken on the coast of Nor
way, one being found in net. 1t was
so large that it required a force of
men to lift it out, and presented re-
markable spectacle as it was borne
along. This fish was not entire, but
was estimated to have been thirty or
forty feet in length, and might readily
have been taken for a sea serpent
New York Sun.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
-" Z.
Freak Clocks.

An ingenious Frenchman named. lie
Boullat, who lives at Coutances, has
made himself famous for the curious
clocks he manufactures. He can make
clock OUT tof almost any conceivable
material. Straw and, paper are among
the raw materials he uses. For TWEEN
ty years he has been manufacturing
freak clocks and most Frenchmen who
want something out Of the common in
that line apply to lie Boullat. A while
ago he turned lot of,newspapers into
pulp, mixed it with a hardening SUD-
stance and carved the clock out OF the
compound. Even the wheels and all
the machinery of the clock were made
Gus clock does not keep very correct
time. but the wonder is that it goes
at all. The newspaper clock is one
of Mr.. lie Boullat's latest triumphs.
Another of his designs appears to be
merely collection of large and small
sticks held together by wires. 1t is
only upon close inspection that one
sees that it is clock constructed upon
excellent principles. 1t keeps very
fair time, never varying more than
two minutes in week. Now and then
the clockmaker receives commissions
from wealthy Frenchmen for clocks
of unique design in silver or gold dec
GRATED with precious stones. Some of
these clocks are entirely made of gold,
with diamond-tipped hands, and ru-
bies, garnets, pearls opals and emer-
aids to represent the figures on the d.
ais. Some of his clocks are beautiful
works of art, and few of the most
interesting specimens are among the
smallest of timepieces.-New York
Sun
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26

This is probably the most unique
production of nature It is a native
of Guatemala.
The name is truly descriptive It's
bud has the perfect shape of goose,
with head and neck proudly arched,
as If floating in the water. The ave-
rage length of bud is sixteen inches
AS it bursts into bloom, the breast
opens, showing a delicate, cone-shaped
orifice, lined with a rich purple, vel
vety surface, simply exquisite in COL
oring and tracing. In full bloom it re-
sembles an enormous leaf about fifty
inches in circumference. 1t has long.
string-like tail two feet six inches in
length In some respects it resem-
bles the night blooming cereus. 1t
and all bloom is put forth during the
silence of darkness. Further, it blooms
but to fade. The bud expands into full
bloom in three days, but the flower
). withers in day.
It's perfume, however, is decidedly
different from that of the queen of
the night. The bud has no odor but
that Of the bloom is an almost unbear-
able stencil. exactly like that of decay
ing meat. 1t attracts the regular blue
bottle, or carrion-fy, and swarms of
them are buzzing about the strangely
beautiful though repulsive flower
These flies are it's agents Of fertilza-
ton. 1t is. carrier plant. The odor
of decaying meat lures the flies to the
orifice of the flower. On and on they
walk, deep into the throat Of the flow
er-never to escape. The deep nap
lining Of the orifice inclines down into
the throat of the blossom. Consequent
ly, the flies find it very easy and COM
Portable walking in; but if they wish
to come out, or to retrace their way,
they strike snags. Once in. there is
a high, curved phalanX which makes
escape hopeless
The leaves, roots, stems. in fact all
parts of the plant, are an infallible an
tidote against the bites of all poison
Gus insects and reptles.-The Peoples
Home Journal.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
What He Wanted.

Now" said the celebrated designer
who had been called in by the new bill
lionaire to talk over plans for a $780,
900 yacht, I'VE have come to an I'M
derstanding concerning the size of the
craft, but what about the bulwarks
and hatchways?"
Bull works." exclaimed Mr.. Wad-
hams; 81 don't want no bull works.
This amt a-goin' to be no cattle ship,
and as for hatchways, gol durn it, l
don't want any Of 'em aboard. Just
you see about place fer good big
icebox and don't pay no 'tention to in
cubators or anything of the kind. No
chicken on this boat! 1 want you to
understand, b'gosh, that l don't eat
nothin cheaper'n quail with feathers
ON now daysl"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
INTRODUCING HIMSELF.

In Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly
for April is told the amusing story of a
poet who wanders by accident into
his neighbours house. He is uneXpect-
eddy confronted by beautiful woman.
She half smiled when he began.
Il am an intruder, madam" and
stopped with that embarrassed plati
tude. Il passed your first door by ac-
cident. and your second by impulse"
THAT doesn't explain why you
stay"
May stay to EXPLAIN"
when two have exchanged remarks
that touch the borders of wit, they
have passed a mental introduction. To
each the mind of the other is a posi-
BILE shade and bubbling spring by the
dusty road of conversation. Noel felt
the occasion. He bowed with side
sweep of his hat.
Madam, am writer Of poems. es-
says, stories. II you ask, What do
write in poems. essays, stories, I an
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
Those Business Women"

Those Business Women"
A club of business women"
Existed in a town
And everything was up to date,
From high officials down.
The president was gracious,
AS also was the vice.
The secretary was peach;
The rest were extra nice.
Although they wildly chartered
Whene'er they CHANGED TO meet,
At clubs headquarters, on car,
Or in the crowded street,
They never failed to let you know
That they were business This is so.
Yet when these business" women
At luncheon came together
For 10, these girls restaurant
Conducted in high feather
The milk, they said, was glorious"
The coffee was dream;
The pie was simply exquisite
And splendid" was the cream.
The soup was cute" they murmured;
The pudding was divine" o..
And yet they tried to preach to me,
These charming friends of mine.
That they are business" Yet know
That nature never made them so.
st. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26

his bull fight, and to the Frenchman
nothing appeals but the duel. Com
pared with the insect fight, however.
all these are tame, in the opinion OF
the Chinaman.
The insect used by the Chinese for
these fights Is known as the mantis.
The carnivorous propensities OF this
tribe OF insects are SO great that they
are even exercised on their own kind.
The Chinese take advantage OF the
pugnacity of these insects, and keep
them separate, in bamboo cages. for
fighting exhibitions, as some Ameri-
cans do game cocks. The fight takes
place in a glass case, the NANTES hav-
ing first been denied food for some
hours.
Two insects are put in the case at a
time. No sooner do they spy each
other than both remain stiff and mo-
tionless, fixing their eyes on each 9th
er. In this condition they continue a
long time while the spectators tap on
the glass and use every expedient to
urge them on. Suddenly the whole
frame of each becomes violently agi-
tated, the neck is stretched out, the
wings expand and flutter, while the
rest of the body and tail culver with
apparent emotion.
They rush toward each other with
the utmost fury, and hew away with
their sharp, saber-like feet with such
ferocity that 1t is seldom that they
quit their hold without bringing away
at the same time limb or some other
part of the body of their antagonist
The usual termination of these fights
is the death of both of the combat
ants, neither ofNthem hardly ever
surviving the fray.:gt
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
,.a7sD fFfS9ag
H'|'' e 4TIB&S2ne$3&{.YHK

swer, My perception of things. II you
ask in what form would | cast rny pres
ent perception of things, | say, With
out doubt poem"
you arc able to carry both sides
of conversation. have not asked any
of these"
You ask why stay, l anu explain
ing"
The lady's attitude relaxed its stiff
ness by shade, her half smile became
a degree more balmy.
II think you must be a successful
writer"
you touch the point" he said slow
ly. Il am not. am hungry and prob
ably houseless. And worse than that.
find hunger and houselessness are
sordid, tame. The taste of them IN
the mouth is fiat. like stale beer. 1t
is not like the bitter tang of new ex-
perience. but like something the world
shows it's WEAKNESS OF in me-"
The amused smile vanished in large
eyed surprise, and something mora
than surprise, as if his words gave
her some intimate, personal informa-
ton.
You say strange things in strange
way. And you came in by an acct
dent?"
And an impulse"
Il don't understand. But you must
sit down, and | can find you more to
eat, if this isn't enough"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
EACH HAS SELF-DENIAL BAG
That's How Bayonne Women Are Pay.
Ing on Church Debt.

Christ Presbyterian church in Bay.
onne, N. j., has a debt of S2S6, and
the women of the congregation have
pledged their word to pay it off before
the annual meeting in spring, They
ARE dong, it, by practicing. self-denial,
and their way of doing it has SO stir
red the, admiration of their friends
outside the church that more contribu-
lions are flowing in from all sides and
the chances are that the church, in
stead OF having debt, will have q
surplus when spring comes. Each OF
the women church members has self
denial bag. Whenever one of them
thinks that she can deny herself new
ribbons, lot of candy, new spring
hat, or anything else that isn't abso-
lutely necessary to life and happiness,
pop goes the money into the self denial
bag and the church is the gamer to
that extent. The money is needed to
enable the congregation to have work
Aid Society of the church suggested
the means of raising it, I'VE feel that
the Lord is with us and that we shall
be able to raise the money" the So
ciety's president said the other day.
I'VE had several other ways suggested
to us, but this seemed to be the. most
practical One firm offered us large
sum to advertise its goods. Somebody
else suggested that We issue bonds. We
didn't do either and now that our
friends are helping us we are glad we
didn't" Some of the women are max
ing bread and baking pies for their
neighbors to help pay the debt.-Ex.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26

Investigations into the causes of the
numerous prairie fires in the cattle
ranges Of Montana and Western Da-
kota seem to show strong reasons for
the belief that many of them, at least
owe their origin to the presence Of
>roken bottles that are scattered freely
along the trails and wagon roads OF
that section. 1t is reported that in
many cases The origin has been di-
rectly traced to this source, the evil
dence pointing clearly to the theory
shat the suns rays, focused through
the curved glass, have caused ignition
Of the dry prairie grass, from which
the fires have spread, and assumed
their tremendous proportions before
they were discovered. Nor did the bot
ties contain "fire-water" either.-San.
Francisco Bulletin.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
THE JUMEL MANSION.

but the chances were he was a poor
ignorant fellow who knew nothing
about organized charity. anyhow he
starved while he was trying to gel
help" added the big politician, sigh
ing, land since then | have never
turned down beggar who said he was
hungry, no matter how ragged. dirty
or drunk he might happen to be-"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
in THE ODD CORNER.
QUEER AND CURIOUS THINGS
AND EVENTS.

Strange Animal Appears ut Newport
Landing, Cal, Frightening the In
habitants-Twenty-F1v Feet In Length,
1t Is a Most Remarkable Creature.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26
HOW TO USE A TELEPHONE.

Talk louder" Don't yell So"
Get closer to the instrument" Don't
talk so far away-cant hear a word
you say" are some of the messages
sent by people who use the telephone
to the person at the other end of the
line. The words are often accompan-
led with evidences of i'll will and i'm
patience, at which the telephone oper-
ators smile.
Every time l hear a remark Of that
kind" said the manager of a large
exchange, Il am confirmed in the be-
lief that, despite its popularity, every
body does not know how to use the
telephone"
One of the mistakes made by many
people who use the telephone is that
they do not place the lips close enough
to the instrument, says the New York
Tribune. Some people make this error
because they can't forget the old-style
instrument. In order to obtain the
best results with it it was necessary to
keep the lips a few inches from the
box and to speak across the opening,
and not into it, Get further away
from the phone" was the cry when the
oldstyle instrument was in use, and
some old subscribers have this dis
tant habit" as the telephone people
call it. and they are usually told by
the one at the other end to talk loud
err"
i
speaking on the telephone l should
say: Keep the chin well raised and
speak with a large amount of air in
the chest, articulate slowly and dis
tinctly and use the lips-that 10, place
the voice IN the front Of the mouth
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26

Insect Fighting I, Chinese Sport.
The Anglo-Saxon likes his prize fight
and his cock fight, the Spaniard enjoys
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-26

A fee simple is money given to th-
Quack doctor.