davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Press., 1902-05-29
A RIVER OF LAND.


Astonishing Amount of Earth That Flows Down the Mississippi.
 ''The capacity of the Mississippi for filling up canals and old channels is something awful" says John Swain in Ainslee's. Government engineers have found that the amount of solid matter annually carried past Vicksburg in sus- pension is enough to make block of earth 300 feet high and a mile square. Fifty feet off the top of this is spread around on the valley between here and the sea, and the rest goes out into the gulf of Mexico to build up more conti- nent.
 Think what that means. Instead of a river of water this is a river of land. It would make a solid stream of earth five feet deep and nine feet wide, flow ing night and day as fast as a man can walk, four miles an hour, all sliding down off the northern half of the coun- try toward the sea. YeaV in, year out. that endless line of earth goes on. It would take force of more than 5O,OOO men working in eight hour shifts to throw the dirt into the streSm, suppos- ing the river bed were rigid and an in- exhaustible supply of dirt on the bank. It would make 25,OOO,OOO wagon loads | every year.
 "But here-what are the use of such | figures? Below Vicksburg-and above | 1t, too, to an eXtent-we have the earth itself to speak for it. Except for the occasional fragments of the line of bluffs along the eastern edge below here which bob up at Fort Adams, at Natchez, at Grand Gulf, at Baton Rouge, at Port Hudson, there is noth- ing about the level of the high water river except the artificial levees. These are in places miles back, great earthen banks, sometimes thirty feet high or more, sodded and free from trees, which protect the wonderfully fertile region behind them.
 And all this level country which the river overfows and fertilizes is constantly increased by this river of | dirt which the Mississippi brings down from the inner region, gathered all the way from the Rockies to the Allegha- nies. Sometimes the river starts to eat away this land that it has made. In a l single summer, if it will, it eats away | half mile of it out of some bend. It cuts it out sometimes an acre at a bite and takes with it forests, houses, levees and all else.
 "The river is not uniformly moving stream. One side or the middle moves swiftly; the other parts are still or sluggish. Sometimes even these run up stream. The swift part is the chan nel current and runs in the deepest sec- tions. It makes crossings whenever driven off shore by promontory. These crossings are dumping places for the surplus earth the river has picked up in the bend it is eating."
The Press., 1902-05-29
Always Dying.

Life consists ill series of changes of tissue, and the human economy is sim ply, so far as it's material part is con- cerned, a machine and primarily de- bends on food as the most important factor in keeping it in working order. When it is said that we commence to die as soon as we are born, it of course means that certain parts of the body immediately begin to perish; their ex- istence is ephemeral; they come and go, are replenished and decay. They are the dying parts of that system of life which may last little while, but which must eventually yield to the 1n- exorable law of nature. The nails, the hair, etc., are observable as an instance of this decay. The same rule applies to every other organ and tissue of the body. though it is not palpable to the naked eye. The skin is always peeling. The food that is taken in the one hour nourishes the system and ejects that which was taken the hour before.
The Press., 1902-05-29
THE GREAT POETS.
Do Not Study Them For KnOwledge3
 Read Them For Culture.

Do Not Study Them For Knowledge, Read Them For Culture.
 Young men and young women actual ly go to college to take course in Shakespeare or Chaucer or Dante or the Arthurian legends. The course be- comes a mere knowledge course. My own acquaintance with Milton was through an exercise in grammar. We parsed Paradise Lost" Much of the current college study of Shakespeare is little better than parsing him. The class falls upon the text like hens upon a bone in winter. No meaning of phrase escapes them; every line is literally picked to pieces. But of the poet himself, of that which makes him what he is, how much do they get? Very little, fear. They have had intellectual exercise and not an emotional experience. They have add ed to their knowledge, but have not taken step in culture.
 To dig into the roots and origins of the great poets is like digging into the roots of an oak or maple the better to increase your appreciation of the beau-
 
 in all it's summer glory. Will you real ly know it any better after you have laid bare every root and rootlet? There stand Homer, Dante, Chaucer and Shakespeare. Read them, give your self to them, and master them if you are man enough.
 The poets are not to be analysed; they are to be enjoyed; they are not to be studied, but to be loved; they are not for knowledge, but for culture to enhance our appreciation of life and our mastery over its elements. All the mere facts about poets work are as chaf as compared with the apprecia- tion of one fine line or fine sentence. Why study great poet at all after the manner of the dissecting room? Why not rather seek to make the acquaint- ance of his living soul and to feel its power ?tJohn Burroughs in Century.
The Press., 1902-05-29
THE INNS OF CHINA.
Their Cheapness Is About Their On
 RedeemiMg Feature.

Their Cheapmeas Is About Their OM@
 RedeemiMg Feature.
 Chinese inns are without register or clerks. On riding through the gateway your bridle rein is seized by dirty boy, who helps you to dismount, shout ing loudly meanwhile for the proprie- tor. who presently looms up through the wilderness of carts and mules. Pro- prietor and boy then hold barley as to what rooms are eligible, and then door is pushed open and the traveller is shown to his apartment. It is usually about twelve feet square. The walls and floor are of hard mud, and so are the beds, which extend entirely across the side of the room, with only space enough between them for small table and one chair. The room is lighted by one window, in which paper takes the place of glass.
 The first duty of the proprietor in making patron comfortable is to stop up the holes in the paper window pane. He never tears the paper off entirely and replaces it with a new one, be- cause the sheet of paper is worth about one-tenth of cent, and the inn keeper is not wasteful. Indeed he pastes little slips of paper over the holes until all the light that filters through it is of a mottled hue.
 At one end of the mule shed is the kitchen of the inn. It is here that the meals for all the patrons are prepared, to be eaten in the rooms The menu is not elaborate. It consists only of bowls of rice and tea. Should the traveller de- sire greater variety of food, he can buy 1t himself in the market, and his own servant can cook it in the kitchen of the inn. To sleep on the bed of Chinese inn would be for foreigner an impossibility were it not that he is always so exhausted at the end of each days journey that he finds it diff ficult to remain awake ten minutes after alighting from his pony. He lies down on the mat that covers the hard heap of mud and surprises himself at the soundness of his slumber.
 The one redeeming thing about the inn is it's cheapness. Just as the trav. eler is about to depart in the morning the proprietor tells him the amount of his bill. Everything Is charged on the European plan." Every cup of tea. every rushlight candle, the paper win dow pane, are all itemiZed in the long list which the proprietor reels off in singsong, but the total is surprisingly low. The cost of food and lodging for one night for traveller and two serv- ants, with stabling and fodder for his ponies and cart mules, is about 90 cents.-New York Mail and Express.
The Press., 1902-05-29

George O CIeaveland has filled the old Central store with stock of furniture which Is now open for trade.
 Johh Brown has commenced the erec- tion of a residence fol himself upon the new street between Main and High streets.
 Messrs. Foskit and F. A. Harwood are about to put curbing and good side walks along the entire length of their respective premises.
 Oliver Dorman has commenced the en- large ment of his residence on Main st. by elevating and adding a lower story to be used for store.
 The legislature has elected Richard H. Rcse of Coventry for county commission CT for Holland, and Charles l.. Dean of Ashford for Windham.
 John Foskit's new ble ok at the west end of Main street is about completed. The building Is 30 40, containing four tene- ments and two stores. The Protective Association" has vot- ed to purchase of c. E. Pomeroy a lot on River st., opposite Crawford & B anford's | shops, on which to erect an engine house. The location is the most central that coull be obtained for price that would enable house to be furnished at | 8 moderate rent.
 rths,-Stafford Springs, May 27, 1872, daughter to Andrew Lucas.
 Marriages Staffordvillage, May 2S, 1879, by Rev. F. l.. Batchelder, Stephen D. Puffer, of Amherst, and Martha Blodg cit of Stafford.
The Press., 1902-05-29
OLD TIMES IN TENNESSEE.
When PeIts Were as Plentiful aa
 Pennies In the State.

Pennies In the State.
 Probably few people know that the original name of the state of Tennes- see was Franklin or that in 1788 the salaries of the officers of this common wealth were paid in belts, but the fol- lowing is correct copy of the law:
 "Be it enacted by the general assem- biy of the state of Franklin, and it is hereby enacted by authority of the same, that from and after the 1st day of January, 17SS, the salaries of this commonwealth be as follows-to wit:
 "His excellency the governor, per an- mum, 100 deerskins.
 "His honor the chief justice, 500 deerskins.
 "The secretary to his excellency the governor, 500 raccoon skins.
 County clerk, 300 beaver skins.
 "Clerk of the house of commons, 200 raceoon skins.
 Justices fee for serving warrant, one minkskin."
 At that time the state of Franklin extended to the east bank of the Mis- sissippi river, and on the west bank was that great unknown forest region of Louisiana. It was then terra in cognita," save a few canoe landings and Indian trading posts on the river banks. It was known as the district of Louisiana and in 1895 was made the territory of Louisiana.
 The state of Franklin, which be- came Tennessee in 1796, was almost as little known. The now great city of Memphis was mere trading post and was not laid out as a village until 1920.
 Pelts were as plentiful in those days as pennies and much better distributed for purposes of currency and barter. The pioneers were perhaps as happy and as we'll contented as is the average citizen nOw.-Arkansas Gazette.
The Press., 1902-05-29
WHAT IS TEMPERAMENT
No Wonder This Child's Brain Is All
 Im a Muddle.

No Wonder This Child's Brain Is All
 I'm a Muddle.
 The half dozen blocks about Dupont circle include the homes of as many scientists of national reputation. These gentlemen of course know each other and meet frequently. Not long ago one of their neighbors began to wonder whether such intimate intercourse among scientists was a good thing, his cogitation having had its rise in the following incident:
 His little daughter has just reached the age when she asks 200 questions day. About month ago her father spoke of some author as lacking the proper Temperament" for writing on history. That word Temperament" apparently took root in the youngsters mind. What was temperament? She asked that question twice an hour for an entire week.
 Finally her father gave her a note to Professor - and sent her off to find out. That scientist answered the que ry as follows: Temperament Is an in- dividual tendency to the rise of a cer- tain mental state." Father and daugh- ter wrestled with that little while and then applied to second member of the scientific group for help. No. 2 called temperament "an ensemble of physical and mental traits arising from fundamental constitutional differences in individuals" This put the little girls father completely at sea. So No. 3 was tried. His judgment was that temperament is the psychic resultant of the whole organic life of the indi- yidual." By this time hope was aban- doned. But when No. volunteered to make it clear the family spirits re- vived. Temperament is general dis position of the mind." he wrote, ''the distinctions of which depend on the dominance of one or the other of the physiological systems"
 And now the family dictionary is worn Washington Star.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Hiding Behind Big Words.

A mining expert recently described lode as traversing "a metamorphic matrix of somewhat argilloarenace- ous composition" This means literally a changed mass of d somewhat clayey- sandy composition" This in it's turn may be translated into plain English as mud.
 Why choke puny fact with mur- derous polysyllables? Huxley and Dar- win, Lyell and Faraday could so write as to be ''understanded of the people" ," and there is suspicion abroad in these times that the big words so freely used by small men are device to conceal ignorance and inexact thought rather than d proof of superior knowledge Youths Companion.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Senatorial RenRrtee.

Once during heated debate between Senator Joseph B. Foraker of Ohio and Senator Joseph w. Bailey of Texas the question of law in Texas and law in Ohio came up. The passage became warm. Foraker, by way of a parting shot, told Bailey that if he would come to Ohio he would learn a great deal of law that he did not know.
 eff there is so very much law to be learned in Ohio," remarked Bailey, II must advise the senator to spend all his spare time there. He needs it."
The Press., 1902-05-29
Baby'n Name.

'fBut why did you name your baby after his most disreputable ancestorw the surprised friend asked the proud young mother.
 'Well, you see expect him to im- prove on the former bearer of the name. Indeed. he hardly can help it. because the ancestor was so very bad. If had named him after the most dis tinguished member of the family. he might not have lived up to the name. Babies hardly ever do when they are named for great personages, as have often noticed."-New York Press.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Nothing Left For Charity.

Curious things are done in the sa- cred name of charity. A woman got up a concert for worthy object" on the strength of which many persons bought tickets. After the concert the woman gave a champagne supper to the performers and some of her friends, which was paid for out of the proceeds of the concert, leaving noth- ing for the charity. "I felt it was only courteous to give the performers who had helped us so much something in return" explained the woman naively. New York Press.
The Press., 1902-05-29

WHooPING CoUaH.-A woman who has had experience with this disease tells how to prevent any dangerous consequences from it. She says: Our three children took whooping cough last summer, our baby boy being only three months old, and owing to our giving them Chamber lain's Cough Remedy, they lost none of their plumpness, and came out in much better health than other children whose parents did not use this remedy. Our oldest little girl would call Justify for cough syrup between whoops. - JRssIE PINKKY HALL, Springville, Ala.
 For sale by E. K. Taft, H. F. Cady, Stafford; Gardiner Hall ,Jr., X Co.,, South WillingtOn.
The Press., 1902-05-29
William Shakespeare.

What point of morals, of manners, of economy, of philosophy, of religion, of taste, of the conduct of life, has he not settled? What mystery has he not sig nified his knowledge of? What office or function or district of mans work has he not remembered? What king has he not taught state, as Talma taught Napoleon? What maiden has not found him finer than her delicacy? {? What lover has he not outloved? What sage has he not outseen? What gen tleman has he not instructed in the rudeness of his behavior? ?-Ralph Wal do Emerson.
The Press., 1902-05-29
William Wirt'a Refnrmaffnn.

William Wirt. the great lawyer, at torney general of the United States and prosecutor of Aaron Burr when he was tried for treason, was stupetied and made sensuous by liquor. At times he lost all self control and self respect. On one occasion while drunk he fell in the streets of Richmond. While lying there asleep Miss G., the most beauti- full woman in the city. to whom he was betrOthed, came along. saw him and placed her handkerchief. on which was her name, over his face. He wakened, saw the name, learned the incident, and 1t reformed him. Beverages.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Nh UnrfRfng There.

Elderly Gent (clinging to strap)- There are a good many conditions af- fecting our governmental system to- day that are very oppressive, and their continuance may some day lead to popular uprising.
 Lady (also on the standing commit tee) - Perhaps. but (with whitening glances at male occupants of the seats) you would never look for it to begin in a street car!-Richmond Dispatch.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Test of the Age of Eggs.

There Is a sure and simple test of age in an egg.> Dissolve six ounces of com. mon kitchen salt in large glassful of water and drop in your eggs, one at a time. An egg one day old will sink to the bottom, but if older it does not reach the bottom. If three days old, it sinks only just below the surface. If five days and over, it floats; and the older it is the more it protrudes from the water.-New York Press.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Holds Up 8 Congressman.

"At the end of the campaign" writes Champ Clark, Missouri's brilliant con- gressman, "from overwork, nervous ten sion, loss of sleep and constant speaking I had about utterly collapsed. It seem- ed that all the organs in my body were out of order, but three bottles of Electric Bitters made me all right. It's the best all-around medicine ever sold over drug gist's counter" Over-worked, rundown men and weak, sickly women gain splen- did health and vitality from Electric Bit ters. Try them. Only soc. Guaranteed by A. c. Eaton, druggist, Stafford Springs, and w. P. Fuller, Somers.
The Press., 1902-05-29
P0rf nf the Rma3n m Qsu

"And every one of those brass band people," said the proprietor of the Slowville hotel. "went away owing me a weeks board"
 "Well." commented the shoe sales man. you know that music is full of beats."
 But the landlord only gazed sadly can
The Press., 1902-05-29

SoIATIo RHRUMATtsM CURED AFTER FOURTEEN YEARS OF SUFFERING.-"I have been afflicted with sciatic rheumatism for fourteen years," says John Edgar, of Germantown, Cal. "I was able to be around but constantly suffered. Itried everything could hear of and at last was told to try Chamberlain's Pain Balm, which l did, and was immediately re- lieved and in short time cured, and am happy to say 1t has not since returned !" Why not use this liniment and get well
 For sale by E. K. Taft, H. F. Cady, Stafford; Gardiner Hall, IT,, X O., South Wilmington.
The Press., 1902-05-29
The Promoters.

"Let us make the capital stock ST. GOO, O,OOO,OOO," said the first promoter.
 "All right" said the second. who was preparing the prospectus on the type writer.
 Will it be hard to increase that cap italY' asked the first.
 "No. indeed. All I have to do is to hit the 'O'' key few more times."- Baltimore American.
The Press., 1902-05-29
A Had Blmmder.

Magazine Office Boy Oh, there's been an awful time up in the editorial room today.
 Business Manager-Eh! Whats the trouble?
 Office Boy-The janitor made a mis- take and put the "No Admittance" sign at the subscription office and the "Welcome" doormat in front of the ed itOr'S room
The Press., 1902-05-29
His Scheme.

Filbert-Aren't you afraid to be so knowing about poker when your wife is around?
 Kilty--Quite the contrary. 1t is the man who laughs the loudest over a poker joke who knows the least about the game. My wife knows that, and it is my cue to be the man who does the loud laughter. Boston Transcript.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Cesar BOrgia.

Caesar Borgia has been called "the greatest practical statesman of his age" and in sense the remark is true. for at a time when practical statesmanship consisted of every deceit and every crime. when poison and the dagger were the usual implements of policy. and nothing was considered wrong provided that the object were attained, no man excelled him in the arts of public life.-William Miller, Medieval Rome.''
The Press., 1902-05-29
ANTtSEPTICS.
They Do Not Destroy. 1t Is Said, but
 Only Arrest Germ Life.

They Do Not Destroy. 1t Is Said, but
 Only Arrest Germ Life.
 The Edinburgh Scotsman begs leave to correct the erroneous belief that inn plies that nntiseptics can prevent de- cay. Decay may be arrested without killing the microbe which would pro- duce it. A few drops of solution of carbolic acid added to flour paste will keep it sweet for certain time, not because the germs in the paste are de- stroyed, but because these germs are hindered for the time being in their growth and multiplication and because the paste is rendered temporarily an unsuitable soil for the growth of what ever microbes may fall from the air in. to it.
 When the effect of the acid has worn off and disappeared. we see the paste going to the bad as rapidly as if it had not been treated antiseptically at all. Molds will grow in it, and it will decay In the fashion familiar to everybody.
 It is in this way cold may act as an antiseptic when it is used to preserve meat and fish. There is no destruction, but only arrest of germ life. If we wish to kill microbes, therefore, we not only have to use disinfectant, but we must employ it in proper proportions and see that it thoroughly attacks the germs we wish to destroy. It is for this req son that all attempts to kill germs which the air may contain are worse than useless. We cannot 'disinfect' the air. If we could do so, we should re- quire to saturate the air with our germ iclde to such an extent that to breathe it would kill us.
 We get an excellent example of this fallacy of ''disinfecting air" when we reflect that in using burning sulphur to purify a room after a fever case we have to use it in such way and in such proportion that it is impossible for any person to remain in the room at all.
The Press., 1902-05-29
What Thin Folks Need

Is greater power of digesting and assim- Hating food. For them Dr. Kings New Life Pills work wonders. They tone and regulate the digestive organs, gently ex- pei all poisons from the system, enrich the blood, improve appetite. make healthy flesh. Only 25c at A. 0. Eaton's drug store, Stafford Springs, and w. F. Fuller, Somers.
The Press., 1902-05-29
Physically. Not Mentally.

Dick-You were born to be writer, Charlie.
 Charlie (blushingly)-Ah,y you've seen some of the things I've turned off
 Dick-No. was thinking what splendid ear you have for carrying q pen.-Stray Stories.
The Press., 1902-05-29
PrfYfIegea Limited.

The Cook-Ah done fiah'd dat man outen de kitchen. ma'am, fo' stealth yo' sugah.
 The Mistress-You did perfectly right. Mary.
 The Cook -Yes'm. He ain't got no right fo' to steal yo' sugah. He ain't workin' heah.-Baltimore News.
The Press., 1902-05-29
A GpR0f Pity.

The Scotch are great users of snuff It was Scotchman who once asked a big nosed stranger if he took snuff and, receiving a negative reply. remarked: "What pity. You have such a grand accommodation"
The Press., 1902-05-29
omce. and omce.eeker..

It frequently happens that when a man gets an office he finds it too small for him. But they're all willing to squeeze in.-Atlanta Constitution
The Press., 1902-05-29
Williams Root Beer

No taste is too perverted-no stomach Is too sensitive to appreciate it-there is no harm in a barrel of it. There is pleasure i'm having a thirst to quench with it. Good things usually come high, but this is the exception. One bottle of Williams Ex- tract will make 5 gallons of Root Beer, and the total cost will be 9 cents quart. If one drink will quench one thirst, think how many thirsts gallons will quench!
 WILLIAMS & CARLETON CO.,, HARTFORD CONN.
 Makere of Wuliama FlhYoring E1tracts.
The Press., 1902-05-29

Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at dis tance. They make the attitudes and lOngitudes.