davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25

The gamcSt of salt water fish, after
the striped bass, is the wcaktisll, or sea
trout. The sport of angling for them
is generally enhanced because, feeding
as they generally do near the surface,
1T is possible to fish for them with light
tackle. The best places to find them
In the vicinity of New York are Ja-
maica bay, the southwestern shore of
Staten Island and the mouth of the
Shrewsbury river. While they have
been caught weighing upward of twen-
ty pounds, Il six or ten FOUNDER Is u
good size, and the average will only
rum from one to two and half. There
il never any doubt when IL wenktish
bites. He does not nibblc around the
hook, but takes the bait mt one fair
swoop and then starts off with it like
Il limited express with time to make
up. He is a shy fish, and the man
who uses a small line, light leaders
and smells to his hook and keeps quiet
Willie fishing is the one who is apt to
have the best luck.-Country Life In
America.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
FILTHY MECCA.
The Holy city Is the Dlrticst Spot In
All Islam


Mecca, the holy city of the faith,
is called by many names. Some call
1t 'the Mother of Purity 'the Cita-
del of Arabs" the Holy Mosque"
Others speak of it as the Mother of
Compassion" "tlie Supreme Sanctlty,"
"the Guardian Angel Of .Ajcm." The
devout never utter the word Mecca
without adding to it some adjective
Of praise, such as "the blessed" the
exalted the great" the highly es-
tecmed.' and 50 ON. The town itself
is about two miles in length and one
mile in breadth.
The dirtier the pilgrim keeps himself
the more respected he is as n pious
Moslem. Consequently Mecca, being
as 1t is the most sacred city of the
faith, is literally the tilthiest in Islam.
The most important streets measure
!! about ten yards in width. The rest
are mere lanes, wonderfully and pic
turesquely crooked and some six feet
wide The streets We're crowded with
tents, camels. mules, asses, horses
pariah dogs and Il motley crowd of pill
grims, unspeakably disheveled and I'M
washed. while the lanes Were abso.
lutely filled with every kind of offal
and refuse Mecca, which lies in a
hollow, would be Il regular ccsspool
were 1t MOI for the pariah dogs. lean
snarling brutes of Il bright ycllowisll
color. that serve the purpose of scav.
cnscrs, and the fierce dry, Arabian
sun that is the sole sanitary inspector
in the country. The din the dogs make
at night is indescribablc. A pack OF
jackals would be quiet in comparison
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
PATH OF OCEAN CABLES.
Submarine Tableland. That stretch
Across the Atlantic

SuOIslurhnC l1Olci0nON InSx SvECtCh
Across the Atlantic.
There seems to be no logical reason
why cables cannot be laid across any
section of the oceans of the world, no
matter how great the depth. Some por-
tions of the Atlantic cables are three
miles below the surface, and this is not
necessarily the extreme depth, for the
cable may and probably does pass
from the top of one submarine hill to
another without dropping materially
into the deep valleys between, says
Lippincott's Magazine. The greatest
known depth CT the sea is 4O,036 feet,
or 80 miles, found in the south At
iantic midway between the island Of
Tristan da Cunha and the mouth of
the Rio de In Plata. Soundings have
been made to the depth of 27 ,4SO feet
in the north Atlantic south of New
foundland, and about $4,000 feet, or
nearly Gla miles, is reported south of
the Rermudas. Even such enormous
depths as these need not hinder cable
laying SO far as the theory Is con-
cerned, but in practice, for reasons of
economy in maintenance and other
wise, it is found best to take advan-
tage of favoring conditions In the
oceans bed. To Illustrate, all of the
cables between the United States and
Europe run up along our coast until
they reach the neighborhood Of New
foundland before starting across to
their destination in Ireland or France.
The reason for this is found in the
range of submarine tablclands, form
ing an ideal cable bed, which lies be-
tween the three latter countries.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Testing the Sermon.

The minister of Il parish in part Of
New England where doctrinul points
are considered of great Importance
says that his test of a satisfactory SER
mon is the opposite of that which Is
commonly applied.
My clerical friends in the city tell
me that so long as their congregations
appear wide awake and interested they
feel encouraged" he said to visitor
but with me it's different
OF course wish to interest the CON
gregation, but IL / look over to Deacon
Drew's pew and then to Deacon
Shows and see them with their eyes
closed and heads nodding l feel that
all is well. Just as surely as discover
them wide awake and alert after I've
been preaching for ten minutes know
that there's something wrong to their
minds and that shall hear what 1t is
as soon as the service is over."-
Youths Companion.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
WAVES OF WATER.

For over 1900 miles the Nile does
not receive /: single tributary stream.
The Jordan is the croo!:ctlest river
known, winding 213 miles in a distance
of CO.
The Potomac river is only 500 miles
long and in its lower course is rather
an estuary than a stream.
The highest of all navigable rivers is
the Tsangpo, which flows for nearly
1000 miles ut an elevation Of from
11,OOO to II 400Ofcet.
The Indus. the second sacred river of
India, is LOO miles long. Its waters
have always been considered almost as
holy as those of the Gangcs.
Three rivers as big us the Rhine
would just equal in volume the Gan
gcs. three Ganges the Mississippi and
two Mississippis the Amazon.
When free from ice, the Yukon river
is navigable for large steamers 1865
miles, distance more than twice as
great as that from Chicago to New
Orleans
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
WOMEN WARRIORS.
Many Have Fought Bravcly-Esca-
lnslcs of 8, Queen.

Many Have Fought Brayely-Esca.
lsntlcs of 3, Queen.
The muster rolls of tho civil war
show n number of cases of soldiers who
were discovered to lie women.
One of the NEST remarkable women
was Christian Cavcnagh, who lived in
England in the nineteenth century. She
Her husband was carried off to Hol-
land, where he had to enlist as Il pri-
waite soldier. His Wife dressed as n
man and enlisted so as to he near her
husband. She was wounded mt the bat
tie of Landcn, made a prisoner by the
French and carried to ST. Gcrmain-cn-
1.ayc, where She remained until she
was exchanged. Then she quarrelcd
and fought n duel with her sergeant
and was transferred to another regi-
ment. Again she was wounded ut Ra-
millies. when her secret was discover
cd. She was, however, permitted to
remain with the regiment as cook.
Many English officers recall the case
of "Dr. James Barry" This woman
served in the British army about fifty
years ago as a surgeon ut the Cape, Mt
Malta and Mt Barbados. At the Cape
"he" fought Il duel with an officer who
had called him" Il woman.
Mrs. Lindley. the wife of soldier,
went through some of the sharpest ell
gagcments of the civil war. She en-
listed in Company ID, Sixth Ohio cav
airy, and fought at Fort Magruder,
Hanover Court House, Bull Run. Antie-
tam and Boonsboro. She is said to he
still living and the Mother of several
children.
Christina, queen of Sweden, was edu-
Gated and dressed like Il boy from her
birth because her father was disap-
pointed at not having son. She was
more king than II queen and after
four years of rule resigned her crown
and went Off to amuse herself in Eu-
rope. She was dressed in mems clothes
and acted as uprouriously as amy man
who ever owned his clothes by right
of sex. She was only twcnty-eight ut
the time.-Savannah News.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Maclsay and FLORENCE

On one occasion William j. Florence
at the end of n not very prosperous
engagement in San Francisco an
nounced Il benefit for himself and his
wife. John w. Mackay happened to
be in town at the time and wrote to
Florence for one orchestra seat. Ii
was duly sent, as a matter of course,
and Mrs. Florence remarked to hel
husband that. considering the friend
ship existing between the two men,
she thought Mr.. Mackay might have
taken private box at least Wait" :"
said Florence, .he has not paid yet,
and l am in no hurry" The benefit
took place, Mr.. Mackay came from
Virginia City to occupy the seat he had
taken, and u day later he sent Florence
u check for $1,000
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
JAPANESE REGALIA.
Royal Emblcms without which the
Emperor Could Not Rule,

Emperor Could Not Rule.
The Japanese royal cmblems consist
of a copper mirror. symbolic of knowl-
edge; u steel sword. $. .nbolizing cour-
age, and agate jewels. representing
mercy. The story Of their origin was
told thus by a Japanese official:
The sun goddess became angry with
the earth and withdrew into cave,
plunging everything into darkness
The other deitics could not induce her
to come out. so began to make a noise
as OF great rejoicing, which aroused
the curiosity of the lratc goddess. She
finally came to the mouth OF the cave
to learn the cause of the upronr and
was told that they had found u more
beautiful goddess than herself. The
sun goddess came out then, demand
Ing to see her rival, and the crafty del
ties held the mirror before her. which
drove all her sulkiness away.
The sword was taken by Susenoo,
the brother of the sun goddess, from
the tail Of an eight headed serpent
that had been annually levouring a
beautiful girl. Susenoo placed eight
great tubs of wine In his way and when
he was sleeping Killed him and took
the sword as Il trophy.
The sword is kept in an apartment
near the imperial bedchamber and
called the Room Of the Sword. The
jewels have also room to themselves.
and the mirror is In charge of priest
ess. The regalin have the highest sig
niticance In the eyes of the people, and
1t is held that no emperor can possibly
rule without the three virtues which
they represent. He must, moreover,
hold the actual tokens. and In the i'm
perial code 1t Is enjoined that on the
death of the sovereign his heir must
take possession of them.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25

Washington Irving when secretary
Of legation in London was much
amused Mt the rollicking good humor
with which William IN. began his
reign, and he once tried to give u les
son in dignity to the Duke of Sussex.
lie had to accompany an eccentric
friend of mcnger and limping figure,
who persisted in wearing an cxtraor-
dinary nondescript garb instead of the
prescribed court dress to ST. James.
The ushers demurred; the foreign min
lister smiled. The Duke of Sussex
stopped Irving as he passed and whis-
pered, moving his thumb jcrkingly up
and down. WHO'S your friend Hoky
Poky!" "Ihat. SIR" replied Irving en-
phatically, 'is John Randolph, United
Statcs minister to Russia and one of
the most distinguished orators of
America 1t was all in vain. Some
time aftcrward Irving was dining with
the duke, whose first laughing inquiry
was, "And how is our friend Hoky
Poky Y-Tcmple Bar
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
4 DOMESTIC pLFFlcuLTY.
The solution Was Original. Though.
the Result Waa Unhantly.

the Result W2a UMllan0y.
Every time tell this story" Il
bright society matron remarked
Somebody accuses me of making it
UP, but it is Il true story nevertheless.
up in the Virginia mountains David
and l took Il long walk to explore the
wild country road near our hotel.
Away up OH the rough mountain side
was little cabin, and as | have q
most fervent human interest in the
home life of all peoples remote from
cities proposed that we visit the cab
In, with the wayfarers' usual preteXt,
to ask for Il drink of water. In the
usual furnishings, few chairs, many
dogs lying about, guns on the wall, Il
high bed III each corner and IL homcly
table spread with homely crockery in
the center of the household picture. A
plain little woman, Worn and aged,
but very neat in calico frock and ging-
ham apron, met us at the door and
asked us in, while one of the rough
boys lounging on the porch was dis
patched to the spring for fresh water
Instead of the usual mountaineer's 8
open fireplace, with iron crane ana
kettles, was n surprising arrangement
of cooking stove mounted on IL kitch-
en- table. My glance reverted to this
curious sight SO often that our noun
tain hostess seemed constrained to ex-
plain.
You uns amt used to seein' cook
stoves fixed up that way. reckon,
She said apologetically. Pap, he got
the cook stove down in town way las
May, and he didn' think bout the
stovepipe, and he didn git huff to
reach UP to that there hole in the
chimbly, so we uns jes' h'isted the
cook stove UP on that there table till
he gifts time to go to town and git
some more stovcpipe. Tain't handy to
Climb up on II cheer to cook, and i
wish to the land pap'd hurry hisself
and git to town artcr that there stove
pipe. It'd be heap handler to hev
that there cook stove down on the
groun'.'
"Of course I'VE uns' agreed with the
good woman that her complaint was
we'll based, but we praised her clever
ness and originality in utilizing the
kitchen table. Probably not one wo-
man in 1O,OO0,O0O would have ever sug-
gested that way out of the domestic
ticulty."-Detroit Free Press.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Hnir Need. Excrc,sc.

One reason why SO many men are
bald, according to IL foreign medical
journal, is because they allow their
hair to die through want OF exercise.
Under the skin which covers the head
are several muscles. it explains, and
these are never stirred into activity,
the result being that they do not per-
form their proper function. and conse-
quently the skin is insutficiently nour-
ished and the hair gradually dies
"Womcn," it continues, do not be-
come bald, and the reason is because
they spend much more time combing
and arranging their hair than men do.
During this operation the skin ON the
head is stirred into activity, and as n
result the muscles remain active and
the hair hourishes
"lt is evident, therefore. that the best
way to prevent badness is to rub the
skin frequently and vigorously, for un-
less this is done the muscles will be
unable to supply it with the proper
amount of nourishmcnt"
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
COMING!

To Opera lious-, Mo Valley, Iowa
lSA.urday, Dec 27th, 1902, Prof. G +
Ringer, with his wonderful stereopti
con aud moving picture entertain.
ment, giving this two great wars and
the assassination and funeral of Pres
ident VIM Mckinley, aud great mum
Der of comical views and scenes, un
usually funny, exciting and interest.
ing A right royal entertainment is
promised. which will last fully two
hours. The entertainment will bt
given under the auspices of the B4p
tist and Presbyterian churches and Il
portion of the receipts will go for the
'henefit of the sama. Ysm are all i'm
vited a"d be sure and bring the chill
dren. You will certainly erj,y vonr.
selves. dc27
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Women In pnri. Streets.

1t is quite q feature of Paris to see
streams of open carriages, private and
hired, taking folks for an after dinner
drive along the grand boulevards.
which are throngcd with promcnaders
and groups Of people sitting outside
cafes talking. Now and again Il car
riage will stop to deposit its burden in
front of Il cafe and return later either
TO this or another to which its occu-
pants have migrated.
With her husband Il Frenchwomun
may go anywhere, and 1t is quite Gus
tomary for the very incest French
women to take coffee in the open air
outside Il cafe and make this pleas
ant meeting place for friends.-Ex-
change.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
AN UNQulET SPIRIT.
The Mysterious Light That For Years
Haunted CnnS Nnir

For many -..rs OH Cape Noir, the
western point of Maria, Il strange
light was seen, dancing and moving
about in the most maccountable man-
her. At one moment it would rise like
Il column of fire into the air, and at an
other time it would fall like i; meteor.
Then it would seem to leap over the
point and drop into the sea, afterward
appearing again in the same spot on
the hillside. The habitants tell this
story about i'll:
In the time of the war for the pos
session of Canada French vessel.
pursued by an English wnrsllip,
steered its course into the bay ut this
point for refuge. a boat was lowered
from the side of the richly laden mer-
chairman, and in this thirteen men
swiftly rowed to the shore. Their OBJ
ject Was to secrete IL chest of gold
which they had brought with them. On
reaching the point they drew lots to
see which of the men should remain
whom the lot fell was forced to swear
solemn oath, by land and sea, by
night and dag, hy the ruler of the
neither world, that he would be faithful
to the trust through life, unless re-
lieved by hi; returning comrades, and
even after death would haunt the spot
should no one come to take his place.
says writer in the Era
To secure the fultillment of this vow
his wicked associates then and there
put him to death and buried him with
the treasure. The glostly light was
supposed to be the spirit of the muir
dered main, and many persons who,
tempted by the hope of recovering the
treasure, ventured into the haunted
spot fled in terror and told blood
curdling stories of the horrible plan.
toms and frightful sights which they
had witnessed. The light is seen no
longer. Perhaps some adventurer
bolder than the rest succeeded in dis
covering the gold. carried it off and
thus gave rest to the unquict spirit.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
THE BEs. DAY OF ALL.
Two Reasons WHY Sunday Always
Appeals to 4 We Children.

Two Reasons WHY Sunday Always
Appeals to t.,e Children.
On weekday mornings father had
gone to work when you came down
stairs, but OH Sunday mornings when
you awoke trifle earlier il anything
"Father!"
Silence.
"Father.' little louder 49,.
Then sleepy Yes"
I'VE want TO get up"
cit isn't time yet. You children go to
sleep"
You waited Thca-
Father. is it time yet:"
"No You ci.ildr, n lie still.'
So YOU aud LlzbctA, wideawalic,
whispered together. and then, to while
away the time while futher slept, YOU
played Indian. which required two lit
tie yclls from YOU to begin with (wAen
the Indian You arrived in your war
paint) and two big yclls from Llzbetll
to end with (whcn the palcfacc She
was being scaiped).
Then father said 1t was mo use"
and mother took hand You were
quiet after that but it was yawny ly-
ing there With the sun so high. You
listened. Not il sound came from fn-
ther and mother room You rose eau
tiously, YOU and Li:.beth, In Your little
bare feet You stole softly across the
floor. The door was crack open, so
you peelied In. your face even with the
knob and LZbeth's just below And
then at one and the same instant YOU
both said Boo and grinned, and the
harder YOU grinned the harder father
tried not to laugh, which was sign
that you could scramble into bed with
him, you OH one side and Lizbeth on
the other, cuddling down close while
mother went to see about breakfast.
IL was very strange. but while it had
been SO hard to browse In your own
bed the moment you were in fathers
You did not want to get up ut all. In
deed, 1t was father who wanted to get
up first, ard 1t was you who cried that
1t was not time
Weekdays We're always best for most
things, but for two reasons Sunday
was the best day of all One reason
was Sunday dinner. The other was fa-
ther.-Harper's Magazine.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
when Jackson Dincd.

While the dinner hour still clings to
the noontime among country people it
has advanced In the cities until now 1t
occurs at amy time between noon and
midnight. And that reminds us, says
the Montgomery (AlaD Advertiser, of
one of the many stories about Colonel
Davy Crockett. While he was Il men,
her of congress and was ut his home in
Tennessee some one asked him about
the dinner hour in Washington. He
said the common people ate dinner at
II, the next above them ut l. the mer-
chants at 2. the representatives ut 8,
the senators at 4, members of the cabi-
net at S and the vice president at g.
but when docs the president dineY'
What! Old Hickory" said Crockett
anxious TO fix time that would suit
his idea of Jackson's greatness. well.
he don't eat till next day"
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
California.

Fully described and illustrated
in an artistically arranged and
beautifully printed book of sixty
pages, just issued by the Chicago
& North Western R'y; also por-
traying the scenic beauties, COM
mercial, industrial and t1anspor-
tation advantages Of this wonderful
state; of particular interest to
those contemplating trip to the
Pacific Coast. Copy forwarded to
any address on receipt of four cts
in stamps by w. B. Kniskern,
Passenger Taft; Munger, Clic
go.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
The "Dasln" Of nm Apple.

One end of the apple bears the name
of "basin" and contains the remnants
OF the Observation-Disclosures called the
eye of the fruit. This part of the apple
is deep in some varieties and shallow
and open in others. This is the weak
est point In the whole apple as con-
Germs the question of the keeping quail
lty of the fruit. II the basin is shallow
and the canal to the core firmly closed.
there is much less likelihood of the
fruit decaying than when it is deep.
and the evident opening connects the
center Of the fruit with the surface.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Perfume. In Ancient Day.

Old as the history of the world itself
Is that Of the queen of flowers. The
ancient Greeks and Romans reveled In
roses. They were used lavishly at their
feasts. In the time of the republic the
people had their cups of Falcrnian
wine swimming with blooms, and the
Spartan soldiers after the battle of
Chrha refused to drink any wine that
was not perfumed with roses, while at
the regatta of Bain the whole surface
Of the Lucrine lake was strewn with
flowers.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Thomas j. Jones has secured

Thomas j. Jones has secured
William b. Sherwood, the great
est Pianist iu the United States,
for an engagement in Blair, Neb.,
on Monday evening December 80,
Mabel Geneva Sharp, Soprano,
will assist. Mr.. Jones will endeav-
or to have special train run from
this city to Blair, returning after
the Concert. This will be an op-
portunity for our people to hear
the great pianist. If.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Kindly Disposed.

The man who had dropped in to see
him was smoking cheap cigar.
II think you will find it comforta-
Dle." said Uncle Allen Sparks pleasant
ly, ''if you'll sit over there by that open
window. There is no draft from it, as
you will see from the fact that the
smoke from your cigar goes out
through it."-Chicago Tribune.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
He Wouldn,t SnIit

The tramp in the green goggles stood
before the door,
YES" said the housewife kindly;
"you can have u good meal if you split
that wood"
Madam" said the tramp in a pre-
else grammatical manner, II was born
and raised i'll Boston But stop, shall
l tell you the sad, sad story of my
life"
Yes, yes"
"When youth in Boston, was dis
inherited for splitting an intinitive, and
since then (his voice broke l have
vowed never to split anything, not
even the wood"
"Sick i'm. Tigem- Baltimore Herald.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-12-25
Doing No Harm.

One day Willie, aged five, was cry
ing, and his mamma said:
Willie. you are getting your face all
dirty from crying" And Willie stopped
long enough to reply:
We'll, it wasn't clean when l start
ed" And then he went on.-Brooklyn
Eagle.