davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Vermont Woman's Puzzle Which
OutdoeS pigs in Clover

Pigs in Clover" Cows in the
Corn, -Tiddle-de-winks' and all the
rest of the games of skill and steady
nerves in Puzzledom must be rele-
gated TO the back states when COM
pared with the nerve racking game
recently invented by Elizabeth Meyer
of Springfield. VT We show an il
lustration herewith of this latest sd-
ditiOn to the ranks Of amusement de-
vices for the entertainment of chill
dren, old and young. The apparatus
consists of a circular receptacle. in
the center Of which a vertical spindle
rises. carrying FIVE or more horizontal
pins radially mounted at an equal
height from the bottom of the recep-
tacle- Rolling around loosely inside
the enclosure are number of balls.
with perforations extending from one
side through to the center Of the op-
posite side. The game is to impale
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Queer Case Of Egg Eating.

A writer in an unidentified exchange
says: 1 have a curious case OF egg
eating now in my yards. A few weeks
ago 1t began to happen regularly that
some Of the eggs in two adjoining
nests in one corner of one of the pens
were broken and eaten late in the
afternoon, the eggs not broken being
very much daubed up, ad &c nests
torn TO pieces. 1t was never done
early in the day. and If eggs were
gathered about 3 or 4 o'clock there
was no trouble. AS soon as / had an
opportunity l set a watch for the cul-
prit, and caught a two-year-old hen
in the act. She was shut in small
pen occasionally used for sitters until
an opportunity TO dress her occurred.
The next evening when / came home
l discovered that she had laid on the
floor, but had paid no attention to the
egg. / put in a nest box, and left
her there for a few days. She laid
almost daily, and never disturbed the
nest or egg.
There was one hen-identity IN
known-Which, instead Of laying IN
the house, laid among some raspberry
bushes beside a stone wall at one side
of the yard. AS no eggs were laid
there while this hen was shut up, the
conclusion was reached that she was
that hen. Taking it for granted that
as she did not modest her own eggs,
she was not a confirmed egg eater, l
returned her TO the pen from which
she had been taken. The nest by the
wall again contained an egg almost
daily. For perhaps a week the nests
in the houses we're not disturbed.
Then one day l came home late in
the afternoon to find those same two
nests all torn up. Next day / came
earlier and caught this same hen in
the act.
Again I shut her up intending to
| kill her-this time in an unused dog
house, putting a couple Of Stats over
the opening. She laid here the next
day and the day following, and did
not attempt to eat her egg. So as z
final test I put few eggs in the nest
in the pen where the breeding hens
are kept, and put her in the yard In
less than ten minutes she had found
her way TO this nest. had broken the
eggs-and was back in the dog house.
| This time she gets no repriaye. But
/ why doesn't she break her own eggs?
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
An Error That Never pies.

The old idea that food Affects the
fat content of milk seems to be one
that dies hard. A recent bulletin of
the Chicago health department said:
There is all the more need of keep
ing milk sweet at the present time,
since the frequent rains have made
pastures so rank and watery that a
much larger proportion than usual of
the milk supply is deficient in butter
fat and other nutrient qualities Full
ly one-twelfth of all the samples now
examined in the laboratory are below
the ordinance standard in this re
spect, and q large number of suits
have been begun against the vendors
of this poor milk Who the man IS
that is responsible for the bulletin we
do not know. 1t serves as a good ex-
cuse for the men that wish to water
their milk. They go into court and
plead that the water got into their
milk by way of the udder Of the COWS.
and ION account Of too much rain"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Moist Az in Ineubators.

The incubator which will furnish
its air nearly or quite saturated with
moisture, so as to prevent drying of
the embryo at any stage. will prevent
the larger proportion OF the deaths in
the last stages Oh incubation, and fur
nish large and stronger chicks to be
brooded, says a bulletin of the Rhode
Island Station. 1t would seem to be
preferable to allow the heated air to
pass over a wicking or cloth saturated
with moisture just before or upon en-
tering the incubator. 1t is doubtful
whether saturation of the air of the
room will ever be fully satisfactory
on account of the atmospheric
changes. although much may be done
by keeping the room closed. Where
comparatively tight, unyentilated
rooms are used, the continual burning
of lamps goes far toward using up the
oxygen and raising the temperature
outside the incubators, so that more
moisture is necessary. To wait for
the heated air to take up necessary
moisture from pans within the incu-
bator, seems % subject the eggs also
to the same influence, and to permit
their moisture to be taken up. All
tendencies of this kind win be avoided
Wen the air is admitted saturated
with moisture, or nearly so, after be-
ing heated.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
The Fat of Fowls.

To properly fatten a fowl is a
science. That fowl is not properly
fattened which has large amount Of
fat in layers under the skin and
around the intestines. Around the
intestines it may be, but the flesh
should be rather permeated by fat
than surrounded by fat The flesh
should be evenly infiltrated by fat
Fat should not show through the skin,
nor should there be any fat under the
skin to show no matter how thin the
skin may be. In France a well-fat-
tened bird is one that has a good sup
ply of flesh over the back When that
is attained the buyers feel certain that
the breast meat is in good condition,
as fat more readily accumulates On
the back than on the breast To fat
ten birds properly requires food rich
in nitrogen as well as carbohydrates.
II also requires some attention to
breeding, as the quality to fatten prop
erly must be inbred to a very con-
siderable extent AS yet we have
done little along the line of determin-
ing what breeds fatten most perfectly.
Probably in each breed will be found
strains of fowls that have the desired
qualities. Before long. experimental
ton will without doubt be made along
this line. The result should greatly
improve the quality of the fatteaed
fowls we see in our markets.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Pure Water for Butter WASHING.

Pure Water for Butter Washing.
The keeping quality Of butter de-
Ponds very greatly on the water in
which it is washed. II the water looks
clear it is generally supposed to be
pure. But the microscope has shown
that the water that looks as clear as
crystal is frequently the abiding place
OF disease germs as well as Of ferment
germs of various kinds. We predict
that the time viii come when butter
made in our first-class creameries will
be washed in sterilized water. There
have been numerous cases where but
ter made under highly scientific con
ditiOns has gone OF flavor in short
time and subsequent Investigations
has shown that the apparently pure
water in which it was washed was
the cause. In the home Of the farmer
the well is usually depended on to fur
nish water for washing butter as well
as for other uses. Too often the well
is dirty from different causes. We
have seen such wells where the water
actually was odorous with decaying
animal life. Yet after the water be
came tainted It was still used for
weeks by the family. One such well
on being cleaned out was found to
contain great masses of dead angle
worms. 1t is no unusual thing for
frogs and even mice to get into wells
and become decayed before their pres
ence is detected. Even when nothing
OF this kind exists the water may not
be pure enough to use for the washing
of butter. Germs Of many kinds cap
able Of reproducing themselves in the
butter may be in the water. It is an
easy matter for the farmer to boil
water used for the washing Of butter.
This is advisable certainly when long
keeping butter is desired. It would
not be amiss to use sterilized water at
all times. Could we but bring it into
general use in the washing Of butter
the spread Of disease would be pre-
vented in some degree. 1t has been
shown that even in butter typhoid few
er and other disease germs have been
carried.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

an ordinary dining chair and does
not interfere in any way with the use
OF the latter By grown persons, while
the seat can be folded in a small com
pass when not needed for the child
The frame consists OF two vertical
posts of sufficient length to extend
from the upper to the lower cross
piece of the chair back. with a seat
pivoted between the posts and SUP
ported at the outer ends by two
chains. In addition. there is a tray
having extension braces at the sides
for insertion in brackets on the uD-
rights. supported by two vertical
posts pivoted to the front of the seat
BY detaching the braces from the
brackets and allowing the tray to tilt
forward and down the seat is exposed
10 make it an easy matter to place
the child in position OF lift il out
The device is suspended on the
chair by means of two hooks which
screw into the posts and their adjust
ment raises the seat to the required
height
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
g Apparatus That
Needs No Human Manipulation

There are at the present time in
nearly all states laws which enforce
the placing OF fire extinguishing ap-
patratus on each floor Of factory or
other buildings where people find en-
ployment or amusement, but nearly
all the means provided to stife the
flames necessitate the actual manipu-
lation of the extinguisher BY personal
contact AS this requires presence Of
mind and bravery at an instant when
people are more apt to fee. with little
opportunity 10 return later to extin-
guish the flames, il seems that there
should be a field for the automatic ap-
paratus recently invented by Louis
Werlun Of EIsmere, Del. which can
be arranged to operate BY thermo-
static means. or set in motion BY the
closing Of an electric switch at any
point inside or outside Of the building.
AS viii be seen. the usual acid-alkali
combination Of liquids IS utilized in
making up the extinguisher. the acid
being contained in the small cup at
the base Of the neck Of the extin-
guisher. Upon the closing Of the
electric circuit a gate is withdrawn
from beneath a body Of shot suspend
ed in the neck and these instantly
fall 10 the top Of the cup. rupturing
the air tight tinfoil cover. displacing
the acid from the cup ard mixing it
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
CHARM OF UGLY MEN.
History Records Cases Where Beauty
Was Not Needed


Was Not Needed.
There was, perhaps, as much truth
as boasting in the statement Of John
Wilkes, the famous London alderman
and champion of British electors:
Ugly as [ am if l can have but
quarter of an hours start, l will get
the better of any man, however good
looking, in the graces of any WON
an" OF Wilkes abnormal ugliness
there was never any question, for is
it not recorded that the very chill
dTen in the street ran away alright
ed at the sight Of him?" And yet his
powers of fascination were so great
that ladies OF beauty and fashion
We'd with each other for his notice
and all courtly graces looked envious-
~ on"
There were. Il is said. few beauties
Of the day whose hand Wilkes might
not have confidently hoped to win;
and when he led Mary Mead to the al
tar ne made a wife of one of the rich
est and most lovely women Of her
time. Beauty and Beast they call
US" Wilkes once said to his friend
Potter, and l can not honestly find
fault with the description"
Jean Paul Marat, whose name viii
always be associated with the evil
history of the French revolution, was
VIGOROUSLY the ugliest man of his day
in Paris. When this reputation
reached his ears Marat is said TO have
remarked, But why limit nay su-
premacy to Parish" and, indeed, the
restriction was much too modest And
yet in his earlier years when he was
the most popular of court doctors his
very ugliness seemed to exercise such
a fascination over aristocratic ladies
that they crowded his consulting
rooms in order to catch a glimpse
of and to exchange words with him
under the fiimsiest pretexts of inag-
mary ailments.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

motives thus equipped. these diagonal
faces would cause sidewise shift OF
the engine. which would effectuaIly
avoid telescoping OF rearing" as
A protection against re2r-end col
Hsions. a similar guard could be at
tached to the rear car Of the train.
o. letter yet. a special car might be
built according to the design Illus
trated. in which the guard has = ger
manent jOinted connection with the
car Some suitable coupling attach
ment. such as shown could be provid-
ed for use in drilling OF switching
this car about
In the second arrangement it will
be noticed that the guard is provided
with a V-shaped impact surface. and
that the guard on the locomotive is
capable Of adjustment to the one side
or the other. So that in the event
Of an impending collision the engin-
eer may quickly swing the pilot to
one side OF the other. thus choosing
the most favorable side for the derail-
ment-
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

cling in circuit and squealing pitt.
fully. As fast as he would crawl
through, only to find himself still on
the outside, he would crawl through
again.
I laughed myself almost into a
spasm, and then began to count the
trips through the hole. At the forty
first count the hazelsplitteT was sud
denly seized with an idea. He re-
fiected a moment and then reversed
the action, crawling through from the
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Ths Emergeney cIoset.

In every house there should be an
emergency closet carefully furnished
and promptly replenished when sup
plies begin TO lower. Insit should be-
kept a cleaning fluid, turpentine, gaso-
line or benzine. jsvelle water. oxalic
acid, prepared chalk. chloride Of lime.
ammonia. absorbent paper. alcohol
and the thousand and one things
which. if not used daily, are indis-
pensabls when they are wanted.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
One Of the Largest Meteorites

Mr.. H. A. Ward describes a large
meteorite that exists at Bacubirito on
the Rio Sinaloa- When it was struck
by the plough Of a farmer in 1871 he
uncovered enough of its bright sur
face to convince him that he had
found a silver mine. Mr. Ward dug
down TO the solid porphyry rock on
which the meteorite rested. and turn
ed the mas on its base, finding a
clean depression crushed into the
rock. The dimensions OF the meteor
lite are: Length Is feet 1 inch. width
6 feet . inches. thickness 8 feet 1
inches. The ive largest meteorites
known are. that of Bemdego. Brazil
Is Is tonsl; san Gregorio. Mexico.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
confusino Nomenclature.

Many Norwegian seaports are
named alike. The other day Dan.
ish vessel arrived at Groto. in North.
ern Norway, and found that she was
bound for Groto, in the south of
Norway. She had gone too far north
by 100 miles, so had to return. losing
thereby ten days. This sort of thing
is often happening. and the author
tiles are being asked to bestow soma
distinctive title on such confusing
twin seaports.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
| w
lgsa7

Iva YFOmhN, pOnLlcS ana nSnlnR ndd
Z" been discussed by the group
F. of good fellows in the hotel
.ts&&EefI lobby. Suddenly the Missouri
Colonel, who had been making
an astonishing record as a listener,
said:
What you fellows have been saying
reminds me of hog my father owned
farm"
Nothing mad been said which could
possibly remind the Colonel of hog,
but the group was aware of the fact
that the Colonel was always being re-
minded of something; and anyway, all
wished to hear what he had TO say.
The Colonel Strengthened out in his
chair and began:
Il have met many slick articles in
my time, but that hog was the slickest
thing l have ever had TO deal with.
The summer he reached the top-notch
of his record as the slipperiest piece
of pork in the Mississippi valley there
happened to be one of the most -four
ishing corn crops ever seen on our
farm. / was detailed to keep stopped
all cracks in the fence inclosing the
crop. The first two or three weeks
after the corn was in the roasting ear
stage | kept everything out tight, and
then | was forced to throw up the
sponge to hazel-splitter shoat. That
hog suddenly formed the habit of go
ing through the fence every time he
was hungry and a good many times be
tween times
The Colonel made the customary
pause to observe the effect of the in
PRODUCTION. A neckwear drummer who
had just told the championship fish
story said "Well?" inquiringly, and
the Colonel proceeded:
What worried me was that l could
MT find where the hog got through the
fence. l walked round and round it.
but not a crack large enough to admit
that porker could | discover. l laid
my troubles before the old NANNY
everyday name for father-but he
couldn't help me; in fact. he said that
the hog couldn't fly, so far as he knew
and that it either went through a
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Dirt in Butter Cannot Be Hidden.

am not of the opinion that it takes
as much skill to make pound of -four
as it does TO make a pound Of butter.
neither do 1 know Of any other article
of food that little neglect in its man.
ufacture would cause it to deteriorate
so fast. The interior of a flour mill. If
not perfectly clean would not perhaps
injure the quality of the -four; at any
rate the consumer would probably
never know the difference, but with
butter it is different. The consumer
is being educated to tell whether the
milk and cream was perfectly clean.
from which the butter was made. and
when any impurities get into the milk.
no known method Will eliminate them;
they will remain until the butter is
consumed. So for this reason it takes
more care and skill to make butter
than any other articls Of food that
know of. and everything must be per
feet in the creamery.-F. A. Leighton.
Some men take pains naturally and
some give them the same way.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

other end. He went
that route thirty
seven times by &C
tual count. He had
worn the hair on
his back. and, fear
ing that he would
keep it up as long
as he had any back
bone left, | came
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Amusement for RoumanIans.

Small theaters are to be established
in all the communes Of Roumauia by
the king aud queen in which the viii
layers are TO give once or twice a
week. moral plays having as their OBJ
ject the incubation of. religious and
social precepts. The iiCst OF the thea
tiers viii be built on one OF the royal
estates.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

other end. He went that route thirty.
seven times by actual count. He had
worn the hair of his back, and, fear
ing that he would keep it up as long
as he had any backbone left, l came
from my hiding place and interviewed >
In response to several "Heresi'
from the group the Colonel said:
Well, | went to the circus"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

Lord Avoshury. better known as Sir
John Lubbock, the scientist. has been
teaching his dog 10 read. He has
progressed SO far that "Van" ii9ds a
card with "out" printed on Il when he
wishes TO so for q walk, and picks out
other words in The same fashion.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

the path on trot, so hungry for green
corn that he was squealing to himself
When he was about twenty yards from
me he turned into a corner where the
fence was built over a large hollow
log.
Il thought my eyes would fall out of
my head when l saw that hog crawl
through the log into the field. As soon
as could recover my breath l went
after the brute He disappeared, and,
of course, went out through the log.
While l was taking the fence down
TO remove the log the thought struck
me that l should in some way get
even with the hog. Instead Of taking
the log out l turned it around, still
leaving it under the corner SO both
ends would be on the outside of the
field l then rebuilt the fence and
retired to a secluded spot to await de.
velopments.
1T was not long until the hos
came trotting back, and seeing that
the coast was clear he went straight
70 the log. piled in and crawled
through. When he emerged at the
other end he paused with dazed look
and took minute notice OF his sur
roundings. Seeing that he was not
far from where he started he returned
20 the other end and crawled through
again. Another daZed and panied ex-
preston. and he crawled through
sgain In few minutes he was tray
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

tinued his depredations in the corn"
why didn't you watch him when
he left the field?" interrupted one of
the group.
Watch HIM" exclaimed the Colonel
in disgust. I'D like to have seen you
watch that hog. He was too slick to
be caught that way. When went to
run him out of the field he would sim
ply bow his back, give a "Whuffl
whuff!" and run away from the dog,
and after looking my eyes about out l
would go home to find him sleeping
peacefully with the other hogs.
Nearly a week went by aud the
case was becoming desperate. The
hog had eaten his head on, to say
nothing of the corn he had destroyed
and wasted. The last circus OF the
season was coming to town in q few
days, and the old man limited that if l
cared to go l would have to fasten
that hog out of the field. That was
enough; l vowed | would ge4 even
with the hog if l had to follow him
all day and sleep with him at night. /
noticed latter the old man had men
toned the circus) that when | got
after him he always ran in the direc-
ton of a small, uncultivated lot which
took up a section of one end of the
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

primary principle OF instruments cap
able Of giving a scale is the repetition
Of elements similar 10 the eye: so
that the instrument was the first
thing. and the scale only secondary.
Theoretical scales belong to 8 com
paratively late stage of culture.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

field where in win
ter the fodder was
ricked. | concluded
that he must have
his entrance and
exit there, although
/ had gone along
that part of the
fence a oZe n
times. Bright and
early one morning
| hid where l could
see the fence in
either direction for
a hundred yards
along the lot.
About the time the
dew was all dried
up l saw Mr.. Hazel
splitter coming up
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
of Which There Is Record.

u11s tonsl; Chupaderas. Mexico
as IS tonsl; Anighito. Greenland
(about 50 tonsl: Bacubirito (aboue
50 tOnsl.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
POPULAR SCIENCE
And-TeIescOpins Train Guard
For Use IN Emergencies.

The accompanying cuts illustrate
two inventions Of Weldon B. Hey
burn Of Wallace, Idaho. In the first
form It will be seen that the lOcomo-
tive is provided with heavy pilot
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
Watch Made from Billiard saII.

Henri Houriet, q Swiss matchmaker,
has recently completed watch made
entirely out Of the ivory taken from
a billiard hall-works and case com.
plete. 1t keeps Sood bme-
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11

with the aIkaIi beneath. This, Of
course. generates gas, and as there IS
no means Of escape through the top
of the receptacle the liquid is forced
to enter the shell surrounding this al
kali cOntainer. escaping thence
through the perforations at the rim
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-11-11
The Origin of Musical Scales
ExpIoined by Dr. C. H. Wead.

DR.. C. X Wead has investigated
various forms Of four-holed musical
instruments found in museums that
give a pentatOnie scale. Various
flutes and fretted stringed instru-
ments also showed an equal linear
division His conclusion is that the