davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15
PAUL HARPER SHINES SHOES
Son of Chicago University President
Needs Money For Charities.

Needs Money For Charities.
When Paul Harper. second son Of
President William Harper, needs mon
ey for any of the little charitable en-
terprises he often INDUCES in, he shows
as much tact and ability as does his
famous father when the latter feels
the University of Chicago is in need of
some substantial gift toward q new
hall or a new class. Only the young
ster-he is thirteen years old-goeS
about it in a different manner.
Recently the boy found a new field
for his charity. and he had to have
money, says the Chicago Record-Her-
aid. 1t didn't trouble him bit how to
get it. He unfolded plan to his chum,
the son of Colonel Francis w. Parker,
and quicker than it takes to tell it q
sign was hung in one of the halls Of
Morgan Park academy which read,
Harper 81 Co, polishers of boots and
shoes to Morgan Park academy"
The news spread quickly throughout
the dormitories and halls, and there
was u scramble among the students to
be the first to have shoes shined by
q university presidents son. They
came in droves and stood in line await
L
tan shoes and patent feathers. No mat
ter what the style of leather the price
was the same to all, , cents. For more
than two hours the boys, Harper and
Parker, were polishing shoes at a rate
that would permit a downtown boot
black to retire from business in few
months. They polished 80 pairs Of
shoes the first day, "and if we could do
that every day." said young Harper,
wed soon have all the money we
want"
The professors in the various classes
were compelled to go to the ''shoe shin
ing parlor" to get enough pupils to-
gether to make decent showing.
There. was no interference, however,
with the establishment Of Harper &c
Co. On the contrary, the faculty saw
the humor of the situation, and the
professors were inclined to treat the
matter as good joke.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15
A March GIee.

I hear the wild geese honking
From out the misty night,
A sound of moving armies
On sweeping in their might;
The river ice is drifting
Beneath their northward flight
hear the bluebird plaintive
From out the morning sky
Or see his wings a-twinkle
That with the azure vie;
No other bird more welcome.
No more prophetic cry.
hear the sparrow's ditty
A-near my study door.
A simple song OF gladness
That winter days are Ger:
My heart is singing with him:
! love him more and more.
hear the starting futing
His liquid ''O-ka-lee;"
I hear the downy drumming
His vernal reveille.
And from out the maple orchard
The nuthatch calls to nee.
Oh. spring IS surely coming;
Her couriers fill the air.
Each morn are new arrivals:
Each night her ways prepare.
scent her fragrant garments;
Her foot is on the stair.
John Burroughs in Country Life Il
America"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15
THE FIRST "cRoWERY."

Pennsylvania Farmer VIII Furnish
Heads and Wings to MilIiners.
Farmer Wentworth of Glenwood,
near Susquehanna, Pa, has established
a crow hatchery and has stocked it
with 200 females and twenty males.
He has contracted to furnish n Phila-
delphia wholesale millinery establish
ment with heads at 30 cents each and
wings at 20 cents, says the New York
World.
BY next spring he expects flock Of
1000 crows. Naturalists are watching
the experiment with interest.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15
The Discovery of America.

We are discovered once again!
Bold Europe seeks our shore,
But does not cross our raging main
Like mariners of yore.
A steamship brings him at his ease,
And when at last he lands
He looks for Indians. and he sees
The cabmen at their stands.
No more the humble settler strives
To till the rugged soil:
No more the patriots risk their lives
For free and honest toll.
No more the wolves with purpose fell
Are barking as they prowl;
The locomotives joyous yell
Supplants the Wild beasts howl.
Bejeweled with electric lights,
Our cities fair and good
Preside Ger hospitable rites.
A glorious sisterhood;
And Europe stands amazed to see
Our wares and golden grain,
And we in faith are proud to be
Discovered once again
Washington Star.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15

yes. I proposed to her by letter"
"And what was her reply?"
"She simply referred me TO certain
chapter and page in The Life of Lord
Nelson"
"And what did you find?"
at says, After fruitlessly applying
for command of the ship by letter, he
went in person to see about it, and
then he secured it.'"-London Tele-
graph.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15

n o1gnt ray or electric light wnen a
button is pressed
"Why not put one in the end of each
officers 'billyE'" the chief was asked
by a reporter Of the Chicago Inter
Ocean.
'Some officer might undertake to en-
force an ordinance with his club" the
chief said. land that would be the end
of the lantern; otherwise it would be n
good idea"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15
CONSERVATION of Energy

''YOu say you never gossip"
Never" answered Miss Cayenne.
when 1 feel disposed to hear my
neighbors discussed, I merely mention
n name and proceed to listen. Wash
ington Star
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15
brakes For BOATS.

A Swede has invented a brake for
boats. BY extending 4 shutter from
each side of the hull the boat is stop
ped within half its length.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-15
Novel Lantern For Policemen

Novel Lantern For Policemen
Chief of Police 'O'NeilI of Chicago
has newly devised dark lantern,
(which ic cylindrical in form and emits
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
DoucIas as a Printer.

SteDhen A. Douglas, although not
TO, >~uized as such by the craft, was Il
enc ,.nc printer. The story OF how ne
and Long John" Wentworth came TO-
gether on printing proposition Is still
afioat, hut in such close quarters that
it is not often heard. Mr.. Wentworth
was printing The Democrat in Chicago
in 1888 and struggling to remove an
Indebtedness Of about $4,000. Douglas
called on him one day and said that he
had scme handbills that must be print
ed at once.
All right" answered Mr.. Went
worth, "but the facilities of this office
are limited. Do you want ten or hum
dred of these bills"
The Little Giant" said he believed
200 or perhaps more would be needed.
VERY WELL was the response. You
will have 10 turn printer yourSel1 II
you expect to get them t1day.'
The bill was set up and placed on the
hand press. Then Douglas was given
special instructions how 10 handle the
ink roller. a big apron was put on
him. and he performed the menlal
work Of roller boy. linking the types.
while Mr.. Wentworth worked the
DrpSS
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
PREPARING Costly Furs.

When q master workman in n fur
manufactory is cutting up skins, he is
literally cutting money. Skins once
passed 70" frontier money. but Their
value is H. " much greater than in the
early days, and ii would lie less costly
to cut a garment from ten dollar bills
than TO cut it from some skins.
The cutting is quite an interesting
feature of the work. To prepare Il
mink or sable. for example, the skin
must be slashed into strings. narrow
pieces more or less Irregular in shape,
which are afterward sewed together.
Tsere may be a thousand pieces in a
single cloak, the new and beautiful
skins being literally cut TO pieces be
fore they are manufactured. Tie OBJ
iect of this is to lenCthen the skins
The sable. for example. say two feet
in length. will be drawn out to four
feet and all it's markings preserved. so
that it looks like very long. but well
proportional. skin. The original skin
is SO cut to pieces that ii may all be
matched" again in the elongated
Shape.-World's Work.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Criticized the Wrong House.

ave made bad breaks before, but |
certainly erlipsed all previous efforts
out in Cleveland the other day. said a
well known business man. "A business
friend met me at the station and said
we would drive around Il bit before go
ing TO his new home. He slowed up a
bit as we drove around n curious look
Ing mansion in which several styles OF
architecture had been mixed with ter
rible results. | was forced to eXclaim:
"'What fool was unkind enough to
put up that mOnstrosity:
My host then took me TO his club for
dinner He said in explanations:
I'VE will dine here, because | have
a headache. ana the fresh paint Odor of
my new house might make it worse
The next day another friend showed
me my first friends new house. 1t was
the monstrosity OF the day before, :
New York Tribune.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
An Important Alteration.

Apropos of the report that some
American modistes clothe fashionable
patrons gratis in return for the adver-
tisements of their wares the London
Chronicle declares that D'Orsay. the
last of the dandies.' was much sought
after to advertise the goods Of the
London tailors of his day.
Mrs. Pitt Byrne also says in her
somewhat malicious Gossip of the
Century" "Such was the counts pres
tige that tailor to the COmte dOrsay
was a far more privileged title than
tailor to his majesty. 1t was said.
moreover that the client whose Gus
tom was so profitable did not disdain
to share it's advantages. BY delicate
arrangement. each time the integu-
ments Of the exquisite were sent home
he was to find bank note of certain
amount in the pCcke.S. One day the
tailor sent In suit pl.r ct simple, with
nothing but its own merits to recon-
mend it. IkOrsay's surprise was ex-
IRENE on discovering this departure
from the established custom. but he
was equal to the occa sion. Calling his
valet. he told him to have Mr.. StultZ 3
parcel returned to him for alteration.
with a message to the effect that he
had forgotten to line the pockets.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Assorted ' Sices.

1t is q we'll known fact that YO."eS
differ greatly according 10 Eationailty
and geographical position. ThaS. in
Russia one hears male voices which
are absolutely unique In the loWness
OF their compass. The Italians. on the
other hand, are notable for their fin"
tenor voices Some ASiatic nations.
according to Engel, sing in shrill notes
by straining the voice to its highest
pitch. Others delight in kind of
vibratO or tremOlandO. Some sing
habtually In an undertonc, others in
nasal tone.
Lichtenstein, in describing the sing
ing of HottentOt congregation in
South Africa. observes that among all
the singers. consisting of about leo
IIottentotS of both sexes. there w2S
mt one man with Il lass or baritone
voice. Al the men hal t"no" voices.
The Chinese voices seem to bear some
resemblance to the weak character OF
the people. A military man who had
three years service In the country
declares that he never once heard Il
Chinaman sing from his cheSt.-Gen-
tleman's Magazine.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
A Marriage In Persia

Before dinner is served the bride
goes to the bath accompanied by fe-
mall relatives and friends. At night,
as ttia procession of the bridegroom
apDroaches, aims are distributed, and
women and children look on from
neghboring roofs. Loud cries from
the women welcome the bridegroom
on his arrival. while the bride, care
fully yelled. mounts the horse await
ing her at the door. All the men who
have been Toasted and entertained join
in the procession. in which lanterns
are borne. The brides departure is the
signal for the discharge of fireworks
and a great beating of the big drum.
The final ceremony is similar to one
observed by the Arabs and the COpts-
namely, the sacrifice of sheep. These
are killed as the bride steps over the
threshold of her new home.
One wonders what the idea is under
lying the sacritiCrs. Are they intended
as acts of Precipitation inherited from
an earlier age. when people thus en-
deavOred Ito appease the anger of the
gods or of the spirits of their an
ceStOrS? Or is it merely way of seal
ing in blood an important act and
cOyenant?-Woman's Home Compan-
ion
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
THE BAMBOO HAIR.
4 Slow but Sure Poison That Is Used
by the Jayanesc.


The young shoots of the bamboo are
covered with a number Of very fine
hairs that are seen under the micro
scope to be hollow and spiked like bay
bamboo poison by the white men resi-
dent in Java for the reason that muir
der is frequently committed through
their agency.
fancy 10 a European. according To an
official Dutch report, she will either
have him or poison him if she gets the
chance. She seeks any and every OPP
pOrtunity of mixing these infiniteSimal
hairs among his FOOD, and they serve
the purpose of irritating the Who'll"
length of the alimentary canal and set
ting up malignant dySentery. Ii may
take Il long time and many doses Of
this so called poison to effect the pur-
pose, but the native woman does not
tire, and death will surely result. I'll"
male native will also try this methos!
Of revenge for an affrOnt.
The planters know all this and drca |
the bamboo hair, but it is always diff
cult to determine whether the dyson
terry is caused by the p On or comes
about naturally. When planter finds
himself a prey to attacks of that com
plant, his best course is to take 10Y
age to Europe
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Familiarity Aids Sight.

The exceptional powers of vision at
tributed to unciyilized men and to civ
ilized men who pass their lives in the
open all supposing they exist. are cas-
lily exp.,ined. They are only Miami
tested while looking at familiar things
which the supposed possessors of such
sight have been long trained TO see.
The shepherd distinguishes sheep
where the town dweiler secs nothing,
because the one is accustomed to the
place and objects and the other not.
The herdsman distinguishes cattle and
the huntSman his prey because they
are practiced and see little differences
which perhaps they cannot describe,
but which they perceive almost uncOn-
sciOuSly The sailor and the lOngshore-
man detect what the visit + fails to
see out on the horizon and will tell You
of the peculiarities of rigging which
enable them to distinguish one boat
from another.
OF course they are used to these
things and undoubtedly see more and
also guess more than the casual OBJ
server, for in my experience they are
not seldom wrong.-Popular Astrono-
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
New Light on an Old Subject,

The man who had been kicked by Il
mule and WAS quoted rs saying he
"cOHSidarCd the source" YVES speaking
of it afterward to some Of the other
fellows.
Il wouldn't care" be said, If there
hadn't been so much fuss made over
it, as if it was a bright thing for any
body to say, but the honest truth is
that | never said anyth.r- of the kind
When you're kicked by mule. you're
not in frame of mind for consider
ing things. What | really said was:
You derned old beast! If | had a gun
and you were somebody else's mule
and it wasn't against the law to shoot
inside the corporation Id blow ycur
derned old head off, dern you! Chi
cago Tribune.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Emmet's Presence OF Mind.

A story is told of Robert Emmett
which proves his secretive power and
resolution. He was fond of studying
chemistry, and one night late. after
the family had gone to bed. he swal-
lowed a large quantity of corrosive
sublimate in mistake for some acid
cooling powder. He Immediately dis
covered his mistake and knew that
death must shortly ensue unless he in
stantly swallowed the only antidote,
chalk.
Timid men would have torn at the
bell. reused all the family and sent for
a stomach pump. Emmett called no
one, made no noise. but, stealing down
stairs and unlocking the front door,
went into the stable. scraped some
chalk which he knew to be there and
took sufficient doses of it to neutraliZe
the poison.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
The Iuird's Last Drink.

The remark Of counsel in will case
the other day that there were two pc
culiarities about highandcrs, their
great devotion to the national drink
and their power Of absorbing whisky
without apparently getting the worse
for it, recalls the old story of how the
laird of Garscadden took his last draft.
A considerable number of lairds had
congregated in the clachan of law for
the oStensihlc purpose Of talking over
some parish business. They talked well
and drank still better. and enc of them
about the dawn of the morning. fixing
his eye on Garscadden, remarked thar
he was Cooking unco cash" very
chastity.
Upon which the laird of Kilmardin-
ny coolly replied: "TIc has been wi his
Maker these twa hours | saw him
step ava, but | didna like II disturb
guild company"-LondO Chronicle.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Well Preserved.

The man who essays to give lecture
or talk in the Sums must have his
wits well in hand. He may encounter
apathy, but he is sure also to find an
embarrassing readiness Of tongue.
An earnest young man from college
settlement was addressing a company
of fathers and mothers on the subject
of "Chrstmas In the Home" telling
them of ways In which the day might
be made bright although money was
scarce. He had visited many houses
in many cities and was well informed
''I'm not talking about what other
people have told me-" he said genially.
ITS what | know from my personal
experience. | have seen over a hun
dred Christmas celebrations and
MAN, dear" came iii a rich Irish
American voice from the rear of the
room, Its wonderfully preserved ye
are for man that old,'
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Confederate Bills.

The passage of a Confederate bill, az
money is not a violation of the statute
Of the United States which makes it
an OffensP for any person, except I'M
der authority Of proper officer, to
have in his possession any obligation
or other security engraved and printed
after the similitude Of any obligation
or other security issued under the au-
thority of the United States, with in
tent to sell or otherwise use the same.
but to constitute violation of such
provision the instrument used must in
its inception have been intended to
simulate some obligation or security of
the United States. The general like
ness which one form Of paper money
bears to another is not sufficient.-111
Fed. Rep. On. D.. Judge Amidon), $50.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
MONKEYS as Coin Testers.

1t is said that the great ape of Siam
is in great request among the Siamese
merchants as cashiers in their count
ing houses. Vast quantities of base
coins are known to be in circulation i'll
Siam. ard no living human can dis
criminatc letween the good and bad
coinage with as much accuracy as
these apes. These monkey cashiers
possess the faculty of distinguishing
the rude SiameSe cOunterfeitS in such
an extra ordinary degree that no train
ed banker can compete with them i'll
their unique avOcatiOn.
In plying his trade the ape cashier
meditatively puts each coin presented
to him in his mouth and tests it with
grave deliberation. From two to five
seconds is all the time this intelligent
animal requires in making Up his de
ciSiOn If the coin is all right it is
carefully deposited in the proper recep-
tacle; if base. it is thrown violently to
the floor, while the coin tester makes
known his diSplea 1T ieing pre-
scented with the counterfeit by giving
vent to nIch angry chatter.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
A Ira nslatOr's Story.

An Interesting little story attaches
to the volume of Swedish fairy tales
which Mr.. II. l.. Bra ekstad has trans
lated. Years ago Swedish friend gave
Mr.. Hraekstad a book. saying, Here
is something you will like" He turn
ed over the pages with the remark. 1T
isn't Swedish. is it. for | know Swed-
ish?' Not Swedish" was the reply.
but Swedish dialect" All" said Mr..
Braekstad. 'can | manage to read it,"
He tried several times. not very sue
cessfully. But one day he began to
read the dialect aloud, and then be IN
derstood t at once. 1t resembled the
dialect Of a part of his own country.
Denmark. and had been taken down
phOGetically.- Chronicle.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Tr,aition of ScOt!aUd's Thistle.

Queen Scotia had led her troops in a
well fought battle. and when the day
was won retired to the rear 10 rest
from her tolls She threw herself upon
the ground where. as i'll luck would
have it. bristly thistle grew. Whether
the fair amazon fought in the national
costume of Scotland or not the tradl-
ton fails TO say. but at any rate the
spines of the offending plant were suf-
ficiently powerful TO penetrate the skin
in a very painful manner. A proven
bal philosopher has said that he that
stitch upon nettles riSeth quickly
and the same remark holds good with
thistles.
Queen Scotia sprang TO her feet and
tore the thistle out by the roots. She
was about TO cast it aside when il
struck her that the prickly herb would
henceforth be ever associated in her
mind with the glorious victory which
she had just gained. Her intention
was changed. She placed the til site
in her caSk and ii became the bad@"
Of her dynasty
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Her Lovely Lettuce Dish

81 want" she said hestatingly as
she poised her basket in front of hel
pretty chin with thoughtful air. ito
get some lettuce"
"YeS'm,' said the marketman
"Here's some; very nice it is too
us it all that color?''
"Why-er-yes' All lettuce is
green. you know"
"Oh, of course! But it's too bad
got lovely blue dish to put lettuce in
but I'm sure green would look horrible
In it. | never thought about there no,
being any shades. you know"
And as she turned away the market
man was almost sure he saw tear OF
disappointment in her eye.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
The Little Girl Paid,

l heard an interesting anecdote Of
Jacob Grimm the other day. One Of
his prettiest tales ends with the words
whoever refuses to believe this story
owes me thaler"
One winter morning a little Jewish
girl rang the doorbell and asked the
servant if Herr Professor Jacob
Grimm was at home. When Informed
that he was not. she said politely:
will you please hand him this tina
Ter when he returnsT'
The servant took the coin. glanced
at it curiously and inquired who sent
it and what it was for.
Il owe him the money myself" said
the little girl.
why? What ,or?'
Because | don't believe the story
about the Berlin Letter in Chi
cagO Record II erald.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
?. Willy Afg h n nj tan.

A man was once condemned In AT
ghanistan to have his ears sliced off as
minor punishment. He had q power,
full friend, however who was much
attached to him. This friend begged
the late ameer in duly submissive
tones to allow him to perform the OPP
GRAFTON. favor which was granted
However,, the amateur begged the
ameer to show him what portion OF
each ear he wished to he renewed. The
amecr accordingly touched them light
~. WhereCpOn the Ingenious and Cour
&@CoIS-rcrsOn proceeded TO quote Il
passage i'll the Koran which said that
anything touched by the representative
Of the Almighty became sacred. The
despOt smiled grimly and forgave them
both.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-02-22
Seven.

The alleged supernatural powers of
the seventh son of a seventh son are
merely an illustration of the mystical
powers Of that number. which has
somehow caught the Imagination of
mankind. The seventh day and the
seventh or jubilee year of the Jews is
a case in point. but there are also the
seven wise men, the seven wonders of
the world. the seven lamps Of archi-
lecture, the seven sleepers. the seven
sisters and the seven senses, the last
being an obvious concession to super
stitiOn. Indeed. from the seven church,
es to the seven deadly sins the mum
Der for good or Ill holds the arithmet-
ical record.