davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
MAKING A MAGNET OF PAPER.

A dry weather experiment which
will grove entertaining. Get sheet
OF thin paper. Rub it with the hand
or a brush, and it will become charg-
ed with electricity, so that it will stick
as though glued to your face or TO
your clothes, without Your being abe
to shake it off. Electrify a sheet OF
thicker paper. or postal card, and
it will attract light bodies, such as
scraps Of cork or little balls OF elder
pith. Balance a walking stick on
the back of chair. and you may safe
ly lay a wager that you will cause 1t
to fall off without touching 1t, or even
blowing IL, and without interfering
with the chair. First, dry your card
board well before an open fire, then
rub It energeticaily on your sleeve.
and present IT, to one of the extremi-
ties Of the cane. The walking stick
will follow the card as though the
latter were a magnet, until its equili-
brium is upset, and it will straight
way tumble off the chair, as you
thophesied.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
NAMES OF JAPANESE.
They Vary at Different Periods OF
Their Lives.

The naming of a Japanese baby is
not simply the bestowal of name
upon it, soon after its birth, by which
it shall be known during its lifetime.
The name of a Japanese is changed at
various periods of his life.
When a Japanese child Is month
old he is given his first name, with
national religious ceremonials. The
child is taken in state to the family
temple. Servants carry the entire in
fantile wardrobe, the extent of which
indicates the degree of wealth and the
social position of the father. At the
end of the procession a servant walks,
carrying a box which contains money
to give the officiating priest, and a
slip of paper on which the three names
are written. On entering the temple
the father hands the paper containing
the names to the priest, who copies
them on three separate sheets, which
he mixes and shakes at random, while
mental invocation to the god to whom
the temple is dedicated. He then
losses them in the air, and the first
one that touches the holy floor is Sc
lected as the choice of the presiding
divinity. This name is written on a
piece of paper by the priest. and is
given to the child's father as a tails
man. During the ceremony sacred
songs. with instrumental accompani-
ments, are chanted. Visits to relatives
and friends of the parents follow the
christening, in celebration of which
festivities of various kinds are indulg-
ed in and presents given to the child.
The Japanese child wears loose gar
ments until he is three years of age.
At that time they are discarded and
his clothes are bound around his
waist with a girdle. The girdling cere-
monies are public and are accompan-
led by very elaborate religious rites.
On that occasion he receives new
name. His education begins at this
period and is considered finished at
fifteen, at which time he attains his
majority. He assumes the RESPONSE
bilities of a man and takes his place
in society with new name.
Entering upon the duties of public
function, he takes another name,
which is changed upon every advance
ment in rank or dignity in his official
position. His name is changed upon
the slightest pretext. If his superior
L L
the subaltern's must be changed, for
it detracts from the dignity of chief
for a subordinate to possess the same
name. He receives a new name upon
his marriage. His last, and only per-
manent name. is the one given him
after his death, which is inscribed up
on his tomb.-Ledger Monthly.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
LURED BY A WOMAN'S TROUT
FLIES.

Trout flies made by woman are
considered a great curiosity, because
so far there is practically only one
woman who has ever attempted max
ing them as a regular business. She
has made great success of her work
and all tempting feather-ccvered
hooks prove as great bait to fisher
men as they do to the fish.
Learning to make trout flies is tire
sons and slow work. yet it seems as
though it were essentially woman's
work, for it requires patience, persev-
ance and nimble fingers. Men in the
profession guard the secrets of manu-
facture carefully, and after a New
York woman resolved to compete with
them it was a long time before she
could induce any man to show her the
way. She served an apprenticeship by
pulling apart man-made trout flies and
making a careful study of their anat-
omy. Then she would put them TO-
gether again, this was a start; and az
ter while her perseverance, was re-
the art agreed to give her instruction,
partly out of friendship and partly be-
cause he admired her pluck. She had
to promise, though, that she would
not teach any one else.
OF her work this woman chats inter
estingly. She says: 1T is pleasant
work that may be done at home. and
it Is one which gives liberal educa-
ton. All the birds of the air contri-
butte their quota to the material which
use, and never before did | realize
the great variety of their plumage
and its wondrous beauty. am COM
PEELED to study the insect I manufac-
ture, that 1 may duplicate it as near
ly as possible, else it will never be
able to fool the sagacious trout.
81 have grown to love my work to
that extent that now l am always try
ing to see how artistic a fly l can
make-not how many dollars it will
bring me-"
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
A Shifting of Waistcoats.

An actor named Wright, who was
once impersonating the first grave dig
ger in Hamlet" prepared to take the
house by storm BIZ incasing his person
within a dozen or more waistcoats Of
all sorts of shapes and patterns. When
about to commence the operation Of
digging the grave for the fair Ophe-
lia," Wright began to unwind by TAX
ing off waistcoat after waistcoat,
which caused uproarious laughter
among the audience. But as fast as
he relieved himself of one waistcoat
Paul Bedford. who was playing the
second grave digger. incased himself
in the cast-off vests, which increased
the salvos Of laughter. for as Wright
was getting thinner Paul grew fatter
and fatter. Wright. seeing himself
omtdone. kept On the remainder of the
waistccats AID went on with his part
quite crestfallen, Chicago News
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
THE STORE DETECTIVE.

An advertisement in a recent paper
called for the services of bright, in
telligent woman as detective in de-
partment store" Scores of women,
young and old. put in applications for
the place, Some of them had been
employed by private detective agen-
cies and had done such important
work as the tracking of criminals,
while a few had held places in de-
partment stores. From the latter ap-
plicants a young woman was selected.
The greater number of the candidates
for the place had had no experience
of the sort, and were under the i'm
preston that no special adaptability
was necessary for the task.
"A store detective" said the man
ager of one of the big shops, %has to
be gifted with large amount of tact
and intuition, as well as a quick eye
and a level head. She must not be
troubled with nerves or be magma
tive or easily excited. She must be
ladylilke as to dress and manner and
appearance. a good judge of faces and
of persons. In fact, the place re-
quires a rare combination in the way
of womanly cleverness and courage.
MANY women are employed by
private detective agencies, and some
of them make good salaries but as a
rule these private detectives do not
make good store detectives. The
work requiring their services is large
ly that connected with divorce cases
and this class of work is not pleasant
enough to appeal to intelligent and
refined women, such as store detec
tives must be.
Store detectives become adept al
picking out and capturing shoplifters
with their booty on their persons. One
or two store detectives in this city
have become very well known, an6
their work is in demand.
Women have made more of a sue
cess of detective work In the shops
and in connection with the Custom
House than they have in crimina
cases. In the Custom House they are
invaluable In the detection of womer
smugglers. often travelling across the
ocean in the big liners as regular
passengers in order to watch SONS
suspected woman. To obtain these
places they must undergo a Civil Ser
vice examination.--New York Trib
une.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22

the most dreadful clatter. They drag
ged the big hose right through the
house, and almost tipped over the din
ing room table with all mammals best
china on i'll But you know we didn't
cara if our house wasn't burned up.
They broke all the kitchen windows
SO the smoke could get out-and-
pretty soon they opened the oven door
and there was my precious pussie all
burned up. The firemen threw her
out in the alley and the garbage man
carried her Off"
"Oh, how awful" gasped Baby
Brown. What did your mamma say?'
oh, she Just laughed and told me
never to warm cat IN the oven
again"
We'll. your mother is a cruel wo-
man and you are a cruel little grill"
passionately exclaimed Baby Brown.
you 30 right home this minute! You
shan't be my twin any more, and l
never want to see you again! To
burn up a poor, helpless. little cat
and then laugh over. it! Why. l just
hate you!"
"Why, I didn't mean to do it," wall
ed Baby Bisbee; "she was cold and |
wanted to get her warm"
well, you needn't have laughed!
Why, it hurts a cat to be pinched as
much as it does you, and then to be
burned up! Oh. you naughty, naughty
girl! You go home. You go home"
II wont! I wont!" screamed Baby
Bisbee.
why, what's all this trouble?" in
Quired Mamma Brown.
"Oh, mamma; send Baby Bistee
home. She burned up her little kittie
and then laughed about 1t. And her
mamma is just as bad. Only think
of 1t, mamma; that lovely little NAL
tese kitten, that was so cunning, be
ing burned to DEATH"
at wasn't my maltese kitten!'
shrieked Baby Bisbee; you are just
as hateful to think l would put her
in the oven! l only burned up my
calico cat!"-Chicago Record-Herald
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
VISITING MILLINERs.

Said the superintendent of large
millinery establishment:
There has been an unusual de-
mand this season for visiting millin-
ers. The practice of going out by the
day in private houses is a phase of
the trade that our young women have
never taken much pains to work up,
hence people who desire to get their
hats trimmed at so much per day are
at a loss to know where to pick up
good all-around trimmers and model
ers who are willing to hire out on
such terms, and they come to US for
information:
Now that the ice has been broken,
a good many capable girls have de-
clared in favor of the hou5e-to-house
system, and they have made such big
inroads on the trade of some of the
popular establishments that those
houses will have to take a new lease
on their laurels, and incidentally on
their customers, if they don't want
to lose money. 1t is strange that the
public was so slow 70 learn the worth
of visiting milliners, for they really
are of inestimable value to people
with a limited income. For years
women who knew that their expenses
could go so. far and not an inch fur
Their have been economizfng by en-
ploying seamstresses by the day to
make their dresses, but somehow it
20 fhaf tn cot
their hats made the same way would
be a good plan. This season, how
ever. they have awakened to the pos
sibilities of the home industry and
have kept the girls pretty busy.
"And it is not the families in strait
ened circumstances alone that are
making a bid for visiting milliners.
Well-to-do women like to save pen
nv as we'll as their poorer sisters, and
if they can get a woman to come in
and trim up half dozen stylish hats
at the rate of $3.50 or SO day they
are naturally going to hire her in pref
erence to patronizing an expensive
house.
However, it behooves the anxious
economist to exercise discretion in the
selection of fnilliner. A great many
girls in this business are specialists
Some can make frames, some can
shape, while others can do nothing
but trim. If hat is ordered in a big
store it passes through dozen hands
but when made at home it is neces
sary that the milliner employed be "a
general practitioner capable of carry
ing the ,headgear through all the
stages of construction. Then. too. the
visiting milliner is often given old ma
terial to work with, and it takes al
artist of the first water to fashion
becoming, pretty hat out Of last sea
sons velvets, laces, and feathers
That many girls can accomplish this
feat is evidenced by the demand foi
home milliners, whom scores Of WON
en- all over town have hailed as KIND
of sartorial savior. New YORK.
| Times.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22

A characteristics anscdote Of Lincoln
dates back to the timo when there
were SO many fires at the national
capital that suspicion OF ineendiarisa
was entertained, and various northern
cities began to offer the services Of
special fire brigades. The authorities
of Philadelphia in particular were most
urgent and sent q special COMMITTEES
to wait on the President and urge him
to accept the services OF such brigade
The committee was tedious and long
winded. and the President was anxious
to get back to the public business
which demanded bis attention. Fin
ally, seeing no prospect of termina-
ton OF the interview in the usual way,
he interrupted one Of the orators In
the midst of q grandiloouent fight by
saying:
IAN, yes. gentlemen. but It Ii mis-
take to suppose that ! am the head OF
the fre department In Washington. ]
nm merely the President OF the United
States"
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
LITTLE MAID WHO CREMATED
A CAT

Baby Bisbee buried her sweet face
in the long silken locks of the Persia
puss. You smell so sweet"
sighed, blissfully. "Oh, baby Brown.
DID you know my poor pussie was
buried up yesterday"
Mercy no.. cried Baby Brown
who was almost a twin of Baby Bis
bees. as for four years ;ney had been
celebrating their birthdays together;
"how ever did it happen?'
why, l put her in the gas oven
and forgot az about her. Bridget
lighted the FIRE and went to the store
arc the first thing we knew there was
tie nest awful smell in the house.
Mamma and race into the kitchen
sud. oh. ny goodness, you ought TO
have seen the smoke. It was so tl: l.
aid choLy I thoucat we would die,
Mamre eis',t i',e door Quick and
telephone IN The Fro department and
In about q p,.Euto they came UP with
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
Her Destination.

An Irish1oman, broad of back and
gray of hair, waddled into a dingy
crosstown horse car one day.
Il want to go to the Fish Theayter,"
she said in a rich brogue.
The Fish Theatre?" echoed the
conductor.
AYE" said she.
He had never heard Of it, no more
had the driver or the prim youth on
The platform. the man with the bum
die forward, or even the messenger
boy, who looked up rom his nickel
library to acknowledge it.
No one had heard of the Fish The
alter. A somewhat labored cross-ex.
animation brought out the fact that
she wanted to go to the Aquarium
She got a transfer at Broadway
New York Times.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
READY TO DO HIS PART.

do you know, Harold" the happy
maiden said, toying with button OF
his coat. that lot of envious fellows
are saying you want to marry me for
my money? How absurd that is!
Why, my little property is all invested
and the income from it is only about
$500 a year."
'If you think we can live on that
darling" replied Harold, swallowing
something with an effort and smooth
ing her brown hair. Il am willing to
risk it."-Chicago Tribune.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
BETRAYING HIS IGNORANCE.

II wish to get a position as brake.
man." said the caller respectfully.
The great man sized him up. "Um.
Ever have any experienced"
"Sir. have been q railroad man
for eighteen years"
The great man reflected some
"Um," he said. "Er-would you kind
ly close the door? / seem to feel a
draft"
The applicant arose and closed the
door gently.
HUH" snorted the great man
thought you could impose on me, eh!
Get right out o. here! A railroad man
would have shut that door SO hard il
would have Jared my false teeth
OUT"
The great man was right-San
Francisco Bulletin.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
A CHILD IN CUBA

From Placetas, Cuba, little girl
sends this letter to St. Nicholas:
My father is a captain of the Sec
end Cavalry. This is a queer little
town. with two troops here and five
officers. The windows here are as
large as doors, but they have iron
bars on them. They have big blinds
the whole length of the window, with
little windows cut in them. They are
on the inside of The house.
From the LIST of December to the
gath the people have torch-light pa
rades every night. They carry torches
and different-colored paper lights.
Each town Is divided into two parts.
One parades one night, and the other
the next. The night of the oath they
both parade, and afterward the people
decide which was best. The names
of these districts are Forum and Zaza.
Zaza had the best parade this Christ
mas, but Forum had the prettier dec
orations in it's district. We, all Of the
Americans, live in Forum.
Most of the people of Cuba live in
huts made of the green bark of the
royal palmtree. under the big leaves
which are used to make the roof, and
they used to make rope of the trunk,
but there is a fine now against cutting
these trees. The rest of the buildings
are made of wood with tiled roofs.
There are very few stone houses or
plastered ones on this island. l have
been to Matanzas and Caibarien, and
expect to see more of the island soon.
There is an orphan asylum at RENE
dos. Some of the girls sent me lit
tie rag doll they made. 1t is very
queer. Mamma ordered two Cuban
dolls to be made for Christmas, but
as they were to be made by an old
lady they are not finished yet. l saw
some that they are to be like, and
am very anxious to get them.
Most of the people in the United
States think that Cuba is very warm
all of the time, but here in Placetas 1t
gets pretty cool in the winter; some
times we have to wear winter dresses
and wraps; but We get oranges, ba-
nanas. pineapples, and fresh vegeta-
bles all of the time. also cocoanuts.
The Cuban olives are just about the
size of my second finger nail, and I
am eleven years old---twelve LIST of
March.
| have parrot. pony and bi-
cycle. There are not many places in
Cuba that you can ride a wheel, but
this is a little country town with
good roads. Placetas is supposed to
be the healthiest town on the island.
liked Denise and Ned Toodles''
very much, and was anxious when
Pretty Polly Perkins" came out, by
the same author. also liked Betty
and was glad when she found her
mother.
My parrots name Is Jim" He
talks a great deal. His very cunning
trick is. when any one knocks on the
door he will yell, Come in" Then
he will knock on his perch with his
bill and say, Come in often wheu
] go to his perch | knock on it and
say. Come here. JIM" so he knocks
with his bill and says, Come here
JIM" just as / do. He bites, and sc
We are afraid to teach him to get on
our finger. but he will get on sticf
and on my arm. He walked up or
10y shoulder the other day and bit my
car. l punished him. and he has not
DINE it again.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
The Birds OF Ireland

The bird fauna Of Iceland 10 credited
by Henry H. Slater with 103 species.
OF these are residents, 81 summer
migrants, 81 occas. onal visitors. and Is
rare etragglers. The land birds are
seu, including only 7 residents and 6
that come in summer to breed, but the
most interesting birds now probably
ara the northern wren, the great
northern dive and the Iceland falcon.
Singing birds are few. There are 1s
species Of docks and geese, and 7 birds
CT prey, but the rock ptarmigan La the
nnlv ssaua bird
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
s&s&,a2& 80
@FASAlON F
8lX@EANCY5
SPOTTED VELVET ROSETTES.

Young girls wear neat little walking
hats of dark brown, pearl gray or
black felt. The hats are simple, the
only trimming besides the neat hat
band tightly drawn around the crown
being the set of rosettes made OF
spotted velvet. These have quite a
leopard-like effect. Black and white
or black and gray velvet is used for
the rosettes, and brown and white.
brown and black, or brown and yellow
or old gold are in the spotted velvet
for the brown felt hat. The rosettes
are two, three or four in number, and
are made of spotted velvets only.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
Miss Marion Cunningham, the Popular
Young Treasurer of the Young Woman's
Club of Emporia, Kans., has This to Say OF
lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound

"DEAR MRS Your Vegetable Compound cured me
of womb trouble had been great sufferer for nearly
three years During that very irregular and would often
pain the small back and binding headaches and
severe cramps months used Lydia e Pinlhams
Vegetable Compound aches and pains memory
and happiness my daily experience You Ger
tany grateful friend Empora and have praised
Vegetable Compound large number my friends You have
my permission publish my testimonial connection with picture
sincerely Miss MARION CUNNINGHAM Emporia Kans
$4,000 FORFEIT LETTER is NOT GENUINE.
When troubled with Irregular suppressed or painful
eucorrhp displacement liberation of the
womb That feeling OF the backache,
boang atunce general debility Indigestion and
with antne assude
exciabty irrtabiy sepessness melancholy @a
gone" ealone" feelings blues and hopeessness
they should remember there tried and true remedy Lydia
at troubles
Refuse buy any other medicine for need the best
all sick to write her for advice.
health Address, Lynn Mass.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
HER OBSERVATION.

81 must say" said the irascible per-
son, chat this climate"
Excuse me-" interrupted Miss Cay.
enne, "but fear you are starting with
a misstatement. have observed that
when any one exclaims I must say he
is in reality going to give utterance to
something that it is quite unnecessary
to mention. "-Washington Star.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
LOCATING THE BLAME.

at must be confessed that the eli.
mate is rather uncertain" remarked
the visitor.
you are one of the few discerning
men have had the good fortune to
meet" answered the weather prophet.
Il have often tried to make it clear
that my predictions are correct and
reliable and that it is the miserable
climate that refuses to subordinate it.
elf to the simplest rules Of mathemat-
les"
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
THE OTHER VIEW.

'It seems to me-" said the lady with
severe glance, that the newspapers
print some dreadful things
"Yes," answered the reporter; 1t
often makes me sad to think that peo-
pie insist on doing shocking things
and compelling us to write about
them. "-Washington Star.
The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
A TEST CASE.

What is this case you've got to dis
pose of to-day" inquired the strang-
err.
We'll, SIR" replied the western cor.
oner, 81 reckon you might call is a
test case"
"a test case?'"
yep. Chinaman; Alkali Abe wuz
testin' his new gun."-Philadelphia
Press.