davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
THIRTEEN AT TABLE
An Instance Where the Superstition
Proved Correct.

An Instance Where the Superstition
Proved Correct.
"Of course, 1t Is generally under
STOOD" said well known resident to
a Washington Star reporter, "that
about nine persons out of ten are
more of less tinctured with a certain
amount of superstition. I confess my
self to having q faith in various
omens that find it rather difficult to
eradicate. I never had any sympathy
with people who stand aghast at the
number Is, but I know of one event
where It figured in a rather g~ewsome
sequel.
"Some years ago." he related, 81 was
visiting in New York. I was there to
attend a small banquet given to
gentleman widely known in this city,
who was about to visit Europe on an
important business mission. The en-
tertainment was given at prominent
Italian restaurant near the Fifth Ave-
nue. Hotel and took place on the eve
Of the gentleman's departure. Every
thing was in first-class shape; speeches
were made and bouquets Of cOmpl1-
ments thrown all over the guest, when
along toward the end of the little
dinner some one discovered that there
were only IL persons sitting at the
table. Instead of keeping this remark
able revelation to himself, he cried out:
Hello! There's only 13 here. That's
bad luck Some of us will die within
q year.
Strange to say, this remark threw
a pail over the party. The guest Of
the evening was considerably diseon-
certed. and to remedy the evil the
proprietor of the restaurant was called
on to swell the number at the table to
H. But everybody felt uncomfortable.
Now for the sequel. The gentleman
in whose honor the little feast was
given had most abundant success in
the work he had undertaken and re-
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
A Quaint Island.

During the winter there are no Wis
itors at Heligoland and life is very
dull on the island. Nearly all the
shops are shut, and if you want to buy
anything you have to ring or knock
before you can attract attention. Even
then you will very likely be asked to
call again tomorrow. The lodging
houses are also closed, and the fishing
boats are drawn up on the beach
above high-water mark. When snow
falls the children spend much Of their
time in toboganning down the narrow
streets. At night the Heligolanders
gather in the public halls, the men
drink beer, smoke and play cards, and
the women dance. There are no for
malitics, as all the islanders have
known each other from infancy.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
STRATEGY OF EAGLES.
How They Plan Attacks an Unsus
pectiue PREY.

pecting Prey.
Some years ago Sir Charles Nor
daunt witnessed in Scotland a strange
battle between an eagle and a stag,
which completely dispels any theory
that the ornithologist may put for
ward as to eagles not attacking large
nimals. The bird singled out from
herd one particular buck, which it sue
ceeded in driving from the rest. It
struck the animal repeatedly with it's
powerful wings, knocked it down, and
finally killed it.
Baron Schroeder witnessed a still
more remarkable spectacle. An eagle
attacked q fawn, which was one Of
herd in the highlands. The cries Of
the little one were answered by it's
dam, which sprang upon the eagle and
struck it repeatedly with its forefeet
Fawn, deer and eagle rolled headlong
down a declivity, and the bird was
dislodged from it's hold and the fawn
rescued.
But Sir Kenneth Mackenzie knows
q more thrilling story than either Of
these, for, according to report, an eagle
was rent in twain during a battle in
his forest Of Gairloch. Fixing its tai
ons in the quarters of roe, the bird
was dashed against tree, to branch
Of which it endeavored to hold to stay
the fight of it's captive. The bird was
halved in an instant.
Many traditions are extant as to
eagles having carried off and devodred
children. In the north of England the
legend is perpetuated by the name Of
many an inn, the sign "The Eagle and
the Child" being common. The most
recent case bearing close scrutiny ap-
pears to be one which occurred in
South Africa. A Boer farmer, living
on the veldt just beyond Barmerton,
whose stock had been harried by
eagles, lay in ambush for the aerial
and carry off the 5-year-old child Of
one of his Kaffir servants. He shot
the bird, which, with the child still
clutched in it's grip, fell into a thorn
bush. The bird was dead when pick
ed up, but the babe was little hurt.
The eagle measured 8 feet from tip to
tip of it's wings. Other stories are told
to a similar end, but appear less cred
ible than this one.
Two eagles will stalk a covert in
concert. While one conceals itself the
other beats about the bushes with a
great screaming, driving out it's quarry
for the hidden eagle to sweep down
and make an end Of it. An even more
insidious method has been observed,
when an eagle, detecting a sheep On
the edge Of precipice, flew at it,
screaming shrilly, and with forceful
beat of wing hurled it into the valley
below, where it could devour it at is
leisure.
There is good reason for believing,
after all the ancient legend as to the
manner in which Eschylus, the Greek
poet, met his death. 1t is said that
an eagle dropped turtle on his bald
head Algerian travellers are familiar
with the sight Of eagles carrying tur-
ties and tortoises to q hight and drop
ping them upon rocks to break the
creatures shells and render the flesh
cessible-Baltimore Sun.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Our Annual Mud Tax.

Because Of poor country roads, Mar
tin Dodge, director Of the Bureau of
Public Road Inquiries, says the people
Of this nation pay each year an I'M
avoidable mud tax of $3.50, 100000 for
the privilege of driving over dusty and
muddy roads. He believes, after thor
ough study, that in places where suit
able road stone is not available at low
cost, good clays may be found to eco
nomically build serviceable roads. Road
supervisors in our Western and South
ern States, who have this problem be-
fore them, might well try to utilize
clay in the construction and mainte-
nance Of thoroughfares, and brick
wheel tracks for heavy travel. Why
not also put the Migrants and convlcts
at work in building roads and keeping
them in shape? This is successfully
done in some States, and we have yet
to hear single cogent reason against
this proposition.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

turned to America improved In health,
at his 'send-of' banquet-a man who
had no more superstition in him than
has whitewashed pump-before the
end Of the year came to this city, reg
tstered at one Of the leading hotels,
went to his room very soon afterward,
locked himself up in the bathroom,
turned on the gas with suicidal intent
and was a corpse long before the sun
rose next morning.
$50 this is one instance" continued
the slightly superstitious citizen,
where the old legend Of the number
Is forboding bad luck to some person
was proven to be correct"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
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Good Country Roads.

Striking proofs Of the benefits to be
derived by the farmers through the bet
terment of rural highways was offered
the other day at a good roads meeting
composed Of the residents Of several
townships in Bucks County, in Penn
sylvania. The townships records were
produced to show that at the present
time the amount of money raised by
taxation and available for local i'm
provements Is more than one-third
larger than 1t was few years ago, al
though the tax rate remains the same.
This is due, of course, to an increase
in the value Of property, an increase
which we are assured has been brought
about solely by the construction of
modern highways. Townships in Bucks
County which have borrowed money
to carry on the work Of roadmaking
find themselves enabled to reduce ma
terially their debt annually by reason
Of this enhancement Of real estate val
ueS.
The experience of these Pennnsylva-
MIA farmers comedies substantially
with that Of our friends in other parts
Of the United States. That good roads
bring wealth there can be no question,
and, as has been shown the adyan-
tages which accrue from them are en-
joyed as much by the farmers as by
other members of the community
New York Sun.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

1t is recorded of Cornelius Vanderbilt
that before he died he said to a friend:
'T don't see what good it does me-all
this money that you say is piine.
can't eat it, l can't spend tin fact,
l never saw it, and never had it in
my hands for a moment. dress no
better than my private secretary, and
cannot eat as much as my coachman.
/ live in big servants boarding house,
am bothered to death by beggarsi have
dyspepsia, cannot drink champagne
OF others, who use it mainly for their
own benefit"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Planet Mars Inhabited.

A recent dispatch from Prof. Perci-
val Lowell from Flagstaff, Arizona,
stating that large projection OF Mars
has been discovered, leads Prof. Gar
rett P. Serviss to declare tina! the
planet is undoubtedly inhabited. On
the other hand, Prof. Flammaricn, of
Paris, declares that the projection is
only an Illumination of the clouds or
lofty mountain SUBMITS in the setting
SUN, and that many other analogous
observations have already been made.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

It is essential to the proper adjust
ment of the public temper in this coun-
try that there should be q greater
determination to make operative the
good laws already enacted as well as
to make new ones or amend old stat
utes and to repeal all laws that have
become dead letters" by common con-
sent. 1t is unwholesome to permit a
legislative act to lapse merely by de-
fault. That which is called ''the mai
eety Of the law" has been much dis
credited in this country, and it is not
strange that its lack of potentiality
should be sometimes manifested in the
contempt Of indignant Citizens.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Decay of Contucianism.

Careful observers in China are MOTTO
ing the gradual decay Of Conftcian-
ism, according to the North China
Herald. It's sway over the minds Of
the Chinese literati is by no means
what it was even as recently as TWEEN
ty or thirty years ago. 1t Is true that
there is apparently no marked diminu-
ton in the number of ancestral halls,
the existence of which all over the
land serves as an indication Of the vi
tality Of the state religion; yet, never
theless, the more the country is per-
meated with Western knowledge the
more are minds Of the educated class
becoming alienated from the teach
ings to which before unquestionable
obedience was accorded.
The reason for this state Of things
it is not difficult to comprehend. 1t is
gradually dawning upon the educated
young men Of China that a knowledge
Of the Confucian classics is no longer
what 1t was from commercial point
Of view. And the comprehension of
this fact is sufficient to account for the
diminishing interest that is being
taken in the acquisition of Confucian
learning. 1t must also be admitted
that, as the broader and deeper knowl-
edge introduced and inculcated by
Western scholars Is becoming assim-
Hated, there is an ever-increasing real
izat1on of how inadequate Confucian-
ism is, Notwithstanding its merits, to
meet the requirements Of the present
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Scientists who believe in Ghosts.

Among the great physicists, Sir Oil
yer Lodge believes in telepathy and
Sir William Crooks in ghosts. Lord
Kelvin recently said that 'science
positively affirmed creative power"
and Sir William This tledown-Dyer, the
director of Kew botanical gardens,
complains that Kelvin wipes out by
stroke of the pen the whole posi-
ton Darwin won for u.s." and Prof.
Lancaster, director of the British Mu-
scum, says he does not know ''of any
one Of admitted leadership among
modern biologists who is showing
signs Of coming to a belief in the ex-
istence Of q vital principle"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

There is a father in this city, says
the Chicago Record Herald, who
bought his 8-year-old son 22-cali
bre rife Evening before last the
boy was sitting on the floor playing
with it. He pointed it at his SISTER
snapped the trigger, and the girl fell
dead. That father has now a double
suffering-frst, because his daughter
is dead and second, because he feels
that the blame is all his own, for he
knows that he should not have given
such weapon to child. In this
age and in this country it is nothing
short Of folly that firearms of any
kind should be accessible without re.
strictions to persons il private life
From the social point of view the
blame for such tragedy as the one
fresh in our minds falls no more upon
the father who bought the rifle than
upon society which permftter him to
buy it when he wished and for what
ever object he wished. What useful
purpose do all the pistols, the rifles
and the shotguns in the hands Of our
citizens serve? We can't kill Indians
with them. The luckless red men are
too busily engaged in chea ting and be-
ing cheated to have any remaining de-
sire to take the warpath against us.
Nor do we need them to protect our
selves from burglars and thugs"
The revolver serves the professionals
of crime vastly better than it series
their victims. Take weapons away
from both criminal and public and
the benefit would be all to the latter
The ordinary possession Of weapons
does not even give training in marks
manship, which the country can utilize
in its volunteer soldfery in time of
war. We have a regular army. Its
soldiers need guns. We have militia.
Its members need guns during their
term Of service. We have sharpshoot-
ers' clubs;- whose members for the
most part can be trusted with Weap-
ons. We have hunters who enjoy a
sport that Is safe to the public under
proper limitations. But aside from
these 1t Is hard to see what possible
excuse there can be for the wide dis
tribution of weapons among the peo-
pie. Nc good is evident, but daily
we are forced to reckoning the harm.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

At a sale Of relics in London, a
carved oak armchair, formerly John
Wesley's property, brought twenty
gutueas. A gold fob carnelian seal, al
ways worn by him, was bought for sew
enteen guineas. But what would not
many a hungering and thirsting soul
give to hear one word from the living
voice, or to catch a single glance from
the eye Of him who was born to move
mtlltitudes!
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Figures on Lynchings.

All the lynchings within twenty-one
gears that he could verify, have been
tabulated by Mr.. Cutler, Of Yalo uni.
versity. In that time 1872 negroes
have been lynched and 1886 whites.
Since the whites are about six times
as numerous as the blacks, the pros
portion Of negroes lynched Is, of
course, very much higher than figures
indicate. Only 80 per cent of these
negroes were lynched for the social
crime that is usually assoc!atG{ IN the
mind with this method of punishment.
The number of lyuchings has dlmin,
ished since 1892.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

language in the presence Of gentle
man is just as foul-minded as he who
betrays his uncleanness in the presence
Of lady. If he would insult gentle
man he would be willing to insult
lady. If he doesn't, 1t is because he
Is afraid of the penalties attached by
convention to such offenses and gen.
orally enforced by salutary custom.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

We are not so optimistic as to believe
that there is surplus, or any prospect
of an oversupply, Of religion in this
country. Indeed, there is manifest
deficit, Yet, judging by the uses to
which wealth is devoted-by the great
gifts FOR good works in all directions
there is reason for hopefulness rather
than dependency.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

The mint at Philadelphia has stopped
coming pennies because of the enor-
NOUS output Of recent years. In the
last five years 3,OO0,O0O,39S pennies
have been shipped from the city, and
the coinage between July /, 1902, and
June 1, 1908, was 100000. Why not
fashion them on the cartwheel model,
call them dollars and make us all rich ?
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Chicago has q theory that infants
which subsist on milk Of cows that are
fed distillery mash imbibe the liquor
habit. Still, we have not observed that
babies raised on the milk Of cows
which Craze in the meadows are given
to eating hay.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Owners of automobiles should be en-
couraged in their recent craze for as
cending mountains with their ma
chimes. An automobile which is climb
ing a mountain is hardly likely to kill
anybody save it's owner.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

A surgeon announces the discovery
that the X-ray will make hair grow
where all other hair tonics fail. This is
all right for the hair, but of what use
is the scrambled brains?
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
.t-martial of a young lieutel

The c0ult-martial of a young lieuten-
ant serving in the Philippines and the
sentence to dlshonorable dismissal
from the army for conduct 'unbecom
ing an officer and a gentleman" vii
be a warning shock to many your z
men in and out of the army. The
youths offense was using improper
language in the presence Of a lady.
why not simply, using improper Ian
guage? A man who VIII use I,lecent
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

A beauty doctor declares that lit is
a misfortune for woman to be
freckleds' 1t is a positive calamity for
her to feel freckled.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Lieut.. Peary will please let us know
if he finds the north pole post office
properly equipped with time clocks,
patent fasteners and automatic cash
registers.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

The gist Of Russia's latest PROPOSE
ton is that she will hold the offices and
control the revenues of Manchuria,
providing some one else will pay the
taxes.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

If the material consequences" Of
war in the Balkans fall upon Bulgaria,
the christian powers" will stagger
along under the moral responsible
ties"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Maxim has invented a gun that will
kill faster than any present device.
He ought to be able to sell it in Bull
garia.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Columbia, the gem of the ocean, may
have to take Colombia, the bane Of the
canal, over it's knee and administer a
good spanking.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Another squaw doctor has been killed
because she failed to effect a cure.
Doctors in civilization have much to
be thankful for
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Not Sure as to Exact Value.

Golding (who has given his consenD
i hope, young man, that you know
the value Of the prize you will get in
my daughter?
Young Man-Well-er-no sir; don't
know the exact value, but as near as
1 can find out it's in the neighborhood
of O,OO0.-Stray Stories.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Individual Importance.

''This mighty world was made for
mer'
You hear the egotist exclaim.
The ant, the cricket and the bee
If they could speak, would say the
same.
Washington Star.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Automobile racing is about the only
sport that is as dangerous for the
spectator as for the participant.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

With plenty of postal cards and news
papers to read, the rural mail carrier
should not find his job such lonely
one.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

We would like to solve this problem
if we knew more about trigonometry:
Which has the greater capacity, the
fifteen pockets in a mans clothes, or
the front Of a shirt waist?
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21
Exports OF Meats.

American paclling-house products ag-
gregate S144,OOG,00O worth a year, 81
per cent of which goes to the United
Kingdom.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

A good many girls, launched into So
ciety and questing husbands, and q
good many young men, building up a
practice or business, believe that they
help themselves by taking and giving
many condolences and by getting as
close as possible to persons whom they
meet. But the girl who opens her soul
to every man finds in time that men
fee before her. A girl must be ex-
elusive if she would be highly appre-
GATED The value Of condolences, like
the value Of wheat and potatoes, is reg
ulated by the supply. Neither Will
people employ doctors or lawyers whom
they know intimately. 1t is better for
a lawyer or a doctor to know great
many people slightly than to be en-
titled to call all the young women by
their first names and to invite himself
to family meals. It cheapens ones
condolences to make them too common.
There are men and women who ex-
pose their minds to everyone with
whom they are on terms Of familiarity.
The whole world knows the private
business, the secret thoughts and emo
tons, the domestic trials and troubles,
the follies and sins of such persons.
And such persons, while they have
many intimates, have very few real
friends. 1t is better to have few init
mates and many friends. The excel
lent quality of reticence is almost an
essential element of success. More peo-
pie have hurt themselves by telling
too much than too little. From prac-
teal as well as sentimental standpoints
it is prudent to keep most people at
distance and to become familiar with
only a few. Nature seems to have 50
planned that one chum, or one sweet
heart, or one wife, is sufficient to oue's
needs Of soul-close companionship.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

Build a castle in Spain, but live In
Bome country where you get vote.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

One-sixth of the land owners In
Britain are women.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

The latest name for q hammock is q
landing net. Dragnet Ia also good
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-21

After all, marriage license is but
another name for lottery ticket
Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-05-29
WOWen and Jewels.

Jewels, candy, flowers, man
that Is the order of woman's pref
erences. Jewels form a magnetic
mighty power to the average wo-
man. Even that greatest of all
jewels, health, Is often ruined In
the strenuous effort to save the
money to purchase them. If a
woman will risk her health to get
a coveted gem. then let her fortify
herself against the insiduous couse-
quences of coughs, colds and bron.
chial affections by regular use Of
DR.. Boschee's German Syrup. 1t
will promptly arrest consumption
In Its early stages and heatl the at.
fected lungs and bronchial tubes
and drive the dread disease from
the system. It Is not a cure all
but it Is a certain cure for coughs
colds and ali bronchial troubles.
You can get Dr.. Green's reliable
remedies at D. A. Hendershot's
Get Green's Special Almanac.