davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09
ON ABSENT-MINDEDNESS.
Argument to Show 1t Does Not Mean
Mental Failure.

Argument to Show 1t Does Not Mean
Mental Failure
Is Observation-Disclosures indicative OF
mental failure? This question is sug-
gested by such facts as the large num-
ber of unaddressed letters posted each
year. An English contemporary cites
in evidence the official list OF articles
left in one year in the London cabs
and omnibuses. 1t includes $50 canes.
10000 umbrellas, 267 rugs, 742 opera
glasses 926 articles Of jewelry, $50
watches, 3,239 purses, besides birds,
dogs, cats, etc.
The list seems like a pretty severe
indictment of the mental qualities OF
the modern city dweller, and II the
hard-pressed newspaper reporter hap
pens to see it he will undoubtedly send
of narrowing syndicate letter to all
the Sunday editors on this alarming
demonstration of mental degeneracy
of the twentieth century man. Even
our medical contemporary suggests
the advisability of those who ride in
omnibuses and who forget things or
consulting a physician
The more marvellous thing, however,
is that they do not forget far moreI
often than they do. Civilization has
suddenly increased thousandfold the
necessary and synchronous preoccu-
patton of the mind. Singleness OF at
tention was the predominant charac-
teristic of mental action before our
time of bewildering interests and du-
ties. Not to have learned the trick OF
poising in the attention at one instant
such a multitude of objects is certain
ly not demonstration of mental fail
ure, but rather of non-acquirement of
a difficult art.
But the more convincing proof or
the actual triviality of the amount OF
forgetfulness is shown by the compari-
son of the number of memory slips OF
the Londoner with the number who
ride in omnibuses and other public
carriages. Let us double the number
of lost articles and put the total at
Sc, 900; if now we roughly estimate the
number of rides each day in London,
as at least on the average one for each
twentieth citizen, we calculate in
year there are surely as many as 10O,-
100000 trips made. Consequently, on
the average, a person forgets some ar
ticle once in about every 1000 trips
taken.
The alarmist adviser of consultation
of an alienist for such failures of men,
ory would probably smile at this evil
dence of his own mental failure
American Medicine.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09
A NA1IOMAl TRAIL.
Amiability tho Fame of the American
Public.

Amiability the Fame of the American
Public.
Amiability is our national vice. We
are country contented. Satisfied with
our own superiority, fancied or real.
we have the sleek good humor which
is not disturbed by jbes or sneers.
Conceit has provoked contentment.
The result is an amiable public. That
aggregation of humanity which the
politician speaks OF as the dear peo-
pie" reverentially-in ante-election
times-is pleasant in speech and ac-
tion. Crowds are seldom cross. The
excursion company is a notable ex-
ample. However much the excursion
lists may be delayed or disappointed,
there is little of grumbling. Even
when they return late at night, tired,
worn out from the day of recreation,
they srowl good-humoredly and are
merry in their misery. Seldom does
any assemblage of Americans degener-
ate into an angry company, and then
only under the lashing of passion at
crime or of heated advocacy of a par
of politics than from any other reason.
The election Of some far-off individ-
ual whom we never saw and in whose
success nothing of Importance to our
selves is involved stirs the dregs OF
discussion into a very ferment of furi-
ous strife. Political campaigns bring
always the dog days Of infuriated de-
bate.
The vice Of amiability is shown con-
spicuorisly in the behavior of the
American audience. The audience has
lost the right to hiss. So seldom does
any auditor exercise this right that
when some rude but honest fellow
manifests his disapproval of actor or
Of speaker his neighbors, losing for
the nonce their amiability, seek to put
him out. We permit applause, but not
kissing; huzzas, but not crys of dis
approval. Our audiences have con-
strued the right of criticism as mean
ing merely the right to compliment.
We are glad to read criticism in the
newspapers the next morning, but we
object to having it expressed audibly
at the time. Yet who can give suffi-
cient reason why an audience may not
express it's disapproval as well as its
commendation? Surely dislike may
as well be expressed as like. The av-
erage audience is too polite, too amia-
BILE, to do otherwise than applaud. If
it cannot cheer it sits silent.-St. Louis
beDemocrat.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

thereon and other marks, cut by the
hand of man with a stone chisel, and
not by any owner, from the original
proprietor, who took possession $50
years ago, down to the present own
ers.
"They came to a head land that
jutted out that was all covered with
wood, and there were bays on either
side and the strand that was covered
with white sand, and the distance
small from the forest to the sea-
How true is the description! for there
are the head land and the bays on
either side, the long sandy beaches,
and the land which contained the
woods mot far from the sea-" There
is also the rock with the cut crosses
made by man 900 years ago. That
field now belongs to Wallace D. Low
ell, the street railway promoter.
Mr.. Lowell intends to erect a monu-
ment near that of Morse Rock, and to
lay off the land into a park.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09
FlSH-SCAlE FLOWERS.
An Old South American Industry Intro
duceu Here.

Domestic industries travel in man
student. The Indians of Venezuela
and Northern Brazil have from time
immemorial been skilful makers of
fish.scale flowers and leaves. The
denizens of the ocean in the tropics
are notable for the color and brilliancy
of their scales and fins, the range of
chromatic tints, including pink, rose,
scarlet, skyblue, ultramarine, apple
green, emerald, and olive-gold, orange,
gray, lilac, and purple. The scales
are easily fastened together or to wires
with strong fish-glue, which is singu-
larly durable and permanent. The in
dustry passed to the West Indies,
where it was adopted by the Span
iards and during the Cuban war came
over to the mainland and found a
home in Florida. In the present year
it has come northward, and now finds
a habitation in New York City.
One of the shops is not far from
the WaldorfAstoria and is presided
over by a clever nimble-fingered wom-
ma whose WORKABLE LOOKS allnCSt DIS
delicate as a jewellers. Her tools are
a pair of scissors, needle and thread,
cloth or thread-wrapped wire, wire
cutters, glue-pot and brush, and some
compressers for changing the curva-
ture of the scales. The scales them
selves are usually fiat when they reach
the operator and must be concaved
or curled in order to simulate petals,
sepals, and many forms of leaves. A
finished flower possesses a fantastic
beauty which is unique. The shape
and color of the vegetable world are
present but there is a certain trans
parency to all the tissues, firmness
to the lines, and a residence to the
leaves and blossoms which are never
found in the floral kingdom. The play
of color is often startling, and some
times so brilliant, and yet so sub
dued, us to seem new variety OF the
best and richest mother-of-pearl.-N
York Post
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

The cork forests of Spain cover an
area of 100000 square miles, producing
the finest cork in the world. These
forests exist in groups and cover wide
belts of territory, those in the region
Of Catalonia and part of Barcelona
being considered the first in import
ance Although the cork forests of
Estremadura and Andalusia yield cork
of much quicker growth and possess
ing some excellent qualities its CORE
sistency is less rigid and on this ac-'
count it does not enjoy the high repu-
tation which the cork of Catalonia
does.
In Spain and Portugal where the
cork tree or Quercus suber is indigo
nous, it attains to height varying
from 35 to GO feet and the trunk to a
diameter of 80 to 36 inches. This
species of the evergreen oak is often
heavily caparisoned with widespread
ing branches clothed with ovate OBJ
long evergreen leaves, downy under
meath and the leaves slightly serrated.
Annually, between April and May, it
produces flower of yellowish color,
succeeded by acorns. Over 10000
square miles in Portugal are devoted
to the cultivation of cork trees,
though the tree virtually abounds in
every part of the country.
The methods in vogue in barking
and harvesting the cork in Spain andN
Portugal are virtually the same. The
barking operation is effected when the
tree has acquired sufficient strength
to withstand the rough handling it re
ceives during this operation, which
takes place when it has attained the
18th year Of its growth. After the first
stripping the tree is left in this juven-
escent state to regenerate, subsequent
strippings being effected at intervals
OF not less than three years and under
this process the tree will continue to
thrive and bear for upward of 15O
years.-Boston Herald.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09
Ventilation without Dirt.

In order to maintain the efficiency
of a central telephone station it is es-
sential that the switching apparatus
be kept absolutely free of dust. In
crowded industrial towns considerable
difficulty is sometimes experienced in
accomplishing this, as the smoke
from neighboring factories and the
dust from the street can only be kept
out by closing all doors and windows,
to the operators.
In Sheffield the problem has been
solved by furnishing artificial venti-
lation. The air is drawn into the
room through coke screen, which
clear it Of SCOT and dirt. This screen
is kept moist, which to certain ex-
tent permits of the control of the
humidity of the air. After passing the
screen the air is passed through radi-
ators to enable the temperature to
be regulated as desired The air then
passes along long airshaft, running
along one end of the room and then
into the apartments through a series
of apertures so disposed that prac-
tically no draft results.
The SCENE is capable of application
The scheme is capable of application
to many industrial establishments
where the office force and craftsmen
suffer keenly owing to the clouds of
dirt and smolIe that flow into the
rooms from the adjacent shops.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09
STRUCK THE KEYNOTE.

sent a bit of idle verse.
Scrubbed in mood of vague regret,
To the magaznes-and 1t
Is going yet.
sent psychologist tale;
Some problem stories, poems, plays
loosed
Upon the editors. They ell
Came home to roost.
tried thought all set in slang,
The slangiest slang-of it l have some
store.
From it's first trip I'd answer back,
Accepted; send some more"
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

ing money, or they don't want to be
bothered with it. Too bad, isn't it
Hal will lose his job
why don't you buy it, Danny?"
1t was a bold idea and they looked
at each other silently in the moon
light. But he went to Hot Springs
next day with all his money and a
little that she had been saving since
she could remember, and-he bought
the Racket drug store. But when he
came back to Susie with his bill of
sale and the list of notes that he had
agreed to pay, he was worried.
'What'll | do with Hal, Sue?"
Let him run it for you. You can
go to Chicago and study pharmacy
OH the profits. I'm sure he won't
mind working for you, Dan"
1t was quite blow to Mr.. Updike,
but he swallowed his chagrin and the
matter was fixed. Dan went to the
city and in year, when he came back
with his diploma, Hal greeted him with
a stern smile and said:
"The jig is up, Dan. They're going
TO sell us out.
And so it was. Susie wept, and Dan
grieved, but neither of them knew
what to say when Harold Updike
bought the place. Where did he get
the money? His father, who kept the
dairy. was poor Susie supposed it
was all right, but why had he been
so quiet, so sneaking about it.
I'm going to ask him for a job"
said Dan, sullenly, 81 gave him one
and he ought to do as well by me-"
And Harold's small soul swelled
with pride when he saw Dan behind
the counter pounding away with pes
tie, or soldering among the sirups.
His eyes gloated over the new sign
Harold Updike, Pharmacist" which
cleaned above the entrance. He
bought a "stepper" and got sporty"
Sometimes he even cursed his clerk.
He borrowed money from Tom Kelly,
who kept the saloon, and the business
went on. For while it seemed that
the place was a small mint, but at last
the statesmen quit coming. Duns be-
came frequent, the bank grew
"grouchy" and, finally, a small, fat
man in brown suit, came up again
from Hot Springs, Ito take charge"
Il don't see how it failed" growled
Hal as he and Dan sat in the disor-
dered store at midnight after the in
ventory was made and the dreary
work was done.
Il don't see how it failed when l
owned it," said Dan.
They were quite silent for minute.
What are you going to do, Up
dike?"
"N nat are you going to do?"
"Oh, I'm going to buy the store back
again" said Dan, laughing.
You? Where did you get the
money!"
"Susie's dad, Hal" answered After
bury, we're going to be married"
There was tap at the window and
q merry voice called, Are you there
yet, Danny" But Updile laid his
hand on Dams arm as he started for
the door and said, Will you give me
back my old job, DAM"
"N-no, Updike. Not this time. l
think I'll run it myself"
And afterward, as he walked home
with Susie and her father, he said,
"Well, my conscience is easy, anyway.
Turn about is fair play. John H. Raj
terry in the Chicago Record-Herald.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

Judge and Mrs. G. L. Mitchell, of
Eureka, are able to boast of rather
novel record. They have been married
forty-three years, and during all that
time there has never been a death or
birth in the family, and Mrs. Mitchell
says that only twice in her married
life did she have to get up in the night
to hunt collie medicine for her hus,
hapd.--Kansas City Journal,
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

"Talk about hard bills to collect"
exclaimed the fashionable florist. 81
know the limit The banner for i'm
possibility is borne off by the bill for
blossoms run up by the young man
whose engagement has been broken
off. f."-Philadelphi Record.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

Although 1875 years old, a watch
owned by a man in Worcestershire,
England, still keeps excellent time.
1t was worn at Trafalgar. during the
Peninsular war, at Waterloo, through
the China war in 1910, and finally in
the Indian Mutiny.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09
Giving Her a Bad Name.

Mae-I got even with Bessie for
snubbing me.
Ethel-What did you do?
Mae-I told that young man
who calls on her that she used to be
the best debater in her class at
school.-New York Sun.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

One of the most singular cures for
deafness ever recorded is quoted by
the Independent Beige, from the Dutch
papers An old man of 70, living at
Krommeme, who had been deaf for 20
years, got involved in dispute with
some neighbors and became literally
transported with rage. In his semi
demented state he suddenly recovered
his hearing, which he has retained
ever since.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

The stick insect of Borneo, the larg-
est insect known, is sometimes 13
inches long. 1t is wingless, but some
species of stick insects have beautiful
colored wings that fold like fans.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09
QUAINT AND CURIOUS.

If great cold should condense the
earth's atmosphere to liquid air it
would make sea which would cover
the earth 35 feet deep.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

Very over a Doctors bill has
given many man nervous prostra-
ton.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

In remarkable surgical operation,
DR.. Nicholas Sem of Chicago has sue
ceeded in making a new knuckle for
the thumb of Mrs. Thomas M. Hunter,
wife of Alderman Hunter. Two years
ago Mrs. Hunter caught splinter Of
wood under her thumb nail. Inflam-
nation set in recently and resulted
in blood poisoning. DR.. Sem removed
the knuckle and formed a new one
Of strips of bone.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

The director of the Orphanage at
Temesvar, in Hungary, has arranged
to hold an "infant market" once a
month, at which all the children at the
Orphanage will be on view, and at
which persons desirous of adopting
one or more can inspect them and take
their choice. The first of these mar
kets passed off very successfully.
Thirty children were on view-boys
and girls between the ages of one
and 10 years. Nineteen of them were
adopted-five boys and IA girls. Most
Of them were adopted by fairly we'll
to-do people, and one foster-mother
went straight to a lawyers office and
made her newly-adopted child heiress
to her. fortune of 100000.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

Human skulls are strange article
of commerce. Yet such is the demand
which has arisen among curiosity deal
ers in Europe for the skulls of New
Guinea native ancestors, which have
ornamented the poles of native dwell
ings in New Guinea, that the Austral-
ian government has inhibited the
trade. Large prices were offered the
natives for the strange relics, and it
was feared that the temptation was
becoming so strong that as the supply
Of genuine ancestors ran low illegal
methods of procuring spurious ones
would be adopted.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-02-09

Few persons are aware that it is
possible to tell time by the eye of a
cat. This is done by close study of
the feline pupil, which contracts and
expands with great regularity each
day. Thus, at noon, the pupil of a
cats eye is contracted into a mere
slit, a mere horizontal line, and at
midnight it is at its largest point of
expansion, being then as big and round
as grape. With little study OF the
feline optic any one can easily come
within a quarter or half-hour Of the
time by reference to cat clock.
The Tupelo journal., 1903-02-06
STEELEvILLE BANK MONEY.
crcted In the lodgings of Jerry
Rfchtmyer, In st. Louis.

St. Louis, Jan. 31.-Concealed be-
tween the ceiling of the first floor and
the flooring of the second, the police
Friday night found about four hum
dred dollars of the money stolen from
the bank at Steelville, Ill.
Jerry Richtmyer, the mar held on
suspicion of the theft, was transferred
from the third to the central district.
After a thorough sweating, he admit
ted that he had hidden some of the
money stolen FROM the bank.
Il did not know it was stolen" said
Richtmyer. "The money was given to
me and l was told to 'stash' it. l did
SO. If the money was stolen, l know
nothing about it,"
Assistant Chief of Detectives Kelly
and William A.. Pinkerton, the head
of the detective agency of that name,
put the man in the "sweat box" as
o as he was taken to the Four
Courts.
Richtmyer for some time denied ev-
cry accusation. His bride of a day
was also placed in the sweat box and
questioned by Chief Keely. She weak
ened sufficiently to admit that the
money Richtmyer had taken from the
Bartells home had been hidden in the
house at 1911 Pine street.
The Tupelo journal., 1903-02-06
ENCOUNTER WITH LADRONES.
Eight of Them and One Constable
Killed In an Encounter at
OrmOc, West Leyte.

Manila, Jan. 31.-Eight ladrones
and me constable were killed in an
encounter at Ormoc, West Leyte,
province, on Tuesday. The fight was
a hard one, but the constabulary ulti-
mately won by a daring charge. One
hundred and fifty ladrones surren-
dered at Ormoc the following day.
The district had been d~isorderly and
it is believed that the surrender of
these men will lead to its p~acification.
The bodies of the three American
volunteers, including Mr.. Osborne, a
teacher, who were killed at Bolinac,
province of Zambales, in a fight with
ladrones, have been recovered. Ma
langa, a noted bandit, who was among
the enemy's dead, directed the fight.
The Americans charged and killed him
before they were surrounded and
killed.
The Tupelo journal., 1903-02-06
.D0INGS OF WEEK
What Has Happened Throughout
the Civilized World.
A WEEKS NEWS CONDENSED
A Complete Review of the Happenings
of the Past Seven Days in This
and All Foreign Lands.
GIVEN IN THE PRESS DISPATCHES
FITTY-sEvENTH CONGRESS.

Senator Quay made an effort on the
9th to hold the United States senate
in continuous session to consider the
statehood bill, but failed. The day
was spent in consideration of the bill
with the exception of an hour de-
voted to a speech by Senator Scott
CIV. Va.) on the pension laws. In the
house an antitrust bill, a measure
making intoxicating liquors import
eG into states subject to the latter's
jurisdiction, and the senate bill to in
crease federal judges salaries were
passed. A resolution was introduced
declaring it was the sense of the
house that the treaty with Great
Britain as to the Alaska boundary
is perfectly plain and needs 10 inter-
probation.
A sharp debate was precipitated in
the United States senate on the 2Sth
when Mr.. Kawlins called up his resolu-
ton directing the secretary of war to
furnish the senate the proceedings of
a number of courts-martial in the Phil
ippines, alleged abuses in the army be-
lily Tic SuDJtCt. Lite SlotSIoOd- olii
was further considered. In the house
the time was occupied in considering
the Indian appropriation bill.
The army appropriation bill was re-
ported to the United States senate on
the Goth. A message from the presi-
dent was read in which he asked for the
necessary power to cooperate with
Mexico and China regarding the restor-
alton of the parity of silver and gold.
In the house the Indian appropriation
bill was passed and consideration of
the post office appropriation bill was
begun. Mr.. Bristow On. W introduced
a bill increasing the salary of the pres
ident of the United States to 100000 a
year, and an antitrust measure was
reported which proposes rigid amend
ments and penalties for violators of
the Sherman law.
The Tupelo journal., 1903-02-06
POWER PLANT Crippled.
The Great Plant of the Niagara Falls
Power and Conduit Co. Tenn
porarily Out of Business.
DEPENDENT INDUSTRIES LEFT IDLE.
A Bolt of Lightning Struck n Cable
With Defective Isu1ation, Gauss
Ing II short Circuit and Blowing
Up the Big Transformer In the
Power House.

Niagara, Falls, N. Y, Jan. 31.-Fire,
which started by the explosion of
one of the big transformers in the
power house of the Niagara Falls
Power and Conduit Co., Thursday
night, destroyed thousands of dollars
worth of valuable machinery and
doubtless will mean great loss to
most of the big factories here, some
OF which must remain idle for weeks.
The officers in the company were
not prepared to give an estimate of
the damage, but they admitted that
badly cripple the many plants de-
pending upon Niagara Falls power,
not only in this city but in Buffalo,
Lockport and Tonawanda.
AS soon as possible, the work of re-
placing the damaged cables was be-
gun and temporary arrangements
were made with the Niagara Falls
Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing
Co., whereby power was secured for
operating the local and Buffalo troll
ley line. Twenty of the SIS factories
at Lockport, n. Y, are shut down ow-
ing to the accident. The newspaper
plants and smaller factories are idle
and the street car service is at a
standstill except one line.
The fire was caused by a bolt of
lightning which struck a cable with
defective insulation, causing a short
circuit which blew up a transformer
in the power house.