davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
DUCKS WERE DECElTFUL.
Ingenious Fraud Pr4cticed by the
Heathen Chinee.


The ingenuity of the Chinaman is
wonderful. surprising at times the be-
, lief of his European and American
brothers. A striking instance Of it, not
unmixed with guile. was brought to
light recently during the trading trans
actions of two foreigners at Boone
Road market.
This husband and wife, having decid-
ed that duck should figure on the menu
Of the day. went the round of the mar
ket in search of fat, plump, well fla
vored bird.
After awhile two were purchased
They were beautifully dressed ducks.
young. but plump. and promised to
show up we'll at the evening table,
When the domestic pair got home the
lady chanced to puncture one of the
birds with sharp knife. and it col
lapsed like toy balloon. The other.
subjected to similar treatment. follow
ed suit. Their erstwhile inflated bodies
became fat and bony and mere ghosts
Of the ducks that had been bought.
Investigation showed that thin
piece of wire had been fastened round
the birds necks and elsewhere. and
everything pointed to the conclusion
that the ducks had been blown up with
a bicycle pump.
How the ducks had been drawn and
then made to stand the strain Of the
air pump is evidently an oriental trade
secret.
When the young couple again so
shopping for ducks they will take a
skewer along with then,.-Shangha,
Times.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
HISTORY OF THE ANCHOR.
Various improvements That Have
Been Made In Its Shape.


Been Made In It's Shape.
The ships anchors in general used up
to the beginning of the last century
consisted of a long. round iron shank,
having two comparatively short,
straight arms or fukes. inclined to the
shank at an angle Of about 40 degrees
and meeting it in somewhat sharp
point at the crown. In large anchors
the bulky wooden stock was built up
of several pieces. hoped together. the
whole tapering outward to the ends,
especially on the aft. or cable side.
About the beginning of the last cen
tury1 a clerk in the Plymouth naval
yard. Pering by name. suggested GER
tain improvements. the most important
Of which was making the. arms curved
fnstead.of straight. At first sight this
simple change may seem of little value,
but consideration will show that this is
not the case. The holding power Of an
anchor depends on two principal con-
ditions-namely the extent Of useful
holding surface and the amount of
vertical penetration. The latter quail
ity is necessary on account Of the ma
ture Of ordinary sea bottoms. the sur
face layers of which are generally less
tenacious and resisting than is the
ground short distance below.
In the year 1881 chain cables began
to supersede the hempen ones, with
the result that the long shanked an
chors hitherto in vogue were no longer
necessary, and anchors with shorter
shanks and with heavier and stronger
crowns gradually calne into use. In
consequence of these changes COM
mission was appointed in the year 1885
to inquire into the holding power of an
chors. and q principal result of its la
bors was the adoption of the so called
admiralty pattern anchor. which con-
tinued to be used in the navy up to the
year 1850. The invention Of the steam
hammer in 1S42 made the Welding Of
heavy masses Of iron comparatively
easy and reliable process. so that from
this time onward the strength OF an
chorssfully kept pace with that Of the
chain cables which had come into gem
eral use.
A number Of patents for anchors
were taken out prior to the great ex-
.hibition of 1851. and. public attention
having been called to the models there
shown. in the following year a commit
tee was appointed by. the admiralty TO
report on the qualifications Of anchors
of the various kinds. Practical trials
were then Instituted, and as result
Trotman's anchor took the highest
place. Rodgers anchor being second
on the list. Some Of the tests to which
the anchors were submitted were Of
doubtful value, such. for instance, as
facility for sweeping" Nowadays.
however, at all events for deep ships
in shallow harbors, it is considered an
advantage for an anchor to offer as lit
tie obstruction as possible above the
ground.-Science Siftings.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
Dixcontent With Work.

That there is much discomfort wlsh
work among the SO called middle class
es in America is due in large part To
the pampering Of children. to the sup
plying of their natural and artlhcEi'
wants and to the sentimental idea that
their day of toll will come sooH
enough" In general. work is not !
curse. but Il blessing. a positive means
of grace One can hardly begin 10"
early to impress upon children lessons
of self help hy tasks appropriate -
their a"r aid forces and to beGet n
them Scoi.n of nllenc>s and of depen'i-
cncc on o. hers To DO this is to ma.iA
ll:r.n hap~y thro@.:-,;, tie self respect
.l:i comes w..;ii Tie lpaliZatioE .
power ana thus to approximate TennT-
sons goal Of rl.,i, Self reverence. SCI
krowlp,..o. S"!i cou,rol. century.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
A Common Weakness.

DR.. Joseph lie Conte was al author
ity. recognized by the world at large,
on the science of vision. One day he
WIS showing Il class how to detect the
blind spot in the human eye. He took
two coins and held them, one in each
hand. before him on the table.
Look at both Of these steadily said
he. and gradually move them in op-
positc directions. Presently they Will
pass beyond the range Of vision. That
is due to the blind spot. Continue the
movement. and the coins will again
emerge to view.
Then the philosopher and naturalist
had his little joke. You can expert
mcnt for yourself at home" said he.
"But if you are unsuccessful try some
other object instead Of coin. Some
people have no blind spot for money.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
4 wasp.s Wisdom.

Naturalsts have decided tho many
insects have senses which hu,.ian be-
inss lack. That Of location. shown by
the wasp. for instance. is remarkable,
One species builds its mes: in sand
bank that is only Il part of several
acres of such soil. and when it leaves
in search Of food it covers the nest
so carefully that no ordinary eye could
discover its location-that is to say. ii
is Just like all the surrounding loca-
ton. and yet the wasp flies back to il
without hesitation and finds it without
making Il mistake There is another
wasp that unerringly locates the eggs
of the mason bee under thick layer
of sun baked clay and deposits her
own eggs in the same cells that hel
young may have food when they are
hatched.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
BIRDS SING ON THE WING.
Their Notes Are More Charming
When warbled During Flight.

Their Notes Are More Charming
when warbled During Flight.
The songs Of all birds gain in beauty
when they are uttered on the wing,
They seem to be delivered with more
abandon and greater volume. The we
ter thrush's first cousin. the oven bird.
furnishes a striking example Of this.
His ordinary song consists Of repe-
tition Of tie same note. hammered out
with a constant crescendo.
Very effective it is. too. as a part Of
the general music of the forest. though
lacking individual attractiveness on
account Of the monotony Of its itera-
ton. But when the bird rises above
the treetops and descends after the
fashion Of the indigo bird to an accom-
paniment of scattered notes he takes
far higher rank as performer.
Not always. however. does he require
the exhilaration and inspiration Of an
aerial toboggan to cause him to aban-
don bis plain chant for more forid
song. I have heard him sing the latter
perched on g grapevine not two feet
above the ground. And as if to show
that he did not reserve his superior
powers for special occasions he min
gled It with his plain chant and end
ing With the song and sometimes re-
verSing this ORDER.
I love to see the oven bird on the
ground. There is such Yudicrous as
sumption of dignity on his part as he
strides about the stage. never for
moment forgetting himself so fa7 as to
hop. There is the same even. meas
ured steadiness about his movements
that there, is in his chant. It is only
when be launches himself into the ef-
fervescing song that he forgets his
staid demeanor.-Lippincott's.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
The Flax Plant.

Linen is obtained from the flax plant,
d small. delicate ;nlll!al with Il tiny
blue flower The plant is pulled by
hand in the summer. the seeds. known
in commerce rs linSeed. being removed
and the straw subjected TO various
processes to separate the fibrous part
which constitutes the linen. First it is
stepped in water and then passed
through a drying and heating process
on revolving wheels until all foreign
matter is removed. 1t is then ready for
manufacture.
Flax has been used from remote ages
as a textile fabric. especially in Egypt.
Mummy cloths are often found to be
of exceedingly fine texture. The cllief
linen producin" countries Of the present
day are Ir' and. France. Hrl@iun and
Gcrn::s:; :;;.,. !::lX iiher is round ans
ire :u!:;r. = very ..U.'a.,sss' and l> r;'
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
How SLEEP MAY BE WooeD
Movements OF the Feet VIII Quiet
the Nervous Brain.

aovements OF the Feet VIII Quiet
the Nervous Brain.
Most Of the mental devices for WOO
sng sleep have failed because they have
nearly always tried to resort to ".ocal
treatment" In other words. they have
made a homeopathic attempt to stop
thinking by thinking about something
else, q process which might also be
called elimination by substitution" !"
But all thinking. spontaneous Or fore
ed, draws more or less blood to the
brain. prevents deep inhalations and
bass the gate to the kingdom of dreams.
Arg device. on the other hand. which
viii make one take deep. long breaths
spontaneously. the invariable forerun-
sHer OF sleep, may be counted upon as
genuine remedy for insomnia. Even
deep brea thing which is forced is bet
ter than any purely mental attempt to
win sleep. but il the deep breathing
can be produced involuntarily one is
sure Of passport 10 Nodland.
After several nights OF experiment
TO this desired end the writer decided
30 apply the principle adopted by the
masseurs, who. begin their manipula-
ficas sat the point farthest from the
seat OF difficulty" which in the case
of insomnia would be the feet Lying,
cn the right side. with the knees to-
gether and considerably fexed, the
victim OF insomnia should begin to
pedal both his feet slowly up and
down. with the movement entirely in,
hle ankles. The pedaling should keep
isne with the natural rhythm Of res
piration and be continued until it is
followed by: deep and spontaneous
breathing
Several people who have tried this
remedy report that Involuntary deep
breathing invariably begins before
they have pedaled up and down a
dozen times. In. obstinate gases OF In
somnia the patient may need to keep
mp the pedaling two or three minutes
or even more, with intermissions, if
necessary. The treatment may also be
varied by moving the feet alternately
instead of simultaneously, though the
latter method has proved the more
speedily efhcacious in the cases known
10 the writer. The explanation Of the
result obtained is probably simple.
The blood is pumped from the head,
and with the removal Of brain tension
g general relaxation follows, with se-
Quena deep respiration and its result
ing Sleep Good Housekeeping.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
ENGINE TRANCE.
Sort OF Temporary Paralysis That
Sometimes Affects Track Men.

Sometimes Affects Track Men.
1.-The numerous fatal accidents report
ed in the newspapers to rail layers that
occur every year on the various rail-
road systems throughout the country
are not in every case due, as is gen.
orally supposed by the public, to neg
ligence or carelessness on the part Of
the workers themselves" said New
York physician and surgeon employed
by the New York Central railroad.
'The fact is, the bearing of these
men in time becomes affected owing
to the constant STOPPING position which
they are obliged to assume in laying
the rails, putting the bolts in. etc.. and
that renders them often oblivious to
approaching trains, notwithSta nding
the fact that they work in gangs and
have lookout men near at hand. An
other fact which is accountable in
many instances for fatal accidents to
rail layers is what is known among
the men themselves as engine trance
This / might describe more clearly as
q temporary sort Of paralysis which af
fects simultaneously both the mind
and body. The stroke lasts only
few seconds but those few seconds
mean life or death when fast train is
approaching.
"A rail layer who may be in perfect
physical condition is net proof against
the powerful fascination as he gazes
along the rails ard sees an engine
with its row of cars coming toward
him at express speed. Although he has
been warned by the lookout and the
shouts Of his fellows Of the approach
ing danger. he will pay no heed, but
stand spellbound for an instant. And
that instant's delay is generally fatal,
or, if not, it results in the amputation
Of leg.
There are few rail layers who have
not. they will tell you, experienced this
peculiar trance at one time or another
during their careers on the track. AMI
mails are also subject to engine trance
particularly dogs and cats, and that no
doubt accounts to some extent for the
large number of them as we'll as other
animals that are killed on the railroad"
New York Times.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
A snre Way OF Saving.

An ingenious method Of putting his
savings beyond his own reach has been
adopted by German writer who found
from dire experience that all his prof
its melted away as soon as earned.
Having made $4,000 by fortunate
literary speculation. he placed the
whole of the money. together with his
will. in the Imperial Deposit bank at
Berlin end on receiving the receipt
from the cashier deliberately tore ii
up. The cashier thought he was mad
and told him anSrily that it would take
fully three years before he could eX-
pect to obtain Il duplicate receipt. That
is just why | have torn up the orlSl'
nal" calmly remarked the depositor
"and now the money is safe for that
time" ."-t.oltcn Penny.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
OF LDEsT ENGLISH PAPER.

Nondon Gazette Is the Least Read.
hat P.lys 100000 Year.
The London Gazette is the oldest
and least read Of any English newspa-
per. 1t is at once the biggest and the
least OF an English papers. for it is tho
only paper in the land; which changes
Its size from one page to hundred.
according TO the pressure Of the news
1f is thesonly newspaper whose word
as law and whose authority is accepted
IN the witness. box. 1t can make and
nnmake baukrupts.
at is the: only paper in which certain
persons are compelled to advertise and
IA which certain other persons cannot
advertise for love or money. 1t yields a
proft Of 100000 a year.
Time was when the editorship Of the
Gazette was one Of the spoils Of Office.
worth $4,000 year. It was the recog-
zsized reward Of party services in the
press.
- EIdar the old regime the Gazette
had besides its editor staff OF I'VE
clerks: appointed by the treasury, but
I'm 1889 the treasury remodeled the
management of the paper, found the
staff employment elsewhere and left
fhe whole responsibility of the Gazette
ON its publishers. Messrs. Harrison &
Sons. The printing Of the paper has
been in the Harrison family since 11l3.
# Absolute secrecy as to the contents
OF any Forthcoming Gazette prevails at
81. Martins lane. and, though there are
thousand workers in Messrs. Harri-
sons Office. no item of news has ever
leaked out before its time. Every
sheet of copy is private and conhden-
siai until it appears for all the world
to see: The copy for the Gazette is
written in the government offices. Of
fen by cabinet ministers themselves.
and is invariably returned with the
nroofs. Each secretary initials his
copy. and in cases Of promotion in the
services no paragraph is accepted even
sn proof without being initiated sec
ond time.
Now and then on very rare occasions
a piece of copy is received auto
graphed By the sovereign.-Westmin-
Sfer Gazette.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
MASTER OF THE VESSEL.
A Story OF Farragut In Command
When but Twelve Years Of Age.

The story Of boy OF twelve years
acting as commander Of u ship seems
rather wonderful. yet Farragut was
but twelve years and four days old
when he was put in command Of the
Barclay. prize ship taken By Captain
Porter. In consideration Of his tender
years. says the author Of ''Twenty-six
Historic Ships" the former English
master of the vessel was sent in her
for the possible benefit the young prize
master might find in his advice. Far
ragut tells the story Of the queer di-
vision Of authority in his journal as
follows:
Il considered that the day Of trial
had arrived. for was little afraid Of
the old fellow. as every one else was.
But the time had come for me at least
to play the man. So l mustered up
courage and informed the captain that
l desired the main topsail filed away
in order that we might close up with
the Essex Junior He replied that he
would shoot any man who dared to
touch rope without his orders. he
would so his own course and had no
idea of trusting himself with a blasted
nutshell. and then he went below for
his pistols.
Il called my right hand man Of the
crew and told him of my situation. /
also Informed him that I wanted the
main topsail filed. He answered with
a clear Aye. aye, SIR in q manner that
was not to be misunderstood. and my
confidence was perfectly restored.
Prom that moment became master
Of the vessel and Immediately gave all
necessary orders for making sail. no
tifying the captain not to come on with
his pistols unless he wished to so over
board. for really would have had
very little trouble in having such an
order obeyed."
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25

fidelity. The clinched fist bespeaks
rage and revenge, the followed hand
implores alms, the hand laid upon the
heart protests. the hand upon the fore
head thinks. and the hand behind the
ear expresses difficulties.
In a word, there is scarcely senti-
ment which the nand is not capable Of
expressing. and it not only completely
supplies the place Of the mouth IN
speaking. but also. rather imperfectly,
In kissing. for when the lips cannot ap-
proach the beloved object the hand
throws kisses to her.-New Orleans
Times-Democrat.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25

BATHING At CSTEND.
Fhe Contrast Between Belgian ana
American Beach Customs.

American Beach Customs.
How differently from ourselves Eu-
rcpeans do some things is shown By
the marked contrast between the bath
ing customs and methods at the typical
American beach and those at leading
seaside resort abroad, such. for In
stance. at Ostend. Belgium. The Amer
lean way is too familiar to our readers;
to need description. At Ostend bath
ing, which is the most striking thing
about the city. is carried on in ae-
cordance with continental ideas OF. pro-
priety most shocking to the average
American. Instead of the ordinary
dressing rooms, Ostend was the first
place to use the little individual houses
on wheels. into which the intending
bather goes to disrobe and don his or
her bathing suit. The house is then
wheeled out in the water by horse
driven by man employed for that
purpose. The steps are let down from
the little hoHAa. and the bather enters
the water without having to prone
made over the sand. At the end Of the
bath the bather mounts the steps into
his little house and. calling the driver
again, has his dressing room hauled ui
high and dry on the shore, where. hav-
ing dressed at his leisure. he leaves
the key with an attendant and goes on
his way. The bathing costumes seen
at Ostend are noted for their scanti-
ness. the striking peculiarly Of which.
however. lies in the fact that the suits
worn by the women rarely. if ever.
have any skirts attached to them. ev-
erybody-men. women and children
alike-wearing tight fitting suits. the
suits furnished by most of the public
bath houses being identically the same
for both men and women.
The scene on the beach is one OF
great animation. and when the batherS
engage. as they frequently do. in
game resembling basket ball. played
with a large inflated rubber ball. the
mingling of varicolored bathing suits
and the darting hither and thither OF
the bathers at play. now on the beach
and again in the water is a sight neV-
or to be forgotten.--Leslie's Weekly.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
A Mon to KuoW.

One Of the chief joys in life is to
know men by whom you can swear, to
know a man here and there over the
world Of whom you can say: ''Wher-
ever he is tonight. there he is helpful.
truthful. sincere. wise. intelligent-an
educated gentleman; educated in every
faculty Of his being. in those things
which so to make the body thing Of
delight an6 beauty: educated in con-
science. so that even as the eye seeks
the light his conscience seeks the right:
educated fully and completely"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
A. Mere Mans Idea.

"First impressions are proverbially
dangerous guides unless one happens
to be Of the sex which always has the
gift Of making its first impressions
rhyme with the ISSUE" says recent
writer. But a woman always awaits
the issue before she con6des her real
first impressions to the outside world.
She may SAY things" which the male
outsider may mistake for her first i'm
pressions. but they are not her real
first impressions. They come only after
the event. This. however, is prodtless
digression
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
A Remarkable River In spain.

There is in Spain :; river called The
Tinto. which las very extraordinary
qualities It's waters. which are as
yellow as topaz. harden the sand and
petrify it in Il most surprising manner
If a stone falls into the river and rests
upon another they both become per-
fectly united and conglutinated in 4
year. 1t witherS all the plants on us
banks as we'll as the roots of trees
which it dyes OF the same hue as It's
waters. No fish live in its stream.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25

pable of extensive bleaching. Plain
linen has a simple weave. with the
weft threads alternately interspersing
the warp ones. When woven with q
pattern it is usually called damask.
AS a clothing material linen should
not be worn next the skin because it is
a very good conductor Of heat.
Jute and hemp are from plants which
are used in manufacturing only very
rough materials. In form they resem-
bic very course. inferior fax.-Ameri-
can Queen.