davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
An Air Tight Fit.

Mrs. Jennings and her city cousin
were exchanging news of their old
school friends. "IIow about Lucy
Morse?" asked the cousin. HAS she
kept on growing fatter and fatter?"
''Well, all I'll say is this" said Mrs.
Jennings: annie Fall told me last
year that when Lucy sent home from
Nashua, where she was nursing her
uncle, to have a silk waist made, Annie
realized she hadn't got any measures,
and then she remembered that the last
time Lucy was there she stood up by
the big air tight stove, and Annie re-
marked - to herself - the resemblance
between 'eIn. And she took the meas
ure of that air tight and cut in n mite
for the waist line-'bout as much as u
knife marks warm molaSSeS candy
and made the waist accordingly. sent
it on, and Lucy wrote back it was an
elegant fit."-Youth's Companion.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
A COMMON CUSTOM.
Mans Hnbit of Running His Fingers
Through His Hair.

"Why does q man always run his
hand through his hair when he takes
his hat OFF, asked an observant man.
"Did you ever notice that man viii in
variably do this very thing? Is it just
a nervous habit? Is it vanity? 1t is
an old habit. 1 have never known a
man who did not indulge this habit.
Even men who have no hair to run
their fingers through, men whose
heads are as bald as billiard balls, will
brush their hands over their heads
when they lift their hats. If the men
simply wanted to smooth their tousled
hair of course this would afford ample
explanation of the habit. But why
should n man who has no hair on his
head do the same thing? It is not a
sufficient answer to say that such n
man may have had Il full suit of hair
Mt one time and that it is simply n
matter OF habit contracted under diff
ferent conditions. AS Il rule, men are
unconscious of the fact. They do not
know why, how or when they run their
hands over their heads. But they all
do it just the same. Go into Il court
room or at any place where men con
them to remove their hats and watch
them. You will observe that every
man will go through the same perform
ance. 1t seems to be n perfectly natu-
raj thing for them to do. My own con-
ClusiOn is that ii is an evidence Of van
fly A man wants his hair to be just
so. Originally probably it was simply
n matter of tidiness. But it has grown
into an act of vanity. The lawyer, for
instance. if he has enough hair for the
purpose will want his head to have Il
tousled appearance. 1t gives him
studious appearance and leaves the i'm
preston that he has been struggling
with the books. Whatever the reason,
the habit is a curious one and one
which seems to be deep rooted in the
masculine nature" - New Orleans
Times-Democrat.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
Confederate Flags.

In March, 1861, the Confederate con-
gress adopted as the national emblem
the "stars and bars" 1t was made up
Of three horizontal bars of red, white
and red, with Il blue union in the upper
left hand corner, on which were dis
played thirteen white stars in n circle,
thus giving the historic red, white and
blue, which tricolor appeared in all
the succeeding changes.
The resemblance of this to the stars
and stripes led to confusion, mistakes
and loss of life at the battle OF Ma
nassas, and shortly after that action an
other flag was born to the Confederacy,
in September, 1861.
The battle flag was then adopted.
This. in the language of heraldry, was
a red field charged with a blue saltier,
with a narrow border of white, on
which were displayed thirteen white
staTs-in other words, a blue st. An
drew's cross on n red ground. This
was easily distinguishable and was
never changed.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
The spectroscope.

Originally the spectroscope was ap-
piled only to chemistry and in that
limited field proved itself an invaluable
aid in accurate analysis. BY holding in
bunsen flame platinum wire mois-
tened by contact with the skin the
presence of few grains of salt swal-
lowed n few minutes previously can be
detected with the spectroscope. In
decd, so wonderfully refined is the
work Of the spectroscopic chemist that
he can discover in n substance the
presence of one three-millionth of u
grain of metal.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
THE AMERICAN LAUGH.
1t Is a Valuable Aid In Building Up
Our National Greatness.


Our National Greatness.
Gods greatest gift to man was the
laugh. without it the human race
would have wept itself to death or ex-
terminated itself long ago. Pathos is
beautiful; tragedy is absorbing. But
both pathos and tragedy are instantly
routed by the laugh.
Laughter has sunshine in 1t. 1t is
warm. Learned men have searched
for the secret of life. What is it but
good humor? That's the secret of life
being worth living.
What sunshine is to earth good hui
NOR is to man. Take the smile and
the laugh away, and it would be the
end of man.
Men can't fight while they enjoy a
joke. Death himself recOils from the
laugh. The man in n good humor has
an enormous advantage over the man
who is angry. Anger is dark. Bitter
ness is filed with shadow. Intoler-
ance is grim and black. Prejudice is
blind.
Good humor, with the smile and the
laugh, is sunshine in which objects are
plain and distortion disappears and
wherein phantoms become nothing.
One reason for Americas greatness is
that, above all, it is n nation that
laughs. There have been gay peoples
and frivolous nations, but gayety and
frivolity are strangely akin to melan-
choly. That gay Germany whose ma
tional happiness is expressed in song
is clouded by melancholy. Sadness
pervades the temperament of Germa-
mia.
And frivolous France-how tragic
she becomes-how desperately tragic!
The great American laugh is another
thing. Investigate the American ma
tional laugh, and there's a sound, prac-
teal something behind it. 1t is never n
forced laugh. 1t is healthy, vigorous.
spontaneous.
Empires and powers have crumbled
and gone to pieces in solemn serious
ness and gloomy grandeur, while Uncle
Sam. with joke on his lips, FORCES
ahead.-Denver Post.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
Wall street md Clothes.

The best dressed men in New York
are the Wall streetcrs. There is one
young member of the Stock Exchange
who is famous for his clothes. He has
a wardrobe in his private office and
changes his suit three times a day-at
10. at noon and at o'clock. 4 busy
session on the floor will wreck any suit
Most of the brokers wear an old office
coat in the shuttle and turmoil, and
there is scarcely an active member but
has an extra pair of trousers to put on
after the close of business. Scores of
little tailors in the financial district
make a good living pressing trousers
at 80 cents pair.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
THE TREATING HABIT.
1t Costs It's Victims Many a Dollar
and Many a Pang.


Is it not 4 fact that men really spend
in treating amounts that they would
hesitate to give away no matter how
deserving the charity? 1t is a trait of
human character that comes through
this all absorbing disposition to "hoid
your end up" when with friend. Hun
dreds of men take thousands of drinks
that they do not want, and other hun
dreds pay for thousands that are not
desired
Two men meet, and one says: "AIighty.
glad to see you. Let's have something"
Neither generally needs or even wants
81 drink. But the man who offers it
wants to show that he is generous. He
takes this method of proving that he is
glad to meet his friend. The friend
after he has taken the drink that he
did not want, to prove that he, too, is
good fellow, insists upon a second
round.
The German custom Of entering sa-
loon, taking n drink and paying for it
and for no others if adopted in Amer
lea would prove a blessing. The Amer
lean custom of treating is decidedly 4
curse. What we do for friendships
sake costs us many dollar and many
apang.-Springfield Union.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
HnndeInunC Child.

George Frederick Handel, the son of
a Saxon barber and valet, was only
FIVE years old when his fingers wooed
divine melodies" from the spinet,
which a good natured aunt had SNUG
gled for him into an attic, so that no
sound of it might reach the ears of his
father. At eight his playing so aston
ished the elector of SaXony that his
father was compelled to withdraw his
opposition and allow the genius of the
boy to have fair play. And before he
had reached his twelfth birthday
young Handel was known throughout
Germany as a brilliant composer and
virtuoso at the court of the emperor.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
When Boys Wore Wigs.

A century and half ago wig wear
ing was at its height, and little boys
four or five years of age submitted to
having their heads shaved preparatory
to donning their false headdresses. A
Leyden representatives by name
shocked all churches by declaring that
a Christian must necessarily wear a
wig or be eternally lost. On the other
hand, Dr. Theirs, a celebrated Cath
Ole, assailed the wig wearing priests In
q good sized volume.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
CrankSR

Judge-Let us get this thing right.
You say this man whom we are exam
lining is not insane and yet he is not in
his right mind. How is that?
Witness-Lots of people, your hon.
or, who are not insane are wrong mind
ed about rything.-Chicago Tribune.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
A. Ath tn nIennnrr

Slopay-And, doctor, if you will, I
wish you would give me something to
help my memory. 1 forget so easily.
Doctor-Very well. I'll send you a
bill every month.-Baltimore Ameri-
can.
Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-08-27
A ROYAL ART STUDENT,
The Sultan Of Morocco Beca me Yer,
TPactable PupiI.

The Sultan Of Morocco Became Very
TPactable Pupil.
Mulai-Abd-el-Azlz, Sultan of Moroc,
co, who often In the last year has
drawn the eyes Of the world to his
monarchy In northern Africa, has
learned that some things Europ an are
better than some things Moorish, and
has set out to acquire them. Among
other things, he learned that Euro
peans paint, and he sent for an artist
to teach his royal hand the art. The
artist was Arthur Schneider, who tells
the Century Magazine his experience
with his lordly pupil.
At the first audience with the Sui
tan he showed some Of his sketches.
Draw me a man." said the Sultan.
Mr.. Schneider drew a charcoal sketch
Of an American Indian. The Sultan
took paper and pencil, which he had
never used before, and made fair
copy. The artist compl!men.e ed him.
mo, no." he replied; "but by and by,
God willing, shall be able to do as
you do. Now am only beginner. :"
Rather modest spirit for a lord Of
the earth.
The next day the Sultan showed the
drawing Of the Indian besmudged and
streaked. why has thy friend gone?'
1T was done In charcoal and should
have been fixed -
"The same charcoal we burn In the
flre-pot"
Very like It,"
"Wondrous! Canst make a likeness
OF one standing by theef
YES, my lord" So Mr.. Schneider
drew the Moorish doctor, sprayed the
drawing with "fxatif" and passed 1t
10 the throne, where the royal fingers
streaked 1t through but did not re-
move the charcoal.
Wonderful" said Mulal-ALd-e,-
Aziz.
The Sultan soon learned to draw
fairly well. Some OF his drawings are
reproduced in the magazine with Mr..
Schneider's article.
Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-08-27

are something more than roysg they
are also national But since the rev.
olution social and economic cen III ms
have not favored In France the laying
out OF new and elaborate gardens
Such gardens are q luxury, TO be en-.
toyed only by the very rich, and
French wealth tends to be distributed
rather than concentrated. Moreover
French people. while they love the
country and aeiiSs, IN aowess, a;e
50 social that the characta arlStlc exrres
slons OF their modern life are urban
They have made Paris something both
OF a garden ana park, but lndividra,
Frenehmen have not ndulged In elab-
crate formal gardens for their psrson.
al pleasure.
In England other conditions have
prevailed, Ever since Tudor time there
have been resident on the soil an ener-
getlc aud eflclent aristocracy ami
landed gentry who were to greater
or less extent the real leaders OF the
country They have for the most part
been prosperous and progressive. liv-
ing on their estates ard adapting her
social habits to country life. Conse.
Quently throughout the whole OF the
time old gardens have been altered
aud new ones built; new ideas aud in>
huenecs have been constantly creeping
IN; and at the same time the conserva,
tive habits OF England, the continuity
OF its life and the comparative absence
Of revolutionary and military disturb.
ance have all contributed TO the main
tenance almost unimpaIred Of their
magnificent heritage of gardens, There
is no parallel I'm England to the partial
decay and ruin of the great italian ami
French gardens. Englishmen either
maintain or improve, or they destroy.
1t Is true that their improvements are
more destructive than the negligence
of Italians, but II Is at least the evil
dence Of fresh and living interest.
Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-08-27
HIS FIRST SUCCESS
Famous PortrAtt Painter Tells Of an
''kccs Houa,b

Famous PortrIit Painter Tells Of an
''kcce Homo"
The first success of an artist Is al
ways interesting, G. r. A. Healy. tn,
portrait painter, tells OF his In hi:
"Reminiscences A Miss Stuart, whC
had taken some interest In him. had
lent him a print OF Guido Reni's "Ecct
Homo" He copied this ON a canvas
and then colored II as best he could
without any help except as the study
OF his own face afforded for the flesh
tints.
Such as 1t was, says Mr.. Healy,
carried the picture to a good-natured
bookseller. who consented to put 1t In
his shop window. l own that | often
found an excuse for passing along that
street, so as to give rapid glance at
my work.
A Catholic priest from the country
happened to pass that way, and
stopped to look at the picture. After
hesitating. he went In and asked
whether the picture was for sale My
friend the bookseller must have had a
twinkle In his eye as he answered that
doubtless the artist would consent to
part with his work for consideration.
Il am not rich." said the priest. "All
l could scrape together would be ten
dollars"
Il will speak to the artist and give
you an answer tomorrow" And on
the morrow the priest carried away the
"Ecce Homo" and the "artlst" pocket
ed the ten dollars. / do not know
which was the happier of the two; but
l rather fancy 1t wast boy painter.
Some thirty years later, as stood
talking with some friends at the Cap
itol in Washington, saw an old man
wearing a Roman collar. On hearing
my name pronounced by one of my
friends, he came up to me and said:
Are you Mr.. Healy, the palnterr"
bowed, and he continued. with smile:
Il believe that am the possessor of
one Of your earliest works, II not the
earliest. Do you remember an Ecce
Homo which you had placed in the
window OF Boston bookseller? A
country priest offered ten dollars for
it. l am the priest, and your picture
still hangs in my little church. have
always felt that had something to do
with your success in life"
shook my first patron heartily by
the hand. and told him what Joy his
ten dollars had given me.
Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-08-27
1.-TWO KITTIES."
Some Queer Errors Made by Children
in Titles of Books.

Some Queer Errors Made by Children
in Titles of Books.
The children who make use Of public
libraries usually know quite as well as
their elders what they want, although
they make occasional mistakes in ask
ing for it.
A very natural confusion OF a mod
ern with an earlier classic was in the
mind of that small boy, for instance,
who recently demanded "GolliwOg's
Travels" and the librarian, who finally
induced him to accept Gulliver's in
stead, was excusable for being momen-
tarily puzzled.
Nor was the little girl Immediately
served and satisfied who requested a
book by Hannah Sanderson, of which
she could not remember the title. She
knew 1t was in the library, because
Mamie Johnson had had 1t, and it
was lovely"
1t was quite useless to inform her
that no such book appeared In the cata-
logue; she merely thought the attend
ant very stupid, and proceeded, by way
of enlightening her, to describe the
contents. When she mentioned that
one story was about a frog princess,
the official mind was suddenly illum-
ined, and she received the fairy tales
Of Hans Andersen-which was what
she wanted.
An incident which, as the narrator
truly says, would have delighted Dick
ems himself, occurred at the Jackson
Square branch Of the New York Public
Library not long ago, when a little girl
needless to say very little girl
artlessly inquired for "a Tale Of Two
Kitties, by Charles Dickens" She was
not of an age for novels, nor for thrill
ing incidents of the French Revolution:
the librarian saw her error, kindly ex-
planned that G in "Cities" sounded like
8, and offered her book Of pussy-cat
stories suitable to her years.
She was quite satisfied to accept it.
1t was not Dickens she wanted, It was
"htties."
Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-08-27
G O O D
Short Stories
.&&%A%%%&&%%&+AA&aLa%%%%A%%

A certain weekly wakes up its de
iinQ0ent subscribers in this lively fash
ion; 1T Is said that man who
squeezes a dollar never sQueeEes his
wife. A glance at our subscription
book leads us to believe that many
women In this section are not having
their ribs cracked, Come In and settle
and show that alrs right at home"
Not long ago a certain door company
received an order for a carload of
doors from an embryo Texas town.
The order was filled and the doors
ready for shipment when telegram
was received canceling the order. and
announcing that letter OF explanation
would follow. The letter arrived. and
was found to be brief and much to the
point, II read: Cancel order for car
load Of doors. The town has suddenly
gone prohibition. and so many doors
could not be used In twenty years"
Recently an American travelling In
Russia. who had neglected TO provide
himself with a passport. when he ar
rived at the borders Of the Cars do
mains. was held up by an official with
a demand for his passport. For an In
stant the American was stumped, but.
so the story goes. he quickly rose to
the emergency. Diving into his inside
pocket, he pulled out his life Insurance
policy and handed 1t to the Russian.
The latter gravely looked the paper
over, carefully scrutiniEing the impos-
ing-looking seal and the array Of sig
natures. Then, with satisfied air. he
handed back the paper, and the Amer
ican passed on.
The first Lord Ampthill once called
upon Bismarck, and, while he waited
in an ante-room before being received
by the German chancellor, out came
Count Harry Arnim, tanning himself
with his handkerchief, and looking as
IL he were about to choke. "Well," he
said, Il cannot understand how Bis
marck can bear that-smoking the
strongest Havanas in stuffy little
room. l had TO beg him to open the
window" When the Englishman en-
tered the apartment he found Bis
marck apparently gasping for breath
at the open window. What strange
tastes some people have" the chancel-
lor said; "Arnim has just been with
me, and he was so overpoweringly per-
TUNED that l could stand 1t no longer,
and had to open the window"
A suburban Philadelphia banker tells
with great satisfaction story that IL
iustrates well the almost incredible
prowess in egg-laying of his hens.
Some time ago." he says, "an egg was
left for nest egg in the place where
my hens lay. This nest egg, the other
day, hatched, and have now one lone
ly little chick, which several dozen
mothers care for. Here Is the expla-
nation Of this miracle: My hens are
such steady layers that one would no
sooner get off the nest egg, having
deposited fresh egg beside it. than
another would slip on, and in her turn
lay. Thus by dozens Of different moth
ers the solitary egg was hatched.
Though no one hen sat or 'clooked'
On it, nevertheless 1t was kept always
warm, and in due time there stepped
forth from it a lonely but vigorous
.hick."
Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-08-27
ENGLISH PLEASURE GARDENS,
Magnificent Heritage Maintained Ad.
mirably Since the Tudor Period.

Magnificent Heritage Maintained Ad.
mirabIy Since the Tudor Period.
English gardens are distinguished
from those of continental Europe, be-
cause they have had continuous ex-
istence and history since the Tudor ne.
riod. italian gardens were at their
best late in the sixteenth century and
early in the seventeenth century, says
the Architectural Record; but there
after they declined just as all Italian
art declined. During the eighteenth
century the local and cardinal princes
maintained them; but they did not
build new ones; and during the nine
teenth century they have scarcely been
kept In repair.
The French garden reached It's con-
summate expression in Versa lies late
in the seventeenth century. The crown
so completely overshadowed French
life at that time and during the eigh-
teenth century that the loyal gardens
Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-08-27
EkMSSCienCe
IN 9ss, MO
a asssIlVentiOn

In the caves OF La Mouthe and Fon,
de CANINE In France have been discov-
cred some remarkable engravings and
rough paintings on the rock. mada IN
prehistoric times, and representing an
imals long since extinct Among these
the mammoth figures conspicuously.
There are also striking pictures Of the
reindeer. which is known to have once
been an inhabitant Of Western Eu-
rope.
Meteorological instruments Of gigan-
tic size have been designed by NJ
Jansen for the summit of Mont Blanc
and are to be read by telescope from
Chamonix. at the foot OF the mountain.
The barometer is to have huge dial
with hands moved by platinum fioat
on the mercury, The thermometer will
contain several quarts OF alcohol. and
win have degree marks an inch or
more apart. The force and direction
Of the wind viii be estimated from
TIE detection Of an Iron bah, allel
With mercury and suspended from a
post.
Arizona engineers regard the Grand
Canyon Of the Colorado as affording
one of the greatest fields In existence
for the development of electricity from
water power. In addition to the i'm
mense power OF the Colorado itself,
large stores Of energy are available in
the smaller streams that leap into the
vast chasm. The plan by which the
power OF the main stream viii, 1t is
now thought eventually be utilized is
that Of picking up" the fall Of the
river by means Of tunnels. At a point
about seventy miles north of williaml
it Is said that fall Of 5000 feet Gag
be found in a distance but little e1
ceeding a mile.
The Department Of Agriculture is al
present investigating the curious be
havior Of certain plants growing Oh
ihe Western prairies which are known
as loco-weeds. LOCO" In Spanish sig
niles crazy. Cattle and other animals
feeding upon loco-weeds suffer a de.
rangement of the brain that prevents
co-ordinating movements. Several
weeds belonging to the bean family are
Included in this poisonous category.
1t has been asserted that a single
dose of some of these weeds will
cause insanity; but V. K. Chestnut. of
the Department of Agriculture, ex-
presses the belief that several days of
feeding are required to produce a bad
effect.
A cloud Is white because Its cor
puscles os vapor are large enough to
reflect all rays, large and small. But
the upper air has infinite numbers of
particles SO minute that they throw
back only the smaller-or blue-waves
II light. and not the larger red, gel
low and green waves. and thus blue is
She predominant. but not exclusive.
color of the sky. This long-accepted
theory Of Prof. Tyndalls is now ques-
toned by III. Spring. the Swiss phys
lcist. He has experimental with
luminous rays under many conditions,
getting all colors except blue, which
failed to appear. until. by the aid of
he secured a pure atmos-
phere. This was clearly tinged with
blue, leading to the conclusion that the
blue Of the sky is an essential quality
Of the air, Of chemical origin.