davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
HOMEMADE STRAW HATS.
On the Farns Many
Years Ago.

An old farmer Of the middle west,
Just turned ss, was leaning nedita-
lively over his little red gate when
q barefoeted boy, In blue jeans
clothes and big rough straw hat,
ran whooping down the lane toward
the creek, says Youths Companion.
when was boy. over Is years
ago." the old farmer said, I'VE had
to make our own straw hats. Little
boys had to do lot of work in those
days. When was ten years old Icould
put splint-bottom, in a chair, just
as well as my grandmother could
do it.
'To make our hats" he contin-
ued, 1--WE first had to plat the
straw. It was oat-straw, and we sat
out on the porch of our log cabin, by
q pail of water, SO we could wet the
straw and keep it damp; otherwise
it would break. I was left-handed
-'south-paw' they used to call me
but could plat as fast as any Of
the other boys.
"After we had plated or braided
about 80 yards, we tied it up with a
string, as you would tie up hoop
iron. Then, some rainy day, when we
couldn't work out-of-doors, my moth
err or grandmother would sit by and
watch us make the hats. Every boy
had big needle and a coarse, home
made linen thread. Sometimes, but
not always, we could borrow our
mothers big, open-ended iron thin
BILE.
"We began by making . little cir
Gle of the straw plat, sewing it
through on the wrong side with long
stitches. Then we kept on, going
round and round, shaping it rs best
we could, like q deep cup or basket,
to make the crown of the hat.
"When the crown was made, then
we had plain sailing, and our mother
didn't have to watch US. Every boys
hat was then left to his own devices.
He just sewed the braid together
slightly overlapping, round ane
round, until his hat was as big as
he wanted it. Then we called moth
CT or grandmother to show us how to
finish it off and tuck in the end of
the plat neatly.
mo two hats, of course, were just
alike. Some of them had quite a
comical expression-crooked crowns,
or brims out Of proportion. Never
theless, each boy was happy boy
when he had finished new straw
hat for himself. II the crown was
higher than usual, other boys would
ridicule him, and say: Look at the
bee-gum! look at the bee-guml A
bee-gum, perhaps you den't know,
was an old-fashioned hive for bees,
sometimes made out of twisted
straw, sometimes made of wood.
ITO make our straw hats nice,
sometimes we would wet the crown,
after the hat was made, and mold 1t
over a round block or log OF wood.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
STRANGE DwARFs OF SPAIN
Uncivilized Nomads Of the Mountains
s4 Who Have Descended from
PhOenician Slaves.

One of the strangest races of dwarfs
in the world dwells among the noun
tains of Asturias, inthe north Of Spain.
They are standing puzzle to scien-
lists, says London paper.
A Spanish physician, DR.. Rubio.
claims to have discovered that they
are descended from slaves brought to
Spain by the Phoenicians 1900 years
before the birth of Christ, to work the
mines from which the vast wealth Of
Tyre and .Sidon was drawn.
The Phoenicians had to abandon the
mines, but they left their dwarf Stoves
behind. To this day they remain
there, still wandering about the noun
tains where they were planted by their
masters 1000 years ago.
They are called Vaqueros. The wom-
en- are rarely taller than four feet
and the men four feet six. They are
utterly unlike the tall, athletic race of
Spaniards among whom they dwell.
The Vaqueros are unciyilized no.
MAIDS who never settle down in any
permanent abode or till the soil. They
move about from mountain to noun
tain, pasturing their focks and herds
as their ancestors did thousands of
years ago. The Spaniards despise
them as barbarians, and they hate the
Spaniards SO bitterly that they will
not even speak to them. They have
only recently been Christianized-
As they have never mingled or inter-
married with their neighbors, the
racial peculiarities otthe Vaqueros are
as strongly marked as they were in
Phoenician days. The race is dying
out, owing to intermarriage between
a few families for many centuries.
Most of the Vaquercs left to-day are
idiots or degenerates.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
DAYS AND NIGHTS.

il days were only twice as long,
'Twould be splendid thing!
Cause, don't you know, fore you're quits
dressed
The breakfast bell will ring;
And then It's time to go to school,
And then run home at noon,
And back to school; and four O'Clock
Most always comes too soon:
And then you just begin to play,
And then it's time for tea;
And then, In such a little while,
Your bedtime comes. you see.
II nights were only twice as long,
Fwould be splendid thing!
Cause, don't YOU know, when you're tucked
up,
Sometimes your .mother'll sing;
And first you lie and watch the stars,
Or maybe there's moon,
And then you get all nice and warm.
And sleepy pretty soon;
And then. perhaps, you shut your eyes,
And then your motherll say:
~Havs a little boy who means
To lie in bed all day?'
Boston Budget.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

surroundings and made herself al
home in one corner of the shop. Itwas
a cold, clustering afternoon, and the
workman who had charge of closing
the shop didn't have the heart to put
the cat out into the Storm when he
weht home. Since then 'Tabby" has
| lived at fire headquarters, and is con-
sidered an attache of the department.
"Tabby" has no long pedigree, and
has never. won blue ribbons in cat
shows, but for intelligence firemen are
willing to wager their months pay that
there is no cat.show feline who de-
serves higher marks. She knows every
man attached to headquarters, and al
most every superior officer in the de-
partment. Ike firemen and horses, she
has learned to count the alarm bells
which ring in the station, and is said
by fremen to know the boxes to which
tower wagon No. 2 responds. Lieut..
Porter has charge, and she looks upon
him as her master. SEe will obey
commands from him, but has been
known to ignore firemen in his squad.
The Oliver street blaze was the great
est that s'Tabby' ever witnessed, and
the distance was the longest she ever
travelled on a fire wagon, but it was by
no means the first fire she had been
to. Firemen tell stories of the cat
following the tower for blocks year
ago, not daring to mount the drivers
seat for fear of being driven back I'd
the station, and having remained IN
der the tower until the fire was out.
During the past few months she has
been to number of fires and ridden
beside the driver.
The other evening the excitement
was so intense in fire circles that
''Tabby" almost lost her head. It was
the night when seven bell alarms were
sounded inside of two hours and fire.
men were kept on the jump. The con-
slant ringing of bells caused "Tabby"
to run back and forth in the station
and cry to go out.
When the bell came for the tower
company to start, ."Tabby" made a leap
to the drivers seat. She was there be-
fore the horses had left their stalls.
The driver knew that q big fire was in
progress, and that there was some dis
lance to travel. His first thought was
to tell '"Tabby" that she couldn't go.
He pushed her off the seat with a
command to remain behind. But "Tab-
by" was not to be left behind. She
seemed to realize that something out
of the ordinary was going on and want
ed to be at the scene.
just as the tower was leaving the
house "Tabby" once more leapedto the
drivers seat. This time she remained,
because the driver had his hands full
taking care of the horses. She rode to
the fire with her forepaws on the driv-
er's knee and her head between his
arms. While the tower was in use she
remained on the seat. notwithstanding
the fact that the tower was located
close to the burning building, where
the smoke was the densest and where
sparks were falling frequently. ''Tab-
by" got back to the station unframed.
She appeared to have enjoyed herself
So much that in the future she will not
be molested when she expresses de-
sire to accompany tho tower to fire.
Globe.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
CAUSE OF cLouDsURsrs.
Weather Man Says Fssest Fires In
One Section May PrnAuce Hard
Rain in Another.

Following the recent Hoods which
cost so many lives and resulted in such
an enormous loss to property in Kan
sas and South Carolina, scientific
statement as to the probable cause OF
such conditions and which make such
floods possible is not untimely. Sec
ton Director J. w. Bauer, Of the Co
lumbia weather bureau, formerly OF
the New York and Of the Mount Wash
ington stations, in an interview said
the great forest fires which have ragged
throughout New York and New Eng
land for the past few weeks are the
primary causes of the recent cloud
burst.
Meteorologists agree that before
condensation of the vapor of the at
mosphere is possible to produce even
the smallest drop of rain there must
be nucleus of dust or some foreign
matter on which the condensation
takes place; the drop then enlarges by
additional or accretional condensation
until it's weight is enough to cause it
to fall to the ground.
To produce so heavy rainfall there
must, of course, be nearly saturated
atmosphere and plentiful supply OF
dust particles to furnish the nuclei.
For the past three or four weeks
there have been extensive forest fires
throughout New York and New Eng
land, and as the prevailing winds dur
ing this time have been from the north
east much of this smoke and dust or
ashes has been drifting in this direc-
ton in a so finely divided condition
that it was not perceptible to the un-
aided eve. It will also be recalled that
during one week, ending May 26, the
winds were westerly to southerly, and
that that week was particularly cloud
less, but as soon as the easterly to
northerly winds again set in the sky
was overcast nearly the whole time.
These forest fires, nearly 1000 miles
away, furnished the nuclei for the dis
aster at Pacolet, made the cloudburst
possible, in connection with the high
relative humidity of the air, the baro-
metric pressure favorable for thunder
storms, and the typographical fea-
lures Of the country where it occurred.
It is probable that somewhere with
in the drainage basin Of the two forE3
Of the Pacolet river and its smaller
tributaries, the rainfall was exceed
ingly heavy. but if it was only five
inches in so short time as the three
or four hours that the reports say the
rain lasted, it is enough to explain the
sudden rise of the river from a COM
narrow stream to a raging
expanse of water.-Columbia Is. CO.
Letter in Boston Globe.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
TRAINED FOR A CRITIC.
fore Knew Good writing
1rOul Bad.

Miss Marie Van Worst, who has beef
earning her living as q working CIR
in various occupations in order thai
she may know the actual life Of work
ing girls, contributes to Every body:
Magazine her experiences in a south
ern cotton-mill. One of her fellow
workers was girl named Bessie, who
had been at the work for ten years.
''What do you think about all day?'
I ask her.
''Why, think about books, I reckon
There amt nothing l like SO good as
reading, when I amt tired
'.Are you often tired?" This ques.
ton surprises her. She looks up at me
and smiles.
s'Why, I'm most always tired. ]
read novels for the most part. Like to
read love stories and about fo'eign
travel" -
"What would you be if you could
choose?" Iventure to ask. She has no
hesitation in answering: I'D love to
be trained nurse" Then, turn about
being fair play in her mind, she asks:
''What would you-all be?" And
ashamed not to repay her truthful
ness. frankly respond. I'D like to
write book"
81 declared" She stares at me.
"Why, you-all is ambitious! Did you
ever write anything?" She is inter
ested and kindles, and leans forward.
"Look a-here! Got any Of your scrap
pings or writing here? If you don't
mind anybody's messing with your
things, bring you scrappings to me,
and I'll soon tell you II you can write
q book or not" she whispers to me,
encouragingly, confidentially.
1 thank her and say: ''Do you think
you would know" ri
"Wen. guess would, she says, con-
fdently. 81 amt read all my life since
I was eight years old not to know good
writing from bad.".
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
To Make . square kite.

One of the easiest to make, perhaps,
Il the square kite. The frame is con-
posed Of split bamboo, and should be
covered with tightly stretched Scotch
cambria. Although called square"
yet 1t 10 not exactly so, it being about
eae-hsf longer thaA it is broad. The
frame should be bent backward, both
a tho top and bottom. This is to
make the kite bulge outward . posi-
ton which should DO maintained BY
means Of twine stretched from the
cerners, both above and below. The
bxeestband should 30 attached in the
usual manner, and the completed kite
should have two tails instead Of one,
ono at each lower corner.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

It's tho people who
doubt and become cured
while they doubt who
praise D0on'S Pills thu
highest.
Aching backs are eased.
Hip, back, and loin pains
overcome. Swelling OF the
limbs and dropsy signs
vanish.
Taey correct urine with
brick dust sediment, high
colo7ed, pain in passing,
dribbling, frequency, bed
wetting. Deans Kidney Pills
remove calculi and gravel.
Relieve heart palpitation,
sleeplessness, headache,
nervousness. dizziness.
TAYLoRsvI1LE, MISS. III
tried everything for q weak
back and got no relief until /
used Doan'S Pills. =
], n, LEWla.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
Ga.eline Motors On sahara.

Gasoline motors are carrying the
mails and supplies between different
GASES in the Sahara as matter of ex'
pertinent, thus usurping the place of
the s'ship of the desert" This takes
the romance out of desert travel, but
if the experiment proves successful
the prosaic motor car will aid vastly
in exploring the Sahara. A camel can
20 100 miles without renewal Of
supplies, while q gasoline motor can
no 500 miles.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
Egg Gems.

To one cupful Of fine, chopped meat
add one cupful Of fine bread crumbs,
one spoonful OF fine chopped onion,
season with pepper and salt and a
spoonful Of melted butter add enough
milk to bind together; have large gem
pans well creased. and nearly fill with
the mixture; break an egg carefully
on the top of each c e, dust with salt
and bake eight minutes.-Good Ltera
turA.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
WORLDS WAX SUPPLY.
~ Most of Us Have Alvvavs
Been Taught.

Bees are by no means tie only pro-
ducers of animal wax, although prob
ably SO persons out Of 100 would say
SO if asked.
The very biggest animal in the world
Is one OF the most important wax pro-
ducers, and fine wax it is. It is sperm
aceti, and it is obtained from the head
of the sperm whale.
When sperm whale has been killed
and is brought alongside, the first
thing that the whalcmen do after the
chains are passed around the fukes to
hold the big creature alongside of the
whaling ship, is to cut the head from
the body.
This head alone often weighs several
tons, and it is no light job to raise it
from the water. Immense tackles are
used, and as the whalers, who stand
on the whale and on stagings rugged
over it, cut through the vertebrae with
their keen cutting-out spades other
men on the deck of the ship heave and
haul on the tackle until the mighty
head is clear of the body.
Often head like that will be so big
that while part of it is still in the
water the tip of the mouth will be
high in the air, as high as the spars Of
the whaleship.
Then the whalers begin to cut into
the head until they open what is known
by them as the cease" This contains
the spermaceti. It is beautiful, clear,
whitish fluid, and it is dipped out with
buckets and put into special casks. It
is stored away in the hold in separate
place from the whale oil, and it brings
good price at all times, for the de-
mand for spermaceti is unceasing.
The Chinese obtain great deal Of
extremely fine wax from small in
sect called pela It lives on trees, and
the Chinese cultivate the pela just as
other races breed the honey bee. The
pela. however, produces nothing ex-
cept wax.
This insect produces small masses
OF pure white wax, and 1t is used by
the Chinese and japanese for making
candles to be burned in Buddhist tenn
pies. The wax is used also for me-
dicinal purposes.
Another wax insect lives in certain
districts Of India. It is not propagated
as the Chinese pela is, but it produces
a very valuable wax, which will be
made an article of considerable com.
mercial Importance some day.-St.
Louis Globe-Democrat.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
Pointer to Pickpoc1xets.

An unusually bold London pickpock-
ct tried to remove the valuables of =
Piccadilly ''irrsproachable" as he
sauntered to his club the other morn
ing. The .'irreproachable,' so tho
story goes, seized the thief by the
wrist. gazed at his filthy paw, and
flung it from him with disgust, saying:
For goodness sake, my good man,
wash your hands before you put then
in gentleman's pocket
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
TRICK WITH MATCHES.
II seems Rather Dimcult Propo
sltiOn, But It, II In Reality,
. Very Easy One.

Lay match on the table, and SO ar.
range IA other matches on it that you
Gan lift the whole system by holding
one end of the first match. That
seems, rather q difficult proposition,
doesn't it? So your friends at party
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
wanted Pay IN A&v..ce.

II hope" said the lobbyist, that
you win lend your support to this
measure"
''Lend?" said the senator. whats
the matter? Amt your people pre-
pared to pay in advance Pr Catholic
Standard and Times.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
TABBY, THE FIREMAN.
Boston Cat Which Attends Fires and
Enjoys the. Excitement a.
Much m n BOY.

.Tabby" is the name of pet cat
which rode to the scene of fire on
Oliver street beside thesdriver of tower
wagon No. 2 the other night. Some
thing like six or seven years ago "Tab-
by" strolled into the repair shop on
Bristol street, near fire headquarters,
looked around, appeared to like the
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

Expectation, Of . Windfali-De.r.''
oaid the physicians vile, when can You
let me have ten deAars?" .'Well," replied
shortly, and then "Cash draft!
What draft? ''The one saw Mrs. Jenk-
ans sitting in this morning" Philadelphia
LADDER ~
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
Worth Something

The new metal, radium, is said to be
worth $4,000, 900 pound. Don't neglect
to save up your scraps Of radium.-Chi-
cago Record Herald,
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
Not Qualiaea.

Young Lawyer-Madam, you need some
one to take care of your property and pro
tect ourinterests. ~
She-Young man, I've just got married,
Yes. l know your husband. Detroit
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

Uncle Reuben says: II reckon dat most
men aim to speak de truth. but 1T de same
Of os an trust tn %a1 luck sbon
ryan EN- out."-Detroit Free Press.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

Z, Powerful Artesian Well.
! An artesian well at Grevelle. near
Paris, 255 feet in depth, supplies 7oo,-
600 gallons Of water every day.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

It's Status.-Tourist-" What /. the size
Of this place, uncle?" Colored Citizen
Dis town hab got about 1000 popularity,
sah!''-Puck
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

"Well. I never!" 4What's the mattel
my dear 2" why, cook says that tn ros
people who live in that Insignificant ht.s
house opposite came over here WINE W
were away, and were photographed ~
ing ON our veranda. The House 0ss&
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

He (eloomily)-.Do you know how mus 81
the luncheon you have ordered will cost;; -
She-"No, don't take away my appe1'e.
Town Topics.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
1;he change

@He used TO kiss me every time ~
passed through . tunnel before oII -
rage" said the little woman' "1'n
reflections. ~ IL xhs
"And does he do % now! askeo -
bosom friend. . naiIx
News. -2s
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
Her Preference.

"ShalI / administer gas before extracv
ing your TOOTH" asked the dentist. .-
"a f.Well," answered the fair patent ~. n .nv
more. I'd rather you'd give me. electf'e
i;rht ',-Chicapo Daily News
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

az Sincerity il more than match Tor ~
tlety.-Ram's Horn.
St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08

All finish of Georgia pine.
American glass, double thick.
Chimney showing above root to be
faced with red press brick.
Exterior of house painted white, sash
dark green.
Roof and end gables will have
shingles dipped in creosote stain, .
bright red color.
The stairway from kitchen leads to
cellar.
Hardware is of neat design.
All material throughout is of good
kind, and all work to be done in Q
workman-like manner.
GEO. A. ". KNIT.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1903-02-19
DR.. D. Il. Clark,
OFFICE At eMaeL'S DRUG STORE.

Rev. aud Mrs. 5. r. Howard amt
little daughter left yesterday after
noon for Waco.
Mrs. n. n. Smith Of Austin arrived
yesterday to visit friends and reia-
tlyes.
G. G. Jackson, representing the
Graham Paper Co., OF 81, Louis, was
Ia the city yesterday.
Isn't IL about time some else an
nounsed for alderman? Come on
across, gentlemen, the sooner the
better.
For Sale or Rent-Seven room
house and twenty acres OF land In
side corporation near Allen Academy.
Apply To J. d. Martin. ~
Mrs. II. Hoskins returned 10 her
home at Houston yesterday after "a
visit In Bryan, the guest Of Mrs. f..
5. Wicks.
Mrs. Withers and daughter re-
turned 20 their home nc Temple yes
terdAy, after visiting the family Of
their son aud brother, A. r.. Withers,
near town.
DR.. IL. A. Long returned from
Navasota yesterday, where be had
gone 90 establish "a branch Office Of
his firm, Drs. Horne a Long, speci-
alists, who lately settled IN Bryan.
Major aud Mrs. l.. l.. Mclnnis left
yesterday for Washington, ID. c., on
receipt OF a telegram stating that
their daughter, who is attending
school there, WAS sick and threatened
with pneumonia.
Work was begun yesterday Ia tear
ing away Of the old plasteriug, walns-
coting, etc, on the second story Of
the Mai. Smith building, which viii
be replaced with new material at
once.
The new position OF Superinteud-
ent Of Buildings aud Grounds, ere
ated by the beard of directors Of the
A. and NJ. College, has been sup
piled by the appointment thereto Of
Mr.. Sam Harlan, of Austin. Mr..
Harlan arrived at the college and
assumed his duties last Monday.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1903-02-19
Local NeseS

Rooms for RenL-See Mrs. r. i.
Wooten. %
Miss Ruby james left yesterday
for visit nc Waco.
Sam Sims, Of Peach Creek, was In
town yesterday.
Mrs. Jas. Boyett Of College Station
Is visiting Ia the city.
G.. w. Brown went 10 Stone City
on business yesterday.
Nat Brush, another Houston Post
man, was In town yesterday.
j. l.. Hensarling, Of Wellborn, was
visitor 10 the city yesterday.
Col. A. Hin, OF Wellborn, was a
visitor to the city yesterday.
J. McVey, Of Minter Springs COM
munity, was in'town yesterday.
Miss Mary Stubenrauch returned
yesterday from visit TO Navasota.
II. l.. Lewis, an attorney Of Naya-
sofa, was here on business yester-
day.