davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1903-12-20
HOW TO START FUN AT PARTY

medals of cardboard covered with silver
and gold paper, which they graveIy
pinned on the winners of the different
contests, and also many huge leather
medals with grotesque figures and faces
burned upon them for the losers
In case of a tie. both boys in the con-
test were decorated, so that by the end
OF the evening every boy had at least
one medal as a souvenir of the evening
When the games were over the boy
wearing the largest number Of gold
medals received the first prize. a gold
scarfpin in the form of a golf stick.
with pearl ball resting upon It.
A large book telling how to play all
kinds of games was a prize not 70 be
despised, and was given as consola-
tion to the possessor of the most leather
medals
The Supper
A substantial repast finished the even
ing Sandwiches of generous propor-
uons and varied filings were served
with hot chocolate with whipped cream.
Ice cream frozen I'm the form of foot
balls and lots of cake" as ordered bv
the young host, concluded the kind OF a
supper that boys are sure to like.
Lemonade and fruit punch were served
all through the evening. and dishes of
candies were placed about conveniently.
for the boys to refres5 themselves upon
while waiting their turns at the differ
ent amusements.
No new games were introduced after
refreshments. but the boys joined In
singing the ever-popular college songs
and ragtime refrains obligingly played
on the piano by one of the sisters. They
ieft singing For he's jolly good feI-
low as a compliment to their young
host; while the ringing three cheers
they gave for his mother. added TO their
boyish expressions OF enjoyment of the
evening. amply repaid the tired mother
for all her trouble
The Washington times., 1903-12-20

n INTERESTED crowds gather every
week day to watch the work that
u is rapidly progressing on the ap-
proaches by which the railroad
tracks will be led into the great Union
Station which is to be erected on
Massachusetts Avenue. between First
Street and North Capitol Street. 1t is
interesting. almost thrilling even for
one who is not versed in machinery. to
watch the great engines at work eating
a road through hills. laying huge rocks
in place, loading cars. or pumping out
the intrusive water that will flow into
the excavations at high tide and OBJ
struct operations. One comprehends at
n glance that this is the day of great
and powerful engines. whose energies
are set in motion by the touch of an
intelligent hand.
Giants of Steel and Iron.
Ruins of historic buildings, bridges
and waterways in which are seen
blocks of stone of great weight set in
place. were attributed in ancient time
to the Cyclops. a race of giants of SUI
perhuman strength. In these days, the
Cyclops are creatures of steel and iron,
who derive their strength from steam,
compressed air and electricity.
The Washington times., 1903-12-20

masses. Bees. which civilized nations
deprive of the fruits OF their labors. are
eaten In Ceylon as spice, and on account
Of the fragrant order they give to the
breath. The pleasant acid taste of ants
tempts many races Of Brazil and the
East Indies and even in other more fas-
tidious countries the old and feeble con-
sumo them under the belief that they
strengthen the spinal marrow. In the
East Indies they are baked in pies and
sold in the public markets. Locusts fur
nish the favorite food of many races of
Africans. some nations living exclusive
" on them, but it is said those who eat
them rarely grow older than forty
years. and die fearful death. produced
by disease.
Where Snakes Are Food.
Reptiles arc eaten with eagerness all
over the world; neither want of beautv
nor abundance OF venom protects them
from omnivorous man. Although they
suggest to US by form and motion all
that is false and unfair. hideous and
horrid, even Gods curse Of the serpent
does not shield it, and from the humble
frog of the pond to the colossal croco-
die of Egypt. they are all only so much
food for man. Old Mexicans loved the
speckled salamander and ate II with
Spanish pepper; the Spaniards learned
the odd fashion, and the habit has not
dish with Italians. The lizards of this
continent are a most Delicate dish. and
the iguanas Of the Antilles were car
ried to South Carolina in great num-
bers. the rice fields of that State bejny
Wei suited to them. Snakes find a
ready market in many Eastern coun-
tries The giant Of Java. which infests
the pepper plantations and whose ve-
nom is fatal, is favorite. The huga
ooa constructor furnishes an exceed
ihsiy rat meat. and the negroes of its
native country prefer IT to the daintiest
food OF the white man. The anaconda
OF Brazil supplies the table of the DOOR
though the Portuguese use only the rich
- PAOhhNtS- oOutn american a.
tives eat almost every kind Of snake
and the Far West has taught MANY a
fastidious palate from over the sea TO
relish the fatal rattlesnake of our own
country Snake eating is more common
in the United States than one would
imagine.
Frogs Much Esteemed.
Frogs are such familiar food that
no city market is now without tn -
and their cultivation is being engaged in
by many. The meat of frog is upsur-
passed. Toads are valued for food only
by the people of Surinam. Terrapins
and turtles are delicacies Wherever
known. and the better species-the dia-
mond back-is getting scarce there be
ing only few left. Less than a hair
century ago a CARLOAD of diamond
backs could be bought on the Eastern
shore of Maryland for 81 or less: now
they are worth their weight in silver
Crocodiles and aliigators are used as
food. in some Of the Southern States the
alligator being eaten by both the whites
and negroes. though TO no large extent.
The Washington times., 1903-12-20
FOOD AND CIVILIZATION :.

THE choice of food betrays
the more or less noble nature
of man. I'm the individual as
well as in the nation" said
food scientist connected with the Ag-
ricultural Department, while speaking
Of the dietary studies which have been
carried on. British races feed like
brutes. and ignobIe man eats ignoble
Good, like worms or spiders. AS the
mind has its own great laws of beauty.
so has the palate. Science is only an
imperfect guide. and the instructive or
well-trained taste must also be consult
ed Man eats not to feed only. but 10
enjoy. The eye sees the food and chooses
according to form and shape: the nose
decides by odor and fragrance. with ex-
quisite delicacy Of perception: but the
tongue, the keenest Of judges. tastes
with a thousand invisible nerves. and
according to its lncorruptibe Judgment
accepts or rejects. Hence the difference
of taste in barbarous nations and the
more civilized world. Low races love
low food. and cooking may be as good
and as bad as music. The higher the
culture Of nation the better its food.
The food of people will show it's
civilization. The -extravagance and sin
full waste of the Romans is only an evil
dence of their decline. and the races
that swallow earth or devour their fel-
low-nan may be placed in the lowest
scale.
Some Queer Chinese Dishes.
The Chinese show their want of per-
ception OF the beautiful by eating. as
their greatest deIicacy, the nests Of
swallows and the flesh of disgustingIy
fetid trepang. The common rain-worm
is carefully gathered in China and. raw
or roasted. considered most paIatable
food; they raise the larvae OF the blue
bottle fly in heaps OF putrid fish. and
value the product more highly than
many OF their other 'deIicacies. The
Chinese place themselves on a level
with the Indians who dig in the ground
for grubs and worms and eat them raw,
but the Chinese flavor theirs with spices
and sauces. Rats and mice are favor
ite foods for the Chinese, but l suspect
that a real nice, corn-fed rat, is not
such a bad piece Of meat after all. You
know the Good Book says: Every NOV
ing thing that liveth shall be meat for
you even as the green herb
have 1 given YOU all things II we
are to go by the Bible. the heather are
justified I'm eating any and every living
thing. Still. animal food is used only
sparingly in the Eastern countries. and
by some nations held in utter abhor
renee. No nation on earth subsists ON
animal food alone; even the lowest IN
the scale OF civilization. those who live
as fishermen and hunters, mix some
vegetables with their diets. The Green
lander or the Eskimo has his berries
and his spoonwort the great luxlIries
of mis- brief summer. and the North
western Indians. when first known,
raised maize and wild grains. The
The Washington times., 1903-12-20

ELS AYi It's my turn TO have up the
fellows of our club next satur-
- day. whzt-sort of a stunt can
get up for them?' asked the
heir apparent Of a certain American
family not long ago.
The question threw CONSERVATION into
the household Boys parties occupied
class by themselves. They were al
ways to be as different as possible from
the usual run of evening entertain
ments. But what to provide and how
to prepare for it?
However. the plea was not one that
might be disregarded. II the boys were
invited they must have a good time
The reputation of the heir as a host
must be sustained
The Whole Family Takes Part.
Mother and elder sisters fell to work
The result was an hilarious evening.
with series Of frolics which other fam
nies in similar predicaments could adopt
with eciat
AS soon as the boys all arrived they
drew slips on which were written what
event" each was to try his skill in
first.
in the drawing room golf was rep
resented by a putting contest"
large square of green denim with a
small white circle in the center was the
putting green. The boys each had
three trials at .holing out . that is. trv-
ing to see who could put the ban into
the white circle from different positions
on the green in the fewest number OF
strokes.
Tennis was PLAYED on the dining room
table in the popular form of ping
pong. and the game progressed merrily
until every boy had been either winner
or loser OF a set.
UnbreakabIe Toys Provided.
IN the library all the unbreakable toy
birds and animals that could be bor-
rowed from the nurseries in the neigh
borhOod were scattered about A re-
volvcr with rubber-tipped arrows for
ammunition was provided for the merry
party invited TO hunt on these pre-
serves" Each animal hit counted
points on the score, the smaller OBJ
Ject the larger the number OF points, so
there was more glory in bringing down
diminutive canary than in bagging
the very wobbly overstuned elephant or
the equally large and fat pug dog.
game Of FISH pond" furnished a
substitute for angling. and the boys
fished in pairs just as they played the
other games. mild form Of basketball
prevailed in the long hall. the game con-
sisting OF the attempt TO toss a soft ban
from one end OF the hall into a basket
on the wall at the other end. ten trials
being allowed each boy.
Stiffness Avoided.
There was no stiffness at this party.
The boys were hurried from one game
TO another and laughter and shouts
fiIlcd the house.
The girls had made a large number of
The Washington times., 1903-12-20

stunted native of Siberia gathers in au-
he improves his fish and meats during
winter and the miserable Arouak digs
for roots and bulbs. which he reduces
to fine powder and bakes into bread.
All Races But One Eat Animal Flesh.
All nations save the worshipers OF
Buddha eat the flesh of animals. Even
the lowest and most disgusting to eve
and palate find hons where they are
welcomed. Worms and insects must
furnish food and grace the tables not
only OF the poor but of the rich. Think
OF the gourmet who praises the luscious
wood snipe, and still more the black
mass from the inside that he carefully
places on his toast and eats with a feel
ing akin to veneration, He is eating
the worms that live in the snipe's intes-
tines. or equal value is the famous
palm worm Of the West Indies, which
forms one Of the best dishes OF Iuxuri
Gus dinners. It's near relation. the gru
gu worm Of Java. is said to be richer
still. and more delicate. Nor do costly
silk worms escape the fate OF all that
is edible. Freed from their cocoons.
and daintily dressed. they are highly
priced and largely swallowed by the
people OF Madagascar.
Sea Food Prized Everywhere.
oysters and other shellhsh arc eaten
by almost every nation. and it can be
said that scarcely a single inhabitant of
the sea is spared by the Unsuitable hun
ger of man. Aristotle praised the hard
shell sea nettles that hung on the sides
OF submarine rocks. and they are now
eaten in Italy and the south Of France.
They are said to be palatable and nutri-
tiOus. The most valued and the most
fearfully smelling sea food is the worm
shaped trepang. and a Chinaman is i'm
his high heaven when he can get one.
Macassar is a great market for the
trepang, and they bring incredible
prices. 1t takes about two days to cook
a trepang, and about pound Of spice
for every pound OF the trepang. Roast
ed or picked snail is a favorite dish
with many European nations. The
Shiny slippery form of these animals
makes them. to most persons. peculiarly
repulsiye. but their extraordinary nutri-
tive power and excellent taste have
long since served TO defeat much preju-
dice While the Ashantees and other
nations of lower grade smoke them and
eat them as daily food all the year
round. the higher races employ them
only as relishes or for special occa-
sions. In Switzerland and Italy thew
are carefully raised and potted. and
sent by millions to other countries
France consumes them in almost fncred-
ible numbers.
Spiders a Great Delicacy.
New Caledonians prefer spiders to all
common food, and the amiable inhabi-
The Washington times., 1903-12-20
Ballao Of Christmas Chen ano Flow

When in the Park the frost lies white,
When bells ring out Christmas Day,
And for brief space the eager fight
For pelf and power has given way;
When peace and quiet mold full sway,
And down the Avenue there go
My ladies fair in fine array,
Come thoughts of Christmas long ago.
Alas! we feel this is not quite
Like times around which memories play;
In place of yule-logs blazing bright
The steam heat sputters night away.
To table dhote we homage pay,
Not "groaning board where good things flow;
And while we dine nor grave nor gay,
Come thoughts of Christmas long ago
Instead of old-time starlight night,
The ereaking snow, the jingling sleigh,
The "auto" dashes in its flight,
streak of dust, speek of gray.
The winter straw rides, where are they7
The seasons sports we once did know9
For when let our fancy stray,
Como thoughts of Christmas long ago.
ENvOI
Oh, good st. Nick, perhaps you may
Out of your pack rich gifts bestow;
But when for humber joys we pray
Come thoughts of Christmas long AGO.
H. L. NJ. iii New York Commercial Advertiser.
The Washington times., 1903-12-20
Spiders a Great Delicacv.

New Caledonians prefer spiders to all
common food, and the amiable inhabi-
tants OF New South Wales catch even
moths, remove the gray powder from
their tiny bodies, and roast them in
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-26
SMOKERS EASILY FOOLED.
Vast Amount of Perique Tobacco Sold
but Only a Little Raised.

Speaking of tobacco consumption,
said diligent user of the weed who
knows a few things about the business,
IF imitation is the sincereSt f1attery IN
everything then Louisiana perique to-
bacco occupies a singularly enviabN
position in the WSFld of mild narcotic
pleasures. The annual production of
the famous brand of tobacco is between
10000 and $4,000 pounds, the total pro-
duction Of the world famous vacheries
of St. James parish. Yet it is of record,
naer who was recently in New Orleans,
that his house uses 1000 pounds of Pc
rique tobacco a year IS an ingredient
Of one of the 'perique mixtures supplied
to the smoking public of America.
Where the perique comes from the
drummer does not know, but he knows
that his house last year sold perique
mixture in volume sufficient to account
for the disposal of four or five times the
entire production of the genuine perique
crop.
.-'Ihe term 'perique crop however, is
a misnomer, for perique tobacco is not
natura product but manufactured. A
particular tobacco is grown, and then
treated especially. with the result of
what is commercially known as pc
rique. The many limitations with which
the public are supplied are, it is said by
experts virtually the same in quality
and flavor, though not the same as Pc
rique in either the original natural lear
or in process of manipulation into mar
ketable ways acetic acid being used by
some mercial houses, whereas the
genuine perique is not subjected to the
influence of any foreign matter what
eyer''-New Orleans Times-Democrat
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-26
millions on Lake Bottoms.

A search for lost treasure in Lake HUI
ron has been organized. Moreover,
wrecking company, well informed as to
the vessels that have gone down in the
last fifty years, is preparing for sys-
tematic search after the lost cargoes in
the great lakes. There are no cargoes of
gold and silver to be looked for, as in
the waters where sank the galleons of
Spain but there are cargOes Of copper
which are almost as valuable.
The copper mines in the lake regions
have been worked for nearly sixty years.
Within that period many vessels have
been lost. A year or more ago one OF
them was found, and the work of rails
ing the cargo was as profitable as any
that the wrecking company had ever
done The success in that one case has
led to a systematic search for other
cargoes Lake Huron has depth of
500 to 1000 feet 1t is assumed that
more vessels have been lost on Lake
Huron than on Lake Michigan, some of
these in comparatively shallow water, or
within six or seven miles of the Michi-
gan shore. In the last twenty years
0S9 vessels have been wrecked on the
great lakes, with cargoes valued at over
81 900. 600 good part of this was per-
ishable merchandise. but many of the
cargoes were of a kind not to be in
jured by water-Chicago Inter-Ocean.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-26
HARVESTING RUBBER.
Methods of Collecting the Gum in
Amazon Forests.

Very little has been accurately known
about the methods of collecting rubber
in the forests of Brazil. 1t is said that
even the facts published by such well
known Amazon travellers as Schultz anu
HOlzhausen have been confusing. and
it would certainly not be possible to
derive correct ideas from their reports
when both of them cOnfOunded Para
rubber with ordinary caoutchouc and
treated the rubber product of Brazil as
though it all came from one species of
plant. AS the yearly harvest of these
two great varieties of rubber has
reached the astonishing quantity Of
5i,000OO0 kilograms, of which % 900, 600
come from Africa and 81 900 900 from
South America. these products are one
of the most important articles in inter
national trade. 1t viii doubtless in
terest readers therefore to know what
August Kahler has Just written for
Peterman0s Mitteilungeu as to thu
methods O. rubber collecting in Brazil.
He speaks of the two chief kinds Of
rubber produced in Brazil and then
gives his attention first to that kind
which is Of the best quality and largest
quantity and comes into the trade I'M
der the name of Para rubber or Para
ina- In Brazil it is known as bOrrachA
or seringa; man who spends his time.
collecting this rubber is known as a
seringueiro. The Para rubber tree
tSiphonia classical is found almost
everywhere in the Anazo lowlands in
greater or less quantities The Siphonia
has straight silver cOlOred trunk ana
attains a height of from so to 80 feet
It's crown Of foliage is not large in COM
Darison with the size of It's trunk It
has brilliant dark green leaf and the
tree IS really beautiful specimen Of
Vegeta ton.
When the seringueiro has found a
SUFFICIENT number of Siphonias to begin
work he has no great preparation to
make before rubber collecting begins
The only preliminary labor consists in
clealing narrow path leading from
tree to tree.
The seringueiro leaves his hut before
sunrise. or between and O'Clock in
the morning, and goes to one of his
estradas Reaching a tree he cuts d
little slit in the bark with a hatchct
whose cutting edge is only three to four
centmeters long. The wound pene-
trates only slightly into the trunk be
meath the bark. He makes from four
to ten of these missions, the number
varying according to the thickness of
the trunk and its richness in sap. I'm
der each incision he presses into the
bark the sharp lip of a little tin cup.
which catches the sap that oozes from
the opening. The sap has a sweetish
taste, is white in color. resembling
cows milk in this respect and also in
its huidity.
When the collector has fastened his
tin cups around the trunk of the first
tree he goes to the second where he
repeats the operation, and so on to the
last tree in the estrada The missions
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-26
WILL DRAW 4 PER CENT
Interest on State Warrants Re-
duced School Fund to Buy.

House bill No. .. by Representative
Leland providing for the reduction Of
interest en- state warrants, and REPRE-
sentative Francis joint resolution efn~
poweling the school fund commission
10 invest in such warrants. are two OF
the general bills passed by the extra
session The joint resolution is in
euert the same as a general bill
Representative Leland's house bin,
SO. 9. is as follows,
BE it enacted by the legislature of the
state of Kansas.
Section I. That section 1858 Of the gem
oral statutes of 1901 be and the same
IS hereby amended so as to read as fol-
loW-.
Sec 1888. When any warrant shall be
presented to the treasurer for redemp-
tion. and the funds appropriated Tor
the purpose for which such warrant is
issued 8re exhausted, the treasurer
shall iud0rse thereon the date of its
presentation. with his signature there's
To- and such warrant shall thereafter
bear interest at the rate of 4 per cent
per a~ NUE.
Whenever thee shall be funds in the
treasury for the redemption of war
rants So presented and indorsed. tn
treasurer shall give notice of the fact
in the official state paper, and at tbs
expiration of so days after the date OF
such notice, the interest on such war
rants shall cease.
Soc. @ That said original section
1898 be and the same is hereby re-
uealed
Sec B. This act shall take effect ana
be in force from and after its publica-
tiou in the official state paper.
I2epresent ative Francis joint resOlus
ton is as follows.
BE 30 resolved by the legislat ure of the
state of Kansas.
That the treasurer of state at any
time when It becomes necessary to is
sue state warrants for the payment of
any claim against the state, is herebs
required To notify the school fund COM
missicners of that fact, and it shall
then be the duty Of the school funG
commissioners TO invest to the extent
OF the money In the school fund in the
Ml-rauLs 50 issued hN the freaenrar