davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
Spiders Like Music.

A viollnist says spiders are notorl-
ously and historically fond of music.
At one of his performances the concert
hall was made disagreeable by sud
den invasion of spiders, which were
drawn by his violin out from the
cracks and crannies of the ancient
building. They crawled about the floor
and on to the stage, and he could see
the annoyed audience stamping on the
insects. The writer adds that he has
known small garden snake to be at
tracted by piano playing and a young
calf to whisk his tail and prance about
most gleefully at the first notes of q
French horn. His neck would curve
about proudly, his hoofs tread lightly
and his ears wag Joyously when the
footing began. and he never quieted
down till the music ceased.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
why He only Ate the yoI,s..

An American woman travelling in
England stopped one day Mt a little
country house. Chatting with the Wis
itor, the woman of the house told of
her difficulty in getting along and of an
experience she had had with boarder.
"The first morning this man stopped
here" she said, "he began TO eat boiled
eggs very greedily. Egg after egg he
ate-three, four, five, siX-and it was
only the yolk Of them that he swal-
lowed; the white he didn't bother with
at all.
when he dug his spoon into the sew
enth egg my temper got the better of
me, and said in severe tone:
"'Don't you ever eat the white of the
egg, sir?
"'Surely not, my woman he an
swered. The yolk is the bird; the white
is the feathers. Would you have me
make a bolster of myselfT"
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19

There is II group Of islands TO the
south Of New Zealand called the Sis
ters. or Seven Sisters. which are re-
puted to be subjected to practically
constant rainfall. The same may be
said of the islands and mainland of Ii
ezra del Fuego, save for the differ
ence that the rain often takes the form
of sleet and snow. On line running
round the world from degrees TO or
8 degrees there are patches over which
rain seldom ceases to fall. This is
called the zone of constant precipita-
tion," but at the same time there are
several localities along with it with
very little rainfall.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19

A species of dwarf elephant used to
live on the island Of Malta and in vari-
Gus parts of Italy. Judging from the
bones which remain, these animals.
about the size of large sheep. We're
somewhat numerous. A dwarf elephant
is rarity now and no longer forms a
distinct species, but is considered rath-
er freak.
A very beautiful species Of pygmy
deer is found on the Sunda islands.
These little creatures are not much lar
ger than a cat, but have all the points
OF well bred" deer.
Among horses Shetland ponies are
the pygmies. The ordinary musk Of
central Africa is pygmy, or dwarf, of
only about twenty inches In height at
the shoulder and three feet In length.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
nuying a. Wife.

In Uganda Il man can buy n hand
some wife for four bulls, a box of car
tridges and six needles. and II he has
the luck to 90 a-wooing when woman
happens TO be n drug in the market he
can buy suitable damsel for pair
of shoes. A Kaflir girl is worth, ac-
cording to the rank OF her family, from
four to ten cows, and in Tartary no IA
ther will surrender his daughter unless
he gets a good quantity OF butter in re-
turn. and in certain parts Of India no
girl can marry unless her father has
been pacified by n present Of rice and a
few rupees.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
pIscAToRY STUPIDITY.
The Fisb's Capacity For Learpins IL
Painfully Contracted.

Most fishes seek their food by sight,
says Professor Edmund Clark Sanford
In the International Quarterly, and
these do not usually notice II by any
other sense. But those that are accus-
toned to find II by smell seldom pay
any attention to Il when they merely
see II.
Catfish depend principally on the
sense OF taste, and they seem to taste
all over, not only In the mouth, but by
the outer skin as far back as the tail
fin.
1t Is uncertain whether fishes can feel
pain or not. There is good deal of
evidence to show that they cannot.
4 fish that has lost its sight may
learn TO avoid an obstacle after swim
ming against 1t single time, but fishes
that can see will jump against the plate
glass wall of an aquarium day after
day. sometimes for a year, in the effort
TO catch things outside.
The elements of consciousness in the
mind of a fish foot up total "equiva-
lent, perhaps, to the lowest idiocy when
measured by human standards" II is
possible that the fish's capacity for
learning is "about on level with that
of n man in deep sleep or preoccupa-
ton"
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19

There is valley in Bolivia, South
America, which might we'll be called
the Valley of the Shadow of Death. 1t
has been inhabited for an indefinite
period of years by the Kanaa Indians,
who are kindred to the various South
American tribes and number now only
few hundred souls That they We're
once a very powerful tribe is indicated
by the condition of the land which
they as n tribe still inhabit One can
not travel any distance through their
land without coming upon the old and
forsaken burial grounds of the Kanaa
dead. These places cannot be called
graveyards, for the bodies are not
buried, but rather placed upon elevat-
ed platforms, wrapped in the garments
of death and bound to the crossbeams
that they may not be displaced.
In one of these burial grounds there
will be probably fifty high skeleton
platforms and on each will lie from
three to five of the Kanaa dead. The
air in that part of Bolivia is very pure
and preservative, for it is one of the
highest plateaus of the continent, al
though Kanaa valley is just little
below the plateau's height. A traveller
passing through that land at night and
by moonlight would be awestricken at
the gloomy vision those graveyards
present.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
HEROIC SELF SACRIFICE.
Courage with which n Young Navai
omcer Greeted Death.

Speaking of heroism," said navy
officer at his club n few evenings ago,
ut Is rare that such an example is seen
as that of Hynson, who was n passed
midshipman at Vera Cruz in 1886 II
was really more than bit of herolsm;
1t was fortitudc, passive courage, that
confronted peculiar danger, self
sacrifice, that was most conspicuous.
"Our fleet was Off the harbor on
blockade duty when one dny Spanish
merchant vessel managed TO slip in
without being discovered. Hynson con-
ceived the idea of apturing the vessel
by night nttack. and he succeeded in
doing so. But as he could not take the
vessel out of hnrbor for the reason
that she was undcr the close range
of the cncmy's guns, IIynson set fire
TO the vessel. In doing so he burned
both his arms so badly that he carried
them in slings for several days While
in this disabled condition a terrific
squall came up and played havoc with
several of our little vessels, and the one
on which IIynson was serving was cap
sized Iynson and one of the other Of
ficcrs managed to get hold of floating
spar, but as II was not sufficient to
keep them both afioat Hynson let go
his hold and in few moments sank to
his death. New York Tribune.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
An Affair of Letters.

We are much surprised at meeting
little Polly Contossel, formerly of Bow
ersville, in England.
"Why, Pollyr' we say. GLOW is it
we find you here?"
"Pollyw she repeats, with a dignity
we never knew she possessed. "Lady
Oledebts, If you please"
An apology on our part establishes
friendly relations once more, and she
tells us that she really has won and
welded Lord Oledebts and that her fa-
theirs dollars are being expended in the
refurbishing of the Oledebts castle.
But" we say, at was rumored in
Bowersville that you were hesitating
In your choice between three honest
farmer lads in the vicinity. How was
1t, then, that you married his lordship?'
"Oh," she filters, "he came to Bow
ersville one day. When I saw him /
dropped my eyes and he began dropping
his his, and 1t wasn't long until he in
duced me to drop my Us, and now we
are both making papa drop his VS. and
x's."-Judge.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
birds That Exercise Ingenuity.

Birds building on high trees are not
so wary about the concealment of their
nests as hedge builders and those that
seek the springing corn or grass land
for the shelter of their homes, trusting
to the loftiness of situation for secu-
rity. A nest placed upon the ground
is in constant danger of exposure. A
browsing animal might destroy It.
Then the scythe with one sweep occa.
sionally lays bare one or more nests,
thereby endangerlng the eggs or callow
nestllngs. This renders the parent
birds very wary and causes them to
practice great ingenuity In their ef-
forts to protect the young birds.
The skyfark has been known to carry
its egg or offspring to place of safety
after an exposure of the nest, and 1t
has been said its long hind claw-the
use of which has puzzled many natu-
ralists-is specially adapted by nature
for more easily grasping and transport
ing its treasures from the source of
danger. When the young birds are
too bulky to be thus removed the par
ent bird carries them on its back,
though this mode Of removal is some
what difficult one.-London Tit-Bits.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
Death From Electric shock.

The ultimate cause of death, when
due primarily to electric shock, is gen.
orally considered to be stoppage of
the action Of the heart or of the respir-
atory organs. That the latter may be
affected Is shown by the fact that vic
Tins Of electric shock are sometimes
brought to by practice of some of the
well known methods of artificial res
piration. The cessation of the hearts
action may be due to stimulation of the
nerves which control the beating of the
heart. These, when stimulated to ex-
cess, may cause the heart to stop alto
gether.-Archibald Wilson in Cassier's
Magazine.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19

White mems homes in India. the
West Indies, west Africa and other
parts Of the tropics to which civiliza-
ton has penetrated are usually run on
the principle of having as much air
and as little furniture as possible.
Carpets, rugs, cushions, hangings and
portieres are banished. Tables and
chairs are made of light wlckerwork,
bamboo or cane. The floors are pol
ished with cocoanut husks until they
become as slippery as good dancing
floor. Indeed, they are used Tor that
purpose nearly every evening in any
settlement where there is society. A.
ball In the tropics requires no prepara-
ton. After dinner It is only necessary
TO move the light furniture TO one cor
ner of the spacious room. send some
body to the piano and start dancing.
The ballroom Is practically in the
open air. for wooden "jalousles' form
most of the wall space and are opened
like Venetian blinds TO let in the cool
night breezes.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
THE FIRST STOVES.
They Superseded the Roman stuba
In the Eighteenth Century.


A heating up. sa.us called "stuba"
(stove) was wia.ly used among the
higher class of Romans before the be-
ginning of the Christian era. This
class of heaters was fixed and immova-
BILE, besides being in several other re-
spects wholly different from the mod
cin stove. In Germany and ScnndIna-
via they were used I'm bath rooms and
hothouses during the middle ages.
They were usually constructed Of
brick. stone or tile and were of i'm
mcnse size. They sometimes covered
the whole side of twenty or thirty
foot room and often extended out into
the room as much as ten feet, in which
case the smooth, 1at top was used for
bedstcad, the heated surface impart-
ing an agreeable feeling of warmth
during those cold nights of long ago
when such things as covers were quite
rare.
Cardinal Polignac of France was per
haps the first TO attempt the construc-
ton OF stove wholly OF iron, this ut
about the beginning of the eighteenth
century. The first real improvement
over the old Roman "stuba" was
brought about by Franklin In the year
1T45 One of his efforts produced a
typical base burner, almost perfect and
a model of workmanship. Stoves were
not used In private houses to any great
extent prior TO the year 1880.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
LightnInu Franks.

"The most beautiful display of light
ming or atmospheric electric currents
which 1t was my good fortune TO wit
ness" says resident Of Quebec, was
out on the BEAUFORT flats, near Quebec
when two electrically laden clouds, as
though two trees, their heads toward
each other and their longer branches
interviewer, kept on for more than ten
minutes, interchanging horizontal flash
es of beautifully colored fire, not one
Of which ever reached the earth. while
occasionally fash would shoot up
ward as If toward some cloud in that
direction"
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
ZERO AN ANCIENT TERM.
II Was I'm Use In Babylon Thirty-six
Centuries ARo.


The term zero, which Is used to desig-
nate n cipher and In meteorology the
entire absence OF heat in the atmos-
phere, was, according to a mathematic-
al historian, Moritz Cantor, used by the
Babylonlans about the year 100 Il. G.
This, however. Is merely a suRposition.
1t has not been definitely established
that zero was In use any earlier than
400 A. ID. About this time Il was used
In India. and several centuries later the
Arabs began to employ 1t. Through
the Arabs Its use became known TO Eu-
ropcans during the twelfth century. II
was not generally adopted in Europe
until several centuries later, notwith-
standing its great advantages. For
considerable time there were two par
ties among rfn European educators.
One party. known as the algorists, IA
vored the adoption of the Hindoo sys-
TEN Of notation falsely called Arpbic),
with its position values, while the other,
known as the abaclsts, favored the Ro-
man notation, without zero or position
value.
The general adoption of the Hlndoo
system was greatly facilitated by the
facts that II was explained In most of
the calendars for more than n century,
beginning with 1900. and that the me-
dieval universities frequently offered
courses devoted to the use of this nota-
tion.-Chicago Tribune.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
PIT BROW WOMEN.
Hard Lot of Female workers About
English ConI Mines.

Pit brow women are among the most
remarkable women workers in the
world. They work as hard as men and
dress almost like them. Five thousand
of these women find employment In
Lancashire. England, in the coal mines.
Their work lies on the pit brow at the
surface and not down below. Once wo-
men were employed in the coal seams,
but In 1912, in the face of great oppo-
sition from colliery owners an act was
passed prohibiting women and children
from being employed below the surface
In coal mincs
At present the duties of the pit brow
women consist in dealing with the coal
as IL comes up the shaft to the pit head.
When the cargo reaches the top they
haul out the wagons. which contain
several hundredweight of coal each,
and run them on the rails to n sort of
tipping machine. which shoots the coal
down below to the screen of the rid
ding machine. Among the other du-
ties of the women is the leveling of the
coal on the wagons which receive II as
It drops from the screen.
They start work at @ o'clock in the
morning and finish Mt in the after
noon. They receive . shillings or less a
day, and men that do the same work
get 4 shillings. Their costume consists
of trousers and clogs and often enough
n cape which has at one time been
worn by brother. When going to
and from work the girls and women
wear petticoats, which they roll up
around the waist while engaged on
the pit brow. The hair is closely COW
cred with handkerchief, on top Of
which is n soft bonnet.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
The "Just AIiIkc.n

Few people perhaps notice that all
omnibus wheels are painted yellow.
says the London Chronicle, So that any
wheel may be worn with any bus color.
Every circus ring In the world Is of
precisely the same diameter, whatever
the size of the auditorium, so that the
rider knows the angle at which he
must lean in San Francisco is the an
gle of safety in st. Petersburg. Even
the ladder Is standardized" Every
holman in England knows what he
has to step when toiling up the build
er's ladder, though he may not know
1t is seven inches. The sailor who runs
up the ratllncs has twelve inches rs n
step. and that makes a run possible.
and the firemen's ladder is crossed
with exact equivalence to the ratllncs
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
: jI BURoLARIous L: l.. STARS.
Planets and suns May Pick Up Minor
solar Bodies.

Jupiter Is much the biggest member
of the family of stars which revolve
around our sun; consequently the pow
er - his attraction Is greater than that
possessed. for instance. by the earth.
Jupiters exploits MS burglor have
caused very considerable annoyance
and Inconvenience TO astronomers In
the duys before his powers We're fully
recognized.
In 17TO there appeared Il fine comet,
which was found to have an elliptical
orbit round the sun of so comparatively
small size that Mr.. Lcxell, Its dlscov-
crer. calculated IL would return in FIVE
and half years. but in 1915 telescopes
were valnly focused on the spot where
II was expected TO reappear, and again
in 11Si 1t disappointed all observers.
Mr.. LeXcll plunged into fresh calcula-
tions and after much research found
that Jupiter was the culprlt. The un-
fortunate comet had been rash enough
TO plunge into the sphere of the giant
planets attraction, with the result that
It had been completely diverted from
It's former orbit and flung Off into quite
diiIerent one OF twenty year period.
II has never been seen again by any
one on this earth and probably never
will be.
Jupiter was also responsible for the
delay which occurred in the return OF
that splendid visltant known as Hal
lcy's comet. HALEY found that he was
not the first discoverer of this big COM
ct. II had appeared at least twice pre-
viously. once seventy-five years before
and again seventy-six years before that.
The astronomer concluded that there
would be u further delay In its third
return and predicted that It's next ap-
pearance would be 51S days later. lie
did not live 10 see IL. But in 1853. the
year he had prophesied for its reap
pearance. astronomers were waiting
for H.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
Making sure of Him

II think" said the thoughtful moth
er, that you ought to object TO young
Brown paying so much attention to
our daughter"
"Why" demanded the thoughtless
father. "He impresses me very favor
ably"
'"That's just it." returned the thought
full mother. 1--WE must do something to
make his ambitious mother think we
regard ourselves little above them So
cially II we are to make sure of him."
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
pLucklNe SHEEP.
shearing Process Not Used I'm shet-
land on Pure Bred Animals,


The pure bred sheep In Shetland are
not shorn. but pluckcd. The process
takes place generally in June. when
the fleece Is ripe" and the silky wool
can be pulled off without pain.
This Is called "roolng" and is much
less damaging TO the young fiber than
clipping with shears The wool when
thus handled retains Its peculiar soft
ness, so that any one of experience can
tell whether the material of knitted
article has been plucked or shorn. III
ripcns first upon the neck and shoul-
ders. so that sheep half pulled resemble
In some sort a poodle that is clipped.
We must suppose that harsher han
ding prevailed at one time. for we read
that In 1910 the Scottish privy council
spoke of the custom as still kept up "in
some remote and unclvil places" and
James |. wrote to tell them that IL had
been put down In Ireland under penal.
ty of fine. Upon this they passed an
act on March II, 1915, deplorlng the
destruction of sheep thus caused and
imposing similar fines on those who
should persist in the practice.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
HUMORS OF MUSICAL LIFE.
Amusing Franks the Erratic Types
Played with n Composer.

Amusing Franks the Erratic Types
Played with n Composer.
Miss Maude Valerie White. author of
numerous popular songs, has told
number of anecdotes, many of them at
her own expense. | suppose, she once
wrote in the Cornhill Magazine. all
composers have had laugh over the
extraordinary mistakes which some
times occur in the first proofs of their
songs. | remember years ago writing
n very sentimental song, in which the
line occurred
I've never once regretted the vow made
that day
Ny feelings may be imagined when
found they had printed
I've never once regretted the row made
that day.
Miss White also told about an anus
ing mistake which occurred In the pro.
gramme of one of her concerts: A
well known singer and very good friend
of mine was down TO sing my two
songs, "To Marry" and "Crabbed Age
and Youth" But the newspaper an
nounced something very different Not
content with drawing up programme
Of my concert, il drew up a programme
of my future. for / read as follows
Mr.. Blank
To Marry Maudc Valeria White
Grabbed Age and Youth.
AS am good many years older than
the friend in question. the coincidence
struck me as particularly funny, and
] cut the programme out of the news
paper and sent It to him. BY the first
mail next morning | received an iden-
teal cutting from him, with an inquiry
whether he was TO take this as form
al announcement of our engagement
and expressing n mild surprise that lie
had not been consulted in the matter.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
Peculiar Privileges,

The speaker Of the house of commons
has several peculiar privileges. Every
year he receives gift from the master
of the buckhounds Of buck and doe
killed in the royal preserves. This GUS
tom goes back so far that there is no
record of it. Later In the year the
speaker receives another tribute from a
different source. The donors on the
second occasion are the Cloth Workers
company of London, who send to the
speaker of the house of commons and
to several of his majesty's ministers a
generous width of the best broadcloth
to be found In England.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
The Consulting Cnddie.

There is one parsonage who of late
years has rather disappeared from the
golfing world, but used 10 be greatly in
evidence in 1.-THE advisory caddle.
Many of the caddies of the old Scotch
school used to treat their masters $50
called much in the manner that good
old nurse treats baby when she is be-
ginning to teach it how to walk In
those days there was not stroke
played without the most careful con-
sultation with these sapient mentors.-
Westminster Gazette.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19
He Won Her.

"She has promised to marry you, has
she? Did she accept you right Off"
"Oh, no. I had to propose to her
four times"
"Four times! Gracious, but you were
persevering! What did she say the
first time?"
"She said II there wasn't another
man in the world but me she wouldn't
marry me-"
"That was pretty strong. What did
she say the second timer
"She said she liked me pretty well,
but she couldn't think of marrying me,
for she might see some one she liked
better"
"Humph! And the third timer"
"The third time she asked me If
wanted to tease the life out of her"
''Ha, ha, ha! And the fourth timer
''Oh, the fourth time she said If / In
sisted upon it she supposed she would
have to say yes"
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-19

'Tf you are compelled to write let
ter in lead pencil because there is no
ink In the house blow your breath on
the page after 1t has been written"
said woman who evidently had tried
the experiment. ut will prevent blur
ring after the letter has been folded
Ut moistens the graphite and makes 1t
adhere more closely to the paper. or
course you can make 1t blur by rub
bing 1t with the tip Of the finger. but
for all practical purposes the words
will be as legible as If they had been
written in ink."-New York Press.