davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-12-26
ON RECEIPT OF $500

| will send you the POLICE GAZETTE for
one year and complete Set of Hand made
Boxing Gloves which will last for years,
or fine Punching Bag.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-12-26

The kidneys are your
blood purifiers, they fiji
ter on, he waste or
impurities In the blood.
II they are sick or out
Of order, they fail TO do
their work.
Pains, achesandrheu-
matlsu come from eK-
cess Ct uric acid in the
blood, due to neglected
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-12-26
Oyer-Work Weakens
Your Kidneys.
Unhealthy Kidneys Make Impure Blood.

All the blood in your body passes through
your Ndneys once every three minutes.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23
ANECDOTES OF FAMOUS MEN.

pets at Newport this summer is T. Suf-
fern Taller, affectionately known as
Tommy" He is an amateur chauffeur
and always drops into the Casino after
a spin" He always tells in his nu-
morous way Of the run he has Just made.
Upon one occasion, after he had given
his usual detailed account and conclu-
sion. one of his friends spoke up, say
ing
Look here, Tommy, you appear to be
so much surprised at freedom from ac-
cidents that 1t seems TO me your tone of
voice indicates a regret that you got
through safely without killing any one. -
The following day he was back again
in his old haunt rehearsing his expert
enee, when the same friend dashed in
and ii an excited voice reclaimed:
Hurry up. Tommy; get into your au-
tomobile quick, there's a Sunday school
parade coming up the street. and you We
got the chance of your lIfe."
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23
MARYLAND SNAKE STORIES

popularity supposed to be exaggerated,
but an authenticated case OF one re-
Gently killed on the farm of Jacob
Snively Locust Grove FARM. near
Greencastle. goes far TO prove both the
longevity and length OF this constructor
OF the temperate zone.
The blscksnake referred to was
known TO Mr.. sniveIy's father. For
years the old snake used TO sun himself
behind a log in the lonely meadow. but
always escaped the attacks OF the boys.
When the snake grew so large that
he became a menace 10 the young calves
orders were given to sacrifice any sort
OF agricultural implement to dispatch
him; but Il was not until Mr.. Snively
had groWn-up sons that the old snake
was finally killed. He measured nine
feet in length. and. having lived through
three generations of men. was presum-
ably ninety years old.
"One variety OF blacksnake is known
as the racer. II has a white throat and
will chase full-grown man. Mr.. Karl,
being in the woods. heard one of these
snakes following him. He did not run,
but when his acute ear told him IL was
near he turned suddenly and faced it.
The snake rose straight up on the tip OF
its tail and stood face to face with the
man. who then broke its neck with
stick he was carrying. This snake
measured exactly six feet in length"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23
FLOWER HAS A
DEADLY DOOR

A TREE hitherto unknown to botan-
"A lists was recently discovered in
a mountain canyon in a spur Of
the San Jacinto Mountains. in Cali
fornia, down near the Mexico line. It
was discovered by a party Of prospectors
who penetrated the canyon in search OF
water. A branch OF the tree and its
blossoms were brought to this city for
classification. but it is unknown to bot
anists in this city.
The leaves of the tree resemble in size
and shape the fig leaf, but they are of a
vivid purple color and the under side of
the leaf is thickly covered with stiff
hairs, which stand out from the leaf
fully half an inch. These hairs are
sharp and thornlike, and easily pene-
tratc the skin. and when they do so they
are poisonous, causing swelling and
much pain.
The blossoms are as peculiar as are
the branches and leaves. They are OF
rusty red color and are about two inches
In diameter. In shape they are a very
good representation OF the tarantula.
There is a huge hairy bulb. in shape re-
sembling the abdomen of the poisonous
spider. and there are several chives, or
stamens. corresponding to the legs of
that insect
The most peculiar feature of the plant.
however. remains 10 be told. Whenever
one approaches the plant, or when the
wind agitates the branches Of the tree.
the flowers give off an abundance of per-
fume-heayy. sickening and deadly This
perfume has the quality of chloroform.
and a few limitations OF the odor pro-
duce Inconsistencies. The prospectors
who made the discovery of the plant
were rendered insensible upon approach
ing the tree 20 examine II.
AS the plant seems TO have no botani-
cal name. two names have been suggest
ed by the qualities OF the plant itself.
One is tarantula plant, the other chloro-
form tree.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23

servation. But a little positive evidence
in such matters outweighs much mega
tive; II two or three men have seen a
thing it is a poor answer that twenty or
thirty have not. Hence We are entitled
to consider. at least as a working hypo-
thesis. the theory that these singular
marks are due TO some vast engineering
or agricultural operations on Mars
II. then, we assume the probability of
sentient life on Mars, il is an easy step
TO suppose that its inhabitants may
wish 10 communicate with other planets.
just as We should dearly like to com
municate with them. Hence it is often
supposed that any remarkable appear
ance on Mars may be signal 10 our ad-
dress. The chief difficulties in thus in
terpreting such an observation as Mr.
Lowell has just made are twofold. The
first Is that the gigantic size OF such
signal for US TO perceive IL seems to bar
the possibility OF its artificial nature.
A Flag as Big as Ireland.
Sir Robert Ball says that signaling
from Mars to the earth would need a
flag the size OF Ireland OF an electric
light as big as London. There is no
great exaggeration in such a calculation.
Probably the projection which has just
been observed is due TO sunlight strik-
ing a cloud at a height OF some twenty
miles in the Marian atmosphere. ac-
cording to the received explanation of
similar observations made four or five
times within the last generation. But
il the Martians are really so far ad-
vanced in engineering as TO be able to
carry out irrigation works on the vast
scale that the canals imply they ought
to be capable OF making such signals; If
money was no object even a terrestrial
engineer could arrange a system of cleo
trio lights that would send a flash as far
as Mars.
The second and more powerful objec-
tion 10 the signal theory is that no in
telligent message has been sent. whence
it is more natural to conclude that these
projections are merely accidental cloud
reflections. Before we accept the asser-
ton that Mars is signaling. We must
wait for something that can be twisted
into a message, be 1t as elementary as
the "one. two. three" which Mr.. Tesla
once found arriving from outer space on
his wireless telegraphic receiver. What
we have recently learned of the possibil-
tiles OF wireless telegraphy or OF that
still subtler form OF radiation which is
vaguely perceived in the phenomena OF
telepathy and thought transference. sug
gests that when Mars tries in earnest to
communicate with us IL will not be by
mere photography or flag wagging." We
are daily getting wireless messages from
the sun: why should not sentient be-
ing send us one from Mars some day.
But there is no use in being too pre-
vious," and one must conclude that there
is no ground for supposing that what
Mr. Lowell saw was a signal from Mars.
though il would be highly unscientific to
deny the possibility Of such an explana-
ton.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23

HE stock OF snake stories from
Western Maryland is ever on the
increase, says the Baltimore
Herald" The great number Of these
that have been registered. and tagged,
and laid aside for future use has led the
Western Maryland editors to believe that
some brilliant migrate spends all OF his
time manufacturing thrilIers. In the
old DAYS when there were but few
original snake stories going the rounds.
the people who contracted the habit Of
inficting them on their neighbors. told
them so often that they became extra
ordinarily fluent, and. naturally, the
oftener the tales were told. fewer and
fewer became the facts. II would not
do to assert that today all snake stories
are based on myths and dreams ard
visions. ETC.. etc. but every man has q
right 10 his beliefs. Here are two OF
the crop of narratives that has been
harvested in Hagerstown. The first Is
taken from the "Hagerstown Daily
Mall" and hair-raiser No was print
ed in the 'Hagerstown Herald"
Residents OF the Pine Hills up the c.
v have been startled by the reappear-
ance OF the old razor back" snake. a
monster reptile. which has not teen
seen or heard from for six or eight
years. when it terrorized the inhabi
tants OF the Cumberland Valley from
this section for miles northward. The
snake was OF such great size that its
movements were slow and ponderous. and
man and beast ran for life at the sight
OF it.
II was reported that the snake crawled
across the c. V. track up the line. and
the engineer of passenger train who
saw the monster thought it was a log
placed on the track to wreck the train
and stopped. Crawling across a road,
the snake left trail that looked like
sawlog had been pulled through the
dust The snake is credited with doing
many wonderful things, not the least OF
which was the use of spines on its back
for cutting through fences and under
brush. The monster, it is said, would go
through fence like a crosscut saw, and
caused farmers much loss and worry.
When the snake migrated up the valley
his trail could be as easily followed as
Sherman's march TO the sea. Passing
through a wheat field. the snake set the
wheat in a wave motion. and great guam
titles of grain were ruined. While the
snake was abou.'farmers lived in a'state
of alarm. Pigs and calves were carried
off and devoured by the monster. and
even cattle are known 20 have been at
tackled by it. The snake could carry of
a six weeks old calf with ease, and one
was about sufficient for a meal
The reptile had been forgotten until
the other day, when the dog of a farmer
attracted the attention of several per-
sons near Pine Hill. who. on investiga-
ton, saw where the snake had crawled
through a field and toward the noun
tain, where. 1t Is supposed. il has a den.
The age and size OF blaeksnakes are
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23
RAT CATCHER AND HIS WORK y
Docs, Ferrets, ard a ParLor'
Rifle the Accessories to The
Cbase-A Profitable as
Well as a Fascinating Busf-
ness-Pfenty to Do Here.

The rat seems all claws and teeth TO
the dog, and he will probably drop t.
Like as not the rat Will go for the
dog after that. and make things mighty
interesting for him
The best sport 1 ever had. though.
was with ferrets. 1 had a room which
was carpeted with oil cloth and with
two glass doors and a window opening
into IT. / would loose a rat IN that
room and send a ferret in after him.
1t was a sight to see that ferret Kill,
tell you
"At first the rat would be a little
dazed and wouldn't know where to turn.
Then he'd run round the room once OF
twice. not hurrying, until he'd see the
ferret Then things would be very dir
ferent. The rat would recognize an
enemy at once and seem to lose lis
head. He would tear round the room
looking for a hole and squealing muir
DER and help as plain as II he could
speak. We would be watching through
the doors and windows and we'd see tho
ferret after him. There was no hurry
about the ferret
'T don't know how to describe his
movement better than to say he Hoped
after the rat His long body'd ripple
up and down. I'D and down, as he trail
ed the rat. Then he'd make one quics
dive and catch the rat by the throat.
I've never seen them miss, IL was the
throat every time. / suppose they must
cut the wind-pipe for the rat would
make very little resistance. He would
be limp in a minute. Then you'd see the
ferret begin to draw the blood.
Make Poor Captives.
than three or four days You see they
won't eat what you give them. and they
grow weak and die after that length OF
time. A rat prefers 10 find what he eats
himself instead OF having II brought 10
him It's odd. too. how fond they are
OF candy. I've often trapped rats with
candy as a bait when everything else
had failed. They seem to have a sweet
tooth.
Zone OF the biggest Jobs ever had
was cleaning out the White House dur
ing President CIeveland's Administra-
ton. I worked there for a week or
more. and finally drove of or caught
a great deal OF my success to a rat
bait have invented 1t acts like charm
in attracting rats. and I've known it to
attract them when everything else fall
ed"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23

and never stop to sink it's teeth in him.
But once a dog gets a rat in his mouth.
then its teeth and claws are used for all
they are worth. So IL we were to send
a ferret down a hole with his mouth
closed up in any way he couldn't defend
himself. and the first rat he tackled
would kill him. he'd be so helpless.
Most of the ferrets come from cold
countries, and the Irish breed is the
hardest and best. It's strange that
ferrets won't breed here In Washing
ton, but it's nevertheless true. 1 never
heard of ferret bred in this city. and
I've often tried to mate a pair. They
don't seem to thrive in warmer eli
mates. and perhaps that's the reason
they won't brssd here.
Il feed my ferrets raw meat as gen.
eral thing. II seems to keep them IN
condition better than anything else.
What they like best is to suck rats
blood. That's where the inconvenience
comes in using a ferret When they
catch a rat in a hole and kill II they'll
stay right there. and you can't get them
until they've drawn every drop of blood
out OF the body. It is rather creepy
thing to think of. but then these ferrets
are queer things anyway you take them
Sport of the Rat Pit
Il aim TO take a great many rats
alive and I use them in a rat pit 1 have
at home. This is circular hole lit
tie over three feet deep and six feet in
diameter. With a good dog and a cage
of lively rats you can have great sport.
You have TO be sure OF your dog. how
ever. Sometimes men will put an un-
tried or a green dog in a pit Hes all
right until he gets the rat in his mouth
and then his nerve seems TO fail him
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23

One of the best known rat catchers
in Washington is c. f. Jacobsen. He
is a veteran at the business and has
hunted rats in buildings of every size
from the one-story dwelling house to
the postoffice building. He is fond of his
dogs. and is never weary of talking about
their good points as ratters.
Its strange" said Mr.. Jacobsen to a
Times reporter. that the better bred a
dog is the less use he is in catching
rats Now take fine fox terrier. one
with a pedigree, and set him after a
rat: ten to one he'll turn I'D his nose
game at all. But give me a common
mongrel the sort OF dog you'd call
emery and let him see a rat Well
it's odds he goes right after him and
nails him, too. I've always thought it
must be in the way a dogs brought up
The fox terrier is fed every day at
a certain hour and he comes to Think
his food ought 10 be brought to him
instead of his having to go after it,
with the street dog it is very dif-
ferent. He has been thrown on his own
resources from the moment he was born
and he has had a chance to develop his
character. So when he sees a rat and
hears a man say. Shake him up boy"
why, he goes after the animal in
hurry.
A First-Class Ratter.
Il can tell in a very few moments
whether a dog will make ratter or not.
I always test them in one way. After
I've caught rat 1 take my dog into
the street and turn the rat loose from
the cage. II there's good stuff in that
dog, IL he'll ever make a ratter. he
won't need much urging TO go after the
game.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23

There's that dog of mine, Rags; he
can smell rat through a floor l re-
member was cleaning out a big dry
goods store here in Washington, and
Rags acted in such a way / knew at
once there was a rat under the flooring
in one room. I told the proprietor ne
would have TO tear up that floor If ne
wanted to get rid of the last rat in
his store. 1t was a big floor and made
of handsome wood. so you may imagine
the proprietor did not want to tear 1t
UP unless it was absolutely necessary.
was so sure of Rags that l told him l
would stand the expense il there was
not a rat under the floor. If there is
told him, you pay the bill. That's
only fair Sure enough. when The
workmen took up the floor they found
nest of young rats comfortably IN
stalled in one corner.
Keen scent isn't the only thing Rags
has. In this same store he chased a
rat through two of the big sales rooms,
under tables and over chairs. He had
the rat so frantic that it jumped down
a light we'll to the floor below. Rags
never hcsitated a moment; down he
went right after it and killed the rat
after all. He's game, Rags is, and he
only weighs three pounds and a half.
A Mistaken Idea
II believe many people think we rat
catchers sew ferrets' lips together be-
fore We start them down a hole This
is a mistaken idea altogether. We
never even muzzle a ferret, much less
take a stitch in its lips rat won't
attack a ferret or a dog or a man until
they trouble him. I've seen rat run
right over a dog that had cornered him
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23
An EVening With the Master
of HIS Trade Kidding a
House of Restfferoas Ro-
dents-Erpef Tails on the
Points of the "Gan1e. -

HNoT yer gun Ed' I don't
think we'll need it, but
you'd better bring it along"
Yep. here it is" Where's the dogs?
Here, Sport, Rags, Belle, Cornmeal.
All right Who's got the lantern?"
bill, and I'm carryin' the ferrets."
Right. Come on then" Three men.
four dogs, a lantern. fiobert rife, and
a long leather case go out the back
gate together. These are hunters. and
they are out for big game tonight What
would our fathers think if they knew
that rat catching had become a bust
ness, yet that is the errand upon which
these men are going this evening.
A Case of Rat Catchers:
The boy is carrying long case, bound
with black leather. 1t looks exactly
like the one physician takes into the
house across the street when he is going
TO perform an operation But there are
no shining knives or lancets in this
case. II contains three ferrets. Queer
little animals they are, with long yell
low bodies covered with a thin growth
of swart hair. Their heads are egg
shaped and overgrown, with close-crop-
ped iron gray hair, as if they had worked
their brains hard O. nights and grown
gray in the vocation. The head and
shoulders are the biggest part of a
ferret, and he was made this way so
that he might be able TO get into
hole easily and keep houses free of rats,
as It is the ambition OF every good fer
ret to do. Here we are at the house
where the rat catchers are TO ply their
art Now you will see Mr.. Ferret at
work
Manner of the Chase.
1t is a large, handsome house, AMI
the family have been away all sum-
mer, so the rats have had free run from
cellar TO attic. The rat catcher has a
key, and he and his companions go
through the house TO the back yard
There are two holes and the leader
him down one of them and the dogs
watch the other. Here comes rat IN
a trice the dog has seized him and
shakes him from side to side Over the
fence the dead rat goes to an unhonored
grave in the alley. There is the ferret
standing at the hole; no more rats here.
you may be sure. Ed" plugs up che
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23

holes and they enter the house. Here
is where the chase begins in earnest.
The master rat catcher divides up the
dogs and ferrets among his companions
and assigns to each a couple of rooms.
AS rule there are very few holes up
stairs, so they go down TO the cellar.
The boss" takes the billiard room,
where the long table under its rubber
cloth looks like a coffin. There is no
light except that from the lantern. 4
ferret is sent down one hole. and very
willing he seems to go. The other holes
are stopped up and the rat catchers set
a dog to watch the open one. Suddenly
there is a scampering under the floor,
a squeal. and the dog crouches down,
every hair erect. Out pops a rat; the
ferret is evidently carrying the war into
the enemy's country.
Shake Him Up, Boy"
Quick as a flash the dog is after him,
under the chair he shoots, a squeal. 4
shake and the dog brings his master the
dead rodent. Into the gunny sack he
goes and the dog lies down in front Of
the hole, every sense on the alert for
another victim. The master rat catcher
leaves him and goes into the next room.
where ne has set trap. It is an Ordi-
nary arrangement OF wire. but it differs
from the trap the layman might use in
the bait. This is special preparation
for which rats have a weakness. A fat
fellow is already in the trap and the
Eat catcher leaves him there.
You'd think he would put all the rest
on to the game. but you're dead wrong
One rat in a trap is bound to draw
others. That's why / use this sort OF a
trap" says the catcher
Rags is still watching the hole when
his master comes back. Now begins the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-23
HOW TO TALK TO
AMERICAN WOMEN

TN AMERICA, writes a female con-
tributor 10 the Contemporary Re-
view," though the women have not
as yet votes. except in a few States,
they have attained a different social
position from that which We hold in
England. and consequently an American
man talks up to US. very visibly taking
it for granted that We know as much
and have as good a Judgment Of the sub
ject in hand as himself.
An Englishman. on the contrary. usu-
ally talks down TO US. He assumes that
we know little or nothing, and that our
opinions Of we have any are hardly
worth ascertaining- This he does pretty
universally to ladies who are strangers
to him. Only If he happens to know
that the woman 10 whom he is speak
ing is the possessor OF brains he is apt
to treat her in a still more aggravatins
manner. and 10 imply. in all he says.
that she is not as other women are.
fools and slight" but stands apart
from her sex-a very great insult as We
must all consider IL.
After certain number of years OF the
new regime am convinced that the
minds OF women will grow larger
and stronger. even as their bodies have
done in the last forty years by fresh
air and exercise, and then generation
Will arise in which women will scarcely
be called any longer the weaker sex