davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
AN OLD TYPE FAKIR.
The Trick That Held the Crowd Until
He Had Sold His Wares.


"Back in the early eighties of the
last century had my first expert
ence with the fakir of the old type"
said a man at one of the hotels;
"and the experience ran through
an entire afternoon. / was living In
eastern Arkansas at the time in one
of the small but progressive towns
of that section of the country. 1t
was in the fall Of the year, when
everybody had money. Cotton was
being picked and marketed, and the
negroes were rolling in wealth on
Saturdays, and they focked to town
to spend it. Of course the fakirs
took advantage Of the season. The
artist / have in mind was selling a
vast number Of things, but curious
little whistle that would make all
kinds of noise was the main thing.
He would charge 20 cents, only q
quarter of a dollar, two dimes and O
nickel, for the whistle, and, just to
show that he was generous, would
throw in bar Of soap, collar but
ton, a comb, watch chain, as good
as gold,' and a few other things.
Honestly, the fellow was giving
away so much stuff in order to sell
his whistle that I looked upon him
as sort of philanthropist. |
thought he was losing money right
along. But the main thing that at
tracted me was the fact that the fell
low kept on threatening to swallow
a long knife he had The knife was
as long as his arm, a rusty, desper-
ate looking thing, and every time he
moved it and announced that he
would swallow it in a second the
crowd would congest around the dry
goods box the fellow was standing
on. He would always want to give
away few more bundles of jewelry
before performing the feat, OF
course. | tried to leave the place
more than dozen times during the
afternoon, but every time | started
to walk off the fellow would yell
that he would do his renowned trick
by forcing the long knife he had
down his throat, and this blood
curdling announcement would stam-
pede me, and / would make break
to return. Before knew it the
afternoon had slipped away from
me. | wasted all the time watching
the fakir shove his wares off on the
negroes who had gathered there and
nursing the vain hope that after
awhile he would swallow the knife.
1t is curious what deep impressions
will sometimes be made by these
triAing experiences in country
boys life. have been a skeptic
since that time, and all because the
fellow deceived me on the question
of owalivring a butcher knife. -
| New Orleans Ilmes-DemOcrat.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
Healthy Mothers

Mothers should always keep In good
'od!ly health. They owe 1t 20 their
children. Yet 1t Is no unusual sight to
see mother, with babe in arms. cough
ing violently and exhibiting all the
symptoms Of conslmptive tendency.
Aud why should this dangerous condi-
ton exist. dangerous alike to mother
and child, when DR.. Boschecs German
Syrup would put stop t. II at once! No
mother should bs without this old Snd
tried remedy in the house-for Its timely
use vii. promptly cure any lung, throat
or bronchial trouble In herself or her
children. The worst cough or cold can
be speedily cured by German syrup; 80
can hoarseness and congestion OF the
bronchial tubes. 1t makes exp 'ctota-
ton easy. and gives instant relief and
refreshing rest to the cough-raexea
communicative. New trial bottles, 25c.
lar1e size, 75c. For sale by b. h. Cor
! reli. druggist
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
An INDIGNANT Romeo.

One Alexander, manager OF a
Glasgow theater, who was also q
very bad actor, when he had become
an old man was playing the part OF
Romeo one night, the Juliet being
q young girl. After swallowing the
poison he was lying dead when the
erotesuueness of the situation evok-
ed applause from the gallery. Allck
(the name by which he was uni
versally known} felt this was meant
for mockery. Rising to his feet, he
came TO the front of the stage and
said: "lou think | can't play Ro-
meo, but can play Romeo. have
PLAYED it before" naming some peo'
ple of distinction, "and shall play
It again." lie then lay down and
died second time.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
An Enoiiahman A n God.

At one time there was an Eng
lishman in India, John Nicholson,
who in his own proper person was
worshiped as a god in spite of his
protests. Such hold had his pow
erful personality taken upon the
native mind that strong sect Of
worshipers persisted in regarding
him as a god. If, however, one OF
the Nikkalseyn fakirs SO far lost
control of himself as to offer wor-
ship to the deity in person Nichol-
son was in the habit of ordering
him to receive dozen lashes, fact
which did not in the least interfere
with the worshipers' belief in his
divinity. When Nicholson was kill
ed, some of the worshipers slew
themselves upon his tomb, but the
remainder went ovcr in body tu
Christianity, saying: Our god told
us that he was but man, and now
we see that it was true. We wish,
therefore, to be Christians, as he
WAS"
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
A PEASANTS FEAST.
The Meal to Which Three Artists Were
Invited In Italy.

The three artists were invited by
Fagiola to a feast. They found the
family all gathered in the living
room of rather superior peasants
house. The floor was of Mother
Earth. There were sailed hams and
strings of garlic hanging from the
ceiling. In front of the open hearth
were hand wrought andirons with
little cages at the top in which the
pipkins of food were kept hot. fagl-
ola made them welcome, and, his
wife having announced that the
polenta was ready, the husband lit
orally laid the board. The guests
and the family seated Themselves,
the children on wooden stools, the
grownup people on rush bottomed
Chairs, and Fagiola took a large
board from tho corner. With a
knife he scraped of the dried meal
sticking to it out of the door, the
fowls gathering to feed upon the
scrapings. Then he passed his hand
across the board and, finding 1t
comparatively smooth, laid it upon
the knees Of the company, who were
sitting in a circle. Next he took
from the crane, where it hung over
the fire, large, three legged iron
pot of polenta (hasty pudding) and
emptied it upon the board. His
wife with a long pudding stick
spread out the mush to the proper
thickness. Then each person staked
out his claim by drawing a circle
in the polenta with leaden spoon
The smallest child, they noticed
drew the biggest circle. Next Fagl'
ola took from the cage in the and
iron, where it had been keeping
warm, a saucepan filled with Sna'l'
stewed in brown gravy and helped
each pcrsoN to share OF the snallS
putting it down carefully within
the limits of the circle. That wa'
all the feast, except the inevitable
vino di paese, which really takes TIT
place of meat with these people,
Lippincott's
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
FRUIT CULTURE
Virginia lakes Leading Rank
Among the states

Among the varied industries OF
Virginia, that of fruits the most
important. This industry has long
been neglected, and the business of
growing fruit for commercial pur-
poses is yet practically undevelop-
ed. Notwithstanding this fact, it
has long been known that Virginia
is admirably adapted to the culture
of fruit and her apples compare in
quality with those of any section
in this country. Large quantities
of apples are shipped yearly to the
various markets. The quantity OF
this one fruit that finds its way in
to the general markets. is enor-
nous last year the output was
something in the neghborhood of
300, 900 barrels. This estimate is
for fruit shipped to general mar
kets and takes no account Of the
fruit consumed in the local markets.
When we reflect that most of this
output is collected from the small
orchards scattered here and there
over the States, and which were
planted primarily for home use, we
begin to realize the immense posi-
bilities before us. A few fa.sight-
ed people have already seen the
possibilities in this line of devel-
opment, and we now have in Vir-
ginia several orchards ranging
from $4,000 to $4,000 trees AID
many smaller ones. There is little
danger of over-develOpmentin fruit
growing. The demand for well
grown and high class is enor-
nous and the prospective fruit
grower can expect good returns for
his investment.
The chief drawback to the devel-
opment of this industry appears to
be the lack of skill and technical
knowledge necessary to successful
fruit culture. Many growers plant
their trees without further atten-
tion and expect good returns. In
come sections of the State the eli
matte and soil conditions are so
favorable that success has resulted
even under the most haphazard
system of management, but with
out good management and techni-
cal skill, success is by no means
certain. The fruit grower must
understand his work and be able
to cope with the many foes that
confront him.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
IRRATIONAL MANKIND.
The Reasons Why So Few People DIE
Of Old AGE.


1t has been said that few men die
of old age and that almost all per-
sons die of disappointment, person
al, mental or bodily toll or accident.
The passions kill men sometimes.
even suddenly. The common ex-
preston, "choked with rage" has
little exaggcration in it, for, even
though not suddenly fatal, strong
passions shorten life. Strong bodied
men often die young, weak men live
longer than the strong, for the
strong use their strength, and the
weak have none to use-the latter
take care of themselves, the former
do not. AS it is with the body, so it
is with the mind and the temper.
The strong are apt to break, or, like
the candle, run; the weak burn out.
The inferior animals, which live
temperate lives, have generally their
prescribed terms of years. Thus the
horse lives twenty-five years, the OK
fifteen or twenty, the lion about
twenty, the hog ten or twelve, the
rabbit eight and the guinea pig six
or seven.
The numbers all bear proportion
to the time the animal takes to
grow its full size But man, of all
animals, is one that seldom comes
up to the average. lie ought to
live 100 years, according to the
physiological law, for five times
twenty are 100. But instead of that
he scarcely reaches an average age
of four times the growing period.
The reason is obvious. Man is not
only the most irregular and most
incorporate, but the most laborions
and hard working of all animals.
He is always the most irritable,
and there is reason to believe,
though we cannot tell what an ami
nal secretly feels, that more than
any other animal man cherishes
wrath to keep it warm and com
sumes himself with the fire of his
own reilections.-lIealth Culture.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
The Reason Of Her Devotion.

He latter marriage) - l don't
know why you are not as consider
ate of my comfort as you used to be
of your fathers.
She-Why, my dear, | am.
He-How do you make that outE
When come into the house, | have
to hunt around for my slippers and
everything else | happen to want,
but when | used to court you and
YOUR father would come in from
town you would rush about gather
ing up his things, wheel his easy
chair up to the fire, warm his slip
pers and get him both a head rest
and a foot rest, so that all he had
to do was to drop RICH; down and
be comfortable. =,
She-Oh, that was only SO he'd
90 TO sleep sooner.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
Corn SILK Valuable

One of the most curious of our
mports is corn silk. 1t is curious
because, inasmuch as this is the
great corn-growing country OF the
We rid, we ought surely to have u
plentiful supply of the silk with
out obtaining it from abroad. New
ertheless, it is fact that many
tons of it are shipped from Europ"
to the United States every year.
The reeson is simply that our far
mers have no idea that cornsilk pos
sesses any value. They throw it
away, and so it comes about that
dealers in this country are obliged
to depend on the foreign product
for their supply. Cornsilk is use
full as drug material. 1t comes
hither in dried condition, and Is
utilized by all drugmakers either
by soaking it in alcohol, which
absorbs its virtue, or by extract
ing from it its active principle,
maizenic acid, one-eighth OF
a grain of which is u medicinal
dose. The acid is supposed to BIT
an excellent diuretic.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
Poetic Justice.
Ia uoo obucklinu gleefully

He was chuckling gleefully.
"Tom," said his wife, whats the
matter with you? For the last ten
minutes you've had something on
your mind, and now you start
laughing. What is it"
"My dear, cannot go through
life with so terrible secret from
you. Do You remember that coun-
terfeit $40 | got year ago."
"Yes. 1t was the only money you
ever managed TO save"
"Well, it's gone"
"Gone"
Eyes. It's paid out"
"Why, Tom, how did your con-
science ever allow You to do such a
thing. and how can you laugh about
it now -.
"rhat's the worst OF it. | can't
feel bad. try to be ashamed OF
it, but can't. You see, ] used it
in settling your milliner's bill. -
Philadelphia Press.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
Some sehoolboy Answers.

A Brooklyn schoolteacher sends
some answers given by boys in her
class in nm examination:
"What are zones !" Zones are
belts running around the earth, CIV
ing out heat as they rum"
"What do we import from 1taly?'
wtalians."
"Of what is the earth compos-
ed?" "Sand, water, air and human
beans"
"What causes a fog" "The night
before"
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
An Odd Coincidencc.

Lord Eldon records a strange CO.
incidence. \ man was murdered,
and his assaiant escaped. Twelve
years later the brother Of the muir
dered man fell asleep in the bar OF
Liverpool public house. lie awoke,
feeling somebody in the act of pick
ing his pocket. The moment he
opened his eyes he exclaimed: Good
heavens. That man killed my
brother twelve years ago" The
pickpocket was secured, tried and
condemned. The evidence showed
that Immediately after the murder
he had enlisted and gone to India.
He had but just landed in Liver
pool when he went into the public
house, and his first act in that city
was to attempt to rob the brother
of the man whom so long before he
had killed.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
Fraternai Orders.

Rock bridge Lodge, No. So. l. U: u: r.
meets every Thursday night, at ODD Eel
lows Hall.
Lexington Lodge, No. SO, X: Of r.,
neets every Tuesday night, at odd Eel
l,.ws' Hall.
Liberty Lodge. No. 2, Daughters Q
Rebekah, meets every Monday night, at
Odd Fellows Hall.
Mountain City Lodge, No. ", Ancient
York Masons meets LIST and sra MOL
day nights at Masonic Hall
Natural Bridge Council, No .ls2o Noyal
Arcanum. meets 1st and Srd FRIDAY
nights in each month, at Odd Fellows
Hall.
Lee jackson Council, No. 81, junior
O,der American Mechanics, meets every
nj and 4th Friday nights, at ODD Fellows
Hall.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
GEMS IN VERSE
Flower Babies.

Flower Babies.
Underneath the drifted snow,
Which Ike blanket warm doth keep
All the living things below.
Little babies lie asleep.
Curled up tight. they snuggie down
In their mothers arms so true,
Wrapped In tiny wooden gowns.
Babies yellow, red and blue.
When the first warm breath OF spring
Melts the frost from land and lake
And the biuebirds song doth ring
All these little babies wake.
Wake and stretch and rub their eyes,
Peek above TO see the sun.
When Dame Nature says, "Arise!"
Then they jump up. every one,
And YOU say, 1.-THE flowers have
come"
Townsend Allen.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
An lrrsdueible Fracture.

"Dr. Splintem, the surgeon. %.
clared the man with the red shingles
on his house, sis the most expert
man in his profession in the city.
"Indeed?b politely asked the man
with the iron dog on his lawn;
eyes, sir. Why, there isn't any
kind of a fracture that he can't SET
and set perfectly"
as that so?" murmured the man
with the iron dog on his lawn
snow. / wonder If he would be any
sood at setting . broken egg
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
For Ten Years.

"For ten years." said the new
boarder, my habits were as regular
as clockwork. | rose on the stroke
of &, half an hour later was at
breakfast, at I I was at work, dined
at /, had supper at 6 and was in
bed at $50. | ate only plain food
and hadn't a days illness all the
time"
"Dear mep said a nearer in SYM
pathetic tones. "And what were
YOU in for ?"
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
His Designs on Chaos.

A dry goods merchant was ex-
planning the situation to the new
traveller he had just engaged. "Your
predecessor" he said, "has got his
business all tangled up, and if you
take his place you will have a diili.
cult task in getting order out of
chaos"
81 don't know who Chaos isl
eheerfully replied the newly APP
pointed traveller, "but III bet you
III sell him some goods il | have to
hang on to him a weekl'
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31

Boston Globe: The Confederate
veterans who came to the Grand
Army of the Republic encampmen'
here last week proved so wholly
agreeable as guests that every
body felt genuinely SORRY wher
Johnny went marching home.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
All tho Signs.

"Why do you think your son is
going to turn out to be genias {"
"Wcll, he hates work and won't
trim his finger nails, and he's got
the idea in his head that the whole
blamed world is out after his scalp,
20 | reckon he must be one OF them
genius fellers and liable almost any
day to do somethin' that'll just
natchelly surprise everybody clean
mb."-Chicago Record-Herald.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31
There has been taken from the

There has been taken from the
roof of the capitol building, in
Richmond, w., piece Of timber
used ia the original construction
scores of years ago. Three gavel.
will be made from this. One will
be presented to the Grand Lodge
of Masons of Virginia, which
meets here next February. The
others will go to the presiding
officers of the Senate and House.
Each will be appropriately in
scribed.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31

snake catcher in Pennsylvania
has received an or .er from Europe
for 10. 900 ratt'e-snake skins, I, he
made into purses, pocketbooks,
bags. belts, etc.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-08-31

Christian Training School for Girls
yOIr Thooh Instruction Under Positive Christian Influences Lowest Possible Cost
The Aim AT Blackstone is to girls sent there healthy
helpful, happy women
Modern brick building, with electric lights water
on every floor best methods Of heating and sanitation
campus Of Is faculty of 49, trained in the best
Aids to h, off ,,iro IN the building with the girls unusual
Success advantages In music normal department for IN
training Of teachers; cheerful wholesome christian
influence.
CD continuous extraordinary growth (rom 20 to ZOO
years., place taken every year. total
Proofs Of enrolment last session 1854 ~ Hunoreas Oh
Success and their parents enthusiastic Witnesses (a
Students classes of the Randolph Macon Woman
College on our certificate without examination.
For Catalogue Application Blank, address
JAMES CANNON, Jr., A. NJ, Principal,
BLACKSTONE VA
For the scholarships worth s7Soo eac VIII
be given TO found to be sui aoy prepared ~
who willing assist in the housekeeping
order % he defray their
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-15
EVANGELISTS
BEGIN REVIVAL HERE
Record of 100000 Conversions Is
Held by Canadian Religious
Workers.
MEETINGS HELD

For more than twenty years DIR. John f..
Hunter and DIR. II. T. Crossley. Canadian
evangelists, who began a series of revival
meetings yesterday in the Meridian-street
Church, have toured the northern country
together, sacredly devOting their lives to the
revival of mems souls. There are many
evangelists who have passed the twenty
year mark of service. but it is doubtful if
ever before two men have combined their
whole thought and energy into the evan
gelistic work as have the two evangeIists
from Canada. Together they have held
thousands of revival meetings and have seen
more than 10000 conversions. They have
the distinction of having consecratea Sir
John a. Mcdonald. premier of Canada.
Within the past three weeks more than 800
persons have united with the church at their
meetings.
The two services at the MeridIan-street
Church yesterday by DR.. Hunter and DR..
Crossley were largely attended. Unlike the
restful and impressive. Both DIR. Hunter
and DR.. Crossley are brilliant and interest
ing speakers, interpolating their talks with
flashes of humor and pointed remarks.
An impressive part of the services last
night was the singing of DR.. Crossley.
DIR. Stansfield introduced the ~evangeIists
as fully accredited ministers of the Cos
pei and members of the London Confer
ence. Canada. Both men spoke for about
fifteer minutes last night, DR.. Hunter Sc
lecting as his text the first ten verses of
the twelfth chapter of the Romans. His
point was that the only reasonable sery-
ice one can give Christ is to become a
Christian.
He laid stress on the condition of the body.
which should be given Christ, and urged
that the best care be taken of the body. He
closed his sermon with an imploration TO
the children TO love their parents more
openly and not wait until after their death
TO give them their just praise.
1.-THE Seven Crowns of the Bible was the
subject of DR.. Crossley's discourse. He
defined the different crowns, taking from
each q pointed lesson. The first crown. he
said. is that of loving kindness, which
leads to repentance, and the second is the
crown of gold, emblematic of the dignity of
the body. The third is the crown of glory
which awaits those who reach the land of
the Lord; the fourth is the crown of re-
joicing, emblematic Of heavenly joy. The
crown of life he named as the fifth crown.
which portends the immortality Of death.
The crown of righteousness and the crown
Of thorns are the last of the seven, the
latter being the emblem of mockery which
none should seek.
IAN Ideal Revival will be the subject of
the meeting tonight.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-15
EDWIN BROOD MYSTERY CONTEST
One Hundred Dollars i'm Cash Prizes VIII
Be Paid to Journal Readers

The Journal offers 500 in prizes for the
by the death OF the great English novelist.
Charles Dickens.
The last work Of Mr.. Dickens was a story
entitled 'The Mystery OF Edwin brood"
The great tale teller had woven a tangled
skein of mystery around the tragic disap-
Dearance of an unfortunate young nan OF
wealth. The novel promised TO be one OF
the greatest of Dickens's works. But be-
tore he had completed the book death over
took the author and no man knows what
the end was to have been.
Monday. Feb. S. the Journal began the
publication as a serial story THE Mystery
- EdWin brood" Every man and woman,
nov and girl in Indiana may enter the com
nefition for the solution prizes. The terms
If the contest are such as TO make the COM
netifion an entirely open one and one in
which THE READER OF LIMITED EDU-
CATION HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE OF
SUCCESS WITH THE STUDENT OR
THE MAN OF LETTERS.
CONDITIONS OF II CONTEST.
First-Six cash prizes will be given. as
follows: First, 5000: second. $500; third,
SlOOO: fourth, fifth and sixth. $500.
Second-At the conclusion OF the contest
the prize-winning contributions will be pub
lished. with a number of the better solu-
tions which will have received honorable
mention.
Third-The contributions must not ex-
coed five hundreds words.
FOURTH-SPELLING. AND
LITERARY STYLE WILL NOT BE CON-
sIDERED BY THE JUDGES. The con-