davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
The Will Rnnr OF Indin.

General Sir Montague Gerard of the
British army I'm his book of reminis-
cences has much to say about hunting.
During his twenty years residence in
India he killed nearly 200 tigers, some
of them dreaded man eaters. while his
bags of other wild animals would be
difficult TO number. Terrible rs Is the
tiger. the wild boar is even more saw
age and dangerous to attack. His
tusks frequently grow to nine or ten
inches In length and are as sharp as a
razor. Tigers have a special dread of
him. and In their encounters, which
sometimes happen. he nearly always
comes out victor. In pig sticking,
which is always done with spear on
horseback, there Is constant danger of
his disemboweling horses. in which
case the rider often suffers also. Gen
eral Gerard had many narrow escapes.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

The little gray dog tumbled head
long into the area, and the maid who
happened to be standing there closed
the gate. When the dog saw she was
safe fvom her two legged pursuers she
toppleti over in dead faint. At any
rate, the maid insisted that she faint
ed. The boarders, who crowded out
into the area TO help bring the little
animal to, dcrided the assertion. but
the doctor that finally Joined the group
said there was nothing preposterous
about It,
"Of course she tainted" he said
Lots of animals faint. Cats and dogs
and even more stolid animals keel
over in moments of fear and exhaus-
tlon. In the case of horses the pros
tration is generally attributed to sun
stroke but quite often they are knock
ed out by plain, everyday faint in
stead of atmospherlcal excesses. Fowls
faint too, and the birds of the air. In
fact. II is hard TO find any living crea-
ture that doesn't topple over In crucial
circumstances. If the lloness of the
jungle were up on etiquette she would
be just as much justified In carrying
n camphor bottle as the finest lady in
the land."-New York Press.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

One of the most remarkable school
rooms In the world Is surely that of
La Petite Roquette. the Paris prison
for juvenile offenders. The system of
this prison is that of solitary confine-
ment the whole building being SO con-
structed that each of tile detached cells
Is overlooked by warler stationed on
small observation tower. The school
room consists of 200 cells In the form
of an amphitheater, from each of
which the teacher, and the teacher
only. can be seen. Each of the youth
full offenders takes his place in silence,
the first In the farthermost cell and the
others in rotation. The closing of one
of these cell doors opens that of the
next cell. The voice of the teacher is
the only sound TO be heard in the build
ing. Religious services are conducted
In the same way, each of the inmates
being able to see the officiating clergy
man. and him alone.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

III India, according to an English
man who lived there many years. the
more educated class reduce perjury to
o line art. III n case Is to come before
the court they are not content with
ronching their witnesses beforehand,
but they take them TO the very spot
where the deed was committed and go
through all the incidents OF the assault
or tragedy TO be sworn to. so that the
various subpoenaed witnesses are lit
Gle likely 20 be caught by any cross ex-
animation, no matter how severe 1t
may be. He cites an instance of the
methods OF the ordinary Hlndoo law
yer a British officer had made num-
Der of purchases of parsee merchant,
who charged him such unreasonable
prices that he refused to pay the bill
The merchant brought suit. and the
officer consulted lawyer. who agreed
to take the case and win IL IL he were
not intcrfered with. This was prom
iscd. When the trial came Off. the de-
fensc promptly acknowledged the pur-
chase of the articles at the prices
named. but produced half a dozen wit
nesses who swore that they had seen
the bill paid.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

II is generally understood that a
large percentage of the Chinese are
addicted TO the use Of opium. This Is
n misconception. The belief that the
Chinese of rank and culture use the
drug Is due TO the prominence given
to the cultivation of the plant and the
manufacture of opium In the Celestial
empire. AS n matter of fact, native
who uses opium is looked upon by his
superiors as we discuss and classify
our drunkards.
The idea that pill will produce an
eXhilaratlng effect ON the beginner is
also erroneous. One must be accus
toned to the use of the drug to get
the pleasant effect. The first pipe to
an American produces nausea. Two
or three will make him sick If he can
stand eight or nine of these pills" he
Is apt TO dream. but the awakening Is
always an unpleasant reality.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

The orange tree is regarded as n
prince among trees and the emblem of
genius. A popularity of this tree is
that 1t bears fruit and flower ut the
same time. Its leaves are evergreen.
and as II grows older II grows in beau
ty and fruitfulness, its blossom filing
the air with its fragrance. 1t Is indeed
tit emblem of marriage promise and
hopes. The orange tree is considered
typical of love because, though its fruit
is golden ana its flavor ana scent deli
cious. its rind Is bitter, and, as every
one knows who has experienced 1t, Gu
pid's dart causes pain. The orange Is
emblematic of gratitude ms well as of
genius and love.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
An Elephants Toothache.

have in my possession an elephants
tooth, partially decayed. The animal
belonged to my father, who was in the
East Indian civil service at Morada-
bad, and as the tooth caused the ami.
NAL so much pain that 1t interfered
with its eating my father. with the as
slstance of the mahout's son sitting on
the elephants head and telling him to
be quiet, extracted the tooth by means
of hammer. iron bar and rope. The
grateful animal used to like to have
his gums dressed with tow and gin for
days after the operation. AS this hap
pened before 1S42, no anaesthetic
could have been used.--London Field.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

ToboIsh. where the Siberian Cossacls
Is reared. IL n well watered region. with
1,50O lakes. many of them of consider
able size. Many of the inhabitants
had their origin In the utilization of
the territory as penal colony for Eu-
ropenn Russia. The people are still
very primitive, sheep being the unit Of
exchange in their barter system. Cat
tie breeding Is extensively adopted.
and Il Is from this source that the Rus
sian army draws most of It's horses for
service In the far east. These nninials
are small and hardy not particular
about food and capable of enduring
extreme heat and cold but the load
they can take even on lcvdl road is
only about 900 pounds. The prcparn-
tory class of the Cossncks comprises
lads from the age of eightee- who
undergo three years training. The
Cossacks of the first ranks are en-
rolled from the age of twenty-one for
a period of twelve years. and ull serve
for further period of five years In
the reserves. the age of discharge be-
ing, therefore. thirty eight.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
The nIuc Lakes,

About twelve miles northwest from
the town of Upper Lake, Cal, is II
series of waters known MS Blue lakes
three in all-surrounded by spurs Of
the coast range that tower 1000 feet
over them. These lakes are steel blue
in color and never freeze The upper
lake is nearly two miles in length and
half mile In width In the widest
place, the middle lake Is about half
mile long and half that distance in
width, and the lower one is less than
half the size of the nearest nelghbor.
The upper lake is nearly 500 feet deep
in places. and all of them abound In
trout
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
SHOD WITH IRON.
A Highland Robber Who Got "A Dose
of His own Medicine.


We are told in Sir Walter Scott's
"Tales of Grandfather that in the
reign of James l. of Scotland a high
land robber chief named Macdonald
plundered a poor widow of two of her
cows and that she in her anger vowed
that she would never wear shoes again
till she had carried her complaint to
the king for redress.
1T is a false boast" replied the ban
dit. 81 will have you shod myself be-
fore you can reach the court" To carry
out his threat he caused smith TO nail
shoes to the woman's naked feet and
then thrust her forth, wounded and
bleeding, on the highway. The widow,
however, faithful to her word, as soon
as her wounds had healed went to the
king and told him of this atrocious
cruelty.
James heard her with mingled pity
and indignation, and in righteous retri-
button caused Macdonald and twelve
of his followers to be seized and shod
with iron shoes as they had done to the
poor widow. In this condition they
were exhibited to the public for three
days and then executed.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

One could surely find no worse
ground to build upon than a bed of
sponges such as we use for the bath.
And yet London has for its subsoil
only sponges, although we call them
fiints., Once they grew as sponges do
now in salt water shadows, and they
are found in layers petrifed among
the chalk Of southern England. The
Thames valley chalk has been melted
like so much sugar and carried away
with the running waters, but the fiints
have been left behind. and on these the
whole city of London has found its
excellent foundations.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
The Calendar Calculation.

Caesars reformed cnlendar made the
year about eleven minutes too long
that is. the solar year began eleven
minutes earlier each twelvemonth than
the calendar year. In 1882 Pope Greg
ory XIII. found that the solar year
had gained ten days on the calendar
year. He corrected this and to keep
the two years more nearly together or
dcred that thereafter only centurlal
years dlvisible by 400 should be leap
years. This calculation Is this BY add
ing eleven minutes regularly to the
year. at the end of century the legal
calendar has had one more day than
the solar calendar. by giving up the
additional day of leap year in three
centurial years the legal calendar has
at the end Of three centuries nearly
one day less than the solar calendar
This difference Is corrected by having
an extra day In the fourth centurial
year. The arrangement is so nearly
exact that the two years differ by only
one day in 1923 years
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
It's other Name,

"How some people do pose" said a
matter of fact man. "They use great,
big words just to make people think
that they are smart. l think that the
weakest of all affectations is that of
using what is called big language in
stead of those simple terms which at
first present themselves to every per-
son of common sense.
"At my home the other day young
lady astonished my household by ask
ing the loan of 'diminutive argente-
Gus, truncated cone, convex on its sum-
nit and semiperforated with symmet-
rical indentations.'
"She wanted a thimble. louisville
Herald.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
Washington Could Run.

"As TO running" said Parson Weems
I'm his book on George Washington.
'the swift footed Achilles could scarce
ly have matched his speed. 'Egad, he
ran wonderfullyr said my amiable and
aged friend. John Fitzhugh, Esq. who
knew him well. We had nobody here
abouts who could come near him.
There was young Langhorn Dade of
Westmoreland, confounded. clean
made, tight young fellow and mighty
swift runner. too; but, then. he was no
match for George. Langy, indeed, did
not like to give up and would brag
that sometimes he had brought George
to tie. But believe he was mistak-
en-, for l have seen them run together
many time, and George always beat
him easy enough"
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
ABRIpelNe THE LAW.
II Took Time, but II Was Finally Re-
duccd 10 One Section.

Before we were married." cogitat-
ed the round shouldered but otherwise
upright man as he proceeded with his
task of washing the dishes which his
wife had left in an untidy state when
she departed for the convocation of
the sewing circle, ~ concocted-in my
mind-quite a long series of bylaws
and regulations which should govern
and shape our married life. There
were rules and formulas calculated, so
l believed, TO fit almost any emergency
that might arise, and from time TO
time / added codicils as they occurred
to me till in the end II was a veritable
constitution duly authorizing two to
live cheaper than one and happier than
anybody else.
"But shortly after the ceremony
which made us two souls with but a
single thought, as they say in stories,
began little at time TO amend the
document-it was a mental one, as |
said beforehand, strange MS It may np-
pear, the more amendments l added
the shorter it became, till now, after
the lapse of fourteen years Of welded
bliss, my constitution is so reduced
| that It is composed of only one sec
fion, which is as follows:
\" Section 1. What my wife says is
ldw,v
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
A PAPER GAG.
uscd ms n Life Prescrvcr II snvcd n
Man From Drowning.


A common -four sack--a paper bug
and the use of his wits saved Chris
Hansen, hunter, from drowning at
sausalito, Cal The Culver tells the
story. Hansen had been accustomed to
spend the early morning hours shoot
ing on the hay. one morning, while he
was returning In n skin from the hunt
ing grounds, his shotgun, which was
lying In the bottom of the boat, was
accidentally discharged. The full con-
tents of the barrel passed through the
bottom of the skin and tore large,
jagged hole.
In few minutes the boat began to
settle, and the mans most desperate
efforts could not stop the incoming
water. He grasped the oars and, snatch
ing tough paper bag which he used
for carrying his game, begaS TO tie
them together as a float TO assist him
TO reach shore.
When he had finished his task he
jumped into the water. The boat sank
a moment later Hansen could not
swim well, and he found the oars but
little support. He was beginning to
lose courage when he noticed that a
portion of the sack used in tying the
oars together had become filed with
air. He snatched 1t up and held the
open end toward the breeze until It
filed with wind.
Hansen used this improvised life pre-
server to assist in Keeping him afloat
and easily remained on the surface of
the water. The tide and the use of
his legs gradually propelled him toward
the shore, and the drifting man soon
got foothod.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
HER OPALS.
A Reason why They Were Not the
Cause of Her Misfortuncs.


Cause of Her Misfortuncs.
81 think Sir Walter Scott is largely
responsible for the superstition as to
opals," said the travelling salesman of
jewelry. BE that as it may, 1t is still
widespread. There is large Jewelry
house in one of the big cities which
will not handle opals. This means n
loss of thousands of dollars annually.
The founder of the house put the bar
on opals, and the third generation Is
keeping 1t up.
IL had an amusing experience when
/ was behind the counter of house
in the east. A lady came In and, hand
ing me Il brcastpin set with opals said
"'Mr. Jones, what will you give me
for these stones? They were an heir
loom in my husbands family. but since
they have come into my possession my
husband and | have had nothing but
misfortune. We have lost our resi-
dence by fire, there has been sickness
in the family all the time, and he is ex-
periencing business reverses. l must
get rid of The opals, so make me an Of
fer
Madam l said, are you sure that
your troubles are due to themY
"'Oh, perfectly sure
"'You cannot think of any other
causeT
"'No. Make me an offer, please
Madam ! replied deferentlally,. 4
regret to inform you that those stones
are limitations '"-Birmingham News.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
OUR BLIND SPOT.
A Portion of Every Eye Is Absolutely
Insensible to Light.


On the back of the eyeball is pecul-
lar expansion Of the fibers of the optic
nerve which is called the retina. Ev-
cry part of this is not equally sensitive
to the action of light. A small portion,
where the organization is most perfect,
is called from its color the yellow spot.
This is only one six-thousandth of
an inch in diameter, yet II produces
the most perfect sensation of vision.
A little nearer to the nose is another
spot, which, though full of fibers of the
optic nerve, is absolutely insensible to
light and is therefore called the "blind'
spot This can be easily proved by
putting two big dots three inches apart
on n piece of paper, closing the right
eye and looking at the left hand dot
and moving the paper toward you till
the left hand dot disappears.
Helmholtz in his lecture tells us that
"this blind spot is so large that 1t might
prevent our seeing eleven moons If
placed side by side, or a mans face at
n distance of only six or seven feet"
and that "Mariotte who discovered
the phenomenon, amused Charles II.
and his court by showing them how
they might see each other with their
heads cut off,"
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
NenrlY Sad.

A newspaper in small country town
not far from New York employs re-
porter whose knowledge Of English
idioms is somewhat uncertain. He
was assigned recently to report the
sudden death Of an important local
citizen, and after describing the cir
cumstances leading up to it he re-
ferred to the sadness Of the bereave-
ment sustained by the family. '"The
widow" he concluded, ''is almost grief
icken."-Harper's Weekly.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
Age and Resnect.

A writer in the Ladies' Field states
vigorously that she is not q believer in
"respect due to age" "Why respect
should be considered the sole preroga-
tive Of age is a thing have never been
able to understand. When people have
displayed consistent foolishness or va
Guilty throughout their youth and middle
age why should younger and perhaps
wiser generation be expected to look
up to them with reverence simply be-
cause seventy years have passed over
their heads? Respect, surely, should
be question of character and not of
age"
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
Much More Than That.

"That milk looks as If il were half
water" protested the woman at the
kitchen door.
at is much more than that, maam." +"
replied the milkman. a college gradu-
ate in reduced circumstances. "l guar
antee ii to be Sc per cent water. 4 per
cent butter, 3la per cent cnsein and
6la per cent sugar and various salts,
the combination resulting in the liquid
commonly known as milk. Chemical
analysis of the same cheerfully fur
nished whenever desired. Good morn
ing, a'am."-Chicago Tribune.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

Celluloid, the chemical compound
which bears so close resemblance to
ivory, Is mixture of collodion and
camphor, invented i'm 1855 by Perkeslne
of Birmingham, whose name for a time
1t bore. The process of manufacture is
as follows: Cigarette paper is soaked
in mixture of nitric and sulphuric
acids until 1t becomes nitrocellulose.
After thorough washing, to free 1t from
the acids, this cellulose is dried mixed
with certain quantity of camphor,
and coloring matter If required, and
then passed through a roller mill. 1t
is next formed into thin sheets by hy-
draulic pressure and afterward bro
ken up by toothed rollers and soaked
for some hours in alcohol. A further
pressure and hot rolling process fin
ish it, and results in ivory-like sheets
half an inch thick.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
A Noyelirt,. Charncterr.

Stevenson said that George Meredith
once read him some chapters of '"The
Hgoist" while it was still in manu-
script. As the character of the Egoist
developed he (stevenson) grew more
and more uncomfortable till at last he
interrupted the reading and said,
Nov, own up, Meredith, you drew
Sir Willoughby from me-" Meredith
burst into his Homeric laugh and said:
mo, no, my dear fellow-he is all of
us. But I found him." tapping his own
breast, ''mainly here."-William Arch
ers "Real Conversations" 81,
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
AssistnuCe.

(which of these books or periodicals
would you recommendY asked the wo-
man, with pleasant smile.
"Well, lady," answered the boy who
was attending to the depot news stand,
'it depends. If you want genuine first
class information I'd sell you dis copy
Of de Sportin' News, but If you jls'
wants somethin' to t'row at de Pull
man porter I'd recommend dis substan-
tial bound book by Herbert Spencer
Washington Star
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

In the British house of commons, as
soon as the question to be decided is
sets In motion huge sand glass, famil-
larly known to members as the egg
boiler" probably because it takes three
minutes to run out. AS the last sand
runs through the glass the scrgeant-at-
arms Instantly locks the massive oak
doors of the chamber and only those
members who have succeeded in get
ting through the doorway can vote.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
Faculty of Imitation In Animals.

Some animals have wonderful powers
of imitation. Dogs brought up in the
company of cats have been known TO
acquire the trick of licking the paws
and then washing the face. When a
cat has been taught TO sit up for food
her kittens have been known to imi-
tate her action. Darwin tells of cat
that was in the habit of putting her
paw into the mouth Of narrow milk
pitcher every time she got the chance
and then licking the cream off her paw.
Her kitten soon learned the same trick.
A lady tells OF a rabbit that she keeps
I'm cage with monkey and says that
Bunnie has caught many of the
monkeys ways. 1t is said that starv-
ing pigeons that have been brought up
on grain will not eat peas to save their
lives, but that If pea eating pigeons are
put with them they follow their ex-
ample and eat peas.-Detroit News
Tribune
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
The Cunning of Ants.

A naturalist found black ants were
devouring the skins of some bird specl-
mems on n table. so he made tar cir
cles on four pieces of paper and put
one under each leg of the table Ants
will not cross tar. Pretty soon he
found the ants busily at work again
and, looking at the tar circles, found
each one was br1dged by bits of sand
which the clever ants had brought in
from the street.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
Out of Place.

Aunt Prisms-I am shocked at you.
Maude. You permitted young Mr..
Jones to kiss you. Maude-He only
just touched me on the nose. auntie.
Aunt Prlsms-It was quite out of
place, dear Maude-He knew it was.
auntie. But you came in so suddenly,
you see.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
His Grievance.

"Uncle Ephraim, you are looking
much better. You found something
that cured your rheumatism. did your
"Yes, sub. But 1t cured me too quick,
sub. l didn't get no use out on dem
two dollah an half crutches bought
week befo' last."-Chicago Tribune.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
UnaccountabIe Surprise,

"Some men never learn by expert
ence."
"Thats true" answered young Mrs.
Torlins. Charley is just as much sur
prised every time he loses at the races
as If it had never happened before."-
Washington Star
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

The absentminded correspondent Of
the Georgia citizen in Texas closed a
recent communication as follows: "P.
ST. almost forgot to tell you that your
house was burned to the ground one
day last week. your brother having let
the insurance lapse two weeks before.
So you won't git nothing out of 1t.
reckon" Constitution.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08

"And you say the teacher whipped
you cruelty"
'Yes. dad"
"Show me the marks"
II can't. dad. There amt no marks"
mo marksy"
mo, dad. You see, was dressed for
it."-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-08
Going.

Mrs. Nexdore--That piano we bought
for our daughter was a great bargain.
We bought II at an auction, you know.
Mrs. Pepprey-Oh, that may account
for 1t! Mrs. Nexdore-Account for
what? Mrs. Pepprey-The fact that
it's going, going, going.