davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
The Side Walk Splitter.

|: All will agree with the editor of
the Manchester Press that 1.-THE side
walk splitter ought to be handed a
sealed package by the city authorities.
If there is no other way to break the
habit. why not tie tomato around
the neck of the splitter and compel him
to wear it during the hours when his
saliva pump is in eruption? If that
won't do, why not prepare spit
trough on che four corners, connected
with the sewer, and line up the spit
ting fraternity at stated hours of the
day in order that they may relieve
their overworked glands? 1t won't do
any good to legislate against the prac-
tice. The man who will stand on the
edge of sidewalk and squirt the con-
tents of three-quarrers of a pound of
cutplug into the middle of it, just in
time to fresco ssummer gown. will not
be deferred from the pleasant pastime
by city edict. The only way to do
is to surround the splitter with all
suitable comforts and conveniences
for the practice of his chosen profess
sion. better way would be to segre-
gate him, but the pound is already
full
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Robbery at 0sterdOck.

About once in two years a gang of
thieves 60 through one of ths Oster.
dock stores and gather up the surplus
stock and appropriate it, This time
it was s. R. Quinn that made the in
voluntary donation. Last Thursday
night burglars entered Mr.. Guinns
store by boring through the door and
unlocking the latch thus gaining
easy access to the store. They took
IS pairs of shoes. quantity Of hosiery,
skirts and other goods. They also
took along about $1,000 in cash. No
clue has yet been obtained. but it was
evidently the work OF local talent
Tracks were discovered on the bank
of the river which leads some to be-
lieve that the parties went down the
river in a boat. -Guttenburg Press.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Gasoline Tank Explosion.

Saturday night about 9 o'clock
Ernest Pfeiffer had CLOSE call while
pumping up the gasoline plant in the
basement of Pfeiffer Bros. store. The
tanks were supposed to stand pressure
of 60 pounds, but the lower end of
the tank blew out at pressure of 45.
The explosion caused the tank to
bound upward. striking Mr.. Pefiffer
in the face and breast. knocking him
several feet where he fell in an uncon-
cious condition. He was saturated
with gasoline from head to foot, and
had there been a lamp near his fate
would have been that of the young
man who met death in a similar acct
dent few weeks ago in the Merchants
Cafe-Oelwein Register.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
A Big Snake Story.

Here is a snake story as is one, and
close to home, too. A Prairie du
Chen dispatch in dailies saws that
9400 rattlesnakes have been killed in
Crawford county since bounty was
put on them two years ago, which has
cost the county nearly $4,000, and yet
there is no apparent sign of the reptiles
being thinned out. In fact the boun-
ties paid up to the present time this
year show a decided increase over last
year by so per cent. The enormous
increase during the last half of 1908,
which was nearly double that of the
first half, is due to the fact that the
snake hunters had learned that it was
easier to catch the reptiles when they
were gathering in their dens. This,
together with the fact that the con-
tinual high water keeps the snakes of
all descriptions off the islands, leads
the hunters to believe they will cap
ture more this fall than last. Craw-
ford andVernon are the only two coun-
ties in the State who pay bounty on
rattlers. which is fifty cents each.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Untimely Slaughter of Birds.

A few days ago the farmers of Sec
tion of the country around Elgin. H.
linois, thinking to benefit their crops
held day of slaughter at which time
al the farmers of the community in.
dulged in killing birds that they
believed to be pests. When the day
was ended and the heads of the birds
counted it was found that there had
been slaughtered 1928 feathered crea-
lures, the species being crows. hawks
and butcher birds. Now that the
farmers of that community have got
in their deadly work they are begin
ming to find out that they will, before
the season is ended, be infested with
a worse pest. The field mice have al
ready begun to increase in numbers
very rapidly and before the crops are
gathered the growers will discover
that their day of slaughter has been
a most unsatisfactory one for them for
the exterminators of the little four
footed pests have been eradicated from
the country, Ii is safe to predict that
the next season will not find the
farmers of Elgin putting in their time
killing the birds that have in the past
proven their benefactors. Elk
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Council passes Pavement Ordinance.

At the meeting of the city council
Monday night citizens appeared and
discussed the paving ordinance. But
little objection was offered to it, and
it was passed. By the terms of this
ordinance brick paving will be laid
in the business streets of the city.
Frederick street will be paved from
the Otter creek bridge south to the q.
G. W. railway crossing. Charles
street will be paved from the viaduct
to the Rock Island track. The council
voted to advertise for bids and decided
to push the business as rapidly as pos
81 BILE. -Oelwein Register.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Mason City POStOffice Scrap.

There promises to be a lively con-
test over the Office of postmaster of
Mason City and Congressman Haugen
will have another of those problems
to solve which have been the undoing
of many a congressman. j. A. Far
rell is the present postmaster OF Mason
City aud his term of four years ex-
pires next October. He will be can
didate for another term. Nate Kot-
chell is out as candidate and will
have substantial backing. j. II.
Anundson. who has been looked upon
as Mr.. Haugen's representative in this
county, will not be a candidate al
though his appointment would be
generally regarded as recognition of
the active work he has done. Frank
Chambers is said to be candidate and
it is possible there may be others for
the plum is a sweet and juicy one
and the salary attached to the office
is S2S0C year and constantly inoreas-
ing 1t will be interesting to watch
the lineup on the different candidates.
Clear Lake Mirror,
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
All Hail and Hell.

The Lawrence (Kas.) Gazette gives
an account of the divorce suit brought
by "Uncle" Paterson against his young
wife. Patterson took the stand in his
own behalf His description of his
married life convulsed the spectators.
How long did you court your wife 2"
he was asked. How long did cou't
huh, p replied the old man, breaking
into peals of laughter, 81 didn't cou't
huh, she done cou't'd me" And
then, says the Gazette, he went on as
follows. while the court sat spellbound
'Jedge, tn fust two years nv mar
ried life were like tn sunshine on tn
meddow an tn CON field. Then came
the rumblings Nv tn storm. TIL
clouds done cum up an tn wind dc
blow. Der were rustlin's an murmur
ms, an tn sun an tn moon dun quit
shinin'. Den tn rain. OATS tn tear
draps. an tn thunder, dats tn rum
blin NV huh voice, dun knocked tn
happiness out nv our lives. Now
ledge, it's all hail an hell. F"
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Had Cause to Wonder.

A stranger visiting a cemetery read
with surprise the inscription Oh a
tombstone "a Lawyer and an Hon est
Man.. The stranger scratched his
head and looked at the monument
again. He read the inscription over
aud over. He walked around the
monument and examined it closely.
Another man approached and asked
him: Have you found the grave of
an old friend ?" ''No," SAID the
stranger, "but was wondering how
they came to bury those two fellows
in one grave.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
A Remarkable Old Lady.

A few weeks ago and exchange item
appeared in these columns concering
and lady in nearby town who had
made a large number of quilts. @.
P. Tibbils told us that his mother in
law, who had been visiting him for
several weeks past could far exceed the
number mentioned in the item and
occasion Offering for short interview
we learned that Mrs. Chas. Leaman,
now in her eighty third year, had
made a great number of these articles
of all shapes and patterns. When her
house in GAINESVILLE was destroyed by
fire six years ago she lost ffty-seven
quilts, and since that time she has
made forty ten being finished since
last December, two being quilted.
We also learned that Mrs. Leaman is
one of the Oldest members of the Order
of Eastern Star in the state of Iowa
and still retains her interest in that
organization having held several diff
ferent offices in her younger days.
On last Thursday afternoon Mrs. Lea
man, accompanied by her daughter,
Mrs. @. p. Tibbils went to Horton
where three old ladies of over eighty
years of age. who had not met for the
past thirty years were to come to-
gether for a visit OH Sunday. Mrs.
Leaman has been resident of North
western Iowa or the past forty two
years. and in spite of her age retains
vigor and is in apparent good health.
Nashua Post.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Split His Skull With Hoe.

Over in Crawford comfy, Wis, a
big burly fellow named Hart residing
at Steuben, split the skull of Mayor
Campbell of his town with a hoe be-
cause Campbell was directing some
street grading in front of Harris pro-
perty that the latter did not wait.
Campbell is at deaths door and Hart
is in Jail at Prairie du Cnien. Since
the trouble Harris wife has gone in
sane over her husband S deed and has
been taken TO the hospital.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Attempted Suicide.

The Elma Vidette reports that jeff
Conn, an employe of the Great Wes-
tern who has worked with the bridge
crew about there considerably, at
tempted suicide last week. While on
the train enroute from McIntire. he
took large dose of strychnine and
was taken off the train at Elma very
sick man. He was taken to Laskey' S
restaurant and DR.. Gillespie called
At present he is able to be up and re-
covery is assured. He will not give
his reasons for wanting to die.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
A Distressing Accident

Sunday morning Chas. Switzer,
was leading his horses and colts to
pasture. One of the colts was a vicious
young animal and disposed to be ugly
and CONTRARY. Disposing of it's mate
Mr.. Switzer proceeded to place this
colt in the pasture and holding it by
the halter rope. when it began prancing
about. rising upon it's hind feet, and
plunging and kicking. decidedly belig-
erent. In the melee the halter rope
got around Switzer's neck and in the
see-saw burned a furrow more than
half way around the neck. When picked
up Mr.. Switzer was bleeuing from the
head and neck and senseless. An ex.
animation proved fracture of the
skull on the left side of the head. in
length the fracture was fully four
inches. Bruises on other portions of
the head and face, so that face and
neck became swollen and turned O
dark huey color. He is getting along
as we'll as could be expected and is
under skillful care. -Monons Leader.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Clayton County Stamping Warrants.

TneDemocrat editor received his first
stamped warrant today and we intend
to keep it in memory of the days when
the old county warrant ring held SWAY
in Clayton county about twenty-five
years ago and more. About $5.643 6S
is the amount of stamped warrants
afioat at the present time, and adding
to this sum $5OO6. 90, the amount over
paid in the county fund. we get the
amount $40, $40 90, the Indebtedness of
the county and insane funds. Clayton
Co. Democrat.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Successful Skin Grating.

Three hundred square inches of frog
skin is growing nicely on the body of
tie little son of John B. Field of
Waterloo. The boy fell into lot of
hot water some time ago and the en-
tire right side was scalded from head
to foot Seventy five frogs were Sc
cured and the skin from the live frogs
placed over the scalded portion. All
that remains now of the enormous scar
is a small wound in the back.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
The Deadly COwbane.

Many of our readers will notice in
the sloughs and wet places a plant
growing three or four feet high, with
an umbrella-shaped white blossom.
similar if not identical to what is
usally known as wild parsnip. This is
cowbane, the roots of which are q
deadly poison. poisonous both to stock
and to children. There have been a
number of cases of death among chill
dren in Iowa from digging up this
plant in the spring and eating it. The
plant serves no useful prpose and is.
to say the least, unsightly and dan
gerous. 1t should be dug up by the
roots and destroyed when ever time
and opportunity permits. -Wallaces'
Farmer.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Well Provided For,

The Waverly newspaper offices GER
tainly have a cinch. The editor of
one has the postoffice snap, the editor
of another is one of the county super
visors, one of the editors of another is
county auditor, and the editor of the
fort ign paper can prove relationship
to most of the preachers of his nation
atty throughout the county. Sumner
Gazette.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20
Drowning at MCGregOr.

Last week. Monday the two sons of
Rev. Francis of McGregor, were out
on the lake above the city in "a canoe
when IN some way they we're capsized
and Charles Francis. young man of
about 10 years of age, was drowned.
His body was recovered about two
hours afterwards. The brother was
rescued.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20

Wrong methods of judging house
paint values reversed. enabling 1.-The
man who pays the bills" to properly
estimate the cost Ask PrastmaTk &
Son for the Improved Lead Co.'S free
booklet 2S-4
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20

Before buying house paint. or de-
Gliding upon who will do the work,
ask H. A. Prastmark s. Son for I'm
proved Lead Company's free booklet
House Paint Values" and learn what
the per Year Cost means. 2S-4
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20

Any one who can read will be en-
abled to discriminate between real and
fictitious paint values by obtaining
Improved Lead Cos free booklet from
H. A. Prastmark & Son. 1874
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-07-20

improved Lead Co.'S free bookl st
on House Paint Values and how to
determine them may be had for the
asking at Prastmark & Son. 2S-4
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20
SUNDAY MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 70 I9U4
S z r Z n A S G III A n G E

and soneway the sound of his CHEEKY
voice and the sight of his confident
face gave the poor girl sudden courage.
"Good-morning, Mrs. Thomas. Maybe
YOU think I'm intruding; but-there's
no use beating round the bush IS there,
Serena?-the fact is we got married
last night, and she asked me over to
eat Thanksgiving turkey" ThereupOn
he put his arm about Serena and kissed
her. Then he turned and faced his
mother-in-law, and the look on his face
said as plainly as words: What are
you going to do about it,"
Mrs. Thomas looked at them in
awful silence for, it seemed to Serena,
at least half an hour. Then she spoke;
"Sercny Thomas, is this so?
Yes, ma, " answered Serena family.
Let me tell you about it, " said John.
"Mr. Parks has been rather attentive
to Serena, and he's made you think
he cared a good deal for her. What
he was really after was the farm, and to
get that he knew he'd have to take her.
You know that the new railroads going
to run close to the ledge-lOt. Well,
we've found out that the ledge IS full
of granite, and he knew it, and he knew
that as soon as the road came the place
would be worth almost as much as
if it had a gold mine in it. I've had
an idea what he was up to, all along
and l headed off part of his plans by
buying up the land adjoining the ledge
lot, where there's lots of good stone
and now we've headed off the rest of
1, /,
After which explanation John looked
his mother-in-law squarely and I'M
finchingly in the face, and waited
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for n
Continued from Page 81

for the explosion which did not come.
1t is 50 sudden" she said. Il
can't seem to sense it, someway. There,
| smell the turkey burnin'. III have
to run and see to it. " Once in the
kitchen, with the door closed behind
her, she stood still in the middle of the
floor for five minutes by the clock.
and made desperate effort to adjust
herself to the new order of things.
Several facts stared her in the face
in a most diSconCerting way They
had got the start of her-there was
no denying that. John and Serena
were married And-Parks had evil
IDENTIFY used her as cat s-paw to further
his selfish scheme.
1t did not take her long to decide on a
course of action. What had been done
could not be undone. She would have
possible The only chance she had
to get any satisfaction out OF the case
was to get even with Parks for having
made a tool of her An inspiration
came to her She would act on 1t, she
instantly decided, with a grim smile.
When she went back to the dining
room, she said to John and Serena,
with a smile that had a rather sickly
appearance about it: Il guess I'm
gittin' it through my head at last.
So you're married, Ell? Well, I'm
sure | wish you much JOY" Then she
shook hands with John, and kissed her
daughter
BY the time Joel and Lewis folks
arrived Mrs. Thomas was in high
spirits. She introduced the newly mar
ried couple as if she had known
all along what was to happen and APP
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20

he paddles on the tub bottom drive the soapy water
THROUGH and through the clothes at every swing Of
the tub Back and FORTH in and Of every fold and
through every mesh in the cloth the hot soapy
like torrent This Is how carries away all the Dire
from the clothes, IN from 81 % - -- by the clock
1t drives The dirt through 1.-THE fabrics
WITHOUT ANY RUBBING,-e,hout any WEAR aai
TEAR from the dashboard.
1t will wash the finest lace fabric without breaking
thread and VIII wash heavy dizzy carpet
with equal and rapidly Fifteen twenty garment,
or ve large 6ed-sheets can be washed at one time WITH
child do this in six 20 twelve minutes better
than any able washerToman could do the c-7---s
in TWICE the time with three times the and
from the washboard
This is what SAY, how do we PROVE ia
We send you 1900 " Washer free of charge. en-
fun months trial, and pay the freight OF
pockets
No cash deposit is asked. no notes. no contract no
security.
You may use the washer four weeks a, our expense
If you md il WON'T wash many clothes -Four hours
as you can wash by hand IN EIGHT hours You send 70
back 10 the railway staIion,-that's all
But, it, from months actual use, You are convinced
HALF the washing does the eor, better,
and does 1t twice easily could be done b hand
keep the machine
Then you mail 90 cents a week TILL IT paid for
Remember that cents Is part OF wna- t-- uLI-l-e
11zez YOU every week on your own, or on a
labor We intend that the 1900 Washer shall paw
itself and thus you nothing
lou don't risk from FIRST till last. and you t.n
buy II until you have hId a tuil months trial
Could afford pay freight thousands cd taes-
machines every month, II We did NOT positively Know
they would do all claim for thems Can afford
be without machine that viii do your asHI HALF
THE TINE, with halt the and % tlr wash
board You have that machine for a
trial and let it PAY FOR ITSELF2 This offer may be
Withdrawn al any time overcrowds factory
Write TO-DAY, white the offer is SKILL open, and
while you think OF The postage stamp Is all yoa RISK
Write personally on this offer, Il Bebcr
General Manager 1000" Washer Company Henry
St Bius hamJon, New York.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20

gave him smiling welcome.
Let me introduce you 10 Mr.. and
Mis- Simpson" she said, as soon as
he was inside the door We thought
we'd have little Thanksgiving s'prise,
you see, " and she fairly beamed with
delight as she saw the look of discontinue
which came over his face He said
few incoherent words that We're sup
posed to be congratulatory, and got
away from John and Serena as soon as
possible.
Mrs Thomas seemed intent on doing
the agreeable to the full extent of her
powers, and took a seat near him, and in
the conversation that followed she
contrived to make him understand
that she had been using him as tool
by which things had been brought
to a climax between John and Serena
She did not say this in so many words,
but she made him feel it as plainly as
if the most forcible words in the language
had been used in doing it In short,
she had made a fool, as we'll as I tool,
of him, and she took this opportunity
of telling hirl so under a show of great
politeness that made the fact all the
more wrath-provoklng to him. He was
not in a position to say much, but she
saw with intense satisfaction that he
was lest bilin' mad inside, " as she
expressed it to herself when she was
in the kitchen alone There, | ruther
reckon I've got even with him. | dunno
how't is with him, but | mus say I've
injoyed his comp'ny to-day. Then
she went about her work chuckling.
Parks wished he was a thousand
miles away, as he sat waiting for the
dinner he had no appetite for. He
tried to talk and cover up his defeat and
discontinue, but he made a sorry failure
of it. Then he drew a few pictures for
Billy, and finally fell to making his
initials, in an absent way, on the other
side of the paper and into every S. p.
that he put upon the page he injected
some of his spiteful feeling,
The dinner was grand success, as a
culinary achievement. Everyone ex-
cept Parks and Mr. Thomas did it
justice.
BY and by Billy, who had filled up
to such an extent that he had left the
table before the others, picked up the
paper on which Parks had been scribbling
before dinner.
IS P. S. P, p" he read. Say, ma,
what does S. p stan for?"
1T might stan for a good many
things, " answered Mrs. Thomas "Small
p'tatoes, fer instance, or stool pig in.
Mcbby when Mr. Parks wrote it he
thought it stood for some punkins. "
Parks glared at her with a black
look in his face that said as plainly
as words IF YOU were a man Id
lick YOU or get licked, " but she seemed
entirely unconscious of not only his
look but any attention of having her
late remark construed as a personality.
But down deep in her heart she was
saying They got the start of me, but
got the start of him, and the knowl-
edge afforded her so much pleasure
that she was filled with spirit of thanks
giving that was sincere if not highly
commendablc in its nature
As for John and Serena, it was a
real, a blessed, Thanksgiving Day, for
had they not each other, and love, and
all manner of bright plans for the future:
!