davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
THE CURVED BALL.
Il Is the Atmosphere Which Causes
Its Eccentric shoots.

Most any ten-year-old yOungster can
curve a ball, even though he does not
know why he can do so except that
the leather must be held in a certain
way Possibly a half dozen of the
major league twirlers know something
about the science Of the curve but
comparatively few understand why
they can produce their blenders" The
Scientific American gives the follow
ing as the scientific explanation OF the
matter.
The pitcher in the field tells us that
the ball curves because he gives II
twist but scientifically this Will not do.
Why will the twist make the curve2
If a ball We're thrown in certain di-
rection ana if the force Of grayitation
were not at work the ball would con
tinue on In a straight line forever.
Some force OF resistance IS then at
work when a ball is made to deviate in
a curve from its straight course. If a
feather IS dropped in a vacuum in an
exhausted receiver Of an air pump it
" III hlNl ilhN a oA4DAs bht II IL 10 VI W
ped out in the air it viii 20 down ir
regularly and slowly, shifting from
side to side
1T is the atmosphere which causes
the bah to curve. Bearing in mind
that the atmosphere is a compressible,
elastic gas, we find that when the ball
leaves the hand of the pitcher with
rapid rotary motion it impInges upon
a continuous elastic cushion and
this moderate resistance, or friction,
changes its course in the direction
which is given to the rotary motion.
Take an outShoot of a right handed
pitcher. for instance. He impresses
upon the ball rapid centrifugal rO-
tary motion to the left, and the ball
goes to the left because the atmosphere,
compressible and elastic, is packed into
an elastic cushion just ahead OF the
bail by the swift forward and rotary
motion. and the friction which is very
great in front OF the ball. steers 1t in
the direction which 1t is turning"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
where Time Is Nothing.

Miss Mary f. DunhaIn in her book
OF travels through the Balkan states
says she found that the Idea OF women
travelling without male escort in
those countries struck the people whom
she met as most singular. A Hontene-
IT'u va- also aSronished at an eIpend-
itor" OF money upon travel which
seemed TO him without an adequate te
purpose.
r" English. he had been told. want
~ L. see and know everything They
Travelled everywhere 1t must be n
very expensive habit. 1t had perhaps
cost me IS he suggested, TO come this
distance. | admitted that II had, and
he expressed great astonishment At the
lavish expenditure
And it takes not only money. but
time" said my companion.
He laughed merriiy Time What
is time? Time Is nothing You live.
and then YOU die" The Idea Of re,'k,
oning time" amused him vastly.
Time" said Hungarian who was
OF the party, in order to show his su-
perior knowledge. rs thought very
much Of by the English. have been
told that they have a proverh which
says, Time IS money
We corroborsted this report to the
astonishment OF both men. for even
the Hungarian thought this WAS going
rather far The Montenegrin thought
It one Of the widest statements he hao
ever met with and shook his puzzled
head
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
ENGLISH CRIMINAL LAW.
The Difference Between Hard Labor
and Penal ServItude.

and Penal SeFNItude.
The difference in Great Britain be
tween hard labor and penal servitude
Is one Of period and treatment Hard
labor varies as TO period from a few
days to two years, and however well a
prisoner behaves himself the sentence
is never shortened There are two
classes of hard labor
In the first class the punishment ad
ministered consists OF six TO ten hours
work at the treadmill the crank or the
capStan, or at stonebreaking or shot
drill. In the second class the hard la
Dor really consists of such punishments
as may he decided by the justices In
session
Penal seryitude is the modern sub
stitute for transportation beyond the
seas.
A term OF penal servitude begins
with nine months hard labor in a
probationary prison. and after that the
convict is employed on public works
in a penal settlement The work Is
comparatively light, and In most pris-
ons well behaved man gets OF pretty
easily. In addition to this, by virtue
OF u system Of marks for good be-
havlOr, he has always before him the
possibility of reducing his sentence by
at mo- bout one year In five
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
EnrIy Tobacco.

According to John Aubery, who
wrote a celebrated work on the very
quccre Indian weede," there was a
time when tobacco was worth its
weight III silver. Among other things
Aubery says: Sir Walter Raleigh was
the first that brought tobacco into Eng
land, and in our parts-NOrth Willis
ii came in fashion through Sir Walter
Long They used silver pipes, but the
commoners used a walnut shell. II
was sold then for It's weight in silver,
/ have heard some Of your old yeomea
neighbors say that when they went TO
Chippenham TO market they always
culled out their shillings to lay in the
scales against the tobacco. Now the
customers of it are among the greatest
that his majesty hath"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
BeRERrE In ENGLAND.

Beggars who fcign diseases are no
new thing in the streets Of London
They existed in Charles s time, only
then the beggar was called ''ruffler," !"
a "hufr' or "shabbaroon." If he was
deaf and dumb he was called a dun
merer." The woman who sung hymns
and led borrowed children by the hand
was called ''clapperdOzen." Vagrancy
is no new thing, though it practically
did not exist in medieval times. 1t
was when the cities ceased to be CON
fined within their own walls and long
before the days Of policemen that the
people got beyond the control OF the
aldermen and their officers and va
grancy became a regular profession.
The first English law against beggars
was made by Henry VIII, who gave
licenses to beg to the old and impotent
and ordered that all other beggars
should be whipped and sent back TO
their parishes
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
THE DICTIONARY.
It's story May Lack Plot, hut ~ Is De-
cidcdIy Interesting.

It's story May Lack Plot, hut ~ Is De-
cidedIy InterestinR.
Whoever says dull as a dictionary"
cannot be very familiar with one. We
may sympathize with the old lady who
remarked OF the dictionary that she
didn't think much Of the story" but
nevertheless no one can use good
unabridged edition with any frequency
and not attest 10 the fact that IL Is
full Of the most fascinating reading
Indeed, notwithstanding the old lady's
opinion, the dictionary often eXerts a
charm not unlike that OF an exceeding
~ interesting novel. To be sure, the
narrative lacks Consecutiveness, but
the work is full Of most interesting
stories
When we go 10 look up a word we
are in doubt about we are attracted TO
other words in its neighborhood; they
enlist our curiosity; we are impelled TO
find out their meanings, too, and to
make ourselves acquainted with their
life histories Very strange things,
most unsupported things, they often
tell us. Occasionally a very familiar
word that we thought we knew all
about reveals most remarkable quail
ties-much as some commonplace
neighbor who for years we have nod
ded TO in passing TO and fro, regarding
him as an excellent but rather dull in
dividual, may chance to join us in a
walk down the street or sit beside US
on the train and casually betray traits,
interests, qualities OF mind or heart
that entirely change our opinion Of
him. SO we may read on and on, per
hapS forgetting all about the word
that we set out TO look up, and finally
have to turn to It again to reassure
ourselves as TO the precise points we
were in doubt about Boston Herald
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
CuriOus SnuTboNes.

Lawrence Kirk" snuffboxes, first
made at place of that name IN Kin
cardineshire, were the ingenious inven-
tion Of one Sunday, a cripple, who
made his own tools. Instead of taking
out Il patent he conflded the secret Of
cutting them, hinges and all, from the
solid wood to joiner In the village,
who in Il few years grew rich, while
Sunday died in poverty. Special tools
are OF course required for this work,
and the mystery of their formation is
carefully maintained These curious
snuTboxes are generally made of plain
wood. and the actual cost Of the mate.
rial. with paint and varnish, is about
threepence In early times they sold
readily for 70 l2s. sd. and ladies' work
boxes Of similar construction for E25.-
London Chronicle
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
AN AFRICAN INCIDENT.
4 Python. some Goats and "a Meal
That Was ReIished.

During several years spent in cen
tral Africa we were for the greater
part of the time dependent on goats
for our fresh milk supply" writes "a
traveller. The goat kraal was made
very strong proof against lions, leOp-
ards and other CarniyOra but python
entered between the poles, though they
We're spaced three inches apart, one
night, killed all the goats in the com
partment by straugling them. swai-
lowed two and was found gorged
sluggish and self trapped within the
kraal in the morning The swellings
Of his body where the two goats were
prevented him from escaping between
the pallngs, as he had come in. To
look at the snakes small head and
slender neck II seemed impossible for
him to swallow anything larger than a
rat, but by dislocating his jaw and
stretching his skin he accomplished
the apparently impossible feat OF gas
trOnOmy. The goats were cut out Of
him intact by our boys, who evidently
considered that premature burial IN
the python did not affect the edible
qualities OF the meat AZ within half
an hour il was all roasted and eaten
with cons, ,'crahle relish"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
PANAMA HATS.
They Are Made From the UndeveI"p-
ed Leaves OF the BOmbonHje.

The panama IS d leaf hat made in
Colombia, Ecuador and Peru from the
undeveloped leaf Of the "bombonaje,"
which is a screw pine rather than
palm. The trunk Of the plant is only
a yard in height, but the leaf stalks are
two yards long
The leaf before 1t has opened is pre-
pared for the manufacture Of hats. II
then consists Of bundle Of plaits
about two feet long and an inch in di-
Smeter called "cogollo." The green
outside Is stripped off, and by means
ot forked instrument 1t is cut into
narrow strips of uniform size.
The cogollo is next boiled to toughen
the fber and hung in the sun to dry
and bleach, when the strips shriyel into
cordllke strands ready for use. II takes
sixteen cogollOs for an ordinary hat
and tweuty-four for the finest, and a
single hat IS plated In from four days
10 AS many months, according TO It's
texture and quality. Herald.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
AS A WOMAN LUNCHES.
Meals That Are Ordered Merely by
Force of Suggestion.

Lots Of women order tlT&r luncheOns
merely by force OF suggestion. II you
don't think so. watch the wRvering
ones sit down, lsok on the card, glance
at their nearest neighbOr's plate and
then order whatever the latter happens
to be eating In crowded luncheon
room on matinee day one little round
table seating four women bore out this
statement Two Of the women refresh
ed themselves on cake and coffee. The
third was putting away sayoTy clam
chowder fourth came In, observed
the cakes. ruZed appreciatively on the
choWdcr and requested the latter. The
first chowderer finished and departed,
and the woman who immediately took
her place looked around the table and
ordered cakes ana coffee
Ey this time the first two cake and
coGccilcs had finished. and an uncer-
tain looking woman sat down on that
side of the table She looked at the
two opposite, glanced ut the card and
said, "Rrin- me a clam chowder"
This is fact. and there is every rea-
son to suppose that nothing but coffee
ana cakes and chOwder was served AZ
that table al the afternoon or at least
as long as wayerinE ladies sat down
ut it-Philadelphia Bulletin
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
A Place Of Great Hent.

The largest OF the Avail islands,
which are scattered over a Considera-
ble area In the Persian gulf, is said to
be earths hottest place. The mean tenn
perature OF Bahrein, as II is called, is
90 degrees for the whole year No Eu-
ropean can endure the heat, which at
midnight rises 10 100, in the morning Is
l07 or los and by 3 In the afternoon
reaches the phenomenal height Of 40
degrees. The island is inhabited by
Arabs. The following high tempera-
lures are also experienced at the places
named: Parts Of Algeria, 127 degrees;
Agra, III degrees, and Lahore, 107 de-
grees
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

Gentlemen who have put an enemy
into their mouths are recommended to
try a very simple test for the purpose
of finding out whether their brains
have been stolen. They must stand
erect with their eyes closed, and IL
they can perform this feat for brief
period they may come to the conclu-
sion that they are all right Two In
dividuals who were accused Of drunk
enness at Pontefract proved that they
had honorably stood the test, and the
The great merit of the plan IS that II
can be put into operation anywhere
and at any time.-London Tit-Bits.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
A TALE OF THE COMMUNE.
One Little Chap who Escaped the
Bullets of the Soldiers.

Bullets of the Soldiers.
A writer il the Cornhill tells OF a
scene that Charles Austin witnessed
when the Nersaillais entered Paris. He
saw one day roaming about PaTis-a
not uncommon sight-a group Of men
and women put against a wall TO be
shot Their hands were supposed to
be blackened with powder.
Among them was a lad of twelve or
fourteen, who, before the order to shoot
could be given. stepped forward and
begged 10 be allowed TO take back the
watch his mother had lent him. He
produced Il huge turuip of q watch and
promised faithfully to return
Mr. Austin said it was moment Of
anguish None could be sure that the
child was telling the truth, but the Off
Ger commanding giving him kick
said. "Be off with you" The child ran
away the order to shoot rang out, but
the horrid business was hardly over
before the cIatter Of feet was heard, and
the boy reappoared round corner and,
putting himself against the wall, pre-
pared for death
II was impossible 70 Kill that heroic
little soul
1T renews ones faith in human ma
ture." said Mr.. Austin.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

Talking Of matrimouy" said the
sage, there are two sorts Of men who
are equally miserable specimens"
and they areE"
The fellow who says he's sorry he
ever married and the fellow who says
he's glad he never did. Philadelphia
Press
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
Natural Preference.

Miss Violet had made rapid tour
OF the European continent and found
little TO impress her, either favorably or
otherwise
You say you saw all you wanted to
" Italy" said a friend on Miss Vio-
Kansas what did you think OF the
lazzaroni|'
Don't talk TO me about IT," said
Miss Violet briskly. ia rather have
a good dish Of plain American maca-
roni baked with cheese any time"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

Senator Joe Blackburn, who was
quite a dandy in bis younger days,
once ordered pair Of trousers from
his tailor, and as the fashion then was
10 wear tight neither Labilamcuts be
emphatically demanded that this par
ticular pair be skin tight In due time
the trousers were sent home and tried
on. whereupon the senator sent for the
tailor and proceeded TO open fire.
What in the blankcty blank blank
have you done with these trousersT" he
demanded You told me to make them
skin tight SIR" faltereI the tailor
Yes; but. by the great horn spoon. You
overdid il" roarcI tlt, senator. Il can
sit down ia my skin. bnt | cant IN
.hesp troUSCrS
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

After other amusing replies to his
questions, an examining physician con.
nected with big life insurance com
pany relates that OF a son of Erin who,
when asked his age. declared that he
was thirty-three years old and added
But In two months I will be a year
older"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
Mistaken Kindness.

Jack-Hello old man, Awfully glad
to see you. Here, take off that coat and
put on this smoking jacket and make
yourself comfortable Dick Deuce take
it! Do you mean to insiuuate that
don't feel comfortahIe in z lrn.s suit?
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
AN ODD PUZZLE.
The Cryptic Inscription That OFMa-
meats q Swiss Church

The Cryptic Inscription That OFMa-
meats q Swiss Church.
A picturesque tower Is the Oldest
part of the Swiss church at Champery,
a village which lies In u valley under
the shadow Of the towering Dent du
Midi.
Dedicated TO st. Theodule, this church
was built IN 1726 on the site OF an an
cient chapel The tower, with its
unique pierced crown, carries a gilt
statuette OF the patron saint, a quaint
old clock and the following cryptic in
scription, which has puzzled many
travellers
QUOD AN IRIS MULCE PA
GUS tt DINE W.T.
Hoo SAN CHRIS DULCE LA
BY taking the syilables above and be-
low with those in the middle II reads:
Quod ang7iis tristi mulcedine pavit.
Hoe sanguis Christi dulcedine lRYit.
which may be freely rendered:
That which the serpent with sad charm
imbued
The blood OF Christ with sweetness has
T@neweS
London Telegraph.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

Quiet Travelling Man - Call me at
$50. please. Smart Hotel Clerk-What
shall l call you Mt $50? Quiet Travel
ing Man Call me poor, misguided
idiot for letting myself get roped In to
stay all night Baltimore Amert-
pa-
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16
IIeF HIRt.

The Maiden | have a huttering about
my heart. and have no appetite, doc
tor. The Doctor-Oh. you're in love;
can't do anything for that. You cant
doctor:" Certainly | can't why,
doctor ypu're not married.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

Mistress CcXcltedlyl-Jane. Jane, The
house IS on tire, Jane (calmlyl-Yes,
know. It's the first fire In this house
that ! have ;.s5 = light
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

No mrltor how stupid. uninteresting
and tiresome man may be. there is
always some sentimental woman ready
to make hero OF him Chicago Rec
ord Herald
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

One Of the striking points Of human
nature is that "a man usually can see
how aptly criticism dts some one else.
Insurance Press
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

Weekdays Z Daily. ( Flag station.
Pullman Parlor and Sleeping Cars run
through trains between Sudbury, WiliamspOrt
and Erie between Sunbdry snS Philadelphia
and Washington and between Harrisburg, Pitts.
burg and the West
For further information apply TO Ticket Agent
w. W. .ATTERBURY, J. X. WOOD
General Manager, Pass. Traffic Ma
GEO. ". BOYD, Gen Passenger Agent,
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-03-16

ord Herald
The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-15
phinne1 aeta contraet.

Harry ~, Pblnney has been award,
"a mo contract for tho erection of a
new brick block ~ Barnes CITY. The
building will be forty BY eighty feet,
Two stories and basement, and the
property of W. H. Taylor ana sons.
The property VAS destroyed W the
fre which recently damaged ths bus
mess part cf Barnes city, Mr.. Phin,
ney expects 70 complete thlg work ~
the time inc Mccur5y excavations are
ready for the foundation
The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-15
KING OSCAR TO
UPHOLD RIGHTS
SENDS VIGOROUS LETTER TO
THE NoRWEoiANs. Il
sToRTHING READS IT OVER.
Document 10 Referred 10 commlttet
and the Governing Body Then
Cody AdJourns-HostIIL
ties Not Feared.

ChTlstiana, June liking oscars
letter 20 the president Of me Norwe.
glan Storthing, VI. Berner, defining
his position, was road in the BtOrtfIing
this morning. The document was 20.
ferred unanimously 20 a special com,
Inittee without comment, and TIE
Stortbing adjourned 10 await the com,
mlttee's report. There was no dem
onstratioh. II Is believed here the
king and Swedish Hlksdag win prcba
bly, confirm the dissolution Of me on.
ion, after reafIirmlng that II couldnt
be dissolved without the consent u
Sweden. EH
King Oscars letter II long and
vigorously wOrded document, declaf
ing that the accession oath OF Nor.
ways King makes II the kings duty
not 20 pass over in silence the pro
uouncernent Of ths Norwegian council
OF state on me occasion Of his males,
ty's veto Of the consular bill the
GiDg maintains he did not oyerstsp
q prerOgatlyes under the constltn
ton and says that consideration for
tho union imposes on the king ths
duty Of exercising his constitutional
rights.
Continuing no says; "The council
after attempting 10 violate tho c0nstl
tuition and 70 render void a decision
Of the king Of Norway, legally given
resigned the once, and the king 81
Norway was deprived Of councillors.
"The Storthing approved this
breach Of the constitution by q reyo
Iutlonary proceeding. declared me 10
The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-15
IS FATALLY BURNED
WILL RICHARDSON, or sIoouR.
NEY, INJURED BY EXPLos-
ION OF GAS.

sigourney, Ia, June 14,--Will Rich.
ardson, VINO is in the employ OF the
receivers Of the Slgourney Savings
Bank, met with an accident yesterday
evening which may prove fatal. He
In company with Postmaster w. II.
Needhsm were repairing the acety.
lene gas plant at the Needham home
when, thinking he had removed all
The gas from the tank, Richardson
lighted match and put In the tank
10 find what the trouble was, when an
explosion took place, which burned
him about the head and hands terri.
bly,. It ig thought that he will lose
his right eye, besides mark him for
Efe. Mr.. Needham escaped with only
slight scare.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-15
SENSATION IN Upton
MRs.LAURA MILLER,WHo THREW
LYE A YEAR AGO, is CAUGHT
WITH POISON.

Davenport, Ia, June 14.--At Upton,
Iowa, this morning, Mrs. Laura Miller,
now Of Independence, was arrested
under circumstances that caused an
even greater sensation than that
which a year or 80 ago accompanied
her arrest and trial on the charge Of
throwing lye IN the face Of Mrs. Gall
Campbell, OF Upton. ..
MRS. s.Campbell Is an estlmable young
lady who for years has been in charge
Of the Office of DR.. Il. 8. Bandy, OF
Upton. A theory Of the prosecution
against Mrs. Miller was that she had
become infatuated with the physician
and insanely Jealous OF his Office at
tendant, and hence desirous OF de-
stroying her beauty. ...
These suggestions are revived by
Mrs. Miller's return to Upton last
night from Independence, where she
moved last summer. Heavily yelled,
and carrying satchel, she alighted
from an evening train and was seen
and recognized by several people dur.
ing the night. Considering her con.
duct suspicious officers started on a
search for her and found her at 3 a.
m. hiding in cellar.way at the
Bandy home.
She had broken into the refriger-
ator and removed lard, jam and other
food which she had with her when
found In her valise she had a bottle
Of strychnine, another OF wood alco-
-hol and lot OF matches.
The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-15
CIVIC LEAGUE MEETING.
Counter Entertainments Cut Down Az.
tendance 70 Hear Rev. Hsuser.

A mass meeting Of tho citizens of
oskaloosa was called for the Chris'
tian church Tuesday evening at the In.
stance OF the Civic League Of the
city, to hear John r. Hauser, Of Des
Moines, attorney for the state Anti.
Saloon League, in mis- lecture, Tho
Battle OF the Ages."
The attendance was fair, but waS
somewhat inteffered with on account
OF the number OF entertainments and
other meetings occurring.
The burden OF the theme was for a
general betterment along civic lines.
No particular trouble was singled out,
but the talk was somewhat Of gen
eral review Of the situation that con
fronts civic workers.