davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30
A WISE OK.


The old homestead OF the poet Whit
tier has been endeared to the nation
by the many bits OF descriptive verse
which the poet wove into his poems of
New England life. In "whittieri
Prophet, Seer and Man" the author
gives these instances OF Whlttier's boy
hood:
Rising abruptly almost from the
Whittier garden was Jobs HILL" a
lofty eminence from which a magnin-
cent view of the surrounding country
could be obtained. 1t was on the
slope Of Jobs Hill that the young poet
when quite small found himself con-
fronted with great peril, from which
he was saved only by what in a hui
man being we should call presence of
mind on the part of a favorite OK
named "Old Butler"
One side Of Jobs Hill is exceeding
ly steep, too steep for such an I'M
wieldy animal as an OK TO descend
rapidly in safety. Greenleaf went to
the pasture one day with bag of salt
for the cattle, and Old Butler from the
brow of the hill recognized him and
knew his Grand
As the boy was bent over, shaking
the salt out Of the bag, the OK came
down the hill toward him with flying
leaps, and his speed was so great that
he could not check himself He would
have crushed his young master, but by
a supreme effort, gathering himself to-
gether at the right moment, the crea-
ture leaped straight into the air, over
the head Of the boy, and came to the
ground far below with a tremendous
conclusion and without serious injury
to himself
Samuel T. Plckard, in his Life and
Letters of Whittier" gives another an
ecdote about this famous OK, as relat-
ed by Mr.. Whittier:
Quaker meetings were sometimes
held in the large kitchen at his father
house. One summer day, on such an
occasion, this OK had the curiosity to
put his head In at the open window
and take a survey of the assembly.
While a sweet-voiced woman was
speaking, Old Butler paid strict atten-
ton; but when she sat down and there
rose a loud-voiced brother, the OK with
drew his head from the window. lift
ed his tail in the air and went Off bel
lowing. This bovine criticism was
greatly enjoyed by the younger mem
bers of the meeting.
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30

out into the wild West. or these for
mer overland routes the Santa Fe
Trail was the most important, and
along its course some of the most stir
ring scenes of the West were enacted.
1t led from TT. Leavenworth, then the
outpost Of civilization, to the valley
of the Arkansas, which stream it fol-
lowed into Colorado, thence trending
southwark into New Mexico to Santa
Fe. the center OF Spanish trade In the
Southwest. One can easily trace this
old highway on the map by following
the course Of the Atchison, Topeka,
end Santa Fe Railroad, which in a
general way parallels IL The build
ing Of railroad along the old trail is
good evidence that from an engineer
ing standpoint the course was well Sc
lected by the illiterate trappers that
first penetrated the Plains. II is not
unlikely that before tue white man
came that way the Trail in part had
been used as a highway by the Indi-
ans, and before them by the wander
ing buffalo herds.
Proceeding from Leayenworth- the
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30
Their WonderfnI Horns.

After all has been said about the
horns of the worlds greatest horned
animals, there are positively none that
equal In impressiveness the gigantic
mass that crowns the head of a really
big Alaskan moose, says Scrlbner's.
Take them in stu, as the biologists
say on the head of their rightful own
er, and in length, breadth and thick
ness they inspire in the mind OF every
intelligent human being feeling OF
genuine awe. / do not see how even
an intelligent dog or horse can behold
pair Of seventy-inch moose antlers
without being profoundly impressed.
The antler springs horizontally from
an upper corner OF the head, on q stem
of solid bone that is like the trunk OF
a hickory sapling. A foot or so from
the burr it throws Off toward the
front, quite gratuitously as 1t were,
two or three big spears Of bone that
are Of much use in a fight. As soon
as there is room for real development
the main stem fattens out into An
enormous slab of bone, perhaps two
inches in thickness. from twelve to
eighteen inches wide and from two to
three feet long. This is the palma
tion," and very appropriate name II
/ is, too; for In the center it is followed
like a human palm, and studded along
! its upper edge with from six to twelve
fingers and thumbs of solid bone.
In sheer exuberance of strength, and
excess OF horn material, an Alaskan
moose antler occasionally throws OF
from the lower surface Of its palm, or
1t may be from the front of the beam,
a big, rugged spur-root Of bone, which
always has an extra-impressive effect
on the beholder. The largest antlers
of Alaskan moose are in the Field mu-
scum at Chicago. They have a spread
Of seventy-eight and one-half inches
and weight ninety-three and one-hali
pounds.
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30
8 ONGS THE INDIANS SING.
Unwritten Literature of Aborigines
Should BE Preserved.

One great avenue to a better under
standing Of the Indian is a compre-
hension of their songs, for songs are
to the Indian all that books are to u.s.
Songs and ceremonies are the unwrit-
ten literature of the race. AS in
medieval times the deeds of heroes
and the chronicles of peace and war
were sung by bards and Ministries, so
to-day In the festivals OF the Indian
the great events of the tribe are told
In song. Besides. its important part
as the expression of the intellectual,
moral and spiritual life Of the Indian,
song often accompanies even the most
mental acts of daily toll. Such songs
are. special songs to fit the task, as,
for instance, the songs of the Pueblo
women while grinding their corn.
l paused one day at the door of a
Pueblo house where a woman was
singing a tiute-like melody to the
rhythm of her grinding.
Tell me-" l asked her, what are
you singing about?" The woman
paused in her work.
"Oh," she answered with a smile
81 am singing of the rainbow Garth
who paints the heavens; of the rain
that we long for; of our growing
corn"
Such songs are gems of poetic and
meledeic beauty that would be valu
able indeed in our American litera
ture and culture. European must
clans, on hearing the Indian songs, ex
claimed:
"And you Americans are allowing
all this to perlsh?" You are stampin.
out music unlike any other in tn,
world-why?"
Why indeed; for this music belong
to our own land. Happily the preju
dice against the Indian songs. a
against all things Indian, is wanirg
Yet If we are to retain the peculia
talents of this people, the schools mus
foster in the little ones the gifts in
herited. The Indian will not worl
less but more for encouragement o
the natural song impulses In hin
And such encouragement will help
make him what we want him to be
that for which our young republl
stands-the workman with IDEALS
Native American.
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30
MISS ANTHoNY's GOOD HEALTH
She ADcribes 1t TO Her Having Been
Always Occupied.

She Ancribes 1t to Her Having Been
Always Occupied.
Miss Susan B. Anthony, although
over 80 years OF age has much Of the
vigor of youth, and scorns all pamper-
ing. Her figure is not that of the typi-
cal spinster. but is plump. The medi-
cal certificate on file with the COM
pany In which Miss Anthony Is in
sured states that she is feet inches
in height, with full figure, her weight
being 1853 pounds.
Recently, when she and her sister,
Miss Mary Anthony, were dining out.
says the New York Times, one of the
hostesses' family dropped cushion in
the back of her chair as they sat down
to the table. what is that for?" she
asked rather sharply, but before her
somewhat discounted friend could re-
ply, Miss Anthony's sister said. very
significantly, Gracious, Susan never
lops," and the cushion was promptly
removed.
The only important illness of her
life was in 1895, when she was rs.
She tainted on the platform in the
course OF long lecture tour, and re-
manned at home for month after
ward in bed, but at the end OF the
month she got up, saying 1t was the
frst real rest she had ever had In her
life.
Unlike many reformers OF her time,
Miss Anthony has always worn cor
sets, and for years they have been
French corsets. She always either
drinks tea or coffee at every meal,
and she takes three full meals per
diem, and the tea biscuits, made by
herself are famous.
Two rules to which Miss Anthony
has adhered throughout her long life
have been to sleep with window in
her room wide open, no matter what
the weather is, and the other is ia
take a cold sponge bath on rising, and
this bath she has never missed, al
though when on lecture tours she has
often been compelled to break Ice In
her water pitcher to do 1t.
For a year, In the sos Miss An
thony essayed the bloomer costume,
and then gave II up, because, while
the costume was comfortable, she said
In letter to a friend that she found
1t mental crucihxion and mental slav-
cry, for she could never forget herself
In 1t, and her audiences were always
critical of t.
Miss Anthony. despite the bloomer
alteration, has always been fond OF
pretty clothes, but allows herself only
one new gown annually. She neve,
wears furs or iannels, as the touch OF
either is disagreeable to her Her silk
petticoats are marvels OF ruffies, but
she never piles on many wraps OF
much clothing, even In the coolest
weather. She says that idle machin
cry rusts and is worn out sooner thar
the machinery kept in motion, but
with the mechanism well oiled, and
ascribes her health to her having beer
always occupied.
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30

And where might you be going hsxtY-
IN tell you that. my friend. al soon
a. 1 know" Ragged and rough Re look
I'd. he spoke. somehow. as II he balong-
60 tn somethins better than would havo
been judged By his appearance "If you
had asked me this morning. | shoulr
have told you that l was going 10 Bo-
vey: now. don't know"
Mrs Exon still looked at him with
curiosity which comes Of a half uneasy
recollection.
"Old Dan Leighan, now" he went ont
"can any one give me news Of him I
mean Old Dan; him as had Gratnor fr~t
and Foxworthy afterward. and then got
Berry Down. being crafty old fox. 10
be still aliye7 Somebody told me be
was dead"
Surely replied Mrs. Exon; ''he Is
alive and hearty, except for his legs.
poor man."
"Oh, he's alive-alive and hea 'ty7 l
thought, perhaps-somebody roid me
that he died. forgot how-six years
ago come October 1t was. That's what
they told me; six years come October"
He had an accident fast abont that
ume-six years ago. Perhaps that 10
what you are thinking Of"
How" he asked. without taking any
notice of this reply, "can live man
have a ghost7 How can a live man
send his own ghost to travel all round
the world7 Won't he want lis own
ghost for himself sometimes1"
Hes got touch of fever" said rhs
landlady. 'and It has gone to his head.
You had getter go home, my mau. and
lie down, If you have got a bed any
where"
Il want to know this" he repeated,
earnestly; did anybody ever hear Of a
living man sending his ghost OIL. on
errands, to keep people awake and
threaten thingsf 1t can't be; 1t isn't in
nature"
Nobody could explain this fact, which
was new to all.
How did he do II, thenY' he asked.
impatiently, banging the table with his
fist; tell me thatf How did he do lt?-
Then he pulled himself together and be-
came natural again. about his legs,
now. What's the matter with Dan
Leighan's legsT
"Why. after his accident they began
to fail him." said Mrs Exon. "nnd now
he's paralyzed, and never leaves his
room unless he's wheeled ont II fire
morning. But hearty in appetite, and as
for his head, II is as clear as ever"
(To he continued)
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30
THE OLD SANTA FE TRAIL.
Old Track Through the WILDERNESS
M. D..E.I lnI.d L.. Ia RnlIrnad

Old Track Through the Wilderness
Now Paraileled by IA Railroad.
To the traveller crossing our western
plains to-day on a well appointed rail
road train the transformation wrought
upon this wilderness through the agen-
cy of the locomotive is most striking
He can hardly realize that this fertile
farming country with its thousands Of
towns and cities was once, only mat
ter Of forty years ago, the stamping
grounds of vast herds of buffaloes and
the battlefield of fierce Indian tribes.
The march OF civilization has almost
obliterated every vestige of the old
life and it is only here and there that
the ruins of a fort, or a rude inscrip-
ton on a rock, or an unmarked grave
beside a fertile field recall to the mind
of the beholder that amidst these
peaceful scenes rang the war-whoop
OF painted savages and the crack OF
the frontlersmans rifle.
The transformation OF the region is
especially striking along the old trails
that led from the rim OF civilization
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30

railroad to-day passes to the west of
the Trail through Topeka, crosses 1t
at the village of Wakarusa, and meets
1t at Great Bend on the Arkansas,
whence 1t runs on and parallel to the
old road to Holly on the Colorado
boundary. From Holly the Trail
branches Off to the south through the
Ration Mts. into New Mexico. At
Dodge City, Kansas, the site OF old
FIT. Dodge, a branch of the Trail led
away to the southwest through a cor
ner of Oklahoma, uniting with the
main road near Las Vegas, N. NJ.
In many places the ruts made by
the wheels Of the heavy transport wag-
ons and stage-coaches can still be seen
in the hardened soil, although the
road has been abandoned since the
first train ran over the Santa Fe Rail-
road In 1880. Especially about Great
Bend relics and "reminiscences of the
old days are abundant Three miles
to the east Of that place. at the mouth
OF Walnut Creek, the ruins of TT. IA
rah can be seen from the car windows.
On farm nearby a score OF low
mounds indicate the spot where the
soldiers who were killed In the con-
fiicts with tine Indians lie buried. On
the present site OF Court House Square
In Great Bend a thrilling fight took
place in 1864 between two army Off.
GERS and a horde OF savages. Thlr.
teen miles east OF the town a solitary
cliff doomed above the level waste
This was the famous Pawnee Rock
the rendezvous and lurking place OF
the marauding red men. To-day 9
broken heap OF rock, used as a cattle
corral, is all that remains OF this 81
lent sentinel Of the plains, that looked
down upon many desperate fight. Ii
its shadow the willy Cheyennes o.
Pawnees lay In wait for the approach
ing wagon train or cavalcade OF trap
pers. II was the most dreaded spo
on the whole route, and in the seventy
six years-from 1904 to 1SS0-in which
the Trail was the only highway to In,
Southwest hundreds OF fights tool
place at its base.-A. o. Leutheusser
IN Illustrated Home Journal.
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30
Ills Hearts Desire
By SIR WALTER BEsANT
sssssssssessssSsssssssSs
CHAPTER vrI-fcon,,nraa,
By SIR WALTER BEsANT

CHAPTER vII.-fContinued.)
'Therel l have done what l could,
and have told your uncle my mind.
Let us talk Of something else. oh,
forgot to say that WIN has come down.
We shall find him waiting for US at the
church.
WIFI l am glad"
He got away a week before he sx-
pected."
He will cheer you up, George"
Yes; he talks as IL nothing mattered
much and everything was a game. The
Londoners have that way, l suppose.
II Is not our way"
They walked away through the mar
row lanes, holding each other by the
hand Ike two children, as they had al
ways done since they were children to-
gether, and George, who was three years
older, led little Mary by the hand to
keep her from falling.
This VIII that George spoke Of with
irreverence was none other than myself,
the person who narrates this true history
OF country life for your amusement and
instruction. l am VIII Nethercote, in
fact; and though of the same surname
as Mary, am no relation to Mary. /
once endeavored, 1t Is true, to remedy
this accident, and proposed to establish
very close relationship indeed with that
dear girl, but was too late. Ny father
was the rector, and when left Oxford
found l had no vocation for the life
OF the country clergyman. Therefore
became journalist 1t Is a profession
which suits me well, and / suppose II
l live another forty years and arrive al
seventy shall have written 1900 more
leading articles, and my countrymen will
then be saturated with wisdom. | did
not walt for these young people In tn,
church yard. l walked down the lane
to meet them.
declare that my heart leaped up only
to see that sweet, fond girl walking
with her lover. only to see the glow upor
her cheeks and tho soft light In her eyes
Mary greeted me with her usual kind
ness, bearing no resentment on account
Of that proposition Of mine above re
ferred to.
And how is George behaving, Mary
And has the Dragon relentedf"
George always behaves we'll" sh,
said But as for the Dragon" sh,
shook her head.
Dc"s hO", MARY, L sald, Il mean 4
put the case before a lawyer. will
do 1t directly go back. In the will you
aunt leaves you 5000 pounds, to be pal,
to you on the day that you marry will
your uncle's consent. II you marry with
out his consent, 1t Is to go to David
Well, David has gone away, no on
knows where, and perhaps he is dead, o
will never come back. Suppose you wer
to marry now without your uncle's con
sent, who Is to have the money!
my uncle says 1t will be his own"
1--WE shall see to that. 1t Is a cas-
for a lawyers advice. And l will re
that advice directly l go back"
l turned and walked toward tn
church with them, In the narrow lane
between the high hedges. We talks
Of different subjects. Of what had haI
pened since l last came down.
But that subject of which we were a
thinking-Georgss impending ruin-la
like lump of lead en- our hearts. An
SO We walked through the darkenin
lanes, our faces to the west, so tina
Mary's glowed In the golden light Xix
an angel face In a painted window, an
presently came to the church.
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30

How many of the countless pupils
who struggle with the decimal frac-
lions In their school lessons are aware
that the source Of their troubles was
"a fatal book" written by a medieval
mathematician at the court of Ma
hommedan king, the famous and gu
perb Al-Mamoun, son Of Harun-al-
Rashid, the calf who is immortalized
In the ARABIAN Nights Entertain
ment?"
The name OF this worthy-the med
iaeval Observation-Disclosures Mahom-
med Al-Khorawazimi, or Mahommed
OF Khoresan. He lived and wrote In
the early period of the ninth century
He is 1.-THE father of modern arlthme
tic" and was a great Eight" in his
time. But his fame is clouded by one
huge blunder that he made-the blum
der Of having stopped counting too
soon.
If he had not stopped and turned
when he counted ten, but instead had
kept on and turned at the twelve, he
would have started the duodeclmal
system and conferred a priceless boon
on humanity. Although he has been
dead a thousand years, the so-called
"blunder" of the old Arabian goes
marching on. 1t is with us yet In the
decimal system-now regarded by the
leading mathematlcians OF the world
as one of the greatest calamities ever
inflicted on mankind. The extent of
this calamity may be banged from the
sensational statement of Professor
Archibald McMurry, author of stand
ard school books, that THE American
people waste 500 years time every day
in figuring out accounts, divisions, etc,
which involve fractions that could and
would have been dealt with easily and
quickly If Khorawazlml had given us
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30

An artist was talking in a New
York studio about Ruth Wells, the
beautiful and famous child model, who
often gets as much as SOS a sitting,
and who often earns from $500 to $500
a week.
Ruth" he said. has posed for me
since her babyhood. She is an anus
ing child. She says the quaintest
things.
zone windy day she came here for a
sitting without a hat. She explained
her lack In this way:
40 On the way big wind blowed
my hat OF. so coined here wiv' my
head barefooted.' philadelphia Bull
letin.
Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-12-30
CHAPTER TX.

The In upon ChRllacombe Green Is a
small place and humble, though visitors
may get tea served In a neat and clean
parlor. The Inn is licensed to Joseph
Exon. 1t Is also the smoking diyan of
the parish Of Challacombe. The room is
paved with stone, and furnished with II
long wooden table and benches, high
backed wooden ssttee to pull before the
fire In cold weather, and a broad, hos
pitable fireplace.
The room was about half full at nine
o'clock this Saturday evening. when the
latch was lifted, and an unknown per-
son-a stranger-stood In the door, look
Ing about the room. He looked about
the room as one who remembers II. But
his face was scared, and his eyes seemed
as IL they saw nothing. Mrs Exon, at
sight Of him, spoke up;
Nov, my man." she said, what do
you wantf We don't encourage tramps
here. You must 90 as far es Boyey to
get a bed tonight"
Il am not a tramp" he replied,
hoarsely. II have got money. See. -
He pulled out a handful Of silver. Let
me come In"
He shut the door and sat down at the
lowest end of the table, taking off his
hat and shaking his long hair off hi.
forehead. Six years ago all the men II
the room would have risen out Of respect
to the owner Of Berry Down. Now moi
a soul remembered him.
His eyes were full Of trouble, and with
kind Of trouble which the good woman
had never seen before. Not pain of BODY
or grief, but yet trouble. He Dropped
his head upon his chest and began t
murmur aloud So II no one was In III,
place but himself.
mot dssdl he Is not dead How car
that bel how can that be?"
Then he hxsd his eyes upon the land
lady's and gazed upon her as II sh'
could read In them what allied him. Be
wildermsnt and amazsment which bea
Upon his soul. as the old poet said. rs
madmsn beats upon a drum-this wal
tho trouble which caused his eyes {,
have that terrifying glare and his limb
to shake and tremble. Mrs. Exon watch
ed him, thinking he must have a at O
ague.
The poor man Is H." she said. Here
my man. drink this" She gave him hal
a tumblerful of cordial, which he poure,
down.
The dose had the effect of comp slni
him a little. His legs ceased trembling
though his hands shook.
yes" he said. 81 am III. | WAS tool
sudden just now. | am better now.
"Where may yeu have come from (.
asked one of the men.
1--WE come from Southampton, wLer
was put ashore. I've come all the wa.
from Australia