davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
suPeRs1ITloNs OF THE NAvAJos

The Navajo Indians will not eat fish
under any circumstances, although
they know other tribes who practically
live upon such food, and thousands of
them have seen white men eat fish and
still live. The Navajo believes and be-
lieves earnestly, that If he should eat
fish. even by accident and unknown 60
himself, his body would swell UP to an
enormous size and his skin break out
In Sores through which the bones
would come out. In the early days Of
the American contact with the tribe.
forty or fifty years ago, much the
same feeling existed in regard to pork,
and to this day some of the old men
will not touch it, But this feeling was
almost destroyed after the Navajo
war. some thirty years ago. when
practically the whole tribe surrendered
and were deported to san Carlos. There
they died by hundreds of homesicE-
ness. which to an Indian is often fatal,
but as they were fed principally OH
bacon the old men attributed the
deaths to that food. Even those who
will eat pork on a pinch prefer some
thing else when they can get it.
Sheep and goats are fine; horses ard
even dogs are all right. Indeed, a
young horse is considered a delicacy,
while a prairie dog roasted in the
ashes is a treat. Even yellow cur il
eaten with gusto. The Navajo cannot
understand our prejudice against horse
meat. He asserts that a young horse
is much better than an old COW, and he
extends his statement to cover burros.
Much of the venison which is peddled
at the various ranches by Indians is
only burro by another name.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
HAHovA WRITING PAPER

The bark of Madagascar shrub,
called by the natives hahova, furnishes
the material for a primitive kind of
writing paper used by some of the
higher class natives and the fetch
priests. The bark fiber is boiled and
mashed into a kind of thin paste, then
a leaf from a plant named ravinia, or
travellers tea, is coated with rice pulp
and over this is spread the hahova
paste on both sides of the leaf. When
thoroughly dried the leaf so treated is
polished with a smooth shell and the
paper is ready to be written upon. 1t
may be bought by European travellers
at about a cent and a half per sheet,
though only a few hundred sheets are
produced in a month. The notabes
and the priests also have a monopoly
of the manufacture of native writing
fluid which they use.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
SAVINGS OF THE PEOPLE

The deposits in all the savings banks
in the world amount to $1O,5OO, 100000,
contributed by S2,64O,OOO depositors. OF
these the United States show aggre-
gate deposits of $3,O6O,179,000, credited
to 1906, 900 depostors. These figures in
dicate that the United States, with
less than nine and a half per cent of
the total population considered, con-
tributes over twenty-five per cent of
the total savings deposits recorded. 1t
has been estimated that more than
$1,000 900 of bonds are annually pur-
chased by the investing public in the
United States. The savings banks and
the insurance companies are the heav-
lest purchasers of bonds, but there are
estimated to be nearly one million per-
sons in the United States who have
an annual surplus to invest.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
LIONS LIKE LAVENDER WATER

1t is an old theory that the liking of
animals for scents depends entirely
upon the scents suggesting the pres
ence of their food or prey. Such a
reason can hardly be alleged for a
lions liking for lavender water A sci
enlist wishing to test for himself the
reported fondness of many animals for
perfumes paid series of visits to the
Geological Gardens in London recently,
provided with bottles of scent and
packages of cotton WOOL and there
tried some harmless experiments
which apparently gave great satisfac-
ton to many of the inha bitants. Law
ender water was the favorite scent
and most of the lions and leopards
showed unqualified pleasure when the
scent was poured on the wool and put
into their cages.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
A RADIUM CLOCK

The scientists are interested in the lit
vention of an ingenious Englishman,
Harrison Martindale. 1t is a radium
clock which, if not bothered in the in
terim by the curious, could run thirty
thousand years. On a quartz rod in an
exhausted glass vessel is supported q
tube containing a small quantity Of
radium. An electroscope is attached to
the lower end of this tube. 1t consists
of two long strips of silver.
The natural action of the radium
sends an electric charge into the strips
and causes them to separate until they
touch the sides of the vessel, where
they are instantly discharged and fall
together again. Every two minutes
this operation is repeated automatical-
ly, so that each beat of this wonder
full timekeeper is in reality two minut IS
long.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
A eRewsoME LANDMARK

Nobody in the neighborhood knows
who trimmed the tree. If they ever
find out there is going to be trouble
been tree of peculiar shape to start
with. From the roots the trunk grew
twenty feet or 20, perfectly straight,
smooth and slim. Then at that dis
tance from the ground five branches
shot out, one almost perpendicular,
the others inclning at a slight angle.
When they had attained a girth about
one-fourth that of the trunk the tree
died. Instead of suffering the fate of
the neighboring dead trees. which were
cut off close to the ground the gar
dener merely Topped the branches off
about two feet above the point where
they merged into the body of the tree.
And just that way the arboreal skele-
ton stands today, the trunk looming
up like preternaturally long arm,
topped with those five stumps stand
ing out in the shape of a gigantic hand.
Seen silhouetted against the sky
those fingers are a grewsome sight
Casual passersby do not appreciate
them. 1t takes the residents of the
neighborhood who look out upon them
on stormy nights and starlit nights
in sunlight and in shade, to under
stand the thrills they are capable of
producing. So familiar are they with
the horror of the accusing hand that
they go to bed nights to dream of
falling into it's relentless clutch. That
is why they have it in for the wood
man. They are on the lookout for
him, and when they find him he will
be compelled to move right down
where he can look at that tree, in
which case it will not be long until he
will hew it down, or at least chop off
the fingers.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
FREAK FUNERAL CUSTOMS

In Switzerland many of the funeral
customs are most peculiar. At the
death of a person the family inserts a
black edged announcement in the pa
pers asking for sympathy and stating
that 1.-The mourning urn" will be eX
hibited within certain hours on
special day.. In front of the house
where the person died there is placed
little black table, covered with black
cloth, on which stands black jar.
Into this the friends and acquaintances
drop small black margined visiting
cards, sometimes with a few words of
sympathy on them The urn is put on
the table on the day of the funeral.
Only men go over to the churchyard
and they generally follow the hearse
on foot.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
TEA AN IDEAL STIMULANT

An English physician of prominence
has recently come out with a strong
defense of tea and coffee drinking. He
admits that without doubt a few people
do drink too much tea and would be
better without it. But tea drinking, as
in China, he claims, may be the saliva
ton of a people from much greater
evils. The decoction has at least the
advantage of having been sterilized by
heat, and water drinking in China has
its dangers, as many an old traveller
can testify. The immense quantities
of tea used without apparent damage
by some of the most robust peoples of
the world other than the Chinese such,
for example, as the Russians the Hud-
son bay voyagers and the lumbermen
of the north, does not testify to it's evil
effects on general health under proper
conditions. For a cold country it is al
most an ideal stimulant, revivng the
energies even after almost apparent
complete exhaustion and affording a
feeling of comfort that hardly any
thing else can give, and this without
any noticeable uncomfortable after
effects.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

entirely successful. The motor used
on the present model is of four-horse
power and the stroke of the pushers
is sixteen inches, so that they move
the sleigh forward four feet for every
revolution of the three-throw crank
shaft.
1t is capable of travelling over ice or
snow, and it's speed is only limited by
the power of the engine, which may
be of any ordinary air cooled gasoline
type preferred by the purchaser. The
motor sleigh carries brakes which en-
able it to be stopped quickly, and its
present steering gear is much the
same as that of the automobile, and is
equally efficient, and in appearance the
motor sleigh is much like the ordinary
type of gasoline automobile, except
that it is on runners. The means of
propulsion is obtained by pushers OPP
Grated by connecting rods, and the
path of the pushers is such that they
also pack the snow while pushing,
which is particularly necessary in the
case of travelling over soft snow.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
LONGEVITY IN ENGLISH VILLAGE

The little village of Ewerby, Eng
land, has a unique record. It's popu-
lation in 1901 was 1858. Today it is $685.
and during the last ten years only one
person has died between the ages of
two and sixty. Last year there were
two deaths, one at the age of ninety
two, the other at eighty. The year
previous four people aged ninety-two,
ninety-three, eighty-three and seventy
nine, died, while during the last four
years only two persons under seventy
have died. These were a woman aged
siXty-two and child, who was drown
ed. Mrs. Margaret Withers, who has
lived in the village for seventy-six
years, celebrated her one hundredth
birthday anniversary recently. There
is another woman in Ewerby aged
ninetyfive, one eighty-eight four
more than eighty and several more
than seventy.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
GREAT FINDS

1t is not generally known that most
of the great gold fields have been dis
covered entirely through accident. The
largest nugget ever found in California
was discovered by halfbreed Indian
in a brook where he was washing his
overalls. 1t was almost pure and
weighed over seventy-five pounds.
The Adams Express company paid
S17 400 for it. Among the mining eX-
hibits at the worlds fair was a nugget
worth $4,000. A woman had picked it
up to throw at her COW, but seeing the
color and weight she thought better
of it and took it home. Another ro-
mantle little story not without its
pathos is told of the famous Oliver
Martin nugget. Martin was a miner
whose partner had died. He was dig
ging the grave in a sandy spot at the
base of a cliff when his pick struck
something hard. 1t proved to be
nugget which weighed $50 pounds and
sold for $3637O. The famous silver
mines at Zacatecas, Mexico, from
which $500, 900 worth of ore has been
taken, were discovered in a remark
able way. An Indian in pursuit of an
antelope was climbing the steep slope
of hill and seized a bush to help him
self up. The plant gave way and re-
vealeG beneath the roots rock which
proved to be almost pure silver. One
of the richest mines in the Antilles
was the outcome of a rabbit chase.
An Indian was hunting rabbits one
day when one of them was chased by
his dog into a hole in the hillside. The
Indian started to dig the rabbit out,
but before he had shoveled a half
dozen spadefuls of earth found to his
delight that he was literally shoveling
silver.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
NAVAL DIVING SCHOOL

The navy of Great Britain main
tains three schools for instruction in
diving. The divers of the navy are all
volunteers, and the candidates under
go rigid examinations for the service.
No candidate is passed if he has Il
short neck or is full blooded or shows
a florid complexion. The examiners
also exclude those suffering from any
head complaints of whatever nature
or whose heart is in any way affected.
The preliminary training to open sea
work occupies six weeks time. The
ascent as we'll as the descent in diving
school training must be made very
slowly, owing to the effects of the
great change of pressure at different
depths. Two feet a second is the rec
commended speed of ascent for a strong
constitution, when the depth is not
greater than eighty feet, The new
pupils are first put in shallow water
gradually increasing to the maximum
of 12O feet The experienced divers go
to the normal limit, which is $50
feet
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

n ingenious Boston lawyer has
II invented and constructed a mo-
tor sleigh which, he claims, has
been thoroughly tested and driven fif-
teen miles an hour for four hours at
a time The sleigh body is mounted
upon a suitable framework, carrying
at the forward end high speed, air
cooled gasoline motor, and the first
speed reduction is obtained through
a large gear meshing with a pinion
on the motor. The sleigh is steered
by moving the front runners in the
same manner as the front wheels are
moved on an automobile. The frame
of the sleigh is supported on springs
on the runners. The principle used
for propelling this sleigh is much the
same as that used on some of the
original locomotives, and the inventor
claims that it is the correct one, as
the pushers pack the snow and OBJ
tain a positive hold when travelling
on soft snow or ice. The use of
toothed wheels for propeling motor
sleigh, it is claimed, has never been
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
AUTOMOBILES AS CURES

In England medical men are begin
ming to look upon automobiles as an
excellent aid in the cure of consump-
ton. This is due mainly to the fact
that persons riding in motors must do
so in the open air, the additional ad-
vantage being the exhilaration which
goes with it.
According to English physicians, per-
sons suffering from tuberculosis
would benefit greatly by sitting on the
front seat of an automobile and rid
ing at least hundred miles daily.
High speed is not so essential, fifteen
miles an hour being ample. In such
a Journey the mouthfuls of fresh air in
hailed by the sufferer would be very
beneficial.
OF course, where the patient is weak,
such a long journey should not be un-
dertaken, but the distance travelled
could be gradually increased as the
patient grows stronger.
Sufferers from consumption are TAX
ing to this treatment with much alac-
rity and it is said that the benefits
derived from these motor trips are
soon apparent.
Localities that suit the patient best
should of course, be chosen and
beautiful scenery should also be taken
into consideration, as it will help to
take the patients mind from brooding
over his ailment, and this alone, ac-
cording to physicians, is itself half
cure.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
REDUCED ARISTocRATs

A few years ago a great grandson of
the famous Field Marshal Blucher sue
cumbed to the effects of privation in
the paupers' ward of a New York hos
pital, while a nephew of Prince Bis
marck was driven to seek refuge IN
the Salvation Army. Another German
prince became a waiter in restaurant
in New York, and, falling ill, subsisted
for a time on the kindness of a col
league, who happened to have been
born on the family estates and was
quite proud of the honor of support
ing a scion of the great house.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
MIGRATION OF WHALES

An investigation has been made re-
Gently by Professor Gattlob of Swedish
into the migration of whales. These
creatures hang about the coasts Of
Norway and Finland until the spring
is well advanced, and then go away on
their travels. Some go to the Azores,
others to Bermuda and the Antilles,
and they cover enormous distances in
an incredible short time. Some of them
bring back harpoons which bear the
names of ships and other evidences
of where these migrants have been
for their summer holidays.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
CURIOUS TORPEDO TEST

A torpedo was fired recently from
the after starboard tube of the flagship
Wisconsin of the Asiatic squadron. 1t
went straight until within one hundred
yards from the ship, when it dived and
buried itself in the mud. Until the
propellers stopped it created black
whirlpool where it was burrowing in
the bottom. A buoy was dropped and
native divers were dispatched to the
scene. Some hours later the torpedo
was located and returned to the ship.
The tail of the little destroyer was
buried six feet beneath the mud and it
was a difficult task for the diver to
make a line fast to il.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY

An interesting find of subterranean
dwellings of primitive man has been
made in county Antrim, thus in all
probability establishing the presence
at one time in that part of Ireland of
race which occupied the European
continent before the appearance of the
earliest Celt 1t is held by many au-
thorities that the Lapps are the living
representatives of the early race to
which these underground dwellings are
ascribed, 1t seems also extremely
likely that large proportion of the
fairy lore of the later races is derived
from the actual existence of these
''little people" in holes in the earth
in the out of the way places to which
they had retired for safety,
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
HITTING THE BULLS EYE
TT is a proud moment in the life of

TT IS proud moment in the life of a
British sailor or soldier to be pro-
nounced by the king credit to the
country. Such a compliment was paid
to Able Seaman Hollinghurst during
his majesty's recent visit to Ports
mouth. The honor of royal recognition
was due to the remarkable skill of the
British sailor in gun practice. With a
large square canvas target, six feet by
eight, in the center of which was a
comparatively small bull's-eye, scarce
ly larger than a mans hat, placed at a
distance of 1900 yards, Hollingsworth
hit it seven times out of ten. with six
inch shells a record that will go down
in target practice history.
In addition to the complimentary
words pronounced by King Edward the
sailor had further honor conferred
upon him by personal presentation to
his majesty.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
ANOTHER FASTEST BOAT
only forty feet long b

THOUGH only forty feet long by
five feet beam, this little boat is
considered the fastest in the
world for her size. Her speed record
was officially taken on March az
Greenwich, when it was found that she
had made the extraordinary rate OF
25.01 knots an hour, breaking all pre-
vious tests and established records of
her class.
This Yellow Napier motor launch is
propelled by an internal combustion
engine. SO perfectly does the power
work that despite the severe tests given
the machinery the tiny craft not only
makes but maintains her extraordinary
speed.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
PREVENTION OF sEAsIcKNEss

M ANY devices and preventives
wv have been recommended to those
who suffer from seasickness, but
few have proved successful. 1t has re-
mained for Mir. Walter Whitehouse to
hit upon scheme whereby the dread
attack may be warded off. His pre-
ventative is a swinging bed, so ar
ranged that no matter how the ship
pitches and rolls the occupant of this
unique bunk lies in a position which
remains parallel with the horizon.
AS seasickness is attributed to the
unaccustomed position into which the
digestive organs are thrown by the
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
WHY HoRsEsHoEs ARE LUCKY

A new explanation is offered for the
belief in the luck of old horseshoes.
St. Dunstan was a skilled farrier. One
day while at work in his forge the
devil entered in disguise and requested
Dunstan TO shoe his "single hoof."
The saint, although he recognized his
malign customer, acceued, but caused
him so much pain during the operation
that Satan begged him to desist. This
st. Dunstan did, but only after he had
made the evil one promise that neither
he nor any of the lesser evil spirits, his
servants, would ever molest the in
mates of the house where the horse
shoe is displayed.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
NEW TELEPHONE BOOTH

TN AN effort to supply its people with
every modern convenience Stock
:. holm has reached the high water
mark as a modern city. The latest ad-
dition to her facilities for carrying
on business is the installation of tele-
phones in the streets.
A number of good sized booths are
scattered about the city In the most
accessible points, and each contains a
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
A Useful Book

The other day man stopped in front
of a Sixth avenue secondhand book
store and began to turn over the paper
covered books in the cent tray. After
some minutes had passed an attendant
approached and asked the man if he
could be of assistance.
YES" said the man. 81 want book
of 400 or 500 pages, of thin paper if
possible, and bound at the back with
string so the leaves will tear off easily"
"Why-what-" the salesman began.
"Oh, don't intend to read it; l want
it for shaving papers. Here is just the
one" And. putting down his cents,
he departed.-New York Sun.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

The municipal laboratory of Paris
has been examining the experiments
made by Dr. Vogel who has manu-
factured a very succulent cheese from
the small Chinese beans known as "soy
beans" The doctor finds that the pulp
of these beans contains many of the
caseine qualities, and that the result
ing composition is both nourishing and
pleasant to the taste
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

box or bottle. Every man and woman
of caste finds a snuff bottle indispens-
able though the kind and decoration
of such an ornament runs from the sim
plest bit of metal or porcelain to the
most elaborately carved and jeweled
receptacle. The snuff bottle shown
here is of silver richly and beautifully
chased, with an ivory mouth and a
slender stopper attached to the orna-
ment by a fine silver chain.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
~

The running speed of the electric
street cars on lines owned in London
must not exceed ten miles, except for
short stretch near Clapham common,
and is limited to eight, six and four
miles at other places.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16
CURIOUS SNuEE BOX

TROM Persia come many of the
prettiest and most exquisite ex
amples of silversmithy, Among
the ornaments that the customs of the
consider essential is the snuff
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

A curious profession for a woman is
that of dinner faster. She is a product
of Partisan refinement, and spends a
portion of each day visiting houses
and tasting dishes intended for dinner.
She suggests improvements and shows
the cook new ways of preparing dishes.
The duties are pleasant and the COM
pensation ample.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

movement of the ship, the continual
change of equilibrium, the principle of
the novel cure" is an avoidance of
this change in the simplest way pos
sible.
Mr.. Warehouses; invention is being
used with success on the steamers that
ply between Dover and Calais. The
roughness of the sea here offers the
best test possible of the merits of the
swinging bunk.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

The average height of a man is found
by A. Dastre to have continued the
same for thousands of years, rs shown
in primitive man. prehistoric man and
historic man. The great size of ancient
man is imaginary.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

Lake Morat, in Switzerland has the
curious property of turning red every
certain aquatic plants which are not
known in any other lake in the world.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

1t is now thought that ebony will
grow in California, and some trees
are to be brought here from Mexico
and an attempt made to cultivate
them.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

Nearly one-half of the 2,Oi1 clubs in
England are golf clubs. or the two
hundred and fifty social clubs in Lon
don twenty-six are for women alone
and six others admit women. The
largest women's club has thirty-seven
hundred members,
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

The amount of rice produced in Siam
has increased enormously of late years
Ten years ago the exports of rice from
Siam amounted to 217,OOO tons, as COM
pared with 100000 tons in 1908.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-16

one of the greatest mineral springs
in the west, with waters which rival
those of Carlsbad has been found at
Colorado Springs, Col. Tests of the
waters show them to be of practically
the same quality as those at the famous
German health resort.