davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31
GOOD AND POOR porArons.


We are asked what the conditions
should be in order to produce q fine
potato-a well favored, mealy tuber.
The variety of potato has much to do
with this proposition, the nature Of
the soil in which it is grown still more,
while the weather conditions material,
ly change the quality. It may be SAID
that all kinds Of potatoes which nat
urally grow to a large size are Of
coarse texture and low grade, quite apt
to be hollow at the. core and watery;
then all early maturing varieties are
as rule poor keepers and soon lose
their mealiness and high quality. Pota-
toes OF any kind only scantily covered
with earth and more or less exposed to
the intense heat of the summer sun
and more or less light are always Of
low grade. A very wet season lowers
the grade if it does not injure the crop
by rot. It may be said that sandy
soils are always better for the potato
than muck or clay soils, the finest POI
tatoes in the country being produced
on the thin pine wood soils of upper
Michigan and Wisconsin. The potato
demands q good supply Of humus in
the soil; thus we find newly cleared
timber land or a clover sod the best
location for this crop. 1t also thrives
greatly under the irrigation systems Of
the far west.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

resuming his fishing, went on to say:
The fust thing sailor has to larn
is to obey orders. | see you've stopped
smokin'. Light up"
II don't want to-
well, want you to. Light up
Il won't. Oh, yes, will!"i
He eyed the threatening boot fear
fully and lit the awful pipe with shak-
ing fingers. But he had taken only a
few puffs when it went over the side,
and 1t seemed to Josiah that the larger
half Of himself went with it.
Well, twas dreadful forenoon for
JOSIAH, one not to be forgotten. The
boat rolled increasingly, his head ached,
and pulling the heavy cod made his
back and shoulders lame; also he was
wet and cold. The other boats scat
tered about the fishing grounds pulled
up their anchors and started for home.
but Captain Err did not bulge. At
noon lie opened his lunch basket again
and Inunched serenely. The sight of
the greasy ham sandwiches was too
much for the liable seaman" He suf-
fered a relapse and when it was over
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

lnent to the effect that "Josiah Bart,
lett, able seaman" was to ship aboard
the catboat Mary Ellen for a term of
two months. Wages, SIS month.
You see," he said, Eve put you
down as able seaman cause that's
what you'll be when git through with
YOU. Now sign
So Josiah signed, and then Captain
Fri affixed his own signature with q
flourish.
''Therew exclaimed the captain
bringing his big palm down on the
back Of the liable seaman" with a
thump that brought water into the eyes
of that proud youth. You're my man
shipmate. We sail tomorrer mornin'
at 4, rain or shine. I'll call you at
quarter Of. Be ready"
You bet, old man!'' said Josiah.
Captain Perez met his friend as they
came out Of the parlor.
Now, Eri,'' he whispered, "be easy
as you can with him, won't your"
The captain answered in the very
words Of his crew.
you bet!' he said fervently and
went away wllistling. CAPTAIN Perez
sleDt better that NIGHT
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31
MINING THE SON.

A gentleman from abroad interestets
In agriculture very aptly referred to
the common methods Of farming in this
country as mining the soil" Mining
implies removing the valuable things
from the soil and leaving nothing In
their place, such kind Of farming us
makes the land grow constantly poorer.
This thing is the bane of western agri.
culture particularly, 1t being practiced
under the foolish delusion that western
soils are SO fertile that nothing can
ever wear them out Evidences of soil
depletion are now met with on every
hand, for the growing crops indicate
that the soil they grow in is starved
end hungry. Such methods of farming
would not be permitted for a moment
in any of the European countries, for
had they been followed such countries
would long ago have been depopulated.
the people starved off from the land.
In those countries today as much at
tention Is paid to properly feeding the
soil as any of the animals on the farm.
Rotation crops, the extensive use Of
the legumes, the continuous applica-s
ton of fertilizers to the land and the
Keeping of as large an amount Of stock
as possible on the farm are part OF
the ten commandments in foreign agrij
culture, and we will have to come tot
the same method if we ever conserved
and increase the fertility of our soils,
no matter how rich they may have
been in their virgin state. The tenant
system here is altogether bad, the ono
year rental scheme being soil robber
OF the first order Continued grain rais-s
ing and grain selling is another, and
the utter failure to grow clover on SO
many farms insures continuing de-
pletion of all soil fertility.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31
A GREAT WASTE.

The waste associated with the corn
stalks all over the corn growing sec-
ton is something enormous, probably
the biggest agricultural waste to ba
found in the whole country. Only a
very small per cent Of the stalks ara
utilized as fodder save as the stock
run through the fields during the fall
and winter and, with little benefit to
the cattle, fill themselves with the dry
and withered husks. Not less than-2d
per cent of the food value Of the corn
plant is thus entirely wasted. There
Is no manufacturing business in all the
country which would stand this sort Of
loss for a minute or even one-tenth
of it. Men say it does not pay to put
corn in the silo or cut it up for winter
feed because they have so much hay.
The question is why they devote SO
many acres to the production Of hay
when the cornfeld offers the best pos.
sible substitute for it. Utilizing thu
corn fodder releases Just so many acrea
Of hay land and to all intents and pur.
poses thus increases the acreage Of a
mans farm. High priced corn land Isl
going to compel change The stalks
will either be utilized as winter fodder
for the stock or some method will ba
devised to use them for their value ID
the making Of paper.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31
By JOSEPH c. LINCOLN

"He couldn't git into the navy; he's
too young. More likely to be a stow
away on merchantmen and then
roustabout on cattle boat or some
such thing. Even if he lied bout his
age and did git to be sort Of a ships
boy on sailin' vessel, you and me
know what that means nowadays. T
presume likely 'twould end in his bein'
killed in some rumshop scrimmage lat,
err on. Let-me-see. Bound to be
sailor, is he?"
Hes dead sot on it,
More fool he. Comes from rcadin'
them ridiculous story books, 1 s'pose.
lie amt been on the water much sence
he's been down here, has he?"
"Not more'n once or twice, except in
dory goin' to the beach or somethin'
like that"
That's 80; that's what 1 thought
Well, Perez, Ill tell you. The boy does
need breakin' in, that's a fact, and I
think maybe could do it, could use
young Teller on my boat; to go cod
din with me, mean. Let me have
the boy under memo meddlin' from
anybody-for couple of months. Let
him sign regular articles and ship long
Of me for that time. Maybe I could
make white man of him."
II don't b'lieve he'd do it."
II caPlate could talk him into 1t.
There's some butter on my tongue
when it's necessary"
you'd have to promise not to lay d
hand on him in anger. That's what
promised his mother"
"All right, promise it now That's
all right, Perez. You and me are old
shipmates and bound to help each 9TH
er out Just trust him to me, and
don't ask too many questions. Is it a
trade? Good Shake"
They shook hands on it, and then
Captain Err went In to talk to the I'M
reconciled runaway. That young gen.
tleman, fresh from his triumph over
his uncle, at first refused to have any
thing to do with the scheme He
wasn't going to be a "cheap guy fish
erman;" he was going into the navy.
The captain did not attempt to urge
him, neither did he preach or patron
lie. He simply leaned back in the
rocker and began spinning sailor yarns.
He told of all sorts of adventures in
all climates and with all sorts of peo-
pie. He had seen everything under
the sun apparently, and. according to
him, there was no life SO free and void
of all restraint as that of an able sea-
man on merchant ship, or, prefera-
bly,, on fisherman, but one point he
made clear, and that was that unless
the applicant had had previous train
ing his, lot was likely to be an unhap-
py one.
"Of course" he said as he rose to 60,
lit was my idea to sort Of train you
up SOS you could be ready when twas
time to ship, but longs you don't want
to, why, it's all off,"
"I'll go with you, cap" said Josiah,
whose eyes were shining.
Good! That's the talk! You might
as well sign articles right away. Wait
till 1 git 'em ready"
He brought pen, ink and paper and
proceeded to indite formidable docu-
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31


tumbled on the seat which encircled
the cockpit and, being completely worn
out, went fast asleep. The captain
watched him for a minute or two,
smiled in not unkindly way and, go
ing into the cabin, brought out an old
pea jacket and some other wraps with
which he covered the sleeper. Then he
went back to his fishing.
When Josiah awoke the Mary Ellen
was heeled over on her side, her sail
as tight as drumhead. The wind
: was whistling through the cordage,
and the boat was racing through seas
that We're steel blue and angry, with
wliitecaps on their crests. The sun
WAS hidden by tumbling, dust colored
clouds. The boy felt weak and strange
ly humble The dreadful nausea was
, gone.
Captain Fri, standing at the tiller,
regarded him sternly, but there was
! the suspicion of twinkle in his eye.
'NNant to smoke again? Pipe right
there on the thwart."
"No; thank you, sir"
1t was some time before anything
more was said. Josiah was gazing at
the yellow sand cliffs that on every
tack grew nearer. At length the cap
tain again addressed him.
"Perez ever tell you bout our fust
wage? Never did, hey? Well, will.
Him and me run away to sea together,
you know"
And then Captain Fri began a tale
that caused the cold shivers to chase
! themselves from Josiah's big toe to the
longest hair on his head. 1t was the
story Of two boys who ran away and
shipped aboard an Australian sailing
packet, and contained more first class
horrors than any one of his beloved
dime novels. AS finishing touch the
narrator turned back the grizzled hair
on his forehead and showed a three
inch scar, souvenir of first mate and
Delaying pin. He rolled up his fan
mel shirt sleeve and displayed slight
ly misshaped left arm, broken by a
kick from q drunken captain and bad
ly set by the same Individual.
"Now," he said in conclusion, II caH-
late you think l was pretty hard on
you this mornin', but what do you fig
ger that you'd have got if you talked to
a mate the way you done to me?'
Don't know. S'posc I'd have been
killed, SIR
well, you would, mighty nigh, and
that's a fact. Now, I'll tell you some
thin else. You wanted to enlist in the
navy, l understand You couldn't git
in the navy, anyway; you're too young.
But sposc you could, what then7
You'd never git any higher'n petty
officer, cause you don't know enough.
The only way to git into the navy Is
to go through Annapolis and git an
education. tell you, education counts.
Me and Perez would have been some
thin morc'n cheap fishin' and coastin'
shippers If we'd had an education.
Don't forgit that
Il guess don't want to be sailor.
anyway, sir This one trip is enough
for me, thank you"
Cant help that. You shipped long
with me for two months, and you'll
sail with me for two months, every
time l go out. You won't run away
again neither I'll look out for that.
You'll sail with me, and you'll help clean
fish, and you'll mind me, and you'll say
sir You needn't smoke if you don't
want to-" with smile. II amt
p'tic'lar about that.
CONTINUED \ Newt Tesue.)
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31
Relief in Six Kours

Distressing Kidney and Bladder Dis.
case relieved in six hours by New
Great South American Kidney Cure. ut
is great surprise on account of its
exceeding promptness. in relieving
pm in bladder, kidneys and back, in
male or female. Relieves retention OF
water almost Immediately. If you
want quick relief and cure this is the
remedy. Sold by w. L. Sargent, ~ "
gist. Ottumwa. Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

The average American likes to do
work on the hurrah plan-a lot Of ma.
chinery, men and teams-likes the big
thrashing outfit, the big road grader
and the big gang of men to boss. These
big outfits. are by no means the most
economical for the small farmer
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

In the old baronial days boar's
head baked was considered the great
dish Of the feast. Recalling this fact
we are reminded that the tastes of the
people have improved, for it would be
hard to find a coarser, ranler meat for
a banquet than an cid boar's head.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

There is a whole lot more satisfac-
ton In producing thousand bushels
of corn on twenty acres than on forty
acres, and it can be done just as well
as not.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

A man is likely to have pretty poor
fare If he depends too much upon
Providence. All Biblical references Ia
Providence imply whole lot of huy
ting before they become operative.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31
Farm land having selling value Of

Farm land having selling value Of
500 per acre must be worked in
better way than land worth only $50
per acre If it is to be made profitable
One trouble is that the land which gets
up to $500 is, because of bad methods,
not as productive as when it was worth
only s35 The high priced farm can
not be run as grain farm alone, just
raising and selling the grain from the
farm. This kind Of farming may be
done for few years when the country
and the soil are new, but not forty or
fifty years after its occupation. The
question Of proper rotation of crops,
the relation Of the grasses and the
clovers to the fertility of the farm, the
keeping and feeding of the domestic
animals to consume the various farm
products, must then have careful con
sideration. Thirty bushels of corn or
oats to the acre will never work with
x1n0 land
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

The best apples are quite apt to be
shy bearers and hence improbable
apples to raise. If one is in the apple
business in commercial way he must
have trees which will bear the fruit
This is the one redeeming feature Of
the Ben Davis.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

We know Of a man who year by year
makes 500 per acre from his crops Of
Hubbard squash, and they cost no
more to raise than crop of pumpkins.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

II the cocklebur mas not yet got a
foothold on your farm you had better
keep an eye out for 1t, for 1t is one 81
the peskiest Of western weeds.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

The time is fast coming in this coun.
try when either the Chinaman or the
Jap will be cordially welcomed as II
domestic drudge, as the doer of that
work in American homes, which our
girls are too high toned or too ignorant
or too lazy to do.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

We have two or three complaints
about a failure to secure a stand Of
clover which was sown with nurse
crop last spring. This is not an I'M
common thing. The nurse crop, wrong
ly so called, often smothers the tender
clover plants, or, If it does not entirely
kill them, they are left SO weak and
spindly when the crop is removed in
July that the fierce midsummer heat
and drought very soon finish them up.
The surest way to insure stand of
clover is to SOW it without any nurse
crop at all. The next best thing is to
SOW only one-half as much seed Of, the
nurse crop as is usually done. Oats
make the worst nurse crop, wheat is
better, barley and fax better yet.
Where 1t is desired to get stand of
clover the nurse crop should be always
! secondary consideration.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

A raiser Of turkeys for the market
advises the pouring of pint Of strong
vinegar down the throats of the birds
twenty four hours before they are
killed, claiming that such treatment
will make the flesh Of the bird more
tender. This is good example of the
refined brutality Of our modern civili-
cation.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

That "other eighty" has quite often
proved poor investment for the west
ern farmer. Possessed with an in
ordinate lust for land, no sooner is the
old farm paid for than it is again
mortgaged to buy that eighty. This
works badly in many ways. 1t is
probable that the old homestead fur
nishes oil the acres which the owner
can profitably work. Then just SO
long as mortgage hangs over the
farm just so long is kept up series
of pinching economies to meet the in
terest and pay off the principal, which
not only tell on the productive power
Of the farm, but are all too often re-
fected in all that pertains to living in
the farm home.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

If ablebodied men in this country find
themselves today out of employment it
is because they are either in the wrong
place or do not want to work. We do
not recall time when the demand for
labor was more urgent or the wages
paid more satisfactory.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

Sometimes when man imports a
good horse into community he does
as much in patriotic way for his
community as though he had enlisted
in the army. We recall one instance
where the importation Of such horse
gave to the horses sold during the sue
ceeding ten years an added value Of
over $4,000.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

A man never makes very much Of a
mistake when he selects soil for a
farm upon which the clovers grow nat
urally. Poor though the soil may
seem to be, the presence Of the clover
gives assurance Of large productive
capacity and certain promise that such
land can easily be REINFORCED and en-
riched. We have come to the opinion
that the worst thing which can be said
Of any soil is that it will not grow
clover.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

The west has Just finished one Of the
most successful corn canning seasons
it has ever known The crop of sweet
corn was very large and every factory
ran to its full capacity during the sea.
son. The farmers made good money
whether the packers will or not.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31
CHAPTER XIV.

PROMPTLY at a quarter to 4
the next morning Captain Fri
raped on the parlor door.
Josiah, who had been dressed
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

With wool at from 20 to % cents and
mutton worth 5 to Z cents per pound
the sheep is one of the best PROPOSE
tons there is on the farm today They
pay as well as the COW, are better fer
tilizers and weed destroyers and no
bother about milking. If these prices
for sheep and their products could only
be assured there would be hundreds
kept where none is now.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

1t is worth repeating again that the
more blue grass pasture is tousled
around with disk and drag in the
early spring the better the pasture will
be. Many such pastures well disked
and dragged in the spring can be made
worth twice as much as pasture by
such treatment. It is good idea to
scatter a little medium clover seed
over 1t just before the last time over
with the drag.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-31

Bronze grass and quack grass are
very closely allied in the matter Of
taking complete possession Of the soil
and being extremely difficult to get rid
Of when once we'll established. The
bronze grass should never be sown on
any field which Is included in the reg
ular course Of rotation. It's place is in
the permanent pasture.
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-02-24

And, for the reason hereinbefore
set forth. your committee recon-
mends that the consideration of said
purported petition aud all bills, mat
tiers or measures based or founded
thereon or connected Herewith, be
indefinitely postponed.
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-02-24

shall enact and submit any measure
proposed by five per cent OF the quail
lied electors of the state, and your
committee at this time disclaims aud
repudiates any in~tentention Dr. desire
on its part to disregard or avoid
these provisions of constitutional and
statute law. But this committee
does conclude that these provisions,
both constitutional and statutory,
are mandatory and imperative aud
for the protection of both the people
and the Legislature from fraud and
illegality, that it was not the in:en-
ton Of these provisions to deprive
the legislature of the power to inves-
tigate any ~so-called or purported
petition that might be filed in the
office Of the secretary Of state or
transmitted to the Legislative bodies.
A contention that holds that the two
houses of the Legislature have no
other functions to perform than
merely clerical or ministerial duties
is peurile and robs those bodies OF
the power to protect their dignity
aud insure them from fraudulent
impositions. We're their duties no
more than this it would be useless
to transmit petitions beyond the sec
rotary of state, to be 10y that ofticer
certified to the several county audi
tors for insertion ia tbs official bal
lots. Such a contention would com
pei this Legislature not only to enact
Legislation absolutely opposed to its
own conscience and good sense, but
also to the odium of placing
large and totally unjustfable ex
pense upon the people.
VIOLATION or CONSTITUTION.
Your committee further concludes
under the facts specifically set forth
herein, that to Recognize any pur-
ported petition bearing upon It's
face such absolute proofs Of fraud,
illegally and forgery would be a
violation Of the constitution aud laws
Of this state and the oath of Office
taken by all the members OF this
body to support the same; that II
would place a premium upon fraud
aud wrongdoing aud would furnish a
pre- cedent for designing persons to
propose even inguitous measures
and procure their enactment and
submission to the people OF this
state; that while the constitution and
laws Of this state should always be
observed aud given full faith and
credit by the members of this body,
they should never be allowed to be
perverted or used as the tools Of de-
signing persons to further wrongful
ends. Your COMMITTEES believes that
the highest duty delvolving upon
this Legislature is that Of protecting
the constitution, the law. the people
and the Legislature itself from such
frauds, crimes, and illegalities as are
! patent in this case
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-02-24
a Night Alarm.

Worse than an alarm of fire at
night is the brassy cough of Group,
which sounds like the children's
death knell aud it means death I'M
less something is done quickly.
Foleys Honey and Tar never fails to
give instant relief and quickly cures
the worst forms of Group. Mrs. p.
T.. Courdier, of Warrington, Ky,
writes: "My three years old girl
had a severe case Of Group; the doe
tor said she could not live. | got
a bottle of Foley's Honey and Tar,
aud the first dose gave quick relief
and saved her life" Refuse sub
stitutes. l.. E. Sasse.