davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20


mended for doing something to earn
an honest penny. If his pay is not
much, his duties are not particularly
onerous, and if ambitious he will have
plenty of spare time in which TO look
around for better job. Meanwnlle
he is comfortably domiciled at Dor
chester House, the marble palace IN
Park Lane, which Ambassador Reid
has taken as his London residence.
The Hon. Walsh is engaged to be
married to Lady Norah-Spencer-
Churchill, the youngest sister of the
Duke of Marlborough. Though she
can hardly be called youthful, she Is
several years younger than her tance.
AS far as pedigree counts for any
thing, however, the Hon. Walsh is no
bad match for her, for he can boast
ducal blood, too.
If the Duke of Devonshire's rule
against any of his servants accepting
tips" could be successfully introduced
in this country all would be well. There
are a few of the old nobility of Eng
land who set laudable example OF
prohibiting their servants accepting
gratuities from visitors or guests. The
Duke of Devonshire, for instance,
makes it an inheXible rule that no
servant of his shall take tip. When,
however, a party of Americans recent
ly visited Chatsworth, the Dukes Der
byshire seat, and were entertained to
luncheon and shown over the beautiful
grounds by the Dukes steward, the
leaders of the party thought the usual
shell out" must be the climax of the
days enjoyment. The party consisted
of four men and three women, and
among them $50 was subscribed. With
commendable discretion the money was
not offered to the steward, who, of
course, is above accepting recognition
of the kind, but to an underfootman,
who saw the party to and from the
railway station. But the footman
pointed out that it was against the
rules of the Dukes establishment to
accept gratuities ''in money" That
seemed TO suggest a way of getting
around the rule. The next day various
articles of jewelry reached the stew
ard from London with the request that
they be distributed among the staff at
his discretion. The leaders of the party
were Edmund II. Abbott, of New York.
and Alexander Cattanach, of Salem,
Mass, and both had introductions
from Sir Thomas Upton. The Duke
and Duchess were not in residence at
Chatsworth at the time of the visit,
but the latter sent one of her maids
specially up from London to look after
the ladies. The beauties of Matlock,
Buxton and Bakewell were fully ex-
plored before they returned to town.
Van Calava.
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
Cost of OfDiscOVering America.

The great extent and value Of Queen
Isabel's jewel bag, the proceeds Of
which fitted out Columbus, is more or
less of a myth. But in these days, when
millionaire yachtsmen spend a hundred
thousand dollars for little racing
yacht and think nothing of it, the ex-
pense of Columbus's whole feet seems
entirely Insignificant The sum OF
$1,000 covered the whole outlay neces-
sary to secure and equip the three ves-
sells, while the Great Admirals salary
was $500 per annum. The two other
commanders were paid 5000 each, and
the wages Of the crew were $3.50
month. or course, money in those
days was worth a great deal more
than now, and there were not very
many places In America at that time
where the sailors cared to ask for
"shore leave" So that their wages were
q clear laving.
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
THE FIRST COMPLETED GOVERNMENT IRRIGATION canal

The extent of the government irri-
CATION problem is indicated by a rec
ent schedule issued by the Reclama-
ton Service of the Interior Depart
ment, showing that the work of re-
claiming the desert is well under way.
At this time the government plan in
various stages of progress requiring
the expenditure of $32.S70,000, which
will supply water for the irrigation Of
$4,000 acres of land, the expense
being S17.50 per acre. Other govern
ment reports estimate that there are
about GO0,000000 acres of so-called
arid land, whose chief products are
sage brush and cactus. This amounts
to more than one-third of the United
States, and out of witch might be
carved four countries the size of
France, four more as large as Ger
many and two states as large as New
York. Private enterprise has reclaim
ed about 100000 of this domain,
which is to-day the backbone of the
West The enormous possibilities of
the government irrigation work is
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20

shown by the various expert estimates
which place the additional area which
can be irrigated at from 75,000,OO0 to
1OO,OO0,000 acres. The government
plan as provided for in the irrigation
law is to store the food waters of the
western rivers reclaiming this land
as fast as possible; but the settlers
who take the land are required to
pay back to the government the cost
of the construction of each project, so
that the actual expense to the gov
ernment will all be paid. The final
estimates of the possibilities of in
creased population are one person to
each irrigated acre, so that there
seems a future population for the
West as great or greater than the to-
tai population of the country to-day.
Ten or twenty acres, in the more high
ly developed irrigation sections of the
West is stated to be sufficient for the
support of family, owing to the
fact that under irrigation numerous
and sure crops can be raised. In the
Southwest, three or four crops are
grown on the same land each year.
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20

east. 1t has the dust-green color of
sage, smells like sage, tastes like sage,
and animals that feed on its leaves
and yellow flowers flavor their flesh
with sage. Well, wherever this plant
grows the desert grouse may be found
The grouse feeds and fattens on sage.
There is nothing he likes better. He
must have it. Let the sage be de
stroyed and the bird moves on. The
desert grouse is the largest grouse of
the western world and it is exceeded
in size only by the great grouse of
EurOpe-the capercailZie 1t is very
superior in size and strength to the
common prairie hen or the pinnated
grouse, usually weighing twice or
thrice as much as that bird. 1t will
measure two or three feet from tip of
wing to tip. Living in a gray land,
nature has provided for the protec-
ton of the bird by making it also
gray. 1t is curious now nature looks
after it's creatures by making their
color. as a rule. harmOnize with the
landscape. In grouse-land there Is a
great deal of alkali i'm the soil and
over that grows the gray-green shrub
berry. The sage grouse seeks its safe
ty in concealment rather than in
flight.
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
CATHOLIC DIVORCES.
VATICAN ANNULS MARRIAGES
IN CERTAIN CASES.-ATTOR-
NEYS OF ST. PETER.

Ambassador Mhitelaw Reid appoints
son of English Earl as Chief Lackey
The Tipping Question.-Other For-
eign Gossip.
1t is stated on authority that the
Vatican will always annul a marriage
If 1t can be proved to it's entire salts
faction that one or the other of the
parties to the alliance was not free
agent in the matter. One of the most
notable cases of annulment of a prince
ly marriage, on grounds such as these,
was the dissolution some years ago of
the marriage bonds of the reigning
Prince of Monaco and his first wife,
Lady Mary Hamilton. At the same
time the Vatican pronounced the mar
riage null and void it also pronounced
that her son was, in every sense of the
word, legitimate. Princess Mary, whose
mother was a princess of the reigning
honse of Baden and whose father was
the English Duke of Hamilton, was
forced by her kinsman and guardian,
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
He Trusted Rockefeller.

DR.. Gustav c. f. Weber, of Cleve-
land, Ohio, recently consul at Nurem-
burg is one of the pioneer doctors of
his city. Years ago he was visited by
a young man who required a surgical
operation, but explained that he was
only getting fifty dollars a month and
would have to pay by installment
Weber said he would risk it and it took
the youth about a year to pay up
The lad was John ID. Rockefeller, and
only a short time ago he sent for
Weber, asking for medical advice, there
having been a recurrence of the trouble
for which Weber had operated forty
years ago. Weber made an eXamina-
ton and told Mr.. Rockefeller that any
medical student could do it and that
he himself was out of practice. Rookie
feller opened a drawer, counted out
$500, and handing the roll to Weber
remarked, 1T does not take so long
to pay the bill this time" Weber de-
clined the money, saying he wished no
fee for friendly visit. Take it," said
Rockefeller, land give to some poor
medical student, who is struggling for
his education" Weber remarked in
telling the story that he couldn't think
of any struggling medical student just
then and, but what was the all
mert that required a surgical opera
ton?
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
HumOr Of King Edward.

Returned tourists who have been in
touch with the nobility in Europe
bring back a few good stories of King
Edward. One tale runs like this: The
King was driving alone in a dog cart
near one of his country palaces one
day and caught up with an old fish
woman, who was trudging to the viii
lage to sell her wares. She did not
recognize the king and asked him for
a lift. He responded graciously and
helped her into the cart. AS they
drove along she begged him to buy
her fish pleading poverty and a big
family at home. The king said he had
plenty of fish at home and would not
buy any. However, he would give her
his portrait which he thought would
be just as good as buying her fish
"Ye are a fine looking man, but your
portrait would not buy shoes for the
children" said the old woman. ooh
think it will help you" he responded.
and handed her a sovereign which has
on one side his profile. When she saw
that she was riding with the king and
spilled her fish. The king handed her
another coin and dropped her out at
her destination. At another time
when he was Prince and attending a
theatre, a fire broke out near by and
every one helped to quench the blaze
The Prince in evening dress, worked
with the others in passing buckets of
water. A big pompous man was stand
ing by doing nothing. why don't
you help?" asked the Prince. The
pompous man swelled up and remarked,
81 am gentleman, sir, and do no such
menial tasks" Don't let that hurt
you" responded the Prince. II am
only the Prince of Wales"
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20

long horseback ride during the af
ternoon. While the Chief Executive
usually goes to his Office Christmas
morning to give attention to the more
important affairs of state that may be
pressing for attention the remainder
of the day is given over to a holiday
vacation and thus he is enabled to de-
vote more time than usual to his daily
horseback ride. The Presidents
Christmas excursion also differs from
his ordinary daily outing in that in.
stead of being attended, as is usually
the case, by the army sergeant, who
acts as the Presidents orderly. he is
accompanied by Mrs. Roosevelt or by
a party of personal friends.
The dinner to which the President
and his family and guests sit down
about o'clock in the evening is
served in the private dining room
which is located in the northeast cor
ner of the White House. The state din
ing room where are served all the great
0anquets given at the Presidential Man
sion, is spacious and imposing but
lacking in that coziness and cheer
which is essential to a Christmas
feast and so the Xmas dinner party,
which numbers perhaps fourteen to
sixteen persons is served with the
traditional yule-tide delicacies in the
family or private dining room.
Colored Walters at the White House.
The scene of the Presidents Christ
mas dinner is the smallest room ION
the main floor of the White House
although it is fully twice as large as
the dining room in the average private
residence in the land. The room is
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
Found Throughout the Arid Region.

1t is seen in all the arid and semi
rid parts of the land where it has
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20

not been exterminated, and is very
common in those great Gry stretches
of the continent where man has not
crowded it to death and where the
sage brush grows. To say that this
bird has its home in the droughty re-
gions of the United States is to say
how extensively it is distributed, for
everybody who knows anything about
the country, knows how vast is that
empire laid down on the early maps
as desert. The word desert as ap-
piled to the unwatered reaches of the
west is misleading. On those des-
erts there is plenty or vegetation and
animal life. Though in many places
water is scarce, life may be easily sus-
tanned in these American deserts. r.
rigation shows how fertile these lands
are when the water is poured on.
All over dry lands grows that wild
shrub, called by Eotanists artemisia,
but which everybody else calls sage
brush.
Feeds Mostly on Sage.
No doubt it belongs to the same
family as does the garden sage of the
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
THE DESERT GROUSE.
KNOWN As THE SAGE HEN AND
COCK OF THE PLAINS, A TYP
ICAL AMERICAN BIRD.

Is the Largest of the GrouseS and
Feeds Mostly on Sage-Has Hand
some Coat of PlumeS and Makes
Savory Roast.
The desert grouse is a representa-
tive American bird. 1t is, of course.
not as exalted and heroic as the eagle.
and is not spread over so wide an
area as the common chicken, but for
all that the desert grouse is typically
American. The bird is more famll-
iarly known to travellers dwellers in
the arid and semi-arid regions of the
United States, and sportsmen, as the
sage hen" and, as matter of course,
where there are sage hens there are
sage cocks. Often the bird is referred
to as the prairie chicken, but the ref
erence is inaccurate. 1t is a game
bird of great beauty. 1t was named
"Cock of the Plains" by Lewis and
Clark who, though perhaps not the
first whites to make the acquaintance
of this bird, at least were the first
white men to identify it as a distinct
ornithological species and to pause
long enough in the ardous business
of exploration to give it a name.
Found Throughout the Arid Region.
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
Presidents
PgI1afr
Dining Room.

in the Colonial style with white walls
and woodwork and is furnished with
rare old pieces of mahogany furniture
most of which were discovered by
Mrs. Roosevelt in out-Of-the-way local
tiles in Virginia and Maryland. The
dinner is served by colored walters
and the table is laid with Mrs. Roose-
velts new china-delcate ware taste
fully ornamented with a Colonial pat
tern in gold, each piece bearing a tiny
representation of the seal of the
United States in colors.
The dinner is prepared in the re-
fitted White House kitchens, which are
located in the basement directly below
the private dining room. There are
two kitchens, one about 25 by 40 feet
in size and, opening from it, smaller
kitchen of about one-half the size. Or
dinarily the equipment of the smaller
or family kitchen is sufficient for the
preparation of the dinner for select
party at the Executive Mansion, but
at Christmas the great hooded range
in the larger tiled kitchen is brought
into use for the roasting of the thirty
pound Christmas turkey, sent by Hor-
ace Vose, the Rhode Island farmer who
for thirty-fve years past has sent each
year a magnificent specimen OF the
king of fowls for the Presidents
Christmas dinner.
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
Handsome Though not Brilliant.

Though the general color effect of
the grouse is gray yet it has markings
of white and black. A large black patch
underneath the birds body is a feat
ure of the desert grouse. On his
shoulders he wears epauletts of white
The reason for these white shoul-
ders is that i'm browsinr; through
the sage brush all his days
the heavy gray feathers are worn off,
exposing the fine white neither
feathers.
The grouse, though not a high
flyer and not so agile on the wing as
his eastern cousin, possesses great leg
power. lie is active and speedy as Il
runner, rather quick to take fright and
is an expert in losing himself among
the brush. 1t should not be under
stood that these birds do not rise from
cover. They often do. Hunters seek
so to frighten the birds that they will
rise. 1t is not difficult shooting then.
The grouse of the desert has that
general grouse trait the "whirr'.
When he rises it is said that he whirrs
louder than the eastern grouse. When
thoroughly reused to his task he is a
pretty strong flyer and can go a mile
at a stretch, alternately sailing and
Tapping.
The flesh of the desert grouse is
good when not TOO sagey. The young
birds, when feeding on grass-hoppers,
are unsurpassed for tenderness and
flavor The older birds. as with all
the other feathered tribes. are not so
tender as the young. When feeding
exclusively on sage their flesh is
strongly impregnated with the flavor
of shrub, somewhat unpleasantly so.
one is reminded of the taste of par
fridge meat when that bird has been
feeding on resinous buds in the au-
tumn.
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
Feeds Mostly on Sage.

No doubt it belongs to the same
family as does the garden sage of the
The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-20
GobbIers from Far and Wide.

Indeed, the Presidents Christmas
dinner does not cost him very much, for
Uncle Sam pays the wages of many OF
the White House employees who have
a hand in preparing it and almost all
of the goodies" which grace the fes-
tive board are donated by admiring
friends of the President. Not only does
Horace VOse send a prize-winning
turkey, but gobblers that rival it in size
come from poultry raisers in other sec
tions of the country, and there are
donations of cranberries from Cape
Cod. a parcel of the famous Roosevelt
potatoes" sent by the farm hands on the
Presidents estate at Oyster Bay and
other delicacies sent by 'neighbors
far and near.
Such marketing as is necessary to
fill out the menu for the Presidents
Christmas dinner is done by Henry
Pinckney, a colored man who holds the
position Of White House Steward and
draws a salary Of 81 800 year from the
government for managing the domestic
affairs at the White House. A day or
two before Christmas Steward Pinck-
ney sets out in the unpretentious
vehicle which serves as the Presidents
private IudIAel WdSOu anu ludhtS inc
round of the markets-for the White
House patronage is not confined to any
one merchant. In preparation for the
Christmas dinner it is presumably not
necessary to purchase any coffee, sugar,
salt or other staples, for all such sup
plies for the Presidential mansion are
purchased in quantity and kept in a
storeroom adjoining the kitchen, which
looks like a full-fledged grocery store.
All in all, the White House Christ
mas festival comes pretty near being
a counterpart of the old-time. old
fashioned institution of our forcfa-
theirs.
It is we'll on toward $50 o'clock ERE
the last piece of mince pie has disap-
peared, and then the entire party, from
the President to Quentin, the youngest
occupant OF the White House, makes
a bee line for the big East Room,
where a rousing frolic winds up the
holiday.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-10-13

and court-martials, which he attribucee
to the misguided efforts of very goot
people in securing the adjustment Of
the army canteen. The soldiers now
go outside the army posts and patron
ize the lowest saloons and resorts.
where formerly they did the little
drinking they felt like indulging in at
the post under proper restrictions and
regulations, and were more contented
and better conditioned.
Maj. Harrod, of the Panama canal
commission, advocates the establish
ment on the canal zone of the old army
canteen, with it's sale of beer and othe-
light drinks. He does not advocate
what might be classed as wide open"
saloons. but believes that canteens or
clubs should be established, where men
could go and enjoy innocent games of
cards, billiards or bowling and, if 50
minded, could secure limited amount
Of light drinks. Recreation and ra-
tional amusement for American en-
ployes, he thinks, would help solve he
problem Of making the canal zone
habitable for Americans.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-10-13
News Notes.

Minneapolis-1nquiry was received
on change here from the Pacific coast
for price on round lot of TO-, 900 bu.
of oats to 60 to Japan.
Stewartville-The first frost of the
season did some damage to garden
stuff. Corn is beyond harm, and will
be the best crop in several years 60. ].
Winona-Joseph Thompson, watch
man in the sand pit above Fountain
City, was instantly killed by Bur-
ington train near Fountain City. He
leaves parents living at Coatburg, Ill
: Moorhead-Mrs Mary Carlson, wife
Of A. Carlson OF this city, attem pted to
commit suicide by drinking carbolic
acid z*@.=z2 d
Duluth-stripping on Mesaba range.
mines is proceeding with great
rapidity. In August at the Fayal.
mine 1874, 600 yards were stripped, tho
largest amount in any month since tho
work was begun.
ST Paul-Because his mustache was
shaved OF when he was taken to the
workhouse William Ritter now de-
mands = Judgment IL the sum Of &c.
600 against John Fitzgerald, superin-
tendent Of the workhouse
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-10-13

N Marble house cost y, 7oo, ooo, thoukh
1t was to be used but q few weeks easn
year, though It's builder had then
great steam yacht, the Alva, named
after Mrs. Vanderbilt, which was after
wards wrecked, and house on Fifth
avenue, designed by William H. Hunt.
When the divorce was arranged, Mrs.
Vanderbilt. was literally house poor.
Upon her marriage to Mr.. Belmont they
went for time to live in few rooms
hastily added to the Belmont stable, out
of which fair Newport house has been
evolved.
The most beautiful Belmont place,
however, is the new game preserve and
country place on Long Island. doubt
whether the Fifth avenue house has
been occupied two weeks year upon
an average for ten years. If the Marble
house could be sold for one quarter Of its
cost it would be good bargain. When
people have million or SO to put into
house, they are apt to want it built to
order. Besides, Marble house would
cost a good deal to run.
Every one said last winter when
James Henry Smith, the silent man of
Wall street" bought the w. C. Whitney
house of the heirs at fair price that
they were very lucky to sell. Not every
man wants ready-made house.
OF course, this Marble house story is
quite inconsistent with that other and
earlier story about Hyde's selling out
all his American property to go and live
in Paris because of the insurance scan
dals. I do not attempt to reconcile the
warning tales.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-10-13

Perkins was a magnificent witness
This was the precise relation of Per-
kins to Morgan and to the New York
Life. the circumstances of his unusual
employment in the double capacity, and
the manner in which the two jobs were
undertaken.
Morgan must have been badly in want
of a partner, for he besought Perkins in
interview after interview to come with
him. Perkins finally did so, surrender
ing all but $4,000 Of the $4,000 salary
up to which he had worked his way in
the insurance company from an Office
boys $500 year. ~
Morgan has almost a dozen partners.
Perkins being the foremost, and Steele
the second. All the partners have then
specialties. Mr. Bacon, now first as
sistant secretary OF state, left the firm
about the time the ship trust was
founded. People said that he and Nor
gan had difficulties and differences.
Bacon is less of a business man than
Perkins, more of a student. e..
But what a career. Office boy at 5000;
at 43 years Of age-he does not look 1t
vice president of the greatest insur.
:Snce company Of America, and leading
junior partner Of its greatest banking
firm! .=s s.= s.5 ==
. !. -.=z S OWEN LANGDON. .