davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

Some tiny holes can be seen near the top
OF the pit, as well as on the under surface Of
the I'D at the part furthest from the hinge.
Into these the spider sticks its feet. and
so holds the door down with all its might
If any attempt should be made to pry il
open.
One can hardy imagine a safer house. and
must admire not only their skill in construc
ton, which anticipates many of our manufac-
lures, but their marvellous instinct in apply
ing those mechanical principles which take us
so long to find out.
If you are trying to push or hold door
against boy on the other side, to what part
do you exert your force? Not to the hinge
ing mechanics, you will know why. But here
Is the mygale, who never learnt anything, do
ing the same thing ever since the creation of
the world.
Some Of the smaller trap,door spiders build
nests entirely of web, and do not dig pits
in the ground There are two kinds of these
nests: one is simply a silken tube with one
door at the top of it occasionally one at each
end), opening outward, and much thicker,
winter and harder than the sides of the nest
the other has lot of smaller tubes or
branches opening out Of it, and has double
door, the inner one being placed about half
way down the tube and opening inward in.
stead of outward
The California trapdoor spider is declared,
on good authority, to spin thread from the
outer part of its door to some projecting
branch or stone to hold it open while It is
absent from the den at night in search Of
food; otherwise, it might not be able to ret
in quickly if pursued, so closely does the lid
fit.
"Spare the poor spiders" then We have
much to learn from them, and while they
themselves do not molest us. they destroy in
creatures which do.
If a web becomes an eyesore or an incon-
venience from. its situation, down with it by
all means; but let the little weaver seek
another spot for his industry, and do not 60
out Of your way to annoy him when be has
Innnd IT,
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
Continued from Page Two

as it is reported to do in its native land;
but its ordinary food more probably consists
of insects since the web which it spun in its
cage always on the ground) was not strong
enough to catch anything heavier than big
cockroaches. OF these it devoured great
number.
One morning, when the keeper came to
look in the case, he thought the taran-
tula was dead. There it lay, apparently, on
its back, without life or motion. But on lift
ing the supposed corpse, 1T was found to be
as light as paper, and was IN reailty nothing
more than the cast-off skin, which the spider,
then snugly hidden beneath the moss and
cork, and doubtless watching the examination,
had shed during the night, after the manner
of snake. 1t was so perfect that 1t formed
an exact mould or model OF the creature,
down to the smallest point. Legs, claws, spin
nerets and all were entire, and the wonder
was how il eyer got out SO complete a gar
ment Then il was discovered that portion
of the under surface OF the body, Just at the
division. opened in sort of flap; so that it
must have stood upright, and drawing its
less rp out of their trowsers one by one,
have PASSED them through this opening in the
centre. and finally, when. the legs were free,
tbn body part must have been shaken or wrig-
slea off over the back.
N is we'll for the poor tarantula that it has
~ TO undress as often as we dol
We must not quit the subject without saw
tg word or two about those very interesting
ynd ingenious little work-people known as the
az these, too there are many species, all
Of which are grouped together by naturasts
under the title of mygale.
Several kinds are known in the south of
Europe and in Southern California; but the
large varieties are found only in the tropics,
and another great popularity about them, in
addition to their nestbuilding, is that the
female carries about the young ones on her
, hack. It is most extraordinary to see one
Lof these big spiders absolutely covered with a
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
A Chat A bout Spider

As the mouth is the widest part, and the
pit slopes inward like funnel, it follows, of
course, that the door or lid can only open
outward.
! have nests as big as my head from Jamaica
and other places; but III every one, big or
little, the lid is SO beautifully adjusted, so
beveled off at the edges, that there is no
nail when it is shut, and the only way is
to turn the nest upside down, and let it
swing back on the hinge. This door is very
thick, and would require much force to break
it in by pressure from without.
When it is finished, the mygale daubs it on
the outer side with earth or clay, like the soil
around, so that it is almost impossible to
detect when shut, since no rim" is visible.
Inside it is lined with silk like the rest.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

contrved to have him tell me nearly all he
knew about his employer"
''Did you know Mr.. Maldrake was pen
sioner OF Sir Morgan Gayworthy?"
''The young man did not tell me that, but
see Mr.. Maldrake tonight, if possible You
must induce him to come to your room by
strategy, for we must see him when his pri-
vate secretary is not present"
Before anything more is done, Mr.. Wad-
law, we shall tell you the whole story of our
business with Mr.. Maldrake," said Maddy,
as we had agreed on the train.
In response to the call of my friend, / told
my story from beginning to end, producing
such papers and memoranda as | had to sub,
stantiate it.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
% Fighting for Ibis Own SY

the Hotel zum Oesterreichischen Hof, and the
name had nearly choked Maddy to death
when he attempted TO utter it, though in plain
English II only means Austrian Court Hotel
"Has Maldrake left Vienna?" ] asked, with
breathless eagerness, when we went to our
rooms.
Not yet; but he may leave tomorrow. l
find that he has some one to keep watch of
him all the time-a young Englshman, who
acts as his amanuenss and private secretary"
replied Wadlaw. 81 got acquainted with him
before | had been in Vienna two hours
have been here before, and know the place
very we'll"
How did you find Maldrake SO quiclily?"
asked Maddy.
II went to the English clergyman for in
out, and / talked with the young man
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

cluster of little ones. Scorpions are said to do
the same, but i never saw them.
The. mygale digs a round pit in the clay,
sometimes to depth of six or eight inches,
but never much broader than is necessary for
the size of its body. The sides of this pit
are somehow worked into fine mortar, which
is spread so evenly that it feels as smooth
round n with a thick coating of web. and very ar
cozy little dwelling it must be. But it is
secure from burglars as well as comfortable,
and this is the most wonderful part of it,
With alternate layers of beaten-up clay and
the mouth of the pit as perfectly and exact
ly as one shell of an oyster lies against the
other This door is attached by strong silk
en- hinge to the lining of the pit
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

II supposed II was something Of this sort,
said Wadlaw. when had finished the nara
tive Then Mr.. Maldrake is your Tandfa-
ther, and this business will array him against
his patron, who gives him pension of
thousand a yearit,
II don't beleve the pension will make any
difference witEIMr. Maldrake," l replied "He
is an honest man. and he win do his duty
under any and all circumstances. Outside of
Sir Morgan's family, he is the only relative l
have in the world Of whom have any knowl-
edge, and ! am sure he will not fare any worse
than now when the property changes hands"
ITO make sure of him, we must resort to
strategy reiterated Wadlaw. "He may not
be willing to see you, and if the private sec
retary knows anything about this affair you
will have score OF detectives on your track,
and not all OF them will be as fair and honest
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

as your humble servant has been with you"
Il don't know what you mean by strategy
in case of this kind l replied.
1T is not necessary to have you understand
it. If you will leave it to me to bring Mr.
Maldra<e to your room tonight | will attend
But you must do nothing wrong" / added.
"If | do, you will not be a party to the
wrong. and will take all the blame upon my
self. 1t is in the power of the private secre-
tary to defeat all your plans"
~ don't see how that can be- said, in
credulously.
Il have told you that Mr. Maldrake will go
to Trieste tomorrow-the secretary told me
this; and though don't know anything about
it, l infer that Sir Morgan is afraid you will
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
A Pioneer in Sunday School

sole teacher was Mrs. Andrew Lake, an esti-
mable lady from New York.
Every Sabbath, after 'rParson Storey" had
finished his public services, she collected as
many of the children at her house as would
attend and heard them recite verses from the
Scriptures, and taught them the Westminster
catechism.
Simple in her manner of teaching and af-
fable and kind in her disposition, she was able
to interest her pupils usually about twenty
herself, to the school and subsequently, in
some instances, to the Saviour. A few, at
least, of the little children that used to sit on
rude benches, low stools and the tops of meal
bags, and listen to her sacred instructions and
earnest admonitions, have doubtless ere this
become pupils, with her. in the School of
Christ" above. May it not be truly said of
her:
Doubtless unto thee is given
A life that bears immortal fruit,
In such great offices as suit,
The fullgrown energies of heaven"
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

for him.
But Trieste is not far from Vienna"
g. ! is seaport town, and before many days
or Morgans yacht will take him on board,
and thus keep him out Of your reach. What
You have told me almost convinces me on this
point, argued Wadlaw warmly at anv
rate, that is what l should do il were ii
nir ,Morgan,s place. Surely, Pallingrove, who
works his case for him, will see that he can.
not prevent you from communicating with
Mr. Maldrake while he is living in any city
IN Europe. | don't say that he will be taker,
on board OF the Olivia, but it looks probablG
Under these circumstances, YOU must NOT dei
lay an interview with Mr.. Madrake even till
tomorrow morning"
i think Mr.. Wadlaw is right, Gay" Mad
dy interposed
AT any rate, my plan is the safest one'
one, Sir Morgan will not mind a hundred
thousand pounds, and am sure he has left
nothng undone to prevent you from seeing
Mr. Maldrake. You managed the case very
cieVeriy IN Paris; but the most that can be
SAID OF 1t is that you have only gained a day"
well, that day may be the salvation Of
our cause" | said.
1T may, if you see Mr.. Maldrake tonight
Ot course, Minturn, whom / know very WELL
telegraphed to Pallingrove in London as soon
as he found that you were not at the station
the next morning as you told him you should
be. Palllngrove will be in Vienna by tomor-
row night, you may depend"
Isn't Minturn rather a stupid fellow?p ask.
ed Maddy
81 never say anything against one in the
same line with me; but | don't believe you
would have humbugged me as you did him.
Certainly l should never have let any one read
a telegram 1 had written"
i did not allow him to see my face, and
he did not recognize me-"
He should have written the message in his
hotel: But it is getting late Am to bring
Mr. Maldrake to your rooms tonight?'
Yes; bring him as soon as you can" re-
piled.
But did not wish to be direct party to
any trick he might play off on the good man.
1--WE are doing rushing business just now,
Gay said Maddy, as soon as Wadlaw had
gone But L think we had better have some
supper before the reverend gentleman arrives,
for we may talk all night"
we went down to the restaurant to save
time, though Maddy had taken a parlor with
two rooms adjoining, and was to have our
meals in the former
We had scarcely returned to the salon before
Wadlaw appeared at the door. followed by
the Rev. Archibald Maldrake.
My grandfather was a venerable and very
notwithstanding gentleman, apparently about
sixty years of age. His hair was snowy white,
and his face was clean shaved.
Maddy and | rose from our chairs and sa-
luted him with the most profound Difference.
around the room as he did so. He carried
the sweetest expression I had ever seen on
any mans face.
Have the goodness to be seated, Mr.. NAL
drake" said Maddy, placing chair for him.
Where is the sick man," asked the min
lister.
There is no sick man here, sir" replied
Maddy
Indeed Then have been imposed upon
made the victim of a trick
He put on his hat without another word,
and hurried to the door
To BE Continued Next Sunday
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

NRn-Zl OtE we bOOK TOOUlS lOC Jne nlBnby
IS@HSI and then returned TO the Grand Ho.
tel, for we were confident that Min
turn would keep watch of us as long
as we remained in Paris.
We saw him slSulkng about the premises as
late as six o'clock. In order to keep up the
delusion, we dined at the table dhote, and
permitted Minturn to see us enter the grand
hall
l. We bought our tickets for dinner, as we
~had done the day before. At seven we looked
the hotel over again, and saw nothing OF Min
turn. Taking the most extraordinary precau-
tons to avoid being followed, such as going
through a cafe into street in the rear, and
changing carriages twice on the way, we reach
ed the small hotel in the Latin quarter.
We retained the carriage in which we had
come, and informing the landlady that we
were compelled to leave that night, paid for
the rooms and departed for the Strasburg
Station
We were still vigant and left nothing to
chance. When we were seated in the train
we were satisfied that we had beaten Mintum
at his own game. He was evidently conf
dent from what Maddy said to him that the
telegram from London had done its perfect
work No doubt he would be at the station
OF the Northwestern Railroad at 740 the next
morning to make sure that we went to London.
The appearance OF Minturn was so peculiar
see him.
We. were very sure that he was not in the
station when we started, not in any of the
carriages that composed the train, and not in
the street near the station.> We congratulated
ourselves on the way we had managed the
business.
But Minturn will see that we are not on
the train in the morning when he goes to look
mfor U.S." l said to Maddy
ksNo matter if he does. We shall be in
fasburg by that time" he replied
I'VE won't stop moment longer than is
necessary on the way and we shall get to
Vienna only one day behind Wadlaw He
will have time to look up our man by the
time we get there and we have only to finish
our business and go home"
1t was long journey of sixty-fve hours,
and very tedious to two inpatient young men.
We had no sleeping ears for the three nights
our sleep in the large arm-chairs with which
the iirst-class compartments are supplied The
scenery was all new to us, and that interested
us during the daytime.
When we arrived at Vienna, Wadlaw was
\ at the station to receive us, for we had tele-
graphed to him twice on the journey We
obtained dispatch from him at Munich in
which he Informed us that he had Just ar
rived and had already found Mr.. NIaldrake
Nladdy and | both wanted to shout for Joy,
but we retained our self-possession. Another
J message was brought to us at Passau, in
which we We're informed that Mr.. Maldrake
was about to leave Vienna for Trieste This
dampened our spirits, but we were sure that
Wadlaw would follow my grandfather wher-
ever he went.
Wadlaw greeted us as old friends on our ar
rival He called hack and got us into it
before he would say anything. We went to
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

year it was completed the Rev. Dan
iel Storey preacher at Worcester, Mass,
was sent out as a chaplain.
He acted as an evangelist till 1897, when he
became the pastor of Congregational church
winch he had been instrumental in collecting
in Marietta and the adjoining towns, and
which was organized the preceding year.
1904 Probably he was the first Protestant
minister whose voice was heard in the vast
wilderness lying to the northwest of the Ohio
River.
In the garrison at Marietta was witnessed
the formation and successful operation of one
of the first Sunday schools in the United
States Its originator, superintendent and
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

he Ohio Company, which was organ
lied in Boston in the year 1857,
built stockade fort during the
next two years at Marietta, and
named it Campus Martius. The
raar e 1uas cnmnleted the Rey Dan.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
contlnued from rrecedIne rnee
CHAPTER xxx.
THE REV. ARCHIBALD MALDRAKE.

:; !; : : !: ! : s: : e; : e: : + !: : 4: +; ! !: +:
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-12-16
Sometb iDe About Balloon

The highest ascent ever made was in 1862
when the two aeronauts, Messrs Glashier and
Coxwel, reached an altitude of $4,000 feet,
but their experience was a dangerous one
as MIR. Glaisher lost the use of his arms and
became unconscious owing to the extreme cold
when the balloon had assembled 10000 feet,
and Mr.. Coxwell's hands being frozen, he
was forced to open the valve line with bis
teeth and enable the balloon to descend.
M. Henri Giffard was the first person to
introduce captive balloons. He did this at
Paris, and the experiment was huge sue
cess, but although one was taken over to
London it did not ."take" commercially The
French were most enterprisng in aerial navi-
cation, and even in the time of Napoleon l.
there was a corps of aeronauts for the pur-
pose of taking observations during war. In
the Franco-Prussian war balloons were put
to much practical use, as by them cores
pondence was kept up with the generals fight
ing in the provinces, and they established
some communication between the besuged in
Paris and their relations outside.
To those who like new sensations 1alloon
ascents will doubtless appeal largely and it
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-12-16
THE GATEWAY OF THE YEAR


675 b. c., reformed this calendar and imi-
tated the Greeks, allowing to the year twelve
lunar months of thirty and Twenty-Five days
each, alternately, which made the year three
hundred and ffty.four days.
Numa made the month of January. which
he placed at the winter solstice, to be the
beginning of the year, and not March, which
Romulus had placed at the equinox of the
spring. The months added by Numa were
January and February.
The confusion and disorder which were oc-
cassioned by this division Of the year were so
great in the time of julius Caesar that after
the battle of Pharsaa (B. G. 4S) he looked
snpon the reformation of the calendar as not
unworthy. his attention. Accordingly he
sent for the famous astronomer, Sosgenes of
Alexandria, who ordered the year according
to, the course of the sun, and composed
calendar of three hundred and siNty-fve days,
leaving out the six hours to form day at the
end of every fourth year, which day was to
be inserted in the month of February.
The difference of time at the period of the
reformation was no less than ninety days
The next year. therefore, was constituted Of
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-12-16

Gregory XIII, in 1882, which plan was sug.
gested by Benis Lilo, a Calabrian astronomer.
The Dutch and the Protestants in Germany
introduced the new style in 100. The an
cient clergy reekoned from the 25th Of March,
and the method was observed in Britain until
the introduction of the new style, A. d. 1852,
after which our year commenced on the first
day of January. The Gregorian year gives
an error of only one day in about four thu
sand years.
The Mohammedan year consists of twelve
lunar months, each containing 20 days. IL
hours and 792 scruples, so that the year con-
tains 354 days. 8 hours and S64 scruples.
In order to reduce this year to an integral
number OF days, cycle of thirty was chosen
as the most convenient period, because thirty
times hours and S64 scruples amount ex-
actly to IL days; and in this cycle there are
nineteen years of Bod days. and eleven of 355
days.
The Mohammedan Hegira commenced on
Friday, the 10th of July, A.. ID. 622, and this
53Sth year of the Hegira began Friday, July
18th, which is the same day of the month
and week that the Hegira commenced, and
this corresponds to the year of our Lord 1143,
so that 521 of our years are equal to $50
Turkish years.
The Chinese divide the night and day into
twelve equal parts, beginning their reckoning
from midnight. Hence their hours are double
the length of ours
The common Chinese year consists of twelve
lunar months, and their lnter-calary year has
thirteen. Their months have no subdivision
that is, they have no weeks.
Their common way of dating is by the day
of the month, and the year of the reigning
emperor, as, for example, they say, fifth Of
the sixth month, in the twelfth year of Kia-
king
They have a cycle of sixty years, but this
is made use of only in books and by the
literat The cycle of nineteen years is used
by those who regulate the calendars.
The moon with which their year commences
is that which falls nearest to the fifteenth
degree of Aquarius, corresponding to the third
or fourth of February.
The Chinese date the commencement of
their spring the instant the sun enterss this
degree, when they wish each other a Happy
New Year, and say, "The spring is begun; I
give you poy."
The Chinese have no particular days for
religious worship. Their great festival is the
! first of the year, on which they shut up their
shops, dress in their best clothes, and pay
visits-a custom also observed in some part
of our own country.
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-12-16

being passengers in the car, and these curious
comrades landed safely near Vancresson.
The same year an aeronaut named Pilatre de
Rozier made an ascent and passed over Paris,
much to the amazement of the inhabitants.
Balloons are made of long cores of silk
or india-rubber material cemented together
with oil-varnish in order to render them i'm
penetrable. At the top semicircular pieces
of material are fastened to wooden hoop
having a bar across it and the pieces open
inwards and press against the upper part of
the balloon A cord hangs from them right
down the middle of the balloon to the car
SO that when it is pulled the semi-circular
pieces act as valve and allow the gas to
escape. There is a net attached to the hoop
which covers the upper portion of the bal
loon, and holds another wooden hoop, to which
is fastened the wickerwork car. Inside the
car is a seat, and table is placed in the
centre; the car contains ballast, which when
thrown out enables the balloon to rise, for,
once the balloon reaches a certain density OF
air having the same degree of density as IT,
self, it ceases to ascend unless ballast is
thrown out.
Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-12-16


But in the New Testament we find that they
sometimes made use of the Roman reckoning
Of their hours. The Roman reckoning was
the same as ours, beginning at midnight and
reckoning to noon, twelve hours; and again
IRON on noon to midnight
The Hebrews divided their night into four
watches of three. hours each. The first from
SIX to nine in the evening; the second from
nine to twelve; the third from midnight TO
three IN the morning, and the last to six or
sunrlsing.
The year has been begun at different sea-
sons by several nations The Chaldeans and
Egyptians date dated their year from the autumnal
equinox. The ecclesiastical year, of the Jews
began IN the spring. but in civil affairs they
retained the epoch of the Egyptian year.
The ancient Persians at first reckoned from
the autumnal equinox, but Jemsheed, one of
their early kings on the day of his public
entry into Persepolis, observed that the sun
entered into Aries, and in commemoration of
this fortunate event he ordained the begin
ming of the year to be removed from the
autumnal to the vernal equinox.
The Brachmen begin their year with the