davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
Those Haunting Notaa.

There was peculiar sound from
the direction of the woods as the
member Of the Bird Lovers society
sat in the window of her friendl
country home one summer after
noon.
She quickly took her small ''Bird
Guide" from her ever present bag
and rapidly turned the leaves. Al
last she paused with smile of sat-
isfaction and listened, with her fin
ger between two leaves of the little
book, till the sound came again.
When it was repeated an express
sion of doubt fitted across her fea-
lures, but still she was hopeful.
"You probably know many of the
bird notes, living so near the woods
and in such a quiet spot" she said
to her friend. "Can you tell me
what bird that ISL"
"That," said her friend briefly,
lis our goat. We shall have to move
him farther off," . Youths Com
panion.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
CALLED roo LATE.
An Incident That Is Full of Human
Interest.

Interest.
''Shall we calf" That is a ques
ton so frequently asked and so con
stantly discussed that the following
extract from letter recently writ
ten from a small town may be of in
tereSt. 1t tells its own story anC
teaches its own lesson, says the New
York Tribune
1t was a short romance, a passing
summer episode, but my eyes fiji
with tears whenever I remember it
They looked like children, he and
she, when they moved into the for
lorn little house on the roadside in
our village. Gust married, Of
course" said the gossips. "Shall
we call? Better wait perhaps till
we know who they are and what his
business is" etc. So no one dis
turbed them. The young husband
went to town early every morning,
and the little wife sat alone on the
porch and awaited his return. They
planted morning glories and nastur-
tiums and hung a bird cage among
the vines, so the place blossomed
into new life and looked as it had
never done before. The young peo-
pie seldom left home. Only on Sun
days they walked to the Presby-
terrain church and sat in a far back
pew hand in hand through the
service.
One day saw the doctors car
riage in front Of the little porch.
"Dear me-" I thought. II wonder
what is the matter there. must
surely look in tomorrow" And I
did. But, alas, a grim visitor, who
will not be denied, had been before
me.
AS no one responded to my
knock, l opened the front door and
found my way to the sitting room.
In an instant | knew what had hap
pened. There sat the poor boy
alone, his face buried in his hands,
while his whole frame shook with
dry, fearless sobs. I put my hand
upon his shoulder-he was younger
than my own son-and I whispered
ooh, let me help you if 1 can"
"Oh," he groaned, eff you had
only come before She was SO lone
ly. She longed SO for a woman's
hand and a woman's voice. Yes"
ne added, you can help me. Tear
down the flowers when I am gone.
They were hers. And give away her
bird. | shall never see this place
again after today"
The sorrowful departure took
place that very afternoon, and 1 did
IS he requested. l never pass the
bare porch of that house without
remembering that I had practically
ienied the kindness and the SYM
'athy so sorely needed and craved
~ one of my sisters.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
Queer Language.

When he was in Egypt Mark
Twain hired two Arab guides to take
him to the pyramids He was IA
miliar enough with Arabic, he
thought, to understand and be un-
derstood with perfect ease. To his
CONSERVATION he found that he
could not comprehend word that
either Of the guides uttered. At
the pyramids he met a friend, to
whom he made known his dilemma.
It was very mysterious, Twain
thought. "Why, the explanation is
simple enough" said the friend.
PLEASE enhghten me, them" said
Twain. "Why, You should have
hired younger men. These old fell
lows have lost their teeth, and, Of
course, they don't speak Arabic.
They speak gum-ArabiOP
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
A Well Dressed Ham.

Lord Russell when practicing al
the bar one day examined a witness
whose evidence promised to be dam
aging unless he could be previously
confused. The only vulnerable part
of the man was said to be his sell
esteem. The witness, portly, over
dressed individual, went into the
box, and the great lawyer took him
in hand.
"Mr. John Tomkins, / believe P"
eyes"
"You are a stockbroker"
81 ham,"
Lord Russell regarded him atten-
lively for a few moments and then
said, "And very well dressed ham
you are, sir"
The shout Of laughter which fol-
lowed completely disconnected Mr..
Tomkins, and the lawyers point
was gained.-Scottish Nights.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12

1t costs less to paint church or build
lug with L. &M. Paint because II gal
Ions Of the L. 4 N. mixed with 0 gallons
Of Linseed OIL makes paint cost about
81. 20 per gallon. It does as much paint
Ing as 81 gallons OF any other paint that
costs $l.h0 gallon.
Sold by Mcvram Drug Co., Licking
ton.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
Do the Right Thing

II you have Nasal Catarrh. Get Ely's
Cream Balm at once. Don't touch the
catarrh powders and snuffs. for they
contain cocaine. Ely's Cream Balm
releases the secretions that inaame the
na.sl passages and the throat. whereas
common remedies made with mer-
curry merely drive them out and leave
you no better than you were. In word,
Ely's Cream Balm Is real cure, not a
deluslon. All drug yists. &C.,, oil mated
By Ely Rrss., 50 Warren b., New York.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
oDoR TAINTED AIR.
II 10 Not In Itself Poisonous or Even
UnheaIthful.

Unheathful.
According to the American Mag
azine, dad" air is not so bad. The
point is explained as follows by
DR.. Hirshberg of Johns Hopkins
university in an article on Popular
Medical Fallacies:"
"Foul air-which has for its ac-
tepted meaning air heavy with the
gases and odorS of DECAYS not in
itself poisonous or even unhealth-
full. Unless it contains such a large
proportion of foreign gases that it
is noticeably lacking in oxygen its
chief effect is psychic. Some per-
sons, in brief, cannot abide a
stencil. 1t sets their nerves on edge
and excites their imaginations, and
the result is that they grow pallid
and at times seasick.
"ThuS indirectly it may weaken
them and make them an easy prey
to wandering microbes. But Of it.
self it produces little direct harm.
Medical students, breathing the un-
speakable gases and odors of the
dissecting room, manage to eat vast
dinners and to grow fat. Tanners,
garbage men, workers in fertilizer
factories and other persons who are
habitually surrounded by hair rails
ing aromas are ordinarily just as
healthy as other folk.
"That foul air is usually laden
with rather more germs and germ
bearing insects than air which
seems Ito the nose) to be pure is
beside the point. Experience shows
that pure air often contains as
many of these enemies to health As
the most foul exudations from a
sewer outlet. The Stegomyia fas-
ciata, which carries the germs Of
yellow fever, would be just as dead
y on a mountain top as along the
shore of Louisiana bayou; hence
The abSurdity of shotgun quaran-
ines and of all the other medicinal
manifestations of alarm that appear
when yellow jack RACES on the gulf
coast"
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
A Bushel of Corn

A Kentucky newspaper gives the
following analysis Of the product
Of bushel of corn: The dIstiler
gets four gallons of whisky, which
retails at $l6.S0, the farmer gets
rs cents, the United States Gov
eminent gets $40, the railroad
company gets $1.OO, the manufsc-
tursr gets $500, the drayman
gets 10 cents, the retailer gets 81,
the consumer gets drunk, the wife
gets hungry, the children get rags,
the politician gets office.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
Sens In Verse
Fear

Fear.
fear no foe. All man can do dare;
Where honor calls or duty bids I go;
Mine enemy l meet and fight him fair;
fear no foe.
/ fear not failure. Fate defeat may
send
In brave new aims are blighted hopper
forgot
And though repeated unsuccess impend
II daunts me not.
] fear not Death. Although the despot
grim
Attack me with unconquerable might,
Ere yield up my vanquished self TO him
I'll bravely fight.
Yet before one dread thought my spirit
Quails.
What II my coward soul prove insin-
cere7
And this base fear alone my heart as
sails:
The fear OF Fear.
Carolyn Wells.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
An American. MOST Llk.Ix.

The seeing London" automobile
rolled out Piccadilly in the direc.
ton of Hyde park.
"That, ladies and gents" shout.
ed the guide as they passed an an.
cient edifice surrounded by a high
brick wall-"that is the town house
Of the Duke of Dea, one Of our lar
gest landed proprietors."
The eyes of the beautiful Ameri-
can on the back seat were illumined
with sudden interest.
"Who landed him ?" she Cried -
London Mail.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
Not In tho Curriculum,

Mr.. Jecklyns had just received
from his youngest son, who was in
his first year 1T college, q telegram
to this effect: Dear Father-I am
about to take up new study.
Please send me $25 to pay for the
outfit"
He answered it at once in this
wise: "Dear John-What is the
study?"
To the query came this rejoinder.
'Dear Father-It Ia golf"
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-12
FraternaI Orders.

Rockblidge Lodge, No. So. 10. o. F.
meets every Thursday night, at Odd Eel
lows Hall.
Lexington Lodge, No. Sc, K. Of P,
meets every Tuesday night, at Odd Eel.
lows Hall.
Liberty Lodge, No, 2, Daughters OF
Rebekah, meets every Monday night, at
Odd Fellows Hall.
Mountain City Lodge, No. 81, Ancient
York Masons, meets 1st and 3rd Mon
day nights at Masonic Hall
Natural Bridge Council, No. 1920 Royal
Arcanum, meets 1st and 3rd Friday
nights In each month, at Odd Fellows
Hall.
Lee Jackson Council, No. SO, Junior
Order American Mechanics, meets every
End and 4th Friday nights at Odd Fellows
Hall.
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16

Meanwhile, a great deal of wire-pull-
ing is going on in favor of the general
proposition 1t cannot be asserted that
any one of the numerous bills thus
far presented has the approval either
of President Roosevelt or Senator Dry
den, though it is presumed that a meas
ure embodying their exact views will
be submitted within the next few
weeks 1t is known that SO anxious are
the insurance people for some form of
legislation taking away from the
States the supervision of insurance
companies that they are prepared to
spend unlimited money in the work of
education, but thus far they have not
been able to make much headway.
Like all campaigns of education to
which Washington has become accus-
toned, it is expected that the usual
amount of speculation as to the out
come will be INDUCED, but this will
not effect the judgment or the conduct
of those members of Congress who have
the final decision of the question
through their influence with the Judici-
ary Committees.
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16
Aerial Mail Box.

In Delaware, Ohio. an ingenious citi-
zen by the name OF Taggart lives on a
high hill some little distance of the
main road. The hill is of loose gravel
and at it's foot Is a small creek, inno-
cent looking and easily forded In
ordinary weather, but swelling rapidly
with heavy rains. The rural carrier,
whose route extended to Mr.. Taggart's
residence, found the frequent high wa
ter and the rough, hilly road such a
source of delay and Inconvenience that
the Department ordered the route
changed and Mr.. Taggart was directed
to place his box on the main road. Mr..
Taggart protested, declaring that he
would not walk that distance. Then
his inventive brain conceived the troll
ley or aerial mail box. At a convenient
corner Of his porch he placed a wind
lass, with small steel cable extending
down to the box-post on the main road,
around deeply-groovsd wheel on the
post, and back to the porch. As
shown, the box Is connected in this
cable, forming the link for the broken
ends. The box Is fitted with top
wheels, which run on a fixed cable,
stretched tight from the porch to the
post. a
When the mail carrier reaches the
box-post (Which Is visible from the
porch), he puts in the mail and raises
signal. Some one at the house takes
the handle Of the windlass and turns
It rapidly, and the box; with its burden
of mail, comes sailing up the w-fe.
The mil is then removed and the box
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16

coasts back to its post. The distance
Of one hundred yards is covered in
about ten seconds. which is as fast Rs
a good sprinter can cover the distance.
Multiplying gears in the windlass in
crease the speed. So far as is known,
Mr.. Taggart is the first to apply this
idea to a rural mail-box.
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16
CHARACTER OF AARON BURR.
Defender of His Fame Was Willing
but Didn't Know Tricks OF Oratory.

Defender of His Fame Was Willing
but Didn't Know Tricks of Oratory.
The first secret society with which
l was ever affiliated was called the
Omega" which was two-thirds liter
ary and one-third social, said an old
college man, who has since won dis
tinction as national orator and cam
paign speaker. In our rival society,
the alpha Rho," this order of things
was reversed and we prided ourselves
greatly on the fact that our feast Of
reason" outranked the "flow of SOUL"
Ours was good deal of a debating
society, and though I early gained
some reputation as a speaker, l was
either too bashful or too ignorant to
take part in any of the debates.
One of my intimate chums was
| named Grant, who excelled in that
line and although much younger than
the average member, never hesitated
to cross swords with the older ones
and was not infrequently the victor.
He was very anxious that 1 should
learn to debate, and frequently urged
me to at least make commencement,
arguing that after l had gotten over
my embarrassment, I would enjoy the
fun and excitement
The subject of debate one evening
was to be. WAS the influence Of
Aaron Burr, upon the time in which
he lived, good or bad?" Grant knew
that was quite an admirer of Burr.
had read quite extensively about him,
both in history and fiction, and said
to me that this would be an excellent
opportunity for me to make my de.
but.
Grant himself was to answer one Of
the Oldest and best debaters and
could answer the one who followed
him. He coached me very thoroughly,
told me to listen carefully to what the
opponents urged against Burr, to cite
my proofs, showing he was neither a
drunkard nor libertine, as they would
assert, and then show what a debt
Washington and the country owed
him for his military skill and ability
during the Revolution. He said
must not allow myself to become fur.
ried or excited. that I could OCCASION
ally refer to my notes and in fact talk
and act just as if were simply argu-
ing with one or two Of my school
mates.
During the day 1 thought much Of
the important part was to play in the
coming drama, and there seemed to me
no reason why I should not score a
complete success. But as the hour of
the meeting drew nearer the success
seemed to grow more problematical
and by the time the debate opened, my
thoughts were completely topsy-turvy
and could hardly remember whether
Burr was an Italian or Chinaman.
The man who opened the debate
showed plainly that my hero was ev-
erything that was vile and wicked and
should have been tried and convicted
as a traitor. and found myself won
dering how Grant could possibly an
swer all these terrible charges. But
his defense was splendid. He spoke in
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16
RETURNOF SPEAKER KIEFER
WAS CZAR OF THE HOUSE WHEN
PRESENT SPEAKER 'JOE"
CANNON WAS MEMBER

Is One of the Three National
Speakers Who Have Been Returned
to Congress After a Long Laspe of
Years.
The return of General j. Warren
Kiefer to Congress after an absence
of % years is of more than passing
interest for the reason that he was
Speaker of the House which was or
ganized in 1881. 1t was a famous
Congress and Kiefer's pathway was
not one -of roses. He became invol-
ved in q controversy with H. V.
Boynton, then dean of the Washing
ton correspondents, and the bitter at
tacks of Boyhton had much to do
with Kiefer's retirement from public
life although he was but As when he
finished his fourth term in the House.
Since then he has not been idle but
has been prominent in civil and mill
tary life. He returns to Congress as
did Nathaniel P. Banks and Galusha
A. Grow. They had been Speakers
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16

his usual fiery manner and all my for
mer admiration for Burr returned and
became eager to help defend him.
The debater who l was to answer
was a slow. earnest speaking fellow,
not very bright, but accustomed to ar
gument and fond of statistics, and even
before he had finished / had again
veered around and found 1 was losing
my faith in my side of the question.
When my name was called, rose as
II In dream. and for about, / pre-
lsumed, ten minutes, talked the veriest
lot Of nonsense that was ever heard
In a debating club. If I looked at my
notes l found that l had said every
thing about the subject that I could
think of, and if tried to extemporize,
I repeated the former things over and
over. The ordeal was finally passed
and as took my seat there was a lit
tie perfunctory applause, and then the
president promptly decided the case
against Burr.
Grant was sitting quietly and look
ing straight ahead into vacancy and
noticed he had made no demonstration
in my favor. Leaning toward him, I
timidly touched him on the shoulder
and said, "Well, old fellow, did I make
complete failure" NO." he an
swered slowly, you did pretty well for
a first attempt, but the devil himself
couldn't have made out on which sida
you were debating"
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16
0U Save FROM SITS to $500

When you buy Wing Piano, you buy atwhole-
sale. You pay the actual cost of making it with
| only our wholesale profit added. When you buy
a piano, as many still do-at retail-you paw the
retail dealers store rent and other expenses.
You pay his profit and the commission or salary
OF the agents or salesrnen he employs-al these
on top OF what the dealer himself has to paw to
the manufacturer. The retail profit on piano
Is from SIS to $500 Isn't this worth sayipg3
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16
NO INSURANCE LEGISLATION.
Congressman Will Talk, But Won't
Pass Bill.

Legislative experts at Washington do
not look for the passage of an insur-
ance law during this session of Con-
gress. Statesmen of all sorts and con-
ditions will talk much about it. There
will be great deal of discussion on
the floors of both houses. Senators and
Representatives alike will vie with
each other in denunciation of the meth
DDS of the insurance magnates as eX-
posed in the legislative investigation
which occurred in New York. Already
divers and sundry lawmakers at both
ends of the Capitol have submitted re-
marks that have stirred their constit-
uents to increased admiration of the
eloquence and alertness Of the men
whom they have had the wisdom and
foresight to send to Congress. But in
the end nothing will be done-that is,
nothing except heap of talk.
Amador ledger., 1906-02-16

many years before and their return
was notaDl Each, like Keifer, lived
Ior years without prominence in poll
tics but both were older when they
came back. General Kiefer is now
6S but remarkably hale and hearty.
He was always conspicuous man
and is the more SO now because of his
white hair and beard which were
tawny brown in the days of his
Epeakership. He clings to the garb of
the old time statesman and wears at
all times an old fashioned swallow
tailed coat cut much like the dress
coats of to-day. General Kiefer
served four terms in Congress, COM
ing to Washington first for the special
session of 1877. He was chosen
Speaker of the 47th Congress, Dec.
9th, 1881, serving but the one term.
Last year he was nominated for
Congress and had no very hard time
In getting the honor. The district Is
strongly republican and his majority
was the largest ever given any candi-
date.
General Kiefer has a great war
record. AS a fighter and leader he
had few equals in the Union army.
He was practicing law when the first
alarm of war was sounded in 1861
and he at sonce volunteered as priv
ate. Before going to the front he was
commissioned major and was pro
NOTED very rapidly, re.iring in 1866 as
brevet major-general and as briga-
der in active service. At the battle
Of the wilderness in 1864 he was
severely wounded but would not give
up. He stayed at it until Lee sur
rendered. A born soldier he could
not resist the call to arms when the
war with Spain came on, and was
made a major-general of volunteers.
He commanded a. brigade under Sher-
idan in the Virginia battles that led
up to AppomattoX. At the battle Of
Sailors Greek, General Kiefer had an
experience out of O the ordinary.
Going alone at dusk to observe the
lines of the enemy he found himself
suddenly surrounded by a large body
of confederates. They could not dis
tinguish his Federal uniform in the
dark and he was equal to the occas-
ion. Wheeling his horse about he
cried out in tones of command "Atten-
ton, men, right about face, march"
Thinking it was one of their own
officers the confederates followed him
into the Union camp where to their
disgust they found themselves prison
ers-
He returns to congress vigorous and
eager for active participation in the
councils of the nation. AS an ex-
Speaker he has been given chairman
ship and was also allowed the privilege
of choosing his old seat without going
into the lottery scramble Speaker
Cannon was in Congress during gen.
eral Kiefer's term as Speaker and
they were warm friends. General
Kiefer represents one of the best
districts in Obi containing big man
ufacturing establishments. He has
found few of his old colleagues in the
House. Many are dead and many
more long ago retired to private life.
Cannon and Bingham, Hit end
Payne, also Ketcham of New York,
are about all who are now in the
House who were with Kiefer in the
stirring days of his speakership.