davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15
SKELETONS OF THE SEA
How Our sponges Look when Alive Where They Grow
..# s and How They Are Gathered

Unless they have been to the seashore where spongs
gathered few people have accurate idea Of how the
sponge animal looks in its living condition The familiar
object called sponge is only the skeleton frame
work of the animal.
When first brought up from the rocks of the sea
bottom where they grow the sponge described being
much like tough mass Of jelly piece of liver The
jelly-ke flesh has to be allowed to decay the
shore leaving the bleaehed skeletons, which then
gathered up and sold sponges.
q The bulk Of the world s supply of sponges comes
from Florida and the West Indies and from the Medi
the the
Diving for spongs is trying occupation. Recently
sponges have been taken chiefly by means Of sharp
curved hooks attached to the end Of long pole
sponges propagated naturally by kind Of egg
produced in the SOFT feahy tissue. These when ferti
lized pass out as larvae and, finding tAhe resting
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15

place, grow into sponge Of commercial size in about
three years.
Since this is much too slow to satisfy the demands
Of commerce. method has been seriously considered Of
and planting the pieces much farmer does potato
tubers. $50 80 ~ 50 49, ..:tz5
The method is described in the American Journal
Of Pharmacy by Albert Hart He states that the sponge
be lifted out of the water and pieces Of
suitable size with knife small moist board
The preferred size Of cutting is about onench cubes
The outer skin must be preserved far possible
These pieces must then be made fast in upright
ton the bottom. Bamboo pegs have been used for
short time year. ss
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15
SHORT BUT ELOQUENT.

& Senator Spooner tells funny little story of
tain political gathering Wisconsin He was the speaker
Of the evening, introduced by GermanAmerican who
delivered what he says the most eloquent speech of
introduction he ever heard. 2s.s
t'Ladees ind shentleman,' he said, ~ asked hat
been to drotoose to the Honorable Senator Spooner
who to you will make speech, yes I hat now done 80,
md he viii now do sol''
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15

ders, but he slipped the milestone up
! his back and the fin stuck on the stone
instead of his bare skin. When he
Strengthened up Of course it fell to the
floor.
Three times they tried it, and each
time he slipped the milestone up his
back and the fin fell off on the floor.
Then they all cried out:
"He refuses the fin. What shall we
~ do with him9" So. !.
The spearmaker now told the chief all
about the way in which the people had
abandoned him on the island, and how
anxious he was to get back to his wife
and children. -
The chief listened to his story at
tentively, and at it's close said:
IT will let you go; and more, I will
give you magic knife. With this
knife you can whittle out killer whales
of wood, which will become alive when
you throw them into the water. They
will be your servants, and there will be
no more hunger in your family, for
they will fish for you for ten days.
After that you can sell them, and that
will make you rich.'
The next thing the spearmaker knew
q lot of sea lions caught him, hustled
him out Of the. house, and up, up, up,
he went, thru the water, until he found
z himself coming out Of the waves right
( near his own house. &, ! ,s I
+ It was night now, and the village was
. asleep. He knocked softly2at the door
and his wife opened it. She was great
ly rejoiced to see her husband again,
but he told her not to tell anybody of
his return until he came back from the
woods, where he was going to whittle
out few whales. ~
A few nights after that he knocked
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15
THE MONSTER LIBRARY.

THE great Library Of Congress at Washington which
Il three and half acres of ground there are
kept legons of things of interest to everybody.
Among Of things interesting for their oddity
is complete collection Of insurance of the United
States. are than ten thousand of them in
than sixty thousand sheets. An insurance map is
compiled for companies placing fire risks It
gives every existing at the date in every town
where risks placed the height and character of each
the material of which it is built the fire protection Of
town. the prevalent direction of the wind; and other
information to the purpose New editions issued from
time to time show the changes and the structures
Eventually these successive editions will make history
of the building development each represented.
the publishers insurance companies usual
thing all the editions but they all carefully kept
at the National Library where the development of the
towns may be traced.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15

"Following the hounds'' carries with it
Some many suggestions of delightful sport But
Peculiar the true hunters in Italy have pleasure all
Hunters their in following their trained pigs
hunts for the delicious truffle. These hunters
are firm believers the Importance of family traits in the
animals They think certain strains the hunting
instinct greater degree than Others When hunter
desires to pig for his work, he visits the
nearest county fair With true tied to his boot, he
stands beside road along which the hogs driven
Should stop to sniff at the delicacy it is at
bargained for by the hunter
Taken into the forests the pigs of trule de-
lection is further developed until it has little difficulty
in picking out the edible growths, matter how well
they to be concealed 1t is amazing how keen their
is when applied to that wonderful thing the under
ground and most delicious trufle, which to be fully
joyed must be cooked in it's earthly if scrubbed jacket
and roasted in creased paper-a dainty many think fit
for king.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15
The Bootblack's Shining Example.

"H people win they may learn useful lessons from
tho humbleat. There . the bootblack for instanceo
ttAnd his moral isi"
trHe only sets shining example, but Is willing =
start at tho FOOT 80
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-15

-- Z The man who thinks of ever 50 many nice
Something convenient things has had his eyes the
New for -: people who live in the country for long
Farmers while He thought of the rural free delivery
-. = for them and Of the rural telephone and
his latest brilliant idea is unique little weather fore
cast to be the farmers daily the back of each
letter method would be to add to the stamp which
each postoce receiving letters several simple
words "warm,'' ttcold' tfair, - ran,' inserted in
with the morning report of the weather bureau
Then the farmer going to his box after the rural carrier
passed could look the back of letter and get in
condensed form the official forecast for twenty
hours. -. 8 - MS Il
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
cURIosITIEs OF SENSES.

"sOund Feeling and "CoIor Hear
Ing" o. Forms of SynaesthesiD
An English medical authority gives
! an interesting account Of some con
illusions reached by physicians con
corning the remarkable, though not
unfamiliar, phenomenon known as
"synaesthesia"-th association Of one
sensation with another of a different
kind, says Harper's Weekly. One of
the most common examples is the shiy-
ering sensation felt by many persons
bon hearing the squeak of pencil
drawn across a slate. Others have
their teeth put on edge by the filing
of a saw. Such sensations are de
scribed as Sound feeling" Color hear
ing-Or sound seeing, as it is some
times called-is a rare form of SYN
aesthesia. 1t consists in the associa-
ton of color with some definite sound
These color sensations are constant in
the same persons, but vary consider
ably in different individuals. For ex-
ample, the sound of the vowel "a may
be red to one person, blue to another
and black to a third. When light in
stead of color is associated with sound
the phenomenon is known as pho
tism;" on the other hand, when color
or some definite image suggests
sound the condition is termed 'phon.
ISM
A singular case is recorded of
clergyman who, with his three chill
dren, was affected in this manner.
Since early childhood the father had
associated the sound of each letter OF
the alphabet with a particular color.
The letters f, j, k, and a, for in.
stance, were reddish brown; and c
were white; p, d, g, n, S, and were
transparent. The remaining letters
were of dull lead color, shading down
to black. Whole words received
dominant color from their capital let
tiers. When a child he was laughed al
because he asked why a certain bay
horse was given 'the white name of
Charlie"
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13

Celebrations like this, founded upon a
universal interest in the annual move
ments of the seasons and grounded even
more deeply in the human affections, are
little likely to pass away, but if anything
could make them it would be the hideous
practice of sending comic valentines.
Hurting the feelings of another and
shielding ones self behind ones nameless-
ness is the act of a coward if done in
tentionally, or of fool if done thought
lessly.
1t is matter of congratulation that
so evil practice is dying out and becom-
ing more and more restricted year by
year-a pleasant proof OF advancing civ
ilization. But the older and better Gus
tom, of sending little words of cheer and
affection, shows no sign of falling off.
Children love to get valentines, and moth
ing can be more kindly than for grown
folk to spend few cents and take pains
to remember all the little folk they know.
Small girls especially long for many val
entines, and are correspondingly disap-
pointed if they do not come.
If there is any sentiment left in your
soul after this graceful little performance,
it will be well to remember your faithful
spouse and see the blush of pleasure
mount to the check at the unexpectedness
of the remembrance. st. Valentines day
is nothing if not for this and affairs OF
sentiment like it.
There is none too much loving kindness
in this busy workaday world. Add drop
or two of its essence. and see how happy
it will make you.-Wallace Rice in Chi.
cago Journal.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
ST. VALENTINES MORNING.

ReIigiousIy 1t Is a Festival Rather
of Sorrow than of JOY.
What older person, turning over keep
sakes of childhood and coming upon a
faded valentine, has failed to feel throb
of the heart at the delights of youth de-
parted? For there is nothing kept rs
custom through the centuries that has IN
it more of the feeling OF life's April and
May than this ancient February festival.
1t is pretty fashion, indeed, and one
worth keeping up for countless centuries
more 1t is for children, of course, and
for those children of larger growth
whom all the world loves as lovers. They
send to one another some little token,
scrap of prettily decorated paper with
verse declaring undying affection. And
the years roll by until more than once the
very name of ones long ago sweetheart
is gone from mind. but the paper re-
mains, and holds the memory of some
thing sweet and precious and gone for
ever, just as perfume clings about faded
rose.
st. Valentine, as a matter of fact, has
nothing whatever to do with the custom.
He, poor man, had his mead cut off by the
SeCOlu SlduullS OD TIC Il W ~
in ancient Rome on Feb. Il, 200, hIs
crime consisting solely in having helped
other poor Christians whom the bloody
emperor was prosecuting for the faith
that was in them. He never sent love
letters to anybody so far as the records
show.
This, chief martyr of the name, was
not the only one. Valentine was common
ly borne as q given name in the third
century after Christ, and Barring Gould
records the names of seven distinct St.
Valentines in addition to the one best
known, all celebrating their martyrdoms
on this single day when they are cele-
brated at all.
This festival, then, so far as it has a
religious size, is rather one of sorrow
than joy, of grief for the dead than of
delight in the living. But it is cele-
brated on the day that happened to be
set aside for the eight or more Valen-
tines of blessed memory because the an
Gent Romans had a festival on that day
which was the GROWING act of the month
long Lupercalia, running through Febru-
airy and dedicated jointly to Pan and
Juno.
In the milder and more equable cline
the day set aside for rejoicing was really
celebration of the first coming of spring.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
THRIFT AND WEALTH.
&~%%%@@~@~~%~~%~%~@

French housekeeping may be de-
scribed, says the author of "Home
Life in France" as the glorification Of
simplicity, a supreme economy of
time, outlay and worry. In France the
furnishing and fitting up of a house
Is done for once and for all. English
and American households spend more
upon their homes in a twelvemonth
than French families of the same
standing spend for that purpose dur
ing the whole of their welded lives.
Thrift is always and everywhere the
nrst consideration. Fuel is econo-
mixed In France to an extent to which
even poor families in this country are
not accustomed. When a French
woman pays visits or goes abroad
shopping, she lets her fire go out, and
relights it on her return. Many wo-
men fairly well-off make a wooden
shawl and a foot-warmer do duty for
fire, perhaps, when it is freezing in
doors.
Money In France is on no account
whatever to be lightly parted with:
absolute necessity is the only excuse
for outlay.
But there is a shining side to this
fro gality. French men and women do
not affect sumptuous style for the sake
OF outsiders, and their unpretentious
ness imparts dignity mere wealth
cannot bestow. The following Incl
dent is illustrative of French stand
ards:
The author, Miss Betham- Edwards,
had been spending a few days with
French friend, widow of an officer
at Pornic. On returning to Nantes
she took a third-class ticket, to the
astonishment of her hostess.
Il always travel first-class," she ex-
claimed, after a little chat about the
matter Of trains, adding, "but do not
travel often. and I am rich. 1 have
an income Of two hundred pounds
year"
Probably she never spend two-thtrds
of 1t. In this supreme sense the vast
majority of French folk are rich, ''be-
yond the dreams Of aYarice."
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
ST. vALETpaE,s DAY.

81 VALE LINES DAY.
Saint Valentines Gay And midst old rec
That rush % my heart with an echoing
joy,
1 remember once more the old hopes and
OBJECTIONS
When you were a girl, dear, and I was
When i sent you rose on that February
morning
And with it passionate. rhyme -halting
lay,
And met your reproaches and well-acted
BY whispering: sweet, it's Saint valen-
tines day !"
And the sky was so blue, and the sun
shine so yellow,
And the soft southern wind blew so chill
ly and sweet,
And each tiny bird sang so loud to its fell
low,
While the snowdrops and crocuses bloomed
at your feet,
Small wonder our hearts broke to trem-
ulous beating,
As we learned in the wonderful, old
fashioned way,
What the earth, and the sky, and the air
were repeating
In mystical cadence Of Valentines Day.
And now that the crazy-sweet babble and
laughter
OF golden-haired children have rung in
our ears,
And brought us the hope of tender here
after
TO link to the thought of those far-away
years
Once more in the words of the happy boy
lover,
l veil deeper meaning in whimsical way
A meaning your heart will be quick to dis
cover
By whispering Sweet, it's Saint Val
entine's Day %
-Housekeeper.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
WORLDS GREATEST MERCHANT DEAD.
CHRONOLOGY OF FIELD.

Born on farm near Conway, Mass, Aug.
is, 1885.
Worked on fathers farm until he was II
years old, when he became a clerk in
crossroads store near home
At 10 he entered employment of firm at
Pittsheld, Mass, where ne remained four
years.
In 1858, when he was %. he came to Chi
cago, then city of $4,000 Inhabitants. OBJ
talned position with Cooley, Farsgell & Co.
Promotion followed quickIy until, in 1860,
he was taken into partnership. Levi z.
Letter, who had been fellow clerk, had
also been advanced to partnership.
In 1866 the firm was reorganized and be-
came known as Field, Palmer & Letter. The
Palmer in the firm was Potter Palmer.
In 1858 Potter Palmer withdrew from the
firm, which then became known as Field s
Letter.
In 1881 Mr. Letter retired Since that
time business has been conducted as Mar
shall Field Co. Firm is. now said TO have
trade amounting annually to $75,000,00O.
Alter he had been taken into partnership
In the erm of Cooley, Farwell & Co., he
married Miss Mamie Scott, of Ironton, o.
Two children were born of union, Mar
shall Field, Jr., who was accidentally killed
last November, and Ethel. who married Ar
thur Tree, son of Lambert Tree. and later
espoused Captain Beattie, British army Of
ncer-
Mrs. Mamie Scott Field died in France In
1895
Was mentioned In connection with Demo
cratic nomination for the Vice Presidency
in 1904.
September 8. 1908, married Mrs. Arthur
Cation, in London.
Paid taxes on $4,000, 900 worth of prop
erty In Chicago
His benefactions among other things con-
sisted Of
Gift of large tract of land to the Uni
versity of Chicago.
Donation of another tract to the Home
for the Incurables
Public library costing 100000 at Con-
way, Mass.
Endowment OF Field Museum In Jackson
Park.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
GREAT CHICAGO RETAIL STORE MARSHALL FIELD CO.

= HE worlds greatest merchant died when Mar
shall Field Of Chicago succumbed to pneumonia
in New York after brave battle for life.
There no element of chance in the re-
markable success which he achieved. Thor
oughness in organizing and extending his great bust
ness was Joined to genius for choosing to
operate with him and for inspiring them accomplish
the best work of which they capable. Those
whom he employed were made to realize that large
wards to be in his service and that the way
to advancement open to any who showed merit
Yet his master mind in command at all times and
in every department, when his firm had grown
be the greatest of its kind in the world Its greatness
built enduring foundations 1t discounted all its
bills fixed policy and sold goods solely their
merits the satisfaction of the customer being regarded
a necessary part of every transaction.
1t has been said for Marshall Field many times by
observers Of his that in day of general striving
after the dollar by every that could be devised
and without any particular respect for the interdicons
of the decaogue his dollars all to him honestly.
His fortune very large but it represented the
profits of clean transactions in which nobody lost,
There feverish spots in his record, actions
that require explanation to prevent them from
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
LINcoLN'S EARLY HOME.
Bed of the Great American Was 8
Heap of Dry Leaves in a Loft.

bcu Oh INC Us ~
Heap of Dry Leaves in a Loft.
The furniture in the home in which
Abraham Lincoln spent his early years
in Indiana was of the most primitive
kind. The table and chairs, according
to Miss Ida Tarbell in her life of the
great American, were of the rudest sort
rough slabs of wood in which holes we're
bored and legs fitted in. Their bedsteads,
or. rather bedframe, was made of poles
held up by two outer posts, and the ends
made firm by inserting the poles in au-
ger holes that had been bored in a log
which was a part of the wall of the
cabin skins were its chief covering. Lit
tie Abraham's bed was even more print
tive. He slept on heap of dry leaves
in the corner of the loft, to which he
mounted by means of pegs driven into
the wall.
Potatoes were the chief food of the
family, and Miss Tarbell gives us this
account of the way in which all the meals
were prepared
The food was prepared in the rudest
way, for the supply of both groceries
and cooking utensils was limited. The
former were frequently wanting entire
ly, and as for the latter, the most i'm
portant item was the Dutch oven. An
Indispensable item in the kitchen outfit
was the 'gritter." 1t was made by fat
tening out an old piece of tin, punching
it full of holes, and mailing it on a
board. Upon this all sorts of things
were grated, even ears of corn, in which
slow way enough meal was secured for
bread. Old tin was used for many other
contrivances besides the ''gritter," and
every scrap was carefully saved. Most
of the dishes we { of pewter; the spoons,
iron; the knives and forks horn-handled.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13
Use for old Shoes.

Janitors collect the shoes cast away
by tenants and send them to auction
rooms, where they are sorted into piles
marked Men," Women" Children"
Several poor people made fair bids,
but the auctioneer did not seem eager
to sell. Finally a red-faced man push
ed his way through the crowd and of
fered 10 cents apiece for the whole lot
His bid was successful.
Il was killing time with talk waiting
for that fellow said the auctioneer
afterward HE always pays high for
these shoes, and he does not want them
for wearing, either. He wants to beat
them out for the leather in them. He
gets what material there is, puts it
through a process and makes stamped
imitation leather novelties, such as pie
ture frames, bags, pocketbooks, pen
knife holders and even chair backs and
seats. He finds a ready sale for these
novelties and gets good price for
them. shoe Retailer.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-02-13

ness and then only after repeated rollings
to get the water out of his lungs.
There are still the initials of the two
boys carved on the inner side of the old
water wheel Abe made them while
waiting for his clothes to dry. The boys
were afraid to go home with wet clothes
and they stayed naked under the wheel
while the clothes were drying in the sun.
Neither boy told of the affair and it was
only after the assassination that Abe's
companion detailed his part in the scrape
which came near unconsciously changing
the history of the country.
Lincoln once came very near fighting
a duel with James A. Shields, later
prominent in national affairs. Lincoln
offended Shields in a manner which can
not be described here for lack of space,
and the two met on the st. Charles duel
souri,. 1t may be said, in passing that
Lincoln's greatest offense against Shields
lay in taking the part of some of the
latter's enemies. Shields, who was an in
ordinately vain man, would have satisfac-
ton, though Lincoln regarded the whole
thing as a huge joke, but he went to the
dueling grounds, where, being the chal-
lenged party, he had the choice of weap-
ons. Here he was asked what weapons
he would select, when, with a quizzical
twinkle in his eye, he replied: Lets
have some originality about this duel I
prefer cannons at 30 PAGES" Even
Shields was forced to join in the general
laugh which followed, and while he was
in this reasonable frame of mind, the
seconds patched the matter up, and in
all amiability and good nature the duel
was declared off. A great crowd had
gathered at the Illinois shore to see the
party leave for Missouri and to learn the
result of the encounter. On the way
back, Lincoln's whimsical nature again
asserted itself and he took log and
placed it in one of the boats with a big
coat over it. This appeared from the
shore to be dead body and the excite
ment was great until the landing was
made. Lincoln then removed the coat
and with a grin took up the log and
threw it overheard. Lincoln and Shields
remained firm friends ever after the
duel" though fighting each other po-
litically with fierce intensity.