davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-10-01
HIGH GRADE TALKING MACHINES
Thrown on the Market at Less Than
Ha1f-Price, Each Including One Doz-
en- of Latest Victor Records.

We have accepted an entire carload
of high-class talking machines, regu-
lar $1,000 instruments, well made with
large delivery horn and improved re-
producing device.
This shipment was en- route to San
Francisco when the disaster came, and
rather than return these instruments TO
the factory, at big expense for freight
charges both ways, we have decided to
make a great advertising sale of them,
and here is the Offer
We will ship C. o. d. to any reader of
The Ranch, this late improved machine,
complete with horn at half price, or
$3.50. Your choice of one dozen or
more of the latest Victor or Columbia
records at sixty cents each or 1920, total
1870. If you wish to buy this instru-
ment and records on payments, send us
$50 and pay the balance at the rate OF
$1OO a week or $500 a month.
Remember. we ship the talking ma
chine subject to examination and II not
thoroughly satisfactory upon receipt,
it is returned at our expense Address
today, d. S. Johnston Co., Seattle and
Tacoma, Wash, or Eilers Piano House,
Portland, Ore, or Spokane, Wash.
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-10-01

NOTICE Speculative will furnish
this beautiful instrument and records,
free of charge, to any reader of The
Ranch who will help us sell one piano:
Write for our special offer Cholce OF
thirty-fve highest grade American
makes of pianos at Wholesale delivered
to any home in the West subject to ex-
animation and trial.
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-10-01
HOUSEHOLD

Contributions for this department are
invited from all the women readers OF
The Ranch. Subjects of interest to the
rural people are especially desired.
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-10-01

fish, add a little more water and
flour and butter, give it one boil and
turn it over the fish, garnish with
slices of lemon.
The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-05-03

eyes. his voice. was. as. smOpIn ana
suave as his countenance as he ad-
vanced with plump little hand ex-
tended, murmuring his regret for hav-
ing missed us at his first visit. Holmes
disregartled the outstretched hand and
looked at him with face of granite.
Milverton's smile broadened; lie shrug-
ged his shoulders, removed his over
coat, folded it with great deliberation
over the back of chair and then took
seat.
"This gentlemanY said he. with a
wave in my direction. lis it discreet?
Is it right?"
CDR. Watson is my friend and part
ner."
very good. Mr.. Holmes. 1t is only
in your clients interests that protest
ed. The matter is so very delicate"-
cdr. Watson has already heard of 1t. }"
"Then we can proceed to business.
You say that you are acting for Lady
Eva. Has she empowered you to &C.
cept my terms?"
"W'hat are your terms?"
Seven thousand pounds"
"And the alternative?"
"AIy dear sir. 1t Is painful for me to
discuss 1t, but II the money is not paid
The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-05-03


There qras something of Mn. Ptck,vtck's
bc1cDotencc IN his appearance.
on the 14th there certainly will! be no
marriage on the 18th" His insuffera-
BILE smile was more complacent than
ever
Holmes thought for little.
You appear to me-" he said at last,
ito be taking matters too much for
granted. am, of course, familiar with
the contents of these letters. My client
will certainly do what l may advise.
shall counsel her to tell her future
husband the whole story and to trust to
his generosity"
AIilverton chuckled.
You evidently do not know the
earl" said he.
From the battled look upon Holmes
face could see clearly that he did.
"What harm Is there in the letters?'
he asked.
"They are sprlghtly-very sprightly,"
Milverton answered. "The lady was a
charming correspondent But can as
sure you that the Earl of Dovercourt
wculd fail to appreciate them. How
eyer, since you think otherwise, we will
let it rest at that. 1t is purely a matter
Of business. Ii you think that it is in
the best interests of your client that
these letters should be placed in the
hands of the earl, then you would in
deed be foolish to pay so large sum
of money to regain them" He rose and
seized his astrakhan coat.
Holmes was gray with anger and
modification.
"Wait IL little" lie said. You go too
fast. We should certainly make every
effort to avoid scandal in 50 delicate
matter"
Milverton relapsed into his chair.
Il was sure that you would see it in
that light" lie purred.
AT the same time" Holmes con
tinued, Lady Eva is not wealthy
woman. l assure you that 12,O0l
and that the sum you name is utterly
beyond her power. l beg, therefore
that you will moderate Your demands
and that you will return the letters at
| the price Indicate, which is, assure
you, the highest that YOU can get"
| N[ilvertons smile broadened and his
eyes twinkled humorously.
| II am aware that what you say is
true about the lady's resources" sale
he. '.lAt the same time you must ad
nit that the occasion Of u lady's mar
riage is a very suitable time for hel
friends and relatives to make some lit
tie effort upon her behalf. They ma!
hesitate as to an acceptable weddin.
present. Let me assure them that THU
little bundle of letters would give mor'
| joy than all the candelabra and butte
dishes in London"
ut is impossible" said Holmes.
Dear me, dear me, how unfortu
natew cried NIilverton, taking out ,
bulky pocketbook. Il cannot he'll
thinking that ladies are Ill advised il
not making an effort Look at this!
He held up little note with coat o
arms upon the envelope. '"That be
longs lowell, perhaps it is hardly fai
to tell the name until tomorrow morn
ing. But at that time it will be In tn
hands of the lady's husband. And al
because she will not find beggarl
sum which she could get by turning
her diamonds into paste. 1t Is such
pity! Now, you remember the sudde
The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-05-03
The Adventure of
Charles Augustus
Milverton
No. 2 of the serie.

copyright. 1900, BY 4. Conan Doy,. and colli.,'.
Weekly)
The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-05-03


Weeky.)
(cosvrisht. 1905, BY Mcclure, Pbillips q Coz
N-\T is years since the Incl
.Mu dents Of which l speak
v2I took place, and yet it is
AWSsN with diffidencc that l al
MNhv Jude to them. For long
SW@6u time, even with the ut
most discretion and reti-
hnce, it would have been impossible to
make the facts public, but now the
principal person concerned is beyond
the reach Of human law. and with due
suppression the story may be told in
Asuch fashion as to injure no one. 1t
records an absolutely unique expert.
| ence In the career both of Mr. Sherlock
Holmes and of myself. The reader will
excuse me IL conceal the date or any
other fact by which he might trace the
actual occurrence
We had been out for one of our even
ing rambles, Holmes and I, and had re-
turned about 6 o'clock on a cold, frosty
winters evening. AS Holmes turned
up the lamp the light fell upon card
on the table. He glanced at it and then,
with an ejaculation Of disgust. threw
1t on the floor picked it up and read:
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
WILL RAILWAY SPEED INCREASED

For some time engineers have
agreed that, with our present methods,
the practical lift of speed with steam,
both on land and water, has been
reached. The problem, therefore has
been to devise new methods or TO rem
der practicable. in high degree, some
new power of propulsion, such as cleo
tricity, as a rival and successor or
steam. The latter of these alterra
solved, and, with the achievement of
a speed of one hundred and thirry-one
miles an hour on the military road,
Berlin-ZOSsen, Germany, a little over
year ago, new era in traffic may be
said to have been ushered in Were
it otherwise, and were this achieve
ment but an isolated example of phe-
nomenal speed under ideal conditions
without practical application to exist
ing problems, it would possess only
the interest of the extraordinary. As
2. matter of fact, however, these speed
trials in Germany possess the highest
practical value and may be said to
have established the conditions or
further progress along this line. A
normal speed OF one hundred and
twenty-five, or even of one hundred
and fifty miles an hour, is no longer an
idle dream, but has come within the
realm of the Immediately probaDle.
Certain conditions, it is true, remain
to be fulfilled, but to the present age,
accustomed to the achievement OF
things almost impossible, the over.
coming of difficulties of detail presents
no serious problem. Certainly, to-day
we are nearer a speed OF one hundred
and fifty miles an hour than the
world of 1880 was to one of thirty
n. IS an hour
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
PLEASURE or ADVANCING WARS

For him, however who lives Alright,
the passing of the years has no ter
rors. Growing old is the most de-
lightful of human experiences, for it is
the refining of the mental and moral
faculties, from whence alone springs
the abiding pleasure of life. All ages
of life are both beautiful and useful.
and old age by no means the least SO.
1t is mental quality that determines
age and many a man is older under
forty, and many another young at
eighty. The ancients understood these
things better than we do They knew
that nothing natural need be fear
ed and only when nature was thwart-
ed or twisted was there ground for APP
prehension. To grow old naturally
was accounted the highest happiness.
One of the greatest errors is to as
sociate old age with the decay of ply
steal powers. The principle that un.
derlies all the operations of nature is
compensation. If she curtails here,
she makes up there. Emerson testt
fies to this in his essay on "Compensa-
ton This great principle is beaut
fully illustrated in the development
mans life. The agility of youth is
joyous, but even more gladstone are
the wise thoughts which come with
age,-provided one has aged in accord
ance with natures beneficent plan.
Wonderful is the record of old men
who have done great thingsi Blessed.
though unrecorded, the deeds Of old
men of whom the world has never
heard, but who have, neverth 5iess, by
their sane living. contributed to the
peace and happiness of mankind in ali
agest
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14

that after the rest at midday the num-
Der of accidents is notably less than
in the last hour Of the forenoon; that
in the course of the second half day
accidents again become frJm hour to
hour progressively more numerous,
and that the maximum number of az
cidents toward the end of the second
half day is notably higher than the
corresponding maximum in the morn
ing.
The influence of the worlingmen
fatigue on the production of accidents
stands cut clearly from these observa-
tions, and it is easy to understand how
this comes about when it is remem.
bered that with fatigue the attention
readily diminishes and disappears.
The concll sion, therefore, is that in
order to produse a diminution in the
number of accidents it would be suff1-
Client to intercalate in the middle of
Accidents and fatigue
each half day of work a period of re-
pose. naturally not 50 long as that at
midday, but the length of which re-
mains to be determined. In fact. one
would only have to apply to the man.
ual labor of adults the measures which
for a long time have been put into
practice Cor children as regards their
intellectual labor
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14

look for rusticity, and he finds the tele
phone everywhere. Old and new are
.cOmmingled on this ancient island OF
Manisses TO which Adrian Block gave
his name in 1914. As the stranger
turns on the steam heat in his room at
one Of the ali-year boarding houses he
smiles involuntarily at the remem
brance of Whit ier's description of the
island in winter:
"Dreary the land when gust and sleet
At its doors and windows howl and
beat.
And Winter laughs at its fires of peat -
Just to complete the establishment
the traveller goes to the telephone
which is one of nearly three millions
included in the Bell system and asks
for long distance The desired con
nection in a city several hundred
miles away is got promptly and the
conversation carried on through the
cable which since about the time OF
the Spanish war. has connected the is
land with Narrasausett Pier, is as dis
tinct as one between two residences
in the same exchange district Each
day of the sojourn the telephone is
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
The Chinese Boycott.

The Chinese have boycotted Ameri-
can goods on account of the harsh way
we have treated their students and
travellers in this country. Our trade
in the east has already suffered heavi-
ly as a result. China has been the
biggest market for American cotton
goods; our mills have sold 100 per
cent more there than in all other
markets combined. But in October
tthe last month reported the exports
were only 29.S2S.O23 yards. against
i3 343. 33 in October, 1904. This may
be very serious thing for American
cotton mills. There has been a rapid
increase in the number of mills in the
number of mills in the last decade.
last decade chiefly in the south. There
are more than enough to supply the do
nestle needs. The heavy increase in
the demand from China has furnished
the outlet. If this demand is cut, who
will buy our excess of manufactured
goods?
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
Out of the World, Yet In 1t
The Winter Life of the Fisher Folk Distant Block Island
Isolated Islet That Keeps Our Tables Supplied With
Sea Food and Uses the Long Distance Telephone Sell
Its Products--Schooners OF Old TyFest Sweep

Newport, K. l., March S.-The most
Isolated of American communities is
one that is freshest in the remem-
braace of a arge proportion of the
American public during the winter
months WITH fish caught by the
hardy seafarers of Block island, Friday
tables are supplied from New England
to New Mexico. such are the refriger-
ating facilities that American railway
enterprise has devised. The great
shallow submerged seaboard from
Cape Cod TO the capes of Virginia
yields its tribute of sea food to the
mainland during the entire year with
out interruption; al the folk on the
farthest outcroppings Of the land are
naturally next to the biggest fares of
cod, haddOck, halibut and mackerel.
Everybody knows that this ocean blight
supplies many of our choicest bites,
but the everyday life, especially in
winter. of the island fisher folk, is al.
most as unknown. except by vague
hearsay. as the life of the inhabitants
of Farce or SaghGiien.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing
about this life is that, although still
very quaint and picturesque, it is
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14

used and its convenience wondered at
The islanders think so too The in
struments can hardly be supplied fast
enough to suit the demands of prospec-
tive subscribers. Ii poles are lacking
on the treeless standard these must
be brought across at considerable ex
pense from the mainland-the natives
volunteer to accept for the present
lines strung on two by four joists
nailed together. AS soon as possible
the standard construction is supplied,
and then nor even the sleet laden
winds that sweep across the low roll
ing hills of the island will bring the
wires down.
Symtomarle of the hold the teIe-
phone habit has gained on Block is
land is the curiosity with which the
working of the little exchange near
the old harbor is regarded It has un-
doubtedly served to educate" the
populatiou-t0 use a favorite phrase
of the telephone engineers. In the
large city exchanges of the Bell com
panies there are few visitors, but in a
small place, as on the island. people
gather at any hour OF the day and
watch with eager interest the handl
ing of the traffic-the numerous little
local calls THAI bring the whole is
land together to such an extent thai
it seems like one village; the occa
sional connections that are made foI
the South Lighthouse. the New Light
or the governmental life saving sta
tons the incoming messages from
merchants in the cities on the main
land who can now to their own great
advantage reach the vendors of fish
fowls or garden truck on the distant
island In summer when the hotels
are thronged with visitors the natives
note how frequently prosperous look
ing business man PUSHES into the ex
change and communicates with his
Office in New York or Chicago The
object lesson Of up-to-date dispatch
is thus not lost To start an exchange
on so distant an island may at one
. time have seemed a dubious chance
but the aggressive Bell policy Of ex
tending services wherever there is q
likelihood eventually Of profitable
traffic has justified itself
The telephone symbolizes the gener
al prosressiveness that has befallen
the island east side west side. and
the neck It is still fourteen miles
/ from NarVagansett Pier in warm
weather and many more on q foggy or
stormy day Bat the island has prac
/ tically been annexed-jus. as it is
now proposed to lay a telephone cabl-
1 from Marthas Vineyard to Nantucket
thus bringing all the islands off the
southern coast of New England into
! communication with the whole modern
world Of commerce and industry
! About two-thirds OF the population. OF
perhaps 400 on Block island are en-
gagged in fishing and the conditions oN
the FISH industry are rapidly beine
modernized
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
Modern Love making.

London World.-Courtship is dead
Young men no longer make passion
ate ayowals, they never start whea
she approaches. they do not grow palsii
with jeal usly If another seems TO o.
in favor they certainly do not write
sonnets TO their mistress's eyebrow
in fact they scarcely even 60 so far
as TO write her a letter, ana If they
do go to this length the result .
never worth publishing in book form.
Lovers do not talk about their hearts
and so on. and if engagements are
terminated the severed twain have no
scrGr PIES about subsequently meeting
each other. In novels something must
be done to make up for the unroman-
tic spirit of the age, so awful sirua
tons have to be invented for hapless
herOines. who either have to Kill their
selves or be killed or die In mnati-
asylums or converts.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
Humorists as Benefactors

The Baltimore American says that
humorists are public benefactors
They teach the most useful and the
easiest of all life's p.lilosophies. They
smooth away the rough places and
hearten life with cheerful inspiration
They mellow the understanding and
broaden the heart They are mega.
lively at least, an aid to virtue, for
vice cannot grow in an atmosphere of
cheerfulness. True religion is the
deadliest foe to pessimism. Humor is
such a powerful aid that one can I'M
derstand why the All-wise Creator
made it a part of the superior human
equipment for the fight against evil
1t is said that Solomon had 700
wives. Think of 1 400 cold feet-DaI
las News.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14

wizened little chaps who earn princely
, salaries, while they ride and win. he
! is saving his money. He is said to
be worth s250,00O now, and his fortune
is growing.
AIaher was born in Hartford de
was nine years old, and after walking
beside them for two years he was pro
NOTED to a seat. At Providence ne
rode his first races, but he was such a
frail and puny youngster that re
couldn't hold his steeds and the stew
ards suspended him for Incompetence.
But he kept at it and reached a point
where he was earning $4,000 a year
before the late Pierre Larrilard took
him TO England in 1900 He had pre-
politan. He won the first two races
on the other side, and at the finish Of
the season, when 1t was found that he
had steered q winners, his English
reputation was assured. Since then
he has gone over to England every
February and stayed until November
Last year he rode 400 mounts and 10l
of them won, His great triumph was
in 1903. when he won his first Derby
on Sir James Miller's colt, ROckland
Lord Roseberys Cicero. That race
gave Lord Rosebery his third Derby
and Maher the name of being the only
American TO win the classic event
more than once. Thus he has bCttereu
Sloan's record. as well as looked after
his personal reputation as Sloan never
did.
Riding in England is no joke, says
Maher. 1T means a much longer sea-
son to keep in condition than it does
here. | have TO keep in trim from
February to November, and that is
pretty big job lcep down by lots OF
walking and Turkish baths-perhap
three a week. have to be careful
not to oyerdo il, | weigh 1875 pounds
now, but am able to ride inside lao,
or even down to 112. The weights as
rule in England are heavier than
they are here, so | have no trouble.
How do lie the English turf? Capital,
capital, | have never spent a pleas.
anter five years than | have in Eng
land. like riding there better than
do here. and think the class u
horses abroad is better than in Ameti-
Ca. if this does not sound unpatriotic
His form in the saddle is well-nign
perfect He has a seat like a centaur
and a perfect pair OF hands. He has
the art of coaxing a horse to perfec-
ton. He can make horse hang on
and try when he is really looking for
a hole in the fence. He is clever at
the post. strong at the finish, and he
has patience enough to place his horse
in a race and wait with him until the
right time to make his run. He has
taught the crack British jockeys that
they didn't know everything, and has
made himself liked by all the big own
ers for his clean, clever work.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
CHINA NOT ovERPoPuLATED.

The American minister to China de-
clares that the population of tina, coun-
try is greatly exaggerated. The last
official estimate, made by the Chinese
board of revenue, reported 377, 696,f9S
persons. Our minister, Mr. Rockhill,
believes that the population does not
exceed 275,OO0OOO to- ", and probably
falls a good deal below that figure.
He vouches for the fact that more OF
the northern provinces are overpopu-
lated, and he thinks that China could
support a much larger number of peo-
pie than the present, which he de
clares, would be impossible if the pre-
vious estimates were correct.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
SUBSTITUTE FOR MURDER.

One of the first things which Sarah
Bernhard discussed upon her arrival
in New York was the case which had
been attracting so much attention IN
Vermont, asking for the details of the
execution even before she condescend
ed to consider the stage and Ibsen
She first proceeded to condemn cap
ital punishment, which she pronounced
a relic of barbarism, declaring it to be
particularly grewsome when a woman
is the victim. Then she INDUCED III
the following remarkable combination
of diverse sentiments:
Let them kill men if they must
but not women who give US our chill
dren. Why did she chloroform her
husband? Because she wished to rid
herself of him that she might marry
another. Bah! She was an idiot
The divorce courts would have freed
her. She was in too great a hurry
just like all Americans
Bernhard speaks with a certain de-
gree of authority as to the efficacy Of
the divorce court, but she goes to an
extreme when she suggests the di-
vorce as a substitute for murder.
However her expression of opinion
with reference to this subject puts di-
vorce in a new light, and the philoso-
piers can now indulge in theorization
without limit as to the extent to which
divorces may or may not serve to pre-
vent crime.
In the meantime, the reading public
will not lose sight of the high moral
ground taken by the divine Sarah in
her opposition to capital punishment.