davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
OUR LANGUAGE.
The Words Man Uses and the Words
lie Might Employ.

How many words are possible? Start
ing from the four and twenty alpha
bette sounds, LeibuitZ calculated the
combinations at go, AS, 701, ,733, ,239, :
739 100000 But many Of these combi-
nations would be unprOnOunceable even
In Welsh. In Chinese every syllable Is
a separate word.
Does mans stock of words grow rich
er or poorer with time? NJ. MOncalm
foresees an ever higher intellectual des-
tiny for the race in the future. "Our
fathers" he says, did not know the
thousandth part of our vocabulary,
which is very copiOus." Certainly the
New Dictionary is a much larger work
than Johnson's, and we doubt not that
primitive man talked less than an NJ.
p. does, though even he had his pala-
vers and congresses. But If any one
were to take down the talk of an aver
age modern undergraduate or society
girl we doubt If 1t would be found to
contain more than go vOcables, where
an educated EIizabethan or Caroline
WOulu nave cllpiOyeu ScNeFdl JlOuSduu.
Nothing Is more striking in the old
prose writers than the rich variety and
imaginative picturesqueneSS of their
language. Not only are we lacking in
concrete Imagination and ashamed to
60 afield out of the beaten track Of
speech, but phrases which were when
first devised forcible and strong have
through long currency lost their edge.
Three-fourths of the expressions we use
have ceased to be effective metaphors
and become conventional ana lifeless.--
London Saturday Review.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
BIRD JOURNEYS.
Small Animals often Travel on the
Backs of Large Ones.

1t has often been asked how small
and weak birds manage to fly such
enormous distances when migrating
AS a rule however, small birds that
have come very far across the sea
have not flown. but have been blown
over during violent gales, and many Of
them arrive on land in a half dead
condition.
In fair weather small birds make
long Journeys successfully over con
siderable tracts of ocean, but the rea-
son Is that they are carried on the
backs of the larger ones. When pass
ing an autumn in Crete a writer as
serts that he distinctly heard the twit-
sand cranes We're passing overhead on
their way To southern shores. On an
other occasion, when firing a gun, he
saw three small birds rise from the
flock and disappear again among the
cranes. \ native prie assured him
that they came over from Europe
with them, while it has been found
that small birds, never before seen In
certain parts, have been brought thith-
er at times of migration.
Another cause is that small birds do
not make their journeys in one flight.
They generally rest during the day,
searching for food, and thus proceed
TO their destination by easy stages.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
THE PEARL WORKERS.
A Bethlehem Industry which Is Five
Hundred Years Old.

The chief industry of Bethlehem Of
Judaea is that Of the mother-of-pearl
workers.
The shells are brought from the Red
sea and in the hands of native artisans
are polished and carved, the larger into
elaborate designs. The smaller are cut
up for roSaries and crosses The work
is all done by hand and the methods
are amazingly primitive to Il spectator
from the home of steam and electric
power But the results are extraordi-
nary. The l;r.a-t she'll we saw was
carved In seen = from the birth Of
Christ, the agony in the garden and
the crucitixi1n. and had the general eff
feet Of delicate frostwork Under the
ma2niGying g'l-2 every detail was seen
20 lac perfect in outline and in finish.
1t was cNucu.ol 10 order for wealthy
American and WAS to cost $16O
About 10 people make a living by
this industry which IS 800 years old.
In the shops the workmen sit upon the
floor, their benches in front of them.
The air is full of whitiSh dust, and the
light admitted hy the single window
and the opcu door is 50 dim that the
exquisite traccry OF the wrought shells
is mystery even before the visitor
notes how few, simple and crude are
the instruments employed. - Marion
Harland IN Lippincott's.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
Badly Crushed by a Wagon.

Michael Gallagher, son of Edward
Gallagher, steward of the Conyngham-
Centralia poor house, located in Locust
township, Columbia county, fell be-
meath the wheels of a wagon loaded
with ton of coal, the front and rear
wheels passing over him, fracturing
the sternum, or breast bone, and -four
ribs on the right side, the accident oc-
curing Tuesday evening.
The boy who is only seven years OF
age, had run from his home to meet
the poor farm wagon, driven by one
of the employees, and loaded with coal,
meeting it about an eighth of a mile
from his home. The wagon was NOV
ing slowly when the lad attempted to
step on it. In doing so he slipped in
front of the front wheel. This passed
over his body as did the rear wheel
He was picked up unconscious and did
not regain consciousness until after he
had been taken home.
DR.. Wintersteen, of Numidia, was
summoned and arriving at the stew
ard home found the sternum had been
fractured, together with the fourth,
fifth, sixth and seventh ribs on the
right side. As yet it is impossible to
state whether the lad sustained any in
ternal injuries, no symptom of such
having as yet, however, been manifest
ed
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
SAN JOSE SCALE
TO BE ERADICATED

Professor II. A. Surface, State Econ
omic Zoologist, is now instructing a
class of twenty seven on the best me-
thods of killing noxious insects. His
class consists of men from all parts of
the state, many of them are college
graduates, many of them are quite old,
and all are experienced in the culture
Of orchards and the problems which
necessarily arise in the pursuance of
such work
Professor Surface is not dealing with
unskilled pupils. but is taking intel
ligent farmers, and gardeners and is
showing them the very best method of
eradicating the San Jose scale. Yes
terday afternoon the entire class went
to the orchard of S. S. Rupp, in Shire
manstown, and sprayed the trees III
Mr.. Rupp's orchard with the lime
sulphur preparation which Professor
Surface has found far superior TO any
thing else which has been tried any
where The class yesterday afternoon
went through the entire work of mea-
suring, boiling and spraying the prep
aration. The latest bulletins which
Professor Surface has received from
California show that this lime sulphur
process is being used on the Pacific
coast with most successful results.
The entire State has been divided in
70 twenty-seven districts and one of
the pupils in Professor Surface 5
class will be assigned TO each district.
With the knowledge and drill which
they can take among the farmers of
Pennsylvania it seems most probable
that the San Jose scale will be entire
ly eradicated this year. If it is not
destroyed it will be through Incidence
or through lack of interest.
a demonstration will be given today
at the north end of the capitol, within
the enclosure. The gates will be open
SO that any who wish to see the de-
monstration may enter. a number of
people from Philadelphia and other
distant points came to Harrisburg yes
terday to witness the demonstration
which was given at Shiremanstown
This demonstration will be duplicated
in every particular today when the
trees in the capitol park are sprayed
and all who wish may be present.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
EARTH SINKING ON
SHAMOKIN STREETS

Re sldentS in the vicinity Of Clay,
Strawberry and Pearl streets, Shamok-
in, are greatly alarmed over the settl-
ing Of the earth in that vicinity. With
in the past few days several apertures
have been discovered and while none
of them seem as yet tC be very deep it
is feared that the earth may open up
at any moment and swallow up or
cause to fall down several of the houses
in that neighborhood.
The largest hole noticed so far is on
Clay street within three feet of the P.
& r. Railway tracks. The opening is
about eighteen inches wide and three
feet deep. 1t was first discovered on
Sunday and was filled with dirt and
ashes Monday. During Monday night
the dirt sank to a depth of about six
inches but no further settings have
been noticed.
The residents of Shamokin ascribe
the settling to the old fiery slope"
workings which were located in that
vicinity and which run east under
Polish hill.
The fact that the railroad is so near
also adds alarm as the vibrations caus-
ed by the heavy coal trains undoubted
ly shake the earth in that vicinity and
Conduce to the settling.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01

a proposition which may ultimately
expand with far-reaching results to
this section is now held under advise
ment by the officials of the Rohr Nc
Henry Distilling Company of Benton.
For some time past, as the business
of the company has steadily increased,
the need has become urgent of con-
venient facilities for the transporta-
tion Of their product from the distiI-
lery to the Benton station, about two
miles away.
Between Benton and the distillery
plant is grade which makes haulage
by horses a most difficult problem. An
undue number of animals are required
and the service is slow and far from
satisfactory. With the growth of the
business, the problem has become more
and more acute, until the company is
now practically compelled to adopt
some substitute.
Two methods of overcoming the diff
NAAty dAN PLOpO7CNA. ClC 10 llIt JulIlup
into use of huge automobile, similar
TO that now in use at Wilkes Barre by
the Stegmaier Brewing Company.
The other method suggested of over
coming the difficulty mentioned, and
a method which could be made the
nucleus of much broader scheme, is
the construction of trolley line from
the distilling plant to the Benton sta
tiOn. This matter has received much
consideration, and is considered high
ly feasible and regarded most favor
ably by many persons. An engineer
who was engaged, made careful ex-
animation of the situation, measure
ments and plans were made, and esti-
mates prepared on the cost of CON
structing the proposed trolley line.
The people of Bloomsbury and Ben
ton state that if the latter method of
transportation is adopted the project
will develop into passenger line and
run to Bloomsbury
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
ELDERS AND BISHOPS
AT HARRISBURG

An important church conference is
in session at Harrisburg. Bishop Ber-
~, who will preside at the Central
Pennsylvania Methodist Episcopal con
ference at Tyrone on March 28 is meet
ing the presiding elders of the confer
ence to consider the matter of filling
the vacancy of presiding elder of the
Danville district caused by the death
Of Rev. Amos S. Baldwin. of Sun
bury.
1t is said that the conference will
decide whether the Rev Emory NJ
Stevens is to be the choice for presid-
ing elder, as it is believed he will be.
Besides Rev. Stevens only two other
ministers are prominently mentioned
for the Office, the Rev. B. G. Connor,
Of Altoona, and the Rev. r. H. Gill
bert, Of Berwick. AT present the Rev.
George W. Stevens is looking after the
affairs of his own, the Harrisburg dis
trict, and the Danville district also
Bishop Berry, after the session in
Harrisburg, will go to Williampsort
where on Friday evening he will de-
liver an address at Dickinson Semin-
ary.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
IN THE NITRATE COUNTRY.
Industry of the Barren, Dusty Des-
erts of south America.


erts of south America.
In his Commercial Traveller In South
America" Frank Wiborg writes 1--WE
stopped at Il number Of the nitrate
towns PiSagua, Iquique, Autofagasta
and ! visited some of the mills, or
odicinas. i'm order to see something OF
the industry. Deposits of the crude
nitrate Of soda. called here 'Caliche,'
are found in the pampa, or rolling pla-
tcau beyond the first range Of foot
hills. In some places this plateau Is
but ten miles from the coast, In others
qS far as fifty miles. The pampa Is an
utterly barren desert. On the surface
there is nothing to tempt the heart OF
man. but a few feet down lies the nj
tEate stratum. This presents much the
appearance Of rock salt and varies In
color according to the purity Of the
deposit. from a whitish tint to q dark
gray The upper earth is blown away
with dynamite, and then the caliche Is
dug out with pick and shovel, loaded on
iron carts and carried up. to the mills.
Here the caliche is first broken into
small pieces by heavy crushers and
then put into large boiling vats Inside
these vats are coils of steam pipes, by
means of which the temperature can be
regulated accurately. Sea water IS
poured in. and the caliche is boiled for
a certain time The liquid solution that
results IS drawn off into settling vats,
which are exposed 10 the open air and
the sun Evaporation is rapid, and the
pure nitrate of soda soon begins crys-
tallizing and settling to the bottom.
After this has gone on for some time
the remaining liquid is drawn off and
the crust of nitrate is scraped from the
sides and bottom Of the vat and thor
oughly dried in the sun. Then It IS
graded according to quality and packed
for shipment in 100 pound sacks.
Most of the nitrate exported is used
as a fertilizer. but part goes to the
manufacture of powder and high ex-
plosives The nitrate towns are even
barer and drier and less inviting than
most Of the other bare, dry towns Of
the coast To some of them fresh wa
ter is brought in pipes from distance
OF more than 100 miles. Before the day
OF these pipes 1t used to be sold in the
streets by the gallon. That water even
now. though not scarce, yet is not plen-
tiful, is perhaps some excuse for the
awful dust that blows everywhere"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
EVANGELICAL
CONFERENCE

The first meeting in connection with
the twelfth annual session of the Cen
tral Pennsylvania conference Of the
United Evangelical church was held
in the Milton church on Lower Market
street Tuesday evening when the board
of examiners, Of which the pastor,
Rev J. d. Shortess is president and
Rev. D. f. Young of Nescopeck,, is
secretary, held a business session. At
this time the five different classes took
examination in church polity.
The examinations continued yester-
day morning and afternoon. Last even
ing at seven O'Clock the first public
service was held. There are one hun
dred and thirty-six ministers and
ninety-two lay delegates in the confer
ence
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
FORTlETH WEDDING
ANNIVERSARY

Mr.. and Mrs George Spade cele-
brated their fortieth wedding anniver-
sary Tuesday evening by entertaining
a number of their friends at their home
on Church street. During the evening
music was furnished by phonograph
and refreshments were served.
Those present were: Mesdames W..
K. Lunger, H. Jones, C. Lunger, J..
Livziey, G. Ridgeway, H. Reppert, G..
r. Sechler, H. Kavanaugh. W Smith,
J. Mccall, G.. Gross, B. Meyer, NJ.
Driscoll, NJ. Eyerly, l.. Herman, G.
Mills, W. Roney, W Linker, H. Trot-
ter, Misses Alice and Nellie Trainor,
Ella Sperring. Rebecca Smith, Bessie
Meyer, Ethel Reppert, Bert Driscoll
and Jennie Woodside, Messrs. Louis
Herman, Fred Evans, Robert Armes
and Alvin, William and Arthur Spade.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
CARITOL SOON
READY FOR USf

HARRISBURG, Feb. 2S.-Just as
soon as the workingmen get out of the
capitol, and only the decorators are
left to finish the work of ornamental
tion, superintendent of Public Build
ings and Grounds Shumaker Will be
gin the work of cleaning the building,
carting out the debris, placing the
floor coverings and putting in the fur
niture.
After all this has been done viii
come the work of installing the differ
ent departments in the new edifce
that have for several years been from
under the capitol's dome.
GOVERNOR IN SOUTH WING.
The executive department, attorney
generals department, State depart
ment, State treasury, auditor generals
department, all now in the executive
! building, will be transferred TO the
south wing of the capitol, next to the
present executive building. The school
department, in the south wing, will
remain where it is, and the department
of public buildings and grounds will
be transferred TO the front of the main
| building, to the left of the main en-.
| trance, opposite to where Senate Lib
rarian Miller is now located, on the
| first floor
The state police department and the
state health department will be sent
to the north wing, and there will be
| located the department of internal
affairs, the adjutant generals depart
ment the agricultural department, the
highway department, the insurance de-
partment and the department of public
| printing.
| SOME LOCATIONS NOT DECIDED.
As yet the locations of the state
economic zoologist, the state game de-
partment, the state fish department,
the soldiers orphans school depart
ment and the rooms of the house resi-
dent clerk have not been determined
| upon, and it is one of the problems
that confront Superintendent Shumak-
er. However, he is an executive gen
| ius, and he will see that ali are suit
ably settled in comfortable quarters
| before hot weather sets in.
The legislative correspondent as
sociation will occupy one of the low
| er compartments III the north wing
over looking the Italian gardens which
it is proposed to make part Of the land.
| scape decorative scheme.
The last governor to move his quart
ers was Governor PattisOn in 1904,
when he moved from the dingy rooms
in the old north building to the com
paratively comfortable rooms now oc-
cupied by Governor Pennypacker.
| Just what will be done with the pre-
sent executive building is a problem,
but it is probable that it will be con
| verted into a museum and place for the
flags, t he present flag room being con-
sidered very inadequate for its purpose.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
WILL BEGIN SUIT
IN TEN DAYS

There will be no time lost in filing
the bills in equity to recover for the
State the various amounts paid to
former Commissioners of Insurance
Luper, Lambert and Durham, and the
latter's confidential clerk, J. Clayton
Erb, from fees collected by Robert B.
Forster as actuary Of the Insurance
Department.
Within ten days Attorney General
Carson announces that he will have
the papers prepared and that he hopes
to conclude the case without any de-
lays The action would be begun dur
ing the present week except for press
of work in the Attorney Generals 5
office and the care necessary in pre-
pairing the papers.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
THE DEVILS CODE.
Legend of Monk, Satan and n Quick
Nights Work.


Stockholm's public library contains a
wonderful work which is called The
Devils Code" and which, in addition
to its extraordinary name, Is said to be
the biggest manuscript in the world.
Every letter is most beautifully drawn,
and the magnitude of the work is so
great that it seems impossible for any
single monk to have done it.
The story Of the origin Of the manu-
script, however, not only gives it as
the work Of one man, but also states it
to be the work Of n single night. The
story runs as follows:
a poor monk had been condemned
to death, but was told mockingly by
his judges that if he was able to copy
the whole Code between darkness and
dawn be would be saved. Relying up
on the impoSsibility of the task, those
who sentenced him furnished him with
the original copy Of the Code with
pen. ink and parchment, and left him.
death must have been as little liked
in the middle ages as il is now, for the
monk, forgetting the nopeieSsnesS OF
his task, commenced 1t. Before long,
however he saw that he could not save
his own life by such weak exertlons,
and, fearing a cruel and horrible death,
he invoked the aid OF the prince of
darkness. promising 10 surrender his
soul If he were assisted in the task.
The devil kindly obliged by appear
ing on the spot, accepted the contract
and sat down 10 the work, and next
morning The Devils Code was finish
ed the monk being found dead. The
copying clerk from the Internal re-
gions presumably fled away with the
poor mans soul rs soon as the wicked
compact was finished" - Pearson's
Weekly.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
ST. PETERSBURG.
The TeFrOrs of Its Climate In tho
Spring and Autumn.

The TeFrOrs OF Its Climate In tho
Spring and Autumn.
There is something repulsive in the
climate Of st. Petersburg IN the early
spring and autumn" says writer,
"when the thermometer often falls 30
degrees in a few hours. when the roads
are ankle deep in snow broth or mud,
when the winds blow raw and cold
from every quarter of the compass and
the quick moving droSlicS shower the
denominations of the roads impartially
upon noble ana peasant. 1t is no con-
ISOLATION to the visitor T. know that the
Neya Is seaicl by ice early iu Novem-
Der or late in October. Long indeed
before the frost King has stalked down
70 the latitude Of 81 Petersburg the
lordly river is completely blocked.
Great ice sheets from stormy ladOga
float down the current, They crash
against the mighty buttre~>es Of the
bridges, cling 10 the Da!.kS and gIad-
ually accumulate until the whole length
Of the river which unitcs the greatest
lake in Europ" WITH tie gulf of Fin
land, Is completely choial. The ice Is
reared liggicdy ptggledy at every con
eeivablc angle. ItiSn strange sight this
broad stretch Of water. inlHas eahle and
icebound whiie ;hc temperature OF ,hc
surrounding country is often many IL
grees above freezing point"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
Roof Dogs of New York.

There are dogs il New York that
never set foot on the street They be
long to the janitorS in the downtown
buildings, and their runways consist
Of the roofs OF the buildings in which
their owners live and adjoining roofs
on the same level. That Is a rare day
when the Office worker on looking out
Of the sixteenth story window does
not see half dozen dogs romping
about upon the roofs beneath him.
There Is one advantage at least in be
ing a roof dog-the dog catcher has no
tnrrora fni, him
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
iNniEt:is OF Old.

The ln;g IS of The days of chlvalry
Were 81 well protected by their armor
that ;h"y We're practically mvincible
70 all ordinary weapons. Even when
dismountel they could not be injured,
save by the miserIcorde, thin dagger,
which penetrated the chains of the ar
morS. In more than one battle knights
fallen from their horses could not be
killed until their armor had been bro
ken w with axes and hammers
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-03-01
THE CALM BAD MAN.
He IS More Dangerous Than the One
WhO BiuSterS.

The Dad mau of genuine sort rarely
looked the part assigned to him in the
popular Imagination. The long haired
bluSterer. adorned with q dialect that
never was spoken, serves very well in
eastern fiction about the west. but that
Is not the real thing The most danger
Gus man was apt 10 be quiet and
smooth spoken. When an antagonist
clustered and Threatened, the most
dangerous bad man only felt rising in
his own soul, keen ana stern, that
strange exultation which often comes
with combat for the man naturally
brave \ western officer Of established
reputation once said To me while speak
ing Of personal difficulty into which
lie had been forced: Il hadn't been in
anything of that sort for years, and
wished ! was out of K. Then | said to
myself, Is II true that you are getting
old and have lost your nerve| Then
all at once the old feeling came over
me. and was just Ike | used TO be.
felt calm and happy, and l laughed aft
er that | jerkcd my gun and showed
1t into his stomach. He put up his
hands and apologiZed. / will give you
a hundred dollars now he said, If
you will tell me where you got that
gun | suppose | was a trile quick
for him."-St. Louis POSt-Dispatch.