davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
MADE THEM ALL LAUGH.
Book Must Have Been Funny, but Ma
One Knew What is Was.

1t must have been a very funny
story! The type looked funny from
across the aisle of the car, the pic
lures looked funny, and the youna
lady who was reading it doubled up
in fits of stified laughter every few
minutes. The young man in the seat
with her could not help stealing a
glance at the pages of the book which
was evidently so funny, but whose
cover was carefully doubled back out
OF sight, and soon he began to laugh
as he unblushingly followed the story
page after page, shaking with sup
pressed merriment
The woman in the seat at right an.
giles became interested and looked
over the girls shoulder. Presently
her face broadened into a grin and
soon she was convulsively shaking
The man in the seat across smiled at
the scene. A boy a few seats down
the aisle grinned sympathetically. A
darby still further down showed all
his white teeth. The contagion spread
until the car was nearly on the verge
of Mysteries, when the far reader got
up to leave the train, yet no one but
the girl herself had any idea as to
what the book was.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
LIohtnInq Struck TwIes.

DR.. ]. G. Keith, formerly OF So
louis, who was struck by lightning
several years ago. went to Leadville.
Col, for h;s health, and was again hit
by a bolt. About IL years ago the
doctor, while walking on the street.
was struck by a thunder bolt. His
left side was partially paralyzed He
went to Colorado for his health and
last spring while on the street he was
again hit by lightning. This second
bolt practically rendered DR.. Keith
helpless as far as his left side is con.
cerned.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
~ Maaterson Answsrnd.

Rev. Mr. Masterson, summer res
fdent of Marblehead Neck. for rea-
sons best known to himself, wears In
the hottest weather a long coat and
a handkerchief around his neck. Thus
dressed he frequently takes long runs
about town, but has decided objec-
lions to being stared at. One day
recently he was running along. and.
noticing a small boy gazing at him, he
stopped and asked ENORMOUSLY:
''What are you looking at?" The boy
promptly replied: Pm looking at a
d-n fool
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
NO DOUBT OF HIS WEALTH.
independence in the Matter of Tips
Proved Traveller Millionaire.

Late in the evening a report spread
through the train that we had as a
llow-passenger a man worth at least
S20,000,000. When the opportunity
came 1 made inquiry of the porter of
my car, and he explained:
Oats what dey says, sab, but you
can't allus tell. He's in de next cab,
sab, but | can't say how much he am
wuth till in de mawnin'. Mebbe he's
wuth $4,000 900, and mebbe he hain't
wuth hundred"
After breakfast next morning the
porter beckoned me into the smoking
compartment, and with broad smile
on his face, he said:
Dat story am all true, sab"
Then the man is worth $20,000,000,
is he?"
"All dat and mebbe a heap mo-
Yes, sab, dar's no mistake about dat. y
But how did you find out? l don't
suppose you asked him how much he
was worth?"
mo, sab. dun found out by de
odder potter, sab. De millionaire has
jest glib him 10 cents fur brushin'
him off, while everybody else has
come down wild at least a quarter!"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
Tobacco Test for Novels.

The other day in public library in
London an attendant noticed a young
girl shifting suspiciously at the books.
When he asked the reason of her
strange conduct she told him frankly.
Il sniff at book, she said, ito see
if it smells of tobacco. If it does then
know. it's book a man has been
reading and that it's a good one"
This is a novel literary test, but a
wise one in some respects. Horse
sense lies behind it and feminine in
tuition.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26

Chancellor James r. Day was once
advising a young Undergraduate OF
Syracuse university to cultivate tact.
But alas" he said, 81 fear THAI
advice on such subject must always
be wasted. On tact the last word
was spoken by Barley dAubrevillS
when he said:
"If tact could be bought, only those
already possessed Of 1t would want
to Euy it,"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
When the DAMAGE Hapnsns.

II cut bleeds profusely 1t should
be held under a stream of cold water.
Compress the wound and apply clean
lint. II an artery has been severed
tie the lint tight above the cut and
by introducing stick under the hand.
kerehief and twisting it round check
the bleeding until surgical assistance
can be obtained.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
VAST WEALTH OF THE SOUTH.
In Natural Resources That Section In
Supreme.

To its coal supply, more than twice
as great as the combined coal area
of Great Britain, Germany and Penn.
sylvinia; to its vast stores of oil and
natural gas as supplementary sources
power of water powers for utilization
of power and heat and light the South
adds at least 100000 available horse
power of water powers for utilization
for electrical transmission, also for
power, heat and light. The develop
ment of this vast water power poten.
TALLY will eventually employ $3.50.
100000 to $300,0O0,OO0 and be equal in
working capacity to 100000 men. II
will make possible construction of
thousands of miles of interurban cleo
trio roads, it will furnish cheap power
and light for mines and factories. and
create, as in Switzerland, the highest
forms of skilled mechanical work in
the mountains of the South. where
climatic conditions are unsurpassed
by any other section of the world. In
counting up the riches of the South al.
ways bear in mind it's wealth of ever.
running streams, where nature fur
nishes the power without price except
for the cost of development.-Manu
facturers' Record.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
New Extension Is completed.

The Burlington-Great Northern sx-
tension to Ashland. Wis, has been
completed, and mixed service is now
being maintained. Full operations
will not be started for at least a
month. This extension opens the Bur-
iingtons connection with Lake Supe-
rior. and opens a new route for Me-
brssNa grain to the Atlantic seaboard.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
The New sun PuddInn-

A new and attractive mold for gel
attn or any dessert of the consistency
of cornstarch is In the shape of a
circular sun, with the genial fea-
lures of old Sol on the surface.
Teeth and eyes cut from the meats
of nuts and pressed into the pudding
Just before serving complete the eff.
facf
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26

Pop
~Yes, my SON"
~When fellow goes to a circus
and gets red lemonade and peanuts.
doesn't he have to give money for
'emf"
Certainly he does, my boy"
We'll, this paper says here that
men~y won't buy happiness"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
Significant Facts.

There remain the facts, however,
that more passengers are killed in
collisions and derailments than in any
other way. and that about two-thlrds
OF the collisions occur on railroads
Aot bloclI-signaled and by reason of
errors which do not occur in block.
signallng.-N. Y. Press.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
Agreed.

Father" cried the stage-struck
youth, you must let muh choose me
own course. feel that l was born
for the boards"
We'll, gosh all hemlock!" answered
the father. "ain't l tryin' ter make a
carpenter of yer"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26


by
of
the company to the Guggenheims
to
December
their
critics Of the They have already paid $5OOO
esSd to customers The Goggenhems that will
emily the transaction has them $15OOOOO
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
nIt,s All Riaht In the"

The waves broke in the summer
night with mournful sound. and the
moonlight on the sea made a highway
as of shimmering silver.
Darling"
The voice of the youth vibrated
with deep feeling.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
FACTS ABOUT FIGURE NINE.
Professor Of the Occult Has Added a
New Wrinkle.


Mathematicians have juggled with
the mystic figures 3, and 8 for ages.
and now comes foreign professor"
of the occult science to tell fortune
by "the force in a simple numeral-
the 9. He reminds his victims that II
they multiply any number, short OF
decimal, by 9 the two figures of the
product added together will make 9.
Thus: Nine times are IS, and and
7 are 9; 8 times are 81, and and Q
are 9; times are As, and 5 and 4
are 9; times are 54 and A and
are 9; times are SO, and 3 and 6
are 9; times are 70, and 2 and 7
are 9; 9 time are 81, and l and s are
8. He might have added that any
number in the hundreds of thousands
multiplied by will give a product
the sum of whose digits is a multiple
of 8. Take at random-9 times 545
are 1905, the sum of which is IS, and
9 into Is goes 2 times. Take 1859
multiplied by 9 equals &C. 1853; the sum
of the digits is q; into q goes
8 times. Oh, there is an immense
amount of fun in 8.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26

can be made to burn by laying the
poker across it, or that the sunbeamG
falling on a fire tend to put it outT
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26
A Certainty.

You cannot conquer the world for
good by winning over its wickedness.
-Cassells Journal.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-26

Wedding Check Went to Pay Debts.
Persons who have been at loss to
select presents for marrying friends
The independent., 1907-04-04
Tests For Shoppers Use
Points About Buying Silks, Linens and Wooens

Shopping tests for linens, silks and
woolens are simple and easily applied:
In purchasing linen for sheets, pillow
cases, napkins and tablecloths, finenesS
is to be desired. A linen tester small
magnifying glass, by means of which
the threads in given space are count-
ed, is essential to determine this point.
One can tell the quality, perhaps, as
much by the feel Of linens as by any
more complex method. There is crisp
feeling to pure linen that is unmistak-
able When crushed in the hand it
yields with a crunching sensation
which denotes it's purity 1t has also
slippery feeling quite different from
cotton, which is dead and unelastic
when run through the hand.
If linen fabrics are frayed at the
edges and the threads pull out it will
be found that they will unravel with
out breaki lg, while cotton threads will
break or snap In two
Another test for linen, sand one in
vogue with old fashioned housekeepers
is to dampen the finger and hold 1t
beneath the material. II the moisture
appears on the surface it is a pretty
good test that the material is linen,
but if there is no dampness visible then
one may be pretty sure that the mate
while the linen does not.
A very good test for linen is to unravel
a portion, taking a couple of threads,
one of the warp ande one or the woof,
and to touch match to them. II cotton
is present in the weave the thread will
burn quickly. leaving charred bit. II
linen. it will be longer in burning.
In drawing threads from both fabrics
it will be found that the linen ones will
hold their body, while cotton will draw
the material awry and usually snap of
quickly before the thread is half pulled
out.
In buying handkerchiefs one can pull
them cornerWise. If the threads draw
evenly it is good proof of the material
being all linen, while II cotton the hand
kerchief will pull unevenly. Linen hand
kerchiefs of the best quality should have
at least $500 threads to the inch. This,
however, relates only to those fine sheer
squares of linen which retail for several
dollars each. Those of good quality which
retail at 50 cents or IS cents each should
show from 1900 to ]. 400 threads.
1t is probably in the buying OF silks
that the greater number of women are
taken in Frequently it is their own
fault; they are tempted by bargains and
good silk is always expensive.
In one of the large dry goods shops In
New York city there is a man who has
presided over the silk counter for more
than fifty years By simply running the
it comes from, it's purity, it's quality and
it's cost. This is the result of long ex-
perience. Once a woman becomes ac-
customed to the feel of pure silk she
| never forgets it.
There is a slipperiness and crushable-
The independent., 1907-04-04

ness about pure silk that stamps 1t al
the real article. There is also an unmls-
taxable swish about pure silk. Then II
one takes the material in both hands
and snaps it there is a report like pistol
shot from a pure silk which will aid in
the selection.
Materials in which the threads running
both ways are silk are springy and to
the touch full of life and electricity, while
those part slk.s with cotton, admixtures.
are dull and heavy, or perhaps lifeless
is the better term. In taffeta there is
high sheen and lustre in the best qualities
which is convincing, while pongee has
dull finish. With louisines the softer and
finer the more to be desired they are
To determine if silks are mixed with
cotton set a lighted match to sample
after ravelling the threads out: II there
is cotton present in the fabric then 1t
will burn rapidly. curling up almost in 2
flash into a crisp, while the silk will
hardly have started to burn:
This same test may be applied to woof
materials in which is suspected that cot
/ ton may be woven. Cotton burns very
rapidly, while the wooden threads smoke
and shoulder Then there is an unmis-
taxable odor about burning wool
If one takes up piece of wool cloth
the former will feel very soft and yield
ing to the touch, while the latter will bo
hard and rather smooth than otherwise
Wool surface when rubbed is rough.
the threads are untwisted, the wool will
fray and the ends curl up, while cotton
will break off evenly without any ends. :.
| A chemical test which can be employed
| a. home is the application of muriatic or
nitric acid to woolens If sample OF
wool goods is dipped into one or the
other of these chemicals it will turn a
reddish yellow color if no foreign threads
are present. If cotton is present the
chemical eats it away Immediately leav-
| ing behind the yellow warp or woof.
Women have often been subjected to
disappointment buying jetted laces for
| handsome reception or dinner gowns.
There will be advertised a beautiful look
ing robe gown for, say, SIS, and along
| side another for $125. To all appearances
an purchases the cheaper of the two only
| to find to her sorrow the first time she
| wears it that she has left behind her a
| trail of paillettes to mark her path
In the cheaper gown the jets are simply
run on without being fastened securely
/ and as a consequence when the thread
| breaks they all go. So if one desires to
! be economical in the buying of jetted
| robes it is well to go over the entire
| pattern with strong silk and knot each
| piece securely
Black silk nets either in allover or in
edgeings that have cotton in them pres
ent gray look when the materials is
| held up to the light on level with the
! having a lace all silk but yet not good
black but the difference between what
| is termed good black and that peculiar
| gray appearance is the test the buyer
| should apply when investing in these
| finer grades of goods.
The independent., 1907-04-04
THE MERIT SYSTEM.

Foreign critics of American manage
ment in the Philippines. Panama,
Porto Rico and Cuba unite in praise
on one point Plenty Of fault is found
with the ways of officials appointed
because Of party service at home to
govern subject people abroad; but the
efficiency Of the sanitary departments
Is not seriously questioned The feat
of turning Havana into health re-
sort, the more difficult task of reducing
the death rate In Manila. and the
triumph of Major Gorgas in the canal
zone are pretty generally acknowledged
to be achievements unsurpassed Of their
kind But one explanation for the
notable efficiency of this department
is apparent, the fact that its work vas
done by men chosen for that purpose.
Men chosen TO do other forms Of work
worked as hard and as conscientiously,
perhaps, but they had been chosen with
reference to their ability to manipulate
"a convention or bring in" their ward.
and that kind of ability does not carry
far in dealing with Malays and prob
lens Of tropical administration. The
country will be interested to observe
whether the new policy Of appointing
ecnsuls 10 foreign cities with 'refere nc
to their fitness for their duties Will
eventually give our consular service
the reputation now enjoyed by other
departments whose membership Is "e-
cruited by like methods. The first con-
sular examination has been held, witt,
the result that the 100 applicants for
sixteen positions yielded ten eligibles.
The independent., 1907-04-04

A New Yorker who has just re-
turned from the south was most strik-
ingly impressed by the vagaries of the
southern railroads, and he offers this
illustrations: When he arrived at the
station he was much surprised to find
that the 11:15 started promptly on
time. "Well," said he to the conductor,
"they libel you up north, where they
say your trains are never on time,
either coming or going"
"rrhe northerners are right was the
unexpected response of the conductor.
we never got a train off in time in
our lives"
why, this train got off on time It's
the 11:15, isn't it?''
Eyes my friend, it's the 1l:l5, but
it's last Tuesdays HIS. Today's 11:l5
won't start much befo Monday, | reck-
on
The independent., 1907-04-04

train. No doubt the long observation
of this rule by the travelling public
has had something to do with the abil-
ity of the Pullman company to turn
it's monopoly to the pleasant task of
paying eight per cent dividends on
fifty millions or SO of hydraulic stock.
Two courses suggest themselves to the
public in connection with these mat
ters. One is to demand ordinary pas
senger coaches built to Withstand
shocks as are Pullman coaches. An
other is to reduce Pullman rates 10
within hailing distance of the cost OF
service. There is at present a DISPOSE
tion to do both
The independent., 1907-04-04

If the common report can be trusted,
when Secretary Taft reaches Cuba he
will find eighty per cent of the voting
population eager to convince him that
the American protectorate should be
lifted and elections called at once IN
der the suspended constitution. He
will find on examination that eighty
per cent of this eighty per cent expect
an office when the new arrangement Is
effected There is nothing remarkable
in that to an American, but the trouble
is that {. Cuban office seeker is not
gifted. like his American brother. with
the power to take defeat peaceably
The leaders of the majority party real
izing the impossibility of creating an
office for every man who wants one,
hope to induce Mr.. Taft to leave the
American troops III the island for =
time after tho republic is re-established
to protect them from the vengeance of
disappointed patriots.
The independent., 1907-04-04

According TO the census bureau the
growth in population in the United
States from 1906 to 1906 was l,367.3l5.
A glance at the immigration records
shows that 1.100,73b of these were
added by immigration. This leaves
for the natural increase n trife over
a quarter OF n million. about NTH
of one per cent. With immigration
stopped that would be near
approach to equilibrium.
The independent., 1907-04-04

II requires only a glance at the new
Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the blind
to show that ii is a costly publication
to produce. The sheets are twelve
inches wide and fourteen inches long
and the fifty pages of heavy, pulpy pa
per make a thickness of nearly an inch
The paper is printed wet and hardened
to withstand the pressure of the read
ing fingers Mrs Zeigler, who has en-
dowed the agaZine, is anxious that Il
copy be placed in the hands of every
blind person IN the United States As
no list of such persons is available, a
general appeal for names is made
through the press. Such names should
be sent to Walter G. Holmes, 1881
Broadway, New York, with a state
ment whether New York Point or
Brale type ii desired The magazine
will be sent free to blind people who
cannot afford to pay for it, but it is
expected that nominal sum will be
paid in order to insure interest of the
reader and to keep the subscription list
in a live condition. The actual cost of
producing the magazine is about So a
year.
The inception of this benificent work
was a letter sent to New York news
paper by Mr.. Holmes. former news
paper man of Memphis, Tenn, calling
attention to the pressing need of more
abundant and cheaper literature for
the blind While an edition of Ben Hur
can be bought in type for a dollar or
less the blind must pay $1,000 for a
copy. Other works are also at almost
equally prohibitive prices. Mrs ziegler
was interested because she has blind
son and is determined to use some of
her wealth in meeting this great need.
The independent., 1907-04-04

blur. They would have laughed in
their sleeves had he done otherwise.
In their hearts they know they are
fortunate, and the country too, that the
task of driving them back to their
reservation has fallen into the hands of
a president so answering and so un-
fanatical as the present one.
The independent., 1907-04-04

Railroad wrecks an rule constitute
nne advertisements for the Pullman
alesplng ear service. This was the
case with the Cotton wreck in calf
fornla Thursday, In which twcnty-odd
paaAengrrs only two of whom suA"
.h,nt i0o injured more or less scr-
,sn.ly There Mere eighty Pullman car
,,.,seaneera. only two of whom aus
aimed INJURIES worth netting This was
ana uartly to the heavier conAsrne-
80, az tho Pullman cars. and partly
VI ,hwlr position at the rear or the
The independent., 1907-04-04

Rumors that Emperor William mas
definitely decided to enroll his NTH
son, Prince Oscar, at Harvard next
September have been confirmed One
reason given for this decision is a de-
sire on the part of the emperor to nave
his son grow up with son of President
Roosevelt The president will have two
sons at Harvard next year. This IS, OF
course, not the broad reason. That
is no doubt found in the general Ger
man policy of getting acquainted with
the manners and habits of thought OF
other countries and as far as possible
to win their good will. This is the
deliberate policy of every ambitious ma
ton except, perhaps, the United States.
This country is full of Japanese stu
dents, whose knowledge of American
ways and institutions will be invaluable
to Japan in her future dealings with
us. Just so the future of China lies
very much with the 200 Chinese stu
dents now in Japan seeking for the
secret of Japan's power to hold her
own with the Occident.
The independent., 1907-04-04

millionaire Rudolph Spreckles made
possible the rout of the grafters in San
Francisco by underwriting the ex-
pensc of the anti-graft investigation.
II is respectfully submitted to money
burdened men everywhere that here is
n way to do good with their surplus
wealth which can be adopted and no
honest man impugn their motives. Why
does the public look with distrust upon
the gifts for charitable or educational
purposes OF some of our great million
aires? For the reason that these men
are believed to have profited from and
helped to create bad or inefficient gov
ernment by the special privilege meth
cd. and that in making gifts to the
public carefully abstain from giving
for any purpose that would tend to
ieopardiZe their special and unjust adj
yantne.s. They have the appearance
of George .Elliot's character who never
stole n goose, but he gave the giblets
IN the poor The motives behind J..
pierpont Morgans gift To a New York
charity may be doubted. but a gift of
funds to he used In flushing the city
of The Official graft through which 1t
10 believed his public service corpora
lions retain their grasp on New York
r,ty poiitlcs and people. would be sub
tee, ~ no such suspicious.
The independent., 1907-04-04

Morocco Is revealed by the recent
troubles In n state OF hopeless
anarchy. Roumanla IN behaving
ab0minmhly even for a Ralkan state.
The set 10 IN Central America threat
ems to spread to all the states OF that
region All three are offering excellent
excuses for somo sedate biz neigh
hor 20 bind them over TO keep the
peace. France u already on the way
10 Morocco