davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
The Road Problem.

In what is called the "gumbo" coun-
try Of Mississippi, the road question Is
one of the greatest problems the farm
er has to deal with. Better roads are
absolutely necessary, but how are they
to be made? There is not any rock or
stone or gravel within many miles,
either above or below the surface
nothing but clay and muck. In this ex-
tremity the United States government
has come to the rescue with the most
novel and ingenious device for road
building ever invented. The roadway
is covered with cordwood Of the kind
fit for burning. This wood is oyerlaid
with few Inches of the clay which Is
to be had in abundance upon all sides.
Little flues are left through the clay
and the fuel is set on fire. When It
has burned out, the clay has been hard
ened into one great brick, as wide as
the road and as long as may be. This
brick is not hard, but it will wear off
slowly and not get muddy. A mile Of
such road can be built for about 81 400.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
A ThreefOld Cord


John Hammond and his wife had
lived together five long years, and were
strangers yet. How them came togeth-
y people could never understand any
more than they understood what you
and I saw In our respective Darby or
Jean. It was one of those marriages
which are seldom satisfactory, simply
because the husband and wife are In
some respects as like as two peas, and
b others far as the poles asunder.
Iron sharponeth iron, we are told,
and Johns rasping remarks, which did
not mean all they suggested, had the ef-
feet of causing his wife to resist with
ell her strength what sounded like pre-
emptory commands. They were not in
tended as such, but he was too proud
% explain; the woman capable Of see
ing the best in him was allowed to see
only the worst.
Both were just-neither had develop
ID generosity. Each looked from his
and her own standpoint, and found tho
ether wanting. Both were honorable,
proud, strong-willed, and self-contain-
bdI there the resemblance ended.
Mrs. Hammond loved certain OF her
neAghbors, and delighted in society. Her
husband was studiously inclined; loved
reading by his f1reside, and did lot care
Tor what he termed frivOlity. She was
musical; he knew not one note from
another. His idea Of happiness was
TO be let alone" to be allowed to spend
bis leisure as he chose, which meant
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
Ol0
gA11nrifR4
0OONNS~N%N~
Indian Summer.

When the hunters moon is waning,
And hangs like a crimson bow,
And the frosty fields Of morning
Are white with a phantom snow,
Who then is the beautiful spirit
That, wandering, smiles and grievem
Along the desolate hillsides,
And over the drifted leaves?
She strayed from the far-of dwelling
Of forgotten Indian braves,
And stolen wistfully earthward
Over the path of graves;
She has left the cloudy gateway
OF the hunting-grounds ajar,
To follow the trail of the Summer
Toward the morning star!
There's a rustic of soft, slow footsteps,
The toss of purple plume,
And the glimmer of golden arrows
Athwart the hazy gloom.
TITS the smoke of the happy wigwams
That reddens our wintry sky,
The scent of unfading forests
That is dreamily floating by.
o shadow-sister of Summer
Astray from the world of dreams,
Thou wrath of the bloom departed,
Thou echo of the Spring tide streams,
Thou moonlight and starlight vision
OF day that will come no more.
Would that our love might win thee
To dwell on this stormy shore
But the roaming Indian goddess
Stays not for our tender sighs-
She has heard the call of her hunters
Beyond the sunset skies
By her beaming arrows stricken,
The last leaves futtering fall,
With a sigh and smile she has vanished
And darkness is over all.
Frances Laughton Mace.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
A bright Bird.

The cuckoo is as likely to steal its
nest as to make it, but this fact does
not take from the point of the follow
ing pun, quoted from Short Stories:
A young Englishman being asked at
dinner whether he would have some
birds nest pudding, said, turning to
his hostess: "Ah, yes. Birds nest pud-
ding, and what kind of a bird may
have made it,"
"Oh, it was the cook who made It."
was her prompt reply.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14

keyboard old, where slim hands wander white
Through twilight pink and CLEANS strangely srongI
Note after note like hutering wings, takes flight,
And, straylng, forms a pensive little song,
Discreet remote, enchanting, too but slight
where perfumes thronG
Is this sudden stiffness grading
To that fart ballads dream-ike ebb and fowl
What wouldst thou have Of me, dim meodyf
Musical ghost, what Is 1t thou would'st know
the window the garden
Wavering fading, oath
Translated the French Paul Verane
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
Mean.

"I think that Mrs. WeIldressed Il
just too mean for anything"
"Why, what's the matter now?"
AZ met her on the street car and Of
fered to pay her fare. And would yoI
believe it, the mean thing let me-
Detroit Free Press.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
.Iud@me nf.

Mr.. Redd- There goes Mr.. and Mrs.
Greene in their new car.
Mrs. Redd-What make is it. dear
Same as ours"
"Oh, is it? 1t doesn't smell the
same, does it?''-Yonkers Statesman.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
No Sale in Sight.

Silas Stubble-I reckon the pros
poets nv us sellln' the Philippines looks
mighty slim at present.
Hiram burrows my way Nv
thinkin' ROCKEFELLER an Hartman are
too sore at us Jest now to make any
bids fer them there islands.-Puck.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
Not Like IemueY

81 Medders-What does Lemuel say
in his letter, ma?
Mrs. Medders- wants some more
money-jOined one of them frat things
with a jingly furrin name to it. He
SEE the fellers rushed him for a month,
whatever that is.
Swell, you can depend on it, Lem
uel didn't do no rushin' onless he's
changed a whole lot.-San Francisco
Call.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14

When a woman is determined to
make her hat do" another season, she
says: L don't find the hats very tempt
fn0n
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14

The fir st thing a girl who wears ell
bow sleeyes in the winter does, when
she enters the house at home, is to ask
why they don't have more fire.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14

A man who knows something other
people do not know, thoroughly enjoys
telling 1t.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14

81 see you have a new typewriter"
"Not very new, but very fresh."-
Houston Post.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14

Enoking his cigarette, and reading
through all the evening hours
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
Early Refriaeration.

The most ancient method of making
ice is practiced in parts of India.
Holes are made in the ground, dry
straw is put at the bottom of these.
and on it at the close of the day are
placed pans of water which are left
until the next morning when the ice
that is found within the pans is col
lected This industry is carried on
only in districts where the ground is
dry aud will readily absorb the vapol
given OFF from the water in the pans.
The freezing. Of course. is due to the
great amount of heat absorbed by the
vapor in passing from its liquid to its
gaseous form.
Another process was practiced in the
day of ancient Rome. when the wealthy
are said to have had their wines cool
ed by having the bottles placed in wa
ter into which saltpeter was thrown
the bottles being the While rotated.
DR.. Cullen in 1885 discovered that
the evaporation of water could be fa
cilitated by the removal of the pres.
sure OF the atmosphere and that by
doing this water could be frozen
Nairn in 1777 discovered that sulphur
ic acid would absorb the vapor of wa
ter if placed in second vessel sep
arate from that containing the water
but connected with 1t. This discovery
he put to use in 1910 by constructing
an apparatus for absorbing the vapol
of the water that it was desired to coo
or freeze. This apparatus greatly ia
cllitated the freezing operations of {
vacuum freezing machine.
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
Curious Westmorland custor,

A strange custom is observed yearly
in the small hamlet Of Week, in West
morland. in commemoration of an in
cident that happened in the year 1911
That year there was plague of wasps
and many persons throughout the
country succumbed to the poisonous
sting. The little hamlet holds the rec
ord for its number Of victims, and in
memory Of the occurrence memorial
tablet was erected on the moor there
Now each year there is process IN.
Most of the inhabitants turn out, ~;
rying insect powder and other devices
for killing wasps. and march to the
memorial stone. where a short service
Is held by the minister of the parish.
When the service is over general cru
sade Is made in search of wasps' nests.
which are Immediately destroyed.
Some carry guns. some rags saturated
iii turpentine. while others carry par
affin. which is poured into the nest and
match applied. The. anniversary is
considered the most important event of
the year.-English Country Gentleman
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01

his evenings there when other distlac
tions did not offer. He was always
certain of finding Eda home and rs
regularly in good humor. He could
not know at what cost she recruited al
times her tagging energy that he might
not see how hard the struggle was for
her.
Now the CHEEKY place seemed dark
and lonesome. and. With sobbing cry.
she threw herself upon the sofa and
gave vent to the grief within her soul!
John Porter had never been demon
strative man, but she had not dreamed
that his calls We're merely because he
liked to spend Il rastfrl evening in her
homelille apartment.
Now he had gone in search of wife,
and she should lead her life alone.
Ions ago the time for making new
friends had passed.
Somehow during the next two weeks
she managed to keep up her work
while always the dull ache was in her
heart and the soft color faded from
her cheeks and the slender hands be
came more slender. Porter had not
written. He never was much of a
hand at letter writing. and she did not
even know where he had gone. Then
wiring her heart afresh.
"Have discovered her." it ran. 'tWill
be home this evening and will call to
tell you about it,
So his quest had been successful.
Eda signed the book and stood, staring
after the departing messenger, wonder
ing what impulse had led her to tip
the lad quarter for bringing her bad
news. Womanlike, she seldom tipped,
but some impulse had led her to give
the hoy the money, and even in the
first new access of her grief she had
wondered at her liberality
Late in the afternoon Eda reused
herself to make the little fiat presenta-
ble 1t would probably be the last
could not receive calls from an engag-
ed man. She wanted him TO remember
the place at it's best.
1t was q very inviting room that
Porter entered that evening. The Nor
ris chair was drawn close to the Win
dow. and his ash tray was beside it on
the taboret. The shaded lamp sent
out soft glow that did not suggest
heat, as did the gas, and Eda in her
daintiest gown sat by the other win
dow. Porter looked about him with
pleasure.
.'This seems like home." he sighed,
'.only l want bigger place. this is Sc
tiny. It's different from hotel room
even at hotel where you are sup.
posed to get the best. They can't make
ehe rooms seem homelike.''
'sWhere did you go?" she asked.
"All over.'' he replied. with laugh.
@Surely you did not expect to find
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
Hsrishakes.

Says Sydney Smith: On meeting a
young lady who had Just entered the
garden and shaking hands with her.
II must.' said, give you lesson in
shaking hands. I see. There is moth
ing more characteristic than shakes
of the hand. have classified them
Lister, when he was here. illustrated
some Of them. Ask Mrs. Sydney to
show you his sketches of them when
you go in.
''There is the high ofticial--the body
erect and Il rapid. short shake near the
chin. There is the mortmain-the flat
hand introduced into your palm and
hardly conscious of it's contiguity; the
digital = one finger held out. much
used by the high clergy. There is the
shaken rusticus. where your hand is
seized in an iron grasp. betokening
rude health. warm heart and distance
from the metropolis. but producing a
strong sense Of relief on your part
when you find your hand released and
your fingers unbroken.
"The next to this is the retentive
shake-one which. beginning with
vigor. pauses, as it were, to take
breath, but without relinquishing its
prey. and before you are aware begins
again. till you feel anxious as to the
result and have no shake left in you.
There are other varieties, but this is
enough for one lesson.'
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
AoIdins His Own.

Scattered through the pine clad
mountains of California live some griz,
Ely old miners whose dry wit is often
amusing. After many years absence q
certain gentleman returned to the little
mountain town that had been his
birthplace. The first person he met
was an old miner who had known him,
as boy. 6s
"Howdy. Tom?" he said us he shook
hands. "How've you been getting
along all these years?'
The old fellow shifted his quid of3
tobacco. spat into the dust. then said
In the habitual drawl. "Waal, I didn't
have darn cent when / come here
forty year ago. an I'm holdin' my
own."-Judge Library.
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
Tn, Black Sea,

The Black sea differs in most re
markable manner from other lakes and
seas. A surface current flows contin.
ually from it into the Mediterranean
terranean into the Black sea. The lat
ter current is salt and. being heavie,
than the fresh water above 1t. becomes
stagnant at the bottom. Being satu.
rated with sulphureted hydrogen. this
water will not maintain life. and Sc
the Black sea contains no living thing
below the depth Of about a hundred
fathoms. Its area is 189.5O0 square
miles, 1t is TAO miles long, and lts
greatest width Is 800 miles.
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
A Lucky Hit.
By Martha Cobb Sanford.
Copyrighted, 1907, BY Homer Sprague.

A man sat on the brow of a hill and
kicked himself. Incidentally he was
smoking a cigarette and watching ths
sunset
Why, oh, why, had he ever thought
that he needed absolute rest and quiet
that he didn't want ever to hear ap
plause again or to look into peoples
faces? A solid week of this coveted
solitude had made him IA sadder and
a wiser man." What wouldn't he give
this very moment for something tt
happen?
He jumped up suddenly. Something
had happened. something very aggra
vating AS he stopped down to pick uE
the little green apple that had hit hin
square ou the shoulder a boyish laugh
rang out on the other side OF Il nearh!
fence.
He threw the apple back over the
fence again and reversed his oninio:
on the value Of absolute quiet.
The next night the same thing hap
pened. only this time when the apple
reused him from his revcric the SUl
had been some time set ani darkness
and silence were stealing over the Iii.
"l'll catch that kid this time" h.
said, jumping up.
With Il run and Il bound he made tils
fence and landed lightly on the otle!
side face to face With young fellow
almost as tall as himself
well, bless my soul. he exclaimed
II expected to find Il kid. was con,
ing over to lick you
"Forget il. returned the youth. lrnH
ing the way to a seat under a luXn'i
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
Obligjiing
ID. ID. ID.
BY NJ. M. CUNNINGHAM.
BY NJ. NJ. CUNNINGHAM.
Copyright. 1907. by NJ. NJ. Cunningham.

Carman scowled as tiny figure in
brown linen scuttled across the lawn.
"Up to more mischief" he growled
"Just had one spanking and getting
ready for another. hope he gets it
It's pity can't give it to him. He'd
remember it better than the hairbrush
sessions he usually has"
Daniel Davenport Dudley slipped
around corner of the carriage house.
and Will Carman resumed his book
The day was far too fine for reading
but his clothes were downstairs dry
Ing out, and one Of Bob Dudlcy's dress.
ing gowns was scarcely an appropriate
costume for outdoor exercise.
He had RIM down to his partners
bungalow for the day only. lie had
wanted to make Il base of operations
against Ruth Emory. wi,n was stay,
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
Locating
Mrs. Porter.
.... BY CARL WILLIAMS.
Copyrighted, 1907, by Jessie Morgan.

"Do you know" said Porter, with the
air of a person who makes great dis.
covery, II think l ought to get mar
ried."
For moment Eda Kirby's heart
stopped beating, but Porter continued
in his easy, placid tones:
'You see. am pretty comfortably
fixed now. and it is high time I looked
about me. think shall take vaca-
tion and go to the mountains. ought
to find some one up there who should
suit me we'll enough to be Mrs. Porter
And so l won't be around again.
leave tomorrow night"
He rose heavily to his feet, and Eda
sprang to get his hat. forcing to her
lips the smile that masked but poorly
the quiverng Of her mouth. For three
years she had loved John Porter For
nearly that length of time she had
thought also that he loved her.
"Goodby and good luck" she said as
he passed through the door. 'You will
let me know when your quest has sue
cecdcd. won't you:''
'"ro be sure" he agreed. "Talle care
of yourself and don't get sick"
He patted the slender hand tylat still
lay within his own and turned to the
stairs. Edt watched him past the next
landing and then stepped into the
apartment that had been her homo
ever since she had been forced to be-
come wage Garner.
1t was Il tiny enough place, four
small rooms opening off !, hall the size
Of a soap box. but it was neat and
homeliie. and Porter loved to spend
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01

Ing across the river at the Blessing
tons country place. Ruth was to leave
tomorrow for Bar Harbor, and unless
he spoke today there was small cil:,nc.'
of winnin. her hand for another sy
months. Carman was no letter writer.
and he could not hope to conduct an
epistolaly courtship.
Helen Dudley, his partners wife. had
suggested the scheme of his running
down. ostensibly upon business just
al the time that Dudley was going
away He might go over to BLESSING,
toms for want of better occupation.
and the battle would be won.
But they had not counted upon D. D.
+. That Ingenious six-year-old had
spent the early morning in bridging
Wit. branches and sod the tiny stream
thai cut through the Dudley lawn.
Carman had broken through the shaky
bridge and had soaked himself to The
k1eas. Mrs Dudley had spanked D.
D. D.. but that did not dry damp
trousers nor muddy boots. and now
Carman was sitting in the guest room
smoking Bob Dudley's cigars and soft
~ ca@sing small boys and other fate"
that Kept him from Miss EmoHy's side.
Presently he laid down the book as
=. j.. D. came. around the corner Of
ti,e carriage house again. The roof re-
pairers had left some tar on the Girl
heap and in making up a ball Of the
sticky compound D. D. D, had smear
Ell his clothes With the mess.
Good" commented Carman. Now
you will get spanking No. 2. Just wall
until your mother sees you
There WAS not long to wait. D. D. D.
ran 10 the rear of the house. and pres
emily = succession of walls announced
that the youngsters condition had
been discovered by his long suffering
mother. Carman chuckled.
"Eeageance was swift my boy
You'll wind up on the gallows yet"
Tarnan was not ordinarily heartless
md, as rule. he was fond Of children
but the provocation had been great.
Mrs. Dudley tapped on his door, and
Carmau answered.
'no you think" she asked sit would
| hurt your boots to put them in the
oven to dry? We had them in the sun.
but they are drying very slowly. Here
are your other Clothes"
Carman decided in favor Of the oven:
anything to hurry the process. Per
haps. after all, he might be in time.
| He assumed his restored clothing and
shuf!icd down to the porch in Bob
Dud!ey's bath slippers. Carman was a
six foot giant. while Dudley was small!
and dapper There was nothing in the
house that would fit Carman
On the porch he chatted with his
hostess and found it more pleasant to
| talk of Ruth than to sit in room by
himself and brood over his lost oppo.,
tunity
D.. D, D. was playing at the other
end of the piazza under the maternal
eye. With the prospect of speedy re
turn Of his footwear Carman even
found it possible to smile upon the
youngster mildly.
Then the servant came out bearing
the boots. and as she neared Carlnan
D. d. D. made a dive for the foot
wear.
81 want my tar" he exclaimed. Il
hid it there when Norah ran after me"
Norah dropped the boots on Carman's
stockinged feet. and. with IL howl OF
dismay and pain. the latter picked
them up. 1t was all too true. In the
right boot were the dark stains that
told how well the heat Of the oven had
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
''MY BROTHER WAS DETAINED IN TOWN y

''MY BROTHER WAS DETAINED IN TOWN
Gus grape arbnr. GIVE been watchin.
you every night; thought perhaps you'd
like company. so threw you an invita-
tion."
You struck it, or rather me. just
right. young man. do like company
What's your naIne?"
mix"
'"That's easy TO remember"
"Short for Nixon. What's yours?"
swim"
"What?"
"Vin--short for Vincent"
"Oh, see" And the boy laughed
merrly and slapped his knee.
Boarding down at the farm"
Yes, and beastly tired Of it. You
live here all the year around?'
Good gracious, no. Just staying Il
few weeks With my grandparents.
Dead slow. You're the only civilized
man rve seen since got here"
A brief silence followed, in which
Vincent struck match and lighted q
cigarette.
Have one, Nix?'
"No, thauks,"
"Too young, | s'pose. contracted
the habit long before was your age,
though
ooh, 'tisn't that" answered Nix
carelessly. crossing ole we'll shaped
leg over the other. But the grandpar-
ents. you know-they think it's a
crime"
"They won't be out here, will they?''
"Oh. no. But | have to kiss 'em
good night I'm their sons only son
you see--the baby of the family
Vincent laughed heartily at the boys
tone of disgust.
ANY pretty girls in the neighbor
hood?" he asked after puff or two.
"You seen any," returned Nix.
mot one1zzmore's the pity"
"You like" "'em. then?'
"Bet your life. Don't you?"
"Oh, $3.50. l get on better with fel
lows, though"
you'll get over that laughed Vim
cent. "But must be going It's near
~ pitch dark, and I'll lose my way
down to the farm"
Coming up tomorrow night?"
"Sure thing! You won't have t.
waste any more green apples on me
Good night"
One night week or so later, II
which time Vincent and his younl
friend had become great chums, tn
former proposed fishing trip over tn
mountains. but Nixon shook his heat
listlessly.
'.No hit, vin," he replied. "Neve
could stand fishing. Gets your hand
% messed up taking the nappin
things OF the hook"
Vincent looked at the boys fastidiou
The Washburn leader., 1907-11-01
Well Qualified.

$50 you want the position OF ad-
vance agent for our circus?" interro-
gated the manager. well we need a
man who can stir up some life every
where lie goes"
THAT'S me, boss" hastened the ap-
plicant.
"Had any experience in stirring up
life?"
"You bet l used to drive a street
sweeper and stirred up millions Of
germs every day."-Chicago News.
Long Valley advocate. (Lardo, Idaho) 1904-1907, 1907-06-27
Sweeping the Invalid's Room

Most of us know how untidy a sick
room becomes, and how annoying the.
dust of the sweeping is to the pa,
tient. TO remedy this said a trained
and capable nurse recently, Il put a
little ammonia in pail of warm wa
ter, and with my mop wrung as dry
as possible go all over the CARPET
first. This takes up all the dust and
much of the loose dirt. A broom will
take what is too large to adhere to the
mop and raise no dust. With my dust
cloth well sprinkled l go over the fur.
niture. and the room is fairly clean