davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1907-01-03
PUBLIC ROADS.

We, the committee on public roads,
beg to make the following report:
We cell the attention of the Ordina-
~ to fix, as soon gs practical, certain
hill on Powder Springs road known as
the Hunter hill, in Powder Springs dis
trict, one mile east CT Powder Springs,
Also 10 have new bridge built across
Moss creek, known 40 the Carlisle
bridge.
We do not concur With the former
grand jury in regard to issuing bonds,
but recommend computation tax to be
raised from two dollars and fifty cents
to four dollars. Also recommend the
Ordinary to work the convicts on the
public roads as soon as practical and
levy o tax not to exceed twenty cents
on the one hundred dollars, to be judic-
iously used on the public roads.
We also recommend that our Repre-
sentatives have such legislation enact.
ed that Is necessary to provide County
Commissioners for Cobb county to act
in conjunction with the Ordinary in
the management of the road work. We
make this recommendation in the be-
half that the county's business has
grown to such an extent that it re-
quires more time than one man can
possibly devote to it.
We recommend that the Ordinary
employ civil engineer and survey
suitable public road leading from the
new steel bridge crossing Chattaboo-
chez river, known as Ross bridge, up
by Winnings and out to the Atlanta pub
lie road. And further, have the road
fixed ct the Collins bridge and where
the street car passes over the Atlanta
road
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1907-01-03
coURT-HousE AND JAIL

We heartily approve the efforts Of
the Board of Education to establish
larger and better schools in the county.
We find County Treasurer's books in
which he has all receipts entered stat
ing when received, who from and on
what account, and on the opposite side
stating on what date and to whom paid
the number OF the voucher on which it
is paid and for what purpose.
We find the Ordinary's books in q
good business system that is very easy
to check his various warrants and we
find that he has drawn warrants since
July 1st to Nov. LIST, 1908, amounting
to $9,675.97.
We find the County Clerks books of
the Superior Court neatly and system
atically kept.
We find the Tax Collectors books
show the full amount Of taxes for 1903
to be $50 .07s.04. His books show coll
lected up TO Dec. 8, 1905, $3.50. 78
leaving the balance TO be collected, $685.
545.26. We find that he holds proper
receipts FOR money turned over to the
County Treasurer.
We recommend that o. D. Gam be
appointed N P. OF Coxes district.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1907-01-03

Some men become conspicuous
by constantly looking ON the dark
side OF everything.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1907-01-03
Grand jury Presentments


We, the grand jury, chosen and
sworn for the second week Cobb Supe-
rior Court, November Term. 1908, beg
leave to submit the following general
presentments:
We have, through the various COM
mittees from this body made examine
ton OF the public buildings and offices
as thoroughly as the time would per-
NIT brief summary of our findings and
recommendations.
AIMS HOUSE.
We find the aims house farm in
good condition, showing the compe-
tency of Mr.. W. +. Brooks, who has
charge Of the same. He has on hand
$50 bushels corn in shuck, 45O0 bundles
fodder. nine two-horse loads OF hay,
fifteen bushels peas, three good farm
mules, four pork hogs, two brood sows
and four pigs, four cows, four yearlings,
one set blacksmith tools, one set good
farm tools, one hundred bushels sweet
potatoes, 1900 pounds cotton seed and
% gallons syrup. We find he has elev-
en- inmates white and 4 colored, all
well cared for.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
DRESSED SEALSklN.
The Way This Beautiful Fur ]
Brought to Perfection

The Way This Beautiful Fur Is
Brought to Perfection.
If lady's sealskin jacket be com
pared with the coarse, hard or dry
salted. sealskin as imported, or, still
better, with the coat Of the living fur
seals, one is struck with the vast diff
ference between them
Passing our fingers among the hairs
of the cat or dog, we may notice fine
short hairs at the roots of the longer,
cOarser general covering of the animal.
This is so called under fur. But in the
greater number Of these animals the
short hairs are so few and often so fine
as to be, comparatively speaking, lost
sight Of among what to our eyes con-
stitutes the coat
The operation which the skin under
goes to bring out 80 to say, the fur,
may be briefly described as follows:
The skin, after being washed to rid it
of grease and 50 forth, is laid fiat on
the stretch, flesh side up. A fat knife
is then passed across the flesh sub
stance, thinning it to a very consider
able extent. In doing this, the blade
sewers the roots of the long strong
hairs, which penetrate the skin deeper
than do the soft, delicate ones under
the fur. The rough hairs are then got
rid of while the fur retains it's hold.
A variety of subsidiary manipula-
ttons, in which the pelt is softened and
preserved, are next gone through, and
then the fur undergoes a process of
dyeing which produces that deep uni
form tint SO we'll known and admired.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
AN ODD WAGER.
The Peculiar Bet "A Foreign Prince
Laid and Won In Paris

The Peculiar Bet a Foreign Prince
Laid and Won In Paris.
Gambling has always been favor
ite occupation for the sons of royal
houses, but none of them probably
has ever exhibited so much wit and
ingenuity in his betting as a foreign
prince did at his stay in Paris.
He laid a heavy wager with a mem
ber of the Imperial club of the French
capital that within two hours he
would be arrested by the police with
out committing any offense or pro
voking the officers of the law in any
fashion. Accordingly, having clothed
himself in rags of the most dsreputa-
BILE appearance, he walked into one Of
the most aristocratic restaurants in
the city and ordered cup of chOco-
late. The waiter refused to serve him
unless he showed evidence that he
could pay. The prince at once drew
a roll of bank notes from his pocket
and offered one of large denomination
to the astonished attendant. The lat
ter took the bill and carried it at once
to the proprietor, who sent for the
police, Ia the meantime allowing his
strange guest to be served.
AS soon as the authorities arrived
they arrested the incognito son of roy
atty and took him to the nearest sta
ton, where of course he was released
after he had disclosed the facts of the
affair-New York Tribune.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
THE STAR MIRA.
A SUN of Great Size That Es~ struG-
CLING Fer Existence.

A sun of Great Size That Ia struG-
Cling For Existence.
For the greater part Of the time the
variable Mira. which has been known
to astronomers for 800 years is alto
gether unnoticeable and indeed inyis-
ible except with telescopes. 1t once
disappeared entirely for a period of
four years, but afterward attained ex
traOrdinary splendOr, only to fAU9
again to invisibility. 1t is a sun of
great size, brighter than our sun when
1t shines at its brightest but some
trouble, some solar disease seems TO
be sapping it's vitality, and it resem-
bles a patient almost at the last gasp.
Once in about 331 days-but the pc
riod is irregular-it has a sudden ac
oession of energy and flares up for a
little while with several hundredfold
brilliancy only to sink back into a
dull red point that nearly escapes the
ken of the telescope One interesting
explanation that has been suggested
is that the surface of Mira periodical
iy bursts into a vast flame of burning
hydrogen, so great and powerful that
it is visible across millions of millions
Of miles of space. 1t is a star for the
Imagination of a Dante, yet there is
reason to believe that the time is
coming when every star in the sky,
not excepting the sun, will have to
confront a similar struggle for exist
ence, just as every mortal being must
some time see death.-Garrett 4. Ser
viss in New York American.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
AN OLD GERMAN LEGEND.
The Skull with the Nail Driven
Through Its Temple.

The Skull with the Nail Driven
Through Its Temple.
At Freiburg, Baden, in front ~of an
old chapel rich in medieval painting
depicting the rewards of virtue and
the wages of sin, stands a great cross,
at its foot q skull with a nail driven
into the temple.
A shoemaker Of Freiburg, according
to tradition died suddenly in the good
old days before coroners and juries
were too inquisitive and was buried
near where the cross stands. Scarcely
had the earth upon his grave been wet
by the rains before his wife took a sec
ond husband.
Neighbors talked, but that was all.
One night the priest of the parish
awoke to find standing at the foot of
his bed the ghost Of the dead shoe
maker, The CHASTITY figure raised
CORY lock from it's forehead and point
ed to a nail driven in the temple.
The body was exhumed, and there
was the evidence Of the crime Just as
the specter had indicated. The wife
confessed the murder and was eXecut-
ed. But the skull was placed at the
foot of the cross as warning
The effect was most wholesome"
relates the truthful chronicler, 'for
since then not a wife of Freiburg has
murdered her husband :"
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
WALT WHITMAN.
Ways of the Poet Who Was Loved by
All who Knew Him.

Ways of the Poet Who Was Loved by
All who Knew Him.
This is the Walt Whitman who was
known and loved by those who met
him daily:
"After some conversation Whitman
proposed a walk across to Philadelphia.
Putting on his gray slouch hat, he sal
lied forth with evident leisure and, TAX
ing my arm as support, walked slow
ly the best part of a mile to the ferry.
Crossing the ferry was always a great
pleasure to him. The life of the street
and of the people was SO near, SO dear.
The men on the ferry steamer were
evidently old friends, and when we
landed on the Philadelphia side we
were before kng quite besieged-the
man or woman selling fish at the cor
ner of the street, the tramway con-
ductor, the loafers on the pavement-a
word Of recognition from Walt or as
often from the other first; presently
a CHEEKY shout from the top of a dray,
and before we had gone many yards
farther the driver was down and stand
ing in front of US, his horses given to
the care of some bystander. He was
an old Broadway 'stager,' had not seen
Walt for three or four years, and tears
were in his eyes as he held his hand.
We were now brought to a standstill,
and others gathered round. George
was i'll, and Walt must go and see him.
There was message for the children,
and in his pocket the poet discovered
one or two packets for absent little
ones, But for the most part his words
were few. 1t was the others who
spoke and apparently without reserve"
-"Whitman as Carpenter Saw Him"
in Craftsman.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
THE CHILD'S MIND.
Give 1t a Chance to Develop by Its
Natural Processes.


The littler they are the better, be-
cause farther removed from the world
that is ours and deeper placed in their
own world. A good baby radiates
peace. Every one who is rightly con
stituted smiles at the sight of it.
They are busy, they are cheerful.
AS rule, they seem to be kind to one
another. They are not bored, and un-
less the weather is insufferable or they
are sick they are not depressed.
What philosophers, What heroes!
Is it strange that the attitude of an
unperverted child should be the Chris
tian ideal?
The great merit of children as com
paniOns lies in the breadth of their
tolerations, They are easy to please,
agreeable to most propositions and not
very critical.
They do not ''know better" That is
one of their delightfulest traits Chill
dren will trust you, and that is one of,
the most gratifying compliments pos
sible.
In the company of children you have
relief IN considering what will pay.
The things that they do and prefer to
do, do not pay, as rule, except in the
doing of them.
Wise elders who are qualified to
train the mind of child are pretty
scarce The next best thing is the
elder who is wise enough to respect
the child's mind and give it a chance
to develop in a sympathetic atmos-
phere by its own natural processes
E. s. Martin in Harper's Magazine
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
A CATS EYES.
The Chinese Discovered Their Use as
Time Indicator.

The Chinese Discovered Their Use as
a Time Indicator.
The first European to learn of tho
use of a cat as Il time indicator was
N. Hue, who In work on the Chinese
empire tells how he was initiated into
the mystery.
NJ. Hue and Il party of friends set
out to visit a Chinese Christian mis-
sion settlement among the peasantry.
They met a young Chinaman on the
road, and to test his intelligence they
asked hin, if he could tell them the
time. The native looked up at the sky,
but the clouds hid the sun from view,
and he couldn't read any answer there.
Suddenly he darted away to farm
and returned in a few moments with a
cat in his arms, Pushing up its eyelids
with his hand, he told Hue to look at
them, at the same time volunteering
the information that it was not noon
yet. While they were puzZling over
the case the boy went about his bust
ness.
When the party reached the village,
they asked the Christian converts If
they could tell the time by cats eyes
and how it was done. Immediately
there was a wild hunt, and all the cats
Obtainable in the neighborhood were
brought before them.
The Chinese pointed out that the pu-
pills Of cats eyes were gradually mar
rover up to u noon, when they be-
came scarcely perceptible lines drawn
perpendicularly across the eye, and
after that dilation recommended. Hue
examined the eyes of several cats and
verified what the Chinese had told
him.-Chicago Chronicle
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
VALUE OF FINGERS.
What the Various Countries of Eu-
rope Allow For Their Loss.


rope Allow For Their Loss.
The different fingers are far from
having the same value in the eyes of
the law with reference to their func-
tiOnal utilization. Much the most i'm
portant is the thumb, for without it
The hand is no longer pinchers, but
merely a claw, when deprived of the
thumb. 1t may be estimated that the
thumb represents fully third of the
total value of the hand. The French
courts allow 10 to 80 per cent value
for the right hand and 10 to 10 for
the left The Austrian schedule gives
from 10 per cent for the left to % per
cent for the right. IL Germany 90
and % per cent and even as high as
1873 per cent has been awarded The
percentage is based on 100 as the total
Industrial value of the hand previous
to the accident, a loss of 30 per cent
representing half of the value, ETC.
The total loss of the index finger
causes an incapacity estimated at 10
to Is per cent in Austria, 16 to 20 per
cent in Germany, 10 per cent for the
left and 20 per cent for the right by
Italian courts. The French allow Is
per cent.
The middle finger is Of much more
Importance than the index, states Dr.
Meiguan, whom we are citing and who
Is no small authority, for a great loss
Of force is observed in the hand when
the finger is amputated. Yet almost
all the authorities ascribe less impor-
tance to it than the index The italian
law allows 3 per cent, the Austrian 5
to 10 per cent
The ring finger is the least important
Its total loss often does not cause in
capacity. The Austrian tariff assimi.
lates this finger to the middle one. The
italian law is liberal, with 8 per cent.
The French and German tribunals Of
ten refuse indemnity, considering the
incapacity resulting from the loss as
very slight.
The little finger may be compared to
the ring, except in thn professions In
which it serves as a point of support
for the hand. 1t may be remarked here
that the artist has not been taken into
consideration in these cases.-Philadel.
phia Record.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
What He Wanted.

'How will you have your hair cut,
sir?" said the talkative barber to the
victim III the chair.
"Minus conversational prOlixity,' re
piled the patient.
"How's that, STRIP
''With abbreviated or totally elimi-
mated narrations"
"WhatY'
without effervescent verbosity. Let
even diminutive colloquy be conspicu-
GUS by its absence"
The barber scratched his head
thoughtfully a second and then went
over to the proprietor of the shop and
whispered, II don't know whether that
man in my chair is mad or a foreigner,
but can't find out what he wants"
The victim had to explain that he
wanted the job done in silence.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
HANDLING A TIGER.
How a Turl6Oman Subdued a SnarI-
ing, Angry Man Eater.

ing, Angry Man Eater.
"In a cage near the room in which
lived while in Khiva," says Langdon
Warner in the Century Magazine,
"was tiger from the Oxus swamps.
He had taken a dislike to me, and
every time l passed his cage he got
up and paced angrily toward me.
snarling.
Into the cage of this beast, at the
command of the prince, a TurkOman
stepped, armed with a short stick as
big round as his wrist. With this
stick he struck the tigers nose as he
made for him, and then, with palms
out and eyes fixed, he walked slowly
up to the shrinking beast and stroked
his face and flank.
"'The tiger snarled and took the
mans hand in his open mouth. l held
my breath and looked for the bleed
ing stump to fall away; but, keeping
that hand perfectly still, with the
other lie tickled the tigers jowl and
scratched his ear till with a yawn and
a pleased snarl the big eat rolled
over on his back to have his belly
Scratched.
"The man then sank to his knees,
always keeping his hands In motion
over the glossy fur, and with his foot
drew toward him collar attached to
chain. This he snapped round the
beasts neck and. rising to his feet,
laid hold OF the chain and dragged the
tiger out.
This was only the second time that
the cage had been entered. AS soon
as the tiger was outside ne espied the
watching party and started for them,
but came up short on the collar. If he
had chosen to use his weight and
strength no four Of them could have
held his tether, but as it was the
Turkoman found little difficulty with
him and held him, snarling. While
camera was snapped"
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
INSECT SUPERSTlTIONS.

The Koran says all flies shall perish
with the exception Of one, the bee fly.
1t is regarded as a death warning in
Germany to hear cricket's cry in the
night.
The Tapuya Indians of South Ameri-
ca assert that the devil assumes the
shape of a fly.
The grasshoppers are said to fore
warn people in Germany of the visits
af strange guests.
The Spaniards in the sixteenth cen
tury thought that spiders indicated the
existence of gold wherever they were
In abundance.
Although a sacred insect among the
Egyptians, the beetle receives little no.
tice in folklore. 1t is unlucky in Eng
land to kill one
The ancients believed that there was
close connection between bees and
the soul. An old Welsh tradition is
that bees came from paradise, leaving
the garden when man fell, but with
Gods blessing, so that the wax is nee
essary in the celebration of the mass.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
ORIENTAL JUGGLERS.
Feats Performed by Chinese and
East Indian Magicians.


East Indian Magicians,
During a trip through the far east
I was much impressed with the won
derful feats performed by some of the
Chinese and Indian jugglers and
sleight of hand artists" said a Chi,
cago man the other day. "In Ameri-
can theaters we see some skillful
work along these lines, but the per-
former is usually at a considerable
distance from the spectators and
could employ many aids that the ori-
entails do not use
Il have seen Chinese and Indian
magicians come on board a ship and
in the center of circle of passengers
perform tricks that are litsAa short of
marvellous. For instance, one of the
Chinese would ask a spectator to
place a coin in the latter's hand. The
Chinaman would close the fingers one
after another over the piece of money
and then, by passing his hands over
the closed fist of his subject" would
In some mysterious manner extract
the coin. | have had this trick work
ed on me q number of times, and 1
am no nearer to knowing how it is
done than l was the first time
'"Then | have seen an Indian magi-
clan come out on deck, place a small
seed on the planks, pour a little water
over it, cover with a small cloth for a
moment and then remove the cloth to
disclose n living plant foot or more
high. These fellows do not wear long
baggy sleeves in which a piano might
almost be concealed, but have bare
arms. There is said to be clan of
jugglers, among whom the secrets of
the craft are jealously preserved and
handed down from father to som
Detroit Free Press.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-01-19
A Contrary Flag

If ever there was anything in the
world that went by contraries, it is
the Chinese flag 1t will be recalled
that it is one of the gayest of national
standards The body of the banner is
of a pale yellow. In the upper left
hand corner is d small red sun, and
looking at it is a fierce Chinese dragon.
About 1000 years ago, so the story
runs, the Chinese made war upon the
japanese. They prepared for a great
invasion. As prophecy of victory
they adopted a standard which is that
of the present time They took the
sun of Japan and made it very small.
This they put in front Of the dragons
mouth to express the idea that the
Chinese dragon would devour the Jap
anese. 1t happened, however, that the
Chinese fleet, conveying an army Of
100000 men, was wrecked on it's way
to Japan by a great storm, and all but
three of the 100000 perished. The re-
suit of recent events has not been any
more convincing than the first affair
that the Chinese flag has been cor
rectly conceived