davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Tupelo journal., 1907-11-08
TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI FRIDAY. NOVEMBER g. 1907.

before the election. The reason
| remember this so well is the
incident connected with the hurt
the morning after it occurred.
He said to me, my son, / was
wrong last night at the supper
table when I said I will 60 to-
morrow and cast another vote. ]
should have said, I will 60 to-
morrow and cast another vote if
the Lord will. Referring to
the almanac it will be seen that
the election in Mississippi occur
red in 1881 on November 7th. /
remember very distinctly to have
remained at home to vote and
started Immediately after dinner
to New Albany to attend to some
professional business, and re-
turned home on the 9th of No.
vember, going one road and re-
turning another, and I can say
that l noticed carefully and I saw
cotton in two fields only. In
those days the farmers in many
places sowed wheat, and / no.
ticed in several places where the
cotton fields had been plowed up
and the land sowed to wheat.
You know people very often say,
Il never saw so long dry spell,
or so fearful wet spell" The
truth is they have seen it often,
but have forgotten it. remem-
ber one year about thirty years
ago, | was attending the circuit
in Pontotoc, and while there it
rained until all the creeks were
overfowed, and I had difficulty
in getting home. Just what time
in August this was I do not now
remember, but l know it was in
August, and I know it was be-
fore the death of my father, and
l also distinctly remember that it
rained no more, not even q sprin.
kle, until after Christmas, and
the first water that fell was a
snow. / Also remember a very
wet year quite awhile ago. It
was previous to 1883. We had a
very dry spring. Some poor,
and doubtless distressed fellow
rode my horse off one night from
my farm, nowned by our towns
man, OBJ. Rogers, and old Uncle
Billy Rains, who had a heart as
big as all out doors, and who
never failed to assist the dis
tressed, went with me in search
of the stolen horse. AS we re-
turned through the forest, l
heard a tree frog hollow. J. said,
"BilI, it will rain in three days. -
l called his attention to the noise
of the frog, and within three
days, and on the 30th day of May
it began raining, and one flood
came after another till the 25th
day of July, and that I have al
ways called the wettest year of
my memory.
The year to which all the old
people refer as the great crop
year is 1856. 1t was a very dry
winter and Spring, barely rain
ing enough to bring up the crops
No rain of any CONSEQUENCE fell
till crops were laid by, which was
done earlier than now. But from
the middle of July through Au-
gust it showered every few days
till the crops were fully matured,
and | think we made the best all
round crop we have ever raised
in this section.
In the year 1857 l lived in St
Clair county, Ala., and that was
the coldest year | have ever ex-
perienced. There was frost ev-
cry month in the year except
August. There was considerable
frost the 4th Of July. l returned
to Mississippi in September, and
late in that month as was on
my way home, / saw much more
frost than we have had at any
one time this fall.
| w. L. CLAYTON. :
! >o>------
Democracy Has Off Day.
The Tupelo journal., 1907-11-08
NASHlNCTONS
LAND GRANTS.

To Be Brought Before Congress!
by Legal Heirs -Couniry's
Father Struck OIL.
Washington, --(Special) The
estate Of George Washin ton, af
ter lying dormant in the circuit
court Of Fairfax county for more
than a hun1.'sd years, was re-
opened yesterday by the app oin-
tment of an admin ni'saf1or for
the undistributed assets.
The appointment was made
upon the application of Lawr-
ence Washington and S. w. Wash
ington. heirs .at-law of George
Washington. Robert E. Lee,
Jr. of Fairfax county, was ap-
pointed administrator. He is a
grandson Of general Robert E.
Lee and a great grandson of
Light Horse Harry" Lee, Gen.
eral Washington's chief of cal
very.
The object of this proceeding
is to recover the lands in Ohio
which were granted to Washing
ton by the British government
and later by the United States in
recognition Of his military SER
vices to both governments.
1t is hardly hoped, however,
that the heirs will recover the
specific tracts Of land, since these
were through mistakes subse.
quently granted to actual settlers
upon them, but on default of
such recovery the heir; expect
to obtain from congress a sum Of
money equivalent to their value.
Whether their value at the time
of the grant to Washington or at
the present time is question.
If the heirs should be awarded by
congress the present value it
would run up on to the hundreds
of millions, as the town site of
Cincinatti is embraced in one of
the grants.
According to General Washing
tons will he owned three large
tracts of land on the Ohio river
bottoms aggregating nearly ten
thousand acres.
One of these grants embraces
Point Pleasant. the birth place of
General Grant Another of sew
eral thousand acres is in Round
bottom, the present site of Gin
cinati and a third at the mouth
of the Kanawha is valuable fol
coal and oil. Of this last tract
General Washington wrote in his
will "this tract was taken up by
General Lewis and myself on ac-
count of the bituminous spring
which it coutains of imfammable
a natute as to burn as freely as
spirits and is nearly as difficult to
extinguish."
This is the first mention Of pc
troleum in the United States and
from this 1t is clear that Wash.
ington was the first to realize its
Importance. In his will he con.
jures his heirs not to dispose of
this particular tract as this "bit.
luminous spring will some day be
of immense value.
The present heirs at law are
great nephews of Washington,
being grandchildren of Bushrod
Washington a nephew Of George
Washington and an associate
Judge of the first supreme
court.
The Administrator, Robert E
Lee. Jr., will push the settle
ment of the claims as soon a.
congress meets, The two heir
at whose instance the estate wa
re-opened both reside in Virgin
la Lawrence Washington a
Alexandria, and S. Washington
at Lexington. The former is al
nmnl0va in thn congressional II
The Tupelo journal., 1907-11-08
VERONA WILL
issue BONDS
So Say Their Citizens Last Tuesday
By a Four to One Vote Other.
Items Of Interest,

Mr.. and Mrs. Stubs Honnoll
and children of Tupelo were yis-
itors to Verona last Sunday.
Mr.. Gordon and his family who
have recently moved to town are
warmly welcomed.
Mrs. James Kincannon and
her sister, Mrs. Davie, have re-
turned from visit to Tupelo.
Their presence at home is always
a source of pleasure to their
friends.
Chancellor A. A. Kincannon,
of the State University, visited
his mother last week. His ma
ny friends always feel honored
to have this distinguished educa.
tor present in his home town.
Misses Bessie Linton and An
ME Honnoll are leaving this
week to begin teaching in the
county public schools.
Mrs. George Harris of Mem
phis has been spending a few
days with her sister, Mrs. A. H.
Pegues.
Miss Adele Clark is spending
the week in Okolona.
Miss Lila Gardner was a pleas
ant visitor to Mrs. Milan Sunday.
Mrs. Muntz is visiting her
daughter, Mrs. Robt. Burt.
DR.. Hunter Scales of Starkville
visited DR.. Spencer's family last
Friday.
Miss Lucia Tankessley visited
Verona Monday.
Miss 10 Bell and sister, Mar
garet, spent Saturday and Sun
day at Nettleton.
The little folks in Miss Sallie
Kilpatrick's room are rejoicing
oyer her return to school after a
weeks absence caused by illness.
Miss Sallie if deservedly popular
with all who know her.
Mrs. N. M. Hay and Miss
Margaret are at home again af-
ter an absence of a month.
Miss Annie Mcfarland of Alb
erdeen is a highly appreciated
visitor to the family of Nm. Hay.
Mrs. Robt. Garmon entertained
the Twentieth Century Club on
Saturday afternoon.
Miss Tarlie Stegall of Ever
green is the guest of Miss Lizzie
Armstrong.
Mr.. w. S. Sparks has moved
into his new home north of town.
We are glad to have this family
come into our midst.
Mr.. Irl Armstr ,ng Of Tupelo
has been visiting the family of
his uncle, Mr.. L. T. Taylor.
Mrs. Edward Burckel will Wis
| it Atlanta next week to attend
the marriage of Mr.. Burckel, of
New York, to one of Atlanta S
fair daughters.
The residence of Mr.. Gregory
in the northern part of town is
nearing completion. 1t is a
handsome cottage that will add
much to the appearance of that
part OF town. -
The new residence of Mr., &C.
Armstrong will soon be ready
for occupancy. When Mr.. Arm
strong moves to his new home,
Mr.. Jeff Mallory of near Shan
non will move into the house now
occupied by him.
The friends of the Verona High
School were much gratified at
the vote polled last Saturday in
favor Of a new school building.
By a vote Of four to one it was
decided to issue bonds for the
erection of a commodious brick
building. The time honored
building now occupied is very
dear to many hearts who would
plead that it be dealt with gently.
Nevertheless, it will be a proud
day when the school has modern
quarters.
On the evening of November
18th, the second number of the
/ Verona Lyceum Course will be
| given by Hon. Luther Manship,
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Nineteen-HoUr DAYS.

Our hours" said a nature stud
ent, are nothing to the birds. Why,
some birds work in the summer 10
hours a day. Indefatigably they clear
the crops of insects.
The thrush gets up at 2:30 every
summer morning. He rolls up his
sleeves and falls to work at once. And
he never stops till $50 at night. A
clean 10 hours. During that time he
feeds his voracious young 206 times.
The blackbird starts work at the
same time as the thrush, but he lays
off earlier. His whistle blows at 7:30,
and during his 17-hour day he sets
about 100 meals before his Riddles.
The titmouse is up and about by 3
mouse is said to feed his young, AT
in the morning, and his stopping time
is 9 at night. A fast worker, the tit
meals-meals of caterpillar mainly
in the long, hard, hot day
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
QUITE ELIGIBLE.

A big. burly-looking fellow. a per-
walked into the Office of a prominent
accident insurance company the other
day, and applied for a policy
Certainly said the secretary Are
you engaged in any hazardous bust
ness2',
Not in the least replied the appli-
cant.
Does your business make it neces-
sary for you to handle loaded firearms
or weapons of any kind?"
No, SIR
Would your business ever require
you to be where there were excited
crowds-for instance, at a riot or q
fire?''
Every seldom
rs your business such as to render
you liable to injury from tram-cars or
runaway horses?"
mo, sir
Does your business throw you in
contact with the criminal clasSes2"
Very rarely, indeed, sir
Il think that you are eligible. What
is your business?'
Il am policeman"
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
TURKEY OUR NosLEsT Bird
Crossing with the Wild Species to
Improve Market Product.

The most notable American bird In
the farm category is the turkey, grow
ing as he does to the great weight of
90 and even 40 pounds, and losing
nothing in flavor and toothsomeness-
Likewise the most regal of our re-
naming game girds is his blood BROTH
er, the wild turkey, from which he has
descended.
There is perhaps no instance where
domestication has scored so little in
Improvement as with the turkey In
fact, in some respects the tanning and
breeding have hurt instead of helped
the species.
No prize domestic gobb1er is ever
SO beautifully marked or so resplend
ent with feathers of black shaded with
rich bronze and Illuminated with
luStrouS finish of Furnished copper as
is the typical wild turkey, while the
vigor and vitality of the wild bird is
such that to this day we strengthen
the most virile of our bronze turkeys
by an infusion of the wild blood.
Rhode Island stands for the best
in turkey production. The last CEN
sus shows less than 100000 turkeys
in the United States and only about
5000 produced annually in Rhode Is
lanu, yet, according TO turkey eA-
pert, if all the turkeys of the coun-
try were of such good quality as
Rhode Islands, their total value would
be doubled.
According to the department of ag-
riculture, the growing of turkeys has
greatly improved during the last few
years as result of a determined eff
fort on the part of producers of
standard bred" stock to demonstrate
that it is much more profitable to use
pure breeding stock than the smaller
and less vigorous stock of times
past.
The wild turkey is also being used
to instill further new vigorous blood
into the bronze f1ocks. Inbreeding is
the fatal defect among the practice
of many turkey growers.
The fact that turkeys will from the
time that they are six weeks old I'M
til winter gain the greater part of
their entire living from bugs, insects,
grasshoppers and waste grain assures
| their existence during this period at
| little or no cost to the grower where
| there is a sufficient range for the
| birds
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14

lar and gave him tremendous swing
jerking him high in the air and driv-
ing him against another invader with
a blow that knocked both fellows
spinning into a corner.
Come on to the library," shouted
Larry, and Bates, who had got me to
my feet, pushed me down the hall to-
ward the open library door.
We were now between two fires.
The sheriffs party had fought valiant
ly to keep us out of the library. and
now that we were within, StOddards
big shoulders held the door half closed
against the combined strength of the
men in the hail. This pause was for
tunate, for it gave us an opportunity
to deal singly with the fellows who
were climbing in from the terrace.
Bates had laid one of them low with
club and Larry disposed of another
who had made a murderouS effort to
stick a knife into him. l was with
Stoddard against the door, where the
sheriff's men were slowly gaining
upon me.
LET go on the jump when I say
three" said Stoddard, and at his word
we sprang away from the door and
into the room. Larry yelled with joy
as the sheriff and his men pitched for
ward and sprawled upon the floor;
then we were at it again in a hand-to-
hand conflict to clear the room
Hold that position, sir" yelled
Bates.
Morgan had directed the attack
against me and 1 was driven upon the
hearth before the great fireplace. The
sheriff, Morgan and Ferguson hemmed
me in. 1t was evident that I was the
chief culprit, and they wished to elm
mate me from the contest. Across the
room, Larry, Stoddard and Bates were
engaged in lively rough and tumble
with the rest of the besiegers, and
Stoddard, seeing my plight, leaped the
overturned table, broke past the trio
and stood by my side, swinging a
chair.
At that moment my eyes, sweeping
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
eoshawk,s Changing PIumaae.

1 know no bird which passes
through so many changes of plumage
and color of eyes as the goshawk
A young one which 1 have mounted
is about the size of small hen and
is covered with white down. His
eyes are pale blue 1 colored the eyes
exactly from life. When fully grown
the first plumage is dark brown above
and the eyes are pale yellow No
one would, be likely to suspect this
being a goshawk who had only seen
adult birds
Later it changes to the dark shady
blue of the adult, and the eyes, after
passing through all the intermediate
changes in color from straw yellow,
orange yellow and pink, finally as
sumo the deep rich red of the adult.
Forest and Stream
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Senator Pettus' Library.

The late Senator Pettus of Alabama
was a "Forty-niner," going overland
to California in the early days and en-
gaging in placer mining. He took with
him on that long and tedious journey
three books, the Bible, Shakespeare
and Burns poems.
He said of them at one time not
long since: L read the Bible from
cover to cover; l read the side notes;
1 read the captions of the chapters; l
learned great parts of it by heart, and
1 haven't forgotten them yet. learned
many of Burns poems by heart and
much of Shakespeare in the same way,
too Such reading of these three
books was an education in itself. 1t
is not likely that many miners en-
gagged in that search for wealth spent
their leisure in as profitable a way.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14

the wood the sheriff and Morgan
slightly in advance of the others 1
expected them to slacken their pace
when they came to the open meadow,
but they broke into quick trot at the
water tower and came toward the
house as steady as veteran campaign
ers.
Looks like business this time," ex-
claimed Larry. Spread out now and
the first head that looms over the bal
ustrade gets dose of hickory"
The attacking party now divided,
half hating between us and the bridge
and the remainder swinging around
the house toward the front entrance
.Ah, look at that" yelled Larry.
Its a battering ram they have. o
man of peace, have 1 your Majesty's
consent to try the elephant guns
now?"
Morgan and the sheriff carried be-
tween them a stick of timber from
which the branches had been cut,
and, with a third man to help, they
ran it up the steps and against the
door with a crash that came booming
and echoing back through the great
halls of the house.
gun roared again at the side of
the house, and l ran to the library,
where Larry had pushed furniture
against all the long windows save one,
which he held open. He stepped out
upon the terrace and emptied a revol-
yer at the men who were now creep
ing along the edge of the ravine be-
meath US. One of them stopped and
discharged a rifle at us with deliber-
ate aim The ball snapped snow from
the balustrade and screamed away
harmlessiy-
BAH such monkeys" he NUT
tered. 81 believe I've hit that chap"
One man had fallen and lay bowling
in the ravine, his hand to his thigh,
while his comrades paused, demon
allied.
Serves you right, you blackguard."
Larry muttered.
1 pulled him in and we damned a
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14

the broken outer doors, saw the face
of Pickering. He had come to see
that his orders were obeyed, and / re-
member yet my satisfaction, as, hem
med in by the men he had hired to
kill me or drive me out, l felt,
rather than saw, the cowardly horror
depicted upon his face
Then the trio pressed upon me. AS
1 threw down my club and drew my
revolver, some one across the room
fired several Shots whose roar
through the room seemed to arrest the
fight for an instant, and then, while
Stoddard stood at my side swinging
his chair defensively, the great chan
de1ier, loosened or broken by the
shots, fell with a mighty crash of its
crystal pendants. The sheriff, leaping
away from Stoddard's chair, was
struck on the head and borne down by
the heavy glass.
We were all getting our second wind
for a renewal of the fight, with Nor
gan IN command of the enemy. One
or two of his men, who had gone down
early in the struggle, were now crawl
ing back for revenge. 1 think 1 must
have raised my hand and pointed at
Pickering, for Bates wheeled like a
| flash and before l realized what hap
pened he had dragged the executor into
] the room.
You scoundrel-you grate.
howled the servant
| The blood on his face and bare chest
and the hatred in his eyes made him a
| hideous object; but in that lull of the
| storm while we waited, watching for
| an advantage, 1 heard, somewhere in
the wall, that same sound of footsteps
that / had remarked before. Larry
and Stoddard heard it; Bates heard it
and his eyes fixed upon Pickering with
\ a glare of malicious delight.
| There comes our old friend, the
| ghost yelled Larry
(TO BE CONTINUE ED
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14

cabinet against the door and returned
to the hall.
Meanwhile the blows at the front
door continued with increasing vio-
lence. Stoddard still stood where 1
had left him. Bates was not in sight,
but the barking of a revolver above
showed that he had returned to the
window to wreak vengeance on his en-
emies.
Stoddard shook his head in depreca-
ton.
They fired first-we can't do less
than get back at them,' / said. be-
tween the blows of the battering ram.
panel of the great oaken door
now splintered. but in their fear that
we might use the broken panel as
loophole. they scampered out into
range of Bates revolver In return we
heard a rain of small shot on the up
per windows, and a few seconds later
Larry shouted that the thanking party
was again at the terrace.
This movement evidently heartened
the sheriff. for, under a fire from
Bates. his men charged again and the
log crashed into the door, shaking it
free from the upper hinges. The low
er fastenings were wrenched loose an
| instant later, and the men came tum-
| bling into the hall-the sheriff, Nor
gan and four others 1 had never seen
before. simultaneously the thanking
party began smashing the small panes
of the library windows. We could
| hear the glass crack and tinkle above
| the confusion at the door.
! In the hall he was certainly lucky
| man who held to his weapon a mo-
| ment after the door tumbled in 1
| blazed at the sheriff with my revol-
yer, but he stumbled and half fell at
| the threshold, so that the ball passed
over him. and he promptly gripped
me by the legs and had me prone and
half dazed by the rap of my head on
| the floor.
i / suppose I was two or three min
utes at least getting my wits. 1 was
| first conscious of Bates graphing
| with the sheriff, who sat upon me, and
as they struggled with each other ]
got the full benefit of their combined
swerving, tossing weight Morgan and
Larry were trying for chance at each
other with revolvers, while Morgan
backed the Irishman slowly toward
the library. Stoddard had seized one
LOT the unknown deputies by the col
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Then He Melted Away.

Count Hickoff-You refuse me re
one kiss, Why, at Newport 1 was
loiniZed.
Miss Tabasco-I thought perhaps
were galvanized.
Count Observation-Disclosures How
extraordinary you do speak Why?
Miss TabaSco- you have
such a hard cheek--Chicago Daily
News.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
A Siqn Which Failed.

Young Husband-Seems to me, my
dear, this chicken is pretty tough
Young Wife, know it is. and /
can't understand it at all I picked it
out myself.
Did you examine it closely?
Indeed / did. looked in it's mouth
the first thing and l could see it hadn't
even cut it's first teeth yet-"-N- Y.
Weekly.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Lone Overdue.

What" queried the very young
man, was the happiest day of your
life?'-
-Tt hasn't come yet" answered the
Oldest inhabitant, sadly
Hasn't come yeti" echoed the other
in surprise When do YOU think it
will Gomez
when people cease to ask fool
questions answered the old man.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Out of the Vision.

~Ir the olden times it is said that
it was possible for a man to render
himself invisible"
-Pshaw, That's not at all remark
able. Men in this country are eoin'
it every day
You don't say so. How do
manage it2-
by marrying famor. wo- -
Smiths Weekly
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Sufficient Credentials

Careful parent-Before L can give
consent to your proposed marriage
to my daughter, I must know some
thing about your character.
Suitor-Certainly, sir. Here Is nay
bank book.
Careful Parent (after a clancy
Take her, my son. and be happy.-N-
Y Weekly.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
Preparing for the Future.

so you want more wages said
the warden of the penitentiary-
That's what / do answered the
cook This talk of Furnishing trust
magnates is getting me more nervous
every day. If I've got to learn to cook
terrapin and lobster Ia Newberg, l
want more pay. And what's more
want TO be called chef Wash
ington Star
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-09-14
u.,d Eai,es So often

Mr.. Timmid has asked if he might
call tonight j think he wants to tell
me that he loves me- said Mis-.
Yerner-
~oh." replied her sister. that goes
without saying
Yes. and I'm afraid that he Will
.oo.