davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
An AprOn-StrfnR Boy.

Come up to the postottice with us" called out Norman. I've got to mail a letter for father"
 The speaker and his sister stopped at the gate, while Ralph Preston walked down from the piazza.
 II can't go tonight" said Ralph. Mother has gone out and left the house with me-"
 "Guess the house won't run away" laughed Norman.
 "No." returned the other, but mother expects me to be here"
 "Oh, wouldn't be tied to my moth CTS apron-strlng." sneered Norman. Come on, Grace"
 How can you be so rude:" said the girl as Ralph's face flushed.
 "I don't care" retorted Norman, turning away with a whistle.
 Ralph Preston was two years older than Norman White, and the close con- rade Of his brother Frank Norman had been foolish enough to think he might make Frank jealous by going home and telling him that Ralph had been uptown with them. and he had been a little nettled by Ralph's refusal It was nearly dark when Grace and Norman passed Ralph's house on their way home, but they could see the boy sitting alone on the piazza.
 "You are an apron-string boy. you are," was Norman's salutation.
 Il think you are mean to talk so; am ashamed of you," flashed Grace.
 Her brother laughed.
 Norman had not learned much wis- dom in his eleven years, as was shown by his remark when he reached home
 "I have found out something about your paragon of a friend," he said to Frank, who was working over his alge bra under the study lamp.
 "Whatf" asked Frank, eagerly.
 Well" said Norman. slowly, enjoy ing his brothers show of interest, "I have found out that he is a regular apron-string boy"
 "Pshaw!" returned Frank, q bit In dignantly. Look out what you say about him; he Is the best fellow in town" and he resumed his study, while Norman went off laughing.
 One day a week afterward Norman'i teacher. Miss Bradford. found him whispering on her return to the school
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
A Paper Magnet.

A simple andinterestinge electrical ex- pertinent may be made with a sheet of ordinary brown paper, Illustrating in remarkable manner how the most as- tonishing effects may be produced by the simplest means. Take sheet of coarse brown paper, and after holding it before the fire until It Is perfectly dry, fold 1t up into a long strip about two inches in width. That makes your magnet. To show Its attractive power, cut some strips of writing paper about three inches In length, and one-eighth of an inch wide, and put them on the table, three or four together. Now take your paper magnet, and draw 1t brisk ly under your arm three or four times :; this will instantly develop Its electro magnetism, and If you hold It over the little strips of paper. they will fly up to meet 1t. In other words, the elec- tricity that you waken In the strip of brown paper will attract the smaller strips of paper just as a regular mag net attracts needle.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
A Costly Com ma,

Most boys and girls are inclined to underestimate the value of punctuation marks, and as for the little comma, they think that Is too insignificant to be seriously considered. How great a mis- take this is may be learned from the following incident: When Congress was making tariff bill, several years ago, one of the sections enumerated what articles should be admitted free of duty. Among the articles specified were all foreign fruit-plants," etc, meaning plants imported for trans planting, propagation or experiment. The enrolling clerk, in copying the bill, accidentally changed the hyphen In the compound word, "fruit-plants," to a comma, making It read "all foreign fruit, plants" etc. As result of this simple error. for a year, or until Con- gress could remedy the blunder, all the oranges, lemons, bananas, grapes and other foreign fruits were admitted free of duty. This little error cost the gov ernment not less than S2,0O0,0OO. A pretty costly comma, that.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
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room after an absence of few min utes.
 That is the fifth time you have com municated this afternoon" she said. 'I am sorry cannot trust you. You may come to the desk"
 The boy stepped lightly to Miss Brad lords side, speller in hand. He sup posed that he would be seated on the platform for the next hour, a punish ment be rather enjoyed.
 "I think must keep you close to me for a while,' said his teacher, fasten- Ing her apron tightly around her waist, and knotting the end of one string in the buttonhole of Norman's jacket.
 "Oh, Miss Bradford, please don't make me go out into the hall. Oh, please don't! l won't whisper another time thls term If you'll let me off"
 His teacher shook her head gravely. She was used to the boys promises and she felt that nothing but severe les son would teach him obedience.
 Norman groaned as the door closed behind them, for there, crossing the hail. was Ralph Preston. Ralph only glanced up, but in that brief space Norman knew that his humiliating po- sition had been noted and his own words repeated themselves over and over, You are an apron-string boy, you are." Oh, If he could have taken them back Now Ralph would tell Frank, and the two would have much fun at his expense. Norman's eyes were fas- tened on the floor after that. His bra vado was all gone. A more miserable boy 1t would have been hard to find.
 The ordeal was over at last and Miss Bradford said as she released him:
 Il shall have to try thls every time you whisper"
 You will never have another chance" said Norman.
 She never did.
 Six weeks passed and Norman heard not word from those at home in refer ence to that dreadful afternoon. One holiday the four friends were together, when Norman exclaimed:
 Ralph Preston, you are a brick :"
 Frank looked puzzled.
 Why such sudden praise?" he ask ed laughing. Am I not a brick, too ?''
 "Yes, you are," returned his brother, but not for the same reason;" and not another word could he be coaxed to say about it.
 But Ralph knew that this was Nor lence
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

second greening. He was mite stout CT, perhaps" She paused and again regarded him attentively. "If you are neither book agent nor an apple cerer," she said, you may take a chair"
 Thank you, madam" He seated himself in the straight backed chair she pointed out and then the lady took the rocker. placing her self where she could study the young mans face. "Is this business call:" "Yes, madam" He had been instructed how to meet the lady's advances. He was to re- main strictly on the defensive and let her cross-examine at her leisure.
 Wait. It isn't lightning rodsi' "No, madam" "Nor windmills:" He suddenly smiled, and there was no doubt his smile added to his agree able appearance. That's little nearer the truth, madam" She looked at him sharply with her gray head on one side What do you mean by that?" q only mean that I am a lawyer, madam" He was glad to see that she caught the point of the mild wittlcism at once. Sha aran lauphed softly "A lawyer" she echoed. Then I scent trouble"
 "I assure you I am quite harmless, madam" She smiled little grimly.
 Well" she said with a slight asper- ity, you have been here now quite a spell and haven't told me word about the business that brought you here, and really nothing worth knowing about yourself" l Pardon me, madam" he said, "my name is Richard Barclay and my home is In New York. am In the law office of Renfrew, Keene & Darnley, and l will be admitted to a partnership in the firm the first of January" | "There is nothing very startling | about that" said the lady. Perhaps in time you will get around to the business that brought you here"
 "Yes, madam. You have a niece"
 "Oh, it's my niece you want to see?''
 "No, madam, my business 1t with you"
 You are the strangest young man for beating around the bush I ever met. Why don't you say what you want, and be done with iti'
 Madam, want your permission to marry your niece" | There was a little silence, during
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
Fish that Perch on Trees.

"As much out of place as a fish out of water" is phrase that comes about as near expressing the acme of incom- patibilit-, 90 far as environment Is con- eerned, as man has ever been able to coin. Despite this fact, however, there are several varieties of fish which are much more at home out of their nat ural element than any species of the hu- man race are in water.
 The climbing perch (Anabas scan- dens) is a remarkable example found in Asia. This singular creature ap- pears much like other perch, but Is en- dowed with an extraordinary power of leaving failing streams. climbing banks, and proceeding over dry land In quest of better filled water courses.
 Hundreds of them have been seen at a distance of fifty or sixty yard. from pool just abandoned, and travelling, though the ground was 50 rough that this distance must have required suffi- cient muscular exertlon to take them half a mile over level ground.
 Some writers even assert that this fish Is capable of climbing the rough stems of palm trees. The fishermen of the Ganges. who subsist largely on climbing perch, are accustomed to keep them In dry earthen pans for five or six days after catching. and they live this strange life without discomfort-Den- yer Times.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
Stop Winkfng.

"We are told in our sanatorium," said the cheerful Inmate, to Boston Globe man, ito save all the energy pos sible, as energy causes temperature, temperature burns up tissue, burned up tissue Is hard to replace, etc. There is one way to save strength.
 Did you ever stop to think how much energy Is spent in winking Count how many times you wink in one minute, multiply 1t by sixty, again null tiply the number of hours you are awake on an average each day. multi ply once more by the weight of the eye lid, and you will find out how many pounds of energy are being used up each day in winking.
 Did you ever realize that fully one half of thls is wasted? What's the use in using more than one eye? With that you can see all that Is necessary, and thus you need wink only one eye-the one you happen to be using.
 Think of the tons of energy that Is saved by this simple process In single year! Just go about with one eye open. I expect by this process to save enough energy 90 that l will be pronounced a cure some six or seven eight hours be- fore l would be otherwise"
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
CHINESE SKILL WITH AXES.
Carpenters of Cathay Will Compare
 with Occidentals.1

Naturally pre-eminent among the skilled craftsmen of China the carpen- ter still maintains the leadership. Though almost invariably welded to the use of the tools of his ancestors and to their methods, judged by re- suits be Is more efficient in his line than are the average of the foreign trained filters and machinists in theirs, though a constant diminution of the difference Is In progress.
 In judging the performance of the native workmen 1t Is almost impossi- ble to avoid the popular bias that ad- diction to their own methods and tools invariably bespeaks fatuous conserva- true, It will often be found on careful observation that what has passed for a stubborn blindness to the virtue of in- novation Is In reality a keener percep- ton of comparative merits than the judge himself was aware of.
 This Is particularly true of Chinese carpenters. While most of their con- honest tools differ In some radical way from our own, 1t Is never safe to as- sume the superiority of the western product Their small a1, for example, Is a beautifully balanced tool and they are remarkably adept In the use of 1t, being able to work as true a surface herewith as can be obtained with an adze In the hands of the white man.
 On heavy work It is customary for two to hew together on opposite sides striking alternative blows. Both hands are used and the recover Is over the shoulder, alternate right ana left There Is a freedom of swing with an accuracy of delivery that Is a treat to watch and the rapidity of blows Is al. most bewilderlng.-Engineering Maga. zine
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Cooperation In the vending of agIi. cultural products has made some prog ress in this country, for example, in CO., operative creameries; but the idea has not gone as far in practice here as Ia
 European countries: In Denmark three-quarters of the million COWS are owned by farmers who are associated in the thousand or more co-operatiy e creanleries, and many bacon-curing es- tablishments are organized on the CO., operative system. Holland has a ied- eration of cooperative dairles organ ized under royal patronage. In ST. berIa there are more than two thou sand societies of farmers. which not opiy sell produce. but promote irriga- ton plans and other agricultural actiy- ities and buy implements. fertilizers and other farm supplies at wholesale. The development of the granges in America has been accompanied by some effort at economical cooperation. but
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

I T was a remarkably cool and pleas
 ant room. A gentle breeze futtered
 the white muslin curtain. and the roses on their tall bushes nodded across the window sllls at the caller. The caller smiled back at them and drew a long breath of the delicately perfumed air.
 He was young man who liked roses and green fields and the charm of the countryside. And he liked the restful quiet of the little sitting room.
 He arose quickly as lady entered the room.
 Good morning, madam"
 Good morning"
 She was a slender lady of perhaps GO, gray haired lady of an old-fash- toned type, lady of much dignity Of movement, and yet with quick man. ner that at times suggested the spright- illness of bird.
 She pressed her gold-rimmed glasses little closer to her nose and careful ly surveyed the young man.
 II trust you are quite we'll, madam" ,"
 Quite we'll"
 She drew her thin lips together.
 If it's books" she said, there isn't any use of your staying a minute long CT.
 The caller smiled.
 I'm not a book agent he told her.
 'Is It apple corers?"
 I'm net a peddler.'
 q bought an apple corer of young man who was something of your build, most three years ago. It broke on the
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
Pennsylvania may now be ranked

Pennsylvania may now be ranked with those States which have secured new capitol buildings erected within the amount appropriated. The new capitol in Harrisburg was turned over to the building commission by the con- tractors four months ahead of the date on which 1t was to have been finished. The cost of the building Is s4O,OO0 less than the amount appropriated. The building itself Is splendid pile of granite, covering two acres of ground and surmounted by a dome 292 feet high. The State has followed the ex- ample set by the nation in the Con- gressional Library In Washington, for the original appropriation included sev- eral hundred thousand dollars to be spent on interior and exterior decora- tions by noted American painters and sculptors.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
WHEN THE BRIGHT LEAVES FALL.

love the time when the bright leaves fall. When the children sit on the old stone wall Cracking and eating the sweet nuts. And throwing the shells in the roadside ruts The autumn days are the days for me. They may be short, but they're full of glee; And short days bring the evenings long For reading and study, or mirth and song. Delightful gifts have the autumn hours The brilliant vines and the showy flowers, The moonbeams witehlng. the noontdes kind The woodland treasures that ramblers find. Something for gleaners In every field And see what the vineyards and orchards yieldl The season whose charms shall my praise employ Is the season that brings us the harvest joy.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

ticle entitled The Commercial Annex atlon of Cuba" to Appleten's Magazine. the facts and figures in which are of special significance In the present Gu ban crisis It shows that the interest of the United States In Cuba Is differ ent in the year 1908 from what it was in 1898. Up to the earlier year Amer ican interests had invested In Cuba about ssO,OO0,o 900, principally In sugar and tobacco. As much more has been invested since the war, so that now the American capital invested In the island amounts to S16oOO0,0OO About 4,307,- 600 acres of land in Cuba, about 15 per cent of the whole area of the island, or a much larger percentage of the land under cultivation, belongs to Americans. Three-fourths of the $40,- 100000 worth of cattle on the island be- long to Americans. One-third of the money invested In railroads, $24, ,5O0,- 900, Is American, as against $4S,931,- 900 Cuban and British. American cap ital monopoliZes electric transporta- tion, telegraph and telephone systems In Cuba. The bonds of the Cuban re- public were bought by New York house. American capital has given new life to the island. and our Inter- est Is no longer merely sentimental one. The Cuban market Is the only one h the world where the United States sells as many goods as all other nations combined. Cubas buying power Is about S1OO,0OO, 900 annually, and one-half of this Is spent in the United States, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, and Brazil to- gether do not buy as much as Cuba. Its 1,7OO,0O0 people. If there are that many there, buy from us more than the 0000 900 people of Japan and China. Cuba has an open door. Americaniza- ton of Cuba will be a slow task, if not an impossible one, If by that is meant the substitution of Anglo-Saxon habits of thought in social relations or in business interests for the Spanish type. Americanlzation h the sense of mak- Ing the United States the dominant fac. tor In the material prosperity of the island and in the value of the inter- ests as represented there has pro- gressed a long way since the last Spanish governor general sailed away. American occupation. temporary though 1t was, freed Havana from the yellow fever pest and taught lessons of sanita' ton which have made the island fit place for Americans to live in, and the number of colopists who have gone there from the United States is not insignificant. Atherton Brownell, in Appleton's Magazine, sums up the situ- ation by saying that "in the four years since the intervention period a move ment quietly has been going on that Is rapidly tending toward practical com mercial annexation" Under whatever form of government develops In Cuba, provided that 1t preserves order, fur ther injection of American capital Is inevitable. The future of Cuba and that of the United States are linked together by ties of mutual advantage, and as the natural resources of the is land develop the time will soon come when a majority of the people of Cuba will be of American birth and ale glance, and a majority of the wealth will be an American possession. Then the Cuban problem will have disap- peared.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
Gulf of Mexico Is Deep.

An elaborate report has been received at the Navy Department from Lieut.. Soley, L. s. N., on the gulf stream. Lieut.. Soley has charge of the hydro graphic office at New Orleans and he shows conclusively in hls report that the gulf stream has an existence in the Cuff of Mexico, fact which has hith- erto been in dispute.
 According to Lieut.. Soley the stream flows in the Gulf of Yucutan channel. where the water Is deep, 1,2OO fathoms in the center, and flows out through the Straits of Florida, where the depth Is less. The center of the gulf Is fathoms deep. and the water here Is very cold. The main current of the gulf Is distinct part of the gulf stream.
 It comes from the equatorial current. flowing westward through the Carib- bean sea, which Is warm, with a tenn perature of 80 degrees, until 1t flows into the cooler waters of the gulf by the Yucatan channel. The stream fol. lows the general line of the coast until 1t passes out by Florida. There are some counter currents In the gulf. A notable fact Is that the currents of all the rivers emptylng into the Gulf of Mexico turn to the rlght-to the west at Mobile and the delta of the Missis- sippl, and to the south along the Mex. lean coast
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

American men, and especially Ken lucky men, have always been noted for their appreciation of American women and their gallantry to them
 Now they have their reward. Thirty six Kentucky "schoolma' 'ams," who spent the summer travelling on the con- hnent, remarked, when they set foot upon their native soil again, that as compared with the Americans the men of Europe are "a most ornery looking and ornery acting lot" The girls seem to have accomplished Burke's lmpos. sibility of indictlng a whole people.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Under the grant of liberties lately made to Finland, the right of suffrage was conferred on women. A few weeks later the legislative council of Victoria, Australia. rejected for the fourteenth time a proposition to permit women to vote. This is one of the differences be- tween autocratic Russia and a demo- cratic British colony.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Notwithstanding the fact that 4,S65 persons were killed while walking on the railroad tracks in this country In 1905, there are still plenty of theaTi- cal people taking that form of exercise
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
Miraculous Multiplication,

A lady who recently bought a dinner service consisting of fifty-four pieces for fl 3s. was informed by her house. maid the next day that the bargain had become still more wonderful, for 1t now consisted of 1,125 pieces.- Punch.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

30 far this form of union has not made great progress, owing perhaps to the fact that prosperity has rendered such devices of economy less necessary here than In Europe. The fact that the farmers are scattered over a vaster ter ritory has also stood in the way of widespread co-operation.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03
Thrust Upon Him.

Hes one of the most stupid bores 1 ever met"
 And yet be seems to have accumu- lated money. Fortune appears to have knocked at his door"
 T don't believe she merely knocked i; she must have broken right in."-Phil- ad.lphia Press
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

The Indian who has just welded Mary Kick-a hole le-n-the-sky and sc- Quired a mother-n-law Afraid of mo- man may soon be In position to un- derstand why marriage is often a fall urp
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

The Argentine Republic intends to h. vest S29,0OO,0OO in war ships. It may soon be time for some other great pow CT to make nasty purchase of war ships in South America.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Marie Corelll vows that she loathes America. This settles 1t. We are go- ing to admit that Hall Caine looks like Shakespeare.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

If the Nestor of American humorists Is In earnest In advocating the new or biography he ought not to spell his name Samuel Langhorne Clemens" and pronounce It Mark Twain"
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

When a woman goes into grocery store to use the telephone, she usually says to the grocer: You talk for me; l can't understand the blame things very we'll"
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Thoroughly" Is another example. It Is word that conveys too large an idea" to be expressed adequately by such a shabby, sorry. III looking mon strosity as 'thoroly."
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

In England a widow named Higgins Is suing tradesman for breach of promise. Probably trying to squeeze him for all she can get
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

There Is one argument in favor of spelling reform that its advocates seem to have overlooked The English are opposed to it.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

AccG"d'H: to a New York newspa- per, "the new alcohol will stimulate trade" The old kind. however, will continue to paralyze people.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Naturally the dialect writers are op- posed to the general adoption of the simplified form of spelling. It would kill their business.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Everybody in Cuba except the per sons who are holding the offices seems to want the United States to inter- yene.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

"Do your meals f1tf" writer asks. No, they are generally either little to skimpy or else too full In the waist.
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

Never call a man bad egg unless all possible tests prove him to be hope lessly bad
Alaska sentinel., 1907-01-03

The farm is the place for safety. Ev- cry man who is able should provide himself with a farm.