davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
THE SINGING OF THE CHI
MUNKS.

In Manitoba the chipmunk comes
above ground about the first or Sec
ond week of April, that is, as soon
as warm weather has surely set in.
The regularity with which they ap-
pear, with the earliest soft wind of
spring, sets me wondering at times
whether there is not something more
than mere verbiage in the phrase
"vernal influence" Snug in their
deep, dark abode, far beyond the
reach of sun or frost, they cannot
be reached or touched by mere tenn
perature, nor can it be that they ap-
pear at a set time, as some of our
winter s1eepers are said to do. No,
they must come forth on the very day
when first the very spring is in the
land
The chipmunk announces its return
to sunlight in a manner worthy of a
bird. Mounted on some log or root,
it reterates a loud chirpy Chuck
chuck-chuck." Other chipmunks run
for their holes, for they awaken al
most in a body; they run forth into
the sunlight, and, seeking some perch,
add their 'Chuck-chuck-chuck" to the
spring salute, so the glad news
spreads from point to point, from
stone pile, and log heap, to brush
heap and fence summing all the race
to come forth and take part in the
national rejoicing.
DR.. Charles Eastman informs me
that in the wooded parts in Minnesota
the coming forth of the chipmunks is
a recognized event among the young
Indians and is celebrated by special
hunt. AS soon as the bright warm
days of spring arrive to make it pos
sible, the boys go forth between sun
rise and o'clock to some well
known chipmunk haunt, where one
of their number who is a adept in
initiating the cheature's notes. be-
gins the chorus with a loud chipping.
The chipmunks pop out of their
holes on all sides. Gas many as
fifty will come together and hold a
social reunion" Then, seeking some
high perch, they join in the spring
music with a concentrated energy
that seems to make them needless
of danger, and soon they fall in num-
befs to the blunt+headed arrows OF
the little Indians.
The chipmInks are active from
this time of the year on, and their
sunny morning chorus is not by any
means confined to that original out
burst. On the twenty-ninth of April,
1905, at Coscob, heard chipmunk
/, in full song. He kept it up for
eleven minutes without ceasing, and
uttered one hundred and thirty chrips
to the minute. He got no reply,
though he worked very hard, and
seemed tired toward the last. On
May %, 1905, at Coscob, 1 heard a
chipmunk singing. He kept it up for
three minutes, 1ttering three chirps
to the second.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
ONE WAY TO READ.

"What are you reading, Frank
asked mother, as Frank suddenly
yawned and shut his book
Victor Hugo's 49, answered
Frank, "hut don't like it very much,
because he refers to so many things
/ never heard of. For instance, what
does he mean by 'Machiavelian plot
ting" What kind of plotting is that,
Anyway"
"Machiavel was an Italian" eX
planned mother, land such a crafty,
sche1ning person that ever since he
lived people have spoken of particu-
larry willy plots and schemes as Ma
chiavelian. Frank, that question OF
yours puts me in Aind Of something
that our teacher used to make us do,
years ago. when / was at school.
"Our literature class was very in
teresting, and one in which we girls
all tried to do cur very best. Our
reading matter was. chosen by our
teacher, Miss Dayton, and it was the
best, can assure you. She helped us
in every possible way, but the one /
am going to tell you about was OF
mere service TO us and made a deep
or impression than any other.
I'VE each had a little notebook,
and of course in every book we read
there would be a great many refer
ences made to different people and
different things of which we had new
er heard, just the same, for example,
Frank, as you came across today.
Whenever we found one We would jot
It in our little notebooks, look it up
ia some leisure moment, and then
write it down so we should not Tor
get it. Then at the end Of the week,
we would meet and exchange bits OF
knowledge. This was great fun, and
at the same time very instructive, as
Won may Imagine. I remember Ma
chiavel was one of the very references
I had to look up. Of course, the ref
erences weren't always to people, but
often we would happen upon whole
phrase that we didn't understand"
Frank thought this was fine idea,
and promised to try it. He was a
great reader, and liked good books,
too, so at the end Of the week he had
nuite a few notes to show his moth
er. Here are some of them:
"John suddenly met his Waterloo"
"Mr. Winters was a veritable old
Shylock."
cit was almost a repetition of the
horrible massacre of st. Bartholo-
new"
Like Leander of old, he grappled
with the waves"
Girls and boys, see if you are more
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
MAKE FARM LAND FERTILE.
Government Expert Advises the
ne Enrn urn Crnna-

Government Expert Advises the
Planting of Forage Crops.
To encourage an improvement In
the forage crops in the Middle West
ern States is one Of the features Of the
work undertaken by the bureau OF
plant industry, now the strongest In
the United States Department Of Agri-
culture, says the Kansas City Star.
Harry N. Vinall of washington, D. c.,
an agent of the bureau Of plant indus
try, is a guest at the Savoy Hotel. He
is making experiments In Arkansas,
Missouri, Kansas and Iowa to intro
duce better forage crops among the
farmers.
The government Is now encouraging
the farmers to plant English blue
grass or meadow fescue," as it is
called. It is much stronger and coars-
er than the Kentucky blue grass. It
is now grown in Johnson County, Kan
sas, more extensively than in any 9TH
er section Of the United States and
this county Is the headquarters from
which the industry is encoura@ad. 1t
is there that the seeds are produced
which are used by this government.
The grass Is harvested like grain and
thrashed in an ordinary thrashing ma
chine. It is Of perennial growth.
"The bureau Of plant industry has
been cooperating with few farmers
Ia various sections of the country by
giving them enough seeds TO sow an
acre Of ground in the new forage
crops" Mr.. Vlnall said this morning.
Mr.. Vinall is graduate OF the Kansas
Agricultural College. 1.-The English
blue grass, alfalfa, clover, timothy, red
top and other foliage crops are being
introduced all over TIE country. The
old method of planting the same crop
Of corn or wheat or oats on a piece of
ground every year robs the soil of its
fertility and farming becomes less
profitable. The object Of these expert
ments by the government is to intro
duce more modern methods of farming
to preserve the fertility of the soil.
"The old method Is to plant a crop
of corn on a piece Of land where corn
has been grown for years. When the
corn is gathered in the fall the cows
are turned in and eat down the little
forage left on the stalks. The land is
idle until another crop Of corn Is plant
ed. That kind of farming doesn't pay.
The land needs a rest from the same
old crop. These forage crops Of clover,
alfalfa, FED top and timothy and other
things should be introduced as a fertil-
izer, as well as for profit. There Is
money in forage crops. If a farmer
once understands how to keep his land
busy all the time without impairing
it's fertility he has discovered the Sc
cret Of profitable farming. This is
what the government is trying to
teach"
The government gives information
on application about these various
crops, but it does not give away seed
except when it chooses to make expert.
mentS
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
He Was Too Sure.

Herbert Parsons, president of the
New York County Republican Commit
tee, was talking in Albany against self
confidence in politics.
ITO VIM" he said, "a man should
never be sure of winning. Confidence
and beasting, to my mind, always i'm
ply defeat. I'll tell you a story.
"a man came shooting from a
brightly lighted window one night and
landed with a crash on the sidewalk
Its all right he said to the crowd
that had gathered, as he stifly rose.
That's my club, the Eighth Precinct
I'm a Smith man, and there's ten
Jones men in there. I'm going back to
them. You stay here and count them
as they come out of that window
HE limped back into the club. There
was a great uproar. Then a figure
crashed through the window and struck
the sidewalk with a grunt
THAT'S one,' said the crowd.
"'No,' said the figure, rising. Don't
start counting yet. It's me again."
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
ON A BRIEF AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

Crat-ah think Of thatEhe went fearful pacel
smile though all the while he had mobile facet
interest In Man, yet sought the human
AutO-C rat-oh think Of that-I him laugh
along the road he wrote his auogaphI
horrid smell suited well to be his epitaph.
The Auto-Crat-oh think o. thatI-upon dying day
The only overheard he hadn't "auto" says
Twas gasoline that brought about his sad auto da fe
think OF his end swift and SHARPE
hope hurt-twas his deser-though don't wish to
Perhaps n a sweeter land plays auto-harp
Ohio Magazine.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
Worst of All.

Protest has been made that too
many heroes of modern novels are
represented as using alcoholic bever-
ages. Worse than this, some of them
have a tendency to drive the brain
wearied reader to drink-Washington
Star.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
ShouId Label Them

1.-THE cave men made pictures of ami.
mails now extinct"
That's nothing; my daughter who
has studied art abroad makes pictures
Of animals which never existed -
Houston Post
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24

intelligent than Frank, and under.
stand just what the above sentences
mean, or whether it would be neces-
sary for you to hunt them up, too, if
you found them in some book.-Wash-
ington Star.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24

Every inch of an Indian skin con
tains $500 perspiration pores.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24

No farmer has as many sacks as be-
long to him.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
Don't Know 1t All.

What do you study at school, my
little man?"
81 am studying the history Of France,
sir"
Indeed. What can you tell me
about Charlemagne"
"Oh, sir, we have only got as far
as Adam and Eve."-Paris Journal.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18

still tied to their buggy. The booze
making machine was reposing peace
fully in a barn on the Kiser plantation
when captured. That it had been IN
operation there was ample evidence as
they found nearby several stands or
beer and mash ready to run. When
the sheriff received information that
still was in operation in that commu-
nifty he put out in company with Dep
uty Rhyme to find the aforesaid and the
same. On arriving at the spot where
the still was supposed to be located
they found the material ready to run,
but no still was on the furnace. They
decided that, by waiting in hiding for
a while, they would capture both still
and distillers. After waiting for several
hours, however, they grew weary and
decided to use some more active meas
ures to bag their game. A search was
instituted with the result as above
stated. The still was carried to Dali
las where it is in the custody of the
sheriff. AS to the distillers, they are
at liberty yet.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18

depressed air Of condemned persons
going to their execution. There were
two men wearing neckerchiefs, who,
with a weeks growth on their chins,
had apparently been recruited from
the street; there were also a fair
mustached young clerk, two British
workmen, and portly middle-aged
man with bushy side whiskers, who
looked the picture Of a highly re-
spectacle butler.
With solemn faces, the victims flung
their heads back and had white
cloths tucked under their chins.
"Cheer up," cried voices In the crowd,
but not a man smiled. The operator,
who had been mixing his paste In
what looked like a salHd bowl, now
came forward and lathere5 the men,
His composition seemed a creamy
paste of the consistency Of mortar,
with a pungent smell family resem-
bling that of heliotrope.
Anguished disappointment swept
the crowd when 1t was seen that the
bushy side whiskers Of the portly
butler were to be untouched. BE a
man." he was urged, but all in vain.
The lathered men lay back for ten
minutes having their photographs
taken and listening to banter, and
then the operator with a bone paper
knife began to scrape the paste of
the first victim. The bristles came
off with the paste. The man got up
from his chair clean shaven, and the
BARRIERS in the gathering were aghast.
Then came the turn Of the other men.
They were shaved with the following
articles: The back Of lady's comb.
a wooden salad spoon, a shoe horn
and a match box.-London cable to
Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18
AMBITION TO DO NOTHING.
Men Who Are No Good In This
World.


Some men have the ambition to do
things. Then the world hears Of an
Alexander, a Caesar, a Napoleon, a
Grant.
Other men there are, says the Lon
don Mail, whose only ambition is to
do nothing, not even "sit by the fire
and spin" When such men die the
world says: Good riddance: there
goes nobody"
Men who have ambition to do moth
ing are found everywhere. They are
the curse Of society, the drag Of busi-
ness and the dregs Of the cup Of life.
The other day a young man was
discharged from his position by his
employer. In extenuation Of himself he
said why do you discharge me? I
have done nothing" Yes" said the
employer, that is just the reason /
discharge you. because you have not
done anything"
Years ago a young man wrote to a
famous clergyman, asking him to find
an easy position for him, and the re-
ply is said to have been: my dear
boy, there Is only one easy place, and
that Is in the grave" Yet there are
many men who are in search of the
soft snap" content forever to sit
down doing nothing, being nothing:
living idle, aimless lives.
fnr0ntfnl
the fact that wealth without labor, po-
sition without use Of that position
and leisure unearned are the very
things that take away the Zest Of life,
fill the mind of man with unutterable
bitterness and mad jealousies that in
flame the passions and incite to the
performance of the worst deeds. Moth
ing comes from nothing Is the old law
of life 1t needs to be emphasized
again and again. Every great crea-
ton of art, every masterpiece in liter
ature, every victory for the right and
truth has been won at the price of
hard and continuous labor.
Behind every great action there Is
great heart. Behind every noble Gre
alton there is an aspiring soul. If a
boy refuses to master his lessons he is
simply widening the distance between
him and the delectable mountains of
an achieved success and is preparing
himself for life of uselessness, sloth
and contemplate idleness.
boy reading a Bible lesson came
to the words Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego. Reading and unable to
pronounce them, he skipped them. A
few days afterward, reading the same
lesson in an examination, and still un-
able to pronounce the hard names, he
said, There's them fellers again
Everyday life means a daily meeting
of some Shadrach, Meshach or Abed-
nego, and unless mastered there is alb
solutely no advance.
Work is valuable, not simply be-
cause of the outward things it con-
structs, such as bridges. ships and
towers. More useful is it in the Sc
cret character that 1t constructs, ena-
bling the building of greater things as
the years roll by.
The idler, the dawdler cannot be a
happy or useful citizen. He who sits
by the fire and loafs will soon want a
fire and loaf to satisfy his hunger and
warm his miserable body.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18
MADE MIRTH AND TROUBLE.
Some Amusing Incidents Over Design
ino the First Dollar.

~
Documents in the Congressional Lii
brary at Washington show that when
the establishment Of a mint was under
discussion in Washington's time there
were some amusing debates in con-
gress concerning the devices the coins
should bear. There is one account Of
a suuabble over the design for the sill
YER dollar.
1t appears that member OF the
house from a southern state bitterly
opposed the choice of the eagle on
account of its being the king OF
BIRDS" and hence neither suitable nor
proper to represent a nation whose in
stitutions and interests were wholly
inimical to monarchical forms Of gov
ernment.
Judge Thatcher in reply had play
fully suggested that perhaps a goose
might suit the gentleman, as it was
rather a humble and republican bird
and would also be serviceable in 9TH
er respects, as the goslings would an
swer to place upon the dimes.
This reply created considerable mer-
riment and the irate sOuthener con-
sidering the humorous rejoinder as an
insult, sent a challenge to Judge
Thatcher. who promptly declined It.
The bearer rather astonished, asked:
"Will you be branded as coward?'
Certainly, if he pleases." replied
Thatcher. 81 always was one and he
knew it or he would never have risked
challenge"
The affair caused much mirth, but
was finally adjusted. cordial relations
being restored. the irritable southern
er concluding there was nothing to
Re gained i'm fighting one who fired
nothing but jokes.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18
MEERSCHAUM.
Small Supply of Commodity Is Con-
troIled by Enaland and America.

Small Supply OF COMMONLY u So"
troIled by. England and America.
From current reports it seems that
the meerschaum industry Is now fac
ing a situation for which there ap-
pears to be no remedy, and the manu-
facturers Of meerschaum pipes, ci-
gar holders, etc., will have to go out
Of business or into some other line.
They are unable to secure anything
like an adequate supply Of raw mate
rial, and for the trifling quantities
they can secure must pay a greatly
increased price.
In the last three years prices OF raw
meerschaum have about doubled, and
at the same time America and Eng
land have secured control Of practi-
cally all the meerschaum still TO De
had. Recently a small shipment has
been received in Germany from Asia
Minor-the first in some time. An
advance of about 80 per cent. in price
followed Immediately.
Practically all known deposits OF
meerschaum have been exhausted, 1t
being now found only in the mines OF
Eski-Schehir, in Asia Minor, and the
output there is very small.
Agents Of American and English
manufacturers have secured control
of this entire output and German
manufacturers can count on no more
supplies from that source. In the last
five months the price Of raw meer-
schaum has advanced SO per cent.
The manufacturing town Of Ruh-
la, in the Thuringian forest, will be
the most affected There from 5000
to 1000 workmen have for years past
been employed in this industry.
A Ruhla specially Is the meer,
schaum pipe, and with 1t goes hand
in hand the manufacture OF pipe
stems, pipe lids and mountings, cigar
holders and mouthpieces. The an.
pipe lids, 100000 pipe cases.
Is, 900, 900 pipe stems, 100000
mouthpieces, 100000 porcelain
pipe bowls (covered), 5,5OO,OOO imi-
tation and $4,000 genuine meer-
schaum pipes with amber mouth
pieces, 100000 wooden pipe bowls
and 100000 completed pipes-a
production Of the value Of about g.
100000 marks ($1,42S,OOO per an
mum.
The first meerschaum factories were
founded in Ruhla in 1867. For Ruh-
la the passing Of the meerschaum In
dustry is a blow from which 1t Will
scarcely be able to recover practi-
cally the entire population being de-
pendent upon this industry.
Consul U. ]. Ledoux makes the fol-
lowing report from Prague on the
meerschaum supply in Austria:
According to reports from Ger
many the manufacturers OF meer-
schaum pipes and cigar holders are
passing through a serious crisis on
account Of their being unable to Sc
cure raw material. 1t is claimed that
during the last few years America and
England have bought nearly all the
meerschaum produced in Asia Minor.
This industry is quite extensive In
Austria, but up to the present there
has been no serious complaint re-
garding the lack Of crude meer-
schaum, though the effect OF such
scarcity may be seriously felt later.
The production of amber is said to
have considerably decreased during
the last two years and as the demand
is greater than the supply. prices are
steadily advancing. - Phlladelphla
Ledger.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18
RAZORlESS SHAVING.
Tonsoria Artists Astounded by Paste
That Cleans OF Boards.

Scores Of excited BARRIERS forced
their way into a room at the Cannon
Street hotel yesterday afternoon to
witness an exhibition of razorless
shaving. They were stirred into tense
excitement by seeing a deft operator
remove a stubby three days growth
with the edge of a match box.
The razorless shaving exhibition was
organized to show how by covering a
beard of any age or growth with a
paste made from the "RaZorless
Shaving Powder" it was possible to
remove such beard with the blunt
edge Of a paper knife or other article.
The paste. it was explained, makes
the beard brittle, in which condition
it can easily be broken off.
The six persons to be shaved
mounted the little platform and walk
ed to their chairs with the gloomy
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18

THE WAY OF REFoRM-In a little
Alabama town a score of years ago
there was a shiftless colored boy nam
ed Wash Jones, who, after being
caught in a number Of petty delinquen-
cies, was at last sentenced to a short
term in the penitentiary, where he was
set to learn a trade. On the day of his
return home. says the Woman's Home
Companion, he met a friendly white
acquaintance, who asked:
"Well, what did they put you at in
the prison. Bill?"
"Dey started in to make an honest
boy out'n me, sah."
That's good, Bill; and hope they
succeeded
"Dey did, sah."
And how did they teach you to he
honest, Bill?"
"Dey done put me in de shoe shop,
sub, nailin' pasteboard Onter shoes TO
Soles, Sah.'
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18

THE FARMERS CREED. - Beecher
went west" long time before the
civil war and located in Indiana where
he edited an agricultural paper-and
it was q good One-in one issue of
which he laid down the Farmers
Creed" and in all the years that have
since interviewed and all the progress
that has been made in agricultural
development no better creed has been
devised. Here it is: Take it, consider
1t. and say wherein it can be imprOv-
ed:
I'VE believe in small farms and
thorough cultivation
I'VE believe that soil loves to eat.
as well as it's owner. and ought there
fore. to be literally fed.
I'VE believe in large crops which
leave the land better than they found
the farmer and the farm
both glad at once.
1--WE believe in going to the bottom
Of things. and, therefore. in deep
plCwing enough of it. All the better
with q Subsoi plOw.
I'VE believe that every farm should
own good farmer"
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18

COULDN'T STICK HIM AGAIN.-A
bishop, accosted in Fifth avenue, New
York, by a neat but hungry stranger,
took the needy one to a hotel and
shared u gorgeous dinner with him,
yet. having left his episcopal wallet in
the pocket of a different episcopal
Jacket, suddenly faced the embarrass-
ment Of not possessing the where
withal to pony up. Never mind" ex-
claimed his guest. II have enjoyed din
ing with you and l shall be charmed
to shoulder the cost. Permit me.
Whereupon the stranger paid for two.
This worried the prelate, who insisted,
Just let me call a cab and we'll run
up to my hotel, where l shall have the
pleasure of reimbursing you" But the
stranger met the suggestion with, See
here, old man! You've stuck me for
a bully good dinner. but hanged if I'm
going to let you stick me for cab
farei"