davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
THE SHREW MOUSE.


Ssme Queer Snpcrstitions About
Harmless Little NninnI.
The shrcw or shrcw moust. Us ii is
parts of the world 1t IS distinguished
by an elongated, pointed muHzle. small
eyes. plantigiade, six toed feet and
glands that seercte II musky fiuid. At,
together it closely resembles mouse,
but it Is really not related to the mouse
family.
When at home 1t is either under n
pile of rubbish or i'll a hole which it
has burrowcd in the earth. 1t IS
nocturnal in its habits, but perfectly
harmless yet at one time it WIS much
disliked and prosecuted because 1t was
thought to he a dangerous, mischcXoua
animal Among. The Italians the notion
WAS prevalent that the bite Of shrcW
WIS extremely poisonous. The French
and the English believed that If a
shrew ran over an animals foot the
animal felt great pain and eventually
became paraiyZed; hence if Il horse.
COW or goat became n little stiff in its
cd ii "shrcw struck" aud the poor
shrews had to suffer in consequence
OF course the "shrew struck" animal
had 10 have something to cure II. 50
an ash tree was selected, and n deep
hole was bored into lis trunk Then Il
shrew WAS captured, put alive into the
hole the hole was securely plugged,
and the innocent little animal was left
TO die Of starvation.
The ignorant believed that after such
an act the ash tree had power to cure
"sbrew struck" animals, and whenever
an animal became inactive or a little
numb In its limbs lis owner hurried 10
the "shrcw ash" cut a switch from II
and switched the "shrew struck" beast.
The smartiug caused hy the switching
naturally made the helpless animal
move about rs much rs 1t possibly
could, and lh Il short time Il WIS pro
nOIinced cured
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

dcnce in the far west without acquir.
the crucial moment!
Within the Dalton bungalow on Long
Island stranger things We're happen
ing, No clew to the bahy's parents
had been found. When Billy Dalton
dropped down occasionally, rs he had
been doing for 4 year past TO keep up
appearances, his first question was,
Anything new" aud this always
meant anything new about the baby's
history And little Elsie would look
up at him with rcproachful blue eyes
as If asking, "Why Ito You eare?" And
the worst of IL MAS that Billy Dalton
began 10 realize that he did care Janet
had changed. and. With an odd sort
of jealousy. lie realized that it was lit
tie Elsie and not he who had brought
about the marvellous and altogether de-
Sirablc change. She WAS no longer
bored. How could she he with Elsie
cutting Il new tooth every few days
aud such wonderful hampers Of clothes
to he bought. fine handkerchief linen,
\ more fastidiouS customer had never
entered the shops which specialize on
layettes and with her own hands Janet
made covers for down pillows, silk
tufted afghans and other foolish things.
while the tongue of gossip wagged
sayly over the whole absurd episode.
One frosty December afternoon bal
fan a. 10,
found Janet standing at the window.
The low spreading evcrgreens ON the
west side of the house We're powdered
lightly with SNOW. and Janet turned to
him with kindling eyes
Billy, | shall have Christmas tree
for Elsie. She Is SO bright for her age.
| do believe she viii notice II"
Quite likely" responded Billy, with
assumed carelcssness. rs She laid aside
his storm coat, hut i'll making your
plans You seem to have overlooked one
important fact. rs yet Elsie IL not
really yours The law
Janet turned ON him sharply.
''She IS mine hy right of-everYthing
| found her. and love her"
YES. but YOU must formally adopt
her thought perhaps you'd better
see tu that before | leave I've changed
my plans n bit. I'm going 10 meet
mother and Grace in Rome for Christ
mas. The mater has not been feeling
very lit am net fond of England in
winter. and
Janet crossed 10 his side. aud her
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
Gcncrous To the Church.

Lady Dorothy Neyill in her rcminis.
ecnees tells this story of George Payne,
Who dropped his worldly means In the
quicl,sands Of the tufr, but was al
ways unrHlled and pleasant in CONVEX
satiop.. Are you not coming to
church Mr. PaYneY was on one occa-
sion The stern Interrogation of his
hostess, a very great lady, who de.
seconded upon him In all the severity
of her Sabbath pauoply. NO, duchess,
I am not Inc replied, masking swiftly
for lie door; but. pausing MS by pd-
lite aflerthouahl previous 10 his exit,
h. exclaimed, with magnificent empha.
sis not tbat see auy harm III IT."
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

In China when a house Is TO be re
paired wonderful forethought Is neces-
sary. The evil spirits which are sup
posed TO occupy each dwelling that
mortals have inhabited cause the car
pentcr no end of trouble and no trHing
expense. First an astrologer must be
consulted with regard TO the most
lucky day for beginning the work.
Then Il square suspended from the
ridge beam Is a notification TO the splr-
Its of darkness that their dwelling
place Is TO be disturbed, wherefore the
square thing for them 10 do is to move
out quietly and peacefully. Next the
carpenters make offerings to these I'M
seen residents. These gifts seem to
say, ''If you please. spirits OF dark
ness, accept this bride and speedily
take your flight" Next the nelghbors
must be warned that these evil infu-
ences are about to be turned loose per-
haps to seek shelter under Il neighbor-
Ing roof. Every house on that street
receives notice that upon a certain
day and hour repairs are to begin on
the dwelling OF Al Sin. Each house
hold car then pay the amps not to enter
Its doorway. but to 80 to the next
heighbor.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

MYTHICAL CREATURES.
Abe General Belief In Fabulous Nom
aicrS In OIdcn DnNs.


Now that the cold light Of science
has thrown its ray upon the most re
mote parts Of our glote there is no
longer room for legendary creatures
save the sea serpcnt-and we are told
that the mermaid is nothing more than
L dugohg, Il unicorn either rhinoeeros
or a rihetan antelope, while the eocka-
trice. the phoenix and the roe appear
to be pure imagtnations.
Eut in the Eli1abethau age--an age
When the dodo had hut recently been
discovered these and many Other
mythical creatures We're. If not living
at all events aetn1l realities 10 the or
binary public, md as such We're reier-
red 10 in the works Of the great drama
list and other contemporary writer's.
We meet, tor instance, IN the Win
ters Tale the line. Make me not
sighted Ike the basilisk." aud III Tho
Tempest Now l will believe that
there are unicorns." But not only was
more or less Of credality given TO the
existence of these and such like fabu.
iotls monsters, but web of mystic
lore encrcled the most common and
best known of beasts, birds and fishes.
Who. for Instance. Is forgetful OF the
popular supcrsttious connected With
the salamantlcr, the newt and the
blIndworm, and who fails TO remember
Whites account of the .'shrewash" at
SeIborHe? Aud IL such superstltlons
still survive among meducated peas,
ants Of the present day we may be as-
sured That two centuries ago they We're
fully believed by the higher classes
Academy.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
I9ifty Miles to Market.

It IS not an uncommon thing In
France 10 see II farmer forty or fifty
miles from home In wet weather with
4 load II he sees Il prospect of a
three days rain, he puts his tarpaulin
over his load, n cover over his horses
and "A waterproof coat ON and starts
off Ia market He may 80 fifty miles
before he finds It market that suits him,
or he may know In advance just where
he IS going. You do not often see any
body triyin fifty miles through Il rail-
storm in the United States to find "a
market for load of hay. but 1t is not
uncommon to see farmers wagons for.
" or fifty miles from home III France.
They choose the wet weather for that
purpose Their roads are Just as good
then rs al any time,
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
A SPIDER FIGHT.
! Mas IA Fast and Furious Battle 10
the Death.

once had q spider pet of a KIND the
books enabled me TO identity He was
a fine big fellow. caught him in the
Garden, carried him hamc. and Tor
nearly two months he aud | took Il
close interest in each Other, lie for the
flies introduced to him aud Tor The
amusement he introduced to me.
kept him i'll Il miliner.s box, letting
him out wttra | visited him, especial
ly delightiAg myself with allowing
him 10 drop from one hand 10y his fine
spun thread and then either catching
him in the other or gently compelling
him to climb back again by appar-
emily eating his own ladder.
One day captured another spider
of the same species. kept him for II
few days In Il separate box. and then,
with the kindly idea of companioushp,
l introduced him To Tiger have
seen dogs fight. | have seen chan
ticleer fight aud slay his man; | have
seen rams fight TILL with his skull
crushed in. one lay dead at the foot
of the other; have seen men fight:
hut the fullest sense | ever realized of
mad. mmdcrous passion let ungov-
erna ~ loose, conferred in one destroy
ing aim and summoning every physic-
al energy 10 its devillsh service. l
realized when those two spiders rush
ed 10 mortal combat. | stood i'll boy.
ish terror as their tangled legs drep-
ped off. torn by mutual rage; and AZ
with vicious deXterity they struck each
other With their poisoned fangs, using
for their own destruction the weapons
and appliances with which nature has
provided them for the capture and
slaughter OF their prey, ntsihly turned
pale.
Tiger WAS the victor hut even While
with brutal wrath, all manglcd as lie
WAS lie bit and spurned his dead and
lmblcss foe he WAS seized with symp-
toms took Ia be paralytic. and in Il
minute or two ! helped him 10 his
death Md this fearless gladiator
was afraid Of remember. and never
would tackle big hlucbottle fly.
What Is eoura"e2- Dundee Advertiser
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
A GnIInnl MinhNNnNI nnn.

A highWaynan recently held M a
gasoline runabout on the outskirts Of
Rome The hehwayman stopped the
rrnahout with n shot in the air. Then
he ran forth from the tomb that had
concealed him the hnldup happened on
the Appan Way and found 10 his sur
prise only woman in the little car.
"Where. madam. IS your husbandF'
he demanded sternly and susplciouSly.
Hes under the scat, !" she answered,
flushing
"1hcn." sad the highwayman Il
viii take nothing Its bad enough to
have husband lil,e tlat without being
robllca into die bArgnin y
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
--=--.a.-
BOUGHT BIG SAFES.
fhe Why JAY Gould Brought an Ex-
press Company 20 Terms.


press Compnny to Terms.
Recalling early days in the express
business, an officer Of one Of the largest
companies told this story Of lay Gould:
"Gould aud Fisk then had hold OF
the Eric. he said, and the United
States Express company had all the
express business on the road. Tho con.
hact WAS about 10 expire, and Could
wanted an arrangement mora profita-
ble 10 the Erie.
Tho lEries dolAs al @e Norl, aud
yeu're making all the money! Gould
said to the express people. You ought
10 do some of tie work and give the
railroad 4 ehaHFe ut The money
The express company officials de.
INJURED rheh, profit, they insisted.
WIS n morn than they werc entitled
to. and they refused 10 shade the con-
tract Il penny. could ins'-ted eli a tie
crease, but they remained ebdHrate
and eventually let the Eric president
under siaud what he very we'll knew
that 10 ether company would compete
against the United States fer HE Erie
business. MI the companies ut that
tinrc were III III agreement 10 maintain
rates
- Nh right said Could nj the conclu-
sion Of the Interview, you've ITO obiee-
ton guess. 10 my going into the ex-
press business fer myself. II looks
better than railroading'
Tho express people replied that
Gould could organize all The companies
lie wanted to. They thought it WIS all
bluff. but things That came 10 their at
tehtjen soon weakened their faith i'll
this idea. Gould WAS going around
among his associates talking up an cx-
press company scheme, officials of 9th
or roads were told That Il now company
would he IN the field 10 bid for their
business. and The papers began 10 talk
about the new Gould express company.
''Ihc express officials. however, saw
mono Of Gaalds money going into the
enterprise and stood pat Presently 1t
was reported that lie had bought TWEEN.
ty-fear biz express safes. Was this
talk or WIS II business? the cypress
men asked themselves. They set to
work investigating. and they discover
ed that the rePort=Was TRUE Gould had
actually bought and paid for The safes
safes cost money in those days. toe =
and H. WIS negotiating fot. al lla. 9th
or equipment required
INV. thoroughly com Heed of
Gould's sincerity. the express company
came Ia terms. could eel The bcst enn-
tfaet from railroad standpoint that
had been known up 10 That time Tho
clause in the contract hat tie United
States Express company considered
most valuable 10 Itself VAS enc stipu
latng the abandonment Of Gould's cX-
| press plans
ut WAS all Il blur ON Goulds part
except buying the safes. For that mat
ter the purchase WAS. Of course, part o
The huff. but Gould had actuall!
bought aud paid for them uncondition
ally. Nevertheless he lost nothing OF
the deal for rs soon as friendly rela
TONS were established with thc express
officials lie persuaded them they c0ult
use The safes In ubcir business and sol,
them at u little better Than COST
| Wasllugton Post
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

Die Woche OF Berlin tells It's readers
"what Americans eat" taking as
type the average New York business
man. Hot cakes, quick lunch dishes,
pie, Welsh rabbit, Ice cream, grape
fruit, oyster cocktails, pork and beans
and many other purely American
dishes and Ice water are referred to as
Indigestion promoters. "All this says
the writer, '.thc American eats with
relish They are the dishes OF the
city and OF the country. He balks at
only four Observation-Disclosures sausages,
eauerkraut. buttermllk and limburger
cheese. These he calls Dutch foods.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
EASY DOOR FASTENERS.
oni, One kind of Lock Che Expert
burglar tnn't pick.


BURGLAR tRn't pick.
There's Gully one lock in the world
that | can't open il you'll give me
few minutes Mt II. and us for ordinary
door and drawer locks. I'll open them
as easily as IL there was no lock there
Any expert burglar can ia the same"
The foregoing statement was made
by an experienced loeksmith of Kan
Sas city
"l'cw persons know how insecure
their homes are he continued. "Few
persons realize that the average lock
is absolutely worthless for keeping out
an experienced burglar. The ordinary
door loci, IS good for nothing but re.
Winding casual business or social call
ers that they must ring to he admitted.
None of these ordinary door rasten-
crs and that's the best you can call
them. Will deter Il burglar two whele
minutes. If there's no key III the lock.
he soon fits one to II. II there is Il key
In the lock- he inserts a pair of pinch
erS and in ten seconds has IL opened.
Understand me, | am speaking of the
experienced burglar. The clumsy bur
glar Is the one Who gets in trouble.
He'll tumble around with IL lock until
somebody hears him. There is only
one unpicl,nble lock made. That's the
six pin lock used hy the government
1t will defy any expert. There are six
little steel pins in the lock. which
have 10 lie raised Just Il certain dis
lance 10 open H. Some of the pins are
one fourth of an inch long and some
Of them a half inch II one of the pins
lacks even Il halrbrcadth of being
raised the proper distance. The lock
will not open II battles all the eN-
perts'
This locksmith is SO expert he eau
open the ma iorty of safes hy putting
his ear to the combination and listen
ing 10 how the tumhlcrs click into
place rs he turns it,
Il intended nj one time 10 he n bur
elar." this locksmith declares. Il had
II all planned ont even had Il set OF
burglars tools made. Then decided
that honesty WAS tile hest policy. and
stuck 10 my trade - Kansas city
Star
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
A Church without Services.

There is in London. within II few
yards of the beautiful marble arch in
Hyde park, Il church IN which no serv-
Ices are ever held. This Church OF the
Ascension. as ii Is called. was built by
Mrs. Russell Quincy MS II memorial 10
her husband, and she expressly stated
that the ediliee WAS TO lie used for
prayer, rest and meditation solely. A
handsome building it Is with Its tessel-
lated floors and its numerous fine paint
ings. Over the door is posted this no
tice, explaining the true object Of the
church; "Passengcrs through the busy
streets Of London, enter this sanctuary
for rest and silence and prayer Let
the pictured walls within speak Of the
past yet ever continuing ways OF God
with man"
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

Conservative historians among the
Chinese claim for their race an an
tiquliy of Mt least 100000 years, while
those whose estimates are little
"wild' assert that the Chinese We're
The original Inhabitants of the cart,
md that Chinese history goes back ut
least 50o,o00000 years. The govern
mcut records OF China place the foun-
dation of the empire at $500 Il. C. and
claim That It was established by Tohl.
who, they assert. is the Noah men
TONED In the book OF Genesis. u. G.
o2f0.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
WORKS OF A WATCH.



OF one Idea.
To one who has never studied the
mechanism of Il watch its handspring
or The balance wheel Is Il mere piece of
metal. lie may have looked mt the face
of the watch, and while he admires the
motions of its hands and the time It
keeps he may have wondered in idle
amazement as 10 the character OF the
machinery Which is concealed within.
Take it To pieces and show him each
part separately, and he will recognize
neither design nor adaptation nor rela-
gctber, set them 10 work, point out the
Offices Of each spring. wheel and cog.
explain their movements and then
show him the result Now lie pcrceives
that il IS MI ole design; that, notwith
standing the number of parts, their di-
verse forms and various offices and the
agents concerned, the whole piece is of
one idea lie now rightly concludes
that when the handspring MAS fashion
ed and tempered its relation 10 all the
other parts must have been considered.
that the cogs on this wheel are cut and
regulated adapted TO the ratchets on
| that, ctc., and his final conclusion will
| hc that such piece of meehanism
could not lnyc been produced by
chance. for the adaptation Of the parts
is such as to show it TO be according to
design aud ohpdeut 10 the will of one
iNtptTiaonGp
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
SUGAR MAKING.
The Hindoos Probably Learned the
Art From the Chinese.


The Chinese, WHO invented almost
everything before anybody else heard
of It, claim 10 be the original discover.
ers OF the process of sugar making,
and il is said that sugar WIS used in
China as long ago as 5000 years. This
Is misty, but the fact Is we'll establish.
ed that 1t WIS manufactured in China
under the 1sin dynasty 200 years ut
least before the Christian era began.
India has put forward a claim for
priority of invention, but the prohabl-
ity is that the iIindoos learned the art
OF sugar making from the Chinese and
that through them the knowledge final.
ly spread 10 the western nations. Ne
archus, when sent by Alexander on an
exploring voyage on the Indus, brought
back reports of honey which WIS
made by the Asiates from cane with
out the help of bees.
At this time neither the Greeks nor
the Jews nor the BahNlouians had any
knowledge Of sugar. but later the art
of making the artificial "honcy" be-
came known and praeticed though its
progress aud development were ex-
cccdnglt SLOW. II WAS prescribed as
II medicine by Galeu in A. d. 100, and
up 10 the seventeenth century IL had
become nothing more than costly
luxury, ~ be used only on special occa-
sions Even ms late as the beginning
of the eighteenth century the annual
consumption of sugar in Great Britain
had reached only 2o,0ooo00 pounds,
whereas ii is now more than 1000, 1000
000 pounds.
Refined sugar WIS not made in Eng
land till 1853. The art Of refining was
learned by a Venetian merchant from
the Saraccns. Who sold the secret To
him for 100000 crowns
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
EyoIutinn of ahcnistrN

The first chemists were The alchom
tried TO make gold by compromising va
riolis chemicals Chemistry WAS intro
duccd into Spain by the Moors in ll1o
and the Chinese and Egyptians claimed
an early acquaintance With il. II0wcV-
err, chemistry was not 4 science until
the seventeenth century Hoephaavc
was the first 10 combine the study Of
chemistry with medicine. and since
then its evolution has been rapid
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

Buncum-My physician tells me | am
working too hard.
Marks-Thc NJ. ID. evidently knows
bis business.
Buncum-Why do you think sof
Marks have been comparing notes
with a few of our mutual friends and
] find you have worked MS pretty hard.
detroit Tribune.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
They Wouldn't Lay.

A bashful young woman from Il
backwoods county in Virginia went
into II local store carrying three chick
ems. She inquired the price Of chickens
and at the same time put them on the
counter
"Will they NY there asked the
clerk, who did not know that the chick
ems legs were tied.
She bit her handkerchief in embar.
rassment u moment aud said:
mo, SIR they are ROSTERS. - Ilppin-
colts
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

"You seemed greatly impressed said
the minister, with my description OF
how ihey brought the head of John the
Baptist before the king on n salver."
yes" sighed Mrs. De style; Il was
thinking how much better they train
ed servants in those days. Now. mine,
when they bring me things, are forever
forgetting the salyer. Louisville Cou-
iler. Journal
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
The DIHcreuce

Mike KIN yez tell we phvat's III
difference betwane humor an wit, Pat?
Pat-Wcll, it's loike tn difference be-
twane whin yure wolfe tiekles We IN
dber tn chin wild shtraw from "a
broom an whin she hits ye over IA
head wild tn handle nv ut.-Jndge.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

"What's the matter. dcarf' asked
the Doctors wife. are You worried
about Mr. Poorley's easef'
ayes" replied the doctor.
"And Is there no hopc;'
"Ycry little. lie says he doesn't e1-
pect 10 leave enough TO pay more than
nethird OF my bill."-Answcrs.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

'IIave you any new song that Is soft
and mellow
well, here's one that lust came in.
Its called 4 Love My Little Oozy,
Moozy Moo That sounds musly,
doesn't IT, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
4 Sure Way.

First Author-Oh, the unutterable
monotony Of existence. l am thor
oushly disguised with 1t all. Would
that might completely disappear for
awhile. Second Author-fhen why
don't you harry famous woman?--
Judge
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09
,lhrre Mcre nlhers

'fhat cofnet player on the third floor
has remarkable endurance" remarked
the casual Aisit0r.
Gle has agreed the regular board
or. but it's nothing compared to the
other boarlers. Toledo Blade.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-01-09

Professor &, little distracted + I'm
glad 10 see you. lIow's your wife?
~ regret it, professor. but I'm not
married"
"Ah, yes. Then Of course your wife's
still single - lflegende Batter.