davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The independent., 1907-01-31

1t was understood last year that
river and harbor bill of generous pro-
portions had been promised in order to
induce some members of congress to
support needed legislation. The bill
has made its appearance after election
as all such pie cutting bills must, and
it will be the most generous in our
history if it goes through according to
program. And there is no reason why
it should not go through. The pork is
cut in many pieces. The advocates Of
the deep waterway from the great
lakes to the gulf are to scratch the
backs of the advocates of a dredged
Delaware in consideration Of a return
favor, the Missouri will get heaping
bite. so will the Chicago and the Cal
umet the Illinois and the Ohio. No
doubt most of the public money thus
put In circulation in the districts of at
least a majority of the congressman
and senators will be we'll spent, and
will help in the solution Of the rail-
road problem. If some waste crceps
in 1t is our own fault. We judge our
congressman very much according to
what he can get for his district in
the way of appropriations for pensions,
postofices and such OBJECTS es the
river and harbor bill contemplates.
The independent., 1907-01-31

At the meeting of the lumbermen's
association in Lincoln during the past
week a letter was read from the Rocky
mountain coal mems association pro-
posing a remedy for the shortage in
coal that has been a disturbing fea-
ture of business everywhere during the
present season. The remedy is simple
and practical. If every Well established
coal dealer in Kansas and Nebraska
will increase his storage one-third or
one-half and stock up during the sum-
mer with the grades of coal that keep
without deterioration, keeping it until
the pinch comes in car service in the
dead of winter coal famnes will no
longer menace the people Of these
states. In order to encourage the deal
ers 10 adopt this policy the coal min
ers have agreed to make summer
price on storage coal that will cover
the cost of storage, the loss from waste
and interest on the capital that Ii tied
up In the operation. The dealer viii
need more capital, but in the end he
will profit handsomely because he viii
be able 10 do business all through the
year. when his competitor who may be
working on the hand 10 mouth bnsis
is periodically knocked over the ropes.
The advice is so sound that il Will no
doubt be accepted by large number
OF dealers In the plains region during
the coming year.
The independent., 1907-01-31
Russell A. ALGER.

Senator Alger was not permitted to
serve out his last term. William AL
den Smith would have become entitled
10 the seat occupied since September,
1902, by Mr.. Alger, and he will now
doubtless be appointed to serve out
the fragment of term left vacant by
death. 1t is too soon to make an esti-
mate of Senator Alger's public serv-
ices. He had long career which did
not grow brighter toward the close al
though he occupied high places. His
services in the civil war, which raised
him from the rank of captain to that
of major general entitled him to dis
tlnguished consideration throughout
his life. He was governor of his state
more than twenty years ago In 1888
he received hundred votes or more
on all but one of the eight ballots of
the national convention which nom
mated General Harrison. He was
commander in chief at one time of the
Grand Army Of the Republic. His ca
reer as secretary Of war at the time
of the Spanish war was unfortunate
He was charged with responsibility
for unsanitary camps, intolerable ra-
tions, the overcrowding and unfitness
of transports, and the incompetence
of subordinate officials An inyesti-
eating committee exonerated him in
the main, but its report was not given
full credit AS United States senator
he has not occupied prominent place.
He had amassed large fortune in the
lumber business, and his views and
votes in the senate We're commonly
regarded as representing in the main
the business interests with which he
was affiliated.
The independent., 1907-01-31

antee printed on the package" The
wholesaler from whom he orders has
included a similar condition in his or
ders to manufacturers, with the result
that orders cannot be filled Of goods
not yet made to comply with the law.
Some manufacturers held off in hope
Of getting more favorable rulings from
the government on points in which
they were interested, but DR.. Kebler,
chief Of the drug laboratory at Wash
ington, has announced that the law is
hog tight" an indication that no
quarter can be expected there. The
patent medicine makers are neglecting
golden opportunity in not ascribing
the epidemics Of various sorts now
prevailing throughout the country TO
this sudden cutting off of the supply
Of health preservers.
The independent., 1907-01-31

1t is notorious In the business cir
cles of the west that the city of Dem
yer is paying too high a rate on
nearly all classes Of freight, and yet
the case made before the interstate
commerce commission has not been
entirely conclusive. Possibly this has
been due to desire on the part of
Denver to hide the fact that certain
advantages have been secured in the
past For fear Of losing these special
rates the attorneys for the city have
evidently failed to go into the whole
question with the vigor that was
needed to bring about a clean read
justment. Virtually all commercial
cities have certain more or less unjust
advantages in freights, but these are
put in the background while a tre-
mendous uproar is made over other
schedules that are less favorable.
The independent., 1907-01-31
PURE DRUGS SCARCE.

A measure Of the effectiveness Of
one department OF the pure food law Is
gained from the complaints Of metro
politan druggists Of inability 70 get
their orders for patent medicines filled
with any degree OF promptness one
New York druggist reclted his ina
billty 20 get more than one-nfth of
the articles ordered Tho reason lies
In the conditions attached to the or
ders Retail dealers, TO protect them
selves stamp their orders for drugs
and proprietary preparations with
some such provIso as this; can goods
on this order must comply with food
and drugs act June 30. 1905. and guar
The independent., 1907-01-31

If the country expresses any disgust
whatever over the action of congress
in raising the salaries Of members to
$1,000 a year, it will be with the
ostrich-like behavior of the house in
passing the bill rather than because
of the raise itself Such an exhibition
of pusillanimity as that Of the house
In cramming the bill through without
a roll call in the evident hope of pre-
venting the public from knowing what
particular congressman were respon-
sible for the measure. does not increase
public confidence in that body. The
president will doubtless sign the bill,
and public opinion will approve the act
as making for greater independence
in the less wealthy members.
The independent., 1907-01-31

Governor Swettenham and mis- prig-
glshness cannot be forgotten too soon
Any boor can insult his neighbor and
the greater boor he is the more likely
he is to do something Of the kind.
Why should the world be all torn up
and peoples feelings rasped by con-
duct which could come from nobody
worthy of our consideration? There is
no reason for it, and yet our reason
In such a case is one of the hardest
things in the world to live up to.
The independent., 1907-01-31
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR

SubscriptiOns-All remittances should
be sent by postoffce money order, ex-
press order. or by bank draft on New
York or Chicago.
Change of Subscribers re-
questing change of address must give
the OLD as well as the NEW address.
Advertising Rates furnished upon ap-
plication.
Sample Copies sent free to any ad-
dress upon application. Send for sample
copies and club. rates.
Address all communications, and make
all drafts. money orders. etc, payable to
THE INDEPENDENT.
Lincoln. Neb
The independent., 1907-01-31

AS matters in the theatrical world
are now going the citizens of Beatrice
need not mourn excessively over the
prospective closing of the Paddock
opera house The scarcity of good
companies ION the road" is becoming
a source of real concern 10 the patrons
of the theater in all of the smaller
western cities. The ability of the
large cities to keep the best actors
profitably employed without disagree
able railroad journeys is leaving the
communities of less 7 n 100000 people
in bad way for strong and artistic
theatrical performances. II it were
not for the trend toward vaudeville it
might be possible to fill the need by
the organization of local stock COM
panies. AS the case stands there
is nothing for the public to do but
await the next turn in the development
of their amusements. They have at
least the poor satisfaction of knowing
that any future change cannot be for
the worse.
The independent., 1907-01-31

The action of the house in killing the
unlicensed veterinarian bill is really In
harmony with the provisions OF the
national law which prohibits the mis-
branding of Food products. The gov
ernmcnt Is inclined to allow consider
able latitude In the preparation and
sale Of various products, but 1t Is be-
ginning to insist that the label shall
declare exactly what each package
contains So Il IL with the practice OF
the various branches OF medicine The
public has appare ltly reached the con-
cluslon that II ls only fair 20 allow the
practice OF various kinds of healing.
but that no man shall put up mis-.
leading sign. II Il man has no degree
or has passed no of'iciai examination
he may do his best 90 cure dlstefnpers
I'm horses and cows, but ne Il not per.
mlgted 10 declare himself a veterinary
surgeon. The action OF the house II
The independent., 1907-01-31
THE HALEY INQUIRY.

I, II a pity the investigation of sen.
ator Bailey cannot be made out IN the
saalight before somebody possessing
public confidence, M the current in
vestiKatlons by the Interstate com.
merce commission are held There In
The independent., 1907-01-31

Portuguese East Africa II now 4 real
paradise for nlmrods. British Africa
Is fast becoming "A vast continental
preserve, while the Portuguese dnmin-
ions are not only open. but inviting.
Lions abound. Il appears. Ia the terri
tories ~ the Portuguese company of
the Boror region. which covers vast
extent OF territory, Ia degree which
has become quite intolerahlr even for
easy Portuguese ways A proclamation
has accordingly been published. tn the
terms ~ which the company Under
takes 20 pay i2b for every lions head
brought in and 10 leave the skin 10 tho
slayer.
The independent., 1907-01-31

sensible and eminently fair to all In
terests. If a practitioner In the course
Of time becomes learned enough to de-
serve the title he can get it by pass
ing an examination.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
Flying Kites For Luck.

On the ninth day Of the ninth month";,
according to the Chinese calendar, all
the Celestials, old and young alike, be-
take themselves to the hills behind
their towns and amuse themselves by
flying kites. But amusement is not
the sole reason for this ceremony. 1t
comes from an old Chinese legend,
and II Chinaman did not fly his kite
on the given day he would rest uneas-
ily for the remainder Of his life in fear
that misfortune would overtake his
family. The legend runs that many
years ago a certain Chinaman was
warned in a dream that misfortune
would come to his home on certain
day. Accordingly on that day he re-
paired to an adjacent hill and amused
himself and his family by flying a
kite while he was waiting for the dis
aster. In the evening, upon returning
to the valley In which his house was
situated, he found that it had fallen
in and buried his pigs beneath 1t. He
and his neighbors joined in thanksgiv-
ing for his narrow escape, and in
memory Of the event every year sees
the flight Of millions Of kites in China.
New York Tribune.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17

chamber then, and she dropped the
shovel and ran upstairs to find It. But
it was not loaded, and the powder was
in one place and the shot in another.
and In her hurry and confusion she
heard q pounding on the door. just like
that"
Uncle Zebedee raped on the old oak
table with startling effect. and then,
after a moments confusion, continued: !:
"She loaded the gun and went down to
the foot of the stairs and looked
through the latch hole of the stair
door, so-and-yes, and the Indian was
standing at the window-that windo.:'
His two eyes We're staring with won
der on the two brass kettles. He had
probably never seen kettle like these
before. and he did not know what they
We're
while he stood staring and wonder
ing the kettles began to move Two
little hands protruded under the bal! of
each of them, like turtles paws, for the
kettles stood on their ears, which lifted
them a little way from the floor. One
of the children began to creep and to
cry, moving the kettle. The other be-
gan to do the same. The cries caused
the kettles to ring. Two creeping ket-
ties! They looked like two big beetles
or water turtles, and such the Indian
might have thought them to be, but
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
No Gain and Some Loss.

"Yes," the leader of the amateur
brass band was saying, "it's curious
to see what an effect learning to play
a horn has on some persons. l used to
be a pretty good bass singer, but I
can't sing worth cent now.''
Does learning to. play horn spoil
the voice?" asked his next door neigh
bor.
1T did mine."
"How do you account for itg'
II don't know how to account for it.
Strains the vocal cords perhaps. All
know is that I blew my voice out
through the mouthpiece Of my cornet."
did you have good voiceY'
Everybody said So"
Then It's a great pity you ever
learned to play a horn," replied his
neighbor, shaking his head sadly. 'T-
er-think should have enjoyed hear
Ing You sing."-Youth's Companion.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
tn. un.oei.bIe Young Napoleon.


At dinner during the voyage to Cor
sica, to which my father invited the
passengers who included some officers
Of his regiment and the two Corsicans.
he requested an officer, M. de Belloc.
to call young man who was wearing
the uniform Of the military school and
reading at the end Of the boat. The
young man refused. NJ. de Belloc
came back irritated and said to my
father: II should like to throw the
unsociable little fellow into the sea.
He has an unpleasant face. Will you
grant me permission, colonel?'
''No," said my father, laughing,
"and I am not of your opinion. His
face shows character, and am sure
that he will be heard Of some day"
The unsociable fellow. was the future
Emperor Napoleon. Belloc has related
this scene to me at least ten times,
adding, with sigh, "Ah, If the colonel
had only allowed me to throw him into
the sea he would not be turning the
world upside down today From
Memoirs of Comtesse de Boigne.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
An Expert Marl,sman.

The terms ''sharrshooter." expert
marksman," ETC.. which have distin-
guished the classes OF military riflemen
are often puzzling 10 those not familiar
with rifle practice. To become a
marksman one must make 9S out Of
a possible $50 at 200, 300 and 500
yards. The sharpshooter must get
16O out of zoo at 200. 800, 500 and GOO
yards, besides doing well enough in
skirmish to bring his total to 225. or
two-thirds Of the possible score. An
expert must do all this and also score
40 out Of so ut 300 yards and 35 out
Of so at 1000 yards. The latter dis
tance is more than half mile and
the bullseye looks mighty small
Scranton Republican.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
Charcoal an Antidote.

japanese physicians declare It is i'm
possible for internal poisoning to oc-
cur II powdered charcoal be swallowed
as soon as the CASTRO intestinal dis
turbance Is felt. French physicians
have tested the power Of charcoal and
proved that it is the most active of all
known antidotes. The charcoal must
be taken as soon as the poison taken
begins to show its effect, and the dose
must be large. Charcoal is in no way
injurious, and as much as soupspoon-
ful may be taken in divided doses
mixed in water.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17

expected way, and did not soor
recover from the intense curiosit,
excited by my first impressions Of
them.
had gone to the old Minot house, il
Dorchester, Mass, to take dinner witt
my aunt. We two. my aunt and l, had
wandered over the house, up the huge
stairway and down into the cellar.
Suddenly aunt opened the door of al
old pantry on the floor of the porcl
and said, Child, look herev'
"What, aunt?"
''The two brass kettles"
Two enormous brass kettles met my
eyes. They were turned over Oh the
floor, and each would have held the
contents of half barrel
"ThOse are the ones, my DEAR"
What ones, aunt?'
"The ones that saved the two chill
dren from the old Indian straggler."
"What Indian stragglery asked
with intense interest.
"Oh, the one in King Philips war
Didn't you ever hear the story?"
mo, aunt"
"Well, I'll get Uncle Zebedee to tel
it to you after dinner. Come"
"But what could any one do with
such kettles as these? Where did they
hang them:' I continued.
Come here, and will show you"
She swept away, and shut the doc,
Of the dark room, which was lighted
only by opening the door. and followed
her. We went into the kitchen. She
pointed to an enormous fireplace and
said, There, child"
"But, aunt, how did the two brass
kettles save the children?'' l asked
again.
''Oh, they crawled about all Over
the floor here, there and yonder." point
ing.
(Which crawled about. the kettles o,
the children, aunt?'
A din here fell upon the air and
echoed through the great, fortress-likt
rooms. 1t was the huge bell for meals
'Come, child, let's CO. Uncle Zebedee
will tell you all about It,"
In moment we were In the dining
hall. How grand it all seemed! The
sideboard was full of baked meats and
steaming pies Over it hung a flintlocl
gun or a blunderbuss. The room had
been decorated for the occasion with
creeping jenny and boughs loaded
with peaches that had been broken of
by September gale There was q
whitewashed beam across the room or
which were great hooks and staples
The table was oak, and the chairs were
Of curious old pattern. At the head
of the table was a great chair, and in
it sat Uncle Zebedee, good old man
now nearly ninety years of age.
After the family were seated Uncle
Zebedee was asked to say grace. He
had habit of saying "and" after end.
ing sentence, and this made another
sentence necessary, often when he had
nothing more to say. 1t was so even IN
his prayers and was very noticeable in
his story telling. There usually fol
lowed an land" when the story was
DONE
1t was a queer structure, the old
Minot house in Dorchester 1t was
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
Time 10 Omit

A newly enlisted fireman of only
average pluck was serving at his first
fire, and the chief rushed up to him
and shouted: "Shin up that ladder to
the eighth story. crawl along the cor
nice to the fourth window, drop down
three stories and catch that wooden
sign you see smoking there. swing
yourself along to the second window
that the red glare is coming from.
break the glass and 60 In and rescue
those three old ladies' Well, what
the deuce are YOU waiting for!' "For
pen and ink, SIR" said the new man.
Il want to hand In my resignation
ArgOnaut.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
1he
| Walking
Kettles.
By FLOYD INGALLS,.
Copyright, 1907. by James Schneider.
By FLOYD INGALLS,.
Copyright, 1907. by James schreiber.

q WAS introduced to them in an un-
expected way, and l did not soon
recover from the intense curiosity
excited by my first impressions of
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17

1
/ BODY WAS FOUND.
| they beloved like two brazen animals.
| and-did you ever hear a child cry TN
der kettle?'' said Uncle Zebetlee, with
| a curious smile.
| We all confessed that we never had.
"Then, child, you just get under one
Of those kettles and holler. You needn't
be afraid. There ain't no Indians now
to do you any harm. Holler loud!'
| I did so.
DO you hear thaty' said Uncle Hebe-
dee. You never heard such sound
as that before. Hollow as a bell.
Another child was placed under one
| of the kettles and uttered a continuous
cry. The sound rang all over the room.
'Therev' said Uncle Zebedee. did
any one ever hear anything like that?
1t rings all over the room, scary-like
"Well, the children did not know
about the Indian, and they began to
creep toward the light of the window.
| moving the kettles like two enormous
beetles and crying and making the ket-
ties rumble and rumble all around,
| boom-oom-oom, just like that. The In
dams black eyes glowed like FIRE, and
he raised his gun and fired at one OF
the kettles. But nothing came Of it.
The shot did not harm the children I'M
der the kettle. 1t frightened both of
the children and made them cry the
louder and louder and scream as
though they were frantic. 'Ugh!' said
the Indian. Him no goot!'
"The kettles were all alive now, NOV
ing and echoing. He was more puzzled
| than before. What kind of creatures
could these be with great brass back
and living paws and full of unheard Of
noises like those? Ugh, ughv said he.
just like that The kettles kept moving
and sounding, and the Indian grew
more and more excited as lie watched
them. Suddenly he threw up his great
arms and turned his back, and Now
it all goes from me again."
"He said 'Ughp and threw mp his
arms and turned his back" prompted
aunt.
"And the maid opened the stair door
and fred" continued Uncle Zebedee.
"She drew quickly back and waited
for the family to return. The children
continued to cry. But they were safe,
rs they could not overturn the kettles
and bullets could not reach them. The
family came in an hour in great alarm
They had seen human blood in the
road, but no Indian.
"a few days afterward the Indians
body was found in some hazel bushes
by the brook. 1t was buried in the
meadow there, and
''The Indians grave" said aunt.
prompting.
Eyes, used to NOW over it when !.
was boy and''-
"That is all, Uncle Zebedee," said
aunt. you've got through now
''Yes. I've got through now., don't
think that / shall ever tell that stery
again and''-
There was something pathetic and
vet beautifully prophetic in the contin-
uance. The slanting sun shone through
the old window, and the chippering O
birds was healal in the fields
Uncle Zebedee never did tell the
story again. The final conjunction of
his long, peaceful life Game soon after
he told the tale to me- The violets and
MOSES cover him in the old Dorches-
ter burying ground. The old house is
gone; the two kettles, the gun and even
the gray stone from the field that rude
" marked the Indians grave.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17


really brick house incased in wood
a fort house it was called. 1t was
built in this way to protect the DWELL
ers against rude Indian assaults. There
were many such houses in the old col
onies, but one by one they grew gray
with moss and vanished. The Minot
house itself was burned about twenty
years ago after standing about $50
years.
The old people of Dorchester and
Neponset must remember 1t. It rose
solemn and stately at the foot of the
high hills overlooking the sea mead
ows. The high tide came into the
thatch margins near it and went out
again, leaving the abundant shellfish
spouting in the SUM- The fringed gen
tians grew amid the aftermath of the
hayfields around it. The orioles swung
In the tall trees in summer time, and
ospreys circIed and screamed in. the
clear sky over all.
But the orchards! Here were the
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17

Snobs In high places assume great
airs and are pretentious in all they
do, and the higher the elevation the
more conspicuous Is the incongruity Of
their position. Samuel Smiles.