davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
PLAGUE OF eRAssHoPPERs.
The Transvaal and Orange River Col.
ony Eaten Up by Myriads of


The Transvaal and the Orange Riv.
er colony have been suffering all the
spring from a plague of grasshop-
pers which began in March and which
has stripped countless miles Of for.
est and farm land bare of every leaf,
bud or green sprout. The first rec
ord of the visitation comes from
johannesburg, where early in March
a devastating cloud of insects swept
over the country.
Suddenly at midday to the south
Of the city the sun was darkened.
The inhabitants prepared for one OF
the fierce thunderstorms that some
times rage in the Rand. But there
was no lightning visible and no wind.
Old timers speedily guessed what was
coming, but their idea had no time
to get into circulation when the storm
burst, storm of myriads of big
brown grasshoppers which filed the
air, covered the ground and ate up ev-
cry particle Of vegetation almost in
an instant.
Women shrieking and hysterical
4 fought the swarms that settled with
parasols and handkerchiefs. Men
used sticks and branches Of trees,
some trying frantically to beat the
destroyers away from their fields and
gardens with about as much succesc
as If one tried to keep the tide out
out with mop. AT last every one
rushed for cover. but the grasshoD.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
NEW SIDE OF LINCOLN.
His Constant Interest In the Mill
tary Telegraph System.

His Constant Interest In the Mill
tary Telegraph System.
Abraham Lincoln has been studied
from almost every point Of view, but
it is a notable fact that none Of his
biographers has ever seriously consid-
cred that branch of the service with
which Lincoln was in daily personal
touch for four years-the military tele-
graph; for, during the civil war, the
President spent more of his waking
hours in the war department telegraph
office than in any other place except
the White House, says the Century.
While in the telegraph Office he was
comparatively free from official cares
and therefore more inclined to dis
close his natural traits and disposition.
During the last four years of Lin
coins all too brief public career, even
until the day before his tragic ending,
the writer was most fortunate in be-
ing able to see him and talk with him
daily, and usually several times a day +;
for he visited the war department tele-
graph Office regularly, morning, after
noon and evening, to receive the latest
news from the front. His tail, homely
form could be seen crossing the WELL
shaded lawn between the White House
and the war department with UNMARRIED
regularity.
In cool weather he Invariably wore
gray plaid shawl thrown over his
shoulders in careless fashion, and,
upon entering the telegraph office, he
would always hang this shawl over the
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

The entry Of the Boomerang into
American sport was officially proclaim
ed a short time ago by the organization
In Washington, D. c., of the first
Boomerang Club in the United States,
and the Technical World Magazine, in
an article by E. s. Bisbee, tells how to
make and throw the "stick" The ec-
centric antics of the Australian weap-
on have long been the marvel of the
American boy, but the scientific study
Of its use promises to reveal many
novel and interesting features Of its
gyrating motion. AS with the baseball
pitchers curves, nobody but the one
who throws boomerang knows where
it is going to go, and even the hurler
does not know that unless he is an
adept.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

pers found their way IA through
cracks under doors, by way OF ven.
tilators and down the chimneys, un.
til smoking fires of logs and hay were
made in the hearths.
Outside the conditions became i'm
describable. The visitants were the
! flying brown grasshoppers, the most
destructive of all. No imagination
could grasp their numbers. The path
of flight extended from Gemiston to
Krugersdorf and the sky was almost
as black as at night, but with muriy
brown color, while the houses, trees.
rocks, fields, streets became covered
with layer on layer like snowfakes
turned brown.
Those that settled down seemed to
remain while other myriads few on.
| Wagons and automobiles could hard.
ly make headway over the layers Of
| insects that they crushed under their
wheels with cracking noise. Trains
had to stop as the tracks became
slippery. Street car lines had to go
out of business and some of the cars
could not be held by the brakes and
backed down Hospital hill, one knock
ing over cab near the foot.
1t took the whole cloud of insects
five hours to pass over the city. They
left a scene of desolation behind
them SO far as vegetation is CON
cerned as if the region had been
swept by fire. What is more, the
thousands that settled died in few
hours and the decay Of the great mass
poisoned the air for days in spite of
every hygienic precaution that could
be taken
Last year the Transvaal is said to
have suffered more than 100000 loss
from swarms of grasshoppers. This
year the conditions are still worse.
Reports Of disastrous visitations come
in from all quarters and it is feared
the losses will be greatly increased
At Bloemfontein, in the Orange Riv-
er Colony, a flight Of grasshoppers
thirteen miles long by eight broad
swept over the country, leaving moth
ing in the way of herb, shrub or tree
behind it.
There is no way Of making head
against the plague when the grass
hoppers are developed. Efforts are
made to prevent them from Matching
from the Larvae by using arsenic spray
IN places where their presence is sus-
pected. In this case, however, the
source is practically beyond reach.
It is believed that the swarms come
from the great Kalahari desert in
Bechuanaland. This is region
hardly ever visited by rain and as
the larvae of the grasshoppers re-
quire a combination of heat and mois.
ture to. hatch out they have probably
lain quiescent there for years, each
year increasing in numbers from new
deposits. In the last two years there
have been unusually heavy rainfalls
in South Africa, which no doubt have
extended to the desert and so given
life to the millions upon millions OF
eggs stored up in it.-New York Sun
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

care. The death of the Mckinley chill
dren. prior to the entrance of William
Mckinley upon his congressional ca
reer, was the beginning of Mrs Nc
Kinley's Ill health. Her long contin-
ued affection resulted IN beautifying
and ennobling the lives Of husband
and wife, and who will say that in her
weakness Mrs. Mckinley did not serve
her country better and was not a
greater tower of strength to her hus-
band (b6an had she been prodigy of
r. 1urance and an odroit manipulator
Y political forces.
The home life Of the McKinleys was
IDEAL, and gave the country and the
prld an example Of love and devotion
kich received the attention Of all.
he invalid wife made William Nc
Finley a better as well as a greater
man. Through all the vicissitudes Of
a long public career pure and endur-
ing shone the light Of that home life
which become one Of the brightest
jewels in the memory of the American
people.
While Mrs. Mckinley was ambitious
for "the Major" she thought most of
all OF the quiet Of the Canton home,
with him always near.
1t was the home life. with her hus-
band always with her, that appealed
more strongly to this Invalid woman
than all the pomp Of public life.
The cruel death Of her husband was
a blow from which she never recov-
cred. Eyer since that September day
/ In 1901 when be was laid to rest in
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
TO ATTRACT HORNETS.

Last summer Ned went to the ceun-
try to visit his cousin Will, and one
day the two boys walked out into the
woods. They were sitting on a log,
poking around with a stick, when sud.
denly a crowd of yellow jackets
swarmed out from hole intent upon
furnishing the disturbers of their
peace Ned took to his heels and
ran, waving his hat in all directions.
while Will stood perfectly STILL The
bees pursued poor Ned and stung him
tfrightfully, and paid absolutely Ee
attention to Will.
This will invariably happen. If you
keep perfectly quiet bees will seldom
attack you, but If you run they will
surely Washington Star.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
Singing Hen Amazes Big congrega.
ton.

Miss May Frick's Rhode Island hen,
"Queen Ann known for miles around
as the singing chicken, burst into
song today in front of the Methodist
church and so amazed the worship.
pers that the services were suspend.
ed temporarily.
Queen Ann" is probably the most
extraordinary fowl that ever came
from an egg shell. She was one Of
brood Of eleven Matched under a
tree in which a colony of thrushes
had made their home, and filled the
air with their melody at early dawn.
The theory is that some prenatal
influence was exerted on the chick
before she broke through the shell
and that her unhenlike voice is the
result.
Queen Ann" does not "cluck" like
other hens. Tempted with a few
grains Of rye, which she seems to
prefer to corn, she will trill like a
canary. The volume of: sound is
deeper and not so shrill as that Of
the yellow-feathered songster, but
the graduations from the sharp STAG.
cate to the long legato are perfect
Liberty (Pa.) Dispatch to the N. Y.
World.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
IDA sAxToN M'KINLEY.

Mrs. William Mckinley has gone to
Join "the Major" for even after her
distinguished husband became Presi-
dent he was always "the Major to
her.
Wives and daughters of public men,
through their tact. their diplomacy
and the clever art of politics, have
often materially aided their husbands
and fathers in advancing fsom one
position to another. Kate Chase was
a better manipulation of political wires
than was Salmon P. Chase. Mrs.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

the Canton cemetery his faithful wife
awaited the summons to join him. She
wanted to be with him. Throughout
the years Of her suffering she was
cheerful and always busy In adding to
the happiness of others. She embodied
all those characteristics which adorn
American womanhood and beautify and
make sacred the American home
Toledo Blade.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

top of the high screen door opening
into Secretary Stantons room, adjoin-
ing. This door was nearly always
open. He seldom failed to come over
late In the evening before retiring. and
when returning to the White House
after dark he was frequently accom-
panied by Major Eckert, our chief, and
nearly always by small guard Of sol
diers. He sometimes protested against
this latter precaution as unnecessary,
but Secretary Stanton's orders to the
guard were imperative.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
A PLANT THAT COUGHS


II heard a cough and looked behind
me nervously." said huntsman, 'for
was stalking gazelles in that lion
colored waste the Sahara Desert and
having gotten rather too for south,
I expected at any moment to become
pinchushion for the poisoned darts
of the dread Touaregs.
But there was no one there. The
fiat desert Quivered in the sunshine,
and here and there dusty plant stood
YEARLY. But though commanded
the landscape for a radius Of fifty
miles, not living creature was in
sight.
Another cough. swung around
quickly. The same plant, yellow with
dust. dropped in the dry heat. That
was all. ~
Hack; Hack!'
ION my left this time swung
around again. A like plant met my
eyes. The thing was growing rather
ghastly.
"As / regarded this last plant a
cough came from it. Believe me, the
plant coughed. 1t shook all over and
then, Tightening up as a man does
when he is about to sneeze, 1t gave
a violent cough, and little cloud Of
dust arose.
Il found out afterward that the
plant was the coughing bean, which
IS common Ia many tropical countries.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

Fairbanks has welded and Is welding
a force in the world of politics. The
history Of the country abounds in in
cidents Of strong, tactful women who
have played an important part in the
history Of men and events.
During all the years that William
Mckinley was prominent in public life
his wife was an invalid, and yet it is
doubtful had she been well and strong
If she would have assisted him in as
great degree as she did by becoming
the object of his solicitude and tender
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
THE DEN OF WILD BEASTS.

I have been sitting by my window
watching the boys and girls play.
They seem to have such good times
that 1 often wish l might join them,
even though l am grown up. The
game they appear to enjoy most, for
they play it most is "The Den of the
Wild Beasts"
Each player represents some feroc-
ious wild animal, such as panther,
wolf, lion or bear. Each chooses a
tree or post or stone for his particu-
lar den. AS signal for the game
to commence all make terrible noise,
initiating the animals they pretend
to be.
The most venturesome then leaves
his den and advances toward the mid
die Of the playground, where he
dances around, trying to entice the
other animals from their lairs. Sup
pose the wolf come out first. Per-
haps lion and a tiger will imme-
diately follow. Then the wolf calls
IL
starts in pursuit, and the lion tries
to get home to his den before be-
ing caught If the wolf catches him
he takes him back to his own lair,
and there the lion has to stay through
out the rest Of the game, unless the
wolf himself is caught VI
No two are allowed to chase the
same animal at the same time, and
the chase belongs to the one who
calls I'm after so-and-so!" No animal
can be taken while he is bringing a
captive home.
1t often happens that all the ami
mails are in the field at the same time,
each in pursuit of his prey. Then
it is most exciting. Whenever the
captor Of an animal is himself cap
tured the prisoner is free to leave the
den and go back to his own lair The
game ends only when all the animals
are caught and imprisoned in one den.
Washington Star. HY
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
HAWK KILLING OFF sPARRows.

Charles Wall, who lives north of
town, says that the English sparrows
in this part of the country, which
have been such pest for good many
years, are no longer increasing in
numbers and that they have almost
entirely ceased to be the nuisance
they formerly were.
The reason he gives is that the
sparrow hawks are killing them off
and that the sparrows can ret null
tiply as fast as the hawks do away
with them. The sparrows, he says,
stay near the buildings for ear OF
the hawks and so do not get INTO
the fields and yards to dc the cam
age they used to. Mr. Wall thinks
the time may come wher the Eng
lish sparrow will te SO reduced in
numbers that they will be no longer
a menace.-Lawrence correspondence
Topeka Capital.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

Books have always secret influence
on the understanding. We cannot at
pleasure obliterate ideas. He that
reads books of science. though without
any desire fixed of improvement, will
grow more knowing. He that enter
tains himself with moral or religious
treatises will imperceptibly advance in
goodness. The ideas which are often
offered to the mind will at last find a
lucky moment when 1t is disposed to
receive them Samuel johnson.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

There are in New York city IA
clocks in public view that have no
figures or Roman letters on their
faces, using some advertising words
with IL letters in their places, and
it is as easy to tell the time BY their
use as nv the usual characters.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

A judge in Lancaster. Pa, rules
that when a newspaper is stolen from
the doorstep the subscriber is the ag-
grieved person. The Court says that
from the moment of delivery by the
carrier the paper is the subscribers
pypperty.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
MINX's TRIAL.

If ever there was a spoiled dog 1t
was Mink, and proper name she
had, too OF course, she was very
young when she did the dreadful thing
which led to her trial and conviction,
but youth is not always an excuse.
Mink was one of nine children, and
came to the Horizons when she was
small enough to be carried in Toms
pocket. She was a skye terrier, and
she became so attached to Tom that
I'm afraid Elsie held him responsible
fer the whole affair.
The little girls had been busy dress
making for month, for Emmelina
Horton, the big wax doll and Elsie's
oldest daughter was about to be mar
ried. There was to be grand we'd
ding. at. Elsie's house, and all EN-
melina's friends, with their mammas,
were to be invited. So every after
noon they met in the Horizons nursery
and spent busy, happy time making
wonderful garments for this occa-
sion.
One afternoon, unfortunately, Elsie
left the nursery door open while she
ran downstairs to say goodbye to
some of her friends. Mink peeped in,
saw something white lying on Elsie's
little work table, as well as some
pretty scraps on the floor, ard en-
tered to investigate. The result was
the '.rllination," as Elsie remarked
of Emmelina's wedding gown and the
shutting up of Mink in the cellar to
await her trial Of course, the wed
ding was postponed.
The trial took place in the nursery
the very next day. There was jury
of half a dozen little girls, half
dozen being considered quite enough
for a dog. Elsie was the judge, and
Tom, the policeman, brought in poor
Mink on her hind legs, looking very
much ashamed of herself
She listened to the whole story,
with her head on one side and her
right ear cooked, and one or twice her
soft, pathetic eyes filed with tears.
Sometimes she wagged her stump of
a tail quite piteously and when the
torn up white dress was shown to
her she looked guilty indeed.
When the judge pronounced sent
ence Mink Immediately rolled over
and played dead" so deep was the
disgrace She had to wear clothes
like doll for whole week, and Tom
had to take her out each day in a
doll carriage.
1t was a good lesson to Mink, who
had terrible ordeal to go through
every time she met her dog friends.
Nowadays she never goes near the
nursery, and if the faintest allusion is
made to Emmelina's wedding dress
the culprit will Immediately put her
tail between her legs and creep under
the sofa.-Pittsburg News.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

What has become Of the old-fash-
;oned boy who, when talking to a lady,
and If he did not understand her, said:
"Mam?"
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

THE CzAR AND CzARINA THEIR SON.
with his
Carewitch Grand Duke Alexis
spending much of their time
imperial family wide strip Of
undergoing change
of
He
machine
o
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

Most boys are bad enough to pretend
a whipping hurts a good deal worse
than 1t really does.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

In the long, dry heats this weird
D-owth's pores become choked with
dust, and it would die of suffocation
were it not that powerful gas accu-
mulates inside it, which, when Il
gain sufficient pressure, explodes with
sound precisely like the human
cough. The explosion shakes the plant
pores free of their dust and the
coughing bean is in good health again.
New Orleans Times Democrat.
HOW TO GROW A NAME.
1t is high time to get to work in
your gardens, youngsters, If you have
not already commenced. You can
have flowers in a box in the window,
or in the yard, or in the couptry gar
den-but, wherever you are, try to
have some kind of "a garden so you
can watch it and tend it yourself. Get
some one to advise you at first
mother or aunt or father or uncle.
Here are some suggestions for seeds
for yol to get.
If you like a vine, morning glory
is very satisfactory, and it will climb
up strings ON a window or fence or
house Some hardy flowers (meaning
flowers that can stand cold) are phlox,
cUdy-tuft, nasturtiums, portlIaca.
SLAP dragon, mignonette, marigold.
cornfower, poppies and verbena.
If you prefer vegetables, try beans.
lettuce, radishes, parsley and mint
Don't worry if the beans poke right
out Of the ground after planting, Cor
that is way they have. Let them
alone and they will manage tGem-
selves. If you do not live toe far
north, see if you can get peanuts from
your florist If you plant mustard or
cress seed, not water cress) try in
this way: Scratch your name or in
itials, on the ground and plant the
seeds. in the scratches, and the little
green plants will spring up and grow
into your name in your garden.
Are you going to have a little gar
den somewhere this year?-Washing
ton Star.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15
PIGEON CITIES IN THE swAMPs.

1dEO-N Nll In . w a D.
Each spring, in May, all the rosy
gulls of wide region somehow agree
to resort to particular one of vari-
Gus marshy lakes for the purpose of
rearing their young. Just how they
decide the important question is not
for US humans to know At any rate,
what they do select is a great area
Of grass, reeds or rushes growing out
of the water, and there, out of the
abundance of dry stems, each pair
builds a partly floating nest, side by
side with others, thousands upon
thousands of them. These great
"cities" Of the prairie pigeon present
one of the most dramatic, spectacular
sights in the bird life of this CONT
nent, comparable in a way to the
former breeding ''roosts'' of the real
wild pigeon. Outing Magazine.
Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-06-15

BOYS MAY FESTIVAL IN JAPAN.
The famous boys festival which oc-
ours in Japan every May is an in
teresting affair.
Eong before the arrival Of the day
shops are gay with all kinds Of
tempting toys and banners, while in
every yard and in front of the houses
long bamboo poles are set up. When
the day arrives. writes Genjiro in Tho
Circle, the boys tie their paper fishes,
flags and streamers to the rope hang
ing from the top Of the pole, and pull
them up. These paper fishes are
made hollow, SO that the breeze may
pass through the wide opening of the
mouth and initiate the body, making
it round like a real fish. The paper
is painted either red or black to rep
resent red or black carp The fishes
are of different sizes, ranging from
foot to three or four yards long.
Some of the bamboo poles have as
many fishes on them as there are boys
in the house; often each fish repre-
sents one of the boys of the family.
When there is strong spring
breeze the air entering through the
mouth initiates the bodies of the
fishes, swings them from side to side,
and makes them flap their tails. so
that they look as if they are in their
own element-are swimming in a
stream. 1t is pretty sight to see
from housetop a great number OF
them floating in the air all over the
city. To other bamboo poles flags
are attached and these have pictures
Of warriors and heroes in Japanese
history and leoandr naintad o., thann