davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18
GZ6Z1aQNI1 RI7IZE AI46-I1

Ing feature of these little creatures Is
its habit of throwing off its tail, which
1t does with the greatest ease when
caught, the tail squirming on the ground,
to attract attention, while the body es-
capes Anyone who delves In the canons.
turning over rocks and stones, will see
the blue tailed lizard, or Western Sink,
a beautiful lizard with a long tail Of
the deepest and most beautiful blue. SO
quick is this little creature that 1t is only
caught with the greatest difficulty, and
then almost invariably losses of the tail.
Along any sandy road will be found the
so-called horned toad, really a lizard,
spiny, yellow and black, fat little fellow
that is neither tame nor wild, yet sour
ries away at a marvellous pace and when
trapped tries to shuttle into the sand.
covering itself very successfully. When
attacked they often shoot or discharge
from the eyes bloody secretion which
is doubtless more or less acrid, and which
carries from one to several feet and Is,
know, very disagreeable to dogs The
horned lizard is perfectly harmless, as
are all the tribe with the possible excep-
ton of the heloderma, about which there
IL much ulHerence OF opinion, one Sue
stating that the Gila monster Of Arizona
and New Mexico is no more poisonous
than an ordinary snake. This may be true
of some, but the writer also knows Of
others who have been almost killed by
the bite of the lizard, and that 1t kills
small animals is we'll known. Despite the
doubt one had best leave this lizard and
the rattlesnake to themselves They both
doubtless fill some important niche in the
economy Of nature. One does not kill
all dogs because occasional dogs bite and
kill people, neither should all rattlers and
ella monsters be killed in the open coun-
try away from towns.
Among the larger animals the mountain
lion attracts the most attention by the
stroller through the forests. A wild weird
cry is occasionally heard at night and
laid to the panther, or mountain lion. or
| puma, as 1t is variously called. At rare
intervals one takes a colt or young
! burro, or raids ranch, and once a big
| lion came down through the town Of Pa
sadena, walked down by the mission OF
San Gabriel and crossed to the mission
hills few miles beyond and reached the
country about Santiago mountain.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

upon the destructive gopher, the ground
squirrel and rabbits The gopher snake
is, at least in my experience, as harm
less as a chicken. 1 have handled large
nessand never was attacked by them or
struck at; of course there is no venom In
the bite. The gopher snake is one of
the first to appear in the early spring
of California, coming out of Its partial
Information and gliding along in search
of game Of any kind. In the accom-
panying Illustration Its cannibalistic ma
ture Is shown. A large specimen nearly
six feet in length has deliberately swal-
lowed q garter snake about third as
large.
In every vacant lot in Southern Cali
fornia will be found the mischievous
gopher that tunnels the ground in every
direction, and into the subterranean dens
the snake boldly goes, and despite the
fact that the gopher has vice-like teeth
and Is vicious fighter, succeeds in over
powerlng it.
Among the quaint birds Of the country
you first observe the roadrunner pacing
along the road ahead of your horse and
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

channel Islands.
Each one has a different color, and
CLEANS and flashes like a gem of the
purest water; not in phosphorescent
light but iridescent. visible at their best
when the sun is overhead and sends
down shafts of light that illumine the
hooks and corners of the mountain sides
of the sea.
Here is the rialto of the fishes, a high
way along which white sea bass float.
short time ago I looked down through
the window of a glass bottom boat Into
the kep beds and saw scores of these
mighty game fishes, all over four feet
and weighing at least fifty pounds each.
Their backs were blue, and as they
moved slowly among the long huted
leaves the sight was one long to be
remembered.
Near by but rarely entering the forest
is the yellowtail or amber fish, CARRIED In
silver, it's back green, its fms yellow, and
a streak of yellow running down its sides
from head to tail. This is the game fish
of the people; sometimes running In
schools, and always to be found along the
kelp beds with the barracuda and flying
fish.
None of this inshore forest is over two
feet in height, and 1t forms a mosaic or
brilliant color all along shore, waving TO
and fro in the swell and thus opening up
other beauties at greater depths. Some
rocks are covered with the flower-like Ser
pulae that blossoms and disappear. their
radiating coronets vying with the flowers
Of the land In color, tint, harmony and
shade At the lghtest noise they close,
then slowly bloom again.
Near by are the anemones, giants OF
the tribe six or more inches across, In all
shades from mauve to white and purple
and its variants. Here the beche de mer
lies like huge slug across some colored
rock, and In every crevice are seen the
black needle-like-splnes of the echinus In
the lesser weed that ways forward and
backward with the restlc sea Is the kelp
fish, long slender, its \, and tints
strange mimicry of the ke p. Instead of
swimming about like other fishes it poises
among the weed, literally standing on its
head, waving with the resilient forest in
which it lives, so resembling IL that Il is
almost impossible to distinguish it.
Lying on the bottom is the dark blue
.'Midshipman,' With silvery spots along
its abdomen, that shine like buttons and
CLEAN at night This is the fish that
'sings," and have heard its songs" six
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

ty feet away. With 1t one may, though
rarely, see the walking fish with bullying
eyes, whose side fins appear to form arms
by which 1t pushes itself along, it's big
eyes peering about--the very spirit of ag-
gressiveness.
In the crevices are staFnshes of many
shapes and tints. One is a foot across,
red and white splashed and dotted with
big tubercles, dazzling and conspicuous
object. Here an octopus Is pulling its un-
calmly form in and out, emitting a black
cloud of smoke when startled, or suddenly
disappearing before your eyes by its mar
Vicious, indeed uncanny method Of chang
ing color or adapting It's tint to that of
its immediate surroundings. One is seen
sitting partly upon its eggs, which hang
from the side of moss-covered rock, OBJ
jects of the greatest solicitude.
If we are very fortunate in this jour
ney of the eyes, we may see It's cousin,
the paper nautilus, moving along, its deli
cate shell or egg capsule over 1t. Now
1t will leave 1t for a moment and crawl
away into some crevice. return and swim
of by the forceful rush of water from
its siphon. On the sides of the rock il
the huge keyhole limpet, four inches In
length, mound Of velvetlike black with
tints of yellow. Near by is the splendid
Haliotis, the ear shell or abalone whose
rich iridescent shells flicker and CLEAN
among the weed. Every nook and corner
Of this mountain slope is occupied by
fishes, shells or animals OF some kind;
some at the roots OF the pseudo forests;
some in the branches; others swimming
above them, or like the Pyrosoma, pois-
ing in the leafy halls and coverts; others
again In the open, swimming fearlessly
along the highway of the fishes.
Here the sea lions bask and roll and
chase the radiant rock bass into the kelp,
or lie at the surface, passing the time IN
games; and in secluded spots. perchance
the sea otter may be seen riding the great
swells as they come seething In on the
windward shores lifting the great masses
Of weed, tossing them hither and yon.
During heavy storms In winter portions
Of these forests Of the sea are often
wrenched from their place and tossed
upon the beach in great coils, and then
deep-water kelps with massive ciub-like
floats are found, and slender vines, many
feet IN length, coiled and entangled <
the sea wraclx. telling the story Of stta1sNo
and beautiful vegetation or Ine mount1LA
slopes Of the sea.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

his vicious habit, he is of value to the
farmer, as he looks upon the rabbit and
squirrel as an especial tidbit and is very
clever In catching them, running them
down In punches or lines. If 1t were not
for coyotes, ranching in certain parts of
the San Joaquin Valley would possibly
have been given up years ago, as the jack
rabbit increases with such rapidity as to
become a menace to the people
There are few more clever animals to
be found than the lowland wolves A
friend of mine from the slope of a hill or
mountain on the edge Of the Mojave des-
ert saw a pack of coyotes running down
jack rabbits. They formed two lines sew
eral hundred feet apart and ran down
the valley, and where a Jack was started
they SO arranged it that the victim was
in the center of the leaders of the lines.
When a leader became weary the next
coyote behind him came to the front and
he dropped behind so there was always
comparatively fresh wolf or two con-
tinually in the lead, and they soon ran
the jack down and wrangled over the
spoils. I frequently hear wolves bowling
at night across the Arroyo Seco, not a
| stone 8 throw ITOm fdSdueHd, u toWh
of twenty-fv thousand souls or more;
and one poor insignificant coyote will
make so much noice that the uninitiated
listener might easily conclude that band
of wolves was In the vicinity.
In the valleys, as the San Gabriel,
one Is impressed with the numbers OF
BIRDS especially in winter, and in March
and April they are so vociferous that
every house from the humblest shanty to
the palace has an early morning carnival
of song. This is particularly true of the
bush wren, song sparrow, hooking bird
and house finch, which are about In great
numbers, filling the air with melody, while
countless cranes, ducks. geese and other
large birds are passing north or south
along the face of the Sierra Nevada. tell
ing the wonderful story of bird migra-
! ton. One cannot walk over the country
| without noticing the great numbers Of
lizards which abound everywhere.
Perhaps the most common is the blue.
breasted lizard which is omnipresent in
dead trees, rocks and fences. and when
molested often rises quickly upward and
! settles down displaying the brilliant blue
| patch on its breast. The most interest
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18
LzS2R1ED Z2AD

gently hunted TOR snakes with young to
experiment with, to determine, If pos
sible, whether they receive the young
into their mouths. but without result
This has been denied by some, yet the
late Colonel Nicholas Pike. careful OBJ
server, told me that he had not only seen it
among snakes in the open, but that he had
observed 1t among snakes which he was
keeping In confinement. The rattlers GER
tainly are menace to life and comfort
In the mountains, but they are also valu-
able and the common gopher snake of
California gardens Is a decided factor in
good, farming. This snake attains a
length of seven feet, Of proportionate
size, and appears to the uninitiated to be
formidable monster and Is promptly
killed on the ground that all snakes are
enemies of man. The gopher snake Is
one Of the most valuable allies of the
farmer in Southern California, preying
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

several acres in extent, which If Invested
OF water would appear an extraordinary
pinnacle rising from the abysmal regions
of the sea, as not very far distant the
Albatross found a depth Of nearly mile
below the surface. The slopes of this
needle of the sea are invested with grace
full forests of Macrocystis, the long
olive-hued leaves rise upward in water
as blue as sapphire, the graceful outline
of the leaves standing out 10 sharp con-
trast and relief, and here, and along all
the adjacent shores one finds opportunity
to make better acquaintance with the
jewellers on the slopes Of the mountains
of the sen. With the big sea bass are
flashes of deep yellov-the Garabaldi,
calling to mind the angel fish OF the
tropics but of other kinship. 1t Is high,
graceful. debonnalr. sea orange, poising
among the frondS of Macrocystis, now In
strong relief against its olive tints, or
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

The islands are surrounded by this for
est, literal floating garden of the sea,
and there is often still another forest
several hundred feet further out. where
the great Macrocystis leaves rise and
coll in the tidal currents. This forest Is
as truly inhabited as are the glades of
the land. 1t is the highway OF numerous
fishes. Vast schools of barracuda, yellow
tail. smelt and sardines skirt its borders.
The giant black sea bnss makes its home
here, and so clear are the waters that
have looked down into them. and fifty
feet below seen the big bass floating In
the nook and corners OF its choice,
veritable colossus of the fishes.
The beauties OF this region on the
slopes--of the PERCEPTIONS mountain Of
San Clemente or Santa Catalina, or
Santa Barbara Rock, twenty-five miles to
the north of the latter, can hardly be
described. The Rock" is small island
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

The most remarkable of these fairy-like
ships have been named sea sapphires.
They are almost invisible, and are in
reality kinsmen OF the crabs; floating In
the current, free swimmers, yet among
the glories of the sea. Opposite Avalon
the water takes on splendid blue, and
when at night or early morning the sun
is low, over the sea is drawn a veil of
vermilion or old rose, each wave blaze
of color-green, red, yellow, purple, amber.
If into this saturnalla of color one should
drop or scatter ten thousand gems-dia-
monds-yellow, pink and white-rubies of
mines old and new, sapphires from the
faintest azure to the deep splendid blue
of the opal. tonrmallne, or turquoise. he
would have a faint conception OF the
effect produced by a swarm of these liy-
ing gems, living sapphires, which drift
IN this deep-toned Black Current Of Japan
where 1t impinges on the shores OF the
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18

standing out against the turquoise deeps
of the sea itself.
The Garabaldi is to the manor. born,
and In it's growth and development Is
living color scheme; cleaning with SEEM
ing iridescent flashes of turquoise, sap
phire and other tints. AS they grow they
take on yellow hues which gradually
spread and envelop the fish until in
adult life the Garabaldi is a reddish vel
low. blaze of old gold against the sea.
One never tires gazing down Into this
Kuroshiwo as 1t drifts on and on, as 1t
presents a marvellous and varied field of
life. Here the harlequin-like male Sleeps
head polses, black and red banded, white
chinned, rolling Its azure eyes upward,
while Its mate demure. sombre, CARRIED
In the modest hues of a dove, loiters in
an arch of the kelp In the watery air
hoat beautiful shapes, crystals OF the sea,
Shaped as bard's fancy"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18
, HE stroller over the mountains, va

~ HE stroller over the mountains, val
n legs or mesas of the Pacific Slope
~ soon notices that the animals he meets
differ decidedly from those Of the Atlantic
Slope and are often characteristic. This
is particularly true Of the fishes, a num-
Der, as the black sea bass. the yellow
tail, sheepshead, whitefsh and others,
being found along the Pacific Coast ex-
clusively.
have walked and ridden over a goodly
portion of Southern California on both
sides of the range, and have never seen
but one or two rattlesnakes, yet they are
found here, particularly in the mountains
ana In some places too common for, COM
fort up in the range, often of large size
similar to the one shown In the nc
companying illustration which shows
large rattlesnake over FIVE feet In length
crawling away, while a smaller one is
coiled ready for strike. I have dill
Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18
-lYnL4WIzxnpT 80

IA EARLY all the shore-loving animals
are mountaineers, living on the
j 4 slopes of huge mountains, represent
ed by the islands and continents which
rise ten or more miles from the greatest
depths to their Hottest attitudes in the
rare air of the upper atmosphere. Some
forms live at the base of these great
mountains, In regions of aqueous winter,
where the temperature Is just above freez-
ing; others have wandered up the slope
and live In moderate climes; and by far
the greater number live at the summit,
at the waters edge or not far from where
the great ocean forests have formed.
Here a wealth of submarine verdure
thrives, transforming the bottom of the
ocean into a strange and beautiful gar
den, a region of delights, down into which
the eweller on land may glance into the
deep unfathomed caves that oceans
bear, and obtain a more or less accurate
idea Of the ways and habits of the va
rious animals that make up oceanic COM
munlties.
Nearly the entire Pacific coast is
fringed by a beard of kelp, rich green or
olive In hue and tint. that rises from
fairly deep water and sends its enor-
nous leaves out In every direction the
tidal currents may indicate. At very low
tide these splendid fronds lie OH the
surface, are caught by the wind and
lifted above 1t. flashing brilliant tints of
, amber and old gold against the blue of
the ocean that appears here and there
like the tessellated pavement OF some fine
mosaic.
I" Twas where DER the sea s
Delicious gardens hung green galleries
And marble terraces In many flight
And fairy arches flung from cliff to cliff
Wldering. enchanting
On the coast of Southern California the
off-shore islands rise, as in the case OF
Santa Catalina, "A literal mountain from
q base not far away mile deep to half
mile above 1t; Indeed the average depth
of the Pacific is three miles, 80 the
islands are often fnger-like plnnacles,
mountains of extraordinary tenuity ris-
ing from the sea. At San Clemente and
the Coronado Rocks they are SO pre-
cipitous that the deep blue water of the
Kuroshiwo laves the very shores, and a
shin would strike her bowsprir on the
rocky shore before her keel struck.
The ocean forest, the green and amber
fronds, the long crimpled resilient 1uted
leaves float over this blue tint, stand out
in contrast to ii. blend with II, and take
on thousand charms from the associa-
ton; and looking down Into the par
terres and loops one may see the Rleam
Of the turquoise, the FIRE Of the opal and
countless tipts. radiant and beautifnl-
The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-10-18
House for Turkeys


In colder climates, where shelter
must be provided, house may be built
with the slanting roof; and an open
ventilator should be placed in front,
close to the roof, and never be closed
except in cold weather. The roost
should be placed on level in the
front Of the house, with a sliding or
rolling door in the rear. Only light
enough Is needed for the turkeys to see
the way to and from the roosts The
door should be left open all day, that
they may come and go at pleasure
WithiR this house they may be fed In
cold, snowy weather, writes T. f. Nc
Grew, United States Department Of Ag-
riculture. In the cold northern climate
of Canada one of the most successful
turkey growers has a double-inclosed
apartment house for his breeding stock
in winter, connected with which is an In
closed run that will protect them from
the elements, at the same time furnish
ing opportunity for open-air exercise
during the day. This kind Of house Is
The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-10-18

Shoes and SpectncIes for Animals.
In Bohemia when geese are to be
driven long distances to market they
are shod for the journey. The method
Of shoelng Is as simple as 1t Is effective.
The geese are made to walk repeatedly
over patches of tar mixed with sand.
This forms q hard crust on their feet,
which enables them to walk long dis
tances without becoming footsore.
Even more useful than shoes for
geese are the spectacles worn by the
cows that feed on the Russian steppes
a region where the snow lies for SIX
months of the year. ..4 .a H
These cattle pick up living from
the tufts of grass that crop up above
the snow. The sun shines SO dazzinglJ
upon the white surface that many Of
the animals suffered formerly from
snow-blindness. 1t occurred to an In
genious and humane individual thai
this situation might be remedied so ht
at once experimental in the manufac
ture of smoke-colored spectacles thai
might be adjusted to cattle. The re
suit was successful and the animals
were saved much suffering.
The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-10-18

81 counted seven girls taking down
my sermon in shorthand this morn
ting" said suburban minister. II am
getting tired Of this business Of turn
Ing church into school. 1t Is a desc
Grafton Of the Sabbath and Of the sane
tuary, and 1t gets worse year by year.
when the thing first began, l ad-
NIT that was fiattered. l thought
the solitary shorthand writer In my
front pew was a reporter. l took un-
usual pains that morning, and l
searched all the newspapers the next
day. In vain, of course. The short
hand writer was merely student Of
stenography, using me to practice on.
students of stenography should
practice on actors and on lecturers, but
no---that would cost money. Nothing
suits them but ministers, and every
Sunday, all over our land, young men
and women, with their pads and foun-
tain pens. go to church solely to i'm
prove their shorthand"
The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-10-18
Trees Grow at Night.

One of the foreign agents of the Bu-
reau Of Forestry, now in Tasmania, re,
ports as the result of series Of meas
urements Of growing apple and pear
trees and rose and geranium bushes
and other plants that S5 per cent Of the
growth of trees takes place between
midnight and o'clock in the morning
The growth continues at much di,
minished rate until 0 o'clock. After
that 1t is very slight until noon, when
the tree falls into condition Of com.
plete rest, lasting until o'clock. Then
there is gradual renewal of the
growth, which, however, does not be
come rapid until the middle Of the
night.
The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-10-18

Servant girl No. 20 was inquiring
into his qualifications to become her
employer. He had answered FIVE ques-
tions with. apparent satisfaction, and
his hopes were running high. Then
the fatal question: How many chill
dren have your"
"Two," he answered, reddening with
his sense of guilt
Nothing doing" was the dippant re-
sponse. II never enter family where
there are children"
His strained patience snapped. He
seized her by the arm.
Say" he whispered hoarsely
"come with me and I'll throw the chill
dren out of the window. Nay, more,
I'll divorce my wife and marry you.
Anything else that you want? Just
mention 1t, and 1t shall be done."-
Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-10-18

While visiting the south recently q
traveller CHANGED upon resident Of a
sleepy hamlet In Alabama. ...
"Are you native of this town. ask.
ed the traveller. ..
"Am l what?" languldly asked the
one addessed.
"Ars you a native Of the town"
"What's that2"
"I asked you whether you were a
native of the place?"
At this juncture there appeared at
the open door of the cabin the mans
wife, tall, sallow and gaunt. After
careful survey Of the questioner, she
said:
"Ain't you got no sense, Bill? He
means was yo' livln' heah when you
was born, or was yo' born before yo'
begun livin' heah. Now answer him.
Success
The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-10-18
Weetia OF value.

New Zealand fax is one Of number
Of wild weeds that yield their gath
erers great wealth, says the Scientific
American. This fax, the strongest
known, grows wild in marshes. When
1t is cultivated 1t dwindles and Its f1bers
become brittle and valueless.
Indian hemp grows wild, and out of
1t hasheesh, or keef, is made. Keef
looks like fakes of chopped straw. It
is smoked in pipe; 1t is eaten on
liver; 1t Is drunk In water. 1t pro
duces an Intense, q dellrious happiness
and among .Orientals 1t Is almost as
highly priced as beer and whisky
with us.
The best nutmegs are the wild ones
They grow throughout the Malay archi.
pelago.
But the most valuable weed Of all
these wild growths Is the seaweed. The
nitrate beds Of South America, which
yield something like $50, ,o00, 900 a year
are nothing but beds of seaweed decom
posed.