davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29
HAS ATMOSPHERE CHANGED i?

CEOLOGISTS. astronomers and chemists agree that
Oour atmosphere not the same in the eartl,s
early days as it is Further this there is no
accord. Theories of the origin the atmosphere
and of the changes that it has undergone are vsr,
numerous. but none Of them is generally accented
The principal ones. gathered a recent scientific
work show difference OF opinion that is interest
ing If not satisfactory place il has been
generally believed that in early geologic epochs the
air was heavy with carbonc gas which was p1ti-
mately absorbed in the luxurant vegetation of the
coal measures or combined to form the earbonates
that form part Of certain rocks But it has recently
been calculated that il all the carbonic gas now
locked up in coal and were suddenly released it
would form mass 25 times large as our present
atmosphere and would exert such a pressure as TO
liquefy part of it, Evidently only small part of this
gas could have been in the atmosphere at one time
10 explain the continued existence of earbonic gas
canfc vents Some authorities regard this hypothesis
as inadequate, and eminent chemist sherry Hunt
- "hdt ne eailed d cosnc or universal atmosphere.
from which the atmosphere OF all the planets
composition Of the planetary atmospheres appears
be quite different.
Another hypothesis about the atmosphere is that
there was no free oxygen in it at first. all the
able oxygen having been used up forming the va
rious oxides that constituents of the crust
According 10 this theory oxygen appeared
atmosphere with the advent of the first plants for
these decornpose earbonic utilizing the carbon
for their own growth and freeing the oxygen some
authorities think that the oxygen fn the
air is slowly increasing, while others believe that it
is diminishing.
One unique atmosphere theory is that OF Professor
T. O. Chamberiin of the University Chicago. who
believes all the planets, including earth were
formed by the slow aggregation OF infinite number
of small solid bodies-meteorites in OF which
contained in state Of absorption. The accu-
raise the center to high temperature release
the gases. which escaped to form atmosphere
terror Of being a residue of Chemical
actions taking place in the outer crust
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29

low bad be before the
II has sworn to cherish him win give him up?
Since the occurrence of the events about
te narrats must confess inability to answer
this question. 1 bounds devotion.
because have seen Of her kind traitor
lifelong friends the o loved.
i tell what strain viii snap woman's heart
strings. because this crime against
the United which was serving
a 10 years term in prison
Early in December, 1873. summoned from New
York Washington by the chief service.
He gave a Allan Pinkerton and told me
he wanted undertake might become long
and dangerous mission. Wisconsin Illinois were
infested with eounterfeters Pinlerton knew
woman who willing to betray the Wisconsin
Her Mrs. Napoleon Bonaparte Latta. She her
self the wife of a counterfeiter convict. And
her little village of Monroe
Two days later Mr. Pnkerton's office in Chi
cago. He read the letter I brought him
chief Of the secret service up at me-
Mrs. Latta tells me- said that has a great
deal Of information regarding the counterfeiters
operating wisconsin She is eager to give this
information to the government Her husband is a
federal prison, you know. She to apply for
his pardon, and she thinks if something
the government from tine to time that white mark
VIII be Bone. as she calls her husband
In other words, she wants enforce plea for
pardon by showing Of services performed for the
government by herself 1 know of nothing what
have to TELL but give you a letter to her"
The morning looked up Mrs. Latta and found
that she lived forlorn cottage edge
the She herself door and I handed
her the letter of Introduction Mr.. Pinkerton
which she read while doorstep.
I shall forget the impression she made upon
She good type OF the TALL angular raw
boned frontier of 40 years ago. She was per-
haps 45 years black hair was only just be-
ginning be streaked with gray but her eyes told
the story OF her anxietes. disap-
pointments. Yet there a world o patience in
them Something in their glance, however, told me
she could not always be patient that there
when her pacdity became transformed into the fury
that rends and spares not. And it proved
After she had the letter invited me in The
room into which stepped low dark. AS far
a could discover only room in the house
except the bedrooms. In the a big wood
burning heating stove. the OF which modified
though they did make comfortable blasts
OF the Wisconsin winter that blew through the in
Vulnerable crevices. beside stove sat two men,
youth Of 20. who was her son, Frank
and the other her nephew. Clayton Robinson, who
perhaps 80 years old
Before entering the discussion o. the subject
that had investigate sent her son out of
the explaining afterward that she did not
care to have him hear what Then she
told me her nephew-~Clate." she called him
would tell everything I to know.
I turned him what he could tell
I tell you" he said where you can find some
rolls with which plates made and per-
haps the bedpiece Of the press"
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29

Orleans. He is passing by his own name and
does be recognized He seems on ac-
count of that woman he married, be ashamed of
himself He came here thinking 1 might have
something buried belonging to Bone, but told
him every piece of counterfeit had gone long
ago. that l only wished 1 had some, for God knows
need the money bad enough.
He then asked about you, and 1 told~hm you
were the same old friend you always
peen TO Bone, and all OF a sudden 1t came to my
mind what you told Frank day not long ago.
that you wished you had good customer for 5000
of stuff AS Hanchett wants 5000 and is willing to
pay cash told MIN would send Frank
il you would let him have It. I give it to Han
chett and come out myself with the money.
or or course, l expect to make something off the
Frank is my only help.
Please let Frank have it, send by
him as to what you are willing to do Frank does
not know who IIanchett is and thinks his name is
don't let him know what it is, l don't want the
poor boy to follow in his fathers footsteps at
present he knows nothing about the business.
Yours respectfully, MRS. LATTA
Counterfeiters do sell goods on credit or send
them to market by boys streeter would
not do so He wrote back if Hanchett wanted to
do business with him he must to Gratoit
That was what 1 wanted-an invitation to visit him
because to have without from him
might have made him suspicious
The next day hired livery team and Frank and 1
started for the home the counterfeiter 26 miles
away The mercury stood six degrees below zero
and the roads bad. About o'clock we drew up
before little log house in the center of small clear
ing Before ] could knock Streeter out of the
door handed him introduction from Mrs.
Latta and then looked to give to
FRANK an opportunity to slip into his hand the
ing letter, which had up for Mrs Latta to
copy and sign
MI Streeter-Dear SIR Hanchett has decided to
go II let Frank with him. He has promised to
give FRANK hundred of stuff for hope you
Will do as we'll if you make the dicker. You must
not let Hanchett know you recognize him. Call
MN Johnson for he to be very touchy about
his identity. RespectfuIly MRS I.ATTA
Streeter, who was tall, rawboned farmer weigh
ing about 21O pounds stepped into the house a mo-
ment to read the letter
We'll, what's new?" he said
Nothing" T. except that this northern winter
is pretty near freezing me-"
Come into the house
iollowed him in. Like Latta's place. this house
had only one 1 sat in a chair by the stove The
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29

Can you tell where can find the plates from
which the notes printed?'
NO; them"
who the rolls the bedpiece of the pressg'
I don't know"
I lying but I kept at him. He cung
persisently statement supplementing it only
the extent of saying that buried IN
the Finally 1 said to him:
You your to do something to help
uncle, who is in prison. 1t would do him
lutely good things to me without
telling me who them. In fact if you tell
where the rolls buried without revealing the
names of their owner I'should be compelled
The government would take the ground that any
who knew where counterfeiting material was
secreted also knew whom they belonged. L
want TO get is not so much things want
the who making counterfeit money
We thrashed the matter for hours Mrs Latta
sometimes Joining in the conversation the best
could get out of Clate promise that he would
try to find out that night who owned the rolls And.
evening had drawn made appointment for
II o'clock the next morning returned my hotel
When went to the house the next day Mrs Latta
greatly agtated.
I don't know what has become of Clate." said.
He got at o'clock this morning away.
he didn't tell me he going. don't know
where he has gone"
She suspected however that he had gone to the
little town of Boscobe, where he had relatives If
he did not home by night she said would go
TO Boscobel and see If he been there.
Matters looked bad. Mrs Latta she
herself knew nothing of the [ sought So told
her I would to Chicago, where L had work
do, she promising meantime 10 some investigating
on her own account and to keep informed what
she might learn.
didn't go to Chicago just then. I went to the
nearby town of GAINESVILLE, and the morning took
the train Boscobe 1 knew Mrs. Latta
would take if she kept her word to where Clate
Robinson had gone. she the train. 1 rode in
the most distant coach from her got
while she alighted the other. shadowed her
TO the house in which Robnsons relatives lived
rode back with her the same without her
seeing me.
During the next three weeks kept up my corre-
spondence with Mrs Latta and January 1 re-
ceved letter from her asking her at once
The day in Monroe. She
said she had formulated plan to Tom Streeter
a farmer, 32 Old who lived township of
Gratiot 26 miles distant. Streeter counterfeiter
had in his possession Mrs. was informed
$4,000 spurious notes.
Mrs Latta suggested visit Streeter ostensiby
dealer in counterfeit money, try to buy his
Orleans named Will Hanchett, whom had not seen
is years. could Hanchett, who when
a had away from Gratiot township and be-
come wholesale dealer in bad money
| asked Mrs Latta if she that Streeter
would not recognize me impostor. She replied
there no danger. Hanchett had married creole
felt little ashamed of had never gone north
visit So 1 wrote the following letter to Street
er. which Mrs. Latta copied signed
Monroe Wis, JAN 49, 1874
Mr.. Thomas Streeter--Dear Sir: Excuse me for
writing this delicate subject but VIII Hanchett
whom you all know very WELL is here from New
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29
A FLOATING TELESCOPE

N TELESCOPE thst floats in a tank OF water In
n stead of being mounted solid pier mas juse
been installed at the Harvard observatory The in
of rejecting type and is the largest
Of kind in the world object mirror being five
feet
The instrument proper is mounted a tight
cylindrical steel float which is buoyed up by water
in concrete tank only slightly larger cyIin-
der and shaped to fit it. The cylinder inclined and
serves the polar axis of the telescope.
1t does not float freely in the tank. has deli
pivot each and guide it, Tba
waterS however. bears all the weight none OF
it rests On the pivots- All movements Of the tee-
scope regulated by electric great glass
mirror is arranged that it easily be removed
and resvered whenever it grows dim. although its
weight is about
The whole instrument is mounted in the open al NJ
the is reflected eye piece in an adioTY
ing building, where the sits The telesco-A
is expected to reveal stars OF seventeenth a.
eighteenth magnitude--pOssibly fainter ones
work may thus be with it that would he ~,
possible with any other instrument.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29
MAN EATING TIGERS

N BOUT 1000 eaten by tigers in India
~ between 1900 and 1904 A large proportion of
these unfortunates perished during periods of
famine when the beasts made bold by hunger and
driven 10 the plains water The deaths
caused by tigers in India constitute per of the
whole number due 10 wild beasts All tigers not
man eaters, but when tiger tasted mans
flesh he viii not be content until he has had
Where hocks and herds abound. however, rare
ly victim Of the tiger. An old usually
very clever and tricky and avoid the slilIful
hunters II is affirmed that single tiger southern
India has killed 200 men, and that in the Hma-
layas has killed more than 300. Extraordinary as il
may seem, there is an authenticated in which a
tiger, holding young bullock in his mouth leaned a
thorn hedge six high. In southern india there
found tigers IA feet long It is not remarkable
animals when strong and ferocions are
able do great damage
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29
THE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

sI INSPIRATION is generally the result of pre-
llninary effort" So says French writer
discussing some remarkable autobographical passages
from an article by Henri the French
mathematician
Almost every has noticed that after long and
Irntiess mental effort after which has
peen striving will come him suddenly while he is
tnlnklng or something else The preliminary mental
work has borne. its fruit subconsciousIy
Poncare reports that many of his most abstruse
mathematical discoveries have come to him in lust
TINS way Once, after working difficult problem
Tor Two weeks, the solution him spontaneously
at night while he trying get to sleep another
came to him while he entering omnibus, his
MIND apparently from all mathemati tical
thoughts Again important conclusion forced it.
self upon him with brevity, suddenness and immedi-
ate certitude" while he resting the beach
after long period apparently futile cogitation.
Ihe striking part of all this is the appearance of
spontaneous illumination, which may be taken the
sign OF long subconscious deliberation Experiences
OF the Kind would appear to be very common with
mathematcians and indeed. with all whose work
requires long periods of mental concentration.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29
DISEASE GERMS IN BREAD

TIE baking 70 winch bread IS subjected is not
] always fatal to germs that may find their way
into it, If believe recent French in
vestigator The methods of many bakeries make it
easy for such germs to get into the dough- so that
this discovery is somewhat disqueting The expert
menter first determined the temperature of various
points within the loaf during baking found that
this was often low enough TO allow the germs to
cape. Then he introduced cultures Of the tubercle
bacillus into bread just as it into the oven
After thorough baking the bacilli still able to
reproduce, and guinea pigs noculated herewith con-
tracted tuberculosis 1t would thus appear certain
that contaminated dough produces contaminated
bread, despite the high outer temperature the
ing loaf The only out Of the danger to adopt
mechanical methods Of bread making o forbid
contact OF the naked hands with the in mixing
or kneading. Boards of health should take notice.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-29
WE MAY BE ALIVE, AFTER ALL

- HE tendency OF modern Psychologists seems to
have been to wipe the line between live and
dead things-to assert that all the processes OF
more complicated, 1t is true but different kind
from the evolution Of hydrogen gas laboratory
tube.
Time when the Psychologist, finding himself
unable TO explain this that phenomenon ami
plant, took refuge in the statement that it
was due TO vital force"-to something made a
living thing different in processes from dead
thing The existence OF any such force has
generally been denied by scientific recent years.
But an indication that the pendulum of scientific
opinion is swinging back again may found n the
recent presidential address Haldane the
physiological section of the British association
which he gives il his opinion that physics
istfy viii not account for all that living
organism He admits that vital force" is q vague
and meaningless phrase when by scien-
tc knowledge but he still expresses preference for
what he calls purely physiological explanations
physical and chemical For instance he is not
satisfied with any purely physical theory of the way
which animals maintain their bodily temperature
He thinks that il is sufficient say animals
naturally possess fixed temperature, just they
have fixed shape and structure this is all
there is TO it. He would regard this fact fixed
point Of departure in accounting for the phenomena
Of nutrition respiration and would attempt
go back on it. We must start somewhere, he says;
why not as we are studying physiology. assume a
purely physiological fact instead tracing it to a
physical- or chemical one which in its be
taken fundamental, without explanation? Dr.
Haldanes physiological brethren probably dsa-
with him, but his attitude profoundly sugges-
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-02-08
One Of fbe
Essentials

Of the happy homes Of to-day is a vasi
fund Of information as TO the best methodt
Of promoting health and happiness and
right living and knowledge Of the worlds
best products.
Products of actual excellence ana
reasonable claims truthfully presented
and which have attained to worldwide
acceptance through the approval of the
Well-Informed of the World; not Of indi.
viduals only, but Of the many who have
the happy faculty Of selecting and obtain
ing the best the world affords.
One of the products of that class, Of
known component parts, an Ethical
remedy, approved by physicians and com.
rnended by the Well-Informed of the
World as valuable and wholesome family
laxative is the well-known Syrup Of Fig
and Elixir Of SIENNA. To get its beneficial
effects always buy the genuine, manu-
featured by the California Fig Syrup Co.
only, and for sale by all leading druggists
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-02-08
A aueer sue for RheumatI.m.

A remarkable story comes from
Australia There is a place down
under" called Twofold Bay, which is
a whaling station and also a sea.
side resort A man who had dIned
not wisely but too well and had par
taken of the cup which cheers and In.
ebriates was walking with couple
OF friends on the shore. This man
was staying at a hotel at Eden, a
town on Twofold Bay in order to take
the cure for severe rheumatism But
while he was out he found cure of
his own, immensely more efilcacious
than mustard packs and massage, for
the three friends espied a dead whale
which had been cut open. The rheu-
matte gentleman made Decline for
it, and in few minutes plunged right
into the mass of decomposing blubber
Appalled, at the sight, his friends
endeavored to rescue him, but were
driven of by the heat and smell, and
eventually had to leave their compan-
ion to his own devises. For two
hours he remained where he was, and
then came out perfectly sober, the
rheumatism from which he had been
a chronic sufferer entirely gone. The
hotel at Eden is now full of rheumat-
ic patients waiting for whales, AS
soon as one is taken, the patients are
rowed out to it, the whalers dig for
each a sort of narrow grave in the
blubber, and in this couch the patients
lie for two hours.-Tit-Bits
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-02-08
s20OO For a Cracker.

The North Country Millionaire"
who is aid to have spent clio on a
box of ChristmaC crackers, has not
succeeded in snatching the record of
shall we extravaganza from
that wealthy predecessor who two or
three years ago paid $3.50 for a mere
half dozen crackers, specially made
for him by a firm Of London sill
versmiths. These costly cosaques,
which were enshrined in an exquis-
tie silver box, had wrappers of rare
old lace and figured satin, and each
contained in a silver casket, which
formed its centre, a valuable ring or
brooch. But, so far as we know,
the costliest cracker on record was
one constructed of gold in such faith
full imitation of a sheaf of wheat
that its modelling kept an industri-
GUS goldsmith hard at work for six
months. Tucked away in this golden
sheaf was a ring set with rare and
perfectly matched pearls; and the
sum paid for this king Of crackers,
which measured only four inches in
length, was e400.--~Dundee Adyer-
tiser.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-02-08
The Injured one.

A gentleman owSing a sugar estate
in Demerara went out to visit it for
the first time. The day after his ar
rival he stood watching the punts
bringing the cane home. A young ne
gro boy who was driving the mules,
wishing to increase the speed of these,
struck one of them with his whip.
The mule promptly responded by
launching out with his heels and
dealt the boy kick on the head
which stretched him on the ground
where he lay rubbing his woody pate
on the spot where the kick had been
received.
rs he hurt? Is he hurt?" cried the
planter in alarm. A full grown negro
hearing the expressions of concern,
sprang forward hastily and, raising
the mules heels, shouted out:
"No boss! That mule him walk ten,
dab TO- day or two, but him mo- hurt.
Chambers Journal.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-02-08
Eate Of Barn Cellars.

At meeting of the Massachusetts
State Board of Agriculture, much in
terest centred in the discussion of
barn cellars. Most dairymen of New
England have long been taught that
progressive farming demands barn
cellar for storage of manure; but of
late years many of the milk inspec-
tors and boards of health have de-
clared in favor of storage at some
distance from the barn.
The speaker of the occasion, G..
B. Lane, of the United States Dairy
Bureau, expressed the opinion that
in time the barn cellar will have to
go. He advised all dairymen who
were rebuilding or remodeling their
barns to make other arrangements.
The barn cellar, he said, gives off
steam and odors which come through
the floor and are great breeders of
flies. 1t would be better, he thought,
to have a manure pit not less than
thirty feet from the dairy barn.
There was much difference of
opinion among the dairymen present,
many of them contending that barn
cellar properly constructed and cared
for cannot injure the quality of the
milk or affect the health of the cat
tie. Some good New England authori-
ties, including prominent instructors
of the Massachusetts and Maine ex-
pertinent stations, are defenders of
the carefully managed barn cellar. 1t
will take something more than "say
so" to convince many dairymen that
cellar storage is not still good plan
for the Northern States.--American
CultiVator. 49,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-02-08
A Corrunt .Judoe.

The routine of the Criminal Court
proceedings had been marked by only
one unusual incident, and that was
the alacrity with which certain hard
character was sentenced for sixty
days to the Workhouse.
Judge" observed the District At
torney at the close of the dreary SEES
sion, you seemed to relish the priv
ilege of sending that man to the
Workhouse. Did his case impress
your"
Now, look here" whispered the
Judge, as he beckoned the attorney
aside, "that man is a worthless fel
low. Always drunk and never con
tributes cent to the support of his
wife, who is a most deserving woman
/ fuel sorry for her, and whenever he
is In prison she comes to our home
and assists my wife in the kitchen
And" chuckled the Judge, as hi
tapped the attorneys shoulder cheer
fully, "she does know how to bake APP
pie pie."-Philadelphia Ledger.