davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
THE COAL SACK IN THE SKY.
1t Is Visible Because 1t Contains Moth
ing That Is Visible.

Immediately below the lower stars
Gross there is q black patch in the sky,
dark, sack shaped and mysterious.
Scientifically accurate astronomers ex-
plain that it is not patch, but rather
something which becomes visible by
reason of the anomaly that it contains
nothing that is visible
The lay mind, preferring bald reality
to abstract truth, is somewhat startled
to learn that an object is seen because
there is nothing in it to see. but no one
can dispute the fact The coal sack Is
visible because it contains nothing that
is visible.
In other words, it is a vast hole in
the stellar system in which there is not
even a pinch of stellar dust to shed a
flicker of luminosity. 1t is typically
and absolutely the quintessence Of
blackness.
Because it is so, and in contradiction
of all preconceived notions. the human
eye can see it without the aid of a
telescope or other instrument.
Between the stars Of the Milky Way
there are many little holes in the stel-
lar system-little by comparison, that
is to say-but one must have telescopes
and patience to find them. One need
only cross the line to the southern
hemisphere and locate the Southern
Cross in order to see the coal sack.
With the wealth of legendary tale
20 I,a nrfh
stars by the highly gifted races gaz-
ing on them through the ages that are
gone one is tempted to speculate what
tales would not have been constructed
around that fathomless mystery had it
appeared north instead of south of the
equator.
When it rouses the poetical impulse
within the brain Of aboriginal Aus
tralians. what might it not have done
with the ancient Greeks or still more
ancient Egyptians? But they were de-
MED it. The aboriginal uses it as he
uses most things, in topsy turvy fash
lon. TO him the world is a fiat plain
crowned with dome shaped roof.
When man dies he has to go up to
the roof and slowly journey over it
until he can Chamber down to the
fiat again and squeeze through, once
more a man. The coal sack is the hole
he goes through to get on to the roof.
and to get up to it is a very long climb.
The journey over the roof is also
very long, and it is hard to squeeze
through when he reaches the fiat again.
So long does it take that by the time
man has completed the journey not
only his hair, but his, skin, has grown
white with age.
Wherefore the black fellow who has
made the journey rejolns his tribe as a
white fellow. Thus it was that when
the white man first came to the land
the aboriglnes regarded him as a long
lost comrade.-Macmillan Magazine.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
DEEP SEA FISHING.
Quite as Much a Game of Chance as
Politics or Poker.

You let down a heavy lump Of lead
and two big hooks baited with clans
into thirty, forty or sixty feet of wa
ter. Then you wait until something
nudges the line or until you suspect
that the hooks are bare.
Then you give the line q quick jerk
and pull in hand over hand, with more
or less resistance, and see what you
have drawn into the grab bag.
1t may be a silly but nutritious cod,
gaping In surprise at this curious ter
mination Of his involuntary rise in the
world, or silvery paddock, staring at
you with round, reproachful eyes, or
pollock, handsome, but worthless, or
a shiny, writhing dogfish, whose vii
lainy is written on every line Of his
degenerate, chinless face.
1t may be that spiny gargoyle Of the
sea, sculpin, or soft and stupid hake
from the mud flats. 1t may be any
one Of the grotesque products of Nep-
tunes vegetable garden. sea cucum-
Der, sea carrot or q sea cabbage, or
1t may be nothing at all.
When you have made your grab and
deposited the result, if it be. edible, in
the barrel which stands in the middle
of the boat, you try another grab, and
that's the whole story.
1t is astonishing how much amuse-
ment apparently sane men get out of
such a simple game as this. The in
terest lies, first, in the united effort to
fill the barrel, and, second, in the RI
valry among the fishermen as to which
of them shall take in the largest cod
or the greatest number of hadIlock,
these being regarded as prize packages.
The sculpin and the sea vegetables
may be compared to comic valentines,
which expose the recipient to ridlcule.
The dogfish are like tax notices and
assessments-the man who gets one of
them gets less than nothing, for they
count against the catcher. 1t Is quite
as much a game of chance as politics
or poker. You do not know on which
side of the boat the good fish are hid
den
You cannot tell the difference be-
tween the nibble of cod and the bite
of a dogfsh. You have no idea Of
what is coming to you until you have
hauled in almost all of your line and
caught sight of your allotment wrig-
Cling and whlrling in the blue water
Sometimes you get twins.-Scrlbners.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
Biggest of All Animals.

The sulphur bOttOm-or blue whale, as
1t is better called by the NOrwegians-
is not only the largest living animal
but the largest that has ever lived,
reaching length Of eighty feet or
very rarely little more. Whales grow
much larger than this in books and
newspapers, but in actual life not one
in a dozen even of this species attains
a length of eighty feet. The popular
idea of a whale is that it is n clumsy
animal, but, as shown by models, it
has the graceful lines of a yacht. The
total weight of a whale is about sixty
tons, and unusually large and fat indi-
viduals must reach at least sixty-tive
tons. The largest animal of the past
SO far discovered is the great Dinosaur
brontosaurus, and this big reptile
weighed about thirty eight tons.-Mu-
scum News.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
A Gracious NEGATIVE.

"The other day 1 got the polltest
rundown" said a bond salesman, that
ever happened. 1 had been talking
from IL O'clock till almost noon to a
man I'd known at college, trying to in
terest him in $4,000 Of what con
sidered very exceptional bonds. Final
ly he looked at his watch.
"'Bob,' he said, it's lunchtime,'
That's So answered.
"'Bob,' he went on, If l buy those
bonds will you take me out to lunch?'
"'Of course said. Why, sure.
"'Well, Bob he concluded, you'd
better have lunch with me this noon 4"
New York Sun.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
ITEMS WORTHY
OF PERUSAI.

Saturday is the busy day of the
London firemen. In ten years Lon
don had 1898 Saturday fires, against
1902 on Monday, the day they were
least frequent.
In emigration Europe loses 96O, 900
natives every year, and in the same
period 200, 900 return.
The highest point to which man
can ascend without his health being
seriously affected is 1880 feet.
In empluyments requiring quick
ness and dexterity of the hands
women are far more valuable than
men.
There are 5000 chemists in the
United States, and very large pro-
portion of these are employed in
Industrial work.
Out of an average annual loss to
the worlds shipping of 2l72 vessels,
ninety-four are completely missing
and never heard of again.
Keaping began on field of wheat
at Blockley, in Worcestershire. at 8
o'clock in the morning and was
served as bread just sixty minutes
after.
The value of the shipping passing
through the Suez Canal in the course
of the year is 500. 100000, and the
great bulk of this is English.
The largest percentage of organized
workers is found in Denmark. Half
of the populationi is unionized.
Sweden is close second, with Ger
many next.
There are now in Germany 116
cities with special schools for back
ward children. The total number of
these schools is DOB, and the number
of pupils is 10, 100. Berlin has thirty
one of these accessory schools.
The average sperm whale Is about
50 feet long and weighs 140, 900
pounds, and will yield 60, 600 pounds
of blubber (trom which AZ, 900 pounds
of train oil can be made) and 1000
pounds of whalebone.
A gigantic tray of solid silver,
weighing more than 10000 ounces.
has just been made by firm in Lon
don for an Oriental potentate. The
tray is Z feet in diameter and is said
to be the largest ever executed; 1t has
been in the hands of the workmen for
over a year.
Technical clubs among the EN-
ployes of large engineering offices are
among the most useful means of keep
ing men interested in their work and
acquainted with the problems that
arise in other departments than their
own. They are generally encouraged
by the officers OF such companies on
account of this good influence.
FIre-killed timber is being used
more extensively each year in the
West for railroad ties, and where
tried in the same track with ties cut
green, has been found to be as good
as the latter. Despite the fact that
dead timber is often regarded as I'M
sound, there are many tracts of it
killed by fire fifteen or twenty years
ago, that are still sound. The
strength is not impaired, and the
durability is often increased
-----------1 1891
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
Corrected.

Mamma, Mrs. Oldcastle just went
wild over our new bust of Shakespeare
when she was here this afternoon"
Burst, my dear, burst Mercy sakes,
how can you use such slang? And
you've been to Europe twice tool
Chicago Record Herald.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
Good Actions.

When we have. practiced good ac-
tons awhile they become easy. When
they are easy we take pleasure In
them. When they please us we do
them frequently, and then by frequen-
cy Of act they grow into a habit-Til-
lotSon.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31

Regulates the bowels, promotes
easy natural movements, cures con
tipation-Doan' Regulets. Ask
your druggist for them. 20 cents a
box.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31

Farmers, mechanics, railroaders,
'aborers rely on DR., Thomas Eolee-
trio Oil. Takes the sting out of cuts,
burns or bruises at once. Pain can
not stay where it is used.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31

Ledger & Chicago Inter. Ocean, 81. so.
Amador ledger., 1908-01-31

Ledger and Chicago Weekly Inter
Ocean, both papers for one year, $3.50
in advance.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12
ktfat.s Jim
reached the shore

her daughter were. gazing mournfully from
the sitting room window of the boat at the
destruction of their home.
I'VE shall bring what few things we have
saved on board said Jimmie; "for of course
it will be necessary for you to go down the
river with us, at least as far as the next
house"
On hearing strange voice, the lady looked
around quickly, and True, who had learned
from her some of the particulars regarding
herself, introduced the young trader.
1'Jim," he said, "this is Mrs. Winslow Cur
tbs and her daughter, Miss Nellie. Ladies,
this is the boy who saved you-the one OF
whom you were talking-Jimmie Warder."
The lady grasped Jim by both hands, even
before True had ceased speaking, but, choked
with emotion as she was, she found it difficult
to say what was in her mind, and this delay
gave the young trader the opportunity of
saying:
"Please don't let us talk about what has
been one Any one else would have acted
exactly as we did, and perhaps have served
you better"
Indeed, il would have been impossible"
Lets decide first of all, what you are to
do interrupted Jimmie in order to cut short
her thanks.
"Mr. Curtis started for New Orleans in a
fat boat, loaded with produce, and expects to
remain several weeks, for he is thinking OF set
Ting there permanently" said True.
Mrs Curtis and he had been speaking OF
what should be done in her sudden misfor-
tune, and she had thus explained her position
to him.
"Have you any friends below here to whose
house you would like to gor' asked Jirn-
"Of course, you know that we cannot run mp
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12

anything that will hold my weight. l am
coming up to you.
The girl heard him, and did as he directed.
Without thought of his own danger, the
boy seized the hastily-improvised rope and be-
gan to ascend.
The second story window was not more
than eighteen feet from the ground, and just
as Jim climbed over the sill the River Queen
reached the bank.
Now he would have all the assistance he
needed, for True, Bent and Pete were run
ming toward the house at full speed, having
left Jethro behind to make the boat fast to
the shore.
But Jim had no more time than was needed
to effect his purpose. Already had the flames
advanced as far as the bedstead, which was
room was like going into an oven, so heated
was the air.
Drawing up the sheets by which he had as.
cended, he tied the end under the girls arms;
then he lowered her from the window, as she
had lowered her mother few minutes be-
fore, the boys standing below ready to receive
her.
AS soon she had reached the ground Jim
looked about the room to see if there was
anything he could save A small quantity of
clothing and few pieces Of bedding were all
that the flames had not yet fastened upon.
To throw these out was but the work Of a
moment, and Jim followed them with MIN
bleness that showed how perilous it was for
him to remain longer in the suffocating heat
and smoke of the burning house.
During this time, aided by Jethro, the boys
had carried the girl and her mother to the
fat boat, where True and Bent tried to re-
store the woman to consciousness, while Jeth-
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12

the, river in this boat, however much We
might like to do so."
Il do not know any one" replied Mrs Cur
tbs, thoughtfully, but / suppose we could live
for while at almost any place. We might
stop at the next landing
You are perfectly welcome to remain on
board here as long as you please, for we have
plenty of room," assured Jim, looking intentIy
at True; and, when that young gentleman
nodded his head approvingly, he continued,
If you wish, you can go to New Orleans with
us. we shall probably get there within q
fortnight from the time your husband does,
find him. '''' nave Du' n''ie 'r0uOie 70
"We can give you and Miss Nellie room
by yourselves, and we shall be pleased to have
YOU" said True, heartily.
And Bent added his invitation by remark
Il should think it would be the best thing
you could do, You will have everything with
you that has been saved from the fire, and you
can write to Mr. Curtis, telling him that you
are coming down with US"
Mrs. Curtis was quite positive that the best
thlng she could do was to go TO New Orleans
with the boys, but at the same time she nat
nraiiy hesltated about remaining on board the
River Queen for so long a time fearing that
she would cause both trouble and expense
The boys were so hearty in their invitation,
insisting that they should not be inconveni-
enced and explaining that they could provide
sleeping accommodations for ten people with
decided to accept their generous offer She
knew that it would be to the advantage Of
herself and her husband if she could rejoin
him at once, and settled the matter by SAYING:
Il want to. go to New Orleans, and shall
accept your kind invitation; but you must
allow my husband to pay you for our passage
when we arrive there"
eff it would cause us any trouble, or ex.
pense enough to be noticed, we would will
ingy take his money" said Jim, decidedly;
but, as it is, we could not do anything of
the kind. 1t will be ever so much more jolly
to have you and your daughter on board,
and you will really be doing us favor by
going"
I'VE will let the matter rest in that way
until our arrival" replied Mrs. Curtis, speak
ing quite as decidedly as Jim had, "and then
Mr.. Curtis will insist on paying you at least
something. But money can never settle the
debt we owe you"
While this conversation had been carried
on the fire had done its work, and all that
remained OF the buildings that had formed
the Curtis home was a smoldering pile of
embers.
With a view OF dstracting the attention Of
the guests from the loss, Jim proposed that
Mrs. Curtis and Nellie get their room in or
der, and called Jethro and Pete to remove
their belongings.
"One of you can sleep in our room" he
said, "but the other must take one of the
berths in the store"
81 reckon Wen both go into the store" re-
piled Jethro. Now that we're gettin' down
where the weathers warm, it'll be much
more comfortable there than it will be in the
room"
And thus was the question of sleeping apart
ments settled.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12
THIS STORY BEGAN -FOUR WEEKS AGO
sunonsls of preceding Chapters

Tbirty-seven eventful days have ESsr t the
since the fatboat, River queen, the Ohio
Cincinnati levee. and drifted NHoo cow trader"
ai Its crew Consisted of Jimmie Ma two bows,
Bert Howard and True Bartlett %nyse it with
goods, With the double purpose o, and Of
Jimmie an opportunity TO ,prospevtrs. M to-
Siying their sons promised eAcuisi'"
ee IN the Ohio River Peter Durham ,rsdine
less hoy had Joined them. sucee eS The goods
had made ID necessary to repienlsn III tbe nrn-
18th Of Cairo and at Memphis, anu me cppo ,d
ats of the venture had been renhrkaunf hnnf.
hove Memphis True and Bert, wen nolanter
in9 while Jimmie was trading Wlthh az p,h oat
Trme killed a bear and dragged ~ % t an live
Rent captured a cub and brougnt ~ ~ loo Wing
ON the thirty eighth day a iteS' The cub
Cincinnati Bent was romplng Win nha ny True
In the store room of the boat WHICH LUZ
Sa ..come guist, Bent Here's fine chance '0'
sn Without Remaining the cub Bent ran nDo Sn
t hnd shoof three ducks the ducks ;n fell boy s
tho water Rents cub rushed PAST inc regs
aud Ieaped overheard. Hastily ,t,i ney hnt he
into a skin and padded after MN tnh;,e they
scrambled out on the river bank w d1ass thai
were vet some distance away. heeo usonld he
while they were on shore the boat a woun niIes
drifting down the river at least IN, Me 20 any
an hour and without paying attentiomi 70 e,nys
thing but that the cub was rapioly "a run
them, the boys landed and star'eo u ''N
IN pursuit
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12

her turn toward the sitting vapor, as if to
find her way down stairs.
Under Jims vigorous strokes the skill fair
ly leaped through the water until she struck
the bank with force that ordinarily would
have thrown him into the river, but he was
prepared for it.
With the last stroke of the paddle he had
jumped to his feet, so that the shock served
but to throw him forward, and then he dash
ed on toward the house, believing that the life
of human being depended upon the time of
his arrival there.
As jim reached the door of the burning cot
tage the, girl had returned to the window,
apparently half suffocated from the smoke
that must have enveloped her the instant
she had turned back toward the interior OF
the room.
She was half leaning, half lying across the
window sill, as Jim ran into the house, seek
ing the staircase that led to the rooms above.
The roaring flames barred his way, and, after
one brave but unavailing attempt to dash
through them, he relinquished ali efforts to
aid the unfortunate girl from that direction.
He ran back to the window, from which
still hung the sheets by which the woman had
been lowered to the ground, and cried out to
the girl:
''1Ye your end of the sheets to the bed, or
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12

70 and Pete returned to see what property
they might be able to save.
The flames had gained such Roadway in the
house that but little could be saved, and that
of not much value. Some kitchen utensils
and few farming implements, gotten out OF
the barn, were all. The remainder of the
property had but served to feed the flames;
That's the end of it," said Jethro, as the
last article had been dragged from the doomed
buildings. "What puzzles me is where wen
carry the women. There amt house within
five miles as / can see"
Jim looked around but not habitation Of
any kind could be seen as far as the eyes could
reach, and, after making the survey, he re-
piled:
We've got to take them down the river
with us a piece, anyway; for they can't be
left here, now that they have no home, SO
we may as well carry these things on board
the boat"
Its lucky you saved this beddin'," remark
ed Jethro, grimly, as he began to gather up
an armful Of goods; ''for if you hadn't, an
they stay or board over night, some Of us
would have had to sleep on bare timbers,"
When Jim returned to the fat boat, carry
ing as much of the homeless ones property
as he could stagger under, the mother had
fully recovered consciousness, and she and
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12

=. HERE had been sufficient bedding
saved from the burning house to pro-
- vide Mrs. Curtis and Nellie with all
that was necessary, and so much
more comfortably were they situated than
IN sey nad th any reason to expect they would
nearly as great as when they believed that
they were absolutely without shelter
OF course, everything in the way of per-
sonal effects that had been saved was carried
to Mrs. Curtis room, but the small collection
of farming tools was slowed away in the
hold.
After this was done, and lust when Jim
was about to cast off the hawsers, Nellie came
running forward. saying, excitedly:
"The chickens! We forgot all about them.
and they are somewhere in the woods"
Jim looked at her almost in dismay; he did
not fancy carrying live stock, however small
they might be, but he knew. that he should
not hesitate about saving what property he
begun to unite the ropes:
make fast again, and put out the other
hawser We shall have TO stay here tonight.
The chickens will come back and roost some
then without much trouble; but it would be
hard job to run after them now How many
have you got, Miss Nellie?'
'"There were fifty-four when / counted them
last, but some may have got lost since then"
"We'll make two coops, Pete. That win
give us something to do until the flock comes
home"
And jim began the work at once.
Bv the time it was fairly dark all the chick
ems were safely in their big coops on the deck
inc the River Queen was drifting swiftly
down with the current, and Jethro was pre-
parine such breakfast as would establish his
reputation a. skillful cook in the minds Of
the guests.
roNTgNuIcD on PAGE THREE
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12
CHAPTER XVI
TRADING

= HERE had been sufficient bedding
saved from the burning house to pro-
A vide Mrs. Curtis and Nellie with all
Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12

$50 I'M tried to call the boys back, for
lust as they were landing he noticed
~ that there was no place along the
es..H aLo.o ,rhora he cnnld moor the River
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-02-21
NO NEWS OF THE PASTOR
All Trace of Rev. =. S. Honeywell
Seem to Be Lost

Echo, Mimi, Feb. s17.-NNhere is Rev
+. S. Honeywell. This question has
been asked ever since he so mys-
teriously left his home in Wood Lake
on Jan. %. All efforts to trace him
have failed and since he was seen
walking west on the railroad track, on
the afternoon of his disappearance, all
trace of him has been lost.
Because of strange actions suicide
was at first feared and the surround
ing country was searched but without
result.
He took $50 in cash with him. 1t is
also claimed he took a silk hat and
his revolver
Inquiries made of relatives living in
other parts of the country show that
he did not 90 there. His mother lives
at Vincent, Iowa, and a daughter in
Chicago He has visited neither place.
Aside from possible insanity 10 good
reasons are given for his leaving home
and work. The family still reside at
Wood Lake, awaiting news from the
absent one.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-02-21
KERNs AND HEBRON STORIES
William HendIey Met With an Acct
dent, Fell Out ofWegon.

From Tuesdays Daily.
Mrs. Harry Parsons, who suffered an
operation at the Emmanuel hospital
last week. is doing nicely.
The family of William Spears is
Old Mr.. Clark continues to improve
William Hendley met with an acct
dent last week by falling over the
side of the wagon box and broke two
of his ribs. A doctor was called and
reduced the, fracture. Mr.. Hendley is
now resting quite easily.
1t is T.. Hodson's turn this week to
be OIL the sick list with the grip.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. w. Rood continue
to improve slowly.
DIR. Holbrook met with an accident
to his automobile buggy last Saturday
while driving out in this section. The
front axel broke near the Kerns
school house.
Mrs. T. Hodson spent last week i'll
NIankato, returning home last Mon
day.
A valentine party was given the
young people last Friday night at
the home of c. S. Thurston. All
had fine time.
Those vino have been holding onto
their hogs for a higher market are
woefully disappointed.
Rev. Longworth, from near WinOna,
held services at the Hebron church
last Sunday morning, the first in sew
eral weeks. He may become the regu-
lar pastor.