davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

We hold many Of the conveniences
of life so cheaply that we give little
thought to what 1t would be to go
back to the primitive customs OF our
foFebears In their everyday life.
When we take a match and with @
single scratch strike light We do
not put any particular value on any
thing so common as a match. Not
even the odorless little spitfire of a
"parlor match" commands our appre-
citation to any great extent.
The fire on the hearthstones of our
forebears was guarded with as much
jealous care as the vestal virgins
guarded 1t on the ancient altar OF
the temple of Vesta. The fire was
never allowed to die out entirely on
the hearthstones in the days before
matches were invented. The red
Goals were buried under the ashes so
that they could be uncovered and
famed into a flame when more fire
was needed.
The process of rubbing two sticks
of wood together until they produced
a flame is a very ancient one. 1t Is
one of the most primitive ways of OBJ
tanning fire. 1t is said that this pro-
cess obtained in the days of ancient
Greece and Rome, when the priests
of Jupiter had to kindle fire, and
all the American Indian tribes used
1t when they wanted fire. The inven-
tive mind Of man began to improve
on this method long before the idea
of such thing as a match was ever
conceived. One writer who has writ
ten exhaustively on the subject Of
fire says: Labor was saved, as well
as greater rapidity obtained, by using
a bow, with one turn of its string
twisted around the vertical stick,
which we may call the drill, so that
by moving it back and forth the drill
revolved with great rapidity in the
lower piece of wood, which is techni-
cally called the hearth A further
advance was made. Man has only
two hands, and he found that third
point of resistance would be an ad-
vantage. This he could get when he
had a companion, but not when he
was alone. So he began to use his
mouth to steady the drill, while one
hand impaired the motion with the
bow and the other held the hearth.
Hence we get the mouth drill, the ad-
ditional part of the apparatus being a
mouthpiece of hard wood, bone or
stone, with hole in 1t to receive the
head of the drill. Soon 1t was discov-
cred that weight tells, and weight
was therefore added to the drill, CIV
ing greater impetus, greater speed
and greater friction and, consequent
ly, greater heat. In this way'the Iro-
quois pump drill was developed"
One of the first matches was made
by cutting very thin strips Of highly
resinous or dry pinewood, about six
inches long, with pointed ends dipped
in melted sulphur; thus prepared
the sulphur points easily ignited
when applied to a spark obtained by
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Russian Mins Honor.

This years senior wranglership"
at the University of Cambridge, Eng
land, gave great honors to a young
Russian Jew. The result of the
mathematical tripos" shows that Sc
lig Brodetsky, whose father had
sought an asylum in England from
Russian oppression, had been brack-
eted with Mr.. Ibbotson, scholar OF
Pembroke, for the coveted British
blue riband of mathematics.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Dogs Helm Blacksmith.

A blacksmith in an uptown East
Side street employs three Newfound
land dogs to work the bellows of the
FORCES of his shop. In one corner OF
the place is wooden wheel about
eight feet in diameter and wide
enough for dog to stand in. When
the wheel is at rest the dog stands in
much the same position as the horse
in a child's rocker, with its head to.
ward the forge, awaiting orders.
When told to "go ahead" the beast
on duty at once starts on a brisk trot,
which makes the wheel turn around
rapidly, and by means Of crank and
lever the power is conveyed to the
bellows. The dogs work willingly
and with such intelligence that pedes-
TRANS are never weary of watching
the efforts of the animals to keep the
smiths fires bright. Each dog works
in the wheel one hour and then rests
for two.-New York Correspondence
in Pittsburg Dispatch.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Mail Bag Was Robber.

"Ohlce robbed last night. No clew
to thief. Loss about $500"
That was the telegram that came
Swimming over the wires from Cerrc
Gordo, ILL.,, to the Chicago postofE1ce
this morning.
Postmaster Campbell answered to
the postmaster at Cerro Gordo: WAS
the money in cigar box, Bouquet
de Straw brandt"
When the wires had been used for
a brief time the down State official
came to, and then there were apollo.
gies.
Through Cerro Gordo's mind there
slowly percolated the remembrance
that just before he locked his office
last night he placed his cigar-boXed
treasure in an empty mail sack, fear
ing thieves. Then the last thing he
did was to send all the empty sacks
to Chicago Chicago Telegram t.
tho Philadelphia Record.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
HOW HE FOUND BIG NUGGET.
Miners Success in a Long Abandoned
Placer Mine.

Johnny Kearn, who has spent many
years in the placer mines of the old
Highland district, was in Butte yes
terday. Mr.. Kearn achieved con-
siderable distinction last winter when
he discovered the largest nugget ever
found in the Highland district, 1t
netting him $128S when 1t was sold
in the assay Office in Helena.
II will tell you how 1 found 1t, )"
he said to reporter for the Standard.
II took up some ground of my own
on the head of Poodle Dog Gulch,
where no one had claim. / went -
close to big slide and began work.
ing where placer miners had worked
forty years ago and again twenty
years ago.
Il left the cabin. pretty early and
built fire on place where it looked
like there used to be side ditch.
You could trace it alth ough 1t is
grass grown. thawed the ground
out and then began digging.
Pretty soon l got down to the ground,
Through the black dirt to the gravel.
had not shovelled for more than
ten minutes before found him. My
shovel struck something that seemed
hard and looked close and saw 1t
was yellow. His nose was pointed
right toward me and you bet l got
busy with my shovel, and in little
while l had him in my hands. saw
it was a nugget weighing pounds
he weighed five of them-and
knocked off work and came to town
| took him to Mr.. Johnston of the
Clark Bank and he put him in the
window, where people looked at him
for six weeks and then he was sold
to the assay ONCE.
Where / found the nugget men
had worked forty years ago and
twenty years ago. The last work
was done by some Cinnamon and
they were within three or four feet
of the big nugget when they quit
work. If they had found him they
would have torn up the entire noun.
tain side looking for more like him. .
Anaconda Standard!
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
The French Sunday.

1t Is really remarkable to find the
French Chamber adopting an obliga-
tory Sunday rest for the working
classes by a majority of 575 to 1.
Probably the one considered that this
salutary proposal was trucking to
religion, which, of course, Is not to
be contemplated for moment, and 1t
is rather astonishing that not more
than one Deputy did so. The demand
for one days rest in seven, in France
as in England, comes really quite
as much from those who have no wish
that any of the leisure 30 gained shall
be spent in church as from the re-
ligious; and, with the provision of
shifts for the special cases of res
taurants, museums. bakeries and the
like, Sunday is obviously the most
convenient holiday for the community
in general. While the British Sun
day is becoming much less British
than 1t was, 1t is very noticeable that
the Continental Sunday is gradually
decontinentalizing itself. - London
Pail Mall Gazette. -.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
HIS SKIN TROUBLES CURED.
First Had Itching Rash--Threatened
Later With Blood-POisOn in leg
Relied on Cuticura Remedies.

About twelve or fifteen years ago ! had
breaking.out, and it iiched, and stung 80
badly that could not have any pence be-
cause of it. Three doctors did not help me.
Then used some Cuticurn Soap, CuticurO
Ointment. and Cutcura Resolvent and be
gan to get better right away. They cured
me and have not been bothered with the
itching since, to amount to anything,
About two years ago ! had la grippe and
pneumonia which left me with n pain in
my side. Treatment ran il into my leg,
which then swelled and began TO break out
The doctor was afraid it would turn to
blood.poison. used his medicine but il
did no good, then I used the CuticurO
Remedies three times and cured the break
ing-out on my leg j. F, Hennen, Milan
Mo-, May 10. 1907"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Sham Dealing.

For once the American had discov-
cred something British that was bet
ter than could produced across the
pond" His discovery was fine col
lie dog, and he at once tried to induce
It's owner, an old shepherd, to sell it..
"Wad ye be takin' him to Amer
ica?" inquired the old Scot.
ayes, l guess so, !" said the Yankee.
ii thought as muckle," said the
shepherd. II couldna part wi Jock. I"
But while they sat and chatted an
English tourist came up, and to him
thu shepherd sold the collie for much
leas than the American had offered.
You told me you wouldn't sell
him." said the Yankee, when the pur-
chaser had departed.
"No," replied the Scot; 81 said l
couldna part wi him. Jock'll be
back in day or so, but he couldn't
swim the Atlantic. Detroit Free
Press.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

A Cultivated Memory.

r. G. Laston, who issued a chal-
ienge to the world for the memory
championship, although only young
man of twenty-three years, is verita-
BILE walking encyclopaedia, for he has
memorized 10000 dates of the pfinci-
pal events in the worlds history since
the creation. 1t was quite by accident
that he discovered that he had an
exceptional gift of memory. He was
being trained as an army officer, when
an attack of rheumatic fever dispelled
his hopes in that direction. At that
time he happened to meet the Zancigs
in India, who, noticing what a re-
markable memory he had for dates,
advised him to cultivate 1t. He then
purchased copy OF Haydn's "Dic-
tionary Of Dates" and sought to COM
nit to memory the dates of the most
important events in the worlds his
tory by writing fifty to a hundred
dates on a piece OF paper, and re-
writing them three or four times until
he had fully grasped them, with the
result that he has a repertory OF
thousands OF dates, and can give the
correct answers without the slightest
hesitation. London Tit-Bits.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
New Zealand Lumbermen.

The kauri timber industry is one Of
the most important in North New
Zealand. In the districts north Of
Auckland almost one-half of the pop
ulation are in some way connected
with the industry and look to 1t as
their mainstay of existence,
First must be reckoned the van
guard of the army of workers-some
AZ, 900 hardy bushmen, whose province
It is to penetrate into the forests and
the wild mountain regions where the
kauri grows, and with axe and saw
to fall" and lop the great trees. Next
come the haulers, bullock drivers,
wagoners, sailors, sawmill hands, en-
CINE drivers, clerks, cooks, saw doc
tors" and a host of others too numer-
GUS to mention Wide World Maya
zine.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
GETTING A LIGHT.
Advance From Days of Rubbing to DaYs Of
Striking.
!s43=:.a.iF SHN
ny ,. L. HARBOUR.

striking fire into finder from a flint
and steel. These matches were IN
common use for many years. Then
some one invented the instantaneous
light box" This consisted Of small
tin box containing a bottle, in which
was placed some sulphuric acid, with
enough fibrous asbestos to soak it up
and prevent its splitting out of the
bottle, and a supply Of properly pre-
pared matches. These primitive
matches consisted of small splints OF
wood about two inches long, one end
of which was coated with chemical
mixture, prepared by mixing chloratd
of potash, six parts; powdered LOAF
sugar, two parts; powdered gum ara
bic, one part; the whole colored with
a little vermillion and mixed With
water until It became a thin paste,
The splints were first dipped into
melted sulphur and then into the pre-
pared paste. They were really made
to burn by dipping the prepared enda
into sulphuric acid. We would sure
ly regard this as pretty bothersome
kind of a match, and one with which
it would not be easy to strike a light
II one wanted to light the gas in ones
house in the dark. One would need q
light in order to strike light with
matches of this kind. A common
name for matches of this kind was
"spunks."
It was not until about the year
1888 that the friction method OF OBJ
tanning a light began. to be devel'
oped, and friction matches came into
use. There are many persons still
living who have distinct recollection
of the first friction matches they ever
saw, and these matches were looked
upon with some distrust at first be-
cause of the ease with which they
| went off," Some feared that they
, might "go off, of their own accord
and burn people out OF house and
home. In the year 1928 a peculiar
match was introduced. Phosphorus
and sulphur were carefully mixed II
glass tube tightly corked. A spin
Il IGE VI WOON was pAAPpOA AASS ~AS ~@NO
a small portion Of the mixture wa'
drawn out, and when this was exposed
to the air 1t ignited and set fire to the
wood. But this was not very han
dy' match, after all, and people
clamored for something still simpler
and more effective. John Walker,
druggist in England, invented the
first really practical friction matches
giving to them the name of Con
greves." They were of thin strip
of wood, or cardboard, coated ant
dipped with sulphur and tipped will
a mixture of sulphide of anthony
chlorate of potash and mucilage. Blu
they were expensive and beyond thu
reach of the common people, costing
twenty-five cents for seven dozen o
them. Take it "by and large" l
would be difficult to mention an in
vention of greater utility to mankin'
as a genuine convenience and neces
sity than the common match that WI
buy and hold so cheaply.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

tho edge, and while four OF his com-
rades held him fast by the legs, he
leaned far out over the wide old
fashioned caves. Others passed to
him bottles OF the water charged with
carbonic acid gas. And there, hang
ing far over the edge of the roof, so
that lie might be able to direct the
stream of water on the IRE burning
fiercely beneath the caves, he squirted
the fizzing contents of bottle after
bottle, until the last flame and the
last ember were extinguished--and
the house was saved. -
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
CHOICE OF A BRIAR PIPE.
Get One Which is Smooth Inside the
Bowl, Says Smoker.

AO"AS HSNJO SAAASAAs
A collegian who prides himself on
the sweetness and color of his briar'
wood pipes and pretends to know a
lot more than any ordinary smoker,
spent half an hour making an add.
ton to his already large collection.
Some pipes he discarded because
of the grain of the wood; there was
too much stripe or too much birds.
eye, he remarked. When he found
one which suited him he put 1t aside
until he had gathered three or four
which apparently were all right, and
then came his final test to pick out
the best of them all.
He held each with the bowl toward
the light, then slowly rubbed his
little finger inside. Two he discard
ed, then repeated the operation with
the others until only one remained
out of the discard. That one he
bought.
Want 'em smooth inside" he ex.
planned. "A briar pipe roughly fin.
ished inside the bowl lint worth
bothering with. / would not take
one for a gift; wouldn't take the
trouble to try to break it in, for II
will never be any good. 1t won't
cake up right and it'll never be nice
and sweet.
"I've got a theory that when the
inside of the bowl Is rough all the
| little edges and points of the WOOD
char and burn the first time you
smoke it, and burnt pipe is no good.
That's why / always take pipe that
has a bowl as smooth on the inside
as on the out.
Then it doesn't char but cakes
up evenly and gets good in little
time. Maybe the theory is wrong
but it has worked out we'll in my own
experience, and some of my friends
| who have tried It agree with me. -
New York Sun.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Deafness Cannot BE Cured

~ local apl lications as hey cannot reaC hthe
diseased portion ofthe ear. There is onlyone
way to cure deafness, and that is by consti-
tutlonal remedies. Deafness is caused byan
infiamed condition of the mucous lining OF
the Eustachian Tube When thistube ISM
famed you have rumbling sound orimper-
feet hearing, and when 1t is entirely closed
Deafness is the result, and unless the infam-
nation can be taken out and this tube re-
stored to its normal condition, hearing will
be destroyed forever. Nine cases out often
are caused by catarrh which is nothing butan
inflamed condition Of the mucous surfaces.
We will give One Hundred 1 IL RS forany
case of Deafness Caused by catalrh) that can
not be cured by Halls CatarTh Cure. Sendfor
circulafgfree. +. J. CHENEY 4 Co., Toledo, %.
Sold by Druggists, 75c.
lake Halls Family Pills for constipation.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
I'll
Male Friendships.

Remarks have been made lately as
regards the apparent decline of close
personal friendships between men.
Perhaps something in our busy mod
ern life accounts for our lower note
in masculine friendships. Perhaps,
too, much that belonged to inter-
changes between man and man is now
possible between woman and man, as
equals. Light.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Tho shortest Epltaph,


The undertaken paused in his meas.
urements.
There is only one one-werd cpl
taph in this country" he said, hang
ing his shoulders. 1T is in the town
Of Worcester. 1 believe it is quite
a drawing card. Holiday-makers come
to see It from miles around.
"The epitaph consists of the word
Gone A Worcester auctioneer lay
dying. He whispered to his wife with
a quiet smile: I've been Going, go.
ing" all my life. Now IN soon be
be "gone," Put that on my tomb
stone, dear. That one word Gone"
only
"The wife complied" concluded
the Observation-Disclosures Bulle.
tfn
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
How the French Farmer Lives
BY VANCE THOMPSON.

The French farmer, Pierre, whom
1 visited that year, raised 1000 meas
ures of wheat; 100 were laid aside
for seed; $50 went for the family
-four; the remaining 1850 measures
he sold at sixty cents, for $3.50. His
rye, barley and fodder, after deduct.
ing seed and supplies for the cattle
brought in $420. He sells every veal
pair of oxen-the old ones; last
year he got $3.50. The sale of Other
stock brought him $40. Another
source of income is the poultry yard
But this and the dairy may be sci
aside as equivalent to the many
taxes that weigh upon the peasant
farmer. In round numbers, then
Pierre's income in an average year Ii
$500. over against this he places
his expenses, thus:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Gypsy Moth Test.

AS result of the efforts to save
the North Shore woods from destruc-
ton by the gypsy moths more than
1000 acres have been treated by
clearing OF and burning underbrush,
and nests creosoted by the tree climb
ers. There have been 420 men at
work. About 800 more acres have
been found which are more or less
thickly infested, although some of
them have not very many moth nests.
Boston Advertiser.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Every Letter IN One verso

In the twenty-first verse of the
seventh chapter of Ezra can be found
every letter of the English alphabet.
1t runs thus: And I, even /, Artax-
erxes the King, do make a decree to
all the treasurers which are beyond
the river, that whatsoever Ezra the
priest, the scribe of the law of the
God of heaven, shall require OF you,
1t be done speedily"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Tnrpentine in India.

The production of turpentine and
resin developed rapidly in Naini Tai
forest division in India during 1906
Z. The profits for the year amount
ed to $11,333. The Government hav'
ing put the industry on a paying ba-
sis, the enterprise will be turned over
to individuals. The tapping of trees,
however, will be retained under Gov.
eminent control.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
A Profitable Mine.

What is regarded as the leading
mine of the world is the Robinson
mine, of the Transvaal, South Africa,
which shows an operating profit of
$4,385,710, which Is seventy per
cent. of its total gold production.
The annual dividends amounted to
$3,201,00O. A larger tonnage was
crushed by the Homestake mine, of
South Dakota, and more bullion was
yielded by the Goldfield- Consolidated,
of Nevada, but the South African
mine holds the palm for actual prof.
its. ok.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

And the total is 1919. Thus be-
tween income and expenses there il
a difference of 1921, which is Pierre's
profit for the year. With this sum
he provides for his family and meets
the needs of life.-From "The French
Peasant in His Fields" in the Out
ing Magazine.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
No Keys For Barrooms.

According to a decision by the
States attorney and the counsel to
the Police Board of Baltimore, the
hotelkeepers of that city, under the
liquor law passed by the last Legls-
lature. will have little use for the
keys to their barrooms. They can
sell liquor at almost any time.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

used TO trouble me
so severely that al
last ! had to give up.
1 took to my bed and
stayed there four
months, suffering An
tense pain, diSzSaeB
headache and inf1am-
nation of the blad.
der. Though with,
oUt hope, 1 began
using Doan's Kidney
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

A Woman's Mind.

There is nothing under heaven that
the average woman dislikes so much
as having to make up her mind. She
knows it is not the sort Of thing that
one can be expected to do alone; 1t Is
one Of those pieces Of hard labor
which immemorial custom DEGREES
that the nearest male thing has to do
for her.-Woman.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Signs Of Prosperity.

Are the mines in which you invest
ed making money!
"They must be making some" an
swered the anxious looking man, "or
they wouldn't be able to buy so many
stamps to send out circulars, WASH
ington Star.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
The Will ot the people.

Little Willie-Say, pa, who was it
that said, THE voice of the people is
the voice of God"
Pal can't recall his name, my son,
but it's safe to bet it wasn't a losing
candidate.-Chicago News.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

French scientists are studying a
peculiar movement of the sands along
the northern coasts of France, Bel
GUM and Holland. A fine sand orig
mating on the coast of Normandy has
been found as far away as Denmark.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10
Eemale Amenities

Mrs. Sneerwell-I met Mrs. Jones
yesterday. She is just the sweetest
and most angelic little woman l ever
met.
Mrs. Candor-Hem! Yes. Extremes
often meet.-New York Times.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-10-10

Pills, and in three months was COM
pletely cured. The trouble has never
returned"
Sold by all dealers. SO cents box.
Foster Milburn Co., Buffalo, ". Y.