davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
Signals.

Newcomers to New York by steam
ship begin to learn things about the
city as soon as their vessel gets headed
up the harbor, says a writer in the New
York Evening Post. There was a party
Of such on board a vessel from South
ern ports recently.
From the roof of a high downtown
office-building they saw what appeared
to be a string of signal-fags, swapping
In the breeze. Some were white, some
were striped, and one big one was
flaming red.
eff we only knew the code we could
tell what they mean," said member Of
the party. Perhaps they indicate
what channel we are to take up the
river"
COR maybe they are weather warn
ings Of some kind" guessed another.
''Let's ask some one of the officers and
find out"
They did. The officer looked first
with the naked eye, and then with his
glasses.
That's the janitor's family wash
hung out on the roof to dry" he an
nounced, brutally, as he finished his
survey 1.-THE big red one is a table
CLOTH"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
"DIDoES.1
Does the Word Come to Us from the
ReIict of SychaeuS!

Does the Word Come to Us from the
ReIict of Sychaeus!
The phrase ''kick up didos'-for the
plural is formed either with or with
out the "e''-is allowable. 1t occurs.
for example, in CUTLER COUGHS 'Delect-
able Duchy," but the more common
form is ito cut" or Ito cut up didos."
The word is a dictionary one Mr..
Murray says that it is United States
slang" he defines it as a prank, q
caper, a disturbance, row, shindy; he
quotes, as the earliest use in English
literature, this sentence from "Sam
Slick in England" (1S43-44) "Then
Italian singers recitin' their jabber
and cuttin' didoes at a private
concert" He says that the origin Of
the word is uncertain.
Bit Halliburton used the term in
"Thc Clockmaker'' in 1885, and Prof.
Joseph Wright in his English Dialect
Dictionary says that the term is
known in Ireland, Kent, Isle of Wight,
Cornwall, and also in the United
States. Halliburton used it with ref
erence to a Nova Scotian: 81 met n
man this mornin' from Halifax, real
conceited lookin' critter all
shines and didOes." Prof Wright gives
as the first definition: disturbance,
noise, fuss, as in the speech heard on
the Isle of Wight: "IIe kicked up Il
middlen dido about it, then, plural
tricks, antics, eccentric feats-as in
Kent: "Dreckly We be backturned,
there he be, a-cutting all manner O
didos;' and lastly, a plaything, also
used as a term to denote articles which
do not give satisfaction to the owner,
as trimming on dress or bonnet.
Yet the learned Professor Wright
does not venture to explain the deri-
vatiOn of the word he does not sTg-
gest a possible derivation. Did the
term come from the fuss made by
Queen Dido after the pious Aneas left
her? An obsolete word "didO"-a
thrice told tale may have been orig
inally ga tale of Dido" TAFT in his
"QuarterniOns" speaks Of a DidOnian
curve, who bargained for as much land
as could be covered with hide, and
then cut the hide into long and mar
row strip. Why not say glibly that
"to cut up didos' is to cut up as
Dido did? Let us honor the name of
that noble dame in every way.-BOston
Transcript
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
JAPANESE AND CHILDREN.

If, as somebody writes, ''the most
striking quality Of the japanese is pre-
cocity," and as another says, Japan is
a very paradise for babies" it is sim
gularly touching to see how the preco-
ciOus child rules its parents. In "From
West to East Sir Henry birmingham
gives an amusing instance of the child's
supremacy.
An officer appointed to the customs
at Dalny, who is on board our steamer
with his wife, his sister-in-law and
maid, is the possessor of a child of the
age Of three; little urchin, with a
solemn countenance, who constitutes
the joy and sole preoccupatiOn of the
quartette, and exacts from his parents
and attendants, in truly despotic
attention.
l was speaking of it to the chief en-
gineer, who told me that, during the
war, when the troops were on board,
and all was hustle and activity, small
urchin of two years Of age, brought on
board TO say gOod-Dy TO his warrior
father, got interested in the manoeu-
vers about the gangway, and took up
a position right in the middle.
Anywhere else, said my informant,
sailors would have lifted the child and
carried him to his parents, so as to put
him out of harms way, but not here.
He was allowed to remain where he
was, though he terribly hampered the
work to be done. The sailors, to whom
he was a nuisance, only smiled at the
infant and admired his pluck.
1t is rather touching and indeed
beautiful, because it sounds and is so
true. Such love as the japanese eX-
hibit for children cannot but be real.
1t strikes one everywhere, in all places
and under all circumstances
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
UNGRACEFUL POSITIONS.
why Do Women Assume Attitudes
that Are Not Attractfves

why Do Women Assume Attitudes
that Are Not Attractives
If one takes note of such things, 1t
is easy to see what ungraceful atti-
tudes women assume when sitting.
They may carry themselves we'll when
walking, but when they sit they loll
or lop, slip down on the end Of the
spine, and "sit Short" and thus force
the abdomen into prominence.
Did you notice how Eleanor Robin
son sat in "Salomy Jane?" The per-
lection of ease, grace and naturalness.
even when she sat in the doorway Of
her fathers "shack'-one Of the most
trying positions so far as grace is
concerned.
The first thing to do is to choose a
seat adapted to your height. A tall
woman cannot help being ungraceful
If the chair Is too low. Then, care
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

first ruined himself and then sought to
ruin others. Whether or not the wOm-
an spoken of In the story is the heart
less creature she is painted none not
positive of the circumstances may say.
But the bald facts of the caSe-that the
husband is In Jail charged with bank
wrecking; that the institution over
which he presided was proved by the
authorized examiners to be dishonesty
run, and that IN his hour Of distress
his wife has deserted him and been
freed from him by due process Of law
are enough to point again the moral
that young men and young women In
the United States stand most In need
of learning If this man had lived with
in his income; if he had been keen
enough to realize that the first step to
disgrace is often taken at the bidding
of vanity, a desire to astonish and con-
found the neighbors, to pander to the
pride of a wife, or a daughter, or a
son. he would not have seen his own
competence dissipated, or been tempted
to take money that did not belong to
him
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Journalism elsewhere: Sophus Ras-
mussen, editor of a Copenhagen week
ly called the Scorpion, was recently
placed under arrest because of his radi-
cal writings. He killed the policeman,
then himself.
"The Awakening of Helena Richie
has been dramatized for Miss Margaret
Anglin. Mrs. Deland, the author of the
book, had nothing to do with it's drama
tization. Miss Charlotte Thompson ar
ranged it, and Mrs. Deland will be-
merely an interested outsider when the
play is produced in Philadelphia.
A commentary like lie, needs an
other commentary to help it out. Pro
lessor C. NJ. Lewis of Yale has written
book on Hamlet, the millionth, called
1.-The Genesis Of Hamlet" He believes
his treatise to differ from all others in
its attempt to discriminate between
"Shakspeares original contributions to
the story and the legendary materials
that he inherited" We await patient
ly, If morosely, the volume that will
theories.
A work that seems to appeal to a
special public is Francis Cations I'm
quiries Into Human Faculty" The
Macmillan Company has acceded to it's
issue in this cheap form since Mr.. Gal
ton, while holding it still vital, could
not undertake to revise a new edition
in the light of investigations subse-
quent to 1883. The chapters on ener-
gy, gregarious and slavish instincts,
character, Missionaries, population, early
and late marriage are, of course, of the
widest interest
London weeklies speak eagerly of the
announcement that Swinburne has COM
pleted a new poetic drama. The sub
ject is 1.-THE Tragedy of the Duke Of
Gambia" 1t is the tragedy of Pope
Alexander's sons Francesca and Caesar.
Francesca was stabbed to death in
Roman street at night, going home
afoot, by four assassins directed by
fifth on horseback. The fifth is sup
posed TO have been the fraternal Gaze
SdG. A1loI Tie uluIQC1 Tic uOAS C414e1A
had the corpse loaded on to the crup-
per, according to Dumas. This is
Borgian detail which Swinburne is not
likely to render more vivid.
The egregious decision Of the Nobel
trustees to give Kipling the next liter
airy prize makes interesting a recent
estimate of the AnglO-Indian, to be
found in "Geschichte der Englischen
Literatur," edited by DR.. Richard Wul-
ker: "Kipling rarely handles his ma
terial improperly, he is a skillful mar
rator, and he has an admirable facul-
ty for giving appropriate local color to
his style and language. On the other
hand, he knows nothing Of a deep,
thrilling power Of problems, and any
one who seeks in his works great
thoughts which elevate the soul, power
full passions, imposing characters, or
even a philosophic theory Of life will
be grievous1y disappointed"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
Looked I'm Vain.

A typical parson of long ago, the
sternly consistent man who sounded
consciences regardless of consequences,
figures in a recent book of reminiscent
ces, "Old Schuylkill Tales" by Mrs.
Ella Zerbey Elliott.
Parson NJ, one of the early minis
tiers of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was
never more earnestly eloquent than
when preaching against the love of
dress. His wife, Mrs. NJ, who was a
handsome woman, nevertheless wore
very elaborate gowns, and openly avow-
ed her interest in such frivolities. The
parson expostulated against this love
of dress in private, but although she
was an excellent wife, and obedient to
his wishes in other respects, she pur-
sued her own way, in silk and lace.
One Sunday morning the miAister
preached a sermon on humility, and
bore down upon the vanities of dress
most powerfully. At the conclusion he
leaned over the high board of the pull
pit, his face pale and determined.
you may think" he said to his con-
gregatiOn, when 1 preach against the
love Of dress and the sin of it that I
ought to look at home. l want to tell
you, dear friends, that I do look, and
look until my heart aches"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

The rank and file of the army have
CT. evances which should be removed,
and they have a pride in their calling
which makes them quit the task if they
are converted into ordinary laborers,
or find that, in a day of advancing re-
Enumeration to public servants, they are
being left far behind. If we must have
a regular army, and most citizens be-
lieve we must have one for police pur-
poses and to serve as a nucleus around
which the volunteer force may be mass
ed I'm time of war, we must make up
our minds to pay the bills.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
The Lesser EVIL.

EX-Secretary Of the Navy, the Hon.
John d. Long, recently said that most
public utterances bore both the audi
ence and the speechmaker about equal
ly. 81 always feel glad when called
upon to speak, however, he added,
with a smile, for 1 otter find myself
in the position Of an amateur actor of
my acquaintance.
HE was in all the theatricals going
in his small town. He played all sorts
of parts l asked him one day if he
did not get tired of appearing in every
private theatrical performance.
eyes. awfully tired he replied, for
l don't like to act a bit. But 1 know If
| am not on the stage l shall have to
sit in the audience!"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

to be grasped by the hand. Adjacent to
each end are elastic webs, something
like an umbrella top. These prOpelling
life preservers are employed In pairs,
one for each hand, the swimmer using
them by moving his arms first forward
and then outward and rearward, as Is
customary in swimming This will col
lapse the webs on their forward move
ment and expand them when they are
swung outward and rearward. On &C
count of the buoyancy afforded but lit
tie fatigue will be experienced in swim
ming rapidly, the swimmer being able
to support himself long time.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
An INTERPOLATION.

The old-time revivalist often pos
sessed a gift of gentle satire which
stood him in good stead. At a Maine
camp meeting long ago a young man
made himself so obnoxious during a
prayer that the old preacher rounded
off one of his sentences rather abruptly
"NOw, Lord" he then continued,
without a trace Of irritation, 1--WE pray
that thou wilt in the mightiness of thy
power take that young man in the
fourth seat and make his heart as free
from sin as his head is from sense"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

The wife of a man who is serving a
term in prison as a bank wrecl1er called
upon him the other day to announce
that they had been legally separated by
the courts and that she had determined
upon marriage with another man. And,
as the reporter tells the story of the
occurrence, in his grief the man swoon-
ed. According to the friends of the
man the woman who was his wife was
also the indirect if not the direct cause
OF his downfall She loved, they say,
the display Of rich clothes and eXpen-
sive jewelry. She was enviOus of those
women who were, in sOciety's shifting
scale, always one point ahead of her
And to meet her demands upon his In
come, to satisfy her ambitions and
thoughtless eXtrayagances, the man
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

One day recently was the most bless
ed and remarkable in ten years of New
York City. There was no public event,
no parade, no notable happening what
soever. But, as a writer in the New
York Evening Post happened to dis
cover, for twenty-fOur hours there had
been reported not single death by vio-
lence in the entire great city-a> white
letter day in a place where all other
days are red-lettered.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
No Free Puff for Pegasus.

The poet fingered in the doorway.
You may have felt justified in man.
Cling my poem" he said, ''but 1 greatly
regret your action in cutting out the
line in which 1 refer to Pegasus"
Pegasus was a horse, wasn't he?'
snapped the editor.
"Yes."
well, if you expect to advertise a
horse In this paper you'll have to do 1t
in the want columns-and don't you
forget Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

stands on the platform. Directly in
front of him is a mirror, supported
on an upright which projects above the
head. A short distance in front of the
mirror is a vertical bar, on which is
marked a graduated scale, correspond
ing to the foot and inch.
These marks are reversed on the bar
so that the reflection thrown back by
the mirror will cause them to appear
right side around. A person standing
erect on the base can perceive most
readily by his reflection from the
mirror with what scale mark and adj
jacent indicating number the top Of his
head numbers.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
CLOTHES RACK.

racks are in the form Of the we'll
known lazy tongs, which are supported
on bracket. When the rack is opened
the upper bars are in advance Of the
lower bars, so that extra supports are
provided for the drying of the clothes.
1t will be readily seen that this clothes
rack has the advantage over many 9th
ers, by reason of the fact that it need
only be expanded far enough to accom-
modate the number of pieces of clothes
to be dried
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

OF all the enterprising things done
in Chicago none surpasses the recent
act of a widower with four young chill
dren to look after. He needed a wife
and they needed mother, SO the man
wooed the unmarried women of his
neighbOrhOod, but found none willing
to assume so many domestic races at
once. Therefore he placed a placard
in his window one day, bearing the in
scriptiOn, "a widower, living within,
wants a wife. Ladies', If you want a
husband, inquire within at once" and
remained at home to meet his callers.
The interesting part of the story Is that
the callers came, and the man is likely
to find what his children need, if indeed
he has not already found a new wife.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

accompanying IL
lustration, it can
be readily expand
ed when in service
and folded up into
CO M act form
when not in use.
1t Is adapted to be
placed against a
wall or other sup
port at a suitable
e lev tion. The
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Miss Mary Money, beautiful Amer
lean girl, has applied for a license as
Jockey IN France. If they pay their
Jockeys as we'll over there as we pay
ours here the time may come when
some titled foreigner will want to mar
~ Mary for her money.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Counsel for defense in another "un-
written law trial are now struggling to
find some means of getting the benefit
Of the insanity defense and at the same
time avoiding the conclusion that the
defendant is insane
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

A Connecticut postmaster has thrown
up his job because the receipts amount
ed to only 10 cents a day. He might
have doomed the business by occasion
ally advertising a bargain sale of shelf
worn stamps.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

A French scientist has succeeded In
stomachs. A good many people would
be glad if other urchins came into the
world the same way.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Also innumerabl2
forms of life pre-
servers. An Ore
gon man decided
that the two could
be combined, and
designed the auto
m a tic propelling
life pres erv +
shown in the illus
tration, which not
only assists the
swimmer to float,
but also aids in
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Incidentally numerous Oversuspi-
ciOus persons have learned that a good
bank is much safer place than
cracked teapot or an old yarn sock in
which to deposit their money.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
Uncle Henry's Experience.

''It's all nonsense, and a waste Of
time," said Uncle Henry, ito tell a
young man what kind of wife he ought
to pick out when he gets ready to
marry. Nine times out Of ten he has
picked her out already, and if he
hasn't, he doesn't need anybody's help"
"What do you know about it," he
was asked.
"I know something about it by obser-
vation," he answered, land a little by
experience. When l had reached the
age Of twenty-five, with a fair. income
and good prospects, 1 thought it was
time for ME to marry. l had almost
decided to ask a certain Naomi Hen
thorne, but didn't altogether like the
family, and was in an uncertain frame
of mind about her, when some of my
friends began to take 1t upon them
selves to assist me. They told me that
Naomi was the very girl for me-that
couldn't find 4 better wife If I were
to hunt all over the country, and so on.
In short, they praised her SO highly
that I made up my mind I'd follow
their advice. l began paying atten-
ton to her, and in a few weeks l pop
ped the question:
"Well?"
We'll" said Uncle Henry, with some
''she said she wouldn't
marry me if l was the last ran on
earth"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

AT military wedding in PhiladeI-
phia the other day the cake was cut
with sword. After a while, If the
bride does her own baking, her hus-
biscuits with an ak
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

vided for that pur-
pose, but a similar
device for measur-
ing heights Of per-
sons has but re-
Gently been intro
duced. 1t is the
invention Of a Yer
mont man and is
shown In the illus
tration. The idea
is extremely sim
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

The National w. c. L. U. has refused
to vote in favor of the abolition of foot
ball. Doubtless the National w. C. I.
q. prefers to vote for the abolition of
things that it seems possible to abolish.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Daughter-Father went off in good
humOr this morning
MOther-My! That reminds me-
forgot to ask for any money.-ChriStian
Advocate.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Every time some public speaker an
nounces that the need of the hour is
men," he strikes a responsive chord in
the hearts of thousands Of lonely
women.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
Charlie Was in the Field.

She was pretty and the young chem
lists assistant was glad to sell her a
stamp.
Also to weigh her letter.
Also to lick the stamp and af1x it to
the envelope.
"Put it on upside down." she sim
Dered. "That means something to
Charlie"
Then the young chemists assistant
lost interest.--London Tribune.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

At the age of 20, says Mr.. Carre-
gle, mans usefulness is just begin
ming What, by the way, has become
of the people who were telling us a
few years ago. that there was no show
In this country for man after he had
passed the fOrtieth milestone?
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

The Gar is having hard work edu-
eating his Dumas UP to a realization Of
the fact that thinking is barred from
the legislative chamber.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
Personal Assumption.

"Why does that office holder swell
up and act SO important?" asked the
neighbOr.
Il suppose it's habit" answered
Farmer Corntassel. That's how he
got the job in the first place Wash
;ngtOn Star.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Miss Mae Wood seems to be deter
mined that Thomas c. Plat shall not
be happy, even If the parcels post isn't
established.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
Measures Persons Height.

Any person can readily ascertain
their weight by dropping coin in one
Of the numerous slot machines pro-
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Under the new arrangement anybody
who gets a $40 gold piece will be at
liberty to use whatever motto pleases
him.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

The man who uses a falsehood for
policy, like the woman who powders,
soon gets into the habit of putting on
too much.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

If we were sure we could get an
original love letter in reply, we believe
that, as old as we are, we would write
one.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
PropeIIing Life Preserver.

Innumerable contrivances to aid the
swimmer, whether novice or expert, to
travel in the water have been devised. |
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

Walker Weston Is another living re-
proach to the mollycoddle.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

propelling him through the water. The
device resembles a double-headed sky
rocket, having a handle in the center,
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15

sympathy is like blonde hair: 1t is
easy TO tell when it is artificial.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-15
Improved Clothes Rack.

A clothes rack entirely new I'm con-
struction has been designed by an Iowa
man and patented. AS shown In the