davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Papua Island.

Papua island was so named by the
Malays, and the word means "frizzled," 4"
in reference to the hair of the inhabit-
ants. 1t is generally supposed that
Papua or New Guinea was originally
part of the mainland of Australia. 1t
was discovered by the Portuguese in
1926, though it was probably sighted
by A. Dabreu during his voyage fifteen
years earlier. The Australian govern
ment, realizing the danger that would
arise If an enemy seized land so near
their coasts, frequently urged England
TO annex the eastern portion of the
island, and after two or three unau-
thortzed annexations a British protec-
torate was established there I'M 1884.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
WHEN LOST IN THE WOODS.
The Chief Dangers Lie In Panic and
Overe&erticn.

Let the man who is lost in the woods
be very careful not to overeYert him
self. His chief dangers lie in panic
and overeXertion, and, though he may
be in a great hurry to find shelter. |
must warn him to 80 slowly Two
miles an hour, on an average. through
the snow in the woods is all that Il
man In his condition will be able to
stand without overfatigue and its at
tendant dangers, overheating and per-
spiration. BY exercising caution Il
man may live through a week of what
he is undergoing.
To make this article brief however,
we shall suppose that he regains the
road by the afternoon of the first day.
He doesn't yet know. of course, just
where he is. He should examine the
tracks of the person who last passed
that way. 1t being afternoon, he must
follow in the direction taken by the
last passing vehicle or team. as shell
ter will be nearest in that direction.
Had 1t been morning he would have
taken the opposite direction, as who
ever made the tracks must have come
from the place where he obtained shell
ter the previous night-A. b. Carleton
in Outing Magazine
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Overheard.

"Overboard" is engraved on a metal
label fastened to many articles of para
phernalia seen about the decks of a
modern war vessel. 1t means that the
article SO marked should be thrown
overheard whenever action with an
enemy's ship becomes imminent. AL
cohol chests, turpentine tanks, paints.
spare spars, unnecessary matches and
other articles easily destroyed or splin-
tered by shell fire are thus labeled
The president of Occident college, Cal
ifornia, is said to have given the word
a new meaning in civil life when he
used it to Indicate those who are unfit,
useless or inapt in the struggle of life
1t is a strong word and as such can be
appropriately applied to men and
things which when a ship must go to
battle are not necessary or material to
the end desired.-Army and Navy Life,
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
A SAUCY DUCHESS.
Her Audaeious Fight For Gay and His
"Beegars' Opera"

When the "Beggars' OPERA" by Gay,
was produced In 1928 it took positively
by storm. The king still clung to Han
del, but the nobility, with the Duchess
of Queensberry among them, focked
rapturously to the "Newgate paste,
raj" The 'Beggars' Opera" had a run
of sixty-two nights, unprecedented In
those days, and as one result of its
success Handel became bankrupt. Sud
denly there came an order from the
lord chancellor to stop the new piece
Why. Is not exactly known unless II
was because the prime minister consid
cred himself to be too faithfully rep
resented therein. However that may
have been, the theater had to be closed,
whereupon the Duchess of Queensber.
ry took up Gays cause and vehemently
championed 1t.
Very busy was she In those days,
driving about in her coach asking for
guinea subscriptions for printing cop
ies of the forbidden play. And so heed
less was Kitty that she carried her list
to the queens drawing room itself and
had the audacity to ask the king for a
subscription. This was little too
much, and her grace was requested to
withdraw from the court. Kitty an
nouncing, with characteristic compo-
sure, that the command was very
agreeable TO her, as she had never gone
there for her own diversion, but to be-
stow civility upon the king and queen.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
A Poor Bath.

a Frenchman was talking in New
York about the excellent bathing
beaches of America.
There are no such beaches in Eu-
rope" said he And the sea over
there is not so pleasant TO bathe in.
Frequently, you know. great pipes
empty sewage into it. They who stay
late for the bathing in Nice, for in
stance, swim about among lemon peel,
orange skins. melon rinds, soaked but
still buoyant newspapers-fearful rub
bish. l once bathed in Nice The Med
iterranean was warm and pleasant,
but it resemblcd soup or something
worse. | heard an American after
coming out say to the bathing master:
Look here. friend. where do stran.
gers 90 for wash after bathing
hprpS'"
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Astronomy.

III there were any money TO be made
in astronomy everybody would be
studying it. About all we can see is
figures, and these are so big that they
stagger the understanding. Every child
In the United States knows how to find
the north star (Old Polaris) from the
pointers of the dipper, but no child
can appreciate the statement that this
star is distant from the earth 210OOO.-
OOO,OOO,OOO miles-two hundred and ten
trillions! The Twentieth Century Lin
tied, travelling at one mile n minute.
would have to run without stopping
for 479000,000 years in order to trav
erse this distance. If light really
travels 1S7,500 miles a second. a ray
from the north star would be thirty.
six years in reaching the earth.-New
York Press.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
M0N0MANiACS ARE MANY.
We Meet Them In Our Daily Life, Says
Student of Insanity.

"In my judgment" says student of
Insanity, there are hundreds of peo-
pie walking the streets of all the big
sities today who are insane upon
Eome one topic and who only need a
reference to it in conversation or 9TH
rrwise to throw them into severe
Irrational tantrum, and my experience
satisfies me that the asylums are
crowded with persons who appear to
be the most reasonable beings on
earth until their attention Is directed
toward some subject that disturbs
their mental apparatus and makes
them dangerous subjects.
''The most striking incident of this
kind that has ever come under my OBJ
servation occurred when some years
ago l was visiting an asylum in Edin-
burgh. 1 was introduced to a patient
who had been a physician. He was in
telligent, and 1 had a long conversa-
ton with him on general topics with
out the slightest knowledge on nv
part that he was a patient. When bid
ding him adieu l remarked that we
were likely to have beautiful moon
light night. In a second his whole de-
meanor changed. Instead of being a
cultured, amicable gentleman he be-
came raving maniac and was quick
ly seized by several attendants. My
simple allusion to the moon had done
the whole business.
ut seems that this doctor, who had
large practice at one time, had be-
come enamored of a study of astron-
omy and had for some years been en-
deavor1ng to invent a telescope which
would enable him to get an interior
view of the moon. He became crazy
on that subject His case was held to
be incurable. Cincinnati Enquirer.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
MEAT IN ITALY.
The Way the Slaughter Houses Arc
Operated by Law.


Operated by Law.
Slaughter houses in Italy are public
institutions. The law prescribes that
every town of more than 5000 inhab-
itants shall build and maintain n mu-
nicipal slaughter house, where all
butchers are compelled to bring their
live stock to be killed. The slaughter
ing itself is done by the individual
butchers and their assistants. The
conveyance of the cattle, the removal
of the carcasses and the dressing of
the meat are likewise the affair of the
butchers. The city provides the build
ing, keeps it clean and furnishes vet
Urinary inspectors to examine and
pass upon the carcasses.
The Milan slaughter house is stu
ated within the city and occupies sew
eral acres of ground. 1t consists of
number of long, single story buildings
made of cement and stucco. The build
ingS consist of either Il single large
hall or else u row of small box stalls
about twenty-five feet wide and either
fifteen or thirty feet deep. Each stall
has wide double door in front and Il
window behind. The buildings are ar
ranged in parallel pairs, each pair
being connected by covered passage
thirty feet wide. whose roof is raised
many feet above that of the buildings,
being supported by pillars rising from
the roofs on either side The air thus
circulates under the roofs of the pas.
sages or corridors and over the build
ings
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Young Folks
HINDOO JUGGLING.
Wonderful Feats of Balancing PEI
formed by an Acrobat.

Wonderful Feats of Balancing Per-
formed by an Acrobat.
The Hindoo jugglers and acrobats
are the most skillful in the world, and
we are always hearing new stories of
them, says the Chicago News. One of
the latest stories is about a performer
who went through many wonderful
feats perched on top of single bam-
boo stick about fifteen feet in height.
The top of the stick was tied to a
girdle around his waist, and leg rest
was provided by a cushion a few feet
down the pole. Perched on this slen-
der stick, he hoped and danced
around in the liveliest way, accompa-
MED by the tapping of n drum. 1t
would be considered skillful feat to
walk about with ease on a pair Of
stills fifteen feet in height, but this
Hindoo showed a marvellous power of
equilibrium on single stick.
He did other things even more won
derful. For example, he balanced a
light stick on his nose and heavy
one on his chin and then threw the
heavy one into the air with his head
and caught it on the end of the light
one. While balancing the two sticks
thus, end on end, he made one revolve
in one direction and the other in an
other direction. Another feat was to
place his hand on a fiat circular stone,
throw his feet up into the air and bal
ance stick on each of Them at the
same time revolving rapidly on the
pivot made by his arm and the stone.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Meaning of Fabian Polion.


a Fabian policy in war consists in
wearing out the enemy by delays, mis-
leading movements, feints of attack
etc. 1t is called Fabian because it is
The policy that was adopted by Fabius
Aaximus, who commanded the Roman
army In the second Punic war. He
was appointed to the command lust
after the army had suffered a defeat
ana he knew that in its disheartened
condition and with its complement of
raw recruits it could not successfully
oppose troops flushed with victory and
led by their great commander Hanni-
bal. He therefore attempted to tire
out the enemy by countermarches
ambuscades and skirmishes, avoiding
pitched battle. This he continued
until the Roman senate interfered
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
The First Mourning Paper

The oldest known letter written on
black edged note paper as a sign of
mourning appears to be one dated Jan.
o. 1888. In Addison's comedy Of THE
Drummer, 1715. reference is made to
the fashion in the words. MY lady's
mourning paper that Is blacked at the
edges" A few years later Allan Ram
say, who died In 175S, speaks in one
of his poems of "the sable bordered
sheet" as messenger of sorrow
Mann, writing from Italy to Horace
Walpole in 1745, says that it was uni.
versally used in Florence at that time.
The superior elegance of this Italian
note paper. with its narrow margin of
black, explains its ready acceptance In
this country. where 1t superseded the
quarto sheet with black border some.
times quarter of an inch wide. In
this way it probably gave an impetus
to the fashion. But it is a mistake to
suppose, as some have done. that the
fashion was introduced from Italy
Protection FOR Apes.
A scheme is being arranged for the
protection of the manlike apes in the
German colonies of equatorial Africa.
1t is proposed in the first place that
the shooting Of these creatures should
be strictly prohibited and steps taken
for their protection. In connection
with this it Is proposed to establish in
the KameTuAs a special reserve for
the fauna of the equatorial forest gen.
orally. This reserve would include
geological tropical station. with gar
dens attached, In which attention
would be specially directed TO the pro-
lection and rearing of the anthropoid
apes and other denizens of the forest
zone.
Poor Eve.
Eve Tin the garden)-Adam. I've got
to have another dress. Adam-Eve,
you're the most resolute woman I've
ever known. You're always turning
over a new leaf.-London Taller.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
BE SURE YOU'RE RIGHT,
Then Take a Long Think and Mind
Your Own Business.


The other day a man travelling on a
shore line train noticed, protruding
from an overhead rack, dress suit
case which he recognized as belonging
to a friend. He knew that his friend
always got off at the station which
they had just passed, and as he was
not in the seat the conclusion was in
evitable that he had jumped off the
train and forgotten it.
The man called the conductor and
explained the case to him. After some
discussion and mild protest on the
part of the conductor that 1t wasn't
part of his duty, tn" suit case was put
off at the p3xt station, with instruc-
tions to sent it back on the first train
the other way.
The man, feeling that he had done
an able and friendly act, settled down
for the rest Of his journey.
But not for long. The face of his
friend, who had been in the smoker
and who happened on that particular
afternoon to be going on to New Lon
don to attend Il dinner party-loomed
before him.
The moral of this is, of course, quite
evident.
Be sure you're right and then mind
your own business.-Life.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
COSTUME SUPPER.
Guests Come In Character and Act u
During the Evening.

Guests Come In Character and Act 1t
During the Evening.
An old fashioned supper. served at 8
o'clock by candlelight, makes an in
teresting change from conventional
dinners.
Ask your guests to come informally
and in old fashioned attire. The wo-
men will don their grandmothers'
clothes for such an occasion and look
lovely
A man, alas, usually hates dressing
up," but suggest that he wear a jabot
of lace over his immaculate white,
stiff bosomed shirt and sew lace ruff
fles in his sleeves, and he will be
pleased with his appearance at once.
But, mind, this is only in confidence
in case one or two truly object. 9th
erwise beg them to come in the pic
turesque, romantic dress of long ago.
1t adds greatly if the guests come in
character and act it throughout the
evening. But it must be borne in mind
that the guests must not number more
than twelve or fourteen If a single ta-
BILE is to be used. The chance for real
fun and informality lies in a small par
ty. If large costume supper be Civ
en- the small tables should be used.
Have no light but candlelight, al
ways the most becoming, and a bare
table. A large bowl of old fashioned
flowers may adorn the middle of the
table on plain linen centerpiece.
showing as little as possible.
Large wooden plates of bread cut
thickly, butter made into small fiat
pats, dishes of apples and nuts and
homemade candies complete the table
furnishing. Coffee and tea should be
served by the hostess, the guests help
ing to pass the cups.
For the supper:
Broiled oysters on Toast.
Broled Chicken and Sausage
Baked Potatoes. Apple Sauce
Cold Slaw. Corn Bread.
Vegetable Salad.
Hot Waffles. with Sirup.
After supper the guests may enjoy
old fashioned games either quiet or
romping, and in the middle of the
evening, if an open fire is available,
popping corn is simple pleasure, and
while eating it hot lemonade may be
served
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Writing Games.

When you are tired of romping play
STORY teller" All agree upon title to
the story. Each writes few lines,
turns down and passes it to his neigh
Dor, telling him the last word. So on
it goes around the circle, when the
last one reads the story.
Have you ever tried this? Each
takes letter, beginning with the first
letter Of the alphabet, and writes a
line in any meter chosen, all the words
of which must begin with that letter
tO. The papers are pressed, and the
next in turn writes line, beginning
every word with "B" to rhyme. Ev-
cry two lines should rhyme, and the
game kept up as long as possible.
The critic is played thus: Each
writes the name of book. turns down
the slip and passes it to his neighbor,
who writes a second title; then the
authors name is written and then
review
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
How We Eall Asleen-

1t is not generally known that the
body falls asleep in sections. The mus
cles of the legs and arms lose their
power long before those which sup
port the head and these last sooner
than the muscles which sustain the
back. The sense of sight sleeps first,
then the sense of taste, next the sense
of smell, next that of hearing and last
ly that of touch. These are the results
of careful and lengthy investigation by
a French scientist, NJ. Cabanis.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Makino Practice-

These mere vassals of the town
have the audacity to say my poems
make them sick said the proud bard
"You don't object to them. do you.
sir?"
NO. indeed" answered the stranger,
And may | ask who you areT"
why, | am the town physician.'-
chicago News
Fundamentally there is no sucn
thing as private action. All actions
are public in themselves or in their
consequences.-Bov
Parents and turkeys are always
treated well before Christmas-Atchi-
son Globe.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Philanthropic Misers.

In several remarkable cases real phi
ianthropy has been a miser's motive
in spending and saving to grotesque
degree. Thus when the first Pasteur
institute was suggested in Paris to
keep green the memory of the world
famous scientist a poor wretch who
lived in utter misery came forward
with a subscription of $500 And
when the city officials called upon him
with a message Of thanks they found
him in an evil smelling slum behind
the Cathedral of Notre Dame When
the door was opened the miacr pniian-
thropist was found quarryii.~ Ii lent
ly with his miserable looking sCrV-
ant for throwing away match that
had not been burned at both ends. \
similar case, but on much largcr
scale, was that of Jacques Gurgot Of
Marseilles. Every one in the city knew
and hated him for his incredibly sor-
did life, yet when the old miser's will
was proved all France was amazed to
find he had left $2J0.000 to his native
city especially to furnish the poor
with IA good and cheap water supply
II know" the old man wrote that
10000 of our citizens died Of the
plague during the epidemic of 1920.
which was generated by the noXious
efiiuvia arising from filthy streets that
were never cleansed - New York
Tribune
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
LOVE YOUR WORK.
A Kind of Affection That Carries No
Danger of ldolatry.


Try TO find work that you like. If
you are not indolent there is some use
full employment that will give you
pleasure. Seek your work and find 1t.
That way lies abiding happiness. A
man who had tried every other road
concluded at sixty, Happiness is com
plete absorption in some effective form
of work"
Our closest friends are liable to dis
appoint us. Those whom we love best
may grieve us most. But work never
disappoints us. It's reward may be in
adequate, but the work itself If it be
the work for us never disappoints.
You can readily recognize the girl
who loves her work by the way she
lifts the lid of her desk or takes her
sewing chair or opens her ledger. If
she does these with a drawn face or a
sigh there is one Of two reasons-ei-
ther she hasn't found her work or she
has chosen to be a drudge.
If in her face, no matter how phys-
ically weary, there is the glow of sat
isfaction, the pleasure of the con
genial task, she is indeed happy girl.
Happy is the man who has found his
work. and thrice happy the girl
There is no trouble too great for the
work you like. Artistry is doing a
thing rs well as you can and after
ward trying to do it still better.
Work is the grave in which you can
bury your griefs. 1t is the mantle that
covers the ugliness of life. 1t is the
great absorber of the humors and
moods Of the moment. No matter how
hard the work-all work worthy of the
name is hard-it is a bright jewel.
whether in the dull setting of dismal
or the bright frame of splendid sur
roundings.
Find your work! Be sure whether
you have not already found it, for
what you think is dislike for your
work may be the consciousness of hav-
ing Sighted it.
Having found it, perfect yourself in
it. Never fear that you love it too
much, for love of work is the only
kind of love that carries with it none
of the dangers or penalties of idolatry.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31
Queer English Laws.

NO statute law of England ever can
be obsolete" a legal journal says
"Once enacted. II continues in binding
force until repealed"
II such be really the case. there
ought to be some lively times ahead
for several classes of the community.
For instance, what will builders have
to say to the act which penalties any
person who erects n house without at
taching to IT at least four acres of
land? This was one of good Queen
Bess' laws, and it has most certainly
never been repealed
BY another unrepealed statute. which
dates back to the first year of King
James l., it is enacted that not more
than penny may be charged for a
quart of the best old ale nor more than
a halfpenny for like quantity of
small beer. The penalty for each in
fraction of the act Is 20 shillings. so
that If 1t were rigidly enforced it
would not need, apparently, licensing
bill to ruin the brewers Then. again.
Catholic owning horse is still legal
ly obliged to sell 1t for f5 to anybody
who chooses to offer that sum for it
London Graphic.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31

When Philip of Macedon annroooh-
60 oy night with his troops to scale
the walls of Byzantium the moon, then.
new or in crescent, shone out and dis
covered his design to the besieged
VINO repulsed him. The crescent was
alter that adopted as the favorite
badge Of the city. When the Turks
took Byzantium they found the ores,
cent IN every public place and. believ.
ing 1t to possess some magical power,
adopted 1t themselves.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31

Ihere were sixty-seven blackbirds
sitting in an oak tree. Willie shot into
tne hock with his new shotgun. killing
nineteen. How many were there left?
None' because the rest few away)
On another occasion there were also
siNty-seven blackbirds in a tree Out
thlS tree was mapleD. and nineteen
new away before Willie could get his
gun. How many left? (Nineteen left"
at l'rst' and the rest left when Willie
came with his gun and shot at them1
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-31

He talked too much-far too much.
Already he had driven his taciturn
companion nearly wild. He had touch
ed on subjects innumerable. discours-
ed with volubility on anything and
everything. Onward went the unend-
ing stream of speech. And all the
while the voluble one danced about
and fidgeted and squirmed until the
other was well nigh beside himself
with disgust.
Finally the walking dictionary took
from his pocket cigarette.
I'm great smoker" he remarked.
Yes, I'm great smoker-great smok-
er. I'm one of those nervous men,
you know; one of those high strung,
restless fellows who always must have
something in their mouths. Yes. you
see, I'm so nervous, as I said, that |
simply must-yes. must-have some
thing all the time in my mouth"
Try gag suggested his com
panion.-New York Times