davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
THE TEACHER
MADE A rHSTAKE

READING, Dec. lG
Because teacher in the Sixteenth
ward public school, tired of being
questioned, declared that there WASH t
any Santa Claus, she was reprimanded
yesterday by DR.. Charles S. Foos, city
superintendent of schools. Is it true
there isn't any Santa Claus" the
first grade children were all asking
their parents, and Superintendent
Foos' six -years-old son had made the
same troubled inquiry. Parents prompt
ly demanded an investigation. Teach
or said there isn't Santa Claus, the
children reported With yesterday 6
reprimand teacher won't say this
again. Her explanation was that she
had been questioned so much her patti
ence became exhausted.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
WILL GIVE SECOND
ANNUAL Benefit

The Danviile High School Athletic
association will give its second sunu.
al benefit on the evenings Of Decem-
her 2S5h and Gosh, presenting the
beautiful play, Esmeralda. "
As with last years production of
'The Old Vermont Farm. " the play
this year will be under the personal
direction of MIR. G.. Stuart Brodock,
one of the foremost directors of anna,
teur theatricals IN the country. Mr..
Brodock comes to Danville from Pitts
burg, where he presented large beue-
fit performance and will go from this
city to Washington d. G. The cast
this year will include number of the
local thespians who helped to make
1.-The Old Vermont Farm" one of the
best amateur productions ever given
in Danville. Mr.. Brodock has already
been in Danville several days, and
has selected his cast, The rehearsals
are now in progress and the prelimin-
airy arrangements for the play have
been completed most auspioiously.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
CHILDREN IN NEED
OF CLOTHING

According to Truant Officer Young S
report. pTese uted at the meeting of the
school board Monday, there is plenty
of work for philanthropic persons in
Danville. Some half a dozen instances
we're cited where children are detain-
ed out of school for the wnat of shoes
and other clothing.
The lack of clothing is the only ex.
cuse that has any weight which par
ents can offer for not sending their
children to school. This condition
leaves the truant officer powe1less to
act and such children may remain out
of school during the whole term.
Officer Young last evening described
several homes where. in addition to
other evidences of extreme poverty,
the children are less than half clad.
In couple of these families the chill
dren are bright and intelligent and the
loss OF schooling constitutes a great
misfortune. the effect OF which will
be felt through life.
There is no way provided for cloth
ing the children of the very poor and,
except as benevolent societies or in
dividuals charitably disposed may
come to the rescue such children may
be compelled to remain out OF school
Indefinitely.
The truant officer. never fails to in
terest himself in these cases and
through personal effort often succeeds
in interesting others to the end that
clothing is furnished.
Whether or not the parents are re-
sponsible for the ill-clad condition of
the children has nothing to do with
/ the matter. 1t is enough to know that
4 Il. ~
of their own, are in need of clothing
their schooling and are growing up in
iuuOTaucp
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
LAST SAD
RITES PERFORMED

William II. zimmerman, whose death
occurred Sunday. was cons gned to
the grave in Odd Fellows cemetery
yesterday afternoon. The funeral took
place from the late residence, Mill
street, at , o'clock and was largely at
tended.
The services were conducted ny the
Rev. James Wollaston Kirk. pastor of
the Mahouiug Presbyterian church, of
which the deceased was a member The
pail bearers were four sons of the de-
ceased-Edward, ROBBERS Scott, s l..
and j. NJ zimmerman j. II. Brugle r
and John Rogers.
The following persons from out of
town attended the funeral: T. Taylor
Richards, of Philadelphia William
Morgan, Miss Charity Morgan. of Mil
ton; Edward Czechowicz, of Shamok :
in, Mrs. Czechowicz OF Nanticoke
and DR., Rogers, Wilkes Barre.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
LODGE HOLDS
A BANQUET

The regular meeting of Montour
lodge No l09, l. o. D. f., assumed
additional interest on Monday night,
when banquet was held in honor of
the Rev. John Sherman. late pastor of
the Baptist church, this city, who
has accepted call in the western part
OF the State
The lodge meeting Monday night
was the last that the Rev. Mr.. Sher-
man could attend. An unusually large
number of brethren were present. BY
actual count there were Just 200 at
the meeting, the number including,
pass grand master Charles Chalfant OF
South Danville
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
TRYING To TEACH
TOO MUCH

Mr.. Burns, director from the sec.
ond ward. in au address before the
school board Monday took grave ex-
oeption to some of the methods Of
teaching employed in the schools of
DanvilIe. depioring the deficiency
shown by pupils aloug certain lines.
He prefaced his remarks with the
statement that no blame attaches to
the teachers but that the fault lies
wholly with the curriculum.
He explained that he had made
tour Of the schools and that our teach
ers agreed that there is much room for
mprovement-th9t there is too much
"crammiug Also that "our schools
are teaching 700 much aud the pupils
learning too little. -
Both in psnm&uship and in arithne-
tic general deficiency is shown by
pupils. In point of peumauship, he
said, UAe pupils of orr public schools
do uua compare with those of the
parOchal schools. He cited author
tics 40 ugo7e that the average boy of
today graduating from tina grammar
or the nigh school is unfit for any
position where Il practical knowledge
OF arithmetic is required and in
this respect viii not compare with the
boys Of the last generation when the
teaching was more generally restricted
to the "three rs. -
The trouble, he said, lies wholly
with che fact that we are trying TO
teach too much. He suggested that the
teachers and directors get together and
see what can be eliminated 10 make
the curriculum more practical and
more easily mastered.
Mr.. Fischer and DR.. |. G.. Barber
both spoke on the subject. generally
coucurrinR with Mr.. Burns Dr. Bar
ber'I view was that we are maxi a
mistake by endeavoIing to fit our pu-
pills for college in the high school,
TREASURER S REPORT
Treasurer Sohram reported that the
several rural districts have Temitted
the amount due for non resident pupils
with the exception of valley town
ship
Mr. Burns reported that he had pur-
chased half dozen broous for use in
the second ward school building
The following members OF the school
board were present at the meeting !:
Pursell, Orth. Barber, Swarts, Burns,
Lloyd, Fischer, Fish, Heiss and Cole.
The following bills were approved
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
THE FATHER OF
% CHILDREN
ALTOONA, Pa, Dec. 16.

ALTOONA, Pa, Dec. 16.
If President Roosevelt intends to
award any anti race suicide medals be
fore he retires from office he will find
strong contender in Charles Porta,
aged so, mill hand here.
Porta is now the father of 90 chill
dren. the last to arrive being twins,
Monday night. 1t is not the first time
the stork has brought double portion
to his home, four sets of twins being
numbered among the births.
Porta is still hale and hearty and
has expressed wish to live to be the
father of an even 30
Several of the children are dead and
some of them married A week ago
the stork visited the homes of two of
his sons.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
CAR LOAD OF
TIMBER ARRIVES

The first car load of lumber for the
new skating rink being erected on
Ferry street by E. M. Cooper has ar
rived at Danville and is partially un-
loaded. the material being hauled di
rectly from the car to the site of the
rink
The concrete supports for the build
ing were finished some days ago, a. t..
er which L. e. and Z. NJ Cooper, who
have the work in charge left for New
York. Up to yesterday they had not
returned.
The lumber that has arrived consists
mostly or jOists and other material for
the floor system. Another car load Of
material is due.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17

advantageous figures. For three years
he kept filling up his graneries and
then came the famine. Even Joseph,
with all his good qualities was not
proof against the temptation and dur
ing the famine he sold wheat at such
figures and under such terms that by
the time the famine was over he had
all the peoples money. owned all their
cattle and lands-owned"e even the peo-
pie themselves, who had sold their
bodies into slavery in order to obtain
wheat.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
Lancaster to Have Fair.

Lancaster county, the richest agri-
cultural county in the United States,
has not had county fair for num-
ber of years, but an organization has
just been effected to have one next
season and subscriptions amounting
to $l6. 900, for the purchase Of grounds
and erection of buildings. have al
ready been secured.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
Held a View,

Henry Wireman and Michael Breck.
6ill of Mshoning township and James
ELLIS OF Anthony township. appointed
at the last term of court. Yesterday
held view in Valley township IN
consider the relocation of a road and
bridge at the property of Mrs. Mary
Crossley.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
Thieves Slaughtered Calf.

A few nights ago thieves went to
the farm of Clarence Gill, near Dill
YORKTOWN. Chester county. took a
calf from the stable, slaughtered 1t
and carried away the meat. They al.
30 stole large amount of poultry.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17

DR.. John Cope Green, "a prominent
dentist of West Chester. celebrated his
92d birthday anniversary on Monday
He still continues praoticing his pro-
tession and almost daily rides bicy Gle
on the streets. He never used tobacco
nor drank whiskey.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17

In Newmanstown, Lebanon county,
on Monday, stage coach that was
hurrying to meet a train at the rail
road station was upset and boy, nam
ed Charles Auchenbach. sustained in.
juries that caused his death.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
Slippery Sidewalk Kills Veteran.

Bernard Reilly, of Pottsville, who
was veteran of the OWL war and
had never taken drop of medicine in
his life, fell on an icy pavement on
Monday and sustained injuries that
caused his death
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17

The Lancaster County Tobacco Grow.
ers association has adopted resolu tions
protesting vigorously against reduc.
ZION OF the tariff ON tobacco imported
from the Philippine islands.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17

With the advertisements in The
Morning News as their guide the shop
pers ought to have little difficulty in
selecting Christmas gifts.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17

The rumor -monger can be depended
upon to keep his clients interested.
Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-17
n >HUL'cZ. NJ.

~ >uULrZ. VI.
20 MrLL ST, DANvILLE, PA.
Diseases OF the Stomach and Intestines
i Specially
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
SPIDERS nAvE OWN A,asH,es.


When the British war balloon Multi
Secundus vas sailing high over Lon.
don the navigators in the car found
the air filed with spiders. This phe.
n0men0n II explained very simply. In
early autumn the spider families sepa.
rate. Hundreds Of thousands Of In.
fanttle spiders on . warm sunny morn.
ing scale the low bushes. cling to the
tips Of the leaves and project slender
silken threads from the spinnerots ct
the end of their bodies. Before very
long the air nea the ground. becom.
ing heated. ascends. and carries up
the silken threads with 1t. Still the
little creatures hold On and pour out
silk till each has some eight or ten
feet Of line rising almost perpendicu-
larly into the air above 1t. At last
they let 60 and rise into the air them.
selves. each 1t the extremity of its
own thread. In this way they are car
ried upward. perhaps for many hum
dreds Of feet, till at last they meet .
current Of air moving slowly along.
and by this they are carried often for
many miles. while they can always de-
scend At will by the simple expedient
Of rolling up their supporting threads.
On . warm autumn morning the air
Il often filed with these baby spiders.
each sailing securely on its own little
silken airship. When they descend
bushes. trees and low plants are fro
Quently covered with their gossamer
threads.
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
HAD MET THE SENATOR BEFORE
Diplomat Unaware Ne Was Introdue
jnQ Old Friends.

When Senator Knox Of Pennsyl.
vania was abroad recently he was met
at the station in Paris by . member of
the American embassy. After the sen.
stor and his friend had exchanged
greetings. the diplomat remarked:
BY the way. senator, the handsomest
woman in Continental society is in
the station. Wouldn't you like tc
meet herr" NO less honored than
delighted" returned the senator, gal
lantly. .Thereupon the two men
crossed the Cafe du Nord and q sec.
0nd later the diplomat was saying:
Countess. allow me to present one OF
your distinguished countrymen."
Turning. the countess after one quick
glance rushed toward the senator and
throwing her arms about his neck. ex.
claimed: why. Uncle Phil. you dear
old thing. wherever did you come from.
anyway" It was Countess Gontaut
de Biron, who before her marriage
WAS Martha Leishman. daughter Of
the American ambassador to Turkey.
Years ago. before the Kn0xes OF
Leishman became known to the world
ut large the two families we're nea
ncishbOrs at their homes In Pitts
burg. As q short fr0cked miss OF the
schoolgirl genus Martha Leishman
va a great chum of Senator KnOx's
only daughter. and to this day the
countess is looked upon as a member
Of the senator's family.
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
the CHEEKY pLA,nr,eLo COOK


A Bucknell university professor VA
talking about David Jayne Eiill. the
successor in the Berlin embassy to
Charlemagne Tower.
"Dr. Ill.," he said, Impressed ~
here-you know he was our president
for q number Of years-no less with
his Wit than with his learning. He
had thought and written on many sub
jects-psychology. rhetoric. socialism.
tinance-and to hear him discuss these
subjects was q delight. l heard him
take down one day IN ultra-sOctalfsttc
student.
Young man. he said. you and
your extravagant friends remind me
in your attitude toward capital, OF .
Plainfield cooks attitude toward her
mistress. One Christmas time. when
l lived ut Plain1ield. . lady sent her
cook out to buy the Christmas turkey.
But when the cook returned. she had
two chickens.
MARTHA" the lady said. Il told
you to get . turkey. not chicken"
"'"I know, num-" Martha answered.
but I don't like turkey"
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
FINGERS OF VARIOUS VALUE


You have only to grasp . pen or .
tool Of some sort to realize that the
different fingers are far from having
the same value with reference to their
usefulness In performing work. Much
the most important II the thumb. for
without It prehension would be very
imperfect. The hand is no longer PIN
GERS. but merely q claw. when deprived
Of the thumb. 1t may be estimated
that the thumb represents fully q
third of the total value Of the hand.
The total loss of the thumb is esti-
mated by competent authorities as Is
to IS per cent. for the right and 10 to
Is per cent. for the left hand. except
for workers in art, when 40 to 50 for
the right and % to 40 per cent. for the
left hand comes nearer the value.
The total loss Of the index finger
causes an incapacity estimated at
from Is to Is per cent. for the right
hand and 10 to Is per cent. for the
left. The middle finger is less impor.
liant than the index. The ring finger
is least important. and the little finger
may be compared to its neighbor. ex.
cept in the professions in which 1t
serves as a point Of support i0r the
hand.
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
PROVED STRENGTH OF HABIT
New York Business Man Had poos
Idea Of Economy.

Some people have queer ideas of
economy. don't they" said . Wall
street man. The other day I was
waiting with q man on an L station
to go down town. He saw q friend on
the opposite platform and called over
to him to come across and 60 down
with him to his ONCE on . matter Of
business. The man said he would.
and after asking the ticket chopper to
pass the word over that his fare wat
paid handed out q cigar to the chop
per and came over to our side. He
Wa greeted with q laugh by the man
who had called to him. and naturally
asked what 1t was for. Didn't you
give that ticket chopper q 15-cent
cigar! asked the friend. The man
admitted that he gave the kind he
usually smoked. Well said the other.
why didn't you just come across with
out saying anything about 1t. pay your
fare and ave . dime:' The man
rubbed his chin and looked serious.
He had become % accustomed to tip
ping everybody for any sort Of favor
that he never thought of the other
plan.-N. Y. Press.
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26

The children of Lac0nia, N. H., are
raising q fund to furnish q children's
room in the new hospital. The primary
department of the South church Sun.
day school has donated a large mum.
Der of their pennies. which, together
with that already given by two little
girls. makes = snug nucleus toward
the fund. The little tots are entering
heartily into the movement and are
joyfully planning to bring their mite
to furnish and supply . room which
will brighten the lives Of the more
unfortunate children Of the city
Manchester Union.
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26

Writing from Japan, IN American
says: You must come here to ap-
preciate some of the quaint customs
and usages which contact with other
peoples has not yet driven out. To
read about them gives you only . poor
idea. For instance, did you ever know
what an important thing = piece of
string is here? The childrea, workmcn
idlers. servants. all carry pieces Of
string for use in . OF emergency.
With M the emergency would arise
only when . parcel had to be done up.
but the Jap uses his piece Of string az
q first aid to the injured, to repair .
rent In his clothing. to fx . broken
down jinrikisha. to mend tools. to take
measurements and. In fact. the string
Is his universal tool chest.
The queerest use to which 1t is put,
according to my way Of thinking. Is
when q police omcef arrests . man.
ties q bit Of string about the arrested
mans wrist and then leads him by the
loose end Of the thin hempen fetter to
the lookup. You ask: Why doesn't
the Jap crook break the string and
find . gateway?' He could, but he
would not. That's where his respect
for the Law comes In, and the bit Of
string holds the man as securely n
though he were manacled by our own
humane chilled steel. nickel-plated and
snap-l0cked method"
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
FIGHTING BOB" WAS READY,
Railroad Man cowed BY DISCRIMINATION
Of the Admiral.

It is doubtful II any city in Wiseon-
sin the size Of this one noated -
many flags the other day ID did Ap-
plet0n in honor Of the departure OF
the Atlantic feet under the command
of Admiral r. d. Evans. One OF the
was shown IL On account OF Evans BE-
ing 50 we'll known here. he having
been consulting engineer 1t the time
the plant Of q local paper company
was constructed. 1t was during Cleve-
lands term and Evans was captain on
leave Of absence for . year.
One thing characteristic Of the
sailor was shown at that time. He
had to put across the right Of way Of
the Ashland division Of the Chicago Z
Northwestern road . high bridge
which connects the acid tower - .
high hill with the mill in the valley.
The road odlcials objected to the
bridge and to stop the work had
switch engines playing up and down
the right of way. with the section
crew on hand to offer resistance.
Evans gave q note to one Of his
men. who returned in half IN hour
with q dozen rifles and ammunition.
Evans stepped up to the section fore
man and in his bluff way remarked:
The first man who offers resistance
will get his - carcass filed with
lead"
The bridge went up and has been
in use for years.-MilWaukee Sentinel.
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
When Aliens Die In Eaypt.

USU ~uuSuu0 OvS ~ S8yVSs
Under the laws of the country all
bodies must be buried within "a hours
after death. In the n of foreigners,
II relatives desire to remove the body.
it must be embalmed Or first buried
for a year. The process Of embalming
In modern Egypt is not only very ex.
pensive, amounting often to $1,000.
but it is undesirable. Neither is 1t
convenient often to bury the dead for
. year preparatory to removal. What
v e objections therefore may exist
elsewhere to the burning Of the dead
50 that their ashes may be transported
to their own country. they are without
much force In Egypt Recently a law
has been passed allowing this dispo.
siti0n of the dead. but a 1t Is against
the religion of the Mohammedans. the
government does not e its way to
providing for the burning.
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
REALM OF the IMAGINATION.


I believe that the n0blest forms OF
imaginative power are in some sort
u~ngOvernable, and have in them some
thing of the character Of dreams; 30
that the vision, of whatever kind.
comes uncalled, and viii not submit
itself to the seer. but c0nquers him.
and forces him to speak n prophet,
having no power over his words or
thoughts. Only, II the whole man be
trained perfectly. and his mind calm.
consistent and powerful. the vision
which comes to him il seen ~ In .
perfect mirror. serenely end in con-
sistence with the rational powers: but
II the mind be imperfect and ILL.,
trained. the vision 10 seen q in .
broken mirror, with strange dist0r-
tons and discrepancies, all the pas
si0ns of the heart breathing upon 1t in
cross ripples. till hardly . trace Of It
remains unbroken. SO that, strictly
speaking. the Imagination IL never
governed; It is always the ruling and
divine power: and the rest Of the man
is to 1t only as IN instrument which(t
sounds. OF q tablet on which It writes:
clearly and sublimely II the wax b
smooth and the strings true. g~rotesQue-
~ and wildly II they are strained and
broken. And thus the "Iliad," the
Inferno" the Pilgrims Progress,"
the "Faerie Queen" are all Of them
true dreams; only the sleep Of the
men to whom they came was the deep.
living sleep which God sends. with .
sacredness In 1t, rs Of death, the re-
vealer of secrets.-Ruskin, THE
Stones of Venice"
The Columbus journal., 1908-02-26
QUALITIES OF I.::AT POET
Byron and Wordsworth Hal On
Thing in Common.

Byron and Wordsworth have this Al
least in common. Each alike was filed
with righteous indignation al social
and moral wrongs. Each was . demo
crat before democracy. eager to admit
the people to the heritage from which
they had been shut out by the selfish
ness Of class interests and the apathy
Of industrial conditions. But while
W~0rdsw0rth's temperate zeal took the
gradual and the longer way of q basic
reconstruction of social practice. build
ing It up afresh on arguments tested
by experience. and deeming no record
too trivial to serve the architects de-
sign, Byr0n's more ardent mood burned
for instant reform. and would NOT
brook the restraints which the tao
tician imposes ON the fighter. The
moment he reflects he n . child" va
0oethe's verdict on Byron. who.
though he . moved BY the same i'm
pulse ~ Wordsworth. and Obeyed the
same order Of revolt. followed through
oat his short life the path Of action.
not Of reflection. His poetry carries
US forward. In the sense Of his own
dying cry. Forward. forward. follow
me-" 1t exhibits, As Swinburne tells
US. 4 splendid and i~mperishable ex
cellence Of sincerity and strength"
lie believed intensely In his cause
the common cause of his age, the
emancipation Of man from physic4'
and moral bonds-and he employed
whatever weapon came foremost to
convince others Of the truth.-Laurie
MSgnus in T.. P.'s Weekly.