davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
WHALE GUNS.
hsw They Originated and When They
Were First Used.

The first attempt to use guns in
the capture of whales was made as
long ago as 1871. As the reader
knows, the warships of that period
carried swivels as well as great
guns, the swivels being small cam
non having a bore of something
like an inch in diameter. They
were called swivels because they
were mounted on a universal joint,
or swivel, BY means of which they
could be pointed in any desired di-
rection. Some bright man-o'war
sailor conceived the idea of using
them to kill whales. The weapon
that was then developed consisted
of a stout barrel, perhaps thirty
inches long, that was supplied with
a wooden stock which was piyoted
in an iron fork rising from the bow
of common wRaleboat. The pro-
jectile was short, two barbed har-
poon, the shank of which was e1-
panded a short distance above the
barbs until it fitted comfortably
within the bore of the gun. The
expanded part of the shank was
slotted, and a ring was made to
slide to and fro within the slot.
Ta this ring the harpoon line was
secured.
3 In loading this gun charge of
sloose powder was poured into the
barrel, a wad inserted and ram
med home with the butt end of the
harpoon, the harpoon remaining,
Of course, within the barrel, ready
for the shot. AS the harpoon was
pressed home the ring naturally
slid along the slot and finally rested
against the muzzle of the gun. The
gun was. fired bv means of a flint
lock that was inclosed within a
metal case to protect it from the
flying spray. OF course when the
gun was fired the ring slid along
the slot in the harpoon until it
brought up against the butt; then
it dragged out the line.
This swivel was used with some
but no permanent success. Aiming
was difficult while the boat was
rolling and plunging over the
waves, and with lack of accuracy
came the danger of firing the har-
poon into another boat instead Of
the whale. Moreover, the loose
powder was often vetted, and the
gun became useless at the moment
when it was needed most.-Forest
and Stream.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
A BACHELOR DINNER.
It Began With Medieated Soup and
! Ended With Olive Tarts.

Ended With Olive Tarts.
One often reads of the tremblings
and anIieties which accompany the
first dinner parties of the young
wife and housekeeper. Mr.. Gerald
Gordon in ."Efe In the Mofussil~
gives a bit, of experience which
shows that a Youthful bachelor
makes his debut as an entertainer
with similar feelings Of trepidation-
Feeling almost as nervous as . girl
for the success of his initial social
enterprise in India, he entered the
dining room with his guests:
"The table looked very well. In|
the center was large citron melon,
with the thick rind cut into orna-
mental shapes. The flowers were
prettily arranged. When viewed
the dining room before the arrival
Of the guests I felt well contented-
"The critical moment was when
We sat down. l was prey to hun
dred and one an1ieties. These fears
were not sllsyed by seeing my right
hand neighbor only making show
of eating his soup. Then I saw the
colonel take one spoonful and order
the servant to take it away. Ny
own turn arriving, / found, to my
horror, a strong flavor of castor oil
in the concoction. On looking round
the table it was clear that every
one else had discovered it.
"The consumah, standing by the
sideboard, was totally unconscious
that anything was wrong, and I had
to tell him twice to remove the
soup.
"Later the horrible mystery was
explained. 1t was the custom OF
the native cooks to strain soup
through a cloth, and a clean one
was provided every day for the'pur-
pose. In my establishment We burn
castor oil in the lamps. The duty
of straining the soup that day was
given to a wretched undertook, who
took a cloth which had been used
for cleaning the lamps.
"This was trying, but every one
tried to make the best of matters
The dinner went smoothly after
this until dessert. Among the
dishes was one of greengages with
lot of fluffy cream on top. felt
rather proud of this delicacy. The
colonel tasted it.
Goodness! Olivesv he shouted.
"Alas, it was too true. At the
time l had given out bottle Of
greengages I had also given one Of
fine Spanish olives. Now, for the
first time, l noticed the greengages
lying innocently in a cut glass dish
where the olives should have been.
"This was too much for the
guests power of self restraint, and
they laughed loudly and long. 1t was
the best way to get over it, but l
did not soon hear the last of those
olive tarts."
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17

nothing that T was aware of and
that was AS much surprised as any
body at my success in ellciting a
reply.
"'Try him again. said the boy.
See if he viii say anything more
T did try again, and every time
| spoke the bird talked back. The
unexpected loquacity on the part
of the parrot inspired numerous
witticisms among the men. It's
a case of like curing like murmur-
ed one rude wretch on the outskirts
of the crowd. It's a wise bird that
recognizes a kindred tongue said
somebody else. But there was one
man present who descended to no
such levity. He approached me in
q serious manner and handed out
a business card.
"1 am the manager Of this
place. he said. The address was
that of a large bird store. ANY
parrot he went on. that has stop
ped talking or that is just learning
to talk will talk better for a wom-
an than for man. But even
among women there are a certain
few that exercise peculiar inau-
ence over the birds. | can't e1-
plain why. Nobody can explain it.
1t simply is so. have in my store
now,' he continued in direct con-
versatiOn with lie, several parrots
that so far cannot be induced to
talk. One is a beautiful Mexican
parrot. He belongs to a doctor,
who would pay good round sum to
anybody who would teach the bird
to talk. Would you mind trying
your peculiar powers on him =
"Of course | declined the offer
l didn't feel particularly proud OF
certain mysterious qualities that
appealed exclusively to the minds
of poll parrots. Still, is consoline
to know that if / ger need new
position | am CO.. atent to fill one
in which ther sill be but little
rivalry."-Chie 60 Record-Herald.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
BY Way Of Comparison.

"You were having a quarrel with
the prosecuting witness, were you
mott" said the judge in an effort to
straighten out complicated case.
"Oi wor," was the reply.
"And it was very severe quar-
rel ?"
'1t wor, an it KEEP gettin' worser
an worser."
"Can you give me some idea of
how bad it was ?"
"Well, your honor, at wan tonne
Oh t'ink it wor most as bad as
what's been goin' on bechune the
lawyers in this case" - Harper's
Weekly.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
How PRINTING Began.

Laurentius of HARLEM invented
the art of printing about A. D. 1870
and practiced it with separate wood
en- types. Gutenberg afterward
invented cut metal types, but the
art was carried to perfection by
Peter Schoefer, who invented the
mode of casting the types in mat
rices. Frederick Corsellis began to
print at Oxford in 1853 with wooden
types, but it was William Caxton
who introduced into England the
art Of printing with fusile types, in
1474.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
Taking . Walk.

Justice-What have You to say
in answer to the charge of stealing
this mans plank walk?
The Accused-I took it by ad-
vice Of my physician, yer honor,
He told me to take a long walk
every day. This was the first long
walk ! saw today, and of course !
took it. A man can't afford to en-
ploy a doctor unless he takes his
advice.
Justice - The court, however,
will give you advice for nothing
three months rest. You will take
it in the house of correction.-Bos-
ton Transcript.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
He Did.

Whatever station in life you
may be called to occupy, my boy" "
said the father in sending his son
ont into the great world, always
do your best"
II wil," replied the young man,
with emotion.
He never forgot his promise.
Years aftervard, when . prosper
ous man Of business, he did his best
friend out Of q large sum Of money.
In spite Of everything. it turns
out that way once in svhile.-Chi-
cago Tribune.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
Needed More.

'Here is some complexion pow
der, auntie," said little Tommy Tod
dies. II bought this little box for
mamma and the great big box for
you"
'But why did you think I needed
such a large box?" asked the visit"
ing aunt in surprise.
"Oh, because I heard papa say
you were two faced."-Kansas City
Independent.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
The PARROT TALKED.
And the Girl 4ssrnsd semsthiss Now
.' -. About Herself. =

..', Apout HefeeU. -.
Tf l wished to change my voca-
tion," said the tall girl, 81 could 60
right downtown now and get the
queerest position imaginable. 1t
seems that 1 have a peculiar talent.
| just discovered it yesterday. 1t
came to light while l was waiting
for an elevated train.
"At the station at the same time
was q boy carrying an unusually
large birdcage in which swung an
unusually large parrot. Many per-
sons gathered around the cage to
admire the bird and to ask ques-
tions. I asked few myself.
"Does he talk?' said I.
"The boy answered very patient
ly. Not any more he said. He
hasn't talked for two years. He is
a South American bird. We brought
him here from Guayaquil two years
ago, and he has never talked since.
! guess he must be homesick.'
Several men and boys hovered
over the cage, one after the other,
and attempted to engage Polly in
conversation, but he blinked at
them all in contemptuous silence.
By and by ] spoke to him.
Hello, Polly said l. How do
you feel today"
"Hello YOURSELF said Polly.
"The boy nearly tainted. why,
MISS he said, whatever did you do
to him%
a assured the lad I had done
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
0axsd himself.

Shepherd Concluding tale Of be-
reavement) Sac q gied her some
O that wee bottle that ye left
yest're'en, an she just slippit AVA
at fover o'clock the morn.
Doctor-Dear, dearl I'm very
sorry to hear that.
Shepherd (thoughHully) - M,
man doctor, ima it = msircy .
didna taP any O the wee bottle
masep?-Punch.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
THE IDEAL HEIGHT.
Fer Q Man It 10 an Inch and hsk
Under SRf Feet.

Recruits who are much over six
feet tall are not desired for the
United States army. There are e1-
ceptions: of course; but, as rule,
men VIII run much over six feet
lack dept. 1T chest and by reason
of inadequal, 'ung capacity fall be-
low the averag I'm power of endur-
ance
r =. height for a man, ac-
col to observations from mil
ita oint of view, is an inch and
h9' Inder six feet. 1t does not
s to be intended by nature that
[ male human animal shall ex-
e ed this stature if due regard is to
be had for development at all
points. On the other hand, it is an
obvious disadvantage for physical
effectiveness to be under the aver
age number of inches. At five feet
ten and half a man attains his
best development of muscle and
bone, with highest vital efficiency.
Just what is the average height
for man seems to be not satisfac-
torilv settled. Obviously it differs
largely with race, We and the Jap
ancse representing among civilized
peoples the two extremes. On the
other hand, the American Indians
are taller than We are, and the
aborigines of Patagonia are the
loftiest folk in the world, inasmuch
as the men commonly run over six
feet in height. When the early
Spanish explorers described them
as race Of giants they were not
far from the fact.
Even in the United States the
stature seems to vary considerably
with locality. During the civil war,
from the beginning to the end of
which our government put into the
field and on board of fighting ships
more than 100000 men, the tall
est recruits came from Kentucky,
averaging over five feet eight and
half inches. Kansas, Minnesota,
Missouri, California and Nevada
came next in the order given, all
of them over five feet eight. Maine,
Illinois and Michigan averaged five
feet seven and four-ffth inches and
Ohio and Pennsylvania a triie less.
Recruits from Massachusetts and
Connecticut stood at the foot of the
list, measuring FIVE feet six and
half inches.
After fifty years Of age the hu-
man body begins to undergo a pro-
gressive shrinkage. Not only do
the muscular tissues lose bulk, but
even the bones become smaller.
Meanwhile there is a contraction Of
the cartlaginous tissue between the
vertebrae of the backbone, which
causes a loss Of height, a man orig
inally SIX feet tall frequently losing
as much as an inch and a half Of
his stature by the time he is sew
.enty years old.-Saturday Evening
Post.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17
Weak
|Kidneys

ie..ss nor: trouble "a. sax otA:s efssa e e
seps1sts ilorralie salt and water In the nfe:
80 q circulation. and % rsa9vs nsn " aaS
ASip attendant poiSens froH The body thtougA
~ bladder. Therefore when the Kidneys
;Sooens diseased ana weak tAsy are nasnfs!ly
ls1sble q Dsrfor1 tAeif Wefk lfopsfy, ase
~ urinary disorders are the result. u 70
li1DsSativs that Q prompt rslisf bs afor1c1.
VEeh = Impossible unless y6a remove the
cAuDeI
IDeWit's Kidney and Bladder Pills
lsromysly eliminate poisons from the systsm
lss6 g Shs Same time make the kidneys well
IaaA ssfong.
For wssk Kidneys, Baokaohe, In:
OF the bladder and all
luNnary troubles De Wits Kidney
and Hfsddsr Pills are unsurpassed.
sek's. Treatment for 25e.
sAonsy back II they fan
For Sale by W L Wallace.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-09-17

tavsiGns In It's Climax the Problem
Of Feminine Shre~dness.

Of Feminine Shrewdness.
One of several men employed in
q downtown Office boisterously pro-
claimed the time honored principle
that women are devoid Of principle.
+"They are tricky to the core,
every mothers daughter of them,"
he said. "They don't know what
honesty means"
Mr.. Bateman resented the impu-
tation.
'G don't believe a word of that"
he said. Women have just as
sound principles as men. Take my
wife, for instance. She is the soul
of honor. You couldn't hire her to
do tricky thing. Just let me tell
you what a trump she showed her
self to be week ago. She was COM
ing home from the matinee While
crossing Broadway she found a
package that had evidently been
dropped from the platform of a car.
Obviously there was no way Of
catching the car and restoring the
package, so of course she brought
it home. 1t contained six yards of
beautiful creamy lace. The check
said it had been paid for and cost
1850.
: 'Now, my wife had two wsps
hose sleeves needed rea.
I'D, human n2.'C,Gobb
berse-s. WV =.
oulaaS.lsAs,,e ulasaS + AemAffaiee face for ,.--- /.
1t her spirit of rectitude triumph
iNo,' she said, 4 won't use the
l will take it back to the
Possibly the person who lost
l,inquire atout it at the lost
nm. asnr nent.'
coou...,.r to keep the lace
LII y 5offier about the woman
who had lost it. NY wife seemed
startled at my iniQuity.
"Tf l return it and the loser
doesn't call for the lace, what will
become of it?' she asked
"The store will gobble it up
said 1, and sell it over again. 1t
belongs to you just as much as to
them
"But she was resolute. Possibly
you are right she said, but l can
not keep what is not mine l must
return the lace
"And she did," continued Mr..
.Bateman proudly. "And that, l
take it, is as pretty an instance Of
honest dealing as you will find in
anybody, either man or woman"
The scoffer at feminine honesty
admitted that for an example of
< probity Mrs. Bateman's heroic sur
render of lost property would be
hard to beat, and the meeting ad-
journed with sentiment leaning
pretty strongly toward the malign-
ed sex.
Mr.. Bateman went home in a
particularly happy frame Of mind.
He kissed his wife with unusual
fervor and finally offered to take
her to q tbeater. When she was
dressed he noticed a difference in
the appearance of her mohair wrap.
"1sn't that lace something like
that you found in the street the
ther day." he asked.
eyes," she said, at is the same
iece."
T thought You took it back?"
lid: Batemsn.
Mrs. Bateman blushed. 81 did"
le said family, "but II got it
Yain. 1 couldn't give it up. 1
went to the lost and found depart
sment the next day and asked for it
snyself."
."Ohw said Bateman. - New
1etk Times.
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1908-04-18
Notice to Banks for Bids for the Clasdy
of State Funds.

BATON ROUGE. La, March2, isk
Whereas, by section of Act No. q Of the
extra session of the General Assembly Of The
State of Louisiana. approved Dec. 2. 1905. It h
made the duty of the Board of Liquidation o.
the State debt to advertise for and invite BIDS
from the banks throughout the State, boA
State and National, for the custody OF funds
in their respective parishes belonging to 0frs
ceived in behalf of the State by sheHfs o.
tax collectors; and
Whereas, said Board of Liquidation at {
meeting held Feb. 20, 1905 by resolution aF
thorized the carrying into effect said sector
of said act and authorized the Secretary u
State to advertise for bids in manner and fos
asrequired by law.
Now, therefore, John 7. Michel. Seeretat
of State. by virtue of the authority vested .
me by said resolution and in accordance VIII
said act. do hereby give public notice to tlt
banks in each parish that bids will be recelys
from them by the Board of Liquidation OF U
State debt for the custody OF the funds q
longing to or received in behalf Of the StaH
by the sheriffs or tax collectors of the resped
i've parishes in which said banks are domicuh
after thirty (3e) days advertisement OF To
notice as required by law. All bids shall
sealed and endorsed on the envelope Fise'
Agency Bid" and addressed to the state A
ditor at Baton Rouge, La, and be 10 bis Pc
session on or before April IS, 1908.
The letting or awarding of said funds ~ !
made by said Board of Liquidation at Its hS
meeting called by the Governor at his one'
after April IS. 1908, due notice of which VIII
given.
The successful bidder or bidders shall SIX
curity deposit with the State Treasurer
amount of bonds of the United States DIV
the State Except Baby bonds or OF any W
ish, city, town or levee district thereof 'saa
bonds to have market value at least eqnl
the par value thereof equal to the estlnaa
average deposits of such authority, as us'a
mined by the record OF the year previous
shall give bond with duly authotized sal'sI
company as surety for sum not greatefsO W
10 per centum of the capital and surplus
such surety company, or may deposit ~
aforesaid for part of the security OIL ~
surety bond for the balance in such prcpoi'sI
as said bank or banks may see Ill. Ihe
Board of Liquidation reserves the right " \
| ject any and all bids.
JOHN T. MICHEL
Secretary Of State
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1908-04-18

ed, shall appropriate such sum :.
may be necessary for the payment .,
the clerical expenses, rent, furnitu,s
and porterage for the Office of said
tax collector; provided, however thu,
the total amount of said appropriation
shall not exceed the sum of S35. OOo m
end provided further that said appro.
priation shall be by items Showing Tho
particular use to which such appro
priation funds shall be applied.
Section 2. Be it further enacted
etc., That this proposed amendment
be submitted to the electors of thu
State for their approval or rejection
as required by Article 32l of the Con.
stitution of Louisiana and the genera,
election laws of this State, at the cen.
eraf election to be held on the Tuesday
following the third Monday in April
1908.
Section 3. Be it further enacted
etc., That all properly nominated
candidates for the Office herein pr,.
vided for shall be voted for at said
general election and the one elected
shall be commissioned in the same
manner, and enter upon the discharpe
of his Office, at the lime when tbe
terms of Office of the present tax d.
lectors in said city expire, and he
shall supersede the present tax Of
lectors of said city, whose Offices shall
be abolished by the adoption Of the
amendment hereby proposed; provid
ed, however, that should the foregoing
amendment not be adopted, then The
election of the Tax Collector herein
provided for shall be null and void.
J. W. HYAMS,
Speaker of the House of Represents.
tiveS.
J. Y. SANDERS,
Lieutenant Governor and President Of
the Senate.
Approved December4, 1901.
NEWTON c. BLANCHARD,
Governor of the State of Louisiana
: A true copy:
JOHN T. MICHEL,
Secretary of State.
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1908-04-18
ACT NO. Is.

ACT NJ. 70.
By Mr.. Herman. House Bill No. So.
Chairman of the Joint Judiciary Com
mitteeA, B, C: Substitute for House
Bills Nos. 2, 3, and 26.
JOINT RESOLUTION.
Proposing an amendment to the Con-
Stitution of Louisiana relative to
tax collectors for the City of New
Orleans, providing for the election
of one Tax Collector for said city,
fixing his term of Office, his COM
pensation and the clerical and
other expenses of his office and
providing for the payment thereof
Section l. Be it resolved by the
General Assembly of the State OF
Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
elected to each House concurring,
That there shall be submitted to the
qualified electors of this State the fol-
lowing proposed amendment to the
Constitution of Louisiana, to wit:
That there shall be one State Tax
Collector for the City OF New Orleans
who shall be elected by the qualified
electors of said city for the term OF
four az years. He shall receive a
salary of Five Thousand {S5, 000) Dol
lars per annum payable monthly. The
fees received from delinquent tax
debtors, as also the fee of Sl.OO charg'
ed for tax research certificates to the
persons applying for same, shall be
turned over to the State Treasury.
The Legislature at its first session,
after this amendment shall have beer
submitted to a vote If the people, as
herein provided, if the same be adopt
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1908-04-18

other expenses of his office shall be included
in this amount: and for the Auditor OF Puphc
Accounts. the sum of Four Thousand Dollars
Section2 Be it further resolved etc.
That the foregoing amendments OF the Consul
tuition of the State shall be submitted TO Tue
electors for their approval or rejection as re-
ouired by Article 1921 of the Constitution OF the
State of Louisiana and general election laws
of this State at the general State election TO
be held In this State on the 2lst day OF April
1903
J.Y. SANDERS.
Lieut. Governor and President OF the Senate
JW HYAMS.
Speaker of the House Of REPRESENTATIVES
Approved November 27th, 1907.
NEWTON C. BLANCHARD.
Governor of the Rtate of Louisiana.
A true copy:
JOHN T. MICHEL,
Secretary of State.