davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Hay and Fecdstu0.

The hay market continues weak in spite Of
moderate receipts. and buyers are purchasing
with caution. Feedstuffs are unchanged.
" a. Miller Go. yesterday received the first
car OF new hay of the season. 1t was barley
from the southern part Of the state near the
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Dried Fruits. RaIsIns. Nuts and Honey

Fruits-Evap porated apples. 81 @6Ae; apricots
7@10c; fancy mOorpark, 11@12c; peaches, "a q
4i5c for standards. f1sGI5c for choice and 81 @
65ac for fancy; pears. 465Sc; pitted plums. IA q
Size; nectarines. Az a95hc; fgs, 215 @4c; prunes
size basis. "a k92Ac, with 1c premium for the
large sizes.
Raisins-London layers crown. 9Oc: crown
81; seeded 4614kc; seedless, 3% @51ac; Thomp
sons seedless. 3ac for unbleached; seedless sui
tana. % c.; loose musca tells &c for crown, &c
for crown and 2Lc for crown
Nuts-Alnonds. noupareils- 13c; XXI. 15c: ne
plus ultra. 12c; Drake 10He: languedocs. 9tc;
hardshells. TelSc. walnuts, 911c per 10 for No
l softshells. &c for No do; chestnuts. S11Oc
per Id for Italian; flberts. 1215 @14cs .pecans
1JG17c.
HoBey-Nominal.
Beeswax-271a@ @2ec per lb for light and 25@
26c for dark.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Family RefaII Marked

Retail rates for the leading household staples
have varied but little since last week and there
have been no changes in anything that call for
extended comment. Early spring vegetables are
in abundance and cheap and there plenty
OF strawberries and other fruits 10 be had
normal rates. Butter and eggs stand exactly
the same quoted last week
De-
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

Arizona line. aud was well cured ano IN soou
condition 1t was sold at SIT per ton -os -oo,so
Bran-$2s030 per ton for white anu s-''sVs
FOR red.
Middlings-s -s33035 per ton-
Shorts-S31@ @32 per ton .o<.o4 -o,1a6
Feedstufs-Rolled barley, 300 - gS5 ssa,.. .o' r,-
oats for feed, s42943: mixed feed Szs9Ss-s sss IN r9
average lots: oilcake meal in 20 ton lots ;s
in 10 toa lots ego In ton lots $3.50 small loss @
$40: eocoanut cake or meal at mills. 80 IN 70
and 10 and Sz6 so In ton lots. job6lng VI. rn eor
meal, S37Q3S; cracked corn. $os9goS: Dr.v- DI,sie.
seed, S115 per ctI: alfalfa meal ana meailaAa'
jobblng lots SIC, carload lots SO per ION soooa
Hsy-Wheat, S22424; wheat and oALi os+
sism21; alfalfa. s14RI7: stock. $79n per ton.
Straw-60@S5c per bale.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Beans and seeds

The situation in beans shows no change 1ne
market being frm with a fair demand
Beans tper ctD-Bsyo. s4g4;5o; pea, So sg,zo
@5.S5; small white, s5.35Qo-50; large wnass xines
eye, $S.259S.45; lima, s4@4- 10; red kidneys
s.. .65G73s0; cranberry beans, y3Io; Caravans; -
6l4 for large; horse beans, $1-e0Qz-20-
Seeds-Brown mustard, 81 @4c; yellow mus
tard, 6n61sc: faxseed 4c carload lots; canary
4c; Alfalfa l761Sc; rape cleaned, 202 l5e
timothy, 6A@615c; hemp. 3E Q4Ac; milet,
3Ae per ID; broom corn seed, $3.50 per t0n-
Dried Peas-Green are quoted at So. 25 per cri-
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Neal Market


No further price changes Of note have been
reported for several days. Mutton and lamb
are weak and spring lamb is slightly lower
DRESSED MEATS
Slaughterers' rates TO dealers and butchers
are follows
Beef-S0s11c per ID for steers. 70se for cows
and heifers-
veal-615 071kc for large and s09c Tor small
Mutton-W ethers, ~ 79c; ewes. 70Sc per 10.
Lamb-Yearling. 1599hc per ID; spring
lamb. 1055 @11e.
Dressed Pork (per lb)-101fke FOR light and
915 010c for heavy
LIVESTOCK MARKET
The following quotations are for good. sound
livestock delivered IN San Francisco. gross
weight:
No. / fat steers over 900 lbs alive, 4%c. under
900 lbs 41zc: second quality, 4Aes thin unde-
sirable steers, 3G4c-
No. / cows and heifers. 3%e; second quality
SIC; common. thin. undesirable cows, 212c.
Fat bulls and stays. 202Ac; thin bulls. 1ze
Calves-Ligbt weight per %. 50o&c; me-
dium. 41k44%e: heavy. 3%04Ae.
Sheep tper lb)-Wethers, No i. 44c; ewes.
No. I. 4Ee; shorn sheep. &c less
Lambs (per lb)--Yearling lambs, oAcs this
years milk lambs. ~ Q6c.
Hogs (per Ib)--Hard grain fed. weighing 100
to 40 lbs. &c; 14o to $50 lbs. 7Ae; 200 to $50
lbs, So arc: rough. heavy hogs, A 05cs com
mon, undesirable hogs. 4045ac
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

gon $2.50@2.60; coast Lompoc s260@2 10:
Idaho, 20; Oregon early rose, $3.50; white
rose, s.. %.
Sweet potatoes-Yellow local. $1.50@1.S5 per
ctl: white, 50c per box; choice yellow, $1.25@
so per etl.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

clearings report for the week ending April %
shows aggregate of $3 1874, 595, goo. against
81 647 573. coo last week and 81, ,991, ,351, 600 in
the corresponding week last year. The following
is list Of the cities:
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

The tUIPER SIOChS
BOSTON, April 23.-The rally in North Butte
was the feature of the market today. The buy
ing looked like accumulation by strong interests
and the selling came entirely from tired holders
COPPER CLOSE
The following list is furnished by E. F. Hut
ton & Co., $50 California street. San Fran
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Portland Butter Market

PORTLAND, April 23.-Butter-City creamery
extras, 2715 @29c; fancy outside creamery, 25@
2Sc; store 1S920c.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
LOCAL MARKETS
SAN Francisco Money Market
Loans, Exchange and silver

Silver and Hongkong exchange were consid-
,rably higher yesterday, the former advancing
&c and the latter &c.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

The situation in the market for fresh fruits
was much the same the preceding day
there being fair volume of business in citrus
goods and apples. while Strawberries were In
eral, there was very little Of anything unsold at
the close. Oranges. lemons, grapefruit and ap-
pies stood as before quoted, while Mexican lines
were in increased supply and lower.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., $10613 per chest; I;
large varieties, $7@9 per chest; southern, $1G
1.25 per crate
Apples (per box)-s1. .25@1.50 for fancy and
50c@S1 for common to choice
Citrus Fruits (per box)-Navel oranges 50 %
1880 for fancy and S1.S50l2 for choice: tan
gerfnes 75c6lS1 %; grapefruit, S2-50N2-75 for
seetlless: lemons 81 75Nf3 for fancy 81. .756T2 -
81. J0@5.
Tropical Fruits-Bana1ss, 75c@$1-75 per bunch
for Hawaiian and $250G13. so for Central Ameri
can; pineappIes, S2@4 per dozen.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

Minneapolis Flax Market
MINNEAPOLIS, April 23.-Flax, $1.63L.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

I5c; do to months. 10615c; new southern
coast 7011e- Fall clip-Mountain free, n q
Zoe: do defective safe: Nevada, 130t7c per 10.
Hops-Prices to growers are from SC to Sc
per h. with 9Q11c for contracts.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Flour and Farinaceou. Good.

Continued frInness IN flour is noted. with quo
tations unchanged.
fiour-California family extras s6.4o677 net
without discount: bakers extras S64O6a6. 90 :
superhne, $5s20@5-5 90: Oregon and Washing
ton per Dbl. S4.sJ@5I5 for family, bakers and
patents. and S43064.50 for cut on: Kansas pat
ents, $3.50; do straights. S760: do clear. 81;
Dakota patents, $50; do straights $3.50: do
clear, $40 per bbl
Farinaceous Goods-Prices in packages, net
casn. Ga no discount. are as follows: Graham -four,
$3.50; rice dour $7: corn meal. Ss.25: extra
cream do. Ss.75; oat meal SIS: oat groats. So;
hominy, $3.60@4; buckwheat hour $40; whole
wheat -four, ST. rolled oats. bbls S750dS in
sacks $5@7-50 extra cream do So in sacks and
@ Ss,so n n oa barrels; rolled wheat bbls s5.l5 in
boxes: $5.75 for yellow and $6 rs for green per
100 lbs -
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
Egg Market in Nearby Counties

SANTA CRUZ. April 23.-EgS market well
supplied. Poultrymen receive 2Oc in open market
Large dealers are shipping for cold storage.
Francisco.
PETALUMA. April 23.-There was a slight
variation In prices offered by local dealers
during the week, but the average price stands
at 24c for the best grade of eggs From 23c
to zoe other offerings, according TO grade.
The demand continues to exceed the supply.
The delivery today average
SANTA ROSA, April 23.-There a drop OF
15c in the local egg market this morning re-
ceipt of quotations from the San Francisco dairy
exchange. The quotations 221ac per
dozen for choice and 1880 for seconds. The re-
ceipts were light. with good demand Tomor-
rows receipts will be heavier, owing to its being
the end of the week supply
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
london ClosIng stock.

Bar silYer-uncerfain: "a I-i6d per ounce
Money-12M% Of 1 per cent.
The rate OF discount in the open market
for short bills is IL per cent and for three
months bills IL per cent.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

New York stock List
e. r. Hutton & Co. 490 California street. mem
hers Of the New York stock exchange. furnish the
following list OF bond and stock sales yesterday
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
II of trade in India and in China In t
er country. as, was expected. exports ha
eased and have taken the lead over i
IS. necessftating heavy shipments of I
te metal in cover of exchange operations
Wheat and Other Grains
Theat-Paris and Liverpool futures we
sr, but Chicago advanced ] lsc with a stea
ket, though there was some additional lid
whest and other Grain.

Wheat-Paris and Liverpool futures were
lower, but Chicago advanced lsc with steady
market though there was some additional lidui-
daton. There was no further change in the San
Francisco market. which continued frm.
CASH WHEAT
California club, 81. 100n2. 1J. do milling So 20:
California white Australian. nominal at s.. 206
2.30: of grades of California wheat S1.S06
100; northern club 2.19G2.15; northern blue
STEM, 81 20a2-30; Russian red, $2.10; turkey
red, $2@2.20 per ctl.
10.30 a. m. Session
No quotations.
p. m. Session
Barley-Futures were rather weaker and the
spot grain was easy. though not actually lower.
CASH BARLEY
Good to choice feed. spot 81 Goa -621a com
mon to fair. 81. 1.521a Gl1.571a per ctI; brewing
and shipping, S1.65: chevalier, nominal at s1.70.
FUTURES
1880 a. m. Session
Open High. Low. Close.
May--No sales; 81 .J91s asked.
December .S1.341s $1.34k $f.34 S1.34
2 p. m. Session
May-No sales; S1.571a bid: Sissy asked.
December-No sales; 1881. bid $1.34 asked.
Oats-Rule firm at the advance noted yester-
day.
white. s215@2.25: gray. s2.1oa215; red.
81 10 for choice 81 10 for good and S195d71 97 q
for inferior. per ctl: black. nominal.
corn-California small round yellow S1S5:
large yellow. nominal; western states yellow.
sacked. s1.75: white. s1.75; in bulk San Fran
cisco track. yellow. S1.67; white. $1.69; mixed,
81 &c. Egyptian, 81 per ctl for white
Rye-Quoted ut 81 Der ctl.
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

Leeks. dOz bnchs. .-N15
Onions. per 10 g.. 3Q 4
Potatoes. ID. ..--2 = 81 .
Do. new. ID .-G Z
Parsnips. dOz. U2O
Radishes, dz bchs-l21
Rhubarb. ID 49,. 4U 6
Sage. dOz bnchs .23ra-
String Beans. ID. 3ON -
Summer squash. .ib-tQ--
Sprouts, per 10. a -
spinach. per ~. 5ys :
Thyme. dOz bnchs-9a25
Turnips, per doz.-4i0
Tomatoes. ID ..l2la0lJ
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

New York Grain and Produce
NEW YORK, April 23.-Flour- -Receipts
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
CnTTnN FrrIIREs
Bank CIearings

NEW YORK. Apri 2s.-Bradstreet's bank
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

DAIRY PRODUCE, E
Butter, , ID sQ.-06O
ia ID squares. 45 Q5J.
Cal. Cheese ..-U2O
Eastern Cheese. 025|
POULTRY AND GAN
Hens, each. SOC 6S1.25
DO small .0Uta00
Young ROOsters,
each S5cG$1.2J
Old BOOSTERS, ca -40H50
Fryers. each. 75QS5
Broilers. each . .4066J
Turkeys. per h. .-430
Ducks. each -.S161.25
MEATS. PER PUCNI
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24


Asparagus, A ID =. 40 s
Arrichokes. d0z. 2OeX 10
Beets, doz- .-....1 .1OH-
Beans, white. 10. 5U $
Do, colored. ID. Ga s
Dried Lima. 10 4Q 81
Cabbage, each .-4i0I
Celery, head ...-QIU.
Cress, dOz bnchs. 151
Cucumbers, each .1502U
Dried Peppers. .20025
Egg Plant. h. --eg30
Garlic ..--...121zmlJ
Green Peppers ID
Green Peas ....-6f >
Lettuce, dOz .20ft 80
FRUITS AND Nj Is
Alligtr Pears. ea.2J6s35l
Apples .-.-.-.... j0t 9.
Bananas. doz- ..204s3l.
Figs. dried, H. Ga $
Grapefruit. doz. .60u75
Lemons, doz. .15M25
Lines, dOz- 49,. .10Wl5'
Nuts, pound
Almonds o0T7o
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24

IL
Swiss Cheese .25635
Eggs. d0z- -2JG30
Honey. comb. III. .20925
Do extracted ..-Hi 10
E.
Geese. each .-.<2912. 30
GoslinSs ..-..--$305.5 so
Pigeons. pair ...-Qe4o
Squads, per pair.-GIO
Gray Geese .-dJ0
Brant ...........4 .4OG15O
HARE .....-..- 80 q ~
Rabbits ..-.----.-@sJ
The San Francisco call., 1909-04-24
New York metal Market

NOT included IN totals because contain
other items than cIearings. "%Not included
totals because comparisons are incomplete.
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16

the last fellow in about 40 seconds of
easy work. threw in my twenty-first
frog hoping to get hold of a smaller
and more sporty fish. But in a momen:
something took hold and hung on just
like sack of wet sand. I reeled In
and made a few unkind remarks
thinking had hooked a mud turtle.
"The sport was too tame for me
and I stopped to think a bit. was
weary of dragging in huge bass with
no more life in them than in a water
logged pair of pants. There was
something wrong. I recalled q famil-
far look about the last bass-it stay-
tied me. l could have sworn had
seen that face before. A horrible suz-
picion crept over me, gents, and In
feverish haste threw in my hook to
fathom the mystery. In about two
seconds he had fastened on and I
snaked him in.
"Well, it was the same BASIL
counted % perforations where nv
hook had caught him. He was full
Of frogs, and to save time took my
remaining two and crammed them
down his throat. Then I tossed him
overheard and rowed for shore. And
would you believe me, gents, that
bass swan alongside all the way,
sometimes SO close I could reach out
and pat him. And the man with the
telescope wasn't warden after all
wasn't that tough?"
Copyright, 1909. by W. G. Chapman)
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16
An Experience
BY Thomas L. Mass. n,

rtosity that she came back in q few
How are you getting on?'
Ganson rose up slowly-for his
moments.
back was almost broken-and waved
a FURNISHED slat in the air.
DO you know" he whispered
hoarsely, what would do with the
mouse-colored idiot that sent me this
thing-the f1end who has spent his
awful ingenuity in trying to invent
some torture for the human nlind to
lose itself on? Oh, maybe wouldn't
beat him to a jelly! For heavens
sake, woman, get that hammer"
Mrs. Ganson went after it. But az
hers was the usual household, no ham.
mer, of course, was in sight. She
looked In drawer and on shelf. Finally.
after long search, she discovered it,
and trembling with anxiety, sped forth
to find her husband.
A bright blaze met her eye.
Ganson was poking up the flames.
Its all right" he shouted, with a
cunning smile which only comes to
those in the last stages. 1T may be a
chair or it may be a table-it's all
one to me. I'm having some fun out
Of it. My only regret is that the
villain who sent It to me isn't sitting
on top"
Copyright. 1903. by W. g. CHAPMAN,
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16

under the influence of that magnif1er
of his looked about twice the size
Of horse and twice as natural. But
I pulled out into the lake and looked
around in search of a bay or a cove
that might shelter me from that mer-
ciless telescope. Not bay nor cove
was in sight.
We'll, tossed in my hook and was
just looking around into the business
end of that telescope when-whish!
something grabbed it and struck out
toward deep water in a thrilling man
ner. tended to business for the next
few minutes and I had my work cut
out too, for the fellow on my hook
was a thoroughbred.
''As l was getting my breath back
I caught the reflection of that Internal
telescope and the cold sweat began to
ooze out of my scalp and percolate
towards my collar. l realized at once
that the fellow had me focused right
down to gnat's feathers and-well,
I hate to tell what did but might al
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16
~ losing Ones Grip" Often Due to
Lack Of Firm Principles.

The slangy colloquialism, losing
ones grip" il very fo.sible and ex-
pressive. The phrase, describing a
physical relaxation, involved in the in
ability to take a firm hold, is used
very happily to describe mental and
moral states denoting decadence, de-
generation, and what physicians call
an "atonic condition." or a feebleness
that precludes the putting forth Of sue
cessful effort Of any kind.
"A great city has thousands of men
who have lost their grip and stamina.
Every man with his eyes open knows
of dozens or hundreds of men who
are gradually sliding down toward
the inevitable wreck and ruin Of char
acter and career, and losing their
grip.
Some remarkable instances known
to many people IN 4 great eastern city
and to- the people Of the neixhborinx
states from which the unfortunates
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16
A Hard Luck Tale
BY Norman n. Crowejj.

well confess. It was cowardly, per-
haps, but couldn't get away from
that telescope, you see. I adjusted my
pocket scale and weighed my fish. He
was dandy-just an even five
pounds. Then 1 picked the old fel-
low up by the tail. held him ostenta-
ttously aloft and heaved him back in
to his native element. Then-l cussed
a little under my breath and looked
as pleased as possible-for the tele-
scope was still dead-centered on mo
all the time.
II was getting rather lonesome
when, as was passing the identical
spot where landed my big: bass, I
got another strike. .1t-was q glorious
scrap, gents, and for a minute I
thought my tackle was a goner bit in
about ten minutes l wearied the boy
and pulled him in. I weighed him
five pounds and half an ounce.
well, back he went and I put on
my third frog. All quiet for 20 min
utes and then I rowed back that way
again. Kerswish! Away shot my line
and made mental resolve to anchor
right there for the rest of the sea-
son.
But I noticed one strange thing
about those bass-the larger they got
the less gamey they were. I landed
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16

1T has come"
what has Gomez" asked Mrs. Gan
son, wonderingly, for she had been
looking at Easter hats all the morning
and was in a daZed condition.
why, the piece Of furniture I or
dered. It is wonderful idea. It
comes in pieces, all separate, with d.
rections how to put it together. Don't
you remember the day wrote for it?
All, now l shall have merry time. I
have wanted to take an afternoon of
at a Job like this for a long while"
isn't this great" he exclaimed, as
he got all the parts together. Here
are the printed directions. Let's see.
Begin with number one, and"
What is it," asked Mrs. Ganson.
Its a chair, you ninny. Just what
I have been longing to loll away the
evening in for so long-a great easy,
comfortable chair. That must be the
bottom piece. See how thick it is"
II don't believe it is chair at all"
said Mrs. Ganson. 1T looks to me
like a table. They must have sent you
the wrong thing"
Nothing Of the sort. Just wait un-
til l begin to build it up, and then
you will see"
Mrs. Ganson, disappearing in the
house, was, however. SO filled with Gu
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16
Need Character and stamina

came have attracted attention recent
ly as illustrations Of the ease and
completeness of the fatal descent.
Two of the most prosperous lawyers
in one Of the chief cities of a state bor-
deriug on this now confine their op-
erations to the streets Of that city.
Several years ago they constituted
q well-known firm, and were at the
height Of prosperity and reputation.
They were counsel for railroads and
other corporations. chief counsel in
many important cases, respected, en-
We'd, and masterful. One was a tech
nical lawyer of high ability, and
seemed destined for the United States
senate, so great was his authority and
political power. The other had filed
a high ONCE, and by reason of his
standing, activity and Industry, had
opened 4 career for himself.
The. senior member Of the firm Ia
now soliciting. slight jobs and aims
from old acquaintances who formerly
met him in legal causes, and the other,
with lurtive 'glances, and the trem-
blirg, eager kind Of excitement which
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16

Talking about tough luck, and so
so on" remarked the thin man as he
jabbed his lower limbs through the
pickets of the hotel veranda and
yawned widely, reminds me of fun
ny run Of circumstances that connect
ed with me a while back. l was called
down to southern Minnesota lake by
the sickness of an aunt, and while
there got wind of the local sports
making preparations for the opening
Of the bass season.
Next morning was an ideal day and
I was there-bright and early. AS l
was showing off in my skiff observed
a tall, rawboned fellow protrude from
bunch Of bushes a hundred steps up
the beach and take squint at me.
II very naturally concluded that this
was warden, and had no doubt that
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16
Wiz tie World s I
Great Humori57s
Selections from tie svr't1e&. or tie 8>r x,e.vn

the more or less blrshing bride was
already half promised to Roarer, a
young man prominent among the cave
people, and as vigorous as he was VI
cious. Things seethed. of course.
There was a path sometimes taken
by old Moss when he started on a
hunting trip which led beside a slight
but exceedingly stiff slope, almost a
fall, at the crest of which lay huge
rock. Behind this boulder one day
crouched Roarer.
Old Moss came swinging rapidly along
the path, fintheaded spear in hand
and exhibiting, supposedly, in his face
some of the rapture of the excessively
ancient honeymoon. Just as the ap-
preaching and unsuspecting hunter
reached what Roarer deemed the right
spot, the watcher bent and .braced and
heaved with his broad shoulder and
down like leaping death thundered the
boulder.
And Roarer, in his murderous ex-
citement, had strained and heaved too
Justify and far! AS the rock went he
lost his footing and pitched after it.,
rolling down the pathway of it's very
wake. Even in mid air old Moss per-
ceived him beneath and, as he land
ed himself, there was swift and un-
necessarily persistent spearing. Roar
er was of the memories, and that
night the wolves would eat HIM
simple strenuous times!
Then it was that the fine old man be-
came enthusiastic and excited. He
leaped up and down and
yelped aloud till the sound reached
from along the pathway.
"Hi-yah! Hi-yah! A rolling stone
gathers no Moss!"
Very curious and interesting and
educational, certainly, are the facts
derived from study of the origin OF
the old proverbs.
Copyright. 1909. by w. G. Chapm ~
The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-16

There Is nothing more curious or,
In some instances, more astounding, to
the student than the revelations made
in study of the origin of proverbs.
Very long before the eastern sage,
Abou Zen There, had written the an
Client oriental tale which, translat-
ed, is called "Her Majesty, the Queen"
had declared that 1T is unlucky to
sleep thirteen in a led" and thus
started the nefarious unlucky thirteen
legend, proverbs, with their accom-
panying superstitions, began, and con-
cerning them there is, perhaps, moth
ing more interesting than the story of
the first proverb ever born. This it is:
Some hundred and fifty thousand
years ago, long before the flood, one Of
the wariest and generally capable of
the cave men Of his time chanced also
to be, and excessively 50, the hairiest
of his tribe, Of which all were hairy
The cave men usually acquired their
names from some personal popularity
and thus it came that. so dense was
the growth upon the body of this par
ticular individual, it suggested to his
fellow beings of the period the close,
mossy growth about the bases Of the
great conifers, the trees amid which
they lived and hunted. Thus it came
that he was known as Moss.
So vigorous of body and acute of
mind was Moss-considering the peri
od-that even when aged 20 he had
slight difficulty in winning for his
sixth wife the belle of the tribe, the
charming Little Ear. His first wife
had died natural death; his second
wife, wandering too casually into the
forest, had appeased the appetite of a
monstrous tiger of the kind known to
scientists to-day as Sabre Tooth; the
third, who could not swim very well,