davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Il u m or
THAT WAIST.
Tho ButtonIt- Up the Back Variety
Causes the Usual Trouble.

Tho Button-lt Up in-the- Back variet,
Causes the Usual Trouble.
Scene-At home.
Discovered-A husband and wife.
She-Dear, do you mind helping mel
He GALL ready fifteen minutes before.
He has just finished brushing his
evening clothes and is now looking
over the stock report In the evening
paper and smoking a cigarette(-What
do you want?
She Cher mouth fun of hairpins)-.
Button up this waist, will you?
He (throwing down paper}-Whero
is the maid?
She-Now. dear, you know this tx
her afternoon off. Hurry!
He (getting up and walking over
back of her. He takes hold of waist
at top and starts on top button,-
What's the matter with these buttons
anyway?
She (sweetly)-Now, don't lose pa
thence. They slip right in if
He-How do you suppose I can get
the thing together when you're suuirn-
Ing like an eel?
She (screwing her head from one
side to the other, absorbed in getting
her hair righD-You can do it.
he (SaVaSely)-LoOk here! You keen
still! Now I've got to begin all over.
(He starts in, his face l1notted up in
agony and, working frantically, gets
three buttons in) Now! Now! Hold
on! I've got 'em going! Keep still
Don't you dare move! There!
"Finished?"
"Yep."
She standing up)-Oh, you wretch!
Don't you see
He-What the devil is the matter
now?
She-Why. don't you see? Can't YOU
see that you've started wrong? IT'S
all got to be done over
He'd it! What's the use? Wen
stay at home.-Rehoboth Sunday Her.
aid
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
bikes IN eERMaNY.
They Are Built With Great Care .sd
E&Retness.

When dixie is to be built-and they
are still in places making dikes-.t "a
nrst mapped out by the neatly sharp
ened stakes, long straight causeway
leading out from shore and widening
into rounded head which Adults on
the red line of the channel Then a
ground sill or foundation mattress Of
willows is woven and sunk at this
head and pinned down and held in
place by the Sharpened pegs Then
wattles are woven and sand filed in,
and in places rock, and then, rounding
up neatly out of the water and form
ing tight covering to the whole, the
hand squared blocks of stone are laid,
as closely as city pavement, all over
the head and back along the neck to
the old shore. It is as permanent and
stable as the Harvard stadium, the
dixie so built, and the river. abandon
ing the space back Of the tip to slack
water or to be filled in with sand,
flows on with entire grace in the re-
stricted channel beyond the tip.
The care and eXactneSs with which
these dikes are made would be laugh
able If 1t were not so successful. In
land where hand labor is very cheap
days are devoted to doing what in
America would be roughly cast by ma
chinery in a couple of hours But the
result Is SO admirable that one re-
members reGretfully the ugly pile
bikes. the horrid fringes Of the i'm
proved "off channel" banks of the Mis-
sissippi.
Where the bikes have accomplished
their purpose and generally on the
banks opposite to them the river. is
revetted above middle water This.
80, u
stones, and as result the Elbc where
completely finished resembles a broad
canal between stone lined banks, the
stone rising few feet above the wa
ter. and above it the green slope of the
fields or fringe of willows 1t is al.
peaceful. complete and generally beau
tiful, with at least the beauty of util-
1ty where it lacks that of ruggcdness
and wildness.-Boston Transcript.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
THE WITcH's CURSE.
Bucksport Legend of Colonial DAYS
In Maine

IN maine.
Close by the road on the outskirts OF
the old seaport town of Bucksport. on
the Pcnobscot river, is small family
cemetery. Within its Enclosure sleep
the Bucks. the blue blooded folk who
nrst settled the town and bequeathe
it their name and a legend
The largest and most conspicuous
monument in the cemetery is n tall
granite shaft, which is in plain sight of
III" highway. On one side is the in
scription: Col. John Buck, the Founder
of Bucksport, A. d. 1862 Born In
IIaverhill, Mass. IT'S. Died March 1s-
1795."
On the other side is the single word
buck and also something not
wrought by the marble worker. On
the smooth surface of the pedestal ia
curious outline, which can be easily
imagined to be foot Of normal size.
The people who say that it is a foot
believe in the legend which has Oft
been told in Bucksport.
The story is that Colonel Jonathan
Buck was very harsh man and the
leading spirit in his day and genera
ton. He was the highest in civil au-
thorltE, and his word was law in the
community in which he resided. Ha
n.
him wltchcraft was the incarnation Of
DlHsphemy. Thus, so the story goes,
when certain woman was accused OF
Witchcraft, at the first clamorings Of
the populace Colonel Buck ordered th,
she be imprisoned, and later she was
sentenced to be executed as n witch.
Inc execution day came, and the
woman went to the gaIlows, cursinc
her judge with such terrible words
t.4at the people shuddered, but the
magistrate stood unmoved. All was
ready, and the hangman was about to
perform his duty, when the woman
turned to Colonel Buck, and, raising
one hand toward heaven. she said:
Jonathan Buck, listen to these
words, the last my tongue shall utter
IL Is the spirit of the only living God
which bids me speak to you You will
soon die, and over your grave they will
erect a stone, that all may know the
spot where your bones lie and crumble
to dust.
Upon that stone the imprint of nv
root shall appear, and for all time. AFT
or your accursed race has vanished
from the face Of the earth, will tie
people from far and near know TINT
you murdered woman"
She then turned to her eXecutioncrs
ana another act transpired to make n
part or American colonial history. The
witch curse" had been almost forgot
Ten until the monument was erected to
the founder of Bucksport.
1t had been in position hardly n
month when faint outline was discov-
cred on it. 1t grew more and more dis
tinct, until some person made the dis
corery that 1t was the outline of a
loot. The old legend was revived.
they said that the "witchs curse"
mad been fulfilled. An attempt was
made to remove the stain, but every
EFFORT only tended to make it palmer.
The imprint of the foot is there today
rs plain as ever. Amateur photogra-
piers have taken pictures of it, and q
visit to the Buck cemetery to see the
"witch's foot" is one Of the pastimes Of
every summer visitor to the pretty lit
tic town.-New York World
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Growth of Trades Unio,,isn.

According to Frank Morrison. sec
rotary of the American Federation of
Labor. the unions Of America today
have 4 greater membership than ever
before in the history Of the labor
movement. In the American Fedora
ton of Labor there are now affiliated
III national and intern ational labor
unions. representing GpproXimat ely
$1,000 local labor unions. The number
of state Federations of Labor is thir-
ty-six. and there are 541 central labor
bodies and local trade and labor un-
ions In the aggregate 100000 men
are members of the body or affiliated
with it
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Encouraging the Bow,

"Son." remarked Mr. Erastus Pink
Icy. II done heard you talin' bout bein'
n great hunter"
Oats what I said,'' answered piclsa-
ninny Jim. us Gwinter hunt lions"
An You mentioned .bein' er ahtic
explorer"
'NaSSir.'
Ncll. jes' by way of practice befo'
You tackles any lions lemme see if ynr,
kiH get de COW outn pasture wifout
h"In hooked. an den as de winter
comes along you kin train fob de
north pole by wadin' out in dc snow
I" de wood pile twice a day. An dom
femme hyah no mo- bout not incour-
A@in' yoh youthful ambitions.'-Wash-
iuSton Star.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Her Lucky Number.

The byways as well as the highways
OF church life furnish much in the
way of wit and rumor. What, for in
stance. could be more mirth provoking
than the naive confession of the cook
or a London vicar who, being allowed
to choose hymn for the family pray
ers, was complimented on her choice
by the wears wife?
What a nice hymn you chosen said
the latter to the cook.
yes, mum; it's the number of my
policeman"
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Rinini and the Fountain of Youth

Bimini was q fabulous island firmly
believed in by the Indians of the An
TILES, though they could give no fur
ther clew to its location than that it
lay some hundreds of leagues north
or H1spaniola- On this island was
the famous fountain OF youth, Civ
ing perpetual health and vigor. 1t
was the search for this fountain that
led Ponce de Leon and fernando dc
Soto to Florida. on the outskirts of
which the island was generally sup
posed to be situated
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
The Perils of the Time,
ChuS-chuG!
RnEEi DR. ri

ChuS-chuE!
Br-r-r! Br-r-r!
Honl-honk!
GilligilluE-gilliGillug!
The pedestrian paused at the inter.
section OF two busy cross streets
lie looked about An automobile
was rushing at him from one direction,
motorcycle from another, an auto
truck was coming from behind, and n
taXicab was speedily approaching.
Zip-ziD! ZinG-glug!
He looked up and saw directly above
him a runaway atrship in rapid de-
scent.
There was but one chance. He was
standing upon manhole.coyer. Quick.
ly scfzfng it, he, lifted the lid and
jumped into the hole Justin time to be
run over by a subway train.-Cleye-
land Plain Dealer.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
GILA MONSTERS BITE.
Tho Reptile Turns Over to Get Venom
Into Its Victim.

mo HePtue urns Over to Get Venom
Into It's Victim.
1t was his turning over habit that
led me to the discovery as to the bite
OF the ella monster. This creature
more like short. stocky snake with
legs on than anything else, has no poi
son fangs, like the rattlcsnakc, yet his
bite may be just as dangerous. His
poison teeth are in his lower jaw, and
the poison comes from Il gland under
the tongue If he bites without turn
ing over the wound is not serious. but
If he turns over there is great danger
DIR. Snow of the University of Kan
sas wrote me some time ago of an eX-
perience he had with the bite of a
ella monster.
The reptile was caught and put in n
bucket. the top of which was covered
with paper. The bucket was then put
In the wagon in which the doctor was
driving. AS the road was somewhat
rough, the bucket was bounced up and
down. and in order to steady it Dr.
Snow put his hand behind him and
took hold of the bucket, thrusting his
fingers through the newspaper cover
on its top so that he could hold it Sc
cure. Suddenly he felt the monsters
grip on his fingers. Startled and some
what alarmed, he carefully pried the
jaws Of the reptile open and released
himself. The wounds were such as
any ordinary bite would have made,
and he suffered no more inconvenience
than might have been expected.
There are many stories current in
Arizona and Sonora as to deaths that
have occurred from ella monsters
bites but it is hard to get at the facts.
Careful experiments made with AMI
mails show that when the reptile bites
and turns over, so that the poison
hows down the tooth grooves into the
wound. the bitten creatures die in
short time.-Suburban Life.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
The Way to His Vote,

Lord BeaconSficlds skill in picking
up stray votes was well known. An
illustration of it is given in a book by
Henry w. Lucy.
At the time that the imperial titles
hlI was pending there was Il certain
l"lHpouS little 1rishman, DR.. O'Leary,
wa" seemed manageable and was de-
NirADle One evening in the lobby
l'iSrA"ll laid hand Familiarity on his
shoulder
Dear DR.. OLeary, the resemblance
Is most striking he said. 81 really
thought l saw again my old friend
Tom Moore
The vain little gentleman was cap.
tIrcd
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
SIMPLE FAITH,
A surly Burglars Confidence In an
Editors Business Acumen.

A Burly Burglars Confidence In an
Editors Business Acumen.
A man who admitted that he came
direct from state prison tried to sell
to the city editor of New York news
paper weird and startling story of Il
missing will which he declared had
been revealed to him by a fellow con-
vict. He was a burly fellow with a
prognathous jaw, and he had lost an
eye in battle. The mere look of him
would brighten u timid citizen into
tremcrs. MIR. White, the expert in
criminology. cross examined the man
as follows:
why were you in Auburn?"
"Highway' (meaning, of course, high
way robbery.
Il suppose you were wrongfuly con-
victed"
"Nuh; dey had me right"
Such engaging candor made Mr.
" bite feel that the man was truthful,
and he was greatly disappointed when
strict investigation disclosed the fact
that the story of the missing will was
all fictitious. The man was disap-
pointed, too. at the failure of his ro-
nance. but he went away from the
newspaper office in cheerful mood
with some remark about better luck
next time.
A week later Mr.. White was sum-
moned to the reception room of the
newspaper, and there he found his
friend. the burly hfghwayman, his
shoulders broader. his single eye fiercer
than ever. But his visit was quite
friendly, although somewhat tinged
with business. He evidently believed
he could rely on Mr.. Whites good
faith and business acumen Fixing
Mr.. White with his glittering eye. the
strong armed one Dlucked him by the
sleeve over to a corner of the room
and there in a loud, hoarse whisper in
CURED:
Say. couldjer do anything wit a cou-
pie O. atcheS?"-Harper's Weekly
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
I he z uzzler
No. 36+.-Charades.

I.
Should you wear my FIRST before your
name
You've gained a certain need OF fame.
Yet for 1t you my SECOND do,
a fact supremacy true.
Ny THIRD natural monarch stands
Admired in all lands
My LAST. number or verb.
I'm sure each day you've heard.
To be my WHOLE would ne'er betaN
The man to whom his countrys all.
You may find within my FIRST
Many n juicy seed
On which man and bird and beast
With equal pleasure feed
My SECOND Is fabric
And II may be coarse or fine.
A deadly snare it is beside.
Contrived with Ill design.
My WHOLE was never made by hand.
Though fine precious lace.
IT'S thought by many careful folk
mark OF dire disgrace.
My FIRST the little ones at school do learn
My SECOND Is bird wi,n feathers of blue
Though mixed with colors OF another hue
My THIRD is money of small count,
But If properly cared for makes fair ,
amount
My WHOLE is SO near to almost touch
you,
Though 1t may not DO always right in
view.
Youths Companion.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
BRINGING Bad. Luck.

IT told John the opal ring he insisted
on giving me would bring us bad
luck"
"Wel1. did it?"
did it? His rich old bachelor uncle
be had expectations from and who was
dying when he gave me the ring got
better the very next day and at the
end of the week was out of danger
Baltimore American.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
He Hits Back.

nor" had been 4 domestic spat at
breakfast.
y on monster" snapped the matror
VINO was always scolding. "You are
not Ike my two former husbands
Ih"y We're tender men"
never doubted that they were
''h4er. Maria.'' ventured the meek
han. when you kept them in hot
"Af"r all the time And he just
'l"arHd the front porch two yards
mead Of the rolling pin. - Chicago
News.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
No. 367.-Roman Num.r.

No. 367.-Roman Numerals.
I am composed 'of~five Roman numer-
ais.
My first and fifth each denote hun
bred.
My second and fourth are each one
fifth of my third, and the third is one
twentieth OF my first and also of my
fifth
When you have guessed me you will
see I am word often used in city
government
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Taking an ADVANTAGE,

your family seem to enjoy going to
Europe"
Yes" answered Mr.. Cunrox. Moth
er and the girls have observed that 1
am weak on getting the value of for
elgn money Things are ordered and
paid FOR before 1 have time to make
any intelligent inquiries as to the ex-
pense- Washington Star.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
No. 36a.-Tr;pIe Acrostio

1. Befricnded. 2. A village in Ger
many. 3. Want Of transparency. 4.
Welsh rabbit. 5. The Gland g. To
erase or ebace, as from a picture. Z.
A mountainous country of European
Turkey.
Primals, centrals and finals. respec-
lively, name n state and a county and a
town in that state.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
a Printer Inventor.

Washington printers who visited the
tuberculosis congress exposition are
loud in their praises of the govern
ment printing office exhibit, which was
arranged by DR.. William ]. Manning
sanitary officer OF the printery. The
life saving devices on exhibition are
all the invention Of the physician.
printer.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Concerning His KISSING of H.-

Only one person with a mean dis
position would have figured out this
little prose poem 1t runs as follows:
Which do you think is the greatest
slur2
DID he kiss herr
Did HE kiss her?
Did he KISS her?
Or
Did he kiss HER?-Cleveland News
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
No. 366.-Enigma.

NO. oOO.-EhI Sna.
1 am composed of five letters.
My first is n consonant.
My first and second make personal
pronoun.
My first, second and third also make
personal pronoun.
My first, second, third and fourth
spell n brave man. r
My whole Is n waterfowl
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
That Reminded Hin


"1t is said that plants have merno-
ries."
Il have heard that some professor
has put forth such theory In this
respect plants are unlike people who
borrow books."-Houston Post.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07

You never see a low spirited black
man."
'Thats So"
"Know why?"
NO"
HE can't get blue" BrowninZ's
Magazine
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Pats Services.

."rSTman-Fat. there's hole in
.A' roof Of the church. and I am try
.a- /" collect money sufficient to re-
1"lF it. Come, now. what will you
iflbute: Pat-Me services. Sor.
."f@TIn2n-What do you mean. Pat?
'i are no carpenter. Pat-No. but
j.. II rains next Sunday Oill sit over
'He hole.-rcarson's
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Conundrum.

What is the difference between q
baldheaded man, the Prince Of Wales,
an orphan and a gorilla? The first has
no heir apparent, the second is heir ap-
parent. the third has nary parent, and
the fourth has n hairy parent.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Real Poetic Fire,

Never tell me-" said the editor,
that there's no such thing as poetic
fire. That stove there is red hot, amt
it?"
"Sure Isl" g
well. I just threw half a crate of
poetry into tt!'-Atlanta Constitution.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07

Il hadn't been talking with him
three minutes before he called me an
ass What sort of Z person is hep
We'll, I never knew him TO tell n
lfe.''
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07

Full fifty rings of richest gold,
The dearest rings that one can hold
Each ring fits on lady's finger
Her hand among them loves to linger.
what are these fifty rings SO rare?
Just tousled locks of baby's hair.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Gruocind ApprnNaI-

DO You enjoy classical muSic?"
I don't exactly enjoy it. answered
Mr. CumroS. but 1t helps to kill off a
great deal of mighty embarrassing con,
FerSation. Observation-Disclosures Star.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07
Contrary Sex.

Tom-Td give anything If 7 could
only convince Miss Peachly that 1 love
her
Jack-And why can't you convince
her?
burg Post.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07

Miss Dolly, you know the old adj.
age
Il don't want to hear ANYTHING about
ndd-aGeS.' she Interrupted What we
girls want is some Sr1btract-aces.
Woman's Home Companion.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07

rio" poor are they that have no pa,
lice What wound did ever heal
t-- by degrees acknowledgements.
The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-01-07

No 3o9-Added Letter Puzzle: Bard,
beard: can, cane; lac, lace; ban, bean:
Dan, dean; find, fiend; aster, Easter:
ayes, caves late, elate; ye, eye; fact,
iacet' 90, doe; case, cease; nap, neap:
met meet; US, use; tin, tine; pat, pate;
pat, peat rag, rage; bony, ebony; fan,
zane; wave, weave; trip, tripe; bacon.
beacon; fast, feast; par, pear; merge.
emerge.
No. 36O.-Found In 4 Grocery Store:
Cohee, starch, matches, potatoes, vine
gar
No. 361--What states? /. Idaho (e,.
?. Iowa q owe 'er).
No. 362.-Numerical Puzzle: -!
Madagascar. SEEsaa
d A NJ aS2}fsE
r G SeHasf
words: Dam. sag. car. mad. go
No. 36a-Fau OF the year. ,+Es{1Es
The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-04-21

A 12-pound girl was born yester-
day to John r. Miller and wife of
Rachael Parsons has been forced
to stop her work at the telephone
Office for a while on account of poor
health.
Wilt Rowe and wife, of New Cas-
tie, Ind, arrived here yesterday to
make this their home.
Mrs. c. w. Stewart was in town
yesterday from Quincy, doing shop
ping.
The Red AppYe Real Estate Co. has
closed a deal with Jay A. Mission, of
Minneapolis, selling to him blocks 10
and II of the Millerdale tract. Con-
sideration $15,500.
Miss Amy I. Alexander, who spent
the past winter in this city handling
line of ladies' specialties, writes
from Seattle that she has had a very
sever attack of grippe, but expects
to return here in a few weeks, to
serve her old customers.
The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-04-21
Asked Dismissal of Case.

About one year ago William Par
ker, of Stehekin' was arrested, charg-
ed with mayhem, the complaining
witness being Ed. Berg. Both men
are from Stehekin. The case was
on the calendar for the 10th of this
month, but it was passed up, and
this morning Attorneys Rusk and
Reeves asked for dismissal on the
ground that the case had not been
brought to trial within the statutory
time. The case was argued this
morning, and Judge Grimshaw dis
missed court until l O'Clock to give
the prosecuting attorney an oppor-
tunity to make formal showing on
this matter
The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-04-21
A Novel Social.

The Christian Endeavor Society of
the Presbyterian church has arranged
for something decidedly new by way
of church social for Friday night
of this week. The affair will be
known as a Penny Social" a penny
to get in and another (??) to get
out. Fortunes will be told by cele-
brated gypsie. The fishing promises
to surpass that of Lake Wenatchee
Home made candies and old fash
toned popcorn balls will be in evil
dence The "Siamese Twins" will be
there. ''Humburgers," coffee and
home made pies will be on the "bill
of lading" Everyone is invited to
come and spend pleasant evening,
and help the Endeavors raise hun
dred."
The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-04-21
REFORMS AND WILL
RE-ENTER MINISTRY
(By Associated Press

New York, April 21.-After hav-
ing been dismissed from the Presby-
terrain ministry ten years ago for
drunkenness, the Rev. DR.. Harvey
Graeme Furbay will be reordained
at a meeting of the New York pres
bytery next Monday. DR.. Furbay,
who is a graduate of Princeton Theo-
logical seminary and holds the de-
gree of doctor of philosophy, ten
years ago was the pastor of the Ok
ford Presbyterian church at Phila-
delphia at a salary of $4,000 a year.
Then his wife died and he sought
dissipation to bring forgetfulness. He
sank rapidly, and on coming to New
York was arrested several times for
drunkenness and served time in
various prisons for being vagrant.